Slowly both Falkner and Morty didn't see each other as much as they wanted. Both the Gym leaders were busy with their Gym and their training. On a Saturday night, Falkner heard a soft knock on the door. He opened to see Morty, Gengar and Misdreavus. Both Gengar and Misdreavus floated past Falkner to the Bird Pokémon and Morty slowly walked inside. The Bird Trainer smiled at the guest and pulled him in a hug. The blonde Gym leader smiled back and together they walked to the living room.
"Is it okay if I stay here tonight? I don't really want to be in Ecruteak today." Asked the older man.
"Of course. You are always welcome. You know that right?" Said the Bluenet. Morty smiled and nodded. It was already 10 in the evening, so he assumed that Morty already ate something. So he just made some tea and gave the tea to Morty.
"Falk, you wanted to know more right? You know I will tell you, but I have a question to ask." Said Morty while looking at his cup of tea.
"Ask the question if it make you feel better." Reacted Falkner on it.
"Will… Does… Ehm... Will I feel any better when I have told you all about it? Will the pain go away if I told you everything right now? Will it?" Asked the blonde male while looking at Falkner with sad eyes.
"I can't promise that you will feel any better. I think you do as you don't have any secrets anymore or that I misunderstand you about something. I could help you maybe with the pain you have, but I can't no for sure. You can try it, so you will never have to talk about it again. Is that any help, Mort?" Tried Falkner and smiled a little when Morty nodded.
Because of some reason the bedroom became a place where Morty would pour his story out. Falkner didn't mind it if it helped his lover. But he didn't know why it was in the bedroom. He focused on what Morty was telling. The blonde was sitting on bed and had still his clothes on. It wasn't often when Morty would change his clothes in front of Falkner, but when he did he always shielded his back.
"One day I came home late. It was past midnight. Needless to be told, the Sages were furious. They punished me on the same way as ever. I had to take of my shirt and sit down on my knees. My back towards them. They hit me with a bamboo stick. It is how I received those scars." Morty took of his sweater when he told this. Falkner looked at the many lines on Morty's back. Some bigger then others and some looked liked they were deeper.
"When I thought, well hoped, that I would black out. They let me stand up and support myself against the wall. Then they continued with whip. I wasn't allowed to make a sound and so I didn't. Then suddenly they stopped and I could go. But I had to remember what could happen if I came late again. I was grounded after that.
When I was 15 I met a new friend. Finally someone who didn't thought that I was a freak. You know him to because his name is Eusine. I tried to find Suicune, but it didn't work. Our friendship didn't falter though. I still trained my Pokémon and so my Haunter evolved in a Gengar. Slowly the trainings became less as I now had to train for Gym leader. The Sages didn't make it easier as they still punished me for no good reason at all. Mostly I was being hit, but it would happen that I had to go stand under an ice cold shower."Morty sighed and became quiet and continued to change. When he wanted to put a shirt over his head, Falkner stopped him. Shaking his head that it wasn't necessary and took the shirt from Morty only to throw it somewhere else. Falkner then too changed and sat next to Morty and took hold of him. He felt a few tears on his shoulder and just hold Morty tighter.
"When I was 17 I became the Ecruteak gym leader. The Sages still punished me, but only harder as I could not retrieve Ho-Oh. They punished me until I fainted. Gengar and Misdreavus say that I turned out like I was when you saw me. Polite to others, but devoid of any real emotions. When I lost I was punished as I could not lose to a mere trainer.
On my 18th, whole Ecruteak hated me as Ho-Oh still didn't returned. There were few people who accepted me and that were Agent Jenny, Nurse Joy and the Kimono Girls. I didn't pay any thought to them though. I wanted that the Sages respected me as I was.
When I was 20 it became calmer. I got a new Haunter to make my team bigger and soon everything looked fine. I tried to help Eusine, but only to fail again. It then became clear that I couldn't see any legendary Pokémon. The Sages didn't like that. They punished me with words and I was locked up without my Pokémon. I think I lost it then as I scarred my arm." Morty showed his right arm; were you could see a light scar on it. He then laid his head against Falkner's shoulder. He was so damn tired.
"You can stop if you want Morty."
"No, I'm almost finished with the important impacts in my life. Al- Almost done…" Yawned Morty, but then he sat up and continued his story.
"When the next day arrived I saw my Pokémon. They helped to get to my room. And I slept for a while. Can't remember how long. When I was 21, the punishment got often too far as I would pass out. Because the Sages were never pleased with the way I acted, I stopped acting and so I probably ruined peoples hope. I heard people whisper that I became a creature, a freak without human emotions. That I spend to long with those 'freaks' of Pokémon.
Well when I was 22, you know a little bit what happen. I walked with them to the woods and they beat me unconscious. I said to my Pokémon that they had find some help and I woke up in the Pokémon center of Violet City with a feisty Bird trainer on my side." With the last sentence he grinned and gave Falkner a kiss. A slow one as he was really tired.
"I hope that I know the rest, as I was there myself."Grinned Falkner back and then he kissed Morty. "Do you feel any better now?"
"A little bit, but mostly tired. Telling you drained me. You are like a Litwick, sucking out my life force." Joked Morty while giving Falkner little kisses in his neck.
"Well then we should refill your life force by getting some sleep." Said the Bird trainer while moving to the other side and going in bed. Morty did the same and soon the Ecruteak Gym leader lay against him, drawing figures on his younger lover's arm.
"Thank you for telling me Mort. It means a lot to me." Said Falkner while looking at Morty.
"You had the right to know. It helped me though. I feel free, not so much ballast on me. Thank you." Was the blonde's reaction. And not soon after it he fell asleep.
Falkner thought about what Morty had told. It was really much and the scars on his back and arm. Morty showed the picture of a tough life, but now it would be easier. Fewer problems for him and his lover. As Falkner would never let any Sage come close to Morty ever. Never let the Sages hurt them again. They could be happy together and they would. Just wait a little bit and everything would be fine. Falkner decided to tell Morty a little bit about himself. He didn't have an exiting life, so there wasn't much to tell. And then there would be no secrets between them. Falkner fell asleep while he looked at the roof and thinking how he would tell more about himself.