young_oldman | IC Inbox: Empatheias

[ It connects easily; a memory of a day he's kept tucked away in his heart (because it will live nowhere else, joined with his mind, the anguish that comes upon imagining what those people went through) that never really comes out--it has no reason to, and he doesn't want to dwell on such pain.

But it slips there, the reminder of that chill deeper than ice. The grass around him curls, hiding in, and Lapras hums a sound at the encroaching display of emotions. ]

She's there. You don't have to worry. [ and despite that he forces out the words, yet still needing to get rid of that lump now sticking to his ribcage. Charizard lifts his head, curling it to the edge of his lap, bringing to him his warmth. We're here, the action speaks.

Calm. Right. Remember calm. ]

Do you need anyone? A friend or a doctor... Charizard and me can help them get here.

[ But then, they're so far away -- from Verens, from any of the villages. It was on purpose on his part, and for this man...? ]

I've had enough of doctors. [Wearily, bitterly, he declines Red's help. And his friends? He'd left Verens and the villages because of them.

No one should have to be hurt because of him.]

There's nothing anyone can do. But thank you for offering. I've...been nothing but terrible to you.

[ ... ] It's fine.

[ There's parts that weren't, aren't, but--that's a lot of energy and anger he doesn't want to touch or think about and would rather brush his hands of if the man kept up his own calm than accusations slung towards his pokéon. There was still that churning in him that wouldn't let go, things that he didn't want to think about... ]

It's hard sometimes. This place makes it harder. [ Emotions taking form in ways they shouldn't or unused to. If that's all it was, then he wasn't going to hold grudges. ] ...It's quieter out here.

[ And that was appreciated. He puts his good hand onto the head of Charizard, a small pause. ] Your name. You said it was... Lumen?

[ He'd been trying to remember it, but it wasn't quite clicking in a way that sounded right in his head. ]

Lu Meng, yes.

[A pause.] I've spoken with a Trainer before. I know what Pokemon are and how they are regarded in your world.

So I apologize, both to you and Gengar. I am truly alright with your Pokemon. But the specters...the specters haunt me still, and I cannot bear to look upon Gengar.

The one who is at fault is me.

Mmm. [ It's a negative sound, a shake of his head. But he's curious, and can't hold back his tongue this time: ] Spectres... what do you mean? What spectres?

[ Where in Empatheias? They weren't anything he'd heard about, no words about spectres close to his ears, at least. Other than... back then, but... ]

Ghosts.

You should be wary. [His voice turns harsh, angry, and the fire in front of them flares up.] There was a vengeful spirit that wandered this world. She enjoyed putting on an act, pretending to be an innocent young victim of her circumstances, when in truth the only joy she felt was inflicting pain and torture onto the living.

The Otherworlder Enforcers caught her, and she was put to trial and sentenced to death for her crimes. But since the Otherworlders do not die on this island I can assume that she will return, even if she has been exorcised.

[ There's an unsettling feeling in him that comes from that, first from the description of the ghost, and then hearing that they had been sentenced to death. A spirit sentenced to death?...

Red bites on the inside of his bottom lip, unsure. ]

But... if she's really exorcised...doesn't that mean she can move on? Isn't that different from killing them?

[ Wasn't that allowing them to rest? How did you kill a ghost anyway? ]

Were it only so easy. But if this world will not let us go through death, it follows then, that we cannot forcibly remove a spirit from here.

[Briefly his hand curls up into a tight fist, and the fire in front of him flares up, as if someone had thrown fuel inside it.]

[ Really, for a ghost, it seems like a situation that should be different. ...What a difficult area of thought.

Red's eyes flicker to the raised fist, the way that the flames burn, before they lower to the ground, spotting Lapras's shadow. --ah, shadows. ]

I don't want to worry you, but did you get checked out if she left a grudge on you? You got strange suddenly, and your shadow...it was like something was living in it.

[ wait, poor choice of words. ] Not literally--but it looked like a pile of tentacles.

[Grudge? No, she wouldn't be the one with the grudge on him. If anyone has any thoughts of vengeance right now, it's him. And if anyone should come for him, seeking his blood...it would be those poor men. The thought of that causes his shadow to flicker, before it begins to stretch behind him again.]

It's just the island. Playing on our emotions. [He says, his voice low.]

[ With the discussion on it, the way the shadow begins to react--Red's lips press in their already closed state, a brief crease at his brow. ]

If you're sure... you would probably know better than me. [ His hand touches over a knee, the other arm bent in rest, keeping it still. ] Emotions show some pretty weird things. One guy makes feathers appear out of nowhere with his. Another time...a boy made petals appear when we were on the lake. I guess it all means something important to them.

[He doesn't have much to respond to that, other than a soft shrug of the shoulders.

With the topic moving away from ghosts and hauntings, his shadow returns to its normal shape, and the fire returns to its previous size. But there's a lingering chill in the air, and it's not one that can be banished by a simple fire.]

[ The response--or lack of one--is fine. They were just words for words, a different place of thought than spectres and possible curses or grudges. It might not bring a total calm (his chill doesn't quite reach the boy, near to creatures of warmth and calm, even when cold-blooded), but that's not something an unknown company can really do anything about.

And if things had played out differently, perhaps he wouldn't even be here right now, having moved on with his day. But there's no rush in his legs, no telling in his head to do so. He lets the silence be for a small while, before speaking up once more. ]

You're really far out from the city. Do you live in one of the villages?

[The silence is not unwelcome, but it is little comfort either. Still, there is nothing this boy can do to help him. In fact he should probably get on his way now that things are...somewhat settled between them. There's no reason for him to stay. He had just been about to stand when Red speaks up.]

No. What of you? [He had gone out this far to avoid people, after all.]

IC Inbox: Empatheias

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