foolishwren | IC CONTACT (Victory Road)

Assumption hesitated. For all the times he had crept over to Sharkhouse as a Cubone, first to find Henry to ask why he hit Walter and then to see his own friends there, he'd never really been welcomed in by the trainers of the household before. He looked up at Heather again, as if checking that she is actually letting him in, before stepping inside.

He still held his bone close to him and stayed close to Heather too. He didn't like Henry and he didn't like the other lady he had seen here, the one with the Spheal who had made him leave when he had been small. So it was best to stay by Heather, in case either of them saw him and decided to be mean. Walter had asked he be on his best behaviour even to Henry, which was going to be a hard promise to keep.

They have the same idea-- now's not a good time for Assumption to go wandering off into the house.

But she shuts the door behind him and looks around for a moment, weighing up the options. This could take some explaining to basically ANYONE who comes in, human or Pokemon alike-- they all know of Walter Sullivan and his Pokemon (although how seriously they take the accompanying "Watch out for" varies depending on the individual).

"... Let's-- uh-- here, come on upstairs. You can stay in m-- ... in, er, one of the bedrooms for now. Just till I tell everyone you're here, okay?"

She starts towards the staircase. If she sounds a little uncertain, it's because she IS, but even if Assumption is nowhere near the most volatile Pokemon she's ever inherited (that award goes to the Scolipede who she has literally never taken out of the PC, for good reason), he's definitely the one with the most complicated set of circumstances surrounding him.

Assumption followed her quietly.

It wasn't as if he lived his life attached to Walter's hip. He had gone out on his own a few times and often had to act as a mediator between some of his teammates, when Walter was busy with other things or was out of the house. It was just the knowledge that...well, he wasn't going to be welcomed here by the trainers as easily as a random Pokemon on the street, because they didn't like Walter much. It was awkward for him too, and a little frustrating given his trainer hadn't done anything in Johto worthy of this reputation.

He didn't really like the idea of staying in a room until Heather informed everyone that he was there. But he also knew that if she locked him in, he could easily get out. The real problem would be if she tried to put him in a PC Box, because then he wouldn't be able to answer Walter's call, when it was time to go home. So Assumption just did as he was told. When shown to a room, he obediently walked inside and looked around for somewhere to sit.

She does indeed show him to a room-- it's a bedroom, and by some MIRACLE, none of Envy's Pokemon are snoozing in it at the moment.

There's shelves, a dresser, a little bedside table, and a messy, unmade bed with so many rumpled blankets on it it might as well be a nest. Some strings of (currently unlit) Christmas lights are tacked up messily over the window, and the walls around the bed are plastered with papers and photographs-- many of them featuring Heather and Envy. Goofy selfies and undignified candids.

Assumption can sit pretty much wherever he wants, Heather won't stop him.

She needs to text Envy and tell him what's happened-- which, as far as Heather can see, is that Walter Sullivan has departed Johto and left at least one of his Pokemon to her. Assumption's prior visits don't really spring to mind-- mostly what she's been thinking about was the time Walter asked-- no, begged her to take Assumption if anything happened to him. And the thought isn't really a happy one.

Rubbing her temples, she rests her head on the doorframe for a moment, looking tired.

"You don't have to stay up here for long, I just... don't want anyone thinking you're here without being invited. You, uh... d'you want something to eat?"

Assumption pulled himself onto the bed and sat with his bone in his lap, legs swinging a little. At Heather's question he shook his head politely. "No thank you." Before they'd parted Walter had made sure to give him and the others some good food, in case they weren't fed for a little while. He'd even gotten an orange poffin, his favourite.

He looked over the room from this vantage point. It was so unlike Walter's bedroom; the bed was always made and he didn't have many photographs. What pictures he did have, photos or hand-drawn, were usually hidden in the journals he kept. It added to the strangeness of it all and on an impulse to make it more like home, Assumption stood and made the bed. Or at least tried to. Why did it have so many blankets?

She watches as he hops back down and starts trying to tug the blanket-army into order-- she's never seen where Walter actually keeps himself, but she knows what being raised in the Order is like, and she also knows... well, him. Being in this house now must feel like a completely different planet.

While he's busy with that, she takes the chance to quietly slip from the room, shutting the door softly behind her (but not locking it-- if he tried to, he could open it easily).

A few minutes later, though, there's a knock at the door!

Who could that be??

At the knock, Assumption turned to the door and abandoned his quest to straighten the blankets. He kept his club in hand, stepping towards the door. Nobody else had been in here, so they couldn't be looking for someone else, right? Or where they looking for someone?

He reached up on tiptoe to reach the doorknob, pulling the door open with a healthy mix of unease and care. "Hello?"

THE DOOR OPENS... revealing something TALL (... relatively) and GOLDEN.

A sleek Lucario with gleaming, lustrous fur stands in the doorway, ears pricked forward attentively and paws clasped behind his back.

He says nothing, and is trying to look very dignified, but his tail is wagging furiously behind him.

Edited 2017-12-30 23:44 (UTC)

The last time Assumption has spoken with Wolf had been to confirm The Plan™. That way his friends would know why he was at their house and that he wouldn't be there forever, just until Walter was well hidden and he could go home.

Seeing this extremely handsome, tall and so dignified Lucario stunned Assumption. Wolf had always been handsome of course! But seeing him like this stunned Assumption, who hadn't been expecting it at all. He lowered his bone club, face flushed under his mask and stepped closer, tail wagging as well. "Wolf? You're...you evolved! You look so strong and handsome! I- I mean-"

OOPS. Assumption pressed a hand over his mouth, embarrassed at his blabber.

The Lucario smiles-- apparently evolving hadn't made him too dignified to blush, because he certainly does.

His aura shimmers.

Pride, pleasure at Assumption's approval. Some relief, too, that he's not upset with it for whatever reason (not like he ever WOULD be, but still Wolf worried!).

He'd been waiting for weeks for the big reveal, and it's the hardest secret he's ever had to keep. It was honestly sort of fortunate that Walter and his team had been so busy with their escape, because if they'd been talking on the regular Wolf isn't sure that he'd have been able to keep it to himself.

He opens his paws, revealing a notepad and a pen. He'd already had a message written, although he scribbles hastily to add some onto the end before showing it to Assumption. It's clear what he carefully wrote down ahead of time and what he waited to add until he knew whether Assumption would be happy about the evolution or not.

I evolved in the ghost woods, to protect Saint Alessa. Kite evolved too. We were ready to become our true selves, take on our true names, and fulfill our Holy destinies.

I'm so glad to see you! Now I'm just like you!!

Assumption gasped as he felt Wolf's aura. It was incredible, to feel what Wolf felt in that moment.

"Oh! I'm so glad to see you too! I've missed talking to you! But...with taking on your true selves, are you going to change again? Do I have to call you a different name?"

He was still nervous about that. Wolf might be able to read it, how Assumption's stomach dropped at the thought of it. He couldn't forget how wracked Walter was by his duty and the title he had to bear. Serving God came at a price. For Walter...it had been an extremely heavy price. And even he had to lose some things to evolve the way he had.

And the truth was, he liked Wolf as he was now. He'd always liked him and he wouldn't dislike him for changing, but if it was in the way Walter did on the 'those' weekends...

It flickers again in response to the Marowak's apparent worries.

Understanding, reassurance!

Wolf worried about those very same things, but after evolution, things felt... less uncertain, than they had before. He smiles and shakes his head, scribbling more on the pad.

No... you can still call me Wolf! After all, Saint Alessa still calls me that. She doesn't know my true name, and Miss Warden says it's probably for the best that she doesn't.

But... would YOU like to know it?

He holds his breath as he shows Assumption the pad, and his aura shimmers with a MYRIAD of feelings.

Excitement and eagerness to reveal his title to Assumption, equal parts pride and bashfulness, and... some degree of jitters over whether or not it will add to the Marowak's unease.

"I do want to know. But why can't St. Alessa know about your name?" It seemed...so strange that they would hide it from her. Walter had taught them about God and the Order and his duties as the Conjurer. They didn't openly worship him, but it wasn't a secret that they thought highly of him for who he was and the responsibilities he held.

But Walter told Assumption everything. His little Cubone had been the first confident he'd ever had in his life, so Assumption had been trusted with all Walter's secrets; even those he hadn't shared with anyone yet, like how Walter was actually afraid of Valtiel calling on him to begin the ritual again.

But Assumption still didn't realise that Warden had ulterior motives in introducing Kite and Wolf to Walter in the first place.

Wolf steps further into the room and sits down on the floor, patting it too invite Assumption to join him before writing another message.

Miss Warden says that when she met Saint Alessa, She was consumed with hatred for the Order, and hatred for Herself. That she was capable of great and terrible things, to curse Herself and all who played a role in making Her the Mother and Daughter of God.

Miss Warden says that She is no longer consumed by that anger, that she has found some peace, but still would be very upset if She realized that we knew who She truly was, that we were the emissaries of the gods and angels that served Her in that world. That she might reject us out of fear and pain.

So, if we want to protect Her, we must do it in secret.

He turns the pad around to show Assumption, ears splayed out. His aura shows worry, anxiousness over whether or not he's represented himself in a way that makes sense.

Edited 2018-01-07 19:49 (UTC)

"But...she knows we have to protect our trainers. When I hurt Henry, Walter thought I might be taken away from him. She told him that what I had done was right." He thought of Claudia, their own spiritual guide in Walter's team.

"Claudia - she's, the Ninetales in my team who studies God and the Order the most. She said that for a person to become divine, they must suffer a lot of pain. Walter had a lot of nasty things happen to him, that enabled him to be blessed by Valtiel. So, St. Alessa probably had a lot of hurt to go through too." He held his bone club close to him, looking up to Wolf uncertainly.

"But, I don't see why she would hate you. Didn't she teach you stuff about it too? I know you came to see Walter about it a long time ago and he taught you some stuff."

Here, Wolf looks a little bit uncomfortable-- both in expression and aura. He writes, hesitantly, before showing Assumption the pad again.

All we know of the Order is what Miss Warden has told us, and what we heard from your trainer during our visits. Saint Alessa does not speak of it, ever.

I do not know much about what She had to endure to become Holy. Miss Warden said that she does not know for sure either, but that what she does know is that it was ~~horri~~ ~~innap~~ not appropriate for young ones like us to know, and that we shouldn't ask about it.

Assumption read the note, and stepped closer to Wolf. He reached out and gently took his friend's paw. He didn't feel as uncomfortable, but he was trying to find his footing here - both in this house and with everything Wolf was telling him.

"Walter began to tell me things from the day we met. A lot of it was...it was difficult and scary to hear back then. It's still not nice to hear, especially when he gets upset. And, I'm not sure why would Warden teach you about the Order if He- St. Alessa never talks about it." Assumption didn't mean to but he touched over the spike on the back of Wolf's hand.

"But the Truth always comes out. I know you'll find it." He gave Wolf a soft smile.

The Lucario allows his paw to be taken, and despite the sensitive subject matter, offers Assumption another small smile. With his free paw, he writes another message.

She does not like to talk about it in front of her team. Only to the other humans-- and only in bits and pieces.

But Miss Warden wanted to pass on the teachings of her original trainer... it's important to her that Saint Alessa be protected, just like her real trainer would have wanted. Even if She doesn't.

And anyway... we love Her.

Even if we were not angels, we would love Her anyway.

With the way his aura shimmers, it's clear he means it with every inch of his being.

He squeezes Assumption's paw. That sentiment, he knows his friend will understand. Assumption is more dedicated to his trainer than any other Pokemon Wolf knows!

Edited 2018-01-08 10:13 (UTC)

"Then she shouldn't be mad, because you're protecting her like you would have anyway. I know I'm not an angel, and I wasn't born special like you or Claudia were. But I'd do anything for Walter. And the same is true of some of my friends, and your friends in her team too." Angels or not, they were protectors. Assumption couldn't project aura like Wolf but he thought very hard about how much he loved Walter, hoping Wolf would be able to feel it.

In his intense focus, he might have squeezed Wolf's paw. He smiled and his tail wagged slowly behind him. "Even if Walter had been ordinary and not given any sort of divine purpose, he'd be special to me. Like you. And Warden and Kite." He quickly added his other friends, blushing. He kept saying more than he needed to and he couldn't hide the quick rush of embarrassment that swept over him.

The Lucario nods seriously.

Because of course, Assumption is right at the core. Even if things with Saint Alessa are... complicated. Complicated in ways that Warden had said even their friends on Walter Sullivan's team might not be able to fully understand, through no fault of their trainer's or their own.

But he'd rather not try to put all of it to words... after all, his writing paw is getting sore.

So instead, he just smiles in response, and lets his love and affection show in his aura. Even without words, how much he's missed Assumption and how happy he is that Assumption's here, despite the circumstances, is clear.

Wolf's happiness helped reassure Assumption that he hadn't said the wrong thing. He relaxed and looked back around the room.

"I have to stay here. I mean, in this room. Until the other humans know I'm here. So they don't try to make me leave. And probably so I don't see Henry." Even without the chip, he still had a vicious grudge against the Receiver of Wisdom. But it's only a thought before he focuses on the bigger picture. "It's...really, really different to the house we had in Ecruteak. It was smaller, with just me and Walter and our friends. It's really tidy, and the pictures Walter draws or takes with a camera are hidden in a book."

He looked back to Wolf, briefly nervous. "If you're not busy, could you stay with me a bit? It's...it's just, really really strange, compared to home."

At hearing Henry's name, the Lucario scrunches his face a little bit.

HE HASN'T... ENTIRELY FORGIVEN HENRY EITHER. But ever since the woods... he's at least gained a slightly new perspective on the Receiver, and what happened to make him the way he was. It's Complicated (tm).

But he can definitely agree with keeping the two of them apart as... much as possible. Because complicated or not, he wouldn't blame Assumption at all for trying to clobber the guy again. He'd do as much to anyone who tried to harm Saint Alessa, after all.

The other topics are happier, and he nods in agreement. He'd seen how Walter kept his home.

This place, these people...

He scribbles on his pad again.

They are very different than Walter. Both the humans AND the Pokemon.
I don't always understand them... but the more I watch everyone in this house, the more it feels like a collage. Or a puzzle! Something made from lots of pieces that don't look like they match, but do somehow.

It doesn't seem like it should work.

But it does.

Saint Alessa likes the messiness.

He laughs, getting up to sit on the bed (he no longer has to climb awkwardly onto it! His legs are long enough now!) and patting next to him. Because of course he'll stay with Assumption! That's why he came up here!

"She likes it being messy?" That was so weird! How do they find things they needed if it wasn't in the right place? Assumption immediately hopped up beside Wolf regardless.

"That feels a bit like my team. But sometimes I have to tell Pokemon to get along before they start a fight about things." Their arguments varied a lot, from jealousy and boast about power to even their beliefs. But he was used to being able to step in and talk. Funnily enough, he had a lot of respect from his team for his closeness to Walter, his ability in battle and even his nature and how he carried himself. Here, he had a reputation that wasn't good and no standing with anyone except the few friends he had. He didn't want to be in charge here and he knew his reputation was well deserved, it was just jarring and he didn't know how he should act or behave while he was here.

He looked around the room again, lingering on the pictures. He held his bone in both hands. "When a message comes over the network that mentions Toluca Lake, that's when Walter is calling me back."

Wolf nods, though his ears droop a little at Assumption's reflection on his own team. He knows that the Marowak is held in high esteem there, and for good reason.

The rest of Saint Alessa's team doesn't really listen to me...
or even Miss Warden. Sometimes I think some of them may even be jealous that Kite and I get to spend so much time training with her. So we keep to ourselves.

Of course, what Assumption says next makes the Lucario's ears stand straight up. Not in alarm, but his aura flickers a little sadly. Understanding, but slight disappointment at knowing Assumption has to leave...

Hesitantly, he adds to what he'd written before.

Is it selfish that I want you to stay for awhile? I know we're not supposed to be selfish...

Assumption nodded quietly. From what he'd heard, Warden came from another trainer. It'd be like Gracie, or Charlotte trying to tell Walter's Pokemon what to do. They listened to them and they were friends with Doll and himself and several others, but they weren't in a position to sway the group's opinion at large or try to tell them what to do.

He read Wolf's words and thought for a little while. "I don't think it's selfish. I want to spend more time with you too. I don't know how long we'll be away, like when we first left Goldenrod. And even if our trainers talk to each other more, they're not really friends either." He didn't want to be apart from his friends. But it seemed like he and Walter were constantly on the run or hiding away from someone. First it had been Henry's fault. Now it was due to them leaving Team Rocket. It wasn't fair but as Walter had often pointed out, life wasn't kind.

(no subject)

foolishwren - 2018-01-17 10:26 (UTC) - Expand