The adventures of Lion, Battler and the magical Spoilerdump.

[isthedeadcat]

Who: Those wacky Ushiromiyas isthedeadcat and veritadorata
Where: Dining area of the Cherrygrove Inn.
When: January 27th, as Battler arrives
Summary: Of all the people from Lion's (set of) world(s) who are here, Battler is probably the only person safe enough to hear this story. It's also pretty important, but never mind that.
Rating: PG-13 for incest mentions and BEATORIIIIICHEEEEE!!!11ONE

Log:

Lion wasn't exactly certain of what was going to happen next.

It had been nice to see a familiar face, even if that face was clearly from one of the other Fragments, and even if Battler had been pretty much convinced that he was delusional.
As someone who had the thought 'I must be delusional' more than a few times in the last weeks, Lion knew perfectly that waiting for things to settle and for Battler to assume that this was reality would be the best chance.

Offering some soup and promising to tell the story behind the seventh game was a bit of an involuntary action. Not that Lion regretted it, at least not yet, but it still had been a spur of the moment thing.
Lion, who was one for planning ahead as much as possible, wondered if that was the kind of things that a near death (or maybe complete death) experience did to the brain.

Well, at any rate, at this point thinking on what to say and what not to say was more important than anything. Lion carefully tucked in the three recently adopted pokémon eggs in the bed, using one of the leftover blankets as something of a nest, and sat to take some more notes.
The pokémon's reactions to the eggs were interesting and completely noteworthy. Julia had pretty much adopted the three as hers, and Ennis sometimes transformed into an egg and joined the others, probably asking for attention.


It was cold outside and it had been raining and hailing for a long while... Lion gave a sidelong look to the pokégear, hoping that Battler would make it to Cherrygrove safely.


[Feel free to actiontag this thing, as usual I just think prose posts are spiffy xD]

Comments

WHAT A SPIFFY PROSE INTRO.

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[It doesn't take long before Lion's pokégear rings.]

I DO WHAT I CAN.

[isthedeadcat]

[Stops the writing immediately to pick it up.]

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

Afternoon, cousin...! I got here a couple of hours ago, I'm in the ah... [slight pause, you can hear he steps back for a second] Pokécenter. Trisa and our new party member needed a rest. Where should I see you?

[isthedeadcat]

Good afternoon, Battler, it's good to see you are fine...

I'm in the inn, I will ask for warm soup for all of us, will that be good?

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

I'm so hungry you could give me the empty plate and I'd still eat it! I'll be there in no time!

[isthedeadcat]

[Chuckles.] I will be waiting.

[And off goes Lion, to ask soup and to get a nice table to wait for Battler.]

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[Battler arrives 15 mins or so later. His clothes are visibly dirty and look a little stiff, it's easy to deduce he hadn't changed them. Gastly is looking around curiously, with giggling fits from time to time.]

Lion!

[isthedeadcat]

[And Lion gets up from the chair with a little smile.] Welcome, Battler.

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

No need to be so formal! We're family, right?

[Offers hand for a manly family handshake.]

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[Just nods, and finishes his soup... there's a dread feeling all around, and even when he was starving just moments ago, he's not sure his stomach can take it.]

I think I'll have a night snack before sleeping instead of more soup. Is your offer for a bath still on?

[isthedeadcat]

Yes, of course, just tell me when you are ready.

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

I'm always ready!

[Grins at Lion as he stands up, and grabs his backpack... Gastly is still glaring at him]

[isthedeadcat]

Just a moment then. [Stands up to go and pay for the soup, and makes sure to leave a tip at the table, because THAT'S HOW LION ROLLS.

And then after a moment, Lion is back, ready to move when... Wow, that's a glare-y gastly.]

Maybe Trisa would like something to eat too? [Pauses, chuckles.] I'm not even sure if ghost pokémon eat, actually, do you?

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

She feeds on energy. And she had a banquet a little ago, so don't worry.

[Waits for Lion. Though Trisa looks like she's going to eat Battler |D]

[isthedeadcat]

[Oh, well, it was worth a try.]

This way, then.

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[Follows Lion to his room in silence. That ominous feeling is not gone...]

[isthedeadcat]

[Oh, my, I wonder why xD

As soon as they reach it, Lion opens the door to the room and lets Battler come in first.

The desk has a lot of papers with notes scattered all over, the bed has been turned into a nest housing four eggs (two of which look identical), and there is a hoothoot in the bedpost. STARING AT YOUR SOUL, Battler.

Other than that and a coat in a coat-hanger at first sight there is no sign of someone actually staying in this room because of how shiny and neat it looks.]

Please, come in.

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[Battler undoes the ponyail, and runs his fingers on Lion's hair... his eyes are fixed on the blond's.

His sin. His sin.

He closes whatever distance was between them still and lifts his other hand to Lion's hair too. With clumsy but careful movements, he braids it as well as he can. His breathing just slightly irregular...

His sin. His sin!!

Ah...]

Bea... trice...

[isthedeadcat]

[Lion is thankful of having been able to keep a strong sense of self during the memory ordeal.

In a way... There is some kind of very unsettling resemblance to what Grandfather had done when the Epitaph had been solved... It was something about forgiveness. About obtaining the forgiveness of someone else in order to be able to start forgiving oneself.

Lion didn't have the heart to stop this when it was someone who regretted his own sin so deeply... So the only choice in the end was to hope that Battler would also find his own forgiveness in this.]

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[Silence.

It... was her. Beatrice. The same he talked to a few days ago, and yet different. The same Beatrice he destroyed with his own incompetence. The same Beatrice he created. The same...

...

...no. There was something different. Why wouldn't she say something? Why wouldn't she laugh, and slap him away? Why wouldn't she embrace him, tell him she waited and waited... why wouldn't she smile? Why is she so quiet, staring calmly at him?!]

Say something...

[isthedeadcat]

[Have a soft sigh at that Battler.]

You are seeing Beatrice, even when you are looking at Lion. I can stay silent and let you see whatever you wish to...

But I cannot be her for you.

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

[Why wasn't she talking? He could see Beato move her mouth, but there was no sound coming out of it. Why? Why would she do that now?! ]

SAY SOMETHING!!

[isthedeadcat]

[Have a frown at that, Battler. A very serious frown.

No, no, no. Lion stands straight at that, maybe backing against the wall a little more for the sake of personal space and then pushes Battler away, rewarding him with a nice slap, snap out of it already!]

I am not her! I cannot be her!! [The promise had to be kept, the promise... Lion had to be Lion, it was important, important for Beatrice and for Lion.]

[veritadorata.livejournal.com]

...

[...his cheek burns...

Battler touches his cheek, it is a familiar pain, usually followed by Jessica's angry voice... or even some of the girls at school... But this time, it was followed by an awkward silence.

And the reason was staring at him coldly.]

I'm... sorry...

[Steps back... and back... until he finds the door.]

I'm sorry...

[isthedeadcat]

[Another frown, but this is more of a worried one. Panicking wasn't the way to solve this.] Stop. Don't even dare to leave after this.

[And now in a more gentle, almost soothing voice.] Sit a moment and calm down... This is important, Battler. If you care for her, and I know you do, then you have to listen to this with a clear mind.

Not like this.