Roleplay

@Ayle

"I don't think a watch will be necessary. We’ll be as safe as we can be, here." Ajax doubted they could fight off all of the Pokémon if they decided to kill them in their sleep tonight, even with 3 of their own Pokémon and 2 guns between them. Still, it may be safer if he kept Nemesis out of her pokeball tonight to keep watch. He looks down at her again, having finished her meal. She sat still, staring directly into the fire. The emptiness and...something missing was putting him on edge, and some part of him wondered if it could ever be gotten back. Did he want her to feel, to have a soul again?

"Nemesis, guard." Ajax watches for her reaction, seeing an ear flick in recognition of the order. I will guard. Nothing more. Any ringer should be proud to have such an obedient Pokémon, but he only felt a hollowing pit within him. Was this the Victini's doing? Some kind of sick retribution for the sins he'd committed all his life?

When sleep finally came, Ajax knew because of the dreams that came with it. It wasn't like the waking visions he saw through the god's eyes, but more so fleeting impressions that he realized were the dreams of the Pokémon around them. There were so many of them, running free in this Sanctuary, full of life and bright hope. A Pikipek, worrying in her dreams if she will have enough berries cached for when her offspring hatch. A Dedenne, dreaming of scurrying through the underbrush in hunt for nuts and a full belly. A Talonflame, seeing the entire valley below in his mind's eye in search of prey as he roosts a few trees away.

Ajax’s mind turned to those of the ones sleeping beside him. Nemesis had eventually fallen asleep, her flames smoldering down to a few flickers, but her dreams were chaotic and disjointed. He saw flashes of past battles, blood splashing on concrete that were both her own and her opponents', the feeling of tendon and sinew under her claws. Ajax unconsciously recoiled, but his mind seemed to be siphoned deeper into hers, drawn to the horrors within. He felt himself look up through her eyes after a kill, floodlights blinding his vision as he stood atop some nameless carcass of another Pokémon, looking towards the figure of himself standing at the end of the stage. But this Ajax was not looking at them, attention instead focused on the cheer of the crowd around them, cheering his name.

The dream shifts, and now there was only pain. He looked down at the freshly implanted claws, which Nemesis had gotten shortly after she had evolved. Blood soaked the bandages, and he felt her thoughts echo in a staccato of it hurts, it hurts, make the hurt go away, tear and rip until it goes away. But she could not reach it through her restraints; pure agony.

“How long until it can fight again?” Ajax’s voice sounds from somewhere near, the voice younger than his own.

“Only 3 days’ time. It won’t be fully healed, but the pain is what’ll keep them going.”

Ajax twists in his sleep, and he’s unsure if he is dreaming or if he’s in Nemesis’ body.

I’m afraid.

She is a Cyndaquil, again. One of her earliest memories, one which replays in her mind night after night. It is dark, and she is alone. There is the smell of blood and steel, sweat and fear all around her. An all-too-loud screeching sound assaults her and she cowers in the corner as the cage door is opened, rough gloved hands reaching in and grabbing her. She is too small and weak to struggle, and an even younger Ajax’s face comes into view. His nose is bloodied and his eyes, red from what look like tears, stare with an unrestrained fury at her that makes her want to curl in on herself.

“No! This is some kind of joke, right?”

“Far from it, Ajax. This is your last chance. You will take it or leave it.”

“It’s going to die anyways, father. Look at how pathetic it is. It won’t even last a day in the ring.”

The dealer jostles her, pulling her higher by the scruff of her neck. I want to live! Please, give me a chance. Her pleas go unheard as the man holding her says gruffly, “So what’s it gonna be, lad? Even runts like these ain’t cheap. Would make a good pair of gloves for the Rich instead.”

Ajax sneers, “That would be even more of a waste. Fine. I’ll take it.” As he storms out, the dream slowly fades and Ajax is once again thrown back into his own body. He gasps and finds himself on the forest floor of their camp, early morning sun filtering through the leaves and the smell of grass and dew in the air. The tang of blood and smoke still lingers in his nostrils, however. Ajax’s gaze lands on Nemesis’, and he gives a start when he realizes she is awake and staring directly at him, not even two paces away.

You saw.

@Ayle

What the hell was he even supposed to say to that? His hand twitches instinctually, to correct an unwanted behavior in his Pokémon like he'd done for years. But he froze, suddenly met by the weight of Nemesis' pain behind those eyes. It never truly went away, he realized; she just became good at masking it.

Before he could utter a word, Lin appeared at the periphery of his vision. He sees Nem's gaze flicker at the Kirlia, stay away I will hurt you cutting through their minds like a blade, and Ajax knew she meant it. He shoots a warning glance in Lin's direction, slowly getting up to a crouch.

"Nemesis." She looks back at him, and he tries to steady his breathing as much as possible. "I...yes, I saw. I felt what you felt. That was....f*ck, what do I even say to that? I'm a f*cking monster and what I did was unforgiveable." He felt himself unravelling, while Mila and Lin watched from the side. "I put you through hell and back, just for money and glory and my own messed up ego. I don't know how I can fix this or make amends. But for whatever it's worth, I'm...I'm sorry for making you this way."

He felt deflated, laid bare, apologizing to the thing he had spent the last 4 years of his life breaking and molding.

She stared, and it was silent. Then-- You can see now. Nothing more to be said. I cannot be uncreated.

@Ayle

When it was done, Ajax didn't meet Mila's eyes. He wanted to run, push people away, find some corner to be alone like he'd always done at any sign of weakness. He was still crouched, solidly planted to the ground on two feet, yet it felt like his legs had been swept from underneath him. Before anything else could be said, he heard the arrival of the wild Pokémon in their clearing. It was the same Charizard that had escorted them yesterday, along with 2 Braviaries.

Ajax did not quite understand what the Charizard was saying, feeling like he was trying to piece together bits of foreign and familiar languages together, but the meaning behind her message was clear. They were no longer welcome here. He stole a glance at Mila, and she seemed to have understood that as well. The Charizard swung towards him, and he tensed as she towered a few feet above him. Her eyes locked momentarily with Nem's, caution and wariness flowing between them, but the Quilava did not seem to make a move of aggression. For now.

Then, slowly, she lowered herself towards the ground. Ajax gave a start. "You're letting me...ride you?"

The Charizard snorted, and he understood that better. Either this way or you can walk. He recalls Nemesis and collects his pack, trying not to swallow audibly. The only Pokémon he'd ever ridden was a Dodrio during an illegal street race, and it hadn't exactly been a willing mount. Still, he clambers up the side of her back with as much grace as he could muster, feeling her body tense and muscles ripple under him. 

She only casts a sideways glance back at him to make sure he’s settled before crouching, then launching herself into the air with a powerful stroke of her wings. Ajax’s stomach lurches and he’s secretly glad he hadn’t eaten any breakfast yet as they clear the canopy. His hands grip the sides of her neck for purchase, hoping she didn’t find it uncomfortable enough to decide to unseat him. As the ground drops alarmingly fast below them, Ajax steals a look behind him to see Mila and Sinclair rising into view on the Braviaries. He hoped they knew where they were going. It would be a shame if they dropped them off back into the middle of nowhere and they ended up dying in the desert anyways, after all that had happened. 

Below, a familiar scene. Ajax realizes he’d seen this, somewhere, through the eyes of one of the Pokémon he dreamed about. The Sanctuary’s forest sprawls for miles in every direction, and far in the south he could see the shimmering veil which curtained it off from the desert beyond. They bank north, cutting through the Sanctuary. 

As the flight continues its course, Ajax feels himself untensing. This was….almost nice. Perhaps even better than riding on his hoverbike. An idea occurs to him, unbidden and possibly absurd--perhaps he could convince this Charizard to join them. There was little aside from a plasma cannon that could bring down a full-grown Charizard, and they were highly prized in the rings. Worth a shot. Ajax clears his throat.

“Would you….like to come with us? Could use your firepower in what’s coming.” The Pokémon doesn't respond at first, and he wonders if it didn't hear him over the wind. Suddenly, the sky pitches upside-down, and Ajax can barely let out a gasp of surprise before he is sent plummeting over the side of the Charizard's back. 

"What the--AAAAAH!" He screams, hands grabbing for a hold but only meeting empty air as he falls. He tries to see where the Charizard went, where Mila and the others are, but everything is spinning too fast. He is still screaming when two clawed hands hook themselves under his arms, abruptly breaking his fall. He looks up, meeting the eyes of the Charizard--and she is laughing, her scarred snout contorted into a savage snarl.

"F*CK YOU!" Ajax yells, even though it was probably far from the best idea while in his position. The Charizard hovers in place, bringing her head down to stare defiantly at his form.

I will never be owned again, human.

@Ayle

"Okay okay I get it, I didn't mean to--ow!" He yelps as the Charizard's clawed grip tightens around his armpits, but only momentarily as she readjusts her hold on him and flips him like a ragdoll through the air onto her back. He sees stars as his groin smacks against her spine, the thought of I'm definitely going to feel that later shooting through his mind as he winces. He keeps his lips sealed tight for the remainder of the flight, silently smoldering. But he can't help but notice the multitude of scars along the Charizard's body, some darkened and rough, others small and silver. He'd been so accustomed to seeing fighting Pokémon bearing the evidence of their past battles that he hadn't given those on her much thought.

Looking closer, though, Ajax knew what some of them meant--because he'd inflicted similar ones on countless others. The more raised, weathered cuts were those from a training whip, an implement used in earlier stages of training to make young Pokémon more malleable. The faint outline along her neck was from that of a control collar, which would apply a corrective Type-averse shock to a Pokémon if it misbehaved or displeased their trainer. His fingers accidentally brushed against the border of it as the Charizard began to dip into a descent, eliciting an unconscious tremor through her.

"I'm sorry." he murmured, quickly moving his hand away, but he wasn't sure if he was apologizing for the touch or what she had gone through in her past.

They land, sending out a cloud of yellow dust around them. He more than happily slides off, stretching his aching legs and looking around. As the others land, he catches sight of a collection of structures in the far distance, at least 5 miles away, shimmering above the sand.

This is where we leave you. The Charizard rises back onto her hindquarters,
shaking herself off. She narrows her eyes and sends a jet of steam in the direction of the structures, lip curling with unrestrained disgust. Human town west.

Without further comment (or at least from what Ajax could tell), she turns and departs with the other flying types. He covers his eyes as they send another billow of sand and dust in their wake, disappearing back into the blue. 

After they leave, he turns to Mila, trying to rally his own bruised ego, "I hope your ride was smoother than mine?"

@Ayle

Ajax fought to quell the look of surprise at Mila’s words. They gave themselves names? They can hold conversations?? Guess his ride turned out even more rough than he thought. Or perhaps the Charizard just wasn’t as good at talking. He ignored the ending jibe, looking between Mila and Lin at their brief exchange. The Kirlia did appear a lot more animated than before they entered the Sanctuary, though he wasn’t sure if it was because he had dropped the facade or because of whatever the Victini had done to them. Speaking of which—


“It’s hard to explain. The Victini didn’t exactly…speak to me.” They start walking, beginning the trek to the town that Ajax hoped was Buffalo Springs, “It showed me visions, of what happened before the Cleansing. It’s all so much bigger than we could have imagined, Mila.”


He swallows, focusing on the dry, cracked ground beneath their footsteps. “The gods, all of them, they were fighting. And I saw something—I think it was a Pokémon, but nothing like I’ve ever seen or heard of—it was as if it had turned them all against each other. And then turned them against us.” Ajax tries to recall what it had looked like, the feeling of wrongness that had surrounded it like the armored shell it wore.

“I know I sound crazy, hell I think I am going crazy, but you were right. Somehow the government was behind this since the beginning.” He turns his eyes to Mila to gauge her reaction, drawing an unsteady breath.


“And somehow, I think the key to us stopping them lies in The Underground and the Elite Four.”