Pokémon Academy Chapter 4: Abduction

[Ojama Yellow]

Marius scratched the back of his head. "Oh...uh, oh yes, the Winter Cup! Of course I have heard of that, ah ha ha! Silly me!" The truth was that he didn't. Back in Verdanturf Town, he didn't pay much attention to pretty much any kind of tournament or cup. It may have been possible that he had heard of the Winter Cup somewhere, but all he ever paid attention to were contests. He thought of what could have happened if his parents would have let him enroll sooner. Maybe he would be in the Winter Cup then. Maybe he would been on television. The thought of it all made him shake with excitement. This place would start off his career.

Then he let the secretary guide him out of the office, but not before giving him the key of his new room. My roommate is a boy named Henry, hm? Marius thought, I wonder what he is like? But first things first. "Marisa, we will be going to the Arena now, to see what we have missed so far! To see the place we could have been standing right now!" He dashed off again, and ran past Loretta, the Psyduck doing his best to keep up with his overly energetic coordinator.

[DarkLight]

{Slade and Avis}

Avis beamed happily as Slade's mood brightened up. It seems like her job here is done. So, once her pet was over, Avis craned her neck to find Danielle. It was time to prepare for their battle with Jacob, and they will need all the preparation they could get. Once the keen eyed bird had spotted Danielle, she crowed to get her attention.

{Danielle}

"Ah, there you are! Your Pokemon are restored to full health. Good luck in your next battle!" The nurse greeted Danielle as the coordinator neared the desk. She then handed over Zared and Corona's respective Pokeballs before she left Danielle to herself.

"Glad to see you two are back~" Danielle said quietly, glancing at each of her capsules before she put them away. It was then that she heard her Murkrow's urgent cry. There was no doubt as to why Avis was acting that way; Jacob's battle was coming up. It was time to redeem herself in an official match, and they will make it an enjoyable one this time. Danielle grinned as she neared Slade to pick up her starter. "Alright, I get it, Avis. We won't make it easy for him to win this time, I promise~" Danielle then addressed Slade, giving a light tap on his fedora. "Sorry, dear, I want to hang out, but I got to prepare for Jacob's team. I'll make it up to you later, 'kay? You're welcome to come with me if you want though!" She gave him a wink before she began heading out.

Danielle also gave the invite to Lana as well; the more the merrier, right? Plus, Avis and her Pokemon would love the critique on their battling skills. Despite being in the semifinals, Danielle actually felt more relaxed than nervous. Perhaps it was because it was because she will be facing her best friend or because she was getting the hang of her team. Either way, the coordinator felt pretty good about the next match.

[Felicity]

Recap post!

((I'm not gonna lie, I just got out of an exam so this is gonna be a bit sub-par than what Jory normally does.))

"And we're off to an interesting start ladies and gentleman, We have the Creme de la creme here, the top Breeder vs the Top Trainer and they are not letting us down with this already fierce display of skill and prowess!" Brand rattled off the commentary into the mic, as engaged with the match-up as the audience he was commentating to.

Total recap of the battle:

Steel cage? I'm not sure if this plays to my advantage or not. "Alright, Lucas, you ready for this?" The Ralts let out a confident chirp and slid downward off of Kage's shoulder, stepping forward with quiet determination. He didn't do much, other than give the Cubone a cool look. "Remember what we just talked about?" The Ralts nodded. "Let's get this done," he called out, turning to face his opponent. He wore his sunglasses - though unsettling people with his 'gaze' might actually work out for him.

{Mareek vs Kage}

"Not gonna take the first move then?" Mareek called back, examining the fairy across the field all the while as Nemo did the same. The young fighter decided there was something more to this foe than met the eye, something to watch out for... there were not many who would enter a battle last and not take the first move, and Nemo knew from experience it either meant they had a plan or they were cocky. But most of the time it was the former.

Before his trainer could give any orders, the Cubone's body took on a bright glow as four flashes blazed before him and the sound of rocks grating against steel rang out as the thick, flat slabs of grey fell around him in a protective shield formation, a single, tiny space left vacant to provide a view of the opponent, though whether the move that had created it was stealth rock or something else was hard to tell. Nemo leapt back from the rocky barrier, glancing at Mareek, wondering why he hadn't been given any instructions yet... and to the ground types surprise his trainer seemed completely lost for a moment... looking around the field and at the audience as if he were a deer in headlights.

"Cube!" Nemo shouted, banging his club against the steel floor.

"That voice... could it have- no... had to have been the wind.""Nemo..." The boy still seemed to space out for a moment, his eyes briefly fixing down at his own hoodie before shaking his head, feeling his focus return gradually. The first thing that caught his attention was the orphan's initiative. "Good, you're learning. Now use what Java taught you." He nodded to down to the steel floor of the cage. Nemo gave his affirmative with his fist becoming cloaked in teal blaze of electricity growing larger and larger as he honed his focus and balled his empty fist tight, the sound of a thousand chirping birds filling the cage. Another nod was the only prompt he got to begin, and without a sound, Nemo slammed his fist into the floor with as much force as he could muster, the entire metal surface becoming live with electricity as the current spread in every direction as the ground type pumped more and more juice into the attack... fully expecting his opponent either to stay on the ground and get fried like a fool or make some maneuver into the air that would leave them a sitting duck...

Kage vs. Mareek

Shit. That sounds like - "Lucas, Trick Room and use the time to Calm Mind!" The dimensions inside the cage seemed to warp oddly, producing a disconcerting visual effect - and, more importantly, warping the space between Nemo and Lucas to give him time to maneuver. The Ralts focused intently, gathering his energy and bracing for the impact. When it hit, the Ralts shook, but remained steady.

Mareek vs Kage

"Wait a minute... did he really just? But why? When he's..." "Hey, Kage, was it?" the boy called across the field, honestly a bit worried this whole thing would be the fight with James all over again... "You uh... you do realize that a Cubone is slower than a Ralts, right?" As if to testify to the truth of the statement, Nemo suppressed a chuckle as he twirled his club in his hand briefly before firing it off fast as lightning towards the psychic type, his movement a near blur thanks to the room's effects... This looked like it might be as easy as Java told him the fight against that weird ghost had been!

Kage vs. Mareek

"I don't think you got the point. Lucas, now!" The Ralt's eyes briefly became visible as his energy flared, summoning a barrage of scintillating leaves that flew unerringly toward the incoming projectile - and, by extension, the one who fired it. The light in the room, already twisted about by the strange psychic effects created by Lucas, flickered and reflected between the magical leaves, putting on quite the light show and making it more difficult to actually see what was going on by the second.

((it's up to you whether or not that actually stops the incoming hit at all, cancels out, or breaks it and continues))

{Mareek vs Kage}

Hell, why not try out some persona for a while?

"I can see the electrified floor didn't do anything to slow it down... figures. I just want this stupid thing to end soon..." He shook his head as he briefly ordered the young swordsman to defend himself, Nemo responding by catching his returning club, the thing having been repelled after knocking down only a few of the incoming glowing leafs. Again becoming a mere blur as he moved, Nemos arms moved as if conducting a symphony, the slate grey slabs glowing white right along with his body as they moved into position before him, a few chips flying off here and there as they took the remaining brunt of the attack.

Mareek lowered his outstretched palm, smirking as he gazed at the boy across from him in both a metaphorical and literal new light. "Well... could be worst, I guess. at least he's obviously got something planned. It was a nice try to throw me off, but acting like he really was a moron would've worked better in the long run. Hell though, If he didn't have his reputation, I'd honestly have to say I'm impressed the blind guy is putting up a better fight than James." "Nemo, Phalanx Maneuver! Ricochet!"

The orphan needed not be told twice, his body again glowing white as he moved the makeshift rock barrier a bit closer to the opponent's side before drawing on his memory of past battles to figure out what the boy wanted when he had said "Richochet". Again Nemo became a mere blur as he launched his Club at an angle for the nearest iron bar of the cage, the piece of bone bouncing off just as Mareek had hoped and beginning what became an fast, unpredictable flight path around Lucas's side of the field.. that soon sent the white blur hurtling right towards the back of the Ralt's head...

"Whatever he's got up his sleeve though... that Ralts of his seems to know quite well what to do though... almost a bit too well...either that's some damn good training, or..."

In the stands...

"He's at such a disadvantage and he can't even see it..." Alexandra sighed to no one in particular. Mars looked at her, unsure whether she meant the blind child or her own. "Have you been watching the Ralts?" Mars nodded. "Then you saw how it was on his shoulder at the beginning? and how it seems to be using those moves without any real orders?" Mars stared at her blankly. It took the woman a few moments to realize the dark type hadn't even taken part in that fight, long long ago. "Erm...nevermind," she sighed, instead looking at Joltara as the fox rested it's head in her lap. "You remember the blind old woman with the Gardevoir and Gallade though, don't you Tara?"

The electric type nodded before glancing at the field. Was it really not obvious to the boy what was going on between his opponents? Really, all the pieces were there... there were no actual orders, and the kid was blind... and using a psychic type for the love of arceus. Shouldn't take too much of a leap and abound to get the picture. If Mareek couldn't realize this was one of the true, unspoken reasons why his mother had told him not to underestimate the blind...

You've got this bud, I know it. Lucas started to dodge the incoming projectile, but only managed to evade enough that it clipped him and sent him spinning rather than hitting head-on. Again, more glowing leaves appeared around the Ralts despite his rotation, adding to the brilliant mess that was the cage already. The leaves, twisted dimensions, and the light given off by the Cubone's lightning attacks would have combined to make it virtually impossible to see - but that wasn't a problem for Kage. The leaves that Lucas had fired swirled around Nemo, closing in for the hit.

"You see this Java?" Mareek whispered into the capsule already in his hand as Nemo was hit full on by the light storm. He had already put on the carving goggles around his neck the moment things he'd realized Kage and his little friend over there were going to sit back and base their entire strategy off a light show. "You see what happens when you lie? By sunrise, you said... you were boosting him with Discharge the entire time to make him think he had it down, don't think I don't know you didn't actually train him past the basic step of making a few sparks. You know how he is... you knew he would want to try something like this..."

"What else was I supposed to do?" Java retorted in his ear. "The damn boy was hopeless, after he got the bare ass basics, it was all downhill... intentionally targeting him with discharge attacks and letting him channel it as if it were his own power was the only way. You know how humiliating it would've been if not even an hour after we had began, I had to go up to you and admit I was a fool and had overestimated his teachability? We're lucky it's even as meagerly strong as it is..."

"Nnnno... What we are, is up shit creek without a paddle, thanks to you and you're stupid vendetta..." Mareek grimaced as he watched the ground type stumble to his feet in the cage, having been too distracted by the damn lights to properly defend himself. "Let's take that thing out and get out of this... I'm done." Without another word to his (Soon to be former at the going rate) Partner, he turned back to nemo just as the light from before died down in intensity enough for the young fighter to few hazy glimpses of his opponent across the field... though Mareek knew he wouldn't up to much longer. He brought Java's capsule back up to his lips, laughing bitterly. "Ya know, it's alot like the fight against Jacob. Except this time, it's my own damn fault for listening to you in the first place, and again for not telling Nemo no... too damn nice for my own good sometimes."

"Nemo! Javelin! Then Ancient Rush" Mareek Shouted. The cubone nodded at the orders, clearing the stone barrier before him as his body again blazed a silvery white, several small orbs of the same color emerging off him as he felt a brief surge of power run through him as the moves secondary effect kicked in. "Oh yeah, great...a stat boost right when it doesn't even matter anymore, freaking yipee..." The young warrior raised a tiny hand into the air, concentrating some of the renewed will he felt into forming the spears into slender, sharp projectiles of slate grey stone, four in total, then all at once, he sent them all hurtling toward Lucas just like their name sake as he charged forward blindly in their wake, a silvery white bone rush (Bone Rush cloaked in Ancient Power) clutched in his hands as he dashed.

But he knew damn well what was likely to happen here. He had failed this whole thing, he could recognize what he was being ordered to do from his very first real fight. IT was gonna be like when he fought Chalchi, all over again...

why was it that it seemed he always failed when it mattered though? why...? Was it because of the Thunder Punch? Java told him it would've been strong enough to take something big like the Lapras... but yet it seemed like it hadn't done anything against something his own damn size.

First the Rhydon, now a freaking fairy- No... enough, that was the old him, the coward. He was weak. He simply had to accept that. His master knew he was weak too, but had still let him go out here and try... time and time again, even though he always knew the likely outcome...

And so he was gonna carry out whatever order he received the best he damn well could. His mother may have given him life, but the Boy with the red hair had given it meaning... and that was something Nemo would always be indebted to him for. Always.

Besides, Mareek had to have a plan afterall, right? right?

((Murdoc, whatever happens is pretty much up to you at this point. If you wanna win it then feel free to have this be a complete suicide attack for Nemo seeing as he can't take much more anyway. Aterwards I can arrange for the real issues to start and Mareek to just walk away from it all))

The Ralts collapsed the storm of leaves inward, cutting at the Cubone from every angle and colliding with the incoming attack. One of the spears managed to break through, colliding with Lucas and sending him reeling, but his boosted mental defenses helped him weather the blow.

Mareek v Kage

Nemo

So this was it then. Just like he called it, it was suicide shot. But fine. He'd done his job, whatever Mareek had meant for it to be. Afterall, suicide plans seemed to be what he excelled at. And if his weakness could buy time, then a least he had some form of usefulness. He closed his eyes as the glowing leafs began to storm around him once more. When the leafs started to tear into him one by one, he didn't even feel it. No pain, no more blinding light shows. He just staggered off, not paying any attention to the stupid Fairy who had stone walled him. One foot over the other, rinse wash and repeat. Until he had stumbled all the way back to Mareek's side of the field, looked up at his trainer, nodded... and then collapsed in the nearest corner of the cage, out of the way of whoever would come in after him.

Mareek

I'm sorry Nemo... I didn't want for it to have to be this way... "Nice light show. But I'm honestly sick of the gimmicks. Interesting though... the only way you could be controlling the ralts so well is if it was through telepathy. Can't say I've gone up against something like that in the past." He gripped Java's ball firmer, grinding his teeth as he glared over at the psychic. "Not like it matters now though- Achilles!!!Take over the field!!" in a flash of pure crimson, Java hovered down above the steel floor of the cage, glancing briefly at the ground type as he did.

He had screwed up quite a bit here... he'd let his own goals get the better of him, let a vendetta blind him... and the kid had to pay because of it. He couldn't help but feel something familiar well up in him, looking at the cubone's defeated form. Perhaps if he had gone the extra mile to actually train him instead of lying to him. Perhaps if he had possessed more faith in the boy... no. Now was too late for should'ves, he had made his bed...

Without another thought, Java set about his opening orders the from red-headed boy, his entire body flashing a multitude of colors as he randomly shifted between types before settling on one to resist the last move used by the foe; Steel. He didn't bother waiting for further instruction. He knew the boy wouldn't be issuing much given the circumstances anyway, so... looked like he was fighting on his own for now.

Java's eyes flared a bright crimson as Lucas's entire body did the same, fading away right along with the haze of Java's pupils, and the next moment the strategist unleashed a blast of electricity in all directions, far more powerful than anything his pitiful apprentice could ever conjure, the entire space around the cage stinking of burned ozone and the chattering of thousand birds echoing out as several tendrils of lightning arced right for Lucas, as well as struck the bars and floor of the cage, electrifying the entire surface and threatening to electrocute anything unfortunate enough to make contact with any part of it.

Not that Java had anything to worry about though. He could float. And even besides, it was his own electricity anyway...

As the bolts arced toward Lucas, the little Ralts began to glow brightly as he leapt up into the air to avoid the electrified floor. As he came down in a graceful arc, he ceased glowing, revealing his new form, one more suited to that sort of maneuver. The now-Kirlia took the impact of the remainder of the attack before firing off a wave of telekinetic energy at his opponent. After his dance-like maneuver ended, however, he tottered on his toes - Lucas was clearly out of stamina, and almost helpless toward what was about to happen. Kage was too busy gaping at what had just happened to give him an order immediately; he hadn't expected his lifetime companion to decide he was ready right now.

Mareek vs Kage

"And yet another light show...though looks like this one's a bit more special. Whatever." "Avenge Nemo's suffering for your failing..." Mareek said pointedly in a voice so low only Java could hear... well, nemo as well, given the orphan was beginning to just barely regain consciousness.

Java

The duck took his eyes off his opponent only to hear what he knew was coming since this morning. Of course the boy was going to forfeit before they ever got to the finals, of course he was going to deny Java any opportunity for vengence. The fate of his endeavor had been sealed since last night to be honest, but now... now it was real, and it stung. Even though he could've seen it coming with his own path of self-destruction, it still only burned now that it was in his face and in the present. But to be quite honest, floating here, looking at Nemo as he lay on the ground, weakly staring at him... Java found that burned took on a different feeling, for a different reason than it had been born.

He didn't want vengeance. Not after it's pursuit had turned him into such a fool. Well... no... there was one bit of vengeance he still wanted, if nothing more than that the orphan's endeavor out here wouldn't have been in vain.

Java Turned. Java Aimed. Three spheres formed before him, one of ice blue mist, one of thunder, one of flame, each made of the elements themselves rather than the usual mere colored lights. Without a word, he willed for them all to intertwine, each sphere forming it's stream as a helix formed... And the next moment, Java fired, sending the Tri Attack, the true form of tri attack, hurtling right towards the Newly Evolved Kirlia.

This may have been the last shot he would fire in the tournament, he may not have gotten to use it on a smug, single-minded, foolish, flaming lizard... but even so, by no means was this last shot wasted. It wasn't wasted because at least this one... Java could fire without shame.

Because this... was for Nemo.

Lucas was too tired to evade, and the attack hit squarely, sending the Kirlia flying across the arena to hit the bars of the cage hard. Kage quickly recalled him before any further damage could be done. "Hey, what the hell man? You really want to play this game?" In reality, he wouldn't order a full-power attack on a weakened Pokemon just because of its trainer - but Mareek didn't know that. "Al'Thor." He tossed the ball into the cage, revealing the Metang. If one looked closely, they could see the hint of a look of determination in his red eyes. "Let's get ready for this." The Metang bobbed up and down slightly before beginning to wave its arms in front of it, scraping them back and forth while leaving traces of glowing light that formed a screen against damage.

Mareek v Kage

Java made no move even as his newest opponent began making preparations, simply hovering there, backing away towards Mareek's platform. There was no point acting like he even wanted to fight anymore. No point in pretending he even cared about the rest of this match. Mareek kept up the spiteful gaze he'd been fixing the disgraced strategist the entire time before turning his attention to Kage across the way, the mere tone of his voice enough to indicate a rage bubbling just under the surface, however thinly veiled it was by pointless nicetys...

"Well Kage, you've put a far better fight than most :People I've gone up against in a while," He said in the least bitterest voice he could muster, consciously aware that there would be repercussions from blowing up on Java's case right now when it was all being televised to the world. "In fact, I'm honestly a bit dissapointed that we can't fight this out to the finish... but I'm afraid there Issues that need dealing with on my side, and I've got a certain pink floating duck that I need to have a few words with..." He began to withdraw the capsules for Java and Nemo both, "So... looks like I'm gonna have to fall here and give you the win for this. Good game..." He barely even noticed though, as the little fighter called Nemo slowly got up in the corner he'd slumped in, eyes like smoldering coals beneath his helm...

NEMO

Really? just... fucking really? He had given that order, made him go and intentionally get taken out... just to forfeit almost immediately afterwards? All his effort, all that pain out here, the sting of defeat... It was for nothing?

No... no. Mareek wouldn't do such a thing on his own, he knew he wouldn't. his master wouldn't betray him like that, but the duck? The duck had lied to him already, had been lying to him nonstop since last night, told him his Thunderpunch was great and grand when... Nemo could tell just from looking at the pitiful sparks barely leaping from his hands, it was anything but. No. The damn porygon2 had something to do with this sudden call. He had to have.

And Nemo had just taken the fool off of the list of his protectees.

The chain of movement and events that came next were an absolute blur to Mareek as Nemo, still under the effects of the trick room over the field, rose to his feet, running on nothing but fumes and pure rage as he pounced in java's direction, twisting his small body in mid-air and hurtling his club towards his own trainer's hand, careful to restrain the force behind it just enough to avoid causing injury and watching as the peice of bone flew right in between the cage bars and smack against the hand that held his Capsule and Mareek curse under his breath as the sphere fell and rolled to the ground a few feet away.

Then Nemo focused, took all the anger, the frustration and the hate in his tiny heart, and with a virtual war cry that sounded more like a roar than something that should come out of the mouth of one so small, he willed it all into the palm of his hand, willed it all to burst outwards, to crackle and leap, to tear apart the air itself and make his pathetic Duck-like mentor pay for his deception and transgressions, and in the other hand he did the same, a bone rush materializing and blazing bright as the sun...

Java had no time to react at all as a full power, hate-driven thunder punch collided into the side of his face, his limbs feeling as though they had turned to stone as the rest of Nemo came shortly after it, swinging around his other arm and grabbing hold with his electrified fist as the scent of burned ozone filled the place and the chirping of a thousand birds rang out as The same electricity he'd just struck the liar with now coursed along his attack in a flickering haze of blue. Still letting out his war cry, Nemo finished Java with the most violently brutal Bone Rush barrage he had ever used. Five Strikes, each and every last one of them driven like a freight train into Java's head, and his steel Typing left over from the conversion2 made each and everyone of them hit with double the power...and everyone of them struck the most critical point they could.

Java fell to floor of the cage like a rock, giving no indication of life or motion whatsoever... though it wasn't like he had ever done so to begin with when he was conscious anyway. Nemo towered over him, the electrified projection of energy still clutched tight in his hand the moment the crimson beam hit him and he was recalled. Java got the same treatment afterwards.

Mareek

"And Of fucking course." Mareek sighed to himself as he recalled both fighters, both his hands held up, thumbs depressing the triggers. Without a single word to Kage, he rose from the dust of the ground, having dived to get Nemo's ball the moment he'd realized what was going on. "I tried. I tried getting out of it, I tried forfeiting... but obviously it was too little too late. the damn thing still ended up blowing up in my face...I'm just done..."

Even Brand was speechless, if only for a moment before pushing along the tournament. The show must go on, after all. "And there we have the stunning conclusion! Against common opinion, we won't be seeing a match up between the top trainers! But can our underdog Breeder Kage pull through and clutch the win?! Well that's what we'll be finding out soon folks! I hope you have all enjoyed this match and our Brand new Fields!"

[Sutoratosu]

Mareek

He kept his goggles on. The way they tinted out the rest of the world seemed to fit him perfectly. Even besides, he didn't want anyone to see his eyes. He didn't want to look anyone in the eyes, and so for the time being they would function like Shades... seemingly opaque screens of pure black that blocked out the windows to the soul and masked everything he was feeling.

He was running. Running as fast and hard as he could, tearing through the corridors of the stadium's innards like a mad man on the run from the law, passing by faces that he neither recognized nor would even care at the moment if he had. He was at least half certain he'd even accidentally knocked over a girl with a Gourgiest and a Chikorita... but he couldn't go back to check. Java would surely die in the extra time it would take him to even utter a quick 'Sorry' to the poor breeder.

"I was too damn stupid..." He thought to himself. "I was too damn slow, too damn arrogant... I could've prevented this, I could've seen this... I should've seen it. Damn it! Why the fuck didn't I stop this!? What's fucking wrong with me!?" He didn't stop his full out sprint until the moments he burst through the doors of the Medical Center, looking around wildly for the same nurse he'd spoken to earlier. He felt lost... the lines, the talking... as far as he could see there wasn't a single station open. "No, no, NO!...Please, Arceus, I swear, if you help me save him... I'll do anything...I'll change, just help me, please!"

"Boy, over here!" Someone called to him, as if instant gratification for the brief prayer. It was her, with the Riolu sitting on the desk of her workstation, asleep. She was standing, a hand held out expectantly with the healing machine already warmed up. One look in her eyes across the room and he knew... just knew she had seen the match. If not it's entirety, then definitely the last parts. She was still ordering him. "Hurry up! We don't have much time from a beating like that!" He didn't have to be told twice, dashing to the counter and pressing the red and white sphere into her hands frantically. She took it without another word, going to work immediately...

"Why... why didn't I fucking stop this...?"

[Ojama Yellow]

He reached the Arena, with Marisa right behind him...a tad too late. He heard one of the commentators call out that the battle was over. Surprise got over him when he heard that Mareek, one of the two boys that the woman had noticed, didn't win the match. "Well, that is most certainly disappointing." Marius shook his head and leaned against a wall. "Now we have to wait for the next match to begin, I guess."

"Psy Psy!" Marisa made some noise and pointed at the battlefield. "What is it, Marisa?" the boy responded a bit angry, "Everyone is looking at us!" Then he noticed that the loser, Mareek, ran away from the battlefield. Sad or angry he lost? That might be possible, seeing as he was one of the top battlers, but Marius didn't think that was the case. "Quite strange..."

[Chevaleresse]

Kage followed Mareek as quickly as possible back to the medical center. Damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit, this is all my fault. I should have done something, I shouldn't have had Lucas attack so hard, there was SOMETHING I could have done to prevent this. He sprinted after the other boy at top speed. He wasn't sure what he was going to do once he caught him, but all he knew was that he had to do something... if it was possible to pay for something like this. The blind breeder moved with what might have been startling agility to some; he was quite athletic, and it wasn't as difficult to navigate a crowd as one might think. Still, he did bump a few people along the way, though he managed to come up short of anything catastrophic.

Once he reached the medical center, he found Mareek as quickly as possible with a bit of assistance from Lucas - who also needed a visit here, but not urgently. He ran over to him, then gasped out "I'm so sorry" between breaths.

[Sutoratosu]

{Java- final moments...}

Data. That was all Java could see around himself anymore. Data. endless, cascading, monotonous. No sound, No time... no space. Just the darkest night he had ever known, illuminated by the blazing green fires of information, thousands of stars against the backdrop of his personal night. His memories were his no longer. His Thoughts were his no longer. Nothing about him was his anymore. He could feel it. Could feel it slipping away. Bit by bit. It didn't matter how hard he tried to hold them. Didn't matter how many memory files he attempted to open and glimpse, how long he stared, trying, just... trying... to hold on to even a single part of himself.

His memories were dying. All of them, bit by bit. His system was not his own, could not be his own. He could feel Data corrupting with every second, routine tasks failing, analysis impossible, system parameters... breaking. A Million supernovas. That was the pain blooming throughout him. Every operation pathway cut off, every file path destroyed, every fail safe proving useless. He felt as though he was on fire. He felt as though he were burning.

Java realized something... in the darkness. Alone... cold... helpless. he realized... that he was going to die. This was the end of the line. He could do nothing, could find no path out. Truly... this was where it was going to terminate. What... what would happen to the others? To Erce? To Mareek? To Nemo... especially nemo. What was going to happen... to his friends? What would become of them?

Friends. The word rang through his mind like a bell. Was this what it meant? Were friends people... who you worried about, even at the end? Were they people who you wanted to know would be alright, even if you were gone? Were they people who... who you felt guilt if you hurt them? Who... even after conflicts and arguments and downs... you still found yourself caring enough... to think about them in the end?

Java did not know. All he did know... was that if he could've gone back, said things differently, done things differently... he would've. But more than anything... if he could go back and undo everything with Mareek over the past few 48 hours. The lies, the deception, the blind ambition... He would. He would do it in a heart beat. More than anything... he wanted a muligan. He wanted to do it over again, and get it right this time

But the past couldn't be changed. Only the future was written in sand. And so... Java did the only thing he could. The only thing he could think of as the corruption spread further and further, He cast a line. One last connection... a connection he had made many times, a connection... that he knew like the back of his hand. And in that instant, right in between the end of life, and the moment when the jaws of death came to close in, Java gathered what little was left intact of himself. The most basic, most shallow reaching Operations, The bare bones of his being... and packed them all into a single package.

And he sent them into the future. Or as close to it as he could manage. And then the system crashed.

And the being known as Java was gone. Wiped out into nothingness... As he took what left of his fate into his own two hands...

And purged his own corrupt data.

Mareek

The world was like a blur to Mareek, as he stood there, watching. The nurse was saying something. An audino was scrambling to a drawer and looking for something. Buttons and various dials were being adjusted and reset with deft hands, touch screen dislays tapped and Vitals cycled through like a cyclone, a blaze of blue back light on the woman's face. He didn't even notice the vibration in his pocket. Or the fact that anyone was standing next to him...

"This... this is it... and it's my fault. I killed him." He clutched the counter even tighter, knuckles bone white. She might not be saying anything... but he wasn't stupid by any means. He could read the screens for himself, even from here. And he could see how frantically she was working. "I could've stopped this...but I didn't... and now he's going to pay because of me...Java..."

"I'm so sorry"

Mareek glanced over his shoulder, taking a step back in surprise when he saw Kage standing there out of breath. "Sorry... what? why..." His whole head felt like it was a fog... all he could think about, was the life that had just been lost... of the friend... he had just killed. Because now that he thought about it... Java and him, they had been friends, even in the end, even through all the fighting and lies and trickery and lack of trust and passive aggressiveness. Because none of that had erased everything that had come before. The trials, the collaboration, the up times... the victories and the loses, the hours spent sitting unnoticed, gathering notes on the fighting styles of others. Finding the right types of trees in the forest, carving and organizing prices.

They had been the bitterest of enemies over the past two days. But they had still been friends as well. Underneath it all. And only now was it hitting him, the weight... of what had just happened. He backed up towards the counter. And then simply slid down with his back to the hard wood surface, onto the floor.

And he stayed there. And he could feel something wet inside his goggles. And on his cheeks, just the faintest trace. But he could still feel it.

[Chevaleresse]

Kage just stood there silently for a moment. There was no other way to respond, nothing he could do at this point. What he had caused was totally unacceptable in the deepest possible meaning of those words. To think that someone that was supposedly responsible for giving life and love to Pokemon was directly involved in the death of one. It was hypocrisy of the worst kind. How could he even trust himself around his own Pokemon? He should have been able to tell that there was something wrong. He should have backed off, he should have tried to protect the Porygon, he should have done SOMETHING. Maybe if it had been a person that had gotten hurt, he would have been able to forgive himself. People were all kinds of stupid, and rarely as good as they tried to say they were. But Pokemon? He'd never heard of one doing anything even remotely malicious outside of human intervention. How could he call himself a breeder?

[Sutoratosu]

Mareek's Pokedex

The Package had survived the destruction. The carnage and raw chaos that was Java after... it happened. Though one end of the connection was dead, both literally and metaphorically, it still sped along it's course. A light, burning with something Java had never understood before it was too late. Something he had always dismissed before the end came. The light that had the power to raise grandeur from ashes, the light that had power to make individuals stand back up... when they think they have nothing left to give. The light he had seen in Nemo so many times, but never comprehended it's meaning.

The light of... hope.

Mareek

The nurse sighed, placing the machine back into stand by as she reached inside and retrieved the capsule of the deceased. It made no sense... it seemed the treatment had been working fine one moment... then out of no where she had simply started getting a massive flat line on every vital. And not a thing she did had any effect. None... it was almost as if... the thing had decided to simply end it. Either that or the hand of Arceus was in this somewhere... but she didn't even want to go there right now.

"I'm sorry...there is nothing more I can do..." She turned, only to notice that the red head was gone, in his place only Kage. She honestly couldn't even get angry this time... if he had run away. All things considered, she wouldn't have blamed him... "Where's Mareek?" she asked the blind boy at the counter.

Mareek meanwhile gave no answer as he sat there out of sight, head buried in his knees. He already knew the prognosis. But actually hearing it actually said... it would only serve to destroy the small fraction of hope... that he was wrong.

[Commander]

"And that is the exact reason why I became a coordinator." Henry planned to leave for training, but after something like that happened, he just couldn't walk off. While he was mainly talking to his Pokemon, anyone close by could probably hear him. "Funny how the mighty can fall so quickly. It's not really my problem though so I may as well leave it alone. Not like I know how the guy is feeling anyways."

Rosie jumped out in front of the boy giving him a look. Zuko then followed and stood next to her. They knew the boy well enough that he could perhaps empathize with Mareek compared to anyone else here. If it wasn't Henry, then who else would. "I guess that incident was similar to what's going through his head," Henry responded. "I still don't really care for the dude and he'll probably just blow up in my face again." He gently pushed Zuko out of the way with his cane and moved towards the exit. He heard a noise which made him turn around. In the corner of his eye, Paradox sat there ready to unleash one of her tantrum's. How could Henry be so cruel to ignore this situation?

"No means no!" Henry didn't want to get involved with Mareek's problem and he doubted the boy did either. Paradox didn't care as she her cries could be heard clear throughout the room. It didn't take long for Henry to finally cave in to her demands once again. "Arceus, what have I done to deserve the torturing of this devil child. FINE! I'll do it. But I'm taking Zuko just in case." Paradox ceased her tears now gleefully running around the room.

Fear filled into the Vulpix's eyes as he remembered the first day here at the academy. That moment outside the forest he almost had to do battle with that Scyther. In truth, he was terrified of the thing because it looked as if it were going to shred him into pieces. He couldn't disobey Henry though. He just got back onto the team so he had to make a good first impression. He followed behind the boy knowing death may be coming for his head.

Henry looked but Mareek seemed to have disappeared. All that remain was the blind kid and the remains of Java. "Hey...Kage, wasn't it? You haven't seen where Mareek went off to have you?"

[Chevaleresse]

"No. . ." Kage replied in an uncharacteristically faint voice. Normally he spoke with a decisive, confident tone, even in situations that didn't necessarily call for decisiveness or confidence, but this was almost a whisper. He shakily pulled Lucas's ball from his belt and handed it to the nurse. He had taken a pretty hard strike from Nemo. He cringed slightly at the thought. "I don't know what to do," he said in that same low voice. "It just. . . He just. . ." Kage slumped into a chair, defeated. "I can't imagine how that looked." I can't imagine what it will be like, talking to Ryan again after this. Talking to anyone. How can I?

[Sutoratosu]

Mareek's Pokedex...

It was finally there. The final destination, the target zone... all it had to do now, was get in; and with the codes to bypass the firewall protections already written into it by the late AI called Java there was no issue. The Package was finally there. Finally home. The seed that the faithul tactician had left his partner... the seed containing everything he had learned, everything he had realized in the end. The seed that would, god willing, be better than he had been.

Java had never beleived in the notion of 'God'. He had talked theology with the boy multiple times, had debates back and forth, the human using faith and himself using hard logic. Most of the time they had always ended in draws, not because both arguments were equally matched... but because both the parties involved were equally as stubborn in their veiws. No...there had been no god in java's eyes. In the end though, even this, he had begun to find himself questioning... even as he took his fate into his own hands. And so, he had taken a gamble... and made his first and his last prayer.

His Legacy went to work immediately, acting on it's last directive before anything else... and then beginning to plant down roots in the operating system...

Mareek

His pocket again vibrated. Violently. So long and so intense that he was damn certain the thing was about to self-destruct (Which he doubted was even possible, but still...). Without a single word, he reached in and grabbed it, noticing... the screen was on. And a simple Text file open. The Normal Type's last words... they had to be. There was no other way to explain it.

Mareek, my dear friend... I am sorry. For everything.

Thank you. And good night.

He sat there, in silence. Simply staring at the screen. "I'm sorry too... Java..." He whispered. There was no use pretending anymore. No use trying to tell himself it was all a lie, just as he had back then when it happened the first time. The AI was gone. He had to accept it, even if it was a hard pill to swallow; afterall... wasn't like he hadn't had it forced down his throat before.

"I'm right here..." Mareek said, rising to his feet and looking at the nurse as he stood. He said nothing as he reached out and took Java's Capsule from her hands. Either he didn't notice Henry and Kage even standing there anymore or he simply didn't give a damn.

"I'm...I'm sorry." The nurse said, shaking her head. "Something happened half-way through the recovery process, he just... started flatlining like a rock..."

"Don't be sorry." He said emptily. "None of this is your fault, Mam. it's my own. I should've known this would happen eventually. I should've known Nemo would snap like that after so many losses and go beserk and end up hurting someone. I could've saved my friend by just being stricter, by just restraining Nemo more than I did... teaching him harder than I did, not being so friendly...I should've behaved as his master first and his friend second, but I didn't. And now Java's gone because of no one's mistake but my own." She had nothing to say to that. Mareek preferred it that way.

"It's no one's fault but my own..." he said, turning his attention to the Riolu sleeping on the counter as he took out her capsule and recalled her home, cloth and all. "No one's... but my own."

Without a word to Kage or Henry he turned and walked away... and as he headed for those double doors, he couldn't help but recall the emptiness he felt right now. Like it all didn't matter. like nothing he did or tried matter, he was powerless...

Just as powerless now as he had been back then. Like he was still a mere child clinging to his mother's skirts.

* * * * * * * *

Saffron City, Kanto

Seven years ago, 1 week after the Silph Co. Invasion.

The sky was overcast. Dull, lifeless. The wind blew with the chill of late autumn, as if mirroring the somber mood of the small crowd down below. His father's boss, Silph Co's president. Co-Workers. Fellow members of the scientific community who had heard of the tragedy and decided to pay their respects to their slain brother in white. family freinds... as few as they were. the man he would someday call sensei and learn so much from, but didn't even now it yet. The priest overseeing the funeral, a glossy, fine leathered book in his hand as he stared down with his spectacled eyes, reciting the Lord's prayers. Even his mother, with Mars by her side.

He could see them all down there, seated as they listened to the last rites being read. But the thing Mareek noticed the most from where he sat... was his father's casket. He had snuck away from it all. He just didn't want to be down there, he didn't want to have to stare the fact that he couldn't pretend anymore in the face. For a full week, the boy had been holding out hope that everyone, Saito, his father's collegues at the company, the police, even his own mother... hope that every last of them was lying. The dad wasn't gone... that Galen hadn't done what they claimed. He'd already had to face the truth on the latter hope... and now the other one had been taken from his well, as if someone had come on and yanked the rug of his delusion right out from under him.

Everything he had known had been a complete lie. Galen was a complete monster who obviously could kill people and not feel anything from it at all, not even his own father. It had probably all been an act, all those times when he would visit... especially on his birthdays. He and his friend tessa had probably just been screwing with his head the whole time, though for what reason... the boy had no way to know. Mom was starting to act...weird...she used to be so nice, like she'd give you the shirt off her own back if you needed it; but now... he didn't even know what was going on with her. It was like a switch had been flipped, like she had turned into someone else. She had even taken away Erce after the news started coming in.

"Empo..." came a snarl beside him beneath the tree. He hadn't even noticed the Empoleon already sitting there, parring the blades of her wings against one another, eyes glowering. Her lapiz lazuli blue down seemed to writhe with every breath as she looked onto the funeral from their shared perch, as if she were just waiting for a reason to shred something to pieces. Mareek had never seen the Steel type before in his life, beginning to quietly try to crawl out of it's sight the moment he saw it's demeanor.

The movement was futile. Her gaze was instantly on him... and he stopped. There was something else in the Empoleon's eyes; something he had only seen in his mother's, something he didn't even know what to call. Even though he didn't know her, she seemed to know him. And it was if she were trying to say that she would never hurt him...with those eyes. And so he had stayed there. Stayed under the tree the entire time, next to the water type that easily dwarfed him. Sitting there and watching as his last hope was finally shattered.

And it was Empty. That was the only thing he found could describe it. Not sad or angry or... anything as he watched. Just... empty. Like he could do nothing.

Like he was worthless, powerless... powerless to change anything about his world. like he would always be powerless.

* * * * * * * *

"A funeral..." he said, to no one but himself. "We need a funeral... he deserves one. Java deserves one." he was nearing closer and closer to the doors...

[Felicity]

Strat, Murdoc & Commander

As Mareek approached the doors Redwood burst through them, the serious expression on his face telling everyone who even thought of approaching him on the way not to bother. His eyes immediately locked onto Mareek and he marched over quickly and put a hand on the boys shoulder, holding him in place before he could go anywhere. "Mareek, how is your pokemon?" Redwood asked, straight to the point. Any hedging or avoiding the issue would st make things worse, the situation had to be clarified immediately so he could help as much as he could.

Redwood had immediately left Devin to dealing with the tourney and the troublesome commentators.

Bibs/Claude

Claude, along with most of the audience, was shocked at the matches turn of events but most of the audience weren't friends with Mareek either. Claude wanted to check on his friend but as he made his way out of the arena he failed to notice another boy with a cape as he went, bumping into him on accident. "Sorry" Claude mumbled before trying to move past

[Ojama Yellow]

He was still leaning against the brick wall, when another boy came rushing past and bumped into him. Marius lost his balance and almost fell on the ground, if it wasn't for his little yellow duck to stop him from falling. Marisa was a lot more powerful than she looked like, Marius realized. He heard the boy mutter an apology, but Marius wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. "Hey, you! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" He felt a bit guilty of calling out for the boy like that, since he had done exactly the same only minutes ago with the bumping into the secretary, but now he couldn't take back his words.

[Felicity]

Bibs/Claude

Claude stopped and turned, more than a little annoyed with the boy. He had apologised and one didn't tend to stop random strangers who seemed to be in a rush. "I was trying to go find my friend, the one who just lost and had a pokemon seriously injured" Claude spat. From the stands he couldn't really tell how bad it was but it looked ike the blow Java had taken was pretty severe. Still, pokemon were tough creatures, surely something like that couldn't kill. "Anything else, or did I breathe at you the wrong way Captain Cape?"

[Aurorix]

(Slade & Danielle)

"Hold on, I need to get my pokemon real quick." Slade said to Danielle as he made his way to the desk retrieving his healed pokemon. He then ran up to Danielle trying to catch up with her so they could walk together to her next match. Little did Slade know what was happening with his roommate and walked besides Danielle in blissful ignorance of what happened to Java.

[Ojama Yellow]

"Captain Cape? You did not just say that." Marius tried to control his anger. He knew that his answer might have been unreasonable, but the reaction of the boy was unreasonable times ten. He wasn't the type to let anger get the better of him, but the boy just insulted him out of the blue, and of course he wasn't happy about it. "How was I supposed to know what you were going to do, hm?" He waved with his right hand at the boy. "Go on then. Go see your friend. It is not like I care."

[Sutoratosu]

Mareek

"He's... he's gone, sir..." Mareek answered. He couldn't even bring himself to look the headmaster in the eyes, gaze to the floor as he griped the ball of the fallen tactician. "The nurse... she did all she possibly could for him, but.. he's gone. I was too slow... too slow to get him out of there, too slow to get him help..." Meanwhile, Mareek didn't even notice the blue Bisharp running towards the doors outside like he was being chased by the cops, still a good distance away from the looks of it... or the scarlet haired woman walking in his wake.

Galen

"I don't know why the hell you're so upset," said the blonde woman walking besides Galen as he rushed out of the stadium and towards the medical wing. His crobat flew overhead, wings in a flurry as she tried to direct him along the same path Mareek had torn across the campus. His coat trailed behind him with his pace, the look in his eyes telling all who dare thought to intercept him it would be a rather... electrifying idea.

"Because, damn it, you saw what happened there..." He snarled, turning to the blonde with eyes like fire. She stopped mid pace, the amusement on her attractive face vanishing like an ice cube in boiling water. "What do you think this is going to do him? You think something like this happening is what we need? You think it's gonna make it any easier to fucking set him on a different course? I'm upset because this could be my worst damn nightmare." He did not bother keeping up the Spanish accent of his disguise, instead sticking to his true mix of that of Japanese and French, a rather strange combination he'd acquired only from his father's lessons in his home language piled atop the language of his native culture.

Here he was, trying to save the boy from all the mistakes he had made, save him from becoming a murderer like he had, try to stop the wheel... and this illusion bitch, she seemed so damn intent to contradict and hinder him at every turn. Did this worthless little fuck even realize he had saved her, stopped her from facing the fate of dying like some literal dog in the gutter?

She was damn lucky Tessa had convinced him to care... cause quite honestly if it hadn't been for her, he would've hauled off and had Surge deal with her long ago...

"I..." She stayed there, honestly a bit shocked at the outburst. She couldn't help but feel the same thing she had in the aftermath of the order to scare the bloods shitless... "I'm sorry..."

"Just shut the hell up and come on..." The brother said coldly, again starting off for the medical center. He didn't bother to check behind his shoulder to see if the disguised illusion fox was following.

"How are we... he doesn't know you, and if you were to...."

Galen Stopped. Galen Turned. And Galen recalled her.

"I will find a god damn way." He muttered, continuing to follow his crobat overhead. "I will save him from himself... I will finish my atonement. I will never stop... until I know I've fixed it."

[Azeria]

What had happened during Mareek's battle seemed to shock James,first Mareek had given up the match for some personal reason which could happen to anyone but the thing that had happened right after was what had made his eyes shoot open. 6 blows like that,five of which were super effective to the head would definetly knock a pokemon out and could do fatal damage to any pokemon but the Porygon-2 had absolutely no chance to defend himself from the onslaught layed upon him by the Cubone. "Sorry but I've got to check this out....."James whispered barely loud enough for Phoebe to hear before he left the room. He didnt care for anything that had been said between them the day before,for all he knew that Porygon-2 could be dead right now.

As he walked towards the entrance to the large arena intent on going over to the medical area where Mareek was certain to go,James seemed to think again about going over there,the red head would obviously be very upset or even unstable right now,he couldnt blame him either,one of his pokemon could potentially be......He was jerked out of his thoughts as he nearly bumped into Claude. It seemed the flamboyant blonde was in a rather short conversation with a student James hadnt seen before,probably one of the new transfer students. "Hey Claude."

[Felicity]

Strat, Murdoc & Commander

Redwood nodded. Accidents could happen, pokemon weren't immortal... but what bothered him was how the Porygon2 had gone so easily, their species was normally very resilient even among superior fully evolved pokemon. Still, the medical staff were experienced and if they said it was gone... "Mareek. Things happen on the battlefield, things you have no control over. Every Trainer learns this. I won't tell you to move on like you weren't a part of it but you cannot let this haunt you. You have to build yourself up and learn from this so it doesn't happen again, do you understand me? Do what you must, mourn for as long as you need but do not dwell forever. No one wants to see you suffer." Redwood looked at the other two boys nearby. "Rely on your friends and classmates if you have to. I'm sure they won't mind."

Bibs, Azery & Claude.

The boys dismissal of Claude irritated him and Claude was feeling catty, frustrated by the distraction. "Are you kidding me? You don't get to send me away like that, if you have something to say say it. Don't waste my time with your stupid little hand gestures" Claude complained to Captain Cape, waving his arms in a mockery of the boys wave. Then a friend, James came and greeted Claude. "Oh, hey James. I was just about to go check on Mareek but then this guy decided to hold me up" Claude glared pointedly at the mentioned boy.

[Sutoratosu]

Mareek

"Yes sir... I'll try..." The red head said, nodding... though still looking at the floor. He knew he should listen to the professor, heed his words... but there was just too much going through his head right now. He'd have to figure out something for the Tactician that wasn't religious in any way, seeing as how the normal type had always laughed at the mere notion of a creator diety. Not to mention there was still the glaring issue... of what to do with a certain cubone named Nemo. He couldn't train him. Not after this... and he knew it. There was no way in hell he'd be able to, not without always feeling at least some kind of resentment for this in the back of his mind... even now, even though he blamed himself for the matter, he could already feel the bitterness and the contempt, however small it may be. And god knows how long it would take for those feelings to start getting stronger...

For... though he was young, Nemo still had to be held accountable here along with him. Mareek had instructed him time and time again not to use what he trained him in for petty things like anger... and what had the Orphan done? The exact opposite of everything he had tried so hard to drill into his little skull, he'd done the exact opposite and had killed a friend and a comrade in the process. And like any instructor... Mareek could not simply let that knowledge of his student's actions go... would never be able to. And it wasn't as if the death had been an unintentional result... Mareek had seen those blows, who they were thrown, where they landed and how they landed. Each and every last one of them had been right in the region he'd told nemo was completely off limits regardless of the circumstances, just as his own sensei had to him; the Head. And the Neck

This... this was no simple case of a mere young pokemon going berserk and lashing out at the nearest thing... if anything, Java's opponent had been closer, it would've been the logical target. No... this, this right here... it had been completely intentional. Nemo had gotten up off that ground with the intent to destroy the Porygon2, the fact that he had ignored a closer target, made the effort to hurtle his club to stop mareek from being able to intervene, and closed the extra distance to get to the Normal Type before aiming for forbidden zones...

This was murder in the second degree. And Mareek knew it without a doubt.

He knew Nemo was a young killer.

"I'll try..." he repeated weakly, mind reeling all the while as to what to do with the murderer...just Trading him off to another student and washing his hands of it was both immoral and cowardly as far as Mareek cared; the problem wouldn't be solved at all, and who the hell would want nemo, if they actually stopped to think about what he had done. Death... was something that was not only completely off the tables, mareek didn't even bother thinking about it; more blood shed in the matter wouldn't bring Java back... and even despite his latest actions, Nemo was still one of them... one of the team. The prospect of simply putting him down like some rabid dog... it was absolutely unthinkable to the boy.

"Maybe... maybe I should send him away... to someone who can be trusted with him." He thought to himself. It was most definitely the kindest fate he could give. If Nemo stayed with him, things between them would never be the same again. As much as mareek hated to admit to himself... in his heart, the bridge he had built with nemo, the bond they had constructed... it had all burned right to the ground as if it were engulfed in hell fire and the devil had been cackling and playing a fiddle as he watched it burn. At least on Mareek's end of it. Here, there was no where for Nemo to go, no chance to start over and try to atone, because his trainer knew... just knew, he could never forgive this. But if he went away... that was another story entirely...

And there was only person in the world whom he trusted enough and knew could handle the situation right...

Sensei Akihiro Miyagi of Saffron's fighting dojo. And he also knew... deep down...that after this, Nemo would never fight another battle under him. Ever... again.

Fighting Dojo, Saffron City

Bonemerang. Thunder Punch... and Bone Rush... the dreaded, dreaded bone rush. Miyagi kept winding back the footage on the dvr, going over the fight's end... over, and over. It disturbed him. How easily he could recognized all of those strikes from bone rush, how fluid and controlled they were, even under a hand obviously guided by nothing but rage and hatred. There was no mistaking it. They were none other than the strikes he had taught Mareek...

"God Arceus boy... what have you done here?" He whispered to himself, finally hitting the pause button on the remote and setting it back down on the desk. "Have you forgotten... every last lesson I have taught you? Everything I have tried to drill into you, to help you?" He had to admit though... in the boy's defense, it seemed he may have come to his senses, given he had technically forfeited before... the incident occured. And he couldn't help but be a bit impressed- the fact the boy had managed to teach a pokemon like, of all things, cubone, Kenjutsu... and so well that it could flow from one strike into the other seemlessly even when under heavy fatigue...

"No... stop smiling..." He told himself, turning off the small television that usually went unused in the small front office of the Dojo. Just becauase the ground type had obviously been taught well... didn't subtract anything from what had occurred. And if it knew the fighting style as well as it did, it would've been utterly impossible that Mareek hadn't have had to teach it the ethics at some point, one of the most basic things, worthy of priority... "Mareek, my boy..." he sighed, rising from the chair and heading towards the glass door. "I'm sorry for you... even though you brought the thunder onto yourself by forgetting what I taught you... I am still sorry for you."

[Chevaleresse]

"These things happen." Yeah. Of course. I'm overreacting. It's not my fault. Kage shook his head, trying to free himself of the memory of the incident, at least momentarily. He tried to focus on making the situation better. Normally, he wasn't exactly the charitable type - people have to stand on their own two feet, helping only served to make them more vulnerable next time they fell down - but this was a unique situation. "Mareek," he called out as he moved toward the trainer. "I know we don't really know one another that well, but there's gotta be something I can do to help here."

[Sutoratosu]

Mareek looked at Kage for a moment in silence, considering telling the blind boy there was no need... but then he thought of something. Something he hadn't before. "All I can ask of you is to keep quiet about my team member's fate..." He said, putting away Java's capsule. "I'll already have enough to deal with from all of...this. And I really don't need anything else piled on top of it, so I'd honestly like to keep some control over who knows what about this..." He knew it was pointless though. People were still going to ask and pester about it like the senseless ass holes they sometimes were, thinking they were being sympathetic and respectful and all that royal bull shit, regardless of whether kage said anything about this or not. Rumors were going to start to circulate like they tended to do in schools when something happened. But it was best to leave all of them to keep wondering what was fact and what was fiction, only share anything with those he knew he could trust...

That... and He also didn't want to offend the boy for his notable amount of kindness in even making the offer in the first place...

[Chevaleresse]

"Alright. Seriously, though, let me know if you need help. Please." His tone was almost insistent. Kage turned to go back to the desk, assuming Mareek would rather be left alone.

[Ojama Yellow]

"May I point out to you that you are holding yourself up right now, princess?" Marius said angrily, glaring back, "Besides, that looked nothing alike to how I dismissed you. It was not gracious enough." He then turned to the other boy that joined them. His conversation partner seemed to know him. Even more, the two seemed to be friends. "Why, hello there. I do not believe we have met before. Can you please tell your friend here to calm down? This is not really the nicest of conversations." Marius let out a small sigh. This wasn't how he had pictured his first day at the academy.