Orre's Hero?

“lonliest burgur……”

oh no. it remindeded him of when brudder made him leav famlee. he cookd burger but it SMELLD LIKE THE FLAMSES OF THE LAB……

“here’s ur burge” he said said. “im so sad. do u have a dad. just wonderign. for no reasn.”

“thanx 4 burg” mikul take burg but cant help notis man seem very sad. maybe bc he sed he wus sad. he feel kinship bc he 2 very sad.

vericheldes

elds walks up to michel, sad. very sad. he miss his sonn.

“welcom 2 michel alon” he sed. his wife dont simile no morr. “take order”

miker miss his fathur. but not no dis sad fast food employe is fathur. teh bitter ironeez...

      Of course not. How could he know, after all?

      “I must admit, it’s quite a shock to hear that. Cipher was not a benign group–I’m sure you’re aware. And I was, after all, Greevil’s right-hand man.

      “But you’re right. I came out here to remove myself from anything to do with Cipher. Evidently, jail time wasn’t enough.” Eldes chuckled–it was lighthearted, but he did hope Michael wouldn’t guess that Eldes’ prison sentence was far too short for the magnitude of the crimes he committed.

      “Oh, but I’ve seen better days, truth be told. Make no mistake; Cipher still weighs heavily on my mind. But what’s done is done, no? So long as I’m fortunate enough to be here, in Hoenn, I ought to make the most of it. Although… I suppose it must be an odd sight: a man nearing his fifties, challenging the Pokémon League. But stranger things have happened, perhaps.

      So much he wanted to say to Michael. So much he wanted to tell him–that he loved him, that he missed him, that his heart still ached to go home and forget his nightmare.

“Yeah, I guess, but you’re not...” Michael means to say something more meaningful, like you’re not like the rest of them, I can tell you have good in you -- but what comes out instead is, “--as annoying.” Definitely not the most eloquent way he could have phrased that. “Like Lovrina,” he clarifies moodily, still not quite over the trauma of having to deal with that girly yet vicious youth. “I mean -- I’m not comparing you to her, but -- never mind.”

Nailed it.

“You should be allowed to do what you want, yeah,” Michael says with a light laugh. “I’m here to get away too, you know? I mean -- I stole people’s Pokemon.” Some of yours, too. There’s no way to say it any more softly, and he winces. “That’s not something I really like thinking about... but there’s nothing that can be done about that either. Sometimes I wonder if Orre doesn’t bring out the worst in people...” A cough escapes his lips at his own grim words. “I mean, it’s nice to travel, anyway.”

        His lack of interest in the conversation at hand was apparent. The boss’s gaze periodically looked past the youth, as if in search of someone or something. Though the boy possessed a certain quality of intrigue in that he was foreign, Cyrus’s preoccupation meant more to him than the explanation of something as mundane as contests. Previous intrigue in the foreigner was drowned in Cyrus’s concern in finding his old friend. It was of the greatest importance to him in that particular moment. 

       ❝ You are a trainer, correct? Typically someone like you would be interested in challenging the gym… ❞          Cyrus understood that trainers around this this boy’s age were typically interested in challenging the Sinnoh League. It was what was expected of youth, though in retrospect, someone who hails from a region without contests may also not have a Pokémon League, as many regions did. But in truth, what were the odds of such a thing occurring? There were few regions without their own League; it was worth a try, to at least ask. After all, any prospective challengers would also be interested in the electric-specicialist’s location, yes?

The boy from Orre can’t imagine himself enjoying something like a Pokemon contest from what he knows about the activity. Besides, doesn’t one have to dress up alongside their Pokemon to participate? Michael feels it would be embarrassing to have to wear anything flashy in front of a lot of people, and his Eevee -- being of a similar personality type -- would most likely feel the same way. Contests are much more suitable for trainers like his younger sister Jovi (or worse: Lovrina, who he doesn’t want to picture doing anything of the sort).

“Yeah, I’m a trainer,” Michael echoes, “but -- I’ve never challenged a gym leader before.” Unless Justy, the leader of the Pre Gym, counted. But it’s not like Orre’s Prestige Precept Center (what a mouthful) operates like a regular region’s gym, anyway. Beating Justy doesn’t even come with the reward of a badge.

“Would this be a good place to start...?”

It’s a legitimate question, coming from someone who has no idea how these things operate. Do you absolutely have to challenge the gyms in a fixed order, or can it be flexible? Do they steadily increase in difficulty like Mt. Battle trainers as you climb up, or is their only difference the type of Pokemon the leader specializes in? Perhaps he should have read more up on this region’s battling customs before diving in headfirst.

        cyrus could not put off return forever. the ＲＥＤ ＣＨＡＩＮ was almost finished, and soon his new world would be brought into existence and this incomplete one would be wiped from existence. however, there was still one person who needed to be convinced of how RIGHT cyrus was: his old childhood companion, volkner. he only needed one more chance.         cyrus had first gone to the gym with the expectation that he would find volkner there, but upon arrival he learned that the electric gym leader was nowhere to be found. so as a result, he walked through the city until his feet brought him there, to the festive little bazaar just by the beach. vaguely distracted by his own turbulent thoughts, it was a moment before he finally registered the fact that someone was attempting to speak with him.

That being said, he couldn’t help but shiver slightly at the man’s gaze, as if it’s piecing apart his personality somehow, staring into his soul even.

No, that was melodramatic. Michael chided himself for even entertaining the thought.

“Demonstrated their worth?”

Back home, what did that mean? A Pokemon with worth was -- what? One who could compete in colosseum battles, one who could score someone a high ranking at Mt. Battle -- everything was about engaging in battles and winning those battles. Even the games at Realgam Tower revolved around battling, from the Battle CDs to Battle Bingo. Michael wracked his mind for something about the Sinnoh region that would be worthy of something like a ribbon other than battling, where morale was more important then winning.

      And, upon his departure, a grief he had almost become numb to–only to be driven by renewed paternal instinct to offer Michael a word of caution upon their next meeting at Mt. Battle. Later, a confrontation that broke his heart anew–his son, the enemy he was to destroy.

      Eldes never thought he would see any of his family again–much less Michael, who he swore must have despised him. Why, it was that fear that kept him on the streets of Pyrite, that drove him to Hoenn…

      “Exceedingly small.” Eldes nodded. “I must admit I never expected to see another Orrean here, much less… well, you.

      “Look, Michael. I know what you must think of me, and you’ve every reason to be afraid of me. But I mean you no harm; I have no reason to anymore. Besides, I said we would not meet again as enemies, had I not?

He considered the man’s question. Other than surprise, there was truly not much lingering negative feeling behind his memory of Eldes, other than his ever-present desire to stay as far away from Cipher and any trace of it as possible. Answering the other’s question with that in mind was proving to be a bit difficult.

“Um... not much of anything?”

Again, his words come out a bit harsh, and he backpedals a little. “Er -- all I meant is -- you’re right about us not being enemies. And I believe that you don’t want to hurt anybody. I mean, whether or not you’re up to something, I wouldn’t stop you anyway.” He shrugged. “Don’t really feel like dealing with that kind of thing anymore one way or the other, that’s why I’m out here. Kinda get the sense that’s why you’re here too? So I guess you’re more of a familiar face than anything.”