(Untitled)

[eflamberge]

[The flamboyant, blue-haired Count is standing somewhere smack in the middle of Azimuth Plain. He seems to have no Pokémon out whatsover, not even Fang, his trusty Zangoose, or Raymond, the newborn Zangoose-morphing baby that he's been parading around the Island. He is, however, carrying five Poké Balls, as opposed to the usual six, and his sword.

Comments

[oceansbane]

I don't know if you've noticed, Your Lordship, but that schism has always been there. If anything, the more I find out about his team, the more I want there to be a clear degree of separation between his leadership and mine.

Are you aware of the state of his admin's team? The one with the pretty name - Tabitha. He has nothing capable of taking on Team Aqua properly, and a dangerous tendency to underestimate them. He doesn't recognize the effects of basic Fire moves. I ended up allowing him to borrow one of my Pokémon so he can at least defend himself while he trains.

That version of us that you worship so much can't lead, Edmond. He's incompetent. His negligence and ignorance is rendering his team incompetent. And now he's rushing into conflicts that aren't ours without any sense of forethought.

[He'll just be raking his hand backwards through his hair as he speaks, tugging at it lightly as he does so. The sharp sting seems to settle him a bit for now.]

Listen. He explained some things to me before we fought. Like the fact that this...Cipher organization had Rayquaza under its control. As little as I actually care for Rayquaza personally, I have a healthy respect for what it's capable of. Do I understand why he did it? Sure. Of course. Why not.

Should he have? No.

[eflamberge]

[Edmond listens, steeling himself. Trying to maintain his expression neutral, though there are several sharp twitches near his eyes and at the corners of his mouth, and a general, slight trembling of his body.

And when Maxie is done talking, in a single, quick move, Edmond draws his sword.

Only to subsequently fall to his knees on the ground, laying the rapier down before him, between himself and Maxie. He holds his head down, eyes to the glittering sand below him, his hair spontaneously falling forward to reveal the back of his neck. The trembling gradually stops as Edmond takes long, audible deep breaths.

Surely Maxie will know what Edmond means by all this.]

[oceansbane]

[Okay, the drawing of that sword will get him to step back. Though the fact that it's immediately followed with...well...uh...

...Edmond, you...what...what are you even...]

...what the hell are you doing?

[No, seriously, what is this.]

[eflamberge]

[He remains silent for a few moments, before giving a dramatic yell, without raising his head.]

Take it. And do what you must!

[oceansbane]

[...oh for fuck's sake - ]

Get up.

[eflamberge]

[No, he isn't getting up yet. As far as he's concerned, he isn't getting up, period. Or... ever, for that matter. He lowers his voice to a whisper then.]

You know you want to, Maxie. I deserve it.

[oceansbane]

[...you are the most melodramatic son of a bitch, Edmond.]

Consider it an order. Get. Up.

[eflamberge]

[No, sir.]

I don't care about your orders. I answer to him, not to you. I've told you you were dead to me. That still stands.

Slay me, Maxie. You have everything to gain from my death.

[oceansbane]

You're not even making sense anymore, but say that I decide to humor you. Tell me what you're even talking about.

[eflamberge]

[Edmond's body begins shaking uncontrollably then, as he searches for the words.]

I just... I don't want to live, knowing that the moment I decided to oppose you... was precisely when your intents were the noblest. And as much as I don't regret my decision... It has consequences that I don't intend to face. I've made my choice, but reluctantly - I didn't want to have to choose in the first place. Because I can't possibly bring myself to feel any real rancor towards anyone wearing Team Magma's proud emblem...

[A sob interrupts his voice.]

... And I wish you and your double were the same way. I wish you would just... co-operate, but that is only a... a guileless fantasy, isn't it?

It's not like either you or your double truly need me anyway. You won't miss me.

[oceansbane]

[And...Maxie just openly rolls his eyes at that, though he will drop down into a crouch, putting himself a bit closer on your level there, Edmond. When he speaks, there's a strange tone to his voice; as opposed to the usual manic quality behind his words, there's a sense of tight control there.]

You know, I've never liked sayings and proverbs very much. They always strike me as stupid, hackneyed things. Never really applying to anything in the real world. But there's one that I've always been fond of. Some might say I live by it. Do you want to hear it?

[He isn't really waiting for an answer; he continues before one can be given.]

"Never regret anything, because at one point, it was exactly what you wanted. And you got it."

[He picks up that sword, turning it over lightly in his hands as though testing the weight of it.]

Will I miss you when you're gone? I don't think I will. But then, I don't miss anyone, really - love, friendship, missing people. It comes with the territory. I don't do any of that, so will I miss you? Probably not.

But I can tell you that right now, you're disgusting. I didn't get where I am today by giving up, and I don't tolerate others asking me to help them give up. Life is trial and error. Damage control. Making some fucking mistakes. And I'm not going to kill you because you've spent your life living as a spoiled brat who's never had to answer properly for your mistakes. That's not retribution or justice. That's a mercy kill.

[That sword? Is now getting thrown a great distance to his left, kicking up sand as it lands and skids along the ground.]

Don't make me deal with your goddamn problems. If you don't want to live with your mistakes, that's your choice. But I refuse to cater to your cowardice. And you might not like what I'm about to tell you, but if you acted like this? I can see why my double in your world left you.

Now either get up and face your problems as a man of your age and station damn well should, or go get that sword and end it yourself.

[eflamberge]

[Edmond sobs quietly as he listens to Maxie, still refusing to look at him. But when he mentions the Maxie from his world... he breaks into a loud, indistinct, inconsolable wail, the sound half-drowning Maxie's next words. After that is over, however, Edmond falls quiet again, and all that can be heard from him is the sound of his breathing.]

You were doing something... for me as well as for the others... And I abandoned you then...

[He shakes his head.] ... I just can't live with that! I just can't!

[He raises his head, then, but he's not looking at Maxie. He's looking somewhere past him, at something that might not even be there. Just then, a small smile appears on his tear-stained face.]

But it looks like I will have to, somehow...

[He then shifts to look at Maxie, addressing him.]

After all, even if I choose him... it's not like you and I will be enemies, correct?

[oceansbane]

[He laughs a bit at that, standing up as he does so; while there's still that sharp, manic edge to the sound, it's very bitter overall.]

What does it matter, Edmond? I'm dead to you.

[eflamberge]

[Edmond gives a small, pathetic whining sound as he weakly grabs Maxie's pant leg between his thumb and index finger.]

Of course it matters! You know full well how hard it is for me.

[He raises his head higher, to meet Maxie's eyes again now that he's standing.]

I have been seeing you in my sleep.

[oceansbane]

[Maxie tips his head slightly; he smiles at that. It's not a nice expression.]

That's nice, Edmond. Should I feel sorry for you?

[He pulls back, snapping his clothes out of Edmond's grasp.]

You aren't my enemy, Edmond. You never will be. Do you know why? Let me tell you why.

Having you as my enemy would imply that I care enough to hate you. That you're worth my time. And from what I've seen? You aren't. And so I don't.

You aren't my enemy. Currently, you're lower than that.

[eflamberge]

[As Maxie talks, Edmond's breath progressively quickens and becomes more labored, and his features contort into an expression that is a mixture of pain, sadness and utter disbelief. It appears Maxie is sending him into a panic attack. ... Again.]

Why do you have to be like this with me? Look, I'm sorry for attacking you that time... I'm so sorry...

[He crawls closer to Maxie again, grasping at his trousers a second time. He squeezes his eyes shut as he starts crying again.]

Please, Maxie... Forgive me! Please...