Something's missing.
[In Umbra Cave, or in one of the caves that aren't Umbra Cave but might as well be, there is a woman in a Team Magma uniform lying face-down on the stone floor, half-submerged in a still pool that takes up most of the back of the cave. She is unconscious at first, and wakes slowly. Interestingly, she does not seem perturbed by waking in an
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He doesn't remember.
Should he remember?
He remembers the cave, and the feeling of heat searing through his body, and dimly wondering why it wasn't killing him from the inside; then there were...thoughts, something else's thoughts, and he had dropped out of consciousness at one point, and when he had awakened he didn't...exist anymore, his body wasn't his own and his thoughts were still something else's, patterns he didn't recognize, and his memories and understanding were gone for the time being - all of it back now, of course, but there's still the undeniable feeling that none of it is...his. His body, his mind, his life - none of it is really his anymore; it belongs to someone else, though he can't say whom, and he imagines eventually that this thought process, too, will be wiped clear like whatever existed before this, and his essence will die but his body will remain and it's. It's.
It's very complicated.
But...right, she'd mentioned something. An event. An explosion of energy. Accessing this part of his memory always feels more like looking through a perfect stranger's photo album and realizing that you recognize some of the locations in them, but...technicalities, really; the longer he thinks about it, the more it starts to come back to him. There had been the battleground, and Archie - no, not Archie, Kyogre, that had been Kyogre - and the...the children had been there, the boy and the girl...he doesn't remember if Marge had been there as well, but it's possible she might have been. And there had been light and heat followed by an immense sense of loss, like something had been...taken from him...ripped and carved out by force, and he had been left so empty except for that orb and he had wanted it gone because fuck it was killing him get it out get it out get it out -
...
It's then that he realizes how tense he's become; his right hand has shifted, tracing light, repetitive patterns over the center of his forehead while he thinks, following the same trail over and over - down from the hairline on both sides, circling between the eyes, back up the center.
He doesn't recall starting to do it; again, it's amazing how disconnected the mind can be from the body's activity. He stops abruptly, though the look in his eyes still isn't quite...right.]
...right. I think...I know what you're talking about, yes.
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After a while, she shifts a little awkwardly.] So...what now, boss?
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The look fades quickly in favor of that easy smirk, however, and his gaze is less scrutinizing now - at the very least, he seems content with the answer she's given him for the time being.]
Well, to start with, we're not alone on this island. Mitch is here, and he appears to be the one from our world, not a duplicate; that would be the good news.
The bad news is that Archie is also here. He appears to have located one of his admins - the woman. Angie, I think her name was? [Of course, he knows full well what her damn name is; Archie's been insufferable for weeks. But that's irrelevant.] However, that doesn't really matter anymore - with you here, that puts Team Magma back at an advantage.
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[He tips his head slightly; there's something that's been bothering him. Nagging at his thoughts. Something about the timing...it's not -
...hm.]
Still willing to fight, then?
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[That Maxie's most likely still intending to continue working toward a battle between Groudon and Kyogre - well...she'll do what she can to sabotage that goal, but as long as little seems to be at stake, she can go along with this for now. If only to keep Maxie's eyes off her.
And if there's the chance for a little fun on the way...well, thay wouldn't hurt at all. Not a bit.]
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It was such a nice try, though.]
And are you going to stay on my side this time?
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What...what d'you mean, boss?
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[He begins pacing again. Circling her.
Predatory.]
Don't get me wrong, you know. Physically? You're lovely as always. But there are some things you can't conceal from me. Marks. I can sense it in you, you know.
[His fingers shift upward, sweeping lightly over the center of his forehead again, though his touch doesn't linger.]
Perhaps you haven't learned to feel it. But you aren't the only one between us who's handled the Blue Orb. It. Leaves. Marks. And at the time of that explosion...the Blue Orb was still within Archie's body.
It's very dormant; I wouldn't worry about it too much as far as your behavior goes. But if you're from the time you claim you are...why can I sense Kyogre in you, hm?
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Courtney freezes for a second, her fingers digging hard into Ninetales' ruff.]
I-I...I don't know what you're talkin' about.
[It's difficult to talk; her throat seems to want to close up completely. As she speaks, though, she's already shifting position, ready to move. She'd never be able to stand against Maxie's Pokemon for long, but...but if she can just distract him, put him off balance enough to give her some time...
Ninetales is growling, hard and edgily. It's almost inaudible except that she can feel it through her fingers.]
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[His tone is sharp, snappish; it doesn't last long before shifting back to his normal way of speaking, though there's a definite sense of aggressiveness that remains behind his words as he continues.]
I'm not here to punish you, Marge. That's been done for quite some time, as far as I'm concerned. You don't have to fear me anymore; it's over.
Now why don't you just relax. Stop lying to me. It doesn't help you any when you lie to me.
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Stop lying. I can't help you when you lie to me.
It's like hearing echoes, and hearing them from him hurts. Unconsciously, she grits her teeth hard, snarling.
And forgive her if she doesn't believe you when you say that, Maxie. She's heard it too many times from other people to believe it this time. She'll just keep lying, thank you, and you can go fuck yourself inside-out.]
I'm not lying.
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[His voice remains harsh, but there's a distinct sense of wariness behind his gaze; this? Is a vehement reaction. She usually knows better than to give him vehement reactions.
Though, again, he supposes he can't say that he blames her. It's just inconvenient to have to deal with.]
Try again. You know how little I tolerate lies.
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[This is stupidly risky, sticking to her story this way with Maxie circling her like that, prowling, but she can't take it back now, it's too late for that. And she's angrier than she probably should be, Courtney realizes. Her fingers are curling and uncurling in Ninetales' ruff, ready to scratch, to attack him, and that would be the stupidest thing she could possibly do but the desire is so strong now, pulling her like the tide...
It hits like a kick to the chest, with a deep thumping impact that echoes through her skull, and now it's familiar, the rage. Courtney almost buckles, and Ninetales' growling breaks free in a sharp bark that burns red across her mind.
How-how did he-]
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It's been a month and a half since the last for him; he still remembers what it feels like, the deep, steady burn pulsing through his system, intensifying - it's refinement, like ore tested in flame, searing away what remains of this life and returning the body, the vessel, to something ancient and primal and Groudon grant your strength to your follower before you
tear
him
apart -
...another episode, then. Not quite started yet. But getting there. A reaction. Kyogre.
He can feel it...]
Marge. Control it.
[His voice is firm when he speaks to her. Authoritative. Commanding. It can be done. Difficult. But it can be done. He and Archie would have ended each other many times over otherwise. Cave of Origin. This island. After Silent Hills. So many times. But it. Can. Be done. And they're going to do it now, aren't they - ]
Do you hear me? Control it!
[Come on. Come on.]
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Courtney takes a deep, shuddering breath, concentrating as hard as she can on maintaining control, trying to swallow the rage. It's hard, really, really hard, but she's done it before, it can be done. And she doesn't know how long it takes but she manages to force it out of herself and her mouth tastes like blood.
She can still feel it in the salt water of her pulse, but it's under control now. She has it under control. She just...wasn't expecting...
What had just happened? Why had that happened?]
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