A moral conflict for the end of the year!

[battlestandby]

[No resolutions for the new year for this young man, nope! But still, something in him has changed. neverfollows has been a constant reminder of the terrible things he's done throughout the years and seeing his younger self torture the Chimchar he would eventually abandon was just too much to bear. Especially when this Paul suffered much more dire consequences

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[rivalheroics]

[SUDDENLY A WILD JUN APPEARED...from right behind where you're sitting. Isn't this like the second or third time we've practically interrupted you when you were hoping to be left alone?]

Hey Paul, what'cha up to?

[battlestandby]

[ahahaha oh Jun, everybody interrupts him when he tries to be alone! He can't in all good conscience single you out when so many others are guilty of the same thing. :') By now Paul's managed to control himself so he doesn't freaking jump out of his seat when someone comes up from behind him, but the gaping face and widened eyes are still things he's working on controlling.]

---You?! What are you doing here?!

[rivalheroics]

[Hahaha maybe we should do this more less often if you're always gonna have that kind of reaction everytime we say hello]

Well, I was walking by when I thought I heard your voice coming from over here, and it looks like I was right. So, what are you doing out here anyway?

[battlestandby]

[The fact that you're a spitting image of that weirdo who seems to adore him no matter what he does doesn't really help either, Jun. But Paul's grip on the Pokeball he's holding tightens as Jun starts asking questions.]

... It's complicated. But it seems even if I settle out in the middle of nowhere, people will always find me...

[rivalheroics]

Huh...that is kinda true isn't it? ['Cause he remembers running into you last time and you were trying to be left alone then too] Maybe you're just a magnet for attention, then... [^^;;]

[battlestandby]

More accurately, a magnet for trouble.

[rivalheroics]

Right, right... [He's not even surprised at your pessimistic outlook on the situation anymore as he leans over a little to look at the pokeball in your hand] So, what's with the pokeball then?

[battlestandby]

This... is a piece of my past when I was... a much worse person than I am today.

[rivalheroics]

[Raising an eyebrow at that]

What do you mean? How so?

[battlestandby]

A younger version of myself arrived on the island a while back. He has a Chimchar that he treats poorly because back then he-... I... we were obsessed with seeing its true potential for power, since we saw amazing things from it the day it was caught.

The problem is... my training was never compatible with Chimchar. I wasn't compatible with Chimchar. Eventually I released it, my rival caught it and brought out that power... eventually that power caused me to lose in the Sinnoh League.

But I've changed so much since arriving here... and seeing my younger self torture Chimchar like that... it bothered me. So I took it from him.

[rivalheroics]

...Oh. I see.

[Wow that's pretty heavy, dude. :\]

[battlestandby]

[his whole life is a heavy, heavy mess]

... I'm not sure what to do with this Chimchar now that I have it. But nothing I do can make up for the past, and Chimchar won't understand how I'm different... it needs to be fed, but it'll probably be too afraid to eat in front of me.

[rivalheroics]

[He doesn't really condone you stealing from your own younger self, but...]

Well, you made the effort to take it so that it could be safer with you than with...the other you, so that sounds like you're willing to make up for how you treated it then, right? Besides, you won't know until you try...I'll even help you out, if you want.

[battlestandby]

You-... really?

[rivalheroics]

Yeah, of course! I'd be happy to help. [Besides, if we left you here, you'd probably end up sitting there staring some more and Chimchar would starve longer. :|b]

[battlestandby]

... Thanks, I owe you one.

[He'll stand up and pretty much shove that pokeball into Jun's hands.]

There's Chimchar, here's the food.

[Have a can of food to hold, too!]

You know what to do.

[He immediately goes to hide... ... behind his giant-ass Torterra.]