shakespearealien | III. [Accidental video + Action for the Goldenrod Tunnel]

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III. [Accidental video + Action for the Goldenrod Tunnel] | Fourth Wall Event

[Gorthan should have known.

He should have known that the human body he had been granted was merely a temporary condition.

And now he's an Evronian again. Thick violet-magenta skin, four fingers on each hand, a beak and webbed feet, pupil-less blue eyes. Sure, his de-humanization has come with a fully functioning set of tanks full of emotional energy that will be Gorthan's nourishment. But what will happen once they run dry? Will he be forced to turn the denizens of Johto into soulless, brainless Cool Flames in order to live? Or have all the new emotions that he's been experiencing since coming here finally rendered him capable of feeding on himself?

... And while he's busy reflecting on all this, he hasn't noticed that his Kirlia is freaking out, holding Gorthan's Gear in Video mode and pointing it at his Trainer. Where is Kirlia's trainer, and who is this duck monster?! Johto needs to know!

In response to that, Gorthan tries to cover his face with a four-fingered hand, while his other hand gestures for Kirlia to stop filming him.]

... Don't! Please, don't. It's just me, Kirlia, don't be afraid! Put it down, now!

[But Kirlia won't listen. Because Kirlia is afraid. And he will continue to be afraid, so long as Gorthan continues to be afraid of himself.]

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[In the mist of this fresh chaos, a white light appears only a few feet from Gorthan's vision. Then, in the same area, down suddenly plops a startled mouse, as if someone had just picked her up and dropped hr without a care. Grumbling, she manages to stand up straight, smooth down her dress, and begins looking around for her dropped tiara.]

Oh, where am I now...?

[Dear Evron, what is that... NO, not now!

And he thought he'd be safe in the Goldenrod underground in the early morning... Wait. She's a woman mouse, wearing regal garb...? Could it be...?]

... Minnie?

[She huffs, finally able to find her tiara and placing it back where it belongs. But then she hears her name.]

Huh?

[She turns and...

... Hearing a description of him and seeing what he actually looked like turned out to be two different things. She stares, eyes widened, suddenly filled with slight terror - but then the terror increases when she does recognize him. She'd been willing to listen and forgive, yes, but on her terms - right now she suddenly feels ambushed, memories spring, and she starts walking backwards, though she trips and winds up back on her rear again, staring all the while with a stupidly open mouth.]

[As he watches Minnie step back in terror, sorrow makes Gorthan's eyes of melting ice glisten. This is how earthlings will always see him, in spite of his temporary delusion. For every Evronians was born to instill fear, and he is no exception.]

You've recognized me, haven't you? ... Minnie, I... I have no intention to hurt you, and I...

[He approaches her, extending a hand to help her up. As he does so, there is... something in his eyes, right where blue meets black, that he needs to blink away.]

... I am so sorry, Minnie... I regret... I regret it all! ... But I'm aware that what I did is unforgivable, and as such... I don't expect you to forgive me. Even now, if you want to leave, you are free to do so. I do not intend to keep you here... not when I've already hurt you so much...

[Eh, screw Evronian pride, or... Evronian anything, for that matter. He's now officially crying.]

[She would love nothing more than to run away, to dive into her fear and cry. But now was not the time for such childish things. Though still terrified, she can see he's being sincere. She swallows, but does not take his hand as she rises.]

... I'm afraid right now I cannot accept your apologies, Gorthan, as much as I want to. This is not out of spite, or hate, or fear... but because, in a few day's time, neither of us will remember this moment.

[Standing up 'tall', she gestures to her body.]

This has happened once before. We return to our original bodies, our powers are restored, Johto is flooded with newcomers, and we are constantly put in random places on the map. And when it's all over... We do not remember it. Until it happens again, months later.

[She's avoiding eye contact for the moment, because she knows if she stares any longer, she'll start crying too.]

[He listens attentively to Minnie's every word. And he believes her.]

Is that so? How strange... And yet, you've been here far longer than I have, so... I believe you.

[He retreats a few steps, showing his back to Minnie as he joins his hands behind said back. So neither of them will be able to remember anything...

... It's perfect. Simply perfect.

What is, you ask?

The moment. To do this.

He abruptly spins back 180 degrees to face Minnie again. At which he closes the fair bit of distance between himself and her in a single, agile leap, before wrapping his arms around her, holding her firmly, but gently.

And that will be Gorthan's very first hug.]

[When his back was turned, she resumed watching him carefully. Maybe he was going to leave, or try to explain himself further, despite circumstances. She sighed...

- And then she was caught, and she jerked, oh Walt no, was he going to hurt her, was he going to break her like Ivan did, no no no no no -

But then she understands, frozen in his grasp. Her muscles slowly relax, and her queenly demeanor wavers. She can't be this strong. She whimpers, and tears begin to flow, pressing her head against his body.]

I-It's not fair... It's just not fair.

[He's about to retreat abruptly, believing he just scared her again, when he feels that.. she's actually leaning into him. He shakes his head, attempting a smile, though he's crying, too.]

You've shed enough tears for me, Queen... please, don't shed more, when I don't even deserve one.

Again, what I did is unforgivable. It tears away at my heart at all hours, it keeps me awake at night. But Minnie, there is so much I have to tell you, and I hope you will listen when the time is right.

As you could guess, Minnie, I'm not just not native to this world, or yours - I am not from Earth. I have never been.

[She shakes her head, still whimpering, still confused, still a lot of things and it's just unfair.]

I can't stop shedding them... I can't control them! I can't control how I feel! That's how emotions work! I still want to be your friend, even though I still can't forgive what you've done!

[She hiccups, trying to wipe her eyes with her lacy gloves. Emotions are complicated, man, why do you want them.]

Where you come from doesn't make you who you are... You decide that.

It does, Minnie. In my case... it does. Believe me.

Emotions are such wonderful things. Even what you are feeling right now, this... conflict tearing your heart apart with bloodless pain... I see it, and I think it's absolutely beautiful that you can feel such a thing for somebody who does not deserve that level of suffering in the slightest, such as myself.

Your heart is truly pure, Minnie. I envy that. And the thought that I will never have such a heart is what often drives me to seal my humanity away even further.

[At some point while he spoke, he stopped crying, but he starts sobbing a little near the end again. Also, he will try holding her not as firmly, so as to allow her to break free if she chooses to.]

[She shakes her head even more, not breaking off his hug but looking up so he can see her whole face.]

I'm not pure. I have darkness too.

[The only true pure hearted beings were certain princesses, and that's a whole other sob story.]

And the fact that you can tell me these things... you have light and darkness inside of you too. How can you say you don't have a heart... [she stands on her tippy toes, trying to catch a tear that slides off his beak] ... when yours keeps breaking?

[After shivering under her touch, he smiles, though whether there is any actual kindness in that smile is entirely up to interpretation. The pupil-less eyes make him a lot more inscrutable, even more than he was before.]

That, I don't believe. How can you not be pure, Minnie?

I don't know what I have inside of me. I'm one of the best genetic engineers in the universe, and I admit that.

I know that what we are calling a heart was not encoded in my genes when I was first born- wait.

[He hears steps along the underground corridors.]

... Minnie, are you okay with people seeing your original form? I am not, about mine, for rather obvious reasons.

[She would be happy to tell him of princesses and darkness and all the mushy disney stuff, but there are priorities.]

... I'm fine with people seeing me this way, but if you're not, let's go. As long as this place doesn't move me, I want to keep this talk going... no matter how fruitless it may be.

[She breaks away from the hug - she she takes his hand, ready to lead him along or be lead herself. She's not going to abandon him so easily.]

[His reaction to his hand being held is as awkward as usual. Seriously, why... Then again, he was also hugging her up until a moment ago. He leads her to the end of a dark, inner corridor where people would have no reason to go - the entrance to the Rocket base is actually somewhere near here.]

Now. Why were you saying you have darkness in your heart?

[She still doesn't even know where she is, exactly, so she doesn't bother looking around. Once they are 'safe', she releases his hand, and removes her tiara, more of a gesture as she explains than a real necessity.]

... Everyone has darkness and light in their hearts. You must keep the light strong, or else the darkness will overcome you, and you will turn cruel and evil. There are only seven beings who do not have any trace of darkness in their hearts... they are the Seven Princesses of Light. They are... perfect. They don't hate, they don't envy, they don't... [she trails off a bit.] ... They're truly pure. I'm not.

[That's right, she's not just talking about metaphors. This is real! ... As real as video games go, anyway.]

I have darkness within me... I have ugly, twisted feelings that I must keep separated from the light. [She closes her eyes.] On the train, the darkness whispered to me. "Don't move. Stay where you are, so they won't go after you. Let them go after others, you've suffered enough." It's easy to give into those kind of thoughts... You gave into those thoughts when you went along with the Rocket's plan. But your light shows remorse.

... Princesses?

[He narrows his eyes - he's never heard of them, but the concept is an extremely interesting one.]

... Minnie, as I was trying to say earlier, I was born with an entire series of characteristics that you would deem "cruel and evil". I may be the only Evronian able to feel emotions, but those original tendencies will never go away, and trying to resist them would be fighting my true nature. I can most definitely mitigate them, however.

And what you just told me about isn't darkness. It's fear, and it's perfectly normal. Fear also makes up a good portion of the contents of [He pats the smooth, white tank on his shoulder.] this. And before you ask, emotions are an Evronian's nourishment.

Did you think you always know they were cruel and evil, or did you deem them so when you found out just what cruel and evil was? I just... can't believe - ['accept' might be the better word, stubborn as she is] - that you don't have a heart. That you don't have real emotions. That you don't have light.

Gorthan... you're better than you think you are. You are what's holding you back.

[Her eyes glance momentarily at the tank. There's a bit of fear at that, but only a bit.] You're more than just an Evronian. You are Gorthan.

[While he's not about to cry again, he hesitates, and his jaw falls open for a moment before he recollects himself.]

Yes, my conscience came, indeed, later, very late in my life, in fact. But before I say that you are completely and absolutely correct, I want to make sure that you have fully understood this one concept.

If, for any reason, I remain in this body permanently... In a few days, when my tanks start running dry, I will be forced to turn defenseless creatures into emotionless, soulless, mindless Cool Flames, or, to use a less literal translation from my language, zombies.

[He'll pause then. Surely the implications are easy to understand, yes?]

[This time she actually goes quiet and listens. She lets silence hang in the air after it, thinking this over. The fear comes back, but fortunately she's a lot less susceptible to it. From what she knows of the nature of emotions... this is worth a shot.]

Is there a way to do it without draining all of their emotions? Just taking some day by day, leaving them time to rejuvenate?

[She puts her tiara back on, as it is time to be Queen once more.]

If there is, then you can use me.

[... Minnie, you are too much. Gorthan jolts back in shock.]

WHAT?! NO! There's no way I could ever do that to you!

... Though the option that you describe is an existing one. ... But I would not use you, Minnie. And if you beg me to, selfless thing that you are, I will not care.

There is another option, however. A rather far-fetched one, but I happen to be the only living Evronian who can try it.

[She's just about ready to argue about using herself, it is kind of a relief to hear there's another option available, so she'll just hop on that for now.]

Well, what is it? Anything's worth a try.

If my mutation, that is, my ability to feel emotions as opposed to simply prey on them, becomes strong enough... There's a possibility that I could eventually become able to feed on myself.

I don't know what long-term consequences such a thing could have, but at least I would no longer need to harm in order to survive.

[She frowns at the word 'consequences'.]

... Very well. I will put my hopes on that, since there's no denying your emotions are getting stronger. But if it doesn't work, or the consequences are too great, then I will offer myself again. And I won't hear argument otherwise.

And I will not beg for it, I will demand it.

[... obviously she will beg, but she's got to be an adult about it first.]

You are as foolish as you are selfless, Minnie. It's very noble of you, and truly becoming of a Queen.

However, keep in mind that, for the moment, I require no such thing. My tanks are still mostly full, and as you said, it's likely that I will revert to a human body before they run out.

... Do you honestly believe that my emotions are getting stronger?

I never claimed to be perfect and pure.

[Another cautionary look at the tanks, and then she's back to him.]

If anything I think our meeting today has proved your emotions have strengthened. You've shown shock, sadness, anger, disbelief, courage, fear, and so much more. It's time you started believing in yourself as much as I do.

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