First Steps [FINISHED]

[Deleted]

lvl 5 :: lvl 6 :: lvl 2

---

<So, you're going to hurt innocent people and steal things? Yeah... that sounds soooo right. It isn't just wrong to me, it's wrong to everyone with even an ounce of decency!> Aqua shouted. She was much like her trainer when it came to injustices, and she couldn't help but wonder how many people this guy had attacked before them...

The fireball, thanks to the terrible combination ordered by the trainer, was dissipated almost immediately by the gusting winds whipped up by the Pidgey, but that only took care of one move... Specter grunted as the wind tore at his gaseous body. The damage, while not super-effective was painful nonetheless because of his body's composition. He would live though, and it would take more than a gust to take him out.

"More credit? I haven't given you any, nor do I think I ever will. You're what is wrong with this world, and you've got another thing coming if you think you're about to steal any of my friends! You might see them as tools, but they are much, MUCH more than that. I doubt you even care about your Pokemon! You're just waiting on the next upgrade you'll get from your disgusting boss!"

He turned to his pokemon and after making sure that Spectre was okay, he doled out the next orders. "Aqua, Spectre, its time for that double battle combination we talked about... Use Psychic Scald! Hoothoot, I want you to get in there and Tackle whoever you can while they are distracted!"

Both Aqua and Spectre replied via the link, while Hoothoot, still unaccustomed to replying, let out a small <Hoot!> She then turned her attention to the other pokemon and quietly hooted <Aqua is right! You guys are mean! You're gonna try to take us away, and that's not nice!>

While Hoothoot spoke, Aqua had slowly moved into position as had Spectre. Then, they executed their combination. A third jet of boiling water erupted from Aqua's mouth, but this time it looked like it was going to miss - she had aimed too high! However, just as it reached them - or rather, over them - Spectre's eyes began glowing blue, just as Rowan's had and the jet split in two and changed course! It was now descending rapidly for the two pokemon and they were growing wider as Spectre's Psychic control spread it out for a greater chance of impact!

Rowan smirked as the two pulled off the combination attack and as Hoothoot flew into the mix after the two enemy pokemon, Spectre making sure not to let the boiling water hit her in the process...

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 544 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] "So, you're going to hurt innocent people and steal things? Yeah... that sounds soooo right. It isn't just wrong to me, it's wrong to everyone with even an ounce of decency!" Sol growled sharply in response to this, but it was Caeli who was truly angered. "You're actually judging us? You don't even know us. You don't why we do this or how we feel about it. You don't know about everything we have been through! He only joined because he had to, because we had nothing. But she still took him away, even after we were getting paid. You don't know!" She flapped her wings even harder, accidentally blowing out Sol's Ember attack. "Hey, watch it." he snapped at her. Thankfully, this increase in her attack did seem to accomplish one thing: the gastly certainly wasn't enjoying it. She flapped harder and harder. Though her muscles screamed at her, she wouldn't stop. Not until they were defeated. "More credit? I haven't given you any, nor do I think I ever will. You're what is wrong with this world, and you've got another thing coming if you think you're about to steal any of my friends! You might see them as tools, but they are much, MUCH more than that. I doubt you even care about your Pokemon! You're just waiting on the next upgrade you'll get from your disgusting boss!"

[/s]

That was it. That was the last straw. He turned to his pokemon. "Sol, Caeli, you're on your own now. Just do what you think is best. I trust you."

His gaze turned back to the boy, with a look on his face that appeared to be both calm and furious at the same. "Don't act like you know me." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't know." He went on, unknowingly echoing the words of his pidgey. "You don't know."

From his sleeve emerged a throwing knife. He liked to keep it there for special occasions. It was never smart to go anywhere unarmed, even if you had pokemon. He paused, then took aim and threw it at the trainer.

"Aqua is right! You guys are mean! You're gonna try to take us away, and that's not nice!"

"Like I said before, you don't know." She glanced up just in time to see the attack on them. "Sol, I'll need you help here." The charmander nodded.

Sol stared up into the sky, shooting flames at the incoming water. As he did, it slowly began to evaporate. He couldn't get rid of it all, some did still hit him, but he remained standing. He could keep going.

While he was doing this, Caeli flapped her wings once more, kicking up the dirt and dust on the ground into the air. Under the cloak of the sand, she managed to get out from under the incoming attack. For now, she was safe.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Sol nodded. "Good."

Caeli whipped up another whirlwind, this one turning abnormally slowly. As she did, Sol shot an Ember at it. His attack was caught in the wind and in it, it grew. "Take this!" Caeli flung the flame tornado at the incoming hoothoot. "I'd love to see you dodge this one."
[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; color: #434343; font-family: verdana; font-size: 8px; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px 5px 0px;]made by ayu of btn [/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Deleted]

lvl 5 :: lvl 6

---

"No, I don't know, but I know what you are doing now, and its horrible! You have NO excuse for your actions! Stealing pokemon, harming innocents, there is no excuse! Even if the lives of everyone you had ever loved were hanging in the balance, you have no right to destroy someone else's! There is no excuse, so stop trying to play victim and villain at the same time! It's disgusting! You ALWAYS have a choice..." He had been listening in on the pokemon for some time, ever since Aqua had begun ranting during the battle and projected this into the opposing pokemon's minds at the same time as he spoke it aloud to the mysterious thug.

He finished just in time to see the knife leaving the other's hand, and with the quick reflexes he had developed at the Gym, he stopped the projectile in mid-air, less than half-way between them. "I could drive this straight into your heart with a mere... thought, but I am better than that and I refuse to sink to that level..." he said quietly before causing it to fly off to the side and bury itself to the hilt in one of the trees surrounding the small glen. Because of that action though, he was unable to warn the Baby Hoothoot of the impending danger of the fiery tornado streaking toward it.

"Aria, Noooooo!" he cried, not even realizing that he had subconsciously decided on a name for the timid little owl. The fiery tornado swept into her, hoots of pain striking against his ears and mind. She was so scared, and the pain, the pain she was feeling was horrible. "Return!" He shouted, a red beam coming from the pokeball in his hand and absorbing her before she succumbed to the pain. He stared down at the pokeball before pocketing it, rage boiling inside him...

He turned to the villains, his eyes once again screaming with bright blue light, his hair and clothes rippling and waving about wildly as his powers expressed his anger. The little show before had been only that... a show, but this, this was real, this was rage, this was anger...

"SHE IS ONLY A BABY!" He shouted, his voice taking a harsh edge that not even Spectre had seen before, the mangled sound coming from his throat causing it to break and a small trickle of blood to flow. The sound was no quieter in the minds of the two who had hurt the little bird, as he was projecting his shouts there as well. "GANGING UP ON THE OTHERS WOULD ALMOST BE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT ON A BABY?!"

Aqua and Spectre loosed protests as well, though not as much as their trainer as they were a bit surprised, honestly. They didn't know he was even capable of sounding like that, or looking like that either...

"Spectre, use Psychic to grab that Pidgey and slam it into the Charmander over and over!!! Aqua, use Scald, maximum power!", he commanded via telepathy so that only the two could hear his plans.

Aqua bowed up as she prepared to launch her attack, the water churning inside her, the heat growing uncomfortable even for her and then... she launched, full power at the same time that Specter's eyes began glowing with a blue hue identical to Rowan's...

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 543 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] "No, I don't know, but I know what you are doing now, and its horrible! You have NO excuse for your actions! Stealing pokemon, harming innocents, there is no excuse! Even if the lives of everyone you had ever loved were hanging in the balance, you have no right to destroy someone else's! There is no excuse, so stop trying to play victim and villain at the same time! It's disgusting! You ALWAYS have a choice..." Caeli jolted, startled by this strange voice in her mind. After standing, dumbfounded for several seconds, she finally realized it was the trainer that was speaking to her. She turned and looked at the boy, with a look on her face that looked strangely out of place on her tiny face. "You don't have children, do you?" she asked, "If you did, you would realize that there isn't always a choice. Not always. Not when you are threatened with losing your child." She paused. "And do you honestly believe that we are destroying lives? Yes, we take pokemon. Yes, we are theives. But all we take are pokemon. It's not like we kill people. Yes, it would be hard to cope with having your friend taken, but it wouldn't ruin your life. It shouldn't ruin your life. If it does, you really need to take a step back and reassess what you hold dear if that is how fragile you believe your life is." "Believe me, boy, I have an excuse for everything I've done. I only did what I had to." He clenched his fist. "You don't understand. You can't. If you believe your pokemon are your entire life, then you really can't." Balthazar's hand dropped, and he watched the knife fly. He knew the psychic wouldn't let it hit him, but he still threw it. He hadn't been thinking; he had just been so angry! You can't let your emotions take hold of you like that. he thought, Nothing good ever happens when you do. "I could drive this straight into your heart with a mere... thought, but I am better than that and I refuse to sink to that level..." Balthazar laughed. "Please, spare me the self-righteous speech. No one is above murder, we can all do it. You just have to find the right buttons to push." "SHE IS ONLY A BABY! GANGING UP ON THE OTHERS WOULD ALMOST BE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT ON A BABY?!" He scoffed. "She was attacking them, they were defending themselves. What did you expect to happen? If you didn't want her to get hurt, you should have kept her in her ball." "We did what we had to." Balthazar eyes widened slightly as he saw the ferocity of the attack that followed. I don't think they can handle this. He stepped back, placing himself near his pokemon. "Caeli, get out of here. Don't let them get a hold of you." He turned to Sol, then looked up at the Squirtle's attack that was headed straight for them. Sol wasn't fast enough to dodge it. Now what? "Char?" "All's fair in love and war." He reached down and picked up his companion. "Come on little guy." With Sol in his arms, he ducked out of the way of the attack. "Hypocrite." he muttered. As he was doing this, Caeli was dodging the Psychic attack from the gastly. "What makes you think that you're any better than us?" She started to flap her wings, and another tornado formed, this one headed for the gastly. [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; color: #434343; font-family: verdana; font-size: 8px; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px 5px 0px;]made by ayu of btn [/style]

[Deleted]

lvl 5 :: lvl 6

---

"My pokemon are my children. They are my brothers, my sisters, my family and my friends. Now you speak without knowing. Your advice is empty if you do not adhere yourself. You have no idea of the bond MY pokemon and I share... And as for killing, your 'trainer' just tried to kill me." he said in the Pidgey's mind.

"No, not everyone kills. It isn't 'self-righteous' if it is truth. Not everyone will stoop to murder. I'm one who won't... You've had a terrible life if that is what you've come to believe, and I pity you all. And I do understand, life took a shit on your lap. But that's still no excuse to put others through similar pain. You can call me a child, but you're the one who is running around like a school bully because life didn't turn out just so. You cannot justify it, no matter how hard you try."

He truly did pity them, but that was not enough to douse the anger that had been kindled. He had tried to steal his pokemon, kill him, and then he had hurt his newest pokemon with an unreasonable amount of force. It would be some time before he calmed, but he did not hate him... everyone deserved a second chance... even this Team Rocket member.

He called for Spectre to dodge the incoming gust, and since he had more time in this instance, he made it, but only just... "Spectre, Aqua! Same attacks, but swap the targets! Fake like you're going after the same though!" he ordered through their personal telepathic link. Immediately Aqua began charging another bout of scald, aiming like she was going to fire at the Charmander, while Spectre stared at the Pidgey, his eyes beginning to glow a bright blue as his Psychic power activated. Upon launch however, they abruptly changed the direction of their attacks, the scalding water blasting toward the Pidgey, and the Psychic starting to grab at the Charmander to slam it into the Pidgey.

"I haven't killed, nor stolen, nor shattered someone's family, no matter how trivial it may seem to you." he said to the pidgey, his telepathic voice level and emotionless.

[OOC]Sucky post is Sucky[OOC]

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 678 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] "My pokemon are my children. They are my brothers, my sisters, my family and my friends. Now you speak without knowing. Your advice is empty if you do not adhere yourself. You have no idea of the bond MY pokemon and I share... And as for killing, your 'trainer' just tried to kill me."

[/s]

Caeli shook her head. "It isn't the same. A pokemon is not the same thing as a child, no matter how much you love it. I remember when he held new life in his hands, and the look he gave him was far different from the looks he gives me. Yes, he loves me, but not like he loves him. I am his friend, his companion. I am not his child. I am not him." She paused. Balthazar wouldn't want her to say anymore. "As for him trying to kill you, I really don't know what to say. You are being awfully narrow-minded...I suppose you just touched on something you shouldn't have. The world is not black and white you know."

"No, not everyone kills. It isn't 'self-righteous' if it is truth. Not everyone will stoop to murder. I'm one who won't... You've had a terrible life if that is what you've come to believe, and I pity you all. And I do understand, life took a shit on your lap. But that's still no excuse to put others through similar pain. You can call me a child, but you're the one who is running around like a school bully because life didn't turn out just so. You cannot justify it, no matter how hard you try."[/s]

Balthazar clenched his fists even tighter. His nails were digging into my palm. "Life took a shit on my lap? You think that I act like this because life didn't turn out just so? And I cannot justify it?" He drew in a deep, shaky breath. Oh god, how he wanted to hurt this boy. His hand flew up to the tattoo of the poem on his left shoulder, his body's attempt to calm him down. "What does he know?" Rage seethed within him. "He doesn't have any idea." He felt it begin to take control. "He can't even begin to imagine."

Balthazar set Sol on the ground. "You love your pokemon so much? Then keep them! It's you I want now." He charged forward, not even noticing as the boy's pokemon began to attack. This is just between him and me. Another knife emerged from his sleeve and he slashed forward, now only an arm's length from his opponent.

"Balthazar..." Caeli began, but stopped as she noticed the pokemon getting ready to attack again. "Get ready Sol."

Her eyes were focused on the gastly, certain it was going to come at her again. But it didn't. They switched targets. "Sol, look out!" She manged to jump up in the air in time, though several of her tail feathers were drenched. it would be harder to fly now.

Meanwhile, Sol was fighting the gastly's grasp. It had manged to catch him, but had yet to throw him into Caeli. "Let me go! he shot a fire ball at the ghost pokemon. "I am not going to be used to hurt my friend."

"I haven't killed, nor stolen, nor shattered someone's family, no matter how trivial it may seem to you."[/s]

Caeli froze momentarily before responding. "You say that as though you have never done wrong, but how can you be certain? Sometimes the consequences of your actions aren't apparent until long after you have gone. Those like us are hated because we cause obvious harm, but it's those like you who are truly in the wrong." She paused, focusing on the battle. "People like you breed hate and intolerance with your apathy. You stand back and think that because you have never intentionally harmed, that you have never hurt anyone. And because of people like you and your indifference, evil men can create more people like him." She looked at her owner. "You're a psychic; can't you feel his pain?"[/color]
[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; color: #434343; font-family: verdana; font-size: 8px; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px 5px 0px;]made by ayu of btn [/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Deleted]

As the Pidgey spoke, he gained a new level of understanding. He regretted the way he had said what he did, even if his words were true. Then again, the boy was trying to kill him and take his pokemon. "You forget though, that I understand my pokemon more than most people, more than he does. They speak to me and I understand. They come to me and I listen. I feel their pain, their joy, their sorrow. They each have their own personalities and habits. Some have been with me since I was a small child, others are like my own small child and view me as their father. Aria, even though she has only come with me, sees me as a father... She knows I will protect her as much as I can. When you attacked her, I heard her screams, I felt her pain, and it filled me with sorrow and rage. Children do not have to be of flesh and blood to be loved, they can be loved just as much even if adopted."

He looked at the other, as he mumbled and clutched his shoulder. "I'm so-" he began, but he was cut off by his shout and charge toward him, another knife gleaming in the sunlight. "Keep battling! Don't worry about me!" he told his own pokemon over the link as the man came closer. He knew Spectre would want to stop and help him, but Aqua needed him; they wouldn't last too much longer if they split up to help him.

"HAAAAAAHHHH!" he shouted, throwing his hands up and creating a sort of barrier between he and the man, the knife slamming into it and bending the tip. He then whispered, their faces only inches apart from each other "I'm sorry... I didn't know about 'him'." He then released a small telekinetic burst to knock him back before jumping back himself.

"Spectre, quick! Drop him and use Hypnosis as he falls!" he told his pokemon as he held the Charmander several feet in the air and struggled with him. he then saw the red flames begin to fire and he quickly waved his hands, using his power to throw them right back in his face. If the other man was going to interfere, so was he...

The rather angry Gastly released his psychic hold and dropped his victim, but not before sending several waves of sleep inducing waves down after the fire lizard...

Aqua remained after the Pidgey though, firing small blasts of boiling water after it in an attempt to bring it down. Rowan had said keep battling, so she was...

The Pidgey once more spoke to him, her words not nearly as accurate nor emotion-evoking this time. "I've not caused anyone to commit crimes, nor have I committed them myself. People make choices, and choices put people on paths, which lead to destinations. I've made no one's choice for them, and I hardly fit the definitions of indifferent or apathetic. Here. Feel." he said, sending the thoughts and emotions Aqua had sent him when she was scared of the man and when she thought that she was going to be taken away. He sent the pain that he felt as Aria was injured, the intense caring and mental agony seeing her like that caused. And he sent her the pity he did feel for her trainer.

"I am not unfeeling. But neither will I stand by and let someone destroy my family. I will fight for them, but I will not resort to crime. Two times now, I have held your trainer's life in my hand yet I have not taken it. I am not unfeeling. Nor do I fail to give second chances. I am a caring person, but I refuse to be trod on."

He looked at the other man right in the eyes. "You have choice. It is both a curse, and a great freedom, but you DO have it."

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 936 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] "You forget though, that I understand my pokemon more than most people, more than he does.....Children do not have to be of flesh and blood to be loved, they can be loved just as much even if adopted."

[/s]

Caeli glanced at the trainer. Yes, his words held a great deal of truth, but he still didn't get it. She couldn't make him get it. "I know that you understand them, and that you love them, but I need you to realize that it isn't the same thing. To have a pokemon is to have a friend, a companion, a loved one, a partner. But to have a child is to have a life in your hands that needs you. Do you understand what it's like to look into the eyes of another living creature and know that, without you, it could not survive? I don't think you do. I know how close you are to your pokemon, the bond is unbelievably clear, but the bond you share with them is nothing compared to the one you would share with your child." She paused. "I know that a child doesn't have to be flesh and blood, but an adopted pokemon isn't the same as an adopted human. We aren't the same."[/color] Another hesitation. "I really don't think you can understand."[/color]

Balthazar swung forward with the knife, desperate to make some type of contact with the boy. The boy mocked his pain. He would show him what true pain was. Just as he was about to cut him, a barrier sprung up, blocking his attack. Balthazar swore under his breath.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know about 'him'."[/s]

Just as he was about to lash forward again, he froze. How did he... He tried to shake off his surprise, but he couldn't. He felt numb. It took the boy pushing him back with his powers to bring him back. "How did he know?" he wondered again, not realizing that he had spoken aloud.

Caeli look at her trainer, worry spreading across her face. She wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but she couldn't. The boy was ordering his pokemon to attack again. She had to focus on defending herself for now. She continued to dodge the Squirtle's attacks, but it was draining her. Her feathers were getting wet and it began to get harder and harder to stay in the air. "I can't keep this up much longer. I don't even have the energy to attack."

The Gastly's grip on Sol released. For a moment, he was relieved, but then he saw what his opponent's strategy was. His attack had been thrown back at him, and now the Gastly was trying to put him to sleep.

"You still want to take the moral high ground?" he asked, his words directed at the trainer. "My trainer only interfered because he had to. You do realize that I could die if the flame on my tail goes out? My health is already down, he didn't want to take the risk."[/color] He growled. "But all you did was throw my attack back at me when I'm already helpless. You just did it to give your pokemon and easier time."[/color] Just after he finished speaking, the Gastly's attack hit. Sol fell asleep.

"Sol!" Caeli cried.

"I've not caused anyone to commit crimes, nor have I committed them myself...Here. Feel."[/s]

"The choices of others can set individuals on those paths as well. A person can't always choose how they turn out."[/color] Caeli murmured, setting down on a nearby tree. "The man you see standing before you today was turned into this by all the people who he was supposed to be able to trust. Their choices and their actions broke him. They made him what he is." She paused as the emotions Rowan sent flowed into her. "I see...But from what I can tell, you still fit the definition I described. You only react when someone you love or you yourself are involved. But what about when you aren't in the picture at all? When you have a choice not to get involved? Then would you still be the valiant hero? Or would you just be a bystander like everyone else? When I said that you were indifferent and apathetic, I was talking about how you would be in these situations. I honestly don't think that you would involve yourself."

"I am not unfeeling...I am a caring person, but I refuse to be trod on."

"Again with the self-righteousness. Are you telling me that you would never commit a crime if those you loved were in peril? I find that hard to believe. I mean, look at our current situation. Balthazar isn't giving us commands, he isn't even watching. The battle is done. We only keep fighting because you keep attacking. That doesn't sound like a caring person to me."[/color] She hesitated, unsure of how much of her trainer's past she should share. "Look, please trust me on this. You aren't the first psychic he's fought with. He's just as capable of taking your life. He may pretend that he isn't, but believe me, he is."

"You have choice. It is both a curse, and a great freedom, but you DO have it."[/s]

Balthazar spat. "A choice? You think I have a choice?! I've been condemned since the day I was born! Nobody ever gave me a choice! People have always looked at me the way you do now; don't act like it's my own fault that I became this way. I just finally became who they all expected me to be."
[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; color: #434343; font-family: verdana; font-size: 8px; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px 5px 0px;]made by ayu of btn [/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Deleted]

"That may be true, but there is also the choice to change. New choices are made every day. Some along old lines, some in all new directions." He said both aloud to the man and in the Pidgey's mind. "But just as I don't know all of you, do not presume to know all of me. You have no idea what I feel, think, have experienced in my life, nor how I have reacted to those experiences."

"Aqua, Spectre, you were brilliant." he told them as he called them over to him with their link. He patted Aqua's head and absentmindedly twirled his fingers in Spectre's gaseous 'hair'.

"My pokemon fought for as long as they were under attack. Your friend is asleep now and you are exhausted. You make it sound as if they are still attacking and kicking you while you are down. Just because we refused to take it lying down doesn't mean that I am uncaring. My battle tactics began and ended with slumber-inducing moves. I didn't like causing pain, I have been in your mind for the most of it, remember? And no, I did not resort to crime or murder when my family was in danger. Many people died that day, but I was not the cause." He told the Pidgey, tracing the scar that lined his jaw from that day in the tower all those years ago."

<He speaks the truth... I was there. There was much destruction... He could have killed him, but he didn't, he merely stunned the evil one while his mother's companion knocked him out.>

Rowan looked again to the other teen. "You don't have to stay this way. That is what I have been trying to say. You can change, you can make the choice. Maybe no one has given you a choice before, but I am now. I have tried since you first attacked. I believe in second chances, and in forgiveness. Twice now, you have attempted to kill me, and both times I didn't strike back. I still don't know everything that happened, but I do know you could change. I know this because of the love your pokemon have for you and the love you have for them. Pokemon do not usually love people who are entirely evil, that says that there is some level of good within you..."

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 779 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] "That may be true, but there is also the choice to change...You have no idea what I feel, think, have experienced in my life, nor how I have reacted to those experiences."

[/s]

Balthazar closed his eyes. "You really think it's that simple? That you can just make a few little decisions and suddenly your life will start looking up? Let me tell you something, life doesn't work like that. Your past will always catch up to you, no matter how hard you try to run away from it. And yeah, I don't know anything about your life, but if you really think it's that easy, then you really cannot have gone through much. I have tried to change; it didn't work. And now I've lost everything." He looked up, his green eyes glittering with malice. "Don't you dare try to compare your life with mine."

Caeli waited until he had finished speaking, then she began. "Making a choice isn't always enough. Some people can try with all their might to turn into someone good, but they still can't. Not everyone can fix themselves on their own. Their will alone isn't always enough." She paused, trying to figure out how to best word what she had to say next. "I know that I don't know you, but..."[/color] She began slowly, then started to pick up speed. "But I can tell just from this little talk we've had that you still are quite innocent to all the darkness in the world. Yes, I can see you have experienced pain, but I honestly don't think it's in the same league as his."[/color]

"My pokemon fought for as long as they were under attack...Many people died that day, but I was not the cause."[/s]

"I speak only the truth. We were done once Balthazar threw the knife. It was over then. But you were still in the process of attacking, we had to defend ourselves. Then with the hoothoot, you just got so mad. I knew you wouldn't listen. You made your pokemon attack, and we retaliated. Trust me, if you hadn't overreacted the battle would be long over. I don't want to fight anymore." She drew in a breath. "You say you don't like to cause pain, then how do you explain your Squirtle's Scald attack? Do you honestly think that shooting us with boiling jets of water tickles?!"[/color] She sighed. "Enough with the talk of battle. I wish to speak of something else."

She thought over the other words the boy had said, and tried to decide what she should say. "I'm glad that you had honest options when your family was in danger, but not everyone does. There was no food, no money, no house. If he didn't steal, David would have died."[/color]

She watched as he traced the scar on his jaw. "What do you think that scar proves? Do you honestly think that he has none?"[/color] Her eyes flickered over to Balthazar, then went back to the trainer. "Don't let him know I showed you this." She began to think, showing the boy images of her owner she knew he himself would never let anyone see. She showed him the scars that covered his body, how he had nightmares every night, the pain he felt after David was taken away and, finally, the poem he had written for his son that he had gotten tattooed on his left shoulder. "Do you see? This is why he fights so hard, because this is what was done to him when he didn't."

He speaks the truth... I was there. There was much destruction... He could have killed him, but he didn't, he merely stunned the evil one while his mother's companion knocked him out.[/s]

Caeli briefly glanced at the Gastly. "Ask your trainer to show you what I just showed him. You believe Balthazar is unjust in his decision to react with violence, but he'll show you why you're wrong."[/color]

"You don't have to stay this way...Pokemon do not usually love people who are entirely evil, that says that there is some level of good within you..."[/s]

"It isn't that easy. Trust me, I've tried." He lifted a ball off of his belt and returned the unconscious Sol. "I was trying to hurt you boy, not kill you. I want you in pain, but I don't know if I want you dead. Believe me, if I wanted you dead, you would be." Balthazar chuckled. "Some level of good? Well that's more than most people give me." For a moment, his face softened, then it once again became a cold mask. "Child, you really have no idea how the real world works."
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[Deleted]

The Pidgey's mental messages and pictures caused great pity to well up within Rowan. It was true, that he had not experienced anything so horrible, but neither was he as innocent as the little bird believed him to be, but he would not argue, as he could see there was no swaying the bird. He could tell that much just from the small amount of time he had spent in her head.

It was strange, the similarity in the Trainer and Pokemon's speech. True, the Pidgey was more soft spoken and was trying more to keep peace, but both said much the same things. He quickly relayed the information to Spectre, who of a serious demeanor, pondered it silently, weighing it in his mind. He would chew on it for some time, that much Rowan knew. He was slower to forgive than Rowan was, but neither was he unfeeling...

"You guys were great, and you definitely deserve this rest..." he said as his pokeballs left their places and recalled the Squirtle and Gastly at the command of his mind.

He returned his gaze to the older teen. "I don't know if I would go that far... I didn't spend more than ten years in the Saffron Gym at a table bending spoons all day, you know." he said as the other mentioned the ease with which he believed Rowan would go down. "Again, I grew up in Saffron city, I know more about the world than you think I do. The senior students were often required to do work in the field, not apprehending the basic bandit, but for the nastier things, such as tracking kidnappers and rapists, to name only a few." he continued, though in a soft tone, one of informing, and not indignance.

"I still believe that you can change though, even if you don't. You might just need a little help." Silently he sent a small scrap of paper, on which his number was written, into the other teen's pocket from behind. "If you ever do want that help, all you have to do is ask. I might even be able to get you a job, if you want one. And if we do run into each other after this, you don't have to worry, I'm not going to jump you, or yell for a Jenny or something. I believe in second chances, in forgiveness... Especially when people need it most...."

He looked over to the Pidgey, "Caeli... I am sorry for the ferocity in which I caused them to retaliate... She was just so young, it... it made me mad that I could not take her place..."

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 444 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] This boy was so stubborn. Why was he so certain that Balthazar could change? Why am I so sure that I can't. He brushed his hair back out of his face. Because you tried that already, remember? It didn't work. You were still you. Even after you got clean, you were still you. His fingers traced over the outline of something in his jacket pocket: his flask. And now look at you. You're right back to where you started. He snapped his attention away from the poison fluid concealed in his coat. The boy was still here. He should focus on the boy. Focus. You need to focus. "I don't know if I would go that far...The senior students were often required to do work in the field, not apprehending the basic bandit, but for the nastier things, such as tracking kidnappers and rapists, to name only a few." He smirked, ignoring the fact that the boy had not been at all hostile when he had spoken. "Is that supposed to impress me? You honestly think that you're untouchable because you're trained? And that, since you tracked down a few nasty men, you know how the world works. You really, really have no clue. Man, I've been trained as well. In what, you don't want to know." His sneer grew, beginning to transform slightly into a snarl. "Boy, I was raised by men like the ones you hunted down, and later I was paid to..." He let his sentence trail off, his face going blank momentarily before a smile pulled at the edges of his mouth. "Now, now. There's no need to confess all my crimes at once, now is there?" "I still believe that you can change though, even if you don't...Especially when people need it most...."

[/s]

Annoyance flickered across Balthazar's face. "Stop saying that." He narrowed his eyes. "I assure you, this little olive branch will go to waste. You're dreaming if you believe that I'd ever ask you for help."

"Caelia... I am sorry for the ferocity in which I caused them to retaliate... She was just so young, it... it made me mad that I could not take her place..."[/s]

Caeli leapt off the tree branch and glided down, landing just next to her trainer. She dipped her head at the trainer. "I am sorry too. You seem like a decent person. In a different world, I believe we could have been friends." She looked up at Balthazar. "But my loyalty will always remain to him and, considering how much he seems to hate you, I don't think that our next meeting, if we do ever meet again, will be pleasant."[/color]
[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; color: #434343; font-family: verdana; font-size: 8px; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px 5px 0px;]made by ayu of btn [/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[Deleted]

"You just don't get it, do you? If you always dwell on the misdeeds of your past, you'll never move forward. As for you being able to change, I'll stop saying it when I no longer believe it to be true... Balthazar. Until then, it never hurts to dream. If you do change your mind, you now possess the means to contact me..."

He looked Caeli, "Yes, that would have been nice... and I know that; I wouldn't really expect any less from you, I wouldn't want you to side against him, just perhaps not evade as much of the Hypnosis attacks."

He looked around the nearly ruined glen. Uprooted grass, burned landscape, puddles of steaming muck. It was obvious that something went down here, and it was obvious that it was a battle. "Until the next time... I just hope the terms are... more pleasant..." he said aloud and mentally before turning and vanishing into the copse of trees between them and Viridian. His first steps had been only slightly more momentous than he had expected...

---

ROWAN HAS LEFT THE THREAD.

Spectre :: lvl 5 --> lvl 7 (Specter learned Spite!)
Aqua :: lvl 6 --> lvl 7 (Aqua learned Bubble!)
Aria :: lvl 2 --> lvl 3 (Aria learned Foresight!)

TOTAL WORD COUNT :: 5,396

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=width,420,true] [STYLE=float: left; width: 90px; height: 90px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 15px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 20px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; width: 50px; height: 60px; background-image: url(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/black_bird124/balthazaricon.png); border-radius: 10px; border: #990000 solid 3px; margin-left: 6px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: left; background-color: #990000; color: #fff; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; text-shadow: #fff 1px 1px 1px; padding: 5px; margin-left: 10px;] H [/style][STYLE=float: left; color: #222; font-size: 30px; font-family: arial; letter-spacing: -3px; padding: 4px; 2px 4px 0px;]IDE MY HEAD *[/style][STYLE=background: url(http://i.imgur.com/45860.gif); width: 450px; height: 80px; border-bottom: #990000 6px solid; border-radius: 14px 14px 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 14px; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 14px; margin-top: -40px;] [/style] [STYLE=float: right; color: #222; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 1px; padding: 4px; margin-top: -19px; margin-right: 8px;]I WANNA DROWN MY SORROW [/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; text-align: justify; color: #c2c2c2; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; line-height: 10px; padding: 1px; padding-left: 122px;] ❚ WORDS 386 ❚ TAGS rowan ❚ NOTES none[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; color: #c2c2c2; text-align: justify; line-height: 11px; padding: 0px 30px 10px 30px;] Balthazar looked the boy up and down. It was clear their confrontation was coming to an end, and from it, he received nothing. Just some pitiful advice from an unenlightened mind. He sighed. That isn't going to get me paid, and I'm nearly out. "You just don't get it, do you?...Until then, it never hurts to dream. If you do change your mind, you now possess the means to contact me..."

[/s]

"You don't get it either, do you? Sometimes people are too far gone to be saved. You really need to learn that before you find out the hard way. My mother was like you, and do you know where it got her? Murdered, with the man who did it walking away free as though nothing had ever happened. As if she never existed." His eyes glazed over. "Most just cannot be saved."

I have the means to contact him? He shrugged to himself. Whatever. He looked at Caeli and took out her ball from his belt. "Come on, Caeli. You need rest."

"Yes, that would have been nice... and I know that; I wouldn't really expect any less from you, I wouldn't want you to side against him, just perhaps not evade as much of the Hypnosis attacks."[/s]

Before she returned to Balthazar, she turned to Rowan to respond. "Thank you for understanding, or at least trying to. Most people never give us a chance." She looked at Balthazar, then back to the other boy. "For the record, I hope you're right about him."[/color]

"Until the next time... I just hope the terms are... more pleasant..."[/s]

"So do I." With that, she was gone. She retreated into her ball.

"Don't count on it." he muttered.

Balthazar looked at the terrain around him. Like a battlefield, a war zone. It had been so serene before they had started, now it was all in ruins. Was this all he did? Destroy? As a child, he had been certain he was born to create, now it seemed like he was nothing more than beauty's executioner. Perhaps it's best you were taken away. he thought. I honestly fear what I would have done to you. He slouched over and retreated into the trees, exhausted and worn from the battle. It's been a long day, I could use some rest.
[/style][STYLE=background-color: #1d1d1d; color: #434343; font-family: verdana; font-size: 8px; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px 5px 0px;]made by ayu of btn [/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]