garbagechild | IC Contact

_{[Thank god Wrath can't turn into a dragon. There would be no survivors.]

[The boy is still munching away on his 'sandwich', but he looks surprised at Henry's compassionate declaration.]}

Why?

I upset you most of the time.

_{[He doesn't sound accusatory or defensive, just matter-of-fact. It doesn't take the sharpest tack to be able to tell that Henry is often on edge while speaking to the street urchin/wolverine fusion who comes and goes in the house. Not that they haven't come to an understanding and had generally good interactions ranging from neutral to positive, but still.]

[This is, ironically, one of the first times they've ever truly sat down and talked about something.]}

_{[Henry gives a helpless little shrug.]}

Just because we don't get along sometimes doesn't mean I don't like you or think you don't deserve to be here. Being alive is...really special.

_{[Henry runs his hand over a small lump of wax from one of his many frenzied rituals that was left behind on the counter.]}

I'm still learning to get along with people. It can be scary.

_{[Wrath listens, and for the VERY FIRST TIME... seems to intensely relate to exactly what Henry is saying.]

[He straightens up, rolling his shoulders in an expressive shrug and shaking his head.]}

Yeah, half the time I have no idea what anybody wants.

_{[Henry, in turn, snaps to attention. That was...such a human thing to say. Of course Henry considers all his housemates human but the conversations he's had with Wrath tend to be pretty stilted. He's never been around kids enough to watch that incredible transition take place where they stop spurting out random statements and then start sharing thoughts.]

[He's never really thought about what Wrath thinks about--specifically him considering other people's wants and needs.]

[The toaster pops up and startles a small strangled noise out of Henry.]}

Me neither...I think that's part of it. I won't know the right thing to say, they'll get angry, they'll laugh at me, or they'll just be one more person who thinks I'm too weird or stupid to talk to.

_{[Wrath generally doesn't spend a whole lot of time thinking about other peoples' wants and needs... mostly because they're always so confusing, and never seem to make a whole lot of sense.]

[It's so easy to get frustrated trying to untangle the ridiculous bundled web of "what humans want".]}

Most of the time people get angry at me.

When they laugh it isn't so bad.

I'd rather be mad than scared.

_{[Henry assembles his own sandwich in silence before joining Wrath at the table, sitting across from him.]}

Maybe...they just expect you to know things. And they don't know about...you know. How things are just different for you. And it's not fair for them to do that.

_{[He rubs an arm self-consciously, smearing chocolate syrup up one sleeve.]}

I'm guilty of that sometimes. I've been scared a lot lately and it's easy to get mad when I'm scared but that's not an excuse.

_{[Wrath nods again. He's noticed the way Henry's temper had gone from mild simmering irritation that was easily ignored to shouting more and more lately. Hadn't thought about it a whole lot, but he'd definitely stayed out of Henry's way more.]}

Sometimes when people think I should know things that I don't know, they ask me if I was raised in a barn.

But I wasn't.

I was raised from the dead and also there weren't any buildings.

_{[He pauses, mid-bite, and nearly snorts due to just...how blunt Wrath's little add-on to that statement is. Once he swallows, he shakes his head.]}

If they can tell you're a new-comer to this world they shouldn't expect you to grow up just like them. I met someone once who used to be a pony. Now she might have been raised in a barn but...the barn's not the thing.

_{[Henry stops himself before he makes things confusing.]}

It's just a thing people say when they're so sure everyone else thinks just like them that they think the only reason you wouldn't know the rules is because you grew up in a place without any. In a barn. Like an animal.

_{[He frowns down at his plate.]}

What a mean thing to say to a kid...I never thought about it that much.

_{[The boy puffs as Walter speaks. He looks livid, but he doesn't interrupt. Walter has a calm and decisive way of talking that makes it difficult to.]

[The things Walter describes are not alien to him-- no, those words make perfect sense to Wrath, he already knew that they both came from cruel masters. The part he doesn't understand is why Walter would choose to dislike their new team when it was comparatively so much better! HOW????]

[When he does speak, it's short and angry, breathless. He pauses sometimes, struggling with the words.]}

Because if you're not loyal, they're even meaner. Why would you want that?

Here they don't put us in small cells or hurt us. They don't even ask us to kill humans!

They take care of me and tell me I'm good when I do my missions. It's not like the team I was in before-- we were always hurting.

But to them I'm good. They say so. They say, 'Good job, Private Wrath!' sometimes. That's not like my old team either-- even if we did as we were told, we were still bad and not real. I was always scared. So I don't give them a reason to do that! It's not hard! I just do my job!

THAT'S why I'm loyal.

Because maybe I was good all along and my old master was wrong and Team Rocket is right.

Why would I give that up?

That would be stupid!

Disloyalty is stupid!

_{[Wrath watches Henry muse, jaw working with mindless rhythm at his snack. It could be spooky, but weirdly enough they seem to be reaching some kind of understanding here, even if it seems to take the human awhile to reach his meandering point.]

[Once he finally does, Wrath nods slightly and shrugs his bony shoulders-- yeah, mm, that sounds about par for the course.]}

I guess some humans here are the same as back home after all.

_{[He says this mildly-- because truth be told, being compared to an animal is pretty flattering after the things he'd been told he was in the past. Nothing like looking up into the revolted eyes of a grown woman and hearing the words "This is my mistake to fix" in reference to you.]}

[ Walter paid clear attention to Wrath, still remaining calm. When he spoke, his voice was soft, and he was clearly taking time to think his words carefully. ]

Wrath, I can't speak for how you were before I met you. I do not mean that you were bad, or not real - but because I was the same. I killed other people. For most, I felt nothing. For others... [ He shook his head slowly. This wasn't the time. He continued, a little slower as this was still difficult for him to say. ] But...I think you are good. You care for your Pokemon, and treat them well. And...you have been good company with me. I'm not...good, at this. At expressing this. But I told you before that your memories are yours. I think you are real. ...You matter. If you didn't matter to me, I wouldn't talk to you about this.

Team Rocket are like our old masters. Not to us. To the Pokemon we steal for them. They hurt them greatly, Wrath. They put them in little cells for months. It does not matter, if a Pokemon is obedient or loyal. When they cannot use it anymore, when it is too broken to give them anything, they maim it so they can sell it's body parts and abandon what is left.

I'm tired of it. Of being told to hurt things, because I 'have to', or because I might be punished. And there is another way.

If I've learned anything from meeting so many people from so many worlds, I think humans are about the same no matter where you go.

_{[Henry stares down at the goo pooling in his plate.]}

I'll try to be easier to understand from now on. Maybe...maybe I can let you in on some human secrets too. Make them think you're a super expert.

_{[That doesn't seem so surprising either. A little depressing, but...]}

Human secrets?

Most human secrets I know are about when humans do bad things.

_{[:T like FORBIDDEN TRANSMUTATIONS THAT RAISE THE DEAD.]}

_{[Henry shakes his head and puffs out a hollow little laugh. While he isn't thinking of the same things Wrath is, he kind of gets it.]}

The secrets I'm talking about are how to pretend you've been paying attention to an entire conversation when someone asks you a question. Or how to keep people from asking you questions when you're busy. Or how much of a tip to leave at a restaurant.

Oh.

I could use some of that knowledge.

_{[He pauses, briefly wondering why Henry specified 'restaurants'. The only context he'd heard the word 'tip' used in was getting a hot tip from some informant somewhere.]}

_{[Finally there's a little smile from the scruffy photographer.]}

I got your back. Which means--I'll be looking out for you, making sure to help if it looks like you need it.

_{[Wrath smiles back. It's not one of his wild rabid goblin grins, it's a smaller one.]

[Henry is being nice. He likes Henry!]}

Me too.

I've already told the other human you don't like that he's not allowed to hurt you.

But I'll look out for you from other enemies, too, if you have any.

[ Outside his now abandoned home, empty of his possessions and Pokemon in readiness for this day, Walter calls in that area between the very early morning and dawn, when he knows it's extremely unlikely he will be answered. He doesn't want to talk directly to Wrath for this. It's easier to speak to static. Even then, his voice is soft and his words are chosen deliberately. ]

Wrath. There are some things I had to say to you before...what happens. We've talked a lot about teams and the humans we served. Or, we have mentioned the humans we were controlled by.

You serve team Rocket because you feel safe with them. A team will protect you, as long as you do what you are told. And they will punish you for disobedience, or for questioning their orders. When I was younger...I was raised by men who were like that. If I did not listen, they would imprison me, or beat me. I was too young and small to resist back then. Had I been that age when I was brought here, I would have been loyal to Team Rocket as well. Their punishments are weak, to what I have already endured, and they offer food and protection.

But I am not a child anymore. So I am not loyal to Team Rocket. They cannot offer me anything I cannot obtain for myself. When I first came here, I was confused and weak. Over time, I have learned. I trained my Pokemon. I obtained others and trained them. I have found a means to obtain a home and food. I do not need Team Rocket to protect me or to provide for me. I do not need them anymore. And their punishments do not frighten me.

But this does not mean that I don't want you. I would be loyal to you, Wrath. I do not dislike, or distrust you. What is about to happen is an act against Team Rocket. It is not against you. I think...I think, you have more potential than you realise, Wrath. I think that you do not truly need Team Rocket either. Your Pokemon like you for a reason; I have seen them with you. They would protect you. And you have a people in your home who would protect you as well.

I know that you will be angry with me but I need you to know this, Wrath. If you were in danger and called for my help, I would answer. If you called to talk, I would listen and respond.

...you're my friend. Not because we were both in Team Rocket. Because I like you. Even when people say you are a monster, or do not have memories. I think you are a person. And you matter. You matter to me.

[ That was extremely difficult to say. But it's been so long since he met and befriended Wrath and there were so many others he had lost before he had gotten to say this to them, and with this moment that was hung between him and the stars above, he could say it. He breathed. ]

But I know you are loyal to Team Rocket before you are loyal to me. But I want you to also know this; any Pokemon you have been given from Team Rocket has a chip inside it. The chip allows them to find you at any moment, and slightly alters the behaviour of those Pokemon. Do not forget this message.

Goodbye, Wrath. Take care.

[ He turned off the Gear and, as Wrath was the last person to contact, he dropped it and smashed it underfoot. He lit a cigarette (he'd picked up the habit due to the stress of "handling" Alessa) and lit it, taking a drag and watching the sky. He would trace the constellations until dawn, and then he would head to Goldenrod... ]

Edited 2017-12-04 21:56 (UTC)

[Wrath will be getting a present delivered to his door. It's a plush Vaporeon with a heart in its mouth, which is printed with 'You're Great.'

The tag says: Happy Valentine's Day, Wrath. From Diana.]

Edited 2018-02-14 16:16 (UTC)

It was pouring.

Henry was not super enthusiastic about the rain but he was off work and really wanted to spend some time spoiling his own Pokemon instead of the Pokemon of strangers. But he also wanted to make good on his promise to Wrath. The night of the waffle sandwiches had been on his mind recently with Harry returning and old memories stirring. It was going to be another person in the house. It was going to be change.

Sometimes change could be scary and sometimes, even if the change was good, you still wanted a break from it. He invited Wrath to come along. The department store was an easy place to kill a few hours. Norman, his Woobat fluttered along behind them enjoying his time out of the PC.

"Anyway, that's why you can't find Stantlerwave music in the store. But there's plenty of other stuff."

Wrath had two modes when it came to rain.

On one hand, there was "Oh, Haven't You Heard? Puddles Are Literally Proof That God Loves Us" Wrath.

And then on the other, there was "If A Raindrop Touches Me, I Will Actually Die" Wrath.

Today, it was the latter.

Which, despite the potential for drama, was a blessing in disguise because it meant that for once the little goblin was actually dressed appropriately for the weather and could therefore enter the Department Store without being turned away for not having shoes.

Unusually sedate, the boy squeaks alongside Henry in a pair of rubber boots and a hoodie several sizes too big, hood up. He kind of looks like something that would stab you in an 8-bit video game. A short ways ahead of him, a Dratini winds confidently down the aisle, leaving a wet trail behind her. It's prime wyrm weather out there.

Paying no heed to the fact that his Pokemon is making a mess almost just by existing, Wrath nods as though he has any idea what Henry is saying.

"That makes sense. Stantlers shouldn't be able to wave. They don't have hands."

"Their antlers sort of look like hands," Henry added. He didn't honestly expect Wrath to be too interested in the history of hypnogogic pop but he figured he'd like being talked to anyway. If Wrath offered up a subject, Henry would go along for the ride. Hell, maybe they'd find more in common than their unholy love for Orange Islands offbrand candy.

Once they made it into the little map board next to the elevators, Henry hummed and looked up at it. "Okay, guys. We need a Dusk Stone for Ron because I hate myself. We need two bags of poke'chow. Wrath, you wanted that new Build-a-Mon right?"

"Not really," Wrath replies skeptically, blunt as usual.

But he's far more interested in getting A Thing than in arguing about what body parts Stantler antlers do or don't resemble, so he nods, pausing alongside Henry.

"Ahuh. The Kangaskhan one. I promised Baby I would get it. Why do you hate yourself?"

Henry plopped a hand atop Wrath's head and sighed deeply.

"I must if I'm getting him a stone to make him even bigger when he's hard enough to deal with now. It must be neat having Kangaskhan, huh? Two Pokemon that are always together."

Henry led them to the elevator to go to the floor with all the novelty items first so that Wrath could have his customized stuffed kangasaurus. He lifted an arm for Norman to hang from.

Like many of Henry's explanations, the connection between self-loathing and blackbird evolution is lost of Wrath. He decides not to ask for elaboration and just steps into the elevator with Henry. He will tolerate having a hand on his head if it means getting a sweet toy.

"It is. They can even fight together, when I use their special stone. Baby used to be completely useless, like all babies. But now she's very helpful. I think I might give her a new name. She doesn't deserve to be compared to the other babies anymore."

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oof sorry for the lateness

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I lost this reply twice fffffffff

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Viocemail, 6th December

Valentines Day!

[Action for Goldenrod] [March 1]

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