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Post by 0bserver on Mar 9, 2017 0:45:33 GMT -5
The news of the events transpiring at the Colloseum were quickly making it to the headlines of papers and news reports.
Dia's emotional outburst managed to convince many, even among the guards that surrounded her, the Bisharp, and the fallen Gallade, at the stadium. The shadow pokemon was not brought into a regular hospital, however, despite the injury. The Gardevoir managed to convince the doctors to bring him to her center, located within the University of Orre. From technical point of view, it was a feasible and reasonable action - the center had all the equipment a normal medical center had. And unlike in most hospitals, its employees did not view shadow pokemon as evil.
The Gardevoir's true motives remained hidden, as always. But taking in the main victim (or culprit, depending on one's point of view), she wanted to attract even more attention to her enterprise. Attention meant everything for a non-commercial organization. It meant money, donations, and reputation. Dia's experiments did not fund themselves, after all. For now though, it was time to play the role of a caring, heroic nurse. Which, to any outside observer, she certainly was.
She tended to the Gallade personally.
His health was very important, and Dia knew she could not let him die. Or leave. The perfect subject. A type close to her own. If she were to discover a cure for herself, she needed more like him. Which was part the reason why she even bothered. All this time, the Gardevoir tried to invoke familiar feelings. Worry, caring, compassion. Making a concerned face as the ambulance drove them all the way to the Shadow Pokemon Recuperation Center. But it was only mimicking. Her attempts had failed.
Blade did quite a number on him too - the lacerations at the forehead were deep, and healing pulse was unable to close those injuries completely. The culprit never left the Gardevoir's side, standing a few meters away, back against the wall, and a hand over his torn pauldron. He too, was hurt, though not as much to demand immediate attention. He eyed Dia with an odd stare. He looked sorry... and jealous at the same time.
Dia had to implement her limited knowledge in surgery and first aid, to fix this. Sterilizing the wounds, and applying stitches. Her nimble hands worked the needle through the skin, binding the edges together with a medical thread, and healing the cuts with Healing Pulse.
Once that was over, the Gardevoir had to bring his consciousness back. Placing a hand on the Shadow's forehead, she entered his corrupted mind. It was very dark in here. Much darker than in her own mind. But the darkness was less condensed. Hers would've amounted to just as much, had she not kept it in a tight box, at the back of her mind. She had experience with managing darkness, and so, she would push his back, freeing enough space for his own consciousness to take over. And when she felt the time was right, her voice echoed inside the Gallade's head.
"Awaken."
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 9, 2017 21:37:03 GMT -5
Dia's direct control over the Gallade's healing was highly unusual in the professional circuit. At that level, the trainers usually referred to medical professionals at The Colosseum's own medical center, to either clear their departure or forward them to a Poke-Center for further medical attention. And though Dia was able to use her ability to convince those there, it was still an unheard-of exception, one that would raise questions from battle experts everywhere.
For the moment, though, that wasn't a concern: in the confusion of it all, the Gardevoir had several hours to work with her new patient. Gashes on the head, deep scratches around the back, general bruising, and a concussion leading to a loss of consciousness: this level of damage was far beyond that of a normal or controlled fight. Slowly but surely, Dia would make good progress on him, and then give that one risky order:
Awaken.
At the mere injection of the thought, his finger and knee gave a harsh twitch, consciousness returning to the Gallade. Groaning, he slowly raised a palm to his head. To the unskilled watcher, it would be hard to tell just what kind of state he was in. But Gale's aura was rather calm: he slowly tried to sit up, blinking and squinting his eyes as he looked into a ceiling light. "Ugh... my head..."
Well, he could speak now! Opening his eyes, the fighter's gaze rested, first on the Bisharp, then at the Gardevoir looming over him. "Um... doc', right?" Gale guessed, taking a glance around the room. Where was Leonard, where were the reporters? And why did his whole body feel like it was tossed in a washing machine with a bag of rocks?
"Damn... build me up to speed, here." He collapsed, his head resting back on his pillow. "Last thing I remember was punching a sandbag in the standby area..."
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 9, 2017 22:00:20 GMT -5
He doesn't remember?
Dia was mildly curious, as the Gallade finally jerked to life. He was awakened to a lot of pain, but he could take it. The painkillers were administered, and he was a fighter, after all. Still, when he would attempt to jerk forward, a hand would be placed on his chest, to keep him down. A commanding motion, telling the patient to remain how he was, and preferably not move. Dull pain spreading over his body would reaffirm this.
"Yes, I am a doctor. My name is Dia. You've been injured, and brought to the closest medical facility available." - she nodded, confirming her status. It was true, technically. But she was not a Pokecenter doctor. The gardevoir knew this was her ticket, so she did not allow to drive him to a Pokecenter, which was farther away. It did not matter now, anyway. When he asked about what happened, Dia sighed.
"I am not going to lie to you. Things went ... poorly. You were faced with a more experienced foe. You were being beaten. Then, panic and shadows took over your mind. You ran from the battlefield, and broke through the barrier separating the the spectators from the battlers. After that, you were put down. Everything was aired on the big screen."
The Gardevoir said, lacing her words with tints of sadness and sympathy. Of course, it was a false sympathy, no matter how hard she tried to make herself feel sorry for the Gallade. His battling career was in shambles now, after that display. And his actions would no doubt spell doom for any attempts at using shadow pokemon in tournaments... At least for the next few years. Dia placed her hand over the Gallade's forehead, channeling healing injuries to help ease the pain and dizziness.
"And now you are in my care."
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 9, 2017 22:19:36 GMT -5
In retrospect, mild cases of memory loss were somewhat common, especially with more physically-oriented Pokemon. And as he was at least familiar with the idea, he didn't resist Dia's hand, staying comfortably down on the bed. It took a moment, but he felt stinging pain on his head and hands, the Gallade now giving a hissed breath.
"Dia, huh?" He rested his arm over his eyes, just trying to keep the light filtered out. At least for the moment, this seemed par for the course. After all, he was asked to fight one of the three 'champions': him being like this wasn't a surprise in the slightest!
No, it wasn't until Dia continued to speak, that Gale showed a response. Him being beaten wasn't a surprise, but the fact that the shadows took hold, brought a haunted look to the Gallade's expression. His fist tensed, slamming against the mattress before.
Anger. Fear. Frustration. Unlike with Dia, the emotions felt by the Gallade were quite real, perhaps even enhanced by his condition! And it was this spike of emotion, that made him not-quite-notice that there was something off about the doctor. "Freaking shit..." Swearing under his breath, he gave a sigh, turning over onto his side. "'C'mon, all ya gotta do is rough up some Aggron. He won't even expect it... heck, I probably won't even have to use you'. God damn kid." Despite his seething anger, Gale seemed more or less under control.
"Hm..." Though there was a particular fact that Dia may have overlooked. He glanced towards his doctor, then to her Bisharp assistant, and gave a blink. "Wait... you're both like me?"
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 9, 2017 22:42:25 GMT -5
Dia kept the Gallade held down, as he tried turning on his side, in order to keep him on his back.
His reaction to the news was ... amazing. So much emotion. Anger, fear, frustration. The Gardevoir barely got to feel any of these now. In many ways, this one was like her Bisharp. Only unlike the metal man behind her back, this one was not shy of voicing his frustrations, getting angry at the trainer, and at himself, no doubt. Dia kept her hand on him, until the anger spike would subside. Blade felt that spike too, pushing away from the wall he leaned on, and moving closer. Unlike Dia, he was wary of the Gallade. But like before, said nothing.
So that's how you ended up in the arena...
"Such a shame. The human wanted to win the tournament. Instead, he ended up ruining your fighting career."
A carefully-planted seed of discord, between the trainer, and the pokemon. And a well-deserved one, too.
It did not take long for the Gallade to figure out who she was, and who they were. It did not startle Dia, not in the slightest. After all, everyone in the center knew her secret. But it remained such for the outside world. When he stated that they were like him, the Gardevoir nodded, while still fiddling with the injuries, applying a clear bandage over the Gallade's head now, over the stitched injuries.
"We are like you. You are in Shadow Pokemon Rehabilitation Center. I was in the audience when this ... accident happened. I insisted you to be brought here, as it was closest. I did not trust the specialists at the Pokecenter to treat you, especially after what happened. The news travels quickly."
More seeds. Seeds of despair and alienation to the rest of the world. Dia sowed them into Gallade's mind, while he was confused and vulnerable. The world was not friendly for the Shadow Pokemon. And this was the only sanctuary.
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 9, 2017 23:05:39 GMT -5
It wasn't just the human, of course: 'Gale' had wanted to win that fight as well! But he was far beyond those clear thoughts right now, and Dia's words started working into his mind. It was a careful balance that had to be struck, though: pushed too far, the psychic could easily tell any form of psychic manipulation.
The Gardevoir was left with just her words.
"... You couldn't trust them, huh?" That much was clear: even with the Gardevoir's muted emotions, Gale could sense a bit of rage in Dia's heart, perhaps even a little real spark that she had left. And with that, he had a moment to take a deep breath, and calm down, his flared aura receding into his frame. He was with his own kind, and there wasn't a reason to be angry at them.
But perhaps there would be a reason to be angry in just a moment: outside the window, the sound of a bike's engine roared and sputtered, coming to a stop just outside the facility. There was a 'tsk' as the Gallade heard it, something he had too much experience with.
Leonard never got that engine properly fixed, after all. "Don't know why he's even bothering." Dia might get a page at the front desk, about Leonard asking to see her patient, his fighter, even as the Gallade spoke. "It was only meant to be a one-shot deal anyway: study and learn to take down 'The King', tear him from his throne. You ask me, he was just overconfident... but to have these hands do something that spectacular?"
He chuckled. "May not have been worth the risk... but it was quite a dream."
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 9, 2017 23:26:47 GMT -5
A chance to dream...
The Gardevoir had a dream too. A very self-serving dream, that could help many in the process. The Gallade's dream was now shattered - he was supposed to be the hero, the trump card to take down a powerful champion. Instead, he turned his spotlight into a public shame. It was tragic, in more ways than one. Dia's dream was much more elaborate than that. She wanted to save herself, and many others in the process. She wanted to be saved from the void of emptiness threatening her... And the rest, like Gallade or Bisharp, had to be saved from their own demons.
"I have a dream too. A dream where the heritage of Cipher is erased, and all those afflicted return to normal lives, without being afraid of losing control. Our center is working towards it. You can help us too, if you choose to do so."
Her words were interrupted by the loud engines coming from the outside, followed by a ring of her cellphone, with the nurse at the front desk reporting of a human desperately trying to go past the rotatory door. This was a surprising notion, not just to the Gallade, but to her as well. She had been hoping the human to simply abandon the Gallade. Discard him as a faulty tool, which he was. But now, it seemed, the human felt remorseful. And it threw a wrench in her plans. There was a chance of him just taking the Gallade away from her, out of some misguided notion of pity. She gritted her teeth, feeling a bit of actual frustration, though masking it as anger towards Leonard's insolence.
"Allow him in, Chansey."
Dia was partially curious as to what the human actually had to say. She looked over her shoulder, towards the Bisharp that watched them both very intently, before turning to the Gallade.
"Do not do anything brash. You are still injured."
Soon, loud steps came from outside the door.
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 10, 2017 19:07:06 GMT -5
"... Help?"
How could the Gallade help, he wondered? He didn't understand her point - after all, he was a fighter, rescued from Cipher's labs, the psychic left to the only thing he knew how to do. He wasn't a medical professional, nor did he really have a knack for the white, clean rooms of hospitals. And Dia already seemed to have a confident enough guard (who couldn't help but keep his eye on the Gallade!).
As he was about to ask for her to clarify, though, the door buzzed, and their attention would soon be drawn to the clinic door. Led in by the Chansey, Leonard pulled open the door. He seemed to have recomposed himself after the incident at the arena, even giving a nod towards the Gardevoir. "Hey, thanks for helpin' him out. Never meant for things to spin out of control as they did... tch."
No, that 'tch' was not due to frustration: lifting his hand up, he briefly covered his face, covering up a black eye. Keeping it closed, not figuring it even fit to mention, he gave a look towards the Gallade.
"Though I'm surprised you were even taken all the way out here. Annette's been yelling over my cell the past hour, asking to get you cleared up at the League hospital."
"Hm."
He thanks you, but not me. Here's the genius mind who can stand at the top of the League, but he still chooses to scold me.
Dia could quite easily tell, the relationship between the two was rather mutual. And perhaps to the doctor's surprise, there was no demands for further fights, or even direct talks about keeping him on the team.
And there was a good reason why:
"So, what's the word, doctor?" Leonard spoke up again, after a few moments of silence. "To be honest, I'm surprised how quick he calmed down-"
"Shut the fuck up."
"... Gale-"
"And to hell with your fucking stage name. It's pissed me off since the moment you gave it to me."
'Gale' was obviously irate at him, and Leonard's voice cut in, just as fierce. "Fine then! I came because I cared, but its clear you're on your own wavelength! Tch... no wonder they called you a short fuse."
On that, the irritated trainer turned, looking over his shoulder. "Don't come back to me looking for more scraps."
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 10, 2017 19:30:39 GMT -5
The Gardevoir smirked on the inside, as the "heartwarming reunion" soon turned to hostility and insults.
She thought that the Gallade had all the reasons to be pissed. The reason why he was in the state he was now was because of this ... boy. Dia could not force herself to call him a man. Just a boy, nothing more. A boy with ambitions greater than his capabilities or talent allowed. From that exchange alone, she could tell that there will be no reconciliation between the two. And she would make sure of it. When Leonard threw his last remark about scraps, it was her time.
Dia's eyes glowed, as she lifted a hand in the air.
"No, no he will not."
The boy would be lifted off of his feet, as if held by some invisible force. A mockery. A show for all those around - the Gallade, the Bisharp, and the Chancey, even.
"The Gallade has all the right to be pissed right now. He is here now because of you. You exploited his dream to achieve your own, and did not even bother training him enough for battle. You hoped that type superiority and his curse would be enough. It was not, and he was made a mockery in front of whole Orre. And so were you."
With that, she would walk out the room, carrying the floating boy in front of herself, helpless and unable to move a muscle, caught in her telekinetic grasp. As they slowly passed through the corridor, many a patient turned to see the awkward and humiliating picture. And Dia talked, making sure everyone around heard her words.
"You said you cared. But what could you do for him? He can no longer fight, no one will allow him to. What would he do? Become a training dummy for your non-corrupted mains, never again granted a chance to shine? Or a house pokemon, perhaps? A warrior, forced into servitude, cleaning tables and tending to gardens? You could not have imagined a greater insult."
With that, she'd open the entrance door, and slowly put Leonard down on his feet. Although there was an urge of tossing him out. Humans... they were so weak and defenseless against power. Which made one wonder why the pokemon were subservient to them, and not the other way around. The purple gaze in Dia's eyes vanished, as she looked at him, with a bit of pity.
"If you really care, leave this place. Do not come back. It will be better for both of you."
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 12, 2017 12:56:16 GMT -5
Well, defenseless might not have been the best word for it. Though the Gardevoir had enough power to pick him up and 'usher him along', Leonard wasn't completely helpless against psychic energy. After all, having the heart to both bond with a Gyarados and a Greninja into their ultimate forms - both dark types in the end, despite his expertise as a water trainer - would allow Leonard to give Dia a surprising amount of resistance.
Though, it wasn't enough to break the grip, and as he was dropped outside, he shot a glare over his shoulder.
"Tch... like someone like you could understand..."
If Dia had meant to humiliate the challenger, she had done so, but as far as Leonard could tell? There simply wasn't a lesson to be learned here! "Don't worry, I won't be back, so see that you take care of that brute." His words were still sharp, as he started to trudge away.
And as Dia might make her way back to the clinic, there would be a murmur around a report, in a TV by the front office. It had taken some time after the incident, but the champion from the battle hours prior was walking past reporters to his van, a flurry of questions around him: questions about the Hitmonchan, his opponent, the Gallade, all fighting to talk over each-other with their volume. 'The King' was usually one to shine in these times, but he merely said one thing to the crowd:
"Hmph. Even a trainer with their first Charmander would have lit my heart more than he did."
Well, the Gallade seemed to be calming down. Left alone, he simply rested his arm over his eyes, blocking them out of that stinging light. But he still sensed the Bisharp: tense, protective, and perhaps still giving him a death stare.
To say that was unsettling was an understatement.
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 15, 2017 16:15:14 GMT -5
"Don't worry, I will."
The Gardevoir watched the human trudge away, as a small grin on her face soon turned into a large one, as she turned around and closed the door behind herself. The deed was done. The human was gone. And the Gallade ... was hers. With nowhere else to go, but here. Dia was hopeful that, perhaps, with his help, her research was going to move from square one. Feeling hopeful... She was glad that she was still able to feel that, at all. Wiping the smirk off of her face, she walked down the corridor and back to where she left the Gallade and the Bisharp.
Blade watched the Gallade too, while they were alone. He did not like his presence. And he did not like how much attention mistress was giving him. It was annoying. Aggravating. It made him feel jealous, especially considering how much time he spent around the Gardevoir. As the Gallade rested on his bunk, the metal pokemon suddenly walked towards him. Slowly.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk...
Clanked his metal feet against the floor. Until He stood right next to the injured foe. Looking at him with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. Not sure what to do. Should he cut him? Cutting him would certainly solve a lot of his grievances which the psychic was probably not aware of, even. As he pondered, the door opened, and Dia walked inside again. Letting out a silent sigh, the Bisharp stepped away.
"It is done." - The gardevoir had announced, walking up to the bunk and sitting on its edge. Giving the Gallade a concerned stare. "That boy will be returning here no more. Once your treatment is over, you will be free to leave too, if you choose so. Or you can stay with us." - Dia wanted to make it seem like he had a choice... Though what choice was there? To get back to whatever life he had before Leonard? Shunned and hated by the society that freed them, but refused to accept them? Or stay here, surrounded by his brethren in sickness.
"The choice is yours."
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 17, 2017 18:17:11 GMT -5
And Gale had a reason for him to feel unsettled: an empath like a Gardevoir, it wasn't difficult at all to feel Blade's surface feelings, a definite tensity in the air. Though he kept his eyes covered, not wanting to give himself away, the Gallade was ready to jump up and strike at a moment's notice, should he need to. And unlike his shadow-maddened state before, he'd have the focus to handle this Bisharp. If the steel type took one step closer...
... Dia showed up before that became an issue. Hearing the door creak, he moved his arm out of the way, and sat up somewhat, leaning his back against the pillow. At the very least, it seemed like while Dia was around, Blade wouldn't try and do anything. And hearing that Dia had squared away the little problem of Leonard, he couldn't help but give a smirk. "You're rather generous, aren't you?" And honestly, he considered his options. There wouldn't be a trainer in this league who would hire him at this point: even the most greedy for power wouldn't touch that level of poison reputation! But, should he get treated here, well, there might be another chance eventually...
So he hedged his bets, giving a shrug. "Honestly at this rate, I may as well stick around, see what you have to offer. Don't get me wrong, miss, I appreciate everything you're doing, and have done," he nodded, to that fact, "But its too big of a decision to... well, just dive right into."
More than anything, he didn't want to believe his fighting days were over!
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 18, 2017 15:01:04 GMT -5
"There is not much we can offer aside from food and shelter. And a chance to make the world a better place for all Shadows."
With that, Dia nodded to the Bisharp to leave them be. The metal pokemon did not like it, and gave the Gardevoir a stare, to which she replied with her own. After a moment of hesitation, Blade submitted, and went outside the door, brushing aside the Chansey that still fidgeted outside, before closing it. Dia let out a soft sigh, when he did.
"Forgive Blade. He is ... corrupted. Much more so than everyone else in our center. It takes a great deal of focus and concentration to keep him pacified. He is very reluctant to leave my side."
A small smile appeared on the Gardevoir's face. In a way, it stroked her ego quite a bit, to have someone at her side so dependent and attached to her. She was a creature of many vices underneath the benevolent mask of benevolence. However, very select few got to know the truth. It was not needed for everybody else, and detrimental to her cause. She looked at Gallade again.
"The world outside is all too eager to either ostracize us or use us as a weapon. I'm trying to find a cure. To remove the taint. It is not easy, dangerous even. But if I am to succeed, I need help of those brave enough to undergo treatment, and strong enough to endure it."
Dia went silent, giving it a moment to sink in. She stood up, and folded her hands in front of her, fingers on both hands intertwined between one another. The sense of disclosure was still hanging in the air, as if something was left unfinished.
"I will leave you to rest, you need some time to heal. If you need anything, there's a button on the side of the bed." - the Gardevoir said, and turned for the door, before stopping, suddenly.
"What is your name, Gallade? Not the stage name, the real one."
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Post by NolChannel on Mar 19, 2017 12:50:05 GMT -5
Well, that was definitely a noble cause this Gardevoir had. With those two alone in the room, momentary as it was, the Gallade listened to her explanation of Blade, her mission, and her reason for trying to cure it. If nothing else, Gallade could tell that Dia was an infinitely patient doctor, both with the type of patients and incidents she dealt with and in just how long a goal like that might take.
Such courage, such strong words in such unsettling times, was quite rare, and the Gallade was definitely intrigued in someone who was able to say such things so calmly. And he didn't even know about her observing his scrap with Blade, a few meters away, and chiding the crowd without missing a beat. Truly, she had an unshakeable resolve!
Little did he know, that there wasn't a core to be shaken.
"... Hm. My name's Gabrielle." That response came easily enough, though the rest of her message was still sinking into his ears. For now, he just gave Dia a nod, then tossed onto his side, pulling a sheet over himself. As for his injuries, he was just going to sleep those off like a bad hangover.
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Post by 0bserver on Mar 19, 2017 15:14:04 GMT -5
"Have some rest, Gabrielle. A nurse will check on you, from time to time."
With that, Dia left the room, and closed the door behind herself. A small smile appeared on her face, once she was alone. Things were going according to plan, just according to plan. A little bit of talking, and she would have a lovely new test subject to try her cures on. Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to find one for herself. After all, Gallade and Gardevoir were almost the same species...
And once I help myself... Maybe I can go on about helping others...
Maybe...
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END THREAD
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