From: <lordlocke@my-deja.com> Subject: [PW!] Black-Flamed Phoenix: The Problem With Prejudice Date: Sunday, October 17, 1999 6:08 PM (OOC: After a week of Writer's Block and a really BAD week, I've finally gotten my next PW! up. And it is dark. I mean DARK. If you're looking for a happy story, keep looking.) Inside the Cerulean City Pokecenter, Gads streached back on his mat. It had been only a day since the battle against Vorge ended, and Gads was already restless. If he wasn't strapped down to the bed, he'd already be on his way to the Gym. Mara may had defeated Misty, but Gads still needed his shot at the leader. 'I'm not hurt that badly. It's not like I can't walk.' 'It's not that you can't walk, it's that you can't do anything else. And you have a terrible habit of attracting trouble wherever you go.' Psy-Gads, despite the serious tone, was laughing madly at this. 'Oh shut up. This isn't funny.' Psy-Gads stopped laughing. 'No, it isn't. Another good blow to the spine, and you will be paralyzed for life. What kind of martial artist would you be then?' '... not a very good one...' 'Correct.' 'I just wish this wasn't so... BORING. Monk-chan and Mara are both asleep. If it wasn't for the fact that sleep was ALL I've had to do for the last twenty-four hours, I'd be doing the same.' 'Whine, bitch, complain... is that all you ever do?' 'When I'm strapped to bed, YES!' '... fine. I'll show you some telekinisis. I picked this one up from observing the Saffron Gym leader herself. She's fond of using this one to make herself levitate. But promise me that you WON'T do anything that could result in perminant injury. Remember, what effects you effects ME too.' 'Tele-whatsit?' 'Telekenisis. Basically, moving stuff with your mind.' 'Oh... so, what do I do?' 'Focus on the strap, preferably it's buckle.' 'OK.' 'Now, will it upwards.' 'But it's already tight...' 'Do you want out?' 'Well, yeah...' 'Then do it.' For a moment, nothing happened, then the buckle of the strap, at the center of Gads's chest, began to glow blue. 'That's it. Now, carefully move it to slide the strap out...' Gads began to focus on moving it down, to force the buckle out of the hole strapping him in. "Mmmm..." Mara turned over in her sleep, having her face Gads. Gads didn't notice. Meanwhile, the buckle finally began to loosen. 'That's good. Now, focus the strap out of the buckle.' After a moment, nothing happened. 'Nothing's happening.' 'That's because it's harder to channel psychic energies into organic substances like leather, ESPECIALLY if it's inanimate, and doesn't have a mind to effect. Try harder.' 'All right.' After a moment, the strap and buckle began to glow a brighter blue. Bright enough to begin waking Mara. Still, Gads didn't notice. 'OK. Now, slide the strap out, and you're home free.' The strap started to slide out of the buckle... "uhhh... turn out that light... wha..." Mara woke up. At the sight of a bluish glow on a strap and buckle that was undoing itself, she woke up completely. "What in the HELL..." "Ack!" Gads, startled by the now-awake Mara, lost all concentration. The buckle and strap stopped glowing, and clattered down to the floor, waking up Monk-chan. The Mankey awakened to see a freed, frightened-looking Gads, a confused looking Mara, and a good number of other Pokecenter residents looking in at the commotion going on. Gads looked over at the small audience. "Show's over. Good night." And with that, he walked over to the door and closed it. "What... was... that?" Mara still was staring at the strap and buckle on the floor. "Er... um..." "Do you know, Gads?" Mara turned her look towards Gads. 'I don't think she has a clue at what that was.' Gads sighed in relief. 'Maybe you can keep it, and me, still secret.' Psy-Gads sighed as well. 'Hmmm... maybe we should tell her.' 'WHAT!' 'Mara'll understand. Besides, she'll find out sooner or later. Why not?' 'Hello! DOJO MEMBER! ANTI-PSYCHIC! Just like you were!' Psy-Gads did NOT like the direction that this was heading... 'If she doesn't understand, well... I guess we part ways.' 'And she's going to be your sister soon. Not a good time to start an inter-family feud.' 'Well, if it happens... it happens.' '... well then. I guess I can't change you mind...' 'Listen, if we're to travel, no secrets. She'd react worse if she didn't hear it from me.' Gads stopped communicating with himself, and looked up at Mara. "Um... well... you remember when Protopticon nailed me, knocking me out?" "Yes..." "We were all in danger, and if something didn't happen, we would all be in trouble?" "Yes..." "Well, something did. I discovered... I'm psychic." A pindrop could be heard with the silence that followed that. Then suddenly, the door fell open, revealing several listeners. One of the walls fell down, revealing several more. The window opened, revealing another group. One even fell out of the vent. All had the same look that Mara had on her face: Shock. "Didn't I say SHOW OVER! Get lost, or I'll do a combination of terrible physical and psychic things to you ALL." With that, the crowd scattered. Those who knocked over the wall put it back in place before dissapearing. "Psy... psy... psychic? YOU! BWA HA HA..." Mara began laughing. For a moment, she thought he was being serious. "Man... key?" Monk-chan didn't look so sceptical. He walked over to Gads, stood at his feet, and looked up. "Yes, Monk-chan, really." The Mankey nodded, then went back to the mat. Apparently, it needed a few moments to take this in. Mara was still laughing. '*Sigh* Guess I'm going to have to show her...' Gads looked around, and settled on a pillow. He started to concentrate on it... Mara looked up from her mirth just in time to get wacked in the face by a glowing, floating pillow apparently moving by itself. "HEY! What was that fo...r... you're... serious, aren't you?" "Yeah." Another silence passed over the pair. Mara spoke first. "Now what?" "Hopefully, nothing changes. I'm still a Dojo Member, not to mention future family, right?" "Well..." "I mean, we've been friends since we were toddlers. It'd be a shame to see that break up because of some crule joke fate's playing on me." "Well..." "Don't tell me you're re-evaluating how you think of me just because of this, are you?" "But you're psychic." "I've been thinking... maybe it isn't that psychics are cold-hearted and seemingly-evil because they're psychic, but because of their training. I mean, I'm still me, yet I've been a known psychic for the last 24 hours, right?" "Right..." "I think out bias aganst psychics is from ignorance combined with reason. I mean, sure, psychics like Sabrina are around, but maybe not ALL psychics are like Sabrina and the other Saffron Gym Trainers..." "So while our grudge is against ALL psychics, it should have a more-direct target?" "I guess. Unless other Dojo members know something that they haven't told us, it sounds that way." Mara thought for a moment. 'Gads... or psychic? Wouldn't a psychic be saying the same things, trying to justify himself? Gads... is no more, replaced by a psychic shell?' She turned a fierce expression at Gads. "Or maybe they're right. Maybe you're just saying that because you're psychic. You just want to fit in, and once we trust you, destroy all that we hold dear to us!" "No, no, dear GOD no. Just listen..." "NO. I won't listen any more!" Mara turned her back to Gads. Now that Gads wasn't able to see it, a war between prejudice and friendship began playing across it. In her mind, she was arguing with herself. 'He's been my friend for 12 years. But's he's psychic now. I've been fooled...' "... so, now what?" "You leave. I go back to sleep." 'But this is GADS, not some ordinary, Sabrina-grown psychic. He's among the most LOYAL dojo members. Even if he is psychic, he's still Gads!' "So... that's it then?" "That's it." 'Is he? A psychic is a psychic, despite their name. Mother taught me that, remember?' "This isn't right..." "Maybe." 'No, definately. I can't believe we're parting ways.' "Twelve years of friendship count for nothing?" "No, twelve years of deception." 'I can't believe I trusted him. I can't believe I actually gave a damn if he lived or died. I can't believe...' "So it ends." Gads's head dropped. He was expecting a bad reaction, but this... "It would have sooner, if I had known." 'I believe I still do.' Gads's pleading look changed into a fierce expression, rivaling the look Mara had given him earlier. "Well then, good bye. Come on, Monk-chan." Gads picked up his belongings, accidentally missing a book on martial arts in his haste, and headed for the door. However, the Mankey didn't immeidately follow. Mara turned enough to notice this. "It appears even Monk-chan doesn't trust you. Why should I?" 'See? Even Monk-chan's smart enough not to trust him.' Gads turned back around. Sure enough, the Mankey was looking curiously at him. Gads looked depressed at this. "Don't you wanna come with me, Monk-chan?" "Mankey..." The Mankey looked at the floor. "You... too?" Gads's face fell further. He reached into his pocket. "Well then..." He pulled out the Mankey's pokeball. Monk-chan and Mara looked on. Was Gads's going to recall Monk-chan against his will? Gads tossed the pokeball next to the Mankey. "You're decision, Monk-chan. I'm not going to force you to go with me if you don't want to. Take good care of him for me, Mara." With that, Gads began to leave the room. "Don't forget THIS!" Mara chucked the book Gads had forgotten at him, hitting him at the small of the back. Gads tumbled forward, a cry of pain. The force of the throw closed the door. "Monk-chan?" 'This isn't just wrong... this is totally screwed up.' "Mankey..." The Mankey didn't look up. Outside the room, Gads tried standing up, but failed. "My... legs... I can't move... my legs." 'Mara... paralyzed me. No more martial arts. No more jumping and running. No more... walking. I've lost my friends... and now, my life.' Gads looked ready to cry. Psy-Gads couldn't let this happen. 'I can help... kinda.' 'Haven't you done enough? I should re-seal you and forget all about you, and crawl, since that's all I CAN do now, back to Mara and tell her to forget everything, and hope she'll do it.' 'I know... but give me a chance to make it up to you, at least a small amount.' 'Fine, one chance.' 'You remember that telekinesis trick a taught you?' 'Yeah...' 'You can use it on yourself' 'But it takes so much energy...' 'It takes far, far less to move yourself with it then an inanimate object. Try it...' 'All right...' Gads concentrated, but found it unecessary. It took a only a little more than a thought for it to take effect. Gads was floating, a light blue energy surrounding his body 'Wow... it is easy.' 'Don't get me wrong, your legs are still useless, but now, you can move around without looking crippled. Now, focus on your body, not the energy.' Gads did so, and the energy surrounding his body vanished, but Gads remained floating. 'Energy fields tend to scare people. So does floating, for that matter, but unless you want a wheelchair, it'll have to do. Now, as long as you are floating, you won't be able to do much else with me, other then talk like this. It doesn't take much energy, but any extra expendature will drain you much, much quicker.' 'Got it.' Gads slowly floated into a nearby vacent room. After closing the door and lowering himself down onto the mat, Gads let loose everything he had been feeling in a long stream of tears. Being ousted by both his best friend and his most trusted companion, as well as being crippled, Gads began to think. If they want him to be a bastard just because of his abilities, then a bastard he shall be. 'Nothing to lose...' Gads thought to himself. 'Just lost all a few moments ago. I'll get it all back... and then some. I'll be returning this favor with interest.' Gads looked down at his tear-soaked pillow. 'This will be the last time I'll EVER do this. I'm too fragile. One bad incident, and I break down in TEARS! That cannot happen ever! I was feeling sad and weepy, and now, I'm a cripple! I gotta be strong, emotionally AND physically! I gotta become stronger. I gotta become better. I gotta find a way to use my legs again, and after that, I gotta become the BEST!' As Gads made his preparations for the future, Psy-Gads mentally smiled on. Now that the emotional ties were gone, he could really work on the kid, molding him to his true potental. A dark rebirth, with a wounded heart and tortured soul, a black-flamed Phoenix... symbol for darkness and chaos everywhere. ***The Next Morning*** Mara woke to the sound of a maddened Mankey. "MAN MAN MAN MAN MAN..." The Mankey was running around Mara's mat, waving a note. "What's up, Monk-chan." "MANKEY!" "Gone? He's gone?" "Mankey!" The Mankey gave the note to Mara. It read: To the Fighting Dojo- Sorry it's come to this. I'd rather not have to do this, but it seems I have no choice. According to Dojo code, I can no longer be a member, as I am physically unable to fight, and have no fighting Pokemon. As for being psychic, I cannot help this. If action against me is taken by the Dojo, then may whatever higher power there is have mercy on us all, for I will not show any... -G. Trisan Sure enough, Monk-chan also had Gads's vest, belt, and headband, all bearing the Dojo insignia. "Oh no... physically unable to fight? What does he mean? And this isn't just a letter of resignation to the Dojo, but also a warning to... us. What has happed to you?" "Mankey." Monk-chan glared at Mara. "You're right, Monk-chan. It's my fault. I reacted on my prejudice... sometimes, even the Dojo can be wrong, and this is wrong... we have to fix this!" "Mankey..." Meanwhile... Gads floated, his feet touching the ground, giving the image of standing, outside the Cerulean Gym. He would start here, then move on to others. Maybe seek psychic training, or maybe measures to restore his legs. Sure, it wouldn't be the same, but that couldn't be helped. After all, how often does one lose everything in life? No matter, a new life laid ahead, one with far greater rewards in store. Gads smirked. No one ever got anywhere by being nice. Look at his old self. It wouldn't be missed, mourned, ever remembered if something tragic happened to it, like paralysis. He wouldn't let things happen like that... Gads's tail twitched violently at the thought. He needed to 'leave his mark' on this world, and there was only one REAL way to do that: To be the best at something and prove it without mercy. Gads smiled, but none of the warmth of kindness it once had was there. In fact, if Gads had been smiling towards someone, they'd had likely had a chill run down their spine... For a moment, Gads's blue-colered psychic glow flickered back into existance. Just before it vanished, it would have appeared to anyone watching that it had turned black. And if he was still around, Vorge would be applauding Gads. Psy-Gads certainly was... TBC? (Either from the Mara or Gads angle) (OOC: Looking over it again, it's WAY darker than even I intended it to be. This has been a BAD week for me, however. >_< I guess it's coming out here. Don't worry, I'll restore order... eventually. I'm gonna have some fun with my 'Black-Flamed Phoenix' first. >:) Any comments on my dark-style? I'm not used to be so... bleak, so I could use some pointers.) From your friendly, neighborhood LORDLOCKE, who was in a REALLY bad mood. Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.