Scoundrels and heroes

[buson]

Question [closed to Ash]
Alright. It was time Buson (Attila, or even Akira, if you prefer) stopped gleaming information solely through listening in on conversations or second-hand sources. With his partner here, after nearly half a year of separation, he was going to need more precise answers.
But he also didn’t want to go around in disguise. He isn’t trying to trick anyone and if the boy’s still angry (even if it was his fault for ignoring his very charitable warnings until his Pikachu was in serious danger…), so be it.

After asking around for where to find him, Buson approached without preamble, dressed almost exactly the way he did on first arrival. Pants tucked into black boots, belt, blue tank top. No R-emblazoned jacket, a much deeper tan too. Stupid? Risky? Misguided? Probably all of those things and then some, but he didn’t care and approached it with the same gravitas as a mission, which might give the incorrect impression he’d gone back on his word, but he wasn’t visibly causing any trouble…

“Hey.”

Gilterrace and Turnbloom + Snacks and Grudges[open to all]

Searching is hungry work, so Buson could easily be found taking breaks, here and there, slurping udon or loudly crunching chips or whatever’s available, really. Atrocious table manners.

He could be approached alone or found with a bunch of very, very irate wild Electric types gathering unnoticed behind his chosen seat of the moment, looking about ready to ambush him.

Comments

[goingallout]

Once he's seated again, Ash watched Atilla who was about to attempt to make up with the Pichu from earlier. His enthusiasm, though genuine, was still pretty weird to see from a guy like Atilla in Ash's eyes.

He let out one more sigh before straightening up in order to compose himself. Well Ash Ketchum, since you're the Champion and all, it's high time you start acting a bit like one.

"It's not just words and gestures that'll make them understand us." And he placed his hand over his chest, then spread his arms wide open. Atilla might notice his Pikachu seemed to mimic the same action with his Trainer with perfect synchronicity. "It's our hearts too. It's something we have in common with Pokemon. So if you want to apologize to them, show it like you really mean it!"

[buson]

That sort of talk sounded too... hard for Attila to believe, but he had to try.

He looked at the Pichu, who met his gaze uncertainly, tail twitching.

Attila realized he might be frightening it again and looked away, but tried to kneel down like he did when apologizing to Evie.

"... sorry," he began, although he felt it was a bit of a weak start, frowning. "I... can't say I didn't mean to do what I did. That'd be a lie, but... I was just doing what was expected of me. Sorry about all the master stuff..."

He felt absolutely, completely ridiculous, and withdraw into himself, drawing his knees up closer and huddling, dropping his voice lower, because he didn't actually want Ash hearing any of this. "... it's not like I'm free either. I was just doing what I'm good at. I gotta master to respond to, too, y'know. Or... did, anyway. He's not around here, so..."

Now, in a louder voice, glancing at the glimmer of reflective eyes, hiding around them. "I won't do stuff like that here anymore, got it? You'll be safe. Sorry again... to you and all the other Electric types. I swear."

Pichu seemed to understand and stood up as he did, making some sort of solemn response, eyes shining and chest puffed: "Picchai!"—it almost sounded like it echoed back Attila's oath, holding him to his word, before running off.

"And Ash... you know when you asked me about how if I won't do anything bad back home? That's what I'm here to ask about. There's... something more important than just what I'll do... I need to know the fates of my friends... well, in as much as y'can tell me about 'em."

[goingallout]

Ash held his breath as he gazed at the man crouching down to the Pokemon's eye level. He was worried the Atilla might get carried away again and scare the poor thing like before. Truly Ash didn't want to expect for the worst, but he could only brace himself for what happens next.

And after watching Atilla successfully make up with the little Pichu, he let out a quiet sigh of relief, and a small smile.

Well what do you know? This grown-up managed to reach out to a Pokemon. While not a huge leap, this success is merely a small step towards progress for Atilla's journey to become a better person as far as Ash could see it. There's still a chance for Atilla after all!

"See that? I knew you can do it!" Ash cheered and grinned.

Now as he listened to Atilla's request, Ash leaned back on his seat and cupped his chin in thought.

"Your friends... I'm guessing you mean Team Rocket, right?"

[buson]

Attila wondered if it really did say what he thought it did, but wasn't going to ask Ash. It's too embarrassing. He could just be expecting some kind of communication to happen, so he heard it as though it were a word, when it wasn't... maybe, he just heard what he wanted to hear.

Attila walked back over to take the opposite seat.

"... not friends with the whole organization, kid," Attila said with a smirk. "Sure, there's folks I get along with, but if I'm leaving it all behind, there's just one person in there I can't do without..."

And he's here right now.

"The other friend is... formerly... from Team Flare. And... might not even be from the Team Flare in my world. Maybe a different reality..."

He didn't like to think of Manzana dying. He didn't want that to be the end of it, if he ever got out of here. His gaze turned solemn and heavy, but he didn't say anything more on the topic.

"—anyway, I need to know: when you went back, what changed? What stayed the same? Did you really pick up where you left off?"

[goingallout]

Hearing the name "Team Flare" was enough for Ash to quickly fall silent.

He didn't think he'd hear about them again after so long. Especially after what happened to them and their leader back in Kalos. That very particular incident was still clear to him with how much had happened within a single day.

But because of this he let Atilla speak, and he listened. He watched the man's gaze shift and noticed the heaviness in his eyes. It was already telling that Atilla seemed to be worried for this former Team Flare member -- his friend.

Now it was Ash's turn to answer.

"...When I finally got back, I found out I was exactly where I last stood before drifting here. And then after that, I get to finish the match that I thought I wouldn't be able to do."

He threw an absent gaze at the sky above as he continued.

"It was kinda like, someone hit the pause button on everything before getting here. But after that, all those days go on like normal y'know."

Ash wasn't sure if this was what Atilla wanted to hear. But it was the best he could explain about his experiences drifting in and out of Ultern anyway.

[good night!!]

[buson]

Why is he looking at the sky—

Like hitting the pause button.

He and Bashou will be safe. They'll go right back to a life of crime, as if this was all only a dream of what could've been, but they'll be safe from any retribution, and Manzana will be...

—crushed under rubble. Dying. Dead.

As good as dead, there's no way he could get there in time to dig him out or save him. Not without a Celebi and even then, he wasn't sure they were from the same reality.

His hands curled into fists, knuckles chalky, and his whole body went rigid and he glared at some fixed point in the distance. Hopefully, Ash could see it wasn't aimed at him, that anger, but he didn't want to lower his head. He doesn't cry, but right now... he felt like he might. He didn't ask another question for some time, breathing forced low, quiet, but disrupted regardless of his efforts, like boiling pot hissing under pressure.

"This is... Hell, isn't it?" he asked bitterly, when he finally spoke again. "For us."

[goingallout]

"Huh?"

Ash looked at Atilla, somewhat confused at his question. Hell... that's what some people would describe as a bad place for bad people, isn't it? He frowned, and shook his head.

"I dunno... it didn't feel that way to me. The people here are nice, and everything feels bright and warm like Alola. And there's lots of Pokemon to see too!"

His reasoning was rather simple, and only made sense in his mind. Though what made Atilla think that way, he wondered.

[back to questioning]

[buson]

"Yeah, that's just it. For you guys, this is just like being home. For us... if we get to live clean and be honest, hard-working people here, we'll still go back home to havin' to be crooks an' bad guys again, and this'll just be a memory, taunting us—hey... did you remember this place when you went back?"

It'd be better to forget. Like it was just a good dream, forgotten shortly after awakening.

That wasn't the worst of it. Bashou and him could still live on, whatever kind of work they'd have to do, they'd have each other, so they could get through it, even if they can't escape... but this place can be a sanctuary. For them.

But for Manzana... if he ever went back, there's... no coming back here, is there?

"... and did anything about you change from home to here?"

[goingallout]

Based from what he just heard, Ash can't quite comprehend why Atilla has to return to being the bad guy again when he returns to their world. Wouldn't it be better if he chooses to just... leave and live a better life?

"Ah, yeah." Ash nodded, "I could still remember all those months I've spent in Ultern when I returned home."

And from Atilla's next question, Ash furrowed his brows in thought.

"Well, I still have some of the stuff I got from here... Oh! And the Dunsparce I caught from long ago, he's also taken along too!"

[1/2; well, this'll go... it'll certainly go somewhere]

[buson]

Ash's likely comparing Bashou and Buson to grunt-level Jessie, James, and Meowth who are so bad, they got fired at one point without even knowing it and had to re-register... not people who were sent to capture Legendaries and later succeed at capturing one. Could he leave and not be feared to turn into some kind of informant?

That's going to be torture to recall. He briefly wondered if he could call it quits or even just start being really, really bad at his job until they stop giving him missions? Would that work? He doesn't even really have anything to fall back on home, but the reason he joined doesn't exist anymore, so could he escape?

"... I see."

He's a little irritated by Ash's carefree attitude, but he's the one who decided not to tell him. It's not like Ash can read his mind. He'll just have to keep trying to bottle it up and deal with it later.

He can't say they don't deserve to remember this. The memory will loom as a vision of what their lives could've been, but can't be, because of their own choices, won't it? ... but if they can return, then, it's more like a respite. He wondered which it was, since while they're here... all of this felt real. The backbreaking work felt real. The sun and sea felt real. The people and Pokemon he met all felt real. It isn't just a dream, it's a whole other life he can live. Can really live two completely opposite lives and go back and forth between them? What was the meaning in that?

But what Ash says next earned a look of surprise.

[old habits die hard, etc.]

[buson]

So, they could take some items home... or even... Pokemon.

He briefly contemplated faking friendship to capture one of those Pichu, just to take it home and present it to the Boss and the Professor.
But he did give his word and he felt a scumbag for even considering it.

Besides, if he did that and exposed the existence of this place somehow, what if Team Rocket found a way to infiltrate this place? It's peaceful here. It'd be ravaged.

It's not worth it.

No, if he had to go back with something, let it be the Crystal System (and possibly also his walker), so he can return it unharmed to the Professor and spare Bashou (and himself) the brutal dressing-down for destroying such expensive equipment.

"Were you doin' anything special with the Dunsparce or that stuff before you left?" he asked innocuously. "Like, did you have them on you when you left or...? Did you just wake up back home or step through somewhere or...?"

[goingallout]

"Hm, I don't think so." Ash continued to look thoughtful as he took a moment to recall any of those. "Like, some of the stuff I got from here I just kept them in my bag. That might be why they were taken along."

In the case of Dunsparce, and his other Pokemon however...

"Dunsparce though, I remember that I left him in Professor Banyan's lab with all my other Pokemon that got drifted here. And when I came back to my world, I got a call from Professor Oak telling me about Dunsparce showing up in his ranch. I was really surprised about that!"

And then he smiled.

"But y'know what? I'm actually glad he did came along! I know Professor Banyan would take care of him and all, but Dunsparce's my Pokemon -- my partner. I'd feel really bad having to leave him behind all of a sudden without saying good-bye, y'know?"