Ghosts of the Past

[crystalmaster]

WHO: Radley and anyone in his location
WHERE: Hotel
WHAT: Ghostly visit
WHEN: During the Storm
WARNINGS: CW: Mentions of torture and death by electrocution, suicidal thoughts

Radley was angry, frustrated, and worried about the sudden storm. At least he had supplies, so he wasn't so worried about himself, but he was definitely concerned for those who might not be in such a good situation. He was also really worried about Eddie, not sure if anyone was even at the hospital with him. He tried to get over there, but failed before the storm hit. Unable to leave, he went around checking on those who were in the building with him and was trying to adapt to dealing with the problem (hoping it wouldn't last long), when a sudden additional chill permeated the air. This one went right to his soul. He froze, turning to look to the source. As a ghostly vision began to take shape, all color drained from his face.

"Kalin?!"

The man who appeared was younger than Radley, but his golden eyes were emotionless and dead. Long, pale blue hair framed his face and fell around his shoulders and down his back, a sharp contrast to his dark coat. A jagged yellow mark went all the way down the right side of his face. He stood, just staring through Radley for an agonizingly long moment before raising a hand and pointing at him with a steady finger.

"You failed."

Radley went colder than even before. "Kalin, what ... why are you acting like this?! What happened to you?! Are you dead?!"

He did seem to remember hearing about apparitions that appeared during storms. Was this real? Was it just someone taking on Kalin's appearance? How would it know about Radley's past and what haunted him so?

Kalin ignored him and kept talking. "You failed the town. You failed everyone who cared about you. You couldn't protect them. Instead you were dragged to Malcolm's mine and tortured to death with an overloaded shock collar, just another victim of his cruelty! You gave up on life and let yourself die!"

Radley was shaking, but finally he found his voice. "What about you?!" he spat. "You gave up on life long before that! You wanted to go to the mine! You wanted to suffer and die! I wanted to live! I wanted to save everyone ... and I couldn't...."

"You weren't good enough. Everyone left you. Everything was taken from you. And you lost all hope, all desire to go on. And I ... I couldn't care less."

The phantom rippled and faded into the mist.

Radley sank to his knees, still shaking. He was angry, he was hurt, he was crushed to pieces. Kalin or whoever had laid bare everything still torturing Radley in his mind and in his heart, right down to his anguish that Kalin didn't care, or didn't seem to. They hadn't spoken since Radley's revival. He didn't know why Kalin had always treated him so poorly. He only knew how it had felt to him. Every time he had tried to reach out, he had been kicked away like an unwanted animal. As if that hadn't been bad enough, Kalin and his friend Yusei had abandoned Radley to the torture in the mine, where he had suffered and died. Now the scab had been ripped open anew and all of the pain he had been trying to push back and hide was coming out again. He sobbed bitterly, unaware that others had witnessed the spectacle and were probably still here now.

Comments

[ashwantstobattle]

The storm had come on so fast it had practically left Ash's head spinning. Luckily, he and Pikachu had managed to make it in doors before the worst of it hit. The problem was that now they were stuck inside until the storm died down. He supposed a hotel was a lot more secure than a makeshift cave.

He's found a room to rest in and consider his options as to what to do for food when he hears something on the other side of the door. He doesn't hear all of it but enough that he definitely recognizes the sound of someone crying.

"What's that?" He asks Pikachu, who's curled up on what's going to have to pass for a bed.

"Pi?" He uncurls and then looks towards the door.

"Come on, let's check it out." He gestures and Pikachu hops up on his shoulder just as Ash pulls the door open to find a man sobbing on the ground.

"Are you alright?" He asks, moving over to try and help the man to his feet.

[crystalmaster]

Radley jumps a mile at the sudden voice and touch. "Huh?!" He turns to look, wiping his eyes as he does. A newcomer ... another kid....

He draws a shaking breath. He always tries to be strong when others are around, especially kids. He certainly won't lay bare a lot of grown-up pain. "... Yeah. Yeah, I'm alright." He starts to get up, allowing Ash to help. "Did you just get here? I haven't seen you around...."

[ashwantstobattle]

Ash helps the man to his feet, Pikachu watching in interest from his shoulder. Ash offer than a smile, not calling attention to the fact he was obviously just crying.

"That's good-glad to hear it." He accepts that the man is fine as fact. "And yeah, yesterday. Some day two, huh?" He glances towards a window. "I'm Ash, and this is my buddy Pikachu." He gestures to the yellow thing on his shoulder.

"Pika PiKachu." It raises a hand in greeting.

[crystalmaster]

"Yeah, that's quite an arrival," Radley says with a weak smile. "At least you got shelter in time. Hi, you two. I'm Radley."

He studies Pikachu curiously. "What kind of animal is he?"

[ashwantstobattle]

"Great to meet you." Ash offers a nod. "Pikachu's a Pokemon but from I've gathered he's the only one here. Which is really weird because where I'm from they're all over the place." He states in his same friendly tone.

"Pika, Pika." Pikachu nods in agreement.

"Well, at least I have my buddy with me." He glances at Pikachu with a smile and Pikachu rubs up against Ash's cheek, letting out a happy 'Chaa' noise.

[crystalmaster]

"This place is pretty different from my home too," Radley says.

He smiles wistfully. "Coming in with a friend sounds amazing."

((OOC: Radley usually recognizes Pokemon, but I don't know if you'd want to do that here? He could be familiar with the games, but not the anime so it wouldn't be fourth-walling so much, lol.))

[ashwantstobattle]

"Yeah, I don't know what I'd do without Pikachu. We've never really been away from each other for very long." Ash admits, he tries to think of the longest time he'd been away from Pikachu but he's fairly certain it was at most a day. Stupid Team Rocket and their wacky plans to steal Pikachu.

"So, how long have you been here, Radley?" Ashy asks.

(( OOC: recognizing Ash is fine, just don't mention it's from a tv show. Though he might be uncomfortable being recognized at first. But having someone other than Pikachu well aware of just how reckless he can be might be good. ))

[crystalmaster]

((OOC: Yeah, I wouldn't do that. :) Should it be like my fic verse where Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! both exist? Then Ash could be real and Radley might have heard of him from the news.))

"Several months now," Radley sighs. "Things were peaceful for a while and then weird things started happening."

[ashwantstobattle]

((OOC: Nah, It'll be easier on me to keep them separate.))

"Man, then I really picked a time to drop in." Ash rubbed the back of his head, hoping that this didn't have anything to do with this arrival. That can't be though, there's nothing suggest that. Probably.

"Pika..." Pikachu looks out at the window.

"It's okay Pikachu, 'long as we're inside the blizzard can't get us!" Ash says confidently.

[crystalmaster]

((OOC: Okay! I'll probably just have him not familiar then.))

Radley smiles a bit wistfully again, this time at the kid's optimism. It would be nice, to have that.... He used to, but it seems like it's been so long since he really believed in it....

"So, are you guys hungry?"

[ashwantstobattle]

"Pi?" Pikachu looks up at the mention of food and Ash is reminded that they haven't eaten since early that morning. His stomach protests loudly.

"Uh.. yeah, guess so." He admits, one hand going to his growling stomach.

[crystalmaster]

"I thought so. I have some food in my room. You're welcome to come there, or I can bring it to you."

Radley was relieved he prepared for crises by having some supplies on hand.

[ashwantstobattle]

"As long as you don't mind feeding us." Ash says sheepishly.

"Pi-ka..." Pikachu agrees. Ash is well aware no one can go anywhere during the storm so that's going to make getting food exceptionally difficult. Maybe once the storm stops he'll try to venture out into the snow replace whatever he and Pikachu eat. It'd be the least they could do.

[stitch_witch]

That was not something that had been her place to see, not something she should have known. But this place, it was rather prone to hurting those when they were vulnerable already, wasn't it? And here Lark had been, stepping from her room when she heard the shouting, Little Bear slinking at her feet.

She moved forward as the phantom faded, her hand coming to rest gently upon Radley's shoulder. It was not yet time for words.

[crystalmaster]

Radley started at the touch but then slowly relaxed. It was a kind touch, a welcome touch. Something he sorely needed right now.

Slowly he calmed down, still shuddering a bit. "... I guess ... we really put on a show, huh?" he said softly.

[stitch_witch]

"Pain is not a show," she says as she kneels by him and opens his arms to him. Surely he could use a hug. A very big hug.

[crystalmaster]

Radley is very surprised by this gesture, but it is so welcome. He's wanted that for so long. He accepts the hug and returns it, slowly relaxing in the embrace.

"Everything he said ... it's true," he said softly. "I failed everyone. And everyone left me behind.... When the torture kept getting worse, I finally gave up and didn't keep fighting to live. It felt like there was no point."

[stitch_witch]

The advantage to having Lark around was that she was very motherly, and hugs were freely given when it's needed. So she hugs him tightly, for his own sake.

"A broken body can break a mind, and a broken mind can find trouble with the idea of living. It is not your fault."

[crystalmaster]

Radley ponders this. He wants to believe it, but ...

"I should have been stronger, though.... I fought so hard for my town for years, only to lose and then give up. I didn't know how to get out of the mess we were in, but ... I was the only leader they had until Kalin finally stepped up...."

He hugs tighter. "I don't get why Kalin and Yusei just left me behind.... The Bunch, I know they were just shaken and scared, but Kalin and Yusei weren't...."

He knows he's talking about people Lark won't know about, but all the pain is coming out in a long overdue ramble.

[stitch_witch]

The poor thing, he was so lost, so abandoned. And yet here he was, trying so hard for all of them.

"You cannot know the minds and hearts of others, only your own. And it sounds like you know yours was tired and hurt and broken. That is not your fault. No strength is infinite."

[crystalmaster]

Words of comfort, of wisdom and strength.... Things he badly needs to hear.

"... Will I ever be able to see it that way?" he wonders.

[stitch_witch]

"Time may help that," she says, voice soft as she keeps holding him. "I can make no promises, for the way you feel about yourself is something only you can truly change."

[crystalmaster]

"Yeah.... Maybe someday, then.... It's hard not to feel like I let everybody down. I don't want it to ever happen again."

[stitch_witch]

"Then strive not to," she says, squeezing him tighter. "Take it one day at a time. Tell yourself that this day will be better. Just a little bit better. And each step forward is good. Don't be ashamed if sometimes you are weak and take a step back."

[crystalmaster]

Radley nods slowly. "I'll try. I want to really be able to help everybody here, but so much of what goes on is out of my league...."