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[costaliris]

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Gladion | #D1D119

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[a_special_hat]

[Whatever Gladion had been doing (sleeping? Eating? Staring at the mural of his family in the living room?) it's being interrupted today by some UNHOLY SCREECHING coming from Mahmut's room. It sounds a lot like Iskender, except the golden eagle has always been very well behaved and doesn't really make this sort of racket for no reason.

And then there's Mahmut, backing out of his room with his arm cradled against his body, the sleeve torn and bloodied.]

Damn it. [...he wasn't usually the swearing type but well. This day is becoming a special sort of awful so.

And the fact that he has no idea why this is happening only makes it worse.]

[costaliris]

[Sleeping, pretending the portrait doesn't exist. Pretending he's not trying to consider ways to destroy it.

You know, the usual existence of our resident Edgelord Supreme.

That racket does a good job of waking both him and Sivally out of a dead sleep, though, and both of them are in the hall in an instant.]

What in the hell is going on?!

[a_special_hat]

[Mahmut is still staring into his room as Iskender seems to settle down now that Mahmut isn't in there.]

...Iskender attacked me. [Which sounded so bizarre because he raised Iskender himself, had watched the bird hatch from his egg and Iskender had used Mahmut's head for a nest until he was strong enough to stand on his shoulders. But it was because of his familiarity with this particular species of bird that he could recognize his body language.]

He looked like he didn't even recognize me. [He's just...dumbfounded. So dumbfounded he doesn't even really register the pain in his arm.]

[costaliris]

He... did?

[Gladion is more than surprised, and for a moment he has no idea what to do. Iskender isn't a Pokemon, but he is a living creature with feelings and intuition. To go from being so close to Mahmut to attacking him--

Gladion shook his head and stared at the wound for a moment.]

You're injured.

[He left the hall for a moment, returning with a towel and moving close to press it against the gash. Something works in his brain, connecting what should have been incidental to this moment.]

You looked behind you, didn't you? That's why you vanished, when the voices were bothering us?

[a_special_hat]

[Mahmut nodded even though there wasn't any need for an answer. And then he looked down when Gladion mentioned his injury.

He meant to say, that it wasn't important--there goes his housemate. While his injury wasn't his first priority, he will take over holding that towel against his arm with only a small flinch. He was still staring into his room, however.]

It could have been worse.

[Was true but probably wasn't much comfort.

...they're going to have to wash this towel later before the blood stains set in. He was thinking about too many things at once when he suddenly looked up at Gladion's question.]

...I did. [It had happened so close to the end. He had lasted so long but--] I heard my mother. Whatever punishment would happen felt like it'd be worth it if I could--

[He trailed off because it suddenly clicked what Gladion might be getting at.]

You think this is related.

[costaliris]

I'm sure you saw the portrait.

[It's huge and rather difficult to ignore. A seemingly innocent enough family portrait of three, one of them clearly Gladion and the other two very visibly related to him. Nothing odd about it, save for maybe the size.

The eyes on the woman in the picture did seem to glow at certain angles and lighting, though...]

It arrived shortly before you returned. From the sounds of it, people were receiving things for their 'participation' in this recent set of quests. If Iskander is attacking you as if he doesn't know you, it's entirely possible you've been affected by the same.

[It makes sense, really, in a weird twisted fairy tale sort of way. Network chatter indicated that certain 'gifts' weren't really gifts at all, and were even affecting some on a physical level.

He might not talk much on the forums but he did lurk enough to get an idea of what was going on day to day.

He pulled the towel away to look at the wound, frowning at the condition of it but grateful to see that he's not at risk of bleeding out.]

We should find something to wrap this. An infection right now wouldn't be good.

[a_special_hat]

[He nods and doesn't mention that he couldn't possibly have missed it.]

...it makes sense.

[But then when would it stop? Would it stop? He wasn't sure what he'd do if it didn't. Iskender was an important part of his heritage, his one tenuous tie to the Tughril Clan besides Suleimon. He couldn't bear to lose it.]

There's an infirmary set up in town. I'm sure they have supplies there. [But he's still staring into his room until he finally sighed.]

If this is punishment for my failure then it's probably only affecting me, right? In that case, could I bother you to feed Iskender until whatever this is is finished?

[costaliris]

[Empathy isn't Gladion's strongest trait, at least when it comes to humans. But he felt for Mahmut. To lose the affection of a creature that's been with him for so long...

It must hurt.

He nods, though. The least he can do is care for the creature, and hope for both of them that this blows over soon.]

Get yourself checked out, okay?

[a_special_hat]

I will.

[They may be stuck here and the situation is awful but at least they could rely on each other.]

Thank you, Gladion.

Backdated to shortly after the werewolf event ended

[tendershepherd]

[It'd been a rough few weeks for all of them. Sorey especially had been having a rough time, the latest happenings with the werewolves being at the forefront of his mind.

After things seemed to die down though, and the wolves no longer appeared and those who'd been turned--or died--came back, he finally had a moment to breathe. It's with this thought that he finds himself outside of Gladion's house in Flavo. He knocks gently on the door.]

Hello?

[costaliris]

[Funnily enough it's not Gladion that answers the door, but Lucario. Gladion isn't far behind him, though, complaining at his partner for getting the door before him.]

I told you I was on my way--

[Oh.]

... hello.

[tendershepherd]

[He's not expecting Lucario, so he jumps a bit but smiles once he's recovered from the light shock.]

Hey there! [Even if Lucario can't speak, Sorey knows he's intelligent, so of course he talks to him like he is too.

When he looks behind him at the sound of Gladion's voice he waves.]

Hey.

[costaliris]

[Big tall bipedal fighting dog is worthy of that sort of reaction. There's even an amused chuff from the creature before he moves away, letting Gladion approach.

Which he does, but there's a clear expression of awkward uncertainty on his face. Is he supposed to say something?]

[tendershepherd]

[The awkwardness isn't lost on Sorey, so he offers a small smile in an attempt to comfort.]

I thought I'd come by to check up on you. After, you know, all that a few weeks ago. [He scratches his cheek as he says this.]

[costaliris]

[How do you people, Sorey.]

Oh, that. Uh.

[Continuing to be amused at Gladion's lack of any social ability what so ever, Lucario nudges the teen with an elbow, prompting him to move to the side slightly.]

You can... come in if you like.

[tendershepherd]

[He watches this display with a bit of amusement as well, his smile becoming brighter at the invite.]

Thanks!

[And he does so, stepping into the house. He looks around at the room.]

Do you live here by yourself?

[costaliris]

[It's not terribly well furnished. While most in Chroma have taken to getting at least some semblance of decoration and added items in the four or five months they've been there, it seems like Gladion hasn't even really bothered.

There is at least an old couch in the living room, faded but otherwise usable.

That and there is a comically large portrait of a family - Gladion's family, to be specific - leaning against the wall nearest the stairs heading to the second floor.]

No, I have a housemate. He's out right now, though. I don't have much to offer, but I can get you some water?

[It was pretty hot outside, being summer and all.]

And then I got distracted and then I FELL ASLEEP UGH I'M SORRY...

[tendershepherd]

[He can't judge on the lack of furnishing since his own room is in a similar state. The picture catches his interest, though, so he goes over to take a look at it.]

Oh, yeah sure! Thanks!

[Pause.]

Is this your family?

XD It's all good <3

[costaliris]

[Gladion didn't answer right away, having gone to the kitchen to get a cup and some water for Sorey.

He returned to hand it over, gaze on the portrait as well.]

Yes. My mother, Lusamine and my sister, Lillie.

[tendershepherd]

[He accepts the water and takes a sip.]

I see...

[He turns his attention back to Gladion.]

How've you been holding up?

[costaliris]

[Better that Sorey didn't linger on it. It was a sore subject, especially how the portrait came in to his possession. The week of having the voices of his family follow him around was hell...]

Alright, I suppose. My team has recovered well. It's been rather quiet lately...

[He doesn't expect that to last, though. Not with how this place was.]

[tendershepherd]

[It's not like he didn't have questions, but he figured it might be best to leave it for now. After all, he knows what it's like to be homesick.]

That's good to hear. I was worried since it sounded like you didn't have anymore of what they needed.

[He takes another sip of water. Gladion's still fairly new here, so Sorey doesn't want to accidentally push too much. But there's not really any delicate way to ask about someone's mental and emotional state, especially when they've only interacted once.

But this is Sorey, so of course he can't help but worry anyway.]

Are you worried about it?

[costaliris]

[Homesick is one way of looking at it...]

They're capable of recovering over time. Potions simply speed up the process.

[And a Pokemon center would have been instantaneous, but of course there isn't one in Chroma. It wasn't like he could bring one of the machines back with him, either.]

It doesn't take long to realize how often we're thrown in to new trials and struggles here.

[As for being worried about it?

He lets out a sigh, crossing his arms and shaking his head.]

It's disconcerting, yes, but I know to be prepared next time.

[tendershepherd]

Huh, I see... [That's a small blessing, he thinks. Even if it sounds a little inconvenient.]

Yeah. Sometimes we're given a break, but we never know what to expect next. It just sort of happens. It can take a toll after a while.

[People have disappeared and turned to stone randomly. He can't help but feel there's a connection somehow.]

[costaliris]

It's been... unpleasant recently, but I'm not broken yet.

[He has no idea if that's really the intent, but with certain situations lately it feels like it is.]

In any case, whatever reprieve we manage to get is a good one, however short it might be.