THIRD RIDE ✦ TEXT / ACTION [VIOLET CITY]

[diamondo]

[ TEXT ]

[A strange text post goes out to the network today. It appears to be a list of some kind.]

▶ get a motorcycle
▶ mod the fuck out of it
▶ fuck up ryder's shit
▶ find a fucking gym
▶ train
▶ train
▶ train
▶ fucking train
▶ get stronger (physically/emotionally/mentally??)
▶ find a sauna!!!!!
▶ actually get a date
▶ somehow
▶ god this is gonna fucking suck
▶ see every city in johto
▶ fuck that's a lofty goal isn't it
▶ see every major city in johto
▶ that's better
▶ get all the badges
▶ (it's a matter of fucking pride)
▶ round out pkmn roster (no more dark types!!!)
▶ um
▶ fuck
▶ i'm forgetting something aren't i
▶ shit

[Five minutes after that's accidentally posted to the network, a proper text follows.]

oh shit ignore that last post, that wasn't supposed to go public
...actually, tell me about the things you want to do here
i need more shit on my to do list
are there any awesome places to see or anything like that?

[ ACTION - VIOLET CITY ]

[It's not surprising that Mondo's out training on the outskirts of the city. What is surprising is that he isn't fighting his Pokémon today. He's ditched the usual coat today and if one looks closely, they can see a massive bruise over his shoulders and leading down toward his back. That might be from fighting his Pokémon. Maybe. But that's not what he's doing today - today he's got his Pokémon out, situated in teams of two facing off against each other.]

Alright, we're gonna practice double battling today. Ryder! Quit trying to punch Pierce, he's your partner!

[The Scrafty shoots him a dirty look, but she knocks it off. At least until Mondo's back is turned, then she socks the Lucario in the gut and knocks him over.]

Lex, Tory! If I see the two of you biting at each other again I swear I'm gonna stick you in the fucking PC and never let you see the light of day again! You got that?

[The Sharpedo and Deino pull faces once his back is turned, but at least they seem to be listening.]

Alright, on my mark... go!

[...This can only end well.]

Comments

[text]

[diamondo]

oh.

[......welp.]

then what the fuck are you trying to say????

[Now you've just lost him.]

[text]

[ardent]

That you get really angry over inconsequential things.

...would it be easier to talk about this in person?

[text]

[diamondo]

i do not!!

[Well now he's just really huffy. Good job.

That question gets him to pause for so long it almost seems like he's not going to answer it. Then, finally he fires off another text.]

yeah that would be good.

[He's a little worried about losing control like last time and possibly hurting Ishimaru, but surely that won't happen again? It freaked him out badly enough last time, so it... it can't happen again, right? He has more control that that, doesn't he?

Well, he's going to find out.]

[text]

[ardent]

Where are you? I'm not busy now; I can come to you.

[text]

[diamondo]

just south of violet; i was trying to teach my pokemon how to double battle
that went about as well as can be expected
ryder's a little shit
but anyway i'll wait for you here okay?

[text → action]

[ardent]

Maybe we could work on that together; it sounds like a good skill to have, anyway.

But all right. Give me fifteen minutes.

[And he'll certainly be there in fifteen - punctual as always, really.]

[action]

[diamondo]

[Mondo is seated against a tree when Ishimaru shows up, and he's quick to get up to greet his brother.]

Hey. Sorry for snapping at you. I guess you're right, I do tend to lose my temper pretty easily.

[To... understate it a bit...]

[ardent]

[...just a little, kyoudai.

Either way, Ishimaru doesn't seem...too worked up about it, though he's not exactly happy either; the usual severity is present in his expression, and he stops a short distance away from Mondo.]

It's fine! It's just something that needs to be worked on, that's all!

[diamondo]

Yeah, I guess you're right. I wouldn't even know where to start working on it though. I mean, I've always been like this. I doubt it'll be fucking easy to change.

[ardent]

It's the complete loss of control that I'm most concerned about. That blacking out that you mentioned.

[...for...many, many obvious reasons.]

[diamondo]

[Mondo freezes at that and for a brief moment his expression is bordering on panic. This is the last thing he wants to talk about and the last thing he knows how to address.]

Y-Yeah. I'd love to figure out how to control that, but I don't even know where to start, y'know?

[ardent]

[Ishimaru's eyes widen a bit at that; it's obvious that he's said something that he shouldn't have, though he can't place the why or the how and he just kind of twitches for a moment while he tries to collect himself.]

I...I understand - it's not going to be something easy to work through...

[oh god what now]

[diamondo]

Do you... do you even have any idea how to help with that?

[Oh whoops, it looks like he's upsetting Ishimaru with this, oh dear.]

[ardent]

[HE'S OKAY, HE'S OKAY, JUST...GIVE HIM A MOMENT...]

...honestly, I don't understand what causes it in the first place.

[diamondo]

[Mondo frowns, trying to figure out how to put it.]

I can't really say I'm sure either 'cause it just sorta... happens and I'm not really sure when it will happen. But I think it happens when I get really fucking upset - not necessarily angry, though that's usually what triggers it. I think it mostly happens when people say I'm not strong enough or imply shit like that, y'know?

[ardent]

Y...yes...I've noticed that's an issue, definitely.

[...]

What is it about that, exactly? I've never seen why that's something you take so personally.

[diamondo]

[Mondo hesitates for a moment, then moves to sit back down, motioning for Ishimaru to join him. He winces a little as he leans back against the tree, but it's obvious that he's deep in thought. There really isn't any harm in explaining this much; Ishimaru already knows more about him than anyone else and this isn't exactly much of a secret.]

I told you about my older brother, right? How he founded the gang and led it for awhile before he... Yeah. Well, he left the gang to me, only the other members didn't think I'd do a good enough job. They were always bitching about it and saying I wasn't good enough, or that I wasn't as strong as Daiya and I wouldn't be able to live up to his legacy or what-the-fuck-ever. But I did, I surpassed him!

[He always feels the need to say that, no matter what. Part of him feels sick saying it.]

I guess that's why it pisses me off so badly. I've had people talk down to me about this sorta shit before and it just... really rubs me the wrong way.

[ardent]

...right. I remember you talking to me about that before - and about how you're always going to be comparing yourself to him, as well?

[Ishimaru settles himself down on the grass next to Mondo, kneeling down and sitting back on his heels; he isn't looking away, studying Mondo while he thinks.]

I think...part of the reason it's hard for me to understand that sort of thing is because the legacy I have to surpass isn't a good one. I know what it's like to be scrutinized like that, but...

[He pauses for a moment, brow knitting a bit; he's not entirely sure how to articulate what he's thinking. His sense of empathy in general has never been great, either; he...thinks he knows what he's doing, but he can't be sure.

The most that can really be done is just plow right on ahead with it, right?]

...in my case, it was always about not repeating the same mistakes, not falling into the same trappings, and not driving myself to ruin. Not allowing history to repeat itself, I guess. So having to live up to someone else who left behind a legacy of greatness instead of defeat...it's not something I'm familiar with, it's not something I can understand very easily.

That's why I ask you about it so much; it...might take a while for me to understand. That's all.

[...was that...acceptable, he has no idea how acceptable that was.]

[diamondo]

[Mondo remembers Ishimaru talking about his grandfather while they were in the sauna; it was a very difficult thing for him to wrap his head around (living with scrutiny rather than living up to someone else), but he thinks he has some idea of where Ishimaru's coming from. He nods slightly at that. It seems to have calmed him a bit, at least.]

I don't mind if you ask me about it. There are some things I won't wanna talk about, but for the most part I'm okay with it. You're my brother, after all.

[Clearly this explains why he's okay being so patient.]

It's... been really difficult, if I'm perfectly honest. Sometimes I'm not really sure I'm doing a good job living up to him. But I got into Hope's Peak while he didn't, so...!

[That has been the one thing he's latched onto in terms of being better than Daiya. It's helped so far, at least.]

[ardent]

...I think there's a point where our own will has to take priority over anyone else's expectations, though.

[His words are a bit slower than they usually are; at the very least, he seems to be trying to think before he speaks, which is likely vast improvement over the usual, if a bit stilted-sounding conversationally.]

I'm not saying that wanting to surpass or exceed the expectations and achievements of others isn't a valid goal - that's my own ambition, after all, and I can see where it would likewise be yours. But I don't think that should be our only motivation...especially here, when we have nothing to compare it to but our own memories of the person we're trying to live up to.

Doing these things for someone else is also good - I know that I'm doing this for my family, just as you are for the other members of your gang - but after a while, you have to begin working for yourself, as well. Not for the deceased, and not for those you're obligated to, but just to satisfy your own spirit and your own will to succeed. Does that make sense?

[diamondo]

[Mondo is silent while he considers that. Ishimaru does have a point, especially about this place. There's no telling what Daiya would have done with Pokémon or this world in general. He has been living for himself here, but he hadn't even realized it. Mondo shifts a bit, glancing upwards as he tries to form a response.]

...I think you're right, 'specially about this place. I can't just live life the way Daiya would've wanted me to, 'cause I dunno how he would've reacted to this place. I've been doing things on my own, I just hadn't really... realized it, I guess? Or rather, realized that I wasn't doing things for anyone else here.

[Well, sort of. He's still trying to bring his classmates here, but that's a decision he made.]

I really appreciate hearing that, kyoudai. Fuck, I hadn't thought about it like that.

[ardent]

[...well, that seems to please him immensely - both because Ishimaru is kind of the definition of #helping in general, and because he actually managed to navigate what he's assuming was a fairly complex social situation without the whole thing crashing and burning horribly. Go team dangan.]

I'm glad to hear that I could help you, kyoudai - I want to do whatever I can for you!

[diamondo]

'Course you have! You help me out a lot, kyoudai! And just so you know, I'll always do whatever I can for you too! So if you ever need anything, you can come to me!

[Though really, he doubts he could ever help Ishimaru as much as Ishimaru's been helping him here.]

[ardent]

You've already done a lot, believe me!

[He laughs, though, nudging Mondo a bit as he does so.]

I couldn't ask for a better brother than you, you know!

[diamondo]

You don't know how much that means to me.

[It really does mean a lot to him. He reaches out to lightly shove Ishimaru.]

Yeah, well I'll always be your brother and I'll always look out for you! Someone's gotta!