Post by happify on Jun 24, 2009 1:38:01 GMT -5
[/color] The kid crossed his arms. Just who did the guy think he was? Wait... Wasn't that the guy who had told him to stand at the very spot where he was? ...Yeah. It was...
[Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. The sounds of shoes hitting the floor, which was absolutely devoid of scratches and dirt, was beating into your ears. The rhythm has quickly become a constant beat in your mind, almost resembling the beat of a techno song. Such a long way you had been walking... Where exactly where you being lead? And who was leading you? ...Ah. Just some weirdo in a suit. ...Who the hell is he? And... What was up with his hair? Certainly... A speck odd, but not totally out of the question. Even more so when compared to certain people from the region... You shake your head. Ah, but it doesn't matter. You are finally led to a room. A clean room, it is. The very walls seem to shine with the sort of brilliance that only absolute cleanliness can bring about. Oddly enough, compared to the rest of the brilliant castle, this room appeared to be rather... under-decorated. ...You notice that the room is totally quiet all of a sudden. The man that had been leading you about seems to appear at your side. "If you'll excuse me for a moment or two." he says with a nod before leaving you alone.]
[You take a seat at a rather small table in the room. As your thoughts had informed you before, the room had hardly any furniture. You glance about the room. ...The walls were a pure, almost snowy, white. They did not shine, but at the same time, they did not appear shabby. A feeling comes to you that such a thing might be... bad, in a place like this. It was a castle after all. One's self would think that the ruler of said building would want to keep it in top condition, in both looks and function. But... The building, as it turns out, was not a castle in the sense that it was traditional. Along the way to your current destination, you had seen a good number of battles going on. You pause for a few seconds to ponder why before you remember that this place is called the Battle Castle. ...But really. Who would want to battle in a castle?]
[While it had indeed only been a few minutes, you begin to grow impatient. You had been assigned to come to this place to do an interview, but no one had informed you who you would be interviewing. That... was very frustrating. What was the point of being here if you couldn't do what you came to do? And why was it that no one would tell you who you would be spending a good chunk of 'quality time' with. Were they trying to keep a secret from you or something? Why? Surely this person wasn't so important that no others would be allowed to remain nearby... Or were you to interview the head of the castle? Ah, what fun! This would surely help your career along. Interviewing such an important person... And someone who was more likely than not the Frontier Brain of this particular building, no less. By association, you should become slightly famous too, right? Humming some little tune to yourself, you put your feet against the table and lean back a bit in your chair, letting your thoughts swarm and thrash about in your imagination. Creeeak. Creeeak. The chair protested to your weight as you kept rhythm, taking a deep breath.]
Crack.
[The poor chair that you had been sitting in was no longer whole. In a matter of seconds, you were thrown onto your rear by the now broken article of furniture. Oh no. Wh-what were you going to do? You... You had just broken something! In public! And in a place like this! This was bad... What were you going to do? Staring at the mess that you had just created, a bit of fear spiking your mind that something unpleasant, you did not notice the tapping sound that had belonged to the feet of the man who had led you to this very room. "Broken something, have you?" asked a rather soft voice, growing slightly louder with each word. The man appears to advance upon you quickly... but he narrowly passes you by. He seems to be in a hurry as he gathers the bits of chair legs into his arms and then deposits them in a nearby rubbish bin. After doing this, he nods toward the table and gestures with his hands while bending in a steep, but short, bow. Not entirely sure why, you take yet another seat at the little table. Thank goodness. It had, originally anyway, had four chairs. Not a single scraping sound escapes from the furniture as the... 'quick' male pulls a chair away from the table to join you. He puts his gloved hands together. First by the fingertips, then by the palms. "...So." he begins. "I apologize for my absence, but there was a previously agreed upon arrangement. But this does not matter. What does is that I am here now. I have been told that I am to answer some questions of yours?"
[Slow. This is the only thought that can come to your mind as he talks. ...What just happened? Some freak saunters in, cleans it up, and says tha... Wait. Was this really the person that you were supposed to talk to? A lowly butler? Sure, a person such as he would be a common sight in a place like this... But why? Why him? You were supposed to be talking to someone important! Your thoughts are interrupted by a chuckle. "Excuse me. I believe that we are supposed to be talking...? If not, you'll have to excuse me. I have duties to attend to." Waiting for only a moment more, you cough, ignore that nagging feeling in the back of your mind, and nod. Well, he might not be some famous celebrity, and this was rather disappointing... But it would do. With an irritated sigh, you gather your clipboard and pen, ready to begin. He gives a closed-mouth smile and tilts his head slightly. "If you could start now, that would be delightful. But I do not mean to pressure you. Begin when you wish. But please wish to begin quickly."
My Parents call me...
[You see his eyebrows rise a bit in response to your question.] "Getting right down to the point? Lovely. Well, I suppose that you would need to know my name. Identification purposes and whatnot. It is Kokuran. Not cocoa or coo-coo or what have you, dear interviewer, but Kokuran. Though I am called by 'Darach' more often than not. Please. For the remainder or this little 'talk', if you must address me by a name, use that one." [He pauses, catching himself in the beginning of his rambling.] "But yes." [He gives a small nod.] "My parents... To be perfectly honest, I do not remember them all-too-well. But I definitely know that they bestowed upon me this name. Why don't I remember them? I am terribly sorry, but that is a personal matter and shall be discussed at a later time, if at all."
My Friends call me...
[His face, which before had only a faint look of boredom, soon carried a look of... nothing. He makes one hand curl into a fist, raises that arm to his chest, and closes his eyes. "I do not really have friends. Of course, I have coworkers... And the Lady that I watch over... But not really friends. Believe it or not, just being close to people for an extended period of time does not generate or force feelings of affection, protectiveness, or... the need... to protect companions." [The blank look disappearing from his face, he appears to be choosing his words carefully.] "No, this just makes it so that you learn to recognize these people easier. There is no need for such attaching, confining feelings, so I do not foster them." [He opens his eyes and removes his fist from his chest.] "But getting back to the point... I suppose that they call me 'Darach' too. They probably call me other things, but at least it has been behind my back. If I do not hear it from someone of higher power, then it does not concern me."
I'm not an it! I'm a...
[He tilts his head slightly to the left.] "Really? Ohoho... Are you actually serious?" [He covers his mouth for a moment with one gloves hand, seeming to hide a chuckle as his body shakes just a bit. He takes the hand away.] "Oh, goodness. In all seriousness. I am a man. I am of the male gender. I have male genitalia." [He straightens his neck and blinks at you.] "I would certainly love to think that you believe me, but if you don't... Then I am sorry, but you will just have to go on thinking what you do, then. To fully remove my pants, or even my shirt in this place of work, is unacceptable. Thus, I cannot do it."
I am a...
"Do you mean 'my job'?" [He blinks slowly and removes his glasses, holding them, folded, in one hand.] "I... I am a butler. I am the butler, or 'servant' if you will, of Lady Caitlin... The true rules of this fabulous building." [As he says this, he gestures first around the room and then to the door with his free hand.] "But, that is not the only thing that I do. I suppose that I could also be counted as a trainer. After all, I am the one who battles any challenger that proves themselves strong and worthy enough." [He nods.] "Yes... But I try to not lose. It is, selfish as it might seem to a common sort of person such as yourself, I absolutely do not like to lose. It... It displeases Miss Caitlin... And because it is so, my losing displeases myself in turn."
[One of his eyebrows twitches once before he huffs a gust of hot air on his glasses and, with the hand that was used to gesture, pulls out a small cleaning cloth from a pocket. As he is cleaning his glasses, he sighs, apparently trying to remain calm.] "My job... How would I describe it?" [He tilts his head back as he talks, trying to recall a memory and find his words.] "My job is the greatest joy in my life. I do not find anything to be anywhere near as enjoyable as I find it. The excitement from the battles, the sense of... accomplishment when I have made the Lady happy... Yes. I enjoy my job." [Darach places his glasses back onto his face, taking a second to adjust them.] "Too much? Well, I wouldn't call it 'unhealthy, but a yet another matter of opinion."
I don't need wrinkle cream! I'm...
[The man clears his throat and takes a deep breath, acting slightly dramatic, as if this information would be of grave importance. Pausing, he leans closer to you.] "...I am twenty six. There is nothing else to it. You have to be a certain age to get a job such as mine, and I have... surpassed it. Honestly, there is nothing at all to find out, if that is indeed what you are trying to do." [Darach draws back, moving away again.] "If you wish to be a... rude little wretch and bring up the whole issue of the 'suspicious older man taking care of a young lady', then you shall be corrected and disp-... Directed to another place right on the spot. If not by me myself, then by my Pokemon. And believe you me, silly one, you would much rather it be me."
[He appears to be satisfied with himself, a slight smirk appearing on his face.] "Yes, there is also the option of asking the other person in question, but I shall not allow you to disturb Miss Caitlin. It is not your right, and it would be an invasion of privacy. I would not allow you to even try it." [He turns his head to the side and glances at you out of the corner of his eye.] "Haha~ You wanted 'honest', I'm betting. So that is what you are getting."
Do you think I need a diet?
"A diet?" [His eyes widen a bit as his glasses slip down his nose. A flash of suspicion flashes across his face before he pushes his glasses up once more.] "No. Nonononono. I do not need a diet. I apologize if it seems like I am disrespecting you or something, but I certainly do not need a diet. I am not overweight. I am not concerned with my weight. Seeing as how it would be difficult to keep up and complete the tasks that come with my line of work if I were heavyset, I cannot allow that to happen. If I had to describe myself... I would certainly call myself thin. Well... As you people might say, just look at me." [He stands up from the small table, pushes his chair back gently, and reaches into a pocket. He carefully removes what appears to be a pocket-watch of some sort from the pocket and places it on the table, as if for safe keeping. He then shrugs off his 'jacket' and folds it so that it lays correctly on one of his arms. With his free hand, he dusts the white shirt that remained on his person off, frowning as he does so. He holds the arm with the jacket on it out, almost like a curtain rod, and nods in your direction, the faintest hint of frustration remaining on his face.]
[He... is clearly uncomfortable with what he has just done. Yet... he does not verbally complain. He twists from side to side, checking to see if anyone is headed in the general direction. when he confirms to himself that no one is coming, he visibly seems to relax a bit. With his unoccupied hand, he scratches at the side of his face while he thinks about what he shall say.] "Well... Here I am. As you can see, this is my... Well, it is more commonly called a 'vest', but the proper name is 'waistcoat'. It's fine that you probably didn't know this, seeing as how I didn't really expect you to."
[He lightly tugs on the bow around his neck.] "A bow, quite obviously. It doesn't serve much of a function, but it does make me appear better... More... How would you say it... 'Pleasing to the eye'. Yes. I believe that is the term." [Darach lowers his hand and glances at you over the top of his glasses, almost asking if he can continue. When you give no action saying that he can or can't do whichever, he decided to go on.]
[He raises one hand into the air and wiggles his fingers.]"This is... one of my gloves. ...They don't serve much of a purpose either, I'm afraid. They simply cover my hands, keep things such as dirt off of them, and they add to the general appearance. You do not believe me?" [As he asks, he gives you a 'thin' scolding look. He uses his mouth and pulls off the glove, revealing one pale hand.] "See? Not quite as pretty as with the piece of clothing." [He manages to get his hand back into the glove.]
[He runs the 'newly' gloved hand through his hair once. You notice that his hair actually separates where the fingers go. You expected a gel of some kind to have been used in... that hairstyle.] "My hair... Oho... It... Yes. My hairstyle... Certainly interesting, eh?" [He appears slightly insecure when talking about this particular subject.] "What do you people call it? A 'do'? short for 'hairdo', yes?" [He winces as he says 'do', like 'common' words like that actually cause him physical pain.] "Of course you do. Well... Here is mine, I suppose." [He bows lowly, allowing you to see the area of 'caramel coloured' hair that takes up a good sized section. It looks to contrast nicely with the jet black of the rest of the hair.]
[Darach straightens up and grabs the jacket that had been lying on his arm with the not-long-free hand and holds the jacket out for you to see. He turns it around, showing you the back, front, sleeves, inside, and the seams. When he finishes, he pulls the jacket around and quickly slips back into it, instantly appearing a lot more comfortable.] "My jacket." [He only speaks two words about something that seems to bring him such happiness, joy, relief, or whatever else pleases you.]
"Now. I would like to hurry up and finish this bit of the questionnaire. I have other things to do and this... This is taking up a lot of time." [He pauses.] "...Oh nononono! It's not your fault! It's not you. Really. I just need to finish up and move along. I have people to battle and other duties to attend to." [When you nod in response, he gestures to his feet.] "Just simple dress shoes. They go with my suit. As long as they continue to match, then they shall stay as part of my suit. ...And my pants. ...A nice and calm shade of... a colour." [He frowns.] "I apologize but I am not sure on the exact shade. If you really wish to know exact colours, you would be best off contacting the company that made the suit."
[Not saying a word about it, he picks up the watch that remained on the table and slipped it back into his pocket silently. Noticing the odd look you give him, he dismisses it with a turn of the head.] "There is... nothing sp-I mean... Nothing vital that you must know about the item. It is simply a watch. Nothing more, nothing less. The same goes for my glasses. I have them for the same reason that any other person with prescription glasses has them. To help me see better."
[Darach then claps his hands together once, like a mother would to to get her child's attention.] "Getting back to the main point of the diet. I really do not think that I need one. As I have stated and explained before, I do not have a dire need for one. Yes, eating 'healthy' food does help. But no, I am not on a diet. However, if I am told that I must start myself on one, then I shall begin as soon as I am able." [He looks down, taking in his appearance, his eyes lingering at his feet for a moment before he looks forward toward you once more.] "After all. You pretty much saw my basic person. Do you think I need one?"
My emotional disposition?
"'Emotional disposition'? Ooooh. Now look at who is getting sophisticated." [He laughs a bit.] "Hm... I don't suppose that I can dance around this question... Well. Let's get to it, then. Shall we?" [He sits down and crosses his legs, ignoring the 'look' that you give him as he does so.] "My personality... Uhm... To be honest, I am not entirely sure if I can exactly describe my personality. I would guess that it is a rather submissive one. Humans naturally feel the need to defend themselves and, by connection, most will fight back and defend themselves by any means necessary. I have been 'groomed' to behave otherwise. To be stubborn and such in a situation where being so wasn't absolutely necessary is cause enough to be punished. 'How?' you might ask..." [Darach closes his eyes and sighs once before opening them and looking away.] "How is entirely up to the employer. I have to say, I got extremely lucky when I was informed that I would be working for Lady Caitlin. Not exactly sure why I was chosen, to be honest. I'm sure that there are better people out there... But whatever makes the employer happy. It is their choice."
[He scratches at his head and lets out a frustrated huff.] "Don't take me for a wimp, though. You'll truly regret it if you do. I am most certainly not the sort of person to just lie down and accept anything that happens to come my way. If someone wished to act too rudely toward me or anyone that I actually care for, then they get to meet the unforgiving attacks of my Pokemon... Or worse... I have my ways." [He smirks.] "In all seriousness, though. I like to think that I am a good person. A protective one. Those feelings have become instinct by now. If I feel that those that I watch over, be they person or Pokemon, are in trouble, I will defend them by any means necessary. Have you got that written down?" [You nod.] "Excellent. Moving along now~!"
Things that are Groovy:
"Groovy?" [He puts a hand to his forehead.] "Really? Did I give you the impression that I enjoy words like that?" [He frowns once again.] "I would think that a person of profession would recognize the distress and dislike of those that you are talking to." [Lowering his hand, he sets at you with a rather thick glare. As she 'anger shadow' dissipates from his face, he takes a few moments to mutter to himself. '...Odd. So he gets worked up easily over such silly things. That's a shame...' you think. When he has calmed down again, you seize the second to ask again, though this time, you phrase the question differently.] "Aaaah. Likes and dislikes." [Darach smirks.] "...Well. I apologize for my unacceptable behavior. It was unneeded. I can only hope that you do not inform the others that I behaved in such a way. It would make my look utterly horrid." [He appears to be embarrassed, a very faint blush appearing. Turning his head away so that you do not see it, he begins to list off the things that he enjoys.]
Lady Caitlin
First and foremost. This is the name of my employer. She is my first priority and the one that I constantly watch over. I mush defend her to the best of my ability and must try my hardest to make sure that she is indeed happy.
My job
Going hand in hand with the first thing. Even if I did not work for such a delightful young lady, I would be happy. And though it might not be such a simple delight, I have been put on this planet for one purpose only. To serve and make those around me happy.
My watch
It might seem like a silly thing to become attached to... But I do not regret it one bit. It is a rather stylish accessory... And it had it's uses.
"Of course, there are more things that I could discuss, but we really must be moving along now... Otherwise, we will be wasting both your time and mine."
Things that aren't so Groovy: -same here-
[He relaxes a bit.]"Things that... I don't like. ..." [He looks down as if he were trying to go to sleep in his chair. When he does not respond to you asking him softly, you lean across the table and move to prod his arm with the end of your writing utensil. After a few pokes, his eyes snap open and he snatches the item from your hand.] "I would ask you to refrain from going through with such actions. You can't give a person time to think? So hasty... Goodness. Just so we can move on from the silly questioning, I suppose that I will go ahead and talk." [He briefly runs a hand through his hair once before sliding the writing utensil back across the table and preparing to speak again.]
When Lady Caitlin become too fussy...
The Lady is my employer, and because of this she is able to tell me to do pretty much anything that she wishes to do... But there are times that she becomes a bit too... Dare I say it? Intolerable. I do not mind the taking care of her and attending to her every wish, but I just hope that she soon learn that not everyone will bend to her will as I do. It is not so much for me, but for her.
Small Children
They are fine as long as they are with a parent. But not on their own. I've had too many children stroll into the Castle, demanding battles, and brandishing their parent's stolen or borrowed Pokemon. It's unruly and senseless.
The others that work alongside me
Annoying. That's what they are. Some of them don't complain, but those that whine... Eh. I could certainly do without it.
People who ask too many questions
It's simple as that. People like that makes me feel uneasy...
[He tilts his head toward you.] "You understand, right?"
But..I'm afraid! (fears)
"Ahh... Fears. Lovely. I would ask why you wish to know these things, but I don't suppose that you would tell me, would you? No? As I justly thought." "I had hoped that there would not be a question of this nature..." [He removes his glasses and puts his fingers on his forehead, moving them in what could be taking as a massaging motion. You are concerned. A few parts of the 'interview' questions had made him uncomfortable, but this really seemed to just figuratively smack him in the face.] "Uhm... Oho. I... I am sorry. Things don't... usually manage to get me so worked up." [Darach replaces his glasses and avoids looking directly into your eye, chuckling nervously.] "But... I'll finish this thing. No sense in letting this spent time go to waste and no sense in being rude." [He waves his hand in a dismissive manner.] "Alright."
"One thing that I fear, as you might have guessed, is the fear that I might massively fumble my duties and I might get myself fired. No, I am not sure exactly about what I would do to screw up, but I still worry about it." [He reaches into the pocket that contains the watch and removes it, letting it rest on his flat palm. He stares at is as he talks.] "I mean... What would I do if I lost my job? Where would I go? ...Exactly. I. Have. No. Idea. If you do not mind, then I will leave that right there. As it is. No more."
[He heaves a sigh and then clears his throat.] "Hm... Something else... I would say that I fear the possibility of some fool prancing into the Castle to battle, only to release some powerful beast that will destroy everything. ...Or try to anyway. I fear that I would not be able to stop it. People could get severely injured and it would be all my fault. Not that I would ever want to, but I could not place the blame on anyone else but myself in that situation."
[Darach then turns the watch in his palm over and over, letting the lights in the room make parts of it shine.] "One last thing. I fear... I fear that Miss Caitlin will simply not want me around anymore." [He opens the watch with a flick of his thumb and watches as it clicks and the slender second hand spins.] "Yes, she is young now. And maybe, she might keep watch over the Battle Castle. Who knows? Maybe she'll wish to battle for herself someday..." [He shakes his head.] "But that is not the point. What I mean is that she will have no use for me. She's a young lady now, but before we all know it, she will be an adult. She will be grown up. And she won't need my help anymore. And of course, I only wish to make her happy. So if she, for whatever reason decides that she doesn't need me anymore, I will leave her alone. But... I will regret it." [He hangs his head for just a second before inhaling and rising back up.] "There is quite a while before the possibility of any of that, though. So I don't have to worry about it at the present."
I like to...
"I do not really have hobbies." [He speaks in a plain, monotone sort of voice.] "Rather, I do not have time for hobbies. As much as I enjoy what I do, my working gets in the way of such frivolous ideas. However, I would say that I do enjoy training the Pokemon that I battle with and tending to the various things that need tending to. Other than these... I do not believe that I have any. I am sorry if you wished to have more... But there simply isn't anything to know." [You stare. That can't be it, right? Really... That was hardly anything. You decide to press on a bit more. See if you can get anything more out of him...]
"..." [He just gives you a blank stare in response. No... Nothing. It doesn't seem like you will be getting anything else out of him. Perhaps there is a reason why he is being 'secretive'. ...If there is, it doesn't appear that he is going to share today.]
My reason?
"Why do I do what I do..." [He says the words in a tone that suggests a statement rather than a question.] "My general attitude and your questions have not answered this for you? I wonder why." [He puts his fingertips together once more, then lowers a hand and begins to drum his fingers on the table. At this point, he almost seems... bored. But it isn't your fault, no. It's his... After all, he is the one who has been giving boring answers. His gaze swings about from you to the nearest wall... and then back to you.] "My reason. I believe that I have already explained this. But, since you seem to not remember... I will explain it again. Alright..."
"My reason for being in my current line of work is that I was hired. I wished to serve. And I was hired by the family of Lady Caitlin to serve her. Whether she chose me or not, I do not know. And if she did or didn't doesn't matter. I am here now. I need to be. Not that you personally would know, seeing as how I believe that this is your first time here, but... The Lady's parents are not around often. And such a young lady cannot and should not be left alone. There are some absolutely horrid people in this world..." [Darach sneers for a moment, falling silent. He seems to be gritting his teeth. You are not completely sure if it would be a good idea to continue. But, as you prepare to move onto the next question, he begins to speak again.] "I don't like to think back on the past much. Doing so stirs up feelings and ideas that are best left in the past. Understand?" [When you do not immediately respond with a 'yes', he continues, attempting to explain, this time with a strange tone of voice. Is it higher? Softer maybe? You aren't completely sure. You cannot place a finger on it.]
"I used to think rather differently than I do now. About lifestyles and such, I mean. My ideas were completely different." [He glances at the high ceiling.] "Yes. I did not always think that I was put on Earth to serve those that wished for it." [He waggles a finger in the air.] "Nononono. Of course, this was when I was a bit younger. But you don't want to hear about that." [He smirks, acting as though he has gotten away with something.] "Now, what is next?"
Mandatory Angst:
[He lets out a flat chuckle.] "History. My history. Past... Of course. I should have expected a question like this. I really should have." [He appears to be bored again.] "Do you honestly need this information? I do not have anything incriminating or what have you in my past. ...Oh dear. Is this reverse psychology?" [After he leans slightly away from you, you try and tell him that it is not. That no one is trying to gain any information of that sort right now. Relaxing, but not getting any closer, he sneers.] "Of course it's not. This is what they all say before someone gets arrested." [His tone had once again switched to that resembling an Arbok in his venomous hissing. If you had thought that he was displeased with the previous questions... Then this was... Yikes. Something about a calm person like this just conversing with you in such a way was hair raising. However, he shows no truly violent signs, so you, also wanting for this to end soon, decide to press on. He laces his fingers together and, in a quick little downward motion, he pops the digits, watching with mild amusement as you flinch.] "Still wanting to continue? Very well. Though I warn you. It shall be very boring, seeing as how I am not a drama queen. ...Drama king, rather. ...Anyway. I shall start with my childhood."
"I'm afraid that I was deemed boring and just plain uninteresting at a very young age. Yes, as any other child around me, I did posses my own little quirks, but other than that, I was marginally less than normal. ...In the 'exciting' sense of things, of course." [He tosses the shining watch upward as his words fade into the air. You tap your clipboard that holds all of the papers with your writing utensil. He ignores you. You keep up the activity, but tap the board harder. One of his eyes twitches. Before you begin to get even louder though, he coughs.] "That's quite enough." [His tone intimidates you and makes you quit right away. You then feel the need to apologize to him, but instead, you explain to him that it might be a good idea to tell about a memory or two from each part of his life. You receive a confused look in response, his glasses slipping down his nose. Not bothering to push them back up right away, he finally shakes his head.] "I'm afraid that I do not have the time for that. However, I will explain a scene or two. And that is followed by a 'maybe'. Something might come up in the might come up within the middle of me telling a story and I will not have finished. You would not have a full story then." [He places his hands on the table.] "You wouldn't want that, now would you?"
_______
[The surroundings were so... colourful. They were so bright. The walls... Pictures of small and cute Pokemon plastered here and there... Urk. It was enough to bring any normal person to the verge of sickness. Any older person, rather. The young tended to not be bothered much by these sorts of things. In fact, they seemed to adore it. And he did too. A little boy, presumably at the age of eight or nine, sat at one of those child tables with several other kids. He looked bored, but with a forced smile upon his face. A pretty convincing one for such a child. These children... They were slow. Not necessarily stupid... But slow. They could not work fast enough. At this rate, nothing would be done. "Guuuuuys." a small voice whined. "C'moooon now. Puzzles aren't thaaaat hard." ...Yes. They were working on a puzzle. In frustration, the young boy who had just spoken forced his head down at his spot of the table. This was a puzzle of a 'Igglybuff'. An IGGLYBUFF. How complex could it be? That's right. Hardly any, if at all. But not seconds later, he raised his head up once more. They had ignored him! ...Plus, the nose pieces of his glasses felt as though they were cutting into his skin. But... He did not speak up and verbally express his complaints beyond his whiny words that had been uttered before. No, he wasn't ashamed. No child his age would have been. But it remained... He had been taught not to. He quickly gathered all thirty some-odd pieces of the activity and began to place them together. In a matter of no time at all, he had finished. "There... Was that so hard?" He received no answer. But then again, he had not really expected one.
His parents weren't bad ones. They never abused him or anything bad like that. In fact, he was slightly less troublesome than most children. The only complaints that teachers ever made that he often seemed 'help' too much. He would often take all of the pieces from a project or any piece or schoolwork and complete most of it, if not all, by himself. Unfortunately, he was not able to see why this frustrated others. The other children, for the most part, acted relieved that they did not have to do anymore work. But of course, there was the fussy kid. He leaned over and got into the 'puzzle-solver's face. Remaining there for only a second longer, the 'invading' young man flicked the nose of the one with the glasses. Unfortunately, the rude child had bad depth perception and wound up flicking his nails against the frame of the eye-ware. Though his personal space had been invaded, the other child only adjusted his glasses and moved on, looking for other work to complete. This sort of behavior from the others was normal. The specks of bullying... It was commonplace. But he didn't bother to fight back or correct them when they said things. It might have come across as offensive. And he couldn't do that. It just wasn't in him to be and act how what he viewed as mean.
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[The adult snapped his fingers to bring your attention back to the present.] "Did I not tell you that such a thing would be boring?" [He smirks, apparently pleased with himself. ...What sort of person would be pleased with being boring? Wasn't being boring an unpleasant thing? This... This was certainly a complicated individual.] "Despite what I wish, there is more to tell. Not much though. Because the rest of my childhood consisted of that sort of activity, the rude individuals that is, so I will skip to later. A more important time in my life. Is that alright with you?" [When you replied that it would be, he waves a hand in the air.] "Joy."
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[No bothersome children roamed... Lovely. Just lovely. The fairly young person, not quite a young boy but not an elder, bowed deeply to a couple entering the doors. 'What was the building?' one might ask. Well, to put it simply, it was where men, young or not, were trained to be fit to serve. Not so much physical training, no. But they were trained to act most politely, to serve anyone that asked such of them, to do whatever said people asked, and to do it without an attitude. In short, they were being trained to repress any rebellious instincts. Why did they do it? To make those near them happy. Why did they wish to do that? No one other than the individuals themselves really knew. Some were there because they wanted to be. Some were there because they were forced to be. The man who had greet the most recent beings to enter the place was there for more of the second reason than the first. He did not figure that he really had anywhere else to go with life, but when the subject was brought up that he might be interested in something like that, his parents would not let it die. Thus, as a sort of two and one half to one half vote, it was decided that that indeed was what he would do. He really didn't mind the work at all. Not a bit. It was fulfilling, it kept him busy, and he didn't have to work directly alongside many people.
He greeted the people at the door with a smile as he straightened back up. He pulled at the bow around his neck when they passed. It was somewhat tight... But he didn't dare fix it. That would require pulling and fumbling around. Both activities would make him look sloppy, and when people that might be potential employers were nearby, such activities were unacceptable. Yes, he enjoyed his time at the place of his teachings, but the ultimate goal was to be hired. To get out of this place. And though it didn't show, it was rather competitive. Everyone acted their very best, hoped for the best, but expected the worst. People only hired one person at a time and people didn't really come in often. Most figured that they could do things on their own and this was fine. Yes, more people needed to be doing things on their own, but some people either needed help or just wanted it. Perhaps they needed their children taken care of. Maybe they just needed their house cleaned. Who knew? There were so many people in the world and so many different reasons.
Not five minutes after his greeting, he was called up to the 'director's office'. Wondering if he was in trouble, he made his way to the place to which he had been summoned. He knocked on the door, pulling at one of his gloves, nervous. He was fairly surprised to find the people that he had met only moments ago sitting in chairs right in front of him when he opened the door. "H-hello." he greeted, stuttering as he tried to understand what was going on. Of course, at one of the moments where he needed to pay close attention, his thoughts distracted him. 'What's happening to me?' he thought to himself. 'Am I in trouble? Did I interrupt these people? Hm... Oh dear...' But his thoughts were interrupted with a single bark of his name.
"DARACH." growled a familiar voice. Who was that? Oh yeah... It was the director. The man, who apparently was called 'Darach' fidgeted in his seat as he snapped his gaze from whatever he had been looking at to the director's face. "Yes? Sorry. Sorry." "Pay more attention from now on. Now... Guess what?" "Of course. ...Yes sir?" "These lovely people have decided that they wish to hire you." "..." The more 'powerful' man received no response. None at all. There was no change in expression from either person. The man and woman, the couple, just looked at each other, exchanging confused looks. Then, all of a sudden, a quiet "Of course." was uttered, followed by a "Thank you. Thank you so much. I shall work to make you two never regret your decision." to the pair. "Yes." the woman replied. "But you will not be serving us. Not directly, anyway." "I won't be? ...Then might I be so bold as to inquire who I will be working closer to?" "...My daughter. Is there a problem with this?" Ignoring the nagging feeling in the back of his mind, he replied with an "Of course not, ma'am. I'm sure that serving the child of such a lovely woman such as yourself will be nothing but a delight."
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[He sighs and snaps his fingers.] "Still not interesting, eh? Well, don't you worry. You don't have to put up with much more." [He twirls his hand in the air in a spinning motion, his voice coated with a thin layer of sarcasm. "Whoo~"
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['"You look funny."' That was the first thing that the little girl said to him. What a lovely start. She was a stubborn kid. She often went out of her way to avoid his help. How delightful. She was irritating, he wasn't going to lie, but he didn't dare say it. He might end up hurting the small child's feelings. Yet another thing that he couldn't do. But oho. She explained why. ...She had attempted to, anyway. It had been something about 'she didn't need him. she had her mommy and daddy'. But they were often not at home for long periods of time. He had to wonder why she thought this way. Of course, almost every kid misses their parents when they leave, but why couldn't she understand that they would not always be there? And why was it that he himself had been chosen to be her servant?
Of course, over time, the little girl grew into a pretty young lady. And he grew older. Thankfully, in his case, age came with patience. Most, if not all, of the negative thoughts that he has possessed before had completely disappeared. It had been years. She had finally gotten used to him. In fact, she would sometimes watch him battle. And he enjoyed this. He did not absolutely know if she enjoyed the battling itself, the defeating of the trainer, both, or neither. Perhaps she was just waiting for the times that he lost. Despite all that he and the Pokemon tried, he would indeed sometimes lose. And she always seemed disappointed. That hurt. It really did. The look on her face when her 'side' lost the battle... Ugh. It was simply painful. If she was acting, then she was a good actor. He wondered why she wished to sit so high up. Of course, he approved of it. She was out of harm's way, but she could still watch the Pokemon prance about, launching attacks at each other.
The time that he spent with her had him form eventual 'protective' feelings for her. Not romantic, you fools. Protective. Like that of a Pokemon and their trainer. Yes, that was a good way to describe it. He was almost but a tool, for her to use for her own gain and amusement. She did not often use him as such, though. Maybe she cared for him too. He certainly hoped so. But then again, she could be acting. But he did almost everything with a smile and without complaint. Any 'Darach, do this!' or 'Darach, do that!' was always followed with a 'Yes ma'am' or a 'Right away, my lady.' It was his duty after all. And he did not mind it one bit. The job had proved to be what looked like a permanent one. Of course, to him now, that was just a bonus.
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[Darach looks to the ceiling once more.] "Well." [He pauses.] "I would say that is about it. I apologize if I have bored you, but you wanted my past, and that is it. As I told you before, it would be boring. I will be honest. I found it boring. If you did not, then all the better for you." [He gives a tired-looking smile.] "Yes, it was rather repetitive. But what else did you honestly expect from a person such as myself?" [He shrugs.] "Oh well. The fact remains that it is over now. Might I ask what is next?"
Oh and by the way... (extra stuff you need us to know?)
"I believe that is all that I have to share." [Darach abruptly stops talking, stands up and pushes his chair back under the table before trying to give you a hand in standing up. To prove that you too have good manners, you grasp his gloved hand and are pulled up before you have time to act on your own. He backs up a few steps, allowing you to regain you balance and personal space on your own. The butler then bends into a sweeping bow, his hands pointing to the door somewhat.] "After you." [You shrug and walk right past him, quickly leaving. In all honesty, you did not get a bunch of information. It was disappointing. And he did insist that he was not interesting in the least. You wonder if this will even benefit you let alone anybody else. Oh well. You had already spent your time at the place and decided to just use what you have. After all, you were creative. You would come up with something.]
[You assume that he thought that you could make your way to the front doors seeing as how he left you alone. Just as you were about to open the door by yourself, that... odd man... Darach, was it? He pops up again, seemingly out of nowhere.] "Nononono. Please. Let me." [He takes a few wide steps to get ahead of you and opens the heavy doors to the Battle Castle.] "Whenever you feel up to it, feel free to return to the Battle Castle." [He speaks with a smile on his face. ...Weirdo. But maybe he isn't quite as weird as you originally thought. You just make your way out of the castle, not looking back. It was time to move on. Behind you, you notice that the doors do not slam shut. You turn around to make sure. ...They are closed.]
I'm just a proxy for...SEXYHAPPIFY. B:
Here's some of their writing!
It was a familiar scene. A really familiar one. The current surroundings were bound to distract anyone that had not gotten used to them. The walls alone... They shone and sparkled. Gold colouring artistically covered certain areas of the walls, along with the sheets of ribbon-like silk, making the overall appearance of the place all the more impressive. The carpets were also lined with a gold-coloured fabric, though is had a slightly 'worn' appearance to it due to so many people having walked across it so many times. The pairs of stars that has been built along several parts of the walls had, yes, golden-coloured handrails. Why the abuse, as some might call it, of the colour gold? Simply because it was is, and most likely always will be a symbol of wealth and, by connection, power. That, or the people who had first wanted the castle build wanted it to be designed in such a way. Who knew?
As the surroundings were familiar, so too was the situation. A battle. Against who? Well, judging from the looks and general demeanor of one of the trainers, one would be safe to assume that said person was Darach, the Castle Valet. Why was he battling? Because a trainer had proved themselves worthy and strong enough to come this far. It was the honor, duty, and privilege of the valet to battle anyone who had done such. It had been set a while back that every trainer who managed to defeat twenty others in the castle would get a chance to battle the 'Brain'. Now, it was not completely set in stone who exactly was the brain of the Battle Castle. Of course, the butler battles, but who was to say that they were not his Pokemon? That the true brain just has him battle for him? Again, nobody but the two in question knew for sure. And they certainly weren't speaking.
A young man was so proud of himself. He had never gotten this much of a winning streak! What an accomplishment! Only moments ago, some funny looking man had informed him that he was to battle the very Brain of the Battle Castle. Oh, how excited he was... Or had been, rather. He had strolled to the place where he had been told to stand and glanced around. ...Where was the silly Brain? Did the person get lost? Sheesh. No one was in there... He soon spotted a girl in a chair, high above the area where the battles took place. Was she the Brain? If so, then why was she not down doing her job? "Hey!" he barked up at her. "C'mon! Get down here and battle!" However, before the young girl even had a chance to give an answer, another voice sounded out.
"You will not speak to Lady Caitlin in such a manner ever again. Or you shall immediately be evicted from the building for your disgustingly disrespectful attitude."
The person who spoke had seemingly marched out of nowhere and took a place on the opposite side of the field. "You are to do battle with me. Not the Lady, but me. Now pay attention." The tone in which the challenging words were spoken was intimidating. They obviously held an immense amount of venom. ...What had the young man done wrong exactly? He had no clue. "Hey mister. Get off of the field. I'm s'posta be battlin' the Brain! Not some random butler."
"'Some random butler'? I am offended. I have a name, you know. Just like any other human being. It is Darach, and I shall be battling you. I'm sure that you are wondering why the lovely young lady above us is not down here to accept your challenge." His words much more pleasant sounding, the older man gestured up to the balcony where a girl in a dress was seated with one gloved hand. "Well, I apologize, but I cannot share this information with you. I am not at a liberty to. It is not my information to share. But. In any case, it should not matter." He lowers his hand, taking a short pause. "You will most certainly not be depraved of a good battle because you have to fight me instead. Now. As is custom, I shall send out my Pokemon first."
The Castle Valet then reached into a pocket on the jacket of his suit and retrieved a Pokeball. Tossing it into the air, in a calm and practiced voice, he called out. "Time to battle, Empoleon." In a bright flash of light, the large penguin Pokemon appeared, glaring at it's opponent. That little pest... It would be crushed. "Eeeeeemp!" it screeched, flexing it's wings, daring the boy to send out his Pokemon. And that he did. In another flash of light, a Staraptor appeared in-front of him, pumping it's wings to stay in the air. "Raaaaptor!" it's shrill voice rang out, making Empoleon huff in annoyance. There was a difference between a battle cry and being annoying.
So that is how the young man got to where he was. He was facing down the Castle Valet... In a battle... No matter! The opponent didn't matter! He would win and gain the silver print! But that voice interrupted his thoughts once more. "Now, are you ready?" The kid nodded. "Very well then... En garde!" Taking a step back, the man pointed forward, toward the opponent Pokemon. "Go Empoleon! Use Flash Cannon!" Said Pokemon began to quickly charge a beam of silver energy in it's mouth.
Now, what sense did that make? A steel type? And it stayed in when it saw what was opposite it? Psh, this battle would be easy. "Yeah. You too! Staraptor! Use Close Combat!" The bird glowed with energy. That stupid steel type was going down! It shot toward it's enemy, slamming into it full force and, after the attack landed, quickly turned around to return to it's trainer.
The penguin was forced back a bit. Yes, both it and it's current master had seen that coming. Empoleon... had taken a good hit. On the other hand, hits like that on the steel type Pokemon were common. It had gotten used to them, and therefore, it was not affected nearly as much as it normally had been. ...Too bad for that Staraptor. That display of power did not manage to make the charging attack dissipate. "Now!" barked the male in charge of it. The Empoleon launched it's attack and hit dead on. The Staraptor had not even managed to cross the field halfway before the beam of steel energy slammed into it's back. Letting out a violent cry, it dropped straight onto the floor. It's head made a rather disturbing 'thunk' sound as it hit the carpet. It has fainted instantly, due to the same type attack bonus of the opposing Pokemon and it's lowered defense status due to the after effects of it's own attack.
But, of course, the Empoleon had not escaped unscathed. It dropped to one knee and winced. the butler frowned slightly, returning the Pokemon to it's Pokeball. "Excellent performance, Empoleon." The opposing trainer just stared at his Pokemon that lay on the floor. Mumbling, he returned it. But before the older male could send the next Pokemon onto the field, the boy took the opportunity. With a flick of his hand, he sent out a Drifblim onto the battle area. "Yeah! Let's see you take this one down!" His opposite smirked. "I shall certainly try. And, in response, I shall send out my Houndoom!"
Darach tucked the Pokeball containing Empoleon away and retrieved the one containing the hound that appeared to be from hell itself. It's black coat shone for but a brief moment before it bristled up, giving a snort. Houndoom's tail whipped back and forth in a display of intimidation. It growled, showing it's sharp teeth. It lowered it's head as the challenger also took a step back. "O-okay... Let's go... Drifblim!" The balloon Pokemon swelled when it's name was mentioned. It spun around, letting out the sound of a sort of disturbing whining sound. Houndoom looked up at the levitating Pokemon, slightly confused. "Doooom?" It whined, looking toward it's master. It got no response. "Houndoom. Set forth with Thunder Fang." Charging electricity in it's mouth, Houndoom dashed forward.
"Drifblim! you aren't goin' down that easy! Substitute!" The Pokemon responded by waving it's ribbon-like arms once before transforming into what appeared to be a small stuffed decoy. The fire hound slowed it's pace, but only slightly. "Do not allow your guard to lessen." came the calm command. It listened. Immediately, it's pace quickened once more. It paused for a moment, but only a moment, before it launched itself forward in a charging jump. It's fangs sunk into the disgusting fabric of the substitute. It did not hold. In a puss of smoke, the Drifblim reappeared before it was even able to do anything else. "Dang... 's a quick dog you've got there. But no prob. Drifblim can take... Drifblim!" He was, dare the writer say it, shocked by what he saw. the body of his balloon Pokemon tilted toward the floor. It was, quite obviously, in quite a lot of pain. Drifting to the floor, Houndoom howled. It was soon about to defeat yet another opponent. It stepped forward, predicting the soon to be issued command. Holding his hand out in a sort of gesturing manner, Darach sighed. "Finish it with Fire Fang." Having been trained to do so, the dog's fangs glowed with extreme heat. It once again sunk it's fangs into the enemy... But the enemy's trained was smiling. Both the hound and the butler gained curious looks upon their faces. "Haha~" the annoying childish voice rang out. "Watch!"
The seemingly knocked out balloon suddenly reached out and wrapped it's long arms around Houndoom's body. Before the other could give a yip in surprise, the Drifblim glowed for a second and then... a small explosion. Though it was not as powerful as a Self Destruct or anything of that nature, it was still enough to make a semi-powerful wind sweep across the room. The kid just smirked, having caught sight of the shocked look on his human opponent's face as the dog's body sailed through the air. It landed with a thud, rolling for a few seconds. But the Pokemon was not returned right away. No, the butler first glanced up to make sure that the observing female was alright. When he was sure that she was not making any sounds of distress, it directed his attention to the fainted Pokemon on the field. "...A hard fought battle. Of course. ...Lovely try, Houndoom." It's fainted body, like the penguin before it, disappeared into a sphere and was thus put away.
But it was not the only one that fainted. The last bit of energy that was used to put 'Aftermath' into effect took away all energy that Drifblim had left. It could no longer fight. The youngster made this Pokemon return too, though he was less sullen about it. "Good job." he whispered before he flung his third and final Pokeball out onto the field. From it emerged... A Porygon-Z. It let out a strangely electronic cry and almost bounced about. "PoooOOooOOOOOoooRRRRygoooOOOooOn!" it 'sang', drawing out the sound far more than was necessary. ...Only slightly creepy. In response, out onto the feel appeared a Gallade. It had been sent out without a word from the man in the suit. Said man removed his glasses from his face and proceeded to clean them. With his eyes closed, he sighed. "This has most certainly been a good battle, but down goes the cocky trainer with his cocky Pokemon." He opened his eyes as he replaced his glasses. "Gallade. Remain wary. Treat it with the utmost caution." The green Pokemon nodded, crossing it's arms in front of it's face. "Laaaaade." it growled softly.
"Mkay... Weirdo. I'm not cocky. I just know I'll win! Go Porygon-Z! Use your Dark Pulse~!" The kid smiled as he commanded his Pokemon to attack. Gallade was a psychic type! This would be eeeeasy. A clean kill, so to speak. Gallade only winced at first as the attack reached it, but it's expression soon changed to one of true fear. "Laaaade!" it cried, moving it's arms from in-front of it's person to the sides of it's head. This made no difference. The wave of dark energy stole over the body of the psychic fighter. It dropped to one knee. "No!" gasped Darach, a look of worry now 'gracing' his features. "I cannot allow myself to be defeated in[/blockquote]
