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Epilogue: Michael’s Gay

TW / CW : Minor Self-Loathing , Mostly Michael being NSFW Because The Cameras Are Off And He’s In-Love Darn It , Some Self-Dehumanization

TL: DR; I apologize for Michael. He’s alive and horny and he has no rights. I kind of hate that I wrote this so easily. Michael’s been working down to wearing as little clothing as is acceptable because his boyfriend notices. Michael wants to give his boyfriend hickeys, but more than that he wants to receive them and show them off. Michael likes kissing his boyfriend. Michael doesn’t understand what boners are, but he gets them. Michael talks about wanting to do the sex. He mentions making good use of his mouth. He mentions a lot of things. Michael, why. Why are you like this. I’m not even like this. You’re a whole other level.

He really likes touch now ever since shocking his hands in the simulation messed him up. He’s always wanted to give his boyfriend a full-body massage. Naked, of course, because he’s like that. If Yorgi does agree, guess what, you poor soul? Michael will be naked too. “I don’t do this normally, but, I felt lonely at the idea of being the only one with clothes on.” Michael’s afraid of meeting Circus, because meeting the family is always kind of a big deal. Also, absolutely, for the rest of his life will Michael be afraid of being actually alone or with people he doesn’t trust. Michael’s trying to get better at not treating himself so poorly. Michael’s not into the idea of hurting other people but since it’s not a Live-Streaming Hostage Situation (where the only targets would be other hostages) and he’s pledged himself to his boyfriend, if Yorgi asked him to hurt or kill someone (with the obvious kid, Pokemon, and animal exceptions) he would without second thought. He only wouldn’t hurt the others in during the game because they were hostages too. That was the only thing stopping him morally. He doesn’t want to go home, ever. But he does love Jovi and his sister-in-law Emili. And he loves his brother Arrow. And his other Pokemon friends. That’s the only reason he might ever want to return home.

Accompanying Music: Silence (Because He’s Taking Meds Again, The Auditory Hallucinations Are Gone As Long As The Drugs Are In His System)

Fun Songs That Fit The Current Epilogue Yogi RP: Please Don’t (Give Up On Me) , Absolutely Smitten ,

Michael had spent the past week wearing less and less articles of clothing in his outfits. It started off innocently enough. He didn’t want to wear a sweater along with his long-sleeved shirt, slacks, dress socks, and dress shoes, so he didn’t. The next day he decided he would rather just wear the vest than the shirt that went with it. And then he wore a tank-top and some shorts. And then he tried going without socks, which was okay, because he was wearing crocs. After that he decided he should skip pants all together, but his boyfriend quickly asked him to go out with pants on. But he still wasn’t going to wear underwear, thanks!

And sharing underwear to bed was nice, but it really sent the wrong message. Like, seriously, what if someone asked? They might think Yorgi had played Michael a private sexophone solo! How scandalous! Or… even more scandalous, actual sex. Which totally wasn’t why Michael was wearing less clothing! Nope! Nuh-uh! He was just exploring his fashion senses and if that meant wearing next-to-nothing to let his boyfriend see more of him on a regular basis because Michael thought maybe it made his boyfriend happy then…. Shut up! It was for totally legitimate reasons, okay? Okay.

Today, he was going to wear a crop top like he wore right before he woke up. Or maybe he should just go shirtless. That could be handsome, right? Right? But he still had to wear pants… Which only made him pout a little, he sweared! … Wait, he had a pair of leggings that fit really well! That could work! No shirt day!!!

Okay, maybe he just wanted to see his boyfriend’s reactions. Maybe he lived for the attention. Maybe seeing someone as sexy as his prince get a little flustered or jealous (because he could tell that they both found Michael attractive and it felt nice, the look of Yogi’s blushing face or quiet confusion that Yori wore was only a really hot bonus) and tell him he looked nice meant a lot. Maybe he really ‘got off’ on it, so to speak, assuming that phrase just meant his brain was happy. Like, the standard dopamine rush and all.

And if he was also… you know, dropping things for no reason… And, uh, sometimes flexing his arms a little bit when he went to pick the things up… And also complimenting his prince out of nowhere because Yorgi was really cute when he smiled… Or making sure to stand up to full height and walk side-by-side his lovely boyfriend instead of always trailing just a bit behind because he felt a little more like he was worth doing so… And if Michael was sneaking in more cheek kisses, and more hugs, and also shamelessly nuzzling his boyfriend whenever he got the chance, well. Uh. Okay, maybe he was acting affectionate and more desperately.

But. In his defense. Being able to touch and feel everything again down to individual hairs and like grains of sand felt fan-tucking-fastic? Not hearing the rushing waves - that he didn’t want to admit he disliked, even now - was wonderful? He could hear his boyfriend down to a whisper. He didn’t have to ask someone to repeat themselves anymore. He could touch, and hear, and talk again. He hadn’t tried it yet, but he knew hew could let out a sizable ENCORE that could be heard for quite a distance. Or, now it would just be a normal shout, wouldn’t it? And it wasn’t that he wanted to, it’s just that he knew he could again. And having psychiatrist-prescribed medication back in his system, thanks to Jovi who had the foresight to bring some when she visited a few days ago now, meant he was more lucid. And as nice as hearing instrumental tracks from like, a VIDEO GAME or wherever they were actually from was, usually, it felt good to hear silence. And his brain was nicer, too. The backtalk and cycling thoughts of self-hatred and outright lies weren’t as convincing or present.

And maybe, if he was subtle enough, eventually Yorgi would let Michael mark him. Or the other way around. That’d be super hot. Like, just, super hot. Michael would wear that bruise like a badge of honor. Okay, so admittedly, that all sounded really weird. But. Arrow always said marking was like, the most good-feeling thing you could do for a mate. Especially if you purred during it too. Jovi called that giving hickeys, but, Jovi was also tricky. She kept trying to say that it was called a saxophone. Which was a lie. Obviously it was a sexophone. Obviously. And even though Arrow never had a mate of any kind, Michael trusted Arrow more. Except Arrow did agree with Jovi that those could be called love bites. But that sounded violent. Michael liked the term marking best.

Also Yorgi and Michael were starting to kiss a lot more now. Which was nice. Michael liked that. He really liked that. He *really* liked that.

It was embarrassing when he had to leave to go to the restroom after some serious kissing though, and try to pee. Once, Yorgi tried telling him that wasn’t what was going on, but Michael did actually kinda’ forget to go that day for like over 6 hours, so… Michael wasn’t so sure. And he was finally used to feeling hot temperature-wise in his gut and all over his face when they hugged! And his pants feeling tight whenever they held hands or Michael was just standing nearby his prince! And a really good feeling combination of the two when they kissed! Except the pants thing occasionally got annoying, but it was okay. And after the first time they kissed in the hostage situation and Michael realized wearing slimming jeans meant… er… that was less noticeable, he mostly kept to pants like that.

And even though Michael thought his boyfriend looked cutest when he smiled that smile he only saw reserved for him and little kids, and probably the Circus people too, Michael was pretty sure seeing Yorgi’s face after a full-body massage, and during some really good ‘personal care’ would be super hot.

He’d ask about them thinking about working up to sex once he knew if they were past 20 yet. He only remembered turning 18, but Celebi mentioned 19. So Michael didn’t know. Besides, Michael was pretty sure. Pretty sure. It was illegal to have sex unless you were 21 or older. But Michael was a rebel anyways. And, going on the assumption that his boyfriend was in fact, maybe down for sex if they worked up to it over time because Michael wasn’t sure how sex happened and also not completely comfy with it just yet… Then he should ask once he knew. Or once they were settled down wherever Yorgi wanted to go, which Michael assumed was back to Circus.

Michael thought personally, for himself, he’d just want to touch Yorgi all the time instead of the other way around. Not necessarily sexually! But yeah, that way too, if Yorgi was up for it. Deep down, Michael wanted to make his boyfriend lose control due to his expert touch. Not like in a hurty way! Just in a pleasurable way. Michael wanted to make the most of his own hands and mouth. Michael’s been told he’s good at running his mouth. He wanted to see if that meant he could use it on his boyfriend. He wanted to be the reason for lots of cool and hot sounds that meant his boyfriend was feeling good. He wanted to see his boyfriend ride a wave of euphoria because of what Michael could do with his own hands. He wanted to feel his boyfriend ride a wave of euphoria because of what Michael could do with his own mouth.

And maybe that made him a little too eager to please, but he really never had got much from massaging himself before and figured sex stuff would probably be same. Unless his boyfriends were watching him do something. Yogi might get super flustered if Michael was… doing that kind of thing. And Yori might just kind of watch, amused… Either scenario would be super hot. And maybe Michael could use it as a chance to show how delicate his handiwork (ha ha, hands) could be. Plus with how his body reacted to just being in the same room as Yorgi (which it had never done around other people even in his 2 real relationships), he was sure having his boyfriend see him naked might be enough to make him faint. He was sure even when he saw Yorgi naked for the first time he would. Michael would faint. It’d be a little embarrassing no matter who saw who naked, but the thing is... Yorgi was hot. Like really hot. Like unfairly hot. Like I-thought-I-wanted-to-punch-you-with-my-fists-before-I-realized-I-wanted-to-punch-you-with-my-face-because-you’re-my-absolute-hero-and-I-never-knew-it-until-you-introduced-yourself-and-I-made-the-connection hot.

And well, if he was wrong there, and Yorgi was asexual or just sex-repulsed in general and not down for that kind of thing, then Michael would be fine with that too. Like, Michael was pretty sure he himself was demisexual anyways, and his brain was only thinking about sex because of Uncle Gonzap’s book he was reading. Once he read a train encyclopedia and for like a month afterwards, he wanted nothing but stick foods because he could pretend they were trains. But not celery. Michael didn’t like celery. Too sharp. And as long as he could keep kissing and hugging his boyfriend, and hanging off of him like a baby sloth whenever Michael darn well pleased like he could right now, he’d be more than satisfied. But he would also really enjoy giving Yorgi a full-body massage. Probably more than sex. And Michael was good at giving massages.

Michael was good enough at massages that he got Cida to moan! Like, she had a stressful day that first time, and he was her beard at the time, so he gave her one! Except neither of them felt comfy with Michael touching her front side or lower than her waist… So he didn’t touch those places! And he did a really good job, anyways! And when she moaned, it was a little awkward, but she said he should keep going because it helped her, so he did. And she moaned?? Like?? 14??? More times after that??????? She wasn’t Michael’s type, and he wasn’t hers, and they were just friends, so, it was all really weird, but. They agreed never to speak of it. And Michael gave her some more massages later when they were fake-dating by her request.

He wanted to give his boyfriend massages. He wanted to touch him all over. He wanted to get rid of any tension. He wanted to hear all sorts of noises his boyfriend could make. Michael had already made so many noises, embarrassing and otherwise in front of his boyfriend, and he wanted to hear more laughter and singing from his super hot and imperfectly perfect boyfriend! Darn it, he did! Except he could ask for those, or get laughter pretty easily. But squeaks, moans, sharp intakes of air, breathy chuckles, strained whispers of pleasure, Michael’s name said with a slight whine, his name said with utter adoration, his name said with overflowing love and a hint of slight impatience or stars even just his name said over and over… Those and other such delicious noises were currently things Michael could only dream about.

And Yorgi’s voice was Michael’s favorite sound. It was his favorite thing about his prince right after his kindness, as shallow as it was to like someone for their voice, when voices changed and sometimes went away forever. Yori’s was a little deeper and slightly more blunt somehow, and Yogi’s was a little higher and slightly more understanding. But both were very understanding people. Very kind. Very loving. And also able to take care of themselves! And Michael… (He wished he could help take care of them, too… Maybe after some therapy?) Their laughs were also different. And their sense of humor. But they both seemed to think Michael was funny and charming, which was nice. And the rare times both were speaking at the same time? Michael wasn’t sure he should ever say it, but that really was his favorite sound of all. He loved them both equally. And always made sure to kiss in threes. One for whoever was fronting, one for whoever wasn’t, and one from Michael.

But if his prince ever lost the ability to speak, of Michael lost some or all of his hearing again, it wouldn’t change anything! Michael still had his memories, after all. And being by his prince was even better than memories! He was ride-or-die, but mostly die. Except, Yorgi did actually mean he loved Michael and it wasn’t out of pity so it really was ride-or-die now.

And Yorgi was Michael’s OT, which kinda’ already made them married in a weird feudal sense. Because of how nobility would technically own their less wealthy sig figs… Not that Michael would ever tell Yorgi that bit. As romantic as it seemed to Michael, that sort of thing seemed weird and creepy to others. Jovi said Eve - who Michael didn’t remember - called it Michael’s Pet Play kink. But just by the name alone, Michael felt kind of offended by it. Then Jovi said Michael and Eve had a big back-and-forth regarding their traumas both dealing with exactly that kink. And that Jovi thought Michael had a sort of Prince and Knight fascination, which… might not be too far off.

Point is, he had Yorgi forever and someday they might do the sex, which, despite reading bits about it in the book, Michael still didn’t understand. Also, he kind of thought it might make him personally happier just to touch Yorgi, instead of anything going on with his own whole… deal. Michael would be much happier and ‘get off’ more by unravelling his prince a little with his own  ’talented hands’ and ‘silver tongue’. So to speak. But Michael would never ever hurt him. He’d always ask before doing anything, unless asked to just keep going. And no matter what, someday, someday, give Yorgi a full body massage. And then more after that. As many as Michael was allowed to give.

It’d help relieve muscle tension that no doubt was built up even worse after the whole hostage situation and allow Michael to feel his boyfriend, and okay, maybe touching him helped ground Michael, and maybe Yorgi felt awesome to touch because he was Yorgi, and maybe he was super hot all the time because he just was because he was someone who existed and liked Michael and Michael would take any chance to look at someone so stunning and nice and inspirational, and maybe Michael was insisting on naked massages and had been since the start and would continue to forever unless Yorgi really was uncomfy with Michael asking because that’d be bad Michael only wanted to help he’d settle for clothed massages he just wanted to relieve tension he also wanted to touch his boyfriend, maybe his motivations were carnal in nature, and maybe he was touch-starved, so what?

Michael had his boyfriend forever and ever (even after they died because uh, hello, GHOST Pokemon were real, and some had said they even saw people ghosts so like, there was that at least) and even if they broke up they’d be friends and Michael would never be alone again. But Michael was pretty sure since his boyfriend had stuck around through the worst of Michael - in both the past he didn’t remember and during the hostage situation they just got out of - that they’d stay together unless like, Circus didn’t like Michael. Because, like it or not, Michael knew family was important and their opinions for most - like Michael until the GAME started and Michael cut his own ties - were important. These Circus people probably would at least tolerate Michael, if they were even half-as-nice as Michael’s wonderful significant figure, but Michael couldn’t help being worried. Meeting family and friends was just nerve-wracking! And even though Michael’s boyfriend was an excellent judge of character with one exception, he did end up settling for Michael when he could date literally anyone else in the planet and pick someone actually good, it was only a matter of time before someone better at words and explaining than Michael would help Yorgi see that Michael was not good enough. And then, despite the love both felt for each other, then Yorgi would see love didn’t excuse atrocities and they would break up on amenable terms. And they would probably stay friends, but Michael would forever miss what they had… So Michael would treat each new day with his boyfriend like a present. Also because they had just technically cheated death, and if Michael had an appreciation for living before, he had a really big one now. He would also forever try his best to keep his boyfriend in eye or earshot because quite frankly Michael didn’t ever ever want to be alone again - alone alone, or with people he didn’t trust - for more than 2 hours - Jovi or his sister-in-law Emili would work just as good, it just had to be someone he trusted - if he could help it. He knew his boyfriend would understand, he had during the hostage situation GAME, he would now too, probably.

Michael had realized after maybe 2 or 3 separate honest conversations or varying lengths that his boyfriend really was blinded by love… and didn’t enjoy Michael telling him truthfully how twisted and bad Michael was. He would get sad and Yogi show some pity and Yori show some frustration and Michael didn’t understand their discontentment with the sentiment and not Michael because it was the written truth, and what Michael thought, but having it in words helped his case. Michael was in unauthorized Biographies as a Successful Monster Abomination and history books as one of many Actual Murderers That Got Dealt Undeserved Pity and Textbooks as the Phenac City Phoenix, he was on Wanted Posters, he was on a permanent blacklist back home and not legally allowed in government buildings, and not allowed anywhere without a collar, and supposed to be tased on sight if seen without one. He was banned from Phenac forever because he was bad. When Shopkeepers turned him away, he deserved it. When the only way he could pick up groceries or check out library books back home was because Jovi had been there with the money and identification he wasn’t legally allowed to handle, it was because he deserved it. So now Michael instead would tell his boyfriend that he was feeling worthless and leave it at that instead of hinting that Yorgi should break up with him and only if prompted also not go too much into detail and try really hard to accept the ego-boosting lies and love-filled sentiments he didn’t deserve and in turn shower his boyfriend with hugs and kisses and compliments and hope Yorgi understood that Michael was trying really hard to believe he could be worthwhile just for existing like everyone else even though growing up only Jovi ever thought that.

Michael trusted Yori and Yogi with his life and death and if they ever told Michael to do anything, even killing himself or others now that they both made it, now that it was real life and not a hostage situation where they were broadcasted (because, Michael wasn’t going to lie, the only reason he wasn’t okay with killing during the GAME was because they were other hostages, other participants, and Jovi would be sad to see him do it… But if he could do it discreetly, if it wasn’t someone trapped without agency, if it wasn’t a kid or Pokemon or animal, then Michael could kill without regret and without second thought, he had seen people killed for less than existing), he’d trust their reasoning. It would hurt to be used to hurt others again, because back when he tased Cipher peons to infiltrate would always feel bad… Well, it would hurt, but it would be better to be used than to act on his own. Michael didn’t trust himself anymore. And he knew he was clingy, which is why he was trying to show and say as much now. Michael knew he wasn’t much of an entertainer or a convincing actor, and since he had the option to go with Jovi or become a shirtless secluded lumberjack, he thought it would be best to test the waters, so to speak. See if showing his true needy colors would cause Yorgi to rethink that order. (And even as a lumberjack he wouldn’t be alone. He’d have Arrow for maybe 4 to 6 more years - since Jolteons did only live so long - and Allegro for twice that and Devant upwards of 2 more decades. And in that time he could make all sorts of Pokemon friends. And if he didn’t, as far as Michael knew, Grandma Dynamo and her kids were pretty much eternal, so he’d have them. He could live with Dynamo.)

And whatever problems they had could be solved by simply talking it out. Michael would never lie again, he promised. And Yorgi actually loved him enough to want him to stay, so Michael wouldn’t leave permanently or otherwise because it wasn’t pity, he meant it. An order meant it was actually true.

The only issue at all was that Michael would eventually need to talk to his Pokemon pals who were no doubt missing him, but he didn’t really ever want to go back to ORRE. Except maybe to show Yorgi around, but even that was something he would want Jovi along with the two of them for. Maybe Jovi would be willing to visit this Circus Michael knew nothing about and bring some of their collective Pokemon friends with her so they could speak that way? Michael also hoped he could get a position as like, a bodyguard or something at this Circus. Or maybe he could help with financials? Jovi never let him do his own taxes, but he always double-checked both of theirs for errors, so he knew how taxes worked! Or he could use WISHes to be useful! He’d just need Apples to replenish PP and… Oh, but Yorgi said he probably shouldn’t use that unless it was necessary either. And once he explained it, no one would want to say yes…

Well, anyways. It was gonna’ be okay.

#epi #michael is gay and horny and has absolutely 0 rights #all of these things are unrelated #he's panromantic leaning towards guys #leaning towards blond guys #he's in love with his boyfriend and never ever thought about sex before but the killing game is over and he's been reading a book that says #what sex is and all about consent and how not to hurt your partner and how to prevent disease spreading and just all that good stuff #so it's on his mind #also he has no rights because he's half pokemon and in orre pokemon are property #also he's legally his boyfriend's property but you can pry that fact from his tree twunk hands bc he is afraid to share that information #mostly bc he thinks it'll weird his bf out #which is valid it's kind of weird to own someone like really weird and wrong and what the hell michael #uh what else is there to say #michael just really wants to always be touching his boyfriend in some way #because his brain is very touch oriented and it helps him not freak out

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Epilogue: Start

TW / CW : Major Self-Loathing and Self-Worth Issues , Mentions of Past Sexual Assault (This is crossed out so it’s easier to skim past), Mentions of Past Child Abuse (Also crossed out so it’s easier to skim past, the same incident as the other one, actually), Suicidal Thoughts and Plans

TL:DR; Michael’s in the middle of a really bad depressive spiral. He knows it’s the periodic depression talking, but since it is bad right now doesn’t care. He just wants to repay his debts.

Also, I know Caelum in the past was kidnapped in his backstory, but Michael sure doesn’t. Major points of interest are that Michael feels stupid for being all gung-ho. He didn’t know Junpei and Caelum wouldn’t come back. Or the upperclassmen ghosts either (since those ones were data apparently???). When it was said it was a simulation, he assumed everyone everyone would come back.

And when he talked about GAMEs and SAVING. That was dumb too. And thanks to Celebi messing with Michael’s memories, we live in Schrödinger's canon. The textboxes are real and how Michael and the people of Orre see the world. SAVING is up to you, and the mods. But mostly the mods. (Aside on SAVING, and Undertale Headcanons here) (Aside on Michael’s hallucinations I never had the chance to mention here) What else goes on? Michael acknowledges that SAVING could be fake, because Celebi did take Hope’s Peak (except some kisses and hugs from Yogi… and also Michael talking to Jovi about Halloween Costumes and how he almost stabbed Rocky... and a few snippets of groupchat conversations between him, Eve, Espella, and Zacharias about teen stuff) from Michael and maybe added some new stuff about SAVING and GAMEs in. I mean, it’s not impossible. Celebi was willing to do anything to be free of the TIME FLUTE that Jovi had. If GAMEs were real there were points in his adventure where someone (points to self) was very much controlling him against his own will, further adding to his ‘maybe-I-didn’t-do-anything-to-help-anyone’ mentality. But if they weren’t, Celebi’s just pretty messed up.

He’s also afraid to talk to Jovi, and afraid to visit the UNDER, because he thinks it will give him his wartime memories back (and it could, possibly, I mean, regaining memories after amnesia is not really guaranteed, especially since Celebi also took removing Hope’s Peak memories to mean memories made during the time he would technically attend Hope’s Peak) and also is afraid to see his old family. And he’s afraid to meet Yorgi’s family (the people from Circus). So there’s a lot of fear going on. And self-hatred. Can’t forget that. He really wants to kill himself. And he’s aware it’s the mania and delusions and paranoia and his anxiety but he’s just not doing well.

Accompanying Music: Phenac City (You’re Running Out-Of-Time To Repay Your Debts, Michael)

It was over. It was all over.

Michael could hear the quiet music again. Michael could talk loudly again. Michael could feel with his fingers again. His new scars were gone.

And so were the people behind the whole hostage situation.

He forgave them. Just like he said he would. And he didn’t blame them. They wanted to end a war. And to most, especially people like Michael and Junpei, who had seen kidnappings and hostage situations first hand before this one, well, another one could seem like a good idea. They brought people together, and split others apart. But only in theory was it partially good. But spending time honestly talking things over was just as good, if not leagues better! No, definitely better! Because even in a simulation, the whole thing was messed up beyond compare. Michael forgave them, but he would never discount how bad it was for the others. He would never try to protect their actions.

To Michael, Forgiveness did not mean blind acceptance. Forgiveness meant an attempt in understanding. Forgiveness meant realizing everyone came from somewhere else and their actions could have been your own were the circumstances right. It was knowing that people sometimes committed atrocities, but they were not all bad. That everyone was worth kindness. No matter how bad. Even murderers. (But not people, Pokemon, or animal haters. Not those that saw others as less-than-human or inferior. Those people sucked.)

Junpei - who Michael saw himself in - and Caelum - who Michael always overlooked, always trusted, never once actively suspected - were both gone. And the ghost upperclassmates too, probably.

So now, Michael knew why Mugman got violent. And why that Marie person was so angry. Not existing was terrifying for most other people. He didn’t understand when he talked to her or Mugman what was going to happen. He felt bad for showing his stupidity and arrogance. He WISHed he had paid some more attention before just speaking recklessly. There were probably hints he overlooked. He was usually so careful not to instigate people clearly in pain that wouldn’t benefit from REVERSE MODE. And blaming the anniversary of those 5 weeks on his actions was cheap. He only blamed himself. But stooping low was expected of criminals, and so he didn’t feel too bad about his actions. Only how badly he hurt everyone. (They wouldn’t see him for much longer if he played his cards right. And that would help make up for it.)

Especially Mugman and Osborne. Hopefully he only hurt them for only that moment. His attempts to distract went in vain. He should’ve talked about the weather or something, anything instead of bringing up the upcoming deaths and trial. He showed his stupidity, and even though he paid for it (but not enough, just like with Phenac he could never pay enough), he knew it would hurt them forever, maybe not what he said, but definitely Junpei and Caelum’s deaths. It was selfish of him to think he could help, and stupid to try and treat them like Pokemon that could understand Michael’s motives and would bite back instead of showering him in pity. Even Mugman was too gentle with him, too kind and too forgiving and it made Michael feel sick.

On top of that, he wasn’t sure if he should tell them GHOST, PSYCHIC, and DARK types could see other GHOST types when invisible. That maybe that could apply to real ghosts. He didn’t know if that would help more or not.

It was bad timing- sure - and more than easy to fall into old habits when he didn’t have any other memories or choices, especially when it came to acting within videotaped crowds (Crowds loved performances! And if Michael performed well enough! Everyone else would eventually probably get half a slice of bread a piece to eat for the next week! Like Snattle promised to Michael when they were alone before he had Michael- That wasn’t important. It wasn’t. Important. It wasn’t and Michael had said no 5 times before Snattle had almost forced things further but Michael used SPARK and it didn’t work because Snattle was wearing rubber gloves and pinning Michael down but Michael got away because crying pitifully and snottily trying to apologize because the others needed to eat he’d do anything he was sorry. But the whining made him unworthy and childish and immature and useless. Snattle was one of the first to actually say that out loud. And he was right. He also kicked Michael to the ground, calling Michael a common harlot. And Snattle said continuing to put on a show would work just as well to build the other’s ego as- That wasn’t important. Michael was 15 then, he was maybe 19 to 21 now, it was in the past. It was okay.). He didn’t mean any of what he said when he talked about being in a GAME again. When he talked about being in a GAME and on SAVING and it being exciting he was really just terrified.

GAMEs were awful. Terrible. Michael hated GAMEs. He knew Arrow had been listening for certain once he died because of course Jovi would realize the loophole the same as he did and he was terrified of that too. Arrow had heard everything he said when he thought he was unseeable. And Jovi probably knew too.

He knew regardless of the future, his family would visit and be able to talk to him, but now that he was alive, everything was so much worse. (He didn’t want to go wherever he had been before Dynamo and him traveled to destroy Oswald bots. He said how proud the UNDER folks would be of them both in-between a successful HYDRO PUMP. He didn’t know what the UNDER was. He didn’t want to know.)

Especially since Junpei had been a HERO too. He probably had an idea how SAVEs worked. Maybe his were different? Junpei’s were tied to dying. Apparently. He called it time-traveling, but maybe it really was SAVING?

((SAVE nonsense starts here

For Michael, the deep-blue SAVE menu never took you back timeline-wise, because he didn’t know how. His just. Came with a feeling of rightness, like he was true to himself. The overwhelming feeling that he was following in his father’s footsteps and OVERWRITING Wes’ adventure for the better, changing the terrain and people of the world usually offset the rush of wrong and unearned integrity that came flowing through.

Unlike Wes, Michael never figured out SOFT RESETs. His father was always so brave, citing a feeling of similarly wrong kindness and wanting to help when he SAVEd. Wes once told Michael he went went through the same fights over and over again, but never had to worry about permanence because there was always someone else to go back and help. Unlike his father, who could go back to a previous SAVE when he wanted to do something different, Michael never knew himself well enough to figure out what would bring him back. He had the idea, though! Integrity was tied to sense of self. So if he thought about a time he acted out-of-character and wanted to fix it, that was probably the ticket. But, he never had much of a sense of self. And if his guess was correct, you had to match the feelings of whatever your SAVE was to go back. Like Wes had to want to help, or think about how doing something different could help make things better in one way or another. Michael’s team was always decently leveled and nothing - except Phenac which he did wrong - ever went horribly wrong. He never felt like he wasn’t himself in an action because the whole adventure he had never done anything for himself. There wasn’t anything to go back in change because it was never about what he wanted to begin with.

And no one from Orre that Michael knew of other than Wes, Michael, Gonzap, and Jovi had ever seen the SAVEs. Or at least talked about them. Maybe because only a HERO could see their own SAVE POINTS. And everyone’s SAVEs were different. Michael’s were Deep Blue Spinning Quavers, Wes’ were Green Flames, and Gonzap’s were Yellow Stars like Jovi had seen but only used once. Plus, they went away forever after the GAME ENDED. Not even Eagun ever saw them. And the text boxes and YES and NOs were a staple of ORRE for everyone, HEROs and otherwise. Wes’ adventure was in ORRE and Michael’s adventure was nearly the inverse of that. Gonzap’s had been his stay at HPA. Wes SAVEd at Pokemon Center PCs, Michael SAVEd anywhere when he checked the MENU of his PDA and had actually done something for himself (so not very often… maybe only 23 times that he could recall), and Gonzap at the time SAVEd whenever he touched one of the stars apparently placed around the HPA’s campus.

His own GAME ended when he returned the SNAG MACHINE and along with it, the SAVEs. To know he had been an NPC in another GAME made an already awful week even worse. GAMEs were bad and if you were unlucky you started to feel like your actions weren’t your own. Like you really were a tool without even a choice to speak back. (Not all the time… Not everyday, and certainly not during nights when he was the freest, in Michael’s experience.) But the small pull he had felt when on his journey was enough to set him off.

And it didn’t start that way. Only after returning the Professor home, did he feel a pull. Michael was more than content to just send Bow to Grandpa Eagun and have him PURIFY the bear Pokemon, but… Instead he found himself saying he would do it. He found himself agreeing to help every SHADOW POKEMON without actually thinking about it. (He would have anyways, not knowing what he was getting into, but the fact he was aware he was being led around, being watched, made everything different. Worrying. If the force knew he knew, it might make him hurt someone for a fun reaction.)

Once, he remembered wanting to talk to Jovi after visiting the Outskirt Stand to return a Togetic (because despite what her OT said, she had wanted to evolve a long time ago to prove she loved her adoptive daddy and Michael was willing to help), but he physically couldn’t. He had been walking towards her and then took the elevator. His feet had moved on his own. And when he tried to talk to her after talking to the Professor - which he didn’t want to do, he didn’t like that man because that man thought Michael could do at 13 to nearly 17 what his dad did at 19 to 20, he didn’t want to talk to him alone; Jovi had promised she would help Michael talk to that man and Michael was planning to ask her for help - but the force pulled him aside. He tried to wave his hands and at least say goodbye to Jovi on the way out, but found his arms rooted in place, like a preset walk animation. At that point he just let the force make him do whatever it wanted. He wasn’t the leader of his team, even as a figurehead from that point, because he wasn’t the one walking around. And it was acting. It was entertaining. It was fine. He was fine.

He had been elated to ‘die’ because that meant he didn’t have to fear the cameras that where everywhere - even outside, it let that force watch and control him during his GAME - and had always been then even since before First House, even though Rui tried to say different. But Michael knew the true nature of their world. Whatever force Wes had told Michael and Jovi about growing up as scary stories was very real. Something was always watching everyone. But not at every time, only during the lens of a GAME. It affected everyone, because Michael was pretty sure everyone was a HERO of one GAME or another at some point, even if they didn’t know it. He had seen Jovi play games without SAVING before. He had seen her speed run games without ever opening any menus. He knew it was possible. And it was more than probable. He was pretty sure Jovi’s GAME was during the time they lived at First House. She had once mentioned seeing a floating yellow star on the floor of their attic. She had never used them more than once, she told Michael. She had been filled with an uncontrollable anger after touching that first time, and broke a lamp in frustration because Michael was 8 and she was 5 and real kids went to School and could see the Outside World. Michael remembered Arrow and him covering for her. They got time out and Lassiter and Aureolus did too because they thought Michael was learning to use his MOVEs with Arrow and tried to explain it to Rui. But everyone was okay. It was okay.

((SAVE nonsense ends here

And all of this could be major delusions. And once he asked Jovi and she inevitably told him the truth that he was wrong because he was always wrong about everything except knowing he loved other living things - it wouldn’t be the first time Michael’s family had been able to prove his delusions were just delusions - it would continue to be okay. Like when Rui ate takeout for the first time Michael had seen and didn’t die the next day. Or when Lassiter and Wes helped Michael be calm enough to get his first big boy check-up at Grandpa Kaminko’s lab. And, there was the fact he knew the Agate Celebi messed with his memories.

It was why he didn’t remember Hope’s Peak and probably never would. Jovi was nothing if not true to her word and there was no doubt they were out one of the two ever TIME FLUTES to exist. Agate’s Celebi had known the world was ending and true to form was eager to destroy any means of calling them back to this time in addition to leaving for good. And since Michael couldn’t contact them, there was no telling what the well-meaning fae added, only what was taken away. If Michael thought he was never in control, it would make him feel better about Phenac. If Michael really thought he was a HERO of a GAME and that everyone was in their own one for a little bit, it would contextualize his adventure into something positive. It would make it easier for past-Michael to agree to being in the simulation at all. There was no way to tell if it was real. He knew the SAVING had been real at least to him, because he had seen and felt them. But he might just have been hallucinating those and what he had seen might just be relying on false memories. And the possibility that his family was humoring him was very real. They had lied to him about a lot of things to make him feel better and this could be just the same.

He knew the people of ORRE were part-toon for certain, he knew Pokemon were real. He knew his adventure was real. The Aura Reader was proof of that. His SHADOW HEART GAUGE was proof of that. But SAVEs? The nature of his memories surrounding that? Could just be the Celebi implanting false memories to further connect him to his family so Michael felt less alone. Was probably the Celebi trying to help the only way it knew how. Just like how Michael only knew how to be the butt of the joke. To be the joke. To be used.

And his classmates didn’t understand him or his need to help. They still thought he was joking, even then, probably even now. (He was the joke, not his actions or thoughts. He would forever be useful to anyone that asked as long as no one but him got hurt in return.) They would probably never understand him, and honestly speaking, he was okay with that. He would be fine as long as Yorgi let him stay by his side. He could live the rest of his life happily with Yorgi and his family (or friends that were family? Michael only vaguely remembered his boyfriend mentioning Circus, which Michael knew sponsored Nyanperona) instead of going back to Old Home or UNDER Unknown Home. Ideally Jovi would visit them now and again. But he would never go back. Going back might make those memories return (because Celebi’s orders were to get rid of Hope’s Peak and only Hope’s Peak) and Michael didn’t want that either. If his extended family (Wes, Rui, Gonzap, Naps, His Cousins, His Grandparents, That Man, and That Woman) ever wanted to see him, they could visit a Nyanperona performance. Arrow, Jovi, Emili and his Pokemon friends could visit anytime.

Yorgi was still too nice. So most everything was back to normal. To how it was when they first met… Second met? But now two people were gone forever.

Michael wouldn’t have been able to save them anyways. (He only got lucky when he caught himself. And he was conscious the whole time. Besides, If they had just been in a coma or something and Michael’s code was faulty, if he killed them too? He’d have to face the wrath of people he might have cared a little bit about more than standard, speaking truthfully.)

So Michael added 2 more people to his tally of… over 63 accidental malpractices. He had voted a few times, after all, so it counted. How many hurt living beings did it make if he counted in just the people he hurt through his words? … He didn’t know. Did Oswald bots count? Did Phenac count? Did all the times he broke Jovi’s heart count? Did the Eve and Espella and Zacharias he still couldn’t remember count? And what about the people of Orre who watched the whole time? What of his TEAM? What of Arrow who he no doubt let down? What of Devant and Allegro and Mimi and Pluplu and probably some others?

Did anything count anymore? He didn’t know what would happen next. When Jovi arrived (because it was a matter of when) she’d try to keep Michael alive. She’d give him his Snag Ball and probably try to get him to tell Yorgi what it meant, maybe. No matter what happened, it would go over okay. It had to. Yorgi had all but showered Michael with understanding and acceptance and love and it made Michael feel worthless. Their relationship was all take-take-take and Michael was afraid Jovi would mention it and that would make Yorgi realize how bad Michael really was. (When they first seriously talked after they died Michael had thought maybe asking Yorgi to open up to him would help Michael feel better about their situation, but then Michael started getting nervous about the Anniversary, which meant so far it really was all take and no give and Michael wasn’t sure if his boyfriend would want to be with him after seeing him continue to fall so badly. Michael really wanted some sort of actual reassurance. Like his SNAG BALL back.)

Even if Yorgi did love Michael and would let him stay by his side forever, Michael still knew practically nothing about the others. He had the rest of their lives to learn, but it was still scary to think about. And he was so excited to be dead, to not have to be used anymore, to have his own freedom. And he had pledged himself to Yorgi then, still was pledged to him, would forever be pledged to him even if they ever broke up because they were friends before boyrfriends. And it wasn’t like Gonzap or Jovi or his parents wherever they were or anyone else could make him do anything ever again, but that was under the assumption he would live forever and never have to meet Yorgi’s family.

Now he would.

And if they watched the hostage situation they knew Michael was a tool of a monster. Michael was meant to be used and these were strangers, they could use Michael all they wanted and Michael would be okay with it. But he also knew love now and Yorgi seemed to not want Michael to be useful to just anyone who asked, which was okay. Michael might not actually want to help everyone that asked for it, truthfully speaking. It was also getting less scary to think he might just love Yorgi the most of everyone and would rather be with his boyfriend than helping someone else. But what if making his own choices meant they didn’t like him?

They had seen the simulation, probably, what if they already hated Michael?

What if they hated Michael enough to say he wasn’t good? Or thought he was no good for Yorgi? They probably thought he was a risk, even Michael’s own family kinda’ treated him like an uncapped grenade.

Or worse, what if they weren’t nice to Yorgi like Michael’s family was sometimes a little tiny bit rude in how and when they used Michael because he would actually do whatever was asked of him. Michael wasn’t sure if he could convince Yorgi of anything if that were the case. Michael wasn’t good with people. People could be blinded so easily when in bad situations. Michael knew he could! And Michael was really good at knowing how bad things were and also pretending they were okay, so…

But those were worst case scenarios. And even if Yorgi’s Circus didn’t like Michael, he would stick around as long as he could. He was ride-or-die.

But that was assuming he made it past November. Because the thought of leaving was very tempting.

If Michael was fast and careful during the next week or so when he still felt brave enough, he could use the Aura Reader by himself and end it. The time limit was Jovi’s arrival and any inevitable orders. Yorgi would never recover and be sad if Michael left. Which would be bad. But Michael could start to repay his debts through that action. Which would be good. And the timing would be perfect. And his brain would be happier.

He would be much happier.

Everything would be better. He just had to be careful. Unless Jovi had his Pokeball. He needed that back. And he would trade his one shot at a fast end for it. (Smashing it would do nothing to him physically. Just release him. But Michael didn’t want to be released. When he woke up and found his new OT was his boyfriend, he was ecstatic. And Yorgi would probably find it weird and ask him to change it. So if Michael had it, and Yorgi didn’t know, Michael could stay officially as Yorgi’s knight. And okay, maybe the idea was a little hot in addition to being just what Michael needed to feel worthwhile, so call him a Zorua using the Trickster ability to be tall enough to grab a berry off a tree.)

He needed his SNAG BALL back more than he wanted to stay with Yorgi, but Michael couldn’t stay by his side as is for very long, not when the trial’s anniversary was coming up and he had killed, actually killed. Michael killed technically 6 people, even if it was officially 3 people directly. Not like Yori when he put Honoka down because she was sad. (Michael had done that to a few particularly sad GHOST and PSYCHIC types over the years. Heartbreak was a killer. Michael had had to put down a lot of Pokemon and animal friends over the years for other reasons too. He didn’t like thinking about them. But his own death would be the same. Ugly, but necessary.) More than he wanted to prove he was worthy of being someone’s friend, more than he wanted to love and be loved, in this moment as it was still November.

And he wanted to die.

His quiet mania told him on repeat that he needed this. It was what Michael really wanted, despite any tries at refutation. It would make it up to at least Justy, if no one else. An arm for a life. Fair deal.

The ROUND upon ROUND of ENCOREs would cease after about November 19th, but they would come back next year around October 2nd. They always did. And if he spent the whole five weeks coping, he would be more-or-less okay. And the ENCOREs would be annoying and draining more than convincing like they were now. After all, he skipped this year. As far as he knew he skipped every year he didn’t remember. Which meant... Maybe 3? Oh, but the war was a year probably too. Maybe longer. Did he graduate Hope’s Peak? And How old was he, really? He remembered turning 18, he knew that. So, maybe he skipped 4 years. Or maybe just 3. Or maybe 5. It was hard to say.

Which meant the guilt that had subsided when he ‘died’ had come back and was much much worse now.

He just hoped Jovi wouldn’t be fast enough to have Yorgi stop him. He didn’t want to force his boyfriend’s hand.

#epi

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epilogue aside 2

But SAVING? That’s a whole other ballgame. Ha, ha. The BALL GAME, if you will. Because SAVING mechanics here are directly off my UNDERTALE headcanons. And the BALL GAME was a thing in UNDERTALE. Yay for punny segways.

So SAVE POINTS in UNDERTALE are close to yellow JUSTICE SOUL coloring. And my thoughts are, what if a) everyone can SAVE, b) what if requirements are different for SOFT RESETS (since the SOULs you encounter irrc other than red Determination all like, didn’t make it and are therefore harder to figure out maybe impossible?? But hopefully not) and c) what if you can only SAVE for your own particular GAME (since UNDERTALE was a day, and XD ends after Michael returns the Snag Machine pretty much). So to make this work, like, each SOUL has a different colored SAVE POINT. Going in order of colors Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, Blue, and Light Blue.

Frisk’s SOUL is red and their SAVE POINT yellow. For another example, Yu Narukami of Persona 4’s SAVE POINT is a light blue butterfly. So his SAVE POINT would be Patience and he’d have a yellow Justice SOUL.

Michael has a green Kindness SOUL and an blue Integrity SAVE POINT. Wes has an orange Bravery SOUL with a green Kindness SAVE POINT. Gonzap and Jovi both have red Determination SOULs and yellow Justice SAVE POINTs. So like, this headcanon has that with red SOULs you come back after you die or if you decide something wasn’t fair or just.

SOFT RESET that way.

For Wes, he had to want to go back and be kinder in doing something, for added assurance, it only stuck as a new like play-through if he did the thing. So, he ended up being forced to be a lot nicer than usual to go back in time and like make his GAME the best for him personally. It’s pretty much why he ended up being a hero. Michael never learned how to SOFT RESET and Gonzap never died or thought his GAME was unfair so he never SOFT RESET either. And Jovi only SAVED once.

Oh, also SAVING fills the person with their own SOUL feeling, but also the feeling of the SAVE POINT. Which was pretty dysphoric for both Wes and Michael. Because Michael has no sense of self to reaffirm and is usually very erratic, so feeling like he was whole tended to egg on whatever type of person he was pretending to be in that moment. And Wes never does anything for other people, so being hit with a need and want to help really changed him during his GAME.

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epilogue aside1

I mean, Michael does actually hallucinate the people he indirectly killed? I never had the chance to more than allude to that. It’s why he always gets a lot to eat at every meal. Not that Michael would ever tell anyone other than his therapist, but he told her about the auditory ones (that’s right baby, Michael hears usually fitting XD theme track music all the time at 10db and below, so like maybe 4% volume on a PC or half of one volume on a Mac; it’s why the water didn’t really bother him). And I mean, not bad hallucinations. Just sometimes they’ll follow him around (in ones or twos around mealtimes) and like ask to share a meal so he’ll get extra food and save a seat or two. They kinda’ help him actually remember to eat. Otherwise they just tend to show up, everynow and then. Just, maybe he’ll be on the bus and surprise there’s Ms. Cort. Or he’ll be walking in the park and see Dugo and Kaib on a date. He used to take medication for that too.

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Ch 7 : Motive

TW / CW : Feelings of Low Self-Worth , Self-Deprecation , Paranoia and Delusions of Inferiority

TL:DR; Everything And Everyone Turned Away From Michael Leaving Him Alone. (I Know That’s The Paranoia Talking, But My Brain, This Water, It’s All Too LOUD.)

Accompanying Music: Phenac City- Crisis (You’re Running Out-Of-Time To Prove You Exist, Michael)

Everything was going the same, the same, the same as expected. No one understood anything any more than Michael did and the survivors were probably going to fail or be stuck inside the park even if they did come to some sort of revelation. Junpei couldn’t talk, despite being in on it, like Gorigan was back then, like Snattle was back then, all working for that man then, all working for a mastermind too, and Michael couldn’t do anything but offer unwanted support and be ignored because that was all he was good for anymore.

And no one listened or wanted his help obviously because he kept getting no, no, nos from everyone he asked. It was almost like they were ignoring the date approaching, just like they were ignoring him. The end was coming, and Michael could see it was going to come the day before the anniversary.

Everyone kept misinterpreting his pleas and it hurt, it hurt, it hurt to see them not get it. It wasn’t entirely about him, it was about settling his score with the 6 he never got to apologize to, it was about helping everyone dead from this game onto an even playing field, it was about helping because he wanted to of his own free will. It would only hurt him for 3 hours tops; He’d probably been through worse before.

Turned into shells of who they were and burdened, burdened, burdened by the memories he didn’t have. His classmates didn’t understand that Michael physically needed to help or else he’d be ignored. Michael had to re-frame wanting to help into selfishness so they’d notice he existed and treat him with skepticism and hatred and fear instead of indifference because he couldn’t go back to being nothing when he finally knew how it felt to matter.

Away from his old tricks and set onto the right path, right path, right path was the only way Michael could make himself happy. But Michael knew every no he received back was slowly destroying the real him, and he had nothing else; his last mask was already about to break. If he showed anyone the real Michael that only Jovi ever seemed to see in accepting their refusal, he’d become invisible again.

From the little bits of memories, memories, memories that did return he found himself vexed. He hadn’t got any more clear scenes, only short second long visions and feelings accompanied by static pictures. He either saw his boyfriend or Jovi and felt euphoric joy and PURE or saw chat logs and felt an overwhelming emptiness because no matter who he talked to, even when he texted Eve and Espella and Zacharias - apparently friends, real friends - he felt useless and desperate and like a SHADOW.

Michael felt his emotions boil over, boil over, boil over and he knew he’d be an embarrassing wreck of a joke that Yorgi would leave when the final confrontation happened. He grew more paranoid as the day approached, and more attached to his boyfriend’s side, refusing to leave him out-of-sight. Michael had a panic attack when he went to take a shower that morning, and nearly broke down crying in front of his prince right after getting dressed.

Leaving was all everyone ever did to him, him, him when he stopped being useful which is why he had to help someone soon to prove he should be kept around. It was why he left Jovi all those times in the past; If Michael left first, he couldn’t be betrayed. And Michael knew if he didn’t stay by Yorgi’s side, the other would leave Michael too, so Michael had to technically stalk him… just until the 18th passed.

Him; The only one Michael had to blame for his own problems, own problems, own problems was Michael himself. Michael caught himself, Michael went to Phenac unprepared, Michael turned himself into a SHADOW, Michael fixed himself, Michael took himself straight to the killing game, and Michael got himself killed. As much as he tried - from beginning to end - Michael never escaped his own self-absorbed delusions or his destiny to live and die a VILLAIN that tore apart families and destroyed the trust of everyone he ever cared about, exactly like Ardos.

Alone and isolated is what he’s always been, been, been but not really. Before, even when alone and by himself he had his Pokemon friends or Jovi a phonecall away. Now he had his ghost boyfriend and his classmates - he knew he did, he knew at the very least they wouldn’t want Michael to double-die, he knew Yorgi would want to talk to Michael about why he wasn’t talking out-loud to anyone except him again - but as the date approached and he abstained from his necessary coping routines because he couldn’t risk showing up on the cameras like Rocky and the others said, he felt himself closing off and his HEART GAUGE starting to fill up with a natural CORRUPTION.

#ch7 #((the corruption he's talking about??? issss depression. but #((michael doesn't have the word for depression. just an fyi. he's not #((turning into a monster he's just depressed and scared bc he doesn't?? understand? that that is what's happening

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PRE-DV2 : The Conference

TW/CW: Dehumanizing Talk , Threats of Murder , Purposeful Misgendering (Until Called Out On It)

TL:DR; Michael only talks at 2 panels. The Conference goes... decently? Scribner talks in “” and italics. Hastings talks in “”. Michael talks in ‘’. Zacharias, for his 3 lines, talks in ‘’ and italics.

“Scribner Kelpman on behalf of the Kantonian Board of Scientific Discoveries here to introduce our academic friends to our ‘Pokemon Experiments Gone Wrong And You’ Panel. As you’ll recall, last year we had a talk with Bill, the man who fused himself accidentally with a Clefairy. Filling in for Professor Elm is Professor Hastings from the Ranger Union. We also have one other guest.”

“I’ve been told that your panel has an exclusive the likes of which our guests have never seen, is that right, old boy?”

“Right you are, Professor. We’ve an exclusive with the Phenac City Phoenix.”

“Ah, yes. I do recall being informed of that. He’s up in the cloud right now and we’ll watch him through that?”

“… No, Professor. The projector and screen behind us is set up to remotely stream its appearance.”

“Scribner, can I call you that?”

“I’d prefer Kelpman, Professor.”

“Well, Kelpman. I’m sure the lad would prefer we call him a he.”

“Professor, it’s not even human, its-”

“That young man is no less human than the rest of us, and we should treat him as such. For that matter, we should treat all Pokemon with this respect. They all have their own chosen names and pronouns. Beyond even our nicknames and interpretations of their gender. We should take the time to ask them how they feel and honor that.”

“That’s… quite the radical statement.”

“It’s no different than respecting any other person. We should respect others, just as they respect us. Don’t you think so, Kelpman?”

“I… Yes, Professor. Of course we should respect other people…”

“And Pokemon too, Kelpman?”

“… And Pokemon too.”

“Right then, old boy. Let’s make haste. Pull the lad from the cloud for us!”

“Right away… Professor.”

‘Hello? Is this connected?’

“What’s that lad? Please do speak up! These ears aren’t what they used to be.”

‘Um. Hello? Is this better? I’ve turned up the volume on my computer to it’s fullest.’

“… You’re still too quiet for the Professor. You should-”

“Ignore Kelpman here, lad. You’re doing just fine. We’ll simply turn up the volume of your connection some. Kelpman, give me the remote for a moment.”

“Professor, accommodating for that being will put your Union to shame-”

“And treating this young man rudely will put my soul to shame. It seems you have no qualms with it, though.”

“… I’m truly sorry for my words.”

‘That’s okay... Um, but if I may?’

“Yes lad? What do you need?”

‘Well, you’re Professor Hastings, and that’s Doctor Scribner Kelpman. Both respected men in you fields. But… I don’t think everyone knows who I am?’

“They know you’re not human-”

“You do seem to be right, young man. Why don’t you introduce yourself?”

‘My name is Yamichaelas Thunderbolt Krane-Westley. I’m here on behalf of the HQ Coordination Lab in ORRE. But those in the audience may know me as the Phenac City Phoenix. However, that’s not relevant right now. Since I think this might keep the attention more on the good Professor and Dr., I think I should mention the first panel I was on was over… that incident. And it was streamed live by the convention staff. So you can watch more on the official website if you weren’t at that panel… Dr. Kelpman here requested I come to talk about being the MICHAEL of MISSNO. fame.’

“Precisely. Following last year’s guest, Bill of the PC system, no other human has come close to what you’ve done. No one has violated the laws of nature so profoundly and lived.”

“Now I’m a well-learned Professor, but I’m afraid I’m rather in the dark when it comes to standard Pokedex nonsense. Us in Fiore are used to the Browser, don’t you know?”

‘And in ORRE we’re not much for Pokedexes either. Dr. Kelpman, could you please explain to us and those in the audience what MISSNO. Is?’

“That’s precisely what I’m here to do, Professor and Michael. A MISSNO., Missing NO. or Missing Number all refer to an unregistered or unidentifiable Pokemon and/or Pokemon-like creature of Cartoon origin. Once caught and/or registered, until properly disputed and accepted by the Regional League, these MISSNO. creatures will still show up under that Professor-restricted subset instead of in any official records. Of course, due to the Public Information mandate of nearly a decade ago, all MISSNO. creature names and base logged info can be found via the Regional Leagues website a month after upload.”

“Well I’ll be! Does that mean standard toon-folk show up under that branch?”

“I’ll admit, I’m not entirely sure. My studies have mostly been about molecular changes via the capturing process. In theory the answer is yes… But the list only applies to registerable creatures, which do have to be caught first… So I can’t say.”

‘Professor, Dr., I can answer this one. Standard toon-folk, and those who are half-or-less like me, do not automatically show up as MISSNO. It’s just as Dr. Kelpman said. You have to be registered or else you don’t show up.’

“And how do you know that, MISSN- Michael? Nonhuman hybrids like yourself aren’t legally allowed to hold Pokedexes, let alone become registered to use one.”

‘Uh. Um… well, when I was caught, my OT, um-’

“I’ll admit I’m curious to that as well. But this seems like a question best saved for later, perhaps when the panel is over?”

‘Uh, yes! Thank you Professor. Yes, exactly.  Dr. Kelpman, I’ll be willing to answer any questions you have right after we’re done.’

“… Moving along, then. Michael, is it true that you didn’t actually catch yourself despite your first… thesis… saying the opposite?”

‘…Oh, Shoot, I’m awfully tempted to lie and stick to saying I did, but you both caught me say OT back just a bit ago…’

“My word, lad. Are you saying you’ve actually caught yourself? In a Pokemon Ball?”

‘Well, yes. That’s what this panel is about, Professor. Didn’t Dr. Kelpman brief you too?’

“He sent me some files, yes. But I only skimmed through them when it became apparent he only cared for slander and libel. You’re just a young person that went through some tough times.”

“Libel? Professor, I’m appalled that you would even insinuate I would stoop that low about a murderer like-“

‘’Kelpman, I don’t believe I was talking to you. I was talking to Michael here.”

“… Fine. Talk over me on my panel. I don’t care.”

‘Professor? Please don’t be mad at him for doing his job.’

“Young man, I’m disappointed in the Dr. for being so rude to you. I’m angry at this whole convention for using your unfortunate circumstances to force you to talk here. You should be in school, not locked in a room with a security guard and your younger brother over there.”

‘He’s older than me, actually. And my current TRAINER, not my brother.’

“Ah, I see. Well, the point remains. You shouldn’t have to be here for your lab’s accreditation. Not when you’re still so young. You have so much to do and see. More than reminiscing over lies, certainly.”

‘I’m afraid that whatever the Dr. there sent you was likely true. The Phenac Incident was… bad… And I did steal Pokemon from licensed TRAINERs. I’m not heroic or anything, I’m a bad guy.’

���See. It- he admits to his guilt! He’s a menace. A menace that’s currently abusing tons of private funding to pal it up with the brightest young minds and taint them. He’s ruining my panel. He’s-”

“Mr. Kelpman. That kind of speech will not be tolerated in this convention environment. Or any environment. Certainly not in a work environment. You are an academic mind above all else, and you are the only one here ruining your panel.”

“How dare you-”

‘Professor, please. He’s just scared because I’m in the VIP Fairy-Variant room. But it’s okay! If I act out again or these panels go badly, I’ll be put down. There’s no need to be mad at him!’

“Young man, what was that bit?”

‘Nothing, Nothing! Um, let’s just get back to the panel, okay?’

“… This panel is over. Everyone out.”

‘No, no! Please Dr. Scribner. Please Keep it going. If my guard finds out…’

“Professor, can your authority let Michael free? This… doesn’t sound like convention policy.”

“Mr. Scribner, I do believe it can. I think we should on-record stop the panel and-”

‘Please don’t end the panel early! Please!’

“Why not, Michael? The guests have all left.”

“Kelpman is right, young man. This is something we need to report to the board.”

‘But you can’t stop it early. Please.’

“To reprimand you like that is against nearly every rule in the book. It’s been illegal to put down VIP’s since before you were born.”

‘My lab needs the accreditation just as much as you want Professor status, please Dr. Kelpman. Ask me more questions about how I recoded the Premier Ball or something.’

“Hybrid or not, my personal feelings on your murders aside… This isn’t okay.”

“Kelpman, my boy, for once we agree on something. Michael, my lad, we have to set you free.”

‘Dr. Scribner, if you stop it early, this’ll be my third strike. You know the room itself is STEEL. You know if I’m kicked to the ground and forced there it’d kill me. Please. Please, don’t stop the panel.’

“… Professor, can a panel still be run with only one host and one guest if the other is taking a bathroom break?”

“Why yes, it can. I’ll be off to the restroom.”

‘You’re making a mistake, Professor. I just need to sit through the panels. It’ll be okay. You don’t need to go out of your way-’

“Onto my next question. Michael, was it true that you stole a prototype Pokeball from- Actually. Let me ask something else.”

‘… The Professor left.’

“Michael. Did you ever make good on your plans from the end of your thesis?”

‘You read my paper? Your work on berries has always been an inspiration of mine. It’s what I’m going to talk about at my solo panel and-’

“I’ll say. Your thesis on the Pokeball system came out the same year mine did. It received more acclaim despite mine being vastly superior. You cited working on it for 2 years. Mine took a decade. The only difference was you took anecdotes from actual Pokemon.”

‘Yours was much better than mine! The amount of experiments and control tests you went through to come up with your findings was astounding!’

“But I wasn’t young enough. You gained my praise. Everywhere I turned, my masterpiece was compared to your fantasy novella.”

‘But I really did talk to all those Pokemon. They were my friends. And they’d never lie to me.’

“That’s precisely why it’s fantasy, Michael. You know how Pokemon, how friendship works! They were only telling you what you wanted to hear!”

‘I don’t think they were? I’ve been in a Pokeball too, remember? Besides, our collective findings basically say the same thing, I don’t see the big deal.’

“You wrote a newspaper article and got into the Hope’s Peak. I wrote an encyclopedia and didn’t even break into my field. You ruined my career.”

‘Are you sure both of our success wasn’t up to luck?’

“… Maybe it was. If only I was lucky enough to have a fan.”

‘Well, for what it’s worth. I’m your fan.’

“… That doesn’t make me feel better.”

‘… Also, I did.’

“Excuse me?”

‘What you asked about. I did. Do… that to myself too.’

“But you don’t seem any different. You don’t seem changed.”

‘Just a few weeks back I went through a PURIFICATION process, actually.’

“Did it help any?”

‘Not really. Not as much as going to therapy and relying on my family, friends and boyfriend has been.’

“I see… Are you happy together?”

‘Huh?’

“You said boyfriend. Another Hope’s Peak student, I’m guessing?”

‘Oh, ha ha. I did mention him, didn’t I? Yeah, uh… Yeah, he is…’

“And you’re happy together?”

‘I’m not sure. I mean, I’m happy with him. I’d do almost anything for him. But I never really asked if he’s happy with me. It’s hard to tell, you know? He’s so out-of-my-league…’

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Especially if they’re really open with affection towards everyone. It’s hard to tell if you really deserve it or it’s just something they’d do for anyone.”

‘Yes, exactly! I feel that way with my friends too! Like Zacharias, Eve, and Espella! They’re always being way too nice! Why, do you deal with that too?’

“My husband Yew made me feel the same way for a long time. And… is that him there?”

‘Huh?’

“Your TRAINER from before who’s struggling on that smartphone. Is he also your boyfriend?”

‘No, that’s my friend Zacharias. My boyfriend is someone else entirely.’

“May I know his name?”

‘Well, see, I’ve also never asked if I can tell people who he is… But, since you told me your husband’s name, I’ll say his name also starts with a Y.’

“That’s… something I guess. And, it looks like the Professor is there.”

‘It… sure does. Did he really have to knock out the poor security guard?’

“It looks like your friend was ready to pull out that prop sword of his, I think it’s for the best.”

“Michael, my lad! Michael’s TRAINER! Let’s get you two out of here!”

‘Are you the Search Engine Pizza man?’

“I’m Professor Hastings from the Ranger Union.”

‘With our desert pizza?’

“Why would I have a desert pizza?”

‘I ordered one through the Google search on behalf of a request from some Magical Phone Royalty.’

“It seems you’re going to be fine. I should let the convention goers know everything is okay.”

‘Dr. Kelpman, thank you for your help. You can hang up the call now.’

“Will do.”

#predv

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this is my new desktop background bc my computer updated the old one away

Me, a HERO ‘Hey, with me there by your side’/ “And though nobody knows it and no one knows our name”/ “That doesn’t make it cheaper It’s been worth it just the same”/ “We reached out to the TRUTH & found out who’s to blame”/ “We’ve got this blessing. This glorious true thing”/ “Now it’s time to see iT THROUGH“/ ‘Partner. Me and You.’/ “Me and You.”/ “Me and You.”

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Chapter 7 Drabble

TL:DR; GOOD EATS! WALK W/ YOUR FEETS! AND ABOVE ALL ELSE! Eat when your hungry.

Accompanying Music: Battle Bingo (Things Are The Best They’ve Ever Been : D)

Things were going to end soon. Which meant Michael had to be at peak physical condition! To greet their last old-new friend! (If they wanted it... And if not, well, this way he could give bigger hugs to his beloved!)

He spent his free mornings perfecting making it look like his flip-flops were walking by themselves around the courtroom (for endurance and fun, fun especially since holding the flip-flops in his hands made them like, seeable to living beings), days and afternoons with Yorgi watching tv or playing videogames or drawing or reading books or just cuddling and sometimes Michael spent them by himself just looking for new Pokemon friends, and his nights sharing a bed with his boyfriend! And if he occasionally broke into Daisy’s Diner at 3 am to grill a burger and top it with lots of Spinach and strawberry halves and a slice of provolone and eat raspberries and more spinach and green pepper slices for a side, then only the security cameras would know. (Maybe he was indulging in his sweet tooth a bit, so what?)

He was so glad he could eat food! Actually restore health and stuff from it too! Which was awesome! Michael missed eating and really enjoyed being able to still clean up his mess of plates and stuff afterwards. Well, it took a bit of time to realize he had to wear disposable gloves to trick his body into not damaging him for touching metal silverware, so he hadn’t started cleaning up until the day before, but, that was okay too! It never hurt anyone to run a dishwasher full of dishes! … Probably.

Plus, everything was going great! Michael had his boyfriend and never ever got physically tired and he was safe. And free. That was all that mattered.

#ch7

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CH 6: Post-Execution

TW / CW : Mentions of Drowning , Some Self-Resentment , Mentions of Hearing Loss, Mentions of Tactile Loss, Mentions of Falling to Death

TL:DR; Michael makes it about himself, like always. Also, he’ll never admit it to anyone other than Jovi or Yorgi, but he is pretty upset that everyone was more understanding of Junpei killing his own boyfriend (even if it was an accident) than Yori killing Honoka. Michael’s sad they weren’t as nice to Yori. He’s also still a little sad himself that he caused the other dead folks to leave Yori alone. He’s on the verge of not entirely blaming himself for making them leave. He’s slowly learning not to hate himself. Slowly.

Accompanying Music: Krabby Klub (Fun Music In A Boat)

It was fine when Junpei revealed himself as a traitor and tried to garner the leftovers of the hate Michael had already pointed at himself. Michael admired Junpei for being a big hero to match his own villain shtick, and felt proud when Junpei’s acting worked better than his own ever could. It was fine that the others had their memories back and Michael didn’t. He was dating Yorgi now, and was happy and safe. It was fine when Yorgi wanted to stay to see the execution even though Michael didn’t really because Michael wasn’t clear enough and could have said more. Besides, he had pointedly not watched most of the other executions and been fine.

It was fine when Junpei started saying the same kind of thing Michael did before he died. Michael was okay with being Junpei’s COPYCAT. It was fine that Junpei was going to receive a big group hug and a bunch of support right off the bat, even though Michael got confused disgust which he wasn’t sure he entirely deserved anymore and no one except Honoka stuck around for Yori or Yogi. Michael was happy for his younger classmate, he really was, even if it wasn’t fair for Yori because Michael had disrupted the balance of things and it was too much to ask anyone to sit through two executions he understood he really did even if it made him sad. It was fine that Junpei had never lost any memories at all, even the bad ones. Michael was… maybe a little upset about that.

It wasn’t fine when the sound of rushing water started and mixed with what Michael was already dealing with. Michael clung to his boyfriend like a leaf and closed his eyes tighter hiding under his headband, except it sounded and felt just like when he was going to Citadark and the submarine almost broke apart and when he fell and brought himself back. It wasn’t fine when he shook harder and felt Yorgi shift to hug him tighter. Michael felt alone even though he could feel Yorgi, even if he couldn’t identify the texture of his boyfriend’s shirt anymore.

It was fine when Yorgi took Michael’s hand and led him out of the trial room, Junpei had the others that abandoned his prince and were disgusted by Michael for being a monster were only busy with their own problems and he wasn’t scared of what they might do and didn’t blame them for what they would eventually do after he let his guard down at all. The two of them went to one of their bedrooms eventually, Michael didn’t know which. It was fine when they got into the same bed and were super close. Michael felt safe again, and he didn’t feel any sort of commiseration towards any of the others at all because they were wrong for giving Yori unfair treatment. It was fine when he felt the rushing water cascade and lull him into an unwilling sleep and his worries unnaturally dissipate. He was with his beloved, and they would talk out any lingering feelings of dissatisfaction so they wouldn’t become as, quite frankly, a little teeny tiny bit rude as Ryo and Hiroki were being (despite the optimal circumstances).

It wasn’t fine that Jovi would eventually show up with her team and he’d have to explain himself to her, since she had ghosts and Arrow on her side. But that was still at least another month off, maybe more. It wasn’t fine that Michael kept saying the wrong things and bringing everyone including his wonderful understanding boyfriends down. He was trying so hard to relate to his classmates, but didn’t know how other than to cite his own experiences. It wasn’t fine that some of his own emotions towards his classmates, his working companions, were less than completely supportive. He would never let anyone know that truth unprompted for his own safety, except his beloved because he promised no more lies.

It was fine when he came to the conclusion dreams as a ghost was just more of the same lonely Pokeball realm he had tried so hard not to get used to. He didn’t let the thought of two subconscious SNAG MACHINES bring him down then, and he wouldn’t now either. It was fine when he found his gilded cage was filled with framed pictures of his closest family and Pokemon friends, and he didn’t feel haunted by not knowing where they were at all. It was fine when he realized he could still eat, but hadn’t because he didn’t want to disappoint his beloved or scare the survivors. He didn’t feel hungry or thirsty, he didn’t, not even a little. It was fine when he realized PLUS was still active, even in death, and prompted him to speak out of turn. He didn’t mind that touching Yorgi brought him into an unnatural feeling of stability and clarity and lessened the rushing water, like a NEUTRALIZER. It was fine.

#ch6

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Chapter 6 - Memory 3 of 3???

TW / CW : Mentions of Sexual Fantasy , Michael is 19 right now, and Celebi pretty much implies that Michael wants to “do the sex” with his boyfriend. I don’t like thinking about sex at all, but Michael is his own guy. He does what he wants. And, sometimes he even says fuck. Like at the end of this memory. What does he say to Celebi? Just, the f-word a lot. A lot.

TL:DR; Celebi can’t purify? This “DESTINY BOND” nonsense is a big fat lie. I mean, Celebi’s just giving that old sugar pill. Snake oil, a placebo. That’s not PURIFICATION... The stone itself purifies, and yeah Celebi shows up sometimes to say hi, but Celebi can’t actually purify. Only travel through time. So I mean, if you’re willing to take that mental reset, you can mcLose your memories. But that’s not purification. Still, as stories travel down the grapevine of time, accounts change and abilities get exaggerated. Um, the whole chant/spell I made up is just what you say when you like, devote yourself to someone, be it for familial or romantic or platonic reasons. And it doesn’t do anything. It honors Celebi pretty much. That’s it.

(Michael will never know this is fake because A) Celebi yeeted out of the century the moment any despair stuff happened to a more peaceful time and B) Michael wouldn’t ask or think to ask! Celebi’s a deity and deities don’t lie, as far as Michael knows.)

Accompanying Music: Realgam Tower (Placebos Are Good, Sometimes)

“Celebi curse me and bind my soul, tie it to north and south poles. Destiny Bond one-sided begin, tie me to my next of kin. If they die, so shall I. Under the ten minute blink of an eye. I choose…”

“... What’s wrong? Too shy to say it?.”

“Maybe... But you know my choice anyways!”

“That I do.”

It was the dawn of the 7th day. And they had just finally got Michael to agree to the one-sided DESTINY BOND soul contract.

“And you really want to do this?”

“If my only other option is losing all the patients I’ve helped in the past 6 years, and all my friends too, and my understanding of Jovi, then yes. I want to do this.”

“Didn’t even mention your top pick... You must really be biding your time.”

“It’s kind of embarrassing to say you want to be with someone forever this way, you know! Especially someone as nice and cool as he is!”

Michael looked ready and confidant, which was a stark change from the crying mess they had just pulled out of reliving the Phenac Incident a few minutes ago. They didn’t really understand why anyone would agree to give up true PURIFICATION for a few years of sad memories - years were practically nothing and they passed by so fast - but Michael had shown serious commitment reliving his traumas and staying compliant in attempts to undo the SHADOW PROCESS. And they were nothing if not a fair sprite.

“You were listening to the terms, right?”

“I bind my soul to a sentient being of my choosing. I won’t be intrinsically more connected or infatuated with them by any means, and it won’t impact them in any way. It merely links me to them. And it’ll allow me to stay PURE and keep my memories. That’s what I get out of it.”

“Alright, but what’s the catch? Your mortal brain was listening there too, right? That’s what you should’ve focused on.”

Michael flinched into himself and they almost felt bad for being so curt with the boy. Almost. Michael had technically killed three other mortals. They couldn’t find it in themselves to be very sympathetic. Then again, Michael was just a boy… And the son of Wes and Rui. They decided they would be nicer to him.

“If they die at all, I have about 10 minutes before I go into an unstoppable REVERSE MODE - since that was the synthesis of my corruption - and risk killing the nearest target in the vicinity… Potentially a lot of targets, until I burn out or am… stopped.”

“Not quite. This procedure wouldn’t be very fair if you had the potential to turn at anytime. I’ll let you have 10 minutes after you’re consciously aware that being is dead or going to die.”

“But that’s not how the standard deal goes according to lore, are you sure?”

“This isn’t about me being sure, son of Wes and Rui. This is about selling your mortal soul. Wherever that person ends up after death, you will too. When your soul is apart from theirs, a pain will course through you that increases the lonelier you feel as you are apart. It is a carry-over from becoming a SHADOW even I cannot lift. Just as I cannot lift the pain in your heart, but only ease it.”

They wouldn’t risk telling the false nature of the “DESTINY BOND” process to anyone else. Michael was the son of two trusted mortals but, above that,  Michael was really stupid. They could outright tell him it was a lie and he wouldn’t pick up on it. Besides, Michael was the one that purified every Shadow Pokemon he came across - except that Shadow Lugia - by his own means. Michael Krane-Westley truly cared for his patients. They decided the least they could do is offer some of the same courtesy.

“Wherever they end up, I will too…  And as fun as it would be to overthrow Hell itself through socialism and a righteous battle of classes with Jovi... Well, I need to think harder about this decision.”

“And I shouldn’t have to say it, but don’t try to outfox me. If you pick something like the Planet itself, I will bend the terms so you die the moment I return you to your sister. The terms are for any sentient being, not impudent tricksters with hero complexes.“

“…Have you seen my future? Do you know when I’m normally supposed to die?”

“I do.“

They couldn’t tell Michael he was destined to accept this offer, that his choice and furthermore his fate was all but set-in-stone.

“Before I tell you who my choice is, I want to know two more things. If you’re willing to tell me, that is.”

“I can not guarantee an answer, but I will listen to your queries.“

“Do I… Do I ever manage to be useful? I’m not talking useful because I’ve fulfilled a mission, I mean by my own merit. Like, am I ever useful to me because I had my own plan that worked out? That kind of useful?”

“Your last ever plan is precisely that. You enact it just as hoped. The ramifications of it befall much negativity otherwise directed elsewhere. This is true of a few individuals, one of which is your sister.”

Good. Michael was smiling at their puns. They were happy to see Michael satisfied with their vague answer.

“And my other question… is, well. Um…”

“There’s no need to be shy. If you want I could read your thoughts instead?”

“Absolutely not! The first time you did that you laughed for a long time! Just, um… Give me a moment.”

“Alright.”

They had laughed for approximately 34 minutes without rest. Michael’s thoughts were hilariously all-over-the-place. Plans haphazardly sorting together only to be torn apart and remixed into stupider plans stewing just under the subconscious, dreams of wanting to enact on silly carnal pleasures (hand-holding and cuddling among other very human wants) at all times of the day with a special someone in the id, and feelings of importance and indecision to rival that of his father mixed with feelings of paranoia and righteousness to match that of his mother constantly waging war in his ego. His superego was so overwhelmingly and absurdly unhealthily accommodating that the moment they exerted any force on Michael’s mind, it just allowed them entry. And it was funny.

“Can you use your powers to help me die before my person does? No, not can you… Will you? I don’t. I don’t want to die an abomination. That’d just make him even more sad.”

“I can not. And I will not. But I will tell you that you do die in that manner.”

“Which way? The first or… the second. I’ll call the deal off if that means I hurt him. I don’t want to, I won’t hurt him. Not that way.”

“A mix of the two, if I’m being honest with you. Stop looking so worried, you do not physically hurt him. You die with 9 seconds to spare.”

They could practically see the circuits rewire themselves in Michael’s mind as he came to his inevitable choice. They knew from the start it would come to this, and yet, they couldn’t help but feel slightly proud for Michael in making his journey.

“I’m ready to tell you the name of my choice. He is-”

“That blond cat-suited performer you’re so keen on, correct?”

“How did you-”

“I saw your memories of him, and your whole life, remember? I know he’s the only one you’d ever want to copulate.”

They started to laugh again as Michael pulled down his hairband and screamed a string of expletives loudly out into the forest. They waited for Michael to calm down before cheekily telling him they skipped past every PG or more romance scenes, only to send the boy into another tizzy. They floated higher and higher as the boy fruitlessly jumped and clawed out into the air, using the time to use an extravagant HEAL BELL, hoping the boy would be too worked up to notice anything was off.

#ch6 #got a memory back!!! : D #yay!!!!!!

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Chapter 6

TW / CW : Mentions of Falling to Death, Being Stabbed to Death, and Drowning, Mentions of Hearing Loss, Mentions of Chronic Pain

TL:DR; Michael loves his special person very much. Also his ears always hear the accompanying rushing waves because a) how he died b) he used WISH on himself enough that some got stuck in him forever. Oops. On the bright side he won’t lie to anyone else anymore at all.

Accompanying Music: Funny Feeling (Rushing Waves)

It was a funny feeling.

Not physically being able to talk as loud as everyone else.

(Not that Michael ever had forced his voice loud, during the killing game, except when he… went ahead that last time. When he forced his voice loud enough to stay level and say his peace to his beloved. Despite the pain in his heart. Despite the thrall of something he had seen but never thought he would feel again.)

Unlike before, when he let his worldview hold him back from speaking at full volume, now he didn’t even have the chance to. (Not that it mattered, since his classmates were used to his normal speaking voice.)

And Michael knew when he first came back that something was wrong.

For one, he was back atop the trap door where he… fell.

For another, he was back.

(Michael had considered himself a religious guy, devout to every Lugia and Ho-oh and Celebi to ever exist, as most people of Orre. And ghosts? People ghosts? Weren’t supposed to exist. He had always assumed he would come back as a Shuppet, just like his Pokemon friends all had, knowing they were once human but unaware of their human lives and all the happier for it. Not… this.)

And so were his classmates.

He had meant to confer, to negotiate with the spirits of his classmates, but all that had come out was mumbling.

They seemed to hear him just fine, which was good information.

Unlike before, he couldn’t hear as well.

Michael’s never been more glad he could read lips. He was also in shock, when he realized the other survivors would still decide to vote, so perhaps his hearing wasn’t really modified. Back then, he had forced his attention to his ghost classmates.

The others - he had been too distracted with the proceedings to take in anyone for certain - sounded quieter. Not much quieter, mind. About maybe, 15 decibels? Or no, not even that it was quieter, but that something was in the way. There was a rushing in his ears was constantly going. A sloshing of water, that was calming and constant.

And on one hand, he should be happy. Because now he had a constant lullaby to help him sleep! Because this way louder noises would bother him less! Because this way he’d be happier, right? (Or, would it be just the same as before? If he couldn’t hear on the lower spectrum, he wouldn’t on the louder spectrum… Was that how it worked? Not with his animal or Pokemon friends, but he was… something else. He didn’t know. He was never good at logic.) And the rushing kept going.

Logically, he knew the water and blood in his lungs and overall system were the cause, but it didn’t stop the feeling from persisting.

The funny feeling that wouldn’t leave.

The funny feeling that buzzed in his head.

The funny feeling that amplified his conductivity, and connection to the electrical element.

The funny feeling that left him with a dull pain throughout his chest and lungs - a 3, an easy to deal with, no problem 3, he felt a 3.358 all the time in his lower left ribs when alive but that was gone too - instead of the distressing 8 he had felt before… falling.

The funny feeling that left him unable to identify individual strands of hair with his own hands.

The funny feeling that physically pained him and brought the ache up to a 5 (but just in his heart, and again, not unbearable to someone used to pain like Michael, just displeasing and slightly thought-consuming) when he couldn’t see or feel or hear his prince.

The funny feeling that loosened his tongue and tight hold over his emotions, that made outside touch enhanced and grounding and when from his beloved… euphoric.

The funny feeling that he couldn’t identify, but knew had to be connected with a botched PURIFICATION process, his botched PURIFICATION process.

He’d have to tell his beloved what was us before his MOVEs ran out and his glamour fell. But that didn’t bother him.

The only thing Michael was worried about was helping his beloved feel better. (Honoka didn’t blame them, Michael didn’t blame them, and deep down he knew no one else did either! But how could Michael explain that to Yori? How could Michael explain that to Yogi?)

Whatever the worries… Based on what he knew of his paramount so far, Michael was positive they would work it out together. Just as Michael was willing to help Yori and Yogi and explain what little he knew, he also knew easily that the other would be there for Michael.

They would be okay. After all, Michael has his special someone and they love each other and are maybe dating (he’s pretty sure dying for someone doesn’t really mean you’re dating but maybe, maybe if Michael asks he’ll say yes?) and maybe someday he’d take Michael up on the offer for a full-body massage and  Michael could make his beloved feel as good as he makes Michael feel…

Or maybe they would just stay bro-friends like they were right now? Not quite dating, but devoted and caring towards each other regardless. Bro-friends were the ones that were cool with cuddling and quick kisses on the cheek, right? The type of relationship where you’d go to eat together and play video games and meet animals together and hold hands a lot. That was what they had right now, and if it stayed, well. Michael would be fine with that too.

#ch 6

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CH 5: Post-Execution - Michael’s Side

TL:DR; Jovi and Michael can finally start walking again.

Accompanying Music: Shadow Lugia Battle (A Tumultuous End)

Michael knew the moment the button was pressed that he had done something really wrong.

Yogi thought so too, evidently, as Michael fell.

Michael should’ve waited until after they voted.

Michael had acted selfishly on his own - which he knew he wasn’t supposed to do - because he couldn’t bear to live alone.

The look on his beloved’s face wasn’t what he was expecting, either. (He thought Yori- Yogi? He thought whoever was fronting had meant to live and die by his side. Michael thought someone who had never been to Orre meant something he obviously couldn’t know about. Michael was an idiot for thinking that.)

Michael knew deep down that his super secret password stood for more than just Jovi.

Michael knew whoever else he was sending that plea to would at the very least help the survivors avoid any other Oswald’s at the end of it all.

Michael knew he couldn’t make himself vote.

Michael knew the moment his prince had said anything, all of his resolve would crumble and he would be forced to live in a world without love.

Michael knew he didn’t really have a better shot than right then to give the survivors another piece of evidence against the mastermind.

So, Michael denied what the Michael that was afraid of death said, and made his advance.

And when some of his ghost classmates left because he had done something irrevocably stupid, he watched them go.

And when his favorite person was voted for, and was… killed. He just watched. Right above the trap door where he drowned to death.

And when he and his prince and Honoka had a bit of re-connection and he found that neither of them hated him or each other, he was glad.

And it was okay.

Because that meant they could all be happy.

Michael was with his favorite person, after all.

And in invoking their super-secret password he knew Jovi would start moving forward without him.

#CH5

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CH 5: Post-Execution - Jovi’s Side

TL:DR; Jovi and Michael can finally start walking again.

Accompanying Music: Shadow Lugia Battle (A Tumultuous End)

Jovi knew the moment she saw the person that stole her brother away talk with Honoka.

Emili didn’t, she thought it was going to be okay, but Jovi knew.

Jovi knew that person had poisoned her brother with a deep-set love, even deeper than her love for Emili.

Jovi watched the whole time. Emili left for a bit, to go grab Gonzap and Wakin and Lily and Krane and Naps and Wes and Rui because Jovi knew Michael wouldn’t make it past the next day.

They made star-cut banana sandwiches and sat to watch as Michael and that person almost didn’t investigate.

Jovi wanted to scream as her brother didn’t pick up on their guilt.

Jovi wanted to throttle that person as her brother examined his first body in 3 years.

Jovi wanted to die as she saw Michael and that person walk around the park, just out-of-camera view, but still almost audible.

Jovi wanted to kill that person as the trial started and she saw her brother deny, deny, deny, the truth of what he was asked.

Jovi wanted to be there as Michael, her dearest family member, pulled out his knife and their biological parents finally realized how in-deep Michael really was.

Jovi wanted someone to stop him as he rushed forward and ultimately killed himself for nothing.

Jovi wished her hardest that Saturday or Caelum or even that person would say something, but Michael kept talking, and asked her to forgive. (She would. She would do anything for Michael. She would forgive them all. Even that despicable Prince.)

Jovi screamed as her brother fell and cried into Emili’s arms as Micool caught the last words her brother would ever say to the chat.

And, an hour later as she gave Micool the okay to finally let themself self-terminate, she knew she would never be the same again. She would never fully heal, and despite her promise, would never truly be able to forgive.

But it was okay.

Because Michael was happy.

He was with his favorite person, after all.

And that gave Jovi peace of mind to start moving forward again.

#CH5

[purify-orre-blog]

Addendum: Michael’s Video Logs - CH. 5 Section

TL:DR; Hi, here’s the last video log Michael made during his time in the Killing Game. This is Michael basically saying “I’m moving in with my new (past?) boyfriend and giving up on trying to be more than a player in this killing game”. This one is in the Main Folder, titled “1Intro_Only.mp4”. It is ordered before the first chronological video, “2Gamma_Suspended.mp4” which posted under the Prologue tag. These will also be under the “VideoLog” tag. Check Navigation or Here for the chronological order!

TW/CW : (Unintentional) Self-Injury, Plans of Murder-Suicide (Via Fighting The Mastermind Should An Opportunity Arise And Inevitably Losing)

Accompanying Music: Theme of Suspense (You Know What You Must Do, Even If You Don’t Want To)

The lights are on, and the sound of splashing liquid can be heard from the bedroom area. The Wii by the TV and all the games are gone. Perhaps Michael moved them to Yori’s room?

The living room coffee table is littered with little metal rats. They are stacked up in piles, and it looks like they might be in the process of forming a pyramid. There are over a hundred of them, maybe even over two hundred. On the couch is 5 separate pairs of the remnants of scorched Disney-themed oven mitts.

The carpeted floor is much more scorched than before, and fresh blood stains splatter the ground.

The sound of splashing liquid can be heard for several more minutes, and then it’s silent.

Slowly, quietly, Michael shuffles back into the room, holding a rat with metal tongs. It’s smoking. Michael seems unfazed as he moves to add the rat to the pile.

He’s wrapped a fire blanket over the front of his person, suspended in rope. It looks kind of like a red Snuggie minus the sleeves. And if Snuggies were partly melted through. And also smoking. He’s wearing oven mitts and 4 black-and-white checkered headbands. One is around his neck like a collar, one is over his mouth, another over his nose, and another holding up his hair. His hair is also all tied up in a short ponytail. He’s wearing Oswald-themed Safety-goggles. Fittingly, they are rose-tinted.

He sets the metal tongs into a bucket of water that starts to hiss. He unwraps the fire blanket and folds it the best he can, setting it on the couch.

Michael looks to the camera, his eyes tired, and he sighs. He pulls the two headbands over his face down to make two more collars.

“Project Epsilon has been suspended on account of me, pardon the language, not giving two shakes of a Eevee’s tail. Being the villain like Wes and Gonzap was a dumb idea and just hurt everyone around me. I thought it was the right thing to do, but I know better now.”

He looks over to the pile of rats and sighs, then back to the camera.

“After I typed up my last confession, I rounded up all my bombs and all the… firearms around the park.”

He says, pulling off the latest pair of Oswald oven mitts, tossing them to the ground.

“And turned them into rats.”

His hands are covered in scratches and burn marks, more than from the electrocution, but they seem to be clotting and healing supernaturally. He seems tired by this too.

“I synthesized all my TMs I had stored on my USB to hack and create a sort of super WISH move. That’s a move that rewards extreme faith in yourself for an HP boost over the duration of the turn or as long as it takes to heal to full health. I’ve modified it to boost everyone around within the nearest 45 foot radius, too. If nothing else, I’ll be able to help a little bit this way. I replaced Encore, because I used it all up on Caelum last trial.”

He looks the the camera for the first time, and his irises are completely green. Any blue that was there is gone.

“It can’t heal me any further than after I regained the ability to speak. And it’s incredibly draining. I can’t use any moves for the next three turns. It also altered my being. But Jovi, you probably knew that.”

He looks to the camera sadly.

“And if I use it all up, if I don’t restore my PP? If I run out of moves entirely?”

His hands are scratch-free now. They are just as scarred as before, but no longer bleeding.

“I won’t STRUGGLE, but instead enter a sort of HYPER REVERSE MODE. Chances are I’ll go straight for the first person that isn’t my trainer… In the 15 seconds of consciousness I have left, I’ll have to go for Oswald.”

He gives a calm smile.

“And my USB says Yogi and Yori are my OT, so at least he’ll be safe.”

The smile thins.

“But headbands used this way only restore HP so… It’s not looking great.”

It settles to something ashamed. His hands curl into fists.

“I’m running out of time. And if something happens to him, I know that’ll set me off too.”

He hugs himself and just takes a few deep breaths.

“Move Count. Wish, 4 of 5. Baton Pass, 23 of 64. Spark 9 of 32. Fake Tears, 12 of 32.”

He lets go of the hug, looking at the camera with a serious expression.

“I’m not coming back to this room unless Yori or Yogi make me. I’m also leaving the USB with my logs at the center of the rat pile, near the front of the table next to my laptop with my newest password ‘Y-O-R-G-I-0-4-B-U-S-T’. Said like ‘Yogi or Bust’. Because I love him.”

He looks away for a second and clears his throat.

“Not the smartest password, I know, but he’s cute and…” He covers his face in his hands, blushing fast and bright red. “I just said I love him, didn’t I? Great going, Michael! Tell the world you love the Ultimate Mascot, genius plan!”

He stands there for five seconds, before pulling his hands away and attempting to regain composure, face still beet-red like his hair.

“So the logs broadcasted live for Jovi’s sake, but I figure maybe some of Project Curiousity’s speculations might help the other Ultimates? You’ll find them all in files labeled accordingly. This one is the intro video. Or it will be. I wish I knew how to edit things out…”

He looks back to the camera, blush fading. “Project Curiousity. That’s the list of people with probable motives and connections I know about. So mostly you Ultimates, and former members of Cipher and Snagem.”

The blush is gone. “Most probably still active suspects are me and Jovi. Jovi and I?”

Michael scowls.

“Grammar’s not important, neither of us would do this.”

And he settles on another serious expression.

“Sure, anyone with basic motor skills, parts, and a blueprint could assemble a rabbot, but something like this requires tons of money, connections, years of planning, and I don’t…”

Realization dawns on his face.

“We’re all missing at least two years of memories or more, only one if I’m being really generous. And with the backing of that World Ender organization, literally any of us could have done this. It could be me, or Jovi, or Yogi, or Yori or anyone…”

Michael looks sad. He shakes his head once dismissively, and looks right into the camera.

“I can’t claim to understand why anyone would do this, or how they could have got to this point, be it alone or under the influence of someone like how I was blackmailed, but… I forgive you.“

Michael’s not hiding his feelings anymore.

“You’ve fallen for Hope the way I did, and it betrayed you. That’s the feeling I get.”

He clasps his hands together in a show of bravery, or stupidity.

“Mastermind, whoever you are… I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to take the brunt of their aggression. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be your friend fast enough. You said I’ll never understand you and you’re right.”

He’s beaming.

“But that doesn’t mean we aren’t friends. I’ll always be your friend, even if you kill me. Even if I kill you.”

Michael looks back towards the bedroom, a soft smile on his face.

“I still have 20 more rats to bring over. They should be cool by now.”

Michael seems at peace.

The video feed cuts off.

#CH5 #videolog

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Addendum: Michael’s Video Logs - CH. 3 & 4 Section

TL:DR; This is after the second trial, and after Michael returned Lugia back to Saturday, literally 20 minutes before he electrocuted himself. The second entry is during Chapter 4. These two are in the Epsilon Folder, titled “Epsilon6.mp4” and “Epsilon7_Forgot_To_Title.mp4”. These will also be under the “VideoLog” tag. Check Navigation or Here for the chronological order!

TW/CW : Electrocution and (Unintentional) Self-Injury

Accompanying Music: Theme of Suspense (You Know What You Must Do, Even If You Don’t Want To)

Chapter 3

The sound of a door shutting swiftly can be heard. Michael stomps into frame.

“Project Hot Boy: Log 7, Start.”

He seems on edge, wringing his hands together.

“Ryo did it. He’s supernatural, as expected. His sister too probably. We got the new motives overnight. And I’m about to do something stupid.”

He looks to the camera with dawning horror and blushes deeply.

“Wait, did I say Project Hot Boy?“

He lets out a nervous giggle, which would seem endearing if he weren’t also pulling at the new collar around his neck.

“I’m on Log 78 of Project Yogi- I mean Hot Boy! And this is for Project Epsilon!“

His hands start to smoke and little sparks fly out, which activates the electric shock collar and lets loose a jolt to Michael.

He falls to the floor in surprise.

He shakily does his best to stand up, and lets out a few coughs.

“Right. Um. Project Hot Boy: False Start of Log 7, Accidental Take 2. Scratch this from the records. Project Epsilon: Log 7, Start.”

He looks to the camera, blush fading.

“Um. Oswald’s gonna let me try to dismantle the collar.” He’s waving his hands around as he talks, as if enunciating his points. “I figure with my typing and higher pain tolerance, I’ll be the best candidate. Plus, an associate’s degree in Mechanical Engineering has to be useful sometime, right?”

He shrugs and frowns.

“My internal HP is at 87 of 122 and my Level is 45. Therefore, theoretically. I can get zapped by the collar at least maybe 15 more times before it kills me, or 12 times if it successfully amps up in power like predicted. For non-electric types or normal humanoids, the threshold would be about… 7? 8? I’ll stop before I fry my vocal chords.”

And he smirks at the camera.

“Fortunately for me, since my last update, all collars now restore 1 missing PP of a move and 1 HP at the end of every turn. So if I get into any altercations…”

The smirk grows.

“I’m liable to heal myself a bit as time goes by.”

And it falls.

“If only I had my Neutralizer back… I don’t want to wear any collars that say bad words on them like the ones Oswald showed me…”

He crosses his arms and sighs.

“Time to start preparations, I guess. Project Epsilon: Log 7, End.” ☼☼☼

Chapter 4

Michael enters the room fast, sprinting past the camera view towards the bedroom. He comes back, with a backpack - full of perhaps clothing - slung around his back and shows a hand-written letter to the screen. He holds it there steadily.

‘This was written in advance for 1 of 3 reasons. 1) I can’t talk because Oswald will kill the next person to speak or something else motive related. 2) I told Yogi/Yori my plans and he took pity on me and we’re friends now, or maybe I’m his knight, or maybe we’re dating? (Stars, if only! I mean, whatever it takes to be a part of his life… Ha ha... he’s amazing, okay? And I can dream...) He’s one of the only good people here. And he’s nice. And seems to like talking to me. Plus, have you seen him? Arceus created a perfect man, and that man is the Ultimate Mascot. 3) A combination of 1 and 2 in which I need to watch over Yorgi (could that name work to imply both of them?) because the last death was by Manami in Alyssa’s dorm room and honestly forget my scruples, because I don’t need to be the villain if it means people will still target him.’

He nods to it sagely, after putting it up for 5 solid minutes. Then he points to himself, coughs a whole bunch and says the 7 words that would change his life.

“I’m a pan man with a prince.”

His voice is really hoarse.

Then he sprints away.

#ch3 #ch4 #videolog

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Addendum: Michael’s Video Logs - CH. 2 Section

TL:DR; This is after the first trial, and right after Michael blows up the Oswald statue. The second entry is after Chapter 2′s investigation. These two are in the Epsilon Folder, titled “Epsilon5.mp4” and “Epsilon6.mp4”. These will also be under the “VideoLog” tag. Check Navigation or Here for the chronological order!

TW/CW : Plans of Murder-Suicide (Via Collaboration and/or Penalty From Oswald)

Accompanying Music: Theme of Suspense (You Know What You Must Do, Even If You Don’t Want To)

Michael walks into view and over to the living room couch. He’s holding a pigeon in his hands. He’s also scrapped up, pretty bad.

“Project Epsilon: Log 5, Start.”

He lets go of his hold on the pigeon. She flutters away and goes to nest on the far side of the couch near Michael’s laptop.

“So…” He’s speaking in a louder-than-typically-thought-of-as-indoor voice.

“A lot happened. Uh,” he points to his ears with both hands. “I popped my eardrums something wicked.”

He drops his hands and gestures over to the pigeon.

“Blew up an Oswald statue, made a new friend. She decided she wanted to be called Lugia.”

He turns back to the camera and frowns.

“The Ultimates still think I’m trying to help them, somehow? And I guess I can’t deny them that, so…”

He takes his left hand and moves it the rake through his hair.

“I guess I’m moving to the definite victims list?”

He looks to the camera startled and yells.

“JOVI, I’M SORRY! I DON’T MEAN I’LL ASK FOR IT!”

And from the other end of the couch, startled cooing can be heard. Michael winces and turns back to the newly-dubbed Lugia. He’s stage-whispering now.

“I’m sorry!”

Lugia coos some more, and Michael nods along, still ashamed.

“I just realized I don’t know how loud I’m being, is all. I’m sorry for hurting your pidove ears!”

She coos some more, and preens under one wing. She picks up a feather and offers it to Michael, who takes is graciously.

“No, no! Think nothing of it! I PARALYZEd you. Helping you recover is the least I can do! But for sure, in the future, just find a Cherry Capri Sun or Maraschino from ice cream and eat it! Those cure PARALYsis just the same as Cheri berries do!”

Lugia coos some more and settles down. Michael smiles warmly in her direction before looking back to the camera sheepishly.

“Oh, right. The log. Ha ha…”

He leans back into the couch, still stage-whispering, with a serious look on his face.

“I’ll be working to retrieve and slowly melt down every bomb I set. They can still be detonated remotely, but even the worst villains don’t let kids kill themselves off.”

Michael smiles to the camera.

“… Also, there are more… water rides now.”

He grimaces.

“I know Pirates of the Caribbean is a standard ride, but I hate this?”

He looks pensive.

“What if someone wants to kill me there and we try to set it up in advance? I don’t think I could force myself inside unless someone was hurt.”

He pales and looks down at his lap, bringing his hands to his face and shaking.

“What am I going to do if there’s ever a water park?”

He looks like he’s going to be sick.

Michael stands up, and speaks again in that slightly-louder-than-typically-indoor voice.

“Going to the restroom! Project Epsilon: Log 5, End.” ☼☼☼ The room is dim. The kitchen light is on. Michael is wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, significantly less scraped up. He’s holding an empty bottle of water. There is gauze around his forehead.

“Project Epsilon: Log 6, Start.”

He frowns as the fluttering of wings can be heard. He turns towards his bedroom, which is out-of-view.

“Lugia, I’m sorry I woke you, but it’s 3 am, you can go back to sleep.”

Cooing can be heard.

“I’ll make this quick, I promise.“

He looks back to camera, sheepishly.

“Mother hens, am I right?”

A whoosh of air can be heard as a couple of feathers arc around and stab into the back of the couch. Michael shrugs and calls out the the bedroom.

“It was a compliment! I’m calling you caring, not old!“

More feathers arc around and some fly over Michael’s head this time. He shrugs again, unfazed.

“Okay, that’s fair. I deserve that!”

More cooing follows. It sounds impatient. Michael sighs and turns back to the camera again.

“Ok, um. What’s there to say? Carrie killed Rocky and was executed. Hiro and Phonon are both dead. I don’t know who did it, but I’m thinking supernatural elements were involved. Whether or not this is result of the latest rides-become-real motive or not, I don’t know. Also, I’m going to try to get everyone to say I did it again. I have a knife and a basic idea of where Oswald’s core should be. It’ll take 30 seconds, tops, if I use Baton Pass to get into a fight with him on the tail-end of a Fake Tears and Encore combo…”

He taps his left index finger to his chin a few times, before pausing.

“Right. Move Count.”

He settles into the couch and yawns once, before continuing.

“Encore, 6 of 8. Baton Pass, 57 of 64. Spark 26 of 32. Fake Tears, 28 of 32. Project Epsilon: Log 6, End.”

He pulls his headband over his eyes and cuddles around a throw pillow.

#ch2 #videolog

[purify-orre-blog]

Addendum: Michael’s Video Logs - CH. 1 Section

TL:DR; Hey so. Michael was planning to kill Rocky, and I didn’t know how else to get it out there. Read all the logs or just this one, but know this was written so I could put that out there. These four are in the Epsilon Folder, titled “Epsilon1.mp4” through “Epsilon4.mp4”. These will also be under the “VideoLog” tag. Check Navigation or Here for the chronological order!

TW/CW : Electrocution and (Unintentional) Self-Injury, Plans of Murder-Suicide (Via Bombing), A Panic Attack

Accompanying Music: Theme of Suspense (You Know What You Must Do, Even If You Don’t Want To)

From off-screen, you can hear the closing of a door. Then Michael comes into view.

“Project Epsilon: Log 1, Start.”

His face holds the same serene smile as before.

“I’ve finally run into a few of my… classmates. They don’t seem like anything more than unlucky victims.” He brings his left hand up and starts twirling some of his hair, closing his eyes to think for a moment.

“It’s going to be difficult becoming the villain. After all, Oswald showed up today. I can tell someone will crack soon.” Slowly he looks up to the camera and lets the smile drop.

“I don’t want to do this.”

He walks over to the couch by his coffee table, which we see is littered with Wii Gamecases, and sits down on the center cushion leaning back.

“Rocky and Caelum and Saturday and Ann seem nice. I don’t want to be the bad guy, again.”

He covers his face with his hands and rises his voice to that of a normal indoor-voice.

“I read the chat so far. They’re either clueless or really good actors. And I can’t read auras more than the basics…”

He sighs loudly and pulls his hands away slowly, staring at them.

“Everyone has auras. No one is a Shadow. I’ve apparently been purified? I don’t remember becoming a Shadow, but the info is there. And my Move Count is significantly higher. I don’t remember taking any PP MAXes before I left…”

His hands start smoking, and little sparks start to shoot out. They float in the air and fizzle out before hitting the ceiling. Michael seems unfazed.

“I can’t find my Worn Collar Neutralizer. I need it to regain HP and PP at the end of each turn. It negates Minus and stat bonuses on me, but I need it so I’m safe to be around.”

The smoke and sparks travel all the way down to his elbows and white hot electricity courses around his arms. Michael seems unfazed.

“And I can’t find it.”

As he says this, a buzz resounds throughout the room and the lights flicker on and off, before settling off. The sparks disperse from Michael’s arms and his white headband stains red.

“I’ll have to reset the breakers again. Unlike last time, I think people are awake.”

Red liquid starts to drip onto his forehead. It’s blood. Michael seems unfazed.

“I’ll have to apologize for this and set up a probable accident scene. For whatever reason, Baton Pass doesn’t work on Caelum. I’ll have to be careful.”

He stands up and walks almost robotically to the center of the frame, swaying a bit back-and-forth, blood trickling down his face.

“Move Count so far: Encore, 7 of 8. Baton Pass, 62 of 64. Spark 28 of 32. Fake Tears, 32 of 32. Project Epsilon: Log 1, End.”

And he walks out of view, but we don’t hear the door close.

☼☼☼ The door slams shut and Michael storms in, pouting. His arms are crossed and he is pointedly not looking at the camera.

“Project Epsilon: Log 2, Start.”

He slouches into himself and stays still for about 30 seconds, then springs up, moving to put his hands on his hips.

“A CURSE? Really?” He’s talking a little louder than usual, and so, at normal indoor voice volume. He lifts his right foot and stomps it hard on the ground, wincing a little as he rolls his ankle out. “Yeah, right! I’ve been cursed before by Dusclops.” He rights his stance. “And this is no CURSE!”

He lifts his head and quickly plasters a smirk over his scowl, moving to make finger guns at the camera.

“My HP is at 119 out of 122 and going up as I remember to eat, and I know that rabbit robot is no ghost-type, so there!”

He spins on the heels of his feet to the right, and breaks off into a run around the coffee table, heading off towards the kitchen.

“Jokes on him, ‘cuz I have food stashed up for weeks!”

The opening and closing of a pantry can be heard.

Michael rushes back with a party-sized bag of Chex Mix in his hands.

“Even if he did CURSE me, it’d be ineffective, ‘cuz I have healing items, so there, Oswald! I got you good!”

He smirks and points to himself in triumph.

“Seems I’m just too smart for you!”

The smirk breaks into a giddy grin and he spins himself around again, this time to the left. With a bounce in his steps, he runs off towards the kitchen again.

No sound is heard.

“…”

From the view of the living room, all that can be seen is the fridge of the kitchen and a nearby counter. Michael sets the bag down and calmly walks back.

“I can’t open the pantry anymore.”

He’s smiling calmly.

“It’s not actively locked. I just can’t open it. One second.”

He moves to the coffee table in the middle of the living room, and picks up the game case to Mariokart Wii. He picks it up and walks about 5 feet away from the camera.

“Let’s see if my hunch is correct.”

He opens the case with ease.

“Okay, so far so good.”

He pops the disc out of the case.

“And if I’m right, once I do this,” he pops it back in, “It’ll be stuck,” he tries to pop the disc out again, and is unsuccessful.

“…”

He looks to the camera, calm smile thinning. His voice is back to it’s normal quiet octave.

“Perhaps I was cursed after all. Which means I probably can’t leave on my own.”

He walks back to the coffee table and sets the case back down. He pauses for a moment, and closes the case.

“Not like I’ll be able to play it anyways…”

Then he opens the other cases on the table and carefully takes all the discs out, setting them around.

“Better keep them out so I can use them…”

He looks to the camera sheepishly, raising his voice a little louder than what’s considered normal.

“Uh, in my defense, this is going to be my only entertainment in-between coding updates to the Aura Reader Storm process?”

And he sucks in a sharp breath of air and slaps a hand over his mouth, as if worried. He looks to the laptop connected to his Aura Reader at the other end of the coffee table. He blankly stares at it for about 20 seconds.

Then he shakily moves the hand away from his mouth and grins big back towards the camera. The smile seems real, but his eyes are glazed over.

“Ha ha, I almost said the detonation phrase… That would’ve been real bad, huh?”

He lets out a shaky and ugly laugh.

It’s more wheezing than anything else. He pulls his headband over his eyes and his hair falls to cover his face. He settles into the couch and grabs the nearest throw pillow, hugging it tight. Michael’s huddled in on himself, knees up to his chest. The laugh turns grating and loud, and Michael winces in between breaths.

When the laugh finally stops, he looks towards the camera, eyes still covered by headband and hair. He releases hold of the pillow and sits up straight. If the camera weren’t at a high angle, Michael might seem to tower over the room.

“I’m saving it for our first group meeting.”

He stands up, still effectively blind-folded, maneuvering fluidly from between the coffee table to a foot away from the camera.

He’s looking at it, dead-center.

“I planned to detonate it at Rocky’s concert, freeing everyone.”

He taps his left index finger on his chin and tilts his head to his right. The calm smile turns wry.

“But that didn’t pan out. And 30 feet isn’t enough to end us all in one go.”

He tilts his head to his left and pushes the headband up with both hands. Then they drop to his sides. His eyes are still closed, but it feels like he’s aware of exactly where he is.

“I intend to make the first kill.”

His eyes snap open.

“Never-mind the fact I can’t actively leave…”

The smile calms again. Michael’s eyes seem to crackle with something.

“I’ve set pipe bombs down intermittently around in the backroom of every gift shop currently available, except the one I took my new laptop from. I have remote access codes set up for just this occasion.”

And the smile drops. Michael tears up.

“I hope we get saved before my two week set-goal is up.”

He looks away from the camera and sniffles.

“I don’t want to have to hurt anyone else.”

He looks back to the camera, in what can only be described as utter desperation. He’s not slouching anymore.

“I know it’s selfish, but more than anything I hope someone will offer to let me out when I finish coding the upgrade in a week.”

The irises of his green-blue eyes seem to swirl and shift, twisting and turning. His eyes fill up with tears.

“I kind of hope it’s Rocky who lets me out. Killing someone so nice would be exactly what’s expected for my character arc. Expected from a murderer like me.”

He shudders a little bit, but keeps speaking.

“I’ll be the villain everyone always said I was. And once they execute me? True hope will spring forth.”

He starts to shake. His hands grasp at the sides of his face and he starts to cry. His face is stuck in an unsettling blissful smile. He’s bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.

“A simple tool taking down a super star…”

He’s practically purring.

“Can you imagine anything more hopeful?“

The tears keep coming, falling over that big elated smile, and he moves to wipe his eyes. He’s still looking at the camera, and his focus seems crystal clear.

“Sorry for that. It’s been a while since I’ve indulged in feelings of hope and grandeur.”

He waits for the tears to stop, and composes himself. He slouches back down and takes a few deep breaths.

“Project Epsilon: Log 2, End.”

He opens the bag of Chex Mix on the coffee table, and goes back to coding.

☼☼☼

Michael looks calculating as he types into his phone. Everyone and then, hints of fear and worry can be seen on his face. He turns to the camera, smiling that calm smile.

He chirps, voice loud and excited.

“Project Epsilon: Log 3, Start!”

He leans back into the far end of the couch and stretches his legs before getting up and walking 4 feet away from the camera.

“Rocky and Caelum are going to let me out! I’m lucky that this plan is going along so smoothly! There’s just one week left before I lead Rocky to the back of one of the gift shops and set off you-know-what on both of us!”

There’s a knock at the door. Michael’s calm smile flashes quickly between surprise and actual joy, before swinging back around to a polite smile.

“That must be them now! Project Epsilon: Log 3, End!”

He turns and jogs out-of-view towards the front door.

“Hey, it’s unlocked, you two! I just can’t open it!”

☼☼☼

The lights are off.

The sound of a door quietly opening and shutting can be heard.

The lights flicker on.

“Project Epsilon: Log 4, Start.”

Michael walks slowly into frame. He looks like he’s about to be sick.

“Someone else beat me to it.“

He looks down to the floor, brows furrowing in confusion.

“Someone else killed Rocky before I could. I don’t know who did it.”

He looks back up into the camera.

“Was this punishment for trying to play villain? Should I be a martyr instead?“

He brings his hands together and nods once to the camera view, calm smile returning.

“A villain’s sacrifice does often inspire heroes to continue on…”

And he closes his eyes, and smiles wider.

“I’ll have to use some MOVEs at the upcoming trial!”

He pulls his hands apart and pumps his arms in excitement.

“If I’m really careful, I can lead them to thinking I did it, and set off the Aura Reader before Oswald’s punishment happens!”

And he clasps his hands together and smiles sheepishly towards the camera.

“I know it’s selfish, but really, it’s better for us all to die together! That way no more killings will occur. And Rocky won’t be lonely!”

His smile seems real.

“And at least one Oswald will be gone! That’s something, right?”

He tilts his head to the left and sighs.

“Yeah, I mean. It’s pretty obvious there are tons of Oswald bots… Grandpa Chobin and Kaminko always had spares of every project…”

And, in a flash, Michael spins himself around on his heels and snaps finger guns to the camera. He winks with his left eye.

“WISH me luck at the trial, anyone who’s watching, okay?”

He brings his hands back together and closes both his eyes in a sigh.

“If I’m caught off guard even once, I’m liable to spill the beans. Especially if it’s Caelum that says anything. I can’t keep this act up for very long…”

And he snaps up from his slouch into a full-height salute and grins at the camera.

“Jovi, if you’re watching, I’m sorry for letting you down. Your big brother’s just fulfilling his last use, okay? And, I don’t know why I’m here, but I’ll always love you. Project Epsilon: Log 4, End.”

He marches out-of-view to the kitchen and opens the fridge door, pulling out a Capri Sun.

#ch1 #videolog