the Ring-Spirit (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
improvking) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bottlecaplogs2025-07-10 08:14 pm
improvking) wrote in bottlecaplogs2025-07-10 08:14 pm
Entry tags:
Meet the (Impersonated) Family!
Who: the Ring-Spirit, YOU??, and """Kul Elna"""
What: RS catching up with the Spiritomb he thinks is his missing village
Where: the Clinic
When: late June - early July (yea, backdated slightly)
Warnings: possible discussion of Kul Elna backstory (mass murder, human sacrifice, metaphysical injury)
[ After all the missions to the South Forest, eventually the Spiritomb responsible was dealt with. The team responsible for concluding the incident brought their keystone back to the clinic so they could recoup, determined to recruit rather than do in the troublesome spirit.
And while the Spiritomb recovers, anyone visiting the clinic might or might not be surprised to find a certain Mimikyu has been spending most of his free time there visiting with the other spirit.
The suspicious might note that the Ring-Spirit's "family" seems to be suffering from memory issues that just magically clear right up if he hands them the information. The Ring-Spirit himself is unwilling to entertain doubts about the Spiritomb's identity. After all, they're already "doing so much better" in Bottlecap Bay than he'd "ever thought he'd see". He's excited to "finally" be able to "talk with them, instead of just at them". ...What kind of condition had the real Kul Elna been in, exactly...? ]
[A]
[ The Ring-Spirit can often be overheard chatting with the Spiritomb by anyone at the clinic. Right now you've caught: ]
- wasn't expecting you to be. But you've got a point, now that you mention it; pretending to be sorry is probably better optics.
[B]
[ Or maybe you've bumped into the Ring-Spirit as he leaves or arrives for a visit. Curious as to why he's at the clinic? Or do you already know and want to ask about the Spiritomb (and perhaps even the Ring-Spirit's unusual credulity)? ]
What: RS catching up with the Spiritomb he thinks is his missing village
Where: the Clinic
When: late June - early July (yea, backdated slightly)
Warnings: possible discussion of Kul Elna backstory (mass murder, human sacrifice, metaphysical injury)
[ After all the missions to the South Forest, eventually the Spiritomb responsible was dealt with. The team responsible for concluding the incident brought their keystone back to the clinic so they could recoup, determined to recruit rather than do in the troublesome spirit.
And while the Spiritomb recovers, anyone visiting the clinic might or might not be surprised to find a certain Mimikyu has been spending most of his free time there visiting with the other spirit.
The suspicious might note that the Ring-Spirit's "family" seems to be suffering from memory issues that just magically clear right up if he hands them the information. The Ring-Spirit himself is unwilling to entertain doubts about the Spiritomb's identity. After all, they're already "doing so much better" in Bottlecap Bay than he'd "ever thought he'd see". He's excited to "finally" be able to "talk with them, instead of just at them". ...What kind of condition had the real Kul Elna been in, exactly...? ]
[A]
[ The Ring-Spirit can often be overheard chatting with the Spiritomb by anyone at the clinic. Right now you've caught: ]
- wasn't expecting you to be. But you've got a point, now that you mention it; pretending to be sorry is probably better optics.
[B]
[ Or maybe you've bumped into the Ring-Spirit as he leaves or arrives for a visit. Curious as to why he's at the clinic? Or do you already know and want to ask about the Spiritomb (and perhaps even the Ring-Spirit's unusual credulity)? ]
B
Hey, Freakazoid! [She's called him that so many times now that it's actually starting to sound more like an actual name than a playful insult.] Finally decided to donate your weirdo self to medical science?
finally shows up,,,
[ While the Ring-Spirit's never once taken offense to the nickname, and usually rolls pretty well with her ribbing, today he's in a particularly lighthearted mood. What could have happened? ]
Here to visit somebody - did I ever tell you I was separated from someone when we all arrived in that storm? I finally found them! They must've washed up on a different shoreline - we found them being a murderhobo out in the woods.
(CHEERING)
[She means it! ... Even if the last sentence that follows is somewhat alarming.]
Uh... huh. Dare I ask what being a "murderhobo" entails?
no subject
[ UM? Just who had he lost track of,,
While his laugh has a wheezing quality to it, Shoka would know by now that's just how he laughs - he doesn't seem to realize that anything he's said could be seen as worrisome... ]
no subject
[Well, that's not suspicious at all! But, then again, who is she to judge?]
So who is this "someone" anyway?
no subject
They've been turned into something called a "Spiritomb". Apparently they're possessing a rock now. So it's not surprising we ended up drifting in different directions during that storm...
[ Blithely nattering away, not thinking at all about the (multiple) teams who that very Spiritomb thrashed. ]
no subject
Oh, wow. So it really did take a literal village with you, huh?
[But they're all only one Pokémon? She's about to ask what kind, but the Ring-Spirit beats her to the punch. The answer makes her ears shoot upright in alarm.]
Wait—did you say Spiritomb? [Her eyes narrow.] Uh, you mean the same Spiritomb who has a bounty on their head?
no subject
Finally he's remembered that his buddy caused a lot of people a lot of trouble! ]
...Had a bounty. My team managed to get through to them [ cough(beat them unconscious and forcibly drag them back to the clinic)cough ] and they've officially joined the settlement.
no subject
[She bristles, static briefly skittering across the shadowy skirt of her true form.]
Oh, that is rich! I've been stuck in the hospital all month because of them!
[Speaking of which... The Ring-Spirit was headed toward the Pokéclinic, wasn't he? Does that mean she and Spiritomb were there at the same time?]
no subject
[ This just got more complicated, not least because he's pretty sure the Spiritomb is unrepentant - and they're not very good at lying about it. But also he. kinda feels like he should've at least known Shoka was stuck in the clinic again? He's never thought of himself as a particularly good "friend" though, so... he supposes he should just view this as confirmation...
Ugh, he can be conflicted about how he feels later, damage control for Kul Elna first. ]
Look, they attacked me when we first reunited too - and also the second time, uh. They'd found a little clearing for themselves, and attacking trespassers is just what evil spirits do. They've always been - that's just the type of ghosts they are. And it's not their fault they're ghosts...
[ This is so awkward. ]
no subject
[Never mind that she does enjoy a good battle and has entertained herself plenty of times by testing out her abilities on unsuspecting Pokémon... And also never mind that she took on that bounty quest despite knowing the risks, and chose to continue chasing Spiritomb down after her team was given plenty of chances to back out. By that point, she wasn't exactly random, was she?
Deflating a little, she pauses to think for a moment.]
So—what? This whole time, they just never thought to check out the Bay? Or come looking for you?
1/2
Oh good, Shoka's chosen to move on from that specific detail!
Oh no, it's to raise a valid point. He shifts uncomfortably. ]
I'm... not sure. They might have thought I didn't survive our "purification" - I certainly assumed that they hadn't, and wouldn't have started looking if Perrin hadn't made a good case about how they could've. For a long time, we were all bound together, so when we suddenly weren't anymore... on top of the being transported to a new world, given new forms thing...
2/2 cw: mention of human sacrifice, plurality-adjacent soul-fusion
There's also... I. They.
Only half of me is the human they raised. The other half is... the thing. they were originally all sacrificed to. And I doubt they had much free will while we were bound together, so...
Maybe, when they were freed, they didn't want to find me.
[ It's something that first occurred to him when his own team was fighting the Spiritomb. Why would his own family want to hurt him, when they never had before? Well, when they'd been roaming the ruins of Kul Elna, he'd still only been one guy. One guy they'd had no reason to hate... yet. And he can't remember if he knew or not exactly who Zorc was to them when he agreed to bind their own spirits together.
Maybe his human self hadn't known when he agreed to merge, maybe his divine self had been less than honest beforehand. But what if the Thief King had known exactly who he was teaming up with? What if he'd been angry enough, wanted revenge against the world enough, to just refuse to see the conflict of interests? It's been keeping him up ever since the thought finally occurred to him. Admitting to it out loud is only worsening that feel. ]
no subject
... "Maybe", huh? You didn't think to just ask 'em why they totally disappeared on you?
no subject
Well, they're in a good mood now, so why ruin it by asking for confirmation I don't even want to hear...
[ Sounds like someone involved is a huge emotional coward. ]
no subject
[They set her on fire and they aren't even nice to their kid? What are they even bringing to the Bay, then?!]
[cw: and back to the human sacrifice, plus the plurality-adjacent soul-fusion]
...Whose fault is is kind of depends on how you count who "me" is?
And I mean, I guess I didn't make Akhenadin sacrifice anybody, but also I don't know how he'd have gotten the ritual instructions if my divine self wasn't who originally came up with them, so... I mean, if you write a recipe that calls for "ninety-nine human souls", is it only the eventual cook's fault for him killing ninety-nine people??
[ The Ring-Spirit's been reflecting on the extent of "his own" involvement a lot. ...He has given significantly less thought on how to explain any of it without sounding utterly incoherent. ]
no subject
Huh? [Then she shakes her head—which, for a Mimikyu, is more like shaking her entire body. Vexed, she huffs.] Ugh, it doesn't matter! My point is... family should have your back no matter. And if they just turned on you like that... Then why even bother keeping 'em around? Maybe you're better off without them.
[She thinks suddenly, regrettably, of her own family then—of Shiba, of Ayano. If they were to show up here again out of the blue, attacking her on sight, would she give them the same chance? If it were Ayano, she absolutely would. As for Shiba...
She seems distant for a moment.]
Do they even want to be here?
no subject
Anyway. ]
Mn, they might not want to, long-term, you've got a point. They don't have much choice at the moment... they took a beating from the, uh. various teams that they fought with...
[ This is awkward, so awkward. ]
...but on that note they did seem pretty attached to that clearing, didn't they. So... I guess we should talk about whether they want to head back there, once they can...
[ And whether they'd want him to come with them. He doesn't want to restart that argument with Shoka, not before he's had a chance to figure out how to explain; but he'd be willing to go with Kul Elna, if they still wanted him... on the other hand, just knowing that they're somewhere is a great comfort. Maybe he'd be ok now if they still want to be on their own... ]
no subject
Wow. You didn't think this through at all, did you?
[But can she really blame him? If it were her family, could she say that she'd be able to think things through completely clearly?
After a long moment, she sighs.]
Okay, look. Lemme ask a different question. Am I gonna have to worry about them setting the whole Bay ablaze the second they're better, or...?
no subject
No. They're calm, aware this isn't their territory, and now that we've finally defeated them, they're much more amenable to our presence in theirs... there's one thing about pokemon instincts, it (somehow) smooths over a lot of disagreements once you've won the fight, so.
[ He's less certain they won't get up to mischief than he's presenting, but he'd rather be proven wrong later than make them seem still suspicious. ]
...Honestly they seem pretty content to just stay put for the moment. I know they are hurt right now and in need of the Clinic's services, but they've even been trying to be friendly towards Anasui... who is an asshole. [ (is he, RS? are you sure that's not a personal bias?) ] They might end up not staying long-term, but I don't think they mind being here for now.
I...'m... [ he hesitates, then does the equivalent of gritting teeth and forcing out the word: ] ...sorry they hurt you... especially so bad you needed Clinic time too... and that I didn't know to visit or anything...
[ He HATES apologizing, but he's pretty sure it's called for in this situation. ]
no subject
... Fine. If you say so.
[If he says so... she'll give Spiritomb a chance.
The Ring-Spirit's apology comes next, forced out like pulled teeth. Shoka blinks at him in surprise, then gives a titter.]
Whoa, is that a genuine apology? Sure you don't need clinic time? [Another snicker, before her tone softens.] Don't be. I'm fine now, aren't I? And I didn't really want to make a big deal out of it anyway...
[She would have preferred to keep the severity of the injury between the clinic staff and her teammates... but it just sort of slipped out in her shock.]
You... seem happy to have 'em around. All things considered...