You let that ferocious fish monstrosity loose on people.
[There is no reproach in James's voice as he says that. The Unova region had almost been ground into paste by the Forces of Nature, after all, and he'd been a part of that.
Not surprising... [he winces at the summary but james certainly isn't wrong. he ducks his head slightly, shame clear on his expression.] It was never meant to end up the way it did.
[he shrugs lightly. boy, that spot in the grass in front of him sure is interesting. he's almost literally staring a hole through it.]
--You didn't get hurt by it, did you? Or anyone you know?
[he's... not sure how he feels about james's reaction. he would police it, but he seems almost too forgiving.
best not to think about it.]
Uh... I guess quite a few people. [he sighs.] May and Steven-- other trainers here, were involved in it as well. May defeated Kyogre after it achieved primal reversion and Steven...
[his expression goes blank for a moment.]
...Was absolutely useless, like most champions.
[he hums.]
Maxie was there too. Ugh. I can't believe I miss my rival.
She's a very powerful trainer. [and while she shouldn't ever have to do it again, archie has no doubt she could calm the raging leviathan without breaking a sweat.
...god there's a lot to unpack there. but first, he feels a weird urge to defend team magma, defend maxie.] You heard wrong, bro. It was just us that woke up Kyogre. Team Magma never got to Groudon.
[he snorts at the ball part, though. childish.]
I handed the Blue Orb over to... [may, but hmmm.] ...well, doesn't matter who has it now. Important thing is it's not me.
I-- Okay, I get there's probably crazy rumours goin' around, but I never even saw Groudon. Why would I have any interest in it?
[...actually he can think of about twenty reasons off the bat, but.]
That can't be right. If I had Groudon, the world would've ended. Kyogre alone was so powerful... there's no way anything could've survived both of them, especially with their Primal forms.
Give me a minute. My brain just stopped working, because I thought about the shit I'd get from Maxie if he'd found Kyogre first. Oh, god. Awful.
[then looks up.]
I don't-- you were there? That can't be right. We went from the Seafloor Cavern on Route 128 to Sootopolis and nowhere else. Groudon wasn't involved. I'd remember if Groudon was there, trust me.
[he can't help but feel a little awkward-- how did this turn from archie trying to comfort james crying to whatever that was just now to this? well, better than sitting in silent, he guesses.]
It's just easy to forget when you let yourself get wrapped up in the regrets and guilt. Which is really easy. [arceus above is it easy] ...At least we have our Pokémon for company.
[said as he, too, watches sharpedo and mareanie play.]
And each other. Sort of. I mean, I'm glad I'm not the only one from our world here.
[even if everything james said about kyogre made... no sense.]
[James doesn't feel too much guilt over Operation Tempest... He'd paved the way for that but had the Twerps not intervened maybe the Operation could have ended smoothly.
He does, however, know what it's like to feel haunted.
The memories that anguish him have nothing to do with his criminal career... They're memories of taffeta gowns and cloyingly perfumed hands wrapped around his throat... Things he's not about to mention in front of a relative stranger.
Just the thought of them makes him sigh.]
You just can't let yourself get wrapped up.
[And for a moment his eyes cloud as a dark memory tries to return to him... It never gets the chance.
Someone else present starts to sense his torment, momentary though it is.]
YEEE-NO!
[And Mareanie is flying at James's face again. He lifts protective hands out in front of him and manages to hold her away from his body as he tips over backward.]
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[He rests his chin in his hand.]
I've always known.
You let that ferocious fish monstrosity loose on people.
[There is no reproach in James's voice as he says that. The Unova region had almost been ground into paste by the Forces of Nature, after all, and he'd been a part of that.
Sometimes things just get out of hand.]
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[he shrugs lightly. boy, that spot in the grass in front of him sure is interesting. he's almost literally staring a hole through it.]
--You didn't get hurt by it, did you? Or anyone you know?
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[He hums as he thinks about this.]
...Electrocuted in a giant net, nearly drowned, almost crushed by a submarine....
[He scratches his head.]
Nothing that unusual, we were fine.
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[he can't mean explorer 01. that would be literally impossible.]
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[He says dryly and gently beats a fist into his palm.]
You'd be surprised how much this happens, really.
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You could've died because of me. [and he's sure there's someone out there who did.] ...I'm sorry doesn't really cut it.
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Huh?
Hey, it's okay.
Who hasn't gotten all tangled up in a wee bit of apocalypse here or there? Goodness knows I have!
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best not to think about it.]
Uh... I guess quite a few people. [he sighs.] May and Steven-- other trainers here, were involved in it as well. May defeated Kyogre after it achieved primal reversion and Steven...
[his expression goes blank for a moment.]
...Was absolutely useless, like most champions.
[he hums.]
Maxie was there too. Ugh. I can't believe I miss my rival.
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[He blinks.]
But I had no idea May had what it took to defeat a critter like Kyogre...
I'd heard Groudon beat back the beast, then they both just took their balls and went home.
Erm.
So to speak.
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...god there's a lot to unpack there. but first, he feels a weird urge to defend team magma, defend maxie.] You heard wrong, bro. It was just us that woke up Kyogre. Team Magma never got to Groudon.
[he snorts at the ball part, though. childish.]
I handed the Blue Orb over to... [may, but hmmm.] ...well, doesn't matter who has it now. Important thing is it's not me.
[he cocks his head.]
What was that about Zygarde and Kalos?
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Hum?
Of course Magma never got Groudon, you had it!
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[...actually he can think of about twenty reasons off the bat, but.]
That can't be right. If I had Groudon, the world would've ended. Kyogre alone was so powerful... there's no way anything could've survived both of them, especially with their Primal forms.
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[That's not right, he'd been there....]
But you had Groudon and they had Kyogre.
Kyogre escaped and then you had both....
And then Kyogre and Groudon both got loose but you were all Orb-loony and you and the Fishstrocity tried to flood the world.
And then, and then...
[He thinks.]
And then I'm not sure what happened, I was unconscious at that point and people tend to not fill me in about these things.
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Give me a minute. My brain just stopped working, because I thought about the shit I'd get from Maxie if he'd found Kyogre first. Oh, god. Awful.
[then looks up.]
I don't-- you were there? That can't be right. We went from the Seafloor Cavern on Route 128 to Sootopolis and nowhere else. Groudon wasn't involved. I'd remember if Groudon was there, trust me.
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[A beat.]
That part wasn't your fault.
Maybe you're not remembering clearly. I don't usually remember things very well when I get possessed...
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I wasn't possessed. Everything I did was fully my own actions, which is like... 99% of why I feel so awful about it?
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Are you sure 'cause from where I was standing you seemed like you were possessed...
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[that's the only way he could've been there, but archie's pretty sure none of his grunts have purple hair.]
I'm certain I wasn't. I remember everything pretty well. Too well, actually.
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[He waves a dismissive hand, insulted by the very idea of it.]
No, no, I'm just someone with a knack for being in all the wrong places at all the wrong times.
[The proud smirk fades a bit as he looks Archie over.]
Memories can be rough, can't they?
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he sighs.]
Yeah. Really rough. [he glances back at james, meeting his eyes for a moment.] I guess if you've that knack you know how it is.
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Sure, there are plenty of memories I wouldn't mind ridding myself of, but...
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But...?
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[He looks over at Mareanie.]
People and Pokemon are who they are because they're an accumulation of memories, both good and bad.
You need pain to know what joy is like, right?
[He makes a face. This sort of comforting talk does not come too naturally to him.]
I think guilt is a poor foundation for a life, without other motivations beside it.
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[he can't help but feel a little awkward-- how did this turn from archie trying to comfort james crying to whatever that was just now to this? well, better than sitting in silent, he guesses.]
It's just easy to forget when you let yourself get wrapped up in the regrets and guilt. Which is really easy. [arceus above is it easy] ...At least we have our Pokémon for company.
[said as he, too, watches sharpedo and mareanie play.]
And each other. Sort of. I mean, I'm glad I'm not the only one from our world here.
[even if everything james said about kyogre made... no sense.]
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He does, however, know what it's like to feel haunted.
The memories that anguish him have nothing to do with his criminal career... They're memories of taffeta gowns and cloyingly perfumed hands wrapped around his throat... Things he's not about to mention in front of a relative stranger.
Just the thought of them makes him sigh.]
You just can't let yourself get wrapped up.
[And for a moment his eyes cloud as a dark memory tries to return to him... It never gets the chance.
Someone else present starts to sense his torment, momentary though it is.]
YEEE-NO!
[And Mareanie is flying at James's face again. He lifts protective hands out in front of him and manages to hold her away from his body as he tips over backward.]
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