55 - Let's have a Wreck, Let's have a Train Wreck - Action, Forward Dated to Monday

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey wasn't exactly the best he could be emotionally. In fact, he never was, but the last week hadn't helped matters at all. Having some of the worst parts of himself thrown at him by the doppelgangers of people he knew and had come to care about, to shrinking for a day (which was probably the easiest of the things he went through), to thinking the few friends he had left might be dead had put an additional strain on him he couldn't really deal with. Since then, he had tried to be as scarce as possible, only occasionally leaving the house or bothering to respond to anything on the phone.

On Friday, he didn't leave the house at all.

On Saturday and Sunday, he won't even leave his room. In fact, it'd be hard to tell unless you checked to see if he was in the room at all, considering he seemed absurdly quiet in comparison to how he usually was.

He won't bother to appear again in town until Monday, when, oddly enough, he'll show up not just for school, but early for class.]

[Action - Mayfield High]

[Seeing Pokey bother to attend school isn't particularly odd. He plays hooky often, but he'd still show up. Usually to be obnoxious to the teachers or other students, or to pointlessly end up just falling asleep in classes.

Today? He's unusually polite. The teachers will find he's incredibly attentive, answers questions correctly and without screwing around, and sits quietly, doing absolutely nothing disruptive. For the moment? He could be an ideal student.

At lunch, he sits by himself. Which isn't out of the ordinary either. He'd usually try and sit by himself. But this time? He's tucked himself away in one of the further corners of the lunchroom, like he's trying to hide.]

[Action - Library]

[There's a boy going through each one of the books he can find. He takes one down, reads it for a little bit, and then puts it back. He does this repeatedly, methodically, almost instictively.

Sometimes, he seems to shift his glances to a certain area of the library: a specific table, or spot on the floor. And just stares for a minute or two, not noticing anything else going on around him. After a moment of this weird staring, he returns to the book he has in hand.]

[Action - Park]

[Pokey paces around the park. There's no real pattern to his exact movements, but he does seem to gravitate towards certain spots that he walks over to again and again and again. He mumbles to himself sometimes, low and usually inaudible. Sometimes it sounds like he's just grumbling. Other times, it sounds like he's imitating something someone has said to him. And others? It just sounds like he's talking to himself, saying things, mulling over things, that don't really make sense to anyone but him.

Sometimes he picks up a branch from the ground and swishes it around aimlessly, not particularly caring if he hits someone or not.

He isn't here right now.]

[Action - 502 Ricardo]

[Pokey can be found sitting at the table, studying. Not goofing off. Not having put something else in his actual textbook and reading that instead. Genuine studying and doing the homework he's been assigned, not making a single noise or distraction. Just being a good little student.

The trashcan in the kitchen seems to have been filled up, mainly with notebook paper and graph paper, detailing designs of odd little devices Pokey had thought up on his spare time. Detailing notes and ideas he had had about the town.

There was no point in keeping them. He didn't really need them any more.]

Comments

[imjustpicky]

Oh! Those!

[And Picky, in turn, knows exactly what he means. Though hardly enough time had passed to blur the idea of what his big brother usually wore.]

So they only give us our stuff back one piece at a time? You must have a lot of stuff... You must have been here a while, huh?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Those.

[He hadn't seen them in so long. He knew he had them, but he didn't know if he'd ever put them back on.]

Not too much. It's pretty slow, and it isn't every month. But yeah. One piece at a time.

[imjustpicky]

I guess it's nice to get your stuff, though. Even if it's slow. I wonder what I'll get next time?

[It's all still exciting and fresh and new to him. How can he not be happy?]

...so, uh. Is it time yet?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey just stares at Picky for a moment. He doesn't want it to be that time. Not really. But...If Picky wants it to be...]

Sure.

[And he sits down against a tree. He somehow feels very small again, even if he isn't shrinking like he had been earlier in the week.]

So. Your weird clone told me you thought I was with the mafia.

Is that what you really believed?

[imjustpicky]

[...maybe this isn't going to be as cool a story as Picky was hoping it was going to be. This seemed more like Pokey getting caught at something and being made to confess. When he goes to join his brother beneath the tree, it's a few steps behind and a little hesitant.]

My... he did?

[The blood starts rushing to his face. How would a clone of him known that? He hadn't ever told anyone! Ever! And it sounded really ridiculous out loud.]

Uh... yeah? I dunno. You went to Fourside. The big city. And there was business stuff.

[There is a long pause, where it's obvious he wants to say something, but is having a hard time spitting it out.]

Makes more sense than aliens.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he did.

[Pokey scrunches his legs up a little, wrapping his arms around them as he takes a deep breath before looking at his brother.]



....It was aliens. The ones Ness was fighting against.

I'd been working with them since the meteor hit. Sort of. After we went and visited it, it....Giygas...it started talking to me. Like telekinesis. And it said it needed me. It needed me to help fight against Ness and it was the first time someone had really said they needed me. Not even dad said he needed me when we went to Fourside. Just that I was going and that was that and to do what he said like always.

...So I said yes. Because once, just for once, I thought I could do something better than Ness. Prove I was better. That I was worthwhile.

And I didn't.

[imjustpicky]

[Those pod-people that Mayfield made were pretty damned accurate. The expression on Picky's face when the bomb was dropped was the same one that his clone had. Blank, astonished shock.

Only this Picky didn't immediately recover from it. Pokey could withdraw into himself all he wanted. His little brother was leaning in, on his hands and knees now, taking in every dreadful bit of information.]

I... I, but I...

[Had he ever said it, while his brother was there? That he needed him? Probably not. Not ever, actually. Because Pokey being there was just expected. Like sunrise coming every morning. Like there being air to breathe. So why say it?

...that helped make his brother do all this, didn't it?]

But...

No. No, Pokey, you didn't. Not...

[It couldn't be true, it couldn't be true that Pokey helped make the skies grow dark and horrible things overrun the whole world, no, no, no. He wasn't that bad. He couldn't be.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[It was hard, this time. It should be easy, but seeing Picky react that way, the way Pokey always thought he should...he couldn't withdraw. Not this time.

Pokey knew he failed his duty as a big brother. More than anything, he'd failed that. And that was hard to swallow, since taking care of Picky had been one of, if not the only, decent things he had done. He shudders a bit, as he goes on.]

I did. I just...

You don't know, Picky. You don't know how good it felt, or how much sense it made to do what Giygas was asking. For once it felt like I wasn't just doing something because dad wanted it, or I was just meant to. It felt like I had a choice and made one. It was the first time I felt like that.

And I was wrong. I'm sorry, I know that doesn't make a difference, but I was wrong.

[He trembles a bit more, his words choking in his throat a few times before he finally strangles out.]

I'm sorry Picky. I'm so sorry.

[imjustpicky]

[Disbelief was slowly giving way to anger, and it wasn't a good feeling at all. This was the big mystery? What he'd been waiting for? A brother that tried to take over the world with an evil alien?]

I... I waited for you.

I waited for you! When it was all done, I waited for you to come back! Up on that hill! Every night I could! Because you couldn't have forgotten about me, right? You were the only good person I had! And, and...

[Tears were streaming down his cheeks now.]

No, I don't know how good it felt! And you don't know how bad it felt to have the only good person you had go away! And not even say goodbye! And not even leave a letter!

[His voice catches, and he sits back, having to use his hands to wipe his face. His words are catching, too, but he's still trying.]

...i-it was bad choice....

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[The shivering just continues. Pokey holds his legs a little tighter, digging his nails into his pants and his legs. He's trying not to cry, blinking rapidly to try and shake away the tears that were welling up.]

You think I forgot about you? You think I could forget about you?

Picky, don't you get it? Even if I was the only good person you had I was still terrible! And you would've realized it sooner than later! Do you have any idea how many times I thought about coming and getting you? Or even just seeing you? I don't know how long it's been for you but it's been four hundred years for me.

But I didn't. And I didn't because I wanted you to split away! Because you could find better! You could do so much better and deserved so much better! You're the only good thing to come out of our family, Picky! You alone! You should have had a better family, you should have had a better brother, one like Ness, and I am so sorry.

[He shakes his head a bit, closing his eyes.]

Yeah. I know. It was a bad choice. Bad choices are the only things I do.

I don't want you to suffer for my choices Picky. I guess in the end I wanted you to make your own, and to see you could do so much better than everything else around us.

[imjustpicky]

You forgot! You forgot! You didn't even tell me anything, so how could I even know?!

[Wait, wait, four hundred years? Seriously? ...what? Tears are trickling down his cheeks again, if just because he's a bit too befuddled by it all to bother wiping anything away. His hands meet the ground again, and he crawls forward.]

I don't want a better brother! I have YOU! You're the only brother I want! Even when you're bad! Even really bad! Even... even if you didn't tell me where you went! I don't CARE, Pokey!

[He's managing to hold those tears back, now, although he's breathing terribly hard as he does so. Wet, grassy come to rest on Pokey's shoulders, and Picky gives him a shake.]

B-brothers stick together no matter what happens! Or... or how long! Okay? Okay?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

I didn't! I didn't!

[He can't help it any more. If this meeting had happened months ago, Pokey might still possess the emotional fortitude to bottle his emotions entirely. To kill them. But he can't. Here, they're allowed to run loose and free.

He can't help it. It's like second nature, and when Picky starts shaking him Pokey immediately leans forward and for once he doesn't hesitate, but immediately hugs Picky.]

I'm not going to leave you again, not here, not ever. I'm not going to let you get hurt here, I promise, Picky. I promise.

[imjustpicky]

[The shake becomes a hug, and it's the most natural thing in the world. Picky clings tight. The whole of it, it's too much to understand in one single go. Too much to fit into one little head. But his brother said he was sorry.

And brothers stick together no matter what happens, just like Lucas said.]

We'll watch each other. Like before. [He pauses for a hiccuping, gaspy little breath.] I promise, too.

I needed you, too.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[He just squeezes his little brother as he hugs. Not uncomfortably, but as an attempt at assurance.]

Yeah. We will.

I know. I was selfish. It...I won't let it happen again.

[He loves you. So much. But he can't say that. It's too hard for him, even if it's you, to say that out loud.

But just because he has a hard time saying it doesn't mean he doesn't mean it.]

[imjustpicky]

[For the Pokey he knows, for the long-gone-yes-over-a-year-is-long-gone big brother, this is an incredible display of emotion. And all the sign he'd ever need that his brother really, really cares.

So he has to hug back just about as tightly as he can, in return. To show how grateful he is.]

If you do... [He sniffles, but then makes a sound that's more laugh than sob.] ..I'll go find you. I won't just wait. [That's definitely a laugh, now. And Picky pulls back a little, smiling through the last of his tears.

Maybe he really will be something great, someday. He just has to figure out how.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I bet you will.

[There's no doubt in his mind that Picky is going to be something great some day. If anyone from his family will, it'll be Picky. And here, right now? It feels like the cloud that had been over him, had been making him retreat into himself, are gone now.

Pokey gives Picky a smile. A real one.]

Wanna get ice cream or something?

[imjustpicky]

Yeah! Ice cream!

[This was just how it was supposed to work, wasn't it? They'd shout and fight and yell and then they'd make up? And then ice cream, oh yes.]

I know where! The ice cream's really good here! There's this guy, his name is Engie, and we played ball and then went for...

[He trails off uncertainly, and pulls himself slowly out of the hug.]

Uh... I know you said to be careful and I'm being really careful about my name, but it's okay to make friends, right?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

....It's fine. Just...be careful, alright?

I know Engie. So it's fine.

[And it is. He's always going to worry about you, Picky. But he's not going to deny you friends.]

Just try not to let them know you know me sometimes.

[imjustpicky]

I'm being sure! I'm being careful! No one knows! I'm "Finch Twoson" now!

[Wait, wait, no, that wasn't completely correct...]

Uh... Except for Lucas. Lucas figured out who I was. But he promised not to tell anyone!

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Finch Twoson? Seriously?

[Well, he guesses it isn't bad here. Not like anyone else in the town knows about Onett.

He pauses at that.]

....He won't. It's fine.

[imjustpicky]

Hey, you said to use the first thing that came to mind. I had to keep using it afterwards.

...besides, it sounds cool, like I'm a detective or something!

[Oh. Little brothers.]

...Lucas is pretty nice. Serious, but pretty nice.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[He is not going to smile. He is not going to smile. He is not....

Alright. He smiles a little bit.]

Yeah. Sure. Just try and not get yourself in to deep, alright?

.....He's alright.

[imjustpicky]

I haven't messed up yet! I'll be fine.

[And there he is, puffing up with confidence.

And also, getting to his feet and wiping the grass off of his hands.]

Let's get that ice cream!

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[What if you aren't? When if you aren't? After all that's been said, after all he's revealed....he can't let you get hurt. Even if he knows it may be inevitable...he'll do what he can to stop it, delay it. To make up for it, when he fails some time.

For now, he'll just take Picky's hand.]

Yeah. Let's go.