knickknackery | to know the unknown

Entry tags:

verse: gotta catch 'em all

to know the unknown

WHO Sefton,

blessddrgntamer,

swatwithdragons and

motherlanders.
WHAT ^{^P_K^M_N^T_R^N_R} Sefton needs a place to go after ecoterrorism goes way too far out of hand in Hoenn. He retreats to find his half-sibling in Blackthorn, whom he only knows about through the news and his mother's stories.
WHERE Blackthorn, in the Johto region.
WHEN Early 1994. Sefton is 11½, Lance is 20.
NOTES Continues over in the live-action pokémon musebox.

The road was beginning to give way, path widening into something more respectable and well-traveled. He was so close. So close to safety and finally finding the other half of his family. Not that his mother had ever let him down or did less than her best to raise him, but something had always been missing as he had grown up. Maybe he would find it here.

For that, Sefton was almost grateful to Teams Aqua and Magma for their insane plots that were literally destroying the Hoenn region in an effort to make it more habitable for pokémon. Who cared if all the people living there wouldn't be able to adapt or survive all the rapid changes as long as the pokémon were happy, right?

Sefton grunted disdainfully and picked up the pace. Glalie hovered behind him, matching his speed and watching his back. They were both exhausted from the journey, evading the authorities on the off-chance they would simply deport him back to Hoenn if they discovered him, not to mention fighting off all the wild Pokémon in the area that wandered too close. At least the nudge in the back of his mind usually gave them advance warning...

They were almost there. Just needed to make it toward the gym, announce his intentions to seek shelter with the clan...

"So close," he breathed.

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He took another breath before speaking. "My mama... she told me—if something ever happened, I could come here. 'Cause I—Hoenn. I'm from Hoenn, and there's... Team Aqua and Team Magma, and—" He stopped, briefly, squaring his shoulders. "She said my dad was somebody from the Blackthorn clan, so... so you guys can help me, right?"

Oh. Ohh. Clair's face softened. She'd heard about the conflict in Hoenn, of course; who hadn't? Just as everyone had heard about the conflict in Tohjo. Each of them had far too much to deal with to be able to help the others. (That still didn't allay her suspicions about the way the kid had reacted.)

"Yes," she said, her voice and bearing noticeably softer. True, for all she knew the kid's mother had told him lies, but then if the woman was an opportunist chances were she'd be here to try and reap the benefits herself too. She wasn't: she'd just sent her son. Based on that, Clair was willing to believe the kid was telling the truth, and she wasn't about to abandon a clan member by blood, regardless of ... how he might have come to be.

"Come on. The gym's on the other side of the city. Are you going to make it that far--?" She faltered. "What's your name?"

Sefton mustered up a small smile. He could tell he had gotten through to her, thankfully, and was that much more relieved for it. His body still ached from the hike and stung from the falls he had taken, but he was here now... it would get better.

He pulled himself to his feet determinedly. "Sure," he answered. If that was all he had left to go, he could make it, right? "Sefton. 'm Sefton."

"Sefton," Clair murmured, running the name over in her head and giving him a measuring look. It didn't register at all; she didn't know anyone in the clan with a son named Sefton. (Let alone a son with blue hair. It was an unusual colour, even for the Motherland, and usually implied some kind of pokemon radiation prior to birth, or even psychic power. That ... could explain the reaction, actually.)

She gave a short nod. "Very well then, Sefton. Follow me." She rose smoothly and moved off down the road, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Sefton was following.

Sefton nodded, having calmed down from the rest of the excitement. He gave one last wipe at his eye before shoving his hands into his pockets and trailing after Clair. Glalie followed at its usual distance, not daring to come closer, yet remiss to give the boy any slack.

"Um..." He hesitated, considering just letting things be. His tiredness nudged at him temptingly and he decided to go ahead; if it would help keep him on his feet, all the better. "What's gonna happen?"

"First, you'll have your pokemon checked by one of the handlers at the gym," Clair answered without looking around. Both boy and glalie looked tired--as tired as a ball of ice could look. (There were ways to tell--the way the outermost surface of ice was more condensation than actual ice, for instance, because it just didn't have enough energy for its internal freezer to keep all of it as cold as usual.)

"After, or while that's being done, you'll go to the hospital wing to be looked after yourself. Doctor Naoki will verify your claim with a DNA test so we can find out who you're related to." If anyone, she added mentally, not so much doubt as caution.

They were starting to get into the more inhabited regions of the city, now, and there were plenty of people around--kids playing on the streets, people passing by on walks, shopping, even one or two cars (rare in Blackthorn City). Most people greeted Clair cheerfully, and she nodded and occasionally smiled a greeting back, but didn't stop to talk to anyone, even those most relaxed in her presence. (The observant could always tell who the visitors to the city were--they were the ones who looked after her with wide, startled eyes, the sight of the gym leader walking so blatantly through a town somehow surprising).

"DNA test?" he repeated. Someone taking care of his pokémon was not something he would object to - they definitely needed it, both glalie and the low-energy magnemite still tucked away in the pokéball on his bag.

What had him worried was that they might need something from him, personally. Would he be able to give it without touching anyone?

Sefton grimaced as they moved into the populated areas, emotions pelting him from all sides. He was used to it, but, quite honestly, traveling had given him time away and it had been nice to have his mind to himself for a while. He picked up the pace, actually moving closer to Clair, much as he could without risking to step on her cape.

Clair noticed, out of the corner of her eye, and pulled her cape closer around herself as if to keep it out of the way of the general crowd, fisting it near the gun on her thigh. She still couldn't tell if Sefton's reaction was a general aversion to being touched or something psychic-related, though. The latter was possible; Clair herself had some training in mind-closure, so she'd be less overwhelming than the others on the street.

"That's right," she said as if she hadn't seen anything at all. "They'll do a blood-test and check for similarities in DNA to clan members." In-between checking for general health and radiation effects. That hair came from somewhere, and judging by the name one of his parents or grandparents--mostly likely on his mother's side--was an Outsider. Pokemon energy tended to have more of an effect on people whose bloodline wasn't used to their presence.

His tone obviously unsure, Sefton asked, "Do they hafta?" It was hard to keep himself focused, but not impossible. Worry over possibly imprinting on someone in the process stamped down on the rest of the genial, up-beat vibes from the surrounding townsfolk. At least with the pace they were going, they might not be in the crowd for very long. Then, once they got wherever they were going... maybe Sefton would be able to sneak in a nap.

Edited 2011-02-06 00:47 (UTC)

"Yes," Clair said in a tone with no compromise and some censure. She wasn't used to random trainers questioning her, and particularly not clan members. And then after a moment she relented, adding, "It's the easiest and best way of determining familial ties."

They weren't far, now; the gym was on the other side of the city, true, but the bulk of the city and the centre was still somewhat off to the side. But the ground was also sloping up, the buildings on ledges flanking the road to counter the ascent.

Sefton huffed, somewhat in childlike annoyance, though mostly from the exertion. Blood test... those were needles and needles were doctors and doctors were touching.

Sefton did not have a good history with doctors.

Though her tone and the dim pulse of her emotions warned off from continuing the subject, he paid the signs no heed. "S' there some other way?"

"No," Clair said, and sighed in lieu of throwing an irritated look over her shoulder. He was a kid. A kid who was abused and/or psychic, and either way he didn't like people being near him. The reminder helped her calm down. It wasn't Sefton's fault things were so frustrating lately (always had been). And there were other options, he was right about that.

"There's ways they can get your DNA without getting too near you." Means they couldn't do a blood-test for health reasons, but for DNA comparative purposes it would do.

"Like what?" he asked, slow and careful. Wasn't the DNA in his blood and that was the whole point anyway?

"Saliva, skin cells, hair," Clair said almost absently, like it was a list she was just rattling off without thinking. She didn't add one of the more obvious; no need to make the kid even more uncomfortable.

The ground was definitely higher, the town behind them now clearly below them, and the cobblestone road wound around the series of ledges until it came to a walled-off area and an open gate flanked by two stone dragonite. There were two clan members standing guard, glad in a purple uniform, both of whom came to attention as Clair approached. She just nodded to them and strode right past.

Through the gates the path led up to two giant open bronze doors which seemed to lead into a building carved into the mountain. To their right, if Sefton looked, there was a broad expanse of grass and arenas and buildings against the cliffs, except where there was a calm lake in the distance.

Sefton wandered behind Clair, making sure he wouldn't step on the cape or bump into her, and stared in awe at the building as they approached. It was so much more impressive than he had been imagining (honestly, he hadn't known what to expect), and the rest of the surrounding scenery only added to the effect in order to take his breath away.

He almost stopped once or twice, but Glalie's quiet 'coo' from behind snapped him out of it and he trotted to make up for any lost distance. This was it. No longer was he simply close, he was here. They just needed to make sure he wasn't lying (why would he lie after coming all this way?), but then he was in.

He would be with family. He'd be safe.

Edited 2011-02-06 09:20 (UTC)

Clair glances behind her, smirking a little at his expression, pride clear in her eyes (and everything else). The entrance hall is huge, with a mosaic floor and broad stone stairs directly opposite. There's a pair of open doors leading off to the left which are just as big as the entrance doors; Sefton might see an arena behind it.

"Tell Naoki and Satomi to prepare for a trainer and his pokemon," she ordered one of the door-guards, then glanced at Sefton. "What pokemon do you have?"

Sefton kept his gaze moving about as they came inside, in awe of how big and amazing everything was. Among other things, it was also very mentally quiet compared to the rest of the town, which was a definite step up.

"Um!" His attention darted back to Clair when she spoke. "I... just two," he answered timidly. Shifting a backpack strap off one arm, he swung it around in front of himself so that she could see the two slots occupied with pokéballs. One obviously belonged to Glalie, and the other? "Magnemite and Snorunt." There was a beat, and he turned a little red. "Glalie. I meant... Glalie."

It was. Obviously, there were quite a number of clan members, plus the pokemon, but the number of people in the complex in comparison to the number of people in the rest of the city--there was a big difference. Most of what Sefton would feel would be north, scattered through the estate and its attached structures, or, in particular given the time of day, east on the grounds.

Clair didn't comment on the slip up, though it was obvious the pokemon had evolved recently if Sefton was still getting used to it. She just nodded toward the tamer and gestured for Sefton to hand over Magnemite and for Glalie to follow the man.

Sefton simply held the bag out for the tamer to retrieve the pokéballs for himself. One of his own rules was to never touch his own pokémon, in whatever form, for fear of setting his power off. Telekinesis certainly came in handy for actual interaction, but he wasn't so naive that he would out himself as a psychic right off the bat, especially not with so many people nearby.

Glalie bobbed in close to his head, though still far enough away that Sefton was satisfied, and tilted its entire body to the side in a questioning motion. It was relaxed, but still protective and worried after all of the drama leading up to the current moment. "S' okay," he said with an encouraging nod. "We'll meet up later, 'kay?"

It gave another rumbling sound, less of a coo and more of a casual sound (as much as you could get with a living hunk of ice) and moved to approach the man. It was unimpressed with the tamer, but willing to trust, which in turn helped calm Sefton down, too.

The tamer took Magnemite's pokeball and then bowed to Glalie (though granted, eyeing the ice-type a little warily) before gesturing toward a side-door leading back out onto the grounds and heading out.

Clair examined Sefton for a moment, finger-tips resting on her lips in thought. The gesture with the bag was another hint to the state of things--a way to avoid a person getting too close? Oh yes, there would be DNA tests other than on blood involved.

"This way," she said, turning her back on the other tamer, who was speaking quietly into a compact internal phone on the wall, and leading the way across the mosaic floor, toward the stairs. "We need to go up a floor."

Sefton looked to the other tamer curiously, then repositioned his bag with a quiet hup and began to follow Clair once again. The whole thing was still pretty overwhelming, if not to his power, then to him personally. He was in Blackthorn, meeting the clan, finally getting somewhere...

"S' it much farther?" he asked once they were on the steps. The prospect of meeting his own father was a distant one, though exciting nonetheless. He had to be here somewhere, and the sooner they got the tests done, the sooner he could meet his family.

"Not far," Clair answered without looking around. The hall to which the stairs led was broad, clearly a main corridor and big enough for a dragon. Its floor was plain stone aside from the long, board carpet down the centre, and its walls were interspersed with doors, inset pillars and woven tapestries.

The double-doors Clair led Sefton to were indeed not far, just around a marked pillar, situated on the left and clearly leading into a wing deeper into the mountain. When she opened them wide it led into a waiting area splitting off into corridors. There was already activity around the offices as a man, short, stocky and hair greyed at the temples, handed a clipboard to a nurse and made for Clair, bowing. "Lady Ibuki."

"This is Naoki," Clair said to Sefton, and then turned to Naoki. "This is Sefton. He was sent here from Hoenn by his mother, who claims his father was a member of the clan. She did not specify who."

The awed looks didn't really stop once they got upstairs, and he almost missed the turn into the clinic. He corrected himself quickly and moved to stand behind Clair while still keeping a few good feet of distance between them. He nodded politely to Naoki, then dropped his eyes when Clair added that last part. It was somewhat embarrassing to come all this way without even a name.

"Are you gonna do the DNA test thing?" he asked, glancing up through his bangs.

"We will have to do that, yes," Naoki answered. He didn't smile, but there were slightly crinkled lines around his eyes that said he did it with them more often than not, and the way he looked at Sefton was both quietly watchful and somehow knowing (even if, in fact, he knew very little).

"Sefton would prefer not to have blood taken," Clair told the doctor, and turned to Sefton. "Naoki will be able to take care of you. Don't leave the hospital wing unless he tells you you can." She hesitated for a moment and then said, softly and a little awkwardly, "Good luck."

Sefton didn't take kindly to being told not to do things. However, he didn't even know where he would go if he left, so he nodded. He could feel some of the awkwardness, and Naoki's observation. "Thanks," he said belatedly, knowing he should probably respond to that. He looked up at her, then to the doctor, and began to nibble on his lower lip.

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to know the unknown

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/names officially handwaved as Japanese

ah, the magic of handwaving

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