[journey] Love me mercilessly

Cigarette in hand, its ember glowing softly in the daylight, Yashu strolled along on the dirt path that stretched out before him. He had chosen a marked route that would lead through a decent chunk of the marshlands. He wanted to give both his pokémon the chance to stretch their legs- or their wings.

By his side, Dōngméi padded along with an air of quiet contentment, her presence a soothing balm to Yashu's troubled mind. His shadow briefly engulfed both of them when the charizard soared overhead and momentarily blocked the sun in passing. Yashu let out a sigh as he pulled the hood of his hoodie over his head. He felt the need to cover himself despite the pleasant warmth of the sun. Maybe it was the hangover .. The reminder of what had transpired last night.

Yes, he had a place to stay for now but it was a far cry from the luxury and extravagant lifestyle he was used to. He resented his father for his decision to send him away like he was some unruly child that needed to be punished. To some continent in the middle of nowhere where strange things happened each night. He had protection, of course. Shadowy figures that made sure the heir of the Zháo clan would not be shot in brought daylight, but that was about the furthest his father’s grace extended.

Access to his bank account cut off, explicit instructions not to contact any of his connections. Let that be a lesson.

Dōngméi sensed Yashu’s growing frustration as she looked up at him and noticed his fist clenching.

His ruminating mind kept him from fully experiencing the otherwise pretty picture that the nature around him painted before them. Yashu’s attention was drawn to the many problems he was facing. Blissfully unaware of the fact that the path beneath his feet was becoming more and more soggy as he went on. It wasn’t until Dōngméi let out a small cry that Yashu’s attention was brought back again to the present, right as his foot disappeared into a soggy part of the road.

He looked down at his foot, ankle deep in the ground as he felt wetness seep into his sneakers. A frown of disgust crept upon his face as he began to wriggle his foot around in an attempt to loosen it until it popped out with a wet noise.

He studied the path before him. A large pool kept him from reaching the desired path on the other side. Yashu’s brown eyes flicked back to the path that continued on on his right. It was the dryer, safer option but his mind had been made up. With doubt in his mind he turned around as his eyes landed on a hut surrounded by greenery.

“*What a bother.” he muttered out loud, boredom evident in his tone. Dōngméi placed her tiny hand against his ankle and gave him an affirming look. It was unbecoming of the heir of the clan to be caught besmirged with mud and grass. So for that reason Yashu decided to press on, wanting to continue on as much as he physically could. He lifted his Bellossom and held her with one arm against his chest while he did.

Until he stretched out his hand towards the sky. “*Give me a hand, Quilong.” Yashu called, waiting for his Charizard to transport both of them over the large pool of water.

*spoken text marked with an * is in mandarin

Yashu hears it before it happens. The sound of the mighty wings of his charizard before he feels himself being lifted in the air. He clutches the small pokémon to his side in an automatic, protective embrace before he is set back down again a couple of heartbeats later.

He lowers her to the ground before straightening his back and taking in the path that he had envisioned himself taking. He steals one more glance over his shoulder, but finds that the hut he had briefly looked at earlier is now hidden from his vision. Taken back by the marshlands surrounding him. Yashu gives his foot a few more shakes to try and alleviate the uncomfortable feeling of his soggy sock, and continues on.

After a little while he notices a shrine tucked away on the side of the road, decorated with the foliage that surrounds it. He pauses to take it in. What was the last time he had prayed? Paid his respects to his gods? Not since he left Fènghuáng that’s for certain.

Would his gods want to honor him now at this foreign altar, or would the god that was depicted on the altar see it as blasphemy? Yashu decided that the Sanctum gods can fuck themselves and he lowers himself on one knee. Dōngméi settles next to him and the heavy thump of his charizard landing on the ground behind him lets him know that Qiulong has also joined him.

Yashu lowers his head and closes his eyes. A silent prayer only he can hear in his mind.

The sensation that someone is watching him slowly began to dawn upon him as he whispers the first verse of the prayer in his mind. Yashu’s surroundings begin to fade as he gets pulled into his petition. As if the marshes around him deliberately quiet down to allow him this moment of solace.

A profound quiet settles into his mind as the verses glide along. A peacefulness settling deep within him. The likes he hasn’t experienced in quite a long time. He becomes aware of a glow behind his eyelids and he slowly opens his eyes. A soft breeze caressing his face as it blows past him as if it wants to get his attention.

The shrine before him briefly looks like it’s enveloped in a blanket of light. Glimmer softly before it fades. The tall man sits quietly for a few moments as he absorbs all this, kneeling still with a soft expression on his face. The solace isn’t everlasting however as the same breeze slides past him, tugging on some loose hairs and when he follows the direction it’s blowing, he sees it.

Something that’s unmistakably looking back at him. He opens his mouth to speak or shout, but the creature spins around and moves away the moment he does. Yashu pushes himself to a stand. With swift motions moving towards the brushes the creature had disappeared through. He risks one last glance behind him towards the altar, as if to commit the sight to memory, and pushes himself through the brush in pursuit of whatever the wind wanted him to see.

The sound of shoes sloshing through soggy soil filter through the brush as Yashu pursuits. He quickly lifts Dōngméi in his arms so he doesn’t have to worry about her getting behind. Qiulong takes to the sky with a dance of his wings.

The creature drives a rapid pace as Yashu struggles to keep up. It’s nimble and obviously better suited to the environment than he and his Bellossom. Awkwardly he stumbles along, avoiding particular puddles as he tries to stay on the dry path as much as he can. He comes to a quick halt when he hears splashing ahead and enters a clearing. A rather large patch of water surrounded by marshey greenery. Yashu’s brown eyes are drawn to something else entirely. A stone, standing like a centerpiece at the far edge of the water. Though indescribable to his eyes, Yashu clearly notices there’s written text carved into the base.

The creature that led him here turns its back as he comes  to a halt next to the stone slab. It has yellow eyes, and blue skin that glister damply in the sunlight. The croagunk’s eyes are settled on the pair. He reaches out one of his arms and begins to gesture for him to approach.

Yashu hesitates as he assesses the pool before him, aware of the challenge that is present in the pokémon’s eyes. He holds Dōngméi tight as he sets the first few steps. Risking the trek across. He takes slow, meticulous steps as his eyes settle on the water. Straining his eyes in an attempt to spot any deeper parts before it’s too late.

Carefully he stepped on a lighter colored patch of water, expecting the soggy ground beneath. Only for his foot to suddenly sink down and causing him propel a little forward, dangerously close to dropping Dōngméi in the water below. She clings to his arm with a startled cry as he tenses his muscles to keep his balance. He sinks a good feet or two down before he feels himself getting stuck knee deep into the cold, marshy ground with water sloshing against his thigh. “chī shǐ,” he cried out in blatant frustration, attempting to wriggle free only to find he began to slip even further.

His knee began to ache painfull as he cursed once more, looking for a dry spot to put his Bellossom down so he could make his way out of his situation. He looked up at the sky and whistled. “fèi wù .. come here, Qiulong!”

There was a brief pause. He heard the sound of his Charizard’s wings before the pokémon came into view. He stopped to hover closely above him, looking down at his trainer with a mix of worry and judgment. “Grab Dōngméi,” He simply stated, holding her out for him. He reached down and lifted the tiny grass pokémon in his hands before flying a few meters back to land on a dry spot of marsh.

Yashu’s eyes filtered back towards the Croagunk that remained next to the stone slab, that same challenge still present in his  eyes. He took a deep breath as he tried to steady himself despite the growing ache in his knee. He could ask his Charizard  to pull him out but something in him told him that the Croagunk would see that as giving up. Choosing the easy way out.

So he made a mental prayer and looked around to see if there was anything he could grab onto.

Yashu lets his eyes wander the marshy land around him, peering past clusters of reed until his dark eyes become drawn to something. Something his eyes had skipped over previously but only now began to register. The tip of a mossy covered branch sticks out from between the reeds, beckoning him silently and offering him a slight hand in his peculiar situation.

He pulls his gaze away to check the rest of his surroundings and notices something below the water. Frowning he observes the silhouette before he lifts up the sleeve of his undershirt and reaches forward towards it. The cold water enveloping his hand when he feels his fingers close around a rope.

The sturdy rope fits nicely in his hand as he closes his fingers around the rope and gives a slight pull. He’s unsure how much weight can be put on it before it snaps .. But still, what would a rope be doing in the middle of a swamp?

Yashu makes up his mind and begins to pull harder.

Yashu gives a hard pull without much success. The awkward position he is in makes it hard for him to have a proper grip on the rope and pull with all his strength. Despite his best efforts, he manages to only free himself a little bit. Whatever the rope is attached to beneath the murky water is incredibly sturdy, refusing to budge even an inch.

Frustration bubbles up inside him but Yashu is not one to give up easily. He knows that freeing himself might mean abandoning the mystery object lodged at the bottom, a thought that gnaws at his curiosity with incessant intensity.

He glances at the croagunk standing nearby, meeting its eyes with a determined stare. *“I’m not giving up,”  he declares, his voice resolute.

Yashu coils the rope around his hand, feeling the rough fibers bite into his skin and smearing it with mud. He braces himself and gives the rope another mighty tug.

Yashu’s muscles tighten as he gives a mighty tug at the rope. It seems it’s effortless initially, but this only spurs him on. Prompting him to give another tug- this one more successful than the last as he feels his knee finally releases with a squishy sound. Stumbling backwards he manages to catch himself, steadying his body and giving the painful area just below his knee a few rubs with his free hand.

Determination fills his veins as he reassesses the situation. His dark eyes land on something sticking out of the mud a few feet ahead, broken free by his tugging on the rope. The Croagunk motioning catches his attention, causing him to pause.

Qiulong gives an approving grunt on the other side of the bank, reminding Yashu he is standing by ready to assist should the need arise. Yashu gathers his focus and scans for a path towards the stone that appeared with the intention to read the description.

“Hold your horses. I’m coming, just let me do this first.” He mumbles in plain common towards the Croagunk as he begins to make his way towards the newly revealed stone. It will bring him closer to his original end goal. Once he had made it safely towards it, he can make his way across towards the Croagunk. Perhaps the newly uncovered stone belongs to the already existing stone the Croagunk was standing beside, Yashu thought.

Yashu wades through the shallow water, careful not to slip or sink. Every few steps he feels his heart leap when he momentarily thinks that he has misstepped. But to his relief he manages to make it towards the unearthed stone. He lowers himself to reach and touch the cold surface. Wiping away the mud that sticks to the letters written in common.

This causes him to pause with a surprised look crossing his features. The lettes read: Trial of Strength. The coloration of the stone gives away that it has been submerged for quite some time before Yashu pulled it out.

Dark eyes search out the Croagunk who is still standing on its original place, beckoning him with increasing impatience. Even though the stone had been lost to perhaps the trial of time, at least there was a living being still aware of said trial. Had it been with a master, once? Was it a wild pokémon that simply followed it’s designated purpose in life?

Whatever it was, Yashu’s interest had just peaked to elevated levels. ”Trial of strength, ey?” He mutters out loud. Forcing his knees to straighten as he rises and begins to make his way towards the Croagunk. “Very well. I love a good challenge.”

Careful placing his steps before him, trying to maintain balance and not sink back into the mud once more, he makes his way towards the Croagunk. A feeling of deep found excitement begins to stir in his insides as he does so. Excited to learn whatever adventure lays ahead of him and the poison pokémon can present him with.