[PMD BTS] RP: Time to Talk
Tobias visits the Team New Beginnings base to welcome Gene to the Shadewood Clan
Arius was gone for the day, leaving the halls of Team New Beginnings devoid of the normal mild chaos.
But a new presence was about to fall upon the base. Tobias stood outside of the New Beginnings base. Beside him was a chandelure women, she had a long flowing dress that was black, and a ghostly blue inside from the low cut top. Whispy fires danced around her form lightly.
Tobias knocked on the door.
“I do not require an escort Malory.”, Tobias said.
“I wish only for your safety Tobias”, she said back. He restrained a cheeky eye roll.
“I assure you there is no danger beyond this threshold.”, he replied.
"Emil could you answer that!" Gene called from the basement. His own hands were a bit full looking for Myrtle, who after another bout of rebelliousness had stormed off to her room. He'd allowed her to stew for some time, but after a few hours her silence became worrisome and he was now realizing she was nowhere to be found. Surely she was just hiding down here somewhere.
However little did Gene know that Myrtle had phased through the floors and up to the roof, as Ari had so conveniently suggested some time ago. Idiot. He'd never look up there. The chump probably couldn't even get up here if he wanted to.
She spotted some figures approaching, two very powerful looking ghosts. She ducked down to avoid getting spotted, but inched closer to the edge of the roof to keep watch. Who were these people? Had the Order showed up at their front door? She wished, she'd teach them a lesson for taking her guardian from her. Probably these were just some dumb friends of Gene's or something. The man in the long jacket seemed oddly familiar though...
"Sure boss," Emil called back, pausing his own search for Myrtle as he opened the front door. He was not expecting two ghosts to greet him, and a Mythical at that. Gene had instructed him to be wary of any ghosts they ran into, something about the Order that kidnapped Frannie all those months ago. He didn't really know much about it himself, but the two ghosts at the door now looked awfully suspicious. He glanced to them both, his ears pulling back in a clearly defensive manner.
"What can I do ya for?" he asked guardedly.
“Yes. Hello Houndour. I assume you to be Emil. I am here seeking your leader Gene. Please fetch him at once.”, Tobias said simply. He was not in the mood to speak with living pokemon. Their spiraling mortality was annoying at best.
Emil was visibly surprised to hear that this guy knew his name, but if he was just some ghost friend of Gene's then probably it was fine. "Hey Boss, it's for you!" he turned and yelled into the house.
Back in the basement Gene sighed and rolled his eyes. Of course it would be for him, what else did he expect? With any luck the next recruit interested in their team would have experience as a secretary.
He made his way back upstairs, hesitating as he took in the sight of not just Tobias but another ghost he was unfamiliar with. Despite Ari's reassurance that Tobias had accepted him Gene was still unsure where the two of them stood. Not to mention that he rarely spent time with Tobias unless it was an emergency or said Marshadow was threatening him in some way. Neither of which boded well.
"Emil, would you please continue your search for Myrtle," Gene asked in a quiet tone. He had yet to fill Emil in on... 'everything', and whatever reason Tobias was here likely involved sensitive information.
"Ah... whatever you say," Emil said, though clearly confused. He eyed Tobias warily before heading back into the house to look for the lost twig.
Tobias looked at Malory. “You are to leave.”, the female frowned. But she did as he said, bowing lightly and leaving down the road. Her hair was down but her wrist had a hair band like Ari’s.
Tobias turned back at Gene. “Are you aware of the ghost on your roof?”, he questioned.
Gene raised an eyebrow curiously, clearly wondering who this person was and why they walked all the way here with Tobias if they were not planning to stay. He could only assume Tobias was here because something was amiss.
His eyebrows rose at his question. "They wouldnt happen to be a young Phantump, would they?" he asked. He had no immediate issues with Myrtle being up there, as long as she wasn't running around town he would count his victories.
"What brings you here?" he asked, fearing he would not like the answer. Had something happened to Ari?
“Hm...”, Tobias closed his eyes for a moment, the shadows around him swirled slowly for a moment before going back to normal. He opened his eyes. “Yes, it is a female phantump, adolescent.”
He twirled his cane slowly. “I feel there is a fee things we must speak of.”
Gene nodded with a sigh. "Nothing to worry about then," he said and left it at that. He knew not what Tobias thought of him, let alone the fact that he had taken in a feral reborn ghost. And if they had several topics to cover he would prefer to leave that one for later.
"Would you like a seat?" he asked, gesturing to the couch and rocking chair near the coffee table. "Or tea?"
Tobias walked into the base, looking around slowly. He toon a moment and sat down on the couch. He thought for a moment. “What sort of...tea do you have?”, he questioned.
Gene was oddly surprised as Tobias made himself at home, feeling as though he had never seen the ancient ghost behave so... human.
"I generally make Black Currant, but as far as other black teas we also have lemon, Earl Grey, and vanilla. Or if you prefer green tea theres chamomile. Or even spearmint, if you're in the mood," he offered as he closed the front door. A small smile tugging at his cheeks at the thought of him actually wanting the vile drink.
“I suppose Earl Gray with a sprig of spearmint. Best to keep the immunity up on it. You should use gloves Gene, delicate akin and all.”, Tobias said calmly.
Gene looked at Tobias with equal parts amusement and disbelief. "Honestly? I know not how you can tolerate the stuff, but if you insist," he said as he made his way to the kitchen. With how tiny their living quarters were he was still well within a comfortable speaking range.
"Can I assume there are no... immediate emergencies?" he asked as he prepared the tea, still trying to gauge what exactly had brought Tobias here. Sure there were matters that Gene wished to speak of, but he also fully expected they would simply keep their distances from one another.
“It is about building resistances. Slowly. Over time. I can even eat salt directly without a drastic reaction. A few hundred years under your belt and maybe you can do it too. ”, he said as he took his hat off. As he did, his hair shifted to red, revealing his horns.
“No. There are no current emergencies for you to worry over.”, he assured Gene.
"Fascinating, I had not realized that was possible," he said as he steeped the tea. The spearmint smelled repulsive and he wondered how long Tobias had forced himself to drink it. Or if perhaps he was just messing with Gene, which was entirely possible.
Gene noted the distinction Tobias made, specifically 'current' and 'for him to worry over'. He suspected there were potential future causes for alarm, or perhaps problems that Tobias did not think he should concern himself with.
"I am pleased to hear it," he said as he joined him in the sitting room, handing him his tea before taking a seat in the rocking chair.
"So?" he said simply, encouraging Tobias to say whatever he had come here to say.
Tobias took the tea, taking a long sip before he decided to speak. "Yes, as Arius has probably discussed with you, I have been considering many things. One of which is that it is clear that Arius has made his stance in regards to you. Therefor, it is safer for you to no longer be an independent ghost. So, I'm here to offer you to join the Shadewood clan."
Gene sat back in his chair, crossing his legs and staring down at his tea. "Ari did share this with me, yes. Though in regards to me you have made your stance clear as well," he said simply, no air of hostility but merely stating the fact that Tobias had never made an effort to hide his disapproval.
"I would like to hear more of your thoughts behind this decision," he said, taking a sip of his tea. "I was of the impression the Shadewoods were a very select group. I had not expected to be welcomed in so easily." Too easily, as far as Gene was concerned. After recently being cast out of his previous family he was not so quick to jump into a new one that may resent him just as much.
"It is less of selection and more of coming together for the safety of reborn ghost. Soft soilers such as yourself often return to their old lives, or pick up aspects of it, and face much fewer dangers than older duster ghosts, like Arius. So, I do not like to bring in soft soiler ghosts because in the past, they always choose their old lives. Unable to break away, with some- very unfortunate results to the ghosts and connections their new lives made."
Tobias looked down into his tea, " I simply try to stop issues before they begin, but Arius was very clear you are unable to return to your previous life. To the point of saying he will leave the clan to start a whole new one with you. Which, I know is not what is best for him. So, the easiest thing is to bring you into the clan. That is my thought process on the matter."
Gene considered for a moment. He had no delusions that Tobias was accepting him into the clan for any reason other than Ari's benefit, though he expected the clan leader to harbor more bitterness towards him due to the wedge Gene's presence had driven between him and his favorite adoptive son. He made an effort to reach out for such feelings, wondering if perhaps they were there but just not present in his tone.
He glowered down at his tea. "I have no intention of ever returning to the family of my former life. They are dead to me, just as I am to them." But Garland did spring to mind, a connection from the past that he was attempting to maintain. Could such a choice be dangerous for more reasons than just keeping his secret from the Whitlocks?
"By 'unfortunate results' I assume you mean they leave the clan, yes? And the loved ones of their undead life are... devastated?" he asked, feeling it would be in bad taste to speak of 'fading' when Tobias clearly had known ghosts who suffered from such separation, and who knew ghosts now that he feared to lose.
“Yes. Duster ghosts do not handle changes well, their bodies, minds, and souls are incredibly fragile. So something as heartbreaking as a loved one abandoning them can sometimes push them over the edge.”, he looked at Gene.
“However, Arius also spoke in great lengths to me of the ring he presented to you. And I suppose marrying into the clan was his plan B option.”
Gene fondled the ring that hugged his finger, the ring he never took off.
'I would say Yes.'
He smiled tenderly to himself, suddenly warm and fuzzy at the thought. Marriage had never meant anything more than a deal to him, a business transaction, but for someone to want him in such a way... to give him something of this value and to ask for his hand and not the other way around, how could he not feel loved?
He ever so slowly started to float out of his chair, just an inch or two, before he slammed his hand down on one of the armrests and used it to hold himself in place. His face was instantly red with embarrassment and he cleared his throat. "Yes, that is um... only logical," he said, taking a sip of his tea so that he needn't look at Tobias.
He kept his eyes on his tea as he held it against his lap. "I understand," he said seriously in response to how easily breakable old spirits were. He forced himself to raise his head, embarrassed or not, and look Tobias in the eye as someone who also loved Ari very much. "Short of my second death, there is nothing that could take me from him."
Tobias watched Gene. “It is fine enough.”, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a hairband, setting it on the table.
“Do you have any further questions?”, he asked as he sipped his tea.
Gene reached out for the hairband, picking it up and turning it over in his hands. He was having a hard time believing it was really happening, that he was holding his own mark of a Shadewood. Was it pretentious to wish that it was on different terms? That he had earned it himself and not simply because Ari was the favorite and now--as Ari had explained--Gene was now too a favorite by default?
"I don't see her anywhere Boss," Emil said, suddenly appearing in the room and causing Gene to jump. Oh. Right. Tobias would likely have feelings on this matter too.
"Check the roof," he told him.
"Ah... how?"
"Just... you do not need to go up their yourself. Simply make sure she does not go anywhere else, alright?"
"Kay," he waved and headed upstairs. Gene watched him go, waiting until he was out of sight before he continued in a hushed voice.
"I intend to tell him. What I am, and what the Phantump girl is as I am sure you noticed. Living with two of us, I think it is safer to keep him in the loop," he explained, looking at Tobias to judge his reaction. "Will that be an issue?" he asked, clearly anticipating on Tobias not agreeing with his decision and prepared to stand his ground.
"I think it is up to you to make those choices. However, I do not find it relevant for them. Besides, sometimes mortals do not take our existence well, some will blame you. As if you coming bad took a slot of a loved one. Others will demand to know your 'secret' or you will be avoided like the plague. I simply find that song and dance to be much to... meddlesome. It bores me to interact with the living, and yet, it is their word we are intruding in.", he finished his tea.
Gene's tight expression began to open when he was not met with resistance. Had he pegged Tobias entirely wrong? To be fair he had spoken very little to him personally.
"Intruding?" he snorted. "Arceus dragged us back here, reason or not. If the universe saw fit for us to be here who am I to argue?"
He stared down at the band, stretching it in his hand and eyeing the beads cut from bone. Wordlessly he ducked his head, combing his hair back with his fingers and pulling his hair back into a high ponytail. The hair held it's bends like that of a Banette's head and several small rosebuds still peaked through.
"Thank you," he said. Even if the old ghost was not doing this for Gene himself it still felt proper to say it. "Is there anything I should know? Any rules of being a Shadewood?"
"Not particularly. Generally, the clan live and migrate together, searching for others and doing other tasks. However I respect you're job as a team leader and will not require you to do such things.", he leaned back in the chair, cracking his neck a bit.
"From time to time, shadewoods may come to your doorstep seeking shelter for one or two nights, but we are a clan that words on exchange. So they will not come with nothing to offer in return.", he set his cup down on the table.
"In addition, anything you require can be expended to the clan as needed. Simply submit bills to me and I can provide reimbursement. Things such as living expense, a few extra things like tickets for travel and such, things of that nature. You are one of the clan, and you will be provided for as such", Tobias said.
Gene nodded in understanding. "Yes, unfortunately as leader I am not permitted as much freedom to roam as I please. I am expected to be readily available should the need arise. That said, of course any Shadewoods would be welcomed here. And should there ever be a need my team is available to you as well."
"I... may take you up on that, should we happen to find a more suitable base," he said. The mention of money got the gears in Gene's head turning. His instinct was to decline as his pride would simply not allow it. However, if he was expected to board Shadewoods it was only logical they would require more space and Team New Beginnings had already begun searching for a larger base.
"Pardon, but I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop," he laughed. "I had imagined such membership would come with more..." he paused, twirling his hand as he considered, seemingly becoming more comfortable in Tobias's presence. "Restrictions."
"There expectations of living are for ghosts spent within the nests of the Shadewoods or those who are migrating. You are essentially living on your own, and will be treated as a ghost who has made a settlement outside of the base. Like other Shadewoods who settle down and build lives for themselves. Some get farms, some open businesses, and so on.", Tobias said.
"I do not exist to dictate the way my clan members live. My ultimate goal is for them to find fulfillment and happiness in their second chance at life."
Gene couldn't help raising an eyebrow with a skeptical smile when Tobias claimed he did not live to police his clan given the whole fiasco between him and Ari, but he kept his mouth shut.
Myrtle meanwhile had phased down back into the house to better listen in on their conversation. She couldn't make out most of it what they were saying, too much fluff and too many big words. But the name 'Shadewood' was tossed around a lot. Wasn't that the name of one of the groups that took ghosts from the forest?
Gene was about to open his mouth to speak when Myrtle dropped down from the ceiling, slamming down against the floor and causing the furniture around them to shake. Gene covered his tea and held it away in an effort not to spill any on himself.
"Ah, Myrtle. So kind of you to join us," he said, shaking his head.
At first Myrtle was startled by the red haired horned man sitting on their couch, looking not at all like the guy who walked up to the front door. But she quickly regained her scowl, sizing him up.
Tobias looked at her, his face lacked any sort of surprise or shock at her sudden appearance. "It is rude to cause such a scene.", he simply said as he looked back at Gene.
"I assume this is Myrtle, the ghost you found on the island in the forest of regurgitation.", he looked at her. "Myrtle, would you be so kind as to get me more tea?", he asked simply. He was testing her, calmly, and casually. He'd wrangled with ghosts so much more than her, but the cold marks over her body where noticed by him as well. She was a very rare variant it seemed.
Gene was surprised Tobias was already familiar with Myrtle, but perhaps he should not have been. Likely Ari had filled him in on the trip. "Yes, this is she--" he stared to say but stopped abruptly in thinly veiled horror as Tobias made his request. "She... I would not--"
Myrtle stomped up to Tobias, slapping the tea cup from his hands and shattering it on the floor.
"Myrtle!" Gene snapped, standing from his seat. "You will not treat our guests as such!" Heavy footsteps could be heard from upstairs, likely Emil making his way down. But Myrtle was not at all perturbed, continuing to glower at Tobias. Who was this grandpa to show up and boss her around?
Tobias seemed hardly bothered. Black, almost demon like hands crept from his shadow and started to pick up the pieces. He simply continued to look at Myrtle. “How incredibly disappointing. So tell me, why did you feel the need to be so childish? I assumed you where at least an adolescent, not a stomping toddler.”
Myrtle watched furiously as Tobias shrugged off her tantrum. He was supposed to be mad! He was supposed to yell and be frustrated and scared and not just ignore her!
Her eyes tightened. Tell him? What, just so he could see that she didn't know how to talk? So he could make fun of her? Fat chance. With her anger the room grew cold, small chunks of ice forming and swirling around her, knocking into the rocking chair, the walls, tiny pebbles pelting Gene and Tobias that hurt only just enough to be obnoxious.
Emil's footsteps grew louder and he came down the stairs. "Hey! The twig aint on the--" he paused, his footsteps slowing as he took in the room. "Ah, I reckon you know that already."
“You speak. I know you do. So what? Do you have so little respect for others you can’t even offer then a apology?”, he said, continuing to be calm. He didn’t flinch, even when he was pelted.
“A few snowflakes hardly impresses me. I have fought gods.”, the shadow hands put broken pieces on the table.
“My fine dog fellow, can you please get me some more tea and a new cup?”, he asked without looking away from Myrtle.
Gene observed closely as Tobias continued to respond to Myrtle with civility and disappointment. He could feel that she was only being angered all the more, but it seemed she was at a loss for how to release it. Would she burst from frustration alone?
"Ah... sure thing," Emil said hesitantly, glancing to Gene and Myrtle and wondering if tea was really the most important thing at the moment. But the guy with the horns seemed to know what he was doing and Emil wasn't about to argue.
Myrtle was fuming. What was this arrogant, stupid, idiot, goat man playing at? "Don't know me," she growled and Gene's outraged "MYRTLE!" was the only warning before she threw a fist at Tobias.
“No. But I know your type.”, he said without flinching. Still not getting any more angry, or giving her the rise like a upset parent. She may have thrown a punch, but a shadowy hand shot out from his shadow and grabbed her fist mid-air.
“The tantrum is most unbecoming.”, he let her hand go for the shadow.
Myrtle thrashed in the shadows grasp for the short while it held her, pulling her hand away when she was released. Beside Tobias several needled hovered threateningly over Gene's hand, the big bad puppet's latest new toy. She'd been too quick for him the first time, but if she tried again likely she would be paralyzed immediately.
"Myrtle, this behavior is not acceptable," he said, his voice low in an unusually serious tone. "If you cannot be civil then go to your room."
In response she snarled at him, glancing to Tobias and decided that there was no fun to be had here anyway so obviously no point in staying. She stomped to the basement door, slamming it loudly before giving a frustrated screech that rang through the house. Gene's skin crawled, feeling the effects of an Astonish in her cry. But still, at least that was over.
"My sincerest apologies," he said as he allowed the needles to fade.
Meanwhile Emil was in the kitchen trying to figure out what tea this guy wanted. There were some packets out on the counter still so he grabbed one and started seeping it. Smelled minty.
"Yes, her kind is rebellious, always looking for push back. I find it similar to how you treat a beast. Not giving it the response it desires. She wanted a rise out of me, and she got increasingly annoyed she didn't get it. Clearly, she is a ghost who has much to work through.", Tobias said simply as he picked a piece of the shattered tea cup off his pant leg.
"Indeed. Since you seem familiar with her I can only assume Ari filled you in, yes?," Gene sighed. He had the impulse to run his hand through his bangs and shake out his hair, but he held back on doing so. He did not want to mess up his hair in front of guests.
"She is unruly at best, and..." he paused, not really wanting to admit it to Tobias of all people. Surely a man who commanded hundreds of reborn ghosts would find it laughable he could not even manage one himself. But Gene was at his wits end with Myrtle. "And I know not how to reach her."
He looked up curiously then. "Was Ari ever like this? Of course I cannot imagine him being so rebellious, but he told me of his challenges communicating and adapting to this new world and I can only assume Myrtle's struggle is similar. From what little I've been able to gather from her she seems quite old."
"Old? Aint she just a kid?" Emil's asked from the kitchen and Gene immediately realized his mistake. He had been debating when to tell him, but still he was hesitant to entrust Emil with such information just yet.
"It is but a figure of speech," he said. He was able to get away with most things using this excuse, and since Emil had essentially grown up under a rock there were many phrases he was not too familiar with.
"Ah ha..." he said with obvious confusion but did not press farther. He walked into the room then with a cup of tea in hand, the scent of which made Gene want to gag. "Ah... tea time?" he asked, holding it out to Tobias.
Gene glanced at Tobias skeptically, knowing they just spoke of his resistance but a sprig of Spearmint was a far cry from a whole cup. "Perhaps you might like something a bit less... potent?"
Tobias took the tea, "Thank you.", he said as he set the tea down. He was not stupid and was not about to drink it and make himself sick or worse, lose his abilties or anything of that sort. He would politely yeet the tea when Emil was not around.
"She is a troubled girl. Clearly. Probably fought with her parents and ran away from home if I where to guess. Or, saw something tramatic and she acts out as a result. It is hard to know without further details. But no, Arius was never like this. He was- like a completely new life. My biggest issue was him sticking things in his mouth or wandering directly into danger... it was a full time job just to watch over him for months."
"I can imagine," Gene laughed, being reminded of Ari's story of when he first joined the clan. How he was constantly at Tobias's heels.
"Perhaps I will ask Quinn to speak with her," he said allowed, not so much to anyone in particular. "I believe he would be better equipped to help her through such matters than I would. And seeing as he is..." he paused, glancing to Emil who appeared to be making food of some sort in the kitchen. "...like us, I am not concerned what she might share with him. Have you had the chance to meet Quinn? He joined the team while you were away."
"Yes, I have met Quinn. I recognized him at once, his presence makes me weary, given his connections. But if you make sure she is safe I do not see a issue. Arius seems to be at ease with Quinn, but I still have my own reservations.", Tobias explained.
Gene nodded. "Yes, I was surprised. I had not expected to run into Colburn's sister looking for him. How is... 'everything' in that regard?" he asked, trying to be vague.
"Despite my best attempts she still reamins at large, however she has stopped coming to the Blackstar base. She slithered back into whatever hold she crawled out of...for now. But Coltera is not a women to be taken lightly. Colburn has offered to help but given it is his twin sister- I think it is best he not be involved in her removal.", Tobias said.
Gene was silent for a moment, considering what Tobias had said. He could only assume what Coltera's 'removal' meant, and to think that Colburn would volunteer to assist... She must be a much larger threat than he had originally anticipated. To think he sat and chatted with her alongside Cassius just a few weeks ago.
"Best of luck then, I suppose," he said, unsure what the proper sentiment was for such a situation.
“It is fine. But if she comes around let me know at once. If I must, I will place a Shadewood here to ensure you and your new ward are safe.”, he said simply
"That is very kind, I will be sure to do so," Gene said. He still could not get used to Tobias's sudden hospitality. "The Order has not visited us in some time, least not that I am aware of. Though I am sure Myrtle wishes otherwise. It seems she encountered them in the Dark Forest previously and... has some rather strong feelings surrounding them."
“I will work passes by your base into our security patrols. In emergencies there is a elderly Gengar who owns a sewing shop ob the corner. If you need anything do to her, she is a Shadewood forward defender. She can level a whole forest with a mere ominous wind attack, let me assure you she can hold her own.”, he said. “Her name is Madame Ambrosia.”
A part of Gene was tempted to argue that they were not in need of such protection. A prideful part. A very very small part compared to the rest of him which fully realized the severity of the situation. Frannie had been taken right under their noses, and now with a rebellious duster Phantump on his hands security was of the highest importance.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "I will inform my team so they are aware should we require their assistance."
"Yes, do so as you see fit.", he said as he stood up. "I must take my leave now, I have an important meeting in a few minutes that I must attend. If you require me, leave me a message at the Blackstar base, or, send Arius to find me."
"I will," he said simply, rising from his feet to show Tobias to the door. He debated for a moment, unsure what to say at first.
"I hope you know how greatly I appreciate this," he told him. "Everything. I never..." he paused, catching himself. He needed to remember his place, that this was all for Ari's benefit and not his own. It would not do to betray his emotions so plainly, to show how much he wanted this--needed this--as he loathed to admit it. He did not want to look weak.
He held his hand out to Tobias, offering a handshake as if to solidify a deal. "I will not let you down," he said.
"It is okay Gene. You are one of us now. Arius or not. You are a Shadewood.", he shook Gene's hand. "I believe in you, if you need assistance with Myrtle, let me know.", with that, the ghost turned and left the base. Leaving his very minty tea behind.
Gene shook Tobias's hand firmly as his words struck a cord. He was a Shadewood. He belonged to something, something bigger than himself, among others much like himself. Almost as if he had a family again, or perhaps even for the first time. He watched as Tobias left, lingering at the door just a tad too long.
"I take it I must've grabbed 'ur tea bags and not his huh?" Emil asked through a mouthful of sandwich, noting the untouched tea on the coffee table.
Gene glanced over at him, acknowledging how very useful Emil had been in the previous weeks--nearly months. He'd not given Gene any reason to question his loyalty nor his resolve. Perhaps it was time he properly welcomes Emil into his family too.
"There is something I must discuss with you," he said simply, pulling the door closed behind him.