Excuses, Excuses

The air around you was tense as you stare down the Medicham, her eyes staring daggers back at you. She closes her eyes, remaining still as she spoke. “After we lost Reynauld, those who remained were feeling the weight of despair falling on to them.” she spoke in a soft tone. “He was practically a father to us all, always doing what he felt was best for all of us, even if it put strain on him.” As she spoke, her arms moved in motions with such fluidity it was almost as if they were part of the air.

“When everyone was losing faith, I choose to step in. I wanted to keep what he gave up from falling into panic and chaos. I didn’t want what he gave up, what we all had been through to be destroyed… But you… You caused all this, you and your group brought misfortune to our walls, because of you those who are afflicted are attacking this holy ground. What you, your sister and those siblings sacrifice would’ve kept them at bay, but no! You had to be selfish… For all that we lost, for the sake of those you’d endanger, I promise you will repent for your crimes!”

When you look at her, you see her eyes open once more. Despite the calm look on her face, anger filled her eyes. You’re feeling them digging into you. Inside, you do feel regret for what you’re allowing, if things were different, you wouldn’t consider such an option. But…

“You’re so full of shit, Valorie!” You said to her, which her calm look quickly faltered into one of shock and outrage.

“Sister Valorie… While his words are harsh, I have to agree with him.” Melanie muttered. “We’ve been close to him out of everyone. We’ve seen how Father Reynauld dealt with things, how he organized us, and the jobs we did. We never had to let others stay for only a day, he made sure we had enough food for those to feed, and took care of the bedding. The only reason we were struggling was because you were too lax in the responsibilities. You weren’t attentive to keep things as they were.”

“You’ve fooled everyone with the idea of you ‘protecting’ everyone, even fooled yourself.” As you spoke, her face twisted as she gritted her teeth out of frustration. “You’re going to get a much needed wake up call you bitch!” You cried out, charging after her as your right arm was surging with electricity. Despite your moving into an attack, she doesn’t move. You refused to let up as you got close and swung towards her chest.

Valorie however leaped back, just missing your thunder punch. She was heading towards the wall, but she maneuvered her body to where her feet planted on them, and as she was about to leap off the wall, her body vanished from your sight. You jolted as you looked around, trying to find out where she was. Suddenly, you feel something slammed into your sides, a hard impact making you slide a good distance from where you were, but you remain standing. You look and see that Valorie was where you were, her arms crossed for her impact on you.

Your sides radiated the pain she caused, but while it was painful, it wasn’t as effective as you expected from her. You quickly pointed out that it was an Aerial Ace attack. It was a flying type move, but it is so fast you can’t see it coming. You shake the sensation off as you then started firing thundershocks at her, which Valorie gracefully dodged them with elegant movements.

“You think you can actually hit me. You’re too predictable, I can read you like a book.” Valorie said to you, placing her palms together.

“You sure look calm. If you’re that relaxed, it makes no sense that you let this place fall so low.”

That got Valorie attention, opening her eyes and twisting her palms into a fist. “How dare you?! You have no idea what I went through!”

You kept yourself from smirking as you found a sore spot for her, this is a perfect opportunity to take advantage. “I’ve been to a survivor camp that never allowed what you done!”

Valorie grumbled in response, appearing to be at a lost for words for that comment.

“They have proven to the group and their helpers that they don’t need deception or manipulation to protect the camp, and they accept help when offered and when they asked!” You made a step towards her. “You have no excuse other than you’re lazy and all your actions were to help yourself!”

Valorie’s face twisted into one with rage, the energy radiating off of her becoming heavy and violent. “S-Such nerve! I’ll send you down to meet Giratina when I’m done with you!” She vowed, charging towards you. You follow suit, directing your electricity into your fist once more. As you were about to get close, you see Valorie’s arm glowing with power as she swings at your head.

Instead of swinging your arm forward to clash with it, you turn your head to the side, the punch missing you by the tip of your ear as your body moves along to follow your head. You caught a glimpse of her surprised expression, clearly wondering what you were planning if you weren’t going for a physical blow.

You intend to answer her as you move your upper body to the ground, bracing your paws to the ground as you took a handstand position, transferring your stored electricity from your fist all the way to your tail, a ball of electricity forming as you stood upside down on your paws before you flung your electro ball to Valorie, shocking her back and making her stagger to her front.

Seeing the attack land, you lift your upper body up from the arms to your hind paws, which Melanie took note.

“I’m surprised how athletic you are, considering your…” She looked at your body and was struggling to find words to not insult your appearance. “Rounder proportions.”

“Hey, I’m not that heavy!” You said, blinking as you think a bit to register her comment, “I-I’m also actually a bit slimmer compared to most Raichu’s!” You responded to her in a flustered voice just as you caught a glimpse of Valorie swinging her legs towards you, which you managed to block with your arms, avoiding your face, but hurting your arms a bit. You gathered some sparks to strike at her, and while she wasn’t able to dodge it, she deflected some of it away as she launched at you.

As you two fought, Melanie was trembling, not knowing what to do. Valorie was wrong, but she has been with them since the pandemic started. She wants to help you and your sister, but that means having to fight Valorie.

‘Reynauld, how would you deal with this?’ She thought to herself, holding her own arms in conflicting thoughts.

Meanwhile, you and Valorie knocked yourself away from each other, panting a bit from the battle.

“You think you’re so noble, you’re just a self-righteous brat!”

“You don’t know me!” You spoke back to her.

“Please, you only discovered what we’ve done because you were looking for your sister. If she was with your companions, would you still look into what we were doing?”

You widened your eyes when Valorie asked that question as you recalled what happened earlier this morning, when you nearly went to the other pathway, and you all are here because some infected Pokemon was blocking the path towards the camp. However, that’s not what made you stop from leaving it entirely, it was because Melanie made implications that something was up there. If it was your conscience that kept you from leaving instead of the infected in the way.

You were so caught up in your thoughts, you forgot about the fact that Valorie was still there when you looked and saw the Medicham charging towards you, arms preparing to punch. You were unprepared to move out of the way so you put your guard up. You blocked as many blows as you could, but you still felt her fist connecting with your belly, chest and head a few times, feeling like her attacks are getting stronger the more she lands them. You felt one of the fist hit your arm, and when that happened you turned your arm back and swung at her as fast as you could, but you barely missed her as she jumped backwards into a backflip. She smirked at your missed attack until she felt a slight jolt and scratch at her cheek, the one you swung over.

You noticed it too. ‘Geh! I just missed her!’ You grumbled under your breath as your body felt sore from all her punching.

“Huh… That would’ve done some damage. You’re making this more of a problem than I had hoped!” Valorie commented, sweating a bit.

You gritted your teeth when she said that, your body feeling sore all around as your lungs work hard to get more oxygen in them.

“Well there won’t be much need of me to worry about that anymore.” she stated as she closed her eyes and had her palms out, and you could feel energy gathering around her. You can see that she was preparing a big attack and you started to prepare an electric attack, though you were having a difficult time concentrating due to the strain from battle.

Before you could consider attacking, Valorie materialized her psychic energy to be visible. “Let’s see if you can endure this!” She launched her psychic attack at you. Your eyes widened when you saw the attacking coming in so fast, you’re unable to move out of the way. You close your eyes to brace yourself for its impact before a loud explosion was created at your area.

Valorie smiled, anticipating seeing you on the floor, ****. “So much for you ‘making me wished I’ve never seen you again.’” She chuckles as she adds, “Well, I can still make sure that happens…” she said as the dust was clearing. When it does, instead of a subconscious mouse, she saw a barrier glowing and you, still standing. “B-But how?!”

You were expecting pain, or potential nothingness from being ****, but you can still feel your sore body and the electricity running within your body as you opened your eyes and saw a glowing barrier in front of you. As well as the one who’s projecting it.

Melanie had gotten in front of you and brought her Protect up just in time to block her attack. You stare at her in surprise as she opens her eyes, staring back at the Medicham.