Don't try to make yourself remember, darling
Don’t look for me; I'm just a story you've been told
So let’s pretend a little longer
'Cause when we're gone, everything goes on (x)
The trek to the top of Mount Coronet is long and arduous, even pushing Sinnoh’s strongest figures to their breaking points. And yet, every month with stunning punctuality, both Palmer and Barry’s Infernape push aside their duties to scale the hazardous peak together. It’s become a routine pilgrimage, an exercise in stubborn faithfulness.
With every visit to the windswept summit, littered with broken pillars and other remnants of Sinnoh’s past, the pair always finds themselves hoping to find him standing amidst the rubble, that jaunty grin lighting up his features. Infernape’s best buddy. Palmer’s son.
For the impatient duo, it’s felt like eternities have passed since Barry’s abrupt and unexplainable disappearance from this very mountain. The well-meaning blond had rushed headlong into the Distortion World portal in an attempt to save both Hikari and Cynthia, but--in a cruel twist of fate--when the Champion and Champion-to-be reemerged safely from the dissipating darkness, Barry was nowhere to be found...and they couldn’t save him.
Cynthia, Interpol, no matter who Palmer shouted at and begged with...no one even knew where to begin with his problem, and their apologies masked an increasing unwillingness to put up with his desperate behavior. Stinging regret kept the Tycoon’s eyes open during many sleepless nights, the same thoughts swirling in his head. I should have been there for you.
I’m so sorry.
But if I was gone tomorrow, won't the waves crash on?
Is it selfish that I’m happy as we pass the setting sun?
The trek to the top of Mount Coronet is long and arduous, even pushing Hisui’s strongest figures to their breaking points. And yet, young Barry of the Gingko Guild always finds himself drawn up the peak, his overactive mind filled with swirling thoughts as he stares up at the omnipresent distortion pulsing over the revered summit. The merchant is searching, not only for rare items, but for some level of clarity. The story of his Hisuian origin didn’t always bother him so much, but now it weighs more frequently on his mind. Where am I really from? How did I get here?
He has so many questions, and seemingly nobody has the answers to them. In some cases, Barry suspects that some people--especially Ginter and other Jubilife authority figures--are telling him much less than they actually know, which is annoying...but ultimately fine by him. Let them keep their secrets. He’ll get to the bottom of this mystery all by himself.
He reaches the deserted Temple of Sinnoh with a tired sigh, looking skyward at the distortion and pinching the fabric of his handwoven scarf, fingers once again tracing the lovingly stitched lettering on the back.
Barry plops down on the timeworn stones, his heart suddenly heavy with frustratingly unknowable memories and knowledge, his head filling with even more questions. Of course he’s happy, of course he’s safe, and of course he’s grateful for the found family that he’s stumbled into here...but is the Guild all there is to his story? What of his parents, who nobody seems to know?
Not too long ago, Barry woke Ginter up in the middle of the night, swearing that he had heard voices coming from the sky, echoing from the depths of the faraway distortion. The familiar voices were calling out to him, wondering where he was and begging him to come home. There was a long pause, and then Ginter let out a tired sigh that betrayed a hint of sadness.
It’s just a dream, Oran. Probably doesn’t mean anything, the de facto Guild leader had grunted, a pang in his chest. Go back to sleep.
And I'm so scared of getting used to this...
You said, "I'm sorry that you worry, but don't apologize.
I told you to forget me, but you stayed by my side.”
No Barry today. Palmer and Infernape exchange crushed looks, but they still soldier on, holding their chins up as they walk beneath the sun-kissed obelisks. They’ve brought the usual. Palmer scrounges around for a heavy rock, using it to pin down a photo that he had taken recently.
Him, Barry’s mother, Hikari, Lucas, and all of Barry’s Pokemon are beaming at the camera. It’s a bad selfie (he’s still getting used to them), but the positive energy and heart are still there. They’re all still here, waiting and hoping for a miracle. The tycoon will update the photo next month, and the month after that, however long it takes. The photo’s so you don’t lose track of us. You live in the moment, so hopefully this’ll be helpful. We’re all okay, and--wherever you are--we hope you’re okay too.
Infernape is next, offering up a carefully packed box of sweet Poffins--Barry’s secret favorite--before sitting down with his own lunch of charred treats, just like they always used to do together. He’ll leave the sweets behind, just in case his trainer returns and gets hungry. Infernape and Palmer lounge for the entire afternoon before departing, knowing that they’ll be here again next month, their hearts brimming with renewed hope. Come home.
In a dimension stretched across time and space, Barry is eating lunch in the same spot, hazel eyes still fixed on the swirling distortion, straining for signs, voices, anything from above. He can’t spend all day here. Gingko’s delivery services wait for nobody, and--as determined as Barry is to discover the truth to this mystery surrounding his past--he won’t let it distract him from living, from pressing forward in the now and helping as many Hisuians as possible. So, shouldering his pack with a grunt, Barry takes one last glance at the twisted portal before setting off on the long descent towards base camp. When things calm down again, he’ll definitely be back, as relentless as ever, still prying for answers...
In a secluded area above the Alabaster Icelands, a small portal crackles to life...and a box of handcrafted sweet Poffins suddenly falls out of the sky.
“Don't try to make yourself remember, darling
Don’t look for me; I'm just a story you've been told.”
So let’s pretend a little longer
And when we're gone, oh, everything goes on...
(hey hey, p:la and pl:a-verse muses--shoot this post a quick like for a quick starter with Ceres--my Jupiter’s ancestor and lost Miss Fortune bandit!! Given her ‘profession,’ there will likely be a fair bit of conflict involved, so you’ve been warned!!
also, feel free to leave a comment on this post if you’re interested in continuing our current thread going in other verses, or if you’re interested in a fresh starter with Jupiter or Eris!! we are in full shake the rust off the villain mode over here!)
SUMMARY: In a different AU timeline, Barry cannot simply watch from the sidelines as the protagonist enters the Distortion World with Cynthia. Desperate to help, he breaks away from his other childhood friend and Professor Rowan, boldly leaping into the mysterious portal himself. Hasty as ever, he even leaves behind his belt of Pokemon capsules atop the mountain. Barry never gets the time to go back and get them-- his feet never touch the supposed solid ground on the other side, and the blond is sent hurtling through this mysterious realm, a rare convergence of time, space, and shadow.
THUD! When Barry wakes up next, he has no idea where he is or where he came from. Afflicted with near total memory loss (aside from his name, Pokemon training experience, and swagger), the Sinnohan is rescued by a passing Gingko Guild member, who takes him back to Jubilife Village.
Despite everything, it doesn’t take long for the “new” Barry to adjust to his new life in Hisui. Now a young member of the Gingko Guild, he cheerfully peddles wares all across the region, even venturing into its more dangerous areas. Ever the energetic people pleaser, he doesn’t care what your alignment is--Diamond Clan, Pearl Clan, whatever.
No, he only cares about what you’ll be buying. The Guild has some great deals, you know!
[Potential spoilers below!]
KEY HEADCANONS
When he “lands” in Hisui, Barry’s memory loss is even more severe than Ingo’s. He forgets nearly everything about his previous life, even his friends, former Pokemon, and family.
Even so, Barry occasionally remembers scattered fragments of a past life. Akari and Rei seem so familiar, and he refuses to take off his classic green scarf for some unknown reason. Whatever...this is his home now, right? The only home he’s ever known...right?
Barry idolizes every member of the Gingko Guild. They’re his unofficial Hisuian family, hidden motivations be damned. Barry loves his work and can often be found venturing where the other Gingko Guild members are hesitant to go.
Shortly after meeting him, Ginter gave Barry the nickname “Oran” (after Barry’s favorite Hisuian snack), and it’s stuck around the village and within the guild. Barry has great knowledge of the region’s Berries, and (shockingly) he’s quite skilled at cooking them.
Barry has retained his skills as a trainer even after falling from the mysterious portal. He pestered Professor Laventon until the good doctor offered him a Cyndaquil to raise on his own. Barry’s team now consists of: Typhlosion, Floatzel, Heracross, and Staraptor. This lineup just feels right, and he can’t tell you why.
(ooc: Barry’s entire verse might shift pending any upcoming DLC. Please let there be official DLC for my boy.)
“Hey hey, one and all--d’you wanna know what I love more than battling? More than adventuring? More than running real, real fast?” Barry declares, pausing for dramatic effect as his voice rings across the Fight Area/Jubilife Village avenue. His eyes sparkle as he whips a shoddily-made serving tray out from behind his back, its cratered surface loaded down with tiny cups. “That’s right: free samples! C’mon, c’mon, check ‘em out already!”
Carefully setting down the tray at his feet, Barry plucks a single cup from the bunch and holds it aloft like a sacred goblet. “Today, and only today, you can try out samples of my Barry Best Braincell Boosting Beverage...Blast! Yup, this drink’s loaded down with electrolytes, delicious Grepa Berries, and all that good stuff! Gather ‘round, gather ‘round...who’s gonna be the first one to step up and have their mind blown? Eh? Eh?”
Barry can’t help but smirk to himself--after a whole ten minutes of preparation, his grand April Fools prank is finally live. The drink that he holds aloft in his hand is actually a terrifying combination of Tamato Berry extract and Remedy roots--an unholy fusion of inferno-esque spiciness and soul-puckering bitterness. This is his best April idea ever--who has time to think about the aftermath? The potential consequences? Whatever!
The blond proudly hoists his tray again, hazel eyes twinkling as he continues to pitch his newest creation to all who will listen. Who will be the first to fall for the beverage bait...?
“Diamond Clan this, Pearl Clan that...I’ve got rare items in my hat! C’mon everybody, it’s a limited time Gingko Guild special! There’s an item here with your name on it...!”
Barry’s loud voice rings across the village, the young salesman strutting down the windswept avenue. In his hand, he clutches an upside-down, bright pink bowler hat, filled to the brim with evolutionary stones, hard-to-get ingredients, and even an elusive Up-Grade. As the villagers peek out from their homes, Barry waves the hat enticingly, proudly showing off the rare wares for sale.
“You still need to pay me back for that hat,” Anthe calls out wearily as Barry passes by her shop, but the blond simply flashes her a guilty smile for now. It’s not a problem...once he’s sold every item on him, he’ll be able to pay the clothier back and then some!
Yup, “borrowing” the flashy bowler hat was definitely a genius sales tactic and a wise business decision. Ginter would be so proud!
Every time I find myself I feel so lost
And every truth that I discover feels so false
And every mountain that I climb that seems so tall
It only felt that way 'cause the valley was so small... (x)
When he’s not making his boisterous pitches to Jubilife Village or dropping off parcels for the Gingko Guild, Barry always seems to end up back here, lured close like a curious Mothim to a flame: the Temple of Sinnoh.
As always, the blond runs his gloved hand reverently over the Pokemon statues at the monument’s base, taking special care to knock any lingering snow or ice loose from their stony visages. And then, as always, he begins to scale the Temple’s winter-scarred steps, a strange, powerful energy thrumming beneath his boots. The climb itself isn’t difficult for the active merchant, but as he nears the summit, distant visions--like wisps of smoke--begin to cloud Barry’s memories, only to frustratingly vanish into thin air before he can even make sense of the disjointed fragments. They blink into his mind’s eye with such speed, providing flickering flashes of a place seemingly far away from Hisui...but oh so familiar at the same time. Barry’s boots are lodged in a marshland. Flash. Barry’s strolling around a manicured garden. Flash.
Barry’s laying on a grassy lakeshore, staring contentedly up at the stars with...
Flash. Gone, and onto the next incomplete thought, and then the next. In some ways, this is torturous...but he just has to know.
What are these memories? Why is this happening to him? Why here, of all places?
What does this all mean?
Reaching the monument’s peak, Barry takes a few more steps before laying down between the towering columns, vigorously messaging his own temples, hoping to dislodge just one elusive answer free from his jumbled thoughts...
There are hints, of course. New arrivals--fallers--are starting to appear with greater regularity all throughout Hisui, with some raving about the lives that they seemingly left behind, some with full knowledge of their origins. Barry craves such clarity, but Sinnoh hasn’t granted him such a gift yet, dangles it out of his reach. No, when Barry thinks back to a life before he woke up in the Fieldlands, it’s like trying to navigate an impenetrable fog. Not knowing hasn’t bothered him one bit before, but now, with these mysterious half-recollections swarming his mind atop the Temple, he’s worried. Am I supposed to be here? Who did I leave behind?
Barry looks around at his windswept surroundings, causing yet another memory to flash into momentary view. He’s battled here before, battled evil with his back pressed up against...who? Why was he fighting? Gone. The poor blond puts his head in his hands with a groan, pulling his green scarf tighter around his neck...and then, he sees it. A faded message scrawled on the back of the fabric’s tattered tag, barely visible...
- Barry, be strong out there, son!! Love, MOM. -
...Mom?
Why is he crying now?
He blinks hard, dabs at his hazel eyes, and fully expects the message to disappear (another cruel trick)...but it doesn’t. And suddenly, Barry feels very tired. This...this is all too much for today. Maybe the message is a prank, or maybe it’s some secondhand scarf from another Barry in Hisui. Even so, the merchant makes sure his scarf is extra secure before rising to his feet again. The Hisuian sun--cold and ruby red--is dipping below the horizon again, signifying that Barry should head back to safety before falling victim to the region’s unforgiving climate.
The other Guildsmembers don’t need to know about this--it’s a personal battle, and Barry feels like he’s gotten one step closer to victory today...victory in the form of clarity. So, he’ll be back, but in the meantime, Barry is happy to return to a Gingko Guild feast by a roaring campfire. Maybe Volo will even make a rare appearance tonight.
He sniffles and looks back at the Temple’s expanse once more before starting his descent. Despite these swirling memories and mysteries, Hisui is still his home.
...Right?
At this point you're pretty much out of my mind
But when I close my eyes I think about you every time...
@15-44 / security corps gavner. / pl:a verse starter call!
After Ceres Evergreen defected from its rigorous Security Corps unit, the Galaxy Team effectively barred her from entering Jubilife Village ever again. Left to her own devices against the unforgiving Hisuian wild, Kamado--the one who decreed her banishment--probably thought she was dead, a neutralized distraction. However, as the leader had shown (and would later show), he often severely underestimated his ‘subordinates.’
Ceres was no exception. Instead of struggling, she embraced the wilderness’s freedom, took what she wanted, and thrived as a result. Yes, the deserter turned Miss Fortune rogue had always been an adaptable survivor, and now, in the dead of night, she’s returned.
Ceres’s midnight stealth trips just outside the village gates are the best-kept secrets among the settlement’s fellow rogues. The banished bandit is frighteningly effective: she materializes on the Jubilife outskirts, sells something illegal (usually a stolen treasure or Pokemon) to a rotating cast of varied buyers, and then steals away into the night like a phantom. It’s a bold venture, but the Miss Fortune has never gotten caught...until now.
A sudden flash of light illuminates her features, causing Ceres to squint at her night shift accoster...but upon recognizing his familiar face, she grins, raising her hands with mock innocence. She can’t believe it--after all this time, he’s still with the Security Corps?
“I’m outside village limits, I think...” the outcast claims, her good eye gleaming playfully against the illumination. “...Gonna take me in, Gav?”
