#blight/blur: trumpcard

[antihibikase2]

Endure

“You’ll be needing these ingredients; first, a day old fish-”

He can feel the texture of a net in his palms, his hair clinging to his skin, the taste of salt in his mouth.

His eyes sting when the ocean waves collide with his and Noland’s boat- and he recalls yelling at his father that he wants to go home, all while Noland berates him for giving up too easily.

“Some eggs,”

He hated fish, and he hated birds- both his father’s domesticated roosters he used for his cockfighting and the hens he acquired for their produce.

They’d scratch at his arms and peck at his face when he bent over to handle them- and Noland would scold him for handling his prized birds too roughly.

“And some Tamato berries.”

The heat had been getting to him- but it was nothing compared to the feeling of bugs crawling up his leg, nipping at his skin like they did with their crops.

When he realized that he had kicked the Wurmple a bit too roughly than intended, it was also when Noland angrily pointed out he had accidentally stomped on the plants in the process.

“You got it, bunso?”

“Kuya, are you alright?” 

Little Cheri- no, Cheren, his baby sibling, much, much bigger than how he used to remember them, was more observant than he let on; or perhaps it was those big eyes of his, always so curious and bright.

His calloused palms, scarred wrists, and aching heart- it was bleeding out of him, no matter how many times Grimsley insisted it didn’t bother him.

Lying was second nature to him though- it didn’t matter if he was bad at it.

He flashes him a charming smile- the same smile that the Unovan press couldn’t get enough of.

“I’m fine. Kuya’s strong.” 

...

Gavino had refused to join for dinner again, opting to take baby Cielo out with him on a nightly stroll around Verdanturf; he reminded his father not to eat all of what he made, glaring at him as he left.

Noland sits at the table, with three empty chairs accompanying him; whether it was for his father and two brothers, or his late wife and distant children, he didn’t know.

The sarciado Gavino had cooked- it was better than what Noland had done in his age, when Kabu had asked him to do the same, gathering ingredients and all.

A mouthful of seawater, arms scarred with talon marks and burns, and a broken heart.

It was what made a man strong, Kabu had said. He would be thankful one day, he added.

Noland said the same to Gavino.

Only time would tell if he would treat Cielo the same.

[antihibikase]

We are, as the kids say, so fucking back Blight/Blur Nation

[antihibikase2]

He cradled him in his arms just as he did the day he was born. A small bundle, wrapped in the softest of fleece- it made no difference now, he thinks, as he brings him close to himself in an effort to warm him, fingers running through the fur of his cardigan.

His eyes were shut tight as they were back then. It was all too similar, the anticipation that came with waiting for them to open. Big bright eyes would have greeted him before, full of wonder and innocence. Now, if they were to open at all, even with the slightest tinge of life- it would be a miracle.

His skin, once pink and cheeks flushed red like apples- now it was deathly pale, almost undistinguishable from the Light Stone clasped into his hands. There was no movement from his chest or a breath of air from his lips; he was completely still, like one of the dolls he was given as a child.

At eleven years old, Grimsley had held his newborn sibling for the first time, snarking at his father for the choice of name- now, at twenty seven, he found himself muttering that name like a prayer, as if he hadn't turned his back to the gods a long time ago.

"Please, please, Cheren- Cheri, Cielo-"

He brings his head close to his chest, lips brushing against his forehead.

Knelt in the entrance of the Giant Chasm, atop a stone pedestal surrounded by ice, it was no different from when Grimsley had carried his sibling by himself in the lonely winter his mother had died, begging for his father to come back.

Except, he knew this time there would be nothing to wait for.

"Kuya's here, please, wake up."

[antihibikase2]

"I don't think Cielo likes me that much."

"Well,"

He snorts, guiding his little sibling's arms as gently as he could. The Pidove in between their small palms was petrified; he supposed that was for the best.

"You're barely home in the first place- I'd be surprised if they recognize you at all. Not to mention the name you gave them.."

"Hoy."

"What? It's true-"

Flap! Flap!

"Weeeh!"

Little Cheri tosses up the Pidove in the air, tears welling in the corners of their eyes. Noland immediately catches the Pidove before it flies off, holding it firmly between his hands.

"Oh, Cheri!"

The older sibling smiles down worriedly, wiping their tears- and snot, away with a towel.

"A Pidove is not ideal for this, kuya," Noland grumbles. "Let me get one of the Torchic."

"What?! No, you're crazy! They're around little Cheri's size, they'll peck their eyes out!"

"You're being overdramatic! I got pecked when I was little, I turned out fine!"

"Fine?!"

"Waaahhh! Waaaahhhh!"

The Pidove in Noland's hand somehow escapes, flapping around little Cheri- who tries to hide themselves in their older brother's coat, only to be heckled further by the agitated Pidove, which was trying to peck them through the fabric.

"Hoy! I'm going to cook you for dinner, you little-"

"Pa, that Pidove isn't ours to cook! It's uncle Cedric's!"

"Juniper's?! Why would he lend you such an ill-behaved bird?!"

"In his defense-"

He tries to swat away the Pidove, Noland barely managing to keep it in his hands again before it inevitably slips out of his grip.

"I, well, I told him that I was teaching Cheri how to interact with Pokemon-"

"Oh, so you're a liar now too?"

"Well, he won't lend me a Pokemon otherwise! Especially if he finds out we're using it for-"

"Waaaahhhhhhh!"

He cuts himself off, and his father does the same, looking down at little Cheri clinging onto their brother's leg.

The two of them looked at each other in a rare moment of mutual understanding, at the angered Pidove that Noland was still holding, and let out a sigh.

"..I think it's too early for them to get into cockfighting."

"Nonsense," Noland shakes his head. "Your grandfather took me to my first cockfight when I was five, and I took you when you were three."

Lolo Kabu's youngest son also doesn't talk to him because he took them to a cockfight at the same age and scarred him for life.

"Yeah, well,"

He lifts his coat; he can't tell if the sight of little Cheri's big wet eyes and trembling lips made him feel bad for them or for himself.

The Pidove makes an angry noise, like a thinly veiled threat at the toddler- and Noland's grip on the bird tightens, as if he was going through with his promise to cook it into a stew.

"..maybe when they're older. And we can try in Hoenn, with lolo's Torchic or the local Tailow."

"Unbelievable. You're going to spoil them at this rate, Gavino."

"Better than how you raised me,"

He lifts his little brother into his arms, gently patting them on the back and quietly promising to take them to a toy store later.

"Ugh, and for the last time, can you at least call me Grimsley while in public? It's embarrassing."

[antihibikase2]

Dr. Colress realizes he's been staring at Shauntal a little too long when she makes her way towards him from across the room, playfully tilts her head, and puts her hands behind her back, a cat-like smile on her face.

"Hm? Have I done anything to displease you, doctor?"

Of course not; he himself could acknowledge that, out of everyone in the league, Shauntal had all of his respect- surely, it was not easy to be both a doctor and an accomplished writer, a public figure, a member of the league, and a priestess of Mt. Pyre back in her home region of Hoenn.

But, he could not help himself from glancing over her shoulder- and, shamefully, Shauntal had noticed.

That smile on her face grew bigger, however.

"Oh, you don't need to worry,"

She would give him a pat on the shoulder- but she knows Dr. Colress is not fond of being touched.

"I'm not interested in him. Like, at all."

If it were anyone else, he'd let out an indignant huff at such assumptions.

But for Shauntal, who had earned his respect- his admiration, even, all that came out of his lips was an uncertain "Are you sure?"

She doesn't laugh at him.

"Yup! I promise you,"

She puts a pinky up- a childish gesture.

"We've been friends since we were kids- but there's nothing going on, I guess? Besides the hauntings, but well," Now she laughs- out of amusement of her own jokes. "He's scared of ghosts."

Dr. Colress glances again over her shoulder, seeing him guide his brother out of the ballroom and into the balcony- the younger of the two seemed to be getting suffocated by the crowd.

He links his pinky with her's- something he briefly remembers doing with his mother a long time ago.

"I trust you."

...

"I loved him, you know?"

"I know."

Still, there's no venom in her tone when she applies the lacquer, nor is there disdain in her expression as she carefully pieces Dr. Colress- Doctor Nikolai Colress, back together.

He remains in Grimsley's arms, unmoving like a doll- unwanted like one too.

"If- If I had known, that he was involved, that he was the reason for Cheren's suffering-"

"It'd make me naive to say it's not his fault- but it would make me reckless to completely agree with you, even if you are my best friend."

For how whimsical she was compared to the rest of her colleagues, Shauntal sounded uncharacteristically serious.

She and Grimsley had many disagreements over the past, over matters both big and small. From what Nikolai knew, Shauntal never took most of them to heart- and Grimsley never tried pushing harder, to see if he had a winning chance.

Grimsley was the same as ever- but Shauntal was different today.

"The wandering doctor- another character forgotten by all, who disappeared from the narrative as soon as the shared heart of the princes was cured from his poison,"

When she speaks, she commands authority- when she places a careful hand on Nikolai's cheek, she reminds him of someone from a simpler time.

"If they themselves were trapped in this cycle, doomed to repeat- who is to say that Dr. Colress here is not the same?"

Even after all that he's done, his sins bare for the world to see, she still found herself addressing him with nothing but respect.

...

"He no longer loves me."

"False,"

The tables have been turned- he, the league doctor, found himself relying on someone else to tend to his needs; he thinks, if not for the stroke of luck that led to Shauntal and Caitlin's friendship, and therefore, their knowledge of his predicament, he would have been long dead in the Plasma Frigate.

They could have chosen to leave him to rot in a cell, but-

"It wasn't only me, but it was Grimsley who made sure you would be kept somewhere- well, comfortable isn't really the best word to describe it, but,"

The lacquer on his arms was a soothing baby blue; a shimmering river.

"You know, despite what many people think- he's a good guy."

Nikolai was not stupid.

He wasn't like others- he knew very well that the image of a hedonist, a frivolous gambler who lived life to the fullest, was nothing but a farce.

"Some say he's being too lenient on you- but, really, what will your suffering bring to him? It certainly would not explain what's going on with Cheren now, nor would it bring his heart back."

"He said he loved me."

"He still does."

"But in the frigate-"

She laughs again.

"Oh, come on, Doctor Colress. You of all people should know that people say things they don't mean when they're under a lot of stress- and he was still level-headed enough to understand you needed immediate help at the time."

He wants to disagree.

But, he clings onto this childish feeling of hope- hope that, despite everything,

"I do not reciprocate his feelings in that manner."

"He knows."

Shauntal finishes tending to his palms- the cracks were more obvious on his fingers.

"That doesn't mean he can't care for you, you know?"

She squeezes his hand.

"And that doesn't mean you can't like it either."

...

He remembers the feeling of sand brushing against his skin, the sound of screams overwhelming his senses as he's approached by the false prophet- the devil that tempted him and forever corrupted him, rendering him impure; unworthy of Arceus', or anyone else's, love.

It was never Beam's fault- he understood that Pokemon merely reacted to the wishes and emotions of their trainers, their bonds a vital piece to the puzzle that was their true potential.

Still, even as Beam summoned pink spheres of energy, directing them at the members of the league he was trapped with in this building,

That foolish gambler still ran towards him.

With a tight embrace, he felt himself calming down, curling into his arms like a scared child.

"Houndoom,"

Grimsley hugs his head close to his chest, roaring out an order.

"Don't let him get away! Pursuit!"

The sound of something shatters, accompanied by a ghostly scream.

His amulet clatters to the floor, immediately picked up by-

"Shauntal!"

"Oh dragons, he's breaking apart."

She's back to work as always- as if she hadn't been tossed around by a Beheeyem, slammed down against a desk, and even thrown against her other co-workers.

She lifts up her cracked glasses, squinting as she assesses the damage done to Nikolai's head.

She could have sworn that she saw a tear slide down his face- but whether she or Grimsley noticed, neither of them said a word.

...

He was near silent as he watched a path to the heavens open, the spirits of Relic Castle finally finding peace.

Fingers pressed against the glass, he wondered if he would ever be granted the same mercy.

Shauntal wasn't used to others seeing the spirits she had grown accustomed to all her life- still, she smacks Grimsley on the back as if to clue him in on the situation, snapping him out of his frozen state.

"They're benevolent spirits, Giima- and they're leaving anyway," She says quickly, voice barely above a whisper. "What are you waiting for? Go to him, he needs you."

He's flustered for a moment, stumbling over his words- but he thanks her, making his way to Nikolai.

...

He thinks that, for the remainder of his time as the Unova League's prisoner, he has made a friend or two.

He knows this because Grimsley's pain becomes his own; a feeling he realizes only two decades later.

He remains by the doorway of the chapel, afraid and unsure; Grimsley sobs over a white coffin, barely held up by his father who stands by his side.

It is difficult to not feel partially, if not wholly, responsible for the early death of Cheren Slater- but he supposes he should thank Arceus for giving the child a fulfilling life, even if he led the remainder of his days without a heart.

"He passed in his sleep peacefully, and he was surrounded by the people who loved him,"

Shauntal appears with the flowers she was asked to gather- the white jasmines in her basket clash with the black dress she was wearing; yet again another reminder.

"I think he was happy."

He would have been happier if he lived longer.

"He was far too young,"

Nikolai lowers his head.

"If I could have given him my lifespan, I would."

He would have done anything to retribute for his sins.

"Ah, but you'd just be pawning off your curse to him, no? If you don't like immortal life, I don't think Cheren would have either. It's going to crush him if he has to watch Nate grow old and die before he does."

"Just like it is with Giima now."

She bites her lip for a moment- but as always, she never looks at Nikolai with anything other than maybe pity.

A sense of understanding.

"It was something we've discussed even a couple of years back- Cheren knew, his chances at a normal life after the thing with Kyurem was,"

She thinks of a word.

"Slim."

And yet,

He was able to reclaim his rightful place as the gym leader of Aspertia.

He was able to teach new generations of trainers year after year.

He was able to nurture the career of Unova's reigning champion- the Hero of Ideals.

He was able to rekindle his relationship with his father and brother- and even with the Hero of Truth.

The thought of "What have I done for myself and for others, in the past hundred years?" passes in his head.

"He's happy, I know this. There's a reason he chose to resign from his position just a year ago."

She glances at Nikolai.

"I don't think he blames you."

I know for a fact, but she chooses not to say.

Not when the spirit of Cheren Slater sits atop his own coffin, a ghostly hand running through the hair of his brother.

...

He's long believed he was undeserving of love the moment he stepped out of his village.

He's become rotten and dirty, impure and sinful. Something Arceus would never accept in His kingdom.

But, as everyone parts ways in the funeral, Grimsley gingerly takes Nikolai's hand and leads him to his home.

In this timeline, they could never have that normal, simple life they desperately wanted for themselves- not when both of them found themselves in situations where they couldn't be anything but themselves.

At the very least, however, Nikolai is quietly thankful to not be abandoned once more- and Grimsley, still in grief, is thankful to still have someone to live for.

...

Other members of the league pass as the years do; it was no surprise when Grimsley eventually does as well.

Yet, as Nikolai weeps in the chapel, kimono wrapped around his shaking form, Shauntal crouches next to him- wearing almost the same dress she had worn many years ago to Cheren's funeral.

"Have you eaten yet?"

He shakes his head frantically, wiping his tears with the sleeves of the kimono. He's tempted to lash out at her like a child would, cheeks flushed red and tears streaming down his face.

"You should, you know,"

She's never lost that bright personality of her's- but as years passed, she's started to sound more and more like his mother.

"Giima would get worried if you weren't taking care of yourself."

Grimsley- Giima, who he once thought foolish, yet endearing.

Giima, who could have left him to rot and spent the rest of his days living happily alongside his family.

Giima, who still loved him, despite everything.

And Nikolai, who felt the same- even if he didn't deserve it.

...

Shautal is not an exception to her own mortality, despite her wisdom and connection to spirits.

She was the last of the league- the one he had grown accustomed to anyway, to pass; and the past few years had been entertaining for her, playing up rumors of her supposed immortality when all her co-workers had come and go, and she herself was the last one standing.

Nikolai holds tightly onto the Odd Keystone as he crouches by her urn- she had requested for a cremation, and soon, her ashes would be taken back to her home in Hoenn.

"I will be moving to Route 10- the forest that has grown there would make a perfect home for me."

Even if the league- Grimsley especially, had arranged for Nikolai to live a comfortable existence after their passing, it felt wrong to stay in a place they would no longer visit.

"I am uncertain as to who will treat me now,"

Partially a lie- Nikolai himself was more than capable of tending to his own worn body.

But really, how could he- after all this?

"But I will be alright."

He's not sure if she appreciates wild berries, herbs, or the dandelions he's picked up on the way- he's still very much poor with handling money, and he's absolutely refused to touch any of what was left for him by Grimsley.

But he thinks he knows her well enough to know that she appreciates his little gifts over store-brought flowers.

As he leaves her, and by extension, the rest of the world as he knew it, Beam accompanies him as it always had, hand in hand.

Nikolai wonders if Cheren had waited for Grimsley when his time had come- and he wonders if Grimsley, in turn, waited for Shauntal.

He hopes it wouldn't be presumptuous of him; but, he childishly wishes, that when the time comes and Arceus grants him mercy, they would wait for him all the same.

[antihibikase2]

The original draft for Grimsley Slater's part in Cheren Slater's birthday drabble.

For a gambler, Grimsley doesn't take much risks with his brother- it's easily explained when asked. Naturally, the dark type specialist is willing to bet it all on his career and the image he puts out for the world to see.

But he's never willing to risk something as delicate as his brother- or, to be more precise, his bond with his brother.

"I'm not delicate, Giima." He's told with a roll of the eyes, letter clutched into his hands- bigger than the ones he used to hold. "I mean, in a physical sense, maybe, but-"

He truly did grow up to be someone Grimsley barely recognized.

And he couldn't be more thankful, to see him having grown into someone that fate or destiny couldn't touch, a force that deviated from luck and the stars- even if it meant straying far from the image of his mother, the one he wanted to see the most.

"I know what you mean, kid,"

There's a habit of hesitation around Cheren that he has trouble shaking off- his hand hovers in the air with uncertainty, before he throws caution to the wind and rests it on his younger brother's fluffy head of hair.

"Giima," It's a whine, but he makes no effort to slap him away. "I just brushed my hair!"

Grimsley was wrong- Little Cheri didn't disappear when he had left them in the care of their neighbors over a decade ago, they were still here, even with the change of name and attitude.

For once, Grimsley was truly thankful to have taken Shauntal's advice, to put words into paper when he himself choked up on them- and he hopes that they would remain in his soul forever, even once he was gone.

[antihibikase]

Family Time. 7, 8, and 22 for the Slater Siblings? :33

STILL DOING ASKS FOR RELATIONSHIPS BTW I'm just taking awhile to answer some of them because I don't want to half-ass any 🫡🫡🫡

Might as well answer this now while I'm mad about Pokemas /j /j /j

Anyway. I love sibling relationships so much. Of course Cheren and Grimsley's dynamic is a result of just making things up for the sake of my verse rather than pulling things from canon (outside of a few things, such as relating them by certain Pokemon and even their color palettes and leads), but. I love them forever. <3 Look at Giima and little Cheri now.

7. How often do they see each other? Where do they usually meet?

Up until the end of Blight (BW Arc), they haven't seen each other in years; Cheren knows he has a brother, and that's about it. He has a brother that sends over money and gifts to provide for him, but doesn't show himself as a way to dedicate himself to his work, as well as to keep him safe from the eyes of the media. Grimsley works hard for his sake- but because of this, he completely neglects him emotionally, not fully realizing how much he's abandoned Cheren for the sake of giving him a better future.

Even pre-Blur (BW2 Arc), Grimsley takes awhile to fully commit to the role of a big brother. He's always been used to having people take care of Cheren while he directly provides for him or addresses conflict, and only until Cheren's 16th birthday does he realize how similar to his father he has become. He's become overprotective and controlling as a result of wanting what's best for him; and he decides to change, to salvage his and Cheren's relationship, to give Cheren both a father and a big brother he can depend on.

Anyways, they see each other constantly during the events of Blur, and even after the events of Giant Chasm and Relic Castle. Especially post-Giant Chasm, where Cheren was hospitalized again, and eventually had to temporarily move with the Blakes as to ensure his safety. With both of them working under the league and in different areas, they tend to meet up at whatever restaurant/diner/cafe is available in the city- and post-Relic Castle, after Grimsley has decided to throw caution to the wind and take more risks with Cheren especially, they constantly see each other in a cafe at Opelucid, or a seafood restaurant at Undella.

Post-Relic Castle, and during Cheren's recovery period especially, he often has a couple of weeks where he would stay with Grimsley at his Opelucid home, or Grimsley would stay at his Castelia condo for a couple of days. It's never too late for them to start reconnecting as a family after all; and it's important for Hoennian families to live together under the same roof.

8. How do they communicate with each other? Are there any recurring phrases or gestures unique to their relationship?

It used to be through actions, especially in Grimsley's end- but he realized this wasn't feasible, not when he was essentially replacing emotional connections with material objects; material objects that could help Cheren in the long run, especially with his happiness and survival- but ultimately, they could not replace the love he wanted from his brother.

I don't think they have any notable unique recurring phrases or gestures, outside of their nicknames for each other! Grimsley calls him "Little Cheri" or "Cheri", sometimes referring to him as "kid" or "bunso". Cheren tries to keep up with appearances, calling him by his nickname Grimsley when they're out working- but, he still calls him "Giima" in private, or at least, when talking to him earnestly. He eventually learns to call him "kuya" too, especially when Noland starts referring to Grimsley as such.

In incredibly vulnerable and difficult situations, however, Grimsley and Cheren would call each other by their real names- Gavino and Cielo. They're the only ones, besides their father, that can do so.

And speaking of vulnerable..

22. When were they the most vulnerable with each other?

Cheren doesn't remember this; but when his mother died, Grimsley and Noland got into a nasty fight hours after her funeral, and he ended up walking out on them and leaving Grimsley to take care of Cheren by himself. Noland regrets this- and sends money to them through Alder, knowing Grimsley would refuse to accept his help and opted to provide for Cheren himself. At the time, that would have been Grimsley's most vulnerable- a lonely teenager and his kid sibling in an empty house, losing both of their parents in a single week.

In terms of times they both can remember though,

On Cheren's 16th birthday, Burgh and Grimsley get into a fight in his Castelia condo, as Grimsley was hours late for the small party that Burgh and the Striaton Triplets set up. Before the fight escalates, however, Cilan tells them their yelling has upset Cheren further- and Cress encourages him to talk to his brother instead of trying to remain this distanced figure in his life.

They talk about many things. How lonely Cheren feels, how he feels that Grimsley misses his younger self over the person who he was today- and while Grimsley does yearn for that person back, he would not give up on his brother for anything in the world.

He admits he's avoiding the emotional baggage, in hopes it makes him focus on the practical aspects of raising Cheren. He admits he's gone complacent with the way things are now, and refuses to take risks just because he's scared of losing him. He admits it's difficult to look at Cheren in the eye without seeing their late mother.

But he promises to be better- and that night, they trade a pair of Clamperl given to them by their father, with Grimsley keeping a Huntail and Cheren keeping a Gorebyss in their respective parties. Pokemon that they could match, and remind them of their Hoenn roots. Grimsley never forgot that Cheren loved the sea; and he knew that water type Pokemon would make him the happiest.