Pokémon The Meaning of Strength [Kieran Drabbles]

[elyvorg]

Hello! For the fifth anniversary Drabble Bingo, I decided to continue my Kieran fix by getting a card of prompts related to my boy and his Many Issues. For some bonus fun, I also challenged myself to make each of the drabbles exactly 100 words.

White Lie	The Meaning of Strength	"Just You Wait"
Starting Over	Champion	Mask
The Empty Den	Carmine and Kieran as Kids	Humanizing Juliana

So far I've only done enough to get a bingo, but I do intend to write drabbles for all of these prompts at some point! Keep an eye out here if you're interested in seeing the rest.

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The Meaning of Strength

Strength was like the ogre. Triumphing when outmatched. Not caring about being shunned and alone.

Kieran wasn’t strong, of course. But maybe one day, if he became stronger, then…

Except he never could. Because the one with real strength had got there first.


Real strength was like Juliana. Casual confidence. Amazing Pokémon. Being able to go anywhere, do anything, have everything. Being untouchable.

He was still weak; she’d proven that. But he needed the strength she’d shown him. He needed to find it for himself, no matter what.

Because most of all…

Having strength meant nothing would ever hurt again.

~~~​

White Lie

“Nothing’s wrong, Sis. I’m fine.”

He couldn’t miss her sceptical look each time he said that. Like she thought he was lying to her.

Ironic. As if he’d ever…

(But was he, really? After everything that’d happened, he couldn’t possibly be—)

She wouldn’t understand, anyway. She might act worried, but she wouldn’t care. How could she – how could either of them?

Besides, it was going to be true one day. It was. He was working on it, working on nothing but that.

So… it was just a white lie, no more. Because he wasn’t like them.

(He couldn’t be.)

~~~​

“Just You Wait”

Just you wait, Juliana…

No matter what it took, he’d reach her level. He had to.

…Even though someone like her shouldn’t have to wait for him.

(She didn’t even know. He hadn’t had the guts to say it to her face, to hear her laugh at the very notion.)

But, still…

Just you wait.

No matter how long it took.

And it had. It’d been months, just to surpass the Elite Four. Yet being Champion wasn’t enough. She’d have grown even stronger.

He needed more. More strength. More time.

Just you—

—For how much longer?

(Forever, at this rate.)

~~~​

 

[Dragonfree]

Oh noooo, Kierannnn.

All of these three are very much tackling his issues in full force during the DLC story, which gives them a fun sense of overarching thematic connection - though it will be fun to also see the others cover some broader ground!

Kieran wasn’t strong, of course. But maybe one day, if he became stronger, then…

Except he never could. Because the one with real strength had got there first.

He was still weak; she’d proven that. But he needed the strength she’d shown him. He needed to find it for himself, no matter what.

Because most of all…

Having strength meant nothing would ever hurt again.

Oh no. I enjoy the progression and contrast here, though - from the defeated he could never become strong to he's weak, but he needs to find strength, because this hurts and he just wants to not have to feel like that ever again. He does see a somewhat different ideal of strength in Juliana, less acceptance that you'll always be shunned and alone and more just effortless untouchable confidence - but for all that he's like "no, no, real strength is being like Juliana", the new ideal is just as misguided. Of course, as I expect will be one of Kieran's eventual takeaways from Finding Strength Through Suffering, true strength does not mean you can't be hurt, or that you just withdraw and don't care about being alone! This poor boy.

She wouldn’t understand, anyway. She might act worried, but she wouldn’t care. How could she – how could either of them?

Besides, it was going to be true one day. It was. He was working on it, working on nothing but that.

So… it was just a white lie, no more. Because he wasn’t like them.

(He couldn’t be.)

:copyka2: No cognitive dissonance at all, nope. Kieran is going to be the most fine, he is working on it, so it's not really a lie or anything.

I hadn't thought much about this dissonance, where Kieran is so angry with you for lying, but sure does spend his time before/during Indigo Disk not being remotely honest with Carmine. Has to have been a pretty big tangle like this in his head, doesn't it - he's not lying, not properly, not like them. He is fine, because he's going to be.

No matter what it took, he’d reach her level. He had to.

…Even though someone like her shouldn’t have to wait for him.

Oh boy. Yup, bit of a clash with everything he's trying to believe that he hasn't been able to challenge her yet.

(She didn’t even know. He hadn’t had the guts to say it to her face, to hear her laugh at the very notion.)

Kieran, of course she wouldn't laugh. But of course he imagines she'd find the notion ridiculous. He's used to being dismissed and ridiculed by people who seem stronger.

No matter how long it took.

And it had. It’d been months, just to surpass the Elite Four. Yet being Champion wasn’t enough. She’d have grown even stronger.

He needed more. More strength. More time.

Just you—

—For how much longer?

(Forever, at this rate.)

Love the desperation in this. It's taking so long, and that just makes him feel more inferior, and like he has even further to catch up, and it just fills him with dread. Very fun way to work with Just you wait as a prompt - it's an appropriate sentiment for him by itself, but focusing on the wait bit really brings out something more here by calling attention to that particular nuance of it. By itself, just you wait implies he can't do it yet, and that just compounds his insecurities.

Great work on the 100-word drabble format - each of these really successfully gets an interesting point about his issues across in 100 words, without ever feeling like anything's being unnecessarily padded out, or like the punch would get across any better with more words. Lovely little snippets. Really looking forward to how you tackle the rest!