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Was it wrong to do what he did? Was he too selfish? How many lines did TJ cross?
Enough, he thought. He was envious of Player. He hated how while they both suffered the same and fought the same, it was always TJ who remained in the shadow. He was chosen by the gods to be their champion, so why couldn't he do enough for that purpose? Why did he keep losing more and more no matter how strong he got?
Is it so bad to want to win for once? To be the one who saves the day and earns the praise of the people? What does Player have that he doesn't? They started out the same, yet Player turned out to the a talent he could never hope to catch up to. Is this one of the cruel ways of the universe? TJ can stop a madman from hurting them, but in the end that's all he's here for?
No, that can't be. TJ is as much of a human as everyone else. Not some sort of tool for a greater being. He won't let some twisted creature control him and his life for its own entertaiment.
But he could feel that his attempt this time may have gone too far. And while Quincy tried to invite him back into his old group, TJ felt too stubborn and guilty to go with them again. He was still taken over by the desire to not let himself lose over and over again.
TJ had already tried to control his fate once when he tried to enroll in doodleco's very own academy. He thought if he had left the key hunt, then he wouldn't be left to be controlled and taken adventage of. Yet, when that masked weirdo showed up and told him how special he could be, he decided to stay in the key hunt. What does that criminal know anyway? TJ had learned back in the Oasis that the man used to be a doodleco employee, one of the founders on top of that, before he left the company after an incident which caused the death of Portia's mother, Rebecca Sharpie.
So why was Mr.Riffraff like this? And why is he so invested in the key hunt? Does he know just as much about these keys as he does about the end of the world? It does truly seem like these keys are the root of all evil in our times.
"Are you okay? You'll catch a cold dressed like that." A rather deep voice had called out to TJ, which immediatly made him stop day dreaming and look at the man who had stopped before him.
The man was dressed in a rather thick and long coat, which covered most of his body, expect his face, which was covered by a face mask. Only upwards from his mouth was his face visible. All TJ could make out was that the person seemed rather pale and had white hair despite looking no more than 30 years old.
"I'm fine" TJ wanted to dismiss the strange man. TJ may have been standing motionlessly by the bridge for atleast half an hour, which may have made him look like a homeless adventurer, but he wasn't going to put up with some stranger thinking he was begging for money.
"Are you sure? Atleast let me take you somewhere with actual heating. Come, I'll buy you a coffee." The man made it obvious he wasn't going to leave TJ here. TJ was starting to get a bit frustrated, but at the invitation of a hot drink made him realise how cold he had actually been standing. He couldn't believe himself, but he had stopped leaning againt the bridge and followed the man.
The person swiftly moved through the town, as if he knew it like the back of his hand. The two of them had soon arrived in what looked more like a pub then a café. Well, it atleast had heating. The man gave TJ some money and told him to get 2 coffees before he had sat down. Wasn't he the one who invited TJ? Whatever, TJ quickly got the drinks and sat across from his new companion.
Despite being inside a building, the man didn't take off any of his outer layers. Even the mask he was covering his mouth with remained and he only moved it down when he took a sip of his drink. He was oddly familiar looking to TJ, but he couldn't quiet put his finger on where he had seen such face before.
"So, what brings a tamer like you to Icyridge? Most people your age don't visit unless they have family living here. Ah, wait, are you perchance here for doodleco's key hunt?" The man asked cheerfully, as if they had known eachother for years now.
"Well, yes, I am." The man seemed to figure TJ out quiet easily. But it was obvious enough. TJ and his group were probably not the first or last tamers who would come here in hopes of earning a key, but any future traveler would be met with nothing but disappointment.
"How wonderfull! You must be quiet the trainer if you're here all by yourself!" The man had smiled at TJ, or atleast that's what TJ could see from the way his eyes moved. The person seemed to have no trouble praising the teenager before him.
"Though, I heard there was some sort of fight in the town's old castle, and the rumours of a key guardian living here had started to quiet down. I wonder why." The man sipped his coffee as if he was thinking.
TJ's shoulders slumped at the mention of the key. He had gone all out on his attempt at this key, yet he couldn't have failed worse then he did. He stirred his coffee, trying to get his mind off of the events that had occured less then an hour ago.
"Is everything alright?" The man asked with a voice that was as sweet as honey. A bit overly nice for TJ. He sighed before he looked back up at the man. He was looking at him with those eyes that seemed to obsecure the man's soul beneath the way he talked. TJ knew he wasn't as observant as Suzie or Player, but even he could sense something was off about this guy.
"I've not been very succesfull on my adventure. I feel like the more I try, the more miserable I become. I don't know how much longer I can convience myself to keep going." Despite his suspicion, TJ found himself pouring his heart out rather easily to this stranger.
"Sounds like the competition is taking quiet the toll on you. Have you found yourself a powerfull rival in the key hunt?" The man tilted his head, as if he was confused on how someone like TJ could be beaten so much that he had become this upset. TJ gripped the side of his coffee mug when the person brought up the topic of a rival, his mouth tugged into a frown, but TJ stopped himself before he started ranting about his struggles.
"You know, it's better to talk about heavy feelings then letting them all pile up inside. You'll only end up hurting more in the end." The man had almost finished his coffee by now, as if this had been like any casual conversation for him. TJ did feel like exploding and telling this man all the things he had to endure and deal with without getting any recognition what-so-ever, but something inside him made him stop.
No one else besides a certain group of people know what's truly happening behind the key hunt, right? If he starts complaining, he won't stop at just the big picture. He very well might end up telling this total stranger everything he had learned and done, including the universe shaping stuff. It's not like it would be very believeable, anyway, and TJ didn't feel like embarrasing himself here.
TJ took a deep breath and relaxed. He can't ramble to this man, he needed to keep a straight head.
"Well, I'm working on it. It's a rather touchy subject for now, so I don't want to talk about it." TJ said, taking his first sip of the drink that had almost gone cold by now. It was rather bitter, but he felt oddly better now.
"But of course, that's totally your choice. So, what is your next destination? If you're no longer intrested in hunting keys, I hear the battle league's new season is starting soon. Why don't you give it a try?" The man swiftly changed the subject as if he had been in such situations hundreds if not thousands of times now.
TJ raised an eyebrow, clearly a bit suprised by the man's suggestion. Sure, TJ had become a decent doodle trainer by now, but that's not why he left home for the key hunt anyway. He wanted to go on an adventure where he could not only enjoy his youth but care for his future as well. By now, that dream had been crushed, but TJ didn't want to pour his newfound feelings and opinions into fighting to be some sort of 'champion of batteling'. Besides, he doubted a tamer fresh out of a village with only a few months of experience could stand a chance againts tamers who had spent their life preparing for the league.
The man had noticed TJ's silence and decided to keep the conversation going.
"You know, my friend, it's too early for someone like you to end up like this. You're still young, you still have time to become whatever and whoever you want to be. If the key hunt can't give you the glory you wish to have, then you just have to find someplace else. And who knows, maybe with a good support system, your dreams might not be so far out of reach after all."
The man had grabbed something from his pocket and slid it across the table with two of his fingers to TJ. TJ took the card and skimmed it. The card claimed to be advertising a so called 'fanclub' in the small village of Graphite Lodge. It claimed to be accepting anyone who was intrested in joining. TJ was now even more suprised. What does a fanclub have anything to do with him being in the battle league or the key hunt?
The man seemed to notice TJ's confusion and offered him another smile hidden by his face mask. Whatever he was trying to offer TJ with this, he was being 100% serious.
"I have a bit of a club in Graphite Lodge. We adore the doodle Louis, but that's just on the side. We have a really well built web of support all over the island. If you decided to join, I could get you connected with the best tamers and instructors. You would be trained with the newest tactics and the strongest doodles. We could help you reach heights you haven't even thought of before. Even that rival of yours would be a piece of cake."
"And what would you want in return?" TJ was smart enough to not take such an offer at face value. He immediatly realised this offer felt too good to be true, and he wasn't going to let himself fall for some sort of scam now of all times.
"Well, I do expect some sort of payment. I would want for you to become part of our little fanclub as well. I will make sure you get the best opportunities possible, but in return I expect you to show up anytime and anywhere I call for you. I'd say it's generous enough for what I'm offering." The man said as if this was the most casual thing in the world.
TJ felt his gut twist. Why does a fanclub even need a powerfull tamer? Aren't they just a bunch of people making posters of and talking about their favourite doodle? This whole 'fanclub' felt like some sort of company rather then what it's name suggests, TJ thought. And be at their beck and call? This feels like it could go wrong very quickly. Just who is this guy? Maybe he is really just a con artist.
TJ couldn't deny it was true he wanted to beat Player, but he wasn't going to rely on someone to do that. He had already relied of doodleco once before, and he had failed like always. If he was going to beat Player, then he will do it on his own.
"Thank you for the generous offer, but I intend on remaining in the key hunt for now. I hear there are still plenty keys to be found, so I rather not miss out on any opportunities to catch up to my rival." TJ said, completly calm and polite.
The man's smile seemed to falter for just a second before his eyes got their shine back. It looks like he wasn't going to let either of his masks slip today.
"That's too bad, then. You can keep the card, incase you change your mind." The man said before he stood up. "I believe I have to be elsewhere soon. If you ever find yourself down in the dumps again, feel free to visit me in Graphite Lodge. It's a very nice place after all, I'm sure you'd like it." The person walked to the door and left.
TJ leaned back in his seat. What a weirdo, almost as weird as Mr.Riffraff. And the whole fanclub thing, was he seriously trying to recruit him? TJ knew that his heart was set on not letting anyone or anything control him and his feelings ever again. Not gods, not Mr.Riffraff nor people offering free coffees.
He will beat Player someday, that much he was sure of, but it will be done with his own hands and by himself, not because of some fate he can't control.