The Heartless Timing of Life

Reactions to Alain's Confessions

Raymond could not believe what he had just heard from Alain at the time about having once worked for Lysander and Team Flare.

Raymond: Wait a minute, back it up. You worked for Team Flare in the past?

Alain: It's something I'm not proud of. I was helping their leader try to take over the world, and I didn't even know what he was really after until it was too late.

Kimberly came onto the scene to try to help her husband keep his cool about it and to console Alain.

Kimberly: I'm sorry that happened to you. At least, you had the courage to fight back against the one who used you like a puppet on a string.

Alain: It didn't just happen to me. It started out with Lumiose City, and he planned to spread all across Kalos.

Raymond suddenly saw that Alain had suffered enough thanks to Team Flare without needing to be reminded of it.

Raymond: It could've been worse. You could've been a guilt-ridden coward about the whole thing and just did nothing but wallow in regret and self-pity.

Alain: I don't think your efforts to console me about any of what I've been discussing with you two are working, because that's exactly what I did when it happened.

Kimberly and Raymond finally saw their good intentions with their attempts to console Alain just backfire on the two of them as badly as they had.

Alain (continued): I was only able to snap out of my wallow of self-pity when my opponent in the final round helped me realize that the world would be destroyed if I did nothing to stop Lysander.

Kimberly: I'm sorry you weren't able to find the will power to take back what was yours on your own.

Raymond: Admitting to all of that must've really stung your pride.

Kimberly: Raymond!

Raymond: Sorry. It may have hard to admit to, but I guess the last thing you would ever need is someone rubbing it in.

Alain: No, you should rub it in, because I deserve it all. His mind was so twisted, and his heart might as well have been made of ice, and I listened to every single word he ever said to me just because he was the boss I trusted so much, and he gave me my first ever keystone.

Raymond tried another attempt to console Alain, but Alain interrupted him before he could even begin.

Alain (continued): Don't even try to say that it could've been worse than that. It was horrible. I felt like a mess because of how trusting I was toward him as a result. And Mairin was only looking out for me like a real friend would, and I treated her like she was nothing but a distraction. I even turned her away, and it caused a Zygarde core to put her poor pokémon partner, Chespie, into a coma. Everything I've ever done to Mairin is unforgivable. She should've held it against me because I deserve it.

It was at that point of hid wallowing in guilt that Raymond had had enough of this young man's self-hatred and slapped Alain straight across the face. Then, Raymond finally realized what he had done to someone who was just now sinking into despair.

Raymond: Oh, my word. What've I done?

But Alain seemed to finally calm down a bit after it instead of being angry with Mairin's birth father.

Alain: I suppose I did need that, though. I was kind of letting myself drown in my own bad memories.

Raymond: I hope I didn't give you a scar of any kind.

Alain: I wouldn't say that you left me with a scar, but I do imagine that I might just have an outline of your hand on my face.

Raymond: I can confirm that, and I apologize for slapping you like that.

Alain: It was a bit brutal in action, but extremely effective in getting someone to cool down when in a freak-out, or in my case, a wallow in self-hatred. And not only that, but I think I finally understand why Mairin could always find in herself to forgive a wretch like what I was to her.

Kimberly: Why don't you tell us what you think it is, then?

Alain: It's because she likes me enough to forgive me, and the heart always wants what it wants.