The ghost and the chicken

Sorren woke up feeling sunlight on his face. mumbling something about getting curtains, he opened his eyes to see his old room at the guild. Feeling a tad bit disoriented, Sorren blinked and looked around, he saw William standing in the door.

"Good morning, what are you doing he-" Sorren started, only to have reality slap him in the face, everything came rushing back. Sorren squeaked and buried himself under his sheets, sobbing.

The nightmares would continue...

"Ah, you finally have awakened. I believe I may have to apologize for back then. It appears, that I have been slightly agressive during our last meeting."
Although the Gengar still had his trademark grin plastered over his face, it was a visibly less menacing and threatening sneer but rather a gentle, calm smile. At least it was an attempt at looking like one.
If Sorren were to actually look at the Ghost type, he would be able to see, that the burn on his forehead had been provuisorically bandaged, almost giving off the appearance of William having an eyepatch hiding a third eye.
"Now, after our little discussion we couldn't just leave you lying there, so we believed for it to be in your best interest to secure your survival for the moment."

It was several minutes before the sobbing stopped. Sorren took a while to process the words. If his face wasn't hidden by the blanket you could see a look of defeat a upon the poor chick's face.

"So, I guess all my training was for nothing, huh?" Sorren said with a broken voice. it wasn't even clear if he was addressing the Gengar.

"You haven't run from me. That in itself is pretty courageous, considering, that I am a living, extradimensional shadow, who attacks with negative emotions."
Okay, so Sorren seemed to have fallen into a state of depression. That was good. At least it was good considering the alternatives.
"And your training certainly wasn't for nothing. You only fainted after I...overreacted. And I am a fully-evolved Pokémon of a type specializing in fright and had to rely on fear and intimidation to keep other Pokémon from trying to kill me for many years. Just because you can not lift the mountain, that does not mean, that you are not strong, Sorren."
Even though William never had much interaction with society, he had been on the recieving end of more than enough motivational speeches to help him find the correct words to use.

"I know my moves, you used confuse ray on me. That's it, maybe a little of your natural ghost trickery too, I Was paralyzed. I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything, so much so you had to use hypnosis on me. I still can't stand looking at you. WHY?" Sorren started shouting. "Why am I so afraid of everything?! Why can't I control it!?"

Sorren was shivering from a mixture of fear and anger. The sheets were damp with his tears. He lived a nightmare, and nobody would ever know that but him.

"The only time I used Confuse Ray on you was after we tried talking to you. Before that, you were perfectly normal. Well, as normal as it gets with you... But the point is, that I did not utilize any of my "trickery" up to that point."
This chicken's problem wasn't fear, it seemed to be pessimism and self-doubt! Why did Sorren not realize that? Why did he refuse to accept this simple truth? William had no idea, how he could convince the Fire type to just keep on living normally.
"Also just think of now. You are here, I am here. The two of us are talking and I have not used any move. Still you have not fled. But here's a tip from me to you. The only fear you need to overcome is the fear of being afraid. Otherwise the pain will continue."

"I'm not afraid of fear, i'm afraid i won't be able to control myself under it's influence." Sorren said.

He cautiously removed the covers from his head, and winced. he was paralyzed for a few seconds before making nervous moves to get more comfortable in the bed.

"I can never remember not being scared, I always remember how fear has gotten the better of me, even if I'm better then I was before, It's not good enough."

"That is a reasonable idea, but your approach to solving the problem seems to be wrong. The solution to a problem is not to run away from it and hide somewhere. Yet you have run away from your fear, living in a place in which your actions do not have any consequences for anyone but yourself. But without consequences for others there is no incentive to improve, no chance to overcome your problem. Believe me, I've tried. And where did it get me? It turned me into a lonely, depressed shadow of...well...a shadow."
Hopefully Sorren would listen to this suggestion, as William was quickly running out of things to say. The Torchic had a point, and had defended it with many, strong arguments. Was it even the right thing to do to try and get him to stay?

"There is a reason why I did it alone." Sorren said, voice cought in his throuat. "When i was little more then a kid, My parents were killed. I saw my mom, But i could't do anything, my body made me run."

Tears were flowing with vigor by this point. Sorren had to tell the ghost why Things were like they were. It needed to be said.

"She cried for help, and I RAN! WHEN I CAME BACK I FOUND HER DEAD! I'M NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE!"

Sorren closed his eyes tight. That did little to stem the flow of tears. His fear had led to his mother's death, and he needed to be sure that it didn't happen again.

For quite a moment the Ghost type was visibly stunned. He had not expected something like that at all.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, William found the ability to speak again.
"It may be painful, but think about it like this. You yourself just said, that you were little more than a kid. I am sure, that your mother would have fled as well, would she have had the choice. Do you know, why she did not? To protect you, Sorren. To keep that Pokémon from hurting you. If you would have tried to fight, you probably would not be alive today. Neither of you would. Your fear has saved your life. Don't waste the gift your mother has left for you. Try to have fun instead of beating yourself up over your past.
I'm sure your mother would be proud of you."

Sorren had never thought of it like that, Was his mother trying to protect him? It didn't make sense though, She would've said something like run, not cry out for help. did she not see him? It took the Torchic a moment to speak again.

"But what if i freeze? what if i turn tail and run when someone really needs me?" He asked in a small voice, sniffling.

While the Gengar's speech seemed to have had the intended effect, the Torchic's stream of questions still continued. After taking some time to think of an answer, the shadowy specter responded:
"I am certain, that that would not happen. After all you did react quite quickly upon spotting us and I have to say, that the icicles were a pretty smart move. Also you didn't run from me but instead attacked me."
William chuckled as he pointed to the bandage covering the burn on his forehead.
"You have reacted correctly twice, even though I sadly probably am one of the most frightening beings out there. But if that does not convince you, then maybe you could try looking for a partner to go adventuring with. They could snap you out of your freezing, should it occur."

"You don't understand. That's what i'm afraid of, what if I'm with someone, even if they are a guild member, And I do something stupid. That could get us killed. I don't care as much about my own safety as I do others." Sorren said, looking away. "That's why I left and trained by myself."

Sorren would never forgive himself if something he did, or didn't do, got someone else hurt... or worse. He buried his face in the sheets. A groan was muffled from within the covers.

William began to lose motivation again. Sorren once more just repeated his one and only argument.
It felt as if one were to try and talk some sense into a wall.
Either he would understand soon, or he could go back to hiding in the woods.
"I think you are the one, who does not understand. The meaning of friendship to be exact.
You don't have to protect everyone. In a friendship both friends look out for each other.
You have been blessed with the miracle of friendship, which means, that you do not have to protect everyone. You and your friends would support each other, and overcome any fears, that might be standing in your way."
The Gengar was aware, that his arguments were quickly getting weaker and weaker.
But he couldn't do anything against it, as he had quite obviously run out of things to say.

{{OOC: here's a little help: Sorren is under that somehow he can keep his fear in check, this isn't the reality of things. Nobody is perfect.}}

"I have had enough of this! answer me one question, ONE: What happens if my fears get out of control? What if someone isn't enough to snap me out of it? What if a lapse in concentration could get me killed? WHAT CAN I DO?!"

Sorren was frustrated with talking in circles. He had only one concern that never really got properly addressed, and he was sick of it. He wanted to be able to do something about his fears. He didn't want to be told how he was brave, he didn't want to be lectured on what fear is, and he certainly didn't need the cheesy speech about friendship.