Set in the original region of Arciel, Legends Rising is a route-inspired, but not strictly route-based, Pokemon roleplay. Pick a faction, pick a class, and strike out into the wild to take on the League, master Contest coordination, research the mysteries of Pokemon and Arciel, and much, much more. Will you be a classic trainer? A criminal? A farmer? Choose your destiny on Legends Rising.
Continue to make things worse…. “Yeah,” Gabe answered in a breath. Everything always just… got worse. So much worse. Every time. You don’t need my comfort or support… He didn’t. He hadn’t had it for years up to that point, and he could get by just fine without it. It was fine. He was fine. Right? Right.
…A weird breath drew in and out of Gabe, and for the first time in a long time, a series of Arroian words escaped from him all strung along. And finally: “I forgive you for not going with me… when we were fifteen,” he stated back in Common again. “I didn’t intend to separate you from everyone. I wanted to be free of my mom and everything else.” A pause. “And I guess even that was a lie.” Because he could have left. He could have ignored what had happened to her and just left, but he didn’t. “And I forgive you for … anything and everything else.” A pause. “I’m not asking for your forgiveness…. But I get it.”
Her gaze locked on to the ocean as the waves curled into themselves, for a moment just taking in the scenery, amidst the mess that was her life. Cal shifted to sit up in her lap now, following her gaze out to the ocean and letting out an excited squeak, pointing out the fin of one pokemon or another that popped up. Before she could respond to the pokemons antics a series of words that... she quickly understood were in another language streamed out from Gabe's lips, and she quickly turned her head, wincing at the sudden pain in her neck.
The next words, however, were back to common, back to something she recognized. Her hand reached up to rub at her neck as he spoke, mouth opening and closing, as if she attempted to say something but just... couldn't find the words for a response. He... forgave her. He just.. wanted to make that clear.
And... he hadn't meant to isolate her- he hadn't... she found that hard to believe- it's all the girls told her, it's what she'd convinced herself. And- why was... the blog, the ruining his relationship.. the... "...You already know I don't understand..." She said softly, because how could she even begin to?
"But if you say you forgive me like that...." She moved to clear her throat, and Calando settled back into her lap, tail flicking as he stared at Gabe. Fi was still glaring, but had at least settled a little. "Then I can't do much else than believe you- you do realize i'm probably... still going to do shit things, right- i'm the hopeless idol Arietta Ostinato from PNG, go read up at her history at blah-blah-blah.com- that one- you shouldn't... just..."
The girl let out a forced laugh then shook her head, shut the fuck up and take it Arietta. "I... haven't forgiven you for what was done in ivy, you know that, and you know you won't get it.... at...least for a while.." A shrug, "I... understand why you did it, at least I think I do..." she moved to look around, coughing then quickly returning her head to where it was. "...But before that shit you were good, and life hadn't been a hellhole of stupid shit. I'm..."
A pause, she licked her lips, as if struggling to get the words out, "...I'll try not to write about you or say much about you- especially with Senara- i'm- I just scheduled another PR meeting to deal with this mess and the magazine- you deserve to move on in peace."
Why couldn't she shut up? A half smile moved onto her features and her arms hugged around her chest. "...So that's that... that's, all I can do."
You already know I don’t understand. A softer breath escaped from Gabe. “Yeah, that’s fine,” he answered. He was going to move. He was, damn it, but she had started talking again. Going to do shit things… Like her blog. “Heh, I’ll just have a friend hack and crash the site a couple of times if my name gets put up,” he said with… a light almost bemused air as he looked over his shoulder at her. “I said I’d forgiven you, not that I won’t do something back if and when you do this shit again.” Ahahhaah a ‘friend’ yeah.
A small, weird laugh came and went from Gabe. A softer series of words once again in Arroian came and went. I don’t even know if I want your forgiveness anyways…. Because what did it even mean right then anyways? The mention of Senara again had a different series of thoughts coming to him. Goddamn it Senara… Over and over again. She had to worm her way into this like this ugh. But here, under a fake guise already, he supposed he could take a moment to breathe. “…..Thanks.”
Hack... and crash her site?! Arietta gulped. Her arms tightened slightly around her chest- he was joking, right? "U-Uhm... right..." An unsure smile crossed her features for a second, there's no way Gabe had friends able to do that. But it was... sorta a threat, right? Her head tilted slightly, careful of her neck. "...I can't just stop mentioning you suddenly- i'd have to at least slowly exclude you from blog posts and interviews until I stop mentioning you completely- and that'd take months, otherwise questions would be thrown around and there'd be more Pr attention that I can't affor-" She cut herself off and her arms uncrossed from her chest, back to Calando. "...D-Don't let your friend hack my blog, pretty please..."
It was only then she realized he was trying to leave and she fidgeted. "Hang on a sec- sorry- just- one thing-" Yep- this again. Fucking- arceus. "...i'm going to have to send you files to sign, your name was mentioned in the article...and if my PR team have your approval they can seek legal action, since it was specifically stated in our contract not to mention anything of the sort... uhm..."
Arietta shut the fuck up and let him go. Seriously. You'll have to see him again when you're with Senara anyay, whenever she comes back to Arciel- so... just, let him walk away, then go to Ivy town, do what he needs to do- and let him just live. He almost- he could have died, because of you- and yet you're...
She shook again, closing her mouth for a second- before she obviously spoke again. "...please go to the other dance studio, i've paid for the membership- y-you need something, you know?" let. him. go. "...and...and- uhm-"
Gabe smiled. He wasn’t going to answer Ara’s request then. It didn’t matter to him then what her PR said or otherwise. There wasn’t any— He couldn’t afford any— tie between them. If she spoke of him, she was a stranger who deserved to be ddos’d for 30 days straight.
He’d been ready to walk again when her voice came out. Seek… legal action against… It took a moment or more for him to understand what she was talking about. Her manager or whoever was suing some paper for photos or? Ah…. “Sure, fine, whatever….” he answered with a small nonchalant shrug.
And then— Gabe’s eyes fell forward to the door. He stared at it for a moment in utter silence. Just lie to her… just say sure fine whatever and then don’t go. It’s easy…. came to mind. But. “Dance was our thing….” he answered. “I don’t want to do it anymore.”
Okay, she could send the documents- cool- okay. She tapped her foot, nodding to herself. Yep- that was good. Super good. PR done, sorted, she'd tell them all the details at the meeting, and stuff... yeah. Okay. Fi was only just starting to settle down, it looked as if Gabe was going, and Arietta should hopefully stop acting so weird soon, right?
Well, that's what he was hoping- until Gabe spoke again. A soft, strangled gasp left Arietta's lips- oh- fuck. He... but she'd already... paid... the... and... wouldn't it help- he... didn't he enjoy dancing- but... then it- and he wouldn't move on, and... The girl was conflicted. Fi let out a squeak that was probably supposed to be a growl, poor litwick. "...o-oh... our...thing..."
Dance... had been the one thing that's always been there to help her cope through things- dance and music... and yet- it wouldn't be able to help Gabe, and she struggled to comprehend that. He was at the door- he was going to open the door- he... he saw it as their thing? So then- when she pursued it for a career with the girls... did he... wait a fucking minute.
He was... yeah- okay- okay this didn't hurt at all. "I'm... i-i'm going to have to see you again- Senara and... a-and I have... have... we s-spoke about it- so..." Her voice got louder and she forced out a cough, "....S-So- this isn't a final goodbye, yet- i'll... i'll be more prepared for next time!"
A shaky smile took over her features now, and a hand raised in a wave, "...Promise."
Gabe slowly turned and leaned against the door. “I don’t want to see you and Senara together,” he stated. “I won’t talk to either of you together.” A hand reached up and gripped his hair gently pulling it out of habit. “Why are you hellbent on causing me so much pain?”
He- wasn't leaving. He didn't want to see her and... Senara together- or talk to either of them... together? Her hand fell down from it's waved position to clutch at her skirt, and she blinked. "U-Uh..." She had gone to tell him that it wasn't her idea, that Senara said she'd have to wait for her to get back in Bass, whenever that was before they spoke about things together- but that was cut off by the next thing he said.
Hellbent on... causing him so much pain!? Her nose scrunched, and her grip on the shirt tightened. "...E-Excuse me?" she let go of the shirt and moved to gently moved Calando to the side, incase she accidentally stumbled up or something. "I'm- no...i'm not trying to hurt you- maybe I had been, a bit ago- maybe even two months ago- because... i was so...angry- but i'm... i'm not trying to hurt you now- can't you see that?"
Hands held her knees then, and she curled back up into herself, getting defensive. "...I- Senara... suggested it- to talk with you with both of us there- to talk to you together- it's- going with your girlfriends wishes... that's a good thing to do, right- I...I was ready to storm your apartment... when she told me..." her head rested on her knees now, "...i don't wanna hurt you, but it kinda hurts to see you keep leaving- I don't mean to keep talking... is that hurting too?" A nudge on her side had her peering down, at Fi who'd attempted to get her attention- she had to straighten up! She couldn't just- mope around!
"...if you don't wanna be in pain, then why didn't you just walk out that door before I started rambling?" eyes flicked up to Gabe then back down again, "...mmm, right. I just came here to get some fucking sequins and now i'm gonna leave double-guessing everything i've done since halloween. Because... who leads a person to almost kill themselves..."
Her voice kept going quieter and quieter, and her cheek smooshed against her knee. "...dance was our thing, was it? I didn't even...think..."
Gabe’s eyes involuntarily watered. It would probably have been great from an acting perspective, but something about this was legitimately upsetting and he had no idea why. A hand reached up and pressed fingers to his eyes and then pulled them closer to his tear ducts. Breathe, dumbass, breathe…. The fuck was wrong with him now?Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. A shaky breath drew in and out of Gabe, and he was fine. He was fine. Senara wasn’t even his fucking girlfriend. Ara wasn’t even—
“Did either of you consider what it would be like for me having my ex and current girlfriend in the same room?” he asked. “You didn’t.” Was the sharp answer. “I don’t care what you do together but I don’t… I don’t want to see it…” That was a lie. He didn’t want Senara anywhere near Ara at all. He didn’t want her messing with this. This. Whatever this was, exactly.
A very soft, annoyed mumble left Arietta as her questions remained unanswered, instead having another thrown her way. Her face burried into her knees now, and for a few moments she just sat like that. Had she even... no. She... kinda hadn't- but that wasn't important! Clearing the air, getting all issues sorted, making sure Gabe never hurt Senara and then getting the fuck out of there had been the only thing she'd been thinking of when everything was organised. "...I...was more concerned for...Senara, to be honest." She shifted now, slightly tilting her head and peering open an eye, only for her breath to hitch-
Was the weird sunny day fucking with her, or were his eyes like... sparkling with tears. "...her...having only just...met you in person- a-and she... didn't want me to go alone- a-and she said all this stuff..." She lifted her head from her knees, wincing once more. "...i'm sorry...i'll- message her- please don't be mad at her, s-she, uh... only wanted what was best for you...I think..."
She squirmed once more in her seat. "...don't...cry... s-she didn't... mean it- i-if I was put in that situation- i-in a room with like, even... e-even two exes i'd... i'd probably lose my shit or j-just start balling- n-no inbetween, so... s-so I totally get it- except she's not an ex she's.. u-uh...." A gulp, "Girlfriend."
Concerned for Senara. Concerned for Senara. Gabe could only imagine what kind of stunningly terrible performance Senara had put on for Ara to be concerned for her. Gabe wanted to laugh, but somehow it still fucking hurt. Stop it. Why was he hurt about this. Stop it. This was dumb. It was all an act you dipshit… An act. It was an act. An act damn it. He just had to keep it up. He just had to make sure they never interacted ever again somehow.
“What…. Did you even say to her?” he asked. Just got to get information. Get in get out. That was why he asked. That was why I asked.
What did she...even say to Senara? Arietta paused for a moment, biting at her tongue to shut herself up before she even had the time to formulate a sentence- she had to be careful he... wasn't okay. She warned Senara about all Gabe had done to her, she'd told Senara that she met Gabe halloween night and the... things... that went down after- and her plan to make Gabe not...lo...yeah.
Arietta stood up then, and moved to the lookout, not looking at Gabe and to get herself out of that stupid chair. "...I apologized, I told her...things...I guess- caught her up about the ex her boyfriend had never spoken of..." Could she be more vague? She bounced up and down, from her heel, to her toe. "I told her i'd hoped that you'd changed, that it's not fair if you hurt her... u-uhm... and said you'd loved dancing... a lot recently- and I told her how I was trying to help...and she said i couldn't keep things locked up- I..."
A hand met the side of her face and she let out a soft noise of frustration, she was overwhelmed "...I...I don't think i'm remembering right, anyway.- I told her to... give me the ID and let me apologize but she was all like-"
She fumbled for words now, "Surely she told you- right- she's your girlfriend, the person you're close to- why are you... asking me what I said to her?"
Things? Caught her up? She’d told Senara everything??? Gabe pinched between his eyes again. At least he wasn’t crying now. At least he had some control back now. And …. And he could see a way out of this stupid mess with Senara now that she had said that. That question at the end was so easy to formulate a lie for. It was practically on the tip of his tongue. He just needed to say it.
“….She’s been acting really cold towards me lately….and didn’t tell me that you two had even….. talked…” he started out slowly, carefully. “At least initially. I asked… several times what was wrong… and got different answers.” He gulped. This is a way out. This is a way out. Why was he still feeling like this though? No real emotions. Just get this done… “I don’t think she trusts me anymore. I don’t even know if she’ll stay with me anymore…” Just keep talking. “That’s…. why I ask.” A pause. A gulp. Just keep it reasonable. “I have to wonder if …. She’s… going to break up with me.”
Arietta couldn't have spun around on her heel fast enough, eyes wide. "NO!" Nonononono. Senara couldn't break up with him, that'd ruin her new plan of helping him move on- because Senara, who was perfect for him, Senara who had seemed to be in love with him- and she was- this was- everything was-
Her fault.
Her hands clenched and unclenched by her sides, "N-No, she won't." Arietta let out probably the fakest of laughs, closing her eyes for a second, "She...She said to me that she was fine getting hurt because t-that's what life was, and she was cheery- and she didn't care- a-and she said she was sure you weren't trying to hurt me intentionally and she seemed to have- like- l-like this huge..." She outstretched her arms, taking a breath, "Huge faith in you- E-Even if she didn't trust you, she'd talk to you- m-maybe her...her flight home was rough..."
Her voice shook, so she pushed on the biggest smile she could muster, "B-But... she'd said she wanted to deal with it on her own, a-and said to keep my distance- so she could prove it to me- t-that you were better- a-and I said I couldn't just stand by so- then we organised this and she left saying she'd mail back the ID to y-your apartment- uhm- I..." A breath, a deep one. "I-I'm...she won't break up with you- o-okay- I...I think she really really really likes you."
Ara’s shout had Gabe fidgeting and looking up at her as she had spun around. The fierce matter-of-fact way that Ara spoke was almost laughable, but it ached too much to laugh. God. That was funny. If any of it had been real at all, he might have broken down completely. But it wasn’t. None of it was real. It’s just an act. He just had to remember that fact.
Leaning against the door, he then slid down it to sit and draw his knees to himself not saying anything back. This was… better than conveying anything via words or otherwise, he supposed.
She was expecting a response, an anything- a thank you Ara now I know she's not gonna dump me i'll be happy and move on and you don't have to exist anymore really would have done wonders- but instead her heart caught in her chest as all she was greeted with was... silence and him plopping down and curling up to the door. But he was just...
A noise left her throat, confused, and a very soft, "...Gabe?" Left her lips. She'd- oh she'd fucked this up- she'd... how did she- what did she do?! She couldn't just... go over there, that'd make everything worse! "I...S-She really likes you- look I... I can... call her n-now, I can... uhm- I can confirm that... t-that's not it!" Her voice raised an octave and her hands moved to clutch at her chest.
She moved to her bag now, to grab at her phone. Fi and Cal could only watch, at this point, fairly confused about literally everything they were witnessing. "Because I know she does- a-and.. uh..." she ontinued rambling, moving to unlock the phone as she spoke.
“Don’t…..” escaped from Gabe. “I don’t want her to… answer your phone… and… ignore mine….” He set both arms on his knees and rested his forehead on them to hide his face. This is some shit performing, Gabe Alim…. Partially because for some strange reason this was still not entirely a performance. Some part of this… some feeling of this no matter how base and feral was genuine. Stupid and genuine. “Just…. stop….. please…..”
A hand tightened around the phone and a soft squeak of surprised left Arietta's lips. Right- fuck yeah that.... that would be a shit feeling. It took a few more seconds for her to give up her resolve completely, seeing Gabe just... looking so broken. She moved to pocket her phone, standing there awkwardly. "....R-Right... you're right- i'll just... text her later... no need for calling..." her hands moved up to her hand, and she ran her hands through it, smoothing the locks- smoothing through them, again... again...
She didn't understand- but this was all her fault. "...C-Can I do anything to help- at all?"
Just have to figure out what to do next…. Just need to figure out how to get out of this now…. Gabe’s mind was ticking out thoughts as he quelled some of the less spiraling emotions. A slow breath drew in and out of him at her question. Could she do anything? In any way, shape, fashion, or form? “You’ve… really done enough already….” he answered. “I’ll be fine in a couple of minutes. I have Lizbeth….”
She'd done enough already... she'd... she... A very soft sob left Arietta's lips, what was this- the fourth time in the last half hour? She'd... this dude threw himself off a fucking Charizard, got a girlfriend and then promptly was willing to break up with her for Arietta- and now was having an episode because she wanted to break up with him- not that Arietta believed that, because she'd seen Senara- and how lovely she was, there was no way...
She forced back her tears, this isn't your fight, Arietta- this isn't your ballpark."Y-You'll be fine, will you, Gabe?" She was moving now, up the stairs towards him, arms finally crossed infront of her. "...Please... h-how many times have you said that before- think you said that before you... jumped off a fucking charizard?"
She stopped a few steps down from him now, and promptly plobbed herself on the hard flooring, ignoring the soft concerned cries of Cal and Fi. "...Look- you're not fine- so don't lie to my... face about that-..." grabbing hold of the stair railing she ran her finger along the cold metal, sniffling softly. "Liz is probably in no mood to comfort you- and as much as you must hate my fucking guts right now, even if you claim to f-fucking forgive me or whatever..."
She took a deep, deep breath. Talk to him like you'd talk to an idol, Arietta, one of your friends- get over yourself. "...How'd you meet her?"