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.
An excellent work-around to social anxiety was, of course, to attend a masquerade. The risk of being seen and known, or ever being known again, dropped significantly when all were wearing a mask or some other head-wear that obscured the face. Add a gown or gloves with long enough trail and as little skin as possible and you were nigh invisible. All of those reasons were why Senara dared to venture to Birch City for the ball; were it not a masquerade, she'd have foregone it in favor of another night's work. But even in a crowd of strangers, the air thick with enchanted fog, she could still find beauty in the apparel and appearances of those around her; enough to take her mind off her anxiety.
They all look so beautiful! Ooh, I love that collar! Is that an emerald in the center?
...well, "apparel and appearances" did include the shiny baubles and trinkets the guests were wearing, right? Senara made her way around the side of the ballroom, dressed up as the rest of the crowd was: her bright pink hair did little to limit the amount of Pokemon she could choose to emulate, but so many of them were--Ugh, shudder--Fairy in typing, and she wouldn't dare use one of them as her attire. Thankfully the Blissey lineage was Normal as could be, and with their frilled shoulders and hips and curled little ears, they made a spectacular choice to create a ballgown in their style. Or, well, to commission a ballgown in their style. As fine as she was with her fingers when digging up gems or in the lab working, she had never been much of a seamstress. It was still lovely to behold.
At the very center of her gown, where a belt-buckle would be in one's "normal" wear, sat a shiny white sphere, mimicking Blissey's tell-tale egg. While it looked like an large pearl at a distance, it was truly just simple painted glass, but hidden beneath its semi-opaque shell sat Baby Girl's pokeball, kept right within reach should she have any need for her. Or if she chose to let the little one out to play. But among all these shiny trinkets Senara could hardly trust herself to keep her hands off, let alone Baby Girl to not eat something valuable off of a person's finger. That would draw far too much attention to herself.
How embarrassing...I would rather die than it come to that...
Senara sighed softly, contentedly, and continued her people-watching from along the edge of the crowds. Even if she was only watching, it was still a sight to behold, and enough a feast to her eyes that even her itchy fingers could keep to themselves.
For the moment, anyway.
@nobody Yet WC: 469 Yes that's a Phantom of the Opera reference <3
The night was young, and Gabe had already gone through two costume changes for two entirely different reasons. What cloaked his form now was much more formal than his last two. A fluffy off-white button up was partially concealed by a dark purple vest. It draped down to a pair of long black leggings that ended with a simple pair of black-leather military style boots.
It was the details, though, that gave away what he was supposed to be. A half mask adorned his face, one with deep purple hues except for a signature pink outline around the eyes. It stood up passed his head ending in tuffs for ears. A soft purple tail was clipped to the draping of the pants. He wore a pair of black fingerless gloves with his nails painted a deep purple hue. The ring he normally wore on his left index finger had been substituted for a silver-looking one with a few small spikes on either top and bottom. He wore no collar around his neck but did tie back the long wavy hair of his with something similar: a leather loop with a jingle bell hanging from it. It say almost at the back of his neck which was close enough for as much as he cared. Nya, like, nya he said.
It was stereotypical and stupid to be an actual thief wearing a Purrloin disguise of all things, but that was what made it so amusing to Gabe. Between the nature of Halloween and this place’s specific properties, he felt safe enough going like this, so there he was. For now, anyways. Wandering through the ballroom, he let his gaze jump about searching out the various forms and figures around. When he caught sight of a pink haired woman dressed as Blissey, though, he couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Cute. A nurse, maybe? Walking over, he leaned to one side and then the other. “May I have this dance?” he asked extending a hand.
Senara was keeping count in her head of the different costumes on the floor, between all the staring she was doing at the intricate jewelry and excessively large gems decorating the guests. There were quite a few copy-cats among the crowd. Here a Pikachu, there a Pikachu, everywhere another bloody Pikachu. At least it wasn't Slyveon. Though...a few of those might be dressed as Mimikyu, which fit the spooky air much better, even if it was a gross, weak little Fairy type. She could forgive it for its typing for it's horrifying aesthetic, and for how much it loathed the very thing it mimicked. She could relate.
Similar to liking something for it's appearance, if not anything else, she could appreciate the tall, slender figure of a Purrloin-clad person as they cut through the crowd. The bell in their hair was a little silly. It was a shame they didn't seem to have any baubles or trinkets aside from said bell and the ring they were wearing. Wait, why were they--
Shit. They're talking to me. What do I do.
Senara felt the tell-tale heat in the tips of her ears, thankfully shrouded in bright pink hair. Oh no. Okay. She could handle this, it was only a dance, and it was a masquerade. It wasn't like this person recognized her--not here in Birch, and she was positive she would recognize that hair if she'd met them elsewhere. They were just being polite. Maybe it was the dress that caught their eye? Her eyes--both of them--glanced downward, a tiny smile crawling over her lips. She could play nice and be polite. This would be easy. And she did like to dance...just...never where anybody could ever see her, ever. Great.
"You may," she spoke quietly, sliding a fully-gloved hand into their out-stretched one. Her voice still had quite a Kalosian accent, but not so much as to be incomprehensible. "You make quite a convincing feline, toutes et tous. I adore your nails, especially...~"
Gabe Alim WC: 343 Gender-neutral French is kinda hard to do Darn gendered language
Gabe remained smiling watching the Blissey questioningly. As that gloved hand met his own, though, he clasped it warmly back. “Perrrfect.” Fluidly he stepped back before starting to lead her out towards the dance floor.
The mention of his clothes had Gabe glancing down briefly and up at her. “You make for a far more beautiful Blissey than I have ever seen,” he answered back. “I can tell you bring Serenity and Grace.” Was that a catty grin on his features just then? Perhaps so. He probably should have stopped with the puns by that point, but he enjoyed them a little too much really.
If they do any more cat jokes, I'm going to regret this...
Senara went along with her partner's movements, both to the dance-floor, and then as they prepared to actually dance. She was far more comfortable to let another person lead in a dance than herself. Not that she was bad at dancing, but, well, between their height difference and the thought of her actions garnering more attention than she had already gained...this was fine. Absolutely fine. Her free hand came up to cover her lips as she chuckled, the sound muffled only a little by her fingers. The compliments were appreciated even if they were entirely inaccurate. Serenity and grace? Pssh. Nobody who ever did anything worth doing in life brought serenity to others. That was so boring.
"Ah, you only say that because you don't know me," she smirked behind her glove, but it had faded back to her polite, ever-so-slightly flustered smile before she dropped it, "If that is what my choice of costume says about me, what, then, should I think about you?"
There weren't many kind words to say about purrloins in common research texts, nor even in the Pokedex. All of it was about how it played cute to rob one blind, all for sport. They were even called the "Devious Pokemon". And poor Liepard was the "Cruel Pokemon". Poor things. She could relate to looking adorable and stealing from people.
Maybe she'd picked the wrong costume?
Ah, but she wasn't here to be accurate to herself, she was here to have fun.
"Then again, my favorite Pokemon seem to have the worst reputations, so I can't say much." Senara took a moment to glance toward the "pearl egg" on her waist, then back up again. He had such stunning eyes, almost like gold. Hmm, she could go for something golden pretty soon. Shame the only shiny things to him were the ring and bell, but...well, coins were shiny, too. But she'd need to get closer to tell if they had money on them and where. Lucky for her, dancing was purrfect for such an excuse.
...ugh, pun. It's rubbing off on me.
Gabe Alim WC: 364 Some of these 'dex entries were clearly written by a dog person. Rude.
Gabe’s lips quirked up in a curious curl as the Blissey spoke. “Is that so?” he asked. A chuckle escaped from him at the accusation, though. “It says I’m a slick and fluid moving cat,” he answered before very briefly leaning in. “Though I’ll tell you a secret, I’ve already had one costume change tonight.” He laughed lightly at his own words after that.
Hmmm? Her favorite Pokemon? “What Pokemon would that be?” Turning to face her more squarely as they came to a point on the dance floor, Gabe leaned in just a little and started to fluidly lead through some simple steps. “Something mischievously catty perhaps? Nya?” Gabe was starting to annoy himself but couldn’t even seem to stop at that point. It was just going to be how it was, he guessed.
Without breaking the stride of the dance, without letting the revulsion leak into her sweet smile, Senara leaned away from her partner, keeping the distance they'd had between them the same as before. "It is. You can't judge a book by its cover, mon ami félin." She placed her hands and set her posture into the right position for their dance, her sharp silver shoes tapping too quietly to be heard above the music. "Aha, so you have multiple forms. Are you, perhaps, a Ditto in disguise? Or maybe Zorua or Zoroark are a better comparison." She chuckled again. Her hands weren't in the proper places yet.
"Mischievous, quite. But I'm not sure one of them likes cats very much." She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about her answer. Well, there was no harm in bantering like this, was there? I can be honest. "It's an even tie between Sableye and Murkrow. Although if I had my darling out and, I'd have to say one Sableye is better by far, or she'd never let me hear the end of it." When she opened her eyes again her smile had slipped into a neutral look of annoyance. "I have made that mistake once, and it cost me a ring."
Little brat. She'd made up for it the next time they went "shopping", sure, but Baby Girl hadn't been allowed near her room for a week after that. Stubborn little sour-puss...
"People call Murkrows' bad luck and say Sableye steal the souls of those who meet their eyes. And claim they're both thieves, for sport or for food. Nothing but old wives' tales."
Baby Girl is an exception, not the norm. An exemplary exception but still...
Senara's smile grew a little brighter beneath her pretty pink mask. The "curls" atop said mask might have looked less like Blissey ears and more like horns, in the wrong lighting. "Since I told you which Pokemon I adore the most, it's only fair you share the same with me, right? I'm curious; does your attire match your favorite?"
Heh, Ditto. At hearing its proper name being called, Bubblegum opened one eye— which very much looked like Gabe’s hair tie had just sprouted an eye to anyone who looked in his general direction. The eye glanced around. Gabe subtly reached back to brush it and then run his fingers through his hair right after. Bubblegum closed its eye and resumed being a regular hair tie once more. “Perhaps I am,” Gabe chuckled “I do like Zoroark a bit more heh…”
Step, step, step. Gabe’s eyes never left the Blissey’s though. A curious smile held upon his lips. “Ahhhh….” He had an affection for Murkrow— moreso for Honchkrow, but the entire line was very very good. A chuckle escaped from him as she mentioned a ring. “Oh my, sounds like you have a little fiend.” But the way Gabe said fiend, he might as well have said friend. His face had contorted up in amusement then, and even behind the mask, his eyes were bright. What a mischievous little demon.
As the question was returned to him, though, he smiled a little softer. “Actually, my favorite goes to a little Fire type named Charmander,” he answered with a much warmer and gentler laugh. “Though that might just be because she’s my starter but…” Gabe took in a breath. He knew exactly why he had chosen his starter as it were. “She stole my heart, and no purloin could compare.” Was that a double meaning right then? Yes, perhaps it was.
Alas, with her height and the angle which she was facing him, Senara could not see the eye appear on her partner's hairband for the moment it appeared. It was quite long hair, though, she noted, as he ran his hand through it. Was it dyed, or was that their natural color? Hah, if she got nothing out of tonight but meeting another person who suffered the commitment of techno-colored hair, it wouldn't be entirely not worth the trip. Since her height made it inconvenient to place her hand on his shoulder she placed it on his side instead, careful with the placement of her fingers against the outside of the jacket.
Perfect. Now I just need to keep attention on the conversation...~
"Yes, she's my précieux bébé fille, and a real danger to my jewelry boxes." She sighed softly, genuine irritation and affection mixing into a strange half-smile on her face. "But like you said, you grow so attached to your starter. I wouldn't trade her for anything."
A Charmander? Huh. Of all the hundreds of Pokemon she could have placed next to this person and thought "That suits them", the little fire lizard wasn't one of them. They were quite rare, too, at least in these parts. She was almost envious...but of all the things Senara had no qualms about when it came to less-than-acceptable activities, the thought of taking another person's Pokemon left a bad taste in her mouth. It was just as bad as kidnapping, really. So she would only be envious of him to the legal amount.
"Salamèche! Fantastique! I'm sure her fire matches the color of your eyes so nicely," Senara giggled to herself. Really, they were more cats eyes than flame, but there was something to be said about that as well. And while he was speaking so fondly of his Pokemon, her fingers were checking the pocket of his coat. What, she would never steal a Pokemon, but "researchers" need food, too. "Is she young, or has she evolved?"
A small giggle came and went from Gabe at the depiction of the Sableye. Despite how destructive that sounded, he understood the affections readily enough. Liz could burn down the entire planet, and he would love and support her for it. That was just the bond they shared, one he saw in plenty of Pokemon-human relationships.
Fantastique— Oh my. Gabe liked the way she said that. The thought of fire burning against the reflection of his own eyes was… much more elegant than he had ever considered to that point. Well… In a moment of distraction, Gabe wouldn’t register the clasp of Senara’s hand around the wallet in that pocket. In it was a reasonable amount of money – nothing grand, per say, but reasonable for an outing’s spendings. Now how was she going to get it away unseen, though?
“She’s actually old now,” Gabe chuckled. “But she hasn’t evolved yet. I think she’s taking her sweet time.”
Success- you have found 100 Pen in that wallet; no go buy yourself some shoes mining material, girl!
Senara felt the familiar texture of paper money against the thin material of her gloves, and it took all her effort not to break into a smile far more fitting a Purrloin than a Blissey. That was what she'd been looking for. The trick, now, was whether or not to risk taking the entire wallet--far more difficult, the weight of it in his pocket may be enough for them to notice its absence right away--or to palm a few bills and hope what she made out with wasn't just chump change. But people usually didn't carry small bills. That's what coins were for. So she decided to bet on the small score instead of drawing more attention.
Perhaps it was a shame. Alas, she was still newer to robbing people of their money over their jewels and gems. If she got caught now she'd never learn how to do this properly. Slipping the bills out to the time of their footsteps and the music she managed to enfold them between her fingers, like the old magician's trick to "hide" a coin behind a child's ear, and then...simply kept dancing for now. No reason to pull away immediately, that would look strange in the middle of such a pleasant conversation. And it was pleasant!
Friendly banter just didn't pay very well on its own.
"Ahhh. Good things come to those who wait. Maybe she's bidding her time to grow, so she'll have the strength to fly you about~" Senara's eyes slid closed and a soft sound escaped her lips; one of a person amid daydreams, if only for a second. "I cannot wait to catch one who can fly. It just sounds so freeing! But I imagine you need a lot of trust for such a thing...not something you two seem to be lacking, of course." Their affection for their little fire-starter (literally) was honestly charming. "How long have you had her?"
The song sounded like it was reaching its crescendo, and Senara glanced at a few pairs of dancers as they went by. In comparison she felt like she didn't belong here. Even he was so much more graceful than her. Was anyone watching them? Watching her? The feeling of cold, nauseating dread started to creep up the nape of her neck. She forced it to stay down as she locked eyes with her partner again, trying, hard, to ignore the room.
Eye on the prize. Don't get freaked out by the crowd.
She bit the inside of her lip. As soon as this song is done, she could just...go.
“My, that’ll be the day.” A small laugh escaped from Gabe. Liz was fairly large for a Charmander. He could only imagine what she would finally be as a Charizard. Perhaps she’d be big enough to even have more than one passenger onboard. The question earned a small hum as Gabe thought back to when he got her. “About to come up on our four year anniversary I think,” he grinned. Or was that five? Honestly what was time, and why was it so violently slipping away from him?
Gabe moved without thinking. Each step was marked by his own habit by that point. He’d already danced so much that short evening, that there was no song that could truly trip him up by then. His eyes remained almost squarely on her own even when she did look away. “Something bothering you?” he murmured with a small grin. “You’re doing wonderfully, Blissey.”
Four years, huh...doing a little math in her head, that made Purrloin here quite young, though not that much younger than herself--if he had received his Pokemon around the same age as most did in the region. That didn't make her feel guilty about robbing him, but it did make her wonder how much he would actually be carrying. Her haul might not be as good as it may have been if he was older. Oh well, money was money, whether it bought her something shiny or just an extra coffee at a cafe wasn't the point.
"Four? Well, I feel old now. It's been seven years since I received my starter...but I was in university for some time as well," Senara pursed her lips into a little pout, "Maudire..."
Shoot, he's more observant than I thought.
Senara's smile flickered downward at the corners of her mouth, then stayed still and full. Smile. She always smiled when she was upset; reflex, habit, terrible-people-skills, she could blame a lot of things for that and all of them were right in some way. "It's nothing." "Wonderfully"? Ha, liar. "I'm just not very used to dancing in a crowd is all." Her steps slowed just a little for half a second, then returned to their normal pace. She just had to keep appearances up long enough for the song to end, then be done with it. If he kept too much attention on her now he might spot the thread and notice her hand was held in a strange way when she pulled back. She had to steer the conversation back to him.
"I'm fine, though. Thank you for your concern." Senara hand, held in his own, turned a little so she could see the ring on his hand. "This is gorgeous, by the way. And it suits your costume so well! Where did you purchase it?"
Not my most subtle dodge, but it should be fine...
Seven years— My, how old was she? It was so hard to guestimate when people wore masks, heh. As she mentioned going to university, though, he found his brow raising. She was… an academic then? How boring.
There was something about that smile, though, and the way she spoke that… assured him she was lying. Not used to dancing in a crowd… Ah, stage fright? Heh. How sad, how adorable. He’d been about to say something when she assured him again she was fine. A brow raised, but he only smiled.
And hm? Oh, that ring. “There’s a resale shop here in Birch called Think and Thank…” he mused. “That occasionally has interesting items at ridiculously low prices.” The five-finger discount cost. “Apparently it was part of another costume at one point.” Gabe smirked thumbing the ring in his hand so it shifted a little. “I probably won’t wear it again, but it’s nice for this outfit.”
"Oh, that sounds like a nice little place to visit when I'm next in town, if they offer pieces like this." Not that she particularly needed to worry about the prices of things, but this was an odd piece to sell cheaply. Maybe it wasn't really iron or steel or whatever it was. In this lighting it was hard to tell. Something Purrloin said, though, caught her attention in an odd way, and she looked up at him incredulously. The heavy mask lessened her look slightly but her mismatched eyes were still visible. Won't wear it again? How...sad.
I could do a lot with that. He'll probably throw it in a box and forget about it.
Wasteful brat.
She clicked her tongue against her teeth and stared straight into his chest for a moment. "That's a shame. It looks like real metal, even if I can't tell which from a glance--you could do quite a bit with its form, or add gems to it, or anything to make it fit better with your wardrobe...if you had the skill to do such things. Tu es gaspillage." Her combined unease and slight irritation didn't make for a pleasant surge of emotions. And it didn't do any favors to her anxiety to know she was getting snippy with a stranger in a crowd.
This was the sort of thing that got others attention.
She did not do "others attention".
Senara perked up just slightly at the sound of the song finishing. Oh. What timing. Her hands loosened in theirs, the money still pressed tight between her fingers, hidden from view so long as one didn't look too closely. "...apologies, that was not a friendly note to end our dance on. I have enjoyed this. I'm just...overly passionate about some things." Another smile. Smile when you're upset. That's how you get through socializing, right? "If you'd rather, just pretend I didn't say anything. Or don't and take my advice, and find a jewelsmith or silversmith to fix it up. Whichever you prefer, mon ami félin."
She had yet to completely release him, hoping his eyes would be elsewhere just long enough for her to slip the bills into her belt, then be on her way.
The sharp reproachful look in that gaze on him had Gabe’s lips immediately pressing together. Ah, a misstep. The rebuttal was so sharp and ready that he briefly pieced together that jewelry probably meant more to her than she let on. If he had the skill? Implying she did? He wasn’t sure what that last word was, but he registered by her tone it wasn’t great. “I see….” he answered.
ibu8mjOIp_
As she apologized, he frowned a little more. “Hmmm well…” His thumb flicked against his index finger pushing up the ring right after to easily sit in his hand. “If you’d rather have it—“ he clasped her other hand a bit harder to press the smooth end of it to hers— Only to immediately register the money there. Yellow eyes dropped, stared, and then flicked up again. A weird smile twitched on Gabe’s features, and something dangerous came to his gaze. “My…. you are smooth aren’t you.” he commented not releasing that hand just yet.
It happened so goddamn fast that she didn't have time to register what he was doing before he'd caught the hand that held the bills between its fingers in his own. No no no! If she'd kept her mouth shut and let him go about his stupid, wasteful way, he wouldn't have thought to give her that ring, and seen the money she'd been stealing! This was why it was easier to pickpocket people who weren't paying attention to her, dammit! Senara swallowed harshly and looked the Purrloin straight in the eyes, face full of dread.
How could she get out of this? Pretend it was play-robbing? "Should watch you pockets better, darling"? No, that was both unconvincing and stupid. What was that look he...
Bearing her teeth in something between a coy smile and a grimace--Don't scream for help. Turn me in quietly, bruise my wrist, whatever. But don't make them look at me!--she turned her hand enough so that the bills were pointed towards his palm instead of tucked between her fingers. What was that grin he was giving her? It made her blood run cold. Unease filling her throat, she just started to talk, because otherwise she felt like she would be physically ill from the anxiety. "...you never did ask me why I picked Blissey. Funny thing is, I choose her for the reason Purrloins get away with stealing..."
She shrugged her shoulder--the one on the arm not currently being held tight.
A Purrloin’s eyes were normally green. The mask Gabe wore, however, highlighted his own golden eyes. At a glance, it actually looked rather pretty together pink, purple, yellow. But the color set also accented the intense way his eyes transitioned when his features twisted up a certain way. Right then, her panic was making them practically shine.
Gabe felt the bills pushed into his hand, but his fingers didn’t latch onto them right then. His attention remained square and center on her. I could crush you in a moment…. In one way or another.
As Blissey began speaking, though, something in Gabe’s face changed. What… Hah? A short laugh escaped from him, more of a puff of air than a traditional laugh, but something. His grip eased some— not enough for her to slip away, but not nearly as taught as before. “You’re vey right about that, sweetie,” he answered. “You’re very lucky I’m in a good mood.” He grinned. “But if I catch you stealing from me every again, I will break every bone in your body… twice.” He leaned in for that last word. “Do I make myself clear?”
Senara swallowed another rock that formed in her throat that formed at the sound of his laugh. He was either about to drag her over to the police to break her wrist or both...but then he did neither. He just agreed with her weak attempt at teasing, and his grip grew loose enough that she couldn't feel her bones scraping against each other in a bad way. He wasn't going to turn her in? What? "Quoi?" She spoke without meaning to, then, mind still in disarray, she glanced nervously at the crowd again. Nobody had noticed this yet, had they? Well in this position they might have still been dancing. But there was the threat of violence she had been expecting. Just...not in the context she'd expected.
"...why aren't you going to hand me over to the cops? I tried to rob you," she said "tried", clearly expecting them to snap the money back up in a moment, "And you caught me. You don't have to make threats...just..."
Her voice trailed off. Why wouldn't somebody want to turn a thief into the police? He could simply rather handle this himself. But not a lot of up-standing, sane members of society would want that when they could throw the criminal in jail and feel good about it.
Gabe smiled. “I already told you, I’m in a good mood. Dealing with the cops on the night of a Halloween ball sounds like the start of a bad time for the entire party,” he answered simply shrugging his shoulders once. “And you’re interesting enough.”
A pause.
“Let’s be friends.” That was… probably not what she was expecting, and Gabe knew that. His features didn’t change, though. That smile remained curled on his lips. That humored glint remained in his eyes. He was rather serious about that, somehow. Even as he so casually pushed that money back to her hand.
What was he thinking? Gabe couldn’t really tell himself right then. He was humored, and she was shaken. That was about all he could want from this situation. Like he said— bringing in the cops was only going to make everyone struggle. This was supposed to be fun, and what did he know? Caught a thief with some dancing. Even if she was rather squirmy.
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