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.
[attr="class","heart2text"] What was Keone even doing? He didn't know. He was just... bored. He hadn't done anything in so long. He hadn't made any friends. A few times he thought he was making progress. Quince stopped keeping in touch. Tau never kept in touch. He hadn't seen Eri since his birthday. He'd only seen Riley once since and didn't really feel like contacting them, even as he wondered how Arial was doing. The Brionne was surely happier with someone who could train him to make use of his love of performing, though. Anyway...
Dad hadn't minded him lazing around the house the past few months, but had started to lightly nudge him into doing more lately. He didn't really... feel like it. But he supposed he was right. He wanted to just kind of shut down until he stopped feeling like shit, but that was never going to fix the problem. So when Dad came to Birch for business, Keone tagged along to get some training in on a familiar route. Besides the familiarity, he felt a little more at ease in the meadows than in the thicker forests out on Plum Island.
Belle and Tink were out, floating and buzzing alongside him as he walked aimlessly. He didn't really have an agenda today. Just maybe find a few wild Pokemon, get in a few battles, and go home. Nothing special, but better than spending his day at home spacing out on the tv he guessed.
He never expected to see a familiar head of pink and blue hair up ahead. Was that--...? He squinted, then hurried a little closer. "Eri? Is that you?"
The pigtailed star-guide had a mission! She'd finally managed to branch out her buisness, if only a little bit, and had gotten some contact details from a star up in Ash City who wanted to meet her to arrange a prediction, and the sparkly eyed girl couldn't be more excited! It meant that people were getting more interested, that her name was hopefully shooting around and imprinting itself into other peoples fates- or at least that's what she assumed, anyway.
She'd woken up as early as possible to get herself ready, she hadn't really braved outside of Birch much, finding it unneccesary, so she'd taken the upmost precaution. Bag full of poketreats, and one bottle of special formula for Halo, a few blankets, a map... the usual! She was probably going to have to stay in Ash overnight, which was fine- she'd just have one of her neighbours check on the apartment when necessary.
Of course, since it was hopefully a long journey she had probably dolled herself up a bit more than usual, her lolita dress a little more poofier, the accessories in her hair counting to about half a dozen- she could meet a number of different stars today, in territory never yet ventured, so she had to make her best, most stellar impression!
Walking down the route, Eri had Cosma perched on her shoulder, the Natu had been a little wary of Eri going out for so long, and the only way to get her to settle was to keep her right by the pigtailed girls side. She also had Halo at her heels, wanting to help get the shiny vulpix used to the outdoors- and also there incase it got too cold, you always needed neccesary backup after all! There was two other pokeballs in her bag too.
And of course, she had her usual egg basket clutched in her hand, in it sitting a singular egg, wrapped up tightly in blankets- a Pachirisu egg! She was hoping it would hatch on the journey just so she didn't have to deal with carrying a routine further into Ash City, but who knows what the fates hold these days?
Moved to run a hand through her hair, she was just about to ask Halo if she'd like a treat when a familiar name was called out- why did it sound so familiar?! The girl repeated it on her tongue for a moment, "...Eri?" Oh- Eri! That was her?! "That's me!" A confused hum left her lips and the girl paused, tuning on her heel and bringing a hand to her hip, who was it?
A star! A familiar star! A beam graced the girls features and her hand was raised in an eager wave, "The one and only breeder to the stars!" it took her a few moments to register it was Keone, and for a split second she could only hold back an awkward giggle at remembering his party- oh- she'd disgraced the stars. Still, Eri put on her brave face, what had the stars named him again? She was sure there was something... trooper- no, that didn't sound right... "I haven't seen you in eons, Libra? How're the stars treating you?"
[attr="class","heart2text"] Keone took in the girl's appearance as he got closer. He... who... dressed like that in the middle of winter?? It was supposed to start snowing soon?? Eri what were you doing?? He wouldn't dwell on it, though, nor comment aloud. At least he'd had the sense to wear a sweatshirt, jeans, boots, and a jacket himself.
Libra? Uh. Sure, okay. He'd prefer 'Keone' or 'Keo' but she wasn't wrong exactly, so why not? Stars? Heh. "Pretty lousy, honestly..." he mumbled in response, but then forced a weak smile and shook his head. "But nevermind that. What about you? How have you been? I haven't seen you since-..." Well, yeah. No need to get into that, heh. Even if... it was kind of Eri's fault he and Prem had kissed... And if they hadn't kissed maybe Keone wouldn't have been so jealous of Prem hooking up with someone else, or maybe Prem never would've tried to get Keone to hook up with him and felt rejected enough to seek comfort elsewhere. In either of those cases, maybe he and Prem would still be in touch. Maybe they'd even be dating, having gotten together on their own time rather than being pushed. So sure, maybe Keone could and did blame Eri for ruining the best thing that ever happened to him, but who needed to dwell on that now, right??
Of course, there was one possible way she might be able to help make up for it, too. "I... don't suppose you've talked to Prem recently?"
Pretty lousy?! An eyebrow shot up in a silent question, that wasn't good at all! The stars shouldn't be having a sluggish, or otherwise not very good time- especially with what they're set to accomplish in life! His attempt to push the comment away had the girls smile twitching slightly, but if the star didn't want to dwell on it... then she wouldn't push, for now! His question had the girl tilting her head in thought, glancing into the distance for a moment. Curious, the baby Halo moved forward a little, peering up at Keone curiously and batting a small paw at his feet. Eri shrugged, "Welll... i've been stellar! Just been doing my best to keep the stars happy, y'know?"
A hand moved to gently pat the bird on her shoulder, who let out a coo in response. "Whether that be through breeding or telling their fates- anything goes." she was getting better at figuring out what the stars are telling her- or- she assumed she was! She hadn't been getting as meddled signals from the stars, which meant that at least Arciel was calmer than Johto... probably.
At the star mentioning his friend, she shifted slightly... Prem- oh! Gemini! She hadn't spoken to him in a while, not since the party- hadn't the two become a thing during that? It was in Prem's stars, afterall! "No? I haven't spoken to Gemini since your birthday..." She peered at Keone then, curious, "Did something happen to the fates? Is that why you've been... 'pretty lousy'?"
[attr="class","heart2text"] Heh... At least one of them had had a good time, at least... Even if the one who had was a reckless and meddlesome busybody who ruined people's-- dammit Keone, no. He'd thought not to dwell on the blame, stop that.
He sighed when Eri asked her question. "I... haven't seen him since then either," he admitted. "We got into a fight." She didn't need the gross embarrassing details. "And I guess he decided I wasn't good enough for him anymore..." Dark amber eyes welled up as he voiced these feelings he'd been carrying for months. His hands buried themselves in his jacket pockets as he drew in on himself. "I tried... not to let it bother me at first... Thought maybe he just needed some time and space, but... Weeks turned into months and..." He choked, eyes firmly on the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, not even noticing the Vulpix playing with his shoe. He'd had to come to terms with the very likely possibility he'd never see Prem again.
He drew in a ragged breath, still fighting tears. "It's stupid, right?" he asked with a sudden sharp laugh. "He wasn't even my boyfriend, it's not like it was a real breakup. I should probably just get over it, and yet..."
Eri's smile almost immediately dropped as he continued speaking, and her eyes widen, mostly in confusion. He hasn't seen Prem either?! They had a fight?! And he hadn't... "...Stars..." That wasn't in the fates at all?! What was Gemini thinking! Keone's stars were diminishing as the seconds ticked by, and Eri had absolutely no idea what to do, she's not good with stars, or dealing with emotions, but it was her job to her as much as she could!
"It's not stupid, at all- you had... a connection, correct? ...and all at once that was ripped away, and the stars still continue to shine for something that isn't there..." Her voice was cautious, as if she wasn't too sure on what to say. Prem didn't seem like that kind of guy! He was there to stand up for her when one of the stars turned sour, and further he seemed to utterly happy when receiving his prediction- and yet...
How could she even begin to understand? "...He really liked you- I think... I... don't understand why this is happening..." The Natu on her shoulder hopped down to rest instead on the girls hands, and she busied herself with patting Cosma- the egg would be okay unsupervised for a bit, surely. "...It was fated too..." She mumbled out. What did she say- what could she say- think Eri!
"You're allowed to be upset, though, even if it might make you shine less, denying yourself that and letting all this regret build up can't be good..." There was a head tilt then, and a wary smile. The Vulpix circled the boy now, pawing once more at him before rushing back towards Eri and settling by her feet.
[attr="class","heart2text"] For a moment, as Eri assured him it wasn't stupid, Keone felt a small amount of comfort. She made a good point. It was normal to feel upset when losing something special, 'a connection', even if it wasn't necessarily romantic. It still hurt to lose a friend...
But then she had to go on. 'The stars still continue to shine for something that isn't there.' Wh--...what? He squinted. Was she trying to say the 'stars' still wanted him and Prem together, and it just.. wasn't happening? For some unexplained reason? That he was fated to be with this guy, and managed to fuck up so bad even fate couldn't help anymore??
'It was fated, too.' She was. She was absolutely saying this asinine shit. And being upset would somehow make him 'shine less'? Keone clenched his jaw. He'd just about had it.
"Why don't you shut the fuck up?" he snapped. His Pokemon both startled, backing up a few inches on either side of him. His hands balled into fists. "Everything was fine until you came in and started talking about our stars and fate and pushing us together and making me feel all messed up and confused!" He tried to blink back his tears, but they started to fall instead. "If you hadn't rushed us, then..." He grit his teeth. "Then maybe Prem would still be here!"
He huffed out a ragged breath, looking at her venomously. "Do you even care how many lives you ruin with your stupid fake ass predictions?"
Eri had thought her words would make everything better, with wide eyes and an open heart, but instead all she could do was to flinch back, a startled squeak leaving her lips and her hands instinctively drawing up to her chest as the shut the fuck up was issued. Each word was an echo of things she'd heard before, and she couldn't help but whimper... he... was insulting the stars. And... maybe... maybe she was wrong about her predictions? She thought they'd been getting better, but the stars above must have just been brewing falsities in her head- she was sixteen and opening her locked, finding another note cursing out the stars, she was sixteen and...
Eri shook, but she was in the presence of a star- it'd be wrong to cry, especially when it was obvious their stars were blasted. The star was just... confused! He didn't mean what he was saying- yeah- but he was angry, and upset... and the glare he was giving her could curse all the way to neptune if it wanted. "U-Uhm..." she gulped and averted her gaze.
"I'm... i'm sorry you think that way... i'd never wish to harm the stars in any way- it's... my job to help them, and I was just trying to help- I didn't even know you existed until I saw you at the party, and the way... Prem was with you... and..." She shook her head, forcing on her biggest smile imaginable, excused only made the stars angry, that much she was familiar with. She moved to stop then, gently lowering her egg basket to the ground, ignoring the loud chirping of Cosma on her shoulder. "My predictions aren't fake- though I can.. understand why you think that- sometimes the stars adore messing with me! I really, reeeallllly can see the fates and have since I was little... my mummas can too!"
She moved then, arms crossing, "You could have just left me and gone somewhere else at the party, all I did was get drunk and insist you kiss, which, really didn't have to be done- it could have been backed out at any time, and yet..." She looked back one more eyes watering a little- stars she hated seeing star guides upset, and maybe... she wouldn't be able to talk her way out of this one?! It's okay -it's alright, she could deal with this.
"You can punch me if it'll make you feel better- stars shouldn't be upset! Keep insulting me if you have to, get it all out! I've... put the egg down, and I can take it, the stars built guides for this, really!"
[attr="class","heart2text"] 'Sorry he thought that way'? God, what a fake ass excuse for an apology. And there she went, defending her powers rather than considering just how much harm she did when the stars, allegedly, 'messed with her'. Even if she was right, even if she could sometimes see the future, how could she go on giving out advice as if it was a surefire thing knowing it was wrong even half the time, probably more!
"Don't give me that 'you didn't have to' shit. I know I didn't have to, I know I wanted to, but I still wouldn't have if not for you pushing it. He wouldn't have, probably. In case you forgot, my first kiss-- not just with Prem but ever, mind you-- was stolen. Of course I'd feel all weird after that."
But then... She offered to let him punch her, and Keone realized his fists were clenched as if he wanted to. Some part of him, he suspected, did want to, even if she was a small cute girl. But far more of him was so averse to any kind of violence that he found himself disgusted at the thought, and forced his body to untense. He huffed a sigh. "I don't want to hit you..." He bit his lip, still fighting back tears.
"I... I guess... I want you to somehow make it better, to fix it... but you can't. And I shouldn't expect you to." He sighed. "Guess I'm just one star you can't help."
Stars he was still mad! She struggled to comprehend his words, they were like some sort of out of this world puzzle that her brain couldn't reign in on. "S-So you're going to blame a drunk girl?" She uncrossed her arms, biting back a shiver at the sudden chill of the action and instead moved to puff her hands lightly through her hair. She wasn't going to be able to explain her way out of this, and it seems her reputation with this star was already lost, so the best thing she could do wasss... "...If... that makes you feel better, then blame all the stars on me. A kiss is a kiss, a fated connection- you kissing Prem was already predetermined in the fates. And- maybe... you feel weird but..." There was a pause, and she blinked. "You claim it's all... messed up and meddling with your constellations- but do you regret kissing Prem, or do you just miss him?"
Her shoulders relaxed at his claim to not want to hit her, and she very visibly sighed. Halo, She moved then to pick up Halo, the Vulpix cooing gently and nuzzling her face into Er's chest, and the girl attempted a smile at Keone. "I struggle at understanding the emotional side of a lot of things, especially when it has to do with stars like you and Gemini- i'm not fated for romance or a stellar connection... so helping others achieve that is the closet I can get. Prem appeared to like you, at least I believe he did- and you liked him." She shrugged, "...but it's still not the end of your fates, Prem leaving."
His next words had her pouting again, a star... she can't help?! Nooo- nuh-uh. Eri bit the inside of her cheek for a second, her one goal in life was to make the stars happy, to make the celestials happy, so she didn't get scorned and could see them shine as bright as possible- nobody tells her than! "Waitwaitwait- hang on- I want to help. There are no cants here!" She said it loud, eyes shining with unspoken determination. "...There are no stars I can't help, so i'll do whatever I can to make your stars bright again! You might be mad at me, but, Libra, my one goal on this earth in to make stars like you shine..." Her vulpix began to wiggle in her grasp and she moved to let her down, tilting her head.
"...What if I told you your prediction- or... I could... find a hobby for you! Or maybbee... would an egg help?! I'm Eri Novae, breeder for the stars after all- I can breed you any egg, if it'll help your fates shine!" She was confident now, fueled by the one thing she was sure she was good at- or at least that she'd spend her whole life trying to be good at- pleasing the stars and making them happy.
[attr="class","heart2text"] Keone bit his lip. She was still.. insisting on that stupid fated stuff, but... she had a good question. Of course Keone regretted it, but because of everything that came after. Would he regret kissing Prem if he were still here? ...Of course not. He sighed heavily.
He was still annoyed, but... "It's not the end of your fates", she said. Maybe, if there was such thing as fate, he and Prem had always been destined to be a fleeting moment and nothing more. Or maybe the timing wasn't right, and he'd meet him again someday in the future, some time better for them to try... Who could say?
One corner of his mouth turned up as she went on about her determination to help. "Heh... Thanks, Eri," he finally said. "I'm... pretty sure you're trying to make YOU feel better as much as you are me. Like... it sounds like you're taking it as a personal failure that you can't help right now. But that's okay, and still thanks for trying." He shook his head. "But you can't bring Prem back to me and there's nothing else I want right now."
Well... was that really true? "...Except, I guess, other friends... New friends. Could... you forgive me for snapping at you and maybe hang out with me for today? If you're not busy?"
First, she was confused at his thanks, she hadn't helped him properly or at all! What was she being thanked for? Though as Keone continued talking it did seem to make maybe a little bit of sense. It was a thanks for... attempting to help- which she shouldn't be thanked for- she didn't do anything?! Though... she definitely felt awful, at least about stirring the fates, about a star struggling to shine and being at a total loss, Keone wasn't wrong about that- but she still wanted to help! She didn't wanna see a star diminish, or be upset, at all, if she could do anything to help make him shine she would- but... still... it didn't seem like he wanted any aid, at least not what she'd been offering if it didn't include getting Prem back.
She managed to continue up her grin, "Okay- I... understand- I don't feel very stellar about it at all but if... nothing'll help..." She trailed off, eventually shrugging. If only she could see Keone's fates to be able to help in some way, but she knew when a star didn't at least want predictions thrown in their face, especially not when Keone had just been really mad at her.
As he spoke again Eri blinked once, twice, and her smile grew. "New friends?! I know a bunch of stars you might like- maybe- I could introduce you- if you want of course...? Not now, of course but..." Oh, this was an opportunity! "I'm not busy at all! I was just starting towards Ash but I don't have to be there for a long while!" Another pause, "But there's nothing to forgive- if snapping at me helped at all then it's not something to feel bad about!"
Hands went to her hips then, "Sooo yes, Libra! I'll hang out with you- didya wanna just walk? Or I have a bunch of great spots back in birch- i'm there all the time! Whatever you wanna do, i'm up for! Star-guides honour!"
[attr="class","fadedkeobanner"]But the more I try to move on, the more I feel alone.
[attr="class","fadedkeotext"]
Hm? Ah... Somehow, Keone did not have high hopes about Eri being able to introduce him to people he'd actually get along with, but... All the same, he forced a weak smile; it was kind of her to offer. And her insistance that the snapping was fine somehow made him feel worse for it, but... He sighed. "If you say so." He wasn't about to argue, at any rate. He was far too tired for that.
There was some genuine relief as she agreed to hang out, though. "Thanks, Eri..." Hm. "Just walking around sounds fine. I don't mind heading toward Ash with you, either. Maybe we could go to the edge of the Forest together? Or... Even through it, I guess. It's not like I have anywhere I need to be..." He just didn't want to invite himself along the full trip either.
His Floette perked up suddenly, though, as she noticed... something? A noise maybe? She cooed and gestured off into the distance. "Huh? Sup, Belle?" A moment later, Tink went on alert, too. And a few moments after that, a Togekiss whizzed by at surprising speed. "Huh!?"
As it whirred back around, two Togekiss and a Clefairy came over the hill from where the Togekiss had come as well, and shortly after that two Togepi waddled behind. The Togekiss skirted around the humans this time and landed in front of the others, giving a sort of "speech" as if it were a commander, and the other five cheered in unison before they all turned toward Keone and Eri, looking ready to fight, yet not necessarily aggressive. More like they were challenging them for fun than like they wanted to hurt them. Huh.
"I think they wanna battle?" The Pokemon all cried out again in vague affirmation. "Er... Okay. Tink, Belle, you up for it?" The two small Fairy-types squeaked happily, and Keone nodded. "All right. Um... I guess I'll take the two Togetic and the Clefairy? And you can take the Togekiss and the Togepi? Or vice versa," Keone suggested. He wasn't sure how strong Eri was compared to him, but that way the probably-strongest Pokemon was paired with the two probably-weakest, and then three more middling levels were together, so it should make both sides pretty balanced.
Once Eri had decided, Keone nodded again and ordered his Pokemon to attack. Despite him having decided to go 2-on-3, the battle didn't last too long. Or maybe he just kind of spaced out through it? But Tink's onslaught of Moonblasts and Draining Kisses took her opponents down while keeping herself up pretty well, and Belle's Razor Leaf and Fairy Wind seemed to do more damage than the foes' Fairy Winds and Disarming Voice. Belle managed to tank the few attempts at Ancient Power that might've spelled bad news for Tink, At any rate, soon they were all looking worse for wear, and Keone decided as long as he was trying to make new friends, this seemed like a decent opportunity. He pulled out 3 PokeBalls and tossed at the two Togetic and the Clefairy.
Belle the Floette: Lv20 -> 21, 4/5 Energy Tink the Cutiefly: Lv20 -> 22, 3/5 Energy Acorn the Trevenant: Lv20, 5/5 Energy Luka the Lucario: Lv20, 5/5 Energy Kalea the Kangaskhan: Lv30, 5/5 Energy Squishy the Solosis: Lv30, 5/5 Energy
Last Edit: Jun 15, 2020 6:42:12 GMT by Keone Kaimana