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","curragepost"] Calliope had only really come out here today to look for a Gossifleur, which she had definitely found and caught already with no timey wimey shenanigans involved whatsoever, so she was pretty pleased. Still, now that she was out here, she had decided to take a while to enjoy the fresh air. She had the whole day off, after all! She may as well do her best to enjoy it.
At her side, Muffin had been swapped out for Sugar, and the shy little Swirlix was sticking pretty close to her trainer as they walked. The airy Pokemon's gait was naturally bouncy, but perhaps a little less so than one might expect of the species, speaking of her more reserved nature. Of course, Callie always found all her Pokemon's quirks endearing, and enjoyed watching Sugar even if it was nothing new.
"So, sweetie, anything you wanna do today?" she asked the little Pokemon. Sugar looked up and tilted a bit in thought, looking all the cuter for her permanent blep, but eventually she shook herself no. "Aww, that's fine. I'm sure we can find something around here. Maybe we'll see a wild Pokemon, or an interesting shop." They were still sort of in the outskirts of Birch, after all. The buildings were sparser, generally with no more than one to maybe three or four for a good hundred yards or more, and mostly residential, but there were a few storefronts littered within reasonable walking distance of them as well.
They could even see a few people out in the distance, as the hills weren't very high here yet. Most were out doing things in their yards or walking with or riding their own Pokemon, but one particularly close boy caught Callie's eye. He too was walking with a Pokemon, but was just a ways down the same little road here, and as Callie did a double take she felt like he might look... just a little familiar? But she couldn't place her finger on it! Maybe an underclassman from back in school? Though that would be more likely in Bass, and the bell he rang felt more recent. Someone she'd seen with one of the girls at some point, perhaps? Or even in something like a commercial on TV, ha.
She figured it wasn't too important, but she was just curious enough to decide, "Maybe we can go try to make a friend, huh?" Sugar looked a little nervous at that, but Calliope smiled gently. "Don't sweat it. I'll do all the talking~" she teased.
As she headed his way, she waved in an almost flagging-down way. "Hi there!" she called as she grew near enough that she only had to raise her voice a little rather than fully yell. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 20, 2020 22:20:55 GMT
Elliot didn't think he'd ever find himself back on this route.
When he first came here, it was in a desperate rush away from home. Sure, it wasn't like he needed to run. The only thing chasing him down was his own guilty conscience. Yet Elliot just knew that the more he lingered, the more tempted he'd be to call the whole thing off. He had barely any supplies to his name. He had no Pokemon to protect him. He had no goals. No ambitions. No hopes. No expectations. He just had the burning desire to get out of his house and onto his journey, come hell or high water. He couldn't let the fear of Ultra Beasts that may've still been out there or the lingering stress of leg injuries keep him from the opportunity of a lifetime. If his brother didn't understand? Then he'd need to leave, one way or another.
The towering trees and rugged rocks of Route 7 were a lot less scary now. So much of Elliot's life had changed since he went on his journey. He'd worked up the guts to participate in a gym battle, for one. Sure, he lost, but for his first ever attempt he had come so close! He had shown himself to the world in a modeling contract, something he never expected to attempt. He had even registered for a showcase! Sure, it was by accident. But instead of backing down from the challenge, he decided to step up to the plate and keep his registration.
Yet these were all just milestones. What mattered even more than that to Elliot was the companionship he had found along the way. Each person whose path he had crossed left an impact on him, whether they knew it or not. Some were just fleeting presences, their time together bringing Elliot wisdom nonetheless. Others were dear, invaluable friends, going from perfect strangers to fixtures in Elliot's life in just two months. Heck, he'd even befriended most of his favorite idol group! Who even knew that was possible?
It also seemed impossible that he'd take his training so far in such a short time. However, the proof was in the pudding. His starter, Echo, had been a baby just two months ago. Now she was a tiny little powerhouse, merrily perched on his shoulder. The rest of his team wasn't much further off. Murex, Curly, and HYAH!, the superstars he took the gym with, were also in tow. Their confidence was somewhat shaken by the loss, but spirits seemed high as they trailed behind Elliot and Echo. Bringing up the rear was Lord Beerus, sternly looking team over. He may not have participated in this gym battle, but he was pretty much the team's official trainer by this point.
Maybe coming back to where it all began would give these five some perspective.
As they walked off towards the distance, a voice rang out towards them. Elliot looked over his shoulder, noticing a familiar looking girl waving him down. Had he seen her from somewhere? Heard her, perhaps? No, no, nothing was ringing a bell. But she seemed friendly and willing to talk, and he could reminisce in silence any time, so what was the harm? He approached as she waved, a bright smile on his face. "It is, isn't it?" he said. "Finally starting to get less chilly, too! I might have to start leaving the hoodies at home soon.
My name's Elliot, by the way. It's great to meet you!" HYAH! and Curly fanned out from behind him, looking at Calliope curiously, and Echo waved cheerfully. What a friendly bunch!
[attr="class","curragepost"] What an interesting array of Pokemon the boy had! Callie hadn't noticed how many were nearby when she approached, but now it seemed he had practically a full party out for company, and some were pretty big and impressive-looking. "Ah, yeah!" she agreed about the warming weather as she continued to look the team over. "Though if you LIKE hoodies you might not HAVE to leave them just yet. Guess it depends on how easily you get hot though." She shrugged. Idle chatter was fine, but...
Elliot. Shoot, now she was certain she knew of him from somewhere, that name was so familiar! Was he friends with one of the girls? "Nice to meet you, too. My name's Calliope, but you can call me Callie, too." She made a brief face. "Not Cal though! Too short and it's not cute enough anymore!" She giggled softly. Ah, but this was bothering her...
Feeling Sugar brush against her ankles, Callie looked down at the shy Swirlix hiding a bit from the bigger and more numerous Pokemon and reached down to scoop her up in her arms to comfort and introduce both. "This little sweetie is Sugar."
But all right, only one way to find out, right? "Say, sorry if this is a weird question, but are you familiar with a band called Pixie Nightmare Girls? It's just ah, I'm their manager, see? And I feel like I should know you from somewhere through that, so..." She giggled nervously with a sheepish smile. "If I'm all wrong just ignore me of course!"
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 9-10; Using Fire Incense
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 21, 2020 3:54:08 GMT
Elliot couldn't help but grin at that. "That's true. Arciel's a lot colder than it is back home. Especially with the volcano right there," Elliot admitted. "I can probably get away with hoodie season for at least another month." Frankly, as far as idle chatter went, trying to decide the optimal length of hoodie season was a worthy topic!
The new girl seemed equal parts shy and outgoing, giving a bunch of names that worked (and one that didn't) while giggling. Frankly, it was too endearing not to smile about. Especially because he was the exact same way! "Sounds good to me, Callie," Elliot said, making sure to give the preferred name his attention. If she went out of her way to specify that Cal wasn't okay, the least Elliot could do was make a point of affirming the name she did want used.
At Sugar's hiding, Elliot's smile took a turn for the sheepish. "Alright, easy, easy, guys," he said, voice gentle and soft. "Let's save the intros for a bit later, so we don't overwhelm our new friends here." His Pokemon nodded in understanding, Elliot recalling them one by one. Soon, only Echo remained, waving goodbye to her friends as they disappeared into their balls. "Sugar's so cute! Are you getting her some training? Or are you just taking in the sights like Echo and I are?"
Well, not all of Elliot's Pokemon had been returned. One still remained, barely visible in the tall grass. It was a Wimpod, six inches long with big, sad, eyes, who promptly squeaked and hid behind Elliot. Echo hopped off of Elliot's shoulder, picking up the Wimpod and gently stroking its head. She trotted out from behind Elliot, holding the Wimpod up towards Callie. It bravely looked up at her, but the second she made any noise or sudden movement he would bury himself in Echo's arms. "And this is, uh. Okay, not conceited or anything, but this is Elliot," he said, averting his eyes bashfully. "My friend named him as a joke, and now it's kinda all he answers to. So, uh. Oops."
Was that a topic change? That sure sounded like a topic change! Pixie Nightmare Girls! Elliot perked up, both to get off of the awkward subject of his Wimpod's name and because at this point the band was responsible for all of his journey's best moments. "Familiar? I've actually met most of them!" he chirped, the blush easing off of his face some. Strange, huh? Months ago, even imagining that sentence would've gotten him blushing up a storm. Now, their presence was such a comfort that it actually left him less embarrassed! "Heck, Elise and Levy are two of the best friends I could've asked fo-"
Wait.
This was THAT Callie?
This was their manager!?
Elliot went quiet, eyes wide with shock, but before he could say anything (or clarify his own statement) a pink blur came crashing onto the scene. It was a Miltank wielding a Honedge as if it were a sword of her own. While her emergence was rather graceless, she stuck the landing, sliding back in a perfect three point stance. Her eyes flashed, the Honedge's eye flashing as well, before standing up straight. A trio of Ninetales after her, scuffs and dirt on their immaculately-kept fur a sign that they had been fighting for quite a while. Their tails swished from side to side, the air around Elliot and Callie warming just from their approach.
Nervously, Elliot shot a look over to Callie. "They look like they've been fighting for a while. If they don't stop, they could get seriously hurt," he said, voice hushed. "And if not them, then any trainer's passing by on the route. We have to do something, right?" he asked. He wasn't about to go charging off to be a hero, especially when there was another, potentially unprepared trainer right here with him. But his hand was on his Pokeballs, and it was clear that if Callie gave the go-ahead he'd spring right into action.
[attr="class","curragepost"] Hehehe! Callie wasn't the biggest hoodie person herself, but they looked cute on some people, and she appreciated the boy going along with her silly train of conversation.
After affirming her nickname, he recalled most of his Pokemon. Soon, only one remained. Or-- no wait, two? She hadn't even seen the little Wimpod earlier! How tiny and cute! She gasped lightly and her eyes sparkled at how small the bug was. Granted, the awe was mixed with a slight discomfort; if those little legs touched her she might scream. But just seeing the little guy at a safe distance was definitely more cute than scary, and "AWW." What a cute story for his name!
Hm? Oh! So she was right about it being through the girls that he looked familiar? Nice! Callie smiled at first, but when he went on to call two of them best friends, it turned to a confused frown. "Huh?" They were... best friends? Besties with her supposed besties and yet Callie had never met him? She--... was... were they growing apart since forming the band? Was she getting sidelined as their busy manager? Was all her hard work causing her to miss out on maintaining their friendship? ;-;
Before she could voice this nervousness, though, a pink and black blur zipped in close, and Callie let out a loud EEK! as she jumped back. Oh?? Oh no?? Oh it looked like the Miltank was... sword-fighting?? with a pack of Ninetales??
Oh, but Elliot had a good point! As much as Callie thought it might be a good idea to run somewhere safe, a fight this big could be dangerous. "Y-yeah, okay." Temporarily distracted from her previous anxiety, she shifted Sugar to one arm and sought two PokeBalls from her pocket. Enlarging them, she tossed out her Popplio and, at a bit of a risk, her new Gossifleur. Paprika wouldn't be the most effective but...
"Paprika, use Sing!" she ordered the Gossifleur. The little Grass-type did as asked, and soon the largest leader Ninetales and one of its lackeys were starting to nod off. Good! Now she could focus on taking them out one at a time. "Pudding, Water Gun the Ninetales that's left!" The fox was sprayed in the face, and it was enough to distract him from the Miltank to turn his focus toward the Popplio.
He retaliated with a Flamethrower, but the little sea lion took it like a champ. "Again, Pudding! Paprika, help with Rapid Spin!" Both Pokemon attacked, and the Ninetales was starting to look worse for wear.
Hm... It wasn't a Dark or Fairy type, and it wasn't a food-themed Pokemon, but... it WAS very pretty. Deciding she may as well try, Callie pulled out an empty Pokeball and tossed at the Ninetales.
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 6-10; Fire Incense used: 1/5
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 22, 2020 0:08:53 GMT
For someone so nervous about stepping up to the plate, Callie sure proved she had what it took. Elliot had never come out of an encounter with Arciel's massive, terrifying "bosses" intact, yet Callie had just dispatched them with ease. His eyes followed her Pokeball. Would she catch the last Ninetales and bring this to an end? It would all be in the hands of fate now . . .
And fate smiled on them! The Pokeball clicked, and Elliot beamed at Callie. "That was incredible!" he cheered, only to catch himself and dial his energy back down. Right. Right. The poor girl was nervous. He wasn't going to gush too heard, even if she earned it. Nevertheless, the relief in his voice was evident. He turned back towards the battlefield, an easy grin on his face. "And now that all the fighting's settle-
Why's she charging at us?"
Perhaps the Ninetales weren't the aggressors here! Miltank rolled towards Elliot like an avalanche of flesh. He shuffle stepped away from Callie, trying to make sure that the Miltank wouldn't catch her in the crossfire. Perhaps this shuffle-step would draw attention to his bad leg, but there were more important things for Elliot to worry about right now. He watched carefully as the Miltank veered away from Callie and towards him, reaching towards Echo. As she tapped his hand, the two disappeared in a ripple of energy that left the Miltank careening through nothing.
Elliot, Echo, and . . . well, Elliot huddled for a quick roundtable as their foe looked around. "Alright. We're gonna have to stop her," Elliot whispered. "Echo, start things off by teleporting to its side for a Psybeam. From there, maybe try and parry that Honedge away from her with a Fire Pu-" He stopped suddenly, a squeak of protest interrupting his battle plan. As he looked towards the source, it was none other than his Wimpod, who wriggled out of Echo's grip and started scuttling towards the Miltank. "Elliot, no! Don't be a hero!" he pleaded, but it was to no avail. Elliot was a bug on a mission!
Said mission promptly stopped as the Miltank towards towards him, pointing at him with her blade. Pokemon-Elliot let out a shrill scream of fear and ran back towards his trainer, kicking up torrents of sand in his wake. As the Miltank chased after him she stopped short, hacking and wheezing from the sand in her eyes and throat. "Brilliant idea, Elliot!" Trainer-Elliot chirped, the Wimpod shooting him a confused look. "If it can't see you, it can't fight you. This could be a great chance for you to get some practice in. And if things get too bad, Echo and I can step in for you, okay?
We're right here! We believe in you!" With his trainer's affirmations, Elliot scuttled back up to the Miltank, kicking more sand at her eyes. She leaped into the air, aiming to body splash the Wimpod into the ground, but by now she was seeing through stung, teary eyes. She could barely even make out where the Wimpod was, let alone hit him. As she hit the ground, Elliot saw his chance to capitalize. He narrowed his big, frightful eyes, focusing all of his anxiety and stress right at the Miltank. She flinched in response, clutching her head from the force of the Struggle Bug. It barely even did damage, but the symbolic value of first blood couldn't be denied.
This may've been a bit long and messy of an encounter, but Elliot was fairly confident that it'd end well. Miltank couldn't land hits. Elliot could. At this point, the numbers were in his favor. Yet there was one target he forgot to consider; the Honedge. Miltank plunged the blade into the ground, a shadow creeping out and snaking towards Elliot. He tried to scuttle away, but it was too late. The blade's shadow popped out of his own, bopping him right over the head. It was so surprising! And it hurt! It really hurt!
. . . Wait. That didn't hurt at all. Both Elliot's blinked in confusion, only for the trainer to perk up in realization. "Miltank's the stronger of the two, but Honedge is the only one that can hit right now," Elliot said. "Maybe if we separate them, we can make this easier. Echo, think you can teleport them away from each other?" Echo nodded, toddling towards the Miltank at lightning-fast speed! Elliot launched one last blast of sand at the Miltank, causing her to flinch and loosen her hold on the Honedge. As he grip slipped, Echo was able to hop onto her blade. She wrapped her arms around it, its tassel unfurling from the Miltank's wrist in surprise, then vanished in another ripple of energy.
While Elliot expected the divide-and-conquer strategy to help, what happened next was a surprise even to him. The disarmed Miltank looked around, disoriented and confused. From its body language it seemed to have no idea where it was right now! Upon taking in the scenery it shrugged, curled itself up into a ball, and lazily rolled away. It was as if the will to fight had been completely sapped from the Pokemon. "Strange . . ." Elliot muttered, but the situation would only get stranger from there. Echo and the Honedge reappeared from their teleport, the blade letting out a frustrated groan upon reappearing. It angrily chattered at Echo, then turned away from her, crossing its tassel across the surface of its blade. Was it trying to fold its arms in disappointment?
It was a baffling situation. And yet, the more Elliot thought about it, the more it started to add up. Weak blade. Strong Miltank. An inexplicable fight with an army of tough Pokemon. Understanding flashed in his eyes, and he gently walked over to the Honedge. "You're trying to get tougher, huh?" Elliot asked, the sword pointedly ignoring his approach. Yet as he continued to softly, patiently wait by its side, it finally turned to him, giving him a curt clatter in response. "Yeah. That Miltank was one tough opponent. Honestly, if she was still willing to fight, I don't think we could've beaten her!" More angry clatters came from the Honedge. After all, Elliot was the one who had taken that strong partner away from it! "But . . . you can't just make someone fight if you don't want them to, y'know? And just because you're a sword doesn't mean you need to rely on having a strong wielder. You, too, can get stronger if you put your heart into it.
I can help show you, if you'd like. Just like you, I was lost, confused, and relying only on the strength of others when my journey started." As he spoke, he took a Luxury Ball out from his pocket. He couldn't even imagine owning one of those when he started out, but look at him now! "But now I trust in myself, more than I could've ever imagined. Now my strength is my Pokemon's strength, and theirs is mine. We, too, would love to share it with you. If you'll give us the honor, of course." The smile on his face was small, soft, and understanding, and the tension in the Honedge's tassel seemed to slacken. Was it considering his offer?
[attr="class","curragepost"] Callie beamed at Elliot's praise, proud of herself even if she was pretty sure he was jumping the gun. Those other two Ninetales wouldn't likely sleep for long. But before she could say anything, the Miltank and Honedge duo came charging their way, proving a threat as well. "Oh no!"
As Elliot moved away, Callie called out, "Pudding-" but was interrupted by a sharp yip as the middle-sized of the three Ninetales had woken up and shot an Incinerate toward Paprika. The Gossifleur shrieked with pain even from the fairly low base power, but still super-effective, attack. Without hesitation, she retreated into her ball. Aww.. Well that was fair. Callie had only just caught her after all; it made sense she wasn't willing to face too much danger yet. But okay...
"Looks like Elliot and his Pokemon have the other two, so Pudding? You know what to do!" The Popplio barked in affirmation and began pelting the Ninetales with a series of Water Guns. The battle didn't last long, Pudding having the clear advantage, and soon the Ninetales looked to be on its last leg. ...Hm! Alolan Ninetales were Fairy-types, right? And there was that special powder you could buy to change a Pokemon, so... Callie grabbed another PokeBall and tossed toward the Ninetales.
Before she could even see if it would succeed, however, the largest Ninetales woke, furious when he saw his pack had been dispatched. He fired his own Incinerate at Pudding, but the attack did little damage. Pudding returned it with a Water Gun, but then the Ninetales did something unexpected: he Disabled Water Gun! Well, that would make things harder...
Pudding continued to attack with a series of Pound and Disarming Voice attacks, while the Ninetales... only seemed to have two fairly weak attacks as well? So this could go on a while... Fortunately, just when Pudding was seeming worse for wear, the Disable wore off, and he managed another Water Gun. The boss Ninetales used another Secret Power, but before it could hit, water engulfed Pudding and he took off through the sky to crash down into the Ninetales. Was... that Aqua Jet? He must have just learned it! Awesome!
The Ninetales decided this wasn't worth it, and quickly ran off, leaving his pack to their fates. "Awesome job, Pudding!" Callie exclaimed. She looked over to see how Elliot was doing just in time to see him befriend the Honedge. "Hey, congratulations!" Oh, that reminded her, had the other Ninetales been caught? If not, was he still here trying to catch his breath, or had he run off? She looked over to see.
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 6-10; Fire Incense used: 1/5
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 22, 2020 20:58:46 GMT
The Honedge looked towards Elliot, looked towards his outstretched Pokeball, then slapped it out of his hand. Instead, she dove right into his hand, her tassel snaking up his arm. Elliot shivered a little. It kind of felt like his very essence was being given a firm squeeze. He coughed a little, but looked towards the Honedge and tried to muster up a smile. "Y-you really like having a wielder, huh?" Elliot rasped, but Echo wasn't having it. She stormed up to the Honedge, her fist alighting in flame. Immediately the Honedge got the picture, letting go of Elliot and backing away.
Elliot looked a little pale, and some bags darkened under his eyes, but the contact was brief enough to prevent significant adverse effect. Nevertheless, hobbled back over to the Luxury Ball to pick it up, offering it to the Honedge anew. "I don't think I can help you out like that. Not yet, at least," he said. "But this offer's still open." Echo looked warily between the two, arms folded, but didn't see the need to step in just yet.
After a pause, the Honedge leaned its hit into the Luxury Ball, accepting her capture. Elliot picked the ball up, squatting down towards his wary Ralts and ruffling her hair. "I know you're worried, Echo. But I know she doesn't mean me any harm. I think she was just a little overzealous, y'know?" The Ralts hummed slightly, then leaned into him. Elliot gave her a gentle hug. "We've trained other hard cases before. I promise you. Everything's gonna be alright."
At Callie's congratulations, Elliot grinned softly at her. "Hey, thanks! Congratulations to you, too," Elliot said. "Two catches back to back, without even missing a beat. You and your Pudding are really something!
. . . Oh yeah! Right! We were talking about you managing PNG, right? What's that like? I know it's gotta be a lot of work, but I bet you have so many good times to talk about, too!"
[attr="class","curragepost"] Callie giggled and Pudding barked happily when they were complimented on their catches. They had done well, huh!
But the revelry was short-lived as Elliot soon reminded her why she'd been on the verge of freaking out before. Callie paled, and shuffled uncomfortably. "I... don't know," she admitted. "I... I thought the girls were all my besties, but.. you say you're best friends with two of them, and I've barely heard of you, so... What if that means I've been spending too much time working and drifting apart from them in the process??" What if it was even worse? What if they didn't even like her anymore? What if they only kept her around to do the paperwork?
Argh!! She scrunched her face and shook her head to clear that thought. "I-I don't know! I'm sorry, I just..." Sugar looked up with concern and nuzzled against Callie to comfort her, and Pudding flopped over to place a flipper on her foot to try to do the same. Oh no. Were those tears in her eyes? Of course not, she was just... sweating, from her eyeballs.
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 7-15; Fire Incense used: 1/5
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 23, 2020 0:45:16 GMT
Elliot's face fell as he heard Callie's worries. Oh no! He didn't meant to do that! The sight of the girl looking down, eyes crestfallen and tears welling up, her Pokemon snuggled up to comfort her, was frankly heartbreaking. He considered reaching out to her, and may have even reached towards her, but stopped himself. This wasn't his place to join the snuggle pile.
Instead, he just looked towards her, keeping a safe yet approachable distance. "Hey. It's okay," Elliot said. "I know what it's like trying to keep all that stuff balanced. My mom, you know? She's been so busy since we've come to Arciel. Sometimes, I find myself missing what it was like back in Hoenn, when she had all the time in the world to spend with me. But the fact that she works so hard just to keep me and my brother afloat, all by herself? There isn't a bigger sign in the world that she loves us.
The fact that you work so hard for yours girls shows you're not just their bestie. You're flat out one of the best, most caring friends they could ever ask for. And just because you sometimes get a little too caught up to tackle the fun stuff doesn't change that fact. It never will. And they'll never forget it, either.
Though if you're starting to feel the crunch from working all the time, do you think finding someone who can help with them might be useful? You know, like a personal assistant or something? Just because you're the manager doesn't mean you need to tackle all the hard parts yourself, right?"
[attr="class","curragepost"] As Callie listened to Elliot do his best to reassure her, she found herself deeply endeared as well as all the more embarrassed that she was letting herself get so emotional so quickly with someone she'd just met. But... but his words did make a lot of sense! And she'd definitely like to think the girls knew she worked so hard out of love for them! She nodded a little as he spoke with a whimpered "Mmhmm" to show she was following along.
But then he threw out an idea, and the lights came on in Callie's head. "An assistant...?" There was an idea she hadn't thought of in quite a while. "I... dunno. Last time I looked into it we couldn't afford one, but we've been doing way better lately, with some of our merch deals and more reliable gigs." It was a good idea! Oh, but she'd have to go through the process of finding someone she could get along with, and who genuinely loved the band, and got along with the girls all right, and--
She blinked, violet eyes shifting back down to Elliot. "Say uh... Do you have a job, or... might you be interested?" If he was both a fan and friend, it couldn't hurt to ask, right? "Not like, 'hey it's yours if you want it', or anything. Not yet. But if you did, maybe you could tell me a bit more about yourself and we could hang out today as kind of an 'interview'?"
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 7-15; Fire Incense used: 1/5
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 23, 2020 1:43:23 GMT
Now it was Elliot's turn to squeak and whimper in surprise. "Wait, what?" he asked, eyes wide from surprise. He blushed and averted his eyes, awkwardly fiddling with the handle of his walking stick. "I-I mean, I'm interested. Of course I am! Don't see how I couldn't be! I mean, I've always been a big fan of you guys, after all. And you're right, I've got a good rapport with a lot of the girls. I also don't really have a job right now, either. Like, I was thinking of applying to work at Elise's cafe? But other than that I've really just been pacing up and down West Arciel, kinda doing whatever opportunity pops up. So I'd have the time. I just . . .
Me? You really think I'd be a good fit?" He took a deep breath, drumming his fingers on his walking stick to try and calm himself. "Well . . . thank you. The vote of confidence, even if just for an interview, means a lot.
So! How're we gonna do this? Do you have, like, questions for me? Or should I just talk about myself? I mean, I'm not usually good at that. I kinda ramble on sometimes. But, I guess if you want to know everything about me, rambling's kind of a good thing? So, uh. Fire away!" God, his stomach felt like it was doing backflips. But he could safely say they were the good kind.
Even this far into his journey, he was thankful for each and every chance meeting.
[attr="class","curragepost"] As Elliot rambled, so clearly flustered and excited, Callie slowly became a little endeared. He seemed like a good, sweet kid. She could get a good vibe of why Levy and Elise liked him. She giggled softly as he wrapped up. "Well, first let's be clear, I didn't say you'd be a good fit yet," she told him. "But that's because I don't know you yet! I just figure it's worth finding out if my girls like you already, ya know?" She smiled sweetly.
"So... I am gonna need to know how well you can follow instructions, and do paperwork, and maybe how good you are at math, and some jobby stuff like that. But I think most important for an assistant I'm gonna be spending a lot of time working with is someone I get along with who can do at least most of those jobby things, right?" It simply wouldn't do to have someone stuffy and boring or worse, someone mean! "So just tell me about yourself, I guess! You said you moved here from Hoenn? When and why? And whatcha been doin' wandering the coast, and what kinds of cool jobs have you found so far to help you stay afloat?" Oh, she hoped she wasn't overwhelming him. "Ah, don't feel like you have to answer all those at once, just some ideas of what to talk about!"
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 7-15; Fire Incense used: 1/5
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 23, 2020 3:29:24 GMT
Elliot nodded. Right, in his nerves, he got a little ahead of himself. Still, it seemed like this wouldn't be as bad as he thought! "My mom just wanted a change of scenery, really," Elliot said. "Things were . . . a bit rocky back at home. She wanted to get away, and after taking us on an Arciellian vacation decided this'd be the place for us. So we moved into a quiet little home in Ash City, and that was our life from then on. It was . . . hard, at first, I'll admit. I missed a lot of my friends from home, and being halfway around the word from pretty much everything I knew and loved was an adjustment. But especially now that I'm on my journey, I've been coming to really love Arciel for what it is! Even if it's chilly over here.
I was ten when we moved, so its been about six years now." Had he really spent five of those just worrying? He should've done this years ago!
Next up was what he'd been up to for fun, and how he was sustaining himself along the way. He rubbed the back of his neck at this question, blushing a bit. "Well, for the longest time, I wasn't really doing anything special," he admitted. "I was mostly just taking in the sights and making friends with the people and Pokemon I met along the way. I took on some odd jobs for resources along the way, but for the most part I spent the start of my journey camping out or crashing at Pokemon Centers.
Then I met Levy." Yeah, Elliot's voice brightened as soon as he brought her up. How could it not? She was his beloved surrogate big sis! "Our first meeting was . . . a bit rocky. Not because of anything she or I did! We got a little in over our heads in some wild encounters, and basically had to drag each other back to Bass. We were getting along really well before all that chaos happened, but after getting through it all together? By then we were fire-forged friends.
She actually gave me a place to crash when I told her I was striking it out on my own. So that'd be another reason why I want to apply for this. So I can give back to her for that help. Even if she won't let me pay her rent for it . . ." He actually sounded disappointed about not having to pay! That was a resounding endorsement for his integrity!
"Overall the journey's been pretty calm and peaceful. Bass has been my home base of sorts, so I've been spending a lot of time relaxing at the cafe with Elise, helping Levy around the house, or exploring the nearby routes. However, it's actually been getting pretty busy lately! A friend convinced me into giving modeling a shot, and we actually ended up getting put in one of Elise's photoshoots. I also gave the Bass City gym a shot, and while we lost I'm incredibly proud of how close of a fight my team gave Hiro. That's pretty much the big two, for no-
Oh! Right! I also registered for the upcoming showcase." There was a brief yet noticeable pause. "By accident. The website was really unclear. But . . . even if it's not something I ever expected to do, I'm actually getting really excited for it!"
You know, phrasing it like that, maybe Elliot's life wasn't as boring as he thought. Huh!
[attr="class","curragepost"] Callie listened intently to all his answers. She wondered in what way things were rocky, and if it maybe had to do with him not mentioning his dad, but she wouldn't pry. When he got to how long ago it was, though, she perked up. "Oh! I moved here from Galar when I was 10, too, though it was a few more years back." She flashed a smile. "The accent's mostly gone now, but it rears up now and then." She giggled softly, then let him continue.
Next up was not unexpected, a typical story of early trainer journeys, but then... He... what? Callie remembered Levy talking about getting into some trouble when she got a bit hurt that time, and that she'd mentioned a boy who helped her. So that was Elliot? Callie might or might not have been told his name before and just forgot, but it was almost reassuring to know she'd heard a little more than she thought about him hanging out with the girls...
Until he got to that he was living with Levy!?!? Her eyes went wide and her mouth pursed. H-how did she not know this...? Was Levy trying to keep it a secret? Were they... were they lovers? Callie squinted for a moment and resisted physically shaking her head to clear the thought. It didn't matter! It really didn't. Eliza had a boyfriend and Elise had had one for the longest time, and it never affected their friendship or the band or Callie's feelings. This was... fine. And as for not having heard about it, she was conducting this 'interview' in hopes of spending more time with the girls soon! So really. Totally fine!!
That potential existential crisis averted, she zoned back in to what he was saying just in time to hear about modelling with Elise. "Oh! That's where I know your face from. Elise showed us a few of those photos." Callie still needed to look up the whole shoot some time, but oh well. "Sounds like you guys had an interesting time."
Ooh, and a Gym match? "Even getting close sounds pretty great, especially if you're still a new trainer." Even moreso if training hardcore wasn't his main goal.
And... Awww! Callie gasped lightly and her eyes sparkled softly. "A Showcase, awww! I bet you'll do great!" she assured him. "After all, your teammates are so cute!" Well, actually Cloyster and Huntail weren't traditionally 'cute' exactly, but he had a Ralts, and that Wimpod was so small it qualified. So still!
She sighed. "I've always loved showcases, but I could never do something like that. I have just horrible stage fright," she explained. "Like I can sing and dance and I help the girls practice between shows, but I could never be a full part of the band, even if it sounds nice in theory..." She didn't seem overly sad, though, just kind of wistful, dreaming of what could be.
[attr="class","curragebot"] Lv Range: 7-15; Fire Incense used: 1/5
Post by Elliot Sunderland on May 23, 2020 17:38:28 GMT
At Callie's change in expression, Elliot nervously raised his hands in a placating gesture. "N-not like that! Oh, goodness, I'm always so bad at explaining that part," he said, words tripping over themselves. The blush on his face was neon now. "It's really almost more like she's the cool big sis I never had. I know, I know. Maybe that's silly. But her encouragement and support are half the reason I didn't just give up, turn back, and go home already. I promise, though. It's nothing untoward or anything. Honestly at this point, I couldn't see her as anything but my awesome big sis."
Now, next up was someone who that did not apply to! Elliot coughed a little at the mention of the photo shoot, trying to keep Elise's rather tissue paper like outfit out of his head. "Interesting was certainly a word for it," Elliot said. Instead, he needed to think on happier thoughts. Like Lynn's angry birthday party of an outfit. Or the leather monstrosity. "I still owe Elise big time for taking on that one hideous outfit that really highlighted my bad leg for me. I don't know what the designer was thinking picking me of all people to wear it, but . . . I think I would've melted on that stage if people saw me like that. The other weird outfits were just plain funny, though. Like the one where I looked like some kind of walking Unovan dollar. And overall it was a really fun experience!"
Okay. Good. Gym match. There was nothing embarrassing or shameful about the gym match! "I certainly didn't expect my first gym battle to end in a Mega Evolution, that's for sure!" he said. "For such a laid-back guy, Hiro really knows how to step things up. But me and my team are gonna have to try way harder if we're gonna step up to him. Especially if we stick to the water vs. water plan. And that means you've got a starring role, doesn't it, Elliot?" The Wimpod blushed brightly, freezing up. Elliot and Echo couldn't help but giggle at his surprise.
He prepared to talk about his Showcase plans, but froze up when Callie mentioned her stage fright. She could never do something she so dearly loved? That sounded like torture! His eyes were warm yet downcast, and he frowned slightly as she talked about it. Yet, at the same time . . .
"I can understand that," Elliot admitted. "You probably wouldn't know it from how outgoing I seem. But when there are enough eyes on me, I clam up really hard. You should've seen me at the gym, when Hiro and my own Pokemon teamed up to put a spotlight on me before the last round. I could barely squeak out any pre-battle words. Honestly, I don't even know how I'm going to get through this Showcase! I'm probably going to just keep as much spotlight on my Pokemon as possible. Or maybe just, like. Blank out, and wake up to find I've pushed myself through it."
But Callie really seemed to love the idea of showcases! She didn't seem too beat up over not being a part of this one, but she still seemed so . . . wistful. As if she was dreaming about what could have been. Elliot frowned slightly, then perked up in thought. "You know, it feels like my stage fright is at it's least bad when I'm cosplaying," he murmured, as if thinking out loud. "Wait, wait, I've got it!
How would you feel if I made you a mask? Like this was some big masquerade ball?"
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