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.
Pokemon were good, they didn't have weird complexities to deal with- they were pure, and they neededall the love possible. Her mouth quirked into a small smile as her eyes fluttered closed, for a moment just enjoyed patting Gum- at least that was until- "Fuc-" a shriek all but left her lips as she was all but hoisted upwards by Gum's vines, holy fuck? What- Gum? She sniffled again, her arms flailing momentarily- "G-Gum, down!" She all but called out, eyes wide. Gum was a precious mon, but now she was... too high for comfort.
After a few seconds the girls sniffles turned to giggles, ironic right? It was absurd, everything was just- too much for her to really comprehend, and she was behind held up by the vines of a ditto disguised as an ivysaur, and Gabe wasn't bleeding out but rather just, pained? Gabe's night had been ruined ironically by the best, and only part of her night.
Why did this always happen? Is she just running in circles in a loop of stupid shit happening? Is there any way to truly escape the past, no matter how hard you try to fight and push it back? Why did she just- she didn't even know what she was doing- but up there, in Ivysaurs vines, she suddenly had an idea. A stupid idea, but it was an idea, and it'd help, probably. And she wouldn't have to go out into the ball in her soaking wet outfit just to get recognised and maybe swarmed. "...Gum...Can... you know, uh, where.... the bar is right?"
Ice. Ice would help very much. "Can... you... uh, p-put me down, I have a special mission for you, buddy."
Down??? Gum frowned as it looked up at Ara not understanding the request. But! But she was laughing! Or something! The Ditto grinned wide and started to sway its vines a little as if to try and shake more laughs out of her.
At the request, though, it slowly lowered her to the ground again and blinked slowly. Hm???? A small weird noise escaped from it again. Looking around, it spotted the bar and then looked back to her and nodded. Yes, it knew where that was. It had eyes. Sure, it could do something— whatever was asked. A small cry escaped from it.
Okay, Gum was precious. Arietta couldn't help the small smile that stretched on her features, this would go good- this would go okay, right? At his cry, seemingly noting the bar Arietta nodded her head, "Okay, Gum, you know how your trainers a little hurt right now?" She tilted her head to the door, swallowing down a knot in her throat. This would turn out fine, totally and utterly fine. She'd had practice faking being enthusiastic, she did do interviews every other day. "We're gonna make him feel better- at the bar there should, uh, be these cube things?" She raised her hand up and indicated with her thumb and forefinger what the usual size of ice would be, "They'll be like, really really cold- imagine what the ice punch did, but in a square form! We need a lot of those!"
She was being overly enthusiastic, not wanting to lose Gum's attention and wanting them to understand. They had to understand. "You go over there, and use your vines to get... maybe a bag? Make a noise at anybody who attempts to stop you, which I doubt because, you're a good Gum, right Gum?" She fidgited, then attempted a bigger smile- if this didn't work...
No. She wasn't going to think. If it worked Gabe would be in less pain, which meant he might be able to get out of here and to people who can actually help quicker. "Can you, uh, do that for me buddy?"
Ooooh! Gum stared with big eyes and listened to every word that Ara spoke. Ok! Ok! It could do that! Nodding along with her words and looking seemingly convinced about what to get, it gave a small cry of assurance. It could bring back that thing! At the direction, it turned and gave a small nod. Ok! Ok! Waddling out into the ball area again, it disappeared for a moment off towards the bar.
A voice came from behind Ara then. “You know it’s going to fuck up that order, right? It’s not exactly a bright Pokemon…” Gabe was talking through his teeth as he was slowly standing himself up from the chair. Why he had decided to do so was anyone’s guess, but only Gabe truly knew right then.
Okay! All her hope was on Gum, hopefully they'd bring back... something. Something of use, something that's probably okay? Now what did she do- she should probab- Her eyes widened slightly as she heard Gabe speak up, turning on her heel to quickly face him. "I- I mean- If they're going to the bar, they're at least going to bring back something cold that ca-" Her words were shoved right out of her mouth as she noticed Gabe was up- no! Gabe shouldn't be up! What the fuck was he on?
That'd put pressure on his leg, which would mean more pain? "Fucking arceus- Gabe sit the fuck back down!?" Her gaze went warily to his leg, then back to where he'd just stood up from, moving closer to attempt to lightly push his shoulder to get him back down, "Something colds coming, which should relieve the leg even more than water- probably- should?" She paused, blinking, "Wait shit I didn't- isn't putting just ice on something bad- just sit down and chill out, you're going to strain the leg and probably damage it more?"
“Tchghk???” The noise out of Gabe’s mouth might not have been entirely human. “Don’t tell me what to do???” he snapped back a little harsher than even he expected. His leg was throbbing. His side was throbbing, but he remained standing then unmoving. As she moved forward to try and force him back down, he winced. “Ara—“ he started only to groan as she found himself slowly sitting down again.
What was she even…. He grimaced back at her. “Nothing’s broken,” he stated. “I checked.” Was that what he had been doing when she was busying herself with Gum? “So I’m just….” A sigh escaped from him. Ice or something was coming, and he was vaguely worried what the something would be knowing Gum. “You worry too much.” A pause. “About me… given.” He trailed off and glanced down sideways.
Gum, meanwhile, was going about doing what it thought was a fantastic job, but it was not back yet.
She all but flinched back at his tone, blinking a few times. She wasn't... she was. She had a habit of attempting to control every detail in her life the best she saw fit, she wasn't even thinking- but still! Gabe. Was. Injured. If he wasn't sitting down then he was in more pain than necessary. She didn't care right now if he wanted to stand up, or at his stupid protests. As he continued to state nothings broken her arms crossed over her chest and a sigh left her lips, "Just because it's not broken doesn't mean it doesn't hurt? Are you even-" She cut herself off and took another breath, "But- E-Even if it's not broken, it's painful, like... You should keep off it for as long as possible right now? You've had like... dance injuries before, you're not stupid."
At his 'you worry too much' she paused, was she really worrying too much? She couldn't just stay seated with her head in the clouds thinking everythings going to be fine and great while somebody withers in pain- she didn't like... she didn't like seeing that somebody in pain. She didn't care, at least right now, that he'd snapped her phone and taken it, she wasn't thinking about being left calling her eyes out in the middle of a town- she just wanted to help, she needed to help.
"It's a normal amount of worrying..." She mumbled out, averting her gaze. After a few more seconds she took a breath and walked over to the door, opening it a peak in an attempt to see if she could find Gum. Focus on Gum. Gum the hero, hopefully.
Gabe’s jaw clenched some. “I’ve been in more pain than this before,” he said curtly. “I’m used to it—“ A pause. Gabe bit back whatever set of words he had been about to say and gulped them down. He wasn’t going to get into what he’d been through since they’d parted, since he left high school, since he’d lived on his own. It wasn’t her problem. He didn’t want to talk about it. The conversation trailed off, and Gabe folded his arms in front of himself and once more propped his foot up.
Meanwhile, the sounds of excitement and movement would accrue as sure enough Gum was coming back— with a bucket of ice that looked somewhat like what was stashed on tables to keep bottles at tables cold… and a bottle of something and two glasses. Oh. Well, here it was now standing at the girl’s bathroom smiling pleasantly and holding out these things to Ara again. It had done good, right?
She'd done something again, she knew it. That or suddenly everything was very, very clear. Her breath hitched as she held onto the door, because he shouldn't be used to it? And even if he was...it was still, a bad injury- what did he do to get injured worse? Had he gone through like a surgery or something, maybe? Her hands moved to the door and she sighed, holding it as she kept her gaze out on the ballroom, eyes widening as she spotted him, "Itttt's Gum." was all that left her lips.
Gum was back. Gum! And they had... a bucket? The girl ensured to usher the ditto in, closing the door behind him before surveying the spoils he'd brought back- this. This wasn't exactly what she'd asked for, but hell, it'd work. Taking the things, and attempting another smile towards the pokemon she gently muttered out a "Thanks, you did reeealllly good, Gum! Back to protecting the door with the... vine whips, yeah?" before moving to put everything up on the sink, what could she use? What would... She couldnt just... scoop out the ice, right?
Glancing to Gabe, then back at the bucket the pulled out the beverage, a purse to her lips- it was cold, especially after being in ice- it could be relief used for now while she attempted to make some sort of toilet paper ice pack, maybe? Probably. Definitely. Taking the glasses out and pushing them aside the moved back to Gabe, passing him the bottle. "...It's, uh... cold- so just put it on your leg, if you want I mean- i'm gonna make an ice pack thing..." Her words were hesitant and she quickly moved over to where the bucket was, grabbing it and dissapearing into one of the stalls for a moment- ice pack. Make an ice pack. Don't make a mistake, just an ice pack.
"...You must be pretty clumsy..." Her voice carried out from the stall, it was easier to speak now that she wasn't looking at him, she'd begun to make a toiltet paper barrier to put the ice in. "To be used to things like this- or... or worse than that- you... never really..." She stopped herself and closed her mouth, going back to slowly adding the layers of ice, though... it probably would have been a better idea to just hold the bucket to his leg, to be honest. The toilet paper was pretty quickly soaking up all of the moisture. She had to say something, Arietta hated silence, she hated what it implied. Something that wouldn't make him mad, something that could distract hi from the pain. "I saw your tattoo, or like a bit of it- it's really pretty- when did you get it?"
Relinquishing the items, Gum smiled and then found itself ushered out again. Gabe watched Ara from his seated position mentally going over all of what she’d somehow managed to get form Gum. As the bottle was handed to him, though, he stared down at it for a few seconds and then found a shaky breathy laugh bubbling up in him. Arceus, if only it wasn’t sealed at the top. He’d pop it open and down it all. His gaze flicked back to the bucket with ice, and he had to wonder if there was a corkscrew in there somewhere.
You must be pretty clumsy cut through these passive thoughts. Oh…. Gabe’s gaze dropped, and he found himself shifting a little to press the bottle to his knee. Chewing the inside of his mouth, he remained silent on that front. At the mention of his tattoo, though, he found himself reaching sideways to pull down his sleeve again. “A little while ago,” he answered. “It’s Chrysanthemum’s flower symbols.” He halfheartedly wondered if she remembered that that was his home city back in Arro. “I’ve liked the pattern for a while.” He trailed off again very briefly still ruminating on the other thoughts.
“I lived on the streets for a while, you know,” he decided to be as general and straightforward as possible there. “There’s a lot that… happens when you’re a young trainer….” A young trainer who refused support from others during an especially vulnerable time in his life, heh.
She found herself struggling to further wrap up the ice, it just kept... wetting the toilet paper? A soft groan left her lips as she wrestled with a roll once more before finally giving up, leaving her head against the stall for a moment as she dwelled on how to make a decent ice pack before the mess she created melted- how did she- oh. He was talking! The girl poked her head out the stall to glance at Gabe, watching him adjust his sleeve with an upturned brow, echoing his words softly. "...Chrysanthemum's, huh?" After a few beats she nodded, disappearing back into the stall.
The name, for one rason of another rung a bell, but she couldn't figure out why, or what it was. She absently muttered, "It... it suits you..." as she stared down at the ice cubes- right... Fabric would be her best bet to contain them. Fabric.... No.
She was not ripping her outfit! Her hands moved to collect the ice and put it back in the bucket for a moment, to stop it from melting all over the floor, almost missing as Gabe began speaking again, and she couldn't help the choked noise that left her throat upon him saying he'd lived on the street- what the fuck?! "O-On the..." Her words trailed off, laced with disbelief. She knew he left the highschool pretty much after everything went down, but she hadn't... how could she have? "That's... you at least have somewhere now, right?"
She sat on the floor of the stall for a moment, finishing gathering her ice- purse. Her purse- she could- oh fuck she was a genius. She dodged out the stall for a moment, moving towards the sink to grab at her purse, quickly dumping the contents on the floor, almost impatiently. As she did so she spoke, "Weren't you... you were living with her?" His asshole mum- was she still an asshole? She shook her head a few times, turning to face Gabe, empty purse clutched in her arms, "I...sorry you, must of been through some shit, huh?"
As much as she hated her parents, or complained about every other problem under the sun, she'd never been homeless, she had literally everything and was on the way up, she couldn't begin to grasp living on the streets- especially if it happened to somebody who she assumed was financially secure- but... He did want to run away- so in the end... at least...
"So you did end up running away..." She concluded out loud, a soft tone to her voice. Her gaze was downcast for a moment before she turned and went back to the stall- ice- she had to get the ice. Without so much as an afterthought she grabbed a decent handful of ice and shoved it straight into the purse, ensuring it was in there snugly before dipping it up and exiting the stall, bucket in one hand, purse in the other. "Uh- okay so, like, toilet paper didn't work, so use this- hold it firmly to the knee though, it should be colder than the bottle."
It suits you… Gabe… wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but that was not in. Yellow eyes flicked sideways to his shoulder again, and a small smile came and went from his features. He supposed it did. A weirdly tired and half-heartedly nostalgic feeling was threatening him now, and he wondered if it was from the headache, the leg ache, or the fact Ara was in this close. “Yeah,” he answered her words abruptly. He had a place to live now. He was fine as he was now.
He watched her move but couldn’t really process what she was doing. Instead, he found himself answering her words. “I didn’t want to anymore,” was all he’d answer back with. That proclamation back in Ivy Town that he’d never return home had been truthful. He never wanted to live with her ever again. The apology earned a sharp half-laugh, and Gabe’s eyes flickered away. He didn’t even know what to say to that. What could he say to that? That she was right? That it had been hell? No.
So you did end up running away… “Kind of,” Gabe answered. Of course…. Mom ended up elbowing her way into his life again by having a fucking aneurism and being in and out of the hospital subsequently after.
As Ara stepped out and held the purse forward again, Gabe stared at it before slowly reaching forward and taking it. Sure enough, it was cold, and sure enough, he could set it easier on his knee than anything else she’d made so far. “Ara,” Gabe spoke softly, his gaze on his legs. “Last time you….we….. met…. You…” A sharp half-laugh escaped from him. “You mentioned I was stuck here. My mom… had an aneurism and wound up in the hospital. She’s been in and out of the clinic for years now.” A shaky breath came and went. “That’s the only reason I stayed.” He looked up at her with a strange defiance in his gaze.
She found herself propping the ice bucket up on the sink, absently moving to pick up the things she'd dropped as she dwelled upon his answers- he was at least secure and lived somewhere, off the streets of Arciel, Arcus knows they're hell at nigh. And not living with his mum... She could get that. Her hands fidgited, twisting her lipstick around in her palm to distract herself, only stopping when a call of her name brought her attention back to the boy before her.
He struggled over his words for a moment, but she could feel her insides twist as soon as he mentioned their last meeting- that... Was... Yikes. Her hands tightend on the lipstick but she didn't say anything, should she be expecting the worse? Was he going to bring up the things she'd said- or claim that she'd stolen something else of his?
As he spoke again though, the girl found herself taking a step back, primarily out of shock, as a soft, "Oh fuck." left her lips. Arceus wasn't on Gabe's side, at all. An Annuerism- and she'd... Arietta had literally gone off about him staying in Arciel instead of running away like he'd said, and- oh fucking mew she was an asshole. Guilt pooled up Ariettas throat but she forced it down with a gulp. "That's..." She didn't have words, she didn't know what to say, if she could even say anything. "'I..." An apology died on her tongue, she had no place to apologse, no reason to.
He could have been gone, and probably much happier if his mother hadn't... she bit down on her lip. What does she do? What can she do- at least he didn't seem to be in a lot of leg pain right now- the ice purse- it was helping right? She could busy herself with all the physical coping in the world, but when it came to anything else she didn't know how to respond, and so she did the only thing she knew how to and moved to grab the hand not holding the purse.
"...Do you resent her for that?" Left her lips, it.. must be frustrating, and conflicting, and hard to process. She couldn't begin to think about, it, so she didn't.
Gabe stared hard at Ara for a moment, but when it was clear she wasn’t going to say any more, he let his gaze slip again down to his knee. The dark bruising on his skin was going to look much uglier with time, but the pain had subsided substantially. He was pretty sure given enough time, he’d be able to walk reasonably well on it. He just needed some time. The bottle of wine that had been handed to him before was now sitting on the floor, and haphazardly he glanced over to it half wondering if it was worth drinking straight right then and there. Nah. He still didn’t have a cork for it.
As a hand touched his hand, though, Gabe fidgeted looking back up again. Did he resent her? For…. Going into the hospital? Gabe’s eyes pulled away from Ara’s again. “Yeah,” he answered quietly. “My dad and siblings heard about it too and ended up rushing over…. from Arro….” he muttered. He had kept talk of that side of his family to a bare minimum around Ara. He didn’t want to think about it too much back then. Now he was almost always thinking about it in some form or another.
What could she say? Arietta was at a mental roadblock, his whole family were in Arciel now?! What could she say to that- she couldn't really garner how he was feeling on the topic either, but if his whole family were in the region, and his mum too, it did mean he was stuck- ironically, and he.. probably had a low chance of running away, which was the one thing he had wanted. "Arceus really has it out for your ass, Gabe." She managed out, a quirk to her lips. That all sucked. And now he was here and his night had turned sucky.
"...I...don't really know what to say,." She managed out, a purse to her lips. The one things idols weren't supposed to admit. "But dance is helping you cope, or at least not dwell on all that shit, right?" She moved again, letting go of his hand, her gaze fleeting to the bottle she'd caught him momentarily looking at. Dance was a healthy way to cope, alcohol was not.
One glance to the ice bucket, then to the bottle again before she closed her eyes and shook her head, no- no. No. Instead she pushed her hands together and asked, "...Is your leg feeling any better- like- is the swelling going down? Do you need paracetamol- I think I dropped some over here somewhere..."
A sharp, grating laugh suddenly broke form Gabe. It was a double toned note that died almost immediately after. “I hate Arceus….” came the strangled mutter right after. Why was he even telling her all this? What was the point of it now? What did he expect to gain? Sympathy? Maybe? Empathy? Maybe? Why though. Why even… both….
Dance is helping you cope— Hah if it were only that simple. Gabe pushed the rest of those thoughts away for now, though. “Yeah, true enough,” he lied instead, a small smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. As their hands were pushed together, he glanced up again into her eyes and felt the smile pull a little more genuinely this time. “I could use some meds….” he answered. His head was still pounding a little to an unheard rhythm (maybe whatever was playing outside in the ball room), but he wasn’t sure just how well his leg was actually doing now. “….Thanks…”
There was a laugh, almost spiteful, full of some negative emotion she couldn't pinpoint, a hatred directed towards the pokemon above. She didn't respond, instead moved back to where the remnants of the insides of her purse lay. Upon hearing about dance how dance was helping her, a smile finally breached her face one more. "Dance..." She began, pinpointing where the meds were and scooping them into her palms, "Is like... an extra set of lungs? Uh- Makes breathing a lot easier on shitty days, right?"
She moved then, towards the sink. "I'm glad to hear it helps you- it's... dance is great- it's like- Arceus I sound like mum but when the music takes over and its just you, the beat and the dance floor, for a second nothing matters, and everything can be okay- dance can be forgiving, even if you do hit a bump in the road every, y'know... now and again?" She was rambling, she didn't know why, but she felt some talking was neccesary, something genuine, something she wouldn't trip over.
Popping two of the pills out she held them in one hand, moving over to pass them to Gabe, pausing for a moment, "Oh- wait there was a glass- I can get you some water to chase it with, hold that thought." She turned back to the sink, moving to pick up one of the abandoned glasses and filling it with some tap water- probably not the best but it'd do- and if anything water was, like... good right?
Handing it back to him, with a tinge of a smile on her features she mused slightly, "...I'm glad I started dancing, without it i'd probably be like, super fucked up or something-" She played it off as a joke, moving back once more and fidgiting. She wasn't here to talk, she was here to make sure he was okay, and then- what would she do after, would she do anything? Would she be able to enjoy herself without wondering if he was okay? He he didn't miraculously collapse on his way out?
"Sorry I didn't mean to... uh..." She quickly moved to find something else to do, her gaze quickly honing in on his leg, and hesitantly she moved to put her hand on it, as if to test the pain, "How bad does this hurt?" She tried again, glancing back at him finally.
Gabe’s eyes closed as Ara moved, and he listened to her talk. Even when you hit a bump in the road… Heh. It almost sounded as she was wishfully thinking everything could be healed over by some song and step numbers. Some deep part of him realized he wished it too. He took the medication only vaguely pausing to consider they might not actually be what she said they were before starting to take them. “Hm?” Oh, water. “Sure….” That would help them go down easier. He’d take the glass of water and down it with the medication.
What came after had him drinking a little slower. He’d been about to say something. The words had formed in his mind but not on his lips when she quickly changed the subject to his leg again. How bad did it hurt. He remembered again that she had asked him for a pain raiting, and finally he decided to give it. “Maybe like a three out of ten…” he answered slowly. He shifted a little in his seat, the words not leaving him. “….Didn’t we start dancing together?” he asked with a small forced laugh. Not like it matters now but….
A three out of ten- that was good! It wasn't too bad then- it was liveable, it was decent. Relief flushed through her system and she moved back to lean against the wall, good. That was good. She closed her eyes with one of the most exaggerated sighs of the century, a question that turned more into an afterthought spiralling out of her lips. "Maybe you'll be okay to walk on it soon? Did you wanna test- or- that's... actually maybe give it a few minutes." After being able to walk, the issue came of actually... getting out of here, and she didn't wanna dwell on that- that was for the future, that wasn't for right now!
As he brought up them dancing together an almost dumb expression washed over her face, "Yeah? That's why I was..." going over why it was so good, because they both did dance and she assumed he loved it too- she didn't let herself finish though, a shrug to her shoulders. "Yeah," She retried, "After they kicked me out of gymnastics, was a fucking mess, I don't even remember who brought it up..." A hand moved through her hair, idly glancing at the green locks before glancing up to the roof of the bathroom, they did dance. A lot, not that she wanted to remember or think about it right now- her whole point of living, her whole outlook on life was just...
Cursing the past, right? "Imagine the dumb look on the gymnastics teachers face now when she sees my name up on her screen- i'd pay for that." A laugh left her lips then, as her head met the wall again.
Maybe he’d be ok in a few minutes. Maybe he could make Gum be a split for him in the meantime. Gabe shifted himself to look back in the direction of the Dittosaur. It was still playing lookout like the dumb Pokemon it was. Good.
Ah, so…. so she did remember. A small chuckle escaped from him as she mentioned gymnastics. That was right. “It was me,” he reflected. “Since …. It would be close enough but different…” And it would be between the two of them rather than her and a squad of girls. Being reminded that she now used that skill daily to fulfill a career in showmanship shouldn’t have hurt as badly as it did— but if anyone asked, Gabe would say it was his leg. “….You really did make it quite far,” he answered softly, exhaustedly.
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