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.
There was a smile, and she couldn't tell if eased her worries or made them increase tenfold. He won't be dancing with as much vigour or whatever, sure but... there was always that chance. She understood not wanting to lose the night though, and eventually she nodded, he obviously wouldn't back down, maybe she was just being stupid, she shouldn't be worried. There was no reason. She just had to... move on with her night, and from this, and never think about it again, right?
Oh- storing in... a pokeball?! That was smart. That was really, really smart. She gave a smile back, "Arceus, you have everything all figured out, don't you?" It was a very general statement, really. Did she... even have a pokeball on her? She could probably makeshift something, or neg one of the girls from earlier for somewhere to put all her stuff- oh she shouulld probably retrieve her purse though, dump out the ice and see if she can make it okay when she gets home.
Moving across the room again and putting her handfuls of stuff on the sink she moved to grab at the ice-bag purse, dumping it into the sink ungracefully as possible. As she turned on the tap she heard a thanks, and there was a shrug to her shoulders, "It's nothing- just... one stranger helping another, right?
She sounded uncertain, and followed up with, "Wasn't going to leave you in the middle of the dancefloor, right?"
A hard thud reverberated in Gabe’s chest, and he gulped it down as it tried to climb up his throat. A grin pulled across his features and broke down into a goofier smile. “I do sometimes,” he answered a bit playfully at that. He leaned against the sink as he watched her move about grabbing her things.
Upon realizing Ara had thought he was thanking her not Gum, Gabe glanced sideways at her. Gum made a weird expression from Gabe’s knee but didn’t say much of anything back. “….You could have…” he stated slowly looking back in the mirror again. “But you didn’t so….” he chuckled softly. He watched her for a little longer before a thought occurred to him. “Gum….” he commented. “Mimic Lizbeth.” The Ditto whined not entirely sure why Gabe wanted it off but complying, slinking into the form of a Charmander. “Hold the bag over its tail, it’ll dry faster that way…” Gabe leaned harder against the sink now to compensate.
She could have? Could she... really have? Maybe if she was really pissed off, but even then it probably wouldn't be a good move and she'd feel like utter shit- it's one thing, saying and doing things online, and it's another being faced with things right infront of you. If it had been any other day, any other time, and today hadn't occured she would have sniped back that she didn't leave people when they're hurting- but now the very thought of saying that left her feeling slightly ill.
"I didn't." She repeated idly, turning off the tap and beginning to use her fingers to test just how wet the inside of the purse was, without the ice she could guess that there was probably minimal damage? She wasn't really a purse expert, though. Shaking it infront of the sink to get rid of what moisture she could, her gaze trailed back to Gabe as he addrssed the pokemon that was acting as like his brace thing.
Wait- he was making Gum transform?! "A-Ah Gabe no- it's really not necessary!" Her voice was practically a squeak, even more so when he pushed all his weight into the sink, but he'd probably wipe her pleas aside. After a few seconds she let out a sigh and moved to put her purse over the flame of ditto's tail, idly stroking the pokemons head. "...Yeah, thanks- when did you uh... get Gum- for curiosities sake?"
A small snort escaped from Gabe as Ara squeaked out. “It’s fine for now,” he answered. “I’m technically sitting.” That was a stretch, but he really didn’t want to walk all the way back to the chair without Gum at this point. As Ara complied, though, Gabe watched Gum soak up the affection. It made a happy face and was just content as can be.
The question earned a pause and a curious look. Gabe’s gaze flicked forward for a moment before upwards. “Earlier this year, in February-ish?” he ask-spoke back. “It’ll be a year in just a few months here…” His gaze lowered again, and he smiled a bit. “Not nearly as long as Liz or some of my others but long enough.” Long enough to prove it could be incredibly versatile and useful in all manner of speaking. He wasn’t entirely sure how he had actually managed before Gum.
On being spoken of, Gum let out a soft cry and threw both arms upwards. It was the greatest Gum!
She couldn't help but laugh at Gum's mannerisms, the mon was living it's best life. Holding her purse above the fire she was sure to be careful- for some reason she was sorta reminded of melting marshmellows over fire? Either way, it seemed to be working, thankfully! She listened as Gabe spoke,under a year and Gum was already super comfortable around him- that was good, right? Even the mons little cheer was adorable. "Gum's living their best life, better take care of the little guy." She said idly, giving the pokemon another pat on the head. It took her a few more seconds before she pulled the purse away and tested how wet the inside is, letting out a satisfied noise- wasn't completely dry but... it'd do. She went to pack her purse, quiet for a moment. "I'm glad you have them and your other mons, if your lifes going really shit- they can like- be there for you, right?"
She didn't quite get what she was saying, and lingered on her lipstick for a moment, twirling it inbetween her fingers, her gaze flickered to the mirror for a moment and she scrutinised her appearance- she'd need a reapply before she went out, it was a little... faded. "Wait- oh- that could be another alternative to dance, actually, right!? Like- battling- a distraction?" she was rambling on, and leaned forward for a moment to reapply her lipstick while waiting for a response.
A small puff of air escaped from Gabe as Ara spoke. “A very spoiled life,” he assured softly. As Ara moved the purse away and seemed satisfied, Gabe made a small gesture, and Gum dissolved into a mesh of cells again and went slinking up to him again. Folding itself around Gabe’s leg again, the Ditto solidified into a brace again and fell silent.
The mention of Pokemon had the corners of Gabe’s lips twitching. It was true, horribly true. A particular image of a displeased Lizbeth always solidified itself in his mind as something he never wanted to see again— not in that way, anyways. The mention of battling caught him off guard, and a brow raised as he tried to find her train of thought. “You want to battle?” he asked still not entirely following.
At his question Arietta found a soft laugh bubbling out from her lips, and pushed her palm to muffle them for a second. He’d misinterpreted, all right. Taking another breath and checking the lipstick in the mirror, pressing her lips together to make sure it’s evenly applied she deemed it acceptable, and finally turned around to face Gabe.
“Nooo, not battling me- uh- that’d proooobably have the opposite of the intended effect and I’m terrible at battling.” She moved to put the lipstick back in her purse now, pushing it back into her pocket. “I meant as another distraction from... stuff, like- if dancing doesn’t work- not to say it’s not super good because dancing IS the best thing of this lifetime, but-“
Realising she’d begun to rant again the girls face fell and she shook her head, snapping herself out of it. Gabe didn’t need to hear this, she was sure at this point he was staying out of curtesy, despite what hed said he’d wanted to go out and dance- and she was stopping him. “...but like it could remind you of things or something, so battling other people could be like... a thing-not me though.”
Ara’s giggle had Gabe’s lips pressing together and his brow raising. What was so funny? A small snort escaped from him as she clarified right after. He hadn’t pegged her for much of a battler, but all the same…. Battling as…. A distraction heh….[/i[ He already ….maaaaaaybe kind of did that but wasn’t about to get into the details then and there. As she trailed off, he found himself blinking slowly. Her finishing statements were… disjointed.
“I suppose they have been marketing the gym challenges quite a bit recently,” Gabe commented slowly feeling through his hair. “Did you hear what the latest league tournament prize was?” It was…. strange that they were providing such a weaponizable relic. He had been only fourteen when those extradimensional wormholes had appeared in the sky bringing with them terror for everyone who faced them. He hadn’t been harmed— no one he readily knew had been harmed (that he was aware of ???) but…. It still felt a little weird to be handing out one of those, heh.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he just… wanted to keep talking to her, and that was it.
He was still trying to... keep up conversation? That had Arietta surprised, but she attempted not to show it. The region had put their advertising for gym and league challenges to an all time high, she'd even been in the background of an advertisement for one. Making light of an awful situation, it was brilliant marketing, really. She'd be crazy if she hadn't seen how much the region was going off and trying to get new people in, draw them into the huge tournament with the promise of prizes and stuff. Her hands moved to rest of her hips as she shrugged, "It's been all over the news, i'd have to be completely isolated from Arciel not to know they're like, giving away a beast ball."
Truthfully, she didn't see the harm, it's not like the beasts were coming back- right? They'd done so much, and people had been working their asses off to assure they'd be prepared if it happened again, but the beast ball was useless. "It's going to be drawing trainers here from like, all over, right?"
Good for business, good for her brand and her popularity. There was always opportunities, for her and her group to perform in places all the new tourists would gather, to gain more fans, to be known outside of Arciel. It would be a treat, and something she could look forward and plan towards- though she'd definately have to talk to the other girls about it- oh wait she was getting distracted. She clicked her tongue before asking, "Uh- okay lemme guess...You plan to try get it?"
A soft snort escaped from Gabe as Ara spoke. “True,” he answered softly. Fair enough… He’d…considered what it would be like to capture an Ultra Beast before. He’d wondered about their supposed immense power and what comparison if any there was to the legendary Pokemon here. If he could have one, control one, he’d have a metric ton’s worth of force behind his words. Heh.
Her question cut through his thoughts, and he fidgeted before suddenly laughing. “Well, it would be a good incentive to take on the tournament which means I need badges which means I need gym battles which means I need regularly battles…” he hummed softly kicking his non-damaged leg out once or twice. “I’d never really…. considered it until now. It sounds like a lot of work.” As if he weren’t one to work hard when he really did want something. “I’d have to think about it.” Weigh pros and cons, all that jazz.
Arietta blinked blankly as he went on the actually list what was needed to get to the tournament, he head spinning momentarily- regular battles to do gym battles, then to go to the league and battle more- just one battle a week was enough to leave Arietta tired, if from a random trainer on her way home. The way he said it did make it sound pretty tiresome, "So... it'd have to be like an actual goal goal, rather then... a distraction thing- yeah nah, sounds like too much effort to me." she nodded her head, still a little blanked.
The ultra beast ball... if she'd been in charge, she probably would have given away a huge trophy or something, it just sounded lame- who wanted to treasure something that reminded them of the shit that went down years ago? She was barely fourteen, angsty and hadn't seen the real danger then, but now nineteen the remnants of what happened were everywhere, through unlikely orphans, new modern looking stores where older, historic ones used to sit...
"Isn't it kinda a lame prize, though- like... Like I get the marketing appeal, but who wants to bring up the shit that happened?" there was a pause to her voice, and her eyes fell to the ground, "Like- maybe I wasn't really... present for the chaos after the pick me up of the attack, but it still fucked so many people over, right?"
An actual goal with a good amount of effort put into it, yes. Gabe found it prickling in the back of his mind regardless. If there was a way to catch just one… have just one…. It was silly, and Gabe knew it. The work that would be required was phenomenal, and he had other work that offered a lot more commercial value with less work. But still… Why was he thinking about this?
Gabe shook his head almost to try and clear it (if not entirely). Right, right, Ara had a point. It wasn’t…. well it wasn’t just him involved. But…. “Plenty of people who can’t let go,” he answered, subtly reminding both of them he was unfortunately just one of those types of people. “Who want to… take something back, I suppose, heh….” A slow breath drew in and out of him at that. Yeah…. No, he couldn’t afford to fret now. “Maybe I will challenge a few gyms here and there…” he slowly shrugged his shoulders and grinned.
Plenty of people who can't let go... Arietta found herself biting her lower lip for a moment, right. Yeah. "Well getting the ultra beast ball probably won't solve anything- it's just reconnecting them to their past and throwing reminders in their face- people have to let go sometimes." Her hands shifted and she found herself itching for something to do, her fingers idly tapping a pattern into her hip. "But like- if you think you can... take on a gym and stuff, go for it- it'll probably be good for you- maybe- not that I know anything."
There was a pause, a silence, and Arietta's fingers continued tapping her side lightly, grazing the white fabric. She didn't know how to feel about this- this was... like... a normal conversation- but- she couldn't shake the fact that this was Gabe- she should be mad at Gabe, she should be sad, or upset, or losing her shit, or crying or... but she was fumbling on, losing herself in conversation like this was just another friend, another day- it almost felt unnatural, or forced, at least to her, that she was here, she didn't get it- shouldn't Gabe wanna leave now? "...Why are we doing this?"
She spoke softly, a tilt to her head. It could have been interpreted a hundred different ways, but she wasn't aware of that, right now the one consume dared to swallow her whole. "Like- isn't this- weird? I've finished helping you, you could very well just like throw yourself back out there- like days ago we were screaming at each other and now we're... having idle chit-chat in a bathroom, of all things?"
Why are we doing this…. Gabe’s features fidgeted between several emotions all at once, and he glanced away from Ara to view himself in the mirror. Why am I even still having this conversation… He was pretty sure with Gum’s help, he was going to be able to walk alright. “I…” he paused and sighed. “Don’t know…” As if it was necessary, Ara clarified. Gabe chewed the inside of his mouth. “I don’t know,” he said a little more forcibly. A hand reached up and pulled a few fingers through his hair.
I wanted things to go back to normal… What even was normal at this point? Did he want to be with her? Did he want to go back to before he’d seen her on TV again? Before this obsession started? Or even earlier than that? What did he even want exactly? I don’t want to be with her… Was that his head or his heart speaking? Gabe didn’t know. I just wanted to dance and we did so… So that should be it. He should just walk out of the bathroom right then and there and go about the rest of his night like he planned to. He should. He should. He should.
A gulp. “I guess… for me it’s….nice…” he finally admitted. “Being able to talk to you like this…” And suddenly he felt very vulnerable and hated himself for it. Suddenly he was standing up again fully abet shakily for a second. “But it is awkward so….” So….He started to turn to go.
He didn't know- of course he didn't know. Was he running on autopilot? Did... maybe it was, like, the feelings he had... that... Nope. Don't dwell on that, for the love of Arceus. Her fingers moved now to fiddle with the seam in her outfit, a distraction, distracting herself to wait for more, before she jumped to any stupid thoughts. A murmur about guessing it was nice, talking to her, something about the awkwardness that made her eyes scrunch slightly, and then he began to turn-
Going. He was going. Going to go away- going to leave. Not again, please. Isn't that what she wanted? Didn't she want everything to go back to normal? For Gabe to walk out her life, go back out there and dance- isn't that what she just questioned?! A squeak of protest left her lips before she could even fully comprehend what she was doing and she reached out to lightly tug on his wrist, to stop him. "N-No- please don't-"
Her protest died on her tongue quickly and she let go of his wrist quickly, her hand dropping to her side as if she'd touched poison. "Fu... uhm... just a... little longer? Your leg, needs time to uh- rest more." She found herself spewing bullshit, averting her gaze. He was right. It was nice, it... was weird, but it was something, and she didn't know if she'd ever see him again if he walked through those doors, and she had been happy tonight, she was... doing okay now. Just... a little longer.
A hand had sealed around his wrist, and words were being spoken into his ears. Gabe froze on hearing them. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe for the few seconds it took Ara to let go and continue speaking. She didn’t… want him to leave. Gabe shifted slowly and winced. “….Ok….” he answered starting to walk but only so far as to lower himself in the chair instead of sitting on the counter. It was much more comfortable by comparison and a bit easier to avoid Ara’s eyes.
“Do you want to be with me?” The question had blurted itself out so fast passed Gabe’s lips that for a hot second, he didn’t even believe he’d actually said it. Surely it had been kept between his ears in the space that held all his other weird worries and disjointed ideas. Why was he bringing this up again? Hadn’t they just talked about this? Why?? Just because she'd asked him to stay??? For a few more moments?
Thank arceus, a soft breath left her lips as he walked back and lowered himself into the chair. Okay. Cool. This was cool. Her hands clasped and unclasped, fingers fidgeting. Arietta, for the love of everything find something to say, you asked him to stay, you- you asked him to stay. Maybe she could ask about his costume? Yeah, that's something, that could open up talks of, uh, fabric shopping? She opened her lips slightly, her eyes moving up to glance to Gabe only to find him speaking.
Do you want to be with me? Hands unclasped, and eyes went wide. What kind of- with? Why? What? They'd, she'd...? Thoughts weren't working, funny how that works. "H-Huh?!" Was basically coughed out, and a hand moved to hold her cheek, blinking rapidly. Why would she- Gabe was Gabe, Gabe wa- it wouldn't be good- she'd just be- in- alone- Gabe. Maybe- she'd heard him wrong? Had she? She'd been distracted, it's logical, its completely logical.
But she knew at the bottom of her head she hadn't, because this was Gabe. And her head was going 9000 iles an hour. Gabe who said she'd stolen everything good of his- Gabe who broke her phone- Gabe who's words were soft and who's complexities once thrilled her- Gabe. She didn't want to be with Gabe, she knew Gabe. She didn't, did she? Didn't. No. Oh she was shaking, basically frozen.
"N-No?" It came out as more of a question than anything, "Because... that'd... be bad?"
Gabe stared at Ara. “Don’t—“ he fell off unsure of what to even say. Don’t answer that? Maybe? Don’t say yes? Or worse. Don’t say no? He bit the inside of his mouth— hard. Don’t say anything. Don’t say anything. Don’t— A weird breath left Gabe as Ara spoke. “Oh….I…. yeah….” he mumbled rubbing one side of his face. “…. Sorry… that just…… confused me…” he muttered unable to admit much else then.
She’d already made it clear enough that she didn’t. Why was he….He knew why but still why. But then…. His eyes flicked sideways to her. “What do you want from me?” he finally asked unsure of what else to say right then. A hand raised up and rubbed his forehead slowly.
At his weak explanation- of being confused- she just nodded. Right he'd been confused- on her intentions. On why she asked him to stay. Arceus this was worse than before, could she just... lock herself in a stall? Would that be okay? Her hand moved to twist through her green locks, attempting to hide how that very question had made her shake like no tomorrow. She'd already been left heartbroken by this guy, she didn't need to put her in the path of that again- as much as she craved to be loved, this wasn't- this couldn't be the answer.
At his next question her hands gently smoothing through her hair faltered, and she had to dwell on it for a moment. What did she want from him? Did she want to dance more? To momentarily put a bandaid on a deep wound? Did she just want to make sure he was okay? "Is it so wrong to... be concerned? Or like- i worded that wrong- uh- I just-"
A head shake, "I don't know, if i'm being honest- I just- I... don't think I could bare to see you leave again- though you can leave, like- that's fine- I don't care, I shouldn't care, i'm just tired." She was absently rambling, moving back against the wall to support herself. "But- right- you're injured, and you could injure yourself again- and you're Gabe. I'm confused- fuck aaand i'm keeping you from dancing, which was what was talked about earlier which is like- just ignore me, to be honest, go, have fun!"
“…..” Gabe stared up at Ara without a sound watching as she tried to rephrase and reclaim her words. Over and over and over again. She couldn’t bear to see him leave, but he was allowed to. She couldn’t bear to see him injured again, but he was Gabe. Confused… and keeping them both from dancing. And just…. and just…
“…” A soft breath, almost a laugh, escaped from Gabe finally. “God… Ara….” he reached up and rubbed the side of his face and then pulled the fingers back through his hair. “That’s way too confusing…” A truer softer laugh, something genuine but also vaguely hurt, was coming from him now. She was just as confused as he was. This entire thing was just a mess. “If I leave would you even want me to come back?” came the cynical question right after.
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