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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
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37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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NIKOLAI PETROV
GRUDGE [ POST-SLATEPORT | C ]
POSTED ON Nov 23, 2018 14:31:56 GMT
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ezra morgan is no amateur—that much he knows: the only reason anna had been able to call him was because she was allowed to. in her dying moments, with every fleeting breath she took, she called him. she expended all of her energy to seek his help because that was where she felt safest, because her big brother promised to keep her safe.

the knife she had left in his chest still remains. she twists it with her words and reopens past wounds.

what else don't you know? 

he knows the bar that night was a ploy to make sure he wasn't there to save them. he knows she shot his parents dead in the head with no remorse because he found them still laying in their bed. he knows she let his sister suffer in her dying moments. she tortured her.

he knows enough.

both hands move at the same time: one pulls out a single pokeball and releases the beast that lays inside. a flash of white surrounds them, blinding as his other hand fires two bullets straight at her legs. bang, bang. under the cover of the flash, his movements look to go undetected.

but he knows her well enough to know she has a counter. which is why he must be relentless. ruthless.

click.

drapion swings his massive tail across, looking to stab her with a CROSS POISON.

@ezra
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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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DOCTRINATION
POSTED ON Nov 23, 2018 3:33:59 GMT
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council: it's an idea he's given thought to but it has always been more fiction than reality. being elected into the position isn't hard but it's what follows: he cannot expect the rest of the council to be cooperative and willing to work with him given his past. but that's just it, isn't it: his past is what stops him at every turn.

"tomorrow. they just need to run a few more tests."

he doesn't say more than that but he expects the team leader to know: he seems like the type to keep track of everyone he knows; the type to scroll through chat logs to make sure no one's talking shit about him.

"rebuilding the gym will keep me preoccupied. but you know where to find me." he smiles, or at least attempts to. "like i said, you have my support."

i am in your debt.


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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
meilleur [ closed | future ]
POSTED ON Nov 22, 2018 15:32:35 GMT
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the sounds of her laughter evoke similar sounding ones from him and he allows it. on the bare surface of it, sure, they can be seen as mere strangers who had one intimate night together. but below that is something that he can't quite describe. he feels happy, which isn't an uncommon feeling, but this feels different. he can't explain it.

but it's why he hasn't pushed her away.

"dunno. thought you might have been at the gym looking for me, or something." he means it more as a joke but if the thought was true, it'd be heartwarming, to say the least. her lips upturn into a smile and his does the same.

he can tell she feels awkward; perhaps not knowing what to do or how exactly to act around him; because, again, they are still strangers for the most part. he knows her name and that's about it.

he reaches out and finds her hand, taking it in his. "it's fine. calm down." a smile of reassurance looks to ease her. "i'm glad you're here." 

noticing something earlier, he points to her jacket. "did you bring me a gift?"


@sveva

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
filler [ wild ]
POSTED ON Nov 22, 2018 15:24:57 GMT
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lampent: it reminds him of 's chandelure. it's cute but it's weak; too weak for him to even consider. it's evident by how small its flames flicker under the pouring rain.

a SMOG looks to fill the area but it doesn't reach very far. the FIRE SPIN that follows seeks to cause destruction: an explosion ripples through the area but mismagius is quick to fight fire with fire: MYSTICAL FIRE stops it from reaching its true power.

PSYWAVE slams it into the ground and POWER GEM finishes it off.

@wild
passing ty!
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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
malheur [ closed ]
POSTED ON Nov 22, 2018 15:20:36 GMT
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it will be enough—but it won't be and he knows it. no amount of killings, of mindless, senseless vengeance will ever soothe his conscience. he's done far worse and far too much to ever be forgiven by a deity that acts as both judge and executioner. he won't even be considered. it's just something that he needs to accept.

for now, he nods in agreement because that's as much as he's willing to say on the matter. his mind's already racing, thinking ahead, planning his steps as meticulous as he can be. but one thing is clear: he needs help.

he looks to her.

she flinches at his touch and it's then that he realizes the true extent of what rocket has done to her. "i won't hurt you. that much i can promise." because he's not them. he's not rocket. not anymore. not anymore. he repeats it to himself over and over again in his head to make sure he knows. to make sure he remembers.

"it's cause for me."

he takes the toppled chair from her but doesn't sit. he places it on the ground and gestures towards it, ushering for her to sit as he takes a step back in the near-pitch office. his back hits something; a wall, a counter, he can't tell, but he leans against it and crosses his arms over his chest.

"i need to know their plans. why hoenn?" he asks a question he already knows an answer to because he knows the rocket boss: hoenn is a challenge, and silas wants to assert his dominance. in what fashion, too. too bad he won't succeed, not while nikolai is alive.

he sighs because he knows she knows nothing. they tell her nothing; why would they? he thinks for moments, pondering his options.

finally, he speaks. "i'll get you out of rocket."

 
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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
DOCTRINATION
POSTED ON Nov 22, 2018 15:06:01 GMT
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"who?" 

maybe his memory's bad but he doesn't put a face to a name. it isn't until the team leader speaks again, mentioning her position of power does he realize who he's talking out. then again, maybe it isn't his memory.

guilt overcomes suspicion.

"i understand." he's not wrong—the people of slateport need him, that much he knows from his return home. they welcome home as if he was one of their own, and truthfully, he is.

their gazes meet. "i'm guessing you're running for council." he's not sure why but that seems unsurprising. his loyalty is drawn towards the team leader.

"you have my support."

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
DOCTRINATION
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 16:31:36 GMT
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things feel off but he can't place his finger on it; it's as if something's stopping him from realizing the truth. it lays dormant in the deepest part of his mind for now as he listens to what the man has to say, because he is genuinely curious to find out the true reason why he's here.

"yeah, but why? you didn't have to do that." a pause, similar to his. "you want something from me." he's not an idiot.

"what is it?"

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
mastic [ closed | past | wild ]
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 15:53:23 GMT
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gilbert is too polite for his own good; that much has stayed the same since the first day they met. he rolls his eyes as a response because while gilbert's kindness is appreciated, it does get on his nerves at times. playfully, though.

he shoots daggers. "are you trying to butter me up?" daggers turn into bubbles as he breaks his character, chuckling. "i don't know either, but we'll find out soon enough." 

he says he doesn't know but he has a rough idea of what might be awaiting them down there. he just isn't sure whether he has a solid assumption or if fear is influencing his decision because even as they start their approach, he feels his heart pumping quicker than usual.

"let's not waste any time, then." 

they don't make it very far before an interruption finds them. it's not the cause of the tremors but their presence is enough to disrupt their plan of action.

gardevoir's PSYCHIC immediately holds bergmite in place. he leaves the mudbray to gilbert, deciding it only fair that they split up the work even though either of them could take both at once. bergmite attempts to RAPID SPIN out of the psychic-attack but fails and is repeatedly slammed into the ground. PSYCHIC is victorious today.

a pokeball is thrown.

"are you done yet?" he asks in jest.


- capturing

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
les amis [ closed | past ]
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 15:45:26 GMT
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it's a feeling that never goes away: the loneliness; the feeling that something or someone's missing and no matter what he does, he'll never be able to find it: his missing puzzle piece that's forever lost in the infinite void where spirits traverse and roam free after death.

"it won't." 

he wishes it could: a simple act like standing there long enough. with a solemn sigh, he reaches over to pat gilbert on the shoulder. the action serves another purpose as it looks to lead him away from the grave.

"come on. i know a place." 

----

it's not his home, it's gilbert's, but he knows it well enough to find the best shitty bar in town. mossdeep is small enough that faces become familiar and bars start repeating themselves. for someone who drinks so often, they all sort of blend into one eventually.

he downs the first shot and expects gilbert to do the same.

chasing it with more liquor, he holds the glass in his hand and looks over to his friend. in times like these no words need to be exchanged. all they have to do is enjoy each other's presence, live in the moment, and relish it while it fleets.

he decides to remain quiet and to let gilbert have his moment; whether he chooses to drink in silence, or to start talking, is all up to him.

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
malheur [ closed ]
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 15:16:17 GMT
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he can't ever forget her, not after all she's done for him and especially not after what he's done to her as a result of his actions. there are thoughts and memories to often resurface; he does his best to drown them out with alcohol and distractions but sometimes it's not enough. sometimes they slip through the cracks and he's left having to rebuild. she never has to slip through because she's never locked out in the first place.

and he knows that behind her steely facade, she's genuinely glad to see him, too. 

"i've taken precautions, too. but thank you." it's all he's willing to divulge to her; because while he trusts her and is certain where her loyalty lies, he can't fully rely on someone, especially not when it's a matter of life and death.

he waits for her second answer. "good. the more they isolate you the safer you are." he hasn't been around to keep her safe and that's a decision he regrets. there are so many things he'd change about the past, and yet, he can't.

he catches her eyes before stepping past the threshold into the office. he stops.

"yes. i fought for the league." 

he steps into the office and takes in his surroundings. it's quiet, quaint, and he intends to keep it that way. "it's jarring to wake up in the middle of the night to sirens blaring across the whole city. i thought i'd be used to it, but the stakes were vastly different, i guess." 

is the difference.

he turns to face her. "i only wish i could have done more." take more lives, save more lives. the one rocket he killed doesn't haunt him the way it haunts . he hears his scream and it brings him cruel satisfaction. he'd do it again. he wants to do it again. that's one of the reasons why he has no qualms about slateport.

"how have you actually been, lorelei? no bullshit." he steps closer towards her and brushes her hair past her cheek, observing for any bruises. "they don't hurt you, do they?"

 

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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
241 posts
part of
TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
les amis [ closed | past ]
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 4:21:29 GMT
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he remembers the silent doubt, the judgement that came from the council when he first met with them. their eyes were cold and they treated him with a similar temperature because it's more than difficult to trust a rocket beast; it's almost impossible. he might have renounced his ways, fled from his past but he cannot ever escape because rocket won't let him. the council knew as much.

for the longest time, he thought that was all he was ever going to be: a man plagued by his past, left to be deemed nothing more than rocket.

but in the midst of all the doubt is a bit of hope: hope that maybe he's more than that, that he can actually be good again. that's all he wanted and all he could ever want; gave him the chance to.

gilbert is no different. the man might not know of his past but nikolai has a strong feeling that it would not matter, not even know. but he's scared, he's been scared, and he fears it's a sceret he'll take to his grave because he cannot afford to lose someone close. not again.

there's no need to respond to gilbert with anything other than a nod and a smile. the situation is tense and calls for discomfort but he refuses to give it because that's not what either of them need right now: gilbert needs a friend, and so does nikolai.

"i know."

he wants to say more, wants to do more to help but his insecurities hold him back. he bites his tongue, controlling his impulses but not enough to stop words from slipping through.

"i was furious, too. but you have to know that it's not your fault." it's hypocritical coming from a man who blames himself on the daily, but he'll lie if it means helping another.

"if you ever think it is, tell me, and i'll punch it out of you." a joke looks to break through but he's not optimistic. he can't do much else but be there in the moment.

for his friend.

"booze helps."

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played by

NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
241 posts
part of
TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
malheur [ closed ]
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 3:53:14 GMT
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"lorelei."

the space is suddenly somber as memories rise to the surface, bubbling as it looks to overtake him. he won't allow it to. he takes a step forward, closer to her, closer to the past he's tried so hard to run away from; but run no longer: he chooses to stand and fight because that's all he can do to repay for his sins.

he will survive.

he will be victorious.

"always so eager. it's good to see you, too." it's been a little over a year since; so much has changed that it's hard to fully comprehend the true extent, but he tries. "the vicinity is clear. but privacy is nice."

gesturing forward, he allows her to lead them deeper into the hospital, towards the back, through the halls where they'll find the aforementioned office. but until then, he makes small talk.

"when did you arrive?" his question serves two purposes as he wants to know if she took part in the invasion. he doubts she did. "they've been treating you well, i hope."

 

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NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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241 posts
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TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
malheur [ closed ]
POSTED ON Nov 21, 2018 2:15:11 GMT
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he traverses through the barren streets of slateport; what was once a beautiful city blooming with life and tourism is now on track to becoming a desolate wasteland, left to do nothing but rot until the end of time. with no intentions on fixing the generators in the power plant, slateport is left stranded in darkness, isolated from the rest of the region.

it's daytime. the minute rays of the sun shine down him him, casting shadows that trail closely behind him as he walks. each step echoes and rolls through the emptiness. there's no one around him and yet he remains on guard because he knows what rocket are capable of. he will not make the same mistake twice.

he hears footsteps and stops dead in his tracks, swiveling on his heels to hide behind a corner. he feels the roughness of the brick against his back as he slows his breathing, limits his movements enough to remain undetected. he's killed enough to draw attention; rocket aren't expecting him but they should be.

they should fear one of their own.

when the footsteps dwindle down into nothing, he takes a moment to appreciate the silence because there is something poetic about how peaceful things seem to be in a city recently ravaged by violence and death. tragic, but poetic.

the doors to the hospital don't slide open for him but they don't have to. nothing stops the glass from shattering and breaking, scattering into small pieces that litter the ground as he steps over them. she'll be expecting him because that's what's needed from her. there's a care in his step that's unlike him as he walks through what remains of slateport general hospital.

if he can't find her, then she'll find him.

 
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NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
241 posts
part of
TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
mastic [ closed | past | wild ]
POSTED ON Nov 20, 2018 15:52:11 GMT
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gardevoir stands at front of the group and leads with her TRACE that sweeps the near vicinity for any hostility. none come into her line of sight but her ability cannot be fully relied on and nikolai knows as much. but with gilbert by his side, he feels more at ease.

"i appreciate you coming." 

reports have said that there has been odd activity deep within shoal cave, almost like the ground shakes in random intervals; violent enough to disturb the citizens of mossdeep and enough to call for the league's attention.

they send nikolai because he's their best. and he asks gilbert because he needs someone of a similar caliber.

shoal cave will know their power.



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played by

NOODLES

NIKOLAI
HE/HIM
TWENTY-FIVE
CYBER BOY
GYM LEADER
37 height
37 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
241 posts
part of
TAG WITH @nikolai
NIKOLAI PETROV
filler [ wild ]
POSTED ON Nov 20, 2018 15:33:46 GMT
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the rain pours. mt. pyre looms in the distance. but that's not where he's headed today. there's something else he has to take care of, and unfortunately, he has to pass through this awful route first. 

despite how hard it might be pouring it does little to hinder his vision because he's used to it. this is nothing; he's been hardened in the worst of conditions; molded into this shell of a rocket beast.

he's unstoppable.

@wild