When There Ain't no Starry Sky

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 6, 2021 22:57:47 GMT

Finally came the end of a very long day, a lavender night sky setting in over dirt paths full of life. Petalburg had certainly earned its name, a dense greenery draping and surrounding long city roads. They'd been well worn on the sides from daily foot traffic, some faded tire marks in the middle from the few cars around. The foliage surrounding the fronts of houses were neatly cut while ones left further away had blooming bushes and flowerbeds. Truly thriving and well fed, anyone passing by could feel the flourish of nature untouched. Houses even donned lanterns instead of many streetlights littering the land.

Maybe this day hadn't been quite as long for all people, but Jon was starting to feel severely worn out and worked out. Today wasn't meant to be as taxing, except life finds ways of surprising us all the time. Walking all the way from Littleroot proved no problem, so the young man created a few of his own to think about while reflecting on the rest of his day.

First was probably zooming through Oldale, a much smaller residency and far easier path through. He had no reason to be there and helped him form the plan he's stuck with now. It may have been wise to take a second to stop and pace himself, think ahead while he had time. Nah, Jon had sunlight to burn and energy to spare. Why bother with the finer details when you can go quick and easy to where you need to be? His plan had been simple: hold his Tyrogue from under its arms right out in front of him while engaging in populated areas.

Second was the fact that this plan really didn't work in his favor. Sure, Jon didn't want his pokemon roaming around and getting overwhelmed, but there had to be better options. Sadly, the black haired teenager had been a being of habit, entirely used to having his little buddy by his side. Even if that meant holding him in a way that simply caused him to go limp. He was still never sure what caused it, seeing as it didn't truly bother him. It just made walking a little awkward.

Instead of trying to correct these two things, he's thinking about earlier in the day. Many simply leave without fanfare, however Jon had more than an experience leaving his hometown. The thought had spurred into his mind and just started bothering him, dividing his attention between it and finding a pokemon center. That should be the best place to go when traveling as a trainer, probably giving you the most accurate layout of where to go. Even better would be a listing of lodgings, as tension was building his heel with each coming step.

Finding a pokemon center isn't going to help him get over the way he was feeling though.

Taking a moment to stand there and inhale sharply, the cold sea air brushing past his skin right after. It almost felt colder here than in Littleroot, but the temperature was always lower when the sun set. He really had to get going, otherwise the assailing winds will continue to chill his bones. These sensations hadn't shook his mind free from what vexed him. May as well keep moving forward, put a little pep in your step to stay warm until you're among insulated walls.

Of course, this had now led to his third problem of the incoming evening: Jon had absolutely no idea where he was going. There hadn't been reasons for him to come to Petalburg in the past. His father used to have a job somewhere in this city, retiring by the time Jon became a toddler. If he could get a hand free, then he'd be able to look up a map, except that wasn't applicable. It left the possibility of letting go of the pokemon in his hands and having him freak out.

He didn't bother stopping to ask for directions either, since he hadn't seen anyone yet. People were indoors by this time, especially in this part of the year. Actually, the young man hadn't really bothered to look anywhere that wasn't partially blocked by the Tyrogue's head.

Instead of thinking of simple ways to help him get on track, he's derailed by a constant question burning in his head: Why did she do that?

Not only was he at a loss, but he was stressed out by this. Jon wasn't even hiding this with his breathing pattern, letting his body stiffen unnecessarily. Maybe he needed another break, trying to wait for the winds to let up on his thin frame. It'd be great to zip up the jacket, that's yet another luxury that the teenager didn't have. The breeze died down and so did some of his anxiety as he took a pause, deciding to lower his arms just a bit as fatigue set in. A strong gust could whip up at any moment, yet it began to matter less and less.

It was time to dig deep and do the only thing he could: ask for help. He must have traveled far enough in to be in the vicinity of someone, being at a wide crossroads currently. There were other smaller paths laying around the houses, but he had stuck to the well-lit, main trail. His immediate straight line locomotion was to make sure he hadn't trapped himself in any nooks or crannies, but it would have to end at some point. There was no chance he was traveling out of city limits as it continued to grow darker. As long as he kept breathing for warmth and looking around for anybody, Jonathan was sure he'd find someone kind enough to lend a hand.

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 7, 2021 0:36:41 GMT

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Utah had been visiting a distant cousin after basic training. In a war-stricken and traumatized region, what little that remained of Utah’s family had come out of the woodwork with phone calls and texts to ‘come by.’ The typical implication seemed to be ‘in case we don’t see you again.’

The warmth of beer and a bomber jacket was still no match for the wind coming off the Petalburg water. She’d stayed too late. Partying was one of the many things the military was teaching her, and she’d been showing off. There would be no riding Harrier the Dragonite back to Rustboro's helipad.

“Aw, fuuuck.” She groaned, dropping a note.

With a sigh she fished in one of the pockets of her cargos for a pokeball. Pressing the button on the capsule, she released a blossoming springtime Sawsbuck. “Looks like we’re hoofin’ it, Blériot.”

Off the gravel path, she swung a boot over the pokemon’s back and settled. They rode in much the same fashion a horse and rider might, but the Sawsbuck didn’t seem to need much direction. It knew where they were going.

A bit into the ride, Utah leaned in and rested on the nape of its neck, hiccupping lightly. The cold was sobering, but the sleepiness settled in gradually. She pulled the goggles on her neck up and around her face for a little warmth, which looked goofy, especially once she’d fallen asleep and the rest of her face was skewed against the Sawsbuck’s neck.

It would be a strange sight when they passed by. The Sawsbuck would only regard him with a side-eye. Was this a strange victim it was carrying around? Who knows.

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 7, 2021 14:11:23 GMT

The chilling sea breeze had yet to start up again, giving Jonathan ample time to recover as he took in the starry sky. Despite the oil-fueled lanterns, there wasn't nearly as much light pollution in this city than the one he started in. A spectacle he never really got to take in often and one he hoped wouldn't dull as his travels continued. The lights up high always captivated him as a child, but there wasn't as much time to enjoy them tonight. There were still those thoughts in his head along with the problems at hand that were catching up to him. Something had to happen, otherwise he would end up wandering around town all night.

The cold air wasn't intense and Jon knew he could survive a night out in the open, at least among a cityscape like this. He just never had to before-- Not even going camping once within his short seventeen years. Nothing to be ashamed of, although roughing it against someone's house was clearly out of the question. That would be truly embarrassing for his first night away from home, having to cower amidst a brick wall and then interrogated for his strange appearance in the morning. He wasn't even sure if he could sleep in that condition, not wanting to wake up to find his own pokemon gone when his eyes opened. The young man was still missing the easiest solution, more or less due to the cloudy haze that replayed the earlier events of the day.

Returning his eyes to the road after enough starlight helped him muster the strength in his body, the teenager noticed a peculiar sight. Then again, he was probably just as peculiar with the way he traveled around, holding his Tyrogue like some captive. He gazed upon a deer with similar floral arrangement to some of the bushes around town. Atop it, a pale rider of blue hair, probably not dead. Hopefully not dead; That would be one of the few possibilities that could only make the end of this day far worse than the start.

The slumped over appearance of what could only be the deer's trainer, riding while enveloped by an inebriated slumber. Not that he'd be able to tell she was drunk until he approached her, just assuming that she had fallen asleep. Ultimately, this was his chance, as there weren't any others upon the road and it would be fortuitous to the both of them. That's how it fit in his mind, one probably shouldn't ride on their pokemon in this fashion, lest they wish to fall off. Jon obviously had little understanding of how well a pokemon could accommodate for the weight of its trainer, even when lying limp on them. It didn't take him long to decide to approach the two of them, ideally believing they could help one another out.

His current actions proved a little difficult as he began to notice the way the Sawsbuck looked at him, not entirely aware of what its own thoughts could be. Did it see him as some sort of enemy due to the unfamiliarity of his visage? He forced himself to swallow down his dry throat, steeling his convictions for that moment.

She needed to be awake and he needed someone who could direct him to a pokemon center, an even trade of helping hands essentially. It's not like they would attack once he stepped too close for their comfort. Of course, this was an assumption; A trainers pokemon is usually disciplined enough to not immediately become defensive. Unless something distressing occurred in those few moments, he should be fine. Jonathan just headed straight forward to the front of the duo, trying to cause as little alarm as possible. Once he had gotten face to face with it, then he could begin to cause enough of a commotion to at least wake the rider. He could feel his body growing even more tense, nervous of making one wrong move in front of the seasonal creature.

"Uhm. . ." Jon's voice started weakly, not yet having it in him to just directly shout in someone's face. He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment before taking the initiative and just going for it. Damned be whatever happens to him next. "HEY!!" The young man bellowed out straight into the faces of both of them, hoping to cause a reaction that wasn't an expedient charge that would bowl him over.

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 9, 2021 4:17:03 GMT

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Blériot eyed the younger trainer and his accompanying Tyrogue suspiciously. His wide peripheral, nutbrown gaze allowed him to keep heading forward safely while keeping an eye behind them as well. Eventually, while the boy was mulling over a decision on what to do, the pair passed them back. It seemed they’d escape undisturbed. Alas, as soon as eye were off the boy, he appeared directly in front of them.

The Sawsbuck, spooked, suddenly disappeared them both in a CAMOUFLAGE. Up close, it would be detectable that they were still there, however. Their forms could be seen like molds under the film of reality, shining a bit like plastic or liquid mercury.

Utah fell off of her ride with a hard ‘THUD.’

“Ugghh…”

Looking up from the ground, she rubbed her head and got her bearings. When eyes fell on someone else, she jumped to her feet immediately. “Ah! Uh.. hi!”

Rather sobered and merely groggy and surprised, a half-hungover shortstack eyed him up along with her startled pokemon. She smoothed a hand over the fur of his neck and they were soon gradually becoming visible again. “Looks like you scared Blériot. What’s the deal, dude?”

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 9, 2021 18:19:41 GMT

Yeah, stand in front of pokemon and make loud noise was probably not the most efficient course of action. It's one of those things you don't entirely think about as a beginner, not being familiar with every creatures field of vision. It would do good to exercise a form of caution the next time, as it helps us avoid these types of accidents.

Accidents?

Jon wasn't notified by a cry of any kind, instead beholding a mind-bending sight as the large buck practically vanished, its rider making a not-so-delicate landing onto the floor. She didn't make a pretty sound upon dropping off, although it didn't seem to phase her at all. It was hard to tell whether the stupor had worn off until she got right back up, surprising the teenager for a second. He had just been watching her on the ground, how did she manage to pull herself to a vertical base so quickly? Must have been her small stature, having looked taller while riding deer-back.

Her greeting made it appear like she was just as startled as her pokemon, but she maintained a cool composure right after. The young man exhaled for a moment, drawing warmth into his throat as there was a small bit of condensation. Despite causing her to drop to the ground and possibly risk a gnarly gash, the shorter lady seemed unbothered by the circumstances. She made no hostile remarks or gestures, even calming the Sawsbuck that had momentarily obscured its appearance. If Jon focused his eyes, he could tell it was there, having not checked to look at it after noticing Utah.

These actions also made the teenager a little less panicked as he gathered his thoughts when she began to address him. "Oh, uh, sorry about that. I didn't mean for that to happen, I just need some help," Jon began explaining at a reasonable volume, trying to make sure he hadn't startled the pokemon that began to make itself visible again. "I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of a pokemon center or just. . ." His voice trailed off as he considered other options to the situation. It took him a moment before deciding on his next words, though they didn't sound entirely sure as he spoke them.

"Hold my Tyrogue?"

His tone begat the image of a hesitant amateur, something that described Jon Beck to a tee. He was an average height teenager nearing the legal drinking age on his first night alone as a trainer. As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew how they sounded.

Jon did his best to make it look like he didn't regret his choices thus far, maintaining eye contact with her from start to end. Wasn't a great poker face, especially when it was already plainly obvious that the young man was lost in more ways than one. There was difficulty maintaining some of his expectations, knowing people back home wouldn't judge him for this. She had yet to provide him with a reason to be diverted from this train of thought. Sometimes you just get terrified of the possibility of sounding strange or seeming ridiculous.

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 11, 2021 5:27:53 GMT

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Utah’s lips skewed to the side a moment as the boy began apologizing. “You’re cool, man. I’m fine.”

She was prepared to begin with her directions, knowing the area well enough, but he trailed off. Her jaw turned as she waited. His question then made her face scrunch a bit. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but it wasn’t that. “Hold it?” Aquamarine eyes landed on the Tyrogue. “…”

“Why?”

She looked utterly puzzled, making no attempt to spare him from whatever sense of ridicule he might feel. Thick skin was a good thing to have around this one. It wasn’t meant to offend, however. There was genuine curiosity as much as there was bewilderment.

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 16, 2021 19:18:15 GMT

Just what was she made of? She had made it clear that the fall didn't phase her any. Neither did the low temperatures, probably due to the lining of her bomber jacket.

Despite what the young man had just saw, she was completely about her senses. Her demeanor unshaken from the second she stood up, staying cool, calm, and confident throughout the entirety of their interaction. Even when it came to asking the obvious question, she didn't intentionally insult him. How she crinkled her nose and furrowed her eyebrows at him didn't either. They just made him. . . feel a type of way.

Jon was merely under scrutiny, just needing a second to breathe and collect his composure. It wasn't hard to put the words together in his mind. The difficulty lies with whether he can explain it properly enough to be understood. That and the longer he took to breathe, the more suspicious he might seem to her. It was hard to tell how others perceived you on the first go, but you can always take a guess. There weren't any hints of judgement in her voice, just the slightest bit of intrigue.

The next set of winds came in fast enough to be audible, highlighting the momentary silence that held after she spoke.

Jon took a deep inhale before shuddering out a short breath, his voice starting out weak as he answered, "He's. . . specific." He knew she couldn't hear him, deciding to try again after loudly clearing his throat. "He's specific. I came here from Littleroot Town to uhh. . ."

Every time his voice trailed off, it made the experience that much more excruciating. Feelings of embarrassment gripped him tight, not sure how it looked to her at all. Jon was chewing on his cheek as he tried to politely string together a coherent sentence. It was better to just start from the beginning, letting his skin escape from his teeth as he spoke, "I'm sorry, it's been a long day. I'm still figuring out a couple of things in my life and was planning on asking the gym leader here about my Tyrogue."

That wasn't too bad.

"I'm still a bit insecure about this, ya know? So if you just want to point me in the right direction, I'll be able to handle this." He continued with a bit more openness in his tone, not worrying about a negative response at this point. It was alleviating enough to be able to speak about it in a fitting manner.

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When There Ain't no Starry Sky

POSTED ON Mar 20, 2021 0:40:10 GMT

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Her bright but bloodshot eyes continued to narrow in bewilderment. Specific. What did that even mean?

She waited, as patiently as she could. The young man’s words were nearly incoherent fragments of information, but they all summed up to one thing: this civilian needed assistance.

Utah attempted to collect the missing pieces. He seemed… scared? Maybe that wasn’t the right word.

“Ok…”

Her face brightened after a moment. “We’ll take you there! No problem.” Not that he’d asked. She insisted. Officer Macaw, at his service. A hand patted the shoulder of her Sawsbuck who blinked unenthusiastically. Did she think? “We’ll have to go on foot, though. Don’t think Blériot would want to carry both of us, and it’s too cold to fly by Dragonite.

She looked in the direction she was going, and then back in the direction she’d come from. “Are you headed to Petalburg?” Backtracking would maybe kind of suck, but no biggie, really. She was here to help.