MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Aug 2, 2021 9:25:55 GMT

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Even in daylight, the place is dark. Fog falls upon the mountain’s heights as if a veil, regardless of if this is supposed to be one of the clearer days. She knows it is, she checked before coming here, because this is not the type of place Sol usually visits. But, she was asked to come here.
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’Pictures of special wildlife,’ they had said. Wildlife such as the pokémon that dwell in a place most people avoid as if a dark curse had fallen upon it. There might as well have been a curse. There probably is.
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Sol doesn’t care for curses. Nor does she care for pictures. In fact, the sole idea that there’s people out there who dedicate their whole lives to photography instead of being productive members of society is ridiculous to the redhead.
[break][break]
Yet, here they are: trekking through Mt. Pyre’s cursed wilderness, aiming to take some pictures.
[break][break]
In a few steps, she catches up to the man who is supposed to be acting as a guide. ”You sure we aren’t lost, old man?” Military bearings can be thrown out the window when not in uniform… for the most part. Plus, this is Lance we’re talking about here, doesn’t he deserve to be called an old man? Sol sure thinks as much.

[BREAK][BREAK]

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POSTED ON Aug 2, 2021 14:31:55 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]though not superstitious by any means, there is something naturally off about mount pyre that he can't quite place. it's eerie, cold, and it fills him with a sense of unease despite it not being his first time here.

a shiver runs down his spine at approaching footsteps. he exhales as he peers over to look at her.

"quite sure, kid."

his spiritomb leads in the near distance, leaving trails of purple and green behind for them to follow.

"why? not scared, are you?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Sol Edelman

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POSTED ON Aug 3, 2021 5:35:23 GMT

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Kid.
[break][break]
Oh, Lance has some nerve. A decade younger as she may be, Sol is very proud of who she is and what she has achieved, and she isn’t about to allow some old man to treat her like a kid. Of course, she’s the one who started it, but that no longer matters here.
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Quiet, she stares at him, her expression unchanged as she reaches for him and… flicks his forehead.
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Then, she returns her attention to walking as if nothing just happened; moving forward through fog and muck in a somewhat perilous path that makes her glad she chose to wear her trekking boots when coming here.
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”Of ghosts, you mean? Why would I be?” If there’s reason to be scared, it’s not the pokémon, but Sol won’t dwell on this. She likes watching her horror movies from the safety of her couch, thank you very much, not suddenly being stuck living them.
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”…Are you scared?”

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POSTED ON Aug 3, 2021 9:30:47 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]confusion tugs on his expression when she flicks his forehead. he raises a hand to rub at the sore spot but otherwise says nothing else about it, perhaps too caught off guard to find a reaction.

"i've met a few people in the military who were superstitious. thought you might be, too."

her question is met with a scoff.

"maybe a little."

not of the pokemon but of the spirits that linger. he's not superstitious, not by any means, but he'd be a fool not to entertain the unknown.

gesturing over his shoulder at the photographer who's busy gazing around in awe and amazement, he chuckles, shrugging a shoulder.

"dude seems fine, though."

[attr="class","noodles"]Sol Edelman

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POSTED ON Aug 5, 2021 0:06:12 GMT

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”Mm… I have better things to be afraid of than ghosts.”
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Ghosts, maybe. Spirits though? She thinks of her late brother without meaning to, and she hates the thought.
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”Like getting lost in the wilderness with you, for example.” Her tone is as dry as it usually is, but there’s a glance and a slight smirk. Was that a joke? She doesn’t want to keep talking about things like those, and she doubts Lance does too. Still, in actuality, he would probably be a pretty useful person if they did end up getting lost. Would CALLISTA MOON get mad if she got lost?
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Sol’s a realist, she likes to consider possibilities like those, and when she turns to look at the photographer, she can’t help but raise an eyebrow when seeing how much the man is carelessly enjoying himself through it all. Then again, that's the point of them escorting him, right? He can be as careless as he wants, while they have to keep an eye on things and do all the hard work.
[break][break]
”Almost makes you wish something would spook him, huh? Do you like taking photos?” It’s a meaningless question, just to make conversation.

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POSTED ON Aug 5, 2021 8:38:22 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]"i think you'd probably die in the wilderness without me."

through no fault of her own, of course. people tend to underestimate the dangers of the wilderness; how one simple mistake, one wrong step, could end up being fatal. it's scary to think about but it's nothing he hasn't come across before.

besides, how scary could it be compared to invading aliens?

"i used to."

briefly, he thinks of sinnoh, but the thought is quickly buried.

"you?"

up ahead, spiritomb pulses a shade of green, signaling them towards it. lance calls out to the photographer behind them.

"jack; i think something cool's up ahead."

[attr="class","noodles"]Sol Edelman

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POSTED ON Aug 8, 2021 3:19:46 GMT

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Would she die in the wilderness without Lance?
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Sol considers this too.
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Maybe, maybe not. She has had extensive training, but she has also never been much of a wilderness sort of person. Not the sort of person who had gone on nice camping trips with her family as a kid, nor hikes or anything of the like. She much prefers the city.
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’I used to.’
[break][break]
She looks at Lance, but doesn’t pry, instead simply shaking her head when the question is returned. ”No… I’ve always thought they’re a waste of time.”
[break][break]
She says this, and yet she still always carries on herself the last picture she took with CALLISTA MOON, Magnus, and all their friends – the last picture before the war took him away. Sol is not much for sentimentalities, but this is sentimental of her.
[break][break]
The Spiritomb distracts her, and she cautiously steps forward as she waits for the photographer to join them.

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POSTED ON Aug 8, 2021 14:27:18 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]"they can be. but they can also help us remember."

and forget.

"you must have a picture that means something to you."

but beyond that, he doesn't pry any further.

spiritomb leads them off the trail and through a small clearing before coming up to an oddly shaped stone that rests just by the side of the mountain. surrounding it are various ghost-pokemon, all floating and...mingling? it's hard to say.

"that a good enough shot, jack?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Sol Edelman

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POSTED ON Aug 10, 2021 6:35:29 GMT

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”...Maybe.”
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Sol isn’t one to lie, so she doesn’t, but she also has no interest in talking about the past. Especially when at this place that seems to force memories of loss upon people – a place that seems to remind them of everything they have buried six feet underground.
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She watches the ghosts, and she watches the way the photographer – Jack, as he’s apparently called – takes picture after picture, staring at the pokémon in awe and fascination as if he were worried about disturbing them and scaring them away. He should probably be more worried about what the ghosts will do if they are to be disturbed, but once again, Jack isnt the one who is here to do all the hard work and be concerned.
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Sol sighs, turning to Lance before gently nudging him with her elbow...
[break][break]
“Thanks for coming today, by the way,” is all she says, and there’s a small smile that comes with these words, even if its quick to fade away.

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POSTED ON Aug 12, 2021 13:51:18 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]"don't think i've seen you smile before."

he chuckles, nodding.

"don't mention it."

too distracted by their interaction, lance doesn't notice the shift in demeanor before it's too late.

jack gets a little too close for comfort, and the flash of the camera is what tips the ghost-types over the edge. one haunter, in particular, emerges from the shadows, materializing only to LICK jack.

the scream that follows is startling.

[attr="class","noodles"]Sol Edelman

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POSTED ON Sept 2, 2021 0:43:23 GMT

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’Don't think I've seen you smile before.’
[break][break]
Words like these are usually followed by comments along the lines of “you should do it more often”, and Sol is thankful Lance decides to omit them – even if he does probably think them.
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Still, by the time his words come, the faint smile has already faded away.
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”It’s just a smile, but okay.”
[break][break]
It’s meaningless, at least to Sol it is, and it’s also something that definitely isn’t likely to return anytime soon with the events that happen next.
[break][break]
A flash. Followed closely by a scream.
[break][break]
”Fuck. I’ll go get him, he’s probably paralyzed. You deal with the ghosts.”
[break][break]
And that’s that.
[break][break]
She steps forward, calling out a Houndour.

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POSTED ON Sept 11, 2021 10:56:46 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]"it isn't just a smile."

but before he can say more, he turns to face the ghosts, hand already at the ready as he calls out his urshifu.

"time to save jack."

urshifu nods, understanding before he rushes off to throw SURGING STRIKES at the ghosts, dispersing them away from jack. spiritomb floats into existence, guarding the poor photographer.

lance simply stands back, watching as sol approaches jack.

"you got him?!"

[attr="class","noodles"]Sol Edelman

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POSTED ON Oct 2, 2021 3:27:50 GMT

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What is there to be afraid of?
[break][break]
Pokémon are just pokémon, and whatever harm they may bring usually doesn’t come out of sheer maliciousness. Plus, whatever reasons there may be to be concerned are dispersed with the Urshifu’s appearance, and so, while cautious, it’s with calm and without hesitation that Sol approaches the photographer.
[break][break]
”You got too close, Jack.”
[break][break]
Cold and matter-of-fact. Words with which she simply yanks the photographer back and away from the pokémon, then commanding her Houndour to act.
[break][break]
Unlike Lance’s flashy but effective approach to getting rid of the ghosts, Sol’s is more subtle, although perhaps not in the way it sounds:
[break][break]
For a pokémon that’s no more than a puppy, the Houndour’s ROAR is both fierce and loud. It could make a chill run down anyone’s spine, and even whatever ghosts remain nearby are scared away easily enough.
[break][break]
”Yeah, got him.”
[break][break]
The Houndour wags his tail, as if pleased with himself, and just as Sol expected, the photographer seems to be paralyzed for now.

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