MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Aug 2, 2021 21:50:04 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

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Fortree City wasn't the best place for someone as clumsy and incautious as Mattis was to be. But, he was there with a purpose this time. It was actually very important.

See, while he was out on another route hunting for rocks and other types of Pokemon to add to his ranks, he came across Fletchling. Or rather, Arkose had come across it first. Mattis had to practically wrestle with the wolf to make sure he didn't try to eat the small Pokemon as a snack.

But when he had finally told Arkose that "no, you absolutely cannot eat the bird," he noticed that it was injured. The poor thing was chirping at him, making what appeared to be sad or pained faces. Mattis frowned, coming to gently pick up the Fletchling. Good thing these Pokemon were friendly, this one seeming to be fine with being picked up.

He knew there was a sanctuary he could bring the Fletchling to in Fortree. So Mattis made his way there with the injured bird in his hands, careful not to trip or fall so he didn't you know... crush the bird.

Approaching the door to the sanctuary, Mattis paused, knocking. "Hello? Anyone here?" he called out.

Alexei Ivanov

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Mistralton, Unova

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POSTED ON Aug 3, 2021 20:02:14 GMT

Today was the one day of the week where all the secretaries were on leave, therefore it was Alexei himself who was manning the reception desk finishing out what little paperwork remained.

He was pretty sure that there weren’t any challengers scheduled for today which was why he decided to take the front desk today and let everyone else do their work without having one of them sub in for a temporary receptionist for the day.

What he was not expecting though was the fact that someone familiar from long ago would be—returning into his life once again.

How long had it been since they’d last seen each other?!

Looking up from the papers he was reading, he blinked once. And twice.

And then—

“Mattie?!”

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POSTED ON Aug 3, 2021 23:06:24 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

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Mattis looked around the open area, decorated with little artifacts and paintings to make it feel nice and lived in. It seemed like he was in the right place. Thank god he didn't get lost-

"Mattie?!"

The outburst of a nickname that he told many people to call him snapped him from his daze. Mattis's head tilted back forward, eyes wide and eyebrows raised as he looked at the person who called his name. Some guy sitting at the receptionist desk, papers sprawled in front of him.

Wait, he knew him. Who was he again? He sucked at names. Hold on...

Then it clicked as he walked forward. "Oh, Alex! What are you doing here?" Mattis said, flashing a blinding smile. If he hadn't been holding the Fletchling, he would've done some great gesture with his hands. But he didn't want to drop the bird, and Arkose couldn't be trusted with it. "It's been a while. Nice to see you again! You working here instead of the bar now?"

He heard the Fletchling chirp once, as if to remind him of its presence. "Oh yeah, I found a bird out of one of the routes. It's hurt, so I thought I'd come here."

Alexei Ivanov

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 17:55:56 GMT

angelo vestri likes this

Of course this was his first reaction.

“Where have you been? You hadn’t dropped by after that one time…” he remarked, getting up from where he sat only to wince in pain a few moments afterward as he put weight on the wrong leg first. Whoops.

The chirping noise caught his attention—now where had he seen this situation before?

Oh, that’s right, this was similar to the one where he’d met angelo vestri previously—only instead of a Fletchling it was a Taillow—well it was a Swellow now, grown and raised under the ~~courier’s~~ pilot’s care.

“Wait, where’d you find that Fletchling?” he asked, taking off the reading glasses he had on and holding out his left hand, gesturing with the right so that the little avian could hop onto his left hand.

“What happened to it?”

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 18:50:19 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

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Mattis was prepared to go on a tangent about his whole life adventure about collecting rocks and exploring the unknowns of Hoenn. Until he saw Alexei wince, that is. His brows furrowed for a moment, mouth opening to ask about it.

However, attention was drawn away from both the men to the bird resting in his palms. Mattis shut his mouth, though a small frown remained as he held his hands forward to allow the Fletchling to attempt to move to Alexei's outstretched hand. It struggled weakly before falling back into Mattis's hand. "I got you, buddy."

He scooped the bird up in his right hand, brushing his hand into Alex's and resting the Fletchling into his palm. "I think he hurt his wing. I'm not pro with birds, but he hasn't made any attempt to fly or really move at all. In fact, I had to wrestle with Arkose to get to him first," he said, shooting a disapproving look to his Lycanroc. The wolf Pokemon snorted before plopping down on his butt and sliding on his front legs to lay down on the floor.

"I found him on Route 112, near Lavaridge. I thought it was an odd place for him to be." And an odd place for Mattis to be as well.

Alexei Ivanov

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 18:58:16 GMT

“Wait, you—what?” he blurted out once the Fletchling had proceeded to flop over in his own outstretched hand, quite exhausted and needing a nap.

“Don’t tell me Arkose wanted to eat the bird…” he continued before giving the Lycanroc his best side-eye.

“And he doesn’t look like he wants to say sorry,” he added a few moments afterward as he shifted his balance to his left leg, the better to stand up and not fall by the wayside.

A few moments later, he backtracked.

“…I thought you didn’t want to be anywhere near Lavaridge, why’d you end up there?” he went on, his tone going serious for all of a few moments.

“Look, it’s a good thing you brought the Fletchling here—anywhere else and—” he trailed off as he grabbed for the crutch he’d set on one side of the desk and leaning on it.

All he could do was give the other a look as he hobbled out from around the receptionist’s desk.

“How’ve you been.”

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 19:10:54 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

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Arkose lifted his head when he heard his name, looking at Alexei with curious eyes before he realized that maybe he was being scolded again, whether it was directly or not. He snorted and rested his head again before laying on his side, closing his eyes like he was about to nap.

Mattis scratched the back of his head. "Uh, well... that's the gist of it, yeah," he said sheepishly, giving a weak smile and laugh. "I think he wanted a snack. It wasn't like I would let him eat the Fletchling, though."

Ah, shit. Here we go. He inhaled sharply, placing both hands on the back of his head. "It's not like I went into Lavaridge. I only go to the Routes near there," he said with a shrug. "I don't see anyone I know there on the Routes. Besides, if I'm going to see all of Hoenn, it's not like I can exclude that one area," he pointed out. "That's where I've been all this time. Exploring. Seeing the world." Forgetting what he wanted to forget.

Mattis stepped back from the desk as Alexei hobbled around with the crutch, brows raised again. "I guess so. I didn't know you'd be here," he said with a wink.

"You know. Thirsty for knowledge and hungry for exploration. But good. Enough about me, what are you doing here? Bar life finally too much for you? Too many girls asking for you to go home with them without me there to protect you?" he teased.

Alexei Ivanov

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 20:25:48 GMT

At the mention of ‘too many girls’, he visibly cringed.

“It only got worse when you stopped coming around. You have no idea how many varieties of dirty pick-up lines and jokes I’ve heard,” he said with a sigh.

“I mean, sure, the tips are good, but holy crap I can’t keep getting hit on forever, you know,” he added with a nervous chuckle.

“After you showed up those few times you never came back and then—yeah, that happened,” he continued with the peal of laughter from earlier.

Checking on the Fletchling in his left hand, he was not surprised to see that it had passed out exhausted.

“Tch, I have to take this one out back for treatment… are you fine waiting out here or are you coming with me?” he went on as he hobbled towards one of the doors that led to the rest of the Sanctuary proper—the door he was about to exit at led to the medical facilities.

Never mind if he was hobbling around like a limp noodle.

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 21:15:54 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

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Part of the story was funny. But also, there was a twinge of guilt that began to eat at Mattis's stomach as he spoke. When he stopped coming around. Because he disappeared. Of course, Alexei didn't say those things, but he knew they were there, whether he was being blamed for them or not.

He tried desperately to hide his guilt behind a lighthearted chuckle and shrug. "Well, I guess with a face like that, you can't blame them for being so thirsty. But I'm glad you found somewhere else to be. You probably get hit on less here, I guess," he said.

Mattis was glad that the conversation shifted back to the Fletchling, nodding as he was invited to the back. "Yeah, I'm right behind you." He nudged Arkose, who stood slowly with a dramatic stretch and followed after them.

"So, what exactly do you do here? Reception? Medicine? I knew you liked birds, so this isn't too surprising." He kept pace with Alex as he hobbled, in case he was needed. Which he was sure he didn't need any help, but rather be safe than sorry.

Alexei Ivanov

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 21:27:27 GMT

He could only roll his eyes at the statement.

“You know they were also drooling all over you, even if you didn’t realize it,” he teased. “The shit I hear whenever people start getting wasted…” he trailed off, laughing again.

“Some of them pegged you as the broody, silent type,” he reminisced as they cut a path through nature headed towards the medical facility. “Some of them kept pestering me for your number, but I told them—well, you know how we had to fake shit around them, right?”

And then the last question.

“Oh, me?” he inquired as he came to a stop near the medical area. “Well, you see—”

Right then and there one of the medical interns came out, having awaited their arrival.

“Where’s the Fletchling?”

“Ah, here, but be gentle with them, okay? I can see a broken wing, but there may be more damage,” he said before said intern ran off, cupping the bird in their hands and back into the building.

Once that was over.

“Well, would you believe me if I told you I was able to get most of this place paid due to all those tips?”

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2021 23:01:05 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

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"Me? The broody, silent type?" Mattis started laughing so hard he couldn't pulled something. He had to catch his breath before he replied. "I didn't change that much, did I? I know I acted different to try to keep them off your dick, but c'mon."

He wondered if he would've gone out with any of the girls that were after Alexei, and apparently himself. Unlike his friend, he swung both ways and found women equally interesting. But... "Well thank god. Needy and desperate to the point you're begging for a stranger's number is not my type." How oddly specific.

Mattis's attention was torn away as someone who appeared medical approached them to take the Fletchling. "Awe. Bye, bud."

Looking back to Alexei, he appeared confused. "You did? Wait, so you established this place?"

Alexei Ivanov

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POSTED ON Aug 5, 2021 14:47:24 GMT

Alexei could only howl momentarily with laughter at the other’s reaction.

“Yeah, they wouldn’t stop bugging me about you. Of course I had to play the part and tell them you were unavailable.”

Oh, how little did he know that those words were going to come back and bite him hard in the ass. Not now, at least not yet, but someday…

Wait…what? he mentally backtracked before leaning on the crutch and giving him this really surprised look.

“You—you don’t know, do you,” were the first words he said, dispelling the potentially awkward silence as he turned around and made his way through the grounds again, hoping the other would follow him.

“You really have no idea how I correlate to the entire Sanctuary—asides from being the owner?”

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POSTED ON Aug 5, 2021 17:15:35 GMT

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Mattis paused in his tracks and gave Alex a strange look. "What do you mean?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and cocking his head to the side in almost puppy dog-like innocence. "Am I... supposed to know something? I mean, I haven't seen you in a long time, right?"

He started behind his friend again, looking around here and there to admire their surroundings. The place was pretty cool, he had to admit.

"Uh, no. Sorry. You know, I typically live in my own merry world. It's really the first time I've come so deep into a city in a while," Mattie admitted.

Alexei Ivanov

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POSTED ON Aug 5, 2021 17:20:38 GMT

Alexei blinked once, then twice, and then a confused few more times before realizing that—

Did he really not know?

Well, that was forgivable at least.

“You see…” he trailed off, scratching the back of his head in an embarrassed gesture, “…you know how some cities around here have Gyms, and how they have Gym Leaders, right?”

Hell, Lavaridge had a Gym Leader in Zac Ramsay, even if the battles weren’t regularly happening in the small but cozy town.

“…guess who the leader of Fortree is.”

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