Cola Crib

Humble beginnings for a curse

"Yeah, it has." Doug said, catching the can on reflex popping it open without thinking twice while his gaze stayed put on the mass of vines rising all the way to the ceiling. "What's with those? They look... familiar. But I don't think those are yer usual crop."

Zac's powers got more impressive every time he saw them.

"I'm told I've been doing great." He answered wryly as he dropped his bottom across from his friend, the cushion making an unflattering sound he did not even try to excuse as he brought the drink so his lips, feeling the acid kick his throat to the curb in the best of ways before he set the can on the floor nearby. "Thought I was, too; for the 2 seconds I first held that fancy trophy anyway. Felt like I was 10 all over again."

Back when he finally became of age and was deemed ready for a pokemon journey. He had such lofty expectations of himself then... Accomplishing them, even if only partly, felt as though it should bring back a measure of joy.

And it had, until the award ceremony was crashed- not that most knew what had gone down from Doug's perspective. Far as anyone could tell, the champion was salty he had been skipped over by the swords of justice for the runner ups.

He needed to talk to a friend about what had happened- He didn't want to saddle The Kids Club with the knowledge; and he didn't know where chryssa glasgow was, beyond some nebulous location in Sinnoh, and he had no way to contact her.

Zac was a friend, mature, understood being an avatar better than Doug did, and was perhaps uniquely equipped to discuss the subject of a Tapu.

The other option was FERNANDO SILPH, and nevermind the fact that he was nowhere near close with the man- he frankly just did not look forward to the judgmental stare if he did tell him.

"Uh, Zac." The youth began, scratching at his cheek. "Has... Bulu said anythin' to ya recently? Like, very recently?"

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TAG: Zac Ramsay

Cola Crib

Humble beginnings for a curse

"You really think so?" The youth asked hopefully as he snatched back his can of cola. "That's... Really awesome to hear. Thanks, Zac."

He had been trying to prove something with his participation- to who, he couldn't say, but it seemed like he might have managed to get a message across after all.

Even if the rest of them had failed to reach the recipient since.

"Really? Nothing? But you saw the ceremony!" He said, leaning forward with a furrowed brow. "His sister was there! And she looked terrible!"

After the swords of justice had chosen their avatars, Lele had collapsed from her injuries and been revealed to all.

Even if the purpose of her visit there had not.

"Hasn't he... Tried to get you to go anywhere, or...?" He asked awkwardly, scratching at the back of his head before bringing the drink back to his lips, chugging it down.

He didn't know where the Swords of Justice had taken her. She hadn't answered once since. And he didn't feel much if at all different.

He was worried; he should've focused on healing her injuries then...

"Ah... Nevermind." The youth muttered as he leaned back onto the couch and sighed, neck craning back to stare towards the holes in the celing and at the sunlight shining down on them.

"... No, really, what the hell are those vines anyway? They are really familiar..."

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TAG: Zac Ramsay

Cola Crib

Humble beginnings for a curse

"Chryssa?" The youth almost gave himself whiplash snapping his gaze back to Zac, incredulous. "... Ki?"

It seemed like the only person who didn't know how to get in contact with the girl was him.

Not that he had given her any good reasons to want him around.

His chest tightened as his expression soured, a sigh leaving him as he melted on the seat in a very not so adult-ish manner.

"Healing, huh?" He muttered, lip curling down as he held up a hand, clenching and unclenching his fist.

Nothing. Unlike Zac who couldn't stop making plant life grow around him when he was first chosen, Doug showed no signs of having any powers- and certainly did not know how to use them, if he had any.

He might've wasted his time searching for Lele either way, because of course Chryssa would find a solution to her problem on her own; hadn't that been the whole point? Just how arrogant was he? He just kept trying to do everything on his own without asking any questions.

"What a clown." He muttered, sinking in deeper into the couch as Zac tore out a piece of the vines.

"... Why just a sample, though?" Doug asked dryly, almost merged with the couch. "Wouldn't just havin'the whole monkey on hand be better?"

He imagined Chryssa had one of her own of course; maybe a friend's? How else would she get it?

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TAG: Zac Ramsay

Cola Crib

Humble beginnings for a curse

"Huh?" The youth uttered as he caught the vine with his unclenching hand. "Uh... Yeah. Just... peachy."

He needed to stop wallowing in self-pity and focus on the subject at hand.

For no particular reason other than perhaps spending too much time with Chu-e Choi, the youth bit into the vine as he began to think, its hair dye-like taste giving him pause.

Zac's words meant that neither Chryssa nor Ki had a Zarude for themselves. It begged the question of how the heck had Chryssa even gotten her hands on the vines in the first place, but he didn't get to ponder on it much, a chill running down the length of his spine as something huffed and glared at them.

"Ki tells ya to get yerself cat and ya get yerself a tiger, huh? Typical." Doug said dryly as he reached into his jacket, before casually throwing a pokeball Zac's way. "'ere. Think that chapette could help any?"

The contents would be obvious in a moment.

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TAG: Zac Ramsay

Cola Crib

Humble beginnings for a curse

"Far as I know." He said wryly, watching Zac Ramsay get acquainted with the monkey. Seemed like he knew what he was doing. "It will, huh...? I'm glad to be of help."

For once.

It was about the only thing he could offer to help her. But it was least some help.

"Keep me updated, eh?" He said, tipping his hat as the monkey looked at him. "He'll be a better trainer for ya, love. I ain't got enough space for ya to have fun."

Moving towards the fridge from which Zac had pulled out his Colas, Doug began rummaging through the contents.

"Do you prefer regular or Kyle Krush?" he called out as he held two cans, kicking the fridge closed behind him. "Uh... 'twas the same day of the awards ceremony, after celebrations. I was a kinda drunk, but I found'er in like... an alleyway, I think? She looked like she had been in a scrap."

And had won it, too. Poor Keldeo.

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TAG: Zac Ramsay

Cola Crib

Humble beginnings for a curse

Doug's entire body jerked as the most horrible sound to ever grace Arceus' green Earth thundered across the abandoned factory, scaring the monkey shitless.

"Who..." Doug began to mutter as Zac typed up a response, grinding his pinkie into his ear with a grimace. "The hell uses the default alert?"

Doug did but that didn't mean he wouldn't give Zac crap for it.

"Doug! Chryssa's in trouble!" "WHAT?!" CLAP.

Doug audibly smacked across Zac's body as he threw himself at the giant man, swinging himself around his shoulders to properly get a look at his screen.

Doug found himself squinting at the text a moment later.

"Who would've thought, she really crawled out of a prison." He said dryly as he finished reading, before popping open his can of Kyle Krush and chugging it down in one go, crushing it against his skull with an audible crack before giving Zac a broad grin and a thumbs up. "HELL YEAH MAN, I'VE GOT THIS!"

Renewed vigour filled his chest at the thought of not only finally seeing chryssa glasgow again after so many months, but actually being some help. Who cared if Tapu Lele refused to so much as whisper his way? He had managed plenty without her, and he could manage plenty still!

The possible consequences of whisking his crush away from her parents didn't quite register in his brain as he quickly began to sort through his many travel options.

Gamsend town or whatever? Never heard of it, and Sinnoh was a literal continent or so away, but he definitely had this.

As the youth pumped himself up for a cross-regional prison breakout, the skin on the back of his neck seemingly began to break off, fluttering high in the air whilst becoming a saturated, glowing pink, breaking off into particles around him and dissipating in a constant, never ending flow, slowly spreading to the rest of the naked parts of his skin.

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TAG: Zac Ramsay