The flat nature of his voice only plucked at her heart.
[break][break]
It wasn't that simple, she thought, a twinkle of sadness clear in her eyes.
[break][break]
"No, I--"
[break][break]
But he continued, his strained voice speaking over hers, and the sound of pulling root filling in the gaps between his words. She'd try to continue, to explain, but he'd keep diving deeper into his work, pulling and chopping over and over until her words were completely snuffed out. [break][break]

Frustrated, she took a step forward, placing her hands on his. "Can you stop? For a second."



[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

he pauses, hands still curled around a root. he realizes, for the first time, how white knuckled his grip really was.[break][break]

greyson lets the tension fade, but not all of it. he sits there, eyes still on the dirt, waiting.

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

When he finally stopped, a shudder of intensity crawled down her spine. The spotlight was her and her alone, for what felt like the third time that day.

[break][break]
"Back in college, I had this friend. Evelyn. She was...everything I could've wanted from someone. We went out together, studied together, cried about boys together-- we were basically sisters."

[break][break]
Her voice got caught up by the final word. It felt like tar in the back of her throat, sticky and taut, absolutely refusing to ever come out. She pressed on.

[break][break]
"On the final month of our senior year, I got a call. Apparently, she was shot dead by the local PD over false allegations tying her to a nearby robbery."

[break][break]
Frustration bled from her voice and her chest caved in a bit. It felt like every piece of her was on fire, blazing with the flood of emotions she's kept at bay for the past 8 years. A single warm tear slipped out from her eye.

[break][break]
"When I went to see her, they told me it was 'her fault'. That it sucked, but there was nothing they could do about it, and I would just have to move on."

[break][break]
There was so much more she could explain. From the way, they continued to justify their actions, hellbent on putting the blame on Eve, to how the media didn't even bother covering the story, despite her pleas for social justice. But she didn't. She couldn't. Not right now.

[break][break]
"There was an investigation, of course, but nothing came from it. They're still over there, jackin' off to family guy and eating microwavable meals while enjoying their sweet pension," She growled, her voice running cold

[break][break]
"On her grave, I vowed to bring fuckers like that down, in whatever way I could. Be it journalism, or..."

[break][break]

She paused, not wanting to divulge further into those types of thoughts,

[break][break]

"Well, journalism. You're not like that -- I know as much -- but my job, it's important to me. If I can't follow through with a report, or if I start second-guessing, I... I could never live with that. If we were to....If something were to happen, then, I don't know, it might fuck with that. 'Should he introduce me to that elite four member I want to pin down?', or 'I want to post this, but it might effect greyson' -- I don't want to have to make those decisions, or have those types of conversation fuck everything up. And, if they do, I don't want HBS to label me 'too close to the story' and kick me off. It's just complicated."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

he listens. over the course of the story his shoulders sag ever so slightly, and the tension of his grip loosens.
[Break][break]
by the end of it, he has no will left in him to feel the same anger.
[Break][break]
"i'm sorry," he says at last, gulping down the emotions that rise with such a sad tale. "i'm sorry that happened to you - to her. i know corruption exists and it disgusts me too." anyone with even the slightest hint of morality would, after all.
[Break][break]
"but you associated that with me and... it angered me. it hurt me." it felt weird to admit this, but he's glad he has. "i get your job is important to you, i just thought-" maybe he could've been too.
[Break][break]
"it doesn't matter. i get it, is what I'm trying to say. just might take a bit to show it."

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

Retracting her hand from his, she looked back up at him, a painful smile showcasing on her lips.
[break][break]
These moments were always the hardest. The ones where neither person did anything wrong, but the circumstances of their situation are enough to drive a wedge between them, and they're just forced to accept it. It swallow it down.
[break][break]
"I understand," She murmured, eyes traveling back to the shrine.
[break][break]
Even if it was for a sliver of a second, she knew she had felt something in that submarine. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was there, living deep down, ready to be unlocked by a key that was never found.
[break][break]
Penelope sighed.
[break][break]
"I'm really sorry, Greyson. You deserve better."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

he does. he knows he does. but he doesn't want better. he wants her. he doesn't say that, however. he can see the decision made in her eyes and his words would mean nothing to it, and perhaps a greater pain than what he felt the other night, would be trying and failing again.
[break][break]
so he doesn't.
[break][break]
"i'm sorry too," he says in a low voice before pushing himself back to work. the thought he worked so hard to keep at bay flood through him now, and the hole left in wake of Guinevere Auclair 's departure widens just a bit further.
[break][break]
for a moment he had been ready to open himself up to someone else, despite his better judgement. what a fool.
[break][break]
"i'll finish these if you want to get started on the trash that's everywhere."
[break][break]
and so he falls back into his role once more.
[break][break]
never saisftied.

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"...okay."
[break][break]
What else was there to say?
[break][break]
The climax had already subsided, the ending to this scene was already set, and all they could do was dance til the music concluded. Like two storybook characters bound by the red string of fate.
[break][break]
Turning, Penelope began to work on the litter scattered across the shrine's floor. Similar to Greyson, the emotions she held back were already pooling in her mind as she worked. They kept threatening to come out whenever another memory peeked through the cracks. Gnawing on her lip, she did her best to keep them at bay. It would've been too selfish to redirect the attention back onto her.
[break][break]
Especially since she was the villain of this story.
[break][break]
Still, she could only do so much to pad the pain, and so, every so often, a soft sniffle would break through the silence.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

he suppresses the sigh that shudders up his spine, dancing to the tune of her sniffling. after a few more times, he decides a break is in order.
[break][break]
he'd planned on coming out here to 'vibe' and see his options for fixing it up. as such, he'd brought a few things to eat, and surprisingly enough, to drink. after all, he could just teleport back home.
[break][break]
he approaches the red-eyes redhead and nudges a can of alcohol against her shoulder, water droplets from the condensation sliding down the aluminum.
[break][break]
"here," he says, popping a squat next to her, a heavy breath releasing from the movement, "stop and drink it."

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

The sudden splash of cold came without warning, initially startling her into a jump. Turning, she gave the can and man a deer in headlights look, before easing into a pathetic smile.
[Break][break]
"You don't have to act so nice all the time, you know," she murmured. Her hand gently reached out for the can and accepted it without another thought. It was necessary for survival. "...I don't know how you do it."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

settling down next to her he, greyson cracks open the cold one. his sip is kind-of obnoxious, and some of it drips down the outer edge of the can. he holds it out in front of him and away from his parents, sighing a bit.
[break][break]
once it settles he turns to face the sulking reporter, his shoulder nudging hers playfully.
[break][break]
"what're you on about?"

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

The playful nudge was met with a slow, cautious turn. Through a curtain of hair, the woman looked up at him, her lips twisted into a sorrowful expression.

[break][break]

How was he able to shine so brightly?

[break][break]

But, as selfish as it was, that same warmth eased her own wounds. Sighing, she cracked open the can and gave it a similarly obnoxious sip, chugging it till it ran empty and traces of its fluids trailed down the ends of her lips. When the can was finally brought down, a small smile had already sprouted.

[break][break]

"You suck, Greyson."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

greyson breathed in heavily, and releases it just as powerfully, eyes taking in the statue placidly.
[Break][break]
noticeably he chews his inner cheek, the pad of his thumb circling the condensation of his can. he looks lost in thought, or at the very least, distracted.
[Break][break]
"i was going to give you this on the first date, but things didn't end well and all that. regardless, it feels wrong to keep so..."
[Break][break]
in his hand, greyson expands a pokeball. in a spark of crimson light a small mewing comfey emerges.
[Break][break]
"she's a newborn and hasn't attached to anyone yet," he says, eyeing the floating fairy-type with a small smile.
[Break][break]
"and she's all yours."

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

A pit fell deep in her stomach as the fairy-type fluttered into her open hands, still dozing off to sleep, like a child snoring in their mother's arm.
[break][break]

Guilt and an inkling of regret clawed up her throat.
[break][break]

How could he...
[break][break]

How could she...
[break][break]

Glossy eyes flicked back up at the gym leader, her lips deepening into a frown and her brows knitting together.
[break][break]

"Could I really have her?"
[break][break]

It was a stupid question, she knew, but after everything that happened, confirmations like that were essential.


[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]