Under Pressure [M]

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
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4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
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Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Aug 24, 2022 16:19:24 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
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[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]Even as Isaac grew weary of the rest of the Splashfest's commotion, there was one part of the event that never grew old. Clamperl diving was something that Isaac never knew he needed in his life until the festival started. On paper, it was the opposite of a good time. He preferred the speed and intensity of a motorcycle cutting through the open air. Slowly trudging through the deep, unable to see very well or even breathe, didn't sound fun by comparison. It sounded boring until you started suffocating, at which point it got too damn stressful.[break][break]

Then he actually gave it a try, and his eyes were opened. Slateport's oceans, especially when you distanced yourself from the more polluted areas, were gorgeous. The water was clear and shimmered in the sunlight, dotted with an explosive variety of water types, algal blooms, and coral formations. The pressure of the ocean came down on him not like a great beast's coils, but instead like the calming embrace of a weighted blanket. The sounds of hustle and bustle were muffled by the ocean, fading into nothingness and leaving Isaac to the peacefulness of the waves.[break][break]

It quickly became the best part of the Splashfest for Isaac. He even taught his Mantine how to Dive, letting him see more clearly, dive far deeper, and remain down there for much longer. As he dove deeper and deeper, longer and longer, more and more tranquilly each day, his Pokemon were free to play among one another at the water's edge. It was a little beach bonding day for the team, and the same group of five never showed up twice.[break][break]

Today it was Watson, Ceres, and Grimace playing with one another in the sunshine, Kiryu sunbathing on the beach next to them. Joining the otherwise all-reptile group was none other than Knuckles, the Riolu watching the waves in quiet contemplation. Occasionally Watson or Ceres tried to approach her, but she rebuffed them with a stern bark each time.[break][break]

The final member of Team Isaac was his Mantine, Flapjack, who joined him under the sea. This was the furthest the two had ever traveled before, but they had a damn good reason to. Embedded in a salt cliff was a brilliantly gleaming stone, cut and polished until it resembled a marble the size of an cherry. Its yellow surface was cut by a red and blue swirl that looked almost superheroic. It was radiant. It was perfect.[break][break]

It was a Mega Stone.[break][break]

Isaac would know. He already had one, after all. This wasn't just any Mega Stone, however. No, the swirling colors and aura of quiet intensity that the stone held matched perfectly with those of a Lucario. Bonding efforts with Knuckles, despite the best of his ability, were slow going. Strong emotions stressed her out, she shied away from the kindness of others, and she had clearly been hurt before. She needed space and time, and Isaac was more than happy to give that. But maybe, just maybe, if he gave something else as well, it'd help things along.[break][break]

There was just one problem. The stone was embedded deeper into the cliff than Isaac had hoped. He was practicallly rubbing his shoulder against the cliff by the time he was finished, hand flapping around as he fumbled for his prize. Closer now . . . closer now . . . ha! Finally! He pumped a fist in victory as he felt cool, polished stone nestle into the palm of his hand. Now all he had to do was pull it out.[break][break]

Oh. His arm wasn't moving. That's not good.

[break][break]





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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
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TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 2, 2022 20:31:43 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

Julia had been excited for Clamperl diving from the get-go. It was treasure diving under the sea, a place Julia rarely got to explore in-depth! How could she not love it? It got even better when she found Marina and evolved her into a Huntail, who could Dive deeper underwater and explore places Julia couldn't on her own. Plus, Marina glowed, making it easier to see where the sun's rays couldn't quite delve deep enough.

[break][break]It had been so worth checking this out, and not just for the treasure. Julia had swum among schools of Water-types gliding effortlessly through their natural habitats and all kinds of underwater plants and coral that fluttered in the currents. She'd let the ocean embrace her and then pushed her way through it, floating from place to place before she had Marina to help her along. Here, she could leave her worries on the shore and just enjoy herself in this new environment.

[break][break]Lazuli always floated on the surface above wherever Julia dove down that day, and today was no different. Closer to the beach, where the water tumbled against the sand, Sparkie practiced riding on her tail above the waves. Chester and Snuffles dug around in the sand for shells, trinkets, and, in Snuffles's case, scraps of food discarded by careless beachgoers. Spot lounged in a commandeered chair and took in the sun; though he looked relaxed, he was silently supervising the other Pokémon's play.

[break][break]And, of course, the sixth member of Julia's party today was Marina, whom Julia held onto as she went deeper into the water. Huntail were naturally built to live deep, deep in the sea, and though Julia wasn't comfortable going quite that far, she let Marina carry her farther down than they'd been before. As long as Julia kept an eye on her air supply, she'd be fine. Plus, who knew what kinds of treasure waited for her ahead?

[break][break]Marina suddenly stopped, staring ahead at something. Julia tilted her head, then followed her Pokémon's gaze. She couldn't see very well at this depth, but she still caught sight of something moving in the distance. She tapped Marina a couple of times, and the Huntail swam ahead, the spots on her body beginning to glow.

[break][break]The figure—no, figures—became clearer as Julia drew closer. They were a Mantine carrying its trainer, who was probably also here for the treasure hunt. Julia was planning to just wave and then move on, not wanting to infringe on someone else's spot, but then she realized something that made a familiar stab of fear shoot through her: this person's arm was stuck in a salt cliff.

[break][break]Julia sucked in a gasp of her limited air and widened her eyes. This wasn't just any stuck person, though that was bad enough on its own; it was Isaac, whom she'd met at the group camping session! Oh, boy. Okay, keep calm, Julia. This is why you joined the Rangers, remember? To help people like they helped you. Let's do this.

[break][break]She gathered the anxiety in her head, tossed it into a closet to be dealt with later, and put all her focus into the task ahead of her. Seeing a determined woman riding a Huntail into danger must have been quite the sight. She swam in close and nodded at Isaac. She couldn't actually talk down here, but this was the closest she could get to saying, "I'm here. You're gonna be okay."

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 3, 2022 3:31:09 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]Isaac wished he could say the presence of another was reassuring. However, the fact of the matter was that his arm was still stuck in a cliff wall like a vice grip, and if it remained like this Flapjack'd Dive would surely run out of juice. Even with her mastery of deep waters, the poor Mantine could only keep the worst of the water at bay for so long. Would the pressure crush him first, or would he be spared by oxygen loss?[break][break]

The thought only left Isaac thrashing harder.[break][break]

This wasn't good. Between the strain of exertion, and the little gasps of pain he made whenever stone and salt raked across his arm, Isaac was losing air far faster than he would if he'd just shut his mouth. He was panicking, but who could blame him? He was lost at sea, running low on time, and had only a well-meaning Mantine and a surprisingly fit girl to observe his watery grave. Unless one of them wanted to out themselves as a Hulk, there was only so much he could do.[break][break]

For now, Flapjack could only do so much. If she moved from under Isaac's feet, the pressure on his arm would be even worse. For this reason, she diligently remained at her post. All she could do here was shoot Julia a pleading, worried look. Surely she could do something, right?[break][break]

On the beach, Knuckles retched a little. Fear shot down her spine, a sick feeling pressing down on all of her nerves. Would she be the only aura-sensitive being feeling it on this beach?

[break][break]





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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 4, 2022 22:47:13 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

Spot suddenly sat bolt upright and stared out at the water. His eyes glowed blue and the four appendages hanging from his head rose as he tried to read his trainer's aura. There she was! And it seemed she wasn't alone, though this second party's aura radiated panic that Spot could feel all the way here. It seemed that Julia wasn't the one in danger; instead, she was trying to be the rescuer.

[break][break]Sparkie was the first to notice Spot's strange behavior. She paused in her surfing practice and floated over to the Lucario with a curious squeak.[break][break]


[break]

Okay, so the reassuring nod hadn't worked. In fact, Isaac was panicking even harder now, and that was only making things worse: Not only was he draining his limited air, but he was probably agitating the salt and risking more damage to his arm. A shudder started skittering down Julia's spine, but she forced it to stop halfway. Even if this situation was eerily familiar, Julia wasn't the one in danger right now. She had to keep it together to save her friend. She didn't like the idea of getting in even closer, crowding Isaac's personal space, and possibly making him feel even more trapped, but she didn't have much choice. She directed Marina to swim closer to Flapjack so their Dive bubbles merged.

[break][break]"Isaac, it's okay, I'm here to help," she said. "But I need you to breathe for me, okay? In and out, nice and slow, just like this." She demonstrated by taking in a deep, steady breath through her nose and letting it out through her mouth.

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




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[newclass=.juliapokes img] margin-top: -10px; padding-bottom: 5px; [/newclass]
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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 5, 2022 5:05:15 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]The Dive bubbles kept the water at bay just enough to enable speech. It still wasn't easy, and was a risky tradeoff when air was so precious down here, but it was better than nothing. Still, Isaac would be lying if he expected to hear Julia's voice, even after Marina and Flapjack put their heads together.[break][break]

Her orders were simple and clear. Stop panicking. Stop letting his oxygen go so uncontrolled. Take advantage of what little air Marina and Flapjack were able to provide them and breathe, slowly and deeply. He didn't risk talking back. He was already having trouble managing his air as is. Instead, he closed his eyes and nodded.[break][break]

Carefully, he inhaled, feeling the tension in his arm die down as he did so. Was that the numbness off blood loss kicking in? Or was it just the calming effect of closed eyes and deep breath? Regrettably, Isaac couldn't tell. Nevertheless, he exhaled a slight bit through his nose, just enough to free himself up for another deep, powerful inhale.[break][break]

His facial features relaxed. His aura of pure panic died down. However, that was only the hot half of fear accounted for. The cold numbness of creeping dread was still there. While he was putting on a braver face for Julia, and he was no longer dealing with the active problem of suffocation, he still saw no escape to this nightmare of a situation that he had ended up in. Once Flapjack's Dive was out of power, the panic and the pressure and the coldness and the suffocation would be back.[break][break]

Until then, though? The least Isaac could do was keep trying. He'd already tried the whole give up, lie down, and die thing back in Cyberspace. He regretted it immensely, and since then vowed to never give up so easily. If all he could do to defy merciless Kyogre was keep breathing, in spite of the depths clutching his throat, then he'd breathe until there was no air left for him.[break][break]

[break][break]





[break]
[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST /



[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!




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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 22:58:09 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

"Good," Julia said softly, not wanting to use more air than she already had. She kept her own breaths slow and steady, both to serve as a good example and to keep herself clear-headed.

[break][break]Easier said than done, though. Julia didn't have any tools with her, and it wasn't like she could just go grab some and come back. There was one thing she could do, but it made Julia's blood run cold with dread. No. No, she didn't want to do that until she was absolutely, 100% out of options. In fact, she wouldn't even think about it until then.

[break][break]She ran her hand gently along the side of the salt cliff, keeping away from where Isaac's arm was for now. It felt softer than normal rock, but it wasn't grainy or loose like she would have expected salt to be. Still, the seed of an idea took root and began to bloom.

[break][break]"I'm gonna try something. Stop me if it hurts." That probably wasn't super-comforting for Isaac to hear, but Julia had to be up front about this in case something did go wrong.

[break][break]She patted Marina's head to get her attention. Once she had it, she pointed to the hole where Isaac's arm was trapped, then spun her finger in small circles. The idea was to use Whirlpool to "sand" the gap in the cliff until it was large enough for Isaac to pull his arm out. She just hoped it worked.

[break][break]Marina angled herself so she was looking up at the cliff, then narrowed her eyes in concentration. The water around Isaac's arm began to swirl, putting some pressure and friction on the cliffside. Julia glanced back at Isaac to make sure he was okay.

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




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[newclass=.juliapokes img] margin-top: -10px; padding-bottom: 5px; [/newclass]
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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 23:30:54 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]"Stop you if it hu-" Isaac started, shock in his eyes and incredulity in his tone. However, his better judgment kicked in before he could finish his sentence. Would it potentially hurt? Yes. Was hurting preferable to, you know, literally drowning? Without a doubt.[break][break]

He bit his tongue, then nodded. "Alright," he said. "I trust you."[break][break]

Then the pressure started. At first, it felt a little pleasant, almost like getting a massage. Isaac looked down as flecks of stone and grains of salt began drifting away from his stony prison. Whatever Julia was doing, bit by bit, was starting to work. But starting wasn't the same as finishing. Isaac could tell from how Flapjack's antennae drooped that she was starting to run low on energy. They didn't have all the time in the world to work on this problem![break][break]

A whirlpool couldn't just be summoned on a whim, though. It needed time and momentum to build up force. That was exactly what it did, picking up the pace with surprising speed. The grip on Isaac's arm turned into a hard, forceful squeeze. Fragments of rock started shooting past his arm, leaving shallow white scratches across his skin. Were the marks traces of salt, or wounds that had yet to break the skin? Isaac grit his teeth as he tried to figure out the answer.[break][break]

Pain flashed in his eyes, but he bit down hard on his cheek to stop it before it showed. As it faded, only determination remained. He was fine. This was nothing. He'd handled worse pain in his sleep. And if he wasn't able to deal with this, he'd have to deal with drowning instead. Unacceptable.[break][break]

Nevertheless, while his face showed stoic focus, his body betrayed him. Perhaps Julia would notice the anxious way his foot tapped against the surface of the cliff, or how his chest rose and fell with increasingly desperate breaths. Perhaps she would also notice how, with each passing moment, the trapped arm was moving a little further into its restraints. If they could just hold on a little longer . . .

[break][break]





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[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST /



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[newclass=.skullcredits]width:380px;font-family:roboto;font-size:12px;text-align:center;[/newclass]

[googlefont=Oswald]
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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 14, 2022 18:36:41 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

Julia was prepared to put on her firm face and tell Isaac that yeah, it'd probably hurt, but hurt was better than dead, but he seemed to come to that conclusion on his own. She nodded back with a determined smile. She'd get him out of this, no matter what it took.

[break][break]Poor Flapjack was starting to look tired from holding Isaac up like this. Julia knelt down to gently pet her between the antennae. She wanted to offer soft words of encouragement, but she had to conserve oxygen. She just hoped her feelings made it through to the Mantine.

[break][break]She saw the pain flash in Isaac's eyes, but he covered it with his determined resolve. Still, Julia kept a close eye on him. Even if he didn't say anything, the last thing Julia wanted to do was make this worse. When his breathing grew rapid and desperate again, Julia put a hand on his shoulder, trying to get him to focus on her. "Breathe," was all she said before demonstrating those slow, deep breaths again.

[break][break]An unexpected memory rose from her internal depths. Earlier during Splashfest, she'd chased down a Rocket smuggler and almost gotten seriously hurt because of it. To her surprise, the Rocket himself had helped her calm down by walking her through a grounding exercise. Julia had already known it, but having her enemy bring it up still left her confused. If it weren't for the limited oxygen, Julia would be using that same technique on Isaac right now. Though maybe that'd be a bad idea; she didn't want him to focus on the water or his arm, so directing him to focus solely on her and his breathing was probably for the best.

[break][break]If only she knew the irony.

[break][break]She glanced back at the cliff to see that Isaac's arm was moving more in its restraints. Her breathing remained steady, but in her heart, she sighed with relief that her plan was working. "Almost there," she said. "Just breathe."

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




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[newclass=.julia span] display: inline-block; [/newclass]

[newclass=.juliapokes] text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; background: #d49736; padding: 5px; width: 440px; margin-left: -40px; margin-bottom: -40px; margin-top: 10px; [/newclass]
[newclass=.juliapokes img] margin-top: -10px; padding-bottom: 5px; [/newclass]
close tab

played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 14, 2022 21:53:26 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]Flapjack shot Julia a soft, sad smile. As thankful as she was for the girl's help, she was also worried for her poor, struggling trainer. What if the plan didn't work properly? What if he didn't make it? She shuddered a little at the thought, then strained to expand her dive bubble even further. Maybe, just maybe, if they all worked together this would be okay![break][break]

Flapjack wasn't the only one that Julia took the time to check in on. She swam over to Isaac next, setting a hand on his shoulder to try and calm his steadily building nerves. The little bit of contact dragged him back down to earth. Right. He wasn't alone. He wasn't doomed. Julia was here. Flapjack was here. His arm was getting more mobile by the second. Everything was going to be okay.[break][break]

Isaac eased his eyes shut, took as deep of a breath as he could, and let the tension roll out of his shoulders.[break][break]

He was no longer struggling. Even as the water squeezed down on his arm like a vicegrip, he kept his breathing steady. Even as a particularly jagged rock launched past his arm, sending a cloud of red billowing out into the water, he kept his breathing steady. Even as the dive bubble started to flicker and fade, and his heart started to pound from the buildup of nerves, he kept his breathing steady.[break][break]

Side to side. Side to side. Isaac's arm was getting more mobile by the second. He just needed to hold on for one . . . more . . . moment! There! With a triumphant gasp, Isaac pulled his arm back from its restraints. It wasn't all the way out yet, but freedom was getting closer by the second. At this point, there was nothing left in his way![break][break]

Oh, shit. That was the sound of something in his way. The cliffside groaned in protest, a combination of the whirlpool and Isaac's final tug causing its outermost layer to begin collapsing inward. Isaac's eyes widened in shock as he saw the stone shuddering downwards; being pinned like before was one thing, but a rockslide like this? God, he'd never have a chance![break][break]

Letting out a distressed yelp, Flapjack was on the case. She glided up to the dislodged stones, letting out a keening cry as she tried to hold it back. Headbutting wasn't her strong suit, but what else was she supposed to do? Nothing? Her fins beat with as much speed and power as she could muster, all in a desperate attempt to avoid losing ground to the rockslide.[break][break]

She was able to slow its descent, but couldn't stop it entirely. Things were looking grim.

[break][break]





[break]
[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST /



[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!




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[newclass=.skullcredits]width:380px;font-family:roboto;font-size:12px;text-align:center;[/newclass]

[googlefont=Oswald]
[googlefont=Roboto]
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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 19, 2022 21:25:47 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

Though Julia would never know it, she and Flapjack were on very similar trains of thought. That fear that this plan wouldn't work buzzed in the back of her mind like an oncoming swarm, and Julia fought to push it away. This had to work. Isaac had to be okay. There wasn't any other option; Julia would make sure of that.

[break][break]She gasped at the sight of a cloud of blood swelling into the water. She was about to tell Marina to stop when she realized that, despite the injury, her plan had worked! She beamed, the only thing stopping her from cheering out loud being the need to conserve oxygen for the trip back to the surface. "That's enough, Marina," she said. The whirlpool came to a gradual stop. Julia waited for Isaac to fully free his arm so she could guide them up to Lazuli for a ride back to shore...

[break][break]And then there was a familiar groaning and tumbling of rocks that nearly made Julia's heart stop. Even with years of physical and mental rehabilitation, that sound would always haunt her: It was the last thing she heard before the cave began to collapse around her, ultimately causing her leg to be pinned beneath the rocks. At the time, the shock had kept her silent, but seeing it replay before her like this made her scream out, "NO!"

[break][break]Marina acted first, surging forward in a way that caught Julia off guard and snapped her out of her stupor. The Huntail joined Flapjack in pressing her head against the rocks and swimming into them as fast as she could. But Huntail were built to be patient hunters, not powerhouses. Without even thinking about whether it would work or that she might get hurt, Julia thrusted her arms out and pushed against the rocks. She gritted her teeth and grunted with the effort it took just to slow them down, her lean muscles bulging with the effort. She was strong, sure, but this was still a rockslide they were dealing with here.

[break][break]"Hurry!" she shouted to Isaac, unsure if he could even hear her.

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




[newclass=.julia] width: 450px; margin: 0 auto; font-family: roboto; color: #aaa; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align:justify; padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; line-height: 15px;[/newclass]
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[newclass=.julia a] text-decoration: none; color: #d49736; font-style: italic; font-weight: lighter; [/newclass]
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[newclass=.juliaw] padding: 40px; background: #272727; [/newclass]

[newclass=.julia span] display: inline-block; [/newclass]

[newclass=.juliapokes] text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; background: #d49736; padding: 5px; width: 440px; margin-left: -40px; margin-bottom: -40px; margin-top: 10px; [/newclass]
[newclass=.juliapokes img] margin-top: -10px; padding-bottom: 5px; [/newclass]
close tab

played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 19, 2022 21:53:37 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]Julia's scream was the last thing Isaac heard through Flapjack's rapidly shrinking dive bubble.[break][break]

By now, the repulsive bubble was on its last legs. There was barely any air left to take in, forcing Isaac to hold what little breath he had remaining. Pressure pushed it inwards, forcing it into a smaller and smaller shape as it began collapsing under Isaac's body. Whereas before he could hear him and Julia struggling together, now there was only rolling rocks and the silence of the deep.[break][break]

Julia's Huntail joined Flapjack's side, less broad but more forceful. Whereas Flapjack stopped the rockslide from slamming shut on Isaac's arm, the Huntail's ability to leverage a single point helped pry the largest of the rocks upwards. Like a swinging door, it swept upwards and outwards, but not by much. A Huntail just didn't have the power to take advantage of that little opening.[break][break]

Enter Julia, who flung herself at the stone with reckless abandon. Her hands gripped under the raised rock, pushing upwards with the might only a woman fighting her own past could manifest. If before, the rockslide was being slowed down, now it was actually being kept back. They wouldn't be able to stop the entire rockslide, but if they could just get the rock pinning Isaac's arm off . . .[break][break]

Yet their efforts could only do so much. With the Dive bubble now little more than a flickering, Isaac-sized coffin, would they be able to pull it off in time? Maybe, just maybe, they could if everyone did their best. Isaac grit his teeth, glared daggers at the stone pinioning his arm, and then lunged towards it shoulder-first. Between him and Julia, the two were able to leverage just enough strength to free his other hand. Isaac yanked his arm back, and then pushed off of the cliff wall with his feet to get some much needed distance.[break][break]

The last of Isaac's breath slipped away in a quiet laugh. As the inky blackness of unconsciousness began to take him, at least he could take heart in knowing they'd done the impossible.[break][break]

[break][break]





[break]
[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST /



[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!




[newclass=.skullhover]width:420px;-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-transition:all 1s ease;transition:all 1s ease;-webkit-transition-delay:0.1s;[/newclass]
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[newclass=.skullcredits]width:380px;font-family:roboto;font-size:12px;text-align:center;[/newclass]

[googlefont=Oswald]
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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 21, 2022 21:30:52 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

The pressure of the sea felt like it was squeezing Julia as she struggled against the rocks. When she glanced back, she saw Flapjack's Dive bubble flickering, struggling to keep its form so Isaac could breathe. How much longer could Marina's bubble last? She dared a glance upward and found that it, too, was shrinking. Come on, Isaac... she thought desperately. This has to work...!

[break][break]And it did: With their combined strength, Isaac was able to free his arm from its prison and push himself away from the cliff face. Julia's relief quickly bubbled back up into panic when Isaac's eyes fluttered closed. "Is—!" she started, only to remember her own dwindling air supply. She looked up at the rock she was holding back. Crud, crud, how was she gonna let go of this without getting herself or the Pokémon squished...?!

[break][break]A concerned wail sounded through the water. Though it was muffled, Julia recognized it immediately as Lazuli, who was swimming down toward them. She positioned herself above Julia and let loose an Ice Beam, freezing the rocks in place. Julia quickly took the chance to kick herself away and cling to Marina, who wiggled in a frantic swim. Lazuli couldn't produce a Dive bubble of her own, so Julia held a deep breath and guided Marina over to Isaac. Julia grabbed him and held him close to her so he could take in what remained of the bubble's oxygen. She pointed up to the surface, and Lazuli spun around. Julia held onto Marina using only her legs and grabbed Lazuli's shell with her free hand. Lazuli's fins and Marina's tail worked overtime to get everybody above the waves as quickly as possible. Behind her, she could feel more than hear the stirring as gravity broke the rocks free of the ice. She tried not to think about what would have happened if they hadn't made it.

[break][break]Even when Julia's lungs screamed for air, she held steadfast. Isaac needed it more right now. But there was only so much she could do against the pull of the human body's needs, and she took in a guilty breath. She wished she could cover her nose and mouth, but with both of her hands occupied, that wasn't an option. Just a bit more... Come on, guys, we can do this...!

[break][break]The moment Julia's head was above water, she inhaled deeply, her lungs burning with the sudden intake. She scrambled to pull herself and Isaac onto Lazuli's back. "Isaac!" she called in spite of her breathlessness. "Isaac, wake up!"

[break][break]A concerned squeak surprised her, and she jerked her head over to see Sparkie floating nearby, looking worried. "Sparkie? What—Never mind, we've gotta get help!"

[break][break]Immediately, Lazuli swam toward the shore, Marina following under the surf and Sparkie tail-surfing at their side. Julia waved her free arm high in the air and began shouting, "Hey, we need some help over here! Someone get a lifeguard! Or a medic! Or something!" to anyone who'd listen.

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 21, 2022 22:09:53 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]Flapjack, though exhausted from the strain of keeping the rocks at bay, wasn't about to let Julia shoulder all of this burden alone. She followed in Julia and her team's wake, beating her flaps as powerfully as possible to try and help push them along. What little remained of her dive bubble fused in seamlessly with Marina's; neither of them were doing great, but together they'd be capable of more than they were apart.[break][break]

They breached, and at last they were at peace. Flapjack let out a weary sigh, hovering worriedly by Lazuli's side. Julia was okay. Her Pokemon were okay. She was okay. But her trainer? That was another story. The rises and falls of his chest were shallow, even with the group having escaped the water. He didn't respond to Julia's breathless, desperate cries. He didn't even react to being tossed onto the back of a Lapras. His arm limply grazed the surface of the water, only the slight motions of the Lapras' body leaving little ripples in their wake.[break][break]

Julia called for help. And help was on its way.[break][break]

An explosion of water rocked outward from the shore of the beach. It was as if the shore had just been hit by a sonic boom. Seaspray kicked up in two directions, foamy white curtains that practically divided the sea. It looked like what you'd see if a speedboat was heading right for you. However, there was no boat visible to connect these trails. There was only a blur of blue.[break][break]

The blur leaped to the skies, and before Julia knew it there was a Riolu perched before her. Knuckles looked down at Isaac, blinking back a few tears. She barked furiously at his unconscious body. She didn't understand. She didn't understand what happened. She didn't understand him. She didn't understand how to help. She didn't understand.[break][break]

But that wouldn't stop her.[break][break]

Hurt and concern blended in Knuckles' gut. What else could she do but what came natural? Her feelings exploded out in a single, ferocious punch, aimed right for Isaac's gut. How could he be so stupid? Another punch followed. How could he be so reckless? Another, and another. How could he get himself killed like that when she still needed him? She drew back both fists, ready to really hammer in the point.[break][break]

Before she could, a gentle hand set upon her forehead. She stopped, following the path set by the hand. Wrist . . . elbow . . . there it was. Her trainer's big, dumb face. Even as he tried to hide his pained wince, he still managed to work up a smile somehow. "Your punches are getting way stronger, buddy," he wheezed. At her wide eyed surprise, his smile turned to a sly smirk. "Aww, c'mon. Don't tell me you were actually worried about me!"[break][break]

The Riolu huffed in indignation, crossing her arms and turning away. Isaac wanted to laugh it off, but with the pain in his ribs and gut he could barely work up a snicker. "Ow, fuck . . . I dunno what's scarier. Almost drowning, or Knuckles when she's pissed off," he admitted. "I'd say I owe you one, but something tells me that's the understatement of the century."

[break][break]





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[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!




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played by

Alicia Jewel

she/her
21
July 5
Fortree City
pansexual
Ranger
Elite Ranger
Single
135 height
135 height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
612 posts
Julia Davis DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @julia
Julia Davis
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 23, 2022 21:44:13 GMT
Julia Davis Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","julia"]
[attr="class","juliaw"]

Julia could see Isaac's chest rise and fall with each shallow breath. He was still breathing. That was good. But he was unresponsive, no matter how much Julia shouted and shook him. They needed to get to shore fast. Julia knew some first aid, but she had no idea how to deal with a situation like this. Was she supposed to start CPR if the victim was still breathing? She desperately flipped through her brain for solutions.

[break][break]Suddenly, the sea parted, and a blur of blue raced over the divide. It took her a few moments after it had landed for her to register that it was a distressed Riolu. Isaac's, she presumed? She gasped when the Emanation Pokémon started to punch Isaac in the stomach.

[break][break]"Hey, cut it out! He's hurt!" Julia exclaimed, but the Riolu didn't listen. She reached out to grab the fists that the Riolu had raised, knowing full well that wrath could turn on her, but she'd just brushed against them when she realized Isaac was moving. Slowly, she let her hands drop. She couldn't even laugh at the Riolu's indignity; she was too filled with relief for anything else to make room.

[break][break]"You're okay!" She wrapped her arms around him in a clumsy embrace but quickly realized how bad of an idea that was. "Shoot, sorry. I just... I'm just so glad we made it." She wiped away the tears she hadn't even realized had gathered in her eyes. Above her, Lazuli sighed out her own relief, the sound like a soft musical note. Sparkie followed suit, drooping on her own tail as the anxiety flowed out of her body.

[break][break]"How's your arm?" Julia asked, turning to assess the damage. She didn't think it'd been hurt enough to warrant the worst-case scenario, but that bit of fear still bubbled within her.

[attr="class","juliatag"]


[attr="class","juliapokes"]




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close tab

played by

Wanderer

The Liberator
he/him/his
24
April 10
Lavaridge Town
Figuring it Out
Penitent
Renegade
I've got a, I've got a
Pocket fulla sunshine
Short King height
Short King height
Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!
awards
4,402 posts
Isaac Merlo DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @isaacmerlo
Isaac Merlo
Under Pressure [M]
POSTED ON Sept 24, 2022 4:50:05 GMT
Isaac Merlo Avatar
[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗
[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?



[attr="class","skullbody"]Julia's tight, hasty embrace got a pained squeak out of Isaac, but at least his reaction wasn't as bad as Julia feared. Heck, he even returned the hug! Sure, it wasn't with the crushed-up, bloodied arm, but that was probably for the best.[break][break]

"Heh. Takes a lot more than that to kill me," Isaac said, a grin equal parts weary and cocky spreading across his face. "Don't mind Knuckles. She just cares a whole lot, and thinks she's too tough to show it. You know how it is." Upon hearing this, the Riolu huffed loudly, making an even bigger show of turning away from the humans. How could Isaac not snicker upon seeing that?[break][break]

"Hey. It's cool, it's cool. Though if you keep being like that, I guess you won't get to see what I found down there." Isaac's voice was mischievous and sing-song as he held out a closed fist. Her curiosity piqued, Knuckles turned over her shoulder with one eye squeezed open. Slowly but surely, she approached. Still grinning, Isaac turned his hand over, opening it to reveal the Lucarionite that he had snagged beneath the waves.[break][break]

A strange stone, perfectly attuned to her aura. She could already feel the latent power within her burning as she drew closer to it. This could have only been a gift for her. But if that was what he found beneath the waves, and he almost hadn't resurfaced, then that could only mean . . .[break][break]

Another fist Isaac's gut, sending him crumpling. He wheezed out another laugh as the pain subsided. "Alright, alright, alright. I get it," he said. "I'm not gonna worry you like that again. It's okay. I promise."[break][break]

With all said and done, Isaac held his arm out towards Julia. It was mostly some bruising and scratching, the kind of surface level injury you'd heal up from in a day or two. The gash that had bled earlier looked kind of nasty, but when one got past the visual of wet blood trickling down Isaac's arm, it actually looked pretty surface level. For a guy that had nearly died, he seemed in pretty great shape. "Seems like a walk it off level scuff to me," Isaac remarked, shrugging. "Y'know. Once I get my land legs back."

[break][break]





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img
The Shula Region
Hogwarts AU
RPG Unlimited
MR
The Enroi Region
N:FB
Vyrehaven
Celestial Guardians, AU Sailor Moon RP
EO GENESIS
Code and Crown: An advanced literate warriors cats RP, set in medieval times
Swords Clashing