things have not been the same since the incident; an incident cian only knows through stories and reports from others. once again, he wasn't there for her, at least not in the same way he had once tackled the museum incident with the likes of Greyson Connors and luka chêne.[break][break]

so, naturally, it is with a weight of guilt that he finds himself trekking up the path alongside her.[break][break]

"you thirsty?"[break][break]

an awkward attempt to break the silence between them.

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

A shudder runs down her spine as his words carve through the veil of silence between them. "No, I'm fine."

[break][break]


She wasn't. Caught without taking a single drop of water since they started their hike through Lilycove's surrounding trails, Penelope refused to back down and stop.
[break][break]

She couldn't yet. Not until the lump lodged down her throat was completely swallowed and forgotten.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


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

"you sure? you haven't had a sip since we started."[break][break]

nor has he, really, as he glances down at the flask to see it still full of water. he pops the cap open and extends the flask over to her, insisting.[break][break]

he does his best to ease the tension with a smile.[break][break]

"i don't want you fainting on me."

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

The affection in his voice was enough to bring the distant woman to a slow and steady stop.
[Break][break]
"Fine," she relented and spun around. The eyes she wore were duller than normal, a stark contrast to the glimmer he'd be used to.
[Break][break]
She'd reach for the flask and give it a solid swing before properly returning it back to him.
[Break][break]
"But you should take a sip, too." Her eyes flicked down at the flask, then back up, gesturing down to it. "please."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


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

"sure."[break][break]

cian may be fit and healthy but he isn't an idiot. he's approaching levels of dehydration just from sweating so much from this hike already. not drinking would be really bad.[break][break]

taking the flask back, he takes a good chug before putting the cap back on. he drops the flask back into his backpack, then sighs.[break][break]

"are we okay, by the way? seems a bit random to bring up but i thought i should."

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

In an instant, her icy exterior melted away as concerned burned through. Was she that bad today? Lips drooping into a worried wrangled mess of a frown, her hand instinctively reached up to entangle her finger around the longest strain of hair she could find. From there, she anxiously raveled and unraveled the lock of amber around her index.
[break][break]
"Of course, we're okay." It took every bit of inner strength to will herself from inching forward and melting back into his arms -- a natural inclination spurred on by the sudden and disastrous thought of things not being okay between them. "I've just..I-"
[break][break]
A ball of jumbled, tangled words rested on her tongue. She sighed and tried again. "I'm sorry," she breathed, "Ever since that day," the day she showed up at his doorstep, puffy cheeked and trembling, "I've just been...on edge, I guess."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


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

his anxiety and self-doubt got the better of him. of course they're okay. this has nothing to do with him or with them.[break][break]

"yeah, no, i get that. i would be too if—"[break][break]

if he'd been there. but he wasn't.[break][break]

he reaches out for her hand, bridging the gap between them.[break][break]

"is there anything i can do to help?"

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

His hand reached out for hers, slow and cautious, as if she were a fragile piece about to shatter.
[Break][break]
Their fingers easily intertwined into one another and Penelope offered a small tug toward a jumble of rocks stacked near the side the track. There, they could talk in the shade.
[Break][break]
A deep seeded sigh spilled out from her chest. "Maybe? I don't know..." She shook her head furiously. What was there to do? What's done is done. And yet, she still felt stuck. Suffocated.
[Break][break]
Hoisting herself ontop the jumble of rocks, she used her free hand to keep herself propped up. "I always knew Hoenn was fucked, right? Like, I report on how fucked it is, of course I know. But back there..." She paused, brows knitting together as her expression scrunched with frustration. "I felt so powerless. I," uncertainty glistened in her widened eyes as she looked back up at Cian, "I thought I was going to die down there, Cian. I kept thinking: what about all the work I've done? What was it even for? Was it even worth this?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


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

all he can really do is to just be there for her, he supposes. to be present in the moment and to do whatever he can to ground her.[break][break]

as she explains, he nods, listening intently like the supporting partner that he is.[break][break]

"it sounds like you're having an existential crisis which seems totally normal considering what you went through."[break][break]

he would be going through one as well, no doubt, if he had been there.[break][break]

"just how fucked are we again?"

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

"Well, considering how the entire multiverse wants us dead, I'd say we're pretty fucked."
[Break][break]
The league had somewhat reasonable plans on how to deal with the meteor, but that didn't completely wash away the pit laid deep in her stomach. She gnawed on her inner cheeks as anxiety continued to prick her skin, sending shivers down her spine and legs.
[Break][break]
"And they should, given we're literally going to end the entire multiverse. Somehow." There were so many questions to be had. Fundamentally shattering questions meant to elicit hidden fears from the nooks of her brain.
[Break][break]
Taking a deep breath, Penelope gave his hand another long, firm squeeze.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


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

yeah, they're pretty fucked.[break][break]

"somehow."[break][break]

cian has always been privileged enough to afford to be ignorant to news and politics. it's selfish, he knows as it has been pointed out to him multiple times; the most prominent one being a stern talking to from ALEXANDER STONE.[break][break]

but he's changed since then. he's taken an active interest not just because his girlfriend is heavily involved in all that.[break][break]

"do you believe what they said is true, though? what if they lied?"

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

"What would be the point?"
[Break][Break]
Was there someone who'd even gain anything from it? It was hard to imagine. But, then again, a giant world-shattering meteor was also hard to imagine. So was the multiverse.
[Break][Break]
And look at them now.
[Break][Break]
"It makes sense, in a way. Mega evolution, avatars, sea!hoenn? That shit isn't natural."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


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

"does there have to be a point? maybe they're just fucking with us for fun."[break][break]

he wouldn't put it past them as they could just be enjoying watching hoenn squirm. he knows some people like that.[break][break]

his head tilts back as he looks up at the skies.[break][break]

"i dunno. they all seem pretty believable to me but i guess it might be because i watch a lot of anime."

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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