MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 14:12:09 GMT

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audino

Though late summer in Hoenn usually meant heat and humidity, amplified by its mysterious dome, an overcast sky brought a measure of relief to the tropical region. Nikita was grateful for it as she stood amidst the rows of berry plants on one of the farms between Rustboro and Verdanturf. That weekend found her far from her usual Mauville haunts, collecting ripe berries into a basket. That particular farm welcomed the public on the weekends to help themselves to fresh berries, as long as they paid for each basket by the pound.[break][break]

Nikita was not alone that day. Her Audino stood at her side, gathering berries from the lower branches of the plants. But her Grookey, on the other hand…[break][break]

"Grookey, you can't eat them yet," Nikita admonished the green monkey when she found him hidden behind a bush, a half-eaten pecha berry in his hands. "Only after we're finished."[break][break]

He uttered a high-pitched whine and pleaded with her with his eyes, but she shook her head firmly.[break][break]

"You can't pull that face on me."[break][break]

Wailing, the Pokémon turned and fled between the rows, straight toward a man and a little girl who were collecting berries of their own.[break][break]

"Wait! Come back!" Nikita called out after him. Heaving an exasperated sigh, she started to trudge after Grookey. Not wanting to be left alone, her Audino followed, carrying her own smaller basket in her arms.

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NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit, with silver-colored, titanium prosthetics for her left arm and leg

BY GUNSMILE

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kosei

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Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 17:12:36 GMT

[attr="class","samjer"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]

It was somewhat humorous that, at one time, there wasn't a likelihood in hell that he would ever be out picking berries. Yet there he was with a little basket hanging from one arm as the little creature that had come to consume his life was buzzing back and forth with armfuls of red and blue berries. "No, Miu, not the red ones. Those.... you said those were too spicy." She continued to promptly ignore him, placing them in the basket before returning back to her job.

Blue, his Riolu, was patiently waiting beside him, staring at the berries with a feat of absolute strength. He made a reminder to reward the little guy when all of this was over. "This one has a caterpie in it!" She howled with laughter, stumbling back from the grove with a startled worm in her hands before the poor thing wriggled free and vanished in the grass.

She was about to go back on the search for it when a Grookey appeared behind her, robbing her of the worm-eaten pecha berry left in her hand. Miu squealed, partial with laughter before grabbing out to hug the thief. "Dad, can we keep him?"

"What!? Shit— No, no no no. Obviously he belongs to someone." Thankfully, he was saved by said owner. He laid the basket down, noting that one of the berries had vanished, coincidentally along with his Riolu. So much for patience.

"Missing a Grookey?" At least the distraction was nice. Little did he know that his daughter was cooking up a plan and had vanished into the grove of berries with the Grookey in hand.

[attr="class","samjertag"]

@nikita

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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 17:55:36 GMT

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audino

Nikita stopped short of the tall man with long, black hair. He looked tired, like he'd already been standing there for hours and still had a long day ahead of him. The little girl, who had hidden as soon as she'd noticed Nikita approach, resembled the man, too. His daughter, the silver-haired woman assumed.[break][break]

She offered the stranger a polite smile through which she tried to convey friendliness. "Yes, I saw him head in this direction." Glancing about, though, the Grookey was nowhere to be seen. Neither was the man's Riolu. "I seem to have lost him again, though."[break][break]

With her metal hand, Nikita gently pushed aside some branches of the nearest berry bush and peered between them. She was expecting to see the man's daughter crouched between the plants, but there was only grass and dirt.[break][break]

A look of consternation crossing her face, Nikita turned to him. "Sir, your child…?"

[break]

[attr="class","nikitapostooc"]

[break]

NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit

BY GUNSMILE

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

6'4" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 19:24:38 GMT

[attr="class","samjer"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]

"Yeah my Riolu seems to have finally lost patience with me." He sighed, not entirely blaming Blue for it.

Miu's mind ran at a thousand miles a minute and yet she could linger in the same place debating between two different colored berries all the while creating some kind of magical remedy that it could mysteriously heal. Like handing him a sour yellow one telling him that it would make his crankies go away. No, the only thing that would heal that was a nap. Somehow, at some point in time, he'd turned into an old man. He wasn't even thirty yet and he went to bed at nine.

Not that the pretty woman next to him needed to know anything about that.

"Sir, your child…?"

He almost didn't even need her to tell him. He let out a long sigh, hand pressing to what he was sure were heavy eyes. "Miu!" She had a way of vanishing out of nowhere. It stopped giving him immediate heart attacks, but that didn't mean it still didn't scare him. "I swear to g—" He leaned down, hoping to catch sight of a pink jumper. Only no... she was gone. Okay, so he was starting to stress some. "I'm sorry, it seems my daughter has kidnapped your Grookey."

This was hardly the first occasion that Miu had "adopted" a pokemon that was not up for adoption. There was a screech of laughter in the distance, a surprising distance away from them. "Here, I'll get him back for you."

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@nikita

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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 20:25:34 GMT

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audino

Nikita couldn't help the slight tug at the corner of her mouth, the first hint of an amused smile that threatened to bloom across her face. The situation was anything but comical, yet the man's daughter was clearly having the time of her life.[break][break]

"It's all right," Nikita said, attempting to sound gentle and reassuring. "We'll go together. I don't want your daughter to think she's in trouble. Grookey can be mischievous, but if he's taken a liking to her, I don't see why they can't play for a little while."[break][break]

Children deserved joy, after all.[break][break]

They started walking in the direction of the laughter, Nikita's Audino trailing behind them. The woman adjusted her grip on her basket, hooking the handle around her prosthetic arm so that it rested in the crook of her elbow. Her other hand skimmed over the tops of the berry bushes, brushing against the vibrant, green leaves.[break][break]

"I'm Nikita, by the way. Do you come here with your daughter often?" she asked her companion idly. "You said her name was Miu, right?"[break][break]

Above them, the skies darkened with storm clouds. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

[break]

[attr="class","nikitapostooc"]

[break]

NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit

BY GUNSMILE

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kosei

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Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 21:08:05 GMT

[attr="class","samjer"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]

So much for a simple day of picking berries. It was as if the most menial of tasks had become 10 times harder since. In all reality, he just figured these things were signals that he was just not a very good father. Not exactly surprising, considering who he was and how he'd spent most of his life. People like him weren't meant to be around children, delicate and breakable and sensitive. He was all rough and tired edges, worn down like an old blade. Not exactly father material, but he was at least trying. That put him one-over his own father at the very least.

The woman was sensible and forgiving, quickly so. Where his first reaction would have been to be abrasive, caustic of the fact he obviously couldn't control the little devil. Nikita, she seemed familiar to him. Maybe he'd seen her before or she simply had a memorable face. Maybe it was the notable prosthetic or simply something about her face, but he decided not to draw attention to it.

"Kosei, nice to meet you. Uhh no, not really. Every once in awhile, mostly just to keep her happy." He nodded at that, resisting the urge to ramble. "Yeah, she's a bit of a trouble maker. Don't know where she gets it." Certainly not from the man who had to keep a swear jar just so he didn't teach her four-letter words to shout at school.

There was an ugly grumble of sound from the sky above. Kosei let out another frustrated breath before fixing the sky with an expression that said: Really!? Then snorted in laughter, "Not making it easy on us, is it?"

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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2022 22:13:06 GMT

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audino

A chuckle escaped Nikita's lips at Kosei's comment about his daughter's behavior. "If not from you, then perhaps your spouse?" she suggested lightly.[break][break]

The sky rumbled ominously once again, prompting Nikita to turn her gaze toward it as well. Frowning now, she glanced in the direction of Miu's laughter. "Maybe we should hurry. If we can find her quickly, we can take shelter in the farm's shop."[break][break]

At the edge of the berry field stood three buildings: the house where the farmer and his family lived, which was off limits to visitors; a large building where they sold produce and other homemade items; and the barn they used for storage.[break][break]

Hefting her basket, Nikita picked up her pace, this time calling out in her melodic voice: "Miu? Grookey? We have to go inside. It's about to rain!"

[break]

[attr="class","nikitapostooc"]

[break]

NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit

BY GUNSMILE

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roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 0:06:29 GMT

[attr="class","samjer"]

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"Just me, sadly, there's no one to blame but myself. As much as I wish I could do otherwise." Though he wished he could blame her mother, but her negligence was only half the equation of a mutual problem. He'd made the decision to keep Miu and that was on him. Her lack of involvement was on her.

They were running short on time and he knew from experience that Miu didn't mind the rain. Nothing really ruined that girl's mood or dampened her fire, she just kept burning on through. It was tiresome, to say the least, even if he still adored her. "Miu, you got five seconds or I'm leaving you here."

"No, you won't!" She yelled back, calling his bluff annoyingly soon. He grumbled an expletive under his breath though her shout at least allowed him to zero in on her direction. "Yeah, I am. I'm telling the farmers they can lock you up with the wooloo."

"Then I will be one with the wooloo. Baaaaahh!" Aha, he caught a flash of pink as she stood up to shout above the berry bushes. "There she is." Fighting through the row of berries. He pushed a branch aside to find Miu, the Grookey, and Blue all circled together. There was berry smeared across their faces. "Okay, get up."

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@nikita

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 11:39:53 GMT

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audino

At Kosei's admission to being a single father, a blush of embarrassment crept into Nikita's cheeks and ears, tinting her pale skin with rosy pink. How foolish of her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed," she offered, unable to meet his eyes.[break][break]

Thankfully, his daughter's yelling commanded his attention, and they soon found the girl's hiding place. Nikita couldn't help but giggle at the conspiratorial way Miu and the two Pokémon huddled together, their faces and hands covered in sticky berry juice.[break][break]

As Kosei handled his daughter, the silver-haired woman addressed her own Pokémon. "Grookey, come here." Crouching among the berry bushes, she put down her basket and removed a handkerchief from her purse. The small, green monkey bounded over to her and let her wipe most of the juice off his little face. "You're a sneaky little mess, you know that?"[break][break]

Thunder rumbled again, louder and closer this time. Nikita glanced up when she felt a couple of droplets land on her skin. Another fell on her forehead. Gathering Grookey and her basket in her arms, she stood swiftly.[break][break]

"Kosei, we need to go."

[break]

[attr="class","nikitapostooc"]

[break]

NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit

BY GUNSMILE

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played by

roux

kosei

he/him

Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 16:43:27 GMT

[attr="class","samjer"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]

Kosei was no stranger to the mistake, nor the embarrassment that usually followed the correction. It was amusing to say the least and he never took personally. "Oh don't apologize, I'd assume the same thing." He offered a friendly smile to alleviate some of the awkward energy that slipped into the conversation.

Luckily, it was firmly overlooked by his daughter's outburst. Miu pouted, face smeared with berry purple tint. It amused him to find a red berry abandoned on the ground, clearly a bite taken out of it and spit out (likely for being too spicy). She never learned, maybe one day she would though. She was stubborn, like him.

Almost as if prompted by the reunion, the sky had had enough. "Yep, time to go." This time he held Miu's hand as they retreated to the barn. He cast an idle glance to Blue, eyebrow raised accusingly. So much for good behavior. They managed to make it under the barn before the worst began to crash down. "Wow, good timing. So, I've seen you somewhere and I'm trying to figure out where."

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@nikita

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 17:22:01 GMT

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audino

As soon as they had retreated into the barn, the rainstorm began in earnest, filling the air with its gentle, unceasing susurration. Nikita normally found the sound soothing, but in that scenario, she was anything but relaxed. Her body ached from rushing across the berry field with a full basket, and the storm had brought a chill with it that raised goosebumps across her skin. Sitting down on a bale of hay, she set down her basket at her feet. Her Audino did the same.[break][break]

"I don't suppose you have a Pokémon that can teleport us out of here, do you?" she said to Kosei, lifting an eyebrow at him. The chance was slim, and she expected him to say 'no'. The question was still worth asking.[break][break]

When he voiced recognition, however, she sat up a little straighter, both eyebrows going up in mild surprise. "Have you? I don't think we've met before…"[break][break]

She searched her memory for his face or name but came up without any answers. As such, there was only one possible reason for his familiarity, one that filled her with as much resignation as dread.[break][break]

Nikita's expression grew distant when she spoke next. "Perhaps you've seen me in the news?"

[break]

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[break]

NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit

BY GUNSMILE

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roux

kosei

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Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 18:06:33 GMT

[attr="class","samjer"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]

Kosei was familiar with the feeling of things not going quite so right. This was really nothing new in that retrospect and he was merely happy to have found his kid before it was let loose. Miu made herself busy continuing to play with the pokemon, which was fine by him. So long as they didn't take off into the storm because if they did he might just leave her to fend for herself at that point.

"No, sadly not." The question affirmed that she too did not have that option, which meant they were stuck there until it stopped. He felt a little guilty, even if none of this had been his direct fault. Then again, his daughter had taken off with her Grookey, so that was in part his fault.

Despite appearance and... genuinely being a bit of a dense jackass, he wasn't oblivious. Maybe it had come from a childhood desperately trying to sense affection in the stalwart expressions of his parents, or simply from having to read his own erratic daughter, but he could sense a change. Even if indirectly, he'd managed to go and step on her toes.

Great. He let the prior interest drop some, shoulders subverting in a cavalier shrug. "Maybe..." Though a bell was rung at that. "Sorry, didn't mean to dig into your business."

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 18:40:30 GMT

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audino

Kosei shrugged and seemed content with dropping the topic, but Nikita continued to watch him, her chest filling with uncertainty. The likelihood of him looking her up on the Internet afterward, as Aurelie Lefevre had, was high. Few people resisted the magnetism of her false limbs, and people often snuck peeks at them or outright stared. Though Kosei hadn't done either, she assumed he'd be like the others, giving in to his curiosity once her back was turned. People were all the same.[break][break]

Yet even as Nikita started to turn inward, she found herself unsettled by giving him the cold shoulder. Talking with him had come easily, and Grookey seemed to take a liking to his daughter. The two continued their play in the safety of the barn and under Kosei's supervision.[break][break]

"It was probably the news," Nikita eventually conceded, removing a small, leather case from her purse. From it, she picked out a single business card, glossy white with black text. She held it out for Kosei to take.[break][break]

"I'm the regional director for Wells Prosthetics & Technology here in Hoenn. I was interviewed following the events of 'the Darkest Day' since many people caught in that incident lost limbs."[break][break]

She'd been in other news reports, of course, like those pertaining to her accident fourteen years ago. But she doubted Kosei recognized her from those articles; she'd only been a teenager at that time, after all.

[break]

[attr="class","nikitapostooc"]

[break]

NOTES

+ Mission: Berry Patch Kids[break]
+ Nikita's Outfit

BY GUNSMILE

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roux

kosei

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Sept 3

rustboro city, hoenn

pansexual

maker of many mistakes

associate

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 19:07:15 GMT

shiv likes this

[attr="class","samjer"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]

It wasn't in his nature to pry and perhaps he had, though in his mind it seemed like small talk. Generally, it might've been considered a safe topic. Though he should've known better, most conversation with him resulted in hurt feelings. Miu made him softer, but she couldn't erase his caustic nature. Sure, he'd be lying to say he wasn't at least curious about the woman who had been circumstantially trapped with him and his brat. Obviously, he'd noted the prosthetics, but he'd seen injuries at the cost of war before. Frankly, if anything, they were kinda badass looking.

Right then, he anticipated nothing more than the weight of silence between them. An awkward result of an unfortunate circumstance. Neither of them owed one another conversation. Kosei was more than comfortable with silence. To most people, such a sentiment was unsettling. They couldn't stand the idea of vacant space. After a childhood of constipated silence over bland food, well he was something of an expert.

He did not expect her to answer him then, offering a little bit more information. Even more so, he didn't understand why there had been consternation to begin with. It seemed liked altruistic work. Far more than what he did on the day to day (not that there was any contest in that). He took the offered card. Truthfully, he didn't know much about the business itself except for what it obviously implied by name alone. "Sounds like you do good work, then."

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@nikita

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POSTED ON Sept 8, 2022 19:21:46 GMT

shiv and Orion Lykos like this

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audino

Nikita shook her head. "My engineers are the real heroes," she said, her tone devoid of any bitterness. "I simply oversee our operations in the region, but they meet and work with every patient, ensuring that their needs are met."[break][break]

She thought of Orion Lykos and how emotional it had been for him to receive his new arm after his recent trauma. She thought of the boy, Arashi Akiyama, who had struggled with homemade prosthetics for years until her employees turned his designs into state-of-the-art limbs.[break][break]

Then she tilted her head at Kosei, realizing that he had the advantage over her: he knew more about her than she knew about him.[break][break]

"What do you do for work, Kosei?" she asked as she put away her business cards. Once they had disappeared back into her purse, she automatically wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her metal hand against her own skin in an attempt to ward off the chill of the storm.[break][break]

Outside, the wind howled and lightning flashed across the sky.

[break]

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