MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON May 29, 2019 2:20:32 GMT

Stormy Silph likes this

a favor for a favor.

it has been a week since their meeting and since then nights have been late and restless. he's most often seen in devon's lab, hidden away with a few other scientists and technicians as they work away on prototypes for a very peculiar weapon. devon has not been known for making weaponry but times are changing. devon must change too if they want to survive; and they cannot do it alone.

it might have been difficult to explain to Stormy Silph why he couldn't find the time to see her, especially when he couldn't exactly say why. projects like these; projects with potential to turn the tide; need to be kept secret. which is why their meeting location today is a bit...unconventional.

not many know this but there's a smaller section to rusturf tunnel that branches out from the main path, deeper into the cave system. it's a few minutes walk but it's so tucked away that nobody bothers exploring it. freya will have an easy time finding it as she'll be assisted by various league personnel stationed in and outside of the tunnel. there, at small cordoned off section, is where she'll find what she wants.

"ah! it is lovely to see you, freya. i must apologize for the last minute notice. i figured we might need a bit more...privacy. i hope your meetings the past week have gone well."

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crow

the ascendant

she/her

twenty-nine

November 03

sootopolis

demisexual

councilwoman

champion

5'7 height

i got new love, new skin to wrap myself in

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TAG WITH @freya

POSTED ON May 29, 2019 21:15:11 GMT

[attr="class","freypost"]her lack of sleep is reaching a critical stage. insomnia grips her in the early hours of the morning now. politicking has her chasing conversations around in her head, both past and future; Emma Wolfe has thrown an insurmountable amount of stress over her life, between fretting over her mental state of mind and balancing her feelings with work; nikolai's loss has thrown sootopolis off-balance and her recent engagement with the new queen hadn't exactly left their relationship in good standing.

by the time the guards back away and leave her with alexander, she'd almost begun to suspect that the man had brought her down here as an act of betrayal. she chides her sleep-deprived conclusion and offers a wan smile to alexander.

"some good news would certainly lift my spirits," is all she offers by way of response, but no doubt it says multitudes.

her bow is slung across her back for the occasion, glinting in the artificial light rigged in the cavern. she looks expectantly at alexander, brows raised.

[newclass=.freypost]font:10px calibri;[/newclass]
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noodles

devon

he/him

twenty-nine

june 12

rustboro

straight

advisor

ex-champion

406 height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON May 30, 2019 10:13:54 GMT

it seems as though he's not the only one plagued by sleepless nights. that much becomes clear to him as she takes a step forward. the dark shades under her eyes tell the same story as the ones under his. he cannot help but smile just a little at that; maybe they aren't so different after all.

"it has been a long week for both of us, i can imagine. but i am glad to see you again."

he takes a step over to the side to reveal what his body had been blocking: stacks upon stacks of metal cases with a neat bow laying on top. "woops." he reaches for the bow and lays it on the ground. he waits until she approaches before flipping the top case open to reveal six arrows, all with different colored-tips.

"thunder wave and toxic. as per your designs. they can be toggled to auto-detonate or manually through a switch which needs to be installed on your bow. just attach it as you would a scope." he holds one small device in between his fingers and offers it to her. he also pulls out motions with his other hand to the remaining four arrows.

he smiles. "dragon pulse. dark pulse. water pulse. and heal pulse. i figured they might come in useful." with that, he takes a step back. "please, feel free to test them." and gestures to an open space that extends from them, far down into the cavern enough.

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played by

crow

the ascendant

she/her

twenty-nine

November 03

sootopolis

demisexual

councilwoman

champion

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TAG WITH @freya

POSTED ON May 30, 2019 16:44:55 GMT

[attr="class","freypost"]she relaxes at his words, more visibly than she may have wanted, but it's a nice change of pace. being in the presence of a friend, and if not a friend, then an ally, is certainly comforting. she eyes the bow that he'd brought and removes her own from her back.

"my apologies. i wasn't expecting you to create your own model. mine have personal value." as she draws the weapon from her back and steps closer, curiosity and expectation getting the better of her, the slick wood manufactured into the carbon steel frame of the rest of the bow can be seen. the wood is weathered, but well maintained, and it doesn't take a genius to guess that the weapon she holds in her hands is old, upgraded and finely tuned from what was once a simple wooden bow.

she accepts the device and examines it. when he reveals the contents of the case, she simply assumes that perhaps he'd upgraded her other designs, but a look of disbelief crosses over her face when he explains. she raises her gaze to his and blinks, knowing the words that come out of her mouth can prove dangerous if alexander turns out not to be an ally, but they feel right.

"i owe you a debt, alexander stone."

there must be some level of trust that stems from him if he's arming her so readily. she reaches for a pokeball nestled into her draconic necklace and releases sypha. her defense dragoness curls her body before the two, dipping a head respectfully at alexander.

"sypha, apply a safeguard and a light screen," she says and the dragoness' wings expand. she lifts off the ground and circles in the cavern above them; her body takes on a blue, and then a yellow sheen, as she applies her buffs. no doubt there are wild pokemon crawling about somewhere in the tunnel, but she'll be better able to assess the power of the arrows with her own pokemon.

she nocks the water pulse arrow, curiosity getting the better of her. "it's heavy," she says with a bit of surprise. the arrowhead dips as she pulls it and she raises her elbow to compensate, draws with a small intake of breath. she eyes her target, aims higher, and then the arrow flies with a pling.

it sails over sypha and embeds itself into a stalactite. and as the arrowhead bursts, an explosion of water expels out from it in a radius. it tumbles over the approaching dragonair and she falters in the air for a moment, righting herself a second later.

she nocks her dark pulse arrow. "i hear you've been collecting gym badges," she says and draws.

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noodles

devon

he/him

twenty-nine

june 12

rustboro

straight

advisor

ex-champion

406 height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON May 31, 2019 13:59:20 GMT

freya morningstar likes this

his own model? oh. he shakes his head. "no apologies necessary. it actually belongs to me. someone had to test the arrows." he shrugs it off. he's nowhere near the marksman she is and he won't even bother to try and reach her level. he is content with his strengths and weaknesses as a person.

i owe you a debt.

the magic words he wants to hear; they slip through the air like a gentle melody, drawing a smile from the usually stoic man. he offers no words a response because none are needed. they both know that a time will come where he'll ask her for a favor, to pay him back for his and on that day he can only hope that her honor stays true.

and it will. he knows it.

the aqua-tipped arrow soars and explodes upon impact, releasing a sudden burst of water that drenches the ground as it falls. the impact sends slight vibrations through the cave but rusturf tunnel has seen worse. this is nothing.

"it is still technically a prototype. we will continue working on it but in the mean time there are twenty-four arrows." he taps each of the metal box that house six arrows each, totaling four boxes. "ah, twenty-three."

he watches her draw and takes a step back out of pure instinct. "word travels fast." he nods. "just giving in to childish dreams, i suppose. i have three so far."

a pause.

"was that ever one of yours? to collect all eight." he doesn't think it is; she strikes him as someone who cares little for it, if at all. she sees the big picture and focuses on it where he allows himself to get sidetracked. just sometimes, not always.

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crow

the ascendant

she/her

twenty-nine

November 03

sootopolis

demisexual

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champion

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POSTED ON May 31, 2019 17:41:01 GMT

[attr="class","freypost"]twenty-four. so he hasn't yet outfitted them to her quiver. she's not surprised. she can't even begin to fathom the steps it will take to imbue something like a water pulse into her machine. she may have to rethink how she carries her arrows.

though the more incorporeal of them all, the rest of the pulses, those should be more simple. and if they need a charge, her pokemon can certainly lend a hand. "i prefer to travel light, but with these new designs i don't see a way out of a new model for the quiver. earlier versions were bulkier, but i could learn to alternate between my hip and my back."

she throws her arm over her shoulder, grasping at nothing. movies and television, for whatever reason, have butchered the reality of the bow and arrow. it makes little sense to draw a long shaft from one's back when one could carry their arsenal on their hip.

"i can deliver to you one of them. it will probably make it easier than working from the ground up."

another boom resounds in the cave as the dark pulse arrow explodes, this time catching sypha a bit closer. the dragoness' body curls and she drops a couple of feet, then rights herself with a shake of her head. freya watches her carefully and then tightens her grip on the bow.

she doesn't believe for a moment that it's simply childish dreams and she almost says so. we must trust each other.

"no," she says. it's common knowledge that freya's birth name isn't morningstar, but very rarely does she point it out. she is closer to her family than blood; she is bound by choice and by loyalty. "i wanted to fix this world. a strange sentiment from a child, i think, but hey, i also wanted a dragon of my own."

she purses her lips. "i didn't have the worst time of it, by far. in fact, i was rather lucky that the morningstars took a liking to me, saw something in me. but the foster system is unkind. i'd witnessed things, as a child. i learned from a very young age what people are capable of.

"i want to put a stop to it, alexander," she says, voice sounding tired. "sometimes i feel as childish and powerless as i did then. but we can't fight back, not as we are now." slowly, she adds, "i'm working on making a level playing ground."

she lets the rest of the arrows alone, instead lowering her hand to her quiver. five arrows slide into her palm and she hooks them expertly around her fingers; four dangle as she nocks one. she shoots and the arrowhead flies, embedding in the crevice made from the earlier water pulse shot.

and then she nocks another, shoots, nocks, shoots; wood splits, a dull ping echoes as steel hits steel. then there's an earsplitting crack. the stalactite groans; splintered arrow shafts burst as the rock breaks free and crashes to the ground. she turns.

"i still wish to work within the confines of the law, of course, so don't fret about me speaking treason. i can only hope that i plead a case justly enough to the good commissioner."

sypha flies back to them then and freya gently touches her ruffled scales, the lingering marks from the dark-type attack. "thank you," she says sweetly and sypha nuzzles her cheek as she's pulled back into the confines of her ball.

"do you think me a fool or just a silly idealist?"

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noodles

devon

he/him

twenty-nine

june 12

rustboro

straight

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Jun 2, 2019 11:40:44 GMT

it is as he expectED; HER WORDS ONLY CONFIRM IT. "not that strange." he comments but doesn't interrupt. nodding at intervals, he listens to her words with genuine intrigue and for moments he wonders if she's ever shared this much with anyone else. she must have, to become a member of the council, but to what extent and to what level of genuineness, he's not too sure.

a level playing ground. the words repeated in his head as he watches her fire off the different arrows; each impact causing a repeat.

"neither."

silence envelops the air after the beam of red recalls dragonair back into safe confines. he allows it to, practically relishing in it for moments as he gathers his thoughts. they've known each other for some time now and yet he doesn't fully trust her; he's not sure if he ever will; which is why he chooses his words carefully.

"our upbringings may be different but we both know what people are capable of. some do not; some prefer to live in ignorance; and it is up to people like us to convince them otherwise."

a pause.

"i must admit that i was once part of the majority. before slateport, i never concerned myself with the well-being of the region because that was never my responsibility. i am rustboro's protector, and so i thought that was where it ended. but i was wrong."

and another.

"sometimes we just need a little push to nudge us in the right direction. the commissioner is no different, and i am certain dahlia will be open to your case. especially if her champion supports it."

it doesn't accidentally slip out, no, it is a calculated statement. he watches for her reaction.

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crow

the ascendant

she/her

twenty-nine

November 03

sootopolis

demisexual

councilwoman

champion

5'7 height

i got new love, new skin to wrap myself in

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TAG WITH @freya

POSTED ON Jun 2, 2019 19:48:57 GMT

[attr="class","freypost"]she still blames herself for not being there. time and time again she reminds herself that she wouldn't have been able to make a difference, that she'd have just been an officer at that point, just another body fighting a war they couldn't win. slateport had been her catalyst for change.

she slings her bow over her back and takes to perusing the rest of the arrows. she hefts them, tests their weights. though none of them are as heavy as the water, they're still not as balanced as she's used to. still, she can work with them, and it's far more than she could have asked for.

she listens as she combs through the arrows, using them as a diversion so she can better keep her emotions off her face. she's been practicing that too lately, given how fernando had very much read her like a book from the moment they'd started talking.

she raises her head, rather sharply, looking perplexed before a laugh escapes her. amused, she shakes her head, "and was that a childhood dream as well?"

she closes the cases to the arrows. "if it is a secret, then it's safe with me." a pause. "though i was raised for this world--all the wordplay, the politicking, the leverages--i never had a knack for it. i speak simply, bluntly, and stand headstrong behind my convictions. it has its shortcomings, but i've learned to face the reality that i can't--nor do i want to--change who i am.

"and with that in mind, i'd like to admit that i trust you, that should you truly uphold the noble ideals you preach, i will be loyal to you, and to our alliance." powerful words, but you've always been pushy, frey.

"i'll be sure to mention it to the commissioner when i plead my case, so long as you approve."

ALEXANDER STONE

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noodles

devon

he/him

twenty-nine

june 12

rustboro

straight

advisor

ex-champion

406 height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Jun 5, 2019 14:42:24 GMT

"a current dream, more like."

most children dream of being champion when they grow up. that is the common factor that connects all the regions together. each has a champion, and they have trainers aspiring to reach that level. while he didn't traditionally reach the level of champion, he believes he deserved it. but there is still work to be done and much to be earned.

a title is a title but what defines a champion is their actions. their convictions. he will soon prove his.

"i suppose it will not be a secret for much longer but i do appreciate your discretion. i also appreciate you, freya. your convictions are as strong as mine but you show them in a different way; in a way that i can not. so i ask for you to not change. stay true to who you are."

our alliance. he smiles at the end of her sentence, nodding. "our alliance is what will turn the tide and for that i thank you." taking a step closer to the boxes, he places a hand on it and looks at her. "we will keep hoenn safe. together."

champion and councilwoman. oh, how quickly things change. he relishes in it for moments before taking a step away. "i am afraid i am needed elsewhere, freya. my officers will help with the cases. i suppose i could have fit them in one or two, but that would have taken away from the spectacle of it." he stops not too far from the path.

"we will see each other soon. your quiver should be ready by then, too."