"Because it was the only path left for me to take." Calliope replies matter-of-factly, as if it were the only logical explanation for her being there. "Rocket has means to an end I need, something the League or law couldn't possibly offer me... so I'm here to earn my right to it." And then she shrugs, hands tucked back into her pockets as she regards the 'clouds'. It looks strange, yet it's only when River mentions it that she takes note of it.

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Not clouds. Mist. And they're surrounded by a seemingly endless sea of it.

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"Then we better move, don't we? Wouldn't do us any good loitering about." She wants to keep on going; they have their orders, and she'd prefer their time be spent effectively rather than--

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"Help me."

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A voice breaks through the silence in the mist, and Calliope reacts to it like she's been stung by a wasp, her head snapping to their left. The voice calls out again, too muffled to understand, but it's enough to convince her that she isn't imagining things. To such a degree that she even turns towards the rest of the group. "Did you guys hear that?"

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"Help me."

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It's louder this time, a shiver running down Calliope's spine as the familiarity of the voice hits home way harder than it should've been allowed to. She doesn't ask again, nor waits for a reply on whether they heard or not; pivotting on the back of her heels and marching into the mist without uttering another word. Her hands clench into fists, trying to hide the tremble within them as her eyes try to search for the voice's owner... yet she finds the mist does not surrender its secrets so easily.

+ River Marx Selena Desmarais

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Once the mist swallows her, there's no way back.

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Not that she'd bother trying to turn back, even if it was the most sensible thing to do. She could periodically hear their voices through the foggy curtain surrounding her, but it weren't those voices that were luring her deeper into the unknown. No, the voice she was following was the one calling out to her specifically, whispering her name. One she'd begged to hear in those three years that had passed, knowing fully well she never again would.

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Yet here she was, hearing Emma's voice for the first time in years. Her instincts had reared immediately, her heart dancing a tango of anxiety in her chest; Cal knew it wasn't real. But the fantasy of it all was something she couldn't ignore. The what if. A final time.

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"Emma?" she calls out into the mist. Silence reigns.

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"Emma... speak to me. Please."

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The silence persists, but as she's about to press on, a ghostly touch settles on her shoulder. Cal turns on the back of her heels, spinning around towards whomever dared venture behind her and is struck when she looks straight into the faded eyes of her girlfriend. She stumbles back, a hand trying to grasp for the figure standing before her. Calliope catches only mist.

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It's the mockery of the Border. The surge of happiness at seeing her dead lover's face is instantly snuffed out by the lack of corporeal density. Anger seeps its way into her thoughts, mingling with the lingering traces of happiness to form something odd. Cal looks at Emma's ghost with pained confusion as it smiles back at her.

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She reaches for it, and it reaches back to her, yet their fingers never touch. Merely a gentle breeze lacing between her fingers.

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Emma's spirit smiles back sympathetically and shakes her head. "I guess it's just not meant to be..." Emma whispers at her surviving lover, beckoning her.

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Cal steps in closer, tears stinging her eyes as she regards her. For a moment she can imagine Emma's hands cupping her face, the breeze hinting at a touch that never is. "I'll find a way," Calliope whispers back, voice thick with emotion. "Whatever it takes." she leans into the invisible touch, and closes her eyes.

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Deep within something stirs within her stomach. Behind closed eyes the events of Emma's death replay vividly, and with every repeat she can feel her loathing grow, twisting her face into anger. Her eyes into ice. "I'll kill the bastard who did this to you, Emma. I'll fucking kill them, and everyone involved."

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She opens her eyes again, casting them up. "And then I'll bring you back." Calliope has to force the building rage off her face, but her expression melts into something soft and loving when they focus on Emma once more. She gently mimics grasping for the spirit's knuckles, planting a feather-light kiss upon them.

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"But I need you to promise me something, dear," the silver-haired woman says, offering the sweetest of smiles. "Go. Lingering here isn't good for you, Emma... wait for me on the other side. Watch over me there, where I can always find you. Because I fear I may lose you again if you stay here." she sees Emma contemplate. Hesitate. And then she nods softly, reaching out once more and planting a kiss on Cal's forehead.

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"Be careful, Cal. The Border is a dangerous place, and the secrets it keeps...," she looks around warily, but doesn't finish her sentence. Instead she touches Cal's chest briefly, smiling as orbs start floating around Emma's spirit, beckoning her forward. "I'll wait for you, right here."

[break][break]
It's only when Emma's spirit fades away that Calliope's smile falters, expression darkening as the softness fades together with her lover. A sensation that she's been trying to keep at bay, not wanting anyone to see, finally surfaces. The only drive she's had ever since Emma's death.

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Hatred pools in her stomach.

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Hate for the bastard that murdered the love of her life; for the reasons that caused this all.

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Hate for the law; that claimed they'd done all they can, despite there being more they could have done.

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Hate for the world; because it did not care for her loss.

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And hate for herself; because she'd failed when Emma needed her most.

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To make up for it, for her vengeance, she would drag down anyone involved. Including herself.

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+ River Marx Selena Desmarais [break]
+ Personal prompt: encounter or see the spirit of her deceased girlfriend, emma, in the border. [break]
+ 05 help the spirit of a person or pokemon pass on. [break]
+ 08 experience immense grudgefulness, fear, envy, or hatred.

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

It's funny how the fires of hatred burned so brightly that one could physically feel it burning into one's skin— less funny, she realised, when she turned around and faced the sizzling heat of a Moltres barreling their way. 

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Her instincts fight a battle with her raging mind as she sees River Marx doing the exact same thing as she does; stare at the incoming fire, and curse. Cal bares her teeth at the spectral phoenix, but an invisible hand pushes her forth where she was ready to stand and fight it, with bare fists if needed.

[break][break]

The spirits see things differently. It's enough for Calliope to start moving, tackling River Marx out of the fire's way and crashing into the ground with him. There's a glare at the Moltres when she gets back on her feet, her hands tapping one of the pokéballs in her waistband. Alecto, her Mightyena, appears before her, fangs glistening as it sets itself in front of its mistress. 

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"Get ready to fight the fiery chicken wing, Marx." she tells her fellow Rocket.

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+ Selena Desmarais River Marx