“Hi, Ollie!”

Her bright smile beamed beneath her rosy cheeks at the sight of her brother. It was still a relief to see him alive. They had all taken a loss in the most recent skirmish against Rocket. Her belly tied in a knot at the thought. Things were getting a little toodicey for her liking . . . a little too reminiscent of Kanto.

“Ooo thank you!” she happily took the coffee and gave him a little cheers before gently sipping the steaming beverage, “Yummmm, just what I needed!” It was a rare day for Eva not to need more caffeine. It was always welcome, “Yeah no problem!” she’d do just about anything for her brother including helping him pull off some Christmas party last minute.

“Soooo what do you need today? What’s on the agenda?” Eva needed a plan of attack, a blueprint to formulate and strategize an efficient operation. She would happily help Ollie with his tasks to put together this extravaganza . . . not the other parties involved. They could suffer on their own.

---

ollie morales

[attr="class","littleollie"] "it's not too sweet, right?"

[break][break] he had attempted to remember her coffee order, but failed, so he had called willow atkins up to make an educated guess. ollie himself was useless at that kind of thing — especially since he was too spoiled on the fallarbor florist's homemade brews.

[break][break] the ranger smiled brightly as she seemed to enjoy the beverage, and then brought his own to his lips as they began walking through the market.

[break][break] "well..." he reached into his pocket for the list of items that PENELOPE LIVY had written down for him, scrawled in her elegant handwriting. "i think i just needa get ... "

[break][break] he worried his bottom lip for a moment.

[break][break] "i'm on decorations duty, so that means i need to get streamers, bells, fake ivy for the balcony..." not that ollie had never planned a party before — last year's ranger party had been a hoot. but he knew that PENELOPE LIVY and Remiel Calcifet both had things they wanted to do, so he wanted to make sure they were able to have a good turnout.

[break][break] "i think also penny wants me to match with her, so i probably should find something in red that compliments my ranger suit!"

[break][break] maybe a cape of some sort?

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Eva Morales [break]
post-rt

☉

It was too sweet, but it was definitely the thought that counts, “Nah, it’s good!” he likely couldn’t tell, her smile was still grateful. Her coffee order really wasn't difficult though: black.

The soft jingle of bells erupted from at the professor’s feet. A little Vupix dressed in a holiday sweater and collar of bells trotted alongside her. The duo followed Ollie through the bustling market. It was quite busy, as predicted, with everyone starting to shop for holiday gifts and party favors.

“Decorations, huh?” Eva gave him a doubtful look. He wasn’t the craftiest person she knew so she was skeptical about anything DIY. They would probably need to find some pretty put together decorations, “It’s at the observatory, right?” that was a large space to decorate. She did not envy him at that moment.

Doubt dug its roots deeper when he mentioned PENELOPE LIVY. Eva knew the councilwoman was involved in planning the party but was it necessary to match? Unless . . . nooooo Ollie wouldn’t.

“She wants you to match?” Eva covers her frown with a sip of her coffee, “What, are you guys, like, going together or something?”

---

ollie morales

[attr="class","littleollie"] tofu leaped off his shoulder, tiny paws making prints in the snow as he followed Eva Morales's vulpix in the path besides the two morales siblings.

[break][break] "yeah!" he said, beaming, oblivious to the slights at his expense that eva was making in her head. "the observatory."

[break][break] he stopped by a nearby booth, peering at some of the trinkets on display. one of them was in the shape of a porcelain vivillon — GIDEON GRAVES would probably appreciate it.

[break][break] "huh?" he said, straightening up. a ruddy blush dusted his cheeks. "oh, not - i don't know. we didn't talk about that." that traitorous part of his heart that nearly always tumbled whenever he thought about her though - it said yes. these days, he and penny were closer than they ever were before. almost replicating the closeness they'd had before they'd broken up.

[break][break] but they hadn't done anything.

[break][break] everything was, as far as anyone knew, strictly professional.

[break][break] but yet, ollie was always by her side these days.

[break][break] "do you have someone you're going with?" he asked, curious. he hadn't heard anything about his sister's love life.... since MATIAS SILPH. the thought of the elite four made something bitter rise in his throat.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Eva Morales [break]
post-rt

☉

Eva didn’t miss the blush and rose to her brother’s cheeks. She knew that look, that flustered feeling. It made her a little queasy thinking about her brother and her. If it was anyone else, she would have probably dropped the subject instead of prodded. She was the annoying little sister, after all.

“You’re not going together and she still wants you guys to match?” she frowned as she turned to examine the window of a shop they were passing. There was beautiful green garland hanging on display with flecks of silver strands braided into it, “Does that mean Remiel Calcifet is going to match too?” he was also hosting, wasn’t he?

“I guess the real question is, do you want to go with her?” she emphasized certain aspects of the sentence to get her point across. In her head, she begged for him to say no while avoiding the question he asked her. Because no, she didn’t have anyone to go with. In fact, she didn’t even have anyone to ask.

---

ollie morales

[attr="class","littleollie"] did that mean Remiel Calcifet was going to match?

[break][break] "i - " ollie started, but turned his head when he heard a mall santa shout a "ho ho ho!" to some nearby children. it distracted him for a moment, bringing a smile to his face because it reminded him of when he and eva were children, before he turned back to his sister.

[break][break] "i dunno," he landed on instead. "i haven't asked."

[break][break] privately, a part of him hoped that the archeologist didn't want to match. 'you want it to be special,' a dangerous voice inside of him whispered.

[break][break] it was one that Eva Morales seemed to hear too, because when she spoke next, it was nearly accusatory.

[break][break] he blinked, then looked sheepish.

[break][break] "i don't know. maybe?" ollie looked away from his sister. he knew things were complicated between her and Eva Morales but he was sure that they could fix things one day if they could talk to each other. it was MATIAS SILPH that was the problem, not penny. it wasn't penny's fault that the league's most volatile person had sunk their claws into both women.

[break][break] green eyes glanced towards a wandering couple, their hands intertwined and tucked into warm winter pockets.

[break][break] his cheeks burned.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Eva Morales [break]
post-rt

☉

Emotional conflict had, unfortunately, become a staple in the professor’s daily struggle through life. On one hand, she loved her brother and wanted him happy. On the other hand, she didn’t trust PENELOPE LIVY. She doubts the unfaithful suddenly turned a new leaf. For it wasn’t only MATIAS SILPH that was to blame: it takes two . She didn’t want Ollie hurt, like she was.

Eva’s attention was also momentarily captured by the mall Santa's festive HO HO HO. Unlikely Ollie, her mind didn’t wander to better times, it remained firmly pissed off in the present.

“I think you could find a lovely date,” she smiled innocently, gently encouraging Ollie to think of asking someone else.

---

ollie morales

[attr="class","littleollie"] "you think she'd say yes?" ollie asked, gaze darting back towards Eva Morales.

[break][break] ollie was - as always - oblivious to the complications that plagued his sister. the events of that day in those evergrande apartments, of PENELOPE LIVY's apartments, were fargone behind him.

[break][break] Eva Morales was one of the few people who knew about it, and she'd already scolded him for it, back when she'd caught him in the hospital, broken ribs and all.

[break][break] "i mean," he said hastily. "not that i'm thinking of asking her. i dunno."

[break][break] he swallowed, tilting his head towards her.

[break][break] "what about you, sis? you thinking of asking anyone?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Eva Morales [break]
post-rt

☉

This time, Eva couldn’t hide her shock. She knew Ollie could be dense, but . . . seriously? She spun around with a quite judgmental look and a raised eyebrow that screamed “are you serious?”.

“I didn’t mean ask her,” Eva shook her head, settling her startled look, “I don’t think she’d say yes, anyway,” maybe she would. Eva knew Ollie and Penelope had a history. If she was sentimental at all, she may but her professional demeanor may force her to say no . . . wait, actually, scratch that. Her professionalism obviously didn’t influence her penchant for stirring up trouble with men she worked with, “Actually, you know, she probably would say yes but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.”

Eva, again, avoided the question directed at her by turning focus back to Ollie and raising a point she knew he may have an opinion on. She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulder, blocking out the sudden chill in the air.

---

ollie morales

[attr="class","littleollie"] "oh. yeah. right."

[break][break] it was hard to say if ollie's response was shame at the fact that he remembered that he was talking to eva of all things, about this. or if it was because of the reminder that PENELOPE LIVY wouldn't have said yes.

[break][break] they were on better terms now, but they didn't mean anything.

[break][break] did it?

[break][break] he blinks when Eva Morales backtracks on her response, his brow furrowed.

[break][break] "what do you mean?"

[break][break] well. maybe ollie was that dense.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Eva Morales [break]
post-rt

☉

Eva avoided making eye contact with Ollie. She kept her features quite neutral. It took practice, and she had had plenty of it dealing with them in a professional setting, “I just mean you can do better, that’s all,” she ushered them away from the current window they were peering through to move on to the next store, “Much better,” her response purposefully vague and political. Of course she wanted to look out for her big brother.

---

ollie morales

[attr="class","littleollie"] she looks away from him.

[break][break] it's impossible to miss — not only is ollie looking directly at her, but she's his sister. of course he can see her discomfort.

[break][break] "better?" ollie echoed, following after her as they were led through the market. he chuckled. "c'mon eva, it's just a party."

[break][break] a pause as he glances sideways at her, as he peers at a set of bobbleheads that look like members of the elite four and champion. Michael Navidson, Greyson Connors and kyle lopez all stand side by side, but MATIAS SILPH seems to have fallen over amongst a pile of other MATIAS SILPH.

[break][break] he pokes at one of them, watching it's head bobble.

[break][break] "i'm just glad she's talking to me again," he said after another moment, if only to fill in the silence.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Eva Morales [break]
post-rt

☉

”Yes, better,” she would repeat herself all day if she had to. She wasn’t about to let that one go.

“You don’t make it sound like just a party,” her lips pull down into a knowing frown. She looks back up at Ollie with her eyebrows raised: a look that screams you’re hiding something and I can tell.

Eva doesn’t find the bobbleheads amusing. She finds them . . . kind of creepy with their big eyes and their big heads. She reaches down and stands the MATIAS SILPH one back up so it is lined up with the others again. She’s quick to move on.

---

ollie morales