A Fable Agreed Upon [S]

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

close tab

played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,408 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jun 13, 2024 5:51:34 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"Money."

His tone was flat, but he didn't seem to mind explaining his reasons. They were deeper than the one word, but they'd suffice for now.

Clink. Howard silently ate for several moments, allowing the questions to marinate as he simply sat, dined, and thought. It was a good feeling, talking, eating, and pondering questions, even if the queries in his mind and the questions being asked were less delicious than Aurelie's cooking.

No, neither Aurelie nor Howard would ever leave Rocket. They could go to the League and offer them Regice and Calyrex, but it wouldn't be enough to stop Rocket's strongest avatars from ripping them limb from limb. They'd wake up one day and find a knife in their guts, and a gentle caress from Walsh as he smiled from the shadows.

It was an inherently unjust destiny, one they had both suffered from. Capital and wealth had been their momentary desires, and it had dictated their futures forever.

Aurelie... you've made a terrible error, same as me.

"..." Slowly, the admin turned smug and a grin filled his features. "Nope! Wrong!"

His glee was childlike.

"Everything dies twice. Twice into infinity, but twice for our discussions. The death of the body, and the death of the idea. If I were to die tomorrow, people would remember Howard Slayte. But what happens when people stop associating me with the living body? What happens when I'm forgotten?"

This was turning somber very quickly, yet it was clear that this was one of Howard's passions. As a historian, the concept interested him heavily, just as the differences between ores mined in certain regions might interest the smith across from him.

"My memory fades. If I smash a vase, and I start thinking of the vase as the fragments instead of once was, that vase has died. That is what happened to Calyrex. Whatever king Calyrex once was, they have died and have been forgotten. Now, all that remains is the memory of a king who once fought Eternatus. That is what's commissioning you."

The admin's hand gestured to where Calyrex once was.

"An echo of kingship. As for the League's Calyrex... it belongs to the Galarian Ambassador. One of the Calcifets."

Howard's voice made it clear that it amused him.



close tab

played by

dreamflower

she/her
27
December 12
Anistar City, Kalos
Bisexual
Blacksmith, bladesmith
Associate
Art is risk
Tempered by wisdom
5'7"/170 cm height
5'7"/170 cm height
A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.
awards
1,233 posts
part of
TAG WITH @aurelie
Aurelie Lefevre
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jun 14, 2024 23:05:15 GMT
Aurelie Lefevre Avatar
[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]History gives answers only to those
who know how to ask questions.
[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie nodded vigorously in understanding when Howard shared his reason for joining Rocket. So, much like her, the thing he'd sought in Rocket wasn't camaraderie, safety, power, or a purpose in life, but simply resources. But then, what was money, if not a form of power in its own right?

We're not so different, he and I, she reflected, regarding him over the rim of the teacup she raised to her lips to drink. Well, okay, he's much smarter than me. More intellectual, more knowledgeable, more philosophical, more organized, and better at talking to people.

So, better than me in most ways. But what else is new?
Aurelie smirked faintly. Still, even having similar priorities in life was more of a likeness than she'd encountered in many Rockets, who'd usually sought far more from the organization than just a loan that could only be repaid with undying loyalty.

Sipping her tea, which had gone cool but was still quite delicious, the red-haired smith grinned when he echoed the very words she'd guessed he would say. Then, she listened raptly to Howard's discussion—or was it more like a theory?—of the two deaths that everyone died.

In concept, she could understand it. And yet...

"That's so...squishy," Aurelie blurted out, shaking her head slowly and chuckling. "What does it matter if people remember or forget you if you're already dead? Your memory in their heads can't do anything.

"Besides, everyone's memories of you will be different and distorted by their own feelings. It's not really you."
She felt silly as she said this, knowing how arbitrary her skepticism probably was in the face of all the...magic and madness all around them in Hoenn. But still, it was hard for Aurelie not to focus on things she could see and touch.

Then, she frowned as another thought occurred to her.

"Also, how do you know this Calyrex has died already? I mean, this one allied with Rocket died in the dream-Galar, but..." Aurelie's frown deepened. "The one allied with the League didn't die, right? But it's here. In Ever Grande."

She fell silent when Howard addressed this very topic. When he told her whom it had chosen, though, Aurelie nearly spat out her tea across the desk in surprise.

"Her? The Galarian princess? Really?" she exclaimed, clapping a hand over her mouth just in time. "I know her! She commissioned a training sword from me last fall. But she couldn't even be bothered to say hello first, or please, to a mere tradesperson like me."

Even Zev had said those simple words when they first met, and Aurelie wasn't sure he even understood human interactions all that well. "And she didn't care two Pokepence about its length, width, weight, or even type! She only cared how it looked, but she cared about that very, very, very much."

Even now, it bewildered Aurelie. How could anyone who used a sword not care about how it felt in the hand, how easy it was to draw and swing, and how well it suited their style and body?

Yet, Elise had given her intensely, stupefyingly detailed specifications on how the sword should appear, before simply nodding and smiling at the average estimates Aurelie had provided for its length, weight, and grip. Clearly, they had very different priorities, unlike Aurelie and Howard.

"I hope that Calyrex didn't ask her to make it a shield and saddle too. Or, well, maybe I should hope that it did?" She grinned wickedly. "I'm sure she's a very fine ambassador, but she didn't strike me as a craftsman or builder."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]


[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[newclass=.aurelie]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#862939;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie img]height:100px;width:100px;padding:15px;border:1px solid #fff;border-radius:100px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_lyrics]text-align:center;font-family:verdana;font-size:9px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#eee;letter-spacing:1px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_body]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#222;font-size:14px;line-height:16px;text-align:justify;font-family:calibri;color:#aaa;letter-spacing:.5px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag]text-align:center;font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag a]font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred]text-align:center;font-size:8px;color:rgb(132, 132, 132);letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred a]color:rgb(132, 132, 132);font-size:8px;letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]

close tab

played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,408 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jun 25, 2024 9:35:48 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
His lip twitched, amused.

"Royalty have no struggles in the world but the ones they create. It makes them dreadfully boring, and particularly bratty. They have the world, but that oftentimes isn't enough. They are incapable of empathizing with normal people, like you or me."

Absentmindedly, the admin twisted a plain silver ring on his finger. He tapped his finger against his desk, thoughtfully. The idea of Elise practicing with a s

"I'm of the opinion that nobility is a worthless concept, that those with noble blood are leeches. I will never forgive those who misunderstand the hearts of the people they strive to serve. 's position is a title. is a despot."

He hated them both by virtue of their existence. They infuriated him. He could tolerate Elise in her innocence, in her desire to chase the cousin that marched ahead of her, but her cousin was a mockery of the title of Crown Prince. That was a tale that had been burned into his mind. There was little to be done but meet Remiel on the battlefield and lose to him. That was all Howard was capable of.

Regardless of title, regardless of power, he and Aurelie lacked the power to change the world.

When Aurelie asked about the death of memories, all Howard could do was smile. He admired the simplicity of her perspective. Life was life and death was death, but life was conditional and death came for everyone.

"Don't worry about it. It's a death few have to deal with. I'm jealous of people who don't think about it."

What a mood-killer of a question, asking of death after death. He silently kicked himself. Aurelie likely thought that he was a fool, or worse, a bore.

The state of our Calyrex and that of the League's is an interesting one. I'll answer both of those for you as thanks, your cooking is divine." He smiled faintly and held up a finger. "Regarding whether or not it 'died'. I think it did, but I think it was regrown. Memories can be recalled. Buds can bloom. The dead can return to this world with remarkable ease, I've begun to realize."

He held up a second.

"You're the best smith I know, I mean this with complete honesty. But Aurelie, don't get complacent. You are dealing with the weight of an entire government. If she is forging a weapon, she has access to an entire region's worth of smiths. The unfortunate thing about nobility is that they get more talented people to do most of the work. Still..."

"...I have faith."



close tab

played by

dreamflower

she/her
27
December 12
Anistar City, Kalos
Bisexual
Blacksmith, bladesmith
Associate
Art is risk
Tempered by wisdom
5'7"/170 cm height
5'7"/170 cm height
A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.
awards
1,233 posts
part of
TAG WITH @aurelie
Aurelie Lefevre
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jun 26, 2024 21:46:07 GMT
Aurelie Lefevre Avatar
[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]History gives answers only to those
who know how to ask questions.
[attr="class","aurelie_body"]At Howard's even harsher condemnation of nobility and royalty in general and the two Galarian royal figures in Hoenn, Aurelie grinned fiercely in vindication. "Yeah, some crown prince," she agreed.

"Traveling for a little while is reasonable. Basically living abroad the way he does, though... Is he clueless about how to be a good leader? Or a shirker who's greedy to hold onto the title? Either way, he's a fool."

She couldn't help raising an eyebrow inquiringly, though, hearing the venom in Howard's tone. "Still, I hope you're not speaking from too much personal experience. Especially with being bored or mistreated by nobility. I feel lucky that I've rarely ever interacted with any."

Either way, though, considering that Remiel was currently an avatar as far as she knew, Aurelie could only hope his hatred wasn't strong enough to provoke him to pick a fight with the crown prince who for whatever reason was still in Hoenn.

Then, the redhead waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway! Moving on. Let's talk about death."

Aurelie smiled softly when the admin actually didn't mock her for her simple, prosaic, and decidedly un-philosophical view of the death from memories. "I just don't think very much at all," she chuckled half-apologetically.

"Though my father would say..." For a moment, her eye grew misty with recollection. "He'd say he agreed with you, actually. He believed in a similar kind of death, though maybe more specific to craftsmen. He used to say that as long as the things you'd made were being used, you never really died. So, if that were true, he'd probably live forever.

"I wish he were here to help me with Calyrex's commission. He's the best smith I know,"
Aurelie added with frank candor and more than a little regret in her tone. "I'd pit the two of us against the all the best smiths in Galar working together.

"Especially since…well, can you imagine all those divas arguing and butting heads? You just know they'd disagree about their artistic vision and working approach for days."


But alas, it was not to be. She nodded instead at Howard's reminder not to be complacent and clenched her jaw, thinking of the odds. Still, neither of them had any idea what the League's Calyrex was really doing, aside from creating the anti-Dynamaxing barrier.

"That is fascinating, though, about Calyrex. Thinking of it regrowing, like a Ho-Oh from its own ashes," she remarked. "Springing from the memories and dreams in our heads like some mythical goddess... Or like the visions in the interdream mist."

Aurelie met the admin's eye, her smile deepening with genuine gratitude. "Thank you for sharing all this with me. It helps. Just knowing more than I did before. It helps."

Utterly impulsively, she half-rose from her chair and leaned forward across the desk to kiss Howard's cheek. A sudden, self-conscious laugh escaped her at the contact, as though startled by her own action. What am I doing, touching an admin? Let alone kissing one's cheek?

Sitting back down, she tried to smooth over the moment, ignoring the flush that was spreading over her face. "That, uh, that was for thank you. Um. Though...maybe a better thank-you would just be sharing my bouillabaisse stew recipe. I, um, I should've thought of that first before doing anything."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]


[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[newclass=.aurelie]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#862939;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie img]height:100px;width:100px;padding:15px;border:1px solid #fff;border-radius:100px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_lyrics]text-align:center;font-family:verdana;font-size:9px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#eee;letter-spacing:1px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_body]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#222;font-size:14px;line-height:16px;text-align:justify;font-family:calibri;color:#aaa;letter-spacing:.5px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag]text-align:center;font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag a]font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred]text-align:center;font-size:8px;color:rgb(132, 132, 132);letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred a]color:rgb(132, 132, 132);font-size:8px;letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]

close tab

played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,408 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jun 27, 2024 9:04:54 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
The admin took a deep breath as he inspected Aurelie thoughtfully, gauging her statement on royalty.

"It's just... frustrating, knowing that you will never be as highly regarded by your worth because you were not born with the proper name, with all the bells and whistles, with all the ceremony. Instead, you're born normal. Ordinary. You work hard to get what you can. You struggle, only to see someone get what you worked so hard for without lifting a finger."

He tapped on Remiel Calcifet's desk, in Remiel Calcifet's office, drinking Remiel Calcifet's tea. The only thing that the two had ever been equal on was this position, and it felt like a cruel joke. Rocket had not cared about his circumstances. They had not cared about Aurelie's.

The organization simply... hoisted them up and asked for loyalty. Perhaps that was asking for too much, but it was fair. Calyrex had asked only for Aurelie's talent, because she had was the best at her craft. That was fair.

Just.

"And it just feels unfair. Wrong. You feel cheated, and you start walking down a path to prove that you're just as valuable as they are. That you have the right to exist, that your talent means something. You keep walking and you look around, and the crowd of people you walked alongside are gone. Then you reach your destination and it's not what you expect."

"All because you were not born blessed."

It was not fair, but all that anyone could do was move on. Keep improving. Keep marching forward. Even if that destination led them to Rocket, Howard and Aurelie got to follow their dreams. That was all they could ask for.

"So do it. Beat them. Show them that the skills you forged mean more than some noble pedigree. Not for Calyrex or Rocket, but for you, for your father." Even if he wasn't here, even if he was a million miles away, even if all Aurelie had was his legacy and his memories and the skills he imparted into her, that would suffice. "You'll have to tell me more about him, sometim-"

The words died on his lips as Aurelie kissed him on the cheek. It had been an action almost derived from instinct. They were both marred in the same way, their vision stolen by twists of fate related to the dreams they so desperately chased after.

The truth of the world. The inheritance of a forge. Two different tasks, but both fueled by the passion that drove them.

"Ah... whuzzat?" He blinked once, confused. A memory of someone else flashed in his mind, someone from long ago. The silver ring on his finger felt heavy on his finger, a reminder of a better time. I don't..."

Understand. As Aurelie sat down, it felt like the admin knew less than before.

He did not sort the emotions. It was best to kick them aside. A moment for another time. Something to bury in the back. Instead, he fumbled forward.

"Getting a kiss from you as thanks? Don't apologize. Better than the one that threw a corn dog at me. But if you must..." He raised an eyebrow, shamelessly turning red as he did so. "...making that stew and coming by again would make for a good start."

He wondered if there was a nearby cliff to jump off of.



close tab

played by

dreamflower

she/her
27
December 12
Anistar City, Kalos
Bisexual
Blacksmith, bladesmith
Associate
Art is risk
Tempered by wisdom
5'7"/170 cm height
5'7"/170 cm height
A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.
awards
1,233 posts
part of
TAG WITH @aurelie
Aurelie Lefevre
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jun 30, 2024 22:41:04 GMT
Aurelie Lefevre Avatar
[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]History gives answers only to those
who know how to ask questions.
[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Well, now both of them had turned red right now, and it wasn't because of spilled tomato broth. Aurelie couldn't help wondering if she would've made less of a fool of herself if she'd spilled stew on both of them. Instead, for the millionth time, she'd acted without thinking, entirely on impulse.

At least, this time it didn't end in me furiously smashing nearly every bone in someone's body with a hammer, she reflected sardonically. But still...why am I like this?

Thankfully, Howard seemed more surprised than angry or offended. His response drew a startled laugh from her. "Someone threw a corn dog at you?" she exclaimed, amused. "Was it a gift or an attack? Or just an accident? Did you eat it?"

The silly image was enough to distract Aurelie from her embarrassment, which was no doubt Howard's intention. Her ears still felt hot, though, as she admitted, "I know you said no need to apologize, but still... Well. Sometimes, I act without thinking. Often. Too often.

"But...I mean it. The thank-you, I mean. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me and help me like this. I know you said it's fun for you, but I also know I'm taking time out of your day that I'm sure you could be using to..."
Aurelie looked around the office and chuckled. "Raid a tomb or something."

She ladled the last of the stew into each of their bowls, mostly consisting of chunks of snapper, shrimp, and clams that had sunk to the bottom. "But I'm happy to cook more for you in the future! I have a wonderful beef bourguignon recipe and a very nice chicken fricassee too, and...I can probably attempt dessert too. Chocolate mousse or crepes, anyway."

Am I talking too much about food? I'm probably talking too much about food now. With an effort, the redhead wrenched her mind off Kalosian recipes to dredge up what Howard had been saying before the cheek kiss.

"Right. Anyway. Yeah." Aurelie's expression softened as she remembered his venomous diatribe about the unearned advantages of being born royalty. "Oh, Howa— I mean, Admin Slayte. What did the royals cost you? How did they break your heart?"

She hesitated. "Not that I mean to pry, but...it seems like you're speaking from a lot of experience. Bitter experience. Especially about someone else getting something you worked hard for without having to do nearly so much themselves, because they just started out more fortunate.

"I would hug you for that, but..."
She broke off self-consciously, the warm flush on her cheeks deepening again. "I've done more than I should already today, I think."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]


[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[newclass=.aurelie]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#862939;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie img]height:100px;width:100px;padding:15px;border:1px solid #fff;border-radius:100px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_lyrics]text-align:center;font-family:verdana;font-size:9px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#eee;letter-spacing:1px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_body]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#222;font-size:14px;line-height:16px;text-align:justify;font-family:calibri;color:#aaa;letter-spacing:.5px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag]text-align:center;font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag a]font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred]text-align:center;font-size:8px;color:rgb(132, 132, 132);letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred a]color:rgb(132, 132, 132);font-size:8px;letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]

close tab

played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,408 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jul 19, 2024 8:28:14 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
Arceus above, Howard wanted to kill himself. Aurelie was being kind, but that kindness had to have a limit. How much could one person bear another's ranting of monarchy as a system of government? Even Shred didn't care that much about the crown, and he was Galarian.

Still, Aurelie was Kalosian. They had their fair share of emperors and empresses and kings and queens and dukes and duchesses. She could likely stomach more of this than someone from Hoenn, for example.

"I didn't even get to eat it. She wanted it back." had kicked him in the shins, harassed him, and then demanded he buy her lunch as some sort of twisted recompense. He missed those days, where it was easier to buy her appreciation than it was to buy her hate. "It's a long story."

One that ended with a Talonflame being shot out of the sky.

"But still, you're very welcome. Better this than my other tasks." This task had not been for material gain, but for knowledge. It had not fallen to the ouroboric cycle that other Rocket tasks often mirrored. "If you cook, I'm willing to talk your ear off."

He let Aurelie talk herself into a food-covered corner while the admin organized his thoughts. He stirred his portion absentmindedly as he collected his thoughts on royalty, on those that had spurned him.

"Have you ever been wronged?" Howard regarded Aurelie, before chuckling. "Of course you have. You're here, after all. A prince received a position that should have been mine, but it was given due to his title and not his talents. That's all there is to it, really."

A lie, but a white one. Admin Fox had been Remiel's name before his. That past could remain buried to all those that had not met Galar's Crown Prince and knew of his journey in Rocket to reach an ideal he lusted after.

"There'll be people in life who beat you due to circumstance. All you and I can do is make our own place in the world. This is the lot we drew." Team Rocket. Terrorism. War. Envy for a job or envy for a forge, it led to the same destination. "Just be better than all that, okay? If there's anything the king can teach you, it's that."

He did not need a hug to impart that fact, nor did he need one as recompense for an unblessed birth. It was not deserved. Not for someone in his position.

The offer was left vacant, the line in the sand unmarred.

"Can you learn from him? A king gifted by chance?"



close tab

played by

dreamflower

she/her
27
December 12
Anistar City, Kalos
Bisexual
Blacksmith, bladesmith
Associate
Art is risk
Tempered by wisdom
5'7"/170 cm height
5'7"/170 cm height
A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.
awards
1,233 posts
part of
TAG WITH @aurelie
Aurelie Lefevre
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jul 24, 2024 22:50:22 GMT
Aurelie Lefevre Avatar
[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]History gives answers only to those
who know how to ask questions.
[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie laughed aloud in amused consternation to hear that Howard hadn't even gotten to eat the corn dog that some woman had thrown at him. "That corn dog lady sounds spirited! Or just confusing.

"I almost want to meet her one day, if I could be sure she wouldn't throw food at me too. I'd ask more about that long story, but..."
She raised her hands preemptively, palms facing him. "I've pried enough for one day, I think."

When Howard spoke of the prince who'd wronged him, she winced. Then, her brows drew together in puzzlement. She had promised not to pry, though, so with difficulty, she pressed her lips tightly together to prevent her curiosity from spilling over into actual questions.

Internally, though, Aurelie still wondered. What position did Remiel take from him? It must have been something important, for him to be so bitter. She had joined Rocket long enough ago to remember the feckless Galarian prince in the admin role that Howard now held, but considering how thankless he seemed to consider being an admin, she couldn't imagine he would've aspired to it back then.

But in the long run, it didn't matter. He was here now, as was she. She smiled weakly at his exhortation to be better than all that, knowing she wasn't equal to it.

"I'll do my best," she lied. It was a white lie, like the one he'd told her. It was harmless to let him believe she would aspire to virtue and goodness, rather than eyeing them like a beginner rock climber might eye the summits of the world's tallest mountains. It wasn't that she scorned them, but that she believed herself incapable of getting there.

Let him believe the best of her, though. Let him think her as honorable and noble as he himself seemed to want to be. No one in Rocket showed their true face to each other, after all. How different was this?

"Learning from Calyrex..." She trailed off, picturing the strange, hare-like King Pokemon in her mind's eye. As always, she thought about the issue literal-mindedly at first. "I can't imagine how it would actually teach.

"I suppose if it possessed someone to talk to us again, maybe. But the way it is now?"
Aurelie snorted briefly. "The only way it'd teach anything is through mime, and that sounds exhausting for everyone." She chuckled at the image.

"But if it does manage to teach somehow?" The redhead fell silent for a moment. "I'd want to learn from it, if I could. Not because it's a king gifted by chance, as you put it, but because it actually did a good job after it was crowned."

Hastily, remembering how the admin had described Calyrex's origins as a nebulous belief rather than a historical king of Galar, Aurelie added, "I mean, uh, reportedly, anyway. But still, how many people—let alone Pokemon—have you heard of that suddenly got something good through pure chance...and absolutely squandered it? Let it go to waste?"

Aurelie didn't even bother to answer her own question. Listing specific examples would see them both die of thirst and starvation long before reaching even the middle. "But if someone suddenly gets that good thing and then accomplishes great things with it...

"They sound like they'd be impressive. Ambitious but also adaptable. Strong-willed and quick-witted. Maybe even ethical, if the great things were also morally good."
She smiled and shrugged. "Arceus knows I'd have a lot to learn from someone like that."

At that moment, the phone in her bag dinged with a new text. Instinctively, Aurelie bent to pull out the phone, before stopping herself. However, she let out a gasp when she glimpsed the time showing on the front.

"Oh, dear Arceus!" she exclaimed, leaping to her feet hastily. "An hour already? I had no idea! I'm so sorry! I don't want to take up more of your time, Admin Slayte."

She began clearing away the empty bowls and spoons. "I'll just get these out of your way, and then I'll be out of your way..."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]


[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[newclass=.aurelie]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#862939;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie img]height:100px;width:100px;padding:15px;border:1px solid #fff;border-radius:100px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_lyrics]text-align:center;font-family:verdana;font-size:9px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#eee;letter-spacing:1px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_body]width:420px;padding:40px;background:#222;font-size:14px;line-height:16px;text-align:justify;font-family:calibri;color:#aaa;letter-spacing:.5px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag]text-align:center;font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.aurelie_tag a]font-size:12px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred]text-align:center;font-size:8px;color:rgb(132, 132, 132);letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]
[newclass=.cred a]color:rgb(132, 132, 132);font-size:8px;letter-spacing:1px;font-family:verdana;[/newclass]

close tab

played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,408 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jul 25, 2024 0:49:55 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"Calyrex is something that exists in spite of the world denying that it does. It's remembered because of our ability to tell each other stories."

Howard helped her move plates out of the way. Fine silverware was tucked away, fine china was squirreled off to be carefully cleaned before being returned to the admin's shelves, and soon the admin's desk was the same mess it had been before. Papers, folders, rare valuables, and other objects flooded the desk. It was like the two hadn't eaten at all.

"Talking and sharing stories is our greatest strength. The words we share, the lessons we impart, that is how we strengthen Calyrex. You can learn one thing from Galar's once and future king, at least." It was a lesson many had learned and a lesson many would learn later on. It was one engraved into the history of this region, this anomaly in the timeline.

"How to be worthy."

Too many people wasted talent. Too many people struggled to learn and achieve the great things they were destined to accomplish. Hopefully Calyrex could impart that lesson into the smith and teach her something only it could.

"Let's do this again, sometime." The admin's voice was soft as he handed Aurelie the final fishes. "It was fun."

After a moment, he sent her on her way. After a moment, Howard banged his head into the desk and let out a dull groan. There was nobody there to see it but the antiques from eras long gone, but the admin still wanted to drown. He shouldn't have let the smith kiss him on the cheek.

"I should kill myself." The admin said to his fossils. "That was unprofessional. Although..."

He looked up at the map of Hoenn, where five pins had been placed on Route 105, New Mauville, the Desert, Meteor Falls, and Route 120.

"That person you described... they sounded a lot like you."



close tab

played by

SHIV

GONGAGER
he/him
25
October 13
GONGAGA
gongaga-romantic
gongager
gongago
me?
gongaga
808 height
808 height
WHERE ARE UNOVA REMAKES
awards
41,231 posts
shiv DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @shiv
shiv
A Fable Agreed Upon [S]
POSTED ON Jul 25, 2024 5:59:52 GMT
shiv Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","TRAINER"]
[attr="class","omaccepted"]
[attr="class","omacceptedtop"]THREAD COMPLETE!

[attr="class","omacceptedmid"]

YOU RECEIVE THE REWARDS BELOW:[break]


[attr="class","omacceptedlinks"]
[attr="class","omacceptedlinks1"]TAGS:
img
The Shula Region
Hogwarts AU
RPG Unlimited
MR
The Enroi Region
N:FB
Vyrehaven
Celestial Guardians, AU Sailor Moon RP
EO GENESIS
Code and Crown: An advanced literate warriors cats RP, set in medieval times
Swords Clashing