MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Jan 3, 2020 4:19:24 GMT

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It had been months since she'd last heard from Gemma. The woman had gone MIA - literally, despite Stormy's consistent and regular attempts to reach her. The gym leader had grown more and more concerned for her well-being, but was too busy running a gym and politcial movements and other league-offical business to take time away to find her. Especially not now that the weather was rough, worse than it had ever been, warranting more ranger activity. [break][break]

So when she finally does receive a text, Stormy is prompt at calling her out and showering her with relieved emojis and the like - and insisting she get her new address to come visit.[break][break]

Stormy arrives on her friend's doorstep bearing a basket jam-packed full of junk food and sparkling water. Probably wine or champagne since Stormy wasn't picky when it came to big girl drinks. [break][break]

She gives a few loud knocks on the door, shuffling impatiently.

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POSTED ON Jan 3, 2020 5:19:44 GMT

Gemma sits quietly in her apartment, fingers curled around a pillow. She waits patiently, her sabbatical has given her a bit of a reprieve from her anxiety, but the knocks on the door cause her to jump and crumble. Even though she's expecting it, even though she knows that Stormy is coming.

She is terrified.

Hopping off the couch, she pads over to the door in her slippers and unlocks the four different locks that encapsulate her door, and the small cross-post that holds them all together so that no one can kick in the door.

"Hi." She whispers softly, poking her face out of the door. Her hands open the door slowly, and she lets Stormy in, tucking her head down. The once confident being, splintered and frayed into an utter anxiety-ridden mess.

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POSTED ON Jan 6, 2020 4:02:18 GMT

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Stormy can hear the locks as they unlatch, as they slide from their barred position. She can sense the unease, the fear, she can pick up on the fact that there's more than one lock. It makes her uneasy. People who felt safe didn't lock their door four times to make sure the door stays closed.[break][break]

The woman shifts her weight to her other hip as she holds onto the basket that has since grown heavy. Her eyes are wide and almost accusatory in their search as she gives the woman a once over when the door finally opens.[break][break]

"Damn, it's a whole process just to open the door. Should I be worried about booby traps? Secret codes to get to the bathroom?"[break][break]

She's joking but she's blunt about it. [break][break]

Gemma doesn't really look her in the eye - there's no confidence or strength in the square of her shoulders, and Stormy's heart is breaking for her.

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POSTED ON Jan 6, 2020 17:22:17 GMT

Letting out a terse, tight laugh, Gemma shakes her head and closes the door. She settles for just one lock - because as much as she wants to re-lock them all, she doesn't want Stormy to feel like she's trapped inside the apartment. Similarly enough, she felt the same way when she went somewhere new. This was just hell on earth for her.

"Nope, just the door. And windows." Gemma blinks, then licks her lips. "And the attic padlock..." She thinks for a moment, before nodding, with a smile. "Yep, that's it." Her fingertips unlatch from her arm, arms opening to wrap around Stormy loosely. "It's so nice to see a friendly face." Gemma murmurs, before pulling away, taking Stormy's things for her.

Leading the way into the living room, Gemma sets everything down on her coffee table, before settling down beside Rosie, smoothing her fingers over her fur. The vulpix gives Stormy a weary eye, before tucking her chin over Gemma's thigh, protectively. "How have you been?"

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POSTED ON Jan 7, 2020 3:17:27 GMT

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Something had happened, she was certain of that. The way Gemma licks her lips, the grasp she has on her own arm, and the way she recites every lock in the house. She's scared of something. She's locking herself inside her apartment.[break][break]

There's a prickle of dread, as if Stormy is growing nervous herself. Just what is she hiding from?[break][break]

"A friendly face?"[break][break]

Her fingers let go of her items in between the woman's loose hug, and as they pull apart her eyebrows furrow together with concern.[break][break]

"Have you seen unfriendly faces, lately? Did something happen, Gemma?"[break][break]

Stormy waves away the question directed toward her. She isn't going to let up, at least not yet.

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POSTED ON Jan 7, 2020 9:20:06 GMT

Gemma shifts awkwardly in her seat and closes her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to Stormy's questions. "I was attacked, a few months back." She licks her lips and curls her fingers into Rosie's fur, before sighing deeply. "It was out of the blue, I was trying to help someone, and they just -"

She snaps her fingers in the air, and Rosie glances up to her, before cuddling closer.

"So I took a break. I visited Galar for the first time, it was... Really nice, actually. Then I went home. My uncle was happy to have a visit." She smiles softly and pats Rosie's head, to calm her down. Once she settles again, Gemma looks up to Stormy and smiles weakly.

"Even though I've moved apartments, I'm still working up to being comfortable with the fact that they're still out there. So..." She gestures to the door. "Locks."

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POSTED ON Jan 20, 2020 15:40:53 GMT

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Stormy listens patiently while she explains, but there's a hardness to her jaw that makes it impossible not to notice how angry she is. This was her friend, a good friend at that. They'd kept in touch since they'd met in Hoenn and she favoured her as someone she could trust. To hear that her own trust in people had been broken? It was unacceptable.[break][break]

"You can't help everyone, unfortunately. I'm sorry to hear that that happened to you, Gemma."[break][break]

But that isn't really what she wanted to say. She didn't want to just pat Gemma on the back and tell her everything was going to be okay and that she was sorry. What she was sorry for was for not knowing sooner, not being able to protect her friend like she deserved.[break][break]

"Wait, you didn't turn them in? They're still free?"[break][break]

Her voice rises an octave in her disbelief and horror.[break][break]

"Gemma, you didn't come to the League about this?"

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POSTED ON Jan 20, 2020 18:55:56 GMT

Licking her lips, Gemma stares down at her hands, running her fingers through Rosie's fur. "Ah... No. I can't. He's... He's got immunity at the moment."

She lifts her hand, twirling her hair with her fingertips. "Uhm... It's okay, though. I'll settle a bit. It'll take some time, but I'll be alright." Gemma sighs gently and tilts her head back against the back of the couch. "I had fun in Galar, though. Met some interesting people..." Her cheeks flush, a memory of the back of a cab coming to mind.

"It was a fun trip. I got you something!" She wiggles her eyebrows and moves away, going to grab a little wrapped up gift off of the table. "Here you go..." She sets it down on the coffee table in front of Stormy. "I hope you like it!"

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TAG WITH @stormy

POSTED ON Jan 20, 2020 20:11:07 GMT

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Her questions are left unanswered, or at least, not answered to the extent she wanted them to. Gemma insists it's okay and Stormy frowns, visibly displeased with her friend's apparent indifference. She isn't okay, not in the slightest.[break][break]

But the woman distracts the conversation and turns it around in the form of a gift. Stormy glances at it for a moment before looking back up at the woman, confusion painted in the expression on her face.[break][break]

"You what? Why? I- I didn't get you anything, I'm sorry."[break][break]

She hesitates then before reaching for the small wrapped up gift. It feels heavy, and she glances back up at Gemma.

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POSTED ON Jan 21, 2020 23:04:46 GMT

Gemma raises an eyebrow as she watches Stormy fluster, before laughing at her reasoning. "You also didn't do on a vacation, so... There was no need to get me anything?"

She pokes the little package and grins, scooting closer. Excitement crawls upon her features. "Open it, come on. If you don't like it, I'll get you something else."

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POSTED ON Jan 22, 2020 14:42:15 GMT

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Stormy blushes, shrugging. No, she hadn't gone on a vacation. Honestly, the closest she'd been to a vacation was a sudden and unexpected day-trip to Kanto. But that really didn't count.[break][break]

"Okay, okay."[break][break]

She fumbles at the edges of the gift as if trying to salvage the perfect wrapping. When she finally gets it open, she's looking at a very pretty stone. It forms a lump in her throat, perhaps because of the fact that it's a stone. Her heart seems to squeeze with grief but she holds strong. [break][break]

"It's beautiful, Gemma. Thank you."

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POSTED ON Jan 27, 2020 22:24:13 GMT

Gemma smiles softly and sits a little closer, folding her hands around Stormy's, and the stone. "It's an evolution item. Remember when I was attacked by that sharpedo?" She grins, a little more excitedly.

"This... Will help you tap into powers you didn't know your pokemon even had." She nods, pulling her hands away. "I'm excited to see you use it someday." Gemma nods and moves away, before standing up. "Shall we have some iced tea? I made a pot before you got here." Rosie weaves her way through her legs as she walks away to the kitchen.

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TAG WITH @stormy

POSTED ON Jan 28, 2020 14:16:54 GMT

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Gemma's hands are warm against her skin, and the woman smiles up at her friend. She's familiar with a stone like this, given she had found one in the hotsprings so many months ago. Wadjet had reacted to it, though they hadn't found an opportunity that needed it.[break][break]

"I do, yes."[break][break]

When the woman finally pulls away, Stormy brushes a thumb over the smooth surface of the stone before tucking it away.[break][break]

At the mention of iced tea, Stormy glances up and smiles.[break][break]

"That sounds lovely."

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POSTED ON Jan 31, 2020 18:11:57 GMT

"Here I though I was ahead of the game." Gemma chuckles, but of course Stormy's found one of these before. She's Stormy Silph, an excellent trainer. That's why she was a gym leader, and Gemma was just...

A mess.

"I'll get your tea." She retreats to the kitchen and pours two cups, setting them on a tray with sugar, cream, and milk. When she returns, she sets the tray down on the coffee table and smiles softly. "So, how are things? It's been a bit - anything new and exciting happening?"

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