MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Oct 18, 2018 22:57:58 GMT

NIKOLAI PETROV likes this

shaded spectacles concealed the intense gold. with a hood over the bed of raven, her motion was persistent as it was abruptly still. she moved through the regular crowd. remaining melded into the mass as best as she could. it wasn't particularly troublesome to follow the pace of every citizen within sootopolis.

to enrapture the guise of something else.

her every step mirrored what figure stood afar. shadowing the shift of every instinctive sway, the time had passed itself to be rather stale. nothing out of the ordinary.

min wasn't anticipating anything more than quietly observing. driving as close as to start conversation had been refused by those higher—up on the scale of leadership. wouldn't gathering information be more effective that way? it was only a realistic belief in the consistency of her work.

fishing into the depth of her pocket, the gaze that had been so vigilant misplaced her target in search of a small candy. by the time she'd placed the sweet into her mouth, the man was already gone.

left from right the girl looked, doing a outright turn within the flow of people. she moved quickly, nearly racing to the corner of the avenue before jerking directly into a tall and mundane figure. almost as if they'd been waiting on the other side. min looked up a bit anxiously.

"sorry..." she mumbled
— quickly resorting to turning opposite.

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POSTED ON Oct 19, 2018 5:03:35 GMT

someone's following him.

they aren't as subtle as they think they are: their movements are predictable, expected, and one glance back tells him as much. he doesn't recognize her but he doesn't have to. he simply has to treat her as the enemy, as someone who's out to cause him harm.

the pulsing in his head carries, knocks against his temples with every step he takes. it's the curse of the alcoholic that drinks to forget: the things he drowns the night before always comes back the next day. and it comes back with a vengeance.

when the time is right, he snaps away from the crowd and positions himself around the corner of the avenue, where the people are few. his breathing slows as he catches his breath; he hasn't noticed how fast his heart has been pumping. but that's what rocket does: they drive fear into everyone, including the acclaimed fearless gym leader.

a few moments later, the same figure from earlier bumps into him. she goes to turn, but he doesn't let her. his hand snaps around her arm only to tug her back. their bodies switch position and suddenly he stands over her with her back against the wall.

"why are you following me, darling?" his eyes are unforgiving. "answer carefully."

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POSTED ON Oct 19, 2018 6:34:04 GMT

fingers coil rigidly across the seized arm. she is compelled backwards by the force of her objective. the shadow of his figure looms over her, nearly obscuring her presence with his tedious frame. min loses her breath.

he cannot see the optics that stare up at him— startled and nervous. or perhaps the gloom of her shades isn't as prominent as she might've hoped. just as quickly the sightings look elsewhere.

"w-why would i be following you?" spouted out with a discomforting lurch in the start of her query. there might've been a chance for retreat. for now luck was seeming far off from this restive situation. still the struggle didn't seem particularly pointless.

enough warnings— although brief— instilled a sensible amount of fear into her. once a beast, always a beast. those words teased the currently frantic mind. "let go." min demanded, confidence barren in her tone. was she dreading what rocket might've done, or more—so the actions this bitter man would take.

it truly was a disappointment.

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POSTED ON Oct 19, 2018 7:21:16 GMT

"i'm not sure, why would you be following me?" he repeats her words verbatim, not once faltering in his steely resolve to uncover the truth. his eyes undress her as they venture down, not once stopping until her words cry out to him in the form of an order; or maybe, a plea.

in that moment, time pauses as he dives down the deep, dark rabbit hole that is his mind. he might physically be able to run but his mind is what's anchoring him back. he recollects and tries to put a name to a face; rocket, kanto, vermillion, none of it brings back anything.

so, he lets her go.

"i must have been mistaken, then." he takes a single step back but lingers in her zone, refusing to leave. "let me buy you a drink—as an apology for my actions." his words are sincere but his intentions are not. his trust is fickle as it is and though he has nothing to pin against her, his walls remain guarded.

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POSTED ON Oct 19, 2018 9:06:42 GMT

the recited words came with a feeling that was adverse to her soft voice. she pursed her lips together— not knowing how to counter the identical query while her heart felt as though it were being held tight. instead, min kept quiet as she always had. openly disregarding answers she could not provide was a roundabout way of remaining innocent.

to her surprise, the presence of his hand retreats and he allows her some space. she touches her arm as though it had hurt— maybe it was the idea that shook her more. after all, everything had occurred as abruptly as the words that hovered upon the air. an invitation.

it bewilders min— so much so she is crossed between either being angry or simply confused. her motions persist she remains in the center. "what?" the unscathed word is still gentle, "i-is that how you usually invite woman out for drinks? you looked—" she clears her throat, stopping herself, "i mean... well what i mean..." at this point she wasn't convinced it had been obvious.

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POSTED ON Oct 20, 2018 13:08:41 GMT

the touch of her arm does not go unnoticed: for moments he wonders if he had been too rough, too brash in his actions. he knows he wasn't because despite the drunkard he so often portrays, control is something he has a tight hold over. he rarely lets it loose. but even if he was, guilt won't fill him because he knows he has to be. the alternative could prove to be fatal.

make no mistakes.

her confusion is justified but he doesn't address it, doing so would acknowledge that there's something to be confused about. instead, he plays it coy—"hmm?" he dismisses it with a smile and a gesture with his hand.

"come on, darling—just one drink. it's around the corner."

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POSTED ON Oct 21, 2018 2:03:51 GMT

he is enduring in his words. maybe that's a good thing— she thinks, no, she hopes. with her aim so upfront before her, she ponders on the still present request. there is no right or wrong. min isn't convinced she'll leave in one piece. especially in the presence of drinks.

clearly the options are frustrating her. the visible brows furrow, yet the shaded gaze pierces through the transparency of her dilemma. it is all so crystal. the inconsistency is what leaves her hesitant.

caught in a moment of stillness, the background drowns in the whirlpool of these images. she breaks from it with a dare to gain more than what her eyes observe.

"just one." she says. it nearly sounds as if it had been to herself. perhaps partly it had been. she finds herself looking back up at the engrossing figure, his bewitching features take hold of her attention. lingering on the notion to be led the way. just one— she thinks once more. anticipating the drink as if it may all go wrong.

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POSTED ON Oct 21, 2018 8:14:13 GMT

he knows her answer before she says it and yet it still garners a smile as a response.

"just one."

he repeats it for her sake as an attempt to rid of her her concerns, though it's unlikely, given how guilty she is. even though he dropped his brief interrogation, his trust is still not given. she doesn't earn it that easily.

the bar's simple. it looks exactly like any other bar and it doesn't take them long to find themselves sat by the counter and not long after that, with liquor in their hands.

shot.

refill.

he leads.

"i apologize about earlier. can never be too safe as gym leader." the taste of whisky burns in his mouth, numbs it, but it's a feeling he relishes. "i didn't catch your name."

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POSTED ON Oct 21, 2018 12:51:25 GMT

the place is rustic. it gives the impression of nearly feeling pleasant. there is nothing overbearing in luxury, the music is not loud and neither is it brimming with people.

yes she thinks— it's all so nice— there is an inward contempt in her understanding. she is at the mercy of the man to her side. the bitter taste rises in the base of her throat like a gentle burn.

min coughs, trying her best to obscure the noise as a hand lingers over her lips. he drinks as though it were as gentle as water. her bright eyes watch him for a moment, discovering appeal in the intake.

especially if it had been resistant.

"ah," the stretch of stillness in their words had her hesitant when he finally spoke, "min," she says, lurching over her name as though dubious. "what about you? you said you're a gym leader?" she does well to forge curiosity in her velvety voice. it is smooth and honest.

as if to ease the hidden tension, she takes a drink, watching him intently. min isn't a fan of questions she cannot answer— so she hopes the time will pass without an inconvenience. not that hoping ever did her any good.

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POSTED ON Oct 23, 2018 4:33:02 GMT

she's more tamed than he is with her drink. he watches how she carefully drinks and notices how the burn of of the liquor affects her: it's unfamiliar, though not unwelcome.

her question tells him she's not a local or at least she pretends like she isn't, though there's an air of innocence in her voice that doesn't lead him to believe otherwise.

"you're in my city, min." a shot warms him up. "nikolai, sootopolis gym leader. welcome."

another gesture at the bartender refills his glass and hers if she wants. "why are you here, min?" he leans closer. "in my city. it's not to challenge the gym otherwise you'd know of me."

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POSTED ON Oct 23, 2018 5:27:58 GMT

he speaks as if it were palpable. that the leaders of gyms should've been known by all. that at least anyone that was in his city would be aware of such importance.

the outpouring catches her heed like a soft whistle in the corner of the room. her glass was once hastily emptied, but now it scarcely inched towards the top.

not that she found it particularly uninviting— especially with her company seeming dubious— still. min took a larger sip this time, hanging onto the sliver of the burn with a furrow in her brows.

"i didn't realize gym leaders owned cities." she joked, though the banter was difficult to catch in her delicate voice. with him shifting closer, her form hunched inward, fixating on the glass as if to act unaware.

"i'm just passing by—" her thoughts race for a continuation, "i do odd—jobs. taking care of pokemon or whatever." the measly savor is tried at buying her time. at least enough to ease the worry.

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POSTED ON Oct 23, 2018 11:12:46 GMT

the moment her drink is refilled and she reaches for it he knows he has her on the hook, because they had agreed for one drink and she's violating their terms. in a good way, of course. it just means he'll have company for the night.

"is that why you're here? to take care of pokemon. or whatever." he repeats her words back to her as he takes another shot. he's never been good at pacing himself, not when he has so much to drown. "or is it another odd job?"

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POSTED ON Oct 23, 2018 11:50:58 GMT

NIKOLAI PETROV likes this

the questions fuel the hidden fire. it gnaws upon her like an itch that can't be reached, as such she finds herself daring without much consideration. "no," she starts, gaze still bound towards the gradual emptiness of the glass.

"i was thinking about sneaking into the cave of origin, seeing if anything was of value in there. my first bet was to torment the civilians by robbing them— maybe spy on one more relevant than the rest." she takes a sip, looking over at nikolai. her dull tone made it difficult to determine if it had all been a jest.

"just kidding," — partly— the truth is as vivid as the burn.

gathering his handsome features was fleeting. just as quickly as she had settled her gaze upon the man, it was back to the hands that cupped the delicate structure. before all else— min had made it clear she could not be genuine with anyone.

the alcohol was her only enemy on that matter.

"its a nice place." every word is careful. at the same time, there isn't an act. "you're lucky you get to live here, as gym leader no—less." she smiles, finishing the contents. she doesn't give an "answer"— so she seeks a roundabout.

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POSTED ON Oct 23, 2018 14:06:00 GMT

something sparks within her and even though he doesn't see it, he feels it. she suddenly becomes chatty and graces his question with an answer he doesn't expect. one that manages to catch him off guard. by the end of it, he's impressed, but not silenced.

"i don't think you are, darling."

she's pretty and those are the most dangerous ones. he speaks from experience. "you'd be wasting your time because there's nothing of value in the cave of origin. i don't think you have a talent for spying." he takes a moment to let silence fill the air. "your best bet would be the civilians, yeah."

the moment fleets when he picks up his glass to finish off his liquor. the bartender goes to refill but nikolai doesn't pick it up yet.

"it is. how long are you staying?"

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