MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 13:50:06 GMT

[attr="class","witness"]Approaching the house, with too many bags in her hands and on her aerodactyl Tilly she had landed just outside the house, Francie gave a knock. Another few, then she sighed in relief when nobody answered. She used the key she'd already gotten off the necklace around her neck and opened the door.

Nobody was home and that meant operation 'sorry for being gone so long let's celebrate the birthdays I missed' was a go!

She shuffled in and out of the house with all the bags, returned Tilly to her capsule, and began setting up ridiculous birthday decorations and started making a cake. Kim could have gotten home anytime between her making arrangements and setting up but Francie didn't care.

Her hair was pulled back, apron on her torso, and honestly she'd made a mess of herself while making a really sad looking birthday cake. But Kim would appreciate it, because while it never looked good, it always tasted good! And they were his favorite flavors!

She'd gotten some of their favorite snacks as well, and placed them around, before taking a seat on the couch, in the dark, tapping her fingers, and just... waiting.

"Right because this isn't weird..."

kim cole-essam

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 14:11:57 GMT

Something about today felt strange. Was it the air? Was he getting sick? Did he put the wrong socks on? Did he leave home without starting the wash? No matter what he questioned he just couldn’t shake the feeling that today was… different.

Of course the day would play out as any other, despite the divergent here and there which had become all too normal in his day to day for him to be surprised by, but it felt unfamiliar. Was he going crazy? Maybe he was just hungry? No… Najwa made him lunch which he had happily eaten throughout the day so it couldn’t be that.

Despite his mind feeling off, he continued on with his day, questioning what it could be that was different from any other.

It all boiled down to nothing by the time he had left work, returning to a darkened home assuming no one to be around.

“What is up with today?” He speaks to himself in a low tone, reaching for the lights.

francie myrtle

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 14:17:56 GMT

[attr="class","witness"]When she heard the lock, Francie had ducked down and hidden behind one of the sofas. When the lights flicked on, Francie jumped up with her hands up and waved her hands in excitement.

"Suprriiiiiiiseee!"

The biggest grin she could muster spread across her cheeks effortlessly, and she ran over without much thought in how dirty her apron was, flinging her arms around Kim to give him a giant, messy cause of her apron, hug.

"Welcome home!"

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 14:29:32 GMT

Instantly his heart caught in his throat, her voice unexpected but certainly recognized upon him hearing it. He was caught like a deer in headlights, the smell of the baked cake finally hitting him as their bodies met, Kim still in shock for a few second before he wrapped his arms around the woman.

“FRANNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!”

He shouts as he picks her up in a bear hug, spinning around a few times before finally turning forward.

“Why didn't you tell me you were coming!? How long have you been waiting!?”

When he finishes questioning her he looks up up and down, ascertaining that the now smooshed bits of bakery she had on her apron had migrated onto him as well.

“Ah.” He says as he pulls on his shirt to look at the mess that he had accidentally created.

francie myrtle

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 14:33:39 GMT

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[attr="class","witness"]The bear hug caused Francie to laugh into his chest. She missed his smell. He smelled like home.

Kim had been the only consistent thing in her life. The only one who put forth an effort to keep in touch with her. And because of that, she'd be eternally grateful to him.

"I haven't been in town long--" then the bits of cake are noticed on his shirt and she takes a moment to look between his shirt, and her apron, while cooing little, "Eh? EH?"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't think about the apron!"

And she'd been sitting there for about an hour, fiddling with her new device, trying to figure it out, she'd totally forgotten that she should have probably cleaned herself up.

Some things never change.

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 14:55:51 GMT

Kim chuckles, it slowly evolving into a laugh then simmering back down into a chuckle- his head shaking as his lips settled into a stagnant smile.

“It’s fine Franny, I don’t care. I’ll clean it later. Besides, I have no doubt that it would have gotten dirty one way or another with you around.”

He meant no harm in what he had said- assuming she would see it just as he had- so simply turned to spot out what it was she had prepared for him.

“So uh… is this supposed to be a welcome home gift for yourself or…”

He had spotted the cake but it’s value was undetermined.

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 15:01:17 GMT

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[attr="class","witness"]Francie new better. Kim never meant anything negative, not toward Francie, not that she could remember. They told each other how it was like it was. No bullshit, unless of course they were using mocking tones and other forms of sarcasm for the sake of a laugh.

"No! It's a birthday cake! I make you one every year, or at least I try to, and this past year I just got super busy. So it's for the birthday I missed! And, sort of, just in case I miss the next one."

Francie explained while she moved over to the cake and excitedly got plates and the like to get them a slice each.

"It tastes good, I promise. It doesn't look good, but, I'm really bad with decorations."

As if on cue, some of the decorations she'd put on the wall popped off and fluttered slowly to the ground.

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 15:11:08 GMT

His eyes linger on the cake for a bit- certain that its looks, as they were on a constant, were deceiving, but as the well timed decoration fell in the background Kim simply stared as it slowly floated down. Once it had hit the floor he gave it one more second before his eyes looked to Francie, an unvoiced “really?” said clearly by his features alone.

Approaching nearer he grabs the plate when offered and awaits to be served, frowning as he reconsidered her words.

“So you think a cake and surprise party will be enough to hold me over in case you mix my next birthday? Franny… you should know me better than that.”

He smiles slyly, awaiting his “better late than never” cake.

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 15:14:34 GMT

[attr="class","witness"]Truth be told, she felt really guilty. She'd determined before she came though, that she wouldn't let her guilt make her cry. There would be, in fact, no crying! No matter how much she missed him!

"I really can't thank you enough, though. For keeping in touch, and keeping me up to date on everything."

The cake was plated and she held his paper plate out, with a plastic fork stuck in the top of it.

"I promise," right there, right then, with a determined sparkling in her eye and a bright smile, "I won't miss the next one."

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 15:29:49 GMT

His smile grows a little more genuine before it simmers down to a slight smirk.

“Don’t worry Fran, I know you’ll try… but some things you just can’t control. I don’t blame you for leaving when you do, but it’s always a little sad not being able to see you for a while, y’know.”

He digs into the cake, carving a piece out and setting it into his mouth before savoring the flavor, his expression speaking volumes for the cakes taste.

“Plus I don’t get to eat your cooking when you’re not here! This unique flavor can only be crafted by your hands!”

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 15:34:50 GMT

[attr="class","witness"]"I'm pretty sure it's not that unique, but, it's good to know you missed me!"

There is truth to his words, and Francie feels as if it's time she should come forward with why she left the first time, and the second.

"The first time around, back when I was a gym leader, before Team Rocket disbanded, I was approached by the leader Silas and told to leave the region or my family would be targeted. Mostly in fear, I ran straight back to Kanto to try and protect them."

She didn't take a bite of her cake and instead fiddled with it, smashing it gently with her fork, cutting pieces out, playing with the icing.

"The second time around... I tell everybody it was his health, but, there was a lot of work that needed done to rebuild Neon Town after Rocket had their way with it. He asked me personally to go help train up some trainers as like, makeshift rangers, really. A group dedicated to protecting the town. It ended up hitting off really big, so I helped create a program that all of Kanto could use, and then the league wanted to take it regional, so I helped with that too. Just got really busy with all of that."

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 15:47:15 GMT

Kim’s words caught in his throat as mid chew she had dropped her truths into his lap.

It was unexpected, and it took him a second to process it, but when he had finally taken all of her words in he sat the plate down, swallowed what was in his mouth and looked her eye to eye.

“Franny… what the fuck.”

He couldn’t be angry, he couldn’t be sad, he couldn’t really be anything because what she had just told him was out of left field unexpected and something he truly could not imagine her getting herself into.

“You could have told me this stuff when it happened you know! Didn’t need to leave me in the dark about your troubled life, friends are here to work through that bullshit with you!”

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 16:08:45 GMT

[attr="class","witness"]"I know that now."

Fraince's words were stronger than they would have been before. Before, she would have cried. Apologized about eight times, still felt like she wouldn't be forgiven, because she would have never forgiven herself.

But in Kim's kitchen with his 'better late than never' cake? Francie was a gym leader who had grown quite a bit since first starting out and she had in fact forgiven herself for hiding these important things from the people that mattered the most to her.

"I came back home, to Hoenn, to come clean and to ask for ... help. Help in conquering these things that have been looming over me. I understand that I can't just do it all by myself, that I need my friends, and my family. I need them to know, and to understand, and so. This is me, coming clean... I'm sorry I never told you before, it was really stupid."

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2020 16:16:15 GMT

“A little stupid, yea.” He echoed playfully, leaning against the counter.

“You know how fast I’d be quick to follow you into battle Fran? Hella. Hella fast.”

“I mean… I know I have responsibilities as a councilman to serve this region and everything but you’re one of my best friends. I’ll say fuck it and follow you in a heartbeat if you really need me.”

He picks up the plate and begins to dig into the cake once more.

“You should know I’ll always have your back at this point.”

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