[attr="class","sagiramain"]”when the world is safer for delta.”

her lips tightened in a line, pained but unwilling to show it. it wasn’t the reminder she wanted. not now that she was thinking about KING WAYLAND , and how much she loathed him for what he’d done.

because now, she was thinking about that moment when she had heard delta speak last.

”no, she’s still not talking.”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","sagiramain"]she’d been in the area, gathering supplies at a nearby warehouse when she’d heard all the yelling. it wasn’t particularly surprising, given the location, but also not something that would sit right with her if she didn’t investigate.

following the commotion, she came to a corner of the building where she could catch a glimpse of what was happening between the screaming man and the strangely suited aggressor. she took a moment, judging who was who in the situation before giving a signal with a couple of fingers.

above, a large owl swooped past, and an arrow whistled through the air, seeking to pin amor’s shadow to the ground with a spirit shackle.

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
Amor Rose

[attr="class","sagiramain"]

”wherever you came from.”

the front door opened, and clattered shut again. she’d left him there in the house, alone. or, perhaps, with whatever else she’d wanted him to think was lurking.

outside, she looked up at the sky with a hand on her brow, scouring for familiar feathers. for signs that her mother was anywhere close to home.

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
KING WAYLAND

[attr="class","sagiramain"] she hesitated only a moment to co-sign the sentiment that king ought to be dead. she preferred to hear about it quickly when it happened, so she could finally get some sleep.

”great. thanks.”

she caught the look in his eye, and didn't acknowledge it. 

was she done with doomsday prepping? ”no, i’m not.” because doomsday was everyday in hoenn, and it was best to stay prepared. and also, if king wasn’t dead, then no city was safe for them.

”i’m fine. i’m doing what i have to do.”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","sagiramain"]

”mom’s not curious.”

far the opposite, actually. mom was a creature of habit, especially lately. everything was a strict routine. there was never any newness anymore. it was uninteresting, and isolating.

the fear in her eyes—the eyes he said were his—settled into some look of resolve. her jaw set, and she approached him. didn’t stop. walked on past again, towards the door.

”let’s go.”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
KING WAYLAND

[attr="class","sagiramain"]

”i’m not alone.”

she left it vague, letting him wonder. her eyes remained glued to him, still unblinking. perhaps it was to behold him for as long as possible, before he slipped away again. regardless, it could be clear enough in her posture that there was no trust. there was fear.

but then, there was curiosity too. it was there in that unwavering blue stare.

would he disappear this time?

”why are you here?”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
KING WAYLAND

[attr="class","sagiramain"]it had been four days since delta had gone missing. sage patrolled the outskirts with several of her pokemon for signs of her daughter, but hope was running out that she would find her in the countryside. there was no doubt, however, that the girl was alive.

no doubt that she was with him. KING WAYLAND.

while caleb lingered at the outskirts of her garden, whether he was aware or not, several eyes were on him. the alert traveled through the woods, and soon enough, the paws of sagira’s zarude were pounding against the ground, carrying them swiftly homeward.

when they neared, they slowed on the far side. she slid off of dark fur and landed softly. from there, she was skillful in her approach. a former lieutenant, creeping into place for her attack.

”who are you?” she demanded suddenly.

she was close enough to startle, but far enough to avoid a fist—and the arms of whatever this was that was with him. something from the rifts, surely. she didn’t care. she wanted them gone.

”what are you doing here?”

pokemon had emerged with her, and he would find himself cornered. her zarude looked mean, while a decidueye’s arrow was poised on his pokemon from across the garden. sagira, on the other hand, weilded a hunting knife.

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
Caleb Harcourt

[attr="class","sagiramain"]there was a moment of confusion. of lingering eyes, trying to read him. had time mended anything at all, or had it done even more damage?

”i came for food. the cold killed my crops.”

it was a lie, partially. she had come back for food, originally; but then it had turned into multiple trips, looking for people. looking for him.

”have you seen wayland lately?”

he didn’t care how she was doing, apparently. so, she’d cut to the chase.

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","sagiramain"]

she eyed up at him, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. she didn’t blink, frozen, until she finally took a step back. two. the door swung open wider.

despite welcoming him in, apparently, maybe she changed her mind, because she suddenly twisted around and dashed around a corner. when she returned into sight, it was with a pokeball in-hand. she stared from the doorway of their small kitchen then, watching.

waiting.

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
KING WAYLAND

[attr="class","sagiramain"]

whispers. she could hear whispers—but no one was supposed to be there. no one was supposed to even know there existed.

delta’s heart sunk, as she dropped to the ground, the child crawling under a table to peer outside through a drafty crack in their matchbox cabin. what she saw made her blue eyes wide as saucers. her heart all but stopped.

it was him.

her mind raced. mom wasn’t home, but maybe he wasn’t looking for her anyways.

chest suddenly heaving with warring panic and excitement, she rose from the ground, and lingered momentarily behind the door. seconds passed, and she felt as though she were standing at the edge of the tallest diving board for the first time, positioned over deep, murky black water, that hid gods knew what deadly monstrosities.

but she knew, whatever was in those waters was a part of her.

she opened the door, staring up at him.

”hi.”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
KING WAYLAND

[attr="class","sagiramain"]she watched the ground get closer again, careful not to lose her balance—but it was jarring either way.

having not seen him in a while, she wasn’t sure what to make of the glare at first. most people didn’t take kindly to being spied on, though.

”hi.”

she regarded him carefully.

”how are you?”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","sagiramain"]not what she’d been expecting either.

shit.

her eyes went wide as a buried stone lifted her into the air. his avatar power? it irritated her a little, that he was this strong now. some people said that he was a big part of the problem. he always had been, really.

alas, here she was.

”put me down, matias.”

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","sagiramain"]she had disappeared. fortree home abandoned, retired from the military, and fled to a location she had shared to not a single soul. there, she had hoped to keep her child safe from all threats, especially KING WAYLAND .

when she’d departed, she’d left a note for matias at league headquarters.

short. plain. devoid of any of the details, though these days, anyone in hoenn could probably think of plenty of reasons to go hide out in the hills

months, and the meteor had now passed, leaving behind snowfall that had killed her garden and forced her to the market when all the cans and jars had emptied. less than a year’s worth of harvest and what stockpiling she’d been able to manage—given everyone was stockpiling—had not taken long to finish.

she had emerged from her hiding place a couple of times, now. groceries were restocked. things were back in order, but there was curiosity to sate. society called to the human in her. even more so, her grudge hungered.

despite herself, she wound up in lilycove, and from there, she’d tracked him. now, she watched, debating on turning around. maybe it wasn’t time yet. maybe it was better just to leave it be.

her elusiveness was trained, but so was his eye. maybe he’d catch the smallest movement behind a boulder.

[attr="class","sagirapoke"]
MATIAS SILPH