In some manner, for some reason, Remi catches herself glancing away from him. She pointedly keeps her cheek facing elsewhere so that he might not stare at the black patch strapped across her face.

But he does.

And it catches her off guard anyway.

His warm hand rises, thumb brushing her cheek in his exploration of the material. Her breath catches, her heart beats quicker.

Stop it, Remi. Stop, stop.

But she cannot pull away, and her hand instinctively, quickly rises to grap hold of his hand. It is defensive, her fingers squeezing tight and pulling him back just slightly.

"You know me.. bit off more than I could chew. Paid the price for it."

Beneath the path is garrish, ugly scarring. Her eye is damaged, sightless, unsightly. She keeps it covered so as to not scare people - but perhaps it is more for herself to not see the reminder, to see her imperfection.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

The only thing Remi had forgotten was the audacity of men who thought themselves bigger, stronger, and more intimidating than women. She had sought him out for answers, looked to him for aid, and he had wrapped his arm around her neck and whispered painful truths into her ear.

What had he expected to happen?

The protective barrier his Espeon puts up explodes on contact against her Dratini's outrage. It forces her to stumble back, the blast temporarily blinding. When she catches her footing and her breath, she glares at him in response to his threatening.

"Never knew criminals to fight fair, and you're the one who's mad? Fuck off."

Her fist throbs where it had made contact with the Espeon's shield and she flexes each finger with a hiss. The Dratini slowly returns back to her favourite spot of warmth in Remi's shirt.

"It's funny, how pissy men get when things don't go their way."

Killian Decker

☉

Given how warm it is outside in Hoenn's tropical climate, the ice melts pretty rapidly beneath the baking sun. But it works well for the brief window she'd needed it to, to slow them down.

And what comes next may surprise you.

Or it won't, seeing as the kid's dog ruins the surprise factor and takes all of Remi's appeal points. Y'know, like in contests where you use the same move as the person ahead of you so the crowd boos? Whatever.

With a flick of her wrist, mostly because she's fumbled the ball, the woman releases a bear Pokemon that apparently can't learn roar so the joke made earlier is ruined.

Regardless, the Beartic bellows, lips flapping all while spraying saliva as a roar rises from the depth of the Pokemon's chest. It startles the few Lycanroc that had split off to surround the Dubwool and Wooloo from behind, giving Remi a chance to pull out more of her astounding bear arsenal.

"Bane, round 'em up!"

Effortlessly, the Pangoro lifts four of the sheep up over his shoulders, keeping them out of harms way. One in particular, apparently unafraid, licks straight up the side of the Pangoro's face, leaving him with a cowlick. Remi laughs and laughs, energized by the situation rather than intimidated by it. However, the resounding silence from Locke's Pup-pup's roar pulls her attention right back. Something twists in her gut at the same moment the Lycanroc that are advancing on the kid come back to their senses.

One more Pokemon flies from her belt, appearing in front of the kid. It tips its head to the side, one finger touching its bottom lip. The Bewear in its big, adorable and pink glory seems enough to scare off the Lycanroc for good this time. Remi, upon catching up, moves to pull Locke into a mostly-friendly but somewhat aggressive and definitely unsolicited arm lock around their head.

"Woo! Kid, that was close, yeah? Good thing I brought the momma bear squad."

Locke Jamison Martín del Mar

☉

"I mean.. I guess?"

What is she supposed to say? No? That hanging out with a super rare, super sought-out Pokemon wasn't the stupidest thing to do.. ever? Talk about a red flag waving over your head, Remi.

So she settles for awkward stumbling, blustering, gaping in bewilderment at this man's audacity. Her face very nearly resembles the wild Jynx that strolls on past.

"Accidentally. Right."

Remi frowns, glancing between him and the Unown again. Part of her really itches to just grab it and run. It's just.. hovering there, staring at her with that creepy, unblinking eye. But if she did that..

Nah. Not worth the effort. She's met too many people these days who looked like they were only a few pounds soaking wet, but were actually twice the size of her in strength and potential (paxton concordas). She'll pass.

"Uh-huh.. no hard feelings."

God, he was arrogant. Was that even the right word? He was something, at least. Apparently, the tension between the two kindred spirits was too frigid even for the passing Jynx. She gasps, muted in horror, before shuffling along.

pass

angelo vestri

☉

Remi's attention spans outward for a moment, doing a double-take a yet another familiar face peeks out of the crowd. This one, at least, doesn't bring an uncomfortable mix of emotion. In fact, they bring a wide grin to her face as she claps her hand against their back.

"Hey, kid! Glad to see you didn't get eaten by those Lycanroc, huh?"

She chuckles, remininscing on the bizarre farm-hand assignment she had taken on out of the goodness of her heart. She'd even managed to squirrel away one of the Pokemon there. It was always nice when the pieces fell into place.

Locke Jamison's knowing look goes undetected by the woman, and one could gather it was because the kid was hidden in her blind spot.

"Kinda felt like that old Christmas movie, now that I think about it - y'know, 'the Flight Before Christmas'?"

bottom | middle | top

notes:

SPOILER: Click to show

+ Have an ice-type Pokemon in your party
+ Throw a snowball at another character
+ Make a snow angel
+ Help keep another character warm
+ Reference a winter sport
+ Decorate a snowboy
+ Catch a snowflake on your tongue
+ Reference a holiday movie

@anyone

☉

Her ears burn and it prompts her to look up from her handicraft. The top of her snowboy has come together quite nicely, decorated with loose buttons and pocket lint, if only she can keep her cubs from destroying the progress.

But when she looks up, she spots a familiar face, bespeckled with mirth and staring wide-eyed back at her. The woman waves and, awkwardly, Remi lifts her hand to wave back. There is a funny feeling in her chest, something warm and sweet. Affection?

How bizarre. Had she even met this woman before?

Slowly, Remi rises to her feet, cubs manhandling the snow to continue their work on their perfect snowboy. But before Remi can even think to join the beautiful, bashful pinkette, Remi watches her trip and fall into the snow. She snorts, the laughter automatic, before she takes another hurried step, hands outstretched even despite the great distance between them.

Fortunately, Luka picks herself up and dusts herself off, offering one more sheepish wave before dashing off to join--

One of Hoenn's elite four.

She rolls her eyes, but ultimately begins her approach to the group of luka chêne, MATIAS SILPH and Eva Morales.

eY4NNFa9
bottom | middle | top

notes:

SPOILER: Click to show

+ Have an ice-type Pokemon in your party
+ Throw a snowball at another character
+ Make a snow angel
+ Help keep another character warm
+ Reference a winter sport
+ Decorate a snowboy
+ Catch a snowflake on your tongue
+ Reference a holiday movie

@anyone

☉

"What the fu--"

Her voice is carried away, lost to thoughtfulness as she takes in the scenery. From the other side of the door, she was certain she had seen... more building. Nothing out of the ordinary, and especially nothing like this. Surely she would have smelled the pine needles, the trees, the earth beneath her feet?

But she hadn't, not until right now.

Somewhere above her, with a tinny, uncomfortable speaker voice, Greyson lays out more instructions. Three unknown enemies, huh? He wishes her good luck and her two hulking bear Pokemon square up. Their shoulders raise, claws extend. The only one not on edge is the Teddiursa who lurches forward on clumsy paws. She does not appear the least bit fazed.

In fact, even when faced with the sudden wall of flame from the Delphox's surprise MYSTICAL FIRE, the Teddiursa merely giggles. Remi's face goes white with horror, but momma bear Beartic moves quickly to intercept. It is instinctual, even in spite of her type disadvantage.

With a bellowing roar, the Beartic steps up and braces herself, taking the blast and BIDING her time. The Teddiursa bounces back from bumping into the Beartics tree trunk leg, looking up at her in awe.

"Bane!"

At her call, the Pangoro bites down hard on his bamboo stick thing in his mouth, grunting as he barrels straight for the Delphox to TAUNT it into succumbing to his NIGHT SLASH.

Greyson Connors

☉

It was certainly strange, having her name in the mouths of higher ups. The likes of Lulu Flint, THEO BECKETT, Killian Decker, and even Cillian Quinn knew her by first-name basis. They sent her on errands, redirected grunts to her aid should the need arise.

And now?

Lulu had sent her a beast.

The thought leaves her with a dangerous grin. When he eventually approaches her, the woman is crossed-armed and looming over the small shape of a red and white Delibird. The sack strewn across its shoulder is full, but surprisingly discreet, loaded with guns and essentials. Hand-wrapped and topped with a bow.

'Tis the season, right?

Remi glances up, lowering her arms and raising her brow at Oscar's greeting.

"Right in front of you."

The woman steps aside to reveal the Delibird in its joyous entirety. The bird puffs out its chest and salutes, readjusting the bag over its shoulder.

"What, you've never had a delivery by Deli-mail? Get with the times, boomer."

oscar clayton

☉

Something hot flashes behind dark eyes, half obscured by the eyepatch pressed to her right eye. It sets her jaw, steels her advance. Whoever this woman was, she was intriguing, and she almost certainly had the answers she sought.

She could see it in that dangerous smile of hers, and in the way she begs for attention. She has something to say, if only Remi had the motivation to take it.

Illeana puts a pause on the conversation, however, when she questions the reasoning behind her ask. It makes her blood boil, but it also brings back a flood of grief she's left unburied. It stirs back to the surface feelings of anguish and pain. It twists her face, and although her features are far from perfect, they are even less so now.

She almost looks feral. And it is why she takes a step forward, her advance imposing, threatening. She wanted her to apply the right pressure? Would she still wish for that, even with her hands around her throat?

But she hesitates, leaves space between them for breath, because Illie speaks up to recite a passage from a book. It feels familiar, like a story she'd heard whispered to her as a child. It softens her features briefly, but her ferocity soon returns along with a hand reaching to grab hold of Illie's face (unless she moves). Her grip would be tight at first, and then fall away almost immediately after.

"Because it was with my brother - and now he is dead."

illeana reyes

☉

Okay, no, pause. This guy was just a sociopath, or something. Devoid of feeling. Those balls of steel harbored no pain, no joy, no nothing. No brains, either. 'Just as antsy?' What the fuck.

If anyone should be an elite four, maybe it's this guy.

Stone cold killer right here.

"You're fucked."

She blurts out, unprovoked. But, given she is shameless, the woman doesn't seem at all phased by what she's said. She just tucks her chin and raises her brow and stares at him with equal parts amazement and.. unease.

"Is it because they're worried you'll snap and kill somebody? Cause I can see why."

Paxton resumes normal human conversation, which frankly, is even more reason for her to believe this guy might be a robot or something. With a slow, dramatic blink, Remi gives a very tight shake of her head as if to shake loose her bewilderment.

"Nowhere in particular, really. Just sightseeing, like I said."

Had she said? All of a sudden now she couldn't remember. Remi blinks once more, tearing her focus from the strangely perfect shape of his face and down to the Togedemaru nearby. The Pokemon had appeared out of nowhere around the same time the guy was busy catching the Beldum. She hadn't been fast enough to take the psychic-type for herself, and frankly didn't want to. This dude was nuts.

So, she satisfies herself with just the small metal rodent. Rocket would be happy with anything with a little bit of steel - even if she gave literally the bare minimum. It's the thought that counts, right?

"Bro, why the fuck're you staring at that Beldum for?"

Her Sneasel, tag-teaming, stun-lock the Togedemaru into fainting. They snicker and dance over it's dropped body, and Remi picks it up before more harm could be done. It wouldn't do, probably to offer up something half-dead already.

catching togedemaru

paxton concordas

☉

"Wait-- what the fuck-- hold on--"

She does a double-take, apparently having mistaken the Vanillish for something else. Her black market registered phone vibrates in her back pocket, and upon further inspection, she would realize that the object of her affection had changed from ground-types to ice types. Specifically that ice-type.

Fuck.

"I think you're kind of full of yourself, actually."

Her previous bluster abandoned, she leans back and stares at him, eyebrow raised, smirk present. Who was this guy? Oh, that's right. One of Hoenn's elite four. Were they all arrogant like this?

God, Hoenn was a shithole.

pass

MATIAS SILPH

☉

He screams, howls, and his grip around her shoulders loosens. She doesn't hesitate, squirming down and out of his grasp immediately, similar to that of a snake. In fact, her jacket squirms - and normally it would have made her breathless and tense - but her rage and adrenaline boil over her subtle fear.

Out pops a small Dratini, dazed from being crushed for so long.

Blood drips from her mouth and she spits, wipes the corner of her lip with the back of her hand. Her expression is seething, dancing with determination.

Given that she had pulled away the moment he'd relaxed his grip, his free arm swinging down does not collide with her. She does side-step, however, in case his swing reaches out. And then, with him wide open and in pain, she strikes out with small fists to deliver the same sort of kidney punch he'd given her.

And, in addition to that, her upset Dratini chooses to lash out as well. The little baby dragon's mouth fills up with blue flame, sharp, tiny little teeth aiming to burrow into exposed skin. Her OUTRAGE might be small, but it is mighty.

Killian Decker

☉