"sometimes."
[Break][break]
During moments like these, when the world between them felt quiet and without a lick of conflict.
[Break][break]
"Sometimes, no, not really."
[Break][break]
During those moments, it felt like he was doing everything within his power to not understand. To arrogantly stand oppose to whatever stance she took.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

It had been rough.
[Break][break]
Going home, at the dimmest hours, only to find an emptied living room, an emptied kitchen, an emptied bed had been tougher than she would've ever realized.
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But...
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"Honestly," she sighed, eyes returning to the glimmer of the lake, "I've felt like that for longer than just the breakup."
[Break][break]
She took a second to pause, the weight of the conversation forcing her shoulders down.
[Break][break]
"But it's more than going back to an emptied apartment. It's like," she paused for a second, "it's not having someone who I can talk to. Who understands. I felt like, before, CIAN MAHER would always listen, but never really understood. He'd try - there's no denying that. But, I don't know, it's different."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

Somehow, his words only served to deepen the open wounds further, like knives that knew no meaning to the word stop. She suffered beneath their touch, shuddering.
[Break][break]
I'm sorry, she wanted to say. For playing her part in this mess. But the words felt like tar on her tongue, unwilling to come out.
[Break][break]
"I can only imagine," she breathed, not knowing what else to say. She was never good with these types of conversations.



[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"maybe."
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Her answer was rolled off the shoulder, purposely given the impression of little thought.
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"I haven't given it much thought."
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Through the curtain of hair between them, her amber eye slowly inches to his side, curiosity getting the better of her.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

There is something off-putting listening to the man you've poured your last sparing thoughts into speak of his old, still well-burning love for another. It made sense - their relationship was one built and hardened by the passion of their joint love for one another, so much so that even those outside their union could feel the warmth radiating off their shared smiles.
[Break][break]
But, even then, she didn't like being reminded of it.[Break][break]

Turning, she brought one knee to her chest, lounging her arm on top of its arc as she stared out into the lake. In this way, at least Penelope could say she was able to share something with Matias. Even if it was as little as some insignificant view.
[Break][break]
"It's because you're you."
[Break][break]
The words slipped out without a second thought. Whether it be from the ENVY she felt toward the thoughts he shared with her, or the jealousy that always festered within her for all the ways he surpassed her - its origins remained indiscernible.
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"You're unlike anyone else. Stubborn in all the right ways; passionate for all that you believe; there isn't one thing you can't do. I can see why she stayed."
[Break][break]
Because, for some dumb reason, she wants to too.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"Regardless, a conversation was in order. But that's been finished."
[break][break]
Then the bomb dropped, and with it, Penelope's stomach. Selfishly, her first thoughts were how he reacted, and whether in those moments, regret ever overwhelmed him.
[break][break]
She wasn't oblivious to the love they shared for one another. Which meant, all they needed was one spark, one shared moment, for the pieces to fit back into place.
[break][break]
Which was an admittedly scary thought.
[break][break]
"Did she," she responded, voice low, her eyes searching for his. "What do you think of it?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

It was scary how easily he was able to pick apart her words. Still, Penelope doesn't falter, her fingers digging deeper into the array of cheeses and meats. In a handful of seconds, she pieced together one of her favorite pairings, before offering it to him.
[break][break]

"Here, try this," she smiled, breaking away from the flow of their conversation. Might as well enjoy while they still could. This reprieve only lasted for a second, however, as there was no escaping his question. Only after she heard his swallow would she continue. "To be completely transparent, I disclosed our trip to the border together, and what came from it."
[break][break]
A small pause was offered to help process what she'd just revealed.
[break][break]

"I thought, whether it be through Eva Morales or CIAN MAHER, the truth would come out eventually. Might as well get ahead of it to avoid any backlash from HQ."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

Not many might remember it, but Lilycove City had once been her home. Cozy along the seaside, Penelope had spent many afternoons lounging in the sun, or basking in the tranquility of an early day's farmer's market. Back then, when the world felt so small, there was no better activity than to visit one of the local seaside bars.
[break][break]

Beyond just the revel of festivities that typically accompanied those types of bars, Penelope always enjoyed partaking in one of the few places that still felt uniquely lilycove.
[break][break]

Hair pinned in a low-hanging bun, pieces of lava slipping from its grasp, the councilwoman took her place along the bartop. And not without notice, because the sound of another's woman's voice almost immediately greeted her.
[break][break]

"Just looking to enjoy some time to myself," she smiled, waving the bartender open. In the same breath, she ordered her first drink and offered her thanks. "How about you, Ms Prescott. Didn't expect to see you here?"
[break][break]

She did, actually.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Summer Atreides[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

Fair enough.
[break][break]

"Then you might not be familiar."
[break][break]

Flipping through the manilla folder, Penelope plucked two pages of documentation in particular. With the extension of her right arm, she looked to hand it over to the technician.
[break][break]

"The ultra plant. It's a realm found within the desert ruins. Inside, it's a dark world wracked with thunderstorms and deep valleys. Think of a hellscape filled with nothing but electricity."
[break][break]

A pause is offered, most likely to grant a second's worth of processing. For someone who hadn't experienced the realm for themselves, it might've been hard to grasp something so fantastical.
[break][break]

"There, we'd retrieved some foreign technology. Technology we're still in the process of discovering and reworking. So far there hasn't been much success."
[break][break]

Which was where he came in.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] emerson whitlock[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

The warning almost evoked the deepest laughter from her. When it came to luck, PENELOPE LIVY, MATIAS SILPH, kyle lopez, and Melody Miro might've been the worst of them all. Between finding herself slaughtered and revived to growing face to face with the ruination of Hoenn itself, there hadn't been a shred of positivity awaiting for her within these barren lands of dust and memories.
[break][break]

And yet she returned without fail.
[break][break]

Why? She hadn't quite found the answer to that.
[break][break]

"That's fine," she shrugged, waving off the memory, "I can handle myself."
[break][break]

Which only left one question.
[break][break]
"Got any place in mind, or are you just looking at what's left to discover?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] angelo vestri[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"I'd like to take it as a sign."
[break][break]
Through the peaking beams of light slipping through the widespread branches of the forestry, Penelope smiled, her cheeks crinkling at each end of the curl. Hand resting at her side, she gave her yapping growlithe a small gesture, signaling him to join Exploud. He wouldn't be able to offer much help, but it would beat hovering at their side the entire time.
[break][break]
"What's lucky is that we were able to scope it out so fast."
[break][break]
No words were needed to begin their transition toward the dock. Their exchange of emails had already detailed that a ranger would be positioned near the mouth of a small path behind the city, through it they'd be able to reach the makeshift dock made to reach the newly apparated island.
[break][break]
"How have you been, by the way? Everything good?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Melody Miro[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"Fair enough."
[break][break]
The distrust was picked up immediately, half due to her understanding of it and half due to the sheer openness with which she shared it. Penelope, in turn, replied with the natural warmth of a smile. Eyes bright like a vixen stared back, alluring in all the most dangerous ways.
[break][break]
"I'm guessing you're heading to slateport then? Business, or just looking for a fun night out?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] freya morningstar[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"Well, then, I miss those too."
[break][break]

Her chuckle melded with his, creating a soft harmony between them as she handed his poured glass over and began sifting through the cheeses herself. As always, her fingers searched for the brie. It'd be a crime to do much else.
[break][break]

"I've opened conversations."
[break][break]

The admission came with the equally opaque reality that she had done so in the same conversation their expedition to the borders had been brought up. Given how large this scandal would be, it felt almost intuitive to be upfront with dahlia goode , even if it meant smearing her own reputation with the chairwoman in the process. All things considered, it hadn't been too rough of a conversation, but that might've come with the fact that it was spoken as a one-time deal. All further attachments were still concealed.
[break][break]

"Not sure how much will come from it though."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] MATIAS SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]