there are many ways this could have gone - and death wasn't something she expected to see. [break][break]

at least, not at the hands of her partner; she expects to see it coming from her, with how careless she can be when lives are at stake - but that's the old marisol, isn't it? when the cries of people and pokemon echo down the hallways of an older, run down laboratory where the sun don't shine. she takes a deep breath, watching the bloodied scene unfold, and she knows it's already too late to stop it when the garchomp has rushed towards it with an open jaw, with the speed as it soars. [break][break]

it acts too fast for her to call out a medic pokemon, too fast for her to swap out for her blissey to mitigate the damage that comes from the merciless bite, when the bones crack and the cartilage can be heard; then it finally sinks in when the body is discarded by a surprised garchomp. to their enemy, it looks like a cruel slaughter. to marisol, it looks like a genuine mistake. [break][break]

metal is mixed with earthy mud (it's hard to be unfamiliar with death when you're so well acquainted) and the stench is something that serves to make the woman perk up, and go on higher alert when the glint of silver finds a way to sliver into a man's hand. her immediate reaction is to tug at her pokeball, only for the voice of her gengar to abruptly shatter the silence with a brief "GEH". [break][break]

another man drops from above, not far away from her now, and she could have sworn that she's seen this mask somewhere; though that doesn't matter now, because when she sees it she quickly snags at another pokeball, swapping out the gengar who's fallen to the ground and can't get up with a large, round blissey. "embryo, light screen!" she commands as the blue light fades. it's not enough when the wind is already blowing and the petals are starting to slash at slightly thicker clothing, but a veil of brief yellow coats both her and Leonidas Stone 's team to mitigate remaining damage. [break][break]

then the figure reappears again, when he petals fade and the fog has cleared out, somewhat. dual-toned eyes glare through disheveled bangs to catch the vision of a gun in hand - something she's so painstakingly familiar with (and had she not treated herself her leg would still tremble from the lead that was only shot once in her leg). her blissey tries to stand in front of her, but she raises a hand to stop her. [break][break]

she wanted to avoid death, but death is still looking for her (and he wants her to pay her due). [break][break]

but where has she seen this one before? [break][break]

she doesn't move seeing the glint of dark metal, though now she's put in an icky position with a weapon pointed at her person. instead, she narrows her eyes to Leonidas Stone briefly, to quickly bark "be careful." with furrowed brows. then she maintains a glare to an armed Martín del Mar . [break][break]

fuck.

[break][break]

> GENGAR went GEH upon being stepped on[break]
> mari's having fecking FLASHBACKS[break]
> swaps GENGAR for BLISSEY to LIGHT SCREEN (and halve SPRINGTIDE STORM)

[break]

---

[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

[break]
+10MP for a sneak attack[break]
+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]
+50MP for participating in a battle[break]
+10MP per IC post

+10MP for assisting another character and/or pokemon[break]
+10MP per IC post[break]
TOTAL: 100 MP

Leonidas Stone + BARNABY FINCH + Martín del Mar

☉

she's a holy woman, but.. [break][break]

rocket's certainly got their work cut out for them, if this was.. their plan. granted, she doesn't know what they're planning anymore (and she never bothered to question it, and never found it in her to care). it just can't be anything good. [break][break]

so concealed in shadow and fog, she moves light on her feet towards the unfortunate target - someone who looks roughed up already, if not a little bit tired or tuckered out from his previous battle.. but the fact that he's still standing and walking means that capture was unsuccessful, and marisol's not keen on killing anyone. [break][break]

not this day, at least. they're all going to die either way, it seems (she'd rather not be the one with blood on her hands). this in mind, she motions to her gengar. "necrosis, hypnosis." she speaks from the shadows, taking a glance at her battle partner (Leonidas Stone ) as he's pre-occupied with his own battle.


[break][break]

> GENGAR goes BOO[break]
> necrosis (GENGAR) is using HYPNOSIS on BARNABY FINCH [break]
> good luck leo :dorime:

Leonidas Stone + BARNABY FINCH + Martín del Mar

☉

it doesn't look like anyone's noticed them yet. [break][break]

or rather, no one's noticed her. unfortunately, it looks like the fog wasn't kind on the man with a large build; maybe being a bit smaller in stature really does work miracles. either way, she recalls the dusknoir in favour of a gengar who sits in the shadows, a grin as he takes on the casted darkness. her mask is over her lips as she lowers herself a bit, in an attempt to keep herself closer to the ground. what was that saying again? something something advantage to those who knows the enemy's position? no, that wasn't a saying. maybe the whispers are getting to her head. [break][break]

thankfully, she's used to it. [break][break]

one BARNABY FINCH is caught in her vision, not too far away from them - and he's someone she only vaguely recognizes (thanks to the disguise, it makes it a bit more difficult, but she's seen and treated enough rockets in her time). "there." she points, slicking back to the fog. it's already too late to run; not like they should, anyways. they're meant to guard something up on top of the mountain - you can't do that with your tail tucked between your legs. [break][break]

stalk the darkness, marisol. [break]
they won't see it coming.[break][break]

> hanging with leo, stalking the shadows like a creep[break]
> swaps DUSKNOIR for GENGAR. GENGAR is hiding in Mari's shadow[break]
> SURPRISE ATTACK on BARNABY FINCH BOO

Leonidas Stone + BARNABY FINCH

☉

the fog is thick today. [break][break]

she wonders why she isn't put off by the whispers, but maybe she's spent too much time wandering around the mountain to care less about the screams of the damned. it's getting chilly nowadays, after a sweltering hot summer - it's a good thing she's layered up just enough. her blissey was insisting that she be warm. [break][break]

ah, these high pressure and intensity missions bring back bad memories. [break][break]

her hair is tied up into a high ponytail, with a black mask over her lips, wearing a black slim-fitting shirt and cargo pants, with her belt around her waist carrying a few medical supplies, along with pokemon. it'll be difficult to tell friend from foe, even if she can match a name to a passing face during her time from rocket. [break][break]

rain (Tempest Quinn ) starts to fall, and the fog is beginning to clear.. but none of this sits well with her. it never does. [break][break]

"ana, use future sight." she throws out a pokeball, revealing a large cycloptic ghost pokemon. the pokemon nods, eye glowing blue as it attempts to make out the future - whether it's immediate or further, will remain to be seen.

[break][break]

zbk9FU0O

> black mask, black fitting shirt + cargo pants w/ first aid on her belt[break]
> DUSKNOIR uses FUTURE SIGHT, cause you never know.[break]
> sitting at i12

Leonidas Stone + pyre

☉

make no mistake, [break][break]

her actions were done willingly. all the pain and suffering she's caused her pokemon were deliberate, at one point, though she'd never remember until after the deed was done. for a while, she thought there was a demon possessing her, wearing a sick grin as she ran the blade of a scalpel through plump flesh. maybe she'd still do the same if she let it run rampant. nowadays, its listening, and sated with knowledge. it's happy to read and research - and she's happy to see it gone. [break][break]

her lips curl into a frown as her fingers gently rub against her arm, tracing one of the lines of the meaningless tattoo over an old, nasty scar. it's a good thing she can't see it anymore. [break][break]

.. what's with that look in his eyes? the deep gaze that stares into the near distance? he's thinking so intently with a faraway, pensive expression, and the rubbing of her arm turns into self soothing as the long, old friend anxiety starts to nag and whisper sweet nothings into her other ear. [break][break]

though you could hardly call them whispers when it's the anticipation breathing down her neck. [break][break]

there's no use lying when he asks, but she's almost surprised to hear it. people who knew her were worried, she knows - but she always expected disgust from the people who didn't. the last time got her shot in the leg, after all. [break][break]

"no." she still remembers the ecstasy she felt as a child, and the image of herself still haunts her like the ghost she lost. this time, with the benefit of hindsight, she'll speak truthfully: "i don't miss it, at all." [break][break]

"i hated it." [break][break]

but now that she's thinking about it, they're stating to flood back again - or the days where she knew she was missing something would come back, and all she'd see is the disappointed gaze, or the smile of a man as he wiped a girl's tears to have blood stain her cheeks instead. her body curls in a bit more, and she takes a shaky breath as the bangs fall over her eyes once again. [break][break]

"every second of it."

Leonidas Stone

☉

quite uncharacteristic of her. [break][break]

.. but she's trying something new, and if she's going to do that, she may as well throw herself off the deep end. [break][break]

is he shocked? of course he is; she rarely pulls her nose out of books and research and experiments to ever find the time or the energy to be interested in someone else's life. but if he's been curious and made himself open to listening, then who is she to decline him of the same treatment? even if it makes her a tad bit uncomfortable to speak out first. [break][break]

there was uncertainty when she asked, but it's a lie if she says it's something she hasn't thought about - just never put into practice. it used to be a lot easier before breaking and building back up - she didn't have to occasionally surf online to look up conversation starters or questions to get to know others - and we'll pretend she didn't actually do it. [break][break]

then her ears perk up, and her lips press thin together in thought. 'boring' he says, or things that she already knows. things out in the public, about how he's built an empire on his own. it's the problem with being famous in ones own right. [break][break]

it's well deserved, but it can make things difficult. [break][break]

".. what do you like to do in your spare time?" don't think when you ask - it'll draw out the silence in between conversation, and make it a little more awkward than it should be. she used to be a chronic over-thinker - maybe it's carried over. "seeing as though you almost always busy yourself with some kind of work."[break][break]

says she, who is married to her job.

Leonidas Stone

☉

"he'll be chronically anxious or chronically stressed" her gaze lowers to the canine pokemon[break][break]

"hopefully not both." the poor thing, her condolences go out to it. the riolu stares for a little while longer as marisol smiles down to the little guy, then motioning for it to go out to play with the other two cubs who were.. still duking it out together. [break][break]

maybe he wouldn't join, after all. instead, the trainer trails into a sigh as she lowers the finished cup. then she glances over to the noibat, and the other few of his pokemon that were let out of their pokeballs to roam along in the empty park, although it looks like the two cubs have wandered to a nearby, slightly older playground structure.[break][break]

".. anyways, what were we talking about before we got sidetracked..?" then she leans forward, resting her elbow against her knee, then her cheek against the palm of her hand. and when she remembers, she nods her head - though it's in affirmation to herself. "has rustboro changed much in your absence?" she starts, tilting and turning her head to glance at a man. [break][break]

"new sights? more buildings? or stores that have come and gone?" she's uncharacteristically talkative today, but she's starting to get used to it. to where she doesn't try to catch herself. she called him her friend earlier, after all - but it doesn't look like he caught it either. what a relief. [break][break]

".. tell me more about yourself."

Leonidas Stone

☉

"scarred." [break][break]

though maybe that's not the right word, because she participated in his sick experiments. when she looks over, she almost expects that reaction; although she expected something a bit more.. taken aback. granted, this is him we're talking about. he's been good at maintaining his composure. [break][break]

"i wasn't a physical experiment until i got older." and her eyes glance down to her arms, littered in tattoos of meaningless designs that she never wanted to get, but still did, so she never had to use bandages to cover them up. there was a lot to go through, where does she start?[break][break]

"i lived with him, so i had to help him with the experiments." and that's when things started to go downhill. i she had to sum it up shortly, she'll say "i dissociated, and tore myself apart trying to come to terms what was happening." though the memories are fuzzy, and she doesn't try to focus on them. [break][break]

".. a lot of it is fuzzy, but i can remember a gist of it." [break][break]

thinking about it makes her body curl, knees tucking in closer to hr chest in thought. suddenly, it's starting to get colder, and the flames of the bonfire are falling short from reaching her.

Leonidas Stone

☉

she'll accuse him how ever she damn will pleases. [break][break]

.. but he has a point, she doesn't want them to stay out in the rain longer than they need to, especially when he's declining the umbrella. still, it feels like it's a bit of a waste to just.. leave it there, and not use it. but she doesn't exactly want to use it for herself; call it her stubbornness. [break][break]

instead, her gengar hops out of his pokemon, unprompted, waddling to grab the umbrella on the ground before opening it up, holding it over his head and large.. body. of course, it doesn't cover all of him, with his large tail sticking out and the majority of his back being unshielded, but she won't say anything. he looks so happy, after all. [break][break]

"you're so troublesome." she's referring to the man she's with as she grabs the bag of harvested herbs, and she glances out down the path while getting up shortly after his brief tap. still, she's looking out just like he wanted, and her brows furrow as she keeps her gaze outwards. under the pattering of the rain against a gengar's umbrella, you can hear a soft:[break][break]

"thank you for helping."

end

☉

it seems like their pokemon had more luck than they did. [break][break]

while they were fooling around, at least. he has a point though; they were out here on a job, and they're lucky that their pokemon are reaping more results from the sea than their trainers were. "yes, yes, i'm coming.." he's speaking so casually, as though it wasn't his fault that she was going to suffer at the hands of a slightly crunchy dress. granted, she did that to him, and he'll probably have to suffer in a slightly crusty shirt too. [break][break]

it's even, for now.

end

☉

"oh, tell me about it.." [break][break]

the familial love and sentiment isn't shared, but she can understand not wanting to say anything out of consideration. though her father was never the best person, nothing could ever stop him from wearing such a grin on his face when he held out a tray of.. what ever monstrosity he conjured up to feed her. "sometimes it would be overcooked, or it'd be undercooked, or there wouldn't be enough sauce, or a different kind of ingredient would be used.." she prattles on, skewering another piece of meat through the rod "or when he feels like experimenting, he'll come up with the most offensive palette i've ever tasted." [break][break]

"have you ever tried a bean and egg pizza with lemon slices on it?" she shudders at the memory, visibly that time. she has to shut her eyes as the shiver is finished crawling up her spine, and she narrows her eyes. "if you ever catch yourself unable to wash the taste of horrible food," she starts, humming with a small smile tugged at her lips ".. i guess you can come over to clean your palate." then she sets the skewer aside. [break][break]

"just bring regulus, so deno can play with him." she sighs, reaching over to tug at a piece from the paper towel roll "and tell me what foods you like eating. having good food after a palate cleanser usually makes it more bearable into the morning."

Leonidas Stone

☉

the library was nice. [break][break]

there aren't a lot of people, not a lot of distractions. it's usually so quiet and so empty, if only because students were in classes and the normal person was at work. thankfully for marisol, today was a rare day off, so she spent it filling her head with her own hobbies and knowledge. even when she isn't working, or studying, she was trying to figure something else out. [break][break]

today's topic is the lake trio, or rather, what could be found about them. since the events at the mirage island, and catching the sight of a little yellow pokemon, she's been intrigued, and the pokemon UXIE has since been sitting in her mind. what she's gathered from mythos was how it was the embodiment, or the start of, knowledge itself. and marisol, always researching and always looking, will reach for a pokemon. [break][break]

she's in a book which compiled sinnoh's mythos, although she could never find any scholarly articles; only thicker books with tid bits of pieces of information. it's starting to get frustrating, going through so many books with only a page's worth of scribbled notes. [break][break]

her focus is broken hearing the softer voice of a familiar man, making his way to her table as she slowly lowers the book. her thumbs are held between the pages to mark, an her head turns, slightly, to see a man smiling towards her. ah, it's him. [break][break]

"yes." her tone lowers to match the atmosphere "what brings you here?"

Calix Nikolau [break]

☉