[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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He had no way of knowing if this guy knew who he was. Part of him hoped he didn't. It would surely make things a lot easier if he didn't know him as Jade the idol. Or whatever other silly nicknames his fans had given him.
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"Oh, I'm just a friend. It's been a while since we've conversed, so I just wanted to see if he wanted to hang out. However, if he's too busy, I don't mind coming back later or waiting," he would tell the receptionist, a small smile gracing his lips.
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He really didn't mind waiting. His schedule was free for the rest of the afternoon. And the last thing he wanted was to pull the older male away from work.[break] Josh Devlin

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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"I completely agree, but not too much. Arrogance can be unbecoming. I try to have the perfect amount of confidence in what I do without being arrogant," he told the older male. He had met plenty of people like that, people who could probably stand to be knocked down a peg or two. It was one thing to be confident, but it was another thing entirely for someone to be overconfident.
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As he mentioned one of the things he enjoyed eating, he couldn't help but be surprised. He never would have expected something like that from the older male. Not that he knew Nereus that well.
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"Yeah, let's not do that," he agreed, a note of amusement in his tone.
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Hmmm... but that begged the question of what to order. He could always go for something simple, he supposed.
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Before he could think too much about it, the older male spoke up once more. Oysters didn't sound too bad. It wasn't something he had tried before, so if he did get it, it would be something new.
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"I think that's what I'll get as well. The adventurous side of me that wants to try new things is curious."
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After it seemed like they had made up their minds about what they wanted, Nereus asked him whether he had been to Unova or Alola. Unfortunately, that wasn't a simple yes or no question.
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Also, it was a bit hard to answer. The simple answer would be yes, he had been to both. The hard part came when asked about traditions.
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It was all about how much to divulge.
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He supposed being a little honest wouldn't hurt.
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"I've been to both," he began, choosing his words carefully. "However, I was not in a good headspace at the time, so I couldn't really tell you about traditions."
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Talking about his past wasn't something he enjoyed.
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His father had been a cold, hard-to-please man, something that had taken a toll on him for a while there.
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It was people he had met on his travels that had helped him heal, showed him he was actually worth something. But it hadn't been like that at the beginning of his travels.[break] Nereus Onassis

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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Startling him hadn't been his intention, and he gave him an apologetic look. He didn't pay much attention to the Larvesta, though, knowing Nebula would protect him if need be. Nebula was good about that, considering how protective of him he was.
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As Niky went on to talk about Karens, he couldn't help but wince with sympathy. He had dealt with plenty of Karens in his life. Just not for the holiday. Or any holiday, really. Just some people he had met over the years who didn't approve of the way he was living his life.
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"Sorry to hear that. Dealing with those types of people is never fun. I usually don't leave the house during holidays, so I haven't had the problem over the holiday," he told him. Nope, he had just been fairly lonely. But resigned to the way things were to do anything about it. Not that he was about to admit that to the older male. There were just some things a person didn't talk about.
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As the question was returned to help, he couldn't help but shoot a glance towards Nebula.
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"Nebula was itching to go for a walk," he said, ignoring the look Nebula shot him. It was as much of a pointed glare as a Pokémon could give.
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A glare that some people gave to someone who wasn't being completely honest.[break] Niky Racz

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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Lucario stood beside him as he signed the last autograph. The person in question giggled and thanked him, then ran off. He waited until the person had disappeared from view before turning his attention to Aura.
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"That was a lot, wasn't it?" he asked, though he wasn't expecting an answer. It was just a rhetorical question.
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He knew it had been a lot. He had been signing autographs for the past few hours. Luckily, it was something that had been pre-planned, so he hadn't had to cancel any plans. But still...
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He stretched and stood up, telling the people who had organized the event that he was leaving. If he wasn't so worn out, he would have offered to help. But as it was, he just wanted to relax a bit.
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The young idol was enjoying a relaxing stroll when he spotted the gym. It reminded him of Josh, and he wondered how the older male was doing.
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Indecision flickered in his gaze as he debated what to do.
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In the end, he decided that since he was in Mauville, he might as well try to drop in and see how the gym leader was.
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If he was busy, he could always come by later. But hopefully, that wasn't the case. Hopefully, he wasn't about to disturb him during a gym battle.
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Taking a deep breath, he slipped into the gym building before turning to the person he assumed was the receptionist. After greeting them, he would ask if Josh was around and if he was free at the moment.[break] Josh Devlin

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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He hated holidays. It had always just been a lonely experience for him. His dad had always had business at the time, so holidays had always been him spending his time alone in a hotel room. Years of that had led to him just not wanting to get out and about and just hole himself up in his house, ignoring his phone anytime it rang since he hadn’t wanted to talk to anyone.
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Instead, he had just focused on practicing his dance routines. Trying to perfect a routine he had already perfected. His excuse would be that there was no such thing as practice. Not unless he was to collapse from exhaustion or something. Which he wasn’t usually careless enough to do.
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Nebula had had enough of this though and had pawed at him until he had gotten out of bed that morning fairly early. Knowing the Absol wouldn’t stop, he had gotten ready for the day. Which had involved a quick shower and him getting dressed in his usual type of outfit, just with a rain jacket over it.
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That had all been hours ago and now he was making his way through one of the routes close to Rustboro. It wasn’t lost on him that he probably wasn’t too far from Niky. He supposed he could swing by and see him. He just hoped he hadn’t been one of the ones trying to get ahold of him. He knew Mikael had been, since he had been close enough once to see his name come up.
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The sound of music pulled him out of his thoughts, causing him to stop in surprise. The sound wasn’t far from him, so he wondered if he should go check it out. Before he could think too much on it, Nebula seemed to make that decision for him and started heading in that direction.
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He stared after the Absol in surprise before hurrying after her. He was about ready to scold her when he noticed just who she was leading him to. Scolding momentarily forgotten, he stopped to listen to the older male play and sing.
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“That was amazing,” he said with a smile before seeming to remember the reason he had come across the older male. Smiling falling off his face, he turned towards the Absol, giving her an annoyed look. “And you shouldn’t have run off like that,” he scolded.
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Nebula, for her part, didn’t seem to be fazed by her owner's annoyance. Noticing this, Jade sighed before turning his attention back to Niky.
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“I wasn’t expecting to run into you out here,” he told him, his gaze flickering briefly to the Larvesta who had subconsciously given a wide berth.[break] Niky Racz

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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He was relieved that the older male wasn't upset with him and shook the older man's hand. What he wasn't expecting was the hug. Having not expected the hug, he stiffened in surprise before relaxing. Physical contact was still not something he was really used to. His father had never raised a hand against him, but he had never been the type to show affection, instead having been cold towards his son and often belittling him.
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"Pleasure to meet you, Nereus," his tone fairly polite, almost bordering on formal, despite his earlier words of not caring much for formalities. It wasn't intentional, though, more of a habit than anything else.
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Only then did he step away, as if suddenly remembering they were two grown men hugging in a restaurant. Or perhaps it had just taken that long to recover his composure. One could never actually tell when it came to Jade.
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Ignoring the onlookers, he sat down. Hopefully, none of them were his fans and wouldn't bother them. Though he didn't think any of them were.
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As he waited for the older male to start with some kind of question, he looked over the menu. Though it didn't take him long to realize he was out of his depth. His father had never been one for seafood. But him being the rebellious person he found he had always been a bit curious about it. Even so, he thought maybe a bit of help ordering would be helpful.
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Before he could think too much on it, the older male spoke. He immediately put the menu down, giving Nereus his undivided attention as he considered just how to answer his inquiry.
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"I would like to, yes. I haven't been an idol long, but it's more the reason to get my name more out there, for people beyond Hoenn to know of me if they don't already," he said before nodding along with what he said next. That was understandable. After all, he wouldn't want to bring the reputation of his own business down.
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As he inquired whether or not he thought of himself as one of the best, he couldn't help but be faintly amused. "I would like to think so. After all, not everyone can claim they got a leg up from Niky Racz."
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Others might be a bit rattled by the questions, but he wasn't. It helped that his father had prepared him for what it would be like at a job interview, even if it pained him to admit it.
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Speaking of his father, that reminded him of the fact they hadn't ordered anything. It was something they should rectify, so before they could get too far into the interview, he decided to ask a question of his own.
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"Is there anything you would recommend?" he inquired, gesturing towards the menu, as if to elaborate on what he was talking about.[break] Nereus Onassis

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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Performing on a cruise ship would be a new experience for him. A good experience. It would help get his name out there, beyond Hoenn's borders. That is, if the captain approved. Apparently, he had to meet with the captain of the ship first before his performing was agreed upon. Something that was to be expected.
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It was warmer than expected, so the sleeves of the blue pinstripe dress shirt he had chosen to wear were rolled up, probably to help deal with the heat. His other clothing choices consisted of a pair of black slacks. Though he could probably dress more appropriately for the warmer weather, having grown up the way he had, he tended to dress to impress.
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Before reaching the restaurant, he had called to let them know he was nearby. It was polite to allow your host to know when to expect you, even if he technically wasn't going to meet at the older male's house and was going to meet him at a restaurant. When it came to manners, there really wasn't much difference.
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Upon reaching the restaurant, he was directed to his partner's table. "Hello, I do hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said once he had reached the table. While he waited for the older male to speak, his attention would drift momentarily to the waiter, where he would politely incline his head.
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Once he had done that, he would redirect his attention back to the older man. "Anyway, my name's Jade Rivers, but please call me Jade. I'm not really one for formalities," he said, holding his hand out for a handshake.
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That, and Mr. Rivers was his dad. And he really didn't want to spend the meal feeling like he needed to be looking over his shoulder for his father.[break] Nereus Onassis

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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Wasn't that just terrible? Why couldn't fathers just let you live your own life? He knew not all fathers were like his own, but when he heard about someone's father being like his own, he became annoyed. On the inside, he was annoyed, but he didn't allow the annoyance to show on his face.
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He just gave an understanding nod, and she started to say something before cutting herself off. This caused him to raise a brow, but he didn't press her. If she didn't feel comfortable telling him something, that was on her. He wouldn't force her to share something she wasn't comfortable with. He wasn't like his father. His father would've definitely pressed her for information.
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As she pointed out that he must have learned quickly from his own mistakes, he nodded. "I learned how to ration things better," he agreed. Seriously, rationing should have been the first thing he had thought about when taking off. But growing up, he had wanted for nothing. So going from that to struggling to have enough of anything had been hard.
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The magic show had been interesting, and once it was done, he had turned his attention back to Harper. "Well, it was definitely interesting. I quite enjoyed it," he told her as he took out his phone to check the time. Seeing the time, he frowned. Was it really that late? He had been in Petalburg longer than he had thought.
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"I'm afraid I have to get going. I forgot I had a prior commitment today. I should get going before I'm late. It was nice meeting you," he said as he began to make his way back the way they had come.[break] Harper Mann

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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It was evident that she was hanging onto his every word, a fact that brought him joy. He simply wanted her to pursue her dreams and not give up on all the hard work she had put in. So, the fact that she was absorbing his words was a positive thing. Perhaps it would help her gain more confidence in herself.
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The fact that she was so eager to stay in touch was both amusing and a little sad. He had a feeling that not many people had believed in her, just like with him. If you were to count his father, hardly anyone did. The whole dream thing wasn't something he shared with just anyone. Many people he had encountered during his travels were unaware of his aspirations to become an idol.
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Perhaps he had been afraid of being torn down again, just like he had been with his father. At the time, keeping all of that to himself and only sharing it with people he truly trusted seemed like the best option. However, he eventually grew tired of that and upon arriving in Hoenn, he decided to start pursuing his dreams and stop letting self-doubt hold him back. Hopefully, the same would be true for Eleanor, as he believed she had the potential to go far.
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Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he dismissed her gratitude. "Don't mention it," he said as he entered his own information into her phone. It didn't take long, although he double-checked to ensure that all the contact details were correct and that he hadn't made any mistakes before looking up.
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Just as he looked up, he saw her striking a pose to take a picture. To be honest, that was one aspect of being an idol that he could do without. He didn't enjoy people wanting to take pictures of him. However, he supposed it was fine if he took the picture himself, so when she suggested adding his own photo to his contact information, he nodded.
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Finding the camera icon, he made sure it was on selfie mode before flashing a smile and taking his picture. Once that was done, he attached the picture to his contact information and handed her phone back to her.
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”I hope we can be friends as well,” he said knowing that he didn’t have very many friends so more of them were definitely welcome.[break] eleanor blair teska

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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As he spoke about parents wanting their kids to get along with their business partners, he nodded in agreement. This had been especially true of his father, who had drilled into him the importance of making a good impression on others, particularly his business partners and their children.
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The sad thing was that it had nothing to do with him getting along with people his own age. It had everything to do with making a good impression on his father's business partners. In short, his father had only wanted him to get along with their children so as not to embarrass him.
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"Yes, nothing meant more to my father than work. He was always telling me that only those who work hard gets far in life," he said with a small shrug. While there was some truth to that, it was also true that working too much could be harmful. It was a wonder his father had never burned himself out.
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He nodded again as he spoke. Not much good had come out of his life before he had struck out on his own. However, all the good people he had met after striking out on his own made up for his father's coldness. None of those people were with him now, as he had left them behind when he had moved on. But that's not to say he hadn't made new friends.
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Since coming to Hoenn, he had made new friends. "Yeah, my dream is within reach," he agreed with a small smile before continuing. "Maybe not family, but I have friends. I made friends everywhere I went after striking out on my own, and coming here is no different. I was able to establish more friendships since coming here. So I guess I do have a bit of a support system."[break] Niky Racz

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