[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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Hercules wasn't usually a violent Pokémon, unless he thought his owner was at risk of being hurt. So she wasn't too worried about the Machamp hurting either of them. Still, she thought it best that Hercules calm down.
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Feeling Hercules tense as Meatloaf ran to the other side of him, she rested a hand on his arm as a silent reassurance to calm down, assuring him that everything would be alright. Once she felt him calm down, she turned her attention to the guy.
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"You don't have to worry about Hercules too much. Deep down, he's just a big softie. Unless you wish me harm, he isn't going to be throwing fists," she admitted, deciding to leave off the fact that the main reason Hercules didn't do that was because he knew it made her sad.
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From the thoughts she received from Eos, it seemed that Eos wasn't having nice thoughts about the Galarian Zigzagoon. She was about to scold Eos for her thoughts when the man spoke up once more, momentarily making her forget what she had been about to do.
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Eos didn't seem any more impressed by Wren's apology, but at least she stopped glaring and instead chose to turn away.
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Realizing this, Opal let out a sigh.
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"Sorry about Eos, she's really protective over me. More so than Hercules," she admitted, her expression apologetic.
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Finally, it seemed that Wren got a hold of Meatloaf and Hercules could relax fully. It should be noted that Hercules still seemed to shoot Meatloaf a wary look, despite him now being caught.
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She didn't like to think of everything, but she still checked her pockets. Her phone was still on her, and everything of value would be in her bag. She knew well enough that Eos wouldn't allow anything to be taken from that.
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"We have everything," she told him.
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Silence lapsed between them for a few seconds before she spoke up once more. "If you don't mind me asking, what brought you out here?"[break] WREN WINTER

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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At the question, she shook her head. "No, I'm drawing a picture of an Absol for someone actually. I'm not in school or anything like that. Anyway, they want to frame it and put it on their wall or something. I think the guy's main partner is an Absol," she explained to her before continuing. "I just needed to get some shopping done, restock on art supplies, so I decided to spend a bit of time here since I was in the area anyway."
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At the introduction, a small smile graced her lips. "Cassandra's a pretty name," she complimented. "Anyway, my name's Opal, nice to meet you, Cass."
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"Tinkatuff?" she mused. "Can't say I've ever met one. And of course, I've never seen one. I'm blind, born that way. But I taught myself how to draw when I was younger by using braille as an outline. People must think I'm good though since I've been commissioned to do artwork by people," she told her with a small shrug as if she hadn't just admitted to being a blind artist.
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Hearing the question, she shook her head. "No, I'm fine with her sitting beside me," she reassured the other teen.
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The mention of her Kirlia made her realize she hadn't introduced the dual type. Eos, for her part, seemed to be ignoring the conversation around her.
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"This is Eos. I'll apologize in advance for her. If it seems like she's ignoring you, she means nothing by it. She's one of my aid Pokémon, and sometimes she can get just a little too into her job."[break] Cassandra Kubrick

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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There was a part of her that felt she shouldn't be getting involved. But he had asked for her opinion before. And she knew she would feel worse if she didn't help someone out, especially when they sounded so lost. Doing so would probably make it hard to sleep at night.
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"Well, it depends on what your father thought was the correct way to teach a Pokémon. In my opinion, treating them horribly will get you fewer results than if you were to treat them kindly. Treating them horribly will probably also only result in the Pokémon resenting you, and getting on the bad side of a Pokémon isn't exactly what I would call fun," she told him after carefully thinking her words over.
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She didn't say aloud a few other things she thought. That sometimes parents could be wrong. She knew firsthand how true that was. That just because someone had kids didn't mean they couldn't make mistakes.
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It seemed to her he was kind of in the same boat she was. But maybe a mix of peer pressure and bad parenting had caused him to give in instead of fighting. She didn't like it. Especially since to her, he didn't seem very happy.
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As he conversed with his Pokémon, she absently chewed her lower lip. What was she to do? How could she help him?[break] bryce holstein

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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She figured the Galarian Zigzagoon would get around to following them eventually. She had no way of knowing she wasn't the sharpest tool in the toolbox, just figuring the other Pokémon was a bit caught off guard by Eos invading her mind. Perfectly understandable since not many Pokémon would be able to talk directly in someone's mind.
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The Galarian Zigzagoon took a little longer than necessary to realize something was going on though. At least in her opinion, it did. A slight gasp left her as Hercules had to shift her weight in his arms to avoid dropping her as the Galarian Zigzagoon ran around its legs. This caused Opal to grab hold of one of his arms as the Machamp came to a sudden stop.
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When Wren found them, he would find Hercules and Eos both annoyed by the Pokémon's antics. Opal, on the other hand, was trying to soothe them. The last thing she wanted was for one of them to attack the other Pokémon because it was bothering them. She didn't think the Galarian Zigzagoon was a threat, but it was possible Hercules and Eos would see it as a threat.
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The young man's voice distracted them all, and she turned her head in the direction she had heard his voice come from. The way he spoke to his Pokémon made her uncomfortable. That was no way to speak about a Pokémon, in her opinion.
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Before she could even think of a response, the Pokémon, Meatloaf, decided to climb Hercules like a tree. Something the Machamp wasn't too happy with. "Hercules, it's alright, just calm down," she said soothingly before turning her attention to the young man.
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"It's fine, don't worry about it. I think Eos tried to tell her telepathically we would help her find her owner. I don't think it went well though," she said, gesturing to the Kirlia on her lap when she mentioned Eos.
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Eos, for her part, had chosen to just glare at Meatloaf. Something that was a bit strange to see on the face of a Kirlia.[break] WREN WINTER

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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Considering he had decided to get out three, she could only assume at least one was for himself. At least she hoped so; she didn't think she could handle three. She had heard cheesecake could be quite rich, after all. Though that had been when it came to regular cheesecake, she wasn't sure the same could be said about vegan cheesecake.
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Once he had come back with the cheesecake, Eos directed her to where they were, and she picked one up, biting into it. "These are great. I admit that being a vegan, I haven't eaten many dessert-based items. I've tried looking for recipes, but I've always had trouble finding them," she admitted.
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"I suppose so, though being blind, I've never really known what the Pokémon around me looks like. Perhaps when Eos' psychic powers get stronger, her ability to use telepathy will as well. For now, I've just had to make do with people's descriptions. That's how I've been getting by with most of my art."
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Still waking up three feet taller had to be a nightmare. If that happened to an actual person, that would be one hell of a growth spurt. It made her wonder how Pokémon did it. How they could just be so mellow about a huge growth spurt if they got one.
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"It's not the same, but to some extent, I can understand how terrifying a big change can be. Three years ago, during the Ultra Beast war, I lost the ability to walk. Just poor luck that led me to getting a spinal injury that didn't heal. It was hard at first because I was used to at least getting around on my own. My sister and my Pokémon were there for me. And if Eos finds evolving scary, I'll be there for her when that time comes."
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She wasn't trying to get him to feel sorry for her, and her tone implied that. In fact, it seemed she had only been trying to relay to Eos, in regards to a big change she would have to go through in the future. Just like she had to when she had lost the ability to walk.
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The idea of being able to see, even for a little while, was intriguing, to say the least. So when the offer came, she didn't hesitate. "Yes, I'm sure. Even if for a little while, I would like to be able to see."
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Decision made, she just had to wait. As he explained, it wouldn't hurt, just feel weird. She nodded. At first, she didn't feel anything, then she felt it. It was like a weird tingling sensation. Then, it was like an explosion of white before she realized she could now see.
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Now being able to see, she looked around with wide eyes before redirecting her attention to Biscotti. She took in his appearance, noting what he looked like in her mind.
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"There are so many colors. I never knew the world had so many colors in it."[break] Biscotti Kingsley

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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The beach was a place she had only been to once before. Sand wasn't exactly made for a wheelchair, after all. She was sure if Hercules, her Machamp, hadn't pushed her that day and she had wheeled herself, she would've been exhausted. And yet, despite that, she was going back. Feeling the ocean breeze and the sound of the waves on the shore had really enticed her, not that there had been much of a breeze that day considering it had been summer and that week had been exceedingly hot. But regardless, she had had a good time.
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Going back, it was almost like it was that day. Almost. This time she didn't have a picnic basket with her. But Hercules was pushing her wheelchair and Eos, her Kirlia, was once more sitting in her lap. Not that the latter was too uncommon. Eos always sat in her lap and used her psychic powers to mentally talk to her through a telepathic link, albeit a weak one considering she didn't currently have telepathy as an ability.
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The sound of the waves allowed her to know they had reached the beach. And she relaxed more into the wheelchair, just taking in the sounds around her. She wondered what it would be like to let the water rush over her. Be a bit of a normal kid. It wasn't something she had ever done, even before the incident that had landed her in a wheelchair. Before all that, her lack of eyesight had kept her from coming, her parents not really wanting her to walk along the beach when she couldn't see.
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Still, she wanted to know what it was like. It wasn't like she planned on going far out. She couldn't swim, after all. But she was also aware of how protective her Pokémon was. And the likelihood of them not allowing her near the water was strong.
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Chewing her lower lip, she considered her options. She finally made up her mind and turned towards Hercules. "Can you carry me closer to the water?" she inquired. "Please?" she added once it seemed he would refuse.
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Letting out as much of a sigh as a Pokémon could, he relented. The Machamp was about to pick her up when Eos let her know a Galarian Zigzagoon had wandered up. A bit surprised, she turned her head in the direction Eos had indicated.
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Was it another Pokémon that had wandered off? If that was the case, this really was starting to feel like déjà vu. Last time she had met a woman whose Smoochum had found her after running off. Though she highly doubted this was the same. Seriously, what were the odds that she would meet Eva Morales the same way again? That meant it was another person who had lost their Pokémon.
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"Is your owner nearby?" she inquired of the Pokémon. Though it wasn't like she expected a response. "Guess we'll just have to find this one's owner," she told her companions before turning back towards Hercules.
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While she was turning to address Hercules, Eos had decided to talk to the Zigzagoon. While no one could really tell what was said, one could only speculate that Eos had told the other Pokémon to come with them.
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Back with Opal, she had turned towards Hercules. "I'm ready now."
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That was all the order Hercules needed as he picked her up and began to carry her closer to the water.[break] WREN WINTER

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + I had her speak to her but I’ve been rping so long that it’s hard for me to take control of another characters characters even if given permission

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The park was a place she had frequently visited over the years of coming to Hoenn. It didn't matter what time it was; she would rarely pass up the chance to visit the park if she was already in Slateport. The only exception was if she had other plans, which actually didn't happen that often, but did occur on occasion.
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Usually, if she had plans, they had to do with her sister or she had promised to do some work for someone. When that didn't happen, she could be found anywhere and everywhere, working on her art in some way. One of her favorite places to do that just so happened to be the park.
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She was in the middle of working on a new sketch when the sound of a woman's voice broke through her concentration. Surprised, she raised her head, her purple gaze coming to rest on the younger teen. If the other girl were to look into her eyes, she might notice they were unfocused.
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"Oh no, I don't mind. Go ahead and have a seat," she said before turning her face towards the Pokémon she had brought with her. The cry wasn't one she was familiar with, so she couldn't help but be a bit curious about it.
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As for herself, Eos, her Kirlia, was the only Pokémon out of her Pokéball. And, like always, she was currently sitting on her lap. The only reason she hadn't alerted her trainer to the other's presence when she had been making her way over was because she had been transfixed by what her owner was doing.[break] Cassandra Kubrick

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + hope this is fine. Also since I couldn’t work out a way to work it into the post without it seeming random her wheelchair is folded up behind the bench

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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Hopefully, finding what she needed wouldn't be hard. Considering this was her first time here, she didn't know the way the store was laid out. Eos could help her a bit, but there was only so much help the Kirlia could provide. After all, the telepathic link between them wasn't the strongest at the moment. Perhaps it would get stronger when Eos grew up a bit more.
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The sound of the older woman's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she pondered the question a bit before answering. "I actually dabble in a bit of everything. Though if I had a preferred medium, I would say painting and drawing. My least favorite would probably be charcoal because of how messy it can be. It can actually be messier than paint since, unless you wear gloves, it'll get all over your hands. I'm actually not the biggest fan of gloves," she explained with a shrug.
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"I came here hoping to find some paint I'm low on and maybe a new sketchbook. I'm running low on pages," she told the older woman. A sketchbook she was sure they would have. It was the paint she was worried about. Paint was a pretty popular medium when it came to artists, so it was possible they were sold out of paint. Hopefully, that wouldn't be the case though.[break] Yuina Higashi

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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She listened to what he had to say, thinking things over. It sounded to her like his father was a bad influence. She knew what that was to a certain extent, except for her, it had just been both her parents. Now it was just her mother, as much as she hated to admit that, even if it was only in her mind.
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Both of her parents had tried to turn over a new leaf upon coming to Hoenn, and for the most part, they succeeded. Then her father had died three years ago. Her mother hadn't taken that news well. It was like she broke. Now she spent all of her time drinking, that is if she was still alive. She hadn't had any contact with her mother since her sister had taken over her care.
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"I'm sorry to hear that," she said at last after she had pondered his words. "My advice is that we are not our parents. You are your own person. It's fine to aspire to be like someone, but not to the point of losing yourself in the process. Everyone is their own person. You should live life for you, not for someone else," she told him, hoping her advice was at least helping him a bit.
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Though she didn't really know him, hearing him sound so lost hurt. She didn't like people sounding like that. Hopefully, sometime soon, he would find the answers he sought. She didn't want to think of what might happen if he didn't.
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For a bit, she became lost in thought, though his voice pulled her from her thoughts. For a minute, she was confused. Then she realized he was talking to his Pokémon. That did remind her of something that had made her curious. She hadn't wanted to ask originally, not wanting to overstep, but she was really curious.
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"Why do you respond to your Pokémon a certain way? You weren't very nice in tone to your Pokémon earlier," she pointed out. "Sorry if that's overstepping," she said before he could say anything.[break] bryce holstein

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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To her relief, she seemed up for the tour, although she wasn't sure why she wouldn't be. But still, a part of her had been worried that she had crossed a line with that offer. She was glad that wasn't the case.
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"Don't worry about it, I'm happy to help. It might also bring some interesting stores to your attention, and you might want to visit those places," she told the older woman. After all, she would feel a bit guilty if they only made this trip for her. She wanted the older woman to visit a store she desired as well.
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The fact that she hadn't seen any art mediums was definitely surprising. Coloring and painting were activities that children often participated in, after all. It was interesting that she hadn't tried any of that. While she could give in to her curiosity and ask, she decided not to.
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Instead, she chose to focus on reaching their destination. "Well, you're about to get your chance to see art supplies," she said as they arrived at the art store. She then headed inside.[break] Yuina Higashi

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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She wasn't sure if she believed him. It had seemed like a significant issue to her, as he had appeared quite down about something. And to her, that was a big deal because everyone deserved to be happy.
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She chewed her lip as she debated what to do. She could either press him for answers or just let it go. Before she could come to a decision, he spoke up. His question caught her off guard. She wasn't expecting something like that.
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Furrowing her brows, she shook her head. "Sorry, I can't say I have. But usually, it has to do with your subconscious. You're torn between who you are and who you want to be. That's how it sounds to me."
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"I believe it's really important to figure out who you want to be. Growing up where I did, I could've easily taken a darker path, but I wanted better. I wanted to be someone that people could be proud of. It all depends on what you want from life. You only get one life, after all. My suggestion is to listen to your heart. Your mind can lead you astray, but your heart never will. Or at least, that's how I see it."
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After saying that, she realized just how much she had spoken and was a little surprised. While she was a social person, it was still pretty rare for her to talk that much at once. Hopefully, he wouldn't be annoyed by how much she had just talked.[break] bryce holstein

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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"Not as far as I know. I only noticed him when he was already running off. I guess something about me spooked him," she told him, turning her head towards him now that she knew where he was. She always liked to have her face turned towards whoever she was talking to, even if she couldn’t see the person.
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The way he spoke to his Pokémon didn’t sit well with her. She had to wonder why he would speak to his Pokémon that way. Then again, she always found it hard to be strict. To be honest, it was probably luck that her Pokémon actually listened to her as well as they did, since she couldn’t get onto them.
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She chewed her lower lip as she debated what to do. While she could ask him why he would treat his Pokémon like that, she decided to take another route. After all, it did seem like something was wrong if his tone of voice was anything to go by. And, ever the kind-hearted person, she couldn’t just turn her back on a person that sounded like that.
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"Are you okay?" she asked, the worry evident in her voice. Hopefully, he would be willing to tell her what was wrong so she could try and help him. Though if he didn’t, she would understand. She was a stranger, after all.[break] bryce holstein

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[attr="class","header"]DREAM BIG AND LIVE YOUR STORY

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"It is," she agreed. She loved the fact that she could do something that was usually only reserved for sighted people. She may have never seen the world around her, but that didn't mean she couldn't feel it. A lot of what had gotten her so far was her ability to feel the world around her. It was that, mixed with how well someone could describe something. If someone was able to describe something well enough, then she would be able to draw it.
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For a moment, silence lapsed between them. But she couldn't help but wonder if she was interested in any of the stores. With that in mind, she brought up the question on her mind. After listening to what she had to say, she nodded. So, she wasn't too familiar with the mall. She supposed a bit of a tour might be in order, though she had to admit she wasn't familiar with every store in the mall.
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The tour could wait, though. It was best to get the art stuff done and out of the way. The last thing she wanted was to get caught up trying to give her a tour and not get what she had come for. That is, if the new art store had what she needed anyway.
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"Maybe after the art store, I could give you a tour of the mall. I've been here long enough to know my way around the place, though I don't know the layout of some stores," she said as they reached the art store.[break] Yuina Higashi

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