[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Part of Masha worried Elise would be angry with her. Or that she wouldn't be kind, at the very least. She might say it was fine while hardly making eye contact, and that would be that. This is why Masha was relieved when the ghost type trainer turned to her and smiled warmly. Masha flushed a bit, holding her hands clasped behind her back. "I-I'm glad." Masha looked up at her, a curious light in her eyes as the woman spoke about the prime minister. She wasn't sure what she meant by that. But she was familiar with bullies to some extent, that much was clear. "That must be hard," she said. "Doing so much...and being punished for it." Masha bit her lower lip, rocking back on her heels. "Still...I hope I can be at least a little like you....when I'm older." She bowed her head, embarrassed by the confession.

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Elise Calcifet

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Adventure. It was a good thing, right? At least, that's what Masha kept telling herself as she made the trek up to the sky pillar. The way to the entrance wasn't as difficult as the tower itself. Or so she'd heard....she wouldn't really know herself. That said, the cliff it sat on was usually empty, abandoned in a way. Masha knew she would likely be alone once she got there, with nothing but the wind and the sound of the ocean to keep her company.
[break][break]
Or so she thought.
[break][break]
She would have never expected for Josh to be there. Why would he be? She had no doubt he would be busy doing...gym things in Mauville city. Right? That was his life. Battle and take care of his pokemon. That was the same life she wanted. So why would he be up on a cliff, right up beside the sky pillar, drawing....something....in the air with a feather? Was it a feather? Masha screwed her eyes up a bit, trying to see better from where she stood. Part of her - the part that was young and shy - said to back away and leave. He would never know she'd seen him at all that way. But another part - the part that she had labeled her adult half - wanted to approach him and let him know she was there. Maybe he would tell her, maybe he wouldn't. But it was a risk, and she'd been trying to take more of those lately.
[break][break]
So Masha had to make a choice, there, in the daylight and the breeze. And it just so happened, she made the adult choice.
[break][break]
She approached slowly, almost sneaking up on him really. Once she was close behind, just slightly to the right, she tried to peer past his shoulder unsuccessfully. She was tall, but not that tall. At least, not yet. "....um.....Josh?"

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha was new to things like this. She wasn't used to wearing a black dress with netting on her arms and shoulders and full skirt that reached her knees. She wasn't used to hair being curled and bound with a ribbon far prettier and far silkier than the one she usually wore. The mask, a plain slip of black that covered her eyes and half her nose, completed the ensemble. She almost looked like an adult, older, more elegant. But inside she was still the same little girl she'd always known. This was clear by the way she walked around almost aimlessly with Matty at her side. She was confused, unsure of herself, and worst of all, she had no idea who anyone was. To say she was nervous would have been a vast understatement. She was in the midst of the early stages of a panic attack.
[break][break]
But on she went, searching for the umbreon plushie on the list for the scavenger hunt. Of course, she had no way of really knowing it was an umbreon plushie. But based on the riddle, she felt almost certain of it. A little more wandering and surely she would find it. Right?
[break][break]
Matty moved to a nearby potted plant and began digging through the dirt at the roots. Masha kept walking, her eyebrows scrunched together, her teeth gnawing at her lower lip.

sFWdsiOu

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + @

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha smiled encouragingly as Josh seemed somewhat embarrassed at what he'd said. She nodded once more as he corrected himself. She couldn't help but smile brighter too as he commended her for knowing that Pyroar was also a normal type. She all but beamed while he showed her the app and walked her through how to use it. She turned her head at some point and scratched the back of it. "I had no idea...I uh...grew up in a very quiet place. There wasn't much like this," she said.
[break][break]
Masha listened as he explained the process involved in mega evolution. "I see..." She knew she had to get out into the world more in time. But it made her so nervous, being on her own. She still hadn't managed to get comfortable with only the frequent company of her pokemon. She missed her aunts and it was difficult knowing she'd embarked on this journey not really knowing what she was doing.
[break][break]
Masha stared at Josh's mega glove, then to the necklace on Twilight. She took a step closer, bending down to see the stone more clearly. "Oh! Thats amazing!" she said. "I didn't know there was a machine that could do that..." She lifted herself up to her full height, resting her wide eyes on Josh with a tilt of her head. "It's that powerful?" she asked. It wouldn't have surprised her. But still, unstoppable? It almost sounded...frightening.
[break][break]
Josh then pinched the keystone between his fingers and Masha realized he was going to mega evolve Twilight! She stepped back, putting her arm up over her eyes as a bright light illuminated the room. She tried to peek a few times as it happened, always forced to look away in the end.
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Then the light died down.... Masha lowered her arm and her mouth opened in awe. She stared at the mega evolved Absol, her eyes wide and shining. "Oh...wow..."

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha looked up at the sound of someone stepping through the grass. She saw him then, a boy who'd said in his message that he was fourteen. Slightly younger than she'd wanted, but she also couldn't afford to be picky at the moment. She stood up as he approached, the cadence of his voice reaching her just fine above the gentle breeze that played with her hair. Masha nodded. "Yes, that was me." She took a step towards him. "Single battle, one pokemon and one round." Masha turned to Tabitha and motioned to the eevee.
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Turning back to her opponent, Masha set her feet into the ground and straightened her back, narrowing her eyes slightly. 'i'm ready when you are."

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + absalom steel

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha nodded in understanding. She liked that he didn't try to hide his fear behind false bravado. That would have only been a lie, and she would have lost a lot of respect for him. "I see..." she said. Her existence so far had been so sheltered that she had to admit, she only knew so much of what he was talking about. But she could understand the gravity of it all just fine. Or so she thought.
[break][break]
Another nod followed his words about fate and coincidence. "But then, do you believe in coincidence at all? Or is everything fated for you?" She curious what his response would be. What would he think of the world? What did he believe he understood about pokemon and himself?
[break][break]
There were bolts of electricity flaring up from Saber's mane, barely missing Masha's hands and face. She squeaked and giggled, tearing her fingers away with a smile. "I'm fine," she said. "He's very kind. I think he likes me." She looked up at Josh hopefully.

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha couldn't help but frown. "No...most of them are ghost type, actually." She paused. "But those wouldn't have affected your pyroar, right?" She could feel herself blushing, awaiting the answer she dreaded. If she was wrong, she'd likely just thrown the battle all on her own. That would be beyond embarrassing.
[break][break]
Masha nodded as Josh spoke. She knew he wasn't a master of ghost type pokemon, and she hadn't expected him to be. But even so, any advice he could offer would be valuable to her. He explained that there was a resource she could use to look up move compatibility for her pokemon, something she hadn't known coming into the gym battle. She watched as he looked up banette himself, leaning down and showing her the list of moves the pokemon was capable of. Masha blinked in disbelief at some of those that were mentioned there. "Wow..."
[break][break]
The older trainer whistled then and an absol came bounding towards them. Masha stared at the dark type pokemon in awe. She'd always been a fan of absols. she thougth they were beautiful. That, and the looked so fluffy, she just wanted to hug one.
[break][break]
Masha glanced to Josh again, wide eyed. "Wait...really!?" Another look to the absol and she was taking a small step back, her arms coming up to cross over her chest. "I've never seen mega evolution in person. I...I would love to see." She nodded to Josh firmly, letting him know she'd made her decision.

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

How nice of you!

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Shalin Nariya

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

It's so cute! I'll take this Zorua!

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

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha saw Josh's expression fall a bit as she said she didn't want to ride the pokemon who was even then lingering close to her almost protectively. She looked up at the older trainer as she explained the catastrophe that had occurred only a few years ago. Masha remembered it...somewhat. She'd been rather isolated, living with her aunts in the woods. A lot of things had passed them by over the years, so she couldn't remember anything horribly significant about the event.
[break][break]
"That must have been difficult," she said. "Being trapped like that...were you scared?" She was genuinely curious. He'd been younger then. Maybe even less confident. Or maybe not. She tried not to make assumptions like that.
[break][break]
Masha looked up at him with wide eyes as he explained becoming Mauville city's gym leader. It sounded like a mix of skill and coincidence, if she were being honest. But that didn't make it insignificant. Life had led him to where he was for a reason, she thought. That meant something.
[break][break]
Masha smiled as she gave the electric pokemon beside her more scratches along his mane. There was a bit of electricity there and at first she was surprised by it, her hand lifting up with a high pitched noise coming from between her teeth. But then she smiled and let her fingers rest along his mane yet again.
[break][break]
Masha beamed up at Josh. "Do you believe in coincidence?" she asked Josh.

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha felt the platform lower to the ground. She watched as Josh flicked his wrist, gesturing for her to meet him at the center of the arena. She held out her pokeball to Matty and with a flash of light, the Banette was safely inside. Only then did she step forward towards the gym leader. She knew he would be kind, despite her epic loss. He wasn't the sort to be cruel about things. Still, the sting of failure was difficult to digest.
[break][break]
Josh hopped onto the back of his pyroar as Masha approached. "Five years," Masha answered him, looking up with clear brown eyes.

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]Wha- WHAT??

[attr="class","setting"]

Masha saw how the little blue flames affected the Pyroar. She hadn't been expecting that! Her eyes widened and she wondered if she'd missed something important. She had to make a mental note to study up on Josh's choice of pokemon later. But for now, she knew she was fighting a losing battle and she was about to watch the end of it.
[break][break]
She watched as Josh shouted out to his pyroar. The move that would force banette to collapse on the ground and remain still besides the slight sight of her breathing. Masha clenched her teeth at the sight of the pyroar colliding with Matty. A burst of electricity and it was over. The light was breathtaking, illuminating the arena with a flash that momentarily blinded Masha. Matty teetered a bit, its purplish skin singed and smoking. Masha nodded once, conceding that the match was over.

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + Josh Devlin

[attr="class","pokeclass"]