the beautifly isn't doing this for him. [break][break]

the woman who sits by the fire, tending to the flames as she warms herself up with the setting sun is who motivates her - even when she knows that her frustration is misplaced. in the meantime, the trainer is left with a shedinja in her hands to swiftly and painlessly kill the magikarp. the last thing she wants is for them to feel pain as they become their dinners. [break][break]

when she's given the branches, she maintains the small smile as she takes the branches. "hanabi, come here." she hums, the haxorus perking up and thumping over with his large legs. it looks a little awkward when he sits down, and it gets a soft giggle of amusement from ayame. "scale them for me, then I can skewer them~" it shouldn't take long, not with the blade-like tusk. [break][break]

she could never skewer them as they are. [break][break]

another string shot comes from the appendage of the bug, and maintaining it until she's given the sign to stop. her compound eyes stare up at a man, skeptical and disgruntled, but silent and reserved with her distaste. ayame busies herself with skewering and cooking the fish, with her volcarona at her side trying to keep the fire going in spite of any breeze that'll pick up. [break][break]

"maybe i should have brought hakomori~.." she's musing, but the longer she thinks on it, the more of a shame it feels. the leavanny could help them with weaving, so maybe next time. [break][break]

"if we can only manage one shelter, i'll sleep outside." she hums in response, a free hand reaching over to pat the large volcarona. "natsu is plenty warm."

Asahiko Hakuryuu [break]
mission: deserted island

☉

[break]

.. she wasn't making sense? [break][break]

yes.. she wasn't. even if she upped and joined rocket for the sake of her own agenda, it likely wouldn't be something that he would hold against her. though she knows it, the dread that creeps with the nagging fantasy that he'll be disgusted with her, or leave her if he finds out hateful she actually is, still plagues her. [break][break]

when she takes a deep breath to clear her frazzled mind, violet eyes slowly open to gaze up at the man who looks.. less than happy with her state. "i say this because team rocket is.." a different degree of sketchy ".. a tad more dangerous than what we're more familiar with." and she knows this, but still chose this. [break][break]

but he wants to know why she left.[break][break]

when she fights the urge to glance away, there's a tremble of her fingers as they raise to hold against the sides of her arms. two butterfly pokemon stare down to their trainer, fluttering suspended in the air as her thoughts race. "i left because i--.. i..!" the thoughts are still racing, as she looks for an explanation (how can she tell him that she doesn't deserve him anymore?). [break][break]

then her lips move, quicker than her mind can process: "i don't love you anymore."

Asahiko Hakuryuu

☉

a sobble passes by, harmlessly. she's thankful that he isn't crying, else she wouldn't be able to contain her own tears - even if they're involuntary. so instead, she continues to walk in the rain, with an unreadable smile to her lips. how should she speak to someone the next time she sees him? how should she talk when he's so intent on avoiding her, now? [break][break]

then she stops in her track, all to gaze at the reflection muddled by ripples in a puddle. and it hits her; maybe she shouldn't talk to him at all. maybe she should stop chasing the way she has, and stop causing him so much strife. then she remembers that he's in pain, because he loved her. [break][break]

and she's starting to realize that maybe she loved him still.

skipping

☉

[break]

she's panicking. [break][break]

and he doesn't deserve this, not when her mind is scattered, and confused, and panicked, because he got to see her here. how can she tel him that she left for the sake of revenge? how can she tell him that she thinks that this would be the best for them, that it'd be for the best that they walked their separate ways? [break][break]

of course she'll learn that it's not for the best, but she's panicked, and doesn't know what to say, or what to do, or how to get him to leave when he just wants to talk - she's just in an echo chamber that tells her vehemently that he doesn't deserve this. [break][break]

ayame needs to calm down, but she can't look him in the eye. he never liked it when she couldn't do that. she's not as good at regulating her emotions as he was. [break][break]

she never was. [break][break]

"i joined rocket" she repeats, though she knows he'll ask why, and it's something that makes it harder for her to look him in the eye for. ".. for revenge. and i didn't want to drag you into this, or.. to implicate you."

Asahiko Hakuryuu

☉

ah, perhaps she did get too ahead of herself. [break][break]

ayame's blinking once, before giving a defeated smile, paired with a sigh as she shakes her head - thought moreso at herself. ".. my apologies." she tilts her head, raising her hand to softly chuckle into the sleeve of her shirt. "perhaps i did a go a bit too far~.." [break][break]

well, his suggestion was better. catch the stragglers, and bring them back to a pokemon centre. that's their job. right, it's their job. "well, in that case~" she raises her tone, the smile she wears broadening as she tilts her head to the beautifly fluttering. "we could create a net with stringshot?" it should be harmless enough.

Calix Nikolau [break]
mission

☉

it's acceptance masquerading as a revelation. [break][break]

she's causing him pain, in the same way he tugged at her heart in ways that'd make her confused, and in ways that'd pit her facing a cliff, to stare into the void of her own regrets. she's tired, staring back into the familiar void as she wears a small, unreadable smile. [break][break]

they say you'll default to familiarity when you're faced with things you don't understand, or can't control. so she smiles, unreadable, with a familiar glaze over a muted spark in her eyes. they do move, to glance to the axew that holds her stubby arms out to the trainer. but ayame only gives her a small smile. she's at peace. [break][break]

when the elevator slows to a stop, she gazes at the numbers, blankly. then feels the slight popping of her ears at how quickly it stops. a swallow fixes that. a ding resounds, and the doors slowly begin to slide open. it felt like forever. [break][break]

then her gaze finally raises to a man, the familiar (distant) smile to her lips and the gently honey-glazed tone laced in her words are unnatural. she has better ways to cope; they just don't work right now. "i'm sorry for taking your time." she says, with a tilt of her head before taking a step out, with her hands gently clutching her arms as they're held against her stomach. [break][break]

"sayonara, hakuryuu."

Asahiko Hakuryuu

☉

she's spiteful. [break][break]

unapologetically so, especially when she knows this is for herself. it was going to be a simple dance, anyways. something that they should be able to follow the steps of - in short, a much watered down and more beginner-friendly version of what she's already choreographed. [break][break]

so with a smile and a narrow-eyed glare of amusement, the woman clad in violet opens her fans to start with the familiar, simple steps she took when she was first learning. she had a good teacher, after all. [break][break]

"lets get started now, shall we?~"

Leonidas Stone

☉

[break]

"i know, i--" [break][break]

she knows. [break][break]

so she takes a deep breath, eyes on the ground, because looking at him is starting to get too difficult. "it's for.. the best, because i've become a horrible person." she'll start to crack if she does, and she'll start to crumble if she keeps her eye on him for too long. "and you don't deserve that." but still, emotional as she is, she'll keep an eye out for prying eyes - and she knows she isn't safe. [break][break]

".. i'll explain and give you more answers, just.." she's glancing around, and paranoia is starting to fill her thoughts "not out here." and she takes another step back, her hands brought up closer to her chest. [break][break]

it was really for the best, she'll tell herself. even if he doesn't believe it. even if she doesn't believe it.

Asahiko Hakuryuu

☉

there was a need to keep her eyes off him as he tried to reach for the small dragon. [break][break]

because she knows that even in this darkness, she'll be able to see him if he gets too close. by now, her eyes have adjusted to the pitch black. she's doing this for the both of them; she knows her restraint. arceus is testing her patience when the elevator suddenly shudders, and prompts her to try and grab to the closest thing for stability - in this case, it's the floor she's sitting on. [break][break]

the lights come back on shortly after, but she's met eye-to-eye with someone who she shouldn't; someone whose hand isn't too far from her, as his body is leaned in closer as a result of the sudden shake. she's left staring in surprise, and in shock, and there's a moment where she's almost starstruck. maybe it's because she hasn't been this close to him in so long. maybe she's finally gone crazy. who can say? [break][break]

the words don't leave quickly enough when he hastily stands back up with his pokemon. though he's standing up, ayame is left on the ground, staring up at the numbers that rise in count as they're lifted up the building. he says nothing, and she can't say much else, either. there's nothing to say. [break][break]

yes, they were going to pretend that nothing happened. they were going to pretend that they weren't so close, and they hadn't met eyes and that they weren't inches from each other just a few seconds earlier. what a pathetic woman you are, ayame. [break][break]

so pathetic she could laugh. [break][break]

she's shivering, but now she can't tell if it's from the cold of the rain, or if it's her own emotions starting to finally get to her. did it matter? [break][break]

"ah." she says softly, slowly lifting herself up as she keeps an eye to the rising numbers. she stands up, a little, if only to move to the buttons to the side. then she presses the next closest floor, prompting the elevator to slow to a stop earlier on. she's smiling, still. "i think i understand, now."[break][break]

damp clothing clings to her skin, but was it always this cold?

Asahiko Hakuryuu

☉

he wasn't bothered in the past, he didn't mind. it's sad watching him avoid her. it's sad watching him try. [break][break]

she wants to say something, but all that can leave her lips is a soft hum of "mmn~" in response. it's not acceptance, or defiance - it's acknowledgement. but the two of them are stuck out here, with only the pokemon they've brought with the clothing on their backs. its a challenge after all, not unlike the challenge she arranged back when she ran the gym. [break][break]

he focused on gathering the wood to build a shelter while her dragon doe what he can to assist. meanwhile ayame does what she can, although physical prowess was never her forte (dexterity and flexibility was where she excelled, and it's the reason she's survived for this long). the silence fills the gap as she watches both him and her pokemon work, tirelessly. then she waves her hand to the beautifly to go over to help. she's reluctant, but she goes, offering string shot as a means to tie foliage together. [break][break]

ayame knows she can't do much, and opts instead to stand by. thankfully the pokemon don't take too long to arrive, and a lucario returns with a haul of fish. "yuki" she calls out, prompting a resting fromoth to perk up, and flutter over to the trainer. then she points to a place a little further from the fire. "ice beam, please." she smiles, and the pokemon covers some of the ground in ice. a quick motion and the lucario knows to lay their haul on the ice, just to keep the magikarp fresh. [break][break]

she feels a little bad for eating them, but it's food. [break][break]

ayame isn't cruel, however. so she pulls out a pokeball, releasing the exoskeleton of what looked to be a bug pokemon. then she smiles, holding the hard shell. "yurei, if you will." she tilts her head, then holds the backside of the pokemon to the magikarp. there's a superstition that looking in the hollow shell will steal ones spirit. it's true when the shedinja wills it to be. [break][break]

so it's a painless death, and now she can cook the fish in peace. [break][break]

"the magikarp should finish cooking in another half hour." she smiles as the sheinja begins to slice up the fish with metal claw, then she lays the slab back onto the ice. "although maybe we should have built something to hold the fish over the fire.."

Asahiko Hakuryuu [break]
mission: deserted island

☉

[break]

"ah, you don't have to be so modest~" she speaks with such a sweet tone, tilting her head as she moves the fan closer, to where it's gently pressing in the centre of a man's chest. she maintains the smile beneath the shadow of bangs. [break][break]

encouraging him to learn isn't an issue when he already has interest, and teaching him shouldn't take too long, either. "i'll have you know that i'm a wonderful teacher, so you'll learn in no time." ayame isn't a modest person, although the traditional garb and elegance will say otherwise. her pride is radiating. [break][break]

"who knows," she starts, chuckling softly "maybe you'll learn you have an innate talent for it?" he could discover something, if not use it as a moment for meditation. fan dancing was oddly soothing, though she'll attribute it to the large motions and the graceful swings. [break][break]

there's a hidden motive, which is being able to chew out and snicker at the poor person who didn't even attend. something along the lines of.. yes, this person just learned how to fan dance today. how dare you be slow. [break][break]

it'll be spoken in fun jest, but the glint in a woman's eyes tell the tale of a little bit of spite.

Leonidas Stone

☉

[break]

"homura" is smiling in amusement, watching as the gastly floats over the water. there are holes nearby, just close enough to the water that would let a snake or two burrow through and snag a few magikarp as their next meals. what a shame, and how violent. at least if they were going to do it, they should be more careful to not get caught. now look at where that'll get them. [break][break]

"well, we have two options here~" the woman chimes, and wears a smile to her lips as she pulls another pokeball out between her fingers. "we could report this to the employees, have them deal with this" a more pacifistic option, one where neither of them would have to get their hands dirty-- although not the preferred method considering her tone "or we could handle this ourselves." she's still wearing a smile as the vivillon on her arm lets out a happy cry. [break][break]

"we could coat the burrows in powder, and fire could possibly ignite it, and cause the holes or cave system to collapse?" [break][break]

it'll result in some hurt ekans, but they were the ones causing this problem first off. though maybe she was being a bit too cruel.

Calix Nikolau [break]
mission

☉

does it ail you, ayame? [break][break]

to know that a man you so dearly loved (and still love), confront you about your departure? he doesn't know how she holds herself back - how she restrains herself - from springing to him, and hold him in her arms as she cries, saying how she's missed him, saying how much she loves him, saying what wrong she's done and how she regret leaving. but ayame's taught to be reserved, and now she's trying to apply that to him. [break][break]

she always was, to some degree. it's just that this time was a little harder to do. [break][break]

so she takes a step back, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to run away (she wants to, desperately, but she doesn't. it's a conflict in her mind). "i--" she starts to say, but the words are failing her. what does she say? [break][break]

she's become so good at lying, but she's never able to lie in front of him. [break]
not anymore. [break][break]

she's being vague because she knows she can't lie. so she keeps her gaze to the ground, and she hesitates again. her breath is shaky when she finally takes a step back to say "i joined rocket." she takes another step back, and she can't look him in the eye "so it.. was for the best."[break][break]

i can't drag you to hell with me.

Asahiko Hakuryuu

☉