unovamuses

[unovamuses]

@lxngfxrgxtten asked: [ TXT Sent To Unknown Number ] [ TXT ] got your number from the league [ TXT ] its six [ TXT ] don't worry about the leauge or the article, i'll do what i can to fix it [ TXT ] im sorry. this is my fault. [ TXT ] there's a plane waiting for you at the honaru airport. just tell them your name, they know you're coming. it'll get you there faster. [ TXT ] im sorry

The texts go unanswered for several days. It's not because he doesn't want to text back. It's just that he's unable to. Six probably received word from the captain of the plane that Marlon never showed by now.

When Six's phone does finally receive a text from Marlon's number, it doesn't sound like it's from him at all.

[ TEXT > Six ] Hello Six. Sorry for the radio silence on Marlon's part.

[ TEXT > Six ] My name is Elesa, I am a coworker of his. He asked me to message you back.

[ TEXT > Six ] It's not your fault at all. He's also sorry for not responding for a while. He didn't want to make you worry, but he probably did. Told me he forgot to ask for your number while he was there.

[ TEXT > Six ] Thing is, he had already left Rareita when you sent those texts, and on his way back in the ocean he got in a little accident.

She glances over at Marlon briefly, who was currently fighting against sleep as much as he possibly could on her couch. Poor guy had been in more than a little accident, but... didn't wanna worry Six too much. He meets her eyes, and for a moment he seems wide awake. Definitely wanted to know if Six had texted back yet, it seems. Elesa turns back to the phone.

[ TEXT > Six ] He misses you a lot. Wanted me to let you know he'll return as soon as he's healed up. Marlon lifts his non injured arm, making a shaky 'call' gesture. Seems like he finally realized that's an option too. Elesa and the other Gym Leader exchange a look. Marlon wins this time. [ TEXT > Six ] ...Actually, he's asking if you can call him. He's in the room with me right now.

[unovamuses]

It's the day after he and Six went out for dinner. Marlon's just waking up at his hotel room, still a little dazed, when he finally decides to look at his phone and contact Roxie and Elesa for an update.

When he pulls up the notifs, he notices that he's quite literally been spam called by the League. And Roxie. And Elesa. And unknown numbers from the Unova and Rareita region. Huh? He decides to check out Roxie's messages first. He scrolls back up to where they left off (she messaged a lot for some reason) and it takes him a moment to register what he's seeing. It's a link to a news article, and when he does click on it... There's him and Six sitting in the carriage, all smiley and enjoying themselves. Wait. This is the news. Marlon's tired eyes scan the title. 'Champion Six and Marlon Kalawai’a seen together, are they a thing?'

He stares. Stares for a little longer.

It finally dawns on him. Six is this region's Champion. That meant she was talking about herself earlier yesterday. His eyes fall back on the title. A thing? What does that mean? He goes back to the tab with Roxie's messages. [ Rox ] MARLON ARE YOU KIDDING ME [ Rox ] MARLON PICK UP THE FUCKING PHONE [ Rox ] THIS IS SUCH A BAD LOOK FOR YOU MARLON KALAWAI'A

She's using his full name... He's in danger. Still, he texts back. [ Marlon > Rox ] what does 'a thing' mean? how bad is it? After that, he switches to Elesa's texts. [ Lesa ] Marlon, I love you so much you know that? And I'm happy for you, but you might want to head home now if you want to keep your position this time

Ah. Did he fuck up that bad? But this was out of his control... Hopefully they'd understand. [ Marlon > Lesa ] Happy for me? Please help me talk to them when I get back

The League calls go ignored for now as Marlon stares down at his phone screen, reading through the article. And reads it again.

Ah. Does this mean they think they're dating...? But. They aren't, right? So why are they reporting it? Or... Maybe they are? He will never understand this kind of news, though. With a sigh, he rubs the nape of his neck, waiting for more messages from the girls. This is bad bad. Will have to thank them after this.

[unovamuses]

❓+ would you change how you met six, if you could? for marlon

"Noooo...?"

He's not sure if he'd stand out enough, honestly... Is that bad?

[unovamuses]

❓+ Will you come see me again, Marlon?

"Of course!"

Why wouldn't he? He loved being around Six, after all. Just needed to figure out when.

[unovamuses]

❓+ for roxie, do you wish you didn't have to put up with the league when marlon is gone?

"Yeah..."

It was a lot of extra pressure, honestly. She would gladly do it for Marlon, but... she has a limit, too.

"Come home soon, idiot."

[unovamuses]

❓+ do you think it was a good idea to make out with a champion after you almost killed her (for marlon)

"...Yes?"

He's a little lost. Technically she kissed him first.

[unovamuses]

The 'yes or no' game.

Send my muse "❓+" alongside harsh hitting questions, scenarios, anything question-related really, but they can only answer with "yes" or "no". Nothing more, nothing less.

[unovamuses]

me after 15 seconds of work: i just cant do this anymore

[unovamuses]

Marlon allows her to stay silent for as long as she needed to be, simply hugging her tight when she buries her face into his chest once more.

"Ya can't mix with water?" It doesn't take long to realize what he did earlier that week. "...Did I hurt ya? When I pushed ya into the water by accident--"

Oh. She probably almost died, then. Marlon is glad she can't see his face right now, because it's rapidly going through multiple stages of grief in the span of a few seconds. Memories of when he was seventeen come flooding back, and he can still see Ahe's face when--

"Don't worry. I'll stay with ya."

His voice wavers briefly. Barely noticeable, but there. When she presses a kiss to his chin, his smile's back, like nothing ever happened. Now he's the one keeping a secret, huh...

The Gym Leader simply rests his head atop hers, leaning a bit. Why did those memories come back now? It's been years.

"...I should prob'ly go back home for a bit soon, though. Maybe tomorrow... Gotta do my League battles." Or he might actually be out of a job. "'s... I don' wanna leave ya, but. Rox 'n Lesa have been fightin' to keep me employed."

she barely catches the sound of him closing the distance before he embraces her with such warmth that everything stops again. she feels herself lean into the gesture, eyes still open, threatening to swell with tears. she doesn't want to let go, he doesn't let her go at all. can they just stay like this forever ?  and then he speaks, his words gentle. determined. they make her pause, and those tears that threatened to break out roll a single one down her cheek for a moment. she sniffles, not wanting to come apart. not wanting to think about any of it. she just wanted to let it be. to forget about it. and yet…

he pulls away just a hair, and it's enough to make her want to scramble and pull him back into her, to hide herself in his arms, but she doesn't. the champion simply gazes up at him, with wet eyes that threaten to cause more tears to come out. she blinks a few times and they seem to fade, and yet she still says nothing. her only action is pushing herself back into him, burying her face into his chest and squeezing him slightly. when she speaks, the sound is a little muffled.      ❝ y-you deserved to know… ❞      she adjusts her grip on him, as if she can pull him even closer.      ❝ you might be able to mix with fire… but i can't mix with water… that's why… ❞      that's why she wasn't okay the other day. that's why she was still a little weak even now. she'd honestly been closer to death's door than she had expected, but she managed to survive.

she rubs her face into his chest a little, as if to comfort herself.      ❝ i just want… ❞      the words are so soft, so tender and gentle.      ❝ want you by my side… ❞     almost silent, barely able to be heard. she clutches at his shirt, balling it in her hands a little. she pushes away ever so slightly, just enough to stand on her tip toes and plant a little kiss on his chin. she no longer speaks. she just leans into him more, letting the heat from her body bring them together. she listens to his heart beat once more, letting her own flutter freely. in his arms, she felt safer. in his arms, it felt right. she wasn't going to let go.

[unovamuses]

The moment's tender. Peaceful, despite his heart almost pounding out of his chest. She presses an ear against it, and causes him to fluster all over again. It's not a bad feeling, though. It's exciting. It's warm, both literally and figuratively. But then she ducks away. It's sudden. It confuses him, and it must show on his face. Why did she look so sad? Six says she has to show him something. Asks him to not leave when she does. Why? What horrible thing was she about to show him? Six spreads her arms, palms upturned...

A blink. Another one. Woah-- did not see that one coming at all. But his expression isn't one of disgust or fear. It's more of that enthralled wonder he had earlier.

The flames fade. She's too afraid to look at him. A familiar feeling. He's felt it before. Without skipping a beat, he closes the distance once more, pulling her into his arms tightly.

Why would he ever leave?

It's a silent gesture for a bit, until he finally speaks up again.

"I'm no' leavin' ya." He says it to make sure it comes across, in case she was still doubtful. A hum, thinking for a bit. Why did she feel the need to show him? "Did ya... want t'make it even? 'cause I showed you mine?" But why had she been so scared? "...Yanno, my body can handle both the cold an' the heat. Maybe not boilin' water, but. Ya catch my drift, yeah?"

There's no need to be afraid.

"'n don't worry 'bout the ol' water 'n fire thing either. I might be a merfolk, and you might have cool flame powers, but we're still us, yanno?"

He pulls away from her a tiny bit, so he can see her face and vice versa. His expression is gentle. Kind. No judgement or fear at all. He's not scared, nor disgusted.

"I'm more worried 'bout Lesa's Electric-types, honestly." A chuckle. Those Electic critters packed a real punch when they wanted to.

the gentle pull of the gym leader brings her in close as she feels his chin rest atop his head, surrounding her with his body in a warm embrace. she quietly follows suit, letting her hands wrap around him and pushing them even closer. it must've felt like hugging a space heater on a cold winter's night. her heart pounds, and she turns her head a little to place an ear to his chest, hearing his too. her eyes close softly, taking in the sounds and sensations of the tender moment. she doesn't want it to end, if she could help it, she would stay here, wrapped in his arms until sunrise. 

and then the words reach her ears, and she feels a small pit form in her stomach. in this moment, she was thankful marlon couldn't see her brow furrowing, her lip being bit in a confused and regretful expression. she'd been shown his secret from the very beginning, and she hadn't trusted him with hers. was it safe to ?  would it be okay ?  regardless, if there was one thing she was sure of, it wasn't fair. he deserved to know. her hands slip down the sides of him, gripping at his shirt a little before forcing herself to pull back and let go, ducking out of the gesture. her hands are clasped together, a nervous expression on her face that she tries – and subsequently fails – to hide from her features. still flushed and breathing heavy from the moment before, she looks at marlon with sorrowful eyes.      ❝ there's… something else i should show you. ❞      a breath, a shaky one. she felt so right with him around, and in this moment she didn't want to ruin it. but it wasn't fair. she had to make it fair. 

it takes her a good moment to compose herself, and she closes her eyes for a second, exhaling audibly as if to calm herself. when she opens her eyes once more, she looks far more confident than she did a moment ago. perhaps it was a bit of a façade, the confidence, but she had to be brave. he deserved to know.      ❝ just… promise me you won't leave when i show you. ❞      she doesn't look for his answer. she simply holds her arms out akin to the spread wings of a pidgeot and places her palms to the sky. in the neon glow of color, a new color appears. a beautiful amber light as six's hands spark to life and swirl with the surrounding flames. they lap at her skin, crawl up her forearms, her elbows, all the way to her shoulders where they frame her head in flames, casting a darkened glow on her features.      ❝ you're not the only one who's hiding a secret. ❞      just like that, the flames die down and dissipate, leaving them bathed only in the glow of neon once more, and she refuses to look at him, afraid.      ❝ please… don't leave… ❞      the sound is so quiet, it's unsure if it can even be heard. she was so afraid of this. so afraid of him leaving. fire and water don't mix. 

[unovamuses]

"I don't doubt that." A warm smile. "This place is gorgeous, after all. And a lot different from Nimbasa."

It was quieter. More peaceful. Don't get her wrong, she loved the hustle and bustle of bigger cities, but this? This had charm too.

"And exactly! You get me! Why would you do something if you're not passionate about it? Oh! My name's Elesa. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier."

"A model? Makes sense, we got a lot of photo shoots around here because of the scenery." He motioned to the sea and the fields of tropical flowers.

"I get that. Not like you can make cool shit if you ain't passionate about it."

[unovamuses]

A nod. Yeah, he heard about what happened down here. It sucks.

They walk in silence (minus Marlon's flip flops hitting the floor with a smack) for a bit, before she speaks up again. Names some names that sound... not like things he's ever heard of before.

"What're those?" A tilt of the head, and a grimace as the smell hits him too. Man, he wants out of here as fast as he can.

A book is handed to him. A little old school, but who was he to judge? He still hadn't made the switch to a Rotomphone himself. Mostly 'cause he'd feel bad for taking it into the ocean. Marlon glances at the image she shows him, before taking the book in his hands. Wait a dang minute. He's seen these in the depths before.

"'s that what ya call 'em?" A blink. He had never gotten a name out of them before. He continues paging through the book, looking for the next one. This one's a little less familiar, but still looks like he saw it at one point in his life.

"So's not this either, then--" She turns to look him in the eye before he can look up the Lagiacrus.

"Lord o' the seas?" That sounds impressive and kinda cool, but he couldn't just forget about what happened down here.

"What's effective against that one? I still have time t'swap my team around a li'l if needed."

"Not surprising," Marina grunted, frowning. "I mean, you've probably heard the local news."

Her frown deepened.

"Nine people and fifteen tamed Pokémon. Gone, just like that. Not to mention how many wild Pokémon might've been snatched..."

Marina continued to walk in complete silence, seemingly ignoring his more important question. The echoing of his flip flops did cause her to bristle, even if only a little (albeit still noticeably), though she did not seem to mind it enough to bring it up at any point. Deeper and deeper they went into the sewers, the outside daylight slowly fading away and replaced by white, artificial lights periodically lining the ceiling. A part of her was glad she did not have to take out her own source of light.

It took her a moment for her to finally respond, explaining, "Again, I have my theories." She briefly grimaced as a particularly bad smell wafted across her face. "A few eye-witness reports say victims were swallowed whole, so my first guess was a Gobul. Then two more reports suggested anything too big was simply dragged underwater, and Gobul don't have that limit; they can eat things up to their own size in one gulp."

Realising that he probably had no idea what in the world she was talking about, she reached into her pack and pulled out a leather-bound book. She paged through it quickly before stopping on a section showing off some purple, fish-like beast that resembled an overgrown Qwilfish, with an equally overgrown mouth. She handed the book to him so that he may examine it.

"My next guess was a Plesioth," she continued. "They have a tendency to drag prey beneath the surface... and their colours would match."

If Marlon decided to page through the book some more, he would come across a page detailing the beast -- another aquatic monster, this one blue, with wing-like pectoral fins and strong hind legs for it to walk on land. Far more streamlined than the bulbous Gobul, too.

Before he could read more on the Plesioth, Marina interrupted, "However. I've heard that Electric-type attacks are worthless against what I'm... what we're tracking, which is a Plesioth's greatest weakness."

She came to a sudden stop, turned, and looked him dead in the eye.

"This leaves only one possibility. A Lagiacrus, Lord of the Seas, has made this city its territory."

[unovamuses]

"Ohokay--"

❝ it is now. ❞

[unovamuses]

"Oh, okay." He doesn't seem bothered by it, nor is he judgemental.

[unovamuses]

"So it is a custom?"

[unovamuses]

"'s fiiine." A reassuring smile, giving her hands another squeeze. "Ya don't have t'worry 'bout that with me, nah." And that's simply the truth. Marlon never cared too much about titles like that. Sure, it meant she was an incredibly strong trainer and person, but he could already see that without knowing about the title. Six was Six, no matter what label they gave her.

Suddenly her hands slip out of his. Did he say something wrong? But she's smiling-- and approaching? Not that he minds. He feels like he can barely breathe though, with her so close. His stomach feels weird, too. She's so warm... it's strangely inviting, if not a little unusual. Pulled by the goggles, Marlon is forced to dip his head down, closer to hers.

What's going on exactly? Is this a Rareitan custom-- It takes him a few seconds to realize what's happening. It's not that he doesn't enjoy it, he just hadn't seen it coming. So this is what kissing feels like. Once the first shock is gone, he slowly leans into the movements, allowing his eyelids to flutter closed. Her hands pull him in even further, into the warmth. In turn, he cups her face with his own, ever so gently. When their lips finally part, he's left a blushing mess, still trying to process what just happened. The Gym Leader wordlessly pulls her close and into a hug, resting his head on top of hers so she couldn't see his flustered expression. Eventually, he decides to break the silence.

"...Yer so warm... 's nice."

❝ i'm sorry i didn't tell you sooner. ❞      there's a touch of sadness in her voice, but it fades as quickly as it came.      ❝ i was just happy someone enjoyed me for... me. not my title. ❞      her heart feels as though it's going to beat out of her chest and burst forth as marlon mirrors her previous action of taking both hands and gazing at her. his eyes were beautiful, so blue. like the very same sea they had visited earlier. the beating in her heart never seems to stop, never seems to quiet the more she speaks.      ❝ i dont feel like i have to worry about that with you. ❞      her smile is so warm and tender, and it caresses and frames her cheeks as if painting a picture. 

when he calls her beautiful, everything stops. time stops moving, her heart stops beating. his flushed and flustered face becomes a reflection of her own, and she freezes in place. her grip on his hands loosens before it slides out and she looks down a little, her smile never fading. those muddled feelings finally showing their true colors, calling her to act upon them. she takes a step closer to marlon, and then another. barely leaving any space between their bodies. the heat coming from the champion's skin is somewhat intense, certainly not normal, but it's hard to control. before she can second guess herself, she reaches up to him, grabbing onto the goggles that remained around his neck and giving them a gentle tug, coaxing the gym leader down to her level. 

their faces are just mere inches from one another, and they exchange breaths as she hesitates for but a moment, the smile on her features soft and warm.      ❝ you're pretty incredible yourself. ❞      the words are breathy, heavy. they hang for a moment, but marlon doesn't get a chance to respond, as six closes her eyes and closes the distance, brushing their faces together before finally locking lips with him. her heart is beating faster, beating in time with his, and the sensation is incredible. the heat from her lips is powerful, and it dissipates across his own and creates this warm, gentle sensation that lasts for what feels like an eternity. slowly, her hands reach up to his neck, hoping to pull him closer to her. to share in the heat that she gave off from her own skin, before she finally lets their lips part, keeping her face close to his. nothing is said for a moment, and only heavy breaths are felt. it felt so freeing. so right. in this moment, it felt like the two of them against the world. 

[unovamuses]

Her looking at his flustered face only makes it heat up more. It's not like her expression is judgemental, and yet... Yeah, he hasn't been this flustered in a good while. It makes him chuckle, albeit a bit nervously. "Yeah, I am!" A happy smile as he's pulled into the elevator. Honestly, he wasn't too fond of elevators for some reason. He didn't know why, but they made his stomach feel weird. His hand subconsciously grips onto Six's a bit tighter, as if she was his safe haven right now.

Marlon didn't have much time to worry about any of the uneasy feeling, however, as the elevator truly is a show. He hadn't seen that one coming.

"Woah--"

The lightshow ends as they arrive in... what is this exactly? It looks like a cave. He immediately leans forward, free hand on the glass as he examines closer. It looked like... wait, there's Pokémon, too? The purple glow reminds him of Roxie's Gym, but he doubts this fog is quite as toxic. At least, he sure hoped it wasn't for the sake of the Pokémon.

The elevator continues upwards, and they arrive in yet another, similar looking area. These... they're definitely battle fields. His hand's pulled away from the glass at the rattling, and the hand that's holding Six's grips on a little too tight for a brief second. He got startled, it seems.

The next room is made of metal that shifts, ever changing. It's by this point that he's starting to realize something. If there was another room up ahead, along with a battlefield at the top...

Another room follows, this one bright and beautiful and so unlike the rest. It causes him to lean forward once more, wanting to take it all in. When the Butterfree circles them as they rise, he can't help but grin and wave a half Alolan wave with his free hand.

When they arrive at the hallway, he's sure of it. The Tower of Memories served as the Rareitan Elite Four and Champion seat. He's seen something like it in Unova, with the League he was apart of. Marlon glances from the door, to Six's jacket, and back to the door. He doesn't have time to comment on it, though, as the door opens, and presents the most incredible Champion's room he's ever seen.

Marlon takes a moment to take it all in. The flowers, the banners, the throne, the statues-- he recognises at least two of them. That's Blazer and Chichai, there's no mistaking that. But why... Oh. So he might be stupid--

With a gentle pull of Six's hand, they walk up to the window, looking out over all of Rareita. The Gym Leader simply gazes down, eyes moving over the lights and neon signs with a sparkle reflected back. "It's beautiful." A nod, before going quiet again, simply admiring the view. "I'm honoured ya wanted to share it with me." He just hopes she can't sense how nervous he is right now. His heart's beating loudly in his chest, his stomach's doing flips...

"So... yer the Champion, hmm?" Why didn't he figure this out earlier?Roxie and Elesa would never let him live this down if they found out.

"And this is yer room? I'm guessin' the other rooms we passed were for the Elite Four, then?" Marlon turns away from the window, reaching to grab her other hand as well. He's not sure why he's doing it. Maybe he just liked the sensation? Or he wanted to see her face more as she spoke so tenderly and softly to him? "Rareita's gorgeous." A beat as he wonders whether to say it. Eh. Intrusive thoughts can win this time. "'n so are you." When the words are out, though, he immediately feels his nerves triple in size, and his cheeks heat up once more.

He's quiet for a bit, simply holding her hands in his. It's not an umcomfortable silence or anything, besides the fact that he feels like he's going to implode in a moment.

"Thank ya for bringin' me here. I truly do feel special."

she does nothing but let a little hum out at his words, feeling her face fill with the color of the beautiful pink lilies she so loved. for a moment, she gets lost in his features, enjoying seeing him as flustered as she felt on the inside.      ❝ i hope you're ready for a show. ❞      the words are said with such a fondness it's as if they melt in the very air. looking back at the elevator as it arrives, the door does not open. six takes her free hand and places it gently on the thin glass before them as it sparks to life, bright, vibrant colors swirling around it as it opens up for the pair. six pulls him inside gently and squeezes his hand a little as they begin to rise further into the display of light and fireworks around the glass.  ( not real fireworks mind you – just a trick of the light. )  the elevator rises, higher and higher still, bringing them closer to the top.

the light show finishes out as the elevator pulls up into the first room, slowing down so the pair could see. they were surrounded, the elevator having been located in the center of the room rather than at the edges of it. this place though, it didn't look like a room. instead, a dark and dimly lit cave greets them, a light fog obscuring their view further as a few distant pokemon occasionally light the area a little. sharp, pointed rocks rip through the floor and celling of the incredible battlefield, and the mist causes the cave to have an eerie purple glow. 

further still they climb, entering the next room just above the first. as they emerge in the center once more, they gaze upon the battlefield before them. somehow, this room looked even more grand than the previous, containing what had appeared to be almost an entire mountain – of course, a little scaled down, but still massive nonetheless. there are no pokemon that reside in this room, instead each section of the arena has different effects of the weather. rain, hail, sandstorms, blazing heat. it all collided into a cocktail of harsh weather that swirled around the elevator and shook the glass a little. nothing too alarming, but noticeable.

higher still the elevator takes them, into the center of a new room, a new battlefield. here, the room is made of metal, with strange panels and steel beams that lit up the room in colors that felt almost alien. everything seems to be moving all at once, and just before they reach the top of the room, the panels and sections moving and shuffling like playing cards. when they finally settle, it's as if the room is completely different. machines whir and beep around them as it completes, and finally rests.

even higher still they rise, into a room that feels like a stark contrast to the others. instead of being dark, harsh, or alien, this room feels natural. the room is so bright and fill of color, it's as if they were outside. an entire forest surrounds them in this glass chamber. flowers, trees, bushes, and plenty of pokemon inhabiting the forest itself. there are some perhaps still hiding amongst the thick branches, not allowing themselves to be see. a little butterfree in the distance flies up and does circles around the elevator, waving as it does. 

as the final room disappears below them, they enter into a long hallway, only containing a set of stairs at the end. a final flash of light swirls around the elevator before running along the pathway to the staircase, lighting up a couple of lamps designed to look like luxury balls. the hallway is somehow inviting and menacing all at the same time, but for six, it's familiar. it's home. after a second, the door finally slides open. six gently pulls marlon along. her silence fills the room, but it is not a bad one, instead, it feels comfortable, feels excited. together, the pair acends the stairs and are met with a door before them. the emblem on it looks familiar - it's the same one on her jacket. she smiles again, pushing open the door with her free hand.

together they enter a room that appears to be the roof of the building, entirely encased in a beautiful dome of glass. the battlefield is vast before them, but there didn't seem to be anything special about the terrain here. the room however was not empty. there are banners that line the walls with that same logo that six wore upon her person, beautiful gardens of pink lilies that lined the walls, and a back wall that drew one's eye closer. 

there sat a throne. six statues surrounding it in an even manner – statues of pokemon. a ninetails, an umbreon, a pidgeot, an arcanine, and two very familiar looking pokemon. a pikachu and a charizard. marlon is pulled to the center of the room before six finally takes his other hand again as she spins at him, looking at him deeply. her heart feels like it's fluttering like the pokemon in leffa's room, but she does not falter.      ❝ this is what i wanted you to see. ❞      perhaps she meant the show up the elevator, or the room. one could probably assume that - but no - that was not the case. walking backwards with his hands in hers, she pulls him along softly towards the right edge of the battlefield, towards the glass barrier from the outside world. there, she turns, returning to holding a single hand as she looks out the window and down at the beautiful city below her. up here, she was at the highest point. here, she shared the highest point with another. another gentle squeeze of the hand as the sun finally completes setting, turning the world a little darker.

that darkness would not last long however, as the city feels like it comes alive with the beautiful neon signage and lights that lit up the area when the sun went down. the spectacle of greens and blues and purples and yellows and any other color you could imagine was a sight to behold. it was something she watched every night, without fail. here, you could see what you were here to help. here to protect. up here, the world silently depended on you, but shared it's beauty with you in it's own way.      ❝ this is my favorite part about all of this. ❞      her eyes glisten, wet with wonder. despite all the times she'd seen this, it still felt just as special as the first.      ❝ you're the first person i've ever shared it with. ❞      she states it like fact, like that would always be so. her gaze drifts from her beautiful city to the man beside her. her feelings were once muddied, but it felt as though with each breath, they cleared just a little more.      ❝ i hope rareita is as beautiful to you as it is to me. ❞