The red queen flipped her magnificent mane out of her face. She had changed out of her gorgeous contest wear, and into something a bit more mobile and warm. She had decided to not wear anything too extravagant because she had not won, and also because she was not hosting the party. But her dress was none-the-less flashy in its own right. She even dressed up Doom for the occasion.
The red lady noticed Maya skulking around and Eira acting like a true queen for once. Akane smiled and figured she ought to compliment her host on a decent party. Although Akane did like the outdoors, the cold was overbearing and annoying and she could feel her skin cry out from the lack of humidity and sun.
”Evening Lady Eira.” Akane decided she would play nice; at least until she got bored. Too bad Zandrophin wasn’t here. Someone she could talk to that she felt like was on the same page as her. Doom began to playfully bark at Eira, forcing Akane to notice an obvious lump in her clothing. ”What have you got in the folds of your dress?” She already knew the answer, but wanted to know more about it.
"Sanity is only an idea made real, to make those who are boring feel better." -Akane
Nicole smiled as she watched Nero's head swivel to and fro watching everything from where she had stopped to scope out the area.
"It's been a while since we've been in an area with this many people huh?" She asked getting a stare of excitement from the eager Pokemon.
"Vuuuuulpix!" He confirmed before he turned his head and sniffed the air as those he just noticed something.
Nicole tilted her head and followed Nero's gaze to the nearby candy apple cart. "You want to try one?" She asked getting another excited look.
"Haha, alright, alright. Stop it with the puppy-dog eyes. Let's go get one." She said smiling.
"Vulpix! Vulllllpix!" Nero cheered wiggling against the arms holding him.
"Calm down. I'm going, I'm going." Nicole chided, thoroughly amused to see Nero acting like this. Shaking her head, she begins moving towards the cart, all-the-while listening to the small cheers from Nero.
"I guess normal was never supposed to be a word for me." - Nicole
Maya arrived at the cart with a sigh. Bo was bouncing about excitedly tail wagging and looking at Maya with big hopeful eyes.
"Fine, but just one," she said to the flaaffy as she handed the money over to the vendor, not really looking at him. Wordlessly he handed her a smooth and shiny candied apple. She quickly thanked him but he might not have heard it as she stepped away from the front of the stand.
"I don't like these things," she said, crouching down and handing Bo the sweet treat. "They get stuck in your teeth."
Bo clearly didn't care, and just chomped on the apple. Maya smiled and looked up to a little girl, well she couldn't be that much younger but she was still younger, and a wiggling Vulpix.
"Hey, hey, calm down Nero!" Nicole chided again holding the wiggling Vulpix closer to her person. "I said I would get you one, but if you don't stop wiggling, You'll fall out of my arms into the snow."
Nero stopped wiggling then and looked down at the snow below their feet before looking back at Nicole with pleading eyes. "Vul... pix." He said giving in to his friends calm command to not move around as much.
Nicole sighed and gave a small smile. "No, I won't let you fall into the snow. Spoiled." She assured then smiled as she watched Nero give his version of a pout. "What you are."
Slowly the two finished reaching the candy apple cart and Nicole pulled out the money to pay for it. She ignored the cart owner's question of why she didn't have anything warmer on and proceeded to turn and walk away with a small thank you to the man instead, holding the candy apple in front of Nero who nibbled on it happily.
"Happy now?" She asked Nero playfully. "Vulpix!" Nero answered back happily before going back to his treat. It was at that time that Nicole felt one of her legs bump into something.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" She said quickly flinching and taking a couple steps back.
"I guess normal was never supposed to be a word for me." - Nicole
Maya almost toppled over on Bo as someone bumped into her. She steadied herself, hands in snow to catch herself.
"Oh! I'm sorry!"
Maya looked over her shoulder to see the little girl with the Vulpix. She stood and was about to tell her not worry about it and quickly shuffle away when something caught her attention that made her do a double take.
"Aren't you cold?" Maya questioned, surprisingly loud, completely flabbergasted at how underdressed the girl was.
Nicole flinched at how loudly the question was asked. "Aren't you?" She questioned sharply before biting her bottom lip for a moment. She then sighed and shook her head. "No. I'm okay." She assured before biting her bottom lip again for another moment. "Sorry I snapped at you."
Nero looked up at his trainer "Vul?" He questioned in a worried tone. Nicole looked down at him and pulled him a little closer.
"I'm fine. Just the normal business." She muttered to him. "Eat your snack." Nero gave her a look before going back to eating his candy apple happily. Nicole then looked back at Maya again. "I'm sorry again... I didn't mean to snap at you at all."
It was then that Nero stopped eating his snack and tilted his head to where he could look past the apple at the other girl's Flaaffy. "Vulpix!" He said loudly as though trying to say hi. Nicole looked down at him with a smile. "Trying to make friends huh?" She questioned getting a short glance up with a head tilt.
"I guess normal was never supposed to be a word for me." - Nicole
Post by Zandrophin on Jun 20, 2014 22:42:15 GMT -6
Zandrophin came into the village square to join the festivities. He had kept his military-style coat on (since it was the only one he'd brought with him), but wore it open to showcase his turquoise shirt and tie, which went quite well against the white inner lining of the coat. (Coat Reminder)
He moved smoothly though the crowd, trying not to draw too much attention. He certainly didn't walk like the man who'd just won the contest. He saw each of his fellow competitors, save Marcus...thankfully, and acknowledged each of them. He saw Maya last, and saw her talking to someone he did not recognize.
Mentus...who is that?
I do not know, Sir...she wasn't at the contest.
Well...let's go say hello, anyway...we need to congratulate Maya.
The pair walked over to the two ladies.
Do not fight for a cause or for what you believe in: Fight for yourself, because who you are rarely changes. Zandrophin
Maya winced at the snap, though she inclined in her head in apology.
"No pardon me I shouldn't have been so loud..." She frowned, though looking back up at the girl in concern. She was hardly dressed in proper clothes for... well the tundra.
"But seriously, aren't you? Its is well below freezing..." Maya gestured to her breath coming out in frosty smoke for emphasis. She made a note to go find a coat for this girl whose arms should have fallen off by now. The Vulpix might have helped the girl out but... She was so worried about this girl she didn't notice Zandrophin or Mentus approaching.
Bo meanwhile waved excitedly to the Vulpix, candied apple still in her grip. "Flaaaafa!" She said stickily, mouth full of caramel.
"No, I'm not cold. Trust me, I'm fine." Nicole assured before smiling at the response the Flaaffy had given Nero. "Looks like you got a response, huh Nero?" She said teasingly moving his candy apple back to where he could get it.
"Vulpix!" He responded cheerfully before going back to his treat happily. Nicole shook her head at that. "Careful, or you'll end up as sticky as your new friend and I'll have to give you a bath." She stated calmly getting a soft growl at the mention of a bath. "Then don't eat it super fast."
Nicole then looked back at the other girl. "Really, you don't have to worry." She assured again.
"I guess normal was never supposed to be a word for me." - Nicole
Post by Zandrophin on Jun 20, 2014 23:32:53 GMT -6
Zandrophin came up to the pair of ladies...Mentus sitting draped across his shoulders. A spark came into his eyes and he grinned ever so slightly. He spoke rather smoothly, as he was very relaxed,
"Good evening, Maya. I never got a chance to congratulate you on your performance in the contest."
He bowed deeply and with plenty of grace before continuing,
"You were a worthy opponent...and I only barely out-shone your performance. I thank you for such a delightful challenge."
He glanced over and saw the new girl holding her Vulpix. Zandrophin spoke again,
"I'm terribly sorry, I do not believe we've met. My name is Zandrophin...and this is Mentus. We're from Saffron City in Kanto. Who do we have the pleasure of addressing?"
Do not fight for a cause or for what you believe in: Fight for yourself, because who you are rarely changes. Zandrophin
Maya jumped at his appearance before smiling slightly.
"Th-thank you Zandrophin," she said a little hesitant, bowing slightly back to him. "I don't know about worthy opponent but thank you for the kind words. You did wonderful and congrats on your badge."
She looked back the black haired girl. "I actually haven't heard your name yet either," she said, looking back at the girl, still thinking about finding a coat for her.
Nicole jumped as well at the appearance of the other. "H-..." She started before stopping herself. She was defiantly not about to say something she would regret.
"I'm terribly sorry, I do not believe we've met. My name is Zandrophin...and this is Mentus. We're from Saffron City in Kanto. Who do we have the pleasure of addressing?"
"I actually haven't heard your name yet either,"
"Uh... My name...? It's Nicole... I'm from Mauville City in Hoenn Why...?" She asked looking down at Nero who was finished with one side of his candy apple. She turned it so that he could reach the next part of it. Nero made a happy sound and went back to munching occasionally stopping to sound of some sort of conversation with the Faaffy the other girl had with her. "And what is this about some sort of contest that is over now?"
"I guess normal was never supposed to be a word for me." - Nicole
"A pleasure to meet you, Nicole. Though I can sense you've been asked this question before...gentlemanly courtesy demands that I ask...would you care for my coat? I do not mind the cold...always found it bracing...although this guy here would disagree."
Zandrophin nudged Mentus, saying,
"Hey...come on...say hello to the nice lady."
Mentus uncurled himself and floated next to Zandrophin. He bowed to Nicole.
Miss Nicole, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you.
"Ah...the contest. Yes...Lady Eira...our host held this grand little contest to allow us to showcase our most beautiful moves. I don't like going into specifics, modesty and whatnot...but I can say that I did win by the very narrow margin of one point."
Zandrophin was quick to try and change the subject...he often hated talking about himself, until he'd learned more about his audience,
"So...Mauville City? Can't say I remember ever visiting there. Tell me...what's it like?"
Do not fight for a cause or for what you believe in: Fight for yourself, because who you are rarely changes. Zandrophin
Maya nodded at Zandrophin's offer of a coat, though not necessarily his because bracing her ass, the cold could kill you. She almost smiled at his comments of modesty.
Modesty hmmmm? She thought, with a smirk.
Bo was, in the meantime, chatting happily in little bleats with the little Vulpix. She was almost done with the apple, currently chewing on the core which she had no problem with swallowing.
"Why does everyone think I'm cold? I'm fine. I can't really feel it." Nicole muttered shaking her head politely, or as politely as she thought she could, at the offered idea of the man giving her his coat.
"Anyways... So there is a competition hall here? Good to know." She said looking down at Nero who glanced up. "Nero, remind me to put that on the map when we get back to the campsite okay?" She asked. Nero nodded, "Vuuullpix!" He answered before going back to what he had been doing before. Nicole shook her head with an amused smile. Then the rest of the conversation sunk in.
"Wha!" She yelped finally as everything caught up. "Did... Did that Abra just... Talk?" She asked taking a startled step back only to end up falling into a sitting position. "No... Impossible... And great in the snow... Are you okay Nero? Your treat still okay too?" She asked getting a sound of confirmation and a look of worry. "Sorry to worry you boy... Just... imagined things... I think."
"Again... Anyways... Why do you want to know about where I'm from? Does it matter in some way? I was hardly there from what I remember. I spent most of my time exploring the Desert right outside of it. Often camped there too."
"I guess normal was never supposed to be a word for me." - Nicole