1st channelling ( action x2 combo )

[pearltergeist]

[ action 1: various locations around union, 14/06/15 - 16/06/15 ]

[ Pearl's been finding it very difficult to be cheerful lately. with Mystic Maya back in Union, she should be having no problems being the dictionary definition of cheerful and then some, but well... when ongoing family troubles rear their heads, it throws a dampner on everyone's parade.

Pearl walked away from that conversation with her temper barely intact, and as she's so often taken to doing in the past couple of years when life with her mother becomes too much to bear, she's left Ninetails Vale to go get lost in the city proper for a while.

for the next few days, she's less likely to be found in and around Ninetails Vale, and a lot more likely to be found haunting various places in the business and entertainment districts - browsing the things for sale with her Pokemon, trying on the latest fashions in the clothes stores that she knows she can't afford and that her mother would never let her wear anyway, taking a look around the Burgh Museum or sitting in the Petal Dance Cafe almost right till closing time - basically, anything she can do to stall going home at the end of the day for as long as possible. ]


[ action 2: near the lake shrine, 17/06/15 ]

[ usually by now, Pearl would have cooled her heels and life would have returned to some semblance of normality. and if she had still been mad, then a few sessions of spiritual training and meditation near the Forest Shrine would have sorted her out. for some reason, though, she's having trouble this time. so instead, she's taken herself and her Pokemon off to the area around the Lake Shrine for a bout of serious training to blow off steam in a more cathartic way.

the exercise she's currently going through with her team is a familiar one for them. Ezzie throws up a Light Screen in front of a nearby tree stump, allowing Pearl and her Pokemon to practice aiming their attacks. still, only her Drifloon and Meowstic seem to be showing any real interest. her Pidgey seems to be more interested in trying to divebomb the shrine, and her Skiploom is mostly just on the sidelines, looking kind of spacey and aiming the occasional Fairy Wind at the stump as a gesture of good faith.

Pearl herself seems to be dangerously focused, aiming the psychic waves of a Confusion attack at that stump as if it's done her wrong personally. she pauses to let Ezzie throw up another Light Screen - they're abusing the poor stump enough as it is, after all - and straightens up with a large sigh. ]

"Pride of the branch family"... I can't believe that I'm still so upset about this, Ezzie! [ the Meowstic gazes at her trainer in concern. ] But the way Mystic Maya is being treated is simply unforgiveable. I just wish...

[ the magatama around Pearl's neck begins glowing brightly as Ghost-type energy builds around her. ] I just wish that I was able to give Mother a real piece of my mind!

[ the energy releases, hitting the tree stump in the form of a Hex attack. Pearl doesn't have enough time to be surprised at what appears to be a new move for her, though; her magatama keeps glowing until her whole body follows suit and the light radiates outwards in a burst of power. when it fades out, Pearl is left blinking and looking a little shell-shocked. not only that; her magatama doesn't seem to be a necklace anymore, but to have fused with her body at around the height of her collarbone, while her hair has turned the shimmery, many-coloured hue of an opal. ]

What just happened?! [ she grabs a strand of her own hair to look at it - it seems to have come undone from its usual knot - and glances down at where the other beads of the necklace that used to hold her magatama lie on the forest floor. ]

Was that - Ezzie, did I just evolve?

Comments

1.

[imprudens]

[ Totsuka's been so busy lately that he didn't even go to Sanctuary like he'd wanted - but may that was for the best in the end, if the faces of those who returned were anything to go by, at least. He doesn't feel like worrying too much about it.

He's out and about as usual, with his Fletchinder perched on his shoulder and a backpack on his back. Attached to said pack is a Zubat, napping peacefully in the afternoon sun when he passes by the Petal Dance Café and goes in to order a drink - randomly according to recommendation rather than picking something for himself. But then he spots Pearl in a seat by herself, and she's looking rather... unlike the last time he's met her, so he stops by her table on the way out, drink in hand and a smile on his face. ]

Hello, Pearl. Good to see you again.

[pearltergeist]

[ Pearl is despondantly staring at her green tea when she hears her name, and glances up in surprise. ]

Oh my-- hello, Mr. Tatara! It's good to see you, as well. I mustn't have seen you come in.

[ she summons up a smile, because it is good to see him, but it's not quite as full on her face as it should be. her Meowstic eyes him as if trying to weigh up whether he's a suspicious character or not. ]

[imprudens]

Haha, don't worry about it. You seemed pretty absorbed in your tea.

[ His bird pokémon chirps at him, and he trades a look with her. That smile doesn't look right, she says, and he keeps his smile up as he looks back to Pearl, but gives the Meowstic a passing smile as well. ]

Are you alright?

[ Not presuming yet. Not even going to take a seat yet, either. ]

[pearltergeist]

Oh, yes, I am fine. That is, I'm...

[ ... very tired of trying to be cheerful, actually. she gives a rueful sigh. ]

... I'm a lot more obvious than I would like to be, huh. Please forgive me; it simply... has not been the best of weeks.

[imprudens]

[ Yeah she's. She's prezzy obvious. Let's not point that one out though. ]

Mind if I sit?

[pearltergeist]

Oh-- not at all, please do.

[imprudens]

[ Does that, then! And carefully makes sure his sleepy Zubat climbs to the top of the backpack as he puts it down, instead of being squished by it. This only sort of fails, in that she makes a small if high-pitched sound to get her bearings and immediately climbs up his arm. Well. It'll do. He chuckles at her before turning to Pearl. ]

So. Rough week, huh.

[pearltergeist]

[ she smiles at the Zubat's antics, cheered a little by the pokemon, before she nods at Totsuka's words. ]

Yes, a little. [ her eyes flick to one side as she tries to weigh up what she should and should not say. she doesn't want to cause trouble for her family, after all. ] Family can be, ummm... difficult, at times.

[imprudens]

Aah... it must be a lot of pressure, being from such a prestigious background, huh.

[ Just a guess. He wouldn't know, and he says it without a hint of either envy or gloating. Better things to do! Like putting his cup down on the table and using his newly freed hand to gently pet the Zubat, who gives him a wide smile. Uhm. That looks a bit menacing. Given the teeth. ]

[pearltergeist]

[ she nods, relieved that he isn't pressing for anything specific. it makes it easier. so does the easy way he seems to have with his Pokemon. it's hard not to trust in that.

even with the menacing-looking Zubat smile. ]

It can be. But to be honest, it is not the pressure that is bothering me. ... I am truly sorry, but it's difficult to explain.

[ she stares into her teacup again, pressing her hands together in her lap. ]

Um, may I ask you what may be a personal question?

[imprudens]

Of course. Ask away.

[ He flashes her a smile. Lady the Zubat seems content to be falling asleep again, so he tentatively removes his hand from the pokemon to take a sip of his coffee that practically counts as a mixed drink. ]

[pearltergeist]

Thank you. Erm... I am not entirely sure how to word this, however... [ she takes a deep breath, and looks up now, face serious. ] Have you ever been in a situation where somebody was using your accomplishments to try and bring somebody else down?

[imprudens]

[ Taking her serious look into account, Totsuka takes a moment to think about that before nodding. ]

Yes. Well, in a manner of speaking. Honestly, [ He gestures, careful with his hands now, but open in his manner, ] I don't suppose I've accomplished much in the traditional sense, but that didn't really seem to matter at the time.

[pearltergeist]

It doesn't matter whether or not it's "traditional", right? [ well. her mother would think differently. but for all that she respects tradition for what it is, Pearl is not and has no plans to ever be her mother. ] Still, I... am truly sorry to hear that you have. It's a really awful situation to be in.

May I ask something else? Did you ever manage to solve it?

[imprudens]

Mmh... yes and no. I mean, he eventually calmed down about it, but he never quite stopped. [ Which is about all he can say about the situation without explaining it outright. ... Which seems to be what they're going for. ]

I think what's important is to help the one who's being brought down by it, right?

[pearltergeist]

[ she nods. ]

That's what I've thought all this time, too. So, I've always tried my hardest to support her however I can. She is wonderfully accomplished herself, and there truly is no one better for her position, but...

[ she bites her thumb, hardly noticing that she's doing it, before she sighs and finally concludes: ] ... Bitterness and jealousy are ugly things.

[ and she hates knowing that she's being used as a tool by them. ]

[imprudens]

[ And... really that gives him a really good idea of who she's probably referring to. ]

They are. But it looks like you're already wise enough to know better than being bitter and jealous in turn.

[pearltergeist]

[ she smiles at that, bowing her head slightly in thanks. ]

Thank you for saying so, but I did have an excellent role model. It's just - honestly, now that I can see what's going on, it is really quite infuriating!

[ Ezzie, surprisingly for her, speaks up, making some disgruntled meowstic noises that could translate as you're being too kind, Pearl. ]

[imprudens]

[ Totsuka looks at Ezzie with a tilt of his head, letting her finish before he continues. ]

I'm sorry, I don't really have any advice for how to solve what's happening. But isn't that a good thing, getting worked up about things being wrong? It's a start, right?

[pearltergeist]

[ Ezzie twitches her ears and stares back at Totsuka before looking back at her trainer, who is now stirring her tea pensively. ]

I suppose that you are right, but... [ she hums in thought. ] Much like having a wealth of spiritual power, I feel as though getting worked up on its own is not much without a way to properly direct it.

[imprudens]

No, that's true. But you can work on that. Figuring out a direction for it, I mean. It might take a little time, but I'm sure it can be done. It's not like you're all on your own here.

[ Looking at you, Ezzie. ]