Pretty in Pink

Indie Pokemon SWSH Opal Ask/RP Blog Written by Sand-Rose Rules | About

[pinkuisitive]

Opal’s Factors

Tagged By: @touyatiredforthis​

Tagging: You :)

[pinkuisitive]

faesthefacts​:

Opal was nothing if not inviting and patient with him. He never understood why- and at first, as he recalls with deep embarrassment, he was so wary of her that he’d actually ask what she wanted from him.

Quite aggressively.

He tried to will away that embarrassing memory as she led him someplace quiet and private. Just the feeling of her hand on his shoulder was enough to make his eyes sting- Not yet. He bit back the feeling and walked back to their home beside her.

Once inside, he watches as Opal makes very certain nobody will be bothering them. The door latch, the curtains… Ensuring that Bede’s imminent embarrassment would be shared only between them.

He does, eventually, follow her to the couch. He sits beside her, hands on his knees in a stiff position, his mind working to find the words.

“Am I… Boring?” No- No.

“I - No, never mind that. I … I feel-”

feelings. bad, lonely, anxious, worthless. boring. unworthy.

“Very sad.” Is his chosen explanation, spoken so softly and with a tone he’s never even heard from himself. He sounded defeated and pitiful…

“I feel as though nothing I’ll do will matter, and I’ll always push people away.” His throat felt tight, like there was a lump he couldn’t swallow. He couldn’t quite feel the tears that rolled down his face - Silent, like all the times he cried.

“I feel so alone, but part of me keeps saying I deserve it. I was terrible, and unlovable- Even my parents didn’t want me, and when I found somebody who did… when I stopped being useful, chairman Rose abandoned me. Everyone I’ve ever thought might love me has decided at some point that I wasn’t worth it. I’m terrified of never being loved, but I don’t really deserve it. I’m an uninteresting pest, I’ve… nothing to show for how hard I’ve fought to keep myself together-” The more he spoke, the more it hurt. The more he wanted to curl up into himself and sob.

“Everything good that’s ever happened to me, I’ve destroyed or lost because I never deserved it in the first place. Even here, I feel like I’m waiting to disappoint you. To… T-.. ” A sharp inhale. a small, choking noise as he fought back a sob that clawed its way from his chest. “To not be pink enough for you, and for you to do what every other adult in my life has done and decide I’m just not worth it-…”

By this point, he was all but curled up into himself, struggling not to cry any louder - that would be bothersome. He wasn’t trying to be annoying. His face was buried in his knees when he finished speaking, all but folded into himself, making himself small…

    ... THE SIGHT OF her normally resolute protégé broken down so is enough to break her heart. It wasn’t unexpected; Bede was still young, after all, and at an age where emotions ran high... but that isn’t to say she would ever wish for him to feel this way.

    She wouldn’t wish those sorts of feelings on anyone.

    Opal listens quietly as Bede pours out all he needs to, careful not to interrupt or otherwise stop him. It’s only after he falls silent, all curled up, that she responds.

❝Mm... I’m so very sorry the world has been so unkind to you. All you’ve had to go through, all you’re going though now... that is what you don’t deserve. I only wish I could offer you more than words.❞

    Very gently, Opal moves a hand over to brush through Bede’s curls, careful not to mess up his hair and ready to pull away if he was at all uncomfortable with the contact.

❝I’ve never much liked the idea of deserving love... Being loved should never become something that has to be earned or worked for. Love is a gift, not a prize, and it isn’t a gift that should be given only to be taken back... Bede, dear, you are so strong and so incredibly remarkable. Look how far you’ve come! I know the world isn’t quick about giving you your due credit, and I’m afraid I can’t say how soon it will... but I know that given time, they will come to see just how dazzling you are, just as I do.❞

    Opal’s voice quiets, her tone tender.

❝I will never throw you away, Bede. Never. Even in your darkest moment, even if you were to become the deepest blue or the palest green, I will never cast you away, nor would I be any less fond of you for it. You’re working so hard, and I will do all that I can to help everyone see just how brightly you shine, if you so wish it. That is a promise.❞

[pinkuisitive]

    OPAL TURNS HER gaze upon every Bede out there, every reflection... and then turns it to anyone ( or anything. Looking at you, insecurities. ) that would go out of their way to upset them.

❝Never talk to me or my child or my son or my son or my son or my son or my son or my son or my daughter or my son or my son ever again.❞

[pinkuisitive]

faesthefacts​:

Her unquestioning words brought comfort to his turbulent thoughts.

For a moment, he wanted to let go. Parts of him begged to let somebody else hold the burden for a while.

But Bede was not stupid. Opal may be safe, but the tangle was not. He trusted Opal- But the trees were not things he put his trust into.

“…May we go somewhere more private?” He asked after a second of thoughtful silence.. He did not want to utter such sensitive things where the forest could hear him, lest his words be taken wrong or used against him.

“I would prefer not to have an audience for our little chat.”

He wanted quiet.

He wanted a place he could let go, where nobody but his chosen confidante could witness.

    ONCE AGAIN, BEDE proves himself to be clever, wise to the wiles of the forest around them. Opal can’t help but feel a spark of pride for him ( though a part of it was more directed at his evident willingness to open up a bit to her ). It’s with a soft smile that Opal rises from where she sits and approaches Bede to lightly place a hand upon his shoulder before leading the way out of the Tangle.

    There aren’t too many options close to where they are. Stow-On-Side was too crowded, and anywhere out in the open in Ballonlea would be equally seen, regardless of if anyone was visibly around. So, Bede is led to the familiar cottage that they shared, situated far enough to keep the Tangle from listening in, while also shielding them away from the residents of Ballonlea. As they make their way inside, Opal moves to quietly secure the latch on the door and draw the curtains over the windows in the room, only slowing down once she’s made certain that there will be no risk of eavesdropping.

    Then, Opal makes her way over to a couch, sitting down and quietly patting the seat next to her as she waits in silence for him to be ready to speak.

[pinkuisitive]

faesthefacts​:

Bede hadn't been paying much attention- He was more focused on not saying anything aloud,

so suddenly spotting Opal merely sitting there as if she were there all along had startled him greatly. Enough so that tears welled up in his eyes for a moment before he'd rubbed them away and uttered a lie he said far too often,

"I'm fine, miss Opal." Something shifted or clicked in his mind. Bede momentarily considered what he'd done, and chose to elaborate with a truth.

"I just needed a walk to clear my head- Nana was getting annoyed with me. I'll... Be alright in an hour or two."

Ever the type to hide away inside himself- Aside from his momentary break, his face betrayed none of what he felt. Emotions were a burdensome thing, and needed to be kept away from others, lest you disappoint them...

And they throw you away.

    THE INITIAL LIE causes Opal’s head to tilt, and she retains this posture as Bede speaks, silent as the forest around them. Icy eyes regard the boy over tented hands, taking note of what little he did show; the glimpse of a tear welling up before being wiped away in an instant, the mask of calm that he dons right after...

    He wasn’t a bad actor. Had it been someone else ( or something else ), he very well could have fooled them. Yet, unconvinced as she is, she does nothing to call out his bluff. Slowly, carefully, Opal lowers her hands to rest them on her lap.

❝I take it that something is there cluttering up your thoughts, then.❞

    There is no question, no uncertainty to the statement. Opal’s head lowers, eyes closing to grant Bede a momentary respite from her unflinching gaze.

❝If you say you will be alright, then I will choose to believe you. You’re a remarkably strong lad, after all! That being said... I haven’t a mind to force you, Dear, but it would please me greatly if I could help you in any way. Leaving your emotions inside to fester will only brew poison.❞

[pinkuisitive]

Here's a random word generator—whatever word it gives you is now the thing you are the deity of:

❝Those born under the sign of the Sawsbuck are in for quite a week!❞

[pinkuisitive]

pinkrival​:

               try not to stay angry for too long… easier said than done —— for the likes of bede, at least. he held on to grudges as if intending to age them like a fine wine. cultivated his irritation like plants in a garden.      ( each metaphorical sprout a different point of spite. of inconvenience. ) if nothing else, the gym leader could at least say his temper wasn’t anything like it used to be —— back before he ever cared enough to control it. that didn’t mean the boy had necessarily lost his edge, however.      ( far from it. )

                still. bede forced himself to take a deep breath, dismissing the staff member with a wave of the hand. a little bit of anger was healthy, but too much could just as easily poison him. he was struggling to learn the distinction —— though thankful, silently, for opal’s gentle reminders.      ( and praise. )

                ❝ actually, yes. ❞ the boy perked up a bit at the change in subject. ❝ for instance, i’ve been thinking quite a lot about my gym mission lately. ❞ an understatement —— he had nearly filled up an entire notebook with ideas. ❝ it seems a bit unfair if challengers can look back on prior years to get an idea of how to prepare, does it not? after all, the point is to test their capabilities and weed out those who lack the skill to progress. ❞ there was a cruel glint in bede’s eyes as he continued.      ( the tiniest spark of mischief. ) ❝ i thought it might be interesting to keep evolving and changing things. keep them on their toes, so to speak. ❞

               he smirked. ❝ any truly elite trainer should know how to adapt on the fly, shouldn’t they? ❞ and a pinch of trickery couldn’t hurt.

    SEEING THE IMMEDIATE boost in enthusiasm, small as it may be, is enough to bring a fond little smile to the old woman’s face... a smile that, upon hearing what Bede had to say, visibly grows.

❝Oho!❞ Her laughter quiet so as to not attract unwanted attention to their conversation, but it carries an unmistakable air of mischievousness. ❝Taking what they think they know only to weave it into a weapon? How delightfully clever! You're quite right, dear. A trainer making it this far would do well to expect the unexpected, especially when facing fairy types.❞

    She hums, somewhat nostalgically.

❝Oh, but they surely won't! Never did, back in my day... Oh, if only you'd have seen the challengers! The most put together trainer can be reduced to shambles when the rug is pulled out from under them. I remember poor young Kabu’s run particularly fondly.❞

    Opal chuckles softly at the memory. Perhaps she’d ought to see if she can’t find an old recording or two to show Bede sometime. Surely there are records lying around somewhere (and she’s of the opinion that it would be quite a good laugh for the both of them). Sighing, Opal regards Bede with an impish, golden glimmer in her eyes that betrays a playfulness hiding behind her usual composed demeanor.

❝Ah... I'll assure you now, Bede dear; the unprepared challengers are always the most entertaining to watch. Makes the job all the more fun~❞

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pinkrival​: 

               ❝ i… ❞ if the man had seemed overwhelmed by the tongue-lashing bede had no doubt given to him earlier, he was certainly completely out of his depth now. it took him a few moments to cobble together a proper response.      ( the young gym leader smirking cruelly at him all the while. ) ❝ i wouldn’t say it isn’t possible… ❞

                ❝ really? ❞ bede shot back, wasting absolutely no time in going for the throat. there was a part of him that got a bit of a thrill from arguing — from proving himself right. ❝ it’s rather interesting you say that now that ms. opal has joined us. a few moments ago, i recall you claiming quite the opposite. ❞ he hummed, tapping his chin as if trying to unravel a particularly interesting puzzle. ❝ i wonder if you were having a spot of memory trouble? there couldn’t possibly be another reason why you’re suddenly changing your tune now, could there? ❞ the gym leader’s eyes were as sharp as his voice, boring twin holes into the other with an unrelenting glare.

               the staff member held up his hands defensively, looking between the two behind his sunglasses. ❝ it isn’t… impossible, ❞ he repeated, ❝ but it isn’t something you can just — just decide at the drop of a hat, either. you have to run it by the league first. there’s paperwork… ❞

               ❝ then i will do whatever it takes. is that clear? ❞ bede narrowed his eyes, only looking away once he received a nod in return. turning his attention to opal, the boy dipped his head in thanks.

                ❝ i’m grateful for the assistance. ❞ a pause. ❝ i suppose i don’t have to tell you this is a matter i feel… somewhat personally about. ❞

    OPAL STAYS MERCIFULLY quiet as Bede takes charge in telling off the employee; she’s said her piece, after all! No need to sully Bede’s authority by adding more to it. She watches the confrontation up to the end with the fervor of someone watching an entertaining movie, only to straighten up and fold her hands in front of her as she’s addressed. 

❝Of course, my dear boy! I'm grateful to be of assistance. I'm afraid some folk suffer from the misconception that wisdom is in proportion to age. Makes it twice as hard for the young folk to be heard... Try not to stay angry at the man for too long, hm?❞

    ‘Too long’ she says, fully and unabashedly implying that Bede ought to be angry for at least a little while. A slight is a slight, after all! Opal could go on about not neglecting emotions and such, but she’s quite certain that the last thing Bede needs is a lecture on something he’s likely already well aware of. Instead, Opal’s head tilts, and she taps a finger idly against one of the bangles hanging off of her wrist.

❝In any case, dear, I'm quite pleased to learn what you have in mind to do. You're taking charge quite splendidly! Did you happen to have any more ideas in mind? I would love to hear about them.❞

[pinkuisitive]

    || Swishy-Swishies a feather duster over this blog ||

[pinkuisitive]

    It felt so much better to be able to run. While not incapable of it normally, maintaining her glamour meant Opal had a certain standard of acting to maintain. An old woman running at full speed is bound to grab attention, and she’s got enough of that with the eccentricities she still allows herself.

    But here in the Tangle with no glamour to speak of, who’s going to care if she’s running or not? Opal lets her paws carry her across the forest floor and across tree branches with no need for pause.

    Hm. But why stop at a run? With Bede taking over the stadium, she’s got no obligation to be around most of the day. Why not have a little fun?

    It’s not like anyone will know it’s her, anyways.

[pinkuisitive]

    A glance is cast around the particular section of the Tangle Opal stands in. Had she been followed at all? No? Lovely, simply lovely! If that’s the case...

    Opal claps, and accompanying the sound is a small scattering of sparkling light about her. And when it clears, there’s a different figure standing in the spot the old woman once was...

    Yes... yes it’s been far too long.

[pinkuisitive]

How adorable are you?

Tagged by: @hopskipnjump​

Tagging: Steal it!

❝Oho? What a cheeky little thing this is! A shame it seems to be faulty, hmm?❞

[pinkuisitive]

    Hmm. It’s been far, far too long since she’s gone on a proper run, hasn’t it? Perhaps its time to remedy that. Into the Tangle she goes!

[pinkuisitive]

{PrisonRose} What do you think Rose and Opal's relationship was like before he did the Darkest Day bull? What did she think of Rose when he challenged her during his own gym challenge decades ago? I find it interesting how she immediately blames Oleana for Bede's treatment when she takes him in. Do you think there's a possibility she was biased towards Rose to the point where she couldn't even conceive that he'd acted of his own accord?

{ Very good questions! I suppose a lot of the answers depend on the particular iterations of muses but let’s see...

Knowing our lovely Ms. Opal, she’s usually the type to try and see the best in people. And she did! I don’t imagine she was on bad terms with Rose before everything at all. She may have tried to avoid him a tiny bit, but that’s more on account of his Pokemon’s typing than anything personal. That being said, if he was at all visibly secretive about what he was doing, I can’t help but wonder if she wouldn’t be suspicious of him. Providing that suspicion was there, it would probably war with Rose’s outwardly pleasant demeanor and she’d likely end up feeling unsure of him.

In regards to Rose during his gym challenge days, htrgefds it’s kind of cool because we have similar headcanons as to what her gym mission would have been! So, I actually imagine she’d have found Rose endearing back then. He’s tried his best, and he didn’t give up even when she tripped him up a few times. He may have ended up brute-forcing it in the end, but that doesn’t invalidate the fact that he did win. She’d have been eager to see him grow and become someone greater, even if her methods of helping weren’t the most direct.

And then there’s Oleana. My idea as for why Opal is quick to pin the blame on her is personal and heavily headcanon based. I haven’t gotten this idea fully fleshed out, so forgive me if it’s worded vaguely, but bear with me! Seeing as the game doesn’t ever elaborate on why Opal suggested Oleana was the problem, I have the headcanon that somewhere along the way, Opal helped Oleana out somehow. They struck up a deal, and once Oleana got what she wanted, she didn’t hold up her end of the bargain. Opal’s a friendly woman, but she is still a fae, and there’s nothing quite as bitter as a faerie spurned. So, call it a personal bias! }

[pinkuisitive]

faede replied to your post “❝Μια μικρή υπενθύμιση σε όλα τα υπέροχα παιδιά μου εκεί έξω για να...”

"Σας ευχαριστώ κα. Opal."

❝Φυσικά! Τώρα, προκαλέστε κάποιο χάος, αγαπητέ.❞

[pinkuisitive]

❝Μια μικρή υπενθύμιση σε όλα τα υπέροχα παιδιά μου εκεί έξω για να μείνω ζεστή και να μείνω ενυδατωμένη. να αρρωστήσετε θα καταστρέψει όλη τη διασκέδασή σας!❞

[pinkuisitive]

BOLD ANY FEARS THAT APPLY TO YOUR MUSE!!! ITALICIZE WHAT MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE!!! (and add your own if they aren’t listed)

the dark | fire | open water (sea/ocean) | (any) deep water | being alone | crowded spaces/enclosed spaces (agoraphobia) | confined spaces (claustrophobia) | change | failure | war | being controlled/lack of free will | prison | blood | being a burden | drowning | suffocation | public speaking | supernatural monsters/animals (any kind) | heights | death/dying | intimacy | rejection | abandonment | the unknown | the future | not being good enough | scary stories | talking to new people | defeat | poverty | loud noises | being touched | powerlessness | bugs | ghosts | growing old | rain | lightning | natural disasters ( any kind ) | poison | school | hospitals | pain | mirrors | god / religion | buried alive | betrayal | people | social class | freedom | frogs | dogs | challenges | making friends | injury | powerlessness to prevent loved ones from being hurt | marriage | child-rearing | adulthood | the cold | humiliation / disgrace | violence / aggression

tagged by: @faede

tagging: @mpd-thing @hibana-hyottoko @paradise-feared (For Lola!) @frosted-lass @conspiracysteelist