Because the fine dining establishment of Restaurant Le Wow is held in high esteem by the vast population of Lumiose City, it attracts many (wealthy) customers on a daily basis. What may account for the restaurant’s popularity is its atmosphere, food, and service, which all come together to provide a pleasant dining experience for those who visit. However, there is also the possibility of spotting Pokémon Champions… and that, of course, entices trainers to come and eat.
While Lucille has grown fairly accustomed to the flux and flow of activity, it hasn’t always been that way.
As she meticulously wipes down the surface of one of the empty tables, she begins to reflect upon the past– which, is something that is done quite frequently for someone who seeks to erase it.
Ren smiled and nodded response to Lucille’s polite reply, then turned back to the map and resumed his attempt to memorize the route he’d chosen. Sure, he could always take the map back out if he was unsure, but he didn’t want to be one of those people, with their gazes always rooted on their maps or swirling around, searching for landmarks without any consideration of the people around them. He’d look like a tourist.
After a few moments, though, Ren became aware of the fact that Lucille was still standing there, watching him. It seemed like the conversation wasn’t over. Ren had just been being polite, nothing further, but it wouldn’t do to ignore her or be dismissive. The last thing he needed was to get on someone’s bad side in the place where he worked, especially when he was lucky just to have gotten a job here in the first place.
Ren folded the map in on itself and picked his head up to meet Lucille’s eyes.
“By any chance… is there something the matter?”
Ren stiffened. He thought he’d been acting casual enough while he glanced over the map, and when he’d said his pleasantries to Lucille. And yet somehow she’d seen Ren’s discomfort. He replayed the past few minutes in his mind, searching for anything that could have tipped her off. He clutched at the map, crumpling it between his fingers as he drew it closer to his chest.
Hoping to hide his nervousness, Ren smiled. “I’m just a little lost around the city still is all. You’d think I’d have my own apartment figured out after living here for a month, but, well.” Ren shrugged. “Guess directions aren’t my forté.”
With some effort, Ren released his vice grip on the map and gestured with it towards Lucille. “Hopefully this map will help. At the very least, maybe I won’t end up on the opposite side of the city.” He chuckled, trying to forget how it had felt when he’d actually made that mistake: lost, the buildings too tall, looming over him, unfamiliar faces everywhere, seeming to leer out at him from every shadow. He’d been terrified, to be honest.
But Lucille wouldn’t want to hear about that, so he’d laughed.
The dinner crowd was mostly gone, but Ren was still cleaning up the remnants of their meals. At least he wasn’t in the middle of that mad, feverish rush any longer; things were a little more calm now, to be sure.
Ren still couldn’t believe the sheer volume of people that came to dine in Resturant Le Wow. There were more customers every night than there were people in Ren’s hometown; or, at least, that was how it seemed to him.
Lumiose City was absolutely massive by any standards, but Ren, who had grown up in a tiny town where you were on a first-name basis with every neighbor, had been overwhelmed. He’d been living in the city for a month now, and he didn’t feel any closer to learning his way around. He still got lost on the way back to his apartment more times than he’d like to admit. Ren had tried to take a taxi back once, but he wasn’t about to make that mistake again. When the driver had told him the price, he’d been so flabbergasted that the driver had actually laughed. The memory alone was enough to bring with it a swell of embarrassment, though he’d tried to laugh along at the time, of course.
But then...the city was beautiful, especially at night, with all those lights. That much Ren could admit, even when he was hopelessly lost.
When Ren went back into the dining room to collect the next set of plates for the washing machine, he was relieved to see that they were the last. The couple that had been sitting there, chatting happily and holding hands over their dessert, was now hovering by the door, saying their last goodbyes to the maître d’. By the time he wiped down the table and carried the plates back into the kitchen, the last customers were gone and the owner was turning off the ambient music and getting out his keys.
Once Ren had finished the last of his work, he said his goodbyes to the kitchen staff and grabbed his things from the back room. He pulled out the map that he had bought this morning and stopped to examine it by the back door. Absently, he undid the bowtie and the top few buttons on his uniform as he read.
Ren had bought the map from one of the hundreds of stands catering to tourists that morning, determined not to risk getting lost any longer. The city’s wheel-spoke streets and criss-crossing alleyways made a little more sense when seen from above, but not much. The restaurant, famous as it was, was marked plainly on the map. The neighborhood where Ren lived, undesirable and uninteresting as it was, was decidedly not. Ren frowned down at the map, scanning for a familiar street name and willing himself not to get frustrated too easily.
Movement at the edge of Ren’s vision drew his attention upward. He glanced up, and saw a girl walking by...one of the waitresses, he thought. He’d seen her working around here nearly every night. Her name is...Lucille? They hadn’t talked much.
All Ren had was that one suitcase filled to the brim with the unassuming sets of clothes he’d accumulated over the years and other bare necessities. There wasn’t anything personal inside; he didn’t have anything from his hometown other than a singular set of clothes that was already growing threadbare and his Pokémon.
It felt odd to empty everything out after all of this time. This suitcase hadn’t been empty for a long, long while. Probably not completely since Ren had bought it. But now, every last corner of the bag had been emptied, its contents placed neatly in the closet or spread across the bedroom. His bedroom.
It’s just temporary, Ren tried to tell himself. No matter how much he was unpacking. He swore that he wouldn’t let himself take advantage of Andrew’s kindness for too long; just enough to get back on his feet. That was all.
Still, when he finished up the last of the unpacking and tucked his suitcase under the bed, it felt all too much like he was moving in. The idea made him feel awkward, uncomfortable.
Claustrophobic.
Finally, after Ren had straightened his clothes in the drawers for the third time, he was forced to admit to himself that there was nothing more he had to do in the room. Everything was put away in its place, fastidiously neat. Just like his room back home. Ren tried to shake the thought out of his head.
When Ren left the room, he shut the door quietly behind him. Even the small sound of the latch clicking into place seemed entirely too loud to Ren. To his ears, any sound he made seemed obnoxious, an annoyance to these people who had been so kind to take him in.
There was someone in the living room when Ren stepped inside; a girl. Though Andrew had of course mentioned her to Ren, he was still somehow surprised. Looks like I’ll have to get used to living with other people again, too.
Ren swallowed tightly, then paused in the doorway to wring his hands. Come on, you’re stalling. If she sees you, she’ll think you’re a weirdo, he told himself. Still, he couldn’t quite bring himself forward. You have to make a good first impression. You don’t want her hating you if you’re going to be living in the same space, do you?
Ren stepped forward lightly. “Um, hi,” he said, finally. “You must be Andrew’s sister, right? Dakota? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” When Ren took a closer look at the girl, he saw that she had to be a few years younger than he was. How must she feel, having a strange man living in her apartment? Ren curled his shoulders in and slouched, making every attempt he could to appear non-threatening. He offered her a smile that he hoped came across as kind.
Ren was hidden from the orange-clad group, he tried to tell himself. He was safe.
But he didn’t believe it. He was hidden, yes, but he was trapped. Flames had eaten up the path behind him, leaving forward as the only way left. But if Ren darted out now, they would see him without a doubt.
And then what? He didn’t know, but he knew he didn’t want to find out. So, he watched, and waited.
The pillagers seemed to be having fun, at least. They joked, and laughed, and chatted with one another like this was just some party they were attending. Ren searched for a reason why they might be doing this, strove to understand, but he came up blank.
Ren hoped that they would just pass him by without noticing. Once their backs were to him, he decided, he’d be able to sneak away the way they’d come. It wouldn’t be without danger by any means, but it was the best option that Ren could see. Once he was gone, he could gather the rest of the townsfolk, tell them who is was destroying their town. And surely, together they’d be able to do something about it. He followed their steady progress with frantic eyes. A bead of sweat dribbled down his forehead, though he wasn’t sure if it was from the heat or his own fear.
Just when it seemed that they might pass Ren by, and he’d be safe, a voice called out to him.
Ren froze. No. No, no, he pleaded, but he couldn’t quite convince himself that there was someone else hiding around here that the woman could have been referring to. If he thought he’d been stuck before, well now...now, he was absolutely doomed. The rest of them would turn, see him now, he was sure of it.
Calm down, Ren told himself as he tried to steady his breathing. That’s what I get for thinking I was hidden here, right?
Trying to swallow his nerves, Ren let his eyes flicker over the imposing figure that had spoken to him, then the scene as a whole. He considered his options.
He could try to escape. These people likely wouldn’t expect him to be psychic, and he could probably manage to push them back for just a moment. Then, he could make a break for it.
Ren didn’t like the idea; his heartbeat picked up just at the thought. But what other choice did he have? Trying to talk with them? Oh, yeah, they sure seemed like a reasonable bunch.
Ren stepped out of the shadows with his arms raised in a gesture of helplessness, trying to fool her into thinking he was ready to give in. He tried to quell his shaking and stand up straighter. Before he could make another move, though, Ren thought, Don’t I know her?
Where could he have run into thugs like these before, though? It was stupid, irrational. But the familiarity was there nonetheless. His eyes narrowed. He was just about to give it up as his imagination, though, when he realized--
If Nimbasa City wasn’t just so unfairly large and crowded, Ren might not have been running to try to make it to his job interview on time. Sure, it wasn’t as big as Lumiose City back in Kalos, or even as big as Castelia, where he’d first come into Unova, but it was still enough to be imposing. Especially for someone who was used to a tiny town like Geosenge. And as the entertainment hub of the region, the city was filled with tourists and people looking for fun--in essence, people who weren’t too inclined to get a move on.
Ren tried to squeeze through the crowds without bumping into anyone, but it was nearly impossible, especially with his suitcase bopping at his side.
Ren needed this job. He’d finally had to check out of the hotel where he’d been staying because he just couldn’t afford it any longer. He’d try to find a cheaper place to stay for the night, but even that would only be a temporary measure. His meager savings from his last job were already wearing thin.
He really needed this job.
And he was running late for the interview.
Ren tried to focus on just getting there. Worrying about what would happen if he didn’t make it would be counterproductive, he told himself.
Easier said than done, of course.
Across the road, Ren caught sight of a deserted alleyway headed in the direction he needed. Once there was a break in the crowd, he quickly cut across the street. Just as he was about to step back onto the sidewalk, though, the indignant beep of a car startled him. He flinched, and his foot hit the curb wrong. Ren’s ankle twisted with a burst of pain, and he went falling down onto the ground.
Passers-by scattered as Ren smashed into the pavement; he heard their gasps of surprise. His palms burned where they’d slammed into the cement, and his ankle throbbed. This isn’t what I need right now, Ren thought, frantically. This is the last thing I need. If I don’t get up, get there, then I’ll--
Ren could feel his panic rising. He stopped, pushed the thoughts down, and took a few moments to steady his breath. He remained immobile for a few moments, all his focus on his breath, before he tried to stand.
When he did, Ren’s ankle screamed out in pain. He might have gone tumbling right back down to the ground if he hadn’t caught himself on a lamppost. Gingerly, he leaned his weight against his twisted angle, testing it. Almost immediately, he had to stop and suck in a sharp breath at the pain.
There was no way he could walk on that. Or, at least not quickly. Not quickly enough to make it on time.
Stop. Think. What else can I do? Could he find some way to contact the park officials, tell them he’d be late, and why? Maybe, but would they be willing to let the lateness slide? He didn’t want to risk it. Maybe he could hitch a ride...?
As he thought, Ren tightened his grip on the lamppost. He was met with a flare of pain from his hand; at first, he assumed that it was just from where he’d rubbed it raw in the fall, but when he glanced over, he saw blood dripping down from the bottom of his hand, far more than a mere scrape would warrant.
There was a deep gash in the heel of Ren’s palm, he saw when he examined it closer. He must have caught it on something in the fall. It was only an inch or so wide, but it was deep, and bleeding profusely.
Oh, fantastic. He watched for a moment, dumbfounded, as the blood dribbled out and pooled in the center of his palm. Was that gonna need stitches?
☯ : Do they believe for every darkness there is a lightness? If not, why?
He really, really wants to believe it. And in his best moments, he probably does, though he’d be too embarrassed to articulate it even to himself. But when he’s feeling bad, and afraid, and hating himself, it becomes harder and harder to convince himself.
☆ : Would they ever wish upon a falling star? If so, what would they wish?
Probably not seriously. He’s a little too much of a stick in the mud to do that. He might think something in passing if he ever saw one, like “I hope everything goes well.”
☁ : Describe how they would spend a stormy, overcast/rainy day.
Ren would probably treat it the same as any other day, getting work done and such. He likes to keep busy. If it was raining, though, he might try to catch up on his sleep. The sound of rain helps him get to sleep, whereas he usually has trouble with it.
♥ : Name one thing about the way their emotions work that they despise.
Ren hates how afraid he gets. It’s his default reaction to most things: get nervous, start to worry, and search for a way out of the situation. He knows how anxious he gets, and that most of the time it’s illogical, but he just can’t help himself.
❣: Describe a way that will earn affection (whether platonic or romantic) from them.
It takes Ren a lot to show affection. First of all, you’d have to be at least sort of close to him. Being honest with him is one way. Forgiving him for his mistakes also helps (if you can convince him that you’re telling the truth). Making him feel safe is a big one.
Ren finds the sound of rain really calming, so I’d say storms.
☾ : On a sleepless night, what would they be found doing?
Ren’s actually got issues with insomnia, so he has a lot of sleepless nights. Back when he was in school, he’d spend the time studying. Now, though…he tries to avoid just lying there with his thoughts, because that’s almost always bad news. Usually he’ll just find something to keep his mind occupied. Most often, it’s reading.
♆ : Are they prone to violent outbursts or thoughts?
Definitely not; he’s way too reserved to have outbursts of any kind. He’s the type to bottle things up for sure. He tries to keep his thoughts and feelings in check, too, so he doesn’t have many violent thoughts, either.
When Ren first woke up to the sound of screams and cries of “Fire!”, he thought it was a dream. The destruction, the chaos, the shouts: they certainly seemed like something out of his nightmares. To be sure, they would have been far more at place in his sleeping mind than his generally peaceful waking life. Even when his father had dragged him out of bed, shouting that Geosenge was being destroyed, his mind had been hazy, and it had all just seemed too unreal to be true.
But now, there was no denying it. Not with the scent of ash on the wind, or the sting of the scrapes he’d amassed from the debris flying through the air, or the pervasive, stifling heat that threatened to suffocate him as he watched his hometown’s destruction. Every detail added to the picture seemed to tell him: This is real. This is happening. Those are actual people screaming for their lives.
No one seemed to know what was going on, where the fire had started, why the destruction had spread so quickly. Some people--Ren’s father included--seemed to be trying to stage an evacuation, but they were too few, and the panic was too great. Ren could hardly blame everyone for freaking out--not when he himself had been frozen in place, watching the scene unfold before him, suddenly unable to breathe in anything other than short, rasping breaths.
A terrified wailing close by broke Ren out of his trance. He turned, and saw a woman--Wasn’t she the school librarian?--trapped under a collapsed house. Luckily, this house in particular wasn’t on fire, but the flames from her neighbor’s home were already growing dangerously close. And with her legs trapped like that, she wouldn’t have time to get away. Ren watched, entranced, as a group of people rushed to her and tried to shift the beam enough for her to get away. They struggled, but it amounted to nothing, nothing.
The flames licked at the rubble, and the woman screamed.
Before Ren could give himself time to think about it too hard, before he could talk himself out of it, he lifted his hand towards the beam, concentrated, and pushed. The people struggling with the beam gasped at the sudden release of weight, turned to stare in Ren’s direction. He squirmed under their gazes--to him, they felt cold, questioning. They said nothing, though, and Ren didn’t let himself falter until the woman had crawled out and away from the danger.
While the rest of the townsfolk helped the woman up, Ren ran.
After that, Ren couldn’t find a reason not to use his once-hidden psychic power to get people out of danger. Everywhere, people saw him, saw what he was doing, but he forced his thoughts away from that every time they strayed in that direction. He moved almost without thought, as if he was in a dream.
Ren heard another gaggle of voices, and he followed them to their source. However, it quickly became obvious that these were not another group of frightened residents. Their voices were too light, too unafraid. Ren slowed his pace until he was creeping along. And when he finally came upon the group, all of Ren’s suspicions fell into place. These people, unfamiliar to Ren, were all uniformed in an orange only made more bright by the flickering flames surrounding them. They made no move to help, but rather only added to the destruction around them.
Did they do this? Ren wondered. It seemed likely. His veins seemed to have turned to ice just watching them. He clutched at the corner of the house he hid behind as his fingers started to tremble.
Hello hello everybody! Adele here, aka Fire/Bill-mun. Aaaand this here is Ren! I wanted a more serious-ish muse to balance out my two other happy nerds, so please forgive him his drama. Anyways, please treat him kindly!
If you’d like to thread, I’m up for pretty much anything! (some pre-established relationships would be super cool wink wink). I’ll post an open as soon as I get an idea for one (aha) but please feel free to drop into my ask box! Or else soon I’ll just start ambushing other people’s.
Side notes, I’ve also got an open drafted for Bill finally.
