by the skin of your teeth

Please help me, neck deep in the river screamin' for relief. He says, it's mine to give, but it's yours to choose. You're gonna sink or swim, you're gonna learn the truth. No matter what you do you're gonna learn the truth sayin'... Ate the bread that once was stone Fell from a cliff, never broke a bone Bowed down to get the kings overthrown And I'm all alone and the fire grows And I'm all alone and the fire grows And I'm all alone and the fire grows

[azure-rhapsody]

royal-storm started judging you

[royal-storm-blog]

"Gaping as always- I see you have not changed in the slightest since my brief respite, Zhi." Pi spoke coldly, fixing the other with disinterest.

[royal-storm-blog]

For any new followers, this is a recycled blog.. so if you see some old posts as a different character- oops! Couldn't be arsed to delete them all~

[royal-storm-blog]

red & blue [@Silver]

[tsuningdropped]

Usually, even the slightest intentionless mention of Team Rocket or the their failures was enough to make the hot-headed redhead flip his shit, so let alone having to deal with a member of the organization that lost twice to pathetic, wimpy eleven-years-old kids in the past. Bonus flipped shit if said member is one of the four executives. Silver couldn’t stand the sight of any of them, specially Ariana and Archer.

The teenager closed his eyes shut and forced out a sigh. An attempt to calm down himself and not to explode again, because apparently nothing could push away the blue-haired executive’s always obnoxiously cool demeanor, and his colorful insults always didn’t cause a single effect on him. His eyelids opened again, a pair of cold, piercing silver daggers now glued to Archer’s figure.

“Shut up." He spat bitterly. By now, he started to think about how awful his luck was, to find the one and only Archer walking around like nothing is happening (or happened), provoking him like always. But Silver wasn’t twelve anymore, and he wasn’t going to stand there taking all of the executive’s bullcrap. “Whatthe hell are you doing here? Fucking Arceus, I can’t believe that of billions of idiots, the scientists picked the worst of them all!”

[royal-storm-blog]

Such delicious and unwarranted anger.. Archer found himself licking at his lower lip idly, as if to suppress his growing amusement at the boy who whined and groaned out insults as if they would ever be enough. It had been awhile since Archer had seen Silver, perhaps Silver had been here a great deal longer than Archer had? Was that where he was hiding at...? Truth be told Archer didn't care- Silver wasn't exactly someone he would intentionally search out unless it was for business reasons.. and even then... "It's safe to assume you and I are here for the exact same reasons.. Though what that reason is still perplexes me." Just what was the point of the city? "Care to share your insight on this place, dear Silver?" A smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. "That is.. if you can manage to speak an actual sentence without having an episode.. I do know how hard it is for someone like you to speak like a mature adult." 

[royal-storm-blog]

Archer!! Have you seen Silver? I can't seem to find him.

"I am not a baby sitter, child. If the boy wishes himself to not be contacted- then so be it. Chasing a man who is deliberately hiding from you is as pointless as it gets… Though I can’t say I blame him for vanishing…"

[thecrimsonsentinel]

A cruel reminder[Archer/Red]

[thecrimsonsentinel]

It hadn’t been much more than a second after Red had collided with the stranger that the Pikachu perched on his shoulder began to growl, tiny, harmless sparks forming on the edges of its red cheek pouches- fortunately still capable of doing so, thanks to the single move he’d been granted. It took a moment for his trainer to notice why; the young man had never met this other person before. But as the other spoke, the sense of innocent awe in regards of the city dropped, and his expression changed dramatically.

Team Rocket? Here? Were… Were they the reason for this entire mess? For the first time since entering this new environment, the reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. At first, despite only having been there such a short time, he had believed it would be a fairly straight forward task in returning home- figure out what the scientists wanted, combat them or do as was needed. But if what this man said was true, being a Team Rocket Executive… There had to be something bigger, and worse going on in the background. Hadn’t they been disbanded? Twice now, if he recalled correctly. So what exactly was going on here?

A frown etched its way into the teen’s features, fists clenched as he took a small step backwards, barely noticeable. He hadn’t been much older than a kid when he first faced off against these guys. But now he was pretty much an adult, and still they seemed to be causing trouble, even in a place he had been told was entirely separated from their own ‘universe’. Questions babbled endlessly in his head, but all he could do now was focus on the man at hand.

“I guess all my luck went into the first few times I’ve met a Rocket,” he retorted, arms coming to a rest across his chest, staring the man in the eye. He apparently knew Red’s name, which there were no end of reasons for that, but this guy seemed almost offended to be in his presence, which was kind of rude, but hey, what do you expect from a guy like him? Though, the Trainer had never met this particular Executive before, so… why exactly did he sound like he’d been presented with an extremely sour berry?

He wasn’t about to let the nature of the other man’s words worm their way through his head, disregarding them in place of his own. A welcome from someone whom probably considered him an enemy still? You gotta be really dumb to think that didn’t sound like danger. Because of that, he had to be careful- while Red had only been given Pikachu, this guy might have an entire team of Pokémon at his disposal. Yeah, quite his luck indeed.

“I’m not about t’accept a welcome from someone who prob’ly wants me to jump into the nearest sharpedo pit.”  He didn’t bother asking about the fact that he was Rocket, or why he was still considered an Executive if they were disbanded. He figured that if what the Scientist on the TV earlier had been telling the truth, which he honestly had no reason to doubt, then this guy had been brought there against his will too. He frowned; he’d crashed into this guy on accident, but the coincidence was incredible. Next, he asked the next, most obvious question in his arsenal. He gestured with one stationary hand at the elder, indicating his entire person.

“You obviously know me, but… who are you again?”

[royal-storm-blog]

Ahh, and there it was. Archer studied the other like only trained eyes could. Confusion melted into understanding. Red was piecing the situation together. Bravo! A job well done! Archer figured the other deserved a clap on the back, but just couldn't bring himself to be interested enough to move from his current position, back pressed against a nameless building, lanky arms folded within one another across his chest. Everything screamed disinterest about his posture, which wasn't exactly wrong.  "It seems you're fresh out of luck, and at such a dreadful time nonetheless...Luck is.. cruel like that, mmm?" Red was a tad shorter than Archer, and how opposite their stares were. Red's was bright and fiery, burning with his emotions. Practically an open book, and it was astonishing to see such rawness. Archer's own glare was cold and steely, eyes almost half-lidded and seeming to be forever uninterested in every thing happening. A humorless scoff parts his thin features. Archer shakes his head. "Now now.. where would the fun be in that? It'd be ten times more rewarding to be the one pushing you to your own demise. In due time, child. In due time."

"How terribly offended I am that you do not know me." Jests the elder, letting his eyes travel the length of the other. It was a purposeful gesture, one to indicate his higher position in the meeting. "I am the man in charge. I took over Team Rocket after Giovanni fled. I staged the Goldenrod city take over almost singlehandedly, using the radio tower as a means for... greater communication." Nostalgia touches his bitter tone, and Archer finds himself pursing his lips. "But for the moment being. I am your enemy. That is.. a simple enough answer for you child, is it not? Seeing as how your ideals on this world are so black and white. Good and evil. Left and right. To be young and careless.. and stupid. Rest assured Red, this city is your second concern when dealing with me."

[thecrimsonsentinel]

A cruel reminder[Archer/Red]

It wasn’t easy to get Red concerned about something; there were only a handful of times that the trainer had ever been legitimately worried about something, and none of them had ever been for his own wellbeing. Heck, even now, he was more concerned about his Pikachu, and the rest of his team that he no longer possessed rather than about what was going to happen to him. After he’d exited the small, unmarked door, leaving the screen that had previously been telling him about why he was even there, in the dark. Needless to say, he was confused, disgruntled, and a little bit more than irritated at the whole thing. ‘Experiments’, ‘test subjects’, it all smelled so fishy, it was worse than one time when he could catch nothing but Magikarp while fishing.

Sighing, he felt a small nuzzle on his cheek. At least he still had Pika with him; every other pokeball containing his friends had been confiscated without his knowledge sometime before he woke up there in that room. ‘I hope they’re all okay.’ It had been a long time since he’d gone without his team, and he felt vulnerable without them- and he could barely stand to think they’d be stuck somewhere he didn’t know, without anyone to let them out or keep them company. Maybe they had been sent back home? To his ‘universe’? The concept was all too mind blowing to think about. To be in a separate dimension all together- sure, he’d seen some weird stuff back home, and certainly wasn’t the first one to say anything doubtful about fantastic events happening. But this? This was crazier than he’d ever dreamed of.

Glancing at the corner of his eye at the small yellow rodent, whom sat comfortably on his shoulder, Red gave him a hopeful and reassuring smile. “Don’t worry buddy, we’ll figure this out, just like we do every time something happens.” With that, he laid a hand on the Pokémon’s head, petting him softly as he turned toward the nearby board the man on the TV had mentioned earlier. The black haired teen located his note after a few moments of searching for his name; despite his worry, he was actually kind of excited to explore this new place. With a small exclamation, he snatched it from the crowded surface, scanning the neat, printed letters carefully.

Subject: Red Housing location: Sector oo4, Complex oo4, Apartment L-4 Apartment roommates: Byakua Kuchiki and Andy Bernard.

Below this, was a finely printed set of directions and instructions, fine tuning what he’d been told and a few extras that he hadn’t. It didn’t interest him at the moment, aside from the fact he was roomed with two other people. He wondered what they were like, and if they had been taken from their homes like he had been, too. Red folded and tucked the paper into his jeans pocket, mentally noting to make sure he didn’t lose it, or forget to reread the information later when he’d need it. For now, he was actually eager to explore, stepping away from the billboard to get his first real look at the City that would apparently be his new ‘home’. At least, he promised to himself, until he found a way back to his real one.

Looking up, the sun glared off the metallic and glass-encased framing of the buildings around him, blinding the teen for just a moment before he could get a good look at the tall structures.. By now, he was used to big towns and cities, lined with nothing but shops and apartment complexes. But this place was by far the biggest he’d ever seen; it was even larger than the Battle Frontier back in Hoenn! He couldn’t help but let his jaw sink in amazement. For a second, he completely forgot about his predicament, and felt genuine awe creep up in the back of his mind. Wherever this place was, regardless of how or why he’d been taken there, he couldn’t help but admit that it was impressive and kinda cool too.

In the midst of his absent boggling, the steady pace of a few bystanders continued, ignoring the new member of their community as though it happened daily –and for all he knew, it did-,  and just as he turned about to look at another skyscraper standing tall above him, he crunched shoulders with some stranger, very nearly sending both himself and Pika, as well as the other person tumbling to the ground. An indistinguishable jumble of words fell from Red’s mouth as he stumbled a few paces passed his collision mate, catching himself just before he took a nice faceplant into the ground.

Straightening up, feeling a bit like a chicken with its feathers ruffled, he turned to face the stranger.

“Sorry about that! Wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going, hahaha.” 

He scratched the back of his head, giving the person a sheepish grin.

"My name’s Red. I’m… uh, new here."

[royal-storm-blog]

Holed up in his pathetic excuse for living quarters, Archer had taken it upon himself to explore the city, More, as the brilliant scientists called them, subjects were being torn from their respective dimension each and every second. When would enough be enough? Surely they worried about purposefully offending powerful creatures and warriors and trainers alike.. let alone to toss them into one single area to mingle as they pleased seemed.. foolish, and above all else messy. There must have been talk of revolution, of an uprising- hope did such stupid things to people. It made them forget their limits, and that was always weakness in Archer's mind. His steps were swift and of purpose, there was no time for apologies as he brushed shoulders with strangers. He had stopped for a moment- a single one at that when he had been shoved into. Everything Archer did was quick and meaningful, it was evident in the haste in which he caught his balance. Archer's level gaze was trained forward on a familiar frame. Slim, lanky, messy hair... that dreadful yellow rodent. The child who had, in every sense of the word, destroyed his home. Anger traced his features briefly, but was snuffed out with the coolness that a trained mind could only muster.

"Running into a Rocket Executive on your first day here? My.. you have quite the luck, don't you Red?" Sarcasm was all but tangible in his voice and smirk. "Well please, let me be the first to welcome you to the city. I can tell you and I are going to be good friends."

[shadeofhugh-blog]

"Now why would I join a group of thieves and thugs? It isn’t the right thing to do." This man certainly was pushing his buttons, and Hugh was really close to punching the man.

His sister ill? How was that possible? He saw her before he disappeared not too long ago. Okay he need to get hit now. Hugh huffed in a unsatisfactory tone. “I doubt you know how my sister truly is doing." Yeah  how could Kotone deal with something like this all the time.

[royal-storm-blog]

"How.. touching." Archer muses for a moment. "I'm sorry to inform you we only allow people who show.. promise into Team Rocket. You're much too foolish and hard-headed to ever be in an organization as such." "And now you don't believe me? I say.. you are quite rude, child." Archer turns his back on Hugh, a smirk on his features. "Then I suppose I shouldn't bother wasting my time if you don't believe anything I say, mm?"

[royal-storm-blog]

surprisingly familiar [open post!]

[heartgoldsoulsilver]

As the grip tightened the trainer’s eye twitched in pain. She could even hear him breathe out of how close he had pulled her to him. She never intended to just run into his back that way, she didn’t even know it was him, she would’ve turned around before ever touching him. But she was easily distracted aside too immerse in her own thinking to realise she was about to walk into a really bad situation.

"Well, I don’t think they ever thought something like this was possible, but you should know… you’re not powerful here and you should be nicer, and I still have Chikorita with me!"

Yeah her pokemon could defend her if it was necessary but she really couldn’t just reach out her pocket to get the pokeball out.

"It really hurts please don’t… I promise I won’t come close to you again, please it really hurts a lot." For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to apologize perhaps because she was too concentrated into how much pain she was feeling.

[royal-storm-blog]

Not powerful? How.. delightfully ironic- had the situation transpired in a different way the child might have been honored to hear a huff of air- as close to a laugh as she would be blessed with. "I care not for your obnoxious Pokemon. I'll have you know my Houndour would sear Chikorita alive. Perhaps you've been observant enough to note the lack of any Pokecenter here- or Pokemon catered medicines. Your poor, poor Pokemon would never recover- not as long as we were trapped in this hell hole." A sick and sinister grin pulls his lips, cold orbs of steel blue examining the fearful ones before him. They were close, uncomfortably so. Almost affectionately Archer rests his forehead against the others, while retaining her soft and slender wrist in his pale clutches.`

"Your begging is.. futile, child. If I had wished to snap your wrist- rest assured it would have been already. I am a man of action- not futile threats." In harsh contrast to his previously low and dangerous tone.. Archer sounds apologetic- or at least he attempted too. "Power, child.. does not leave those who are blessed enough to wield it just because they are summoned to a new world. You would do best to make allies with people you wouldn't dream of." Suddenly, the Executive tosses Lyra to the side- her lighter body hitting the ground with a resounding thud and the sudden lack of another next to him causing him to move away. "If you wish to survive of course. I could care less oherwise."

[royal-storm-blog]

[Will be doing replies later tonight! If anyone is up for a starter lemme know~ Also Proton-mun your ask box is disabled ;-;]

[royal-storm-blog]

[And off for the night! Ttyl everyone, was a fun little session- glad to Rp with you guysss~]

[royal-storm-blog]

red & blue [@Silver]

Ahh.. The familiar twisting of brows and narrowing of visage. Silver was still so obnoxiously easy to decipher. Confusion flickered in the other's expression. Just what was he going to do, now that someone who knew what they were talking about was here? It seemed Silver had been dealing with, to be blunt, idiot children since his apparent arrival- but NOW what?

"Still no hi..." He muses almost to himself, fixing SIlver with a look that screams disinterest.

Both of them knew if this was any other situation, and they had their beloved partners a fierce battle would take place. Words only conveyed so much. If anything, this was a similarity the two shared.. Good luck getting either of them to admit it. No surprise, Silver blew up. Archer was silent, only fixing him with that same disinterested look- although a small grin was seen parting his thin lips. So angry. So easy to toy with, still, after all these years. Archer was glad to see the other was still a twelve year old throwing tantrums at heart. "And here, all I was doing, was saying hi to an old friend. How dare I..?" Amusement touched his words. "Your petty childish outbreaks will do you no good here. I don't suppose you know where daddy is, mmm..?"

[royal-storm-blog]

just so everyone knows I'm actually really nice OOC I SWEAR!

[royal-storm-blog]

surprisingly familiar [open post!]

[heartgoldsoulsilver]

She let out a loud noise after feeling his hand grab her wrist. She knew very well there was no running away once he had taken care of her because this wouldn’t be the first time something like this happened. It was like he hated her for no reason, okay maybe he was still mad over what happened in the radio tower but it’s been some time already, he shouldn’t hold onto grudges that long, right?

"Oi…" He was actually holding onto it very tightly already, enough to cause her pain. But she didn’t even do something to make him mad so fast. “My parents they said to not talk to the bad guys because it’s going to get me in trouble…" now that he mentioned it what happened to her mom it’s been months was she looking for Kotone maybe she was or maybe thinks she’s just travelling around damn. 

Aaaaand now he’s just too close to her, bubble of privacy Archer did you forget about that? Not that she was one to speak but at least she didn’t mean to hurt people as she got too close… “I didn’t mean to walk into you, can I go now?"

[royal-storm-blog]

That whimper was almost enough to cause Archer to grin in delight. She was so frail and powerless, though it was in bad taste to physically abuse that. He was an Executive- not some lowly grunt prowling the streets. Even criminals had a sense of class in situations like these- though he did not relinquish his hold on her. Rather, his fingers tightened around her smaller wrist, pulling her roughly closer to him. "Interesting. I find myself questioning what your parents said about situations like these.. You know, being transported to an, as far as we know, completely different universe." Patience was one of Archer's stronger points. Scoffing, he repeats himself. " I told you already. Apologize to your superior for your idiotic clumsiness and perhaps I will be so kind enough to let you go. It'd be a shame if I had to snap your wrist to remind you just exactly who you were dealing with." Maybe it would do her some good, and remind the city-dwellers Team Rocket had returned...

[shadeofhugh-blog]

"Like Team Rocket is a bouquet of flower right?"

He eyed the strange man circling around him. He didn’t like what he was seeing so far. “My sister? She’s fine. How goes you business with Team scum, I mean Team Rocket? Terrible?" If he thought he was gonna gather another team here, he was crazy.

[royal-storm-blog]

"Trivialities, Hugh." Idly, Archer runs his tongue along his own thin lower lip. Mmm... He had to pick his words carefully. "Patience, child. Patience. In due time, you will see just how Team Rocket is doing. You know.. it's never too late to join us~ Perhaps I would even be kind to spare you or your beloved partner." Stopping in place, back to the other, he smiles wickedly into the sky. "Is she now? I heard your darling sister was dreadfully ill.. at least before I was abducted into this strange world. And here, big brother is playing superhero instead of finding a way back into his own world. That poor, poor little girl. Children put so much faith into those who don't deserve it."

[royal-storm-blog]

[Okay so I edited my theme and it's a lot more kawaii and wow ok here I go to do some quick replies. Silver I'll be responding to your reply in an actual RP post because I won't have enough characters in the ask box if that makes sense.]

[royal-storm-blog]

surprisingly familiar [open post!]

[heartgoldsoulsilver]

Apart of being in a real bad mood lately the trainer didn’t really want to run into people anymore, she was on her way back to her apartment, she’s probably going to just lock herself in for a whole month and pray to Arceus someone comes and destroys the city because this place is horrible. And now even Team Rocket members are around which makes it all just even more awful. 

"Bad luck is this what they call bad luck, yes it is." She hoped not to ever see Archer again or anyone else, Petrel is probably around smoking and being mean to people too. wow this is just stressing her out even more than she ever thought it would and then suddenly—— bam! she hit someone’s back for not paying attention.

The girl stared at the back for a good 3 minutes unsure what to say should she apologize maybe, yes it wasn’t other people’s fault she was in such a bad mood or had bad luck. But just when she was about to open her mouth she realised the clothing the person was wearing it was just strangely familiar…. White and very elegant… Nothing just anyone would wear like… Oh Arceus. It was the executive himself once more.

"Arch——" nope she didn’t even finish saying his name when she had already turned around and began to walk fast very fast she hadn’t even notice the pokemon was out, luckily she was going to get away from him with no harm or having to give explanations. She should be asking what he was doing there but at the same time he made her very nervous for some odd reason.

"yeah I’m outtie…."

[royal-storm-blog]

Rude. Archer found himself stumbling just a bit forward, though he was quick to regain his balance. It was about time, honestly. Archer was waiting for someone clumsy/stupid enough to not watch where they were going and run into him. Such was life in the big city, and he remembered back to when he lived in Mahogany town and all of the times he was ran into. Bless those fools.  Turning in place, Archer finds himself scowling down at the perpetrator-.. oh..?

"Well well well..." A cold hand clutches firmly at the wrist of Lyra just as soon as she turns around to likely run away, forcing her back around. "How rude of you, child. To run into your superior and try to run away without saying sorry? Didn't your primitive parents teach you any better...?" Leaning down, Archer cocks his head, keeping his grip tight on her wrist. "Come now child, apologize to your superior." Force would be exerted if necessary, Lyra likely knew that.

[shadeofhugh-blog]

"Ouch." Cue Archer placing a hand on his heart. “So cruel you are..~" His lips part, and a sneer is seen on his features. “Perhaps you’re correct. /Or/ maybe, just maybe, your stupidity will be a bountiful gift for me to take advantage of. Hm."

"Oh I’m cruel now? Wait till you see me unleash my rage." He chuckled at his stupid catchphrase. “And I’d doubt you’d be able to.." He raised his hands and air quoted. “Take advantage of me." He had the most unamused face on right now. This was the guy that revived Team Rocket?

[royal-storm-blog]

"Pardon me, you 'unleashing your rage' sounds about as appealing as inhaling Koffing fumes."

Grinning at the other's raw reactions, he crosses his hands over his chest and circles Hugh. His eyes are cold, calculating and raw in their emptiness. "How goes your sister, Hugh?" His voice was low and.. seemingly knowing. Was there something he knew the other didn't? Perhaps..