How strange. Has Piers always owned a lyre? He's surely never bought it, but the lovely instrument is sitting there amongst his other belongings as though its been there all along. The craftsmanship alone tells him that this should be worth a small fortune, made dark polished wood with intricate engravings.
It feels... right in his hands. Natural, even. Like it was made just for him. If he has no song in mind, they seem to come naturally. Working songs, drinking songs, songs of the people of ages long past; ones that haven't been sung in a very, very long time. They wish to be remembered.
In exchange, all that is asked is a story; share a memory of rebellion.
(xoxo fae presents from @swcrdheroed)
The odd instrument is on his bed sitting directly upon his pillow as though waiting for him. When he sees it his heart races for a moment, rushing to check the locks on all the apartment windows, then his closet and under the bed. The locks remain fastened, the closet untouched since last used and the only residents under his bed are some dust bunnies awaiting the next time he has energy to clean under there. He knows the front door was locked and nothing in the apartment is moved. Had someone been there he's certain they would've taken something even if he considers most of his belongings worthless. They're worthwhile to somebody and worth a disturbing amount online.
When all is clear he returns to the instrument, picking it up to investigate it. It appears old yet in pristine condition as though it were made just yesterday. The engravings on it look like flames with the bottom akin to a birds head, a blue gem where the birds eye ought to be. Is there something familiar to this design? In his hands it feels as though it simply demands to be played. Almost thoughtlessly he strums the chords, the sound making him think of songs he's never known. The more he plays though the more the memories become personal.
The Birth of the Yell Raiser
He's young again barely sixteen, Macro Cosmos employees and members of the Leaue's Board are walking through Spikemuth on their way to his house. He can see the disgust on the Board members' faces as they look over his family's city, his city. One pulls a handkerchief out to cover their mouth as though they'll catch something just from being here. He runs to tell his dad of their approach. His father is glassy eyed and distant Piers worries momentarily that he hasn't been heard. But his father sighs, tells him to take Marnie and wait outside, that he'll handle it. There's a gnawing dread in Piers' stomach but he does as he's told. Standing by the front door with Marnie and glaring at the group as they are welcomed to his home. He hands Marnie to James asking him to watch her for a little bit and promises Marnie that everything is okay.
Then he returns home, sneaking to the window to listen in on the conversation. Anyone else would be unable to make out a word being said. But he can hear them just fine. "We just don't think the gym is prospering as it could be. You've been a fine gym leader all these years. But since the death of your dear wife..."
The mention of his mother makes Piers' heart drop and his hands turn to fists. It's barely been a few weeks, and they're using her death as if it were just a bargaining chip in their game? "You haven't been the same. Don't you think the gym deserves better?"
Piers' peers up into the window, trying to get a look at his dad. His dad's head hangs low as the employees stand around him, and the board members sit about the living room table. It's a claustrophobic scene. Piers has to strain to hear his father, who is practically whispering. "We're doing fine. I'm... I'm going to pass the reins to my eldest. He's strong..."
"Cadell. We need the gym open by the end of the month. If the gym isn't open again you're going to lose your place among the major league anyway. Besides, doesn't he deserve better? If you hand the gym over to a new city you and your family can leave this place. Wouldn't you rather go somewhere more comfortable than here? This city... You know it doesn't have long."
"I... I know..." Piers doesn't hesitate hearing his father's almost silent admission. His hands shove him away from the wall, his feet carry him before he even realizes he's moving. He hears others asking him what's wrong, what's going on, as he turns the corner of the house heading straight for the front door. The door slamming open, unbothering to close it to the on lookers outside.
"We're not leaving!" His normally meek voice carries loud enough that it nearly echoes through all of Spikemuth. Everyone in the leaving room turns to look at him. Even his father's head is raised in his direction. "The gym ain't moving, we're not leaving and all a you can go fuck yourselves!"
At the mention of the Gym moving gasps and whispers erupt from the small gathered crowd outside. Nervous glances are shared among the board members. Piers father speaking his voice quiet, even and exhausted yet still commanding. "Piers..."
"All a you have already taken enough from this city!! You're not taking our gym, too!" Piers ignores his father's warning as he steps forward into the room. Sounds of agreement erupt from the crowd outside.
"We're not trying to take anything away, we're just trying to-"
"BULLSHIT! You guys have been trying to kill this city for years! Well I'm not going to let you! We're not gonna let you! This is our city, not yours and if I gotta I'll keep the likes of you out of it myself!" Without realizing what he was doing his hand wraps around the head of an empty bottle sitting atop the trash and the bottle is leaving his hand again thrown directly at the group before he can think twice of what he was doing. The group all duck leaving the bottle to crash and shatter against the wall behind them. The league members sitting jump to their feet as does Piers' father while the Macros Cosmos employees put themselves in front of the board making a barricade between them and the child.
"Ellis!" Piers' dad voice is raised amongst the commotion brewing outside as people begin yelling in agreement to Piers' stance.
"Cadell! Control your kid!" One of the members closest to his father snaps. A Macro Cosmos employee grabs the member, whispering that it'd be better if they left now before things got out of hand. Piers hands grip into tighter fists nails digging into his fists. He steps aside as the group begin making their way out of the house. Macro Cosmos employees having to hold back the gathered crowd who have nearly turned to a mob yelling insults and a few even joining in on throwing things at the suited men. The sight emboldens Piers and despite the way his father grabs his arm he pulls himself free following the group out.
"And stay the fuck out of my house, out of our whole city even! We won't let you take anything from anymore!" Piers following them yelling the entire time with the mob now following behind him throwing rocks, garbage, anything they can get their hands on and yelling in agreement. He only stops when he sees the familiar stage of the gym. Separating from the group to climb atop it while some follow him others continue to chase the group from their home. He grabs the mic usually used for announcing turns in battles and turns it on to carry his voice through all of Spikemuth.
"Everyone hear that?! This is our city and no posh bastards' are gonna take it from us!" Cheers of agreement and encouragement ring out through the crowd as adrenaline rushes through the young boys bloodstream.
"If they wanna bleed it dry we're gonna make 'em fight for every drop a blood they think they want! Whose with me!" It's the first time he hears the roar of the crowd, over time the crowds would grow far bigger. But none would ever be as deafening, as meaningful as this one. This was more then the cheering of fans, these were the cheers of the start of a rebellion, the creation of a new leader to Spikemuth. The birth of the Yell Raiser himself.di
when he sleeps, Hau finds himself upon an island. small and secluded. familiar yet strange. there sits a man, hooded, hunched. he gazes up at Hau with eyes unlike any he had ever seen—like crystal clear water, reflecting the sky back at him. eventually he looks so deeply back into them that he falls in.
hau sees his home. his friends, his family. the faces of people he loves. alola stretches out before him. out beyond the island, the bars of a birdcage rise up into the sky. the door is open.
he feels compelled to fly. to soar up and out of the cage that confines him. beyond its bars he will see the world, many worlds, all laid out before him. landscapes both familiar and alien passing beneath him as he flies, as the seasons change. spring, summer, autumn, winter, and repeat. over and over again as he ventures further and further from his home.
eventually his journey brings him back to alola. to his home. the people are gone, replaced with faces not quite familiar to him. the seasons continue to pass. the faces change. less and less like the friends he once knew.
they are gone. now all that awaits him are strangers.
(the hooded man watches on the whole time, somewhere in the edges of Hau's consciousness. Hau awakes with a pit of dread in his chest.)
[ xoxo omendreamed ]
He barely realized he had dozed off, but it was bound to happen. Curled up in the sunshine that poured in through his bedroom window on his brand new bed, Hau finds himself on an island.
There's a strange guy on the island. He's never met him before, and yet he feels so compelled to look into his eyes. They're not a sight he can place, and yet--
He falls in.
The dream starts off warm. Cozy. Like a tight hug. There's a birdcage surrounding them on the horizon, but the door's open. The sight of his loved ones gives them the courage to fly, and so he does. Faster and faster he goes, towards the opening between the bars. What he finds beyond the door is amazing. Sights he's never seen, and sights he could've only dreamed of seeing when he was younger. Some he recognizes, others are brand new and therefore even more thrilling.
Before he knows it, seasons pass. He's enjoying his life, feeling free, and then... He's back in Alola.
But something feels off.
Hau looks around, but barely recognises anyone. The people he cared for aren't around anymore. There's not much familiarity left besides the islands, and even those are looking different than he remembers.
Where's everyone gone? No, it couldn't be-- The courage and joy he once had fade, and the door closes once more.
He wakes up gasping for air, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"This... Team Plasma group. What is it that you're trying to do, exactly?"
The man before Ghetsis is an oddity, to say the least. His voice, his manner of dress, even his body language all stand out; everything about him screams that he does not belong here, but he still carries himself with a rare confidence. Not pride, but a sense of certainty. This is a man who knows what he is here to do, and what he is capable of if pushed.
His guard is up, but the thoughts running through his head are obvious at a glance. (If he could fold his arms, he likely would, but the left is amputated at the shoulder. He makes no effort to hide it.) He's looking for something. Someone, maybe. He steals glances around the room. He's anxious. He's prepared to be angry.
( <3 @twindtragedy )
"We're 'trying' to make Unova a better, more hospitable place for all. Its foundations were built on unity, and to achieve true unity you must have equity... so we focus our efforts on boosting the voices of most underserved of the population, such as Pokémon."
He went into the spiel without a second thought, having not even looked in the man's direction before beginning to answer. He did, inevitably, look up from where it was he'd been watching Plasma lackeys tear-down stage equipment, and when his eye caught sight of who was before him he tilted his head sideways in interest.
It wasn't that Ghetsis had a dramatic moment of intuition or anything-- the man simply looked capable and level-headed. Older, too, and was missing an arm. The left one. They couldn't shake hands if they wanted to, not without it being an inconvenience.
He was merely interesting, and Ghetsis enjoyed a challenge.
So as to not scare away said challenge, he wouldn't reveal everything Plasma had in store so easily. Instead he turned the conversation on the stranger;
"I wish more people would ask questions these days, so thank you. What we do here means very little if no one is willing to learn and gauge truth for themselves. I am Ghetsis, Plasma's Great Sage. Who might you be, sir?"
❝ you’ll keep your trap shut if you know what’s good for you. ❞ (from adair for val ih au the girls are fightingggg)
Tloz: Tears of the Kingdom starters
Val gave him a look with raised eyebrows, as if he might not entirely believe the threat, but didn't say anything... for now. The man was not really in a position to be threatening him right now, but the prince also wasn't trying to make his life worse than an already was. Pity he didn't seem to get that.
Still, it was challenging to just sit there...
"Are you sure you don't want something to wear with a little more coverage?"
Dear Wyrm, Poor Wyrm, would that I could save you. Would that I could save both of us. Fate hath dealt a cruel hand to we both ; but know I bear you no ill will. You bear no more fault in our pain than the waves that crash upon the shore. I hope that one dawn, you will find peace. (xoxo calyrest)
@calyrest
The wounds on the surface have sealed, thanks to his sacrifice, but the torment of this dimension bending around him, distortion through extra-dimensionality, remains.
At first, Eternatus doesn't speak. He simply lays his head upon the ground before the Once-Was-King and closes his eyes, a strange reaction rearing in his core. One he'd not felt before.
He wanted to touch Calyrex, wanted to be gentle, tender even. Yet this piece's claws stilled in their movement, resisted the urge.
His touch was toxin, and Calyrex had long since been poisoned to the brim. It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?
His thoughts finally, quietly, ring back in Calyrex' mind.
Would that I could leave, would that I could take your pain and your death back. Would that I could have never blighted these lands. I know not what fear is, but is this what grief may be?
Their pain remains undeterred, their fates irrevocably intertwined.
when Cyrus sleeps, his dreams that night carry him atop mount coronet. at its peak sits a shrouded man. his eyes are clouded by the cosmos themselves. "Divinity does not wait idly by."
( sweet dreams, ❤️ @ omendreamed )
It's not often Cyrus remembers his dreams. When he does, it's a dream with aspects so familiar he can't be certain whether he was dreaming or not.
This time was different. It'd linger in his mind not because of its familiarity. He'd never encountered this figure, nor the marred dream-state face he had, and that stood out.
"I know this."
He doesn't speak, he thinks he does.
Cyrus is at ease, self-assurred, as though the top of this mountain were his domain. So he approaches, and when he sees the stars in the figure's eyes he feels as though they, too, were his domain.
Drawing closer, until all he can see are stars.
"-- Only those who do can achieve. Those who do become divine."
Send in “Did you know?” to hear what plans / original ideas for my muse were heavily planned or were scrapped!
((Admittedly, by some miracle, not a lot has changed about Falkner. Let me think...
I guess in terms of 'early ideas', I pictured at least some roleplays focusing a lot more on Falk's role as Gym Leader and his work around the Gym, so I have a lot of worldbuilding and headcanon built up around that? It only really gets used in passing and drabbles.
Early Falk was a lot more single-minded and a bit rough around the edges. He really only cared about the Gym and aviary, so sometimes he could be a little rude.))
