“Touya” she allows the syllables to roll off her tongue – her curiosity triggering and lingering. Hand extending and palms touching. Here, in the middle of nowhere she made an acquaintance. One reveling in a peculiar kind of mystery.
The scene is set. An enigmatic encounter, a speeding car and a gnawing wonder. It was already some sort of blockbuster movie.
Perhaps under any other circumstances their introductions would have been lighthearted and fleeting. But this afternoon with the weight of warming summer air and a not-so casual bump meeting, he sticks around for everything but small talk.
The sun feels hotter on his skin by the second; Touya awaits any sort of hint, but Leaf tells him that she is merely a passerby. Despite her assurance of innocence, she dwells on a memory? a hunch? and that teases him.
Touya—
Have you ever come across suspicious activity?
He certainly isn’t a stranger to it, but these past few days were fairly peaceful given the distance from urbanity. The Unovian shakes his head slowly as he relives the trip up to this moment: training and a bit of foraging - no human interaction since dinner at a lodge. If he recalls correctly, some men at a table asked the server about the area. Tourists, he concluded
at the time.
Touya tilts his head, ready to pick at the memory when movement catches his eye. He suppresses any sign of this detection however, wisely focusing on Leaf’s patient gaze.
He gives a little laugh - couples it with a quiet warning. “ Someone’s watching us. Just behind the treeline. ” An inherent request for measured nonchalance. “ I think they just got here. Doubt they can hear us though. ”
—wonder what Braviary’s up to.
If he wasn’t so preoccupied, he would debate replacing Braviary’s name with Leaf. After all, the nature of suspicion acts like ink, bleeding out in all directions.
Lillie waited for Touya outside at one of the campus’ patio tables. She noticed him finally approaching her to sit next to her. “I was about to start eating withou— !!”, her personal space was being invaded, which startled her a bit. Her cheeks turned bright pink having Touya sit so close to her all of a sudden…or was it caused by the surprise attack?.
Mixer?, she repeated in her thoughts. She’s never been to one, never even thought or had an interest in going to one. Avoiding his invite, she slightly pushed Touya with her elbow.
Keep reading
A grin stretches across his face when a flustered Lillie retaliates with a push. It’s small but enough to make him spare her their usual mischief— they had food out, after all.
She doesn’t grant him the luxury of a yes-or-no answer; it was never that easy anyway, so he settles in his own spot across the table for his friend’s comfort. The girl goes off, busying herself with why’s and nibbling on her food. His lunch remains untouched as he lounges there, watching her intently because he always sensed some sort of preoccupation in her voice.
He’s eager to address it someday, but it probably doesn’t help that he maintains direct eye contact when it’s her. She chews with defiance, trying to burn him out.
“ Quit judging my cooking. I’m learning. ” Touya returns her pout, then puts his elbows on the tabletop.
“And maybe if you come along, you’ll learn to let loose. We might enjoy it. It’s definitely a different vibe from one-on-one outings. You’re not cornered and obligated to seriously click with someone. There’ll be plenty of people to talk to. ” He sneaks in a wink. “ You’ll have me, too. ”
Touya would be lying if he said he is 100% into it; hypocritical of him to advertise like so, but is there any real harm in this? He ponders if the both of them would surprise themselves and steal the show— Lillie, a pretty, spunky girl with reservedness to take in hand and Touya, who’s curious about the atmosphere. Who knows? They might find a real gem.
There is a street sign wearing its name like a badge, steel firm and rooted yet it doesn’t really do Touya any good. An anchor without an ocean floor, a bolt without a lightning-rod. His Xtransceiver is dead and who carries a map around in this day and age? The Unovan’s lost — but with dignity (if that mattered).
The city went to sleep an hour ago, and he should have withdrawn to his hotel but the unknown beckoned him. Friendly as ever with it, he obliged and now he’s patrolling the perimeter of an urban park like some car in a roundabout, waiting for some new path to light up and take him.
Stretching his arms out in front of him, his steps become heavier, his entire body pouting. Rarely did an impromptu ‘vacation’ (in quotes because such a faraway trip would label him deserving when that idea is distanced even farther from truth) backfire. Never the city’s fault; must be in some mood impervious to the liberation and uplift of travel.
Touya turns to enter the park,
and encounters a game-changer.
What would he tell the officers?
- At what time did you arrive at the park?
- I don’t know. My phone was dead.
He’s confronted by a fresh pool of blood; messy and demanding. None of the show-dog landscaping could win back his attention. The harsh splashing of a fountain, the flickering of a blurry street lamp. He’s tuned back in and wonders if he had completely shut out the thunder of a chase or screams of a struggle.
A wave of relief washes over her at his response. It only occurs to her now that she had been holding her breath.
Inhale, exhale.
He was alright. She was alright. They were alright.
Weren’t they?
Touya manages a reflection of her smile, worry set aside momentarily to acquaint themselves. He accepts her touch again (granted it being far gentler now), and doesn’t refrain from thanking her another time when she certainly deserved it. Leaf. Short and sweet - fitting for an interesting stranger.
“ I’m Touya. ” He opts to shake her hand once he’s back on his feet. “ I’m surprised you can laugh after that scare. ”
His gaze strays away with good reason, trailing the tire tracks that distressed the dirt and tall grass. The entire scenario is peculiar, encountering someone so far out, a person with a Kantonian accent at that, and a car expending way too much fuel. While it’s been months since his last clash with potential malintent, his gut still demands protocol and wills his itching hand to action. He idly thumbs her knuckles with a lingering trace of gratitude, then releases her hand to activate a PokeBall. Braviary materializes behind him, wings magnificently stretched.
“ Leaf and I need your help. ” He’s on autopilot now as he’s patting his clothes. He was wrong before to let lunatics go about their business. “ Follow the car that left these tracks. If they’ve turned around or stopped someplace odd, hurry back. ”
He can’t imagine his own involvement in anything shady - after all, it’s been almost two years since direct contact with villainy, but resurgences and this new acquaintance in front of him could very well be wild cards. He isn’t a paranoid person, but that car wasn’t casually ‘passing by’ either.
Braviary squawks when Touya suddenly signals to delay its takeoff. “ You’re not... on the run or something, are you, Leaf? ” He mimics her again, giving a nervous chuckle. “ ...anything I should know? ”
The moon takes her seat in the sky and his eyes are ready to succumb to her reign, but he stands defiantly, before a door that is wearing too many coats. Nuvema whispers with a night breeze that wraps around him, urging him closer to the home that must be just as friendly, but the gleam of lacquer repels his fingertips. They search for chipped paint - for remnants of avidity and reception. The layers of time intimidate him, but a golden glow saturating a pair of curtains has him aching like a moth.
Touya could run into every situation but this.
It’s awkward, the way he knocks. Arm extended and feet planted - like a tree tapping a bedroom window with a timid branch. Would he be just as much as a nuisance? The same hand retreats too late to brush through his hair with self-reproach, suddenly gripping brown locks and he huffs.
He regrets knocking. He regrets regretting.
He blinks at the entrance with an almost bored expression now, nurturing his distaste of his sorry state. There is no way he can argue that he isn’t seeking refuge here; eager for time with a good friend as he would have when he was eight years old. He just hopes that @theidealofstrength needs it, too.
Touya takes a deep breath. Doesn’t check his watch. Rehearses.
You look good.
Meandering around the patio tables outside the dining hall, Touya lets his backpack sling down to the crook of his elbow. He busies himself digging for his lame excuse of a packed meal, throwing a few greetings and smiles in different directions without any intention of changing course. He had enough of an interesting conversation with some of his peers that morning. And already late to lunch, he wouldn’t leave @lisry waiting any longer.
Temperature kindly kicked up for spring, and they’d agreed to eat in the sunlight today. She’s alone at a table, always putting this hour aside for the two to have some time to themselves. Her lunch appears almost untouched however, and Touya pouts a bit at that, watching her delicately fiddle with her cellphone.
Enough guilt!
Without an appropriate hi or my professor kept us a little longer than usual, sorry to announce his arrival...
“ Hey, princess. You should come to a mixer I’ve been invited to. ”
Touya resists a cheesy smile, sitting closer than usual to evoke a greater reaction from his distracted friend. Would she blush? Slap him? Probably both - those responses weren’t exactly rare with Lillie.
“ It’s true. I’ll actually go if you come with. ” He adds, using his normal voice.
Send “✆” for a MORNING text.
Send “✉” for a text that WASN’T SENT.
Send “☎” for a RUSHED text.
Send “⁇” for a DRUNK text.
Send “✿” for a SUGGESTIVE text.
Send “ø” for a LATE NIGHT text.
Send “✘” for a HATEFUL text.
Send “#” for a RANDOM text.
Send “@” for a SCARED text.
Send “&” for a LOVING text.
Send “%” for a CURIOUS text.
Send “ツ” for an EXCITED text.
Send “$” for an ACCIDENTAL text.
Send “♀” for a HEARTBREAKING text.
“ Well, excuse me for wearing fuzzy socks when there’s a foot of snow outside. ”
Another static shock jabs him, and Touya gives a mighty groan. Surely one of Volkner’s Pokemon could save him with its Lightningrod ability, but the Gym Leader shows no initiative to help the younger trainer.
Touya pokes the man, but the move is futile and the recoil of static electricity strikes him with regret.
