LuckyBlackCat

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

"Sorry!" Without another word, Jess climbed into the car. Her ribs started tightening as if the small, closed space contained little oxygen. Calm down, Roxy's the one suffering, she kept telling herself. She couldn't make the situation any better, than much was clear, but she didn't want to make it worse by letting the panic she took on show.

As Roxy flipped between radio stations, Jess tried to focus on the snippets of music that faded in and out from the static. At least they both had that as a distraction - not that it did much to ease the anchor's feeling of being trapped.

It was only when the car started moving that the empath spoke again, guiding Roxy while looking out for street names and images she recognised from the map. It was only a small way of helping, but it was something. Then again, like Roxy had said, nothing could help in any significant way right now.

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Another shudder ran through Jess as her words brought on a flare of annoyance in the anchor. Way to try to reassure Roxy by saying stupid thing after stupid thing. "Well... I mean I'm not going to claim to understand completely," she admitted. Even if she picked up on the feeling of time slowing down, that didn't mean she had any idea what it was like to directly experience it - or why Roxy felt that way. How presumptuous she must have sounded. "And about the lessons, a learner in the driver's seat probably wouldn't make things any less stressful... Unless it'd give you something to focus on. Uh, what would you prefer to do?"

Hoping she hadn't said the wrong thing again, she hauled her suitcase into the back of the car. Maybe driving lessons would be mutually beneficial, or maybe they'd be yet another burden on the woman who'd already put herself out for her in many ways. If that was the case, she'd wait. Once the shield strengthened enough, she'd be able to get lessons from someone else, not out of ingratitude but so that Roxy wouldn't have to torture herself. Who knew how long it would be, though, until they could safely be apart?

She opened the door to the front passenger seat, ready to climb in if Roxy wanted to stay behind the wheel.

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Jess grimaced at Roxy's answer. "I'm sorry, I know..." She trailed off. Her words weren't empty ones, she really did know, having taken on that warped sense of time from the anchor before - but the last thing Roxy needed was a reminder of someone intruding into feelings she tried to keep locked away.

Guilt spread through her as she trudged outside, not just about the weak attempt to cheer up Roxy. There it was again, that loneliness welling up in the anchor and leaking out, like a wound that kept opening up and bleeding instead of healing. Because I keep opening it up, the empath thought.

She cringed again as the anchor asked if she wanted to drive. She appreciated that Roxy was trying to give her more freedom, but... "Uh, well, I haven't had actual driving lessons yet," she admitted. "I did a theory test and was going to, but then... Umm, that plan got put on hold. I can give you directions, though."

She'd thought she'd already mentioned this, before the drive from the cabin to Roxy's place, but that day had been such a whirl of ups and downs, she wasn't sure if she fully remembered such a detail among more significant ones. If she really had told her, given everything the anchor must have had to think about, Jess didn't blame her if what she'd said had slipped her mind.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Just posting up the link here so we both have it as a reference: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7customgame-765755975

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Ok, gym team is ready if you want to try now.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Yep! I'm remaking the Showdown team for the gym leader and will let you know when it's done.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Mesalon, the town with the Normal type gym leader. Is Deneb still in the gym?

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Yep, go for it! Also, if you still want to get a Meditite, Mesalon would be one of the best places to find one.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Well, you can always go with Alexis got a bit more training in, if you want. If not, then level 10 or 11.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy Probably best to go with around level 12, given all the training.