Marlowe

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @Severance @Lord Orgasmo @AmpharosBoy @NachoBachoPacho

At least she got out of the women's bathroom in one piece. Jules was still a little bitter about having this tall one around, but she could keep an eye on him this way. Jules allowed a small scowl to cross her expression, wincing when she felt pain strike her face again. She was able to handle it, though she was more annoyed than anything. The blow wasn't hurting as much as before. Perhaps it would become less inflamed in the next day or so. She passed by Donny, once again patting him on the shoulder to aid in waking him up, before she glanced towards Simon. First aid kit, huh. "I'll accompany you to your horse. Though, I think I have a plan," she added on. "You should stick with us until we get through the desert. We'll be safer in numbers, no?"

That, and she could actually get a read on him like she had planned before she got in this whole mess.

---

She was exhausted.

All five of them had traveled a significant amount of ground. The desert was tough to traverse, and the scenery was less than welcoming. All around them were sandy dunes, in the distance there were stark cliffs; to be frank, everything looked the same to her. Whoever was in charge of leading them for now had to have a good sense of direction... if they actually had a sense of where they were going. Jules didn't trust any of these people with her life, but since they were American, they might have a better idea of where they were going for now-- even though she wouldn't be surprised if they were stupid enough to lose themselves in the desert, even with a map.

For now, they decided to make camp. The desert night was surprisingly chilly, a stark contrast from the desperate heat they suffered through during the day. They had found enough firewood to make a small campfire. Large enough to cook whatever they had on them, but small enough to attract any unwanted attention if they were lucky. She sat down on the sand, her back leaning against a rock that crested around their little camp. For once, she was strangely silent as she mulled over what had transpired. It had been quite the different start than she expected. The second stage was going to take more than a week or two. What was going to happen next? It's not like things could get even more bizarre, she thought to herself as she pulled her bag towards her. Rummaging through the contents for a few moments, she pulled out her package of jerky and opened it. She stared into the distance as she ate, chewing slowly as she savored her small meal.

I am Thou, Thou art I | Persona

MENTIONS: N/A

"Nice to meet you, too," Seiya had replied to Haruki. She turned towards the larger boy and offered a smile at his thanks. He had been much sweeter than she thought he'd be; she expected him to ignore her or not even give her a thank you in reply. "Let's head to the cafe. I heard the coffee is pretty good there," she replied towards Haruki. She wasn't sure if she should have invited the tall boy-- maybe next time she would. For now, it was just her and Haruki.

Their studying session didn't last long. By the time that Seiya got home, it was roughly six o clock in the evening. Her parents still weren't home by the time she arrived, though that was normal. They'd get home in the next hour or so. She had remembered that they told her to order take out, which pleased her; she wasn't in the mood to cook. The school day had taxed her for some reason. Maybe it was just the crash from the coffee she drank with Haruki. Or maybe it was just because she helped him a bit too much. Then again, she was prone to doing that with just about anyone.

After having her share of dumplings, Seiya completed the last of her history homework and turned in for the night soon after. Rain still tapped against her window as she laid face up in her bed. She scrolled through a few more pictures of cats on her phone before she decided that she should probably get some sleep. Just as she tabbed out of the screen to roll over in bed, she noticed something... different. A strange red app without a name. Huh. When did she download that? Did she download it when she needed some study help? She didn't even remember. Well, she definitely didn't need it now. With a tired sigh, she held down the app and forced her phone to delete it before she went under the covers. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

---

_{April 20th, 2019
8:15am}

It just wouldn't stop raining.

Seiya was glad for her umbrella. The heavy downpour soaked everything else around her-- the cars, the benches, the sidewalks... The storm didn't seem like it was going to stop any time soon, either. It felt just like winter again; she had to wear a thicker jacket than usual for the rainy breeze brought a chill to the air. At least she was close to school already. The only thing she wanted to do was get to school and keep dry in the meantime. It wasn't that far from where she was. All she had to do was walk two or three more blocks and she would be there. Just as she neared another corner, however, Seiya saw a small, huddled shape underneath an overhang. It was a creamy tan in color with perky ears and a curly tail. Was that a dog? It was drenched in water and looked miserable. Where was its owner?

When she reached the dog, she pulled off her schoolbag and unzipped it. Seiya always brought a snack to school, though the dog seemed to need it more at the moment than she did. She took out a bean bun, unwrapped it, and parted it in half, making sure to not make a mess of the filling inside. The dog hardly moved. It watched her with wide, curious brown eyes, tipping its head to the side when she held out the bean bun. Now that she was closer, she noticed that it had a studded black collar but no dog tag. What a shame; there was no way she could find a way to take it home, then. Nevertheless, the dog appeared friendly. It took a step forward, sniffing at the bun before it took it from her hand and devoured it within a few bites. "Stay safe, alright?" she told it. The dog blinked at her in response. Seiya felt bad for the poor thing. It was so cute; how could someone be so careless as to lose a dog? She smiled, softly patted it on the top of its head, and continued on her way to school.

Our Beloved Dreams of Sinnoh | Pokemon

MENTIONS: @King Cosmos [Tobi's Magnemite]

There sure were a lot of other trainers. Arthur swore he saw a Riolu and Houndoom somewhere in the mix. He only watched them, quiet as he thought about how to battle them. They would be easy opponents; Nero would able to take down the Riolu quickly with a Flying-type move. Nero didn't seem to mind his surroundings, ravenously digging into the berry as he filled his belly. There he went again, thinking with his stomach... Arthur honestly couldn't blame him. Nero hadn't seen a serious battle in ages, no wonder why he was so lax with the trainers around.

Something bumped into the back of his head. It actually kind of hurt, and Arthur thought that someone had thrown something at him. Scowling and rubbing the back of his head, he turned around to see a Magnemite hovering literally centimeters away from him. "What the hell? Go on, get! Shoo!" Arthur barked out. He wanted that Magnemite gone; he was pretty sure it almost shocked him! Nero had other plans, however. The small bat-like Pokemon, seemingly having filled himself with the berry, fluttered up into the air and flapped towards the Magnemite. He hovered about the electric-type Pokemon before attempting to perch himself on it, chattering mischievously. "Whose Magnemite is this?" Arthur called out, finding himself slightly miffed. This thing was agitating his Pokemon! Where was its owner?

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: @Severance @Lord Orgasmo @AmpharosBoy

She assumed that she was lucky the liquid she spit out didn't actually hit the man in front of her. However, with the help of the same ghost that almost snapped her neck with its punch, the liquid came back towards her. With her face now covered in a mixture of alcohol, Jules didn't know what to think. She was tired-- real tired, in fact, and this man really wasn't going to let her catch a break. Silently, she reached towards the towel he passed towards her, only to pause at his suggestion. They were to go to the powder room to clean up? Why? He wasn't even-- oh, well, he was now, after having spilled his drink on his own clothing. She watched him with a less-than-amused expression as she set down her glass. How many crazy people were around here, anyhow? First it was the kid, now it was this lunatic who had a ghost. At least that other spirit that Simon bumped into looked friendly. This one, on the other hand...

"Of course!" Jules suddenly agreed, a strained smile washing over her face. There was no other choice than to agree, after all. She could take on the man herself, though after her spiel during the first stage, she didn't think she could risk a fight. Not to mention, she could hardly see out of her left eye, and every time she breathed her side razed with pain. No, she definitely couldn't take him on in her current state. "I'm not against having a nice, civilized conversation in the powder room."

She lifted herself from her chair, ignoring the pain that once again struck her side and taking a few steps towards the powder room. As she passed by Donny, she roughly patted the boy's shoulder to alert him to her departure. She prayed that he was smart enough to realize that, if she was gone for a while, that he should probably check on her. But if she couldn't do anything in this situation, what did she expect him to do? Throw shit at the crazy man's ghost? Would that even work? Heaving a heavy sigh (and cursing under her breath as pain blossomed anew over her rib cage), she walked the rest of the way to the powder room and slipped inside the room that was labelled "WOMEN".

Jules was both surprised and delighted to see that someone was there, though her delight quickly faded away to worry. Great, this woman might get caught in the midst of what was about to go down between her and the man with the demon horse. As she scanned her up and down, she realized that she was the woman from before-- the one that had that ghost. "Morning," she greeted cheerfully. It was best to remain as nonchalant as she could about the upcoming situation, after all. Without another word, Jules walked to the sink and began to wash her face.

Our Beloved Dreams of Sinnoh | Pokemon

MENTIONS: None at the moment.

Jubilife blazed with light. Music throbbed through the night as people bustled up and down the streets, huddling on street corners and store fonts as they chattered and bickered in excitement. Different scents-- cooked meats, cotton candies, desserts, and miniature firecrackers that children split on the curb, among other things-- mingled together in the air. And in the middle of it all loomed the Jubilife City Stadium illuminated in the brightest lights in all the city. The festivities drew in people from all corners of Sinnoh, and with them came their Pokemon. Jubilife City was at its fullest in a year. Why shouldn't it be? It was the eve of the Gym Challenge. Most, if not all, of the elite trainers of the regions were here, even the champion himself. Just about everyone wanted to get a good look at the twenty fresh heads that were to present themselves as challengers to the elite themselves.

Arthur could hear the music and cheering, even from inside the stadium's lobby. There were some people about, probably other trainers, but he didn't pay them any mind. He rested on one of the plush couches, his eyes focused on the television screens hanging from the ceiling. A woman was on the screen, going on and on about the celebrations in Jubilife and how the ceremony was going to begin soon. Her eyes were bright with excitement, her features carefully painted with bright-colored make-up.

"Everyone is eagerly awaiting the presentation of this year's Gym Challengers! Rumor has it that it's the largest group we've had in half a decade and there are quite a few which might threaten Shiro's title. Then again, we had some pretty strong competitors last year and none of them even made it to the Champion's Cup! There's no telling what's going to happen this time!"

Huh. No telling what would happen this time? There were twenty trainers. As far as he could tell, they were all roughly the same age. And if nineteen couldn't make it to the Champion's Cup, then he would be the only one there to take Shiro's place. There was no other way. Arthur was going to win the Champion's Cup and return home as a Champion.

Chittering from somewhere above him caught his attention. Nero fluttered a few feet above his head, having taken a short lap around the lobby. His eyes were bright with excitement, his fur a little ruffled from the excursion. Had he found other Pokemon to play with for a bit? Arthur honestly didn't notice. His mind had been wandering ever since he set foot in Jubilife. There was just so much going on, it was overwhelming. Much different than how it was back at home. Nero let out a little purr of happiness as he settled on Arthur's lap and tucked his small wings into his body. Arthur reached out a hand, stroking the small creature's head with a delicate pair of fingers. "Did you have fun, Nero?" he asked him, to which the Noibat chirped in response. "Good. Soon, you'll be a big, strong Noivern and you'll be able to fly for much longer," and then, he added in a lower voice than usual, "hopefully before we get to Snowpoint."

Snowpoint. That's all he had to fear. That was going to be his most difficult challenge. Not only would Nero struggle, but he would be fighting his own mother. The person that taught him most of everything that he currently knew. One might even claim the way their Pokemon fought were almost exact copies of one another. Arthur found himself staring into space, his brow furrowed darkly. No, he wasn't going to doubt himself. It was too early to do that. "You want a berry? Here," Arthur asked Nero as he pulled a Pecha Berry from his bag. He handed it to the small Dragon-type as the creature's tiny claws latched onto it and brought it close to his mouth. Arthur just hoped that he could bring himself to have some peace before the ceremony started.

Steel Ball Run | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

MENTIONS: All y'all losers

Simon was finally off of her. Thank God. She didn't know what the hell he told her when he finally got off, but before she could even question him, someone yanked on her foot. Jules' eyes widened when she realized that Donny was quite literally dragging her to the saloon. What could she even say in this situation? What could she even do? It wasn't like she was able to get up at the moment; she was still dazed out of her mind. Just when she gathered the energy to curse him out, her head was met with the edge of one of the saloon's steps. Pain seared fresh across her forehead. "ARGH, FUCK YOU!" she cried out as she reached a hand up to cradle her head, her voice a mixture of exasperation and anger. God, what was wrong with these people? Was she the only one around here with half a brain, save for that man who soothed the vicious cowboy?

Fortunately for Jules, Donny's parading of her body didn't last too long. She laid on the floor for a moment or two, her eyes narrowed at Donny's taunt from above, before she suddenly sat up. Her hat, which miraculously stayed on top of her head for the whole time, cast a dark shadow over her eyes as she lifted herself from the ground. Slowly, she dusted herself off from as much dirt and grit as she could. Breathe Jules. Just... breathe. Go to your happy place. No matter how many times she repeated this to herself, it was hard. It wasn't even the second stage yet and she was already on the brink. Raising a hand, she touched her nose. It hurt like a bitch, and judging from how crooked it was, it was definitely broken. She gripped it between her fingers and grit her teeth, yanking on it and setting it back in place. "You just have to be annoying, don't you, kid?" Jules muttered towards her "student", pushing her way past him and toward the bar.

Ah, yes, there were free drinks. Even though she was in pain, Jules was grateful. She sat down near the middle of the table, taking the glass and immediately tipping it against her lips. The alcohol was fruity and it burned as she gulped it down. It tasted nice and cold, soothing her as she... wait. Was who was in front of her actually who she thought it was? The murderous man with the demon horse! Suddenly, the liquid caught in her throat and caused her to splutter and cough up the whiskey all over Joseppi.

Oh. Oh God.

A giggle spurred forth. Then a laugh. Then a string of laughs as Jules lost her bearings for a second. It was reflex, you see. Something that came out from deep in her chest and released itself into the world. Then, as soon as it started, it stopped and left Jules deathly pale. "A-ah, excusi, signore," she murmured out as she reached toward Joseppi and attempted to brush off the liquid she had spit over his clothing. "It burned more on the way down more than I thought it would! Hahahahaha!" She glanced down at her empty glass and held it out, giving the tall, dark man a broad grin. "More, per favore?"

Our Beloved Dreams of Sinnoh | Pokemon

@Lightning Fast @sassy1085 Unfortunately, you two were not selected to be part of the RP. Your characters were great, but honestly I like the group size we have at the moment.

@Kinjaav Since you have not replied, your interest in the RP is voided. Sorry!

Our Beloved Dreams of Sinnoh | Pokemon

@Kinjaav You almost done?

Our Beloved Dreams of Sinnoh | Pokemon

@spacepirate Accepted!

@sassy1085 I know, I'm just waiting on the last sheet to see who I'll accept.

Our Beloved Dreams of Sinnoh | Pokemon

@Kinjaav Alrighty, we're waiting on your sheet for the last part of the accepting process.