Skip Navigation
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 23, 2017 13:44:52 GMT -8
"Why not?" Kai pretty quickly demanded of both of them.
"He's unreliable!" Michael insisted. "Why should I have to make up some trivial job or trust someone like him with anything important when I know he can't handle anything serious?"
"I've been doin' better!" Tyler insisted back. "I wanna change but douchebags like him won' let me!"
"Resorting to name-calling now. Typical." Michael scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning up his nose.
Kai frowned. Something... wasn't adding up here. They had pretty strong feelings about what the other 'was like', and Michael talked about both Tyler's parents, and there was... how did this debt come about? Did Tyler break or lose or steal something of his? Or had Michael loaned him that much money? There was clearly something more at play than just 'kid I shared some classes with', but...
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 23, 2017 18:26:33 GMT -8
Dasha frowned. Looking from Michael to Tyler and back again, she wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t know these kids, couldn’t gauge how truthful or bias they were being. She was starting to recognize the kid’s clothes were that of the local idiot gang, but she also sided with him wanting to keep one good thing in his life so… Ugh.
Her hands tightened a little and relaxed after. “What if I paid it,” she asked.
The boys looked at her a little surprised and a little uncertain. Tyler’s gaze flickered from her to the Mightyena and then back again. Michael folded his arms and frowned some more. “I— No it’s his debt,” he insisted stomping his foot once. “He doesn’t need someone to bail him out! He should just— just—“ He was now stammering with words and seemed to only be becoming angrier.
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 23, 2017 18:51:19 GMT -8
Kai was a little surprised by that offer as well, though after another moment to reflect he supposed with all the splurge shopping she'd been doing, he supposed it shouldn't be too surprising that this wouldn't be too big a deal to her. But Michael's answer...
"Why do you want him to suffer," he ask-observed bluntly.
"W--WHAT?" He reeled back, scoffing in disgust. "You can't seriously be siding with him! Do you really think sentimentality is worth enough to let a Pokemon starve!?"
One corner of Kai's mouth twisted down. "No. Pragmatically speaking, you're entirely in the right here. Health and safety come first, and if he's got a history of being unreliable, it's totally justified to worry that someone else bailing him out will just enable him not to change." Tyler's mouth opened with some awkward angry almost-word noises, while Michael looked surprised and then smug for a moment. Kai wouldn't let that last. "Except your priority seems pretty clearly bent on getting him back for something. So I'm not convinced you're any more suitable a trainer." That didn't seem to make Tyler feel much better, but Michael did go back to being huffy.
"I didn't really sign up for digging into strangers' personal lives today but a Pokemon's health is at stake so forgive me for asking: what the hell actually happened between you two?"
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 23, 2017 19:18:03 GMT -8
Dasha grimaced. She had no desire to be digging into strangers’ personal lives either, but well here they were. Snowflake was leaning against her again, but this time it was more… in comfort? Reassurance, rather than wanting something, probably. Feeling through her neck fur absently, she found herself looking from one boy to the next gauging which would say something first.
Tyler looked at Michael. Michael looked at Tyler. They seemed to be struggling in unison over what to say, a sharp contrast to the talking-over-one-another that had been going on earlier. It would be Michael who huffed first. “I’ve been nothing but ever nice to him! He went and joined Team Skull and his stupid little group broke into my dad’s house! And then he asked me for money after it fell through and I was stupid enough to give it to him!” He was huffing now, loud and angry and embarrassed.
“That’s not—“ Tyler seemed to be struggling to defend himself and the sputtering noises only grew louder as he ran out of words. “That’s— I got passed that and insurance took care ‘f that and … and I promised I’d pay ya back, man!” Tyler was whining now.
“It’s been months!”
Dasha huffed. “That is pretty bad,” she agreed loudly.
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 23, 2017 20:04:28 GMT -8
Mmmm.... "If insurance covered you, though, this is more about principle, isn't it?" Although he guessed that may have been obvious anyway. "Forgive me if I assume that Michael Elias Christopher Rupert Vwindemier Vlandamier Carl Alexander whose father is very wealthy probably isn't actually hurting for two-sixty muns." He may have dipped right into a song reference there but oh well.
"I--!! Of course not!" he huffed. "I mean of course it's the principle but-- but if he can't even handle a simple debt how can he say he's fit to take care of a Pokemon!"
Ugh... This kid was obnoxious but it was a fair point. "Dare I ask what you borrowed money for?"
Tyler clenched his jaw, grabbing Orange's fur. "..I don't have to deal with this," he finally huffed. "C'mon boy." He started to turn and leave, and Kai reflexively grabbed his shoulder, immediately regretting it but--
When Tyler spun back and lashed out to throw Kai off, the tears in his eyes were all too clear. "I was tryin', okay!? Mom died and dad got stuck in jail tryin' ta feed me an' after Skull started driftin' apart I didn't have anywhere to go! I already sold Dozer and I jus' needed a little more ta get a place fer me an' Orange! The fuck was I supposed to know no one would hire a skull kid! We're all bad news! Nothin' but trouble!" He'd broken down into ugly tears now. "Everyone keeps tellin' me to change an' no one'll fuckin' let me. They just want me suddenly magic'ly all better and I can't--"
............ Oh no. Oh uh... Kai set his hand on his shoulder again, slower this time, and when he wasn't pushed away again moved a bit closer took to rubbing Tyler's back. Orange whimpered and nuzzled against his human.
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 23, 2017 20:27:10 GMT -8
Dasha was anxious. She wouldn’t even realize it immediately, but she was feeling it even before Tyler’s sad story hit the air. As it did reverberate in the air, however, she watched Kai and then …looked from him, to Tyler, and then back to Michael who was fidgeting now. Was she reflexively copying him or was he copying her?
“I…” Michael had started to say something or another but was now fumbling with his words. “I just wanted to— I just want him to do what’s right… I…” He fidgeted with his hands now and swayed just a little. “His Mightyena shouldn’t have to starve and he should be responsible and…OW- ow ow ow hey ow stop that ow—“ he swatted a little, and Dasha let go of his cheek that she’d been pinching. “I’m not wrong!”
“You’re not dumb either,” Dasha snapped causing him to fall quiet. “So quit trying to defend your stance. We’ve heard it already.” That shut Michael up pretty fast, and he was left in stunned silence still trying in vain to find something to say.
Snowflake too had drifted over to Orange and his human, purring softly and leaning against him in the way she used to comfort a much younger Dasha.
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 23, 2017 20:59:04 GMT -8
Tyler was sniveling now, his face burning to have broken down like this in front of a bunch of strangers. "I..." His voice was so weak now, exhausted from his outburst. "I fucked up..." he whimpered. "I fucked up a lot and maybe.. maybe I deserve this."
Kai was reserved enough to actually hug some kid he met maybe ten minutes ago, but some part of him kind of wanted to. He'd stick to a hand on his back though. "Probably," he affirmed. "But that won't fix anything, will it." Arceus knew what he probably deserved, what a lot of people deserved for various misguided or stupid or straight-up jackass decisions.
Sighing, he looked to Michael. "You. You care about them, don't you? T and Orange?"
".... I-..." He winced and turned away.
"I mean you're being shitty about it but if you were completely apathetic you'd let them both starve. Clearly you've got some investment." No immediate response.
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 23, 2017 21:19:44 GMT -8
Michael was chewing his lower lip and messing with the hairs on the back of his neck. Dasha reached a hand and sort of jolted him from his silence. “I…” he huffed briefly and rolled his eyes. “I’d rather not see a Pokemon starve— or his idiot trainer…” The last part came in a mumble, but Dasha had heard it clear enough.
“Then help them out,” Dasha insisted-huffed. Michael looked back at her incredulously. “Help him find a job— a real job. If you have wealth then you probably have some connections.” She might have been insisting a little too hard, but Dasha wasn’t going to let up now. “Don’t just make something up or make it a one-time thing do something more with your power.” Dasha’s intensity was back, and Michael’s eyes had grown wide while his pupils had grown small. She… she really was big and scary wasn’t she?
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 23, 2017 21:45:54 GMT -8
This was so intense. She was so intense. And having heard her talk a bit about Era and understanding the rebel cause, Kai could take a guess where some of that insistence on using one's power well came from.
It.. also occurred to him that... Michael seemed the prideful sort, but between that and his admission now, Kai had to wonder if at least part of his motivation hadn't come from a place of.. Like if he took Orange of course he could feed him, but taking him in place of a monetary debt and taking a financial obligation from Tyler.. would potentially have helped him in a sense... The mental toll may not have been worth it if Orange was basically all he had, but Kai had known plenty of people who couldn't understand things like that, and it always seemed to be people with blessed lives. Never experiencing true hardships could blind one to what it really meant to suffer.
But for all that was going on, the air had grown so thick, and so heavy. And as a mantra rang in his head, he felt like he had to. It was calling him.
He walked forward, as close as he could to Michael without pushing Dasha aside, clapped a hand hard against his shoulder, and looked him dead in the eye. "Those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action." His stare remained just as intense. "With great power comes great responsibility."
. . .
"Did you just--"
"Maybe." This situation hadn't really gotten less awkward, but with a few breaths of almost-laughter, a small amount of the tension did seem to resolve.
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 23, 2017 22:10:23 GMT -8
Pfffffsakdjlakdj— Damn it Kai. Dasha fidgeted trying very very very hard not to laugh her hard-worked intensity away just like that but her lips were twitching up in a smile and she was snorting softly anyways. After a moment of huffed noises that were totally not just breathed laughs, she settled again and eased up just a bit on Michael.
“You have the chance to do a lot more than you know,” Dasha stated leaning in to Michael. “Don’t waste it just getting what you want. Really try and help people in your sights. Do things for them and give them a chance to work and do just as much good.” Ok, Dasha control your voice and tone you were just now trying to come off your soap box? No? Maybe slowly coming down off of it, right. “You can build a stronger community that doesn’t get torn apart by class division.” Ok, Dasha. “So do that.”
Snowflake mewled and Dasha blinked back into reality. A small sigh escaped from her and she nodded to herself. “So just…. try…”
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 23, 2017 22:40:06 GMT -8
Michael seemed to be really thinking on Dasha's words, and Kai was feeling like this was really starting to head toward some resolution.
Stepping back a bit, he tucked his hands in his jacket pockets. "Do you really want to spend time with Orange?" he asked Michael. "Or was this just about his health and making a point?"
Michael shifted, thinking on it, and finally sighing. "I... wouldn't give him as much attention as Tyler does," he admitted. Very quietly, a 'Big T' would be mumbled by Tyler. "B-but.. I wouldn't neglect him. He's.. a good boy, and I'd..."
Kai nodded. Turning back to Tyler, he asked, "When you get a job, why don't you let Michael look after Orange for you sometimes when you're working?" And back to Michael. "And you can get to know him more and play and maybe even help train him without the full-time investment and without taking him away from Tyler."
Michael opened his mouth, closed it, then mumbled, "That... might not be so bad."
Tyler still had reservations. "But..." He looked down to Orange. "He's my best bro. Even if I couldn't have him out at work, it... I don't like the idea of being away from him for...."
Kai blinked slowly, then smiled pleasantly. "I just moved across an ocean for work and will probably be spending six months a year away from my kids. You'll live." Did.. the nonchalant tone make that sound sharper? Probably.
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 24, 2017 7:38:29 GMT -8
Dasha was starting to settle again. And it seemed like the situation was starting to settle at least somewhat. As Kai spoke, however, she was quick to wince. Half a year away from his kids just to fill a job opportunity in Veria— You were away from home for years so what does it matter?— But… Ugh. That was Different.
This was like… if she had to be away from Snowflake. But if Snowflake was suffering… She had. They had— for a while there out in the mountains they had. At least until they had perfected the survival skills that required nothing but hard and fast solo training. It had been rough but manageable. And that, this, they were still different. Ugh.
A different thought hit her, and Dasha spoke right after. “Keep his Pokeball with you when you go to work. Leave him out at Michael’s?” On saying it, she wasn’t even sure that was entirely better or worse.
Michael seemed to frown considering what limitations that would have during training or if Orange decided to misbehave, but Tyler seemed to look a little more thoughtful. “I…. maybeh?” He spoke a bit weakly. So long as Orange was his his then…
“But what if I need to return him like in a case of emergency or—“ Michael received a cold stare and a raise eyebrow. “I’m— I’m being serious. It could be more of a hassle than it’s worth.”
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 24, 2017 10:44:35 GMT -8
Ah... Yeah, Kai could see both of those things. But, "If Michael does any training with him, he's right. Accidents happen and PokeBalls help keep injury from getting worse and improve odds of a full recovery."
Tyler frowned. "Y-you sayin' I should expect 'im ta 'urt 'im!?"
Kai winced. "Not expect it; Tapu forbid. But you don't want to assume nothing could happen and wind up being wrong." Ah... Tyler hung his head at that, then knelt down and hugged Orange to pet him more.
Hmmmmm... "You could... Try to spend some time together while Michael helps you find a job. Keep him out so you can see him and Michael getting along. When you start work, drop him off but keep his PokeBall for the first week or two, and Mike, you hold off on anything too exciting with him. Maybe call on lunch breaks even. Then T, once you're more settled into work-- once you're more used to being away from him and have seen Orange come home happy enough to build more trust-- then you can start leaving his ball most of the time."
Both gave that some thought, and finally, "...s'pose we could try in maybeh..." "I could take things slow, yeah."
Kai exhaled slowly. He just... really hoped they'd stick to this once he and Dasha walked away. "Sharing custody can be stressful, but sometimes it's best for everyone. Tyler will be able to focus on work easier. Michael can have more time for his other Pokemon and hobbies and obligations. And Orange can get the maximum attention and care. You've just.. gotta focus on those."
Both nodded, and after a few more moments, Tyler unexpectedly charged at Michael and all but tackled him in a tight hug. "Thank you for givin' me 'nother chance, man." He was sobbing slightly, and Michael had gone stiff, face flushed, but finally managed an awkward back pat.
|
|
Interpol
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Jayspurr
|
Post by Dasha Laska on Dec 24, 2017 15:21:31 GMT -8
Dasha sighed softly, glad that the situation was lending itself to resolutions that could work for both of the two humans and the Pokemon involved. Her eyes flickered back to Orange and found the Mightyena seemed to have an uncertain expression but a tail wag. “Snow?” The Absol looked back at her and gave a small nod. The Mightyena seemed alright with this as far as she could tell. Dasha nodded back and looked back in time to see the sudden tight tackle hug.
That … endeared her deeply, and Dasha stared for a moment with color steadily growing on her features. What cute, good smols. Her lips quirked a little, and she straightened a bit again. Blue eyes flickered to Kai, and she smiled a bit warmly. “Alright, alright …” her voice was a little sterner but still a lot more relaxed than it had been. “Both of you should work out the rest and… maybe also keep an adult on hand if you need some more mediation or—“ Something like that. She didn’t live there and sort of looked to Kai more expectedly. He had family there after all.
|
|
Interpol
Now I'm wearin' a smile that I don't believe in. Inside I feel like screamin'. |
| |
|
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY 🌸 SG 🌺
|
Post by Takeki Kaimana on Dec 24, 2017 16:47:24 GMT -8
Yeah.. Yeah this would work. Keep an adult on hand if you need some more mediation or--
Kai missed the queue, but Michael frowned. "I'm an adult..." he insisted.
Kai vaguely wanted to set him back into his playpen, but settled for a slight smirk instead. "Ah.. I think what she means is, try to find someone you can both trust to tell your plans and help hold you both to them, or help weigh in if you run into problems. 'sall we did, after all. Hear you both out and give a little outside perspective.
"Ah.." Michael finally managed to push Tyler off of him. "Pull it together, you're embarrassing both of us..." he mumbled, but then nodded back at Kai and Dasha. "We can probably do that."
"I won't letcha down," Tyler assured Michael. "I just.. just need some help getting my foot in the door but. I'll work hard and pay you back everything plus, I promise."
|
|
|