[FIN] Wilted Emotions

[BlackFireKitsune]

Didn't know it existed? He lowered his arms and looked at her with mildly raised brows. "Where are you from again?" Of course trouble like this existed. He kind of already knew it even when he was young, although he'd come to know it very well over the past two years, unfortunately. "Ahh," he hesitated, frowning down. "I think it's not so much being able to handle being on your own, as it is being able to handle stress."

The Vaporeon gave an amused snort. he agreed. although really he wasn't one to talk, considering he wasn't even a year old yet.  

[Tori Honoo]

"Ah, well... Hearthome, Sinnoh region. A pretty big... safer, part of Hearthome." A well guarded, well sheltered hearthome. "I know how to handle stress... just not... absolute terror like this..." she added tiredly. She did know how to handle stress...when it came to photoshoots and formals and high profile, high honor events, packed schedules, etc. Nothing as hands on and immediate as what she had faced in the past few days... hours, even.

Lovey laughed, bouncing a little. she exclaimed.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Inigo continued walking, his hands in his pockets as he thought on it. "Don't think I've ever been there," he mused aloud, focusing on the sidewalk ahead of them, "but it sounds nice. Really though, there's bad parts to every city and town, just varies how big they are and what kind of people live there - it could be mostly good, or mostly bad."

A small frown alighted his face at that though. "Well, being scared is a kind of stress - there's a lot of different forms of it, anyway. Like, thinking under pressure and stuff is stressful too. I'm not too good with all that psychology stuff though, so that's about as far as my knowledge goes in that regard," he finished sheepishly.

Nerius chimed in.  

[Tori Honoo]

"It's, um..." She sighed heavily to herself, tired. "It is nice. Really nice..." So why did you leave it? "I guess I'll just really have to keep my eye out here from now on, considering..."

She nodded at his next words, as though she understood. "Yeah... I'll...get over it..." She would. She would fight through this, just as she had fought through everything else. It would just take her a few days, a while to herself to think everything over. Already, Yuri's words were haunting her, and the reality of Luke's situation, and though she didn't want to hear it again, she knew she would have to face it at some point, even if only half was true to her.

Lovey nodded, grinning.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

A nod and, "Yeah, but that's always good everywhere, I think; to always be aware of what's going on around you and stuff, or at least try to." He wasn't always good at that either, considering the fact his wallet was stolen by a jester-pickpocket hardly a year ago.

"Well," he started, "I dunno if people ever truly 'get over' anything," the grunt mused aloud thoughtfully. "More like... You just learn how to cope with it, and deal with it, and it just doesn't bother you as much as it did before. It's always there though, maybe just in the back of your mind, but it's always there. Past experiences shape who you are currently, and all that stuff," he finished with a shrug, then offered her a smile. "How far's your place again?"

the Vaporeon replied evasively with a wry grin.  

[Tori Honoo]

"Yeah... I think I might have to start training again...and...not for contests this time..." she admitted. "I'll definitely be keeping my eyes on the news from now on, especially after..." She sighed. "I just wish I could have done more..."

She continued to listen as they walked along, her head still low, and her head light. "Yes... I guess... It's weird going somewhere and not knowing who you are, though..." The previous topic spoke very little-- or absolutely nothing-- of what she replied, but at this point she was just glad to be on her feet and thinking of something other than her more immediate troubles. When asked how far her place was, she paused, looking around as though she hadn't been paying attention at all to where she was going. "Oh, it's just... up there." she said, pointing to a large, expensive looking building very clearly in sight.

Lovey grinned, shaking her head. she responded, her tail flicking.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"That's always a good idea, I think," he said with a nod. "I know I never really bothered taking training seriously until after my friend died." The admission was coupled with a sad frown, but her statement drew his attention from the negative topic. "Not know who you are? You mean like, you don't know who you are or something?" That sounded like quite the problem, but he can't imagine that's what she actually meant.

The building she pointed to was noted with some level of interest, due to its fancy exterior, but he was more curious in the previous topics, so he refrained from comment.

Nerius snorted lightly, mildly amused.  

[Tori Honoo]

"Well... with Team Rocket here and the way things are going... I should be more cautious," she said tiredly, her stomach growling at her from under her jacket. After a moment's silence, she looked to him, stopping at the pathway up to the complex building. "I just thought I was one person, then... I left my world and now I'm just..." She shook her head, defeated. N-Never mind. I'm just, A deep breath. "...overwhelmed..." And hungry. And hurt. And scared.

Lovey nodded, still smiling.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Inigo managed to avoid reacting to mention of Team Rocket. "Being more cautious is always good," he agreed with a nod. "Muy bien." He stopped when she did and frowned lightly though, still trying to understand everything that had happened. It sounded like more than just what she'd told him. "Well, you're never alone really, right?" The grunt said with a half-smile. "Even if you're away from family, you've got your pokemon with you - they can be great friends."

Nerius snorted as he turned to look quite down at Lovey. The Vaporeon was indeed two or three times her size.  

[Tori Honoo]

She smiled weakly as she faced him, her eyes falling first to the eevee as she toddled along with Nerius, then to the fire type at the vaporeon's other side. "Those two might as well be my family," she told him fondly, though the sadness leaked vividly through her words. "I can barely remember a time when Lovey wasn't at my side, and Sparky is the best guardian I've had, my parents and their police included..."

She looked away, back to the houses, then lifted them to Inigo again, her expression that of absolute gratitude. "Thank you for walking me home, Inigo..." she told him, offering another smile. "...and for...everything else. I'm sorry I weighed you down with everything."

Lovey laughed, her tail twitching excitedly. she told him, stepping further toward her trainer.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Her parents and the police? No no - their police? What kind of place was this girl from again...? Regardless, he pushed the thought aside and offered an amiable, lop-sided smile instead. "It was my pleasure," he assured her with a brief one-handed gesture, "and don't worry about it; that's what I'm here for. Take care," he said, offering a raise of one hand in a parting gesture before he turned to leave.

Nerius gave another amused snort, tilting his head a bit. he rolled his shoulders back in a shrug. With that, the Vaporeon turned to trot beside his trainer.  

[Tori Honoo]

Dove watched them as they walked away, her arms finding their way around herself once more. "You too, Inigo..." she told him, the sentiment more serious than she could ever remember offering anyone.

As he disappeared, she turned to her pokemon, nodding toward the door. "Come on you two..." she said quietly. "We all need to eat, and then you can sleep..."

Lovey nodded goodbye to their friends as they departed, bowing low in a silent thanks to Inigo for helping Dove overcome the tidal wave of emotion. She then tipped her head at the trainer's call, her tail sinking at the last mention of sleep. Sparky stayed still, huffing softly in resignation as he turned and motioned for Lovey to follow, knowing none of them would be sleeping peacefully tonight. For now, the best they could hope for was a better tomorrow.