[FIN] Unlikely Adviser

[Tori Honoo]

She shook her head, then sighed, supposing one had to really experience it to understand it fully. "More of a recreational center, I guess, for those in the neighborhood."

He would receive a blank look in turn as he defended himself and his secrets. For now, she let it go, offering a nod as he explained his intentions. They were acceptable enough. His look as she released her pokemon went unnoticed. Not that she would have minded.

Trill blinked widely as the leafeon jumped, then settled atop the table, helping him to right the plants that his vines had yet to reach before peeping underneath it at him. it asked happily, a bit more politely, as it appeared the grass type was frightened.

His look, followed by his easy remark, gave her pause, her brows furrowing. "Cut my losses...? How--what?"  

[Akira Midoriyama]

<...Happa,> the eeveeloution answered cautiously, still keeping under the table. With the plant righted, he withdrew his vines and sat back on his haunches, curling his tail about his paws.

"It's not rocket science," Akira replied, a note of irritation in his voice. "You're a grown woman; you can make your own choices. If you want to, you marry the guy. If you don't, don't. What's there to be conflicted about?"  

[Tori Honoo]

the mew replied, floating down to stand just in front of the table, giving the leafeon a safe distance.

The irritation--again-- was expected. "I don't want to marry him, but if I don't, they'll completely disown me. I know you chose to disown your family, but as annoying as they are, cutting myself off entirely sounds horrific." She took another deep breath, quelling her temper before it could rise. "You've survived it, but from what I understood, it was your calculated choice. I don't understand how you did it."  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Happa answered meekly. He remained where he was, standing stiffly.

"It's not something you survive," Akira snapped, annoyance slowly giving way to anger. "It's a way of life, not a hardship. Not that I'd expect a pampered princess like you to understand." Her own anger didn't go unnoticed, but if she was going to get angry about his opinion, why had she even bothered asking it in the first place?

His brows knitting together in exasperation, the brunet sat himself down on the floor and leaned his back against one of the table legs. "I'm sure you know of that idiotic young man - our mutual acquaintance - who decided to throw his past life away; money, power, responsibility, obligation, and all. I'm sure you also know he partially did so to escape the sorrow of being alone after his sickly wife died. What I don't think you know is that the life of a commoner was what he'd been dreaming of experiencing since the moment as a child that he first learned what a commoner was."

"I don't expect you to understand why," he continued, "but if it helps, think of it as the same sort of longing that a commoner child might have to know what it's like to be royalty. You might not see it the same way, but you haven't even tried it, so don't you dare judge it. It's hard work and certainly not easy to adjust to, but it's just as respectable and decent as any high-society lifestyle. Probably even more so."

Waving a careless hand, he said, "But hey, if it's such a hard concept for you to swallow, why not go ahead and marry him? Research has proven that those in arranged marriages tend to feel more love as time grows whereas regular marriages tend to gradually fall more and more out of love over time. Within ten years, connections between partners in arranged marriages are twice as strong as normal ones. I looked up the statistics when...our acquaintance got engaged."  

[Tori Honoo]

Trill nodded, closing it's eyes as it smiled. it giggled innocently, taking a seat on the floor and curling its tail around itself a few times.

"You survived the cut off, not the lifestyle. You think I could volunteer here all the time and call their lifestyle a hardship? I've met people here that can do things I'll never learn to do. No way of life is better in general." She shook her head and turned away from him, moving over to one of the plots and shifting a small pile of decorative rocks around on its table. "Perspectives change over time, though I really don't expect you to believe me when I say mine has."

Mutual acquaintance... seriously? Was he not man enough to accept what he had done to the point that he couldn't even talk of himself? She stayed silent as she listened to him, her brows furrowing. It made sense, as odd as it was for her to think about. What he accused her off, however, made her turn to glare over her shoulder. "I judge it no more than I judge my own heritage, Akira. Again, do you think I would be around it at all if I felt it was below me? We're all human, you understand. we just have different circumstances to which we have to adjust. I'm no longer fool enough to think any of us are 'better off' in all ways."

Finally, the conversation turned back to her current issue. "Would you marry a... physically and emotionally abusive terror after dating them for years and pretending nothing was wrong, under the impression that you might eventually grow to love them?" Her fist clenched, as did her chest, her shoulders tense. It was harder to admit than she could have ever imagined... but as blind as she had been to it, and as well covered as it had been, she needed to gage his reaction, still sure her parents wouldn't believe it. His argument and statistics were worthless in this situation, she thought. "If I marry him I won't be here to further any sort of medical studies or pokemon for that matter, and even if I did have the freedom to do that in Sinnoh, I couldn't help anyone with it. Team Rocket isn't a problem in Sinnoh. Leaving the first real friends that I've not had to second guess at all...A purpose better than just 'looking nice' to promote sales of ridiculously expensive clothes." A frustrated sigh. "I don't want to go back to that. But I don't know how to hold onto everything else that I've finally been able to build since leaving them without the support."  

[Akira Midoriyama]

been one before?> Happa asked, sounding confused. Maybe he had heard wrong.

"I - He was never 'cut-off', he just left everything behind. That is a lifestyle," Akira snapped back. "That's what you don't understand. That's why I can't ever expect you to respect that choice. You could never value it like I - he does!" His eyes narrowed. She wasn't playing along anymore. If this kept up, he was going to leave. He'd given her fair warning.

"Volunteering is nothing. You don't even know what their lifestyle is until you've lived it. You think your imagination can stretch that far, closed up in your own little world? Ha! Think again!" He glanced away, too angry to look her in the eye. "The very fact that you're even asking me about this situation of yours just shows to me that you can't even imagine what it means to be a commoner."

"That's the thing! You can't judge it like your own heritage, because unlike it, you don't know this sort of longing or lifestyle! So don't even try to pretend to." He crossed his arms over his knees as he drew them up to his chest. "Yes, yes I do think you would," he hissed coldly. "So you can inwardly remind yourself of how superior you are to these people."

At Dove's words, Akira looked up again with a blank stare. "You're the one who pretended nothing was wrong," he said. "It's your own fault. I already learned from that mistake. I paid for it in full. It's just your turn now."

"You want my honest, open, personal opinion?" he told her. "Team Rocket will probably be no worse-off with or without you. You're probably about as useless as I am because you're not even a real pokemon trainer. And what real friends have you made, pray tell?" he demanded. "Why didn't you go to them for advice instead of me? Because they'd probably have the answer you're looking for. I'm just a shop clerk." He pushed himself up to his feet. "You want advice on how to get support? Get a job. Support yourself. Simple as that."  

[Tori Honoo]

Trill smiled brightly, then stepped back, sitting quietly on the ground not too far away. he called, before his body started to glow. A short moment later, a leafeon sat before Happy, keeping its safe distance still, but curiously watching, its ears and tail perked happily. it proclaimed, tapping its front paws against the ground.

"You-- "he" cut himself off by disappearing," she bit back, rolling her eyes. Commoner he might have chosen to become, but brat he was still. A negative opinion was clearly hard to shake, and second chances--ironically, she thought-- were impossible with this one, it seemed. She flicked a pebble, then, glaring at it bounced into a grassy little garden.

Her hackles raised and she tensed visibly again, stilling dangerously. "Have you ever once volunteered in your life, Akira? I'd have to wager you haven't, given how wrapped up in your own life you've been." Her temper was rising, rapidly reaching an explosive level. "I may not have lived it, but you can see the wear on each person's face, feel the strength in them in a hug or touch. I know these people struggle, and I know they can be triumphant. I've no reason to judge them, just as I have no reason to judge the people I grew up with. We're all just human." This wasn't at all where she had intended to go, but as he attacked her, she felt compelled to defend those she had grown to love from both her past and her present, as if they were a part of herself. People weren't so different. Everyone was faced with different challenges and blessings, each with their own perspective. "I don't need to tell myself I'm better than these people, because I know I'm not--I've just been given different circumstances."

Paid for it in full. Another roll of her eyes, as she looked up and out the window, her back still to him, saying nothing as he continued.

What he said next, however, would have consequence, and she rounded on him, causing Sparky to step closer, everything after his first sentence lost as the anger boiled over into fury. She clenched her fist, stilled only by her typhlosion's further growling, now at her as well. "Don't speak, unless you're willing to show your scars." she snapped, her face reddening from rage. "You may be a completely useless human being in this region, but you cannot accuse me of the same, nor can you say I'm not a true pokemon trainer." Her gaze remained steady on his face as she continued. "Where were you in Kanto, when Rosie's sister and your beloved information broker nearly killed us all? Where were you when the rest of us went into the desert after Team Rocket, where I nearly died in an explosion? My team and I train every morning, intensively, together, just to be ready when faced with a challenge. I've taken courses, studied late into hours I didn't even know existed to be knowledgable enough to handle crisis." Her throat tightened a little, as tears gathered on her eyelashes. "I've held my best friend in my arms, thinking he would die with his blood on my hands, only able to save him because of that studying and the encouragement from a man who told me I wasn't useless that sent me in its pursuit in the first place. I've comforted sobbing children who can't sleep at night because they've seen their hero brought down by the enemy that I'm trying to help stop. I don't care who the hell you think you are, Midoryama Akira or Toshiro Roka, but I do know that whoever you are, you will not accuse me of being useless."
A deep breath as she stepped back, her gaze still steady. "Say something like that again and I promise I'll burn you to the ground."  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Happa's eyes widened and his ears went up as he involuntarily took a step back and gave a small yelp of surprise. he asked, shocked.

"I'm wrapped up in my own life because I hardly know how to live it," he explained dully. "I'm not stupid enough to try to help anyone else sort out theirs while mine is still so clearly a mess."

Don't speak? Well, then. If that was how she wanted it, he guessed he was free to go.

He didn't bother to try figuring out how she knew his connection to the info broker, though it wasn't like it really mattered now. He'd still been trying to sort out his life and find his place in the world when they were after Team Rocket, so if she was trying to guilt-trip him, he was not moved. Akira highly doubted Dove knew the first thing about training pokemon and the fact that she trained with no one but herself and her own team only seemed to support that suspicion.

If she had studied so much about handling crisis, why was she coming to him about her problems? The choice couldn't have been easier in his eyes, but he wasn't going to waste his time trying to convince her of it if she refused to see. Best friends? What did she know of best friends?! Later, if Akira ever found out who that man was who'd sent Dove on this pursuit of hers, he'd have to let him know he'd sent her on a fool's errand. Sobbing children...? Their hero?! Where was she getting this stuff from; a comic book?

She had wanted his advice. He'd given it. He'd warned her about the name. She'd said it. Now she was threatening him - to burn him down in someone else's greenhouse. He was more than done here. If he had to talk to her again, it would be too soon. Replacing his coat, Akira whistled to Happa, who immediately jumped up to follow his trainer out the door of the greenhouse.  

[Tori Honoo]

Trill blinked, then laid its head down on its new paws. it apologized, its ears low now.

"No, I think you're afraid to try. That and far too wrapped up in yourself," she muttered, not really caring if he heard or not at this point.

When he slid back into his coat and made for the door, she made no move to stop him and only watched as Tobi and Trill followed them, stopping next to her and watching curiously. Her thoughts she would keep to herself.

Trill once again transformed, then floated up to the girl's shoulder, hesitant to land as she was still fuming. It waved to the leafeon, however, offering a somewhat smaller smile. it offered hastily, sad to be separated from its new friend so fast.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"Mmhmm..." he agreed absentmindedly as left the center, knowing she was wrong. She was the one afraid to try a new life. He was already living one.

Happa answered quietly, also seeming a bit upset, but likely more due to the emotional states of their trainers. He couldn't exactly understand why they were so angry at each other. Why couldn't they just all get along? It was such a shame there was conflict in the world.  

[Tori Honoo]

His pathetic agreement never reached her ears, or if it did, she didn't acknowledge it at all. Instead, she stood in silence, her fists balled and her eyes narrowed toward an opposite window, far from the door. Why on earth had she thought he would be a decent person to talk to? The coward had run away from it all, just as he was still running, and in her anger, she had half a mind to expose him to everyone she was sure he was acquainted with. He was afraid to try to help anyone, and even if she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, at least she had attempted it. Useless... He was useless.

At least she wouldn't have to worry about speaking to Roka one way or another again; she could almost feel the final spark of trust completely seal itself away. Just as he had taught her not to trust those from back home, even inadvertently, had he condemned himself to it, just as he apparently wanted.

Her last chance at speaking with anyone who might have been able to even imagine her situation gone, the woman shook her head, then buried her face in her hands, trembling from the frustration and stress of it all. Sparky stood by silently, unsure of how to comfort his trainer, though the heat in the greenhouse had risen as the two had snapped at each other and his protective instinct had grown close to action. The little mew cautiously settled itself along her shoulders, stroking her hair as it cooed softly at her, and Tobi settled at her feet, curiously looking between the typhlosion and his girl, tears in its own eyes as confusion began to scare it.

Ridiculous... This whole thing was ridiculous. She had to go home, especially with so much frustration, but she knew she had to take care of a few responsibilities first. It had been one of her intentions in bringing him to the center in the first place, that and it had become her safe place, though, as she shook her head and removed her hands to look around, she imagined she might have ruined that, too, by bringing such a b*****d there.

Taking a deep breath, she mentally fixed her mask in place, though it would be easy to see through the cracks, and made her way out of the greenhouse quietly, careful to shut it once her pokemon were out, then let herself back into the center, going about her work in silence until it was time to go home.