[FIN] One Step at a Time

[Suudonym]

The last place Luke really wanted to be was back in Grande Ile, and yet here he was, less than half an hour from pulling into the capital's port. There was some understanding, he recognized, that he couldn't simply stay in Kodo forever, never looking back, but the familiar watery lurch of the ship revived the bitterest memories of a time that was still terribly recent. The weather was warmer, at least, and the sea reflected a bright and clear afternoon sky. He watched the passing water thoughtfully to the white noise of the boat's other passengers wandering the deck in conversation.  

[Blood_Goddess]

It had been a thought that had been troubling Rosie since the night Luke had asked her to come along to Grand Ile with him.
It was for good reason, of course, for his mother, if nothing else, and for the past week thats what she occupied her thoughts with.
But there was that lingering worry in the back of her mind that was growing louder and louder the closer they got to the island.

At this point, Rosie was sitting up straight, nearly on the edge of the bench outside as she watched out the sea bring them closer and closer to the island.
one knee bouncing lightly as she clicked a heel on the deck, and her fingers played with the hem of her skirt anxiously.
She was probably going to be meeting Luke's father, someone she had never met before, but had a very real and growing anxiety about.  

[Suudonym]

Though the cause fell outside of his exact knowing, it was easy to see that Rosie was uneasy, and it left him feeling a bit guilty. As he recalled, however, the ship's policy on pokemon was to allow them so long as they didn't cause a disturbance, and so it was with a feigned nonchalance not unlike the first time he had interacted with Rosie that he moved a hand to his side and pressed a release on the luxury ball that was there. Mieu, who had never seen the boat firsthand, was enthused by this turn of events, excitedly moving to place his paws on Rosie's knees for a lack of understanding as to why she wasn't more absolutely thrilled about all this.  

[Blood_Goddess]

She was one of the people who came to Grant Ile and took Luke back, 'kidnapped' him almost. What if he knew that? What if he wanted Luke to stay again?
Its not like this was just another person either, this was Luke's father, despite the relationship he had with Luke, that wasn't something that could just be easily dismissed.

Having been lost in her thoughts, and growing nerved, she had not expected to suddenly see Mieu hop up.
"Oh!" she blinked jerking her head up and snapping back to earth with the large Flareon's eyes.
"Hi Mieu." she greeted, reaching one hand out to gently run it over the pokemon's head, lifting her gaze up toward Luke who had just let the pokemon out.
She smiled gently, fully aware, that if she was nervous about this, how much Luke feel.
"Are you nervous?" She asked knowing that they were getting very close to stepping out onto the island of his home.
This was not only going to be the first time he saw his dad since they took him away from here, but this was also his late mother's birthday. She understood that dealing with that, wasn't easy... the first birthday since she passed.  

[Suudonym]

Mieu was no stranger to detecting moods himself, but there was only so much he could do with the communication gap that existed between pokemon and humans. He set his chin in girl's lap, white tail waving gently back and forth.

Luke shrugged lightly, making a valiant effort to wear a smile in response to the question. "More like afraid," he admitted.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Afraid" Rosie repeated, that was certainly a step up from nervous. allowing herself to be distracted by Mieu for a few seconds as she gently stroked his head, brushing the fluff on top of his head back before she spoke again.
"What are you scared of?" she asked.
Even though she had an idea of what it might be, as indicated by the way she asked the question, maybe it would help to talk about it.  

[Suudonym]

"Uh," his eyes wandered, his presence shrinking, "a lot of things. Returning to that place again, where I was practically imprisoned, where my friends were treated like criminals, and where I… almost died." A small pause as he took the time to break away from encroaching feelings. "Seeing Father when I know he's angry, bringing you into it just because I'm afraid to go alone. …Facing Mother, and Asch." He clenched and relaxed his hands uncomfortably, his posture taut with anxiety.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ah, yeah afraid seemed to be a much more appropriate word.
"Yeah" She agreed with a light breath in an attempt to shake off the weight that his words had brought.
"well, this might be of some good though." She offered instead "You've come a long way since you were here last, so this could give you a chance to maybe try and start over, even if you and your father still don't see eye to eye by the end of all of this."

leaning down to put her arms around Mieu, and pick him up into her lap, she shifted so that the two of them could face Luke a little better.
"Do you think it be easier this time around, maybe help you."

She was anxious too, knowing it didn't help that the only person she knew on the whole island was Luke. though she felt bad that he was having regrets about bringing her along.  

[Suudonym]

He tried to take hold of and believe in that optimism, breathing out the building anxiety in a deep sigh. He reached a hand to Mieu, who voiced an encouraging "faa," and offered a short nod, "Maybe." He knew that he would have to deal with his father sooner or later, but he had very much wanted to do so on his own terms.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"And Mieu and I will be there, so... just don't worry, everything's going to be okay." She added after Mieu pitched in his own word.

She might not have a good feeling about this herself, but she wasn't going to go let Luke down now.  

[Suudonym]

Mieu verbalized another vote of confidence after Rosie to second her words, the combination earning a slight smile and a nod in response. Despite everything, though, a sense of unease lingered.

It wasn't much longer before the boat pulled into port, the passengers disembarking into the foreign landscape of Grande Ile. To avoid losing track of the small Flareon in the shifting crowd, Luke returned him to his pokeball before drawing a breath, looking to Rosie to confirm her presence, and starting vaguely in the direction of their destination, if only to separate from the crowd for now.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Making sure that all of their belonging were with them before they stepped off of the boat. Rosie shifted through the crowd making sure to stay close to Luke so they wouldn't get separated.
She would have probably appreciated the fact that she was back in Grand Ile a little more, if it didn't feel suddenly so alien, and she wasn't so concerned.
Still, she looked around at some of the buildings and statues as they passed, hurrying to step up next to Luke,  

[Suudonym]

The path between the Fabre residence and the port was one of the few parts of the city - or of the country in general, really - that Luke knew well enough to find his way. He moved in a thoughtful silence at a pace to match Rosie's, though his steps became increasingly reluctant the nearer they drew to their destination. As they approached the upper area of Devoirue, he suddenly stopped moving altogether.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Not expecting Luke to stop, Rosie continued on for a few more steps before she became aware that Luke was no longer beside her.
blinking she stopped, and glanced over her shoulder to where her friend had stopped.
"Luke?" She asked, glancing around to see what might have made him stop. She didn't see anything, bringing her attention back onto her friend.  

[Suudonym]

A moment passed before he gave his response, and when he did it was with a disposition that was skittish, almost frantic. "It's fine," he said, his gaze falling aside. "It's fine, so let's go back. Let's just go back."