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And Ashley was gone. Out of Melissa’s life again. At once, Melissa felt both a wave of relief at not having another problem to deal with during an already difficult moment and that not-unexpected twinge of worry, wondering if she’d done or said anything wrong. Had she scared Ashley off? No, she’d just managed to effectively communicate how little she wanted to talk to someone unless it was for the express purpose of boxing up and ringing up a pair of flower bracelets. That was all it was, right? But she couldn’t think about that now. That wasn’t to say she didn’t want to, that it wasn’t constantly on her mind, but, well, the corsage shelves could only get thinner, right? Her options, imperfect as they might be, could only decrease, right? She had to decide soon. Her eyes landed a nice arrangement of purple (the label said mauve?) carnations. Perfect for Gabriela, Melissa decided. “One down, just one more to go,” Melissa said to herself as she took it off the shelf to get a closer look. Yes, it would do nicely. Melissa smiled. For the first time since she’d come in, things didn’t look so daunting. She even almost forgot that she’d just been approached by Ashley Rendleman. Almost. “Ashley! Hey!” Hitomu’s voice pierced through whatever barriers Melissa’s focus had put up, dragging her back down to reality. The reality where, yes, she only had one more corsage to find, but finding the one seemed just as impossible as finding two had been. The reality where -- and this couldn’t be stressed enough -- this was only the first of so, so many horrible decisions she planned to have to make that day. The reality where Ashley Rendleman was now talking with Hitomu Amaya. She shouldn’t have cared, and she knew it. But the thoughts she’d previously suppressed, that worry, started constructing a new timeline. How had Ashley Rendleman spent her time in the flower shop? She’d walked in, approached Melissa, un-approached, and now was engaged with someone else. The key moment was the third one, the “un-approach.” Why had she done that? The answer was obvious. “She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Melissa said to herself. “She doesn’t want to talk to you because you’re as interesting as watching paint dry when the paint’s been dry for a week. At least.” It wasn’t even the worst impression she thought she could have given; it was the mere idea, though, of Ashley Rendleman having that impression of her. Melissa didn’t think she would forget it. Until she graduated, Melissa thought, whenever Ashley thought of her, that would be what she thought. And yeah, she still hoped that was as infrequently as she could make it, but the impression was still there. Again, Hitomu was there to interrupt her thoughts. “Picking up some flowers for your date tonight?” he said, totally oblivious to the maelstrom going on in the corner. “That’s normally the guy’s job, but hey, if anyone would flip the script, it’d be you.” She needed to get out. As far away as possible from the flower shop, or at least however far away her dorm room was so she could shower, decompress, and forget it all so she could finish getting ready. Right in front of her was a, if she was being frank, plain bracelet adorned with white carnations and not much else. It was good enough. “Find everything okay?” the cashier said as she rang Melissa up. “I think so,” Melissa said. The cashier didn’t respond immediately, creating an awkward moment where Melissa had removed her card from the chip reader but hadn’t actually received her flowers. In fact, the cashier was staring off in the distance. When Melissa followed her gaze, she found the cashier was making googly eyes at Hitomu. “I think so,” Melissa said, a little louder this time. “Oh! Sorry,” the cashier said. She quickly handed over the flowers. “Um, make sure these go into a refrigerator as soon as you can. Like, go right home, maybe spritz some water on them, and into the fridge. We’ve already lost some roses today, I’d hate the same thing to happen to you and ruin your night.” Melissa didn’t need to be told twice. The walk home was fine. It was quicker than the walk to the shop for so many reasons Melissa didn't want to spend the time going through them all, but it was fine. The only notable moment was when her phone buzzed and she was greeted with yet another group chat. There were actually two messages accompanying the notification. Melissa briefly wondered how she had missed the first one, but quickly put question aside. She was frazzled enough, she didn’t need that extra question. Kyouko is going to the kickoff and has offered/asked if any of us will as well. I plan to, so if you want to as well, it would be beneficial to the club as a whole to get a view on two other Duelist’s styles of Dueling as well as get a bit of scouting on whoever the Duel Team has this year. and Do you know who I am? Of course I ain’t going. If you pry this controller from my cold dead hands and drag me out, I’d still look for a way to escape and go back home. Have fun though. the messages read. Melissa wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about being added to another group chat, but at the moment it was probably fine, right? Just the two messages, that was manageable. She actually had a response, too. She couldn't believe it, but she did. Just three simple words: From: Melissa I’ll be there. Melissa turned the knobs of the shower and just stood there under the spout. The water was freezing, but she didn’t care. She tried to just let the water wash away the entire day so far. At the same time, though, she’d heeded the cashier’s words to the letter. So many things had the potential to ruin Gabriela’s date, but that wasn’t going to be one of them. Now, she just had to focus on herself. She went through her mental checklist. Her dress? Shoes? Those were ready. Her dress was hanging right in the middle of her closet, ready to be taken out and put on at a moment’s notice, and her shoes were right underneath. Dinner plans? Made. Gabriela had agreed to the meetup and it was just a quick walk down to the restaurant. After that, well, everything else had hopefully been planned by the committee in charge of the Kickoff Festival. What about herself? Was she ready? The water pouring from the showerhead was slowly heating up. Steam was starting to form. What else was on her checklist? Gabriela was probably ready. She’d seemed confident in her outfit choice and that was the only thing out of Melissa’s control so, yeah, “probably ready” was the best way to put it. Her contingencies? Ruined already -- Ashley Rendleman had made sure of that -- but what else could go wrong? What was worse than being noticed? So that was a wash. Was she ready? The water was almost-but-not-quite scalding. Steam was everywhere; the poor vent in the ceiling was helpless against the sheer quantity of the stuff emanating from the shower. Was Melissa Ashforth ready for tonight? “Ready as I’ll ever be.” “[…]and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 3:21 (NIV)

thoroughly amused

fun homer simpson would have eaten us all idk owls, bears, bats, foxes, chow chows all work

While Rona seemed confident about taking the bear back, Yue wasn't so sure. Not only were they already weighed down with dead animals, they would be dragging back a much larger dead animal as well. Which made them sitting ducks for predators like wolves or another bear. Still, she couldn't exactly leave Rona by herself either. Letting out a whimper, the girl joined the other, helping out when she could, but mostly keeping an eye out for any predators nearby, a wary grip on her bow. Her nerves were at their stretching point. It felt as if there was something watching them, and there very well could be something watching them. Actually, looking back once, she thought she caught a glimpse of a shadow, but it disappeared almost as soon as she laid eyes on it. Rona didn't seem to sense anything, chattering away about any topic that came to mind. Or maybe she noticed and didn't care. That sounded more like Rona. The girl was confident, but for good reason. Yue felt herself slowly relaxing as she responded to the wyvern rider. Even if they were attacked, they had Rona here. Rona would take care of it if anything happened. By the time they reached the camp both girls were covered with sweat. Rona from exertion and Yue from fear. "Look what I found!" the wyvern rider called out. After depositing the bear the redhead went to Leon to tell him about what had occurred in the forest. The archer, on the other hand, dropped her catch against the ground next to the campfire and then let herself fall to the ground, sagging against a nearby boulder. She gazed up at the stars and felt her breathing finally slow. "This day has been..." she shook her head. "Exhausting."

"Well that's easy." Mac said, rolling her eyes. "All we gotta do is make sure to beat up the bad guys right? Doesn't matter how big a fight it is if we win before anyone else can be hurt." Ari sweatdropped. "That's easier said than done..." The Helioptile looked Ari up and down and mentioned. "Say, have you gotten taller since we first met? You look...I dunno, bigger somehow." "Really?" the Litleo's eyes bugged out, as he looked down at himself. "I haven't noticed anything different, but I probably wouldn't notice myself." He started to grin, "Yippee! I'm finally growing! Watch out, I'm gonna be as big as a...as Entei." "So, what do you wanna do? You wanna rest until morning, or go wandering now?" "Ew, who'd wanna rest after all that excitement?" Mac said. "Come on let's see if there's something else to do! Plus I bet your mom wants to hear all about how you beat up a bad guy." She grinned at Kazo. "Oh yeah!" Ari grinned up at him as well. "You gotta tell her all about it, Kazo!" -- "What is...a picnic?" Phione asked. "Is that what you are bringing me to?" "Uhh...not exactly," Easter sweatdropped. "We're hopefully going to take you to see Mew. And maybe your mother too." Following Dora, they almost fell into calamity multiple times, but the Wooper finally seemed to realize that they should be heading away from people rather than toward them. Eventually they made it into the throne room, in front of which stood a familiar Kingdra. He looked at the group sadly. "So, this is how you were going to do it then?" He positioned himself in front of the stairs. "I don't know why the queen let you take Dora, maybe you tricked her, or convinced her using her kind nature, but...I'm told the king has ordered us to keep her here. So...just give up now so this doesn't have to get violent." The Sylveon felt his eye twitching at being stopped yet again. If only the queen could have distracted the gijinka longer. Stepping forward, he spoke up. "I understand that you have your orders, sir, but there are orders, and then there is what's best for Dora." He breathed in. "It's not like we're kidnapping her. We're her friends, and she wants to come with us. She needs to see the outside world, grow, and experience life to the fullest extent, and she can't do that by staying in one place for her entire life. The queen understands that." He looked down at the Wooper. "Why don't you ask Dora how she feels, if you still don't believe me?" -- "Sometimes," Keanu sighed, plopping down on the sand, "sometimes I wonder what my brother's thinking in that thick head of his. He's a Lapras, but he wants to be a fighter." He choked out a laugh. "He has so many advantages that I don't. Everybody knows Lapras gijinka make the best surfers. He could be legendary, but he chooses to engage in dirty sports like boxing, wrestling, and all-and-out brawling. I don't get it." He glanced up at the Pikachu beside him, an older man with large creases around his sea-blue eyes. "I just can't relate to a guy like him at all." The other Pikachu chuckled. "That's perfectly normal. You're not always going to understand others, and their beliefs. Nor will they understand yours. In these cases, it's best to meet them halfway." "Halfway, huh?" Keanu scratched his head. "I dunno much about that. Is there even a halfway point for us? We both like exercise, but he's a fighting freak, and I love to surf." "You both defy expectations," the older gijinka replied. "Just like me. Everybody told me I wouldn't be able to surf unless I evolved, but you and I have both proved them wrong. Your brother has probably been told the same thing, that Lapras gijinka are meant to surf. But if that is the case, why do you think he chooses to fight instead?" "Because...that's what he wants to do," Keanu said slowly, then shook his head. "Except I already knew that! But...how could anybody choose not to surf?" "And how could anybody choose not to fight?" the other Pikachu rejoined. "That is what your brother is thinking. The paths you two tread may be different, but you walk upon them with the same kind of single-minded determination. And there is something to be celebrated in that." "Maybe..." Keanu sighed. "I still don't know how I can use that to get along with him better though. Doesn't matter if we both are passionate about something if they're two entirely different things...but thanks Puka." "You're welcome," Puka nodded. "And...that is fine if you do not understand. One day you will." - "I think I understand now, Puka," Keanu muttered. "I hate fighting, but I've learned that sometimes you have to fight. And maybe that's why my brother wanted to do it. He wanted to be a fighter and protect the people he wanted to protect." He shook his head. "Brother...if only you were here now, instead of me. You would probably have taken care of Allie already, you, Randy, Marie, and Nani." He shuddered slightly at the last name, then chuckled darkly. "And here I stand...unable to do anything. Held back by fear. I guess that's just how I am." The Pikachu let his head hang lower. "All these people...fighting for what they believe in. Just like my brother did." He raised his head, eyes determined. "I guess...it's time to meet them halfway then. Talk in the only way the people of Adarid seem to talk." The electric type lifted up his hands, clenching them. "With their fists." He closed his eyes, power gathering around him. "This electricity...I will use it to connect our thoughts like a circuit. Maybe then, I will understand just why you all choose to fight." His eyes snapped open. "Charged Currentcruiser!" A wave of electricity settled over the ground like a net. While it did not harm those it touched, it did cause their hair to stand on end a little, and they would feel as if they had just drank a cup of Komala Coffee. Keanu then hopped on his tail, floating about a foot off the air, right above the net of electricity. Sea green eyes flashing, he charged straight at Allie, a wall of electricity shooting up in his wake. Reaching the Tyranitar, he crashed into her like a bolt of lightning, the sound akin to a thunderclap. Puka...are you watching me? I am meeting these people halfway. I, Keanu, who abhorred fighting before, am fighting for not only my life, but the lives of my friends. For my ohana. -- Lok had begun to chase after Shaymin, but the legendary didn't stop, her fear spurring her forward with greater speed. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, only knew that she had to leave this place. The woman was forced to stop, however, when Kayla appeared in front of her out of nowhere. "Um. Hold on....please." The girl said, practically under her breath. "No...nonono, I won't stop!" Shaymin shook her head frantically. "You don't understand, none of you do...what breaking the barrier will do. I was able to stop it last time with that but who knows what will happen this time?!" With that, she kept running forward. If Kayla didn't move out of the way, she would end up being crashed into.