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Post by Miss Brightside on May 27, 2010 20:25:33 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
Peculiar.
Jamal kicked off his shoes silently in the meeting point of grass and sand, the entrance to the beach, before pressing forward towards the shore. He had just gotten off of his ferry five - no, ten minutes ago, successfully escaping Sinnoh for the time being. As of this moment forward, the islander was no longer wanted, no longer a criminal, no longer the man he knew to be Jamal Truewater.
A clean slate. How peculiar. There's no other word for it, he mused, letting the water wash over his feet gently. The caress calmed him and acted as somewhat of a comfort, the first he had felt since "the incident." The panic from that day rushed towards him again, only to be subdued by another crash of the sea. It was over. There was no use in causing a scene about it, especially not here, where he wanted to become an upstanding citizen.
"Here" was quite the location. Peculiar, Jamal couldn't help noting once more. The running mental joke caused a smile to tug at the corners of his lips. He turned, surveying the expansive land behind him. So, this was Lanorae. The passengers on the ferry weren't kidding when they said this place was rustic; the ex-con felt like he had fallen into a fantasy steampunk world. Duly, he noted that with his modern clothing and his tribal hat, he stuck out like a sore thumb; perhaps he'd have to add something to his ensemble to help blend in more. Arceus knows he hated extra nonsense to lug around on his person, but he really didn't need to be found. Not now, not ever.
Unable to prevent a whole new type of wave from crashing down on him, Jamal shut his eyes and let the smile fade as he reflected on his spotted past. It had really come to this, hadn't it? Running away. Never being able to return home to the only family he knew. Jamal never really craved the company of others, but he wasn't a loner, either. He hoped the Pokemon he would receive upon becoming a ranger would be enough company. He couldn't let anyone close, not with the looming threat of the gang, not with who he was. If anyone was to find out about what he'd done, well... They'd turn against him. Run away. Report to the authorities. The list was too much to bear. No, it just couldn't happen. Jamal would have no rescuer, no forgiveness or redemption; just him and his new career. It was a lonely existence, but a necessary path.
- - -
OoC//
Reserved for Rexy~ <3 LET THE CUTENESS COMMENCE. I imagine Livia will butt her way in quite easily? If not, I can add more, just let me know
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on May 28, 2010 4:53:46 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright, |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] Arceus, she was really doing this. Livia strolled down the streets of Konika village, surprised at what she felt. On the Ferry ride here, she thought that she would feel rather excited that she was finally going to do what she really wanted to do. Be around Pokemon 24/7, 365 days a year. And yet, there was an empty hole in her chest, and she knew exactly what she was missing: her family. When Annabelle (mom?) had gone on and on about how great it would be for Livia to really get out there and see the world and do what she wanted... When Annabelle said that, she had felt excited and nothing but excited. Annabelle had told her that she'd take care of telling the Evans back in Sootopolis and Livia had believed her. Of course Annabelle wouldn't go back on her word. Why would she? What did she gain from it? So Livia hadn't given a thought to talking to Naomi and Spencer, Mom and Dad about leaving. Livia felt horrible for it. There was an ache in her gut and in her chest and she wished that she had at least maybe left a message herself. Called, maybe, or even written a letter. That would have at least lessened the emptiness in her heart.
But for now, Livia supposed, she'd go ahead and just enjoy where she was. Mainly because she couldn't get over that she was in Lanorae. This was the new region that everyone was excited about. Last year it had been Sinnoh, and this year it was Lanorae. The ambiguous region that developed much differently that the rest of the world had everyone who was anyone interested and hooked. Who didn't want to come to Lanorae? Plus, Livia had heard that you didn't just have to be a Trainer or a Coordinator or a Breeder. You got to branch out a little, which was what she planned on doing. If she could get in, she was going to try and join the Rangers. It sounded like a perfect occupation. Plus, battling Pokemon for a living didn't seem like such a great idea.
It wasn't long until Livia had eventually strayed from the busy streets of Konika Village and ended up near the beach. Livia was always strangely attracted to water. She guessed it was because she lived so close to it throughout her years. Sootopolis and Mossdeep had been her hometown(s), and she didn't know a life without being able to look outside and see a vast ocean. Without a second thought, Livia took off her shoes and held them in one hand while she strolled down the beach, feet warming in the soft sand. It seemed as if the day really couldn't get any more perfect for her.
And yet, life surprised her once more. Squinting, she could make out a dark figure standing just where the water met the shore, and Livia swore he looked exactly like her twin foster brothers. Or, well, one of them, seeing as there was only one figure standing there. Excited at the prospect of seeing a family member, a family member she had felt sorry for leaving without a word, Liva squealed and ran toward the figure, wrapping her arms around him in a large hug.
"Justin!" she called out (Justin was the one with dreadlocks--Austin shaved), face lit up in a wide smile, "Who thought I'd see you here? Is Austin here too?"
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 557 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "OMFG THEY'RE GOING TO BE SO CUTE~ :'D"
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Post by Miss Brightside on May 28, 2010 9:56:38 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font]
Immediately after Livia enveloped Jamal in her arms, the man tensed in utter surprise. Well, so much for that whole "loner" plan. For the time being, he had company... Clearly, company with an identification problem. He tried to relax his muscles and shut down his brain, neuron by neuron, as to avoid any repeat of the past. He was a new man, and this was his first test.
As his gaze slid down to hers and Jamal turned his head towards Livia, she saw this was in fact a total stranger and not her foster brother. The islander gently attempted to pry out of Livia's hug and spring loose of his light-skinned cage. "Sorry, wrong number," he joked, attempting to lower the level of awkward breached in the situation. His accent hung onto each word, not strong but enough to indicate his unconventional heritage and upbringing. Flashing her a grin, his white teeth greatly contrasting the rest of his face, he explained, "Close, though: Jamal, not Justin. A friend, I assume?" The curiosity was rather empty, but he didn't want to seem stand-offish.
Reflecting, Jamal mused that telling her his name right off the bat probably was a bad idea for keeping a low profile and from someone finding out who he was. She was probably fresh off of a boat as well; his wasn't the only one unloading. Was she from Sinnoh? Would she know of him? He hoped not. Besides, the girl seemed harmless... Affectionate to a dangerous extreme, sure, but she wasn't a threat. Probably. Possibly.
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on May 28, 2010 20:13:26 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright, |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] Livia was always told that she rushed into things too quickly without thinking but she had never truly believed it until now. Well, this was a little embarrassing. From far away, she could have sworn that he had been Justin, but now that she was up close, Livia could tell that no, he wasn't. They looked familiar, perhaps, but she had to admit that she had been at fault for assuming. Releasing the stranger from her grip, Livia stepped back, flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone else and..." she trailed off, scratching the top of her head. Whoops. She had dug herself quite the hole here. It was this level of embarrassment that she felt that she was glad that he was kind (and level-headed and smart and friendly) enough to introduce himself instead of rudely pushing her aside. The kind gesture was enough to rid of her blush and bring a small smile to her face.
"Hi, I'm Livia. Like Olivia without the 'O.'" Feeling a little more comfortable, Livia opened herself up a little, not turned away so that she hid her face from him. She jammed her hands into the pockets of her shorts, though it wasn't a sign of reluctance to talk, just a force of habit. "Oh, no, Justin's my brother--foster brother," Livia corrected herself. Well, obviously. If Jamal looked enough like Justin to be mistaken for him, and he was Livia's brother, one of them had to be adopted. Livia was just lacking in the dark skin and dark hair and all that exotic look: she was pale with bright red hair and looked about as simple as one get--or at least, she thought so.
Perhaps Jamal didn't want her around, but already Livia had forgotten about the concept of thinking about others while socializing. Instead of just apologizing again and walking off, she turned to face the ocean, completely comfortable with a stranger she just met. Well, she knew his name, so she supposed he wasn't really a stranger anymore. More like... acquaintances. Distant acquaintances. "It's pretty here, isn't it? It's my first time in Lanorae, and I thought (from the rumors) that it would be some rustic, dirty place, but it's really, really pretty here." Maybe she wanted him to reply, maybe she didn't. It was hard to tell with her.
"Anyway," she started, turning back to him, "What brings you here? I'm planning on taking the ranger test. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?"
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 444 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "IDK IF I LIKE THIS POSTING TEMPLATE. whatchu think, gurl?"
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Post by Miss Brightside on May 31, 2010 20:05:00 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
He had to admit: The young woman had charm. It was most likely unintentional, since people don’t usually appear that cute when embarrassed or flustered – at least, he didn’t, but he wasn’t flustered often – but it was there nonetheless. After this brief exchange, Jamal fully expected Livia to walk away and continue on whatever path of life she was headed towards previously, leaving him as a dark speck of nothing in her past and therefore making him feel a bit more secure about not being found out.
Instead, she kept talking. Well, crap. At least her name was easy to remember with its unique quality. Livia. Easy to say, too, without any of the awkward sounds he had a heavy accent with. Silently, he cursed his heritage simply because it ostracized him and made him either highly attractive or highly disliked because of how “exotic” it was. Jamal didn’t like either of these situations. She hadn’t had much of a reaction to it, though, which he liked. Maybe this girl wasn’t quite so bad. Before he could get ahead of himself, though, the young man scolded himself and backed away from the thought of seeing this girl again after this moment. Solitary life. That whole thing.
Content with this reassertion of his plan, Jamal let Livia continue to ramble on about Justin and Lanorae and whatnot. She looked like she was talking to the ocean more than him anyway, which was yet another positive sign for his plan. She didn’t need to get attached to him despite his uncanny resemblance to her – what was it? Foster brother? If this Justin guy was as dark as he was, either Justin or Livia would have to be adopted – well, her whatever, so if he could maintain being nice and polite without any significant impact, this would be perfect. His gaze drifted back out to the ocean as well, his mind wandering from something other than the topic at hand as it often did. He was thinking of home again and the beach he would play on and lounge there. The days seemed far away and foreign…
His attention was regained, however, when Livia mentioned joining the Rangers. Jamal’s head snapped towards her and his dreadlocks swayed with the motion, moving farther thanks to the leftover momentum. She was going to a ranger? Well, shit. It was hard to tell if this was a good thing or a bad thing. He’d have to thank his instincts later for telling him to be kind and neutral, since he’d probably be screwed now if he hadn’t. Thing is, this wasn’t going to be the last of her he’d see if she was going to be a Ranger. Unless she didn’t make it. Or he didn’t. Or if they were stationed in different places. Perhaps it would come in handy, if he rubbed her the right way… She could put in a good word for him. Maybe. Luck’s finally paying me a fortunate visit, he thought sickly, causing a smile to appear on his face. It was good timing, too, what with the conversation at hand.
“You too?” Jamal asked. “I was going to go apply to be a Ranger myself. It sounded like it would be good for me.” Tilting his head to the side, he cocked a brow and let the smile fade a bit in questioning, “Do you know much about the sub-groups? You know, the specializations or whatnot? I tried to ask around on my way here, I'm going to sign up to be a Land Strider, I think.” The islander wasn’t sure what he wanted Livia’s response to be, if he wanted her to be a Land Strider too or not. It was hard to tell what would give him a better end result from this exact point.
- - -
OoC//
I like the table thing you have going. It’s neat and pretty. It may just be my computer since I have a wide-ass flat screen, but your lyrics at the top end halfway down the second line. I think I described that right. I’m like half asleep right now and REALLY should be studying for my finals. /shot
I'm still trying to figure out what to do with Jamal. I kinda like this, but it's really... simple. |
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 2, 2010 18:37:10 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright, |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]
why had livia decided to be a ranger, she herself didn't even know. it wasn't like she had grown up looking up to officer jenny. she was never that goody-goody two shoes who ratted out her brothers (sometimes she had even joined them in their little misadventures). so she wasn't new to the whole bad-side-of-law deal. but when she saw that the offer was up, she couldn’t help but want to join them. livia supposed it was more of the idea that she fell in love with, not the ideals. rangers weren't like trainers who battled just for the heck of it, they had a purpose, and for once in her life, livia wanted a purpose. not as the adopted girl, the girl who didn't fit in, the girl to feel sorry for because she was abandoned by her mother. that wasn't really who she was. in lanorae and with a clean sheet of paper to start writing her story on, she guessed that she really wanted to be seen as who she really was—and to find who she really was in the process.
without a moment's hesitation, livia brightened up when jamal mentioned that he was going to be a ranger as well. why wouldn't she? now she had a friend, and she hadn't been on lanorae for ten minutes (and better yet, he seemed as excited that the two were both going to be rangers as much as she was). with a smile she replied, "oh really? i'm applying to be a land strider too!" on the way here, she had been contemplating the choices. she knew for a fact that being up in the air definitely wasn't something she was super looking forward to as livia and heights had never co-existed well (she had fallen from a roof, a ladder and five times from a tree, almost all of them ending with a broken limb). but whether she should be a land strider or a wave runner… livia felt more at home out on the water, that she knew. she was raised in sootopolis and mossdeep; she only knew life surrounded by water (her first stop at lanorae had even been a beach). it was always there for her, whenever she needed someone (or thing) to talk to. it was just before she landed on lanorae that she decided to be a land strider. if she was going to start anew and make a name for herself, she should go for something new, right? not something she was already so familiar with. and besides, it wasn't like she would never be able to go near water ever again, right?
believe it or not, livia had been reading a pamphlet on the ferry ride, which had been long enough for her to reread and scour through all the details of the job. so when jamal asked the question, she felt like she had all the answers. "the other ones are either wave runners or sky riders. i'm not comfortable with flying around, and i wanted something different than being in water all day, which is why i decided to be a land strider. why did you decide to be a ranger?" livia ended with a question of her own, though she remembered to add "you don't have to answer if you don't want to." see, she was considerate. sometimes.
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 594 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "LOLTHANKS. and screenshot it for me? 'cos them maybe i can help. (: lolscrewfinals. IMEANWHAT? haha, i like simple. (: i'm just overly ocd/anal and i like having pretty templates. o3o"
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Post by Miss Brightside on Jun 5, 2010 19:49:56 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
She was going to be a Land Strider too. Oh wow. That was a dodged bullet, and Jamal sent up a silent prayer of thanks for his nonchalance in conversation. Having this girl on his good side was going to come in handy, he hoped, in becoming a ranger. He’d need all the help he could get in slipping under the radar. Another silent prayer made its way into the sky, this one being for a lackadaisical attitude at the ranger center towards background checks – or, at least, in-depth ones. Or that they wouldn’t care. Or-! Oh, whatever. No use in worrying about it now.
The islander knew quite well what the other two specializations were, but he didn’t state this to avoid squashing Livia’s excitement. She did seem pretty proud of herself for her knowledge. He listened politely at first, but once again let his mind wander away – he had a nasty habit for that. Why had he decided on being a Land Strider? There really wasn’t much thought behind it, just a preference; a feeling that he would fit in best there. He supposed that he just didn’t have any experience with flying, the highest he’d even been being up in a tree, so that was why Sky Riders didn’t pull him in, and then the idea of dealing with wet dreadlocks made Jamal shudder, ruling out Wave Runners. He tuned back in to Livia’s ramblings just in time for the abrupt ending question.
“Why did you decide to become a ranger?”
Jamal’s locked-down mind roared to life again, flashing images before his eyes. It was a broken story in his mind that he’d never voice or even hint towards existing, and his impassive face only enforced that. As far as Livia knew, Jamal was merely musing, but he was facing his past once more and quickly shutting it down, just like when she had initially approached him. The only gear left spinning in his mind was how to get out of the situation without seeming suspicious. Even after her offer of him not to say anything, he knew that wasn’t the right choice – that would mean he had something to hide and needed investigating. He could easily lie, but from the sounds of it he’d be seeing this girl again in the future and it’d be difficult to keep his story together and believable. But he obviously couldn’t tell her the truth. What to do? Making his decision before the silence between them grew too long, he settled with a half-truth and told her, "No, it’s okay. It’s kind of painful, but…" Turning away slightly, he feigned his angst. Or was it real? He couldn’t tell. Jamal was never the “angsty” type. “Recently, someone very close to me was hurt by these… thugs, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.” Jamal clenched and unclenched his fists as the only outlet of the wave of negative emotions that swept over that part of his life. Fear. Anger. Regret. Shaking it off, he finished with a lie: “I never want to feel that helpless again, nor do I want anyone else to go through what I did. Maybe I can protect someone in their place, you know?” With a turn to face Livia again, Jamal smiled slightly as if to show her it was okay and shrugged. “Any particular reason you wanted to become one? I sincerely hope it’s nothing like mine.” The latter was said in good humor and Jamal flashed his teeth in a grin again, trying to lighten the mood. He hated making others feel awkward.
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OoC//
XD I finished them anyway. A lot of craziness went down since then with work and graduation and parties and DRAMAoohihatedrama and bleh. Sorry for the delay, my dearest. And I just can never think of anything to do style-wise. I get too afraid of copying others.
Screenshot! I dunno if it’s supposed to be like that but if it’s not then I think you should do something about the epic open space to the right. It’s kinda awkward. It may just be my monitor, but yeah. |
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 12, 2010 23:01:03 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright , |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] livia would never have guessed that something so traumatic had happened to jamal, to anyone. usually, she would have rather guessed that his parents had been rangers too, or that they made him become one. or that his choice had been as simple as hers. as jamal told his story, livia cringed, though she was sure that she couldn't possibly imagine what he had gone through. the worst she had ever had to deal with was when justin or austin told her that she couldn't play with them anymore because she was a girl. as if she had been asked to born this way. if she had her way, livia would have much rathered being born as a guy. they just had things a lot easier than girls did. no pregnancies, no stereotyping as the "weaker" sex, and to top it all off, they didn't get that fairy who visited them every month and made them bleed. for a week. ugh. but now her problems seemed much, much less important than jamal's. that was when livia decided: she was going to be jamal's friend and she was going to show jamal that there was good in the world and that he didn't have to protect everyone because she was always going to be there for him. naomi always told her that she made attachments too easily for her own good.
during jamal's heart wrenching story, livia subconsciously scooted closer toward him, close enough to place a hand on his shoulder. she didn't know if he was alright with the whole physical-thing (back at home, she had known a girl who hadn't), but it felt like it was the right thing to do. and the only way to show that she was really sorry without causing a dramatic fuss and probably making him feel more uncomfortable about opening up to her than he already did. "i'm so sorry," livia whispered, though it was faint enough that jamal might not have heard. "about what happened, i mean. i don't think..." that she could ever go through what he did and still he functioning. that was what livia wanted to say, but she couldn't tell if he would take that in the way that she meant it. as socially awkward livia tended to get, she knew when she was taking things a little too far.
when jamal attempted to lighten things up, livia took the cue to slide her hand off his shoulder and stick it back into her pocket. although she didn't feel it, she flashed him an artificial smile in return to his. she should just go along with what he did, she decided. "my story's not as... dramatic as yours, actually," livia started, laughing lightly. "i just... didn't fit in back at home, and decided that it would just be easier if i moved away and started over. that's why i'm here, at least. then on the way here, i just decided i wanted to be a ranger. battling for fun or degrading pokemon based on their looks ... didn't appeal to me, i guess." by now livia had turned away from jamal and toward the horizon, staring at the waves. she missed home already.
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 594 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "urhurrr. finals suck. and i'm so sorry this is so late. ;A; and that's so weird. on my screen it's all just lined up. ... IDK FIX YOUR SCREEN, ANDI. ... and i decided that livia's a diehard feminist. 'cos it seemed fun. so if jamal cracks any jokes, she'll go all PINK on him. ;D"
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Post by Miss Brightside on Jun 15, 2010 16:10:33 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
Oh, hell. Come on, not sympathy. Jamal winced internally, knowing that it’d damage his cover if he showed the surge of guilt that ran through him at Livia’s comforting. She shouldn’t feel bad for him. That wasn’t what actually happened, that wasn’t why he was in Lanorae. If that story was true, it would make more sense for him to be back home, helping Sasha. But, of course, his dark secret kept him away from home and away from his grandmother, most likely for good. It hung in the pit of his stomach, threatening to erupt from him and ruin everything . He had killed a guy or two. It wasn’t a matter of self-defense or anything, but rather in cold blood - in revenge, really. But Jamal remained silent and simply accepted Livia’s comfort, not completely sure on how he planned to justify his actions in his mind. This was always the worst part of lying, he noted: Acceptance of the aftermath and making it right by his standards – even if he had to change those standards. It was what made him a thief and a convict, sure, but also what made him lax and understanding... and, well, old habits die hard.
Despite his knowledge that he didn’t really deserve it, Jamal enjoyed Livia’s touch and felt a bit sad to have it go. It had been quite some time since anyone had really shown him kindness as such. Not that it wasn’t his fault; after all, who would show warmth and care to a thief? After that trial back in Canalcave, when he was seventeen, the world became a harsher place to him, and he had merely come to grips with it. After all, you can’t change the world – you can only go with what you’re given. He had grown used to the new way of the world and accepted it, but now everything was changing all over again. And, well... It was nice, Jamal decided. He was a changing man anyway, so it’s okay that he was letting this happen. He was soon to be a ranger and they were good people who deserved good things. Morbidly, he wondered how many other rangers would have the checkered past he did and toyed with that in his imagination. As Livia spoke again, his gaze shifted back to her and he tried to continue his little game, but fell short. What could she have done? This girl was brash but considerate and eager and clearly quite happy with the little things in life, as she showed within the first few minutes of their encounter. She wasn’t a bad person, and Jamal knew bad people. He worked with them and lived amongst them for the past seven or so years. Livia just seemed so good and... pure.
And you sound naïve, Jamal scolded himself, snapping out of the moment of adoration. She was sweet, but there was a dark side to everyone. Livia was no exception, he was sure, and he just didn’t want to get close anyway. In spite of this, when she turned away and sadness shined through her exterior, Jamal felt a pang of sympathy in return. Don’t do it, a part of his mind urged. Leave her be. Don’t get attached. But he wouldn’t get attached. In fact, he was removing his debt. Therefore, Jamal found himself asking, “Oh, really? That pout says otherwise, little miss,” and gently nudging her with his elbow. He was just being polite and friendly. It was nothing personal. Really, it wasn’t... was it?
- - -
OoC//
Ohohoho. Feminist? I’m so game. He’s gonna make a comment. Or two. >D And my screen’s wonked, don’t compare =P It looks much much better now, though. What did you do, set the width differently? The font looks smaller, at least. Idk. UHM ALSO. I think I’m gonna make Jamal a smoker, or like he’s gonna take it up in place of shoplifting. Will that be too much of a turnoff for Livs? |
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 15, 2010 20:44:19 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright , |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] so livia lied just a little. it wasn't that big of a lie anyway. more like just not saying something that might be remotely important. no biggie. it's was just that she... well, ran away. there was no goodbye ceremony as she got ready to leave and start a new life. nothing fancy. she just ran away. the only one who knew where she was was her biological mom. someone she hadn't even met until just a few months ago. someone who convinced her that it would be a good idea to just up and leave. and at first it had seemed like a good idea. it seemed like the perfect idea. livia finally got to go and do something she wanted without anyone overshadowing her or telling her she wasn't good enough or that she couldn't do it because she was a girl. no one babying her and checking up and just trailing after her twenty-four/seven. she supposed this was when the phrase "you don't know what you're missing until after it's gone" came into play, and since livia's never actually lost anything significant until now, the blow was hard. she already missed hearing naomi calling for her and being able to hear it all the way across the city. or seeing the twins smiling at her, making her feel like she was seeing double. she missed home.
livia had been a little caught up in her nostalgia, she almost didn't hear what jamal said and it wasn't until he nudged her that she turned to look at him. "oh, no," she started, her face lighting up to that smile she always wore, "it's not that. nothing big or anything, really." for a second, livia considered just dropping the topic. she wasn't too happy with the topic, and she didn't know how anyone would take it. she was a runaway and it really was as bad as it sounded. she left her parents without even a note as to what she was doing or why or where she was going. god they were probably worrying right now. when she wasn't on the ferry coming back home ... something in livia broke a little as she thought about it. naomi would be crying. probably sitting in that wooden chair by the phone. spencer would be pacing around, sitting by the fireplace or out, trying to pretend that he wasn't bothered by her being gone. would her mother have told them where she went? god, livia hoped so. just the thought of the image broke her heart--if they really were happening, she wouldn't be able to deal with it. she supposed what she was feeling was shame. ashamed of leaving her family to go do her own thing. selfish. she supposed that was why she was so iffy about telling jamal. he was a nice guy (or at least he hadn't stolen from her yet he seemed like it). what would he think?
then livia decided that if she couldn't face what she did, she didn't deserve to start anew. besides, she could always write a letter, right? she'd write. she'd write to naomi and spencer and justin and austin and everyone back in sootopolis about how she was doing. that would at least be a start in making things better. with a shrug and a soft sigh, livia turned back to look at the ocean, although this time she wasn't as distant. "i just miss home, is all," she started, her usually loud personality lowered to just above a whisper. "i ... i kind of left without telling anyone. it seemed like a good idea at the time. just leaving. starting over. now i'm not so sure, and i'm left missing everyone." then her voice turned into something more determined, and she continued, "but i still think it was a good idea. leaving, i mean. i just should have done it in a better way. and besides, i always have the ocean, so it's not like i completely left home."
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 697 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "nah, turned out my appearance setting on firefox was wonky. so i fixed it. ;D lolol. she won't like it, but idt it'll be that big of a turn off. she'll end up being 'omgthat'sbadforyouuu' and try and stamp out the cig. but y'know. o: AND DO YOU LIKE THE IRONY I PUT IN MY POST? 'COS I DO."
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Post by Miss Brightside on Jun 16, 2010 16:47:26 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
Jamal smiled at Livia’s explanation. He couldn’t help himself. It was odd, how they were both runaways. It even amused him that she ran away by choice rather than circumstance; if it wasn’t for the hit undoubtedly on his head now that he killed off two big gang leaders in Sinnoh, he’d have never left. He would just face the music. After all, it was just too much effort to move around that much, and he deserved whatever justice or family had I story for him. But, of course, there was the matter of the gang and the shady side of the world he had become ensnared in that he could never truly escape. Even if he fled for the rest of his life and never stole again, never committed a single crime, they were in his mind, planting seeds of fear and paranoia as well as the desire to go back to what he used to be. No, that was a part of his past that he’d have to live with, forever. It’s what kept runaways like him separated from runaways like Livia, whether she was aware of it or not. And she wouldn’t be aware of it, of course. Not unless he wanted her running for the police and shipping him back to Sinnoh to meet his doom. Or at least exposing him and making him as much of an alien in Lanorae as he was back home.
Why would Livia leave without saying anything, though? Jamal mulled over the idea. Even he had left word with Sasha that he was alive, at least. He couldn’t tell her much for her own safety as much as his. Family ties were big to him, and if Livia had a large family – bear in mind, anything greater than two was “big” to him – it seemed crucial that they should be assured of her safety. That is, if they loved and cared about her. Jamal liked to lack cynicism in the belief that not everyone in the world is as selfish and heartless as his parents. If Livia was worrying about how they felt about her leaving, there had to be care there, anyway. With a slight frown, he glanced about. No one that suspicious was around – in fact, the beach seemed pretty deserted – but danger lurked behind every corner. Maybe he could live up to the lie he told her and make it a part of his beliefs, like he did with his changes in life. Maybe he could protect her, making sure her family had nothing to worry about. With how impulsive and trusting she appeared to be, she could get into trouble fast, and her family would be devastated.
No, wait. That was bad, he reminded himself. That was attachment. There would be none of that out of risk for exposure. But... protecting Livia could be impersonal, too. I mean, who doesn’t need protecting? And police officers do it all the time, and they don’t even know the civilians they save the lives of. Isn’t a ranger kind of like a cop, anyway? That morbid part of his brain that found the world to be hilarious poked fun at the fact that an ex-convict was becoming a cop as Jamal thought over his options. He could stick around just until she sent a letter telling her family where she was. Yeah. Then it was out of his hands, because then they know where she is and if anything happens, they can take care of it. Yeah. Yeah, that was good. "Not that ‘ocean connections’ aren’t great and all," he joked, teasing her a bit, “but you could always write. They might have a carrier Pidgey or something at the Ranger station that you can use if you ask.” With that suggestion, he hoped to plant his own seed in her mind and play at her guilt a bit. It was manipulation, sure, but it was for her own good.
- - -
OoC//
Oh wow, smooth. XD He might end up quitting for her but he’s gotta do something to not steal. Idk. AND I QUITE LIKE THE STRIKETHROUGH MYSELF but that’s just me.
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 17, 2010 14:38:10 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright , |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td]
living in a tiny and isolated place like sootopolis, where everyone knew everyone, livia grew up in a rather protected childhood--she didn't know much about the "bad side of the world". to her, everyone was as nice as they seemed to be she learned to see tiptoe past whatever horrible thing they did and see the good side. there might be someone who kicks and bullies random passerby, but there might be something to his past, something that made him believe that there was no reason to believe in humans anymore. plus, despite how treated other people, perhaps he was as nice as he could be to pokemon. she learned to believe that there was a reason to what people did, and usually things were kind of justified in their own little way. at least, that was how livia saw the world. naomi told her that she was too trusting. spencer scolded her that one day she'd get mixed up with the wrong people. once she had almost gotten in a lot of trouble. but almost. that was probably why she felt so at ease in a new place. she had confidence that if things went wrong, there would be someone willing to help her out. that was how life worked, wasn't it? people helped one another out when they were in trouble.
"hey, you know what," livia started, still smiling, "i think i am going to write." but at the thought of having to write the letter, she wilted again. what would she write? god, she wanted to just write out everything and tell naomi and spencer and justin and austin about the ferry ride and annabelle and lanorae. she wanted to tell them how sorry she was for just leaving. she wanted to help them understand that this was for her and despite the miles and miles that stood between them, she still loved them with all her heart and would do anything to just see them again--but this was something she just had to do. livia didn't know how to write all that down without using sheets and sheets of paper. it wasn't like she didn't want to write. she did. but livia just knew that if she was actually faced with writing the letter, blank paper in front of her and pen in hand, she'd face a brick wall with what to write. "i just... i just need to figure out what to write first." feeling embarrassed and ashamed that she didn't know what to write to her own family, livia faced the ocean again. half of her wanted to swing across the waters and go back home. but she knew that if she did (and made it there alive, really), she'd end up in the same situation again, with the need to escape. here was where she belonged, she told herself. being here was right.
watching a flock of wingull and pelipper flying across the water, livia said, "i guess i don't have to write right away, right?" she looked at jamal for support in her decision. she'd wait until she felt truly comfortable with writing home. when she figured out exactly what she was doing in lanorae. it wasn't exactly the best thing to do, but right now, she just needed someone to tell her that it was an okay thing to do. it was okay to just wait it out a little--and right now, jamal was the only one who could tell her that. but looking at him gave her a new idea. eyes sparkling with an idea, she hooked her arm around his, a gesture that bonded the two as friends (to livia, at least). "hey, why don't you write a letter with me? i'm sure you have people who miss you back home. wherever home might be for you, i mean."
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 672 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "lol. livia will find jamal a new hobby. he could always just do her, idk STRIKETHROUGHS ARE MY FRAAANS. ANDIWOMAN, YOU NEED TO GIVE ME MORE TO WORK WIF. D':"
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Post by Miss Brightside on Jun 17, 2010 21:35:00 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
The islander’s eyes lit up as she took his suggestion, the triumph of his plan rising up through his being. That was a lot easier than he anticipated, and suddenly he understood the need for his old associates to manipulate as they did. The connection there sent up a red flag, however, and Jamal backed away from any idea that he would be like them again. No manipulation, if that was the case. Besides, that went against his personality. Wasn’t he supposed to be go-with-the-flow? Yeah. Livia sure was one crazy-action flow, but he’d go with what she wanted for now. She was his ticket in, anyway. Hopefully. As she faltered, however, his gaze softened and he nodded in understanding. She didn’t know what to write. That was understandable. He struggled a bit at first with his own message, but that also had to do with wording things in such a way to inform Sasha of his plans without giving away too much if any goons were to come knocking on her door. She turned away and Jamal removed his gaze, taking another sweep of the beach to confirm that no one had emerged from the shadows. Yes, he was paranoid and with good reason. The two were still alone, and no traces of others could be seen in the near vicinity. Good. Escaping here wouldn’t be that hard, but with the time of day and the barren landscape of the beach, it’d take a while to lose any pursuers... There was that shack over there, most likely with a back door, and staying in the shadows form there would be easy enough...
Wait, what did she just say? She wasn’t sending a letter right away? His gaze snapped back to her and he tried not to show any shock or surprise. Internally, Jamal groaned. Why couldn’t she feel just a bit more guilty and want to write as soon as possible? With afterthought, however, Jamal rationalized that nothing this girl had done thus far had been that, well, rational, and this would be no different. Besides, clearly he wasn’t as good at manipulation as he thought and therefore wasn’t like his old comrades. That was somewhat of a relief, anyway. There was less for him to change and improve on. Still, that meant he had to stick around to keep to his resolve, since that was the most important part. He had to learn to keep to his promises and to look out for others rather than just for himself. The islander wasn’t thrilled, seeing as this girl attracted attention simply by existing with her bright red hair, but as long as no one knew better it shouldn’t matter. Right? Right. So at the question, he gave her a half smile and a small nod of his head to confirm her desire. Go with the flow. Let her go at her own pace...
He was about to say something on the topic, something consoling along the lines of “Yeah, don’t sweat it, I’m sure you’ll figure out what to say soon,” or “The right words will come to you, it’s your family, after all,” but suddenly she was in action again. Her arm hooked around his and his body tensed up in surprise. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on. The hug was accidental, the hand on the shoulder was a sign of comfort, so he let those go. But what was this? Were they supposed to be buddies? He was more of an acquaintance, or an escort at the most. Jerking away would cause strife, however, and upset her; the moment he looked in her eyes omg so cute, he knew he couldn’t hurt her... But then came the problem of her suggestion. Write one himself? Oh no. He broke his ties with his past. Besides, any more contact might lead the others to him. Not okay. However, to avoid suspicion yet again, Jamal put on a crooked grin. “Yeah? Somehow, I think that might annoy my grandmother.” Shit! A slip about himself! He wasn’t supposed to say that. Damn it. The tension was causing him to crumble a bit, to get sloppy. Stupid physical contact... It made his mind go haywire. “She’s, uh, I lived with her,” he explained hastily, “and she already knows what I’m up to.” In the same fashion as before, Jamal followed his truth up with a lie to cover up: “Sent me off with a pat on the bum and a wish of good luck. No need to write. But I wouldn't mind helping you if I can.”
- - -
OoC//
XDD There’s always that. Somehow, I doubt he’ll mind. THOUGH THE TWINS MIGHT >D And I also share great affection towards the use of a line through a group of words. *nods*
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 18, 2010 13:37:43 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright , |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] if livia felt jamal tense up (or if she did and it bothered her), she didn't show it—though it was much more likely that she just didn't feel it at all. she had a tendency to just only see what she wanted to see, and in this case, feel what she wanted to feel. this also prompted the "you're going to get yourself in trouble one day" speech, though this time from justin or austin (or both), as they were the ones who saw what she was like with her friends, or anyone at all, really. (to be honest, half the time livia ignored all the speeches. they were all the same, anyway, so why should she bother trying to listen to them a second time?) in her mind, the two were already the best of friends, and the best of friends didn't flinch or tense up when they hooked arms with each other. it was such a simple little gesture—she saw no reason as to why anyone would get flustered over it. livia saw it as someone getting angry at someone for walking—that irrational. with a little smile that showed how content she was that jamal wasn't protesting loudly against her little gesture, she pat his arm, scooting a little closer. it wasn't long until both her arms were around his, one hand on his shoulder while the other snaked down to his hand. okay, so maybe now it was a little creepy, but to be honest, livia saw nothing wrong with it, so it couldn't be bad—right? right.
"your... grandmother?" livia asked, looking up at him. "what about your parents?" it was an unusual circumstance, having one live with his grandmother instead of his parents--not that livia should be talking as the adopted child--and her blunt curiosity got the better of her lack of sensitivity for others. she guessed it was also because she didn't really have any grandparents. she had never asked annabelle if there were any grandparents alive, and she knew that both naomi and spencer's parents were, well, deceased. there were always the elders in the city who were nice and kind and always willing to offer cookies or a bandaid or lemonade if it was a particularly hot day. even still, as much as she loved all of them, livia guessed that it just wasn't the same as actually having grandparents. mostly because the elderly usually had grandchildren of their own.
but already livia was going off again, and it wasn't sure if she even bothered waiting for an answer from jamal. that was kind of the way she was, just go go go. "i'm sure your grandmother still wants to know where you are and what you're doing. your grandma's like spencer. he'd pretend he doesn't care, but you know that he really does." livia was a little open with her own personal life, possibly more open than other people would have liked. "we can help each other with our letters," livia said, trying to be helpful. she was sure that jamal wanted to write back to his grandmother, whether he even knew it or not. he left his family, so it was natural that he should want to keep in touch and his grandmother surely must want to know what his grandson was doing. half certain that he was going to start denying that his grandma wanted him to write, livia walked in front of him and put on her most serious face (though it definitely wasn't as intimidating as she thought she was) and crossed her arms. "she's your grandmother. she still wants you to write back, no matter what you think."
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 658 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "well, it's not like the twins ever have to know. c8 idk, there's something about strikethroughs that turns me on. and i liked that touch on jamal's post, js <3 ANDANDAND i was listening to 'accidentally in love' while writing this. just wanted you to know. c: ANDNEWHOTSEXYJAMAL. <3"
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Post by Miss Brightside on Jun 18, 2010 14:43:10 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
Whoa. Okay. Hold on a second. This girl was going way too far. Jamal would freely admit that he enjoyed her hand on his shoulder earlier to a small extent. Then it had been impersonal, just a motion of sympathy and comfort. It was a sign of helplessness, really, and the admittance that there was nothing else she could do to help him. That was fine. Locking arms? Yeah. There was a line crossed there. But, you know, if she felt secure that way then who was he to argue? It was just a gesture of companionship. And he was her companion, for now. So long as he didn’t read into it and she didn’t read into it, he could let it slide... But now things were getting ridiculous. The two were starting to look like a couple, and Jamal definitely wanted to stay away from that. I mean, geez, she couldn’t be much older than a teenager, if she wasn’t one still! Besides, a girlfriend was the last thing he needed. No connections, remember? It’ll be one less thing for people to use against him. Now suddenly she was draped around him like this year’s latest fashion which is really funny because his playby is a model and something had to give. He opened his mouth to protest, but she was already going again.
And, of course, she brought up a sore subject, successfully distracting him from the contact problem. Yes, he lived with his grandmother. That’s how it always had been. By stating as such, one would think she’d get the picture and let it drop, but no; Jamal noted to put things in plainer terms in the future. Clearly, Livia had a few problems connecting the dots sometimes. He wasn’t sure how he wanted to explain his parents, though. After all, he didn’t know much about them. Trevor was a big Pokemon Trainer in Kanto, Sasha had told him – after all, she had been so proud of him once upon a time. Deep down, Jamal knew, she still was, seeing as Trevor was her son and that would never fade away, but their relationship had definitely diminished after he dumped a baby on her. And Trevor’s wife, AKA Jamal’s biological mother, Yolanda? She was a coordinator. Possibly. Probably. Sasha never really liked her, she always pressed that it was her that convinced Trevor to give up their only child. Jamal never really liked talking about his parents anyway. They didn’t want him, so why should he want them? Sasha was his family, and that was the end of it. He couldn’t help that his parents thought him to be unlucky. In fact, who could blame them? The pair had a lot going for their careers, he guessed, and a bad luck charm would only bring them down.
Before his reminder of misfortune could get any more carried away, Jamal began shutting down his mind again. Right. She was asking about his parents. He’d just say they were gone, indicate that they’re dead. After all, they might be. Jamal hadn’t seen them for, what, twenty years? Maybe less. It ended up that he didn’t have to respond, anyway; Livia was moving on with the conversation. Thankfully, her next move took her away from his arm, but she was now... What was she doing? Pouting? Pursing her lips? The islander wasn’t sure, but it was some form of her persuading him to write to Sasha. Mostly, she just looked cute, and while no man ever really had a problem with a cute girl, Jamal wouldn’t be swayed so easily. He sighed and raised a brow at her, looking weary. “Livia,” he started slowly, remembering her name easily with its peculiarity, “trust me. She’s one of those old ladies that would beat you up if you stepped on one of her flowers. She’s had enough of me for now. Maybe later on. Much, much later on.” Or never. Never was cool, too. When the pout/intimidation attempt continued, he took a deep, calming breath to soothe his growing irritation and pressed his fingers to his forehead. What was he supposed to do? There was really only one option. He had to get her off his back and on her way so he could go his own way... “All right. Okay. Fine. I’ll write. If it matters that much to you.”
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OoC//
GOT SOME IRONY OF MY OWN GOING THERE. HURRR. And I can see the twins walking on a “moment” between the two. Even just like them being romantic or something. And then they go twin power on Jamal’s ass  ANYWAY. Strikethroughs make me quite excited as well and I just couldn’t resist it was right there! so I’m glad you enjoyed it~ I may have to listen to that on my way to work now, thanks a lot! ANDIKNOWRIGHT? I’ve got the image for the next thread ready, too |
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 18, 2010 21:54:26 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright , |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] maybe it was because she was the only and youngest girl in a family of mostly boys that livia got a little spoiled. either way, it wasn't long until she kind of expected people to fall to her charms. or at least, be willing to give in to her wishes. "no" wasn't exactly a word in her vocabulary, and neither was "sorry i don't want to." so when jamal told her no (rather kindly, compared to some of the rejection she had in the past), livia tightened her arms around her chest and deepened her frown. her eyebrows bunched together at the center of her brow and angry wrinkles became sharper, more defined. still, she could kind of feel it... well, not working. back home, everyone used to just laugh at her whenever she pulled this face, pat her on the head and tell her how adorable she was. it got exasperating, especially when she really was angry or trying to be serious. for a second, livia thought she might have to go to drastic measures and pull on her "ohpleasepleaseplease" face. that one usually got the reaction she wanted. but then jamal pinched his fingers together at his forehead, and livia knew that she was going to get the right answer. that was what spencer used to do just before he caved and give her what she wanted. like giving up money for extra ice cream. just a few more seconds and...
“all right. okay. fine. i’ll write. if it matters that much to you.”
livia's face pulled into a large smile, and she had to hold back from tackling jamal to the ground in a hug. instead, she half-bounced, half-rocked on the balls of her feet, clapping her hands. she took a moment for her happiness before settling everything down, though her smile didn't look as if it was going to start relaxing any time soon. "of course it matters to me!" livia said, taking a leaf out of his own book and nudging him with her elbow. she wasn't much of a social-situations kind of girl, but she learned pretty quickly. "i just want to make sure my friend is happy." because they were friends. the best of friends. or at least, they were going to be. livia was sure of that (or else she would kind of make them friends, and that wouldn't be a good thing for anyone at all). to be frank, livia had never really had too many friends. no, not because she was a loser or anything there were the twins and their gang, but after they got to the "sorry liv, no girl allowed" phase, she had rather been ostracized from all of their manly activities. not like she had never gone diving into the ocean from the rock before, or gone snooping around the gym or the cave. a few years ago, they had been fine with doing all of those things with her, but ... naomi said it was because they had just "reached a certain age", whatever that was supposed to mean, and she should "find some girls to romp around with." livia had tried. honestly. she tried to make friends with the girls, but... well, they told her she had "boy cooties." ugh. that was when she started spending more time indoors helping with naomi, or wandering around the city, looking if any of the elders had stories to tell, or hanging out by the water, where she befriended many many pokemon. so you couldn't blame her at all when she clung a little when she managed to find someone who was willing to have a friendly conversation with her for more than five minutes.
"hey, you know what," livia started, off on one of her ideas again, "we can write letters after our first ranger assignment! or after the initiation ceremony." her blue eyes sparkles, though it wasn't easy to tell if they were sparkling because of excitement of writing the letters together or of the ranger initiation ceremony. perhaps it was both. the anticipation of doing something, anything with jamal was exciting enough, but adding on the ceremony was too much. "oh, what do you the ceremony's going to be like?" livia asked, reaching out and grabbing his hand with both hands in her excitement. "it didn't really say much in the pamphlet i read, only that it includes getting to know the leader and making sure that we're ready for a job, and getting to meet our pokemon partner." livia paused to take in a deep breath, shaking. the idea of meeting a pokemon you'd be partnered up with for the rest of your life both scared and excited her. one, she was crossing her fingers and praying that she wouldn't get a fire type. that might just give her a heart attack. or any pokemon that was rough and scary and large and looked like it would just reach over and bite your head off. she wasn't sure she could take that. two, the prospect of finally having her own pokemon to form a bond with and grow with ... she just hoped whatever pokemon she ended up with would at least like her. a little bit. she didn't know if she could take it if her pokemon hated her. suddenly caught up in her worries, she looked up at jamal, worry written all over her face, and asked in a small little voice, "what if the pokemon hates me?"
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 974 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "fff. they're going to be together whether he likes it or not. so he should just suck it up and face the truth. >c uhuhuh. i don't think livia should ever bring jamal home. but we all know she would lol. GLAD YOU LIKE LIVIA'S ADORABLENESS. c: and no problem. haha. c8 LOL. YAY FOR ANDI~ ... btw, i don't even know how this one's supposed to end. xD"
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Post by Miss Brightside on Jun 20, 2010 21:43:19 GMT -5
the . s m o k e . is . s e t t l i n g . in JAMAL TRUEWATER [/font] - - -
A smile made its way across Jamal’s face at her excitement despite the circumstances. He’d admit to anyone that she was cute, and that her mannerisms were something he could get used to. If only. It would be another time, another lifetime, but not this one. His mind began going back to how he agreed to this letter nonsense and a sense of nausea plagued him. Oh boy, how was he going to get out of this one? If he sent the letter, it’d be like putting a giant red and white target on his back for his old gang to find him with. He’d have to opt out of it somehow. But, if Livia was as determined as she seemed, she wouldn’t stand for it. Maybe she’d be less observant and not notice if he didn’t, wrapped up in her own whatever. Then again, she seemed pretty excited that they were doing it together... So that might be a no-go. He could just send it elsewhere... But then it could fall into the wrong hands. Ugh. What a situation. He’d just have to play it by ear. Jamal had been in worse situations, and he could get out of this one.
And then he heard it. Friend. Wait, hold on. Did she just refer to him as a “friend?” For Arceus’s sake, they just met! He was not her friend, and he would not be her friend. Not now, not ever. He’d have to straighten her out... But the moment he looked back at Livia – that is, actually looked at her and not let his eyes rest on her as his mind churned over everything, ever – he saw the look in her eyes, the excitement, and a part of him just died a bit. He couldn’t crush that. Not right now. At the mention of initiation, his new plan clicked together. Surely, there would be other rangers there that she could latch onto and he would be home free. No, even better! A Pokemon! She would get her starter, her “partner” or whatnot. She would latch onto that and he would be a thing of the past, allowing him to slip off into the shadows. That was his specialty, after all. But she made friends fast, which meant she was flaky, right? Right. And, with that assurance, Jamal kept quiet and let Livia go on and ramble about the ranger ceremony. Geez, she was excited – she was vibrating like an Electirke! Was she okay? The islander was about to question her strange “condition,” but as usual, she interrupted his thoughts with another outburst.
“What if the Pokemon hates me?”
Jamal almost started to laugh at that, releasing it in a snort. He raised a brow and responded, “Come on! Are you serious?” Immediately, however, he regretted his insensitive outburst. That look before was cute, but this? This was amazing. She was so fragile and... uncertain. How did Livia change in two seconds from confident and brash to... to this? His expression softened once more and, against his better judgment, he put his other hand on hers and said, “Look. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I mean... They can’t have Rangers running around with Pokemon that don’t like them, right? There’s probably some way to make sure whatever Pokemon you’ll end up with is right for you. Or some freaky bonding ritual. Or something.” When the expression didn’t fade, he added, “Besides, what Pokemon wouldn’t like someone as friendly as you?” Before it could sink in and she could respond, however, Jamal pulled away and turned toward the rest of the beach once more. “Only one way to find out, though. Let’s head to the Ranger Station.” Yep. The sooner he got there, the sooner she would be out of his hair, and he could disappear. As if to signify his moving on from the beach, Jamal pulled out a pair of sharp sunglasses and put them on dramatically like Horatio on CSI: Miami would, the sun glaring off of them as it rose higher into the sky. Before heading off and beckoning Livia to follow, he took one final sweep of the beach for any followers. The two still seemed to be left in peace, and Jamal let out a sigh of relief. After all, it was far too soon for him to deal with trouble.
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OoC//
But if she doesn’t bring him home, there wouldn’t be any lulzy drama! XD AND JAMAL LIKES IT TOO. But he just won’t admit it yet. Give him a mission and he will =D AND THIS IS HOW YOU END IT, FOO’ |
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Post by RATED R FOR REX on Jun 21, 2010 16:58:53 GMT -5
| [atrb=width,395,bTable][atrb=bgcolor,E8E8E8,bTable][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,7,true][atrb=align,center,true] | | [atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd]why are these lights so bright , |
[/color] YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME OUT IT'S ALL A BLUR LAST NIGHT NOW DON'T BLAME ME JUST REMEMBER WHAT YOU TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR WAKING UP IN VEGAS GET UP AND SHAKE THE GLITTER OFF YOUR CLOTHES NOW WE'RE PARTNERS IN CRIME - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [/justify][/font][/color][/td][/tr][tr][td] according to everyone, it seemed whatever livia did would just automatically land her in trouble. she was too friendly, too trusting, too naive, too anything. sometimes livia did wonder at times if she was doing the right thing. if by doing this she would get herself into trouble. or if by some chance, she would end up dead in a ditch somewhere because she trusted the wrong person or said the wrong thing to the wrong person. it wasn't like she didn't think about it at all--she did often. but it was times like this, where she met a friendly stranger that made her rethink what everyone told her. maybe she was just lucky. or maybe everyone else was just a little too cautious. they should just stop and smell the roses sometimes. or, in this case, stop and talk to a stranger. because you never ended up knowing what they were like. it wasn't as if all the strangers in the world was plotting your demise, right? right. so when livia looked to jamal for a bit of comfort, anyone who knew her would tell him that she really meant what she said and she really was looking to him for any sort of comforting words. not as a stranger or another human being, but as a true-blue, honest to god friend. that was just they way she was.
though, there was no worry needed. livia seemed to have put her trust in the right person. she definitely felt better, with what he said. he was right. they couldn't possibly have rangers running around with pokemon pertners that didn't like them. that would be something nearing on disaster. nodding, livia definitely felt a lot better. but she still couldn't help compare jamal to her brothers—again. looking at him again, she saw why she had mistook him for justin, though jamal was a little more muscular than justin had been. then he acted so much like austin. he had been the quiet type. the dark and silent and mysterious guy. he had been the one to include livia more often, or when justin was off doing his own thing, austin would sometimes invite livia over to do something with him. that sort of thing. and when livia ever felt bad, she knew that if she went over to austin, he'd be willing to comfort her—though sometimes she could tell that he was a little uncomfortable in doing so. that's when she knew she should at least pretend to be comforted. not that that was a problem with jamal. she already felt a lot better. though, before she could say anything in return, he pulled his hands away—when had he placed his other hand on top of hers?—and turned. so maybe he was a little more like austin than justin. well, she'd just have to get to know him better to find out.
"i guess," livia said, feeling much more confident about going and getting her partner. she trusted jamal that it was all going to be alright. like him, she turned toward the ocean again, though this time with her eyes closed. bye guys she said, thinking of everyone back at home and pretending she really was saying goodbye to them. and wish me luck. i promise to keep in touch. when she opened her eyes again, jamal was already headed back, turning once to gesture for her to follow. with a little hop in her step, livia jogged up to him, slowing down to a walk when she reached him. without saying anything, and without really realizing that she was doing so, livia slid her hand into his and the two walked off into the sunset started their long journey together.
[/color][/td][/tr][tr][td][atrb=textalign,justify,true][atrb=width,375,bTd][bg=181818] THIS POST FOR JAMAL//ANDI IS 647 WORDS LONG & I'D LIKE TO SAY "WELL. i guess we'll just have to settle for nasty drama on tbatd. js. xD i think jamal already likes her. like, why else would he decide to let a random girl tag along, right? ;FLKJSD BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO END. ;A;"
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ANYWAY. Strikethroughs make me quite excited as well