NeoAJ

The Road To Indigo (Kanto-based Pokemon RP)

Looks like we are gonna have enough to at least get off the ground, even if Bee is mad that there is no Bayleef. So I'll get working on the official thread.

Meadow University

Jade Scott / Mallory Pugh / that deep red I had before / Scholarship (Soccer)

Kieran O'Connor / Brock O'Hurn / Some sky blue. Newfie blue / Scholarship (Hockey)

I'll add colors later when I can have a look.

The Road To Indigo (Kanto-based Pokemon RP)

@WriterRaven Look, I'm sorry about the zombie crack, but you didn't have to go and make me look bad with a literal new land to go with an already completed sheet...

@Mictlan93 I know, right? I'm a freaking zombie queen.

The Road To Indigo (Kanto-based Pokemon RP)

can i have a bayleef

@Bee

You can have a Chikorita, then evolve it into a Bayleef. Also, you can have some capitals, Bee! What did I say in the rules!

The Road To Indigo (Kanto-based Pokemon RP)

Hundred percent on board with this. Just need to format a character accordingly.

@WriterRaven

Who is this zombie, and why are you posting for the first time in three years? XP

The Road To Indigo (Kanto-based Pokemon RP)

Hello there, young trainers! My name is Professor Oak, but you can call me the Pokemon Professor! Even though the nickname is longer than my actual name! This world is inhabited far and wide by Pokemon! But since you lot are coming to Kanto from all over the place, you probably all knew that! I study Pokemon for a living, and I am proud to share my expertise on the subject with you! Now I know you don't actually need a starter Pokemon, since you all already seem to have one, but still I'm going to explain to you exactly what you are here to do.

You have all come to Kanto for a reason: to take the Pokemon League challenge and become world-class trainers! You all have your own reasons, and honestly, I don't care what they are, but I can tell you it will be a long, dangerous journey. Not only will you have to traverse rough mountains, and swim over oceans, but evil people calling themselves Team Rocket will be around as well, attempting to give you a lot of trouble. However, you don't need to call the authorities on them! You can just overcome them with your spirit and the friendship of your Pokemon! Yes I'm sure that will be way more effective than guns! Now, go off on your journey everyone! The world of Pokemon is yours to explore!

---

That's enough from Grandpa for now. He'll be back rambling in a jiffy.

Anyway, hey. I'm A.J. This is a reboot of a Pokemon RP that I started in the long, long ago, during the before time. Better known as 2011. It lasted three years, and got as far as Lavender Town before collapsing, but given the uptick in Pokemon nostalgia and the itch to actually get my freaking plot out considering I came up with it nine years ago, I'm willing to give this another shot.

This RP draws heavily from the Kanto and Johto-based games as well as the original Pokemon anime, but it is a much darker version. Not grimdark, but dark enough that people and Pokemon will die in this RP. People will be eating Tauros steaks. In the original, the party ended up eating Ekans meat. That sort of thing. So be prepared for that. It is set 12 years after the original plot of Red/Blue/Yellow/Let's Go P/E, and will follow a group of trainers that is just starting out on the Indigo League Challenge. Now I'm going to go into the rules, and explain the mechanics of how this RP is going to work.

A.J.'s Commandments of the RP (as borrowed from nine years ago, as well as my dear friend DPL)

1. If you are going to submit a sheet for this RP, make sure you are ready to make the time commitment for a LONG RP. This is going to be a trek. I don't need someone coming in and taking a spot from someone, then dropping out before the party hits Viridian Forest. It is a really annoying trend I've seen lately, and if someone does that in here, I am killing them off in the most embarrassing way possible. I'm talking a Fearow dropping a coconut on your head kind of death.
2. When making a post, I expect certain standards to be hit. A displayed coherence of the English language, if you will. I'm an editor for money, it irks me to see capitals missed. So while I'm not going to be going after people for a comma splice, I will expect sentence structure above that of your average Twitch stream. Also, I expect at least five sentences per post. Call it two paragraphs. That's the High-Casual standard, right? If you're devolving into one-sentence posts, maybe that's a sign that you should be collabing with the person instead.
3. Don't be a freaking Mary Sue. This is an RP. It's about the story. If you enter and just say "My Charmander evolved into a Charizard and flew Lance's Dragonite into the Sun so I win," I'm going to not only declare your post non-canon, you're going to be eaten by a Gulpin. And then spat out. And then nerfed so hard kids will be throwing your character's head around in the backyard for fun. So, don't do it.
4. Romance is allowed. I've been in enough SoL RPs here to know it is inevitable. Even with NPCs. But if it starts getting to the point where you wouldn't read the post out loud to your grandmother, your religious leader, or a massive stranger on a plane, you should probably take that to PMs.
5. Try to follow the formatting rules. Italics means thoughts. Bold means previous dialogue. Strike means you're being funny and I get it. Also, while I am expecting all characters to have a designated color for their lines, Pokemon generally just get the color that the Pokemon is. Makes it nice and easy.
6. While I am not imposing deadlines on posts in this RP, I am not going to be as willing to wait around for people who aren't posting. It took 1.5 years to go from Cerulean to Vermillion and back last time, and that shit isn't happening again!
7. If you have an idea for a plot point in the RP, don't hesitate to talk to me! I have my tentpoles to hit, but the rest of the story is going to be up to the group, so feel free to shoot a message over and we can discuss it.
8. Post your favorite Pokemon game in the Notes/Other section so I know you read the rules.

I think that's it for now. All right, now to explain how this will work:

The Mechanics of Indigo

Basically, you will start with a level five Pokemon that is the pre-evolutionary stage of a non-pseudo legendary line of Pokemon (No Dratinis, Beldums, Gibles, that sort of thing). No middle evolutions either.
As we begin our journey, I will post the capture list of a given route or cave or ocean or whatever. You will have the choice to capture either one or two Pokemon from the given list. If a Pokemon is marked as uncommon, it will be your only catch. If a Pokemon is marked as rare, not only will it be the only catch, but I will need a damn good reason for why you need that Pikachu so badly. This can be discussed in the Discord when I get that up. The Pokemon available in the wild will be from the Kanto, Johto and Hoenn generations of the games. I will be distributing them by location in the game and by the geography of Kanto.
Battles will be handled by you, the writer. Whether you want to battle all the trainers on a route, or avoid them all and just beat up on wild Pokemon, either way is fine. When we get to gym battles or event battles, I will post the outlines, as well as the possible Pokemon that a trainer will be using. Then it's up to you to co-ordinate the battle, Jet Li style, and make it look real good. Whether you want to win or lose, I'm good with whatever. Just make it a good fight so I don't have to give the Joaquin Phoenix thumbs down to you.
Leveling up will be determined by the GM (that would be me) based on the experience you give your Pokemon. If the Pokemon is interacting outside of the ball, they will likely level up in the next update. If not, enjoy that Magikarp forever. Pokemon can know a maximum of four moves at once, and I will ask you to choose moves as your Pokemon levels up. They will be based on the Gen VIII movesets, because I am too lazy to go back in time. TMs are reusable and will be based on the 60 TMs from the Let's Go series.

Got all that? Good. Now this is just the interest check, so I'm not expecting full on sheets or anything yet. Hell, I don't have a firm grip on my character for this reboot yet. But I will post a blank sheet if you want to start getting your submissions ready. I'm aiming for 6-8 players, because I don't have time to track that many Pokemon.

Character Sheet (Insert your text color of choice in the coding)

Name: (Duh)
Age: (This is an older crew, so I'm going to say 16-22 on ages. 10 year olds shouldn't be running around with fire-breathing lizards.)
Gender: (However you identify)
Hometown: (Also duh)

Appearance: (I'm not going to be very picky about this, since I know Pokemon covers a lot of different visual aspect. You want to use a real-world FC? Go for it. You want to use an anime FC? Sure why not? You want to just give a detailed description of what they look like? More power to you. Just make sure the basics are covered. Give me height, build, eye color, hair color, tattoos/piercings, what they usually are wearing and that should be enough. If not, I will tell you.)

Personality: (What are they like? Why are they doing this? Why should anyone care to know you? Fill this out here.)

Profession: (Trainer? Coordinator? Chef? What do you want to be with Pokemon?)
Talents: (Can you make fire? Can you swim really fast? Can you make your fingers do the wiggle thing? What will make the Pokemon equivalent of Gabrielle Union not X you out?)
Inventory: (Some starter stuff. Don't go crazy there, rich folks, unless you want the endless Winston comparisons.)

Starter Pokemon: (As stated in the rules, your starter should be a Pokemon from a non-pseudo legendary line that has at least one evolution ahead of it. It should be from the region your character is from, unless you can work it into the backstory in a way that pleases me. Also, I am willing to accept appearance changes, but if you're like 'Oh it's a shiny!' and can't give me a reason other than 'because I want it,' I will not be pleased.)

Biography: (I don't need the complete volume of a life's story. I just need to know how your character became your character. How did they grow up? How did they get their starter? Are their parents assholes? That sort of stuff. Show a lot, but don't give away all the goods.)

Notes/Other: (Any other facts you think are pertinent go here. This is a good spot for those color codes. Also, this is a good opportunity to remind you to read the rules.)

OK, I think that is everything for now. So yeah, if you're interested, let me know below and I might start working this up into a full-blown OOC in the very near future.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

It felt really weird to be back in this spot.

It shouldn't have. This was essentially Shawna's designated parking spot. The one next to that palm tree that Keelan Walker smashed his moped into during Shawna's freshman year. The imprint of his side mirror was still visible in the bark. At least Shawna thought she could see it.

There weren't a lot of things Shawna could see anymore. Since her return from her New York excursion with Sunshine, it was tough to figure out what exactly she was seeing in her immediate future. Chris and Ariel weren't able to help much either. She spent much of January in a Carter-fueled haze, trying to get her brain to settle down from all the stuff that had happened over the previous month. Between Kellie's exodus and Sunshine's New Year's kiss, things had suddenly shifted in a way the former honors student couldn't have seen coming.

But it was the last conversation in New York that was playing on her mind as she sat in her Audi, unsure of how willing she was to go back into school to begin the long march to graduation. It was a spur of the moment decision, one that was only made possible by some fortuitous timing on travel schedules and a rare willingness to actually reach out to someone for help as opposed to trying to deal with everything herself. It wasn't Shawna's first choice, but as far as people go, she could have done a lot worse...

11 DAYS EARLIER...

Bergen Bagels seemed like the last place to be having this kind of talk. The establishment was busy, with New Yorkers filtering in and out, giving the obvious out-of-towner a glare for taking up two precious stools and forcing them to go back out into the January weather, sheltering their precious sandwiches from the frigid wind. But her everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese was just as important. Plus, this small slice of property Shawna had carved out for herself was the staging ground for a vital conversation.

Sunshine was very understanding. How could she not be? Given how long it had been since Shawna was able to talk to any member of her family without seconds of delay between video calls, Sunshine was willing to begin taking care of the preparations for departure herself. She was a good friend like that... possibly more than a friend... dare she say... best friend? It was Sunshine's to lose at this point. Shawna only had one other friend who could kiss like Sunshine could.

And that's why she made the call. The recipient wasn't in the city. The recipient was in Beacon Falls, Connecticut, visiting her husband's family over the holidays while avoiding all the crowds making their way through New York during the festive season. Given she was nine when the Josis moved to Florida, it wasn't surprising that she still preferred small-town charm over the big city. However, she promised she would be back after New Year's to prepare for the next semester at Columbia.

Shawna kept watching the door to see if the woman was still as good as her word. Shawna had arrived a little early to make sure she could get a spot and get herself one of those famous bagels. But it was 12:30. Usually her big sister kept to a rigid schedule. The fact that she wasn't in the designated spot on time was a little shocking. Maybe it was a sign that Shawna wasn't the only one coming undone a bit?

Just before the clock above the counter was set to hit 12:31, the bell above the door rang. Lia Ellis had cut it close, but she was right on time as always. The blonde woman unwrapped the scarf from around her face and took off her woolen cap, shaking her hair loose while her bangs remained perfectly in place. She gave a quick wave to her sister as she pointed towards the counter, golden mittens blunting the effectiveness of the gesture as Shawna nodded and took a sip of her french vanilla cappuccino.

It would be a couple minutes for the elder Josi to get some food herself. That gave Shawna a bit of time to think about just exactly how she was going to handle this. OK. So how the fuck do I lead into all this shit? 'Hey Lia, just so you know, I'm not going to university and I'm a lesbian?' Fuck that can't be it. Why the fuck didn't Netflix have an episode of the Office or something dealing with this? C'mon Shawna. You were on the debate team. That shit's gotta be useful in this situation... Fuck. I don't even know...

"Shawn! Little Sis!" The sudden hug snapped Shawna out of her self-induced stupor. Lia was very affectionate when she wanted to be, and usually it was reserved for family. Still, this was a strong effort. "I am so happy you're here! This is such a wonderful surprise! I can't believe you came up to New York! In January! I know you hate the cold! But I'm blabbering! Let me get my order and then we can really catch up!" With that, Lia released her hold on Shawna and left to stand by the counter in wait for her food and drink.

Shawna shook her head a little bit to recover from the sudden lovefest. It was nice to know Lia was still affectionate as ever. Even after the past summer of disappointment. Despite the age difference, Shawna still considered Lia her strongest link in her immediate family. When she was younger, Lia was the one who kept her ahead of the curve with her advanced tutoring. For someone who was on a rigid schedule throughout grade school, Lia was willing to spend a lot of free time with her little sister. Still, the change in mood when Lia was accepted into Princeton was almost like a shackle had been removed. When she returned home, there was a noticeable bounce in her step. Maybe that was Ryan's doing. Who knew? Whatever happened, Lia became even more open with her affections and in all honesty, it was something Shawna missed with her spending all her time in the Big Apple area now.

Lia grabbed her order, a cinnamon raisin bagel with apple cinnamon cream cheese and a coffee and grabbed the open stool that Shawna had jealously guarded like a dragon with a horde. "I'm glad you were able to find this place all right. These are the best bagels in Brooklyn, I can guarantee it!"

Shawna nodded as she swallowed another bite. "You know this city well, Lia. I'm not surprised. You were always good at finding out stuff like that."

The elder Josi gave a wink at she chewed at her own meal. "When have I steered you wrong?"

The younger Josi gave her a stare. "Um, that time when you dyed my hair jet black when you wanted to see how it would look on someone else first?"

Lia held up a finger. "And that experiment yielded vital results! I learned black is not a good color on any of us! So, I did it for you, Shawn."

That earned an eye roll from Shawna. "Whatever, sis. Pretty sure that's why my hair is still dark. Anyway, I'm just happy to see you in person for a change."

"I know! I'm happy to see you!" Lia confirmed. "I mean, I'm sorry I left you alone for the holidays, but with Mom and Dad gone and Nick focusing on his hockey, I thought it would be better if I went with Ryan to his family thing. And I'm sure that must have been terrible."

Shawna waved her sister off. "It's all right. I mean, I managed, right? Clearly I did all right if I ended up here."

"Yeah, with your new friend, right? Sunshine? What a lovely name! I'm sorry she couldn't join us here! We will have to try and get something together another time! Maybe when the weather is better!"

"Or you could just come back to Florida. I'm sure Ryan could survive at least one week in the Sunshine State if he tried.

Lia nodded. "I know. I'm going to force him to deal with his issues with the heat and he'll come visit." She sipped casually at her coffee. "Anyway, I'm boring. I want to hear about you! Are you all right? I know it's gotta be lonely down there by yourself. Plus the whole Pre-Calc fiasco, it has to have been rough."

"Like you wouldn't believe," Shawna confirmed. "Look, don't be shocked if I'm not on the honor roll like you and Nick this year. I'm not sure how much more I want to do with school."

That statement made Lia nearly spit out the chunk of bagel she had in her mouth. She kept her composure though and managed to swallow it. "Shawna, you can't be serious. Why would you say such a thing? You're smart enough to do great things! You need to continue!"

"But I don't want to!" Shawna exclaimed. "I'm so sick of it, Lia! I am just so sick of that life! I can't keep doing it anymore. I'm not doing it anymore, and I haven't been doing it. I mean, am I gonna pass? Sure. The courses aren't brutal enough I can't do that. But I'm not doing it anymore. I'm not killing myself, and making myself miserable just to have nothing make sense. I'm so done. I've been done since the summer, and I'm so much happier for it. I've been invited to parties and stuff. I feel happier, I'm just not about that process anymore."

The look on Lia's face changed from shocked to stern. "Shawna, that is the biggest crock of shit I have ever heard." When the usually proper Lia started swearing, that's when Shawna knew that rant was a bad idea. "So you had a bad test! Big fucking deal! That's no reason to just give up on everything! That means you have to actually start trying! I know you've had it relatively easy with me and Nick blazing a trail, but you have to be able to do something for yourself! You have to give yourself that push sometimes! Hearing you sound like you've just given up on everything, that's fucking unacceptable!" Lia pounded the table. It had been a while since Shawna had seen her older sister this worked up. "Shawn, you know if you're struggling with things, I'm always there, right? I have my phone. I might be busy with my dissertation, but I will still make time for you! You just have to text me! I don't want you to feel like you're alone, OK? I'm so sorry! I promise I will be there for you! Just... just don't give up for me...OK?" Lia punctuated this with a hug, this one far tighter than the initial one she offered.

Meanwhile, Shawna just felt bad. How the hell did Lia end up being the one apologizing? Holy shit. What is happening? ...I guess I forgot how much she actually gave a shit. How much anyone in my stupid family gave a shit. Fucking... fuck. She hugged her sister back. "Lia, I'm not that person anymore... but... I'll... I'll try, OK? I will try. I can't promise success. But I will try."

"That's all I can ask you to do, little sis," Lia affirmed. "And if that's not enough for Mom and Dad, just remember, I will be in your corner. Always. No matter what. Even if you end up decked out in tattoos and working as a writer or something."

Shawna was suddenly very happy that the wolf on her back had finished healing up. No flinching meant no giveaway. "I appreciate that, Lia. You can stop crushing my sternum now."

"Sorry," Lia apologized as she released Shawna and returned to her own stool. "Anyway, were the parties at least good? Did you manage to meet someone there?"

Shawna looked back down at her own food. "Yeah, they are. I think I know how you felt when you got to Princeton. And I've met some people. Some good people..."

"So I can start planning for your wedding soon now?"

"What? No! God, no! Not that your wedding wasn't great," Shawna quickly corrected. It was pretty fun, even if Shawna wasn't allowed to enjoy the same open bar access that the other patrons did. Lia had good taste in music, even if Ryan was corny as hell. "I'm just... definitely not there yet..." Shawna took in a huge breath. "Especially since it's pretty unlikely Mom and Dad will foot the bill for it."

Lia looked confused. "Why wouldn't they pay for it?" She mock gasped. "You didn't hook up with some boy from Minnesota, did you?!?"

Shawna laughed and shook her head. "Hell no. I think Minnesotans would melt in Florida. Even worse than Ryan. But..." She paused. This was gonna be it. "It's probably not gonna be a guy. Pretty sure I'm a lesbian."

Lia looked at her sister, the confusion slowly lifting from her face. "Huh," was all she got out. "Are you sure?"

"Well, I had sex with another woman, so yeah. I'm pretty sure at this point.

Lia turned her gaze away from her sister for a second, towards her bagel, then back at Shawna. "That does sound pretty definitive. Well, I'm happy for you, sis."

It was Shawna's turn to look confused. "That's it?

"Do you want me to give you a medal or something? Sis, I'm happy you figured that out about yourself, and I'm happy that you trust me enough to tell me that! Even if you went a little graphic on it. Still, that doesn't change anything. You're still Shawna. Who you love is about you, and as long as the woman you love isn't a complete asshole, then I support it wholeheartedly."

Shawna breathed a huge sigh of relief. "That means a lot to hear you say that, Lia. Seriously. Especially since I really don't know how Mom and Dad will take it. Pretty sure they voted Trump, even if they don't want to admit it."

Lia put her hand on Shawna's. "It doesn't matter. They can't control you. You're 18, you are your own woman now. You can choose for yourself what you want in life, although I strongly recommend at least getting A degree from a university, but they can't tell you who to love. That's for you and you alone. And like I said, I support you. No matter what."

The emotions were too much for Shawna. It was Lia's turn to get enveloped in a hug as Shawna struggled to keep herself from crying in the middle of that New York deli. "Lia... Thank you. I needed this. More than anything right now."

"Of course, Shawn. I'll always have your back." Lia continued to hug, given there was no chance Shawna was gonna collapse a lung with her embrace. "So, who is this girl? Is she cute? Can I meet her?"

Shawna released Lia from her grasp and wiped a tear from her eye. "No, and you probably won't ever meet her. We... we broke up before Christmas because she had to move."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lia said, trying to console what couldn't be consoled. "But I'm sure there is someone else just waiting to get their hands on you... or in you..."

"Holy fuck, Lia! Phrasing!" Shawna blurted, laughing a bit. This was the side of Lia that was never there in high school, but was still shocking when she busted it out now. "There may be someone else, actually. I dunno. We'll have to see."

"Well, keep me posted," Lia ordered. "Now, what else is going on in the land of Sunshine and non-howling winds?"

With that, the awkward parts of the conversation were completed and the two sisters could go back to eating their bagels, Shawna with a much more relaxed mind knowing that despite everything, she still had the most important family member in her corner.

BACK TO PRESENT DAY...

Shawna stared at King's Academy for another moment and breathed a heavy sigh. All right. You are gonna do this. Not just for you. There are people who want you to do this for you too. So do it for them. The senior grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car, clicking the lock button. She looked around to make sure there were no crazy drivers tearing through the lot. Even if April was pregnant now, there were still idiots that could follow her lead. Confident she wouldn't be sideswiped, she made her way towards the school.

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

---

The palm-covered beaches that gave the city its name were rather empty on this particular winter day. Rough waves battered the sand as the Atlantic had long shifted from picturesque blue to steely grey to match the tone that the season brought. One could be forgiven for thinking Florida was immune to the chill, but it still felt colder than usual. Enough for anyone out in the weather to be wearing a sweater. Even one that had long been abandoned to the back of the closet because a purple turtleneck wasn’t exactly a mark of popularity. As much as Grandma Helga would beg to differ when she presented it to her loving grandchild two Christmases ago.

Shawna scoffed at the thought of Christmas. It certainly didn’t feel like Christmas this year. There would be no relatives visiting with their ugly presents. No family dinners or giant cakes or anything grand meals. Everyone was staying put. Her parents were still on their cruise, probably halfway to Tierra Del Fuego at the moment. Lia was spending the holiday with her husband’s family. Nick was staying in Boston to focus on his studies and in preparation for a potential call-up from the Wild later in the year. So it was going to be a morning that had very little to differentiate itself from any other recent day. It would be a morning with no presents, no tree (Shawna wasn’t lugging one through the house), very few decorations and a likely breakfast of candy-cane flavored pop tarts. A banner holiday. If it wasn’t for Sunshine coming through with an invite to spend Christmas Eve with her aunt and uncle, it would be another lonely night as well. At least there would be some level of family feelings available in sitting down and eating with them.

As the young woman rested her sweater-clad arms along the stone railing that adorned the top of the concrete breakwater that buttressed the beach, watching the waves pound the sand, she couldn’t help but feel as salty as the ocean at the moment. It was a familiar feeling that dominated the holiday break. At least the Atlantic was used to absorbing Shawna’s frustrations. It did an admirable job during the summer when she officially had her moment of clarity and abandoned any pretense of maintaining that nerd status. It was repeating its role as of late, but there was a new kind of problem to deal with. Something Shawna had no prior knowledge of, or could even fully understand. But it was the reason she bitterly stared at the water, hucking rocks or loose pieces of concrete towards the ocean, even if her lack of athletic ability meant they bounced harmlessly on the sand.

Shawna wanted to forget, but how could she forget? It seemed the photographic memory that had started to abandon her years ago was intent on reasserting itself with that day. That December day when her life got flipped upside down. Again. Hence her return engagement to stare down the sea.

Unfortunately, the problem in her life was the lack of a return engagement with someone who had become more important than her family in recent months, and for the umpteenth time, her mind was playing that conversation over in her head.

Two days earlier...

As Shawna sat on her bed, she could barely move. She hadn’t felt this paralyzed since that Pre-Calc test that had set her on her current course. It was certainly worse news than the mark on that test. As she held her head in her hands, looking up at the other woman who had just caused this newest bout of frozen thinking, Shawna could only ask one question. “But… I don’t understand… Why? Why is this happening? Why is this it? Why, Kellie?”

“Blame my stupid sister…” the brunette grumbled, taking a seat next to the very distraught Shawna. “After her most recent episode, the doctors suggested that it was caused by the stress of the move down here. They think that the pressure of a new start in a new environment made her worse instead of better, so they recommended we went back to Silicon Valley to see if she finally started recovering. Believe me: I’m just as upset with all of this as you are. I’m tired of Millie ruining my life with her shit.”

“But, you could stay here!” Shawna was already getting desperate. “My place is massive and I’m the only one here… for another month… and then I’d have to answer a bunch of questions on top of the bunch of questions I’m sure I’m going to get anyway… if my parents actually care… Fuck. It’s probably not a good idea.” The girl fell backwards onto the mattress. “Ugh! This, this just sucks, Cupcake. Your sister sucks!”

“Tell me about it!” Kellie responded, rolling her eyes and mimicking Shawna by laying down next to her, resting the back of her head on her linked hands. “I know this will make me sound like the biggest scum of the Earth, but they should just commit her at this point. She’s a danger to herself and to everyone around her.”

“She’s a danger to my sanity,” Shawna confirmed. “I… I honestly don’t know what I’m gonna do when you’re gone. I mean, I’ll still have Sunshine, and maybe Ariel and Chrissy... And, I don’t know, Carter? We’ve talked before, but I’m scraping the barrel here. It’s not going to be anything like the relationship we got.”

The Cuban-American girl shook her head, feeling overwhelmingly guilty about the whole situation. A part of her was trying to brush it all off, reassuring her that it wasn’t her fault her sister had issues, or that Shawna had gotten so attached to her in such a short period of time even after warning her she was still trying to get over her ex-boyfriend. But at the same time, she’d allowed things to go too far too fast, knowing fully well that they could come to a painful crash just like this one. It was too late, though, and it wouldn’t matter in the end anyway. She would be leaving Florida on Sunday, putting all of this behind her and starting a new chapter in her life.

“I know...” Kellie said softly, laying on her side now and gently caressing the other girl’s face. “But I also know you’ll be alright. You’re a really sweet girl, Shawna. People will be honored to have you in their lives. I know I am.”

The taller girl rolled over so she could face her departing friend. “You have so much more faith in me than I do.” Shawna’s hand brushed against Kellie’s arm, rubbing it more for her own assurances as opposed to Kellie’s. “And you have given me even more courage than I thought I could have. Like I feel like I don’t even need the booze for it when you’re around. That’s going to be so hard to recreate.” She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. “At least you won’t have to see Max anymore…”

It took all of Kellie’s self-restraint to keep a poker face at the mention of Max. Even after Shawna had confronted her face to face about the rumors from Kavi’s party, the brunette had opted to firmly deny any sort of involvement with the boy in an attempt to avoid causing her any pain. And although she’d felt guilty at first, time had proven that this had been the right decision. Max and Kellie had agreed their Halloween liaison would be the last time they would be involved, and the young woman had been able to truly start moving on with the newfound closure.

“Can we please not talk about Max?” Kellie asked, unable to hold back a groan or hide the way her body stiffened uncomfortably. “I thought we’d agreed we wouldn’t even mention him after Halloween?”

“Sorry, sorry,” Shawna apologized. “Couldn’t help it. It just happened.”

Shawna had been very good at not mentioning Max in the previous weeks. The catharsis obtained with the utter destruction of the lacrosse equipment had gotten a lot of the immediate hate out of her system. But there was clearly residual feelings that couldn’t quite get the bitter taste out of her mouth. She still felt he played a role in this exodus, but there was no proof at the moment. It seemed like Kellie still didn’t have the hate completely out of her system either. Shawna felt bad for introducing that aspect into a hangout that already had enough sombre tones.

“I have no idea how Sunshine and I are gonna replace you. A trio is so much stronger than a duo, and I don’t think anyone is coming to auditions for that role. You’re gonna leave such a hole here, girl. I hope you don’t forget about us East Coast folk out there in San Francisco.”

“I would never!” Came Kellie’s fast reply, followed by her unmistakable tinkling laugh as she sat back up. “I don’t forget my friends. Especially not when they’re as cute as you are!” she told Shawna before starting to tickle her waist in an attempt to lighten up the depressing mood that had been dampening the room since the news had been announced.

“Ahhhhhhh!” This wasn’t fair. Kellie was supposed to be the ticklish one. This sneak attack was way too effective. Shawna started shaking from the sheer touch on her waist. “I...haha...I will get you...hahhhhh!” She flailed in an attempt to pay Kellie back for this unexpected barrage, but she couldn’t reach. “OK! OK! You win! No mas!”

“That’s it?” Kellie taunted, grinning mischievously at the darker skinned girl. “You’re just going to give up like that?”

“I…” Shawna panted as she struggled to regain her breath following such an intense tickle offensive. “I...was just...waiting for you… to show mercy!” Shawna lunged forward in an attempt to pay Kellie back double by going for her stomach, a spot she knew the dancer was vulnerable.

Kellie’s squeal was instant, followed by a lot of squirming around and loud, uncontrollable laughter. The young woman was soon on her back, trying her hardest to fight back Shawna but failing. “Stop!” she shrieked, using both her hands and legs to defend herself.

“Ohhhh, what’s that?” Shawna asked before switching over to a very familiar terrible accent. “I’m sorry, love. There is no mercy within these walls.” Eventually she moved her hands away from Kellie’s stomach and up to her wrists, pinning the girl down on the bed. “Now...what to do with you?”

The dancer’s laughs and giggles soon faded away, to be replaced with that familiar yearning she felt every time she and her friend got themselves into compromising positions like this. It brought Kellie back to the very first time they had met: when their tickle fight had ended up with them getting to know each other a little too well. But today, she was on the opposite side of the equation: being pinned down and submitted to Shawna’s mercy… Something she really didn’t mind at all.

“Maybe you could finally do what you’ve wanted to since the day we met…” Kellie Anne proposed, suggestively looking up at Shawna from underneath her.

That was a thought Shawna wasn’t exactly prepared for. Granted, she made the same offer to Kellie when the positions were reversed what seemed like forever ago. She was so willing to do it then. It seemed so easy. But there were so many emotions now. If this was going to happen, it was going to likely be a farewell gift that couldn’t be returned. Kellie would officially be Shawna’s first. For everything. This was such foreign territory for the Swiss descendant. What if she was terrible at it? What if she completely fucked it up? What if Kellie’s lasting memory of her was going to be some huge mistake?

Shawna looked down into those eyes, those big brown orbs that held her captive from the second they locked on at the bakery. Those eyes that told her so many times everything would be all right. Even when she didn’t quite believe her, they still had that kind of power. Right now, Shawna wanted nothing more to lose herself in them while she still could.

Shawna leaned down and planted a soft kiss on Kellie Anne’s lips. “You sure about this, hun? I mean, you don’t have to do this just for me. I… I am benevolent like that, you know.”

The brunette nodded. “I know…” she began, offering Shawna a soft smile. “I wanted to give you something good to remember me by after all the bullshit that’s happened; but only if you’re comfortable with it. I’m benevolent like that too.” she chuckled.

The girl on top was blushing by this point. So many nights wondering what it would be like. Granted, a lot of them were with thoughts of men, but this. This just seemed more right. All those thoughts were building up to this. She was nervous, but it was a good kind of nervous. Almost like anticipation. Shawna had forgotten what that felt like.

“I… I think I’m ready,” she confirmed with another soft kiss. “Just… don’t hate me if I fuck this up, ok? Um… this is my first time…”

Kellie quickly shook her head. “I would never. I’ve never been with a girl before, so this is all new to me, too.” she admitted with an embarrassed giggle, eyes sparkling and a hint of pink on her cheeks.

That revelation put Shawna more at ease with the situation. At the very least, she couldn’t knowingly do wrong in Kellie’s eyes. At the most, it would be a proper send off, a culmination of everything that was built up between them. Shawna would get to check another box off her list before departing high school and the bond would be cemented.

"Then let's both be gentle as we go," Shawna offered. As Miss Josi ran one hand through Miss Nicholson’s hair and the other along her waist in a much more tender manner, she just let herself fall.

Back to the present day...

And that was it. By the time the afterglow faded away, Kellie Anne was gone, whisked away to the Golden State. Shawna was left to stand by herself, a broken woman on a Florida pier.

That wasn't totally true. The notifications on her phone would be quick to disprove that. Sunshine was in constant contact, her latest text asking if Shawna needed to pick up anything else for the impending trip to New York. It would be Shawna's first excursion in a good while. It's why she agreed to accompany Sunshine to her parents place in Brooklyn for the holiday break. It also gave Shawna an excuse to get into contact with Lia, if only to have at least one face-to-face conversation with a family member over the break. Lia was visiting Ryan's family in Connecticut, but she would be back by the 28th at the latest. Also, Chris had been a consistent presence. Given the recent breakup, there was already a bit of commiserating going on. And Ariel was proving to be a good contact given her own loud termination of the relationship with Kavi. It was a richer contact network than she had going for her at the start of the school year. Even with her cupcake Cali-bound, there was still plenty of good coming.

Shawna breathed a heavy sigh as she pushed herself up from the railing, giving the Atlantic one more moment of her time before she looked back down at her phone. "Guess I better make sure I have everything packed... She turned and retreated back into her home to prepare for a holiday away.

Rosefell High.

_{A @NeoAJ and @Altered Tundra collab}

---

As she took her seat amidst the students with Ludvig next to her, like everyone else who were in attendance (or at least those who were in the Junior and Senior classes), Camila tried to feign interest in what the principal was saying. She might’ve zoned here and there, talked with Ludvig about some things, but for the most part, she was silenced by those next to her who actually had an interest in what the assembly was about. So, whether the auburn-haired girl wanted to or not, she tuned in.

Within the first couple of minutes, she echoed the displeasure some of the students around her had in -- well, everything. From the funding for the arts not being there and the lack of funding in general, it seemed that she had picked the perfect year to return. Little to no funding for the arts, more but not by much funding for football, and a casual mention for the tryouts? Not mention that weird inclusion of a different version of Home Ec.

“Wonderful.”

As the students were effectively dismissed, Camila bid her best friend adieu as she wanted to do something before heading off to class. She couldn’t help but stick on the Home Ec bit. It was a strange addition among the many changes. Granted she wasn’t around during the past two years, but it still made something in her twist the wrong way.

“What exactly--” Camila was interrupted mid-thought as she bumped into someone. “--I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Camila offered the blonde she had bumped into her sincere apology.

The sudden jolt to her backside knocked Melissa out of her Henderson-induced stupor. The assembly was a snore, no new news given that it was known that the school had fuck all for money. The confirmation of cheerleading tryouts was good, at least it was something to look forward to. The Home Ec announcement was weird. So everyone in the school was going to have to learn how to cook? Melissa could cook. She could make all the frozen dinners and mac and cheese she needed. At least that’s what she was thinking of when she got tackled from behind.

OK, it wasn’t a tackle, but it still was unwelcome. The person tried to explain and apologize, as well they should, but it was still unacceptable. How dare they not see the Queen of Rosefell in front of them? She turned around to give her a piece of her mind, but suddenly stopped when she saw who was doing their best Canadian impression.

They were familiar, but foreign at the same time. Then Melissa remembered what Steph was talking about on the drive to school. “Cami DeLuca, is that you? You really back on the Bus?”

She looked at the blonde girl for a few short moments. She was older but there was something familiar about her. It was as though Camila had seen her before. “Yeah, it’s me,” Cami nodded, trying to figure it out where she had met this girl. She couldn’t shake it but something about the way she presented herself gave her an air of familiarity. “Do I know you from somewhere?” She asked.

Melissa was pleased with herself, and pleased with Steph, since her info had paid off and she confirmed that her former gymnastics teammate had indeed returned. However, she wasn’t too pleased that the same memory wasn’t embedded with Cami. She almost felt hurt! Granted she wasn’t the commanding presence then that she was now, but still. This was worse than getting bumped into.

“Cami, it’s Melissa. Melissa Elliott?” she identified. “We were friends before you moved away? We had gymnastics together?”

“oh..Oh!” The realization of who was standing in front of her hit her like a swift punch in the gut. The blonde hair, the queen energy, and beauty to make supermodels jealous. Of course, it was Mel. “I feel terrible for not realizing that was you. You’re looking good, Mel!” She complimented the girl in the middle of her second apology.

“Well, I always look good,” she confirmed. “But, you know that. I guess I can forgive you for the whole ‘not recognizing me’ thing. I mean, it’s been what, four years since you left? If Steph hadn’t told me you were in town again, I guess I wouldn’t have recognized you either!” She laughed to punctuate the remark and let Cami know that it was fine and a third apology wouldn’t be necessary. “Anyway, how long have you been back? Must be weird seeing all the old landmarks again, right? Except the Wendy’s on East Mound, tragic news about that fire…”

Cami had forgotten just how much of a talker Melissa was. When she started, she didn’t stop until she was finished. Cami being Cami, though, she waited until she was done. That was the polite thing to do. “It’s been three, actually,” Cami clarified, correcting Mel’s previous statement about how long she was gone. “I’ve been back two weeks, so I haven’t been able to catch up with anyone but Ludvig,” she sighed with regret. “What have you been up to since I’ve been gone?” She asked her.

“Well, I run this place now,” Melissa stated matter-of-factly. “I am the queen of this school. You know, as someone who is the head cheerleader should be. But yeah, things have been going well. I think this is going to be the best year of high school yet. Especially now that you’re back!” She went to hug Cami. “Girl, you need to join up with the squad! You would be a perfect fit with me and Steph and Tiff!”

On that suggestion - that out of nowhere, out of the blue suggestion - Camila jerked out of the hug, staring blankly into her blue eyes as if she was seeking for any further explanation. It was one thing catching up with her old gymnastics friends, but it was something else entirely to suggest that she not only join the cheer squad but also her group of friends. “I don’t think I would be such a good fit. Do they even know me?” Camila asked, waves of uncertainty coming over her, though she would be lying to herself if she wasn’t the least bit curious.

Melissa blinked for a couple seconds, as if uncertain as to how there wasn’t an instant acceptance of her offer. She quickly composed herself though, brushing off her top as if she had to straighten it out as her top priority. “Well you know Steph for sure, right? Steph Wang? She was in gymnastics with us? She follows you on gram? Me and her are still besties, although that’s not good enough to get me into her ugly-ass minivan. Tiff… I don’t know if you would remember Tiff if you don’t remember Steph. She’s great though. She’s like a lovable puppy. Sometimes we even play fetch with her. But this would be perfect! We’ve been running this school as a trio, just imagine what we can do if we link up again? It'll be just like old times! Only, you know, we can drive and stuff.”

As Melissa spoke, she went through her insta for a quick moment, looking for Steph Wang among her followers. She didn’t have as many as most did but she had accumulated roughly around two thousand, though most of them were from model agencies and trolls/fake accounts. When she finally found Steph, again it hit her like a hammer to the head. “Oh right! Steph!” The name had finally clicked with the face.

Camila pocketed her phone and flashed Mel a gleaming smile now that she knew who she was referring to. She was on her way to make yet another apology, but when Mel mentioned about old times, she had a flash of memories. Gymnastics back when she had lived in Columbus before moving, things were as good as they could be. She had Ludvig and her gymnastic friends. Even though she cherished her time in S.I., there had always been something special about the place she grew up and the friends she made.

“Well, I was thinking about trying for the cheer squad. Figure I could put my gymnastics talents to use somehow,” she admitted with a laugh. “And Tiff sounds like a doll. Like someone you must protect from the scum of the earth.”

“Absolutely. I mean if anyone was to hurt Tiff, I would slash them eight new mouths,” Melissa confirmed. “She is a sweet, innocent bean. But I mean, you don’t have to try for the cheer squad, girl.” She winked. “You’re talking to the freaking Julianne Hough of the team. Like I got the magic X. You’re in as long as you want it and actually show up for the tryouts. You can literally just twirl a finger and I got you, cause you still got connections here, Cami. You can get off the Bus, but the Bus remembers you.” Melissa was going for that Game of Thrones vibe, but much like the final season, it likely fell flat on its face.

Camila laughed at her last comment. “You might have the H.B.I.C. energy, but you still have that corny sense of humor that always made me smile back in the day.” Cami could remember it fondly. Melissa making jokes that usually fell flat, but when practices and drills were tough, that was one of the few things that brightened up her days back then -- well, that and baconators every other Fridays at Wendy’s.

“The privilege of being a friend,” Melissa smiled as she seemed to have tapped enough nostalgia to convince Cami that she was being real. Or maybe Cami was tapping into the younger self that Mel thought she had done a good job of burying during her rise to the top of the food chain at Rosefell. Revertigo was real and it was dangerous. “Just don’t spread the word, I’m the head cheerleader, not the class clown. I have a certain reputation to uphold. But,” she put her hand on Cami’s shoulder, “that reputation means that you’re gonna be a queen here, Cami. I know it’s not New York, but it’s definitely got its perks. For example, we are gonna be well stocked for that lake party on Friday night. As a Thorn, you get access to the goods. While all the fools are drinking cheap Keystone Lights, we will have a cooler flush with the nectar of the gods, Bacardi Breezers. Orange, Lime and Cranberry. None of that Pineapple sludge, and I will be happy to share the fine beverages with my dear amigo.”

“This party you’re talking about,” Camila began, “would that be the same party that Aria is hosting?” She asked Melissa.

“I believe she is handling the hosting duties,” Melissa nodded. “She’s good at it. It’s her thing.”

“Duly noted!” Cami made sure to mentally note that about Aria. If she was to be a future queen of whatever, she would definitely need to know the powers that be and what sort of powers they possessed. “How crazy do parties here get?” She asked with curiosity in her eyes.

“Honestly, it depends,” Mel admitted. “They can be pretty tame, but given this is the first party of the school year, it will be a shitshow. I know JK will be there, and she puts the ‘High’ in Ohio. So, I mean, I don’t know if that is more your thing, but that is an option. But I’d say there will be crazy enough that there will be a drunken football player jousting tournament at this one. I can tell you who to put your money on.”

“If they are anything like the ones back in Staten, then I’m sure the place to be is far away from their stupidity,” she bluntly said, laughing. “Unless the jocks here happen to be shockingly tame?”

“Not a chance. They are all pretty stupid.” Melissa had confirmed this fact up close. “But we will have vehicles parked far away from the clashes. And if necessary, we can sacrifice Steph’s minivan.”

“There are no losers in that scenario,” Camila shrugged, showing no love for the atrocity that was the minivan.

Melissa giggled. “I know, right?” Cami was already fitting back in like a glove. It was like she had never left. “Anyway, I have to head to American History, but if you want to give me your number, I would be much happier to fill you in on the history you missed out on while I am forced to endure that snorefest. I mean, seriously, I know the country is screwed. What’s the point of learning more about the past? Melissa had her phone out at this point. It was amazing she had went this long without it being immediately accessible.

“We were screwed since 2016,” Camila cackled, handing Melissa her phone as she took the blonde’s. One selfie and contact creation later, Camila was in Mel’s contacts and Mel was in hers. “And done!” She flashed Mel a smile. “If you get bored during class, feel free to slide into my DMs.”

"I can guarantee that will happen very quickly in American History," Melissa confirmed. "Anyway, talk soon!" With a twinkle of her fingers, Melissa bid her reacquainted friend adieu. There would be plenty of time to get Cami up to speed on the goings on with the school and the plans that the Thorns had for the upcoming year. For now, there was lip service to be paid. Mr. Watney probably would go on and on about wars and junk for the first month. It was time to see if the syllabus would confirm that.

When Royalty Collides

---

As she stood staring into the mirror, trying to determine whether or not her color scheme was on point, Catherine was humming. She was in a surprisingly good mood.

It wasn't from her parents. That was for sure. Although getting a talking to for not keeping her sister out of the tabloids was an interesting change in their recent conversations. At the very least they seemed impressed that Catherine managed to stay relatively clean, even if her hashtag had spread across the ocean. She explained the vodka choice as watching her figure, as everyone knows vodka is the lowest-calorie alcohol. They seemed satisfied with that answer.

That call being not dismal allowed Cat to spend the rest of the week without that hanging over her head, and that meant getting to hang out with some of the more favorable royals she knew. Cass and Chris continued to be solid drinking partners during the week, and of course her sister got regular visits. Doing schoolwork is better when someone else is doing it, and besides, the two could finally commiserate about their parents on an equal level.

However, there was one conversation between siblings that was of utmost importance to how this weekend was going to go, and it happened the day the letters for the next event went out...

---

"Hey, I've got a confession to make," Cat said as she settled down on her sister’s bed. “So...you know that whole 'Cat’s not gonna follow her parents’ wishes and try to settle down with some other royal because she's her own woman' plan that I came here with? That’s not going so well.”

Arabelle raised a brow, failing to hide an amused smirk. “Oh? Why is that?” She asked.

Cat’s face began to turn a slight red, an easily picked-up change given her usual fair skin. “Well… I may have found someone I’m kinda interested in… and I think, keyword think, they might feel the same way. Haven’t confirmed it yet, but I think there is something there.”

"Ah, that's wonderful!" Arabelle was predictably excited to hear Catherine's bashful admission. She wanted her sister to have the choice to find a partner, any partner she desired, so the news wasn't unwelcome even if it was so soon. "And who's the lucky one?" Arabelle prodded.

The younger Almore remained coy. She knew her sister would be supportive of whoever it was, but it was still something she was unsure she wanted to reveal, even if it would likely take the heat back off of Ara. But if she couldn’t tell Arabelle, who could she tell? “Well… it might be Raven… cause we might have been hanging out at the opening party, and a couple times since then… and it’s going well.”

Knowing that it was Raven that caught Catherine's eye was somewhat of a relief. Raven had a good head on her shoulders, one that Arabelle certainly liked. At least it wasn't another Candice! She remembered the news of Raven's betrothal to Morrhys crumbling and she wondered whether Catherine had any part to play. "Well, I'm glad you're not chasing an engaged princess at least." Arabelle laughed. "Should I speak to gramps? That'll surely get the Lark to talk about something other than the bad for once." She teased.

“Hey! What kind of woman do you take me for?” Cat responded as she playfully shoved Arabelle back. “I don’t go after engaged women! Besides, all they do is talk about their significant others, am I right?” She laughed to punctuate the obvious joke, even though the Mirenia Daily made it clear they were aware how Ara talked about her betrothed. “I mean… let’s not talk about that! The point is… I think there is something there with Raven, and I might start pursuing it. I’m sure Gramps would be proud that I’m going after someone instead of taking on another battle with the Brunns. Which by the way, they may not have their way for much longer if my other contacts are true to their words,” Cat winked as she said that. The welcome gala had truly been productive. “The Lark might be singing a different tune come next year.”

"Gramps will be happy knowing you're happy," Arabelle corrected her slowly before shaking her head. Catherine was right, it was too soon to talk to Gramps anyway, the two had to first get to know each other more before the wedding bells could ring. The last thing Arabelle wanted for her sister was a marriage of inconvenience. Arabelle raised her eyebrow skeptically as Catherine teased her about future plans... "Is that so... Please, promise me it's nothing illegal. I still say the easiest thing to do is to endorse other outlet. *Everybody* knows that the Lark is nothing but fibs anyway."

“I swear it’s legit! No worries!” Cat assured her sister. “Anyway, that’s in the future. What matters is the now, and I think, I’m going to give this a proper go. So, if it goes well, I’ll probably get you out of the Daily with this one. So, you know, Mom and Dad can stay mad at the right sister.”

"Oh hush, sometimes you need a break. I can handle the heat." Arabelle winced, shaking her head once more. Catherine was truly the best sister anyone could hope for, the sweetheart that she is. If only their parents could stop being so hard on her. Realizing that that line of thinking was bringing down her mood, Arabelle changed the topic. "So, does this mean you'll spend time with her during the carnival? If so, I'll give you two some privacy." Arabelle even gave Catherine a wink.

“I'm gonna try, but don’t stray too far,” Cat giggled. “I know carnivals aren’t your usual cup of tea, so I’ll try to be close by if I need to help you win a stuffed octopus or something.”

"Oh my saviour," Arabelle mock fawned, stifling giggles. "Raven won't know what hit her."

---

Cat was hoping Raven wouldn't know what hit her. She finally settled on her clothes. If she was going to be out in her element, she was going to be fully comfortable, and this outfit screamed comfortable. It screamed Cat, right down to the necklace that has freaked out at least three people when she twirled it under the strobe lights and made the colors dance with its reflective powers.

Awesome. All right. I can do this. This is so me. Raven's gonna love this. Just a couple girls hanging out. This is gonna be great.

As Cat made her way down towards the SUVs, the buzz on her phone alerted her to a text from Arabelle. She fired off a quick reply.

To: Ara ❤️
From: Cat

Yep! I'm going for it. I will see you at the carnival! Love you! x

Tucking her phone back into her crossbody purse, she headed towards the marked Cadillac. She opened the door, but even with all the prep work she had done in her head, she wasn't fully prepared for the sight of Princess Raven Aster Willow in that top and those shorts. "I...uh...hey...um," she stammered out. Yep. Definitely bi at the very least. "So, is it cool if I ride to the festival with you? I mean, if no one else is riding with you?" Smooth...