NeoAJ

𝘼 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 — A Pokemon Story

Somewhere on the Sinnoh Seas

---

It was a weird trip, to say the least. The blonde in Cabin 203 had been on her share of boats before. The rechristened S.S. Anne in Kanto (before it sank again), the Iron Island Ferry in Sinnoh, the Wave Runner that cycled through the Alolan Isles, all fine vessels. However, the passengers were allowed to mingle on those ships. See the land passing by. Actually get their own food. Instead, Melissa Elliott spent the entire trip confined to her room. It was the longest amount of time she had spent inside anywhere in years. That was the joy of living in a place with such lovely weather as Alola. Outside always beckoned for fun times. At least she got to spend some quality time with Yuki, who was allowed out of her Pokeball to offer some company. A large salad with chunks of chicken and a bucket of ice cubes ensured neither would go hungry, although Yuki made it clear that the ice cubes weren't the best she ever had.

It also gave Melissa time to go over the letter that had drawn her onto this boat in the first place. The person had some intimate knowledge of her career, particularly the incident at the Indigo League that always served as the main blight on her career as a Pokemon trainer. They said they had the clout to be able to give her another chance at glory and let her get a fair shot at a title that was so rudely taken away from her. Of course, it stung less now that she had her own crown. She was champion of an entire region! She got to do so many things to open up Alolan battling to the world. And of course being a cover model on Trainer Illustrated's swimsuit issue was just a feather in the cap. But still, redemption was a dish best served to your opponents cold. Or something like that.

As the announcement rang out over the ship letting her know that her time in this cabin was at an end, Melissa breathed a sigh of relief. The chill her ace Pokemon brought to the hair made sure her breath could be seen. "Finally. About time we got out of this cabin and back on solid ground, eh Yuki?"

The Froslass looks over and nods. "Lassssss. Lass."

Melissa produced Yuki's ball and returned her to the inside for now. "Hopefully we won't be too long before I can let you out for a better trip." She gathered up her things and made her way outside, the large backpack and small carrying bag in hand as she filtered out with the rest of the passengers.

The port looked relatively small, but she wasn't expecting too much from this island. She was trying to remember if she heard of it during her geography classes prior to becoming a trainer, but was drawing a blank. She didn't have much time to think about it though.

“Okay, but what the actual hell! I thought this was supposed to be for VIPs only. You’re barely a P!”

It took a second, but Melissa knew that voice. There was no way it could be anyone else. But what was she doing here? Miki Park was a combustible waste of space who would just blow up anything that happened to cross her path! This had to be some silly mistake! At least it was clear that Melissa was still living rent-free inside Miki's head if the first thing she did upon arrival was to come at her. While on the outside, Melissa maintained a calm demeanor, inside, she was smirking.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?"

Edenridge

_{Timestamp: A week & two days after the Allison incident (Sunday)
Collab with @LovelyComplex, @NeoAJ, & @BrutalBx}

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A week had gone by since Danny had officially introduced Marco to Gavriel as his boyfriend. During this week he kept it relatively chill spending as much time as he could with his boyfriend, hanging out with Natalia whenever she had some downtime (mostly watching movies they hadn’t watched together in years and reminiscing), and catching up with Caitlin, finding out that she was no longer on the market just like him.

In addition to all that, he thought of ways he’d ask forgiveness to all the people he hurt and how he’d come out to a few of them. One being Jillian O’Brien. The girl he hurt by sleeping with her sister. A stupid action because he thought Grace could help him not be into guys. Not be bisexual. Well, look at him now. Totally, stupidly in love with Marco Castillo-Brady. For a while now. Since the summer after sophomore year.

Though Danny hoped he could love Puppy the way he deserved and he hoped his father didn’t get in his way of his happiness. Hope might not be the right term… he wanted to put his faith into action. The Italian Stallion was done hoping. Done playing games. Danny was going to, no matter what, be with that boy. No matter what happens, no matter what people would say, and no matter how people felt about him and his relationship, Danny was going to marry Marco one day.

Getting off work a smidge early on Sunday to take care of business, Danny rushed to the local florist. With a container full of cannolis in hand, he picked up his order of white lilies. He made sure they were in a crystal glass vase and went on his way to his destination. Fast forward to a few minutes later, he pulled up in front of the O’Brien’s house. In time, he was out of his car and in front of the entrance door. No longer holding back, no longer hesitating, no longer waiting for the perfect opportunity, having spent a whole week imagining all the things he would say, Danny rang the doorbell. This seemed like a recurring theme for him. Visiting people in hopes they’d let him in.

Please Jill, let me in.

Anxiously, he waited for the door to be answered. As he waited, he replayed some of Marco’s encouraging words, helping him build up enough courage to hold accountability for his actions and tell Jill he missed her and that he was sorry. All he needed to do was remember Marco’s face and he could push forward. The obstacles ahead might be hard to conquer but he wasn’t alone. He had the perfect cheerleader waiting for him. The person he felt the most at home with. His soulmate. After waiting for a couple of minutes and no one answering, he went for the doorbell again.

Damn. Maybe no one was home.

As Danny awaited on the front balcony, a shout could be heard from inside. “Yeah, yeah! Hold your horses!”

It didn’t sound like it could be Shannon, although the terminology tracked. As the door opened, he didn’t spot the object of his most recent tour of forgiveness, nor the mother who usually accepted all those gifts to spare Danny the undignified reaction of having them thrown in his face. No, instead what Danny got was a stark reminder of what caused the fracturing of his friendship with the O’Briens in the first place. Staring him down, wearing nothing but a shamrock green bathrobe that did a poor job concealing the curves of her body, was “Amazing” Grace O’Brien. She was a little older than Danny remembered of course, and it was clear where all those cannolis that had been dropped off had gone to. One look at those curvy thighs could tattle on that fact with ease. She had a few more tattoos than the last time Danny saw her as well, tracing down her arms from under the short sleeves of the robe. But she still maintained that angelic face of hers. The one that could charm the entire senior class to their knees and still sing at the church on Sunday with not a care in the world. But she could be the devil if they let her.

She leans against the doorframe and takes in the sight of the Belmonte boy, smacking her lips as she did so. “Well, well, well,” Grace says, almost with an ounce of pity in her voice. “And here I had thought you had given up on ever attempting to earn the good graces of anyone in this household again.” The middle sister twists a little, revealing a little bit more skin as she does. “Although even without the basketball you seem to be doing all right, little Danny boy. You come over here just to see if you could get another sweet sound out of me?”

Jesus.

Danny cursed in his head, immediately regretting saying the Lord’s name in vain. He needed to patch up his mouth or eat some soap. Ever since the night at the gym, he had no will to hold his tongue. Perhaps, today that would go in his favor. As his brows knitted and his back became uncomfortably tense, making sure there was clear distance between him and the girl he slept with, Danny steadily answered, “Where’s Jill, Grace?“ He was not going to entertain her advances and now seeing her still doing the same thing she did years ago, he found himself pitying the older O’Brien. Her scent, her form, and that look on her face hit a brick wall. Danny Belmonte was a taken man. His heart and body only belonged to one and he showed exactly that. That she couldn’t prey on him like she did when he was a sophomore.

Grace scoffed at the perceived lack of a response to her greeting. “So cold, Danny! I know things between us got… rocky after I graduated, but it means a lot that you’re here today.” She could see Danny was on a mission with those flowers and treats, but the look in his eyes was different. It was weirdly guarded, so far from the goofy lug that was usually around here. Grace had honed her skills trying to win people over by dealing with those who had the misfortune to come into contact with Reagan Ramsey, so she was confident she would be able to break the Belmonte boy down and be eating those cannolis off his chest in no time. “I always felt so bad that you kept trying to win my baby sister’s affection back over and over, and every time she would slam the door or hurl those delicious desserts into the garbage. But we don’t have to worry about her now, so why do you want to spoil this happy reunion by dragging Jillian into this?”

“Are you aware that Jill has an alcohol problem or is your whole family turning a blind eye to that?” Danny glared at the older woman, holding his ground as he looked at no other place but her eyes. He couldn't believe after all this time, Grace was still so heartless and so ignorant to her surroundings. All she cared about was herself and in this town, that mentality would get her nowhere. “Only a week ago your sister learned the truth about Allison. Instead of checking on Jill’s mental health, you want cannolis and to play with me like I’m some kid? Here, fucking take them.” The Italian boy shoved the dessert in her hands, “I’m not here for you and I don’t need to explain why I care about your sister. Something…” Danny shook his heart in disbelief, honestly grateful for his siblings even though they were a hot mess, “...you wouldn’t understand.”

Grace wished she had a cigarette or something she could light up to underscore how much she didn’t care for Danny’s guilt trip. Instead, she just shoved the cannolis right back into his hands. “I don’t want them if they come with a lecture, Danilo,” she rebuked. “Especially not if it’s to try and cast Jill as the victim in her own miserable one-woman play. I warned her not to follow too closely in Allison’s footsteps, she didn’t listen. After our little sheet romp, she just shut me out completely. I tell her not to take too much on her shoulders after the shooting. ‘You had sex with Danny.’ I tell her Mike Barrie is a psycho who she needs to stay away from. ‘You had sex with Danny.’ I tell her that she’s going to end up next to Dad if she keeps drinking at a rate that would make Granny Moira blush. ‘Fuck you, Dannyfucker.’” The middle O’Brien sister rolled her eyes to the veranda and stared back. “Jillian dug her own grave, built her own coffin, planned her own funeral, contracted her own reincarnation and is now living like the little shit lizard she is, and it’s all her own fault, because she couldn’t fucking accept any help or any criticism from anyone after Allison died, so don’t tell me I don’t understand, Mr. Belmonte. I just know what I want, and what this family needs, and to further answer your question, we got it this week.” Grace folded her arms defiantly. “Jillian doesn’t live here anymore.”

With a strained expression, Danny looked at Grace in bewilderment. No matter how many times the Belmontes don’t see eye to eye, when they need each other they are always there for each other. Lately, their family has been dramatic because everyone’s on edge over a variety of reasons. The main reason being Silvia was dying and no one wanted to lose the rock of the family. Tightening his grip on the container, Danny shook his head, knowing he was talking to a lost cause, and yet he couldn’t brush what she said aside, “Jill is paying for all the decisions she’s ever made. You have no right to judge her when you’re the least picture perfect O’Brien that exists, Grace. Just because she was stating a fact that you see no wrong in - we FUCKED Grace, you fucked your little sister’s best friend who was underage at the time - you gave up on her.”

The anger in Danny was seething inside of him. All this time he was so focused on his own guilt and regret that he didn’t take a step back to think of what Jill was truly going through and how selfish her sister was. Was all her family like this? “She is only human and we all do fucked up things but this pedastal you put yourself on? Give me a break. I can see you’re doing just fine being alone. I can’t believe you have never changed.” At this point Danny was back on the entrance walkway, baffled at his decision to ever sleep with the dimwit, “I’ll find her myself. Goodbye, Grace.”

A shout could be heard from inside the house. A male shout. In a house that Danny knew no man had lived in since Ronan moved out in their freshman year. “Grace! Who is that yelling at the door? Did you piss the Amazon guy off?”

Grace rolls her eyes again. “No! Shut up and just lay there! Fuck!” She turns her attention to the retreating Belmonte. “Never assume I’m alone, Danny Boy. And I know damn well you’re not going to be able to find her yourself, so if you really, REALLY want to continue this little martyring crusade you’re on, you should know Jill moved her stuff out of here with the help of Reagan’s sister. The goth one. I’m guessing that’s where she’s staying now. If you stop by, tell her I know she stole my green top again and I’ll be claiming it when I’m good and ready.”

“Thank you… I guess. Have fun with whoever is in there.” No longer wanting a conversation with Grace, Danny turned on his heel and marched to his car. Did he even know where Mei lived? No. But he knew someone who did.

Kylee.

---

After making a quick stop at the florist, adding to his surprise for Jill, Danny found himself standing in front of Mei and Jill’s apartment complex. In one hand there was a bouquet of white lilies, burgundy black dahlias, and black eyed anemones. In the other? Nina’s famous cannolis. The best Edenridge had to offer. Honestly, the best in Massachusetts too. Traveling to surrounding towns and cities, the Italian food was just not the same. It was clear that Nina learned from the best, which was their father. If only Danny didn’t ruin things while he cooked. He burnt cookies. Cookies! The easiest dessert to make.

Turning back to look at his car parked across the street, he wondered if this was going to be a mistake. Grace’s words, as much as he handled them well at the time, they were now lounging in his mind. He was nervous, anxious, and scared. Part of him believed she would turn him down, like she has for so long, and part of him hoped that deep down she missed him too. Their interaction the night at the gym didn’t go well for them but he knew this was something he needed to do. He knew until she absolutely refused him and was repulsed by the sight of him, he wouldn’t give up trying.

All Danny saw was a wounded bird. A beautiful cardinal whose wings were wounded to the point that she could no longer fly and she didn’t see the point in carrying on. He wanted to be a better friend. He wanted her back in his life. Still, if this went south, he might have to consider that he may never get Jill back. If he could get Marco back, maybe he could get Jill back too. He would never know unless he approached her with his heart on his sleeves. No more withholding information. No more pretending he was okay. No more acting like he was the strongest thing in the room because he wasn’t. It was time to show Jill his true self once and for all, in hopes that she would forgive him and accept him for him.

Once he reached the entrance, Danny found his way in the entryway of the loft and followed the directions that led to the landlord’s apartment/office. After a few minutes of discussion and giving a charming smile, everyone loved the Belmontes, the lovable Italian boy, son of Taz and Silvia Belmonte, was given access to the rest of the flat and given directions to Mei’s room. Before he left, he gave the older woman as many cannolis as she wanted. His way of thanking her for her hospitality. Once their exchange satisfied the both of them, Danny made his trek to his destination.

Finally, standing in front of the residence of Mei Ramsey and Jillian O’Brien, Danny gently kicked the door (seeing how he had no hands to knock). He wanted to announce himself but his throat felt like it was closing up out of worry. The emotions started flooding inside and out of him. He tried his best to think of the one person that made him feel at home. His boyfriend. Marco. Marco believed in him. He could do this. All he needed to do was tell her the truth.

This is fine. She’s not going to hate you. She’s going to listen. She isn’t going to be weirded out that you like boys. No, she is going to understand you. She’s not going to see you as this ugly, unnatural monster… this fag who can’t secure a girl. No, she's going to listen. She’s going to hear you out.

The kicking knock reverberated through the apartment, with no immediate response. Then, a stirring. “Just a minute!” a female voice shouts, giving Danny an estimate on how much longer he would have to live with those inner thoughts of his. Shuffles could be heard, a soft grunt, and then the click of a lock.

Opening the door and standing before Danny stood a much fresher version of the redhead he last saw in a puddle on the floor of the old school’s hallways. There was no makeup on her face, but the bags under her eyes seemed to be lighter than the last time. Her skin is a little clearer. Her hair… actually looked like it had been washed recently. She was not in a get up for traveling around the town, decked in only her claimed Motley Crue tank top and a pair of black short shorts that indicated that she had still been in her pajamas when the Belmonte boy came calling. However, despite her attire, it was the most alive Danny had seen Jillian O’Brien in months, even years.

“Danny?” she questioned, still not believing if she was fully awake or not. “What are you doing here? How did you know I was here? Wait, did you know I was here?” She eyed the flowers and the cannolis that were brought to her doorstep. “OK, lilies? You must have known I was here.”

“Yeah… ran into Grace. That was painful to deal with. After we exchanged some… choice words with one another, she told me you lived here. She didn’t give me the address or anything so I called Kylee.” Bringing the gifts forward, extending his arms, Danny could feel his teeth shaking out of anxiety. Anxiety wasn’t something he usually experienced but when it came to potentially opening up about his sexuality, his strength left his body and all he could feel was his stomach turn. “If you’ll have me, I would love to talk to you and give you the explanation you deserve about us and what I did to you. I won’t take up all your time, just please.” Danny’s confidence deflated as he looked from her face to his feet, “Give me a chance, Jillybean.”

Jillian looked Danny over. Granted, she hadn’t seen much of him the past few years. They had to see each other in school, sure, and there was that run-in at the gym, but she had been pretty effective at shutting him out of her life the second she learned how much he valued their friendship. The mention of Grace hammered that rather painful memory home. But this Danny didn’t have the look of the hyperbolic basketball player of their youth, or even the Fred-like leader of the party she vaguely remembered through the haze and fury of that night with Rey Rey. She could see the Tupperware container with… more… mouthwatering cannolis… it was shaking. She finally locked eyes with him. Worry on his face. Maybe confronting Grace took more out of him than she thought it ever would.

She still wanted to be furious at Danny. Jill wanted to do all the yelling she didn’t get to do at the gym or at the Carlisle house. She wanted every painful prod and poke she endured from her sister to be flung at his face. It was what she thought she wanted for the years, plural, that she had shut him out of her life. But as he stood here, no longer in the shadows of the evil sibling or the house where the deed surely happened, it was hard for Jill to find that anger again. Maybe some of the meditation stuff from Mei’s parents was working. Maybe it was because she hadn’t actually fueled that rage with booze in a few days. Not since the official moving in party. There were so many questions in her head right now, about her own actions and of Danny’s back in junior year. She started to answer them with Marco the other night. Maybe now she would be able to not only get some answers, but keep them and use them. It worked with Mei, anyway.

“All right,” Jillian finally answered as she pulled the door of the newly rechristened Ramsey-O’Brien estate open. “You can come in.” She took the flowers from Danny’s hand. “Need to put these in water anyway.” She nodded to the couch in the living room as she looked to find a vase or a pitcher to hold the wonderful smelling gift.

“Who’s our guest?!” A voice called out.

Entering into the living room from the bedroom, Mei was dressed in nothing but a short, silk black robe that showed off her pale toned legs. She cracked her grin as she noted the one and only Danilo Belmonte in her doorway. Damn, all the cool kids would know where she lived now. It was time to move again. “Jill, babe. I know I said we could get a dog in a few months maybe, but I didn’t want a golden retriever.” The dark priestess licked the bottom of her top rung of teeth with a slight chuckle. “Welcome Danny.”

She wandered over to the kitchen counter too where Jill was placing what looked like flowers onto a vase. She placed her hand on the small of her lover's back and moved her lips to her ear. “You want me to get out of here?” Mei knew all too well the history between the other two beings in the room. She watched most of it unfold first hand. She may have been a cheerleader but Miss Midnight did her best to stay out of the popular cliques drama. More often than not, she failed.

Jill still had a slight case of the giggles. First when her girlfriend correctly referred to their guest as a golden retriever, and then again when she let her hand trace under the tank top and along the back where one of Mei’s tattoos would eventually make its presence felt if she had her way. “Stay,” Jill answered Mei’s question. “I may need you for support and at least I know you won’t try to fuck him like other people in my family.”

Carefully, as if his life depended on it, Danny stepped into the apartment. Mei and he didn’t interact much in the past. They crossed paths before; her having been a cheerleader and him a basketball player. They may have even had some classes together - it was a small town after all. But beyond that? He only knew her as the resident goth of his class who hosted Midnight Frequency. Oh, and now the girl who punched ReyRey Gonzales in the face. Wandering deeper into their residence, Danny looked around, appreciating the little things he saw like the plentiful neon signs, a small bonsai tree by the window, a fine collection of Mei’s tattoo artwork frames on the wall and a wall mounted photograph of a young Asian couple. It was obviously decades old but the woman in it had a striking resemblance to the demon dream girl herself.

When he entered the main room, he stood there, not daring to go further, out of fear he would set not only Jill off but Mei too. He held the container of treats as if it were a lifeboat to him. If he let go, he would surely sink. “I hope you like them. I remembered you liked white lilies. I originally was just going to do that but when I found out you lived with Mei I wanted to incorporate her into it too… the dahlias for her and the anemones to tie the two colors together…” He was talking too much. She didn’t care about the thought behind the gift. Jill wanted answers which would help her decide properly if she wanted Danny still in her life. “So roommates, huh? Congratulations! Mei, is this all your work? It’s really neat.” Danny found his gaze going from one art piece to the next before resting his eyes on the family photo.

“It pays the bills.” She watched as the former jock’s gaze fell upon the photo on the wall and she grinned a grin not too dissimilar to the one of the girl in the portrait. “That’s the Chairman and the Empress. Don’t stare at them for too long, they say that when you stare at them for longer than a second, her beauty bewitches you long enough for him to tear out your heart and eat it with golden chopsticks.” Mei let her eyes fall upon Jill again. She was desperate to rub it in Danny’s face that Jill was hers now but this wasn’t her conversation, it was the redhead’s and she would let her do whatever she needed to.

Jill took the container of cannolis from Danny and quickly slotted them into the fridge, eager to keep the almond-tinged filling from melting in the heat. At least it was an upgrade from the garbage that Grace had reported earlier were their predecessors’ previous resting place. She could see the look Mei was giving her and she knew what Miss Midnight wanted to do. Jill heard it too. Roommates was the Catholic way to refer to their relationship, and what they had done the past week would take a month’s confession to absolve. Good thing Jillian didn’t believe in it anymore. But she had no idea where Danny stood on the situation given his twin sister’s dalliances and failed relationship with Kylee. Clearly it wasn’t enough to break off contact if Miss Grimm provided the new address. Still, she gave Mei a bit of a shake. This was going to be the first non-drunk conversation with her former friend in a long time. She needed to suss some things out before letting her girlfriend run wild on his imagination.

She looked over at the flowers as they sat in the sun on the counter. They were a gorgeous representation of the two worlds she and Mei were bringing together. The pure white lillies in tandem with the dark petals of the dahlias did put things in perspective. The lilies weren’t swallowed by the darkness. They were embraced and they thrived. There was no reason for them to dwell there anymore. It was time to grow and break free.

Danny got a beckon to come towards the living room. “C’mon Danny. You’re not going to be able to talk just standing in the doorway,” Jill noted. “So come have a seat before you buckle to the mat.”

Obediently so, Danny listened to Jill’s orders and made his way to the couch. Taking a seat, he sat quiet for a moment. Clasping his hands together, he let his right leg bounce up and down as he looked in between Jill and Mei. This was more daunting than ever because all the people in this room were sober. He didn’t have liquid courage to help him vomit everything he wanted to say to her. As he sat there, thinking of the words to say, he thought of his mother.

He remembered when he was seven he had gotten angry at one of his playmates for taking a basketball out of his hand, without even asking, and so Danny being young pushed the kid on the floor, causing him to cry. He remembered his mother pulling him aside and telling him to apologize, explaining how he handled it wrong. He regretted it immediately because of how sad the other kid looked. He should’ve just shared the ball. His mother had told him that apologies weren’t meant to change the past, they were meant to change the future.

If he wanted to continue to play with this kid, he had to be genuine and take full responsibility over his actions. It was time for him to speak from the heart and not dance around the truth. Jill didn’t deserve that. No one deserved half truths. His eyes saddened as the image of his mother turned to the person she was nowadays. Weak, sick, in pain. If he could do anything while she was still alive, to make sure she didn’t fail with her only son, he could right his wrongs. It may not give him the future he wants but he could at least give his old friend the closure she deserved.

“I’m sorry,” he started, his legs continuously bouncing up and down in place. “What I did to you is inexcusable regardless of what I was going through at the time.” Looking up from the floor, he brought his attention to the beautiful redhead and gave a broken smile, “I come from a very religious family, you know that well. I'm the only son, surrounded by six sisters…” He trailed off, his mind scrambling to give context without having to say the inevitable, “You know when I was seven I got my first pair of Jordans? I used to love basketball but then after almost losing so many people I love. You. Natalia. Caitlin. Elisa. Sofi. Rye… Marco. I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t protect you guys. I was at camp. Just doing what I do. Focusing on myself. Basketball made me feel like I was on top of the world. But it also forced me into a role I don’t think I really ever wanted. That’s all I was ever told to do so when… the summer after sophomore year came.”

He cleared his throat, acknowledging this was probably the best and worst summer of his life. Danny eased his breathing, kept himself steady, as he became the most vulnerable he’s ever been in front of Jill, “The summer we stopped being friends I… was confronted with something I was trying to bury. Trying to pretend it wasn’t part of who I am. I felt broken because if I actually accepted this piece inside me, I would be hated by my father.” Taking a break from talking, still not getting where he needed to go, Danny put his face in the palms of his face. Why was coming out so terrifying? “Sorry, give me a moment.”

“All right, fine, you’re going to get a moment, Danny,” Jill conceded. “But I’m going to use it to tell you exactly what you’re apologizing for.”

The O’Brien girl knew Danny was rambling. He was all over the place trying to figure out what the hell he was trying to get to and apologize for. Bringing up history that he knew she still knew. She remembered those Jordans and how thrilled he was to be able to hop through the gym, in his own words. She knew he didn’t have to deal with the immediate aftermath of the shooting given he was away at the time. All these things they couldn’t actually talk about because he fucked up.

“You’re not apologizing for the state that you saw me in at the old school. You’re not sorry for what happened to what would have been my first-born child and the scars that I now carry because of that day. You say you’re sorry that you couldn’t protect any of us when Charlie Decker attacked, but that’s not what you’re apologizing for either.

No, what you’re apologizing for here today is for your actions in making all those things hurt as much as they did. I know you know how much losing Allison hurt me, Danny. How much pain I felt knowing my idol was gone and trying to pick things up after that. I leaned so hard on you and Kat and Liv and Cece and Lanie and Mei to help keep me sane. But then you did exactly what you did that summer, and I lost you. And then Decker happened and I lost Kat and Liv. Then I lost Cece. I scrambled to find someone, anyone to hold onto, and that someone was Mike. Then I lost Lanie. Then I lost Mike. And I had no one to replace them with. No one to turn to. Because I couldn’t build up those relationships any more. I kept turning to people from before that summer because I didn’t want to try and start from scratch with anyone else. Because what was the point Danny?

What was the point to try and have a decade long friendship with someone only for them to stab me in the back? So I didn’t try anymore. And that’s what you’re here to apologize for, Danilo Belmonte. It’s not for fucking my sister, not that she didn’t play her own part in that whole fucking thing. It’s not casting aside our friendship to win a fucking bet with that idiot Rye. It’s for absolutely breaking my ability to trust anyone ever again. Mike may have pushed me down, but you were the one crouched behind my legs to make sure I fell. It all started with that one thing you did, Danny. You. Broke. My. Heart.” Jill looks over at Mei, “And it’s only just now that I’m finally starting to recover. And I needed a lot of help to do that.” The redhead looked back at the man on the couch. “So, the flowers and the cannolis are a start, but you need to get your words straight and own exactly, and I mean EXACTLY what you did to me. What you did to us.”

Jill sat back in the ugly old armchair that she was certain Mei had fished from the side of the road somewhere but now served as her throne. She had waited so long to tell Danny exactly what she thought of what happened, and now it was out there. Now she would see if there was something that could be saved in that friendship. Goddess knows she could use all the friends she could get now.

”Oh Danny boy, you pissed off the wrong Irish redhead.” Mei followed her lover to the chair which she absolutely found behind the Hole in the Wall and forced Hailee to help her drag it to the apartment. She sat on the edge of the armchair, her robe riding even higher on her leg. Mei didn’t care of course, her cheerleader attire was even shorter. ”Let's hear what you got, little doggy.”

Danny took in her words and somehow found himself not agreeing with Jill fully. Mei’s added commentary didn’t help. “What about me, Jill?” He asked back, wondering if she even knew what he went through growing up. It was always about her and her pain. Was he not allowed to hurt too? “Did you even know that I hated Allison? She took the one thing I wanted away from me and then after she died, he wouldn’t even give me much of a glance. I supported you when I couldn’t stand the name you kept bringing up. I feel bad for her circumstances, but this irrational hate I had for her ate at me every fucking day. And I didn’t fuck Grace for the goddamn bet. That was an easy cover up because the day before I slept with Marco!”

Oh shit.

Retracting back in, Danny stood up, realizing this was a mistake, “I’m sorry I’m an awful person. I’m an awful friend. I thought your sister could fix me but it only gave me more problems. I’m broken and maybe you’re right. Maybe we’re better off not being friends but I loved you and I still do. I’m sorry I couldn’t think about your pain, that I was too focused on worrying about my father finding out and disowning me because I’m in love with a guy. I’m just tired of acting like I have my shit together. I’m tired of being the strong one when I want to cry every single day now that my mom is fucking dying. But boys don’t cry. I’m fucking sorry Jill. I’m just going to go.” Danny was quick to start retreating.

Mei raised her arms in mock victory! She had fucking called Danny being gay back in middle school and now she was being proven right. She loved it when she was right. “I fucking called it! I knew you were one of us.”

No way. He wasn’t getting off the hook that easily. “You are going to sit your ass on that couch until WE are done here, Danny,” Jill commanded with a tone that definitely hadn’t been present in her voice for years.

”You are totally using that voice later,” she whispered.

“Oh I can do more than that for you later,” was the whisper back.

Like a golden retriever, ashamed for getting scolded at, Danny went back to his seat, this time folding his arms around himself, almost in an embrace. His chest was hurting and he could feel the tears building up. He pinched himself to avoid crying. Mei didn’t even know him and she would think he was a pussy or some shit. “Something is wrong with me but Marco makes me happy.”

Jill calmly got up from her chair and walked over to the couch where Danny sat. As she did, the memory of that conversation, of the night when everything changed and she willed herself to start doing things she needed to do, of that first cannoli bite in years, they flooded her mind. All she could think of was one thing as she sat down next to the Italian Stallion.

She held him close for a brief moment… then the punches to the arm started coming. “YOU. BROKE. MARCO’S. HEART! YOU. ASS!” They likely had the same impact that they did when they were kids and Jill would punch Danny in the arm for saying something stupid. But Jill owed Marco that much upon finding out Danny freaking Belmonte was the reason Marco was in such a lovelorn state when those feelings were shared on the stoop. The talk that convinced her to take the plunge. “Although now I guess I really meant all those things I said when I called you… let me think… a fucking idiot who deserved nothing but regret for the rest of his life? My memory’s hazy, but I’m pretty sure that’s what I said. But nothing is wrong with you! And you could have fucking told me you were gay, Danny! I would have at least been able to help you more than Grace’s worn-out drive-thru.”

“Bisexual,” He corrected, before adding, “Or well… male leaning, as the internet puts it. I can still get with girls. Not like I’m going to because I only want one person.” Danny admitted, all the while being bewildered at this whole experience. Did this mean Jill forgave him? She was sitting close to him, she hugged him, she punched him, and she was acting like they used to be, and yet he didn’t know if he deserved this forgiveness. “I was fighting it, I barely even understood the ‘urge’ when I was fifteen. But yeah, now you know… I was super into Francis to the point that I remembered his locker combination which ended up being useful last week… oh, and Marco and I, we’re dating again.” Danny didn’t know if he should be relieved or not, nor did he know what this meant for him, Jill, and Mei. All he knew now was he could use a nap and cuddle session with his boyfriend. He was exhausted. “I’m sorry it took me so long to own up to this. I still have a lot of work to do. I know I’m not broken, at least not anymore than anyone else in this town. I know who I love shouldn’t dictate if I’m a good person or not. I’m just scared, Jill… Mei. And I don’t know when I’ll be able to tell my dad.”

Jill let herself breathe a heavy sigh. Apparently Danny was going to get a similar talk to the one she delivered to his… boyfriend. That was still an adjustment. “First of all, if your dad could tolerate Natalia’s whirlwind romance and subsequent breakup with Kylee, I’m sure he will be able to handle this. Maybe, you need some time to formulate how you explain things, but I’m sure you’ll be able to get through to him.

Second of all, fuck Francis Callahan. That fucking tool caused so much heartache and put Allison on edge so many times in freshman year because he couldn’t be honest with her, the same way you couldn’t be honest with yourself. Or me, for that matter. If both of you had fucking owned up to yourselves… fuck, maybe we wouldn’t have thought drugs were the answer…”

The parallels between her own life and Allison’s continued to be drawn out for Jill. Sure, she couldn’t speak for the departed Davies diva, but booze definitely made her feel better about all the ways she had been forsaken by the various former friends in her life. But all it meant was that she was killing herself more slowly than Allie did.

“Third, …sigh… you’re right that you’re not the only broken person in this goddess-forsaken town. But if Marco can forgive you after the shit you pulled on him, and you two can be together…” Jill looked away for a moment. She didn’t want it to be this easy. She expected to make Danny do so many things to try and earn forgiveness, but seeing him as broken as she was, on the verge of tears she could tell he was desperately trying to hide, maybe that was punishment enough. “Then, I guess… I can finally put you fucking my sister in the past with it. Still not forgiving Grace, but,” Jill placed her hand on Danny’s shoulder and mimicked the blessing of the cross. “I absolve you of your sins, Danilo Belmonte. You are free to be as much a blasphemous sight on the Lord’s eyes as I am.”

With that, Danny ended up laughing. He didn’t know what else to say. He had said so much in such a short amount of time. Instead, he gingerly pulled Jill into an embrace and whispered, “Thank you.”

It felt good to hear that laugh again. Jill allowed herself to be wrapped up by her former… current friend and returned the hug. “You’re welcome. Now, don’t fuck it up this time, Danny,” she whispered back.

”You two are so gay.” Mei cocked an eyebrow at the two former Eden Elites. This sure wasn’t how she expected this day to go. She popped up off of the armchair and made her way towards the kitchen counter to grab herself a drink. It was five o'clock somewhere, right? She spun on her heel, beer in hand and a grin from ear to ear. ”Hey Danny? You realise Jill and I are fucking right?” She loved the power in those words as she took swig from her beer. ”Oh yeah, she’s one with the dark side now as well. Let’s go get Marco and have a big gay fucking brunch. Here’s to the goddamn queers!”

"Jesus fuck, Mei! Do you want to tell him what position we were in when he knocked too?" Jill could only shake her head and laugh. Mei was never one for subtlety. "But yeah Danny, I'm glad you've come to terms with your own bisexuality, because, uh, yeah, turns out I’m bi as well. Who would have thought, right? So yeah, we can march in the Edenridge Pride Parade together. Although…we can always talk about our outfits for that over brunch." Mei had said the magic word. Even with her limited funds at the moment, a brunch to officially rekindle things with Danny, and confirm with Marco that the results of their stoop session were happy for all sides? All with Miss Midnight potentially popping hash browns in her mouth? It sounded like heaven.

Caught off balance solely by the girls’ words, Danny’s face went from shock to delight. His smile grew wider when he realized he wasn’t alone. He never imagined Mei and him would get brunch together like a double date. He never imagined he and Jill would become friends again. Well, he never imagined being in Mei’s apartment either and that Jill would be her ‘roommate’. How events turned gave him hope for the future. He looked between Mei and Jill, Jill and Mei and freely complimented, “You both look hot together. Thank you, Mei, for being everything Jill needs.” Danny was glad he ended up adding dahlias and anemones to the lilies bouquet. Now it holds so much more meaning since their lives, Jill and Mei’s, were intertwined together in the best ways. “I’ll give Marco a call and tell him to be ready in twenty.”

Delbrook Academy: Senior Year [ FULL ]

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Indy Adams

_{"You can meet me where the water meets the land, since there's nowhere I'd rather be than sitting on the sand."}

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_______________________________________ N A M E Nicola Diane Adams ∞ Indy, which is what she goes by. No one has really gotten close enough to earn Nicola or Nic or Nikki status outside of her parents. A L I A S E S Indy770 @Indy770 @Indy770 A G E 18 || August 21st G E N D E R Cisgender Female S E X U A L I T Y Pansexual - While she hasn't fully explored a serious relationship, Indy's dalliances have been with both genders. All's fair on the beach. C U R R E N T C I T Y Long Beach, California E T H N I C I T Y Scottish | Irish _______________________________________ A P P E A R A N C E Height: 5’6” Weight: 131 lbs / 59kg Hair: Blonde | Usually worn down long while on land, or tied up in a messy ponytail if she's planning on being more active. Eyes: Green Body Type: Lean and athleticly flexible Body Marks: Piercings in both lobes as well as a daith piercing in her right ear. A couple small scars on her back from some gashes from rocks during her surfing efforts. Clothing Style: Indy's primary style is geared towards being comfortable in her favorite spot. When she's out on the beach, she favors tank tops and short shorts to maximize her ability to tan as well as maintain freedom of movement should a beach volleyball game break out. If she's on the beach at night, she'll have her trusty jean jacket in case a chill comes along. Sandals are usually good enough for her feet, they are easy to cast off on the sand. When she's surfing though, it's all business with her wetsuit, a gift from Christmas last year. _______________________________________ R E L A T I O N S H I P S T A T U S Single (but now she's ready to actually start looking) Current Relationship: N/A Crushes: ∞ N/A - Maybe once she gets to know some people. Past "There was this one guy when I lived in Australia, Kai. He was great, he got me into all the high school parties and everything. It was never going to work, I always knew we were going to move again, but that kid could get it." F A M I L Y father: ∞ David Adams || 59 || Professor of Marine Biology at Cal State Long Beach || FC: Pierce Brosnan mother: ∞ June Adams || 54 || Dean of the Marine Biology department at Cal State Long Beach || FC: Michelle Pfeiffer P E T S ∞ Sydney (1 year old female) - Labrador _______________________________________ H O M E S W E E T H O M E House Room _______________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________ L I K E S ✔ No matter where Indy has been, the constant has been the beach and the ocean. She loves both, although she is slightly more a fan of the beach. She's always at peace on the beach, whether sunbathing, playing volleyball or enjoying the stars. ✔ Another good thing about nighttime at the beach? Bonfires. Something about the combination of all four elements coming together in one picturesque tableau. Plus, the small smattering of parties have been pretty awesome. ✔ The best food at a bonfire? A bit obvious, but s'mores are always a winner. Indy likes to use white chocolate though for a more intense flavor. ✔ Her real favorite flavor though is Mocha. She will go after mocha anything. If they made a mocha chocolate bar, she would use that in her s'mores instead. ✔ She keeps a collection of small stuffed animals on one of her shelves, one from every place she's lived. It was hard to find a Florida one that was suitable for a child outside of the theme parks. ✔ She's a sucker for anyone who can play guitar. Live music is a wonderful addition to any party, although she's never had the time to learn any for herself. ✔ Her guilty pleasure is anime. While living in Japan at a young age, she was enticed by the pretty colors and girls wielding magic. She still indulges, but she's not willing to share that enjoyment lightly. ✔ While she doesn't make anything for TikTok, preferring to post her longer videos on YouTube, Tiktok is always good for a laugh, which she appreciates. ✔ While sunbathing on the beach, she prefers to listen to podcasts. She really enjoys true crime and mystery podcasts, with her current favorite being a little-known show out of Massachusetts. ✔ Given her recent experiences with alcohol, she's grown partial to Victoria beer, which isn't available in America, but vodka always does in a pinch. D I S L I K E S ✘ She's not a fan of overt aggression. It always harshes the vibe at a party when some idiot starts shouting about. ✘ Despite her love of the ocean water, she hates rain. Rain just dampens everything. And don't get her started on snow. ✘ Like her famous pop-culture namesake, she hates snakes. ✘ Anything grape-flavored or banana-flavored. They taste nothing like the actual fruits. ✘ Reality TV is usually a big miss. Maybe if she had people she could regularly make fun of it with she'd enjoy it more. ✘ Indy's not a fan of getting all dressed up. She'll do it for special events, like junior prom at South Coogee Public, but she still prefers shorts and tank tops to sashes and tulle. ✘ While she's found most alcohol to her liking, white rum isn't it. Baccardi sucks. ✘ While she doesn't mind people knowing her actual name, she still prefers people use Indy instead. The only person allowed to call her Nicola is her mother. Her dad always preferred Indy anyway. ✘ She doesn't like being cooped up indoors for too long. Especially if there is no airflow. ✘ She's not a fan of cynical corporate attempts to pander to the rainbow community. Since she figured out she was at the very least bisexual, she's become more sensitive to pandering without a soul. ✘ Mushrooms. They are gross. ____________________________________________________________________________ P E R S O N A L I T Y Adventurous → Self-confident → Energetic → Flexible → Relaxed → Experimental → Well-Traveled → Abrupt → Reckless → Petty → Lonely ____________________________________________________________________________ Indy Adams is a mystery. At least that's usually been the early reports on her whenever she entered a new school. With her parents on the move around the world, she hasn't had a chance to truly establish who she was in any place she stayed. Australia gave her the best chance to try and figure out who she was, and while her parents may not fully aware of what Indy found out about herself, she's eager to finally see if this is who she is. The constant in her life has been the beach, and Indy found herself emulating the ocean in many of her interactions. She is very happy to go with the flow of whatever is happening in the circles she was able to build. One of the best ways she handled all the constant movement was developing a willingness to experience whatever the country or state she was living in had to throw at her. It's how she found the beach in the first place. This policy gets her in trouble sometimes, as sometimes she wanders where she shouldn't and she has the scars to serve as a reminder, but there are no regrets with her in what she does. Like the ocean, Indy can be a very welcoming force. As she gets more acclimated to a space, she is able to share the accumulated warmth in a variety of ways. Sometimes it's a warm hug, sometimes it's a casually dropped flirty line, whatever it is, she tries to make people feel as happy to be where she is. It's very easy for her if it's by the beach where the energy usually matches her own, but even without that backdrop, she knows what it's like to try an step into an unknown space. She has had enough practice. So she's happy to help whoever else needs to take that step. However, like the ocean, Indy can take umbrage if she feels wronged and be very petty about getting revenge. It won't be the playful sass she offers friends, it will be furious and be in danger of sweeping a lot of people away. Or so she thinks. The biggest thing someone has done to tick her off so far is steal her perfect spot at one bonfire, so they got an ice cube down the back for their efforts. ____________________________________________________________________________ B I O G R A P H Y Dr. David Adams was always fond of saying that beauty hides in the deep, but he didn't have to dive that far to find the love of his life, Dr. June Schaeffer. The two started working together studying sharks soon after June graduated from Duke University. The Princeton man took her initial overtures as a challenge, but it became clear on trips to Bermuda and further around the Atlantic that she matched his passion lockstep. As they travelled the world searching for the sharks that united them, they tied the knot in a ceremony on the big island of Hawai'i. They believed their work was too important to think about doing any more that that, but that passion would again prove to be overwhelming on both ends. While conducting a major study off the coast of South Africa, it became clear that June wasn't suffering from a sudden onset bout of seasickness on the boats. Nicola Diane Adams was thankfully born on dry land in Cape Town, South Africa. Her nickname of "Indy" was acquired early on thanks to the South African accent's pronunciation of her initials, but she didn't stay long enough to pick it up for herself. Once the study was completed, the Adams would return to their base in David's hometown of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, but they would never remain rooted for long. David's wanderlust would attract him to another place to look into the world of the sharks. So Indy moved. A lot. Since the birth of their first and only child, the Adams' have journeyed and lived on every continent. They went from Portugal to North Carolina to Japan to Florida to Chile to Canada to California to Turkey to her most recent stop before coming back to Cali: Australia. While confined to home-schooling in places where English was not the most widely spoken language, with Turkey being particularly annoying given how she felt about leaving California the first time, Indy was often enrolled in public school to make sure she developed the ability to be social with others. In Australia, she was able to do that very well. Indy had always shared her parents' love of the ocean, but Australia was where she fell in love with the beach. With the family settled in the South Coogee suburb of Sydney, Indy had plenty of access to the nearby sands and rock pools and soon ingratiated herself with a group of locals who were happy to have the funny-talking American around. They seemed to revel in bringing the relatively sheltered girl into their world of free-spirited debauchery, and for the formerly inflexibly studious Indy, she quickly took to the lifestyle. Having picked up surfing while in California at age 12, she got far more time to practice in and around the waves of New South Wales. Her frame made her an above-average volleyball player as well, and she started to incorporate those into her routine instead of the Switch that was her lifeline to the English world in Turkey. Her parents were pleased she was expanding her horizons, but they didn't need to know just how much they expanded. Alcohol was plentiful thanks to a couple of hookups from older siblings in the group and Indy took to it like a fish to water. Her alt IG account soon started filling up with photos rated above the PG stuff she had been posting before. She was set to expand on it and maybe plan a move with a couple of the others in her beach collective before her parents announced they would be moving again, for the final time. June had enough of the nomad lifestyle and accepted a position as the head of the Marine Biology department at Long Beach State, with David quickly offering his services as a professor to maintain a close working relationship with his wife. Indy wasn't pleased, given that she just had a half a year added onto her high school career with the difference in seasons between America and Australia. But, there was an opportunity to finally establish herself somewhere as opposed to never knowing when she would be bundled back to New Jersey or some other far-off destination. Plus, now she would be able to let people (aside from her parents) see her as she wanted to be seen. Sure, she would play up the air of mystery at first, but soon people would know what Indy was about. ____________________________________________________________________________ S C H O O L I N F O G R A D E Y E A R 12th - Senior G P A & A V E R A G E 3.7 || A- average based on her natural intelligence, but she could be A+ if she tried E L E C T I V E C L A S S E S Tourism & P.E. E X T R A C U R R I C U L A R ∞ Surfing in the spring, Volleyball in the winter (indoor) and the summer (beach) T R A N S P O R T A T I O N Indy has yet to acquire a new ride after her parents sold off the family vehicles prior to moving back to America. She is looking for a used crossover though so her board can be transported. P L A N S A F T E R G R A D U A T I O N Indy doesn't have many strong plans post-graduation. With her parents now both employed by Cal State Long Beach, she has an easy option for a cheap ride with the Beach (although she still isn't certain that should be the team name). As for what she studies, she's unsure. Her marks indicate she can do whatever she wants, but she's not certain she wants to give up her passions to dive headfirst into being another researcher in the family. Maybe this year will help her figure some things out. ____________________________________________________________________________ A F T E R - S C H O O L I N F O E M P L O Y M E N T Indy does not have a job at the moment. Jobs take away from beach time. F A V O R I T E P L A C E S ∞ The Ivor Rowe Rock Pool was an oasis during her time in Australia. ∞ The upper balcony at her apartment is basically hers, and she can soak in the sounds and smells of the Pacific up there. ∞ Whatever wave she is currently riding, or fire she is currently enjoying. ∞ Disneyland...what? She went the first time when she was in Cali! It was lovely! R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S ∞ Starter on the volleyball team #GoRisingTides ∞ Looking after Sydney to make sure she doesn't break anything valuable ∞ She is taking a first aid course so she can try to have a summer job as a lifeguard next year. If she is going to work, she might as well be on the beach. ____________________________________________________________________________ O T H E R Indy does have a Nintendo Switch, but doesn't play video games very often given her preference for being outside. Her poor Animal Crossing island... Indy isn't much of a cook outside of shoving things on sticks and putting them into fires, but she does know how to make a solid chocolate cake should she feel the need to bring something special to the table. Indy is nominally a supporter of the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League, mostly because of the kits, but because her father took her to one game and she got a scarf that hangs on her wall. Indy considers herself an excellent karaoke singer. Aside from campfire staples like Wonderwall and 3AM, she believes her signature song to be Livin' on a Prayer. T H E M E S O N G The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition Face Claim: Mia Healey - | #42B5AE/Ocean Blue

𝘼 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 — A Pokemon Story

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"_{You thought Candice was tough? That woman's an ice cube compared to the avalanche of hurt I bring.}"

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n a m e

Melissa Elliott

a g e

20

g e n d e r

Cisfemale || She/Her

t r a i n e r c l a s s

Ace Trainer || Formerly Champion of Alola

h o m e t o w n & r e g i o n o f o r i g i n

Snowpoint City, Sinnoh

a p p e a r a n c e

When she was just starting out as a Pokémon trainer, Melissa leaned hard into the cute studious schoolgirl image, trying to lull opponents into a false sense of security. Surely the little snow angel wouldn't pose much of a threat to the established leaders around the Sinnoh region. She was too small, the hair was set too properly, she looked like she could barely handle model trains, let alone Pokémon training. It was when those fuschia-tinted eyes hardened a smirk spread across her face that the angel quickly became the devil to those on the other side. They learned soon enough that the little blonde girl was a force to be reckoned with. She's not so little anymore, standing at 5'8" with a body that's been fine-tuned hiking mountains around the globe, so she can't take anyone by surprise anymore.

She has adapted her fashion as she's gotten older and traveled the world, shedding her schoolgirl image for something more adaptable for travel. She alternates between a relatively heavy black coat with a thick white scarf and sky blue winter boots in colder climates, and a light pink t-shirt and beige shorts in warmer climates as her primary outfits. However, she is confident enough to pull off any type of outfit she needs, from the formal attire in ballrooms of Kalos to the comfort-driven clothes for the rougher terrain of Hoenn. The one constant in her style is her perpetually uncovered blonde hair and the brown headband that contains the Key Stone she uses when she activates Jolie's Mawilite. She is known for her makeup abilites, particularly her use of glitter for that snow-crystal shine on her skin. It's rumored she has a couple of tattoos she's been hiding, but no one has been able to confirm anything.

p e r s o n a l i t y

❄️ Graceful
❄️ Confident
❄️ Generous
❄️ Ego the size of Mount Coronet
❄️ Control Freak
❄️ Stubborn and unwilling to accept outside help
❄️ Spiteful as frigid hell
❄️ 100% that bitch

r e c e n t h i s t o r y

❄️ Born and raised in Snowpoint City to a Sinnoan mother and Kalosian father. Her father was a traveller who found work as a Gym Trainer under Candice and her mother was a curator at the Snowpoint Temple.
❄️ Melissa took more after her father and aimed to be one of the best trainers in the world, studying dilligently. However, her father left when Melissa was eight after a disagreement with Candice over Mega evolution, and took his Mega Abomasnow with him.

❄️ Her mother, Jessica, gave Melissa her first Pokémon when she was 10, a young Snorunt that was among the pack that hung out outside their house looking for berries. Yuki has been by her side ever since, and the day she evolved into Froslass was one of the happiest of Melissa's life.

❄️ Aside from the vendetta she swore against Candice for supposedly chasing her father away, she has had one main rival in her quest to climb to the highest heights of Pokémon battling. Miki freaking Park. No matter where she went, the little black-and-red edgelord always seemed to be a thorn in her side.
❄️ Melissa proved herself a quick study when it came to Pokémon training, even with Candice refusing to battle her when she was just starting out. She and Yuki were able to set off from Snowpoint and quickly build up a roster capable of showing what a spectacle a true force of frozen fury could be.

❄️ After a promising 2nd place showing in Sinnoh, and a 4th in Hoenn, she had a disgraceful DQ in the Indigo League which the blame in her eyes laid solely on the head of Miki Park.
❄️ Embarrassed, she retreated halfway around the world to the land of her father, placing 3rd in Kalos. Finally, the Queen of Ice gained her crown in a fateful stint in Alola, where the blonde was crowned champion of the fledgling league.
❄️ Invited to stay on as a permanent Champion, Melissa took up residence in the region, splitting her time between her home in Malie City and Mount Lanakila, where the battles were held. Given the lack of a powerhouse Ice trainer in the region, and with the Fairy expert more inclined to doodle around, she became the dominant trainer and respected force in both types.
❄️ However, after two years, she has temporarily left her position to due to dueling fatigue, or so her announcement said. In reality, she had some unfinished business to take care of.

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p o k e m o n t e a m
_Yuki

• _{Species Froslass}
• _{Gender Female}
• _{Ability Snow Cloak - When Yuki is surrounded by hailing conditions, she is able use the snow to evade attacks with ease and launch surprise attacks.}
• _{Move Set Hail, Will-O-Wisp, Aurora Veil, Avalanche, Shadow Ball, Crunch, Draining Kiss}
• _{Body Type: A Head and arms, although her torso is elegant.}
• _{Personality: The longest-serving member of Melissa's team, Yuki has seen it all with her young trainer. As a Snorunt, she was mischievous, stealing food from the Elliott's backyard and hurling snowballs at windows when none was to be found. She has matured alongside Melissa though, and now fulfills the mom role on the squad, doting after her newer teammates and making sure her trainer keeps a cool head when things are heating up. However, if she feels she is wronged, she maintains one of Melissa's nastier traits; an unyielding spite streak. She will hex anything that threatens to disturb her peace.}

_Juliet

• _{Species Alolan Ninetales}
• _{Gender Female}
• _{Ability Snow Warning - Juliet doesn't need to summon the snows, for they naturally follow her, cloaking whatever field she enters with a blizzard-like blast.
  Snow Cloak - Like Yuki, Juliet moves silently and effortless through the snows, launching attacks and evading attempts to strike back.}
• _{Move Set Aurora Veil, Charm, Nasty Plot, Dazzling Gleam, Ice Beam, Psyshock, Solar Beam}
• _{Body Type: Quadrupedal}
• _{Personality: Acquired in a chance trade during her tour through Kanto (the only good to ultimately come from that sojourn), Juliet has set a high standard as the unifying force on Melissa's team. However, she knows it. Juliet has an ego, and will be quick to snub anything that doesn't meet her standards, be it food or Pokémon. This makes her a gamble for many seeking an Alolan Vulpix of their own, as Juliet is one of the most sought-after breeding options thanks to the training she's recieved. She's produced a few darlings capable of withstanding frozen fury, but she still remains the supreme snow-fox, and she makes sure everyone knows it.}

_{Jolie - Mega Form}

• _{Species Mawile}
• _{Gender Female}
• _{Ability Hyper Cutter - Jolie's attack can not be lowered by any means. She will not be intimated whatsoever.
  Huge Power - When the Mawilite is activated, Jolie's offensive abilities double in strength. Two ponytails are better than one.}
• _{Move Set Swords Dance, Baton Pass, False Swipe, Sucker Punch, Iron Head, Play Rough, Fire Fang}
• _{Body Type: Bipedal - tailless form}
• _{Personality: Jolie gets most of the credit for inspiring Melissa's love for Fairy-type Pokémon. Found in Granite Cave, the Sinnoan was drawn to the Steel-type's deceptive nature and felt it fit her style to a tee. Imagine her surprise when Jolie turned out to be not as spiteful as she and Yuki thought! Jolie lives up to her name as a joyful Pokémon, eager to play and battle to her heart's content. She is the soul of the team, keeping everything afloat even in times of trouble. Even though Melissa has shed her own deceptive pretenses, Jolie continues to be a presence that is not to be underestimated.}
• _{Extra: Jolie's Mawilite, discovered during Melissa's attempts to track her father down in Kalos, is worn like a headband, similar to that of her trainer. The Pokémon will add assorted leaves, flowers, or whatever she can find as decorations.}

_Brittany

• _{Species Lapras}
• _{Gender Female}
• _{Ability Shell Armor - Any hit that makes contact with Brittany will fail to hit a critical spot, instead resulting in normal damage.}
• _{Move Set Confuse Ray, Life Dew, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Thunderbolt, Body Slam, Dragon Pulse}
• _{Body Type: Fins}
• _{Personality: Brittany is the second-longest tenured member of the primary squad, having been discovered by Melissa in the waters off of Sunyshore City en route to the Sinnoh Conference. Brittany is very gentle, possibly due to the fact she was a bit smaller than the rest of the Lapras that were gathered in the area at the time. However, she proved invaluable to Melissa as both her primary source of transportation on water, as well as her most versatile attacking option. She can at times lose focus, distracted by a sound that peaks her interest, but she hasn't dumped Melissa in the water in a long time. The bond is strong.}

_Léa

• _{Species Florges}
• _{Gender Female}
• _{Ability Flower Veil - When surrounded by flowers, Léa is able to shield herself from status conditions suich as burns and frostbite. However, she is not surrounded by verdant fields often on this team.}
• _{Move Set Wish, Misty Terrain, Light Screen, Double Team, Moonblast, Psychic, Petal Dance}
• _{Body Type: Head and arms}
• _{Personality: Léa is an interesting case given her teammates. The Fairy-type loves flowers and gardens, but after joining the squad during Melissa's Kalos travels, she found out her teammates are not conducive to growing conditions with all their snow flying about. Still, the Florges is a commanding presence and serves her support role very well. She is quick to set up defences and make sure any dragons know how much trouble they are in. She will fuss if her crown of flowers is damaged in any way, and Yuki will still sometimes fling a bit of snow at Léa to get a rise out of her. Léa will usually respond with a toxic stare that the Froslass just laughs off.}

_Grant

• _{Species Aurorus}
• _{Gender Male}
• _{Ability Refridgerate - Any move that could be considered normal when used by other Pokémon gets infused with crystals when Grant uses it, making it an Ice-type move and increasing the damage.}
• _{Move Set Hail, Thunder Wave, Light Screen, Freeze Dry, Rock Slide, Earthquake, Hyper Beam}
• _{Body Type: Quadrupedal}
• _{Nature: As the lone male on Melissa's squad, you would think Grant would be an outcast of sorts, but the rest of the team loves the Tundra Pokémon and makes sure he knows how valuable he is. Named after the Cyllage City Gym Leader who tipped Melissa off to the discovery of an Amaura fossil (and may-or-may-not have made a couple trips to Malie City in recent years), Grant is another gentle giant and gets along swimmingly with Brittany despite being terrified of the water. The Ice/Rock type is able to generate bone-chilling temperatures and the changing colors of his sail usually give a good indication of his current emotions; from calm blue to enraged red. Grant's ability to create light shows in the night sky usually serve as a cap to another of Melissa's triumphant turns as champion of Alola.}

Palm Beach Royals: Class Reunion (Shelved)

Kristen Shearer

Georgia May Foote | FF7F50

Name

Kristen Rose Shearer (neé Blake)

_{Kris, Kiki, Shears}

Age

28

Gender | Pronouns | Sexuality

Female | she/her | Heterosexual (for now)

Relationship Status

Married in name only, currently separated from her husband Aaron and in the process of a divorce.

Occupation

CEO of not-for-profit organization Best Foot Forward, which re-purposes donated clothing for low-income job seekers, focusing on shoes.

Current Address

6 Beech Hill Gardens, Waltham Abbey, England, EN9 3QP

Appearance

Brown hair, hazel eyes, both lobes and left helix pierced, no tattoos but the weekend is young.

Personality

Kristen was always smart, Rhodes scholarships don't come to those who aren't gifted, and King's Academy at least gave her some level of street smarts to match it, but after a torrid dragging through the tabloids in London, she's questioning just how much she actually learned in her time both in Palm Beach and at Oxford. The confidence she displayed in all her activities in school has evaporated, replaced by a hackneyed British accent and a nervous laugh.

The tension that seemingly slid off her in high school has all been settling on her lately, with everything provoking inner doubt and questioning. She's become timid in that regard, not wanting to offer up anything that could be construed as offensive or wrong. Her eyes dart around, as if looking for an escape. Maybe she finds one back in her old stomping grounds.

Backstory

Kristen Blake was born Feb. 9, 1993, in Stony Brook, New York, to college professor Linden Blake and accounts administrator Susan McCaffrey while both were working for the local university. The newly-minted family didn't stay in New York for very long, as Linden accepted a tenured position at the University of Miami in 1998 and the unit, now including Kristen's younger sister Brittany, moved and settled in Palm Beach.

Kristen was slow to make friends in school, as she dominated class time with her inherited smarts and the "nerd" was usually left to their own devices. However, she developed the ability to hold back with time, and was able to parley her ability to have all the answers into solid friendships by the time she arrived at King's. This is where the young woman would finally make her mark outside of academic circles, as she grew into one of the most popular and desired students in her grade. She was the total package, with her brains keeping her marks sky-high, and her newfound brawn put to use on the volleyball court. She had her share of suitors, but aside from a couple of dalliances, she preferred to focus on her friends and her studies. She maintained a tight bond with what turned into one of the more powerful cliques at the Academy, with Jaz Delamar, Bruna Di Francesco and fellow academic powerhouse Margeaux Cheng. She was named valedictorian of the class of 2012, just beating out Margeaux, and in a full-circle move she accepted a full-ride scholarship at the University of Stony Brook. She majored in Business Management and did well enough to earn a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford.

At Oxford, Kristen allowed herself to indulge in more artistic pursuits while completing her Masters program, and she spent a lot of time taking in the local culture. It was while doing so at a local pub that she caught the eye of Aaron Shearer, an up-and-coming striker with Oxford United who had been powering the Bulls up the tables. Kristen was steadfast at first, but gradually, Aaron wore down her defenses and the two became an item as Kristen's degree was completed. Not wanting to face the possibility of having to move back to the US now that her life was seemingly ahead of her, Aaron and Kristen married in a sudden ceremony in June 2018, shortly before Aaron made a £15 million transfer to West Ham.

The couple settled in a hamlet in Essex, and Kristen settled into the role of supportive WAG, spending her time managing her charity project and tending to the house. However, cracks soon appeared in the sterling foundation the two had built together. Aaron started spending more time in London after training and after matches, leaving Kristen alone in the countryside. Then the photos started emerging of the young Hammers star out at clubs with women on each arm, getting into fights on the training grounds. They hadn't found the home yet, but any time Kristen went in for work, paparazzi would be asking for comments, expecting her to go on Love Island as revenge. It started to take a toll, primarily on her mind, as the one time she opened herself up to love was proving to be a massive mistake. Aaron spent less and less time at home and more time holed up in his condo in East London. The last straw came when Kristen found a local paper blaring the headline "SHEARER SNIPS RING" about a viral TikTok video where her darling husband dared someone to try and bolt cutter the wedding band off his finger. He lost the bet but kept the finger, and Kristen responded with one of her own. She officially separated from Aaron in November 2021 and has been working through divorce proceedings, things complicated by Aaron's transfer to Real Madrid in January 2022. She's expected to keep the home in Waltham Abbey with her soon-to-be-ex now in Spain, but the question is, does she want it?

For the first time, Kristen is caught between worlds and unsure what her next steps are. The reunion came about at the right time, offering a chance to leave the country and clear her head amongst people who she hoped wouldn't be as aware of the missteps made across the pond. She's spending a couple of weeks back in Florida, reconnecting with one of her best friends while crashing at Bruna's apartment, and hoping a return to the beach will offer clarity for her next move.

Extras

~ Back in the UK, Kristen drives a red Volkswagon T-Roc Cabriolet that the sports rags were quick to point out was not in West Ham colors, but Manchester United... or Arsenal, or Liverpool, or a lot of teams because red is a popular color! Anyway it was an excuse to say that Aaron was already looking to move on from the Hammers that Kristen did not appreciate.
~ Her music tastes vary from Indie Rock to Mainstream Pop to pure Eurovision cheese. She's just not really a country fan.
~ She has a tattoo on her back with a lioness' head and a wolf's head both howling at a full moon across the small of her back. The tabloids didn't buy her explanation that she for them to represent King's and Stony Brook, and instead must be angling for a move to Wolverhampton despite there being nothing in Wolverhampton for her.
~ She's been teaching herself how to cook more gourmet fare given that Gordon Ramsey is on every other British TV show, and she's starting to get pretty decent at it. Her favorite meal to cook so far has been Chicken Tikka Masala.
~ Song on repeat at the time of sheet creation was Can't Stop by jacksoul, because turn of the century Canadian R&B popped in my head recently and I couldn't stop listening.

Palm Beach Royals: Class Reunion (Shelved)

@Venus Tagged you in Discord, but this should work too

Kristen Shearer

Georgia May Foote | FF7F50

Name

Kristen Rose Shearer (neé Blake)

_{Kiki, Shears}

Age

28

Gender | Pronouns | Sexuality

Female | she/her | Heterosexual (for now)

Relationship Status

Married in name only, currently separated from her husband Aaron and in the process of a divorce.

Occupation

CEO of not-for-profit organization Best Foot Forward, which repurposes donated clothing for low-income job seekers, focusing on shoes.

Current Address

6 Beech Hill Gardens, Waltham Abbey, England, EN9 3QP

Appearance

Brown hair, hazel eyes, both lobes and left helix pierced, no tattoos but the weekend is young.

Personality

Kristen was always smart, Rhodes scholarships don't come to those who aren't gifted, and King's Academy at least gave her some level of street smarts to match it, but after a torrid dragging through the tabloids in London, she's questioning just how much she actually learned in her time both in Palm Beach and at Oxford. The confidence she displayed in all her activities in school has evaporated, replaced by a hackneyed British accent and a nervous laugh.

The tension that seemingly slid off her in high school has all been settling on her lately, with everything provoking inner doubt and questioning. She's become timid in that regard, not wanting to offer up anything that could be construed as offensive or wrong. Her eyes dart around, as if looking for an escape. Maybe she finds one back in her old stomping grounds.

Backstory

Kristen Blake was born Feb. 9, 1993, in Stony Brook, New York, to college professor Linden Blake and accounts administrator Susan McCaffrey while both were working for the local university. The newly-minted family didn't stay in New York for very long, as Linden accepted a tenured position at the University of Miami in 1998 and the unit, now including Kristen's younger sister Brittany, moved and settled in Palm Beach.

Kristen was slow to make friends in school, as she dominated class time with her inherited smart and the "nerd" was usually left to their own devices. However, she developed the ability to hold back in time, and was able to parley her ability to have all the answers into solid friendships by the time she arrived at King's. This is where the young woman would finally make her mark outside of academic circles, as she grew into one of the most popular and desired students in her grade. She was the total package, with her brains keeping her marks sky-high, and her newfound brawn put to use on the volleyball court. She had her share of suitors, but aside from a couple of dalliances, she preferred to focus on her friends and her studies. She was named valedictorian of the class of 2012 and in a full-circle move, accepted a full-ride scholarship at the University of Stony Brook. She majored in Business Management and did well enough to earn a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford.

At Oxford, Kristen allowed herself to indulge in more artistic pursuits while completing her Masters program, and she spent a lot of time indulging in local culture. It was while indulging at a local pub that she caught the eye of Aaron Shearer, an up-and-coming striker with Oxford United who had been powering the Bulls up the tables. Kirsten was steadfast at first, but gradually, Aaron wore down her defenses and the two became an item as Kristen's degree was completed. Not wanting to face the possibility of having to move back to the US now that her life was seemingly ahead of her, Aaron and Kristen married in June 2018, shortly before Aaron made a £15 million transfer to West Ham.

The couple settled in a hamlet in Essex, and Kristen settled into the role of supportive WAG, spending her time managing her charity project and tending to the house. However, cracks soon appeared in the sterling foundation the two had built together. Aaron started spending more time in London after training and after matches, leaving Kristen alone in the countryside. Then the photos started emerging of the young Hammers star out at clubs with women on each arm, getting into fights on the training grounds. They hadn't found the home yet, but any time Kristen went in for work, paparazzi would be asking for comments, expecting her to go on Love Island as revenge. It started to take a toll, primarily on her mind, as the one time she opened herself up to love was proving to be a massive mistake. Aaron spent less and less time at home and more time holed up in his condo in East London. The last straw came when Kristen found a local paper blaring the headline "SHEARER SNIPS RING" about a viral TikTok video where her darling husband dared someone to try and bolt cutter the wedding band off his finger. He lost the bet but kept the finger, and Kristen responded with one of her own. She officially separated from Aaron in November 2021 and has been working through divorce proceedings. She's expected to keep the home in Waltham Abbey, but the question is, does she want it?

For the first time, Kristen is caught between worlds and unsure what her next steps are. The reunion came about at the right time, offering a chance to leave the country and clear her head amongst people who she hoped wouldn't be as aware of the missteps made across the pond. She's spending a couple of weeks back in Florida, hoping a return to the beach will offer clarity for her next move.

Extras

Open to adding here prior to RP start
Current song on repeat is Can't Stop by jacksoul, because turn of the century Canadian R&B popped in my head recently and I can't stop listening

Palm Beach Royals: Class Reunion (Shelved)

Hey, I told you who I was thinking of bringing, I got dibs 😝

Palm Beach Royals: Class Reunion (Shelved)

Well I am also planning on claiming a female, so I guess I'll put that in, although the ratio is looking strong in my favor already XD Gonna claim Teal and maybe a tentative Willow Smith claim?

𝘼 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 — A Pokemon Story

Oh dang, it be up.

Edenridge

---

---

“OK, OK, slow down, hun. Calm down.”

This was a weird position for Jillian O’Brien. A position she had not found herself in for a while. She used to be very good at being a soothing influence on her friends, at least in high school. How many times did Liv come up to her in a panic over makeup choices, or Kat ask her for help with homework, or Danny… well, Danny needed everything back then. Jill would always be there to offer a friendly ear, a kind gaze, and a relatively firm grip on reality before inevitably switching to pump up mode. It’s why she was able to handle all the various tragedies that befell their class. At least on the outside.

However, she was more on the giving end the last chunk of months, especially with Mei. So many rants and raves that her now-girlfriend had to deal with in Jill’s deep spirals. All the demons and ghosts that resided in her mind needed somewhere to go, and Miss Midnight had more than enough experience to deal with them. So when Mei came up to her in a state, talking about what she did to try and cleanse the town of its sins and what resulted, Jillian did her best to try and dig back into her past and find that side of her that was able to deal with this in a calm and rational manner.

“OK. You with me? OK. First of all, I can’t believe you went and did a ritual without me. I mean, I may not have known what to do in regards to everything, and it’s probably for the best I didn’t see you offering up the blood sacrifice, but I would have at least been there in spirit.

Speaking of spirits, second of all, are you sure there are now spirits wandering around? Again, I don’t know what went into this ritual, but I know it took me a lot to get to the point of talking to the dead. I’m sure I looked great doing that. But, are you sure it’s not just the wishes of what you wanted to do with this thing? Not that I’m doubting you and your abilities, I just, I know your sister coming back has been stressful, and... you know I’m in this for keeps, right Mei? You carried me all those days and nights, I can start paying you back. You can come to me with anything that’s bothering you. I’ll be here for you. For allllllll this.” Jillian was trying to straddle that line of support and skepticism and she wasn’t sure she was succeeding. She was rather out of practice.

“Baby; this has nothing to do with the ice bitch, ok?”

Mei sighed through her nose. How could she even begin to articulate everything that had happened between her signing off on her latest broadcast to when she came running through the door of her apartment and straight into Jillian’s arms.

It all started after she left Elder Island and began the trek back towards Eden. It was weird, there were a lot of people on the street, a lot considering it was midnight on a weekday. Then she noticed they weren’t on the street but in the road, just walking without emotion. Then she saw faces, faces long since gone beyond the world of man; she was just tired, Mei thought. Until she nearly ran over someone and her heart all but stopped.

“I swear, Jillybean. I nearly ran over Quinton Woods with my car. I think I emptied whatever pit of hell is reserved for people on Edenridge. They’re all back. Hell, I think I saw Charlie.”

Miss Midnight took a hold of her girlfriend’s hands and squeezed them tightly. The feeling in her heart; she wasn’t sure if it was fear, trepidation, excitement or something in between. All she knew was that she needed Jillian by her side.

The redhead could feel the sensations emanating from Mei’s hands as they enveloped her own. Any previous notions of unflappable behavior were dispelled with the tremors she felt. Jillian looked back up at Mei, trying to piece together everything given the story she was told.

It was hard though. Chasing ghosts was all well and good, but actually hitting them with cars? Jill wanted to believe, if only for a moment, that it was possible. There were so many ghosts surrounding her that if Mei did manage to bring them all back to the surface that Jill would notice. Maybe not her father, since he seemed to be pretty much at peace with the choices he made, but Quinton? Olivia? Kat? Allison? Matt Carson? So many souls taken with unfinished business. So many that she had crossed paths with… or shared blood with. She shuddered to think about that last bit. Maybe it was in tune with her girlfriend’s vibrations.

If nothing else, she could swing a stick at Charlie Decker’s ghost in some sort of vain attempt to do to him what she felt he did to her with his actions. On more than one night, as she had learned.

“OK, OK, well, it doesn’t surprise me that if Quinton really did come back to life he would be stupid enough to almost get himself killed again. Shoot, if you saw Charlie, I would have told you to hit him anyway to make sure that fucker stayed dead. But… what.. and why? I’m not going to ask how. I believe you told me that, but what’s the game for them being here? If they are here? What do they want?”

”I’m really not sure.” Mei shook her head. ”The ritual I did was a cleaning one. It was supposed to rid us of the curse, not bring back…everyone affected.” That was it, that was where it went wrong. Something in her wording or phrasing may have been mis-translated; the book she used was in ancient Gaelic after all. ”I think I figured it out, Jill. I think I know what happened. So basically…”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The banging on the door interrupted her and she glanced over at it. Mei let go of Jillian’s hands and stood up to head over their potential guests. She wasn’t expecting anyone, it was well after midnight and visitation as this was reserved for a Jillian O’Brien booty call but since the redhead was currently sat on her couch; she was curious and a bit excited. Maybe someone from the other side was reaching out but who?

Mei opened the door and her dark eyes widened at the sight before her. ”Oh fuck.” She turned back to face Jillian slowly. ”Babe, I think this one’s for you.”

As Mei sidestepped away from the doorway to reveal the guests that stood there, for they would still be essentially tied at the waist even in death, Jillian looked around for the telltale signs that maybe she had downed another Texas mickey’s worth of vodka and didn’t realize it. How else would it explain what was happening in the doorway? There was no way that Katherine Dunbar and Olivia Madden could be standing there in front of her eyes, in front of Mei’s eyes apparently, so it wasn’t some sort of hidden drunk sneaking up on her. It couldn’t be, but then what was this?

Jill thought about standing up for a second but there was no need. Once Mei opened the door, the invited guests took the opportunity to rush to their former queen bee. “Jill!” squealed Kat, forever the more excitable of the pair. She reached out to give her friend a huge hug, one that had Jillian questioning if she really was back from the dead. Ghosts don’t hug like that, right? It lasted a couple of seconds before the blonde girl peeled back. “It’s you! We’ve been looking all over for you!” A confused look crossed her face, one Jill remembered from some of the late-night study sessions that were meant to make sure Kat’s grades stayed where they needed to be to keep her on the squad. “I wouldn’t have expected to find you here though. I mean, you were heading to Boston proper, right? Going to be an Eagle?”

“She could be visiting for the weekend. Edenridge Halloweens do hit different with the cursed history and all,” Liv said sarcastically as she settled in next to Kat. Olivia was always the cooler head among the trio, reigning in Katherine’s bubbly optimism and Jillian’s fiery determination by keeping things grounded. She leaned in, not getting as close as Kat dared, but still taking the sight of the redhead. “Although she’s not really dressed for the part. She just has the ghoul makeup on her face from the looks of those bags under her eyes.” The brunette’s coolness did make her a bit of a bitch at times, but Jillian did appreciate the fact that Olivia would always be one to tell her whatever truth she needed to hear. Not so much right now though.

“Liv! The hell!” Kat seemed to be offended on Jill’s behalf. “We haven’t been able to talk to Jill in how long and that’s what you want to say first?!?” The Dunbar girl’s ghostly hand drifted back to Jillian’s and patted it. “I’m sorry, girl. Liv’s just mad because her face has a problem that concealer isn’t going to fix.”

“I’m not mad about it,” Olivia said in a contradictory tone. Jill was perplexed for a second but as Liv’s head turned with a scoff and those bangs shifted back to the side, it became clear. She didn’t want to remember. She wanted her friends to truly be back among the living. But as the nickel-sized bullet hole peeked out from under that brown fringe, it served as confirmation that it wasn’t going to happen. “I guess Charlie was aiming for brains but knew there weren’t any in your head and that’s why you took two to the chest.”

“Liv!” Katherine covered up the two holes and the reddish marks on her green crop top that indicated where Decker put the shots that ended her life. “…Eh, you might be right.” That’s usually how those exchanges ended. Sure, they sniped at each other, but that’s what friends did, right? Especially on the squad? It’s how they kept each other in line, and solidified bonds. Bonds that lasted beyond the grave apparently.

Back in the day, Jillian would have been right in the middle of it, content to let Olivia take a shot at her rotating cast of boyfriends if it meant she could get a better barb in regards to Liv’s inability to beat Kat out for another’s attention. Right now, she couldn’t say anything though. What could I say to them? Sorry you’re both dead? Sorry I look like shit? Sorry I definitely took some of your clothes afterwards? I don’t even know where they are anymore?”

“Anyway, it’s so good to be able to do this again!” Kat leaned in for another hug. “It gets really hard to not be able to have that contact with someone who can feel it. But enough about me, what about you! Like I said, how’s living in Boston? Is it everything we thought it was gonna be?”

Jill was worried that she was going to have to break her friend’s unbeating heart to tell her about everything that happened after their deaths, but thankfully Liv shook her head and pulled Kat back. “Sorry, Bean. I think Kat’s forgotten everything since the day we left.” She turned back to the blonde. “Kat honey, you know what happened, right? Jill’s not living in Boston. She’s been here. Been in this god-forsaken place this whole time.” A saddened look spread upon her face. “Been struggling a lot from what I’ve seen.”

“You both… saw all that huh?” Jill looked away, ashamed of her post-high school life yet again.

Liv solemnly nodded. “Didn’t see all of it, per se, but heard enough and saw the results.” Now it was the brunette’s turn to rest a cold hand on the redhead’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Jill. I wish we could be there for you. It sucks having to watch and not be able to do anything about it. At least you had someone to stick around and help you through everything. Although, I have to admit, I would have bet on Caitlin or Lanie to have taken that role up. Not our gracious host over here.” She finally turned to address the other former cheerleader in the room. “How have you been, Miss Midnight?” she casually asked Mei. “I think all you’ve done for Jill since we left more than makes up for you snapping Kat’s mix CD in half when you found out there was a Florida Georgia Line song on it.”

“I just liked the twangy guitars,” Kat sheepishly said, now looking away from the group.

“There are many better uses of guitars,” Liv again ended up shaking her head, a habit that was not helping her hide the scar of her last encounter with another living human being. “Anyway, you still fighting the good fight against the world?”

In a weird way, Mei had hoped that the gruesome twosome wouldn’t have noticed her leaning against the door they had previously stepped through. She didn’t get along with them when they were on the mortal plain the first go round, she didn’t see this being any different.

When they were alive, Kat and Liv were what one would consider the stereotypical high school cheerleaders, which of course, Mei herself was not. She didn’t really consider it until most of them were six feet under but the midnight girl realised that they were not people she would’ve associated with by choice. At least Jill, Lanie and Caitlin had some distinctive personalities. Kat and Liv were interchangeable, background players.

”I’ve been with Jill.” The dark priestess began. ”She’s been taking care of me.” It was true in her eyes at least that Jill had her saviour as much as she’d been hers. Without her to support and to look after, basically a reason to keep going, Mei may have given up a long time ago. ”Can you tell us anything about what’s going on out there?”

Jill blushed a little bit at the thought of her still taking care of Mei given what had happened, but Kat was more than happy to take that statement at face value. “That’s Jill for you! Still doing her best for the squad no matter what!”

Liv, however, was more focused on the question that Mei asked. “Are you asking if what you’ve done is causing mass panic on the streets?” She paused for a second. “Yeah, don’t give me that look, I know you had something to do with this. I’m surprised it took you THIS long to be able to raise the dead. But it’s fine. Charlie Decker isn’t out for more blood, Maxine James isn’t seeking out your sister, Matt Carson is… well, who knows with that guy. He was a ghost before he died. I think a lot of us are just taking the opportunity to finally have some interaction with those in the area we want to talk to.” She looked sadly over at Kat. “Or, you know, completely block everything out like she has been doing since she died.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Liv. Everything’s been going fine the past couple of years.”

“Right, girl. Keep telling yourself that.” She turned back to Mei. “But no, we’re not adding to this army of the dead. I wouldn’t want anyone to join this parade anyway. Sure the cheer section is stacked, but what is there to be happy and cheer about?” Olivia nodded over at Jillian. “I’m honestly surprised given what our fearless leader has gone through that she didn’t end up joining us, but I’m relieved she’s on the path away from that fate now.”

She closed her eyes, almost as if to keep a tear from falling, but there was no liquid coming. “I know Kat may be delusional, but like I said, I’ve seen enough to know what you’ve done for Jill, Mei. When we couldn’t be there and almost everyone else who had a choice chose not to be there, you not only stayed, you rode with her. You gave her a reason to actually stay attached to this world.” Olivia opened her eyes again, they looked softer than the usual icy look she gave. “And I guess one of the reasons I’m here is to apologize to you and thank you for everything you’ve done. I know I treated you like a ghost in high school, and a lot of times I couldn’t see what Jillian saw in you to keep you as close as she did. I do now. I wish I could act on it better than I did when I had the chance. So I’m at least going to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for icing you out all those years and not doing what Jill had the smarts and the heart to do and look past the darkness to see the person you were inside.”

Mei was taken aback by the girl's words. She mulled over how to respond. Other than with Jill, she was rarely the emotional type. Her dark and striking makeup often hides the turmoil beneath the surface.

”I appreciate that, thank you.”

Of course Miss Midnight managed to conceal how she really felt. The women in the room could pore their respective hearts out as much as they wanted, as they should in such a situation but Mei wasn’t there, not yet. She still needed to get over that particular hurdle.

”By the way I wasn’t trying to raise the dead…it just kind of happened. I was trying to cleanse the bad memories and make this damn place liveable again.”

This earned another shake of Olivia’s head. “I don’t think that’s a job you can take on all by yourself, Mei. There are so many demons in this place, it’s going to take a tanker full of industrial strength Purell and a Vatican’s worth of exorcists to clean away the taint. I’d just focus on making one other person’s life better at a time. At least then you can see the progress.” Liv looked longingly at Kat. “That’s another reason why I’m here…”

While the two darker-haired women were having their tete-a-tete, Jill was a bit overwhelmed by the situation. At least Liv was giving her space and talking to Mei but Katherine, she was the same Kat she was up to the day she died. For better and sadly for worse. It meant she was clinging tightly to her friend, likely since she had spent the past couple years clinging on to only Olivia.

“So, you have to catch me up! How is Boston? Don’t tell me if Lucas Hayes is still with that stuck-up Victoria Kelly! I don’t want to know! Tell me about you!”

Now Jill was more confused. “You… haven’t been watching me? I thought Liv kinda implied that’s what you two were doing.”

“Well, she was more focused on keeping track of you, but I was more worried about the Celtics and how everyone was doing and… it’s hard, OK?!? But that’s why I want to hear about it straight from you!” Kat was either lying, or dying did more to scramble her brain than it did Liv’s.

Jillian did what she always used to do when Katherine needed some help understanding things. She breathed a heavy sigh, brought Kat into a soft hug, ignored the fact that she wasn’t aware ghosts could be hugged, and softly started, “Kat honey, you don’t want to hear about it. Losing you and Liv sucked. It sucked so hard. I could barely keep the squad together during that year. I struggled so much without you two. None of us had the same heart, or the same drive.”

“But you won, right? Tell me you beat Pinehurst.”

“Yes, but it was hollow. We dedicated the win to you two, the latest in a list of cheer casualties. But you should have been there with us. I shouldn’t have to tell you this second-hand. We should have celebrated together.”

“It doesn’t matter, Jilly! I want you to be happy even if I’m not there! And winning makes you happy!”

“But it didn’t, Kat! It didn’t bring you back! It didn’t bring Liv or Ally or anyone back! And it just got worse. And then everything spiralled and then I couldn’t win anything. I was a loser. A useless loser that no one cared about.”

Now the ghost was the one controlling the hug. “I know, Jill. I’m sorry.”

Once again, Jill was confused. “If you know, and if you’re sorry, then why are you asking me for a recap on how my life went to shit?”

Kat pulled back for a moment before leaning in close and whispering in Jill’s ear, “Because all I’ve done since I died is watch you take more hits then I could ever take, and watch Liv be so miserable that she couldn’t do anything to help, and I knew I had to channel my inner Jill and do something keep her spirit up. But it’s hard to do while watching all that going on, especially with some of the others hanging around. So I went back to when we were all happy and I never left. At least not according to Liv. Worrying about me takes her worries off everyone else, and off herself. You know how much she blames herself for taking the both of us into the library that day? That we ended up in the wrong spot because she wanted to see if the new copy of People was in?”

Jillian nodded. “Probably more than I did.”

“I know it,” Katherine confirmed. “And I can’t let her keep doing that to herself. It’s not her fault. And you know I would have done the same for you, right? I would have done those news things, I would have been with you so you weren’t so alone, I would have kicked Mike Barrie in his stupid face for being such a… terrible person.”

“You did always have a super high kick.”

That brought a smile to the dead blonde’s face. “And I would have used it without thinking. But it’s not your fault either, and it hurt me seeing you think that way. So that’s why I’m so happy for whatever Mei did tonight to let this happen. So I can finally tell you these things and that even though you may not feel it, we’ll always be there for support. Besides,” Kat finally broke her gaze with Jill to look over at the other two women in the room for a moment. “I think you’re in good hands. And all this time, I never knew! I mean, yeah, you never kept a boyfriend for very long in school, and you always were like a momma hen protecting the squad and… I mean there was that one sleepover that, you know, and… shoot, did I just miss all the signs or something?”

“There were at least two of us missing the signs in that case, because it took me a while to figure it out too,” Jill admitted. “Probably longer than it should have.”

“Well at least we both got there! And I think Liv finally knows now that you’re going to be alright. Maybe she can finally rest easier and maybe I can stop acting like I haven’t got a clue all the time! I mean, I know I said I wanted to be an actress and all, but it’s hard doing it 24/7!”

“You would have been a great Karen Smith, KittyKat.”

“Well, I can still be a great me. Even like this. And maybe now, you can go back to being that great you?”

Yet again, Jill had to look away. “I don’t know? Maybe?”

“Yes, Jilly! You’re going to! I mean, we can already see it starting to come back to you. And you know why?”

This was going to be a first. Katherine Dunbar giving an answer that eluded the great Jillian O’Brien. ”Why, Kat?”

“Because you’re not going to be thinking about the past anymore. Staying in the past is sad. It makes you sad. So, think about the future. And when the good things in the future happen and become past, you can think about that past and you won’t have so much sadness to think about. It’ll only be the good times. Like the night before Ally… well, you know...”

Another mention of Allison Davies reminded Jillian there were more ghosts out there. “How is Ally? Is she… is she all right? Is she coming by?”

A shrug was the immediate response. “Dunno! Ally’s her own person. But next time we see her, we can at least tell her something good.”

“OK, Kat,” Jill said, content to let the blonde have her way. “Just tell her I’m sorry, OK? I’m sorry for a lot of things, and a lot of people…”

“What did I just say, Jill?” The whispering had stopped now, enough to catch the attention of Olivia at least. “No more of that! Promise!”

“Kat, is everything all right over there?” Liv was moved enough to finally check in.

Miss Dunbar steeled herself, making it look as if she was the one who had just received the massive pep talk instead of giving it. “Yes,” she softly affirmed. “Yes, it’s fine. Jill’s going to be fine. And that’s good.”

Jill was still unsure if she was going to be fine, but she did feel better. Maybe all that confidence that she thought was dead and gone just went to someone on the other side that could collect it and get it back to her. Kat was still willing to grow and be that voice she needed, even if she never had it in life. Jill could at least try to reward that. She smiled over at Olivia and Mei, wide enough so Kat could see. “You heard her, Olive Oil. I’m going to be fine.”

“Glad you got that affirmation,” Olivia nodded, before readdressing Miss Midnight. “How about you, Mei? Need any more podcast fodder while I’m here?”

”I always need more things to talk about.”

Mei really wanted to allow Jill to have her moment with her girls. They were never her friends as they had so clearly stated in the past few minutes. She had always been on the outside due to her love of the macabre and the netherworld. If anything, she was only allowed on the squad because of her older sister Reagan. When you’re kin to the ice princess it regrettably opens some doors. Mei had always loved to dance and thanks to her lifelong training with her father, it was no question that Miss Midnight was arguably the most athletically and rhymically gifted of the legendary Celtic cheerleaders; the problem was she just didn’t have the same passion for it as the others.

”I’m glad you two have found peace where you are.” Mei made her way over to Jill and locked her fingers with the redheads. She planted a soft kiss on her lover's cheek and smiled at the ghostly duo. “Thank you for watching over her but I’ve got to try and figure out how to send you guys back to where you were. I can’t imagine you being here is healthy.”

“Already?” Kat whined. That was the Kat Jill remembered more than the steely pep-talk giving blonde. “But we just got here!”

“Yeah, but we don’t need to linger,” Olivia said, tempering her friend as she drifted over to the couch where everyone gathered. “We already crashed date night, we don’t need to make things any more awkward.” She pulled Kat up and mimicked Mei’s move, locking her fingers in with Miss Dunbar’s and holding tight. “Just promise me that whatever equivalent of a wedding you two have, I don’t know if it’s going to be another blood ritual or something like that, remember this spell so we can come back and give our girls a proper celebration, hmmm? We may not be able to bring presents, but we won’t cost you any food or anything at the open bar.”

“Look, just do that gentle breeze thing to sway whatever we have hanging, that’ll be present enough.”

“Maybe I’ll learn better tricks than that by the time it happens.”

“Oooooh yeah!” Kat chimed in excitedly. “We can make all the dances be to Cruise!”

“We’re not haunting the ceremony with songs that deserve to be dead, Kat.” One more shake of Olivia’s head for the road. “Anyway,” She motioned down and wrapped both living members of the Celtic cheer squad in a hug, Kat joining in to make it a quartet. “Keep going at them for those of us who can’t, all right?” The hug didn’t last long, Olivia didn’t want to push the envelope with Mei post-apology, but hopefully the sentiment showed as the ghosts rose.

In a way, Mei felt a strong sting like feeling which she equated to guilt. She did not blame herself for Olivia or Kat’s untimely deaths but she did nothing to mourn them. They never saw eye to eye but death seemed to have changed their ways and brought them a kind of peace. It had obviously given them time to reflect on who they were and who they wanted to be. Mei on the other hand, she had tried to fix everything but herself; perhaps this was a wake up call? Plus this talk of marriage…She had only just gotten Jill to fully come out; marriage was a whole different kind of witchcraft.

”I’m sorry for what happened to you both,” The Wiccan girl began. ”And I’m grateful to you for watching over Jill. I’ve gotta do some Bitchcraft and send everything back to where they came. Whatever happens next, it’ll be nice to know the gruesome twosome will be watching over us as guardian angels in lipgloss and nail polish.”

“And it’ll match too!”

Looks there was one more shake of the head to come from Olivia after all. “We’ll do our best to keep up the watch. Over both of you. You’ve both got protection from beyond, although Jill still probably needs it more than you do, Mei.”

“Hey, fuck you, Liv! I’m learning! I can do supernatural things! Maybe!”

Now Liv was laughing. “Can’t wait to see it. If you get the other form of cursing down as well as you got the first one, you’ll be a force. All right, let’s get out of here, Kat. I don’t think we should be near the epicenter when Miss Midnight rings last call.”

Kat still had that pleading look on her face. “Can we at least go to the mall before that happens? I want to see the new stuff out at American Eagle.”

Olivia looked somewhat surprised that her traveling partner wanted to look at something that wasn’t from high school. “The mall is definitely closed right now.”

The blonde pouted. “Does it really matter for us?”

Liv thought for a second. “I guess not. All right, let’s go.”

That brought a smile to Katherine’s face, wider than the one Olivia had, as the two moved, hands still entwined, towards the door. There was no need to open it as the pair faded through en route to wherever they would end up.

Alone again with her girlfriend, Jill finally had the opportunity to parse what the hell just happened. It was just like old times, the nicknames, the sass, everything sounded like it was during an average junior year hangout. But it was different. They were different! Kat was plotting and thinking up schemes to help her best friend, and Liv. Liv sounded mature and able to have emotions and… what did that make her? Even in death, Jill’s friends were growing and getting better and what had she been doing?

Exactly what Kat said she did. Dwelling on the past. Letting old wounds fester. Not even trying to move on, content to just let the pain take her. It wasn’t healthy. How many people could see that? How many dead people could see that?

But she was getting better now. She had a reason to get better. Reasons. They were out there. Even if she couldn’t see them.

Jill let out the huge sigh she had been holding in and let herself collapse against Mei, head resting on the black-haired girl’s shoulder. Even if she barely moved, it still felt like a marathon session. She didn’t even think about how the two of them would take the revelation that she was fully embracing her sapphic side now. But they were both perfectly fine with it. She almost wished she gave in ages ago.

“So… that was a lot,” she finally spoke in a soft tone. “Fuck, I didn’t even get to tell Kat how fat Tori Kelly got. I don’t even know if she actually cared. But fuck… I… I never thought I would see them again. Definitely not like that.” Another sigh, softer, but leading to a smile on the redhead’s face. ”I guess it’s nice to know they’re happy for us.”

Mei planted a soft kiss to Jill’s forehead before wrapping her up into her arms. ”When I did the spell I had no idea this was going to happen, I’m glad it did.” She wanted to enjoy the bliss of a happy Jillybean but she knew that they couldn’t stay like that forever. She wanted to stay in their little hideaway and be together but there was still too much to do and Mei didn’t know how much time they had. Seeing Liv and Kat had proven something to Miss Midnight; not all the returnees would be good. Edenridge was a place of many horror stories and now those stories would have come back to life.

“Don’t get too comfy babe, we’ve got worlds to save. Goddess help us.”

It was a tough ask. Jill knew Mei was right, that what had been done needed to be put back the way it was. That her fallen friends’ time back in this realm would have to be short. But she could at least stall for a little bit longer. Just to have this moment, this feeling of absolute comfort basking in the glow of what turned out to be a welcome reunion of the Clovers, and another affirmation that her relationship with her fellow ex-cheerleader was the right path to pursue. It was the best Halloween she could ask for. It could last a little bit more before work had to happen. “Fine… just a few more minutes… the worlds can wait... let Kat check out another storefront… just for this… I love you, Mei.”

Mei allowed her lips to fall upon Jill’s and shared a kiss with her beloved. She didn’t want the moment to pass. There were people who had gone whom she wished to see. She wasn't as hard as she made herself out to be. Yet the balance of nature had to be restored. Still, that could wait, if only for a brief moment. Mei was lost in the whisper of a dream with her girl. The monsters at the door could claw for just a little longer.

“I love you too.”