Magnetism (SG)

[SongofWindchimes]

Oh, right, joining the crew. Okay, Bianca still wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say, but she could bring this back on some sort of similar track. "Aw...of course I didn't change my mind," she cooed, sounding like someone addressing a child, rather than the seductive pirate queen she'd been playing. Alaric probably was younger than her, too, though he was hardly any sort of child...except maybe at heart, but that was something they clearly had in common.

"Though...what sort of role you'd have on my ship, that's something I still have to figure out." She put her hands on her hips and considered him, though this time keeping her eyes at face level. "Can you climb? I could use someone for the crow's nest." Her eyes flicked to the branches above her and she flashed a smile.

Yes, Bianca was, in a fashion, trying to convince the man she'd just been flirting with to climb trees with her. Point to the inner tomboy.

Faux Zoro's eyes followed Honey as she declared she was leaving and started to walk away. He then glanced back at the humans as Fury let out a string of cackles and Tyson found another butterfly. "I believe I said something similar to Bianca once," he commented idly, "She waved and said 'have fun.'"

"This guy's a riot," came laughter from the one-pelican peanut gallery. "Half of my dinner says he falls out of the tree and Bianca has to catch him."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Climb? Rea-? When her eyes flicked upward, however, this brought back a smirk- rather confident if not cocky this time. "What else would a kid from these woods do outside if he wasn't allowed to go exploring?" With perhaps too much enthusiasm, he jumped at the tree, long arms extended from already impressive height easily grabbing a lower branch. Swinging to the other side slightly to allow the other arm to reach as well, he got a good grip, waited a moment to ensure it wasn't going to snap (you know, on his maybe-all-of-160-lbs-if-he'd-just-eaten-and-showered ass), and then pulled up to work his way onto it.

Honey's eyes narrowed to slits, not at Fury's remark (which she almost cheered on at this point), but a Faux Zoro's. <Don't you dare think you know anything about us! Just because your human doesn't respect your opinion means nothing about my partner.> Oh she could claw his eyes out for a comment like that! This Zoroark was on thin ice with her.

Once up on the first branch, Alaric proceeded to climb one higher, and then just a few more, finding a nice sturdy one to sit on. Leaning forward and lounging like a jungle cat, he gave her his own mildly alluring smile at last. His voice finally fell to its true depth as he purred, "So do I have your approval, captain...~?"

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[SongofWindchimes]

Faux Zoro did not, immediately, react to Honey's snarling. "No, it does not," came a calm, level reply, and the Zoroark slid to his feet, locking his eyes on Honey. His posture was not outright hostile, but there was a twitch of lean muscle under his black coat. "And I said no such thing. My words were a commentary on my actions, or rather lack of them, not your own. I am a servant, and thus I remain and do not attempt to dissuade Bianca because I know I will not succeed. You, quite obviously, are not, and if had luck been more on your side, I have no doubt you would have succeeded in drawing his attention away."

The Zoroark inclined his head, slightly, though he was still tense. "If my attempt to be concise, rather than excessively verbose as is the norm, has obscured my meaning, I will take responsibility for that, and I apologize." That was all he would apologize for, however. He liked to be corrected and put in his place, on occasion, but Honey was whittling away at his patience. Faux Zoro never started a fight, but if the Luxray had any bright ideas about violence, he would end it, quickly and decisively.

Bianca would be lying if she said she wasn't watching Alaric's every move when he climbed. She hadn't quite expected his skill, though she didn't move from her confident posture until he stopped and nothing short of purred at her. A smile twitched at her lips. Oh, now you want to be alluring? she thought, a single eyebrow raised. "Impressive," she said simply, before walking over and jumping to grab a branch as well.

The woman smoothly ascended the tree until she found a branch nearby Alaric. She leaned against the trunk and crossed one of her legs over the other as they stretched along the branch. "You caught me by surprise, there," she commented, smiling, "I didn't realize you were from around here." She kept her tone conversational, not letting herself fall into her flirtatious habits quite yet. Bianca wanted to see exactly what he'd do when she wasn't trying to work her charms.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Honey gave a rather indignant look, straightening up and stamping a foot at the fox's response. While the words didn't actually come from her, it would not have been hard to imagine (and in fact had Alaric been paying attention he would have assumed it as) a 'well! I never!' After a few moments of staring in disdain, she simply whipped her head up and away, sniffing a <Hmph!> Starting to turn, she spat, <I suppose servitude explains your lack of class. I, for one, am a Lady, and will not settle for being treated as less.>

With a glance toward Fury, who seemed to her a bit crude in his approaches but otherwise the only sensible one around here, she added, <Your trainer really needs to keep her pet in line. If she's really too much like him, though..> Her eyes flicked up to the tree. <It may fall to you to keep the lesser of her Pokemon in their places. A job I know all too well..> She muttered the last bit, then sighed heavily and began to pad sullenly but in proud posture towards the woods again, rather disinterested in their replies at least in theory.

Meanwhile, Alaric had retained his smirk, though not quite all of its allure, and shrugged as best he could from his position. "My family's home isn't an hour from here. I'd come home to visit and suddenly remembered how annoying they can be," He chuckled a bit, rather in good humor about it when it provided a conversation piece with a beautiful woman. "So I came out for a while. ..And look what I find~" The last bit had turned to something of a thrumming purr again, and his sea storm eyes were allowed to trail over her briefly before, when they came back to her face, he broke out into a grin. "The business opportunity of a lifetime! I always knew one day I'd be a knight, a pirate, or a ninja~ In order of preference I don't think second-best sounds bad at all~" Oh he was teasing her so hard. And keeping up appearance and the fact it would send him falling about twenty or thirty feet was all that kept him from rolling laughing. "But what high sea do you hail from, your Majesty~?" At this, his voice actually had dropped back to somewhat interested and complimentary. Ah, mixed signals were fun.

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[SongofWindchimes]

Faux Zoro did not so much as flinch at Honey's reply. He had no shame, and no ambition. He had no wish to lead, and it was all he could do to stop himself from giving a snort when she called herself a lady. If she wanted to be treated as one, she should act like one. From where he was standing, she was a prideful, spoiled brat. And he had had it with her.

As she was leaving, he calmly sat back down, his only words for her being a simple, "Bianca is a lady worth servitude." This time, if she intended to take his words at their worst meaning, she could feel free.

Fury, meanwhile, gave the Luxray a look like she was crazy, then looked back at Faux Zoro. "This chick for real, Zoro? Not that I don't think I'm better than you in every way, pretty boy, but seriously?"

Faux Zoro examined his claws, before summoning his red rose. "I sincerely doubt she intends her words to be taken as being in jest, if that is what you mean," he answered without looking at the bird.

The mention of family caused Bianca's smile to waver a little, but it came back when his eyes moved over her body. Now, if only she could figure out how to get him to do more than look. The 'wait and see' approach was headed in the right direction, however, so she'd keep her impulses in check for the moment. Even if that purr of his was driving her crazy.

She chuckled a little as he spoke of the 'business opportunity' and then feigned hurt. "You'd rather be a knight than a pirate? Well, at least I beat out ninja." She was about to say something along the lines of pirates having more fun, with an added line about singing sea shanties to obscure whether she intended a double meaning, when she received the inevitable question.

The problem with asking questions to people is that they generally expected her to answer what she asked. Not that her home city and family situation was a secret, but it wasn't a topic she particularly enjoyed. Bianca looked away from Alaric and sighed a little. "You're looking at the Queen of the Western Seas," she said with a lighter tone than her expression implied, but less of one than she'd been hoping to conjure. "But I sail many places...and I can relate on the family thing."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Honey froze when that pompous Zoroark dared to-.... How could he even suggest-.. The mere thought of it was utterly appalling! She was not, not inferior to that trampsy little harlot! And yet who had Alaric's attention? Fury's taking his side even as he agreed with her did not help matters. <...You bastards.> Perhaps it was because she was already in a foul mood, or perhaps because she'd been mildly attracted to the Zoroark before he turned out to be such an obnoxious jerkass, but whatever the reason they'd managed such a rare feat, they had gotten way under her skin.

Meanwhile, Alaric smirked. "I see. Well, you've still gotta love home even in spite of the drama family adds to it." Shooting her a brief alluring glance, he added, "Besides, I tend to stay out west. It'd be a shame if we couldn't hang out again." Fighting back a laugh, he maneuvered around a bit and hung off the branch, long hair trailing down quite a way. "Hm~?" It was such a good thing bad puns were still legal. "But of course I'd rather be a knight. Just think of all the maidens in need of protection and worshippers~!" He hummed a sigh in thought then before grinning. "Although... Every queen could us--"

Alaric was cut off as he cringed at a crackling flash of light. Honey had stood there a little after her last comment, fighting off her trembling, before at last succumbing with another <You bastards!> and leashing a Discharge. The moment she was done she bounded back into the treeline in tears. She'd fortunately retained just enough control to try not to hit Alaric- and by unfortunate extension Bianca- but not much else was spared. Within the trees, Glydre was hit but only deadpanned at the annoyance, any real damage grounded out completely.

Her trainer's eyes grew wide when he saw her leave, and he literally dropped and fell out of the tree, grasping at a few branches on the way down to slow his descent. The landing still wasn't graceful, but he didn't seem to notice as he was instantly chasing after her with a "Honey! ... Honey!" Fortunately, in her state, her vision actually became a disadvantage, and on a few occasions she didn't see the trees for the forest- actually literally looking through one without realizing it and bumping her head, which only frustrated the giant cat a hundred times worse each time. With this slowing her, Alaric caught up quickly enough, tackling her and clinging. "Honey, whats wrong?" By this time, he was panting a bit more from adrenaline than effort, and he'd actually teared up a bit at the mere thought of anything upsetting the cat so greatly. The Luxray tore away, but only flopped down two feet away, and her human followed, clinging to her fur again.

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[SongofWindchimes]

Bianca could have debated on loving home despite family, but she wasn't the debating type, and she couldn't help but giggle a little when he said 'hang out.' She had to admit, the idea of seeing him again sounded nice. Not too many guys played along with her more childish tendencies. Tolerated, sure, and some people were willing to tolerate a lot if what they got at the end of the night was worth it, but rarely played along.

Then, with a crack of electricity, a look of horror crossed Bianca's face. She scrambled out of the tree, clawing at the branches as she looked like, ironically, a frantic cat. "Boys!" she shouted, hitting the ground in something of an ungraceful heap, but relatively unhurt as she raced over to her pokemon.

Fury was little short of a groaning lump, though Bianca had no doubt he'd be spitting fire and brimstone in a moment, and she recalled him as soon as she was sure he was alive. Faux Zoro's fur was on end, and his back was against the tree, presumably knocked back from the attack. Tyson, with his resistance to electricity, was the least harmed, but he mewed and looked up at Bianca with big eyes, wondering what horrible thing he'd done to make the bigger kitty zap him.

"What the hell just happened, Zoro?" she asked as she helped up the Zoroark. He pushed away from her the moment he was on his feet, not due to any true desire to be away from her touch but merely respecting her own...problems that contact with him sometimes caused her. Not that she was likely thinking of past trauma at this moment.

"It would seem that the truth is painful for more than the one receiving it," he said, trying in vain to calm his static-filled coat.

"You provoked her?" Bianca asked, stunned. Faux Zoro was the last out of any of her band of misfits to trigger a fight.

Faux Zoro huffed a little. "She provoked herself. If my dedication to you fractures her view of herself and the world to the point she lashes out, I do not take responsibility for her temper tantrums."

The venom in his words just stunned Bianca all the more. This wasn't like him. The only time she'd really seen him angry was the night he...saved her...and even then it was more of a cold fury. What in the hell had that Luxray said to get under his skin so badly?

Bianca didn't even realize that her Shinx had run off until he was gone. Confused and distraught by all that had transpired, Tyson was running through the trees mewling, "Miss Honey! Miss Honey!"

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Meanwhile, Alaric continued to sob softly into Honey's fur, trying to force a smile. "Hey... Don't be upset.. What happened?" He rubbed and nuzzled her, praying his precious protector would just stop crying. "Did they hurt you?" It wasn't like her to react so poorly to just his flirting, much as he knew she disliked it, not to mention it was awfully delayed if she did.

Honey, in turn, hesitated briefly before finally shaking her head and giving a negative growl-mewl. Alaric knew this only meant 'not physically', and just held her tighter. "Hey... Don't let them bother you..." He drew in a deep ragged breath, trying to calm his sobs. The longer he held it, the harder it became to keep up that smile. "I love you more than anyone.. You know that, silly..." She didn't. In fact, she not only knew good and well he still for whatever God-forsaken reason loved that psychotic whore, but she recognized feelings in him he himself wasn't even aware were there. Still, depressing as that was, his words did still help calm her.

About this time, they heard a new voice approaching- Honey with words, Alaric with a mew. As the Shinx grew closer, Alaric sat up, quickly wiping his eyes in case Bianca was following, and called, "Tyson?" At least, he doubted there were any other Shinx out here, unless Bianca had more, or some other trainer was lurking.

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[SongofWindchimes]

Tyson nearly exploded out of the underbrush, mewling. "Miss Honey!" He nearly tumbled head-over-paws and gave an undignified scramble to stay upright before racing over to the Luxray. "I'm sorry! I don't know what I did, but I'm so so so sorry! Will you come back? Please?" He was nothing short of trying to crawl on Honey in his desperation to appease her, his coat slightly luminescent with nervous electricity.

Bianca had taken off into the trees the moment she realized Tyson had vanished, trusting Faux Zoro to tend to himself, and it was a little time into this display that the woman, whose agility was slightly compromised in her haste, to stumble around a tree and find them. "Tyson!" When Tyson sat up and mewed at her, she slumped against the tree in relief. "Thank Arceus...Don't scare me like that..." Her gaze moved to Alaric, green eyes shining with concern. "Is Honey okay?"

Yes, the Luxray had attacked her boys but...Bianca would be lying if she said she hadn't done much the same thing before. She just wasn't a pokemon and so couldn't fire off a Discharge before taking off.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

And now Honey's maternal instinct finally took over as she watched the glowingly distressed little kitten. Pulling away from Alaric's grip just enough to kneel down and nuzzle him with a big red nose, she half-whimpered, half-cooed, <Oh, Tyson, sweetie.. You didn't do anything..> She repositioned a bit, laying her tail across him. <Your friends just said some stupid things, that's all..> And now that she said that, she felt rather childish for taking their opinions to heart. Of course, it was much easier to dismiss them now that Alaric was with. her. rather than his newest little friend.

And speak of the devil, here she came... asking... about Honey? Hm. Well, she was a bit sensible after all. Alaric looked up to Bianca, then away as he sighed. "Yeah, I think so.. I am sorry though... I wish I knew what happened. She never does that, I swear..." Just because he was distraught over Honey didn't mean he couldn't feel bad for any injury she'd caused.

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[SongofWindchimes]

Tyson calmed down at Honey's insistence he hadn't done anything, his fur losing its nervous glow. He nuzzled her back a little. "Will you come back if they say sorry? I can make 'em say sorry. Bianca says I have a big roar. I can roar at 'em and tell 'em to say sorry."

Bianca sighed a little and shook her head. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault." She glanced over her shoulder where she'd come, even though she couldn't see the tree, or her Zoroark, from here. "Faux Zoro won't tell me what he said to her, but he told me he pushed her buttons. At least I think that's what he told me." Talking to that pokemon was an exercise in patience sometimes. "And he never does that, so I'm just as surprised as you are."

Bianca leaned to the side a little to address the Luxray directly. "I'll make sure he buttons his lip, Honey. Promise." She'd recall him outright, but he was pretty much Tyson's full-time babysitter. Besides, she wasn't entirely lacking for sympathy for Faux Zoro; there had obviously been button-pushing on both sides of this, even if he generally knew better.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Honey couldn't help but laugh a bit at Tyson's offer. <That's sweet, but it's fine..> Alaric grimaced a bit at hearing the Zoroark had provoked her, but at least settled. Whatever Bianca said of her Pokemon, he knew his, and in his mind that made it entirely not her fault. Poor baby. When Bianca went on, the great cat sighed, but when she herself took Honey's side over the Zoroark's.... The Luxray leered skeptically a moment, but then sniffed lightly and looked off in the equivalent of a shrug.

Alaric had to grin, shaking his head before smirking at Bianca. "If I didn't know better, I'd think she's almost starting to like you for that." Feeling much better with things mildly settled, he half-tackled Honey (though they were already all of three inches apart), holding her head tight against his chest and mock-growling into her fur a moment before giving a deep but light laugh. "Of course, Honey is pretty convinced she's my wife. So 'kind of almost being okay' with a beautiful woman I like is quite the compliment from her, really." Never mind the compliments he'd dropped in there from himself. Not that he could hold back a smirk for long.

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[SongofWindchimes]

Tyson almost seemed to pout a little. "Okay, but I really could do it."

Bianca kept herself from laughing at Honey's reaction, merely smiling at the shrug. Really, she hadn't expected anything particularly warm and, frankly, that leer almost reminded her of...

...Mars, her old Salamence. As Alaric went on, Bianca was trying harder to maintain her smile, her mood sinking as his rose. She hoped he couldn't see the almost defeated look that came across her as the memory of the shiny Salamence laying his head on her shoulder and glaring at whatever poor man, or woman, had dared to come into his domain looking for his Bianca rushed forward before she could stop it. "You...you're lucky to have her."

Shoving the memory away, Bianca chuckled. "And I appreciate what approval I'm given. 'Kind of almost being okay' is better than the reception I get from most mens' wives." Suddenly realizing what she'd just said, she laughed. "Oh, that makes me sound horrible. I don't flirt with men I know are married or anything...just...I work with men and, y'know, misunderstandings happen..." And it was always the tramp's fault, of course, when the wife showed up. Nevermind if she was platonically discussing a business deal, or if the man in question was coming on to her. It was a good thing for Bianca that she could run fast.

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

Alaric was touched at her words, but couldn't help but chuckle himself when she went on with a more amusing topic. "With a face like yours, I imagine." And body, but he was more polite than that. In some ways. "Though that makes you better than me, honestly. Not that I'm going around encouraging relationship problems or anything, but the way I see it.." He shrugged. "Boyfriend, husband, whatever. If a man is doing so bad a job at keeping a woman happy, she more than deserves to find someone who will. And if I happen to be there, I'm not going to ignore her just because some guy called dibs." The last words came out rather more condescendingly than intended, but he cracked a somewhat goofy smile just after. "Just a woman's smile is more than worth a punch from any jealous guy." He laughed a bit. If he was killing his chances with Bianca, so be it. Alaric was honest quite literally to a fault, generally only omitting a very few select truths even. Currently, he was omitting that he was more than willing to go well beyond just flirting, but if it came up he wouldn't avoid it.

Turning his attention back to Honey now, he quickly moved on to, "I am lucky though. This girl's been putting up with me since I was just a kid, and she was just a ky00t little kitten~" At the mutilated word, his voice cracked just a little. Grinning down at Tyson, he ruffled his head a bit and laughed. "Like this little guy." Actually, Honey had been a bit bigger than Tyson; she'd always been large for her species, even in other forms. Still, though, she'd been just as cute (or cuter, but he was pretty biased). Smiling nostalgically, he sighed and leaned on Honey again. "I owe her my life, you know..."

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[SongofWindchimes]

Bianca couldn't help but look a little surprised at the compliment. She knew she had a pretty face, but it generally wasn't something people commented on. Most of those misunderstandings she'd mentioned were based around the fact that she dressed less than professionally most of the time. Alaric probably didn't realize that this was one of her more modest outfits simply by virtue of the fact she was wearing pants instead of a skirt.

The rest of what he said...Well, he was very honest, wasn't he? Bianca blinked a little, but she wasn't really bothered by it. It was actually kind of sweet, if looking at things through a less-conventional lense. Especially that last sentence. From her perspective, Alaric was the better person. The main thing that kept Bianca from comforting men (or women) like that was the fact that she was terrified of the kind of partner who could potentionally drive them into her arms. She liked her pretty face the way it was, which meant lacking scars.

Bianca giggled when he mangled the word 'cute,' wondering vaguely if she'd ever heard a man say it like that, and giggled a little more when Tyson mewed and rubbed against Alaric's hand in response to the petting. However, what he said next seemed to yank the mirth out of her. Images of old pokemon came into her mind, along with one current one. That night, the one she tried so hard to forget, ran through her mind as if it had only just happened.

"I owe Zoro mine," she said quietly, suddenly looking, and feeling, much more tired than before. Bianca wasn't sure why she'd admitted that, especially when the aforementioned Zoroark had just caused so much trouble, but the words came out anyway.

Tyson looked at her, knowing something was wrong, even if he wasn't sure what. He pulled himself away from Honey and Alaric, mewing softly. "Bianca?" He wandered over and rubbed against her legs, as if hoping his soft fur would rub away the hurt he knew she was feeling. "Don't be sad."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

This revelation may have actually shocked Honey more than Alaric- not to say the latter wasn't very intrigued. "Well that's some coincidence.." Really, what were the odds? And in the middle of nowhere when he was just out in the first place to let off steam.

The Luxray wasn't sure whether to feel sorry or infuriated, though she was leaning toward the latter. Of that obnoxious Zoroark had a story anything like hers, how could he think so damn highly of his trainer? She owed him, yet he acted like he was the one who could never repay her. Hmph. Well, that explained a lot. She supposed it was hard to stay mad at someone who was that truly stupid, but that didn't mean she had to like him for it either. Feh. She could admire his loyalty, perhaps, and that fixed things just a teeny bit, but he was still very much a moron in her mind.

Alaric was dying to know now, but that wasn't really something one could just throw out there. Rather, he released Honey now and moved over to hold Bianca comfortingly. This made Honey twitch just a moment, but-... Eh. This human was all right, at least compared to most, and the cat did mind much less in obvious comfort situations than when her trainer was just being an amorous idiot. After a few moments, he admitted, "I was engaged once." His tone was far from bright, but neither was it all that somber considering. More just calm, informative. He forced an odd smirk as he went on. "I finally figured out she only wanted my money, though. So I broke it off, and she tried to stab me~" He did his best to sound light at this, then forcing a syllable or so of a laugh as he shrugged. "Lucky Honey fought back when I was too scared to... Heh..."

As much as thinking too hard about her did tend to send him into fits of depression, he'd told the story of that particular part so many times he couldn't begin to count them. Often enough it also involved randomly whipping his shirt off to show off his scars for effect- because he in absolutely no way had learned to use it as a tool more than anything and certainly not partially as a way to desensitize the whole thing in his mind to keep it from being so painful- but Alaric had no idea what sorts of scars she may carry, inside or out. If his ordeal paled in comparison, he'd just look stupid or even possibly be offensive- another reason for the forced half-joking about his trauma, trying to make it seem less severe in retrospect and therefore in no way attempting to 'compete' with her. As it was, he did sort of hope that telling his story would prompt hers, but he wouldn't push it if she didn't follow up.

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[SongofWindchimes]

Bianca stiffened a little when Alaric went to hold her, but she didn't pull away from him. The memories so close to the surface made being touched almost painful, but she eventually relaxed into his embrace, taking it for the comfort it was meant to be. She was completely silent as he told his story.

Bianca wasn't sure what to feel. Gold-diggers were one of the few types of people who could piss her off, and the fact that she'd attacked him probably would have sent Bianca into an irrationally protective fit with a desire to track down whoever this bitch was if she hadn't been still seeing Alabaster's face leering at her in her mind's eye. And the way Alaric was trying so hard not to seem as affected by it as she was sure he was just reminded her so much of herself...

"I..." A shiver ran through Bianca. No, she told herself, she couldn't tell him this. No one knew about what had gone on. Not her family, not anyone. She couldn't. She knew she couldn't...and yet the words slipped out of her like water through her fingers. "I...was betrayed by someone I thought I could trust. A business partner...a friend..."

Admitting that much opened the floodgates, and Bianca wasn't sure how coherent she was and didn't care. "H-he said he could help me...I didn't have anyone else...but I found out too much about what he was doing...a-and he decided I wasn't worth keeping around..." She was practically clinging to Alaric now. "Zoro wasn't even mine. He was just there. But he never left..."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

.... Well damn it all if that didn't send his mind running a mile a minute wondering exactly what she'd learned. Ack, focus dammit. He mentally kicked himself, concentrating on her more directly again and tightened his embrace slightly. With a light smile, he softly hummed, "Hey now... Think of it this way... You seem really close to Zoro, right...? You did make it out alive, and you wouldn't have such a wonderful friend otherwise, eh?" Ever the optimist, at least when it came to other people's issues. He just wished he could find a similar lining to his own tale. Honey had always been there and close after all.. If he really thought, he supposed various girls he'd been able to comfort as a result were a plus, but he'd pissed about as many off, so...

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[SongofWindchimes]

Bianca squeezed her eyes shut and fell silent, not realizing how much she was trembling. She'd gained Zoro...but what she'd lost...Tigerlily, Mars, Velvet, Scarlet, laying there as if they were still sleeping, never given a chance to fight back...Alabaster had coldly and effectively eliminated any possible threat to him. If he hadn't gotten whatever sick pleasure he did out of revealing to Bianca that he'd been manipulating her like a human puppet...

She couldn't tell Alaric that. She shouldn't have told him anything she already had. The fact that the friend who'd attacked her was her own pokemon, and that she'd lost four beings she loved like family to gain a pokemon she couldn't even let touch her most of the time due to her own problems, would forever be her own private nightmare.

Doing what she always did, Bianca gave a weak smile, pushing the memories back. "I do love that big fuzzball," she said, trying to force her tone to be light, "Kind of like a brother." That was the best she could articulate her end, anyway. Bianca really didn't know how Zoro viewed her, having, by this point, decided that she probably occupied a category that didn't have a human equivalent.

Bianca, of course, had to let a bit of her old habits creep in eventually, and as she shoved back her darker thoughts, the fact that she was in Alaric's arms hit a part of her brain that told her that kissing him was a very good idea, before he let go and tried to play dumb again. But...that almost felt like taking advantage. Not to mention Honey was right there and while she didn't take the 'wife' thing as anything other than an attempt to explain their relationship like her saying Zoro was her 'brother,' it still didn't feel right.

So, Bianca compromised, and moved forward quickly to plant a brief kiss on his cheek. "Thanks. If you tell anyone that story, though, I'll get upset." She chuckled softly. "Probably start crying, and then you'll feel just horrible for making a woman cry."

[Admiral Striker General]

[atrb=style,width:475px;color:goldenrod;border:3px goldenrod ridge;][atrb=bgcolor,#94701A]

[ Alaric ]

...A brother? Alaric blinked a bit. ... Heh. Well that was kind of different, though he supposed his and Honey's relationship wasn't exactly commonplace. Actually... when he thought about it, he could definitely see certain correlations between her and Linza. Or, God forbid, even his mother! Terrible as this was, he couldn't help but grin a bit.

The kiss struck him a little dumb for a moment, but the words to follow settled him to a sad but gentle smile. Again his voice dropped to it potential depth, but without the purr from before, exchanging that for sincerity. "Bianca.." If she'd known him better, she may have known that the use of a first rather than pet or nickname meant this was definitely serious business. "I live and breathe to serve and worship women.. I could tear my heart out for hurting you in any way..." He tightened his embrace, then placed a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead (even if sort of on her bandana).

Honey rolled her eyes just slightly, but remained more or less at peace with this. As long as he didn't get in over his head.. Glydre had caught up by this point, and was peering down through the brush overhead. He could have almost been jealous... but that voice was making him melt far too much to concentrate on that just now. After a few moments, Alaric again cracked a small smirk, though his voice only took on the slightest teasing hint atop the previous tone. "Not that I believe pirates would ever cry, of course.." Never mind her current breaking down. Heh..

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