Things that Change [Dare/Mod]

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis's hand continued to open and close slightly every few seconds, yet as his hand was brought up, it stopped moving. Looking down as the rose from previous had been placed in it and then closed, Felis then looked at Xavier, and though he was shaken to say the least of it, the blond haired man managed a smile. "It's... just so sad," he finally sighed blue eyes sliding away for a moment. "Not much I can do about it though, really..." Which was what he hated the most about it... really. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



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Nothing he could do...? "Sure there is! Although... it may be a bit... cheesy..." Xavier broke away from Felis, bending down to collect the charred rose ashes in his hands. He glanced around quickly, noticing the tree with the two slumbering Aipom, and nodded towards it. "C'mon." He encouraged, taking steps towards the tree. "I will admit... I used to do little things like this for the fish I'd catch that wouldn't sell. It felt wrong to just dispose of them, so..."

Halting at the tree's base, he shifted the ashes to one hand while removing a Poke'ball with the other. Pressing the trigger, he released Z, whom twirled eagerly upon being released, eyes exclamation points. He circled Felis rapidly, eyes morphing into question marks. <Ohhh~ I remember youuu~ The castle lady~> He chimed in Poke'speech. Xavier smiled and gestured him over. "Can you make a plot for me, Z?" He asked, Z's eyes shifting into exclamation points as he nodded. <Diggy diggy hole~> He chimed, burrowing his rounded tail into the Earth, making a small hole there.

Xavier pushed him gently aside and laid the ashes into it, standing up and blushing over at Felis. "I know its odd but... have any words for our fallen friend?" He smiled slightly, although embarrassed.

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis hesitated a moment as Xavier had picked up the ashes and then started towards the tree. However, blue eyes at least followed the red haired man. A moment of mental sighing, Felis slowly started to follow wondering what Xav was doing. As Z was released, Felis blinked a moment allowing something of a smile to come to his face. However, as the 'burial' of the rose took place, Felis had to bite his lip to keep from whimpering a bit. He remained calm but stare at the hole that was now made and the ashes that were now laid there. However, after a moment, blue eyes set themselves on the flower in Felis's hand, and he calmed. "Roses will grow back... at least..." he sighed slowly allowing himself to look up and finally to look at Xavier. "May it rest in peace." he finished slowly smiling a bit more now. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



---

After a moment of silence following Felis' words, Xavier covered the mound back up and brushed his hands of dirt, reaching out to pat Z on the head. "Thank ya buddy." He smiled, Z hurling himself into Xavier in a tackle-hug. The man remained on his feet but staggered with a small 'oof', laughing. "Yes, I love you too. Back in ya go." He returned the Porygon-Z, turning to Felis. "You're right, roses do grow back. Time heals all sorts of things... happiness, wounds, love..." He paused then, rubbing the back of his head. "You should knock me in the noggin when I start preaching." He said bemusedly, wandering back towards the path.

But... he sighed. "That Fraxure is problematic, but he doesn't have wings quite yet. By the time we're ready to go, we can probably just fly out of here." He nodded, looking further down the Zoo's pathways. He wasn't very familiar with the layout... "Which way?"

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis slowly smiled at Xavier's words. Time healed everything... Well that was at least partially true... he was far from the wreck he had been when those events two years ago had transpired.... and when he thought about it, the fact that he had managed to keep it together was somehow amazing in itself. Chuckling softly at Xav's words, he shook his head. "There's no reason to, you were just saying what was on your mind," he hummed lightly back. Though that also made Felis wonder.... more about Xavier, actually... At the word on the Fraxure, Felis found his hand raise and fingers run through his hair a moment. "It's certainly odd.... a talking pokemon," he sighed a bit. The flying bit was true enough though there was the possibility of being shot at while in the air... but if they were carefully enough, even that wouldn't really be a problem. At the question, Felis looked around the zoo area before stopping and pointing towards a building: an indoor exhibit of some sort. Starting over towards it, Felis looked sideways at Xav. "If time heals everything, why doesn't Dialga serve as a Chansey?" he asked. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



---

He simply nodded in reply, falling into stride beside Felis, previous flush fading rather quickly. If he wasn't put-off by such a cheesy display that was a burial for a flower, then there really was nothing for Xav to worry about, at least within his mind's eye... and that fact alone proved to be very therapeutic to the red-head. It was nice to be at ease around at least one person in the world.

The following question rose a red brow, a dark eye returning the glance directed his way. It was... a curious question, really. It made him grin somewhat. "Who says Dialga doesn't serve as a Chansey?" He mused, a thoughtful sparkle twinkling in his eye. "They do work in mysterious ways, the deities do... Dialga can manipulate time in such complicated ways... whose to say in some odd, alternate dimension, he isn't a Chansey, hmmmm?" He chuckled then, shrugging a shoulder and lightening his mood. "Perhaps a more simple answer would be... that would just be too simple." He chuckled again, looking forwards with a whimsical look on his face, but said nothing more.

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]And now it was time for a questioning look to come from Felis. "What's the simpler answer?' he hummed lightly. Of course he had taken up the other thoughts, but possibly because of his education into quantum physics being very small if at all there, he simply found it hard to believe that there actually was another dimension at all. Sure there had been stories .... and Giratina was heard of (if never seen in Era..?), but still.... [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



---

He laughed then. "That was the answer. It would be just too simple if Dialga served as a Chansey. Things would... heal too fast. No one would remember what happened. Nobody would learn the significance of their loss, or what if gave them in turn. You have to learn from the past, no matter how much it hurts." He sighed, shrugging then, smiling broadly. "Its all so curious, isn't it... the easier things are, the more complicated they become in the long run..."

He pushed open the door to the internal display, holding it for Felis. "But that's what I like about the world, ne. Its just so full of things I have yet to understand, or you have yet to understand... but then again," He paused here, grinning sheepishly, "I am a rather simple kind of folk. We have two totally different perspectives really... I stand in awe of things that dumbfound me, when you probably have learned about it proper." He hummed, casting a thoughtful look towards Felis.

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis blinked a little as Xavier explained, and something of a light surprised expression came to his visage. Ah... learning, heh.... Was that what it all was? Well.. it was an unfair way to learn... Mentally shaking his head, he stepped into the exhibit and found his eyes scanning around the large glass windows. At one time, there would possibly have been water pokemon that did tricks or something at this level.. now it was far from that. At Xavier's last words, Felis shook his head a bit. "I probably know about as much as you, really..." he answered back shrugging his shoulders slowly. "I didn't like school much and didn't bother with college," he sighed lightly but slightly frowned after that. "At the time, I thought there was no reason to, so why bother? Heh..." The last laugh had been forced a good deal and left him gulping a little. That had been how it was... but now.... [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



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Brown eyes followed Felis as he gazed into the windows, he too looking beyond the blonde frame into their depths. He... didn't see much. Actually, even outside there hadn't been much... a couple of wild Aipom and a crazy... English speaking Fraxure... where had the Poke'mon gone, he wondered? Most likely out into the wilderness, or perhaps even caught by passerby trainers, or maybe even just snoozing away in the cold temperatures. The latter seemed most likely. He rose a hand to press the glass gently, recoiling at its cold touch.

He had been listening, however, and turned when Felis trailed off, observing the man keenly. He reached a hand forward to snag his chin and hoist it up gently from its seemingly frowning stature, catching his eye. "Oii, I never went to any school, remember? I turned out fine enough." He said easily, moving his hand to poke him in the forehead. "Doesn't matter how many places you go to, the best learning is done in day to day life." He nodded then, retrieving his hand with a grin. "I just think it really is something, just... we come from such different backgrounds, yet can still relate, even if the ways are small." He shrugged then, looking back into the glass with a smile. "Its nice."

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis blinked a little at Xavier's motions before something of an easy grin came to his face. Xavier had turned out fine enough, but... had he ever been expected to do anything on this level... to where if he failed it wouldn't just be his problem? Felis wasn't even sure if he should ask such a question, and because of this, he ended up storing away the doubt for now and sighing again before allowing a better laugh to finally come to him. "Would you ever want to go though?" he hummed a little looking into another aquarium-like glass wall. The water was murky at best, and there were obviously no internal lights, yet Felis thought, at least for a moment, that something had moved. "Ah...I think I'd want to major in botany... or maybe minor in it and major in something more... useful to the country," he chuckled slightly. His life really wasn't all his own as much as he wanted it to be, but ... he was alright with that.... [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



---

Would he ever want to go... to school...? Xavier hummed somewhat at this, mulling the thought over in his head, before letting a sigh slip from him. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I've always felt that intelligence wasn't something that could be measured by the amount of schooling you had... but I'm biased." He chuckled slightly then, casting his gaze into the aquarium Felis peered. "Then again with the war having destroyed so much... I don't think college is on many peoples' list. Although if I did go..." He paused, folding his arms. "I'd like to do something with water-types, probably. Something with water in general." He nodded then, taking steps towards the aquarium to inspect it further.

He too had sensed something in there. Brown eyes narrowed as he leaned towards the glass, keenly eying the murky depths. Blinking, he took a step back and looked around its edges, in an attempt to find any sort of sign or indicator that could alleviate his curiosity. Yet Felis' words hadn't escaped him still, and he paused, looking over at the man incredulously. "Don't you think what you're doing now is useful?" He asked, blinking.

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis half smiled at Xavier's answer but slowly let that expression fade completely as the war was mentioned. Indeed, the economy was still in shambles, and most were simply trying to get by rather than actually make any progressive foot forwards. However, it was interesting to note that Xavier wanted to do something with water types... His hair was so red though, it almost reminded Felis of Ryan and... his fire pokemon <<'.... However, the question stopped these thoughts, and slowly Felis found himself staring into the aquarium again. Putting his hands in his pockets, he chuckled softly. "I'm not really sure, really..." he answered back shrugging his shoulders ever so slightly. "Sure I get a lot done, but no one's ever happy." He'd gotten used to it though.... He wouldn't be able to make all parties happy no matter how much he tried and wished and tried some more. "That and.... I've oddly grown attached to it, to be honest.... I like helping people... or trying to help them...." A slight blush came and went from Felis's face as he stated these things. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



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No one's ever happy... Xavier snorted, mostly to himself. How ironic was that... he shook his head, ridding of the thoughts that threatened to blanket his mind's eye, instead focusing his gaze onto Felis' face. He couldn't surpass the small grin after bearing witness to the small blush that had accompanied his confession, of sorts. "You're too cute." He stated bluntly, still grinning but turning his gaze away briefly. "Its only natural to wanna help others, but I think you're letting that... take ahold of ya."

He looked back over, taking a couple steps as if to pass behind him, yet stopping when he was directly behind Felis, tilting his head to look at him keenly. "Even this... you told me it had been a while since ya did anything for yourself, or took time off. Its always business, isn't it?" He sighed here. It just... "It seems unfair, really. You know you can't appease everyone, but you try to anyway, throwing away personal time or just... free time. Ya shouldn't do that!" He then smirked, leaning over a shoulder more to peer at Felis deviously. "Or else I'll hafta keep stealing you away from the office. Which works for me." He stated with a wink.

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[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]The blond blinked at the first statement, yet after, a quiet 'hm' sound escaped from Felis as he heard the rest. A blue eye slid backwards staring at Xavier as he moved and then stopped. At Xavier's words, the eyes settled themselves forwards again even as Xavier leaned over Felis's shoulder. He shouldn't do that? Why? Or else..... A quiet smile come to Felis's face as he continued to stare forwards before his head slowly leaned sideways and brushed up against Xavier's. "I want to make the world happy," he hummed a little before slowly looking up at the ceiling and closing his eyes in the process. "But... I know... I should probably give myself more time... I don't know," he sighed a little slurring these last few words. Suddenly opening his eyes again and looking backwards, Felis half smirked. "Now what would you do in my position?" he asked making a sight 'hm' sound afterwards. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



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His devious grin quickly settled into a more bemused one at Felis' words, pushing his cheek sideways into his head at the contact, a slight nuzzle of sorts, before pulling away and resuming his path to stand on Felis's opposite side. To make everyone in the world happy... as pure as of a dream that was, it was just... impossible. There were some folks that just seemed to never be happy. An image of his father came and went from his mind, and he sighed, a small 'pah' escaping him.

However, his attention was stolen once more by the blonde, a brow quirking as he considered him a moment, and his inquiry. His smirk returned, and he rose an index finger to tap his chin, as if in thought. "To be Duke for a day, hmmm? I would order such workaholics like yourself a week's bed rest, no objections." He chuckled, before an actual thoughtful look came to him. "In all honesty, I'd probably immerse myself with the local public more than anything. They feel the brunt of whats done by the higher-ups anyway, you know?" He chuckled then, his eyes sliding away, almost pensive. "I have personal experience there, so it wouldn't be hard to associate."

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]The slight nuzzle was enough to taint Felis's cheeks red again, and as Xavier moved to one side, Felis's eyes moved to the other. However, Felis's eyes returned to Xaveir as he spoke on putting workaholics to bed rest, and a light grin came to his face followed by a light laugh. However, as Xavier became more serious in his answer, Felis half smiled. "Heh..." was all that escaped at first before a more sincere laugh escaped him. "Would you believe I actually did that more when I wasn't the duke?" he asked sighing a little as calm smile came to his face. "When I wasn't out in the gardens... I'd been out in town or out in more of the rural districts...Such fresh air out there...all the different pokemon and animals" he grinned as he spoke and thought on it. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



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Xav smiled at the laughter; he could definitely get used to it. Yet his answer perplexed him briefly... used to...? "What made you stop? The work load?" He inquired, turning to face Felis fully. If he had just... continued visiting the commoners... "They would love to see you come down to their level, so to speak. To hear em out. It symbolism in its own right." He shook his head then, not in denial of anything, but rather in wonder. "Even if the visits were small, them alone would make people happy. Just to know at least someone is listening... instead of just... bantering back and forth over political nonsense... saving their own damn hides..." He muttered these last points, having been staring beyond Felis, becoming endorsed within his own petty thoughts.

He blinked however, breaking the spell and looking at Felis quickly, shaking his head again, this time in denial. "I'm sorry, its not you I mean, of course, I just..." He trailed off here, huffing a sigh and turning away. "I just grew up with a lot of... negative feelings towards politics." He admit, gazing at an empty and broken aquarium across the way. "My family was lower class... they vented a lot. Of course this was all behind your dukeship, so... and I've grown a bit... I don't think of it the same way anymore." He nodded firmly, turning to look at Felis. "You helped me change my view quite a bit, actually."

---

[Jay]

[atrb=style,background-image:url(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc64/Heart-of-Thorns/felistable2.png);color:#8eaea5;][atrb=width,434][atrb=height,355][atrb=style,border:0 black none,bTable][scrolly:h(245),w(205),sy,as(padding:4px;margin-top:2px;margin-left:214px;)]Felis hesitated as Xavier asked why he had stopped. In part, it was the work load, and in another part it had been that the year or so after the castle had burned, he hadn't wanted to take Rosa out or leave her at home and had no real trust in anyone to look after her at all. Thus, he had been stuck at home or close to it only leaving for short periods at a given time. As Xavier continued, Felis half smiled. He just seemed.. so excited about it... However, the last few words that had been muttered were enough to leave Felis a shade paler. Had... Xavier had a bad experience with nobles...or...?....? And it seemed that Xavier had read his thoughts, possibly as the explanation followed. Though it probably should have reassured him, Felis was left with a new feeling of doubt in his system. Despite this, he smiled and nodded. "I see....." he nodded his head slowly. "I understand," he managed to say despite the fact that he was still unsure of himself. Forcing a smile and even a chuckle, he rubbed the back of his neck before looking off through the rest of the building. "Come on~ There's still a lot to see~" Felis grinned suddenly taking Xav by the hand and all but dragging him onward. [/scrolly]

[DJ Boomkitty]

X A V I E R



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He resisted the urge to bite his lip as he watched Felis consider his explanation, mentally kicking himself for getting carried away. Yet as Felis dismissed it and took his hand, Xavier frowned... it didn't feel right. He hadn't resolved a thing, hadn't he? The look in those blue eyes spoke volumes, even if the man that wielded them did not. As he was tugged forward, he didn't resist... there was a lot to see, and...

Pah, who was he kidding.

He dug his heels into the floor, tugging back on the hand that dragged him, making for them both to halt right then and there. His one hand joined the other to seize Felis' hand, as if to hold him securely there, staring fiercely at him. "I don't think you do understand." He said, bringing his hand up to inspect it, before refocusing into blue irises. "Its true I had my doubts about nobility while growing up, and there was a time where I looked on in petty, envious of what the wealthy could do, while my own family struggled to put food on the table. I was jealous, angry even. Was being the key word." He eased then, a gentle smile coming to him.

"And then I went off on my own... I saw so many different people... I met you. And I realized, 'hell, he isn't any different from me, or anyone else'. You have a family, and your own hardships, like the rest of us... hell, you may even have more!" He paused. "Instead of being jealous, or envious... I'm rather... fond, of you. It is a warm feeling to dismiss your own doubts... which is what you allowed me to do. So in actuality..." He paused again, pressing his lips to Felis' hand, before glancing over at him. "I should be thanking you. So... thanks."

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