Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Indecisive. Tell me about it," Salieri nodded. So Ben could see it too, huh? Matheson's waffling extended to most facets of his life, as she had begun to realize. She wasn't a people pleaser, so she wasn't sure how that worked. She did know that when people had high expectations of you, and you had high expectations of yourself, the mistakes you might make could become so magnified that you become afraid of making choices at all. Sal theorized that was where Math was in his life.

"Been thinking about that myself. Good to know I'm not just an a*****e." She was definitely very curious about the person Benedict had in his court. So, so, so curious. But he hadn't questioned when she didn't tell him his plan, so she wouldn't question him. They still had to work on their teamwork, but at least their trust went two ways.

Sal looked at the picture of the door Ben had sent earlier, and opened the door with the Magic Key. It led right back into the hotel bathroom. "Hit me up if you wanna meet later. Although this is supposed to be a rager, so you might just hear about it through the grapevine anyway." Sudden realization dawned on her face, as she remembered what she had forgotten in all of the madness.

"Oh! Wait! Ben! This morning Interpol came up to me! Agent Looker and his partner. They're apparently looking into the Darkhorse Hunters on the down low, and they'll probably talk to you about it cause of the Fishbone thing." She scowled and scratched her head. "They're using the time I served on the ship as leverage since I don't exactly trust cops. I don't know how or when, but I think they might want me for something eventually. I don't know what they'll say to you, but thought you oughta know. Be prepared."

"Yeah. You can tell him this." Sal held up her middle finger. "I'll leave the translation up to you."

"Take care." Salieri waited for Ben to fully enter his room before she closed the door and took out the key. She spun it between her fingers, mulling over his advice, then looked around the courtyard. Not a lot of kids around today, but she did see a sight for sore eyes in the large inflatable pool. "Yo!"

She ran over, and from the water emerged her Horsea. Veillantif, fully recovered after the stampede in Ambrette Town, flipped through the air to fall into Sal's outstretched arms. The two of them twirled in their reunion. Sal brought Veil close to her face so she could squeeze the Water type tight as her Horsea gave her a big smooch. "It's been way too long! I'm sorry!"

She plopped down in the courtyard with Veil on her lap. "You're looking good! Maybe even got some training in?" Veil cooed in response happily, which Sal couldn't interpret the specifics of but picked up the mood just the same. Today was her first time back to Gotengo in days, and the last time she was around she was too busy being attached to Zack.

"C'mon. I have lots to tell you." Sal put the Horsea on her shoulder, and Veil uncurled her tail to drape it around Sal's neck. "But not a lot of time to tell it. Lupin around? Quacklin'?" Veil tilted her head, her form of a shrug without shoulders. "We'll find them later. You wanna come to a party tonight?"

That got Veil excited. Her head bobbed up and down. There weren't a lot of constants or comforts left in Salieri's league tour. Her Pokémon were one of them. The time they spent apart felt like nothing when they were together again.

They reentered the treehouse, and Sal tossed the key back to Matheson. "He got back ok?"
"Yeah. Math, have you met Veillantif?"
"Nooooo I haven't!" Matheson gushed. He reached out and curled a finger to pet Veil under the chin, which she appreciated. "Not officially, anyway. She looks healthier now."

Sal had nearly forgotten that the same circumstances that led to Veil's injuries were the ones that led her to Matheson. She thought back to what Ben told her. "Are you gonna come tonight?"
"Yeah, this is too big not to go to. I have to run some errands but I'll meet you there?" he asked, getting up to leave.
"Sure." Salieri narrowed her eyes at him. "In what capacity will I be seeing you later, though?"
Math looked around. Mia's face was practically in the PC screen. Both he and Sal both thought she was still listening anyway. "I thought you said you didn't expect me to choose sides."
"That doesn't mean I don't want you to. Be a grown a** man, Math."
"Wow. Ok." Between that and talking with Ben before, he was taken aback. "This is complicated for me too you know. I said I won't takes sides until I find out more. I've known Aly for too long not to do that. How's that for an answer?"

Sal sighed. For her, Alanza was hate at first sight. First thought, even. Matheson was new to her world, and apparently new to Alanza's real world. She didn't expect Math to adjust so quickly. She just wanted him to be concrete instead of pudding. "Fine. But do NOT tell her anything we discussed here. At all."
"I know."
"Any of it, Math-"
"I know, Sal. I won't. Don't blow up on me about this."

Sal dialed back her tone. She grabbed his arm and tugged him out of the room and onto the porch, where they could talk more privately. "It's been a really stressful past five hours."
"No kidding."
"I just want to know who I can count on in all this."

Now Math tugged her arm so she followed him down as they sat on the porch stairs. "You can still count on me."
Veillantif was suddenly regretting being clutched so tightly by Sal, because this conversation was getting very awkward to be a part of. "I can't really, if you're gonna be helping Alanza too."
"I never said I was gonna do that."
"Dude, you wanna help everybody, all the time. Which is very sweet. And also impossible. Not everybody was meant to get along."
"So you'd ask me not to try? I'm a noble, I'm meant to protect all Kalosians. That includes trying to make everyone happy."
"That's what I'm saying! You can't make everyone happy. No one can."
Math twiddled his thumbs anxiously. "So what do you want from me, Sal? I'm trying to be supportive."
She turned to him. "You are. I'm trying to show you that I don't like that you're childhood friends with one of my mortal enemies while also showing that I understand where you're coming from with her, ok? And that's a very big deal for me so please clap or something because Arceus, I'd snap that chick over my knee if I thought it'd do any good."
Math couldn't help but chuckle at that. He gave her a slow clap. "I'd say that's progress and I appreciate that you've compartmentalized your rage."
"AND, I want you to try to understand where I'm coming from. I can't think like an idealist here. I have to be realistic. That's the way it's always been for me. I won't change my mind on how I feel."

Math took a long look at her. He nodded. "Ok. I see what you're saying."
"Yeah?"
"I do."
"Good. So go do whatever you have to do. But by the time you find out what's going on, I need you to take a stance. I have to know that when the choice isn't easy, you can still make one."

He gazed far away, and Salieri wondered what he was thinking of. It's possible this was something he had been grappling for a long time. Matheson had lamented his uselessness against Ratio on Route 10, where he refused to fight with the man even under attack. She felt like she was watching a boy edge closer to a precipice, the kind where he sheds away that childhood innocence and grows up. Salieri had faced that precipice a long time ago, far too early. She'd forgotten that it was what people do.

Finally, he stood up and looked down at her. "You'll know what stance I take by the end of the night. I promise."
"That's all I wanted to hear."

She took his outstretched hand to get to her feet. They shared a quick, uncertain kiss. "Wear something tight, I don't wanna be shown up if Alanza has a hot date."
"I'm firmly of the stance that what I choose to wear will be casual and possibly form fitting."

Sal snorted at that as he walked away, into the door. The two of them didn't look back, so they couldn't see the trepidation in each other's eyes. It was very possible that, depending on the future circumstances, that could be their last kiss. She touched her lips. Then she remembered Veil was still there, and looked very confused.

"I'm ******** that guy," she explained, and the Horsea nodded, getting it.

When they went back inside, Mia had her hair up in a bun and was collecting her things. "Where are you going?"
"Where are we going, you mean. Shopping, you pleeb, we're gonna show up fresh."
"Word, I can get with that." Sal wanted to make a big impression at the party. Sponsors were afraid to take her on, but her competition knew her name. It was time to demonstrate what she was worth. There was much to accomplish tonight.
"You and Math ok?"
"Not sure yet...don't act like you didn't hear all of that."
"I won't. I heard all of that."
Sal rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna set up the team with training, then we can hit the streets?"
"Sounds good. That's me, understanding where you're coming from. Please show me your stance now."

The techie was hit by an errant couch pillow and flopped back onto a beanbag chair, defeated.

Kalos Route 18 - Vallée Étroite Way

Through the center of the route ran a river separated the two halves of it by a bridge. It was a cooler route with the running water but definitely warmer than the snowy route to the west of Anistar city.

On this route was a series of training. The first was Tyrant and Ecarlate training against each other now that Tyrant was listening to Helena. For both of them it was a matter of technique. Since her fourth badge and the presence of two Megas on her team, Tyrant himself had fully acknowledged the trainer and would even kneel on command.

The second set of training was between Loki and Pan. Loki had been practicing Recover via his calm meditation while Pan was practicing a move that Helena didn't quite recognize itself. It appeared to be the combination of two fist type moves, for this experiment Pan would give Ice Punch and the other Fire Punch and then slam both fists together into the Alakazam. So far he was improving, but holding both attacks together was proving more difficult. Helena was also unaware that Pan planned to bring in a final move to the technique to complete what his father called the True Parting Shot.

The final set was between Feather and Metric. Metric was working on closing the distance to fight an opponent, thus his dodging, and Feather was working on her manipulation of Fae energies while she moved to keep both Metric on his toes, and her out of harms way. So far the two were at a stalemate, either Feather not hitting Metric, but Metric unable to close the distance.

Finally, Helena herself was jogging. Her new outfit was almost identical to her old one but the material was better. The coloration and fabric of designer clothing was literally cut from a better cloth, but to the untrained eye she would still just be wearing blue jeans and a red t-shirt.

The Redgrave would spot Benedict and she'd jog her way over. He was also a Balibar sponsor now, so she figured she'd say hello.

"Hello."

Benedict Montgomery was a talkative man. Helena had already known this from the last time they interacted. He could be curt and to the point, but he also always offered his input. An extrovert, and far more charismatic and charming than anyone else in Salieri's 'crew' - not that the bar was set very high.

"A lot of partying," Helena would respond, thinking back to her last few days. Training and partying took up most of her time. Visiting Alice was another bit. She hadn't spent a lot of time being truly social, only casually social.

"I have a couple more laps, care to join me?" She'd c**k her head toward the route as she began to jog in place.

"The dinner? Yeah." Helena hadn't watched Benedict's gym match, but she had seen the news about him being a sponsor with her. She also hadn't watched Salieri's match. Or anyone's matches. The Redgrave sister wasn't interested in that sort of thing.

If there was a high profile match based around skill, she watched those. Took notes. Trainers who had, in previous years, made it to or through the final tournament after Victory Road. Watching gym matches of people with no repertoire felt like a waste of time no matter how she or others felt about them.

"I have a guest." She didn't say who. Not that anyone would believe her anyways. Helena also wouldn't want to brag about it. She wanted Juliet to like her, not to use her as a prop for attention. "she'll meet us there. I'm guessing you have a date already."

The bridge was just ahead of them. Helena had made her route between the way station and the bridge, not taking the time just yet to cross it.

"Let's rest up there," she said, nodding toward it.

Unova didn't exactly have a hierarchy like the nobility. There was the concept of Old Money, the children of rich people inheriting more money than they'd be able to spend in a lifetime, but that carried privilege and typically isolation. They didn't have the noble obligations that the nobility of Kalos had. Both countries believed in protecting their assets but in Kalos the people were also seen as precious assets to be protected, not just utilized.

Helena, on the other hand, shrugged. "It feels like there's a weight that's been taken off of my shoulders. I feel more free to be myself less afraid that there's a boogeyman coming to get me." Lord-Commander Balibar sponsoring her meant that Jean-Pierre wasn't going to touch her. Or so Helena hoped. Either way the only thing she could do was prepare for it. Salieri saw it as inevitable, but Helena hoped that it wasn't.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

"I think she's mostly coming because she feels sorry for me." It stung to say, but it was honest. "I don't have a lot of people in my court."

Absolon Balibar had helped her look into Jean-Pierre a little bit over the Caesura but he wasn't exactly her friend. Azucena, Henrietta, and Bridgette were all wonderful people and Helena had shared a lot with them but they weren't people she'd put up against Jean-Pierre either. They had mostly worked to be wary of the Dark Horse Hunters and moving as a group typically kept them all safe.

Now Helena had a sponsorship that meant she didn't need that sort of protection anymore. The trio would stick together, but the Redgrave sibling could enjoy some space, and give the three of them some breathing room away from her.

"But it's nice, you know? Cause she is really pretty, and funny." She didn't know that much about her. Except for one thing. "And intense. Like, really intimidatingly intense." She spoke it as a compliment, referring to something that likely kept people away from Juliet as a trait that Helena admired.

Helena stopped early, a few hundred feet before the bridge. "Hey Ben? How do you know if you're gay?"

Helena listened intently to Benedict's explanation. Her eyes were focused, not unlike when she was battling. An intense stare that captured everything going on before her.

"I've only ever kissed a boy," Helena said, deciding to lay out her following thoughts in their entirety instead of parsing and filtering information. "He was into me, and I think I was only into the fact that he was into me. But I never really thought about girls until I was sharing a suite and a bed with three of them." Her cheeks flushed as she recalled. Henrietta was a snuggle-sleeper which meant that Helena woke up one too many times with the pink haired trainer snuggled up to her. Azucena was relatively tame by comparison until she heard Helena complain about it and then she started doing it herself and calling it 'sleep snuggling'.

"The smell, the softness, it's all like." she sighed, her blush bleeding from her cheeks and slowly into the rest of her face. "intoxicating, and like it imprinted on me? I dunno, I love it, but how can I really know if I never, you know, kiss one?"