ooc: A super special awesome joint post from Rai and I! :3
bic:
Sheila followed after Chris when he called, straightening her posture to walk. She still kept a hand on her hip, however, letting her free arm swing idly back and forth like a pendulum.
Sheila glanced over the back of her shoulder, pausing a second to make sure that Issac was following her. Didn't want to leave someone behind on the first day, after all.
"You coming, kid?" She asked, well aware that he was probably older than she was.
"Kid? Me?" Isaac said confused, falling behind. He ran up, almost tripped over his own feet and caught up with Shelia, walking side by side. He had to take notably bigger steps to keep up. Despite his long legs, he was still short enough in comparison to Shelia that his stride was shorter. After some loud mumbling and struggling, he grunted and stared at the floor like a small, distressed and depressed child. "You just call me that 'cause I'm shorter than you...."
Sheila, who had returned her gaze ahead, blinked and looked back to Issac. She had, until now, been completely unaware that she had proverbially stepped on Issac's toes by calling him "kid." She raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Oh, no. Sorry, but you're wrong about that. I called you 'kid' because you're energetic. Term of endearment, yeah?" Sheila smiled at him, then looked back ahead toward where she was going.
"Endearment? Hopefully not like a little brother," Isaac called out, almost as if in protest. "I hope you are aware I am twenty-five." A notably long pause followed. "Even if I do act like I am little kid..." Isaac mumbled. He wasn't too proud of his immaturity. If he acted matured, he would admit he grew up and he was visibly not too happy with where his life was at the moment.
"Twenty-five? Oh! Pardone-may," Sheila said, clearly joking, though she did a little nod and close of the eyes in Issac's direction that, for her, was a sincere apology. "I didn't realize that I was in the presence of a superior." She smiled warmly, voice changing to a kind, serious one. "No, just playing with you. I assumed you were somewhere around there. I'm quite good at telling people's ages."
One of Sheila's feet twisted awkwardly, grinding on the ground a little before she picked it up again and continued pace as if nothing had happened. A rock had gotten under her heel; an irksome thing that often happened to anyone who wore high heels outdoors. "And again, the heels are what make me seem taller than you. You'll see," Sheila reminded.
"I hope you are right. It's embarrassing for the guy to be shorter," Isaac smirked.
There was a sort of long silence.
"So," Sheila said, after pausing awkwardly. She eyed Issac's earring, admiring it, though also seeming perplexed by something. "Hey, your earring...does it mean anything in particular? 'Cause, you know, I always forget which one means something, if you pierce it." Sheila scratched the back of her neck uneasily. "I've heard both that it's the left one, then I heard from someone else it was the right one. Care to fill me in?"
"Piercing? Whatcha talkin about?" Isaac asked, perplexed. He began fiddling with his nose, lips and ears and found the one she was probably talking about: the one in his right ear. After all, it was the only he had. At least for now. "I forget this exists. It's been so long since I got this thing. I am pretty sure I was...intoxicated....when I got it. I know it happened in my less glorious days when I was a bit of a punk," Isaac chuckled.
"A-ha," Sheila laughed softly. She had a hearty, jolly laugh, like you would expect from Santa Claus more than a young lady. "I'm afraid I'm still stuck smack-dab in the middle of those days...without the drink, though. Makes me sick, and not think straight. Punched a guy once,"
"Really? Damn. Are you trying to make me scared of you?" Isaac joked. "Now, what do you mean something?"
Sheila had been in the middle of cracking her knuckles with a false deranged smile on her face, in response to what Issac said about trying to scare her. However, before she could joke back, he asked about the something again. Sheila's cheeks colored slightly. This was one of those few things that she'd be embarrassed to explain.
"Ohgeez, really? Do I need to tell you?" She asked, laughing slightly and scratching the back of her neck again.
"Well," Sheila looked ahead and drew in a slight whistle-like breath, thinking. "They say that one ear being pierced-- depends on which ear it is-- means you, uh, prefer guys to girls, I guess you could say."
Sheila looked back at Issac carefully, to check if he got her drift. "I don't know which ear it is, though. Fail, right?"
"Oh, you mean if you pierce the one ear it would identify me as a homosexual?" Isaac asked, almost intelligently. An effort was made to make the statement appropriate despite his gut wanting to blurt out the first thing that came into his head. "Come to think of it, I have heard about it in my travels. Some people bothered me about it, but like you they gave out contradicting opinions on it. So even I don't know which one is which. As far I am concerned I am indeed a straight male. I got myself a girlfriend back home actually....well at least I think I do," Isaac said, losing confidence near the end.
"Ah-- you think you do? I would have thought you'd know for sure if you did," Sheila quipped. She was, as ever, oblivious to what wasn't nice to joke about; but was at least considerate enough to continue on in a way that probably wiped out the offense of her joke. "Either way, lucky girl, I'll try to help make sure you in particular don't get killed, because I would hate to hear how she'd feel about losing you."
"Thank you, but you may not have to waste your time. She wasn't too particularly happy about me coming here. I tried to leave on the best of terms, but I don't know...I got this weird feeling about it. It was really awkward. At least more than it should of been," he sighed.
"I see. That's really too bad," Sheila replied sympathetically, looking at Chris's back ahead of her as he lead the way. After a moment, she glanced back at Issac and added, "You know, I don't know you or her too well or anything. But maybe her being upset about you coming here is just a sign about how much she cares."
Sheila looked ahead, suddenly very serious. There was a deep, glazed over look to her eye for a moment, and she seemed lost in thought, though she continued to walk even so. Her heart seemed heavy; the confident cheer that she carried always suddenly seeming to break apart just enough to show a moment of sadness.
Then she shrugged, and the carefree nature came back. "I don't have anybody of my own, to argue with me about setting out to Katsu. But that's alright." Her expression brightened in a clearly forced kind of way. "My Pokemon keep me company, and I think they love me just about more than anyone else could."
"I find that hard to believe. The whole, not having significant other thing I mean. You seem like the one to reel lin all the boys," Isaac winked nudging her arm with his elbow. He was trying to be playful, but also sincere. Being depressed is something Isaac firmly believes is a waste of time. It's better to rub it off and move on. After all, the problem isn't going to fix itself.
Sheila laughed heartily. "Oh really? Thanks. Maybe I'm too busy trying to scare them to notice," She joked. put a hand on her pocket full of Pokemon, tapping it slightly.
"But, boy-- speaking of my Pokemon, they're going a little crazy." She stated, with a slight whistle. "One in particular. Probably Gible, the little spaz. He wants to run," Sheila smiled warmly, like a mother who was proud of a rowdy child.
"Gible? Is that one rare dragon from Sinnoh? I could never find one...I wanted to have a buddy for Draco. He gets bored with my current team."
"Sure is. I'm lucky enough to have two dragons... my little Lockjaw, and then Dragonair. Totally opposite personalities, they have, though. Hopefully you can meet them later. But...Draco?" Sheila asked, clearly interested. "What kind of Pokemon is he?"
"Draco's my Salamence. One of my first captures actually. He's an old timer or at least I think he is. Real mellow compared to his peers. He's bigger too. No idea why," Isaac said directly.
"Well, I can't wait to meet him!" Sheila exclaimed. She was very fond of Pokemon in general, but especially dragons. "Maybe our Pokemon can be introduced soon. I'm sure that my Dragonair would like to meet Draco-- she's shy around most Pokemon, but more comfortable than usual around other dragons. I was hoping someone else would have a dragon, as long as it didn't act too big and scary. Dragonair likes to make friends, you see, but is too scared to a lot of the time."
Isaac placed his hand on his chin and began to rub his long invisible beard: "Interesting. Well the good thing is that half the time Draco is sleeping. Old men need their sleep. As long as Dragonair doesn't challenge him to a fight, she should be fine. Luke, my Lucario, is a bit of a jerk but he ain't too bad once you get to him. Junior is exactly like me, so take that like as you will," Isaac chuckled. "Lara the Lapras is a sweetheart so Dragonair would probably love her, especially if Dragonair is a young one. Lara tends to be motherly. She even babys me. Flamberge....that is one I'd avoid. That...you know," Isaac shook violently, expressing the nature of his fiery Pokemon. "Ya don't wanna meet him."
Sheila laughed at Issac's shaking. "Oh dear, I'll keep that in mind. Sounds like Dragonair will be able to find some friends...and I'll be interesting to see how Lockjaw reacts to Flamberge." She pondered, considering how General and Marrow might react to the others of Issac's Pokemon. "My other Pokemon...not quite sure what they'll do. I've got with me General, my Blastoise. He's pretty arrogant, but as long as no one threatens his superiority, he's not too much to worry about. Dodou is a loudmouth, but likes to hide behind me while he makes a fuss; and my Nidoran, well, I think he's had bad experiences with people before I got him, so he takes awhile to warm up to anybody." Sheila sighed nostalgically, wondering if the unhealthy young woman who had given Nidoran to her was doing alright without her Pokemon.
"Last but not least," Sheila added, "My dear Marrow. Pretty much my bodyguard, and best friend. He's a tough guy, but once you get past his whole 'I'm gonna beat you up if you make me mad' attitude, he's really quite a teddy bear." Much like herself, actually.
"Your teams sounds a lot like mine. Well the personalities, I mean. Kinda scary. Well come on, let's catch up to Chris and annoy him," Isaac giggled like a small child. "OH CHRIS! WAIT FOR ME, DUDE!" Isaac yelled, hoping to his superior's attention.
Sheila just laughed, and hurried up as best as she could given her footwear.
