Lovestruck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade

[cheapblusuits]

Who: cheapblusuits  and smilegonnakillu , as well as miniworth  and justicepuns  being the best ninjas ever.
Where: Smack dab in the middle on Route 30/31, but slowly progresses towards Violet City. Probably.
When: November 9th, in the early evening (5:00 or so?)
Summary: After sneaking out of Violet four days ago (namely, on the 5th) with only his bag, two of his Pokémon and the clothes on his

Comments

[smilegonnakillu]

Dahlia hadn't spent much time in Cherrygrove before leaving and making her way to Violet. Her "boyfriend" was in Violet, along with several others from their world, and he was her main priority. He was from after the trial of the murder she tried to frame him for and, obviously, her plan of putting him in jail and silencing him forever failed

[cheapblusuits]

And here Phoenix had thought that seeing Dahlia's face on his Pokégear was the most surprising -- and gut-wrenching -- thing he'd ever experienced.

He was wrong. Seeing Dahlia in person was oh so much worse.

When her voice rang out, he flinched and almost froze on the spot, like a deer caught in headlights. Everything around him just...it seemed to just stop, and the effort he had to take to force himself to turn towards her was startling, frightening. Was he really so hopeless that he would freeze-up at the sight of his dearest Dahlia?

...yes. Yes, he was. Because that look, soft and sweet and just like he remembered, it cut him like a knife.

Because the last time he'd seen her, she'd been practically cursing his name.

He screws his eyes shut and exhales a breath he wasn't aware that he'd been holding, slowly opening them to eye Dahlia with a look that was a mix of gratitude and fear and love, yes, because despite the mess she'd left him in back at home, he still loved this woman so goddamn much. It rocked in his chest, made it

[smilegonnakillu]

He was so easy to read. She could tell that there was a range of emotions running through him. And if she had been working him right over the last few days, love would be one of those emotions.

"Oh Feenie," she said as she finally reached him. "You didn't have to meet me out here. I was going to come find you in Violet City! But I suppose it doesn't matter now. I'm just glad to see that you're alright."

A small blush appeared on her face as she took another step closer to the lawyer. Playing Phoenix was just too easy, even if it wasn't actually her doing the seducing the majority of the time.

"I'm also glad that we're finally together again."

oh my god this is so twisted

[cheapblusuits]

Part of it was certainly due to Dahlia's acting, of course. But...larger an influence were the remnants of that trial, still so elusive and confusing in Phoenix's mind. He never had closure, never had the chance to ask Dahlia why, why, if that had truly been her on the witness stand, if it had truly been her saying those things...

"I didn't want you to travel by yourself," he murmured, still looking at anywhere but at Dahlia. "It's...sometimes it's not safe. Those ledges..."

When Dahlia steps closer, he stays still, finally forcing his gaze back to her, conflict in his eyes as part of him is urging him to RUN, RUN, but the logical side of his brain had always been trumped by his feelings, always his feelings.

And his feelings were telling him that what happened at home didn't matter. This was Johto. A whole new world, with new people and new experiences and maybe this Dahlia was pure, untainted. He would never know unless he tried...right?

Besides, playing along might just be his safest option. At least that part of his mind was

/hopping in

[miniworth]

It was safe to say that he did not understand this crazy concept of love

/completes the stalker brigade

[justicepuns]

Apollo is used to prying into people's lives, laying it all out in the open in front of a crowd of people. But that was only because he had to in order to save someone's life. This...this just felt wrong. He doesn't regret coming, he isn't rethinking his plan, but he is wishing that he couldn't hear what they were saying.

When Dahlia gets closer, he sees Miles look away, but he can't. He has to watch for any little tic, any movement that would indicate a desire to harm. All he sees so far is a desire to manipulate. Words as weapons. Apollo almost wished that she had tried something with her Pokemon. He could've protected Phoenix from that.

The moment she says "I love you," his bracelet tightens. And then Phoenix reacts like it's something he's always wanted to hear.

Dahlia Hawthorne was so much more dangerous that he'd realized.

/we the super ninjas awwyeah

[miniworth]

Edgeworth looked up once he heard Dahlia speak again, wishing - wishing so desperately - that Phoenix would not agree to let her join them. But that was... there was no way he'd refuse her.

Edgeworth lowered his gaze for a moment, thinking back to when his father was still alive. Hadn't there been laughter, smiles, and happiness? He didn't see any of it between Phoenix and Dahlia. Just pain. Lots of pain.

"He looks so sad, Mr. Apollo."

He grasps his sleeve, gripping it tightly.

"She really doesn't love him, does she?"

[justicepuns]

"No. She's lying."

Apollo grips his bracelet. But how could he convince Phoenix? 'My bracelet told me' isn't going to cut it, not with the way he just fell into her arms like that.

Part of him is waiting for Phoenix to snap out of it, to give some sign that he's only pretending to fall for it. He's waiting to see some of the Phoenix he knows come to the surface. But he knows it's not coming. Phoenix is lost; she has her claws in him deep now.

"What should we do?"