#🌑 ━ 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝖺 𝗏𝗈𝗂𝖽 𝗋𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌. / pla verse.

[rockheadcd]

@electrivolt said: Oreburgh is... different. It's the only way Volkner can really define it. It's a complete 180 from the warm weather and ocean breeze of Sunyshore. Even when it's close enough to Twinleaf, it still feels too different, doesn't it? And he just can't tell why. ( it's because there is nothing tied to such a turbulent past here, isn't it? maybe something the kid is not ready to admit just yet. )

He's still trying his best to listen to Roark's excited rambling about the new fossil he's dug up this week, genuinely trying, even when Volkner himself is much quieter than usual and he's not sure he's entirely there for the day. There's just been... a lot going on lately, both in his head and around him, still so much to unravel and come to terms with in this endless adjusting to an entirely new life that doesn't really feel all that deserved even after so long— it's just one of those days, right?

And in all that mess he's trying so hard to keep to himself, Volkner forgets that Oreburgh is primarily a mining town. He forgets entirely the kind of 'mons most commonly seen there, the ones that help with all that hard work and keep the city alive. ( he forgets that here, it's different too. how those 'mons are helpers and not pushed into vicious creatures that can snap and tear anything in their path down without hesitation at the slightest prompt— )

The Steelix is too close. Its tail nearly slams down on the ground as it moves. All Volkner sees is the massive iron snake mere feet away— and there's cold eyes staring him down, uncaring in his anger, all too willing to let the massive 'mon snap and crush and—

( he can't breathe he can't breathe he can't— )

"—It was really cool 'cause the coal and sediment just peeled away perfectly and there it was! That was a whole rib sticking out! Mamoswine used to be bigger, from this alone!—"

A young Roark babbles on, friend beside him in stride between days of schooling and Roark's peculiar willingness to work in the mines alongside his dad—things were taking such an interesting turn of events, especially now with Volkner on this side of Sinnoh in what felt like an overnight decision ( little did he know, really ). Canalave's mining operations were ongoing, so Roark had gotten the sense of relief from his dad that he'd reconnected with a childhood friend. He didn't think anything of it, at the time, as infuriatingly content as he appeared to the world and it's troubles.

Such a strange dichotomy between himself and Volkner had certainly not gone unnoticed among the locals, for reasons Roark didn't quite understand. Volkner had always been more reserved in almost every setting besides home. That was just how he was, wasn't it?

When he looks over, what Roark sees is not reservation, it's genuine fear. He hadn't even noticed the Steelix to begin with, so used to the rumble and thumps the Onix line were apt to make, using their tails as a counterweight to ease movements along both pavement and rough dirt alike. He was used to this.

Volkner was seeing something else. He doesn't know what to do.

"Hey, Volk—? Are you good?" he asks, but he doesn't get the response he was expecting after all these moments. Not quite there, not quite on the ball—is he scared of those? It would make sense, they're formidable and intimidating with that height and this unkind expressions, but..

Ah, he's still staring at it. That's not right. He's not even breathing right.. is he okay? Is he okay?—

( he's not, his gut instinct tells him. none of this is a normal reaction to a 'mon no matter what caliber. he needs to get him away )

His first instinct is to pull him by the arm, so frail despite the baggy jacket that hides his frame, just—anywhere away from the main avenue that peels off towards the Oreburgh mines. Volkner is so light, strangely so as they're both the same height, but perhaps it's better in his favor to pluck him out of perceived danger as quickly as possible. "C'mon, c'mon, walk with me—" he rushes under his breath, although he's more than willing to pick him up if need be ( that protective instinct is strong, isn't it? ).

The best he can do in all of his impulsive decision-making is tuck him around the side of the Pokémon center, a couple of Rattata scurrying down the alley and off along the rain gutters. It's good enough to keep the streets out of the corner of his eyes. Still, Roark's worries are scribbled all over his face, gently grabbing both of Volkner's shoulders and squeezing carefully. "Hey, it's gone. Are you okay, Volk? I've never seen you do that..."

[rockheadcd]

None of this was anything Roark has ever prepared for, and even in his infinite knowledge of handling 'mons and flora, he doesn't have an out for this. Volkner's cheeks are stained with tears he doesn't recognize and his breathing is a mess. It all just happens so fast after Volkner sinks to the ground, Roark following and sitting on his knees. "I'm—I'm here, Volk.." he tries softly, but whatever Volkner tries to do to calm himself doesn't work, and the sobs just continue and continue.

( what can he even do about this? did something happen before he moved to twinleaf...? was there anything he could do about it? he feels so responsible... what can he do— )

Impulse dictates his choices, seeing Volkner so distraught just doesn't sit with him right, ushered to do something, anything about it. He just wedges himself in there, taking a note from Ramses' book of comfort and pressing his forehead into messy blond, reaching to wrap his arms around his torso in a tight hug—he doesn't know what exactly he's trying to alleviate here, but he doesn't have a moment to really ask Volkner at the moment. Right now, he just needs to know that Roark will be there for him, and he can't help but squeeze a little tighter on instinct.

"Take all the time you need, Volk.. You're safe here—we can go back home when you feel like you can stand, okay?" he offers quietly, gently running his fingertips along frail shoulders in motions of comfort. There's no reason to rush him in a moment like this, anyway. He might as well be paralyzed, having to wait out his own body's defenses. Roark can understand to a certain extent, for different reasons, but above all, making sure someone has the time to get their grips on reality again comes after resolving any indication of immediate harm. "We can get something on the way home, if you'd like.. but anyway.. it'll be okay. I got you." Sure, rambling isn't great, Roark presumes, but it's something to listen to, right?

He stiffens, freezes immediately the moment he feels the grip on his arm, only vaguely aware of where he is or what's going on. He can't tear his wide eyed stare from the snake of steel towering over him, ready and all too willing to follow its trainer's worst commands with such coldness and ruthlessness— and then he feels himself pulled away, nearly stumbling over his own feet more than once in his poor attempts at getting his body to cooperate through a mind still trapped in the wrong time and the fight or flight instinct going haywire. Volkner isn't really listening, isn't all that aware just yet— all that really registers is that the Steelix is no longer in sight. He's gone, left him behind again in his disappointment and cold anger all too clear, just like every other time.

Even after feeling himself be stopped, in his haze and the dizziness Volkner isn't quite there just yet, labored breathing and still feeling like there's no air left in his lungs, trying to just— calm down, in some way, to pull himself out of whatever it is his mind trapped him into. He's not sure it's working.

"Ro...ark...?" The careful hands on his shoulders are what does it. Finally, he manages to croak out something, even as his voice breaks and falls apart and he's still struggling to gasp for air. Even when he's been pulled out of such volatile, violent memories, it's hard to stop his mind from wandering back to them now, even when he's doing his best to focus on the present.

Those wounds are still too fresh.

Trembling, Volkner pushes his back a little further against the wall, not trusting shaky legs to keep him standing anymore, letting himself slide down just enough to sit down, not really minding or caring about their surroundings. He's trying, so, so hard, to keep breathing, to focus on it, in and out, to remind himself he's safe and he's not in Sunyshore anymore and—

Ah, his sight is suddenly blurry. He can feel the wetness running down his cheeks. When did he start... crying over this?

( fuck, he didn't mean to, not in front of roark of all the people, he's been trying so hard to leave all of this behind— )

The first sob wrecks his frame, and it all snowballs from there— hands tangled in his own hair, one sob after another, louder than he ever wanted to be, only broken up by his gasps for air and sad attempts at getting himself to stop and hold it back, just like he always had. He refuses to admit he's needed this, needed to let out such distress for so long, ever since that night he was kicked out of the door so suddenly, threatened and left out in the cold, abandoned and unwanted.

( he's still hurting so much, so badly and deeply... he needs that helping hand so desperately, doesn't he? )

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@electrivolt said: Now that they finally are allowed time to rest and recover, to get used to some sort of normalcy once again— Volkner just can't help himself, can he? Always clinging to his love in some way whenever he's allowed, be it hugs or just holding hands. ( he just missed him so much in that year apart, not even knowing where he went or what happened to him... he doesn't want to think about that again. ) Running his fingers through his love's hair was inevitable, that little extra need for touch and comfort, for the reassurance that Roark really is laying there next to him. ( he missed doing this. ) "We're gonna have to do something about your hair, eventually..." Roark didn't use to let it get this long, even when he did forget more often than not to trim it at least a little until it became an issue... it makes Volkner think just a little too much about everything else that happened during that year. He doesn't want to let himself think about it anymore than he already has to, one too many days and nights spent with rolls of bandages in hand and the reminder of blood fresh on his mind. Roark is here, that's all that matters now. "... I do like it, though." Maybe he does like the feeling of his fingers combing through it a little more than he's admitting. "Do you want me to brush it for you?" / unprompted adoption verse hours.

He finds it in him to appreciate any and every little thing in his life, but somehow, this entire year has uncovered another tier he didn't think possible. Roark knows well that they've held each other tighter ever since he returned from Hisui. It took a little bit of him, and he was fully aware it was in the hands of that thing he left behind. Volkner could tell—and as much as he tried to keep it together, there were missing pieces. He couldn't deny that.

So, any comfort was welcomed. They both needed it more than anything. He can't help a little hum when he feels digits run through his hair, relishing in the gentle precision, the faint warmth that he hadn't felt in over a year—it brings a comfort that threatens tears more often than not, especially with how much Volkner had taken on ( and of course, roark prioritized him over himself... and the latter doing the same, well.. maybe they overcompensated a little, didn't they? after all, it was sudden.. and for such a long time... now isn't the time to be dwelling on this, roark )

"Mm..?" Ah, right, his hair.. he'd forgotten about it after losing the habit of trying to cut it himself. The best he could manage was to trim the hair from his eyes, and even then, that was mostly out of necessity more than anything, having to keep an eye on his surroundings. Tying up the rest in a bun was just easier to contain the wild mess that had since peaked past his shoulder blades, now. "I should get it trimmed, though.. I just.. It's slipped my mind with everything that's happened since I came back." Maybe he's grown a little attached to it, as if to remind himself all of it was real, but even then.. he ought to let it go eventually.

Still, Volkner's compliment still makes him smile sweetly, and he's willing to let it stay a little longer if his love likes it. He slowly moves to sit up, finding his bed far more comfortable these days after laying on anything other than a mattress for so long, reaching over to gently caress his love's face in appreciation. "..Yeah, I'd like that. It feels nice when you do." Really, anything to dissociate that damned mimic, the better. "Seems like you like it a lot, ehe.."

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roark's hisui team cheatsheet!

TYRANITAR ♂️ // tybalt

one of his aces from sinnoh

now essentially team lead in place of ramses

hangry. all the time. in case anyone didn't know

now he's hangrier because food is harder to find

The Reason why roark has to settle with working outside of jubilife village

violencia on sight if he sees zoroark

The 'mon that was transported with him, Tybalt is one of Roark's longest team members and is the one who shares the battle bond. Although useless here, he does just about everything he can to keep Roark safe, which includes roaring, charging, biting, stone edge—just about anything will set him off if Roark leaves him to his devices. That being said, Roark tries not to, considering how poorly his introduction into Jubilife went.

Roark's personal skills with excavation and mining are the only things that managed to keep a roof over their heads, given he made the mistake of having Tybalt with him during the trek to the only other civilization he could see. Due to the folklore surrounding Tyranitar for those that emigrated from Johto, and the unfortunate realization that everyone else had never seen one before, the understandable reaction upon seeing his disgruntled expression was to fear him, and by proxy, try to kick Roark out on sight. It took some insistent negotiation that was barely ever in Roark's favor as an outsider, and proof that he could, in fact, be a Really Nice Help to Jubilife directly without having to completely rely on the Ginkgo Guild ( he basically offered himself as cheap labor ) for materials, and vowing to never release Tybalt out in the vicinity of Jubilife, that he managed to have a place to sleep.

Out of safety, Roark tended to have bigcat out with him more than Tybalt—a behavior even Roark had to take time to get used to.

LUXRAY ♂️✨️ // bigcat, blondie, lux², luxray, no specific name

alpha! him big.

gets along well with volk's luxray

not injured when found as a shinx, just really really hungry

found in the northern region of the obsidian fieldlands

He Was There First (roark's first hisui timeline mon)

big ( literally ) brother energy, often pressing his snoot into roark, growlithe, clowning on tybalt by just putting A Paw on him

community snuggle pillow

barely fits anywhere that isn't outside

Bigcat was one of roark's first encounters after assimilating himself in Jubilife, when he set out on his first task order of minerals that was beyond just the fieldlands. Naturally, he wanted to end up closer to where Oreburgh would eventually stand, knowing there was coal to be had, but his curiousity got the best of him and he chose to survey west as well. There he found bigcat, very much hungry and very much capable of taking a chunk out of roark's leg if given the chance. He wasn't expecting to come across a shiny of all things, no less, and with such parallels to a certain someone back home, he was compelled enough to catch him ( but not until after he came back with food no cat could resist ). Roark has had a relatively easier time handling bigcat due to the sheer amount of shinx line knowledge he's gotten through osmosis from volk. Bigcat has become much of a therapy cat as much as Tybalt is a reminder that roark has a home he has to come back to. He's still trying to acclimate to urban life when they go to present.

BASTIODON ♂️ // basti, big guy, no specific name

also an alpha, caught in the coronet distortions ( it was the mental illness )

not sure quite how old he is, but due to his size and maturity, roark can at least guarantee he's reaching the end of his lifespan

tired and grumpy

LOVES king's leaves, will take a chunk out of them

rather kind of likes the concept of pokeballs bc that means he doesn't need to walk everywhere

presumably a pack leader at some point—very quick to chase off predators alongside luxray

he can't fit inside

banned from iron island for literally everyone's safety

Bastiodon is one of the guys caught when Roark discovers that distortions are his way out of Hisui. An alpha like him would nearly kill him no matter how well he knows Sinnoh's token fossil pokémon, so it was safer to catch him than risk being spotted ( and also, he really wanted to bring him back for byron ). Basti is as sturdy as they get, but his sheer size makes him incredibly slow compared to those of his species of the same egg type. Short bursts are his go-to kind of strategy, and although he has the muscle to carry himself, he's a bit immature in his maturity and would rather be in a ball than toddling behind Roark.

He works well as a battering ram and a meat shield, especially for the littler 'mons that Roark ends up finding or simply spending time with. He really doesn't like Zoroark, but will only do something about it if he's out of his ball. Otherwise, that job is for Luxray.

GROWLITHE ♀️ // no specific name, but every compliment under the sun

literally the same instance as volkner's go read it here

STEELIX ♀️ // tsunagu, tsu, nagi

alpha lady out in the highlands, the static spawn

it was either catch her or catch the alpha rhyperior or perish

also banned from iron island

respect her and she respects you

not above gnashing just about anything between her teeth

perhaps half the age of byron's steelix, if roughness of edges is any indication

Roark did not intend to come home with a Steelix, much less an alpha one, knowing Volkner's very specific trauma with them. However, with Rhyperior being the other option, his decision was easy, and he refused to let his Luxray get clowned on, so even battling was off the table. With his prior knowledge the only thing he had to work with, he lopped a gigaton ball and booked it, only to be surprised when he heard the fireworks crackle and the Steelix was nowhere to be seen.

It turned out her agitation from hunger and competition forced her above ground in order to consume minerals, and Roark hypothesizes that her size was likely deemed a threat despite her new coat, all things considered. She helps him with his excavations, happy to tunnel below ground when man-made surface tunnels are not enough for materials he may need to bring back to Jubilife, especially up in the icelands where very few travel. Due to her size, Roark doesn't let her roam around much unless she has the capability to go underground. Once in awhile, he does opt to use her as a land mount.

She gets along well with Onyx in the present, and in order to give Volkner peace of mind, Roark lets her roam freely around Mt. Sinnoh, so she can traverse as deep into the crust as she wants.

KLEAVOR ♂️ // no nickname, he's already metal af

originally a scyther he caught in order to make camping and getting tinder on the fly easier

also makes an incredible fishing assistant

naturally territorial, was very unhappy with roark for quite awhile

eventually compromises with acting as a scout to ensure roark is safe when hauling back materials

evolved after taking interest in a black augurite specimen that was found in the denser forests of the fieldlands

Another option that Roark picked for his own survival upon realizing how much of the land was dangerous for humans in particular. Being comfortable with Asago's Scizor growing up made him confident he could do more than just a Bidoof at his side, despite many of the common 'mons being rock types. Agility would be valued with his headstrong team. Scyther ( at the time ) was Roark's second encounter after finding Shinx after traveling south of the Oreburrow Tunnel, and into the Heartwood. He's a very agitated personality, likely due to the competition between other Scyther, and was certainly not thrilled to be taken from his territory, but alas, Roark expressed that his territory was now fit to be anywhere they were, maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Needless to say, Tybalt and Scyther often got snappy with one another, given their similar instincts. They make a surprisingly good team despite being supereffective against one another.

One of Roark's first augurite specimens caught Scyther's interest as much as his trainer's. Upon giving it to him, he chose to evolve, and much to Roark's surprise and delight, the newly evolved Kleavor became a rock type. With now tools at their disposal, Kleavor fit right into the little system Roark have come up to make sure he didn't die in god knows where. Back home, Kleavor is efficient in battle, and a welcome surprise for the museum and competitors in both the gym circuit and the battle park.

[rockheadcd]

@electrivolt​ said: And once again Roark is taking too long to come back home, isn't he? Who knows exactly what kind of rock he got distracted with now. And there Volkner is, huffing to himself as he sits on the couch waiting, Lux so casually curled up against his side and Roark's massive cat watching him grow more and more impatient by the minute.

Well, no one can say he wasn't waiting, even if when Roark finally decides to come back he may of may not find his love stealing his big cat to take a nap in the nice and cozy fur, Lux settling for half laying on top of him. That cat is his now. / unprompted. | accepting.

And so Blondie, Lux, Bigcat, whatever Roark refers to him by struts around where he can fit his large mass, curious to where his trainer is now that the sun has almost entirely gone down. It's cold, it's windy—it's many things that settled into ingrained habits of a large cat that hasn't completely tempered his own survival instincts when under a roof and surrounded by the most friendly and energetic group of 'mons he's ever seen in his life. With an additional human to add, one that cares so much no less, it's the most safety Luxray has ever known.

But, he can't help but worry when he sits upright from across the living room and observes Volkner sitting there, impatiently bouncing limbs in place, the much smaller yet mature Lux as he's so called putting up with being a drum set with as much aloofness that could only be seen in a creature that has seen far too much.

Well, on the plus side, none of them had to worry about Roark being chased by a certain malicious spirit in the flesh. Luxray idly shakes his poofy mane to rid himself of the thought ( he doesn't want to think about those nights, his trainer's blood sticking and staining his fur when weakly tasked to bolt as fast as he could across the icelands. those days were gone—they must be ). Watching Volkner slowly combust was far less stressful, but even then, he can't help but fret, much like his modern companion. So, he pads closer, wedging himself between coffee table and sofa, just to lay his head on his legs with a trill—he'll be okay, right? Is he okay? Surely, it was just only because it had been a couple of hours since Roark's usual time home ( he better come home with something nice for their patience ).

Okay, maybe he can't deny it. He's bored, too, and a little hungry, and Roark is the one that has thumbs and an apt for cooking. Bigcat wouldn't force Volkner to, anyway, not after the unstable mess he'd become by the time Roark had….come to the present day, as he explained. But, he can ask Volkner for pets and comfort his terrible lack of patience, easily so considering just how high of an affinity with electric types he had—his own line specifically. He was difficult not to get attached to ( he could empathize with roark's tendencies to dote over him.. he needed it and often looked relieved ). With a huff through his snout, Luxray simply rests there for some time, basking in attention and content to fall asleep there—at least until Volkner's impatience melts into boredom, and the boredom simmers into sleepiness. He can't blame him—either of them, really. Maybe a nap sounds good after all, seeing as it's officially dark out and Roark is off distracted somewhere underground. One of his teammates will eventually remind him he has someone waiting for him at home, surely.

Well. He can make himself just as comfortable, too, can't he? ( and he will, if he can fit his large mass on the couch with the other two ). With a deep mrrp and a swishing tail, it was time to get creative, to sleep.

…—

When Roark finally, finally comes home ( he can't help it, he has to make up for not being able to fool around in the underground and his time blindness has perhaps, just maybe, has become significantly worse without messages from his poor love ), a whole satchel full of neat finds, he almost calls for Volkner until he sees a mass of cat taking up the entirety of the couch—of course, he's probably in there somewhere, isn't he? Maybe the fossils and rocks can wait for now, even suffering the scalding shower alone finding Volkner warm and content being smothered in Luxray fur from every possible direction.

The notion melts his heart plenty enough, thrilled to know how the Hisuian team has been so readily loved like one of his own. "Hey, love, sorry about that," he ushers quietly, maneuvering his way much like Luxray, crouching and running a hand through blond hair affectionately. "Got a little distracted." Just a little. "But.. I'm glad the cats took care of you." Roark has the scritch the cats, too, or he won't hear the end of it. "I'm stinky, but stay comfy if you want, okay?" And despite his stinkiness, he still has to give him his mandated kiss upon returning home. He'll just feel a little bad taking him from what can only be described as paradise.

[rockheadcd]

how roark refers to bigcat.

[rockheadcd]

some assorted hcs for hisui arc roark because yeah THAT’S a thing now ( remember when i said he didn’t need one? well. well. )

- takes place in the adoption au with @electrivolt + npc palmer bc we said no, volk can’t be well-adjusted - it’s basically reverse hisui with mine boy’s main canon - keeps his memories, dropped off in the middle of the obsidian lowlands - tybalt is with him ( not ramses i know but by god one head smash and he’s ohko’d ) - endgame party: luxray ( alpha? shiny? ), growlithe ( preserving the custody battle of course ), kleavor, avalugg, staraptor, steelix ( alpha )  maybe a BFB [big fucking basti]??? ( i might totally retcon this later but roark would really go fucking bananas over more rock types ) - tries to nestle himself into jubilife because he’s incredibly useful but he’s not often there much, going out and typically away in the wilderness to find more rare ores to bring back. a little side hustle with the ginkgo guild mayhaps - tybalt scares the ever-loving fuck out of jubilife residents, even those originally from johto, so... he’s considered a safety hazard - figures out the distortions are his way back when he finds the dinos and the cows, gets a little too reckless about it - :) npc zoroark :) bothers him instead as volkner, frequently getting into altercations with it and certainly living to tell the tale :) but at what cost :) - certainly depressed as hell! but he’s managing? iron island taught him well - mostly found in the highlands, or traveling between there and jubilife unless he comes across a research post - nearly ohko’s a few times, u kno, just hisui tingz - GROWLITHE FIT - may or may not have come back with fossils - may or may not end up with a small herd of cows and dinos later in the year

[rockheadcd]

@electrivolt​ said: Time space rifts were a battlezone— so unstable, so dangerous, never knowing for sure if he'd make it out of the next one he stepped into. They were also one of the few things still connected to something else in time. The only shred of a possiblity he still had to return, while he still felt like he deserved it. Volkner had to keep trying, for others if it wouldn't be for himself, for Luxray that missed his real home so dearly. They had to work, eventually, right—?

There was something in the air he couldn't quite place, in this newly formed one. Something like static, buzzing and charging the air with dread, an eerie feeling like something was looming, keeping him on edge as he walked around it. The pokemon more aggressive than usual, more numerous, more dangerous.

For once, facing them, Volkner wasn't sure if he would make it out. He couldn't endanger his team like this, he refused to see whatever harm this rift could do actually happening— even if he had to survive himself until the distortion faded and he went back to the crushing loneliness weighing on him ever since he landed here. No matter how much it would take out of him, to fight more and more and keep fighting until they spilled every drop of blood he had left in him—

Until the distortion seemingly collapsed onto itself— whatever happened next lost on him between the ripples in time, blood pumping with adrenaline the only thing keeping him going just enough to stay on his feet, no matter the open wounds that would keep scarring and aching bruises littering skin.

It took him too long to realize he wasn't alone anymore in this mess, that someone else was in there. Instincts were already kicking in as soon as he realizes another person had made it into what he assumed ( hoped? ) to still be a distortion, ready to throw himself back into fighting with the renewed vigor of needing to help—

"... R-Roark...?" It's barely a breath, pushed out through gritted, bloodied teeth, somehow still keeping himself on his feet despite having taken a good look at who it was standing there between the wild creatures. Was this a dream? A hallucination, maybe? Was there any poison type in that mix he missed? Maybe he got a concussion at some point in this mess of a fight, it couldn't really be, could it— after so long, after how much he tried to hold out hope for a moment like this—

"It's— i-it's really you, right—?" There was desperation in his voice, one that didn't belong there, that he would've been ashamed of once, but. He was tired. He couldn't keep holding on for days, weeks, months on end. He needed this to be real, more and more with each hesitant, limping step he took.

( Maybe if he was lucky it wouldn't be a Zoroark again, maybe for once he had earned something good in his life— ) / there is no hetero explanation for this. | hisui verse is just leaving grenades in our inboxes now.

The weeks had crept into months, and Roark was positive this was the millionth time he’d removed his hardhat and run a hand through sparse bangs. He was tired, but being down here alone was still the only other solace he had--to get away from it all ( he’d taken a lot of his father’s habits, this one was certainly one of them ). The tunneling operation made sure not to disturb the natural caverns that seemed to be keenly affected by the presence of statues littered in the bases that speckled the map of the underground. Roark kept tabs on it constantly, curious about how these little biomes changed. So long as people weren’t trying to vandalize any of these homes, then it was all right.

But to find one completely empty at this hour ( his poketch said it was well past midnight... again ), when most cave dwellers would be at their most active.. it was concerning. Even Ramses has a somewhat confused expression, his head tilting at the sheer silence of this cavern. There was always activity in here--even if they were already resting, there would be something in here.

( ..nothing looks out of the ordinary...? ) Was the lack of sleep getting to him, finally? Maybe just the sheer weight of the stress that’s compiled over a certain missing gym leader with a certain missing Luxray was making him go nuts, finally. If only it were that simple, Roark tiredly chastised himself. Had he brought any of Volkner’s team here ( which he often did, just so they had somewhere different to be ), they’d probably be much more on guard than Roark and Rampardos. 

( ...i miss him ) Even the name has him heavier than he already was, and the powerlessness of it all kept him pressed down and admittedly, waning his strength. Roark had taken partial responsibility for the remainder of Volkner’s team, splitting custody between his father and Birdy. Although they were together, he’d taken more personal care of the more rambunctious of the group. As late as it was, he was glad he had his oldest friend with him. As pea-brained as Ramses was, Roark didn’t think he could handle being on edge for the sake of his own safety at the moment.

Well, that had simply been the theme of the last few weeks, really. No, months. It was months.

( i shouldn’t be denying how messed up i am )

Still. He’d been down here enough times ( at any time ) to know something was off. The silence was too strange... there was no way this area was deserted when the last one had been teeming full of slumbering water types.. Silently, the miner looked around just to verify what he was seeing, but it’s the sudden flash of light and the tear in space-time that had him jumping back and bumping into Ramses, the poor dinosaur grabbing onto the sleeves of his uniform with about as much surprise and confusion as Roark himself.

Thunder was loud enough when close by, but contained in a cavern like this? His ears were ringing.

                                                        ------

---Thunder crashed overhead, the tumbling of rain following along the coastlines of Sunyshore. It was some, vague weekday in the midst of this entire mess. Roark had taken subtle responsibility in at least making sure Volkner’s possessions were still in one place, as messy as it was. There were seldom cases in which he decided to tidy up, pretending the other gym leader was going to surprise him and berate him for touching his belongings.

Of course, each and every time was met with disappointment. That day had almost been one of those moments again, if not for the distressed cry from overhead and the flash of lightning that crackled between dark clouds.

Whatever was angry and upset, Roark understood, even as he’d stopped in his footsteps and ended up drenched.

Then he saw it—the flash of dazzling sun and deep ebony. Ah, he remembered that silhouette. The day Volkner had somehow decided he’d show devotion shortly before passing out in the middle of Oreburgh, the legendary bird looking as vexed as ever.

Yeah.. he understood the panic and the impatience very well. He understood the emptiness.

( i’ll find him, i swear )

                                                       ------

It was the same sensation, the way the ground beneath him tremored in sheer, echoing force. The same moment that both broke him and filled the cracks with sheer resolve. Before him, the residents of the cavern had simply appeared, groups at a time, each looking equally bewildered but ultimately finding that they were indeed home. And as if nothing had ever happened, the distortion closed up, returning...?

“—Vol..”

The name fell dead on his lips, but he knew that silhouette from anywhere. He’d seen it in the crowds and in corners, in shadows and in broad daylight ( no fucking way ). He’d taken up completely different garb, matching his Electivire more than anything ( no fucking way ), and although it was in tatters, the stripes were unmistakable ( no fucking way.. ). No, that was him—there was no denying that tired voice, even worse than when he’d last spoken to him. That was him. Tuscan widens as the realization sinks in and the way his throat cinches on itself evacuates air in a wheeze, somewhere torn between surprise and horror ( arceus, he looks like shit ), willing himself to move his feet lest Volkner hits the ground in his stunned moment of weakness.

( he’s… )

( he’s… )

“Volkner..” finally comes the pathetic whine, and Roark completely forgets that they’re in a cavern full of agitated creatures as he simply makes a break for it, ready to run to an illusion, a ghastly appearance and he’d simply finally lost his mind being buried in that bleeding wound he tried so hard to clean up. Thankfully, Ramses is there to ward anything off lest both gym leaders don’t make it out of here alive tonight. He’d never heard the blond so troubled in his life, and he couldn’t blame him, not like this. Not when Roark himself has carried that same edge to his voice, dancing between lethargy and the spiked traps that lay within it, tearing at him if his head was resting on a pillow.

Yet, unfairly, his doubts that Volkner was really there weren’t vanquished until strong arms are thrown around the returnee, Roark practically barreling all of his weight at him without regard. In hindsight, it was a terrible thing to do, but after this many months, dragging, empty, so, so lonely.. he was sure Volkner would forgive him.

( he’s home )

Always the stronger of the two, Roark can’t help but notice Volkner isn’t as scrawny as he used to be, and it’s a terrible implication of the things he’d endured. But for the moment, he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about anything else.

( he’s home )

Roark could fucking die right here and he’d be happy.

Fingertips crook painfully as he clutches the other, face buried in significantly longer and messier hair. It’s completely unkempt and tied back, but Roark doesn’t care; he’s the last person to be afraid of the dirt and blood that smears on his arms and foreman’s garb. Volkner feels like hell under his hands just as much as he looks like it, but he doesn’t care about that either—Volkner’s home. Volkner’s home. That’s all he can think and every repetition of such a simple thought rips the anguish from his throat and destroys any safeguarding he’s had around his boiling mess of emotions. Roark’s voice is already a broken sob.

“I—I’ve.. I’ve..” For someone nicknamed the ‘Rock’ he was certainly not living up to his name, ( missed you ) pressing his temple against the other’s before Roark can’t help but squeeze the life out of Volkner ( I missed you ), the desperation far too apparent. ( I missed you ) It takes multiple attempts before he finally gets the whole sentence out.

“I’ve…I’ve missed you.. so—so fucking much..!”

It’s the first time Volkner’s ever heard Roark both swear and cry so openly, and Roark has no way of holding back the ungraceful inhales and exhales, eyesight blurred as breath seethes through grit teeth. He hasn’t disappeared on him, and it’s an absolute miracle. It’s reality setting in that he’s finally back from wherever he’d been on both feet, and most importantly—alive.

Logically, he needed to save this for when they come back to the surface, but Roark earned his moment of pure, selfish greed. The search was relentless, the hours lost, and lost, and lost, trying to find his companion, his fellow gym leader, someone he openly admitted he wanted to be there for on multiple occasions. If the exhaustion was written on his features, it was a tell-tale sign that his habits had gotten worse tenfold, leaning completely into the tunnel vision of working underground so that he didn’t have to think too hard about the way his hands would tremble at sporadic moments, how his chest tightened and hitched his breath, how even the strangest of auditory cues left him pressing the back of his hand against his eyes, smoothly brushing away as if it were simply sweat upon the brow. Roark realized he was mourning for someone who wasn’t even dead, and in turn, the frustration manifested into longer nights, more searching, more running.

His own team was fretting over him constantly, and unsurprisingly, he’d literally have to be dragged away from where he was before finally turning and going back home himself. He carried the pain well, but those closest to him caught on quickly how much Volkner’s absence wore on him. That was simply the kind of person he was, though, worrying himself sick over others. It was different, this time around, especially when the festering could never be muted, scratching at him in his lonesome. The only solution was the one that he kept chasing after—not alone, of course, no—and if he stopped, the festering would open it’s sharp maws and strike him down.

But he wasn’t stupid enough to think the way he had felt so wounded trying to handle so much in the other’s absence was expected. No.. he knew well that he’d cared immensely despite their very hostile cooperation in the beginning. Roark figured that once Volkner didn’t actively try to kick him out of his space, his fate was sealed. Dare he say he adored the backwards ways the other had shown he cared? If Roark had felt so panicked in an empty room, he could only imagine the kind of turmoil Volkner burdened.

In short, it fucking sucked.

The last year fucking sucked.

All of it did.

He hated it. He hated it so much.

Roark didn’t hate the fact he needed Volkner—but he hated the fact he was powerless for the last Arceus knows how many fucking days coming home empty-handed again and again. He was never the kind of person to hold anger, per se, but his perfectionism had dug him a hole he struggled to pull himself out of over and over. And in those moments of weakness he was left thinking what the other would say—always capable of finding advice even though he was terrible at listening to it himself.

He was entitled to hold onto Volkner like he was a lifeline, because in reality, he was.

With the way he’d find Volkner so willing to drop whatever he was doing, even when Roark hadn’t even asked, the miner often considered the feeling mutual. The blond stopped denying his blunt observations, even if it took forever to get to that point. But it was all worth it, in the end. Roark, despite all of his shortcomings and the breakdowns and the sleepless nights, would still prove that he still chose him in the end. He chose not to abandon Volkner when his own city had been so quick to dismiss his disappearance.

And it paid off.

By fucking Arceus it finally, finally paid off.

The relief is palpable in Roark’s voice, only unwinding the coil of his arms to bury his fingers into messy, blond hair. Volkner could forgive him later for the strange ways Roark showed real affection ( he’d only do this with birdy and pretty much exclusively pokemon, volkner’s now included as a means to comfort them and himself ). There’s no shame in the mess he certainly feels like he must look, having cried ( continued to, actually ), blotching the high points of his face with a bright red—not now, not after this long. Touching his forehead with his own tips up the bill of his hardhat, and he has to resist the urge to clutch the poor gym leader’s face as he is now, but Roark lets his eyes fall closed, tears boiling over the threshold and cascading down his cheeks. He can only do so much to steady his voice temporarily, and it takes a few intended breaths before he’s mostly convinced his voice won’t fail on him.

“—Welcome home.”

[rockheadcd]

Two Of Them.

[rockheadcd]

@electrivolt​ said: Days without hearing from Volkner were not uncommon, either getting far too absorbed into his own work or... going through one of those rougher patches he still refused to talk much about.

It was no wonder no one in the city really noticed their gym leader suddenly just— missing. Gone without a trace. It fell onto his Rotom to send the message through a phone's cracked screen once the team was sure of it, once they had exhausted all their options and looked everywhere for their missing trainer and friends.

'Volkner is missing' / roark gets depression arc ( hisui LET’S GOOOO ) | closed.

Roark doesn’t expect a single thing, used to giving Volkner some kind of space despite the amount of unannounced visits he had gotten into the habit of taking. Between him and his lovely neighbor, Roark figured that if Volkner hadn’t outright banned them from Sunyshore, then there was some level of appreciation for them constantly checking in on him.

But who could blame them? Volkner was a good person. He deserved to be surrounded by good people no matter what the voices in his head told him. Roark was one of the few people that willingly challenged them all by his own decision, a decision that constantly had his fellow gym leader perplexed beyond reason.

Seeing the message on his phone though, between breaks of hauling out coal, still throws him into a bridling panic---not so much that he did something permanent, but...no, Roark never believed Volkner would act on the urge to abandon everything after all this time. If he was going to, he would have done it well before he allowed people to even perceive him.

That isn’t nearly enough to stifle the tremor in his hands, however, and Roark flags down some of his staff, doing his best to keep a straight face. “---Something came up. I’ll have to leave earlier than I wanted, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back in Oreburgh. Keep things going for me, yeah?” the gym leader explains, and they’re used to his abrupt departures for gym challenges. It’s easier now that he’s trained up some of his staff to keep things going. Roark just simply wasn’t mentally prepared to make actual use of the ability to split at a moment’s notice, and he hurries off to grab a couple of companions to help him out.

It’s never a good thing if Rotom’s texting ominous things like that.

> Where was the last time you saw him? I’m coming to Sunyshore. Give me a few. > Is everyone there?

[rockheadcd]

creates an entirely new verse for roark in hisui that includes roark not at all being in hisui to begin with. from one offhanded line in an ask. anyway (zo)roark details coming eventually. :)

[rockheadcd]

@electrivolt​ said: There it is, such a light tug on Roark's sleeve it could almost go unnoticed, had it not been for its persistence— and it's followed by such a miserable whine, Raichu already looking once again on the verge of tears seeing the miner come back home alone.

Days since the sudden disappearance of their beloved trainer, and no one in Volkner's team was taking this well, yet it was Raichu who still didn't quite grasp what was going on. Didn't understand why it was that their trainer wasn't coming back, why they were all just as lost. No one in that broken team falling apart had the heart or the strength to explain it to him, did they?

Least the crying 'mon could still seek a bit of comfort in such a situation... right? / SAD GORDITO HOURS??? :CATSOB: | accepting, i think.

Roark's expression could only manifest as solemn by the time he'd come home from anywhere near people—he would always enjoy most interactions, but with the problem at hand crawling around like some pest impossible to kill, Volkner's absence was still a weight he was still adjusting to holding. All but Luxray had to be accustomed to, Volkner's team so strangely dysfunctional yet so personable, so very like people themselves with the experiences they all carried before being picked up by perhaps one of the strongest people ( no, brave would be a better word for it ) Roark had ever met.

Maybe that's why seeing his team so upset was more painful than it needed to be. Splitting the difference helped, but…it didn't particularly matter which trainer looked after who, for the very reality of the situation had hit most of the mons.

Most of them.

Ah.. Raichu. Every day he'd waddled up to the entryway when the rattle of keys was heard, the sign of Roark's eventual return home, empty-handed from another fruitless search underground. He hadn't considered bringing Raichu with him on this obsessive excursion—the underground was as vast as Sinnoh itself, and he'd only made it a fraction through with all of the double backing he'd done, and the close inspections of the wild caverns that maybe, maybe could reveal Sunyshore's gym leader. And yet.. nothing. It was disheartening every time, he had simply coped with the disappointment and the vague emptiness that such an absence left. It was the punishment for letting someone take up much of his time, wasn't it…? No.. there wasn't a justification for any of this, and perhaps that was the most vexing part about Volkner's disappearance. Had it not included Luxray, then perhaps some other, darker options were more feasible, but.. it was easiest to say they were simply whisked away. Raichu wouldn't understand even half of it, and with the way he was looking at him now, on the verge of tears, Roark wasn't sure if he was really told anything at all.

"I couldn't find him today, either, buddy. I'm sorry," Roark sighs softly, that sad smile despite himself, despite the exhaustion that would bloom like a rancid weed. He had no idea that this was just the beginning, as he pulls the ( admittedly overweight ) Raichu into his arms with a small grunt of effort, gently resting him against his shoulder. "..I dunno where he is, but.. if Luxray is with him, then he's out there somewhere. He has to be." And if there was anything Roark had learned over their tumultuous friendship, it had been that despite the nihilism and the pessimism and the distrust of good things.. Volkner was looking for a reason to keep going. He just wanted to live, like anything else that was given the ability to. Roark was simply convinced that he wouldn't give up now if he'd experienced worse beforehand ( and oh so ironic to think such things when the worst would be yet to come, for the both of them ).

If it was Roark's blind faith that would keep him alive, then it was easy to become the scripture's fool.

"It's like he got plucked up something, him and Lux. I don't know what to make of it," Roark sighed, opting to forgo his typical routine to sit on the couch instead and simply hold the miserable pudgy boy in his lap. "I got you, buddy. I got you." He couldn't blame Raichu, really—he was always a little more needy and having his favorite person gone was possibly more disruptive for him than anyone else on the team, who could still retain some of their independence despite the loneliness. Roark knew well that with Luxray also missing, the natural hierarchy was all kinds of messed up, especially with how well Luxray had gotten along with the entire team, a natural mediator, seeing as he knew best how his trainer operated. He was the perfect liaison and he didn't mind, having patience for everything many times over if it meant Volkner could establish some sort of bond with anything breathing.

"I promise I'll find him. I know I can do it. I gotta." It's an attempt at convincing himself more than anything as he hugs Raichu, nestled in cushions with dirty boots and dusty clothing. He'll get back to his nightly routine soon, but, for the moment, the mons need some time, too. He needs time.