#but nah my arm hair has always been one of the few things i've consistently liked about the way I look

[caspalooza]

Forever remembering the time one of my friends asked to measure my wrist in middle school and then jolted away with an "EW!" when she saw my arm hair. Girl tell me was it that serious

[hamofjustice]

Julinemo Week, Day 1: First Meeting "So uh… is he always like that?"

"Ugh, no. Well… I mean, he's usually a prick-- Uh, prickly guy, but… pero bueno, he's not usually not quite that--"

Nemona rattled her head, sending her ponytail swinging, and dismissively pawed at the air between her and her new neighbor as if tossing the unfinished thought out of her mind.

"Ah, whatever! Don't you worry about those weird vibes, Juliana! You've got enough on your plate, signing up to a new school in a new place with your new Pokemon-- You don't need to get sucked into whatever dumb drama the rest of us have goin' on. This is your big day! Sorry about all that."

"Nah, nah, it's fine, you didn't do anything wrong. It's, uh... definitely been an exciting day so far, that's for sure! Hehehe..."

"Ah, haha, yeah, for sure! Heh… man..."

Juliana turned to Nemona with a reassuring smile... and noticed her friend's hand seemed to be hovering over her shoulder. Nemona glanced away and quickly jerked her arm away to scratch her own scalp instead.

"… You okay?"

Nemona froze mid-scratch, eyes wide. "Huh?"

"I, uh… I guess I'm not the only one feeling kinda jittery this morning, huh? I promise I won't fall off any more cliffs for a while." Juliana said with a slightly forced-looking smile.

The taller girl remained frozen for a second as they walked, before snorting and visibly releasing a bit of her own tension. "Ha! Haha! Yeah, you better not, 'cause you know what happens when you scare somebody half to death twice?"

"They… get scared three-quarters to death?"

"… Heh! You've got a quick wit to go with that sharp eye, bud! No wonder you've been such a fast learner!"

"Hehehe. Thanks."

There was a pleasant lull in the conversation as they both grinned down at the road...

Soon, though, Nemona cleared her throat and stopped in her tracks. Juliana stopped too and turned to face her curiously.

"Speaking of fast learning, I should probably get out of your hair and let you have fun doing, uh, Trainer-y stuff without me hovering over your shoulder." Nemona suddenly decided. "Do what you want for a bit and I'll see you up ahead at the Pokemon Center, all right?" she proposed, pointing her thumb at the red-roofed, ad-covered outpost off in the distance.

"Oh, um… wait…" Juliana softly protested when Nemona started to leave, raising a limp hand as if she had a question in class and wished she didn't.

"Huh? What's up? Think you'll need more Poke Balls? I've got a bunch..." Nemona began, already digging noisily through her bag.

"No… well, I mean, maybe later, but, I just, um-- You're not bugging me, you can stay."

Once again, Nemona seemed to not expect that. "Oh... really? You'd... rather I stick around and keep an eye on ya, huh? All right then! You got it, boss!"

Juliana smiled brightly up at her. The morning light seemed to sparkle in the new student's eyes. "Well, yeah. We're friends now, right?"

Nemona smiled back as she zipped her bag shut, then rubbed the back of her neck and suddenly seemed very interested in the grassy field nearby. "… Yeah, but, y'know, sometimes friends might need… a little space and quiet and stuff. Gotta be considerate."

"No, I'm glad you're here! I mean... if you have some business you need to get to right now, that's fine..."

"Nope! No, all my attention's on you, bud! Well, I mean, unless you don't want--"

"Okay, okay! Just making sure." Juliana mercifully interrupted. "So uhhh… you said Normal Pokemon are pretty good against everything, yeah?" she asked casually, starting to walk down the road again.

Nemona's eyes brightened with renewed energy at the topic change. "Oh, uh, yeah! I mean, they've got a FEW issues, there's a few types that-- Uh, I'll warn ya if you're gonna run into 'em, but that Lechonk should be consistently solid against mooost things with some training, which is good if you're not sure what to expect yet! Now, you might end up not keeping it on your team forever, though, 'cause it's not really gonna have the advantage against much of anything, either. Well, unless you give it--" she rambled, then glanced down at her companion's attentive gaze. "Uh, never mind, I can nerd out about all that later. Yeah, Normal-types are nice and reliable, yep!"

Juliana nodded a few times. "Hmm… I dunno… I don't think I'd replace the first Pokemon we caught together. That's gonna be a great memory someday, right?"

Nemona blinked. "Wh-- Oh, yeah, true, can't be, uh, what's the word… too pragmatic about it, heh. Stuff like that matters for sure! Sorry, there's that competitive brain again…" she responded, looking away once more. "I'll make sure to train up that Pawmi I caught with you too, then."

"Nice! More little rivals, just like the Pokemon the Director gave us, hehehe!"

"Heh! Yeah… little rivals…"

"… Ooh, what's that?" Juliana soon asked, pointing ahead at what appeared to be a green-haired baby plodding around in a long white dress that would be a better fit for a green-haired toddler.

Nemona rattled her head again like she'd been caught zoning out. "Huh, wha-- Oh, that's a Ralts! They're pretty rare! Psychic and Fairy type, pretty good with special moves. It's a little flimsy at first and takes a while to train, but it's totally worth it in the end."

"Whoa, Psychic? And Fairy?"

"Yeah, there's a buncha Fairies around here, actually..."

"Well, I'm already sold on this one from how cute it is! I'm definitely gonna try and catch it."

The little Ralts seemed to immediately take notice of Juliana when she said that, and turned to face her.

"Oh, uh, Ralts can sense folks' feelings! It probably knows what you're thinkin' right now. Heh, wish I had that power…"

Juliana, meanwhile, was grinning confidently with a Poke Ball in hand. "Well, I've got nothing to hide from it. Let's make another new friend, Lechonk!"

Nemona beamed as she watched Juliana's battle unfold. The new Trainer was having too much fun in the wide world she'd been welcomed into, despite the bumpty start, to notice that the unrivaled Champion watching over her was wiping something out of her eye.

[thelastspeecher]

All right, I've got more of that Shining Armor AU for y'all! After this ficlet, I've got two more (technically, one more, but I'll split it into two posts), all ready to go, so expect a few days of consistent posting!

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              Stan and Banjo rode through the forest in a companionable silence.  The air was warm and filled with birdsong.  Mid-morning light filtered through the leaves, illuminating Banjo’s caramel-colored hair, making it look like copper.  Banjo always seemed calmer, more at peace in the forest, which was why Stan had decided it for their ride this morning.

              “So, uh, Banjo, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Stan said finally.  His knight looked at him with a smile.  Stan’s stomach promptly did a backflip.

              “What did ya want to talk ‘bout, Stan?” Banjo asked.  Stan felt a bit of tension leave his chest.

              Good.  He’s relaxed enough to call me by my name and not hide his accent.

              “I, uh…”  Stan cleared his throat.  “I feel like we’ve gotten close.  Real close.”  Banjo nodded.  Stan cleared his throat again.  “Maybe we should stop for a second for this conversation.”

              Really wish I could just flirt with him or feel him up or something instead of talking.  But Banjo was remarkably dense when it came to Stan trying to make a move on him.  Even leaning in to kiss him had somehow been mistaken by Banjo as Stan losing his balance.  I’ve gotta just tell him.  Ugh.  I hate doing that.  I’m royal, I’m not supposed to be upfront about things!

              “If ya want, sure.”  Banjo stopped his horse, a palomino mare named Daisy, and dismounted.  Stan dismounted his horse, a chestnut stallion named Shanklin.  He approached Banjo.  “What’s goin’ on?”

              “I don’t actually care about the noblewoman I’m betrothed to.”

              “You’ve mentioned as such before, yes.”  Banjo cocked his head.  “Why do ya bring it up?  Does yer heart belong to someone else?”

              “Yeah.  Yeah, it does.”

              “Whom?” Banjo asked.

              “You,” Stan said.  He expected Banjo to squeak in surprise, blush, stammer, or have some other shocked reaction.  However, Banjo merely looked down at his feet.

              “…I know,” he said softly.

              “You do?”

              “I’m not half as oblivious as I’ve been pretendin’ to be,” Banjo said.  “I mean, did ya really think I didn’t know ya were tryin’ to kiss me the other day?”

              “I’m gonna choose not to answer that.”  Stan crossed his arms.  “So, you’ve been pretending you haven’t noticed how I feel.  Why?”

              “There is the chance I don’t feel the same way.”

              “Pfft.  Nah,” Stan said dismissively.  Banjo let out a small chuckle.

              “I do love that confidence.”  He looked up at Stan.  “Fine.  I feel the same way.  But I couldn’t act upon those feelin’s.”

              “Why not?  Because you’ve got to be proper or whatever?” Stan demanded.  “You didn’t think it was right ‘cause I’m a prince and you’re my knight?”

              “Even a few months ago, I’d have said that was the reason,” Banjo said.  He stroked Daisy’s neck.  His horse leaned her head in, whickering softly.  “But oddly enough, spendin’ time with a prince has made me feel like propriety ain’t as important as I thought it was.”

              “Then why’d you make yourself seem like an idiot who didn’t know what kissing was?” Stan asked.

              “I’ve been lyin’ to ya this whole time.  It wouldn’t be right to start romantic involvement without comin’ clean first.”

              “There’s no way you’re keeping a secret big enough to stop us from being together,” Stan scoffed.  “I talk with all the servants.  I know everyone’s secrets.”  Banjo crossed his arms.  “I know that your twin brother sneaks out to the pub with the castle tailor.  I know that you pick your nose all the time, even in public.  I know that Dan-”

              “I’m a woman,” Banjo said flatly.

              “-plays the harpsichord,” Stan finished weakly.

               “I’m a woman,” Banjo repeated.  Stan’s eyebrows raised at the suddenly higher pitch to his knight’s voice.  “Have been m’ whole life.  But since women can’t become knights, I decided to dress up as a man, disguise my voice a bit, lie to my parents ‘bout what I was doin’, and enroll as a squire.”  Banjo looked away.  “It’s been dif’cult to keep up the façade, not to mention a huge risk.  But it’s all been worth it.”

              “You’re really a woman?” Stan asked, aghast.

              “Yep.”

              “Wh- you-”  Stan ran his hands through his hair.  “Okay, yeah, this is way bigger than Dan playing the harpsichord.”  Banjo nodded.  “Is your name really Banjo?”

              “Nope.  It’s Banjolina.”

              “Yeesh.”  Stan grimaced.  “I think I like Banjo more.”

              “Back home I go by Angie.”  Banjo, no, Angie, buried her face in Daisy’s mane.  “I- I apologize fer deceivin’ ya like this.  I’m yer knight, I ain’t s’pposed to have such secrets.”

              “No, I get it.  Does anyone else know?  Other than Lute.”

              “There’s a doctor who knows, so’s he can treat me.  And…”  Angie clenched fistfuls of Daisy’s mane in her hands.  “Stanford knows.”

              “You told Ford before you told me?!” Stan yelped.  Angie winced.  “Why?”

              “Do ya remember the incident what led the king to assignin’ Lute as yer brother’s knight?” Angie asked.  Stan nodded.  “He tended to my wound that day and, well, saw me without a shirt on.”

              “…Right.  I forgot that Ford’s seen you shirtless before.”  Stan scowled.  “Now I know you’re a woman, that makes me even more pissed.”

              “Oh, son of a-”  Angie looked at Stan, grinning.  “Are ya auditionin’ to be defensive of me?  ‘Cause Lute’s got that covered.  Not that I need it.”

              “Yeah, yeah, you’re the best knight we’ve got, whatever,” Stan said, waving a hand.  Angie giggled.  Butterflies fluttered in Stan’s stomach.  “You don’t have to worry about me telling anyone, y’know.”

              “I know.”  Angie’s smile broadened.  “Ya make big talk ‘bout how, as the spare heir, yer just out fer yourself.  Maybe sometimes Ford, but mostly yourself.  But I seen enough to know that’s all it is.  Talk.”  Stan stepped closer.  He ran his fingers through Angie’s silky locks.

              “Guess that’s my big secret, then.”  He met Angie’s eyes.  They were a brilliant blue, like the clear sky above them.  “Can I trust you with it?”

              “I’m yer knight.  Part of my sacred duty is to be entrusted with things you’d never let anyone else know.”

              “Good.  ‘Cause I’ve got another thing you’re gonna need to keep secret.”

              “And what would that be?” Angie asked.  Instead of answering, Stan leaned in.  Unlike the last time, Angie didn’t duck out of the way, mumbling about how she wasn’t large enough to catch Stan if he fell over.  She tilted her face towards his.  Their lips met.

              “Father would be pissed if he found out,” Stan whispered once they broke apart.  Angie, her face still flushed from the kiss, laughed.

              “He’d be upset with you, but he’d have my head!”

              “Nah.  I’d help you escape,” Stan said.  Angie cocked her head, smiling.  “Think about it!  I went through my bedroom window to sneak out how many months ago?  And they still haven’t replaced the glass!  Using the window to get out would be even easier now!  Less noise and whatnot.”  Angie laughed again.

              “I’m glad to have ya on my side, but nonetheless, let’s do what we said we would and make sure the king don’t hear ‘bout any of this.”

              “No arguments here.”  Stan ran his fingers through Angie’s hair again.  “And as for Carla…”

              “Yer betrothed?”

              “Yeah, her.  I’m sure I can get her family to break the engagement.  Marrying a prince is a big deal, but everyone’s got their limits for how much misbehavior they can handle.”  Stan grinned.  “You know me.  I’m damn good at misbehavior.”

              “Won’t the king be upset with you?” Angie asked.

              “For a bit, sure.  But I’ve been doing so well in my classes and helping with ambassador stuff, Father will let it slide.  Finding Ford someone to marry him is more important than finding someone to marry me, anyways.”  Stan leaned in for another kiss, but froze at the distinctive sound of an arrow flying right over his head and landing in the trunk of a tree.

              “It was only a matter of time ‘fore the forest folk heard us,” Angie said, hurriedly mounting Daisy.  Stan mounted Shanklin.

              “Right.  I always forget this part of the woods has people that shoot arrows.”  They sped through the forest, only slowing once they had left the territory of the forest folk.  “Huh.  I just realized something.”

              “What?” Angie asked, guiding Daisy so they could ride alongside one another.

              “Y’know how I said the servants know everyone’s secrets and they tell me about them?” Stan said.  Angie nodded.  “There was one secret that confused them, and it confused me, too.”

              “What secret?”

              “The fact you’ve got women’s clothes hidden in the back of your closet.”  Angie gasped.

              “They’ve gone snoopin’ in my private things?!”

              “Did you forget that every single woman in the castle wants Sir Banjo to court them?” Stan asked.  Angie blushed.  “Anyways, I’m glad to have that mystery solved.”

              “And I need to have a word with the cleanin’ staff,” Angie muttered.  Stan winked at her.

              “Don’t worry.  I’ll make sure people hear you’ve got some lover back home.  They’ll start going after the second-most eligible bachelor in the castle.”

              “And that would be…?”

              “Once I break off my engagement, me.”