#laverre lover

[pokebloggingnetwork]

@laverre-lover

Name: Maroon

Pronouns/Terms of Address: she/her

Age: 27

Occupation: Heavily disabled, but works part time at the cafe.

Pokemon: none right now! Wants a mimikyu though.

Current Region: kalos

Kindof new here so please be kind to me!

Mod Info:

Follows from: @lover-official

Age: adult

Pronouns: she/her is like, fine.

Name: Carmina

[leechseeds]

Howdy hey! Im fig! i go by any pronouns, and am 29 :D

Local grass type lover and Im hoping to be a gym leader for them one day! Curent pokemon collector and daycare assistant Born in Laverre City, Kalos, but I currently live in Castelia City, Unova and want to visit both Alola and Hoenn!

My team as of now Mayflower - Leafeon whos been with me since the start Poe - Swoobat who I raised after moving to Unova! Jade - Servine (Some couple thought it would be cute to have matching pokemon, they didnt account for breeding..) Nymph - My Fomantis that my best friend traded with me :D (The paperwork was a nightmeare!!) Origami - Swadloon whos fairly new to my team! Jack - Pumpkaboo also known as one of the few pokemon I took with me from Kalos I have a few others but thats my main team at the moment and im working on building up a all grass team soon!

Hope you all enjoy your time here!! :D

//ooc hey hey! im remmy and im the one running this account, my main is @hundred-acres if your interested, anyways they/them pronouns and im 18

even though im 18 and Fig is 29 i dont want any nsfw at all! you will get blocked if you send it im down to rp almost anything but please do ask and talk to me about it before anything serious is brought up and i may back out of the rp at anytime if i change my mind i do prefer lowstakes and no stakes but am very willing to do more serious stuff after some planing other then that go crazy would love to meet new people :D also this might get updated but ill post a little ooc thing saying if it is

[pagesandpothos]

Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa

Sorry this is so late. I've been without power and internet since September 27th thanks to Hurricane Helene. Everything has finally been repaired, so things should be getting back to normal here now!

Official Blurb:

A queer, madcap, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers time travel romance with the future of the world at stake, this charming fantasy tale is sure to satisfy fans of Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. The kingdom of Farsala is broken and black clouds hang heavy over the arid lands. Former grand-mage of the high court, Cyril Laverre, has spent the last decade hiding himself away in a ramshackle hut by the sea, trying to catch any remaining fish for his cat familiar, Shoestring, and suppressing his guilt over the kingdom’s ruin. For he played his part – for as the king, Eufrates Margrave, descended further and further into paranoia, violence and madness, his grand-mage – and husband – Cyril didn’t do a thing to stop him. When Shoestring wanders away and dies one morning, Cyril knows his days are finally numbered. But are there enough left to have a last go at putting things right? With his remaining lifeblood, he casts a powerful spell that catapults him back in time to a happier period of Farsalan history – a time when it was Eufrates’s older sister Tig destined to ascend to the throne, before she died of a wasting disease, and a time when Cyril and Eufrates’s tentative romance had not yet bloomed. If he can just make sure Eufie never becomes king, then maybe he can prevent the kingdom’s tragic fate. But the magical oath he made to his husband at the altar, transcending both time and space, may prove to be his most enduring – and most dangerous – feat of magic to date… Featuring a formidable great aunt, a friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, an awkward love quadrangle and a crow familiar called Ganache, this charming story is imminently easy to read and sure to satisfy fans of fanfiction who like their fantasy lite.

My Thoughts:

Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa is a new queer fantasy romance about a mage who tries to give himself and his kingdom a second chance. It's fun, unique, and filled with strong characters and a truly captivating relationship dynamic that I think fans of romantasy and cozy fantasy will really enjoy.

The book starts off on a fairly dark note. The first chapter features the death of a beloved cat familiar and a very dark magic spell that Cyril, the main character, uses to send himself back in time. Once he's back several decades in the past, his goal is to prevent the tragic events that lead his husband to become a tyrant king.

Cyril is a truly delightful main character, He's always trying his best but he struggles with his self-esteem and mental health. He blames himself for not preventing Eufrates, his husband, from becoming a despot. Eufrates and Cyrill have an incredibly fascinating relationship. They grew up as friends and eventually became lovers. Now, they are bitter enemies scheming against one another while still linked by a magic oath made on their wedding day. One of my most unpopular bookish opinions is that I'm not usually a fan of enemies-to-lovers. However, I really love the relationship between Eufrates/Cyril. They are complicated and passionate. Their feelings for each other are always intense no matter what the current status of their relationship is. Their journey together has some surprising and emotional moments that made the two far more interesting to me than the standard enemies-to-lovers pair. Fans of the trope and those, like me, who don't usually enjoy that dynamic will both love this juicy and ever-evolving duo.

Along with Cyrill and Eufrates, there is also Tigris who is Eufrates' older sister. She's funny, loyal, and tough. I love Achillean romances but they don't often have many great women characters in them. Shoestring Theory overcomes this flaw with both Tig and Cyrill's aunt and mentor, Heléne. Both women are among the many highlights of the book - especially Tig!

Though it is described as cozy fantasy, and I can see why it's being described that way, it does have more stakes and plot than some cozy fantasies do. If you struggle with books with no or little plot, Shoestring Theory might be the perfect cozy fantasy book for you. There's an action-packed plot alongside the character and relationship growth that moves the story along quickly. There were also some great twists in the story which kept me flipping pages as fast as I could read!

I really enjoyed Shoestring Theory. It's creative, fun, and heartwarming. It also has a great blend of characters, relationship, and story. I recommend it to both romantasy and cozy fantasy fans especially those who like complicated relationship dynamics and stories with unique and complex characters.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tropes/Tags:  queer, romance, romantasy, Achillean, time travel, second-chance romance, love triangle

Content Warnings: A character kills himself as part of a magic spell. This scene is graphic enough that it could be triggering to anyone who struggles with self-harm. This event is also referenced later in the book and the character does have mental-health issues in the past too (including thoughts of self-harm). There is also an animal death.

If you liked this I think you will like Shoestring Theory: This Will Be Fun, Evocation, or other queer romantasy novels that focus heavily on the characters and relationships

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | @marinscos

Shoestring Theory was released on October 8, 2024, and is available to order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot. The above are my honest feelings about the book provided.

[jetwhenitsmidnight]

Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa

Release date: 8 October 2024

Genre: (new?) adult rom-com fantasy

If you like:

gay wizards

time travel

shenanigans

friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

Synopsis

The kingdom of Farsala is broken and black clouds hang heavy over the arid lands. Former Grand-Mage of the High Court, Cyril Laverre, has spent the last decade hiding himself away in a ramshackle hut by the sea with his cat familiar, Shoestring, and suppressing his guilt over the kingdom’s ruin. For as the King, Eufrates Margrave, descended further and further into paranoia, violence and madness, Cyril, his Grand-Mage—and husband—didn’t do a thing to stop him.

When Shoestring wanders away and dies one morning, Cyril knows his days are finally numbered. But are there enough left to have a last go at putting things right? With his remaining lifeblood, he casts a powerful spell that catapults him back in time to a happier period of Farsalan history – a time when it was Eufrates’s older sister Tig destined to ascend to the throne, before she died of a wasting disease, and a time when Cyril and Eufrates’s tentative romance had not yet bloomed. If he can just make sure Eufie never becomes King, then maybe he can prevent the kingdom’s tragic fate. But the magical oath he made to his husband at the altar, transcending both time and space, may prove to be his most enduring—and most dangerous—feat of magic to date…

Content warnings

Graphic suicide, self-harm, blood, drowning

Animal death

Injury, violence

Mentions of fatal illness

Parental death

Mentions of war and famine

Harrassment

Review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

TBH, this isn't the best book. The writing style is humorous (good!) but it's very dialogue heavy, with not enough dialogue tags which makes it confusing to follow, especially when there are multiple characters in conversation (bad!). I also struggled heavily with the pacing. It starts out ok, but towards the middle everything slows down to the point of nothing happening, until it suddenly picks up again, and then it's full speed, non-stop action until the end.

THAT BEING SAID. I had lots of fun reading this! This book fully delivers on the premise. A wizard turns back time to stop the evil king from destroying the kingdom but the king is the wizard's ex-husband and he catches feelings again? Sign me up!!!

Going into this, I was a little worried about the potential age gap between Cyril and Eufrates, given that the Cyril is an older guy going back in time to his younger body, but this was quickly resolved in a way I am quite satisfied with.

There is a sort of love-triangle situation, with Cyril catching feelings for someone else, but I really didn't care for it. I found it entirely unconvincing, like, why are we bothering with this farce when OBVIOUSLY these characters are not ending up together.

I also wished there was more interaction between Cyril and Eufrates, like they actually don't interact that much. Cyril mostly talks to Tigris, whom I love VERY much, so I am completely fine with that, but since this is supposed to be a romance between Cyril and Eufrates I feel like they should have interacted more? Between all the ongoing plotting and scheming, most of their interactions are Intense Charged Moments™️, which is fine, but I wanted more relationship building stuff.

This book is also pretty light on the world-building. There's nothing wrong with this, as most of the focus is on the plot and the romance anyway, so don't go into this expecting intricate world-building and magic systems.

I realise this review might sound quite negative, like I have a lot of things to criticise, but this book really was a lot of fun!

The dynamic between Cyril and the other characters are very entertaining, and I know I criticised the amount of dialogue at the start of this review, but I loved how much time the characters spent just talking to each other. The characters are really over-the-top and dramatic, in a way that I found silly and endearing.

I noticed that some of the negative reviews for this book bring up that fact that it's marketed as a cozy fantasy, but the plot has action and pretty high stakes. That is true, but this works in my favour as I personally enjoy fantasy with more action anyway. (Although I agree that this book shouldn't have been marketed as cozy fantasy. While the writing style and settings does feel like cozy fantasy, this book has pretty intense moments that are not in line with the genre.)

A few of the other reviews also state that this book should have been marketed as MG. I strongly disagree. While the writing style is simple and humorous in a manner that may appeal to middle graders, a lot of the content is straight-up not appropriate. Like, the first chapter literally has a graphic depiction of suicide.

Anyway, if you're looking for a funny, high stakes adventure with romance, do be sure to check this book out!

[mirroredranger]

13 and 16 for the munday meme

What’s one random headcanon about your muse that people mightn’t know?

Valerie's fear of drowning stems from when a tentacool almost drowned her when she had just moved to Goldenrod. Alric and his wife used to have an awful time trying to find Valerie in the bogs of the Laverre nature trail because she'd just run straight for the swampy water.

Favourite trope?

There are lots. Mirroring, hurt and heal, idiots to lovers, and fuck destiny just to name a few.

[ofieugogyshz]

Fic;; Lovelocks

Word Count: 3400

Summary: “Did you know about Klefkis and the Kalosian tradition surrounding them? They say that if you give a Klefki a key, that they’ll guard it with their life! So if you give your lover a Klefki with a special key on it, then that’s a sign that you want to be together forever!” Of course, it’s just a silly Kalosian tradition, so there’s no truth to it. But certainly there’s a lot of meaning behind it, right?

Warnings: copious amounts of kissing in the last part (non-sexual), also features some mild depression expression.

Notes: based off the idea of people giving each other “the key to their heart”, also this funny pokemon-equivalent of the idea from last year. Featuring some good, self-indulgent fun ‘n’ fluff with the husband. 

----------------------

“Entrust a Klefki with important keys, and the Pokemon will protect them no matter what. If you give a lover a Klefki, it will always guard the key to your heart.”

It was something I saw in passing at one of the cafes here in Kalos. The silly, absurd lovers' trope made me snort and roll my eyes, but the thought stuck with me. I wasn't one for those sort of tropes, but for some reason it stayed in my mind. When I ran into a wild Klefki, the Pokedex reiterated the first line, and my brain instantly filled in the rest. I caught it easily enough, and deposited it into the nearest PC.

It wasn't until weeks later, when Lance and I planned out the next day he'd fly out here, that I remembered about it. The idea came to me suddenly, unbidden, and lacking any current goals, I chose to embark on the whim. I wasn't much of a key collector, so I knew I didn't have anything I could give to Klefki. Even so, I found myself scouring the antique shops in the cities and towns I had been to, seeing if I could find something that called out to me. I even had Pika and Klefki help; neither of them were much good at it. Klefki wanted all of the keys, while Pika didn't understand the point in finding keys, and only held out ones she thought looked neat. I gave up, heading back to Laverre City.

It was when I idly browsed the Pokemart's souvenirs that I found something that I liked-- a Fairy-type inspired key. The handle was shaped into four, fairy-like wings. The wings were filled in with colored, decorative wire in green and bronze. The top pair had small, purple roses on the tip, and a single purple gem in each wing. In the center was a pink rose, the same size and shape as the two purple ones. The handle rested on an ornate round hook that looked like vines, which traced down the length of the key in a spiral towards the teeth.  It was definitely not designed to be a practical key, but if it was being sold by itself, then I suppose that point was moot.

An employee came over to me, noticing the key that I was looking at.

“Were you planning on giving that key to your Klefki?” she asked me.

“Huh? Oh, uh.. sorta. How'd you guess?”

She gave me a gentle smile. “We have a lot of Klefki in the surrounding area. Sometimes people will buy these keys to make them happy.” She tilted her head at me, a finger resting on her chin as she considered me. “Did you have another reason in mind?”

I blushed and looked away. “N-nope, just givin' it to my Klefki, like you said.”

She giggled. “Well, sometimes people will give their lovers' Klefkis a key of their own, calling it 'the key to their heart'. But that's just a Kalosian tradition around these parts.”

I felt my heart beat faster. “W-well, like you said, that's a Kalosian tradition, ha ha. Good thing I'm not Kalosian, huh?” I wanted to smack my own face as soon as the words left my mouth, but rather than look at me oddly, the employee only laughed.

“I'm sure your partner's Klefki will love it,” she teased, and I adjusted my scarf, trying to hide into it. I quickly threw in some Ultra Balls and Hyper Potions to complete my purchase and left.

*

Lance arrived a few days later, meeting me outside a cafe in Laverre City. He could only stay for a few days, but seeing him take the time to visit me from so far away always made me feel a little bit better. We made small talk, taking sips from our beverages, but mostly enjoying the presence of each other. It turned out that traveling a new region by yourself shortly after you got married was hard for both parties, and I couldn't help but wonder sometimes if part of my disinterest in Kalos' League Challenge stemmed from that.

“That's a cute outfit,” he told me suddenly, and I blushed.

“Ah-- thanks, honey. I got it from the fashion shop here. Did you know that the local Gym Leader here has her own fashion line catered to plus-size people? The shop here is mostly stocked for my size, so it was a surprise....” I stopped myself, feeling a bit out of sorts talking about it. Lance took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“That's great. I'm happy to see you in it.”

I felt my face heat up. My Pikachu took this moment to tilt her head at me, giving me a curious stare.

“Pi? Pika pi?”

I suddenly remembered the Klefki. I looked around; the beautiful city was definitely a good place for such a gesture, but I felt self-conscious about it. Maybe later.

*

Later wound up being that night in our room at the Pokemon Center.

“Hey, Lance.”

I felt my heart pound. I had practiced what I was going to say, but there still was the chance that the exchange could go completely off any script I could think up, and I wasn't sure what I could do if it did. We were seated on the bed, Pika curled up on a corner while we had spent the time talking. I had been going over my Pokeballs, cleaning them while also using that as an excuse to keep them nearby so I could easily transition into my plan without raising suspicion. It was a gift, after all, and I was planning on making it a surprise for as long as possible. Klefki's Pokeball was currently in my hands, and I rolled it around in its minimized form.

“Yes, dear?” He looked at me with such an easy, gentle face that I almost faltered, forgetting my script for a moment. Pika opened an eye and kept watch.

“I... Uh, sorry. Can you hold out your hand like this?” I gestured with my own, showing an open palm towards him.

Curious, he obliged. I picked up Klefki's Pokeball and placed it in the center of his hand. I pushed the button on the center of the Pokeball twice; once to enlarge it, then again to open it. Out popped Klefki, jingling its keys softly. It let out a soft trill, swishing about happily when it saw me and the new human.

“This is a Klefki; they're a Pokemon that you can find around here. So much so that they even have decorative keys sold in the gift shop section of the Pokemart.” I laughed.

He was at a loss for words; and I could tell that he knew there was more to this than just showing him a new Pokemon.

“I'm giving it to you.” As I spoke, I could feel my face heat up, and I tried not to rush my words. “Klefki will guard very important keys that you put on there. So, um, I... I put the key to my heart on there, and I'm giving it to you!”

I felt like I could cry with how embarrassing the words were to say. How could he tell me such cliché sentiments and not get self-conscious during delivery?! I turned away, trying to hide my flushed face that he knew by heart.

I heard a cough, and I quickly looked back, all embarrassment briefly forgotten. He had his face turned away from me, clearing his throat, and I could have sword the tips of his ears were pink as well.

Oh, how the turntables....

I put both of my hands on the bed and leaned over to him, a devious grin on my face.

“What's the matter? I thought you liked that cheesy kinda thing.” He didn't say anything, but I could see that he was actually flustered, for once, and it made me laugh. I gently tugged his arm, trying to convince him to look back at me. And he did, but I only laughed more when I saw it was still tinged with color.

He scowled. “Come on now--”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just didn't know I could do that to you!” I fell back on the bed with laughter, Pokeballs rolling towards me when I did. “This has got to be the best thing out of this entire trip.”

He crossed his arms and waited, while I escalated into a giggle fit. I'm sure he wasn't really angry, because when I could finally pause long enough to look at him, his expression had changed to one that was carefully neutral. Very, very carefully neutral-- to the point that I could tell I could make him crack again if I tried.

“Are you done?”

I let out a snort, but managed to keep the rest of my laughter in check. That didn't stop the shit-eating grin on my face, that spoke multitudes about the sense of victory I felt. I wasn't even trying for that response, and I felt like I had finally won a battle against him in the war of fluster, of which I was always victim.

“Snrk.... Yes. Wait, wait-- okay no yeah I'm good.” He uncrossed his arms, and I sat back up, sidling up next to him. I gently rested my head against his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his and threading my fingers through his. “But for real, keep the Klefki.” At the sound of its name, the Pokemon jingled its keys. I motioned with my free hand for it to come over here, and it zoomed around to float in front of us, happily jingling. I reached out and gently held the key that I had added to its keychain, tilting it towards Lance.

“This is the key that I added-- though I'm sure you could have figured that one out yourself.”

“It definitely looks like one you'd choose.” He placed a gentle kiss on my head and I squirmed in joy at the affectionate gesture, squeezing his arm.

“Maybe you can find me one later and return the favor~~” I teased.

I could hear him clear his throat. “Of course.”

*

It was the night that I came home from Kalos. I was exhausted, and Lance basically had to guide me home through all the steps that felt far too much. From getting off the plane to getting into the vehicle, getting from the vehicle into the house; everything felt like too much. Even though we had stayed a few days after my last win to celebrate it, I felt like I just couldn't recuperate. Lance made sure that I hadn't come down with something, and led me to our bed. It had been so many months since I had last slept on our mattress that I had forgotten what it felt like. I flopped onto it, heaving a sigh far heavier than I thought.

Lance gently got into bed and pulled me close. He pet my hair, running his fingers through the ends before starting back at the top of my head.

“What's up?” he asked me softly.

I shook my head and buried my face into his chest. I let out a loud huff and wrapped my arms around him.

“I'm not sure...”

“Do you think you can try?”

“Mm....” I tried to think about what it was that I was feeling. It all felt heavy. Empty. Like the feeling after completing a goal-- it wasn't satisfaction. “Emptiness, I think? Like, there's nothing else for me to do now.”

“Not happiness?”

“Mm... no, I don't think so.” I pulled back a little to look up at him, meeting his blue-gray eyes that were filled with so much concern and love that it made me want to cry. “I don't mean that I'm not glad to be home. It's kinda nice, and for once I'm looking forward to not having to go anywhere for awhile. But it's like... What do I do now?” I let out a short sigh. “I know that's not something that can be easily answered, and I know you can't answer it for me. I'm just...” I let out a groan. “I don't know.”

Lance's hand stopped partway through my hair and pulled away. I felt his hand gently nudge my forearm, until he could grab hold of my hand and squeeze it tight. Neither one of us said anything for a few moments.

“Can I tell you something?” he said, breaking the silence.

“Sure.”

“I'm glad you're home.”

Despite the terrible way I was feeling inside, his words managed to bring a little heat to my cheeks.

“Mm. I'm glad to be home with you.”

He shifted, kissing me on the forehead.

“I mean it. I missed you a lot.”

“I missed you too.” I kissed him on the lips.

“I spent a lot of time thinking about how to welcome you back.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Mind sharing with me some of those thoughts?”

“Well, that would spoil the surprise, now wouldn't it?”

I couldn't help but roll my eyes and shake my head; a short laugh escaped from my lips, and that seemed to be the encouragement he was looking for.

“Well, perhaps I could show you one.” He started to get up, and I couldn't help myself.

“I swear to Arceus, Lance--”

He paused, looking appalled. “You should know me better than that!”

“I know, I know,” I teased him, sticking out my tongue. “But you gotta admit, out of context...” I gave him a few seconds to play back the last few lines, and he frowned. “Those words were definitely...”

He shook his head at me. “And you're supposed to be the ace here.”

“Doesn't mean that I don't read when things that fall in the gutter.”

“I'm going to pretend that we didn't have this conversation.”

“Okay~” I sat up. I found myself grinning at him. Seeing him get flustered at my intentional misreading was almost worth the effort. We both had a clear understanding on my extreme disinterest in the matter, and so was joking about it. But sometimes it felt okay to poke fun at the subject; though I almost always felt bad right after for making him think I read into a situation wrong. “I'm sorry for teasing you, love.”

“I'll forgive you, if you mean it.”

I let out a hiss of air. “Ooh, hard deal. I'm just not sure I can make that kind of sacrifice...”

He shook his head at me again and rolled his eyes. “I'm glad to see that your humor didn't dry out.”

“Oh??? Was that a pun?! Isn't that supposed to be my department?”

“I had to pick up the slack.”

I laughed, finally conceding the game of quick wits to him. “Fine, fine, you win. I'm super sorry. Kiss and make up?”

He pulled me towards him, his hands gently guiding my face to his.

“I'm glad you're feeling better.” His tone was warm. I felt like I could melt into its warmth at any second. I kissed him, pressing my lips against his, meeting the same pressure back. We sat like that for a few more moments, trading kisses, until I finally broke away, foggy headed and vaguely remembering that there was some detail I was starting to forget about.

Oh, right.

“Weren't you... going to show me something?”

“Hm? …. Right. The key,” he mumbled to himself.

“The... key?” I repeated back, blinking. What--

“I wanted to show you something,” he said, not finishing the thought. He reached over to his nightstand, opening the drawer and taking two things out of there. I couldn't see what they were, but when he turned back, I could see in his hands a small Pokeball and a key. He held out the key to me, and I took it in my hands.

It was heavy, definitely made of some heavy, dark old metal. In the head of the key was a bright, fiery orange gem, oval in shape, like an eye. There were four notches holding it in place, each shaped like a fang. The key itself was long, nearly as tall as my hand was long. The tips of it were fitted like a normal key. There was some sort of build-up on it, nicks all along the bar of it, no doubt from usage over the years. Curled up around the handle was a nondescript, scaled wingless dragon, making up the hook from which the key was presumably carried.

“Woah... This...?” I was afraid to give him my guess, even though I was sure I was right.

“We needed to do some cleaning at the Dragon Shrine. I found it among the things in the Elder's desk. He couldn't tell me what it was to, but he allowed me to have it. And now, I'd like to give it to you.”

I felt my cheeks heat up. “A-Are you sure? You don't think your grandfather will mind?”

Lance laughed. “I think he knew what I was up to when I asked. He's seen Klefki around, even giving it a few keys so it would stop stealing all the more important ones. I'm sure he saw your key on there and could hazard a guess as to what was going on. Honestly, I wouldn't've been surprised if he planted it there,” he added under his breath.

I snorted. “Yeah, okay, that sounds like him.”

I wrapped my hands around the key, my thumbs rubbing over the fangs, the gem, all the nicks and marks on it. Part of me was excited by the gesture, as it always was whenever Lance got me something.

There was a flash of light, and Klefki was out. It yawned, shaking its keys sleepily. When it saw me, it jingled happily and swirled around my head.

“Looks like I'm not the only one who missed you.”

“Haha, yeah. Looks like it. C'mere Klefki. I got another key for you.” The tiny Fairy-type Pokemon spun around and lowered itself to look at the key. It jangled its keys in a questioning manner, looking between Lance and I. Lance took the key from me and held it out towards Klefki.  

“This is the second-most important key you're going to protect, Klefki. It's the key to my heart; guard it as well as you've guarded my wife's.”

“Now hey, wait a minute.” I swiped the key back from him and held it out to Klefki. “Yours is just as equally important as mine. How dare you. Klefki, please take care of this key. Guard it with your life.”

The Key Ring Pokemon looked between the two of us, then trilled happily. It opened its key ring, and slipped the draconic key onto its key ring, fitting it right next to the fairy one I had given it over a month ago. It shook itself, much like a wet Pokemon drying itself off. Then, satisfied that the key was secure, it flew overhead, circling us with happy trills and klinking.

“Well, it's certainly happy,” I said.

Lance laughed and pulled me in for a hug, holding me close. He rested his head on my shoulder, speaking softly into my ear.

“Can you blame it? Klefki's got the keys to the hearts of two people in love.” He kissed me on the cheek. “Now we're entrusting it to guard both of our hearts.”

“Well, I don't know about you, but I feel pretty safe letting a Fairy-type guard my heart against yours.”

Lance let out a thoughtful hum. “I'm not sure. Aren't all your friends saying that you're the one Fairy that's weak to Dragons?”

I let out a squeal of laughter as he suddenly took me down onto the bed with him. Between the usage of that joke and the tickling he was trapping me with, I wasn't sure which was worse. I struggled to defend myself, but sure enough I caved, calling out for him to stop between peals of laughter and shrieks. Our faces were flushed from the effort. I looked up at him, feeling my own smile grow. Slowly, I sat up, bringing my face close to his. I kissed him. Softly.

When our lips parted, I whispered quietly, “Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

[pixylate-archive2020]

I’m in the process of writing up a more detailed version of Valerie’s backstory, but here’s a very basic summary to at least give people an idea of it in the meantime:

Valerie’s mom (Cadence) didn’t pay her debt to a faerie, and that faerie + her lover made her life hell as a result.

Cadence fled from Kalos to Johto, met Valerie’s dad (Tobias), soon fell in love and had a baby together.

The faeries found Cadence again and, seeing she now had a child, had their own child just so they could replace the human baby with the identical-looking faerie one.

This faerie baby became known as Valerie. While Tobias was completely fooled, Cadence immediately caught on that this Valerie wasn’t her true daughter, and abused Valerie throughout the majority of her childhood out of grief and hatred. She didn’t ever expose Valerie as being a faerie though, as she knew Tobias would blame her for the loss of their daughter and leave her. Tobias was blind to the abuse; Cadence cleverly kept it under wraps. It helped that Tobias was away from home a lot, for work.

When she was about 6, Valerie had to be taken out of public school, as she was being bullied for her unusual appearance by the other children. Cadence homeschooled her.

On her 10th birthday, Tobias got Valerie an Eevee as a present; her very first pokemon.

Eventually Tobias had to move to Kalos for a while for his job, and he took Valerie with him after Cadence gave him permission. She had long since grown tired and stopped caring for Valerie entirely at that point, deeming her not worth her time at all.

At age 13, Valerie left her father’s temporary home in Kalos, heading out as a beginning trainer alongside her Eevee. As time went on, Valerie traveled Kalos, building a team of fairy pokemon (her Eevee eventually evolved into a Sylveon). Valerie essentially lived as a homeless person; sleeping outside in the routes a lot and often having to scrounge for food, but she found herself feeling happier than she’s ever had before, thanks to the companionship of her pokemon.

Valerie never returned home to her father, calling him one day and telling him she wished to stay out in the world. He agreed, and allowed her to try and find her own path in life. Eventually, Valerie settled in Lumiose City, using the money she’s saved up from winning trainer battles and doing odd jobs to get an apartment. She worked part-time in a Pokemon Center as a cleaner for a reliable source of income.

Slightly after Valerie turned 21, she entered the world of modeling, after being sweet-talked into it by a charismatic agent. Valerie stayed a model for around a year and a half, before leaving upon she realizing that she was absolutely miserable.

Her talent for working with fairy pokemon, and how strong her own pokemon were, gained the attention of the Kalos League. The present Fairy Gym Leader of Laverre mysteriously went missing, and people were losing hope he’d ever return, so the officials began looking for a new leader. A representative approached Valerie, and she accepted the offer. (The old gym leader was never found.)

After being tested, she proved she was worthy of being Laverre’s new leader, and she was given the position. Laverre’s gym was refurbished, and Valerie moved into a cottage on the outskirts of Laverre.

She’s lived in Laverre and served as the city’s gym leader ever since.

[pkmnnovareset]

Lore 2: Four Legendary Trainers

Many years ago in Kalos, long after the events of the war and the Kalosian King disappeared, the Pokemon World was at peace. Until a horrible threat sought out to destroy the Pokemon world, with Kalos being first on the list.

Four Trainers had set out on a journey together when they encountered the threat. The four of them battled the threat but to no avail. Many of their Pokemon were lost, a cruel fate for them. News about the threat spread to the Trainers and they all agreed they must stop it before their home and the entire World was lost forever. They’ve continued to train and confront the threat on more than one occasions; but like the first time, it ended in more casualties and Pokemon deaths.

Diamanda, the descendant of the famed Kalosian King, prayed to her Patron Legendary Goddess, Diancie, for help. The Legendary Goddess answered her prayers and appeared to Diamanda and granted her her powers and abilities. However, using a power from a Legendary God or Goddess comes with a price: Diamanda’s soul now belonged to Diancie and was her new Champion. Once the threat has been defeated, Diamanda will join Diancie in her realm, remaining by her side as her Champion.

Diamanda returned to her friends, telling them of the information, claiming that it will help stop the threat once and for all. However, her three friends do not see anything remotely joyous of the fact that they will lose her in the process.

Alasdair was sceptical about the Legendary Gods and Goddesses, so it was no surprise that he disagreed and argued with Diamanda. Keron was not all too pleased that she was sacrificing herself. And Elaine, her lover and betrothed, felt only pain at the thought of losing Diamanda. Regardless of their personal feelings, the three of them did not want Diamanda to lose her life like this. They also did not want the threat to persist any longer than it already has.

So the three of them came to the conclusion that they couldn’t let their friend sacrifice herself and agreed that they will join her. Of course, Alasdair was still extremely reluctant, but if it meant being with his friends and saving the Pokemon World from the threat, he’d do it.

Diamanda was utterly against the three of them becoming Champions, claiming that since she is of royal lineage, that it should be her duty to save Kalos and the rest of the world. Arguments ensued but Diamanda could not convince her friends to stand down. With that, the four of them went in search for the other Legendary Gods and Goddesses of Kalos for help.

Their trip long and treacherous as the threat was quickly nearing the final phase of its plan. The four of them hurried, asking people for information on the Legendary Gods and Goddesses of Kalos. There was some useful information, but it all led to a dead end. It wasn’t until they made a stop at Laverre City did something happened.

Elaine had felt an odd sensation in the city, seeing things that weren’t there, hearing things that nobody else heard. It wasn’t an unwanted sensation, but it was a weird comforting one. One night, she walked out to the tree that emitted a strong aura and closed her eyes. Diamanda had been worried and stepped out to check on her betrothed. Elaine immediately saw Zygarde in her vision, whispering to her that they knew the chaos that was happening with the threat. Zygarde also knew of Diancie and Diamanda’s contract. They asked if Elaine wished to aid Diamanda. Elaine wished for nothing else than to help the woman she loved and agreed to become Zygarde’s Champion.

Their next destination was Geosenge Town, known to worship both the Legendary Gods Xerneas and Yveltal in one place. They were greeted by the worshippers and Keeper of the Lores of Xerneas and Yveltal, assisting the Trainers as much as possible with information on the Gods of Life and Death.

Keron, while helping with research, had sensed a strong aura. He calmed his mind, dropping what he was doing and making it clear to whomever that he welcomed them. Suddenly, the Legendary God Yveltal appeared before Keron in his mind. More crass, crude, and unfriendly than Zygarde, Yveltal asked what Keron wanted to do. Keron answered that he would do anything to save Kalos and the Pokemon World. Yveltal offered Keron a chance to become his Champion if he sold his soul. Keron accepted.

At the same time, Alasdair was at what appeared to be the ruins of the Ultimate Weapon, trying to come up with ways to stop the threat without his friends putting their lives at stake. A surge of calming energy entered him and he fell into a trance. The Legendary God Xerneas stood before him, elegant and waiting patiently. Alasdair, still an unbeliever, tried to reason that he was dreaming, that Xerneas wasn’t real. Xerneas attested that he was real and was communicating with Alasdair through his mind. He questioned why Alasdair was so against the idea of them, the Legendary Gods and Goddess yet he was willing to search for them asking for their help. Alasdair still did not believe, but he was not going to let his friends die in vain. Amused by his answer, Xerneas offered him the title of being his Champion. It took Alasdair longer to decide, weighing out his options in the most logical way possible. Xerneas had been patient, entertained by his actions and inner conflict. Finally, he agreed to become Xerneas’s Champion.

It took the four of them many hours and days in order to control the powers gifted to them by the Legendary Gods and Goddesses, but with so little time on their hands, they must make haste and defeat the threat for good.

They finally reached where the threat was and destroyed it. Kalos and the rest of the Pokemon World had been saved thanks to the four of them as the Champions of their Legendary Gods and Goddesses.

A bright glow emitted from their chest, all ranging in different colours: pink, red, blue, and green. Soon, the glow spread to the rest of their bodies and they all slowly disappeared into a mass of bright lights.

The four of them remained known throughout the Pokemon World (Kalos more so than the other regions) for their sacrifice and would be remembered as Legends.

However, do be aware. No one knew if this had really happened or not. Many claimed this story to be a myth, a tall tale told by Kalosians to promote their Region. Though there are a select few who do believe it was true.

Do you believe this was real?