[For once, that actually sounds like praise. Maybe Rusco really can learn and change, and maybe someday he'll be a better father to Jacinthe. Better late than never, right? But maybe that's too hopeful, too optimistic. Maybe he just wants to cling to hope because the idea of anything else is to upsetting to deal with right now.
For now, he accepts Houndoom's Pokéball, calling the Pokémon out so that Houndoom can hear his master's words as well so they're on the same page.]
Thanks. To both of you. [A nod to Houndoom.] We'll see this through.
[And just like that, it seems they're being summoned. It is a trap. Corbeau grits his teeth and has his phone send a text as he moves to leave. Just in time too, as Philippe arrives with a doctor.]
[That's all that gets sent at first--soon after, a small series of pictures will get sent to Corbeau, and they're...well. They're certainly photos.
One is some very familiar employees tied up, beaten and bruised and looking worse for wear--but very much alive, at least. You can make out a likely familiar hat as well of a certain challenger in the background. The implications are likely obvious.
The next is...well. No doubt about who wears this much pink, staring at the camera with a look that could absolutely kill, even if the clear bruising on her is preventing her from doing much, along with being tied up.]
Wouldn't want anything to happen to the people you care so much about, right? So I think a little politeness would be nice.
But I'll tell you what. You come down here alone, and I promise I won't harm a hair on their pretty little heads, yeah?
[Corbeau pauses when the first picture comes through, remaining perfectly still as the second appears. To say he feels furious would be an understatement; to say he's frightened by the implications likewise so. Members of the Rust Syndicate, one of the kids from Team ZA, and Jacinthe... Each one of them is damn important to him in their own way, and he doesn't want to let harm come to any of them - not that he'd ever want harm to come to anyone, if he could help it. The fact that this guy went out of his way to target Corbeau's friends and allies means that this is personal. But why? Who the hell is this guy?]
Fine. I won't keep you waiting.
[He calls Scolipede out as well and though the bug side-eyes Houndoom, he's content to walk alongside Corbeau as she leads the way. He said he'd come alone, but that obviously isn't factoring in his Pokémon, and Rusco's partner as well. Better to be prepared. He isn't walking into a trap without backup.
...And speaking off, he fires off a message to Philippe as they walk to make sure he knows exactly what's going on and where to go should things take a turn. Understandably, Philippe is not happy with his decision to walk into a trap, but Corbeau mutes his Rotomphone and enters.
[Let the show begin, indeed. There's no further response from the fuckboy on the phone, at least for now; Houndoom leads them both to the sewers with the practiced grace that one would definitely expect of a Pokemon like her, and though she does hesitate at the sewers (Corbeau can almost certainly get the sense that it's less of a fear of the dark that holds her back, and more that going in here feels very wrong.), she'll lead them further in with caution. Vigilant, though it's so silent you could hear a pin drop...
At least initially. It's deep in the sewers that Corbeau will find what he's looking for, threefold.
One, is a bunch of tied up people that seem to have been reinforced with a bug Pokemon's silk. The missing team MZ kids, his missing grunts, a very bruised Themida--all of them are accounted for, and while most of them can at least see Corbeau, it seems like Themida's out cold. An open, scuffed luxury ball lays on the ground beside her.
Two, is Jacinthe; right next to the man of the hour. He isn't even impressive looking, for a takeover wannabe; he looks just like your typical SBC grunt, though the Salazzle beside both him and his hostage (who is looking at Corbeau with very horrified wide eyes), Jacinthe herself, looks at Corbeau and regards him with an almost dull amusement as she sticks close to Jacinthe, ready to attack.
The last, and perhaps even the worst part of it all...is a Froslass that seems to be in immense pain, from the mega crystals all clustered around her that seem to be filling her with power.
The man claps his hands in seeming delight as he looks down at Corbeau from relatively far away, absolutely no idea what's coming. He's definitely got a full team on him, but he hasn't let them all out yet.]
Good of you to come, Mr. Corbeau. I'll spare you the preamble and tell you what's going to happen here, if you value any of these people's lives.
You, and Mr. Rusco, will surrender your organizations to my control--and with the SBC and Rust Syndicate at my beck and call, I'll take all of Lumiose for myself! Unless you all want to freeze to your dooms.
So? Do we have ourselves a deal, or are you going to be a pain in the ass? You've already been enough of a thorn in my side keeping me from what's rightfully mine, you know. You should be thankful I'm willing to be this generous!
[Jacinthe practically glares daggers at the man, though she's doing an incredible job at keeping her cool while being held hostage. There's plenty of tools at your disposal, perhaps surprisingly, and despite the man's overconfidence, he's putting a lot on the fact that he thinks he's stronger than whatever Corbeau can throw at him.
[In they go, and Corbeau takes in the sight with a look that's more annoyed than upset. All this and he's just Some Guy?? Sheesh. Well, he's not going to dismiss Some Guy out of hand, because he did successfully manage to poison Rusco and capture Themida, which must have been quite the feat. How exactly he pulled that off is beyond Corbeau, but it's probably a good thing the woman's unconscious or she would've already whooped this uppity kid's ass. Jacinthe looks worried - and understandably so, given that Corbeau just waltzed right into an obvious trap - but it'll be fine. It has to be.]
"Generous" isn't the word I'd use to describe kidnapping, poisoning, and inflicting harm on Pokémon, just to get what you want. So that's going to be a "no", kid. I'm not giving up anything, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you that Mr. Rusco wouldn't take too kindly to your "offer" either.
[He doubts he needs to command Houndoom to do what needs to be done, but Corbeau's already barking orders.]
Houndoom, Flamethrower! Don't let that Froslass Mega Evolve! [He'll be sure to tend to her after she's knocked out, but for now—] Scolipede, let's not waste any more time - Earthquake!
[The two Pokémon spring into action, with the former neatly dodging the latter's attack - the point of it is not to hurt the kid but rather to knock him off-balance, which Scolipede successfully does. The bug is bearing down on him in an instant, all 8'2" of him quickly growing larger as Corbeau Mega Evolves him. With so little space between the bug and the wall, this guy will be damn lucky if he can move, let alone draw his own Pok&eaucte;mon out.
Meanwhile, Froslass does successfully manage to Mega Evolve, but Flamethrower smacks her immediately afterwards, and she's not exactly known for her defenses. A Dark Pulse afterwards takes care of that, and the Pokémon is successfully knocked out - though not before dropping the temperature in the room quite a bit. At least no one's getting frostbite today.]
Right. So.
[Corbeau's tone is almost conversational as he approaches, leaning over the kid as Scolipede keeps him pinned.]
Here's hoping you've learned a thing or two. Enjoy your punishment.
[And Scolipede headbutts the kid (not a proper Headbutt, of course) to knock him out. Goodnight, sweet prince. You will not be missed by anyone here. Corbeau exhales and gestures for Scolipede to back up.]
Let's get everyone freed. Houndoom, stand watch; I don't trust that he didn't have something else planned.
[And so they go, with Scolipede using his horns carefully to help everyone get untied. How are you doing, Jacinthe?]
[Jacinthe watches as this all goes down with wide eyes, and for a brief moment, it's like she's watching a beautiful dance. Her Father's Houndoom (how did he convince Father of all people to part with her?!) springs into action with ease, going after the Froslass like hell on bare feet. She's a little unsteady after the Earthquake, but thankfully, it manages to take out the Salazzle too--not the least of which because she ends up darting after her trainer, getting caught up in the spread attack in kind.
Houndoom takes out Froslass with ease, and that stupid man doesn't even get a word in edge-wise before Corbeau has managed to knock him out; it's with a firm nod that she keeps guard, eyes peeled for anything else that might go bump in the dark.
It's strange, really, how weeks ago, Jacinthe couldn't even have imagined this happening. Corbeau was already a dear friend, of course; how could he not be? But there's something different, about having her very life saved by the man who she couldn't stop envisioning as some sort of knight in shining armor. She wishes she still hadn't been so weak, running away when the Rust Syndicate had told her to and fighting only when they were all knocked out...but seeing him and watching him free everyone else, a warm feeling nestles in her chest as watches him.
The Rust Syndicate grunts will explain everything, of course; immediately as they're freed, they're already bowing to their boss like they did something wrong. They apparently got ambushed on the flight back, and they told Jacinthe to book it while they held the thugs off; they were absolutely outmatched, and even Jacinthe was when her hand was forced. The kids were just an unfortunate accident, from the looks of it, though they clearly harbor guilt that they couldn't do anything for the three of them.
Themida...doesn't wake up; she's thankfully alive, but once the rubble is cleared from over her back, it's clear that they didn't hold back even against the lady of the house. Her legs and back are broken; it might even be genuinely a concern if she can ever walk again. She at least went down swinging, but...
By the time it's Jacinthe's turn to be freed, her eyes stare up at Corbeau with utter thankfulness; she looks tired as hell, truthfully, but...]
...Corbeau, my friend. You were magnificent out there--I'm so sorry that I could not do more to prevent this. But...
[It's such a relief to see that the grunts are okay, and even moreso a relief to see the kids are fine too. As expected, his men give him a rundown on everything that happened quickly, pointing out Themida's injuries and jumping the moment Corbeau barks for them to go get medical assistance. Typical grunt behavior, waiting for his word instead of just jumping to action... but it's fine, he supposes. It's not like a twenty second delay is really going to change that much, probably. If only he had a Psychic-type that could Teleport her to help... Ugh. Maybe something worth looking into getting, at some point. Gardevoir's certainly proved how useful they can be, even though they're a little unnerving.
Without anything left to do but wait for the time being, he can safely turn his attention to Jacinthe. She's certainly looking alright, but he ignores her words immediately in favor of:]
Are you hurt? Don't start with the apologies - guy was prepared for you all. I was just lucky enough to have your dad's partner with me.
[It wasn't really luck, but he doesn't want to tell her that her dad was poisoned while her mom's injured, that just seems... way too much to take in right now. Besides, Rusco should be just fine. The man already knew how to treat it as much as he could, and Philippe brought help immediately, everything should be fine.
...Speaking of. He turns his Rotomphone back on to approximately thirty-two messages of varying degrees of worry from Philippe and Corbeau sighs.]
Philipe, it's me. Everything worked out. Get down here when you get a chance - I've got some questions for this kid when he wakes up and we'll need to turn him over to the authorities, given all the damage he's done. Make sure we've got medical aid on the way - not for me, before you start panicking - and tell Rusco that the situation's resolved and his Houndoom helped tremendously. She's just fine too.
[Unsurprisingly, Philippe snaps to attention and gets to work and Corbeau exhales again once all that's taken care of. He pulls out some Potions and a Revive for that Froslass and moves to get to work as he continues speaking to Jacinthe.]
Glad I could help. Wish things could've resolved cleaner, but we'll take it one step at a time.
A little bruised and sore, but nothing a touch of bedrest won't recover.
[Jacinthe can't even find it in herself to pout, though she'll attempt to get up once all's said and done--she's having a bit of difficulty moving with a bit of a limp in one of her legs, but she'll manage to stand on her own as the people start to filter out and Corbeau goes over to send the message to Philippe that he's okay. Jacinthe's eyes can't help but soften in sympathy as Froslass takes the healing with ease; she'll actually be going back into that discarded Luxury Ball once all is said and done, actually, probably proving who's Pokemon just got stolen...
Even so, Jacinthe finds herself smiling, the expression a touch softer now. He really looks so radiant like this. She should probably go and get some medical attention, but she wants to stay. She doesn't know why, but she wants to stay, and...]
I know it likely does not bear repeating, Corbeau, but...thank you, again. You really did save all of us from someone who had let power go to his head.
[She goes to walk closer to him if allowed, pausing for a moment. A little...uncertain?]
...Will you be quite alright by yourself?
[Can I stay with you, my knight in shining armor, for just a little longer?]
[He's noticed the limp, but thankfully she's not moving too much. Once Froslass is taken care of and returned to her Pokéball (and yeah, that's not entirely unexpected), Corbeau stands, moving to offer Jacinthe an arm without thinking. Here, lean on him, if you need to.]
I won't be by myself for long, if you want to head on back with Gardevoir's help. But otherwise you should wait here so they can check you over, just in case.
[It probably is just a little strain; they'll likely tell her to take it easy, rest and recover. But he can't help but worry anyway, given the state of her mom's injuries. What if it had been Jacinthe in that position? What if—
Pointless to think about it, he decides and dismisses the thought. She's fine, just a little bruised, but she'll recover and bounce back well enough. She's Jacinthe, after all. Anything less would be unacceptable.]
[Corbeau offers her an arm and it's strangely a struggle to breathe. She's kind of thankful that her flushing tends to not be entirely obvious on her face, but she will gladly take that arm, actually!! Hers now.]
I don't mind waiting here at all. I'd much rather be with my savior than anyone else right now.
[...She just says that without a second thought, and she's not entirely sure if it was a mistake, but she doesn't want to be anywhere else. She doesn't, she truly doesn't. If anything happened to him, she wouldn't forgive herself, but...
Jacinthe goes quiet after, seeming contemplative. This might be the end of their contract, at this point--once they get to the bottom of this, there...won't be any need for her to stay by Corbeau anymore. Her parents might just end up occupying even more of her time, and who knows how Mother's injuries are going to shake out. They're alone right now, and...
It takes a moment, but Jacinthe looks up at Corbeau after a moment, pausing. Her expression reads confused, yet determined as she thinks. What is this strange, strange feeling that has a stranglehold on her heart? She can't be in love with him, can she? With this knight who's saved her princess ass so many times that it really does feel like a fairy-tale. With this man who has unabashedly offered her a roof, kindness, and so many things she's been lacking for so long.
...Is this...]
...I'm going to have to think of some way to truly thank you, you know.
[It comes out lighthearted, but Jacinthe's gaze goes off to the side after a moment.]
[Jacinthe takes his arm and Corbeau scoffs at her words with a roll of his eyes.]
Careful, you'll inflate my ego. You would've done the same in my position, yeah?
[Not that he doesn't appreciate it, it's... actually almost a little embarrassing to be called her savior... He's absolutely not knight in shining armor. He's a damn mob boss!!
His attention is on Jacinthe as her expression shifts, looking confused. She seems to be struggling something, but he has no idea what it is, and her words aren't exactly making it clear.]
Hey, c'mon, this is what you paid me for, remember? You don't have to thank me for it. I'm glad I've been able to help.
[Though... come to think of it, with this guy taken care of, this should be the end of these specific problems in Lumiose. Jacinthe won't need the Rust Syndicate's protection anymore. He'll probably only see her if she's hosting battle tourneys. That's... kind of weird to think about, in all honesty. They've spent so much time together recently, it feels sort of... hollow to think about how things may look in the future. Maybe he's just overthinking it, though. Jacinthe called them friends. So it'd make sense for them to still find time to spend together, right?
...Ugh, this is childish. They're grown-ass adults, they can sort something out. It isn't as though this is the end of their time together.]
Without hesitation, of course. Anyone who'd harm a hair on your head would be suffering a fate worse than eternal servitude to me!
[She says that and it's hard to tell if she's being serious or not. Knowing Jacinthe? She probably is, at least.
But the rest of that sees Jacinthe's cheeks puff a bit.]
You truly do frustrate me sometimes, Corbeau...all of these good deeds that you do, and you're so quick to brush off appreciation for them.
[And maybe that's what makes her so impulsive. Maybe that's what makes her want him to know with certainty that he's appreciated, that he's cared for, that his deeds are something to be celebrated, and--
He'll likely notice something's off after a moment, when she lets go of his arm almost unconciously. It's without thinking that Jacinthe moves her face in close, pressing a small, gentle kiss to his cheek. It's an appreciation he can't run from, and something that is certainly deserved for his hard work, and...
...
Why...is her chest so tight, all of a sudden? Like she's done something wrong? She hasn't. She knows she hasn't.
[That gets a roll of his eyes even as she lets go of his arm, and he's half turning to properly respond when she moves and presses a kiss against his cheek. Corbeau freezes, eyes wide like he simply isn't comprehending for a moment.
In the time he's known her, Jacinthe has never been overly physically affectionate. Not with strangers, not with him, not with Lebanne, that he's seen anyway. So dismissing this as simply "Jacinthe being Jacinthe" doesn't make sense. So if it's not Jacinthe being Jacinthe, then does that mean—
No. No, it doesn't.
He exhales - a breath he didn't realize he was holding, that sounds more weary than he actually is. Maybe it could've been a laugh, if he was feeling at all humorous. But instead it's just a sound that isn't exactly the most pleased - because he still has to figure out what the hell he feels about it.
A smarter man would've just asked Jacinthe if there was any deeper meaning behind it. Regrettably, Corbeau doesn't think to use his words.]
Oh. Oh, she screwed up. She screwed up, she screwed up, she screwed up, she did something impulsive to her only friend and she screwed up, she screwed up--
Everything in Jacinthe seems to go blank when she sees her (is he still her dear friend if she did this? did she just--?) protector's eyes widen in such a manner and for a moment, she's not comprehending anything. It's as if her actions and these circumstances are so far, far away in this moment, as if she's staring through a nightmare that she'll certainly wake up from soon. Certainly, she's sure.
Why isn't she?
Why is she still in this reality, with a man she--]
I'm--sorry. I'm so--
[The words come out shaky, shaken, everything about her feels so far away as she practically jolts off of him in an instant, and...
Maybe it's the adrenaline in her that makes her run so easily, or maybe it's the sheer panic that's gone and taken over her mind, but she needs to get out of here. She needs to get out. She can't stay here, she can't stay here, she can't stay here.
Jacinthe all but flees after a moment unless Corbeau happens to have the foresight to stop her, bolting out with no intention of stopping.]
[For a brief moment, it's like the entire world has collectively taken and held a breath. Like everyone and everything is waiting on this moment, like maybe the earth's stopped turning.
And then Jacinthe starts apologizing and she's off like a shot despite her injury, and Corbeau calls out after her—]
Jacinthe—
[—but he doesn't follow. He can't leave Themida and the kids behind. And mistakenly, foolishly, he thinks that she just needs some time to calm down. That this will all be resolved the next chance they have to talk - because it isn't a big deal, right? Just a misunderstanding. They both need some time to figure out how to approach the matter, and maybe actually communicate about their feelings. If there are any. Hell, he doesn't know.
Maybe if he'd gone after her, things would've been different.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clefablite) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sranks2025-10-22 06:33 pm
no subject
For now, he accepts Houndoom's Pokéball, calling the Pokémon out so that Houndoom can hear his master's words as well so they're on the same page.]
Thanks. To both of you. [A nod to Houndoom.] We'll see this through.
[And just like that, it seems they're being summoned. It is a trap. Corbeau grits his teeth and has his phone send a text as he moves to leave. Just in time too, as Philippe arrives with a doctor.]
Cut the crap. What do you want?
no subject
[That's all that gets sent at first--soon after, a small series of pictures will get sent to Corbeau, and they're...well. They're certainly photos.
One is some very familiar employees tied up, beaten and bruised and looking worse for wear--but very much alive, at least. You can make out a likely familiar hat as well of a certain challenger in the background. The implications are likely obvious.
The next is...well. No doubt about who wears this much pink, staring at the camera with a look that could absolutely kill, even if the clear bruising on her is preventing her from doing much, along with being tied up.]
Wouldn't want anything to happen to the people you care so much about, right? So I think a little politeness would be nice.
But I'll tell you what. You come down here alone, and I promise I won't harm a hair on their pretty little heads, yeah?
no subject
Fine. I won't keep you waiting.
[He calls Scolipede out as well and though the bug side-eyes Houndoom, he's content to walk alongside Corbeau as she leads the way. He said he'd come alone, but that obviously isn't factoring in his Pokémon, and Rusco's partner as well. Better to be prepared. He isn't walking into a trap without backup.
...And speaking off, he fires off a message to Philippe as they walk to make sure he knows exactly what's going on and where to go should things take a turn. Understandably, Philippe is not happy with his decision to walk into a trap, but Corbeau mutes his Rotomphone and enters.
Let the show begin.]
no subject
At least initially. It's deep in the sewers that Corbeau will find what he's looking for, threefold.
One, is a bunch of tied up people that seem to have been reinforced with a bug Pokemon's silk. The missing team MZ kids, his missing grunts, a very bruised Themida--all of them are accounted for, and while most of them can at least see Corbeau, it seems like Themida's out cold. An open, scuffed luxury ball lays on the ground beside her.
Two, is Jacinthe; right next to the man of the hour. He isn't even impressive looking, for a takeover wannabe; he looks just like your typical SBC grunt, though the Salazzle beside both him and his hostage (who is looking at Corbeau with very horrified wide eyes), Jacinthe herself, looks at Corbeau and regards him with an almost dull amusement as she sticks close to Jacinthe, ready to attack.
The last, and perhaps even the worst part of it all...is a Froslass that seems to be in immense pain, from the mega crystals all clustered around her that seem to be filling her with power.
The man claps his hands in seeming delight as he looks down at Corbeau from relatively far away, absolutely no idea what's coming. He's definitely got a full team on him, but he hasn't let them all out yet.]
Good of you to come, Mr. Corbeau. I'll spare you the preamble and tell you what's going to happen here, if you value any of these people's lives.
You, and Mr. Rusco, will surrender your organizations to my control--and with the SBC and Rust Syndicate at my beck and call, I'll take all of Lumiose for myself! Unless you all want to freeze to your dooms.
So? Do we have ourselves a deal, or are you going to be a pain in the ass? You've already been enough of a thorn in my side keeping me from what's rightfully mine, you know. You should be thankful I'm willing to be this generous!
[Jacinthe practically glares daggers at the man, though she's doing an incredible job at keeping her cool while being held hostage. There's plenty of tools at your disposal, perhaps surprisingly, and despite the man's overconfidence, he's putting a lot on the fact that he thinks he's stronger than whatever Corbeau can throw at him.
Keyword. Thinks.
So. How do you want to handle this, Corbeau?]
no subject
"Generous" isn't the word I'd use to describe kidnapping, poisoning, and inflicting harm on Pokémon, just to get what you want. So that's going to be a "no", kid. I'm not giving up anything, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you that Mr. Rusco wouldn't take too kindly to your "offer" either.
[He doubts he needs to command Houndoom to do what needs to be done, but Corbeau's already barking orders.]
Houndoom, Flamethrower! Don't let that Froslass Mega Evolve! [He'll be sure to tend to her after she's knocked out, but for now—] Scolipede, let's not waste any more time - Earthquake!
[The two Pokémon spring into action, with the former neatly dodging the latter's attack - the point of it is not to hurt the kid but rather to knock him off-balance, which Scolipede successfully does. The bug is bearing down on him in an instant, all 8'2" of him quickly growing larger as Corbeau Mega Evolves him. With so little space between the bug and the wall, this guy will be damn lucky if he can move, let alone draw his own Pok&eaucte;mon out.
Meanwhile, Froslass does successfully manage to Mega Evolve, but Flamethrower smacks her immediately afterwards, and she's not exactly known for her defenses. A Dark Pulse afterwards takes care of that, and the Pokémon is successfully knocked out - though not before dropping the temperature in the room quite a bit. At least no one's getting frostbite today.]
Right. So.
[Corbeau's tone is almost conversational as he approaches, leaning over the kid as Scolipede keeps him pinned.]
Here's hoping you've learned a thing or two. Enjoy your punishment.
[And Scolipede headbutts the kid (not a proper Headbutt, of course) to knock him out. Goodnight, sweet prince. You will not be missed by anyone here. Corbeau exhales and gestures for Scolipede to back up.]
Let's get everyone freed. Houndoom, stand watch; I don't trust that he didn't have something else planned.
[And so they go, with Scolipede using his horns carefully to help everyone get untied. How are you doing, Jacinthe?]
no subject
Houndoom takes out Froslass with ease, and that stupid man doesn't even get a word in edge-wise before Corbeau has managed to knock him out; it's with a firm nod that she keeps guard, eyes peeled for anything else that might go bump in the dark.
It's strange, really, how weeks ago, Jacinthe couldn't even have imagined this happening. Corbeau was already a dear friend, of course; how could he not be? But there's something different, about having her very life saved by the man who she couldn't stop envisioning as some sort of knight in shining armor. She wishes she still hadn't been so weak, running away when the Rust Syndicate had told her to and fighting only when they were all knocked out...but seeing him and watching him free everyone else, a warm feeling nestles in her chest as watches him.
The Rust Syndicate grunts will explain everything, of course; immediately as they're freed, they're already bowing to their boss like they did something wrong. They apparently got ambushed on the flight back, and they told Jacinthe to book it while they held the thugs off; they were absolutely outmatched, and even Jacinthe was when her hand was forced. The kids were just an unfortunate accident, from the looks of it, though they clearly harbor guilt that they couldn't do anything for the three of them.
Themida...doesn't wake up; she's thankfully alive, but once the rubble is cleared from over her back, it's clear that they didn't hold back even against the lady of the house. Her legs and back are broken; it might even be genuinely a concern if she can ever walk again. She at least went down swinging, but...
By the time it's Jacinthe's turn to be freed, her eyes stare up at Corbeau with utter thankfulness; she looks tired as hell, truthfully, but...]
...Corbeau, my friend. You were magnificent out there--I'm so sorry that I could not do more to prevent this. But...
Thank you.
no subject
Without anything left to do but wait for the time being, he can safely turn his attention to Jacinthe. She's certainly looking alright, but he ignores her words immediately in favor of:]
Are you hurt? Don't start with the apologies - guy was prepared for you all. I was just lucky enough to have your dad's partner with me.
[It wasn't really luck, but he doesn't want to tell her that her dad was poisoned while her mom's injured, that just seems... way too much to take in right now. Besides, Rusco should be just fine. The man already knew how to treat it as much as he could, and Philippe brought help immediately, everything should be fine.
...Speaking of. He turns his Rotomphone back on to approximately thirty-two messages of varying degrees of worry from Philippe and Corbeau sighs.]
Philipe, it's me. Everything worked out. Get down here when you get a chance - I've got some questions for this kid when he wakes up and we'll need to turn him over to the authorities, given all the damage he's done. Make sure we've got medical aid on the way - not for me, before you start panicking - and tell Rusco that the situation's resolved and his Houndoom helped tremendously. She's just fine too.
[Unsurprisingly, Philippe snaps to attention and gets to work and Corbeau exhales again once all that's taken care of. He pulls out some Potions and a Revive for that Froslass and moves to get to work as he continues speaking to Jacinthe.]
Glad I could help. Wish things could've resolved cleaner, but we'll take it one step at a time.
no subject
[Jacinthe can't even find it in herself to pout, though she'll attempt to get up once all's said and done--she's having a bit of difficulty moving with a bit of a limp in one of her legs, but she'll manage to stand on her own as the people start to filter out and Corbeau goes over to send the message to Philippe that he's okay. Jacinthe's eyes can't help but soften in sympathy as Froslass takes the healing with ease; she'll actually be going back into that discarded Luxury Ball once all is said and done, actually, probably proving who's Pokemon just got stolen...
Even so, Jacinthe finds herself smiling, the expression a touch softer now. He really looks so radiant like this. She should probably go and get some medical attention, but she wants to stay. She doesn't know why, but she wants to stay, and...]
I know it likely does not bear repeating, Corbeau, but...thank you, again. You really did save all of us from someone who had let power go to his head.
[She goes to walk closer to him if allowed, pausing for a moment. A little...uncertain?]
...Will you be quite alright by yourself?
[Can I stay with you, my knight in shining armor, for just a little longer?]
no subject
I won't be by myself for long, if you want to head on back with Gardevoir's help. But otherwise you should wait here so they can check you over, just in case.
[It probably is just a little strain; they'll likely tell her to take it easy, rest and recover. But he can't help but worry anyway, given the state of her mom's injuries. What if it had been Jacinthe in that position? What if—
Pointless to think about it, he decides and dismisses the thought. She's fine, just a little bruised, but she'll recover and bounce back well enough. She's Jacinthe, after all. Anything less would be unacceptable.]
no subject
I don't mind waiting here at all. I'd much rather be with my savior than anyone else right now.
[...She just says that without a second thought, and she's not entirely sure if it was a mistake, but she doesn't want to be anywhere else. She doesn't, she truly doesn't. If anything happened to him, she wouldn't forgive herself, but...
Jacinthe goes quiet after, seeming contemplative. This might be the end of their contract, at this point--once they get to the bottom of this, there...won't be any need for her to stay by Corbeau anymore. Her parents might just end up occupying even more of her time, and who knows how Mother's injuries are going to shake out. They're alone right now, and...
It takes a moment, but Jacinthe looks up at Corbeau after a moment, pausing. Her expression reads confused, yet determined as she thinks. What is this strange, strange feeling that has a stranglehold on her heart? She can't be in love with him, can she? With this knight who's saved her princess ass so many times that it really does feel like a fairy-tale. With this man who has unabashedly offered her a roof, kindness, and so many things she's been lacking for so long.
...Is this...]
...I'm going to have to think of some way to truly thank you, you know.
[It comes out lighthearted, but Jacinthe's gaze goes off to the side after a moment.]
no subject
Careful, you'll inflate my ego. You would've done the same in my position, yeah?
[Not that he doesn't appreciate it, it's... actually almost a little embarrassing to be called her savior... He's absolutely not knight in shining armor. He's a damn mob boss!!
His attention is on Jacinthe as her expression shifts, looking confused. She seems to be struggling something, but he has no idea what it is, and her words aren't exactly making it clear.]
Hey, c'mon, this is what you paid me for, remember? You don't have to thank me for it. I'm glad I've been able to help.
[Though... come to think of it, with this guy taken care of, this should be the end of these specific problems in Lumiose. Jacinthe won't need the Rust Syndicate's protection anymore. He'll probably only see her if she's hosting battle tourneys. That's... kind of weird to think about, in all honesty. They've spent so much time together recently, it feels sort of... hollow to think about how things may look in the future. Maybe he's just overthinking it, though. Jacinthe called them friends. So it'd make sense for them to still find time to spend together, right?
...Ugh, this is childish. They're grown-ass adults, they can sort something out. It isn't as though this is the end of their time together.]
no subject
[She says that and it's hard to tell if she's being serious or not. Knowing Jacinthe? She probably is, at least.
But the rest of that sees Jacinthe's cheeks puff a bit.]
You truly do frustrate me sometimes, Corbeau...all of these good deeds that you do, and you're so quick to brush off appreciation for them.
[And maybe that's what makes her so impulsive. Maybe that's what makes her want him to know with certainty that he's appreciated, that he's cared for, that his deeds are something to be celebrated, and--
He'll likely notice something's off after a moment, when she lets go of his arm almost unconciously. It's without thinking that Jacinthe moves her face in close, pressing a small, gentle kiss to his cheek. It's an appreciation he can't run from, and something that is certainly deserved for his hard work, and...
...
Why...is her chest so tight, all of a sudden? Like she's done something wrong? She hasn't. She knows she hasn't.
...Right?]
no subject
In the time he's known her, Jacinthe has never been overly physically affectionate. Not with strangers, not with him, not with Lebanne, that he's seen anyway. So dismissing this as simply "Jacinthe being Jacinthe" doesn't make sense. So if it's not Jacinthe being Jacinthe, then does that mean—
No. No, it doesn't.
He exhales - a breath he didn't realize he was holding, that sounds more weary than he actually is. Maybe it could've been a laugh, if he was feeling at all humorous. But instead it's just a sound that isn't exactly the most pleased - because he still has to figure out what the hell he feels about it.
A smarter man would've just asked Jacinthe if there was any deeper meaning behind it. Regrettably, Corbeau doesn't think to use his words.]
no subject
Oh. Oh, she screwed up. She screwed up, she screwed up, she screwed up, she did something impulsive to her only friend and she screwed up, she screwed up--
Everything in Jacinthe seems to go blank when she sees her (is he still her dear friend if she did this? did she just--?) protector's eyes widen in such a manner and for a moment, she's not comprehending anything. It's as if her actions and these circumstances are so far, far away in this moment, as if she's staring through a nightmare that she'll certainly wake up from soon. Certainly, she's sure.
Why isn't she?
Why is she still in this reality, with a man she--]
I'm--sorry. I'm so--
[The words come out shaky, shaken, everything about her feels so far away as she practically jolts off of him in an instant, and...
Maybe it's the adrenaline in her that makes her run so easily, or maybe it's the sheer panic that's gone and taken over her mind, but she needs to get out of here. She needs to get out. She can't stay here, she can't stay here, she can't stay here.
Jacinthe all but flees after a moment unless Corbeau happens to have the foresight to stop her, bolting out with no intention of stopping.]
no subject
And then Jacinthe starts apologizing and she's off like a shot despite her injury, and Corbeau calls out after her—]
Jacinthe—
[—but he doesn't follow. He can't leave Themida and the kids behind. And mistakenly, foolishly, he thinks that she just needs some time to calm down. That this will all be resolved the next chance they have to talk - because it isn't a big deal, right? Just a misunderstanding. They both need some time to figure out how to approach the matter, and maybe actually communicate about their feelings. If there are any. Hell, he doesn't know.
Maybe if he'd gone after her, things would've been different.]