A soft fog clung to the docks, mirrored by the dull blue-gray sky above. A chill wind blew in from the sea, bobbing and rocking the boats as passengers and crew scurried about, all of them boarding or exiting the multitude of ships. Crowds of people had gathered, some bidding loved ones farewell, while others were receiving new arrivals. The rain has only just subsided, for a moment, leaving the uneven streets pockmarked with puddles, and the awaiting patrons soaked to the bone. Sappheiro City, de facto gateway of the Crepus Region, is where you all now find yourself… ---- Passengers flowed hurriedly down the catwalk of a modest looking cruise liner, pulling with them Irene Silver. The journey to Sappheiro had been long, and boring, as bad weather had forced the passengers to remain inside for most of the trip. Sweet sea air assaulted Irene’s nose and stung her eyes, the hum of uncountable voices filling her ears. The suffocating crowd moved forward, like a mindless herd, disorientating the girl. After seconds that felt like hours, Irene’s feet touched solid ground, and as they did so, the crowd around her dispersed instantly. Legs weak and shaky from their time aboard the liner, a single step forwards sent Irene tumbling, her body splashing loudly into one of the larger puddles. A scream chimed out to her immediate right, and upon looking up, she saw a startled girl drenched from head to toe. ---- The forecast today had called for sun and surf. Unfortunately, as Alexandra Scarlet learned the hard way, forecasts in Crepus were rarely, if ever, right. And so, her day at the beach was cut immediately short, as upon arriving, the skies opened up and unleashed a torrential downpour unseasonal for the region. Soaked and disappointed, Alexa returned from whence she came, passing through the main port. The rain had let up by now, and the port was full of life. Alexa, easily distracted as she was, stopped to watch the passengers unload, en masse. Unfortunately, she failed to notice one of the new arrivals stumble forward, nor her landing in a puddle directly adjacent to her. She did notice, however, the freezing puddle water splash into her, again soaking her through. An involuntary scream escaped Alexa’s lips, and she glanced down in surprise. ---- Sappheiro City, or “Where Dreams Come to Die,” as Claire Clover had quickly discovered. Hoping to find more, the city had held only a few small time jobs for one as inexperienced as her. Straddling the line of poverty, Claire had little means to travel forth to another regional city. Sappherio City had been, and would be, her home for the foreseeable future. For now, she was just grateful to have land a freelance photography job, though meager the pay. This day had found Claire at the port, hoping to find something, anything, interesting to photograph. Watching as the fancily dressed people made their way off of a nearby ship, Claire snapped a few shots, though nothing particularly special. Sidestepping a group of tourists who were absentmindedly strolling through the crowd, Claire found herself sprayed with water. Looking down, she saw a girl planted face first into a large puddle. While she had escaped relatively un-drenched, Claire realized her camera had not been as lucky as water dripped down the front… (Any more details may be asked privately, whether you just require clarification on something, or are unsure about anything.)
A sigh came from the dainty little woman's lips, brow furrowed. She was charged with capturing the 'sights of everyday Sappheiro' and was instructed to 'make it interesting'... 'Twas more photos for chump change, of course, to be used in a newspaper presumably no one read. She could hardly win any battles with a single Pinsir, so this was the most reliable way she could afford a meal everyday in this hopeless city. And it was far from reliable. ...?! A splash and a scream?! Something remotely interesting, here?! Maybe she could capture something worth half a pokébuck for once! That was, until she looked down and realized where some of the water had leaped. "M-my camera!" The young woman nearly shrieked in terror, quickly wiping off the front lens with the edge of her sleeve. Panic was clear in her voice, and utter anguish spread across her face. Talking to seemingly no one in particular, she muttered mid-wipe, "I-I think it will be alright... Just the exterior lens... D-damn if I lose this, I'd be dead in an alley by the end of the week..." With a nervous sigh, Claire glanced up from her now buffed-dry single-lens camera towards the girl who was on the ground in a puddle--and behind her, the woman who was completely soaking wet. Her camera got off lightly, to say the least. Claire gulped quietly, hoping neither had noticed her talking to herself. This was the only scene she'd found all day that was of remotely interest. Maybe the paper could use it for something about the weather? Arceus knows that's the most interesting thing around here... Gulping nervously, she raised the camera to her eye, and quickly took an action shot. In the quiet murmur after the incident, the sound of her aperture echoed.
Irene had barely enough time to process what had happened before she heard a sound somewhere behind her. There was no need to see what it was, because she knew the answer already. She had dropped Rin's ball on her way down, again, and now there was a Charmander gnawing on her ankle harmlessly. Maybe she could win a battle and get the little monster a chew toy. Of course, Irene meant 'monster' in the most affectionate way possible. Rin was a total sweetheart, but she liked to chew on things. Mostly Irene and things that belonged to her. Often time things she would be hard pressed to replace...which, given her current finances, meant anything she had. "I-I'm sorry! It's just I've been on the boat for so long and my legs can't handle the land right now and everything is so wet and ahhhhhhhhh," Irene managed to force out, her frustration rising more with every word. Why couldn't life cut her a break!? With any luck, the woman standing above her wouldn't be too mad. It's not like Irene wasn't just as soaked anyway. "I give up..." Still laying mostly in a puddle, Irene's had fell forward onto a submerged arm, just barely keeping her nose above water. This was her life now. Faceplanting in puddles. This is fine.
