Closed Log

[thedifferencebetween]

Who: Whoever's spending the holiday with Jack and Co!

Where: Blackthorn

When: December

Summary: Catch-all log for Rocket Family holidays!

Rating: IDK, R for language, probably

Log:



This is Jack's second Christmas in this place, and things are a hell of a lot different this year. He's come a long way. He's worked hard, he's been patient, he's kept a lot of his impulses in check...he's proud of himself. So there's been some really shit stuff over the year, but that's life. Shit happens. He's still got plenty to be happy about.

Maybe his professional life isn't what it should be, but his personal life...well damn, it's never been better! He's got Felix, he's got his girls...what the hell more does he need? And this year, Angel's gonna be here. Finally. He knew it was just a matter of waiting her out. He's had way more patience waiting things out than she has. It's cool. It's fine. She's gonna be here, Diana's gonna be here, the little asshole might be coming... it's gonna be a real family holiday. Or else.

He's even gone all out decorating the Blackthorn place. Well, paying someone to do it. Whatever, it looks great. Like a frigging holiday card. Except the tree, he had the tree left bare so the girls could do it. He and Felix can drink cocoa that's mostly hard liquor and watch shitty action Christmas movies in front of a crackling fire. The cuter Pokemon can play on the floor. It'll be great.

As long as nobody frigs it all up.

Comments

[brokencode]

[Despite being in a busy house, Angel felt alone. Her Pokemon were stored away, knowing better than she did that it was wrong to be here. Skagbait had all but refused to enter the house, leaving the former siren to place her in the ball. After that, Mari and Adorababy had begun to fuss, pulling at her as if they were begging her to leave.

They too, were put in their balls.

It would have made her felt better, if just one of them were there. Instead, she sat alone on the couch, knees pulled to her chest. Clutched between her hands was a mask, a risky object bound to draw the ire of her father. She didn't care.

It was the only thing to help her not feel so alone, despite being in a house supposedly full of cheer.]

[keep_surviving]

Hey, Angel.

[Diana approaches, her own Sylveon at her side, who immediately picks up on Angel's mood. It makes a small cooing noise and extends a ribbon to gently touch the siren's leg.]

I don't think you'll remember me. I'm Diana, we met at prom.

[She sits on the couch, not right beside her but next to her. There's a Pokeball in her hands that she's turning over.]

[brokencode]

No, no, I do remember.

[She couldn't recall what they had done -- the whole night had become a blur in the wake of the attack. Jack had mentioned her enough times since then for Angel to at least have kept a grip on who the woman was.]

It has been awhile, hasn't it? [Angel offered the woman a slightly less stiff smile. At least this particular bit of company was familiar. Even if she did have bad taste, hanging around her father.]

Have you been well?

[keep_surviving]

[Woman? Oh Angel. This teenager is probably younger than you.]

I've been me, for whatever that's worth.

[She rolls the ball around in her hands a little more.]

You're looking a bit down. [She places a small gift bag beside Angel.] I heard you'd been having a hard time, so I got you a couple of things.

[If Angel has a look inside the first thing she'll get it some high blue and white headphones.]

I figured you could use it with your Gear and listen to some stuff once everyone gets too loud.

[thedifferencebetween]

[Well that's just a sad sight.]

[Jack ambles over, his Meowth Cattrap scampering at his heels. Like in Goldenrod, he just lets the Handsome Cats loose to do as they please and bring stuff back to him by the end of the day.]

Hey there sweetheart, you're looking glum. Cheer up! It's a holiday! We got eggnog and cookies and all kinds of stuff. We're gonna have a really nice family Christmas, Angel.

[He's bound and determined.]

[brokencode]

Yeah?

[Her expression remained troubled, even doubtful. For once, it wasn't Jack contributing to her discomfort -- though he certainly didn't help. It was hard for her to imagine enjoying herself right now.

Not when she still shouldered the weight of what she'd done.]

Sorry, there are just a number of people here I am not entirely familiar with. Give me a little bit to acclimate?

[thedifferencebetween]

Yeeeeah, lotta surprise plus ones. But you know what that means? Your dad's place is the house all the kids go to.

[He settles in, frowning a bit as he hears the thud of full grown Doom Boner heading their way. It's impossible not to hear it.]

You want some cookies? Before the beast that ate Johto makes his way here?

[badluckbabe]

"You know, you're not exactly the kind of personality I expect coming from Jack."

Jinx appeared in the doorway with a mug of coco and some cookies on a plate. She was dressed like a Christmas elf in red and white stockings and a green dress, no hat though because her pointed pink hair rarely worked with hats.

"Quiet, subdued, wallflower. One might think you weren't in the mood for a party." She half teased, sympathy evident on her features. Trailing behind her a Chingling chirped pleasantly trying to snag one of the cookies off Jinx's plate.

[brokencode]

Angel managed a small smile at that. Most people had a hard time noticing the family resemblance. They hardly looked alike -- the former siren presumably taking after her late mother. Then there was the drastic differences in personality.

She got the feeling that if she hadn't ever mentioned it, no one would have known they were family. It was a nice thought, being so far removed from him, but one not worth it in the end. She liked to think she helped people realize the kind of man Jack was.

Used to be? She wasn't sure. In the year she'd been there, Jack hadn't done anything aside from yell and scream about how she treated him.

"Do you have a habit of reading people like books?" She let out a small laugh. "You... were correct about most of what you said."

[badluckbabe]

"Not all people. Hell I've been traveling with Diana for almost a year and I still can't read her half the time." She chuckled.

"But you...I've been you before. When I first got started studying to be a super villain it was a lot more socializing and hiding your true motives then I'd anticipated. At least with Team Rocket most people seem to be on the same level...well except your dad."

Most the grunts she'd met didn't seem to have a lot of experience hiding their motives, but that could just be more for how this universe was wired.

"So if I only got most of it right, where was my aim off?"

it ate my first reply so this one might not be as good but im tired now 8c

[keep_surviving]

Arrival
Diana showed up knocking on the door, stood out in the snow, wrapped up warm with 27 dogs behind her. Who all hit Jack with a dose of puppy eyes when told they can't all come inside. Diana sends them on their way as she steps over the threshold. (She'll let them into one of the unused rooms later.)

"Feliz navidad, Pops." She grins and winks at him as she pulls off her outer layers, showing that she's wearing an appropriate ugly sweater. As she steps into the main room, she makes an impressed noise. "Woah, Christmas really threw up all over the place, huh?"

Tree Decorating
Well, to say Diana's decorating the tree is a bit of a stretch. She's more decorating Jack and also putting the odd thing on the tree. Sure enough, every time Diana comes anywhere close to him he's just slowly ends up with more and more sparkly shit on him, no matter how much he takes it off. It probably doesn't help that her Murkrow are loving all the shiny things they can peck at and hide and chase across the floor. Diana's also keen to enable anyone she can to help her in her little game of making Jack look festive.

Slacking Off
Diana's lounging on the floor by the fire, alongside her own Pokemon and any others she's accumulated at this family get together. There's several large bowls of popcorn beside her, which she was supposed to be using to make a garland but instead she's eating as she watches TV. Occasionally, she tosses one to the Pokemon to catch or playfully tussle for among themselves. Finding an unpopped kernel is the best, because then she flicks it into the fire and gets to startle everyone with the 'bang' noise.

Drinking
Welp, Diana has found Jack's booze and has quietly settled herself down on the sofa with a bottle. She stares at the fire while Petey the Espurr is having the time of his life with the boxes and tissue paper he has found, making a high pitched humming noise as he plays. Diana absentmindedly strokes her fingers through the tuft of fur atop his head, not that he seems to register it.

Drinking buddies~

[bleedingunversed]

"That stuff smells terrible."

Vanitas really didn't know a lot about alcohol. He had heard of it, sure, and pretended he knew what it was but it's not something he'd ever tried. So he'd wandered away from Yuri for a bit to check on Diana, finding the young woman looking rather...distant or something.

He frowns some as he sits down on her other side away from the weird little Espurr, glancing at the bottle then at her face.

"What the hell is it?"

[keep_surviving]

Diana wrinkles her nose a little as she takes another swig. "To be fair it doesn't always taste great either."

Sure, Jack's stash mostly consist of 'the good stuff', but it was all still rather strong for her teenager palette. But taste was hardly her concern.

She turns and grins at Vanitas in almost a lazy fashion, reaching over to cup his chin and squeeze his cheeks. "Something you're too young and innocent for, lil' bro."

[bleedingunversed]

Vanitas rolls his eyes as she cups his chin like that, leaning away some to try and break her hold.

"You aren't that much older than me, jerk," he drawled, reaching over to try and grab the bottle from her. "So if you can drink it, so can I. Share the goods."

Plus he was curious to try it. He always was about new stuff but he couldn't just say that. It would make him seem like a loser okay.

Drinking

[badluckbabe]

Jinx has been flitting about the party trying to be social, making nice with Jack and his various guests, but she couldn't leave Diana to her own devices for too long.

Things had been a little rough for Diana since Walt's big disappearing act, and despite Jinx's best efforts Diana seemed somewhat immune to her attempts at helping her move on past the event.

Finding Diana crawling into a bottle, Jinx flops next to her on the sofa. The bells on Jinx's elf dress tinkle and ring cheerfully.

"Petey is so damn cute."

Great ice breaker. Well done Jinxy.

[keep_surviving]

Diana looks up as Jinx sits down, offering a small smile before taking another swing from her bottle.

"Of course he is."

[badluckbabe]

Jinx watches her take a swig and a wave of discomfort slides over her. Diana's never had the best coping mechanisms, but could this really be the direction things are heading? Was Diana really that miserable without Walter?

She didn't want to admit it, but she might need help with Diana in the new year. For now she just tries to steal the bottle to have a drink herself.

"So is this anything like Christmas for you back home? You know before all the terribleness?"

Open

[badluckbabe]

Jinx had been somewhat hesitant to open up to Jack and his branch of the Rocket world, if only because the last time she made nice with a admirable professional villain it ended badly for her.

But you know what? screw it! It's Christmas Time, Diana wanted to come here and have fun and so Jinx is more then ready to cast aside her issues for the night. She's even got on a dorky green dress and candy cane striped stockings to make her look like a pink haired elf.

With her Chingling Jingle trailing behind her and a couple pokemon scattered about to play with the others, Jinx had every intention of being more sociable this year...only to realize that's still harder then it sounds.

And so she'll start slow and easy, make herself a little plate of cookies, shuffle around admiring Jack's decoration handywork. Finally she'll make some off handed comment to the nearest party goer and see if it counts as an ice breaker.

"So Christmas is just one of those things huh? All kinds of other universes celebrate it? Was this what Christmas was like for you back home? Did you have a Christmas?"

Christmas Morning!

[thedifferencebetween]

[Yeah, yeah, the holiday's all about family and togetherness and that warm fuzzy bullshit. But also presents. Presents are kind of a big part of it. And Jack's pleased with the gifts he got for his little family.]

[And expecting to get some pretty good stuff himself, for all he does for everybody.]

[So when the time comes he's even got a stupid Santa hat on because that's what dads do and he is determined that this is gonna be a traditional family Christmas.]

Wake up, losers, it's goody time! Come get your shit!

[keep_surviving]

[Diana shuffles into the room in her pajamas, wrapped in a big blanket, a couple of her Pokemon following after her, including the Espurr who's already bee-lining for the tissue paper in the gift bags.]

[Ignoring the presents, Diana looks at Jack, throat dry and hoarse (probably from the drink), and asks for what she wants.]

... Breakfast...

[thedifferencebetween]

What am I, your personal chef? There's some french toast in the kitchen, you want something else, you make it yourself.

And you, back off those presents!

[The last directed to the Espurr. Jack's nervous enough around those things, the last thing they need is the whole set up getting blasted when that thing flips its ears rolling around with wrapping paper.]

[keep_surviving]

Urrrrgh!

[Diana puts her head back and stomps to the kitchen for some toast to chew on, clearly affronted Jack would not bring her breakfast, making a noise like a petulant child.]

[Petey blatantly ignores Jack, picking up a ball of paper and beginning to crinkle it with his psychic powers. Diana returns with a full mouth and a plate with far too many slices on it, sitting herself down on the rug as she chews.]

[badluckbabe]

Jinx comes shuffling out of the bedroom, hair a wild mess, looking mildly hungover.

"Mrrr chrimbis." She offered a lopsided smile of appreciation before slipping into the kitchen for coffee. Once she's got the precious life giving brew she returns to sit with the rest for gifts and the sort of Christmas morning she's never really had before.

"Here you go Jack. I didn't know what sort of things you need or wanted but I figured this might be a safe bet."

Passing a professionally looked wrapped box, she seems confident in her choice of comfy plush slippers for him. Monogrammed of course.

[thedifferencebetween]

"Well shit, look at you Strawberry Shortcake, you look like you were up late. Am I gonna have any booze left by the end of vacation?"

Not that he cares about the amount of underage drinking going on in the house. He started drinking when he was like thirteen, drinking age laws are stupid. Until there's drunk teens destroying the place, he really doesn't give a shit.

"Oh hey, thanks. Yeah, I didn't know what the hell to get you. But you're a teenage girl, so..." Jack fishes around for a hastily wrapped package he'd tossed together when he realized just how many kids he was hosting for Christmas. He figures nice chocolate and a pink set of bath crap can't go wrong. After handing it over he opens his own gift. Like he's gonna wait...

"Nice, thanks. I'll have to teach the puppy Diana got me to fetch'em for me."

[badluckbabe]

"Highly unlikely, especially if I have to keep up with Diana." Jinx was honestly shocked at how well the girl could hold her liquor. Maybe it was because she went out of her way to keep her stomach full at all times.

Accepting the box she smiled warmly and even brightened up when she saw what was inside.

"Thanks Jack. This is exactly the kind of fru fru stuff I like to indulge in whenever I can afford a nice enough bathroom to lounge in." Pokecenter shower facilities left much to be desired, but these days she was making enough money she could afford a proper hotel now and then.

"So have you always been so spirit of Christmas? Or is this a new tradition now that you're in this world?"