21st bloom; Retreat

[punchtheflowers]

[It was that time of year again. There was a small gift in the form of a satchel of tea leaves for the people that Vinnie considered family. Red got a strong, black tea; Marie, a sweet berry tea blend; Sasha's had spicy peppercherry as a base. Though not technically a member of his team, Voile still received a subtle, white tea.

However: this year, for whatever reason, Green and Blue's team also got a surprise present. Green tea was reserved for Green (ha ha); Bulba was paired with sweet-smelling jasmine leaves; Char had smoky, cinder horse mix; Jolt's was a refreshing oolong; even Nyx got something, a ginger tea. Blue, on the other hand, was given a chrysanthemum tea, and both Jock and Blake got classic belle tart seed.

Each packet was signed with a scribble of a flower.

Max, on the other hand, got a mug.]

= = =

I'm heading home for a bit t'check up on family. There's some shit I need t'take care of in Vermilion, too. I've got my phone if you need me - it's some sort've satellite thing, so it oughta work even if I'm not in the usual reception range.

M, Sis, you've been through this already. Be careful an' look out for V and everyone else. You'll be fine without me. Red...

...

Be there for them. I'll talk t'you when I get back.

= = =

[Ishimaru, Vivian, and Rick also received private emails. It wasn't as though Vinnie knew them very well, but he felt as though it was still worth saying something to them. A certain empathy spoke to him, as it were, even if he didn't have all the facts.]

I don't know you, and I don't know what happened, but if you did what you had to, then don't blame yourself for what was self-defense.

It'll be okay.

✿

Comments

[rivalsweetscent]

[It might have been more accurate to say that Bulba was just too Bulba. It was never as though he was a huge fan of the bitterness the whole rivalry had in the first place.]

Some of them, maybe. [Sasha seemed content with whatever it was she was doing. Marie might have hit the point he was willing to reach for. Red... who even knew. Vinnie was still trying, he knew. Bulba glanced at the mug in Char's hands.]

Some of them still care, they just... care differently now. That probably isn't your cup of tea but...

[Bulba paused when he realized what he said and shook his head with a dumb half-smile. But he stayed quiet for a moment, mulling that thought over.]

... But if things were still the same, what would we even be trying to win anymore?

[rivalkidneypunch]

[This was starting to stray into concepts that were a little hard to explain. He knew that Bulba really was not big on competition at all -- select members' tittiness aside, he probably would have loved if they'd switched to having contented hangouts instead of going head to head ages ago -- so he wasn't entirely sure how to convey the appeal inherent in the struggle itself. He gave a subtle nod down to his left shoulder, where that tattoo Max'd given him lurked under his sleeve.]

It's the same thing as this. Bein' strongest ain't really something you win and then you're done forever. It wasn't just tryin' to be Champion or whatever, it was... when it's a proper rivalry, you it's more about beatin' yourself than just beatin' each other. Tryin' to get better'n you used to be ain't something that's supposed to have an end point, the way I see it.

[Also: that poffin you made earlier. It still smells really good. He's eyeing it. Can he, Bulba. Because probably he's gonna. He needs something to make up for that unintentional pun.]

[rivalsweetscent]

Ah.

[He said it with a shrouded sense of understanding. He was sure he missed a deeper part of it- Char had taken most of his instinctual pride with him when Bulba had gotten a taste of what being a Charizard was like. He couldn't claim to understand that much to it, but to an extent... yeah, he got that. At least he thought he did.]

So it's kind of like... your actual rival is yourself. If you can beat someone you couldn't before, it just means you bested yourself. Something like that?

[PS: Bulba just went ahead and handed the poffin over. It was for you Char. Sorry about the puns.]

[rivalkidneypunch]

Something like that, yeah. But if they just stop givin' a shit about tryin' after they've got their win, then you ain't never gonna have the chance to earn that, y'know? I 'unno, guess I just can't stand gettin' left behind, even if they're movin' backwards.

[Aww yiss. Poffin, you are his. He said nothing about the mutual aspect of it -- Char was not somebody in the habit of caring about people, so obviously he did not get invested in that in the least at all ever.]

...Whatever. They can do whatever the hell they want. Still don't make presents from Vinnie any less weird, though.

[He said around a mouthful of poffin. Jeez, Char, don't talk with your mouth full.]

[rivalsweetscent]

I guess it depends on if they actually thought they won.

[Bulba moved to turn the burner back on now that the evidence of his poffin starts was getting gobbled up.]

You could always ask him about what it actually means though. The tea, I mean. Or for a match, I guess, if you'd rather figure it out that way.

[He glanced at the berries on the counter, then motioned towards what was left of the poffin.]

Would you like another one?

[rivalkidneypunch]

Who cares what they think? All I know's I ain't satisfied.

[He finished off the last of that poffin, his gaze drifting back down to the surface of his tea. ...It still sat weirdly with him, but Bulba was making sense: no point in speculating on it too much right now when he could just get things sorted out later. He shelved all those thoughts for the time being. There was breakfast to be eaten.]

...Yeah, sure, I could go for another.