#karen thread

It was a mistake meeting up with Karen. Getting a pizza and a beer. In Karen's case, a few more than that. She was drunk and she kissed him. He pushed her away, slightly. "That's not a good idea, Karen."

       The Spoiled Princess was a personal favorite of Clair’s.  A famous tavern, it was a haven for the hard-working citizens in Mahogany.  Its exterior was clean and cheerful, with clay bricks and well-crafted wooden beams making up most of the outer structure.  The inside was just as alluring as it was on the outside.  On its walls hung all sorts of travel memorabilia, all cherished by the owner.  Sawyer always boasted about the time he wrangled a Pokémon called Avalugg in Kalos.  In the picture, he and the local Gym Leader were on its back, smiling.

       Today, like every other day, Sawyer manned the bar.  Though engaged in conversation with another patron, he still greeted her with a wave.  Clair gave him a forced smile.  The man had been good to her these past few years, and she wouldn’t ruin it because of her sour mood.  She glanced around, looking for familiar faces, but found nothing but strangers.  In fact, Clair hadn’t expected the tavern to be this busy.  Not only was the bar packed, but the smaller tables all had people enjoying themselves.  Perhaps too much, if such a thing was possible.  Clair frowned.  She wasn’t lucky enough to be so happy.

       Determined to find a table for two, Clair managed to find a seat at the back of the building.  It was going be a horrible evening.  She slumped over the table and rested her head in her hand with an enormous sigh.  A young man walked over to her, his face filled with eagerness.  Clair didn't wait for him to open his mouth before ordering the barkeep’s favorite.  Sky-High Silver Swanna was a stupid name to be sure, but its cranberry taste was unlike any other.  Clair loved her tea shop, but when she needed something strong, she went to The Spoiled Princess.

       Clair sat in silence for several minutes, stewing in her emotions.  Anger was nothing new.  Sitting all alone, waiting for someone who might not come, Clair felt like a teenager all over again.  She clenched her free hand into a fist, feeling her nails dig into skin.  She hated waiting.

       After what seemed like a year later, the bright-eyed server brought her her drink.  She waved him off, telling him to come back later, no doubt ruining his expectations.  Clair didn't care—he would just have to wait.  She was expecting someone.

       Drink in hand, Clair flipped open her Poké Gear, hoping her friend replied back.  She hated the thing; she only used it for phone calls.  0 New Voicemails flashed on the screen.  This is a waste of time, Clair thought, downing half her vodka.  She set the glass and the phone on the wooden table and got comfortable in her chair, her arm hanging off the back of it.  Several of the other patrons must have felt her glare, for they avoided her gaze completely.  Clair huffed.  She didn’t care what they thought, anyway.

       And then, finally, all Clair’s waiting was over.  That long, silvery-blue hair was as unmistakable as her own.  Karen’s familiar face was a welcome sight.  “I was starting to think you weren’t going to show up,” Clair spoke.  She motioned to the chair in front of her with a wave of her hand.  Once Karen sat down, Clair switched positions.  She sighed and put her face in her hands.