Auction

-Before entering, "Maria Rakdos" had met up with her entourage. Her 'patron' Serana Volkihar had checked in the painting she brought. Now that both of them were inside the building and were drifting around the floor basically as a single unit, Serana taking the lead and "Maria" feigning meekness in following her 'patron'-

-Being a quiet, passive follower just made it easier to listen to the background hum to search for topics of interest-

stormchaser

-Lila is sitting on a sofa with Danny, chatting about something.-

Danny: Well, that's cool. I wonder if it would still be possible to recover them... Like, I heard it's possible.

Lila: Yeah, I might ask around. I'm not expecting to remember everything, but if I could get back just a few... Didn't you say Gwen's got a cold?

Danny: Yup. I had it a bit ago. All I can say is I'm glad I don't sneeze out exploding seeds.

Lila: But isn't it possible to just stay human?

Danny: Usually, yes. But, with a bug like this things always seem to go wrong.

Lila: I hope I don't get it.

Auction

A man who looked kind of like Seneca Crane would come in.

Lester: Okay, so what's actually up for grabs?

He set his eyes on a certain painting. It was one of Henry Monet's works.

Lester: Woah! That looks incredible!

He coughed and took a moment to calm down. He didn't want to look unprofessional in public.

Diego (Lester's Mudkip): <Agreed.>

Edited by Routeferret on Mar 3rd 2019 at 4:07:36 PM

Lowell Macraul's house

Marius: Okay, I'm detecting some activity at the outer edge of the property.

Guinevere: Another stray furfrou scrounging in the garbage area?

Marius: No, something else. Shall we turn on the night vision security cameras?

Guinevere: Why not. If it's another zigzagoon raiding the garbage cans like last time.

Marius: Oh, come on Gwen, let it go!

Pewter City Pokémon Center, Yesterday

Me: You're here for your Gym Challenge? So am I, actually!

In fact, I was wondering if there were members of the J-Team around this area, seeing as they are spread out quite a ways...

...say, not to be rude or anything, but you wouldn't happen to be a member of the J-Team yourself, would you?

-I suddenly realize that they aren't there...-

Me: Welp... I'll see them in the morning...

Pewter City, Today

-Good Morning-

Me: Good morning, world!

I'm ready for whatever you have to throw at me!

-I look around for Lucius and Halsei-

Me: They must've headed out to train for their Gym Battle...

Piku-chan: <Yes, and I highly recommend that you do the same...>

Me: Right... and that's exactly what I will do!

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Mar 2nd 2019 at 7:08:10 AM

Pewter

A cowboy rides into town, with a Whimsicott on his shoulder.

<Why here?>

"Reliable sources tell me Lucius is here."

<You've been snooping on the J-Team chat, have you?>

"I can't help if they won't take me off. I was still on it when I was workin' for Mobius."

They may be approached.

St. Aldrich Manor, Auction - Past

-Ciela gives a wide smile and leans towards Dr. Reese.-

Ciela: Oh, a bit of this and a bit of that. Father is a man of rather esoteric tastes, so I never know quite what he wants. I just look for anything that's a little bit out there that happens to pique my interests as well. You wouldn't happen to have anything like that tucked away in that labcoat of yours, would you~?

-She giggles a little at her own joke.-

-Upon being addressed by Victor, Edouard turns to face him, looking faintly surprised.-

Edouard: ...I'm afraid you must have me mistaken for someone else, sir. I just have one of those faces - everyone wants to remember me from somewhere.

-The young lady he's with giggles again, and Edouard smiles, before extending an embossed business card to Victor.-

Edouard: Edouard le Fanu, attorney at law. After all, an attorney outlaw wouldn't be much use, would he?

Pewter City

-Lucius smiles and gives Halsei a quick pat on the ears.-

Lucius: Glad to hear it. Let's get going, then.

-He starts wandering towards the gym, EDI floating behind him.-

EDI: <I estimate a maximum 80% chance of success. Rounding down.>

Edited by Herbert40k on Mar 2nd 2019 at 12:33:03 PM

St. Aldrich Manor Auction

Jonathan: Okay, Walter, what have you found?

Walter: Why do I have to do the Googling for you?

Jonathan: Because I am busy.

Walter: Busy not moving on from your breakup?

Jonathan: Can we please not bring that up? How many shady folk have we spotted so far?

Walter: Well, besides members of the Macraul family—one of whom seems to be named after a historical Macraul that your old friend made a statue of—there's this fellow named Sieur Helstrand, who seems to be some nobleman from the east of the region.

Jonathan: Oh, the guy that kept giving me the heebie jeebies

Walter: The fabulous Priscilla Kwan, going by an alias, possibly on an off-the-books assignment from Dr. Tagg.

Jonathan: Probably for the same reasons, no doubt. And who else?

Walter: A few no-name socialites such as Ciela Messano and Serana Volkihar and their respective entourages.

Jonathan: More spoiled brats.

Walter: The shut-in Pokémon sanctuary manager Lester Kasumi. And a guy named Jack Gideon who represents a tech company.

Jonathan: We've a long day ahead of us.

Edited by MasterJayAM on Mar 4th 2019 at 9:39:27 PM

The ears are pet as intended, but retract a bit reactively out of a slight tension before going back. Halsei follows Lucius towards the gym.

Halsei: <80%? That's higher than my number, at least... I wouldn't know, though, I'm not a supercomputer or a digital entity or something. Also... do you think having a seperate name for my mon form was a good idea? I think it was, at least.>

Their scarf is oddly having trouble obeying the laws of physics to some extent as they move, floating a bit as if its gravity was reduced. Halsei doesn't notice, though.

Pewter City

-I look around town and see a cowboy with a Whimsicott on his shoulder... It's Des!-

Me: Well well... If it isn't Des... We meet again.

Pewter

He stops Jovi in front of Ian.

"Oh hey, did you beat Fuschia gym?"

Pewter City

Me: Nope. I thought I'd challenge the Gyms in this region in order...

...Piku-chan told me that Pewter City was a good place t'start my Gym challenge...

...but that leaves the question...

-I tilt my head-

Do I have to pick up a Starter Pokémon from Prof. Oak's lab before I start my Gym Challenge for real?

Pewter

He dismounts. Pria hops off his shoulder.

"No, you can challenge the gyms in any order. You just need at least one 'mon on your team. Also leaders will use different teams depending on how strong your team is. They want to provide you with a challenge, not to steamroll over you."

Pewter City

Me: Good point...

Though I have heard rumors about the Goldenrod City Gym in Johto where the Gym Leader's Miltank is quite a challenge...

Someplace Urban, Park

-Pent needed time alone-

-Something had installed itself on his phone and he had forgotten what it was-

-His thoughts niggled that it was a Velvet Room thing. They didn't need this last time...-

-He sighed and laid back in the grass to ponder what any of this actually meant-

Angela Coast, Bungalow

Susan: #Raging depths aside it didn't bold me,
I let that stormy... storm go and control...d me...#

-She lets out a wordless groan of frustration and collapsed in the most graceful way she could manage onto the couch-

Susan: #I can push aside what I've become,
Engage the thinging of the bluh...#

~Ding. Ding.~

-Another groan, but a different one to the previous one as she swings back off the couch slowly-

Susan: Yeah I'm coming.

-She checked her band before walking over to the door and opening it for the Delibird standing there-

Delivery Delibird: <What's with all the humans in this area?>

-It holds up the clipboard and then steps to the side to wait-

Delivery Delibird: <Really need to take less urban shifts...>

-Susan signs the clipboard before quickly ducking into the kitchen to grab some Berries-

Susan: Hey, have a tip.

-She hands over the berries and clipboard. The Delibird looks a little surprised but shrugs and hands over the rectangular package in one of those envelopes with the integrated bubble wrap on the inside-

Delivery Delibird: <Heh, I'd say thanks but she'd...>

Susan: You're welcome.

-The Delibird looks a little more surprised before deciding to leave before things get any lowkey weirder-

Susan: Delibird delivery. Delibirdvery. #Package from a pachid-...# Wrong animal.

-She closes the door and checks the mailer, first the mailing address and then the return...-

Susan: How did he get this address..?

Jack just watched as Reese seemed ready to talk, Ceila was good at this, it was unnerving.

"If you will excuse me miss, I think I just saw a Henry Monet original," Jack said watching a painting of a man in blue knight's armor be moved by.

Reese turned to Jack, "Oh? Interested in the tale of the undying knight?"

"Fascinated really."

Harper quickly broadcast to Jack alone, ~Don't trip us up with your hero worship of Arthur.~

"It's a interesting story, has me and my cohorts interested, reminds me a bit of our work."

"Feel free to tell Miss Messano all about it then, I know her Father is far more interested in the tale of immortality."

With that Jack was off, leaving Reese with Ceila.

"Immortality, such a fascinating thing, a few of my associates are researching it. Bah you don't care for the boring talk of a scientist do you?"

Victor stared at the card, then at the man before him, he narrowed his eyes in a glare and sent out a little psychic message, ~Lie all you want but the scent of your aura remains the same, even all these years later.~

Victor crumpled the card and walked off, ironically passing a picture of what appeared to be him.

St Aldrich Manor

-Artyom admires the painting of Victor as the real article passes by.-

Is that the guy Is - doesn't matter.

-He seems to be at a loss as to who to investigate.-

Angela Coast, Bungalow

Latias: Okay. So this is...

Susan: I told you about him...

-Susan had left the package there on the kitchen table, unopened-

Latias: I'm gonna need a refresher, for the kids up the back.

-Latias slightly boops the package and turns to get some water-

Susan: Alright so I've only met the guy twice. First time was at that New Year's Eve party and he seemed pretty normal for a fan just wanted an autograph and watched the fireworks with me. But then he turned up at a charity event last Halloween and he was... A bit creepier, I think he was trying to slip me something...

Latias: Okay. So his sum total of creepiness is 'asked for an autograph' and 'wanted to give you a bottle of water'. That's...

-Latias takes a seat back at the table and prods the package again-

Susan: And sending this package to here of all places. I don't give out my addresses...

Latias: Alright. Still like it doesn't seem that bad. Worth a little paranoia but he might just be enthusiastic and harmless. Let's crack the thing open and see what fanmail he's sent yeah?

Susan: You do it.

-Latias shrugs and tears open the envelope, facing away from her. Inside is a small stack of papers and a... VHS tape-

Latias: Uh...

Susan: Uh...

-Susan picks up one of the pieces of paper and pales at what's on it: A list of addresses. Her addresses. Latias plucks up another page, a printout of a screenshot of [Google] Maps showing a place in Jubilife-

Latias: This is weird.

Susan: ... We need to see what's on that tape.

-She picks up the third paper, a photo of an empty stage with a microphone which has had the words "Come, let us talk" and "I'll take away your pain" put onto it, likely with [Windows Paint]-

Susan: I feel like this is blackmail but beyond the addresses I don't know for sure...

Latias: Do we even have a VHS player?

-Susan's phone rings.-

Angela Bungalow

Latias: I'll get it.

Susan: No, I should. If it's him then I'll need to be on the line anyway to negotiate...

-Susan gets up, throws the pieces of paper she picked up back onto the table and answers the phone-

Susan: Yes?

-A man with glasses and wearing a frock coat and ascot appears on the display.-

Ren: -sees who picked up- Oh good. Good afternoon, Miss Susan. I am not sure if we've formally met, but I am Renard Clavis. I am good friends with Pentigan.

Susan: J-Team then?

-She glances at the package again briefly-

Susan: To what do I owe this call?

-Ren smiles pleasantly.-

Ren: Correct. J-Team. But I am not calling about J-Team matters. I am calling to ask you if you would consider signing with my agency, Clavis Entertainment Talent and Advisory. I have done some research and noticed you manage everything yourself. And since I am in the process of trying to bring some talent into my agency, I thought it would be mutually beneficial to offer you a place on my agency's roster.

-It should be very clear by his expression and body language, that Ren has absolutely no clue about the stalker and this call's timing was pure coincidence.-

Edited by keys2tkingdom on Mar 2nd 2019 at 12:08:39 PM

Susan: Oh! Uh... I mean I'd have to do some paperwork, maybe come up with a new song or two... ... Hey uh... Actually something happened and I might need some J-Team assistance on it, do you know where I can play one of those old VHS tapes?