[X] My Assistant

[Troy Bolton]

The man gulped down the rest of his black coffee and signaled the matronly old woman for more. The 5 crumpled fake sweeteners lay end to end, onlookers of a crime. His gaze, for a moment, flickered away from the softly glowing screen to the laughing bistro tables overfilled by teenagers with dyed hair to couples leaning intertwined. Swirling the last dregs of his expensive coffee over his contemplating of his table partner- only served to encourage him to get a life and leave so someone could liven the cold porcelain with talk and laughter.

"Anythin' you need, hun?" He took a deep breath, letting the acrid scent of espresso wind its way in and out before he spoke.

Anything he needed? Well, first off, he needed an assistant. Someone to keep his files together, make sure his tie was on the right way, and make sure the blue streaks in his hair were well hidden. Secondly, he needed a doctor. Messrs Tim and Gary had done their work, making sure Noverus would stay in short supply of Advil for months to come, even more so than usual. Thirdly, perhaps fitting with the first part, he needed a friend. It was blindingly obvious to all that he lacked people skills, but his damnable pride would not allow him to take a seminar. A friend would force him to those seminars, or better yet, talk to him, make him learn by trial and error.

"Anything I need? Yes, I need some more of this coffee." The old woman's hand remained up for a moment, as if debating whether or not to delve deeper. This man had been coming in for the last week or so. He had a routine, now, ordered one coffee, asked for it to be kosher, then drowned it in Splenda*. Then he'd sit at that table in the back and pull out his laptop. She even knew his name, now.

Seymour.

People did need to look after themselves first. These were tough, troubled times, and every bit of rope used to lend a hand could be put to use making ends meet. Pursing her lips, the woman shook her head and walked away. There'd be no charge for tomorrow, anyhow.

Efnlekh Egoizm
Public Selfishness

An entire week of coffee and Splenda. That and Advil were keeping him together. And he still didn't know what Magma wanted him to do. Messrs Tim and Gary either hadn't explained exactly what they wanted when they gave him the number, and the voice on the other side hadn't exactly been clear.

When the old woman returned, he drank down the coffee in three gulps, returned his laptop to his briefcase, and left, leaving exactly 14% of his payment in the tip jar. The bell jangled happily as he left, taking the scent of freshly baked muffins with him.

Falafels, hot dogs, the smell of ozone mixed with that of the sea: when had the Port District turn into the Town Fair? The accountant looked around, searching for the source. When he didn't find it, he turned down a dingy alley leading behind the shop.

It was then that he saw it. Behind the shop was a stretch of water covered on both sides. As far as he could tell, the only time it would be exposed was at the beginning of the morning. The rest of the time, it'd be covered by shadow.

Nothing too strange, right? Seymour thought that, too, before the submarine surfaced. He gasped, pressing himself against the grimy wall that stank of plain dank garbage. The hatch opened, and a big man burst out, holding strange looking Pokeballs, some kind of stone, and circuitry, all wrapped in plastic. The plastic container was put, under tarp and, covertly, put into the shop.

Seymour didn't need to see more. He quietly shuffled out, looking through the window as he passed the shop. The old woman waved at him.

Posters would be found over Noverus, beginning later that day.

"If you are interested in fair pay, please meet me at Josie's Java in the Port District."

~The Next Day~

He hoped this'd work.

[Evren Vale]

Elysian was down on his luck. If he had much to begin with. In the few days he had been in Noverus, his reserves of money, which were already quite small, dwindled to nothing. People tended to give him shady looks, and he swore someone was tailing him one day, as if here was going to be robbed. Only swift action and the glowing horn of his little Ralts gave him fair warning to travel in a more well-populated section of town.

Some adventure this has turned out to be.

Already his stomach growled as he sat down on a bench in a park, his feet aching from constant travel. Frustratingly unwrapping a a candy bar, he eyed the receipt, frowning at the outrageous price.

"Four bucks for a piece of chocolate, my eye." He mumbled, breaking off a piece. In a flash of light his Pokemon emerged, ready to savor their glorious 'meal.' "Here guys." Regaining his enthusiastic composure, he handed out the candy. He should have realized handing Glaive a piece first was a bad idea, but that hit him at about the same time the Aron did. The small steel creature had more in common with a dog than a iron munching monster, jumping happily at his master's arm to gobble up the food, ramming it's metal head into Elysian's hand hard. Pulling back immediately, Elysian cradled his hand in a playful manner, giving a fake act of scorn to his companion. "Just rip the entire thing off next time and save me the trouble!" He shot at the little pocket monster. His smile made it clear it was a joke, but either effect was lost on Glaive as it happily chewed it's small amount of food, it's eyes closed in appreciation at his trainer.

Elysian soon felt a small tug on his left sleeve, turning to see Murasame. He couldn't help but laugh as the Ralts was pulling with all of it's effort and only registering as a meek grab. Patting the tiny Pokemon as gently as possible, he held out a piece of chocolate it's arms could grasp. "No need to get feisty, Murasame. I wouldn't forget you." He spoke encouragingly, scratching it under it's 'hat.' Rising, he looked around, messing his hair up with his left hand a little. "Now, for the trouble maker..." He mocked. To others, it could be seen as an insult, but Xeron and Elysian had a different relationship than most. However, Elysian realized he wasn't seeing his Pokemon. "Uh oh, this isn't good."

A feather twitched. Xeron clung to his branch tightly, inching forward. His eyes fixated on a small nest a pair of eggs resting in it. Xeron licked his lips, embracing the predator within. Before he could react, he heard his Elysian. He turned his head, hissing a little. He didn't dislike the human, but he didn't want to be interrupted during his hunt. Besides, he disdained human food, preferring the 'real stuff' anytime. He returned his attention back to the nest, gritting his teeth. In that small moment, the mother Starly had returned. Luck was on his side, though, as the bird did not notice him. Bringing air into his lungs, Xeron let out an ear piercing screech. The Starly squawked in confusion, immediately taking off in fear of the unknown noise. Xeron made a small noise comparable to laughter as he quickly moved forward to claim the eggs for himself. As he gripped them in his claws, he could hear there liquid insides, assuring him of plenty of yoke. Quickly flipping, he landed on the ground eying his prize. Couldn't have been done better. Except for the stupid momma bird, but that didn't matter as he sank his fangs into the first egg. Small movement alerted him to Elysian's presence, who had saw the dismount. The horror on his trainers face, though, made it clear something bad was about to happen.

A minute earlier...

Elysian realized three things might have happened when his Sneasel did not skulk his way to the happy group. One, Xeron had finally fled and was gone forever. This left his mind quickly given their mutual bond. Two, someone had stolen him just now. This also fled his brain as who in their right mind would TRY to steal him. That leaves the third and worst option. He was hunting. He glanced around his surroundings, realizing there were plenty of trees, meaning plenty of bird Pokemon. If there were eggs, it was even better. The ear splitting scream emitting from a nearby tree confirmed these fears. "Oh hell." He stated, putting a palm on his face. It occurred to him he didn't know how well the situation would go over with the locals, but he was more concerned with the flock of Starly that rose out of the tree, screeching in anger as they flew around the tree, trying to find what disturbed their lovely nap. Elysian's mouth dropped lower as a Staraptor emerged from the tree, cawing loudly. This. Was. Not. Happening. All of this climaxed with his 'stealthy' Sneasel flipping out of the tree, promptly sitting down to enjoy his find. Only when Xeron looked into Elysian's tiny eyes did he realize what was going on.

RUN

Before Elysian even moved, Xeron already was sprinting at top speed, a well placed whirlwind hitting where he had been standing. Which was funny, because, as far as Sneasel's are concerned, he was kinda slow. Getting chased by a angry horde of birds usually provides motivation, though. Elysian had already wasted no time returning his other two Pokemon, who would be unable to keep up. He considered returning Xeron too. The image of a gigantic red bullseye painted on his back quickly made him forget it. Besides, Xeron could dodge far better then Elysian could ever hope. But, at this point, he was more concerned that he left his candy bar back on the bench. Man, was he hungry. Of course, his thoughts turned to an inevitable job hunt the next couple of days, as he only had enough funds for two more days max, and... Wait, why the hell was he thinking about this? HE HAD A TRUCKLOAD OF PISSED OFF BIRDS CHASING HIM!

"Huh, what's this?" He quickly skidded to a halt as he backpedaled in a comic fashion, running in place.

"If you are interested in fair pay, please meet me at Josie's Java in the Port District."

He calmly read, examining the poster carefully. A light bulb floated in his imagination. "Yes! This is exactly what I was looking for." He ceased moving, instinctively yelling loud enough for his dark Pokemon to hear him. "Xeron! I may have found a job!" He cried with enthusiasm. A sharp pain emerged from his calf as Xeron slashed at him lightly, his eyes furrowed. "OW! What was that for, Xeron!" Elysian cried in a mocking tone. The Sneasel pointed forward. Elysian turned to see the Starly's/Staraptor glaring furiously. In fact their eyes looked red. "Oh. That." He grinned as if embarrassed. "Well, this is awkward." Xeron sighed as he walked up to his Trainers side, manually returning himself to his pokeball. A small tear formed at the edge of Elysian right eye. "Well..." He composed himself, standing straight. "I guess... I'm left with no choice." He muttered, his face getting serious. "Gotta go!" He smiled, bolting to his right in a cloud of dust. Without a second thought, he plunged face first into the sea. If the ocean was nearby, then the Port section should be close. As long as the birds couldn't swim...

An Hour later...

He pulled himself out of the water, slapping against the ground. His lungs gasped for air as his eyes checked both the skies and the sea. He wasn't sure what was worse, getting pecked to death by birds or eaten by sea monsters. Preferably neither, but at least the second choice should be quicker. Rolling over, he looked around, all dizzy. A old man sitting nearby on the ground stared at him dumbfounded, ignoring the tugging on his fishing rod.

"You 'kay, son?" He asked, glancing at the unnamed liquid by his side to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Elysian by this point was not only soaking wet, out of breath, with his hair curling like it was alive, but also a fishing net on his head. It's right to wonder if you were seeing things.

"J..Java....Josie..." Elysian wheezed, burying his face in the mud. Scratching his head, pointed toward the direction of some buildings.

"Josie's Java? Up there, to the right. Can't miss it." Elysian nodded the best he could, trying to stand on his wobbly legs. "You need some help, kid?" The fisherman asked.

"Nah. I'll just go up...*breath* here, and stuff. And, ya know, faint, or something. Bye." He casually replied, staggering up the hill. The fisherman simply shook his head, returning his eyes to the waters. The old man was right. Josie's Java was clear as day. Then again, everyplace looked the same to him at the moment, so he could have been mistaken. Maybe the aroma of coffee would jump start his memories. Oh wait, he couldn't smell. Moving with the intentiveness of a Zombie, Elysian entered one of the buildings. Eyes were drawn to him fairly quickly, as a sopping wet teenager wearing a net as a hat isn't something you see everyday. The cups in their hands made it clear he was at the right place. He smiled as he rose his hand, asking a question as if he were in a classroom. "Is there a job for sale here, or something?"

This post has been edited by Elysian Sable: Apr 26 2009, 08:47 AM

[Anko]

Beryl had happened upon one of the posters while venturing out for her last of many job seeking trips and was quite happy... as happy as Beryl could get at least, to have finally found what could be a pretty good lead towards earning some new cash. She really had no idea what the heck was going on, but the job certainly had to beat asking 'Would you like fries with that?' day in and day out. She really shouldn't be that choosy, but going from pop star to fast food ...restaurant ...order taker... girl... whatever they're called, was just sinking way too far for her standards.

The former star was now forced down to the level of sitting in a modest diner, bashing her head into the table weakly over and over again as she struggled to get over a hangover, stopping every few table-to-head connections to actually sip her coffee. The stuff was strong... disgustingly strong really and she couldn't stand the crap, but it was the best cure for her ailment and so it was a ritual of hers to drink straight, black coffee during every painful day she had to go without her booze.

Every crack against the table was joined in painful duet by a tiny grunt from her, followed up by an excrutiating groan as she lifted her head up a bit and then a new smack and grunt as she came back down. The entire time she had to keep telling herself that all this was worth it. She'd get the job and the pay and be a very happy young woman when this was all over, although happy was likely stretching it let alone VERY happy... At least she'd have money.

Of course that was only one thing that Beryl needed out of many, but that would hopefully lead up to the others. She needed a new, permanent home, a reliable mode of transportation that wasn't public and smelly, a lot of painkillers and possibly a drinking buddy or two. Beryl had literally lost it all when her career took that nosedive, even her friends revealing their true nature as she begged for help. ...And people wonder why she's always so negative... idiots.

Her attention was almost instantly grabbed, stopping her banging head and actually looking up, as a reject from 'It Came From the Sea!' walked through the doors. It kinda reminded her of that one time she decided it would be fun to get stinkin' trashed and 'borrow' a boat from the dock. She'd never do that again...

Despite having gained her attention, though, Beryl made no effort to respond to him. She just went back to banging her head on the table after casting him a look of disgust... How uncouth...

[Troy Bolton]

"Sir?"

A crackle from the PokeGear.

"Sandy?" It was an awkward reunion, perhaps more akin to a couple finding themselves on separate trips to a tropic location, despite telling the other they were taking care of their sick mother.

"Ah, it's Bill, actually, and I've been assigned to provide support."

"Really?"

"Well, no, but my CO told me to do whatever I wanted to, an-"

"And the first thing you thought was talk to me. That's sweet."

"Ah, no-" CONNECTION ENDED.


As Seymour walked into Josie's, he at once noticed three things- one and two, new people. A girl in her teens was at his favourite table, apparently intent upon smashing it in two, which does little to lead us to the second thing: a lad sopping wet all over with a net on his head.

Oh, great, an idiot.

Then he began yelling about a job 'or something' for sale.

Oh, great, an idiot sent to help me.

The third thing was that they were out of decaf, as evidenced by the "No Decaf" sign.

"Shut up," he hissed to the boy, who was still raising his hand like he was in school, the shmegegi, "and dry yourself off, I'll be with you in a moment."

But first, to deal with the problem of the woman attempting face-karate and perhaps get himself an espresso with one of those amarreto shots. The latter problem was done first. The accountant strode to the counter, gave his order, paid, and turned around. With a scone in hand, he walked over to his, yes, his table

"Would you desist, please? This is my favourite table, and it would not be much good for it, or your face, to break apart. You're clearly not a regular here." He lowered his voice. "Have you perhaps come in seeking fair pay?"

Presently, he seated himself. He would finish his coffee, then go out and see if SwampBoy, he, and perhaps the suicidal one could do anything about the smugglers.

A plan? No. An urge to not be beaten with a hair of his life? Yes. One could easily lead to another, in time.

[Ghostsquid]

Really, the least he could have done was curl in a corner and weep to death. His legs felt like a ton of Aron’s were clinging on them and his hair felt like a nest for a pair of Pidgeys. Letting out a deep sigh, the gangly teen slumped onto a bench and ran his hands irritably through his oddly colored hair. There was no money in his money pouch and the only thing left for him and his pokemon to dine on was half a bread and a cup of lukewarm water. Pulling a disgusted face, DuFor peeled the crust off, he really hated those things, and slapped the bottle of water on the ground.
“Well. Here we go.” He muttered darkly, his icy grey eyes washed over the now naked piece of bread as if he was thinking over what to do with the sad excuse for lunch. Him and his pokemon hadn’t had breakfast that morning and he sure felt it in the pit of his growling stomach. With a last sigh, he let out all three of his pokemon. They had no nickname attached to them, he found it atrociously dumb, and so they went off their species name. Folding the bread vertically, he broke it then folded it horizontally to end up with four small square shaped bread pieces. A perfect number for his unlucky team. Riolu clambered up onto the bench, eyeing the piece of food hesitantly before grabbing it in his paws. Shoving it in his mouth like some starved dragon, the small fox-like pokemon dribbled bits of crumb about as he chewed madly. Dratini seemed content on showing his manners as he took a small bite out and chewed thoroughly before taking another bite. And Elekid….well he seemed happy to flop the bread piece about, banging it on the ground before ramming it in his mouth. A smile curled out from the electric pokemon as he ate it in one big go.
“Slow down. You’ll choke.” DuFor muttered, trying hard not to smile. Sure, he had nice teeth, but he never saw himself as the smiley kind of fellow; a frown was more suited for the serious kid than a giggle or even a smirk. Twisting his lips down into a deep set frown, DuFor dusted the crumbs off of his stark white, but clearly wrinkled, shirt. It was a miracle his shirt had actually survived this far without getting damaged. He was sure with Elekid’s almost reckless behavior it’d fall into tatters by now. Lifting his own meal up, he tore off a piece and chewed it absently, his mind whirling madly about what to do next. He’d come to this Noverus place on a whim you could say and his insatiable curiosity, but more on the whim that something decent might happen if he was here.

Riolu swung his legs back and forth as he gazed curiously up at the Starly’s gathering on a nearby tree. Tilting his head, he ignored the small protest from Dratini when his small paws smacked against the dragon pokemon’s head. By now the small pokemon should have been annoyed by the abuse his fellow teammate was giving him, but instead the long formed pokemon grabbed the last piece of food and moved to comfortably sit on DuFor’s other side. Blinking, the pale boy gazed first at Riolu then at his Dratini. Well, beside his Elekid, his team was fairly calm and relaxed. Elekid was just the odd one of the bunch; he was always a bit crazy and energetic, like someone in a very big candy store. With a surge, DuFor shot up. His legs protested, not wanting to go any further, but he couldn’t just lollygag around the park like some bum. Even if that ridiculous statement was true. Zapping his pokemon back in, the boy practically flew off to god only knew where. His share of the bread clearly hadn’t done much for him and his stomach still panged like hell. Grimacing, he resisted the urge to hug his stomach, finding it better to stand straight and not bent over double like some crazy hobo. A job seemed to be the only thing that could cure his stomach pains and the thought of having one…well it was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing that he would get paid for working, but a curse in that he didn’t know how long he’d have to stay to make his money’s worth. DuFor wanted to travel not stand behind a grill flipping happy burgers all day. To be honest, he’d rather flip those burgers in someone’s grinning face than shoving them between two buns.

The street was like any normal street though the air was filled with tension. Blinking, he swept his eyes over the place, noting each and everything that passed by him and what caught his eyes was…well, a nice little poster. Leaning forward, his nose almost touching the paper, DuFor scanned over the poster as quickly as he could before he pulled out a rare grin. Alright, this sounded like a decent job for him. All he need to do was find this…this Josie Java and get that damn job. Shoving his hands into his jean pockets, he stomped off to where he hoped was the direction this Joise Java was located in. DuFor was sure he had seen that place before, or at least read it somewhere.

The café was rather sub par for his tastes, but DuFor would have to curb his tongue if he wanted this job. Tugging at his long hair, the boy slipped through and sat down at a tablet opposite from the girl who seemed to want to hurt herself. What? Was she dumb or just in spiraling into madness? Tsking, he turned his head away and glared at the wall in front of him. The small hum of noise around him was easily ignored as he crossed his arms over his chest and muttered darkly enough for quite a few people to hear.
“I’d better get the job…” Leaning back in his chair, he gave one last look around him before dropping his eyes to the boy who suddenly shouted about a job of some sort. Great. Now he had to compete with a loud-mouthed moron.

[Evren Vale]

Elysian quickly did a double take. First was the girl with the crimson eyes. It seemed as if her glare bore though him, ripping his soul asunder. She stood out quite a bit, though, as she continued to pound her head on a table. This made him quickly come to the realization of his current state. Well, this is bound to happen when one has to run from a flock of birds and nameless beasts of the sea. He also noted a boy probably a few years younger. His hair and his eyes seemed off, but his forehead. That forehead...

"Shut up." A man hissed in his ear, startling Elysian. "and dry yourself off, I'll be with you in a moment." He finished. It became clear this was the man who had the job. He seemed well-dressed, better than Elysian would have expected. Elysian could also have sworn he had blue hair. Compared to him, Elysian seemed like a fool. Oh well.

"I'm sorry." He quickly spoke, shaking his head. "I had a time getting here, what with all the birds and sea dragons." He added. He wasn't sure if they were sea dragons, but they were close enough. Without so much of another word, he walked outside the building, pulling the net off his head. "Maybe this is why they were eying me oddly." He observed. "I might have overdone it anyways. Great way to start off an already crummy day." He mused. Effortlessly tapping his side, Murasame and Xeron appeared in a flash of light. Elysian held up his hand, his fist clenched. "Okay, I need to dry off quickly, and I don't have time for any 'civilized' ways, so I'll need your help." He directed. He spoke with authority that was absent from before, though Xeron only crossed his arms. "Now, Murasame, I'll need you to try and use some of your psychic powers. I know they are still beyond your grasp, but do your best, okay?" The miniature psychic Pokemon nodded in agreement, trying to strike a 'ready' pose effect that was completely lost on him. "Xeron, you'll have to generate 'wind.'"

The Sneasel huffed out air, but after tapping it's foot, nodded toward his trainer. Xeron had an idea what was going to be done, but he didn't like it. For good reason, as it required flames. He hated fire. Elysian quickly began pacing around.

"Okay, open flame, open flame... Ah!" He saw a barrel nearby, obviously for any bums who lived in the area, and out of view of the cafe. It glowed with a soft amber light. "Okay, ready?" He asked calmly. Both Pokemon nodded, each now completely serious. Elysian, too, was serious, raising his right hand calmly. "Okay, begin!" He cried, snapping his finger. Murasame directed his energies at the flames, causing them to pulse higher and larger, until they shot out of the barrel. As they reached their peak, and began forming close to the young man, Xeron began to use his quick attack to spin around his trainer at high speeds. The intended result became apparent as the flames began to dance around Elysian, though not so close as to hurt him. He simply grinned as he felt himself warm up. He wouldn't be completely dry, but he would be much more presentable at least. Snapping his fingers again, the two Pokemon halted their efforts, allowing the flames to dissipate harmlessly. Elysian quickly and stylishly swung his jacket rapidly to promote some last minute drying before slipping it back on, comfortable with the results. Lowering his head over the burning barrel, he ran his fingers though his hair, getting out any lose objects and allowing some warmth to filter though it. Satisfied, he rose a smile on his face.

"Now, THAT was some teamwork!" Elysian gave a thumbs up to his partners. Murasame cheered with enthusiasm, Xeron merely scoffed. The trainer noticed his clothes were singed a tad, but nothing too noticeable. "Well, fine, be that way." Elysian retorted to his Pokemon before scratching his head, taking care not to disturb the fine scar that stretched from his feather to his left eye. Xeron gave him a quick eye, but didn't object. They both left marks upon each other long ago, and they were at ease with this now. "Come on, let's see about this job." Motioning Murasame to float to his shoulder, he calmly walked into the Josie's Java, take two running though his mind. As opposed to the confused, exhausted, and idiotic teen he was a few moments ago, he held a calm, fairly emotionless expression, his hands tucked neatly into his pockets. And this time, no one even noticed him come in. Perfect. He took in his surroundings, noting the cleanly dressed man from before, sitting with creepy Karate girl. Murasame nestled on his shoulder and Xeron tagging along dutifully, Elysian approached the business man, popping his neck slightly as he did.

"Sorry about earlier for the mess. I'm here about the job notice. I am Elysian Sable." He spoke clearly and soundly. He was unsure if how his change in attitude would look to others, but it is simply who he is. He doesn't normally care how people view him, but when something is important, he keeps his off the wall personality in check tightly. Hopefully he can still make a good second impression.

[Anko]

Beryl didn't even take notice of a second and then third guy entering the establishment, simply going about her business of fighting pain with pain in an obviously losing battle. She DID take notice however, when one walked over to her and asked her to quit knocking her head against his favorite table.

The comment gave her half a mind to say something entirely irrelevant and perhaps even insulting as she brought her head down one last time to simply lay it there to rest for a moment, but then he brought up the subject of 'fair pay' like had been listed on the poster. If anything could get her attention it was a job prospect and the reaction was immediate, raising her face to look up at he who was speaking to her, forehead a deep and painful red where it was seen through her overhanging hair. Her expression was far from happy despite what he was offering her. She wasn't so fond of people telling or even asking her to do or not to do something even if she herself realized it was annoying or just rude.

Regardless of her thoughts and expression, she took a moment to reach over and take a long drag on her coffee like some sort of addict looking for a fix before setting it down and actually answering.

"Yeah... That's what I came here for. If you're just another sap like me, then I've nothing to say. If you're the one in charge then I'm all ears." ...And then the other guy decided to come over and butt in on the conversation, earning another glare of annoyance from her. "Ex-CUSE me," she snapped quickly at the conversational intruder, quickly letting him know that his interference with her speaking wasn't welcomed in the slightest.

[Evren Vale]

Elysian was somewhat jolted by the harsh reaction the silver haired girl gave him. Though, it was probably his own fault, seeing as he hadn't even bothered to think maybe the two were already talking. Though, in his defense, he had just came back in, so he was unawares. Regardless, he was not one to push his luck, especially against a ticked girl. He found them to be more dangerous than anything, and he had already had his fill for the time being.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." He quickly apologized. Whether or not it would be take as such, he was quite sincere. "I'll wait my turn then." He turned as quickly as he came, not bothering to wait for her reaction. He imagined another glare, or equal evil look. Perhaps she would sprout wings and horns and breath fire at him. Though, she suddenly started to look familiar, strange seeing as he was new to this city. "... Silver hair... Red eyed..." He muttered to himself, unconcerned if he was overheard. "Beryl something?" He questioned. He had heard the name somewhere. Some singer or something, not that he would have listened to anything like that. "Whatever." He finished, walking away from the table. At this point he had more important concerns. Concerns remembered by the rumbling within his stomach. "Heh, I didn't get to eat earlier, did I?" He talked to himself, weaving his way around the tables. "Guess I know who to blame for that. Oh well, as long as I can get something to eat here." He talked out loud, but not loud enough to draw attention. Regardless, his statements were directed toward his Sneasel, who could have cared less. He had a full stomach, so he was fine.

Pulling himself onto a stool, he made quick to order anything edible. At this point, he didn't care what that was, just something.

[Ghostsquid]

DuFor could have laughed at the foolish behavior the other boy was exuding, but he merely thinned his lips and turned his eyes away in disgust. Really, the kid could at least be a bit dignified, or at least not apologize. Though he doubted any person could look venerable with a fishnet for a hat. Sometimes he was able to reign in his tongue, and sometimes he let it waggle away and today was just one of those days. It didn’t help that his empty stomach was driving him into a very foul state nor did the moronic kid help either. Drawing his hands away from his chest and rested his left elbow over the back of his chair, DuFor leaned back and glared, unwavering, at the other boy.
“You apologize to fast, idiot.” He either ignored or did not see that the other child had noticed his big forehead, the one feature he usually hid with a mass group of his oddly hued hair. Flicking his bangs back with a careless toss of his right hand, his grey eyes stared intently at the other. The girl was just another person he had to probably deal with, a pity really, but that was just another ball game. She didn’t look like the idiotic, clumsy type and her volatile temper made him quirk his left brow up. If they had to work together, he knew the atmosphere around them would be anything but relaxed. The other man, probably the guy who had stamped those posters around the place, sat with the girl. Well, now he had to wait. Fine with him. Tilting his head back, he tore his gaze away from the rather frumpy looking boy to the white washed ceiling above. The faint sound of the door clicking shut made him drop his attention to the empty spot. Well, that was fast.

A few minutes ticked by and DuFor’s temper only grew thinner by the minute. Sighing impatiently, he crossed his ankles and tapped his foot in quick, rapid beats. He was sure the only thing that tied him there was the daunting image of him grilling hot dogs or worse, playing with a bunch of rowdy, animalistic children. The door clicked open again and the older kid from earlier cam back in. The speed in which the other had groomed himself made him raise both of his brows up. Really, he would have thought someone who looked like THAT wouldn’t know the top end of a brush, but apparently he had some sort of firm grasp on cleaning himself up. If that had impressed DuFor, then what he did next would have surely knocked him off his chair. Now that fellow was either very dumb or very brave; temperamental females were creatures even DuFor treaded carefully and this girl seemed no different. His assumptions were confirmed when she snapped at him much like a dog would snap at an intruding cat. A small laugh bubbled its way up his throat but was promptly swallowed down when he realized what was going on. There was to be no laughing for him, DuFor did not find it to be parallel with the mask he wore and he wasn’t about to jump the wagon he now rode on.

“Why do you apologize so much? Are you programmed to do that or what?” DuFor gritted out when the other made his way to a stool. His grey eyes bored indefinitely into the other, not caring that he looked like some creepy, peeved monster. The one thing he hated were people who asked for forgiveness left and right. When the boy ordered food, DuFor’s piercing eyes narrowed into slits as if he was studying the other, but really, he was only feeling the aftereffects of hunger. Begging was for hobos and he was not going to beg or even so much as scrape his knee on the floor. Sure, the rumbles of an empty stomach annoyed the heck out of him, even to the point of driving him insane, but he would rather die in the middle of a cold, hard road than go around pleading for some food. Falling into a cold silence, he shot his eyes towards the table set in front of him and twisted his expression into something more on the lines of stoic.

[Troy Bolton]

The woman continued her head to table for a few more times, only stopping when he had intonated 'fair pay'. Seymour winced at the angry red patch presenting itself upon her otherwise pretty forehead.

In charge? He rather liked the sound of that. But, urggh, that noise. It could only be caused by- By, of course, the toad man, who promptly prattled on about how sorry he was and, well, to be honest, Seymour didn't pay much attention. He did notice Swampboy/Eli draw up a chair. He wasn't wet, but he still smelled of the sea. It wasn't exactly proper manners to bring a Pokemon into a shop, either. His opinion of the silver haired girl sky-rocketed when she said what he felt.

Eli left to get something to eat, allowing the accountant to feel a sense of kinship with another man giving Eli the same contemptuous look. When Eli returned, Seymour began.

"Yes. I have put up the posters, of which you both seem to have taken interest in. Well, my name is Seymour Tomaski. My proposition is not a difficult one, nor one requiring a modicum of effort. It may even lead to gainful full time employment, but let us not speak of such for now."

"My proposition is, however, a difficult manner, so I do ask that we leave this place for a small amount of time, though my choice of it as a meeting place shall become relevant, with time. Now, let us finish our drinks and await stragglers."

"You are, miss?"

[Evren Vale]

Elysian remained blissfully unaware of the talk behind his back. Had he, he probably wouldn't have shown much offense. Elysian was used to such talk, and at one time it tore him apart, sending him into fits of anger and hatred. But that was before it got to the point that it ate away his emotions to the point of total apathy. Even now, that time. It haunts...

7 Years earlier...

Elysian hit the ground hard, a bloody knot on his head. A group of boys surrounded him, laughing steadily amongst themselves. Tears flowed from the young boy's dark brown eyes, obviously confused why he was being tormented so. He had never done anything to them. Except exist, that is.

"Come on, get up! Fight back you wimp!" One of them jeered. He seemed to be the ring leader, near his side a small shape, obviously his Pokemon. It shared it's trainer's sentiments. Elysian's tears mingled with his blood, his eyes twisted in anger.

"Leave me alone!" Elysian snarled. His face was contorted into hatred, though there was little he could do against them, given they were in better shape. It would stop him from charging in his fury, only to be tripped again. Rain trickled from the sky, complementing his tears.

"Hey guys, look at him. Let's leave." One of them pleaded. He obviously wasn't as mean as the others.

"Stop being such a pansy!" The leader snapped. He turned back to the weakened Elysian, who was suddenly not alone. In front of him was a small shape, feathers vibrating viciously. It's crimson eyes shined, it's mouth snarling. The group apparently was unaware of Elysian's Pokemon, the Sneasel Xeron. "Oh, look, he has a pet. Looks too cool to belong to a loser like him. Hey, buddy..." The leader approached, only to have Xeron slash viciously in his direction. Obviously, his only intention was to protect his fallen master, and he was more then willing to shed blood. Elysian struggled up, seeing Xeron gallantly protecting him. A few years ago, it was flipped, with the Sneasel after him instead. He looked in horror as the bullies released their Pokemon as well, intended to dominate Xeron as they beat Elysian.

"Xeron! No!" Elysian screamed as the attack commenced. Unknown to anyone there, a faint green circle surrounded Elysian's eyes. Slowly, they expanded, glowing with sinister intent...

Back to the Present

Elysian snapped out of it. Having finished his meal, he had promptly returned to the others, having a sense it was fine now. For now, he remained quiet, not wishing to disturb them as he apparently had. He had finally gotten the feeling that he was being stared at by the large forehead boy from before, though he couldn't guess why. Well, take that back, he could. They didn't like him. Typical, but he wasn't known for such popularity contests. Having heard the information, and nodding in silent agreement, he stood, noticing some stares at his Pokemon. Guess they didn't like them out of their balls. However, at this point, he didn't care. His eyes were drawn out the window looking into the sky. Despite his best efforts, all he gets where he goes is animosity. If that is his course, then, so be it. Even if no one respects him, he will go up and beyond in respect toward them. He had learned long ago retribution was never the right course. His hazel eyes reminded him of that.

This post has been edited by Elysian Sable: Apr 26 2009, 10:25 PM

[Anko]

Thankfully, the current fly in her hair politely apologized and walked off to wait his turn. At least he was somewhat polite...

She was quite intent on listening to the man named Seymour as he tossed his offer in her lap to briefly consider, mulling it over with light nods of recognition. It was oddly hush-hush for your basic employment, almost seeming more like she were taking a position as a secret agent than a standard working stiff. Come to think of it... this guy didn't seem so average himself. There was just something odd about him in this sort of setting... He didn't seem like your standard recruiter for a desk job.

Beryl found curiosity swiftly gnawing away at her mind, growing by the second up until he finished, actually pulling a hinted smile at the corner of her mouth, holding out a slender, almost fragile seeming, hand for a light handshake. The girl hadn't done a day's honest work in her life.

"Rainrex... Beryl Rainrex to be precise. Its a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tomaski. As soon as you're ready to leave, I'm ready to follow."

[Ghostsquid]

Ah, fallen prey. DuFor had noticed how the other boy shrug the comments off. Well, he was tougher than he looked. Uncrossing his legs, he needed to move around to keep himself active, DuFor cocked his head and mused over whether he should just butt in or wait until they finished. Was he really that modest? Lifting his narrow shoulders up then carelessly letting them drop, the boy skittered his seat back and turned to face the two. His lips did not cock up in a smile, but rather drew a straight line across his smooth face.
“If you’re done conversing, I’m sure the three of us would like to go and inquire further on this…expedition.” A bit of his white hair fell against his cheek when he tilted his head downwards slightly. Patience was definitely not his forte today and his current problems made him all the more impatient. He didn’t like people waiting for him and he wasn’t going to wait for them. Maybe he should just play with his Elekid for a week and hope that the pokemon’s carefree, silly personality wears off on him.

DuFor wasn’t the most gentlemanly of the group, obviously, but he wasn’t so rude as to cause a butt load of trouble. It was always fun to be the one to light the match, but sometimes some things tended to explode bigger than normal and that sort of event was what he liked to avoid. Now, this whole proposition sounded almost like it would explode in his face, but it did lean towards the good as well. He didn’t move away from where he sat as he waited for further directions, though he doubted the employer fellow had known he was seeking for some form of employment. Yeah, he wasn’t the loudmouthed kind and sometimes his silence made it to where he was practically invisible to others. Save for today. Today, he was just at the end of his rope and ready to whiplash anyone with his silver tongue. Admitting was hard for DuFor, just as hard as letting his pride take the sidelines, and he wasn’t going to admit that he had been the black sheep of the family. With his obnoxious big brother and his foolhardy plans that somehow involved getting his arm to break or his nose to bleed like a volcano and his parents who were so nice but so smart it had, literally, sent goose bumps of disgust all over him. Exactly what they were now doing at home was a big mystery to him, nor was he going to take the time to find out. If they wanted to stick their modest noses in their work, then they can go do that. He, on the other hand, was going to shove his nose in the direction he wanted to check out.

It would be best to just ignore the other male and direct his attention on the guy who had plaster all those posters on the wall. His elbow still resting against the back of the chair, DuFor blinked slowly, breaking his sharp eyes for a second before sliding them to the silver haired girl. Well, like the other guy said earlier, she did look familiar. Pop stars were never the type of people he would ever drool over and, quite frankly, he much rather just drool over pokemon than figure out when their concert was or where they were going to show up. They were rich up their noses, but so were his scientifically inclined parents. Maybe it was that reason that made DuFor bitter-he hated the fact that they were kind, but not caring enough to even glance in his direction. The only attention he managed to snag was his older brother and god knew that crazy weirdo was way over the top. He still remembered the incident with the tree. A stinging reminder zapped its way up his back as he made a small face at the now rushing memoirs of his childhood.

[Troy Bolton]

"Ms. Beryl, the pleasure is all mine." It was. She had stopped her assault on the table, and when her lip curled upward, he felt a strange sense of...he didn't know what, but he liked it. It was the sort of feeling one could get addicted to. It was a new feeling to him, nostalgic, perhaps. Seymour grasped her offered hand, and quickly shook it. He would have preferred the exchange of business cards, but this worked, too. His hand tingled as it drew back, and he promptly set it in his pocket.

The accountant finished the last dregs of coffee. They were always the best and the strongest, and the last shot always hopped him up enough to get on his way. Using the convenient cocktail napkin, he folded it in half and used it for its intended purpose.

“If you’re done conversing, I’m sure the three of us would like to go and inquire further on this…expedition.” The three of us? And the lad couldn't be older than 16, the age of the infamous "J". He had nuts, though, it was undeniable.

"The three of us? Very abrupt, don't you think?" Still, he waited for Eli. Better to have a slightly sensible teen than an emotionally charged, possibly angsty one. Seymour had never had an angsty phase. He had jumped straight from child to business man. And even as a child, he had made a killing on lemonade and thrifty Ponzi schemes. The lamentations of Jimmy had never tasted so sweet or affordable. Eli approached, and Seymour stood up.

"Well, that's enough of here." The accountant grabbed his suitcase, left a more than generous tip in the jar, and departed, beckoning his motley crew after him.

`~` `~` `~`

An Empty Flat...

"Right, so you see that stretch of water? Wait..." Sure enough, the submarine erupted, and Seymour and Co. saw it all through Silph Co. binoculars. Water stones, strange Pokeballs, and odd circuitry.

"So, you all are going to help me 'bust', as they say, this ring! We'll wring the ring. They're using Josie's Java as a base point, so that's why it was our meeting point. And I'm not going to say anyzing else until you all agree to help. If you do not wish to, the door, it is right there."

He pointed.

Don't let them leave don't let them leave.

[Evren Vale]

Elysian vaguely heard the third teen make his announcement, which would have surprised him a little. He never did anything, at least to the best of Elysian's knowledge, to make it seem like he was a part of the group. However, this was the same one who glared at him furiously earlier, as the holes in the back of his psychological head was screaming. That already made three against one. Joy. However, all of this was forgotten when the proposition was delivered. At first it took him to get what ring he was talking about. His mind reformulated it quickly. Criminals. So, they were going to bag pirates! Elysian had a smirk, but kept it in control. In the back of his head, he saw his mental ninja screaming in joy. He hated Pirates.

"So, bringing swift justice to ne'erdowells, eh?" Elysian observed. He kept his voice down so only the group could hear him, which should be appreciated. "If that's the case... Count me in." Elysian grinned, looking toward Seymour. "Organized crime should be dealt with where ever..." Elysian caught himself. He was probably talking too much than necessary, so he decided to finish right away. "Yeah, I'll do it."

[Anko]

Smugglers?! This job was busting smugglers?! No wonder this had been so confidential. God only knew what could happen to them if they were discovered. This was bad! This was VERY bad! ...Even so, Beryl did what she could to act natural as she let her bangs flop back over her face from their resting place atop her binoculars as she lowered the device to her hip. This was dangerous as hell, but all things considering... she had three fine men here with her that seemed to be ready and eager to tackle the problem. Beryl's solution? Act confident, look useful and stay out of the way when the going got rough. So long as these guys were reliable and she didn't get seperated there wouldn't be any issues at all.

It took every ounce of willpower within her not to complain about this fiasco either way, but one who heckles their boss, doesn't stay on the payroll for long. At least she didn't have to pull out her 'oh my god, I'm so happy and airheaded!' routine... This situation made the pain of her hangover seem minimal so that was at least something to get her to pick her chin up a little... sort of... Okay, maybe not at all.

But... but... she couldn't help herself! "For throwing ourselves into this situation with no prior knowledge, 'fair pay' had better be a good sum of cash," came her unwilling complaint. It WAS what she was thinking... Beryl wasn't the noble sort, ready to leap in to fight evil at a moment's notice. She needed to know there was a good reason for acting and she needed to know it was for HER.

This post has been edited by Problematic: Apr 29 2009, 10:50 AM

[Ghostsquid]

Sure, he was quite young for what they were probably going to have to do and he was sure to make it look rather awkward. I mean, it’d have to be a bit weird for a lanky young teen, a 15 year old teen to be specific, to tag along behind three people who looked older than him. Of course, DuFor never actually thought he was young; he hardly ever acted childish (the times he did was private of course), he never was one for yelling and cheering like some maniac. Smoothing his white shirt down lethargically, DuFor lifted his right shoulder and gave a careless shrug.
“Abrupt? I don’t think so. If more had wanted to come, I’m sure they would have arrived by now.” His voice drawled on with a hint of apathy. With a stretch of his arms, he stood up and quirked his brow up at the same time Seymour had beckoned for them to follow him. The job must be pretty discreet for them to go and find someplace else to converse.

He looked at each person in the small group quietly. One was a girl he probably should have recognized, the other male seemed to be more of those optimistic types he so painstakingly avoided to no avail and the one who had formed the group with his posters were, well, shrouded in mystery. DuFor so far managed to tab him as one of those fellows who could probably sell anything to anyone whether it be selling summer outfits to people who lived in cold climates all year round or selling a crappy car to a man with money. Intelligence and the talent to persuade…he was sure this fellow had those two traits up his sleeve. Narrowing his eyes, he shifted his eyes to gaze at the building they were going to enter. Well, it seemed obscure enough and no weirdo was going to be jumping them anytime soon. A sigh would have escaped if it wasn’t for the fact that DuFor didn’t feel like doing that. Instead, he silently followed them from behind, the tip of his fingers trailing against the wall of the building when they entered.

The empty flat had a pretty good view of a single body of water. The binoculars he held, thanks to those clever little Silph Co. fellas, were held loosely in his hand as he listened to what Seymour was saying. As soon as he said the last word, DuFor idly brought it up to eye-level and peered curiously through them. A submarine emerged from the depths of the blue water like some sort of hideous behemoth. Cocking his head to the side and lowering his binocular.
“Bust those fellows down there?” He questioned softly, his grey eyes gazing thoughtfully at the slowly moving submarine. Well, he hadn’t had any sort of fun for awhile and popping other people’s bubbles was always fun, so he didn’t see any reason to decline. A smile slowly lifted up, not quite to his ears but enough to catch anyone by surprise. “Well, I’m not one for declining such intriguing offers…” DuFor wasn’t quite sure what the other two were thinking and he really didn’t know if their intentions were the same as his, but from prior observations, it was likely that they were doing this just because it piqued their taste in “fun.”

[Evren Vale]

Elysian was overjoyed at the willingness of his new companions to join in on this 'bash.' That joy was quickly replaced with a lingering sense of doubt. The younger boy's expression did not bode to well with Elysian. Beryl also didn't radiate with altruism. The only one he couldn't read at all was Seymour, who seemed very business like about everything still. He could only wonder why he wanted to do this.

"For throwing ourselves into this situation with no prior knowledge, 'fair pay' had better be a good sum of cash." Beryl moaned. So it all comes back to money. Elysian had truthfully forgotten that he was going to get money. Which, of course was always nice, but at this point, he was more interested in righting this wrong. Elysian scratched his head vigorously.

"I have a question." Elysian abruptly stated, though his voice was more forceful than last time he had a question. While not demanding, it was clear he had some authority in his voice. "After we do this, what then? Like, with all their goods. Are you an undercover policeman or something?" Elysian felt a small knot in his throat, but he didn't gulp nervously. He was curious what authority this guy had to even do this. If it was for the greater good, then great. Elysian was not so naive, though, to believe that.

This post has been edited by Elysian Sable: Apr 30 2009, 03:48 PM

[Troy Bolton]

Aw, zut, they ALL seemed to be idiots! Firstly spoke Swampboy, aka, Eli. Seymour couldn't help but snicker at the boy's idealistic, ridiculous views.

"Swift justice? You've clearly not been in Noverus long, kid. Justice is taken by the thief and the gun, by the business end of the Pokeball. But indeed." Then Ms. Beryl, a much more down to earth assessment.

"Of course fair pay is always given. I've given you my card already, have I not? To betray that would to betray my card, my name and that of my entire family. You'll be able to buy all the potions and ration cards your small, cold heart's desire. Who knows what opportunity awaits you, upon a kind word from me?" Then the boychik spoke, smiling a smile not unfamiliar to a certain cat named for a certain English town.

"Well, good, boychik. At least that's one straight answer." Seymour liked straight answers.*

Then came a question he wasn't expecting, from the Sultan of Silliness himself.

"After we do this, what then? Like, with all their goods. Are you an undercover policeman or something?"

He froze. Seymour's previous idea had been to throw the assumed hordes of hobos at the submarine, quickly seizing it, paying a pittance to whoever and whatever survived, then calling up Sandy and noting that he'd won a fabulous new submarine. Following this, he would head to his apartment and sleep for a month. An overly enthusiastic boy, a girl with too-small clothes, and a boychik, were hardly a mob. To make this mission a success, he'd need a quick head and smooth words. He had the first, in any case.

"I am working with the current financial and physical backers of this city as an accountant. The smugglers will be prosecuted, and I have not been given any details about the status of the cargo once we have seized it." Yeah, he was with Magma, and he had no clue what was gonna happen after that.

"But! Anyway, you all have agreed. This is your last chance to back out...aaand that chance has ended. Listen closely, as I'll only say this once."

"Our ultimate goal is to gain entry into the submarine, while there are the fewest amount of people in it. There is only one time of day that the submarine is breachable, and you have just seen said time. We will need a distractionary team and an infiltration team. I must go on the infiltration team, and I will take one, not two, not three, with me, but one. But we'll get back to that."

"The distrationary team must be able to cause some sort of repairable, but labour intensive chaos. Like, setting a dilapidated building afire. We're on the coast, so the water cannons can take care of that. If, however, the water cannon team is indisposed, they're going to have to disperse resources. Besides, drawing attention the exact opposite of what the smugglers want, so you can bet they want that fire out and Magma as unaware as before."

"Any questions so far?" He stopped for a breath, gazing back at forth at Team Tomaski.

[Evren Vale]

Elysian seemed examine the answer, his eyes closed for a moment. Humph. It is true he hasn't been in Noverus long, and ever since he had, something has not been right. The only thing he noticed off hand were hushed whispers of a group called 'Magma,' who apparently ran things. So, chances were, this Seymour was working for them. And if the rumors he heard were true, this Team Magma were NOT good guys. His eyes reopened, narrow slits this time. Arms crossed, Elysian calmly walked closer to the window, leaning against a nearby wall. Judging from the way Seymour stopped for a brief moment, it also seemed it wasn't something he had considered in it's entirety.

It's true he was something of an optimist, but he sure has hell wasn't in the past. And now, that familier feeling of paranoia crawled on the back of his neck, making his playful spirit disappear. Rolling around to have his back to the wall, facing the group again, Elysian's face was hardened. While his eye brows were normally narrowed, the wrinkles in his forehead made it clear he was frowning. Playful Elysian was gone for now. Warrior Elysian was in.

"Everything seems pretty clear..." He muttered. Elysian waited for the other two, and after that would get ready for their battle. He dropped an eye on Xeron, who held a similar stance to his Trainer. Murasame, who was still on Elysian's shoulder shuddered slightly, disliking it when his owner became serious. "If we have till tomorrow, then I suggest we discuss strategy, or at least the team leaders should." He finished. Elysian had figured he would be drafted in the distraction crew, but he didn't really care. As long as the job gets done.

This post has been edited by Elysian Sable: May 1 2009, 08:58 AM