Pokemon Umbral Intermission: The Ensnaring Conspiracies

[Dracorion]

Pierce and Chizuru

Pierce scratched his head, a bit embarassed. "I guess with everything that happened up to me getting my ass kicked, I don't feel very amazing."

"Thank you, though." He told Chizuru fondly.

He figured he should steer the topic away from his embarassment, though. Fortunately, after a certain accident at home not long ago, he found himself in need of a woman's help with something he'd been putting off.

"Errr..." He began nervously. "Actually, if you have the time, could you help me out with something, Chizuru? There was a bit of an accident back home and I ended up losing a good chunk of my clothes. I've been putting it off for a while, but I can't really avoid it, so I was wondering if you'd like to come to the mall with me sometime soon and help me pick out a new wardrobe? I'm really no good for this sort of stuff by myself."

-----------------------------

Sophia and Tsubasa

"I see. Thank you very much, Tsubasa-san. I- I'll let you enjoy the party now." Sophia bowed again. It seemed she liked doing that. Except she stumbled a bit doing it. Maybe she was a little tipsy.

She left Tsubasa to her business and thought about everything. It was all good to know, and did get her gears going. She was a little worried that the Kimonos might be stranded here, but then she thought that wouldn't be so bad. They all seemed really friendly... and they were easy on the eyes, too, like Tsubasa-san. She wouldn't mind-

Okay, bad thoughts. Don't go there.

She finished another glass of Mollesk wine. How many was she on now? Oh, what did it matter?

What was she thinking of before that? Oh right, selective Magatama breeding to get the best possible array of powers. That was assuming the powers they gave could be passed on genetically to their offspring.

No wait, that wasn't it. What was it...? Oh right!

Mmmm, Tsubasa-san's curves...

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Pierce and Shizuka

Pierce scratched his head at Shizuka's comment about his ability to lower women's inhibitions. "Eehhh... I still don't know how that happens..."

-----------------------------

Pierce, Jeanette and Darcelle

Pierce laughed. "Heh, well she does have a point, Professor. Are you sure you can't stay a little longer?"

Pierce then looked around for someone who could change Darcelle's ability and quickly spotted the perfect candidate. "Found someone who can help us out." He took Darcy and Jeanette to another part of the room and approached Lola.

"Excuse me, Lola, do you have a minute? Could you do me a quick favor? I was wondering if you could use Entrainment on Darcy here, so that her Darkrai ability doesn't bother other people."

-----------------------------

Pierce and Sophia

Pierce was quite enjoying himself when he was approached by a nervous-looking girl dressed rather conservatively (considering how most of the girls in PATCA dressed), with flushed cheeks. "Umm... e- excuse me, you're Pierce-san, right?"

"Uh, yeah, but it's just Pierce." He replied, curiously regarding her. "You're Professor Vernier, right? It's nice to meet you." He said, holding out his hand.
Sophia bowed to him and shook his hand. Weird... "It's nice to meet you too."
"I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday."
"Oh, thanks. Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Y- yeah, I am."
"That's good."
"Well... enjoy your party, Pierce-san." Sophia said respectfully, bowing and leaving Pierce alone. Weird, he didn't seem that creepy.

-----------------------------

Pierce and Alphonsine

Pierce blushed a bit as Alphonsine handed him the autograph with her lipstick mark. He better not find Aria with her face buried in the thing. "Thank you. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Miss Dione." He said apologetically. "I know you must get people asking for autographs all the time. Honest to God, if it had been for me, I wouldn't have bothered." He said a little defensively.

-----------------------------

Pierce and Fujiko

"I'll keep that in mind." Pierce replied to Fujiko's warning. Then the rest of the Kimonos decided to put on a show. Pierce laughed as he watched them perform As Love Said No.

"I wish I could perform like that. Unfortunately, my singing voice is something I don't like to inflict on other people."

He found himself thinking about Fujiko's problem for a moment. He was pretty sure that, whatever she had done, ending up a monster wasn't her intention. He doubted he could help her, but he might as well voice his idea. "Ah..." He began hesistantly. "At the risk of making a fool of myself, which is more than likely since I'm going off what I know about fantasy stories in this world... Mika specializes in magic, doesn't she? Wouldn't it be possible to disguise your other form with like a shapeshifting or illusion spell? It's a patch, but at least it's something."

He shuffled awkwardly on the spot. "But, I figure if it was that simple you would've done that a long time ago. Sorry I said anything."

-----------------------------

Sophia lets loose

After the Kimonos' splendid performance, it didn't seem like anyone wanted to go up after them.

That is, until Sophia stumbled onto the stage, drunkenly giggling like a schoolgirl. She had gotten rid of her sweater and was wearing a simple black top. Her long skirt had been vandalized and torn until it was a short skirt. "Heeeey." She said slurredly, stepping up to the mike.

Good Lord, this was going to be embarassing.

"Hit it!" Music started playing, and she started moving with it.

"You are the girl that I've been dreaming of
Ever since I was a little girl
You are the girl that Ive been dreaming of
Ever since I was a little girl

One, I'm biting my tongue,
Two, he's kissin' on you,
Three, oh why can't you see?
One, two, three, four!

The word's on the streets and it's on the news
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance with you
He's got two left feet and he bites my moves.
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance, dance, dance, dance"

For such a shy girl she sure knew how to move. Lookit 'er go!

[Menarker]

Renny - Lola
-------------

"I guess I have to have one, even though our Inquiry Visors are far more advanced."

"Yes, but I guess they also act as identification. Although they are meant more for the inexperienced trainers just getting to know more about pokemon."

Renny then smiled widely. "But you're now a trainer!" He then gently pulled Lola toward the pokemon trading machine, although modified from the past versions.

"I heard that in the past, it was quite difficult for most trainers to just give away their pokemon, even as gifts. Nowadays, it is easier to officially assign pokeballs to an approved trainer so they can be given away. Lola, could I borrow your pokedex for a second?"

He inputted the unique number sequence from her pokedex into the device and also inputted the serial numbers of his own. Placing the respective balls of Snorlax, Latias and Lapras on the machine, Renny handed the pokedex back to Lola as the machine overwrote the pokeballs' previously assigned information and rewriting it under her name. He quickly used the PC beside it to retrieve the rest of his signature team from storage.

"PING!" Renny then held them out in his hands, allowing her to take them.

"Here they are, Lola. I really hope you'll all take care of each other. If you ever need any help, just let me know, ok?

Then Renny was silent for a moment... For now, everything was all done. Lola was a trainer and she gotten her first three pokemon. They had a big fishing trip and saw Lathiron too.

"So... is there anything else you want to do or check out?"

-----------------
Renny - Bretton
-----------------

"Serious personal training, eh? Well, sure, li'l bro..."

Renny was pleasantly happy to hear that and was about to thank Bretton...

"...Building muscle and endurance is easier than it sounds. All it really takes...is motivation, and soon you'll be able to do this kind of stuff."

Renny watched Bretton demo his strength using his model companion as a weight and tossing her in the air lightly before catching her in his arms. The feat left him silent momentarily as he mentally entertained the image of being able to do the exact same thing himself, although he had to adjust for his size after training lest it became comedical in his current state.

"Wow. Thank you Bretton! So... is there a specific location and time that you usually train?"


---------------------------
Renny - Alphonsine & Co.
---------------------------

Renny looked around and saw some other people in the party whom he had been wanting to talk to, so he politely excused himself from the company he was with.

"I'm sorry, but there is a someone I really have to talk to now, so could you all excuse me? Alphonsine, it is a pleasure to have finally made your acquaintance. Shannon, I'm glad you're doing well. Liz, Leprihare... I look forward to when we all meet again at the photoshoot."

He then left them to their conversations as he walked elsewhere...


---------------------
Renny - Lola (party)
---------------------

He first approached Lola, very much happy to see her as usual.

"Thank you so much for your help earlier. Everyone seem to be enjoying the drinks. Are you having a good time Lola?"

He continued to hang out with her for a while even as the talent show went on.

"So... Lola, are you having any luck getting to know your pokemon?"

---------------
Renny - Mika
---------------

Eventually Renny wandered around some more and he soon spied the bright yellow yukata belonging to Mika. Recalling the friendly atmosphere that she exuded when he chatted with her during his party, he decided to touch base with her again.

"Mika, how have you been doing? Are you and the other Kimonos enjoying yourselves here?"

After possibly a little bit of small talk, Renny added.

"Thank you for helping Shannon. That incident back in the lunchroom looked like it could have completely gone out of control. She seems to be doing much better now."

"So... I hope you can forgive me curiousity, but I was wondering about that attack at Fahngrest Ruins. You Kimonos managed to hold onto it for quite a long time, so I was wondering if anything unique happened during that specific attack that made the difference? I mean, you are all REALLY strong and you got some powerful legendary pokemon too! I mean, Cerbraptor, Allegion and your Mewthree... If I didn't hear it from one of you, I'd have a hard time believing it!"

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Renny - Whitney
-----------------

Renny saw Whitney and approached her slowly trying not to alarm her by his presence, carrying a drink to offer her.

"Whitney, would you like to try this one? It's a personal favorite of mine."

He then took a quick moment to carefully reflect on his words this time.

"I'm sorry about last time. I really stepped out of bounds then. You deserve better than that. You were such a big help during that mission, so I also wanted to thank you... So, if you ever want to chat, you can always look me up."

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Renny - Rachel
---------------

Renny walked up to Rachel with a jovial expression.

"Rachel, it's been a while! I haven't really chatted with you in such a long time. How have you been doing?"

Renny smirked as he added. "So, I guess that website of yours is doing well? I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard there was such a site, nevermind what I was nominated for."
Then he whispered jokingly in her ear "Thank you for not making me wear women clothing..."

[Bard The 5th LW]

Renny and Jeremy

The kid seemed to take a potent reaction to Jeremy's statement. He may as well air our the association with her.

"Oh, that's neat! Forgive me if I'm wrong, but do you personally know Charlotte? Most of the other enforcers do not tend to be assigned to any specific agent, so your position strikes me as pretty special. Also, I actually meant what was your motivation for joining PATCA... like was it the pay that interested you? Helping people? Eagerness to prove yourself? As dangerous as this job is, our agents have joined for many reasons."

"Uhh, yeah. The two of us have known each other for a while one might say." He was going to do his best to skirt around their relationship. "Well... I don't want to divulge full details, but I'm in a situation apparently similar to a lot of your team-mates. I've heard around a bit, and PATCA recruits a lot of us, as in, former lawbreakers. The offer was... good I guess. I was happy to get out of it I suppose." He then let out what one might mistake as an almost forlorn sigh, a mix of nostalgia and thankfulness.

"Have you had the chance to try any of the wine?" Thank God he asked. [/color=lime]"The ones I brought in, I and my pokemon made it out of berries. I can't speak for everyone, but so far it seemed to be well received. I made a few in individual bottles for those who are designated drivers or couldn't make it to the party so they can have some at a moment more convenient for them."[/COLOR] This was good and all, Jeremy was definitely going to grab one of those, but it seemed the kid was trying to move around a greater topic. A look of curiosity dominated Jeremy's eyes.

"Look, err, Jeremy...I don't know how much you know Charlotte, but from my experience, I understand that sometimes she can be a little abrasive." There it was. A distinctly serious look went across the lad's face, and his tone carried it as well. "I don't really see eye to eye with her, although she is very strong in dealing with the everything that has happened so far. But lately, missions in PATCA have been getting increasingly more dangerous. You just transfered, so you might be at more risk than many of us who have gotten used to things here already or know what is going on. So if there is anything that you really need to know or talk about and Charlotte isn't able or willing to help you out for some reason, you can talk to me. If it is possible, I'll try to help so you aren't caught unprepared when things get rough. After all, you're on our side now."

Well at least he was honest. Jeremy's expression eased a bit, a slight chuckle. "Don't worry. Charlotte can be a bit rough, but I know her, and I'm experienced -almost 40 I'm ashamed to admit. Anyways, I'll just say that she won't say no to me."

Renny then smiled openly offering a handshake. "Otherwise, I wish you the best of luck here."

Jeremy excepted the handshake with a chuckle, "alrighty then, nice speaking with you. Thanks for the luck by the way, I'll need it."

Pierce and Jeremy

"Well, I wouldn't put it past a certain someone I know to spike Charlotte's drinks..." Pierce said thoughtfully. "But maybe fear of Charlotte's reprisal will keep her in check. Let's hope."

If Pierce paid attention, he may have noticed Jeremy's face become a shade paler. "We can only hope so," He's have to check on her soon.

"Anyway, yeah, I'm enjoying myself. Honestly, I haven't had a proper birthday party in a while. So yeah, this is a nice change." Pierce said, looking around happily. "How about you?"

"Yeah I'm liking it! No question. Meeting people, talking around. Its good to have something to cool down between missions, even if I haven't been on one in a while. Hoping to maybe talk with one of those ladies in the kimonos, really curious 'bout them. Charlotte mentioned them a bit, but I really doubt she's been paying much attention to them, or a lot of people, 'cause she didn't tell me where they were from." He said this while briefly shooting a glance over to the group of ladies rocking the fuck out across the room. Truly an interesting night.

[Astral Harmony]

Party - Pierce & Chizuru

"Huh?! But I've never shopped with a man before!" Chizuru said, flustered and blushing. "Ah...oh! But sure, that sounds like it could be a lotta fun so uhh..."

Then Chizuru mentally rebooted herself. "Your...house burned down?"

-----
Party - Pierce & Shizuka

Shizuka looked thoughtful. "I guess it would be the combination of your looks and your personality," she said, tugging at her chin. "You're very handsome, Pierce, but you also have this kind of personality that disarms women if they have the chance to sample it. It's...strange, like you've got some kind of pheromone going on. Once women have had a hit of your charm, it's hard to resist somehow. You're like one of those dating sim game protagonists."

She elbowed him playfully. "It must have been how you got me that one night. Oh! Speaking of which, I have some gifts for you for your birthday, but none of them are ready yet. I was kind of informed about all this at the last minute."

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Party - Pierce, Jeanette, Darcelle & Lola

"Sure, I think I can give it a try. Here goes!" Lola said, and just like that, Darcelle was saved from the horror of having to inflict nightmares on people.
"Ha! Darcelle thanks youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Lola! Anyways, Jay-Jay really should stay here. It does Jay-Jay no good to keep researching on and on without a break."
"I guess," Jeanette said, sounding more irritated than she actually was. "It's just that the Rezonscape research is extremely important. Because of all the bleed through, the number of violent incidents is increasing, and I heard that Pokegeddon is getting even more active than ever."

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Party - Pierce & Fujiko

"Illusions aren't really Mika's thing. She prefers making shit explode," Fujiko said. "The little tykebomb has been crazy about elemental magic ever since she joined us, and spends a great deal of her time underground doing hell knows what. The little cunt probably has a potion that could do exactly as you said, but she won't say anything to anyone about her findings. She just does something, succeeds at it, then goes off and does something else without so much as an 'eureka'."

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Before Party - Renny & Lola

Lola looked thoughtful for a minute. "Would you like to go eat out somewhere? I can't remember the last time I had food at all."

True, it had been a long time since they ate, way back at the apartment.

"I don't really care what we eat, so long as we get to eat Italian," Lola tried another lame joke.

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Party - Renny & Bretton

Bretton looked at Renny, then the broad smile of a predator spread across his face. "Yeah, there is, actually. It's a gym called Rage Royal. It was designed originally for serious muscle freaks like myself, but they've expanded into casual stuff this past year. I think we can get you to break quite a sweat there."

Bretton knew something that he wasn't letting Renny in on. "So, when do you wanna do it? I'll need to make a call and make sure we're clear to use a certain space."

-----
Party - Renny & Lola

"Not really, to be honest. I guess I'm still in Pokemon triage mode, so I can't bring myself to hang out around them in a casual setting. Besides, I don't think they'd like a party quite this loud."

Before Renny could really get anywhere with Lola, Irene and Evangaleen joined them. "Hey, Tresserhorn. Sorry but we need to borrow your girlfriend. Lola, you ready?"
"Don't worry, Renny, this will be good for the both of you, I guarantee it!" Evangaleen promised. "And no peeking!"

As Irene and Evangaleen left the party, Lola bowed to Renny. "So uhh, I was asking Harliette about something but she blew me off so I asked Irene instead, and she made me promise not to tell you what it is. I'm really sorry. Excuse me."

Lola hurried after the other two women. Is Lola trying to learn something new?

-----
Party - Renny & Mika

"We encountered a new kind of enemy we hadn't seen before," Mika said. "There were two of them. They were most certainly human, but I'd never seen that kind of weapon or armor before. Somehow, they were able to control thirty Pokemon apiece. They had eighteen on them when they engaged us, and snagged twelve apiece as the battle was underway. We pretty much had to cut and run after that to avoid being overcome."

"Enemy chatter that Chizuru intercepted called them Pokemon Commanders. It must have something to do with that special armor they're packing. But it doesn't really matter much. I've deciphered all the murals in the ruins that I could, and I doubt even those freaks could break the seal without the consent of the Ruin Generals."

Someone who could hold five times the Pokemon a normal trainer can? Just what kind of insane tech was the Prideguard creating?!

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Party - Renny & Whitney

"Ah, sure. I'll think about it," Whitney said, then looked around. Lola had been snatched away by Irene and Evangaleen, which meant that she wasn't around. "Actually, I guess I do want to talk to you about something. A lot of people are starting to buzz about your relationship with Lola. I guess I'm just asking for the sake of curiousity but, what exactly is your opinion about that connection?"

Whitney's tone and expression sounded a little uneven, and Renny could sense a small amount of intensity, especially in Whitney's eyes. Those pink pupils seemed like they would fire lasers about any minute now.

-----
Party - Renny & Rachel

"Oh, hiya, Ren-Ren!" Rachel said with a sucker in her mouth. Apparently she picked up her naming habit from Darcelle. "I heard you're doing this and that with Lolie. I wish men would stop going after girls with big boobs. Us small-chested girls deserve our chance, too!"

Strangely enough, Rachel's bold statements didn't cause any people to stop what they were doing.

"Truth be told, I kinda set up that website to give us a more human image," Rachel said. "Our business has an acronym. We're heavily armed. We fight in formations. That kind of thing intimidates the average folk. So I created a disarming little website that kind of helps us befriend the citizenry. My mom and dad both work in Public Relations for numerous businesses, so I guess it just flows in the blood, y'know?"

Then her gaze got evil. "But don't you worry, little Ren-Ren. You be in a dress eventually. The only thing holding me back from doing so would be all the homicides. If women checked into the website and saw a picture of you in a dress, they'd die from blood loss as it would rocket out of their nostrils."

-----
Before Party - Impact, Garus & Abereth

"Alright, we're here," Garus said, turning the car off and stepping out.
"This place? It's a singles bar," Impact frowned. Still, when Garus started walking, Impact followed him inside.

It all started when Impact did as Irene advised and sought out Garus. At the mere mention of Abereth's name, Garus took his hand off of his sketching pencil and reached into his drawer to pull out what appeared to be a rather large black revolver...with three cylinders and three barrels suggesting that it could put three .357 magnum cartridges through a person's face in a single pull of the trigger. Impact also noted that each barrel had what he assumed were laser sights.

Apparently Garus had more talents than just Pokemon training and doujinshi sketching. "And where did you hear that word?" he asked Impact with a killing edge in his voice.
Impact already didn't want to put up with this little asshole any longer, but he decided to keep it up. If Irene was correct, this little encounter was absolutely crucial to his plans. "Irene Crosswald told me to tell it to you."
Garus stared at Impact for several seconds, then sighed. "Headhunting isn't supposed to be done that way, but I guess Irene had her reasons," he sighed again, then took up the deadly weapon and, reaching into the drawer once more, drew out a second revolver completely indistinguishable from the first one, this one white. "If you want to meet Abereth or to continue breathing period, you must follow my instructions at all times. Ditch your Inquiry Visor and follow me. We're taking my car."

The drive was short and uneventful. Neither of the sedan's occupants spoke during the trip and soon they reached their destination, a singles bar that served all kinds of fine alcohol and well-prepared cuisine coupled with a relaxing and romantic atmosphere. Thanks to Garus' large, thick coat, he had no problem concealing such big guns. Impact followed him up to the podium where a young man in a purple suit bowed politely to them. "Welcome to Devil May Dine, gentlemen. Smoking or non?"
"Hey, Justin. Is my mom here?"

His mom? Must be some sort of code.

"She is, in fact, Mister Wilderschmidt. Right this way, gentlemen."
Justin lead Garus and Impact to a corner booth where Impact realized that Garus wasn't speaking in code, after all. This woman sure enough bore enough resemblance to share some relation with Garus.
"Hello, son. How was school?" the woman said, not paying attention to Impact yet.
"Dunno. Haven't been since I graduated six years early," Garus responded. "Mom, meet Ray Green callsign Impact of the Pokemon Advanced Tactics and Counterterrorism Agency, Watchmen squad. Impact, this is my mother, Abereth Wilderschmidt. She is president and CEO of the Wispwire Network. Everyone else who works for the network, myself included, hold the rank of Abereth's Shadow. Mom, Impact was brought to you here on recommendation by Irene Crosswald."

Wispwire Network? Impact had never heard of it before. But then again, with all the secrecy involved, the whole damn thing was probably a business that operated in the shadows.

Abereth folded her arms. "She must be desperate to help you out, Mister Impact-"
"Just 'Impact' is fine."
"Of course," Abereth said. "When Crosswald told you to seek me out, what did she say about me?"
"A whole lot of not very much," Impact said. "I can only assume that you're some kind of information broker."
"Only the best," Abereth stated with no small amount of pride. "Information is power, Impact. Even one little statement can be used to control some of the most influential movers and shakers of the world today. Just one whisper could bring a mighty government crumbling to its very foundations. Just one little oopsie on the internet can ignite an explosion of widespread panic, fear, and indiscriminate violence. When you control information, you control the ignorant masses. And that is the power held by the Wispwire Network. We make our immense wealth through the trading of information. If there's something you need to know that nobody could possibly know, it's us that know because knowing is how we survive and thrive in this world. Members of the network have investigative potential that would put this nation's top detectives and forensics experts to shame. We pride ourselves on being the first and foremost with the most powerful information that money or other information could possibly buy. But not only that, we also offer connections, Impact, like the one Irene gave you with my name. Do you have something of incredible value? We know exactly who will buy that off of you at an extreme premium. Want something that would never be sold here in Honmyr? We know precisely who sells those things in Honmyr. Do you have some sick fetish like my husband does? Believe me, I can tell you that whore's current coordinates."

Impact blinked. If this was true, Irene had given him a weapon about as powerful as Dinner herself. He just needed to figure out how to use her.

"We'll just use this as an introductory meet and greet if that's all right with you, Impact. I'm starving, and I'm certain you would actually need time to consider how best to rely on the seemingly infinite power of the network. I can be a very difficult woman to track when you decide that my information is needed, but Abereth's Shadow members like my little boy here are easily within reach for whenever you do require the aid of our business. As for the price of doing business, the jingle-jangle of money can pay for our services just like it can anywhere else, but we also purchase information just like you would purchase information from us. But worry not, we won't jip you or anything. We can't afford to. Conducting bad business when the business is information brokering usually ends in bloodshed."

[Dracorion]

Pierce and Chizuru

"Ah? Errr... no, my Pokemon just get a little rowdy sometimes." Pierce explained. "My apartment's not really big enough, so they get a little frustrated and uncomfortable sometimes. Skarmory pecked through a lot of the furniture a couple of weeks ago, and found her way into my closet."

"I can usually afford to replace the stuff they wreck, though." Pierce seemed a bit awkward. He tried to steer the topic away from his money troubles. "So, um. Are you free next week? I thought we could go to the mall."

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Pierce and Shizuka

Pierce's face got redder and redder as Shizuka proceeded to explain his charm. "Guh.. err..." He gulped and continued embarassedly. "G- gifts, huh? What are they, come on! I can't wait!" He said, probably a overdoing the excitement.

--------------------------

Pierce, Jeanette and Darcelle

Pierce noticed the irritation in Jeanette's voice. "Sorry. If it's that important, you should go. I guess I just wanted to get you to let your hair down, you know?"

Pierce's concern for Jeanette wasn't entirely selfless. He felt she was the only one who really understood what he was going through with Sam, and he needed that. "... Actually, umm... would it be okay if I stopped by the lab sometime so we could talk, Professor? I don't want to get in the way, I just... erm, you could work while I just rant to myself, if you like."

--------------------------

Pierce and Fujiko

"Still," Pierce noted. "if it's about your problem, you should ask her. And I don't see why she'd refuse." He looked around. "I'm sure she's around here somewhere, actually."

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Pierce and Jeremy

Pierce noticed Jeremy's face get a little paler at his mention of drunken Charlotte. He guessed she was a scary drunk.

Then Jeremy asked about the Kimonos. Oh wow, he had no idea, huh? Yeah, there was no way he was going to miss breaking it to him. "The Kimonos? Yeah, they're demons and half-demons from the Hungry World." He explained, smiling. "I shit you not. The Hungry World is supposed to be connected to, like, a lot of different worlds. The Kimonos go around helping worlds in trouble, and now it's our turn."

"Believe me, that's not even close to the craziest thing you'll see when you're with the Watchmen."

[Menarker]

Renny & Lola (Before Party)
-----------------------------

"Would you like to go eat out somewhere? I can't remember the last time I had food at all. I don't really care what we eat, so long as we get to eat Italian."

"Sure!"

Renny nodded although his expression was deep in thought about where to eat.

"I'm not terribly picky myself either. I really tend to like sushi or a meat and veggie meal. Although there is this nice restaurant called "Blue Taillow". It's a gourmet burger joint, that also sells potato skins, dipping cheese sticks, quesadillas, fish, salads among other interesting dishes. Would you like to eat there?"

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Renny & Bretton
-----------------

Bretton looked at Renny with his very wide smile, although the young lad didn't really notice. "Yeah, there is, actually. It's a gym called Rage Royal. It was designed originally for serious muscle freaks like myself, but they've expanded into casual stuff this past year. I think we can get you to break quite a sweat there. So, when do you wanna do it? I'll need to make a call and make sure we're clear to use a certain space."

Let's see... I kinda want to have one day of rest, especially if I'm also going to be training with Catherine... So about 3 days each, with a day off somewhere. Perhaps Saturday. I should probably mention about the boxing lessons, since as my trainer, he might need to know what sort of workout I'm doing with my body.

Renny then looked toward Bretton earnestly. "Do you have any recommendations as a body trainer? I'm really serious about improving myself, so I was thinking perhaps 3 days a week, a day off between each one? I've also asked for boxing lessons which I'm hoping to do 3 days a week as well, so I'll be pretty busy. Perhaps Monday, Wednesday, Friday to fit in with Rage Royal's business hours?"

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Renny & Lola (Party)
---------------------

"Not really, to be honest. I guess I'm still in Pokemon triage mode, so I can't bring myself to hang out around them in a casual setting. Besides, I don't think they'd like a party quite this loud."

"Ah. I see. You'd probably be right. But I'm sure you'll get to know them soon."

However, before Renny could really get anywhere with Lola, Irene and Evangaleen joined them. "Hey, Tresserhorn. Sorry but we need to borrow your girlfriend. Lola, you ready?"
"Don't worry, Renny, this will be good for the both of you, I guarantee it!" Evangaleen promised. "And no peeking!"

As Irene and Evangaleen left the party, Lola bowed to Renny. "So uhh, I was asking Harliette about something but she blew me off so I asked Irene instead, and she made me promise not to tell you what it is. I'm really sorry. Excuse me."

Renny's expression was a tiny mix of surprise, confusion and curiousity as they excused themselves.

----------------------
Renny & Mika
----------------------

Renny was all ears as Mika went straighht into the attack. He gaped at the horrible description of the results of the Pokemon Commanders who defied the standard rules of trainers and snaggers.

"Oh no. So your... I'm so sorry what happened to the pokemon that were lost... I hope they're all ok."

Renny's reaction was a quick look at his belt, as if needing to make sure he had all of his pokeballs with him and that they hadn't suddenly disappeared.

"I guess I should avoid sending out my pokemon when I see trainers with strange armors. I'm glad you could tell me this, although I wish it didn't come at such a cost."

Renny then thought for a bit.

"Do you all intend to get new ones? I would guess you and the rest of the kimonos would find it difficult to find time to find, catch and raise them in a short period of time. I bet if you ask Irene, she could think of some way to deal with that. There are probably spare pokemon in storage somewhere who could use a trainer."


"So... what do you plan to do now, aside from helping us out? You seemed to really enjoy studying those murals back at the ruins, but now you can't exactly go back to them anymore..."
------------------
Renny & Whitney
------------------
*Making Whitney's color darker green due to the color scheme thing*

"Ah, sure. I'll think about it."

Whitney then looked around briefly. Renny also looked around too as if trying to discern if she saw something unusual, but it looked like what a party would probably look like.

"Actually, I guess I do want to talk to you about something. A lot of people are starting to buzz about your relationship with Lola. I guess I'm just asking for the sake of curiousity but, what exactly is your opinion about that connection?"

Renny felt a little uncertain about how he should answer her, especially as serious as her tone and expression was.

"She's a really good friend I really appreciate having. She really has done so much for me and my pokemon and after all the stress I've been having lately, I'm glad to have her support. But I'm still surprised by what everyone else has been saying. Neither of us actually done anything that would put us in a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship and she hasn't told me or said in front of me that she thought of us being in that way."

------------------------
Party - Renny & Rachel
------------------------

"Oh, hiya, Ren-Ren!" Rachel said with a sucker in her mouth. Apparently she picked up her naming habit from Darcelle. "I heard you're doing this and that with Lolie. I wish men would stop going after girls with big boobs. Us small-chested girls deserve our chance, too!"

Renny looked at her with shock. "Could this be what Whitney has heard?"
"I don't know what you mean or heard. I took her fishing for pokemon and helped her become a trainer. I don't think I have done anything quite like this and that..."

"Truth be told, I kinda set up that website to give us a more human image. Our business has an acronym. We're heavily armed. We fight in formations. That kind of thing intimidates the average folk. So I created a disarming little website that kind of helps us befriend the citizenry. My mom and dad both work in Public Relations for numerous businesses, so I guess it just flows in the blood, y'know?"

"That's... that's really neat! I think it's working." "Perhaps moreso than was intended..."

Then her gaze got evil and Renny almost gave into his reaction to shrink an inch or two. "But don't you worry, little Ren-Ren. You be in a dress eventually. The only thing holding me back from doing so would be all the homicides. If women checked into the website and saw a picture of you in a dress, they'd die from blood loss as it would rocket out of their nostrils."

Renny practically squirmed and fidgeted as he tried to wriggle his way out of this situation.
"But I would be so embarressed to wear women's clothing! I don't think I'll look good in a dress..."

He then tried to switch topics... "So... I imagine you're looking forward to your birthday? Just out of curiousity, how long have you been working with PATCA?"

[Astral Harmony]

Party - Pierce & Chizuru

"Sounds awful. You know, if you ever feel like moving out, I'm sure we can do something for you with that dojo, since you bought it for us anyways. I doubt we'll use nearly as much space as the dojo can actually cover, so I'm sure we'd all be glad to have you. You bought it for us so it's your home, too."

Living with Chizuru, eh? Hang on, Renny, Pierce is catching up fast.

-----
Party - Pierce & Shizuka

"Well, since you're so impatient," Shizuka pouted and presented him a katana hilt. "Like I said, it's a good ways away from being complete. Still needs a blade and a sheath and you'll have yourself a fine katana. It even has my crest on it."

I don't think I'll dare mention that, when completed, the katana's value will pay for the dojo he bought us twice over, Shizuka thought to herself. "The other gift will have to wait until you venture into the Hungry World. There is a...process to it as well. A lot more morbid, I'll admit, but uhh...y'know how they say that you can't make an omelette without...letting a few eggs violently devour each other for nutrients."

-----
Party - Pierce, Jeanette & Darcelle

Darcelle developed a rather sinister grin. "Ha! I totally know what to doooooooooooooo! Jay-Jay, let's take Pee-Pee into the Rezonscape with you!"

Pee-Pee? Into the Rezonscape? ...With Jeanette...

Jeanette facepalmed. "I really don't wanna bring others into my dangerous research."
"Ha! Oh, it's not dangerous! The Rezonscape is hardly any real danger when compared to what us PATCA agents do all the timeeeeeeeeeeee!"
"But we haven't done anything for the agency yet," Jeanette shouting, bopping Darcelle on the noggin.

-----
Party - Pierce & Fujiko

"I'm fine," Fujiko said with an edge in her voice. "This party's too noisy for serious discussions into stuff like that. At the very least, I can be satisfied with a certain temporary fix to my problem. Unfortunately, it's too good of a fix. I can retain my human form, but I can't generate any rage with it."

-----
Party - Pierce & Alphonsine

"Aw, relax, it's all cool. We celebrities owe you people, after all. I mean, where would we be with our fans? It's like a military general without subordinates. For my fans, working the hardest I can is the least I can do for them."

-----
Before Party - Renny & Lola

"Let's do it!" Lola said with an arm pump that sent her an impressive seven feet into the air, causing not a few heads to turn. "Heh heh...uhhh, let's just go."

Shortly after Lola's shoryuken, Renny quickly discovered at the restaurant that he had a nemesis for Lola's affection.

The son of a bitch caught Lola's eyes the moment she walked right through the door. And Lola was barely able to deny the urge to put her lips on him. He had been very sweet to her ever since she'd known him.

"Hee hee hee...cake," Lola licked her lips.

Good lord, woman, grow up.

Renny and Lola found a decent table. "Guys gotta make room in their stomachs for dessert," Lola said. "Not us girls, though. We've got a special compartment in our bodies just for sweets."

-----
Party - Renny & Bretton

"Sure, there are plenty of personal trainers. More than likely, you'll wanna forego using them. They're good at their jobs, but there's a way to get around 'em and end up only paying to use the gym. One thing I'd try is headhunting someone at about your fitness level. Starting a rivalry is a good way to motivate yourself to keep up with any fitness level. I've had several rivalries in that gym during my training, and I've found it seems to help the time pass by quicker. You even know some of mine. Mirror, Rayleen, Heidi. Those would be good rivals for you."

Mirror? Well, Mirror did need a lot of power to swing that mean wrench.

Bretton thought about it a bit. "Heh. Why not taking Lola with you? You guys mesh well, don't'cha? People always wanna give a hundred twenty percent when their favorite person is watching and working with 'em."

-----
Party - Lola, Irene & Evangaleen

"Are you sure this is a good place to do this?" Lola asked nervously. "There's a lotta people watching us."
Irene shrugged. "Of course people are watching us. When people watch you, you know you're doing it right."
Evangaleen hooked up her Inquiry Visor to the speakers. "Assuming they're also not pointing and laughing, that much is true."
"Now watch us carefully, Lola. Learn how to do it like this and you'll ensnare Renny like a Ariados would snag a Venomoth."

Irene and Evangaleen had dragged Lola outside the hotel for some training Lola considered getting in the fine art of shaking your groove thang.

"Not bad, not bad. Not one of my favorite songs, but I know it well," Irene approved as Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" came on.

And that's when Evangaleen tossed her a mic. "I'm singing, too? Y'know, they do karaoke inside."
"You think you're hot shit?" Evangaleen said. "Then let's how good you think you really are."
"Heh heh heh. Don't go easy on me just 'cause I'm over the hill."

Lola's jaw hung as Irene and Evangaleen drew a large crowd with their skills.

Irene: "What's...go-...ing on on the floor?"
Evangaleen: "I love this record, baby, but I can't see straight anymore."
Irene: "Keep...it cool, what's the name of this club?"
Evangaleen: "I can't remember but it's alright, a-alright."

As the two synced up the chorus, a guy strolled up from behind and connected a third mic. Mouse had jumped in to do the male part.

"Wow, you're incredible!" Lola said as they finished. "Mouse, I didn't know you could dance like that."
"Of course I could," Mouse said like it wasn't anything. "How do you think I landed your sister, Lolianne? By the way, sorry about how she acted just before. She's got a lot on her mind."
"That's my point exactly," Evangaleen said. "Y'know why I love dancing so much? Because it conveys feelings I never could explain with words."
"There are hundreds of thousands of words in our spoken language," Irene said, setting her mic aside. "Despite this broad vocabulary we possess which offers the potential for us to just go around inventing words whenever we feel like it, sometimes the best things you can say are never said through words, but through action."

Lola looked thoughtful. "Then I really should learn to dance, huh. It's difficult enough for me just getting through the day by using only words. So please, you've gotta teach me!"
"Evangaleen, you've got this, right?"
"Of course but, you can't help her too?"
"I've got a never ending list of stuff I have to do, unfortunately."

"Then maybe how about Mouse?" Lola asked stupidly.
"Do you have any idea what Samantha would do if she knew I was dancing with you, Lolianne?"
Lola looked downcast. "She'd call me a slutty cum-gulping cuntmonster, empty her gun into my eye sockets, and burn my entrails in chemical fire because she thought I was stealing her man."
A large sweatdrop grew on Irene's head. "Actually, she'd probably do that even if she knew you weren't stealing her man."
Evangaleen sighed. "Well, not like it's a problem or anything. It's just that I'm not very good at teaching stuff, but I'll give it my best."

-----
Party - Renny & Mika

"I think some of us will end up making due without them. After all, when we eventually return to the Hungry World to continue our adventures into other worlds, taking Pokemon with us and out of their native territory wouldn't be a very nice thing to do to them."

"At any rate, we'll discuss this stuff with Irene later. The Commanders and the Pokemon and what the murals say. I've deciphered those murals completely, and I found some things that were pretty interesting. The murals speak of these guys called the Harmonial Tribe. Apparently they were a separate race from humans and Pokemon, but their relationship with either is currently not known to me. The murals are only a part of something much bigger. It's my belief that I can learn more when we finally get to venture beyond that seal. I'm certain there's a lot more murals that I won't be able to access until that time."

-----
Party - Renny & Whitney

"Hmm. That's so, huh?" Whitney said, her eyes drifting away from Renny to nowhere at all.

And she just stood there for a while, lost in thought. She'd be a statue if her clothes didn't move on occasion.

-----
Party - Renny & Rachel

"I transferred over to the agency sometime before Irene went into a coma," Rachel said, her expression suddenly very serious. "Before then, I was helping Irene out with something else as per the wishes of my parents. The Second Succession War did an incredible amount of damage, and Irene volunteered to do damage control. My family was involved because war is usually one of the biggest public relations disasters ever, especially when it comes to the tourism industry. Locales with smoldering craters, bombed out buildings, and massive plumes of choking smog aren't very photogenic for some reason. One of the biggest results that followed the end of war was the expansion of the Rezonscape. Irene says it was all the rage that was generated and burned. It even bled through into this world in a spot, creating the Corpsemire. Supposedly, Irene had this special plan to do away with the Rezonscape altogether somehow."

Rachel suddenly crushed the rest of her sucker in her powerful incisors and skillfully flicked the stick into the nearest garbage can. "My parents say that President Andricksen rejected her proposal, and I ended up joining PATCA at their behest because Irene probably knows the reason or reasons why, and is hopefully taking steps behind his back. The Rezonscape is very precious to us. We owe our Signature Techniques, our Paradigm Shifts, our Evoliths, the Sniper Killshots, nearly all of a Destroyer's fighting capabilities...all of it to the power of the Rezonscape's influence on Honmyr. But letting it bleed through into our world is extremely dangerous. I don't know how exactly, but I can only imagine what kind of terrors direct contact with the Rezonscape's full power can inflict. The Corpsemire could only be the tip of the iceberg."

For a young girl of only seventeen, Rachel suddenly seemed very much the adult.

[Dracorion]

Pierce and Chizuru

Pierce's face turned beet red as all the implications of him moving in with the Kimonos passed through his mind. "Ah... I- it's really not that bad." He explained, chuckling nervously. "They don't make big messes very often at all. Plus, y'know, they're my Pokemon. I love 'em. So it's fine."

"Besides," he continued, scratching his head. "you don't want to put up with me and ten loud, rowdy Pokemon."

-----------------------------------

Pierce and Shizuka

"Oh... oh wow." Pierce was taken aback at Shizuka's gift. He took the katana handle Shizuka presented, and held it firmly in both hands. It seemed to fit perfectly in his grip. He took a couple of swings with it. "Thank you. Thanks." He said fondly, and handed it back to her.

"Actually, I told Mika a while ago about an idea I had. About combining Phantomere's staff with a Dragon Slave to make a weapon that would be more effective against Ruin-types. Normally I would've gone to someone like Professor Ricewood, but given the energies in the staff I thought Mika would be the better choice. Anyway, she told me she'd need to be in the Hungry World to work the magic necessary. Do you think we could work something out with this?"

Shizuka's comment about the other present piqued Pierce's curiosity. "C'mon, what's the other gift?"

-----------------------------------

Pierce, Jeanette and Darcelle

Pierce considered Darcy's proposal, scratching his chin, at the same time as he resisted the urge to crack a joke about putting his Pee-Pee into Jeanette's Rezonscape. "Well... I won't deny that I'm curious about what the Rezonscape is like." He said. "And anyway, it can't be more dangerous than Gaea, right? Everyone keeps reminding me how awesome I am for surviving that."

-----------------------------------

Pierce and Fujiko

He did not fail to notice the edge in her voice. So, Pierce decided it was time to bow out. "Okay, well. Sorry for bothering you. I'll let you enjoy yourself now. It was nice to meet you."

-----------------------------------

Pierce and Alphonsine

"Well, thanks again Miss Dione." Pierce said gratefully. "I'll let you enjoy your reunion now. See you at the photo shoot."

Alphonsine Dione... it was nice to know she didn't fall into the usual diva stereotype.

-----------------------------------

Sophia fools around more

A certain heavily intoxicated young woman stumbled past people, with no particular purpose in her wandering. She hadn't even had that much to drink. She was just a lightweight.

In her drunken meandering, Sophia finally saw something worth stopping for. Indeed, it was a very nice piece of eye candy, but she wanted a bite. She staggered in Tsubasa's direction, giggling madly, until she was right in front of her.

"You know what, Shoobasa-shan?" She blurted out, slurring heavily. "IIII shink sho're pretty." And she leaned forward, locking lips with Tsubasa and putting her arms around her neck.

The kiss didn't last as long as any onlooking guys might've wanted, however, as Sophia suddenly slumped into Tsubasa's arms. A loud snore said she had passed out.

[Menarker]

--------------------------------
Before Party - Renny & Lola
--------------------------------

Renny was all smile as they drove toward the nearest "Blue Taillow", Lola enthuastic expression was completely reassuring, as surprising as it was. Then he noticed Lola eying some delicious looking cakes, as he smirked behind her back for a moment.

"Hee hee hee...cake," Lola licked her lips.

Renny then stood beside her and touched her arm, pulling her attention away from the alluring dessert.

"How about we have a seat? I'm sure a slice of cake will be more enjoyable once you start eating."

Renny and Lola found a decent table. "Guys gotta make room in their stomachs for dessert," Lola said. "Not us girls, though. We've got a special compartment in our bodies just for sweets."

"Haha, lucky!"

Renny briefly looked back and forth between the menu and her.

"Hmmm... would you like to share some of this gooey jalapeno cheese sticks with that dipping red pepper jelly with me? It's actually not as spicy as it seems. The jelly is actually a little sweet at first. I'm thinking of getting some fish and chips then. And I'll have a coconut milkshake..." He then chuckled, "I'll see if I have room for desert then."

He then looked across the table at Lola, as he could barely help eying her from his seat. The day by far has been pretty fantastic, and the fact that he was sharing a dinner with the lovely Lola, who seemed to be in a great mood, seem to top it off.

"Lola, any ideas of what you would like to try?"

--------------------
Renny & Bretton
--------------------

Renny listened to Bretton's suggestions, taking in all the details especially the other PATCA members who also trained there, even though that was not the question Renny really asked.

"Heh. Why not taking Lola with you? You guys mesh well, don't'cha? People always wanna give a hundred twenty percent when their favorite person is watching and working with 'em."

Renny blinked as he looked back and forth discreetly.
"I'll think about it, although I'm trying not to get distracted..."

"So I guess I'll see you on Monday, if that gives you time to contact Rage Royal and free up the space to train? Again, thank you for the help."

-------------------------
Party - Renny & Mika
-------------------------

Renny nodded as Mika explained the details behind whether or not they would want new pokemon as well as the details of the murals and her hope to find new murals beyond the seal with more comprehensive knowledge.

"I see. I hope that goes well."

Feeling the line of conversation run a little dry, he was about to excuse himself when he thought about the murals and wondering if any of them could possibly have any insight on the worrisome White Catseye Gem. He got in a little close as he whispered.

"Mika, after the party is over, when you got some free time, can we talk again in privacy? There is a topic that I think is really crucial which I would appreciate if you can look over in whatever murals you might find in the future. I only heard little about it, but its importance might have worldwide significance. For now, its existence is practically a secret, but lives might be on the line so I can't help not leaving it alone."

-----------------------------
Party - Renny & Whitney
-----------------------------
"Hmm. That's so, huh?" Whitney said, her eyes drifting away from Renny to nowhere at all.

And she just stood there for a while, lost in thought. She'd be a statue if her clothes didn't move on occasion. Renny also stood in silence although more out of awkwardness and not knowing what to say.

After about half a minute of this lull between the two of them, he broke it with solemn and bold but warm air to him.

"You remember that mission in Prime Square? It was my first time dealing with actual soldiers and weapons of warfare. Deep down, I wasn't ready for that, or at least I didn't feel that was the case. I feared I would get shot at or attacked like I saw then. Lola helped me remember I wasn't the only one feeling the same way. So, she said that she'll help watch over me, and I would do the same for her. That we'd got each other's back during those tough times.

But it's not just Lola. I really want to protect all my friends, especially those helping me as they also put their lives on the line. I feel that if I could become stronger and perhaps more courageous, others might be inspired to be braver too.

So... I just want to let you know that if I can, I will protect you too."

---------------------------
Party - Renny & Rachel
---------------------------

Rachel's story was told with a serious air as Renny listened attentively. The first bit including her joining PATCA and the work she did with cleaning up after the war was amazing. The second part was pretty much the same thing that he had heard from Jeanette previously, although hearing it from Rachel own lips had its own impact. Someone so young and not in a scientific field relating to it still knowing about its influences, nevermind assisting in curbing its influences before it went out of control. Then something occurred to him that didn't make sense.

"That's incredible... But there is one thing I don't understand. How long ago did you join? I admit I'm a little sketchy on the details especially since I moved here, but from what I grasp of the time period of the war and the details of Irene's coma, if you joined before Irene had that coma you would have had to been a child of no more than 10, possibly even as young as 6 or 7 when you joined PATCA, and actually involved in dealing with the aftermath of one of the worst wars in recent history! That's... have I made a mistake somewhere in my thinking? Because it sounds so... unbelievable! I can't think of anyone being that skilled or mature to deal with such a heavy duty at that young age! I certainly wasn't! ... Were you the exception or was the war so bad that other people joined at your age too?"

Renny's expression was... stunned. Visably so as his attention was quite clearly hanging on her next words.

[Astral Harmony]

Party - Pierce & Chizuru

"Well, if you insist, I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do," Chizuru said.

-----
Party - Pierce & Shizuka

"Eh, it's not like it's going to turn into some kind of magical katana," Shizuka said. "Just a well-made one. As for Mika, I'll be working with her on it. I suggest hooking up with Kiyomi at some point to learn some spear skills because I'm certain it's going to end up as a naginata."

"And no, I'm not going to spoil the other gift like this one. Just be patient. Are you always like this? You meet a pretty woman like me and you can't be patient. You hear about a gift I got you and you can't be patient. Patience is a virtue, Pierce-kun. It just makes finally getting something all the more badass."

-----
Party - Pierce, Jeanette & Darcelle

"Well, I won't go out of my way to refuse help," Jeanette said, finally putting on something resembling a smile. "You can even earn some extra padding in your pocket."

Pierce knew she was talking about a paycheck, but somewhere there was an innuendo for him to pick out in Jeanette's statement somewhere. Like trying to find Waldo.

-----
Party - Sophia & Tsubasa

Tsubasa chuckled nervously, then took Sophia up into her arms. "I uhh...guess I'll put Sophia to bed, then," she said.

Tsubasa found one of the unoccupied rooms and laid Sophia in the bed.

Then she locked the door.

And then with the sensual rustling of her obi and kimono, Tsubasa's clothes slid off her body onto the floor.

"But I don't know when you'll actually be going to sleep," Tsubasa said, crawling into bed and holding the sleeping Sophia.

-----
Before Party - Renny & Lola

"Gosh, I dunno, I'm really terrible with spicy stuff," Lola said, but at Renny's urging, gave it a shot, regardless. "Hmm, it's pretty good," Lola said a little white lie. She always found peppers and other spicy stuff kinda altered the flavor in a negative way.

Lola spared a glance around the restaurant, then returned with a blushing face. "Do you think we came at a bad time?"

Huh? Why would she say that?

It only took Renny a moment to figure it out. Roughly a dozen men were checking out his woman, and with good reason. Lola was a young twenty-something who developed so well in all the right places and even had pink Lopunny ears that ignited not a few fetishes.

Seriously, did any of these guys come with their own dates? Oh, wait. Their dates were eye-banging him! In fact, Renny pretty much had every set of eyes belonging to something with a uterus on him. "It's like they're observing a couple of Rattata trying to find some cheese in a maze, huh?"

But it didn't seem too bad. Lola didn't seem to mind being looked at although she didn't exactly embrace the idea of being popular.

-----
Party - Renny & Mika

"I've got time now if you want," Mika shrugged. "I don't really care for the alcohol or the noise or the lesbians."

Lesbians? Oh. Right. There were quite a few couples before counting Tsubasa and Sophia.

-----
Party - Renny & Whitney

Whitney returned Renny's gaze. Then she nodded and actually took hold of his shoulders. "And I shall protect you, too."

Then she gently removed her hands. "It's not fair, is it?" she said, but she never actually elaborated on what she was talking about. But that was probably for the best as Irene and Evangaleen returned with Lola and Mouse in tow.

-----
Party - Renny & Rachel

"Aw, shucks, Ren! Ten ain't that young. I hear there're kids in other regions who are thwarting evil criminal syndicates from ruling the world at ten. But yeah, I was about eleven and a half. I wasn't involved directly in the war, just the cleanup, and my parents ensured I wasn't involved in...ahem, burials. But I heard it was bad. Like, people getting physically sick at having to handle bodies that had been rotting for weeks in the sun without having been commited to the earth. Sure doesn't make my stomach feel easy and all I'm doing is talking about it. Most of what I did was split between painting and gardening. You know, beautification stuff."

Rachel folded her arms. Her forehead had a vein bulging in it from trying to recall such a long time ago. "The final year of the war was actually rather one-sided after all those very powerful people from Hiroshiho died."
Sounded like Edelweiss' work. "Sakuya Kazetsubaki was trying her best to rally her people into continuing the war effort and she was even succeeding to an extent, but whatever had happened, it delivered a crippling blow to the Imperial Army. We were already doing beautification efforts for areas that were affected by the war, but there was no more active battle there and the bodies had been long cleared away."

"Anyways, that's all internet stuff or, if you prefer a physical medium, you can find some war museums scattered around the city. The museums are interesting. They have a lot of old weapons there, but what's really interesting are these guys I've read about called the Fear Vanguard. Those guys are fielding those obsolete things! My guess is that if we weren't dealing with the Prideguard and the Ruin Generals, then we'd be putting the hurt on the Vanguard."

-----
Hide the Children & Just Use Your Imagination

"Oh, hey, it's our turn!" Rachel said, pulling herself away from Renny. "Be back in a moment, Ren."

Rachel found the stage to be free and then rapidly sought out Mika, Miracle, Nyoka and Mio.

"I can't believe I actually agreed to do this," Mika said.
"Yeah, well you did and we worked very hard on this so get over it," Miracle shrugged.
"I hope my mother does not disown me for doing this," Mio prayed silently.

"Ready, girls?" Rachel said, picking out the song. "Talent number #19, Rachel McConnelly and this is our new Union Technique! Let's give 'em a taste of our Super Kawaii Desu Moe Moe Dance Attack!"

Armored Bishoujo: "I seriously gotta lay off the YouTube."