OOC: Yup, really. I kind of alluded to what I had in mind at one point waaay back. Heh, Roberts is going to have a little chat with his bosses. I've been waiting for a chance to put those two back into the game anyway. They are such a lovely duo. Which I incidentally thought up in about two minutes too. XD Oh, and maybe you ought to give Seth a cue once in a while? I don't feel like I can portray the guy probably, usually happens when dealing with others' characters.
IC:
Teioh grinned at Coran's and Mara's enthusiaism about buying new clothes, wondering if there wasn't maybe just a little bit more involved in it than necessity. He had never really understood the intriciaties of fashion decisions himself, just going for something simple and usefull that didn't clash too badly with his own colours, usually little more than a black t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. Working as Rhaine's lab assistant, Teioh was quite used to the idea that anything even vaguely fashionable would begin to look utterly blasted after a week or two anyway. It was better to take clothes that could stand the wear and tear, or failing that, were easy to replace.
Showing the way to the guest room wasn't really such a big deal, it was just a simple matter of heading back into the entry room and then heading up the staircase, although one had to mind the fifth step, counted from the foot of the stairs, as the board had a nasty tendency to wobble) and then taking the first door to the left and what luggage they had was quickly deposited. The room itself wasn't that spectacular and actually seemed fairly well organized, three beds, somewhat old fashioned but servicable, were arranged by the walls of the room, two by the right-hand wall and one, slightly larger than the others, by the left-hand one. The wall opposite to the door had a fairly sizeable window set into it, a wooden desk and chair located right by it so that whoever sat down to write there could do so in the sunlight, although of course the curtains were drawn, upon the desk a small lamp for night-time needs had also been located. Overall, the room looked far cleaner and more organized than the rest of Rhaine's house, although there was a slight covering of dust on the furniture. Apparently the room hadn't seen use in quite some time.
Next came of course the usual shuffling and poking about that soon-to-be cleaning staff went through, including the discovery of various objects that had been left undisturbed under piles of paper for untold amounts of time, probably simply forgotten.
{Nonsense...} Teioh said at Growlithe's comment, shaking his head {I managed to keep this place in a fairly tidy order with only Pixie for help.} Emphasis being on fairly he added in his mind {I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems.}
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Meanwhile at the LG Inc. headquarters in Balautenos City, more specifically at the executives' floor, the sizeable, not to mention nervous, figure of Roberts knocked on the door of the office bearing a plaque which read "Arikawa & Harimoto, Senior Executives".
"Come in..." came a icily polite voice from the other side.
"Pray enter..." said another, practically identical to the first. Somehow the words respelled themselves within the guardsman's head, sounding, in his mind, like "Prey, enter."
Inside of the office, all the lights seemed to have been dimmed except for an almost blindingly bright white lamp situated straight behind a large, and very expensive, wooden desk, causing the two men sitting in the luxurious armchairs behind them to seem like little more than black silhouettes and causing what little difference there was between them to dissipate altogether.
"Ahh, mr. Roberts." the figure on the left said.
"We have been expecting you." the right-hand one noted.
"Please come in." said the man on the left
"Have a seat." the right-hand one prompted, gesturing towards a somewhat plainer looking chair located on the other side of the desk.
Roberts muttered a nervous response in return, dutifully waddling over to the chair and sitting down on it, his hunched shoulders causing his formidable frame to seem quite pathetic, like a punctured spare tyre slowly flattening, he knew that this wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting. After all, why else would they have summoned him if not to explain the escape of a certain shifter and her cellmate?
"You seem a little tense." the man on the right said, his black shades covering what little emotion might have otherwise had, although Roberts had the distinct expression that he was smiling, or at least, attempting to.
"Indeed, there is no call for such." the left-hand man said, tutting dissaprovingly.
"Perhaps you're thirsty?" asked the one on the right, obviously taking note of Roberts' profuse sweating.
"Erm...I'm fine sir." he muttered quietly, returning his gaze to his feet and wishing that the darnable lamp wasn't so bright.
"Nonsense." the left man said.
"It's a hot day." said the right-hand figure.
"We could all use some refreshments." the left one noted, and before Roberts had any chance to voice a protest he had already snapped his fingers, a low-level grunt in LG uniform walking over, carrying a tray with three glasses, two made of crystal and one made of glass, and three bottles of LG inc. mineral water and carefully placing them on the table. Pouring out a glassfull of liquid to each from their respective bottles and handing the glasses over to them, Roberts fumbling slightly and hoping that the glass wouldn't slip from his sweaty fingers as he held onto it.
"Well then." the left man said.
"Let us toast." said the one on the right.
"To LG Inc." the left one concluded, raising his glass
"To LG Inc." the right one concured.
"To LG Inc." Roberts said hastily, all of them taking a good drink of the liquid before placing their glasses down again. He had to admit that it was good stuff, nice and refreshing as it poured down his throat, seeming to ease his tension just a bit.
"Now..." the right man begun.
"Isn't that better?" the left one finished.
Roberts nodded, muttering out a somewhat hoarse 'thank you'.
"Oh don't mention it." the right-hand one said.
"But please." the left one added.
"Drink up." concluded the right man. Both sharing brief and identically cold smiles as the guardsman took another drink from his glass, the grunt quickly rushing in to empty the rest of the bottle's contents into the now almost empty glass.
"And then..." the right one said.
"We will talk bussiness."
Roberts nodded, still feeling too awkward to say anything. There was something thoroughly unnerving about these two men and the way they completed each others sentences seamlessly, as if they were but a single person speaking through two bodies.
"Our sources tell us..." the one on the right began.
"That there was an accident at Biffin Town." continued the left one.
"A most tragic accident."
"An unfortunate circumstance indeed."
"Valuable specimens lost."
"Ones that know too much."
"No less than three in fact."
"And one that has escaped our grasp earlier."
"All at the same place."
"And all dissapeared."
"Taking one of our more mercenary employees with them."
"Could you offer an explanation for this..."
"Mr. Roberts?"
"I-" the guard muttered, staring at his feet and feeling the panic build up within him once more as both men leaned in over the desk just a bit. "I was caught of guard."
"Not to mention outwitted." the right-hand one added.
"By a little girl..." the one on the left noted.
"...a Slowbro..."
"...and an old rat."
Roberts felt the colour rise to his cheeks, a hollow feeling building in his stomach as he reached for his glass once more, hoping that a drink might calm him down a bit. Although he didn't notice it, both executives smiled once more as they witnessed this.
"You must understand..." the one on the right began once more.
"That in these competitive times..."
"...we cannot afford trade secrets..."
"...or other classified information..."
"...not to mention test subjects..."
"...or employees..."
"...to simply leave our organization."
"That is why..."
"...we called you here..."
"...Mr. Roberts."
"You want me to go after them?" Roberts asked, raising his head up. He would love to repay Squirt and her two four-legged friends for the humiliation they caused him.
"Perhaps..." the one on the right replied.
"In a manner of speaking, certainly..." said the one on the left.
"...although you would be supervised."
"For you see..."
"...for these delicate assignments..."
"...we need someone with the intelligence..."
"...and skill..."
"...not to mention experience..."
"...that tracking entails."
"One who has never failed us before..."
"...and who has the proper incentive never to do so..."
"...and unfortunately..."
"...you fullfill none of these requirements..."
"...Mr.Roberts."
They both shook their head in unison, as if to express their regret over this sad fact.
"But please..." the one on the right said.
"...do drink up." they both gestured towards the liquid remaining in Roberts' glass, giving the man two almost demanding stares.
Roberts nodded, feeling the frustration building within him as he emptied the glass, wiping a few remaining droplets from his lips with his sleeve.
"What would I be doing then?" he asked at last. Admitedly, the thought of serving someone else didn't appeal to him, but he still might get a break to get even again, maybe even regain the trust of his employers.
"You shall find out..." the one on the right replied. Identical grinns of triumph forming on both men's faces.
"...momentarily." the left one concluded.
Just as Roberts began to try figuring out what the two found so amusing, he suddenly felt a clenching feeling in his stomach that caused him to double over, holding onto it with both hands while the world began spinning around him and a feeling of nausea overwhelmed his senses, a bright light seeming to envelop the man's body as he feel of the chair, his skin beginning to feel hard and ripply and a stabbing pain suddenly erupting from his shoulders. Just as he was about to pass out, Roberts heard speech coming from somewhere above, vaguely aware of that both executives were now standing right beside him.
"Perform properly..."
"...and we might change you back..."
"...once your services are no longer required."
The last thing that Roberts saw was a pair of identical shark smiles as the white light suddenly turned blinding and he slipped into unconsciousness, a sizeable Graveler lying curled up on the office floor.
"Well then..." the one on the right began.
"...I suppose that is that." the left one finished.
"You there..." the right one added, adressing the, now rather pale, grunt who had brought in the water.
"...take this one over to the training center..."
"...our operative will be waiting there."
"And do be mindfull..."
"...not to repeat Mr.Roberts' mistakes."
"Ye-yes sir!" the grunt called, performing a nervous salute before pulling out a pokéball with an LG stamp on it and striking the unconscious Graveler with it, the newly formed Rock type dissapearing in a flash of red light. The grunt then proceeded with equal haste to leave the room, practically running to the elevator in an effort to make this delivery as soon as possible.
