Welcome to Gaia! ::

The Redgraves both seemed to drift into their own world. Robby shrugged at Henrietta when they did, even when Zack drifted back in to circle back to something with Helena. "Y'two sh'ld." Robby said.

And there it was. The pieces clicked together, and Salieri had a good guess as to what Robin wanted out of the dinner party. She sympathized with Robin's desires, but she didn't want to throw a wrench into Benedict's mission if the two of them were supposed to be dates. More importantly, her request was easier said than done.

"Soooo Alanza Taine is the trainer of that Klefki, and she hates me. I don't think I'm the girl to be asking her for any favors. If you wanna try it yourself, I think she's still in the Anistar City Hospital."

Salieri also wanted to visit Alanza, for totally different reasons. She wanted to get Nicolette's real identity out of the Gambler. Her only lead on Nicolette Nostrad came from Alanza. Getting close to her would already prove difficult, and getting the Klefki off her for Robin could risk her chance at following through on the lead. She wondered if Robin would find out that Salieri crippled Alanza if she went to the hospital. She wondered if Robin would be able to tell she did it on purpose.

"If you don't think that noble is gonna keep his word without a contract, how would you get a guy like that to sign one?" Salieri asked, trying to change Robin's budding strategy while the other trainer was still riffing. "What do you need that noble to do?"

Robby legitimately didn't know what the Redgraves were talking about, but he nodded anyway. And then Zack told him to set one of his underlings to preparing a burger a specific way.

Robby would nod. One of the servers was getsured to, and he signed in Sign language Zack's order for his friend. They signed back an affirmative. "Y'g't't." He replied to Zack out loud.

Salieri listened silently as Robin told her story, trying to look shocked when appropriate even though she knew about Robin's uncle because Zack did. Even so, having the story told to her by Robin in person was more powerful, and her goals were still a surprise. Sal's inner storm clouds crackled in kind with Robin's, knowing all too well what an opportunity like that would mean to someone like them.

"Now that...is a motive I can get behind." Sal stood up and stretched her arms over her head. The more people around her awakened to the disease that was noble society, the more she felt like what she was trying to accomplish could actually make a difference. It invigorated her in a way that let her stow her turmoil over Mia for another time. "And to think, I was this close to warning you to quit. Bon dieu, who am I kidding with that? I'd love to see the look on his face..."

She rotated her shoulders. "I still don't think I can get you close to Alanza...actually, I probably can't get close to Alanza either, merde." Sal knew that Alanza held the answer to Nicolette Nostrad's true identity, but she needed someone with a better standing with the Taine to get that information out of her. Going to interrogate the woman she'd very publicly beaten up might not go her way. "I bet if you tell Benedict about what you really want, he'd want to help you at the dinner. He's also come around to being anti. Zack's sister is going too. There are people who share the same interests and concerns as you, is what I'm saying."

Unknown Bunker

It had been days since Elizabeth last saw daylight. She collapsed against the cold concrete as her captor shoved her into the interrogation room for what seemed like the hundredth time. Its single fluorescent light burned her eyes like the sun in what was otherwise the most dim and drab room in all of Kalos, and she hung her head, too tired to lift it. Strong hands lifted her by the arms and slid Elizabeth into her chair, and the wall-mounted speaker crackled to life.

'You know why you are here,' said the voice. It always began the same way. Like being trapped in a recurring nightmare. Elizabeth said nothing, and the voice continued. Dark, and echoing, rattling in her head. 'Will you finally talk?'

A Medicham stood in the corner of the room, as silent and as motionless as a statue. Its job was to watch Elizabeth for any sign that she might resist, and 'control' her if she made a move. Its other job was to read her mind, and discern the truth of her statements. She could feel it now, trawling through her brain like a worm.

'I... I don't...' Elizabeth's voice didn't sound like her own. When she opened her lips, a woman three times her age spoke. 'You know I don't...'
'You colluded with the assassin Ratio to attack your own father's funeral procession, and kidnap the queen,' said the voice in the wall for the thousandth time. 'Explain why. Tell us who Ratio is and how to find him, and all of this will end.'
'I told you before,' Elizabeth said, thick tears trailing along the length of her nose. Why didn't they just believe her? 'I keep telling you. I don't know.'
'Lies,' said the voice. 'You aided Ratio in defeating a Quillon. You prevented his capture. Why?'
'I DON'T KNOW!'

She barely saw the Medicham move. In a blink, its hand drove Elizabeth's head back and pulsed Psychic from its palm. The pain was unbelievable, ripping Elizabeth out of the cold interrogation room into a realm of senseless bliss before dragging her into the moment of the procession, fighting against Dardanius the Savage, back to the moment she learned her father had died, fighting Juliet in a rapier duel, to speaking with Antoinette outside her limousine. The raw power of Medicham's Psychic cooked her mind, each memory flashing through like fire, a hot whistling sounding off in the background that came into focus more and more until Elizabeth realised it was her own anguished scream.

Elizabeth fell forwards, the strong hands grabbing her chest to keep her in her chair. Excess psychic power hissed off her head like steam. An eternity passed, and the speaker crackled to life once more.

'Did that jog your memory?'

Elizabeth sobbed, and the Medicham took a step towards her, its palm humming with latent power. She was dizzy, the room spinning, and she was about to throw up, but when she heard that hum her heart pounded and she spoke with a start.

'Yes! It did...' Elizabeth said, fingers digging into her chair as she closed her eyes to stop the room from spinning. 'I remember. I do. He- Ratio- he made me do it- he said I didn't have a choice.'

The Medicham cocked its head as Elizabeth spoke, then turned towards the speaker and shook its head slowly.

'I do not think you are being entirely truthful,' said the voice.

Elizabeth looked up, started to protest, but could only scream for a second before the Medicham grabbed her head and cut her short.

Lumiose City - South Boulevard

The South Boulevard was busy with the usual cacophony of morning commuters hurrying up and down the stone-paved streets. Esme, Dexio and Sina passed below the enormous screen outside the PR Video Studio, which played ads featuring sponsored trainers on loop. Not too much further until they reached the lab.

'-and rumour has it, these crystals, when held by a pokémon, are capable of fully realising the latent power behind any attack. The implications for Type Energy Conversion Theory are mind-boggling!'
'My mind's already boggled,' Sina grinned as Dexio continued to enthuse. 'Oh, this would be the perfect excuse to go to Alola.'
'I believe there is room in the budget for a week-long research excursion!'
'The Professor would be so on board with that. Whaddya think, Esme?' Sina asked, but the other aide said nothing as they continued to walk. 'Uh, yello?'

'Sorry,' Esme said, looking at a message on her holo caster. The Sycamore Lab's front stairs came into view just as she snapped her caster shut and reshouldered her bag. 'I was miles away.'
'Ooooh. Okay, I won't pry,' Sina said with a raise of her eyebrows that meant she would totally pry once Dexio wasn't around. 'So you down for a little vaycay to-'
'Research vaycay!'
'-yeah, to Alola?'
'Hm?' Esme had one foot on the bottom stair when she stopped. 'Oh, yes. Absolutely. I think I have to go.'

'Yes, we should all go to Alola,' Dexio said, nodding to himself. 'Perhaps during our break we could visit a clothes shop for attire more suitable for Alola's famed beaches?'
'She meant go from here, bidoofus,' Sina replied as she rolled her eyes.
'But we have only just arrived,' Dexio scratched his chin. 'I am not overly convinced that Professor Sycamore would approve of an aide simply leaving without prior notice.'
'Yeah,' said Sina, 'What he said but less weird.'
'Tell him I'm sick?' Esme started walking to the front gate, away from the lab. 'I was up all night working on that assignment.'

She had, in fact, been finished by dinner time, and had a great night's sleep.

'Uh, okay,' Sina said, 'but if you want me to lie for you, it'd be great to know what I was lying for.'
After a moment of hesitation, Esme relented, and Sina soon reflected her discomfort, swapping out confusion for concern. 'Michel wants me to go over. I think I should.'
'Sure thing,' said Sina slowly. 'We'll tell the Professor you threw up on the way here or something. Are you going to be okay?'

Esme wasn't too happy with that excuse, but she appreciated it nonetheless. Was she going to be okay? She honestly had no idea.

Lumiose City - Vernal Avenue

It was only a short walk from the lab on South Boulevard to Vernal Avenue, but Esme dragged her feet, her pace stymied by an uneasy knot in the pit of her stomach. She made her way up the street, passing under swaying trees that cast speckled shadows on rows of parked cars as commuters hurried past, making her feel as if she were travelling in slow motion. Esme eventually spotted the sign of the Lumiose Stone Emporium, a stylised gemstone on a lacquered darkwood board swaying gently in the breeze.

The sound of the morning commute faded, as if an unseen hand turned the volume dial to zero. Esme caught the noise of her breath, surprised and increasingly shallow, disappearing to naught soon after. It was like standing underwater, except in broad daylight in the middle of a sidewalk. The warm morning air now held a distinct chill that covered her with shivers. Esme was sure she was being watched.

She looked up the street, to the sight of Centrico Tower looming over all of Lumiose City, then back down to the lab. She looked at the people soundlessly passing by, paying her no mind. She may as well have been invisible. Then she glanced into an alley, and saw a shadow flickering on the edge of her vision, one that took effort to even see - a concerted strain where Esme had to push herself to recognise that what she saw was a thing at all. The shape of a woman in dark silhouette, staring at her with a locked dead-eyed gaze.

Esme's heart leapt with a rush. Sound returned to the city - honking cars, noisy commuters, the clash of a battle happening in a nearby street. The shadow woman disappeared from the alley, and Esme forgot all about it and carried on to the shop.

***

The Lumiose Stone Emporium always struck Esme as a strange kind of jewellery shop, with rows of glass cases containing various rocks and stones of differing rarities. This is where trainers typically came to purchase evolution stones for their pokémon, and indeed today there were several trainers in the store pricing up which stones they would need.

Esme went up to the counter, and received a flash of recognition from the clerk.

'Hey, how you doing?' he said, tapping on the bell for attention and calling upstairs. 'Michel! Esme's here!'
'Thanks, Lou,' Esme said, stepping aside to let a customer up to the counter.
'He'll be down in a minute,' Lou said quickly before dealing with a lady asking if you could gift wrap a Fire Stone without it burning the box.

Esme walked away from the counter, awkwardly not knowing where to stand as she waited. That's when she noticed something on the other side of the room, curled up on a soft mat. As if reacting to her gaze, it awoke, and stared at her with a pair of deep red eyes before bounding over. Esme braced herself as she was assaulted with a wave of deep barks and thrashing paws as the Absol jumped at her excitedly, drawing the notice of about everybody in the store.

'Calm down, you crazy boy!' Esme giggled, kneeling to the Absol's level as it placed its paws on her chest and tried licking her face. Once it calmed enough, Esme threw her arms around the pokémon's neck, and let her cheek sink into its soft white mane. 'I missed you too, Shard. Sorry I haven't visited.'

Shard the Absol leaned into the embrace, and Esme could feel its tense muscles growing loose as the heavy smell of its fur filled her nose. She had to be careful to avoid its horn; a long time ago, that horn had been shattered with only a thin splinter remaining. Most trainers would pass on a pokémon whose primary means of attack had been crippled, but not Allard.

After a moment, Shard wrestled itself free and began barking at Esme once again, earning a few disapproving tuts from the other people in the shop. A couple of the more delicate noble-looking types walked out, muttering things over their shoulder about discipline and uncouthness.

'SHARD!' boomed Michel's voice from the doorway behind the counter. Shard scurried back to its mat and sat down with its head between its paws. Esme thought she would probably do the same if Michel ever yelled her name like that. Not particularly tall, but still solidly built and sporting a moustache like a circus ringmaster, Michel Fortier was the opposite to Allard in almost every way. While Allard had inherited his tall and slender looks from his mother, in his chest had beat Michel's warm heart.

'Good boy,' he said with a sniff of his moustache before turning to Esme. 'Ah, you got my message. Lou, let her in.'
'Right, boss,' said the clerk, opening the hatch to get behind the counter. Once Esme had slipped through, Lou locked the hatch again with a jangle of keys.

***

The Fortiers had owned Lumiose Stone Emporium for decades, and were about as well off as you could be in Kalos without being part of the nobility. The glass ceiling very much existed, but life as business owners trading in rare and exotic materials provided plenty in the way of comfort. The Fortier family home extended into the back rooms and several storeys above the emporium.

'We've been able to find all kinds of mega stones following that meteor shower last week,' Michel said as he led Esme upstairs. 'Thought you and your lab might want first look before I sell them on to the nobility. They always buy stuff like that, the Nostrads especially.'
'That'd be amazing, thank you,' Esme replied as they passed an ascending line of family photographs - baby Allard, Allard and his two sisters, Allard with Shard as a puppy. Allard Allard Allard.
'Oof, here we are,' Michel said as they reached the third floor. 'I keep telling Patricia: next house will be a bungalow.'

Michel led the way to their destination, and Esme felt that old sense of dread return. She'd had a flicker of it when first she read Michel's message asking her to come here, but if that was an ember, this would be a bonfire. She stopped in her tracks, steadying up against a wall as her body and head simultaneously went heavy as lead and lighter than air. She fought to steady her breathing as Michel drew away, the short corridor stretching ad infinitum, her heart thrashing its way out of her chest.

Next she knew, Michel had his arms around her, shushing into her ear, and for how long she did not know. He breathed loudly so that she could hear, deep and slow to set the pace and Esme concentrated on it, letting her own breathing flow into Michel's rhythm. Slowly, she felt her panic subside, like claws releasing a death grip, leaving behind dizziness and embarrassment.

'Sorry,' Esme sniffed, rubbing her eyes with her palm only to realise she'd been crying. 'God, I am such a mess.'
'Shush now. I understand,' Michel whispered, letting go. 'You do not have to if it is too much. I only thought-'
'No. No. I want to help,' Esme said, straightening up. 'I'd hate myself if I didn't.'
'Thank you,' Michel said, offering Esme gentle smile and a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder.

They stopped outside Allard's bedroom door. Esme felt her chest flutter, not knowing what to expect except that she'd be transported back in time to when Allard was alive. Every possession, trinket and nicknack would serve only as a fresh reminder of his death. Esme was, in that moment, keenly aware that she had never properly come to terms with it. Never truly grieved for her lost love. Esme grasped the handle and, with a feeling akin to leaping from a tall building, she pushed the door open.

Lumiose City - Unovan Delights

After wrapping up training with Robin and dropping her off at Boutique Sauvage, Salieri checked her social media for the first time all morning and was greeted by a deluge of notifications. A stream of videos taken of her rap battle and her games with Alanza flooded her Chatter feed. Sal's eyes glazed over the many angles, the gifs of her getting hit with a frying pan, and yeeting Alanza both into and out of her house, to glide through the comments.

It was overwhelming. Sal estimated that she'd been tagged and circulated more than after any of her Gym matches. Like the day before, she could feel the stares of everyone around her. Were they actually staring, or was it in her head? Yesterday the recognition felt like accomplishment. But in her current state of mind, feeling lost and confused, it just made her feel dizzy.

And so, when she looked up from anxiously scrolling and scrolling, she realized she'd made it to her destination. Her sunglasses hid her bugging eyes, and a sheepish smirk helped hide her feelings and hangover.

"Burgers for breakfast. Y'all really are Unovans." Sal's eyes fell on a burger with a fried egg on a plate next to Zack's seat. She wearily plopped into the chair beside his. "Thanks."

Helena had finished two burgers herself and felt relatively stuffed and a little afraid of not being able to fit into whatever outfit was picked out for her.

"We wouldn't eat so much greasy food if it wasn't so good." Especially when Robby made it. Heaven in her mouth. Helena sighed happily as she looked at Salieri, much too delighted by the delicious food to notice anything wrong with either one of them.

"Are you planning to hit up any gyms today? I was gonna spend the day training but if it means I fall behind you then I'm definitely not letting that happen."