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Luka's eyebrow lifted slightly. This girl was like a puzzle. It's not very often that you come across a mute girl on a date at ten or eleven who is interested in politics and movements. Still, he just wanted to chill tonight and see what Plasma had to say about things. "There's a lot more to everyone than most people think. I'm sure Plasma are exactly the same. Still, they don't strike me as the types to host a great party. I could be wrong, but, eh."

A look of curiosity overcame Luka. "And how would you know that?"

Saying that the night may be eventful seemed to imply that the kid was going to try a ruckus at some point during the evening. Of course, Luka could be wrong. Something could happen, but, he'd rather it didn't. After all, he'd only just miraculously survived yesterday. He didn't want to be put into another one of those situations again so soon.

((It's just too bad that Kenta's characterization is attacking Plasma out of uniform with no basis for who they are or what they were doing, so he's literally crazy from my perspective. o.o

Edit: Or his Gyarados is calling the shots and attacked Plasma because it's literally out of control, utilizing and manipulating a human into doing its bidding. Which would be cooler than an error on your part as a typist when you had Kenta attack Plasma.))

Henrietta wasn't about to admit to her involvement. Unlike other people, she didn't feel the need to throw herself out into a certain light that could be misconstrued.

"Y-yeah," she said.

Surface memories, of the pinwheel forest event, of Henrietta running around, checking on people, developing her plan. That'd be Reid's glimpse, still, Henrietta was shying away from her comfortability with the subject of something she'd been involved in.

"It's your turn."

***

Goldberg smiled a polite smile, a gentleman's smile from a giant. He wasn't half bad looking, it was mostly his size that intimidated people. If you could get past that, there wasn't a whole lot to physically dissuade a person from talking to him.

"I was having some trouble," he said as he knelt down to the waitress, Sachiko, to be eye level, "but then I found you - prettiest thing in the room."

((I dunno if you want me to play the girl in pink for you or not Jump.))

Reid's eyes left Henrietta's. So she still held negative feelings about her experience in the Pinwheel Forest. Her insecurities provided a natural psychic defense. On the inside, his patience with the charade was starting to wear thin. But he still smiled gently, pointing up to the Plasma Building as he got into line with her.

"Finally. Hopefully this line doesn't last much longer." The blue haired teen turned back to face Henrietta. "You're a trainer so you can run away from your problems. But there are plenty of other ways to do that."

He chuckled a little, then threw his hands up defensively. The psychic was trying his best to feign genuine emotion. "Not that it's any of my business. I just...I suppose my question is, why choose pokemon? You could be a painter, or a teacher, or a chef. You could be anything, but you chose pokemon training. Why?"

Reid scratched the back of his head. "But I guess that's too close to my first question, huh?"

****

Sachiko looked left. Then looked right. Was Bronius around? No. It was only 8:03. The time for maximum security was 8:30. Yana has a date. Even Reid has a date. Finally, karmic retribution.

"Oh?" Sachiko eye's narrowed, become almost catlike. She licked her lips and leaned forward, tiptoeing to reach Goldberg's ear. Then she whispered, in a sultry and slightly primal voice, "Then you know there's a sleeping quarters aaaaaall the way down the hall in the lobby, in five minutes the prettiest thing in this room will meet you in that one."

She leaned back and smiled politely again, like an innocent Nurse Joy. "I hope I could be of service to you!" she exclaimed in a chipper fashion to the giant. "Enjoy your time at our banquet!"

Reid turned his head away, looking slightly guilty. On purpose, of course. He had to come clean about something, after all.

"I may have misled you. This banquet doesn't require a date. I asked you because I wanted to."

Well, half truth. He asked because he didn't have a choice. But flattery got you places. He looked back at Henrietta and smiled.

"To me, this is something great. Now, you asked two questions, cheater," he laughed. "I'll answer your second question if you answer mine first."

They were at the door now because time flies when I'm the writer you're on a hot date. At this point, Reid gathered that she wasn't an enemy in the conventional sense. She was curious about the mission of Team Plasma. He would change plans according to how she reacted at the presentation.

"Do you dance?"

****

"The music? I can dig that," Jump told the lady. She was definitely a looker. He raised his class towards the speakers, which played Canon in D. "This is pretty swag."

He paused, but kept grinning. "But seriously, tell me you're one of the dancers." Jump pointed at Goldberg across the room. "I've got a bet going with that guy that you gotta be. Cause if you don't mind me saying, you've got the walk of an angel. And if you don't dance, well..."

Jump took a sip of his champagne. For dramatic effect. "Then my next question is a waste."

****

Sachiko nodded, looking very bubbly and happy. Not like the nympho she must have sounded like to Goldberg. "Yep! I'll be with you again in five minutes. I hope you find the room okay!"

And she skipped away to tell her fellow waitresses that she was taking her break now, and if any of them objected they'd be eating their own hair for a week.

****

And what was our heroine, Salieri Del Forrest, up to?

Well, she found a quarter on the ground. With one of the empty glass on her table meant for water, she played a game where she would bounce the coin on the table. If it landed in the glass, she won. If not, she tried again.

Yep.

The Battle Girl sighed, her eyes darting around the room. She really hoped no one that she knew showed up. Sal looked down at her dress again, grimacing to herself. She felt vulnerable in such fragile clothing.

"This is stupid..."

Henrietta felt her cheeks flush and she looked away. Then he asked about dancing. "I've never danced before," she said. They were inside the banquet now, and it was full of people. Still, Henrietta had to wonder if this was the sort of party Eunmi would attend. All the fancy formal clothing told her maybe.

"Wh-what about my second question?"

***

Goldberg grinned and watched Sachiko head off before he turned and headed off himself, throwing Jump a thumbs up before he saw a big man approaching his competition.

Ah, crap, looks like the woman had a date.

***

Elysia giggled at Jump's flirting. "Is that s-" she looked behind Jump. "Kero."

Kero stood there, behind the Interpol Agent. A look of apathy on his face as he said, "Jump, why are you flirting with my ex-wife?"

***

In the plasma headquarters, Helena had arrived and been taken to be prepped. Some thing or another, she was used to it. Just stand there, smile, look pretty and, if need be, let them apply whatever make up they felt suited their party, or hand over whatever they felt suited their party.

A side bag rested, strapped across one shoulder and her chest, for the bag proper to rest against the opposite hip. Of course, it held a laptop.

"Something healthy," Henrietta said. She actually hadn't been eating well. All things considered, she probably needed to fix that. Already being underweight, she'd probably get to a dangerous level soon - if she wasn't already there.

***

Goldberg, who found the room with no problem, made to enter and then wait on Sachiko.

***

"Where's Helena?" Kero said, suddenly seeming to ignore Jump. He'd intended for the man to simply flee at his presence but.. seems Jump wasn't your average scared shitless person.

"She wanted to sing a song here before we left, so we haven't left yet," Elysia said.

Kero's lips tugged downward, a frown. His eyes moved to Jump. "I've been debriefed on them already," he said, his voice lower. With the music, Elysia wouldn't be able to hear him. Jump better be able to. "Orders for you, if anything happens to my daughter while she's here, you'll wish you were fighting Galactic again."

Then he turned back to face Elysia.

"What'd you say to him?" Elysia frowned. "Threatening guys that flirt with me, Kero?"

"No, he's free to do as he pleases." Kero turned and left, toward the bar. He needed a drink.

"So," Elysia said, offering Jump her hand, "you were going to ask me to dance, right?"