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Another morning in an empty motel room.[break][break]

Bailey Cooper did not want to think of the night before. Every time she tried, the memories were sullied by the recollection of cocktails and the clicking of ice cubes. Each glass had carried a flavor that she could still taste on her lips; while some people awoke to the coaxing of a family member or the ring of an alarm clock, she had awoken by her body's demand to purge itself. Her first moment of consciousness was her face in a trash can.[break][break]

Real classy.[break][break]

“Fuck,” but she takes it on the chin. Her hand wipes away the cold sweat, knowing that food and coffee would be the cure for her woes. [break][break]

This was not the first time she had been hungover, and it would not be the last. There was no time to berate herself. Had it been irresponsible to drink the night before a mission with her partner? Of course. Did she have the time to stand around and confess her sins to an unseen God that was somehow a Pokemon? No, she did not.[break][break]

She chugged the coffee straight from the machine, bringing the pot straight to her lips to chug; a talent that encouraged her to relive this scenario, again and again.[break][break]

Her leather jacket was still clean. The young woman gave it a sniff, just to make sure. Sunglasses did well to hide her misery. A quick combing made her hair look presentable. When she charged out of her motel room, bag over her shoulder and toothbrush in her mouth, Bailey Cooper looked far better than she felt. She was still young. She could bounce back from the pain.[break][break]

After taking a moment to brush her teeth in the parking lot, she spat in a nearby trashcan and fetched her keys from the pocket of her torn jeans. There was a chance that she could redeem herself. She still had time.[break][break]

Onboard the back of her cafe racer, she turned the keys in the ignition and twisted on the throttle. Rubber burned as Bailey Cooper tore out of that place like a zubat out of hell. Mauville Hills was her destination. The roads twisted and turned, trying to summon her nausea, but... she made it.[break][break]

The engine purred as the bike rolled to a stop. “Did I keep you waiting?” She called out, a thumb lifting up her polarized lenses as she stared at Daniel Walker, not surprised to see that he had arrived first.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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behold this disaster

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from the midst of nothing comes a purr; it grows with every passing second, becoming more volatile until it rolls to a halt. it's enough to tear him away from his phone, eyes glancing up to see an approaching cafe racer. he'd recognize it anywhere. his partner has arrived. [break][break]

her shades draw all of his attention as she lifts it up. "yes, you did. but i'm used to it." one glance down at his phone, then back up. "twenty minutes isn't even your worst time, so i guess it could be worse?" shrugging his shoulder, he approaches her with a smile. [break][break]

it's always a treat to see bailey cooper, a similarly aimless league cadet who drinks way too much yet still somehow manages to show up the next day. it's both impressive and scary at the same time. [break][break]

"your shades hiding your sins from last night? there's really no need to! i know you well enough, bailey." phone to his pocket, he looks up at mauville hills. "besides, i can smell it on you." a lie, and he suspects she knows it. [break][break]

he points up. "it's on the fourth floor. an old couple called it in a while ago but i guess we never really got around to investigating it until they started threatening us. i don't know, man." he starts approaching the building, expecting her to follow. "what i do know is that the residents are unhappy and that particular suite is currently vacant. or abandoned. either way, i have the key to it." [break][break]

pulling it out from his pocket, he flashed her the keycard, accompanied by another smile. there's no real differences between his smiles; it's even his default expression. [break][break]

"you ready to go ghost hunting? or do you need some time to, you know—" he gestures at his own face and figure, then at hers. "freshen up, or something."

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]Bailey Cooper

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she is an actual mess wtf

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Bailey killed the engine, letting the gentle purrs fade away. The smell of gasoline arose from the exhaust. Her morning had been so hectic, she had blocked the thought of ghosts from her mind. Did she believe it? Of course not. Ghost-Type pokemon were always up to trouble. It was probably a gang of Ghastlys having fun at the expense of others.[break][break]

She lowered her shades over her eyes as Daniel walked over to the bike. She was trying to lessen the sting from the sun; her headache would kill her if the ghosts failed. Despite the sorry-state Bailey found herself in, she laughed at Daniel's appraisal. Did she smell? Nah. He was probably messing with her. "I'll repent. Lunch is on me. I'm gonna need some food after this is over with."[break][break]

They made for a strange partnership. They had probably been paired together because they had joined at similar times. Compared to her partner, Bailey knew she was a disaster. They were the same age and they had both been attracted to the League for the same reasons. The difference? He looked like he had his shit together.[break][break]

“I've been awful,” and she dismounted from the bike. “I think I'll quit drinking,” but he would know she was joking.[break][break]

Daniel Walker... walked. She let him lead the way. “I got a pack of Altoids in my bag. I'm set.” She fetched the tin and gave it a shake, listening to the chalky mints bounce around. She'd pop one into her mouth and extended the tin in his direction, just in case he wanted one.[break][break]

She pressed the up button on the elevator, watching the light atop the door flash.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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at the aforementioned mints, he accepts it and reaches for two when she extends the tin out to him. the elevator slides open without any trouble, garnering for both of them to step in. he adhered to it and soon pushes the button to the fourth floor. he plops the mints into his mouth and watches as the doors slide to a close. [break][break]

trouble strikes when the elevator suddenly comes to a halt. "that's not good." the lights flick off, leaving them isolated in darkness. "that's definitely not good." he pushes at the buttons on the side of the elevator, as if hoping one of them would magically restart it. hand to his pocket finds a flashlight. he pushes it on. [break][break]

"maybe we should've taken the stairs." he chuckles. "do you believe in ghosts? or is this just an odd coincidence?" his eyes scan the small area and as he points the flashlight upwards, he notices a latch in the ceiling. he's tall enough to simply tiptoe up to reach it, and soon enough, he tugs the latch downwards to open the compartment in the ceiling that leads out. [break][break]

standing right below it, he lets out a soft chuckle and looks at bailey cooper. "i'll hoist you up." he puts the flashlight in his mouth and gestures. "come on, cooper. not scared of ghosts, are ya'?" words leave muffled, but still understandable.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]Bailey Cooper

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---

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She thought this would be an easy mission. [break][break]

In Bailey's mind, the possibility of the ghosts being actual human spirits never crossed her mind; Poke-Dex entries always liked to hint at the possibility of ghost-pokemon once being people, but those were campfire stories that were told to teach young children to be wary of... stuff. Beware the rogue balloon. Don't get lost in the woods. Simple stuff.[break][break]

When the elevator came to a bone-chilling stop, she might have had second doubts; goosebumps suddenly arose, dotting across her skin as she shuddered from this strange coincidence. “The heck? This place is brand new, how'd this happen,” and then the lights went out. “...Great. Whatever is doing this is a real piece of work.” A real piece of shit, too.[break][break]

Thankfully, Daniel came prepared. He had his handy flashlight on hand. “Can't be an odd coincidence. Someone's doing this for a good laugh–pokemon or not.” The timing was too good. “I'm not gonna think it's a literal ghost. Ghost pokemon? Abso-frickin-lutely. What else would want to inconvenience people like this?” She sighed, fetching her cellphone and checking to see if there was still a signal. There was... but the bars kept dropping and rising.[break][break]

“Guess we'll have to make a call and wait for a repairman–” Daniel was already trying to pry open the latch that lead to the elevator shaft, “Or that.” That would work.[break][break]

Bailey Cooper was easy to goad. If she had any reservations about climbing atop the elevator, they faded when Daniel questioned her confidence. Scared of ghosts? Bailey scoffed and puffed her chest. “No, of course not.” Liar. The elevator had fazed her... but Bailey Cooper was a good liar and she'd refuse to acknowledge how creepy this whole scenario was. [break][break]

“Lemme up. Hey, crouch down, okay! You're taller and... okay, yeah, like that,” and she'd allow him to heave her up towards the open latch. She pulled herself up the rest of the way, wiggling like someone that was desperately trying to perform a pull-up. The darkness above them stretched straight up. With a flash of her phone's light, she was able to glimpse how far up the elevator could go.[break][break]

She turned back and extended a hand down to Daniel.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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spooooooky

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"why are you so–fucking heavy–holy shit." it's a joke, but he plays the part well. some say he could even take up acting as a profession; but law enforcement has his heart (not really). it takes bailey cooper far too long before she's able to pull herself up but when she finally does, he enthusiastically, and sarcastically, claps his hands for her. "nice work."[break][break]

daniel walker peers through the darkness searching for answers, but in return he finds nothing. typical. it doesn't take long for her to reach back down to offer a hand. flashlight in his mouth, he jumps up and latches onto the side of the compartment while taking her hand in his; momentum on his side, he uses it and pulls himself up and out of the broken elevator.[break][break]

his jaw relaxes which allows the flashlight to fall out of his mouth and into a carefully placed hand, catching it before pointing it upwards. "looks like you came prepared." he eyes her phone flashlight and chuckles because it's exactly how he pictures her: just a mess.[break][break]

the light that illuminated from his flashlight travels left, right, in an attempt to find a way up. thankfully for them, there's a built-in ladder for instances such as this: two people being fucked over by ghosts.[break][break]

flashlight pointing at the ladder, he nudges her ahead. "you first. i gotta catch you if you fall."

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]Bailey Cooper

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“Excuse me for having tits,” a sentence she never thought she'd utter; a dry laugh rising from her chest as she tried to blame her weight on her feminine features.[break][break]

Daniel had less trouble making his way through the hatch. Bailey was thankful. If there had been a struggle, her arm would have been hurting something awful. She returned her phone back to her pocket–not fast enough to escape his gaze. “It does its job,” she grumbled, feeling like a student that had failed to study for a test; a situation she had found herself in countless times.[break][break]

The ladder looked sturdy. The bolts seemed intact. When she gave it a good shake, it refused to budge from the wall. Ghosts couldn't fuck with it–she hoped. “Me first, huh?” She called back to Daniel, fixing him with a knowing look as a swarmy smile ripped at her lips. “If I fall, huh?” She was goading him, trying to see if he'd be embarrassed. Bailey had skin showing. Her denim shorts were not professional. Now, it was her turn to tease. “Eyes on the objective, Walker.”[break][break]

Teasing aside, she started to climb the ladder. Which floor were they heading for? Daniel had been the one that hit the button. She had not bothered to pay attention.[break][break]

“See anything? Besides my ass?”

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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spooooooky

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the ladder looks sturdy. the bolts seem intact. "yeah." he places a hand on the rails of the ladder and gives it a firm shake, and when it doesn't budge, he decides to put his faith in it. "yeah." he catches on too late to her intentions and by the time he realizes, it's far too late to save himself. he hasn't realized it, but he had been staring.[break][break]

flustered for a moment, and only a moment, he quickly recovers. "sorry, it's hard not to look." diverting his eyes for a moment, he allows her to relish the moment before finally turning back to start his climb. with both hands firmly on the ladder, he starts his ascension. [break][break]

not too affected by bailey cooper's teasing, he decides to play into them. "no, not really. but i'm not complaining." his eyes stray far too often during their climb, but he doesn't blame himself. "fourth floor; we're almost there, i think." it's hard to tell in the darkness. his flashlight isn't helping much.[break][break]

they reach the fourth story without much of a problem, but another one presents itself. "okay, as much as you might hate it, we have to work together now." the elevator doors need to be yanked open and he doubts either one of them could do it on their own. "move over, please."[break][break]

climbing up a step, he swings himself to the side of the ladder in a way that allows both of them to be next to each other. their close proximity provides a level of intimacy that he's not prepared for, so he brushes it off the only way he knows how. "you reek of booze, cooper." a smile grows as he reaches up to wedge his fingers between the steel doors. "should really take a shower now and then, you know?"[break][break]

now, he waits for her.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]Bailey Cooper

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i drew a visual guide for you

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Bailey relished it.[break][break]

Her victory was brief. As the young woman climbed onward, she knew that the smirk plastered on her face was for her and her alone. “Was that a compliment?” She called back, surprised to hear him retaliate. “I'll accept it,” knowing that a word of praise would be rare from her capable partner. The urge to banter would be irresistible–for the both of them.[break][break]

No ghosts came to ruin their lives. The climb was uneventful. “Now what?” The steel doors were the last obstacle. As Bailey climbed to their destination, she tried to refrain from looking down. Her knuckles had turned white, gripping tightly against the bar as she shuffled to the left–sparing enough room for Daniel to squeeze next to her.[break][break]

By reflex, her gaze dropped as Daniel came to reside by her side. She tried to act unfazed. There was a natural friction that emerged from the closeness. Her skin prickled, sensing it. When he uttered his jab, she instantly latched to it...but the downward shift of her eyes had been a mistake. There was an audible gulp as Bailey realized how far up the shaft they had climbed. It could have been misconstrued.[break][break]

She wasn't scared of heights; but, this was enough to make her heart clench.[break][break]

The sickness from earlier almost threatened to rise. She had to push it down. It took mental effort to pry one of her hands from the ladder and into the wedge of the elevator door. “Yeah, yeah, let's just get this damn thing open–” and she yanks hard with her hand, trying her damnedest to get her side to budge without losing her grip on the ladder.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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he relishes it.[break][break]

it's a back and forth battle between the two, constantly battling to see ends up on the high ground; not literal high ground, because that belongs to neither of them at the moment. "aw, is bailey cooper afraid of heights?" he teases because he notices a falter in her demeanor, but knows not to take it too far. the extent of her fear is unknown, but judging from her ability to still function, he assumes it's not much.[break][break]

working as a team for once, he reaches up for the door when she does. there's no countdown, but he mimics her body movements and tugs at the door at the same time. slowly, the doors creak open and from it comes a cold flow of air. "that's not from the a/c." it's colder, much colder, and it feels off.[break][break]

this time, he moves first and pulls himself up to where it's deemed safer than the elevator shaft: a haunted floor. the doors hold open as he extends his hand out towards her. "don't look down now."[break][break]

to his right, he hears something moaning, of all things. he doesn't dare look; his eyes remain fixed on his partner.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]Bailey Cooper

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aaaaaa

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“Can you blame me?” Bailey retorted to Daniel's teasing, trying to distract herself from the downward drop. The mental image of her falling through the elevator shaft and splattering against the roof of the elevator refused to leave her mind. Maybe she should have brought her Togekiss with her?[break][break]

Hindsight was a bitch.[break][break]

The cold gush of air came as a surprise. It was the same as prying open the door to a fridge–it was not natural. Bailey Cooper was no expert on Ghost-Types, but this had supernatural written all over it. “I won't,” She promised as she accepted Daniel's outstretched hand. The faster they could end this, the better.[break][break]

The moment her feet stepped onto solid ground, Bailey felt better–it was a shame that the moaning had to ruin it. “Wasn't me,” she bluntly replied, trying to ignore how eerie the sound was.[break][break]

Despite her efforts to seem unfazed, her hand grasped at Daniel's forearm, betraying the... well.... creepy feeling that she felt. Her next action was to reach a hand toward her belt, snapping off one of the capsules. While Bailey had come ill-prepared for the mission, there had been one thing that she had remembered to take with her...[break][break]

Her Meowstic. With a click, the white psychic type was roused from her slumber and into the cold hallway.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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inconveniently broken elevator, chilly air, moaning: fuck if this isn't something out of a horror film. thankfully, he's seen enough to know how to combat against these cliches.[break][break]

"wish it was."[break][break]

hand to his belt finds his dragonair: gaea's appearance surrounds them with a SAFEGUARD. it's not long after that before the supernatural materializes into a gengar. a gengar! of all things! what a surprise. even before he has a chance to react to it, it manifests a SHADOW BALL before letting it loose right towards them.[break][break]

gaea is quick to slither forward to take the brunt of the damage, shielding the rest of the group from it. it's a noble sacrifice, and it's almost expected given how protective she is.[break][break]

"strike back!"[break][break]

one order garners one response: an AQUA TAIL snaps at the ghost-type. when the action starts to stabilize, he finally notices her hand around his arm; it earns a smile from him, but he doesn't point it out. there's no need to.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]Bailey Cooper

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aaaaaa

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“Wait, what?” What did he say? She couldn't hear his comment over all of the moaning.[break][break]

The appearance of the Gengar derailed the conversation. Bailey did not have the chance to ask him to repeat himself–it was time to battle. As his Dragonaire deployed safeguard, her Meowstic followed with light screen to further reduce any incoming damage. The shadow ball may have struck Gaea, but the power of the attack was dampened.[break][break]

She followed up with Psychic, letting the Gengar get distracted with the Dragon before using her surroundings to her advantage. A door was suddenly ripped from its hinges, glowing with an energy that would be tangible to the floating ghost, that suddenly slammed against its side shortly after it took damage from the aqua tail. “Keep it going,” Bailey encouraged.[break][break]

Slowly, she released her grip and returned her hands back to her pockets, wondering if she could play it off. The battle would draw to a close. Two against one were unfair odds. Oh well. Sucked to be the Gengar.

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[attr="class","euterpetag"]FOR DANIEL WALKER

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<3