Oscar stared up at the apartment complex, a shambling corpse falling apart stone by stone. Fitting that it was apparently haunted, creepy abandoned buildings were magnets for restless ghost pokemon. They were also criminal magnets, and with Rocket needing potential bases on standby Oscar would be sent to raid the home of these specters. 

When asked with whom he was to be partnered with, Oscar made an unusual choice. He picked out a complete greenhorn, a grunt who had barely earned his R. Truth be told Oscar had a personal interest in Miles Sharp. He recognized the name from a Devon staff roster he skimmed through during the acquisition of their energy sector. When he saw the name again on a list of newly inducted grunts, well he just couldn't ignore the chance to meet him.

Oscar was on the look for new talent in Rocket, especially since his own projects kept catching on snags. So surely bringing along an ex-Devon engineer to take down ghost pokemon was the perfect way to get to know him better. If all went well, Oscar hoped to have a new ally in his quest to harness Infinity Energy. 

Oscar looked to Miles, a lollipop hanging loosely from his lips. He contemplated the information he was provided before responding. "Figures, sites of tragedies are a hotspot for ghost pokemon. They like the taste of misery." He pulled out a cigarette case, quietly opening it to reveal a variety of lollipops. "Here, it'll make this go by quicker."

"Sounds like a Silph to me."

He says it almost on reflex, the Hoennian's disdain for corporations even upon joining rocket was as thinly veiled as could be, the monopolizing tech giant, in particular, served as a particular source of ire for the former Devon employee. Eyes move from the Beast to his tablet gliding through any other important information about the mission of which there was none.

When the highly ranked rocket draws the case from his person Miles prepares to decline only for the holder to reveal a very customized assortment of lollipops, if he wasn't so surprised he'd be impressed. There's momentary hesitation before deciding to partake under the pretense of " When in Johto...' And surprisingly enough it was a choice that wasn't followed by instant regret, a rarity these days.

With lollipop in mouth, the grunt was ready to take steps in, all the while figuring out the best way to begin his personal mission. He had half a mind to be coy, but oscar clayton in the Twenty-Three words he'd spoken since their arrival seemed like a man who'd appreciate a straight shot.

He'd begin moving into the complex a creaky door leading into a dark hallway, shuffling from surrounding rooms every so often, it was charmingly classic. It's only when the researcher adjusts the rocket-issued visor that he decides to breach the topic on his mind.

"With all due respect sir, I'm under the impression that with your strength this job is essentially benign. It could have been done without any greenhorn grunt at your heels. An insinuation. "Am I wrong to assume that my being here was less a directive of 'Rocket Beast Clayton', and guided by Oscar Clayton, CEO of Infinity Industries?"

Miles took a lollipop; excellent, he passed the first test. Oscar smiled as he put his case away, content in his decision to give Miles a chance. If he can appreciate the sweeter things in life, then surely he would be able to overcome its hardships. Which was good, since Rocket members have no shortage of hardships. 

The two entered the complex shortly after, moving from room to room in search of targets. Oscar paid attention closely to his surroundings, looking mostly for cold spots and significantly darkened rooms. Ghost types were a nuisance, but at least they were predictable. During their hunt, Miles spoke up about something that gave Oscar pause.

Oscar looked to Miles over his shoulder, grinning at the grunt's ingenuity. "Very astute." He said, his eyebrows raised as he turned back to the path ahead of him. "I am not so much impressed that you could figure that out, but rather that you had the guts to bring it up." Oscar continued to lead the way, keeping his wits heightened while he talked to Miles.

"To be frank, this is more or less an interview. I want to give you a job, specifically helping me to finish a particularly difficult project. I am pretty sure you have the skill, but I need to know if we can stand each other." To work close quarters with another human was daunting for Oscar, but Oscar needed someone on hand to help him finish his new generator. Miles seemed like the natural choice.

Oscar looked to Miles once more, "What does the visor say?"

Miles Sharp

He's more than curious than wary, but Oscar likes that in a scientist it seems. An auto-scan runs in the visor as it does once a minute or so tracking sources of life as well as serving as a live feed for any other information he'd cared enough to search for, though at the moment said feed was bare Miles' focus remaining on the admin who was offering a job or at least a chance at one. This was the opportunity Miles was waiting for the one he needed. It shifts his perspective entirely on the mission as the job was ultimately a microcosm of the interview and so his working and dealing with it would change.

"Then allow me to clear any misconceptions." It's not as much sarcastic as it is firm though there's certainly a matter of factness only lightly buried in his tone. The auto scan pops again and two signatures that were far off had become noticeably closer. Indeed it seemed like whatever hosts the gentlemen had were finished leading them. When Oscar asks Miles' response is ready.

"One from the ceiling and one from the westernmost wall. They'll be dropping..." It takes a moment for the analyst to determine the pace. "At this rate in about 10 seconds." On that note he summons a pokeball revealing one of his famed ancient pokemon its massive shield-like form revealing what exactly the bastiodon was even in the darkness. He doesn't wish to overstep his boundary, but the need to be useful supersedes that. "I'll deal with the wall sir, the ceiling is yours." The last words before a Gengar dropped from the ceiling attempting to shadow punch the two trainers while a Dusclops appeared from the wall attempting a similar technique with lightning only for the bastiodon to run interference on the latter.

"Iron Head." The ghost in Miles' trap hadn't prepared to be countered and so the iron head slams into the dusclops its once incorporeal form slams against the wall it came from. "Don't let it flee." And she doesn't a second iron head nailing itself into the dusclops abdomen knocking it out. He doesn't bother asking if the other rocket is okay, most likely out of concern for offending him. Instead, he chooses to ask about the job. Recalling the shield pokemon all the while.

"Not too long ago I came across an exposé where you were quoted, as saying "Energy was receiving a facelift". Am I allowed to ask what exactly that pertained to?" Once again the auto-scan tracks a second set of targets this time higher up in the building, thankfully they've begun to near a stairwell. "More ghost reside on the second floor, If I may they seem warier than their predecessors."

When targets were confirmed, Oscar stood his ground. While Miles took care of the ghost in the wall, Oscar had to deal with a very aggressive Gengar coming from out of the ceiling. The beast didn't bother opening a pokeball though, his choice of combatant was already out and about.

The gengar lurched as it was pulled back to the ceiling, slamming into it before dangling helplessly in a mess of purple webbing. Its captor quickly made herself known, releasing her Camouflage as she crawled across the ceiling. Emma the ariados had been following the duo the entire time, as she is known to do. Pokeballs just don't sit well with her, they imply that she can be tamed--and we just can't have that.

The gengar wasn't ensnared for long. It phased itself through the webbing, levitating through the air as it attempted to shadow punch Emma. The wily spider was ready though, and leapt from the ceiling to deliver a well time jab into the gengar's gut (Sucker Punch). The genagr's eyes bulged as the air was knocked out of it, causing it to remain stuck as Emma followed through with her strike and slammed it into the floor. Emma quickly got off the gengar, skittering far down the hall and into the shadows. The gengar turned itself onto its stomach, looking up at the nearby Oscar with loathing. It would be unable to obtain revenge, as a Psychic energy would grab the ghost and drag it flailing into the darkness--from which it would not emerge.

Well that was settled.

As if nothing had occurred, Oscar would indulge Miles in his question. "Perhaps you've heard of Infinity Energy? Basically the power that lays latent inside a mega stone. Scientist Lulu Flint and I are hard at work trying to harness it to create a new breed of generator. Yet there are snags that I just can't figure out, like how to keep the power contained once it's been released from the stone. That is where I would hope you would come in to lend us aid. I've read your Devon file, you have a very impressive track record and I believe you could be an asset to the project."

The grunt reported more ghosts ahead, and Oscar cracked his neck as he began moving down the hall. "Better find some fuckin' stairs then."

Miles Sharp

The appearance of the Ariados startles the scientist. Not once had he seen or suspected the spider was there and that, on its own, was a testament to the preparedness and the skill of the beast in question. The fight ends as quickly as it starts leaving the two in darkness albeit with an Ariados in tow now - no Miles figures it'd always been there.

The Silver-haired rocket would fill the empty space with an answer to Miles' query, to which the scientist would listen silently using the infrared goggles to seek that supposed nearby stairwell, enjoying the flavor of his lollipop all the while.

"Then it's a good thing I'm a quick starter." He responds swiftly halting his search to meet the man's eyes. "While my studies in this have been preliminary, after reading your article in the papers my time in the rocket labs has been focused on studying just that. Though I must admit due to a lack of resources and prestige, my time hasn't quite been my own in the organization." Most of it was spent running errands or combat training, neither held much of interest though the later had proved useful. "I do believe this 'infinity energy' as its been dubbed can be the future, having lived through the attack on Slateport I've seen it first hand and it's potential at this moment is more than I've ever seen." The memories concerning Slateport are stains on his life and speaking on it is more than uncomfortable, but there was only truth in the statement. In thinking of the aftermath, only a fool wouldn't have seen the potential of said energy focused in other sectors.

"As it stands I've tested about 50 or so different materials with Underboss Chu-e Choi helping me in that endeavor. It's a primitive way of testing, but there are the makings of results." The mention of Flint also is as unnerving as it is interesting. She had many titles in the circles on the submarine, most of which Miles didn't care to repeat. Having seen the woman a time or two himself he could understand both the why and how of their creation even if he'd only witnessed her from afar. But the potential to work with or for her was something Miles couldn't pass up, after all for all the bad said if one thing remained consistent in all of the said circles it was that the woman was a savant.

He moves to a jammed door forcing it open with a shove or two revealing a dusty half-painted stairwell.

"I Believe I found your 'fuckin' stairs' sir."

Oscar smiled as Miles spoke, please as punch by his words. He was exactly the man he needed on his team, he just hoped Miles would be open to employment. As the stairs were pointed out, Oscar looked to Mr. Sharp with a bemused expression. 

"You know something Miles? I like you. You're the kind of mind I could use in Infinity Industries, if you're interested that is." 

Oscar began climbing the stairs, pulling a pokeball from his belt. With the ball at the ready, he would cautiously proceed to the next floor. As he peeked from the top landing, he would continue to talk to Miles.

"I'm in need of a head engineer, someone to help make my various aspirations a reality. I believe you're more than capable of fulfilling that role."

Ghosts were mingling in the hall, big ghosts. Three dusknoir in fact, casually warping the shadows around themselves into grotesque shapes--likely for entertainment. Oscar unceremoniously threw out his ball, which would open with a bright light. Out of it appeared his own Dusknoir, Damination, who began beating on the other ghosts like a schoolyard bully. Emma reappeared as well, crawling past Miles and toward the fray. Oscar paid the fight no mind, looking back to Miles with a hopeful smile.

"In case it wasn't clear, I'm offering you the job if you want it."

Miles Sharp

And like magic the job was his,

"It'd be an honor Mr. Clayton."

He'd followed the man up the steps silently respecting the preamble. When he says head engineer Miles was taken aback. He hadn't expected a position so prestigious. The darker-skinned researcher figured he'd work as a simple scientist, never in his wildest dreams did he think to become a -- if not The head Engineer of Infinity Industries.

"I believe, we'll create great things together sir." A Pokeball flies revealing Bastiodon once again jumping into the fray it's iron head would serve as a defense for Oscar's two attackers not that they truly needed one. How long has it been since he's been this motivated by a project he wonders.

While pokemon battle and Dusknoirs fall one by one. Miles offers his hand to the beast. Perhaps he's out of place, their positions are too different in Rocket, Still he offers it, to show he means business, and that this goal they'd seek together regardless of how lofty would be completed. It was a man's shake, and that in Miles' eyes meant something.

"I have a lot of work to do, but we will see that generator move Oscar. You have my word."

The ghosts were dispelled quickly, child's play for a juggernaut like Damnation. The task was made quicker by Mile's Bastiodon, a fact Oscar appreciated. He turned to face his new confidant, ecstatic that he accepted Oscar's offer.

"They'll do more than move Miles, these bitches are gonna fly--not literally. It's like a meta--nah you get it."

The two would depart shortly after. The ghost population had been greatly reduced, and those that remain would soon run off to find safer lairs now that the big guns were gone. As the duo walked away from the cleansed building, Oscar would pull out a black card. He would hand it over to Miles, and upon it Miles would find Oscar's email, phone number, and the address of the power plant. 

Oscar put on a pair of sunglasses while giving some final instructions, "You start Monday at that address. You know the drill, bring your Id for the W-2. We'll go over the specific details of the project then." 

Oscar took a few steps forward before pausing, quickly turning back to Miles before he could leave. "I don't make offers like this lightly Miles. I see your potential, and I want you to shine."

Oscar snapped his fingers, resting them in a "finger gun" like gesture. "Uhhh--See you around."

With that, Oscar would depart.

Miles Sharp