"Mmm." Barnaby's smile grew wider as the faintest shade of pink blushed his cheeks. So the innuendos had fallen away? Two could play at that game.[break][break]

"Continue with the compliments and I'll tell you whatever you like, Mr. del Mar."[break][break]

His voice had turned sultry and alluring in the minutes since their conversation had begun.[break][break]

"Je suis de Kalos." Barnaby spoke in his native tongue, the words flowing like honey from his mouth. "Lumiose City, to be exact."[break][break]

That playful spark returned to his cobalt eyes.[break][break]

"And you? Or must I pry that information from your lips?"[break][break]

Just then, a fluttering of wings caught Barnaby's eye. Odd to see a HOOTHOOT active at this time of day. Unsurprisingly, as soon as it alighted onto the branch of a nearby tree it's eyes began to open and close while its head bobbed up and down. The poor thing was obviously exhausted.[break][break]

Perfect prey. [break][break]

With another nod from Barnaby, his LIEPARD was off. It was Celeste's turn to flaunt her hunting prowess. She silently slunk over until she was just beneath the Owl Pokémon's perch. Then... she sprang, her strong forearms wrapping around the body of the HOOTHOOT. It never saw her coming and, honestly, barely struggled against her vice grip. [break][break]

In a rare moment of extroversion, she dragged her catch over to where Dollar and his DEDENNE were sitting. She reclined beside him and cast a sly glance his way, as if saying, "Mine's bigger than yours."

[break][break]

❤ Martín del Mar [break]
[normal/fairy/ghost] catching HOOTHOOT~

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Barnaby was not a humble man. He was raised with all the privilege that wealth and connections could buy. Designer clothes and accessories? His, without question. Cars, expensive vacations, even Pokémon? Of course, he had an image to uphold.

Familial love? Now, that was different. Familial obligation, yes, but love? Barnaby was unsure.

That being said, he was well acquainted with the affections of men and women alike. Compliments never seemed to lose their appeal, though. Especially when given by well-spoken gentlemen with beautiful amber eyes.

"You flatter me," Barnaby smiled coyly before adding, "I don't deny it... although, coming from your lips, every word has a more magical quality."

But then the real magic happened, something beyond playful flirtation. Barnaby almost did a double take when the language of love was so expertly spoken by Martín del Mar . Memories of smoky cafés, casual lovers, and 'La Vie en Rose' playing in the background flashed across his mind.

Barnaby matched Mars' shining grin.

"Martín... what a pleasant surprise! Une autre personne si loin de chez elle. No wonder you're such a flirt."

His expression tempered into a teasing smile. It had been so long since Barnaby had spoken his native tongue with a fellow Kalosian. It warmed his heart in a wholesome way. What wasn't as wholesome was Mars' next statement. Barnaby replied in kind.

"Mmm. A respectable man never offers unless he's prepared to accept the consequences."

Martín del Mar
[normal/fairy/ghost] skipping~

☉

"What can I say, mon ami? I do what it takes to get the job done." Sarcasm and inuendo once again laced through his wording. That teasing smile remained, though, even as Martín del Mar reclined into the bench with a laugh. The sound was like blissfully chiming bells; pleasant and light.

"I may make you wait just this once…"

God, the strength it took for Barnaby to stop himself from inviting Mars up to his penthouse. To call his bluff. Admittedly, the banker had the slickest tongue that he'd heard in quite some time. He wanted to test it out in other ways.

Shaking those naughty thoughts away, Barnaby extended another probing question, "How old were you when you left Kalos? Your French is immaculate."

As the men conversed, from the bushes came an ambling momma bear; standing on her hindquarters, she was nearly six feet tall and therefore fairly imposing compared to the smaller Pokémon who had come before. Barnaby sat up a little straighter in his seat. An aggressive URSARING could pose a significant risk if not dealt with swiftly. He released his beloved NINETALES, Odette, to deal with the threat. An expertly executed Flame Thrower was enough to weaken the bear, while Barnaby's Poké Ball finished the job.

Martín del Mar
[normal/fairy/ghost]
catching URSARING

☉

A triumphant Odette returned to Barnaby's side, no worse for the wear even against a giant like URSARING. Reclining next to him, she elegantly swept her tails and tucked them aside so that she fit snuggly into the space at Barnaby's feet, adjacent to the bench. Now - it was nap time.

The journalist lowered a hand to idly stroke the cream-colored fur at the top of his NINETALES' head. While doing so, he listened to Mars speak with a surprising eloquence. This entire encounter, in fact, had been such a surprise.

"Kindred souls?" He repeated, enjoying the poetic nature of the statement. "My, my, Mr. del Mar. You are much removed from the other stuffy CEOs that I know."

He didn't deny it, though. On the surface their lives seemed to be sharply contrasted. A creative mind versus a staunch businessman. But as they conversed, as they hinted and alluded and implied things, chipping away at the façade they both presented... well, time would tell if they were truly kindred souls.

"Of course, I'd love nothing more."

The fact that Mars evaded his question wasn't lost on Barnaby, but he let it go without a word. This wasn't an interview, after all; just friendly conversation.

"Perhaps over dinner?" A question asked casually with the most innocent of smiles. "I have a particularly delicious Kalosian restaurant in mind."

Waddling from nearby shrubbery came a CLEFAIRY, which sparked Barnaby's interest. With yet another nod, Celeste was off to subdue the poor creature.

Martín del Mar
[normal/fairy/ghost]
catching CLEFAIRY

☉