He saw their reflection approaching in the window. He was used to dealing with threats in this part of town but something told him this man was particularly dangerous. Aster kept up the façade of self grooming while sneakily stealing glances of them in the store window. He took the hair raising on the back of his neck as they slowly closed the distance as his cue to swiftly mumble, "Go, Portobello" (breloom).

His pokemon deftly used SPORE to put the attacking metang to sleep, but he hadn't been fast enough to prevent the Gallade from seizing Gardevoir. He spun around to meet the eyes of his attacker and put his arms out in a placating gesture. He couldn't help scrunching up his face in a mixture of worry and his best customer service smile.

"Whoa, easy there buddy. Let's not do anything rash here. I know I'm irresistible but a handsome guy like you doesn't need to resort to violence to get my attention," he says, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Why don't we all calm down and talk this out like adults." He deftly pulls a crystal from his breast pocket.

"Here, why don't you take this amethyst? Seems like you could benefit more from its calming affects than me."

The thinly veiled threat of violence made the cautious and pleading smile drop from Aster's face. He paled considerably but half a second later he forced the smile back on, though it wavered quite a bit. Be cool, be friendly.

"...Please dude, she's not even mine. I... I can't...," he gulped heavily and squared his jaw, "Seriously, please. Beat me up if you have to, I have like, ten dollars in my wallet if you want that. In fact, take my card, that's fine, just please let her go." He searches the man's eyes imploringly, and stands steadfastly in front of the Gardevoir and motions for his Breloom to stand behind him too. He considers having Portobello use TOXIC for a fleeting moment, but he senses the trainer might be able to strike him faster.

"I'll do anything. Really," at the very least he can stall for time, "What's your name, man? Maybe we can come to some sort of agreement."

"Come on, man. She's like a sister to me. Look, what if I help you catch another one?" Aster's gaze flicks over the shoulder of his assaulter. He catches a glimpse of a group of people about to round a corner. Good, a crowd won't bode well for the man. Just keep talking, he thinks, like an idiot. "I'm a ranger. Pretty knowledgeable about routes and catching pokemon and the like. If you're on a deadline we could go right now. I was about to go out on a date though... I'm sure he probably left thinking he got stood up. Oh, um! Not totally your fault of course, I was already running late. Bad habit I guess. I bet you're on time for everything, you look the type anyway."

The group of bystanders finally is in closer proximity. Aster gulps heavily and considers taking a risk of shouting something at them but he's hesitating. Hoping to Arceus that the mugger will chicken out in the face of an audience.

Aster's knees nearly buckled. Pure fear that any sudden movement would damn him was the only thing that kept him standing. His nervous and pleading smile, at last, completely disappeared. He maintained eye contact with the man and nodded slowly. What felt like centuries passed as the chatting group walked on. Sweat dripped from Aster's chin as their voices and footsteps finally faded in the distance.

He chanced a glance at the Gardevoir. She gazed back with what he could only discern as determination. He thought to her as loud as he could: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Be strong. A tear trailed down his cheek. He glared at their assaulter with fire and anguish. What could drive a man to such cold-heartedness?

Aster dropped to his knees when the man and his pokemon disappeared.

She'll be fine.

The words echoed in his head. Why had his assailant offered those words? Was it meant to be a comfort? There was no way of knowing if it was the truth, but it was all he could do to hope to Arceus that it was.

His phone buzzed in a series of short bursts in his pocket. A glance at the screen told him his abandoned date was cussing him out in text. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and slumped against the wall.

What could he possibly say to his friend?