Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
"Ms. Livy, I presume!" Doug said in response, smiling back as he grabbed her hand and shook it. "Happy to meet'cha at last! I was wondering what the person who embarrassed my intel division was like."

Letting go of her hand, the youth grabbed at the brim of cap and tipped it at the Magnemite with a grin, before doing the same towards her.

"I'm Doug Sullivan- but ya knew that already." He said, his gaze slightly shifting over her shoulder to look at the mansion behind her.

His gaze sharpened ever so slightly at the sight, the corner of his eyes narrowing as his lip curled.

"'Course it had to be this place." He says with some disdain, huffing. "It's still ruining Mauville, huh...?"

The legacy of the rich cast a dark shadow over Old Mauville- one Doug intended to tear apart.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the other two.

"'Pologies, but could we go over the details once more?" He asked sheepishly.

Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
"I'm familiar with yer work, too." Doug said, nodding while she began fishing for her phone, humming as he recalled the first time he saw her name.

He had read her article on the Sootopolis Takeover; had also confirmed HBS' horoscope on March-born people was, in fact, very accurate, too.

Unfortunately.

"I really didn't get a single day of rest from mah vacation." Doug grumbled, not quite explaining what the heck he was talking about as he crossed his arms, shaking his head as he focused his gaze on the journalist as she began to give the details.

The youth's brow creased as she recounted the details, and he was frowning by the end, his chin and mouth hidden behind his hand as he cupped them in deep thought. Then, he turned his gaze towards the mansion.

A string of 'unrelated' missing person cases... Right under his nose. Forget the Intel Division; he should have been ashamed this was happening right in his city...

Lightning cracked at that precise moment, silhouetting the entire structure sharply in a moment of cosmically perfect timing.

"_{... Yeah.}" He managed to squick out, eyes wide for a brief moment before he coughed into his fist, shaking his head before turning back to the journalist yet again. "... Thank ya kindly for the info. How is she? Ms. Abigail, I mean. Has she gotten help?"

His brows were creased with worry, jaw set tightly. He worried for the girl; it sounded like she might need help from a professional.

But... that wasn't something to discuss here between them.

"... I'll pay the family a visit once this is over." He said with a sigh, gripping the brim of his cap for a brief moment before his brows furrowed in focus, nodding to himself.

Time to work.

Approaching the locked gates, the youth planted his palms firmly against them before shoving them with a grunt. The sound of rusted iron scrapping over paved road followed as the metal gates swiveled open, crashing onto their brick support walls with a ringing crack.

The youth was scrapping at the inside of his ear with his pinkie by the end of it, teeth showing as a full-body shudder rocked his frame.

"Urgh...! Hate this danged place." He grumbled, the disdain in his gaze and tone clear as he huffed at the large state, patting his hands together to clear the rust off his gloves. "Those bastards ran off to that big ass mall and left behind their mess for the real city to deal with."

Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
He was not looking forward to the meeting, but it was necessary.

As they stepped within the limits of the giant property, the squeaking of Zubats, the flash of movement behind the small spaces left between the boarded up windows, and the almost supernatural chill in the air informed Doug that they were dealing with a proper haunted house.

"Would it've killed them to at least topple the thing?" He grumbled, scratching at the back of his head.

Everyone and their mother knew that abandoned homes were favorite dwellings for ghost-type pokemon; the larger, the better. Mansions tended to be places were the rich abused their staff, so they were rife with 'bad juju', as Doug preferred to call it, something ghost types apparently enjoyed consuming.

Leave it to the guys who ate dreams to eat bad vibes as well.

"... Unfortunately. Can't say I'm too surprised, though." Doug said in response to Penny's words, walking towards the entrance to the foyer. "Feels like we're all being pushed to be like that half the time."

Few were the people who 'made it in life' by sticking to the rules and letting ethics lead their decisions. Those who merely inherited their wealth were rarely aware of where it all came from.

Doug himself was technically standing on a foundation of lies. He had cheated at his exams in order to have the qualifications to apply for the military. It seemed minor and even petty to say... But he might still be hungry and homeless now if he hadn't.

With a harsh shove, the doors leading into the foyer were shoved wide open, sending all manner of vermin scrambling for cover as the light of the moon illuminated the entrance.

"Is it like that where yer from, too?"

Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
"Not all." He said with surprising confidence. "Too many, though... The league specially. We need to do better."

Though he believed the region needed... new, better leaders, he also knew it couldn't be Rocket. So for now... the league needed to become a government the people could rely on.

The wood panels beneath their feet creaked as they approached the large double stairs leading to the second floor, the moonlight weakening the deeper inside they went.

Not only was it dark, but it was chilly as well, despite Hoenn's summer weather and his coat.

Ghost-types.

Uncomfortable in the darkness as things were, the youth palmed a netball and raised it in the air, a Volbeat appearing in front of the group.

The expressive insect smiled brightly as its gaze fell upon its trainer, before his expression twisted as he realized just how dim the lighting around them was.

Without any prompt, its tail lit up like a bulb, pushing away the darkness of the mansion.

And also, prompting a skin-curling ghostly shriek to rip through the entire foyer as several unseen ghosts darted away and into deeper hiding, caught off guard.

For his part, Doug had nearly jumped off his skin at that, his eyes wide and his hand tightly gripping the stairs' railing.

"... Dang. Did you see that?" He said after a moment of silence, his tenseness slowly seeping out as he clicked his tongue. "That was a lot o'ghosts in just the dang entrance."

His brow furrowed deeply, lips pursing in thought.

"Why, though...?" He wondered.

Ghosts frequented mansions, sure, but this almost seemed too crowded. Was there... more to the mansion than just the negative feelings of mistreated staff...?

"Ms. Penelope, yer pretty good 'bout finding info, yes?" He said after a moment. He imagined she had informants and people who would ruminate through texts and books on her payroll. "... Ya think ya could find stuff out 'bout this place?"

And naturally, about the person who owned it, once upon a time.

"... Hm. Think we might be able to find anythin' ourselves here?" He said after a moment.

Nothing said they couldn't come back after clearing the place out and hopefully finding the missing folk.

Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
"Should a journalist use hyperbole so lightly?" The youth asked with a laugh, even while grinding his own pinky into his own ear. "Can't say I disagree, though..."

His ears were stilling ringing, damn it. Her replies sounded almost faint.

Luckily, it seemed she could heed his own request well enough, seemingly contacting a colleague of hers through a series of swift, precise text messages.

The technologically inept youth stared blankly with a slightly open maw as the woman worked.

"Huh." He uttered. "5 minutes? Dang. That's impressive."

He had estimated a lot longer... she was good. Or maybe he was just incompetent. Could also be both.

Yet another thing he needed to step up his game on.

As she peered over the railing, Doug casually looked around the second level they stood on, his volbeat doing his best to follow his gaze and point his lights its way, eventually turning to the wall behind him.

"WOW!" He yelped out a quick shout, jumping back slightly, his arms suddenly pinwheeling as he found himself back at the edge of the stairs.

As he struggled to regain his height, the source of his sudden fright remained revealed as his Volbeat quickly flew over to him to stop his fall, its butt light pointed straight at it.

A large, wall sized family portrait hung on the wall. It was the stuff of cliched haunted houses, and as the Volbeat yanked his Trainer back, one almost felt as though the eyes of the painting's subjects were following their every move.

"Jeez!" Groaned the youth as he panted hard, glaring at the large canvas. "Old paintings like that, I take it."

Gods, that sucked! Shaking his head, the youth grumbled as he marched off to the left (_{Good adventurers go left}) and towards the halls leading into the west wings of the home.

As he did, one could almost swear the painting's eyes were actually following him... though it was hard to tell as the lighting grew fainter the more he and his Volbeat pulled away from it.

"I mentioned before; how the previous owners of this place left for the Mall?" He said. The mall, as he called it, was what the world at large tended to think of when they heard the word Mauville. Unfortunately. "They were big investors in that mess. In GMH, really..."

His brow furrowed as he turned his gaze forward, a huff leaving his lips.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we find something inculpatory. Proof that they knew what GMH had been up to." He said. "Those guys are long time parasites, entrenched deep in Mauville's guts. It'll probably hurt the city to tear 'em off... but I think it'll be better for it in the long run."

Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
She was much too right, unfortunately. Nodding at her words, the youth plucked at his hat, before gesturing with his neck at Volbeat to lead the way, butt first.

The left path led them to a long, stretching hall with doors ocassionally dotting the walls. Fancy and simple looking chandeliers alike hung from the ceilings, casting dull, purple illumination that was drowned by the Volbeat's own.

"Doesn't seem like this wing is the Living quarter's area." Pointed out the youth, noting a few details. Most of the doors that could be seen were double doors; and there was a considerable variance between of each; it lacked the uniformity of barracks, or bedrooms.

A bit too curious and not wanting to look scared in front of the pretty older lady, the youth took the first step, leading the way.

And as he did, his shadow seemed to grow as his form stepped underneath one of the simple looking chandeliers. Almost immediately, it's shape began to morph, eye-like forms appearing over its surface as the dull purple became stronger.

Suddenly, the youth froze in place, midstep.

"...?!" His arms trembled as he struggled. "Careful! Can't... move!"

The Volbeat looked around wildly, trying to find the source of this attack- but it never quite looked up.

---

-Doug notes this place is probably not gonna have bedrooms.
-Doug is being held in place by a Chandelure.

Relic

If there's something strange in your neighborhood... Who you gonna call? PENELOPE LIVY!

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/850907874325823529/866443754243227658/Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_OST_-_Aboveground_Urban_Area_B_-_256_kbps.mp3[/player]
"Been... better." He mumbled as he began picking himself up, rubbing his head. "My pride, that is."

He turned his gaze over the the Chandelure Penelope's magnemite had blasted away, the mischivous ghost slowly picking itself up before scrambling away from the group, merging into the walls and disappearing.

"... Thanks for the save." Doug said as he turned his gaze back to Penelope, giving her a sheepish grin. She looked genuinely worried- how kind of her. He felt even worse now. "Sorry you had to do that."

He was supposed to be the fighter here. It was the whole reason he had been called. This was more than a little embarrassing. Shaking his head, the youth began to stand up, pulling another net ball from his jacket.

A moment later, one of his Orbeetles joined his Volbeat in floating besides him.

"No more mistakes." He promised the woman as with a nod, turning his gaze to the Orbeetle. "Delta will be keepin' track of everythin' from 'ere on out."

One of the few pokemon with a built in Radar feature, Orbeetles were an extremely useful species of bugs- so much so, Doug had about 12 of them.

The Orbeetle stood there for a moment, eyes gleaming a myriad of colors before it suddenly rotated in place and its whole bode shone a gleaming magenta.

A moment later, double doors along the wall opened violently, leading them into a large, dilapidated Library.

"Huh?" Doug uttered, glancing between the doors and his pokemon. Unfortunately, this Orbeetle hadn't learned telepathy yet. "I'm guessin' he wants us to go there?"

He turned to look at Penelope, shrugging his shoulders before walking into the library. Large bookshelves that reached towards tall ceilings covered the walls, and rows upon rows of other, equally tall shelves filled the place. Should they walk through them, they would find at the center a long table with several more books and papers set upon it.

---

-Doug is embarrassed.
-Orbeetle opens a door to a library.
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