Zoroark, no please- no running!" The mercenary called after her partner as it dashed through Slateport's Oceanic Museum's doors. She could see the receptionist glaring daggers at her -not that she was particularly bothered by it-, but she understood it was the woman's job to keep peace and calm within the museum's walls. And sadly, her soaked bipedal friend hardly fit that bill. More like overly-excited chaos incarnate.

Making an apologetic bow at the receptionist and scurried off after it, finding Zoroark bumping into several other visitors who were taking shelter from the rain, much like her. Alas, the dark fox had a blast being this soaked, and decided to shake all the water its manes had soaked off-- violently, and right beside an immaculately dressed man.

Dread followed momentarily, only to fade into a daring glare at the bipedal giant as it noticed, stopped, contemplated shaking a few more times, but instead slumped into a ball of messy fur as she wordlessly rose another finger in warning. While the pokémon sulked, she'd address the man with an apologetic bow. "Sorry, he's just really excited about water..."



Martín del Mar

"Enjoy might be an understatement..." The mercenary would mutter underneath her breath, letting out a soft sigh. "It's good to hear you don't mind too much, but if your suit needs cleaning, at least allow me to cover the bill..." she gave the man another look-over, and could pinpoint the suit not-so-silently screaming 'designer' in her face. "Out of courtesy." she added. Not that he'd need the money, given his looks and choice of wardrobe.

And when his name dropped, it dropped like a bombshell.

Oh no.

Potential employer? Check!

Ruined first impression? Also check!

Yvaine's pokerface was just as powerful, however. Not a muscle betrayed the short moment of panic, hidden behind a polite smile as she takes his hand and shakes it, firmly. "No need to apologise, I expect my partner would've acted the same were a random pokémon nearly rub their face into their trainer's. Yvaine Varron, equally pleased to meet you, Mr. del Mar." Her Zoroark, unnamed since days immemorial, perks her ears and rises from its sulking confinement as she realises she's been talked about. It stares Dollar dead in the eyes, squinting back as it assesses the Persian. And then it rises to its full size, staring down at Dollar for a few silent seconds. "No pouncing." Yvaine stops her before she can even bend over to do so, and with it Zoroark just slumps again. Yet this time, there's something devilish sparkling in her eyes.


"Anyways...," she tries to ignore the brooding shenanigans of her partner as she speaks. "It's not often people bump into a CEO at museums, sir. What brings one such as yourself here on such a dreary day? Talking cover for the rain as well?"


Martín del Mar

There was a soft chuckle when he mentioned his fondness of marine life was in his name. "A man "of the sea" would indeed like the life that belongs to it." Yvaine would try to offset her Zoroark's playfulness with a few scratches of her own, but instead she found the Illusion Fox' muscles in its neck tensing beneath its large manes. She pinched it, and felt its tension weakening only momentarily.

"I wish we could, but in my line of work there's little time for frivolities such as this. No matter how much I'd love to give us a break sometimes." she sighed softly, as if it truly bothered her that she couldn't. Maybe it was only a half-lie that she didn't care, but she'd always lived like this. It was a rare treat, but nothing she couldn't live with. "But alas, money doesn't grow from trees, and thus we keep on travelling. So when a moment of peace and quiet arrives, me and Zoroark enjoy it to the fullest. She more than me, and mostly at the expense of other's personal space." Yvaine shrugged sheepishly.

Yet her statement was like a sign to her fox partner, who suddenly lunged forth from underneath her grip. There was a soft groan as she realised what the Zoroark was up to, and could only watch as it squished its face as close to Dollar as she could, and licked it. There was an oddly happy and triumphant look on its face as it looked up at Martín del Mar, to see what his reaction to it was, then back to the Persian. It would try to lick it again if it could.




Martín del Mar

"Maybe if life had been a bit more steadfast, we'd be able to do the same as well." Yvaine replies in kind, nodding in agreement to Mars' statement. Sometimes she wondered what it would feel like to have a stable job, a nine to five that would allow her to remain stationary. But after all these years she knew full well that she couldn't just remain in a single place all that long, either. The call of the great unknown was far too strong for her to ignore.

Where trainers made casual banter, their pokémon were less inclined.

The Zoroark had been prepared for counter-shenanigans. It had not been prepared for the sharp of teeth sinking through its fur, and the angle at which the teeth's owner had settled itself; there was a slight panic in its eyes because it could not reach the Persian's head anymore, letting out a high-pitched, nigh-audible scream as it tried to wriggle free. A futile effort, it seemed. Dollar's revenge was a sharp one.

It also looked far more dramatic than the situation called for. But that was how she knew her partner best... alas.

"So it seems," The mercenary mirrors his smirk, albeit a bit more brightly. Hers is followed by a sigh however. "Though I'd wish for one the culprit to be a tad bit more behaved at times-" she said so loud enough for her Zoroark -instigator extraordinaire- to hear, and saw how its ears drooped in response to the sternness riddled in Yvaine's voice.

It then upped the dramatic flair by just dropping to the floor, pretending to be dead, but also tried to bat the Persian away with its hind leg if it had not let go yet.

"Oh dear gods, not this again..." Yvaine muttered underneath her breath, softly pinching the bridge of her nose whilst shaking her head. "Sometimes I really wonder where he learnt all this... this." she gestured helplessly at the faux-dead illusion fox sprawled out on the ground.



Martín del Mar

"I fear as much," she sighs in agreement, snapping her finger at her Zoroark. Now the Persian's obediently let go, showing its own disapproval with a huff, it's fully well aware that he's in trouble, and rolls back over on all fours, returning to his trainer's side. She could see some people chuckle from the corner of her eye, seemingly amused, but Yvaine was all but.

The mercenary gave Mars an apologetic bow when he stated he'd better go before any actual trouble started. "Likewise, Mr. Del Mar. And my apologies for his behavior. Hopefully he'll behave more appropriately when we next meet. Until next time." she said, saying her own goodbyes as well, and opting to go the other way instead. And this time, she'd keep a far closer watch on the illusion fox.


Martín del Mar