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“What? Three months?!” [break][break]

Okay, so maybe Eddie hadn't considered this particular possibility when planning this venture, because really, how busy could the guy be? A museum curator was just a babysitter of dusty, old trinkets, and it wasn't like they were going anywhere anytime soon, [break][break]

“I mean, uh-” [break][break]

C'mon Eddie, don't lose your cool now. You just gotta pivot, that's all. [break][break]

“You sure you couldn't squeeze me in somewhere?” [break][break]

He leaned forward a little, and muscles strained against their thin, white, cotton prison all too deliberately. The whole “honeypot” strategy had been more like a plan C or D than his immediate backup plan, but desperate times called for desperate- [break][break]

“Oh, uh, hey!” [break][break]

Eddie spun on his heel when he heard the approaching footfalls. If it wasn't the man of the hour himself! The curator approached in a few long strides, and Eddie beamed with excitement when he realized that this was just the guy he'd been looking for, [break][break]

“Nice ta meet ya, pal; name's Eddie!” [break][break]

If allowed, Eddie would offer the guy what was probably a slightly too-firm handshake. He finally had access to the man in question, so now it was time to implement his cover story, [break][break]

“So, I hear you all have a pretty fascinatin' exhibit featuring Hisuian artwork, is that right?” [break][break]

At least, that was what Eddie thought he had read on the Lilycove museum's website; Hisuian Art, A Fusion of Modern and Ancient Tradition. Some of the pieces actually looked really neat, like the little figures carved out of Wyrdeer antlers and what looked like the mounted head of an Ursaluna made out of plaster and tiny bits of colorful, reflective glass. Eddie wasn't much of an art guy himself, but even he could appreciate the appeal of some tasteful items with natural themes and a real history to them, [break][break]

“I got this buddy, Yuina Higashi, and she's really turned me on to that sorta thing. Probably knows more about Hisui than most'a the region, and I wanted ta get a closer look at some'a the items you got on display.” [break][break]

Briefly, Eddie's eyes flicked away from the curator and momentarily settled on a tall stranger nearby, which immediately proved to be a mistake. [break][break]

Was that guy looking at him? That tall drink of water with dark eyes and immaculate hair and the striking figure of someone who belonged on the cover of GQ, but dressed like he was ripped straight from the cast of Dead Poets Society? That guy was looking at Eddie? [break][break]

No, no, he must have been mistaken, Eddie realized, blinking stupidly when he saw the stranger's gaze settle elsewhere. He suddenly shifted his attention back towards the curator, who Eddie realized he had left hanging for the better part of the last forty five or so seconds, and felt his face flush with some embarrassment, [break][break]

“So, uh, wouldja be free for a second?”

[attr="class","bottom"]museum fit! [break]
GIDEON GRAVES [break]

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Eddie jolted, caught off-guard by the professor now standing far closer than he had expected. A part of him wanted to protest the curator's departure, but another part of him was immediately intrigued by two factors. For one thing, he hadn't expected for him and this stranger to have a mutual acquaintance, [break][break]

“You're right on the money, Dr. Graves.” Eddie took the offered hand and grinned a little nervously, though he was still determined to salvage this venture, “Pleasure to meetcha. Any friend'a Yuina's is a friend'a mine.” [break][break]

As for the other thing, well, Eddie couldn't help but feel a little thrilled at the thought of getting to spend some time with the striking man and his warm, honey-toned eyes. He swept an arm out toward the direction of the exhibit in question and flashed a broad smile, [break][break]

“Let's get movin', yeah?” [break][break]

---

[break]
It was a quick walk to the first object on display, the figure of a Kleavor carved from todomatsu and encased in a glass display. Eddie stopped to marvel at it for a moment, temporarily distracted from his real line of inquiry, until he suddenly remembered himself. But maybe this would serve as a good way to break the ice before he started asking the hard-hitting questions, [break][break]

“I actually got one'a these myself – the Kleavor, not one'a these little carvings,” he chuckled, “Love 'er to death, but she's a real tough customer. Fights like hell, but she always seems ta have her head on a swivel.” [break][break]

Eddie glanced sidelong to the professor, [break][break]

“What about you? Any Pokemon you got a soft spot for? Anythin' in particular you like ta collect?”

[attr="class","bottom"]museum fit! [break]
GIDEON GRAVES [break]

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Huh, a Bug guy? Eddie wouldn't have figured that the professor had an eye for creepy-crawlies, but then again, the man was a lot harder to read than Eddie apparently was. This much was obvious when the mention of a Fighting-type had the older man visibly perk up, [break][break]

“Huh, no kidding?” [break][break]

Gideon's soft smile was met by a much broader one from Eddie. No one could say that the man didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, [break][break]

“You got stellar taste. Fightin' types can be a little rough around the edges, sure, but there ain't nothin' like goin' into a brawl with one'a them at your side. Strong as hell, and all'a the one's I've met are about as loyal as it gets.” [break][break]

In the ambient light of the exhibit, Eddie's eyes were damn-near twinkling with enthusiastic delight. He could wax poetic about the virtues of his favorite Pokemon for ages, but that wasn't what he'd come here to do, was it? He chuckled a little and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, [break][break]

“But that's a whole other can'a worms.” He glanced to the works of art displayed around them with deliberation, before turning back to the professor, “So, uh, is this all'a the pieces this place's got for this exhibit?” [break][break]

Now he just had to ease into his next and most important line of inquiry. Eddie found himself fiddling with one of the buttons on his shirt cuff with a little nervous agitation, [break][break]

“You wouldn't happen ta know of any other pieces for this collection, wouldja? Somethin' that didn't make it to the display?” [break][break]

Ah, fuck it, enough messing with the buttons. Eddie rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows, exposing a pair of muscular forearms, [break][break]

“Maybe somethin' in the basement?”

[attr="class","bottom"]museum fit! [break]
GIDEON GRAVES [break]

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Oh no, this was bad. Eddie felt a small bit of panic start to well up when he realized that he might be denied the opportunity to uncover the capital-C Curator's little hideaway. No, he couldn't lose this chance, he just couldn't – [break][break]

“But this can't wait for another time!” he suddenly blurted out. It was an exclamation Eddie immediately came to regret. [break][break]

He froze like a Sawsbuck caught in a pair of headlights, and cold sweat started to bead at the back of his neck. Oh God, how could he recover from this? Was there some sort of lie he could tell that would allow him access to the basement? What if he'd made the guy super suspicious? Eddie realized he probably looked like kind of a psychopath right now, wide-eyed and flustered in the low light. Maybe now it was time to come clean about the real reason he was here. [break][break]

He took a deep breath and sighed, tense shoulders slackening, and he looked up at Gideon, dark eyes fixing him with pleading desperation. Maybe he would understand, if Eddie was finally honest with him, [break][break]

“Look, there's something down there I gotta see.” [break][break]

He frowned, more at himself than at anything else. Gideon needed to know what was at stake, [break][break]

“This might sound a little nutty,” Eddie admitted as panic gave way to nervousness, “But, uh, you ever heard'a the DRK Triad?”

[attr="class","bottom"]museum fit! [break]
GIDEON GRAVES [break]

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Eddie had half-expected the professor to call security. The fact that he hadn't done so yet meant that the soldier still had a chance. Best not to waste it, now, [break][break]

“I'm here 'cause I ran inta one'a them a little while ago, in the RKS.” [break][break]

He kept his eyes trained on Gideon, and felt a pang of guilt when he noticed that the other man looked as nervous as Eddie felt, voice hard and posture defensive, [break][break]

“Or, at least, an ex-member of 'em. Started spoutin' all kinds'a cryptic shit, asked me and my buddy Shalin Nariya a bunch'a weird questions, gave us this weird curio before she split. But-” [break][break]

He swept an arm out to the exhibit floor, [break][break]

“The reason I'm here, specifically, is 'cause she ripped us straight outta the normal RKS simulation and dragged us to that goddamn basement.” [break][break]

But this was more than just Eddie playing the wannabe gumshoe; this was so much bigger than that. There was a pleading edge to his voice when he spoke again, a real sense of desperation, [break][break]

“I... I gotta find her. Figure out what she knows.” He swallowed hard against the gritty lump that had started to lodge itself in his throat, “I gotta do my part to stop the DRK Triad, and I think she's part'a the answer to that. Those bastards wanna hurt my friends, and I can't let them do that.” [break][break]

Not after what Shalin Nariya told him during that all too fateful journey into the RKS. Not after what Yuina Higashi confided in him. Eddie would take any risk, any gamble, any possible chance to keep the people he cared about safe.

[attr="class","bottom"]museum fit! [break]
GIDEON GRAVES [break]

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The seconds that ticked by in the vacuum of GIDEON GRAVES's silence seemed to stretch into eternity, but Eddie's anxiety fled the moment he felt the professor's hand land upon his shoulder, [break][break]

“I, uh – ” [break][break]

The soldier paused when he suddenly noticed the presence of the other patrons. He swallowed hard and nodded, and dutifully followed as he was lead along by the professor to a quiet, narrow corridor. Eddie hardly noticed the other man's own hesitation as the door clicked shut behind him, and he gave a great, heaving sigh of relief now that he was well and truly sure that he hadn't lost his chance, [break][break]

“It's a long goddamn story, but I'll give ya the Cliffsnotes version.” [break][break]

Eddie raised a hand to scratch at his bearded chin as he replayed the events of that fateful day in his head, parsing through the details to try and discern the most pressing points of interest, [break][break]

“Lemme start with the questions,” Eddie began, returning his full attention to the professor, “They were... weird. Weird as hell.” [break][break]

Hands moved to gesticulate, trying to physically grasp at the words the soldier was trying to work out, [break][break]

“It was like some kinda test for me and my partner in the sim. Some kinda morality bullshit, I think. First she asked what we were doin' there, in the basement. Told 'er we were lookin' for the DRK Triad.” [break][break]

Probably not the smartest move on his part, but that was Eddie's first real exposure to that insidious organization. When given the chase to pursue them, he had gladly taken it, [break][break]

“Then she told us a big war was comin', and asked who we thought was gonna be the side ta screw things up. Told 'er Rocket, 'cause fuckin' duh. And then... she was just fuckin' gone. But that's where the curio comes in.” [break][break]

Eddie suddenly fished out his phone and flicked open his app for photos, scrolling through hastily until he produced an image from his compendium. To his own eyes, the Covert Cloak sat there, clear as day, but he had quickly begun to learn that the image of it would fizzle out to something hazy and indistinct, unseeable by anyone except himself or the person he had gone into the simulation with. He flashed the phone's display to Gideon with a frown etched on his face, [break][break]

“I know this don't amount ta much more than one'a those blurry photos'a Bigfoot, but she gave us this. Compendium told me its called a Covert Cloak. Yanno, the funny thing is, she seemed ta be on the run from the DRK Triad herself. She told us she couldn't 'have us leadin' them to her', and the compendium says it protects you from bein' perceived.” [break][break]

Once Gideon had the chance to study the indistinct curio to his satisfaction, Eddie would pocket his phone with another tired sigh, [break][break]

“She said she quit them a long time ago. Said somethin' about... preservation, but I think she's got a real sick concept of it. Got a real fuckin' eyeful'a that down in the basement.” [break][break]

He shuddered a little as he recalled the statuesque Pokemon frozen in morbid tableau, and secretly hoped that they wouldn't actually be waiting on him in the depths below the museum.

[attr="class","bottom"]museum fit! [break]
GIDEON GRAVES [break]