She could have stood to word it better, but what was done was done. Despite her focus on excitement, she did want to leave what she said on one note. "That being said, quiet is nice too. I'd be quite an idiot to be the one decrying that despite saying you were the one doing so."


Caught in a moment of embarrassment, she gave a light chuckle. 

But all things would come to an end as the chime for the end of the current session would ring out.

Seeing him off his hand, she offered one of her own with a firm grasp before holding out a business card with the other. "It was a pleasure meeting you too. If you ever have need for a detective, do ring me up~."

---

Tag:klaus anchoret

---

"I remember those types of field trips as a kid. Those were always pretty fun. At least right until a murder happened. Like that time we went to Hearthome's Contest Hall..." Elaine shifted her head down into a moment of thought as a realization came to her. Her hand carefully embraced her chin as she dropped into a singular moment of deep thought. "Now that I think about it, given my track record for attracting a case on those types of events, it was a wonder I wasn't banned from trips and events past a certain point."

It's often said that correlation does not necessarily imply causation, so perhaps the adults had taken that into account and assumed the risk of an incident happening without her around was not worth taking.

"Regardless, I wouldn't decry your profession like you're doing now." Elaine smiled as she forced herself out of the train of thought she had caught herself in. "There's nothing like showing wide-eyed tots around and making them excited, right? Gives you a warm feeling, even on those dreary nights right?"

Elaine gave a quick giggle as she realized this encounter was different from the last one.

"As for hobbies...motorcycle? No, I guess that's not a hobby. I guess I have been trying to pen a book of recollections. Everything I've seen has given me enough reason to think, you know?" Elaine scratched her cheek a bit. "Oh, but I do like riding motorcycles. The feeling of the wind in your hair never gets any less satisfying."

---

Tag:klaus anchoret

---

"You could call it equal parts exciting and depressing. Though I can find missing people, I'm usually the kind of person who is called after the cadaver has been first found."

Elaine frowned. As much as she had expected to speak about her own work but she did feel she was getting a bit too carried away.

"Well, there are too many details, but even after the spotlight dropped when I became an adult, my track record's been pretty spotless. But certain things are a bit too dark and bloody for this kind of event, don't you think."

With a quick sigh, she gave a wink to the young man across from her. "So, let's hold off on talking about that kind of thing. What of being a lighthouse keeper? I imagine that brings excitement out in its own way."

Her hand continued to slowly stroke Titania's large maw, much to its enjoyment as she stayed by Elaine's side.

---

Tag:klaus anchoret

---

It had been too quick for the bell to toll, heralding the end of round one and signaling the start of round 2. Elaine had quickly shuffled the card she had been offered into a small deck attached to her phone before she had begrudgingly moved from the station she had been at to the next one. Ah, the despair of a burgeoning conversation cut far too short.

Nevertheless, she had moved on to the next one with Titania in tow--this time coming into encounter with a young man who had been the quickest to introduce himself.

"Call me Elaine." After taking a moment to give a firm handshake to him, she took her seat across from him.

"A lighthouse keeper, huh?" It was hardly a glamorous career, but it was still a respectable one. He was, after all, someone who worked to prevent deaths--a stark opposition to the girl who was merely a grim reaper who walked in after death to claim another.

"I'm a detective. A semi-independent one." The girl who once was called Jubilife's Child Wonder awkwardly described her current life.

---

Tag:klaus anchoret

---

DATE APPLICATION #2

Character: Elaine Highland [break]
Dates Completed:
Round 1 (Elaine & Violet)

Elaine took a quick moment to realize, as she had finished asking her storm of questions, just how she ended up looking as she ended up forgoing the image of elegance she had built up in a throe of curiosity. Old habits died hard. Though the façade had been dropped by that point, Elaine could still maintain some semblance on it as she attempted to keep both the smile and her poise.

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Not having a vocation means you have an infinite array of possibilities to reach out for. You came out this far from Veilstone City to explore your own possibilities. Though I'd say your motive is different from mine, there's nothing inherently inferior to it." There was no way she could ever say such a thing. After all, what she sought was far more outlandish than self-understanding could ever be. "After all, I have my own weird ambitions to chase. I figured I just needed to separate myself from my roots to start chasing after them."

But, before she could say anything like that, her ears focused in on a single compliment.

Come to think of it, this was a speed-dating event. The young woman who had mired herself too much in her work to delve into romance found herself caught off-guard.

"I-I'm not that cute. Besides you're the elegant one here." A curt denial and a quick reflection. How quickly the façade fell. And yet, even as this session began to draw nearer to its close, Elaine was certain that her comfort zone would be pulled out from beneath her. Life could truly be cruel.

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

---

Retro-Inspired style? That was something Elaine had hardly expected to ever be described as. Though, she couldn't say it as inaccurate. Her outfit, practical and versatile though it was, did exude a sense of old-fashioned and old-money style presence. Fanning out her fingers in front of herself, she chuckled as she looked at the loose sleeves for a quick moment before turning her attention back to the young woman she had been paired with.

"One could consider it a bit old-fashioned, but that vocation was who I am. Nothing else ever suited me. Though, it's not like I don't have any other ambitions, per se." Elaine shrugged in resignation as she let her train of thought run loose for a short moment.

That being said, it would also have been remiss of her to neglect Violet. After all, there was something in her words that had caught her attention all too easily—enough to make her lean in with eyes wide-open like an enthused child.

"You're from Sinnoh too, Violet?! Where from? What brought you here?! I'm sorry, but it feels like it's been forever since I've seen someone from 'home.'"

As soon as she finished speaking, Elaine quickly recoiled back to her original position, scratching at her cheek with a mild blush on her face as she realized she may have gotten a bit too enthused.

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

---

Reflection, one would call it. When one created an ambiance, it would often reflect in the other. Though, it was questionable whether Elaine was the one reflecting off the young woman before her or vice-versa. Nevertheless, what was happening right now was reality. Unlike the young woman before, Elaine was wearing the outfit that garnered the most familiarity to her, the one she always wore, and the one through which she could easily project any type of presence she required. As asymmetrical as the long sleeves over white skirt were, they were ones of the most comfort and ones which fit any form of event.

"Thank you, Violet. I would not say that I'm anything particularly special." Elaine matched the firm grip of the handshake before letting go, an attempt not to linger too long. She could hardly say she was anyone important, even if she held some decent import at an earlier age, but there was a certain sense of keeping up appearances that was always a necessity. Keeping her hand stroking Titania's maw, she continued to speak.

"Even if my experience as a detective places a wealth of experiences on me, a lot of that is still covered up. But what of you? For someone of your own presence, I could almost say the same for youl," Elaine said, letting out a smile.

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

---

Elaine could say she had never undergone the experience that was a group date. One like her never spent too much time seeking romance, considering such a thing would tend to get in the way of her goals. But there was also a networking aspect to it and getting a chance to meet multiple people she could possibly form some sort of business relations was definitely couldn't hurt. Heavens knew she needed a boost in a continuingly cruel world.

If she found romance, that was just an added bonus.

Well, no need to look displeased or annoyed.

Resting her hand on Titania's maw that was now resting in her lap, she looked across to the other side of the table.

Just gotta keep moving with this and hope for the best.

Hiding any displeasure with an aloof gaze, she spoke up. "The name's Elaine Highland. It's a pleasure."

Reaching a hand out before her, despite the speed dating atmosphere, she maintained as businesslike a mood as possible.

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

---

DATE APPLICATION

Character: Elaine Highland [break]
Age: 25[break]
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual (though not averse to go the other way)[break]
Pokémon: Mawile[break]
Romantic or Business?: Both, though more business[break]
Specific pairing request?: None in particular

As real and pressing as the presence of another person was, there was not much Elaine could do when she was outnumbered three to one like this. While she had her skillsets and preferences, the others made a valid point.

The possibility of a human culprit or actor did not discount the fact that there was something dangerous rampaging out there.

Elaine sighed as she ran her hand over the back of her head and focused down on the footprints that would inevitably be buried and forgotten. It was hardly the solution she wanted, but there was something far more pressing at the moment. It realistically was better to chase after that which was more certainly imminent than that which had a likelihood of not being relevant.

“Fine. As much as I want to chase after that person, whatever went towards Route 120 is more imminently dangerous anyway.” The young woman said, acquiescing to the majority decision. “I’m reporting the presence of another person regardless, but I’ll stick with the course you guys have chosen.”

---

TL;DR: Elaine accedes to the Route 120 decision.

Tags: Pace Mahmoud ; boruta maher ; Kaida Adachi

---

It was a bit of a utilitarian way of thinking, but at the very least the young man was not raring to commit murder. It was far from what Elaine wanted to hear, but it was something that she would at least accept. For now.

Given the circumstances, there were more important matters than the kid’s thirst for blood. Still, he had gotten a plan down. In doing so, he took out the first sentry in an instant. Though, as he predicted and as she expected, the sentry made one last yelp before it had gone incapacitated.

It was only a matter of time before they were found out. Given that, she had crouched down and signaled to both the young man and to Titania.

The moment the next attacker came close, she would have Titania blindside it with a Sucker Punch.

---

Aaron Toral