The wording she used... Summer wondered what her husband had done. From what she could gather, Elisabeth Fiorelli did not seem to miss him or mourn him. Was there perhaps a hint of freedom in her voice?

The more she wondered, the more she wanted to know.

Yet, she didn't pry, instead allowing her companion to dig a bit deeper into her heritage and her family name.

"Indeed. Entertaining the masses when you don't want to is a tiring effort. However, coming to a place like this, where you don't have to and you can find someone you want to entertain... or the opposite, to entertain you..."

Summer smirked into her glass, shrugging.

"That's another story. You don't need to commit to an act. You can go with the flow, move at your own rhythm. And when you're tired or done? Leave. Or, if you want to take it to the next level..."

Well, that was better left unsaid.

"Exactly my point. You understand quite well. I think that coming to a place like this would benefit you more often, Elisabeth. Even if you aren't seeking a suitor for the evening."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

☉

His choking, his question, everything goes unacknowledged. Unanswered. Summer didn't wish to dwell on the thought and memories of Casey Fincher anymore. Not when she thought he was good as dead.

And if he wasn't...

Well, that hurt just as much.

So, instead, Summer's attention was locked on and focused on Andres, watching him as he willingly caved into her pursuit. He had been interested in her since day one, at her home during the Rocket pool party. She wasn't even sure if he was affiliated with the group, or if he had just shown up.

But it had led to now.

"I know I'm right. You don't have to keep encouraging me, unless that's what you like," Summer said with a sly grin crossing her lips, chuckling as she dropped her hand from his neck down his throat. It rested on his shoulder.

andres buenaventura finished his drink, and she followed, leaving her hand away from his shoulder and offering it to him.

"Show me what you can do."

andres buenaventura

☉

Illusions weren't totally unfamiliar to Summer Atreides. The fog released at the Star Soiree had brought her into an illusion. She remembered the feeling on the gun, heavy in her hand, as she pointed it at her father.

She couldn't remember the words. What she could remember was-

Casey. And his desires, a family with her, settled away from the bustle of life. A daughter, living in a home in the country-side. The memory of it, as it plagued her mind, caused her to choke, holding back a pot of emotions threatening to boil over.

She was thankful as Remiel Calcifet spoke again.

"A demon, from Galar?" she echoed, having not realized her grip on him had tightened.

He'd probably think it was from fright, rather than emotional pain ebbing away at her.

"Why... how... can you explain this to me?"

Remiel Calcifet

☉

Summer laughed, almost tipping her drink over on the individual sitting not so far away from her. She earned a scowl, a few mumbling words of annoyance, and a nasty look as the stranger walked away, determined to not be in a splash zone.

She didn't care. She was too engulfed in her company, the jokes that she managed to pull from an originally thought to be shy and reserved woman.

"Two? Well, now... I suppose that means we must have another outing. Then, you'll be able to understand the inner workings of Summer Atreides."

Elisabeth's brought up her husband. And, curiosity about him, about how he died, made Summer want to dig her nails in deep, uncover all the dirty little secrets that were hidden beneath her company's rosy surface.

However, she'd worked hard to get to this point. It'd be foolish of her to let it go to waste.

"And I imagine he burned you in the process."

Summer didn't wish she could relate. She couldn't. Her only love had been a true one. The ones she had faked for the sake of business, pursuing forth her father's will, were nothing. But Casey Fincher had been real.

And he was gone.

Tilting her head back, enjoying the bitter burn of alcohol gliding down her throat, she sighed as Elisabeth asked if she danced.

"Me? Dance? Of course I do. For work and pleasure. Keeping up a face meant ballroom parties and social soirees. But, I come to clubs for more than just drinks and good times."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

☉

Rustboro. A place that Summer knew all too well from the business aspects of life but not so much from personal experiences. She couldn't count on her hands the number of visits she had paid for her father there as a representative of his liaison.

And a money launderer. There were so many companies that were run under her father's business that were truly illegally making money.

"You sound a lot like me. However, I'm from Mauville City. Perhaps, instead of condo or penthouse, I'll come stop by next time I'm in the area."

She took the glass, her free hand draping over Ana's shoulders as her fingers danced over her skin delicately.

"I'm there often enough."

ANA STONE

☉

Summer shot Killian a look, a mixture of annoyed and threatening. Yet, she didn't comment further. She refused to give him more fuel for the fire.

Because that wasn't what she meant at all.

Yet, their time spent in the office came to a close, and their hunt began.

---

Summer's heels clicked against the concrete sidewalk as she kept pace with Killian Decker, only stopping as they came to the front of the diner. She crossed her arms, observing the man and woman they'd be interrogating through the window.

"They look like complete nobodies. And they're a threat?" she prompted, unable to hide a scoff.

Killian offered for her to take the lead, which was a bit of a surprise to Summer. She look over to him, her brows raised as she seemed to give a look that was waiting for confirmation. Yet, she shrugged once more before dropping her arms to her side and crossing the road.

The bell at the top of the diner door tinkled, announcing their entrance as Summer walked in. She heard a greeting from the staff, which was ignored by her as she approached the table that the targets were sitting at.

"Hey, guys. Long time no see. Scoot over, let's chat," she said, putting an air of friendliness as she forced her way into the booth with much confusion to the grunts.

"We have much to talk about, and should you not cooperate, well, we'll handle this the hard way if we need to," Summer said with a smile that held no kindness to it as she propped her chin up with the back of her hands.

Killian Decker

☉

Illusions were something Summer Atreides was not familiar with that well. Alcoholic illusions were one thing. However these kinds of illusions?

They were another world entirely. And it was something she was unwilling to explore if it meant she was to be sucked in and threatened each time.

"You seem to understand how these work. Have you been entrapped by illusions before?"

What she was really curious about was the amount of times he'd been forced into a situation like this. Where the surroundings weren't real, but they felt real. Yet the danger was constant.

Summer noticed after she asked her question that Remy grew quiet, as though he was wondering what to tell her about Goetia. Or if he should tell her about Goetia. It made her all the more curious, if not more frightful. She gripped his hand tighter, to try to bring him back to reality, to her, and regain his attention.

"We're already in this place. I don't know if things can get more mental than this," she said, to lighten the situation.

"What are we facing, Remy."

It wasn't a question. It was a demand.

Remiel Calcifet

☉

Summer only stuck her tongue out at BARNABY FINCH like a child. Yet, she was having fun with him. She wouldn't admit it out loud, because she kept losing each competition they had at the fair.

But she felt like she was getting back some lost time.

Her own eyes scanned the rows of food stalls that awaited customers in the fairgrounds. She could smell the almost sickly smell of grease coming from nearly each one, as well as hear the shouts of the vendors trying to lure people to try their food.

"Is that guy really... selling fried butter? Do people actually eat that?" Summer asked Barnaby, a look of horror in her eyes as she whipped her head away from the man trying to call out to her.

He decided on a place, and Summer noticed a variety of pies on display and on the menu. Savory and sweet, baked and fried. It seemed like it was a healthier option than the others they had come across. Thank Arceus Barnaby didn't want to eat something slathered in pounds of grease.

"I'll have a vegetable pie," she decided, though she shot him a look as she dug out several PD to hang over to the vendor.

BARNABY FINCH

☉

If it was a sign for Martín del Mar, then it was definitely a sign for Summer Atreides as well. But, likewise, she would ignore the call and allow herself to have private cooks and chefs work for her.

When you had the money to spend, you might as well spend it, she thought. She had a decent savings to her name, as an heiress and rich girl. Why cook?

"That's fine. We could step off the boat and take a nice breather before coming back on or something," she suggested, giving up on her attempt to scrape the burnt chocolate out of the bowl.

It clattered into the awaiting sink, the cooks employed on Mars's yacht definitely wincing as they heard it. They were probably anxiously awaiting to see the clean up that awaited them, as well as the damage control they had to do.

"You got any of that good stuff? You know, the stuff that relaxes you really well and makes you feel like you're floating..."

Summer couldn't quite pinpoint it because of her intoxication, but she giggled all the same.

"We could go swimming. Double float."

Martín del Mar

☉

With her hand in Ana's, Summer allowed herself to be led away to a suite. Of course, she did not hesitate to wiggle her free hand's fingers goodbye to the bartender before leaving.

She followed inside, looking around as the door closed. It was beautifully adorned with pieces of art and decor to taste, something Summer could appreciate.

"Thank you," she replied, shrugging off her coat that she had huddled in when she was alone before, hanging it on a coat rack beside the door.

"Miss Stone- Ana. Where do you usually stay when you aren't out on business?" Summer inquired, coming to rest on a plush couch near the window.

She crossed her leg over the other, extending an arm over the back of the couch as she waited for her companion to join her.

ANA STONE

☉

Of course, Summer had not noticed his subtle change in mood. Her own paranoia, the chill running down her spine, kept her mind distracted and occupied. Of course her father would be disappointed in her right now.

She was not the Summer Atreides that he had trained her to be, sitting in front of him. She was cracking, and it was clear. He had to know that there was a contributing factor to her slipping.

And knox prescott was definitely an integral piece.

Summer's eyes snap back up as he changed to subject to food. Of course. They shouldn't dwell on a topic like this for as long as it needed to be. However, even as she leaned forward, the food he held out to her fell, falling on the tops of her chest and then onto the skirt of her dress.

"Oh... Father..."

A hint of disappointment was clear in her voice, since the dress was going to be stained. She only hoped that it was able to come out. However, Summer nodded, pushing herself from the table and standing.

"Excuse me. I'll be right back."

And she disappeared. Perhaps the biggest mistake of her life was leaving her phone unattended, her mind not thinking clearly as she walked to the bathroom.

knox prescott

☉

Well, Elisabeth was very right. Either she could read her like a book, or she had encountered women like Summer Atreides many times before. She couldn't quite pinpoint it herself, yet she didn't question it.

"Don't we all?" she answered simply, hiding her amused smirk behind the glass of her drink.

"Even if you don't find yourself fascinating, I'd argue that many people, including myself would find you quite the character. Your history itself is enough to spark curiosity. I don't take interest in many people, but you Miss Fiorelli... you've caught my eye."

Elisabeth's observation and commentary on the business men sitting in the corner caught Summer by surprise once again. If she was not getting to know her, she would have assumed that she was nothing more than a blue collar worker in a flower shop and in Rocket. But she sensed that she, too, came from money and wealth.

Or had at least lived that life at one point.

"I see. Your late husband, he was like that as well, I assume? All business, no time for the other joys in life? Money took priority and precedence. If money didn't come in, then hell was to pay."

If she guessed accurately, it sounded a lot like her own family. Like how Summer's father raised her, how he had treated her mother, and then led him to disowning her brother for the lack of care in the family business. She understood a life like that all too well.

Summer laughed, an entertained and genuine one. Raising her brows as she looked back at Elisabeth, she shrugged.

"I suppose you can read me a lot more accurately than I originally thought."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

☉

At his comment, Summer couldn't help a snide yet teasing remark back.

"You obviously do, since you're still here with me."

A challenge, in a way, to prove her wrong. Summer smirked, a look in her eye screaming that she knew Barnaby Finch liked her the way she was.

Or, perhaps, that was just how egotistical she was.

However, her shit-eating smirk was erased from her lips as he claimed he was going to win the plushie ABSOL for her. In fact, she looked shocked, not to mention hopeful and excited. Just like a child who was told that Santa Claus was going to show up in a few minutes.

"R-really? You'd do that for me?"

While it was painful to watch — Barnaby really wasn't as good at darts as he claimed he was — he finally won that plushie for her. As soon as it landed in her arms, Summer squeezed it tight, hugging it close to her chest as she looked up at Barnaby with the widest eyes anyone could imagine.

"If I wasn't so mad about paying for dinner, I could kiss you right now," she said, walking forward toward a dining spot.

"What peaks your interest, since you won the bet?"

BARNABY FINCH

☉