[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

She flinched.

[break][break] 'He's right,' Mari thought miserably.

[break][break] She hadn't intended for it to happen. But sven korolev had sent her a text, and then she'd gotten that ping on her phone, and she had just been so curious to know who she'd matched with. She hadn't thought it was a big of a deal - at the time - but now she was mortified to know that she could've just saved herself from this mortifying experience in pure hindsight.

[break][break] "I-I'm sorry, sir!" Her head dipped in apology, cheeks flushed, as she waited for his command to allow her to return to her desk. Instead, however, he said something else.

[break][break] "D-D-dinner?!" she squeaked, unable to hide the shock from her voice. Her cheeks flared with bright-pink color once more, before she cleared her throat.

[break][break] 'Ohgodohgodohgod.'

[break][break] "I - It would be my pleasure, sir."

[break][break] What else was she supposed to say?!

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Julien Demassieux

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

She wanted to pretend everything was normal, and she thought she could, until Julien Demassieux breaks her.

[break][break] She sits down, and he shows his phone.

[break][break] If at all possible, her face reddens further.

[break][break] "Wh - I - !" She stutters, flustered for words. Her fingers clutch at her miniskirt and she makes an effort to bow in mortification, but accidentally hits herself against the sharp edge of the desk. A bruise blooms, and she rubs it.

[break][break] "I - I'm so sorry, sir. I - a friend recommended it. B-But it'll never happen again!"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Julien Demassieux

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

Before Mari could even dignify a response, a voice called out.

[break][break] 'Excuse me. Is there some sort of issue?'

[break][break] Her eyes widened. She recognized her. It was Delilah Silph. How could she not? Not only were the Silphs infamous within Hoenn, but they had made a name for themselves overseas. The woman was even more gorgeous and stunning in person than she was in magazines, the media doing her little justice when it came to her image in-person.

[break][break] Mari was so flabbergasted by the presence of her, the Delilah Silph, that she was star-stunned and dazzled into silence. Only numbly recognizing as the clipboard was plucked from her grasp, she followed the celebrity away from the horrible man and it was only several minutes later, while they were sitting down that she found her voice.

[break][break] "I-I — "

[break][break] "I'm so sorry!" She leaped from her seat, giving a deep bow. "Oh my gosh, ma'am I'm so sorry. I must have caused you such an inconvenience — I — "

[break][break] She bit her lip, glancing upwards.

[break][break] "Thank you. How can I ever repay you?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Delilah Silph [break]

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

"o-okay!"

[break][break] her agreement is cut short when saskia suddenly jumps beside her and begins spreading lotion around her shoulders. the feeling of the other girl's hands on her skin, soft and sure, causes her cheeks to redden even further. her heart stutters rapidly in her chest, like a hummingbird taking flight.

[break][break] and her mind wanders. this is normal, right? normal to feel this way about someone putting sunscreen on her back, someone that she had just met no less? besides, what did saskia mean about never apologizing? what kinds of things did saskia get excited about?

[break][break] "um - y-yeah!" startled out of her thoughts, mari reaches over to her bag to pull out her stationary supplies. she had a small clipboard with cute dotted stationary, and the sight of a pidove flying over the top. she offers her pencil over to saskia volosenkova too, which has a cute piplup over the top.

[break][break] "your deda?" she asks curiously, head tilted as her tongue clumsily tries to roll over the word.

[break][break] "what's he like?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] saskia volosenkova [break]
heroes on a half-shell

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

Mari wasn't exactly sure why she was swiping on the app, but after seeing saskia volosenkova use it, she had felt a sudden urge to find the other girl on the app. And then there were so many other girls here too — each and every one of them had her cheeks lighting up with a fierce blush.

[break][break] There was even someone that looked like Michaelis. She was so stunned at the image that her fingers swiped too quickly against the next profile, eyes widening as she realized who she'd swiped on.

[break][break] Oh no.

[break][break] Her fingers were a flurry of movement against her phone, attempting to badly remedy her mistake. This was like the coffee shop and cafeteria all over again. Nononono -

[break]

"Would you like to come in my office, Miss Beaufort?"

She squeaked at the sudden ping. The secretary stared down at the message, almost unable to believe her awful, terrible, no-good luck. Swallowing thickly, Mari forced herself upright and over to his office. The door creaked like a mouse and she peeked around the edge. Her ankles clicked together as she stood at the entrance to his office, not willing to cross the threshold.

[break][break] "Y-Yes Mr. Demassieux? Is there something you needed?"

[break][break] Her cheeks were a bright red, trying desperately to pretend like everything was normal. Like he hadn't just caught her swiping on a dating app in the middle of the work day.

[attr="class","ooc"] Julien Demassieux

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

'There's no need for that.'

[break][break] Mari looked up at his words, and eventually uncrumpled herself from her bow. There was still a flush on her face as she sat down back onto the tray. And though she acted nonchalant, in reality, her mind was running a million miles a minute.

[break][break] 'Oh god. How could I do that? I'm totally going to get fired. Oh no. What am I going to do if I get fired? What am I going to tell Nana?'

[break][break] Matters were made worse when he smiled.

[break][break] "i- um, yes sir!" Her cheeks flushed again, eyes snapping towards him. "I will!"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Julien Demassieux [break]
putting on a front

☉

[attr="class","icon"]

It wasn't uncommon that the Pryde family would be invited to other noble families for a bite to eat. In fact, one might say it was rather common.

[break][break] And although not directly related, Mari was expected to accompany them.

[break][break] Mari didn't mind these outings, since it often included good food and a beautiful venue. Though, rarely did the conversation ever float to something that required her attention — high-brow talk regarding the latest Kalosian policies and laws were better left to the diplomats and lawyers like her Uncles and Aunts.

[break][break] And as such, the young woman wandered through the estate's other halls while a heated conversation in the dining room went off. She was looking for the bathroom, her heels pressed daintily into the carpet to not make any noise. But trying too hard to walk the line was a problem too — she didn't watch where she was going — and suddenly there was a flutter of paperwork in the air as it went flying.

[break][break] "Oh no! I'm so sorry!"

[break]

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

Somehow, despite all odds, Julien Demassieux had spared her. She wasn't sure exactly why, considering the mistakes that she had made on her first day no less, but she was still grateful for them. Even more grateful was the fact that he'd allowed her on such an important task.

[break][break] Mari stared at the ornate wooden frame of The Royal Passho's doors, taking in her breath. This was going to be fine. How many times had she accompanied Nana to similar country clubs? Despite what she may have shown these past few days to Julien Demassieux , Mari was not a completely incompetent person. She was actually quite good.

[break][break] Eventually, Julien's Assistant wandered through the front doors. A bag was slung over her shoulder, a clipboard in hand. She wore a petite blue dress, one that complimented her hair and flats, as she walked over to the concierge and explained that she was here for the tour. Most of the tour went well; Mari took very detailed notes, including the prices, the amenities, and anything and everything she could think of the Kalosian Ambassador finding interesting.

[break][break] The tour was mostly over when the guide excused themselves for a minute to leave for the bathroom. Mari was left in the center of the beach, sipping on a delightful drink, looking at the sprawling landscape. It was really too beautiful. Lost in her thoughts, Mari didn't notice until someone bumped into her. Lemonade splashed from the drink that fell out of her hand, and onto the perpetrator's shirt.

[break][break] "Hey! What are you doing? You're in my way."

[break][break] Her clipboard fell to the floor, covered in sand. Mari flushed.

[break][break] "Oh! S-sorry, sir, I didn't mean to - "

[break][break] "Is that all? What are you going to do about my shirt?!"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Delilah Silph[break]

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

"y-yeah!"

[break][break] her face brightened as she began telling saskia volosenkova about her hometown.

[break][break] "it's actually, like, really cool. they've got lileep and anorith, and i think they were going to get some new titouga too. do you like museums? they're super cool. and i think there was going to be a new exhibit on - " realizing that she'd been rambled, she cut herself off. "sorry. i get - um - a little carried away sometimes."

[break][break] mari couldn't help but stare at saskia at the speed at which the other girl shucked off all her clothes, flushing slightly at the question.

[break][break] "oh, um, okay!"

[break][break] she takes the bottle from the other, squeezing some of the creamy liquid onto her hand and slathering it onto her pale arms. she'd sprayed some on before she'd arrived but enough time had passed that it'd probably be good to do another layer.

[break][break] "i - um - i brought a book! and a polaroid camera... i was going to take some photos and then maybe write a letter back home. but! um - didn't you say you wanted to swim?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] saskia volosenkova [break]
heroes on a half-shell

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

"Oh..."

[break][break] Not him? She had been so sure! Her lips push into a pout as she stared at the group of dashing employees who wandered the cafeteria. All of them looked like they could potentially be the ambassador. How foolish was she to have not known what he looked like! Well, at least she had Julien here to help her.

[break][break] "I know you said he's aristocratic, but perhaps what color - "

[break][break] Before she could finish her thought, however, suddenly someone came over to their table. She jolted upright when recognizing the woman as the president's office main secretary.

[break][break] Then, slowly, her eyes slid over to the envelope and to the man she'd been sharing lunch with.

[break][break] Lord Demassieux...?

[break][break] Suddenly, it all clicked into place.

[break][break] His clean-cut expression, his finely tailored suit, his bright amber eyes. Nearly everything about him screamed it. Aristocratic.

[break][break] "J-J-J— Lord Demassieux!" she blurted, heat rushing to her face before she gave a ninety degree bow. She felt absolutely mortified, staring at the cafeteria's lustrous tiles as her face burned. "I'm so sorry! I had no - I am so sorry!"

[break][break] How didn't she know? Oh god. He was going to fire her, wasn't she? God. How could she not know? She'd never bothered to look at his first name, or maybe she had and had just forgotten it. Nana was going to kill her, losing her job on her first day.

[break][break] She shut her eyes fiercely as her hands folded over herself, trembling, wishing with all her might for this moment to be over.

[break][break] This was horrifying.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Julien Demassieux [break]
putting on a front

☉

[attr="class","maritop"]

[attr="class","mari"]

"T-thank you, sir."

[break][break] He was much kinder than she deserved.

[break][break] But Julien wasn't wrong. The Pryde family had undeniable influence, no matter if it was in Kalos or if it was in Hoenn. Even so, the whole situation still felt surreal to her. The fact that she got the internship in the first place, despite so badly fumbling the interview; the fact that she was sitting across a handsome man like Julien; or the fact that he wasn't absolutely gagging at having to have spend time with her.

[break][break] 'I wouldn't say I know him personally, no.'

[break][break] Mari nodded along with his words. It all made sense. Mr. Demassieux was a busy person, after all, so it would have been impossible for him to know every member of the embassy personally. Even so, it was comforting to know that Julien at least knew what he looked like.

[break][break] Her brows furrowed as she stared out at the sea of embassy workers. All were in handsome suits or beautiful dresses. Mari felt horribly out of place among them, even though she probably looked identical to them. After all, Nana had sent over all her clothes from Kalos — she was not about to let her granddaughter be underdressed on her first day on the job.

[break][break] "Aristocratic..." Mari murmured.

[break][break] A handful of Kalosian men entered the cafeteria, all seemingly friendly with one another. The first was a tall man with a gaunt face, as if he had spent too many days in a board room. His hair was dark and his eyes of black onyx — while quite polished, he didn't seem like the ambassador she was looking for.

[break][break] The next man was a slightly shorter, spry man with straw-colored hair. He had bright green eyes, talking animatedly with the black-haired man about the latest deal. Even across the cafeteria, his voice carried -- though in a grating, slightly too high-pitched way that made her think he was perhaps too young to be ambassador.

[break][break] Finally, the third member of their party was a slender man with sharp, chiseled features like a model. He wore a finely pressed blue suit, and a decorative tie. His hair was dyed light blue, and his cobalt gaze was so vivid that it reminded her of the ocean in Ambrette Town, where she was raised.

[break][break] He was devastatingly handsome. Her heart tumbled, and she turned back to Julien, eyes bright.

[break][break] "Is that him?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Julien Demassieux [break]
putting on a front

☉