To Persephone's simultaneous fortune and dismay, the following days of walking were uneventful. Restless early nights with her Pokémon keeping dutiful guard, followed by miserable mornings and carrying the ghost in a sack.
Cayenne never bothered either of them again. In fact, he conspicuously avoided looking at, talking to, or ever being alone with either of the girls. Without the more sinister context, one might have just assumed they'd just had an awkward encounter which left him flustered. Whatever story he'd told Kona must have ended that way at least, as the younger man didn't comment on his behavior.
During their walk, Percy had managed to lodge Haedys' new favorite ribbon between the strands of her hair-tendril-things in a somewhat sensible way, letting both ends tailing out behind and below the ghost like long, fluttering manes. Something about it appealed to the ghost, and she'd spent the hour following it twirling around Persephone with an uncharacteristic brashness. The unfortunate consequence of this, however, was that now whenever Haedys hid in Percy's hair she was left with an accessory far too sparkly for her tastes trailing down her shoulders. A fact she was only just beginning to surrender to.
After days of uncomfortable travel, their destination finally emerged on the horizon. Pillars of steel poked over the hills, rising taller and taller into the sky. A grand needle of black towered over most others- the city's iconic radio tower spearing the heavens. Radio was a dying medium, yet the tower's cultural significance had allowed it to persist in spite of that. Even if half of that significance was owed to a terrorist attack years ago, any publicity was good publicity for radio it seemed.
It was like walking through a collage, how the environment slowly morphed around them. Nature gave way to a tenuous harmony, residential homes intermingling and connecting to the weathered trails. The path became cobbled, and then paved, and they couldn't entirely recall when each transition had occurred during their descent into suburbia.
They continued to follow the wide main route between the two major cities, still a popular thoroughfare for people and Pokémon alike. But with each perpendicular street they passed it grew ever so slightly narrower. Peeling off like strands of black licorice, twisting down perpendicular paths and betwixt buildings the roads took a few people with them at every step.
The buildings had begun to grow as well- two stories, three, four and five. It was when she saw her first six-story, right next to a vehicle road that cut through their path, that Persephone had the epiphany that they were in the city.
Persephone had been to Goldenrod before, and there was always something she had always liked about the city. It was dirty, compared to Ecruteak. Not filthy, by any stretch but outside of the most maintained districts, one could find the sidewalks and garage doors well adorned in the masterpieces of either 'graffiti hoodlums' or 'street artists', depending on whom you asked. The city struck a good balance of modern urban facades to bring structure, with the chaos of man and Pokémon bringing a touch of life. And compared to the stifling rigidity of home, that bit of chaos felt like a weight off of Percy's chest.
There was a different demeanor to the Pokémon that lived here compared to those in Ecruteak. At home, they wandered freely and integrated gently into the open air of the more relaxed city, but the Pokémon of Goldenrod hid from the public eye. They stayed low and close to the walls when exposed, eyeing every human warily before darting into the nearest alley. They clung to the nooks, the alleys, and the dumpsters. There was an almost shady quality to the way they lurked in the undersides of the city, that made Persephone always cautious of the Pokémon here. Not that any of them were eager to bother her, anyway—they got more than enough of people invading their space without seeking them out.
While the city was a familiar and pleasant sight to Persephone, it was a downright alien world to Haedys.
The Misdreavus had crawled on top of her head to peek out over her hair, mouth agape and eyes wide as she took in all of the sights. Persephone refrained from pulling her off, knowing that the alternative was the ghost crawling between the strands of her hair to hide and breathing down the back of her neck.
Haedys was no stranger to human settlements, but this was all so new! The buildings, so tall and different, the people so numerous, the Pokémon so… She glanced down an alley and accidentally made eye contact with a Scraggy glaring out from the dim space. She shuddered and dipped her chin a bit closer to Percy's head, instantly looking away. And when she did, her eyes locked on something else instead.
The Misdreavus abruptly pulled herself off of Persephone's head to stop and float in midair. She weighed so little her trainer didn't even notice, only stopping when Cayenne paused to wait for the ghost.
She stared, fixated, at a run-down building. It looked to be only two stories tall, and on an isolated lot of its own. It might have once been just another storefront- maybe a small thrift shop, or something of the sort. But now there was a haunting quality to it—the windows were boarded up and broken, and the front door was wide open on a busted hinge. The only real obstacle keeping anyone out was the foreclosure tape running all around the front of it.
The most strange and jarring part of it all was how out of place it seemed. This wasn't a poorly maintained section of the city. Usually, such an unsightly thing would have been dealt with quickly, especially given the apparent value of its plot. But instead here it was, earning irksome glances from passersby.
Persephone followed Haedys's gaze towards it, and she too felt a bit enraptured. There was a strangely conflicted tingling in her stomach.
Half of it felt like dread. The foreboding sense that whatever lurked in that old ruin was not to be bothered. A place like this was surely the den of Ghost types.
Perhaps that exact reason was why she felt the competing tingle in her gut—one that found the building fascinating and inviting. One that felt electric, and could sense… something in the air. Some presence like a dark and eerie nectar.
That was very clearly what Haedys was feeling too, as the ghost slowly floated towards the cursed place. And without much thought, Persephone took a few steps to follow her.
"What are you doing?"
Kona's inquiry broke Persephone from her hypnosis, making her immediately demand the same question of herself. What was she doing? Whatever fun Haedys might have had in a haunted house, she was human- she'd be the one that Ghost-types toyed with!
She turned and quickly opened her mouth to blurt out an excuse, before freezing awkwardly in her startled expression. Kona wasn't talking to her—he was talking to Don, who had also crept over to peer eagerly between boards and past broken glass. It seemed that Kona, Cayenne, and Pepper were the only ones not getting that strange vibe from the building.
Oh boy. She got to be included in ghost things. Lucky, lucky Persephone.
Persephone seized that break in her hypnosis to grab the back of Haedys' neck and gently tug the ghost away. The Misdreavus gave an indignant squeak, before relenting when pulled into Persephone's arms. "Come on. We're not going into the creepy run-down haunted house. We'll get shanked by ghosts."
Headys pouted like a kid who had just been told she couldn't go to the playground.
"Not to mention the trespassing charges!" Kona reminded her dutifully.
"Those aren't real."
That stunned Kona just long enough for Persephone to walk past him, smiling smugly as if she'd won an argument. She was ten feet away before he could finally muster the words to yell after her.
"You're not even going the right way!"
"This doesn't seem like a business… lab…" Persephone aptly pointed out, as they buzzed at the gate of a ritzy manor in a residential district. The place was modern, clean, and three stories tall. It had its own yard and pool, which were a luxury reserved for only the nicest of properties in the contested city space.
"That's because it's a house, dear!" Kona replied with strained cheer. "We can't just burst into one of the labs after hours and demand 'hello, father's staff, please stick this barely-an-adult under highly sensitive equipment'!" His gaze shifted over to Cayenne. "…Even if some of them might agree to," he muttered disdainfully.
The older man just grunted, ignoring his young charge, and pressed the buzzer again. A moment later, the gate opened with a click.
"Alright. Percy. Darling." Kona pulled open the gate and gestured everyone inside. "I'm going to introduce you to my father. Now, don't worry much- he'll be far too busy being disappointed in me to notice you much."
As they walked, Don moved closer to Kona's ankles and straightened up slightly- the first time Persephone had seen him make any effort to not be a creepy little goblin. The man gestured for Haedys to do the same and float closer and more properly by her trainer's side. But the sudden change of tone left the young ghost anxious, and she instead opted to reclaim her hiding spot on Percy's shoulder, trying to sink into her hair.
"That said, I cannot help but notice that you are… Mm…" He held his tongue to the roof of his head. "Well, 'accident-prone' doesn't quite capture it. It's more like… you spent most of your childhood playing tug-of-war with a Ninetales' tails. So please refrain from actively destroying anything."
Persephone rolled her eyes. She wasn't cursed by a Ninetales. It had just bitten her, really hard.
She didn't grace that with an answer, instead rolling right up to the front door and drawing back a fist to knock. Her hand never arrived though, being restrained by Cayenne's before it could. He glanced at Kona, and the young man stepped forward to ring the bell.
Percy ripped her hand from Cayenne and gave him a filthy look, which he promptly ignored. A moment later, an older gentleman opened the door. Graying hair, a taut posture, and a well-trimmed mustache. A dark blazer over a white shirt.
He was their butler. Persephone could just look at him and know he was their butler. Was that discriminatory? She wasn't sure, but she still knew it. And instantly her opinion of Kona and his father dropped a few notches.
"Gerome," Kona greeted disinterestedly, moving to push past the older man.
Gerome furrowed his brow, looking displeased to see Kona had returned. "Master Kona. Cayenne. Esteemed guest." He greeted each of them in turn, pretending not to notice Kona's efforts and standing firmly in the way. "Please, allow me to call your father to greet you." Still assuring he was positioned to be an obstacle, he turned and shouted—"Master Riddle. The young charge has returned."
The immediate vibe Persephone got from this man was that he vaguely hated everyone around him. And she kind of liked him for that.
There was the sound of hurried movement within, and Gerome soon stepped aside not for Kona but for the larger man pushing into the doorframe. The new figure was shorter, rounder, and no less well-kept. But while his clothes were still clean and dignified, they were more casual. Khakis and a dark shirt- the type of thing one wore if they ran the risk of an unexpected public appearance. And his gaze, even in its jubilant excitement, still bore a mark of confidence control.
"Kona, boy! Back already? I'd expected you to take your pretty time." The older man frowned, his excitement pausing as he looked his son up and down. "…Did you seriously take the trip in that getup? I hope you at least put on something dignified for your exam."
Kona let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes, earning a faint smirk from Persephone. It seemed even Kona wasn't immune to the judgement of his elders. And admittedly for a good reason, in her eyes. Who did dress like that?
"I would have. Taken my time, that is," Kona answered bluntly. "But something came up. Something we need to talk about."
He was trying to continue, but his father quickly threw up a hand in a halting motion. He turned to Cayenne, who was watching the exchange awkwardly.
"I know you'd wanted to go, but I hope he wasn't too much trouble for you nonetheless, Mr. Cayenne. Thank you for supervising. You may take your leave, now."
There was something far more distant and business-like about the way this man spoke to Cayenne than to even his butler. It wasn't harsh, but it was stern about their purely professional relationship. Persephone's jaw shifted a bit, recognizing some politics at play that were far beyond her sight. And politics annoyed her.
Cayenne didn't seem bothered by it. If his stoic expression leaked anything, it was relief. He nodded. "No problem, sir. Have a good evening." He cast Persephone a fleeting and awkward glance that might have been a farewell, before speedwalking back down the path they'd come from and escaping the situation.
With Cayenne out of the way, the owner of the house finally turned his attention to Persephone. His smile was inviting but there was a sharpness in his eyes as they shifted along her, which Percy was well-familiar with. Appraisal, judgement. Deciding what to make of Kona's 'friend'.
"And with a guest, nonetheless! Zane Riddle." He took a small bow. Persephone struggled to tell what conclusions he'd reached about her. He reached down a hand and patted something beside him. "And this is Toofy."
Persephone blinked, wondering who was Toofy, when she finally thought to look down. A Pokémon was clinging to Mr. Riddle's ankles, little black claws tugging at his pant leg. A yellow body, and giant metal jaws extending behind her. The Mawile peered up at Persephone, ignoring all the others.
No, it wasn't quite Persephone. It was Haedys by her head that Toofy was watching with wide and curious eyes. Her maw gnashed gently behind her. Anxious, or excited?
Haedys stared back, hiding with several of Percy's own locks running down her face. They stared at each other in silence. After a moment Haedys nervously slid a bit further behind Persephone's head, and the young woman swore she saw Toofy grin at that.
"Well- say no more!" Mr. Riddle interrupted the moment, raising a hand eagerly. "Tales are best told over a good meal, don't you think? I believe dinner was already on, but surely we can expand scope. I need to finish up a few calls for the day. You two can both get cleaned up and then we'll have a proper feast, yes?"
Persephone made the mistake of thinking her input mattered here, her mouth opening and words forming only to realize the man had already turned and was walking away, caught up in his own merry little world.
Kona took the opportunity to finally shove his way into the house, passing Persephone a smug "told-you-so" smile as he did. He and the unusually well-behaved Don vanished into the enormous house, leaving her alone with Haedys and Gerome.
Persephone's hand reached up into her hair to yank the little ghost out, a motion Haedys permitted, and she held the Misdreavus in front of her.
"Mi." Haedys contributed, dangling in front of her. Her shimmery ribbon flowed down on either side, mimicking the dangle as she stared blankly at her trainer.
"You've really gotta find a better hiding spot than my hair," she groaned, dropping the ghost into the air. "You stick out like a sore thumb."
There was a central staircase in a wide foyer that opened up to more rooms in each direction. At the foot of the stairs, Toofy peeked out from behind the lowest pole of the banister. Still watching, still smiling mischievously. Haedys turned back to look inside and shuddered slightly upon noticing the stalking Pokémon.
"Mi." She agreed.
Gerome guided Persephone to get a quick shower, growing increasingly displeased at her insistence that she did not want to be lent 'more suitable attire' and that no, he couldn't speed-wash her clothes while she was in the shower. Weirdo.
The table was comically large for the three of them, dominating the entire dining room and leaving room for little else. It was covered by a clean white cloth that draped down near the floor, and a silvery chandelier hung over them.
Persephone's casual and unwashed clothes earned an odd look from her host as she took her seat, but she was too overwhelmed by the spread laid out before them to notice. They'd been prepared full courses; A bowl of miso soup waiting at each place setting. Small, capped bowls of hot rice were just to the side, and a full platter of roasted fruits and vegetables awaited them when they were ready to take it. In the center sat the remains of some fish she couldn't recognize, glazed over in a creamy sauce that smelled downright tantalizing.
She went back and forth a moment on whether Mr. Riddle was weirdly excited to have her, or if this was just how rich people ate all the time. Then it dawned on her that this was probably more for Kona's return than for her. She sat down nervously, firmly out of place.
Haedys had no context for the social awkwardness, too busy being starstruck by a mouthwatering platter. But her dreams were shut down when she felt a faint tug at the edge of her skirt and looked down to see Don gesturing to the other room. Toofy was already clinging to the doorframe, watching and waiting for them to follow.
"Pokémon eat in the other room," Mr. Riddle spoke up, gently gesturing for Haedys to follow the others. "Not very clean for them to eat at the table, of course."
Persephone could sense the faint, resentful curl on Kona's lip, but the man stayed quiet. He gave Don an apologetic look, though the Banette was already on the way out, clearly well-familiar with this arrangement.
Haedys gave Persephone a brief glance- looking uncertain about this arrangement. Her trainer nodded, whispering. "It's just a room or two. It'll be fine."
The Misdreavus pouted but quickly realized it wasn't gaining her any ground. Sad sigh, and one last longing look at the dinner spread, she followed after the others
Kona's father watched the Pokémon leave, pausing all else to make certain they'd left the room before he continued. The moment they were gone he held up his glass, and Gerome swept in on command to fill it with a red, blessed liquid. The man smiled, gesturing for the others to do the same. Kona shook his head, still refusing to meet his father's eyes. Persephone eyed the wine thoughtfully- how often would she get a chance to try fine wine like this? And this was her first chance to drink legally!
In spite of that, she found herself shaking her head no anyway. Every prior time she'd drank it had usually ended with her sick, desperately hiding the evidence, and several things in her general proximity destroyed. She couldn't exactly afford that right now.
"Water, then. Gerome! Fill them quick!" Mr. Riddle said with a deep chuckle. "We have a toast to make!"
The moment water had been splashed into each of their glasses, the man thrust his up towards the chandelier. Persephone suspected the few drops that splashed out in his excitement cost more than some bottles.
"To your coming-of-age!" he cheered. "To your license. To your travels. And- ah- to all the same for you friend, I suppose."
Persephone mimicked the motion, raising her glass of oddly-fizzy water sky-high and praying she'd done the arbitrary ritual correctly. There was a sudden sinking in her chest. But almost begrudgingly, Kona performed the same motion, and all three stretched forward as if to clink the glasses together- despite being way too far apart.
They drew back, took a deep swig, and—
Sppptttzzz!
Persephone couldn't help but spit the water out all over her fortunately-empty plate as the electric liquid crackled in her mouth. Her mouth was already open to voice a loud protest when she remembered where she was and looked up. Her host looked more alarmed than offended, but Kona and Gerome were both giving her the evil eye.
"Ah! Is all well, dear? Down the wrong pipe?" Mr. Riddle asked.
Persephone wiped her mouth. "I wasn't expecting it to be so… uh… sparky?" she explained.
Everyone gathered stared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment. "You mean the carbonation?" Mr. Riddle finally asked, sounding confused. "I wasn't aware you were… averse? We can fetch you some from the tap if you'd really like."
"No!" Persephone practically demanded. "It's fine!" She took another swig dramatically in scrunching of her face only served to deepen the onlookers' confusion.
"Well, allow me to at least fetch you another plate," Gerome murmured, taking hers from her before she could protest and scurrying off towards the kitchen with it.
With one final wary glance, the other began reaching to populate their own plates. Persephone squirmed a bit as she awaited her new plate. Her stomach was tingling, a face that made her mad. She'd never cared what anyone thought before, so why now when it was some old snooty guy?
She was still eyeing Mr. Riddle up and down, wracking her brain for that answer even as her new plate had been placed in front of her. But her anxiety just didn't make sense. Her feelings didn't make sense.
…Wait, that was familiar.
Persephone frowned, turning around in her seat to try and sneak a peek into wherever the Pokémon had been funneled. Trying to figure out what could be bothering Haedys so much. Was it just separation anxiety? They weren't far enough apart for that tethering effect to kick in yet, were they?
"Mm-mmm." Mr. Riddle mumbled through his food a moment before taking a big swallow and patting his chest. "Please, take some food, dear. Do tell me about how you and Kona met. And- ah! I haven't even caught your name yet!"
Persephone didn't hesitate to begin working on her plate, ignoring her soup and reaching over gracelessly to spear a sizable fillet of the fish. "It's Percy. And he, uh… helped me fight some bees, I guess?"
"Saved you from bees," Kona muttered in correction, stabbing halfheartedly at a boiled pomegranate in a bed of leaves atop his plate. "After you had disturbed their nest and abandoned your partner."
Persephone rolled her eyes as she finished decorating her plate with half of her rice. Kona's poor mood had revealed all the petty spite usually masked beneath his cheerful façade. She could feel a faint push at her stomach, and again she turned back towards the Pokémons' room. What was going on?
"They're just two rooms over," Mr. Riddle promised, frowning and following her gaze. "Gerome, can you go check on the Pokémon for her?"
The butler nodded affirmatively, and quickly seized the opportunity to escape awkwardly watching their meal. Percy's gaze lingered after him a moment, but she managed to turn back and focus instead on her plate. Her eyes sparkled and her mouth watered as she finally took it all in. Like a Cramorant striking the water her fork jabbed into a glistening cut of fish and popped into her mouth.
Creamy. Succulent. She couldn't help but spare a euphoric smile. A taste of the good life.
"Bees, hm? I wasn't expecting you to get into such trouble, on such a brief trip, but I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised at this point," Mr. Riddle hummed, giving his son a tired look. Kona sank deeper into his chair, shoveling food into his mouth while refusing to meet his father's eyes. Sensing that he wouldn't get a response, Mr. Riddle harumphed and turned over to Persephone. "So, fast friends since then I suppose?"
Persephone abruptly stopped eating and opened her mouth to say something deeply sarcastic. Fortunately, she managed to catch herself moments beforehand, mouth wide open. Unfortunately, her mouth was currently full of mushy gray fish which was now wide on display.
Gerome walked back into the room and was instantly staring.
Persephone's jaw shut into an awkward smile and she swallowed everything in one huge gulp.
The butler continued staring. Judgemental eyes didn't leave her even as he spoke. "The Pokémon are just fine. They are all playing nicely together," he confirmed.
Persephone had a hard time believing Don or that Mawile were ever capable of playing nicely with anyone. Or Don, at least. She frowned, slightly tilting her head. What exactly did she have against Toofy, again?
She dwelled on that question a moment before stuffing it down with a forkful of rice and remembering that her host was still waiting on an answer. She'd expected Kona to breach the Copperajah in the room, but he seemed too busy pouting.
"Well, not really," Persephone answered honestly. "It's more that I have a… uh. Weird problem. And he thought you might be able to help me out."
Mr. Riddle flinched like she'd just struck him with an Astonish. "Really? Me?" He looked over at his son surprised. "I wasn't aware I was good for much but project management," he said with a hearty chuckle.
"The lab staff. Not you personally," Kona muttered, toying with a chunk of roasted fig on the far end of his fork. "Something weird is going on with her. Something that might be of interest to a few valuable parties, were we able to replicate it."
Mr. Riddle's shoulders and expression both sank at Kona's dashing of his fathers' hopes. But after he stirred on everything else his son had said for a moment, that eagerness returned.
"You're finally starting to think about the business, then?" he asked, a wide smile stretching across his face.
The way Kona had turned, Persephone could see his face better than his father could. And Persephone could recognize a few emotions she was plenty familiar with. Resentment. Disdain. His fingers curled on his lap.
But when he snapped his head upright, all that remained was that usual cheerful smile.
"I suppose so! Perhaps I just needed to see a project I truly believed was worth investing myself into," he asserted, forcing his emotions down. It was quite transparent, and Persephone could still sense that perpetual malevolence of his smile. But his father was too enamored by the change of heart to notice.
Why was Kona really helping her? She didn't believe benevolence or business acumen for a second, but she'd never thought too deeply about it. But before she could consider it, she felt that anxious feeling tugging at her stomach again. Whatever was going on in the other room, Gerome had missed it. …Or not bothered checking in the first place. She wouldn't put that past him.
"So what's this mystery project, then?" Mr. Riddle asked, leaning forward onto the table and bearing a toothy grin. "We can workshop it into a proper research effort."
Kona nodded, his smug demeanor returning more and more by the moment. "Percy dear fell under a strange ailment after an encounter with a wild Pokémon. As though their very fates were entangled, the two became linked," he explained, taking on a theatrical tone and expositing with wide motions. "They've been bonded empathically, seemingly permanently, and through a means invisible to the naked eye."
A certain caution entered Mr. Riddle's body language, the man shifting backwards slightly and the glimmer and his eye being replaced with a tint of cold skepticism. "…I'm not sure I understand," he admitted. "What you mean, or how this corresponds to a research effort?"
Great. So she'd been delegated to a "research effort". Very cool. Movies had tried to warn her about this- though perhaps predictably it was private business trying to turn her into a freak on a leash, rather than the government.
"Bonded! Bonded like the closest of partners," Kona repeated, a hint of genuine frustration piercing the theatrics. "A connection that usually takes decades to build—if it's even possible! Can you imagine how many trainers would be lining up if we found a way to replicate this? Call it bonding therapy, or 'linking', or… I don't give a damn about the marketing! People would pay!"
Persephone would be more offended about her curse being reduced to a trendy thing to try out on the weekend were she not currently experiencing the sensation of something firm and moist brushing along the side of her body. She jolted upright with a violent shudder and spun in her chair. Clutching the back of it, she gave a horrified stare towards where Haedys was.
"Kona, I know you're… sentimental about this," Mr. Riddle started, stern and picking his words carefully. "But do you have any idea how hard it is to package 'bonding' into a tangible product to deliver? At best it would be seen as quackery, and at worst fraudulent. That type of research is the domain of academia! Folks who don't have to accomplish anything useful with their work. And besides- with all respect, that's a rather incredulous claim to bring a stranger here on." He gestured towards Persephone with a look that seemed more apologetic on Kona's behalf than frustrated with her, but failed to even notice her current distraction.
Kona's fist banged the table. "I know! I know all of your opinions on the matter," he snarled. When his father and Gerome alike jumped slightly, he froze. Took a deep breath and lowered the brim of his shako over his eyes. "Which is why I'm not wasting your time with anything short of hard results. If the R&D team can't find anything tangible on Persephone to pick up on, I'll drop it. But they will."
Persephone's- no, Haedys'- anxiety was rapidly spiking. That same sensation pressed against her face this time and she let out a quiet yelp, leaning back to try and escape it but entirely unable to.
Why was it wet?!
The other two members of the table were too preoccupied in their debate to notice. Mr. Riddle shut his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "Glad as I am to hear you want to devote yourself to anything productive, how can you expect me to think you're taking this seriously? You've dragged a stranger here on downright fantastical claims. Your little friend here gets along well with a Pokémon. That's nice- but if you want to use the group for something you need something real! Something provable, and useful!"
"I can show you proof TOMORROW, if you'll just let me—"
"Aaa-iiii!"
Percy's sudden cry shattered the argument, as she jumped up and abruptly fell onto the floor. Her flailing arm gripped the side of her chair and flung it, the wood frame and wall chipping each other in turn before it bounced off with a tumble.
Out of sheer panicked reaction, she convulsed on the floor. She was trapped- constrained! It was hot, humid… Moist. It was…
"Percy?!" Mr. Riddle shot up from his seat, nearly shoving it over in the process. He gestured frantically and, taking the cue, Gerome swooped in to try and pull her to her feet. She slapped him in the face several times in her frantic flailing before she got control of herself.
Kona contributed nothing, folding his arms, rolling his eyes, and leaning back in his chair. "It's the Misdreavus. Something's happening to her- mark my words," he scoffed.
Gerome pulled Persephone to her feet, the young woman hunched over and wide-eyed in a thousand-mile stare. "Haedys…" she whispered. "Now!"
She ripped herself free of him and limped quickly towards the exit, shuddering with each step. Mr. Riddle and Kona shared a silent exchange, a bitter, smug smile on the latter's lips. Uncertain, the older man rushed over to her.
A subtle sort of magnetism guided Persephone through a room she could only describe as a makeshift gallery for whatever stuffy, weird rich-people-crap that the old magnate had collected, ranging from ancient-looking documents framed on display, to a strange antennae enshrined in glass.
She didn't care. The walls were closing in around her and the walls were hot and damp.
She emerged in the next room over, which appeared to be a miniature dining room specifically for the Pokémon. Trays with curved edges to double as bowls sat on low little tables for their easy reach. Don stood by one, his perpetual grin wider than ever as he barely held back hysterics. Toofy stood by another, jaws clamped shut and giggling furiously as Persephone crept in. But the moment she saw the older woman and her maddened glare she recoiled, flashing alarm.
Haedys, however, was nowhere to be seen.
Mr. Riddle finally caught up to her, popping his head into the room and leaning against the doorframe to catch his breath. He glanced around, immediately noticing the problem.
"O-oh. Please, calm DOWN!" he insisted. "Ghost Pokémon love to hide- I'm sure she's just ducked herself beneath something is—ah! Percy, dear?"
Persephone had limped straight up to Toofy, looking down at the Mawile with an incinerating glare. The little deceiver Pokémon stared up at her with its metal jaws lying flat on the ground, and tilted her head, bringing a claw to her beak with a look of mock innocence.
"Wiiii?" she tried, offering the cutest little squeak she could muster.
Persephone's eye twitched. She drew her leg back, and faster than the Mawile's owner could react slammed her foot against Toofy's metal maw.
Pain shot up the limb— Persephone's foot, that is, as the Mawile's metal jaws felt virtually nothing. She let out a pained cry and hopped back, instantly bringing her foot up and into her hands to massage. Her balance was lost instantly and she fell backwards, collapsing onto one of the miniaturized tables and shattering it into pieces. Dried fruits and other condensed Pokémon foods flew everywhere.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Persephone sat on a sore behind in the middle of the wreckage she'd created, Mr. Riddle and Toofy gaping at her while Don snatched extra food from the spilled dish.
Persephone's abject failure turned to triumph, as the dumbfounded Mawile accidentally opened her rear maw into a gape as well, letting a wet and highly indignant Misdreavus squeeze her way out. Percy breathed a sigh of relief as the oppressive presence of ensnaring jaws quickly faded from her mind and Haedys snuggled aggressively into her arms for comfort.
"What did I tell you, hm?" Kona's smug, taunting voice entered Percy's ears but she didn't bother to look up. She was too busy holding tight to the distressed Pokémon snuggling against her chest. Haedys somehow felt more greasy than usual, but she didn't care. "She can sense these things. Brand new trainer, with the bond of lifelong partners."
Mr. Riddle frowned, crouched over and gently petting Toofy's head as the snot-nosed little liar faked tears and hugged his leg as if she'd been wrong. "Now, now, calm down dear… I know. You were just playing, just playing," he quietly reassured the Mawile as he chewed on Kona's taunts.
Percy bared her teeth, but barely held herself back from saying anything about the little lying demon's 'playing'. Toofy glanced towards her, and somehow smirked with just half her face, leaving a pitiful look on the side her owner could see.
The goblin was sniffling but nodded as though she understood and was calmed by Mr. Riddle's words. Contented with her consolation, the older man stood up straight and frowned at Persephone.
"I suppose I can make an exception, just this once. The Misdreavus can come back and eat with us, as long as she stays on your lap," he relented. He turned to the butler, who was presently trying to incinerate Persephone through his gaze alone. "Gerome, please clean up in here. We should be fine at the table, at this point."
The man's eye twitched. "Of course, sir."
"Right. Sorry about the, uh… little table. And the chair," Percy added, giving Mr. Riddle a sheepish look. "I could sort of, like, feel being trapped inside-"
The man interrupted her, raising a hand. "I need no more details of the affair," he quickly asserted. "And think nothing of the table; it's a small effect for the Pokémon is all. Easily replaced. Let's resume our meal with no further disruptions. And…" He glanced uncertainly at Kona. "…perhaps discuss business affairs."
Percy nodded, holding the still-mewling ghost in her arms and pulling herself upright. Several splinters of broken wood were stuck to her pants, but she thought nothing of it.
Kona perked upright at his father's change of tune, a bit of light suddenly piercing his cold demeanor. "So you'll consider the project, then?"
Mr. Riddle shut his eyes and sighed, nodding with only a reserved vigor. "I will entertain the idea, so long as it's conducted properly. I want to see proof from the outset that there's something in the phenomenon worth studying, and I want a proper venture proposal by the end of the week." He opened his eyes and stared Kona dead in the eyes with an uncharacteristically stern gaze. "From you. The Floatsam Group is not a toy for you to play with, Kona. Nothing warms my heart like the thought that you want to follow on in this old man's legacy. But I need to know you're serious."
Kona grinned, nodding without a moment's hesitation. "Of course, of course. I could have you half a dozen applications for this by the end of dinner! By the end of the week, you can double that!" he promised.
The older man seemed skeptical, but he nodded in approval. Sensing the disapproval of another in the room, Kona gave Persephone a hearty slap on the back, nearly knocking Haedys from her arms.
"Don't look so worried, Percy dear!" he reassured her, already beginning to tug her back towards the dining room. "This'll be a good thing for both our sakes. Now come on, let's go get some dinner for real now. You can stop looking over your shoulder every thirty seconds and eat. You have to try the boiled pomegranates, they're wonderful, Gerome always makes them…"
Kona's voice trailed off into that incomprehensible blathering it tended to do, and Persephone nodded along silently making only a token effort to pretend she was listening. The whole affair was making her uneasy—the way Kona and even his father talked about her. She'd just come here to be freed from whatever weird magical bullcrap she'd fallen under. And yet to them, she was a 'project'.
Still, the rumbling of her stomach protested against overthinking any of that. She was so close to finally being free, for real this time. And pomegranates sounded really good, right about now.