"–and that's how I got promoted!"

Aquamarine sent a polite smile to her date, though it was wasted on him. The Eelektross sitting across from her was too engrossed in the sound of his own voice, which at the moment seemed to drown out the quaint atmosphere of the restaurant.

The restaurant itself was fairly high-end: four stars and undeniably classy. Unlike her date, the atmosphere radiated elegance and sophistication. Polished wood floors gleamed under the soft glow of diamond chandeliers, which cast a warm light on the marble accents throughout the room. Each table was immaculately dressed with crisp white linens, fine china, and polished silverware. Lit candles and carefully arranged floral centerpieces added a romantic touch.

For someone like Aquamarine, being well-dressed and poised was second nature. Her orange-and-cream-colored fur had been meticulously groomed, and her bright yellow flotation sac gleamed, freshly polished, alongside her blue fins. She had taken extra care with her makeup: subtle eyeliner and deep red lipstick that complemented the dazzling pearl necklace resting around her neck. Her large, elegant pink sun hat added the final touch, framing her face perfectly.

Her date, however, had made far less effort. His only attempt at sophistication was a bowtie adorned with garish smiley faces. And then there was the glaringly obvious golden wedding band on his finger.

"–should've seen the size of it! It was gigantic!"

Oh. He's still talking.

Aquamarine resisted the urge to sigh aloud, instead rummaging through her purse. Her fingers brushed against a small pill bottle, and she exhaled softly. Showtime.

"Excuse me," she interrupted, her voice gentle and melodic—almost angelic. "What's that over there?"

She pointed behind the Eelektross, and he turned his head to look. In the brief moment his attention was diverted, Aquamarine deftly popped the lid off the pill bottle and slipped two small tablets into his wine. The liquid fizzed briefly before settling.

The Eelektross turned back, his expression puzzled. Aquamarine let out a light, apologetic laugh. "Oh, my apologies! I thought I saw something grotesque, but it must have been my imagination."

"Oh, that's completely fine," he said with a chuckle, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. The motion caught the light, drawing her attention back to the golden band she'd been eyeing all evening. "I know how you women are!"

I want to kill him. Instead, she smiled and laughed, playing along. "Oh, you're so funny!" She lifted her glass, holding it up in a toast. "A toast?"

"A toast," he agreed, raising his own glass. "To me, for being gentleman enough to show you a glimpse of my world."

The glasses clinked together. They drank.

Aquamarine hid a smirk behind her glass, watching as her date gulped down the entirety of his wine and slammed the glass onto the table with a resounding thud.

He wiped his wide, ovoid mouth and leaned back, flashing a self-satisfied grin. "You're much different from other women."

"Oh?" she prompted, feigning interest.

"They usually just use me for my money," he said, rolling his eyes. "Can you believe they think I'm self-centered?"

"So hard to believe," she replied, her tone laced with faux admiration. Her gaze drifted to his large hands. "Ooh, your hands look so strong. May I feel?"

He chuckled condescendingly. "Of course, darling."

He extended his hands across the table, and she met them with her paws. She grasped them briefly, noting the slick, electrified texture of his skin, before withdrawing with a coy smile.

"I was right," she purred. "Very strong." She curled her paws into fists and rested them on her lap.

"I think we should get ready for the second half of our date," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. It took every ounce of self-control for Aquamarine not to grimace. He raised a hand to flag down the waiter—

Then hesitated, his expression twisting into one of discomfort. "Uh…excuse me, Dollface. I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, the Eelektross bolted toward the restroom. Aquamarine's smile remained fixed as she waved him off, but the moment he disappeared, she rolled her eyes.

"Finally," she muttered, opening her clenched paws to reveal the gleaming wedding band she'd slipped off his finger. Bingo.

She tucked the ring into her purse, gathered her belongings, and rose from the table. On her way to the front door, she paused to address a passing waiter. "Excuse me, my dear husband is in the restroom, but he'll settle the check when he's out."

The waiter nodded politely, offering a courteous smile. Aquamarine returned it before stepping outside into the cool night air.

As she strolled down the street, she couldn't help but giggle to herself. That had been almost too easy. Then again, men like him usually were. She felt no guilt; he was a disgusting man, and the world was better off with him taken down a peg.

She reached into her purse and retrieved the ring, holding it up to admire its craftsmanship. The gold band sparkled under the streetlights, its embedded diamonds catching the glow. It could fetch a high price, she mused. But then again, it would look lovely in her private collection.

After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a gaudy yellow poster slapped onto a nearby window. She backtracked to take a closer look. The design was almost laughably ugly, but her eyes were drawn to the large text at the bottom.

1 million Poké.

Oh, now that was an incentive. She had to admit, she was intrigued.

Name: Aquamarine

Species: Floatzel

Age: 26

Sexuality: Aromantic

Hometown: Lumiose City, Kalos

Created By: ShinyRedExp

Totally Real World Tour Contestants

1. Aquamarine the Floatzel

2. Dez the Mabosstiff

3. O'Reilly the Lairon