"Well, well. If it isn't Tuesday," CLAW says, leisurely and slow. Her eyes are half-lidded, smoke trailing from the end of her cigarette holder. "Long time—" she blows out, forming a perfect smoke ring that drifts towards the ceiling, "No see."

Or has it been? Who can say...

She does not move from her chaise lounge as Tuesday browses her wares, but her lips curve at the compliment. "A queen bee still stings," she drawls, crossing shapely legs. A glimpse of her pistol, strapped high up one half-exposed thigh. "But she hopes she doesn't have to. She has soldiers for that, after all."

CLAW gestures and a leather-clad goon rushes forward to offer Tuesday the Mawile's Pokeball, sending her a resentful look. It seems CLAW's resident harem are feeling a little jealous of the special attention you're receiving.

"Much obliged," she breathes. "Come again soon... Tuesday."

MAWILE has been added to Tuesday's box

CLAW loves bad boys, and Kazuki is the baddest boy around. "Was I looking? How unladylike," she murmurs, fanning herself with a handful of playing cards. Despite her words, she does not seem terribly disconcerted, and autumn-colored eyes linger like a cat's on the tattooed trainer. Red lips curl up at the corners. "Guess you caught me."

She uncoils like a waking serpent, the faces on her cards still hidden. "Take them away. You know what to do," CLAW says, slow and sweet as molasses. The red-and-white shapes vanish with a click into an aluminum briefcase, which is swiftly carried away down the staircase by one of the Guild. Most likely, they are headed for the underground tunnel network and a future black market transaction.

"Back to business. For 10—" CLAW's voice pulls you back. The guild leader selects a capsule from her horde and slides a card over to you, face-down. "It's yours."

The 10 of Hearts, and an Absol.

ABSOL has been added to Kazuki's box

"Could be badder," says CLAW, lingering over every word. She sizes up Kallisto through half-lidded eyes, face shaded by the brim of her hat. "...But that's up to you."

As always, the Pokemon are taken away without any fuss. They're merchandise, plain and simple. Items to be bartered with like dollar bills, walking, talking accessories and shows of power. And it's not just the Pokemon. You too, along with the other Creed cronies, are something CLAW toys with like a diamond wedding band; something pretty to be cast aside when the going gets bloody.

"Here you are. Don't be a stranger now," CLAW says, smoke trailing from her long cigarette, and extends the Mawile's Pokeball to you from a delicate hand full of scarlet nails. "We're all in the same Guild, you hear? I'd like us to stay... friendly."

You're not sure if it's blackmail or seduction, but cold steel settles in your palm as the Mawile joins your collection.

mawile has been added to @kallisto's box

The Creed Base still looked the same; a tower of narrow light that shone across the Misty Timberlands, but its true size and strength lied below, hidden under the fog and creeping creatures, from the constant overcast sky. His destination today would be in the trade shop, located in the first basement floor of the guild. Few players and more NPCs were huddled around here, exchanging information or just taking a break from exploration or battling. He remembered that there was a very large and very heavy key now in his inventory that he could ask the others about, but he would do that after he got the Pokemon he needed. Coincidentally, that was for another wish.

It would be (NPC) C.L.A.W. who would greet him by the desk, not a forgettable clerk. Once again, he was reminded of days when he was much smaller in stature and in the lavish parties of his mother, where everyone, especially the women, towered over him with their high heels and long, flowing hair (with long gowns or long legs, for slits revealed much). He felt that the woman in front of him could fit right in, actually, she would do more than that, she would command the room, be the biggest of them all.

❝I believe I owe you a favor. Your word carried me into that upcoming mission. Usually...such things do not normally come for free.❞ he placed five Poke Balls on the table. ❝Today I'm here for the Scyther.❞ a pause, a moment to study the face, the smoke. ❝Do let me know if you have a request for me to watch out for.❞

<< Party >>

          

Trading for Scyther: Purrloin, Magikarp, Corphish, Magikarp, Magikarp

Arthur was still unsure of how to feel about the guild master, as well as the guild overall. He hadn't gotten a lot of mileage out of Scyther yet either, with the dungeon dive so close. His time was mainly devoted to preparing for the event. Still, he was back here because he had acquired something particularly interesting after that run-in with Jirachi. It was a strange helix-shaped thing, yellow and electric, sparkling and sparking, often threatening to jump out of his inventory for some reason. He learned soon enough that it was a part of a key item to obtain a legendary egg, but for a Zapdos? Eh, he wasn't exactly found of the spiky thunder beak.

So he followed what the description said: find someone more qualified. The guild seemed to be a good place to start, lit beautifully in candlelight with some background yellow lighting - nothing harsh nor clinical in appearance. He went to the clerk (a young man, short black hair, sharp, observant eyes, but wearing a polite, neutral expression) first and asked about the helix in his inventory, and he took it in stride, as if it was a perfectly normal thing to be in possession of.

"If you are interested, we can offer you something in trade for that DNA strand."

Arthur raised a brow. A Pokemon? An item? The clerk gestured for a young woman to escort him up the steps. They were familiar now because he had traversed them before. Was he going to meet with the guild master once again? He did eventually find himself in the room filled with smoke.

❝It hadn't been long since I had last come here, but I have something else this time. Something that might interest you? Got it from the Steppes.❞ he couldn't even materialize the helix into his hand to show it, but the game would know. The guild master would know what he was referring to, because even that somehow transcended its space, waiting to be made whole. ❝And I was told the guild has something in exchange for it.❞

<< Party >>

          

Trading Zapdos DNA for Darkrai DNA

Gathering Ostellia Pokemon had been a slow process, and Arthur was not exactly one for patience. Besides, he figured that he needed to expand his roster of Pokemon and experiment with some new ones sounded like a good idea. Perhaps he should get other Pokemon other than Fire types, but...fire types were cool. He supposed he could never really let go of his original class, which he sorely missed. He still didn't have enough BYTES to buy it back just yet. Soon though, he was working on it.

Anyway, he did his best to ignore all of the sneers and questions thrown his way as he entered into the base. The security guards were thankfully different than the ones he had to deal with when he was with the hyper racer, but they looked at him with a cold glint in their eyes. It wasn't exactly disinterest, as much as Arthur wished it was.

And the loser finally shows up with his tail between his legs.

How could you get locked out at such a crucial moment? Who in the hell doesn't prepare a Kalos Pokemon?

He even gets cursed while in the recon mission, what a slop!

He approached the clerk and asked to trade. He was not sure if he was going to be able to meet up with the guild master this time, not that he was enthused in meeting her. He wondered if he did though, what kind of version would he see? The person he first met, the words setting the stage for his downfall? Or a caricature that left a poor taste in his mouth?

❝I have something that the Madame might be interested in.❞ he placed two Poke Balls - neither Pokemon he had yet to properly meet, both dangerous on their own right. ❝An Ultra Beast and an Ostellian native, one of the most dangerous in the route. Will just trade them for the little flame soldier.❞

Trading for Charcadet: Naganadel and Dhelmise