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Lumiose City at night was a very different place than it was during the day. Shops closed and clubs opened up, various kinds of pulsing music spreading throughout the most popular streets as the sun went down. People congregated by the canal, watching the city's shimmering reflection in the water and enjoying more intimate boat rides. Nocturnal Pokémon ventured out, trying their luck at snatching food from trendy pedestrians, and the battle cafes got all the louder once tourists moved on and locals came to really give them a challenge.

It was never truly dark in the City of Light, but come nightfall each and every street was cast in warm yellow glows crisscrossed with stark shadows. It made the whole place look almost like a painting.

Honestly, Auguste had grown to like it.

He only wished that most of his night life wasn't spent tailing people or cooped up in an office checking city records. Or behind a camera lens, which is where he currently was. Granted the brand new Lumiose Contest Hall was a better spot to hang out than the alleys on North Boulevard.

The city had spared little expense in the hall's construction. Its exterior was the same elegant, refined stonework that could be found in may historical parts of Lumiose, though the glittering lights both inside and out set it apart from older buildings. The interior was the definition of opulent; crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling held up by carved pillars, plush armchairs and chaise lounges were tastefully placed in the lobby and hallways, and expensive rugs on marble floors laid paths toward the audience seating in the theaters at the rear of the building. In the main hall where most of the opening's attendees congregated was the pièce de résistance - a gorgeous crystal centerpiece in the shape of a tree, ringed by thick marble around the trunk to prevent anyone from getting too close. The tree reached up tall, its bare branches spread wide over the guests' heads.

It was absolutely beautiful. And instead of admiring it closely, what was Auguste doing? 

Following some supposed fraudster around, while trying not to look sketchy doing it. This whole job had started off poorly. Auguste didn't really dislike his client, but the man had a way of appearing meek while being pushy and passive aggressive at the same time. Not to mention even getting into this event had been a hassle. The soiree throw for the contest hall's opening was public in that the general public could attend through lottery. Wealthy funders, local politicians, Kalosian celebrities and contest stars from other regions could and would be attendance, so the average citizen would have to rely on luck to get an invitation. Naturally Auguste hadn't been lucky, so he'd had to jump through some hoops to get a journalist pass to attend once they'd learned his mark was going to be there. 

And on top of everything, the upfront pay was pretty low.

Oh well. It could be worse. And at least he'd snapped a photo of the centerpiece to admire later.