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Hartwin shook his head with a smile on his face as he found a spot to lay a blanket for him and his secretary to sit and begin to eat as Theo continued to exaggerate, rather humorously, his most recent encounter with something as unusual as a - gasp - trainer. He took his time to put together food for the woman and his Pokemon before setting himself up with food. All the while, he nodded and chuckled at Theo's sense of narration and humor.
"Ah, good," he said through a breathed laugh. He finished a bite of sandwich before continuing with Theo's previous question.
"It's generally up to the Pokemon whether they evolve or not. Should this Whismur choose," he said, looking down and attempting to graze a gentle hand upon its forhead, "it would evolve into a rather," he paused as he thought of a term that lacked the harshness of what he was actually describing, "hearty Loudred."
Squinting heavily at Hartwin, Theo mumbled, “What’s a Loudred?”
With the press of a button on a devise apparently attached to a button on his blazer brought up a hologram of an image of a rather brutish looking creature with hollows protruding from its body and a mouth gaping and consuming. The coloring was skewed due to the light produced from the devise, but it seemed to have a similar yet darker complexion. Anything cute and unassuming of its previous form was lost in this transformation.
Theo’s jaw dropped at the image and his eyes immediately went toward Harmony. Even Melody’s mouth was wide open as she stared at the hologram, then over at the Whismur. Silence passed for a beat. “Okay,” Theo said in a small voice. He cleared his throat as Melody wiggled around in his lap to look up at him. “Okay,” he told Melody, completely at a loss. Both Theo and the Jigglypuff’s expressions were mirrors filled with mild confusion and anxiety.
Hartwin took a sip of whiskey from a flask (without trying to be discrete) as he powered off the hologram. A glance sideways came from the woman across from him as she took a sip of water from a bottle. This made him remember he'd failed to properly introduce them.
By the time Hartwin looked back to Theo to begin introductions, he found a very disapproving expression upon Theo’s face. Why was it that every time he took a sip from his flask, Theo looked as if he were about to puke a little? Hartwin made no mention of the look.
"And this," he said as he swallowed a half mouth-full, "is Ms. Natalie McKapherty, my secretary for the last 10 years. This is little Theodore Selvaggio," he said with raised brows, playing on the jest from before, "my once-cello student who proved to be quite talented with music."
Without missing a beat, Theo looked over, waved a little, then sang, “Helloooo Natalie.” The woman blushed with a hushed giggle and looked away in some combination of shame and embarrassment.
It was as he spoke about this that he noticed Theo without any instruments around. Further inspecting the surrounding area, he noticed the Skarmory was not around, as well. "I'd ask you to play me something to prove you've kept up with your skill, but it seems you've given up the art," he said with playful accusation.
Theo looked around as well at that jest, confused, “Oh don’t tell me I left it on Nick’s back again.” Groaning, he looked over to Hartwin then sighed, “Perhaps when Nick decides to come back, I’ll be able to play something for you.”
"Shame. Would have been nice to be serenaded while we struggle through this disaster," Hartwin said, disappointment lilting in his voice. "Ah, no matter. It's good to see you doing well."
“Disas-- oh! Oh yes. That disaster-- did they catch anyone or… I’m sorry, I only skimmed a few articles,” Theo rubbed the back of his neck. He caught Natalie staring him down and shaking her head. A redness formed on his cheeks and Theo tried to hide it with a rub of his face. "W-well, if you have an instrument I could tune really quick, I would be delighted to play something for you," Theo stammered.
Hartwin smirked and shook his head. He wasn't here to talk business and Theo was the last one that needed to be worried about his work. Instead, he tapped a button on his jacket, the one below the button he'd tapped earlier for the hologram, and a menu of sorts was displayed before them. It rotated until it landed upon a violin. "Since I know it's your true talent," he started, "we'll go with this."
He tapped the air below the image of the violin. It glowed bright and then faded into nothing. A moment later and bright orbs danced upon the blanket before him. As the process began, Theo watched the violin materialize with his usual fascination. While he’d come from a wealthy family, Theo himself was less technologically up to date than the rest of well… everyone. A childlike grin spread across his face as soon as the violin, housed within it's black leather case, fully came into being.
"I haven't taken it out in a while. I hope it doesn't need new strings," Hartwin said as he lifted the case and extended it toward Theo.
Reaching out to take the case gingerly, Theo snickered, “A while, huh? Maybe you’re the one who’s given it all up.” As he placed the violin case in the grass with a smirk on his face, Theo couldn't keep the nagging feeling out of his mind that his jest was true. While he didn’t know what Hartwin was up to these days, it seemed to be more stressful than simply playing music-- there were a few more wrinkles and gray hairs than Theo remembered Hartwin to have.
“Sir--” Natalie spoke up finally, to get Theo’s attention.
“--Please just call me Theo, ah, sir is extremely formal,” replied Theo, his brows raised in surprise.
“Right… Theo, ah, what exactly is it you’re going to play?”
“Oh, just a short medley,” Theo replied with a smile, as he removed the instrument from it’s case, “Nothing that’ll put either of you off schedule, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Natalie blinked, caught off guard by Theo’s comment. Theo held the violin up and softly began to tune it, smirking at Natalie all the while. Coughing softly, Natalie shot back, “I’m not worried about that--” Hartwin's laughter suddenly forced her into a beat of silence.
“Wh-what?” Natalie asked.
To save Hartwin from having to reply, Theo began to play a cheerful tune. It took Melody a while to figure out what he was playing but she eventually joined in, to support Theo’s violin playing, with a counter melody.
Hartwin and Natalie sat in silence, watching Theo glide the bow across the strings, his fingers gliding across the strings and waving back and forth, his posture, upright and almost rigid, yet peaceful and light. It was natural, somehow fading into the sounds of the park around them. The trees and the breeze ebbed into the melodies and swung with the tune around them. It was as if nature stood still and praised Theo's talents and skills.
Natalie kept still after the tune, but Hartwin shortly applauded with a genuine smile.
"That was beautiful," Natalie said. "The Ode to Littleroot was something my mother would sing to me as a child."
It seemed tears began to form upon her eyes. "Thank you," she said with a nod and a shamed smile for being so emotionally moved by a short medley.
With a large smile on his face, Theo nodded at Natalie then told her, “Anytime. It’s one of my personal favorites as well.” Theo idly played notes as he asked Hartwin, “Did this meet your wildest expectations?”
“Your Whismur...” Natalie said softly, wiping a tear from her eye.
A nudging at Theo’s knee caught his attention as Natalie pointed it out. Theo looked down to see Harmony pushing him, pushing Melody, then pushing him again, in a pitiful display of sadness.
Theo pouted slightly, “Oh I’m sorry-- I didn’t want to disrupt your playtime with Delcatty.” Harmony let out a heavy sigh at that, then plopped down in the grass, becoming a tiny pink blob of depression.
“What a downer-- Harmony, you act as if that’s the last song I’m ever going to play,” Theo snickered.
A ringing pinged from Hartwin's person. The bottom button was tapped and a voice was projected from the button rather than an image. The voice was so clear, it sounded as if the individual on the other end was right there with them. This little device was clearly much more advanced than the widely produced Trainer Gauntlet of the region, suggesting that this was some kind of prototype or simply too expensive for wider consuption.
"Hartwin, we need you back in the office," the voice said, as if commanding with some kind of irritation due to Hartwin's constant "walking away" from his responsibilities.
"We're on our way, Max. What'd you find out?"
"There's some shrinkage we can't seem to account for."
"Okay..." Hartwin said. As with any business, shrinkage was a common occurrence and something for which to account toward expenses. It was redundant to say "unaccounted shrinkage" since shrinkage is considered "unaccounted loss of product." Maxwell, of all people, should have been able to understand that saying such wasn't nearly specific enough given the way in which voiced the concern.
"It's triple than normal. I need you to check all employee wages for any inconsistencies."
"I'm still working on the displacement reports."
"Yup," the voice said with some impatience. "And I'm working on the Hospital and Institute's inventories.
We're all overwhelmed. You just have to make it work."
"What's the deadline?"
"There isn't one. It's not a priority."
"I'll contact you when I find something."
Hartwin pressed the button on his blazer and rose from the blanket on the ground. "Well," he said with a heavy exhale. "Back to work for another 15 hours."
Natalie rose to help pack up the picnic without a word. She understood her duties to the company for which she worked as well as the lives of their employees. The Mauville Attack was a disaster unforeseen and for which was unprepared. The thought that this would not be the first attack on Hoenn was a fear that floated around in her mind. It was a thought from which she took determination when growing too tired to keep her eyes open or too unfocused to type properly. Max's message to Hartwin she'd just overheard only added to her anxiety that seemed to be unable to show in her face.
"Come back to the office. There's an employee room available if you're looking to stay here for a few days. I can't promise I'll have the time to visit with your properly any time soon, however." Hartwin's tone was stony, now. Warmth left his voice and was replaced with a clinical cold. It was the switch from lighthearted to professional he'd developed a time after he'd assumed the Accounting Department of the Fairfax Association.----------
The room was small, an eight-by-six with a twin-sized bed and a bathroom barely large enough to have the toilet, sink, and standing-shower not on-top of each other. The desk next to the bed was made for a child and the dresser could only hold a few days of clothes. The walls were painted a pale yellow, warm and light, which provided some comfort in an, otherwise, claustrophobic space. The only technology in the room was a cylinder protruding out of the wall separating the bedroom from the bathroom. It was the personal version of the PokeStation and had direct access to the Fairfax warehouse to obtain goods. The prices for these items were much lower, too. It accounted for the fact that this was, indeed, an employee room and that they would receive a discount on all their goods.
Hartwin nor Natalie had the time to properly show him the room and help him settle. But, he wasn't necessarily a "guest" as Theo had spent so much time with the Fairfax Family that there wasn't much of a need for such formalities. They offered their services should Theo require anything, but there was a sense that such would be a severe inconvenience to either of them should Theo pursue their hospitality.
When the sun set upon Lavaridge, the town turned a golden rust unique to the small village. With campfires and tents lining the narrow paths and filling in the small parks, it reminded the locals of the annual Spring Festival that celebrated the legends of Kyogre and Groudon's forced cooperation over the land of Hoenn.
Kyogre's rains drenched the lands while Groudon evaporated it as it touched the ground. When Rayquaza descended from the Skies, the Hot Springs of current-day Lavaridge was what remained in the midst of Kyogre and Groudon's eternal feud. These Springs were then blessed by the Sky Deity and have held the healing properties of the earth and sky and sea since the creation of the world.
However, the mood wasn't nearly as excitable. Murmurs of the "terrorists" attacking them while they were displaced spread throughout Town. This put the Rangers on edge, both having to squelch any concerns as well as creating a sense of uncertainty in themselves. It was difficult for them to keep strong and stoic while their own sense of anxiety rose.
Rangers from all over the world were gathered in Hoenn at this time, creating its own turmoil. Those native to Hoenn felt superior to those of equal rank of those from foreign regions. Despite having the same Divisions and Ranks, their uniforms were quite different depending from where they came. Rangers weren't unused to working internationally, but they instilled in themselves a sense of superiority through a heightened sense of obligation toward their native Region. Of course, such things were never discussed openly.
The attack on Mauville meant a lot of paperwork on Hartwin's desk. His mother had taken to meetings with reporters while his father worked with the Rangers and Mr. Sturm. He'd been up through the night signing displacement claims of employees who lived in Mauville, which was ultimately a responsibility of the Fairfax Corporation. One of the many inconveniences of the business controlling so much within one Region. He just hoped the estimated times for repairs was overestimated by, well, all of it, and for the sake of the employees. Granted, nothing like this had actually happened before.
"Mr. Fairfax," a woman said, hardly past the door with her eyes tained on a tablet that lit up her face.
"Please, Natalie. Hartwin is..."
"Someone riding a gold and green Skarmory has arrived in Rustboro."
Hartwin immediately perked up. It'd been days since Theo had told Hartwin he'd be in Hoenn. Hartwin was surprised Natalie had even remembered.
"All right. Let's go," he said, both to his Delcatty napping beside him as well as his secretary.
"But, sir," she began to protest.
"It's time for a lunch break," he said with a wink and a smirk.
He ushered her to gather whatever she needed to leave the building as he did the same. He buttoned his brown suit jacket and then unbuttoned it while fidgeting with items in and out of pockets, unable to decide what to bring and which to do. After buttoning it again, he reached for his matching bowler hat that hung on the corner of his chair. Outside the office, he was never seen without it. A quick glance into a mirror on his way out the door was the last of his preparations. When he made it out of the office, Natalie was standing next to her desk with an unsure look and hugging the tablet she was holding earlier.
"Sir, are you sure this is a good idea? There's so much we need to do..."
Hartwin grabbed a cane for show and Delcatty strutted behind him with a yawn. "We've been here for fifteen hours. We need a break," he said matter-of-factly. "I'm taking you out for lunch," he added, explaining to her his alibi."----------
"Good afternoon, Mr. Selvaggio," a voice said from a distance away. "It's been a while. How're your parents?"
The man was average. He could have been mistaken for someone approaching 40, but was barely 33. His suit was well-tailored, but the color dulled his features, it seemed. The bowler hat provided shade over his eyes, though he still squinted. Theo's once-cello-tutor looked rather ordinary, something Hartwin could never seem to escape despite his elevated birth.
An Altaria hovered behind a woman off to his side while the Delcatty rubbed her cheek against Hartwin's leg before looking over toward Theo. She chirped when she spotted the Whismur, the two having played together often when the Delcatty was still a Skitty.
"Watcher Clerk..."
"Major -"
"3 more casualties. Any word from the Hospital?"
"No room. We have to make due here."
"We're going to have a housing crisis..."
"I know, Major. I'm working on it."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Lieutenants Green and Fort with you?"
"No, ma'am. They're administering what emergency care they can. They put up a tent toward 112 South."
"Get them to the Centre. They lack the skills and experience for this kind of situation. Green and Fort should be able to prevent more casualties."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Anyone else good for transport?"
"Lieutenants Polak and Thompson."
"Get them to find safe places to set up camps -"
"Refugee camps?"
"Yes, Major. And make sure to assign the Students and Area Rangers as sentries.
We don't need them in the way."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well - dismissed, Major."
"Watcher -"----------
"Copy that, Grand Watcher Frisk."____________________
Queues filled the town. The Medical Centre, the Torkoal Roast, groupings of citizens with and without camping gear, and whatever stations the Rangers constructed were crowded with the displaced residents of the terrorized Mauville City. At first glance, it was the panicked shuffle during the attack. After a few moments, the Rangers were quite capable in calming most concerns.
Dragons flew overhead. A whiteness of Altaria gently alit cargo drops. Flights of Swellow shot back and forth through the air overhead. Colonies of Pelliper carried emergency items from camp to camp. The Air Rangers worked with the local Gale Rangers to make sure all victims of the "incident" wouldn't create more victims in becoming leeches and nuisances to others as people sought shelter and comfort.
"Good afternoon, Chief Mura, sir," a woman, stoic and proud, greeted the retired Gale Ranger. Her hair was hidden by the light brown cap she wore, immediately informing the man from which branch she came.
"Lieutenant Amanda Red," she continued, introducing herself with a salute and then a shake of his hand. "I'm here on behalf of Major White and Watcher Clerk who are overseeing the current situation here in Lavaridge."
She seemed insistent, optimistic he would be impressed by her ability to throw names at him.
"They are hoping residents and bath owners allow as many victims of the Mauville Incident as they are comfortable housing. Any and all expenses will be covered by the Rangers and Fairfax Corporation. May we add you to our list of temporary hostiles?"
It would have been entirely unusual for him to have not already allowed some of the victims into his bath for shelter. It would have been even more unusual for him to decline the direct request. Regardless, the Rangers needed these formal processes to take place to keep as much order as possible in a time of such distress.
The heavy and tentative footsteps from the kitchen indicated his father and Mr. Kurin had come in for lunch. Jerrek finished the set of dumbbell flies so he could shower off and join them. He only put on his shorts before going upstairs when he'd be coming back down to finish his routine.
Ro and Ellie were finishing up setting the table by the time he'd made it up to the kitchen. Jeanne popped open Double Hoppips for Rai and Forrest to have with their meals. Ellie poured some Moomilk for herself and her siblings while Jeanne made herself a glass of wine to follow up the one she drank while preparing the lunch. She'd hadn't quite gotten over the stress of the Mauville Attack and the state in which her husband still suffered.
Bouffalant steak and Moocheese hoagies were made for the men while the children voted for macaroni and Moocheese with Tamato soup and grilled Moocheese. Jeanne elected to have a salad, loaded with all kinds of vegetables from their garden, a sprinkling of Moocheese, and a whole Blaziken breast hidden in there somewhere.
"So," Forrest started after sipping at his beer and still having a full mouth, "Rai, here, is from Olivine. Made me think we should vacation there sometime this summer. Visit some of my family and stuff..."
Jeanne voicelessly agreed. Shelly almost shouted "Auntie Vee!" with the brightest excitement. Forrest chuckled and Jerrek agreed, though he was more fond of Uncle Caleb. "Most of my extended family is in Johto," Forrest clarified.
Forrest offered seconds to Rai when he got up to get himself another hoagie. He also brought over two more beers for them, though, without asking. All the children, save Shelynn, Also had seconds. By now, Jeanne was starting to do the dishes with the help of Forrest's Masquerain and Shiftry.
"You finished your workout?" Forrest asked Jerrek as he laid back in his chair.
"Almost," the boy said as he drank the rest of the Tamato soup directly from the bowl. "Hey, Dad, could you spot me for my squats?"
"Sure thing, bud."
"Could I practice with Kangooroom, after?"
"If he's up for it."
"Awesome," Jerrek said with a wry smile.
"Why don't you come down with us? There are some exercises and stretches I could show you if you think you're up for it."----------
The cement stairs went down to the basement farther than one might expect. The ceiling was ten feet high, two feet higher than the other two floors of the house. The stairs cut the room in half and followed the back wall to the left.
This side was the personal gym, though looked like a small public one. Barbells, dumbbells, and other free-weight systems filled racks and were placed in stacks against the walls covered in charts and diagrams. On the side wall, between Jerrek's and Elizabeth's charts for routines and progress were diagrams explaining certain basic exercises and describing various alternatives. Forrest's was on the front wall where the passage to the other half of the room was and easily twice the size of the children's. Similar diagrams filled up most of the rest of the wall on either side of it.
Forrest walked through some easy exercises and stretches for Rai while Jerrek set up a barbell for his squats. Forrest spotted him while directing and assessing Rai. He'd done plenty of work as both a physical trainer and a physical therapist, and it showed.
Jerrek forsook showering again since he was going to go outside to "play" with Breloom. Forrest just knew he'd return covered in dirt and some blood (if he did it right).
Once Rai was finished the exercises, Forrest took him into the other side of the room, which was cleared, save four yoga mats. Floor-to-ceiling mirrors covered the side wall and four shower heads came out of the back wall. This explained the reason for the ventilation system in the ceiling as well as the rubber mat floor from wall to wall. There were two drains in the floor and some hooks on the wall that made up the stairs. Forrest offered Rai to shower off after, not really taking into account that there were no dividers or curtains.
But while Rai worked on his poses and stances, Forrest set himself up for 300 lbs dead lifts. Despite being 100 lbs less than usual, he still struggled through the spasms and cramps in his left bicep and right trapezius and obliques. He then joined Rai in yoga, though doing stretches and poses relavant to himself, and then went back to do barbell curls, shoulder presses, and sit-up variants. He ended with pull-ups and then showered off to rest for the day.
Forrest invited Rai onto the front porch to relax in the shade. He filled a cooler with ice and stuck several beers into it and making them stick up. That, with a box of cigars with a lighter and cutter, he headed for the porch.
To his delight, Jeanne was in a rocking chair with knitting needles between her fingers, working on a sweater for Rowan. Forrest stepped next to her and kissed the top of her head with a deep inhale. She paused briefly in acceptance but just continued on with her knitting. He went toward the other end of the porch and sat on the bench he'd made before Jerrek was born so there'd be enough room for the cooler and cigar box on the side table next to him. He cut a cigar and offered it to Rai before preparing one for himself. He then opened a beer, offered, and then opened one for himself. He puffed and sipped and sat in silence as Jeanne focused on her knitting in silence.
The slight breeze was constant and cool. The humidity was tolerable and the clouds skated across the sky, moving into constantly-changing shapes, ambiguous and natural. The faint yelps and screams of delight echoed around the house and against the trees. Otherwise, the silence of nature filled all their sense. It was a time of meditation and reflection. It was clear why someone would spend the time and resources to live out here. The Petildale Forest was tranquil yet wild, peaceful yet chaotic, as only nature could be.
"I'll take you into Petalburg tomorrow so you can get some new clothes," Forrest said without the courtesy of offering. "Looks like it's been a while since you've gone shopping for 'em. I'll stock you up with traveling gear so you're ready when your body's ready," he continued in a soft jest.
Jeanne gave an unapproving eye toward them, knowing full well what they were planning but submitting to the fact she held little authority over his stubbornness. However, she knew they both held a stubbornness the other couldn't tame. It certainly made for some interesting times, and still did.
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