In Which Devin Has Bad Luck and Hitomi Laughs

[Devin]

Grumble grumble grumble.

Devin was in a bad mood.

It was about a half an hour before the Pits officially opened for the night, and Dev was silently fuming. His movements were quick and abrupt, far from his usual careful grace. He jerked the chairs off the tables and slammed them into place. His Pokemon knew this mood and kept away.

Far away. Far away as in either outside or hiding in the back room. Occasionally the back door would peek open and a dark nose would stick out as either Shade or Cerb sniffed the air to see if their trainer was still angry. The door always immediately shut again as Dev was far from finished taking his anger out on the poor furniture. Luckily the Pits furniture was built sturdy to survive bar fights. He figured that the heavier the furniture, the more people would be knocked out faster and the shorter the bar brawls would be.

Well, most of his Pokemon. Odoriko the Snorunt sat on the bar, playing with some ice cubes. She pushed them around, making pretty pictures with the melt, completely oblivious to her trainer’s less than stellar mood.

She liked drawing. Especially with ice. Everything was better with ice. Look, she had even managed to draw a pretty picture of her dancing in a Hail storm. The Snorunt added some stick figures of Cerberus and Shade huddling in little balls under the relentless hail. Hah! Stupid boys were always picking on her. Serves them right to get buffeted by the hail. Hail that Riko made. Silly non-ice types never appreciated the prettiness of ice and snow and hail. Some day Riko would show them all. Some day she’d make them all huddle in a corner and shiver and turn blue!

There, her pretty picture was all finished. Riko blew a light Powder Snow over her watery creation, freezing her picture.

Dev stalked over to the bar and slid into a seat. He pointed a finger at Riko’s face.

The Snorunt gave an offended grunt as her concentration was broken. Devin had just put his elbow on her pretty picture! She hoped his elbow froze and turned black with frostbite and fell off. He was always so unappreciative of her drawings and dancing.

“It’s all your fault” he said “If you would just resign yourself and become a Glalie I wouldn’t have go through all this. I swear, I have the worst luck.”

Riko stuck out her tongue and gave Dev a very cold raspberry. The trainer winced and jerked away as his face was sprayed with ice crystals.

“That was not appreciated Riko” he grumbled as he removed his sunglasses to clean them. His blank grey eyes narrowed in Riko’s direction.

The Snorunt ignored him and went back to her drawing with ice. Devin humphed and went back to sulking at the bar.

“Hey Tomi, you finished yet? We’re opening in 25 minutes whether you’re ready or not” Devin griped. Riko wasn’t paying attention to him, and the others had removed themselves from the path or his ire, so Devin needed someone new to snark at.

[Hitomi ~ M.D.~]

Despite any warnings she might have received from the various slammings and anxious Pokemon, she walked right into the Pits, a bag in her hand, full of her change of clothing. Sexy boots, a slinky dress, complete with her make up choice for the night were inside, with some of her winnings from the Casino. She was becoming strangely addicted to that place... She needed to find a constructive way to get rid of some of that stuff.

Instead of doing that, however, she set her bag down next to the bar, near Riko, and proceeded to change, right there on the spot. That way, Devin knew she was in the general vicinity, and she could make sure poor little Riko did not toddle off out of pure curiosity, her motherly nature kicking in.

Clearly they had gotten into an argument of some sort, or else Devin would not be slamming around like he was.

Of course, however, Hitomi found it unnecessary to speak up until she caught a sight at Riko's picture. And, like an encouraging mother, she was about to say something about it when Devin began to speak up, angrily at that. Well, now that was no way to treat a Pokemon, even if she was a little brat!

She leaned in and gave Riko a small pat on the head.

"That's okay," she whispered lightly, "I thought that was a pretty picture, and you shouldn't have to evolve into something you don't want to evolve into."

Her eyes shot over towards Devin as she slipped into her dress, shoving the rest of her clothing into the bag before lacing up her boots.

"I'm almost done, calm down," she grumbled, "Just 'cause Riko wants to be something not a Glalie doesn't mean you get to be angry at her and ruin her pictures. What's got your panties in a bunch anyways? Or is that just it, Riko not wanting to be a Glalie? Did you ask her what she wanted to be?"

She now had a smug grin on her face. She knew she opened herself up for his griping, but it was either her or Riko... or the customers...

[Devin]

Oh that girl!

Hitomi was going to give him a heart attack one of these days. First she just saunters in like she owned the place, and then she just starts stripping right in front of him! Of course, this was far from the first time Hitomi had stripped in front of Devin. Usually Dev would tease her, throw a jab at how the Pits wasn’t that kind of establishment or how Hitomi better now be expecting any tips after her ‘performance,’ but tonight Devin really Wasn’t In The Mood.

But still, the sounds of Hitomi stripping gave him something to concentrate on other than is irked feelings towards a certain establishment and Devin’s own eternally shitty luck.

So Devin offered no indication that he even noticed that Hitomi was stripping, other than a raised eyebrow. He didn’t even bother to turn his head away from her naked figure when he heard her pants hit the ground.

There she went. That girl. Patting Riko on the head and commenting on Riko messing up his bar while still at least partially naked! Riko didn’t need to see that! She was scarred enough already from living with Cerberus and Shade! Riko didn’t need to see Hitomi’s naked ass on top of all that.

But Riko didn’t seem to notice Hitomi’s lack of dress. The Snorunt leaned into Hitomi’s pat and gave a little trill. Riko didn’t speak much. She could get everything she needed by just looking cute. Why would she bother learning to speak human?

Devin wondered what Hitomi meant by ruining Riko’s pictures. He always made the appropriate oo-ing and aah-ing whenever Riko gave him a picture. Then he noticed his elbow was wet.

…

Wet and very cold. “Riko! What have I told you about drawing on the bar! You know I’m going to put an arm in it or something” Devin scolded as he grabbed a towel to wipe up the now-melted mess.

He bopped Riko lightly on the head. She gave him another cold raspberry.

If Devin was in a better mood he might have grinned at Riko’s continuing defiance of his rules, but now wasn’t the time. He was about to unleash a long lecture on her when Hitomi began lecturing him.

Oh boy, Hitomi had it wrong. Devin spun around and put his hands on his hips, eyebrows furrowed and lips unconsciously in a pout. “It’s all her fault!” Devin pointed at his Snorunt “I did ask her what she wanted to evolve into and she had to choose a Froslass. Just had to choose the one that involves a very Ok, so the Dawn Stone wasn’t as rare or as expensive as he made it out to be, one just had to roll the right number at the casino, but with Devin’s bad luck it would take forever.

But that wasn’t important. What was important was that Hitomi was being annoying. “Of course I asked her what she wanted to evolve into-I ask all my Pokemon whether they want to evolve or not. But since Riko wants to be a Frosslass, and never stops telling me that she wants to be a Frosslass As Soon As Possible, I have to get a freaking Dawn Stone from the freaking Casino and of course I spend a lot of money there but of course I don’t get a freaking Dawn Stone. No, Devin can never get good luck. I won Riko easily enough at the Casino, but after that, nada. Just a bunch of other Stones that do absolutely nothing except make good paper weights!” Devin finished off his rant by slamming his hand against the bar.

Devin took a deep breath and let it out. Ok. He hadn’t meant to rant so much, but man had that felt good.

[Hitomi ~ M.D.~]

Hitomi was amused. She listened to the important parts of his rant, about how he was looking for a Dawn Stone and pouring money into the Casino. There was quite a bit of anger in it, and she knew she deserved a bit of that, but there was a lot that she did not deserve.

Granted, she did ask for it by stripping in front of him...

Well, that was just his own fault for being blind and broadcasting it with his sunglasses of his.

She was glad she was not bringing these arguments up with him, as that would probably incite a riot she did not need to hear. At least she did not feel guilty about it. Why should she? He deserved it for being the miserable muckity muck that he was. Regardless, she kept it to herself and it would probably never be brought up.

But this was just too good.

"Froslass, eh?"

She had seen them in Sinnoh, but she knew that they were still rare due to the rarity of the Dawn Stone's existence itself...

"I don't see why that's such a problem Devin. I mean... just because you don't have one doesn't mean one of your nice, pretty, intelligent, barmaid friends doesn't either."

The smirk on her face turned into a flat out grin as she shook her head.

"But then again, she couldn't possibly have one, now could she?"

She leaned over the bar, and went to tap his cheek lightly. Now, she would withhold this from Devin all she wanted to, but she refused to withhold an evolution from a Pokemon...

Her eyes glinted towards Riko.

"Well little Riko? You wanna be prettier than ever, right? Like a beautiful, icy ballerina?"

Hitomi, encourage the little brat Pokemon? No, who would have thought that one?

[Devin]

“Yes, Frosslass” Devin liked Frosslass. They were fast and pretty and had a very unique type combination. But that was neither here nor there. If only Frosslass weren’t so damned difficult to get.

Oh that girl. She had a Dawn Stone?

Devin had to grin at that, had to chuckle a little. Of course Hitomi had one. Of course Hitomi had the specific one that Devin needed for his little Riko.

Well, most of Devin’s anger was gone with that little rant of his. He wanted that Dawn Stone but he was not going to ask Hitomi for it. That girl would make him beg before she gave it to him.

Man, Devin had to play with her now.

“Well I have plenty of nice, pretty, and intelligent friends, but I didn’t know that any of them worked in a bar” Devin adopted a mock thoughtful position, one arm folded, the other elbow resting his hand and his finger on his lips. “Wait!” He brightened in faked epiphany “Karen did tell me she was applying to that job…You know Karen? She got the job? Well good for her!”

Devin sauntered around the bar and grabbed a bottle and a glass “That’s cause for a celebration! Is it 5 yet? I bet its 5 in Sinnoh. You want a drink Hitomi?” Oh boy he loved to play with Hitomi’s mind.

Riko ignored her owner and paid her full attention to Hitomi. Hitomi was nicer! She understood human speech even if she didn’t speak much of it. She knew that Hitomi had that Dawn Stone she needed to be nice and pretty and an ever better dancer!

The Snorunt bounced up on her little black feet and twirled around. Riko gave a little “Sno!” and nodded her head once. Oh yes she wanted to be a Frosslass!

[Hitomi ~ M.D.~]

Hitomi liked playing this game too. Especially when she had the upper hand. Though he did not seem all that affected by it...

She could not let up though. She did not want to make him suffer, pretty much due to the fact that she was not going to see Riko suffer either. Regardless... she could play around with him for just a little bit. Even if Riko did not understand the slight withholding of the aforementioned stone, it was not like the Pokemon would not live...

Besides, she could wait four or five minutes longer.

She shook her head and shrugged at Devin. Well, at least she could play along...

Leaning against the bar, she sighed dramatically and shook her head.

"Poor Riko will never get a Dawn Stone with your big head," she said, giving Devin a pointed look before 'tsk'ing. Her eyes shot down towards Riko, and she continued, her tone apologetic. She was incredibly sorry she had to do this to the absolutely adorable Riko, but she would... if only because Devin was almost asking for it.

Almost...

"I'm sorry Cutie, but it is his decision on whether he wants you to have the Dawn Stone in my bag or not... but I'm more than willing to give you one once he asks nicely."

Two could play at this game...

[Devin]

Devin basically ignored Hitomi’s gloating. He was used to her big-headedness by now. Everything she said went in one year and out the other. He actually imagined that this was what marriage felt like-wait, strike that thought from his head. That would be pure hell on earth; being married to Hitomi.

Ugh, don’t think that again. Maybe that extremely uncomfortable thought was why Devin’s next words came out nastier than intended “Riko, it appears Hitomi is vindictive and extends her petty grudges and need for an ego-stroking to poor defenseless baby Pokemon. I’m sorry, but I don’t think your dream of becoming a Frosslass will come true” Devin snarked sarcastically.

He could practically hear Riko wilt. The Snorunt wouldn’t understand ANY delay in the delivery of her precious stone-in her eyes Hitomi was just never going to help Riko obtain her dream of dancing free in the snow.

Riko turned her back to the mean, nasty, vindictive, snotty Hitomi, huddling against her trainer’s side. Devin gladly opened his arms to her. He could feel her sadness…and ice cold tears soaking his shirt.

You have to hand it to Devin, he lasted a good minute of a sobbing Snorunt in his arms before giving in.

He was always a sucker for girl’s tears.

Riko’s tears were freezing his shirt anyways. This was a good shirt!

Devin sighed heavily and turned to Hitomi, making puppy dog eyes in her direction…well a few inches to the right of her, but still at her. It was tough, but he summoned all the sarcasm politness in his soul and spoke “My dear employee Hitomi-hime, of whom I care so deeply for and would hate to have to release out onto the street without a job or any way of supporting herself, my dear friend and co-worker, would you please help me fulfill the one dream my precious baby Snow Dancer has had ever since her birth? Will you please give me a Dawn Stone so I can help my Riko become beautiful in other’s eyes? For even though my precious bra-“ he stopped himself before he could say brat. It felt like Riko hadn’t noticed his slip, so Devin continued like nothing was wrong “baby is the fairest of them all in my eyes, others are not so understanding of the true quality of a Pokemon’s inner beauty; of the absolute perfection that is a Pokemon’s soul. Will you, Hitomi Takeshi” Here Devin actually got to one knee, as if he were proposing-must stop with the marriage metaphors-still holding Riko in his arms. He repeated “will you give me your Dawn Stone?”

As the last slightly quivering note rang out across the silent bar, Devin really had to congratulate himself on his performance; he almost sounded like he was about to cry. Now if only Hitomi would stop playing and give him the Arceus-bedamned stone so they could get back to work.

[Hitomi ~ M.D.~]

If Hitomi did not know any better, she would have to say Devin was possessed. What was this little act? Aside from the turning Riko against her (she could win Riko back, all it took was a few words and a bit of money), the whole being on his knees thing was just a little too much. If Hitomi was far from on a roll, she would have probably keeled over and died happy right there.

Instead, she smiled lightly.

"Of course I will," she said, "I would gladly give it to Riko, now that you asked so nicely," she replied, hand already in the bag. She already knew she was giving it to the Pokemon, she just wanted to make sure she was not going to get lashed out at by the blind bartender the poor thing had as a trainer. Not that she doubted Devin's ability as a trainer, if his Houndoom and Gardevoir were any example, he was far from a horrible man. No, this was just a strange compatibility between Pokemon and Trainer that she saw in Riko and Devin, but that did not stop her from egging Devin on.

"I don't see why Devin has to be so dramatic about the whole situation though," she said, "Making a beautiful girl like you cry..."

She produced the stone from her bag, holding it out for the both of them.

"And here you go, one beautiful Dawn Stone for a beautiful ice Pokemon. You know better than to think I could ever deny you the form you wanted Riko."

She winked and smiled at the cute little Pokemon. It would have made Thomas hack a hairball if he was around, which, thankfully he was not. She was incredibly grateful that he was not either, seeing as how him being around would have probably incited a 'and why don't you dote on me' argument that she just did not want to start.

Nevermind that it looked like Devin looked as if he were about to propose... as funny as this scene was, it was incredibly creepy. She almost wanted him to stop, but she said nothing about the matter. If she said something, he might have made it worse...

[Devin]

OOC: So tempted to title this “She said yes!”

It was amazing how quickly Riko’s tears dried up. Devin had suspected that she was faking, but the almost instantaneous cessation of Riko’s crying cemented his belief.

The little Snorunt reached up and snatched the Dawn Stone for Hitomi’s outstretched hand with a triumphant cry of “YES!”-one of the only words she knew besides “Mine” and “No” and of course, “Why.” The Snorunt began to glow, her form becoming amorphous and shifting like liquid within Devin’s arms.

But Devin was faster than evolution. He yanked the Dawn Stone from Riko’s grasp, tucking it in a back pocket. He breathed a mental sigh of relief when he felt Riko’s form re-solidify into the triangular Snorunt shape. Frosslass might be past Ghost, but they were at least half his weight. Kneeling as he was, the sudden addition of three feet of height and another forty pounds wouldn’t have been very comfortable. Devin suspected Hitomi had done that on purpose.

“Thank you very much Hitomi” he said distractedly, standing and placing Riko back onto the bar. Of course, as soon as she had gotten over the shock of the sudden end to her evolution, Riko burst into tears again. “Quiet!” Devin barked. Stunned, Riko fell silent.

Devin continued, gentler and quieter “You know what we discussed earlier Riko” he placed a comforting hand on the little Pokemon’s head. “You need to get a little bit stronger before you evolve. You do want to learn some of those fun attacks only a Snorunt can learn, right?” He felt Riko’s hesitant nod beneath his palm. “That’s a good girl. But now that we have the stone, your evolution is that much closer!”

Riko sniffed, only slightly comforted by Devin’s words. She ‘hmphed’ at Hitomi, deciding to lay the blame on the other human since Devin was the one with the Dawn Stone now. Hitomi was no one except someone who had built up Riko’s hopes unnecessarily. Hitomi should have known that Devin wouldn’t let Riko evolve until she did *shudder* training!

[Hitomi ~ M.D.~]

Hitomi shook her head. Of course Devin wanted to train his little 'angel.' Despite the fact that she wanted to speed the process up, she refrained from asking if Riko wanted some training from her and her Pokemon. She was pretty positive it was not needed, and she was pretty sure Riko needed a little more time than three seconds to get over the event.

Hitomi could wait, and Riko would be happy later. If she remembered correctly, her own brothers and sisters were brats when they were young too.

So nothing to worry about.

Devin would have just had to get a little more payback later on. He seemed rather ungrateful, despite the 'thank you' he gave her. It was more a distracted thing than a gratitude thing, like a little kid who would say thank you to the baker after their mother told them to...

Now, she could have been completely wrong, but, if there was one thing she knew about Devin, it was that he at least attempted to look someone square in the eye when he meant what he was saying, even half heartedly. That was the impression she got the first time she met him, and, even though he seemed to be a mite distracted, at least he tried. That was why Compact thought he was alright, and it was why Hitomi now had her job...

Oh, would he ever pay, but that was later. Now, the bar was about to open and Hitomi still had Pokemon to find...

Spike, she already knew, was sitting outside, doing his job of making sure there were clean windows and that the patrons who smelled like they were more trouble than they were worth were also cleaned out, before they got to Cerberus and Shade. Thomas and Abby were probably in the back, fixing the fridge for the fifty billionth time...

Who knew where Stealth went...

Which left Compact, the Queen of Trash herself...

Hitomi glanced around, and saw her Pokemon giving Riko an incredibly forlorn look on her face, as if it was her that just had evolution pried from her hands, but she did nothing as she continued her patrol, making quite sure that there was nothing wrong on the floors before the patrons came...

But the sound of the tiny bell signaled their first patron. Hitomi grinned as she usually did when a patron came. This one actually looked a little lost, as if he did not belong...

He was not a regular, quite clearly.

"Hello there, and welcome to the Pits!"