[FIN] Time Well Spent.

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus - who had spent his childhood and adolescence being punched, kicked, inverted and generally schooled by a small woman with perfect hair and vivid red lipstick - didn't note any dissonance between the fighting talk and the gloss at all; he shrugged. "We're Team Rocket, beyond the pale, we've long since passed the moral event horizon of a kick in the bollocks. Sometimes, as you say, it's the only way to get people's attention."

He looked down at the game then and started Mario running off on his happy rampage against poor hapless mushroomy things. Goombas, right? He knew he should know for sure but his head was still all muzzy, like a radio tuned just off station. "Soon," he said as he tapped for a jump, "I'm not telling you any more than that. I don't want to wake up covered in streamers... if I'm still here that is. Tortie's birthday is on the tenth if you want to spoil somebody though, she could use it." She was still just lying there, now with her head on his thighs. She hadn't even bothered to take a second cookie, and she always took a second treat if they were on offer. Usually a third and a fourth too, it was a good job she was so active really or she'd be a very chubby Absol indeed rather than the ripped lean creature she was.  

[caffeinecraving]

She laughed putting her fists down. "Well... this is true... but im sure the Man code is chiseled in rock somewhere." She shook her head. "If you say so...Next time i want your attention i will make sure to not ask you if you are busy... just walk up and kick..."

Yep Goombas. She pouted. "Aw... thats no fun..." She lost her pout though. "Now that you mention it... some streamers.... some balloons..." She looked around already thinking about how she could decorate. "If you dont tell me what day then of course i will have to decorate EVERY night so you can wake up EVERY day to streamers... Oh... and ill make cupcakes... Is it at least in July." She contemplated. And then she blinked. Still here?! He wasnt going to die! He was under orders by Hayes not to die... She smiled to the absol... "What does Tortie like?" She glanced to Aulus. "I bet Sissy stopping by would be just the thing to make her birthday happy!" That was a joke... maybe the biggest one she had ever told.

She contemplated a bit more. So Aulus had a birthday coming up. She had to think of something to get him. She glanced to Tortie and a brillient idea came to mind. She could give Aulus his pokemon... Well... in a sense... She would get them to pose for a picture and then she could give it to him... Oh! she had the cutest little bow that would look so cute in Tortie's mane! And there was a cute top hat for Char... she could make a calendar... If his pokemon cooperated that was... She would have to figure out when his birthday really was.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Gods.

Aulus sighed wearily and took his hand away from the game to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Kailee I'm not in the mood for streamers, alright? Just leave it, I'm sorry I even mentioned it." The dissonance between party decorations and all of this was just... he didn't have the energy or the heart to get angry about it though, he'd just have to hope she took no for an answer. "Please." Hopefully she'd get the message, he really didn't want to wake up to cheery paper strands and balloons or whatever else she had in mind.

"Tortie likes anything with meat or fish, or cakes or biscuits.... I guess fish with cream cheese is her favourite though," Aulus said after a slight pause, reaching over to stroke the Absol's head rather than returning to the game. "And don't bring Sissy here... I'm guessing you were joking but please don't, I could do without that too and so could Tortie."  

[caffeinecraving]

She really wouldnt... well not really.. unless he totally ticked her off. Which wasnt likely. He hadnt been able to upset her yet.

She frowned. "OK..." She looked down. And then he said something and she looked up when he said please. "I dont want you to feel sorry that you told me something..." She glanced to tortie... "We will just make sure hers is the best..." She didnt reach out to pet the absol. She knew better.

She nodded. "Well i will make a special cake just for her." She smiled and then nodded again. Done with joking... Done with trying to make him smile. "Ok... Well... Its nearly time for me to get back to the lab... But... Ill come back tomorrow... " She stood and smiled to tortie. Well neither of them really liked her... why was she trying so hard?

 

[TawnyAngel]

Oh, she was going. Was it something he'd said? Doubting himself, wondering why he should care and if he actually did care or if what he was feeling was just general misery Aulus opened his mouth to say something but he wasn't sure what it would have been so he closed it again and nodded instead.

"Sure, don't let me keep you from work.... I expect I'll get pretty bored here, so. Come back if you want." Company, any company... okay almost any company sounded good right about now. "And... thanks. About the cake I mean." He could at least be civil when she offered to do something nice for one of the most important people in the world to him. "She really likes cheesecake, if you can do that... any cake is good though."  

[caffeinecraving]

This time it was more the fact that she was figuring out he didnt like her... he really did just tolerate her. And that was sad for her. She didnt like people not liking her. She was a generally likable person. So it took her aback when people just didnt like her.

So she would stop bothering him. Obviously thats what she was doing. "Well... See if you can beat my best score on Mario." Her eyes glittered a bit. "I will... Tomorrow... about the same time..." She glanced to the clock and she nodded. "No problem... Everyone deserves cake on their birthday."

She smiled and nodded. "Cheese cake... Alright... I will try it..." She moved to leave and then she stopped. "Au.... Aulus... " She thought to see if he would yell at her again. "Im sorry about your arm." She gave a sad look and then left. What more could be said to that. So she was just waiting for him to tell her to not buddy up to him and that she still had to call him Agent before she ducked out completely.

 

[TawnyAngel]

...Well it would have been mentioned sooner or later.

Aulus said nothing in reply as the yawning black pit opened inside him once more. He squeezed his eyes shut, tried to just will all of this way- all of it! It wasn't real, couldn't be real, it couldn't! A sob escaped his control and he quickly raised his hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle more.

Tortie gave a tiny whimper and shuffled further up the bed to snuggle against her trainer but he was too busy fighting for control of himself to notice. It couldn't have happened, not really, not to him. What was he going to do?  

[caffeinecraving]

Kailee just left. She hadnt been told off and she was giving him privacy. He had to come to terms with it eventually... and it was terribly sad. She heard the choked sob and it brought tears to her eyes. They silently ran down her cheeks. Poor Aulus. No matter what... She had to make sure he got to see his pokemon... Its what he needed.

She frowned. Ok... so they were probably in his room... So she needed his dex. She bit her lip. Think Kailee... Think. Boo! She headed to her room and propped the door. She would be without her dex for the night.

Later, when it had gotten dark she sent Boo off with her dex. She knew the ghost couldnt go through the walls... but he could get to Aulus if the hospital door was open. "Stay hidden... But if Aulus is asleep then switch the dexs... Far enough away that it will take effort to get it... So he wont be reaching for it if he can help it..." Boo nodded and took off. The shuppet wound his way through and went in just as a nurse was headed out. He turned and peeked in all the rooms until he found Aulus'. Boo snuck in trying to be quiet and he placed Kailee's dex on the table and reached for Aulus'. He had to become visibal to make the switch. If Tortie saw him he was supposed to ask her a question anyway.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus was asleep.

Tortie was not.

she hissed very softly. She had no idea why the ghost was switching the two dexes over but she intended to find out, and to stop the theft but she intended to do so very quietly if at all possible; it wasn't long since Aulus had fallen asleep and she didn't want to disturb him.  

[caffeinecraving]

Boo started and held up an edge of his skirt to his mouth He nodded thinking that was an excuse in and of itself. He glanced to the sleeping Aulus.

He tilted his voice really quiet, the ghost of a whisper. Boo kinda twirled near Aulus' head. Boo nodded and moved to get the dex again.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Tortie replied, starting to move slowly as she planned how best to quietly foil the ghost's robbery attempt. What it said next however made her pause. she said suspiciously, With that somebody could access their room and she was not having strangers poking around in there.  

[caffeinecraving]

Boo nodded completely agreeing. But Tortie coming with was perfect. Its the favor he needed. Boo Picked up the dex. Boo fiddled with it to get the best hold and then moved to start leaving. After all he was ordered to be prompt and he needed to wait by the door so when someone came in he could get out.

Unless Tortie was gonna come along. If she was coming then he would just wait for her to open it

 

[TawnyAngel]

Now rather puzzled Tortie climbed quietly off the bed and trotted across the ward after the ghost. The door did not present too much of a problem fortunately and once she had it open the dark type slipped out. she said softly, So long as they remained in low security areas and didn't cause trouble they should probably be fine but Tortie was on edge; every tiny chance of being locked in her pokeball for bad behavior seemed wildly amplified right now because the consequences of it were too great. She should be there for Aulus and she couldn't do that if she was trapped in her ball.  

[caffeinecraving]

Kailee wouldn't let that happen. After all it was her fault and she would take all the blame if they were caught.

Boo nodded. Boo followed out the door and he nodded with the absol's next statement and Boo disappeared. He spoke though to let Tortie know he was still there.

Boo led the way, as much as an invisible ghost could lead, going through shadows and dark spots as he headed to the grunt quarters. To kailee's room. He reappeared just in front of the door. Kailee heard the voice and moved to the door to pull it further open.

"Did you get it Boo?! Oh! Tortie!" She glanced out and then opened it wider to let the absol into her room. The room as very obviously halved. Her side was bright colors, Pinks and oranges and sparks of green. The other side was still waiting for someone else....

"Hey Tortie! " Boo dropped the Dex in her hand. "Did Boo tell you the idea?" There was obvious evidence of a craft project that she was working on. There were frames cut and looked like they were welded together to make a nice looking array. Anura sat on the bed looking like she was being helpful. There were 5 frames so Two prominent... She was gonna put char in one and Tortie in the other...

 

[TawnyAngel]

Tortie prowled into the room with her mane fluffed up, making it clear to anyone who saw her that though she was in unfamiliar territory she considered herself to be in control here. Nodding to Kailee's question she looked around the room disdainfully. she asked of the other pokemon. The frame at least looked tasteful at the minute, though Tortie wouldn't put it past the girl to cover it with hearts and diamante yet.