[ORP] Clean Slate (Rockets only)

[TawnyAngel]

The joke, terrible though it was, got a soft chuckle from KO. "Keep that up and I'm sure it won't be long before you're going up in the world, making friends in high places," he drawled as the elevator dinged base floor five and he stepped out, all the while tugging his suitcase behind him. The fact that it actually had suits in it was less than ideal, he'd rather carry them properly on hangers, but displaced grunts could not be choosers. Everything would be fine once he'd had a chance to press them nicely again.

"So what do you do for fun, besides joining sprawling criminal empires?" KO asked as he sauntered along the corridor, keeping his eyes open form room G-13 or whatever it was going to be labelled. He assumed it would be self explanatory, becoming a grunt for Team Rocket didn't exactly require you to pass an IQ test after all.  

[Venti Mico]

"Oh, most of my friends are short actually," Lu said, then blinked and realized that probably hadn't been what KO meant. "...H-haha, I mean... yeah, thank you" Lu felt his cheeks redden in embarrassment and ducked his head, mentally kicking himself for being an idiot. Lu pulled his suitcase up close to his side, hoping he'd get some time to visit Camphoreon soon. He'd grown taller and most of his clothes were just a little too short now, enough it wasn't too noticeable but still uncomfortable; the only 'big & tall' store he knew was in Camphoreon.

Lu snorted quietly, "I like to, uh... work out, I think. Like in the gym- a-and I knit, but not a lot right now, it's too hot for sweaters." Lu knew it was probably dumb to admit he did it, but his roommate would find out eventually, and Lu had made a nice set of coasters that he was rather proud of(even if he had no use for them). "Uh, how about you..? I think you have more experience with joining criminal empires, though." He teased lightly, though he was glad to be roommates with someone with more experience.  

[TawnyAngel]

KO grinned to himself at Lu's little slip up but decided not to make anything of it, he did want to get along with his new roomate after all. Life was a lot easier when you were friendly with your colleagues.... Ahh, now that was helpful.

"You knit?" the rhetorical question was not sneered, rather it was hummed in tones that suggested genuine interest. "I never learned how, nor crochet. Annnd when I'm not joining criminal empires I enjoying tailoring, for myself and for other people. You know, we could make a nice little business between the two of us. What kind of things can you knit? Anything in soft furnishings? People do like to feather their nests, make them a little individual you know? You could take commissions." If Lu turned out to more than just an enthusiastic amateur, well, quite a useful little commodity in a large package had just fallen into his lap. Being able to offer a wider range of services widened your customer base after all. Mmmh, yes, this could turn out well for him. That was one of those things Star just didn't understand; if you got on with people, you got on in life!  

[Gwennythe]

"Erm... Probably not." Tambrey agreed with Aulus. It had always been pretty restrictive unless you were allowed to be in the labs... No reason to think it had changed to be any less so... More, if anything, she supposed, thinking about it.
"Thunderbirds and Portal." The scientist then grinned, catching the references added to her own. "Almost as cool as Seaquest DSV... Well, before it went all weird."
She checked her own map as Aulus found the training facilities, to have a quick glance herself.
"Well... Actually, that makes a lot of sense for convenience and hierarchy, uh, social stuff too... We're, uh, supposed to set an example for grunts and trainees, right? Well, having them and agents meet in training, between quarters, like that kind of enforces a bit of socialisation and team-builds maybe? We go up, they go down from training, we come down to them, they come up to us? Maybe it's nonsense, but... Well, I like the idea." She had to admit, it did seem very 'nice'; there was a lot that separated grunt and agent, so to have a common ground -literally- between them seemed like a good bonding opportunity.  

[Venti Mico]

Lu perked up at KO's reply, standing a little straighter. "I do, um, I do a lot of knitting. I crochet too, but I like knitting more. You tailor? Wow, the only tailor I've known is this old lady, she always stabbed me with pins... o-oh, but uh, I can knit a lot of things, blankets, clothes, pillows, coasters, I made a bag for my mom once... commissions? You think so? I don't know, I've always given everything away. I don't know how to sell things, really..." Lu frowned a little, apprehensive but curious about the idea. People rarely were so interested when he brought up knitting! The idea of a business was kind of exciting, but Lu didn't know how many people in Team Rocket would be interested in it.

"What kind of business were you thinking..?" He asked, head tilted. "Do you get a lot of people that need tailoring, even here?" As long as KO didn't like stabbing people, he was probably good.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Hu, psychology," Aulus agreed, using the term in the manner that most people who knew only a little about it did; that was to mean 'head stuff'. To be fair more educated people largely meant the same only with the prefix of 'complicated'. "And yea, and it stops them from seeing us stumbling half asleep out of our quarters or hearing us singing badly when we're drunk at three in the morning or whatever. Using the same logic, that's probably why they separate us and the Elites from the Executives... well that and the fact that the executives get the push s**t. Did you ever see their floor at the old HQ? It was sodding swanky, I got tiramisu in my ear." Maybe that would be him one day... or not. You never saw executives out in the field, he couldn't stand to be stuck behind a desk all day every day.

"Sooo.... Stairs or lift? Are you okay with your bag?" Given had he large muscles he was happy to volunteer them for his smaller friend if she was struggling at all.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Well there's a lot to be said for giving away, once you cover your basic costs," KO shrugged. "It's nice to do things for people sometimes." Friends - allies were something money couldn't buy half so easily as a little favour. On the other hand... "Tailoring is surprisingly popular," he nodded, flashing a little smile. "Some people want a nice outfit for a date, I get that kind of thing, but a lot of the work I do is alterations; to people's own clothes, and to uniforms to make them a more flattering fit. A dart here, an altered hem there; it can really make the difference between a sack and a suit.

"As for a business, well I'd have to think about specifics but I suppose essentially it would be for people who want to spruce themselves up, or their room, or who want a gift. We're sort of in the same category in people's heads you see," KO tapped his temple, "but I can't do what you can, and you can't do what I can so we'd be... almost a one stop shop for garments and soft decorations and suchlike. To give an example of a good product in your case... humm, well little knitted or crochet hearts? Those would sell well I think, and you could offer a customized version with a name or initial for a higher price. I can help you with price points if you need, it's all a case of working out the cost of your materials and then how to price your time on top of that."  

[Gwennythe]

"Uh. Probably." Tambrey agreed- she didn't think she'd ever really considered being 'drunk at 3 in the morning'; it sounded a bit awkward. Certainly couldn't work in that state... And waking up from it would probably be very nasty.
"Wait, what?" Tiramisu in his ear? "Tiramisu in your ear? How did... Did you have a -fight- on the Executive floor?"
Wait, no, this was... sort of familiar. She wasn't sure why though.

The agent shook her head.
"Either's fine by... Wait. They didn't say the Joltik was near the lifts did they? Because I had enough of electric types and lifts to last a lifetime last year... But, anyway, yes, thanks, I'm fine. If I can throw you, I can carry these," She held up a hand to, prove she could carry them fine, and stall any objection "and, yes, I know that's not -quite- the same set of muscles nor the same activity at all, but I can do it." She grinned "Besides. Hardly anything in these. Heaviest things I saved were a couple of books." Definitely had to replenish the collection...  

[Venti Mico]

Lu looked impressed, thinking about how if he managed to get himself some new clothes he might ask KO to tailor them himself. It was always hard to find something that fit him and made him look alright... the brunet guessed KO must have had a good sized demographic. Lu grinned back, "I guess it might be kind of successful, m-maybe... I think, uh, I think I could try. I think people would be more interested in you though, you seem like... like a good salesman? I'm kind of interested in asking you to tailor something for me, and you're not trying to sell to me... unless you are, in which case, u-um... I guess that means you're really good." Lu laughed, still unsure if he could really be able to sell things. He'd definitely need help. "If you think it would work... and if people like what I make, I guess it would be fun. I guess this makes us partners in business, almost?"

Still happy someone was interested in what he could do, Lu looked forward and finally spotted the door labeled with a 13 that he assumed was their destination. Reaching back into his pocket, he took out his dex and glanced at it. "They said it'll scan these, right? So we just... get close to the door?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus grinned and shrugged. "Carry on then Ms Muscles, and stairs it is." They were close by anyway and he shoved the door open, stepping through and holding it behind him for Tam to catch.

"And you're right," he continued, "the whole story in its most abridged form is this: I was having a s**t day, I ran into Executive Nadja, I called her a communist b***h, she called me up to her office, she gave me Dicord - my Serperior, you know? - he got away, he trashed some offices on that floor, he threw a desk toy into a fish-tank, I caught up with him and tackled him in their cafe, he threw me into the dessert trolley, and then I finally managed to get him back into his pokeball and lock it down while he was drinking a chocolate milkshake." He wouldn't even have considered mentioning the incident with anyone he didn't implicitly trust within earshot but apparently other people were dithering, leaving just him and Tam on this section of the stairs right now. "It was nice up there though, as was the tiramisu I wiped off my face," he concluded with a grin.

______________________

"Hummm, I suppose so?" KO approached the door with his dex in his hand, dealing with the most immediate matter of business first and foremost. Something somewhere went 'beeeep! smile ' - KO was certain that the smiley noise was audible and had to wonder if it was meant to sound that happy - closely followed by a click. "Mmmh?" He pushed the door and it opened without fuss, allowing the pair into a plain room with just a couple of narrow beds and a couple of closets.

"Home sweet home."

Oh well.

KO tossed his suitcase onto the bed on the left, choosing at random as there was no visual difference. "I wasn't trying to sell to you, but I'm glad I have," he smiled as he sat down on the edge of his bunk. "Whatever it is you'd like for a first time commission I can do for you at cost of materials. Roomate's discount, humm? And I wouldn't sell yourself so short! I think you could have a very desirable product line, and a high end item in things like a complete bedspread. A homely comfort against," he waived a hand airily, "these clinical conditions we find ourselves in. How about some drapes from me to imitate curtains? Set some nice warm coloured lamps under those and it might almost feel like natural light."

He could see it now; commissions, cash, new friends... yes this could all work out nicely.

"You can leave the marketing side to me if you like," KO offered as he stretched comfortably and then draped himself just as comfortably on his bunk. "After all business partners should play to one another's strengths!"  

[Venti Mico]

Lu entered the room after KO, looking around and finding it about as bare as he'd expected. He walked up to the second bed, sighing quietly in disappointment. His feet would probably be hanging over the edge; at least he could knit himself some nice warm socks.

"It's cleaner than the last place," he commented hopefully, looking around and finding the room lacked any kind of suspicious mold or strange smell. He sat down on his bed too, grateful for a comfortable seat after the long drive from Ambergris. He'd unpack soon, though he really didn't have a lot with him to unpack. Maybe he could spare a trip to his old home and help liven up the place. "Ah, that's nice of you, thank you! I want to get some new clothes soon, the ones I have have been let out as much as they can be..."

"You know about interior design, too?" Lu asked, reaching up to run his fingers through his ponytail and tug at some snags. Thinking about digging out his brush, he decided to wait until he found the bathroom to get himself cleaned up. "I guess afghans might be popular, I've made plenty of those before... I-I could try quilts, but I'd have to sew by hand, and that's kind of hard... lamps? That seems like a good idea... I don't think we'll be able to get real sunlight. Do you think we could get lamps that are, um... good for plants? I mean, having some plants might make it nicer..?" He had no ulterior motives there at all, none. It wasn't as if he really, really wanted to have plants in his room. Especially not some nice geraniums.

"I'm alright with that. I think I would mess up if I tried the marketing, probably... I almost ruined a school cookie sale once." Lu grimaced at the memory. Yeah, he's be all too eager to leave KO to that kind of thing.  

[Gwennythe]

"Ms Muscles is a terrible superhero.. (or, are we supervillains?).. name... Sounds like a cleaning product." She passed through the door and, as they continued down the stairs, listened to the story with a growing smirk.

"Aha. That... That is an interesting punishment." Tambrey observed. "I don't really think it's worked out all that... effectively... as punishment? You don't seem to mind Discord, unless I'm mis-reading that... Mostly that story's made me want to get some tiramisu in our supplies... Probably a bit pricey though."  

[TawnyAngel]

Kid was young then, he was still growing.

KO simply nodded amiably. "Just let me know, it doesn't take long to do a couple of simple pairs of pants and some shirts. Humm, and I can't claim to be an expert in interior décor but I know what I like. Plants is certainly one thing I enjoy, I'm sure we can get some lamps to help them grow. I'd like some fragrant hardy things; maybe some rosemary and lavender. I'm open to other suggestions too of course, if we start with some plants we'd like we can build the look of the rest of the room around that. So long as it doesn't clash with red." Looking good with red was non-negotiable.

"If we pretend to know what we're talking about, or actually do some research, we could offer a whole room design service," KO observed, arching his back and getting a satisfying little crack for his trouble. "I'm sure there are Agents and even Elites out there who would like to pretend to posses more class than they really do, and who would be willing to buy said class for a fair price."  

[Venti Mico]

Lu had plenty of ideas for the kinds of flowers he'd like around, but the first that came to mind was, "Jasmine, would that go with red? It's white, I think most colours go with white... and it smells nice. Maybe some snake plant? It doesn't have snakes, it helps the air. And chrysanthemums, those are good too, and they come in a lot of colours, I think maybe some devil's ivy or lilies or orchids... that's a lot of plants though, s-sorry..." If it was up to him, he'd have a room full of plants and maybe some small, potted trees too. "...But, does that mean you don't want a lot of green? Green and red would look...festive." Lu wasn't sure he wanted to look like they were celebrating Christmas year-round, himself.

...A room design service, that seemed too ambitious for him. KO must be much more of a go-getter kind of guy than Lu, the idea of something that big was daunting to the brunet. "That seems kind of eager, don't you think..? Maybe we should stick to smaller things first..." Lu was sure he wouldn't do well just selling knitted goods, something bigger than that... if they did something for an Agent, or worse, and Elite, and messed up, what would happen to them? Would they be fired and forced to do trainee work for the rest of their lives? Lu was sure he'd prefer to stick with coasters and cozies for the time being.  

[Tori Honoo]

Riley nodded in understanding to Tambrey's reply, then followed along and waited for each of their group to go up and have their dex scanned. Her attention was reluctantly drawn from the others for the moment as she took out her own and flipped it open, ready to have her information downloaded and registered, and once it was finished, she resumed her observation of the others yet again.

Most of the faces in the room were faces she was at least somewhat familiar with, though she was sure she wouldn't be able to place a name with most. Zacharie, she 'knew', though she couldn't remember the pumkaboo he had with him-- the one that looked incredibly uncomfortable at the moment, though she was sure she couldn't be comfortable at all with a ghost type so close by either... Lu's presence pulled a small smile to her face-- a gentle giant for sure... Another, whose name she hadn't yet been told--maybe she recognized him from the security meeting, back at the old 'base'?-- caught her eye, or more specifically, his pokemon, and she couldn't help but smile a little more brightly at the baby now hanging in the Flareon's mouth. Their trainer seemed pretty intuitive as well, with the suggestions for registering the pokemon... Sensei Aulus... she remembered him, though she was a little confused at his suddenly anxious demeanor as he went to get his room assignment. The other man... Frost? So...stoic? Perhaps that was the wrong word, though his demeanor was oddly fitting for the name...The blonde woman... had she seen her before, too? Very controlled and military-esque. Riley was sure she would be someone who got things done swiftly. Agent status. Hm. Another man... well dressed, something that intimidated her a little more than she would outwardly admit, or even realize in herself. She knew so little about fashion...Kyle--that was the other guy's name, she thought, looking back. Cars. Hm. Sandalwood was nearby? ...Good. Maybe she would have the chance to visit a few familiar places....

A joltik? She listened as questions and information floated about. A small electric type feeding on the new base's energy... That would be an interesting find. She'd be sure to keep an eye out for it as she explored.

The young grunt was jostled from her thoughts as she remembered to move forward and have her own Rocketdex programmed, and she stepped to it, watching as the others dispersed. With her room assignment, she wandered along with the others, deciding to put away her bag-- she didn't own much-- and maybe meet her roommate--because the idea of that after previous experience didn't make her any more anxious. No, not at all-- before trying to find Tambrey once more. She had said something about the training rooms...?

Sliding her bag higher up onto her shoulder, she patted her side. "C'mon Molly... there's no place like home..."