Robert
Hungover from the rush of actually potentionally making a friend, Cassie paraded through the Wisterwood with a giddy step. Eyes on the sky and humming fiercely, she headed straight for Stella's shop. She had much to do, and at the tip of that list was repaying her debt to the Xatu, as soon as she could.

As she sort of burst through the billowing, pink smoke of Stella's Curiosities, she called out, eyes lingering from the doorset figurines to the deep abyss of the back.

"Hello, Stella! I didn't actually try to read the astrolabe yet, but I did map out the Princely Riolu, which was the constellation out last night. So it works perfectly!" She paused. "Are you in?"
Marjorie
*A shop that,*
 *By now,*
 *Needs no introduction,*


*Stella's curiosities was as smokey as ever. On sale today were tacky sticks with inspirational messages, a simple thing, but an effective one to some. You know the type.*
*Before responding to Cassie, she raised a finger-*
 *That is, for someone like her, a feather-*
*And spoke,* "Just a moment, dearie." *Upwards, she stared, a little giddy.*
Ryan
*The other two may have been early birds, one figuratively and one literally, but Sora was nothing of the sort.*

*She normally wouldn't have been awake at this time. But due to the fact she never actually asked the Xatu what time she was supposed to be there at her shop, Sora woke up in a panic and decided that you could never show up to work too early.*

*However, her road to that of Stella's Curiosities was one longer than it should've been.*

*First off, she ended up going to the wrong spot. Sora found herself in the middle of the woods, cursing to the high heavens for her lack of any sense of direction around this dang realm. It was truly a miracle she was able to make it to the market when she did. And even then, the plaza was a lucky find.*

*Sora's joints were extremely tired from running around as much as she did. But she still held out, as not only did she have a job to do, but she was feeling good about the chances of Stella's shop being around here.*

*And then, she saw it. The giant sign that spoke of a familiar name.*

*One final push. Sora knew she had to rush this, or she wouldn't make it. It was all or nothing as the Sylveon dashed through the plaza to the shop in front of her.*

"Stella. Nice to meet you." *Clearly, the Skitty on the side of the path was agitated by something as she talked to the stranger in front of her with gritting teeth.* "Now, what about you, huh-" *As if out of nowhere, her tail was suddenly caught on something. The Skitty yelled out as she was pulled away from the stranger she talked to and fell onto the floor on her side. She then looked to her side and saw as Sora began to tread onward in mid-air, her expression growing more concerned the closer she came to touching the ground.*

*It was like watching a serious tragedy unfold before the Skitty's very eyes. She felt so bad as the Sylveon faceplanted into the ground before her, sliding her way in front of the Xatu's store. And yet, she couldn't take her eyes off it.*

"Hang on a moment, I'll be right back," *The Skitty said as she turned to face the Chimchar she was talking to and ran to bring the Sylveon back on her feet. Sora's ribbons grabbed onto the Skitty's tail as she pulled herself from the ground. To say her face was beaten badly by the floor beneath her was an understatement.*

"I am so sorry." *The Skitty could only stare at the Sylveon's face in horror as she tried giving her a hug. It was like she was going to cry seeing her face in such a poor condition.* "Really, I am."

"It... It's fine. I'll live." *Sora gave something of a thumbs up with her ribbon to the Skitty before she looked to Stella and her curiosities, doing the same with her. The Sylveon's face was stretched out and covered in dirt and blood. Luckily, her eyes were unharmed, but pretty much everything around them weren't.*

"I'm here," *Was all that Sora could say as she panted towards the Xatu, looking to the side and seeing the other Pokémon that she didn't quite register just yet.* "Sorry I'm late. I didn't know how early I was supposed to be here."

*And then, it hit her. Sora stood there as the figure's shape began to come together in her head.*

*Wait... Was that...?*

"CASSIE?! POLLUX?!" *Sora turned to face the Girafarig, shocked before falling apart at the seams.*

*They were headed in the same direction this whole time?! Oh, if only she knew earlier...*

*Meanwhile, the Skitty watched from the sidelines as she pulled out an Oran Berry from her bag.*

"You need one of these?" *The Skitty tapped the Sylveon's shoulder with her tail, then presenting the berry to her.*

"Ah yeah, that'd be great." *Sora sighed while munching on the berry.* "Thanks. Don't let this get to you, by the way. I've been through worse." 

*All that the Skitty could do was scratch her face with the feelers on her tail, doubting her statement. But to say it didn't make her feel a little better about it would be a lie.*

"Well, I gotta go then. I was talking to someone before this, and I can't leave them waiting, you know?" *The Skitty used her tail to gesture to the Chimchar a couple feet away.*

"Oh, I understand. Go on ahead." *The Sylveon held her face with her ribbon while using another to shoo the Skitty away.* "It'll be ok."

*The Skitty nods before running off, asking for the Sylveon's name, to which she willingly gives. She's then seen shouting out another apology and that she hopes to actually see her again under better circumstances.*

*And from there, Sora turns to the Girafarig and the Xatu with her ribbon held high.*

"Don't worry. I can still do the roof, I'm sure."
Robert
Completely bamboozled by Stella's old lady tricks, Cassie stared until she couldn't help but mimic the bird's grin. Hers was toothier and slightly slacked, as though she didn't have a single brain cell dedicated to actually figuring out what was happening.

"I'm going to die," Pollux declared.

Sora entering the store came like a freshly powdered hand to the back of a bald head. Jumping, Cassie turned out, muscles sore from smiling for the better part of an hour.

"Sora! Hell-HUAWH?" Face to face with the batterized moonpie face of the Sylveon, Cassie cringed- which certainly didn't help her muscle probably. "Hold still for a moment!"

Concentrating, she gathered herself and hummed.

```Cassie began a Wish for Sora!```
Marjorie
"This..."
 *, Stella uttered...*
 "Is...
... What I planned. Yes." *She furrowed her brows and pursed her beak, struggling to hide her need to gawk.* "Yes. Of course. I foresaw this. For certain.

"Mmm...

"And it seems as if you've both found a home." *She wandered about the shop, shuffling through her things- pushing aside wooden toys and little hand-painted tarot cards and marbles and alike.* 

 "Yes...

 Hm...

Mm...

You know. You two remind me of when I was a kid." *She pulled out a little box, one with a locked lid. She took it back to the front desk, fiddling around underneath.* "Mm... Those were the days. I used to... Speak to others. Through a sort of psionic network. It was... A tether. One formed by friendship. And that friendship was strong enough to remain, even if we were across the continent from one another.

 But,

We've long since gone our seperate ways. For the first few years, we talked. We were still good friends. But everyone settled down, and once you have a family, you start to talk to friends less and less. And we're still friends, but..."

*Putting the box on the countertop, she pulled out a key, locking it in a hole with a* Click, *A* Thunk, *And pulling the lid off.*
 *Inside...* *Were...*
*... A few enamel pins. She pulled out a set of two- they were identical beveled yellow stars with pink, blue and white ribbons comming off of it- an old award for a long-forgotten pageant.* "These suit you two, don't they?" *She held them up, but she looked relucatant to hand them over...* "I could almost imagine you two as some kind of..."
Ryan
*Sora felt Cassie's wish take hold, her face beginning to look just a little bit better. She thanked her with a smile and a nod, alongside an actual verbal display of her gratitude before looking to Stella and listening to what it was she had to say.*

*It was true that she did have a home by now, which she just so happened to share with the other who was here for a job. Sora snorted, thinking about how this happened to line up so well. Maybe Stella was right about how everything would go her way. Not that she had any reason to doubt her, of course.*

*But that wasn't what she spoke of anymore. Instead, it was about the Xatu's own friendship now. The building of a bond that withered away to time, barely standing as well wishes and wonders of where they were now.*

*It was a relatable thought to the Sylveon. She reminded herself of how she let the other friends in her life fall to the wayside in favor of a single someone.*

*And look where that got her now, huh? It made her a little disappointed with herself, clearly visible by the way she put her head down.*

*And then, she stared intently as Stella pulled out a box and began to open it. Sora was enamored with the pins the Xatu started showing off, the color of the ribbons reminding her of her own. But she didn't say a word, waiting as Stella finished her speech before anything else.*
Robert
When she pulled herself away from fussing over Sora, Cassie found herself absolutely bedazzled by the simple star shape. Despite its simplicity, a million different concepts and questions and passion born *Schemes* Bubbled and boiled. Stella, being ever as hard to follow, had the giraffe captivated.

"Lame," Pollux complained, before being bonked against a shelf.

"Hush," Cassie chided, before scooting closer. "They're really pretty," She said dumbly. "What sort of stars are they?"
Marjorie
"They are show-stars. Not as interesting as a contellation, but..." *She held her arm out, hovering the badge over Sora's shape (from her perspective) to visualize how it'd look on her.* "Mm...

"... Say," *She spoke, hushed to hide her dialogue from a-no-one.* "You two... You two wouldn't happen to exceptionally take to the idea of, say... Going around and helping Pokemon, right? Like some sort of hero-team? Or maybe just a... Rescue.. Squad?

"I was in one. And so was my mother. But me especially." *She coddled the pin close to her chest.* "I could see it. I could see you two doing that." *Her expression darkened to a more neutral one as she considered it.* "Maybe. That would be your choice.

"... But...

"I could do it again. I used to use these, I could... They tend to have personal connections with Pokemon. In a way. In a way that lets psychic-types like myself connect. And..." *As she got a sense of her own nostalgia taking hold, though, she pressed the pins down against her counter and sighed.*

"... Well, I did ask you just for a bit of help around the shop, anywho. Mm." *She deflated, a little, although, her eyes were searching the two for a reaction.* "And that sort of work doesn't tend to pay the bills. Uhm, right, the roof- ah, do you two want to do that today?" *She feigned entusiasm for the subject.*
Ryan
*Sora's eyes widened, a feeling of dread creeping up behind her. She felt like a fool for not realizing it sooner. The world was always in danger. And the world always needed its heroes no matter where the Sylveon went, huh?*

*Clearly badges and pins were always a sign of that, even if these ones happened to wing-formed. After all, the one Sora used to wear had a certain motif to it. And if the actual badges made for "Hero squads" Were anything like that, they probably had a similar one with wings and a circle with a line and another circle in the middle.*

*Sora knew of rescue teams and those who were explorers that would do good things for the sake of other Pokémon. It was something she used to do way back when, after all. But could she really do something like that again? The Sylveon wasn't entirely sure of such.*

*Hero work ended up being the catalsyt for... A lot of things in her life. Her changing opinion on it, more specifically. And now, here she was, being told about it by the first person she got to know around Fey. And not just that, but to be asked by her to join a team.*

*So much for running from her past, yeah?*

*Well, she would get there when she got there, Sora guessed. The topic changed and now, she had a roof to start cleaning.*

"Well, it's why I'm here, after all." *Sora used her ribbon to point to herself, then looked over to Cassie.* "I can get it done while the morning is nice. What are you here to do for her, anyway?"
Robert
"Hm?" Cassie veered her head towards Sora, rather puzzled for a moment. Visions of stars and heroism and speckles of greatness clouded her mind, if only for a second, and realization hit like a truck when she recalled her purpose for being around. "Oh, I'm not sure yet. I don't do really well on roofs, though. Ladders are hard."

She turned back towards Stella, her brows furrowed in consideration.

Pollux blinked, though. He ran his tongue over his teeth, before tugging this way and that.

"Invite Sora to a squad!"

"Um." Flushing, Cassie rounded back onto Stella. "No, uh, what do rescue squads do? Just... Rescue people?"
Marjorie
*Stella turned her focus to Sora and responded,* "She's just going to help around a bit. I don't know all too much- maybe just a chore or two." *She spun a finger-feather around, somewhat scolding herself with how not-so-subtle she was about hinting with rescue squads and all. In a way, it was kind of pathetic, how subtle she tried to make it- but she didn't worry too much about it, because there's no future where her regret was worthwhile.*

"Don't worry about ladders. I'll just teleport you two up there. And, when you're done... Tap on that dome up there," *She stated, pointing to the glass dome ceiling,* "And I'll teleport you back down.

"And don't worry too much about rescue squads. They're... An older thing. An old tradition. They don't really exist anymore." *She lowered her head.* "Maybe for good reason..."
Ryan
"Oh, you're doing it too, Cassie?" *Sora smiled as she looked to the Girafarig.* "Well, I would definitely appreciate the help."

*Plus, the convenience of teleportation sounded nice. At first Sora would've said no to it, since didn't think she would have a tough time climbing a ladder. What, with the assistance of her ribbons and all. But, that was when she assumed Cassie would be doing something else while she cleaned the roof alone. And now that she knew the two of them would be doing it together, that might have been the best tactic for them.*

*As for the rescue squad thing, in a way, that made sense to Sora. It reminded her of how she didn't get paid very much for all the dangerous work she did back in her home continent. Not many of those who put in missions were wealthy enough to put good bounties. They had tended to be honest people who could afford to keep themselves and their families going, with not much room for anything else.*

*It was mainly a job done for the glory and the good of it. The dream of being somebody special.*

*But just dreams don't tend to buy you breakfast, or keep you physically going in any other way. That was probably why they weren't around too much now, and explained Stella's need for those makeshift pins.*

*Sora clapped the ribbons from her chest together before starting to wake up her muscles, seeing Stella before again looking to Cassie.* "Alright then! I'm ready to go at it when you are, Cassie!"
Robert
Star-crossed and lost in a ditch somewhere, Cassie nodded vaguely to Sora.

"Uhm, yeah, okay..."

-

When they reached the roof, Cassie remained vacant, gone in a ravine that was much bigger than before, one that kept growing as though the world itself broke and died like a pot pie being murdered by a fork.

She looked to the sky, completely out of place as a Girafarig covered in clothes on a rooftop.

Luckily, her stupor didn't last forever. Before she spoke again, Pollux commented.

"Uh, it's stupid," He said, squinting. "You're not capable enough, anyways."

"Wow," Cassie obliviously breathed. "I didn't even think things like that *Could* Exist." This was not a hill she was leaving. "Pokémon dedicated to good like that... I think. I bet they get to go to all sorts of places. I bet they have a lot of *Friends*. I wonder if there are any open groups around here?

"Ohh, I bet people like that go places. They could reach the *Stars*." Cassie wiggled her nose as she looked a bit sluggishly to the ground. "Hm."
Ryan
*Reaching the roof, the Sylveon listened to every word the Girafarig said. But she didn't have much to reply with as she dumped her rag into the bucket, then brought it out and began to wipe down her spot.*

*Yeah, sure. It was fun for a little bit. Then, you keep on doing it and realize you're being beaten down to what little you can live as almost every day. And when that wasn't the case, you were off doing things you were too good for. The pay wasn't even worth it, no matter which road you take.*

*It separates you from the friends you had, and the family you loved until all that was left of you were your strongest parts and wounds. Some of which that had yet to heal, even. But all of that was fine for the sake of a dream, huh?*

*Dreams... Being someone... Sora couldn't imagine the desire for such a thing anymore.*

*Though, there was no way she would try to bring Cassie down with all that. As she began cleaning the roof, the Sylveon nodded along while making empty affirmations of the Girafarig's speech of hero work, her ribbon mindlessly pushing the rag back and forth as if her mind were somewhere else entirely.*
Robert
For the first time, Cassie focused on the actual roof. Slogged to the brim with mucky black leaves rotted and killed and tattered as top decking tended to get. It served as the sort of death and decay she feared, the end of a path lacking ambition.

With a psychic grip, she gathered a blob of the smog and tossed it to the brush before gathering another helping. The more she cleaned the more she obsessed over the fact that this wasn't enough.

With a snorting breath, she stomped her foot against a shingle.

"I'm going to do it," She declared. "When I'm done paying for my astrolabe, I'm going to join a team like that!" She posed brilliantly, the shine of the largest star of all right behind her.

"No, you won't," Pollux said.

Cassie grumbled and returned to roofing.

"Why aren't they around still, seriously?"
Ryan
*Well, considering Sora hadn't lived here all her life, she wouldn't know what went wrong with the teams of this continent. So she shrugged in response to Cassie's question, still spaced out when it came to the work as she scrubbed out an especially difficult stain in the glass. It was clear regarding that topic, she didn't have a lot to say.*

*Though, Sora's ears did perk up at another thing. An astrolabe, it was called? She never heard of anything like that before, and felt chances were good it may have been related to her Uranography. Whatever it ended up being, she was curious to learn more.*

"Wait, you're trying to get an astrolabe?" *The Sylveon began focusing on leaving the roof sparkling just a little bit better now.* "What is that, exactly?"
Robert
"Oh, I have the astrolabe, technically," Cassie replied. Unable to scrub with her Psychic, she continued to peel trash and leaves from the wood. "Stella had it before, but I didn't have enough to pay for it. I don't usually run into that problem because I work for trade with what I want. Well, actually, I think I'm doing that now.

"Uhm, so Stella started a tab for me, and I'm doing these jobs to pay that off," She finished, nodding.

"Astrolabes are tools used to chart stars- they revolve around a planetary body and you can move the rings to represent points. So you lock it in place, chart a star and then repeat the process. Apparently, Stella thinks this one has a secret message on it, but I haven't really looked yet."
Ryan
*So, that's why she was here to meet Stella...*

*Sora absorbed Cassie's talk of the astrolabe, and chuckled to herself when she said she thought she was working for trade right now. Now that she had explained what it was, it kind of seemed like something the Xatu would have lying around. Of course, Sora figured, too that it may have been something involved in Cassie's work.*

*And what was this about a secret message? That especially had the Sylveon curious, but since neither of them knew anything about it, she didn't feel inclined to ask more.*

"That's pretty interesting. I can really tell that you love what you do." *Sora stated as she continued to scrub the roof, this time moving onto another spot as she did what she could with the one she was on before.*
Robert
Back into the thick of roof cleaning, Cassie committed all manners of crime; scrubbing, rubbing, levitating, hooping (if one considered launching globs of ceiling snot to the earth below a sort of basketball) and she even spent some time *Humming*. Her melody was a muted sort, with no particular song in mind. Busy noise, for busy work.

They busted a dent in the roof's shell of grime rather quickly, and at some point during it, Cassie spoke again.

"Ah, Sora? Can you tell me some of the things that you love to do?"
Ryan
*Cassie seemed to be enjoying herself, thought Sora as she hears her humming. There wasn't any noise coming from the Sylveon as she worked, meanwhile. She was more of the type to think to herself than let out a tune as she did her duties. It was a habit she sort of learned to grow out of during her hero work, what with her partner at the time always having something to say about it.*

*And then, Sora is brought out of her trance the moment Cassie speaks up and asks her question.*

*The Sylveon looks to the Girafarig, slightly confused at what she said. Though, it wasn't her being appalled at the mere thought of being asked such a thing. Rather, she was starting to grow concerned at the fact she didn't have a real answer.*

*Nowadays, she was so focused on surviving to have anything close to a hobby. And even before things changed, she only ever followed the lead of her partner. Sora supposed that the best thing to reply with was her true and total honesty.*

"Not really." *Sora kept at washing the roof, her gazed fixed on the grime as she began to speak.* "There isn't anything to talk about with me."
Marjorie
*Stella was a trusting old woman, for as old and experienced as she was, and she had faith the two were hard at work- but that didn't mean they weren't pushing themselves too hard, so she decided to visit of her own accord.*

*Up she teleported, to the roof, with a tray with a couple of cups of water.* "She's quiet," *Stella spoke to Cassie, holding the tray out. She presumed someone like her could just lift the cup with her lips- some Pokemon simply had more versatile lips than others, and she guessed that Girafarig was in that group.* "She doesn't say much. She may not say a lot, 

 but.
 
 She thinks a lot.

It's mysterious. Reserved. Her shell is a little lonely." 

*Stella moved to Sora, kneeling and extending the tray with the remaining cup of water.* "Sometimes I feel like I get to know Pokemon, by looking at their future and past

But...

Sometimes, I feel like I don't get to know the real 'them'. Only who they might have been, who they will be, who they could have been... Sorry if I'm a little judgmental, sweetie." *Her smile was apologetic.*
Robert
Rather than lift the cup with her lips, she plucked it to the air with a psychic, gingerly sending it to her lips and drinking. Solemnly staring into the rippling water after, Cassie's frown grew heavier.

"That's just... So sad, isn't it? You don't have anything you care about?" Cassie asked, watching as Stella gave the Sylveon water.
Ryan
*Sora looked over to Stella, surprised to see her up on the roof with the both of them. She saw the tray of cups cusped within her wings and nodded, giving the Xatu thanks and smiling politely as her ribbon took one and the water began to touch her lips.*

*It was very refreshing, was all she could think regarding it. But it was drinking water, of course that would be the case. Sora also assured Stella that it was fine. She really never saw it that way, either.*

"Well, I don't think I can feel bad about something I never had, you know?" *The Sylveon began to go on, now that she realized she were the one who was in the middle here.* "I've never quite had a hobby or a dream that I wanted to accomplish, even when I was young. And I was doing well enough for a good while without them."

*If anything, dreams to her were simply trouble. Sora felt she was better off not aspiring for much. Especially more than what she could find. Giving was more her route, it seemed.*
Marjorie
"... Never cared about anyone? That can't be true, dearie." *She shook her head.* "You're too nice to have never cared about anyone. Or anything.
 Ho hum. I'm not even sure I believe you.
Maybe you're the sort of Pokemon who cares,
 but doesn't like to think they do."

*She sat down on the side of the roof, leaning back over the edge precariously.* "But who am I to say? Some Pokemon call that enlightenment. To not be attached to this world. Some say it's spiritually fulfilling- a preparation for death- to pass on without any burdens."
James
"Do you truly not care for anything," Cassie started. "Or did you care about something once, and got hurt for doing so?" Her ears twitched as she took a step forward, having already suctioned the water through the valley of her tongue.

"When I ran away- When I first came to Fey, I was really young. I think that I thought I was going to die. I know that I thought no one was ever going to love me again; Had anyone loved me in the first place?" She looked to the stars, as she always had during times of deep thought.

"No," Pollux was quick to reply, enjoying his newfound reserve of water.

"No, I think. And I don't think it's in my stars to really be... Loved, right? But... I can still be happy, because on the first week after running away, I got the chance to really help someone. And they helped me. They gave me books about space!

"So, I don't think I've been cared about, before, but I still feel bad about it, for others. Because pokémon shouldn't have to feel that way. Not when there are those who care around.

"So! While I'm around, I'll just have to help you! We can figure out something you'd love to do," Cassie finished, with a big ol' dumb smile.
Ryan
*...Was that really what her response came off as?*

*Sora's eyes went from looking to Stella, then Cassie, then back to the roof. The Sylveon didn't realize how bad it sounded out loud, even now. She honestly believed it was just her dreams they were talking about. She didn't really think it was a bad thing not to have a dream.*

*Because, of course she cared about people at one point before all this. There were her parents, who despite having a rocky relationship with for a good while, felt as if she made up with them before she decided she could never see them again. Then there were her other friends while despite acting more like acquaintances around them, she had a mutual bond of respect with whenever they would occasionally hang out. Then, she distanced herself from each of them, but that feeling of respect is still there all the same.*

*And then, there was him. The one that she defended for as long as she could remember. He who she would've gave her life for, had he only been willing to do the same.*

*But she didn't want to talk about him. And if saying she loved before meant bringing him up in any capacity, she would've rather they came to the conclusion that she didn't love at all.*

*It clearly wasn't true, but it was easier on her heart than getting into that mess.*

"Well, thanks, Cassie." *Sora finished wiping down another spot and stepped aside from Stella to focus on the one away from her.* "But I'll be ok. Some just don't have big dreams to strive for. And that's fine, you know?"
Marjorie
"I wish I had my pipe right now," *Stella though out loud to herself. She kind of felt like she needed that horribly dense air flowing through her lungs, or her hands would start to shake a little.*

*Looking over to Cassie, she spoke flatly,* "Mm. Pollux... I know you want to 'help' Sora here, but I don't think she's looking for any right now. 

 That's a lesson that's not fun to learn.

Especially when a Pokémon feels apathetic, you can't make them take your help.
 If they don't want something changed, then before anyone else can help them...
 They have to help themselves.
 Just a little, of course...
They have to reach out and ask for it.

 But.

If they really don't think anything is wrong, then it'll come off as you trying to change who they are, mm? There's a stark difference between 'depression' and 'apathy'."

*She turned her head over to Sora.* "You remind me of someone.
 I know of a mother, about your age,
 She took care of three eggs, and not a hobby to herself.
She was quite full of stress, even if she said she was fine.
 She took pride in how hard she made motherhood for herself.
 She'd emphasize how 'this was just how life was' with a smile on her face.
 She was a nice enough mother, but she didn't seem very happy.

But, she was quite stubborn, so things never changed for her. 
 I think being stubborn can be good
 but
 that's only if you find yourself challenged..."
James
Initially pleased, Cassie bobbed her head to Sora's praise. She made to say something, a thought clearly on her lips, when the Xatu spoke.

Cassie blinked, lowering herself a bit. She seemed to... Scowl at Stella's rampant name misinformation, and instead turned away to feign continued cleaning. Intent or not, she found the grandma's words chiding, demeaning, somehow.
Ryan
*Sora took in the words of the Xatu. Regardless, she didn't know what to say about it. She wasn't enjoying being compared to another though, no matter how close they seemed to be.*

*So, the Sylveon stayed silent. She kept her ribbon on the roof as a way to distract herself. It was tough, because a part of her wanted to say something. Especially considering she was being called apathetic, which she didn't feel was the right thing at all. But she kept her mouth shut, worried something would come out of her that she didn't mean if she spoke.*

*Because the truth was obviously that Sora didn't want to lay her burden down on either of them. Mainly Cassie, at a time where only now she felt they could call each other friends. Even with her noticing the Girafarig's clear desire to help her find something of her own, she couldn't possibly ask for her assistance with such a thing.*

*Maybe when they were closer with each other, later on down the line.*
Marjorie
*Stella looked a little aloof at the moment, not quite sure if the dead silence was the young'ns drinking up her wisdom, or if she said something to offend them. It sank in after a bit, though, as she coughed into her wing.* "... Ahem. Anyhow. I think you two have done a wonderful job on the roof thus far." *She walked around a bit, mellowing about what she just said. But it wasn't bad, right? There's no way. She considered scrying to see just what implication what she said had- but, she'd absolutely cause a paradox if she did.*

"Forgive me if I'm... A little out of touch." *That was the hard part. Trying to say the right thing without knowing what happens next.* "Next, though, if you could, could you move some old stuff out of the basement? I've got some things gathering dust in there, and I think I aught to just sell them already. You can even help price it out..." *She clasped her wings together, painfully tearing through the mood she created with an unnaturally at-ease smile.*
James
"I think I'm in need of a break, actually," Cassie said, stretching her back and peering unto the ever-far void of the ground below. Her legs had started to get shaky and weird. "Just for a bit, please?"

Everything seemed to lag, for Cassie, and she firmly decided that rooftop busywork was *Not* For her, not in the slightest.
Ryan
*Sora, meanwhile, appreciated the compliment from Stella and was determined to get this roof done. Even if Cassie went off on a break, the Sylveon was willing to stay up here to see it through.*

"It's alright," *Sora replied to Stella, looking to the ceiling with a smirk while her ribbon moved the rag back and forth.* "That sounds fine with me, after I finish this."
Marjorie
*With Sora finishing her work until she was satisfied, and Cassie needing to clear her head- it was a modest awkward wait for the Sylv to finish before Stella teleported the two back inside.*

*Cassie had done as she may, go on her walk, but Stella wasn't all too attentative to her whereabouts. She temporarily closed shop- as she does about noontime, for a smoke and lunch break- and went downstairs, gesturing for Sora and Cassie to follow, when she returned.* 

*Her basement was dingy*
 *Dust and stuff mingy*
*And had the elegance of bare brickwork on the walls. Wooden planks bent to the dirt beneath, the building not quite meant for the pressures of this world; even if the lone, gargantuan support log in the center said otherwise.*

*Strewn about were all sorts of uncommon things-*
*Bags,* *Little dolls,* *Beads and glass crystals and semi-precious stones-* 
*But perhaps the star of the show was a*
*Neatly*
*Lined *
*Up*
*Array of evolutionary items, from fire stones and dusk stones to auspicious armors to even an etheral reaper cloth, which flickered and flew in the ambient breeze of the room.*
"Hmmm... What to sell today...?"
James
A walk was a gift granted from the heavens, able to cure even a man who had spent his morning in the deep pits of a dumpster's stomach, covered in the acids of a half eaten hotdog. It helped Cassie much the same and when she came back she was chipper and sunny!

"Sorry about that, Sora! Stella! I just really don't think I like-" The realization that they were embarking into an all encompassing cellar dawned on her. Utter dread, infinite pain and just *Sadness* Wore her down. "Cleaning."

She followed them down, of course, the last in the line.

"I hate this," Pollux declared.

"Actually, would you happen to have tasks for me in the town, like last time?" Cassie eventually asked Stella, her hope a midafternoon loiterer selling girl scout cookies.
Ryan
*Stella's basement was in fact, a sight to the Sylveon.*

*Granted, it wasn't a terrifying one, even after noticing just how dark it was. But she knew that she had her work cut out for her. This was a place which was badly in need of cleaning...*

*As she stepped inside and began to let curiosity get the better of her, Sora looked around at the pretty sight of all the fascinating items to be seen. They were all very interesting, and she had no doubt that all of it together was extremely expensive. But even out of everything here in this basement, Sora couldn't help but stay affixed on the stones which were used to evolve.*

*The Sylveon nodded, rather pleased with seeing them especially. She knew that at one point, she could've used a couple of them. But whether or not she would have was a discussion for another day.*

*Probably.*

"So, you said that we're just cleaning this place up, right? Then we start figuring out what to sell?" *Sora turned back to face Stella, making sure that her questions reached the Xatu out of the other two who were here.*
Marjorie
*Stella shook her head at Sora's and Cassie's assertion.* "Oh, haha, no, we're not cleaning this place out." *She walked around a few boxes, opening the lid up and revealing a trove of dream catchers.* "I've just got so much stuff here, but I don't know what to sell. I can't keep all of it up there, you know.

There's this... Weird pattern.
 Sometimes, you put things 
One right
Next to
The other
 And Pokemon like that just a bit more.

This place isn't that dirty." 
 *But it was.*
"But, you two seem pretty young, so... What's popular with those Pokemon nowadays? I've got my stuff, but sometimes, I don't sell that much.
 Some Pokemon just don't seem to be in love with 'mystic' things...
 Some Pokemon like to buy things together...
 Like, 'incense and candles'...
I try changing my stock every so often, but, I've only got so much space..." *She tilted her head up to look to the two. Er, three.* "I want an outside perspective."
James
"You're looking for perspective?" Cassie wiggled her ossicones as she drank in a different flavor of the room before her. Things were suddenly looking up, though rather than go for the evolutionary stones, she went for an agate of sorts.

"I think a lot of people find crystals pretty. And you can probably put up anything violet- it's such a good color. Are these bags sturdy? How much can you fit in them?"

She rummaged around a bit, leaving the shelf of evolutionary cheat codes in Sora's care.
Ryan
"An outside perspective, huh..." *Sora talked to herself while she looked at the stones, making sure not to actually touch any of them. As for not cleaning the basement, she wasn't complaining. If that wasn't in the cards, it was merely less work to handle.*

"Well, I say make the selection as diverse as possible," *Sora spoke while moving along to take a look at everything there was in store.* "That way, you can grab the attention of more folks."

*That was her perspective on it, at least. She's never been a shopkeeper, or anything of the sort, so she really wouldn't know what was best. But, it was the best idea she could come up with. So, she supposed it'll do.*
Marjorie
*Stella walked along the wall of the room, eyes glazing over not-so-distant memories.* "I have violet. There are violet crystals- crystals as in glass crystals, the refined and pretty kind. Some crystal glasses, some pretty stones." *She reached down into one of the boxes and pulled up a mini-obelisk of glass, a beautiful deep amethyst- about the size of my arm. She shivered under the weight, but before she dropped it, she settled it back down into the box.* "I also have some amethyst, and some geodes... Oh, so many geodes! Have you seen my geodes?"

*Missing the question about the bag, she took some time to respond to Sora while she tried to figure out which box she had her rocks in.* "Diversity... Hm... Maybe you're right. Sometimes I sell most of the same stuff... I fret that no one nowadays wants to buy something like a leaf stone or..." *She held up an Eviolite.* "... This... Thing? Kids nowadays don't fight as much! And I think that's swell. But..." *She twirled the stone in her hands.* "... I wouldn't know."

*Cassie could probably find all sorts of weird stuff just looking around. Sora, well, looking at the stones, she'd see it was a complete collection. Every stone, neatly placed inside its own wooden-and-glass casing... A display box, and a pristine gift box.*

*Stella held up a sizeable geode the size of a fist. Teal-and-orange crystals glittered within.* "Ah! Here's one. They're real precious. I get a good deal, because I buy them from miners. Straight from the... Mine. This one, I think, is good for soothing energies."

*Stella, of course, had realized something that she had forgotten to do later today.* "Cassie, I've nearly forgot, but can you deliver a letter for me? It's... Simple tax whatnot." *She gestured upstairs.* "It's underneath the counter... To the side of my keys, where I take the orders- the register. Mind dropping it off at the town hall?"
James
Cassie perked up, pulling away from her rogue gem inspection to inspect the stairs leading up to salvation. 

"Oh, sure!" She smiled, wiggling her ears as she trotted inwards.

"Finally, freedom!" Pollux cheered.

"I'll be back, Sora, Stella!" And then there she went, up those stairs!
Ryan
*And so, Sora watched from the sidelines as Cassie went off to the light to send that mail. She could very much tell the Girafarig was ecstatic about not being down in the basement anymore. She nodded in understanding, though at the sight. It was clear when they entered that she did not enjoy being in the basement very much.*

"Well, that just leaves the two of us, then," *Sora said nonchalantly to Stella while she began to stretch, with the two ribbons hanging from the bow on her neck pushing outwards together as if they were cracking the knuckles underneath.* "But that's fine. We'll be fine. This really doesn't seem like too much to handle."
Marjorie
*Stella nodded along, waddling over to Sora's side as she looked over the evolutionary stones.* "I have all kinds of stuff... Too much stuff... Once, I tried to sell something called 'heavy rotation glasses'. Supposedly, they help you in a fight-" *A niche mystery dungeon item that raises critical hits for repeated moves.* "- but some Pokemon came in and told me no one uses glasses in a fight anymore. Well, except for choice glasses, but..."

*She dusted off a box to the side of the stones, opening it up.* "I only have a few, anyhow. I'm not sure I could put them all together and sell them like that... People always say they look tacky... And, I've forseen that they don't get sold for a while... But, I'm inclined to try anyways.

"But, that's a little less mysterious..." *She turned to Sora.* "What do you think?"
Ryan
*Heavy Rotation Glasses...*

*There were a lot of crazy things to find in a Mystery Dungeon. Sora knew that pretty well. But even then, she had never heard of anything like those before. And she understood why they weren't a popular choice in combat. After all, they ran the risk of breaking pretty easily in a fight, right?*

*At least, that was her rationalizing of it.*

"Yeah. It wouldn't hurt to put them out there, anyway," *Said the Sylveon as she kept her focus on the box of specs.* "I mean, you don't foresee someone stealing them, at least."
Marjorie
"I wish I could simply see that sort of thing. But, as always,

 that which I see cannot be changed,
 and to make change, I must not see.

Sometimes, I deliberately do not look into the future, so that I may act of my own free will.

It's quite... Scary." *She picked up a box with an oval stone and dusted it off.* "Would you see the future, if that meant you couldn't change it?"
Ryan
*Oh, she didn't actually look into the future in that moment. It was just a guess validated by other opinion. Sora chuckled nervously when she realized, glad that she could easily hide what she said as a joke if asked about it.*

*She completely forgot how much looking into the future meant to Stella. Truthfully, the way Sora saw it, whatever happened was always going to be. As much as she liked the thought of being in control of her own fate, the ability to see into the future was possible for a reason. And sometimes, going against destiny was only what would inevitably set it in motion.*

*At the end of the day, she did agree about the topic of seeing the future early. She couldn't help but feel simply waiting for a moment she'd know would happen to arrive would be very draining. It'd suck the life out of the journey to that point. That was what living was all about, after all.*

*And even if somehow, in some way that foreseen future could be changed, there had to be a lot of determination involved to do something like that. Unfortunately, Sora did not have too much right now. She didn't feel like thinking about this much more, either. Her thoughts about it felt all over the place, already.*

"Well... I see where you're coming from," *Sora nodded, then turned to see the stone in the box.* "What's that? It looks a bit plain."
Marjorie
*Stella was staring off, a little worried about what Cassie must be thinking about her at the moment;*

But then, 
 she remembered all the times she got worked up over other people's feelings; 

And 
 how things worked out in the end; 

And 
 how, as long as you keep a good spirit, anything can be made for the better. 

*And then she wasn't quite so worried.*

"This is a special stone."
 *She took it out and handed it to Sora.* 
"But, it is a very plain stone.
 It looks like an egg.
That's part of why it's special.

It's rather mundane, don't you think?
 But,
 there's a mystique to somethings.

 Like,

If I gave you a trinket and said it was special, it would feel significant. And yet, it feels like Pokémon take something like... Say, a Pecha scarf, and think nothing of it. Nothing of its... Mystique. Nothing of how it works."
Ryan
"It might be from how commonplace they are," *Sora replied as she kept herself affixed to the egg-like stone in her paw. To the Sylveon, it felt somewhat soft to the touch, as if it had been hard-boiled. And Sora could swear that she sees it shine, even in the darkness of the basement.*

*She was a little giddy about getting it handed to her by Stella, especially at the thought of it being a gift. But before she could thank the Xatu, Sora wanted to keep the conversation rolling before they lost track. She was probably just giving it to her to hold onto for now, anyway. The Sylveon felt it best to be humble, and not jump to conclusions just yet.*

"It's easy to take it for granted when already, it's a part of the lives of so many. But they are pretty interesting, for sure."

*A scarf that protected one from poison sickness, and similar things like it, were truly a pleasure of this world. Especially to Sora, because she had nothing of the sort on her. And maybe, somewhere out there, they didn't have anything of the caliber either.*

"Yeah. The bonds we form with things really make them bigger than they are. Especially to those we might hand them down to," *Sora then takes the stone from her paw with her ribbon, handing it back to Stella.* "Here you go, by the way. Thanks for letting me hold it. It felt nice."
Marjorie
"Sometimes, I see what could have been. I don't regret much, but..." *She looks the empty box over wistfully, gently rubbing its edges and imagining it filled with other things.*

 *At first, her intent wasn't to give the egg to Sora. After all, she couldn't get the sense that the Sylveon would want such a plain stone; and yet, they way she held it...* "You know,

They say that stone is a symbol of motherhood.

 It's valued by Happiny, who use it to evolve,

But,

 some Pokémon hold onto it because they value a sense of family,

Sometimes, in platonic relationships."

*She refused the stone back, letting Sora keep it.* "Some Pokémon may not strictly need something, but that makes it no less valuable to them. And, 
 one of the blessings of being a merchant, 
 is that you can connect someone with something special."

*She looked away.*

"Don't think too hard about it, though."
Ryan
*Sora was, again looking to the stone after Stella refuses to take it back. It was clear she was getting a little emotional over it as she listened to he talk about it. Of all the things for this single stone to represent, the thought of motherhood being one of them never came to her.*

*The Xatu might not have known it, but family was a very sensitive topic to Sora. In a good way, for the most part. After all, the closest thing to a dream she had was to settle down and live a life with a family that she happened to build for herself. And this seemed to tie into that, in a way. She couldn't help but wonder if this was a sign to say that was the way things were headed here. And if that was truly the case, then her future really was something to look forward to.*

"I-" *Sora chortled, putting the stone away in her pocket before she happened to look at it too much. She refused to wipe her eyes with her ribbons despite them feeling as if they were to tear up, as to not make it more obvious that this was getting to her.* "Thank you. I'll... Try not to, then." *Despite the fact she says otherwise, Sora was going to think about this very hard. A lot harder than she already did, even.*
Marjorie
*Stella, feeling a sort of pride in Sora's reaction- more to how she seemed to dazzle at the description of the stone than her actual response- turned her head away with a all-too-humble smile.* "Please, Sora, be careful with that thing. Motherhood is a big responsibility..." *She chortled back before closing the box up.*

"Let's just change out some of the stuff up front, hm? We'll take down the paintings and replace them with a few of these older battle... Evolution items. That'll add a bit of variety to this place."
Ryan
"Yeah, I'm sure. I'll be a good mother to it, trust me," *Sora replied, chuckling while assumedly keeping the joke rolling.*

*From there, the Sylveon would follow the Xatu's lead. She nodded along, listening to what it was that needed to be taken care of before going ahead and getting it done with her.*

*It may have been mere minutes, a half an hour, or even one of them before the task at hand was finished. After all, it really wasn't too much stuff to take care of. Just varying the wares, as Stella happened put it.*

*As the paintings were being moved and on their way to being replaced, however, Sora couldn't help but take a look at them and be thoroughly impressed with their designs. While holding onto them with her ribbons, she was especially fancied with one of a sunset, bubbles, and a beach. The Sylveon was tempted to ask for one, but refrained when she realized how much of a hassle it would be to take back to the quarters she shared with Cassie.*

*Maybe some other time, though it would be worth it.*

"Well, that was easy," *Sora stated as she wiped her brow, then turning over to Stella.* "You know, I wonder when Cassie's coming back from sending off that mail."
James
Cassie and Pollux took a great deal longer to return to Stella's shack largely in part due to still not at all understanding the layout of the town. She took her time, too, stretching her legs and enjoying the sun up and away from a dusty basement. Everywhere else was free of that never-ending pink smoke, which meant everywhere else smelled *Good*.

Alas, she wasn't one to shirk work, and she eventually returned to the shop.

"Stella! Sora! I'm back!" She clopped down into the basement, slowly poking her long head from around the corner. "Are you two doing alright?"
Marjorie
*No matter her hate, no matter her olfactory resistances, the pink smoke just*
 *Barreled*
 *And*
 *Barreled*
 *And*
 *Plumed*

*From the doorway, although more mildly, as she stopped her smoking to move boxes around, as a good smoker does.*

*The paintings Sora got to pack away were varied in subject, although the artists probably came from a small pool. Of note was one painting, an Alakazam, one who had used a knife and splayed his guts wide open , which were colored like the galaxy, with tones of blue and purple and white stars and specs much like the real night sky.*

*Stella didn't answer Sora's question, seeing that Cassie's presence answered it for her. Instead, she focused on lining up evolutionary stones, one by one, in a neat row where the paintings once were.* "Just touching these,
Setting
Them
Out
And
Lining 
Them
Up,
Makes fate blow open a little. 
 Something like evolution,
I've seen many Pokémon be skeptical about it before, 
And that sort of decision, based on whim, it
Branches fate quite easily."

*She looked to Sora, then to Cassie.* "I think that's about all the help I need today, young'ns. It's about half the day, but, we've gotten quite a bit done..." *She tilted her head up as she headed to the front counter.* "Does 1,600, each, sound fair, for that? That's the normal rate for this kind of work, I think..." *Considering it was past noon, it was no small amount of work.*
Ryan
"Hey, Cassie! Good to see you!" *The Sylveon averted her gaze from the Xatu over to the arriving Girafarig.* "So, how was everything on your end?"

*Sora then looked up to the sky, realizing just how late it happened to get. It was certainly not the morning in which she arrived in, anymore. And with that, she couldn't help but wonder just what exactly it was which made time pass by so fast.*

*Sora began to think about it, letting Stella talk about pay as she put her head down to concentrate. The roof taking a good while felt like it made sense. But did moving everything to the front REALLY take just as long?*

*How long did it take to move stuff around, exactly? And considering Cassie left at the same time, how much time was really needed to send a letter, too? It was a head-scratching conundrum, but one that was made irrelevant the moment Stella pulled out the Poké.*

*1,600?! Sora's ears perked at the sound of it. She complely forgot she was getting paid for this at all, and had been completely willing to do it for free this whole time!*

*Anything to pass the time here worked for her. Though, since this offer now stood on the table, who was she to say anything of it?*

"Oh, really?" *Sora's direction turned to that of the counter, a wide smile shining radiantly on her face.* "Yeah! That sounds good to me!"
James
"Hi, Stella!" Cassie greeted, filing more solidly into the room. "It went okay! It's really nice outside, now." She looked around, inspecting the room and it's many changes since she was there, feeling stuffy.

"1,600!?" Exclaimed Cassie, who had just finished regarding the neatly organized evolutionary stones. Such powers were beyond her, both mentally and in theory- she didn't even know how many pokemon *Could* Evolve. "That's- All of my loan! Are you sure?"

Despite her uncertainty, her fat grin never left her face as so looked between the shopkeeper and Sora.

"OoohHhh... 600 Poke... That'll buy groceries for a... Year! At least!"

"We're RICH!" Pollux cheered and for once, Cassie was inclined to agree.
Marjorie
*Stella furrowed her brows.* "How much do kids like you make nowadays...? You know that's not a lot, right?" *She then blanked out, mind elsewhere.* "I remember getting my first pay. Ah... My first real pay, I mean... Working as a rescue ranger, you learn to be self sufficient, and it builds character, but you don't make a lot... Just stopping down, and selling things... Sometimes, you can sell hundreds of things in a day. Apples, TMs...

"Don't get too used to money, though, sweethearts." *She went behind the register and pulled out two little sacs of cash- distributed weeks earlier, something she foresaw, of course- and plopped them on top.* "Once you start working, your fur starts to turn grey and everything makes you cranky! Except a good smoke, of course..." *She smirked and puffed her pipe.*
 *A stream of smoke fluttered*
 *Around her head, gently, like a boat...*
"If you work in a warehouse- as a psychic, moving boxes around- they pay a bit more. Maybe even two thousand per day... And that's not considered a lot. But, for someone who doesn't work in a shop, it can be life changing. If you don't mind headaches every day... Hoo - hoo!"
Ryan
*Sora watched as Stella set down the two bags of pay, unable to help but think of the way money scaled around here. Especially cause as far as she was aware, 1,600 was a pretty big number. It could get her a lot back where she used to be, at least.*

"Well, it's a good thing I'm no psychic then," *Sora stated as she picked up one of the bags with her ribbon, then grabbing it with her paw. Even if she liked that thought of more money, she couldn't possibly imagine it being worth daily headaches. What was she gonna do with all the money anyway, she wondered? As far as she knew, Sora didn't have to pay rent to Cassie or any landlords. That, and there should be some berries in the forest and what not.*

*It was merely a luxury, the way she saw it. And speaking of luxury...*

"Wait a moment." *Sora, seeing the money, was reminded of the paintings. Specifically, the one of the beach and the bubbles she moved over to the basement for Stella. One of the big reasons she decided not to ask about it, beyond carrying it with her, was because she wasn't expecting any pay. But now that this sack of coins sit in her grimy paws, she could do whatever she wanted with it.*

*But then again, apparently 1,600 was not much in the grand scheme of things around here. And anything of luxury tends to involve big numbers. Still, it was worth asking abour it anyway, thought Sora. Maybe it would work out, and be just enough for what she wanted.*

*Sora moved the bag from her paw to one of her ribbons, holding it up as she pointed to it with another as she looked to it then over to Stella.*
"I'm remembering the paintings that you had me move over to the basement. You think I could afford one of them with just this?"
James
Fondling her bag of money with a psychic touch, Cassie took a great interest in how the coins slid around. They were strange, the power of excess monetary coinage decades beyond the Girafarig's scope of understand, no matter what amount it came in.

"I bet I could swallow one," Pollux said.

"Maybe..." She plucked the bag up, holding it midair for a tick. "Um, I don't plan on getting used to this much work. I don't need it, really, since I'm planning on starting a farm. Could you take your share of the money out, Stella?"

Cassie turned towards Sora after, acute to her fascination with the paintings she hadn't actually witnessed yet.

"Ooh, Sora, what sort of painting did you see?"
Marjorie
*Stella was busy staring off into space and taking a good drag of her pipe.* ".... Mmm..." *Her eyes were glassed over, for a second,*
 






 Somewhere far away and distant and alone.








*And she spoke,* "It looks nice on you," *Staring straight at Sora, quiet and still.*

"... Oh. No. I wasn't talking to you. Haha! Saw... Something. From a different time." 

 *She blew her smoke up, and it twirled in an uncanny way, taking the faint shape of a humanoid-is blob.*

"I can give you an employee discount. Pick one. I'll tell you a fair price."

*There were a few that were up already:*
 *A realistic depiction of a crystalline cavern, somewhere,*
*Kanji, the wording for `Hate`,*
 *A water painting of a Gardevoir and her umbrella,*
*A rough sketch of a strange Pokémon that doesn't exist,*
 *A series of pressed flowers set together to make a minimalist scene,*
 *And a painting of a volcano burning a mountainside.*

*(And that wasn't even all of them!)*

"It's all local," *She stated, sorting out Cassie's owed money (800, I believe) from the pouch- careful counting and all that. Foresight might be great, but it isn't perfect.*
Ryan
*Sora made direct eye contact as Stella began to talk of how nice it looked on her. Then she lost it, her eyes turning over to the left before going to the right. She didn't know what to say before the Xatu explained for her.*

"Ah, I see," *Sora sighed in relief, glad that things weren't too awkward for very long.* "Gotcha."

*Her focus then moved to that of the paintings, which all looked extremely pleasing on the eyes. But as good as they were, she was set on a certain one. That of the sunset and the beach.*

*Plus, it came off as minimally designed. She thought it probably wouldn't go for as much cause of that. Especially with the employee discount, which the Sylveon was happy to hear about.*

*Eventually, she came around to it and pointed at it with her ribbon, careful not to touch it yet while looking over to Stella.*
"This one. How much?"
Marjorie
*Stella pursed her beak as she stepped behind Sora, looking over the painting.*
"Oh, that's a good one. The artist, they're nice. A little Corsola.
 She says it reminded her of a friend. Of where she met a friend.
 She was reserved, and quiet. But when she talks, you listen.
I think, since you are an employee,

 hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

 Mmmmmmmm..................."

*She closed her eyes.*

"800?"
James
"800? Do you want help paying for that?"

Though she was a tad out of the loop when it came to Stella's eccentricism or the paintings themselves, she trotted after them nonetheless. Freshly getting a look at the basement, she considered a number of further purchases, only to quickly back track for the sake of not actually wanting to clean heavy duty again.

Leaning towards the Sylveon's ear, the Girafarig whispered:

"*Are you going to haggle?*"
Ryan
"Haggle?" *Sora glared over to the Girafarig, wide-eyed and somewhat surprised at her question.* "No way."

*After all, didn't she know? It's all local! And haggling for local stuff spelt bad luck, probably. A grin growing on her face, the Sylveon would look back to the Xatu.*

"I guess I'll just slide this on back to you then, Stella." *Sora's words rolled out of her mouth like the bag of Poké landing smoothly on the counter.* "Take what you need right out of it, of course."

*Considering that she didn't even have the time to look through it, Sora simply assumed there would be a bit left over. After all, Stella stated there was, what? Sixteen hundreds in there? Plenty to cover the cost, with some more left over for something else!*

*Whatever that would be, of course. But for now, it was time to let the Xatu do her thing.*
Marjorie
*Oh, very bad luck. Well, actually, not really- that was part of the joy of bartering and whatnot. Get more bang for your buck, learn charisma and up your skill points and all. Kind of common, really- but certainly not for the anxious.*

"Ah, but I have

 already removed the money from the pouch!

When I first packed it, of course!"
*She smiled, rising to her itty bitty toes before staring worriedly into the open air.*
"Wait, no I didn't!"
*In a huff, she took the pouch and sorted half the paid funds back to herself, anally counting the coins twice over.*
 "Fufu... I've really slipped up here... Not very becoming of a fortune teller."