<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/08/dc/b6/08dcb66af76f79ed5eb8a99d80d99931.jpg)</div><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Date / Time:</strong> Monday 26th, Early Afternoon</div><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Name:</strong><strong>Dimitrius Maranzano</strong>(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=334101.msg15907266#msg15907266)<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>As Pictured, minus Goggles.<br/><strong>Location:</strong>The Night Daze<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Lady Anna<br/><strong>Warnings:</strong>None<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Respect was a funny thing, when you thought about it. It was an abstract concept, a construct of the Pokemon mind; it didn't really<em>exist</em>in the more tangible, material sense of the word, did it? It wasn't something you could touch or taste or smell or manipulate in a physical sense. If you took the universe and ground it down to its component materials, you'd have oxygen and copper and carbon, but there would not be a single molecule of "Respect" to be found. It was intangible, immaterial, subjective in a lot of ways - what would inspire respect in some might inspire disgust or loathing in others - but people still placed a great deal of importance upon it. It was nowhere near as tangible or materially valuable as - say - gold or silver, but it was in its own right a kind of currency of its own. You could gain it, you could lose it, you could save it, and you could spend it. You could use it to "buy" opportunities or deference or advantage, you could gain it by investing it wisely in certain ventures, or lose it by throwing it around without care or compunction. It could achieve things that gold on its own would never be able to aspire to, and yet, it relied so heavily on other people's perceptions that it was far easier to lose track of. Gold would always be gold, but respect could disappear overnight without any kind of warning...which led to an odd balancing act, of sorts.<br/><br/>Take the figure striding down the dry, crunchy, craggy mud-paved streets of Delinquent Town right at that moment. He stood out like a sore thumb, like an Unfeazant in a crowd of Diggersbies, a man who by all rights seemed like he shouldn't belong. Tall by most standards, the towering and obviously well-built 6'6 frame of an older yet in-shape gentleman walked the muddy almost-path between two beaten up, listing wooden buildings in the early afternoon sun. Broad shouldered and narrow-waisted, despite his older features he was clearly more muscular than he appeared, and certainly not the "beanpole" that many Decidueye's ended up being. Indeed, given his powerful build, you could be forgiven for mistaking him for a Fighting Type at times! Whilst most people in Delinquent Town were forced to wear second hand or otherwise patchy clothing - despite his best efforts, alas - this older man wore what was clearly an expensive, personally-tailored suit that screamed understated yet classy wealth. His features were slightly weathered by age, but otherwise sharp, rugged and handsome with a pair of keenly intelligent eyes peering from beneath his elegant hat. Whilst you might expect a man as out of place as this to be attracting some rather untoward attention - whether it be looks of suspicion or scorn from passers-by, or the hungry, lustful gaze of various ne'er-do-wells lurking in the nearby alleyways who might want the money his nice clothes could fetch - it seemed that he inspired nothing of the sort.<br/><br/>Indeed, as he made his way down the twisting paths of the back alleys of Delinquent Town, he was afforded a great deal of deference and respect from the stereotypically rebellious and mischievous "Mistypes" living there. The form of respect differed, of course; some hurriedly and fearfully made way around him and off the road, some gave him a deferential bow as he passed, others even smiled at his passing and returned the polite tip of his hat he gave them with a half-timid wave of their own. Some called out greetings as he walked past, and others quietly buried themselves in a nearby alleyway for fear of attracting his attention in turn. All of them forms of respect in their own right, but very different<em>types</em>of respect, and all of them correct for the people showing it. Dimitrius Maranzano, unofficial "mayor" of Delinquent Town - and, in actual fact, de facto Kingpin of the slums - was not a man to cross lightly, and most people he passed knew it all too well. Some feared him, some loved him, some felt both. But the simple fact of the matter was that he had<em>respect,</em>respect that he had earned through careful plotting, generous charity, careful cultivation of certain aspects of his reputation and considered treatment of both ally and enemy.<br/><br/>It had taken him only a few years to rise to his position at the top, but it had taken almost a decade and a half to cement his position on the back of his reputation alone. Anybody could hold power through force. But it took real effort to build the foundation of an empire that would sustain itself based purely on the<em>whisper</em>of a name. And it wasn't for ego that he had put in that effort, oh no. It wasn't ego that mixed the smiles and waves in with the aversion of eyes and hurried scrambling to vacate his path. It was simply personal experience. Some remembered times they had crossed him, or broken one of his rules and had had brutal retribution rained upon him...or else, they knew or knew of people that had happened to second hand. And some knew his generous acts of charity, his attempts to revitalise and support the Delinquent Town slums; some maybe knew small businesses that had had their start-up costs gratiously covered by Maranzano with an interest-free loan. Others had maybe had property stolen that his agents had recovered, free of charge. Others still might have taken advantage of Maranzano-funded foodbanks or clothing drives, or perhaps taken their children to enjoy the public park he had had constructed. Some may have given their cherished lover a flower from his public gardens. Some might have had family members disappear in the night for causing a little too much trouble for their neighbours or family.<br/><br/>The point was, Dimitrius had respect...but it wasn't always the same<em>kind</em>of respect.<br/><br/>And each of them could be lost in a very different way, very suddenly, were he to spend it too frivolously.<br/><br/>Of course, the wariness with which he was treated could also very easily be on account of the tall young woman standing by his side. Whilst not as towering as him, Elli - his darling Houndoom bodyguard - stood ready with a fierce expression and a snarling visage for anybody who erred too close for her comfort. She really was a little too protective at times, but then, he would prefer his bodyguard to take her job a little too seriously rather than not seriously enough. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder - which was met with the flicker of a smile before she caught herself - and squeezed reassuringly as they stepped into what passed for a main road in this part of Delinquent Town. The pair of them walked with purpose towards the large, ostentatious building at the foot of the street, visible for several blocks in every direction thanks to both the quality of its construction - a symbol of what might be possible in the future for Delinquent Town, perhaps - and its unusual height and wealth. It was certainly a richer, more fashionable building than the houses and shops around it, which was sort of the point, he gathered. It was there to attract the eye...and the wallet. You couldn't expect people to pay premium prices (for the area, at least) if the service itself wasn't worth the pricetag.<br/><br/>And that brought him onto another odd foible of respect; the powerful. How do you inspire the respect yet deference of those with influence and power? When in a position of authority, how do you keep that authority over others who might have the skill and resources to attempt to grow their own? It was simple. You showed them respect, but not deference. You made it clear that you were in charge, not them...but not to the extent that they might take offence. Small things, to keep the balance. For example, he was a part owner of this establishment. Nothing large, of course, nothing that could threaten Lady Anna's ownership and direction, and he never used the stake he had for anything other than garnishing the Empire's monthly income. But what it did was more passive; he owned a small, tiny sliver of the business, little more than a single percentage, in actuality. But it put his foot in the door. It told her that he'd always be watching, and that she operated by his good graces. It wasn't a threat, more a simple reminder that he knew she didn't take personally. It was a small indication, but it put them on more equal footing; he was a patron of the establishment, not a client.<br/><br/>The other thing, of course, was the tone and timing of their meeting. He was visiting her, he was gong to her, which showed her the respect of recognising her wealth and influence; he was willing to make the journey to visit her, rather than making her trek across the city to come to him. That showed respect. But at the same time, he gave her the home-field advantage; he walked into the center of whatever power she had, unafraid, unarmed, and alone, for the most part. That indicated that he was not subservient; he was not afraid of her. He was confident and secure in his own power and position, which made it clear - due to his lack of armed goons - that he was deigning to visit her, rather than allowing her to summon him. But simultaneously, he was bringing his bodyguard with him to watch the outside of the building, which told her that he respected her enough to not come completely alone. That he considered her at least enough of a threat to have somebody else along with him. He allowed her to set the time, which showed that he respected her time, but he also was currently running precisely two minutes late...which was not enough to show<em>dis</em>respect for her busy schedule, but<em>just</em>enough to demonstrate that he did not always run on<em>her</em>timetable, and to make a point that it was<em>her</em>waiting on<em>him</em>rather than the reverse. See what he meant? Respect was a two way street, and was a delicate balancing act. Every decision he made would be scrutinised for a hundred and one different reasons, every signal he sent would be dissected for meaning. He needed to show respect - which was easy, considering he did genuinely respect and hold affection for Lady Anna - but also avoid showing deference...which was far harder, considering the force of personality that was the owner of The Night Daze.<br/><br/>See what he meant? By Xerneas, it was exhausting to think like this sometimes.<br/><br/>As they approached The Night Daze, he gave Elli a smile and a nod, a comforting gesture of confirmation. She hesitated for a moment, then peeled away and slipped into a nearby alleyway to take up position in the small rooftop cafe he had rented out for the occasion. Knowing Lady Anna, she would know exactly what the reservation was for, with its balcony overlooking the entrance to the Daze, and the oddly speciifc time of the reservation, but that was ok; it was more for show (and precaution against outside influence) than distrust on his part. If he really did not trust her, he would have far more circumspect and unknown agents waiting in the wings. He knew Lady Anna, and he knew that she would not betray him, partly because it served her no purpose; better to have him in control, friendly as he was with her, than invite the chaos a power vacuum would bring. He took the steps up to the main entrance to the Daze, and was promptly met with a large Nidoking - an imposing fellow, Dimitrius would admit - who stopped him at the entrance. This was another moment where Respect needed to be considered. Given his position, he<em>could</em>simply push past Duke and breeze into the main area, dismissing him entirely and relying on his power and reputation to stay any retaliation.<br/><br/>But that would be short sighted.<br/><br/>Security was important to any venture, and embarrassing another power player's security detail would never inspire them to treat your safety with the same level of reverence that they did their own employer. And with Lady Anna in particular, he knew she would not appreciate her erstwhile family being treated with such disrespect and dismissal. Just because he<em>could</em>throw his weight around didn't mean that he always<em>should,</em>and learning when to spend Reputation and when to save it? That was a skill it was very important to learn, or you'd inevitably end up with none. So instead, he paused politely for a moment and exchanged pleasantries with Duke - inquiring after his friends, his family, that sweet little<em>belle</em>of his (it was important to remember key details of anybody you met, so you might be polite and considerate of them in future) - before he was allowed entrance after a handful of civilities either way. He strode down the expensive, lavishly decorated yet tastefully restrained hallway towards the main show area, breathing in the familiar scent. He did enjoy partaking in the entertainment offered here from time to time - not paid companionship, of course, but the skill and talent of the performances - and his eye was briefly drawn to a particular poster of Neia, his little Butterfree princess, who was almost certainly putting on a performance that night; he'd have to drop in and say hello when he was done with Anna, or she'd throw the biggest tantrum! Besides, Anna always threw a good show, and it was always an enjoyable time to revel in the relaxed atmosphere Anna had cultivated.<br/><br/>The Night Daze played an important role in both the nightlife of Delinquent Town and the information arm of his Empire, and neither role was to be understated. But more than that...on a personal level, he did care about his Coy Little Fae. She had dragged herself up from the duldrums much like he had, struggled in very different but nonetheless no lesser ways, and still managed to keep the more compassionate side of her personality intact. She was intelligent and independent talented and exceptionally attractive, of course, but it was who she was more than what she could do that made her so alluring to him. She hid it well in public, but she genuinely cared about Delinquent Town and its people, and treated her staff and allies like family more than employees or pieces in a game. She had the best interests of her home and the people around her at heart, and it was clear to see that everything she did was - in the end - for the good of the people she cared about. She was kindhearted and loyal, at her core. She might well claim that it was all about her own power and position, and on some level, perhaps it was. But he liked to think that in those quiet moments behind closed doors, he saw more compassion and genuine altruism than perhaps she'd feel comfortable otherwise letting on. Or perhaps he was utterly wrong, and he was simply getting sentimental in his old age. Either way, allow an old man his possible delusions for now, yes?<br/><br/>He entered the main hall and immediately his eyes were drawn to the lithe-yet-curvaceous figure of the well-proportioned and gorgeously tanned Absol on stage, filling out a rather attractive - and delightfully criminally short - black dress in all the right ways. He knew the tactic, of course - distract the menfolk with eyecandy and steal the rug and the floor both out from under them - and he wasn't about to fall for it...but there was no harm in admiring the way her beauty elevated the outfit to the realms of almost untouchable allure. He was a man, after all, and men were allowed to have eyes. It helped that he had intimate knowledge of the beauty that lay<em>beneath</em>those clothes, of course, but that was neither here nor there. He allowed his eyes to take her in respectfully - there was a difference between brief appreciation and lecherous leering, after all - before he approached her across the viewing area, weaving between tables and chairs and giving the occasional friendly nod and smile to the various performers and staff that he recognised along the way. As he said, he visited often for various reasons, and it was never a bad idea to be on friendly terms with the staff, if only for the sake of being a decent person.<br/><br/><strong>"Lady Anna,"</strong>he said warmly as he approached, accompanied with a genuine and sincerely affectionate smile. He didn't think for one moment that she hadn't noticed his arrival. She was far too keen for that.<strong>"A pleasure to see you again, as always. I would make a quip about you being beautiful enough without needing to dress yourself up on my behalf, but that would make me sound arrogant. So best not, no?"</strong>He gave her a small smirk, playful mischief twinkling in his eye as he alighted the stairs up to the stage to join her, smoothing the jacket of his suit out as he did so. Of course, the meeting was serious, discussing plans for the festival next week and finalising perparations so pleasure would have to come later...but nobody said serious conversations had to be dull and lifeless, now did they? He didn't mention his tardiness; she likely would have noticed, and would think less of him if he decided to rub it in her face. Balancing act, remember?<strong>"And hypocritical,"</strong>he continued,<strong>"considering the effort I often go to on <em>your</em> behalf."</strong>He winked slyly, accompanying it with a good natured chuckle as he reached the top of the stairs.<strong>"Jokes aside, it's wonderful to see you again, Anna."</strong>Stepping forwards slowly, he gave her a friendly yet professionally appropriate embrace in greeting. Hands on her back, a single-second squeeze (with a warm smile she probably felt from his facial muscles), then a polite distancing step backwards. More familiar than most, perhaps, but considering how long they'd known each other, he reckoned he could get away with it.<strong>"I trust everything has been proceeding according to plan? As always, should you require assistance, you merely have to ask."</strong>He had questions regarding a certain rumour about checkpoints and whatnot come festival time, but there was time for that. Pleasantries were an important part of the conversation, and he did so enjoy his chats with Fae. There was no need to rush to the conclusion, when they had the entirety of the afternoon to enjoy each other's company, now was there?