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The Rusty Syndicate Office towers over all who pass it by. A shadow seems to be cast from the building no matter how one tries to avoid it. Like the boss of the organization, it always seems to be tracking everyone's movements, no matter how close or far they are.
While most would fear even stepping within the vicinity of the building, Harmony approaches it with nonchalant confidence. She's been in and out of the building more than any normal person should and has lived to tell the tale.
Being treated like one of their own contributes to finding comfort in such an intimidating atmosphere. Some grunts may look at her funny, but most, if not all, still show her respect. Not many trainers in Lumiose could best their boss in a battle. She even helps them out from time to time, whether their boss instigates or not.
As usual, the grunts stand tall and firm upon entry. They hardly bat an eye at her as she makes her way to the elevator. Harmony nervously smiles at a few, still uncomfortable with such strict formalities. She doubts that even if she were to tell them to relax, they wouldn't in fear of their boss.
Once inside the elevator, the woman allows herself to relax. She is given a moment of peace before meeting with him. Her Rotom phone flies out for her to double-check the time.
She's early. Too early.
The trainer doubts that Corbeau would be upset with her. That man likes punctuality. Besides, any call from him must be important.
As the elevator dings open, she's greeted by the familiar office. Although it's missing the person who runs this place. Not even his right-hand man is around to take his place. It's almost unsettling being in here on her own.
While the thought of taking the seat at his desk passes her mind, for now, she opts for taking a seat on the couch. Her spot is unoccupied, still comfortable. Harmony knows the couch by now, but somehow it feels even more comfortable tonight.
Exhaustion takes over quickly. Her body practically melts into the cushions. It's been so long since she's had proper rest-
When was the last time she slept in her bed at the hotel?
She struggles to find an honest answer. If she isn't running around during the day, then she's definitely running around at night to participate in the Infinite Royale.
The others of Team MZ urge her to take a break, but when she does, it feels...strange. Ever since arriving in Lumiose, it's been one thing after another. Finally having time to stop and simply breathe feels wrong.
Even now, she feels like she should fight off exhaustion and get to her feet. Walking around the office would keep her eyes open. But the couch says otherwise. The longer she remains seated, the harder it is to pull herself away from the comfort of these cushions.
Harmony tells herself to stay alert; Corbeau could be here at any moment. Yet, it's getting harder and harder to fight against this losing battle with sleep.
~...~
"Make sure that mistake is taken care of, Philippe," Corbeau says as he looks over the message received on his Rotom phone. He takes in a breath and resists rolling his eyes.
"On it, boss," the larger man replies before looking at a few grunts. Without a word, they know to follow him out of the building.
"I swear..." Corbeau begins to grumble as he enters the elevator. He should stop himself from letting frustration take over. No need to look upset upon meeting with a rather helpful collaborator.
The trip from the entrance to his office is short. It always is. Still, his mind had been working on putting together what to say to his guest. Even if he knows that she would agree to assist, he had to treat this like every other transaction.
The elevator door opens, and he knows someone is here. Sharp eyes dart around the room, yet no one is visible. As he takes silent steps toward his desk, he finally spots her.
"Honestly," he exhales. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
There is no response from the woman. She's out. Cold. Her body is half lying on the couch. If he had to guess, this was an accident. There was no intention to take a nap here. And as far as he knows, she had only been here for a few minutes before he arrived.
Corbeau's gaze drifts over her peaceful form. No other woman would dare to carelessly sleep inside his office. Actually, no one in general would. Harmony seems to be the exception.
"It's truly a miracle how someone like you hasn't managed to get into deep trouble..."
He runs a hand through his hair, frustration welling up inside of him. The man has half a mind to wake her up and scold her for being so reckless. Doesn't she know where she is? And yet, the other half fights to allow her to sleep. He is aware of how much she does for the city. A complete outsider has done more than the average citizen. Perhaps he could overlook this offense.
Harmony doesn't stir even as he speaks. The closer he looks at her, the more he can see the subtle signs of exhaustion. The faint, yet evident, bags underneath her eyes. The jacket that's yet to be patched up from a Pokemon's strike. Thankfully, it only cut cloth and not flesh.
"That old leader of yours should put a stop to your nightly endeavors. But I suppose..." Corbeau pauses and grins. "I can use you as a reason to have him in debt to me again."
~...~
Consciousness slowly returns to Harmony. Groggily, her eyes blink open. Her vision becomes clear after a moment, although it takes her a few seconds to realize where she is.
The trainer barely remembers falling asleep. All she can recall is arriving early and waiting for Corbeau. After that, everything went dark. The room hadn't changed since she fell asleep, making it difficult to determine how long she was out.
Slowly, she begins to move. She pushes herself to sit up on the couch. As she does, something catches her eye.
Something is moving right beside the couch. A big, magenta body. The sudden squirming of it causes her to jump in her seat.
"Ah!" Harmony gasps, the sudden scare making her wake up instantly. She knows to always be on the move when something else is around. The last thing she wants is to be knocked out by a Pokemon.
But when she sees who it is, the trainer is able to relax.
"Scolipede..." She sighs as the giant bug Pokemon unrolls from his curled up position and stands on its feet.
Before she can say more, the world feels a little colder. A blanket had been placed over her, she assumes, while she slept. It had now fallen off her from that startled jumpscare.
When she looks to her side, she finds no blanket but a jacket instead. A familiar black one with those poisonous droplet designs. She reaches for it, pulling it into her lap to retain some warmth.
Meanwhile, Scolipede is gazing at her. Such an intimidating Pokemon would frighten most, but she knows this one well enough to know he wouldn't strike. Not unless his trainer willed it.
The bug type Pokemon nudges the table to get her attention. Being half awake and startled suddenly, she has overlooked a few new things in the room. Aside from the jacket and the Pokemon, there is also a cup of tea set on the table in front of her. There's even a small piece of paper, folded underneath the cup. Harmony decides to read the note first.
'It seems you decided to sleep instead of attending our meeting. Enjoy the well-deserved rest. We'll reschedule for nightfall. Until then, keep Scolipede company.'
"Keep you company?" She tilts her head at the note before looking at the Pokemon. Scolipede lowers his head, having it bump against hers. He's careful not to hit her with his horns. The trainer can't help but smile at the bit of affection and pats his head.
"I'm not going anywhere," she reassures him. The bug Pokemon seems pleased with her response and pulls back, allowing her to take a sip of the tea left for her. It's not too hot and not too cold. She wonders how long it's been left out for.
"He didn't have to do this for me..." She says quietly. Her gaze lingers on his jacket. Her fingers run over the material, feeling the warmth left behind. It's easy to pull this over her shoulders, to wear it. Yet the thought of her in his jacket makes her feel embarrassed. It's not something she should even think of doing, considering his nature of business.
Still, she keeps it on her lap.
Harmony shakes her head to get rid of such thoughts. She should concern herself with getting out of whatever debt that man might come up with for showing her hospitality. A sigh escapes her before she sits up on the couch.
"Time to get to work," she says, mostly to herself. Harmony finishes off the tea before looking to Scolipede. She isn't sure what she's supposed to do with Corbeau's ace Pokemon, but she'll keep him company until he returns. Even if it means not running around the city for once.