crystaspen

[crystaspen]

"Is that legal."

[crystaspen]

That's a weird survey people are getting.

[crystaspen]

"I didn't like pretend much. Everyone always wants to be legendary pokemon but no one ever wants to be a tree." Which, in his view, was way cooler. "I never won pretend games."

@crystaspen ... continued.

“  did you have a favorite one?   or  —  a least favorite one?   back when i was a dwt one,  i ’ated ’ide and seek whenever i ’ad to be the seeker.   couldn’t stand bein’ all on my own.  ”     she cried like a baby every time she had to play,  but she’s...   not gonna mention that part.

[crystaspen]

sleuthing time... "hey. what sorts of games did you play as a kid?"

"Um, normal ones? You know pretend, video games, tag... That sort of thing."

[crystaspen]

Hmmmm. That's not a very helpful hint for him, though it does cross her off of his list of suspects. Aspen thinks a moment longer, before nodding to himself. "My hint is to look for someone really impulsive. If they were willing to eat poison ivy on a dare, then they've probably done other wild stuff. Like, Nemona level impulsive."

Though, that description fit at least a couple people on the show. "So probably not someone like Mr Stone or Mr Faba."

"I was talking about the secret I gave out kiddo!" She chuckles.

Either way, a little bit of cooperation going around would certainly make things more interesting.

"Anyway, my hint for ya: my secret has been read, but you aren't the one who's got it."

She's petting Plaedo a bit, using his happy 'siiiiires' to mask their conversation a bit. Not that she minded someone hearing her. There was still a fair bit of sleuthing to do.

[crystaspen]

"Okay! What hint do you have and I'll give you the hint I have?" Hopefully he had something help for Rika. It sounded like hers might be just as vague as his, though. Which meant he might not be very helpful at all.

"I hope I can help!"

She hums a bit. "I don't think everyone does, but rocks are pretty cool."

I mean, the rocks came from the dirt, in the dirt. Kids just wanted to see what dirt tasted like?

The shift to the snack breakroom question again? Rika laughs and pats Aspen on the shoulder. "Yeah, that's what the breakroom is for, silly!"

"Buuuut- I typically eat them at one of my desks. If you're really tryin' to figure out this food thing, how 'bout a trade? Hint for hint on our secrets?"

[crystaspen]

@intriguant || stars man

"Oh, no Mr Stone helped me with that. I was just wondering if Aether Foundation had one of those super fancy cafeterias like some other places do." He wrinkles his nose, thoughtful. "Do they hire pokemon professors?"

[crystaspen]

@silverformed || secrets

"I was wondering, since you're a professor do you have a lab?"

[crystaspen]

if i stop answering it's bc im asleep lmao i keep starting to nod off

[crystaspen]

"That is pretty vague yeah." But they were from Unova, so logically any of the Unovan players? "Maybe that Nate guy? I think he's from Unova." He hasn't talked to him properly yet though.

Aspen can't think of anyone else who seems like they'd accidentally join a gang though.

"Maybe it's a fake secret. Do we know for sure all the secrets are real?"

Ghetsis laughs again, this time with more gusto. What a brat! Children didn't know how to mind their manners, did they?

But he keeps his facade of levity up, doesn't let any offence or bewilderment slip through. He merely reacts with amusement.

"I suppose I've heard the Team Plasma of this world be described in that way, yes! I don't believe you'll be able to help me in finding who my secret belongs to, then...

I'm looking for someone who almost joined Team Plasma, on accident.

Rather simple, it doesn't give much away, does it?"

Does it?

[crystaspen]

"Doesn't everyone lick rocks as a kid? I usually just wanted to see what they tasted like." A sigh, disappointed. "It was always dirt, though. Nothing ever tasted as cool as they looked." She was right about Friede being a dork though, he was definitely one.

Aspen thinks about it, frowning thoughtfully.

"You know, I don't actually know if he's any good at identifying plants that aren't pokemon related. I should ask, since I talk to him about them all the time. Maybe he's just humoring me. Anyway! Do you eat snacks in the elite four break room?"

"Yeah, your uncle is a bit of a goof, but I don't think he's 'intentionally eat poison ivy as a dare when I was twelve' dork. He's more of an ate poison ivy on a dare without knowing what it was kinda dork."

"Buuuuuut, you licking rocks? Interesting. Wanted to be a geologist or archaeologist back in the day kiddo?" She heard stories of those people who did that. It actually had scientific yield or something.

"Ain't that a good bit of info to know."

Does Rika know something? Is she playing coy to throw off people? Who knew?

[crystaspen]

"Are they like Team Aqua and Magma?" Evil terrorists with no grasp on science, he means. "They didn't seem very rich though." Rich people usually had better education, right? They wouldn't have been dumb enough to think adding or removing an ocean would fix the climate.

"Did you work for an evil team? It's okay if you did, you can get therapy for that now! It's really easy to get taken in by liars like that."

Careful, Aspen. He knows what you're trying to do with those terms-- "nonverbal" and "nervous"-- and while it greatly ruffles his pride, he won't hestitate to co-opt all of your mental health lingo just to ruffle some feathers in return.

"I have a job, yes, but... you know better, don't you?" He laughs lightly. More of a tutting, really.

"-- Are you old enough to remember the Team Plasma of this world?"

[crystaspen]

"Hmmm. I do think Mr Faba might be mine but I have to do a bit more sleuthing to be sure." Poison ivy, huh. Aspen scratches his cheek lightly. "My mom told me uncle Friede used to eat weird stuff as a kid sometimes. She always told me don't be like Friede, licking rocks and eating weird mushrooms. Apparently he got poisoned as a teenager from eating unidentified plants."

He had to hear that story every time he licked a cool rock as a kid. "I think it's hypocritical of her to scold me for licking rocks when she did it as a kid too."

"Who knows! It might be funny and it sounds like the views could use something a bit more humorous."

As for Aspen's question? Rika sways side to side as she thinks about it.

"Could be. Seem's to be a lot of food ones this time around. I've got one about someone's trying to eat poison ivy despite knowing better. I have a good idea of who it could be."

Rika did not know much about the guy, but the vibes were indeed there.

[crystaspen]

"Yeah, there has been a lot going on." He thinks it's kind of fun at least. Mostly! "We should hurry and eat the snacks before anyone else hears about it."

"Sure. I honestly don't mind, long as you don't tell everyone. Else then I'll be out of snacks..."

And then the topic of the secret. Steven gave a sigh and a small shake of the head.

"Not much. I have some ideas, but in truth... It's been hard to focus on that with everything else that's been going on."

[crystaspen]

"Wait, really?" His eyes sparkle at that. Free snacks! Yeah, free snacks are good. "If you don't mind sharing!" He doesn't have anything to repay him with yet but maybe later he will.

"Any luck on your secret?"

Whilst that might not have helped Aspen all too much, it certainly helped Steven with his own investigation.

"Well, I hope whoever the snack thief is, you find them soon. If you're desperate for a snack and your's has been eaten though..." He lowers his voice a little, "...I have some of my own in my dressing room. And I'll let you have some."

[crystaspen]

"Oh, so you do go non verbal when you're nervous." Not just him then, cool! Cool, alright. "Uh, yes? That's my secret." He's pretty sure it's an adult with a job, at least. He's starting to get a good idea, even.

"I was thinking maybe one of the adults with a full time job. You know, like Miss Rika." A squint. "Do you have a job? Or are you too rich to work?"

Would rich people have break rooms in their house?

"Mr Ghetsis?" He's standing across the room, not stepping any closer ever. "Do you ever stop talking? Asking for a friend!" Which friend? Yes. (@crystaspen)

"Quite often, young Aspen."

Ghetsis first, POINTEDLY turns to the cameras and extends his hand in Aspen's direction. As if to say: "he approached me first."

After the display, he turns to greet and acknowledge his fellow competitor properly, taking a half-step forward before stopping. Hm.

"Well, then? Come on, let's discuss our secrets. We've got a game to play, after all!"

"Your secret is from someone who eats things they should not from breakrooms. That's rather vague, isn't it? Think, boy, who has access to breakrooms often enough for this to be an issue?"

Oh, okay. Actual advice from Ghetsis!?

[crystaspen]

Aspen frowns slightly. "Oh. You're a forest child, okay. That makes sense then." He may be born and raised in Hoenn, but his mom is Kantonian, so he knows all the stories by now. "Feral kids are just normal kids who got raised by pokemon, but they don't have powers like you do or anything."

He hadn't realized forests outside of Viridian did that, though.

"Oh. Oh, that's a good point. Thanks!"

“I think the proper term is ‘forest child’, but you’d have to ask Lance for clarification on that. Or Yellow – do you know, Yellow? Actually.” a beat, “but yes I was raised by pokémon. The Matriarch’s a zoroark. My pack are zoroark; I lived in pinwheel forest for a while before I was taken from it.” N’s looking anywhere but where Aspen was, seemingly braced for any sneering and jeering that might happen.

N tilted his head one way, then the other. “Well, I hope you find your elusive secret keeper. It sounds like someone who might be into researching or even labratory work.”