❛ SHINING STAR!

' moving your old bones without me, dear raven? '

Sebastian is focused on listening to the blood coursing through this human's vein. It sounds delicious and if this man was willing to place himself on the platter then so be it (it's a challenge Sebastian will accept.)

he's managed far worse than some alley dweller, anyway. regardless of the strange, gut-feeling left behind.

"eager? didn't ya hear me, this is all one big coincidence!" he just so happened to be around the corner, was all. forget the part about having been watching, planning his entrance the moment the atmosphere grew too thick.

so, laying in between the grass and feigning bliss to the other's arrival, will theatrically tenses up at the voice echoing through the outside air. he stands, awkwardly turning on all fours to face the trainer.

raven casts the creature a widened stare, blinking slowly. although he may not know such a beast personally, memory was quick to chime in, addressing that what he was hearing was far from correct. small, squeaky -- one might mistaken the sound for a kittens mew, but this? this was its own level of wrong--

hold on, what was that in between?

"mouthy lil' thing, ain't'cha." from what he could recall, it was customary to battle the creature before going in for the catch, but curiosity stayed the former archers hand. occupied pokeballs remained at rest against his belt. the empty capsule he'd enlarged was given a toss, testing the weight.

"a pokemon with the ability to speak," ( the doubts are already in place about that ). quirking a brow, raven's head tilts. lingering curiosity pushing a mischievous smile along his features until his arm is pulled back, ball in hand. "let's see if i don't have to rough ya up a bit first!"

...even if leblanc and the tweedles aren't officially dancing to raven's tune anymore. he gave up on that gig after yuri took chief alexei down in court.

he whistles, then, and a set of four paws speed toward the small gathering, dutiful as ever. "oy, repede! check out your new competition."

repede sniffs, circling, tail swaying... and nigh-instantly decides his time's better spent laying at the attorney's side for ear scritches (no threat to his 'best boy' title, it seems).

regardless of what tune he dances to, yuri still remains yuri. repede, too, it would seem, if that casual disinterest was anything to go by. his poor ditto barely given a second thought before the pooch was taking to his companions side.

raven almost has to stifle a laugh before chiming in again, a hand casually risen to wave away the attorney's question, "ohh, no, it can do a lot more than just play my double." sticking to his visage just made it easier to keep track of the fella, and of what trouble it might get itself into. "the idea is ta keep the lil' guy outta trouble, though--"

' ditto! '

taking that as its cue, ditto lets itself stretch in a joyous wobble, its body soon enveloped in a white glow as transform took effect. the pokemons silhouette rises and expands, slowly forming into a desired shape. once satisfied with its transformation the glow fades, revealing a new form taken.

where there wasn't one before, there's now a tail set wagging as ditto sits itself back. rather pleased with yuri's suggestion, it would seem.

   people always think she can't tell. sometimes they want her to, to throw an insult her way. but fiyero not only craves attention constantly, she also demands it, expertise in knowing whether or not people mean to be rude. the bartender pulls his attention away from their conversation, moves to fill the man's drink up, and fiyero takes that chance to leave her chair and slide into the one next to him.

   ' evening, handsome, ' she whistles as she leans closer, hand extending across the bar in front of them. she doesn't touch him, but she makes it very clear that she wouldn't mind that particular closeness. and he is handsome, isn't he? the lights in this bar are dim, but she thinks she can see green eyes framed by hints of crow's feet. there's something rugged about him.

   her half-empty glass has been left behind by her previous spot. she tilts her head and grins at him. ' it's only polite to offer me a drink if you're going to look. ' the bartender is done filling the man's glass, pretends to not be listening in. waits to see which one of them will order something for the tiefling. fiyero gives him a wink before returning her attention to the stranger.

"don't usually, ya say?" he hums in return, lips curling as he did so. as his hand draws in his refilled glass, raven's head is tilted towards the bartender. gaze flickering over with a subtle bob of the head towards the tiefling, a silent calling to fetch her something as well. a fine addition to his growing tab. "makes it sound like ya have room for an exception."

"you can forgive me this once, can't ya, darlin'? hard not to let the ol' eyes go wanderin' when someone so lovely's sittin' nearby."

his smile only seems to widen, hooded eyes left to linger for a beat until his drink rises once more. a sip to coat his tongue, a familiar warmth down his throat that settles in his chest. loosens his tongue, makes this song and dance easier.

as it meets the counter again, fingers are left atop its rim loosely. keeping mindful of it while raven turns in his seat, enough to more comfortably face the stranger and treat the counter beside him like a perch to lean against.

"surely i can get a name to fit a memorable face?" brow quirks playfully, shoulders given a subtle shake with the amused huff that leaves him next.

luckily, he knows how to brush off the other man's nonsense and instead chooses to wave his briefcase at the shapeshifting blob raven's oh-so-conveniently glossing over. "...new pet?" ('ditto' to it, too... i guess). "what the heck is it?"

not waiting for an answer (nor expecting a straight one), he squats to its level. "fitting trick, considering sneaky disguises are sorta your thing, raven," there's a light-hearted undertone despite the migraine-inducing memories it alludes to. let's just say his (double-)cross-examinations weren't among yuri's favorites-- for a variety of reasons ranging from irritating to downright gut-wrenching.

eh, but no one wants to hear about that, he's sure.

where he can't offer much denial to the boys statement, the trainer lifts his shoulders in a light-hearted shrug. transform certainly did come in handy, even if he's only had the little guy use it a few times here. memory wanted to tell him otherwise, that he made a decent habit out of it -- really would be fitting. if it were true.

"now why would i go and do a thing like that?" no, he's not looking for an answer to that.

" 'sides, lil' fella's got a mind o' its own. i don't have much say in the matter half the time." gaze shifts in a blink, eyes directed over to the dot-eyed pokemon. "like the moment ya walked in on, for instance. it's quite the character, don't have to tell it a thing."

' ditt-ooo! '