video, about a week after prom

[fingersandteeth]

[Usually when Steven does a video post or message on the pokegear--getting more and more common as the weeks go on as he gets used to his old (if definitely older-looking) face again--the background is a finished basement, which slowly but surely becoming filled with more and more ghosts.

Not this time. This time Steven's in what looks like some kind of... well. Drinking establishment. One that's in the process of being refurbished. He gives the camera a friendly smile.

As usual with him, the video is captioned.]

Hi. I'm Steven Durante, which I suppose some of you might already know. I'm here to talk about... well. Employment opportunities for people. My friend Tyler Huang and I are going into business in Goldenrod in the upcoming months with a combination drinking establishment and underground fighting establishment. [Brief pause.] Literally underground, that is. It'll be taking place in the basement. Hand-to-hand, of course, since that's really the only option here.

Tyler and I already have financial backing sorted out. We're now looking for other people to work here. We need bouncers and bartenders primarily. It's steady work with regular hours and a competitive wage, which we intend to keep pace with cost of living increases. And, of course, there will be an employee discount. Besides that, we're all otherworld transfers, so we understand when... incidents happen.

[Another brief pause.]

Also, Lydia wants me to tell people that she's also hiring for a business venture of her own in Ecruteak. Since she's opening up a nightclub, she'll need much the same when it comes to having bartenders and bouncers, but she's also looking for professional or skilled amateur dancers willing to turn professional in order to provide the entertainment.

All of us are advertising in the normal public jobseeking channels, of course, but we wanted to make sure that our fellow otherworld transfers are specifically informed. And also, I suppose, to create some anticipation when it comes to the fighting establishment aspect.

Anyway. If you're interested, please leave a message here; we're all keeping tabs on this one. Otherwise, please direct message me, Lydia, or Tyler. Text is preferable for Tyler. Lydia and I are fine with whichever format.

Comments

video;

[schachmeister]

[Behold! A person who... really doesn't have any interest in doing this sort of thing.]

You are opening a bar? I thought you wanted to be in radio.

Re: video;

[fingersandteeth]

I do want to be. I'm hoping to still be, in time. I'm not quitting my job at the radio tower receptions desk—I mostly have morning shifts there, anyway, so it shouldn't conflict. But at the same time, I don't get enough hours there and there hasn't been an opening in the newsroom since I was far too new to apply for it. [And also he pissed off the admins over destroying baseball, so for a while after that he didn't want to chance being demoted instead.]

Honestly, Armin? I've been at loose ends for a while. If running this with Tyler can fill some of my hours, I'm all for it. And if I do get moved to the newsroom eventually—well, that's why I'm doing this with Tyler instead of alone like Lydia is, so if anything happens at one of our other jobs, the other can pick up the slack

video;

[schachmeister]

That makes sense. I usually work morning shifts at my job too, but I've got plenty of work to do with my Lapras pod and the rest of my pokemon the rest of the day. You aren't really interested in getting badges, right? So I guess that would leave you with a lot of hours of free time.

[And hey, if he wants to open a bar, who can judge him.]

I didn't know you knew Tyler too. I actually didn't know he was interested in running a business, but admittedly, we've been talking about other things mostly.

Re: video;

[fingersandteeth]

It's more that I'm not interested in taking long journeys on foot if I can help it. I'm mildly interested in challenging more gyms, if only for the prize money and the sense of accomplishment, but not enough to go anywhere I don't have a warp for to do them. And now that I've got the Cascade and Rainbow Badges, I've got all the ones that were especially timely to get done.

Tyler's actually really into the whole fighting club aspect of it? And plus, the building's got an apartment above the bar, so he'll be moving there. Which is great, because his old lodgings... well, they were cheap as hell, but there's a reason they were as cheap as hell. Actually, uh, it was the same place I was lodging at when I first got to Goldenrod, before I got my job at the tower. So when I was moving out, he was moving in. That's how we met.

Though, uh, we're actually from the same world, it looks like? From what we've been able to tell by pooling information. Though we'd never actually met back in our world.

Video jacking, hope it's okay!

[asmywitness]

[A third window pops up, its occupant looking mildly unimpressed. But only a little bit. No spoken words, of course, but he's got his own subtitles for his signing.]

I used to do boxing in high school, which is where the fighting interest comes from. [christ's sake Steven you make him sound like a psycho] And before I got pulled in here I was studying to be a literary publisher, I wanted to help other authors sell their books.

it's FINE

[fingersandteeth]

[He's getting used to this from Tyler, honestly.]

Right. And I've always been a fan of wrestling specifically and fighting in general. And our investor's also very much into fighting, of course--that's part of why he's investing in us.

[Also Steven is dating him but ssshhhhh.]

We kind of figure that since people lately have been showing an interest in fighting [JOLYNE], why not do something that will give them a place for it? With a dive bar above for atmosphere.

[schachmeister]

Dive... bar?

[Oh god, just let it be known that whatever Armin is imaging in his little head is very very far from the actuality. He might be a smart kid, but this is not something he has any experience with.

And yes, he will absolutely be disappointed when he learns it has nothing to do with actual diving.]

video;

[sassymaru]

You're looking for entertainers?

[... Is he still glittering after prom? Yeah, he's still glittering after prom.]

[Video]

[wonderland_vogue]

Depends on what kind of entertainment you do, darling.

I am a picky, picky person, after all. Have to be~

[Video]

[sassymaru]

Of course. I expect no less.

I have been told I have a rather... endearing singing voice.

[Video]

[wonderland_vogue]

[... That's not at all what she was expecting.]

How far are you from Ecruteak?

[Video]

[sassymaru]

Currently, I reside in Olivine.

However, I have been to the town before. Traveling via teleport pad is quite quick.

[Video]

[wonderland_vogue]

Lovely.

I do prefer to do these types of things in person simply because technology has a habit of... not being as clear of a picture as in person does. Whenever you have a chance, just let me know, and I can meet you at the pokemon center there.

[She's just switching the screen a bit to show a yawning liepard.] You may see her first, though.

[islandshore]

[Huh. That's interesting. Interesting enough to catch Riku's eye...

When was the last time he had an actual, non-Pokemon fight?

And he is old enough to go to bars now, so... Hm. He'll have to keep an eye on this. But more to the point...]

Ever thought about using prop weapons? Maybe stuff made out of wood. Maybe blunt staves.

Probably harder to regulate than plain hand-to-hand, though, and the last thing your club needs is a bunch of Jennies breathing down your backs.

[fingersandteeth]

Huh. I hadn't considered those. Maybe on special nights.

[islandshore]

Heh, themed nights, maybe? Could throw in wrestling, fencing... Though I'm not sure how well the space would accommodate for all that.

[He folds his arms, contemplating further.]

Speaking of fights, though- any restrictions on 'em?

[It's... funny. Pokemon battles generally don't face specific restrictions for brutality, but bones can break. Eyes are a weak spot for sure. Lot to keep in mind.]

[fingersandteeth]

Oh man, wrestling definitely. [Even if he personally won't be physically present because his favorite sport is now a PTSD trigger, sigh.] Maybe fencing? I'd have to ask Connie if she thinks there's room, but she's in town, so that shouldn't be hard.

Ah, hell. We should figure out if we are going to have any besides 'nothing that will get someone poofed away to the pokecenter.' Because that one will have to be a thing if we don't want the Jennies to shut us down.

[islandshore]

Heh. Honestly, I'm just spitballing- used to spar a lot back home, but in the ten years I've been here, it's been a serious drag finding a good outlet.

[Some makeshift, blunt weapons he keeps in secret notwithstanding; no way he'd risk the Jennies snooping on his personal business.]

Guess the big thing I'd consider is eyes- don't want any cheapshots with lasting damage.

[fingersandteeth]

No, no, this is great stuff. I'm glad you're thinking about it and when we open, I hope you come.

And yeah, you're right. Eyes are definitely off-limits, on the pain of being banned from the fight club.

ARRIVES

[meteorman]

[Since Jack is gone, Ford has been missing out on regular sparring. He has a steadily-growing group of his own Pokémon that are able to box, but fighting other people is a little more fair. Other people can't fire laser beams.]

I have a gym to run so I unfortunately can't accept regular employment, but I'm exceptionally good at punching things if you ever have a free space in the ring.

going to handwave that my tag in to you at the festival ~vaguely~ counts

[fingersandteeth]

[Steven grins at him.]

Oh, I think we will. Dr Pines, right? I think I might have briefly run into you at the Celadon New Year's Festival--you've got the Indigo League Gym near the ruins of Alph, right? Tyler and I were thinking of heading that way when the weather's better for extended trips.

[He's a California boy. He wasn't going to travel on foot for days in the goddamn snow back in February or the mud and slush in March.]

We're thinking we might do a first come first served thing when it comes to sign-ups for the ring, separated out by age and weight class, of course. I can jot you down for opening night?

[meteorman]

So long as that doesn't conflict with the treasure hunting expedition I'm planning to go on, absolutely.

[He has priorities. A treasure hunt isn't a long-running sort of thing. You have to get on that while the getting's good. A fighting ring, meanwhile, is likely to last until the Jennies decide they don't like it.]

I'd love to see you at Horizon either way.

[fingersandteeth]

Oh right, that one Korra announced. I kind of wish I had the free time to go on it too, but we've got so much to do here to get the fight club and the dive bar ready in time--especially if we want to be ready by the end of May.

Oh well, at least I got to do a little treasure hunting at prom--I found the most amazing statue of a gengar, posed like a medieval gargoyle. A gengargoyle, if you will. [He laughs, shaking his head.] My boyfriend hates it, so I've had to keep it in the basement with the rest of my ghosts.

[Not even a bit of hesitation on 'boyfriend' this time. Maybe it's minor, but he's proud of himself.]

I'm definitely going to Horizon, though--you've got a museum attached to your gym, right? The review I read sounds fascinating. The only question is 'when.'

[meteorman]

[At least he's casually coming out to the right guy. Ford doesn't even acknowledge the use of the word, or at least, he doesn't seem taken aback by it. You can't be straight in space. It's fine.]

It's more accurate to say that the gym is attached to the museum. More specifically, it's up top.

[It's in the big dome. He couldn't not put a big dome up there. It can even open for aerial battles!]

I'd be very interested in pictures of your gengargoyle. If I couldn't attend then I have to live vicariously through the people that did.

[fingersandteeth]

[It really does get a little easier each time he casually comes out to people. It's nice.]

Give me a moment. I've got some pictures of it stored on the 'gear--I'll send it to you.

[And sure enough, less than a minute later, there'll be a ping notifying Ford that the photos of the gengargoyle in question are there. Though, ah, the presence of the secret compartment is not documented in these photographs.]

Isn't it beautiful? I found a spell tag too and a fossil--though I haven't revived it yet. I wasn't exactly very lucky with my first fossil experience.