There were times for leading, and times for following. Now was the time to stand back and watch from the shadows. When Yamamoto planted one foot forward and began his heated reply, Lerraine stepped backwards and made an admirable attempt to blend in with the wall behind her. She observed the proceedings with a detached interest, noting the way Noland's face twisted at Yamamoto's words—as if the man were trying (and failing) to hold back a sneer. Truly, Ren Yamamoto wasn't one for diplomacy.
"In any eventuality," he was saying, polishing his glasses in a highly condescending manner, "we are present now, and any further delay will be caused only by yourself."
Case in point, and note to self: keep Yamamoto away from future negotiation meetings. The real ones, in any case.
Phero's "don't mind the rookie" comment seemed to placate the Gambit member, if only a little. Nonetheless, it was a valiant effort. The Gambits were a volatile bunch.
"Phero," said Phero, gesturing towards himself. He then launched into introductions. "The rookie is Ren, and the woman, yes woman, is Coriander."
Hmm. Names to establish trust—good. Odd how he introduced himself by surname, while addressing her and Yamamoto by first name (which, to be honest, she was mildly surprised he even remembered). She'd have preferred it, of course, if he'd gone with some kind of alias or pseudonym, but in the end she supposed it mattered little. The General and Coriander were two very different people, after all.
"She is flat as a board up front, but she has a nice ass."
The offhand comment tore her from her thoughts quite abruptly. Lerraine gave Phero a startled glance, half-certain that she'd misheard his words.
A short, incredulous pause. Then, Ever started laughing uncontrollably.
'I can't believe he said that!' the Starmie said amidst gleeful cackles.
'...Ever. Kindly stop. You're giving me a headache.'
'Ha, admit it, Cor! You're embarrassed, you're embarrassed, you're—'
With an annoyed mental click, Lerraine shut off the telepathic link. She could still feel the Pokemon's bubbling amusement—empathy had no off switch—but for now, Ever had been effectively muted until the Starmie managed to get ahold of itself.
By the time Lerraine tuned back into the conversation, Noland had been offered a cigarette and Phero was already moving on.
"I can't believe that shit hole is still here," he commented, staring at the dubious-looking deli shop on the corner. "Do they still have Wednesday specials?"
Now that was interesting. She had known Phero was originally from Castelia, but his words…they implied familiarity. Like he knew this place on a fundamental level; like he'd spent a great deal of time frequenting the surrounding area. Probably not a time fondly remembered, if his Ninetales' displeasure was any indication. But despite any hypothetical distaste, it was good news for Team Catalyst. Harder to be taken by surprise on familiar territory, after all. Phero's knowledge would give them an edge—or at the very least, a bit of a safety net.
Noland got to his feet and accepted Phero's narcotic offering. "Ah," he said, eyeing the officer with beady eyes. "A bone-deep Castelia kid, ain't you?" He suddenly grinned, all teeth and no smile. "Well—Phero, was it? 'Fraid we won't have time for sampling the local…delicacies. Have some friends I gotta introduce to you, eh? Come on, then." Hands hidden leisurely in his pockets, Noland began making his way down the street. He moved in a shuffling, swaggering gait, his posture casual, his stride confident.
Lerraine paused slightly to allow her companions to go before her. Her eyes swept to and fro, surveying the area with a frown. Something about the atmosphere of the place bothered her. Reopening the mental link, she sent a telepathic message to her Pokemon.
'Ever, stay alert. And be on your guard.'
'Aye, aye, captain.'