Forums » General Roleplay » Long Summer Daze (Pokemon RP; semi-open)

14:48. That was how long had passed between Annika's request and the sound of footsteps echoing up the hall. Moments later, there was a curt knock at the threshold of her office. 15 minutes. On the dot.

The man standing there could be described a number of ways: bespectacled, well-groomed, short... But here, it would be most apt to note his black suit, briefcase, and the humorless set of his mouth. Legal assistant or maybe an actuary, and one used to dealing with tough customers if the stern look in his eye meant anything.

"Afternoon, ma'am. Are you Ms. Annika Jones?"

((I am assuming the door was open, and if it wasn't, I'll edit accordingly. Sorry.))

((Yup, the offices are open for people to enter and ask questions! Also, it's worth mentioning that Annika isn't supposed to be the biggest head honcho--there's someone above her, like an executive director, who handles most of the legal battling. Let's call herrrr ... Imani Jeffords.))

During those fifteen minutes, Annika had gone into the little office kitchen to put on some water for tea. As she waited in her office for it to heat up, she heard a knocking at her doorframe. She looked up with a smile, though her lips thinned immediately to a grim line once she saw the fellow's attire. He looked like a legal sort, and legal sorts had given River Haven nothing but grief recently. She quickly forced the smile back into place, as polite as she could manage. "Yes that's me--please, just Annika. How can I help you?"

Just then, the teapot began to whistle down the hallway. She got out of her chair and beckoned for him to follow her to the kitchen. "Sorry! Do you want some tea or coffee?"

((Awesome! You answered my next question before I could ask. ))

There was no way he'd missed the face she'd made, the way his eyes deliberately scanned her and her office, but he paid it no mind. His own face maintained a cool detachment and he gave a brief nod. "Youma." He was about to step in and answer just how she could help him when he registered the shrill whine. He paused a moment, listening intently until Annika offered tea.

"No. Thank you."

Then he would step aside and allow her to pass before falling into step a half-pace behind. If Annika were to look back, she'd see his gray eyes searching the hall and conjoined rooms just as intently as he had her office.

"Is the director of this... educational facility in today? Either way, please direct me to their office or that of the next in line. Otherwise I'll have to bore you with the details of this visit," he glanced at the tea kettle before returning his gaze to her face, "and I'm sure you're eager to get back to work."

---

Somewhere along the edge of River Haven, near one of its tributaries, a group of shady individuals slunk through the underbrush. Though they weren't up to anything yet, they clearly weren't here for a pleasant stroll. At a certain point, one ducked down to investigate some tracks and when they rose, the group split up into three pairs. One went left, one went right, and one continued forward along their quarry's trail.

Above, leaping between the larger trees, a noivern followed unseen.

The offices were telling. Stacks of paperwork lurked in inboxes and on desks, mostly askew, with some loose sheets littering the floor. Some were even inexplicably ripped up. Forms sat ignored or half-filled, and several envelopes of important-looking mail remained unopened. These were the offices of people who very much loved their profession, but clearly didn't have a head for paperwork, nor any kind of secretary to be mindful in their stead.

"Ms. Jeffords isn't in today, no," Annika said, sounding a little too breezy. "She's at the Goldenrod City Hall Meeting." Her heart began to race at the thought of it. Having city hall on their side was going to be important, though it wasn't enough by itself.

Her lips thinned at Youma's faint slight, hesitating as she reached for the tea jar. "You can talk to me about ... whatever it is," she said, choosing a chamomile. She ripped open the paper and tossed the teabag into a chipped, lopsided mug clearly made by someone's kid. "I ... assume this is about ColossalCorp."

There came a pap-pap-pap of little hopping feet, followed by some low, hoarse croaks. A Murkrow barreled into the kitchen past Youma, charging between his legs to reach Annika. "Stop," she quietly scolded as it hopped from side to side, wings flexing.

"Unfortunate," was Youma's response, though he didn't seem too broken up about it. Instead, he would settle his briefcase on a clear(ish) portion of the counter and open it up. A stack of pages would be retrieved, then the case closed and locked once more.

"Your assumption would be correct."

Though his face maintained that previous stoic expression, he tensed when the pokemon darted between his legs and continued to watch it intently as it harrassed Annika. Otherwise, the interruption went unremarked and he cleared his throat before reading off the contents of the paperwork.

"By the order of the Greater Goldenrod Court District, the following temporary restraining order is issued against River Haven Pokemon Sanctuary and all associated staff and personnel: River Haven will desist in public defamation campaigns against ColossalCorp and associated staff and personnel."

He seemed to debate reading off the rest, word for word, (or, rather, reciting the rest as it seems he'd been watching for reactions as he spoke) but decided against it. "These are your copies of the relevant court rulings and instructions. The restraining order covers 10 days, during which ColossalCorp is to pay for a third-party lab to test the tributary on which their property borders. That testing will occur in three places, one at the factory, one upriver of that, and one here on the premises of the sanctuary. The court has also ordered that River Haven submit to this testing, as the results of which will determine next steps for both parties. Dates and details are all here." He points the paperwork at Annika.

The ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and eyes, though his gaze remained stern. "My client has also been issued a copy of proceedings. It would behoove your... organization not to lose theirs."