Lunch date with Louis

As Bell leaves the store, Paralyze heals now in her pack she is left with a dilemma. "So, what now?"

(Pacing Move: [4] Advance a Threat. So I'm going to use the idea of "threat" loosely and have Louis make an appearance. It isn't like there are a lot of other threats I can use.)

Bell was taken out of her self-contemplation when she hears a voice. "Good afternoon Bell, pleasure to see you here."

Turning her head towards the sound she sees Louis, sitting at a small round table. "What are you doing here Louis?"

"Oh, I'm just having a late lunch. Care to join me?"

(I would have Bell question more about why Louis is here, but she DOES have the Gullible Hinderance and I haven't been taking advantage of it. So she isn't going to question why Louis is just happening to be waiting at this very spot.)

There probably wouldn't be any harm in sitting with him. Besides, she could probably get a free meal. "As long as you're paying."

The wannabe prince charming simply chuckles at Bell's comment. "But of course, I wouldn't dream of letting a lady such as yourself pick up the bill. What kind of gentleman would that make me?"

A non-misogynistic one. But Bell keeps that thought to herself. She is hungry and doesn't want to have to spend her own money. If the pocket change she won from her two battles were any indication, money was going to be tight for a while and she didn't want to go running home to beg for a meal. It hadn't even been a full day. So she smiles at Louis, "Oh, how noble of you..." as she sits down at the small café table.

Either ignoring, or not detecting the hint of sarcasm in her voice, Louis returns her smile. "But of course. As the heir to my house I must always live up to my name and legacy. But enough about me, I see that our lunch has arrived..."

(Both Bell & Louis are trying to manipulate each other, so I'll do Heart contest. I would give them a Support dice from a Pokémon, but neither of them have a Pokémon + Move which I think would help in this situation. Not YET anyway. Bell Heart d8 v Louis Heart d8; 4 v 4; wtf?!? Ok, roll off! 4 v 8; Louis wins! Not a Crit, but still a success.)

"and then the little freak runs away while yelling 'you haven't seen the last of me'!" Bell shoves another cookie into her mouth as she continues ranting. "Seriously, does he think we're in a cartoon or something?"

Ignoring Bell's bad table manners, Louis gracefully sips his tea "Yes, that does sound frustrating."

"Now I know that asshole is probably just waiting for round two!" Probably with his friends. "Probably planning to catch me off guard..." who would then do horrible things to her.

"Yes, it is quite the obstacle to overcome. But I can't blame him for being obsessed with you. Any man with eyes would be taken in by your beauty"

"I mean, yeah, of course..." Bell takes a sip of the tea in front of her, hoping to hide her slight blush. Louis might be an arrogant fat cat, but he was handsome and she honestly wasn't used to being flirted with by, well anyone honestly.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Bell doesn't say anything, but she looks at him and waits for him to continue. "If the problem is being caught off guard, then what about traveling in a group?"

"Yeah, but who would I ask to go with me?" Grace was out of the question, she would never live it down.

"Why me of course." This surprises Bell soo much that she coughs up her tea, "Now I know we might have gotten off on the wrong foot."

"Wrong foot is putting it lightly."

"But rest assured, that I have nothing but your best intentions in mind Bell." He reaches out and takes one of Bell's hands and then starts to look deep into her eyes.

To Bell's embarrassment, she can feel her heart pounding in her chest and the blood run to her face. For a few seconds she is frozen in place from a combination of embarrassment and shock. When she recovers Bell yanks her hand out of Louis' hands and looks away. "I'll be fine..." But when she thought about it, Bell realized that Louis could be useful.

At the very least she could use him as a meat shield. "But, I suppose you might have your uses."

Hearing Bell's answer Louis stands up, "Wonderful!" and grabs onto one of Bell's hands. "Now it is far too late to set out today." Looking up at the sky Bell was surprised to see that the sun was setting, turning the horizon into a vibrant orange. A sight she doesn't have time to appreciate as she feels Louis pull her out of the chair, "We will set off first thing in the morning." and away from the café.

Surprised, it takes Bell a few seconds to mentally catch up with what is going on and ask, "Wait, where are we going?"

Not slowing down, the taller man turns to look over his shoulder at Bell and gives her a charming smile. "Why to the hotel of course. We need to get a good night's rest if we are to leave bright and early tomorrow morning."

Wait, what?! "But, but...?" A hotel room, with an older man, a handsome older man, with LOUIS!?

"Now don't you fret Bell. I wouldn't do anything to besmirch your honor. I am the very definition of a gentleman after all."

(gullible hinderance :D)

Being pulled alone in silence, too embarrassed and confused to speak, Bell finds herself being lead by Louis towards a nice looking hotel room.

Stepping through the front door leaves Bell speechless. The inside of the hotel looks like the kind of place that Bell would never imagine being able to afford herself. An expensive place like this, the beds probably feel amazing.

It would be nice to not have to sleep at the Pokémon Center (she had heard rumors). Or to head back home with her (metaphorical) tail in between her legs. So as Bell lets herself be lead towards Louis' hotel room, she tries calming herself down by telling herself.

What is the worse that could happen?