Undiplomatic

[Requiem of Whyspers]

"The guys doesn't, no, but the Muscles do." Odd replied, taking a look over at the man in question.

"Think you could pick out the one they're protecting?" Lykas asked him, holding onto his bag as it rested over his shoulder.

"Maybe. I didn't really try all that hard to memorize what his soul felt like since I didn't know he was important at the time, though." Odd replied, his eyes taking on a black-ish glow as he channeled his spiritual energy into his eyes. He didn't necessarily see anything familiar but he did detect a total lack of enmity towards others from the Muscles. Just a buttload of caution.

"I'm gonna try something." He finally said as the glow faded from his eyes, slowly approaching. "Excuse me?" He'd asked as he approached the two men. "I'm an emissary from the Hoenn Branch Office of the International Police, Special Division." He introduced himself. "Have you gentlemen seen anyone suspicious in the area?" He asked, flashing his SNAG for a brief instant. With a bit of his illusory skills, he was able to disguise the device as a badge that looked convincing enough for the short time it was visible that they should buy his story. It just depended one whether or not they were willing to speak to him.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

"Orange and red?" Odd asked, scratching his chin. "Sounds like Team Flare. We received a report that they were setting up some kind of base in this area." He said to himself rather calmly, as if he were contemplating what he should do next.

"Would you might terribly if I left an associate of mine here while I look around the town a bit more? She shouldn't bother you too terribly much, if at all." He asked, pointing to Keiko. "I feel like she'd be safer in a public place, especially with such....intimidating looking individuals nearby." He had to catch himself, nearly referring to them as obvious bodyguards, before he blew his own cover here. Hopefully they'd agree Keiko could sit nearby at least until they left. She should be able to pick up some kind of information about them and possibly the Sinnoh diplomat once the men were gone and in the meantime, they could search around town for signs of Flare setting up a base somewhere in here.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

Odd nodded calmly, not really caring for the second man's tone. "Thank you, gentlemen. As I said before, she shouldn't bother you too terribly much." He said before turning to walk over to Keiko. He spoke quietly when he reached her so the men wouldn't overhear him. "Alright, Keiko, you're going to hang out here at the cafe for a little while while the rest of us look around for signs of Flare." He told her before looking to Terashi, who he knew wouldn't like this idea. "She can try to get those two talking and find out a little information for us." He explained before turning back to Keiko once more. Think you can manage that? Just try to get them talking to you rather than the other way around. They don't seem like the type to take to others starting deep conversation."  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

"Just be careful." Odd told Keiko as she walked off. He really didn't like the way that other guy had mentioned her being cute. "Lykas, stay here and keep an eye on her. If either of those two decide to get too friendly, jump in there and get Keiko out." He told his partner, who nodded and walked off to find somewhere he could watch over their friend without getting spotted easily.

"As for us." Odd said as he turned back to Terashi now, we're going to look around and try to find out where Team Flare is setting up their base." He explained. "The town's not very big so they can't be hard to find. I mean, they don't even have a true Pokemon Center here....." He pointed out. Terashi might notice the lack of that iconic red roof along the tiny hamlet's skyline now if he hadn't before.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

"We don't need to get inside the base. We just want to know where it is in case we need to get there later." Odd pointed out in response. "We need to know what they've got on the diplomat, right? We can snoop around and find out nothing or we can at least figure out where they might lure him to if they try blackmailing him." At this point, he looked around for a moment, attempting once again to try and see if he recognized the spirit of anyone in the area as the man he saw earlier. No on stood out at the moment, though.

"We can split up or we can stick together and go with whatever you come up with if you'd rather. I don't have anything else at the moment."  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

Odd followed after Terashi, trying to keep a spiritual eye on those around them, just in case someone stood out to him. They didn't. By the time, they had found the right place to spot Flare members, he had come to a conclusion. That guy he'd seen earlier was either not in the public eye and was, therefore, back at the hotel or was not the person he was lighter oking for in the first place. Of course, there was also a third possibility but he preferred to not consider it without evidence. Flare might have gotten to him already and he couldn't sense him outside because he -wasn't- outside.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

Odd smirked at the Flare grunts appeared. "I was wondering if you were going to leave us alone or not." He commented, having sensed them walking around nearby. "Since you've decided to be gracious hosts, I should thank you with a battle, I suppose." He said as he pulled a Dusk Ball from his pocket and released a Shuppet. "Come on.....whatever your name is." He told the Ghost-type.

~I have told you my name is Iqrskrl-rlhlog'yt-rus'ddhl-rha!~ The Ghost declared, spinning around to face Odd for a moment before it turned back to the battle. ~And I am not your puppet. Not unless you call me by name.~

"I can't pronounce that and you know it, you....Thing!" Odd yelped back at it, probably freaking Terashi and the Flare grunts out a bit.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

The young woman facing Odd released her own Pokemon after a moment of staring at the channeler like he was crazy. The Pokemon that appeared before her was not one Odd, or her partner, apparently, would have expected.

"Escavalier!" The Cavalry Pokemon exclaimed, brandishing it's twin lances towards Shuppet.

"Ew! Why'd you send that one out? It's hideous!" Her partner demanded to know. "Call it back and use the other one."

"Bite me. Beauty is subjective, after all. And my knight in shining armor is a lovely sight!" The young woman retorted. "Esky, use Twineedle."

"Cavalier!" The Bug-type exclaimed as it darted forward at high speed, lances glowing dull green with a purple tip.

"Use Sucker Punch." Odd commanded, avoiding the direct use of names.

~I will end you, mortal!~ The Eldritch Ghost-type retorted, refusing to move.

"Do it or you're gonna hit!" Too late. Escavalier's attack hit, jabbing at the clothe-wrapped Ghost back to back. Luckily, it escaped without even getting poisoned.

"Do you even know Sucker Punch?" Odd asked the Shuppet as Escavalier returned to rest before it's trainer. Clearly it had a moral code of it's own.

"You don't even know your own Pokemon's moves?" The Flare girl demanded to know. "What kind of rookie are you?"

"Talk to the wall." Odd snapped, conjuring a veil of Black Fabric between the girl and her Pokemon for a moment. "Answer the question." He told his Pokemon as he took out his SNAG and tried scanning it. The Pokedex pulled up without issue but when he pointed it at the Shuppet it seemed like the whole device crashed, refusing to display any data regarding it at all.

~I know what I know, mortal.~ Shuppet replied.

"Then do something you annoying Thing! Otherwise you're going in the lantern." Odd retorted, growing irritated with the Shuppet.

~Anything but that. The other one is unbearable!~ Releasing his Black Fabric now, Odd could finally hear his opponent again. Seems Black Fabric can even cancel out sound when it's close enough range to it's source.

"Faites attention à moi de vous le cul!" The Flare girl screamed at him for a moment, positively fuming. "Escavalier, X-Scissor!" The knightly Pokemon darted toward it's foe now, lances crossed and glowing with it's Bug chi. Just as it began to slash, dragging it's energy out into blades, Shuppet vanished, reappearing with fists of darkness at it's sides.

~The human may be annoying but you are offensive simply existing in my presence.~ It told the Cavalry Pokemon before pummeling it with Sucker Punch. The Steel-type insect was battered by the dark constructs for several moments before Shuppet's eyes glowed bright black, erupting outwards with a dome of death-like energy.

Odd tried to sense what was happening within the dome of Night Shade but nothing was making it out of there to detect. When it ended, the Pokemon lay on the ground with Shuppet hovering over it.

~It ends. Even the strongest spirit breaks in the presence of true evil.~ Thing exclaimed in triumph, floating back toward Odd.

"Take your Pokemon and go. I won't even waste my Pokemon's energy if you send another one out." He warned, hands glowing black as he prepared is Soul Siphon, ready to take her soul for his own if he had to even as he recalled Thing to it's Pokeball.

The young woman recalled Escavalier and reached for another Pokeball, faltering for a moment when she saw his threat and his visible resolve to carry it out. "This isn't over!" She cried as she turned to run, picking up her partner, who she failed to notice was lacking in outer coverings.

((saving you the trouble of having to type up Terashi stripping him and taking his clothes))