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Alba glared ahead of him. Well, maybe not exactly a glare. Just very, erm, unamused. He'd thought he'd finally found a new life in Kodo, ironic but new, and he'd finally have a roof over his head again. Now they wanted to tell him that all the trainee bunks were full, in need of repairs, or otherwise unavailable for the time? At least whoever it was he had met with had told him the location of another possible bed. That is... they told him, but seemed unsure if the bed would be... there? What kind of organized crime ring was this place?

With a sigh, he stopped in front of a door and checked the paper scrap he carried. Yep, definitely this room. Setting his rolling bag at his right, and shifting his backpack strap over his left shoulder, he knocked three times. Sure, he'd been handed a key with the directions. But he thought he could hear some sounds coming from inside. An off-key instrument, or someone who couldn't play? Sigh. Just what had he gotten into?

Alba blinked as well, but quickly schooled his features back to his earlier indifference. Great, another person taller than him, with quite the noticeable scar to boot. And was that... sheet music?

For now, it was mostly pulled into a ponytail, with the exception of loose bangs, falling to almost the middle of his back. "Ah, yes, um," okay, so maybe his training still needed some work. He coughed and cleared his throat to compose himself. Alba still hadn't cut his hair since moving, so it felt odd to be using his ex-cop demeanor with hair that would seriously be breaking regulations. "I'm Alba Ross," he started over, sounding more confident this time and making direct eye contact. He also stood a little straighter, as if lining up for an inspection. "I'm a new trainee and I was told I would be able to room here. If that's alright?"

By the time Alba had thought to move his hand to shake, he was holding it in midair with no one before him. The other man- Lucas?- was already making an attempt at digging out a part of the room. "Eh?" This place was just bizarre.

Still, the door was open, and Alba accepted the invite to attempt entering. He hesitated, not sure if he really wanted to brave stepping into such a nest yet. It didn't help that the lone Pokeball on his belt was twitching from time to time. Finally, he settled for moving his rolling bag inside the door, and placed a hand over the Pokeball to try calming it. "Any, erm, way I could help?" A hint of curiosity leaked its way into the question. Especially when he turned to see even more stick-it notes beside the door frame he stood in. And he'd thought his apartment in Saffron had been a mess...

Alba leaned back at bit under the Chimecho's gaze, but evenly returned a stare. Paranoid much? Unfortunately, he was too busy with his staring war to notice the Pokeball twitching more. Whatever was inside must have heard the Chimecho's entrance. With one final kick and a sudden light, the contents broke free. "W-wait a second!" Alba jumped and grabbed wildly at the source of the disturbance: a hovering Chingling, right in front of his face.

"Chiiiing~!"

"W- Gah! Spook! Stop. doing. that!" The little thing was quick. She easily dodged his grasp, seemingly hopping in midair, and landed on a corner pile of papers just out of Alba's reach. She was also grinning like mad and looking very proud of herself. Alba groaned, and, his irritation showing, he buried one hand in his hairline. "Alright, be that way," he looked back at the grinning Pokemon, "but don't expect that extra dessert I promised you."

If it were possible, the bell Pokemon instantly deflated, and a look of panic appeared on her face. "Ching! Ching ching!" Oh yeah, definitely panicking at that thought. It had Alba wondering if he needed to retract the threat, just to keep her from possibly breaking out in tears!

Saved by the Chimecho. At the sight of Merry, Spook instantly brightened. "Chi~iing~." She even happily let this total stranger give her attention.

"If that's what you'd call it." Cue an angry, "Ching!" but Alba ignored it. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the door frame. "More like I fed her a bit, and she hasn't quit following me since." Then there was the point of how she ended up in a Pokeball, but Alba figured there wasn't any need in telling that one. "How about yours? That's an interesting coloration for aaa... it." He inwardly winced at the end, realizing he had no idea what Pokemon Merry even was yet, much less male or female. He didn't even know what a Chingling was until one sat down beside him. Lame of him, he knew. He'd just never had much interest or need in knowing about Pokemon before, ahem, traveling.

Meanwhile, Spook was fascinated again by Merry, or rather, Merry's tail.

Alba nodded to himself, silently taking mental notes. So Lucas' Pokemon was what Spook might one day be, and it was also female. Merry had been a lot quieter than Spook so far, so he couldn't go by the usual Pokemon-saying-name method of figuring out what she was yet.

...He'd have to spend some quality time later with that Pokedex he was given. His lack of knowledge was downright embarrassing.

"I don't know if Spook would count as a name, or a title." He eyed his partner, who was dancing in place trying to grab the tail. Why she didn't just float up was beyond him, unless this was more entertaining for her. "She definitely likes to live up to it, though." Deciding Spook wasn't going to get herself into any trouble (hopefully), he finally returned his attention to the beds, and quirked a brow. "You're sure there's nothing I can help with? I feel like I'm robbing you of half your living quarters."

Alba couldn't help it. A short laugh escaped him, whether he wanted it to or not. "Can't say my standards are much better. Not if you used my last apartment as any sort of guide."

Spook stopped hopping in place at the loss of her playmate, and tried to figure out what everyone was looking at. Unfortunately, she leaned forward a little too far, considering she was standing on notebooks and loose papers. One of those said loose papers decided then to slip out from under her footing, and- "Ing! LinglinglinglinglinglingLING!" - sent the Chingling rolling down the pile to land in a dizzy sitting position on the floor. "Liii~iii~iii~"

Alba stooped to scoop the wobbly Chingling up, quickly glancing her over for any injuries. Then again, it was a short pile, so just what was he worried over? "Soooo... Where do we... start?" He took a good look at the room. This was going to be interesting. If not overwhelming, he mused as an afterthought.