the downpour is proving to be more of an issue than it should have been. ace stands underneath a large tree, somewhat protected from the rain by the long-reaching branches and leaves. for someone who's usually so prepared, it comes as a surprise when he isn't on this one occasion.

to be fair, he didn't think of bringing an umbrella to a haunted mansion. why would he ever need one? to protect from ghosts? silly.

the joke's on him as he peers through the pouring rain, barely able to make out the shape of what appears to be the mansion up ahead. sighing, he draws his hood up over his head. socks is tucked comfortably in there, still relatively dry from the cover of ace's hood. 

"do you think we can make it?" 

it's not that far off but it's still intimidating. a worried knot grows in his gut as he looks at the mansion, perhaps slightly anxious at the possibility. no, he shakes his head, and steels himself for battle. 

"we're gonna make it." 

and make it they do. just at the cost of getting absolutely drenched. ace is out of breath by the time he reaches the roofed porch. socks shakes like a wet dog before lying back down on ace's shoulder, his body outstretched as he basically hangs on.

ace looks to his assigned senior, only now realizing that he should introduce himself. "hi! i'm ace. and this is socks. sorry we're late." he gestures up to the resting furret on his shoulder. looking back to benjamin, ace has a half-worried, half-anxious look on his face.

"should i salute you?"

@benjamin

on the clearest night

it can be seen forever

Starting to feel irritated at the sensation of cold hair sticking to his forehead, Benjamin pushed the white strands that had been dampened in the downpour, fingers brushing it messily away from his face as he oft did. Releasing a sigh, he shook his wrist so that his jacket sleeve slipped down to reveal a clock face, watching as the second hand tauntingly clicked in sluggish succession. Their new recruit, contrary to his given name, was not exactly a model timekeeper.

Benjamin wanted to get annoyed at the tardiness, at being stuck out in the rain with nothing but his pacing to occupy his restlessness and a gloomy, uneventful house that he promised to explore – only he couldn’t find the fire. Perhaps the rain had dampened more than his hair.

Or, most likely, when he saw a lone small figure charging towards him through the downpour, Benjamin was struck with a sliver of déjà vu. He was probably around this kids age when he started up with the rangers, too.

That didn’t stop the older ranger from giving the teenager a steely, narrowed look as he dashed under the cover of the patio. “I know,” he said, most likely to everything that the kid had just said upon his introduction, his lateness and name included. “But it’s fine. Just be more careful next time, alright?” Today was just a casual mission, harmless, but what about tomorrow or the day after that? Tardiness was not a habit that he planned on encouraging. Even if it did make him sound a little bit stuffy to a fresh, new face.

He gave the pokemon dubbed Socks a glance of acknowledgment and a slight tilt of his head.

Ace’s question however, awkward and apprehensive, softened Benjamin’s features enough for him to release a soft breath of amusement, lips quirked ever so slightly at the innocence of it all. “Knock yourself out, kid. I’m not going to turn down a free salute if you want to give it a try.” He was sure that at some point at the beginning he was overly formal when it wasn’t necessary, too. Still, even if he wasn’t a high ranking ranger, he wasn’t going to squash some kids dream of giving a professional salute. Nor turn down one when offered.

“I’m sure you’ve been debriefed… but I'm Benjamin Roscoe. I'm not actually your superior but I’m here to back you up today, anyway.”