he forces a smile and she does not repeat the gesture. strategy reports are spilled over her desk, marked with red ink and yellow highlighter. some of the yellow is on her wrist from where she'd dozed off and dropped it. 

"it's good to see you too," she says and she means it. he ought to know by now that this is the warmest she can offer. almost. at the mention of Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki, she sighs, but his pride is infectious. her lips tilt in a half-smile.

"what a shit-show," she says, quite out of character. "but may first, mm? that's when you're taking my assistant from me?"

she sighs. "she'll do a good job. better than she should have to at her age."

Michael Navidson

☉

there aren't very many people who can keep up with freya and do so with the confidence Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki has. hells, the girl was confident enough to insult her straight to her face, while standing in her, er, living arrangements. 

that's next, she thinks distractedly. i need out of the hotel.

navy is far more optimistic about gym jam's exchange than she is. his dry laugh is accompanied by another weary sigh. she leans back in her chair and brings her hands to her face, rubbing at her eyes and temples. 

"Alexei Ivanov withholds vital information from us for over a year for no conceivable reason. Hideo Kino, i'm inclined to write off due to age, but that's an entire other can of worms. some of our leaders won't use dynamax. some openly disparage our elite. yes, i saw the look you gave devlin. what happens when we make a call on the field and they don't listen, navidson?"

Michael Navidson

☉

"the stakes are getting higher," she says sourly. she's never the optimist, but even his attempt at expecting the most is too far-fetched. but he's right. she'd meant it when she'd said it - incompetence, especially if it's weaponized, will result in suspensions. 

she'll be the bad guy if it means the region is better for it.

"uxie," she says and drops her hands back down. "and we think Eris Halla was seen with mesprit, but no one's been able to find her. them, i'm - gods, navidson, they're kids."

mention of tsubaki again helps lighten her mood though.

"yeah, she got them all compiled for me. seriously, though, she's going to be amazing at dewford. we need a bit more of her fire. not that i'm biased."

Michael Navidson

☉

it's an almost alien feeling, listening to navy talk about tsubaki. before she took the council seat, those few months where she was able to start to get to know delta - they were still awkward. she misses her. she misses her dearly. but there is a pride in his voice that is so unmistakably familial and it makes her question if she'll ever have that. 

will she ever get the chance?

"this is why the amnesty program's so important. to show them all that not only can they do better. we can do better." we can forgive. we can change. we can do right. 

Michael Navidson

☉

his fervor becomes a frenzy and while she shares the same sentiment, she has no guard rails for her hate. it's a face to an evil that will be around long after the organization's fall, but still there is a fire that burns in her at what they've taken from those she loves. 

she can forgive the individual, but she will condemn the whole. 

she says, "we will. we will do better." and then she stands, fingers splayed, head cocked. gym jam left her feeling powerless in her inaction, penned in on all sides by distrust and incompetence. 

"i've my badges, navy, and i've been meaning to do this. what better time than the present?" she brushes a hand at the belt on her side, the pokeballs she carries with her while at work, hand-painted and worn. "let's see what we're made of."

Michael Navidson

☉