[attr="class","spiral"]“Sounds like Lane had quite the adventure. I’m glad you all managed to make it out safely.”

In other words, Fernando has nothing to counter act her point. The image she’s painting Lane to be is not a pretty one but he resolves himself in the scientist’s tenure. Other League members have been found guilty of making dumb decisions, why would he be the exception? Of course, this all hinges on one person’s account. How the stories match up will prove more interesting than not.

The discussion leaves room for movement and Fernando won't let her slide out without giving him a proper answer.

“Let’s double back to Blacephalon. Tell me more about it.”

[attr="class","spiral"]“With one aspect of its outburst, yes. But I’m sure there’s more to uncover.”

He account of Blacephalon is plausible at the surface but it reveals more about her character than it does the Pokemon. Like Alexei, such information should have been processed and released to someone. Not necessarily her possession of the Ultra Beast but at the very least its sighting. Had this been a clue or lead to more extreme circumstances, the blame would fall squarely on her.

But none of that really matters; his time in the League has shown that Fernando is the only member that tries to hold anyone accountable.

There are several more clues in her story and Fernando writes a few more words to help commit them to memory. Most importantly, he has a good idea of the space and time their encounter came from.

“You managed to subdue it with six Pokemon prior to administering the antidote? How many causalities did you register? Have you observed any change to the Pokemon after the antidote, whether it be physical changes such as shape and size, or behavioral?”

[attr="class","spiral"] One of her Pokemon managed to sneak past its defenses? Considering the unbreakable wall it had projected during Slateport, Fernando finds that hard to believe. However, with all things, he considers the possibility and gives Katherine his benefit of the doubt. It would certainly explain why hers seemed so much weaker in comparison, at least by her own retelling.

“Interesting.”

The word is more filler than anything else. Fernando keeps his thought to himself while reaching for his glass once more. “I suppose the only way to find out is to see it in action. Another time, when things are calmer, perhaps?”

He contemplates this with a sip, weighing his options, before swallowing.

“I appreciate your cooperation so far, Fairburne, but experience has taught me not to trust so easily. I believe you so far but I need you to put some skin into the game.” There’s a hint of a smile on his face as the MISTY TERRAIN on the floor starts to darken into a more lavender purple.

“In exchange for a secret I hold close to my heart, we’ll wager a bet. If everything you’ve told me so far is true, you should have nothing to hide, no?”

[attr="class","spiral"]“Naturally. We all have our secrets, or so I am starting to learn.”

In a moment of weakness, of uncertainty, his eyes flicker to his glass, eyeballing how much remains before returning his end of any possible eye contact. His open right hand rests on the surface of the table, drumming his fingers against its surface softly.

“That and any secrets that I should know. Anything that I need to know on behalf of the region or the League. Or, I suppose, anything I would want to know.”

[attr="class","spiral"]That’s all he needs to hear.

Although the alcohol they’ve ingested isn’t nearly enough for either to fall off their rocket, it’s enough to loosen themselves up. Or at least he presumes Katherine’s near the same state he’s in. Being able to cut loose eases some of the nerves he has with twisting the more nuanced portion of his powers and he draws Tapu Fini’s attention with a snap of his fingers.

“I trust you, Fairburne, but trust must be earned.”

The creaking of Tapu Fini’s shell opening echoes within the room. Despite the texture of the keratin based tissue, it sounds of expired wood, a true representative of the after life as its coffin comes undone.

“Tapu Fini and I can read the mind and heart of those we judge.”

The purple mist overtakes the MISTY TERRAIN and only Fernando’s will holds back the second offset of his powers.

“The more deep-seated the lie the more your subconsciousness will turn against you, even if you’re unaware. The more you hide the more violent the reaction.”

It’s a simple explanation and essential for this to work.

“Are there any secrets you’re hiding from me that I should know?”

A vague one that’s sure to pull a reaction.

“Anything the League would want to know, anything you’re desperate to hide from the League and the ramifications that come from it?”

This one’s a bit more specific but the tail end should be good enough for an excuse.

“About Blacephalon?”

[attr="class","spiral"]“It’s a bit more nuanced than that,” he answers nonchalantly. “Legendary Pokemon, and the powers that be, tend to be more fickle than we’d like.”

Draw her out. Buy time. His own timing has to be impeccable for this to work. The longer he can constrain her from abruptly answering him the more likely he is to succeed. He needs her segue into her answer to be smooth for the reaction to be immediate.

“Something superficial like that won’t do. It needs it to be something you’ve buried, something held within the depths of your soul, or so Tapu Fini says. The rules behind it are a bit more specific but please bear with me.”

And, patiently, he tries to count to an unseen rhythm. An eight count goes off in his head and he uses it to focus on her every word. At the tail end of ‘you’, halfway into her recital of his name, the SELF DESTRUCTIVE MIND ALTERING mist seeps in. It rattles every neuron on the way in, shooting straight through her brain, and firing off impulses like a terrible overdose.

His own timing in combining his abilities are far from perfect but that’s why he has Tapu Fini with him. When the mist rolls in so do the specters from the afterlife. hunter warren, ian oak, ALEXANDER STONE, Rufio McGillis, Thalia Bosch, and even LANCE VOLLANS reprise their forms from the MISTY TERRAIN, inching closer as they try to claw at Katherine. Their forms lack any real substance so they’ll do no harm but the psychological effect should be enough. Each one lets out a ghoulish murmur, no more than gibberish to anyone beside Fernando and Tapu Fini.

“I believe in the League and everything they stand for. I trust my colleagues to make sound decisions and trust them with my life.”

Fernando’s own ‘dark secret’ comes to light and the ghouls turn on him instead. It’s enough to ‘attract’ their attention, a clear indication that his statement is his well buried lie.

[attr="class","spiral"]“This is a judgement of the heart.”

Fernando stands poised, unaffected by the sight. ALEXANDER STONE proves the most vicious, clawing at his face with every swing of his arms. The moment he makes contact with Fernando, his flesh turns into a flurry of pixie dust, reforming into his hand moments later. This ‘Lance’, her ‘Lance’ continues to ignore her in lieu of the latest lie, his own.

“Whether you know it or not, Katherine, you lied to me.”

Balled fist tremble and through concentration Fernando is able to get his specters to remain motionless. They become dormant, no more than well manufactured puppets. Lance continues to keep an eye on her as does Stone with him.

“The recently deceased return to judge you. It always picks someone close to you. The rest are people you’ve met, or shared a space with, sometimes no more than unknowingly crossing paths on a busy street or in a crowded mall.”

His eyes narrow and his scowl is matched only by the distorted image bleeding through her haze.

“They’re here because you're hiding something from me.”