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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 8, 2021 23:25:09 GMT

peggie vela likes this

following the announcement, cait had very quickly and effectively gotten all of her affairs in order. this involved the hiring of a lawyer, the careful dividing and allocation of her personal funds to separate accounts and the purchasing of supplies. additionally, she'd gotten her home and her property effectively prepped for what was to come, ensuring her pokemon actively prevented anyone and anything from reaching hearth and home while she worked in partial isolation.

the woman had barely gotten any sleep since, jumping through the legal hoops to effectively end her contract with the league. the consequence of abruptly detaching herself meant she'd no longer receive benefits - had to surrender her high security clearance - and no longer had access to the information stored in abundance on their various databases.

'no big loss,' she reasoned.

at present, she was likely a day or two from transitioning from a 'soldier' to a 'veteran without benefit'. cait had emailed those who she closely associated with about her decision - those individuals being fernando and Stormy Silph . she'd not offered much in the way of explanation, merely volunteering that she had cut her ties.

"sir."

the young woman had entered his office without ceremony, not bothering with the act of knocking. despite the fact that he remained her superior - and that her respect for him was immense - her present state of mind muted all else as she sought to question him.

"i - "

on her tongue was an inquiry, but her mouth fell shut as she shifted her gaze to take in his office.

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silph

SIR

twenty-nine

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TAG WITH @silph

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 0:03:47 GMT

[attr="class","spiral"]“Alfric.”

He knows her voice by heart. There’s no need to turn around to see what he inevitably feels. Her eyes are like a felt tip pen, boring delicate traces against his backside as Fernando closes up shop.

His office is remarkably empty sans his trademark monitors and docking station. Even his laptop is unattached, closed and sitting at the edge of his desk. The rest, as minimal as it is, has already been vacated, returned to the proper administrative personnel for repurposing.

“I was wondering when you’d drop by.”

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cai

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 0:21:14 GMT

"..."

the woman was startled into a temporary and foreboding silence as she quickly discerns the meaning behind the office's present state.

"you're leaving."

cait feels the pit which resides within her personal depths grow into a gaping void. she moves slowly until she is within reach of him, tentatively moving to place a hand upon his arm. the touch is one which conveys concern and support, her expression pulled taut with worry.

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silph

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TAG WITH @silph

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 0:32:48 GMT

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[attr="class","spiral"]Her touch is met with an uncharacteristic affection. He pulls her into a full body embrace, burying his head into her hair, seeking to console what he can only presume to be her worry by running his hand against her curls.

“Transitioning,” he corrects, bitter smile and all.

He’s the one to break contact. Going forward, he’s the one to state his terms.

Time to collect Cait’s payment in spades. Like drawstrings on a family spew quilt, he looks to drape himself in her loyalty. Every King needs his Knight.

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 0:44:34 GMT

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she accepts his embrace, hopeful that he'd find her presence a soothing one. it was one of the rare moments where they touched, her superior preferring to remain a respectable distance in their previous encounters. cait internally filed away this remarkably rare moment, savoring it despite how brief the contact was.

"and where are you transitioning to?"

they physically part and she feels strangely cold in his absence.

"another office?"

her hope is rekindled - albeit slightly.

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silph

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POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 0:56:14 GMT

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[attr="class","spiral"]“Another role.”

Fernando’s smile is as mocking as it is cold. The freedom that comes with releasing himself from self-imposed responsibilities is one he seldom gets to embrace. He holds on for dear life. This taste only comes once.

“League consultant to all matters Avatar.” His answer has several implications. All of them progress in a string of branches that elapse an impossible to breach canopy. The only one that matters is now the League has to pay him for his service. Considering how much he opposes their current train of thought, it’ll cost them a small fortune.

Not that he needs it.

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 1:19:07 GMT

"'league consultant.'"

cait didn't appear impressed nor at all pleased by his newfound title, her brows furrowing.

"they didn't force you to surrender your council seat in exchange, did they?"

her voice betrays her loathing, the woman actively searching for any and all reasons to dislike the league and it's poor decision making.

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silph

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TAG WITH @silph

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 1:26:18 GMT

[attr="class","spiral"]“No.”

Fernando laughs at the idea. As if. Although the political games shift with the ebb and flow of events, one thing remains constant: Fernando Silph is an asset that cannot be given up without recourse. He’s much too valuable to pass up, whether it be foreign or domestic.

“That’s their way of clinging onto me despite my resignation.”

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 1:45:50 GMT

"did you know about this ridiculous- "

cait gestured toward nothing in particular, the action directed at the recent events which had unfolded a few days prior.

"- aqua idea," she said. "and the announcement they'd make? or did our beloved commissioner keep everyone out of the loop?"

a part of her wanted to believe that fernando would at least offer her a small warning.

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TAG WITH @silph

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 1:57:14 GMT

Selena Desmarais likes this

[attr="class","spiral"]“Indeed. I was the one who scraped it.”

There’s no guilt in keeping her in the shadows. No one was supposed to know. Although their decision wasn’t unanimous, every member of the council has shown some semblance of hesitance if not outright refusal in passing such a key piece of legislation. How Selena Desmarais became privy of this Fernando can only guess.

All clues point to Laurence Anderson but that’s past news.

“But the idea was kept on the table should things go awry—Commissioner’s discretion.”

He clicks his tongue against the back of his teeth. In hindsight, he should’ve prepared more. What he has right now will suffice but he could’ve done more. He always could’ve done more.

“I didn’t think that Selena Desmarais’s opposition would’ve been steep enough to constitute it but who else knew she was hiding such pressing information.”

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 2:11:26 GMT

"regardless... i want nothing to do with it. i voided my contract with every intention of watching the league suffer the consequence of sheer negligence."

she positioned herself to stand at his side, pondering the view from his office as she did so. a pang of sadness struck her as her gaze shifted toward the skyline, the former officer realizing that this would serve as their final encounter in this particular location.

"i'm concerned about you and stormy," she admitted. "it's inevitable that the league will have you dragged into this awful mess."

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silph

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TAG WITH @silph

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 2:21:05 GMT

peggie vela likes this

[attr="class","spiral"]“You know,” his voice dies down when he reconsiders the words about to leave his mouth. While having Cait underneath his thumb would be ideal, she’s still an asset elsewhere. A monopoly on her doesn’t mean her interest can’t coincide with the League.

“Their suffering will eventually become our suffering.”

Mostly her suffering. Fernando will be fine one way or another. Not because he’s infallible but because he has no ties to the region. Self preservation comes above all else. Even if it means uprooting himself once more.

“It’s a cute thought, Alfric,” an arm wraps around her shoulders. The sun sets on Lilycove as does his tenure. “But what is the League without me? kim cole-essam couldn’t turn on me even if he wanted to.”

In freedom there is power.

"I'm untouchable."

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 2:47:45 GMT

she considers his assertion and her own perspective on fernando as an individual. he was, without a doubt, correct in his declaration.

"i suppose you're right, sir."

still, it was within her nature to concern herself with his wellbeing.

"but i can't help but worry. i'm just afraid that if team rocket somehow gets to you... "

rocket was likely aware of silph's importance. he had participated in the previous wars as a military head and advisor - and would likely follow that trend in the next confrontation. rendering him a 'causality of war' would be beneficial; and could turn the tide in their favor.

"sir," she murmured. "i've actually wanted to apologize. and by that i mean a proper apology instead of simply avoiding it entirely."

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TAG WITH @silph

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 3:12:14 GMT

[attr="class","spiral"]“You don’t have to worry if you’re there with me.”

The invitation lingers longer than it should. Fernando removes himself from her person thereafter. Like with any temptation, the choice to join him has to be of her own volition. It’s the only way to make her stick.

“Oh?”

Her apology catches him by surprise and it shows in his expression. A raised eyebrow crooks up to meet her, curious.

“In regard to what, Alfric?”

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TAG WITH @cait

POSTED ON Feb 9, 2021 3:20:57 GMT

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she's only slightly surprised, but she theorizes that he was either feigning ignorance or initially taken off-guard by the subject change.

"for my inappropriate conduct a year prior," she said.

the woman pauses, averting her gaze as she continued speaking.

"for making you uncomfortable. you know?"

after a moment, cait decides that being subtle would do her no favors in this regard.

"i tried to seduce you when you came over for dinner once."

she then counted off on her fingers, internally fishing through her memories.

"or when i wore that combination of short skirts or push up bras to our past meetings. the dark green ones where the bra was showing a little. or the sexual subtext i added during some of our conversations. it was wildly inappropriate - and i apologize for not realizing you weren't interested. i know you were just trying to be polite. and i appreciate that."