[attr="class","beck"]"merlino."

it's routine at this point — knock, wait, enter, approach. he barely notices the gesture but accepts the invitation regardless.

"well. this rocket's interesting, to say the least."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

When the door closes, shutting out sound, Gavin laughs.

It's a gentle, genuine sound that softens the severity of the underboss and brings a warmer quality to the cold sterility of the metal office.

"Honesty, Beckett. I know you think them soft."

Gavin, for his part, agrees. Efforts have been made to shore up their weak with the lessons of the strong. He will not let it become Kanto — but the return of his old mentor is in line with a return to their roots, however slight.

"You know I'm looking to strike a balance. Are you ready to commit to that?"

[attr="class","beck"]"soft, but interesting."

comfort is not hard to find in this office despite its bareness. he settles easily into the chair, leans back as he speaks.

"i am."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

"I do hope interesting is good."

A smirk flits briefly across his lips, teasing.

"Excellent. I told you that your patience would be rewarded, mm?" He allows a beat for the implication to settle on its own. "How would you like your old job back?"

It's rhetorical; Gavin's certain he knows the answer.

[attr="class","beck"]the implication is quick to settle. his eyes widen slightly, not much but enough, and he already knows the answer before the question's even asked.

but he contains himself.

"i'll take it if it's offered."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Gavin, too, contains himself. His lips purse as if to suppress a chuckle.

"It's offered. Westcliff stepped down."

[attr="class","beck"]a chuckle escapes him.

"then i'll take it."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

"I thought you might."

Gavin stands, a fluid movement before he circles his desk. Fingers trail the wood, and he gestures with his other hand toward the door.

"Walk with me."

They find themselves, eventually, in the main foyer of Rocket's submarine HQ. The stage where Declan Walsh had delivered his speech upon a rise to power is vacant now but for a grunt sitting on its edge, phone in hand.

Gavin shoos him with a lazy flick of the wrist.

"I've told you that it's power I seek." His voice is low, meant for Beckett alone. There's a familiar hunger in his amber stare that's suppressed, this time, for the sake of business. "That power extends to those who would follow me."

He tucks his hand into his blazer, retrieves a pair of luxury balls. From them, emerge two Ultra Beasts: Stakataka and Naganadel. Their presence is imposing, the drone of Naganadel's wings echoing ominously through the air.

"Do you know what these are?"

[attr="class","beck"]he nods and does as he's told. he follows without resistance, trailing after merlino as if tethered.

"you did."

the immediate presence is imposing. he almost winces under it but he holds strong. he's faced worse and lived. eyes drift up to take them in.

"no, tell me."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

There's a gleam in Gavin's eyes when Beckett reveals his ignorance, something like excitement.

"Ultra Beasts. Heard of them?"

Naganadel hovers impassively. Stakataka's cubes reveal themselves to possess individual 'eyes', slowly blinking out of sync with one another.

[attr="class","beck"]"i have not."

though both are impressive, his eyes stay fixed on one. he studies, analyzes.

"i assume this one is a poison-type from its stinger."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

"Aliens, essentially. Lifeforms out of Ultra Space."

As he'd expected, Beckett's attention lingers on the Naganadel. Gavin no longer bothers to contain his smirk, allowing his expression to reflect a muted form of his excitement.

"It is, yes. Dragon, as well. Unfortunately, its poison's been largely neutralized by the antidote required to tame it. They were a particular menace when the Megalopolans brought them to Hoenn, couldn't get near them without being stung. But I'm sure it's still plenty dangerous if you were to, say, inject it into someone's bloodstream..."

He eyes Beckett through his peripheral, reflecting on an old memory.

"Ultra Beasts toxins are thought to be responsible for Shadow Pokemon. It was a group of Nihilego that corrupted Lugia. I kept this one," and he gestures vaguely to Naganadel, "in the hopes that I might be able to create my own — alas, Lane was a fantastic scientist, and his antidote seems to have removed all hope of that."

Gavin shrugs.

"So I thought I might offer it to you. It's known as 'Naganadel'."

[attr="class","beck"]how does one communicate with an alien? he ponders as he continues to observe and listen, taking in every word merlino says even if he never turns once.

"naganadel."

he repeats, pleased.

"i'll try not to inject this one into your bloodstream, merlino."

his lips break into a genuine smile — a small one, but it's enough.

"are you sure?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn