Siobhan watches as he climbs the knoll before joining him. she did say she was going to see the juniper trees, after all. it was reminiscent of the times she spent climbing all over the Glimwood Tangle.

this was a walk in the submarine. literally.

stopping behind him, she looks from his back to the foliage. "just going through the motions, hmm?" she dares say, wondering just how fickle Remiel seemed to be. she did not know what to think.

perhaps it was best she dare not get close to him. what sort of passing interest could he have... to abandon it so easily. "you have accomplished so much in Rocket, in Galar and in Hoenn" she goes on.

"what else is there to gain?"

"I was teasing you."

a slight curl of her lip indicated that, if nothing else. though she dared say it, one could assume she wasn't joking. she didn't fault the man for that. Remiel seemed to have a lot on his mind.

"but yes - I have heard of the Draconid People" it was one of the reasons she was in Hoenn "I've read reports, but you were there. I'd rather hear the account from you."

Remiel Calcifet

Miss Burke.

what happened to Siobhan? why the formality all of a sudden? she didn't know what to think about his brutish way of dismissing the talk. "I see" the woman says evenly, controlling her tongue.

if he wanted to be formal... "I'm sure you're aware, but reports diminish the true experience of an event." shoddy film equipment aside, elaborate eyewitness accounts drawn dramatically in writing... 

but if you'd rather refuse to talk she held her tongue again, staring neutrally at him.

perhaps she'd find someone that was willing to speak about it in Rocket? "my regret is not having the chance to go there myself." Siobhan glances away. she felt frustrated for his words.

"perhaps another time."

turning on the spot. a quiet pivot, she shuffles away from him. "if there is nothing else, Mister Calcifet, I should see if there are any jobs available."

Remiel Calcifet

he's quick to cut her off. Siobhan wanted the decency of storming off on her own merits, but he had to take that away from her. she wants to scream and shake him by his throat. she wants to stomp on his feet and slap him. she wants to do so many things but resists. it takes all of her strength, her back facing him currently, to turn on the spot.

she grits her teeth slightly. she stares into his eyes. her hands curl into fists. "repaying the debt" Siobhan echoes "is that all I am?" another item to use up until he got bored with her, tossing her to the fucking side when she was all out of knowledge. why did he so easily rile her up? and why the hell did she care so much? "just a textbook to be read?"

a beat -

"maybe I just wanted to spend time with you, you clueless ass."

the words were out of her mouth before she realized they slipped. gasping slightly, Siobhan turns again and begins to march away. too embarrassed by her words to a superior no less, she finds them unbecoming. attempting to slip away, she calls for her Dreepy. the ghost dragon follows, drifting after her with a surprised (and disappointed) look.

Remiel Calcifet

yes. she is angry. and she doesn't know why. having prided herself on her distance from others, proud of the way their words roll off her skin, Siobhan does not understand. she stopped caring about what people thought ages ago. she stopped caring about people period. so then - why? why did he poke and prod so easily? why did she care what he thought?

because that's what it boiled down to - she actually did care what Remiel Calcifet thought of her.

how and why did this happen?

"I" she begins, stopping again, but only briefly this time. her face was red and she thanked herself for not turning to face him. she shakes her head, blue strands going everywhere. thinking better of saying anything at all to him. what else could she say? an apology seemed so hollow. frustration leaked out of every pore of her body. most at him, but more at herself.

Siobhan didn't want to admit to herself that maybe she could stand to make a friend. that she liked talking to him. discussing things with him. he always said the wrong thing in the end, but maybe that was her being sensitive. maybe she wasn't giving him a fair shake, and this paradox was battling it out in her very soul. instead of saying something, she walks away.

her heels click on the floor, her Dreepy following after her dutifully.

/exit