Chase realizes his mistake. he lifts a hand, scratching idly at the back of his head. "sorry" all things considered, she was being frosty with him now. that was his fault "I only meant to say; I don't care who you are. League, Rocket or other" maybe he should have explained himself better. she could have been Rocket, for all I knew he resists saying this because he knows he offended her "and it isn't my personal business what side you're on. I really don't care anyway."

he sighs, dropping his arm. "I'm bad with explaining myself properly" he was being awkward and insulting to someone who had shown him nothing but kindness "what I mean besides that is; whatever you've done, experienced... you can have a blank slate here. talking to me. if you wanted, that is. I know from speaking to you that you're much more talented than I am. it means a lot you'd help me, however small. you didn't have to, but you went out of your way to do so."

the fire that quells is replaced with sadness once more.

he doesn't dare smile reassuringly in case this insults her further. his face is kept neutral, almost wary. "I meant no offense" Chase adds quietly, guilt ridden.

freya morningstar

"I'm sorry" he says again, daring to glance up at her "I didn't mean to, ah, place you above everyone else. that wasn't... see? I'm bad at this" Chase chuckles awkwardly, rubbing his neck now "I really, truly, try to give people a blank slate when I meet them. there wasn't any doubt you've seen a lot of shit in Hoenn. you carry yourself well, composed and confident."

if not a bit defiant.

"point is; selfish or not, I appreciate the gesture" he gives a nod "and the League can decommission me if they want" his voice turns a bit stronger, eyes narrowing "truth is, I came here for selfish reasons too" Chase adds. if Freya was going to be blunt, he might as well too "I had no life back in Johto. my home was taken from me in Kanto. my mother, my only living relative, died too young." he smiles almost forlornly.

"I saw the Rangers as a means to earn enough money to live comfortably - for me and my Pokemon. I was always living pay to pay. and yes, I believe in the fight. I think Pokemon like Moxie don't deserve to be abused or mistreated" but the world isn't so black and white "I just like to be optimistic. I'm sorry if that's offending, Freya. I'm sure you've had a lot of stuff happen to make you view a certain way, just like I have to make me a certain way."

but that could change.

freya morningstar

"no. they don't." he says it not quietly, but strong. full of conviction. life is not a fairy tale. he lifts his glass when freya morningstar does, smiling thinly. he agrees with her, that's the fucked up part. but at the same time, he cannot shed his skin as easily as Moxie could. he couldn't shove down the hope his mother instilled into him.

but.

"that'll be my mistake to make" not yours he thinks. she is trying to give him advice, he knows. she says to keep the optimism but also her words close. Chase doesn't want her to make the same mistakes he may do, but he realizes that she may have already. that her words are experience. "and grow from it."

because the world was not evil or good. it was a shade of grey. how deeply shaded was up to the individual. 

"to new beginnings" he clinks his glass against her own.