R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

GREAT LEADERS INSPIRE THOSE AROUND THEM. And while Fernando’s opinion on Dahlia floats in constant drift, even he recognizes a good idea when confronted with one. She opens his mind with the parting of a glass door, interrupting his more personal thoughts when ushered to hurry.

“Indeed.”

There is a noticeable lack or urgency behind his steps—his pace continues, consistent above all else, as his body is battered with the sudden change in humidity. Like starting a car during peak summer hours, his body glistens in sudden sweat, adapting to the sudden flush of warm air. Beads collect underneath his hairline from the collection of his anxieties, little stress bubbles taking form as they look to cleanse themselves from the burdens of their responsibility.

“I didn't think I would need one so soon considering my 'coming out of retirement'. Makes me wonder about you," his eyes look for an answer in the way her features fold. As if she'll paint the answer on the canvas of her face.

"How are you faring, Goode?"

Gvi6lZnr

HEAT POINTS: 980
dahlia goode

"well, i'm okay! a little rough around the edges. a dark circle or two." dahlia breathes in the steam. within her chest, her lungs are a glowing furnace. even with practiced breath, they feed a wider, larger machine. "but after this, i'll be quite alright. thanks for your concern."

she takes her seat, sweeping under her bum to keep the towel flat as it lands on the wooden planks. instantly, the warmth of the wood embraces her skin.

"what made you come out of retirement anyway?" dahlia asks. "are the rumours true? that retirement is boring? it's just a euphemistic way of saying you're getting ready to die?" she laughs at herself. "'course, you're almost as young as me."

8EZBX5OU (860/1000)
FERNANDO SILPH

R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

HER SEAT SIGNALS FOR HIM TO TAKE HIS. Time out of the office has done little to dilute his perception of their standings. As long as the hierarchy remains vertical so too will he follow after her, one notch behind, one caste away.

“I never intended to retire in the first place.”

Unlike the small gesture Dahlia takes before sitting, Fernando foregoes any extra pats. His statement compliments his straight forward nature, plain clothed, monotone.

“But I suppose conflict of interest can be overlooked when our interests are threatened.”

He fashions her a frown that’s saturated with concern rather than disapproval. It’s weaker than the backlash that would’ve kept him away.

“You didn’t think I’ve leave you alone with kim cole-essam and some Fletchling, did you?”

rX63NMy0

HEAT POINTS: 920
dahlia goode

dahlia's laugh skims the steam of their space. the heat is still soft like a peach's thin skin. if even breath could bruise its white wisp, then perhaps, the rigidity of fernando's protocols would skewer it.

"oh, you make it sound like it's a bad thing." dahlia says. "but of course, your absence was tangible. you were missed."

massaging her own wrists, her skin flush and smooth.

"frankly, i was worried when i heard that you had joined the expedition at mt. chimney. i'm glad you're okay."

yqHbJQqv (765/1000)
FERNANDO SILPH

R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

“BAD.”

He repeats the word with a mild chuckle. It’s a brevity that peels the skin of his fuzzy consistency, only to swallow it whole when his lips return to their natural flatline.

“Unnecessarily challenging would be a more apt description for you, no?”

Again, a peek of soft laughter, borderline a scoff, comes from her mention of their desolate operation. “That’s what the AQUA initiative is for, isn’t it? Council member or not.”

The results of their dispatch help melt away one of the few worries that rose with the creation of an Avatar coalition. “We have some good talent out there. Made it easy to return unscathed. As odd as some of those circumstances were.”

qulzX2i4

HEAT POINTS: 900
dahlia goode

"oh, don't exclude yourself from the talent pool," dahlia waves the air before her, pulverizing a head of steam into swirls, "i'm sure if you weren't there, part of the operation might have been headless."

briefly, the thought of fernando's remedied contract returns. the phantom cold of her mr. rime graces her fingertips as they remember chilled documents returned by her pokemon's frigid hand.

despite his amendments, he had ventured onto the mountain regardless.

"fernando. do you have any hobbies or do you just work?"

44dEPDUm (722/1000)
FERNANDO SILPH

R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

“MY TALENTS LIE ELSEWHERE,” he declines by downplaying his abilities. humility surfaces for selfish reasons but that’s the goal: a consistent image. fernando silph should be no more revered than any other ‘average trainer’ that puts in an earnest effort.

“i’m privileged enough that my work varies. enough so that it is my hobby.” he peeks a smile at her, hedging playful, as if joking. “but it is one of many, like reading, exercising, eating.”

he cautions her an inquiry behind trimmed, bushy brows.

“why do you ask?”

umFOIdb8

HEAT POINTS: 842
dahlia goode

"simple curiosity for a colleague."

dahlia says, recrossing her legs. the modesty of her towel is generous and robe-like as she flattens the white meringue-like tufts of its fabric.

"however, i just assumed that a trainer as ambitious as you might have had explored secondary passions." she says a slice above the steam. "politics don't count."

WhKXCCC6 (668/1000)
FERNANDO SILPH

R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

“AMBITIOUS?”

she elicits another laugh that gets cut by the swarming steam.

“i’m afraid most people find me largely uninteresting once they get to know me.” a viable criticism from isra, his former secretary, once his repetition wore away the novelty of her initial infatuation.

“i don’t suppose watching pokemon battles would count, no?”

y9gZ7amz

HEAT POINTS: 772
dahlia goode

"those count. those do." dahlia speaks of the spectator sport in a hushed voice. tone like smeargle paint smudged underneath the fingernails.

she is no battler. no woman of sport— but even she knew of the necessity of elite four's establishment in the face of other regional comparison and the pincer of hoenn's internal threats.

"and yet, i assume those people still stay, yes?" dahlia asks. "maybe people are attracted to the uninteresting. the routine. boring means stability in hoenn, don't you think?"

jlaEIFls (606/1000)
FERNANDO SILPH

R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

“HARDLY.” his smile flashes more than a bittersweet confession. the white of his teeth, a measure of societal beauty standards and therefore wealth, share the same bleached colorlessness of the empty spots in his roster. neither silph co. or league are exempt.

turnover in either organization means someone gone from his life, whether it be partial or in an entirety.

“but enough about me. the world has enough mention of fernando silph, good and bad.”

eyebrows quirk with an earnest interest. one that resonates with the air of mystery that surrounds the commissioner. someone with a stained reputation but infallible following is his apple of envy.

“who is dahlia goode behind the title of commissioner?”

WVnxOmkj

HEAT POINTS: 739
dahlia goode

someone who's out of her depth. she says to herself psychically; whether it is true or not, she's unsure. but she dare not say it out loud. even with trusted colleagues, utterances of weakness shift from staves to snakes.

"oh, well," she's caught off-guard by the question, wreathed in the steam of it, "someone who has lived on one track all her life. attended all the right schools. met all the right people- well, save for one, i suppose."

she taps a finger against her apple red lips.

"someone who is lucky enough to have things fall into her lap," dahlia breathes out, "whether i like it or not."

g2z0OzeB (603/1000)
FERNANDO SILPH

R&R

TO RADICALIZE AND RATIONALIZE

“LUCKY?”

her choice in answer loses his gaze. he stares off into the mindless steam that looks no different than his BERSERKER MIST. it set him off, inside, but his mask distorts it into nothing more than a click of his tongue.

“that’s one way of looking at it, i suppose.”

and with a smile more reserved than those before it, he seats against sweaty cedar.

“but never discount your own hard work and diligence. opportunity comes to those who have put in the work to utilize it.”

3xdKcmJM

HEAT POINTS: 664
dahlia goode