Where THEO BECKETT feels dread, Gavin sees potential for progress.

It's dangerous. He doesn't want to sacrifice his loved ones to the initial trials. Yet if he were in their place, still grasping desperately for the scraps offered by greater beings...

"I would have."

He's not looking at Theo. He's looking down at his hand, watching miasma curl around it like a curious serpent. When he does look up, his eyes bear the same fire they'd at the bar. Miasma follows the path of his breath.

"Imagine what Rocket could do with that much power."

Imagine what I will do, with mine.

He blinks, dousing the brilliant flame and scattering the miasma to the wind with a wave of his hand.

"I don't know if all of them will. But I know one for certain." He had wished so terribly to keep her away from the project, but how could he deny the ambitions he himself shared? "Serena Malcolm."

[attr="class","beck"]he has imagined it. it's why he feels dread — knowing the things rocket will do once they achieve it. hoenn, for whatever it's worth, will likely be reduced to what kanto once was.

they'll rebuild, but at what cost?

"i don't know her well enough. i know Rowan Wrynn will, however."

given their trainings and their interactions, it's been clear to him that the boy wants power.

"but that's good to hear. at least DANNY HALL won't be going through it alone."

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

Gavin's eyes narrow at mention of Rowan Wrynn, the fires of ambition smoldering to embers.

"Do you? Did he say as much?"

It wouldn't be a shock. Gavin had pulled Rowan into the fold without knowing of their relation, seeing only a kindred spirit in a bitter youth grasping for whatever power might distance him from a troubled past.

But now that he did know Rowan as a brother, he knows fear for him.

THEO BECKETT saves him further rumination by mentioning DANNY HALL, and Gavin's troubled frown deepens to almost a snarl.

"He'll be one of the first," Gavin vows. "If it kills him, good riddance."

[attr="class","beck"]"he didn't, but i could tell."

in some ways, Rowan Wrynn reminds him of cillian when they were still in kanto.

"he's ambitious. he wants the power to be able to protect himself and the ones he loves."

in the end, they're all just looking to survive.

at cillian's almost-snarl, theo couldn't help but chuckle.

"i don't think serena will see it that way."

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

Rowan Wrynn reminds Gavin of himself, too. It's why he fears for him.

"He'll get it, someday."

It may not be through M.A.G.M.A, or even through the strange creature his brother had seen on the battlegrounds of Sootopolis, but Gavin believed Rowan was ambitious enough to seize some kind of power, somehow.

After all, hadn't Gavin done the very same?

THEO BECKETT seems amused but the underboss doesn't lighten up.

"I don't care how she sees it; she's the one who brought in someone who immediately sold her out to the League. She's lucky I haven't already put a bullet in him."

[attr="class","beck"]either way, hoenn is chalk full of power. it's just up to those ambitious enough to reach for it.

"why haven't you?"

because in kanto, they'd have done it the second they found out. they'd likely have made Serena Malcolm do it herself.

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

Gavin has come a long way, since Kanto.

But the beast it had awoken in him only slumbers, stirs in the shadow of his gaze.

"Because this way, we'll get some use out of him first."

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]"he has potential."

training the boy has told him as much.

"but his loyalty's to serena. reminds me of Killian Decker and Alexandra Briarwood, in a way."

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

"Is it?" Gavin spits. "Funny that didn't stop him from compromising her."

It's clear from the vitriol in his tone that Gavin won't be convinced.

"Last I checked, Killian and Lex aren't fucking each other over."

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]"fair point."

"it'll be his first and last offense. next time, i'll handle it myself."

a pause.

"unless you wanted to."

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

Gavin's lip curls, canines glinting in the gloom.

"You won't," he corrects, "and neither will I."

Rocket had changed but some lessons must remain draconian.

"He fucks up again, she'll deal with him herself."

Serena Malcolm's alternative wouldn't be something the new Beast would want to entertain; she'd be given a choice with one clear answer.

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]ah. he had almost forgotten what it was like for them in kanto. in fact, he had almost forgotten they were in rocket.

it became too easy to just pretend like they were two friends talking.

he wishes they could be just that. free from rocket and others.

"good."

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