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POSTED ON Feb 7, 2022 8:11:39 GMT

KYLE LOPEZ

SPEED DATING #4

IT’S ABOUT TIME he gets paired with someone he knows. when a familiar face takes the seat opposite him, fernando leans back. his smile lacks the same grace of a snake that’s yet to bare it’s fang. no, it’s mocking, a sign of friendship that revolves around crass jokes and references.

“enjoying your time so far, lopez?”

despite being kyle’s best friend, there’s still a lot he doesn’t know about the champion. whether or not he’d enjoy an event such as this becomes a clean fifty-fifty wage.

“finally get to meet some of your adoring fans, champion?”

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POSTED ON Feb 7, 2022 18:30:17 GMT

the smile he held on his expression finally collapses when he gets to fernando. it's not surprising to see him here, but being paired with him for a round for a breather was the most luck he can wish for for today.

"it's surprising they recognized me, to be honest." after all, he was the least popular out of the original elite four, albeit the blame is more on him than anything else.

as he takes his seat, he slumps all the way to the most comfortable position he can possibly attain with these seats and these suits. a hand grabs a piece of pastry, snacking on it bit by bit throughout the conversation.

"do you think it's fun for someone with little business experience to be looking for sponsors for the next league event here?" he answers back with a tone.

'more responsibilities for the champion', as fernando had requested to dahlia months ago.

"if you're here, wouldn't it be better for someone with experience as a ceo to do it instead?"

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POSTED ON Feb 7, 2022 18:58:04 GMT

KYLE LOPEZ

SPEED DATING #4

“INDEED.”

there’s no flashy back-talk or remark fernando can counter with when confronted with such an accusation. in fact, it’s perfectly valid. which is why context has to be added before he can retort.

“but i already said no to the event.”

a sigh escapes the grimace of his smile. it’s one he wears not out of happiness or appearance but instead one of apprehension. desperation.

“granted, i don’t see a lot of value in a lot of the events we host so i tend to decline most of them.”

he waves his hand over the table, as if to physically grab the other’s attention.

“do you remember the kid that wanted to be a gym leader? the one who still had peach fuzz under his nose spouting dreams of opening up a resort that also served as a gym?”

the smile fades so that only the grimace remains.

“i said no to that. declined every front of funding i could, federally. so you know what they did, lopez? they looked for the first ‘yes man’ they could find.”

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POSTED ON Feb 7, 2022 19:39:35 GMT

it was enough to bring kyle to smile from ear to ear.

"yeah. i actually got to know the boy. he's nice. not his fault he's as ambitious as everyone else that came to hoenn, expecting things to go their way."

before getting too absorbed in the conversation, kyle speaks up.

"wait, are you calling me the yes man?" he asks. the flare up from the accusation quickly dwindles down as he realizes he doesn't care. "eh. not my problem if things go wrong because of me."

as he quickly dismisses the idea, kyle continues the previous topic as if the previous statements have been left unsaid.

"would you say we have those with our current roster?"

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POSTED ON Feb 7, 2022 21:58:32 GMT

kim cole-essam and Katherine Fairburne like this

KYLE LOPEZ

SPEED DATING #4

AND, to some degree, kyle is correct. it is not the fault of the young and bright to dream of the stars. it is the responsibility of those who have lived those lives, those who’ve experienced the FOLLIES OF YOUTH, to keep them in check. but in a region that loves to point fingers with ACCUSATIONS OF ACCOUNTABILITY who will hold them to it?

no one.

which is why he alone must stand strong. there must be a ‘no’ that keeps them grounded. otherwise, they float away in a chaotic mess that makes no sense. and for what? to satisfy a fleeting tickle of muse that will die in the embers of its own short-term life cycle?

a small nod answers kyle’s question. on the black and white canvas of ‘yes’ and ‘no’, fernando leans him closer to the former. in his opinion, most people are.

“undoubtedly.”

he runs his fingers through their ‘roster’. league, elite four, gym leaders, aqua initiative. all of them.

“the only ones who i can rely on to say no is Katherine Fairburne and, surprisingly enough, kim cole-essam.”

unless, of course, saying ‘yes’ will annoy him without lasting consequences. in those scenarios, kim always says yes.

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POSTED ON Feb 8, 2022 2:16:16 GMT

there's only amusement with fernando's response. it's a shared sentiment, and a problem needed to be addressed regardless. it's been a while since it's first been relevant, but to talk about it now when the current issues also inhibit such strikes kyle more than any other topic he's had since the start of the event.

kyle breathes in relief when his name doesn't get mentioned; that he doesn't have an expectation to hold. then again, he's certain no one won't mind if he acts one way or another.

"yeah, i say no a lot too sometimes." on a different subject matter entirely, however. "don't worry. i see you, and i'll deliver next time."

his job description was to just deliver instead of making big decisions, but he can easily adopt it to his current responsibilities and tweak it around to suit his style.

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POSTED ON Feb 8, 2022 5:59:13 GMT

KYLE LOPEZ

SPEED DATING #4

“THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN JUST SAYING NO.”

admittance is one thing. using it to deflect is another. fernando settles for nothing but the best. that isn’t too much to ask from someone like the champion, right? somewhere in the middle of brash statements or sublime references, there is a semblance of trust.

“saying it at the right times. or not saying yes, at the correct times, is essential.”

the ringer dings and their ‘date’ comes to an end.

“but, for the record, you do a good job, lopez.”

and so fernando ends that note with a safety protocol of praise. just as there are improvements to be made, there is also a need to recognize effort and good will. lest he let kyle’s sarcastic nature come back and bite him in the ass.

or get him to leave his gym for no good reason.

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POSTED ON Feb 8, 2022 6:10:22 GMT

unfortunately for fernando, his suspicions are proven right just as time runs out. comebacks can happen much later, when they're already overwhelmed by information overload from the speed dates.

"i'll remember to say no when i get asked to do something that isn't part of my job description."

multiple times has this happened. things he normally did not see previous champions, like the late talia bosch, do are pushed upon him lately.

situations were different back then, admittedly, but it was not an excuse for some of the things he's dealt with.

"i hope you can find people to wear a reindeer suit next league christmas party."

there were multiple names that come to mind that would be willing to do this, namely the newly appointed members of the elite four, as well as certain gym leaders with close to little shame.

the time ends, and kyle moves to the next table.

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