Gavin appreciates his partner's willingness to get down to business; they won't have much time and breath is wasted on formalities.

"Finn," he introduces himself, though a little card had introduced him as Thomas Finnegan. "Paleontologist. I study fossil Pokémon, sometimes revive 'em. Go all over the region but right now I'm in Mossdeep."

Given that it's where Chu-e had lived and where his sister had once held residence, he knows the city fairly well. He's relying on that in case of scrutiny.

"So what sorts of things does a mechanical engineer do? That like working on vehicles?"

An experimental bite of a macaron reveals it to be mint-flavoured, and Gavin seems pleased as he chews.

wolfgang volkov

Polite inquiry transitions into genuine interest. He'd once tried to take apart one of the machines used to revive fossils and hadn't the slightest idea how to put it back together, how it worked.

"You ever travel the region for work?" Littleroot did seem pretty boring, at least where prospects were concerned. "Might be you could find something more interesting elsewhere."

Gavin takes the offered card, wondering if Rowan Wrynn might need an engineer for his current pet project. Dangerous to involve an outsider, but did Rocket have any mechanical engineers in its employ? He makes a point to ask around out of curiosity.

"If you 'fix shit for labs' I'm sure I will. I take good care of my equipment but everything breaks eventually."

wolfgang volkov

The shift in Wolfgang's mood is sudden. Behind Gavin, the Lucario that's stood still as a statue lets out a low snarl, showing her teeth. Gavin seems more surprised than fazed, brow vanishing behind his fringe.

"I don't recall saying anything against Littleroot. It's a small town. Business opportunities are slim."

This wouldn't be his first 'date' to turn into a fight, though normally he and Tempest Quinn were smiling and laughing as they went at one another. Gavin can feel the itch beneath his skin, the flood of adrenaline. And then Wolfgang seems to remember himself, leaning back in the chair, and Gavin swallows down the primal instinct that claws in his chest.

"Finn," he corrects, then, "Duly noted."

wolfgang volkov

Wolfgang's quick shift back to calm is only somewhat jarring; Arceus knows there's enough unhinged personalities in Rocket that being snapped at one second and politely regarded the next is practically common. Gavin's adrenaline is slower to adapt, heart still pounding and muscles tense. Fight or flight, except there's no fight to be had.

He dips his head, acquiescent. "No problem."

Gavin gets up, also tucking in his chair, and glances up with open curiosity at Volkov's parting remark. Suddenly, this random Littleroot engineer is all the more interesting.

Just who are you? Maybe he'll find out.

wolfgang volkov