the stroll was done in lonesome.

surprisingly, jayde did not have his present companions at his side. neither the violent hound or the frowning beast loitered grumpily upon the sidelines. 

evening had stretched far by now. and as much as he was adamant on getting things over with, he had taken his time in getting here. almost as if he'd been dreading the moment of encountering miss alfric once again. 

the younger woman wasn't entirely a nuisance. in—fact, within all those meetings, he had found a soft spot for her. if only the last hasn't been so upsetting. 

regardless of the darkness that surrounded him, in the distance he could make out a slight figure in the dwindling light of the city that stood behind him. only when closer to confirmation, did those lips part. 

"cait." he says, anticipating something else. the feeble dragon on her shoulder catching a momentary glance.

cait alfric

jayde cross

the fierce gaze was a reminder. 

no ounce of fear, no hesitation. despite two opposites standing together, the younger woman held nothing but temper in those bright green eyes. 

his expression wavered at the frustration and confusion etched between every word. eventually, within the ending, jayde simply let out a breath of his own inward irritation— given it had been expected. 

"how many people do you think i've killed?" not expecting an immediate reply, he continued, "before i met you. my reputation of being this criminal wasn't just given to me because of rocket." golden eyes equaled the ones beneath his striking gaze. 

"you knew what i was. you didn't treat me any different you would with anyone else— even now." jayde looks away, crossing his arms against his chest. the city of mauville a brilliance of light within the distance. 

"hate me all you want. maybe it's better that way." 

cait alfric

jayde cross

persistence for answers has the man craning elsewhere. every inch taken forward is a doggedness nature dwindling in the every question. jayde closes his eyes before facing cait, his expression wavered. 

"none of your business." 

he uttered, slightly rattled by the girl's forthright demeanor of getting answers. although there wasn't any falsehood within such statements, at the same time, he wasn't bound upon such constant, aimless killing. 

"you're not much of a threat really. if anything—" 

jayde stopped himself, sighing in the near approach of secrecy not meant for those on the other side. then again— humans were all equally vile. 

"just forget it, cait. when all is said and done, you'll forget that man ever existed in the first place." 

in spite of the one whom appeared constantly undaunted by the death which surrounded him. more than anything, it was him left numb and absent. 

cait alfric

jayde cross

understandable, he thinks in the repetitive turmoil.

only when the girl mentions lugia does he reel within his sense of defeat. he sees flashes of the past. the beautiful beast that had saved him and the time it had all gone wrong. jayde frowns, distraught.

"i've never wanted anything from lugia besides closure. how could somebody like me, be worth anything?" 

his usual emotionless display traces an inward sorrow. it shows through his glaring eyes fiercely within the dark. reflecting something that has not yet been spoken. 

"i'll never be anything besides a criminal. i won't live a life like you, and even if i tried to, the world would turn against me for what i've done."

the arch softens and he looks down. lashes fall with the gaze, concealing his eyes. jayde inches from the girl and faces mauville city once again. 

"i don't blame them either." 

cait alfric

jayde cross

he hears her yet— some part of him doesn't believe it. the outstretch denial of his dark words is perceived as a figment of his imagination. instead jayde remains silent till the true cause gives rise. 

how persistent the gym leader is of her beloved city is beyond him. when jayde turns to look at cait, he cannot find her usual insistent gaze. 

"fine."

he answers, hoping she'd look back.

"but— what will you do when someone besides myself begins targeting mauville. just as they did slateport, the same thing will happen here and everywhere else. everything about hoenn will rot." 

the organization had grown beyond measure. although a nuisance of spies managed to gather a great deal from rocket; rocket had done the same. it was a toss up of hopeful resolutions that ended in failure. the league was getting nowhere. 

"in this world, everyone is fighting for themselves. if i were you. i'd forget about that place."

selfishness was the key to survival. it was what had gotten him so far. at the same time, it was also the destined path of absolute solitude. something he would've never expected of the girl. 

cait alfric

jayde cross

it's the response he's expecting, but, it isn't the one he wants to hear. the inevitable duty was the same in regards to rocket. most were not even willingly apart of the force. their vile duties done in the utmost reluctance for the greater good. 

jayde was different on the matter. an offer had been made given his background. it was a beneficial deal between the shadows of this cruel world.

the only place that would truly accept him.

some part of him feels indifferent to that constant ideal. the fragment of humanity lingering in his cold heart tempers a flame of denial. he lets out an irritated sigh before closing his eyes. 

the toned arm extends itself outwards, one hand hovering in wait for the apparent gift. "it better not be anything weird." he states, his usual lackluster tone humming into their quiet surroundings. 

cait alfric

jayde cross

the orb is familiar to the touch. its cool material settles within his larger hand, the golden eyes peering into the undeniable red. something he had not anticipated as a gift in the present deal. 

jayde stares at the object for awhile, not immediate in expressing some form of gratitude. the creature dwelling within the capsule would've preferred a life of reticence by the side of the gym leader. 

surely, he thinks. the hound of fire had already made a mockery of its freedom. the revenge it had enacted upon human life was just a sliver of the hatred that he held within himself. most of all. the pair were certainly not comrades. they were just equals. 

"you saw selby. that man he killed was just one of many. certainly i won't touch those of mauville but, what do you think will happen to the rest?" 

he holds up the pokeball.

"what would happen to this?"

the hand lowers back to his side. 

"we fight together. we always have. i've lost many friends before because of my rashness. because of what i do. are you truly willing to give me this?"

cait alfric