He certainly isn’t shy about availing himself of the snacks. Navy’s got a bag of cookies and a soda by the time they’ve sit down. Maybe that’s part of the test, but he’s famished. His eyes are all for her today. The camera doesn’t matter, the room…[break][break]
The irony isn’t lost on him. If she remembered what happened in Galar, people would say she’s emotionally compromised. Hell if he doesn’t feel emotionally compromised.[break][break]
Her question shoots him dead. Stops him in his tracks. It should be simple, like reading a phone number out of a book. Everyone seems to know about Michael Navidson after Dewford. Everyone knows about the brother whose body he waves like a battle standard, his albatross.[break][break]
But is that truly it? Has he come this far just for Gabe? There were other ways to honor that lost brother...[break][break]
“Michael’s what my dad called me.” He admits in a soft voice, lacking its usual confidence. “Gabe’s the one who called me Navy. So yeah.” He hopes that will stick in the heads of whoever watches this tape.[break][break]
“I wanna keep Hoenn safe.” That sentence follows the last without much room to breathe. He looks her in the eyes while he says the words. He’s settled on his path.[break][break]
“I know I don’t gotta be a Champ to do that, Melody. There’s plenty of people out there who do their part. But….” His eyes glance to the camera. In the lens he sees reflected all those he has met along the warrior’s road.[break][break]
“You guys. Lopez, both Silphs, you. You’re all so damn strong. If I can beat all of you, then puff out my chest and say ‘I’m gonna keep you guys safe. All of you’. They’ll believe it. They’ll see a guy who doesn’t have a god in his corner who’s just as willing to stand up to Rocket. Rocket, and…” Another glance at the camera.[break][break]
“Well, you know what the stakes are, Melody.”

[break][break]

+ Melody Miro

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Between them lies a gulf of silence as he waits for her to ask the next question. He looks away, an old habit when lost in thought. Navy finds himself looking at the waterfall. In it, he sees his reflection, and another man looking back out at him. He wonders if this man can be what he thinks a champion should be.[break][break]
The eyes looking back at him are the eyes of a man born in fire and brimstone under Dewford. He was born amidst smoke and woven dreams. Into that miasma walked a third-rate detective. Out walked a warrior. Down in those depths he saw hints of other worlds. Futures that could never be. Pasts too brutal to imagine. Worlds where Kouji Matsubara’s dream reigns. A world whose only virtue is strength.[break][break]
That is not the ideal of Michael Navidson.[break][break]
“My heroes had the heart to lose their life out on a limb. All I remember is thinking I wanna be like them.” Navy lets the silence steep before his pensive look returns to a smile. “Know that song? Point is…there’ll be people who wanna be like us. Kids like Vanilla Kingsley and Noel Parker. The rest’ll sleep easy at night.” His eyes find hers. It’s easy to understand why her face adorns so many League propaganda posters. Her eyes could soften stone as easy as hearts.[break][break]
“What kind of world you think Rocket wants to build? Seems to me like they want a world for the strong. They can pretty it up, but everyone in Rocket is armed. They’re tough. Their world’s a strong world. I want a world where people don’t have to be like us, Melody. Not unless they want to be. Let ‘em have the chance to be doctors or lawyers. Let ‘em rest easy bein’ civil servants…but if they wanna fight, let ‘em fight.”[break][break]
“I want to be champion of a world where our children can be anything they want to be.”

[break][break]

+ Melody Miro

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Don’t wanna die.” Navy adds that clarification, more to reassure her than for the benefit of the audience at home. “But you know the stakes, same as me. When you go out onto a battlefield, you know there’s a chance you might not come back.” How vexing those eyes, how little he wishes to make them flow like the waterfall.[break][break]
“I’m coming home, don’t worry. Anyway...” No matter where he looks, he sees himself. There’s something strange about the many Navys who look back at him. It’s like a peek into the wide universe Callan mentioned to him.[break][break]
“Rocket…” He tastes the word, mulling it over like bad wine. “They’re a gang. They claim they only recruit people who know the score. I dunno ‘bout that. They’re the gang who killed my brother. They need to be stopped.” Pausing, he snorts. There’s self-deprecation in the laughter, a hint of weariness.[break][break]
“You know, I’m supposed to be a lawman now. A sheriff’s supposed to be a guy who serves justice. The only justice in the world’s the justice you make for yourself. If it were up to me, I’d offer the rockets one last chance: anyone who wants off the ride, surrender. We’ll hold you in custody until the fighting’s done, then release you. After that, whoever stays…they’re the enemy. Captured or killed. That’s the justice they deserve.”


[break][break]

+ Melody Miro

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about me being an executioner. It doesn’t agree with me. Think it’s Cobalion rubbing off on me.” Twenty years is a long time to spend with a beautiful woman and her prissy father-in-law. Long enough for some of his ideals to take root in Navy.[break][break]
“As for your question…I’ve fought like hell for Hoenn. I love the place. I’ve nearly died defending it. I was scared, that day under Dewford. I didn’t know what I was doing. Didn’t even know what I was fighting for…I just knew it was important. Then, at the Ancient Tomb, I fought again. We both know I’ll be there on the next battlefield, win or lose. I just want my shot, that’s all.” Glancing at the camera, then back to Melody, he speaks again.[break][break]
“Unofficially…don’t agree with your co-workers.”


[break][break]

+ Melody Miro

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Thanks.” He says, relief written in the lines of his face. “No, can’t sound casual here. Thank you. I’m glad you called me in that day. It’s part of the long road that led me here. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here with you when shit hits the fan next time.” With the interview over, he stands up, offers her a smile, looks around the room at his reflection. Their reflection. Beautiful thing about this setup, it always shows them together.[break][break]
“Well, with that out of the way, guess I’ll start having to make arrangements for my matches. Wrangling some time out of your co-workers’ schedules is gonna be hell. Lopez will make himself scarce…but I promised him I’d fight him in December.” His blood burns at the thought. It burns when he imagines himself opposite a stage facing Melody, too. A black dragon’s soul has rubbed off on him, painted his soul a little darker. Conflict can be its own love language.[break][break]
“But before any of that: do I have your permission to take you to dinner, too? I’m starving.”



[break][break]

+ Melody Miro

[attr="class","pokeclass"]