Grigori stopped dead in his tracks. Fuck.

“Mr… Cross, is it? I do not. I presume you are going to investigate the power situation?”

Certainly not the worst person to run into aboard this submarine, yet the name stood far down the list regardless. Especially after that meeting in the Cave of Origin. He had the great pleasure of accompanying the man to the infirmary. And then he stood guard. Incredibly awkward.

But perhaps not the fault of Jayden– he wasn’t the one that chucked him at the strange cat. Yet again, hard to put anyone at fault when said cat and another creature of Ruination had manipulated everyone’s emotions.

And then selected said boss to be its chosen Avatar.

“But perhaps your Chandelure could provide the necessary light to traverse the halls,” he motioned to the Pokémon that hung above them like a… chandelier. “I wish you luck in your investigation though. If you need any help…”

… Curse this force of habit. If it weren't for the dead lights and mediocre lighting of the wispy flame, Jayden would've seen Grigori's eyes flash regret. “Please let me know.”

A thick ball of dread built up in his stomach. Would his boss require assistance, or would he let him get some sleep aboard this awful
submarine?

---

jayden cross

How could Grigori not expect this outcome? “It can wait, Mr. Cross. Lead the way.”

At least he kept apprehension out of his voice with his answer, as Jayden led the way further towards the source of the power outage. He did admit, though, that there did seem to be an odd noise somewhere around this submarine. What it was, it might be the source of the lack of power.

As for how dangerous it could really be, that was the big question. Surely not bad enough for someone with a very dangerous feline within a Poke ball?

Oh well. Best to make the most of the situation. “So, Mr. Cross, how does your day go? Feeling alright?”

He did admit, the lights made navigation quite horrid. Things never felt as dark as they could be until truly experienced. It felt like walls stood all around him, ones that threatened to surprise the grunt with their realness at a moment’s notice. He could only imagine the potential terror of someone with claustrophobia.

Surely the power room was close by, right? There was only so much room on a submarine...

---

jayden cross

Stable was the best Grigori could hope for, he supposed. An avatarship must take a lot of energy and willpower from you. Especially one like that. Best to not ask that sort of question to Jayden in the future. Inconsiderate.

Yet as they continued their walk through the terribly dark corridors, the boss sprung a question onto the grunt. One that made it feel like he hadn’t considered Grigori’s own time with the organization. “Training? Has there been an update to the procedure that no one told me about?”

“I’m not sure if I’m following along here about my training. Oh, wait, is it time for the Sexual Harassment class again? That does get done around the end or start of a year, doesn’t it…” Grigori stared thoughtfully into the pitch black.

If it wasn’t that, then what could he possibly have left for ‘training’? He wasn’t slated for a promotion anytime soon, and he’d just deny it like the other dozens upon dozens of times. Perhaps this was a trick question, or an opportunity to cut through the pitch black with sound and words. To make this less scary.

“I’ll do whatever is required for Team Rocket, but as far as I know I’m caught up and then some,” he said. Thirty years did that to you: any new procedure could very easily be the product of a deep file dive into things they did ten or twenty years ago. Regurgitated for ‘new’ use. Then discarded for the next new change.

“Unless something stood out in my file?”

---

jayden cross

If Jayden’s clarification of the question was the pebble against Grigori’s window, then the question of promotion followed behind in the form of a brick. Beast? Considered quite the illustrious position by many a folk. Shred Zeppelin had received that title recently, and he seemed ecstatic by it.

“No more than a couple of times, and never longer than a minute,” the grunt said immediately. If there’s one thing he was relieved his younger self never did, it was seek higher positions. He already grew to loathe the terrible things he did at a grunt level nowadays, yet a Beast? Even more abhorrent.

While Grigori had resolved never to take his own life directly, the prospect of finding a shortcut off a skyscraper felt like a more worthwhile venture than Beast.

But those were not the words he used. “When I was younger, I enjoyed grunt work too much. In my older years, I’ve enjoyed the potential companionship that I could never hope to replicate in a managerial position.”

Not lies. Just an omission of truer sentiments.

“But the thought of my potential will be noted and kept in mind. As for the grunt training situation, my only thoughts are that it is not uncommon to hear the grunts complain about their bosses. Perhaps an examination of workplace etiquette is in order,” he said.

How they stripped them of their emotions and feelings. The bosses treated the grunts without any modicum of respect or dignity. But these things were better left on anonymous letters to HR.

There remained hope in this situation, however. Even with the poor quality of light provided by a Chandelure, Grigori could read the directional signs on the wall barely enough. They were nearly there. Only a little longer and he’d be free to walk away from Jayden and forget this ever happened.

“But if I may redirect the focus back to you, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the current Bosses and Beasts and what not,” he said carefully. “From what I recall, we’ve had quite the turnover in those positions as well.”

---

jayden cross

Perhaps not the right words to use, but Grigori had promised someone long dead to never tell a lie. He could not keep silent about the wayward complaints of a few grunts from time to time. Very valid ones.

“For you specifically, from me? Well… your new avatarship has… changed you,” he stopped alongside the man. “You are not as you were. It could simply be my perception of you as well. After all, it’s not as if we’ve interacted much after that infirmary room.”

Intentionally. Entirely personal. In Jayden’s defense, that went for about all the admins, beasts, and head scientists. Not a thing unique to him.

“Most of the opinions I could hope to form come from the idle chatter of those at the lowest rung,” Grigori reminded the admin. “Either overheard or otherwise.”

So what if some of the grunts confided in him about their complaints about their organization? He was well qualified to hear them out. When you’ve been at a place for thirty years, you start to pick up some things. Learn when to listen and forget the face of those who said it. Reminders to change the conversation topic when an admin or beast enters the room.

“Be it as it may, I am but one person here. If you want more opinions about your public perception, it might be best to ask numerous people. Those that are in your presence more than once in a power outage,” he gave a light smile. It hurt his soul to do so, but a little light-hearted humor might do wonders for that sudden dip in temperature.

He hoped the swarm of pinpricks on his skin were mostly concealed.

---

jayden cross

For the rhetorical question, Grigori answered with a shrug. He had his own fair share of similar queries, ones that others couldn’t hope to answer. At least without turning the situation awkward. Best to let it die in the air and live on in Jayden’s mind, rather than his own.

The flicker of the light gave him a brief flash of hope, only to be dashed against the rocks. No salvation from the situation. Only bleak optimism and idle chit-chatter to pass the time. After this, he’d be sure to memorize the layout of this awful submarine. That way, he could go and fix it without undesirable company.

The kind that offered to stick around for longer than desired.

“Work-wise, the power falls on you to make it happen,” he pushed through a frown. “As for out of work friendship… I’m not sure we’re the type to ‘get along’, exactly.”

“I don’t know about you, but the things I do in my spare time are very… out of place, given how I look,” he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “And the job.”

Twenty years ago, they might’ve been best of friends. Now? Not in a million years. With any luck, Jayden would pick up the hint and move on with his life. But knowing himself, this was likely to go the exact opposite direction.

“What do you like to do in your spare time, Mr. Cross? Perhaps… we could try to see if some interests align?”

The change of kindness and compassion rarely proved to be a wrong decision to make. Of course, everything also had to have an exception. Jayden Cross was providing strong evidence for it.

---

jayden cross

Grigori shrugged. “I enjoy working out and spending time in the park, watching the Pokémon scurry about. Even better if there are Fairy-types. I’ve picked up baking as well. People tell me my cakes are quite scrumptious.”

Jayden seemed the type to exercise. However, that’s about all the grunt could assume the man did for hobbies. Of course, the fact that he himself did any of them was proof Jayden could just as interested. But the hope was that he didn’t. The less reason for them to meet up, the better.

“I finished a book just the other day,” he said. “It was about a sailor hunting the biggest Wailord imaginable. Quite inspiring.”

“That’s about it. Any of those spark interest?” He looked around the hallway. There was a directional sign on one of the walls: electrical. Perfect. They must be close now. Grigori motioned to the sign, as well as the direction they needed to follow. He would continue to follow the man from behind, duty bound to finish what had been started.

“Electrical systems are something I’m not interested in, though. How about yourself? Figure yourself an aspiring electrician?”

---

jayden cross