Megan could not help but shrug. To both comments. Because it was kind of the same. She did not mind helping out, never did. Especially when at least some pay was involved. But she also did not think it was much to thank her for. Especially not from people that could likely handle matters themselves.
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Look, she got it. Why it was better and why it was good. But she still did not exactly feel accomplished there because of it. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. And I guess I have? Looking out for stuff is common work on the road I guess. Never archaeological stuff, granted, but it’s not like I look into the cargo anyway. Not my stuff and I wouldn’t quite get it anyway.” Hence, her second shrug was a bit more lackadaisical. Sure, she was wearing glasses, but that did not mean she had the chops to distinguish actual dirt and trash from archaeological treasures. Those were just, well, kind of beyond her.

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+ CIAN MAHER

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“Street smart, eh?” she somewhat cooed, wondering just what exactly that was going to tell her in that regard. It wasn’t often that people said that in her company. Probably because she did not exactly hang with the shiftiest sorts, but she figured there was a bit more to that.
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Still though, she was not going to pry to much. “Nothing wrong with that, though. I didn’t exactly go to college either. Guess retail is kind of a street to get smart with too, though.” A chuckle, since she always loved making self-deferential jokes at the expense of her old job. It was a common pastime. “In the long run though? Not sure. For the longest time, I just wanted to become a guild leader. Or maybe just to become good enough that I could become one. I have been questioning that distinction a lot, lately.”

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+ CIAN MAHER

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“Hmm,” she started, clearly thinking by herself momentarily as she half watched the Froakie do Froakie things. “See, I don’t really doubt that I’m good. Of course I am.” Crossing her arms, she nodded to herself as if to accentuate these words. There had been a bunch of self-doubt for a while, but after that recent incident with those dogs she had not found herself doubting that part too much.
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It was the other stuff that had her still be a little wary. “But I kind of have to transition from challenging gyms for badges to actually getting into the job. You know, holding back, teaching, adjusting? That’s not something you learn out on the journey. That’s more something I should work on rather than just training. At least I think so?”

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+ CIAN MAHER

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“I guess holding back’s the big thing. You know, you learn on your challenge to always give it your all and stuff. Makes it difficult to adjust your, well, difficulty, I guess?” That was how she would put it, at least. Even when battling gym leaders herself, that had always felt a bit weird. The nagging feeling that she was only able to compete because the other side let her. In a way, that felt wrong. But she did see the reasoning.
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But getting it right? That was the important part. “Like, part of me thinks I am kind of insulting others if I don’t give my all, you know? Especially if they seem to be going all out. If I throw my strongest Pokemon at someone that clearly is trying but doesn’t really have anything that can keep up, that feels right by respecting them, but also a bit like bullying them? Difficult to put into words, really.”

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+ CIAN MAHER

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“I don’t think they all know. In fact, those that don’t are usually the most annoying. So full of themselves if they win something that’s kind of rigged in their favour. Always makes me want to whip out my biggest guns to teach them,” she added, sounding a bit annoyed at the end there.
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However, she briefly took a conscious breath, calming down. This was one of the worst parts of it all. She had left customer service for a reason, but it was kind of involved in this too. Hence, she tried to get over her hang-ups. But it wasn’t always quite as easy. “Though to be fair, I always thought losses to be more instructive. That’s probably the hardest part, to figure out when to go full throttle. Wouldn’t want to crush their spirits after all, but a hard-earned win might still be better.”
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Megan sighed, though not in a dejected manner. “I guess those kinds of things just come with experience. Gotta develop a feel for them, not something we could learn from a textbook or something.”

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+ CIAN MAHER

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Ah. Rocket talk. Not her favourite. Well, in a way her favourite had once been a Rocket, but that was a different matter altogether. Still though, the sudden shift in tone and topic had her pretty much focus on that, mostly disregarding the rest for now. “Hmm, depends on how you define trouble.”
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That was not just her starting like that to buy herself a few more moments to think about this properly, but was also something she struggled with, genuinely. “I mean, I fought them a few times. But mostly because I signed up for it to help the League when they called for manpower. I don’t really hate any of them and they never just gave me trouble out of the blue. Guess I am kind of one grade separated from the issue, if that makes any sense?”

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+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Uhg. She had run right into that one, now hadn’t she? Megan subconsciously clenched her fist briefly, but managed to calm down reasonably quickly by taking a deep breath. Him looking at her like this did not help too much, either.
[break][break]
“I would…like to say that it is not in my nature,” she started, but the memory of that day could not simply be washed away, either. “I am capable of hate at least. But I don’t like it. I once let it get the better of me, and I just do not want that to happen again. Ever.”

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+ CIAN MAHER

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