sagira’s eyes narrowed, discerning. he could be lying, but she could practically taste his unease. his breath. his warmth. she examined every facet of his profile and expression for clues, trained in dealing with difficult people.

plus, a mom just knew when someone wasn’t telling the truth. this one seemed to pass.

”there are always strings. it’s a connection that brought you here. where did the shipment come from, then?” her blade held steady.

the ghostly owl’s eyes never left the ambipom. steely and unblinking, it seemed to harbor no discomfort in staring right into the monkey’s soul.

@owen

her canary stare lowered briefly to the dreepy hiding at his neck. though she felt drawn, it wasn’t a warm feeling. she didn’t greet it with a smile, and her attention was quickly back on the man with the strange eyes.

fifer settled on the ground nearby, looking up as well, seeming to realize it was now the topic of conversation.

”fifer’s a decidueye. he’s a dual grass-ghost-type, from alola. i caught him while i was there training, years ago.”

she watched as the dreepy went to investigate the unfamiliar bird, who seemed unconcerned by the approach, watching with cold wisdom and ease.

his question caught her off guard, and her head turned his way again.

”it was different,” she admitted. it wasn’t everyday you walked by someone singing to themselves. ”but i guess it sounded… old.” she shook her head, realizing she was unsure and mystified herself. it didn’t make sense. ”and lonely.”

passing

@makoto

”you’re right. i don’t.” the knife was steady, not pressing any more or any less. ”so tell me what i want to know.”

her free hand came up to give another gesture, and the decidueye swooped down to the ground, settling nearby to keep an eye on the ambipom.

first things first.

”whose cargo was that, and where is it headed?” she was steady and sharp as the blade in her hand, but like it, her words didn’t aim to cut or intimidate more than they needed to.

it was broad daylight. she couldn’t get keep him here for long. hopefully he would cooperate with little difficulty.

@owen

fifer the decidueye created his distraction, looking as though he might round back toward them. his deep cry bellowed again, threatening.

meanwhile, sagira waited for the right moment, before springing to action. out of the bushes, she went with a knife up behind him. her arm swung around, and in a fraction of a section, it was poised at his throat. she was a tall woman, not having to reach terribly far. her breath behind him was silent, steady behind her words.

”tell your ambipom not to attack.”

@owen

he was magnified on her screen. she watched him step away, having half a mind to cut him off and attempt to subdue him then and there. instead, she bided her time. it was still daylight. she would follow them, she decided. surely, there would be better, and safer opportunities.

but then, as they were finishing packing up to leave, she realized that he was staying behind. one was a lot more manageable than a crowd, in her experience.

her camera was lowered to the ground, hidden behind a rock. crouching behind foliage, she carefully made her way closer. a man-sized owl waited in the trees nearby, so motionless in the leaves that it almost blended in entirely.

sage swiped two fingers in the air in a small, deft motion, and the bird sprung to life all of the sudden. its massive wings beat loudly as it burst from the trees and out overhead. its deep voice cooed, trilling through the air.

@owen

though early in her personal mission, she’d already been following a small string of crime across hoenn. whether or not rocket was involved was yet to be determined. after shaking someone down, she had gathered that a questionable delivery was being made in dewford.

so, she got a babysitter, and crossed the region to be there.

she, too, had a black mask covering all but her eyes. where her hair usually flowed down and free, it was pulled back, tight and high. though it might not have been much, she definitely looked different, and it was becoming a go-to disguise.

stealthily, she crept around another corner to get a better shot. they had been alerted by something. had they seen her?

unfortunately, she hadn’t accounted for the reflection of the light off her lens as it danced across surfaces.

@owen

sage, since that day on their mission on route 119, had made no effort to veil her distaste. however, as weeks had passed, her anger had softened into background noise. she had tolerated, if not enjoyed his company more—if only to cope, and preserve her own sanity with some semblance of familiarity.

the kitchen counter was strewn with baking ingredients, several herbs, boxes, utensils. everything to bake a cake.

once upon a time, in a house in kanto, they’d stood on chairs and done things similar to this before, however less sophisticated. sagira’s cooking abilities had only taken off after his adoption.

with a flat smile, she reached for a grater off its hook and handed it to him with a bag of carrots.

”two cups. use the fine side.”

MATIAS SILPH / mission: affections confections

when he looked up, she was caught staring by a pair of the most startling eyes she’d ever seen. she jumped—barely, but it happened. sage was a difficult woman to catch off-guard, especially by someone she was already looking directly at.

he didn’t stop singing, so she didn’t say anything. in that moment, as she passed, she felt a strange energy there between them, in the deep wavelengths of his voice. whatever it was, it was uncomfortable. like feeling a ghost.

she didn’t see the metallic sheen behind her, only the man as he jumped up. she spun, ducking instinctively. watching him throw out an arm, she reached for him, ”no!” he would be no match.

summoned by a sharp whistle, a massive bundle of feathers broke through the trees, and a SPIRIT SHACKLE glowed out of the ground, reaching for the bisharp to stop it in its tracks. it was just short, as the steel-type disappeared into a pokéball instead.

her hand dropped, and her decidueye landed with a final flutter.

her attention back on the man with the strange eyes.

”thanks for that. it really came out of nowhere.”

passing

@makoto

sage shook her head again. she was doing a lot of that this evening. at his request, she stared at the floor. did she want him to? not particularly. was she going to turn him out into the dark woods, where it had already been a miracle that he had not already gotten lost that night? … no, she supposed not.

”fine. but you have to sleep on the floor. this is my bed.”

MATIAS SILPH