[attr="class","icon"]

"yeah! lemme know if you need help prepping."[break][break]

he would gladly help.[break][break]

"mine was really casual. we just spoke about anomalies while he explained the job and what aeos aims to do."[break][break]

smiling down at her and the boltund, he completely misses the durant.[break][break]

"i think yours might be similar, so nothing too technical."

[attr="class","bottom"]Rory Faust[break]
elec/steel[break]
skipping![break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"yeah, pretty weird."[break][break]

even if it is meant as a joke, he won't deny that not many have the same privilege as him with knowing what they want to do in life. in that regard, he's lucky.[break][break]

"hell yeah you look like you can argue. on the internet."[break][break]

which em confirms right after.[break][break]

"are you on any socials, by the way? i don't think i have you added..."[break][break]

he pulls out his phone to check.

[attr="class","bottom"]emerson whitlock[break]

"just my masters for now. i'll work on my phd after, i think! if work doesn't kill me first."[break][break]

just the thought of continuing his studies tires him out already. he knows he'll do it eventually, it's just a matter of when.[break][break]

at em's reaction, james smiles and pulls out his phone to quickly navigate to a wip of his paper. he offers it to em.[break][break]

"it's uh pretty boring but i hope you enjoy."[break][break]

not boring to him, though.[break][break]

the paper is on regional variants and everything about them. why they happened, their history, and future predictions

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

[attr="class","icon"]

it is disheartening, james agrees, and it's the very reason why his previous relationship had ended. it's also why his new years resolution was to spend less time at work and more time with people he cares about, as he had told emerson whitlock during their night out.[break][break]

but has he really changed since? he could he? considering all the extra work with the rifts.[break][break]

he looks down at the offered ears, expression immediately lighting up as he reaches for the espeon ones.[break][break]

"i think this would look better on you than me."[break][break]

without much prompting, he raises them over her head and gently slips them on.[break][break]

"see?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Rory Faust[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

as per usual, james almost arrives late because he had been burying himself in his work. it's gotten better ever since Rory Faust joined the team. it makes it more difficult to excuse himself from social activities because she can always physically drag him away.[break][break]

"sorry! sorry! i'm here."[break][break]

he jogs up to her, laptop bag hanging off his shoulder. from the dark shades under his eyes, it's clear he's slept very little or not at all.[break][break]

but he made it.[break][break]

"how are you? didn't keep you waiting too long, i hope!"

[attr="class","bottom"]Rory Faust[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"i was kinda left to my own so it's pretty much like i can work however i want and build the division the way i think best."[break][break]

a wild forretress rolls along, thumping against the ground as it does due to its heavy frame. james gives it a friendly wave.[break][break]

"i mean i gotta run everything by bossman silph, of course, but still. it's nice to have that freedom, you know?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Rory Faust[break]
elec/steel[break]
skipping![break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"are you sure?"[break][break]

even if it's a toy, james feels uncomfortable with the idea of carrying a weapon. still, he takes it, holding it awkwardly for a moment before nodding to himself.[break][break]

"right. okay."[break][break]

he points it at the target, aiming for moments before pulling the trigger.[break][break]

miss! miss! miss![break][break]

"...your turn."

[attr="class","bottom"]Abigail Mikhaylov[break]

james would eat gyoza fried as well. he's not a picky eater despite having complex enough taste buds to know what's good and bad food.[break][break]

at the question about his dissertation, he nods, expression immediately lighting up.[break][break]

"yup! i'm like almost done with it, actually, i just gotta put a few final thoughts on it and wrap it all up."[break][break]

a pause.[break][break]

"wanna read it?"

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

[attr="class","icon"]

"just wondering if it's odd that i always knew i wanted to be a scientist. i don't think many stick to it."[break][break]

policeman, fire fighter, astronaut, he remembers the jobs the other kids used to say they wanted when they grew older. james always said scientist.[break][break]

"can't imagine you as a lawyer. can you even argue?"[break][break]

he laughs.

[attr="class","bottom"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"of course. that's what friends are for, right?"[break][break]

realizing the moment he says it, he quickly corrects himself with a chuckle.[break][break]

"that sounds a lot like nepotism. i meant that you're clearly super qualified and that we'll be lucky to have you."[break][break]

and that sounds like he's already giving her the job. whatever. he doesn't correct himself this time as he reaches up to befriend a vikavolt with an offered berry. the electric-type settles on his back.

[attr="class","bottom"]Rory Faust[break]
elec/steel[break]
catching vikavolt![break]

[attr="class","icon"]

james had underestimated the potency of the THUNDER CAGE. it isn't until Katherine Fairburne calls out that he realizes.[break][break]

"oh shit—sorry!"[break][break]

by the time he scrambles, it's too late to do anything as the situation has been resolved by far more capable trainers than him. for a moment, he feels doubt, but doubt is quickly replaced with guilt.[break][break]

"sorry, yeah, i'll be more careful."[break][break]

he should've been.[break][break]

but it's no use to dwell on it as the THUNDER CAGE springs to life. he watches Rory Faust handle it, impressed by how quickly she had come up with a solution.[break][break]

"nice job!"

[attr="class","bottom"]FERNANDO SILPH Katherine Fairburne Rory Faust[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"yeah! you."[break][break]

her disbelief mirrors his when he first heard back from silph co to proceed ahead with his first interview. he remembers having to step away from his laptop and coming back later to make sure it was real.[break][break]

"i'll take your response as a yes, then. i'll talk to my boss and then i think we can set up a time to interview you."[break][break]

if it were up to him, she would have been hired on the spot. but he's not running the division, sadly. not yet.[break][break]

ahead of them, his manectric has somehow managed to befriend a dracozolt. the large dragon-type waddles over, excited to meet them.[break][break]

"you'll ace it, i'm sure."

[attr="class","bottom"]Rory Faust[break]
elec/steel[break]
catching dracozolt![break]