Emmy Altava (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
snapandscoot) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
route_10652012-05-13 09:52 am
snapandscoot) wrote in route_10652012-05-13 09:52 am
who the hell is even betraying who any more
Who: Emmy Altava (snapandscoot), Lightning Farron (soggypastry) and Solf. J. Kimblee (explosivecombat)
Where: Olivine City
When: Back before the Spring Cleaning plot! Ideally, right after this.
Summary: Emmy convinces Lightning to meet with a certain Rocket member.
Rating: PG at most, I'd say.
Log:
Sighing, Emmy made her way into the little cafe that was serving as her rendezvous with Lightning. As much as the ride on Kimblee's Steelix had thrilled her, she'd come crashing back to earth very quickly once they actually made it to Olivine.
They had decided that she would enter alone first, in order for Lightning to brief her, and her to return the favour. So, after requesting that Kimblee wait for her signal to come in, she pushed open the door and scanned the tables, searching for the enigmatic leader of the PGC.
With any luck, things would go well. Oh, how she hoped they would go well!
Emmy spotted her quickly; it was rather hard to miss that pink hair, after all. Briefly, she wondered if it was natural. But that wasn't what she should be concerned with, right now! Honestly, this entire affair was doing her head in.
Making her way over to the table, Emmy stood in front of it rather than seating herself, greeting Lightning with a small smile.
"Thank you for agreeing to this."
snapandscoot), Lightning Farron (soggypastry) and Solf. J. Kimblee (explosivecombat)Where: Olivine City
When: Back before the Spring Cleaning plot! Ideally, right after this.
Summary: Emmy convinces Lightning to meet with a certain Rocket member.
Rating: PG at most, I'd say.
Log:
Sighing, Emmy made her way into the little cafe that was serving as her rendezvous with Lightning. As much as the ride on Kimblee's Steelix had thrilled her, she'd come crashing back to earth very quickly once they actually made it to Olivine.
They had decided that she would enter alone first, in order for Lightning to brief her, and her to return the favour. So, after requesting that Kimblee wait for her signal to come in, she pushed open the door and scanned the tables, searching for the enigmatic leader of the PGC.
With any luck, things would go well. Oh, how she hoped they would go well!
Emmy spotted her quickly; it was rather hard to miss that pink hair, after all. Briefly, she wondered if it was natural. But that wasn't what she should be concerned with, right now! Honestly, this entire affair was doing her head in.
Making her way over to the table, Emmy stood in front of it rather than seating herself, greeting Lightning with a small smile.
"Thank you for agreeing to this."
no subject
He takes Taylor's Pokéball out, toying with it between his hands; he isn't looking at her when he speaks, but rather off to the side, somewhere down the street.
"I didn't come here to give you confidential information and then get stabbed in the back for my effort. If you're going to feed me lies, they'll have to be better-constructed than that; as it stands, I'm not going to allow both of you to give me false information on how to contact a group that I'm supposed to trust to protect me.
You've stabbed me in the back, both of you; your hypocrisy in this situation disgusts me. Do you understand?"
no subject
Emmy is genuinely shocked at his response; stabbed him in the back?! How....?
"Mr Kimblee, I....Lightning had no intention of trying to betray you or play games with you, she was just..."
The situation dawns immediately on her at that point. Oh, she had an inkling, but now she's very sure.
"...I understand. This is about the name."
no subject
I've given you information; you've chosen to completely disrespect me by lecturing me about how I can't be trusted and then betraying me. That's absolutely hideous."
no subject
Deep down, Emmy knows Kimblee probably didn't mean her specifically, but it still hurt.
"Lightning got me to lie about the name because she wanted to see if you were trustworthy. I admit, in hindsight it wasn't the best idea and if I'd thought it through properly I would have said something to her, but I need her to trust me too, Mr Kimblee! Neither of us will have any access to the group if I'm not considered trustworthy enough to be a part of it!"
She pauses, there, looking down at the ground, catching her breath. Gathering her thoughts. It's a puzzle, Emmy. You have to calm Kimblee down while still maintaining your stance. 50 picarats. No hint coins.
"In all honesty, I just...thought you'd go through me, with your information. Contacting me has never been a problem before, really, so that's...the reason why I didn't think Lightning's test would cause a problem. I was wrong."
no subject
He's not looking forward to explaining this to Archer. He's aware of the irony of that; he's aware of the irony of the whole goddamn situation. At the same time, he has every reason to throw this; it's not as though they got very far into this operation, certainly not far enough to matter. Cutting ties now won't hinder them any.
"You can explain that to Miss Farron as well, if you like. We're both aware that I can't."
no subject
She tried. It didn't work. Emmy feels herself freeze, her heart sinking.
"W-Well fine, then, you...! I can't believe you! I tried so hard to get this to work and you don't even give me a second chance for something I didn't even do on purpose?! I've known you for months; what's wrong with you?!"
Emmy turns quickly, then, marching away so he can't see the tears spilling down her face. But she pauses, quickly scrubbing at her face and striding right back to him, not bothering to get rid of the fresh tears that quickly replace the old ones.
"Since it's so damn important to you, the group is called the Pokemon Guardian Corps, or PCG for short! I hope you're satisfied! I'm sure Archer will be damn pleased with the intel!"
And after that, Emmy turns away again, making a quick hand movement. Her Alakazam appears immediately, reaching out an arm to touch her and Teleport her away.
no subject
"Miss Altava." His voice is even. Calm, despite the fact that the anger in his eyes hadn't subsided. "This wasn't a matter of a simple mistake. This was something that had potential to get me killed.
Don't you understand? It's because our relationship is so close that made lying to me about something like this so severe. I've no doubt that Lightning Farron doesn't care whether I live or die; do you understand what it's like watching you side with her? To hear you tell me that you would have me die because you want her to trust you?"
He's shaking badly and it's obvious; it's difficult to tell, outwardly, if it's through being upset or being furious - his expression is a bit hard to read.
"Miss Altava, please. It's as I've told you before; I have many shortcomings, the first of which is my lack of...understanding, I suppose, when it comes to boundaries. I don't like admitting this, but trust and friendship are still incredibly new to me; back in Amestris I couldn't afford any of that. I was frequently in a position where I had literally nothing but my intuition and ability to tell when I'm being lied to keeping me from being killed. This is why I reacted as I did. It was incredibly inappropriate and I'm sorry. I...don't know what to do outside of apologize to you, and I know that I can't do that enough."
no subject
...oh no. No no no no, this isn't good, she's losing it-
"...do you really think I'd risk your life over getting her to trust me, you can't seriously think that, I don't..."
-got to stay in control, got to...oh, dammit, more tears, more tears are coming and her bottom lip is trembling no no NO-
"I suppose I misunderstood the situation, I'm not a bloody soldier or a spy, Kimblee, but I'm t-trying..."
-she has to stay strong, what the hell would the Professor think if he....
...saw her weeping like this.
no subject
...oh. Oh, goodness, why.
For a good awkward moment, he isn't entirely sure what to do - then his grip tightens incredibly abruptly against her shoulder, and he forces her around to face him. He doesn't try to make her look at him; that isn't what he's trying to do. He simply pulls her close once he's gotten her turned around, one hand against her back and the other shifting upwards to stroke her hair gently.
"I understand."
All traces of anger are gone from his tone; it's weirdly blank now, though that's...better than rage, at least.
"I should have explained my reasons for not wanting to go through you. It isn't that I doubt you or don't find you reliable; I came to you first, remember. However, continuing to use you as some sort of go-between is putting you in far more danger than I'm comfortable with. You've already been noted as a threat to Team Rocket; if the organization finds out that I'm using you as a contact..."
His voice remains even, a calming edge seeping into it as he speaks to her; he continues playing with her hair. "Again, I'm sorry, Miss Altava. Relax. Please."
no subject
"W-wait..."
She leans slightly away from him, then, madly scrubbing at her face.
"I-I'll stain y-your clothes if we hug while I'm like this, give me a minute..."
Satisfied that her face is clean, Emmy then proceeds to bury it against Kimblee's chest, her hands gripping the material of his coat as she wraps her arms around his waist.
Emmy has an issue with strength, an issue with appearing competent...how is she supposed to be a good assistant to the professor if she falls into despair so easily? If she just breaks down and sobs whenever things get hard? It's too much. She's filled with shame.
She continues to embrace him as he continues to speak, but when he gets to the part about his worry over using her as the go-between, that's when the anger comes back, and she pushes away.
"N-No! Don't you dare take me off this mission, Kimblee, or I'll...!!"
Apart from her outburst earlier, this is the first time she's been seriously angry at him. But the anger isn't directed at him, is it? No, it's directed at herself. How pathetic.
"I am more than capable! I can do it, you've just....you've just..."
Control, Emmy, control...!!
"You've got to give me a second chance!"
no subject
"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Altava, and I'm not doubting your capabilities at all. What I meant was that if something major happens, like a sudden attack from Team Rocket about to happen within the next fifteen minutes or something, it would be far safer to contact the rest of this...PGC thing directly, as opposed to running the information through you.
Is that a bit more clear, or...?"
no subject
".......well why didn't you just say that?"
And it's then that she proceeds to latch right back onto him, taking the earlier hug as an open invitation. It's been a little while since she's really hugged anybody, so...this is nice. He's nice to hug.
"...this trip has been such a nightmare."
no subject
"I'll have to take you somewhere more pleasant next time. Just you and I for a few days, without having to worry about any of this. Anywhere you like; I'll cover everything."
no subject
"Are you sure, Mr Kimblee? You're a taken man now, wouldn't that be a little scandalous~?"
no subject
"Somehow I think Isaac will understand."
no subject
"I'd really like that, Mr Kimblee."
...suddenly, she blinks, her mouth opening slightly.
"Oh my goodness, you've got to be off, I've keep you for too long with my silliness, I'm so sorry..."
no subject
"Don't worry about it, Miss Altava. I believe it to have been worth it.
You're very important to me, after all."
no subject
Oh dammit, he's done it again. Better cough awkwardly so she can hide that blush. Definitely.
...it works, alright.
"I feel the same, you know!!"
But she soon relaxes, continuing to smile. A calm has washed over here, and it's like she's forgotten all the miserable things that have happened on this trip. When he says those sorts of lovely things, it...really makes her feel good.
"...I'm so glad we're not fighting, Mr Kimblee. It would...really hurt if we had to cut ties. So please be safe. You're one of my dearest friends."
no subject
He settles quickly enough, however.
"As always, you're far too good to me; consider the sentiment returned, and take care. And do think of a destination for next time, all right?"
Taylor, thankfully, doesn't seem too inclined to pitch him to the ground this time before takeoff; it's kind of a rare occasion when she doesn't, but at least she seems to understand that they really need to get back to the damn base.
He's willing to let most of the argument go; while he still isn't sure what he thinks of Lightning Farron, he does understand her tactics, as infuriating as they are. He'll see what can be done, then, in terms of gaining her trust. He'll let Miss Altava's part in this slide entirely for now - it's clear that she had no idea what she was doing, and if he is going through with this, he'll need her as a contact.
She had been right about one thing she'd said during that fight, however.
He's sure Archer will be damn pleased with the intel.