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 Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:40 pm
"Did you get it?"
Cetus was waiting idly to the side; a hand casually to her hip as she stared about the tech branch of Team Galactic's base. She had been there more times than she could count on her fingers and toes, and each time she entered, the place always amazed her. It was a computer whiz's paracosm made reality; the room was dark save for the illumination of computer cells here or there manned by hackers and programmers of the crime syndicate. A low drone could be heard about the area as fans kicked on to keep the technology cool. Despite this, there was still an uncomfortable humidity in the room that made the grunt pull at her uniform's collar a few times. Beneath her feet, cables as thick as her forefinger ran in countless directions all about the room before tangling together into a monolith at the center.
This spire -- the base's server -- twisted high into the ceiling like a gnarled tree. Cetus knew very little about technology more advanced than her communicator, but she was positive if that horrid thing was ever destroyed, Team Galactic would be in ruins. When the trainee at the desk addressed her, her teal eyes pipped up and she strode forward. With a nod, she sat the orb-like device on the tabletop with a thunk. Once she pried her fingers from it, the male snatched it up, and fiddled the edge of his glasses as he turned it about in his own hand.
The tech tut-tutted as he ran a thumb on one of the jagged sides. "It got a bit damaged here," he commented.
Cetus quirked a brow as both hands shifted to her waist. "Yea, so?" she replied. "It was a given; the place was littered in Voltorbs. I came out of a few too many explosions for you to just say, "It's a bit damaged." Can you use it or not?"
Her face had shifted to a glare when she noticed one of the base's Magnemite drifting by. The Magnet Pokemon were a commonality in the tech branch as a back-up means for power whenever they was needed. Other than when they had a use, many of the Magnemite had nothing to do, so they drifted about listlessly until one of the computer users called them over or chucked a stray screw or part to the wall, which they would rush to to devour. The steely chill of her eyes caused it to shirk off as she waited for the tech's reply.
"I can't really do anything with it if it is this dented up," he said, drawing an angered huff from her. "The best it is is scrap."
With that, he chucked the orb over her shoulder. It clattered against the wall, splitting in two, and a handful of Magnemite raced to it to chow down. Cetus stood there bewildered for a second before slamming a fist down on the tech's work desk. He didn't budge.
"The heck do you take me for?" she growled right into his bespectacled face.
He pushed his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose. "Someone who should get out of here before I contact a commander."
This made her freeze. She jerked back from him with a mumble and turned on her heel to leave through the automatic doors to her room. As she traveled, she ran a gloved hand through her short locks and sighed. Right now, she wished she could disappear. Her job was taking a lot out of her and remembering her place was harder than it looked.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 9:02 pm
"And this spire here is the server of our base..." an overly excited and enthused Galactic agent explained.
For the past hour or so, the fourteen-year-old Lilith, or Phobos, as she would now be known among her fellow syndicate members, had been shuffling around from one building to another with this chick. Although an agent, she seemed to be super bubbly over everything that the crime family had to offer. You name it, and she knew it: the mission, all of the most influential people in the crime syndicate, even the names of all the other agents and most of the grunts. The trainee hadn't said it -- she hadn't said anything, in fact -- but it was rather annoying. Ok, ok, she got the hint! Team Galactic was the best thing ever, and she should be ready and willing to do whatever it took to promote their cause, blah blah blah.
The trainee's silence did not go unnoticed, however. The agent's blabbering seemed to quiet down when she noticed that her face was plastered with a stoic expression. "I know it's all a bit much to take in," she went on to say, her tone apologetic, "but you'll get used to it! This will be the best place for you. It really will."
She could say that again.
The background that Phobos had come from wasn't exactly the loving, idyllic stereotype that most pictured. She had been born and raised in Jubilife City back in the Sinnoh region. The lower-class background she was thrust into had been difficult, to say the least. There wasn't any real steady stream of income for her mother or her father. Both had questionable backgrounds themselves, with her father dealing in grifting and petty thefts while her mother dealt with other...more questionable activities. Despite their dubious lifestyle choices, neither of them were quite crime syndicate material. It was probably for the best, anyway.
Abusive in more ways than she cared to remember, Phobos was glad to get out while she had the chance. Team Galactic provided just such an escape, offering not only direction in her life that she desperately needed, but a surrogate family as well. Here, if she pulled her weight, she would be treated with respect, and that was all that she wanted. Respect, and a place to call home.
"Ah -- Cetus," the agent chimed as the grunt walked in the direction that the two of them were going, "I was just coming to look for you." She paused, then motioned with a grin to the midnight-blue haired youth behind her. "Got a new trainee. She goes by Phobos. The higher-ups said she'd be your responsibility. You're good with this kind of stuff, right?" The agent didn't even bother to wait for her junior to respond. Instead, she just flicked a wave and flashed the duo a sickeningly sweet smile. "I'll leave you two to get acquainted then. Have fun! Congrats to you on your new trainee, Cetus, and welcome to the family, Phobos."
Welcome to the family, huh?
That had a nice ring to it.
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:44 am
Cetus's half-lidded eyes -- drooping from her pent-up anger and fatigue -- suddenly snapped open wide upon the appearance of one of the team's agents. Her spine straightened and she gave them a formal salute. Her mouth attempted to sputter out a kind remark to them, but she didn't have a chance to utter a word before they gave a lackadaisical introduction between her and a trainee and slipped off to whatever business they had planned. It was so swift Cetus did a double-take at their retreating back before resting teal eyes on a head of midnight blue hair.
Miscalculating her gaze, her eyes flicked down to a pair of silver ones. She cleared her throat, awkwardness sizing up her attempt at conversation. Well, what was she suppose to do here? It'd been a good while since she was forced into the role of civility to anyone. Most of the time she was either losing her temper at one of the hackers or programmers in the tech branch or one of her Pokemon. And worst of all, she was now this girl's mentor.
What was the world coming to?
Pushing a hand through her locks again, she let out a sigh and said, "Well, uh... Phobos, was it? Nice to meet you, I guess. Welcome to the team. As the agent said back there, I'm Cetus. Been with the team for a while... I, uh... Sooo..." Common topic to talk about... Common topic to talk about, uh... "Wha... What kind of Pokemon do you use? If you have any, I mean."
Hey, it was the best she could come up with. Cutting through all of the red tape and diving into her main interest, why the girl had joined, wasn't the best option when Cetus's mind was clouded in need of other things -- such as a good cup of coffee and maybe a massage.
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:30 am
It was clear that having a new trainee under her was the last thing that Cetus had planned. The woman was clearly put off by the agent's sudden news and quick departure, and the young girl could sense her unease with next to no effort. It was kind of amusing, in a way; not that she was going to tell her superior that. The last thing she wanted was to get on the wrong side of the teal-haired woman, since they had literally just met and all. First impressions, however, were everything, and this one was a bit mediocre for the time being.
She wanted to comment on the woman's age. Why was a woman in her mid-thirties only a grunt within the syndicate? Shouldn't she have rose a bit higher on the totem pole by now? Yet again, Phobos kept these thoughts to herself. If anything were to offend Cetus, then that would be it.
"You're faltering," was all she said, a pointed comment followed by a brief pause of silence.
Behind her newfound partner, there was something happening that Cetus could not see. A small pokemon phased into view, seeming to show up as if from nowhere. It was an uniquely colored shuppet, light blue and white, as if it were reminiscent of winter on a sunny day. This was Phobos' main pokemon, Naamah, whom she had for as long as she could remember. Naamah hovered around Cetus' head, moving in close to her left ear, and then over to her right, only to fade back into the oblivion once again. There was no way that the puppet pokemon was going to let the grunt see her. She was a timid little thing.
"Ghost," she went on to tell her the moment that Naamah disappeared. Although Cetus couldn't see her, Phobos knew that her pokemon was probably hanging out over her own shoulder now or above her head. That was generally where she liked to spend her time. She never left the girl's side for long.
"I use Ghost types."
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:59 am
She felt her anger slip up, dip, and make a curve straight to her face; pink painted lips prying back to become a taut line on her face. Reflexively, the hand that hung by her hip balled into a fist, but she wasn't ready to deck anyone. Rather, Cetus was unnerved; something about this kid had her on edge. They were only a few minutes in after introductions and she already had a hard time deciphering what to make of Phobos. It was like looking at a statue with the expectation it'd move. With narrowed eyes, she cast the younger girl a huff, and said no more on the matter.
Instead, the hairs on the back of her neck rose on end at the sight of a Shuppet intimately close to her ear. Her eyes followed it with the clockwork of a Hoothoot; head stiff with her gaze tracing the powder blue flutter of its hem. When Naamah disappeared altogether, Cetus swallowed, and said, "That's... strangely fitting." She couldn't of anything else to say but that piece of truth. Her curled fingers hung loose now, releasing the tension in her lower body, as she took a step back from the girl.
"I know that agent back there gave you a proper tour, but there was there any branch in particular you wanted to see?" She gestured down the hallway. "I mean, y'know, thoroughly. Does a particular branch interest you? Like the tech branch there-" She motioned her head to the sliding doors. "Or reconnaissance? Medical? Just let me know and-"
Her voice was cut short by a beeping on her communicator; face swelling in annoyance with complete disdain at the noise. In one swift portion, her gloved hand dipped into her pocket and pulled the device out. Sliding a finger over the screen, she skimmed over the mission report. Cetus hummed in thought, eyes flicking up between the screen and Phobos, before she powered down her communicator and pocketed it.
"We can talk about your interests later," she replied, marching passed the navy-haired girl. "I've got a mission to run and, since you're with me, you're stuck coming along, kid. Let's go; I have to drop by my room to get a few things."
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