Novelux Downtown Novelux

[Jackie Cat]

Wyatt blinked, nodding vaguely.

"Uh, yeah. She tried to do this whole 'tribal' shtick but she just sounded like a normal frontier settler to me. She probably was half feral, though, judging by her ferocity... Never fought her myself, she just kinda dipped from the dome scene not long before we were due to get matched up, actually. I thought for a sec, maybe she got spooked? But nah, no way. That girl coulda put me through the wall if she wanted. Holding back all the time if you ask me."

The panda scratched his head, trying to recall something...

"This was a while back. Some number of weeks, I dunno. She said something to me about a dungeon? She seemed stressed out. But like I said, there're more than a few dungeons you can get to from here."

 

[Ambyssin]

Okay, those rusty gears were onto something. But what exactly could Nova do or say that wouldn't sound totally suspicious?

"Huh. There's a buddy of mine back west who was exchanging letters with a friend here." Nova feigned a pensive frown. "Said they'd stopped writing a couple of months ago, though." He tapped a claw on the ground. "I doubt it's a coincidence. From what you saw of her at the dome, do you suppose she's the type that could, y'know," he looked over his shoulder at one of the taller buildings, "ruffle the feathers of the powers that be?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

The Pangoro stubbed the end of his cigar out with his thumb, and pocketed it. His aura was more than strong enough to protect him from a little cinder.

"Is that so?" he asked, not really asking, so much as implying Nova knew more than he let on, and Wyatt wasn't so slow as not to catch it. "Well, could be you're onto something, there. Hard to cite anything specific, but you could just tell she wasn't exactly a squeaky-clean above-board type, yeah? Wasn't so keen on publicity – she liked the attention she got in the arena just fine, but she wouldn't do interviews or nothin'."

Wyatt pawed his chin, and thought hard for a moment.

"Y'know what, if you get a chance to hit up the Duel Dome, maybe you'll find somethin' more out there from the fighters. Or even Douglas himself, come to think. That guy isn't a distant investor, he's deeply invested in his pet project. He'll have paid attention to a rising star in legal trouble or whatever it was, I'm sure."

The bear pulled a well-worn pocketwatch from his coat and checked the time, then returned it, fishing out a slip of paper and a stubby pencil worked down to its very end. He scrawled a quick, illegible note.

"This'll get you or whoever you give it to an audience with Douglas Dunsmuir," he rumbled. "Don't waste it."

He held it out, offering it to Nova. Something in what the party had said to Wyatt seemed to have resonated with him. It was hard to tell what, exactly... Maybe he just liked rocking the boat.

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova accepted the noted and stuffed it into his satchel. "I won't, Mr. Working 'Mon Hero."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Wyatt gave an upward nod – and a slightly bemused grunt – of acknowledgement.

"You take care of yourselves," he growled, amiably.

And with that, the Pangoro kicked up his pallet, put it under one arm, and headed off. His scheduled demonstration period was done – though whatever it was for still remained unclear. Perhaps Wyatt just wanted his cause to be heard. Or perhaps the hulking Pangoro, with his arena-honed battle prowess, sought to provoke something more practical in nature...?

In any case, he was gone – and the Wayfarers had a place to stay in town that they could trust, and a lead to follow, at the Duel Dome...

<><><><><>​

 

[Sinderella]

As always, Odette felt at home in a city. No matter where she was, what world she was in, or what form she existed as, a city just felt like home. And after the past few days she had, a city with solid shopping options was even better. Retail therapy had never been her primary source of alleviating stresses or anger, but with Sun Stone moving management, the depleted of energy to set more things on Wrath fire, and a lack of access to her standard, more technologically advanced means of blowing off steam, treating herself to some more presentable clothing and another pair of boots felt right. Earned, if anything.

With a fresh purchase, bagged in hand, she sauntered down the sidewalk, feeling the most at ease she'd felt since she spoke to Koa. Thoughts of her new buys--a blouse of maroon lace and corset-like ties and a pair of pants with the most pockets she'd ever seen on an article of clothing in Forlas--fueled the minute pep in her step. She felt pokes of hunger in her stomach and debated where she'd be best off going for a bite to eat. As she pictured a piping hot cup of tea, she passed a window displaying a gold marvel of a dress. It was enough to stop her in her step to gawk at it. "Oh my gods," she gasped under her breath. She swore she could feel the wad of her tip money in her satchel quaking.

[ @Jackie Cat ]

 

[Jackie Cat]

Industrialisation had brought many things to civilised pokémon society, but some luxuries remained just that – the price of an artisan outfit like this, let alone the tailoring necessary to fit it to one's species' form, or the elemental proofing to wear it safely, was extravagant. Still, it wasn't unthinkable that she could blow her savings on this...

While transfixed on the dress, Odette might notice that, in her shop window reflection, there was a tall, smartly-dressed Inteleon at her side.

"Ms Odette," said Nolan, mildly. "Good day. It seems we are bound to encounter one another wherever we travel."

The Covenant investigator's voice had less sourness than Odette was familiar with. Perhaps because this was a chance meeting and not interrogative business... or because Novelux was more civilised, a more comfortable 'home turf' for Nolan.

"Attire like this is not widely worn," he mused, gesturing lightly to the item that had held her attention. "I have come to learn that a preoccupation with full outfits and elaborate clothing is one of the many... indicators, of a human soul."

Not a hard and fast rule. But common enough that he could romanticise it a little. He himself was thoroughly outfitted, in undergarments, overgarments, spectacles, hat, cane... Did he think it was somehow 'more human' of him?

"I wonder..." he began, as if about to ask what business the Wayfarers had in the city, but then continued, "what it is like, on your world of origin? I have always wished to know about human society, seeing as... Well. I may never see it for myself."

 

[Sinderella]

Well, of all the people she wasn't anticipating running into, it was Nolan. Which felt mildly stupid on her part. Novelux was a place someone like him would thrive in, wasn't it? Truthfully, anything regarding him or the Covenant had been the furthest things from her mind in the past few days.

That didn't stop the wide-eyed look she threw his way when she caught his reflection in the glass, but it softened considerably upon his greeting. “Nolan, sir,” she replied with a polite nod. “That it does.”

She suddenly became acutely aware of the trousers and blouse wrapped up in her shopping bag, and the champagne-colored dress and stockings she’d decided to slip into today. With a very slight grimace, she looked over her own attire, ruffling her skirt with a sheepish scoff. “Then I must be making my origins abundantly clear, huh?” Not that she had any reason to be particularly embarrassed about it. Nolan was in a full-fledged suit, and he was merely human descended. Whatever helped him sleep at night, she supposed.

She didn’t bother to mask her minute surprise at his question, but her features soon settled into something more empathetic. That was an innocuous enough query; one she could easily indulge him in for brownie points and no extra skin off her back.

“Oh,” she breathed, briefly aiming her eyes at a passing tram. “Well, it’s not much different from here. Humans live and work and earn money and complain about the price of products and cover every available building in absurd amounts of advertisements.” She nodded her head toward a particular advert for a must-have A/C unit, adorned with garish flashing lights. “Except my world is quite a bit more advanced. Like, A/C units have been a thing for over a hundred years. In fact, in my current home, it’s pretty much taboo to construct a house without one because of how unbearably hot it gets.” Affectionate distaste tightened the frown on her lips. “Island climate.”

She placed a hand on her hip. “Before that, I lived in a city kind of like this one. Lumiose City. 2 million people live there; put some of the crowds here to absolute shame.” She shook her head with a sense of fondness. Another tram clamored by, and she gestured to it.

“Public transit is a thing, but a lot of people got around with individual gas powered automobiles. Those who opted to walk places usually had their faces in their phones, because most telephones are completely cordless and portable. And Lumiose is widely considered the fashion capital of my world, so you always saw people dressed just as nicely as you are now. Or in things just as lavish as this dress,” she explained, throwing a thumb back to the gold masterpiece in the window.

Realizing she might not have exactly been touching on what Nolan wanted to hear, she cleared her throat. “Of course, there’s a lot more to human society than just the workings of my home city. Is there…anything in particular you were curious about?”

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Attire like this is not widely worn," he mused, gesturing lightly to the item that had held her attention. "I have come to learn that a preoccupation with full outfits and elaborate clothing is one of the many... indicators, of a human soul."

“Nolan, sir,” she replied with a polite nod. “That it does. Then I must be making my origins abundantly clear, huh?”

Nolan smiled very slightly, though without the sourness he so often was suffused with in previous meetings. Her remark had genuinely left a positive impression on him.

"I wonder..." he began, as if about to ask what business the Wayfarers had in the city, but then continued, "what it is like, on your world of origin? I have always wished to know about human society, seeing as... Well. I may never see it for myself."

“Oh. Well, it’s not much different from here. Humans live and work and earn money and complain about the price of products and cover every available building in absurd amounts of advertisements. Except my world is quite a bit more advanced. Like, A/C units have been a thing for over a hundred years. In fact, in my current home, it’s pretty much taboo to construct a house without one because of how unbearably hot it gets. Island climate.”

“Before that, I lived in a city kind of like this one. Lumiose City. 2 million people live there; put some of the crowds here to absolute shame. Public transit is a thing, but a lot of people got around with individual gas powered automobiles. Those who opted to walk places usually had their faces in their phones, because most telephones are completely cordless and portable. And Lumiose is widely considered the fashion capital of my world, so you always saw people dressed just as nicely as you are now. Or in things just as lavish as this dress.”

Nolan was a quiet listener rather than an active one, but he was visibly attentive. He was a focused person – that much Odette would already know – and his focus today was, if not warm, certainly much less cold than before. Polite nods and eye contact were part of his demeanour when Odette had served him in the Sun Stone, but reptilian smiles were a fresh addition.

"This is all most fascinating, Ms. Odette," he said. "It is a great shame I have no means to visit your home and witness such an advanced civilisation for myself, but the world I imagine from your description is certainly captivating."

Realizing she might not have exactly been touching on what Nolan wanted to hear, she cleared her throat. “Of course, there’s a lot more to human society than just the workings of my home city. Is there…anything in particular you were curious about?”

Nolan chuckled mildly – his laugh was as reserved as the rest of him, and he put a hand to his chin.

"Oh, I'm sure! It is the nature of things that humans in Forlas are set apart, and few in number, but in their worlds of origin it stands to reason that they must have their own farmers, labourers, tradesmen, merchants, and so on. I think of such things often... and wonder whether life there is really so different than the life afforded to pokémon in the Commonwealth."

The lizard's gaze wandered over to the many 'mon going about their days on the streets of Novelux, and his face grew pensive. Did some part of him envy them their normality? Or was this just a crack of humility in his idealisation of humanity?

"Did you live a... remarkable life, before you came to Forlas, Ms. Odette?" asked Nolan. "I admit that I have often wondered what backgrounds summoned humans might have before their arrival."

 

[Sinderella]

His question sapped a little of the interest off her face, leaving a wash of solemnity to weigh down her brow. She became quite engrossed in counting the concrete slabs of the sidewalk while she willed herself to not immediately answer "No."

She guessed it stood to reason that he would ask such a question. Somebody who held the concept of humans in such high regard was bound to want to know what they did in their former worlds. Their occupations, their upbringings, anything they might have done to warrant being stripped of their human form and brought to a world completely inhabited by Pokemon alone. She could easily tell him no, she was just a pathetic college dropout who still lived at home with her mother. Though not technically untrue, something about the way he wistfully gazed at the Pokemon citizens scurrying by, going about their everyday lives like any other human in her world would, left her actually feeling for him and his curiosity. And she wasn't too positive just yet, but something about the way he was speaking to her, smiling even--was he letting his guard down? Did he feel comfortable around her?

Sighing, she adjusted her skirt again. "My modest soul wants to say no," she admitted. "But I won't lie...I've done and witnessed a few things that one might call 'remarkable.'" Or royally fucked. "This isn't even my first time in another world." Her lip curled with distaste at the memory of the hellscape that was Ultra Space. "Though in that previous case, there were a lot more homicidal beasts and a lot less losing my human form. I don't recommend it."

She shrugged off her moment of tension, eyeing yet another passing tram. "I can't speak for the rest of my fellow former humans. In my case, though, I was a singer. A dancer." She chewed on her next words. "A detective. A walking survivor of Murphy's Law, if my last multiversal romp was any indication," she scoffed.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Nolan's eyes widened a touch at Odette's account of herself. He remained politely quiet until she'd finished, two fingertips lingering at his mouth as he considered her answer.

"Then this... is your second summoning?" he asked, with a hint of wonder in his voice. Of course, he had no framework for an expedition through Ultra Space – obviously Nolan had assumed that Odette had already saved a world and thought nothing of it!

He shook his head. "And such a portfolio of careers, at that. My own talents are far narrower in kind – and far less wonderful. Well, then – anecdotal accounts are not the stringent proof natural philosophy demands of us, but still... I'm afraid my heart feels all the more confirmed in its belief that humans summoned by the light must be remarkable souls..."

Something in his tone had shifted. The Inteleon was chagrined about this, not delighted as if he'd just had his beliefs vindicated. Something was bothering him. Not Odette, her intuition would tell her – this was more complex, more essential to Nolan's psychology. Given his humility about his own talents, maybe he just felt inadequate in comparison to her? That fit a little better, though not perfectly...

If she wracked her brain, it might occur to Odette that she and the other Wayfarers were not the only summoned humans Nolan was familiar with. He'd had a run-in with at least one other who'd left a strong impression on him...

 

[Sinderella]

"No, no," Odette said quickly, shaking her hand around for added emphasis. Realizing how impolite that might have looked, she shoved it into her pocket. "It was, uh..." She rolled her eyes across the sky overhead, hunting for the right way to phrase herself. "For all intents and purposes, I was pushed, not summoned. Wrong place, wrong time and all that."

That didn't make anything sound much better, but she decided it would take too long to get into the details. She shook her head in defeat and just let the conversation roll along.

She raised a brow at the appearance of the borderline self-deprecating response. She never thought "Nolan" and "humility" were very synonymous, so her surprise was evident. Did she accidentally ego him too hard? She'd purposely been quite vague about her "accomplishments," and if that was all it took, he was far more mentally frail than she initially gave him credit for. However, the longer she observed his subtly changing expressions, and stood downwind of his pensive silence, the more she realized that that didn't feel exactly right. It didn't feel, or even look like, he was directing his apparent frustrations toward her. So what was it?

Filing through all of their previous interactions, she tried to pinpoint any topic of their brief conversations that could have served as the focus of his chagrin. Their first meeting wasn't particularly great, but that was more due to a looming mutual untrustworthiness rather than a set topic of discussion. At least, that was what she thought at first, until she recalled a very vitriolic response to the mere mention of a certain problematic greninja...

Awareness sparked across her face, but she abruptly snuffed it out by pinching at her chin. She suddenly became more aware of the other 'mon scurrying by them, and just how loud the trollies were.

"I have a question for you, Nolan, sir, if you don't mind," she said plainly. "However, I don't think it's ideal to be having a conversation like this in the middle of a public walkway. I'm not sure of your preferences--or your timetable, for that matter--but would you like to duck into a more quiet establishment for the time being?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Nolan quirked his head, processing first Odette's clarification, then her reqest.

"Oh? I see, well. I suppose I leapt to my conclusion, there – I fear that was confirmation bias on my part. You see, for all that I had misgivings about your mass-summoned cohort, by now you are all evidently quite accomplished individuals... which in turn served to support the notion that summoned humans are... singularly special."

He shook himself out of his fixation.

"Pray excuse me. You're quite right, we should talk further somewhere less cacophonous. I would gladly spare the time. Besides, now would be a suitable time for an afternoon meal, would it not?"

He glanced about himself, his sharp eyes focusing like camera lenses. Once he identified a respectable-looking restaurant, he gestured to it with an upwards palm.

"If it please you, Ms. Odette, I can vouch for the service at the Silver Lanturn. After you?"

According to Commonwealth etiquette, Nolan choosing the establishment constituted an offer to pay (which might come as a relief).

 

[Sinderella]

It hadn't occurred to Odette just how hungry she really was until Nolan mentioned an afternoon meal. As if her stomach was out to expose her, it growled with the might of a shadowed charmander. She clutched at her waistband, eyes widening with mild embarrassment. "You took the words right out of my mouth," she said, hoping the casual nature of her tone would help her play off just how stupid she now felt.

She followed his gaze to the restaurant he pinpointed. It looked on par with the likes of Sun Stone, except if she understood how cities worked as well as she thought she did, it was probably going to be double the price--and she wouldn't get any employee discounts. But if Nolan had picked it out, that should have indicated his willingness to pay, right? She felt a little bad, as her intention was to buy him a drink. But, telling him no would arguably put her in a much less favorable position.

Odette blinked to indicate some light astonishment, but smiled nonetheless. "I'll trust your judgement, then, sir," she agreed. She walked ahead, minding the other Pokemon rushing by as she made her way into the establishment. She allowed him the honors of requesting the table, eyeing the other patrons closely to ensure her attire matched with the energy. She was accompanied by a well-dressed companion, of course, but she didn't want to be the lone piece of trailer trash walking into a Michelin-star restaurant. She was a regarded singer from a few towns over, dammit, and she was going to blend in with this crowd. She'd put on one of her nicer dresses for her city romp, so she didn't feel too out of place.

When the hostess escorted them to their table, she followed politely. Upon sitting and receiving a menu, she promptly ordered herself a glass of water and a spot of black tea, then settled in to take in her surroundings for a moment.

"You have an eye for classy places, sir," she said, genuinely impressed by the decor. "But being this is my first time eating in the city, I might need some further recommendations on what's good."

 

[Jackie Cat]

The Lanturn was a little upmarket, but still a main street venue with service on the ground floor. After an initial round of nerves, Odette would soon realise that she fit in just fine. While the menu seemed fairly typical for such a restaurant, it seemed its specialty was fish – caught fresh from Lake Cobalt. Nolan indicated the specials with a dexterous hand, and made his recommendation of grilled salmon fillet. If fish was not to Odette's liking, then perhaps steak frites, savoury crêpes, or a salad?

With their orders made, and Nolan sipping a 'restorative' apple and ginger tea, he smiled politely and nodded towards Odette.

"So, Ms Odette. I believe you had a question for me? We were discussing the qualities one may attribute to one carried here by the light, so to speak." His mouth twitched with what could possibly be sheepishness. "I suppose my musings may have sounded quite odd, without the context of my private thoughts."

 

[Sinderella]

Odette was pleasantly surprised to see that the menu fare heavily catered to her preferences. In fact, there were so many things on the menu that she felt strongly about that she couldn't narrow it down to any one choice. She settled for a salad appetizer and the salmon filet that had been recommended to her and called it a day. Her appetite felt sated by the idea of a tender fish dish to enjoy.

With the food on the way, she could focus back on the primary conversation at hand. Taking in Nolan's demeanor once more, she noticed just how shamefaced he looked. She damn near did a double take, as she was starting to question if this was the same Nolan she'd been fraternizing with over the past couple weeks. The same Nolan that nearly turned his nose up at the group when they first met.

Maybe he really was just more comfortable. She'd have felt good about that prospect had she not known she was about to drive a stake of reality through it.

"Right," she said with a nod. She loosened herself up with another sip of her tea, which still had smoke rising off the top. "And think nothing of it. I could say the same about my own musings about my world travels." Some buttering up never hurt when asking presumably difficult questions. She began to trace the rim of her water glass with her index finger tip.

"But, to backtrack a tad...and please do tell me if I'm overstepping my boundaries here," she added quickly. "You seemed a little put down by my answers, if you don't mind me being frank. Does...that have something to do with Matthias, by any chance?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

The corner of Nolan's mouth jerked unpleasantly down, souring his expression. That was a more familiar face for him to wear.

"Tch," he tutted. He shook his head and sighed. "Is it really so evident, Ms. Odette? It's alright that you should ask. I shall try to explain my ill-humour, then."

The lizard sipped his tea with closed eyes, savouring it. Then he cleared his throat.

"I shall confide something to you that I have not so much as consciously suggested to another soul before today," he said, with a certain resignation in his tone. "I have always held true to the precept that those born into this world with such powers as set them apart," – here he meaningfully gestured that he meant descended humans like himself – "must safeguard that power from any who should misuse it, and use it themselves for noble purposes. It follows that summoned individuals, from whom we inherit that power, bear that mantle more than any other..."

Nolan paused for a moment, as one of the serving staff passed close by the table. Then he continued.

"When I first heard that a summoned human was rumoured to have appeared in Landsverd, and that I was to confirm this intelligence... I was driven, Ms. Odette. Inspired by the honour it conferred upon me. I dare say I even indulged a fancy that I could be like a mentor to this boy. I had decades of experience I could pass on to him, to help with whatever crisis he was meant to abate."

Frustration simmered underneath his scales, his colouration darkening as he spoke.

"Sadly, the boy took against me and all other knights and agents sent to treat with him. He spent years fighting us and sabotaging the organisation in countless ways, often escaping so much as a scratch in the process. I was tasked repeatedly with taking him in, and I, ah. Well, it was beyond my abilities to accomplish alone. Still, he did eventually find himself cornered, and finally he capitulated."

The Inteleon's mouth twitched, as if he were suppressing a look of contempt.

"Imagine my horror when, after years of violent conflict with my organisation, the Covenant— the Covenant I had served steadfastly for decades of my life, the boy was welcomed in! Celebrated! As— As if he were a bright young prodigy, without so much as a stain on his record. All was forgiven! In an instant, my enemy was now my colleague. No, my better. My... superior."

The emotion drained from Nolan as quickly as it had surged. Perhaps it was always there, beneath his scales, in his blood. Lingering.

"And yet, that is how it ought to be," he murmured. "Is it not so? The boy was stronger than me, even in his youth. The light sent him to this world. His destiny is justly far above mine own."

 

[Sinderella]

Odette's nose wrinkled ever-so-slightly over the contentious look sent her way. Yeah, that felt more in character for him.

She quietly listened to his tale of coping, seething, and most of all, malding. As much as she wanted roll her eyes, she couldn't. If she were in his shoes, she could not confidently say she wouldn't burn down the entire Covenant building if they pulled that shit on her. Sic her up against a figurative bug up her ass, only for her to continually find herself at odds with them, with her efforts being repaid by the eventual obligation of reporting to them after they were happily admitted to the organization with little to no consequence? The thought of it raised her blood pressure enough to where she needed to massage her temple to coax it back down. It couldn't be said that she wasn't a coper, seether, and malder in her own right. Maybe it was a good thing she'd gotten Nolan to trust her enough to disclose this information.

"That's...stupid." She immediately realized how that sounded, and her eyes went wide as she backtracked. "I mean...not you, I meant the situation." Good save, asshole. She took a deep breath and squinted at him with a hint of pensive empathy. "It doesn't sound like you were the only one who had to deal with him, so I can't imagine you were the only one who felt the outcome was...idiotic, right?"

What did the Covenant even have to gain from letting someone like Matthias in? Sure, he was a powerful human born, but if he'd spent so much time actively going against them, making him such a higher up in the organization aired on the side of counterproductive. If he didn't surrender willingly, who's to say he didn't join to take them out from the inside out? Matthias was surely up to something nefarious, what with the way her group's previous interactions with him had gone. Then again, she didn't know a lot about what exactly was up with the Covenant itself, aside from strange gut feelings, so who's to say his goals weren't justified? Wasn't that why Articuno wanted them to investigate? She had to tread lightly here...

However, something else about what Nolan was saying left her squinting harder. That is how it ought to be? He'd just gone on a tangent about how those with "power" should seek to use it responsibly, yet he was conceding to one of the beings who was seemingly out to use it in the exact opposite fashion? For what?

Brow quirked and lips tightened into a frown, she regarded Nolan with a tilt of her head while a touch of anger colored her cheeks. "...no," she said simply. She let her note of opposition hang in the air around them for a beat before she leaned forward to fold her hands on the table. "I guess at the time he was physically stronger than you, but you know not everyone is perfect, right? That goes for the former humans that incarnate into this world. Despite whatever power you believe they should use wisely, that doesn't make them infallible, and thus that doesn't automatically dictate that their 'destiny' is above yours." She tucked her fist under her chin. "Do you know how many assholes--" She paused, brushing one of her tassels behind her ear as if it would erase the expletive already spoken."--sorry, reprobates," she corrected, "I've met who could have slammed me six feet into the dirt, but my brain is simply so much bigger than theirs that I strategized enough circles around them to send them running? Do you think that would have happened if I sat and assumed their destinies were higher because they had some strength over me?"

She shook her head again, eyes drifting off to watch another party as they sat down at a far off table. She didn't know why she felt so strongly about this. It wasn't like she'd sought a relationship with Nolan for anything other than Coven dirt and personal gain. She didn't even know enough about what the Covenant was up to, or Matthias' involvement in it, to confidently say she agreed with him or not, despite empathizing in the moment. But the concept of letting dickweeds run the show while others conceded to their bullshit was just a little too close to home.

"It might not quite be my place to say, sir, being that we're mere acquaintances at this point in time. But I would implore you to think higher of yourself and not let a figurative thorn in your side dig deeper into you because you believe he's destined for great things and you're not. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Odette's outburst earned a look of surprise (and concern) from Nolan, which quickly gave way to a kind of catharsis. His attention was entirely captured by the unfamiliar experience of someone taking his side in this, even if he was still painfully conflicted about it all. He listened to the rest of what she told him with one hand at his chin, the other cupping his elbow tightly to his chest. What he heard had emotional significance for him – and he felt vulnerable.

"Well, strength can take many forms," he began, his 'trigger' finger twitching as his idea of combat came to mind, but he discarded the tangent with an awkward chuckle. "Ah, but I don't mean to be pedantic, Ms. Odette. I do understand your point. I do. Neither do I have a low opinion of myself – in fact I've been told my colleagues suffer my pride quite stoically. Wounded though it may be..."

His mouth parted, but he took an uncharacteristically long moment to collect his words before speaking. He glanced about for waiters, not wanting to begin if the arrival of their meal would shortly interrupt him.

"Ms. Odette, will you consider that... if Matthias is truly a summoned hero, then does not his conflict with my organisation cast our very philosophy into doubt? Either heroes can be so fallible as to war with us for years to no reasonable end at all, or we were in fact meant to suffer humilations and losses to the boy. This eats in my mind, Ms. Odette. Like a syrpent in its apple, the thought will not leave my brain – surely either Matthias is wrong, or we are, and if he is wrong then so too must we be."

From his pallid scales, the Inteleon looked genuinely ill from saying this, as if he'd sinned merely by speaking it into being. But the internal cognitive dissonance was too great. The siege in his mind was over.

 

[Sinderella]

Odette met Nolan's tense chuckle with an equally-as-awkward grin of her own. Somehow, the fact that he was self-aware of how he held himself was both comical and...comforting? Strange as it might seem. Not too many self-righteous people were truly aware of their own demeanor, but she'd give him credit for holding true to himself, even in the face of this evident dissonance going on inside his head.

What he threw back at her gave her pause; enough of it to where she settled into her chair and thoughtfully chewed on every word he said. Her frown eventually made it back to her brow again; not because she was growing angry again, but because she was finally understanding his discourse. No matter which way she looked at it, Nolan still thought highly of the Covenant and its ideals--whatever they truly were--and Matthias's mere existence seemingly trampled at least the face level of them. But something else about it was ringing odd...

"And you're telling me you've been the only one to question all of this? Nobody else has looked at this situation and thought 'this quite explicitly pokes holes in our whole philosophy'? I'm not going to sit here and assure you that every philosophy is, uh, flawless--I'm no philosophy major myself, but I imagine sometimes those ideals grow and change. You know; evolution." She started to crack an irreverent little smirk at her joke but sniffled sharply to rein herself in. "But even so, has this not been a widespread conversation among Coven members? Because if your concerns ring as true as you convey them..." She held up a finger. "Either, yes, you're wrong." Another. "Your philosophy is wrong." Another, this one more sheepish than the last two. "...or your Beacon is wrong," she said, clear hesitation ringing beneath her words. She'd lowered her voice to a borderline mumble. "For bringing in a 'hero' who might not actually be a 'hero.'"