Landsverd Teardrop Station

[Shiny Phantump]

“Yeah, humans got hands. Guess people don’t try it with me anymore because I don’t really have ‘hands’ per se.”

When Sam asked if he was human, Gladion looked away as if he’d been caught doing something wrong. “And, uh, yeah. Guilty as charged.” Was that a weird thing to say to someone Coven? Probably. He tried to laugh it off like a joke.

 

[Sinderella]

Odette’s alarm hit her like a truck, and she had to resist the urge to clamp her fingers around Gladion’s muzzle. I tried so fucking hard to get myself here and you’re going to undo it just like—!

However, it was there it occurred to her just how light the air in the room was. Nobody looked rustled, nobody looked ready to run hands, and everyone seemed to be mingling rather nicely. It also occurred to her that if Gladion of all people was comfortable enough to joke with her around these ‘mon, then she was likely on high alert for nothing. After all, Gladion had been one of the group members dead against her getting involved with the Coven in the first place. Now here he was, joking like he tended to back home.

Or, rather, how her Gladion back home tended to. Her heart twisted into a wistful loop, and she allowed a friendly smirk to flick up against the corner of her lips.

Maybe she really was overrreacting.

“Oh, no, he’s right. I’m a raging bitch,” she said, tone oozing sarcasm as she grasped Sam’s hand with a grip that was both professionally firm and politely careful. “But generally, I prefer to be reasonable and amicable, which I hope I’m doing now.”

She let Sam go before sending a nod toward Ghaspius. Then, she regarded the Lopunny with minute concern before deciding to respond to the question at hand.

“It seemed as much,” she said. “I can’t imagine they’d have welcomed us so openly had they had any reservations or sense of animosity.”

Her eyes flicked back to Julius for the briefest of seconds before settling back on Sam.

“I have to admit, I’d heard a little bit about this group beforehand from one of your members, Nolan. So actually being here right now is quite the honor, if you don’t mind me being frank, so I do appreciate the warm welcome.”

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Yeah, humans got hands. Guess people don’t try it with me anymore because I don’t really have ‘hands’ per se. And, uh, yeah. Guilty as charged.”

“Oh, no, he’s right. I’m a raging bitch. But generally, I prefer to be reasonable and amicable, which I hope I’m doing now.”

Sam laughed, evidently enjoying Odette's banter even if she couldn't really dish any out herself.

"You too, I wager?" she said, immediately gauging Odette's grip strength, or aura, or some other clue. "Neat. You guys sure do have your own way of talking, huh? That's just like a lot of fallers we get, actually. All sorts of fanciful lingo."

“It seemed as much,” she said. “I can’t imagine they’d have welcomed us so openly had they had any reservations or sense of animosity. I have to admit, I’d heard a little bit about this group beforehand from one of your members, Nolan. So actually being here right now is quite the honor, if you don’t mind me being frank, so I do appreciate the warm welcome.”

"Nolan? Is that... the gentlemon in the fancy hat?"

It was unclear for a moment whether Sam really didn't know the Inteleon, was feigning, or just having her usual difficulty with names. A quick exchange of a glance and a nod with Julius, and Sam nodded with mild relief.

"He stopped by some weeks or months ago – he's... Well, I got the impression that he's old school, and a bit of a solitary type?"

Laura's tail twitched, analysing what the Chesnaught might mean.

"So then, you're new school?" she probed.

Sam shrugged. "Kinda? Feels weird to say that when I'm working for the sensei. But I guess so."

She nodded over at the ongoing conversation about advanced technology, perhaps indicating what she was thinking of.

---

"Radio, transceiver, motor carriage... nope, haven't the slightest clue what y'all are talkin' 'bout. But sounds like Novelux's got a run for your money, don't it?"

Julius sniffed, and looked away.

"Nah," said Roscoe, leaning back on his tail, "no way, man. Cove' tech is still decades ahead. I'm just sayin', that Sparkwright guy is doin' well for himself. Moving and changing, making that dough, puttin' his name up in lights. That'll be me, one day."

"You're not a captain of industry, Roscoe," muttered Julius. "You're a snoop. An unglamourous one, Saints willing..."

"Up yours, Jools," said the monkey, without particular enmity.

"So, this the sorta thing y'all do everyday? Or maybe there's a bit more to it than tours and fun?"

Julius coughed, eager for a change of subject.

"We're professionals here," he affirmed, in a very definite tone of voice. "This is vanishingly unusual. Normally, I have communiqués to relay, paperwork to file, reports to write and so on. Roscoe is usually stationed in – ahem – nearby urban areas for intelligence-gathering. Samuela is security personnel, but her – exceptional – skillset is suitable for more proactive tasks."

"Feels weird to say that when I'm working for the sensei. But I guess so."

Sam smiled self-consciously. "Ehehe. I'm not really a 'breach and clear' kind of girl. But I can fight, and I can make arrests."

Laura's ears twitched, and she tilted her head. "Arrests? You mean, working with law enforcement?"

Sam laughed, lightly. "Sometimes? Depends whether you count a citizen's arrest as that. Not everything has to be top secret." Her face grew serious for a moment. "It's not exactly common to have to take in someone we can't hand over to Commonwealth cops."

Laura could feel her eyes dilate.

"Because they're too dangerous...?"

"Yeah," said Sam. "Too tough for lock and key, too slippery for the justice system, too much juice from other worlds..."

 

[Inkedust]

Bellatrix nodded at the explanations given to her though elected to leave Sam's question unanswered on her end, though her ears noticeably shifted towards the chestnaught at her final comment. "I do not doubt that your resources are more sophisticated than those held by the Commonwealth - I imagine it separates you from any old vigilante - but if you may satiate my curiosity; what do you do to those you can't hand in?" she asked. "How you hold those too tough or too 'juiced up' for them?"

She had it on her mind to mention the Vanguard but she waited to see what they would say and even then, she would keep her comments decidedly vague in an attempt to see how much they knew or how willing they were to part with their thoughts on the matter.

 

[MintyMimix]

"We're professionals here," he affirmed, in a very definite tone of voice. "This is vanishingly unusual. Normally, I have communiqués to relay, paperwork to file, reports to write and so on. Roscoe is usually stationed in – ahem – nearby urban areas for intelligence-gathering. Samuela is security personnel, but her – exceptional – skillset is suitable for more proactive tasks."

Ghaspius hummed with a mischievous smirk. "That must mean ya got all kinds of sneaky routes and spooky hideaways, huh? Like an agent from a spy novel! Do y'all also have like, flowers that spray secret spy liquid or hidden move scrolls tucked behind your ears? Maybe an item pack that's actually a flying machine?" He floated around Roscoe from side-to-side as he asked his inane questions.

Once he was satisfied with his loops and loopiness, his expression tensed a smidgen as he added to Bellatrix's inquiry, "'Juiced up' on stuff like, say, shadows? Or somethin' else?"

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Faller…

That word. He’d heard it before. He didn’t know what it had meant at the time, but Betel must have translated it into Alolan that way for a reason. It was someone who’d fallen in from another world, then? That… would actually make a lot of sense, given his father’s line of work.

Great. Of course the Coven would deal with them. What did he expect? Obviously they’d consider that their jurisdiction. The fact he’d seen a few people that label applied to pass through Aether as a kid was all that gave him pause. Because he really needed more parallels between them.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. This was not a good time to object to anything. It would be a waste of effort to throw that away. If anything, this should serve as a reminder not to let himself forget that he was dealing with enemies here.

Because as much as he would believe the Commonwealth’s justice system wasn’t something he’d necessarily like, he didn’t exactly trust the Coven to be making extrajudicial calls about what to do with fallers, either. (They’d been hunting Seth, hadn’t they? He’d certainly fall into that category. What would they have done with him?)

“Guess you’ll probably be working closely with Wayfarers, then. Security is what the bird was looking at our group for,” he said, trying to sound like he considered this a positive.

That meant Odette was probably getting dragged into this mess, too. Couldn’t say he didn’t warn her.

 

[canisaries]

"So you're not?" she added. "Human, I mean?"

Sam waggled a paw ambivalently. "Uh, ish. Distant ancestor. Super distant."

"How distant?"

"Anyway, it doesn't really matter. I'm tough 'cause I've been training like the devil since I was a pup, not 'cause of that."

Ah. Well, that answered the question for one of them.

Sam shrugged. "So, what about you guys? Human...?"

"I am," Andre said, among the others, then quieted into listening again.

So the chesnaught was making citizen's arrests. How justified? he wondered...

 

[Jackie Cat]

"I am,"

"Hey!" Sam had said, waving to Andre. The conversation had since moved on swiftly, but he'd been acknowledged, and Sam looked as if she'd circle back to him when she had a moment...

---

"That must mean ya got all kinds of sneaky routes and spooky hideaways, huh? Like an agent from a spy novel! Do y'all also have like, flowers that spray secret spy liquid or hidden move scrolls tucked behind your ears? Maybe an item pack that's actually a flying machine?"

Julius shot an incredulous look. Roscoe chuckled and bobbed up and down on his tail.

"Sure, why not? It'd damn well make my job easier. I'll ask the fine fellas and lovely ladies of R&D to whip me up a flying pack the next chance I get! What was that about a... a flower that shoots something? A disguised weapon, yeah?"

"Don't be a clown, Roscoe."

Roscoe's grin died instantly, and his cheek pulsed with sudden anger. This finally got under the Aipom's skin.

"Hey, don't call me that in front of visitors! Shut up!"

Julius sighed and looked away.

Roscoe pursed his mouth, then let it go, muttering something about not being a damn clown.

"I do not doubt that your resources are more sophisticated than those held by the Commonwealth - I imagine it separates you from any old vigilante - but if you may satiate my curiosity; what do you do to those you can't hand in?" she asked. "How you hold those too tough or too 'juiced up' for them?"

"'Juiced up' on stuff like, say, shadows? Or somethin' else?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know? I mean, I can tell you we have better cuffs than cops and your Ranger Union, and I've never heard of a jailbreak on our end, but I couldn't even begin to explain the hows and whys. I guess we have better technology? Or maybe it's just a really bad idea to try and break out when you're surrounded by really strong 'mon."

She grinned as if this were a point of pride, but only a little – modestly.

"Uh, not shadows, no. Not usually, that I know of, anyway. But offworlders can have... Well, the main thing is the obvious one, right?" She paused, unsure if she was being condescending by even explaining. "Human strength. Give any human offworlder a year or two to get into scuffles, and you're looking at one of the strongest battlers in the country. More, if they find buddies. You don't need me to tell you just how easily that can go wrong, or how badly."

“Guess you’ll probably be working closely with Wayfarers, then. Security is what the bird was looking at our group for,”

She nodded towards Gladion. "I'm security, but who knows if we'll have any postings together. I hope so, though. I like getting to know new people, and you guys are offworlders – without retrograde amnesia, even. I could bother you for hours about your worlds!"

Her eyes were shining.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

A awkward sound between a sign and a laugh escaped Gladion. “Personally, uhh. Not actually gonna be joining up. Just here to help with the fight. I’d be…”

What? You can’t tell her you’d be a bad fit for the security job. Can’t tell her about the whole ARK Unit problem.

“…Out of place, I guess? Not my kind of gig.”

Maybe if she wants to know more about my world, I could… warn her, I guess? Talk to her about what I’ve seen without it sounding confrontational.

“If you’re ever in the area and curious, though, you’re welcome to pick my brain for a few hours. I’ll be honest, though: It’s not the most fun world.”

 

[MintyMimix]

"Don't be a clown, Roscoe."

Roscoe's grin died instantly, and his cheek pulsed with sudden anger. This finally got under the Aipom's skin.

"Hey, don't call me that in front of visitors! Shut up!"

Ghaspius couldn't help but get a bit closer to the Aipom as he offered a looked of sympathy. "Don't let 'em get to ya. My background ain't the noblest either," he whispered before returning the space again. "A flower that shoots secret spy liquid, 'course! Can melt steel doors, act as adhesive, or seal a bad guy's mouth for a few minutes dependin' on the situation!" He grinned as though he said nothing beforehand.

Still, he couldn't help but let out a dissatisfied hum as the conversation continued. "The strength of human offworlders, huh?" He remarked as his hat lowered over his eyes.

"Well, guess I better ask the bigger question then: y'all see anythin' unusual goin' on lately? 'Sides what happened over in Soja."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Roscoe gave Ghaspius a look of naked curiosity, and sidled a little closer to the ghost himself.

"That'd be pretty handy," he mused, "though probably not all three at once, eh? You ever heard of a thing like that, Gas-man?"

Meanwhile, Sam gave Gladion a nod and a mild shrug. "Fair enough, Flo— Gladion. I mean, I'm still interested, but it sounds like there are happier things to think about, and that's okay."

"The strength of human offworlders, huh?"

Ghaspius' unhappy subtext went over the heads of Sam and Roscoe, it seemed.

Julius threw a puzzled glance his way, but the conversation was moving on...

"Well, guess I better ask the bigger question then: y'all see anythin' unusual goin' on lately? 'Sides what happened over in Soja."

The corner of Sam's mouth rose up and she cocked her head.

"What, you don't have enough bizarre happenings in the west? You yourselves being one of them, for sure."

Roscoe's eyes flashed. "Well, there's some weird stuff going on, but it's pretty high clearance. Secret stuff. I've heard rumours, though. My buddy Jeffords, right – well, he knows a guy in Protocol who says that the council have been talking about Victory again."

Julius rolled his eyes again. Sam immediately lost interest, like a snuffed candle.

"Whatever, you guys are cynics," muttered Roscoe. "But I betcha we'll hear soon enough about guys looking for Victory."

Sam turned her attention to Andre instead, looking for a new avenue of conversation.

"So, you're human too?" she asked. "I don't think I caught your name...?"

Her bright but frozen smile indicated she really hoped Andre hadn't already told her and she'd just missed it. (He hadn't, and she didn't!)

---

Laura shifted a little, and tried to simultaneously get the attention of both Julius and Ghaspius.

"So, we've heard some things here and there about humans having special strength," she ventured, hoping to get a firm idea of the Covenant's position on this, with minimal fuss. "What's the deal with that?"

Julius's mouth skewed to one side, and then he sighed.

"Well, there's not much to tell, in my view. Human auras differ from those of pokémon, and they grow strong at an accelerated rate. As do pokémon who accompany them closely, for that matter. It's not that they necessarily become very strong, or that they have unique strength per se, so much as... Well. They walk an easier path to strength. Some 'mon get a little over-excited about this, in my opinion... I don't regard my own ancestry with any particular excitement. I am a pencil-pusher, not an ass-kicker."

A very, very slight smirk rose on the Lopunny's face for a fraction of a second, at this. He liked saying that last line.

"How can you be so sure of the difference?" asked Laura, in journalist-mode, her voice tuned to give least offence.

Julius adjusted his glasses. "Well, there is considerable variation. Personally, I don't think the sample size is scientifically valid – almost all verified humans are summoned, allegedly not at random. Fallers may be more representative, but we're hardly swimming in them."

He coughed, lightly.

"...But that's just quibbling and hair-splitting, I admit. The fact is, time and time again, humans – and their close companions and descendants – reliably become singularly strong in their regions of residence. It can be quite pronounced."

Laura nodded. "Any examples?"

"Well, you should already have heard about Jesse Stranger, I'm sure. But take Samuela, for instance." Here he nodded subtly towards Sam. "Her grandfather was a notorious highway robber who evaded arrest for decades. He routinely defeated large posses of law 'mon and their deputies, right up until his retirement from banditry in his silver years. And he himself was the grandson of a summoned human hero, whom the historical record alleges was strong enough to defeat an earthquake."

Julius' glasses flashed. His voice had dropped sharply in volume. Perhaps it wasn't something Sam enjoyed discussing...

 

[MintyMimix]

Roscoe gave Ghaspius a look of naked curiosity, and sidled a little closer to the ghost himself.

"That'd be pretty handy," he mused, "though probably not all three at once, eh? You ever heard of a thing like that, Gas-man?"

"Only in the Adventures of Agent Amity," Ghaspius replied with a chuckle, "Lil' novel back in my world 'bout an Inteleon who could sneak into any place and get info on anyone with his skills and charm. Had all kinds of gadgets half of which I'm not even sure are even possible!"

His expression relaxed as the Aipom approached. "He was just a runaway hoppin' from carriage to carriage and stealin' whatever food he could get 'til he accidentally tried takin' from the Agency. Rather than give 'em the boot, they saw potential, trained him up, and became one of their top 'mon. 'Course all that stuff's fiction, but hey, it's inspirin', ain't it?"

Roscoe's eyes flashed. "Well, there's some weird stuff going on, but it's pretty high clearance. Secret stuff. I've heard rumours, though. My buddy Jeffords, right – well, he knows a guy in Protocol who says that the council have been talking about Victory again."

His gemstones glistened with intrigue. "Really now? What's this Victory you're on about? And Protocol?"

Julius' glasses flashed. His voice had dropped sharply in volume. Perhaps it wasn't something Sam enjoyed discussing...

"First time I've heard of him, but I'll take your word for it," the Mismagius noted in a lower voice as he played with one of his wisp strands. "So these 'Pokémon companions'... do they pass that strength, too? Not just to kids, but in that proximity way too?"

 

[Inkedust]

Though the topics of current events did more than enough to pique Bellatrix's interest, there was certainly more opportunity for her to try and learn more about the pokémon here, why they believed in this cause to begin with.

"So what inspired you to join the Covenant to begin with?" she asked. "Just the human ancestry or did something else call to you? It's certainly a privilege to be part of their ranks." She was aware that the Covenant was quick in finding humans or those with human ancestry but she wished to hear more from the mouths of the recruited themselves. How much of a picture did the Wayfarers have to begin with?

 

[canisaries]

"So, you're human too?" she asked. "I don't think I caught your name...?"

Her bright but frozen smile indicated she really hoped Andre hadn't already told her and she'd just missed it. (He hadn't, and she didn't!)

Andre nodded with a smile, stepping closer. "Yes, human. And my name is Andre. Pleasure to meet you." He extended a vine for a handshake.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

A faint amused smirk crossed Gladion's eyes as Sam almost mixed up his name again, despite his best efforts. He was generally safe behind avian expressions being difficult to read, but Sam might be better at it than average. "I don't mind telling you," he offered, "Just a story for another time, perhaps?"

Julius had given off the first impression of a guy who'd wanted to be left alone for the most part, and Gladion had been content to do just that so far. But now that conversation was catching his attention.

"Where I'm from, human 'aura' or whatever we want to call it is a bit odd. It doesn't react with the physical world in any observable way. We've only detected it through its interactions with normal auras, where it reacts and becomes something stronger. It does lead to anyone we partner with growing stronger than normal more easily, and there's also ways to channel it into singularly strong moves. Every human culture has some kind of mythos around the importance of those partnerships. And, well, I suppose humans are around themselves all the time in these bodies, so it would track if were a bit jumped up on our own energy all the time?"

Did it track, though? He wasn't really sure. Science as he understood it didn't really apply here. The moment 'souls' got involved, things had stopped really making sense to him. But it's not like utmost informational accuracy was important when talking to an opposing faction. It kept the conversation moving, at least.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Yes, human. And my name is Andre. Pleasure to meet you."

Sam needed to hear the name repeated a couple of times, but she got it, and extended a paw to shake.

"So, Andre – you've been kinda quiet, huh? Hope that fight with the sensei didn't spook you too bad. Don't worry, it's not something they make a habit of!"

Sam's eyes were kind as she tried to give Andre an opening to talk. Warm smile, patient voice, strength enough to keep the sky from falling.

It wasn't her fault she didn't know what Articuno had found in his head.

'Course all that stuff's fiction, but hey, it's inspirin', ain't it?"

Roscoe nodded enthusiastically, chuckling a little, and babbled to himself for a moment about something to do with gadgets.

"Really now? What's this Victory you're on about? And Protocol?"

"Victory like the guy. 'Mister Winner!' Oh, and Protocol's just... They're Jools's best buds. 'Mon with a fine print fetish. Don't worry about it."

"So these 'Pokémon companions'... do they pass that strength, too? Not just to kids, but in that proximity way too?"

"I suppose humans are around themselves all the time in these bodies, so it would track if were a bit jumped up on our own energy all the time?"

Julius fidgeted with his glasses, evidently uneasy with the attention he was gathering.

"Well, it's hard to study sensibly, and I really am just a bureaucrat, I don't exactly have specialist knowledge. But no, it's not 'viral', as it were. Companions become strong, but they don't pass on that strength to others the way humans do. Mister Gladion puts it fairly aptly – although it's very much a matter of growth rather than starting out with considerable strength to begin with. If what you say about your own world is at all relevant here, it makes me wonder if human souls react with pokémon auras, even their own auras, if they have been transformed. As you have."

The Lopunny said this with considerable hesitation. He was no expert, he had no evidence. But it felt true. Something in Julius' eyes said he felt it was true, too.

"So what inspired you to join the Covenant to begin with?" she asked. "Just the human ancestry or did something else call to you? It's certainly a privilege to be part of their ranks."

Julius chuckled mildly, and adjusted his glasses again. They gleamed in the electric light.

"The ancestry didn't 'call to me' in any way whatsoever, I assure you. I have a large extended family that all descend very distantly from a historical human, and most of them work for the Covenant after some fashion. You might say I was born into the organisation. I never had that 'rebellious phase' that causes some bunnies to go gallavanting off to make something of themselves outside the Covenant – it simply seemed more reasonable to find a position I enjoyed and go about my career competently and with composure."

He said this with no small measure of pride. Quite the contrast with Roscoe, who had very little in the way of composure.

 

[canisaries]

Sam needed to hear the name repeated a couple of times, but she got it, and extended a paw to shake.

"So, Andre – you've been kinda quiet, huh? Hope that fight with the sensei didn't spook you too bad. Don't worry, it's not something they make a habit of!"

Sam's eyes were kind as she tried to give Andre an opening to talk. Warm smile, patient voice, strength enough to keep the sky from falling.

It wasn't her fault she didn't know what Articuno had found in his head.

Andre froze for a moment, remembering Articuno's peek inside his head. But he couldn't let them know that something that happened, no, he needed to appear like everything was fine - so smile, damn it!

Andre smiled. "Oh, no, no, it was fine, really. I was just a bit... out of my element. Figuratively and literally." He sniffed. "So, how did you come to join the Covenant?"

 

[MintyMimix]

"Victory like the guy. 'Mister Winner!' Oh, and Protocol's just... They're Jools's best buds. 'Mon with a fine print fetish. Don't worry about it."

"'Mister Winner'!" Ghaspius repeated with a joyous trill as he did a little twirl. It was so fun to say. Even so, he placed a tassel to his mouth as he asked, "Um, who was that again? You got like an article or somethin' I could read on 'em?"

As he listened to Julius's explanation, his smile slowly turned into a frown. "So I guess we're just supposed to be little helpers to an upper class of angels or whatever. Cool, I guess," He muttered beneath his breath.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Oh, no, no, it was fine, really. I was just a bit... out of my element. Figuratively and literally." Andre sniffed. "So, how did you come to join the Covenant?"

Sam shrugged, and chuckled awkwardly.

"Well, you know, I guess I made a name for myself as a real strong girl around my home town? I got a job offer, decent pay and benefits provided I could keep clean and was really as tough as my reputation said. And I already was clean, so."

Seeing that this clearly wasn't enough information, she scratched her neck and picked up again.

"I used to be a dockworker for a bit, and when I needed the extra cash, I'd take hours as a bouncer around the port drinking houses. They can get rough, burly 'mon getting rowdy on cheap beer – but I never had trouble throwing troublemakers out. I did say I'm strong. I guess the nearest Station were scouting for security personnel and liked what they found."

The next sentence came out of her throat with some difficulty.

"And, you know, super distant human ancestry. Hardly matters, probably didn't make a difference, but there you go. They knew that part, and maybe, I don't know, it got their attention."

She shrugged the topic away, almost abruptly.

"What about you? Gotta be something neat about you, Andre – for you to get pulled all the way to Forlas?"

---

"'Mister Winner'! Um, who was that again? You got like an article or somethin' I could read on 'em?"

Roscoe made a face like Ghaspius had just eaten part of the floorboards.

"C'mon, Gas-man. Spirit of triumph? Saint Grand-Slam? All-time all-star saviour?"

Victini. The little monkey in the inadvisable necktie and the oversized jacket was talking about the Saint of Victory.

"Pretty sure we got a book on him somewhere around here," he added, airily. Ghaspius could probably find it easily enough.

"So I guess we're just supposed to be little helpers to an upper class of angels or whatever. Cool, I guess,"

Julius' sensitive ears twitched, he looked perplexed for a moment, then snorted, suppressing a sharp chuckle.

"I take it you're non-human, then?" he asked.

The Lopunny didn't seem to realise Ghaspius had been talking under his breath. He clearly had excellent hearing.

"Sir," he began, addressing Ghaspius as if he were a disruptive retail customer, "I can't help but notice that you are yourself a remarkably strong pokémon engaged in exciting derring-do, while I myself am a certifiable pen-pusher. Humans grow strong more easily, as do those around them – but you were summoned from some else-where for heroics, while I leave such things to those called to it. This is information. These are facts. You can decide what they mean for yourself. Personally, I believe that if there is a class of angels in need of little helpers, it is Lord Articuno and their peers who are the angels, and all of us, their helpers."

Julius straightened his tie. He seemed rather satisfied with himself at this summary.

Laura coughed, lightly. "Is that the official Covenant position on the matter?"

Julius balked. "Eh? Are you taking a statement? No, I did say personally, didn't I?"

"So what is the official position?"

The rabbit shook his head, and rubbed his temple. Laura grinned sheepishly – she couldn't help it. She was developing a habit of being nosy.

"The Covenant doesn't have an official position on—" he paused, looking for the words, "—the manifest destiny of humans. Or on the moral implications of the properties of their auras..."

Roscoe clicked his tongue, and sucked air for a moment, interrupting. He wasn't angry, his voice wasn't agitated and he stood at ease. But it was something more than just needling banter, too.

"Sure, Jools, but it is a secret club for humans, yeah?" He waved his stubby arms, failing to illustrate any kind of meaning at all. "Like, the implication is that they're special, right? That's the un-spoken Official Position. Gotta be. Like, come on, all the light-in-the-dark gaslamp symbolism, recruiting everybody human who wants in, the 'great purpose' to save and help the world, talking about humans and always assuming that they're heroes or their descendants, and that's a good thing?"

Roscoe's tail pointed behind him, to Sam. "What about her gramps? Huh?"

Julius already looked exhausted, but at this he winced. Sam's face fell as she looked over from Andre, somehow looking ashen even through her creamy fur.

 

[canisaries]

"And, you know, super distant human ancestry. Hardly matters, probably didn't make a difference, but there you go. They knew that part, and maybe, I don't know, it got their attention."

After Nolan's position on humans having a responsibility to the world, Andre would assert that it was important. Though if the Covenant was also hiring native pokémon, her getting the job without her ancestry would have probably been plausible.

"What about you? Gotta be something neat about you, Andre – for you to get pulled all the way to Forlas?"

Andre huffed, amused. "Well, I'm not sure if there is much. Our summoner said that they simply took souls willing to help, and I suppose I fit the bill. But back home, I'm just a painter."

Andre listened to the lopunny - Julius - clarify his position to Ghaspius. It didn't sound like he was a supremacist - but then the aipom began to speak about the 'official position' of the Covenant, and that sounded more familiar. Andre supposed, however, that to the aipom this was simply a job. Not a great look to work with someone you know to be supremacist, but many people don't get a choice in the matter.

Get to the point. Do you want to kill them or not?

Of course not, Andre thought, suppressing a grimace. I'm not some kind of murderous lunatic who wants to kill everyone he slightly disagrees with.

I see. You're only a murderous lunatic who wants to kill everyone he strongly disagrees with.

It wasn't worth it to argue. Andre turned his attention back to Sam. "So what do you think? About humans?"