the thing about you [c]

Exploring the city had been nice, but there was something much better about exploring the surrounding routes. The noise of the hustle and bustle faded, voices turned to pokemon calls and the sound of bike bells and car horns turned to just the whistle of wind. Sure, for awhile you could still hear it in the background. An undertone hard to escape. But, eventually, it was completely gone.

"It's so nice here," Gwen murmured to herself, sitting on a bit of raised ground and just listening to everything for awhile. One jean-covered leg crossed over the other and she let herself lean back, feeling her blouse pull taut against her skin as she propped herself on her hands. It wouldn't be nice for too long though. She'd heard a certain man was back in the region, and the higher ups had insisted she meet with them and make sure everything was still right in his head.

"Elijah Castaire," the word was whispered as if it burned her tongue, "What a pain in my ass." She sighed, reaching in her pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes. One was plucked out and lit quickly, requiring her to sit up for only a moment before it was between her lips and she was once again relaxing. God knew that she'd need a smoke to get through this meeting.

Gwen didn't regret much, but recruiting Elijah Castaire was definitely one of them. She'd met him through connections related to her family, had heard he was making trouble and had connections that could prove worthwhile. Weapons, drugs, pokemon, all things that could take Team Magma that much further. But then she'd got to know the man and wondered if it was really worth it.

"Not a chance," once again she murmured quietly, plucking her cigarette from between her lips and shaking off the tip with a flick of her finger. The ashes sizzled in the grass as she replaced the stick between her teeth.

Elijah Castaire