[FIN] The Final Straw

[Blood_Goddess]

It had taken a good part of her working day to help the base clear out the infestation of Rotoms from the halls, and the labs.
Faleen had taken up her post in the Robotics, monitoring the machines there and taking down any Rotom who bared poke its head into the lab.

The pokemon that she had with her held up for the long time very well, though they were starting to get tired toward the end.
And when the notice from the security announced that the problem seemed to be under control, Faleen sighed, letting her Pokemon plop down where they stood and rest.

Everything looked okay, she was pleased to see that nothing had been damaged in the swarm.
"Alright." She breathed, straightening up and pulling the balls from her leg, returning each of her pokemon in turn, until a Pokeball, and a Dusk ball remained.
Absol and Umbreon were probably still out with a part of the team helping to battle the Rotom,

"Everything looks good." She told one of her team mates, getting confirmation on their end as well. "Good, I'll be back, I need to gather the rest of my team, and find my partner." He had run off somewhere, probably to help.
Once the others agreed to keep an eye out she headed out into the hall, rubbing a knot at her shoulder.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The black-haired grunt had waited by Seth's side until the medics had come to pick him up and take him to the infirmary. Then Nakura had gone around collecting his pokemon and returning them to their balls before following suit. He was silent the whole time, deep in contemplation at what he had seen and experienced. Once or twice he looked Faleen's Absol, who still remained, wondering if it felt any loss toward its fallen comrade.

When he'd seen to Seth, who was well enough to be fixed up in a relatively short amount of time, Nakura left the agent briefly to find his partner. It was rare he had ever seen her without Umbreon at her side or vice versa, so the thought that hadn't yet learned what had happened to her pokemon had not yet occurred to him.

It might have seemed silly, but it was almost like he had taken for granted that they would have had some mental link and known when the other was...well, known when that link would have been severed in some way. But of course this was a trait that only psychic-types were even capable of and they were practically the opposite of dark.

Thus when Nakura looked to Absol and suggested that they find his trainer together, he was startled to realize she was acting the same as ever, diligently, efficiently and responsibly carrying out her duties. Suddenly he wanted to turn around and walk back the way he had come.

Under normal circumstances, he might have been extraordinarily interested in observing how such a robot-like individual would take difficult news that was sure to change her life. Even more curious was the idea that a pokemon might have meant as much if not more to her than a human being. It was what he had previously strove to achieve as was his hobby - observing people in their states of deepest despair and tragedy in order to see what they would do and how they would act.

For some reason, it was not so with Faleen, though he couldn't imagine why. He thought though, maybe, that it might have had something to do with the idea that he himself had already experienced the death of someone who had called him friend. While he had never thought so highly of pokemon as to put them on the same level as humans, the knowledge that his partner did was enough to make him parallel the feelings he had once experienced with those that he knew Faleen would soon come to terms with.

If he already knew what those feelings felt like, what fun was there in seeing them reflected in another's eyes? True, everyone expressed the same emotions differently and to different degrees. But with how he'd tried to get Asch to punish him for his wrong-doings, what would Faleen, a young woman who kept everything to herself with a will and resolve like steel...what would she do? How would she react?

For once, though he did not yet recognize or admit to it as such, his perpetual curiosity of the suffering of others was accompanied by a deep and painful sympathy at his partner's loss. At least when Aila had died, Asch had had Natalia, but...who did Faleen have?  

[TRHQ Yuri Lowell]

Seth had spent the next few hours within the infirmary as he was treated for his injuries. Going through x-rays and the like to make sure nothing was broken, as he simply hurt all over from being tossed around like a rag doll. A couple ribs were cracked, but nothing could really be done about that save some painkillers and time to heal. Plus he had a concussion, but it wasn't so bad that they needed to keep him. The gash on his arm also receiving several stitches and was cleaned and wrapped up.

The elite agent leaving the place with orders to rest and to remain off duty and work for a week before coming back for a revaluation. Looked like he might be hanging around the base for a while longer. Thus a message had been sent to the company to explain his absence.

However, the man decided to not follow those orders right away. And instead went to where Faleen's dead Umbreon was being kept before it would be disposed of. He sent a message through his Rocket dex for her to meet him in the Pokemon ward of the infirmary.  

[Blood_Goddess]

She didn't have to look very far for her targets. No sooner had the door opened then she saw Izaya, drawing the women to an abrupt stop "Nakura" She spoke, "Good timing, I was just about to go find you."
She glanced down at to see Absol at the man's side.
The dark type was quiet, and he looked back at Faleen with an unusual stare, one that she had never seen before. Her brow knitted as she tried to read it.

Finding that a little odd, she shifted her hazel gaze to where Umbreon was, having no doubt that he would be with Absol and Izaya. And she had to admit, she was surprised when she didn't see him.
"Where is Umbreon?"

Absol did not look away from Faleen, though his muzzle did wrinkle.

Faleen opened her mouth to say something else when her Dex went off, and she took a moment to pluck it up and read the reply.
Seth... telling her to meet him at the pokemon ward.

Hazel eyes shifted up to Izaya once again, then Absol. "Seth's ordering me to the infirmary." She explained, looking puzzled but moved forward, into the hall and on her way to meet Seth. Absol, glancing up at Izaya, followed after her.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Izaya hesitated a second before acknowledging in response. "Agent," he uttered, dipping his head slightly in respect. As for his timing...well, he wouldn't exactly have called it good. He still wasn't sure he wanted to be there. But Faleen didn't seem to notice; her focus had already turned to her pokemon. Izaya cleared his throat in order to speak up. "...Your Absol has been following me, so I thought I should return him to you."

When she asked about her other, absent pokemon, the crimson-eyed man could only stare back, as voiceless as the Absol beside him. His mouth was a straight, emotionless line. Things had to be said, but...did he have the authority to tell her? Even if he did, would she want to hear such news from him of all people? She might even have thought he was messing around or teasing.

"Faleen-chan, I - " At the moment that both Faleen and Izaya had been ready to speak, the agent's dex went off again. The grunt fell silent. He nodded wordlessly when she relayed her message. Catching the Absol's glance back, the black-haired man sighed deeply before pursuing the pair a few paces behind.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Faleen's lips were set in a fine line as she walked down the halls, absol and Izaya following behind.
She slowed a little to make sure that she wasn't walking too fast, but there was an unexpected anxious feeling in her chest that made her want to walk much more briskly.

If there was one thing she knew about Izaya, or could always expect from him, it was that he was always talking, or always ready to tease her.
this time, he had barely said anything, and she didn't get anything out of the ordinary other then the usual name he called her, even then it was said with hesitance.
He knew something she didn't.

She could have asked him, easily, she might have, but a part of her already suspected the answer... and maybe.... maybe she just didn't want to hear it yet.
Umbreon was not there to walk at her side, and Seth was calling her to the Pokemon ward...

The entire way there she didn't say a single word to neither Izaya, nor Absol. just dutifully striding into the aria she had been told to meet the Elite. Glancing around for the tall man.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Seth would be there, waiting. The man standing off to one side despite the fact that sitting was certainly an option. He looked to be deep contemplation when he finally noticed that Faleen had arrived... and with her partner in tow as well.

He stood up straighter, resisting the urge to wince due to his sore back. The elite definitely looked a bit beat up, but well enough.

"Agent," he greeted solemnly. Blue eyes glancing for a moment at Izaya but nothing more.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Although grateful for the silence, Izaya knew his partner was too intelligent not to notice the signs. Was she holding out? Trying to hope? She was too practical to deny solid facts, but if they had yet to be presented to her...well, it wasn't like it was his place to say anything official. That was Seth's job, he supposed. And in the back of Izaya's mind, he had to wonder just how difficult it would be for the blue-eyed man to report the terrible news.

The higher-up liked to seem like he was made of stone, as did the 'best' of the Rocket members...but deep down, Izaya knew full well they were all human. It was one of the main reasons he had joined in the first place - to see glimpses of the human aspect within an organization that attempted to function as a machine, with both pokemon and people as nothing more than parts and gears working together towards a tireless goal.

Izaya continued to ponder this as they finally reached Seth. He tried not to smile when he noticed the taller man attempt to straighten up; he was just as much a stickler for formalities as always. Keeping a few paces behind Faleen, he briefly met the Elite Agent's gaze before glancing to his partner.  

[Blood_Goddess]

It wasn't hard to spot the tall Elite. She did not hesitate to continue over to him, stopping and pulling herself up tall, and folding her hands behind her back.
"Sir, you asked to see me."

She glanced over him for a moment, quickly enough as she noticed that he seemed to be injured. Though he was doing a well enough job in hiding it.
She looked back up at him, though there was a tensing in one of her eyebrows. She knew something happened, she couldn't be certain as to what.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Seth didn't like this sort of thing any more than the next person, but his face was one of stoic resolve. And when Faleen spoke, he nodded.

"It's about your Umbreon," he began, suppressing a grimace. Faleen was an agent that he actually liked and had respect for. She had always done nothing less than her best. And while they didn't work together regularly any more, that hadn't changed.

He paused, trying to think of the right words.

"Perhaps it would be best if I showed you." He then said at last. And besides, it would be a less public place. And he had no doubt she would want to see her Pokemon.

Thus, with that, Seth turned to lead her down the hall.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Izaya sighed and followed after both his partner and the elite. Talk about drawing out the inevitable. Why couldn't he just say it? The suspense was thick in the air, threatening to choke them all. The grunt kept a watchful eye on Faleen, scanning her stoic expression for cracks or wavering. Robot-like or not, she was still human with emotions. She couldn't keep up that facade forever.  

[Blood_Goddess]

'its about your Umbreon' She heard the words, she took them in and nodded in acceptance to hear them with an acknowledging "Sir"
She did expect this to come, so she tried to react, and feel toward them in as professional a matter as.
She took the words, and without even looking down at them, filed them away into her mind.

As Seth decided to show her, she was keeping her face, a straight forward and attentive as she always did, taking one step back when Seth started walking before following him, Glancing only one to her Partner, who was still following.
That was okay, if it was anyone else she would wonder why, but well. Partners were and had to be different.

She found it odd that THATS what she was thinking about in a time like this, instead of worrying about Umbreon, but she shook it off and walked after Seth  

[BlackPidgeot]

Had Faleen been a weaker woman, he probably wouldn't have shown her. However, Seth had a feeling she would want to see for herself. This was a Pokemon she was attached to, he knew that.

Leading her, them, to a room just off the hall, Seth opened the door and allowed Faleen and her partner entrance.

On a cold, steel table lay the mangled corpse of Umbreon.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Well, that's one thing she can't fix, Izaya thought as he entered the room after Faleen and laid eyes on the dead pokemon from earlier. He glanced at Seth, wondering why the higher-up had chosen this of all ways to break the news to his partner. Likely it was easier on Seth if not his partner, but knowing Faleen, he guessed, like the Elite Agent, that the roboticist would have wanted to see the physical body of her fallen friend. Still he said nothing, but continued to look on with doubt.

After a short time, though, he asked, "Did you want us to give you a minute, Agent?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Not a word came from Faleen as she stepped into the room, even as her eyes fell onto the body laid on the table, a mess of a corpse, despite how neatly it had been placed.
It was, without a question Umbreon, and he was, without any question, Dead.

Her face didn't change, nor did her posture, taking even steps toward the table where she stopped beside it, emotionless hazel eyes scanning slowly over the bloody heap, long gashes and burn marks covered his body, and a chunk missing from his back.

Izaya's question seemed to go unheard, as she stood there. finally, when she did speak, her voice remained as to the point, and calm as ever.
"How did this happen?"

This was Umbreon, more importantly this was her Umbreon, she saw him, his eyes were closed, blood caked the thick fur over his body, head lolled lifelessly on the table, ears drooped behind his head.
This was her pokemon, her most accomplished, powerful and loyal pokemon.
She knew this.
And she kept wondering to herself, even as she stood there staring at him, with a slight confused furrow in her brow; Why wasn't she feeling anything right now?