Agent Moon,
Per your last message you mentioned a lack of employees in your report. Were the ones who departed followers of the Ex-President?
On that note keep an eye out on the Branch Chief; find a way to meet the other administration. You never know who still has ties with Lusamine.
L & A
Moon sits on yet another pristine piece of furniture as she watches Rotom scurry away from her; the deletion process of the last message in progress. "Rotom, can you return to your Pokeball," the agent asks desperately from across the room, but Rotom continued to be dismissive; ignoring her pleas completely except to add his commentary.
"You know Agent," Rotom begins as he stares at the cabinets of medical folders and book. "It's a good thing you actually know medicine or else you would be so lost in this situation. BZZT."
"And it's a bad thing you don't treat me like the other agents. You know better than to say things like that out in the open," Moon says through gritted teeth, her eyes casually glancing around the room in search of signs of surveillance.
"Don't worry my dear girl. I interfered with the camera and audio recorders in the room. Zzt."
A sound of disbelief leaves Moon before she glares at the Pokemon, "and what will they think when security goes over it?"
Her reaction prompts a smile to appear on his screen,"you actually think security goes over their footage? Pffzzzzt." Rotom flies around her face for a few moments before stopping. "Incoming phone call from HQ-zzt."
"Rotom don-"
"We have some extra information for you from our analyst," Looker's voice booms through the Rotomdex's speakers.
Moon groans.
"As you know the events that are happening in Alola have been happening for two weeks. This mission, however, was put on our radar because of a lead. Turns out this lead came from the Foundation, Agen…".
A knock.
Moon's head whirls towards the sound as her finger clicks the Pokeball strapped against her waist. Looker's message was cut short as Rotom forcibly leaves the Pokedex casing merely a second before the door opens to a woman with luscious dark hair and pink framed glasses. "Moon, correct?"
"Yes," Moon says as she stands up with an extension of her hand. Her signs of panic only evident in the beating in her chest and luckily not her voice.
"Hello Miss Moon and welcome back to Aether."
"It's good to be back..."
"Wicke, the Assistant Branch Chief," she responds without missing a beat, shaking Moon's hand almost too eagerly as Moon took the moment to scan over the older woman's face. Searching for any signs of shock, any sign that this woman had overheard something she shouldn't have.
But there was nothing out of the ordinary to be sensed.
"I want to apologize for not being here to interview you yesterday. Master Gladion requested that I attend a conference in his stead. And as someone who never requests something from me I realized it must've been vital."
"Master Gladion...?" Moon questions, her eyebrows lifting curiously at the title, but it's Moon's questioning tone that prompts Wicke's eyes to widen, her hand lifting over her mouth in surprise. "Oh my. Forgive me, old habits die hard. I meant to say President Gladion."
Moon blinks for a second, her mind whirling at the mention of the new Aether President. She didn't even know Aether assigned someone new. Maybe he was just a face to a title. The last saving grace to the conservation.
"Will I be meeting him today?"
It was a careful enough question, but there's something in it that prompts Wicke to harden ever so slightly. Her smile drops into a tight lipped line, her eyes now glancing intently at the clipboard in her hand. "The President is out for the day," Wicke responds defensively, before looking at Moon once more, "but when he comes back I'll urge him to make his introduction."
Moon makes a small noise of affirmation, as she watches Wicke's small facial expressions carefully, a pen now tapping on her clipboard, forcing Moon's attention back to the task at hand.
"Anyways, Miss Moon, let us not delay any longer. We have a long process ahead of us today. We'll be going over some protocol, paperwork, a quick tour of the facilities, your responsibilities. The works. If you have any inquiries please don't hesitate to ask."
After that miniscule moment Moon expected to have her own guard up, but Wicke had proven to be an angel, especially in comparison to Faba. She was comforting, welcoming, professional, yet kind. It was a nice change of pace compared to everything else Moon observed while on their way up to the third floor. Everything had a location and a purpose. Employees were hustling around, as if they had a place to be at any given second. It was a well-working system that was a bit off putting. It was too prim and too proper, that even perfection as a word didn't even seem to fit the description.
"Our third floor hosts the office spaces, while our conservation floor is on the second we're now approaching. You will be spending a majority of your time here, but you will report to your office in the evening to finalize your daily paperwork."
Moon speechlessly nods as she peers down and notices the upcoming second floor. The habitats expanded the space and filled the Foundation with the color it was missing everywhere else. Grasslands, desert spaces, it was all there to host the vast amount of species of Pokemon roaming about. "It's no wonder the Aether Foundation has an amazing track record. These facilities are top of the line." A genuine response out of Moon, her heart clenching at the desire of wanting to work here if the circumstances were different.
"Our mission is to bring these Pokemon the best care so they may return to the wild in prime condition," Wicke says as the elevator continues its descent down. "You know, I digress, but Miss Moon I am quite shocked."
"Pardon?" Moon asks while turning around to face her.
"Your resume and experience," Wicke says as she looks up from the mentioned papers. "I'm surprised Faba hired a highly qualified, independent employee such as yourself. It's unusual."
Moon lets out a small laugh, "I must've appealed to his better judgement."
"Miss Moon, you will soon learn that Faba has no better judgement."
Moon bites her lip to restrain her laughter.
"But I am happy you're here. We haven't seen anyone walk in through our doors with your level of expertise or passion in a while. Our Pokemon need someone like you."
"Pokemon deserve the best and it's a job I am fully dedicated to in any form," Moon says solemnly. She turns away to look at the second floor through the panes.
The Aether Foundation had a staff shortage, so to have Wicke so incredibly grateful for her presence, made Moon's stomach sink. This Foundation clearly had a well-intentioned goal. They had the blessing of financial stability and well-skilled staff to last this long, but when did it diverge into something so...sinister? The other islands were reporting Ultra Beast running amok. Pokemon and trainers were sustaining injuries from z-crystals and mysterious portals appearing over large cities were creating a source of stress for the residents of Alola.
None of this seemed to penetrate the walls and ocean surrounding the man-made island.
It was Paradise indeed. Lost in ignorant bliss.
"Our second floor also holds our medical facilities. Given your certifications you may be asked to deal with pharmaceuticals in addition to your typical caseload."
Moon tunes back into Wicke's description of the area. She nods halfheartedly.
"We'll be skipping the ground entrance floor and head straight to the basement level," Wicke says as the blue water makes its appearance. "As you can now see this is our dock. Aether employees may use this space to travel to and from Aether Paradise, however many choose not to."
"Convenient," Moon mutters glancing around the area when her eyes lock onto Wicke's form. Wicke's badge was being held over the elevator's panel. Her face showing some sort of hesitancy, but Moon was forced to look away when the elevator jerks suddenly. A small yelp escaping her lips.
"Miss Moon if you don't mind me asking, is it your first time in Alola?" Wicke asks while staring straight through the glass panes of the elevator. Her face a lot more serious this time around.
"Second."
The confirmation came without another thought. Caught up in the sense of comfort, Moon had slipped up on her made-up persona.
"I see...what was your first trip for?" The question was simple, innocent even.
Moon doesn't let her mistake divert her away from her given background. It was loosely based on her real adventures of moving around 6 regions, but HQ emphasized that on this mission she was Kalos native, Sinnoh educated, and Kanto trained.
She stuck to it yesterday, she was going to stick to it today.
"I was on my way to Kanto for my residency when I had a layover in Alola."
Wicke hums for a second and Moon just stares in her direction, quickly noticing that the white walls had faded into a steel gray.
"It's a shame that this is your first extensive stay in our region" Wicke says as the elevator comes to a complete halt. She removes her badge from the control panel and makes her way towards the elevator doors. "I can assure you that you are in a safe haven. And it is here where you can expand your skills."
Wicke walks out of the lift and turns around to face Moon who hadn't moved a step forward. The stoic face was back.
"And trust me when I say that you can do a lot in this foundation; that is if you have the agent...cy to, Miss Moon."
The training process to become a member of the International Police was meticulous to say the least; and one training Moon knew all too well was how to keep control of your natural responses. It was basically a mantra: to keep the upperhand in any situation one had to remain neutral, calm, and collected. There couldn't be a hint of weakness, no note of surprise, but Moon's eyes widened involuntarily.
She had to have misheard what Wicke just said, right? But who in their right mind emphasizes the word like that?
Her heart hammers against her chest. She swallows a lump that had now grown in her throat. "I-I'm dedicated to growing and improving" Moon says, her voice unstable. Her footsteps beginning to feel more and more disconnected with her body as she follows Wicke through the corridors. "Where are we currently, Wicke?"
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"B2F is our lowest level." Wicke says without a second glance towards the young girl. She stops in front of two rooms: Lab A and Lab B. "This whole floor, the lab facilities full of research and the rooms filled with progress reports, is actually off-limits to those who don't have the correct badge. A silver magnetic band acts as a key in the elevator." Wicke's eyes quickly dart to Moon's badge, prompting Moon to follows her gaze down.
The silver line was evident on her employee ID.
"Ex-President Lusamine spent a lot of time with some of our employees down here."
Moon blinks.
"Do what you may with that information."
Wicke heads back the way they came from and Moon stands there in complete stupor. The comfort she felt with Wicke was was now muddled. "Let us go back to the second floor and introduce you to the Pokemon you will begin working with."
Moon picks up her feet and walks towards the Chief and the elevator. Moon's mouth turned dry. Her mind was running a billion miles per hour. She stares straight on as the metal walls fade back into white.
The answers were all there in the halls and in the labs. She needed to go back.
Moon stares at Wicke, her mouth twisting in contemplation.
But what was the risk?