Work Text:
Marie’s relationships with adults were complicated, to say the least. Sure, she was 18, technically an adult, but that didn’t mean she felt like one. Though, that probably had to do with her lack of a proper childhood, but we don’t have time to unpack all of that.
Her relationship with her parents wasn’t the worst, it was merely strained. Her father had tried his best to keep her happy in all those years she was trapped inside. He constantly bought her books, toys, anything to keep her happy. She fought constantly with her mother, arguing with each other was basically their entire relationship at this point. It’s not really much of a wonder that she left home at the first chance she got.
Her parent’s co-workers would often stop by the house. Maybe for dinner or just to hang out with her parents. She did her best to hide in her room during those times, nervous about interaction with people she didn’t know. On the off chance she was outside of her room, she got along fine with them.
Adult members of Orionlooked down on her due to her team’s weakness, despite her high ranking status. After all, why would someone with the strength her team had be as high ranking as the second in command to the heiress of Orion? Sure, she had shown extreme loyalty to the girl, Marie considered Natus to be her best friend, after all. Loyalty could be found anywhere in the organization, though. She was easily replaceable.
Though, despite her typically good relationship with adults, the woman who she was currently kneeling to, absolutely terrified her. When she was told that she and Natus were to be in her office that afternoon, she felt her spine crawl. She wasn’t sure why the woman terrified her so much. She’s been in meetings with the leader of Orion plenty of times, often standing at her friend’s side as they were told their next task. She even presented the Jirachi plan with Natus to the leaders.
Marie supposed the goosebumps crawling over her skin was currently due to why they had been summoned, their status report on the Jirachi mission.
The Jirachi mission was complicated, for multiple reasons. Though the complicated part at the moment would be their explanation of why the mission was a failure. When the duo had presented their plan to go after the wish-fulfilling pokemon, they had promised to wish for knowledge, something that would help the organization’s research of wormholes.
The two didn’t, however, wish for knowledge. They had wished for an illness currently infecting someone to be cured. The person carrying said illness, was a member of the group who had kidnapped Marie just weeks ago. So, it was quite obvious as to why they couldn’t tell the truth as to why their mission had failed. Who knows what would’ve happened to them.
The office they had been summoned to was one that quite perfectly represented the personality of Orion’s leader. The floors were marble, the room was dark and cold. She wouldn’t be surprised if the room was haunted, actually. Whether it be from some sort of ghostly spirits or whatever remains from the spirits this woman has crushed.
Marie could feel the room chilling as the woman spoke up, speaking directly to the girl kneeling beside her. “So, my daughter, care to tell me how your mission went?” Her words were cold as ice. Marie often thought of the woman as the Ice Queen. Perhaps that’s why their lab was located on a snowy mountaintop.
Though, the way she spoke. It was almost too casual for the Orion leader, almost like she had known their failure already. ‘Of course she already knows we failed, I’m on the team after all. She expects me to fail at this point. I’ve screwed up missions in the past. Who knows how many more until she searches for my replacement’
“It was going well,” the heiress replied, cutting Marie off from her thoughts. “Our research had given us quite the advantage in our search,” Natus spoke calmly, slowly standing up and meeting her mother’s eyes as she talked. That was one thing Marie had to give her friend props for, the willingness to look their boss in the eyes. Though, being her daughter probably helped. Or, maybe it made it even harder.
“Advantage?” The woman scoffed in her seat, “You sound as though you were competing.”
“We were. There was another group searching for Jirachi. We had fought them many times along the way. They were quite good at stalling us,” Marie almost wanted to laugh at how proper her friend was speaking. She was never very serious when they talked, even during missions. Marie enjoyed that part about the brunette, the fact that she seemed so relaxed with her.
“And the wish?”
“The group had gotten the jump on us, and taken Jirachi’s final wish,” She watched her friend’s eyes fall to the floor, fingers starting to fidget behind her back. It wasn’t odd to see the heiress get nervous in front of either of her parents, especially her mother. They were hardcore, even on their daughter.
“So, your incompetence to stop a group of kids is what caused you to fail your mission?” The woman had questioned, eyes narrowing at the two. She turned in her chair, doing something with her hands that Marie couldn’t quite see, though she suspected that she was grabbing files off of the shelf. “I should’ve known you two would screw this up.”
“With all due respect, ma’am-“ Marie suddenly spoke up. Her words had flowed out before she even thought about speaking, her fear of the woman obviously not enough to keep her silent. She rose to her feet, taking a step back when she saw the woman look over her shoulder, eyes piercing Marie like a dagger. If looks could kill, she’d surely be dead.
“I’m the one who made us late. We could’ve made it in time had I not constantly needed to go to the Pokémon Center to heal my team. It wasn’t incompetence, it was my own weakness.”
The woman’s lips turned into a smirk. It was a terrifying sight, with her eyes seeming to look into the blonde’s soul. Everything about her expression, it’s like she’s been waiting for her to admit she’s the failure. Like Marie had walked right into a trap she had set. “I understand what you’re trying to say. It wasn’t that my child is a bad leader, it’s just that you’re a bad second in command.”
“I didn’t exactly mean it that way, but I think Natus is a great leader,” she looked over to her friend, who’s expression of worry sent small alarms through Marie’s head. They were both thinking the same thing, this wasn’t going to end well for the blonde.
“Then I’m beginning to think it was a mistake letting her choose her own second in command. Your loyalty to her means nothing to me if you aren’t of any use. I have plenty of people who are both loyal to Orion and extremely useful. So maybe you should start showing more results if you want to keep your title.”
The words had stung, leaving a pit in Marie’s stomach and a small ache in her chest. She knew that she wasn’t of much use to the organization, especially with her current team. From everything she had heard, and was seeing from the leader right now, it was clear that this wasn’t the first time she had thought Natus’ judgement in picking the second in command was flawed. The girl simply let out a sigh and nodded. The statement was loud and clear.
Show your usefulness or you can’t work beside Natus.
The woman waved them off, their usual sign to leave the room. The duo walked out of the room side by side, as they normally did. Marie could feel her friend’s gaze on her as they walked, she knew what was going to happen next. So, as soon as the office doors had shut behind them, she quickened her pace, making her way to the duo’s usual lab station.
“Why did you take the fall?” She heard behind her. The voice, to most, would seem calm. But by now, Marie had picked up on the sharpness in her best friend’s tone that was just enough to hurt, but not a lot.
She stopped in her tracks, not daring to turn and look at the girl behind her, though she could hear her footsteps slowly appraching, “You’re not an incompetent leader, and I’m the one who got us mixed up with Wren in the first place. Hell, we wouldn’t even be associated with that group at all if it weren’t for me” You shouldn’t have to deal with a second in command like me.
“Technically, they kidnapped you. Wren got mixed up with us both because of that. Plus, now my mom thinks you’re useless,” Marie felt a hand on her shoulder, seeing her friend appear from the corner of her eye. She was shocked by how calm the girl was speaking right now. The hint of empathy in her eyes. She should be angry, she should be agreeing with her mom, because Marie is a useless partner. She’s a screw up. They both have to know by now that this isn’t the first, nor last time, Marie will screw up a mission.
“Aren’t I, though?” She shook the hand off of her shoulder, and started marching down the halls again. Leaving Natus and any response behind.