Beginning a Cold Ascention

[Vin]

The maze of familiar hallways only got more and more similar as the walk progressed, leading her farther and farther from where she thought she wanted to be. She sighed, turning her eyes to the ceiling with a 'kami save me from these idiots' look. True, the two other grunts that were following her undiscretely were bickering loudly, occasionally going for dirty shots to the nose or otherwise sensitive areas. She had no idea what the fools were arguing about, no, that ship had sailed long ago. Now they jumped from subject to subject, and thank kami they didn't expect her to join in the conversation.

The tall, dark haired ice queen stalked through the identical halls again, quickening her pace. The idiot males continued to follow her, though her glare clearly told them not to. Eventually, she stopped, her back to them. [If you imbicles don't step away from me, you'll not see the sun again.] She hissed, and as though they didn't understand, they stepped foward to stand beside her. Her pale white long sleeved dress rustled, and she turned her head slightly, sneering at the closest man as she connected her knee with his groin. She was never cold, especially here. The pale white, long sleeved, yet shoulderless dress was a common choice of attire for her recently - it seemed to suit her. The man groaned in pain, staggering up and lunging at her in anger. She stood, staring at him.

Her Pokeball lit up, releasing Neve, the graceful Froslass that had so long ago saved her life. One glance at the furious, invaded expression on her mistresses face, and she immediatly turned, sending an Ice Shard at the offending men that immediatley turned them to popsicles. Annalee stood for a moment, then turned her eyes and looked at Neve. She muttered, realizing now that she had found her way to the lab that she had been searching for. Always one to be polite, the young woman with ice cold skin and ebony hair knocked on the closed door, waiting as Neve returned herself to the Pokeball. Annalee never once glanced at the two men she had frozen solid - they were expendable.

[Naze]

Though it was an inevitably futile hope that the base of Team Darkness could ever be entirely silent to the point where the only echo was his expensive leather shoes, the current head of the laboratory found himself giving a sigh of relief upon checking the computers each day to see which members had yet to log in. For each asinine grunt that preferred to press the snooze button on their alarm clocks, it took William T. Spears little time to get to each of their bedroom, disturb their lazy slumbers with a swift thumping on their heads with his signature accessory. It appeared that they had much less prolonged unexcused absences and got much more done with him assisting this base. However, the absolute irritation of his early mornings was their very own second General ; that little red haired idiot that rarely got up on time and furthermore brought noise that even blared through the thick steel doors of the laboratory to the base. But ever since the man's recent absence that was accompanied with Stanton's, it was.. decently quiet.

But there's still many issues here.. William noted, keeping his emotionless and rather business-like appearance with no visible change. These Alvahs the leaders had commissioned were quite the feat.. "And how do they expect one person to do all of this without another knowledgeable individual?" he muttered clearly to himself, the male's tone harsh as he glanced around in utter realization that he was alone in the cold, chrome room. They really expected him to work overtime for them? He'd need to do some reeling in on Enpowera's person, judging by how the female was supposed to be assisting him at least five minutes before.

With this going on though.. It's best she isn't here, she'd be a nuisance at best William noted as he glanced at the Pokeball sitting a top one of the various metal counter tops. Within rested the creature of ice, one of the three legendary birds.. The famous Articuno that they had been lucky enough to get a DNA sample of recently. Maybe these grunts weren't so useless after all if they could risk their lives traversing through mountains with heavily deadly temperatures ; they proved good scapegoats, but that was the it. And when he said that was it, that was fucking it.

But he wasn't about to dwell on stupidity, there were more pressing matters at hand. Like the development of this new Alvah Articuno.. However, as the ball reflected within William's rectangle glasses, the knock interrupted his pleasant silence, inducing a heavy grimace to alter his facial expression. "Honestly.." the male scientist hissed for a moment before directing himself towards the door and walking with a straightened posture to the doors, punching in a few numbers with his black gloved fingers and watched as the doors slid open revealing a woman he only knew via photograph ; Annalee Michelle Senks.

Trainer that excels in ice Pokemon, has some poor circulation issues, recently joined.. William mentally noted as he gave a swift inspection of the female. "Your purpose?" he inquired sternly before glancing to his side and slightly out of the sterile depths of the lab, noticing the two grunts that were frozen solid..... A moment was given inspecting the two before turning his cold gaze back to Annalee, adjusting his glasses slightly with his metallic weapon that only lacked a few inches from standing at his own full height.

"It would be preferred if you did not freeze your fellow grunts, no matter how irritating. They may prove useful enough scapegoats one day," William stated, his eyes growing colder and more irritated if possible.

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[Vin]

She smirked, a cold, emotionless gaze swiftly scanning the laboratory. Her emotions from only moments ago were already forgotten, a melted snowflake in the ocean. Impossible to find, impossible to remember. Her hair was tied in a loose bun at the nape of her neck, allowing her to turn her head freely and once more gaze around the laboratory. It was everything you'd expect. Everything was either a shining stainless steel or a polished and unblemished white.

Just as the man in front of her was exactly as she would expect. Tall, dark, calculating... Somewhat handsome, if you could get past the fact that he was completely and totally heartless. She swept her gaze over the suited man once more, then back to the lab. She said, as though she was making some idle comment about the weather instead of talking about incredibly powerful and overall evil genetically modified Pokemon. She felt a twinge of a thought in the back of her head, wondering for merely a moment if they actually had any ice types, though she could feel it, as though it was calling to her.

The cold, hospital-like chill in the air made her mentally relax, though there was no difference in her outer appearance. She stepped quickly and quietly into the lab, lingering by the door for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the lights and she saw the room she had glanced at multiple times as it really was - absolutely spotless. There was no dust. Perhaps he was as controlling about his lab as she was about her life. It was an intresting thought. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, wondering how he would react to her invading his laboratory so suddenly.

[Naze]

How like every other hapless grunt. William wanted to cringe every time one of the lower members scanned his body, washing him in a sweep of judgment that they had no rank to conduct within their measly minds. But this female's replies did not bring him much shock. Most of the recent laboratory visitors were grunts and the like wanting their recently advertised Alvah Pokemon. Three of choice, a mimic of most labs who chose to offer beginning trainers their first Pokemon. Seviper, Zangoose, and Vulpix.. Judging by Annalee's obvious favorite Pokemon type, William could already foresee the controversy that he'd prefer to avoid. They only had a single ice Pokemon within the laboratory and that was Articuno..

However, this topic was swiftly forsaken. That Articuno would be given to someone high in command, no further inquires. This grunt would take one of their 'starters'. Especially now, as the female slid past him gracefully and quickly, entirely uninvited. More so, she kept waltzing into the lab as if she owned it with the dominant yet cold aura that her person carried so well. "You do not have the rank to simply walk into my laboratory, Senks." William could not refrain from growling to the intruder. He took pride with this room that seemed to be his clean, sterile little sanctuary that provided anyone with a glance at just how truly anal William really was. Any treks Annalee had taken recently could track in dust, dirt, germs, and her authoritative figure that breached the barriers of her actual rank made him grimace as if it tainted the air.

In a swift few taps of the metal keyboard plastered upon the milky white wall with his black gloves fingers, the metal doors shut with a familiar 'chink' and William carried himself proudly, with an even more profound dominance through the lab and quickly stepped infront of whom he considered an intruder. "Learn your manners and limits, miss Senks. Or you will find your visits to this laboratory ephemeral." the scientist added to his previous statement. The idea wasn't chimerical by far, hell it was a simple request, and most grunts didn't have the balls to go past him. And if they did then they were the grunts whom had no brain.

But it was time to get off the matter of intrusion and onto the matter of her business here. Get them in and get them out before they contaminate anything. With a sigh that signified the end of the previous matter, William reached into his black suit and pulled out three Pokeballs that were not barred to his ownership. Each contained one of the average Alvah Pokemon, yet the Alvah Articuno Pokeball sat on the counter behind him, an off limits an something that any and every low-ranked member could never hope to get their grubby palms wrapped around.

[Vin]

[As I believe was the case when you first entered this room, Spears-san.] Her voice was cool, and her gaze moved once more to study the man. He was almost every bit the man that people on the outside had told her he was, but there was always that aspect of people that some others missed... After all, they were grunts, much like she was, but they didn't have that particular ability to tell a bit more about people than most. The cleanliness of his lab was a point of pride, she could tell, by expression and by the mere fact that the room was spotless.

[And my apologies. I would ask for a pardon from the intrusion, but that's not the way I work.] Once more, she stepped around him, eyes drawn toward the Pokeball on the desk. However, she made no move for it, instead turning to face where the other three Pokeballs lay dormant. She already knew the basic starters, and she knew they wouldn't do. However, until she either got conformation of the rumored Alvah Articuno or found it false, she would remain, testing and prodding. There would be no basic beginner Pokemon for her.


((Sorry. Smidge of writer's block there.))

[Naze]

With a flick on his wrist, the silver metallic 'accessory' flew into a side-long position, forcefully preventing any further advancement on Annalee's person towards the restricted Pokeball. With his spear barring the female's way, William gave a sharp turn towards her with a cold and dull golden gaze trained upon her ; not studying, simply as firm as his posture. Mentally, William released a heavy sigh. This was an element which he would've preferred evading but now it seemed ineluctable, unfortunately. For science's sake these damned, spoiled grunts were much more grief then he had that willing preference to provide.

An ice Pokemon and a trainer whom specialized in ice Pokemon, obviously this woman knew what was within that Pokeball, and defied all logic this scroungy base kept within it. "The Articuno that you seem to be attracted to is beyond your district standards by far. Alvahs of such caliber are to be considered only worthy material for the generals and superiors," William stated without emotion to his tone other then that of a hint of irritation towards Annalee's persistence. It was true that the position of first general was left open after Nox Umbra was promoted to leader but, though William would state that she was a much more.. decent candidate then the majority of hooligans roaming about, he kept his rules close as if they were a religion. And so long as he was here, he would abide by the finest of print if it did not greatly hinder himself.

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[Vin]

She had no comment for his actions. She had expected him to be defensive of such a potentially magnificent Pokemon. But as for his comment on her rank, she had something to say. She said, a frown gracing her lips. True, she hated being counted in the majority.

Her eyes traveled back to where she knew the Alvah Articuno was lurking, dormant in his Pokeball, though his odd choice of weaponry blocked her view. The mere idea that such a powerful, beautiful Pokemon could exsist almost made her smile. But not quite, because he wasn't hers yet. She turned away, looking at him with a steady, cold smirk. Her eyes portrayed none of her emotions, though sometimes she wished that they did.

The steady, cold, cleanliness of the lab was beginning to make her comfortable, though she didn't relax. Something told her that if she was to even touch anything, she'd be removed from the room. Her intrusion had gone over relativley well, better than she had expected. But pushing the man's buttons much more would be a very bad idea.

[Naze]

At the female's words, a moment of silenced passed within the laboratory where the only sound even vaguely audible was the ticking of the small clock plastered upon one of the tall walls that were entirely without blemish. Did she honestly think it was that easy..? Ultimately, William could appoint any member to a position of beta, or accept a grunt into the laboratory however the decision of generals was entirely up to their leader, Nox Umbra. True, his partial or full approval would help her case if she was truly serious about this claim but he could never approve her to such a position..

Lifting up his left hand and using his gloved index finger to adjust his glasses into an even further proper position, William's gaze once more began to study her intently. Certainly she was not the sort of person to send him such an ill mannered joke, and he had rather expected this statement to arise eventually.. Truthfully, with the natural authority she seemed to hold close to her and with Pokemon that were decently leveled, and furthermore she had a level of intelligence that was actually above mental retardation. Somebody that seemed well suited for a life in a superior seat..

But this was not to be told, especially not at the moment. "What exactly leads you to expect the possible approval for this verbal application?" the male inquired, though it was toned more similar to a statement of severe disapproval. Finally though, William's eyes released their haze for a moment to reveal a single message that was easily readable ; Show me why you should be a general, impress me they growled harshly with the piece of weaponry still barring Annalee's passage towards the Alvah Articuno.

[Vin]

The way she spoke from this instant on decided her entire future, and she knew it. She also knew that the way she presented herself to this man had a major impact, but she had noticed the slight tinge of a question in his voice. Perhaps this conversation could have a turn in her favor, instead of the boring nothing that was being said at the previous minutes. Flattery was as good as nothing here, and trying to make this genius of a man feel like an imbecile was out of the question, too. So she'd have to work for it, instead of merely wallowing through the haze of idiocy that seemed to appear whenever idiotic grunts were around.

[The fact that I know we're minus a first general in our ranks, and I know that out of our quota of members, I'm the best suited for the position.]Her tone was confident and almost cocky. Her eyes traveled back over to the closed door, where two frozen incompetent grunts lay dormant behind it. Unless someone had taken it upon themselves to 'clean up'.

[Unless you can think of someone better suited, Spears-san.] She said, a sort of sickly sweet tone to her voice while it somehow maintained the same politeness and tone as before.

[Naze]

While Annalee's confident, cocky tone and feeling irked him to an extent where he would have already exiled the female from his perfectly chrome shaded laboratory, a sense of curiosity uncanny of a person as serious as himself paused those thoughts momentarily to focus entirely upon her speech. Despite himself, William was forced by his characteristic rational thought to agree with the female ; she carried a sense of natural authority and William reminded himself that if he did not have a similar gift [more or less as so] then he would have still found himself waltzing with average trainers that were not fit to even be in his line of sight. Not that some of the grunts here were any better but, at least he had the authoritative figure to shove them out with decent reason that no one other then the leader could contradict.

It was only when Annalee had halted speaking that William swiftly and smoothly made the transition from his thoughts to reality. There was not a soul within this base more suited for the position of top ranking general then this woman, and that was an obvious fact. "I believe that you're a decent exception to the rest of this grunts, Annalee Senks. And I also propose to the fact that you are a worthy option for the position of General," William finally spoke, clearly and as level toned as his voice always was ; showing no sense of obvious approval though to anyone who even had a round about understanding of this male knew that the fact that he had at least called Annalee 'decent' was a show of approval.

"Then.." the scientist continued, lifting the steely weapon from her path and laying it down upon the counter top. "Take that Pokeball and come with me to the leader's chamber, if you're truly set on this decision," he concluded and began to walk towards the twin doors, punching in the appropriate numbers upon the black keypad to make them slide open with a familiar sounding 'whoosh'.

[Vin]

Stories about their great leader spun in her brain, and the almost illogical fear that wove through all of the grunts in Team Darkness reminded her of the Leader's great reputation. Without the slightest hesitation, shaking off those thoughts of demons and darkness, she walked over and reached for the Pokeball, her hand closing around the ice cold Pokeball. The cold was a comforting element in this place. Leaving would be good, though. There was a such thing as too clean.

She turned back towards the Head Scientist, a shadow of a smirk shading her face. His admission that she was a worthy General was almost too quick, but that man was the sort that didn't even try to sugar coat the truth. His point was clear enough. She walked back over to him, even though it wasn't a far distance. [Of course, Spears-san.] She said, watching the man through the corner of her eye again for a moment before she turned her gaze to the opening doors.