Judicial Temptations :: WRIOLLETTE

33 :: The Mission at Loch Urania

Wriothesley hadn't been on a mission in months, not since his promotion to Deputy Chief at the precinct. It was one of the things he missed the most, being out there in the thick of things, helping people directly. He often found himself feeling restless, wishing he could be on the front lines again instead of behind a desk.

Today was no different as he stood outside the precinct on his break, leaning against the wall with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Clorinde stood beside him, casually sipping from a coffee cup.

"Sometimes I just want to get back out there, you know?" Wriothesley muttered, glancing at her. "Saving people, arresting the bad guys... It feels like I'm doing more paperwork than actual policing these days."

Clorinde chuckled softly. "It's different without you on the field. But hey, at least you're not getting stabbed again," she teased, raising an eyebrow at him.

He chuckled, though it was a bit hollow. "I doubt that. Not many people like me. I've made my fair share of enemies."

Clorinde shook her head with a grin, but they let the conversation trail off as they made their way back inside the precinct. The mood shifted as soon as they stepped through the doors, a heavy air settling over the office.

"Wriothesley," the Chief's voice called out from his office. "Can I see you for a moment?"

Wriothesley exchanged a quick glance with Clorinde before heading into the office, closing the door behind him.

The Chief sat at his desk, his expression stern but carrying a weight of regret. "Wriothesley, I'm assigning you to the next mission."

Wriothesley blinked in surprise. "Seriously?"

The Chief nodded. "It's not something I'm entirely comfortable with, given your new position, but... You're needed. There's a situation near Loch Urania. A group of people have been selling primordial sea water. You know how dangerous that stuff is."

Wriothesley felt a shiver run down his spine at the mention of primordial sea water. The substance could dissolve Fontainians on contact, and the thought of going up against people who were dealing in it made his stomach churn. But he nodded. "I'll do it."

As he left the office, his mind was already running through the details of the mission. That night, he told Neuvillette about it over dinner. The reaction was immediate and exactly what Wriothesley expected.

"You can't go!" Neuvillette's voice was filled with concern, and his usually composed demeanor faltered as his tail curled tightly behind him. "I don't want to risk losing you!"

"I have to," Wriothesley replied, though he couldn't hide the nerves creeping into his voice.

Neuvillette's eyes softened with worry. "Then let me come with you," he suggested after a long pause.

Wriothesley's eyes widened in shock. "No! I don't want you to get dissolved!"

Neuvillette chuckled softly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Wriothesley, I'm the Hydro Dragon Sovereign. I can actually touch primordial sea water. You can't."

Wriothesley sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have to do it with my team, Neuvillette. I don't know if they'd even let you come."

Neuvillette crossed his arms, his tail still, a sure sign of his displeasure. "What if I came with you and made you all immune to the water until we left? I can do that."

Wriothesley looked at him, the fatigue and stress from the day weighing heavily on his shoulders. "I don't know..."

After a few more moments of contemplation, Wriothesley finally agreed, though reluctantly. The mission was set for tomorrow, and they both knew they needed rest. But sleep didn't come easy for either of them that night.