#phexx

Plagg didn't see his newest krewemate at first - with his nose buried in his portable terminal, he'd almost raised a hand to switch off the lights, and it was only his last glance around the lab that brought little Phexx to his attention. He paused, claws tik-takking on the stone wall under the panel - his gaze was almost approving. Almost. Considering the circumstances, that was the best Phexx was going to get. "I appreciate your dedication, Phexx, but I'd suggest wrapping it up for tonight."

Phexx blinked, good ear popping up to match his surprised expression as Plagg spoke. How late was it? After everyone else left he'd put all his focus into it and - “I’m almost done. Actually." Phexx looked over to the batteries on the table next to him, then back at his terminal. "... I uh. Thought you were gone. Sir." Those ears flattened.

Plagg shock his head. "I prefer not to leave the krewe unattended in the lab. Come along,” he said, motioning towards the door. This wasn't quite enough to make up for this morning, but the vague hostility had dissipated. "You're in the dorms, I assume?"

Phexx gathered up his stuff quickly, smoothing down his jacket and hopping of the stool to follow. The research would be fine for now. "Yes. Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"  Phexx practically scrambled through the door, still pretty sure he was in the doghouse. "I won't be late tomorrow. I promise!"

Plagg tapped the panel with the tips of his claws, dimming the lights of the lab, and followed Phexx out - with a few quick swipes at the console beside the door, he shut and locked the lab. The protection was laughable, of course, but no one relied on the locks alone. “Some agents prefer to commute. I personally prefer to have my krewe on hand.” Without looking to see if Phexx was following, he started down the corridor. At this hour, the labs were deserted.

Phexx took a moment to realize he was supposed to follow. He mashed down his anxiety and lifted his chin, following after. "I wouldn't know what to do with any more room," the recruit admitted. Phexx did add a quick, "K-4. Um, by the way."

Plagg hummed in response, a purely neutral sound. "Extra space is useful if the lab is insufficient for your experiments. The accommodations for krewe leaders are a step above general krewe quarters, but of course not every agent can lead a krewe." It wasn't that he was walking particularly fast, but he wasn't taking Phexx's shorter stride into account as he made his way down the hall.

Phexx was following after him with quick little steps, his footsteps the same kind of pat-pat-pat-pat you’d expect from some sort of pet. "It's a good thing I work with miniatures, then." It was a very lame attempt at a joke, accompanied with an equally lame smile of the hopeful sort. Which Plagg couldn't see, ahead as he was.

Plagg didn't get the joke, or at least didn't react to it. "That is useful, yes. There you go, something to do with that space - a workstation for yourself." As they passed through the checkpoint to the labs, Plagg looked back at his little krewe member, brows furrowed just so slightly. "You do understand why I am so... frustrated, so to say, that you're allowing Brooz to influence you, yes?”

Phexx wilted a little, ducking his chin as the disappointed took crawled down his spine. "I got anything I would have done in the morning done later," he mumbled, eyes cast to the ground. Phexx took a breath, looking back up. "It won't happen again."

Plagg sighed. "That it happened at all concerns me. Brooz is very charming, Phexx, but he's merely skated by in his time with the Inquest. With all the resources available to him, he's accomplished very, very little. I’d be very disappointed to see you infected with his laziness."

Phexx considered that for a moment, the instinctive frown to someone calling a friend lazy BARELY held at bay. "I tried to make up for my mistake," he finally said, deciding to go with that Necrotech Plagg nodded, just a tip of his chin. "Your work has been nothing but commendable until now, Phexx. I wouldn't want to see your standing in the Inquest stagnate because of agents like Brooz."

Phexx didn't catch himself fast enough, a "What standing?" slipping from his mouth. He shook his head quickly, ears flopping a bit. "I certainly don't plan on stagnating." He was picking his words more carefully now. "You'll see."

Plagg gave Phexx a proper smile - there was the charm he displayed to the higher ups, the ones that smoothed things over when his krewe screwed up. "Excellent. I appregiate hard work, Phexx." The boasting had left him skeptical at first, but his newest krewe member hadn't turned out to be entirely wrong about his skills.

Phexx puffed up a bit with pride, practically preening. His worry had melted into a big dumb smile, the rather small asura soaking up the implied praise like a sponge. Phexx didn't even say anything for a moment, before the awkwardness finally caught up and he pinned his ears back. "Maybe I'm small but I uh, don't plan on being looked over."

Plagg took a moment to look Phexx over from pink hair to his little boots. "Good," he said simply. "Have a good night, Phexx." Turning, he headed down the corridor towards the krewe leader quarters.