JUST LIKE YOU

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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noodles

triple h
he/him
twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
bisexual
rustboro gym leader
champion (hoenn & vct)
now come together, come apart
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CIAN MAHER DOLLARS
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TAG WITH @cian
CIAN MAHER
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Oct 24, 2021 9:25:13 GMT
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influenced by his old mentor in more ways than one, cian finds himself outside a peculiar office, one he never quite imagined to be entering. at least not under these circumstances.

but it's a decision he's glad to be making.

and it's with a held breath that he steps in, offering the commissioner no more than a polite smile.

"commissioner goode."
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shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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dahlia goode DOLLARS
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dahlia goode
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POSTED ON Oct 28, 2021 5:38:03 GMT
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the commissioner is in the middle of something important when cian comes in. from the table set in her office, dahlia has pilfered a snack in advance. as she tucks the shalour sable into her mouth, her eyes brighten big upon seeing her visitor. her lithe finger is plucked from her mouth.

"mm!" she pips. not because the shortbread is so delicious—it is, of course—but because she has been caught off-guard.

dahlia chews quickly and as carefully as she can. before she swallows, her hand covers her mouth in case of any stray crumbs.

"sorry! do make yourself comfortable. take a seat!" dahlia says. she extends the same hand from her mouth to the tin of shalour sables: "help yourself."

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noodles

triple h
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twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
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rustboro gym leader
champion (hoenn & vct)
now come together, come apart
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CIAN MAHER
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POSTED ON Oct 28, 2021 11:21:24 GMT
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oops! perhaps he should've knocked.

"sorry! i was told to just come in."

briefly, he considers stepping back out to knock, but he thought quickly fades when dahlia gestures to the tin of shalour sables. he takes a step towards them, smiling as he sits.

"are these shalour sables? man, i haven't had them in years."

since he last visited kalos for a race, actually, which feels like a lifetime ago.

he chews quickly as well, raising a hand to cover his mouth as he looks to her, not really sure where or how to start.

"...it's really good."
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shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
646 posts
dahlia goode DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @dahlia
dahlia goode
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Nov 7, 2021 2:51:43 GMT
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"mm, they came in this morning." dahlia can still feel the smallest diamonds of shalour rolling across her fingerprints.

she takes her seat. slope track arms. upholstered neatly in white and fitted with bright wood. as soon as her back fits into the furniture's natural curve, her stoutland joins her from behind the desk. its heavy paws thud against the carpet before its heavier belly pushes against the floor with a fwoomph of fur.

"so, tell me, mr. maher, what pushed you to make this choice?"


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noodles

triple h
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twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
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champion (hoenn & vct)
now come together, come apart
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CIAN MAHER
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POSTED ON Nov 7, 2021 10:43:12 GMT
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the last bit of the shalour sable disappear into his mouth, and as the conversation takes a shift, he swallows, tenser than usual.

"cian is fine."

mr. maher reminds him too much of his dad. nasty man, even if he'll never admit it.

"but, uh, part of it is guilt, i guess? but they're bad people. they've made me do...terrible things. things i would never have done otherwise."

he heaves a sigh, gaze falling to stoutland's fluffy tail.

"i'm tired of being a bad person."
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shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
646 posts
dahlia goode DOLLARS
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TAG WITH @dahlia
dahlia goode
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Nov 17, 2021 7:16:26 GMT
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dahlia mirrors the other's frown. crumbs and all. as her stoutland's eyes close against mid-day rays, the commisioner leans forth into their warm beams that stream from the nearby window.

"guilt is a powerful thing," dahlia says after a dry beat, "trust me, i know it well."

it clings to her like alien ichor.

"and how will you absolve yourself of it? do you believe it to be possible?"


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noodles

triple h
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twenty-seven
september 14th
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now come together, come apart
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CIAN MAHER
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POSTED ON Nov 21, 2021 14:45:10 GMT
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does she know it well?

if he were to stop and think about it, then he'd probably realize and understand some of her troubles. but the thouht passes as quick as it had come, replaced by the questions she poses him.

"it's like a balance, right? do bad things, and the scales tilt. do good things, and hopefully, the scales will tilt back."

a pause as he considers.

"...i'd like them to be tilted towards good, if possible."

remnants of a smile graces his features, hope interlaced between them.

"so, i need to do good things. turning my back on them might be a start."
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shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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646 posts
dahlia goode DOLLARS
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dahlia goode
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Nov 28, 2021 9:58:48 GMT
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to dahlia, cian's smile is innocent. an unbroken nest of a spring's first fletchling. there's hope, promise— and dahlia wonders how he has been able to safekeep that light within the shadows of the rocket syndicate.

and yet, dahlia is curious. she wants to pluck twig and twine from that crowning feature of maher. in cian's words, the diction is basic. vague.

there must be more.

"turning your back on them may be one way to start, yes," dahlia says, "but i need to know how far you've gone the other way first."

what has he done to make him feel so guilty?

"what is the worst thing you've done under rocket's command?"



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noodles

triple h
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twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
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rustboro gym leader
champion (hoenn & vct)
now come together, come apart
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POSTED ON Nov 29, 2021 15:44:57 GMT
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the worst thing?

"...i killed a man."

he swallows, clearing his throat.

"i think his name was john. he led a gang up in fallarbor, and it was just a deal gone wrong."

it doesn't matter that it wasn't even cian who pulled the trigger. it might as well have been because the gliscor belongs to him, it listens to him, and it sliced john's throat because of him.

naturally, he tenses up at the memory, guilt drowning hope.

"i've stolen, i've hurt people, but yeah, that's probably the worst."
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shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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646 posts
dahlia goode DOLLARS
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dahlia goode
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Dec 19, 2021 8:14:15 GMT
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dahlia cringes as inwardly as she can. within seconds, the office becomes a confessional— except there is no lattice to speak disorder through. just shalour sables and blonde curls.

the penitent's list continues. dahlia wonders how long hers is.

"i'm sorry about that." dahlia frowns. "i can't imagine how difficult it must have been. how difficult it must have been to simply... well, survive! in rocket."

as her voice flutters back down from the chaos of exclamation, she asks one more question:

"did you join rocket by choice?" she has her doubts.



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noodles

triple h
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twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
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POSTED ON Dec 20, 2021 10:04:48 GMT
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it's complicated.

was it his choice to follow his dad into a criminal organization that terrorized an entire region?

yes.

was it his choice to stay even when they invaded, killed, and made their mark on hoenn?

yes.

was it his choice?

"yes."

maybe it's not so complicated after all.

"i joined with my dad and brothers, one of whom was smart enough to get out after silas died."

his words soften near the end, almost hushed as they leave his lips.

"he's a ranger now. ."
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played by

shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
646 posts
dahlia goode DOLLARS
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TAG WITH @dahlia
dahlia goode
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Jan 15, 2022 6:58:34 GMT
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as silas, the commissioner recovers a heavy memory pressed upon her chest. briefly, her eyes catch a glimpse of a phantom in the corner of the room. she releases a sigh— an auteur of her expression, dahlia masks personal sorrow for maher-empathy.

"does your dad know that you're out now?" dahlia asks. "as a ranger captain, boruta may not want any surprises. and i hope you realize, this road will not be easy. you will be under intense scrutiny."

she places a hand over her collar.

"not by me. but by the public. by anyone who knows. even with redemption, this past will haunt you until the end."



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noodles

triple h
he/him
twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
bisexual
rustboro gym leader
champion (hoenn & vct)
now come together, come apart
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4,048 posts
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CIAN MAHER
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Jan 18, 2022 18:08:55 GMT
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cian shakes his head.

"i'll talk to bo, but dad would never leave." he swallows, throat as dry as the shalour sables from earlier. "...i'm fine with dad not knowing, even if it means..."

the implications are left unsaid.

"i was actually thinking i could...spy? you know, like a double agent or whatever."
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played by

shiv

the good commissioner
she/her
34
lilycove city
bisexual
league commissioner
commissioner
single
5'9" height
5'9" height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
646 posts
dahlia goode DOLLARS
part of
TAG WITH @dahlia
dahlia goode
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Jan 28, 2022 4:38:15 GMT
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the revelation cian falls upon is the darkest scream before the quietest death. within that silent sea, she treads- but her feet still strike the sediment of implication in its murky hue.

"spy? you do know the dangers associated with that, yes?" dahlia frowns. "does anyone in there know of your defection?"


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played by

noodles

triple h
he/him
twenty-seven
september 14th
rustboro
bisexual
rustboro gym leader
champion (hoenn & vct)
now come together, come apart
awards
4,048 posts
CIAN MAHER DOLLARS
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CIAN MAHER
JUST LIKE YOU
POSTED ON Feb 2, 2022 15:42:39 GMT
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cian nods, then shakes his head.

"no one. i've proven my loyalty after bo left, so i know i'm not under any suspicion."

still, the risks and dangers seem almost palpable.

"i know it's dangerous...but i just feel like i could be of more use to us from within, you know?"
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