when he gets the text, greyson sighs. just reading the words made his heart beat in thunderous applause.
[break][break]
he had a few hours to right himself mentally, and physically, and he uses it to his advantage.
[break][break]

---

[break][break]
greyson decides to play a little game, as fitting for a woman who'd broken his heart. basil, his zorua, rests comfortable atop his head, snickering with clear mischief in his eyes. as it was his planned, he approved of the fox's reaction.
[break][break]
surrounded in a barrier of illusory magic, greyson approaches the reporter silently, her senses skewed by the dark-type on his head. as he closes the distance, so close as to smell her perfume, he lowers his head until he's peering right over her shoulder.
[break][break]
the illusion falls and he speaks.
[break][break]
"looking for someone specific?"

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

The serene lobby music had found itself to be a shrilling piece that grated her ears with each additional song she was forced to listen to. It made her wonder whether the person who chose this radio was a sadist, or simply tone death to the hellish environment they crafted.
[break][break]
"looking for someone specific?"
[break][break]
Her heart beat quickened at the familiar voice. Heads clutching at her chest, she turned, half expecting it to be an illusion brought on by her own descent into insanity.
[break][break]
"Greyson," She heard her own voice say, questioning both his appearance and her own mental state. How long has it been since she rejected him? And yet, she was still battling the pains of guilt?
[break][break]
Still, she threw on her best smile and swallowed down these insistent personal feelings of hers. "I am, actually. I'm supposed to be meeting my...bodyguard, I think? The details weren't too clear."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

she wasn't as skilled as hiding her emotions as she thought she was, but greyson doesn't bring that up; no reason to uproot old feelings.
[break][break]
he smiles instead, an easy-going one, despite their differences in the past.
[break][break]
"right, right. that makes sense. hm, i wonder where your bodyguard, the one assigned to you by councilman black as you investigate the new rocket avatar and potential arsonist, could be?"
[break][break]
he waits a moment.
[break][break]
"it's a mystery, really."
[break][break]
he had to admit, this was amusing.

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

Her eyes narrowed at his words, an instant realization dawning upon her.


[break][break]
He was her bodyguard.


[break][break]
Greyson Connors


[break][break]
The absolute best and worst person imaginable.


[break][break]
Maintaining her smile, the woman leaned forward, eyebrows raised and arms crossed over her chest.


[break][break]
"Close," She teased back, eyes lit with a similar flame of amusement. Despite all else, there was a reason she enjoyed the gym leader's presence in the first place. "but also way off. It's actually for a more low-profile event? I'm guessing you wouldn't know too much about it."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

greyson concedes, clear in the twitch of his smile. finally, he holds his hands up in defeat.
[Break][break]
"not the specifics, no. care to fill me in?"

[attr="class","notes"]@name

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"Well," She stood herself up and patted down her long skirt. Throwing her bag back around her shoulder, she continued, this time smiling back at him. "It's at this hush-hush place. Not too much news about it."
[break][break]
Now standing, she turned to face him once more, lips quirked up into a devilish smirk.
[break][break]
"But, since my guard is running late, maybe you could fill in for him?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

her comment has him quirking an eyebrow, seeing the intention beneath an intentionally weak facade.
[Break][break]
"is that so?"
[Break][break]
a rhetorical question, one he knows she'll have a quip prepared in response to. so, he follows the natural course as she intends.
[Break][break]
"well," greyson mockingly bows, one hand cupped beneath his abdomen, the other flourishing out to the side.
[Break][break]
"if you'll have me, then I suppose I have no choice?" he flashes a knowing smile, righting himself.
[Break][break]
"where to?"

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"you'll see."
[Break][break]
With a promising wink and tease, the woman started to make way towards the building's door, only look back to ensure Greyson was following.
[Break][break]
When outside, she threw her hand into her purse and fished out a PokeBall from it's side pocket. One toss later, a screeching staraptor emerged beside her. "You're alright with flying, right?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

greyson follows penelope outside, embracing the cool breeze of an early morning. the sun peeks behind eggshell white clouds, basking them in a warmth that was far from uncomfortable. the great weather made her question, and his subsequent answer, all the more appealing.
[break][break]
"i am," he says, reaching for a dual-colored orb of his own. from the flashing white light, a pidgeot stands, feathers tucked and trilling with delight. [break][break]greyson drops casually to one knee, running his hand down her long multi-colored plume. ace accepts the attention happily. her glee was infectious, and greyson finds himself smiling naturally along side it.
[break][break]
he looks up, violet orbs meeting amber.
[break][break]
"lead the way then."

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

Spinning around to face him, the frills of her long skirt fluttered in the gust of man-made wind, and she smiled, long and thin, like she'd done so many times before. The sun's warm rays kissed the back of her nape as she eyed his form of transportation: a bright pidgeot. A thimble of glimmering gold to the silvery moon of her steed.
[break][break]

"Good."
[break][break]

Turning, she easily lifted herself onto the avian's wide back, fingers finding their place along his neck. The staraptor murmured a satisfied crow to her touch.
[break][break]

"Okay, lets go!"
[break][break]

Wide, obsidian wings broke from the avian's body, propelling himself and the reporter forward, then upward, each flap lifting them further into the open skies. When they finally maintained a stable rate of speed and elevation, Penelope would look back, competition already burning in her eyes.
[break][break]

"Hey gym leader," She called across several stray clouds, "make sure to keep up!"
[break][break]

And, with that, the duo sped forward. The Staraptor's wings would lift and sag down, back and forth, quickening with speed as they maneuvered around the rolling clouds that occupied their path. Only occasionally Penelope would look back, offering Greyson a toothy grin that spoke more of her true carefree personality than the one she performed while at work.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

greyson follows suite, giving penelope a small lead as he mounts the trilling bird. comfortable, and careful to avoid grabbing onto her plumage, the pidgeot pushes off and takes to the skies.
[break][break]
this feeling was one that could never get old — humans were not born to stay on the ground. this was true freedom and he'd relish it with every spare opportunity.
[break][break]
so when the opportunity presents itself, he answers the call.
[break][break]
"you'd think she knew better by now, then to challenge me." greyson says into the wind, words fleeting and dying under a summer sky. smiling, greyson lowers his head into the birds feathers, voice vibrating. "let's at least make it seem like she has a chance before we crush her dreams, eh, ace?!"
[break][break]
ace trills and summons a TAILWIND behind her as she rapidly picks up speed, and approaches the red-head and her pokemon.
[break][break]
all the while greyson laughs.

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

The flash of obsidian and jade met amber as Greyson's head bobbed up from the clouds. The two soared side by side over the rolling hills of Evergrade City, wings weaving them through the thick and golden warmth of the sun.
[break][break]
Greyson's laugh intertwined with hers as they went forth into the vast sheet of blue, gaze snapping and reconnecting at the seams. It continued on like that until Staraptor, without warning, dove straight down into the fluff of clouds, wings piling together as he used AGILIGTY to speed back towards the ground.
[break][break]
Fingers tightening around the avian's neck, the woman clung tight and squeeze her eyes close as the wind slapped her cheeks and undid her tied hair, releasing a river of liquid fire behind their trail. When they landed, the unkept hair curtained over her eyes. "Holy shit that was fun."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

in the end, he allows her to win.
[break][break]
ace settles down a few feet beside the staraptor, trilling contentedly. her eyes closed, she lowers herself to allow greyson an easier time off of her back. thanking her with a gentle pat, he slides down her massive wing, touching land once more.
[break][break]
"not bad, penelope." greyson compliments, hands moving to fix his hair. "so, where too from here?"

[attr="class","notes"]PENELOPE LIVY

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉