MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Sept 23, 2022 23:46:37 GMT

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

Standing before the door of the newly appointed councilwoman's office, Gunner straightened his tie a fraction of an inch and smoothed the front of his suit jacket. Though he had served as a special agent for the Hoenn Bureau of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for several years at that point, he had never been summoned to the office of a League Council member. His previous bosses had always bridged that relationship, keeping Gunner from ever having to leave the Bureau's main building. Yet strange orders came from on high recently, namely that he would be reporting to the councilwoman herself.[break][break]

Gunner knocked twice, waited a few seconds, then let himself into the room. Much to his surprise, the interior was full of color, decorated with motivational posters and cute cat pictures. He schooled his face into professional neutrality, however, and crossed the space until he stood in front of PENELOPE LIVY's desk.[break][break]

"Good afternoon, Councilwoman Livy. I'm Agent Gunner Graves." He spoke politely, formally, as a subordinate would to a superior. "You asked to see me?"

[break][break]
[break]

NOTES[break]
- Mission: Zero to One Hundred

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POSTED ON Sept 28, 2022 3:39:22 GMT

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Penelope had every intention of fully redecorating her office. When she first arrived, it was dreary as all hell, filled with dull colors like browns and blacks, but now, at the very least, there were smudges of personality now adorning her walls. She'd done her best with the spare time she's had since joining the council, hanging up a handful of cute, kitty-themed motivational posters, awards from her time spent as a journalist, and refurnished bookshelves. All there was left was to convert the still-old furniture into something more modern, and her space would finally be workable.
[break][break]
Alas, that was for another day.
[break][break]
"Mr. Graves is here to see you," her assistant had whispered into the phone nearly a minute ago. Her reply consisted of a simple, 'let him in' before she returned to tapping away at her computer, writing out another external report to send up to dahlia goode.
[break][break]
Only after a soft rapped came at her door was her attention caught once again.
[break][break]
"Ah, Mr. Graves, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," she smiled from behind her desk. With her hand, she gently gestured for the seat set up before her, eyes glimmering in a classic, welcoming fashion. "Please, sit."
[break][break]
Only after he did would she continue.
[break][break]
"So! I heard we'll be working closely with one another from here on out. Exciting, isn't it? " A soft chuckle raised from her lips as she held onto her smile. Leaning forward, her hands wrapped themselves around the ball ends of her armrests. Before business could be conducted, she wanted to garner a better understanding of the man that stood before her. What was he like? What did he think? How does he think?

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[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves[break]

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TAG WITH @gunner

POSTED ON Sept 29, 2022 18:35:41 GMT

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[attr="class","ggpost"]

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

Gunner sat as ordered, allowing himself to rest against the back of the chair in some comfort, yet remaining alert, his hands folded in his lap.[break][break]

"The pleasure is mine, ma'am," he replied politely, his tone measured. "And congratulations on your recent appointment."[break][break]

Ms. Livy was young — younger than he was — but she would not have been promoted to the League Council without good reason. He'd seen her on television before multiple times as a news reporter for HNN. She must be ambitious and hardworking indeed to achieve so much in a short time, he mused. He could respect that.[break][break]

How odd that Miss Livy said she'd heard the two of them would be working together. Gunner was under the impression she had arranged it herself, as a form of restructuring within HBIC. Could the order have come from dahlia goode instead? Impossible, right? He barely knew her, having seen her on occasion but never speaking directly with her. His bosses at the Bureau handled all that.[break][break]

Well, Gunner supposed it did not matter.[break][break]

"With everything we're currently up against, ma'am, I think 'exciting' is the best way to put it." He returned her smile. "I'm eager to work with you and learn from you."[break][break]

Small talk was not his speciality, but he could get by. Curiosity about how he and Miss Livy would work together was first on his mind, but patience was a virtue every agent cultivated. There was not much else he could do, seated in his new boss' office like that, anyway.

[break][break]
[break]

NOTES[break]
- Mission: Zero to One Hundred

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Penny, the coveted

She/her

September 25

Petalburg

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POSTED ON Oct 4, 2022 3:10:16 GMT

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It was a figure of speech, more than anything else. Penelope had, of course, arranged their meeting herself, but not without moving through the proper bureaucratic channels forced upon her every decision.
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"Thank you."
[break][break]

A small piece of gratitude could go a long way whenever reelections come around.
[break][break]

"Haha, yes, well, we have to stay positive."
[break][break]
'work with you and learn from you'

[break][break]
The phrase was high praise coming from a tenured member of hbic. From everything she read -- and, to prepare for their meeting, she'd definitely done her due diligence -- Agent Gunner was a force to reckoned with. A diligent man whose name has become synonymous with results, work ethic, and dedication.
[break][break]
While these simple words offered the excitement of visibility amongst even the most renowned individuals the league has to offer, they also brought in a pang of anxiety. Suffocation.
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"I am as well. I've heard nothing but the best about you and your work."
[break][break]
It'd taken weeks to schedule the countless meetings with his previous superiors. It's no easy feat arranging a time with special agents, even as a councilwoman. Alas, looking back, she was appreciative of the time spent preparing for this moment.
[break][break]
But, before they could properly begin, she was still curious about one thing,
[break][break]
"So much so, that I can't really help but wonder: what made you choose this career, Mr. Gunner? It must be rough, hiding away a part of yourself from everyone you know. I can imagine that work-life balance isn't any better, too."
[break][break]
The question might've been a bit personal, but more than ink on paper, Penelope wanted to get a feel of this man. Understand what went into him before trying to see what could come out.

[break][break]

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POSTED ON Oct 4, 2022 10:16:52 GMT

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

What made him choose to be a special agent?[break][break]

Gunner did not reply at first as he turned inward, recalling the very moment of his recruitment. He had only been working for the League's Department of Defense for two years as a junior foreign affairs analyst. His specialty: the Kantonese political climate. At the time, before Rocket's takeover of the region, it had been a hotbed for political activity — unsurprising, considering what ended up happening there.[break][break]

Gunner's assistance with planning and intelligence gathering during those operations had not gone unnoticed, which led to his recruitment a year later. The stranger who'd confronted him had given him a choice: continue to live with his hands tied by bureaucracy and politics, or make meaningful change in the world.[break][break]

Ultimately, though, the choice had been an illusion. People recruited into the Bureau had already made up their minds long before they were approached. Gunner had been no different.[break][break]

"You're right that it's not easy," he said at last. "My parents and older brother all think I'm a paralegal, and even though my bosses at the law firm know, they still expect me to pull my weight at that job, too. So my work-life balance is almost nonexistent."[break][break]

He chuckled, a strange sound totally devoid of mirth.[break][break]

"But I supplied intelligence to our agents in Kanto right as the war there happened. I know for a fact that in the grand scheme of things, a handful of people are sometimes all it takes to change the fate of a nation. For good or ill. And I don't want to sit idly by to let others decide my fate for me."

[break][break]
[break]

NOTES[break]
- Mission: Zero to One Hundred

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Penny, the coveted

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POSTED ON Oct 10, 2022 14:10:08 GMT

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Good.
[break][break]
"I understand all too well."
[break][break]
Penelope's appointment emerged from similar sentiments. Craving actual change -- it was an emotion that, for so long, hinged off the popularity and ratings of her news network. It wasn't until she finally switched that she could feel herself making headway.
[break][break]
She smiled, content with his full answer.
[break][break]
It felt good to be surrounded by likeminded individuals.
[break][break]
"And that's what we're trying to do here: push forward some legitimate, positive change. " She paused and one of her brows slowly began to arch itself upward. "Tell me, Mr. Gunner, are you aware of our VALOR initiative."
[break][break]

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POSTED ON Oct 10, 2022 15:00:50 GMT

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

Gunner shook his head at her question. "I haven't."[break][break]

Another agent — someone newer or more eager to impress a new boss — might feign that they had heard whisperings of it around the Bureau, but he knew better. The nature of spywork meant that only people who needed to know about a new initiative or operation were told anything. Leaks and rumors were not a good look for such an organization.[break][break]

"I'm eager to hear more about it," he added, giving Miss Livy a look of mild expectation. Nothing in his voice suggested such eagerness, however; he kept it calm, neutral.[break][break]

Professional.

[break][break]
[break]

NOTES[break]
- Mission: Zero to One Hundred

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Captain

Penny, the coveted

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POSTED ON Oct 16, 2022 20:27:59 GMT

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From this point forward, all information was classified. Only a few had heard or read the reporting of what Penelope had in store, and even fewer understood the end goal of it all.
[break][break]
"VALOR's our response to Rocket and their continuous influence on this region."
[break][break]
A point blank statement, laced with implications that spanned far beyond just minor distributions of relief.
[break][break]
"Under this initiative, we're looking to provide relief to the areas affected by the disaster of the Darkest day," her eyes dimmed at it's mentioned -- god, she'd never grow to forget the devastation she witnessed and the lives crumped beneath it's debris. "while also fending off Rocket from our cities. "
[break][break]
But it doesn't stop there. It couldn't. Not after everything they've taken from them, and surely not after Penelope went through the hell of rising to council. Reaching into her desk's drawers, her finger grazes the tops of several manila folders before pulling one out and sliding it across her desk. Inside laid the documents detailing VALOR's efforts, including both the aid, charities, and defensive measure against Rocket's activities within Hoenn's cities.
[break][break]
"As you might be aware, the League isn't in the best shape right now. This meteor situation has taken a major toll on our resources. But that doesn't give us an excuse to forget what's going on around us."
[break][break]
There was more to be said, but for a second, she wanted to gauge the agent's reaction.
[break][break]

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POSTED ON Oct 17, 2022 12:36:28 GMT

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

Head tilted to the side, Gunner listened to Miss Livy's explanation with interest, his golden eyes never leaving her face. Though his expression did not change, the more she explained Valor, the more pleased he felt to be privy to the information.[break][break]

"A noble cause, and necessary, too," he commented as she paused to reach in one of her desk's drawers. In truth, the nobility of any endeavor meant little to him. As far as he was concerned, Team Rocket was simply a pest to be eradicated, by any means necessary. If that meant joining in humanitarian efforts to assist the public, so be it.[break][break]

Gunner picked up the folder she passed across the desk to him and flipped through the documents. Numbers, statistics, charts, maps.[break][break]

"Considering our lack of resources, will civilians be invited to volunteer for less dangerous tasks?" he asked, pausing on a list of charities and their contact information.

[break][break]
[break]

NOTES[break]
- Mission: Zero to One Hundred

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POSTED ON Nov 7, 2022 19:32:56 GMT

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"Of course."
[break][break]
She smiled. While some within the league preferred talking through results alone, Penelope knew far too well that beyond the physical aspect of this fight, their ongoing war against Rocket was one of public perception as well.
[break][break]

"This is meant to be a collaborative effort against Rocket. A way of bringing us together." She paused, her fingers lightly tapping the top of her desk. "Right now our image could be...far better, to put it lightly. The citizens don't have our trust -- and rightfully so, given what they've been fed this last year. So I'm hoping Valor could help aid our efforts on that front, too."
[break][break]

Not that Penelope didn't play her fair share of spinning the media against The League prior to her appointment. But, back then, it was a necessity. It still was, in a way.
[break][break]

"Now, flip to the back of the file."
[break][break]

There, hidden behind the countless reports, charts, statics, and more, were the final plans associated to the initiative. Their ultimate goal.
[break][break]

"Last year, Rocket took us by surprise and captured Sootopolis from under our nose," She frowned, a hint of venom leaking from her voice. Her coverage on it's aftermath still haunted her thoughts to this day. "I hope to do the same with VALOR."
[break][break]

It might not happen today, tomorrow, or next week. But Sootopolis will be recaptured by the league, one way or another, and Penelope was going to ensure it.
[break][break]

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"Lancer"

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September 5

Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @gunner

POSTED ON Nov 9, 2022 0:33:38 GMT

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

Gunner flipped to the back of the folder as instructed. The final pages were simply text, a contrast to the graphs and charts of the previous sheets. He scanned the paragraphs as Miss Livy gave them voice. His gaze jerked back up to meet hers, his eyes wide, incredulous.[break][break]

"Take back Sootopolis?" he echoed, shock turning into awe as thrill lanced through his veins. Rocket's capture of the city had been a huge blow to the League. Gunner wished he'd fought on the frontline of the city's defenses, but he had been out of the country on another mission in Kalos.[break][break]

He wanted nothing more than to snatch Sootopolis back from the thugs that squeezed the life out of it in their iron fist.[break][break]

"I'll read these documents carefully, Miss Livy," the agent promised, tucking the papers back into their folder. "Please also count me in for the effort in Sootopolis. I will gladly aid in taking back what is rightfully ours."

[break][break]
[break]

NOTES[break]
- Mission: Zero to One Hundred

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Penny, the coveted

She/her

September 25

Petalburg

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POSTED ON Nov 10, 2022 21:13:45 GMT

CIAN MAHER likes this

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Pride thrummed in her heart as she smiled back at the agent. This is what The League needed: passionate and driven players looking to even the odds. Defend and protect, but also fight back.
[Break][break]
"I'm glad to hear that. It'll be a long, arduous journey, but I'm confident in our chances."
[Break][break]
She had to be. For hoenn, for her family, for CIAN MAHER , for everyone.
[Break][break]
Reclining back into her leather seat, the councilwoman's slender index finger subconsciously tapped the head of her armrest, raking her brain for any lingering business that needed to be addressed.
[Break][break]
"I'll be reaching out with further details on the developments of this initiative." There were still a few elbows to be greased before much else could be pushed out onto the floor. "This is all I have for you at this time. Unless there was anything you'd like to discuss with me?"
[break][break]

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Fallarbor Town, Hoenn

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