"oh. come in!" dahlia's mr. rime opens the heavy wooden door for her. [break][break]

inside, dahlia is drawing the curtains open. their fabrics roll into each other, thawed by the last of autumn's sun.[break][break]

she tucks the stray hairs away from her face. steadies her legs. the commissioner still shakes from the residual duress from meteno's shadow.[break][break]

"already so quick to work after the meteoroid, penelope?" the commissioner asks as she steps away from the window. "take a seat. rory can take your coat."[break][break]

her mr. rime extends a cold hand.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon mr-rime"]

The commissioner was as beautiful as ever. Like a piercing light cutting through the smog, her brilliance was what pushed Hoenn and its people forward. Or, at least, that's the conclusion Penelope had drawn herself to after working the last stress-inducing months under her guidance.
[break][break]

"If only Dialga had made time stop," she returned with a smile, sharing the same pair of tired eyes, "maybe then we could take a break."
[break][break]

With a soft thank you, she handed off her coat to the polite Mr rime before perching herself in front of the commissioner's desk, one leg crossed over the other.
[break][break]

"How are you doing, by the way? I hope you're taking some time for yourself."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] dahlia goode[break]


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

the coat is pulled. the chill lessened. it is placed on a nearby hanger as dahlia fights the smallest yawn from unfurling into the longest scarf.[break][break]

"oh i have. i have to admit," she says, "i was taking the tiiiiniest nap right before this."[break][break]

she laughs as her skin takes in the hoenn sunlight. the commissioner taps her cheeks, cold fingertips shocking skin pink.[break][break]

"but it's time for business." the commissioner does not move to her desk. instead, she takes a seat in another chair, situated diagonally across from penelope. "but first, i have to say i'm very impressed with the VALOR Initiative. no one should be able to question your credentials now, that is, if there were any doubters..."[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon mr-rime"]

 

Pride swelled in her chest at the commissioner's high praise. Since joining The League, there haven't been many who would acknowledge her work and those who did just used it as leverage for another assault.
[break][break]
Thin fingers pulled back a strain of hair behind her ear, revealing more of the polite smile that bled through.
[break][break]
"Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without the support of The League."
[break][break]
Modesty was a virtue learned from years of climbing the corporate ladder. And now, after years of sharpening her tongue, she was prepped and readied to utilize it to the best of her abilities.
[break][break]
Especially against dahlia goode .
[break][break]
"But I can only hope there aren't any doubters at this point. You can only do so much to please everyone."
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] dahlia goode [break]


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

"oh, believe me, penelope." the commissioner smooths out her lap and the sunlight tickles her nose. "they will always exist."[break][break]

her mr. rime rests against the door, bowler hat tipped to cast a tired shadow across its face.[break][break]

"when i became commissioner," she says, "the naysayers were oh so loud, howling about how i didn't earn anything. that i wasn't deserving or qualified. one couldn't hear themself think."[break][break]

the recollection leaves her lips as she smiles. she leans toward penelope with earnest shape.[break][break]

"so, how can i help you today?"[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon mr-rime"]

"They always find something to pick at."
[break][break]

A soft, lighthearted chuckle came from the weight of reality that dragged down her words. In this way, despite their differences or similarities, the two women were the same. Forever pinned to the spotlight for the world to cast upon their disparaging comments and unfounded critiques.
[break][break]

To her question, she shifted in her seat, readjusting in preparation.
[break][break]

"I wanted to hear your opinion."
[break][break]

Fingers tapping the side of the armrest, she continued.
[break][break]

"With rayquaza now bonded with Eva Morales, all three of the weather trio have found their patron."
[break][break]

A fact she didn't have to remind the commissioner, but she does anyways, just to set the stage.
[break][break]

"I can't help but worry about what'd happen if, say, these three were to clash with one another."
[break][break]

She paused, hesitant.
[break][break]

Avatars were known to be volatile. And, if her plans were to continue, some conflict would be inevitable.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] dahlia goode[break]


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

"your worries are well founded." the commissioner admits.[break][break]

the theatre of mind creates cataclysm freely. though she worries less in regards to Eva Morales, MATIAS SILPH has indeed bared the fangs of recklessness. one that conveys the legacy of bailey cooper and one that has bitten the flesh of Melody Miro.[break][break]

but it is skyler dross she worries about. a woman is an untameable wave, but even a crest must give way to the trough.[break][break]

"but two are firmly allied with us." she shakes her head, gaze cast away in thought before gliding smoothly to her's. "is there reason to be afraid right now?"[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon mr-rime"]

She pursed her lips. There was no easy way to approach the topic she'd just open for dissection. Darken by the grounds of reality, had it not been for Dahlia fulfilling the role of her conversationalist partner, Penelope might've held more aversion to the topic.
[break][break]
Alas, her position offered no room for tranquility.
[break][break]
"Right now? No. But I'm one to naturally plan for worst-case scenarios. Helps calm the mind at night."
[break][break]
She readjusted herself in the leather chair, legs unraveling then overlapping once more in an opposing direction.
[break][break]
"And while I don't question Groudon and Rayquaza's ties to The League, I worry about the possibility of conflict between them. Or between Kyorge and them."
[break][break]
Relationships were hardly as solid as the chains that bound them. Fueled by emotion, what is currently a pact forged in fire could be extinguished in the day's time. Humans are fickle by nature. And while a downturn in two employees' private relationship may spell awkward lunch-ins for the next year, a break up between two patrons of weather-controlling deities could spell trouble. Trouble a third party could take advantage of.
[break][break]
"If relations weaken between Groudon and Rayquaza, and Kyorge aimed to take advantage of that... or, more possibly, kyorge grows tired if and when a conflict arises between her and groudon, and rayquaza ultimately sides with groudon time and time again..."
[break][break]
She lists the possibilities, eyes growing tired the more she thought of them.
[break][break]
"Would it not be best to plan for such possibilities?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] dahlia goode[break]


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

"ah, you mean the relations between the pokemon themselves."[break][break]

the region's history has lived and breathed the weather trio's conflict over the centuries. cities have been built upon that scar tissue. lives orchestrated on its fibrous ranges, routine steps taken without knowing the very grounds they tread.[break][break]

"of course, it would be best," the commissioner says, "but if we look to history, rayquaza is indeed the peacemaker between titans. allyship with with the sky high pokemon should be enough, would it not?"[break][break]

she recalls her visit to the suffering serpent. freya morningstar and Eva Morales's company; the uncertainty billowing about as if they were vengeful howls. she knows the rayquaza remembers.[break][break]

remembers how it was expelled into the frozen void.[break][break]

"we have the AQUA initiative for that, anyway." dahlia says. "we can hold exercises for dealing with a kyogre. a groudon. a rayquaza... though i imagine their avatars could take some offense to that."[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon mr-rime"]