[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

The soft 'clack' of her heels against the rock reverberated throughout Granite Cave in after-echoes, announcing her presence before her silhouette darkened the entryway.[break][break]

Masked as she was, Elisabeth embodied her Viper persona rather fittingly. A serpentine mask of white-and-green covered her face from view, hair swept up and away from sight beneath a black hood. In her hands, a whip dangled loosely between her fingertips.[break][break]

Not that she'd intended to use it, precisely. It was simply nice to have a reminder of one's place in the status quo.[break][break]

"I understand we have a dignified guest this evening," the underboss began, stepping towards the prisoner cowering beneath the supplies. His head hung low, his swollen and bloodied face difficult to make out in the gloom. "I won't be long, however. I assure you I can be... efficient, in my interrogations."[break][break]

A hand reached for his chin, daring for him to meet her unseen gaze. Only then did her smirking cease as she recognized him for who he was:[break][break]

GIDEON GRAVES.[break][break]

Her nails tightened in their grip on him, confusion at this discovery stunning her into a lapse of silence. Finally, she broke through the stupor, yanking the cloth from his mouth and sharply demanding:[break][break]

"What brings a civilian like yourself into Rocket territory? Explain yourself."[break][break]

Although it was for other reasons, her frustration with the man for putting her in this predicament was very real.

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","gideon-words"]



Not again. [break][break]

The click of heels on stone goaded goosebumps onto his bruised skin. Gideon was more cognizant now than when he’d first endured his beating, but the adrenaline had faded. He was on edge, in pain. [break][break]

Scared for his life.[break][break]

When a woman emerged from the gloom, he recognized that she was different from the one before. The other ROCKET hadn’t minced words and simply attacked on sight; this one… seemed more calculating. Venomous. [break][break]

The scrap of cloth was yanked from his mouth, blessing him with unrestricted airflow. Immediately, she demanded things from him. Information, for now.[break][break]

“I…” How did she know he was a civilian? Was it that obvious? “I’m a scientist. I was here… doing field work when the fighting started.”

[attr="class","gideon-notes"]

[break]
• postdormitum: cargo[break][break]

TOTAL: 70 MP[break]
+ 50 MP for participation in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

Elisabeth blinked slowly at him, the disgust and frustration in her expression conveniently hidden behind her mask. She was astounded he'd put her in such an uncomfortable position for such a pitiful reason.[break][break]

"I see. You risked your life for the sciences, then?" Her vocalizer, however, couldn't manage to shroud the depths of her mocking derision. "Do you suppose the League has protected you adequately enough to reward your efforts?"[break][break]

For such an intelligent man, he could be so breathtakingly stupid.[break][break]

Abruptly she released his face from her grasp, the whip restlessly moving to and fro between her hands. Irritation mounted as she sifted through her options for interrogation.[break][break]

How fortunate that the palpable fear radiating from him made that easier to accomplish without force. The threat of danger could be potent enough, she supposed.[break][break]

After all, it would be such a shame to have to kill him needlessly.[break][break]

"What research is so precious it's worth your very life, then? Speak."

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","gideon-words"]



The ROCKET operative's grip tightened around his jaw, nails biting into already damaged skin. Instinctively, Gideon fought her hold, attempting to pull away, but she was much stronger than she looked. [break][break]

She held him in place with more than just her strength, though. The threat of the whip - and the implication that his life was in her hands - was enough to get him to comply. He had nothing to hide, anyway.[break][break]

"I've been here for days, before all of this happened. My team and I are staying in Dewford while we conduct surveys in Granite Cave..." Luckily, he'd let his technicians stay behind in town to rest that morning while he continued their efforts. Hopefully they were alright. [break][break]

Right, surveys. Would she know what that meant? "Population surveys of the Pokémon in the cave... comparing that data to historic records. We want to see if the presence of the rift is impacting their numbers in any way."[break][break]

Was this knowledge worth his life?[break][break]

"But... no. No research is worth the hell I've been through here..."

[attr="class","gideon-notes"]

[break]
• postdormitum: cargo[break][break]

TOTAL: 80 MP[break]
+ 50 MP for participation in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

A fingernail dragged its way across the whip's handle, her unfounded agitation crawling through her skin as she attempted to find the best way to dispose of this inconvenience.[break][break]

Obviously she wanted him to live. However, she had a professional duty to conduct. An underboss did not simply laugh and let someone go freely because they happened to be an innocent civilian. Innocence as a concept did not exist, in Rocket.[break][break]

Not to her, at least. Elisabeth clicked her tongue.[break][break]

"You're a man of knowledge, then. Consider that your currency."[break][break]

Half of her wondered if he was too delirious to follow her words at this point, but at least he seemed subdued enough not to fight her. He was larger than her, certainly, but bound and unable to truly act against her. Besides, she had practiced enough combat with Zev Harcourt and bryan delarosa in the training room of the Rocket submarine to be able to handle herself in close quarters, and to win if against an unskilled opponent.[break][break]

"This study regarding the Pokemon population in the cave. Is there any benefit of it to me? Or perhaps to the organization I serve? If not, consider what you know that is."[break][break]

Before he could answer, she leaned down over him, face-to-face. A distorted voice emanated from her mask, low in its threat.[break][break]

"Remember that you are bargaining for your life. No knowledge, as you said, is too precious a cost for such an invaluable thing."

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","gideon-words"]



His instinct was to recoil away from her - from the danger she posed, from the chilling mask that gave no hint of the corrupted human behind it. But he didn't. GIDEON GRAVES wasn't a coward, just a pragmatist. [break][break]

As she leaned in close, just mere inches from his face, the professor responded coldly, "Rocket deals in Pokémon. I suppose your organization might care about their numbers if you plan to poach them."[break][break]

Briefly, he thinks of angelo vestri and their efforts to study VICTINI. That information would stay tightly sealed behind bloodied lips.[break][break]

"I'm not a League scientist. I don't do any top secret research. I teach at a local university. I'm as mundane as they come."[break][break]

Somehow, in his delirious state, a chuckle escapes and dissipates in the expanse of the cavern.[break][break]

"You caught yourself a small fish, unfortunately."

[attr="class","gideon-notes"]

[break]
• postdormitum: cargo[break][break]

TOTAL: 90 MP[break]
+ 50 MP for participation in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

[break][break]

His chuckle soon met her own, its dark amusement heightened with frustration at his audacity.[break][break]

"I can see you still don't understand your situation," she began, her hand moving to gently trace across his chin before withdrawing. "Let me correct that."[break][break]

Her Toxapex watched Elisabeth with beady eyes as a hand slowly removed her black glove, the whip now coiled at her side. The sharp slap of leather struck his cheek soundly, distracting him with the sudden sting. Quick steps took her behind him as he recoiled, her hands firmly gripping him in place.[break][break]

"Did you know," she murmured in his ear, possessed of a poisoner's calm as she drew close, "that it is rather difficult to dislocate someone's shoulder when they aren't incapacitated?"[break][break]

How fortunate that he was so obedient in this one respect.[break][break]

The terrible sound of bones snapping out of alignment announced her cruelty, shoving him forward so that the nerves would scream with pain.[break][break]

However brave he chose to be or not to be, she returned to face him, replacing the glove on her hand before it rested on the whip's handle once more.[break][break]

"I am being patient with you. But my patience can and will wane," she warned, fixing him with her mask's unsettling, faceless scrutiny. "You're supposedly a smart man. Figure out a way for us to leave this exchange with something we both want."[break][break]

You idiotic fool.

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","gideon-words"]



The sting of her glove on his cheek was a prelude to much worse things to come.[break][break]

"What? No, stop–! "[break][break]

Tendons flexed beyond their reach, partially tearing as the ball of Gideon's humerus was forcibly pushed out of its socket.[break][break]

AGONY. Tormented screams echoed off the stone walls around them until he was finally released.[break][break]

Saliva then dripped to the cavern floor as the professor dry heaved into the dirt, his chest expanding and contracting rapidly while he tried desperately to pull oxygen into his injured body.[break][break]

"There's–" He gasped, fighting for words. [break][break]

"In the rift– huge, powerful Pokémon. I've never see– ah!" Gideon cut himself off as pain flared in his shoulder. [break][break]

"I-I've never seen anything like them before–!" [break][break]

Where fear had pervaded his countenance before, suffering bore a new emotion within GIDEON GRAVES: outrage. Hate sparked in his eyes as he glared up at his ROCKET captor.[break][break]

"That's all I know, alright? Surely even criminals like Rocket can manage to use that."

[attr="class","gideon-notes"]

[break]
• postdormitum: cargo[break][break]

TOTAL: 100 MP[break]
+ 50 MP for participation in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

[break][break]

Well. She could work with this.[break][break]

The descriptions were a tad vague, to be certain, and lacking in detail -- but if she padded it enough with her own experiences, she might be able to concoct something others would see worthy enough to justify her freeing of the man.[break][break]

"Was that so difficult?" she said with a sigh, only to then catch the hateful glare in his eyes.[break][break]

It irked her, the way the word 'criminal' left his lips: the judgment that poured forth towards her, as if she was some pestilence corrupting the region. Who was he, to look at her with such disdain? After she had been kinder than others might have been?[break][break]

Had she not spared him disfigurement? Had she not left him his fingers to complete his scientific pursuits, his tongue, his pretty face? Was he that ungrateful, then?[break][break]

How dare he provoke her like this? Who was he to judge her?[break][break]

Perhaps he didn't understand what true pain was like. She could correct that, too.[break][break]

"Do you feel I have been cruel to you, then? By all means, Professor. I can show you cruelty before you depart."[break][break]

Indignation coursed through her as the whip uncoiled at her side, falling with a sickening crack to silence the man's infuriating look of outrage.[break][break]

Regret would only come seconds after, when the adrenaline faded and sobering clarity returned. Her Toxapex hissed back at her, a BANEFUL BUNKER receiving some of the lashes that might otherwise scar a man that she had no true desire to harm.[break][break]

But other scars would remain on him nonetheless, ready to remind her later of what sins she'd committed here.[break][break]

"I hope that satisfies your desire for hatred, then. Leave me, before I change my mind."[break][break]

She said nothing else when she freed him.[break][break]

The person he knew and the person she had to be now were not one and the same. They couldn't be.

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","gideon-words"]



There were no intelligible words now. [break][break]

Wide eyes, unbelieving. The beginnings of pleaded utterings. An attempt to stand and flee.[break][break]

But Elisabeth Fiorelli's whip cut all that short. Cut into him, too.[break][break]

Searing white burst across Gideon's field of vision. The pain was so immediate and so jarring that he couldn't even scream at first. His throat tightened around a sharply taken breath, unreleased as he slumped forward into the earth. [break][break]

Blood dripped; from a split lip, bitten in an attempt to stifle his muffled cries; from the lash across his backside; from so many other reopened wounds.[break][break]

When she let him go, like a cat bored with its quarry, GIDEON GRAVES didn't linger.[break][break]

He hobbled into the darkness in the direction he thought the exit to be. Once out of sight, however, the professor lost faculty over himself and stumbled into the dirt. [break][break]

The shock of the whip had worn off, as had the BANEFUL BUNKER. Now, every inhale and exhale was even more excruciating. Where leather had carved away at his skin, pain radiated outward, almost unbearable in its severity. Gideon groaned into his one working arm, finding that his will to rise was simply... absent. Hollow.[break][break]

Unbidden, Proteus appeared in a flash of light above his trainer. The Pokémon's expression was sorrowful as it looked upon Gideon, yet its resolve was unyielding. It had bore witness to many of the horrible things that had transpired within Granite Cave over the course of the last twenty-four hours.[break][break]

Still, it was not willing to give up just yet.[break][break]

Leaning down, the SLOWKING pulled Gideon to his feet.[break][break]

"Proteus..." The man murmured. "Let's... get out of here..."

[attr="class","gideon-notes"]

[break]
• postdormitum: cargo[break][break]

TOTAL: 510 MP[break]
+ 50 MP for participation in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 10 MP per IC post in a PD battle/mission[break]
+ 100 MP for completing a PD mission[break]
+ 300 MP for "losing" a PD mission[break]