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POSTED ON May 1, 2023 6:18:11 GMT

Josh had never been more nervous in his life.

This was his first time seeing Commissioner dahlia goode face-to-face. Seeing her through his space suit during Meteno didn't really feel like a face-to-face meeting. She was also too busy with coordinating military operations led by the true heroes of Hoenn: her Elite Four, Champion, and Avatars. Certainly not some inexperience Gym Leader. Normally, he would have been excited to meet the Commissioner.

Not under these circumstances.

Frankly, it was a miracle Josh was allowed to keep his position. He had nearly committed a crime that, in other regions, could be a Class X felony. Those were the types of crimes people got the death penalty for. Had King Zing actually killed Eris, Hoenn may well have been looking at the Mauville Gym Leader's head detached from the rest of his body. That and his willingness to serve restitution and make things right kept him alive and in his seat as Gym Leader. Right with the League, right with Eris, and most importantly, right with himself.

Provided Dahlia was expecting him, he would step into the Commissioner's office space. If there was enough room inside for Raikiri to roam comfortably, he would leave the saddle-wearing, quadrupedal Zeraora out of his Poké Ball to ease his jitters. To him, that Zeraora was a reincarnation of the Raikou of the Kanto War, with every bit of speed the legendary Pokémon had.

"Thanks for meeting with me, Commissioner, ma'am," he greeted the head official of the Hoenn region. "I'm sure you're up to speed on the Eris situation from your Council. I've talked to a lot of different people within the League about it. Elinor Anderson . MATIAS SILPH . Melody Miro . CIAN MAHER . The list goes on and on. I had no idea that there was such division within the League about her, and about Rocket as a whole. I want to make this whole thing right. I want to prove to Hoenn that what I did that day does not truly reflect how I feel. Given the conflicting information, I wanted to come to you to talk about it, and I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day for it."

dahlia goode

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NAME SPECIES STATUS
Raikiri Zeraora Good

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POSTED ON May 20, 2023 0:04:08 GMT

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"thank you for coming, josh." the commissioner states.[break][break]

dahlia pays little attention to the zeraora. though, she can sense its nerves. thankfully, her own pokemon are contained with their capsules, perhaps to avoid adding to josh's cocktail of anxiety.[break][break]

"well then," she settles into her chair behind her desk. "what happened? tell me concisely and remember to breathe."[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Josh Devlin

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POSTED ON May 20, 2023 6:34:46 GMT

At least the Commissioner seemed friendly enough and willing to listen. That alone relaxed the Gym Leader's nerves. "I don't know how much PENELOPE LIVY and Elinor Anderson have apprised you, but Eris Halla got away from me on a routine transfer operation within Mauville. I chased her down using a Luxray and a Beedrill, caught up to her, and questioned her myself. When she refused to cooperate, I lost my mind and used too much force. I wanted to beat the information out of her regarding the Kanto War... information I was certain she had. Then some Pokémon attack blasted me away. I had never seen an attack like it before, nor did I see what used it. And that was the last I saw of her."

He paused to take a deep breath and let dahlia goode take notes, as he had divulged more than was in the internal report. Raikiri had been alongside Josh for many of these conversations, and noticed he had become more self-confident as he voiced his thoughts to more people. "While it wasn't official, MATIAS SILPH and Melody Miro were two of the first people to onboard me to the League and what we are truly about. By now, you must be aware Matias has a scorched-earth viewpoint toward Rocket. While I do not want to point blame at him directly, I want to say he was a catalyst. This misdeed has made me truly realize there is a difference between Rocket the people and Rocket the organization. I want to ask. What is it we at the League oppose? I would hope it is Rocket the organization. There are so many people I've run into during my time away from Mauville Gym that are not there by choice." Isaac Merlo and Asher Baran , among others, came to mind. "There are genuinely good people trapped under Rocket's guise, and I don't think they deserve to go down with the ship. I want to hear your thoughts before I continue."

dahlia goode

{WC: 329}
{PC: 2}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Raikiri Zeraora Good

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POSTED ON May 25, 2023 6:06:06 GMT

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dahlia is quick to retrieve a notebook and pen. as josh recounts the scene, her pen glides quickly across the paper. there is little jumping of the pen tip; the ink swims from one word to the next.[break][break]

"what makes you believe the people in the organization are so separate from rocket the organization?" the commissioner maintains a polite smile. [break][break]

judgement refuses to break past the skin and instead she swallows dryly. [break][break]

"how is an organization run, josh?"

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POSTED ON May 26, 2023 2:29:41 GMT

dahlia goode likes this

The Commissioner's question was simple but deep, and it was a question Josh had to answer very carefully. It was not only a policy question, but also a philosophy question. The Master of Faster once had the viewpoint that Rocket's staff, from the boss to the lowest grunt, were all equally culpable of the atrocities the organization committed. While he had been sworn to keep their identities secret, Isaac Merlo and Asher Baran were among those that had opened his eyes to the cruel truth about how Team Rocket worked.

"From the top down," was Josh's simple answer. "In the case of the League, all orders ultimately come from you. While I as a Gym Leader have some autonomy over how Mauville City is run, with a simple stroke of a pen, you or any of your Council can change any of that. Rocket is different, though, in that they lack one key thing the League has: morals. We as League personnel are responsible for doing what we can to make Hoennians' lives as safe and... fruitful as they can be." Easy was the first word that came to mind, but there was nothing easy about being in Hoenn, arguably the most war-torn region in the world.

Rocket, on the other hand was amoral at best, malevolent at worst. "Being separated from my Gym and working alongside Mauville's least fortunate citizens on a full-time basis has given me a lot of insight into how those at the bottom of Rocket's ladder operate. The ones at the top, the decision makers, of course need to go. There are some truly heinous people that no amount of rehabilitation will save. I'd sooner see their heads on a silver platter. Many of the followers, though, the ones at the bottom of the ladder? They're people trapped within Rocket, doing vile deeds not because they're immoral, but because they fear death. Would you sentence the followers to death with their leaders?"

Such naivete. Such reckless optimism coming from a Gym Leader with little tenure. Such lack of understanding of the complexity of the never-ending war. Or perhaps was dahlia goode not as benevolent as Josh thought she was?

dahlia goode

{WC: 361}
{PC: 3}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Raikiri Zeraora Good

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POSTED ON Jun 20, 2023 5:49:10 GMT

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"to be frank with you, josh, most of what you said is conjecture." the commissioner shakes her head. a blonde curl of hair cascades past her cheek. "you are no expert in how these crime syndicates operate—and yet, you speak with such certainty!"[break][break]

she remains well posed in her chair. straight back. hands folded on her lap. there is little disturbance to her image: a sculpture set on its stand.[break][break]

"are there trainers in team rocket against their will? perhaps." the commissioner says. "however, why do you think we should give them a free pass?"

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POSTED ON Jun 23, 2023 5:42:33 GMT

The Commissioner's cruel words cut through Josh like a BITTER BLADE.

It was a perspective that took into account balancing the weight of Hoenn as a whole on her shoulders, able to look past the injustices Josh could not look past. She, of course, had far more experience in war-torn Hoenn than he did. She had likely seen far more of Rocket's atrocities than he did. Where Josh's heroism, aspirations for justice, and even naivete shined like a striking lightning bolt, dahlia goode 's voice reflected the dark reality that was a years-long conflict with no end in sight, casting a veil over the Gym Leader's hard yet fruitless work. Had it been this simple, surely one side would have taken over by now.

"Through my tenure not only as a Gym Leader, but one of Hoenn's finest Rangers, I have spoken to many on both sides of the aisle. Now I'm not saying that those on the bottom should be fully pardoned - far from it! Those willing to be rehabilitated, repent, and be absolved of their sins against the League should be allowed to rebuild their lives. I know the pain. I've been through it. What I did to Eris Halla was inexcusable, regardless of which side of the aisle she is on. All for the sake of trying to garner the attention of a god whose fate is uncertain." If it were someone he previously knew, he would have had one of his smaller Raikou plush in his hands, cuddling the facsimile of the Beast for self-comfort.

In the presence of the League's number one, though, he had to be as professional as he could. If he broke down in tears, that might be a sign of weakness, making him look like a liability. A liability that could see him purged from his position as a Gym Leader, in his mind. Ever the over-achiever and worrywart, he lacked the courage to face an abusive boss. "Before I answer, let me ask you this, Commissioner," he continued. "How much experience with Rocket's rank and file does your position give you? If my understanding is wrong and not in line with what the disposition of a Gym Leader should be, then I reluctantly understand. I just don't think that conspiracy to commit terrorism, like what Cillian Quinn is wanted for, and the horrible things that, for instance, CIAN MAHER did, warrant the same sentence. And look at where he is now. He's one of our finest Gym Leaders."

In the silence that followed, an audible gulp reverberated from Josh's throat.

"What I'm saying is... perhaps a more surgical approach is warranted rather than..." He cut himself off, unable to find the phrasing he wanted. "I just feel bad for those who commit these horrible crimes because those that are the true problem within Rocket dangle the lives of their subordinates there not by choice. Speaking with the rank and file who live their lives in constant fear has opened my eyes." While he didn't want to name names, those previously at the forefront of his mind remained there. The Commissioner could easily extract that information from him with a hidden psychic Pokémon, if she so desired.

dahlia goode

{WC: 532}
{PC: 4}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Raikiri Zeraora Good

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POSTED ON Jul 8, 2023 1:27:34 GMT

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the man has a long-winded tongue. dahlia learns quickly not to find natural pause, but to create them by way of patient, listening ear.[break][break]

"okay, josh. then propose to me a surgical approach."[break][break]

dahlia's hands remain folded over her lap, stirring little as she maintains her open, receptive gaze.[break][break]

"what does that look like?"[break][break]

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Master of Faster

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POSTED ON Jul 11, 2023 4:54:37 GMT

Cillian Quinn likes this

Though Josh didn't have all the information Dahlia did, what with her having access to every government secret in the region, he had ideals. "Now I'm not saying that those in Rocket's rank and file deserve to go unpunished. I can't imagine how much valuable intelligence you got from Cian and others who have been on the inside of Rocket before." He really wished he could drop Isaac Merlo 's name. He really did. That, though, would break a very important promise he made with Blackjack -- no, with Isaac himself -- and potentially throw away a valuable way to get on the inside of the syndicate. The Master of Faster was no stealth unit, but he sure could hit them fast and hard. Under the right circumstances, he could cause some real damage and confusion within their ranks.

"Rather than large-scale operations that are effectively carpet-bombing their strategic locations, what about smaller-scale ones designed to lure out high-ranking officials within Rocket and handle them individually?" He really was struggling to come up with a good way to dictate his idealistic methods. They were perhaps so rooted in ideals as to be infeasible. "I just don't want to see thousands of people die unnecessarily from, say, Rayquaza blasting HQ in Sootopolis with DRACO METEOR. With what you know that I don't, maybe you think it's necessary."

His deadly encounter with the Harbinger, Cillian Quinn, came to mind. "I filed an incident report on my run-in with Gavin. He's one of the people I would target, and I'm sure he's been on your radar for years. I've never felt more helpless in my life. Not even Raikiri could protect me." The Zeraora shivered at the mention of the name, having nearly given his life to protect Josh that day. "I know it's not simple. I'm just saying... is it truly necessary to dole out death to everyone in Rocket, regardless of how serious or petty their crimes are?"

dahlia goode

{WC: 321}
{PC: 5}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
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POSTED ON Jul 16, 2023 23:40:44 GMT

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"what makes you think we've been 'carpet-bombing' their locations or engaging in large-scale operations? can you name one such engagement?"[break][break]

dahlia waits. the air stills as she holds her crafted posture. time hardens the shape of her perch. as the miliseconds tick by, her pose grows heavy and stalwart like a stone statue of a boddhitsatva.

[break][break]

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December 12

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POSTED ON Jul 17, 2023 18:11:47 GMT

A genuine look of confusion overcame Josh. Was the stance MATIAS SILPH had not the stance of the League's upper echelons as a whole? Had the Volatile gone rogue? Given his animosity toward Matias was at this point a known factor, it could have been trivial for Dahlia to know exactly what the Mauville Gym Leader was thinking.

"So... your stance on Team Rocket isn't to completely eradicate them? I...perhaps was a bit overzealous in assuming the League's position. I apologize if my understanding of the League is... incomplete and easily misconstrued." He shook his head; the longer he argued with Dahlia over wanting to spare those he felt weren't the problems within Rocket, the deeper he would be digging his own grave. In the Gym Leader's eyes, Dahlia was less a Commissioner and more an Empress. Not a president, but an absolute monarch. "Perhaps I am wrong. What, then, is the League's stance toward Eris, and Rocket as a whole? I want to ensure another misunderstanding on this level doesn't happen again." If Josh's sincerity and zealotry toward the League wasn't obvious yet, it was now.

"Is there redemption and repentance for those within Rocket that no longer want to be there?"

dahlia goode

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NAME SPECIES STATUS
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POSTED ON Jul 18, 2023 22:37:59 GMT

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"the goal is to bring team rocket to justice."[break][break]

The Commissioner shakes her head, sighing as nuance is discarded in favor of extremes. Simplifications. This is no simple war waged in pokeballs.[break][break]

"josh, you must understand that you are in no position to speak on behalf of team rocket's victims." She says. "everything must be case-by-case and even then, we can not discount what team rocket has done."[break][break]

The Commissioner continues.[break][break]

"you're in danger of pontificating about matters you have no clue about."

[break][break]

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December 12

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POSTED ON Jul 20, 2023 4:30:14 GMT

Josh's jaw slowly opened as he listened to the wise Commissioner's words. Locally, the war had been going on for years, with no end in sight. Back in his homeland, war had been averted, but not without grave consequence. This sort of thinking from the Commissioner was exactly why he wanted to get people like Asher Baran , especially Isaac Merlo , and unknowingly to him, howard slayte , out from under Team Rocket before they became a problem. There were genuinely nice people trapped in Team Rocket because the League failed them in some way. Clearly, she wanted to hold those people accountable.

"Now I understand," Josh sighed, Raikiri perking up. Was he finally understanding the true nature of the conflict? "Were it so simple, this war would have ended years ago, I imagine." While he was not happy with Dahlia's evasive answer, he didn't dare speak up about it. She could take Mauville Gym from him at the snap of a finger, and the public funding was his lifeline, especially while he was under the financial burden of his restitution. "Understood. I will take that as a 'no' and let the League handle those matters appropriately."

He had a second urgent matter, as well. "I don't know if you've been apprised of this, but Mauville Gym specifically has been the target of multiple terrorist attacks in the last twelve months. One in October of last year, and one last month. I still don't know who ended up being behind the first one, but dorian westcliff was behind the second one. I don't know if you can share any past history of attacks on Mauville Gym or motives behind why it or me are being targeted specifically. If it's a personal or job performance issue, I want to do everything I can to fix it."

Josh, of course, knew that it was Isaac behind the first attack... but that was a detail he had to keep even from the Commissioner. Isaac was the one person he would defy the Commissioner's will to save from under Rocket. He was too sweet to have his entire life ruined by the League. How many times over did he owe his life to the young man, that unbeknownst to him, was already pondering a shift of allegiance?

dahlia goode

{WC: 377}
{PC: 7}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Raikiri Zeraora Good

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the good commissioner

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POSTED ON Jul 24, 2023 6:35:32 GMT

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"i do not believe there is a history of attacks," dahlia says, "but we can investigate."[break][break]

the repeated attacks have been a concern. like dustox to a flame, they came. however, the fires never seem to be extinguished. just fed.[break][break]

"it may be because of the extremity of your reactions." the commissioner holds her chin in thought. "they revel in seeing how you may wallow in self-pity, or how you may lash out."[break][break]

she frowns.[break][break]

"they have fun with you."

[break][break]

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Master of Faster

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December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

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"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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