MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Feb 4, 2024 20:08:46 GMT

Gerald had been summoned to the office of none other than Cillian Quinn. His heart pounded like a Rapidash in a race as he approached the office. There could only be one reason why an underboss decided to personally call a grunt into their office.

While he would have liked to assume it was for some promotion or a raise, he doubted it was either of them. No, it had to be for his latest failure. A sizable shipment of Mega-stones had been lost to League forces, alongside several grunts captured in the process. And worst of all, Gerald had been the most senior operative on that mission.

The pounding of his heart did not quiet the closer he got to Cillian’s office, quite the opposite. By the time he knocked on the underboss’s door he was honestly unsure whether it was his heart or the knocks he heard.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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Gavin Merlino

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october 28th

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the harbinger

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POSTED ON Feb 6, 2024 14:00:17 GMT

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The door swings open with a faint hint of pink fey energy, a cold chill escaping the confined space. Perched behind his desk like a dragon guarding its lair, Cillian doesn't speak, but the invitation is present in the open door.[break][break]

As soon as Gerald crosses the threshold, it closes with a heavy clunk and an eerie finality.[break][break]

There is PRESSURE in the air, making it harder to breathe.[break][break]

"Do you know why you're here?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

[attr="class","pkmn"][break]

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POSTED ON Feb 6, 2024 19:49:36 GMT

The door swung open ominously. Gerald found himself nervously swallowing spit as the hint of pink fey energy and a cold chill beckoned him inside.

Gerald steeled his resolve and tried to ease his pounding heart as he prepared to meet with the Underboss. But little did it help as he felt an almost suffocating pressure in the air.

He did his best to hide the nervousness he was feeling behind a stoic facade. He for a brief second he even thought to make a joke but realized in so doing he could very well make the situation worse.

“I presume it is about my recent failure, Sir?” It took a moment too long for him to remember to add the honorific to his question.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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Gavin Merlino

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october 28th

circhester, galar

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POSTED ON Feb 7, 2024 14:53:33 GMT

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No attempt is made to deflect from the grim reality of his situation; Cillian nods, and gestures to one of two chairs in the room. This one, thankfully for Gerald, isn't the one bolted to the floor above a rather ominous drain.[break][break]

"Three of our agents in League custody and no profit to soften the blow." Though his expression is hard to read, a flat mask of stoicism, the displeasure bleeds into his voice. "What happened?"[break][break]

In Cillian's lap, a Sylveon sits, flashing pink fangs in a mockery of a smile.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

[attr="class","pkmn"][break]

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POSTED ON Feb 11, 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Gerald moved to take the seat that Cillian so graciously allowed him to take.

Gerald does his best to keep his eyes from wandering toward the Sylveon on the lap. And as Gerald began to regale the tale he found it easier to keep his focus on Cillian.

“Well, everything was going smoothly until we were intercepted by some League Agents. I do not know how or why they knew about this but well, they did. I figured we could take them on. -”

Clearly they couldn’t. And as the report would have told it hadn’t only been because of the superior numbers on the League side. The Grunts assigned to this mission had been mostly rookies, just barely out of bootcamp, with only a few more experienced to accompany them, and none of them had been more experienced than Gerald. This had been Gerald’s first taste of being truly in charge and he had made a huge misevaluation of the people underneath him’s battle capabilities.

“- By the time I realized we weren’t winning that fight, all we could do was attempt to escape.”

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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Gavin Merlino

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october 28th

circhester, galar

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POSTED ON Feb 17, 2024 0:50:06 GMT

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He listens, silent and still. The only movement comes from the unsettling shift of the Sylveon's ribbons.[break][break]

His eyes narrow to shatter that stillness.[break][break]

"I see. And was it on your orders the fight began?"[break][break]

That would change a lot, but Cillian offers no insight into what. Let Gerald Kaiser sweat. They were more honest when they were afraid, he found... and when they weren't, their lies were easier to spot.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

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POSTED ON Feb 18, 2024 8:51:41 GMT

Gerald gulped. He could feel the sweat slowly trickling down his back while he did his best to keep his gaze from wandering to the ominous Sylveon.

“Well, the League had made it clear they knew our affiliation. I figured we couldn’t talk our way out of it…” He began to speak, nervousness making his tongue slipperier than usual.

Gerald then realized instead of actually answering the underboss’ question he was making excuses.

Gerald took a deep breath, nodded and said. “We began to fight on my orders.” There was no way around it. He was certain that even if he hadn’t given the verbal command some of those under him would’ve still joined the fray the moment he charged.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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Gavin Merlino

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october 28th

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POSTED ON Feb 20, 2024 15:49:20 GMT

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"And you lost."[break][break]

It's not a question. Displeasure curls around each syllable.[break][break]

It was inevitable, at times. Cillian couldn't claim that each of his orders had flawless result, nor even that he was never unsuccessful. They were all human. Mistakes were made... and consequences were suffered.[break][break]

He leans forward, increasing the pressure.[break][break]

"What went wrong?" Before Gerald can answer, he adds, "And why are you the only one who made it out?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

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POSTED ON Mar 30, 2024 17:11:29 GMT

What went wrong?

That was the question Gerald had pondered a fair amount of times before having been called up here. He still wasn’t sure he had an adequate answer but he had an idea.

“I failed to maintain an overview of the battlefield -” Gerald began to explain. He had been the one incharge of the battle, so of course they had surely relied on him to manage the battlefield. But it wasn't the only thing

“- And our team coordination was off.” They had fought like individuals against the much more coordinated efforts of their League opponent. “I suppose I managed to escape because I was the better fighter?” While it could have sounded arrogant, Gerald did not speak it as such. It was stated with the bluntness of the broadside of a spoon.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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thorn

Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

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the harbinger

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creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Mar 31, 2024 18:34:35 GMT

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"No," corrects Cillian, sharp. "You escaped because you were the most selfish fighter."
[break][break]

PRESSURE intensifies as his anger feeds Lugia's own.
[break][break]

"Had you been the most skilled, you'd have taken charge. A team needs a leader to be coordinated, Kaiser. Something you were not."
[break][break]

You had to understand your fellow agents not just as individuals, but as part of a whole. Take any cog from the machine and it might cease to function. Cillian had sought power for selfish reasons, but maintained it through a willingness to adapt.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

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TAG WITH @gerald

POSTED ON Apr 4, 2024 14:02:48 GMT

For a short, dumb, moment Gerald thought his excuse adequate, thought himself safe. Then Cillian began to speak and the pressure intensified.

Gerald did his best to keep his composure without trying to look arrogant. He knew he was in no position to argue with Cillian not only because of the difference in rank, but because of the difference in experience. Experience proven by the logic in Cillian’s words.

But what could he possibly respond to this feedback without angering Cillian further. After taking as much time to think as he figured was appropriate he landed on a surprisingly simple and uncreative response.

“Yes sir. I will make sure to do better next time.”

For a moment he considered asking for advice, but he figured that Cillian would surely be in no mood to answer the questions of a lowly grunt.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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thorn

Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

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the harbinger

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creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Apr 7, 2024 21:55:40 GMT

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Golden eyes pin the man to the uncomfortable chair in which he sits.[break][break]

"Will you?"[break][break]

Cillian has been in this impossible position before, where there are no right answers and no words to placate the anger of one's superiors. He remembers how it felt to sit in that chair.[break][break]

It does not make him sympathetic, but he is less violent than his betters had been. He strikes not with fists, but with words.[break][break]

For now.[break][break]

"Tell me how, then. Step by step."[break][break]

Dig your grave deeper.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

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January 01

Fortree City

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POSTED ON Apr 14, 2024 9:23:19 GMT

Cillian’s words pinned Gerald to his seat. The chair no longer felt like just a chair, but a prison all on its own. A prison from which attempted escape would mean his end.

He nervously gulped when Cillian gave the order. For it certainly was not a question he could NOT answer.

What felt like an eternity went by within his own mind as he tried to come up with some plan. He tried to focus on what Cillian wanted and not the threat a wrong answer posed. And in the end he found what he believed to be a suitable path.

“First of all I’d deal with the flaw that caused this to begin with, my Selfishness. - ” He paused, taking the briefest of moments to gauge Cillian’s reaction. “ - I suppose that would mean some form of team-building training or tutelage under someone that can teach me ways to deal with my tendency to rely on myself more than the team.” With the words spoken Gerald now looked toward Cillian, doing his best to seem calm even when he wasn't.

Honestly he was unsure about this plan. It felt like he was standing in his own grave and digging it even deeper. Unfortunately he had little experience to go by and so as a last resort had turned to the few times he had attempted to work retail back when he was a much much younger kid in Fortree City.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.

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thorn

Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

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the harbinger

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creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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POSTED ON Apr 15, 2024 20:13:16 GMT

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"No one can teach you to be less selfish."[break][break]

Cillian shakes his head.[break][break]

"But perhaps you might benefit from a shift in perspective. If you rely on others to make up for the things you lack, you're still looking out for number one." No one could call Cillian selfless, after all. He was the epitome of self-serving, most times. "If I want something researched, I'll call a scientist. If I want someone dead, I might hire an assassin. I'm capable of these things, certainly, but it's important to know when you're out of your depth."[break][break]

Finally, he offers advice rather than condemnation. His tone is no sweeter, but perhaps the PRESSURE is less suffocating.[break][break]

"Do you know anything about the talents of the men you allowed to be captured?"[break][break]

And so the condemnation begins anew.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"]Gerald Kaiser

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POSTED ON Apr 26, 2024 14:36:48 GMT

Gerald listened. That was the only thing he could do right now, not only because of the PRESSURE but because these were wise words that did put things in perspective.

Perhaps he had thought about all of this the wrong way. Perhaps he shouldn’t think about his fellow Rockets as liabilities too untrustworthy to be relied on when his skills were lacking, but rather as assets he could use to cover up those weaknesses. And if they failed? He would probably have failed at that task.

Gerald wasn’t certain that it was word-for-word the lesson Cillian wanted him to learn but it was the conclusion he reached. And for a moment he thought himself safer as the PRESSURE lessened.

Only for Cillian’s words to offer more condemnation in the form of a question.

Gerald had to think long and hard and unfortunately for all his efforts the answer came up the same.

“I do not.”

He had a feeling Cillian was about to enlighten him on that topic as well.

LOCATION: Cillian's office.