TAGS – mila alexopoulos[break]
NOTES – mission | outfit

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As a member of the Hoenn government—no, as a member of Hoenn's spy network, Gunner had the ability to infiltrate Kanto at any time, should he have a good enough reason. But he stepped off the plane that day not in the capacity of a secret government agent, but as a civilian.[break][break]

He'd been waiting for this day for what felt like a lifetime. Finally, the war was over. Not only could he visit the region, so could others with greater ties to it than he.[break][break]

Indeed, Gunner had almost no reason to go. But Eva Morales reminded him that the year he'd spent there and the connections he'd made were just as important as hometowns and parents.[break][break]

And so he'd joined her and ollie morales on their trip. He said goodbye to them at the train station, however; they were heading to Pallet Town, while Gunner's destination was Celadon City. He passed the time on the train reading a detective novel he'd brought with him.[break][break]

At Celadon, Gunner checked into his hotel. He had a couple of hours to kill before meeting with local friends who'd survived the war, so he made his way to a monument recently erected by the new Kanto government. Depicting a man and a woman standing together with a child and an Oddish between them, they immortalized the countless innocent lives lost during the war.[break][break]

Candles burned at the memorial's base even during daytime. Wreaths of flowers adorned the necks of the humans, the child's in particular. Someone had even put a RAGE CANDY BAR in the statue's hand as an offering.[break][break]

Gunner stepped up to the statue, his gaze fixed upon the carved face of the woman. In a way, she looked a bit like SAYORI YAMADA.[break][break]

His lip trembled and his eyes softened.

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Gunner removed a pen from the inner pocket of his jacket and made a small note next to Isaac's name. Sunderland. As part of the later background check, the HBIC searched the census database to look for possible relatives. If there were people who could confirm Isaac's history, his processing might finish faster.[break][break]

"Maybe you should have kept your head out in the first place," Gunner remarked, the acidity evident in his tone.[break][break]

He really hated this whole farce of defection and reformation. Sitting in front of thieves, terrorists, and murderers made Gunner's blood BOIL, and if he had his way, none of them would get a second chance.[break][break]

But the League was required to show a kinder hand at times. Even the worst criminals could reform, his superiors and their propagandists proclaimed. Even they could become productive members of society.[break][break]

Gunner returned his focus to his line of questions. "Which leads me to ask: what are the events that led you to join Team Rocket?"

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Isaac seemed too cheerful for a man who had just decided to abandon Team Rocket. Then again, Gunner had met with all sorts, from the emotionally shattered mila alexopoulos to the jaded, cocky Serena Malcolm. Each defector was a unique case, down to their reasons for leaving.[break][break]

Gunner sat down in the only other chair, the seat opposite from Isaac at the table. At his back was the one-way window common to interrogation rooms. Prison security stood in the adjoining room, watching. A camera in the corner of the ceiling pointed at the table.[break][break]

Of course, Gunner ignored those features. Instead, he opened the manila file he'd brought with him. The papers contained Isaac's dossier as well as Navy's report. Details such as Isaac's hometown, family members, and even which of his Pokémon were known to MEGA EVOLVE were in his files.[break][break]

"That may be true, but I still need you to state your name for the record," Gunner started, his expression hard as he watched the other man from beneath the harsh glare of the ceiling lamp, "and your position within Team Rocket."

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TAGS – Genevieve Cromwell[break]
NOTES – mission

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A cool September wind blustered through Dewford as Gunner stepped off the ferry. It had not been long since his last visit, and the town looked very much as he had left it. The streets had grown familiar, though he still needed to look up the way to Dewford Prison.[break][break]

Security at the entrance jumped to accommodate Gunner after he flashed his HBIC badge. When they asked for the purpose of his visit, he did not hesitate to give them his answer.[break][break]

"I'm here for Isaac Merlo."[break][break]

Officially, the younger man was not an inmate. He was only waiting there for Gunner's arrival, as the HBIC had intervened to take over his processing after receiving Navy's report.[break][break]

After all, the local prison was not equipped to handle a defector.[break][break]

A guard and his FIGHTING-TYPE Pokémon led Gunner to the interrogation room where Isaac waited. Before walking through the door, he adjusted his tie and schooled the disgust out of his expression. Whatever Dewford's gym leader had written in his report, the man sitting at that table had just recently counted himself among Team Rocket's ranks.[break][break]

And Gunner hated Rockets.[break][break]

He entered the room.

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TAGS – nagi miwa[break]
NOTES – mission

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Gunner closed the door behind him. Like the rest of the building, Penelope's office looked the same as before. She looked the same, too: youthful, red hair full and bright instead of fading to gray with age.[break][break]

The surrealness only intensified.[break][break]

Her unfazed reaction to him using her nickname was a reassurance. At least she did not scold him for crossing that line of professionalism.[break][break]

"How are you feeling, after yesterday?" Gunner asked as he crossed the room.[break][break]

Instinct told him to ask about her feelings first; she was as human as the rest of them, despite her position. As he drew up beside Penelope, he searched her face for the truth.

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The expression that crept into Gideon's face when he registered Gunner's words made the latter's stomach twist with discomfort. He hated the sight of the fear and trepidation there, the way Gideon's eyes flickered with denial.[break][break]

Gunner shook his head. "She's not dead," he said, uncertain if the truth would reassure his brother or do the opposite. "She's disappeared. We don't know where for certain, but we can guess."[break][break]

He paused once more. There was no turning back now.[break][break]

"Sootopolis."[break][break]

That word hung like a sword above the soft flesh of an exposed neck.[break][break]

"We have confirmation from a source that Elisabeth Fiorelli is a Team Rocket underboss, and was an admin for some time before that. Those are leadership roles, Gideon. She's a terrorist."

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Gunner watched as Gideon drew blood from his Typhlosion. Guinevere never fussed about medical exams, having visited the vet many times since her years as a Cyndaquil. She did not flinch or draw away from Gideon, and instead waited patiently until he was finished.[break][break]

Throughout this, the younger Graves remained silent, holding news on his tongue that he'd learned about the florist. Sharing it with his brother might trigger greater unhappiness within the other man, something Gunner did not wish. On the other hand, Gideon might want to know why Elisabeth had ghosted him.[break][break]

At least it seemed that he'd gotten over her. Gunner wondered when Gideon had last been in contact with Elisabeth.[break][break]

If the timing of events corresponded with the troubling reports from Petalburg Woods.[break][break]

In the end, he spoke up. He did not want Gideon to live without knowing the truth. "I'm glad to hear that," Gunner started, choosing his words carefully. "Apparently, she hid a lot from the public eye."[break][break]

He paused. As much as he wished for it, there was no gentle way to say what he wanted to say.[break][break]

"The Bureau was called to investigate the destroyed shell of her house a few months back. There was a trap door leading to the cellar, where League agents found numerous vials of poison, along with instruments used in toxicology."[break][break]

Gunner fell silent, allowing Gideon a moment to digest his words.

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