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"Not this time, thankfully," Gunner replied as he released his Kartana from a Pokéball. The adolescent Pokémon zipped around him, having bonded with its trainer in the short time since its capture. He supposed that was the benefit of obtaining it when it was still young.[break][break]

Gunner scanned their surroundings, then turned to his Ultra Beast. "Can you act as our guide, Taliesin?"[break][break]

The Kartana bobbed up and down in confirmation, then floated off, leading them up a hill upon the moon's surface. Gunner followed, climbing steadily. He did not need to look back over his shoulder to ensure Angelo and Gideon were following.[break][break]

The three men had grown closer — not just during the recent Ultra Crater trips, but after the battle at the Ancient Tomb, too. If Gunner were asked to explain how, though, he could not.[break][break]

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"No one yet," Gunner said in correction before finishing off another arancini. He washed it down with another large swig of beer. "We'll piece something together soon. Trust in the Bureau."[break][break]

Which seemed useless to say to a woman like Skyler, but technically, she and angelo vestri had agreed to help the League as Avatars.[break][break]

Gunner tilted his head, considering her suggestion. "Not a bad idea. Do you know who all should be involved, though? You, Angelo, my brother Gideon…"[break][break]

He hesitated in the middle of counting names off his fingers. Summer Atreides had been there too, but other names slipped from his mind like slippery fish from his hands. The agent had a strange hunch that Serena Malcolm was important somehow, but he couldn't figure out why. He'd have to talk to her, too.[break][break]

Gunner dropped his hand to the couch.[break][break]

"I broke up with my then-girlfriend. The one from this world," he said, the gravity in his tone indicating its relevance to the conversation. "We had a screaming match. Months later—yes, months—she miscarried. We fought over that, too."[break][break]

Another gulp of beer followed that painful admission.[break][break]

"And then I avoided her for years, but I couldn't do it well because she was… someone important. Not to me, but to… other people. To everyone."[break][break]

Gunner's face scrunched up in open skepticism. "I know that sounds really sketchy. But I get the sense we made up and became friends."

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Gunner's eyebrows rose into his forehead at the mention of Eva Morales, though it should not have surprised him. He recalled her presence at the battle, not only as a Head Professor but as a representative of the medical corps of Hoenn's army.[break][break]

"I'm glad it was Dr. Morales who helped you," he said. His encounters with the professor had always been positive. "She seems like a really good person. Dependable and strong-willed."[break][break]

A coolness began to settle over the forest as the inferno succumbed to the continuous efforts of their Water Pokémon. The transition mimicked the solemnity that settled on Gunner's shoulders as Freya lamented their loss at Dewford Town.[break][break]

"We will. We have to win," he said, frowning now, voice firm and resolute.[break][break]

Then he turned to Freya. "If you ever want to train together — either our Pokémon or ourselves — feel free to reach out to me."

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Gunner watched Shion's eyes widen with hope the way the sky brightened at dawn with the coming of the sun. He could not help but smile at her eagerness. But a tinge of bitterness seeped into his expression.[break][break]

His own entry into the Hoenn Bureau of Intelligence and Counterterrorism had been a thorn-riddled path, devoid of the light of optimism.[break][break]

He shoved those memories away to answer her question. "The required and recommended general skill sets are on the website, of course. A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study, a Master's. Experience working or living abroad. Foreign language knowledge."[break][break]

Gunner ticked these off on his fingers, then waved his hand dismissively. Shion could look up the rest online.[break][break]

"What the site won't say is a strong ability to separate one's personal and professional lives. Our work is confidential, even if you don't find yourself on the field. And sometimes it's hard in a way the average citizen can't handle."

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Gunner frowned, unsure how to read Yujin's expression. "What's wrong with chess?"[break][break]

Her warning and the fact that a Golem was out on the field was all Gunner needed to know. He whistled sharply, the sound piercing the air. His Kabutops cut through the water in retreat, seconds before the EXPLOSION.[break][break]

Gunner gripped the railing of the passenger ship as it rocked on waves caused by the detonation. With one hand, he recalled Meirchion, then swapped the Pokéball for another. As the Mantine and its rider swooped toward them, he opened the second capsule.[break][break]

His Raichu emerged in a flash of light. Upon seeing the approaching enemy, she charged up, electricity crackling across her body. A THUNDERBOLT slammed into the Kite Pokémon, stalling the attack. The Mantine and its rider fell back into the water with a tremendous splash.[break][break]

Gunner scanned the scattered pirate crew, strewn across the remnants of their trawler.[break][break]

"Enid, over there," he said, pointing his Raichu toward a woman he believed was the crew's captain. She leaped down the side of the ship and summoned a wave using SURF to ride toward her target.

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TAGS – SHEBA INOUE[break]
NOTES – social

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Gunner's eyebrows rose into his forehead. Rosanna's request came as a surprise, but she did say it would only take a moment. So he nodded and said, "Sure, what is it?"[break][break]

She left without answering and returned with a piece of paper. Gunner took it from her hands and scanned it. What he was reading was an outline of a report on the disappearances following the Battle of Dewford Town. The paper was little more than a bulleted list of notes.[break][break]

"Simple enough," Gunner said. "Come with me to my desk. I have pens there."[break][break]

Leaving the break room, he returned to his cubicle and sat down, grabbing a red pen. As he reread her notes, he circled words and phrases that stood out. After a few minutes, he offered the paper back to Rosanna.[break][break]

"Here you go. Those are probably the most important pieces of information we're missing. If you can dig up anything, that'd be a big help for the investigation."

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Gunner's expression turned grim at her question. Though months had passed since the Battle of Dewford Town, he still remembered the events of those adrenaline-filled hours as if they had occurred yesterday.[break][break]

Battles in interdream mist. Midair combat on the backs of Dragon Pokémon. The mysterious creature who attacked Team Rocket in front of him and angelo vestri in the middle of the night.[break][break]

The radio announcement that Rocket agents had obtained the Seal Stone.[break][break]

"Yeah. I didn't get home until early morning, like three or four o'clock," Gunner said to Freya with a sigh. "We were still trying to put out fires in Dewford, get civilians the medical help they needed, stuff like that."[break][break]

He glanced sidelong at her as the cool water from Viviane's WATER SPOUT pitter-pattered against his face.[break][break]

"What about you?"

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Gunner caught the joke in Freya's words and laughed. "That's what I mean," he said, the warm smile a contrast to their current predicament. "It's why I'd rather have you on my side."[break][break]

A tree snapped to their right. Gunner's Salamence veered away with ease, dodging the thick trunk eaten by fire. The air filled with a tremendous crash as towering giants toppled and fell.[break][break]

"Viviane!" the blonde man called to the whale above them. "Keep it up!"[break][break]

A WATER SPOUT followed the Wailord's initial cascade of water, drenching everyone and everything in the immediate vicinity. Gunner shivered in his soaked uniform — a good sign.[break][break]

He turned back to Freya. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you have better things to do than waste time swiping. I'm just glad to see you fully recovered. You took some hard hits back there."

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"Ready when you are," Gunner confirmed, reaching for the Pokéballs at his belt. While Yujin's Pokémon boarded the boat, he released his own into the water. "Meirchion, king's bishop to one!"[break][break]

His Kabutops closed the gap between ships in an instant, cutting the metal hull with AQUA JET. Cries of surprise from the pirates filled the air as the vessel buckled, taking on water.[break][break]

Lights flashed as the pirates released their own Pokémon. A Blastoise and Primarina dove into the sea to engage Meirchion, while several smaller Water-types emerged to contend with the Golem. Those on deck cried out in pain as they stumbled on the STEALTH ROCKS.[break][break]

"Outnumbered," Gunner observed coolly. One hand rested on the railing. He glanced sidelong at Yujin and grinned. "I hope you have something exciting up your sleeve, Miss Ha."

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Gunner raised an eyebrow, meeting Shion's attempt at levity with his trademark seriousness. "I joined the Bureau six years ago," was his explanation for using the past tense. "And we have policies and procedures for a reason."[break][break]

A half-truth. The HBIC abided by some rules, but the League government conveniently looked away when they needed to.[break][break]

By that point, Gunner had finished his coffee. Sitting back in his chair, he crossed his arms over his chest.[break][break]

"I don't feel like they do; I know they do," he said with steely conviction. The look he gave Shion possessed an intensity that exposed the fervor behind his belief.[break][break]

"That's why I continue to do this job, as demanding as it is. It's not a career that just anyone can do. I don't say that to discourage you; quite the opposite. If you feel called to it, you should pursue it."

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Gunner arrived on the scene moments before Freya did, his own Salamence descending as low as possible among the trees. The immense heat was incredible. He fought the protective urge to turn his face away from the conflagration. Instead, he reached for a Pokéball and released his Wailord.[break][break]

The massive Pokémon rose in a slow and graceful flight through the burning forest. Branches snapped against her bulk, cracking like lightning.[break][break]

"Viviane, take care of this, please," Gunner called up from Bruin's back.[break][break]

The Wailord bellowed and unleashed a torrential HYDRO PUMP upon the wildfire.[break][break]

Gunner caught the sound of Freya's voice over the roar of fire and water, and raised a hand in greeting. "Based on what I know of you, I don't mind at all," Gunner said as he drew near. "You're quite formidable. I'd hate for you to be my enemy."

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Gunner nodded at Shion's question about reports. He did not have much else to say on the subject, so it helped that she answered his question in turn. Sipping his latte, he listened closely to her explanation.[break][break]

"The world is enormous," he said. "But at the same time, it is much smaller than I first realized. What happens in other regions affects us here; what happens here affects the rest of the world."[break][break]

Though he maintained a neutral, serious expression, his thoughts flashed to Kanto and the war six years ago. Beneath the table, the hand resting on his thigh clenched into a fist — but only for a moment. After a few contemplative heartbeats, he relaxed his hand.[break][break]

"A lot of agents come to the HBIC seeking to change the world, so you're not alone," Gunner continued. "I was the same way. I was a foreign affairs analyst for the Department of Defense before changing careers."

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