[attr="class","text"]

More and more, Gunner found himself spending time at Summer's luxury apartment. He'd leave work at the law firm, check in with his bosses at the HBIC, then make this way to Mauville Hills. Sometimes he stayed the night, while at other times, he'd return to his own home in Slateport after a couple of hours.[break][break]

But more often than not, he stayed the night.[break][break]

Gunner reached Summer's side and kissed her in greeting. "Hey," he said back, voice soft. Only when he took a good look at her did he see how exhausted she was. "Long day today?"[break][break]

The Thievul demanded his attention, so he reached down and scratched it behind the ears. "Hey, Loki. How are you? Taking good care of your owner?"

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

[attr="class","text"]

Gunner did not normally help private security companies, but the safety of the region was of utmost priority, especially now. He lent his Porygon, Rion, who listened to the commands doled out to the other temporary employees, then floated away to help with tasks.[break][break]

In particular, Rion was assigned to process thousands of faces to help finetune the AI. Inserting itself into the system, the Virtual Pokémon scanned image after image, only stopping to eat and drink before resuming its work.[break][break]

Once it finished processing the images, Rion tested the AI's capabilities to see if it could recognize certain aspects of a face that distinguished it as human. After all, several Pokémon could potentially fool the software — Mr. Mime, Ditto, and even primates like Chimchar and its evolutions.

[attr="class","ooc"]

[attr="class","text"]

While the Froslass screamed in agony as the fire consumed her, she gave Mordred an opportunity to knock her out with NIGHT DAZE. Her shrieks abruptly ceased as her body slumped to the ground.[break][break]

Seeing this, her owner recalled her into a Pokéball and dashed off, leaving her companion behind.[break][break]

Mordred dropped his illusion. The Zoroark sniffed at the unconscious body of the Rocket grunt, then raised his head to Gunner quizzically.[break][break]

The agent merely crossed his arms over his chest. "There'll be more. She'll bring reinforcements, most likely." He glanced with disdain at the man on the ground. "What are you going to do with him?"

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

[attr="class","text"]

"Swallow?" Gunner echoed, alarmed by Angelo's word choice. But he didn't argue. Instead, he whistled sharply over the din of the HURRICANE winds, summoning his Zoroark to his side. Mordred returned, obedient, to his Pokéball.[break][break]

Gunner turned away from the beach, tugging on his companion's arm. "Let's get out of here! Merlin, we're retreating!"[break][break]

The Alakazam nodded as his eyes glowed bright purple — the same hue of psychic energy that hovered far above them. Then, in an instant, the two men and their Pokémon vanished, reappearing a safe distance away to the south.[break][break]

Gunner looked over at Angelo, his pale hair windswept. "What was that?" he demanded — though between the sudden squall and the other man's brightly glowing eyes, he could have been asking about either of them.

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

[attr="class","text"]

Gunner nodded, glad to be free of the dangers that the other Salamence imposed upon them. He recalled his own Dragon-type before releasing his Zoroark, freshly recovered from previous battles. However, the illusory form he took upon emerging from his capsule was…[break][break]

…of a Salamence.[break][break]

"Mordred, go for the ghost," Gunner ordered quietly so that only those next to him could hear. The false dragon gave a silent nod, then leaped with shocking alacrity toward the Rocket underboss and his Banette.[break][break]

Weaving around the BULLET PUNCH, Mordred lashed out with NIGHT DAZE.

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

[attr="class","text"]

The second DAZZLING GLEAM was powerful enough to knock Mordred into a wall of the alley. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. Gunner swore, running to his Pokémon's side and removing a Pokéball to recall the fox back to safety.[break][break]

Since the Dhelmise had vanished, Gunner's Salamence swooped toward the Shadow Gardevoir. He swiped with a STEEL WING, hoping to knock the Pokémon farther away from his master.[break][break]

We need to leave, Gunner realized, keenly aware that the Dhelmise was coming back any second. He stood, Mordred's Pokéball clipped back onto his belt. Bruin is too injured to fight two against one.[break][break]

He stole a quick glance down both ends of the alleyway.

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

[attr="class","text"]

Gunner's Zoroark darted from enemy Pokémon to enemy Pokémon, exchanging blows before throwing up confusion illusions of many other Pokémon joining the fray. The special agent watched Mordred at work, palming another Pokéball in case the black fox needed backup.[break][break]

It was then that Angelo nudged Gunner's arm, prompting him to look skyward.[break][break]

A tiny object, bright purple, hung against the backdrop of night. Larger than a star or passing aircraft, Gunner could only guess at what it could be.[break][break]

"What do you think — friend or foe?" he asked the pilot, even as the Pokéball rolled from his hand to release his Alakazam. Merlin could raise himself above the din of battle to investigate if needed.

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

[attr="class","text"]

The cloaked figure sneered as the pistol clattered on the ground at Lam's feet. "Very well. Some of you are unwilling to dirty your hands in the name of justice. That makes you all the more complicit! Seize him!"[break][break]

The crowd roared and rushed at both Lam and, by association, Gunner, their arms outstretched, fingers sharpened into bloody claws. Instinctively, Gunner shoved himself between the throng and Lam, releasing a Pokéball at the same time. His Hisuian Typhlosion appeared in a flash of light.[break][break]

"LAVA PLUME!" Gunner ordered. She obeyed at once, blasting the charging crowd with an enormous fan of fire. Horrible screams filled the air, even though the apparitions vanished, unharmed.[break][break]

A sharp BANG caused Gunner to twist toward the stairs. The cloaked figure had shot the woman. No longer did she kneel on the stone; instead, her corpse slumped forward, gushing blood from a head wound.[break][break]

Gunner swore under his breath at the grisly scene.

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

[attr="class","text"]

Perhaps Caleb had a point. Rangers were trained to act as leaders and authority figures in times of need, yet not one but two deaths had occurred during that expedition into the Border. Anyone in such a position would feel guilty.[break][break]

At the same time, Gunner was used to not having a boss on the field. None of his superiors at the HBIC — PENELOPE LIVY included — typically went on missions with him. If he made mistakes, they were his own fault.[break][break]

But before Gunner could say anything, Caleb's Pokémon returned from scouting the area. Gunner turned his attention to the direction the Lokix indicated, palming a second Pokéball in case their two Pokémon weren't enough.[break][break]

The Rockets stepped from the treeline, their own Pokémon at their side: a Froslass and an Electivire. They approached the cave entrance, gazes turned up, tricked by the illusion to think they had to climb to reach the other side of the rockslide.[break][break]

Unnoticed by the terrorists or their Pokémon, Gunner gestured with his hand to Mordred. The Zoroark nodded silently, then opened his mouth and unleashed a FLAMETHROWER at the Froslass. The Ice-type uttered a shrill scream, badly burned by the plume of fire.

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

[attr="class","text"]

The PSYCHO CUT hit its mark, smashing into the side of Guinevere's head, knocking her unconscious in an instant. She collapsed onto the ground, the heavy thud of her bulk distracting Gunner from his own fight. He stopped mid-kick, saving himself from the acute agony of a knee injury.[break][break]

Instead, the Rocket operative's knife slashed the side of Gunner's leg as he turned toward his fallen Typhlosion. Wincing, he stepped back and took out Guinevere's Pokéball to recall her. At the very least, his Zoroark was able to dodge the Sinistea's SUCKER PUNCH and counter with another NIGHT DAZE.[break][break]

Two rifts suddenly opened nearby and figures dressed in dark clothing stepped out. Their nondescript outfits and their face-covering masks suggested their affiliation with Team Rocket.[break][break]

Realizing he had suddenly become outnumbered, Gunner called out to Mordred. "Castle kingside!"[break][break]

The Zoroark returned to his side and conjured an illusion of a smoke bomb. At the same time, Gunner threw a scatterbang, the noise and bright light enough to buy them time for a retreat. He and his Pokémon fled, sneaking away to fight another day.

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

[attr="class","text"]

"Good idea," Gunner said, nodding in agreement. "I haven't watched a comedy in a long time."[break][break]

His real job and his fake job aside, he simply didn't have a sense of humor that matched a lot of popular comedies. That didn't mean he didn't find certain wit funny, but he was very peculiar about it.[break][break]

Using the remote, he selected a movie he enjoyed in his younger years, wondering if Summer had ever watched it before. Well, he was about to find out.

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

[attr="class","text"]

Gunner hesitated when Lam asked for his name in return. It was only normal, yet he functioned best as an anonymous arm of the League government. But establishing trust would come easier if Lam could identify him, so Gunner lowered his mask, revealing his face, and said, "I'm Agent Graves."[break][break]

As their surroundings shifted, Lam's nervousness and unease heightened. He even seemed to hide behind Gunner. There was no way this man was a threat, the agent decided.[break][break]

"The interdream mist plays off our subconscious. Our dreams and memories."[break][break]

As Lam took a step forward, so did Gunner, leading the way through a crowd that jostled him from all sides. For a hallucination, they felt so real. He even shoved a man away who yelled at him to watch it, though he still could not see any of their faces. The figures stubbornly kept their backs to him.[break][break]

At least until he stood at the front of the crowd, looking up the stairs at the cloaked man and the woman on her knees. When Gunner turned to glance back at the crowd, their faces were fuzzy and distorted, glitching out with pixelation.[break][break]

The man at the top of the steps was yelling about punishing gym leaders who grew fat on the fees required to challenge them. Gunner could not see the man's face beneath his hood. His one hand remained fisted in the woman's hair, while the other held a pistol.[break][break]

"You!" the man yelled at Lam, gesturing with the gun. "Show everyone here how we punish those who turn their backs on the people!"[break][break]

The gun glinted in a sudden firelight. Buildings burned around them, deepening the shadows of night. When had it darkened?[break][break]

Gunner looked at Lam, tense, waiting to see how he would react.

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

[attr="class","text"]

"You won't lose me," Gunner promised, leaning down to kiss her before she left to wash up.[break][break]

He hoped he could keep that promise, though the growing pit in his stomach filled him with doubt. Pushing that side, he flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV, flipping through the menu to load Netflix.[break][break]

Perhaps a movie would take his mind off the day's revelation and allow him to enjoy the rest of his day with Summer.[break][break]

When she returned and joined him on the sofa, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Is there anything in particular you want to watch? Any genre or title?"

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