An enormous feline form descended upon the center of the battlefield. Gunner recognized it from reports on the resurfaced island. From the Rondez-view of Luv route for dahlia goode. In it, this leopardine Pokémon had killed the Commissioner. [break][break]

A shout tore from Gunner's throat as PENELOPE LIVY screamed in agony. Every instinct in him begged him to flee from the terror of two Ruinous Beasts, from the blackened RUINATION and overwhelming grasp of HATRED. But instead, he ran toward his boss. [break][break]

Hands swapped Pokémon with an economy of motion borne from muscle memory. Gunner's Zeraora disappeared into his capsule, replaced by a much larger and more fire-resistant ally: his Arcanine. As they reached Penelope's side, Gwyn ap Nudd positioned his body between the humans and the pillars of molten fire; the dog shot Chi-Yu a warning look before turning to his trainer. [break][break]

"Miss Livy, we need to retreat!" Gunner hissed as he grabbed her shoulder. When she did not move, too frozen by pain, he did not hesitate to scoop her up in his arms. "Gwyn ap Nudd!" [break][break]

The Arcanine howled. An instant later, they vanished in the familiar form of teleportation, along with Penelope's Blaziken and Chi-Yu. [break][break]

Later, after delivering his boss to a team of medics, Gunner sat alone at the League research station, his hands clasped together in an attempt to stop them from shaking. He recalled the name Elisabeth Fiorelli had called her companion: Cross. [break][break]

jayden cross, the true identity of the CEO of Wyndon Pharmaceuticals. [break][break]

Swearing viciously, Gunner stood and kicked his chair over in a fit of rage.

TAGS – PENELOPE LIVY jayden cross Elisabeth Fiorelli[break]
NOTES – mission

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Gunner shrugged, unsurprised by Yujin's admission. Many field agents, including him, preferred the solitude of their own company. Still, he could not help but be grateful for the people in his life. [break][break]

"I don't know. My brother will be the first to tell you I've made a lot of mistakes, but I'm still here. People knowing things about me hasn't killed me yet," he said, thinking back on the time GIDEON GRAVES learned of Gunner's real job as a spy. [break][break]

Though the younger Graves had been loath to admit it at first, keeping the truth as secret from his older brother had been the wrong decision. While it hadn't been the most bitter lesson of trust Gunner had learned, it was the one he most regretted. [break][break]

"You make it sound like you've been burned badly before," the man commented, leaving the door open for Yujin to enter if she wished.

TAGS – Yujin Ha[break]
NOTES – social

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How suspicious. Death threats were usually delivered to the intended target to instill fear, not to the police themselves for potential discovery of the deliverer's identity. Something about Delilah's story wasn't adding up, but Gunner did not think it was her testimony. [break][break]

No, he had a hunch she was telling the whole truth of what she knew. [break][break]

"Please do give us a call if you encounter anything suspicious or are witness to any serious crime," he encouraged, before opening the conference room's door and waiting for her to exit first. "I'll escort you to the front lobby."

TAGS – Delilah Silph[break]
NOTES – social

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Gunner finished his waffle cone, licking crumbs and ice cream drippings from his fingers. [break][break]

"I was going to ask you about that," he said, crumpling a napkin with the same hand. "It's not often Interpol sends agents this way, but it makes sense for you to come back with Team Rocket's increasing aggression." [break][break]

Leaning back in his seat, he draped an arm over the back of the chair, a casual gesture. [break][break]

"Should I expect to fight alongside you in the coming days?" he asked, a smile tugging at his lips as he eyed Yujin.

TAGS – Yujin Ha[break]
NOTES – social

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"Absolutely," Gunner said with a nod of his head. He made a mental note to do that as soon as they returned to headquarters after this planned sabotage. [break][break]

Safir chirped, sensing movement. His glittering eyes looked straight ahead down the nearby alley, into the shades of darkness that swathed it. According to intel, Team Rocket planned to use this route for their smuggling run that night. [break][break]

Both relief and satisfaction calmed Gunner's apprehension with the knowledge his Bureau had been right. [break][break]

"Right on cue," he murmured, stepping deeper into their hiding place to avoid being spotted. Safir, as a Darkness Pokémon, melded into the shadows. "I'll follow your lead, Connors."

TAGS – Greyson Connors[break]
NOTES – mission

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Kahadin reeled from the IRON HEAD, taking several steps backward as it recovered from the blow. Gunner saw how much of an uneven matchup the battle was, and how well Jack had trained his Pokémon. But he was not going to give up so easily, not even against someone he liked. [break][break]

Neither was Kahadin. It was the Iron Valiant's turn to go on the defensive, setting up a WIDE GUARD and watching the Aegislash closely. As soon as it saw an opening, it planned to strike. [break][break]

"Do you now? I'll keep that in mind," Gunner said. "If I remember correctly from the battle against Kyurem, your strength was in supporting others and tending to the injured. There's always room for that role on any team." [break][break]

The agent himself lacked Pokémon that knew healing moves for a long time. mila alexopoulos's injury had prompted him to add some to his team. Still, his lack of expertise in healing and support meant someone like Jack was invaluable to him.

TAGS – jack wainwright[break]
NOTES – mission

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Reports of DRK Triad activity in the Giant Chasm meant the HBIC was out in the field, searching for them. Eye witnesses described assailants in black, accompanied by Unown. Many trainers had fended them off, but one could not be too careful. [break][break]

As Gunner moved through the jungle, he watched the shadows and spaces between tree trunks for any glimpse of the interdimensional agents. He didn't find them, though. [break][break]

He found something worse. [break][break]

"Mila?!" [break][break]

Gunner's stomach was a cold, empty pit. He recognized that shock of purple-and-pink hair anywhere, and that Alolan Ninetales, too. His body moved on its own accord, rushing to where mila alexopoulos lay curled up on grass kissed by frost and made sticky by blood. [break][break]

Blood. An icy claw grasped Gunner's insides and twisted, hard. [break][break]

Immediately, he fell to his knees beside her, yanking off his uniform jacket and draping it over her shivering body. Afterward, he shuffled over to her legs, his heart pounding at the sight of the knife stuck into her flesh. [break][break]

"What are you doing here, darling?" Gunner asked Mila, his words wavering and his voice thick with emotions he could not name. [break][break]

Rage. Fear. Anguish. Heartache.

TAGS – mila alexopoulos[break]
NOTES – social

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Gunner shook his head. "I haven't spoken to either of them recently." [break][break]

He still hadn't shaken his simmering animosity toward Remiel Calcifet, even though the Galarian royal was considered a senior in the Rangers' Amnesty Program. [break][break]

At least CIAN MAHER's role as a mole was one Gunner understood and appreciated. However, the two men were only acquaintances; they had not kept in touch ever since their last exchange. [break][break]

"However, I can make a guess," Gunner said, "based on Chu-e Choi's interrogation while he was in our custody. He mentioned that Team Rocket has been working on a secret project to manufacture war machines. Artificial Pokémon." [break][break]

Gunner had submitted the report in the HBIC database after the interrogation. It was classified information, but now that Greyson was an Elite Four, he could read it at his leisure.

TAGS – Greyson Connors[break]
NOTES – mission

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Gunner almost choked on his pistachio ice cream at the vivid imagery painted by Yujin's words. He recovered quickly enough, managing a chuckle as he glanced sidelong at his companion. [break][break]

"You have a very active imagination," he said, his tone light. [break][break]

They sat just outside the ice cream shop, on painted patio furniture and patterned cushions. A welcome breeze tousled Gunner's hair and ruffled his clothes. [break][break]

"Hoenn's recent history is full of calamities. I'd say we locals have learned to carve out happiness whenever we can, and wherever we can find it." [break][break]

He crunched contentedly on the waffle cone, which was lined with chocolate.

TAGS – Yujin Ha[break]
NOTES – social

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The KING'S SHIELD totally nullified Kahadin's attack. It did not deter the Paradox Pokémon, however, who followed up with a LEAF BLADE in an attempt to find a weak point in its opponent's defense. [break][break]

"We did, thank Arceus," Gunner said. "Our missing personnel showed up a couple of days after they originally went missing. Head Ranger Morales confirmed the same for all his Rangers." [break][break]

The agent was not keen on revealing that the entire League Council had been the ones missing. The notion that the region's entire governing body, save for the Commissioner herself, could go missing for two days would be too much of a blow to the general public's sense of safety. [break][break]

"Unfortunately, the rumors about increasing tensions are right. We're still gathering intel, but I'm sure the Rangers will be some of the first to hear of any plans, once the Council has decided what to do." [break][break]

Jack did not need to know that freya morningstar had already forwarded her plans over to the HBIC, or that Gunner was already drawing up defensive strategies based on them. He would find out what they were soon enough.

TAGS – jack wainwright[break]
NOTES – mission

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Thunder rumbled and lightning lit up a darkened sky as rain began pouring over the desert. Gunner almost laughed at the absurdity. Earlier, they had been quarreling over a water bottle; now the fresh water was free for the taking. [break][break]

As was their victory. As GRASSY TERRAIN from lam logan's Decidueye cleared up the sudden downpour, Iseult raced up the growing vines and blossoming flora, power flowing through her from the verdant green. Empowered further by Comfey's LEECH SEED and Sceptile's DRAGON CHEER, she TERASTALLIZED once more. [break][break]

Her LEAF BLADE sliced through the air, smashing into the towering Bronzong with a teeth-chattering ringing noise. [break][break]

TAGS – freya morningstar lam logan robin coello[break]
NOTES – bounties of the lost[break]
– Leavanny uses LEAF BLADE on Bronzong (SNIPE)[break][break]

MODIFIER BREAKDOWN:[break]
+10 from SHIFT[break]
+20 from BOOST[break]
+60 from SUPPORT[break]
+10 from GIMMICK

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Gunner let freya morningstar continue the scolding while he focused on the battle. As lam logan's Decidueye returned from delivering a devastating blow to the Bronzong, his Leavanny stepped in to take her place. [break][break]

Iseult charged, greenery sprouting from the sands in her wake as she delivered a TRAILBLAZE to the Dynamaxed Pokémon. Then she whirled around, catching the billowing winds to retreat back to Gunner's side. [break][break]

TAGS – freya morningstar lam logan robin coello[break]
NOTES – bounties of the lost[break]
– Leavanny uses TRAILBLAZE on Bronzong (BOOST)

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