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It's sweet... Genny adores sweet. Sweet tooth, and the tea just hits the right spot. Her hazel eyes trail down to the tea itself.[break][break]

Her dreams aren't wrong, but the risk they come with, the road winds and turns. She can feel herself breathe heavier, trapped between both sides of the spectrum. On the one hand, stagnate. Never improve, and turn away. Paralyze the self, and be unable to move. Let it break her.[break][break]

Or remember the silver lining. The means to improve beyond what she is. The dream to make the world a better place, with everyone in it. The smiles of those she loves, those she has yet to meet. To bring a smile to someone's face, to brighten someone's day... the cost. Was it worth it?[break][break]

She's quiet.[break][break]

Turn and run, or stand and fight. Fight or flight. She can leave the corps. She could walk away. She can fight. She can stand when others cannot.[break][break]

"..." She's quiet. Another sip of tea, and she can think more clearly. Finally, she smiles. It's flimsy and weak, and it looks like anything can wipe it away like a cloth to a whiteboard. But there is hope in it. "I'm glad I have someone like you to look up to, Officer Concordas." He won't sugarcoat it. He's real with her. That's something she needs. Just like how ollie morales, lam logan, and Isaac Merlo are super supportive, Paxton is too. And that's something she values.[break][break]

No decision is made right now. Even in her smile, the tears begin to flow down her face, dotting her face, as she does so.[break][break]

Paxton may not have known it, but now he had become a role model to her. Enough so that she may attempt to arrest Rockets in the future, despite her status as a Ranger...

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Genevieve listens. Boy, does she listen. Like Paxton has some gospel, some silver bullet, some smoking gun that will end this pain. Like, it will be all better. But the more he talks, the more he lets loose, the further those words unload, the heavier it gets. The weight continues to build. Because she already knows everything he says is true.[break][break]

Every word.[break][break]

Her lips tremble. She can feel it trying to drag her down, draped over her skin like a scar for each death. Each weigh down harder, each push down further. But still... she remains quiet.[break][break]

It reinforces the part of her that went into this life. The eager girl who wanted to be a Ranger when she was young, now a Ranger and weighed down by the dream she had once held dear. But.[break][break]

But.[break][break]

Each Pokemon made the conscious choice to push her. Each sacrifice, pushes her forward. Every failure, calculated by love to ensure she keeps going. It's haunting. How much love she feels for them, returned as a ghostly whimper. Revolving around her into the grave dug for each. Each one another tear, with Paxton getting up, and Hopper teleporting some tissues. Something she takes, and pets Hopper, if given the chance.[break][break]

The Meowth-themed teacup does nothing to help her, save looking cute.[break][break]

Wiping her eyes... Paxton says it. This is the silver bullet. The straw that breaks the camel's back. It doesn't get better. And it hurts every time. And that has Genny's eyes fill with momentary despair. But.[break][break]

But.[break][break]

He's right. Was this what Genny wanted? Paxton was drafted. He was happy to go. But Genny...? Genny joined on a dream. Now, that dream was put into question.[break][break]

Why is everything so heavy?[break][break]

It's what Genny needed to hear. And as she closes her eyes, she inhales. She holds it for a few moments... and thinks of it all... every death... every fight... was it worth the pain?[break][break]

"I can't turn back now." She says it, and realizes what exactly those words meant. To turn her back on it after Mr. Business gave his life. Or all of those within that ephemeral dream, the warning it gave... it felt like she'd be betraying them. They died to make that push. They died because they loved her. She failed because she couldn't pull her weight.[break][break]

But the idea of another mission... that debilitated her. The fear grabbed at her.[break][break]

"I feel like such a hypocrite." Genny moves to get some tea, pouring it in, as she pulls it close. "... I want to be Head Ranger... but I'm afraid I'll lose more if I try..." And she would. Such is the nature of this dream. Aim as high as she can, but realize how far she can fall? An important lesson to be had.

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The promise of one of the most defensive Pokemon around has Genny smile towards the Honedge. Without even skipping a beat, she holds her hand out, knowing the scarf might drain her life force any moment. But instead, its eye blinks. It stares at Genny, and Genny waits.[break][break]

The handle meets her hand. A sophistication to it, as Genny smiles. The Honedge merely looks away. Yeah, this human wasn't the worst in the world. Once out of her grip, the Honedge would float a few feet away.[break][break]

"I like him." The Honedge hides behind Navy now. Metal grumbles echoing, not wanting to admit how sheepish they were now. This human wasn't all bad...[break][break]

Instead, Genny listens. To Dragons, how they're loners, watching Tormund jump up like a viking warrior to grab Dragonslayer to wield. To how they're great team players, or how a Scizor and a Rock-Type together would be excellent choices. All of this, mentally compartmentalized in her head, now on to-obtain list. And when he finishes, almost apologizing, Genny smiles.[break][break]

And shakes her head.[break][break]

"I'm here because I like listening to you, Sheriff. I'll have to look into a Scizor. And maybe a Tormund of my own." Hazel eyes softening at the idea. It doesn't matter how much of her ears are talked off. She believes wholeheartedly that the wisdom will go to good use. He said as much himself.[break][break]

When from the seat, her other two Pokeballs burst open, and Genny is now surrounded by the liquid metal of Balmung the Meltan, and the shiny green Sandshrew, Gordo. Both of them popping out and waving at Navy. They didn't want to be left behind, and Genny finds herself grinning.[break][break]

"Ah. After we talked on Route 105... I found these two. Not together, but. They were two of my most recent finds. Balmung, Gordo. This is Sheriff Michael Navidson. Navy, for short." The Meltan squelches best they can, attempting to go for a handshake itself, as Gordo rolls around in a pseudo ROLLOUT, only going in a singular circle.[break][break]

They were still young. Genny grins. She did take his advice, after all.

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The crush fades from her heart. She can't be more than friends like this. And her conscience overrides any id that attempts to take the hunk of man before her. Instead, she grips his hand tightly.[break][break]

They don't have to be perfect all the time. The smile on her face was getting bigger.[break][break]

Apologies don't fix everything. That's true. But as she leans her head on Ollie's arm, she nods. "You tried. Tha's more than a lot of guys." She can relate. Her boyfriend before Elio decided to choose surfing over her, and didn't apologize. Or how about the two-timer in high school? Yeah... guys were the worst.[break][break]

"Y'u came to'my apar'ment, just ta'make sure I was good." They weren't dating. They weren't even like that. Whatever that was.[break][break]

...[break][break]

Better to ask. "C-Can y'gimme more water... tell me wha'happened." Between him. And the girl he loved.

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Either she was too drunk to know, or she never knew to begin with. She chalks it up to drunkenness. There's no way she could have not known. A woman she idolized had such a perfect brother? What the heck, this wasn't fair at all.[break][break]

And then he started going into it. And Genny's face went from disbelief. He wasn't a good big brother? How he left her behind to go study in Hoenn, now that one... it painted a relatable picture. She had moved so far away from her parents, leaving them behind to pursue her own dream... she can't blame Ollie.[break][break]

The shot on Laurence Anderson has her giggling, snorting from the thought of the guy he met in the ice lands knocked into Rapidash poop, until-[break][break]

The last part.[break][break]

It's sobering a little... to hear that. But Genny tries to shake it off. "Y-" She speaks, her lips trying to speak before she can. But she pulls back. She thinks of what to say to that.[break][break]

Reaching for his hand, she holds it with both of her's. "Di'you apologize?" It was then, even drunk, she realized how one-sided her crush really was... even if there's part of her that still looks at Ollie like the big hunk of man he is, the other wants to help... even drunk, when her world makes no sense, and the walls break down, she still wants to help people.[break][break]

Helping Ollie like he just helped her.

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Oh, there's plenty of room, alright. And she can feel herself puffing up with heat at the fact of it. Yes, there was a lot of room. A lot of room for activities. A lot of friendly, normal, everyday activities. And when Izzy comes into the room, Genny feels herself staring blankly forward. This was both a dream and a nightmare. A dream, because she had thought about this kind of night.[break][break]

A nightmare, because now she had to expose that she had thought about this kind of night. When she turns around though, and sees Isaac place the blankets on the bed, she feels like she can breathe again. 'Not that kind of activity.'[break][break]

No matter how much she tries to not think about it, she's thinking about it.[break][break]

Closing the door, and brightening up slightly, locking it up, she moves towards the bed. Her makeup and beauty tools were in a nice box on a dresser, and while there was a TV here, without power it was just a glorified paperweight.[break][break]

With heat still on her cheeks, she remarks. "It's still a good winter." And she wants to add because you're here, but she goes against that sentimentality, and merely moves in. Instead of simply just taking any blankets though, she points to the bed.[break][break]

"Sit."[break][break]

It was still her room. As soon as he does, she puts her back to his. Part of her didn't want him to see her like this again. But his body heat felt... nice.[break][break]

Nice was an understatement. Intoxicating.[break][break]

"Keep your back to me, okay Izzy?" she requests... nothing but these two, alone together. "Wanna play a little truth or dare?" It was a game she played a little in school. Alola parties were bangers all the time.[break][break]

"It'll pass the time..." melancholy paints her words. She's definitely not herself. But the fact is, she's already starting to tear up. She can't let him see her like this.

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Genny is able to sit up straight. It's not without worry, as she wobbles to and frou. No amount of water will stop the hangover, but at least Ollie is putting in the best shot he can.[break][break]

"Ye'? Name... four!" She's a little selfish in her drunken state, and though her arbitrary number was four, she did so with a huff, as she leans her head against the headrest of the couch, holding onto it like a lifeboat on the open sea of poor decisions she sailed.[break][break]

Wait. Eva?[break][break]

"Doc'r... Ev... wait-"[break][break]

Ooooooooooooh...

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ollie morales had done something in minutes that she needed more than anything; someone to be there. Someone in her corner. Even when he doesn't make notes of it, notes of her drunken behavior, how she nearly flushed away her career, instead he focuses on the movies. Instead, he goes to get her some water, and to help her sit upright. She's swimming still, but she could stabilize.[break][break]

He's too good for this world.[break][break]

"Th'nks Ollie." She makes a sharp hiccup, as she reaches down for the water, and downs it. She holds up Lion King, and smiles. "Was Mr. Bin'es' favorite." The memory of that little Darmanitan has her eyes well up, but she's able to wipe it away.[break][break]

... and then she says something stupid.[break][break]

"I's not fair. Why are you so perfe't?" It's a compliment, and one that makes Genny grumpy. And in some way, her fishing for relationship status.[break][break]

Not knowing the box she was about to open.

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All the agreement from the blonde were nice. It made sense why to keep it shorter. As she'd come to find out in the coming days on Route 105, longer hair can lead to some problems. But it's not that. Not right away.[break][break]

Genny's smile fades entirely. The question over specifics, gentle as it is, only makes her remember more. And the harrowing experience it all is.[break][break]

"There was a mission in Ultra Sea. My first time commanding a group of people... I was unprepared." Her eyes prick with tears, a hand moving to cover her face. But she shakes it off. "One of my Pokemon sacrificed themselves... for me." And that's not all. No, that sadness continues to snowball. "Then, the mission with the dogs. I feel like... I can kind of recall bits and pieces of it. I kept losing Pokemon."[break][break]

The worst yet.[break][break]

"Is this what it's always been like?" Her question sounds more pleading. Like she wants Paxton to tell her, that her's is just a freak accident. Like that will make it any better.

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The compliment from Thomas is taken with a little smile, the hug shared was friendly, with a pat on the back for the man.[break][break]

The commotion by the bar... sheesh. A lot really was going down over there. A little too much for Genny to pop over. But when both of her girliegangs talk, first with Desi's comment on the dark-haired one having eyes for her, a puff of red hits her cheeks. Her hands move towards her cheeks. Oh she's blushing. And Yuina's idea to go over and talk to him.[break][break]

She's a mess, and her heart is beating all over the place, like a wrecking ball trying to get out of her chest, and she takes a deep breath.[break][break]

With a whisper to Yuina, all she has to say is his name. And Yuina knows who now.[break][break]

She realizes that no, she won't go disturb him. He looked busy. Not to mention, the other one was gone now. "Maybe later?" She can't keep putting it off, she really can't. She knows she can't. God he looks good. Does he smell good? Wait, why is she on smell again? She's BEEN here. 'Stop Genny, it was ONE time!'[break][break]

When she kissed his cheek afterwards too... and she still had the shirt too...[break][break]

Aaaaaanyways...[break][break]

A healthy distraction, eyes going over to FERNANDO SILPH as she stared a moment. Apparently, Thomas had some gripes with the guy, but Genny had never met him before. Uncertain why he'd think so, she bubbles back up, hazel eyes now on the ladies nearest to Mr. Silph. She should really go talk to them, they looked beautiful tonight, both freya morningstar and Eva Morales.[break][break]

No more avoiding it.[break][break]

"I'll get a drink in a bit. I have someone I want to really speak with." Taking a breath in, a sharp, SHARP inhale, she makes her way over to both ladies. Her legs are shaking. And her heart is all over the place. And when she gets another glass of eggnog, because of course she does to help the nerves, she finally gets nearest them both... with half the glass now empty.[break][break]

"Hi!" She's trembling, poor girl... terrified. Like what if she made a bad impression? "M-May I join you?" Does she look pathetic? She hopes she doesn't. She really looked up to her.

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It's nothing but humidity and lush jungle air. Genny finds her face coated in sweat, and again, for what must be the third time in these simulations, she throws off her Ranger coat. Might as well not even have it to begin with, but the winter air makes it necessity.[break][break]

But the moment it hits the ground in the jungle, Genny hears the ear-splitting scream, as she grabs at her ears, a stampede of Archen and Shieldon making a break for it.[break][break]

And gritting her teeth, Genny frowns forward.[break][break]

"PLEASE STOP." She roars out back, but even her own voice is muffled.[break][break]

With her Mudkip at her side, she begins racing towards the screaming, intent to subdue the thing screaming. Whatever the heck it was, because if not, she was going to lose her mind.

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The Hoenn desert...[break][break]

Genny's certain of it. Same landmarks... but from a time far gone. Work done on a big temple or tomb. The heat is omni-present, having Genny ditch her Ranger jacket. Her undershirt letting her midriff breathe, as she looks around.[break][break]

"Excuse me-" she asks a worker, a person from way back, working on an incomplete tomb. Her face pulses with uncertainty and curiosity. But when they say go to the tomb... Genny finds herself less than thrilled to go alone.[break][break]

Rubbing at her head, she up at the massive tomb they had... taking a breath in. What she'd give for someone else to join her right about now...

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