soggypastry | 033 [Video/Action for Goldenrod + Anon Text]

[Private Text to: Riku and Xion]
Team Rocket's list of targets changed. You're both on it now, so stay sharp and watch your backs. I don't know when they'll move on any of us.
[/private texts]

[It's been almost three months since he left, with only a letter to say goodbye. To say that Lightning hadn't been thinking about him as the day that would have been thier first anniversary drew nearer would be a lie, and she's taken it with remarkable grace when all things are concerned.

Or maybe she's just used to getting left behind. Who knows. All she knows is there's a house on the beach with too many memories and dreams, and she can barely look at Lucky or Strike without expecting him to be right at her side. She has to put that part of her past to rest if she's going to be able to lead the Corps in the best way she can, and so she's come to the seaside once more. Something a young boy once taught her matters more than she ever thought it would now.

Those passing close to the Radio tower will find her crouched at the railing, a lit sparkler in one hand and a bottle with a letter in the other as her Lucario stands guard nearby, gear in paw. Today would have been special, if he were here. But he isn't and it's just one more anniversary of loss. One more thing that needs to be shaken off.]

Turn it off, Sen.

[The Lucario in question yelps, but it's only in surprise, not fear. Lightning's voice is steady and quiet, and she rises to her feet as the sparkler burns out and leaves ash in the wind. She moves to the railing now, but Sen manages to end the feed just as the bottle that was in her hand drops out of sight and into the ocean.

A few minutes later, however, something else hits the network. The fact that it's an anonymous text may make people wary, but there's nothing untoward about this one. No, this one is the exact opposites of the others that have gone out.]

[Anon Text]
If someone gave you a chance to help protect this world and everyone who lives here from the people who want to harm it, would you do it? Or would you stand by and watch it burn like the Lighthouse?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Lightning snorts, crossing her arms over her chest. She knows exactly what he's getting at.]

Some people who have been with us since we got started still need to learn about boundaries and protocol. [Shinn. Riku. Xion. A few others who need to learn to pick up their goddamned phones.]

Probably. But I think we'd need some kind of leadership structure in place to make any headway. Half of these people don't listen to me at all.

[hell, nearly all of what she says goes in one of Shinn's ears and out the other. Which..doesn't help.]

Then I think it's time we introduce something to that extent, right?

I understand that in a military perspective, they're all civilians, even myself [taps his chest for emphasis] but even civilians need boundaries or else they would have problems.

... To say the least.

And it's time the mavericks learn that doing something akin to a solo blitz would do no good. If words don't teach them, then actions may just do the trick.

The problem is introducing that kind of structure without scaring them off. Not a lot of people can handle taking orders like that, even if they know the reason behind them.

[she taps her fingers against her bicep, thinking it over for a minute. Can't deal with it? Face it later. The mavericks she can handle. Mostly.]

But you're right. We need to show them that their actions will have consequences within the Corps even if they don't face them from Team Rocket. We can't afford to have martyrs running around and making a mess of things.

Baby steps first, my first team said. We can give a few simple guidelines for everyone to follow, and when they're comfortable, we may introduce another.

[This is why companies have HR departments and managers, he thinks. Especially the Academy, when it grew so huge to actually run a whole city.

He's never been good at this. There's a reason why he spent all his time in R&D when he woke up in Academia, with machine guts up to his elbows and holographic interfaces flashing everywhere, and only surfacing when something that needed the Director came up.]

We can even ask the current members what they think-- a little more chaos, but a poll can help with the decision-making.

Or we could just introduce the entire thing and deal with the fallout later. We're going to lose people no matter what we do, with the way this place sends them back.

[Hell, at any second she could disappear and then where would they be? She needs to leave some kind of instructions. Something to work on, and soon. But for now she shrugs; deal with the things at hand first, Farron.]

We'd need to get everyone in the same place for that. [sigh.] Probably going to take months at the rate we're going. If they don't answer the phone why would they go out of their way for a meeting in a group they obviously don't care about?

Let's deal with the potential newcomers first, shall we? [One at a time and all that.]

Structure and limitations can come later when we're done with the recruits, as well as how to deal with our so-called problem members.

[Though since he has only training to do, he's probably going to start working on making this thing more organized.]

[A nod, and she takes a breath to deal with any nerves left. Calm your mind. Move on instinct. You've got this, Farron.]

I've gotten a couple to agree to meet with me at the Center in a week's time. Think you can be there when they show up?

[She can handle just about anything, really, but the feeling of having someone who has her back...she'd appreciate that more.]

I'll be there, don't worry. [It's not like he'd be anywhere else.

And he'd even let Palum walk around beside him for a bit of intimidation factor.]

What made you think I was worried? [She smiles faintly, glad that he's here again. If she had to do this alone...well. She's not and that's what matters. She can deal with her feelings later. For now, she has him and his support and that's what counts.]

We've got this. Some things in life you just do, remember?

I never forgot that.

[Man that was years ago.] And I never stopped doing.

033 [Video/Action for Goldenrod + Anon Text]

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