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

That depends on your definition of good.

[Sen snorts, finally backing down but staying near his trainer as she ruffles his ears and keeps her eyes on Ren. Man's risking a lot.]

You sure you should be talking to me in the open? Wouldn't your superiors frown on you not taking the advantage and taking out a high priority target?

[she's assuming that Cobra's high enough of a rank to order such a hitlist without getting in trouble, but she could be wrong. Etro, she hopes she is.]

[Ren shrugs. He's aware of the risks, but doesn't seem too bothered by them, for now.]

The only order I got is to report any information you get on the targets. If I'm seen and asked what I was doing, I can always say that I'm gathering information and make up some stuff they want to hear.

[Well then. She's not sure whether to call him reckless or not at this point.]

Such as?

[Sorry, man. She'd like to have all the facts before this escalates. Again.]

[You can call him reckless once he gets into trouble. For now he's doing pretty well with being sneaky.]

Maybe things like where you might be supposedly headed. Let's say... some town in Kanto. Lavender Town, maybe. [Good thing he knows all the towns as he's played the game.]

If someone actually goes there, I can say that it was "might" not "definitely".

[Quite well. Not that she knows that, hence the extra top-off of wariness. Goodness. This may go badly.]

And how long do you think it'll work before they catch on that you're feeding false information to them? I doubt they're all as stupid as Cobra is.

If I don't give them too much information, they won't need to be suspicious of me.

[It's not like he's going to be meeting Lightning public enough to gather more information than that... even if he'd sure like to meet her more, but never mind that.]

Besides, the orders were from Cobra himself. I'm not going to tell anyone else anything unless ordered so and I doubt anyone else will ask anytime soon.

[She doesn't mention that she's already suspicious of his motives and just moves her bangs from her eyes. She doesn't trust this guy as far as she can throw him, so wariness stays.]

So long as you're sure about that. There's a lot riding on this. [a glance up at the radio tower.] A lot more than most people realize.

[Trust isn't something you can build without effort. He's fully prepared that his name might be given to cops because of trust issues... yet he's still taking the risk.]

Sometimes you only realize how important something is when it's too late.

[Not the cops, actually. His name would reach people who don't quite get the risk and rewards of giving someone with intel a chance to prove that he's not a threat. They wouldn't give him two weeks jail time, that's for sure.]

Sometimes. I guess we'll see how things turn out from here. Can't know what'll happen until then.

That's most likely the only course of action right now. [There hasn't been any news on what Team Rocket is up to, after all. At least not anything Ren would know anyway.]

I should go to work before they start wondering where I am.

[A nod; it's certainly the most obvious course of action, at least. They can deal with the rest later.]

Then go. You're risking enough as it is.

[For which she is actually kind of grateful, but...not showing it. Not now.]

[At most he'd most likely get complaints from the Game Corner staff, but... it never hurt to be careful. This wasn't a game, after all. He is sort of walking on thin ice.]

I'll keep you informed if the list changes or something else you should know happens. Otherwise... good luck with everything.

[He then starts walking away from the place.]