Jackal nodded and opened the door to the shed. Inside was a single table, a singular light barely flickering... and the most miserable person Jackal had ever seen inside.

It took a moment or two for him to register the features of the individual. The red hair had faded, the face was gaunt, it looked like she was having trouble eating.

"Banshee," Jackal commented.

~Our very first raid boss,~ Hayon commented.

Miranda looked up, "Just... call me Miranda. I need to talk, this is big and I need help."

Jackal looked to Gaia, a brow subtly quirking behind his mask.

Orre - Outskirts

-Gaia's expression is inscrutable behind her near-opaque visor, but she seems to spend a few moments appraising Miranda before speaking again.-

Gaia: ...You say you need help. Why come to us instead of Interpol? To my understanding, they were the ones who arranged for you to be placed under protection in the first place.

Slumbering Weald, Killer Bunny Battle (pre-Motostoke)

(The killer Scorbunny is thrown back, looking a lot worse for the wear— but still as feisty as ever, and now fully prepared to attack every single one of Gail's Pokemon. He lunges directly towards Ignacio and aims directly for his face, before grabbing Pandora and Vatista in his ears and planning to take all three of their eyes out. Freddie looks on, with tears about to come to his eyes. Again. He shakes his head a few times, refusing to believe a thing of what he is seeing... and then turns towards Elton.)

Freddie: (tearing up) <E-Elton?>

(Elton turns to him)

Elton: <Eh? What is it, Freddie?>

(Freddie looks down for a few moments, and then:)

Freddie: (in tears) <I... I don't like it... what he's doing... I don't want anybody to hurt my friends or poke their eyes out... I mean... I know that giant Corviknight is scary— really scary— but I don't think he'd hurt me...>

(beat)

Elton: <Um... Vatista's a girl.>

Freddie: (starting to tear up even more) <Oh dear Arceus, I assumed her gender... a-anyways... um...>

(He gulps, and then turns towards the killer Scorbunny, and then looks towards Elton.)

Freddie: <D-do you... do you think I can take him out...?>

(Elton lights up immediately upon hearing that Freddie is willing to battle, and jumps up into the air.)

Elton: <Do I think you can?! DO I THINK YOU CAN?! Freddie, are you crazy?! I know you can! Now go on— get that killer Scorbunny and nail 'im to the floor, why dontcha?!>

(Freddie hesitantly nods, goes up to the killer Scorbunny, and taps him on the shoulder. Almost immediately, the killer Scorbunny turns towards Freddie, ready and fully prepared to attack him. Freddie looks towards Geddy and Elton, both of whom nod at him, before holding up his tail like a shield and turning straight towards the Scorbunny.)

Freddie: (utterly terrified) <I just want you to know beforehand t-that I am really, really sorry about this... I hope that Arceus themself will be able to forgive me...>

(A pause, and then...)

Freddie: (bursts into tears, releasing giant bursts of water from his eyes directly at the killer Scorbunny)

(The killer Scorbunny is thrown backwards, directly towards Ian and Evelyn.)

Motostoke Stadium Lobby

Daisuke: That was quite a battle, I'd say.

Evelyn: Dad?! When did you get here? And besides that, are you okay? You look like a wreck.

Daisuke: Well, I got here just before your battle started, and you shouldn't have to worry about that...

-Beat-

Daisuke: -to Ian- Oh. I am dreadfully sorry. I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Daisuke Promeneau. I can tell that you already know my daughter.

Me: Yep. Evelyn and I are good friends. I'm Ian, from Nuvema Town in the Unova Region. Nice to meet you.

-Ian and Daisuke shake hands.-

Daisuke: You don't have to worry about introducing me to your friends. I've already had the honor of meeting Kimberly Bond and Hoops, though I don't think Hoops likes me too much...

Me: Well, how about that? By the way, Evelyn has a point. Are you okay? You look like you got thrown out of a third story window...

Daisuke: Well... I wouldn't say "third story", but yes. And I wasn't so much "thrown" as "I jumped out the window of my own free will".

-Beat-

Daisuke: I know, that sounds like something a crazy person would do, but in my defense, I didn't want to miss a single moment of Evelyn's Gym Battle.

Spooky House, the Gang's All Here

-Ian turns around and sees Kim with a Herdier.-

Me: Hey, Kim! How's it going?

Evelyn: And who's that Pokémon?

-Evelyn checks her Pokédex.-

Evelyn's Pokédex: Herdier, the Loyal Dog Pokémon, and the evolved form of Lillipup. A Normal Type. It has black, cape-like fur that is very hard and decreases the amount of damage it receives. It loyally follows its Trainer's orders. For ages, they have helped Trainers raise Pokémon. However, it refuses to listen to anything said by a person it doesn't respect.

Evelyn and Hatty: <It's so nice to meet you, Herdier.

Slumbering Weald, Tactical Rabbit Incoming!

Evelyn: Now, Hatty! Use Dazzling Gleam!

Hatty: <Got it!>

-Hatty focuses her heart and mind on a brilliant light as Evelyn counts in the background...-

Evelyn: One... Two... Five!

-Ian quickly interjects to correct Evelyn.-

Me: Three, m'lady. Three.

-Hatty surrounds herself in a brilliant rainbow light and charges at the Killer Scorbunny, singing a fanfare as she does so.-

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Nov 9th 2020 at 11:48:22 AM

Miranda looked panicked, her breathing almost seemed to quicken, "No... they cannot know I'm here."

Jackal placed a hand under his chin and then said, "The guild. They'd know wouldn't they?"

Miranda nodded, "We have plants in Interpol, rotating of course. They press a bit of legal power to avoid us being caught... or if we are that it is stuck under a backlog of legalese... me, I was bad enough to be declared a lost asset. They would've stuck me in a terrible place where my fate-"

"Would've been chalked up to unfortunate circumstances," Jackal finished.

"Yes... I can tell by the way you're moving you're considering if you can trust anyone in Interpol. It's just a few plants, any more and things would become too obvious. For us it's about avoiding being caught, discretion is our weapon," Miranda explained.

Jackal looked to Gaia, "So you need our help. Cause we can do things without the Plants being informed."

"Yes," Miranda commented, "It involves another Hunter. Do this right and you'll not only stop him, but recover possibly hundreds of stolen mons in the process."

That got Jackal's full attention.

Motostoke Post

Hoops turns to Kim. "Yeah, my battle is up next. They said it would be a half hour wait so that Kabu can recover and they can reset the pre-battle challenge, so I have a little but of time."

To everyone they say "I hope you'll stick around and watch. Except for you Daisuke. You don't have to stay."

Motostoke Stadium Lobby

-Daisuke turns to face Hoops and sticks his tongue out at them, causing Evelyn to facepalm.-

Evelyn: Real mature, dad...

Motostoke Stadium Gym Entrance Room

(Geddy and Peechee take note of Daisuke and run up to him.)

Geddy: <Oh! Hello there! I'm Kim's Popplio. My name's Geddy; I don't know if you saw me comforting Hoops...>

Peechee: <Hi~! My eemya is Peechee! It's very horrorshow ^note  nice to meet you! My sincerest appy polly loggies if you can't pony me- I govoreet Nadsat. Also, I don't mess if you slooshied ^note  heard me creeching ^note  screaming — I can itty ^note  go a bit bezoomny ^note  crazy during a bitva...>

Geddy: (beat, blushes) <I don't know if you understood what he was saying...>

Oh Basement Gang Mine

(Kim starts to panic.)

Kim: "Thank god you're here— I am not fine— at all— I found a gun and now am under the firm belief that I will either die tonight or am in for a terrible omen..."

(The Herdier smiles at Ian and Evelyn.)

Herdier: <It is nice to meet you, too!> (He pauses, then:) <No, seriously, what is an "omen"?>

Slumbering Weald- Killer Scorbunny Fight

Elton, Kim, Geddy: (all start singing) " <This is the greatest PLAAAAAAAAAN—!!>"

(The killer Scorbunny is immediately thrown back directly towards Hoops.)

Orre - Outskirts

-Once again, Gaia's tinted visor betrays nothing of her expression, and she remains as still and silent as a robot for a few seconds before looking to Jackal and speaking again.-

Gaia: Silence is simple enough to promise. We operate outside of Interpol's knowledge and authority as a matter of course. But we need more information. For all we know, this could be the last ploy of a desperate woman who knows she has outlived her usefulness and seeks to deliver us to her former masters in the hope of buying some reprieve. If there are truly so many lives at stake... then we have to know what we'd be getting ourselves into.

Jackal calmly placed his left hand onto the table, and slowly there was a sickening crunching noise as he slowly dug the metal fingers into the table.

Miranda did not respond, "I'm probably dead either way. Hunter Number 6, Michael Smith. Scratch, that's who you have to go after."

Jackal leaned back, "That name sounds familiar."

"He runs the Brimstone Hotel and Casino, buried deep underneath are the vaults, where he secures all the winnings, funds, and product for his casino. As Scratch however he works similar to Number 3, Sphinx. He and his goons ferry product in and out and even hold dealings and auctions for collectors, there are possibly hundreds of mons trapped in trophy form down there," Miranda explained.

~We ran what we could find about Scratch, apparently likes to play into his image, deal with the devil type of thing,~ Hayon noted, ~Even dressing up himself and his goons in a blood red Devil look complete with horns.~

Miranda nodded, "He's the reason I'm calling for help. He visited me a little bit ago and said that if I don't play along he's selling me out, make no bones about this I am desperate and I am using you to protect myself. I just know you won't do so without significant reason."

That took Jackal a little off guard, honesty, "And you want us to do what?"

"Destroy him. Break in, steal everything from him and let him rot when the Guild comes to collect."

Hayon nodded, ~And suddenly no matter what he says or what he has to offer it is worthless.~

Miranda nodded.

Jackal opened a subvocal comm to Gaia, "I was about to dismiss a lot of what she's saying, until she admitted to just wanting to use us. I think this desperation may have something more concrete behind it. Do we take the job?"

Slumbering Weald

Hoops sees the Scorbunny coming at them. "Whoa, who, whoa!"

They grab a pokeball and throw it at the Scorbunny. "Kit, use Bite!"

A Nickit appears on the ground and sees the pokemon running towards him. He screams and runs to hide behind his trainer. Hoops screams at well, but Kec jumps in the way and turns dark coloured as he aims a Sucker Punch at the Scorbunny.

Motostoke Stadium

Hoops gives Daisuke a withering glare.

"Anyway," they say to the others. "I'm going to get a pastie before my battle. Unless you want to come I'll be back soon."

Spooky House

Evelyn: An "omen" is either an event regarded as a portent of good or evil, or an object of prophetic significance. Meaning, something big's gonna happen...

Slumbering Weald- Killer Scorbunny Fight

(The killer Scorbunny is aimed directly towards Elton, who glares down at him.)

Elton: (livid) <Well... Thought you could 'urt my friends, now didja?!>

(The killer Scorbunny growls at Elton— but Elton isn't going down without a fight, and he makes that point all the more clear as he jumps up into the air, preparing to launch a Double Kick directly at him.)

Elton: <WE'LL JUST 'AVE TA SEE ABOUT THAT, THEN!>

(And with that said, he bounces back down, aims his foot at the killer Scorbunny, and launches the Double Kick, which sends the killer Scorbunny flying.)

(The killer Scorbunny is shot into the air...)

Wyndon

(...and is thrown all the way towards Wyndon Stadium, landing directly on top of it, finally defeated.)

Slumbering Weald

(Back in the Slumbering Weald, Geddy, Elton, and Freddie all cheer loudly. Kim, meanwhile, grins.)

Elton: (delighted) <Alright~!>

Geddy: <We got 'em!>

Freddie: (immensely relieved) <Oh, thank goodness... I can rest now...>

Kim: (smiles) "That was an absolutely wonderful job by all of you. Especially you, Freddie. You're far braver than you think you are."

Freddie: (pauses) <I am...?>

Elton: (happily picking up Freddie) <ARE YOU?! Are you kidding?! You used Water Gun on the killer Scorbunny; how is that not bravery?!>

(Mere seconds later, Freddie starts freaking out.)

Freddie: <Oh no... o-oh no... d-did I kill him?! Please tell me I didn't kill him...!>

Elton: <Ah, don't ya worry, Freddie! You didn't kill 'im! Ya just made 'im faint is all.>

(Freddie sighs with immense relief.)

Freddie: (to himself) <Ohthank Arceusohthank Arceusohthank Arceus—>

(And then all of a sudden a voice goes off from the ether.)

Voice: <NI!>

(Freddie, immediately terrified, starts to run away.)

Freddie: <GAH—! W-who said that...?!>

(Kim, meanwhile, grins.)

Kim: (knowing exactly where this is going) "Oh... I think I know who. And I know exactly how to defeat them."

(With that said, she turns towards Elton, Freddie, and Geddy, motioning for them to follow her, and the four of them head off in the direction of the voice. Hopefully, the rest of the group will follow.)

Betrayalplot (post-Motostoke)

Herdier: <Oh! Okay!> (He turns to face Kim.) <W-what do you think's going to happen to you?>

Kim: (muttering to herself) "Terrible luck... terrible, terrible luck... or worse..."

Motostoke Stadium Entrance Room (post-Pythonplot)

(Kim nods.)

Kim: "Farewell."

(Geddy, meanwhile, waves at Hoops before turning to face Daisuke.)

Geddy: <So... why do they hate you so much?>

Slumbering Weald, Silly Cobra and the Rusted Shield

-Ian and Evelyn hear the cry of "NI!" and respond in unison.-

Evelyn and I: SAN!

Motostoke Stadium Lobby

Daisuke: -to Geddy- I wish I knew...

-Beat-

Daisuke: Anyways, Ian... Where did you and Evelyn learn to battle like that?

-Evelyn thinks to herself, "Taihenda... Dad's asking questions..."-

Me: We learned to battle like that from the J-Team.

Motostoke Stadium

Kim: "Of which I am a member. I... hope you are not turned off by this."

Motostoke Stadium

Daisuke: I'm... I'm a little confused... What does the "J-Team"... do?

Orre - Outskirts

-Gaia is quiet for a moment, then raises a hand to her helmet, changing the settings on her voice modulator in order to communicate with Jackal alone.-

Gaia: ...Everything she's saying aligns with what little my sources have been able to provide. As you say, her candour seems at odds with any deliberate effort to deceive us, barring some elaborate double-bluff. And we need to take every chance we have to disrupt the Guild's operations. That said... I dislike the idea of doing it on their terms like this. It feels as if we are acting as adjudicators in their turf war. I do think we should take the job, but if we do, it should not be for her sake. And it should come with the expectation that she tells us everything, going forwards.

"Agreed. We'll need to plan our method of attack upon the Brimstone then, and also recon the site for more information."

Jackal's distorted voice came back, "We will deal with Scratch, but under the condition you tell us everything going forward, no secrets or surprises. We're doing this to take out a Hunter and save lives, not help you."

Miranda nodded, "That's fine with me. I can tell you everything I know, bare in mind this information may be outdated, when I was with the Guild there was a Council of 4 for instance."

~Even if outdated, it is useful,~ Hayon added.

"If there is nothing further, we will take our leave. Gaia?"

Delta scanned over the crowd, before a hand shot up.

"Yes number 149, Black Knight," Delta commented.

The Hunter, dressed in a suit of black armor stood up. He looked about the Crowd and then said in a deep imposing voice, "What is our major incentive beyond pay?"

Delta smirked beneath his helmet, of course they needed more.

"Incentive?" He asked.

"Yes, this isn't like doing a big job for you, J, or Sphinx. What reason do we have to do so?"

Delta chuckled a bit and turned to J.

J spoke clearly, "Rank advancement will be adjusted based on the Pokefutures members you bring in. This will ensure your rank status is adjusted on the tri-monthly updates, perform well and it may net you a higher standing."

That got their attention, higher standing meant better jobs and more opportunities, which meant a possibility of one day reaching the top 10 spots, maybe even top 3. The Big 3 standing there before the Guild relaying this information only made it more clear.

"We have you all hunt for egomaniac poachers and non-guild members for the simple reason of continued security, we are strong together. We discourage fighting your fellow Guild Members to ensure cohesiveness. But Pokefutures, we encourage because they are simply butchers who would sooner backstab us than finish a payment," J continued.

Delta nodded, "For everyone utilizing Guild Server technologies, your listings will be updated on the regular for every Pokefutures member locked away. Good luck everyone, may the skill of the hunt guide you."

The lights dimmed, and then the 3 were gone.

Edited by EchoingSilence on Nov 9th 2020 at 1:44:22 PM

Motostoke party

-Jess the enderman fumbles with their phone.-

Jess: Erm, hello?

Motostoke Party

Upton: Hey Jess. It's Upton. Say. You know where to find us in this crowd, aight? Turns out a friend of mine might know a person who can help you.

He holds the phone up.

Upton: Hey, Tommy. Why don't you call your Mr. Grant up? Get a formal meeting going.

Tommy: Pffft. I'll do you one better, Taser-Man.

Jane: Think you can get me an interview with the Aurabolts?

Tommy: Don't push it.

Jane: Oh, yeah. Superhero shizz. Fine. Not my business and all that.

Tommy: Did you really have to say it like that?

Jane: No, but it rustles your jimmies something fierce and that's good enough.

"I find your lack of faith, Disturbing..." a voice rumbled behind Jane and Tommy.

Standing there was Darth Vader... and Celty from Durararara.

"Silas..." Roxy commented, bemused at this.

"An interview with the aurabolts? Last I checked the Geosoc articles are critical of masked vigilantes, for quite understandable reasons. I could perhaps get in contact with Jackal, I provide his tools for him," Silas commented.

Motostoke party

Jess: Erm, gimme a sec.

-Jess turns to Copper.-

Jess: Where did you say Upton was?

Copper: <Over there, by Darth Vader.>

Jess: Thanks!

-Jess teleports to where Upton is.-

Jess: You called?

North Lake

Three more arrows shot out of the bush towards the Golurk before the figure hiding in them stood up and moved, running away from the oncoming angry knight. They were wearing a Ghillie suit and were trailed behind by a smaller bush. He seemed to be fiddling with something while he was moving.

Motostoke Party

The two journalists dressed as Akiva and Jamie turned around to greet the Dark Lord.

Jane was kind of shocked. She was not alerted to his presence. Tommy was unfazed, as though he already knew he was coming.

Tommy: Only you would be so bold.

Jane: Oh, Mr. Grant. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I'm Jeanette Harvey, but you can call me Jane Stacy. Everyone at the theater does. I see you're acquainted with my father's rather blunt op-eds.

Tommy: Aren't we all.

Meanwhile, the Kaworu-dressed glitch kid turns to greet the Enderman.

Upton: Oh, hello Jess. Just in time. I'd like you to meet Tommy and his friend Jane.

Tommy: Oh, hi. And Mr. Grant, I was told you were already acquainted with my coworker Upton. He told me about his little excursion to your house.

Upton: Story for another day. You can read about it in our June Issue.

Tommy: Yeah, you told me in detail.

Upton: I didn't tell you everything.

Jane: I can vouch. It's a terrific read. You have such a storied home history, Mr. Grant.

Upton waves awkwardly, glitching slightly. A voice that sounds like [Colonel Klink] is suddenly heard from his phone.

Phineas: Oh hey. It's that guy. And hello, young Jess.

Jane: Lovely to meet you. I understand that your clientele is rather secretive with their proprietary intellectual content so I best be on my way. Do let me know if there's anything you are willing to disclose. My good friend Thomas will be at your beck and call.

She exits.

Edited by MasterJayAM on Feb 23rd 2021 at 10:43:08 PM

motostoke party

Jess: Hi. Wait, you wrote an article on that incident? Please say you didn't put too many details in it.

-Robin poofs over.-

Robin: ~Did someone say we've made the news?~

Edited by QuantumMelody29 on Nov 9th 2020 at 9:37:25 AM