Day late, but who cares? Not I, since then that means, uh... it means something, but I'm not sure what. In any case, this chapter isn't as long or detailed as others, because I'm lazy. Sue me. Really, try it, you'll get three dust bunnies and a handful of lint for your efforts.
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"For all your talk, brother, you're hesitating," the cat said over their bond.
"Patience, it said. "I require the opportune moment to strike. I know when, and I must wait."
"After all this, it won't be much, right?" The third asked. "Blimey, you're predictable."
"I'm not predictable," it said stiffly. "I merely require ample time to prepare myself. This opponent will not be simple. It is like... one of us."
"You know that no other Pokémon may be one of us," the cat said harshly. "We are a unique caste among Pokémon. We excel even above the gods, this has been proven. We in a sense are the gods the humans worship."
"Well, maybe you are," the third grumbled. "I made a right blooming fool of meself when I was with them, I did."
"You are you," the cat said. "We care not for what you've done, merely what you do."
"Blimey, you get that from a poem?"
"I think you've been drinking of the human drinks too much again."
"So yes, then."
"Silence, you two," it said. "We cannot waste time arguing about trivial things. No, I think we should meet again before time becomes too close."
"Do not expect my race to assist you," cautioned the cat. "We have already learned our lesson of dealing with humans."
"So've I, really," the third muttered. "Ruddy Xnyj nearly got me an' everything. And that Cookie..."
"I too have had my experiences with humans," it said. "If my track of time is correct, it would have been around fifteen years ago."
"That deal at Mossdeep? Ruddy event that was, you nearly got our original after us."
"Yes, that should be my lesson, but this time I can't simply deal with it, I have to act."
"Whatever you say. Where shall we meet?"
"The city named Viridian, it has symbolic meaning. Two days."
"Two days? To get there from here?" The third asked. "You're a mean one."
"It will be plenty."
"Maybe if I want tenscore of those police blokes after me, I stick out I'll have you know."
"You'll manage. We aren't the most powerful in the world for no reason."
"Hmph. Easy for you to say, you didn't lose to a little girl..."
"We're well aware of that. We're very, very well aware."
Lance paced through the Pokémon League. He'd just recieved a rather odd phone call from the head of the Neo League, Pat Lopf, asking him to come as a guest of honour of sorts. There had to be something more to it, but he couldn't for the life of him imagine what.
Lorelei had tried to counsel him, and he was thankful of that, but this he had to take alone. He'd all but decided to go, under the cover of Charlie Evans, and all that remained was to talk to his rather... special guest.
A short while ago, a man in a Team Rocket uniform had turned himself in, saying he had nowhere to go. Lance was about ready to hand the man over to the police, when the man had identified himself by a rather peculiar name.
Former Executive Kenneth.
Lance wasn't even sure Kenneth was a real person, or just someone invented by Team Rocket, a red herring of sorts, but this confirmed it. And this man was being held at the Indigo Plateau, though dozens of Officer Jennies would have killed to get such an important man.
Lance hadn't let anybody else know he had Kenneth, and certainly hadn't let anyone know who knew who Kenneth was supposed to be. He was a very secretive man at the best of times, and Lance had gone out of his way to dispel these secrets.
He's only let a few of his more trusted people know about this. Perhaps when the time was right, he'd let the Elite Four in on it.
Not watching where he was going, he bumped into a temp worker, who shot him a harsh glare before realizing who he'd bumped into.
"Sorry, sir," the temp muttered, scurrying away meekly.
Lance wondered if this came out of reverence for his training abilities and record as a trainer, or from the rumours that were abound about his... underground dealings.
He might never truly know.
Lance opened the door to the improvised jail cell where Kenneth was being held. Normally a cage for human-sized Pokémon, it had been given provisions and furniture that a human could use.
"So, you're Lance, I take it," Kenneth said. He was a grim-looking man, shorter than average, with dark brown hair and a few days' growth of beard. He didn't look very old, only about thirty, except he had a bad case of Murkrow's feet around his eyes.
"And you're a Team Rocket Executive," Lance countered, sitting down on the stool opposite the bars. "You said you'd talk, so talk."
"Well, I need some reason to talk," Kenneth countered. "Tell you what, you assure my freedom, and I'll tell you anything you want to know."
"Done," Lance had already expected this, and decided that, if Kenneth's story was true, holding him indefinitely wouldn't be beneficial at all. No, it was better to just let him scurry away. "What is it you felt the need to come here for?"
"Well, as you know, I was a major head in Team Rocket, and a few decisions had been made that... countered against my sense of decency. Murders."
"And you wanted to stop it? How noble."
"Don't mock me, I just didn't want to kill anyone I didn't have to. Everybody, well, everybody in Team Rocket knows I don't care if someone dies, just that they didn't die for nothing."
"So who's the target?"
"Quite frankly, you are. Or, rather, the entire Elite Four setup."
Lance tried to hide his shock. Team Rocket, going after the Elite Four? This would certainly put his trip to the Neo League on hold.
"So what was the plan?"
"It was a simple one, just sneak in a few thugs, do the best we could to eliminate the higher-ups, and get out of dodge before anything went amiss. A masterful plan once you got down to the details."
"Which are?"
"I don't know, exactly, not just for my freedom, I mean."
Lance grimaced. So, this Kenneth person wanted something else, as well. Money? Well, Lance figured his own life was worth more than whatever this Kenneth person wanted.
"Well, how much would you know for?"
"Ten million yen."
"You're an amateur at negotiating. All right, fine, what were the details?"
"You're giving in. Equally amateurish. Well, at this time of year the Pokémon League turns its eyes towards the Neo League, and that's the primary diversion. Afterwards, we slip in a few agents, not more than four or five, disguised as innocuous people. Temps, visiting trainers, and the like. We hack your security and sneak in, then, well... you can imagine the rest."
"Then you run before anyone knows what's happening."
Kenneth nodded solemnly.
"What would this accomplish?"
"Team Rocket has a lot of power in this continent, the Neo League is nothing. The Pokémon League, on the other hand... has those who can threaten us. Charlie Evans and his ilk. If it's broken, we can move in and take what we like. The police couldn't get us all, we'd be too large for that. Who would stop us if the League was removed? Teams Aqua and Magma? Team Snatch? The Neo League?"
Lance muttered a few words to himself. Giovanni was a madman to want this. Never before had Team Rocket been interested in anything more than black market Pokémon trading and making sure the more illicit deals were kept under its thumbs. They kept the other Teams in line, but that was the extent of it.
"So," Kenneth continued, "That's about all I know."
"An Executive with just the skeleton plan?"
"Well, I know a few details, but first I'll need some water. My throat's a bit hoarse."
Lance fetched this, and waited while Kenneth drank. "Well?"
"This was going to be led by my own personal team. A good bunch, especially that Yoshitaka, great intrusion specialist. It was scheduled for three days from now, at the peak of inactivity on the League's part. Now, the main issue was..."
Kenneth leaned back in his seat and idly brushed his fingers through his blonde hair. It had been lengthening, his hair always grew quickly, and he hadn't taken the time to get it cut. Oh well, when he had time for it he'd probably have grown to like it that way. He'd kept himself clean shaven, but that was most of the personal grooming he'd kept up with. Sooner or later, he reflected, he'd have to take a shower.
Watching the hacked security feed from the Indigo Plateau, Kenneth wondered who this buffoon impersonating him was sent by. He rifled through his thoughts, trying to figure out who would distract Lance from the Neo League...
"Ryan," Kenneth spat. He spun around in his chair so quickly he nearly fell out, and left the room at a very brisk pace.
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That's it for this week, folks. Next chapter goes up when it goes up. Until then, remember that vague characters talk vaguely. This isn't a hint so much as me rambling like a buffoon.
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"For all your talk, brother, you're hesitating," the cat said over their bond.
"Patience, it said. "I require the opportune moment to strike. I know when, and I must wait."
"After all this, it won't be much, right?" The third asked. "Blimey, you're predictable."
"I'm not predictable," it said stiffly. "I merely require ample time to prepare myself. This opponent will not be simple. It is like... one of us."
"You know that no other Pokémon may be one of us," the cat said harshly. "We are a unique caste among Pokémon. We excel even above the gods, this has been proven. We in a sense are the gods the humans worship."
"Well, maybe you are," the third grumbled. "I made a right blooming fool of meself when I was with them, I did."
"You are you," the cat said. "We care not for what you've done, merely what you do."
"Blimey, you get that from a poem?"
"I think you've been drinking of the human drinks too much again."
"So yes, then."
"Silence, you two," it said. "We cannot waste time arguing about trivial things. No, I think we should meet again before time becomes too close."
"Do not expect my race to assist you," cautioned the cat. "We have already learned our lesson of dealing with humans."
"So've I, really," the third muttered. "Ruddy Xnyj nearly got me an' everything. And that Cookie..."
"I too have had my experiences with humans," it said. "If my track of time is correct, it would have been around fifteen years ago."
"That deal at Mossdeep? Ruddy event that was, you nearly got our original after us."
"Yes, that should be my lesson, but this time I can't simply deal with it, I have to act."
"Whatever you say. Where shall we meet?"
"The city named Viridian, it has symbolic meaning. Two days."
"Two days? To get there from here?" The third asked. "You're a mean one."
"It will be plenty."
"Maybe if I want tenscore of those police blokes after me, I stick out I'll have you know."
"You'll manage. We aren't the most powerful in the world for no reason."
"Hmph. Easy for you to say, you didn't lose to a little girl..."
"We're well aware of that. We're very, very well aware."
Lance paced through the Pokémon League. He'd just recieved a rather odd phone call from the head of the Neo League, Pat Lopf, asking him to come as a guest of honour of sorts. There had to be something more to it, but he couldn't for the life of him imagine what.
Lorelei had tried to counsel him, and he was thankful of that, but this he had to take alone. He'd all but decided to go, under the cover of Charlie Evans, and all that remained was to talk to his rather... special guest.
A short while ago, a man in a Team Rocket uniform had turned himself in, saying he had nowhere to go. Lance was about ready to hand the man over to the police, when the man had identified himself by a rather peculiar name.
Former Executive Kenneth.
Lance wasn't even sure Kenneth was a real person, or just someone invented by Team Rocket, a red herring of sorts, but this confirmed it. And this man was being held at the Indigo Plateau, though dozens of Officer Jennies would have killed to get such an important man.
Lance hadn't let anybody else know he had Kenneth, and certainly hadn't let anyone know who knew who Kenneth was supposed to be. He was a very secretive man at the best of times, and Lance had gone out of his way to dispel these secrets.
He's only let a few of his more trusted people know about this. Perhaps when the time was right, he'd let the Elite Four in on it.
Not watching where he was going, he bumped into a temp worker, who shot him a harsh glare before realizing who he'd bumped into.
"Sorry, sir," the temp muttered, scurrying away meekly.
Lance wondered if this came out of reverence for his training abilities and record as a trainer, or from the rumours that were abound about his... underground dealings.
He might never truly know.
Lance opened the door to the improvised jail cell where Kenneth was being held. Normally a cage for human-sized Pokémon, it had been given provisions and furniture that a human could use.
"So, you're Lance, I take it," Kenneth said. He was a grim-looking man, shorter than average, with dark brown hair and a few days' growth of beard. He didn't look very old, only about thirty, except he had a bad case of Murkrow's feet around his eyes.
"And you're a Team Rocket Executive," Lance countered, sitting down on the stool opposite the bars. "You said you'd talk, so talk."
"Well, I need some reason to talk," Kenneth countered. "Tell you what, you assure my freedom, and I'll tell you anything you want to know."
"Done," Lance had already expected this, and decided that, if Kenneth's story was true, holding him indefinitely wouldn't be beneficial at all. No, it was better to just let him scurry away. "What is it you felt the need to come here for?"
"Well, as you know, I was a major head in Team Rocket, and a few decisions had been made that... countered against my sense of decency. Murders."
"And you wanted to stop it? How noble."
"Don't mock me, I just didn't want to kill anyone I didn't have to. Everybody, well, everybody in Team Rocket knows I don't care if someone dies, just that they didn't die for nothing."
"So who's the target?"
"Quite frankly, you are. Or, rather, the entire Elite Four setup."
Lance tried to hide his shock. Team Rocket, going after the Elite Four? This would certainly put his trip to the Neo League on hold.
"So what was the plan?"
"It was a simple one, just sneak in a few thugs, do the best we could to eliminate the higher-ups, and get out of dodge before anything went amiss. A masterful plan once you got down to the details."
"Which are?"
"I don't know, exactly, not just for my freedom, I mean."
Lance grimaced. So, this Kenneth person wanted something else, as well. Money? Well, Lance figured his own life was worth more than whatever this Kenneth person wanted.
"Well, how much would you know for?"
"Ten million yen."
"You're an amateur at negotiating. All right, fine, what were the details?"
"You're giving in. Equally amateurish. Well, at this time of year the Pokémon League turns its eyes towards the Neo League, and that's the primary diversion. Afterwards, we slip in a few agents, not more than four or five, disguised as innocuous people. Temps, visiting trainers, and the like. We hack your security and sneak in, then, well... you can imagine the rest."
"Then you run before anyone knows what's happening."
Kenneth nodded solemnly.
"What would this accomplish?"
"Team Rocket has a lot of power in this continent, the Neo League is nothing. The Pokémon League, on the other hand... has those who can threaten us. Charlie Evans and his ilk. If it's broken, we can move in and take what we like. The police couldn't get us all, we'd be too large for that. Who would stop us if the League was removed? Teams Aqua and Magma? Team Snatch? The Neo League?"
Lance muttered a few words to himself. Giovanni was a madman to want this. Never before had Team Rocket been interested in anything more than black market Pokémon trading and making sure the more illicit deals were kept under its thumbs. They kept the other Teams in line, but that was the extent of it.
"So," Kenneth continued, "That's about all I know."
"An Executive with just the skeleton plan?"
"Well, I know a few details, but first I'll need some water. My throat's a bit hoarse."
Lance fetched this, and waited while Kenneth drank. "Well?"
"This was going to be led by my own personal team. A good bunch, especially that Yoshitaka, great intrusion specialist. It was scheduled for three days from now, at the peak of inactivity on the League's part. Now, the main issue was..."
Kenneth leaned back in his seat and idly brushed his fingers through his blonde hair. It had been lengthening, his hair always grew quickly, and he hadn't taken the time to get it cut. Oh well, when he had time for it he'd probably have grown to like it that way. He'd kept himself clean shaven, but that was most of the personal grooming he'd kept up with. Sooner or later, he reflected, he'd have to take a shower.
Watching the hacked security feed from the Indigo Plateau, Kenneth wondered who this buffoon impersonating him was sent by. He rifled through his thoughts, trying to figure out who would distract Lance from the Neo League...
"Ryan," Kenneth spat. He spun around in his chair so quickly he nearly fell out, and left the room at a very brisk pace.
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That's it for this week, folks. Next chapter goes up when it goes up. Until then, remember that vague characters talk vaguely. This isn't a hint so much as me rambling like a buffoon.