[FIN] Rapid Recovery

[Akira Midoriyama]

"Seven? Wow...that must have been some shock. Were they trying to steal your pokemon? Do you know if your group was the only target, or were other trainers there attacked too?" He wondered where they must have been that no one else around came to their aid. Perhaps it had been a more secluded area, but the whole thing just sounded really random.

At the name-calling, Akira's brows rose, surprised and caught off-guard. He wouldn't have denied her accusation, but...well, it was odd hearing it from her. "Wow, Dove. You're actually being frank with me for once. It's refreshing," he said, sounding pleasantly surprised, "But...who told you that?" he asked, tilting his head. "This Isa-whatsit - was it him? You said this guy was a Rocket, right? What could he know? Why trust him?"

He lowered his voice, trying to encourage her to do the same. If someone reported suspicious activity and talk like this, they would all be reported to the police, Rocket or not. "Are you sure they weren't just saying things to rile you up? Maybe making random stabs in the dark to make you think they know more than they actually do?"

Did the fact that she knew this much mean that Dove had taken whatever bargain the info broker had offered, then...? Why had the man given up so much information about him? He'd thought their transaction had been strictly confidential, between client and informant. As far as anyone else was concerned, it never happened. Had she given him money for it? Why was he doing this? How did it benefit him as a Rocket? Or was he just doing it for kicks? He had seemed to be that sort of man when Akira had met him a while back.

The news that the trainers he'd met had actually gotten major injuries caused his eyes to get even wider. "Bullet wounds?! You mean there were actually shots fired?" He asked, his volume rising again in alarm. "What were they after? Did they steal anything?" Pausing a minute to allow the information to sink in, Akira ran a hand though his hair anxiously.

"Her...her sister? Was it just a coincidence, then?" This just got more and more puzzling. "Was her sister from Kodo too? So the Rockets really were the ones here on Kodo! Wait, does that mean they stalked you all to Kanto? Why?"

So many questions, not enough answers. He doubted Dove had them all, either, despite having been there. Come to think of it, Izaya was definitely from Camphoreon City himself. They must have followed them to Kanto. But why? And why would they choose now to reveal themselves? Two people were now identified as Rockets, but it seemed there were more questions than ever before.  

[Tori Honoo]

His first remark and questions were met with only a shake of her head, her eyes still avoiding his face. She deemed that to be enough of an answer to both, though really, she hadn't answered.


...She did smirk, though the expression was somewhat fleeting and drenched with a bitterness rather than humor, and again, she chose not to comment on his remark. His questions would receive answers, though. "Seriously? Just stop," she bit, not caring at all that he was trying to lower their talking volume. There weren't any people around anyway. "He gave your full name without any direction from me: no hint of familiarity before hand. He knew we went to school together, and he knew I would be interested. You're not the only one he knows, apparently..." Though how much that bothered her, she would leave up to his imagination. For now, she was only worried about the fact that he was still lying to her face, a crime he had accused her of previously. "If it makes you feel any better, I shot down his bargain," she added more softly, doing her best to shake the frustration.

However, it became incredibly clear to her that it would be no easy task as she tensed at his exclamation.

Her eyes snapped up to him, and the look of disbelief returned, full force. "Yes, Akira. Bullet wounds," she repeated, her tone dangerously soft as she fought both the emotion in her chest and the frustrated tears that came to her eyes. She moved her gaze away from him. "No, they didn't steal anything, aside from good health, security, and a few opportunities..." Not that an Absol had nearly stolen her arm or had destroyed a large portion of her skin or any feeling of security or hours of sleep in the aftermath. Not to mention Rosie's sister had completely and utterly betrayed her. Not that volts of electricity had surged through half the present bodies. Not that they had all been in life threatening danger. No. Only bullet wounds.

She gripped a handful of the side of her shirt tightly, her eyes returning to the concerned little pokemon in her lap.

But wait, he was at least going to ask about Rosie. At least there was that. "Faleen hates Rosie," was all she offered.

Maybe talking to someone outside of it had been a terrible idea. So far, it was only making her feel worse.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Akira sighed. So much for client-informant confidentiality. "Well, he is an underground information broker. Learning things about people is how he makes a living. Now his moonlighting as a Rocket was something I knew nothing about...unless it's his job as an informant that's moonlighting." Either way, the guy had 'shady' and 'criminally involved' written all over him.

"Actually, it doesn't," he answered. "What's got your panties in a twist? It's not like it's any of your business what I do, anyway. I don't know why he decided to tell you that, but he shouldn't have. As far as I'm concerned, I don't know the guy because I never met him and our meeting never happened." As far as he was concerned, he had always been Akira Midoriyama, so why would he have needed the help of some underground informer? That was his story and he was going to stick to it, no matter what Dove or anyone else said.

"Opportunities...?" Now it was Akira's turn to cast Dove an incredulous look. "What are you talking about? Those things weren't what they were after, were they?" He groaned, feeling exasperated. "Don't you get it? We have to find out what they want and why they did what they did or they might come back and do it again. Evidentally they have no trouble finding us, even if they have to track us down to another region. This is disastrous!"

He stared at the brunette when she made her final statement. "...Good to know," he said sarcastically, "but right now family dynamics isn't really what concerns me. I hardly know either of them, and I'm betting you don't know much more. What would the Rockets want with Rosie? Or any of you, for that matter? They probably just used Faleen to do whatever because she has ties to Rosie, but..." He hesitated. "...that would mean that they were targeting Rosie and her friends specifically."

Wait a minute. "...Dove, wasn't there another Rocket related to one of those trainers?"  

[Tori Honoo]

At his negative response, which she had wholeheartedly expected the second the words had rolled from her tongue, she shook her head, still not looking at him. "You know what, you're right,"[/color she said, her tone making it clear that she was as done with this part of the discussion as he seemed to be. "Forget I said anything." You're welcome for the heads up though, she bit mentally, dropping the topic as best she could in attempt to relax again--though that was only part of her stress.

His incredulous look was met with a blank expression. "Oh, so it is 'we' and 'us' now?" she asked calmly, shaking her head again. And here just a few minutes ago he hadn't been that close to everyone and it had been none of his business. "As much as I'd like to agree with you fullheartedly, and trust me, for most of it, I do, I'm not exactly in shape to go running off after Rockets, nor do I really have the desire to try fighting them again any time soon."

She had only gotten back a day or so ago. The wounds were still bandaged and raw. The events were too fresh in her mind, even if he wasn't sensitive enough to realize it, and the conversation was quickly becoming overwhelming--which she should have expected. She hadn't really talked about it much, especially not with the people involved. This wasn't exactly how she had planned on finding emotional release.

She stayed silent through his sarcasm and his questions--though he had reason-- until he took a pause, during which, she stole a slightly teary glance glance.

No. No no no. She didn't want to think about that at all. Not even a little, and it was obvious in her expression. She quickly ceded, though even thinking about that situation only made the current situation that much worse. "Yes. Luke's brother. His twin. They wanted information about his death," she explained quickly, giving the words with as little emotion as possible, refusing to think about it and add it to her already ridiculous pile of decorations for her pity party she now also refused to hold.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"I just said 'we' because I was referring to people in general, which I include myself a part of. They could attack anyone, after all. Did you have a problem with that?" Touchy...and still not getting the big picture. "I don't have to be personally close to someone to use the term 'we'. What the hell are you nit-picking at my word-use for when there are bigger problems at hand?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "Of course not. But you could come out here and have a picnic. What kind of shape are you in, then? The cowardly kind? Because that's what it sounds like." He got up. "If you were too much in pain or whatever, then you should have stayed home to recover. You were the one who chose to call me out, remember?"

Ignoring her tears with a cold, hardened look, he reached for his Serperior's Luxury ball. Dove, like Masami, was a theatrical drama queen in his eyes and he had been surrounded by them in high school; kings and queens alike. He wasn't about to fall for some crocodile tears just because she had worked herself up into a frenzy feeling sorry for herself and he refused to do the same.

"...I see," he said, realizing Dove answered his question about the siblings and explained what the Rockets had wanted in one go. "Probably wanted to make sure they had no loose ends..." He thought hard.

Maybe...maybe he could track down Izaya the way he had once before and ask him what this was all about. He could pretend not to know anything about the Rockets. After all, he hadn't been involved in the incident in Kanto and they had little to no reason to associate him with the other trainers. He had been a client of Izaya's. He could simply claim to be there asking why his trust in him to keep things confidential had been violated. He needn't fear the informant if he came with an innocent reason like that for visiting, right...?

"I'd ask if they got what they came for, but I wouldn't want to exhaust you," Akira said. "Why don't you stay where you are and call out your pokemon instead so we can do what we came here to do?"

With a hiss of distaste, Supercilious was released into the grass, forced out of the comforts of his precious pokeball and into the blinding sunlight. When he glanced back to glare at Akira, he was met with an equally cross glare. It was going to be a long day.  

[Tori Honoo]

She listened to everything he had to say, her blood boiling, and as he drew forth the Luxury ball, she shook her head and called Tobi back to his ball, knowing she would be unable to handle the tears of confusion that had welled in the little pokemon's eyes. "I apologize for thinking that standing in one place and fighting a cold-hearted b*****d and his snake would be a lot easier than bringing down a criminal organization on my own. Or for thinking that, perhaps, battling with and training a team with which to help protect people should something else happen involving said criminal organization be beneficial."

Really she had just wanted to get away from all of this, do a little training to make her team stronger and a little more prepared, but this... this was just adding fuel to the fire. At least it was a fire that lighted progress.

Her eyes narrowed at his taunt of 'exhausting her', and she pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the sharp pains that raked along her sides, though her arm moved around her middle once more. Her free hand went to a Luxury ball of her own at her hip, and she released her pokemon, biting back a response to his 'witheld question'.

"They did, and their pound of flesh," With a glance to the ponyta now at her side, she ignored his brief look of concern for the lining of tears along her lashes and the common etiquette she had learned growing up and instead stared down the Serperior with a glare. "Thierry, Flame Charge."

Tipping his head a bit at his trainer before facing the other pokemon, Thierry shook out his mane and instead set his sights on the grass-type, moving forward in a burst of flame to attack, with no hesitation. He had been filled in on the run in his trainer had been involved in... and if she commanded it, it would be done. .... And from what he could recall, Supercillious was just rude.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"I never asked or expected you to bring down anything on your own! Why do you have to exaggerate everything and be so dramatic?" He turned to his pokemon. "Supercilious, dodge and use Leech Seed! Do what I say if you want to last more than one attack!"

Silly rolled his eyes, thinking the first command was common sense. He swept his body of sinuous muscle aside and shot seedlings at the pony pokemon as it charged.  

[Tori Honoo]

She stayed silent and offered no response at all to his accusations. He had no idea, and clearly was the most insensitive jerk to walk the earth.

Thierry continued to run, his speed picking up, even as the larger pokemon dodged his attack. As he slowed, and the grass-type launched its own attack, he dodged as well, attacking again at his trainer's next flat call for a Flame Wheel.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Uttering a curse under his breath, Akira clenched his fists. "Again! Leech Seed!" he yelled, causing his pokemon to hiss angrily in response. The serpentine pokemon was too large to evade the Flame Wheel completely and unused to moving so quickly in such a short amount of time.

Supercilious drew himself up with his remaining strength after being hit by the last attack and attempted to collect energy for a Solar Beam.

"No! What are you doing?!" his trainer cried. "Supercilious! Stop!"

But the pokemon chose to ignore him.  

[Tori Honoo]

With his attack finished, Thierry slowed again, preparing himself for the next attack, tossing his head and mane back. This battling thing wasn't too bad, at least, in this situation. He couldn't believe how disobedient the Serperior was, and there was a brief flicker of confusion in his eyes as the snake drew. With a nicker of a laugh, the ponyta waited, stealing a glance at his trainer.

Dove stood quietly, completely unimpressed with both trainer and grass-type. She did give Thierry a brief but genuine smile, and gestured a little with a hand. "Flame Charge?" she asked, leaving what she assumed his final attack would be up to him.

Thierry, excited to have pleased his trainer so quickly,(especially given the mood she had apparently been in), gave a snort of affirmation and locked his eyes on his opponent yet again, determined and energized by his progress so far. She had suggested a Flame Charge, and so it would be, though he was determined to outdo himself, a slightly unfamiliar energy coursing through his body. With a loud whinny, he reared, then charged at the Serperior, his body engulfed by flame, and as he ran, his form began to grow, though for the moment obscured to the trainers by the fire around him.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

With a sigh, the trainer watched the inevitable as his grass-type, already almost beat, was hit full-on by Flame Charge, never having gotten a chance to unleash his Solarbeam attack. The Serperior fell, fainted, and Akira called him back.

"Congrats," he said, going for a drink among the beverages he had packed for the picnic. It didn't seem he had expected to win, so he didn't appear phased.  

[Tori Honoo]

She watched the Serperior fall, her expression unchanging, until Thierry slowed to an easier speed and cantered around her, his head high as he let out another, slightly deeper whinny. Her eyes lit up as the flames finally died away, the Pokemon that nudged her unharmed shoulder a Rapidash. Turning excitedly but slowly as to not harm her damaged body, she smiled more than brightly, absolutely brilliantly, up at he fire type, who raised his head to shake out his mane excitedly himself before gently bumping her forehead with his nose at the laugh she released. "Thierry, you're huge!"

After another few moments, it finally registered that Akira had spoken to her, and though she sobered a little from the high her pokemon's evolution had given her, she nodded, stroking Thierry's nose, then headed over to the blanket to her bag, wincing again as we bent to dig something from it. "Thanks," she told him, her excitement easing the anger she had previously pent up. She offered him the medicine she had pulled from her bag--a revive. "Have you worked with him at all?" it definitely didnt seem like it.

Thierry stood proudly behind her.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Akira observed with with mild surprise, interested in the change but remaining silent. He took another drink from the juice box he'd grabbed as Dove gradually came to respond to him. "I've done what I can, but it isn't much," he told her. "I'm no trainer and I'm not sure how to get farther than where we are."

He glanced at the revive and closed her hand over it, gently pushing it back toward her. "Thanks, but I'll just head to a Pokemon Center. No need to waste that on him."  

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded, then sighed, the revive still in her hand. "You sure you don't want to bring him back and let Sparky teach him again?" she teased, though part of her at the moment, the part that hadn't simmered down in the excitement, would have loved to wipe the floor with his pokemon again. "Then again, it's probably best if I don't call Sparky out at all..."

She chose to remain standing for the time being, hoping her sides would stop stinging. "Have you tried catching any other pokemon? ... We could help, if you'd like. It's not really safe to be running around without any at all to at least try to protect you..." she offered genuinely though she mostly expected him to say no.

Thierry watched the two interact, setting his head over the girl's shoulder to look at the brunette boy, before he nudged again at her unharmed shoulder, urging her to sit.

With a slight sigh, she acquiesced, and again took her place, carefully sitting with slow movements, and her arm wound around her middle again.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"I doubt he'll learn anything against your fire-types except how to hate his enemies and to hate battling even more," he said. "Your Sparky doesn't seem the sort to have patience or mercy for a pokemon like Supercilious. Am I wrong?" But then she mentioned it was a bad idea and he had a hard time telling if she had been serious or joking.

"Thanks, but if I'm already having trouble with the one pokemon I have, I'd hate to think what it'd be like to handle two," Akira sighed. Then, more firmly, "I know the risks. I'm fine." Something about being told what was and wasn't safe by Dove just really burned him up.

"Actually, I should get going. It's getting late and I have to get ready for work." He looked at Thierry. "Good battle, you two. And congratulations on your evolution, Thierry. You earned it."