[PRP] Addressing Some Issues

[Blood_Goddess]

There wasn't much more she could do at this point, After the events of the night before, returning back to HQ from the Camphoreon event, only to be stopped by their own team and discovered that the cards that had been passed out had been tracking their movements.

It was shameful, honestly, how they had put the HQ in danger like that.
But dwelling on it wasn't going to change what happened, and at the moment, it was out of her hands.

She did have to wonder though, they moved in so quickly to take the tracking card away, was that really the best idea, considering where she assumed they took it, and on top of that, completely disregarding the rest of them, or namely her partner.
From what he said he had had an idea, and he seemed extremely displeased with being disregarded like that.
Faleen herself didn't know what the plan had been, but surely it wasn't just taking it to a completely different city where their last Kodo bunker was stationed, something she questioned passively to herself.
It just came down to trusting the team, just keep reminding herself that they were not idiots.
They knew what they were doing.

Despite as rational, and collected Faleen told herself to remain about all of this, it was but one of many things weighing on the Agent's mind, and sitting at her work station, staring at the same lines of sketches for the past half hour was not productive in the least.

Letting out a soft sign, Faleen reached for her dex, where she took a few moments to enter out a message, and sent it off to Izaya.

"I want to meet your Absol."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Izaya was not in the business of trusting others, particularly not with matters that threatened his life. That, he believed, was the main reason he was still alive after so many years of selling others' weaknesses and information to whoever paid him enough. Naturally people hated him. He had had to be careful.

He had started to grow weary of always having to stay one step ahead of the police and all his potential enemies. Fortunately, that was when Aila had come in and offered to recruit him for a job working under Team Rocket. Not only was it an opportunity for an interesting experience full of secret information, but it provided valuable cover. Under the criminal organization, he didn't need to worry about laying low on his own. Rocket security took care of that.

But now...? Now the grunt was beginning to question them. Now, when the Pokemon League was actually making an effort to crack down on the organization. Team Rocket had remained, for the most part, unopposed in Kodo as far as Grunt Nakura had observed...until now. The Galactics may have been a problem now and again, but they weren't enforcers of the law.

Finally faced with a formidable foe, Izaya's faith in Team Rocket was beginning to wane. He started to doubt whether they knew how to handle the situation at all. As far as he knew, they'd never had to deal with such an opponent before. He wasn't exactly swelling with confidence in their abilities to take them on.

The seed of doubt had first been planted by the fact that his concerns voiced on the night of the event had been seemingly disregarded and ignored by his superiors. Unlike his partner, Nakura did not put his complete faith in the agents' competence. Unlike Faleen, he had never felt any regret for having brought the cards so close to headquarters. If only their superiors would have let him turn around and go back, he could have pretended to have just gotten lost or something. Maybe the others could have as well.

But no; they had to do things their way and had not heeded the lower-ranking Rocket's words. The grunt was no longer comfortable with staying as part of the 'team'. He was a survivor; a lone one. If Team Rocket was going down due to their own overconfidence and lack of caution, he certainly didn't plan to go down with them.

There was no point in jumping the gun and giving away his intentions ahead of time, however. If Nakura seemed suspicious or if anyone realized what he was up to, he could have been faced with accusations of turning traitor and thus be sentenced to death. No, he just had to be patient and hope that the League didn't track down their headquarters before he could make his escape.

If he played his cards right, Orihara thought he might even be able to ask Elite Agents Harvard and/or Hayes for 'a few days off'. It would certainly buy him some time without arousing suspicion. Whether or not they consented to his departure, however, he knew he would be leaving and he would be doing it soon.

Ah - but there was still the matter of his partner to attend to. Nakura was reminded of this when her name popped up on his lit Rocketdex. He still had to catch up with her since they hadn't had much time to talk freely at the party while surrounded by the general public.

He'd heard some of what had happened on the raid from Frost, but it would be nice to hear Faleen's side of things and verify events according to her perspective of how they happened. At the very least it would keep his mind off the nagging paranoia that he was still aboard a metaphorical sinking ship. He just needed to be patient a little longer.

Quickly altering his path toward his new destination, Orihara wore a grim smile as he headed toward the elevators. "Can you meet me at the training rooms in a few? I'll be in one of the larger ones."  

[Blood_Goddess]

She got his reply shortly after sending it, letting her hazel eyes scan over the message once before her singers slid over the button to put her dex in rest mode.

The agent was on her feet a second later, her loyalist and most reliable of pokemon already at her heels as the golden ringed dark type followed his master out of the room and to the upper levels where the training rooms were.
She remained silent during the journey, lost in her own thoughts that gave her a rather stern look to her features.

Unsure of what room she would find her partner in, the agent chose to check each one quickly as she passed, peering in for a quick scan before moving onto the next one.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Had he been less concerned, the grunt would have waited outside the room and waited for his partner to arrive in order to save her the trouble of having to come find him. However, Nakura had hoped to set something up before Faleen made her appearance - a demonstration of sorts.

When the agent discovered the room the informant was in, he would likely be standing with his back to the door with five of his pokemon lined up against the back wall. Mairu and Riviere were on one side with an unhappy-looking, new blue Zorua and Kururi on the other. Seated in the center between them was the black and white Absol sitting contentedly on his hindquarters.

The newest addition to the team seemed to be scowling, but Kururi nuzzled against him every so often so that he kept in line. Mairu, on the other hand, kept trying to peer over at the newest Zorua, causing the one next to her to get just as curious and want to peer over too. The multi-hued blue Zorua didn't seem to enjoy all the extra attention and was getting increasingly restless despite his Purrloin friend's efforts.

Their Rocket trainer frowned at them, doing his best to keep them in line. All he could seem to do was use sharp words and violent gestures. It soon became so stressful that his frustration manifested itself into the expression he wore. All the while Kid the Absol kept glancing to his left and right, growling every time one of the younger pokemon broke the perfect symmetry. The Zorua and Purrloin didn't even seem to notice.  

[Blood_Goddess]

The blond Agent paused at the door when she found the room her partner was in, the scene before her drawing a moment of drown silence from the women as she watched what her partner was doing.

There were a couple of the pokemon lined up that she did not recognize, and her own curiosity to see them kept her from lingering by the door for too long.
With her head inclined lightly to the side, hands folded properly behind her back, the agent slipped into the room, and strode lightly along the center until she reached her partner.
Here she paused, fixed hazel eyes watching each of the dark types closely, scanning over them with a calculating intrigue. So this was his team...

Umbreon hauled next to her, lightly narrowed eyes peering at the other pokemon in the room, with his ears slicking back with an unimpressed sneer.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Kid was the first one to hear Faleen and her Umbreon approach. He looked up and regarded them silently, his mouth a thin, stern line. They seemed to go well together; not just in appearance, but in mind. The pair looked to be on the same wavelength and their bond was obvious.

The Absol was so preoccupied with the unusual strength of their relationship that he didn't even allow the asymmetry of the human woman's leg strap to bother him. After all, she seemed perfectly symmetrical in every other way. A serious and refined woman - Kid could immediately tell why the high-leveled Umbreon seemed to respect her. She was such a contrast against his new, agitated trainer.

Noticing the Absol's attention wander, Grunt Nakura glanced over, giving a small start when he realized how close Faleen had come without him noticing. "Arceus, Faleen, you almost gave me a heart attack. Didn't feel like knocking?" He tried to smile, but his eyes were weary and the curt quality of the voice he had used to command his pokemon still lingered. So much for trying to avoid seeming paranoid.

Kid's yellow eyes narrowed as he recognized the darker pokemon's disapproving sneer. He made no sound nor movement otherwise, though. Unfortunately for Nakura, his other pokemon weren't so well-behaved.

The newest addition, the blue Zorua, took advantage of Nakura's momentary distraction and grinned, leaping into the air as he transformed into a replica of Faleen. Only with a poofy tail and a mischievous grin. The Rocket grunt glanced over and was so astonished by the sight that for a moment he didn't know what to say. Aila's Zorua took this as a good sign and, following Aoba's lead, transformed into Izaya. Only...with a tail, a couple of new, feminine assets, and a shorter stature.

Transforming was one thing, but distinguishing the difference between human male and female bodies was another. Aoba still clung to the memory of his former trainer and, thus, seemed more comfortable taking feminine shapes about Aila's size and height. He smiled eagerly over at his trainer, hoping to receive some sort of praise or positive reaction.

The Purrloin seemed as surprised as Izaya at first. After a moment or two, though, Mairu thought it would be amusing to see if she could grab Riviere's tail. Kururi glanced at Aoba's and reached up to bat at it with a paw while Mairu leapt up and down. The Rocket grunt's shoulders slumped. Kid's calm composure was starting to shed as he trembled in dissatisfaction. He shut his eyes, trying to do his best to ignore the mayhem going on on either side of him.

"...I suppose that's an adequate enough example of how well I've managed to train them so far," Izaya grumbled irritably as he shook himself from his horrified stupor. He sighed and put a hand to his forehead. Mairu was crying out loudly as she continued to leap for Riviere's tail, the latter looking over his shoulder to watch her in curiosity.

"There's so many...I don't have time to train them all one-on-one," he explained, watching with annoyance as Aoba grinned at Kururi's attempts and reached down to pet her. "I wouldn't have even caught that last one if I'd had a choice at the time. That one in particular seems to have it out for me - even more than the twins."

As if realizing he was being talked about, the grinning Faleen impostor looked up from petting the dark-colored Purrloin and smirked at Izaya before winking at him. The grunt tensed, and it took all his willpower not to march toward it and strangle it where it stood. "How do you manage it, agent?" he implored through gritted teeth, his fists clenched into fists of suppressed fury.  

[Blood_Goddess]

There was a moment, when Faleen regarded the Absol only, who, of all his new pokemon, seemed to be the most mellow.... at least for the moment.
If anything he was taking the moment to observe her and Umbreon in return.
She allowed this, and only glanced away from it when Her partner seemed to notice for the first time that she had arrived.

"I didn't mean to startle you," She offered in a polite apologetic tone, though was honestly surprised that she had startled him these pokemon had him more high strung then she expected.

The pokemon were moving again, this time in a much more playful and disruptive way then before, so much so that one of the Zorua in the group took on the form of Faleen herself.
Hazel eyes barely narrowed at this, but she kept her gaze on her double deliberately longer then the others.
Once again only looking away to address Izaya.
"Hmm... well, its certainly nothing unusual for dark types, they tend to be extremely rebellious if their energy isn't directed properly."

"as for how I did it. I managed it with time, patience... and lots of trial and error." She replied. "Though I can tell you now, that this "no time" mind set is going to have to go. You are going to have to make the time, every single day every single waking moment is going to be absorbed into one form of training with your team, until you can gain some kind of control over them, or to help you decide, if they are worth even keeping around." She made this point by lifting a gloved hand toward the gaggle of dark types making a mess of themselves.
"And I'm going to teach you how."

"Umbreon, shut them up."

Faleen didn't even look away from Izaya as she gave Umbreon this order.
The dark ring type by his master's heel didn't wait a second longer before he sprang to his paws, claws screaming along the hard floor during his first couple of strides toward the group, disturbingly large eyes glaring them down as black fur bristled down his stocky rough framed back, the contrast of white fangs bared withing the smooth black of his features as a series of vicious barks and threats rumbled from his throat as he advanced.

Furious eyes burned into the Zorua in Faleen's image, advancing on that one first.
The dark type spat venomously, clacking his jaws together to show that this was a very real threat, the haunted glint in his eye almost wishing that the pup would try and challenge him.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The grunt listened patiently to his partner, crossing his arms over his chest to conceal his anxiety, but ended up drumming his fingers atop one arm afterward. His expression was serious and attentive, but inwardly, his spirits sank a little more with each new word Faleen spoke. Time and patience... Normally he had plenty of that to spare, but it was reserved for his hobby of observing human nature. He didn't wish to squander it on a few disobedient pokemon.

Furthermore, he had a feeling this group would require more time and patience than most others, even from an experienced trainer, which he was not. As if that wasn't enough, the threat of the League still pressed in on him, reminding him that he was still in danger by remaining where he was - caught in the company of a criminal organization.

Helpful as the agent was trying to be, he doubted Faleen realized she was only increasing her partner's anxiety. No matter; it was probably better for her if she remained unaware of what was on his mind. She likely wouldn't have shared his concerns considering how much faith she put in the people she called her teammates.

There was no point in worrying her needlessly, nor attempting to get her to question her superiors. Although they were partners, neither of them had had a choice in the matter, so it would have been unfair to involve her in what could have possibly been traitorous thinking. Even if he got in trouble for it, at least she could truthfully claim ignorance.

Normally, Orihara supposed he wouldn't have cared, but as Faleen was one of the few Rockets who still gave him the benefit of the doubt, he didn't want her to have to pay for it. Not after what had happened to the last Rocket who had taken responsibility for him. It was so much easier to work alone.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the grunt heard Faleen tell him she was going to teach him before giving an abrupt order to her Umbreon. Nakura watched wordlessly as the dark eeveeloution acted.

The affect was immediate. Upon Umbreon's orders to the younger pokemon, they turned to look at him as one. Mairu stopped jumping, Kururi stopped pawing, Riviere stopped watching, Aoba stopped petting, and Kid stopped trembling. What happened next didn't go quite as smoothly, however.

Though Mairu and Kururi delicately stepped back into line, Riviere's shame and surprise caused him to tumble back against the wall before his human illusion was shed and he transformed back. Somehow he ended up lying on his chin with his hind-legs and tail arched up over his head. He looked sheepish and apologetic. Kid opened his eyes and straightened his posture, turning his head to help nudge Riviere to his feet so he could fall back into place.

Aoba, though...Aoba remained defiant in Faleen's form, placing her hands on her hips as he assertively stepped forward to meet his elder's advance, appearing to tower over Umbreon as if commanding the respect Umbreon's human master deserved. He even had the gall to smirk at the experienced pokemon. Riviere shifted uncertainly, apparently taken aback by the other Zorua's cheekiness. Even Mairu and Kururi looked mildly astonished.

At the threat of being ripped out of his form, Aoba's hazel eyes only narrowed and he pursed Faleen's lips. Kid, quickly seeing where this was headed, snatched Aoba's tail in his mouth, hoping to get to him before Umbreon could and forcing him to drop his illusion. He did not let go, even while the blue Zorua barked, snapped, and struggled in retaliation. Eventually, the little one seemed to sigh as he allowed his limbs to fall limp. He looked pained being held up by his tail, even if he refused to whimper about it.

The absol, who was not relentlessly cruel, noticed this and finally allowed the dark fox down after he'd stopped struggling. Aoba angrily glared back at Kid, resentful of the actions taken to humiliate him, and trotted arrogantly back to his place beside Kururi. He fixed Umbreon with a cold stare, the defiance not yet gone from his eyes. Crisis seemingly averted (at least among his trainer's team), Kid sighed heavily and took up his own position once more.

Izaya, watching this, started to grow even more irritable. Why was this pokemon acting so much like himself? Wasn't that exactly how he'd reacted when he'd been faced with Seth's threats; acting defiantly until he was grudgingly forced into submission? The memory caused the man's stomach to churn. Aoba's little reenactment was unsettling, as if it reflected the defiance still raging in Izaya's own mind and foreshadowed an ominous series of events to come.

No, he shouldn't think like that; there was no basis for that theory. He was just scared. At this point he didn't trust himself to feel anything without it eventually becoming evident to others in his expression or behavior. His mental state was too disconcerted for him to afford thinking about things that way. Izaya turned away to face Faleen once more, smiling his usual smile.

"Darling creature, isn't he?" he asked with a cheerful manner. He dearly hoped Faleen hadn't made the same connection between himself and Aoba that he had. "Besides him, the others have gotten more used to me, but their behavior hasn't improved much. Even the single pokemon I own that seems eager to please me is often too busy clinging and hugging to know what it is I want from it." Sweet, clingy, annoying Delic. In some ways he was even more aggravating than Izaya's other pokemon, but at least he could trust the psychic-type not to turn on him.

The Chingling made a good enough companion when Nakura needed to give off the impression of 'lovable, bonding, innocent trainer'. It was a lucky thing, too, because Izaya suspected that Faleen disliked psychic-types as much as she liked dark-types. He doubted the agent would have agreed to train Delic like she agreed with his other pokemon had Delic been more uncooperative.

"Besides training, Faleen-chan...I was hoping we could talk," the grunt said bluntly, pressing his fingertips together. No way was he going to tell her he'd been so desperate to hear about how the raid went than he'd resorted to asking Frost. She might have gotten the wrong idea, like that he'd been worried about her or something, but that was just silly. He knew she could take care of herself just fine. Especially without him to get in her way. How else to bring it up, though...?

"I heard the raid went well," he attempted merrily. "Better than expected, actually. Even mention of Deimos being taken prisoner. Is that true...?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Who knows what kind of retaliation the Absol had saved the cocky Zorua from. Either way the Umbreon was not in the least bit amused, or impressed he might have liked to teach the little brat a lesson.
But the end result got them to quiet down, so Umbreon ignored the behavior.

Instead he sat down himself, glancing over to Faleen as the humans spoke.

Faleen, while either not being aware of the growing anxiety at her instructions or just not caring. She wasn't at all oblivious to the situation with the pokemon Izaya had gotten himself into, she was hard pressed to find a new trainer in Team Rocket who didn't go through these struggles, but it was necessary, like it or not.

"I would say you got pretty lucky as far as dark types go, though you might run into difficulty with how many you have." She noted, folding her arms.
"Temperament wise you have a number of tricksters, those can be difficult, but from what I'm seeing, none of them are actively trying to kill and eat you, so you don't need to work past that."
she looked to the Zorua that Izaya had mentioned being like him, a small grin ghosted the corners of her lips, but she just shook her head and looked back at him.

Izaya continued to speak, though this time it was more on the topic of something Izaya wanted to talk about. The Agent blinked a couple of times but nodded. "The Raid? Yes, it was a great success, thankfully no one died, though it was a bit close there for a while. as for Deimos." a small scowl crossed her face. "Yes, we have him, I've had opportunity to interrogate him... very insightful"  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Kill me and eat - ? "Hahaha! They do that?" Nakura chuckled. "I suppose I really am lucky. It must be you, Faleen-chan. You're my good-luck charm~" If any pokemon ever tried to eat and/or kill him, he'd make sure to kill them first. As if the damn things didn't give him a hard enough time as it was.

Unnerved by the mental image that had been put into his head (which involved the Galactic airship, a lot of bloody water, and Faleen's Sharpedo), the grunt got out his party's pokeballs to call them back. When he turned, though, there was a set of dark and light purrloin on each side of Kid with no Zorua in sight. Their trainer scowled.

"Whichever two of you return to your pokeballs first get to go out to see Kasuka on my next day off," he announced, perturbed. He hated to bribe rather than punish, but it was the only thing he could think of at the moment to separate the originals from the imposters. Kururi and Mairu immediately jumped out of line to return to their Repeat balls.

The remaining two purrloin reverted back to their Zorua states, their cover blown. Nakura stared hard at Aoba before he disappeared into the beam of light. At last, Kid and Umbreon remained the only pokemon in the training room. The grunt sat himself down on a bench nearby and patted the place next to him, indicating for his partner to do the same.

"No one? Not even anyone on the enemy's side?" he teased. "Been getting awfully lonely without Jerry-kun to keep me company. Just what did they do to everyone, anyway?" He stuck his hands in his pockets, having had some idea from rumors floating around, but nothing concrete. "I've also heard we have a new Galactic traitor as a Rocket. And - ooh, did you? And just what did he have to say?" Nakura smirked. "Or is that classified information~?"