[PRP] Important Questions

[BlackFireKitsune]

After a small group of young trainer had accused a woman of stealing a pokemon, and that woman admitted to not owning that very same pokemon, Rayan had been asked to come for a few questions to the police station in Camphoreon, given the fair's proximity to the city. Since she was cooperating and they had absolutely no reason for any sort of negative response to her presence, she was led to a more casual questioning room with several chairs and asked to wait there a few minutes, alone except for whatever pokemon she had out with her.

It was a good ten or so minutes later when not one of the police, but Alder appeared from the door, looking as if he had been anywhere else and had just arrived and was still getting his bearings for the building as well as the situation - which was, in fact, exactly what had happened, given the fact he was similarly just at the fair like Ray was. "Well, I can honestly say I didn't expect anything like this to happen today," he admitted earnestly as he moved to sit in one of the seats, then dove right into business. "What happened?" He knew quite well what had happened from the officer who'd been present, but he wanted to know what had happened from Ray's perspective.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rayan took a seat as she was directed into the room, where the tall women lounged in the chair, getting comfertable as she crossed her arms and legs, glancing to the side where her partner, Double Stripe had followed her in, and taken up a much taller stance beside her.
One was eventually drooped as they waited.

Alder would find the women still sitting in the chair, moving only her head and a light smirk on her face as the man stepped in.
The snake however, lifted his head from the table, flicking a tongue out at the older man.

Alder, of course it was him again, he decided to stick around it seemed, that didn't really surprise her all that much, The Unova champion had always seemed the more sturdy type to her, though she could probably blame that on the fact that he was her hometown champion her entire career.
"When does anything go as one expects." She countered, keeping her arms crossed but placing the bottoms of her boots onto the ground so that she could sit up.
"I'm not sure what you want me to answer with. Some kids challenged the fact that I have Double Stripe as my partner." Ray answered with an almost simplistic drawl. "They didn't tell you?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Her response drew a breathy chuckle from the champion as he settled more comfortably into his seat, "Not as often as we'd like them to, but isn't that always how it is?" As Double Stripe straightened and flicked his tongue out at him, the man smiled at the pokemon - one he very easily recognized from his home region, though very, painfully obviously differently colored - and offered it a cheery but short wave in greeting.

"Of course they told me," he replied after a moment. "I wanted to hear it from your perspective. They said you'd stolen him from one of those trainers, and you admitted that he isn't registered to you. Would you care to explain that please?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Ray shrugged, arching a brow in a good natured grin "I wouldn't have it any other way, you start making mistakes when you expect things, I'm sure you understand."
when dealing with Pokemon, especially ones as strong as some training had to work with, you never knew what would happen next, lowering your guard got you hurt. She found that it applied to pretty much everything though... more or less to a certain extent.

"Whats there to really tell that's new though?" She asked, leaning forward and placing her elbows on her the table. "DS and I met when I was watching him and this kid training, Kid didn't know what he was doing-" She jerked a head at Double Stripe "and don't tell me that you don't see how much potential this pokemon has." she shrugged "I wasn't standing for that, so I made him an offer, kid didn't like it. don't blame him, don't expect him to get over it, but I hardly care."
She held her hands up. "And there you go. My side in a nut shell." she fixed her eyes back on Alder.
She knew perfectly well how much trouble she could get in for holding a registered pokeball, let alone one that wasn't registered to her, but all the same she couldn't exactly change what the outcome of this chat was.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh yes, I do," he agreed, brows raised and eyes half-lidded in a rather tired expression that he didn't normally show. It didn't last long though, and the smile returned. "Sometimes we're pleasantly surprised, though, and if we expect things and prepare for them." The convention, for example - they'd tried to prepare as best they could for Rocket involvement, and their efforts had proved enough to arrest five Rockets, as opposed to so many previous assaults in which none were.

What was new to tell? All of that, for one, he couldn't help but note. His purple eyes shifted to the Serperior as she spoke of him, and with a quick appraising glance, he nodded, "Yes, it's very easy to tell that he has quite a lot of potential," was all he said, though his expression betrayed his desire to say more. He had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from continuing his thoughts, and instead focused on her story instead. When she finished, he spoke up again with, "What was the offer, exactly, if I may ask?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

a long finger lifted up and made a circular motion, with a lazy grin "And around, around it all goes, a million ways to look at the world and no sure way to know what one is right." she winked at him, noting the tired look on his face. "or just to pick one."

Setting that aside she focused on the recent question, looking over at Double Stripe as he shifted a little embarrassed to be spoken about so highly.
Ray herself remained fairly quiet for a time at his next question, her head tilting just slightly, and further obscuring her face with her hair. "I have to admit I'm not exactly expecting this. I'm sure by now you know who I am, and what my story is, so why the questions?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Her initial words left him with a smile - one that held a few conflicting emotions - but rather than comment on that, he focused on her latter statements instead. "I know full well who you are and what your story is, yes," he affirmed with a nod, "and I'll admit you did look a little familiar, though I couldn't think of why until now. But, I ask because I'm curious, and because it's related to the current situation. I'm curious what the offer was - and who it was to - so I would greatly appreciate it if you could explain."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"You're curious... now?" She asked with an arched eyebrow, but after a bump from DS she let out a sigh lacing her fingers as her smile drifted over her face in a very unconvincing grin. "I'm not sure what you want to hear at this point at all, and I'm certainly not expecting to try and dig up some excuse as to why I took Double Stripe, you can rest assure that I don't expect me to beg, don't expect me to be humble and to be cooperative or think that by any way I care what you're judgment on me and what I've done is." she sat forward fixing her only visible eye on him "I understand my situation, and I am not... sorry." She added a firm tone to her last few words before she leaned back against the chair, looking to her partner next to her.

"With that all said and done, you want the truth from me? and I suppose I am feeling in an honest mood right now. The offer was to Double Stripe, like I give a s**t what the kid wanted," she added rather coldly as if the very idea offended her "and The offer was simple, come with me and be amazing, or stay with the chump and expect an early retirement." Double Stripe narrowed his eyes and flicked his tongue out again.
"You can see what he choose."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"I'm not curious about what happened in Unova," he pointed out. "I already know what happened there. I'm curious about what happened here." Thus why he had asked, and her phrasing made him think she thought he meant he wondered about her decisions in Unova. While he did, in fact, wonder, that wasn't at all what they were here for.

Given her response the last - and first - time he saw her, he couldn't say he was at all surprised at her current response, and in fact her behavior in the previous meeting made a lot more sense now. Regardless, he nodded, and listened closely while she spoke, and what he heard made him frown deeply. "I can't say I'm surprised that you of all people made him such an offer - from what little I've seen of you, it's very obvious that you care a lot about pokemon, and it sounds like you might even care about them more than about other people. Or some people, at the very least," he added. She certainly didn't look, sound, or act even remotely sorry, and the Serperior seemed to fully agree with her words. Had he acted differently, his opinion might have been different... "I need not remind you - though I will because I'm obligated to do so for various reasons - that you aren't allowed to own, possess, or train pokemon due to your actions and repeated offenses in Unova, and that carries through to here," he explained in serious, displeased tones. "I also need not point out that you essentially bullied a young trainer - one that with proper guidance and aid, could have grown with his pokemon if given the chance - and even turned his own pokemon away from him. Such offenses could garner more severe punishments, depending on the decisions of my colleagues, and could even result in police involvement." Some people could very well say she had outright stolen the pokemon from its trainer, even if the pokemon decided to leave of its own accord, and pokemon theft was not looked at lightly.

The more severe expression faded away to something more tired and very thoughtful, as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his chin. "In my opinion, though, pokemon do have their own thoughts and opinions on things, which are just as important as those of their trainers. I encourage trainers and pokemon to develop deep bonds with one another, and it appears that he and his original trainer hadn't developed such bonds for whatever reason," be it a short length of time, or plenty of time but a lack of emotion on either part, or whatever other reason, "if he did indeed make such a decision." That said, he turned to the Serperior in question and leaned forward a bit, rather than being too relaxed in his chair, and asked earnestly, "Did you agree to go with her?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

The women sat in attentive silence as the man spoke, adding no comment and no interjection until he had completely finished, though the light twitch of her eyebrow or an amused smile would flick across her lips at some of the things he was saying.

When the topic was concluded with a question to Double Stripe, Ray didn't even look over at the Snake, knowing full well what his response would be.
the striped pokemon gave a firm nod, followed with a flick of his tongue and a light hiss. his posture became resolute, but beyond that, it was poised and proud.

Ray added nothing for him, he could speak for himself, and she respected that.
but as she felt him answer alder the silver haired women slid her feet under the chair she was sitting at so that she could lean forward, folding her fingers together in her lap.
"Its always to hardest part or your moral code, and as a champion you have to be expected to be a beacon to everyone else, that of course includes accepting and encouraging every single one of your little trainers."
she tilted her head in a skeptical look "But you know that we don't do this for as long as we have and not have some instinct as to who will fail and who was made for this. it what we do, we see, we are trained, to see."
She held her hands up in a light shrug. "The only difference, is that I've got the freedom to call people out on it."

"There is one thing I will grant you" Ray said, patting her hand on the table before she reached up and plucked the pokeball off of the strap on her jacket, reaching out to place it on the table.
the action caused the pokemon beside her to widen his eyes and look sharply at her.
"By all rights, this is not something I can legally own, and as far as pokemon go, I'm not allowed to have anything to do with the League, and I can honestly accept that lands that the league presides over have the pokemon there under their protection and guidance. But I would like to actually question your right to any pokemon on this Island."
She settled a hard stare toward the man, watching his expressions closely. "The League has stated several times that they are here on a trial bases, and for the ultimate goal to get Team rocket under their control, and by no means have plans to establish a real presence here. you're not here because of the uniqueness of the native pokemon or the ability of its trainers, and as far as I see, if Team Rocket wasn't here you wouldn't give this place a second thought. Sssooo you seem a BIT out of your jurisdiction for what happens with pokemon in Kodo, feel free to correct me if I am wrong."

She held the Pokeball out "still, I broke your law with this, So I will accept whatever punishment you wanna dish out, and its your chance to give me a taste of my own medicine. It only makes sense. though this time, the pokemon is unwilling to go."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"You're right - I am expected to encourage and aid all of the trainers registered with the League," he affirmed, then added, "I am expected to do it, but I don't do it out of obligation. I want to do it, and I firmly believe in every single one of those 'little trainers' that, with enough help and guidance, they can become wonderful pokemon trainers. Though yes, I will give you that - some have natural talent, a knack for it." It just meant that those without said natural talent just needed to study and practice more; it didn't mean that they wouldn't get anywhere with training. "You're incorrect there; I could call people out on it if I wanted to," he countered, his tones going a little flat and unimpressed, "but I don't because it's rude."

At least she admitted that, but then, she didn't seem the type to deny her own wrong-doings. He listened closely as she spoke, taking in her words and tones and expressions. The Serperior's discomfort was also noted. Once she finished, he moved to lean back in his chair again, "You have every right to that question," he ceded, lifting a hand palm-up in a small shrug. "The Pokemon League didn't come to Kodo publicly until a year or two ago. Publicly," he repeated, putting emphasis on that as he leaned forward. "But the truth is, The League has been here ever since citizens wanted to become official trainers, which was before Team Rocket came here. The League agreed to have Pokemon Centers built here, and to have PokeMarts stock pokeballs and other training-related items. The League has had at least one undercover operative here for three to four years before we came here publicly. In reality, the Pokemon League has had at least some presence here this whole time - just not nearly as much as larger, more populated regions. As my colleagues told the public when the League arrived here at first, yes, it was on a trial basis, having officials stay on-site." Was, but not anymore. "That trial basis ended months ago, if not last year. The League has been here ever since, with varying numbers, and we're currently building a full-scale trainer's center that will help any trainer who seeks it out. I've heard concerns from trainers about having to leave the island for challenges and to grow stronger, and while the League denied the request for gyms, they approved the request for a training center. It isn't a gym system, but it is a permanent League presence that will present challenges to trainers to help them grow stronger. It will be a helpful resource, should they choose to use it." Not that the purpose of the center was explained in full during the fair, which he knew full well.

"The ultimate goal is to remove Team Rocket from Kodo, yes - but even when that happens, the League will remain here. We're here to stay. So to answer your question in more concise terms, yes, the League presides fully over Kodo at this point. My transfer here was also officially finished last week, so both I and the League at large are well within our jurisdiction. But, again, only part of that was publicly declared - mostly because the public also has a very good chance to include Team Rocket," he finished with another shrug. "All of that is in the past now, though," and something he hadn't had any hand in, given the fact he'd been presiding over Unova the entire time.

"That said," he went on, leaning forward once more and holding his hand out for the pokeball she held out, "I appreciate your admission of breaking our laws. I'm going to need to see every pokeball in your possession, so that they can be scanned for their original trainers and a decision can be made --," he paused, his gaze shifting to Double Stripe, "-- after I speak with them first."  

[Blood_Goddess]

A corner of Ray's mouth turned up higher than the other side, but she continued to wear a lazy, contented nature look as he spoke.
"Rude?" She let out a laugh "And exactly what perspective are we talking about now? Obviously you're worried about the trainer, because you know what I think is rude? Letting the Pokemon go to waist, unhappy and unchallenged, that's what I think is rude."
She stuck him with a hard stare "You go ahead and focus on your kids, There is nooooothing wrong with that sir! I see them too, I've got my eye on a few of them here that have great potential, but I've always ever seen the pokemon first, like I have always ever seen my partners. But hey! I'm not saying that you're sentiment isn't wrong, its just a bit well... sentimental." Her crooked grin returned at the last statement, that she obvious thought was humorous.

Any humorous expression she had would soon falter as she listened to Alder explain her challenge to his justification over the pokemon on the island.
In fact she looked down right displeased and disgust as she practically spat out her next words
"You put a center up." She scoffed followed with a humorless laugh "Oh that's rich, and the biggest load of bull I've ever heard. You stick a pokemon center in an aria with pokemon, OH and I'm sure you like to say that its a way to help the pokemon that might need medical attention but its ALSO that nice little clause that the league worked out."
She stomped her boot on the ground so she could lean forward a little forcefully "Its a god damn place holder! So if anyone questions the League you can just say you call dibs, that you were interested the whole time."
She leaned back, "You think putting a building up and supplying generic tools is a PRESENCE!? I'm not an idiot Alder, I know how the League works, I was part of you for most of my life, So I'm not buying this. You can't establish your monopoly half heatedly like that, and expect it to be respected."
A gloved hand reached up to jab a thumb back toward the door that least out of the room, not once taking her eyes off the of Unova champion that for so long she had aimed to defeat in battle. That thought had once excited her.
"And I'll tell you what, none of those trainers out there are going to respect that either."

"You might have noticed this already, but things are different in Kodo, and I'll tell you now, that this is the reason I came here. I cannot, and will not depute the merits of the League, nor what it has done, its been able to maintain a form of order, but with the cost of a lever of ignorance. And this is how we end up here now, why I was never meant to be a part of your world, I see things differently and always will.
But here in Kodo, I've felt more at home, their situation has bred a new kind of mindset Alder, this isn't about personal growth or sport of unity and peace in the world, Kodo is about survival. Fearing for their lives, and the doubt that the League does not fully have their back has moved them beyond the sport you support.
This is survival to them.
And THAT as a survivalist is something I respect."

She did not argue when the Pokeball was asked to be handed over, and it was that single Sphere that she held out to him, though there was a slight falter in the width of her smile.
"Some of us are thinking ahead, becasue when you're system fails and things get out of hand, not being ready will get people killed, and no one is going to care that you had a pokemon center in place before anyone else."

Before the ball could be exchanged completely, a flash of red and white was thrown across their vision, followed sharply by a strangled cry as Ray jerked herself backward in her seat, before the tall women found herself on her feet.

Though her surprise passed quickly, her eyebrows pressing together in slight pain as her other hand reached out to place it on the forehead of the Serperior who had lunched at the pokeball. not just biting it, but taking his trainer's hand with it.
A light frown on her lips in concern for the pokemon's actions.
"Hey, don't worry about this." She told him, her hand losing the grip on the pokeball as the snake worked his tongue around it.

Blood hit the table as he let go, pulling back into his full height and in an act of desperation bit down on the pokeball

"NO!" Ray let out a startled yell, ignoring the fact that her hand was bleeding from the bite she rushed over to try and pry the snake's mouth open "Don't bite on that DON'T you idiot! That can kill you!"

Pokeballs had their own form of power, if it was broken it could not just get shards of metal in his gums or if he swallowed it, but any of the toxic liquids, or if the power chamber was broken it could poison him.
Still the Surperior refused to open his mouth, the continued crunching of the pokeball could be heard between his teeth, one eyes closed with the effort.

Ray braced herself in a wide stance, wrestling with DS's head, trying to force her fingers between his lips so she could struggle and try to pry them open. "Double Stripe I swear to god if you don't stop I'm going to beat the s**t out of you you idiot!"
She barked frantically, a threat that the Surprerior did not at all seem to take seriously.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Alder listened quite patiently as Ray spoke - though 'spoke' might not've been the right word - though he wasn't at all pleased by her tone or her words, and the thin line his mouth formed evidenced this. However, before he could even think to reply - before Rayan had even finished talking - there was suddenly a lot of Serperior between them with his pokeball in his jaws. Alder jumped up and was around the table immediately, his swift reaction due to years of being an active trainer despite his age, and though he hurriedly looked for a way to aid the woman, he saw none. She pretty much had the physical aspect of it handled.

"That's enough!" He shouted barely a second later, his posture straightened as he leveled a severe look at the Serperior. His tones had changed from the casual yet stern voice he'd used with Rayan, to one he'd used to command attention as an authority, the champion of Unova, in years past. It wasn't a tone he used much unless the situation called for it, and this one certainly did. "Double Stripe, you are without a doubt one of the most intelligent Serperior I've met, and you should know they're by nature a very smart species, which is why I'm speaking to you now rather than calling any pokemon out to subdue you as I would with a less intelligent pokemon. You need to let that go immediately or you will injure or possibly even kill yourself, and I absolutely do not want you to injure yourself needlessly." He barely paused in his words, still leveling the grass-type with a very harsh, stern look, looking directly into his face - specifically his eyes. "I will fully explain everything to you but first you must stop trying to break that pokeball. One reason I need to see it is to get your original trainer's full name and trainer registration - something I very highly doubt Rayan knows - and if you break it, I can't get it. I promise you," he raised one hand over his heart, hoping to add meaning to his next words, "you have my word as a member of the Pokemon League, as the former Unova Champion - that I will not recall you into your pokeball, and if you don't wish it, I will not return you to your original trainer."

He paused then, hoping his words would sink in, watching the Serperior very carefully for a couple seconds before he continued, his tones calmer and not as loud but still just as stern, "I still need to speak with you - you and all of her other pokemon. Whether you destroy the ball or not won't change that. I don't want you to injure yourself needlessly when there's alternatives to what you're trying to accomplish. So please, let go of the ball so that I can speak to you. If you still want to destroy it after that, I won't stop you, as that's your decision, but all I ask if that you allow me to speak with you first."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Double Stripe's eyes flashed open at the forceful tone the large man had taken, the red and white pokemon suddenly finding both the humans standing up and over to them.
Staring at the man, but not looking convinced at all, he held fast to the pokeball, eyes growing wide, clearly not so sure he wanted to believe the man.

"What's he going to do huh?" Ray spoke to the Surperior under her breath, mossy eyes meeting his as he glanced over to her. "You know this DS, you'll always had the rights that anyone has, you know no one can take that away from you, you've got what it takes to enforce that if you have to."
She didn't blink once "I'm not going to let anyone tell you what to do."

She had no idea what the League would do with Double Stripe, or the ball she knew she wasn't supposed to have, she knew they very well could tell her that Double Stripe would not be allowed to be a part of her team, but they would have to lock her up before she ever stopped.

"Hey, He's league, I know, but you can trust what he says, I even used to look up to him, once upon a time."
Gosh she hoped this worked.

Still skeptical the Surperior looked as if he might still take his chances and break the pokeball,
Blood was already starting to form across his lips and drip down his mouth setting a still look on Ray's face.
But after the trainer stood and spoke softly to her pokemon for a time he finally loosened his jaws, allowing the ex-trainer to slide her hand in and grab the ball from between his teeth.
"AH!" It sparked and flashed causing the women to flinch back tossing it onto the table where it lay with a thick crack across its surface.

"Aw DS." she muttered, reaching her hand back in to try and pick out some shards that sunk into his jawline.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He hadn't expected Double Stripe to completely believe him, given the fact he barely knew the pokemon or Rayan, so he wasn't surprised that it took more time and more coaxing before the Serperior finally ceded and gave up his prize. Even with the pokeball free, Alder completely ignored it for the moment, not even giving it a second thought as he relaxed a bit and focused on the woman and her pokemon. "Are you both all right?" While healing items were readily available in their current location, such things weren't exactly practical in this situation.