In the middle of the night, we strike!

[11121_assumption]

As the sun sets, everything across Johto and Kanto seems peaceful. The weather has been getting a little chilly but is still mild and nothing too unusual or zany has happened lately. What a wonderful beginning to autumn! Only, as night falls, something is happening. Across the regions, vans are pulling up a few blocks down from the Pokemon Centres. Completely harmless vans, for various completely real businesses such as "Bellossom's Blossoms" or "The Slurpuff Nest Bakery".
 

Quite suddenly, the warp pads are fried! If you were planning to go somewhere, you certainly aren't getting there now. What's going on...??

Comments

ECRUTEAK CITY

[11121_assumption]

[in4apounding]

What-?

[Did the warp pads just explode or something. No, they're going to have to- ...fly back home to Goldenrod instead of just appearing there instantly. Huh.]

That's- ...mildly inconvenient, really.

[charcoalfeather]

[Huuuuuh.]

I-I guess if you cant fly, it makes it a little harder to get around.

[At least Rakka wasn't planning on going back home just yet...?]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[There's a gentle oozing noise as a Dratini oozes back out of the vent in the side of the Center and back over to the truck.]

[Wrath has been sitting there patting his knees lightly. Just a nervous tic, as they wait for the moment when the warps are supposed to go down and go in, guns a-blazing. They've been waiting all day and it feels like even longer. But he knows... patience is paramount.]

[ALL THE SAME... he can't help but squint at the mysterious team-mate who he's NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE NOW. Just... squint. He doesn't know WHAT is pinging his deja vu about her (and actually, he doesn't even know what deja vu is), just that it's... something.]

[He's sitting closer to Diana, either way. Her, he's worked with before.]</sub>

[keep_surviving]

[Diana's not really sure what made her opt into this. Maybe she was just striving for some sort of purpose while she was here. It did feel like this place had given her a ridiculously gracious chance to do... something? Whatever it was, she felt kind of guilty spending it twiddling her fingers and eating her way through the days.]

[She smiles at Wrath, glad to be with someone familiar. Though she doesn't recognize the other person at all. And judging by Wrath's expressions, he's not so sure of their teammate.]

[Oh well, she's stuck with them for today. Might aswel say hey, so she offers them a wry smile.] Hey, I'm Diana.

[Diana ruffles Wrath's hair.] You alright, peanut?

[pipers_son]

[Of all the people in this criminal organization of pretty damn large size...]

["Betty" tries to not let it bother her. Fake it until you make it, right? So she smiles, eternally grateful for Envy's skill with makeup, smiling over at the other woman across from her. Not looking at Wrath makes it a lot easier to pretend to not know Wrath.]

[Goddammit, Team Rocket was supposed to be bigger.]

Pleasure's all mine. Betty. Now, I don't know about you two, but I can't wait. [With apparent laziness, she stretches her arms over her head.] It's been too long since anything fun has happened.

[And then- because it can't be ignored forever- Wrath gets a smile sent his way. Fingers crossed that the red lipstick helps to make it seem different from Joker's usual.]

Feeling the same way, kid?

[garbagechild]

_{[The affectionate nickname at least gets him to nod absently, which is more than he's communicated in the last half-hour or so. Because... yeah, he's all right, he's just... tryingtofigureoutwherehe'sseenthislady!!!!]}

Ahuh...

<sub>[The Dratini slithers up onto the truck seat next to him and up around his shoulders. SHE, TOO, seems suspicious... but that's because she's a giant gossip and if her trainer seems suspicious by golly she's gonna be suspicious too.]

[He squuuuiiiiiiiiiiiints when 'Betty' finally looks over at him.]

[But... he still can't place her!]</sub>

I wanna have fun, I like having fun.

... Right, Dian-a?

[keep_surviving]

[She sends a sly grin Wrath's way.]

Oh, yeah. Peanut here's a riot.

[What even is this tension? Did Betty sleep with Wrath's dad or something?]

So er, have you two met?

[charcoalfeather]

[SUDDENLY, EVERYTHING'S GOING WRONG.

Here Rakka was, just hanging out at the pokemon center with her friends, when suddenly the warp pads shorted out? And there's people here who Rakka recognizes after a moment as Team Rocket! They must be after the Pokemon! They need to be stopped!

...Good thing she has her own Pokemon. Quickly, Rakka grabs one of her balls and rushes to face one of the agents in this chaos, pointing an accusing finger at them.]

H-hey! What do you think you're doing?

[pipers_son]

[It was only to be expected that familiar faces would show up in an operation like this... but that doesn't mean it's nice to be proven right. "Betty" pauses, making sure that Diana and Wrath can go get everything that's needed.]

[Rakka. Well. That's certainly a pity for her.]

Just a small stop, sweetheart. Why don't you go sit down before you do something you'll regret?

[Around her ankles, Sunflower the Heliolisk crackles nervously with electric energy.]

[charcoalfeather]

[It's a pretty big pity, that's for sure.]

W-what...? [She couldn't believe what she was hearing from this... this person. She held her Pokeball close to her chest, fingers tentatively curled around it.]

You think... I'm just going to let you steal Pokemon? No way, I-I won't let you!

[She at least looks more stern then she sounds, as she takes the plunge and tosses out her pokeball. In a flash of light, Bright the Espurr was standing before her.]

[pipers_son]

[Well... That kind of answer is only to be expected. There are an awful lot of good people in Johto, after all. Sunflower crackles all the harder, and Betty waves a hand down at her.]

I don't think you have a choice, mm?

[Time for something different. From one of Betty's own Pokeballs comes Elf, the Vivillon's bright blue wings fairly shimmering.]

Let's go, then. I'll even be nice and give you a moment to back out~.

[charcoalfeather]

[Plenty of good people around, and Rakka was one of those people that liked to think she did her best! So, that was what she was going to do!]

Oh! Well that's... [Nicer then Rocket grunts usually are? okay.] Bright! Use Psybeam!

[And that's all her Espurr needs to hear before letting a blast of psychic power fire out at Elf.]

MAHOGANY TOWN

[11121_assumption]

[bleedingunversed]

[After getting wind of the next job Team Rocket was going to pull, Vanitas had decided to do some homework. He got a job at the Mahogany Pokemon Center, learning the ins and outs of the place, getting to know everyone that worked there. He alternated day and night shifts so he'd have a good feel for it all and, in the process, managed to charm pretty much ever Nurse that worked there.

When the time came to finally pull the heist Vanitas was in full Rocket garb, his mask and hat in place and contacts in to disguise his rather distinctive eyes.

Scrapper and Flood took point and cornered the Nurse on duty, allowing Vanitas to grab her and haul her towards one of the closets.]

Sorry, sweetheart~

[With a smirk he shoved her inside--after releaving her of the Pokeballs she had--barricading the door afterwards. Dusting his hands off as he made his way back towards the counter, Vanitas whistled and Scrapper was immediately at his side, keeping a sharp eye on the trainers that were scattered about and currently being threatened by other grunts. He'd deal with the trainers later.

Right now, he had a back room to clear out.

Flood, meanwhile, was zipping about pick-pocketing people with the help of Vanitas's newly evolved Gengar, Shadow, the pair snagging everything and anything they could get their greedy hands on.

For the good of Team Rocket, of course!]

[thedifferencebetween]

[This both sucks and doesn't.]

[On the one hand, hey, some excitement! On the other...he shouldn't have to do this shit anymore. He's already done this! He's done the start at the bottom and rise to the top dance! He's too friggin old for this shit. Not that he can't do it, of course he can! But he's reached the point in life where he should be the boss.]

[But whatever. He'll do what he has to. So Jack's in his Rocket Gear, taking a moment before starting the heist proper to remove his synthskin mask and cover his face with a Halloween mask instead. He's also got a ski cap pulled down over his hair, making sure everything identifiable was covered.]

[Unsurprisingly, he lets Van take the lead. Let the kid deal with the initial attack, Jack wants to see what he can do. Plus, the riskiest part's always the first strike. But he's right behind, his scolopide out and intimidating trainers. For once, he's keeping his mouth shut. Just in case. His voice is pretty distinct. That doesn't stop him from taking a few minutes to rough up a couple of trainers for fun. Just silently. That done, he sends one of his Meowth for whatever useful things can be grabbed.]

[Then he actually checks on Vanitas.]

How we doing, kid?

[bleedingunversed]

[Vanitas is in the process of clearing out some of the boxes when Jack makes his appearance in the store room, glancing over his shoulder at the older man and giving a smirk.]

Not bad. There was actually a lot of Pokemon here. It's been pretty slow the last few times I've been here. Looks like we picked a good night.

[The box empty now, Vanitas hefts the backpack onto his shoulder, one Pokeball still clutched in his hand.

This one is his.]

Just have a few more I want to check.

[thedifferencebetween]

Oh yeah? How much you skimming?

[Jack's tempted to ask to have a look himself, but there's plenty of trainers being held that are waiting to be relieved of their Pokemon. Which is a lot more appealing than going through boxes.]

[And he'd rather nab himself something from somebody's active team anyway.]

Alright, well, finish up in here and you can help me with the trainers. We wanna be out of here as quick as we can.

[bleedingunversed]

Just the one, Pops, don't worry.

[And it was the truth. Vanitas really didn't have much interest in anything he'd come across but this one had been with the other fighting types and seemed interesting. He was willing to take a chance.]

Yeah yeah, I'm working on it. I've got one more box to check. Flood!

[Drifting into the room with a delighted spin, the Phantump grinned behind her mask.]

Go start shaking some people down. Grab any money you find and any stones. Got it?

Sure thing!

BLACKTHORN CITY

[11121_assumption]

[badluckbabe]

Sneaking in had been the easy part honestly.

Jinx had discussed the plan ahead of time with Walter, even going as far as to scout out the Pokecenter before the day of the heist. She hung around in different outfits, watching the staff change shifts, watching the deliveries come and go. Even staying up all night to assess what kind of police activity happened that late.

It felt nostalgic for her in a way. Studying and planning, preparing to do something wicked and nefarious just to try and prove she was worth respect and admiration.

But it left her feeling conflicted. She spent her idle time pondering it while she took her notes on which Nurse Joys worked which days of the week. Was Team Rocket her second chance at the big time?

Or was it just more proof that she was never meant to be a criminal?

In the time she'd been in this world the most Rocket like things she'd done was pick pockets, turn in stolen pokemon for rewards, and occasionally bully weaker trainers. But other then that she was still not much better then a faceless, nameless grunt.

Diana still didn't really understand why it was important to Jinx, and maybe that should have been her first clue that she was spinning her wheels more out of familiarity then actual desire.

With all that in her head the day of the heist came, and in uniform she and Walter met behind the center near the loading dock where supply trucks, as well as one ambulance and a Pokecenter owned van came and went during the week. According to Jinx's notes the delivery truck had already come that morning so the center would not only be stocked with supplies, but more pokemon since she noticed a higher level of activity on delivery days.

[11121_assumption]

Walter knew the basic operations of a Pokemon Centre; he worked in one regularly and they didn't vary too greatly across Johto. That's why they had decided on this approach; slip int he back, snatch up the pokemon there, leave out the same door. No need to get any attention from the trainers in the reception area. Quick and easy, with the least amount of conflict or fighting involved.

While the mission left a sour taste in his mouth, Walter remained as stoic as ever. He didn't like Team Rocket. He didn't want to be in Team Rocket. While normally he dismissed his own feelings as being irrelevant (they always had been), he had something else to consider now. Alessa. The Volcarona, the Sun Pokemon, needed to be free. But until he could free her, he needed to keep as little focus on himself as possible. So for now, he would play along with them. He knew he couldn't undo the damage he was about to do. But when the time came, he'd make sure Alessa's, and the other Pokemon in the lab's, suffering was repaid generously.

Upon meeting Jinx, he nodded to her and quietly pressed a Pokeball into her hands. "Hold this for a moment."

[badluckbabe]

Jinx looked puzzled for a moment, and then realization dawned on her and she quickly produced a pokeball of her own passing it back to him. If he was doing what she thought he was doing, it wouldn't work without her help.

"Some kinda secret weapon?" She whispered keeping her voice low and tugging down on her cap for the tenth time to make sure her bushy pink hair was mostly covered. It's not like she was the only girl with pink hair in this world.

[11121_assumption]

"Our way in." Walter had tied his hair up and tucked it into his cap. Even if some of his fringe fell and framed his face, nobody would think he'd cut the rest of his hair short. Once the 'trade' was completed, he passed her pokebal back and opened his own. There was a flash of white, and the Pokemon that apepared was immediately engulfed by it, changing forma s they emerged from the Pokeball. Once the light faded, it revealed a chubby, happy looking Gengar, who immediately giggled and looked over herself.

"Gloom, open the door on the other side." She nodded to him and slipped into shadow, vanishing under the door. There was a click and the door opened for them, revealing Gloom politely holding it for them and floating in midair to reach the knob more comfortably.

OTHER CENTRES

[11121_assumption]