victory_road | How Team Rocket stole Christmas...

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How Team Rocket stole Christmas...

'Twas six days before Christmas and all through their base
All the Rockets were working, putting their plans into place...

Just because there has been an absence of huge heists and explosions, doesn't mean Team Rocket has taken some time off from crime for the holidays. Everything but, in fact!

Under the eye of Jennies and gym leaders everywhere, Team Rocket has been putting their new dastardly plans into action by replacing every mall Santa and Elf (and boy, are there a lot of mall Santas and Elves this time of year!) with their own grunts and privates. Their goal? To scope out all the malls, shopping districts, and shopping centers in the two regions in preparation for the Saturday before Christmas, which just so happens to be the biggest shopping day of the year. No other day in the year has stores just so absolutely glutted with cash and valuables, registers and store safes overflowing with money. Plus there is all that yet unsold merchandise. Really, it just begs for someone to come and steal it.

Doing so would be the heist of the year, the talk of the season and who else but Team Rocket would be able to pull it off?

Of course, being that this is Team Rocket, they cannot help but want both the fortune and the fame. (Or is that infamy?) When you go big, you gotta go loud, and that is exactly what Team Rocket plans to do right at the biggest, busiest, most valuable market of them all: The Goldenrod City Christmas Market.

(Plus if everybody's attention is drawn to Goldenrod City where they've stationed their best and brightest, all the other Rocket members across the two regions will certainly be able to get away with their far more silent dastardly deeds with that much more ease)

Even among Christmas Markets, The Goldenrod City Christmas Markets is something special. There is no market more festive or more beautifully decorated. Winding through a part of town (having outgrown its old stadium home), the various stalls and shops sell valuables that cannot be bought anywhere else; valuable TMs, precious held items, even items like fossils and gems, Goldenrod has it all.

And soon. Team Rocket will have it all.

If a series of people in balaclava masks, heavy coats, and warm hats begin to filter into the Christmas Market as the evening wears on… well, it is the biggest shopping day of the year. And with the December chill nipping at everybody's noses and ears, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be warm while you shop… right?

---

Towards the end of the evening, as shoppers slowly start leaving for home, their wallets a lot lighter than when they arrived, the various intercoms that have been playing non-stop Christmas music for the last few weeks suddenly cut out with a strangle crackle. The bright and merry Christmas lights suddenly cut out, leaving the market flooded in darkness.

What's happening? A power outage? Did someone forget to pay the power bill?

But no, it's worse. Much worse.

“Prepare for trouble…
… and make it double...
You better watch out
We’re making you cry
Don’t make us shout
We’re telling you why
Team Rocket is coming to town!”

Dozens upon dozens upon dozens of warmly dressed market-goers suddenly throw off their coats, balaclavas and hats, revealing their Team Rocket uniforms underneath! The lights come back on again, but unlike the cheery twinkling of before, they are all a harsh red now.

Red like the Rocket R that has suddenly appeared everywhere. Even as many of the Rockets are swooping in to steal every TM, battle item, and cashbox that isn’t nailed down, other Rockets are putting Team Rocket’s mark on their surroundings: banners with the Rocket R (which had been hidden very cleverly within other decorations) are suddenly unfurled while the speakers blare something that is definitely not Christmas music. Even the large Christmas Tree at the centre of the market is a target, as a few grunts use their Psychic pokemon to tear the delicate beautiful ornaments of the tree, replacing them with the Rocket symbol.

And while there are always some guards and Jennies at the market, they are quickly surrounded by Rocket privates who deal with them with almost terrifying precision. It's as if they knew exactly what pokemon these Jennies were going to bring and made sure to tailor their teams to that.

With the Jennies dealt with, the chaos is complete. Who can help us now?

Who can save (the Saturday before) Christmas?

---

And as Goldenrod descends into Rocket chaos, all those who remained at home or who are out on the road will be treated to a very unusual visitor.

His arrival is heralded by the sound of sleigh bells, growing ever closer until suddenly you can spot it: a sleigh. And not just any sleigh. It’s the same sleigh you must have seen over and over in the past few weeks, gracing every advertisement, window display and Christmas decoration. It’s pulled by a singular Stantler which dashes through the air, its hooves skimming the clouds as it guides the sleigh lower and lower until it touches down onto the ground in front of your character (or, should you be inside, onto the roof). The single occupant of the sleigh rises, a massive red-clad man with an equally massive beard, and it is him, the OG (Original Gift-maker).

Santa’s jolly face is uncharacteristically serious as he extends a thickly gloved hand, his voice lacking its normal grandfatherly cheer.

“Trainer with your poke-might
Won’t you help me fight tonight?”

---

Event FAQ

What if my character does not want to help Santa?

Santa will understand. He'll look a little sad, but he will understand. He will depart, though he will give characters a candy cane before he goes.

Wait, is Santa giving us a lift to Goldenrod, then?

Yep! He can do that for everyone at the same time, because Santa is magic like that.

My character wants to help Santa, but they are not a fighter!

Not to worry! Even if your character is not a fighter, Santa can really use their help. You see, today Santa isn't just carting around gifts in his sleigh -- a quick reach into his sack will reveal First Aid kits and potion packs.

For anyone who wants to help out, but who aren't good at fighting, Santa would really appreciate it if they would be willing to help support others who are doing the fighting, and help heal any of the pokemon or people who may have gotten hurt by Team Rocket's shenanigans.

My character wants to help Santa and is willing to fight, but they don’t have any high level pokemon!

Worry not! Santa will provide! For everyone who wants to fight, but only has low-level pokemon, Santa will lend out two (2) of his little helpers: a Jynx in a fur-lined red dress and a Shiny Galar Zigzagoon (adorably candy-striped in red and white.) Both Pokemon are Level 60. Sadly, these are just on loan and Santa will need them back when the fight is over, but they will pose for selfies with you on request.

What about the non-Goldenrod locations? Is Santa sending anyone to fight off the Rocket operatives there?

They’re being taken care of by the Pokemon League, Gym Leaders, and all kinds of trainers from this world. Which doesn’t mean Team Rocket won’t steal some of what they’re aiming for anyway. It just means the other locations won’t be completely defenseless.

I have a Rocket character. Where are they supposed to be during this?

At the Christmas Market, of course! They’re one of the ‘best and the brightest.’

Wait, so when Team Rocket says they’re ‘stealing Christmas’ what they actually mean is that they’re robbing a bunch of places at once on the biggest shopping day of the year and taking over the Christmas Market?

Well, yeah. Did you think they were gonna go the Full Grinch? Nah. Raiding the cashboxes is way more profitable.

So, uh, how are we getting home again?

Time to walk-- No, no. Santa wouldn't do that to people. After everything has been dealt with, he'll give people a lift back to where he picked them up. Unless they'd much rather remain in Goldenrod City, in which case, that is fine too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's not quite a refusal, Dimitri notes. It's simply the kind of thing that someone makes when an offer is made they weren't prepared for, or that they feel shy about accepting. He keeps that in mind for later.

But again: There are other things to focus on.

Dimitri looks down at the Pokedex that Claude has out, thinking on their situation. A part of him wants to get out into the fray immediately, but... He knows now that there isn't any good to be had in rushing things. The Pokecenter is a flurry of activity, but at least it's safe for the time being - a good place to figure out their plan of attack.

"I suspect that the leaders are easy to spot... but reaching them will be something else," Dimitri says, which is just saying the obvious. It was always the leaders of their enemies, whether an officer or... otherwise that were the hardest to reach in the war. Dimitri is something of an outlier in that aspect. "If we knew where they were situated, or if they had somewhere to regroup... There must be somewhere or someone that is tending to any injuries, just like in any war."

Honestly, Claude had been going for "you shouldn't feel obligated to do that for me", but Dimitri's close enough. The point isn't a lack of interest on his part. (It's trying to be common sense on his part, but the truth is that what he knows is best is at war with what his heart short-sightedly wants.)

"I'm not even sure we should assume easy to spot in all this confusion," Claude says, still looking fixedly at his Gear's screen. "We're indoors, for one thing. It's a lot harder than looking across an open battlefield. And with all the technology for contacting people from a distance...there is at least some possibility that their leaders may be issuing orders from a distance. It could be from somewhere within this building, or from miles away. We can't know unless we investigate...but you're right that getting somewhere they don't want us to be would be hard to do. We're no match for them in numbers..."

He looks up and out, into the mall again. It really is daunting, how many people in those distinctive Rocket outfits are running around...it just highlights the poor odds they're at.

But it also gives Claude an idea.

He smiles a little. "You know, Dimitri, I've just had a thought..."

Dimitri blinks down at Claude. Whenever Claude has "A Thought", it has always in the past proven to be a rather... interesting line of thought. Dimitri suspects that Claude has only become more of a cunning trickster and strategist in the time that he hasn't been paying the other man any mind. Well...

If it's Claude, then he'll of course listen.

The plan Claude presents is fairly simple in theory, although Dimitri worries about just how well it can be pulled off... but if everything is in chaos, perhaps it will do well enough. Getting the materials he needs turns out to be the trickier aspect.

After all, it requires getting a hold of a Rocket member a little lower on the ladder and who no one will really look twice at. Dimitri manages to borrow a walking stick no one had been using in the Pokecenter ("borrow" meaning he grabbed with a hasty note attached) and he uses it quite efficiently as he and Claude make their way through the market.

The problem arises in that these Grunt's are quite cowardly. Whenever Dimitri bulldozes past Pokemon and towards the Grunts themselves, they panic, especially when Dimitri deals with their Pokemon just as efficiently whenever they get in the way. That has them cowardly retreat, disappearing into the chaos. He's going to have to think of a way to get them before they can run out of reach of his weapon...

But eventually, Dimitri manages to succeed... and it isn't good enough, with the Rocket he downs literally not being a good fit. Dimitri is put onto the chase again and it's his second time that it looks as though it will be better.

"What do you think?" he asks, the two of them tucked away from the chaos in a small alley sort of situation, chest heaving and sweat along his brow.

"I think it's the best we can ask for, under the circumstances," Claude says, sizing up the Rocket before them - specifically their uniform - critically. "I mean, I'd probably look more natural in pants, but I think I can pull off a skirt well enough...the sideburns are going to be the biggest issue." He rubs them absently. "Maybe I should consider shaving after this..."

He shakes his head. "Anyway, we can't really afford to go hunting again, not if I want to put this plan into action in any kind of timely fashion. So I'll make use of what I've got, and trust my skill in bluffing to carry me through." He glances at Dimitri. "I'll strip them down; I think you'd be even more uncomfortable about it than I'll be. We'll cover them up once I do, and put them somewhere out of sight." He pulls out an Escape Rope. "We can restrain them with this, so we can hand them over to the Jennies later."

"I do not see why sideburns would necessarily be an issue," Dimitri murmurs in response, glancing out of the tiny alley area just to make sure they won't be interrupted. It's hard to focus on this when he's guarding all of this so much...

And the Rattata seem to understand this, as Hob soon pats Dimitri's face before hopping off. They all take up watch, ears twitching to go through the sheer amount of sound and chaos that's occurring. Dimitri can't help but feel a little proud, even as he finally turns the full force of his attention to Claude.

All of his words make sense, but still... Dimitri wishes he could have done a little better in getting a target for Claude. However, it's not as though he can simply and accurately guess people's clothing sizes as he runs around the place. So Dimitri frowns, not looking quite at the Rocket. "I see.... Then, I will get something to cover them." It's a marketplace, there has to be something.... and he can always send one of the Rattata off too, so that he doesn't leave Claude alone.

"Well, they'll definitely make me more noticeable," Claude says absently. "They're not a common feature on people wearing skirts. But also, frankly, they're pretty recognizable in general. Not many people period wear sideburns and a beard the way I do."

That may be something he wants to consider in the future, if he wants to make himself more difficult to place. Or make himself a little harder to recognize after this.

He laces his fingers together, stretching his hands before him. "Okay, so...no time like the present. Undressing someone while they're unconscious isn't exactly an activity I'm thrilled to be engaging in, but it's for a good cause! So if you could just keep an eye out while I get this uniform, Dimitri..."

Oh.

Dimitri feels a sense of awkwardness roll over him, an uncertainty he's not sure he's felt for, well... years, maybe? He suspects it's been years. He turns around almost immediately, shooing off one of his rats - Knocker has been pretty big, so he thinks she should be able to do the job well enough.

"Please let me know when she is presentable enough to be tied up," he says, not sounding particularly happy about anything to do with this situation.

"Well, she won't be presentable when we tie her up unless we cover her up and then tie her up," Claude points out. "I was planning on doing the tying up and then the covering. It'll make the rope more secure, for one thing. But it's not like she'll be naked. I'm only taking the uniform, not anything she's got on underneath." He chuckles a little. "But if that's too much for you...I can do the tying and the covering myself, too, and then you don't have to turn around until she's nice and decent again."

"Please," says Dimitri awkwardly. He suspects this would have been easier to deal with - before. When he didn't care about "evil" people. When he didn't care about himself. But it - feels as though that sort of thing should matter, now. It feels as though he should care.

"I sent one of the Rattata to get something, so that should help..."

"Okay then!" Claude says cheerfully, even though he's not exactly comfortable right now. But no point in increasing Dimitri's own, even more visible discomfort by acknowledging that. "One uniform and one trussed-up Rocket, coming up! You know, some people would pay for this sort of treatment..."

Dimitri just hears rustling behind him for the next few minutes, along with the occasional mutter from Claude about nothing in particular. Claude's not thrilled about this, but at least he can be efficient. It's really not a lot of time at all before he's speaking again. "Okay, I have the uniform, and she's tied up. Now we're just waiting on something more disposable to cover her with. She's decent for now, though."

In the interim, Claude's taken off his cloak and draped it over her. He doesn't want to leave that with her, however; he might never get it back.

What.

"Pardon?" Dimitri says as he finally turns around to face Claude, his brow furrowed. "People pay for... being mugged?" From behind him, he thinks he can hear muffled squeaking.

Claude chuckles, even as he glances past Dimitri to what he hopes is a rat bringing something to cover the Rocket with. "Don't worry," he reassures him absently. "I'll explain it when you're older."

The good news is that it is indeed a rat bringing something over... although maybe the blanket has gotten a little dirty after being dragged around on the market grounds by a rat's mouth. That can't be helped, however. Sometimes that's just what happens. At least she's chosen a very pretty color, a thick and large blanket with a pleasant simple pattern. Clearly made for the winter months.

As his Rattata hands it off, Dimitri huffs. "You are not even older than me."

Claude winks at Dimitri. "I may not be older, but let's just say I'm a lot more worldly, shall we?"

Rocket hands aren't clean, Claude figures, so a dirty blanket can't hurt the rest of them much. He takes the blanket - with a nice pat for the rat - and, after retrieving his cloak, drapes it over the woman. Then he hands his cloak to Dimitri. "Hold this for a sec, okay?"

And then he begins casually undoing the sash around his waist. He's going to strip down right in front of you, Dimitri.

"I highly doubt that..." Dimitri can't see how he isn't worldly. He's experienced a lot, from all walks of life now, hasn't he? The idea preoccupies him for a good bit, accepting Claude's cloak without thinking twice about it. But he just can't quite understand -

Wait what's happening

"What are you doing?" Dimtiri asks, a little dumbly, as Claude pulls the sash from his waist.

Claude drapes the sash over Dimitri's outstretched arm holding his cloak, then unties the white cloth from around his neck and hands that over as well. "Obviously," he says, "I have to actually put the disguise on."

And then he's just...opening up his shirt, so he can shrug it off his shoulders. Whether Dimitri finds the skin or the scars more distracting there (or if they're equally so) is a battle for his mind to wage.

Okay. Okay! So. This is happening. But it should be fine, right? Dimitri tries to tell himself that, even as Claude starts to undo his shirt button by button. They're both guys. He's undressed around other guys before. Neither of them has anything that the other has not seen in their own reflection. There's no reason to stare.

Dimitri is staring.

This is not something he should be doing, he knows that - it's rude to say the least. And yet, here he is. Dimitri finally blurts out something. "You should not have so many scars."

Sure, brain, he'll go with that.

Claude chuckles quietly, trying to avoid any pretense of self-consciousness. It's not the undressing that bothers him, or even the scars themselves - it's the uncomfortable awareness that some of these scars were by Dimitri's own hand, while Dimitri was at his worst, and Claude would really rather him never know about that. "I mean, Fodlan's been at war for a long time now. I think all of us have our scars from that, visible or otherwise."

He drapes his shirt over Dimitri's arm, and then...yes, the pants are getting pushed down. He's wearing underwear, obviously, but how much that spares Dimitri is questionable.

He's still.... stripping. At least focusing on the scars, miserable as they are, can distract Dimitri from that. Best he can, he tries to focus on Claude's shoulders, the pale marring of skin there.

"But you are an archer," Dimitri murmurs, following the jagged edges. "And - I have heard you ride wyverns now."

"Right on both counts," Claude agrees, getting his boots off so he can step out of them and his pants. Then he picks up that miniskirt and starts...working it up his legs. It's a pretty good fit, which means it's tight. "But sometimes you get hit anyway. Especially if you have to get in close sometimes."

Like when you're trying to convince a feral former friend to ally with you.

When one has to get in close... Dimitri frowns, because this is suddenly seeming very close to the situation that they're dealing with right now. So far, it's mainly been Dimitri going after the Rockets and charging at their Pokemon. But with this....

"Does it have to be you who does this?" Dimitri asks, still not taking his eye off of a scar that folds across Claude's torso. Lance mark, from the look of it - or at least some sort of polearm.

"Of course it does," Claude says confidently, wiggling his hips as he pulls the miniskirt over them. ~~Absolute cruelty.~~ "I mean, first of all, it's way easier to find someone my size than yours. Second of all, we both know that if anyone has a chance of bluffing, lying, and charming their way through something like this, it's going to be me. At best you might be able to brute force your way through, but at that point why even bother with a disguise?

"And frankly, I don't think we can brute force through the Rockets. There's too many of them. And if you ran into a wall of pokémon, I don't think you'd have the heart to just crash through them, even if they didn't try to stop you...no, make that especially if. But I'm pretty sure they would try to stop you, so that point's moot."

Dimitri truly hates that he can't really argue too much with Claude on this front.... any of it. Besides being tall and broad shouldered, he's absolutely noticed that not many of the bandits that they've encountered tend towards the muscular side, and not in the same way as him. He supposes that shouldn't be completely surprised. This is a world where what combat that occurs happens between ones Paliens, generally speaking... so of course, for the vast majority of people, there's no need to develop one's body like this.

Still... He looks away from the skirt that's clinging to Claude's hips. "...This is risky. You always do things like this..."

"You aren't going to gain the most ground by playing it safe," Claude remarks, satisfied with the skirt for now and pulling on the shirt next. This inevitably tousles his hair, but oh well - he'll be putting a hat over it. "It'll be fine. In all this chaos, I don't know that anyone's going to pay much attention to any individual Rocket if they're not actively making a nuisance of themselves. I'm actually more worried about people coming to break the Rockets up and thinking I'm one of them...if I get arrested, you'll come get me out, right?"

Dimitri wonders how much that is true... How large is this group of bandits? How close are they? Do they have any codes, or plans, that any deviance from would draw immediate suspicion? Perhaps he is simply being an overworrying fool, considering all of this. It would be nice if it were so, if Dimitri could consider himself simply fussing and that Claude of course knows what he's doing.

But...

"You like to skip across far too many dangerous bridges for my liking," he murmurs, relieved when Claude pulls on that shirt and hides the way his scars curve over his muscles and skin. "I will chase after you to make sure that you stay safe."

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