How Team Rocket stole Christmas...

[indigo_league]

'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.

Comments

[amaure]

Much to the discontent of the Cofagrigus, who has no issue with Akane's struggling, that Golurk's nasty mitts are all over him! That sharp smile doesn't change, but the manic look to his eyes turns to something more feral as he bursts with a Dark Pulse against the Golurk. Likewise, with Golurk's attention drawn away, the Destiny Bond likewise fades, but leaves him open to a Shadow Ball being launched at his back. There will be more to follow, should he not relent, because Cofagrigus isn't one to release his prey without a fight!

While this commotion continues, Solus directs his Rotom to carry away their bounty to their drop off location, acting utterly uninterested in what's transpiring. It's not that he's not interested, he is. However, he cannot well allow himself to break character like an amateur just because he's familiar with the damsel in distress! At least, not when attention is on them.

Should the Golurk be persisting with attempting to open the lid by the time the Rotom return, he might very well find himself getting netted, if the two ghosts haven't felled him. Maybe even if they have! After all, Solus can't in good conscious leave that shiny alone as he aims to carry Akane away to somewhere more private for their little break from the chaos.

If she wishes to speak, they cannot do so while the audience is watching! Does she know nothing of the performance arts?

[uncutetomboy]

... um. You probably don't want to know what her high school production of Romeo and Juliet turned into, Mr Solus.

As it is, poor G-kun does get fainted while he's attempting to free Akane and does get netted and even though she's stopped yelling by the time the Rotom drones return, she's still giving the occasional bang against the inside of the sarcophagus, even if it's more of a 'every minute or so' thing than a constant battering thing.

[amaure]

...Well, he's all about drama, and if that proved to be far more dramatic and entertaining than the production they were attempting, could he really complain?

With her Golurk taken care of and netted, Afanis releases a potent Haze to obscure them as the group absconds—Solus hitching a ride onto his Cofagrigus as if it were some ancient surfboard. Of course he's not trying to act like some Californian beach boy, not that he knows what that is, but he's certainly standing in a dramatic fashion, gesturing forward as they make their momentary escape.

Once away from the crowd, down a few alleyways, well out of the sight of the bumbling public, and especially any Jennies...he hops down. His Rotom lowerin Golurk to the ground, but keeping the nets on it just in case. With a snap of his fingers, his Cofagrigus stands upright, and opens its lid to release Akane.

Solus stands before her, still in his Santa outfit, arms crossed over his chest as he stares down at her with a familiar fondness that was utterly vacant before.

"...As you were saying—Dirk sent you to me, did he?" Casual and calm, as if he hadn't just stuffed her into a ghost's luggage and dragged her away.

[uncutetomboy]

"That was the scariest thing I've been through in my life," Akane snaps. "And I fought the Orochi and went through a haunted tunnel and died for a minute!" After a long moment, she considers this. "Not all at the same time."

She crosses her arms in front of her. "Yes," she says grumpily. "He did. He was dressed like a Santa too, but he doesn't bother to change his voice so it doesn't sound like him like you did, so I could tell it was him. I almost didn't know it was you, only Dirk said you'd have snowman head robots and then when I got trapped I thought maybe I was wrong after all."

[amaure]

As Akane starts, his eyebrows raise, but otherwise his expression doesn't shift from the baseline amusement it held before she did. When she moves onto Dirk, there's a warmth behind his pale golden eyes--shameless affection to those who are perceptive enough to sense it.m

"Ever is he one with a flair for the dramatic, but I fear he is rather limited in the roles he plays--for he is only suited to play himself. And ever a charming role it is."

Of course, this is a loaded statement, even if true. Dirk has many selves, but outside of them, despite how varied, he isn't exactly apt at playing anyone else.

"But forgive me, Mistress Akane, but I could ill afford speaking with you in such audience, and an experienced actor does not break character even in the most dire of circumstances. If I could not convince you of my deception, what hope would I have for others, hm?"

[uncutetomboy]

"I guess that's true," she says reluctantly. "I'm-- not really used to people who are experienced actors," she admits. "I mean, when we did Romeo and Juliet at school last year, none of the guys trying to be Romeo had ever even bothered to read the play. They just spent the entire play beating each other up and trying to steal the role from one another."

She frowns a little, because something she's been wondering about has occurred to her once more and Mr Solus is actually here to ask.

"Does Dirk, um, know that you like him like him?" she asks after a moment. "Because I can kinda tell, but sometimes men, even the nice ones, are really, really dense." She's quiet for a second. "I think he likes you back too?" she ventures hesitantly.

[amaure]

The shifting of his expressions are as seamless as a maestro's sonata form. To start, there's delighted amusement dancing behind his eyes at the telling of her experience with rowdy male actors whom seemed far more interested in having the lead, than being the lead. So much as to pursue it through violent means--a pity, and for a moment he considers the possibility of showing her proper theatre.

Yet, before that thought could form into spoken words, her own expression shifts, and his amusement gives way to curiosity--before quickly settling upon endearment at her questions. The pure innocence of such a question, let alone her chosen means to inquire, is far too charming.

Exposition, development, recapitulation.

"Oh, my dear, clever girl..." There's no sarcasm to his voice, though a bubbling adoration seems to fill it, a warmth that is startling absent in most cases.

"Indeed, he is well aware of my feelings, and for my part his. Why else do you think he sent you for me? But I would urge you to not make such information public--you see, for as seemingly dense a young man may be, he is doubly modest of matters so close to the heart."

Though the beard does well to cover his face, it does not quite hide that warm smile he offers.

"You will do this for him, yes?"

[uncutetomboy]

His words make her feel warm. People don't usually compliment her on her intelligence. She's not stupid or anything, but Nabiki was the clever one in her family. Even Kasumi was pretty smart, considering the kinds of books she used to borrow from Doctor Tofu. Akane got decent grades, but that was about it.

That and the fondness in his voice--it's nice. If it were coming from a boy her age, she might balk at it, but it's not. It's coming from a grown-up man, probably as old as her dad if not older, who she likes and trusts. She can't help but smile shyly back at him--and she really does have a very cute smile. The kind of expression that transforms a face.

"Of course I will," she tells Mr Solus sincerely. "I know it's okay to be the kind of pervert who doesn't hurt people here--which, um, is good because I'm sort of one too--but it wasn't okay at all at home and, well, we didn't treat people like us very well." She frowns, then. "I didn't treat people like us very well."

Her cheeks are still warm, but not for the same reason as before. "Um. Anyway, I know about wanting to keep that stuff a secret. So I won't tell on Dirk and I won't tell on you! But I'm glad that you two know about liking each other. Because it's always weird when you start liking your best friend that way and you don't know if they like you back. I only found out about Connie because she accidentally talked to Mr Steven about it in front of everyone, because everyone's pokegears were messed up."

[amaure]

There are many ways he could have expected Akane to respond to what he said--the smile at his praise is one, but her naming not only himself and Dirk, but also herself, a pervert decidedly was not.

For a long beat, he's left staring down at her, bewildered and a little dumbstruck by her casual use of the term, and what more she reveals. Well did he know about her and Connie, having played witness to the technology running afoul, but he was not quite aware of Akane's shortsighted view of such relationships.

...Perhaps that's unkind, but he figures her ignorance is truly that, than something more malicious. If not for them being in the middle of a heist, perhaps he'd take some time to have a dialogue with her about it, but now is not the time.

"...Indeed, there are those who are possessed of close-minded beliefs towards those whom dare to differ from what they mistakenly preceive as a social norm. They are scant the example to follow." He offers softly as he gathers himself from his astonishment, his eyebrows settling from their prior skyward position.

"Nevertheless, I would not name us perverts, but that is a conversation for another time." As he speaks, his voice is gentle and measured, lacking any animosity or judgment.

The cofagrigus who has been standing behind Akane this whole time, still as a statue, finally moves around her to lay flat on the ground, lid open. Solus' gaze falls to it, and then the netted Golurk, his eyebrows ticking upward in thought. With a pointed flick of his eyes from the Rotom to the Golurk, the net is released and retracted.

"My apologies for disposing of your Golurk, but shall we meet on the battlefield once more, I am afraid you will be treated to an encore. 'Tis nothing personal. Yet, I will not seek you out to stop you in your quest of becoming a heroine. So, I suggest affording me a wide breadth, and I shall offer you the same courtesy."

[uncutetomboy]

"Don't worry," Akane promises, looking at the Cofagrigus with nervous eyes. "After this, I'm definitely staying out of your way. Do you, um, have a Revive? Because otherwise I'll see if I can find a healer. And-- I'd like to talk again when there's not a bunch of fighting going on. Maybe I could come to your house when I'm in Goldenrod? Or we can talk over the gear."

[amaure]

At Akane's request, Solus waits a moment, considering. Then, he fishes a revive for her, handing it over with a somewhat dramatic flick of his wrist.

"'Tis only fair I pay my due penance," He says with breathy resignation, though he hardly seems serious about his complaint. Once it's taken, he then steps over the side of the Cofagrigus, settling himself down inside of it, though he remains sitting so his upper half is still visible—like this isn't as weird as it is.

"But, yes. Indeed, we shall talk more of this matter later. Should you wish to contact me, or visit me at my abode, it matters not. But, ere your arrive, be sure to appraise me of it, yes? I cannot say I am a fan of unexpected visitors."

[uncutetomboy]

It's very weird and she's a little worried for him, even though she remembers that Mr Solus slept for a week inside a ghost coffin thing last summer and was perfectly fine.

"I can do that," she promises. "I'm not a big fan of unexpected visitors either. Too often they aren't there for anything good."

She touches the revive to G-kun's forehead and is gratified when he lights back up, although there's an unhappy look to G-kun's metal face when he sees Mr Solus.

"It's okay," Akane tells G-kun. "He's our friend. He just has to pretend to be a bad guy."