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

with pleasure

[fingersandteeth]

Unfortunately, the right hook is telegraphed enough so that Steven can block it by grabbing his wrist, keeping said right hook from meeting his actual face.

"Sorry kiddo," he says, the over-the-top accent he uses on Rocket business making the word sound like keeddo. "I've got a hot date after this. Can't have you damaging the kisser."

Which is the point when he starts bending that wrist he just grabbed backwards.

Meanwhile, the Xatu has managed to keep a clear enough head this turn to Psycho Shift his confusion onto the Noibat.

[machismost]

The wrist is caught, but it's 'kiddo' that gets a snarl from Kirishima. The age difference between them means nothing to him since they are adversaries; he's fought many an older villain. His breath hitches sharply as Steven starts bending his wrist back. Internally, he's afraid - panicking, even. He's had his bones shattered before but... not like this. Not so concentrated, so deliberate.

Kirishima tries to headbutt Steven right in the face, attempting to break his nose or at least damage it enough so the man is shocked enough to let him go.

The Noibat, during her escape attempt of sorts, feels a wave of weakness wash over her. Head spinning, she clings to the top of the building belonging to the awning. She was just going to wait up here for her moment to be a shit, but... that wasn't nice! She understands the bad feels right now have come from the Xatu. So!

She crawls across the roof before trying to dive-bomb Xatu with a Super Fang! ]

[fingersandteeth]

Steven lets go of the wrist--which he hadn't been planning to actually break, just cause pain to--and manages to move his head just enough that the headbutt lands on the side of his head and not straight on, where it'll actually break his nose.

"What did I say?" he growls, shoving Kirishima back from him. "Not in the kisser, kiddo."

This is probably a great time for him to grab another ball from his belt and let out his Klefki. (Meanwhile, Acatl the Xatu will try to use Thief on the Noibat.)

[machismost]

"Who'd wanna date a jerk like you?" Kirishima hisses now he's able to actually get his breath back. He tries to stumble away. Hearing the crack of a Pokeball spilling out, he blindly tosses out one of his own from his belt. A shiny Flaaffy settles out where it lands, slapping his tail happily on the ground. He is absolutely oblivious to what is happening right now. Looks like his trainer is making friends! Other Pokemon friends all around! He bleats at Klefki in a friendly greeting.

Meanwhile: "What're you even doing, man? Friggin' Christmas??? For REAL???"

Kirishima probably should have taken the bending back of the wrist as a sign to stop while he was ahead. He doesn't, though. He's never been officially taught how to quit and cut his losses. So Kirishima stumbles back and, after growling out what he has, tries to charge Steven again in some attempt to knock him down. For a teenaged boy he's actually pretty solid and heavy, but this move was sure a lot better when he could transform most of himself into stone. He throws himself all in, which means if he misses his weight is all in towards wherever he's directed.

Thief relieves no items from the Noibat ( Jack, funnily enough ), but it easily smacks her unconscious, leaving her to flop down on the roof and slowly begin sliding off of it.

[fingersandteeth]

"Oh, you'd be surprised," the Rocket all but purrs. "There's a lot of men out there who like bad boys."

Meanwhile, the Klefki jingles in a friendly way at the Flaaffy, before Imprisoning whatever few moves they share.

Luckily for Kirishima, the Rocket has the cement wall of the building attached to the awning to his back, so when the Rocket steps out of the way of his charge, he merely runs into the wall and not, in fact, off the awning.

[machismost]

So... no one is probably surprised when Kirishima runs full-force into the wall just beyond Steven. What actually is surprising, perhaps, is the fact the teenager smacks it so hard and yet does not immediately pass out. He stumbles and staggers back like a drunkard, even puts out his hands a moment to balance, but he remains conscious. It's a wonder he didn't break his nose, either. There's a soft, harsh word which could feasibly be a swear beneath his breath.

Flaaffy acknowledges the Klefki's move against him with a little stretch and shake of his head, as if not realizing he's in any sort of danger. No one's actively attacking him, his trainer has been chatting and just bumped into a wall. Nothing concerning about that! He actually begins poking around the 'arena', trying to look for any potential 'toys' that might be in the area.

Kirishima comes to long enough to actually spot the Flaaffy. A split-second of panic flashes across his face before he looks around. Flaaffy is a concern, but Kirishima's at least got line of sight on him. Unlike: "Jack?!"

[fingersandteeth]

For whatever reason, the name startles the Rocket, who glances around. Then he shakes his head.

"He ain't here, kid," the Rocket says, with a sigh, as he bends down to pick up the unconscious Noibat he just spotted and then straightens so that he can shove it at Kirishima.

"Go find someone to heal your bat and get the hell off my lookout," he growls. "And maybe try not to charge people when you have a seventy-five percent chance of running off the fucking awning instead of into the fucking wall—and breaking your neck and losing half your money because you sent yourself to the Pokecenter. I don't care if you're a kid and think you're fucking immortal. You ain't."

... is he scolding Kirishima?

[machismost]

While he notes the surprise, Kirishima's too discombobulated to really think on what it might mean at the moment. His attention solely shifts to the fact the Rocket is reaching down to his Noibat, panic and fury flooding through him. A snarl rips out of him and he begins to charge Steven again! But he stops short when his Pokemon is offered to him; if this were a cartoon, the skidding onto the brakes sound would have been the overlay.

His red eyes still glare up at Steven and his face is contorted into a grimace. Still, his hands scoop the Noibat up swift and gentle.

In the meantime, Flaaffy stands and requests the Klefki do another jingle sound, not understanding how he's been bound aside from wanting to shake his own body in demonstration! There is no jingling sound from him, but there is a pop-crackle of electricity. Is something tense going on nearby? Not in his world! In his world, Kirishima is rocking Jack the Noibat like a baby and chattering to another trainer.

Kirishima is undergoing a minor crisis of consciousness, clutching Jack while he's being lectured. He's been told Rockets are the villains in this world and ostensibly they are by robbing the market. This dude also immediately kneed him in the nuts when he showed up. Still...

"Why are you doing this, man?" He feels compelled to ask. It comes at indoor voice, which means it sounds quiet coming from the likes of Kirishima. The older man has afforded him what seems to be a hint of decency, of humanity, and damn if Kirishima isn't soft/young enough to believe that means there's still good in the Rocket. "You're strong enough you could get money the honest way in this place." He's not going to say you care, because he knows a guy who's good like that but hates to be called out that obviously. Spotting Flaaffy out of the corner of his eye, Kirishima begins to edge towards his most innocent Pokemon - between Klefki and Steven, even, offering himself up as a human barrier.

"I'm just one kid who can try to stand up to you; how many more do you think are down there getting the worst day of their lives right now? Because of something you're coordinating, dude."

[fingersandteeth]

Klefki jingles again, then slaps up a Crafty Shield between them, just in case.

"Who's saying I don't most days?" the Rocket replies gruffly. "Rocket ain't my main gig anymore, kid--but it's where I started and they got enough on me that when they say 'jump' I say 'how high.' Dumb kids like you, you think we're nothing but a bunch of puppy-kicking assholes, but everyone I know on the team's just an ordinary person trying to get by. We just fucked up or got fucked over and now the mob owns our asses.

"You wanna know a secret, kid? Most people don't become criminals because they wanna. Most people become criminals because they gotta. That goes for every world out there. And even if I could walk away and that's a big fucking 'if'... my people can't. And someone needs to protect them."

He sighs. "Look. Just get down from my lookout, okay? You had your fun. You got to show you were a tough guy. But your bat needs healing and I'm sure as shit not wasting my supplies on the guy who was trying to beat me up. Go, kid."

[machismost]

Flaaffy bleats happily for being granted his ASMR request and gives a little somersault in turn. He considers battles to be a game, but he doesn't normally attack unless Kirishima gives him a directive or if there's something like a ball/frisbee being tossed around. Nope, once Flaaffy comes out of his little roll, he wants to know if the Klefki just was born with all the jingly charms on them or if they acquired them somehow through life?

Meanwhile: Kirishima cradles his Noibat to his chest in one arm, the other moving along to hover a hand before her heart-shaped nose. She's still breathing - it's okay for now. He keeps Flaaffy and Klefki in his view - mostly Klefki - but otherwise stays put.

What Steven tells him is only shocking because it's something he's... honestly wanted to hear from villains in the past? But never has. Sure, it's laden down with insults, but Eijiro gets the gist - this dude didn't want to be bad, but he didn't have a choice at first and now it's like it's too late to change.

The redhead inhales a slow breath as Steven bids him down, thinking. "I wouldn't be talkin' to you right now if I thought you were really evil, man..."

There were plenty of times where talk wasn't a remote option for the situation he was in. This, too, makes the current moment quite different for Eijiro.

"My- my name's Kirishima! And I get you think I'm just some dumb kid, but before I came here, I was a hero in training! And heroes in my world try to save people. All people, even criminals! So I'm letting you know right now: I'm gonna get stronger and I'm gonna save you, asshole! Whether it's because I put you in jail for a while and make the Rockets forget about you or I figure out how to get you out of it otherwise, I'm gonna save you. Somehow..."

He's recently ran into a wall, but he sounds fairly passionate? In the meantime scooping up one random Pokeball in his hand and tapping it against his Noibat. Nope, not Jack's ball...

"I mean if there're so many of you Rockets who have all this blackmail against you, you could all band together to get out! But maybe you need some of us 'dumb kids' to help you coordinate?"

Kirishima taps the ball a couple of times against his hip and thus silently calls Flaaffy back into it. He slides it back into the holster on his belt. Fortunately, he has spotted the ball he needs for his Noibat and moves towards it while keeping a partial gaze on Steven.

"Think about it, dude." He scoops up the ball and taps his Noibat. She bursts into light that absorbs into the ball and Kirishima gives a little sigh of relief. He does not look happy and the conflict throws itself onto Steven for just another second before the redhead leaps off the awning and onto the top of an Onix's head; she'd been partially napping against one side of things the whole time, so really he'd had a 50/50 chance of nearly killing himself.

and cut?

[fingersandteeth]

"You could have broken your goddamn neck!" the Rocket--Steven--shouts after him, scowling. Then he sighs and shakes his head and reaches up to press the button that'll turn the microphone part of his headset back on, then raises his high-powered binoculars to his face again.

"Right. Trainer engaged me in battle, but I dealt with him. I'm going to need Group Cloyster to head down towards Sawsbucks B--it looks like some of the Elves have Teammates cornered. They're going to need a rescue..."