the influx of livestock from galar were not news, but that didn't mean it was invaluable. rocket could always use more pokemon — either for financial gain, or subjects to test on. being imported pokemon, wooloo in hoenn did not have natural predators.

[break][break] rocket did not always constitute natural means.

[break][break] jayden does not even bother trying to masquerade as one of the protectors of the wooloo. there would be no point in it, when he has the full intent to steal them for himself. he approaches the farm by the southwest gate, having previously scouted any farmhands or other personnel. it was practically open for the taking.

[break][break] but he'd made a miscalculation.

[break][break] one foot was already on the fence by the time mint frost spotted him, hand raised in greeting and flashing him a gummy smile. there was a flash of something in jayden's gaze before he adapted, forcing himself to loosen his expression into a relaxed smile before waving back and walking towards the other. "i was just looking for you," he lies smoothly, grasping the other's offered hand. "the name's mischa."

[break][break] his eyes shift towards the luxio that is prowling the wooloo farm. luxio would be a useful pokemon to grab as well — the lab's machinery occasionally went down.

[break][break] his eyes flicker back towards mint. he reaches into his pokeball, releasing vila and klaus from their pokeballs. the weavile and orbeetle materialize behind him, the latter hovering just above his trainer, it's narrowed gaze staring deep into mint's own gaze.

[break][break] "two's better than one, right?" jayden says, opting for small talk. at least, for now.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] mint frost // wooloo who cry wolf

[attr="class","jaysq"]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Nice to meet you Mi-Mischa…Did I say it right?” Mint asked, covering for himself as he faltered. There was a slight accent, but it still sounded too close for comfort. His attention drifted towards the pokemon, brightening up as he saw the Weavile and then the Orbeetle. “Oh they’re really cute, Mischa.” He said, seemingly unbothered by the dual type’s stare. “For sure! My other pokemon can get kinda distracted, so Cacio’s good enough for now though.” Mint explained. Gelato would be too nervous around the three and Sorbeccito….well Sorbeccito was a little out of it all the time. [break][break]

“I don’t think anyone’ll come today. Kind of hard to sneak up when we’re surrounded by open field, you know.” Mint was still trying to figure out how he was going to steal a Wooloo for himself too. Most of the staff would be gone and he didn’t want to stage an incident himself. His only hope was for poachers to really try something and for him to kind of…let them. At the very least, let them get away far enough for Mint to give chase and then take back what he needed out of sight. “Is this your first time out here?” Taking care of a flock this big was a lot of work after all. It wouldn’t surprise him.


[break][break]

+ jayden cross hope this is ok!!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

jayden inclines his head.

[break][break] "yes. that's correct."

[break][break] the accent is, of course, slightly off but that isn't something that jayden has ever taken moment to noticing. it might have been something dmitri would have cared for — no, in fact, it would have definitely been something his father had cared for. yet, whether or not the man would have brought it up would have been a different story entirely.

[break][break] he nods in understanding to the other's words, and then clicks his tongue. vela is off then, leaping over the fence to chase after the wooloo. klaus is slower, but follows anyways, the buzz of his wings echoing in the space behind him that he leaves.

[break][break] as mint fills up the space with smalltalk, jayden turns his head to observe their surroundings. he had scouted out the area before he had arrived and was now running through the various options in his head. somehow, he needed to get mint away from the scene of the crime.

[break][break] "here specifically?" jayden says, trying to look casual. "yes. i did meet the owner out front though, he seems rather kind." a pause, before he takes mint's elbow and attempts to direct him southward. "he mentioned wanting to move some boxes in the shed, had we the time. we should go do that."

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] mint frost // wooloo who cry wolf

[attr="class","jaysq"]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Mint smiled, trying to look like he’s not put off by the name and pressing forward. He watched Mischa’s pokemon scoot off before looking over at Cacio who’s eyes are already on the pair before looking back at him. Cacio doesn’t give chase to the other two, merely hoping onto the fence to keep watch from his new perch. Unlike Mint, he had a bit more freedom to act. Nearly feral, if the Luxio accidentally chased off a sheep or two…well Mint would be incredibly sorry and try to find it but who knew where Cacio would send it? Cacio knew that as well. In fact, he was usually the one Mint depended in that sense. Cacio would do something bad, and Mint would faux scold him and profusely beg for forgiveness. It was simple but it worked for them. He just…had to get away from those other two. [break][break]

The trainer nodded. “Yeah, this area specifically. I’ve never been to the ranches around here. Mostly up in Lillycove for now.” He explained. Again, he nodded in agreement. “Super nice!” And loaded. He wouldn’t miss one or two sheep. “O-Oh? Should we call back our pokemon if it’s a lot?” Mint asked, naturally terrible at manual labor. But also, the perfect excuse to let Cacio run rampant outside. He followed when prompted, his faith in his Luxio solid. “Is it like…manure???” he added making a face at the thought. Do it for the Wooloo, Mint.


[break][break]

+ jayden cross hope this is ok!!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

lilycove. he makes sure to tuck that information away, in case it becomes useful later.

[break][break] perhaps if there's a place he should avoid hiding a body.

[break][break] "i have some more pokemon who can help," jayden mentions. this at least is not a lie. while his orbeetle and weavile are busy protecting the livestock, jayden has plenty of pokemon who can help them in their new task. "if you need help, i can lend you some of mine."

[break][break] while the teal-haired boy's face screws over at the idea of manure, jayden's is perfectly blank.

[break][break] "i don't believe so. but perhaps, we'll find out."

[break][break] he leads them towards the stables.

[attr="class","tag"] mint frost // wooloo who cry wolf

[attr="class","jaysq"]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Mint nearly cursed himself for being such an incompetent trainer. Right, most people had more than one really strong pokemon. “Oh, yeah, that works!” he agreed all too easily. Crap. Well, Cacio was good at fighting. He’d be alright. He had total faith in his partner. The grunt followed along without issue, looking about the stables. The smell of what he imagined a stable would smell like was still there, but there was actually a lack of pokemon occupying it. “Is this place being converted into a shed then?” he asked turning back to his companion as he looked around for the stuff they were moving. [break][break]

For his part, Cacio stayed where he was, eyeing the flock and locking in a couple of potential targets. Prey that was scared enough would jump these fences, right? He watched the Weavile and the Orbeetle before trying to find where the simpler gates were. Something he could easily manipulate without opposable thumbs.


[break][break]

+ jayden cross he hates these stables already bro

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

they find a large steel shed eventually — among a row of them. jayden picks one at random, figuring that there will be something for them to do inside. this one seemed unusually empty, except for the large collection of hay bales that are packed onto the side of it.

[break][break] "i believe we are supposed to separate the bales, and tie them," he says, pointing to some supplies in a corner.

[break][break] honestly, it was pretty lucky.

[break][break] meanwhile, his orbeetle and weavile get to work. as his weavile runs through the field, she lets out a screech which heard all of the wooloo in a single direction. it only drives them so far as the orbeetle's hypnosis attack, the golden rings floating softly through the air before landing in the pokemon slumping down into the ground.

[break][break] they don't seem to care for cacio, or at the very least, don't say anything to him.

[attr="class","tag"] mint frost // wooloo who cry wolf

[attr="class","jaysq"]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He knew he’d volunteered for this ranch mission but…as Jayden explained their task Mint seemed more and more lost. He can do maybe….5 hay bales before knowing he’d start huffing and puffing. None of the pokemon he had would help with the task either. He’d be relying entirely on Jayden, unfortunately. “Right…Well…at least it’s not much.” He said. Between the two of them and maybe a psychic type it’d go fast. Ugh, he hated manual labor. He began rolling up his sleeves, looking over at his companion. “Was this the only task he gave us, Mischa? Or was there more.” He prayed Cacio moved quickly.
[break][break]

He didn’t. The Luxio watched intently, avoiding interference. He didn’t want to fight two on one and thus far, while strange they had begun to act without trainer input it might benefit him and Mint later. Unaffected by the Woolo being put to sleep, he waited patiently walking the fence to close the distance a bit. Just enough to see clearly what exactly the pair were doing while he waited for something convenient to happen. OR at least, something he could use.


[break][break]

+ jayden cross hope this is ok <33

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

later, he'll think about his miscaculation. later, he'll think about what caused his tongue to slip, to allow himself to drop a name that had buried well-along with his father's passing. later, he'll wonder it is about this bright-eyed, cherubic boy that forces him into it.

[break][break] but that is later.

[break][break] as the teal-haired boy calls him mischa like a familiar friend, jayden pays no mind. he quickly gets to work, tying away the hay bales with a speed that might be shocking to the other boy. anything, of course, for the sake of efficiency.

[break][break] in the meantime, on the pokemon's side of the fence, it would seem like nothing was wrong. the pokemon are put to sleep, perhaps a little too easily. it's then that the weavile lets out a screech at the sight of a bouffalant racing through the farmyard; she immediately gets into a fight, the kind of fight that would beg cacio to join in. in the flurry of attacks, it may be easy to miss - one or two wooloo missing, maybe more.

[break][break] the fight outside ends, and jayden stands. his head tilts towards the other. "i think we're done, mint. shall we?"

[attr="class","tag"] mint frost // wooloo who cry wolf

[attr="class","jaysq"]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]