he could only assume why freya morningstar called on him for this mission. Chase had been quick to dismiss Rocket's 'evil', stating he wouldn't have cared if the former councilwoman had been involved with the faction. it had been meant as a compliment to her will, an appreciation to her gestures... but he had fucked up. he now thought she was trying to show him how wrong he had been. as much as he didn't have a personal grudge against Rocket, Chase knew they were bad news.

Sootopolis is taken by Rocket.

the news blare the conflict easily. he remembers... Freya is from the city. she promised to show him around. now they couldn't do that. he quickly makes his way toward the location, eyes adjusting to the sting of battle. her dragons had made quick work of the muscle. with him is his Houndoom. "cut off their escape" he orders Rorschach, who unleashes a wall of fire to prevent the Grunts and other officials to dart to the exit. Chase doesn't call out the woman's name.

he only goes to her side, readying another Pokeball to call upon another partner if needed.

1/5

he is too lost in the chaos to really care about an answer to his own question. dragons he would think to what question I asked? there was no time to wrack his brain for answers. this was a battlefield. something he didn't quite expect right away. she's testing me Chase would begin to think before freya morningstar ordered him. what about the Pokémon being experimented on? he also thought as he orders Rorschach to deal with the Alolan Ninetales as requested.

a Flamethrower shot toward the offending Rocket Pokémon. the fox cries in pain. Chase feels bad about it - but he was not the vulpine's trainer. he did not demand the defense of this base. he did not demand the Ninetales take on the intruders. the fox was only doing as it was told. it's innocent he thinks but guilty by association. only a love for its human, a duty bound contract, prevented it fleeing for it's well being. Chase is new, quite fresh, so he errs to Freya's orders.

he's here to provide back-up for a more experienced trainer. he knows his place.

2/5

Rorschach can handle himself. he does it with style and grace; Chase doesn't want anything else for him. the Ninetales is soon fainted, the Houndoom's typing making it perfect to handle the other Pokemon. they re-join freya morningstar just as she interrogates the scientist. "wait" he says, but not to stop her - even if her handling of such a thing unnerves him slightly. she's on a war path. he's along for the ride right now. riding shotgun on her recommendation.

Chase would pull out his cell. he swipes to the application where he could record the Rocket's voice. a taped confession was better than him explaining it to his fellow Rangers. they were guilty, and that much was clear by the scene, but they still had the right to confess. he notices the scientist shoot a pleading glance toward him. his insides curl, but Chase ignores it. "go on" is all he says to the man, trying to play Good Cop to Freya's Bad Cop.

3/5

he feels his chest tighten as the scientist pleads for their life. but it is not pity. it is annoyance. they don't care what they did. they don't think it was wrong. "the League will take you into custody" he states with finality "as long as you cooperate and are in our care, you will be protected" and under lock and key "but if you have information worth your life, we'll make sure you and yours are relocated. given around the clock guards. fake IDs. you'll be sent to another region for your well-being."

which is all he could promise. being a Cadet... that's all he could. he was reading from the book on this thing. right from the printed paper. "get up and get moving" Chase adds, his voice firm as he takes out his standard handcuffs. used for poachers. for thieves. now on discredited scientists. "you can tell us all about your research back at base." they couldn't talk in the open like this. they shouldn't. not when the other scientists could still call in Rocket at the drop of a hat.

"Freya" Chase finally says her name as he hooks the one man up with jewelry befitting him "can you get the others? I'm calling in transport."

4/5 freya morningstar

"they're humans" Chase replies quietly to the woman, texting the back-up they require to transport all the prisoners "they were never perfect" and he knows this well. time spent begging on the street for him and his Pokémon made quite a few turn away in disgust "I'm not stupid" he says once the text went through. the young man pockets his cell. I didn't need this lesson but at least they had gotten a few more monsters off the streets of Hoenn don't treat me like I'm a fool.

but they still had rights, because the League - the world - was like that. because humanity, no matter how vile, was still capable of thought. of existence. with rights came responsibility of choice. these Rockets chose wrong - but who were they to decide what was right or wrong in the end? but, ah, that was war for you. her Pokémon made short work of rounding the others up. his Houndoom walked back to his side, the other one, the one Freya was not standing at. "you showed yourself a bit honestly" he says instead

"and I still don't care."

5/5 freya morningstar

"it isn't right" he begins patiently, turning his head to look at the woman "but... I think if we lose our kindness in our fellow man, we lose a part of ourselves. we'd be no better than them." he raises a pale hand to gesture to the Rockets. rising above hatred was part of being human. of being better humans.

but that was just his humble little opinion about the whole thing. "it's fine though" Chase says to Freya regarding her apology "I'm sorry too" a pause "I didn't mean to come off as a hapless idiot when we met." he tried, really tried, to be optimistic. but rose colored glasses didn't suit him much after awhile. when the time came, he shed them and began again.

tried to be something or someone better.

5/5 freya morningstar

whether Freya came to a realization on her own was not his call to make. Chase wasn't trying to change her mind. the police would come, reading the rights the scientists had before locking them up. the one that Freya had cornered looked at both of them before ducking his head into the back of the transport. "don't envy me."

he knows that he has to grow up a lot. he has to pull the wool from his eyes. "If you envy me, you won't be all you can be" Chase goes on, shaking his head as she mounts her Charizard "looking back on things, envying others, does nobody any good... believe me, I know" he sighs, but waves to her "I'll see you around." be safe he would think.

he goes to where the League folk are, allowing Freya a chance to leave.

5/5 freya morningstar  /end