From the darkness, a set of hands grasped the box that @kris was trying so hard to push.

Except it was just Temp, so it was fine.

"Woah there lil bro! Don't hurt yourself!"

Since Temp was very large, both in height and muscle mass, he easily shoved the box along for a few paces.

"Sorry I'm late, dude! I got all hung up at my day job!"

TOTALLY NOT A HUSTLE!

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

A PITIFUL MEW comes from within the box. a newborn shinx topples over itself as the two rockets cart their cargo from the warehouse to their vehicle outside.

based on the pokemon’s size, and patchy discolored fur, it’s hardly grown enough to separate from its mother. in a perfect world, it would nest for a few more weeks before being adopted out to a suitable trainer. but this is far from perfect; this is hoenn.

the unique pattern on its fur makes it invaluable. shiny, even. such a pokemon would go for obscene prices on the black market, evident in how quickly they’re scooped up. to the avid collector, these pokemon are more status symbols than living, breathing creatures.

and as the shinx cries out once more, the backend of the warehouse crumbles. something has come crashing in. dust and rubble hide its position but the luxray sees all. glowering eyes pierce through objects and walls, able to spot its targets from a distance.

a single THUNDERBOLT is aimed directly at one of them. for this pokemon shows no mercy to those who’ve wronged it. such aggression is only found in one type of pokemon.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?
@kris Tempest Quinn

"Aw, come on bro. It's just scared." It was a shame. The tree hugger inside of Temp really wanted to let the pokemon inside go or at least care for it till it could take care of itself. Sadly, he knew with Rocket it was better to just suck it up and deal with it so he could get by... This was why he hardly ever came out on missions and just helped with training. It always made him sad.

Then the warehouse wall came down and Temp and @kris has more to worry about than sentimentality.

It was a shame for Spiral as well. Since Temp was currently romantically involved with Cillian Quinn, you would think that he could recognize a Shadow Pokemon when he saw it. But, Temp was pretty dumb when it came to this stuff, so while he figured it was weird and kind of familiar, the two thoughts did not connect in his mind and probably wouldn't much until later.

Kris acted first, which was okay, as Temp was...

"Dude, I'm a water type user! All my pokemon are fish!" His mom's pokemon were too old to fight and his dogs were... well, they were his house pets. His only 'battle ready' pokemon were his Gym pokemon. Problem was, well, they were fish. Most of them would be useless on land and the ones he might be able to use, like his Lapras, would have a harder time moving around. Not to mention weaknesses!

"Ah, fuck...." Fumbling at his belt where his pokeballs were clipped, Temp remembered one other pokemon he had. It was a prize he had picked up from the Hoenn Star Tournament back in the summer. He hadn't used it much but maybe.... "Uh, Bongo!" The Zarude was thrown out, who fluffed up and screeched in monkey-flavored anger.

Temp didn't use him much because... he was pretty unruly....

"Bongo! Bite the hell out of it!" Screeching again, the Zarude charged forward to try and do just that.

TOTALLY NOT A HUSTLE!

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

LIGHTNING STRIKES! the luxray’s THUNDERBOLT strikes the empty cart between them. bolts burst upon impact, raining sparks onto their clothes and any exposed skin.

while kris’ porygon shimmers with an illustrious MAGIC COAT, temp’s zarude charged in to exchange teeth marks. aimed THUNDERBOLTS rain down on the unruly primate, narrowly missing until the ape is able to get into melee distance.

however, its attempt to snack on the luxray is met with surprising resistance. the feline seems more than able to wrestle, grappling the bipedal pokemon into a game of SUBMISSION, claw extended and razor sharp canines willing to exchange hands with the best of them.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?
@kris Tempest Quinn

Bongo let out a horrible monkey shriek and started to Thrash around in the hold of Luxray. Like hell he was going to let some big cat snack on him! He bared his teeth at the Luxray with a threatening smile, claws ready to try and tear the strange pokemon off him.

Temp, meanwhile, didn't really like being bossed around by this kid when some emergency was going on. However, the pipsqueak looked like he was ten, so Temp wasn't about to complain. Or let @kris take the harder risks in this scenario. He was not a smart man but this was what his whole challenge was about, wasn't it? Putting two and two together. Thinking deeper.

"Get the fuck out of here, kid! That thing is weird!" Hopping into the still open truck, Temp grabbed for the container with the Shinx in it. It was easy to open, meant to keep stuff in rather than keep it out, and soon he had scooped up the baby pokemon into his arms, careful to cradle it securely against his chest.

"Hey! Stinky smelly cat! Look what I have!" Temp jumped back down as he yelled, making sure the Luxray could see.

And then he turned around to book it out of the place as fast as he could, hoping to draw it away.

TOTALLY NOT A HUSTLE!

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

THUNDER SPLITS THE SKY in two as a spear of searing electricity lambasts the entangled beasts. the heat scorches pavement, leaving cinders of burnt fur and dried blood. any damage the luxray sustains from using itself as a conduit is invisible under the visage of a hateful beast.

the persistent goading from the whimerping shinx is enough to divert the pokemon’s attention. several beams of TRI-ATTACK fly past, some leaving their marks against its jet black mane. but that isn’t enough to deter its one-track mind.

as temp’s zarude THRASHES free from a possible SUBMISSION hold, the luxray beams straight for temp. no matter where he runs, what he hides behind, the pokemon seems to have perfect vision of him. like the apex predator it is, it hunts him swiftly, black miasma shrouding it as it lead straight into the truck.

a SHADOW END tears through metal and plastic as if it were nothing more than paper. the coarse sparks of its DISCHARGE sparkle like wildfire, catching on exposed gasoline and causing their getaway vehicle to explode abruptly.

the flames flare and by the time they recover from the blast’s shockwaves, the pokemon is gone.

THE LUXRAY HAS FLED!
@kris Tempest Quinn

Temp is separated from his partner in the onslaught of events, electricity whizzing narrowly past his head. There was still that faint tugging at the back of his mind, like he should recognize something about the Luxray, but right now that was blocked off by the desire to just survive this.

The Zarude howled and thumped his fists on the ground when the Luxray tried to escape him. He gave chase, hooting and screeching all the while, using his vines and dexterity to leap from space to space. He was too low, though, and soon after the explosion he had lost sight of the dark lion.

Temp, too, had barely ended up just outside the warehouse. His back was sore and a few bits of shrapnel in the form of twisted metal, glass, and plastic had pierced or scraped him from the explosion. Hitting the ground hard, he rolled onto his side, curling to try and protect the squirming cub in his arms.

All was quiet and tense.

His Zarude walked over and stood over him, baring his teeth at his Trainer but otherwise making no move to attack, wild and vicious.

Quiet as the building started to catch a larger fire behind him.

Temp glanced down at the Shinx, eyes still closed and crying, shifting his arms to check it for injuries, give it a few pets on the head.

A sigh as his heart thumped in his ears.

Rocket wouldn't miss one pokemon, right? Plus, he was fucking one of the guys in charge... and the place had just kind of blown up...

Temp is going to attempt too steal keep the baby Shinx

Pushing himself to his feet, Temp groaned. The Shinx meowed in his arms, pitiful, and Temp shifted his arms lightly to make it more comfortable. He sighed and ended up petting the pokemon's head. Taking out one of his pokeballs, he tapped the Shinx. Thankfully it was still 'wild' since it was being sold...

Sighing, Temp also called back his Zarude. The pokemon had been very useful but he just didn't trust the monkey yet....

So Temp started to hobble his way home.