Zilla knew very little about the mission at hand. She had been contacted a few nights prior with instructions to meet one Jayden Cross, a man who was in high standing with Team Rocket and had been trusted enough to oversee some of their Kanto operations, but she wasn’t given any more information regarding the mission. It was likely a decision made to ensure the grunt wouldn’t leak intel about their operations before they came to pass. The praise and prestige given to the faceless elite made Zilla imagine him as a muscular individual with a strong jawline, chiseled abs, and greying hairs; the truth if the matter proved to be a shock.

[break][break]As the young man entered through the back doors of the facility and made his way down the hall, Zilla cocked an eyebrow and watched him carefully. Surely this kid wasn’t the man Team Rocket sent to meet her. “Kid” was an understatement, of course — he was nearly Zilla’s age — but his youth came as a surprise nonetheless. Where was the forty-year-old who had been hardened by a life a crime? Any suspicion she had was swiftly pushed out her mind as the stranger spoke her last name. “And you must be Cross,” she said.

[break][break]A faint smile graced her lips as she got a closer look at Jayden. His clothes, his gait, and most importantly, his face. He was handsome, if not a little intimidating. His eyes in particular. Their steely gaze immediately let Zilla know that he wasn’t one to be taken lightly. He’d dedicated his entire life to Team Rocket, and he wouldn’t let anyone get in his way of continuing that work. Even still, the grunt slid closer to her commanding officer and nodded. “Lead the way, boss,” she purred.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"correct."

[break][break] jayden doesn't elaborate further; he's sure that the other is already briefed on his information, or at least as much that is public rocket knowledge. either way, it doesn't seem to deter him.

[break][break] he leads the way down the hallway and into a back-alley. once outside, away from the prying ears of others in the casino, he begins to speak:

[break][break] "as i'm sure you've heard, the league has started making more movements in the region. of course, our overtake of sootopolis has helped matters, but the league still has it's claws in deep."

[break][break] he leads her over to a truck that is parked in a darkened corner. "that isn't absolute, however." he turns to face her.

[break][break] "tonight our mission is to transport these shadow pokemon in the hands of the rich and powerful as to sway them to our side. i've made the appropriate measures to make sure no one outside will interrupt us but it will be your job to make sure nothing inside goes amiss."

[break][break] "do you think you can handle it?"

[attr="class","ooc"] Zilla Dumay [break]
on the down low

Zilla followed her commander out of the casino and into a back alley, away from prying ears or eyes. Jayden began by recapping the on-going conflict between the League and Team Rocket, a fact that the dealer had been vaguely aware of. Aside from news reports and hearsay from other grunts, she was pretty removed from the power struggle, though she hoped to do whatever possible to help her faction gain some footing on the road to success.

[break][break]The duo turned a corner where a truck was parked, and Jayden explained that their job was to transport Shadow Pokémon to some wealthy individuals in the hope of greasing their palms. It hadn't been the first time Zilla trafficked Pokémon, but it was the first time she had involved herself with Shadow Pokémon, politics, or the social elites. Fortunately, the ex-beast already did most of the heavy lifting by providing transportation and ensuring no one would get in their way.

[break][break]"I can handle it, no problem," Zilla said with a confident nod. She stepped around to the passenger's side of the truck but lingered a moment, half expecting to be ordered to drive to their destination. "What should I be prepared for? Anything in particular?" she asked, her hand hovering just about the door handle. Jayden had no doubt done this kind of thing before, so if there were any common problems with this type of job, he would be the one to ask.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"anything." jayden's gaze - previously bland and unreadable - turns steely in the dark. "a rocket should be prepared for anything at all times. never let your guard down."

[break][break] to another kanto rocket, this phrase would be familiar. a phrase often beaten into the skulls of all those who had been trained in those troubling times. perhaps Zilla Dumay would not realize it.

[break][break] this occurs to him, and he offers her a bit of consolation. "the drive to our destination should be smooth, but keep your eye out for any odd activity. if you suspect anything, let me know immediately."

[break][break] jayden climbs into the truck soon after, feeling a familiar sense of deja vu when he had completed similar work with Adrian Malcolm . "let's go."

[break][break] in a matter of minutes, they back out of the parking lot and head down a dark road.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Zilla Dumay [break]
on the down low

“A Rocket should be prepared for anything.”

[break][break]“Of course,” Zilla replied with an apologetic dip of the head. Had she expected such a vague answer, she wouldn’t have asked the question in the first place. But he did have a point. Even though nothing was expected to go wrong, they could never be too cautious, especially given their line of work. They would have to keep their eyes peeled for anything that could pose a threat to the operation, a fact that Jayden himself reaffirmed. Without another word, Zilla climbed into the passenge’s seat.

[break][break]As expected, the drive was quiet and largely uneventful—if not a little tense from the lack of conversation. To kill time and hopefully learn more about Jayden, Zilla flipped down her sun visor in search of photos or paperwork he had squirreled away inside them, but the grunt found no such thing. It made sense; after all, they were trying to be covert, and personal belongings could easily put Jayden and Team Rocket at risk.

[break][break]Zilla flipped up the sun visor and checked the glove compartment next. Realizing how suspicious she may have looked, she broke through the silence with a question. ”Are we just dropping off the Pokémon or will we need to do some negotiating?” It was a fair question. She had been given no indication whether or not a deal had already been made and they were simply acting as couriers, or if it was their job to convince the social elites to work with Team Rocket.

[break][break]Zilla closed the glove compartment and leaned closer to Jayden, propping up her elbow on the armrest between them. ”You know, I can be very persuasive,” she purred while eying her commander’s reflection in the rear-view mirror. Her flirting was a clear indication that she either had no idea how dangerous the ex-beast truly was or she didn’t care either way. However, if he showed any signs that he was offended or angry by her coy demeanor, she was ready to pull away and give him space.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

the ride is held in relative silence, not even broken when the grunt begins to non-conspicuously rifle through the van. jayden mentions nothing, even though he does notice, his eyes focused on the road.

[break][break] in the van, the grunt would not find much. as suspected, it was a covert operation so she would find very little incriminating them. in the glove compartment, she would find the typical vehicle paperwork — verification of ownership, insurance documents, etc. she would also however find two fake ids for them — jayden's id read the name of a 28-year old man noah king from unova. hers would read the id of a 22-year old named olivia white from kalos.

[break][break] "a little bit of both," he said, as they turned down a dark corner. "the deal has been already made, but i'm sure you know of trades like this. they can go a little bit south if people don't get exactly what they want. what they perceive."

[break][break] it was at this time that she decided to lean against the center council. he blinks, and then nods. "that is a useful skill. good to note."

[break][break]poor Zilla Dumay. she had no idea how stupid the man could sometimes be when it came to things like this.

[break][break] the vehicle slows to a red light, and he turns to her. "have you heard of the hatchery on route 118?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Zilla Dumay [break]
on the down low

Zilla smirked when Jayden remained as stoic and serious as ever. Not a smile, not a blush, not even a nervous glance. And he hadn’t even commented on her rather inappropriate work behavior. Oh, he was going to be a fun one to play with!

[break][break]As he spoke, Zilla kept her attention on his reflection, intent on studying his expression. It barely changed as he went on to explain how dicey things could get when it came to trafficking illegal goods. ”I’ve had my fair share of bad customers. I know how they can get,” she said, alluding not to the casino patrons but instead to those in the black market who would turn to violence if they believed they had been ripped off.

[break][break] As the car slowed to a stop at a red light, Jayden turned to Zilla and she instantly became aware of how close they were to one another. Instinctively, she leaned back and cast a glance back at the traffic light to ensure it hadn’t suddenly turned green. Once satisfied, she turned back to meet her partner’s gaze. ”I have heard of it, but I’ve never been there myself,” the grunt explained when asked about the hatchery on Route 118, ”Is that where we’re headed?”

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"very well."

[break][break] it was positive to note that Zilla Dumay was not a rookie in this regard. it would've been complicated to have to explain the ins-and-outs of what was supposed to be a simple trafficking mission to a rookie.

[break][break] he shakes his head. "no."

[break][break] "since the hatchery has opened up, several have found themselves the owners of pokemon offspring. normally, this isn't unusual. however, a few rockets have also reported to second generation shadow pokemon as well — not as strong, but still stronger than the average specimen." he waits for a red jeep to cross an intersection, before he does. "as you can imagine, people have found out about it. specifically, the rich and powerful that we are planning to meet tonight."

[break][break] finally, he pulls into the driveway at what looks to be a warehouse.

[break][break] "it's our job today to make sure that demand is met."

[break][break] a pause.

[break][break] "any questions?"

[attr="class","ooc"] Zilla Dumay [break]
on the down low

Zilla listened intently, absorbing everything her partner was saying about the task at hand. They weren't going to the hatchery, as it turned out, but that didn't mean the place was any less important to their mission. Apparently, the hatchery was a vital asset for Team Rocket because it produced second generation Shadow Pokémon.

[break][break]The grunt raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Shadow Pokémon were rare in and of themselves, and the birth of offspring proved they could be duplicated. Sure, the children were weaker than their predecessors, but that didn't matter as much as the implication of simply owning one. In many cases, it was nothing more than a status symbol. No wonder these people were willing to do business for one.

[break][break]"Understood," Zilla said once Jayden was finished speaking. When they pulled up to a warehouse and parked, she unclipped her seat belt but did not attempt to get out of the vehicle. She knew as well as anyone that it was foolish to rush head-long into a situation without having all the information. She'd need to take the ex-beast's lead on this one to ensure she didn't accidentally say or do something unorthodox.

[break][break]"No questions," she answered finally. "After you, boss."

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

prior to the hatchery, shadow pokemon were typically exclusive to the highest members of rocket. the luckiest high brass. so it wasn't a surprise that it brought the attention of even those outside of rocket, once those knew it was possible to get their hands on those exclusive pokemon.

[break][break] after all, money speaks.

[break][break] with a nod towards the other, jayden locks the vehicle into park and hops out of the car. he immediately goes to the back of the truck. the flicker of lights illuminate the truck in the backdrop of the alleyway, illuminating the rocket as he pops open the back.

[break][break] the darkness that surrounds them is one jayden is used to — but one that probably invites those of similar means. it wouldn't be a surprise if they weren't being watched.

[attr="class","ooc"] Zilla Dumay / PENELOPE LIVY [break]
on the down low

Zilla took her time getting out of the vehicle. The tug on the handle, slow; the first step, deliberate. As she did, her eyes scanned the darkness for anything at all, anything out of the ordinary or any cameras that may have caught them in the act. Her cautiousness wasn't from a distrust in Jayden, but rather a paranoia and acute awareness that what they were doing was scandalous and none the least immoral.

[break][break]As the truck popped open, Zilla slammed the passenger side door shut and stepped around the side to see what Jayden was retrieving from the back. Still, her attention was split—half on the contents in the vehicle and half on the shadows cast in the darkness of the alleyway. The grunt had her fair share of bad experiences in these types of places, so she was prepared for the worst possible outcome. With a thumb hooked on her belt, Zilla shifted her gaze to Jayden and the trunk.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross, PENELOPE LIVY
[break]Sorry about that wait. I was on vacation, but I'm back now!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

After her conversation with THEO BECKETT , a lot changed for the woman.
[break][break]
Where confidence typically blossomed, doubt now grew, inflicting her thoughts with a ravenous stream of parasitic negativity. It nipped at her daily, reminding the reporter of every pitfall that laid before her, and every 'dead end' sign that now painted her streets.
[break][break]
It was why, despite everything, despite herself, she was here in Slateport city, peering over an industrial trash bin every 30 seconds, just to catch a glimpse of the neighboring warehouse. Whenever she looked and saw nothing, a flash of panic would overtake her stomach -- it had to come, she would tell herself. It was going to come.
[break][break]
And it did.
[break][break]
The sound of rubber hitting gravel made her ears perk up instantly. Cautious, she slipped her head around the bin's side, eyes slowly sipping up every detail she could swallow down. The van, the people, the license place -- committing each piece to memory.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] jayden cross + Zilla Dumay [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

for an undertaking like this, it would have been foolish to assume that there wouldn't be any problems. there were always people lurking, whether he was completing a simple egg transport mission with Adrian Malcolm or picking up crystablooms with mint frost.

[break][break] therefore, traps had been set.

[break][break] and on an occasion such as this, a trap had been triggered.

[break][break] the moment PENELOPE LIVY peeks out from behind the bin, a SNAP TRAP is triggered. arseny the stunfisk, who had been placed around the location, immediately snapped his teeth around the reporter's ankle.

[break][break] jayden turns, the sound alerting him.

[break][break] glancing at Zilla Dumay, he murmurs. "we're not alone."

[attr="class","ooc"] Zilla Dumay / PENELOPE LIVY [break]
on the down low