In a blink, the figure disappeared from sight. Instinctively, Zilla took a step backwards but kept her gaze fixed on the far end of the alleyway where the silhouette had first been spotted. Her eyes darted frantically around the shadows, desperate to find where the stranger had gone. Just as she was beginning to think it was all in her imagination, a low voice spoke from no where.

[break][break]At the sound of her name, the dealer was put on edge once again. Apparently someone had been watching her from the shadows—not just in that very moment, but for a while. Days, weeks, or perhaps even months. Zilla grabbed hold of a pokéball on her belt and opened it as she whirled around to face the mysterious entity that was breathing down her neck.

[break][break]A Mightyena appeared in a flash of light and immediately began growling at nothing. Whether he actually detected a presence or was just acting protective over his trainer remained to be seen, but his hackles were raised and his teeth were bared in a display of aggression. He wouldn't let anyone hurt Zilla, even if they were invisible to the naked eye.

[break][break]"Who's there?" Zilla snapped, staring at the casino door for a long while before finally turning away and eying her surroundings to ensure she wasn't being crept up on. "What do you want?" Her voice had a bite to it. It was sharp and hostile—her own attempt at seeming unafraid and intimidating despite the confusion—but her jaw was still clenched and her shoulders were tense with fear.

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+ Killian Decker

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Zilla's fearful demeanor melted away and was almost immediately replaced by a look of aggression and wariness. In many ways, she was the same as a cornered animal that was ready to lash out and attack at any provocation; and now that her assailant had revealed himself, she knew exactly who to go after if push came to shove. The invisibility, while curious in and of itself, was not the primary focus of her attention. No, a human could turn invisible with the help of a Pokemon. A psychic or ghost one, she'd wager. Either way, it would be something her party was capable of handling.

[break][break]The thing that really piqued her interest was what he had to say. When the stranger introduced himself as a friend, Zilla instinctively scoffed and the Mightyena snarled louder, as if to show that even he was unamused by the theatrics and wanted the stranger to hurry up and get to the point. Despite the cold reaction from both tamer and Pokemon, the mystery man continued to speak vaguely about his purpose for stalking the casino dealer. Three things were known for certain: he liked this game of cat-and-mouse, he considered himself an ally and probably had no intention of bringing harm to Zilla, and he had an offer for the duo.

[break][break]"Back," Zilla mumbled in a low voice, and the Mightyena responded in kind. Though his hackles were still raised and he continued bearing his teeth in a display of hostility, his snarls quieted to the point of near inaudibility and his ears swiveled backwards to show submission. Still, he was protective of his life-long partner and he planned on doing everything in his power to show that he didn't approve of the stranger. "Alright, I'll bite," the woman said finally, "What's the offer?"

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Zilla watched with growing skepticism as the man pulled out a cigarette and brought it to his lips, only to drop the stick on the ground and crush it out under his boot. Was it an odd tic? Some kind of threat? Or had he been offended that she didn't offer to light it for him? Regardless of the reason, it was incredibly bizarre behavior.

[break][break]She was about to release Mightyena from his hold, no longer wanting to deal with someone so unpredictable, but the man's next words piqued her interest. He wanted her to work for him because, as he put it, "stinky fingers are valuable in my profession." There was no denying her history with pick-pocketing and thievery. He knew Zilla's name, place of work, and "hobby." Chances were he knew more about her than he was letting on.

[break][break]"What kind of 'profession' is that?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow inquisitively. Only a fool would agree to join a stranger's illegal operations without first prying for more information. A name, an address, or even a phone number would have given her something to go off of, but she had a sneaking suspicion that her pursuer wouldn't give up such personal information about his employer so easily.

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"The illegal kind," the stranger replied before quickly changing the subject and eying Mightyena. The dark canine snarled and snapped his jaws once, threatening the mystery man. Zilla said nothing. She'd already told her starter to back off; if the man pressed his luck and hurt as a result then that was his own fault. Zilla crossed her arms over her chest, shifted all her weight on one leg, and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. She clearly wasn't buying the nice-guy small talk.

[break][break]Seemingly aware of the fact that his mark was running out of patience, the stranger finally explained who he worked for and what he wanted: Team Rocket wanted to recruit Zilla. Dark eyes widened in surprise at what he just said. Team Rocket? THE Team Rocket? The same one that overthrew Kanto's League? Her shocked expression quickly shifted into one of confusion. Had her illegal activities really caught the eye of the most infamous mob on this side of the Pokemon world?

[break][break]It felt like a prank.

[break][break]No. It felt like a set-up.

[break][break]Zilla cracked a smile. It was forced, and the stranger could probably tell, but she didn't care. She wanted to disguise her fear and paranoia as amusement. "Am I being accused of something?" she hissed through the grin, "Do I need a lawyer?" This dude was definitely with the police... right? Definitely. But she'd be fine. She hadn't said anything self-incriminating. Then again, this guy wasn't acting like any cop she'd ever met before.

[break][break]Maybe he was the real deal. Maybe Team Rocket really was looking to rebuild in Hoenn. The idea wasn't too far-fetched. And she would have been a valuable asset if they could convince her to steal for them or to leak information regarding the Game Center's security. Though the possibility of the mystery man being part of Team Rocket was slim, there still was possibility. This could all be real, she thought. Even still, Zilla kept her defenses up and waited to see how he'd respond to her questions.

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Mightyena felt the growing pressure, but he barely reacted to it. He'd dealt with assholes who wished to do harm to his trainer in the past, and as far as he could tell, this stranger was just another punk looking for a fight. Zilla too felt the air grow heavy, and it instinctively made her heart race a bit faster. Something wasn't right. Was this a Pokemon's doing? Her anxiety became palpable, especially to Mightyena, who picked up on her panic and lunged forward.

[break][break]Zilla was quick to reach down and grab a scruff of fur on his side, halting him in his traks. If he wanted, he could have tore free from his trainer's hold—it wouldn't have taken much energy to do so—but the touch was more symbolic than anything. She was reminding him that she hadn't given him the release command. The dark canine snarled louder, bared his fangs, and lifted his tail in a show of pure anger and dominance. He wanted so badly to teach this guy a lesson, but he knew better than to disobey his human.

[break][break]Zilla slowly released her grip and began stroking the Mightyena's side as a way to both comfort her partner and to calm her own nerves, all the while listening to what the man had to say. She knew better than to confess to anything, especially when there was a possibility of him being a shady undercover cop... But she also knew that if he was the real deal, she couldn't pass up the opportunity. "Hypothetically, if I were to say your offer interested me, what would I need to do?" she asked.

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+ Killian Decker

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