Makoto, initially, wasn't entirely sure of what to expect from going to the diner with Howard. The food certainly seemed good - having taken to idly munching on some fries, with their love of crunchy and fried food... Although, the last thing that they expected, was for Howard to ask them for help with... A stalker? Some authority?

For how unseeming and ordinary Howard was outwardly, aside from maybe the whole eye situation, they were surprised that he had drawn that sort of attention at all.

Makoto blinks a bit at the thump of Howard's forehead dropping to the table - caught off guard by the dramatics put forth as Howard made his request. Certainly, if he needed to hide or lose someone, they were the person - but... "I need more information." They spoke simply. "It's a whole different approach if you've somehow got a stalker, versus, uhm... Having attracted attention from... Y'know." From the cops.

That being said though, this was... At the very least, a far more approachable job than the one that Amor Rose had set them up to. "I... don't really need payment, though. Don't know what I'd ask for." They shrug a little with this. While part of this answer was simply them being humble to a fault, they were otherwise genuine about not knowing what they'd want anyhow.

Home, food, safety... Those sorts of things were pretty handled, as far as they felt.

He gave them a flat stare.

"I run the biggest smuggling network in the region. I rake in just as much money every day as Amor Rose does, and I wasn't blessed with the fortune of starting out with a Fortune 500 company. I transport, buy, and sell more illegal substances than anyone else in the region. I also paid for that sandwich Tempest Quinn was eating three weeks ago."

The expensive one from the Paldean sandwich shop in Slateport that cost an arm and a leg. When buying and selling artifacts on the black market had stopped being enough to finance many of Rocket's operations, the admin had spread out and outsourced his network. Wishing Stars, Dynite Ore, and other expensive goods flowed into Sootopolis now.

With Nautica leaving the region and Kyogre's Avatar vanishing, there were few that could actually bring down Rocket's smuggling ships. Cargo flowed freely, barring Mossdeep thanks to its new Gym Leader.

"So why don't I start by paying for those fries?" He smiled nervously. "It's nice to pay for people's stuff."

Especially since he wasn't spending an arm and a leg on rent anymore. Dewford's sheriff was footing that bill, as far as Howard was concerned.

"Rocket is following me. I can take a guess who sent people after me, but they don't like that I'm here in Dewford." Howard rubbed his temples. "They think I'm committing..."

He lowered his voice as he gave Makoto a nervous glance.

"...treason."

---

Makoto Kurumi

To know how much money Howard could make was not much help in Makoto's indecision. In fact, in a way, inherently having more options made it harder! They had spent so long having such simple creature needs, and it was hard to really decide on things beyond that.

But that all being said, as Howard insisted upon at least paying for Makoto's food, they paused... Before nodding. "Alright... Thank you," They responded. Though they would otherwise want to pay for their own food, to avoid burdening others... Perhaps letting Howard have this much would satisfy him, even if only for now..?

Besides, they imagined that helping protect him would more than repay the favor in that...

Though, then came the question of who Howard was fearing. Rocket - the very same Rocket that Makoto was a part of - was suspecting him of treason, due to his activities in Dewford. They couldn't help but feel that very same nervousness that Howard showed on his face; this was a serious matter. Treason could very well mean death, they'd learned a long time ago.

And if whatever Howard was doing ended up truly implicating him in something... Arceus, Makoto couldn't even begin to imagine the possible fallout from that. They could see why Howard wanted their help so badly.

But at the same time, there was the question of... If Makoto accepted, and this all went pear-shaped, what would happen? Would they end up implicated, too..? To endanger what they had now - the stable home and money they had as a result of Rocket, and even their own life...

... Makoto's breath shuddered. "That's... Really serious." They murmured, their uncertainty plain on their face. "Are you actually...?" Actually committing some form of treason? Betraying Rocket in some way...?

If Makoto thought he was, then the admin was well and truly fucked, and he needed their help more than ever.

"No! No! It's not like that, I swear!" His voice was a furious hush as he looked from side to side, as if expecting Rocket spies around every corner. Howard's eye flicked over to Makoto, their eye boring into them. He held up a finger. "Shush. Keep it quiet. I'll explain."

As if Makoto's murmurings could somehow get quieter.

"Makoto, Arceus... no. I'm not betraying Rocket. Never." He'd lied as easily as he breathed. If Howard defected from Rocket, the admin would've been killed before he took one step out of Sootopolis. He was a a cog in the machine, and gears could not act against the whims of the mechanism that held them. "I'm trying to save the region."

He was working with Navy, one of Rocket's biggest enemies, to study Eternatus, to make sure it remained silent and dormant. Yet Rocket likely would not care. His loyalty was shaky, and him moving to Dewford had not assuaged the various admins, beasts, and underbosses that he worked alongside.

But still, Eternatus had to be watched and studied.

For the good of mankind. Eternatus could not move an inch.

"I need unfettered access to the Ultra Deep Sea, which means that Dewford needs to be breached. That way, I can prove my loyalty. Makoto..." He looked at them with a pleading expression. "Do you trust me?"

Loyalty. Friendship. Nebula.

---

Makoto Kurumi

Truth was, if Howard truly were committing treason... While Makoto was unsure of how much they'd wish to help, they certainly wouldn't want to hurt him if they could help it... But, would one blame them, for not wanting to threaten what they had..?

They hoped not.

As Howard tells them to hush though, they indeed fall quiet to listen to him - even if there is uncertainty on their face... What was he doing here in Dewford...?

As he speaks, the lie he gives is easily believed. Perhaps it's largely because they wanted to believe him. They wanted to trust in him, and believe the best of him - because the alternative would likely put an end to what stability they had thus far... Even if it wasn't the ideal sort of stability. (But really, it was the closest thing to stability they'd had in many years.)

But, to be told that he's trying to save the region... They blink, clearly caught off guard by the statement. They initially want to open their mouth to speak - but they stop themself, wanting to 'keep it quiet' as he told them to. Instead, they continue to listen as he explains himself further... And then he poses a question of trust.

It takes a second for Makoto to respond - they have to consider it. Trust isn't something they'd say they had for Rocket as a group. Rocket was full of criminals - killers and thieves and liars. Granted, they supposed they were a thief and liar themself, but...

... It felt different, when they thought about it all on an individual level.

Did they trust Amor Rose? Well, they certainly trusted him to be a bit of a maniac, past his suave and intelligent exterior, given his god-chasing. They trusted that as long as they were useful and loyal to him (and he seemed to believe they were, even if they sometimes felt that he overestimates them) that they had a place at his side, something they craved when they otherwise would be directionless...

But, perhaps some of that calm confidence would rub off on them?

Did they trust Tempest Quinn? They trusted that when they greeted him, he'd be all smiles. Really, his nature was like that of a happy Growlithe - tail a-wagging, and loyal to those he cared about. But they also trusted that as a Beast, he was no stranger to killing - and if there was any thought that they were a traitor, he'd probably kill them too.

But, perhaps some of that jovial extroversion would rub off on them?

And did they trust Howard? ... Perhaps they did, truly, trust him. He was the most down-to-earth of the three, even if high strung. He was someone that had listened to and comforted them, when they opened up about the more painful parts of their past. And nothing bad had come of that vulnerability. And he was smart - absorbing knowledge from every little thing he could in a way that they admired.

Perhaps some of that wisdom would rub off on them..?

... They admired their peers of Nebula, that much was for certain. And really, they trusted the three more than they might most other members of Rocket. So, their response - even if it took a second to give - would be genuine. "I do," they breathed. "I... I think I can help."

This would be risky, but... They believed they could do it, if it were for him. If he were truly trying to help this region. If he really wasn't going to betray Rocket.

They clung tight to those beliefs.

There was no trust within Rocket. It could not exist. There was no reason for an organization held together by fear and a stiff hierarchy to exist in a form that encouraged trust between its members. Any trust that existed only went as far as goals shared between people.

declan walsh led Rocket, but he did not 'lead' them. He simply allowed for the organization to direct its resources towards the intended goal of overthrowing the region's balance of power.

That did not require trust.

"Thank you." Howard seemed relieved as he slumped back in his chair. His eye sparkled, just as it did when he was discussing archaeology and rare artifacts. "You're a lifesaver, Makoto. Thank you. Thank you so much."

Trust could not exist between Rockets, but it could exist between friends. Friends built on the lie that Rockets could trust one another.

He had never felt such gratitude for Makoto Kurumi in his life.

"It won't be easy. You need to play both sides, Makoto. The League hates us. Rocket suspects us. If you help me, if you get caught..." The admin swallowed nervously. Nebula consisted of a beast, head scientist, and admin. Their political sway was not to be underestimated, but if this was brought to the attention of an underboss, it'd all collapse in the wind.

It'd be bad for everyone involved.

"What's the plan?"

---

Makoto Kurumi

Howard's gratitude stirred a warmth in Makoto's heart; a warmth that almost made them feel bashful. Even if they knew that what they were doing was a big deal, especially for him, it still felt so out there to recieve such attention and acknowledgement.

But warm fluttery feelings aside, they needed a plan; because else, being stuck between Rocket AND League would be a rock and a hard place. But if the plan was simply to conceal Howard's movements...

... Well, they wouldn't care about anyone else's movements as much, right?

With a couple taps on the floor with Makoto's foot, Kuro - still in its shadowy form - would part from Makoto's own shadow. The Hisuian Zorua would move from shadow to shadow, keeping watch to ensure noone was listening too close.

Then, once they felt they were in the clear, they began scheming; and the core idea was simple. "... You said you had a place here now, right?" They murmured - recalling him mentioning something of the sort at some point. "Do you think they'd take notice, if all they saw was someone else visiting you one evening, then leaving?"

"I could send one of my Zorua - probably Shiro - to your doorstep, disguised as some nobody... You let it in, wait for a little while to pretend you're having a guest over... Then leave with the Zorua. It'll follow you as you leave, disguising you as your 'visitor'. My other pokemon and I will keep watch, to make sure you're not being tailed, and I'll keep in touch with you in the event someone does follow."

If the person they had it out for was Howard, would they waste time with someone who was only visiting him? And if they did, would they really invest that much time and effort into tailing a nobody? Just sending them on a boring nothingburger of a routine would surely be enough to make any spies lose interest...

Tap. Tap. Tap. The admin's fingers danced across the table as he considered Makoto's question. As he looked into their eyes, his voice was slow and ponderous.

"They might notice. They might not. I get a few visitors every once in a while, mostly this kid who brings me lunch." Eris Halla would probably break his knees for calling her a kid, but she did bring him lunch fairly often so he didn't starve. "And the sheriff. Y'know, Dewford's Gym Leader? Navy?"

It didn't help that Howard and Navy had very similar cowboy hats. The two looked very similar from a distance, though Howard was far more handsome and loveable.

As Makoto's swarm of Zorua revealed themselves, Howard's eye grew wide as he realized what Makoto was proposing. He had a lot about Hisuian history, and between that and Yuina Higashi, the archaeologist was intimately familiar with Makoto's swarm of fuzzy friends. It was a remarkably clever trick.

Plus it involved not killing anyone, which was the typical modus operandi for Rocket.

"This is clever. Very clever." The admin coughed into his fist. "I need you to get some information from Dewford's police department. Think you can pull their schedules for..."

Howard ran a few silent calculations.

"...the next few weeks?"

---

Makoto Kurumi

Makoto's eyebrows rose at the mention of Navy; Howard really wasn't going to be beating the traitor allegations, if he was cavorting with a Gym Leader of all people...

... "Of the visitors... Who are you most comfortable being disguised as, if any of them?" Makoto eventually asked, adding "It could draw less attention when you slip away as them, depending on who the person is... But it might also draw more heat to the actual individual." They imagined that being associated with Navy could be just as much trouble for the sheriff, if Howard's status ever got out.

But that being said... The more that Makoto considered things and schemed, the more that it seemed like another side of them was coming out. A side that was a bit more confident, more in their element. Certainly, they were not unaffected - eyes occasionally glancing about, as if worried someone might listen too closely even with Kuro keeping an eye out - but this was still a shift.

But then came the other request; concealing Howard's movements was one thing... Breaking into a police department and getting the schedules was another. Makoto's brows furrowed. "That's... Going to be more difficult; and hinges on how tight security there is." They spoke. A recent Rotom acquisition could help... "I can case it and test the waters... But I can't make promises."

With the Gym Leader here being the sheriff, they felt as though Navy wouldn't let the police department slouch anytime soon. They'd be surprised if it was an easy nut to crack.

The people that visited Howard were not helping his cause. Makoto had deduced that correctly. He collaborated with Rocket traitors like Isaac Merlo and Eris Halla, alongside primary threats to Rocket like Navy. Even if the admin wasn't committing active treason, association had the potential to be enough.

Still, he had to choose who to disguise himself. As he looked into his friend's eyes, the vision of the sheriff popped into his head.

"I'll be heating into Granite Cave a lot. I'll need to be someone that fits that schedule. There's only two people that fit the bill."

The Gym Leader and his successor. He would not become the latter, but the former... Maybe wearing his skin could instill a smidge of bravery into his soul.

"Makoto." His eye flashed. "Disguise me as Navy."

There were plenty of photos of the Gym Leader and Elite Four member on the internet. During the press conference following the battle at the Island Cave, reporters and paparazzi stalkers had snapped dozens of photos of him. It would presumably be an easy disguise for Makoto and their Zorua to replicate.

"I need you to try." A small smile flickered across the admin's face, as if remembering something. "Amor's protégé, through and through."

---

Makoto Kurumi

Though they had briefly expected it... The suggestion to disguise Howard as Navy would still get a blink from Makoto. Indeed, there was more than enough material to train their foxes with, to perfectly mimic Navy every which way...

... But, that being said, they still wanted to make something clear for Howard. "I can do it... It's probably your best bet, all things considered, but... Do you think you can handle it, if someone were to approach believing that you are indeed Navy?" They asked. "My Zorua can disguise you on the levels that matter most; but they can't make you behave as him."

It wouldn't be the first time it's happened, it was something they struggled with with their own disguises and heists early on. It was why they had since shifted to teaching their Zorua and Zoroark to put together features to make an untraceable nobody, rather than pretend to be a specific person.

If he felt he could manage someone unrelated to all of this approaching him though, then Makoto felt that this plan was as good as it'd get; to try to plan any further would just make it inflexible and waste brainpower, if you asked them.

Being referred to as Amor's protege, however, had clearly caught Makoto a little off guard. They blinked, their cheeks dusting a bit... Before sighing softly, scratching the back of their neck. "I'm... I don't really understand what he sees in me, that he wouldn't find with you or Tempest, honestly." They confessed.

Given him being a Head Scientist... Wouldn't someone with smarts like Howard, or even the inquisitiveness of Tempest, be better suited for that title?

"He sees someone whose future has yet to take shape."

It was an amusing prospect for a historian to talk about the future, but Howard would make an exception for Makoto. They needed this explanation more than Howard needed his principles. He was a historian and an archaeologist first, but he was still a human. The admin's biggest weakness was that he cared, just not about Rocket.

Temp is Cillian Quinn 's before he's Amor's. I'm... me. Amor knows my views." Howard's tone implied that he wouldn't elaborate if pushed. The truth was that he hated Rocket. Yet having that opinion was a concrete act of treason. He would not push that onto Makoto. It was not their burden to bear. "You could learn something from him. Take his lessons and grow. He saw potential."

Howard had reached his long ago. As had Tempest Quinn.

"Your soul has yet to take form." The admin raised a hand to a passing waitress for the check. As she left, he turned to his colleague. "That's why you were chosen."

The topic returned to the sheriff. Howard put on a characteristic scowl and crossed his arms.

"Don't go to Granite Cave. It's dangerous there. If you fight there, that's different. I could use someone of your skill in keeping the peace. I like tea, my truck, and my girlfriend." The admin's demeanor and tone softened. "Pretty good, right?"

---

Makoto Kurumi

Their future had yet to take shape. Their soul had yet to take form.

Was that really true, though? As far as things looked... They were a thief, through and through. Stealing, hiding, cheating - that was all they truly knew how to do. They wore a mask, so that others could believe they fit in; and it was likely that as it was, one of two things would happen.

They'd either come to meet the expectations that Rocket placed on them, or they'd come to meet some untimely end. That's what they believed - and though they weren't sure which way it'd go... They would rather the former, over the latter.

(They didn't want to consider whether they'd still say as much, if those expectations ever came to include becoming a monster typical of the organization.)

Rather than worry about that though, Howard would - even if unwittingly - provide the perfect distraction for their wandering mind. For as Howard puts on a stunning impression of Navy, they couldn't help but break out in soft laughter, smiing and nodding. "Picture perfect," They responded - half genuinely, half humorously. He likely wouldn't need to mimic Navy perfectly.

This plan, it seemed, was more or less in the bag. All that was left to actually execute it, once the time came.