His goal was simple: get some cinnamon buns.

He'd been busy around town as of late; his Gym may be busy, but Littleroot itself had plenty of little issues he could lend a hand in solving. It'd long since become part of his routine, and he enjoyed it enough to keep at it.

The praise and treats he often got as thanks was totally just secondary to this.

Not that the latter lasted long with his Pokemon.

This night, after closing his Gym, he'd decided to make a quick trip to the local bakery. They always had some cinnamon buns saved up just for him (and his Pokemon) at the end of the week. He just had to grab them, then catch a ride back to where he lived.

And he'd long since memorized the path there. Didn't even need a Pokemon to guide him there. He knew each turn to make, each path to follow, how many buildings down it was.

He'd no way of knowing he was being watched. No idea of who was waiting at the end of the street, poised to strike at him.

The moment he heard the footsteps, he was ready to move aside, offering a small "'scuse me," to his would-be assassin - who he'd assumed was just some passerby. By all means, he wouldn't even have known this guy was out for his life until the blade was already through his body.

But the blade wouldn't taste his blood just yet.

A Psychic energy enveloped the boy's body, jerking him back. There'd been no effort to make it gentle, nor any warning - Hideo was tossed on his back, dragged along the ground by the force.

More than one pair of eyes had been watching him that night.

His Orbeetle's intervention saved his life - though it was too far in the sky to get down and fully intervene. That responsibility went to the Banette that emerged from the shadows, positioning itself in the space between Hideo and the man.

Hideo still had no idea what was going on, still trying to get his bearings after getting thrown to the ground.

Hitoshi Inoue

"...tch." His tongue clicks in soft annoyance when his blade pierces empty air. Surprise isn't on his side. Pokemon, like they so often do, get in his way. Instead of allowing frustration to overwhelm him, a black-gloved hand goes for a brilliant blue beast ball. Kusanagi flies out, knowing its mission at once.[break]
Dog and blade are united in purpose. Gripping the blade in his hand, he makes a run towards the boy. What appears to be a straightforward attack on the human is a ploy - a feint to draw down his guardian angel. So long as the Pokemon above, which he deduces must be there, protects the boy, his fangs will never sink in. So, while Kusanagi's night slash strikes at the ghost, his Hasegawa Muramasa prepares to slip free and strike up at his foe.[break][break]
"Rocket says what's up!" He speaks a few words, a curse of his. It's hard not to banter, even be friendly with those he has been sent to kill. "Yer Pokemon are well-trained."

Hideo still had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that he'd gotten tossed to the ground by some sudden force - he could reason it was probably psychic energy that pulled him back. Yet he had no idea why it was done; his Orbeetle hadn't communicated anything with him yet.

But the sound of a Pokeball letting a Pokemon out gave him a good enough idea what was happening: he was being attacked.

Evidently, something threatening: his could feel Telepathy prodding his mind, telling him to GET AWAY.

"Ah shit!" he half-shouted, trying to scurry back.

His Banette adopted a dour expression upon realizing it was gonna have to deal with an Ultra Beast of all things. It backed away, the Night Slash narrowly struck it as it backed away, a little bit of stuffing dripping out its body. It'd have to keep its full attention on this threat, unable to stand between the assassin and Hideo as it tried to strike at the Kartana with a Sucker Punch.

"Of course you're a Rocket," Hideo spat back. "Couldn't just be some random nutjob."

This time, he knew the man was coming - because his Orbeetle told him as much. His Pokemon was making its descent - but it wasn't a fast floater. For the moment, Hideo had to roll to the side to get away from what he was told was a charge right at him.

In the meanwhile, a sheen of light covered Hideo and his two Pokemon - a Reflect from the Orbeetle. An attempt to lessen any harm coming their way.

Hitoshi Inoue

Kusanagi is sent soaring through the air by the sucker punch, pinging off of a wall like a pinball. Where the tiny origami blade made impact sits a clean, precise cut in the bricks. With just a bit more force, that small blade would have pierced clean through the house. Instead, it rights itself and swears profusely in a language only it and its fellows can understand. Grassy energy gathers around, turning Kusanagi into a leaf blade on a collision course with Banette[break][break]
"Duh!" The dog speaks the word with the adamant, patronizing tone of one who does not know how to lie. "What kinda messed up world do you think yer livin' in, kid?! Dudes don't just go around killin' kids for no reason! There's money involved here." Money he'll waste. All this boy gym leader's life will amount up to, if it meets its end upon the Hasegawa Muramasa, will be cheap booze and high stakes bets. All he's ever known, reduced to frivolities.[break][break]
"I'll tell ya this for free, kiddo. Ya pissed off someone in Rocket good n' proper." His free floating blade skids against the reflective barrier. Its slashes do not go through, and so he tries to shadow sneak into the psychic gym leader's shadow.

The brief bit of satisfaction the Banette got from sending the Kartana flying, was cut to pieces as it saw just how sharp the Ultra Beast's blades were. If a building couldn't stand up to them, there was no way his soft body would fare any better, even with a Reflect covering his body.

And judging by the Kartana's language, it was definitely after his stuffing.

The Banette let out a squeal of fear the moment it saw the Kartana flying toward him again. With no easy way to clash, it took the safest way out of the attack: it descended into a Phantom Force, getting away from the incoming Leaf Blade.

He would quickly emerge a short distance away from the Kartana, peeking out from another portal. He didn't try to attack it again - he wanted to stay away from this thing - but also keep its attention away from Hideo.

The boy already had his hands full, his brow furrowed as he finally had a chance to get back on his feet.

"Could'a fooled me," he answered. "Rockets've tried killing me before I joined the League. I know you don't need a good reason to go killing." Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time seemed enough "reason" for them to try and kill him.

Though now he was left wondering who exactly he'd pissed off enough to get a hit on him.

Not that he could focus on who he'd agitated - that sound of blade-on-Reflect was not a pleasant noise. "What, I buy the cinnamon bun they wanted or something?"

He would've completely missed the Shadow Sneak inching towards him - but his Orbeetle was able to spot its approach. It fired off a quick Confusion at the shadow, aiming to push it away as it finally descended close enough to its trainer to actually be by his side.

Hitoshi Inoue

"More like ya picked the wrong side!" He yaps to fill space, and because it is his nature to make conversation. Silence, some would say, is golden. He's giving this child ample opportunity to recognize his voice, even if his face is covered. There are only so many dogs trotting around Hoenn with a cabal of Kartana, a red Kartana at that, in tow.[break][break]
"What the hell're you doin', fightin' with the League at yer age anyway?! Go home to yer mama!" Even as the floating Orbeetle fries his blade within its shadow, the cursed ghost within the blade crying out in anguish, he admonishes the boy for fighting. His Muramasa floats back to him, back to his arm, where he takes another swing at the reflective barrier, fancy tricks be damn.[break][break]
A sharp whistle calls Kusanagi back to his side.[break][break]
"Yo! Kusanagi! Yer faster than that doll thing, get over here!" The twin blades try to crack the barrier, Honedge and Kartana acting as sacred swords to break the barrier.

The Kartana was a distinctive one, for certain, and his Pokemon would definitely recognize them if they ever encountered them again - but without sight, Hideo had no way to tell it was a red one. And there was no chance of recognizing a voice he had never heard before.

"Trying to keep Hoenn safe from people like you!" Hideo shouted back, stepping back as the man struck at the Reflective barrier. "Rocket doesn't care if I'm with the League or not. They just wanna kill anyone they feel like killing!"

He could hear his Banette squealing, failing to get the Kartana's attention - and his Orbeetle warned him the Kartana was coming their way. He knew the shield wouldn't last against an Ultra Beast. "Marion, go get help!" he shouted, his Banette wasting no time diving back into a Phantom Force and making its exit.

Hideo quickly reached into his pocket, taking hold of a Pokeball. He really didn't want to have to pull out this Pokemon; he still hadn't gotten it properly disciplined, and he was still struggling to find out how to make it listen for any purpose other than violence.

But the moment he heard the Reflective barrier shatter, he took out the Pokeball - completely missing the small clatter of a badge falling out of his pocket.

One tap, and the Pokemon was out: a Type:Null, standing well above the boy.

Hideo didn't even have the chance to speak an order; the Type:Null saw two Pokemon before it. Its helmet glowed silver as it charged ahead, an Iron Head aimed mainly at the Kartana - though it fully intended to strike the Honedge as well.

And in its charge, it kicked the badge ahead.

Hitoshi Inoue

"Woah, man! I don't just randomly kill people 'cause I wanna. What kinda psycho fuck d'you think I am?" He says, still fully intent on murdering a child. Intrusive thoughts about the last child he killed, an accidental and pointless death, invade his mind. They pull him out of the moment for just long enough to bring reality crashing down.[break][break]
"What the fuck is t-" And, with one hit, Kusanagi is down for the count. Sputtering across the ground, it tries to chitter a warning to its master before falling still. It isn't dead. The dog doesn't know if Kusanagi can die, but another blow like that and he'll be down for the count. This fight's turned against him, and all it took was one unknown.[break][break]
"...tch." His amber eyes fall upon the badge. All's forgiven if he can grab that. Taking a League gym leader's badge from them is tantamount to rubbing dirt in the government's eyes. So, he makes a decision to cut and run.[break][break]
"'Til next time! Keep yerself alive, kiddo!" Turning tail, he grabs the badge, pinning it to his cloak in one smooth motion. His hand sweeps up Kusanagi, and then he is running with his blade in tow. He chose a street near the woods, allowing himself to get lost in the forest. There's plenty of ways to lose a pursuer in here.[break][break]
Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again.

Hideo clutched the Pokeball hard; he wasn't too concerned about if his Type:Null could repel the man and his Ultra Beast. He already knew his Type:Null was a very tough Pokemon, perhaps one of the strongest ones he had in his possession.

But it lacked restraint; had the assassin not scooped the Kartana back up, the Type:Null would have tested the Ultra Beast's mortality. Hideo was ready to recall it at a moment's notice; even if the man had been out for his life, Hideo didn't want to be responsible for any more deaths, human or Pokemon.

Fortunately for him, his lesson about not trying to kill humans had finally taken hold, the Type:Null observing as the assassin ran off - and doing no more than watch the man disappear into the woods.

Once his Orbeetle confirmed the assassin was gone, Hideo recalled the Type:Null. It was only then that he could notice the tremble in his hands, as well as his heart beating as if it wanted to burst from his chest.

Slowly, he began to process what just happened: he'd nearly been murdered by a Rocket.

He only realized he'd slumped down next to a building the moment his Orbeetle prodded him, trying to assess if he was ok. "I'm-I'm alright," he stammered, realizing he'd lost his breath as well. He knew Rocket would come after him at some point, but like this? In his own town?

He didn't have much more time to think it over; he could hear a Phantom Force pop up - and it was hard to miss the horde of Pokemon that emerged. It was an utter cacophony as they spread through the area; some sticking around in case any other assassins were about, some trying to find the one that got away, others manhandling him to try and make sure he hadn't been hurt.

Those cinnamon buns would go un-gathered tonight.

Hitoshi Inoue