It had been her slip up that had caused her to be captured all those weeks ago. She was tortured and beaten in that fucking prison, carried out in a walker for her troubles, and it only made her return all the more humiliating. After a silent vow to take things more seriously here, the nepotism hire stood before the man who had greeted her months ago.

"It's been awhile."

Himiko said nothing as he called his Pokemon out. He wasn't cutting her any slack since they met, and she couldn't blame him. Her own blackened nails tapped on the surface of two of her own team. A Ceruledge and the one Ultra Beast she had been eyeing the most. A part of her wanted to chide him for tormenting her like this, though she was curious about what its capabilities it held.

"You know how to make this interesting." A snake-like grin grew on her face as she brought up two pokeballs. "I agree to your challenge then."

Two throws later, a Hisuan Zoroark and a Salandit were called to the field. The former of the two, Rouge, had looked at both of its opponents and leak out a frightened noise that was almost some sort of sheepish squeak. A sharp look from her trainer was enough to keep her out on the field. Himiko had experienced more than enough humiliation for a lifetime.

"I take it you won't hold back then? Good, then I'll repay the favor."

Zev Harcourt

☉

"My apologies. I was busy working on my business here and keeping up appearances. Given all that's happened since I reported in last, I can't imagine Rocket needed another meat shield to hide the important people behind when you have oh so many wonderful volunteers already."

The Ceruledge took off and charged at her Salandit, who was already on edge from facing opponents right out of her league and was ready to go, even if forced upon her. The PSYCHO CUT hit its mark against the Salandit, sending it back as the florist eyed her Pokemon with a bitter stare. Much like Zev, Himiko let out a sharp whistle to both her Pokemon.

Zoroark surrounded itself in shadows and over into a pool of shadows beneath itself and disappeared from view. Meanwhile, Salandit set her sights on the Nagandel and skittered over to her newly acquired target. She let out a a mischievous hiss and surrounded herself in energy before unleashing it in a sudden blast at the winged menace with DRAGON PULSE.

Behind Ceruledge, Zoroark emerged from the shadows as it rose both arms in the air and aimed to strike the flaming swordsman down with SHADOW SNEAK.

"Beyond that, I've been eyeing what else I can do here besides enabling people to their worst day ever. I may try and branch out a bit. Maybe see how much fun Ultra Space is so I can get acquire such a beauty for myself." she said, her eyes shooting to the Nagandel.

"I take it you're busy as ever with all the news about mobilization. It's all the other recruits talk about, frightened in their bunks."

Zev Harcourt

☉

”I've had my eye in a few different places. Might go help establish bases, or find a nice outpost to watch the frontline from.”

The Salandit’s apprehension aside, both Pokémon were still ready to give their all in the fight. The Salandit's meager size made it easy to skitter out of the path of the Shadow Claw. It countered with another shot of DRAGON PULSE at the Nagandel.

”You've been a very good boy for the people holding your leash. Maybe they'll give you an extra portion at dinner as a reward.”

Her eyes moved to her Zoroark, who had eaten the full brunt of the Bitter Blade. He stumbled back some but wasn't fully out of the fight. Sickly purple colors burned across its skin, the phantasmal flames licking across its fur. They burst forth from the Zoroark with BITTER MALICE

”But I'll do whatever it takes to get back home. I just have to play nice until I get word back. Then I'm gone. This war is meaningless to me.”

Zev Harcourt

☉

The Salandit peered up at the Ceruledge as it reappeared before it. Both of them shared a moment to observe the other as the lizard reared its head back to collect as much poison as it could muster at the ghost-type. Once full, she spat out a glob of chores at the ghostly swordsman with VENOSHOCK.

The Zoroark, meanwhile, was hit full force with the sudden Fire Blast. It raised its arms to defend itself as the white fur had been signed by the sheer heat. He peeked out from his guarding stance to counter by dashing at the Nagandel with a FOUL PLAY.

Himiko narrowed her eyes at his remark about her family.

”It's not like they had a choice. After I was reprimanded for being the scapegoat for something that's clearly not my fault, my father had to beg for me to be sent here instead of rotting in some Rocket cell. If he expected me to meet my end here, I'd venture that he expects quite the opposite.”

Yet something about Himiko was different. Her eyes pried onto Zev for a moment before fleeting back to the battle. The haste at which she had replied back. The grunt shot him a look while the battle continued.

”I've lived through high expectations before. I'll survive this war and do just fine.”

Zev Harcourt

☉

Himiko's natural stoicism was beginning to crack as Zev worked at her faults. Lips curled into an annoyed frown as the battle continued before her. Both Pokémon weren't having the greatest of times at the moment.

The Salandit ate the attack against it and was thrown back again. It was wounded, maybe somewhat close to exhaustion, but still willing to fight. Her Zoroark was faring better, taking another Fire Blast from his opponent without issue. No doubt jt was the typing difference that was saving him here.

”You don't know a single thing about me or my family.” Himiko hissed at her superior as her temper gave out in the end. ”You've seen what they do, maybe took part in it yourself. Cruelty is just a measurement which has no end to Rocket. Why would they bother to give him the time of day and send me here? They could have just ignored him, let me starve to death or worse.”

She whistled to her Pokémon again, causing both to switch targets once more. The Zoroark focused on the Ceruledge and launched another SHADOW BALL at the fellow ghost-type. The Salandit returned to its original target with a DRAGON PULSE for the Nagandel's troubles.

”Meanwhile, I come to find out that ineptitude is in abundance here. At least in Kanto, we could deal with uprisings and League issues easily. You can't even hold a city permanently, even with how many advantages? No wonder you need every living body you can afford here.”

Zev Harcourt

☉

Well it wasn't like she could just get a meeting with two of the most powerful Rocket agents in the entire organization, now could she? Himiko scoffed at Zev's retort and rolled her eyes.

”Yeah, well...maybe I just might.”

His next approach caught her unaware, as her Salandit was already approaching his final stand alongside a damaged Zorua. The two Pokémon he had called against her own rushed by them. Instead, they focused their attacks on her!

”Wh-What?”

She stood in place as both of her companions moved to intercept the attack. The Zorua disappeared from plain sight again, only to pop out in front of the Nagandel with a SHADOW SNEAK. The Salandit, meanwhile, put himself in the way of Ceruledge's blade. Himiko watched him with an unimpressed face, but when the blade drew closer.

Himiko shoved it out of the way, feeling the sword slash across her chest.

The grunt let out a pained yelp, clutching the wound while her gaze locked on the ground. Pain wracked her chest as furious eyes honed in on Zev.

"What the FUCK is your deal? You think going after me is supposed to teach me a lesson about playing dirty?"

Zev Harcourt

☉

Damn, this cut stung like hell. Himiko inhaled with clenched teeth as her darkened nails stained crimson from the sleak cut that ran along her front. Torn fabric had sopped up most of the blood, though at the cost of ruining the outfit she had worn. It only proved to infuriate her further.

Zev didn't even appear too involved after the attack, just walking away and dismissing her.

"You think I don't know that already? I work for Rocket!"

Maybe he believed it, maybe he didn't. But Himiko huffed and pushed herself back to her feet. The Salandit by her feet looked up at her as she carefully leaned down to offer it her hand. The poison-type slithered up to the woman's shoulder and then made her way to the medic's office...and hopefully a tailor on base.

"I hate that crystal loving bitch sometimes..."

Zev Harcourt

☉