Killian’s flattery was genuine – it always was. It still made her blush every time. A coy smile and subtly flushed cheeks were hidden behind her hair, but he could probably pick it out from a mile away considering that was her usual reaction.

“I see,” she responded, partially distracted from their conversation by the playful Eevee that found her hair so amusing. It was adorable but . . . painful. Eventually, Lex sighed, slumping her shoulders in defeat. There was no controlling these rascals with only two hands. She glanced over at Killian who was now cradling one, “You look mighty cute with a little baby in your arms,” she teased as the kits began to grow bored with her hair now that she wasn’t trying to get it away from them

Lex was starting to lean over to give Killian another kiss when a sharp squeal of the kit from behind her made her turn around. It was a small call of distress when Loveless failed to put it down. The kits on her lap began to yowl in unison, concerned for their sibling. Suddenly, Lex was surrounded by crying kits.

There was a flash of panic on her face. It was clear she had no idea what she was doing, “Oh no no no, it’s ok, shhhh,” she attempted to comfort the kits with some pets but to no avail. She looked towards Killian with a set of wide eyes. HELP.

Killian Decker

THE FODDER
Fodder for trading <3

• Tier 1 genesect part acquired here
• Bug type: here
• Metal coat: here
• Steel pokemon: here
• Metal Burst: here
• Make It Double Mission: WIP

• Heavy Metal: gacha, hidden ability purchase
• Magnet Pull: here
• Plus:
• Minus: here
• Steelworker:
• Rocket Event: TBD

• Adaptability: TBD (lf: eevee, porygon-z, basculin, corphish, crawdaunt, feebas, skrelp, dragalge, yungoos, gumshoos)
• Lock-On: (lf: Magnemite, magneton, porygon, remoraid, octillery, porygon2, magnezone, porygonZ, klink, klang, klinklang, drakloak, dragapult, probopass)
• Analytic: here | ability change to ANALYTC here
• Download: Searching (Porygon line)
• Rotom: Searching
• Rocket Event: TBD

• Megastone or Silvally Memory

TW: Abuse, sexual assault, murder, kidnapping

”Fine,” it was a curt response. No one enjoyed diving into their own trauma to relive it. Perhaps there would be something cathartic about it, about saying it out loud.

There was a moment of silence while she collected her thoughts, “Well, I guess it all started when I was young. You know, my dad left and all. Out of the blue, just disappeared. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, I was only about 9 or 10. It didn’t seem like anything was wrong. Hell, I don’t even think my mom knew anything was wrong. It was a surprise to both of us.

With my dad gone, my mom had to work. So, she worked. A lot. I just knew she worked at the casino, I didn’t know what she did. I never got to ask. The only thing she did was work a ridiculous number of hours and sleep in her room. I pretty much raised myself from that point on. I always thought it was something I did. You know how ya think when you’re a kid. I couldn’t figure out what I did to make my dad leave and my mom ignore me. Looking back on it now, I had mistaken her exhaustion and negligence for hate,” There was a small sigh, an obvious amount of regret there.

“Of course, I would have never met you if I had realized what was going on,” Lips pulled into a small smile, that was certainly one thing she didn’t regret, “Anyway, flash forward to a over a year ago . . .” she cleared her throat, choking back that hesitation in her voice, the shakiness that poked through as she dove into the depths of her story, “These guys showed up at the door one day. I recognized them as some of Kaito’s goons. Apparently, mom hadn’t shown up to work. I didn’t know why they cared, though. We uh – found her in the bedroom uh –“ the knot in the throat tightened its grip, the threat of tears at the edge of her eyes, “Just lying there, covered in her own shit and piss and vomit. She was uh –“ Lex shook her head, the tears started coming, “She was so . . . frail. Nothing but skin and bones. I didn’t recognize her, but I could see she was suffering. That’s when I realized my negligence. I just . . . let her get this way,” her shoulders shrugged, arms wrapping around herself.

“They wouldn’t help me they just . . . stood there. 15 minutes later is when Kaito showed up with a doctor and a nurse. They helped me. We cleaned her up and the doctor did her thing. By the end my mom was up and talking to me again. I was thrilled. Kaito said they’d come back tomorrow to check on us. I was . . . grateful. She stopped me from calling you to tell me her story once they left.

She spilled it all while she could. My dad owed Kaito money – lots of money. He couldn’t pay time and time again. Kaito threatened him with us, but the addiction was too powerful, and he thought our lives were more valuable to him than my father’s. So eventually, Kaito snuffed him out and focused us. He forced my mom to work for him to pay back my father’s debt. He held my life over her head to keep her cooperative. She did a lot of questionable shit, including prostitution, work as a drug mule, bad shit. He literally worked her to death. And now that my mom couldn’t work, he’d turn to me. A vicious cycle. He’d hold her life and your life over my head as insurance. She told me to run, but I couldn’t let her suffer. If she was dying, I wanted her to be comfortable. It was the least I owed her after ignoring her for so long. So, she convinced me I needed to limit the ways he could control me,” she shook her head, motioning towards Killian, “That’s when I left you,”

“As suspected, the bastard held my mother’s life and well-being over my head. He wasn’t shy about it either. So, I worked for him. Started out as pretty innocent work around the casino, typical hot girl shit like cocktail waitress and bottle service bullshit. Disgustingly long hours, though. It didn’t last long, apparently my reputation proceeded me. I didn’t want to be a thief again, I just wanted to take care of my mom. I refused, at first. He withheld her healthcare. She suffered. I then accepted.

He’s a manipulative bastard. For a minute there I actually enjoyed working for him once I became his personal little thief. He’s got this disgusting silver tongue. I got used to being manipulated like his own little puppet. He got . . . too comfortable with our relationship once it was clear I wasn’t with you anymore,” there was bitter growl in her voice as she tried to hold the memories back, “But I couldn’t say no. He made me do some . . . terrible things: Blackmailing innocent families like mine once was, planting incriminating evidence on innocent people, helping his goons break into places only for them to beat someone silly or once it was even to death. Hell, I even had to kidnap a child . . . An innocent child,” That’s what really broke her, she still didn’t know what happened to the girl.

“Mom died shortly after that. She was all he had to control me. I’m ashamed to say her death was a relief. It severed the strings, and I became defiant. He could tell his grip was slipping. I had nothing to lose anymore. Him and his goons roughed me up a few times, but that didn’t work. I acquired his books, the ones that defined my father’s debt. He owed quite a bit, but . . .” at this point she laughed, a bit hysterical but this part was the real kicker, “My mother should have been done working for that bastard years before she died. Years. And I should have never had to become his fucking slave. It was all a lie – some sick, twisted power move.”

This is where the anger set in, the root of her irrational and insatiable need for revenge, “That misogynistic, sadistic fucker just enjoyed watching us squirm under his thumb. He killed my dad, he killed my mom, I didn’t want to stick around for me to be next – or let him get away with it. And that’s when I did what I did. My only regret is not doing it right.

I’m scared because I don’t want to die. He keeps winning so it seems . . . inevitable at this point. Right before you found me, I was starting to accept my fate. Constantly running wasn’t really . . . living. It felt like I had nothing to live for and the thought of going back to end this ridiculous cat and mouse game crossed my mind more than once,” her hand reached out to take his as she stepped closer. Lex drew it up to her cheek, pressing gently into the palm of it, “But now I have something to lose and something to live for. Which also means I have something he can threaten. That scares me the most,” she closed her eyes, letting the warmth of his palm seep into her cheek. There was some comfort in sharing her story. In all honesty, she felt a little lighter. It still didn’t numb the pain, but having Killian here with her did bring some comfort.

Notes: Killian Decker

Lex found some solace in his embrace, but it didn’t last long. He broke it off too soon and the question that followed seemed out of the blue. Well, perhaps it wasn’t considering the circumstances and that they had failed to address the issue head on up until this point.

The surprise of the question and its unsuspecting impact on her made her shrink back. Her lips pulled tight, and eyes averted his gaze. The knot in her stomach slowly moved up to her throat. It choked the words right out of her. Lex wasn’t quite sure what to say.

The story was longer than just a few simple sentences. Words didn’t seem to adequately describe the anger, fear, and loathing seeded deep within her. Kaito’s greedy and malicious tendrils and wormed their way through the cracks and crevices of whatever dignity she had left until he tore it apart and there was none. He was a tidal wave that smothered her, and she was lost in the violent chaos, drowning until he provided the only way out – his way.

Lex never realized how fragile she was until Kaito shattered her.

Eventually, she found almost all the pieces. It took time, but she managed. Lex put herself back together the best she could, but she knew it wouldn’t last. She spent a while searching for the last piece. That happened to be the last gift her mother gave her. Her death brought a sense of welcome relief. She was ashamed to admit it but being freed of the burden of her illness was the last fragment Lex needed to grow strong enough to break free.

In reality, Kaito probably wasn’t that scary of a man. Any Rocket that looked at him now would probably laugh. It was the way he embedded himself so deep into Lex’s core that gave him such power over her. He really fucked with her mind, and it showed.

When her eyes met Killian’s again, he was met with a plethora of emotions: sorrow, fear, regret, shame, anxiety, “It’s . . . complicated,” she admitted, as most things in life were. Killian and Lex had their own traumas that they seemed to keep to themselves. For whatever reason, they refused to put the burden on the other. Perhaps that was their biggest flaw, the one thing holding them back from moving forward towards their true potential. Lex knew she was stronger with Killian than without. So perhaps it was time to try and unload some of the burden, help him understand.

“It’s quite a long story, and it won’t be easy to hear. Are you sure you’re ready for it?” The question she posed meant she was willing to share and open up to him entirely. Was Killian truly ready and willing to accept the burden?

Notes: Killian Decker

A set of softer eyes looked over towards Roach as the tension in her shoulders melted into the torn fabric of the old sedan. A part of her . . . kind of believed him.

Lex shifted in the seat, crossed arms falling to her lap. Her finger delicately grasped the flask. A shaky finger unscrewed the cap while he was lost in thought, taking a healthy swig from the flask of mediocre whiskey. It burned a bit but hit the spot. It wasn’t quite the immediate relief she was looking for but hopefully it would set in sooner rather than later.

“Hospital!?” she choked as she laughed at the word, shaking her head, “Hell nah. Beach,” she pointed ahead down the dark tunnel.

virgil roach

The sudden outburst and Roach snapping shut the glove box made her jump – but only for a moment. With an icy, side-eyed glare she judged him. He’d shown her his secrets, his underground, a part of him he no doubt reluctantly shared. What else could he possibly have to hide?

Lex crossed her arms, sinking back into the seat. She let the silence and the sound of the engine fill the void between them. The air was so thick with tension she could taste it. He doubted her – she doubted him. The weight of it was as palpable as the weight of the Manidbuzz as it took off from the roof of the sedan. Something between them would have to give if this was going to work.

The cold glare that had quickly fixated back on the dark tunnel turned back to Roach when he spoke again. He asked a deeply personal question. One that gave her pause and visible cringe at the thought, “A Johto scumbag,” she spat, as if the words were poison. There was no use trying to hide it. There was a minor relief in finally saying it out loud, something that had only plagued her thoughts since she found out her head had a price. Her shoulders remained tense, but the chill in her glare softened, turning away to look down the tunnel once more.

virgil roach

Lex gasped when the door flung open. Standing before her in the building’s corridor was an unexpected sight. The Primarina stood tall and proud, a judgmental glare looking the thief up and down. It was obvious the pokemon questioned whether she belonged here or not.

“Digit,” she hissed quietly, not moving a muscle. The lock on the door sparked. A low zap and hum sent the Rotom flying out of the electronics. He sparked wildly before sending a SHOCK WAVE towards the dual type. The surprised Primarina convulsed beneath the electrifying energy. She was stunned enough to collapse, and Lex didn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity. An empty pokeball left her hand as she tossed it towards the pokemon. The Primarina would make a fine prize.

Normal / Fairy / Ghost Spawn

Thread Link: Good Cop, Bad Cop[break]
Thread Type: Mission; 1 page[break]
Berry: Pecha[break]
Berry Effect: Allows you to change a pokemon's form[break]
Thread Summary: Lex and Ezra Zeke shake down an old Rocket rat in Slateport

The Minior was hers. She tucked the Safari Ball into the same pocket of her backpack as the others. She was really flying through this safari trip, wasn’t she? Jolteon shook her fur clean of the residual static from the two Thunders in a row before stretching out her front legs and trotting down the path in front of Lex.

It took the dup a while to catch a glimpse of another pokemon. A flash of pink caught the Jolteon’s attention from the tree line. Immediately, the predator leapt towards the rustling bush. A series of snarls, snaps, and a jolt of electricity proceeded the Jolteon emerging victorious. It dropped the pink bird at Lex’s feet with a satisfied smirk.

The Oricorio wasn’t necessarily at the top of Lex’s Wish List but it was already weakened so . . . She shrugged before dropping another Safari Ball onto the avian. There would be somebody looking for one of these eventually.

Safari Balls: 1/4
Catch attempt

Of course she would. Stupid question. It wasn’t surprising that it was in the “name of science” Lulu would not hesitate to put a pokemon through the process. Unfortunately, Lex didn’t have an excuse like that. She understood and respected Lulu’s reasoning.

When Lulu prodded the why, it made Lex uncomfortable. She cursed herself for asking the question in the first place. It took her a moment to collect her thoughts, how she wanted to word her response was important. For someone who embraced weaknesses, she didn’t want Lulu to get too comfortable with her own. They weren’t on that level.

Her shoulders shrugged lightly, “I just don’t know if I would,” she admitted, “Feels . . . hypocritical having one, I guess,” after a moment she continued, “I know I need to get stronger, I’m just not sure if I’ve got the guts to do what it takes,” not only on the shadow pokemon front, but when it came to battling too. Lex still struggled with it. It was something she needed to figure out quickly. She couldn’t run from her problems forever.

Lulu Flint

skyler dross was a feisty one. Lex could see why Lulu liked her. The Captain was a vicious spitfire. If the red head wasn’t so obsessed with Killian Decker, she’d probably be tempted by the hot bitch too.

The fingers tangled in her blond curls tightened at her words. Lex had mostly remined silent until this point, but Skyler’s playful tease coaxed her. A toothy smile known to only Lex spread across her lips beneath her mask, “Surely I’m an exception,” her voice purred through the mask’s speaker. It would have probably had more of an alluring affect if there wasn’t an electronic buzz to it.

Lex may not have been as well-trained in hand-to-hand combat as Skyler, but the thief had finely tuned her reflexes. Her speed was always surprising, and it was the skill she counted on to keep her out of a fight. Lex always preferred to avoid confrontation. But here they were, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

The shifting of the blonde beneath her grasp clued her into Skyler’s intentions. The subtle movement of a shoulder drawing back to strike elicited her quick step behind Skyler. It left her vulnerable to a quick elbow jab back but she counted on the reappearance of Lulu to distract her for the time being. If he fingers were still gripping the Captain’s hair she’d sharply tug them back, “Behave,” she hissed, a task she had a feeling was impossible for the Captain.

Amber eye turned away from Lulu’s shimmering gaze to avoid being caught up in it herself. Her free hand rose to summon he Gardevoir, “Find the Kecleon,”

Shadow Gardevoir nodded in acknowledgment. Unfortunately, she wasn’t here to witness the Kecleon sneak into the shadows. Therefore, she had no idea where to start the search, but she assumed the pokemon wouldn’t go far.

Although immune to emotion, the Gardevoir could still sense them. She doubted the Kecleon’s mind was blank, very few had such precise control over their feelings. A psychic energy pushed out from her consciousness, a sensitive touch that was drawn to a being’s emotions. She could feel the Captain’s conflicted fury towards Lulu and Lulu’s equally as confused emotions drawn to the Captain. Her master’s stoic bitterness for the situation was a familiar finding.

Gardevoir’s form melted into the shadows, letting her search for the Kecleon’s emotions guide her toward its location within her realm. It couldn’t hide for long.

notes: skyler dross & Lulu Flint

tl;dr: Lex dodges Skyler’s attempt at a strike. S!Gardevoir is trying to hone in on the Kecleon’s location by searching for its emotions.

A wild one. Lex laughed. Poor man had no idea . . . well, guess he was getting a bit of a taste now. The support of the car and actually being on her feet cleared her head a bit. A dull dizziness remained but nothing she couldn’t work through.

She frowned through tight lips, eyes warily fixated on the passenger seat. Doubt remained, but she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, “He’ll follow us,” she said plainly, referring to the Braviary. Insurance, maybe? Aubie could at least spot Kaito from a mile away. Her suspicions remained; she was too paranoid for it to dissipate that easily.

Lex moved towards the other side of the vehicle with more stability than before. She slid into the passenger seat without a word and pulled the door shut behind her. The silence settled, she obviously wasn’t going to speak on the subject any further unless prodded. Now that she was seated, she could feel the aftershock of the adrenaline pulsing through her. Her hands trembled, and she couldn’t stop it.

“Ya got anything to drink in here?” she growled, flicking open the glove box in search of a familiar cure to calm her nerves.

virgil roach

Lex managed to catch a glimpse of the Gardevoir before she vanished, and he own vision began to blur. The dark electricity that pulsed through her was too much for a human body to manage. Her heart raced dangerously fast, too fast. As the electricity began to fade, her body surrendered to the exhaustion. Her vision went black, mind went blank, and the prisoner fell unconscious.

The combination of Lex’s distress and the rippling electricity cracked open two of the pokeballs on her waist. A flash of blinding light lit up the surrounding darkness. The ear-piercing scream of a furious Braviary shook the air. A flurry of feathers and wind kicked the raptor up and off the ground. His heart raced from the adrenaline pumped into his veins by Lex’s screams. His charge was protection. He seemed to failing miserably. His KEEN EYES peered through the darkness, falling on the silhouette of two humans. In a blind rage he failed to notice the Rotom hovering over his master. All the Braviary saw was red as another scream left his beak. A flash of long, sharp talons shot out from the darkness, snapping at whatever he could grab (CRUSH CLAW).

Another form materialized from the flash of light. A yellow fox rolled his shoulders, claws gripping into the rocky ground. His lips curled back, bearing sharp canine and letting loose a low growl at the Rotom in front of him. His body crouched protectively over his trainer. His eye glowed a bright pink, the spoons clutched in his fists mirrored their color. The Alakazam let loose a psychic blast, the CONFUSION aiming to shatter the corrupted pokemon’s mind so it was left frantically picking up the pieces.

---

Shadow Gardevoir reappeared in her previous location. She could have been stunned by what she saw, if that was an emotion she was capable of. They had really made a mess of the place. Instead, her gaze critically analyzed the pieces of the chess board.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t given much time to herself. A powerful presence pressed upon her consciousness. She recognized the stubborn, valiant, annoying aura of the Gallade as he flew towards her. She tensed, only her eyes flickering towards the psychic-type blur as his body came crashing into hers. The Gardevoir’s ghostly form spun through the air. A few wild summersaults before her long arms shot out from her sides, slowing her progress and bringing her upright. A pair of pale pink eyes glared back at the Gallade as she rose into the air. Their intensity deepened. The air around her began to shine brilliantly as the flash of sparkles dancing across the cave like a disco ball.

The DAZZLING GLEAM burst from her towards the masses below, a blinding light that carried with it the mysterious fairy-type power unique to her previous typing.

tl;dr: Lex passes out – bye bby. The Electro Web stimulates two pokeballs to open. Sahir the Alakazam defensively stand over Lex and blasts Currant with CONFUSION. Aubie, the Braviary, emerges furious and immediately pursues Razz Kingsman and zenji jabami with a wild CRUSH CLAW, just aiming to grab whatever he can. S!Gardevoir is smacked by Mega-Gawain. She attempts to blind pretty much everyone with a DAZZLING GLEAM, forcing them to regroup and chill the fuck out. (Gwyar Wledig, Razz Kingsman, Laurence Anderson, oscar clayton)