[attr="class","spiral"]The little puff of smoke, the short huff that accompanies it, it's not amusement (at least as far as Plank can tell) but it's not irritation. It's not cold. She'll take it.

Considering her joke a success she relaxes a little while striding deeper into the dim, gloomy apartment.

"Yeah, guess that makes sense," she agrees, "Wish it didn't make everythin' feel so damn dramatic, though."

There's a slight spring to Plank's step. The last mission she'd had with the recruiter went . . . well? It felt routine, nothing to write home about, but surely that's worth something from a rookie? To perform without creating the need for complaint.

And their little talk at the end. It seemed friendly enough. In the recruiter's own way; or at least what she thought the recruiter's way was from their short interactions.

These thoughts override the more important tasks for her brain. Like listening and reading the room and generally the smart things to do when walking into a blind assignment. Maybe it wouldn't have helped, though. Paying attention. It feels like the instructions for the evening come out of nowhere.

"Uh, a lesson?" she echoes like an idiot, "I . . . I think I do?"

The kind of thing that kept her dad's lips shut tight after his arrest. The reason that creep at the docks could only make passing comments. An important, serious thing.

Not something she's sure she wants a hand in nonetheless.

[attr="class","spiral"]The calm, collected anger thrown at her by the stranger sends a chill up her spine. When placed next to the chaos around them, the rampaging pokemon, and her own frustration over the (admittedly minor) collision it feels out of place. Bizarre.

Somehow it still strikes a cord in her chest, though. Like maybe she should have expected it?

"Whatever, not my business if ya don't want t' keep an eye on your surroundings," she grumbles, standing up and brushing her clothes down. One hand still clutches her cheek as she turns her head and spits blood from her properly cut tongue to the pavement.

"What kinda deity is so stupid it doesn't expect fireworks at a festival, ain't they supposed t' like people celebratin' them or somethin'?" Plank replies. She conveniently misses the bit about how in running from the Tauros she was running into this problem. Why admit fault if she doesn't have to?

In the background, Mama and Jack have taken it upon themselves to protect their trainer while she reorients herself. They both SING at the surrounding Tauros, dropping them whenever they come close enough to fall victim to their soothing melodies.

[attr="class","spiral"]Okay so maybe Plank doesn't know the cavern as well as she'd like to think she does. That hall she went down she was sure she recognized leads her into a weird loop and then a chamber she most definitely doesn't recognize. Looping back around to the pool with the Tentacruel leaves her unsure of exactly which way to progress since one path leads back to the entrance, while the other is . . . unknown.

In the end it takes her about an hour to find the little hideaway she plans to turn into her home away from home. Chronicling this hour would be a waste of time and incredibly boring because it's essentially mindless marching into dead-ends until a weird face-shaped stone in the wall reminds her of where she is and finally sets her on the right path.

Just know by the time Plank crawls into the cozy chamber she's more than had enough of the Seafloor Cavern for the day.

It is then beyond frustrating when she is greeted by a grumpy Drednaw the moment she pokes her head in.

"Come the fuck on! Why are ya even here!?" she all but screams with exasperation. The Drednaw, of course, cannot offer any kind of meaningful reply; but seems to respond in kind with a scream of its own.

"Queenie! Ya better be right behind me!" Plank shouts, shimmying fully into the chamber to face the STRONG JAWED pokemon. Sure enough, her Seadra is close behind. She slips through the entrance behind Plank before floating beside her.

Her eyes narrow at the wild pokemon instinctively; and while her body language is outwardly calm there's a tenseness underneath that betrays her LASER FOCUS.

"This place is too small for a real big fight, I need ya to finish this quick. We're goin' all out from moment one! Get 'im!" Plank's voice and orders are both loud and clear. The tension in Queenie's body snaps and just like that she's off, AGILITY allowing her to circle around the back of the Drednaw with ease.

Blind to its opponent, but knowing it has one, Drednaw responds the only way it can. Its limbs and head tuck into its massive shell. With a thud it slams into the cave floor and a shimmering PROTECT covers it from front to back. Just in time for a HYDRO PUMP to break against it.

"Bad move! We've got 'im on the backfoot already! Don't let up on the pressure!" Plank cheers, pumping a single fist in the air to emphasize her words.

The PROTECT begins to dim before flashing back to life. The Drednaw is trying to wait out the onslaught, realizing it's cornered itself by playing it safe. Queenie opts to test its stamina, just as Plank commanded.

She fires off another HYDRO PUMP and watches as the PROTECT sputters and struggles to hold, then a DRAGON PULSE that sends crackles through the PROTECT as it starts to dim.

The second DRAGON PULSE does the trick. When it strikes the PROTECT it audibly shatters and the attack drills into the Drednaw's shell. A tinny bellow echoes from within before the shell begins to spin in place. It goes around and around and then shoots out towards Queenie. A RAZOR SHELL that manages to clip the Seadra's side but not much else.

Cornered and tired, Drednaw desperately begins to spin again. RAZOR SHELL after RAZOR SHELL struggles to strike Queenie, and struggles to do damage when it does. Meanwhile Queenie strafes around her opponent, peppering it with DRAGON PULSES and HYDRO PUMPS. Eventually their already lopsided exchanges become almost pitiful as the Drednaw struggles to move within its shell at all.

Towards the end it pops its head and limbs out, eyes dangerously sharp but body sagging towards the ground. Breath coming in ragged gasps and sighs. His exhaustion and pain are evident, but still he looks ready to fight.

"Well damn, ya ain't much of a thinker but ya sure can take a hit!" Plank praises it from her corner and earns only furious silence in response.

"Ah, don't be like that. We'll make somethin' of ya yet. Ya can even stay here, guard the camp!" Plank continues, fishing a pokeball out of her pocket. Without another word she throws the ball at the Drednaw. In a flash of red light it vanishes.

[attr="class","spiral"]After a few visits to the caverns Plank likes to think she has a pretty good idea how things link together. At least the basics.

There's the cavern itself that's pretty basic cave stuff. Random tunnels, little pockets here and there, maze-like if you don't watch yourself. Then there's the water. All around it and underneath. It bubbles up in random pools and she's pretty sure they're all connected.

That's how, for example, a Tentacruel can wave its tentacles out of a random pool too small for it and scare the shit out of her.

"Fuckin' A, keep t' yourself ya fuckin idiot! Queenie why didn't ya fuckin warn me?" she shouts, running away on her tip-toes from a wiggling appendage that only moments ago had slipped around one of her legs. Queenie looks at her, impassive. What is with her pokemon and just ignoring her!?

"Whatever, keep a better watch!" she shouts again before jogging off down a tunnel she recognizes.

[attr="class","spiral"]All she gets is a place and a time. It would be weirder for Plank if it weren't so familiar. That is, after all, all that she got when she attempted to join the organization.

Unsure what to expect, Plank gets herself together in what she hopes is a good general sense. What that means is she get herself together much the same way she does every day. Basketball shorts for easy movement, a hoodie for comfort and cover, and a handful of pokemon with various purposes.

A little before sundown she hops in The Vagabond and makes silently for Slateport. Slips into the rundown streets of its poorer district; the poverty-ridden ghost town where every other building is little but a hollow shell.

As she dashes through alleyways and scans buildings for their addresses Plank can't help but wonder if it's on purpose -- this mysterious ambience.

It's almost cliche spooky, something she'd laugh at in any situation but this one. The man who's summoned her doesn't strike her as a jokester.

Doesn't stop her from making one when she arrives, though.

"Forgot t' pay the electric?" she asks innocently, scanning the moonlit room wall to wall before settling on the familiar face of the recruiter. Familiar face, not so familiar hair.

"Ya look better blond," she says without thinking.

[attr="class","spiral"]"Yeah," she replies, hands tucked in her pockets and picking at the insides again as they walk up the gangplank. The recruiter's glares are joined by her own whenever someone passes too close. Like a mutt she sneers and bares her teeth.

"Couldn't touch me, Rocket or not," she says as she watches the last of them filter off the ship.

"Never have, before ya ask," she continues once they're alone, "Just . . . Ya can't do this kinda work without runnin' into 'em."

For a moment she pauses, hisses between her teeth.

"Was helpful for Pop t' bring me along t' any meetin' with 'em," she shrugs, "If they're distracted by some kid sittin' off t' the side they're easy t' talk around. Promise 'em somethin' ya don't plan t' let 'em have 'n' they'll pay extra on a pipe dream."

"Or they'll let ya get away with more than they would otherwise. Like I said earlier, tease a man with what he wants 'n' he'll stick t' your side better."

[attr="class","spiral"]The sudden appearance of the recruiter behind her spooks Plank. She jumps at the sound of his voice, eyes wide and startled for just a second when she turns her head to look him over. Would it kill him to walk a little louder?

"Good, I hate this shit," she lets the words slip out before properly filtering them. Instantly she stiffens before quickly elaborating.

"These kinda guys," she says with a wave of her hand, "Can't fuckin' stand 'em."

Without waiting for the recruiter's response Plank turns on her heel and starts walking back to the ship. Her steps are decidedly less stealthy than the older man's, and she gives the people unloading the ship a wide berth.

[attr="class","spiral"]It should probably be a no brainer that when you run into a herd of people randomly running and shifting at a full sprint that you will eventually hit someone, but it still surprises Plank when it happens.

With her head turned to keep an eye on the Tauros she doesn't see the large, hard body in front of her until she's rammed into it at a bruising speed. Her right cheek hits first; and then the rest of her body catches up before she's bounced off it to the ground. Fuck! That hurt!

The copper tang of blood spreads over the right side of her tongue as she clutches at her cheek. She definitely bit it during the collision.

"Why don't you watch where you're standin' ya fuckin' brainless pole!" she shoots back, glaring up at the (in her mind) offending party here. Seriously, everyone else is running? What business does this dude have just standing there.

"Yeah, well when the problem is rampagin' Tauros 'n' . . . " her eyes roam to the angered legendary, "Whatever the fuck that is, seriously, what the fuck is that? When the problem is that I'm gonna run!"

[attr="class","spiral"]'I am not worried'

Whether they're meant to or not, the words settle on Plank as ones of confidence. Paired with the subtle support offered moments ago it fills Plank with certainty. More than that, it fills her with desire. A want to live up to the expectations presented to her.

The recruiter isn't worried so why should she be?

"Yeah," she whispers to no one. Her back straightens and her shoulders pull back as they near the shore. At the recruiter's direction she hops over the side of the ship to land on the dock before approaching the man she's meant to do business with. It's maybe a bit too conspicuous an entrance, but Plank doesn't worry about it.

Again, why should she?

The man she's meant to meet greets her kindly enough. He's a rotund man with squinting eyes and a meaningless smile. Their greetings are what the recruiter expected. Pleasantries mostly. Thinly disguised questions after the cargo cloaked in more mundane queries about the weather and the comfort of the journey.

"I'm surprised, I didn't expect to see a kid onboard when you docked. Much less to be dealing with them personally," he offers with that unreadable smirk still plastered on his face. It feels like a jab and Plank bristles underneath its prodding.

"Couldn't say I know what ya mean. There's no kid here," she shoots back, eyes narrowing. Her own grin falls away. She hasn't learned to school her expression nearly as well as the seasoned veteran across from her.

"Ah, I meant no offense, he brushes her off, "Was just half worried the deal had changed. No space for extra cargo right now."

At her sides Plank's hands ball up into fists before relaxing. Not in anger, that feeling had passed as soon as it came, but something else. Discomfort. She suddenly feels like she can parse out the slightest of meanings when the stranger flashes his teeth at her again.

"Right, well, can we consider this a done deal?" Plank asks, suddenly ready to leave. The man's smile widens for a moment before his eyes subtly shift to look at his men inspecting the merchandise. A couple of them give him a little nod and his eyes slide back to Plank.

"Figure we can. It's always a pleasure doing business with you folks. Come again," he replies before walking off. He doesn't wait for Plank to answer him, but shoots the recruiter a smile and a wave as he ushers his men off the dock.

[attr="class","spiral"]"Do we?" Plank asks genuinely in response to Jun's observation. Most of her partners had just given her their name names, but maybe they hadn't? Maybe they were pseudonyms?

Whatever. Doesn't matter.

"Well Jun, I guess I'll just have t' show ya the ropes then," she pushes past the last, inconsequential topic to the one most pressingly at hand. Underneath her sweater she's grinning like an idiot. Excited to get things going. Without asking if her partner's handled the cameras or not she nods at her Goldeen.

"Princess, let's show 'em what's up! SUPERSONIC!" she orders excitedly before bursting out from their hiding place.

Her Goldeen takes aim at the nearest guards before opening her mouth and squealing in a disorienting frequency. Her victims slam hands over their ears, but it's too late. Already they start to crumple as their vision swims and the world flips.

"C'mon!" she orders her partner before making to run passed the grounded guards.

[attr="class","spiral"]Never has Plank experienced excitement turn to dread quite as quickly as now.

Setting off that first firework is a rush, it's fun! It blasts off with a loud whizzing that makes her ears ring and then explodes with colors and sounds that make her whole body ring. She's smiling like an idiot when she hands the lighter back to Priam.

Then the second and third fireworks go off and there's . . . a rumble? And then loud cries. And then chaos. And it is definitely their fault.

"Fuck, fuck fuck fuck," Plank freezes up as Oscar and Priam jump into action managing the Tauros. Their first instinct is to face the trouble head on, Plank's is to get out of there. If there's anything she knows it's that getting caught after making a problem this messy is practically a death sentence.

"C'mon guys, we're runnin'," she murmurs anxiously to Mama and Jack. Without so much as a backward glance or word of goodbye she sprints away from her companions and into the panicking crowd.

"Jack, Mama, keep the Tauros off us!" she orders. Instantly Jack begins to loudly SING in the direction of the nearest wild pokemon, a move Mama emulates with COPYCAT.

[attr="class","spiral"]Most of the conversation between the two men goes right over Plank's head. Just as Priam promised, they're obviously friends and they fall into a natural back and forth Plank can't quite (doesn't even especially want to) fit herself into.

Thankfully she's thrust back into the interaction when Priam graces her waiting hand with the lighter. The feel of it in her hand re-ignites her anticipation for what comes next and she can't help grinning like an idiot while giving it a few test flicks.

"Let's do it then!" Plank cheers, the excitement of her current companions infecting her and firing her up even more.

"Bombs away!" She says in a tense whisper, a smile plastered on her face as she flicks the lighter one last time and places the flame on the fuse.

"Bombs away!" Her Chatot echoes from her shoulder while her Vaporeon winds tight around one leg.