It didn’t take much to make Zilla thirst for a drink, but something about the salty seaside air in Mossdeep City intensified that desire. It put her in some kind of mood. Liquor was easy enough to come by, but it was the hospitality—or lackthereof—of a seedy underground bar that called out to her. There was an unexplainable appeal to shady establishments hidden away in dark corners of big cities that proved to be more rewarding than the fine dining establishments found illuminated by street light.

[break][break]Perhaps it was due in part to the patrons, who were easy targets for pickpocketing and conning. Or perhaps Zilla felt a strange kinship with the questionable folks who frequented such places. Regardless of the reason, she found herself drawn in.

[break][break] So it stood to reason that she’d eventually find herself at the Anchor Shot Tavern, a weather-worn pub that seemed to pride itself on its coastal origins. Though the Wingull perched upon the signpost likely wasn’t an intentional decoration choice by the bar owners, it did help tie the warped wood, rusted iron, and dangling fish nets together into a cohesive—albeit, stereotypical—sailor theme.

[break][break]The noise was the first thing Zilla noticed upon entering, for it was much louder than most discreet taverns she’d visited before. Most were somber little places where customers were too paranoid, private, or drunk to laugh and joke with one another. The atmosphere of this place was not unwelcome, but it did come as a bit of a surprise nevertheless. The second thing the Rocket grunt noticed was the bar, which she sidled up to before ordering a drink.

[break][break]While waiting, she took another look around the room. Most of the noise seemed to be coming from a pool table where four men took turns taking shots. It was unclear whether they were two teams of two, with one shooting stripped and the other shooting solid colors, or if they were just trying to net as many balls as possible per person. Some folks idled nearby, watching the table with anticipation and occasionally hollering both praises and insults at the players. Most of the crowd had drinks in their hands, though not all of them appeared to be drunk yet.

[break][break]Another, smaller crowd could be seen by the opposite wall. Two people were seated on either side of a circular table, and it appeared as though they were playing a game of cards. Once Zilla received her beer, she stepped over to the table to get a better look where she discovered that her suspicion was correct: they were playing cards. She watched on for roughly five minutes, quietly sipping her drink while carefully analyzing both men’s play styles.

[break][break]Eventually, one of the players left the table with his winnings, leaving the brunette-haired man by himself. Zilla took this opportunity to jump in. She grabbed the back of the empty chair and slammed her bottle down on the table to announce her presence. ”You down to play another round,” she asked, ”Or are you chicken?” A grin crept across her face as a few of the nearby patrons chuckled and said something about being beaten by “a girl.”

[break][break]

+ angelo vestri in Putting on a Front

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Zilla listened intently, absorbing everything her partner was saying about the task at hand. They weren't going to the hatchery, as it turned out, but that didn't mean the place was any less important to their mission. Apparently, the hatchery was a vital asset for Team Rocket because it produced second generation Shadow Pokémon.

[break][break]The grunt raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Shadow Pokémon were rare in and of themselves, and the birth of offspring proved they could be duplicated. Sure, the children were weaker than their predecessors, but that didn't matter as much as the implication of simply owning one. In many cases, it was nothing more than a status symbol. No wonder these people were willing to do business for one.

[break][break]"Understood," Zilla said once Jayden was finished speaking. When they pulled up to a warehouse and parked, she unclipped her seat belt but did not attempt to get out of the vehicle. She knew as well as anyone that it was foolish to rush head-long into a situation without having all the information. She'd need to take the ex-beast's lead on this one to ensure she didn't accidentally say or do something unorthodox.

[break][break]"No questions," she answered finally. "After you, boss."

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

When applying for jobs in and around Mauville City, Zilla sought out businesses that paid well, had low security systems in place, and appeared to be easy targets. For a time, she tried finding a bank or Pokécenter that would hire her, but given her lack of experience in financing and nursing, she was turned away at every opportunity. Bars and casinos were the next best option. Drunk patrons were often the easiest to manipulate and steal from, after all.

[break][break]When the Mauville City Casino reached out to her with a opening, it seemed too good to be true. Despite all the facility's precautions and safeguards, it still have some massive blind spots that Zilla planned on exploiting for her own self-interest. Pokémon that were confiscated from cheating patrons would inexplicably go missing, gamblers would occasionally find themselves with fewer poker chips than they had started with, and money would mysteriously vanish from the tills overnight.

[break][break]She robbed the casino infrequently to ensure the crimes could never be linked back to her; and for some reason, the executives rarely made changes that prevented Zilla from continuing her work, which allowed her to keep stealing from patrons and the casino itself. This went on for months until she caught the eye of some folks in Team Rocket, which likely had something to do her numerous visits to the Black Market. It was only a matter of time before someone came to recruit her.

[break][break]When she was finally approached, it was after a long day at the casino. She had just finished her shift, gathered her things from the locker in the staff room, and left through the back door. But on her way to the nearby parking lot, she spotted a silhouette of a man standing in the alley. It looked as if he was waiting for someone -- either that, or he was a drunkard who'd gotten himself lost. Zilla stared at the stranger for a moment longer, hand hovering over a Pokéball on her belt, as she waited to see what he'd do.

[break][break]

[break]+ Killian Decker in Recruitment: Act I
[break]+ I hope this starter's okay! It's been a while since I've written one.

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Zilla smirked when Jayden remained as stoic and serious as ever. Not a smile, not a blush, not even a nervous glance. And he hadn’t even commented on her rather inappropriate work behavior. Oh, he was going to be a fun one to play with!

[break][break]As he spoke, Zilla kept her attention on his reflection, intent on studying his expression. It barely changed as he went on to explain how dicey things could get when it came to trafficking illegal goods. ”I’ve had my fair share of bad customers. I know how they can get,” she said, alluding not to the casino patrons but instead to those in the black market who would turn to violence if they believed they had been ripped off.

[break][break] As the car slowed to a stop at a red light, Jayden turned to Zilla and she instantly became aware of how close they were to one another. Instinctively, she leaned back and cast a glance back at the traffic light to ensure it hadn’t suddenly turned green. Once satisfied, she turned back to meet her partner’s gaze. ”I have heard of it, but I’ve never been there myself,” the grunt explained when asked about the hatchery on Route 118, ”Is that where we’re headed?”

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“A Rocket should be prepared for anything.”

[break][break]“Of course,” Zilla replied with an apologetic dip of the head. Had she expected such a vague answer, she wouldn’t have asked the question in the first place. But he did have a point. Even though nothing was expected to go wrong, they could never be too cautious, especially given their line of work. They would have to keep their eyes peeled for anything that could pose a threat to the operation, a fact that Jayden himself reaffirmed. Without another word, Zilla climbed into the passenge’s seat.

[break][break]As expected, the drive was quiet and largely uneventful—if not a little tense from the lack of conversation. To kill time and hopefully learn more about Jayden, Zilla flipped down her sun visor in search of photos or paperwork he had squirreled away inside them, but the grunt found no such thing. It made sense; after all, they were trying to be covert, and personal belongings could easily put Jayden and Team Rocket at risk.

[break][break]Zilla flipped up the sun visor and checked the glove compartment next. Realizing how suspicious she may have looked, she broke through the silence with a question. ”Are we just dropping off the Pokémon or will we need to do some negotiating?” It was a fair question. She had been given no indication whether or not a deal had already been made and they were simply acting as couriers, or if it was their job to convince the social elites to work with Team Rocket.

[break][break]Zilla closed the glove compartment and leaned closer to Jayden, propping up her elbow on the armrest between them. ”You know, I can be very persuasive,” she purred while eying her commander’s reflection in the rear-view mirror. Her flirting was a clear indication that she either had no idea how dangerous the ex-beast truly was or she didn’t care either way. However, if he showed any signs that he was offended or angry by her coy demeanor, she was ready to pull away and give him space.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Zilla followed her commander out of the casino and into a back alley, away from prying ears or eyes. Jayden began by recapping the on-going conflict between the League and Team Rocket, a fact that the dealer had been vaguely aware of. Aside from news reports and hearsay from other grunts, she was pretty removed from the power struggle, though she hoped to do whatever possible to help her faction gain some footing on the road to success.

[break][break]The duo turned a corner where a truck was parked, and Jayden explained that their job was to transport Shadow Pokémon to some wealthy individuals in the hope of greasing their palms. It hadn't been the first time Zilla trafficked Pokémon, but it was the first time she had involved herself with Shadow Pokémon, politics, or the social elites. Fortunately, the ex-beast already did most of the heavy lifting by providing transportation and ensuring no one would get in their way.

[break][break]"I can handle it, no problem," Zilla said with a confident nod. She stepped around to the passenger's side of the truck but lingered a moment, half expecting to be ordered to drive to their destination. "What should I be prepared for? Anything in particular?" she asked, her hand hovering just about the door handle. Jayden had no doubt done this kind of thing before, so if there were any common problems with this type of job, he would be the one to ask.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross

[attr="class","pokeclass"]