[attr="class","samjermain"]Sure, her rent was cheap. But Pokemon food wasn’t and power around here was a fricking racket. That’s why she kept taking stupid jobs like this. Ones that were questionable instead of outright illegal. Most of them were stupidly simple tasks that some rich or lazy guy was too lazy for. With only two scams under her belt—including a weirdo who wanted feet pics—this merc stuff had been going pretty well so far. And she hadn’t even broken any laws. Unless you counted jaywalking.

She didn’t wait to cross an empty road sometimes. If that’s what she went to jail for, so be it. Those few seconds were worth it. Be far from the worst thing she’d done. And, heck, most of that stuff had been done out of spite. At least money was logical capitalistically.

Today, the powers that be sent her to the routes around Lavaridge. Some scientists—which side she didn’t know—wanted a particular type of rock. After an impromptu geology lesson, one punctuated with a hundred pictures of the same brown thing, she’d set out for the target area. Beneath her breath, she murmured the names of the stones in time to an old grunge song. Boots kicked at the dusty path beneath her as she climbed the hill to the first outcropping.“Get anything, Yakky?”

The badger nodded enthusiastically. "GOON!" He held up a large rock in his hand. One blunt claw pointed at it—as if she’d somehow miss the flexing and movement. A sigh punctuated her next words. “Yakky. That rock’s not even the right color. Can you try?” His muzzle wrinkled in offense. He was trying! It wasn't his fault those pictures were triny.  With a grunt, he tossed the rock over his shoulder.

Instead of the din of shrubbery, however, an ‘ow’ echoed from the walking path below. “Shit.”

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[attr="class","samjermain"]The digs were pretty sweet. Madd didn’t mind admitting it. The fact that it had great Wi-Fi already put it above any bed and breakfast she’d seen. The place even had two comfy beds in each suite. In other words, it was a big upgrade from any place her ex had taken her. If stuff kept going like this, the Rocket might even leave them a 5-star review.

Breakfast was pretty nice too. Sure, it might have been kind of basic, but it came with a show. The proprietors of the place cooked right in the open. They shoved lab-grown sausage in her face while filling up the plate with way too many eggs. Through it all, the two bickered like an old married couple. Which, duh, they were. The only downside was the tiny, uncomfortable chair. It made her feel like an oversized teddy bear in a dollhouse.

A cup of coffee was sat in front of her, another given to Yakuza. “Thanks.” She stated simply, forcing herself to choke down the black-as-night sludge. Luckily, before the family arguments turned personal and touched on who gave whom syphilis, the ginger glanced at her phone. “I have to head out, but I appreciate breakfast.” Judging by the way Yakuza licked both their plates clean, so did the Obstagoon. “I’ll catch you later.” With a wave at her elderly hosts, she made her way to the assigned meeting place.

Apparently, roaming packs of canine Pokemon had been causing trouble lately. Which Madd totally understood. The ‘small’ town looked to be expanding into the surrounding forest. So, the dogs were trying to fight back. Still, she couldn’t have them running off with any babies or livestock—at least not when city council was slinging around hundreds. Judging by the fact that she had a partner, she wasn’t the only greedy bastard around.

She blinked back a yawn. She wasn’t used to getting up this early. “Good morning. I’m Madd. That furball’s Yakky.” Madd greeted from a few yards back, careful not to startle them. Years with her high-strung cousin taught her the importance of flight and fight. “Take it you’re here for the dogs too?” A small backpack was slung over her shoulder, full of cheap used balls and treats. The Obstagoon serving as her shadow, meanwhile, carried a sturdy catch pole.

Madd took a moment to light up a stale cigarette. “It kind of sucks.” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “But it’s better than leaving them here.” After all, one bad bite and this town would probably break out the pitch forks. Small town fucking charm, right.

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[attr="class","samjermain"]Sure, she liked horror movies and stuff. But this was a whole other sort of scary. Madd felt the tension between the three of them pull to the point of breaking. She held her breath as if this floating beast thrived on carbon monoxide.

Maybe she could try talking to it? Throw out some old English or something? "Hey, pal, we really did not mean to—" Judging by the way it sneered at her, it wasn't exactly into socializing. Before she could think of another angle, the Comfey broke the truce.

"Right. Got it." Bug was the one she forgot about. Since it was practically useless in most situations unless your opponent had a bee allergy or something. Still, be good to remember since she fucking hated these puppet master bastards.

Amber eyes turned to Yakuza. In place of his normally dorkish grin, he wore a determined expression. "Dark, we can handle." With a deep growl, Yakuza unleashes a Snarl on the Alakazam. The air around his muzzle transforms into shadows as dozens of rugged sound waves stream toward the floating Alakazam.

Madd moved immediately to pull Symon out of the way. "Look, the whole knight thing is cute and all." The redhead started. "But you should probably get back. You already broke your skull today."

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[attr="class","samjermain"]When one of the admins walked up, Madeline felt her heart jump into her throat. She supposed it was the same feeling you got every time you walked into the principles office.

If you were a traitor and he was a trigger-happy terrorist. Still, aside from the initial surprise, Madd thought she held things together pretty well. She lifted a hand in greeting, offering up a lopsided smile. "I could say the same, Mister Cross." Hopefully, So the slight bite to her words was enough to remind him that she didn't like her full name any more than most delinquents like titles. "I definitely wasn't expecting them to send someone like you." Maybe this mess had him missing one of his favorite shows?

"Isn't this a little below your pay grade?" Still, it wasn't like she was looking a gift Rapidash in the mouth. An admin would be able to sweep a place like this with no problem.

At the question, Madd shrugged. "The lady at the front desk said the west wing was a real cluster." The redhead adjusted the zipper on her hoodie comma showing a set of nerves she had experienced before she met Milo.

"I figure we get the worst out of the way and go from there." At her side, not all that trusting of ghosts Yakuza fared the specters a sideways glance.

Waving the little group onward Madd moves to enter the power plant proper. With an unintelligible mutter, her Obstagoon moved to do the same.

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[attr="class","samjermain"]Madeline offered Andrea a tight-lipped grin. Amber eyes tried their best to avoid looking at her BFF too closely, cuz one look at his expression would probably be enough to crack the facade. Still, keeping the cheer out of her voice was impossible when she spoke next. "That's definitely one way to put it." Now, confident in her ability to not turn into a giggling mess, she fixed Yakuza with a steely stare. "Most people just say rude and get it over with." A big mitten paw lifted to his chest as the badger staggered back, almost as if wounded.

"Did you?" Madeline paws for just a moment, giving the costume A once over. She didn't know Jack about sewing, but she had no idea what pokémon this was meant to be. Again, she didn't exactly know anything about pokémon either. "I'd have never guessed." She murmured to today's mercenary. "I could see it doing the trip on someone." Like a baby or her mousy cousin Aubre. Yakuza, meanwhile, couldn't resist another set of guffaws as the pint-sized woman roared, he imitated Andrea before the hyena noises started again.

"There's nothing wrong with staying hydrated," Madd murmured to the girl, hands ghosting over the half-empty water bottle at her side. "It isn't from the pond if that's what you're thinking. It's just regular fake spring water." When asked why the lubbard at her side wasn't taking care of it, Madeline sighed.

"He's scared of water. Especially when it's murky." For a big, beefy guy, the badger was afraid of an awful lot. "So, when the trail gets close to the water, he claims it just disappears." Looking slightly offended by her implications, Yakuza shook his head.

He wasn't lying about that! Promise!

Turning out to the pond in front of her, mad shrugged. "None of them saw anything either. That or they're all in cahoots for fish sticks." She gestured to the water pokémon that had begun together at the shore.

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[attr="class","samjermain"]As the talk of smoking died down, Madd thought back to the first time she had a cigarette. Back then, she'd been a stupid kid looking to get back at her dad. Which she wouldn’t say she’d outgrown either. Today’s t-shirt was bought because pops hated rock music. But if given the chance to start over, she would have made like Smokey the Bear and ground out that cigarette.

Upon reaching the balcony, The redhead turned to smile softly at Joanna. "It's a piece of cake, really." Madeline's height and general build made stuff like yard work easier. “Especially for the deal I get on this place." Then again, property prices weren't exactly trending upward in your typical warzone. For a moment, the ginger-haired girl's face sobered. "I think she's just lonely.” Maddie sighed. “Her husband died a few years back, and her kids got out of Dodge the second they saw storm clouds." And, the ungrateful little shits, had been too selfish to think about Grandma.

Then again, she wouldn’t really know how to really feel about one of those. Her dad avoided his parents like they were Garbidor and her mom never talked about hers. Still, she doubted dropping off the face of the Earth would be choice numero uno.

After a minute or two of staring out into the garden, the Rocket operatives stood back up. She jerked her thumb toward the two bedrooms. "I can lock you in the sex dungeon if you want. "In all honesty though, the only thing weird about the rooms was that one had two beds.

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Her cell phone buzzed for the hundredth time. She took it out as if expecting it to be anything other than Mom. Like she'd just hit the jackpot with Publisher's Clearing House or something. Or, maybe, like Dad had finally decided his daughter was worth paying attention to.

Younger Madeline resembled a wide-eyed rabbit more than a suspicious badger Back then, she hadn't even met Yakky yet. Her only companion was a prim little Jigglypuff dressed in charms and cotton candy colors. This creature hopped behind them, occasionally jumping up to grab the fitted sleeves of its trainer's cardigan.

Even before her final growth spurt, Madeline was a towering giraffe of a teenager. Her broad shoulders, from behind, led many people to mistake her for a male football player. These days she made fun of her own frame, back then she'd been sensitive about it. Even as she trails behind Milo, she ducks forward slightly in order to appear slightly smaller. The shoes on her feet were flat.

"That sounds lovely—I mean, good. Fucking great." The ginger-haired girl replied almost on reflex. "What kind of treat were you thinking, Milo?" When the cigarette was offered to her, Amber eyes widened. The teenager swallowed, looking around for the nearest dare officer. Not wanting to look like a sissy in front of her beau, she took it and stuffed it in her mouth. "Hey, M?" The request came out at a volume in the future. Almost as if she needed permission to ask a question. What curiosity itself was a criminal offense. "Can you give me a light?'

Whether he gave her one or not, it would soon be stuffed out as she looked towards the truck with wide eyes. "You want me to steal one?" She frowned. "Won't we going to get in trouble?" Daddy would hate it. Hell, it might even make Uncle Joel judgmental. But wouldn't that be better for the pokémon than getting their arse kicked every day on TV? Hell, wouldn't it be better if she had something to actually defend herself with?

Milo was looking at her. She looked back. Back then she cared way too fucking much about what people thought of her. "Let's do it."

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