[attr="class","monty"]"'Cause people are fuckin' insane. We crave to understand what we don't, or shouldn't, know."

Montgomery spoke in a low, gruff voice, finishing the last of his cigarette before stomping the last remnants of burning ash against the ground. He came armed, along with a stash of Pokemon to assist in their mission.

Last time he'd come to ultra sea, Navy explained to him the importance of his job and why he entrusted him as deputy. Now... he felt like he'd let down his friend and comrade in the shadows of war. From attacking Aoki Hana, to attempting to ring howard slayte's throat.

This time, he was with a woman he'd met only twice before — and had aimed his pistol at — and two other girls he'd never met. There was a certain uneasiness that emitted off of him.

A deep frown rested on his face as he approached the cave, diving below. Above, it appeared like light was reflecting off waves. Yet, they were able to breath as easily as before.

And the heartbeat was going to drive him mad.

"Let's get movin'. Better to get ahead while we still have our minds intact."

[attr="class","montytag"]Morrighan Cahill Yuina Higashi Lavinia Kubrick

[attr="class","monty"]The desert that appeared in front of Montgomery wasn't unlike the ones he'd encountered in unova with howard slayte. It was sweltering, and mere seconds of standing in the sand pits caused sweat to build up beneath his clothes. They clung heavily on his body, leaving a sticky tack as it dried.

The realm itself, however, was something unlike anything he'd seen before. The rocky pillars didn't appear natural in any sense. They were too structured and organized to be of natural creation.

"Is this where he is?" he thought to himself.

With his hat to shade him, Montgomery began a slow trek through the sands, looking for signs of movement and life. In the distance, he spotted a figure standing out in the dunes.

"Hey!"

[attr="class","montytag"]clover matamata

[attr="class","monty"]After the ball clicked, a small flash from the button notified Montgomery he had successfully caught the cufant. He picked her ball up, attaching it to his belt, before he moved along.

The next Pokemon he spotted was a pidove, pecking at the ground. He didn't know that he wasn't alone.

So Montgomery made the capture faster, throwing the ball before the bird had a chance to react.

[attr="class","montytag"]warden's ticket | 2/4 balls

[attr="class","monty"]"Misunderstood?" he asked, regarding her with a curious expression. "Enlighten me."

Montgomery couldn't help but laugh when she asked him about his preferred typing. He couldn't deny that she wasn't wrong, either.

"Believe it or not, I'm more of a steel or ground guy. They have this certain, hmm... toughness 'bout 'em that resonates with me."

He snapped his fingers, and a skarmory appeared. His claws dug small holes in the dirt as he adjusted his stance, tilting his metallic head while looking at robin coello.

"This here fella is my partner. I've had 'em since he was a hatchling." skarmory crooned, flapping his metal wings in acknowledgement to his trainer.

Another steel Pokemon emerged. The klinklang caught his attention, reflecting light from its body. He tossed another ball toward it.

[attr="class","montytag"]robin coello | capture attempt klinklang

[attr="class","pkmn-hoenn-team"]







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[attr="class","monty"]In his mind, gardening and terrarium-building seemed to fit her. At least, it fit her from what he had gathered from their short conversation. Though, he noticed her hesitancy. Montgomery wondered...

What secret was she hiding?

But he wasn't one to dig where he didn't need to. For the time being, he'd determined Miss Rosemary Lovelace to be a simple civilian. So long as she wasn't actively threatening the area, he was okay.

Because he did the same for one Rocket scientist already.

"Sure. I don't mind."

He took the basket, looping the handle around his arm as he allowed the girl to show him the way to her car. He made sure to be gentle with it as he packed it inside.

"Well, Miss Rosemary, it's been a pleasure gettin' to chat with ya. If you ever need somethin'..."

Montgomery removed a card from his chest pocket, handing it over.


"Feel free to give me a shout, hmm?"

[attr="class","montytag"]Rosemary Lovelace | feast or famine

[attr="class","monty"]With no sign of interference or foul play afoot, Montgomery snapped his fingers. His skarmory descended, allowing himself to be recalled into its Poke ball as Howard explained the ins and outs of ventilation.

However, he was concerned about the hole itself. Because while Howard was shorter than him.

"Yer sure I can fit in this thing?" He had about eight inches on him.

He whistled, placing his hands on his hips before he decided he'd at least try. That didn't mean he was going to like it.

Montgomery army-crawled through the vent, loose dirt and sand clinging to his clothes and his skin as he moved. In his mouth, he held a small, handheld flashlight, serving as the only light in the path.

A small part of his brain wondered if Howard was going to collapse the tunnel on him and leave him to die. Though he'd sooner release a Pokemon and burrow out with his bare hands.

Thankfully, it seemed his newly Rocket companion was right. He emerged from the vent and descended onto the floor, patting down his clothes and swiping away excess debris. "Alright. Phase one done. Where to next, Howy?"

[attr="class","montytag"]howard slayte | my first partner pokemon

[attr="class","pkmn-hoenn-team"]







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[attr="class","monty"]The cufant tumbled through the grass, playing with a leaf she had been chasing. When she crossed paths with Montgomery, she paused for only a moment.

She decided that he seemed trustworthy. She approached him with stomping feet, raising her trunk excitedly.

With a small smile on his lips, the deputy rolled an empty Poke ball for her to chase. They played this game a few times before she stopped, looking up at him expectantly.

"Alright. No needta try 'n convince me."

He caught her in the ball.

[attr="class","montytag"]warden's ticket | 3/4 balls

[attr="class","monty"]"'Nother art?" Montgomery asked. "What other things do ya do?"

He found that sitting in this stranger's company was quite soothing. They were talking about things that didn't involve war, destruction, or mourning the loss of what was or could have been. It almost felt like...

Everything was normal for once.

There was no more howard slayte for him to worry about. No more concern for redemption or petty justice. hoenn could be a home that he and ameena abadi could conquer someday, where the divide of League and Rocket didn't separate them. They could be together.

If only.

"I imagine it could've happened. After all, ya see these other Pokemon from different regions show up here all the time, nowadays."

He nodded to himself. "Yeah. I think I'll imagine he did."

Montgomery saw her shift the basket. "Do ya need help holdin' it?"

[attr="class","montytag"]Rosemary Lovelace | feast or famine

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery furrowed his brows again when she spoke in some strange, alien language — it was alien to him, at least. Any language that wasn't something he understood could be categorized as such.

"Yeah. S'pose yer right. Sorry."

Maybe he needed to go out to the bar and drink. Smoke fifteen packs of cigarettes. Pass out drunk on the bed and regret it in the morning.

He needed to loosen up.

"What are ya doing all the way here?" he asked her, knocking a carkol from the path into a ball.

[attr="class","montytag"]Yuina Higashi | capture attempt carkol

[attr="class","monty"]"I'll be honest, I have a hard time believin' 'n ghosts and stuff like that. The supernatural. I dunno. I just don't make sense to me."

Though, perhaps, Robin could enlighten him?

He glanced at the cacnea, who was definitely way too prickly for him to try to pick up. So, Montgomery let the ball do the work instead.

"Ya got a real soft spot for 'em, don'tcha?"

[attr="class","montytag"]robin coello | capture attempt cacnea

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery heard a stuttering voice from behind. He turned, eyebrows raised in surprise, as a person he didn't recognize approached. Until they mentioned...

"Yeah, the UFOs?"

Even saying it out loud was embarrassing.

The deputy glanced toward the field, where a herd of miltank began to doze off. The night air was cool, but it wasn't freezing. They looked comfortable amongst the grass and hay.

"Do ya have any info 'bout it? Heard or seen anythin' suspicious?"

[attr="class","montytag"]Locke Jamison | beheeyem at the barnyard