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101 Sanctuary…
Dark Continent…
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The primary city of Sanctuary was built around a central building, a massive, steel and marble structure in the shape of a half-sphere with runes adorning the surface, protecting it from any form of detection or intrusion. Inside of it were many offices, including an interrogation ward, media offices for their limited technological communications systems, and the chamber of the Council of Twelve, Sanctuary’s ruling body.
It was this building that Lindi Valiant walked into, her flat-heeled armored boots clacking on the marbled floor. (She despised high heels, considering them to be the one of the ways men controlled women, by forcing them to feel the need to extend their legs.) Draped in her usual elegant, almost militaristic garb, she strode into the council chamber, walking past the various offices that comprised the Ebon Temple as if they weren’t there, or didn’t matter enough to even acknowledge.
Which, at this moment, they didn’t.
She paused at the gate to the main council chambers, the two Dameosaur guards bowing their heads respectfully and opening the obsidian doorways, each door bearing the stylized cross that symbolized Sanctuary. She strode inside the chambers, the beautiful white marble and imposing stone columns in each corner a familiar sight to her by now.
She stood in the center of the immense coliseum, one end of the room dominated by a massive high rise with twelve chairs. Eleven Pokégirls sat in those chairs, each one in a cloak similar to Lindi’s own. The twelfth chair was Lindi’s, but for today she needed to be in the center of the room.
This both delighted her and frustrated her. The spot she stood in was the very center of Sanctuary itself. Just being there made her feel like the center of the universe. It counterbalanced the sheer humiliation of having to stand before her sisters, her supposed ‘family,’ and present her case like some weakling peasant. There was a time, not too long ago, that she could have brought forth her project ideas while sitting amongst her sisters. That had changed after her exile, and now she had to make ‘official’ presentations. She had lost standing due to actions she had taken against a human settlement, run by a group intent on researching the area, that had tried establish itself in the Dark Continent.
The hypocrisy of it still burned her. So what if she had them all killed, right down to the last child? Each and every member of the Council of Twelve had done just as many atrocities as she had in the name of protecting Sanctuary. Sapphron herself controlled the Thoughtstealer, the most feared creature in all of Sanctuary…
Composing herself, putting aside her fury. She needed their cooperation. And to get it she had to be respectful.
In the center throne, mounted higher than the others, sat Sapphron Hirosaki, the leader and founder of Sanctuary, and the only one of them who had been an actual Goth before her ascension to this current form. She wore a dark, cranberry-colored dress adorned with rose patterns, her graying jet-black hair long with a slight curl at the bottom. Her eyes were a pale violet, and shone intently as she looked down at Lindi, her face otherwise hidden by the long black cloak she wore.
Lindi shivered under the Sapphron’s gaze, and put her hand on the hilt of her sword to calm herself. She tried not to think of the rumors that had spread about Sapphron, about how the spider-web tattoo around her left eye was capable of drawing out someone’s soul for her to devour. They had all changed so much since escaping their master and finding the Prime Ebony Stone…
Lindi coughed, calming herself. Sapphron stood up, addressing the council around her.
“Sisters of the Council of Twelve,” the elegent, aged Sanctuary Goth said as she stood up, extending her hands and revealing spider-web tattoos on the palm, each web bearing a single rose in the center, “We meet here today to listen to the words of our sister Councilwoman. I, Sapphron Hirosaki, duly chosen leader of Sanctuary, shall preside over the submittal of her case. Any whom wish to disband this congress within reason, speak now. If no voice is forthcoming, we will continue and allow Sister Valiant her say.”
Lindi’s eye twitched slightly. Oh how I despise red tape, the bureaucratic process… If only I could sunder it with my blade as easily as I do flesh… To dare give the others a chance to turn a deaf ear to me, when I hold the fate of Sanctuary in the balance? she thought, quickly burying it before it was sensed.
Thankfully, no saw reason to turn down Lindi’s presentation. After a good minute of silence, Sapphron nodded, Sapphron nodding and sitting back down. “You may proceed, Sister Valiant.”
Lindi bowed respectfully, her hands clasped. “Thank you, Milady Hirosaki,” she said, faking a respectful, honorable tone so well that Lindi felt she deserved an award for her acting, “It is an honor to be allowed to give voice to my concerns among my sisters again. For indeed, what I have to say is grave. Indeed, as grave as when we faced the first Frontier War…”
The councilwomen began to murmur worriedly amongst themselves, save for Sapphron, who’s expression betrayed nothing as she stared intently at Lindi. Lindi looked over each one, taking in the personal touches added to each carved oak throne, such as the metallic parts added to Karin’s, or the flowers that seemed to grow from the wood of Violet’s seat; the Sanctuary Goth in question visibly uncomfortable surrounded by all this stone, as she had been a plant-type before her ascension. Lindi’s own throne possessed sword designs on it, as well as a sheathed sword, a spare she kept in case of emergencies.
Finally, after taking one more solid look around at the others, meeting each of their eyes every time, Lindi spoke up. “My sisters,” she said, in a tone that both commanded attention and held respectful humility, “You know me. You know what I stand for. And what I stand for is Sanctuary remaining a Utopia not just for every Sanctuary Goth, but for every Pokégirl we have brought here. Every Pokégirl that has managed to THRIVE here. With the creation of homes, by establishing jobs, by providing plentiful food for everyone, we have made this place a true paradise. We have done what no human, no matter how well meaning, has done in all of this world’s history; we have created peace.”
Lindi’s expression turned dark. “However, it has come to my attention that there are dangers afoot. Dangers so great, that they may result in Sanctuary itself being threatened, to say nothing of the settlements and villages we have established. These dangers once again may serve to make life difficult for us, and the rest of those innocent souls sheltered within Sanctuary’s bosom, as well as our beloved Dark Continent,” she intoned. She whirled, her eyes settling on Janna, a black-armored Sanctuary Goth with her long white hair in a tight ponytail, two tufts of hair sticking up that crested over her head, the only remaining visible sign of her Bunnygirl heritage.. Like Lindi, she wore pants rather than a dress, her arms left bare to show a line of teardrop tattoos cascading down them.
“Sister Armstrong,” Lindi said, her voice accusatory as she pointed at the woman, “Are you not the director of the Dark Continent Watchers Committee?”
Janna blinked, surprised to be called upon. Her crimson eyes glittered beneath her cloak’s hood, and she frowned, nodding. “I am…”
“And,” Lindi said, lowering her arm and fighting back a smirk, “Does that not give you full control over all the forces that have been dedicated to the defense of Sanctuary and her satellite towns and villages, which all of us have agreed should be defended by any means necessary, so long as it does not bring suspicion upon our sacred home?”
Janna frowned, her eyes narrowing. “I am, yes. Where are you going with this, Valiant?”
“The point,” Lindi said, deciding to dispense with the theatrics and get to the point, “One of the things you did and we allowed was that you utilized the Video Girls we have acquired to hack into the communication satellites remaining in orbit around the planet, allowing us to keep tabs on not only our enemies… At least, the ones we can find, such as the so-called Dark League, SEELE, Gendo Giovanni…” her face darkened in anger, and she almost hissed the last, “…Sexmet… but on our allies as well! The numerous Gym Leaders and League officials throughout the WAPL and Crimson League, our comrades dispersed throughout the ranks of the Shadow League, and our strongest allies, such as President of Jahanna Corporation, Miranda Jahana, Vice President of Mishima Heavy Industries, Akiko Natsume, Cologne of the Joketsuzoku AmazonChan Preserve, Grand Harem Master Vince McMahon, and Professor Alphone Mahogany Stroak.”
Janna fumed for a long moment before forcing herself to calm down. “It is understood that we do what we must, up to a point. With the technology donated to us by the McMahon family and the Jahannas, along with Karin’s additions and upgrades, we have been able to keep tabs on anyone without interference or detection. It is best that we keep tabs on anyone we can, so as to monitor potential threats to Sanctuary from within or without,” she said, her voice slowly regaining its calm timber. “I ask again, where are you going with this?”
“Where I am going is a place you have not,” Lindi said, grinning viciously, “By happenstance, I have come across a threat that you otherwise missed. If you did not constantly defer control of the operational and administrative matters to your Chief Watchers, focusing instead on your precious ‘pet projects,’ you would have seen this long before I did! You should thank me for doing your job for you!”
“I do my job properly, Valiant!” Janna snapped, standing up and clenching her fists, “I have trained my Chief Watchers superbly, but even they cannot see anything. And even YOU have to admit that working to make the surrounding environment more livable as well as improving and maintaining conditions in the orphanages we have around the Dark Continent is a good cause!”
Lindi smiled indulgently. “True, true. You have done well in that and should be praised for it. However you spend more time with all those halfway homes and Pokékits than at the station assigned to you,” she said, spreading her arms and frowning. “However, while it is understood that you have a qualified staff working under you, you have to realize that the job of Director is yours and yours alone, Sister Armstrong. You must take full responsibility for everything that goes in within the DCWC.”
Lindi’s eyes narrowed, as she prepared to drop her first bomb. “And I will have you know that the staff you left behind to cover in your stead has missed out on something important which, thankfully, I managed to catch. A threat we would not have caught, would not have even known was coming if I had not been listening in on one of our allies at the time.”
Lindi coughed, suppressing her desire to grin delightedly as she heard the murmurs amongst her sisters, Janna’s confident look fading. Obviously, playing on the mostly-justified paranoia of her fellow Council members would get their attention… She was practical, however, and realized that she would have to provide more than just a thinly-veiled declaration of doom.
As predicted, Sapphron spoke up, silencing the worried murmurings. “Sister Valiant,” she started, “Before any action can be taken, we must know what you have found out that could be a possible threat to Sanctuary. Your unnecessary actions have hurt our confidence in you, and we need definitive proof. Have you prepared everything you need to back up such a tremendous claim?”
Lindi nodded, barely resisting the urge to chuckle. She had hoped Sapphron would be the one to take the bait… With the leader of the Council taking the first step of interest, the others would believe that this was the right path to follow. Managing to compose herself and give a look of remorse, she spoke in a controlled voice, making herself sound regretful and humble. “I regret what I have done. I overreacted, and innocents died at my blade. And perhaps I have been over-reactive in this situation. But the fact remains that there is a major leak in Sanctuary’s security, something that will become a serious threat to us if we let it remain unchecked.”
Sapphron seemed pleased that Lindi acted regretful of her actions. She was also pleased that Lindi seemed to be able to control her heated emotions, allowing her to do things calmly and without the bravado that she was inherently known for. The leader of the Council said, “It is good to see that you have started to learn to think before you act. But you have yet to tell us what is going on, so I will inquire once more. What have you found out, Sister Valiant?”
“The Kuno Family of Stone Town,” Lindi proclaimed, her voice conveying a strong intensity, “They now serve as a threat to the existence of Sanctuary.”
Lindi frowned, as mild chuckling made its way amongst her sisters. At least that fool Sapphron is taking me seriously, she thought, noting that no laughter came from her. “What of the Kuno family, Miss Valiant?” she asked, a bemused expression on her face, “Forgive me, but I must say that it is commonly understood that while the family is rather… ah… eccentric, let’s say, they do not follow any stance of opposition to us.”
Lindi nodded solemnly. “True. They are not knowingly working against us,” Lindi allowed. “But the fact of the matter is that they have ownership of something that could serve to expose us to the rest of the world… Even worse, start another Frontier War.”
All laughter stopped at that statement. Sapphron hissed out a breath, looking down from her ornate throne and into the eyes of her former Harem Sister. “What… if I may ask… would make you proclaim so serious a statement?” To emphasize her intensity, she lowered her hood, revealing her age-weathered face, the fury in her eyes clear. She was visibly not pleased that one of Sanctuary’s ‘Hawks’ (a term generally used for Sanctuary Goth troublemakers) possibly trying to create a panic should rumors spread beyond the Council chambers. “This is not something to take lightly, Sister Valiant. We need PROOF.”
Matching Sapphron’s gaze, Lindi lowered her hood, revealing her ebon black eyes. “Sister Hirosaki. Yesterday, around 2100 hours Indigo time, Professor Alphonse Mahogany Stroak was visited by a former retainer of the Kuno family, Sasuke of the Sarugakure ninja clan. The Kuno family sold his mother, a Ninjanezumi Pokéwoman, an action that understandably made Sasuke feel betrayed. He decided to take a blow at the pride of the Kuno family by bringing Professor Stroak a number of samples of evolution stones they were studying, and a Data Disc that had information on each one.
Sapphron paled visibly as this information sank in. “Don’t tell me that he has an Ebony Stone?!” she said, breaking etiquette and forgetting all formalities. “We have specialized supervision over the distribution and creation of them, keeping the Stones carefully watched! We have highly trained couriers who transport Harvested stones from the Prime Stone…” Sapphron trailed off, remembering a report several months ago of a courier that had gone missing.
Lindi nodded. “Somehow, the Lost Courier was killed. Whether or not it was by Sexmet or the Demon Dragons is unknown at this time. However, I have discovered that the Kunos, while on expedition in the Dark Continent, encountered her corpse, which still had the two Ebony Stones she was carrying on it, and brought it back to their facilities in Indigo.”
Frightened murmurs passed through the Council. “Goddess…” Violet muttered, “If they actually USE IT…”
“There is evidence that they have,” Lindi said, “I have sent a recording of the incriminating conversation to the main computers. If you allow, my Sisters, the clip may be played so that you may have the proof for yourself.”
Sapphron nodded. “Yes… Yes, that would be best,” she said. She brought her hand to the arm of her chair, sliding a panel back and pressing a button.
Two voices began speaking, one familiar to the council, one not. The first voice to speak was an unknown, someone they guessed was Sasuke, the other the famous Alphonse Stroak, one of the few men the Council as a whole admired.
“Look at these. What do you see here?”
“Common elemental stones. Available at any Jahana Corps store, along with any Titan Taming Inc store, plus any Mishima Heavy Industries store, and so forth.”
“What if I told you they were artificially manufactured?”
“Impossible.”
The Councilmembers murmured in agreement, unsettled by this.
“The Kunos have found a way. They have discovered a method of artificially manufacturing all kinds of elemental stones, save for one of the ones in the sealed packages. The procedure still isn’t cost effective, but once they perfect it, they will be able to corner the market. They’re also working on a method of purifying Angel Stones into Dawn Stones that doesn’t involve the usual lengthy methods.”
“My God…”
“I rather doubt any deity has anything to do with this,” muttered Karin.
“How could my people have missed this?” Janna whispered.
In the recording, Sasuke continued. “It gets worse. Much worse. And it also goes to why I was reluctant to actually meet Shane McMahon.”
“What could be worse than this?”
“Kocho Kuno is researching methods of weaponizing evolution stones. He’s contacted Vince McMahon himself and wants to talk about marketing it to him.”
THAT got the Council talking, trading worried murmurs with one another, the only silent one being Sapphron herself, a growing expression of betrayal on her face.
Lindi bit back a smirk, and continud the recording from Stroak's voice. “Why would he go to the McMahons? What could they have that would need weapons powered by manufactured evolution stones?”
“There are… rumors… Rumors that the teams plaguing the Ocean League and Capital League are actually fronts for a more serious organization. It’s rumored that the McMahons are working on a Langoud-class warship to try and combat them…”
“No… No, that couldn’t be. Something like that would be noticed. The other League governments would notice it…”
Sapphron glowered. “Vince and I need to have a bit of a chat...”
Gotcha, Lindi thought, continuing from Sasuke's voice.
“If you say so…”
“Anyway… The other two stones?”
“You are familiar with this particular stone?”
“It’s an Oil Stone. Taken all the way from the Dark Continent, the Oil Stone is rather odd in appearance. A thick block of black, one might consider it to be a chunk of obsidian at first… but touching it, one can feel it is far from a rock. Oddly shaped, but very smooth, and then topped with a weak density. But, as your putting on of gloves illustrates, it must be stressed that NO ONE must touch an Oil Stone with bare skin, not even humans. Any Pokégirl or human, male, female, whatever, will turn into a Doll. In all honesty, that evolution stone seems more like a curse than any actual boon.”
“How… How do you know so much about this?”
“Let’s just say… I have had connections to the Dark Continent that I prefer not to talk about... How do the Kunos have Oil Stones?”
“There is an oil well on the Kuno property. Oil Stones were the first element stones they figured out how to manufacture.”
“Damn Kunos…”
“I share your sentiment, Professor.”
“This is insane...” Violet said, “How could your Watchers miss such important information about the Kunos?!”
Lindi said nothing, not wanting to give away any sign that she was the one who intercepted the communiques from Janna's field agents to help set up her scheme... Sapphron was still staring at her, and she wasn't sure how many of the rumors about her ability to read people were true.
The recording continued from Sasuke. “Shall I continue?”
“If you please.”
“That…”
“…is something else that you know about, Professor.”
“Yes… Yes, I do. That’s an Ebony Stone. It is the key to creating… two very unique Pokégirls…”
“DAMN THE KUNOS!” Carly snarled, “They hold our greatest secrets!”
“They must have been the ones who found the Lost Courier...” Leona whispered, horrified.
Sapphron frowned. “Two?”
As if voicing her confusion, Sasuke in the recording continued. “Which two? The Kunos left that data out, and would only work on it themselves…”
“Sasuke… It will be better for you if you forget this stone ever existed… You are a good man, and I do not want any more trouble to come upon you than necessary…”
“…What…”
“Sasuke, please… You’ve lost your mother… I do not want you to lose your life before you have a chance to find her… Just answer me two questions first. First question: Where did the Kunos find this?”
“They brought it back from an expedition to the Dark Continent. They encountered the skeletal corpse of a strange, black-clad Pokégirl there and took it from her supplies. They claimed to have been chased off by a bunch of… well, they called them giant lizards.”
“My second question… Ebony Stones usually have a white infinity symbol in them. Why doesn’t this one?”
“The data I found called it an impurity, one that had been refined out.”
The shouting of the Council was enough to drown out the rest of the recording. Sapphron silenced everyone, and turned to Lindi.
Lindi could barely resist smirking. “Have I successfully made my case, Milady Hirosaki?”
Sapphron looked to the others, a concerned expression on her face. After a moment of taking in the reactions of the others, she nodded. “...You have, Sister Valiant. What do you suggest, though?”
Lindi quirked an eyebrow. “Well... I have no official authority to act, as I am not in charge of Sanctuary's security... In fact, the most we have is Janna's Watchers and random agents in the field... “
“Then I motion that Sister Valiant be given the title and position of Head of Defense,” Janna said, surprising Lindi. The Sanctuary Goth lay back in her chair, the humiliation clear on her face. “The gaps in my Watchers work has never been more clear than just now. With her own forces bolstering the Watchers, the safety of our home will be secured.”
“Seconded,” Maire said, giving her longtime friend an approving look.
Sapphron seemed uneasy, but nodded. “Very well. All in favor?”
The vote was unanimous in favor. Lindi had to giggle. She hadn't planned it, but this worked out in her favor, and gave her a lot more freedom to move.
“Very well. Then I offer a proposal: Two teams. One shall be comprised of a covert group of my best agents, and retrieve any data on the Ebony Stones from the Kunos, as well as destroying any samples they have, along with their oil well, Oil Stones, and any related experiments. Quick and easy, in and out.”
Sapphron's eyes flashed. “What is the second part of your plan?”
Lindi nodded. “While there is a genuine grief, we are all well aware that the good Professor Stroak would not betray us. He is in a relationship with the Lady Gillian, and is sire to her youngest daughter, Anne. While not in constant contact, they do have a steady relationship, and there is no reason he would do anything to endanger Miss Gilligan's family.”
“Facts already in evidence, Sister Valiant,” Sapphron snapped, “Get to the point.”
Lindi bristled, but kept calm. “The fact remains is that he will be sharing the information he has now with the Leagues. That will bring them all crashing down on the Kunos.”
“Good fucking riddance,” Sapphron muttered, “Those idiots are proving to be a headache we don't need.”
Well now, Lindi thought, chuckling appreciatively. Sapphron's mean streak was rarely shown, but it always warmed the permafrost that passed for Lindi's heart to hear their leader express contempt for humans in any way, shape or form. “Under normal circumstances, that might be a good thing. But these are hardly normal circumstances. You yourself have described your relationship with the McMahons as one of 'mutual exploitation.' If the Kunos make contact with them, then the balance of power will shifted. Plus, all of the information the ninja shared with Stroak, he got from the Kuno family. Who knows if all the hard copies and such are at the Kuno Estate? The Leagues will move quickly to seize information from the Kunos, faster even than we can move. They have Ebony Stones, my lady. Plus there's this new 'refinement' issue to think of. What if they have created something with these 'refined' stones?”
Nelly blinked, the pink streak in her otherwise pure black hair bobbing. “...Wait, are you suggesting that...?”
Lindi nodded. “There may be creations at the Kuno estate. Bastardized mockeries of Pokégirls created from these 'refined' stones, Clonetwos or otherwise. We don't need to speculate this honestly, as we know the Leagues will probe the Kunos for any information they can get. Information that could be used for the common good of Sanctuary. Information that could lead people like Gendo Giovanni to us... And we all know what his kind would think of Sanctuary, how they would misinterpret our very nature...”
The Council began talking rapidly amongst itself, although Lindi could make out how Nelly Nightingale, the head medic for the whole of Sanctuary's territories, was concerned about the numerous injuries that could happen to the various innocents and rescued Pokégirls amongst the territories. Lindi managed to keep her face neutral, but could barely contain her glee. She enjoyed sowing the seeds of discomfort and fear amongst the others. It was just the jolt to get these weathered old bitches moving...
After a good two minutes of debate amongst the Council of Twelve, Kieron Abrams spoke up. Lindi was fond of her. The Vixxen turned Sanctuary Goth was someone who usually flowed along the same train of thought as herself and her longtime friend Maire. And the fact that it was her that spoke up first instead of Maire, who was known to be close friends with her, would cement the idea amongst the rest of the Council that Lindi wasn't trying to railroad them into something. “I am guessing you have a plan, Miss Valiant?”
Lindi looked right into Kieron’s still foxlike eyes. “Indeed. It isn’t without dangers, but if done correctly will not only give us continued peaceful existence, but a number of rewards as well.”
“Rewards?” Maire asked, her curiosity piqued (although she had already been interested the moment she had seen the confidence in her old friend’s stride. “Explain yourself, Miss Valiant,” she said, keeping her speech patterns as formal as possible.
Lindi nodded to her old friend, her closest associate from when they had all been the Harem of Tamer Umberto Carucci. “Of course. As I said earlier, my advice is that we sanction a covert operations team of no more than seven pokégirls to stake out the Kuno Estate in Stone Town, get a layout of the premises. Then we let them raid the Kuno Estate quickly and efficiently and let them return home with anything that even hints at the existence of Sanctuary, as well as anything else that could be of value to us. The Kuno family does not need such, after all.”
Sapphron’s eyes began to glow angrily. She leaned over in her chair, looking down at the seemingly smug Lindi. “You have stated this plan twice, Miss Valiant, and I still do not like it. Do you not realize that by attacking such a high-profile target news of what happened would spread like wildfire?” She growled angrily. “That will bring Indigo League-sanctioned investigators, possibly people from Shadow League or the PLC!”
To Sapphron's shock, Lindi nodded in agreement. “True, there is risk involved, I will not lie. But the information and materials that are currently being held by the Kuno family could prove disastrous in the wrong hands. Evolution Stones that could be abused to create powerful Pokégirls for the wrong people, the weaponized element stones, and information on us that could bring different human controlled forces knocking at our doors.” She took a deep breath, giving the impression of a weary sigh, and continued. “So really, the choice is, do we take a slight risk of exposure to the world and take everything the Kuno family has to offer? Or do we do nothing and damn ourselves to being found out by the humans in charge? Those who would dare to call themselves...” she growled. “League Officials?”
Before anyone could voice a response, Lindi continued to make her point. “And let us not forget that we do have allies to help cover up our actions! Perhaps not the McMahons, should we come into conflict with them, but Miranda Jahana has had a grudge against the Kunos for years! She could easily come up with a cover story for what happens at the Kuno Estate. I doubt, however, that all of our allies working together could control an information leak of this magntitude. Amethyst and Indigo in particular would would leap at the opportunity to assault us, and this would give them the perfect justification for it, to say nothing of the potential problems from the Scarlet League! We've never been able to get verifiable reports on what's down there.”
Lindi paused to collect herself for a moment. “So really, what it comes down to is, do you people want to take only a small risk and take down not only a troublesome family, but bring forth riches and knowledge to Sanctuary? Or do you all want to wait and let them come to us, destroying everything we have spent over a century creating?”
Lindi's actions were met with silence. Sapphron looked back and forth amongst her sisters. Not receiving either advice or opinion from them, she sighed, and looked down at Lindi once more. “You make a number of valid points, Head of Defense Valiant. This is not something to take lightly, but indeed you have brought up a scenario to the Council with considerable evidence and debate backing up the probability. And that is something we cannot let come to pass.”
A brief flash of light issued from the eye the spiderweb tattoo was around. “If no one has objection, further questions, or idea of an alternate route, then it shall be agreed upon that we follow Miss Valiant’s plan for dealing with the Kunos.”
“I have something to add,” Maire said suddenly.
Looking over to the Sanctuary Goth sitting in a seat over to her left, Sapphron nodded her head at her. “The Council of Twelve recognizes Miss Brennan. Proceed.”
“Thank you, my Lady, fellow Councilwomen.” Maire stood up and looked around the chamber before looking down at Lindi. “Thank you, Miss Hirosaki, Council.” She looked around the Meeting Chambers before looking down at Lindi. “It is obvious our sister has thoroughly researched this matter before coming to us, and I must say that I am in total agreement with what Miss Valiant has brought to our attention and suggested.”
Turning her head away from Maire’s direction, Janna snorted in complete disgust. “Big surprise there...” she grumbled under her breath. Sitting to either side of the woman, Karin and Violet nodded their heads in agreement.
Frowning for a moment at her fellow Council members, Maire composed herself and continued. “As I was saying, I am in agreement with Miss Valiant, but I would like to make a small suggestion.” With everyone looking at her, the Sanctuary Goth explained, “I would like to lead this covert team into Indigo. As you all know, I was an once an Esper before ascending into what we all are now, and still maintain many of my powers. I could easily help conceal the presence of our operatives, lessening the risk of the group being discovered. We could do our work with minimal chance of incidence, and possibly take more from the undeserving Kuno family, all while keeping under the radar of the McMahons. I’m sure that Jahana or one of our other allies might be able to make a cover story about a simple break-in by one of those Team groups. Maybe even link it straight to Giovanni if they get creative enough.”
Sapphron frowned, looking between Maire and Lindi. She was well aware of the friendship between the two, and a part of her was uneasy about letting them work together. However, so far it seemed like Valiant's intentions were... well, not pure, per se, but it did seem that she was thinking about Sanctuary's safety above all else. For the moment... And she surmised that, perhaps, Maire was just doing something to get back within the good graces of the council, something she’d been having trouble attaining after she’d returned from when they’d sent her to Jusenkyo.
Looking about the room, Sapphron asked the Council, “Is anyone in disagreement with Miss Brennan’s assessment of Miss Valiant’s plan?”
Silence reigned for a good minute in the council room. Nodding her head, the Sanctuary Goth slapped her hand along the surface of her chair’s armrest once more. “Then we have reached agreement.” She looked down. “Miss Valiant, you are hereby given permission to set up a team that Miss Brennan will lead into the city of Stone Town in the Indigo Continent as soon as possible. Make sure you stay out of sight and as out of the way as possible and remember, this does not mean you can just take whatever isn’t nailed down at the Kuno Estate. You will only take whatever would be a danger to us, and what would be dangerous for everyone if it were in the wrong hands. Is that clear?”
Grinning, Lindi responded, “Crystal.”
“And what of the issues with Professor Stroak?” Sapphron said, “I do not want him hurt.”
Lindi waved her hand dismissively. “I have already taken matters into account. I have dispatched one of my subordinates to Port Juno.”
Violet gagged, the former Elf's pointed ears lowering in dismay. “Pirates? You're sending pirates?”
Nelly nodded in agreement. “While reliable, remember we DON'T want Professor Stroak badly damaged. And pirates... tend to be a little more violent than most of us prefer.”
Lindi quirked an eyebrow. “Not to worry. I have chosen a specific group of pirates for the operation.”
Sapphron gave Lindi an incredulous look. “You can't mean... THOSE bubblebrains?!”
Lindi grinned maliciously. “Indeed. They'll get the job done. And as ridiculous as we may find them, they're perfect for the job.”
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Meanwhile...
At Port Juno...
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Once known as Libreville, the capital city of the what had been the country of Gabon before the War of Revenge, there was only Port Juno now. Serving as the main Atlantic coast fishing port and sea-born trading outpost for the Dark Continent, it was not surprising that such a quiet town held a dark secret, using the overly calming atmosphere and simple trading of the port as a front.
Limbec Pirates.
Sitting in the back booth of the “Plundered Booty” Bar, (which happened to be run by a number of retired Tavernmaids) a pair of cat-type pokégirls sat back in their enclosure, enjoying the atmosphere. And pair that were obviously a couple of pirates.
Sitting on one side, her booted feet up on the table, was a Tigress. Long, curly hair that framed a rough, but otherwise beautiful face and emerald eyes that completed her voluptuous figure. She dressed simply, in form-fitting pants, a green naval jacket with tasset shoulder-pads, elbow-length fingerless gloves, and a bikini top made from a pirate flag. An amused smirk seemed to be perpetually stuck on her face as she analyzed the room.
Sitting across from her, her body seemingly absorbing the light, was a Pokégirl that most would consider a living nightmare. A Panthress. Her slender build gave her away as a Fiend type, cunning and cruel where the brutish Berserker types were savage and murderous. Long, silky black hair kept in a ponytail adorned her head, with bangs combed over her right eye, a glittering purple. She wore a simple pair of black pants and the torn remains of a straight jacket, a band tied around the bare patch of fur on her arm where she had been given experimental rage-suppressant drugs, a sign that she had been captured and experimented on before joining her captain.
“So, Tigré,” the Panthress chuckled, relaxing idly against the back-padding of the booth. “It’s been three days now, and still no jobs...”
The Tigress nodded her head. “Hey, while mercenary work might be dry at the moment, at least the crew is making a decent amount of money fishing, am I right Saditty?”
The Panthress snorted. “True, Captain... but we need more coin than simple fishing can bring in...” she said, flexing her claws in frustration, “My blood is boiling... I need something to set myself against. I need to scheme, to plan, to FIGHT...”
Snorting at that, the Tigress playfully elbowed her bloodthirsty crewmate and said, “What you need is a good Taming.”
“Taming? Please,” came a female voice from nearby, sounding an even mix of annoyance, amusement, and disgust, “How utterly gauche.”
The Tigress rolled her eyes. “Oh please. It's taming and you... know... it...” she trailed of as she realized that the source of the voice was a Dameosaur, one clad in the flexible black chest, leg, and hip armor and regal bearing that signified that she belonged to a high-ranking Sanctuary Goth. “Sonuvacrap...” she muttered. She hated Dameosaurs. They weren't only vicious bitches (and not in the fun way like her Panthress companion), but they were rumored to have a taste for feline meat, if the legends about what had happened to the Cheetits that Sanctuary used to employ held any level of truth for the breed.
The Dameosaur looked back and forth between the Tigress and the Panthress before settling on the Tigress. “Are you Captain Tigré Calienté?”
That made the Tigress stiffen where she was, the Panthress growling viciously. Damn it, the Tigress thought, Whenever someone knows your full name but you don't know theirs, it's typically a bad sign. “Who wants to know?”
The Dameosaur snorted. “I am working for someone who is looking for a Pirate crew to do a job for her.”
Raising an eyebrow, Tigré asked, “What would that job be, if I may ask?” She smirked, feeling a little confident that this Dameosaur was here on business rather than a meal. “We’re pirates you know, and we don’t do just any old job for cash.” She scratched her chin for a moment and added as an afterthought, “Although maybe a little prostitution wouldn’t be too bad...”
The Panthress rolled her eyes, amazed that Tigré's easygoing antics hadn't gotten them all killed yet. “Can't you be serious, Captain?” she asked, sounding annoyed.
Tigré slowly turned to look at the black-furred cat-type pokégirl. “Aw, give me a break, Saditty. Just because we’re Limbec Pirates, the scourge of all humanity, doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun now, can we?”
Saditty growled again, looking her Captain in the eyes. “We also need work, Calienté. So cut the crap and do business with the damn lizard.”
The Dameosaur snarled. “I am no mere lizard, feline...” she said, her armor starting to flex and spread out as she started to assume her battle form.
Sitting up, Calienté waved her arms, trying to placate the large reptilian pokégirl. “Relax, relax. You must forgive Saditty. She’s a Panthress, and they got short tempers you know... even if they are little submissive sluts in bed once fully Tamed.”
“TIGRÉ!!” The Panthress roared angrily as she glared at her captain, the Dameosaur shifting to her humanoid form again as she stared at the two of them incredulously.
The Tigress looked at her shipmate innocently. “What?” She shrugged her shoulders. “You are.”
Her eye twitching, Saditty asked, “Are you looking for an ass-kicking, Captain? Because I swear, you keep pushing me, and I will kick your striped ass from here to False Bay!”
“Is that a promise?” Tigré asked, making the cutest sounding tone of voice she could muster. She batted her eyes at the obviously irate Panthress.
“By the Gods, you are such a fucking bitch sometimes, you know that Captain?” Saditty growled as she suppressed the urge to gut the Tigress. She may have been an annoying slut sometimes, but gods damned, if she also wasn’t the best lover the Panthress had ever had. She really knew how to give it.
The Tigress continued grinning as she asked, “I know. And you love it, don’t you?” Her grin turned smug as the Panthress was obviously becoming flustered from her antics. She just so loved to tease the vicious Pokégirl.
The Dameosaur sneered, shaking her head in annoyance at the antics of the two cat-types. She turned, and started to walk away, saying, “Perhaps I have the wrong people for this...”
To her surprise, however, Tigré had somehow moved right in front of her, faster than the Dameosaur's eyes could follow.
“Whoa, whoa, WHOA!” The Tigress shouted. “Where are you going? I thought you had a job for us.” She was looking over to Saditty, motioning to her to come by her side. “I admit, we may be a little...” she took a moment, searching for the right words. “Playful... but you will not find a harder working or more serious bunch of pirates anywhere else in Port Juno.”
Finally coming to her captain’s side, Saditty chimed in with, “She has a point. We, the Jet Diamonds have a reputation of being a group that gets every job we’re handed done and our customers appeased.” She looked the Dameosaur straight in the eye. “My Captain may be a bit ‘soft’ when it comes to the fate of humans, but I assure you, we will do whatever is wanted of us.”
The Dameosaur gave them an appraising look, considering what they said for a moment. Her Mistress had mentioned the Jet Diamonds by name... and while they weren't the most fearsome, their crew consisting primarily of Catfish, they were tough opponents to face in open-sea battles, and they did have a solid record of success.
After a moment, the Dameosaur grinned, showing her sharp teeth. “Think you two are up for a score of traditional piracy? Rape and pillage, steal everything that's not nailed down or on fire, with a specific mark as well?”
Tigré mrowled, her tail swishing back and forth in delight. “Rape AND pillage? You, my dear, have just said the secret words!” She cracked her knuckles as she felt a surge of excitement starting to fill her, her tail swaying from side-to-side. “So, what is the target if I may ask?”
“Phallus Town,” the Dameosaur answered. “And the specific mark...” She looked around suspiciously, and said, “I cannot tell you here, but if you meet my employer, she will go into specifics.”
Tigré raised an eyebrow at that answer. “Can’t give us specifics here? Why not?” She was getting impatient now, tapping her foot on the floor, causing a loud thud as the sole of her boot came into contact with the floor. “Just who the Hell do you think you are?”
The taller Pokégirl looked Tigré directly in the eyes and grinned ferally, making the normally confident pirate captain shiver slightly. “I am Nemesia. Nemesia Dreadfang. And I am the major domo for Councilwoman Valiant.”
Saditty growled savagely at the name, a shiver going through her. Tigré's eyes widened in shock. “VALIANT!? As in...” If this was going where she thought it was going... If the Council of Twelve was involved... She wasn't sure it was worth the risk...
...Then again... More risk meant more pay...
Nemesia grinned savagely, answering in a low, guttural growl. “Yes. Lindi Valiant.”