Arianna stood before him with rage in her eyes. Pieces of her flesh had been torn away and her eyes appeared to be hollow. "This is what I get for trying to help you, for trusting you! And you haven't come to save me! You worthless human, I'm going to kill you myself!"
Marco awoke in a cold sweat and sat up to look around. His stirring and abrupt movement had awakened his bed mate who rubbed his leg with her tail. Ashley jammed a fist into her eye and looked to the clock. It was only 0437 and no one would be coming to get him for hours. She could go for another taming but something about her master’s panicked breathing broke the mood.
"Is everything ok Marco?"
He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed them then let out a heavy sigh. "Nightmare, horrible, horrible, nightmare."
"You want to talk about it?"
It wasn't that Marco didn't trust the Peekabu; she wouldn't be there if that was the case. But he always found it difficult to talk seriously with her. "I think I'll just wait and talk to Chesra later." Ashley turned over in bed and pulled the covers over her head in a huff. "What's wrong?"
She didn't bother to turn back but lowered the covers. "You don't like to talk to me. You'll talk to anyone else before me, even Carrie, and she can't speak. If you're just using me because I'm powerful then fine, but I have other uses. I can listen just as good as the others."
It was true, Ashley was near the end of the list for those he would talk to but there were several reasons behind it. He rolled over and put his arm around her before kissing the back of her neck. "I have a lot of problems. You're a cheerful, upbeat, ball of positive energy with a joking personality. I don't want to drag you down into the pit with me. I keep you around because you have a knack for saying things to lighten the mood... like Mina does." He was startled for a moment when her tail began to rub against his balls and forced himself to calm down. "That's why I don't discuss my problems with you."
She understood what he was saying and appreciated why he did what he did. "I understand that, but if I'm asking then I'm willing to listen. Maybe I can make you feel better."
"... I was having a nightmare. Arianna was blaming me for being captured and threatening to kill me because of it. I hope I'm just overreacting and that she's somewhere safe. I'm just not sure." He pulled her close against her chest and let out another sigh. "If she did get captured then it is my fault, my fault for getting hurt the way I did, for not being around to stop her."
Ashley turned over to lay her head on his chest and idly traced his abs with her finger. "You've known her for a long time I guess. Does that sound like something she would do?"
"No, her loyalty to me and Avalanche is unbreakable. She would sooner die than give away any information that would endanger us. I wish I knew if she was ok."
"She's one of yours; even if she was captured I'm sure she's working on a way to escape. And if she finds out you're ok then she'll try even harder to come back." Her fingers twitched with energy as she used Pleasure Spark on her master.
The light jolt was enough to get Marco's attention in all the right places. "So you're still feeling frisky I see."
She slowly and gently licked a trail up to his neck and bit down with a low level of Electric Bite. "You did wake me up after all."
~~~~~
Around the same time at the Avalanche office Kelly was sitting in the sunroom and looking over the night sky when Mina made her way out. The Kunoichi was covered in sweat and looked worn out, her pajama top soaked through and held in her arms. It wasn't the first time she had been woken up by bad dreams but since the night they brought Marco back her old nightmares began to reemerge coupled with new ones brought on by her time with id. The pair looked to each other and nodded.
"You look a little rough around the edges, more nightmares?" Kelly asked, though she already knew the answer.
Mina nodded and tied her robe closed. "Yeah, even though I know he would never harm me... these dreams are vivid and hard to cope with." She took a seat then looked out at the incoming clouds. "It's going to snow later."
"Yeah, and we have training in a few hours. So... your chipper attitude since then, was it all just an act?"
Mina squirmed a little as she tried to get comfortable in the recliner. "No... well I don't think it is. I was just... it reminded me of back when I was with the Invaders, the time with id I mean. I was forced into a lot of things that I didn't want do but had to endure, at least then if I fought hard enough I could bring an end to it. But when I was stuck in his mind, there was nothing I could do. My powers didn't work; my strength had been taken away... I know we talk a lot about what it must be like to be a human woman, but if that's how it is then I'll take being a pokégirl any day." She glanced over to see Kelly brooding and realized what she had just said. After all the time they had been together on the team it was hard to remember just who used to be human and who wasn't. "I'm sorry, I forgot about that." Kelly let out a sigh and teleported away. Mina was starting to think that she had gone too far until the Duelist returned holding a small case. Mina recognized it instantly and rocked back in the recliner to wait for Kelly to get situated. "It's been a while since I've seen that, you used to play all the time. It always made everyone feel better."
"I know, ever since I was name as the Alpha the job cut into my free time, and now with everything that's been going on as of late it’s hard to get in the mood."
She popped the lid on the case and pulled out a violin, the only possession she had managed to keep track of since she was cast away from her family. Though the others didn't get to see it often she always kept it in perfect condition. She was a good player, not great, but no one ever ran when she began to play. Her choice of music was always slow and heartfelt, the others would be drawn around her and sit contently until she finished playing.
Kelly began to play her memorized piece of music as the snow started to fall. The sound of the instrument flowed perfectly and Mina began to drift away as she listened. They weren't the only ones to be up at that time in the morning and were joined by Chesra who found both girls with their eyes closed. As Kelly neared the end of her last piece the sun began to rise off in the distance.
"I can't think of a more perfect way to start the morning." Chesra stated and sighed happily.
The sound of Chesra's voice startled Kelly for a moment but she smiled none the less. "Thanks, sometimes I need to remember who I used to be, this helps." She looked over to the lightly snoring Mina and the content smile she wore then brushes the hair out of the sleeping girls face. "But I guess it helps others forget what they were... or what they've done. Can you get her to her room without waking her?"
"No a problem," She scooped the smaller girl into her arms and teleported away to return moments later. "We'll be heading to Foreplay in a few hours to get Tam taken care of. Apparently Vana has requested that Renae be there as well so she'll be coming with us.”
“Did she explain what it was about?” Kelly asked while she was returning her violin to her case.
“Of course not, she was cryptic as always. She mentioned that there was an important matter Renae needed to take care of but not much past that. Renae’s normal calm disposition seemed to waver when I mentioned it to her.”
“Marco will be with her, she’ll be fine.”
Chesra sat next to Kelly and nodded in agreement. “Do you ever think that we give Master too much credit, that he isn’t the great man that we see him as?”
“Better question, if the answer was yes would it really matter? Would him being cruel to everyone except us keep us from following him?”
“Point taken.”
_____
1000, Foreplay Island, Readman Residence
Marco teleported in accompanied by Chesra and Renae then released the rest of the harem and Tam to join them. The sun shine was bright over the open ocean’s crystal blue waters. Though it was winter it would be hard to tell due to the unchanging tropical temperatures of the islands. He sighed and shook his head when he looked at the house he’d spent half his life in. An exceptionally nice piece of property that held a nice view of the ocean. It was absurdly expensive but between the jobs his parents held before they retired, the first time, they were able to afford it with ease.
Ashley and Jean were speechless as they looked around. The majority of the houses they had seen in their days were just apartments, with the exception of Chris’s old home in Stone Town. His childhood house was oddly plain considering who they were dealing with. Vana had a thing for being modest when it came to her home life. It helped to make up for the extravagance of working in Resort Gorgeous as one of their Game Masters/Pit Managers. She could spot a shady customer from across the room and if they were exceptionally good at trying to “play” the tables she would take care of them. Those who were weak willed were ejected from the building, anyone who tried to mouth off and showed some backbone was offered a job.
Marco had called ahead of time to let his family know he was stopping by. They had only been there for a matter of seconds when he was greeted by a rubber ball bouncing off his head. Off to the side a small child was standing with her mouth covered. "MOM! THERE'S A BUNCH OF STRANGERS IN THE YARD!"
The front door burst open and two women came out. One was obviously a pokégirl, judging by her bluish-green hair she was from the Wet Elf colony. The other was tall with dark brown hair the color as the little girl. They both looked prepared to fight until they got a better look at the strangers. "Toria, that's your uncle Marco and his friends. I guess it's been so long since the last time you saw them you forgot what he looked like." The child had run to her mother and jumped into her arms. "Marki, you look good considering your brush with death."
"Argh, must you call me that Tasha? You've met the majority of the team already; this is Carrie, Ashley, and Jean from my harem. And the Catgirl is Tam, she's a recruit. Where's the rest of the family?"
"Mom, Nadia, and Erica are inside, dad is off doing research somewhere in Indigo primary. Do you remember Brandy from the colony?" She motioned to the Wet Elf standing next to her.
Renae stepped forward and gave the elf a cold stare. "What is your business here sister?"
Brandy glared back at Renae, the two of them obviously had some history that they weren't about to go into. "I came to see you, you've been gone for over eight years and we like to make sure our members are being treated well, as well as welcome you back."
"I don't see how that is any of their business, I was exiled remember. Tell whoever is asking to leave me be. I am not returning."
Brandy heaved a heavy sigh; she knew Renae didn't like her. Why she was told to confront her she wasn't sure. "That was just bad timing. You were only supposed to be gone for a few day, you were expected to return after you came to your senses. How were we to know you would be taken by a tamer? And I am being sent by Queen Mera, in case you were wondering."
Cold winds began to blow from around Renae and the grass under her feet began to freeze. "I don't care if you were sent by Empress Yukii; this is my final word on the matter. She can go kick rocks; I have found my place when there was none for me there. Your business with the Readman's is your own; all the same I will warn you once. Never bother me again." Renae turned her back on the elf and walked behind Marco.
Brandy was about to attempt to reason with Marco but he stopped her before she could get started. "Brandy, it's best if you let it go. Not to sound possessive, but she's mine now. And though she's free to come and go as she pleases, back to Mera's colony is out of the cards. I hope you understand."
The Wet Elf nodded, she was in no position to argue with him and she knew it. "I will relay the message to Queen Mera. There is no reason to disrupt our deal with Queen Vana. Thank you for your time and please tell Vana I appreciate the hospitality."
"Be well Brandy, if Mera has any issue with what happened tell her she can see me directly."
"Yes sir." She waved and bowed politely before heading into the water and swimming away.
Tasha watched her swim off then turned to Marco. "What was that all about, I knew that Renae was a former member of the colony but I wasn't aware there was bad blood between them."
"It's old news so I won't go into it, regardless I hope Mera takes the hint. I would hate to put her in her place." Marco growled out.
Renae move around to stand before her colonel. He was taller than her so she was forced to look up so she could make eye contact. "Would you really defend me against her?"
"Yeah, Queen or not, at the end of the day I'm the one she would need to make a deal with. You said you won't go back and I won't force you to. Now let's go see my mother, anyone who wants to stay here while I take care of Tam is welcome to."
The group entered the house and Marco was nearly knocked down by Erica who attempted to tackle her big brother into a hug. Nadia, the middle sister, was more reserved in her affection towards her brother but was still happy to see him. Vana sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee and greeted her son with a smile.
"Morning Marki, did you get everything sorted out with Brandy?" Vana asked in a cheerful tone.
"I didn't set Ashley on her if that's what you're asking. She's smart and level headed, none of the court would want to see our deal go south because of some disagreement."
Ashley took a seat in front of Vana. "What's this deal you all keep going on about?"
Vana cleared her throat and slid a plate of sandwiches towards her. "It's an interesting partnership I formed with Queen Mera several years ago. My husband’s ship had capsized and one of her court was kind enough to return him to me. We got to talking and she informed me of some supply problems they had been having. I met with Mera and then a few officials from the islands. In return for getting those supplies on a regular basis as well as occasional tamings, they agreed to secure safe passage for ships traveling between the islands and give an early warning as well as assisting in the capture and or extermination of aquatic menace pokégirls. Though they aren't pleased about it, the agreement includes Five Island."
Ashley had been eating during Vana’s long winded explanation but stopped to ask another question. “So I guess being on your bad side would be counterproductive for them?”
“Actually no, these deals are already on paper and in the system. Making me mad wouldn’t do anything but cause me to dislike them.” Vana replied shyly.
Tasha laughed and set her daughter back down. “You make that sound like it’s an ok thing if you don’t like someone. Remember the old mailman?”
Marco shook his head when he finally remembered what happened to the man. “I knew there was more to that than you let on. How in the he…” He glanced down at his niece and changed what he was going to say. “How in the world do you lose an eye to a letter opener?”
“He had wandering eyes. Are you ready to go to Seaven, Lisa is waiting for us.”
Marco stalled and clenched his fist in intense aggravation. “Sweet lord, does it have to be her? I would rather deal with anyone else.”
Jean scratched his back to help ease some of the tension she found there. She didn’t know who this woman was but apparently he disliked her a lot. “Who is Lisa and why is she important enough to cause you this much irritation?”
Marco was about to answer but Vana interrupted him first but shoving a sandwich in his mouth. “Lisa is one of the Megami that helps us when it comes to having pokégirls educated in things past the norm. She started with Chesra and has been helping to ferry the others that were in need of education to the school they use.”
Marco frowned and took a bite of the sandwich. Jean just shrugged and looked back to Vana. “Well that explains why she’s important… but considering her connection to Avalanche you would think that Marco would be happy to see her.”
“The two of them had a bit of a falling out ten years ago.”
“Controlling bit… peach.” Marco grumbled, once again correcting himself in front of Toria.
Nadia looked at a picture of her brother and said Megami that was hanging on one of the walls. “That picture makes it seem like you two were pretty close bro.” Everyone’s attention turned to the picture hanging on the wall then back to Marco who wore an agitated look on his face.
Finally it all made sense to Chesra, the picture, his agitation, and his dislike of celestial pokégirls. “She was your first love wasn’t she?”
His eye twitched for a microsecond, just long enough for his Cool Head to kick in. “Yes she was, yes that’s the reason, and no I do not want to talk about it… ever… with anyone. Is that understood?” No one said a word and Toria hugged the legs of her mother. They all knew that tone; there was no reasoning with him after that, even Vana knew as much. “Now that that’s clear who’s going?”
Only Chesra, Renae, and Henrietta raised their hands. Chesra wasn’t going to leave Marco alone any longer than she had to, Henrietta and Renae would be going along to keep him from doing something rash or to watch the fireworks if they couldn’t stop him. Normally Carrie would be glad to go along but Toria was becoming interested in her hair and she didn’t get to spend much time around children. Jean and Ashley were going to take the opportunity to get to know his family a little bit better.
Vana put on her suit jacket and brushed herself off. Tam had been quiet the whole time considering the warning made about dealing with the colonel’s family. All the same she was also increasingly interested in her leader and the more she saw the more she wanted to know. She wouldn’t get the chance to find out anything though, her next stop was going to be Midnight City then to lord knows where.
Marco let out a breath and turned to address the girls that would be staying behind. He knew they wouldn’t intentionally do anything wrong but he needed to set some rules just in case. “Ok you three, be good. Listen to Tasha and for god’s sake don’t break anything. I should only be gone for a few hours, if anything happens hit your watch and someone will be here in short order.”
“I’ve made plenty of sandwiches and you are free to help yourselves to whatever you want in the fridge. There are guest rooms if you'd like to take a nap, otherwise just have a good time. This is a pro-rights island so go exploring if you want."
"Yes ma'am." The three replied in unison. With nothing else to be said Chesra grabbed Marco and Vana took Tam by the hand then disappeared, followed quickly by Henrietta and Renae.
~~~~~
The three of them appeared quickly enough on the outskirts of Midnight City. A ways off in the distance was Tamers Tower, the tallest building in the Indigo League. The streets were fairly quiet and only a few people could be seen wandering around. Marco stretched and enjoyed the feeling of the sunshine hitting his face. He would need to keep himself calm when he finally ran into his old flame.
"Where are we supposed to be meeting her?" Marco asked in a flat tone.
Vana released Tam and started walking. "The cafe on Good Way... She's looking forward to seeing you again; can't you try to be civil hun?"
"It been a while since I last saw her and I'm not sure how much she's changed. I've changed a lot over those years."
"I know that, I can see it in your eyes. She's been just as forth coming on the details of your splitting as you have. I generally chalked it up to that trademark Megami thing but it makes me wonder. She is still like a daughter to me after all."
"Fine, I'll try to be civil." He grumbled.
"That's all I ask."
The group made the rather lengthy walk to the Starlight Cafe. More and more tamers were out as they got deeper into the city. The vast majority appeared to be in high spirits, going from store to store and picking up items they would need on their journeys. They entered and were greeted by a rather busty looking Elf. It only took a few seconds for Vana to spot the golden haired Megami sitting in one of the booths reading a book. Henrietta, Chesra, and Renae took different seats around the room to keep a clear view as Marco and the others made their way to Lisa. The Megami looked up to see Vana then caught view of Marco and cast her eyes back down anxiously.
"Afternoon Vana, Marki... Marco, it's... nice to see you again." She greeted them in a shy voice. It had been over ten years since the last time they had spoken but she recognized him at first sight.
"Hello Lisa, you're looking good I see." Marco replied with a pause. She did look good as far as he was concerned.
Vana took the seat in the booth next to her while Marco let Tam get seated first then sat down. "Lisa dear, it's great to see you as always. I guess you know why I called you here."
"I do, but it's good to finally see Marco on one of these visits. He normally left it to you to take care of these matters. How are the others doing?"
Marco turned to look at Renae and Chesra; Henrietta never went to the school and was fairly well educated before he got her. "They are doing great, the best fighting force in the Indigo Military. As part of the Alliance I'm sure you already knew that though."
Lisa scowled for a second then relaxed. "You two are the only reason I do this, I hate the idea of supplying the government with soldiers. And the Indigo Military is just a group of ruthless thugs... present company excluded of course."
Marco's eyes narrowed as he glared back into hers. "In for a penny, in for a pound. I'm a ruthless thug too, and as a Colonel I'm the leader of a unit of ruthless thugs. They just happen to all be pokègirls. I don't take a lot of joy in what I do but these things need to be done."
"I didn't mean to offend you..." She paused for a second and took a breath. "I guess after all these years our opinions haven't changed. Is she the one?"
Vana decided to speak up to let them take a break. "Yes, this is Tam. A Catgirl as I'm sure you're aware. She is to receive the same education you're group has provided for the other as well as whatever else you can fit in within three months’ time."
Lisa took the hint and turned to face Vana. "That's fine, do you have the payment?"
Marco produced a bag from the poképack he was carrying and handed it to her. "One Angel Stone and 60k in SLC; same as always." He snorted to himself as he thought about it. "I guess we're both in the same boat."
Lisa gratefully took the offered bag and stuffed it into her own pack. "How so?"
"You don't like the Indigo Military but you still help to train and educate my unit. I don't care for the Celestial Alliance, but I can't help but think I'm funding something I wouldn't approve of." He was laughing to himself and the others were giving him peculiar looks. "The irony isn't lost on me."
Lisa thought for a moment then giggled along with him. "You always had a way of leveling a playing field."
Henrietta had taken the booth behind Marco and poked her head over. "Well you got him to laugh; you can't be all that bad."
Lisa looked at Henrietta and recoiled, she could feel something coming off her she didn’t like. "And who might you be?"
"Henrietta, though it's Rietta to my friends. And you must be Lisa."
The Megami's eyes perked up. "Oh, does he speak of me often?"
"Nope, but you've had one hell of an impact. He absolutely can't stand celestial pokégirls."
Lisa's jaw hung slack for a moment and Marco just shrugged and shook his head. "That's not completely true. I like Alex just fine and I didn't mind when Chesra was a Warrior Nun. This is Henrietta, a Ghostrider, and part of the unit."
"Well that explains the strange feeling I got from her. But you don't like celestials?" Lisa asked with hurt filled eyes.
"Just a certain type; generally the: stuck up, uppity, self-righteous, unrealistic, know it all ones."
"So... specifically me you don't like." She was mad but understood his reasoning. That used to be her down to the letter. "I'm not like that anymore."
Marco pinched the bridge of his nose and started looking for his escape. "Though that description used to fit you pretty good it wasn't just you I was talking about. I can tell you've changed and regardless of how I act or what I say, I'm glad to see you again. But you're not the only one whose changed, despite what the others may say, not the good man they would make me out to be."
Henrietta put her arm around his neck in a hug. "So says the man who rehabilitated a Penance, turned a Nogitsune into a Dark Kitsune, and rescued my kidnapped friends."
Lisa let that information sink in and grinned; as far as she was concerned he was still the same guy that left her a decade ago. The guy that she drove away with her overbearing personality. "The more things change the more they stay the same. I wish things had gone differently between us and that I could take back what I said that day." She giggled to herself. "I know a bunch of Megami that would love to be with a man like you. Myself included."
Marco shook his head again. "I wouldn't want to put them through that kind of misery. I've done some really bad things too and am planning on doing a lot more before I'm done. But if it's all the same I wish things had been different too."
Vana was happy to see the two of them getting along. Though there was still some tension between them the atmosphere was kinder than when it had started. "We'll good to see you two have managed to work things out. How would you like to come over for dinner sweetie?"
"I would love to, that is if Marco will be stay around as well." Lisa replied cheerfully.
"I wouldn't say that we've worked out all of our differences, but it's a start. As for dinner, I believe we can stay for a while. We can hold off on sending Tam on her way?"
"That won't be a problem, what do you say to having a look around town since we're here?"
"Sounds like a plan, just let me make a few calls first." He got up and walked outside to make his call, leaving the women to entertain themselves, though Chesra followed him out.
They all looked back and forth to each other then Lisa finally broke the silence. "He's gotten a lot bigger since the last time I saw him, kind of scary too."
Tam was baffled at the idea of him being scary. "He seems nice to me, but then most of the time I've known him he was asleep."
"What do you mean asleep?"
Henrietta moved around and took the empty section in the booth. "He's had a rough couple of months. The last two he spent in a coma. He's been marked for death by some government agency, attacked twice, and one of our teammates is MIA."
Lisa listened to her go on and sat in shock as she took it in. "Who would want to kill him? Why would the government want to kill him?"
"Us." Henrietta said begrudgingly. "That man... with your help, created Avalanche. One of the most efficient fighting forces in the military. We're the real targets. Marco gave the Brass a big fuck you when they tried to take us from him once, and Kelly did the same when he was out of action."
"But, why hunt one of their own?"
"Well the big problem is that it's really Team Rocket that wants us. They believe that if they kill Marco then Avalanche goes on the open market and they can just buy us from the league since he refused to sell. What they don't know is that if he dies then we all become free pokégirls." Black fire flickered from her clenched fist. "And if that happens... I'm not going to say, but no one will be happy with what comes next."
Vana placed her hand over Henrietta's and squeezed. "Trust me; if it came to that I will be right there with you."
"I'm not high enough in the Alliance to get reports on your groups activities but I’ll see about getting some additional information when I can. If I helped to paint this target on him then it's the least I can do." Lisa explained harshly.
"You misunderstand dear, the only one responsible for my sons predicament is him." All eyes turned to Vana; they knew she would explain what she said before they got upset. "At the end of the day he chose to be the man that he is. Each of us has played a small part in shaping him but he has the final say in whatever he does. He could have just kept the girls he wanted and sold the others to the military without a care, but that's not the man he is. He chooses to deal with the burden of taking care of his family, and in return they chose to defend him with their lives, because they know he does it for them."
"How did I ever drive him off?" Lisa asked with a lowered head.
"I don't know what you did, and he doesn't forget a slight, but it seems like he's willing to give you a second chance." The bell over the door rang and Marco made his way back in. Henrietta quickly turned back to Lisa. "Don't waste it."
"Ok ladies, let's have a look around. I sent word to Kelly, and the entire unit will be coming over to help with dinner. May as well make it a party I guess."
"That sounds good; I just wish your father was around to join us." Vana sighed happily.
Marco on the other hand didn't share the same sentiment. "No need to wish bad things on me, I have enough to deal with."
~~~~~
Base of Alphonso Haures
Arianna was in terrible shape. They were intentionally starving her and keeping her awake to break her will. She had been healed but kept in a state of constant paralysis. The longer they had her in custody the greater the danger she was posing. After she used her tail to almost crush Alphonso's skull they had cut it off, and he stopped taming her after she successfully used her vaginal muscles to squeeze his penis like a vice. The only form of rest she got was when they were asking questions.
Sadly Haures was beginning to respect her and understand why his boss wanted the group so badly. Humans would have cracked within the first few days and only the toughest pokégirls would continue to fight so hard. Constant tamings, torture, starvation, sleep deprivation; she fought through every second of it and still managed to make their lives hell whenever she got the chance. Constantly pointing out their failure in breaking her and reminding them that when she got free she would kill them all.
Though Team Rocket was an organization in its own right there were tiny splinter group within and none struck more fear in pokégirls than Tri Fotia. The group was comprised of only three tamers with the hardest, most dangerous, and most brutal job in all of Team Rocket, Breaking. Breakers were tamers whose sole purpose was to crush the spirits of even the most stubborn pokégirls then pass them off to other members.
Tessa walked with the tall heavily built man following closely behind her. His long black coat flowed behind him and the heavy thud of his steel spiked boots echoed in the silent room. Her face was pail and she trembled with every step. She knew the man behind her better than she wanted to, having been in his care before being given to Haures. "Ma... Master, Evan is here by request of Mr. G."
The man grabbed her roughly by the hair and pulled her down until she was flat on the ground in front of him. "Do I need to reeducate you? What are you supposed to call me?"
"Mmmmmm... My dddeepest app poligies lo lo Lord a a a and ma Master Domico." She barely managed to cry out.
He reared back and kicked her in the side of the head before stepping on then over her. "A little better, lay there and practice until you get it right."
Evan Domico, like the other two members of the group he was born into Team Rocket and molded by their philosophy. But Evan was sadistic on a level that made even the most hardened Mazouku squirm. His name was quickly spread throughout all the leagues investigation bureaus after his most notable atrocity against pokégirls. The massacre of an entire pokékit daycare center in a way that had lifelong SEELE members turning an empathic ear and placing a Kill On Sight bounty.
Haures was about to say something to the man but his cold eyes stopped him before he got started. Evan look to Arianna and sized her up. He had been told she would be the greatest challenge he had to date, and he was looking forward to it. "Haures, is this the bitch with the iron will?"
"Yes, we've been working her over nonstop for over two weeks and she's given us nothing. Nothing but a headache."
"We'll see how long she last against me." He started on his way to her and noticed a half circle drawn on the floor. "What's this?"
"The safe zone, she's managed to get loose a few times and that's her maximum reach."
Evan moved up to her swiftly and backhanded her as hard as he could. "Obstinate, ignorant, ungrateful, bitch, how dare you attack you're betters."
Arianna's head snapped to the side then lazily went back to its normal position. Her voice was hoarse after all the brutal treatment she had undergone but her spirit wasn't broken. "My betters? All I hear are three Bimbos: one too weak to get the job done, one so spineless that she grovels, and one who thinks herself tough with her little strength enhancements." She coughed weakly and straightened herself up. "None of you are good enough to lick the grime from my claws let alone stand up to my Colonel."
Evan stood directly in front of her and reached up, taking one of her claws by the hand before ripping it out. She grit her teeth but still cried out from the pain. "Let that be your first lesson about talking back you whore. If you're Avalanche then you know the name Evan Domico, and if so then you know my reputation."
Everything was hazy for a few seconds after having her claw removed and she cracked a bleary eye. She was well aware of the atrocities that the man had committed and in truth it made her skin crawl. The only thing keeping her calm was the fact that she knew the score. Whoever Mr. G was, he wanted all of Avalanche and he wanted them alive. That little bit of information was all she needed to stay focused. She looked down and saw that he was right in front of her then lunged forward and hit him with a head-butt that knocked him flat. "Let that be your first lesson about trifling with the Blood Hound." She growled out before slumping back down against the wall. She had dislocated both of her shoulders and burned the last of the energy she had to make her point to the man.
Haures was stunned to say the least. She had just laid out the leader of Tri Fotia, one of the most infamous groups in Team Rocket. He rushed over as fast as he could and attempt to help him to his feet. That was until Evan sprung back onto his feet himself. The rumors about his strangely fortunate set of blood gifts were apparently true, possessing the strength and toughness to take on the lowest levels of pokégirls. The real horror came from his other gifts, the true reason why he was able to break any pokégirl he chose to, empathy and mind bending. There were lots of rumors floating around him but no one was willing to figure out the truth behind his existence.
"Pokéball her and have her healed, make sure she's fed and rested then chain her back up. She needs to be well rested for when I get started." Evan commanded as he held his head and popped his neck.
"Are you sure? We've spent all this time trying to keep her off balance and you want to throw all that away?"
"That won't work against her. This isn't the kind of pokégirl that will just break, the more force you use the more she's going to resist. You don't need a sledgehammer; you need to know where to hit and a good wedge for when you strike. Do what I said and I'll explain it later."
_____
Foreplay Island, Readman Residence, 1930
The rest or the unit had shown up to help prepare dinner while Marco and the others were out and were just finishing up when they teleported back in. All eyes held a questioning gaze when they saw the smile on his face. Marco had been in such a foul mood that it was surprising to see him enjoying himself. Off to the side was an unexpected but welcome visitor in the form of Marshall Sashi, his brother in-law. Marco had been kicking himself since the day he introduced Tasha to him. Not that he and Sashi didn't get along. The two men made eye contact then shook hands and shared a nod. Sashi was just a regular soldier and didn't know what Marco had been up to since his retirement.
Out in the yard everything had been set up and everyone was having a good time. Carrie was giving Toria a ride on her back, Jean and Ashley had finished setting up the last of the card tables and the unit had just finished preparing the dining tables. Lisa fondly remembered the girls who she had ferried to the school, though some of them had evolved since then. Small fires had been set up throughout the yard to light the area and give off a pleasant glow.
Only one person seemed to not be enjoying themselves. Kelly had been watching the interactions of Marco and Lisa and it was starting to irritate her. Apparently his dislike of celestials didn’t extent to the Megami that had latched on to him. The two girls hadn’t gone near each other and Marco didn’t introduce them so Kelly was fine with just pretending she wasn’t there. That was until the beer she was about to sip at was snatched out of her hand.
“Aren’t you a little young to be drinking?” Lisa scolded in a motherly tone. “Children shouldn’t drink beer.” The music came to a halt and all eyes turned to Kelly. They were all aware of what had just happened and were waiting to see how the Duelist would respond. Marco felt a quick ping of irritation coming from Kelly and was already in motion.
Kelly growled under her breath. ‘So the gods have seen fit to give me a reason to kill her. Thank You!’ Her hand shimmered then flew from her side in a quick arc and passed by the bottle, it was about to go out again but her wrist was snagged against something. She looked back to Marco holding her wrist then her other hand shot out to catch the beer bottle since it had been severed at the neck. She stood up and threw his hand off. "I thought you didn't interfere with these matters." She said harshly and began walking off.
"Come on, don't be like that that." Marco yelled to her retreating form and began walking after her.
Lisa finally registered that she had been in some kind of danger but the atmosphere was becoming light again. She suddenly found her knees weak and dropped down in the open spot on the bench. "Did I just do something wrong?"
Mina just shook her head. "Did your life just flash before your eyes?"
"A little bit, who was that? What did she mean by he doesn't interfere?"
Jean took a seat next to her. "When I first joined the harem I was repeatedly warned to watch was I said when I met the Alpha, and also told that Marco doesn't protect people from her. Well I shot my mouth off, called her a child and a runt. In return she strangled most of the life out of me. She's a Duelist and hates for people to comment on her size and youthful appearance."
"Oh god, then I just insulted her didn't I? Was she really going to kill me?"
Mina shrugged and offered the Megami a drink. "Normally I would say no, I mean I've been picking at her since she joined and she's only come close a few times. But you, she doesn't seem to like you at all. It's not surprising though... she has a real mean streak when it comes to jealousy. The thing that bothered her to most is that he stopped her from hurting you. But you've been warned and he won't stop her a second time." Lisa got up and ran off to catch them. "I'm a little jealous of her too."
"Don't be." Joked Jean. "When you harbor a grudge against someone for ten years one day isn't enough to wipe the slate clean."
Marco finally caught Kelly and picked her up to keep her from running away. She flailed weakly despite being able to get away at any time. He pulled her into a tight hug and she began to calm down. Kelly had been letting her hair grow long and he brushed it out of the way before planting a kiss on her forehead. "Still mad at me?"
"Yes, why did you stop me?"
"Only because I'm pretty sure she hadn't been warned yet. Why are you jealous of her?"
Kelly stalled for a moment while she tried to come up with some solid reasoning. Not being able to find any she switched to attacking instead. "You two were obviously close; you didn't feel the need to mention me to her. How should I feel about you're ex-girlfriend hanging off you like a lost Puppy?"
"Not threatened, that's for sure! Why don't you act like this around Mina or Chesra?"
"Because... I got you first. At a time when you weren't sleeping with anyone from the unit you came to me first and it makes me feel special. They both had been in the unit longer, hell, Chesra used to be my Beta. And even though we spent a lot of time around each other and became close I knew there was a wall around your heart."
Marco knelt down and gave her a passionate kiss. "And who exactly do think broke that wall? Lisa and I are friends and that's as far as that goes. You and the others are special to me in a way that she isn't. Is that enough for you to not hate her?"
Kelly blushed and turned her head. "No, but it’s a start." From behind Marco she saw Lisa approaching and started to grind her teeth. "Here she comes now."
Lisa had caught up and bowed in apology. "I'm sorry I offended you Kelly, I wasn't informed about who you were and I didn't mean anything by it. I understand that neither of you normally tolerate such a thing and I promise I won't let it happen again. Please forgive me."
She wanted to forgive the Megami but she still had an image to uphold. "I'll let you off the hook this time but make sure it doesn't happen again. Otherwise we fight about it." She moved past both of them and started on her way back to the party.
Marco knew she was kidding for the most part and let her go on her way. Lisa on the other hand still appeared to be in shock. "Try not to take it personally."
"I get the feeling that she hates me." She said softly and moved closer to him.
"She does, but she'll get over it later. The girls from the unit and I have special relationships. Most of all the ones that are in the harem so there's a good chance they would be jealous of you, don't take it personally."
"It's not like I'm trying to join the unit or anything like that. We're just reconnecting."
Marco chuckled and looked up at the night sky. "It's that connecting thing that has them worried. Not that they have any say in who I sleep with but they may take issue with someone that's known me before they did, coming in and possibly usurping their position. It's not a possibility but the danger is there for them."
She took a seat in the sand and looked out over the ocean. "Would you allow that?"
"You wouldn't even make it into the unit. Any pokégirl trying to join has to get a 100% approval vote and I can tell you now, that wouldn't happen."
"What makes you so sure I wouldn't get voted in?" She asked though she already knew the answer.
"Because I would vote no." He could see the tension in her shoulders and the hurt in her eyes. "I'm happy to see you yes, but I'm not so far gone that I would forget the past. Though if it makes you feel better it would more so be to keep you out of danger than any personal grudge I have against you." Some of the tension left but there was still hurt in her eyes. "I'm not sure how much they may have told you about my situation but it's really bad and before it gets any better I'm going to do things no hardened celestial would approve of. I won't need someone harping in my ear about how what I did or am going to do is wrong."
"They filled me in at the cafe; though I'm sure they left things vague..." Lisa had gotten a far off look in her eyes and looked up to Marco. The goofy smirk he had when they were growing up was gone; the guy she knew was gone with it. "I know this may sound strange, but, is there any room in your new life for me?"
Marco sat down behind her with her between his legs and began to massage her shoulders. If anyone from the unit had ever wondered, it was Lisa he first honed his skills on. "Right now no, there is too much going on for me to drag you into this mess. I know you've gotten strong over the years but I've put enough people in danger and I'm not going to add you to the list. I hope you understand."
She sighed and looked across the water. "I didn't get the chance to say it before you left, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I berated you, that I yelled at you, that I insulted what you were going to fight for, and most of all... that I didn't believe in you."
"Don't forget, you tried to manipulate me too." He laughed and pulled her off to the side. "You're forgiven." He moved in close and their lips were just about to meet when the large bell next to the house began to ring. Marco jumped to his feet and pulled Lisa up with him before sprinting back to the others.
The two of them arrived in time to see the lights leading into the water come on. Vana made her way to the edge of the beach and waited patiently for the visitors to arrive. Those who came from the Wet Elf colony would signal that they were approaching so they wouldn't be attacked on sight. The first three to surface were Wet Lass followed shortly by Brandy and Wet Queen Mera. Renae began to walk forward but halted when Marco's arm blocked her way. The Wet Lass fanned out to secure the area and Brandy accompanied Mera on their walk towards Vana.
"Mera, it's a delight to see you this evening. Would you and yours like something to eat, we have plenty." Vana was using her deceptively sweet voice and a mild undertone of authority. As if to say, 'you’re welcome to come but don't do anything foolish.'
The Wet Queen's yellow hair was glistening in the fire light as she stopped and bowed to Vana. She was very attractive in her form fitting grey armor and gleaming trident, though the look on her face was one of a ruler there to do business. "Evening Vana, I would like to take you up on that offer but first I have something to discuss with one of my charges."
"If it's about Renae then you must speak with that man in front of her. Good luck with that. You can call off your guards; this is currently one of the safest areas on the island."
"I will take your word for it, stand down." The Wet Lass did as told and relaxed while Mera and Brandy made their way towards Marco and Renae. They stopped short when Marco motioned toward the table and pulled out a seat for Renae before moving around and doing the same for them as well. Mera was surprised by the gesture but went along with it. "Thank you very much Mr. Readman."
Marco took a chair for himself and sat back. He had already given orders to the rest of the unit and harem for any eventuality and wasn't worried. "Queen Mera, Brandy, what can we do for you this evening?"
"I'll get right to the point. Several years ago you managed to capture one of my colony, I would like her returned to me."
"No." He replied without a second thought.
Mera blinked a few times to let it sink in that he did indeed deny her request. "I was told that she refused to return on her own despite my summons and that I would have to see you if I wanted her back..."
Renae cut in suddenly, her voice cold and stern. "No, I told her that you could kick rocks and Marco made it clear that though I am able to come and go as I please, back to your colony was out of the question since I don't wish to do so."
Mera looked fiercely to Renae then turned to Brandy. The Wet Elf nodded slowly. "I paraphrased the message for the sake of being civil. But yes my Queen, that is what was said."
Mera was angry but let it rest for the moment. "If I may ask, why won't you come back?"
"I won't come back because I was exiled, remember? You should, you handed out the sentence in person. On top of that I didn't belong there, being treated as second class to any other elf isn't a very fulfilling life. You sent me away and I was glad to be gone."
"That was only to teach you a lesson; you were a loose cannon that was putting others in danger. I'm sure you're tamer would agree that you have issues with taking orders when given."
"Never speak for me Mera. I have never had a problem with Renae and she has never put anyone in danger." Marco replied with enough force to make them shudder.
Off to the side one of the Wet Lass began to approach. "Watch how you speak to Queen Mera, tamer!"
Vana's eyes flashed for a second and the strap holding the sword of the Wet Lass came undone, letting it fall to the ground. When she bent down to pick it up Vana appeared behind her and grabbed her armor with one hand while a pair of twenty sided dice appeared in the other. "Yell at my son again and I'll be spreading you over the ocean in a very fine mist of red."
Mera kept her composure and looked back to the Wet Lass. "Return to the colony at once, I will deal with you later. Queen Vana, please excuse her rudeness and Marco please excuse mine. I have no right to speak for you. It is customary that I try to retrieve my subjects when they are taken without my consent, being that you are related to Vana I figured it was better to see you in person."
Marco leaned forward to look Mera directly in the eye. "Is it true that non-elves are treated differently than the elves are?"
"Yes, though it may not be intentional it happens. I don't encourage the practice but I don't do anything to stop it either. It is my colony after all." She said jokingly. "Is there any way I can get Renae back? Buy, barter, anything at all you could come up with."
"You are aware that she's an Ice Maiden now, but more to the point why do you need her back so badly? I can only think of a few scenarios that would require an ice-type but given your abilities you should be able to handle those with little effort. It shouldn't be problems with the local government, both sides have held up their ends of the agreement. I get the feeling that you're not telling us something."
"You could be right but I really can't explain in full, all I can say is that I need all the help I can get. But if she dislikes me as much as she seems to I don't think it would be much help."
Marco sat back and began to think. Whatever was going on was out of her ability to handle and it embarrassed her to the point she was willing to ask an enemy for help. "Ok, we can try to get a few things out in the open. If you can explain why you need help then we might be able to come up with a way to assist you."
Mera sat and thought for a few seconds. There really wouldn't be any harm in explaining her problems and if it could gain her some additional forces then it was worth the risk. "Ok Mr. Readman, you win. Over the last few months my queendoms have been raided by mysterious black ships. Despite our best efforts we haven't been able to bring a single one down. The ships themselves appear to be impervious to our attacks and when we made it onto the deck we were overwhelmed by a group of strange and vicious dragon pokégirls. The ships vanish after the raids and my subjects are taken out of my range. I placed inquiries with the government about the nature of the events and they swore that they have no such program to obtain water pokégirls from the established colonies." She paused and watched as Carrie set a tray with pitchers of water and glasses on the table. "Thank you. I'll take what the government says at face value for the moment but if I discover that those brutes in the military are behind this then our deal is officially off and I will wage open war on the islands, starting with Five."
"I can save you the trouble of fretting over that. There aren't any military operations that involve getting water pokégirls. The navy is rather sparse."
The Wet Queen cast an appraising eye over Marco. "How can you be so sure about that?"
Marco looked to Vana who shrugged. "Considering what you do I didn't think it was wise to make your occupation common knowledge. Marco is a Colonel in the Indigo Military, if he says they aren't behind it then they aren't. Furthermore, if he's willing to assist you then it's best to take him up on his offer."
The new information made Mera shift in her seat as she looked around. She never did much fighting on the land but she was starting to note the positions of the various women standing around. They appeared to be relaxed but if they struck she and her guards wouldn't be able to escape. "I guess that's why you said that this was the safest spot on the island. My apologies for my remark earlier. I'm not sure what you can do though. If your navy isn't equipped to handle the job I'm not sure how you plan to assist me."
Marco laughed at the apology and motioned for Kelly to come over. "No offense taken, though it is the second time today I've been insulted about my job. Kelly, I need you to go back to the base and get Isabella. We can come up with a plan to track the ships from there."
The Duelist vanished then reappeared a few minutes later along with the Mecha Musume. "You summoned me colonel?"
"Yes, Mera this is Isabella one of our tech specialist. Isabella, please meet Queen Mera of the Wet Elf colony." The two acknowledged each other then turned their attention back to Marco. "Her colonies have been getting raided by some strange, heavy duty, black ships. Is it possible for you to come up with a way to track and locate them after they attack?"
"Yes sir, depending on the hardware installed on the ships I can track them after they have been identified. Otherwise we can try and place beacons on their hulls and track them like that."
"Excellent, how often do the raids occur?"
"On average it's about once a month, on nights with no moonlight. We haven't been attacked yet this month but I fear it will be soon." Mera explained and downed the whole pitcher of water.
Kelly pulled up a seat next to Marco so she could give her input. "Unfortunately there is no way to stop the raids from happening; we would be at a huge disadvantage fighting on the water. The best move is to wait until the next raid, pull your forces to minimize casualties, and contact us when it starts. From there we can track the ships then strike at their base of operations."
Mera was stunned to see the young girl taking part in the discussion. "And who might you be little one?" An uneasy silence fell over the group and the Duelist sucked in a tense breath.
"Major Kelly, the unit Alpha, I will kindly ask to you never refer to me as little one. Consider this a friendly warning."
The Wet Queen began to rub her temples in exhaustion. "I've been doing far more apologizing than I'm used to doing. It won't happen again and I'll inform my subjects as such. You're plan is very good though and I appreciate the help I'm getting in such a sensitive matter. It's not often than I am forced to ask for assistance, this entire experience has been very humbling."
"Don't mention it," Kelly replied in a pleasant tone. "We're going to do everything in our power to get your people back. If you have any other details that may be helpful please tell us now."
"There isn't much that will assist you in a land assault. Traitorous water pokégirls act as counters to our whirlpool attacks, keeping the seas calm for the ships. It's a large and widely varied group but there are particular ones that can weather the damage from the electrical attacks the other Wet Queens and I use."
"Right, Bella, do we have any of those beacons on hand?" Marco asked.
"No sir, if I head home right now and have the assistance of the Major I can have them ready in twelve hours. With the materials we have they should function up to a depth of 200 feet, more than enough for a ship... until you sink it of course." Isabella smiled and winked.
"Now, now, if they are intact I'll be handing them over to Commander Summers on Port Aquaticunt. We don't have any time to spare so I want you, Kel, and Zianna working on this. She needs something to keep her busy."
"As you command, we'll get started at once." Kelly nodded before grabbing Isabella by the hand and teleporting away.
"Thank you again Mr. Readman, I'm really worried about my subjects. I wish there was a way to do this that didn't involve sitting through another raid but it really is the best course of action. I'm placing my trust in you, please don't let me down." Mera bowed her head before taking another drink of water.
"Of course I'll try my best but when the time comes I want Brandy by my side. Your subjects will be panicked and I need a liaison to keep them calm and let them know we're there to help."
"Why don't I go instead?"
"Because something tells me that you would have a hard time following orders and keeping your calm. Being in charge can have that effect."
Mera grumbled something under her breath that got a chuckle out of those with enhanced hearing then nodded. "Question withdrawn, when the time comes how are we to contact you? Or is contacting Vana just as good?"
"My mother can get in contact with me quickly and I'm sure you have ways of contacting her when you need to. After this is over though I want you to drop the issue of Renae being away from your colony, she's happy where she is and we’re happy to have her."
"Agreed, we will never again bother her or request her return. Though if the need arises will we be able to count on your support?"
"I don't do guarantees, but it never hurts to ask."
"... Fair enough. We will depart and prepare for the next raid. I intend to make things as difficult as possible for them when the time comes." She announced and stood, bowing gratefully to both Marco and Vana. Once they reached the edge of the beach one of the guards pulled a large flashlight and clicked it several times. A few seconds later the sound of a watercraft was heard then seen stopping a hundred yards off the beach. The female piloting it bore a slight resemblance to Henrietta and waited for Mera and the guards to get seated before heading off into the horizon.
Renae tapped her hand on the table and let out an aggravated sigh. "Thank you for dealing with that sir, it was much more civil than I had anticipated."
"Think nothing of it; if it came down to a fight they would have needed a new queen after we were done." He popped his neck off to the side with a snap and turned his attention to Vana. "So you were really going to kill that guard?"
Vana shrugged as if she didn't know what he was talking about. "It didn't come down to that, Mera took the correct action by sending her away. Gratitude and hospitality have their limits and I'm the only one allowed to yell at members of my family on my property. I expect the same from her if we were in her queendom. Now back to the festivities. This is Tam’s going away party after all."
_____
That evening found Haures and Domico in the same room. The large Rocket tamer was meticulously cleaning a set of stainless steel instrument and humming a creepy tune.
"You said you would explain why you wanted us to get her cleaned up before you started?"
"Yeah, you've been doing everything wrong to try and break a girl like her. Beatings and rape will only harden her defenses. What you want to do is convince her to revoke everything she holds dear then let you tame her. When that happens then you are now in the power position and she will follow your orders. If that bitch doesn't break with in three days then I have a last resort that will work."
Haures contemplated what the man said then looked up again. "If you have guaranteed method to rein her in then why aren't you using that now?"
He began to put the tools back into the case and stood up. "Could you hand me that coat?" Haures looked at the chair behind him and retrieve the clothing. "Because that particular pokégirl is pretty rare and it’s even harder to get your hands on a feral one. If it comes to that though all of your problems will be finished; her, Readman, Avalanche, all of them will be dealt with one at a time." He shrugged into the coat and tightened his gloves before heading towards the door.
"Where are you going now?" Haures called to the man.
"Hunting then shopping, you can't make the right impact if the attire isn't right."
_____
|
Alpha- Kelly- Duelist |
|
Delta |
Echo |
Indigo |
|
Beta- Chesra- Fallen Angel |
Beta- Henrietta- Ghostrider |
Beta- Mina- Kunoichi |
|
Emaline- FireMaiden |
Field Beta- Selena- Caphoochie |
Zianna- Lupina |
|
Kim- Bombshell |
Rebecca- Smokey |
Renae- Ice Maiden |
|
Nikki- SexSlash |
Alexis- Cherub |
Isabella- Mecha Musume |
|
Arianna- War Hound- MIA |
Lily- Gloomy |
Leona- Lamia |
|
|
|
Tam- Catgirl- School |
Harem
Chesra- Co-Alpha
Henrietta- Co-Alpha
Carrie- Penance
Ashley- Peekabu
Jean- Dark Kitsune
Handler
Christina Reynolds
Ariel- OfficerJenny