Lavenderriere town, ghost pokégirl central, home to the Church of the Thousand Faiths, Pokégirl Tower, and the Lavenderriere Gym. Compared to some of the areas around Indigo that held pokégirl gyms the town seemed rather small. Combine that with the extra high levels of paranormal activity, the constant dense fog, and the crosses stationed all over the place. A population boom wasn't in Lavenderriere's future.
Considering everything they had to get done during the day Marco and his harem arrived early. It wasn't just them though, the entire unit was in town to try and get a feel for the area. Since their Colonel was supposed to be walking bait they would be setting up all over the city. Anything coming in or going out during the time they occupied the town would be closely monitored and Isabella would be staying in the air for surveillance.
Naturally this would take some finesse to accomplish considering the town was anti-pokégirl rights. The majority of the unit would be roaming around wearing specialized collars to give them status and not tie them to the military. Roving patrols were being conducted by Chris, Kelly, Mina, and Renae; Chris acting as the tamer or course. Her status with Avalanche wasn't made official until after Arianna was gone and even then she didn't show up on the records.
Marco's first stop of the day was also expected to be the last stop considering their proximity. The first place being the Items and Enchanting shop owned by Lux Bond, and the second being the registration area for their gym battle. The main reason for going to the item shop was to get Bernadette's weapons enchanted. She had been allowed to take her few possessions with her when she left the pirates and included in those were her primary weapons.
Carrie and Chesra were out with Marco as the made their way through the town. As usual there weren't many people out for the early morning. This did nothing to stop Carrie from wearing her hood up. The Penance had been brimming with excitement and tension since the previous night, her sheath slowly pulsing through colors to match her mood.
She had spent nearly every hour of every day in training since Marco had informed her about the battle. Learning tricks and attacks that the others didn't even think were possible and fine tuning her sword play. For her, winning the battle wasn't an option it was a necessity. Even though she was told that win or lose she would be evolving it wasn't the point. If they didn't win then she had waited for nothing, let down Marco, and let down the harem.
Marco had seen the dully pulsating sheath and slid an arm around her waist. "How ya feeling?"
'Fine, just fine, excited.' She thought and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Sleep well?"
'Yeah, Mina gave me some tea and I was able to sleep. It's just... today is the big day.'
"Damn right it is, I know you're ready for this, I just hope they're ready for you." He said with a laugh.
"I doubt they will be. She's been at it all week and I just about had to beg her to relax and take a day off yesterday." Chesra stated. "Madam Catherine had stopped by to check her progress and test her again. Carrie almost took her whole arm this time. Since she knew about the sword she was a lot more careful and didn't hold back. There aren't many breeds that could take the damage Carrie had suffered and continue to fight."
"I guess Aunt Cat's taken a liking to you. It's a good thing; I remember seeing Integra fight in an exhibition match once. It was a very blood affair."
"I doubt today will be much different. Are you sure you want to let Bernadette start? She's skilled, of that I have no doubt. But she's at a major disadvantage fighting ghost-types."
"I'm aware of that Ches, but she said she wanted in on the gym battle so she'll get her chance. To make up for the fact that she probably won't make it out of the first round you're on the docket for today's battle as well."
Carrie reached through the bond in an effort of address both of them. 'About that, don't you normally use Henrietta and Chesra as clean up for our gym battles?'
"You're right, but to be perfectly honest, you have a better grasp of dark powers than Chesra has. Her specialty is actual combat, though the abilities you've taught her to use will definitely come in handy."
"It's true, only Mina and Arianna have a better mastery of dark powers than you. All the same you've learned how to do things with them they couldn't and your mastery of your sword only increased your battle potential. That's why you'll be the anchor for this battle."
The trio ceased their conversation as they stood before Pokégirl Tower. It was a massive building for only being seven stories tall, painted in a dark shade of grey and emanating with paranormal power. That also helped to explain the absurd amount of crosses and wards placed around it. A pair of large statues sat on both sides of the entrance. Though they appeared to be identical there were slight differences. Closer inspection revealed that the one on the left had a pair of fangs while the one on the right had a book chained to her side. As always the craftsmanship was exquisite, almost to the point of the statues looking alive.
“Another donation by Brock I’ll assume. That man really does get around.”
As they moved closer the building the doors were opened by a pair of Warrior Nuns from the inside. The two pokégirls spared a second glance at the group once they were inside. It really couldn't be helped. The only things visible about Carrie were her glowing blue eyes from under the hood. Chesra had received a few off looks herself, chalking it up to them recognizing her as a former celestial. Marco's general dislike of celestial pokégirls hadn't diminished despite his having cleared the air with Lisa and he wasn't overly religious so he figured it was best to not say anything.
"Welcome to the Church of the Thousand Faiths. We hold services on Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. Are you interested in becoming a member?" The first nun asked in an overly cheerful tone.
"Thanks but no, just stopping by the enchantment shop then registering for a gym battle." Marco stated with the best fake smile he could muster.
From the side a Megami-Sama approached. She had a serious expression on her face as she regarded Marco. "I sense you have a heavy heart and are surrounded by a great deal of evil."
He shrugged and smiled before looking at Carrie. "Yeah, it's probably her. She always fills my head with such naughty thoughts."
Carrie decided to play along, grabbing her sword with one hand and letting the other extend out from beyond her cloak. Black fire flickered across her fingertips and caused the celestials to back away.
"You have an infernal with you?"
He slid his arm around Carrie's waist and pulled her close to him. The fire going across her hand switched from black to white and all three of the celestials were baffled. No one felt inclined to explain how the shrouded pokégirl could perform such a feat and continued on towards the item shop.
The inside of the shop was decorated with jewelry, weapons, and armor of all types. Magically locked display cases housed the more valuable items and mundane as the glass cases looked any skilled Enchantress could tell they were nearly indestructible.
At the counter were an older blond haired man and an Enchantress. They appeared to be busy ringing up the only other customer in the building so Marco stood off to the side and waited. The brown haired female stood by and waited with her pokégirl, a redheaded and furred canine of sorts. She glanced to the side to acknowledge Marco and revealed a long scar down the side of her face with two more on her neck. Quickly she turned back to the store owner and moved her hair to hide the scars.
It was just as well, the Enchantress finally fished out the box she was looking for and handed it to the female. The box was small, black, and covered in felt but what was contained inside was even more precious. A pair of sapphire and gold earrings, she gave them a quick once over then inserted them into her ears.
"They match your eyes perfectly Mistress." The canine stated with a smile.
"Good, that is what I paid for after all. Excellent work as always Mr. Bond."
Lux nodded and placed his hand on the Enchantress's shoulder. "Green was responsible for this work of art."
"You're too kind Master; I had you to light the path for me."
"You and your light based puns." He laughed and gave her ass a squeeze. "As always we appreciate your business Rach. If you ever need more work done be sure to stop by."
"I'll remember, have a nice day."
As the woman and pokégirl turned to leave Marco was able to get a clear view of her face. One side was partially obscure by hair but she was stunningly beautiful. He could tell she was older than him by a good number of years but beautiful none the less. And those earrings did match her eyes perfectly.
"It's a crime to hide such beauty behind hair." Marco said with a smile as they passed each other.
She didn't stop motion as she responded. "Yeah, they were really expensive. Too bad I can't show them off."
Just as she got to the door Marco replied in an elevated voice. "Wasn't talking about the earrings."
She didn't turn to look back but her stride staggered a tiny bit as she left the store. Lux, who had slid his arm around Green's waist laughed as Marco walked up. "Real smooth buddy, not often I see Rachel react to a comment."
"One must appreciate true beauty when one sees it. I can tell you understand this by the lovely company you keep."
"Oh I like him already." Green replied with a smile and blush. "What can we do for you Mr.?"
"Readman, Marco Readman. I wanted to get some items enchanted."
From his poképack he produced two boxes and carefully set them on the counter. The first box contained Bernadette's weapons, a rapier and sword breaker. Victoria had commanded that the Piratit never use the combination of weapons when dueling with the other pirates so she kept them locked away. Physical weapons were in short supply and Bernadette made an art of breaking whatever her opponents wielded.
The other box contained the reformed chain net that had been taken during the mission against Sanctuary. Chesra had been very busy linking the chains into a loose fitting vest and matching set of leather arm guards with the same chain going around them. That was only part of what she did though. Each link of chain was now razor sharp and were capable of causing severe injuries if one wasn't careful.
Lux gave a nod of approval at the craftsmanship that went into the weapons then noticed the signature A.R. that went into its design. "These were crafted by Mr. Rose; I guess that explains the excellent quality of the weapons. What were you hoping to have done here?"
"Yes, is it possible to have them never lose their edge and be unbreakable?"
"Wow, that's a pretty simple one. Most people usually come in wanting these strange and extravagant enchantments, that is until they see what it's going to cost them." He laughed.
"As if pokégirls didn't have enough abilities on their own. It's such a waste to dull natural ability with overblown enchantments." Carrie had been standing in front of Marco and gently hit him in the shin with the sheath. "You had to work extra hard to master your sword and I still don't think you've unlocked its full potential yet."
While the others were going over the rapier and sword breaker Green had decided to open the box containing the chain vest. Chesra didn't notice in time to warn her before she picked it up and cut her hands. "Ow, what the hell is this?"
"My apologies, each ring is as sharp as I could get them and the chain itself is nearly indestructible. For these I suggested the sharpness enchantment in conjunction with a durability enchantment for the wearer."
Lux gave the vest a cursory glance then tapped a link with a finger. It started to bleed almost instantly and he gave another nod before jamming the finger in his mouth. "Very sharp, how durable do you want it?"
"Good enough to be worn and not cause the wearer to bleed out." Marco replied.
The Enchantress had reached into a drawer to retrieve a pair of leather gloves and slid them on. The gloves themselves appeared to be normal enough if not for the gems in the wrist guards. Once she was holding the chains the gems began to glow and pulsate. She marveled at the strength of the material and let out a soft whistle.
"Where did you get this? Its durability rating is off the charts for normal metal. Hell, how did you manage to sharpen these?"
"I had to do them each individually with a military grade grinder and I still burned through over two dozen wheels. It took three weeks total to separate the links, sharpen them, and then reformed them into something new."
"How much would you say it was worth to you, because I would much rather buy it off you."
Chesra glanced to Marco who shrugged and shook his head. "I can't sell you this piece but judging by the size of the vest compared to the size of the net there should still be a lot of the material left. Right Chesra?"
"Of course sir. Mind you it's just a giant crate of separate links now. We should have plenty to spare. But I will need to save enough to make a replacement chain mail for Mina."
Green's eyes seemed to light up at the idea of a crate full of metal links like the ones she was currently seeing. "Giant crate? How big is a crate?"
"I'd say five feet long, three feet wide, and four feet high. It was a dual layered net when we came across it."
"Ok how about we barter?" Lux announced when it became clear that Green was going to press for getting the links. "We'll do these enchantments as well as enchant the chain mail your lady is going to make in exchange for half of the crate that you have. If we end up wanting the rest of the crate then we can either make another deal or simply try to purchase them off you."
Marco was clearly in the better position for negotiation. If not for his regular Enchantress being on vacation he would have gone to her but this was something he wanted done quickly. "How much would these enchantments normally run me?"
"The total cost for the items here, including materials used and labor would be around 700k, and you would be on the two week service list. If we make this deal then the fees are waved and we can have what you brought in today done in six hours."
Marco arched an eyebrow and turned to Chesra. "Now that is a hell of a deal. Ches, go home and get a few of the links so Mr. Bond knows exactly what he's buying. If the materials are to your liking then we have a deal."
Chesra teleported away then returned moments later with a small bucket containing the links. She had rinsed all the blood off of them when she was given the job and they shimmered with a green tint in the light. "I made it a point to bring the worst ones I could find. The durability is the same but they just didn't look good when I started taking the net apart."
They actually didn't look as bad as she had made it seem. No rust or corrosion, they just didn't have the uniform appearance the others had. Green reached into the bucket to pick up a hand full of the links and was almost giddy to discover how light the metal was. Initially she thought it was something in Chesra's treatment of the metal that made it so light but now was overjoyed to see it was a natural property. Lux noticed the same thing and nodded in approval.
"We have a deal then. How long until we can receive our shipment?"
"We could have them to you in a half an hour if it was critical. But we have more business around here so... We can bring them when we return for the items you have now, six hours right?" Marco calculated. "If you give me your business number you can watch as we transfer the links into the transport box, just to make sure you're getting a fair quantity."
Lux handed him a business card and wrote down the necessary information to make sure they had the enchantments right. "It's a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Readman."
"Like wise. Chesra, leave the bucket as a token of good faith."
Business having been concluded they left the shop in search for the registration desk for his gym battle. It wasn't that hard to find after asking some of the celestial pokégirls and church folk for directions. At the far end of the building was a darkened area with a desk sitting between a door leading to a set of stairs and an elevator. Behind the desk sat a lone and bored brunette. Judging by appearance alone she was a pokégirl, a chibi at that, and her breed would have been hard tell if not for the single pointy fang poking down from her lip.
She gave a loud yawn in a tone that sounded almost feline like and a slight curse for having drawn the day shift then looked at Marco. "Visiting a grave today sir?"
"Morning, no, here for a gym battle."
She gave him the same odd look all the other registration personnel had given him then started typing at her computer. "Okay... I'll just need your pokédex for a moment. Have you been here before?" She asked with another loud yawn revealing more pointy teeth.
'Yep, Chibi-vampire.' "Nope, first time here." He explained and handed over his pokédex.
"Ok then, this is how it works. Since this is your first time here you have to go through each floor of the graveyards until you get to the top. You're a tamer so you're only allowed to use your harem to make it through the floors. The Warrior Nuns will come to your rescue if you go down but you would have to start over again. Assuming you make it to the top floor you have two options. You can either fight one of the Adjunct Gym Leaders or you can come back tonight to battle with Sir Integra. After you make it to the top once you can use the elevator to return if need be."
Marco already understood the circumstances behind the unusual setup. Integra's primary harem had a Vampire and a Lucarda, two nocturnal breeds who were at their best during the night hours. The harem was perfectly capable of getting through the graveyards and assistant gym leaders were never as good as the real ones. All the same, he had convinced Carrie to hold off on her evolution and it would mean nothing if she didn't get to put her relentless training to the test.
"So once we make it to the top floor we can use the elevator to leave, then return later tonight to battle Lady Helsing."
"That's what I said, we don't normally get people who intentionally wait for the chance to battle her. These young tamers are so bloody impatient."
Marco gave a small laugh and recalled Carrie and Chesra then released Ashley, Jean, and Henrietta. "It's probably the only real chance they have for getting the badge. I've seen one of her exhibition matches before, it wasn't pretty."
The Chibi Vampire shared the laugh, though attaching a yawn to it, and smiled weakly. "I would normally suggest the same to you, but you seem seasoned enough to hold your own. Good luck Mr. Readman." She yawned again before giving the pokédex back.
"And you have a pleasant day yourself Ms. ..."
"Livia."
"Cute girl, cute name." He said as he started up the stairs.
_____
Indigo League, ... Somewhere, 1855
Elsewhere in Indigo Evan and his harem continued on their way through another route. They didn't have a particular destination in mind and he had a suitable teleporter on hand just in case they needed to be somewhere in a hurry. All the same he didn't feel comfortable taking Arianna into one of the Team Rocket safe-houses. She was far smarter than he anticipated and kept proving that fact on a regular basis.
Much like her intelligence, her usefulness, and callousness were without question. Evan kept an average of twelve pokégirls on his person at all times and of the twelve she had killed a fourth of them. All strong girls who had decided to press their luck when warned she was not to be messed with. Those that remained were stuck between fear and admiration. Ronda hated her with a passion hot enough to put the sun to shame. Despite being superior she couldn't touch Arianna in combat and the War Hound refused to kill her every time she lost.
Sevon's training had intensified from when they first started and was making good progress as far as the War Hound was concerned. Her physical strength had improved along with her meek disposition. As she grew stronger she grew bolder and her new attitude showed it. Before, she would shy away from confrontations and preferred to be in her pokéball when possible. Now, she was more than willing to fire back when pushed and enjoyed being treated with respect.
A soft beeping brought everyone to a halt and Evan broke away with Ronda to take the call. Arianna looked to Sevon and Tanya, the healed and named Slicer, who immediately dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups. Helga, a Sayjin and replacement for Cyri, looked on in growing aggravation while Tessa joined them. She hated the War Hound with the same passion Ronda had but neither of them could stop her.
Evan had given Arianna free reign to train anyone who was willing to participate or she felt needed and would benefit from it. If they proved to be unreceptive, uncooperative, or just plain refused to be trained and she didn't select them then she didn't care. If they were chosen then she just kept beating on them until they got with the program. The golden rule for those not part of her training was not to interfere with it. A Killerbreast and Love Dove had decided not to heed the warnings and didn't survive their transgressions.
What bothered Helga the most was that the latest two to fall to the War Hound had major advantages. All of them had some advantage by her recollection. Sometimes it was type, at other times it was speed or strength. It never seemed to matter. Arianna had killed them all within moments of the fight starting. It made her skin crawl and if not for Evan's order she would have fought her already.
'Counting Lex, this bitch has managed to single handedly kill off a fourth of the harem, all on her own... two of them at the same time. What have we gotten ourselves into? She claims she's not to be the strongest and is killing girls with type advantages over her.' Helga's eyes narrowed as she watched more of her trainees get released to fall in line. 'If that's true then what is the rest of the unit like?'
The sound of a high pitched whistle got the attention of those training and they all turned to face their Master. First things first Evan recalled Arianna and moved to address the others. "Ok you bitches, we've got our orders. Our target has need spotted in Lavenderriere town and that's where we'll be heading next. Reinforcements should already be in route or in the area so this should be a quick and dirty kill."
Tessa's neon green hair clung to her chest from the sweat as she brushed herself off. "I think this is a horrible idea. We've all see what Arianna can do, alone, are we prepared to deal with a dozen more like her?"
Helga was grinding her teeth in frustration. She hated to agree with the Neo-Iczel but she was right. "How big of a force are we talking about Evan... Lord and Master Domico?" She said then quickly corrected her slip of tongue.
"For now were going to assume that it's just going to be Readman and his harem. Arianna said that there are only two from the unit traveling in his harem so between us and the additional force I'm pulling from Tri Fotia we should be able to handle this." Evan stated.
Ronda could see the apprehension in the other’s eyes and snapped. "What the fuck are you pussies scared of!? All you have to do is gang up on five pokégirls and a human."
"Exactly."
For all the fear Sevon once had for the Jurumi she could see a greater fear in her eyes. "I'll remember that the next time she beats you. She's broken both your arms, both your legs, and even managed to snap your neck with enough precision to not kill you from it. She keeps you alive because Evan wants you that way. But you want to go into battle against a group where two of them have received the same training and don't give a fuck about your wellbeing?"
The others stood there, mouth agape, staring at the Guard Maid. Not only did she not refer to Evan by his appointed title, she didn't seem to care either. "Watch your mouth Sevy. She's not here to protect you now." Ronda warned.
"You're right; she's not here to protect me... if it were up to her she wouldn't be here at all. But I can't rely on others to keep me safe all the time. I'm not afraid of you, not anymore."
Flames formed around the Jurumi's fist as she charged up to Sevon. Surprisingly the little maid stood her ground and prepared to defend herself. Ronda had the smaller girl trumped in every category and she quickly seized the upper hand in her attacks. Still, Ronda had to admit that beating up on the girl wasn't as easy as it used to be. Arianna had trained the young girl well and taught her several tricks for dealing with stronger opponents.
Things were looking bad for the Guard Maid till she landed a kick that broke the Jurumi's stance. From there she struck back with several quick pokes striking all over the girl’s body. The Chi Tempest was just enough to paralyze an arm and a leg. Before she could land a critical strike both girls were recalled and Evan stood looking quite frustrated.
"I don't know what may be going through all of your minds but let's get a few things straight right now. I'm the one in charge here, not her, and if you're going to be afraid on anyone it's going to be me."
Helga nodded slowly. "We understand that... but we have to think worst case scenario. None of us are as strong as that bitch is; if we go up against a group on her level then we're just marching to our deaths. Hell, even under the best circumstances I expect quite a few of us to die. It would be better if we knew exactly what we were getting into."
Evan acknowledged what the Sayjin was saying as a truth. Arianna had been very clear on what their chances of victory were and considering the War Hound never lied, they weren't good. She never gave specifics about Avalanche but insisted that killing her former colonel was pointless and trying to capture the unit was suicidal.
"You make it sound as if it's impossible to defeat them. I turned that bitch of a War Hound easily enough." Pamela boasted. Even though Arianna insisted that the Killer Queen needed training as well Evan outright refused to have her take part in the sessions. He knew that given half a chance Arianna would kill her then turn on the rest of the harem.
"Ah, ah, ahaa, it took you twelve hours to break her will. And that was after she'd been beaten, tamed, and endured both psychological and physical torture. Twelve hours, she killed Cryi in less than four seconds. You're better off staying in the ball during combat." Tessa warned.
"You were one of the first to bow to my powers, so excuse me if I find your take on things to be a little skewed."
"I'm not bowing to you now. Give me a reason and I'll splatter your brains all over the forest."
"That's enough out of both of you." Evan snapped. "We have our orders and we're going to follow them."
The Slicer raised her hand but looked down at the ground as she spoke and clutched the staff Arianna had made so she could practice. "Lord and Master Domico, will Ari be participating in the battle against her former harem?"
'At least she's saying it right.' "No, I can't allow her to make contact with them unless I'm sure she can be controlled. Why?"
"Because I think if we're up front with her then she may tell us something useful. Well... those of us she likes."
Evan though about what she said for a moment and started coming up with a plan. He toggled the release of the Guard Maid and upon her formation took her by the throat and pushed her against a tree. Sevon was baffled by the action and squirmed weakly to get away.
"You forget my title again and you'll be in for a night of unimaginable pain. Understand?" He growled out in a low tone. She nodded as best as she could before he dropped her. That being taken care of he released Ronda and Arianna. "We're going to Lavenderriere to kill your former Master Arianna. Anything you want to tell your trainees before they die."
Arianna could see that Sevon was shaken by something and had just been in a fight. She had grown to like Sevon and Tanya and didn't want them to be killed by her unit. "Nothing, I'll be there to keep them safe."
"The hell you will, you're going to be in the ball. Can't risk you running off."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked to the Guard Maid and Slicer. "Take the beating from Lord and Master Domico. Don't fight them."
"They either fight and win, they fight and die, or they refuse to fight and I kill them slowly. Those are their options." Evan sternly stated.
Arianna began to grind her teeth and move towards Evan only to see the Killer Queen at his side. Slowly she took a deep breath turned back towards her trainees. "There are five of them the last time I checked. Stay away from the Alpha, she's an Archangel and trained me in how to fight. I've never been able to defeat her and none of you stand a chance. Next is a Ghostrider, she... I'm not sure how much of a danger she is currently but she's a former Beta and was extraordinarily tough. After that you have a Peekabu and a Penance. Don't be fooled by their breeds, the Peekabu is stronger than she looks and the Penance is redeemed. The easiest and trust me that's not saying much, should be the Dark Kitsune. She's a highly skilled teleporter though so pinning her down will be a problem."
Ronda cocked an eyebrow and gave the War Hound a skeptical look. "That's it? We should be able to go right through them and reach this Readman fellow without much of an issue."
"Don't be foolish!" Arianna shouted. "The first two are high ranking Avalanche members and the rest I personally helped train. That gold skull, my gold skull that you foolishly wear, it indicates battle prowess of a hundred kills or more in combat. The Alpha and Beta each have one and aren't to be taken lightly. You want my advice; if you fight and get taken prisoner then you're lucky. Don't attack the Colonel; you'll be dead before you realize it was a mistake."
"No, you are to attack and kill Marco Readman on sight. If you do it fast enough they won't be able to react. We're going to have at least twenty people going after one target; it shouldn't be a problem to overwhelm a single harem." Evan replied.
"And just how many of your harem could I kill right now before someone could stop me?" She asked grimly as the ground started to shake around her. Rocks coated in her dark energy began to levitate and move sporadically in her irritation. "You have no regard for these souls you're about to throw away. They will be slaughtered and you still won't have a hint at the force you attempt to subjugate. These girls are loyal to you and you're going to throw them away in some fruitless attempt to kill Colonel Readman."
"That's exactly what I'm going to do. If you cared for them like you claim to then you would give us all the information you could so we could plan better."
Arianna had finally let her frustration get to her and lunched one of the orbs into the forest. It disappeared into the trees, snapping off branches then shooting into the sky and for a moment all was silent. "Do you want to know what kind of power you have to deal with?!" Moments later the ground began to rumble and off in the distance a huge cloud of dust was kicked up from the massive explosion the orb caused. "That was just a minimal display! You want to keep me in the ball, fine! When things go off the rails just remember I told you so."
Evan recalled her again then looked to the rest of his harem. If it was Arianna's intent to put fear into them then she succeeded in spades. All eyes were still on the cloud that was slowly settling off in the distance and for the moment no one seemed to care that he was trying to get their attention. Even Tessa seemed to be wary despite her breed’s overconfident nature.
"What the hell are you afraid of? They can't use powers like that in city limits. Now pull yourselves together." He recalled the rest of his harem with the exception of a Demon-Goddess. "Let's go, you're taking me to the plant."
"Of course, Lord and Master Domico."
~~~~~
Cerulesbian Power Plant Ruins, 1900
The decrepit building was still standing after many decades of being out of commission in the wake of Mao's Rebellion. Since then it had been taken over by numerous feral pokégirls seeking shelter from the elements. Though generally very curious about strangers around their territory they had also learned the hard way that the strangers could also be dangerous.
Evan and his Demon-Goddess appeared on the outside of the facility and took a quick look around before proceeding inside. It wasn't the first time they had come to the location but considering the area they were going to be cautious. They didn't have to walk far before coming to a room with a light shining out of the door way. Once inside they could clearly see the member of Tri Fotia waiting for them.
Much like Evan, Angelica Oran was born into Team Rocket. But unlike Evan she wasn't a soulless, heartless, sadist. In fact, her ideals and mannerisms were a stark contrast to his. Being a kind, loving, caring, and gentle soul who didn't break wills as much as coheres stubborn and rebellious pokégirls into doing her bidding. Like Evan though, she was also blessed with a strangely fortunate set of Blood Gifts: Potent Spellcaster, Telempathy, Precognition, and Balance. It was more so her bad luck that bore her into Team Rocket and guilt by association that had her hunted across the leagues.
Not to say she was completely innocent. She had done more than her fair share of damage to traveling tamers, city officers, and other Team Rocket members. She just used a softer touch than most and they were generally lucky enough to be alive when she finished. That soft touch set her apart from the majority of Team Rocket and put her at odds with the man in the doorway.
Evan regarded brown haired woman with a measure of contempt. "Oh sweet lord, it was you? He sent you of all people?"
"And a jolly fuck you to you too Domico." She replied in an acidic tone with her eyes cast down. "I just happened to be in the area when I got the call."
"Why couldn't I get Campbell for this?"
"Because Mr. G placed the calls based off proximity. If I didn't come back to get those earrings I'd still be in Edo and this wouldn't be my problem. So what's the job?"
"Something out of your league. We're going to kill a Colonel in the Indigo Military and take his harem." He pulled out his pokédex and began to transmit the data. Angelica’s pokédex chimed and she quickly slid it off her waist to take a look. Her sapphire eyes widened in shock when she got a look at the picture and it didn't go unnoticed. "What, you know something about him?"
"I ran into him earlier today, he said I was beautiful." She sighed and thought back to their meeting. 'He meant it too.'
"Really? His eyes must be bad or something... then again I suppose you've managed to heal up nicely after all these years." Evan laughed sadistically to himself.
For a brief moment Angelica lost control of her telempathy and the peeping pokégirls in the walls began to scatter from her mental lash. Her breathing was choked and elevated as memories surged forward. Fingers idly ran across the scars on her face and neck before looking back at Evan in seething hatred.
Sensing she was sending off a wave of negative emotions and giving satisfaction to the grinning bastard at the door she straightened her face into something more neutral. "God forbid there be a real man out there who finds me attractive. But that's not important, how are we going to do this? I don't imagine you've thought far enough into the future to form something resembling a plan."
Evan crossed his arms and began leaning against the frame of the door. "And what exactly makes you think we need a plan?"
She smiled and took a bite out of the apple she had been eating before fishing two more out of the bag next to her. "There's the fact that Mr. G is sending two of us, god you're an idiot."
Evan pushed off the wall and started to approach the brown haired woman. "I've had more than enough of you bitches and your smart mouths. You remember what happened the last time I got my hands on you right?" His progress was halted by the walls of red and blue fire suddenly blocking his path.
"My harem does, you want to keep your limbs you won't come a step closer."
In the darkened room it was easy to miss the pair of pokégirls standing in the corners. The redheaded canine left her position and stood in front of Evan, her fur bristled in aggravation as she looks down at him. "The Mistress doesn't hold a grudge and is willing to work with you. You were only fortunate that I was in my pokéball when you scarred her. Otherwise we would be known as Duo Fotia." She growled out. In her aggravation she took a big sniff of the air around him and canted her head to the side in a questioning glance.
"That's enough Croma, I'm sure Evan wouldn't dream of harming me again." She smiled then tossed an apple to the Demon-Goddess.
"Enough waiting around, let's go ahead and get this shit rolling. The sooner we kill this man the sooner we can get started on breaking his harem. Meet us outside the city in twenty minutes."
Evan and his Demon-Goddess turned and left, leaving Angelica, Croma, and a Moonmaid to get ready. Croma, a Cerberass, appeared to be unsettled by the scent picked up off Evan and stared at his back as he exited the building. Angelica placed a calming hand on her shoulder to get her attention then rolled an apple towards one of the open holes in the wall. A small yellow hand groped around for a moment before grabbing the apple and disappearing.
"Aside from the obvious, what's troubling you dear?"
"I'm not sure. There was a smell on him, a familiar scent that I haven't smelled since I was a Doggirl."
The Moonmaid stepped out of her shroud and stood behind her master who sat down again to collect her things. "That was like fifteen years ago wasn't it?"
"It was, it reminds me of the night my pack was separated. My mother and a bunch of the elders were captured or killed and the pups were sold off to ranches. But this is different, I've run into others from the pack since then and though they still carry the scent this is a lot more... I don't know."
"It smells like... family. It's the same way I feel on the rare occasion I get to see Sevon. How many sisters did you have?"
"Ours was a small litter, just three of us. They managed to run away and avoid capture, mother was killed, and I got sold to a ranch. After that I got picked up by a tamer... then Angelica killed him" She spoke in a far off voice.
Angelica stood from her seat and curdled her finger under the chin of the Carberass. "It's been a long time since then, do you bear an unknown grudge against me?"
"No Mistress, it's just... He was young and foolish, not an evil tamer in the least. He was just getting started and treated me quite well... though not as good as you treat us."
"He was an accident Love. I was still learning to control my spells and what started as a simple threat went horribly wrong. But we don't have time to dwell. I wasn't planning of robbing the man we met earlier; I guess fate just seems to have it in for me."
"You still want to do this? After what he said?"
"Want has nothing to do with it. All the same I have a bad feeling about this. Croma, Phoebe, we're going to let Evan do the majority of the work here."
The yellow eyes of the Moonmaid hardened as they started on their way out. "If this goes as sour as you think it will I want to try and get Sevon out of there." She looked up at the night sky and took reverence in the light of the full moon. "My power will be at its zenith and nothing will stand in my way."
"Don't overdo it Phoebe, I'll have time to read over this information again and get a better understanding of what we’re walking into." She glanced back at her pokédex and the picture of Marco then let out an internal sigh. 'None of this feels right.'
~~~~~
Lavenderriere Gym, 2000
The harem had managed to clear the multiple graveyards without incident and even captured a handful of ghost pokégirls. Just like Livia said there was an elevator on the seventh floor that allowed them to leave, though not before getting confirmation that they did make it to the top floor. There were more tamers around than he expected there to be given the reputation of the gym.
The gym itself carried a level of Blue League charm with it. Walls lined with suits of traditional armor and banners, not original Blue in origin they were passable replicas. The same could almost be said for the weapons, their real and enchanted counterparts stashed away in a safe place until needed by the Church of the Thousand Faiths. A true mechanized wonder was the open dome roof. The moon was full and out in all its glory being sure to bolster the powers of those who rely on it. The floor was also specially made for the gym. Tightly packed dirt with the bones of an unknown number of dead pokégirls buried underneath. It was something special to give ghost-types and extra edge when fighting gym battles.
After leaving the gym the entire unit left the area and returned to the office. First order of business there was to contact Lux Bond and do the video call for the transfer of the chain links. Both Lux and Green were quite pleased with the quantity and quality of the chains and guaranteed to have his items ready for his match.
The next order of business was to get together with the unit and discuss their findings in the town. Its population was just over ten thousand so it would be impossible to get an accurate display of what counted as normal foot traffic after just one day. All the same they were able to get a feel for heavily traveled spots and where they would need to be if they wanted to ambush someone. With that information in hand they would be taking to rooftops and staying on alert.
Right now all of that came second to the woman standing before him. Sir Integra Helsing, Blue League native and former Blue League Gym Leader. Standing at around 5'9 with a few added inches for heeled boots and long flowing blond hair, she careful began to take the measure of the harem that entered her gym. Smoke from her lit cigar rolled gently to the side as she walked forward to greet them.
"So you're the one who decided to come back later just to face me." She said with a hint of amusement.
"My girls trained long and hard specifically for a match against you, Sir Integra. I wouldn't have that hard work put to waist on what I will assume are more than qualified Assistant Gym Leaders." Marco replied in strict seriousness.
"And you reward their hard work by granting them the fight they seek. Quite admirable, and to be expected of an Indigo Officer, Colonel Readman." Though she noticed his eyes harden she kept her tone even. "Don't look so cross, I'm honored to battle an esteemed officer such as yourself. I will give it my all and hold nothing back to give your ladies the fight they wanted."
A slight smile formed on Marco's mouth as he bowed. "I would expect nothing less from the famed Lady Helsing of both Blue and Indigo. Standard battle rules apply?"
She met his smile with one of her own. "That they are, a proper battle to three falls. I wish you the best of luck." Said Integra as she turned to walk away giving a half wave.
Darkness pooled on the floor under Integra's feet and shifted behind her as the Lucarda took form. Standing taller than her master at 6'3 with hair the same shade of blond and glowing red eyes, her formal red suit and overly large hat being a stark contrast to Integra's dark green. "You're going to need it." Came out in a menacing and almost foreboding tone.
Marco shifted to his Aura Sense and eyed the power of the retreating Lucarda. She was very powerful indeed, almost to the point of being on par with his aunt. That knowledge didn't dissuade him as he called back. "We both will." He turned back to address his harem that had stood silently the whole time. "This is going to be tough and that's putting it lightly. Bernie, you got the first fight."
The earlier bravado of the Piratit had evaporated and all she was left with was doubt. "I'm not sure if I can do this anymore. I don't really see a way I'm going to beat anyone in that harem."
"Are you nervous?" Marco asked and slid an arm around her waist as she looked at the ground and noodled. "Good, that means you'll keep on your toes." He knelt down and pulled the case for her weapons out and handed it to her.
She flipped the lid on her case and looked mildly annoyed to find that her marks had been removed. "What have ya done to me weapon?"
"Master had them enchanted. You give up being able to summon them at will and duplication for them being indestructible and never losing an edge. They will forever stay as sharp as I could make them, and believe me... that is quite sharp." Chesra explained before retreating to the bench where the rest of the harem was waiting.
For a moment Bernadette was still irritated, and then she ran the edge across the short hair on her arm. It sheared off without a hint of resistance and she smiled happily before putting on her sword belt and hugging her tamer. "The gift that just keeps on giving, how did I get such a wonderful tamer?"
"I had my subordinate shoot you remember." He joked.
"Aye, that ya did. But taking me away from the pirates is one thing, why did you decide to keep me?"
The blush passed across Marco's face so quickly that she almost missed it and he gave a quick cough. "That's something we can talk about later. Now on the line with ya." He replied with his own piratical accent.
The rest of the harem was still getting themselves situated when Integra released her Spectra Eliza. Henrietta let out a low whistle and shook her head. "This isn't going to be pretty. How long you think she's gonna last?"
Ashley was spinning one of her picks on the ground between her hands but stopped to answer. "I would say around five minutes give or take, still I hope she wins."
"We got five minutes, Jean two grand, you want the over or the under?"
The Dark Kitsune shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm betting on how quickly my teammate is going to lose. I'll take the under, what happens if she wins?"
"All we're doing is betting on time, though the losing party can always try and win their money back in the next round."
Integra was surprised to say the least to see the Piratit take the field. Of the many types of pokégirls out there fighting-types were the least likely to harm her harem and she was primed to show just why that was. "Are you ready Colonel?!"
"Whenever you are M'lady!"
"THEN LET'S HAVE AT IT!"
The Spectra wailed maliciously as she started her way towards the Piratit causing her to stall for a moment before leaving the line. Bernadette launched into the offensive as they closed-in on each other and stabbed clean through the ghost. Unfortunately the stab didn't connect, the Spectra phasing though her body then attacking from the other side with a vicious kick to the back.
Surprisingly the Piratit spun while in midair then landed in a crouch. From that position she shot forward again, thrusting towards her target. Once again Eliza phased through the stab and prepared to counter attack when suddenly Bernadette's off-hand went back. The attack came so quickly that the Spectra didn't have time to phase and got nicked in the arm by the sword breaker. The shock of the hit was enough to make her back off and teleport further away.
"Nice hit Bernie, keep it up!" Yelled Henrietta from the sideline.
"Are you saying that because you want her to win or because I still have plenty of time for the bet?" Questioned Jean.
"Both, if she wins this fight then that takes some of the pressure off of Ches and Carrie. If nothing else I want her to get some good shots in before that Spectra stops fooling around."
Ashley was keeping the time for the bet and the first minute was just coming up. "What makes you think she's toying with Bernadette?"
Chesra kept her eyes on the fight as she answered the Peekabu. "You fought more than your fair share of ghost-types today. They have a wide range of eerie powers that fighting-types really can't defend against. When this gym leader pokégirl decides to strike with abilities Bernadette is going to be in trouble."
It was starting to look like Bernadette would fare better that they expected. Having found the rhythm to her opponent’s attacks she was quickly getting out of the way and then counter attacking. Marco had also picked up on the rhythm being set and knew it was being done on purpose; all the same there was nothing he could say that would assist the Piratit without tipping off the opposition.
"Argh, surely ya be hard to nail down but soon or later I be strikin true." Bernadette growled while slicing through the Spectra's incorporeal body. "Blast it, stay solid!"
For the first time since the match started the Spectra spoke, her voice coming out soft and wispy. "Now why would I be so foolish?" Her translucent body began to glow as she harnessed more of her paranormal powers.
Energy began to build up in front of both girls causing Bernadette to slowly back away. With a flash of light a sword formed and continued to float with nothing supporting it. Suddenly the Ghost Blade launched forward and swiped out at the Piratit while Eliza rushed her. The swords form was solid and Bernadette locked blades with it just as the Spectra threw a fake punch and passed through her.
On the next pass Eliza faked another physical attack and passed through her again. With no actual body holding the sword to attack and the Spectra disorientating her with the fake attacks Bernadette was quickly getting frustrated. On the one occasion she decided not to defend against Eliza the Spectra solidified her body and punched, knocking her off balance. Next the Ghost Blade came in low, cutting her across the leg and leaving a deep gash.
'She's only solid when she really hits me but she's faking most of her attacks. The sword is always solid but I can't do anything to stop it from attacking and its angles are too wild. I'm going to have to take a hit and run her through when she connects.' Bernadette thought quickly as she forced herself to stand.
Once again the Ghost Blade came in fast and clashed against the rapier in a furious string of attacks. All the while Eliza was making her passes and zeroing in for her attack. On her fifth run through she struck, kicking the Piratit head on. Bernadette's enhanced reflexes served her well, rolling to the side the moment she felt contact with the foot and stabbing with the sword breaker. The stab hit its mark and she threw all of her strength into knocking away the Ghost Blade before following up with an attempted sweep kick. Though the kick connected and knocked Eliza to the ground she quickly phased into the dirt and disappeared.
Integra appeared to be quite irritated and yelled out while covering her ears. "Eliza, Silent Treatment!"
The Spectra slowly rose from the ground and floated her way towards the Piratit. The spot where she had been stabbed leaked ectoplasm and her face was twisted into rage. Her body appearing to vibrate with barely contained power.
Marco noticed Integra covering her ears then looked to her harem to see them doing the same. Thinking quickly and sensing impending danger he did the same before yelling out. "COVER YOUR EARS!!"
Eliza had gotten within feet of Bernadette and Marco's warning came seconds too late for the Piratit. Sucking in a deep breath the Spectra let loose with Cacophony and Brightbeam, the deafening scream from close range blew the former pirate's eardrums instantly while the glaring light left her blind, confused, and screaming in agony. In her confusion and pain she lashed out trying to strike anything she could. All the while being drained of her energy by the Spectra floating overhead.
With two of her senses disabled there was nothing she could do about the Ghost Blade that seemed to appear out of nowhere and stab her through the chest. Finally she collapsed unconscious in a heap on the floor and was recalled. Marco's ears were still ringing as he mentally cursed and summoned Henrietta to his side, the Ghostrider looking as mad as everyone else about the sonic attack.
"Take her home and get her healed then return." He commanded before kissing the pokéball and handing it over. "Nice one Lady Helsing!"
"You can call me Integra, do you need a minute or are you ready for the next round?!" She yelled back across the distance.
'Chesra, are you set to go or do you need some time?' He asked through the delta bond. Her response was to teleport from where she was standing to the starting line and unsheathed her sword. "I think we're ready to go Integra! Call me Marco!"
"Well Marco, I hope your next round fairs better than that last one!"
"Don't worry, things are about to get a lot tougher!" 'Don't hold back Ches.'
'I never do Marco.'
_____
|
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 Princess |
|
Nikki- SexSlash |
Alexis- Cherub |
Isabella- Mecha Musume |
|
Arianna- War Hound- MIA |
Lily- Gloomy |
Tam- Catgirl- School |
|
|
|
Leona- Lamia- KIA |
Harem
Chesra- Co-Alpha
Henrietta- Co-Alpha
Carrie- Penance
Ashley- Peekabu
Jean- Dark Kitsune
Handler
Christina Reynolds
Ariel- OfficerJenny