Chapter 32: Wild Streets and Back Alleys

Rin nodded once as she looked down, the overgrown pumping station sitting beside an empty park.  A few silhouettes could be glimpsed through dirty windows, and with her enhanced vision, Rin could see a few figures lurking at the edges of the pumphouse. “I think we found the Wild Men’s base,” she said. “Sakura, I’m going to start scans. Can you call the Captain, let her know what we found?”

“Of course.” Sakura nodded, thumbing her Xtranciever. “Be careful with your scans. I know that we have our Pokemon on watch, but you never know if they’ve got a Mage as a member.”

“Right. I’ll be careful,” Rin said, pushing her knee jerk opposition aside. To her, Magi were usually cultured, composed people, the furthest thing from the men and women in beaten leather and stained camouflage filling the building below. That was wrong back home, and was probably wrong here, too. “So far, I’m just pinging to see if there are guns down there. That’s evidence enough, right?”

“I’ll ask,” Sakura said, her Xtranciever opening up to reveal the captain’s face. “Bles, we’ve found the Wild Men’s base, or at least a probable one.”

“Could you send me a location and picture?” After a few minutes of fiddling, Captain Bles eyed the documents. “Hmm. This is a good location… and they’re using the sewers?” At Sakura’s nod, Bles smiled. “Well done. Now, I have a request, and you are welcome to refuse. We could use some evidence that this location is their primary base, but I will not ask you to risk yourselves. Do you have any capabilities there? Otherwise, I will send one of my own to check it out soon.”

After a few moments of thought, Sakura shook her head. “We don’t. Especially not if this is their main base; they could have teleport inhibitors after all, and we have no other method of reliably scouting the base aside from a Ghost, which they will likely expect.”

“Understood, I’ll mark it to investigate,” Bles nodded over comms. “We may need to send you out for another sweep if this doesn’t turn out to be their headquarters, but it’s still a base, regardless.”

“They have a lot of guns here,” Rin observed. “At the very least, it is a major armory.”

“Good to know,” Bles said. “Thank you both; this alone is incredibly valuable.” She looked off-screen. “The League’s vanguard will be arriving in three days. If we can find major sites for the Reapers and the Uptown Men, if not their headquarters, it could push them into retreat at the very least. Take your time, and stay safe. Bles out.” The device winked out, closing down.

Sakura looked over at her sister. “Okay, so we have a strong maybe for the Wild Men. Who will we pursue next?”

“Isn’t Captain Bles supposed to tell us that?” Rin remarked, frowning as she stood, casually walking away from where she’d been performing her examinations as if she belonged.

“She may have meant us to look at them in order…” Sakura said, pulling the files out of her bag. “The Reapers are our next targets, in that case.”

Ren huffed. “Them again. Let’s hope this one isn’t underground.”

“The reports think not. According to this, the Reapers have fought the fiercest to keep their hold on the West Side residential area, but beyond that we don’t have any leads. We may just have to repeat our last tricks with a group of Reapers, but I don’t think they’ll be nearly as stupid.”

“In that case, why not simply canvas the locals? The ones that the Reapers are likely extorting money from. If we send only the Pokemon that can communicate, it’s unlikely they would suspect anything either.” Agate suggested with a wan smile, “After all, not many remember that Umbreon are capable of telepathy…”

“That’s a good idea,” Rin said brightly. “We’ll need to be subtle about it, or find a reason to talk to people.”

“Back at home, we’d go to the local pub, but I dinnae think anything’s open right now,” Gordon peeped from Rin’s hat. “We may need to enter some apartment blocks to find anyone.”

“Well, it’ll be a bit of a walk. Let’s get moving.” Rin said, turning to walk west and barely stopping herself from walking off the roof. “...whoops. Take the streets for a bit?”

“Sure thing, nee-san,” Sakura half-chuckled.

--(0)--

N frowned as he left the medical tent, absently wiping sweat and traces of blood on a towel, discarding it into a trashcan. He hadn’t been sure what to do when Rin and Sakura had left, right up until he’d heard a cry of pain from one of the tents around the police station. One which carried meaning he was very familiar with. Ducking inside, he’d found a pair of Joys and a larger group of medics working over a few dozen wounded individuals; civilians, gangsters, policemen, and their pokemon.

N didn’t know how to help humans, but he knew quite a bit about Pokemon medicine. It hadn’t taken more than a few minutes before he’d been directed to help deal with the injuries accumulated by the Pokemon of those caught in the crossfire.

He’d spoken to them, keeping them calm and engaged in conversation as he applied potions, slathered on ointments, and wrapped bandages around limbs. Many of those Pokemon were injured protecting their human friends, something which has seemed unforgivable a few short weeks ago. And yet…

<<None of them were angry about being injured. They were just glad to take a small hit which could’ve been far worse to their trainers,>> N observed as he walked back to take a seat on the bench outside the station. <<If they weren’t here, weren’t working with humans, many of their partners would have died.>>

<<Of course not, N. I would do the same for you,>> His partner replied with a frown, looking rather annoyed that his human still didn’t quite get it. <<Who wouldn’t?>>

<<...I suppose I never thought humans might for Pokemon. It all seemed so uneven, before. Humans dominating Pokemon, hurting them. But it’s not that simple, now.>>

<<...maybe if your caregiver is wrong, we can stay together?>> Zorua said hopefully. <I don’t want to leave you…>>

<<That wasn’t going to happen,>> N said firmly. <<We’re going to be the guardians between humans and Pokemon, and that means we…>> His words trailed off as the actual meaning of that particular loophole became more apparent.

<<Oh now, there’s an issue,>> Noibat chimed in, emerging from her Pokeball to sit on N’s head. <<I can’t see that being abused at all.>>

N frowned, looking down. <<...it really was easier when I didn’t have to think about all this. But if I’m going to be a good alpha, perhaps it’s good I’m starting now,>> N said slowly. He stood, Zorua hopping off his lap and back to the ground. He swapped back to Unovan. “Rin and Sakura have given good advice before. As has Gordon; we’ll ask them.”

“Excuse me, young man?” N looked over to see a man dressed in a black suit, gray hair tied back in a ponytail, standing nearby. “Could you come with me for a moment? I couldn’t help but see you talking with your Pokemon, and I have an issue I could use your help translating.”

Blinking, N glanced at his partner, receiving only an encouraging nod. With a nod of his own, he faced the man. “Of course, I’m happy to help. What appears to be the issue?”

“There’s just something off about how one of my Pokemon has been handling the departure of a friend.” The man said, leading N past the police station and towards the empty car lot behind it. As soon as they were around the corner, the man coughed. “Your departure, your majesty.” He turned, opening his coat to reveal a Team Plasma emblem. “I and my partners are here to help you come home, sire.”

“... No, I don’t believe I will be,” N replied, backing away as he looked back towards the police station, “I have too much to discover on my own, on my ‘journey’, if you will.”

“Regent Ghetsis has been very worried. When we heard you were in the area on our deployment, we decided to come and get you,” The man explained, a Banette rising from his shadow to float alongside.

<<Gotta say, prince, you’ve caused a lot of trouble getting lost like this. I approve!>> Banette cackled. <<Not as much trouble as we’ve caused, of course. But you’ll be straying into ‘naughty’ territory soon, if you stay away much longer.>>

N took a step back. “I said I am not ready to go– wait, what do you mean, on deployment? Why were you here?”

<<N, don’t look, but another one just dropped off the roof behind you.>> Zorua growled.

“That, my prince, is something you can discuss with your father.” The man said, then looked past N with a scowl. “Inconvenient.”

--(0)--

Rin scrambled up the fire escape, looking up at Sakura as her little sister took the stairs two at a time. “As the older sibling, it’s really unfair you’re more fit than I am, Sakura,” she said, chest heaving slightly from exertion. “Agate, why couldn’t you find someone for us to talk to closer to the ground?”

“Well I’m sorry princess, maybe you should actually follow the exercise regimen your sister and I suggested for you in the future!” Agate snapped back, rolling her eyes theatrically. Given that this had been a recurring argument, the Espeon was being remarkably kind in not rubbing it in her trainer’s face even more.

“I… suppose I may have stepped a day. Or two. A week. There’s just so much to research!” Rin espoused, clambering up to join her sister on the landing. Sakura was carefully knocking on the window, only to jerk as Ren slid it open, letting the girls and their team slide into a well-appointed but dark apartment. A pair of men waited inside, both with salt-and-pepper hair. “It’s not like I don’t get plenty of exercise walking everywhere,” Rin huffed as she slipped in at the back of the group.

“You’ll want to keep up proper exercises if you’re serious about battling, young lady,” The first man said, his green eyes serious. “You’ll want a strong body and strong spirit should you go into a tournament with strong bonds with your team.”

“Are you talking about the “White Out” phenomena?” Sakura asked with a frown, “Isn’t that something that can’t really happen anymore since a few generations of Pokeballs ago, when they figured out how to create a stasis effect without drawing on someone’s aura?”

“It’s not supposed to,” the man said. “But there’s always a strong enough shock… And of course, even without that, you may need to keep up with your team in a crisis.” He eyed Rin. “Your sister seems fit, though. You’re just at another level, young miss.”

Sakura blushed, no small amount of joy in her voice as she replied, “Ah, thank you.”

Rin smiled at her sister’s happiness before turning back to the men. “Ren passed to us that you might know something about the Reapers. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us.”

“It’s not pleasant to turn on old friends,” the second man admitted, crossing his arms with hooded eyes as he leaned back, taking a draw from an e-cigarette. “But at this point, there’s precious little of the gang I used to run with left.” He moved over to the other room, the windows pointing across at another brick building. “Over that way, the next block. Above the Zebstrika-Klean Laundromat, there’s a two-story bar. It was just a meeting place for the Reapers, way back when, but the gang’s fallen back to that building and the basement underneath since their base in the old Harbormaster’s Office were hit. Back when this all started,” he muttered, taking another drag.

“They were hit? The former Reaper’s leader was killed in that office?” Sakura asked.

“Hmm? No, that happened months ago, I mean this war.” The man turned back, gesturing with his cigarette. “Three days ago, someone went through the office after dark, killed the local head, the quartermaster, and made off with his ledger. At the same time, a fire broke out which wrecked the storage facilities of the Wild Men, and an explosion wrecked the Distinguished Funk.”

Sakura tilted her head. “Ah…”

“The Funk was one of the Uptown Men’s most profitable casino boats,” The other man interjected.

“Someone wanted this war to happen,” Rin muttered, glaring a hole in the wall. “And I have a feeling that N knows more about it than he thinks he does.” She whipped out her device. “This is something Captain Bles needs to know. If there’s saboteurs in town, they might try to block the police response.”

The device connected immediately, and the captain looked back at her with wary eyes. “Rin, I’m hoping you didn’t rush to find the next facility. Take your time.”

“We got a lead on the next base, but we can’t confirm it yet. But someone here, with a finger on the pulse of the gangs, said that all three of them suffered a major attack several days ago. Someone who wanted to break the tension, and someone who might be involved with our friend.” She caught her breath. “Can you go check on him?”

“He was outside last I saw him, helping with the medical division.” Bles’ image moved as she stated walking. “We knew the Uptown Men had lost the Distinguished Funk three days ago, which we assumed started the incident. But you’re saying all three gangs suffered losses?”

“Yes, one lost product, the other lost their paymaster,” Rin elaborated.

“I see.” The background of Bles’ screen brightened as she stepped outside, her eyes leaving the screen to scan the area. “He’s not here, but I hear…” Bles walked a few more meters, then pursed her lips. “I’ll call you back soon. Do not go anywhere.” The call cut out.

--(0)--

“Inconvenient,” the Plasma agent hissed, looking Bles in the eyes.

“I suppose you are the saboteurs who’ve been active here in Canalave?” Bles asked blandly, gaze darting between the boy ready to fight, the men standing before and behind him, and a third man perched on the roof, one dressed in nondescript clothes, the other two in painfully obvious assassin gear. “Assassination, theft, sabotage, arson. And now you’re attempting to add kidnapping to the list.”

Bles couldn’t fault their responsiveness– the one on the roof did a spinning leap, his foot smashing into her raised arm, reinforced leather meeting her rock-solid defense. As the man rebounded off, Bles was forced to block a torso strike from the second man before her Pokeballs snapped open. Within seconds, Aegislash had intercepted a thrown dagger, while Lucario and Escavalier spread out around her.

The third member of the team, who was still blocking N from running, spoke up as his partners circled, an Accelgor and a Bisharp joining them. Her Kingambit immediatly sprang from his Pokeball, looking forward to intimidate his smaller kin. “We were targeting criminals, officer. Doing your job for you, if you will.”

“Premeditated murder isn’t justice,” Bles commented blandly, a Tinkaton intercepting another thrown dagger as she stepped forward towards the assassins. Evading another, with a casualness that was designed to unnerve, she frowned, releasing her final Pokemon; a Archaludon. “Now. Are you going to let the poor lad go? Or are you going to add ‘resisting arrest’ and ‘kidnapping’ to your already shockingly long list of charges?”

Eyes darting back and forth as the team of intimidating steel-types drove his allies back, the rearguard slashed his arm. “Banette-” His instant of inattention caused N’s furry partner to leap into the air, a blast of darkness striking his partner. As Banette fell back in pain, N bolted back towards the captain, the interception of his flight blocked as Tinkaton and Lucario darted in to block his pursuers. The leader of the shadow triad scowled. “We did not come equipped to face you. Your highness, remember your promise– your father will see you soon.” With a flash, all three men and their teams vanished.

“...I rather thought they’d fight,” Bles said, slightly disappointed. She looked back at N, stooping slightly to look him in the eyes. “Are you alright? Those men knew you, but you didn’t seem to really know them. And they were calling you a prince?”

“... I’d rather not talk about that right now,” N quietly muttered, hands shaking as he did his utmost to calm himself down, “I’m starting to realize that Sakura and Rin were right to call the people who raised me cultists, even if I don’t think they’re aware I eavesdropped on them for that particular conversation.”

“...this group wouldn’t happen to call itself something beginning with ‘Team’ would it?” At N’s hesitant nod, Bles straightened, half her team facepalming as their trainer massaged the bridge of her nose. “Fucking hell… it’s a good thing the League is already on their way, because that’s… horrible news.” She opened her device, calling Sakura back. “Miss Juniper, I believe you were right about the activities of N’s… associates,” she said, lacking a better word. “He and I just had an encounter with three urban ninjas who were looking to retrieve their ‘prince’.”

“Is N alright?”

“I am shaken, but not…” N trailed off, both his pokemon wrapping him in hugs. “I need to think.”

“So do we.” Bles pursed her lips. “Let me know when you find the Reaper base. We’ll need to talk more after that. In fact, come on back once you’re done out in the field.”

--(0)--

Sakura nodded. “Understood. Thank you for keeping N safe, Captain.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve had to help out kids when their parents are being intransient or criminal. Unfortunately, it’s likely to continue being part of my job,” Bles said slowly. “Stay safe yourself.”

“We will.” Sakura looked up as her device shut off, Rin and the two gentlemen watching anxiously. “N is fine, so far as I heard.”

Eyes flinty, Rin nodded. “Good. That means we can focus on exterminating the problem.”

“One thing at a time, lass. Gang war first; then we can start dealing with this cult.” Gordon advised.

“She’s right, though the thought that there's a Team rising in Unova is not a pleasant thought.” The ex-Reaper in the room rumbled. “The perfect time for it, with Addled Alder on the throne right now.”

Sakura peeked out the window. “We still need to get over to the laundromat and check it out, make certain the Reapers are there. These buildings are too high to hop across the roofs of, though. Any ideas, Nee-san?”

“Gallade, can you coordinate teleport?” Rin asked their borrowed Pokemon severely, staring the mon down with hard eyes.

“Not my specialty, but I can coordinate with Elgyem and your Agate.” The evolved pokemon saluted. “What are you planning? Cross-rooftop hops?”

“Not what I meant, but on second thought, that’ll work better than what I had in mind, and take less energy overall,” Rin answered, nodding firmly, “Roof to Roof works, and especially given the status of Castellia, it's likely to not attract all too much attention.”

“Understood. Heading up now.” Elgyem emerged from his ball and floated out the window, tapping Gallade on the head on his way past.

As they waited, Rin turned to the two men who’d given them advice. “Thank you for the guidance. Is there anything else we should know?”

“Nothing in particular. But do be cautious, young lady,” the sharply-dressed gentleman advised. “You’re doing the right thing, but it’s not a safe thing.”

“We’re well aware,” Sakura murmured, before her attention was drawn back to Gallade. She quickly returned Ren before the psychic-type began to speak.

“...right, Elgyem’s on the roof of the building across from the laundromat. Everyone gather together– linking hands would make it easier,” Gallade advised as Agate hopped over to sit on his feet. As soon as everyone gathered together, he clapped his hands, eyes glowing in sync with Agate’s own. “Dislocating–”

With a dull flash, the group found themselves out of the shadowed apartment, now under the light of the descending sun. Peering over the rooftop, the group blinked to see a small horde of men wearing Reaper colors swarming out of the building, heading towards a trio of black vehicles which were in turn digorging a dozen men in suits.

“Well, there seem to be a lot of Reapers hiding out here, one way or another,” Agate murmured. “Not proof there’s a base here, but worth investigating. One of us could go in solo…”

“Absolutely not.” Rin shook her head. “Libra and Other, however, can probably jointly enter and covertly see if it is.”

“I’m happy to take a look. What in particular are we looking for? In terms of evidence, that is.” Libra asked.

“Just something to prove it’s a base for the Reapers. Gang marks, ledgers, if you see an unattended transceiver, grab it,” Rin instructed. “Try not to leave any evidence of your presence; we don’t want them running off.”

Sakura looked Other in the eyes. “...resist the urge to leave booby traps behind,” she said simply. “And stay safe.”

“... Got it. We’ll stay as quiet as we can, Sakura.” The Variant Zorua responded with a sharp nod of her head, “Wouldn’t want to worry you after all, Prime.”

Gallade and Agate looked down, eyes glowing. “We’ll warp you on top of the building, you’ll have to make your way down from the roof yourself.”

“Understood.” Libra snapped off a salute, her glow flickering. “Between Other’s stealth and my hypnosis, we should have no trouble.”

“Here’s hoping. Good luck.” Rin said, seconds before the two ghosts found themselves elsewhere. Looking at each other briefly, they quickly dropped through the roof, phasing down through the walls until they found themselves looking at a large room filled with cots and beds. Men laid on the mattresses in obvious pain, many of them shifting uncomfortably in their sleep with bandages and poultices stained red or black.

Other peered upward, probing her link to her other half. “I think we’re on the right levels, but at least this room’s more like a little field hospital. I guess gang members can’t go use Pokemon Centers.” 

“That’s a good sign,” Sakura sent back with some trepidation.

“I’ve got a few gang tags on the wall. I think we have confirmation of what we need, Other. We can leave now,” Libra added, frowning towards the graffiti on the wall. The top of her lamp popped open, a small camera emerging to take a few pictures.

“...fine.” Other agreed. “No fun, I suppose.” Both of the ghost types faded back into the walls, ascending back to the roof and teleporting back with a flash.

Rin looked over the pictures with a smile. “Much better.” She said, hardly disturbed by the blood visible in the shots. “I think this is proof enough for the Captain.”

“It’ll tire us out, but if we’re just ending the day, I think we can warp everyone back home,” Agate told the group. “Any objections?”

“None.” Rin replied, only managing to sound out the words before they were swept away in a pink flash.