Marsaili sat in a spacious, outdoor training ground in the snowy Algus territory, surrounded by numerous other Pokémon. Her eyes were focused squarely on the figure overseeing them, cloaked in magenta robes with her head tilted down. The cold annoyed Marsaili, but personal comfortable was a necessary sacrifice to learn from the master before her.

The cloaked figure raised their hand, a single action that made the Pokémon hold their breaths in anticipation. Marsaili itched with excitement, having heard nothing but impossible wisdom and skill from the cloaked woman. Her skills were legendary among the criminal world, and Marsaili was one of the lucky few worthy of learning her fighting style.

Finally, the master spoke.

"The Ground Dance Art is a balance of grace and destruction. Enhancing the essence of the body and improving the power of our strikes. I have spent years perfecting the full scope of my abilities. I have mastered this style, and I have ascended beyond the earth itself. Though you may not find enlightenment as I have, you will master the earth and become a force to be reckoned with. From the weakest to the strongest, I will turn you into true battlers."

"We are ready, Master!" the Pokémon roared readily.

The cloaked master nodded in approval. "Good. You are all bound by a commonality. This commonality allows you to ascend beyond the weak and wretched. The power you all possess will be pushed to its utmost limits, and you will experience the world through my eyes." The master rose and bowed to them. "Let us begin."

"Yes, Master Harriet!"

Marsaili felt a grin stretching across her face. Her time to shine would come soon enough. No one will stand in her way knowing she was trained under the most wanted woman in all of Virdis: Spring-Loaded Harriet.


"Where the hell are you?!" Jet yelled, swiping viciously at the air and bearing a gritted snarl. "Show yourself, you coward!" He slashed the ground repeatedly, perhaps as an intimidation tactic. "You came here for the bounty, right? Well, come and get me!"

Marsaili hung off the Oshawott's fur, both annoyed and unnerved by his erratic screaming. A part of her wished she was dealing with his Maractus acquaintance, but it couldn't be helped now. This one was far more volatile not to finish off immediately. Thankfully, given her current scale, victory was in the bag.

I've heard rumors of swordsmen who could strike a bullet after it's fired from the chamber, Marsaili thought to herself. Though they are recent weapons of the decade, many Pokémon are finding new ways to counter them. Bullets, small little projectiles fired at sonic speeds capable of piercing the flesh. I was quite fascinated by them, thus the origin of my name.

She swung off Jet's hairs, then skipped along a row like a disconnected bridge. She climbed up to the top of his head, getting a nice view of his rampage. Look at him. How unprofessional can you get? This is one of the great Foresters? He's nothing more than a hyper aggressive runt. How the hell did you lose to this lunatic, Marlo?

Marsaili jumped off Jet's head and pulled her fist back, channeling immense power through it as it glowed a bright white. She pulled some marbles from her jacket, gently tossing them up in her free hand.

This just proves my superiority to the likes of common scum. Once I get that bounty, I'll be able to retire comfortably. I'll be able to mingle among the upper class and live as I was destined. She smirked deviously. Even if I have to break a few necks to get there.

She tossed one marble up. The separation from her person caused the marble to instantly expand back to its normal size. She pressed her feet against the resized marble and squatted against it.

Now to use everything Spring-Loaded Harriet taught me. I'll use my Minimize to increase this fighting style's full potential. It doesn't matter I haven't completed my training. At this size, I'm unstoppable.

"I said show yourself, dammit!" Jet yelled. His ears twitched from a sound behind him, like a tiny burst of air. He turned and spotted a marble landing in the dirt. He blinked at it perplexingly. "Wha—"

Bounce.

An invisible force slammed into Jet's neck. He flew off his feet and crashed hard into a building, breaking a window with his head. He collapsed, dropping his scalchop, and coughed violently as he massaged his neck. "What the hell?!"

And Focus Punch.

Marsaili, after gently floating to the ground, bounced towards Jet and nestled back into his fur for safety. She lay in the hairs like a hammock while gently massaging her fist.

As the rumors go, Spring-Loaded Harriet's Ground Dance Art is a martial art she designed that focuses on ricocheting off surfaces. Primary focus is on the legs, requiring the necessary footholds to launch oneself. She crossed her arms behind her head and lay back. I can't do much ricocheting like her, but I can make up for that with my Focus Punch and other tricks. I can replicate the power of a bullet at this size. You're lucky I can't pierce the skin in one shot, Forester, otherwise you'd be dead by now. But thanks to my Minimize, all the damage I deliver is centered on a single spot.

She snickered quietly to herself. She sought out the mysterious Harriet for that reason alone. She figured if she could move fast enough at her small size, she could turn herself into an unforeseen projectile that slowly, but effectively destroys her targets. Focus Punch was a risky investment given its focus requirement, but her stature practically eliminated that problem.

That's why they call me Pearl Bullet Marsaili out here…well, at least the one's lucky enough to get away. She glared as Jet reached towards his neck. She jumped back and bounced around his hairs as he scratched the area. Guess he hasn't taken notice yet. That's good.

She landed back on top of his head and cracked her knuckles. I could wear him out now and be done with it, or I could have some fun. I'm too small to hit. Even if he tried to, I can easily change my trajectory in midair. Besides, that other Forester is probably running herself ragged looking for whoever I poisoned. I could've poisoned all the soup, but the threat of a single child dying was too great an opportunity. The stress will drive her nuts not knowing who got that tainted soup.

Marsaili hopped into the air, resized another marble, and careened straight down on Jet's scalp with Double Slap. Jet's face slammed down and cracked the road. She gripped onto his hairs as he turned and swung his fists angrily, screaming some obscene language that would make the elderly faint.

Marsaili suppressed her giggles as to stay quiet. Too easy. You hotblooded types are way too much fun. Thinking with your fists and not your brain. She crossed her arms. Once I finish off your partner, I can start my search for Harlow. It's been a long while, but she could still be recovering from her skirmish with Amos. Granted, I can't guarantee I'll find her by the time she recovers.

She narrowed her eyes seriously and reached inside her vest, pulling out a bundle of neatly folded wanted posters. The first of the bundle was the crude drawing of Harlow, the psychotic Buneary as she has heard.

I wonder what her story is. I've heard of some crazy crooks, but none as bonkers as this one. You find the straight crazies, the regular crazies, or the sane guys. She pulled out a few more posters that had detailed sketches of a Pikachu, Nuzleaf, Abra, and many more. She even had one of the Oshawott she was standing on.

Loyal Soldier Jet, eh? This is what you classify as a soldier? Military standards have gone downhill. Marsaili narrowed her eyes. All of them are incredibly dangerous in their own right, otherwise the kingdoms wouldn't be staking such high bounties for their capture. But why does this guy have a higher bounty than the Executioner? I've heard of the atrocities he caused, but nothing on this rube.

She shuffled more through the bounties when one she pulled out tore in her hand. She blinked for a moment in surprise, then gently felt the paper. It was damp. Actually, all the posters felt damp all of a sudden. She gasped as the ink started running off the posters and withered in her hands, reducing to soggy mush.

What the hell? Am I so small that the humidity is soaking the posters?

"I found you, bitch!" Marsaili gasped as a hand grazed across the forest of white and scooped her up before she could flee. The hand clutched her tightly, squeezing a cry of pain from her. When she opened her eyes, she came face-to-face with Jet who snarled like a beast. "So, that's what's been going on."

Marsaili gasped and tried to pull herself out of his grip. "How did you—"

"Ever since that weird encounter on the road earlier," Jet explained darkly, "I've had this bothersome itch that kept moving around. Popping up all around me almost randomly. It seemed to go away when you showed yourself, then it came back when I lost track of you. Seemed like a stretch for a moment, but what if that itch was actually some tiny creature roaming around on me like uncharted territory?"

Marsaili bared her teeth. "You…!"

"So, you can use Minimize, huh?" Jet squeezed harder, forcing another scream out of Marsaili. "Very rare for a Wigglytuff to know that move. Guess that's why your little secret isn't public knowledge, though the nickname makes much more sense now."

Marsaili growled, trying to mask the panic building inside. What the hell? I can understand the itching giving me away, but how did he know exactly where I was on him? And why did those posters dissolve out of my hands?

Jet opened his mouth as a cold mist seeped out. "I'm putting you on ice until I turn you in."

Marsaili quickly reached inside her vest. Like hell I'm giving up just because the jig is up! Undoing Minimize!

Jet felt the Wigglytuff suddenly expand out of his grip and barely dodged the surprise dagger. It slashed his cheek with a thin line of blood poking out. He jumped back a few times and raised his Razor Shell in defense while Marsaili massaged her stomach.

"Agh, that hurts," she groaned. She bared her teeth at the Oshawott and yelled, "Has anyone ever taught you how to treat a lady!"

Jet glared. "Lady? Tch. Man, woman, or child, I'll cut you all down the same."

Marsaili had to laugh at his response. "You're funny. Whatever happened to good ol' chivalry?"

"I assure you, I'm the wrong person to be discussing that stupid mentality." Jet's eyes gleamed with newfound focus, the rage in his eyes swirling with control now. "Surrender, or I'll destroy you."

Marsaili scoffed. "I was hoping to avoid a straightforward fight, but you aren't leaving me much choice."

"Don't rush yourself on my account." Jet launched forward with Aqua Jet whilst aiming his Razor Shell forward.

Marsaili crouched down and sprung backwards with Bounce. She landed against a building and immediately sprung to the other side of the street. Jet was taken aback by the speed she moved between opposing buildings. Though it was not as fast as her Minimize state, the speed she moved was nearly a blur.

Speedy bouncing?

Marsaili touched the walls and sprang off again, ricocheting off the surrounding buildings like a super bouncy ball. Jet hovered in his Aqua Jet, carefully watching and analyzing Marsaili's movements.

Don't tell me she was trained under…

Jet casted the thought aside and raised his Razor Shell. "Doesn't matter. Her movements are fast, but sluggish compared to mine." He climbed the air and torpedoed into Marsaili's direct path.

Marsaili grinned. "See ya!" She suddenly vanished, shrinking down to the size of a bullet.

Now that Jet knew the trick, he was better prepared to keep track of her. However, he couldn't land a direct hit on the Wigglytuff now that she had less surface area to strike. She practically surfed along the face of his Razor Shell before riding along the winds.

She used a marble to get some speed going before. She must not be able to cover as much ground at that size. She's making up for her weaknesses. He gritted his teeth, cancelled Razor Shell, and aimed his scalchop in her direction. "Hydro Pump!" Like a gun, he fired a stream of water from the shell.

Marsaili flicked a marble up, resized it, and kicked herself straight down. Jet predicted her movements and traced her movements with the Hydro Pump. Marsaili kept skipping through the air with marbles, each burst accompanied with a tiny crackle of air. She gripped tightly to her hat and glared up at the hovering Oshawott.

"He's vigilant, I'll give him that. Stockpile!" She inhaled some air and expanded her body. "Resize!" She retook her standard form and let the Hydro Pump hit. It slammed her into the dirt, turning it to mud.

Jet cancelled and dove straight down on her. Marsaili, at the last second, shrunk herself into the mud. Jet landed and sprayed mud on impact, then immediately fired on the spot with Hydro Pump.

"She's quick," he commented. "It takes a lot of dedication to become that small in one go." He heard a crack of air and whipped out his Razor Shell. He swung and strung a tiny, but impactful force clash with the blade. A spark of white light shimmered against the edge.

Marsaili pushed back on the water blade with Focus Punch through gritted teeth. "Not bad! You're an experienced fighter. You've got that look in your eye. What have you been through out here?"

Jet growled. "Hell."

"We've all been to Hell, boy!" She pushed off and used another marble to launch herself back at Jet.

"You skimmed the walls." He swung once more and pushed against her Double Slap. "I lived it."

Marsaili smirked. "What melodrama. Allow me to teach you what a true bandit can do!" Marsaili bounced off and began flickering around Jet like an annoying fly.

Jet watched her movements, then swung accordingly to her attacks. White sparks danced through the air as Jet battled the tiny fighter, deflecting her blow for blow with timely precision. However, as much as he tried, he couldn't hit back hard enough to deal the finishing blow. Marsaili's punches dealt just enough force to match his swings.

I'm almost certain she's using Focus Punch, but how is she charging it so fast? Jet pondered for a moment. She must be using a weaker variant, combining it with another move to make up for the lack of power. As long as I keep this up, I won't have to worry about any more of those strong blows.

Indeed, as Marsaili met Jet's blade, she was using weaker Focus Punches with her Double Slaps, generating enough force to make up for her tiny size. Along with Stockpile, the force dealt to her was minimized, for lack of a better term. Try as Jet might, simply smacking her out of the air won't stop her.

One final blow with Jet sent the Wigglytuff flying up. She held onto her hat, grinning cheekily. "This is actually kind of fun. I would prefer if you dropped dead, but I guess playing with my food's not much of a problem. You can't do anything to me at this size, anyway." She chuckled and reached inside her vest. "But me? I have more than just focused strength. Catch!" She flung several bombs out of her vest, causing them to resize to normal.

Jet jumped back and covered his face as the bombs exploded with considered range. Streams of fire sprayed over the street, hitting some of the nearby buildings as well.

Jet smelled alcohol among the flames. You've got to be kidding me. She'll set the damn street on fire like this! He aimed his scalchop and sprayed down the buildings with Hydro Pump.

Marsaili used the distraction to dart down, charging a Focus Punch. You noble types are so predictable. Putting the weak and helpless above the objective. It's pathetic!

She came down on his head, deactivating Minimize, and struck down on his head at full force. Jet cried out in pain, lost his footing, and slammed face-first into the road. The ground cracked under him while Marsaili kept digging her fist into his head.

She chuckled giddily. "So, what was that about being raised in—" Without warning, Jet swung his arm backwards and punched her between the eyes. The blow took her off guard and threw her into a shop window, breaking the glass.

Jet pulled his face out of the ground and wiped the blood trickling from his nose. He grimaced and clutched his shoulder. When he swung it around, he bent it too far and dislocated his arm a bit. "Shit…"

Marsaili crumbled to the ground and covered her bleeding nostrils. She snarled furiously. "You bastard! You let me hit you on purpose, didn't you?!"

Jet stood up and forced his shoulder back into place. He sneered. "That punch felt different than the last one you dealt. I realized you went full size to punch me, so I reacted accordingly."

Marsaili stood up and reluctantly wiped her blood onto her vest. "You even dislocated your own arm to hit me from behind!"

Jet smirked. "I don't half-ass anything in a fight. I'll break my own bones to destroy the enemy." After massaging his shoulder, he picked up his scalchop and raised it with a steady grip and everything. "I suppose I should start treating you like a credible threat."

Marsaili huffed. "Cheeky boy." She pulled out her dagger and held it in a reverse grip. "I was thinking the same thing."


"Poison, poison, poison…" Zephora kept muttering under her breath as she hurriedly bounced past the houses on their delivery route. What was she looking for? Screaming parents, worried chatter, the sound of someone coughing up their organs; anything that sounded particular death related. "I swear, if any perfectly good organs are ruined, I'll—"

"Dorothy?! Dorothy, are you okay?!"

Zephora came to a dead stop and located the sound coming from one of the houses. "Hmm, frantic screaming. Yep, found our arsenic victim."

With the courtesy of a drunken Rhyhorn, Zephora causally threw herself into the door and knocked it off its hinges, scaring the residents. Zephora identified the scene, spotting the ailing Electrike on the couch and her two Manectric parents hovering over her. The small dog squirmed and groaned, clutching at her stomach. Zephora saw the bowl of empty soup overturned and spilt over the floor.

Zephora glared at the parents. "You two didn't eat the soup, right?"

They trembled at the knees, but managed to answer. "J-Just our daughter," the father stated.

"Oh Arceus, Dorothy!" the mother cried, tears streaming down her face. "What happened to her?!"

"Rest assured, this will be cleared up soon." Zephora picked up the bowl and dipped her finger into the little bit of liquid left and the big splotch on the floor. She narrowed her eyes. "Takes around a half hour for signs to start showing. Judging by the size of the bottle and the child's reaction…yeah, she definitely had a full bottle of arsenic."

"Arsenic?!" the parents screamed.

Zephora crossed her arms. "Yes, and what a terrible way to go. Personally, I find poison to not only be a painful way to die, it's just disrespectful to the dead. How do expect to preserve a body if you go and speed up the rotting process—"

"Our daughter is dying!" the father screamed hysterically.

Zephora grimaced to his tone and pushed his face away. "Yes, yes, I'm not blind, though I'm probably deaf now." She looked over the ailing child and sighed. "What a mess. I'm just glad she had the full dose. It would be a pain having to treat multiple people."

The mother was growing irate. "How can you stand there and prattle away so callously in front of our daughter?!"

Zephora glared over her shoulder. "Oh? And is screaming at me some alternative method of healing?" The mother gasped, then trembled away with more tears running down her face. Zephora huffed a sigh and looked down at the Electrike. "I've seen it all, so forgive my dismissive attitude towards the suffering. It's nothing new and, quite frankly, mundane." She glared. "But I hate suffering more than anything."

Zephora hovered a finger over Dorothy, then began striking precise points on her body. The parents froze, wondering what the cactus was doing, then gasped as their daughter's heavy panting began to lessen. Air flowed more freely with each breath.

"Acupressure, a move used to raise the battle power of anyone I please. I gave your daughter a small boost to heighten her vitality. That should ease up the pain. Now, here's where the fun part starts. How much water do you have in stock?"

Though confused, the father replied, "Several gallons. Enough to last a month."

"Get as much as you can for Dorothy." Zephora raised her arms and snipped the air with her needle-like fingers. "This is going to be a lengthy process." She drove her needles into Dorothy, which scared her parents. Dorothy barely felt anything. "Giga Drain. Leech Seed."

Zephora's body glowed in a green aura while vines grew out of her body. The vines connected and carefully dug under Dorothy's skin. The sight disturbed the Manectric couple, seeing the roots burrowing and moving under Dorothy's skin. They were taken aback as Dorothy started to rapidly dehydrate.

"W-What are you—" the father tried to speak up only to be cut off by Zephora.

"How about you save your questions for later and make with the water, unless you want me to mummify your daughter." Zephora grimaced a bit. "I'm searching her body for foreign contaminants. I'm drawing them out with the water, meaning she needs water now."

Getting the message, the father ran off to fetch some water. The mother approached Zephora's side and asked, "Is there anything I can—"

"Make sure she doesn't overheat," Zephora stated. "Dehydration can lead to heat related injury without the body's water content." Zephora closed her eyes. "I promise, I won't let her die. I don't want to live in a world where people suffer before death. Everyone deserves a natural death."

The mother obeyed and went to fetch a cold cloth. Zephora casted a glance out the window in the direction of where she left Jet. Something about this whole mess is rubbing me the wrong way. I can't put my finger on it, though.


Jet and Marsaili swung at each other, clashing and parrying one another's weapons. Jet deflected the dagger and swung his fist, but Marsaili shrunk herself to half size, dodging the punch and countering with a rising uppercut. Jet tanked the punch and recklessly rammed his forehead into hers.

"Gah!" Marsaili stumbled back, massaging her forehead, but left herself open for a heavy punch in the face. She skidded across her back, tearing through her vest. She covered the red mark and growled. "You son of a—"

Jet fired out his wire cable and smacked Marsaili across the cheek with the metal tip. It broke the skin with a lot of blood shooting out. Marsaili cried out in pain and covered the bleeding mark. Jet then launched forward with Aqua Jet and slashed her with Razor Shell, knocking her farther down the street.

Marsaili tumbled into a roll and landed onto her feet. She snarled furiously. "You brute! You fiend!"

Jet swiped his Razor Shell down intimidatingly. "Didn't I warn you? No matter the obstacle, I will destroy you."

Marsaili grinded her teeth together. "Don't act smug. Just because you're physically stronger doesn't me you—" Jet sped into her and rammed his fist into her stomach, cutting her off. A desperate wheeze escaped her mouth as she doubled over.

Jet sneered. "You really need to shut up." He lifted Razor Shell over her head.

A smirk appeared on Marsaili's lips. Before Jet could question it, Marsaili whipped a small bag out from her vest and slapped it across Jet's face, releasing a cloud of red sand in his eyes.

"Agh!" Jet staggered away and covered his face. "Shit!"

Marsaili stood up and laughed. "Not so funny now, is it?"

"You bitch!" Jet swung Razor Shell, but Marsaili casually sidestepped and punched him in the gut with a weak Focus Punch. Jet spat blood and fell onto his knees.

"Didn't you say you were going to start treating me like a threat? Is this really your best or are you still holding back?" Marsaili stepped back right as Jet swung his blade. "It's like watching a starving child desperately doing everything he can to get his next meal. Nothing but an uncivilized, wild creature."

Jet resisted the urge to wipe his stinging eyes and simply stood up in a defensive stance. "You want to see me uncivilized? I can grant that request."

Marsaili smirked as she wiped off the blood from her face. She lit up both her fists with the Double Slap/Focus Punch combo. "Then I'll do the same. Bounce!" She sprung toward Jet with a battle cry.

Jet swung Razor Shell forward, but heard the unmistakable sound of Minimize activating. Though blinded, he took off running down the street to get some distance. If she stays at that size, her attacks will be more concentrated, but she won't be able to move around as far. He started up Aqua Jet. I rather avoid making the fight unnecessarily violent, but she's tempting me.

Suddenly, a powerful force impacted his face and threw him backwards. Immediately afterwards, the same force drove into his back and sent him skyward. Jet bared his teeth in pain as his spine creaked and ached.

She's moving faster?! No, wait. If she managed to hit me twice in a row that fast, that means—

Jet activated Aqua Jet and quickly ran his hands through his fur. He felt something jump off his scalp. He turned and fired Hydro Pump at the barely visible Wigglytuff. She skidded across the surface of the Hydro Pump and surfed towards him.

"Best part about being at this size? I can move on water no different than a Surskit!" She leaped off the water, dove through the Aqua Jet veil, and struck Jet with Focus Punch.

Jet lost his concentration and fell out of the sky. "Ice Beam!" He aimed his scalchop and fired the cold beam, but his aim strayed to the left and missed completely. He crashed and tumbled into the ground, but rolled to his feet.

Marsaili freefell like a speck of dust, snickering openly. "Seriously? Are you strong or what? You're hardly worth the trouble." She doubted she could hear him from so high up at her size, but she believed her taunt was felt as Jet shot her a furious glare.

"I could end you in one shot," he threatened.

Marsaili smirked. Oh, how bold! Such arrogance~!

Jet raised his scalchop and activated Razor Shell once again. He held the blade before his face, glaring at the Wigglytuff speck. "You're allowed to pull off your technique because I allow it. I'll crush you to dust."

Marsaili resized a marble and bounced toward Jet. He really has gone mad. What a joke. Thinking he can combat me at this size.

Jet's gaze narrowed deeply. At that size, you're much more susceptible to the natural elements. I doubt you want to deal with the cold. "Hydro Pump, Ice Beam!" He slammed his scalchop down and released a voluminous mist around himself.

Marsaili straightened herself and slowed down as she entered the mist. "Stockpile." As a precaution, she inhaled some air and increased her defenses once more. What is this? Is he trying to lower my visibility or—

Her ears twitched to creaking sounds coming off her body. Looking down, she gasped as sheets of ice formed over her clothes and body, rapidly restricting her movements.

Th-This mist! Super cold moisture! It's freezing m-m-me solid! At her current size, too, the freezing process occurred much faster. Got to resize now!

She quickly undid Minimize, breaking the ice from her body. She inflated her body and hovered up to escape the mist. Her ears twitched again as something flying from the dense mist. A partially frozen Aqua Jet rammed her stomach, expelling the air she sucked up, and guided her back toward the ground.

"Razor Shell!"

Marsaili gasped as Jet broke from his Aqua Jet and slashed her three times in a second. He landed, spun around, and kicked Marsaili before she touched the ground, knocking her across the ground. She pulled out her dagger and dug it down to stop herself, then kicked off the ground with Bounce.

"Take this!" She activated Double Slap/Focus Punch and threw her punches. Jet deflected them with Razor Shell and dropped his elbow down on her head. The blow left her partially dazed as she slammed into the dirt. She tried to stand, but Jet grabbed her by the vest, reared her up, and headbutted her in the forehead. "Gah!" she cried.

"Ice Beam!" He channeled the cold energy through his scalchop.

"Minimize!" Marsaili shrunk out of his grasp, leaving behind a few explosives in her place.

Jet covered himself as the resulting blast through him out of the cold mist. He tumbled, but caught himself on his feet. However, Marsaili didn't let up, sailing out of the mist and delivering her dual punch attack to Jet's chest. Jet endured the blow, baring his teeth tightly, and swiped at her. Marsaili kicked off his chest, then his wrist, and barreled into his chin, flipping him off his feet.

"Little Fury Barrage!" Marsaili threw several weak Focus Punches at Jet, who managed to block with his arm. The tiny fists racked up increasingly with the sleeve tearing off his arm and his grappler receiving new dents.

Jet fired the grappler into a building and reeled himself away from Marsaili, but she grabbed the end of his jacket and sailed after him. Jet growled. "Alright, you asked for it! Razor Shell!"

Marsaili tensed as she saw his beloved scalchop light up in a blue aura, but no blade extended from it. She blinked in confusion before smirking. "What's this? Have you finally exhausted your energy?" She powered another Focus Punch. "I still got plenty left in me!"

Jet bared his teeth and tanked the punch into his side. He reached the end of the grappler and slammed into the building. Marsaili used the momentum to fly into Jet and rapidly punch his face. Jet raised his arms defensively, letting them take the brunt of her attack. He could feel the skin breaking and bruising as he held up against her attack for a minute.

Marsaili jumped high over Jet and focused on charging a full power Focus Punch. "You Foresters really are a joke. What's so special about you? You're nothing more than thieves like me. The only difference is that I can hold my own in a fight while you need to rely on each other." Marsaili smirked. "You can't survive out here unless you're tough."

Jet heard her squeaky chatter and directed a dark gaze up at her. His silence annoyed Marsaili a bit. Even in defeat, he still looked smug.

"Now to really send you flying! Take—" A sudden jolt of pain exploded from her hands. "Huh?"

She turned to her white glowing fist and gasped a blood spurted out from it. She cancelled the attack and gripped her wrist. Multiple cuts were on her hand, both of them. Blood drizzled out of them, running down her arms. She gawked in horror at them. She tried to rub them on her vest, but the cuts stung from irritation.

Where did all these cuts come from?!

"I have to apologize." Marsaili gasped as Jet rose to his feet and dusted his shoulders. He looked as if his injuries didn't bother him. No matter how much punishment she delivered, he kept standing back up. "It seems I was too quick to write you off as an easy foe. You're clearly skilled. Any other opponent would crumble at your feet."

Marsaili's eye twitched in disbelief. What the hell is this guy's pain threshold?!

Jet glared. "However, for you to lump me in as a criminal like you is something I won't stand for. Though I would gladly watch the rich burn and perish under their own hubris, the fact of the matter is that you endangered innocent lives today." He growled through clenched teeth. "Foresters never back down, nor do they surrender. I let you have your fun, but now I'm done playing games with you. This is as far as you'll go."

Marsaili felt a vein snap in her head. She snarled furiously and reached for her dagger. You…arrogant prick! She pulled out a marble and launched herself off it. I'll show you!

Jet crossed his arms, not bothering to move. Marsaili dove for his neck, intending to resize the dagger and plunge it through his neck. Enjoy your trip into the afterlife, Forester!

Marsaili gradually resized herself and thrusted the knife into his neck. However, though she expected blood to start gushing from his carotid artery like a geyser, she was taken aback by the blue water spikes expanding out of his fur and grinding into her dagger. Her blade snapped instantly while the water spikes thrusted at her.

What the—

Taking a risk, Marsaili bounced off one of the spikes by the sole of her foot. She cringed as it pierced her foot. She flew high and away from the Oshawott, looking down on him in perplexed horror. Water spikes extended from his fur like some sort of armor.

How is he doing that? Her eyes shrunk. Wait…is that…Razor Shell?! I've never seen it manipulated like that before!

Jet narrowed his eyes smugly. Invisible to Marsaili's eyes, a smoky white aura wrapped around Jet, extended through the spiky armor around him. The water receded and shaped around his scalchop, which he gripped tightly in hand. This was the efforts of his Inherited Will.

My personal technique: Endless Ocean. My Razor Shell is empowered to create water-bladed constructs at my command. I've pushed it to its limits, molding it into my own personal fighting style. He extended a standard Razor Shell and aimed it at Marsaili. I held off on using this…because the fight wouldn't have lasted as long.

Marsaili hovered in the air, snarling vehemently. That…is so unfair! He must be cheating! I must be seeing things. That can't be Razor Shell. I've seen Razor Shell hundreds of times. I have never met a single Pokémon who could create freakin' spike armor from it. There's a trick to it, I know it!

Marsaili returned to normal and landed. "You think that'll scare me, your little trick?! Let me show you the extent of my training! Bounce!" She kicked off the ground and sprang towards the buildings.

Jet casually watched as she rapidly bounced back and forth between the buildings. She built up a bit of speed between every bounce, but it wasn't anything impressive to Jet. He knew the legacy of Spring-Loaded Harriet, but this wasn't the extent of her martial art. Marsaili was an amateur scooting by on the basics.

Try all you want. I'm waiting. Jet raised his Razor Shell and concentrated.

Marsaili curled up and bounced off towards Jet like a cannonball. The Oshawott sensed her movement, dodged, and slashed her as she flew by. She cried and grabbed her bleeding side, but didn't cease her bouncing.

She was determined, Jet had to give her that. She kept flying by with Focus Punches at the ready, but he kept at it. Dodge, slash, repeat. No matter how fast Marsaili tried to move, she couldn't get another hit off on Jet. The once irrational Oshawott had entered a Zen state, completely focused on eliminating her.

Marsaili growled. So, it's like that, huh? Have it your way, cheeky boy! I just break that concentration!

Jet sensed her diving at him and made the move to dodge. Marsaili, however, tossed the last of her explosives from her vest before immediately shrinking her. Jet retracted Razor Shell and crossed his arms as the explosion threw him backwards. He crashed onto his back with hot smoke seeping from his fur.

As he tried to sit up, Marsaili landed on his throat and plunged a spare dagger into his neck. At her size, the dagger barely broke through the skin, but a light trickle of blood seeped from the wound. She glared up at his chin.

"You feel that little prick? If I lose my grip on this dagger, it'll resize and split your throat in half." She dug the dagger further into his neck. "I have you where I want you. It was a long road, and you put up a decent resistance, but victory is finally in my grasp."

Jet held still, but didn't look remotely worried. Marsaili felt her anger bubbling again and readied to shout, but felt the chuckle vibrating deep inside his throat. A laugh of pure confidence and resolve, not at all fazed by her threat. She wasn't sure if she should be mad or concerned now.

"Hey! What's so funny?!" Marsailli yelled anxiously.

Jet twisted his lips into a tight sneer. "You."

"Huh?"

"Every droplet of water created by my Razor Shell…is entirely at my command. Every movement, every disturbance, every cut it makes; all of it is at my disposal. The perfect weapon that never stops. A vast stretch of overwhelming dread. That is my Endless Ocean."

Marsaili, before she could say anything, felt moisture running up her back. She looked down and saw water sliding up from Jet's fur and crawling over her body like a layer of skin. She gasped and jumped away, releasing her dagger so that it would expand and slit his throat. However, right before it did, water shot the dagger out of the wound and sent the expanding dagger flying down the street.

Caught up by the distraction, Marsaili fell victim to the water as it covered her entirely and trapped her a large droplet. She barley caught a breath before being submerged, desperately clawing at the aquatic prison for escape. Her hands couldn't break through, nor could she swim through the bubble, finding herself perpetually trapped in the center. On top of that, the sharp water started cutting into her sides, spreading her blood through her prison.

Marsaili gasped out the last of her air and began to panic. I-I'm going to drown! Need to…resize…NOW!

Marsaili cancelled Minimize and expanded right over Jet, inhaling all the air she could. Her eyes widened, now staring down the end of a scalchop with icy blue water swirling at the tip. Jet fired and shot Marsaili into the sky with Hydro Pump.

Marsaili kept her mouth and eyes closed as the water roughed up her injuries. She reached the apex of the Hydro Pump's stream, now hundreds of feet in the sky. Marsaili had the common sense to float then and there, but realized the Hydro Pump was mixed in with Ice Beam as the water froze over her whole body, leaving only her head exposed.

Marsaili blinked twice, realized she was now basically wearing a weighted suit, and squeak before plummeting straight down.

Jet sat up, gently wiped his neck wound, and glared as Marsaili careened down. He extended Razor Shell and reared it back. "Endless Ocean: Rapid Wave Passion!" He dashed ahead as the Razor Shell shot back like a geyser. Jet wielded the shell in dancing, circular motions, wielding the flowing blade like a long, waving ribbon.

Marsaili peeled her eyes open and saw the approaching Oshawott. Crap! That doesn't look good! She tried to shake herself free, but the ice clamped down hard around her body. I'm trapped! Unless…ha, I can shrink myself and—

"Don't even think about it!" Marsaili's eyes widened, now sporting a red hue through her blue irises. Jet had her eyes on her with his own eyes glowing red. "Take your punishment like a bandit!"

Marsail bared her teeth. What the—I can't use Minimize! Something's preventing me from using it! Wait, don't tell me…is he using Taunt?! Her eyes widened. Taunt…

"You're allowed to pull off your technique because I allow it."

He…could've ended this fight…at any time he wanted?

Her eyes shrank as she came closer to hitting the ground. She stared down the fast-approaching Oshawott and the menacing blade of water swimming behind him. Something about the way it moved, the stream of water shooting out of the shell yet dancing so gracefully behind him, terrified her.

A raging river that could crush stone. A beast that couldn't be stopped. That's what she was staring at.

"Take…this!"

Jet leaped and, with a hefty swing, slashed Marsaili down the middle. The power surged up Marsaili's body, splitting her ice prison to pieces. A long, shallow cut opened up from her middle to her face, spraying a mist of blood. Marsaili gawked at the sky with her eyes whiting out from the pain. Her jaw hung open, petrified yet twitching stiffly.

Jet landed, retracted Razor Shell, and stuffed it away right as Marsaili collapsed to the ground. He blinked the Taunt from his eyes, then sneered over his shoulder. Marsaili unconsciously twitched on the ground with her face twisted in horror.

Jet scoffed and shoved his hands inside his pocket. "I've been in a crappy mood. Count yourself lucky I wanted to have an easy fight today."


The last half hour for Zephora went by smoothly. There were some bumps with keeping Dorothy hydrated, but she managed to drain out all the arsenic from her system. To make up for the stolen water, Zephora replenished the rest until the young Electrike looked to be a natural green again.

Zephora wiped her brow. "Phew. Glad that's taken cared of." She squeezed her fist and dripped the last of the arsenic from herself into a small bottle. "She needs her rest, but she'll live."

The parents cried over their daughter joyfully. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" the father exclaimed.

"How can we ever repay you?" the mother cried.

Zephora grunted and waved it off. "Just keep supporting the Foresters and we'll be good." She glared. Actually, with all the fighting going on outside, it won't be long before some knights are alerted to—

Zephora gasped, spotting a few knights running past the window in the direction of where she last left Jet. If he got caught, they would be in deep trouble before their ride returns.

"Got to go!" Zephora raced out, hopping over the door she smashed open, and watched the knights disappear down the road. She hiked up her sleeve and started bouncing. "Hopefully Jet has everything cleared up."

"Of course I do. What do you expect from me?" Zephora stopped and turned, finding Jet hidden in the dark shade of the house. He pointed over his shoulder and said, "I figured that broken door was your handiwork."

Zephora sighed in relief. "You gave me a start. You look terrible."

"I could say the same to you. So…"

Zephora nodded. "From what I extracted, it was only one victim. She'll live. And you? Where's Pearl Bullet?"

Jet stepped aside and gestured to the unconscious Wigglytuff he had tied up behind him. "I figured the local knights would've seen my little Hydro Pump stunt, so I made my escape once I defeated her."

Zephora smirked and crossed her arms. "You are one crazy Oshawott. I knew you could take her on." She raised her brow. "Now, what do we do with her?"

Jet lifted Marsaili's body onto his shoulder. "Well, she's still alive, and she has information we might need. If there really is a gang coming after Harlow, then we need to get all we can out of her so we're better prepared."

Zephora nodded. "Sounds like a plan. How long do we have to wait?"

"Jason will probably have Petra check in on us. No doubt soon. We'll have to hold off and hide for a little while until we give our report."

Zephora grinned. "Luckily, I haven't been bothered at the clinic. Why don't we dump Ms. Hit-and-Run off, give her a few more bonks on the head for good measure, and go out for lunch?"

Jet's stomach growled at the delightful prospect. He sighed. "I did work up an appetite."

"Well, come on." Zephora checked to see if they were clear, then bounced on ahead with Jet following behind.

Jet readjusted Marsaili onto his shoulder, then glared ahead. "So, what do you think we're going to do about this?"

"About what?"

"Our little rookie has suddenly become a target of interest."

Zephora smirked. "Best to save those questions for later."

"That damn rookie finds new ways to give me migraines, I swear."

"Sounds like that new friendship is working out for you—"

"Hush."