Tamin stood on the second story of the guildhouse and peered through one of the glass windows. Her eyes were focused to gaze past the window and ignore the breath spots on the glass left by less caring guild members. She was absolutely silent as she observed, save for the lightest of breathing..
The morning light still loomed over the landscape with its golden rays. The sun had only risen a little over an hour ago and Tamin made sure to look through a window in the opposite direction of the sun to avoid her eyes hurting.
It was what was outside that was of note. Tamin watched individual snowflakes fall from the sky and descend towards the ground, almost immediately melting upon hitting the ground that was still too warm to accommodate the snow.
"First snow of the year. Cool," Tamin said to herself as she kept looking. "okay come on Tamin, there has to be a better pun you can make then that… Umm… maybe not…" she thought to herself.
The weather itself was not what was interesting. After all, it wasn't sticking on the ground in the slightest. Rather, the implications behind it was the reason it was intriguing and had kept Tamin watching.
Fall was ending, winter was starting, and the snowfall heralded that. Even if it could not stay on the ground for an entire second, the weather still served as a harbinger for what was to come.
She hadn't lived through that many winters before in her life, and those she did live through were ones where almost all the time was spent indoors. So in some regards, winters were still a new experience to her.
A part of her looked forward to playing in the snow and having her grey fur allow her to camouflage into the white hills. Either way, she knew it would be better than her previous winters. During those times, her family was shut in for almost the entire season, which gave her parents even more time to abuse her without the outside world taking notice. Three months straight of yelling and pain. Nothing fun to think back upon, but she couldn't stop herself from doing so.
While Tamin continued to look out the window and reminisce on her past, she could hear two guild members walk past behind her. Naturally, Tamin's ears raised up to listen in, it was down to a reflex for her.
From the reflection of the window, Tamin's eyes told her that it was Olivia and Mawile who were walking past her. But what her ears told her was the part that she found more interesting.
"So, you think his instincts are why he is doing that stuff, and how you justify restraining Locky?" Tamin heard Olivia asking Mawile. "Don't play dumb, I know you were the one who suggested it."
"The alternative theory is that he is bipolar," Mawile spoke, "But I still think it is that instinct thing.
Bad, terrible habits he's developed from being alone and a rogue for so long.
He hasn't gone on enough missions to make an accurate conclusion yet, but from what others told me it sounds like the right approach. Still too early to tell though."
Olivia and Mawile continued to walk and talk with each other as Tamin was at the window eavesdropping on them. Because of this, they eventually faded from Tamin's hearing as she had limits on how far away she could hear.
Having spent more than enough time gazing out the window and unable to continue listening in on Olivia, Tamin had to find another thing to do.
It was still morning, which she felt was too early to head off onto a mission. It was also hours away from lunch, so that wouldn't be an option either for the time being. As a result, the choice was obvious for her. She could just spend this time eavesdropping on other members of the guild. Tamin felt her ethically questionable hobby would make for wonderful meterial that she could kill some time with.
With that plan set, that is exactly what she went off to do. She followed similar routes she did on previous eavesdropping sessions.
Yet after burning off thirty minutes of time like how one burns off incense, she found the subjects being talked about just weren't as interesting as they were on other days. About half of the conversations were about Locke- a situation she knew everything about so she gained no real new insights from hearing about it. The other half of the conversation subjects were slightly more tantalizing, but no truly fascinating pieces of gossip were shared.
She considered instead spending time with Mienfoo since it was days since she last trained with her. But on her way to doing that, Tamin got a different thought: "I wonder what Hunter is up to. He should still be locked up in that room, and if the walls were thin enough that I could hear what Sylveon said to Locke, I wonder if I could hear him mumbling to himself or doing something else in that room…
I will have to go downstairs, which is unfortunate. But it shouldn't be for long, so I should be fine."
She spent a moment thinking to herself about what to do, and the various thoughts about Hunter and what he could be doing proved tempting, and far more interesting to do than a training session was. With only slight reluctance, the minccino headed off to the basement. The imprints of Locke's ferocious outbreak were still present with burns marks in the wall from discharged electricity and scratches in the carpet from his claws, but that was not what she was interested in. She navigated through the tunnels towards the containment room, narrowly avoiding getting lost in a few separate points.
Although as she approached the room in question- before rounding the final corner- she heard something she did not expect to: Whispers, whispers being exchanged in a conversation. Getting closer and slowly peeking her head around the corner to observe, she saw a vulpix sitting directly outside of the door and quietly talking to Hunter on the other side through the door.
Like what had happened with every other circumstance she came across the vulpix, Tamin recalled the strange and suspicious things she heard from her. It seemed like an opportunity to finally learn more about her. The minccino hugged the wall and peeked her eyes around the corner to observe. Her expression didn't have fear, it was something that could be best described as focused intrigue.
Tamin was unable to hear Hunter's side of the conversation, but she could discern that the talking was just simple chat on casual subjects. As silent as she could, she kept spying.
Yuki the vulpix continued talking for some time, but then got the sinking feeling of being walked. Her talking slowed down while she looked around to attempt to find the source of this feeling. In doing so, she caught a slight glimpse of the minccino peaking around the wall.
Tamin ducked behind the corner as the vulpix looked in her direction, but it was too late. A wide and sly smile came across Yuki's face, cheek to cheek.
"Sorry Hunter, but I'll have to cut this short. I'll be sure to see you again ever-so-soon," Yuki said, taking a space between syllables and applying emphasis for the last few words.
The fox turned towards the opposite direction from where Tamin was in and began running off, thus creating the sound of skittering paws on the floor of raw earth. Hunter was left confused, whereas Tamin was able to hear that sound of skittering.
"No, I'm not going to let you get away this time," Tamin thought, her desire to investigate the vulpix being fully ignited.
Jumping onto all-fours, Tamin sprinted after Yuki to follow the path she was taking. Thus, a chase ensued.
The countless inconsistencies in the area were still there and frustrated, but this forced herself to persevere. A left turn, another left turn, straight down a long hall, a right turn, one more left turn, a right turn, they traversed a large portion of the basement. The chase took a few seconds over a minute, but the vulpix eventually reached a dead end. It was a portion of the guildhouse that didn't even have wood set down in it, only untapped dirt with a passageway hardly any taller than they were that led to it, the room was claustrophobically small. Yuki ran up to the flat wall at the other end and turned around, but before she could run out, Tamin got herself positioned in the passageway to block the way out with her body.
"Well, aren't you the curious type?" Yuki the vulpix asked as she turned around.
"Wait a second, is this a trap she's trying to lead me to?" Tamin questioned herself in the chase. "Well let me think. Hunter's still locked in that room, and the only other person I've seen side with her is Olivia, who is still upstairs. So this couldn't be an ambush in any way.
Still, it's possible she set up a mechanical trap of some sort. Although there wouldn't be many places to do that, since the walls are pretty hard and don't really have any crevices to install into.
I'll just stay sharp. I'll round every corner, look up for traps, and be ready to dodge if I need to. She won't be able to get away."
Even still, the situation and Yuki's mood simply seemed off, and served as a mood setter for the interrogation Tamin planned to commence.
"You could say that about me, yes. But right now you're the subject of interest here, " Tamin said.
"Well then, go ahead: ask away with your in-qui-ries," Yuki replied.
The eerie feeling that this was some sort of trap returned for Tamin. Not because of anything that was present, but because of that which was absent: concern on the vulpix's face.
"First of all, would you care to explain what you were doing with Hunter?"
"Just simple chat between family members, you know? Actually, nevermind, you likely didn't know," she answers while just sitting down with her body still and a few movements with her tails, "I just don't want to leave him be too lonely."
"Wouldn't that be against the rules since that isolation is his punishment for what he did?"
"Most likely," she answered, perfectly compliant.
"How exactly are you related to Hunter? I've heard you were siblings, but your species don't match" Tamin asked, starting with more casual questions.
"It's a simple story, really. My mother was a ninetails and my father was a zor-o-ark. When I was still young, my mom left my dad for some reasons she left in ambi-gui-ity. So he went and married a female zor-o-ark. They went and made an egg together, and when I was one Hunter hatched from that egg. Half-siblings, but we've spent most of our lives together never-the-less."
"So you were raised by two zoroarks?"
"For almost my entire life, yes."
"Alright, alright. I think it's time I ask what's important."
"Oh? Is something interesting about to happen?" Yuki asked sarcastically.
"What in the world is going on between you and that braixen? I've been able to overhear your conversations."
"Oh me oh my, what an ex-cel-lent question! Shame I can't answer it."
"Why? What's preventing you?"
"If I were to tell you the story, that'd break the deal we have going," she said, her smile coming back and her tails moving around.
"What deal?"
"A rather straight-for-ward one, that is. I know some of his secrets, he doesn't want more people about them, so he does what I say in exchange for me not telling others about it. Truly a re-mark-able example of commerce, we both get what we want without any scams involved.
This is why I can't tell you the precise details, of course. If I were to tell you more about Braixen, that would break my side of the bargain, you see?"
"So you're blackmailing him?" Tamin asked, chillingly cold.
"Quite an apt description of our deal, yes."
"Just what the hell are you making him do?" Tamin's voice grew ever more authoritative.
"To make things simple, whatever I want to. I keep things within the confines of my room, but the rest is up to my imagi-na-tion. He could dance for me, read for me, or play my favorite games," Yuki said, every word filled with nonchalance and slid off of her tongue like it was no big deal. "It's almost like a doll with what I can do with him. He allows me to feel em-broi-ded."
"What- what in the actual hell?!" Tamin said, getting off guard. "This is all ridiculously messed up, you're completely humiliating him and preventing him from getting any help."
"Hmm… I'd have to disagree with you on that. By all accounts, humility is a virtue and pride is a sin, and humiliation is by definition the process of making someone more humble. As a result, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the process of humiliation."
"I'm done talking to you, you're unreasonable," Tamin said as she turned around to face the small room's exit again. "Braxien might be unable to speak out because of what you're doing, but I can. I'm sure this guild has some rule against blackmailing others, and I'm certain there are rules against whatever you're doing to him in your room."
"Oh, are you now?" Yuki asked Tamin.
"Yes, yes I am," Tamin said as she took another step forward.
"Relying upon the same guild admin-istra-tion that put Locke in a harness? Alright. I wonder if they're also the type that would give a runaway kid like you back to their not-so-nice parents."
Tamin walking stopped, and her heart stopped for a moment at the same time. "How the hell does she know?" What Yuki just said was far too specific to be a random guess, but it was information that Tamin had kept under close lock and key. Surprise stirred through her that Yuki would know such information, fear stirred through her that the guildmasters would learn as well and do exactly what Yuki had described. She had no idea how Yuki learned such information, but she didn't forget that she was still a good liar.
"...What the heck are you talking about?" Tamin said in the greatest confused tone she could muster while turning around.
"Ah, trying out that silver tongue of yours?" Yuki asked in response.
"What? I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about. My parents have always supported me, including when I moved once I got old enough."
"I must admit, you're quite the ex-qui-site liar. It's such a shame that it's a trait you can't advertise, because a smart guildmaster would kill to have someone of your cal-li-ber! Lov-al-ly trade to have ex-per-tise in."
"I still have no clue what you're referring to. Are you thinking of someone else? Not the first time I've been confused for another before," Tamin continued to attempt to bluff herself out of the situation.
"Going from lying about your age to lying about this. Not exactly pro-gres-sion, but I wouldn't call it the skill decaying either. It is clever of you to ex-er-cise that talent of yours though, as it really is something, I tell you," Yuki continued on. "Hey, maybe when they figure out the meds your parents put you on, they can get you back on that stuff and that'll fix you up real quick.
Tamin was left both dumbfounded and fearful. Her heart missed another beat as she realized her lies weren't working in that circumstance, and her demeanor changed as swiftly as the forms of a morpeko.
"...How the hell did you find out?" Tamin asked aggressively as she stepped forward and grabbed Yuki by the fur around her neck.
"My bedroom is directly above yours. A few days ago you invited Locke and you both got into hammocks and talked to each other. I heard every word you two said through that thin floor," Yuki explained, not reacting to the threatening way Tamin was grabbing her at all. "Careful with me now, attack me and you'll end up like how Locke did."
Tamin seemed to ignore what Yuki said and tightened her grip whilst pulling the vulpix a few centimeters forward. "You planned this all out, didn't you?" she said.
"You're not the only one in this guild who knows how to eavesdrop, sweetie. Although it does seem like I'm the only one who knows how to put two-and-two together here," Yuki said, smiling. "Anyways, you do have me in a grapple, so if you truly hate me you're welcome to hit me. I won't even so much as fight back if you do, go ahead and beat me to a blu-dee-pulp and till I can't even scream anymore. Let's see what the guild thinks of it when the friend of the berserker injures a vulpix who didn't even touch her. Bet it'll end up for you just like it did for the feral shinx."
Hearing what she was saying, Tamin released her grip and took a step back. The tables had turned so much and so quickly the change could be felt, like walking into a cold blizzard after spending days inside a warm building.
"Good girl," Yuki quickly uttered.
"You baited me here, didn't you?" Tamin asked, still stern but with quickly dissolving resolve.
"Yes and no. I wanted to talk to you about this for a few days now, but hadn't found the oppor-tuni-tee to get into the private conversation I needed. But when I saw you peeking over that corner, I saw what I needed. And if there's one thing that you best get into your head quickly here: it's that I don't let oppor-tuni-tees simply pass by."
Tamin didn't reply immediately, she couldn't with all the thoughts flowing through her mind. She grabbed her shoulder and her head tilted downwards and sideways towards the bottom of the tight room, her ears and tail lowered.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice far from stoic. "Just tell me."
"Well, as fun as Braixen is and the feeling of doing that with someone who once saw you as weaker, I cannot deny that it is awk-ward doing all that I do with someone who towers several times higher than me. But with you- someone of quite the similar size to I- it'll be multiple flavors of ex-qui-site to be more precise and dominating."
"So you plan to blackmail me with my past just like you've been doing with Braixen?" Tamin asked.
"You're catching on quite nicely. Had it been that wild shinx in your spot I feel he'd be slower at this," Yuki said.
"He's not wild!"
"Shush, shush. Even when we're se-clu-ded you are not to raise your voice."
"Why the hell do you even gain enjoyment from this stuff? What do you have planned for me? tell me."
"For your second question, I would prefer not to ruin any surprises. For your first, I've found there to be many fas-cin-at-ing observations I have gotten with humiliation and breaking down others.
Ego is a curious thing. Most things become stronger the larger they become, it is significantly harder to break an iron ball that is five meters wide then it is to break one that is one meter wide. Yet in ego's case, the larger it gets, the more fragile it seems to become. Intriguing phenomenon, I'm telling you, And I savor every time I get to witness it."
"Ego is a luxury that I wish I had."
"Then if you've got nothing to lose then you've got nothing to dread either,"
"I'm not going to partake in whatever messed up stuff you are doing to Braixen," Tamin said with rising anxiety in her voice, only barely managing to stay within Yuki's rule of not raising her voice.
"The choice is quite simple: me or your parents, you'll have to choose one or the other," Yuki explained. "Play along and keep quiet or I'll tell Niot and Espeon all about your actual past. Don't think unbelievability will get you out of this either, I can do wonders for scrounging up evidence."
Tamin's paws rose to grab the side of her head, her heart raced and her mind spun around. "How the hell did I get myself in this situation? How do I get out? Can I get out?" were all questions that danced around her mind at a panicked pace too quick for her to be able to actually ponder on each of them. Stress rose more and more, and as it did Yuki still sat in the same place she was, smiling devilishly at another one of her cunning plans. But before panic could totally set it, a realization came to tamin that blew away that cloud of stress.
"Hang on one second," Tamin said, "If you tell others about my past and age, then I can just immediately tell them about the blackmailing you're doing to Braixen and me. Once it's already known, you don't have anything left to hold against me. So it's mutual."
"Hmm, perhaps. But are you really willing to take that chance?" Yuki asked. "It goes both ways, if you tell them about what I'm doing then I can just tell them everything about you. I'm sure you still have some sense of justice lin-ger-ing in you, but is stopping me really worth it?
Winter is coming oh so very soon, see. That would be a terrible, terrible time to get kicked out of the guild. At the end of the day, while you might get your kicks from 'stopping' me, you're still going to have to do what I say if you don't want anything bad to befall you."
"I think it's been established that bad things will befall me either way. But my point is that this isn't entirely one-sided, I have some dirt on you just like you have some on me."
"Yes, yes, in a sense. Of course, this entire conversation is under the pre-sum-ption that your real age and what your parents did are the only secrets I know. I've eavesdropped on many guild members and have secrets in my mind about all of them, and Locke has been in the guild just as long as you have. Tell me, if I know your secrets even though you are far quieter than that shinx is, then what do you think I have on Locke? I could ruin him as well if you try to ruin me, and is it really justice at all at that point?"
"I can tell you're lying," Tamin stated straight forward, basing her conclusion off of the vulpix's tone of voice and mannerisms.
"Am I now? For all you know, I could be just as good of a liar as you are," she said, still smug.
"No, I know what you are, and a good liar isn't quite part of it," Tamin said. "What you are is a sadist, what you want is for me to get down on my knees and beg for mercy. You want me to desperately try and trigger some sort of empathy buried within you that in reality has long since left. You want me to be a little toy that freaks out and panics, reluctant to do anything you ask me to and hopelessly fights back.
What you want me to do is victimize myself. But no, I'm not going to do any of that, because that will only give you satisfaction. And if you're going to force me through this, I am going to deny you of every little bit of pleasure I can.
I doubt you ever had any empathy to begin with."
For the first time in the entire conversation, Yuki was taken aback and her eyes widened.
"Well, you're the sassy one, aren't you?" she said, her dominus being broken. "Certainly fussier than Braixen was. Maybe I shouldn't complain, though. That just gives me more to break down."
"Whatever, I'm going to leave now," Tamin said while throwing up her arms in an 'I give up' sort of gesture.
The minccino turned around and began walking away again.
"Wait, you can't go," Yuki said, "Remember, I can tell others the truth if you defy me and have dis-re-gard."
"Oh really now? You have me in your pocket and you're willing to expose me over me just leaving this room, before you have gotten me to do anything you actually want me to do?" Tamin asked.
"Fair point," Yuki admitted, "Just act like this conversation never happened. You are not to tell anyone else about these things, nor are you to speak to Braixen at all."
Tamin turned her head away again and began walking off, this time unobstructed. Leaving the vulpix behind entirely, Tamin went back over her route and went the way she came to the room from, retracing almost every step she took. Going through the maddening hallways of frustrating details once again, into the guild lounge and then upstairs. Along the way, she went through plans in her head on what to do next, and by the time she reached the main floor she had reached a point where she was somewhat confident about her immediate future.
While at the main floor, she searched around to look for one pokemon whilst rehearsing her plan in her mind. It didn't take too terribly long, as she saw Scampi the rockruff looking out of the windows, she was counting the snowflakes that fell.
"Hey Scampi?" Tamin called out to her.
"Uh? Oh hi Tami!" Scampi said as she turned around to see Tamin.
"Hi Scampi! I was wondering if you could do a favor for me?" Tamin asked, thinking about how the roles were seemingly reversed and it was her approaching Scampi this time while conversing.
"What is it!?" Scampi asked.
"Could you go on a mission with me? Like, right now?"
"Uh could we have lunch first? It's less than an hour away."
"Oh, of course. We'll just head out right after." Tamin told her.
"Sounds great! Can do!"
"Thanks a lot!" Tamin said back.
Once they were done talking, a single statement was left in Tamin's mind to echo. A little clever factoid she had figured out during her conversation with Yuki.
"Yuki can't give me any orders or commands on what to do if I'm not in the guild at the same time as her." Tamin reminded herself in her head, "So if I set up missions and schedule them properly, I can minimize the amount of time we're both at the guildhouse at the same time. That will be a good start…"
End of chapter 14.