A.N.: Sorry guys, been kinda busy. That's why I haven't been uploading anything.

The Mysteries Of The Kappa's Workplace

"Ah ha! Intruders!" A group of fairies poked their head out and started shooting at the trio. Marisa sighed and blew them away.

"The fairies are annoying. But they always respawn, so you can get as violent as you please with them for getting in your way." Marisa explained. "In fact, why don't you use your... Pokemon... to wipe the next cluster out? They really don't have too much standing power..."

Almost as if on cue, another group of fairies appeared and started shooting at them.

"Alright! Go! Espeon! Use Psybeam on those fairies!" Wes called out his attack ace, who he hadn't used yet in a battle. Espeon hit the group with a beautiful Psybeam, turning the fairies to dust.

At this point, Wes felt a searing pain in his back. He whirled around to confront the source... and saw his Boneka doppel looking like it was about to cry.

Did it just shoot me? It certainly seems sorry if it did...

"I'll forgive you for that... this time only!"

"Hey, hey, now, treat the Boneka like you would your Pokemon, k, Wes? That reminds me, I STILL haven't heard your story. So what is it? Lying wouldn't be the best idea." Marisa asked, adding a stinger at the end.

*sigh* If you want to hear the full life story, we can do it LATER, ok? Right now, my friend is in trouble." Wes wanted to get moving.

"No. Tell me now, or I'll ditch you." Marisa said.

*sigh* "You drive a pretty hard bargain. My past... is not one to bandy about. If you want to know why I look so devious, I used to be a thug. I was once a member of Team Snagem, an organization that stole Pokemon from trainers. However, I only joined them to destroy them from the inside out. Along the way, this thing-" Wes waved the Snag Machine at her. "-was revealed. This thing has the power to override the protection on Poke Balls and make them steal another trainer's Pokemon. I stole it on my way out of the base after blowing it up. It turned out Snagem was merely a piece of a larger organization called Cipher."

"And Cipher was...?" Marisa was captivated, but from the gleam in her eye and the continuous insinuations of theft from Alice, Wes was starting to regret telling her this story and resolved to see if these kappa could lock the Snag Machine somehow.

The LAST thing I need is a kleptomaniac running around with this! Especially if they also have proven to be shifty. I had better watch my back, huh...

"Cipher was a huge organization with a goal of world conquest. They started by attempting to militarize Pokemon. Snagem was their tool for obtaining the Pokemon. These Pokemon were then severed from their natural instincts and feelings, becoming mindless weapons who would attack anyone they were ordered to, even Trainers!" Wes continued the story, REALLY not liking the look on her face and resolving to sneak a picture to give to the Kids' Grid later.

"...Go on..." Marisa was captivated by this. Hmmm... Wonder if I can find the Snag Machine anywhere, ze... And the story about Cipher... hmm...

"I REALLY don't like the look on your face, Miss Kirisame. Really, I don't. This treatment, it was inhuman." Wes tried to defuse the conversation.

"So what happened with them, ze?" Marisa asked.

"They still had some sense of honor. Despite trying to kidnap Rui here and getting stopped by me showing up just in time, they still settled arguments through battles. Which I won. Step by step, I found their lab where they created the militarized Pokemon, and took their leader down in their new base. He was arrested by the police, and jailed. Although he didn't seem... quite human, either." Wes finished his story, and waited for her reaction.

"With an experience like that, I can understand why you'd... excuse me for a second."
[Love Sign: Master Spark!]

A beam of pure energy came out from in front of her, pouring into the bushes and killing a bunch of fairies.

"Eavesdropping is rude, ze." Marisa justified. "I was merely teaching them that."

"How far to the kappa?"

"Oh, should be between 10 to 15 more fairy groups on the way there... Oh, look, more flying targets." [Earth Sign: Earthlight Ray]!

Another bunch of fairies fell.

"My, my... Hmm... I wonder, could Nitori... just ignore me, Wes, it's nothing, ze." Marisa seemed preoccupied. "Come on! Just a bit farther!"

Nitori's House:

"Nitori!" Marisa yelled.

A green haired girl looked up from the machine she was working on. "GAH! Human!" Nitori flew away.

"UH... right. I forgot Nitori wasn't comfortable with other humans. Wait here, and I'll get her." Marisa seemed kind of embarrassed.

Wes sat down, and looked at the array of tools. "Quite the technological base she has here..." He muttered to himself, before abruptly getting jump-tackled from behind by the Boneka. "Hey! I didn't want to talk while the klepto was around, but it sure is nice to see you, me!"

This day could NOT get any worse. He talks, too...

"What do you want? What are you?" Wes asked.

"Well, for starters, I want to help you get your friend back." the CWes responded. "I'm a walking encyclopedia on the Boneka around here, as well as the Pokemon back home. Why I know this and don't fight? BY ME! Guess it's because you're a tactical man. Anyway, as you've probably noticed, your P DA doesn't work here."

Wes pulled out his P DA and checked it. The screen displayed static, and nothing else.

"See? Nothing. So if you want a map or need a description, I can help you out. It'll cost you though..." CWes cracked a smile as Wes narrowed his eyes. "That look you just gave me was priceless. Of course I'll help you, me! Also, I wanted to tell you, I'm sorry about that hit in the back. See, I haven't fully figured out my strengths yet. That was this thing kind of breaking." CWes waved the miniature Snag Machine at Wes.

"Alrighty, I'm back. I've got Nitori, so we can discuss your predicament, Wes." Marisa said.

"OK! So I heard you'll be needing a jetpack to get to Myouren Temple. Say, there's some cucumber flavored beer in the fridge, maybe you'd like to stay here and drink a while. That reminds me, I heard of this place where they grow awesome cucumbers in the outside world, I was wondering if you've ever...cucumbers...cuuuucumbers...and...awesome... party..."

Marisa had left the room, and Wes fell asleep within 5 minutes. As he slept, Wes had a dream. It was a very clear, and very strange, dream.

"Hello, Wes." came a voice.

"Eh? Who's there?" Wes asked.

"Your enemy Houjuu... she hasn't just abducted Michael. Several others were taken from your world around the same time."

"How do you know this? Who are you?" Wes asked.

"Someone who wishes to help you. I'll collect my payment for it another day... Nothing's free, as a former thug like you well knows."

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Wes was beginning to get agitated.

"You don't want me to show myself. Believe me, if I did show myself... Well, it's easier for youkai to stay their natural desires if there is distance between them and a human. Now, it's time to wake up."

Wes sat bolt upright.

"...and so I thought me and Marisa could go out for cucumbers together! But she wasn't interested..." Nitori had prattled on about cucumbers for that entire time, happily oblivious to the fact her target audience fell asleep a while ago.

"SHUT UP ABOUT CUCUMBERS ALREADY!" Wes couldn't stand it anymore. "I came here because my friend was kidnapped, and Marisa here said you can help me get him back! If you can help, great. If not, me and Rui are leaving. Right, Rui?"

There was silence for a moment.

"Who's Rui? You and Marisa came in alone." Nitori said.

"What... How... WHERE'D SHE GO?!" Wes shouted.

"Um... was Rui with us coming up the mountain, ze?" Marisa asked. "I don't think she was..."

"Do you think you know where she is? If so, tell me!" Wes said.

"...No clue, ze. None. Zero. She must have wandered off... and that's not good. But first things first. Let's stick with the person who we do know the location of." Marisa was annoyingly calm.

"So we're going to just head to that temple?" Wes asked.
"Yep. Trust me, you'll need my help to get inside." Marisa responded. "Sit tight for tonight. Tomorrow... we start the heist."

Nitori rolled her eyes. "Only you would see a hostage rescue as a "heist", Marisa..."

Introductions:

Nitori: Nitori is a kappa who is a technological nut. She's very afraid of humans, although she claims they are "our sworn friends." Riiiiiiight. Anyway, she's the science geek, coming up with optical camouflage, various guns, jetpacks, and other devices. She also, as this chapter shows, has an obsession with cucumbers. One more thing. Most people in Gensokyo drink sake, a type of rice wine. The kappa... don't really have a stomach for alcohol, and generally drink "cucumber flavored beer." Oooooooooook, then.