Four small brown paws ran through the night, hurrying around tall buildings and tight alleyways. It was followed closely by a flash of purple scales, slithering ever closer. The serpentine figure only slowed when the small Eevee found himself in a dead-end. It crept up behind the plush-like Pokemon, its shadow blocking any moonlight until- slap! The Eevee had spun around and smacked the Ekans on the head.
"Will you cut that out, Sasha? We're supposed to be meeting a client here and we should try to be professional." the Eeevee huffed and turned away from the snake.
Sasha pouted "Hmf! You're no fun anymore! I just wanted to see if you were still scared of me like when I first found you."
"Will you just get us up there? The client said to meet on the roof."
"The client said this, the client said that. I think you care about your clients more than you care about your own partner." Sasha teased as she bit Eevee by the scruff of the neck and slithered up the windowsills and balconies until they arrived at the top. There, they saw a shadowy figure fade into view, a Haunter.
"You were supposed to be here half an hour ago. What took ya so long?" Questioned the agitated ghost.
The Ekans opened her mouth to speak up but Eevee held a paw out in front of her and she refrained. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, we had to make sure we had everything we needed to pull this off right. You wouldn't want to lose both us and your prize."
Haunter grinned. "I couldn't care less about what happens to you lot, as long as I get what I want. But fine, as long as you're here we can get started."
Haunter explained that he was after a pair of swords that he and his old team found while exploring a dungeon, one guarded by a very territorial Steelix. They had hidden it away in a storage facility without telling him and tried to lie, saying they dropped it while fleeing. Now, he wanted to take it back himself and sell it off, as payback for their betrayal.
"Seems simple enough. Get in, get the swords, get out. Let's go already!" Sasha was getting impatient.
Eevee held a paw up again. "I'm guessing the facility is being guarded by canine Pokemon, otherwise you would just phase and get it yourself. Is my assumption correct?"
"Yeah, you've got it. Those odor sleuths will sniff me right out and once they know a ghost is there, security will spike." Haunter grimaced. "It's the only reason I even need you two, so just get it over with and bring me back my swords!"
The only response was a quick nod from both and they slipped into an open window off the edge of the roof they had climbed before. Eevee crept along the raptors of the warehouse and looked down to see many Arcanine and Mightyena prowling about. There was even a Houndoom, very uncommon in a city like this. He took a minute to watch them walk around the corridors of boxes and shelves, then turned to his partner.
"I see the swords. Lower me down onto that stack of crates and wait until I return."
Sasha looked a bit concerned. "You wanna go down alone? Is that a good idea with that many guards?"
"I'm small and quick, plus it's easier to move around unnoticed with just one of us and I need you to pull me back up." He commanded without looking at Ekans. He took a moment and turned to her. "I'll be ok. It won't take long."
With a sigh, Sasha coiled around the Eevee and lowered him gently to the crates below. The moment his paws touched the ground he tucked himself between the boxes and disappeared.
Crawling through the stacks of stuff and random junk, the small Eevee made his way to the border of this first area. He waited for an Arcanine to pass, then another. Only then did he run across the illuminated path and leap onto the adjacent shelf. It was covered in bottles of various sizes and shapes, each containing a variety of colored liquids. One was an ornate round bottle with a spray cap on it, which he slipped into his bag as he crept along. He took his time crossing, making sure to not disturb the bottles, lest one fall and alert a guard. What felt like hours passed until he was free of the glass minefield. But at last, he made it through.
After waiting for more guards to pass, this time a Mightyena and a Houndoom, he found what seemed to be the relic storage. The shelves were lined with all sorts of oddities, like a golden mask and a slab of marble with swirling red lines painted across it. Further back he saw his prize, two steel blades in ornate sheathes that seemed connected at their centers. With a bit of struggle, the Eevee was able to mount it on his back, tying the two magenta ribbons around himself to secure it in place. As he turned to leave, he spotted what looked like a small staff with the proportions of a child's toy. He hesitated for a moment but swiped it as well.
He snuck back through the relics and across the alley, returning to the glass shelf. He took a moment and considered taking a different path, but this was the most direct. He began to tip-toe around the bottles until he looked back and saw a Mightyena staring back at him. How?! He hadn't made a sound?! The wolf's nose twitched as it met his gaze. Oder sleuth? But that only detects ghosts!
There was no time to worry about it now. He had to run for it as the guard began to howl and call for its allies. Eevee turned quickly and using the bottle he had taken earlier, sprayed the mutt's face. It seemed to disorient the Pokemon long enough that he was able to make a break for it. There was no time left for subtlety as he sprinted through the shelves, bottles crashing around him. Dashing across one last lit hallway, he lept atop the mountain of crates. But as he jumped he felt a sharp pain as teeth dug into his lower leg. He whipped around to see the Houndoom's mouth begin to smoke and smolder. Acting quickly, Eevee summoned six small stars around him and launched them at the dog, causing it to release him and fall back down the pile of boxes. Taking the opportunity, he jumped to the top of the tower and grabbed Sasha's tail as she hoisted him up on the rafters.
Running back onto the roof and jumping across a couple of alleyways, the two finally settled down and waited for Haunter to return. They heard him before they saw him.
"What the hell was that?! You were supposed to be quiet! Now the whole damn city is gonna be looking for you two. Look, just give me my swords and get outta here!" The Haunter looked around anxiously.
Eevee backed away from the Haunter's hands. "Hold up. There's more to this isn't there? One of the guards sniffed me out with oder sleuth after I had your 'prize'. That ability only detects ghosts, so what gives? What's actually up with these things?"
As the client began fumbling for an excuse, one of the blades flew out of its sheath cloaked in ghostly energy, and slashed at Haunter. He lept back but not before sustaining a nasty gash across one of his hands.
"I knew it. These aren't just some relic, they're a Pokemon! And you were trying to sell it." Eevee shouted the accusation and Haunter looked defeated. "Well, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that we aren't getting paid now. Oh well."
The Eevee looked to Sasha and she nodded back, coiling around the Haunter and squeezing hard. It fell to the ground and the Ekans slithered back as the two descended to the streets and fled the city before the guards or rescue teams could find them.
Returning to the forest, they entered a dark cave where a large Honchkrow sat and waited. It had one wing in a sling and the eye on the same side was pale and white.
"How did this job go? I hope you brought back actual coin instead of just knick nacks this time." The bird spoke in a deep but smooth voice.
Sasha looked to the ground refusing to meet the Honchkrow's eyes. Eevee scoffed at their words. "I never bring back just knick nacks. Everything in my room is important! But no, we didn't exactly finish the job. The client was trying to pawn off this Pokemon like some old relic! So we brought it here instead after we knocked out the Haunter."
Honchkrow sighed deeply. "I understand. Go and rest you two. I'll get to know our new friend."
Ekans and Eevee slinked further into the cave. "Good morning Sasha." The Eevee yawned as he pushed open the door to his room.
"Good morning Andre." She replied as they both drifted off to sleep.
