11 years ago, Lumiose City, Kalos
People were stupid.
Domino had always known this. They complained about being given food that they didn't like or about how small their homes were or about how they despised their jobs. Dumb things that didn't mean anything in the long run. They complained to complain.
She didn't understand it. They were warm, they had food, and they had an easy way to keep both those things. If she had those things, she didn't think she would ever complain about anything. No one on the streets would.
Domino leaned her head back against the wall of a butcher shop she was huddled behind and looked up at the clear blue sky. She pulled her oversized orange T-shirt tighter around herself and shivered. It was wintertime and that meant that snow had started to fall in the city. Most people would have huddled up by fires with their families and put on thick clothes. Maybe even gone out to play in the snow with friends.
Her kind didn't have it so easy.
Every year when the snow fell, it was a crisis – or at least, that's what she heard the adults say. Fires were going to get harder to make and food was going to become even more scarce. The clothes they had would be worthless the deeper into the season they got. There was probably going to be another wave of the flu this year. Lots of people always ended up dying during this time of year.
Most people ignored it and moved on with their lives.
Her kind did too. No use crying over it or letting their stuff go to waste. People died every day. If she wasn't careful, then she would be one of them.
Things weren't looking too good for her this year though. Normally, she and a group of other girls in the area would have stuck together for protection. Not this time. One of the younger one's got adopted by a nice family visiting from some place called Paldea. Two others had joined of the larger gangs that had names. An older street rat had followed a nice man offering warm food and clothes back home.
No one had seen her since.
The rest of them had either drifted to other parts of the city or didn't like her. She didn't trust any of the boy's gangs to help her either. The few adults offering to help her always did so with wide smiles that hid evil. She'd be better off out in the cold than going with one of them.
Which meant she'd need to look out for herself this year. That was fine. Life on the streets was rough, but nothing she couldn't handle. She'd been doing it for two whole years at this point! She just had to get started on finding new clothes. Everything else could come later.
Domino forced herself to her feet and shifted in her raggedy brown shoes. She staggered over to the corner of the butcher shop and peaked out from behind it. There were large crowds of people in the street all watching the big television screens and billboards on the side of the buildings. All of them were so distracted by the mindless droning of the news and commercials that they made easy targets for pickpockets.
All she had to do was find one.
It couldn't just be any old moron though. With how bad winter would get in the coming days, she needed a target with enough money to give her a head start on food and clothes. As her eyes scanned the crowds, a figure out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.
It was a lone man walking down the street. He was dressed in an expensive looking orange suit with a grey fedora on his head. His suit wasn't what caught her attention though. It was the way he moved. A controlled, confident gait that subtly forced others to move out of his way. An aura of cool control that most gang leaders she'd seen could only hope to have.
He was rich. Not just rich, but rich. He was the type of person that you didn't rob. If you did, then teams of big, scary men in suits and sunglasses hunted you down. Or worse, in some cases. She knew a guy once who had thought it had been a good idea to rob a man last year with a similar presence and look of money around him.
She'd been the one to find his body after the Pyroar was finished with it. There hadn't even been any good stuff left for her to use afterwards.
If this were any other time, Domino wouldn't even think of trying to rob this man. She was desperate though. She needed supplies soon. If she didn't take this risk and she tried her luck with the usual marks… she didn't think she'd make it through this winter.
It wasn't like this man would miss whatever she took. People like him spent money like she breathed air.
Domino took a breath to steady her nerves and stepped out of the alley. As she walked down the street, she made sure to keep her eyes from staring at her target for too long. No one on the street paid any attention to her.
She'd heard one of the older girls once say that urchins were invisible. That society would willfully blind itself to their presence. Most of the adults she knew seemed bitter over that, but Domino couldn't understand why. It made pickpocketing oblivious fools on the street so much easier when they were doing everything in their power to avoid looking at her.
As far as she was concerned, she was lucky.
She followed the man for a few blocks. To avoid him catching on, she made sure to keep a good distance between them and stop to look into the windows of any store she passed by. Sooner or later, she would find an opening. Patience was key for any pickpocket.
Eventually, the rich man came to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk to check his phone. It was her moment. While he was distracted, Domino snuck up behind him and slipped two fingers into his back left pocket. His wallet came out with ease, and he looked none the wiser. By the time he was finished on his phone, she was long gone.
Domino backtracked to the alley behind the butcher shop and huddled behind the dumpster. This had been easier than stealing candy from a baby. At least those little monsters kept a tight hold on their things and screamed like banshees when they lost them.
A pile of snow fell from the rooftop next to her and she leapt back. Domino looked up at the roof where it fell from but couldn't see anything. Strange… must have been the wind.
She shrugged her shoulders and opened up the wallet she had swiped off her latest mark. What she found inside was enough to leave her mouth hanging open and her eyes as wide as dinner plates. There was nothing but hundred dollar bills inside it! With how many there were, this single wallet must have had over a thousand bucks!
The first month of winter was always the harshest, but this wallet would be enough to get her through it if she spent it right. Heh, thank the gods for rich people. You'd think someone walking around with this much money would guard it a little better, but no one had ever accused them of being smart. Now all she had to do was make sure no one stole it off her before she could buy new clothes and she'd be set-
Domino shrieked in pain as another pile of snow fell from the roof, this time directly on her head. She did her best to scrape the snow out of her hair and hissed through clenched teeth. When she went to look up at the roof this time, however, she froze.
There was a Persian sitting on the roof.
And it was looking right at her.
Domino didn't bother waiting around to see what the predator would do. She bolted as fast as she could down the alley towards the open street. Street Pokemon were dangerous, but they rarely went after people if they could avoid it. She remembered a wild Stoutland who had mauled a homeless man to death a while back. It had been so bad that even the normal people had taken notice. The maneater had been hunted down barely a day later and killed for it.
Something about this Persian… it was different. It was too clean and too well fed to be from the streets. No matter what it was, though, it wouldn't risk attacking her in the open where people could see. Even if she was an urchin, people would take notice of a feral Pokemon attacking her. More out of concern for their own safety than concern for her, but that was better in this case.
Nothing motivated people into action better than selfishness.
Before she could escape the alley and break out into the street, however, the Persian leapt from the roof. It landed in front of her and crouched low to the ground, barring its fangs. Domino skidded to a stop and spun on her heel to run in the opposite direction. She didn't make it very far. The Persian leapt after her and swatted her to the side with one of its powerful paws.
She let out a pained wheeze when she slammed into the dumpster. Her vision swam and the wallet dropped from her hands. She tried to get up and run away, but the Persian simply batted her down onto her back. As she crawled backwards on her elbows, she could see the glint of sadistic glee in its eyes. It pounced again, this time pinning her to the ground beneath its paws and barring its razor sharp fangs.
It licked its lips as a little bit of drool dribbled down onto her forehead. She tried her best to squirm and thrash around, doing everything in her power to throw the powerful beast off of her. It was no use though. She was too weak and too small. There was no chance of her being able to escape this thing on her own.
Luckily for her, Domino's time on the street had taught her a few tricks. The most important of which was to always carry a weapon. She always did her best to carry around something small and sharp enough to use as a shiv. They were usually something she could only use once, but it was enough for her to escape and live to make another one.
She slipped her hand into her pocket and yanked her makeshift shiv. It was a plastic toothbrush that she had found in a dumpster one day. After filing down the end to a sharp point, she had wrapped it in some cloth to give her something easier to grip. All in all, the process had taken her a couple of hours to get right.
She tightened her grip on the shiv and slammed it into the Persian's side. It hissed in pain and reared back. Twisting the shiv and snapping the handle, she shoved the feline monster off of her. She bolted away and down the alley as fast as her legs could carry her. Before she could get far, however, the Persian pounced on her back and pinned her to the ground. She cried out in alarm and pain as she felt its jaws grip her neck.
It didn't end there. The monster roughly tossed her aside into a nearby wall. The wind was knocked out of her, and she slumped to the ground. The Persian stalked closer until it was standing over her and placed its paw on her chest. Try as she might, Domino was too weak and out of anymore tricks to escape it again.
And they both knew it.
A feral, sadistic grin spread across its face. It flexed its paw and its claws extended through her shirt directly into her skin. Tears tickled the edges of her eyes, and she reflexively brought her hands up to grab the paw. The Persian chortled and began to slowly drag its claws down from the right of her chest diagonally across her stomach. She couldn't help it.
She screamed.
All that seemed to do was amuse the Persian even more. It dugs its claws deeper into her wound raking them through her again. No matter how much she pleaded, her words fell on deaf ears. This was how she died….
She didn't know what was worse. That she was going to be torn apart by some overgrown house cat or that this was still better than freezing to death. Domino clenched her eyes shut to avoid seeing her death come.
"Persian! That's enough!"
Until a loud, commanding voice broke through the air. Her eyes snapped open, and she snapped her head to the side to look at the entrance to the alleyway. Standing there was the very man that she had stolen the wallet from and the owner of the monster torturing her. At his command, the Persian growled in annoyance but retracted its claws and swiftly moved towards its owner.
Paralyzed in pain and fear, she remained where she laid.
The orange man sighed at his Persian and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I told you to find who stole my wallet and subdue them."
The cat chirped and pawed at the ground.
"Don't get smart with me." The man narrowed his eyes. "You and I both know that I didn't mean to play with them. I wanted them unharmed."
The Persian growled in annoyance, its tail slowly wagging back and forth.
In response, the orange man reached down and thumped his Pokemon behind the ears. "I don't care if she stabbed you. It was your own fault for fooling around. Next time, be more careful and it won't happen."
The regal cat hissed.
"Stop being dramatic. The wound isn't even that deep. You'll be fine."
It was official. This man was insane, and Domino was going to die as the plaything of his cat. Why did the universe like laughing at her so much….
The orange man picked his wallet up off the ground and stuffed it back into his pocket. Then he walked over and stood above her with a frown. He took his Pokeball off his belt and returned Persian to its Pokeball. With the monster gone, Domino was finally able to breathe a little easier.
Or at least as well as her wounds would let her, anyway.
"I'm sorry for what my Persian did to you. Much as I love her, she tends to play with her food." When she didn't say anything, he pushed on. "My name is Giovanni. What's yours?"
She drew her knees up to her chest and winced. "D-Domino…." She muttered.
Giovanni frowned. "That's a strange name you have there. Just what were your parents thinking?"
She wouldn't know. If her parents had given her a name, then it wasn't one she wanted. They had abandoned her at some scummy orphanage run by an evil witch. Far as she and everyone else like her were concerned, anything they had given them was worth less than dirt.
"Do you know why I'm here, Domino?"
What kind of question was that? "To take back your money."
Smiling, the man let out an amused laugh. "Well, there is that. But there's more. I was curious to see who had picked my pocket." He told her. "Not many have the skill to do that. Even fewer would dare to try."
She looked away. "So you came to watch me die?"
Giovanni was silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "… Kalosians, I swear." She heard him mutter under his breath. "No, I wanted to meet you."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "To offer you a job. Anyone with nimble fingers like that could be an excellent thief with the right training and equipment."
She couldn't help but laugh. When she tried, though, all it did was make her wounds worse. "A job? Why would you reward someone who stole from you?"
"I can appreciate talent when I see it." He reached out and offered his hand to her. "Come with me. I can have someone look at your wounds and get you off the streets."
A frown split her face. "And if I say no?"
Giovanni shrugged. "Then I shall take my leave. I'm not some creep snatching kids off the street. If you'd rather stay here then I won't stop you." He looked around the alley in an exaggerated manner, shrugging his shoulders and moving his head from side to side. "This is a rather nice alley. The filth accentuates the corruption of the city. I can see why you'd be hesitant."
That wasn't why she was hesitant. She leaned her head back against the wall of the alley while clutching her wounds. Adults weren't to be trusted. Those were the words that all urchins who wanted to survive lived by. Girls most of all made sure to follow this rule. Those that broke them never lasted long.
But… this man didn't have to trick her. He had that powerful Pokemon at his side and the wealth to make people ignore what he did. If he wanted to, he could just take her, and she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Yet he was offering her a choice to say no and go her own way.
She wouldn't survive if she did. This kind of wound would get infected quickly and she'd die a few days later. Even if she got treatment or somehow managed to survive the illness, she'd be too weak to take care of herself afterwards. Go with him and she had a chance of survival. Stay here and she'd be dead within a week.
Put like that, there wasn't really a choice. She always had hated this city.
Domino reached out and took his hand in hers. "Okay… I'll go with you."
A toothy smile spread across his face. "An excellent choice, my dear." He gently scooped her into his arm and onto his back. Reflexively, she wrapped her arms and legs around him for a piggy back ride. "Now, let's find you a doctor."
She winced. "What is it you want from me?"
"What I want is to make you the best version of yourself. A thief with no peer. Someone even the Legends won't see coming." He told her. "That will come later. For now, just stay quiet and save your strength. Knowing these Kalosians, they'll probably complain about how I'm staining a suit with your blood."
Despite the situation, Domino couldn't help but laugh. That sounded like the people of this city alright. Not a one of them had ever stepped up to help anyone if it didn't benefit them. With all the noise she'd been making, people on the street must have heard her. But not a single one had stepped in to help or investigate. Instead, she was having to rely on the man she'd stolen from – the man who caused her pain in the first place – for help.
She didn't know what that said about people.
All she did know was that perhaps she could trust Giovanni.
Just a little bit….
Present Day, Mahogany Town, Johto
Pryce was a boring man.
When Domino had first heard of the man, she had been impressed. Being the architect of the Specter program was one thing. That was already impressive enough. He was the one man that she had ever seen throw Giovanni off his game though. Her boss was usually so calm and controlled when it came to his enemies. This man though… it brought out a side of him she'd never seen.
There was something personal behind this job. Whatever it was, Domino wasn't going to pry. Giovanni wouldn't tell her if she asked, and it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Whether her boss wanted the old bastard watched, dead, or given a fruit basket, she'd follow his orders without hesitation.
Her loyalty didn't make watching Pryce any less boring though.
For a Gym Leader and former criminal, Domino had expected him to be a little more interesting. Maybe he would spend his time in the icy caves to the north training. Or perhaps he had taken a new group of thieves under his wing and was teaching them the tricks of the trade. She could hardly be so lucky though.
Instead, the old criminal's routine was the same throughout the day. He went to the market to pick up groceries every day at 9:30 in the morning. Afterwards, he would go to the Gym and remain there dismantling any trainers that challenged him until 2 in the afternoon. From there, he then would walk around to various little shops and cafes in the area to waste time until 5:30. Then he'd leave town to visit a waterfall near the Lake of Rage and sit underneath it in meditation until close to 10 at night before heading home.
Every. Damn. Day. The same routine, no deviation whatsoever. She didn't understand how anyone could do the same thing every day without wanting to gouge out their eyes. She refused to believe that Pryce was any different.
There was something more to what he was doing. He must have suspected that someone was following him and was intentionally doing this. She didn't know when he had gotten his suspicions, but it must have been early on. In the weeks she had been here, it had been the same thing. Given that she was still alive though, he must not have known what she looked like. She'd have been impressed he had cottoned on to her so quickly if it wasn't so annoying.
It was a game of cat and mouse. She was following him to find out if he was behind the recent attacks on Team Rocket. He was leading her on a dull chase to get her to slip up and find out her identity. She needed to make sure she won. A man like him would kill her the moment he found out he was in danger.
It was close to 8 at night and Pryce was still meditating underneath his waterfall. At his side were all of his Pokemon, each of them busy patrolling the area and searching for any potential threats to their master. She hidden within the treetops of the forest surrounding the lake in a ghillie suit and covered in a scent suppressant. Even if she knew that nothing would come of this, she couldn't risk leaving early and missing something important.
Domino leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree and let out an internal sigh.
At least things with the Rocket cell in Mahogany Town were a bit more interesting. Since their experiments on forced Pokemon evolution had been disrupted by Interpol and their agents had all been arrested, it had taken time for them to reestablish themselves in this part of the region. It would have been the perfect opportunity for Pryce to step in and turn whatever new agents arrived.
It would have helped explain some of the inconsistencies she'd seen since arriving. Given the secrecy of her mission, she couldn't investigate their operations or members here like she would have preferred. Even though she was forced to keep her distance though, she'd still noticed a few things. Money and Pokemon from heists that weren't being reported to command. Smuggling convoys that weren't on the books. The sale of information to third parties without proper authorization.
Regardless of whether or not Pryce was involved, someone here had turned their back on Team Rocket. This entire cell was dirty. They'd need to send in teams to clean house and wipe away the filth. She was almost certain Pryce was behind it but… she needed more proof than circumstantial evidence and her gut feeling. If she was wrong and Pryce was nothing more than a cautious old criminal, then all she'd do was help their enemies.
She'd need to find more solid proof. Something that would wipe away any doubt that Pryce was their man. As far as she could see, there were three ways she could go about doing this.
Option one was the local Rocket cell. However hands-off Pryce may have been, if he was involved in their corruption then he would have needed to be involved at some point. That meant the leaders of this local cell would have had to have met him. Sneaking into their bases or private homes to interrogate them would have been simple enough. That ran the risk of being found out and tipping her hand to whoever was behind this though.
Option two was to ambush Pryce. At this point, she knew his routine and route by heart. Planning an ambush somewhere along the way would have been child's play. However dangerous he may have once been, he was an old man now. If she could incapacitate him before he released his Pokemon, she could interrogate him at her leisure. A healthy application of drugs, threats, and Hypno's powers would loosen his tongue. But if she couldn't get to him before he released his Pokemon or he wasn't behind this? She'd have made an enemy for nothing.
Option three was to break into Pryce's home. She knew when he'd be gone and how to get in without leaving a trace. If he was back in the game and really was behind this, then he'd have kept anything incriminating close. Whether it was blackmail or large stacks of cash, she was certain she'd find something in his house. Even if she didn't, though, it wouldn't rule him out. It was possible he could hide evidence somewhere else he frequented like the Gym or somewhere she didn't know about. But if she was right….
Well, there was no harm in checking his home. As long as she left no trace, then it could only help. Giovanni may have told her to take her time with this, but Domino needed results fast. The longer it took her to do this, the more time their enemies had to weaken them from the inside and put her boss in danger.
Domino couldn't allow that.
11 Years Ago, Kanto
Her new home was different.
Compared to the streets of Lumiose City, this little base hidden away in the forests of this Kanto region was a paradise. She had her own bed, hot meals and cold water, and clothes without holes in them! It was like a little dream come true. Some of the other kids here seemed to think she was weird for thinking like that, but they were stupid.
They were also the one thing she had to complain about her new home. The other kids here all varied in age, but she was kept with those the same as her in one 'class', whatever that meant. A lot of them busy trying to make friends or talking about how they couldn't wait to get Pokemon like they saw on TV. Most of those tended to avoid her after a quick glare or two. Then there were those like her – the ones who had spent time on the streets. It was in the way they moved. How their eyes were always darting around and how they never turned their back to anybody.
She preferred the stupid one's. They were always obvious with what they were thinking. It showed on their faces. Those like her… they were better at hiding it. She'd need to keep her distance.
It was easier said than done. Apparently, she had been recruited into something called Team Rocket as Specters. Silly name aside, as far as Domino could tell, they were a big deal here in Kanto. There were a lot more of them than any gang she'd seen back in Lumiose. They were better dressed, better equipped, and a lot cleaner. That last one was important. Only the really powerful gangs cared about how clean their people were.
As part of their recruitment, they were all being forced to train. Team Rocket wanted to make them all into loyal, dangerous agents loyal to their cause. Some of the kids seemed suspicious of it all while others were eager to please their new owners. She didn't lean either way. If finishing their training and working for this gang was what it took to get guaranteed food and shelter for the rest of her life, then she'd do it without hesitation. It wasn't like they had a choice any way.
At the moment, she and the twenty-nine other kids had been rudely woken up early this morning by a dose of ice-cold water. Compared to the electricity or sonic attacks their teachers were usually so fond of, the water was a refreshing change of pace. Not everyone else could appreciate it. Some of the more spoiled kids had complained about it to them. All it had gotten them was a swift jab of a cattle prod.
Idiots. They should have realized by now that complaining would just make things worse for them.
After a short breakfast, they had all been marched into a massive training room with an observatory up above and separated into groups of ten. Today, their teachers had created what looked like an obstacle course complete with multiple paths, traps, and Pokemon patrolling its length. Some of the others seemed nervous about what was ahead of them, but Domino was more interested in the observatory. While their instructors normally watched them from up above, someone else had joined them today.
Giovanni was here.
She'd need to do her best to impress him. Prove to him that he hadn't made a mistake bringing her in.
Their lead instructor for the day – a gruff, middle-aged Paldean with a burn scar over half his face – stood in front of them all with his arms crossed behind his back. His eyes ran over them for a moment before the instructor cleared his throat.
"Alright, brats, listen up. Today, your missions is to ring the bell at the end of this obstacle course!" He began. "When every member of your team has rung the bell, you will be finished for this exercise."
Domino's hand went into the air.
"Question, runt?"
"What do we win, sir?"
Whatever it was, she'd win it and make Giovanni proud.
Their instructor scoffed. "You win dinner, gutter rat." A chortle escaped his old lips. "The last team to finish goes without dinner for the next two days."
Gasps of shock and worried whispers ran through the other trainees. For her part, Domino froze on the spot and her hands curled into fists. No dinner? That wasn't going to happen. There was no way that she was going back to missing meals! Not anymore!
She'd do whatever it took to make sure she rung that bell first.
The instructor stepped aside. All at once, Domino and the others prepared themselves for the obstacle course ahead. "Ready… begin!"
They all took off at once – with her at the head of the pack.
The first obstacle in their way was a mountain of boxes stacked atop one another. As every scrambled to get their footing or leap up to grab the ledges, Domino hung back for a moment to give the others a chance to get some distance. Once everyone else had made it about halfway up the wall, she sprung into the action. Grabbing the shirt of one, she scrambled up their back and leapt up to another. With her small frame and speed, she was gone before any of them could stop her and had reached the top in under a minute.
One of her teammates was close behind her and was leaning over the side to help someone else up. "Domino, gimme a hand here?"
She was gone before they had even finished their sentence.
The next obstacle was a barbed wire field so low to the ground that they would have to crawl through it. To make matters worse, the field beneath the wires was made up entirely of mud, sharp rocks, and whatever else their instructors could find to toss in there. As the cherry on top of this misery cake, there were Rocket Grunts on the sides of the field with automatic rifles in their hands and Grass and Water Pokemon at their side.
Not for the first time, Domino was convinced their instructors hated them all.
When the others eventually all caught up, Domino had already started to crawl her way through the mud field on her forearms and inner knees. She clenched her teeth and hissed in pain as sharp rocks, pins, and needles dug into her skin. That was to say nothing of the slippery mud that made it difficult for her to get a solid pace and sent her slipping face-first into the mud.
It was nothing she couldn't handle though.
Once the other trainees started to make their way through the field, things changed. The Grunts above them raised their rifles and began to shout at the top of their lungs for them to go faster, hurling insults all the while. Deafening thundercracks echoed through the room as the rifles fired rubber bullets into ground at them. Their Pokemon did the same, launching barrages of Bullet Seeds and jets of water at them. While most missed and did nothing more than splash mud onto them, some of the rubber bullets and attacks pelted the trainees. It was enough for them to cry out in pain and suddenly jerk themselves up into the wire by accident.
Those that did ended up getting caught in the wires and forcing their teammates to slow down to get them out – though not without pain if the screams were anything to go by. One of her teammates was caught beside her, but she ignored their pleading look.
They were on their own. No one was getting between her and her food. She wouldn't disappoint Giovanni.
Eventually, she managed to make it to the end of the wire field and crawl to her feet. Compared to some of the others, all she had were a few minor scratches and bruises. A fair trade if she had ever seen one. Wiping the mud off her face onto her sleeve, she took off sprinting again just as the bulk of the others made it to the end of the field.
The next obstacle course was much simpler but no less painful. A set of three bridges made of interconnected, spinning cylinders were suspended over a small ravine. Once again there were Rocket Grunts posted on the sides of the obstacle. This time, however, they were standing next to mechanical launchers armed with basketballs and Psychic types at their side.
Something told Domino that speed wasn't going to help her here. This time she waited for the rest of them to catch up, but none of the others were eager to be the first to go. Not until the Grunts began to laugh and insult them for their cowardice, causing one of the dumber to step forward. He made it maybe three steps on the first cylinder before it spun, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the pit below. He'd have hit the ground headfirst if it weren't for one of the Psychics stopping him midair and dropping him back at their feet.
This was going to be tricky. They couldn't just rely on their own balance to get through this next obstacle, but the balance of their teammates to do it. Worse, they'd need to all be capable of staying perfectly balanced while avoiding the attacks coming from their side.
This would be nearly impossible until they ran out of balls to throw at them.
So that was exactly what she chose to wait for. While everyone else tentatively made their way onto the unstable bridges and tiptoed their way across, Domino chose to remain behind and catch her breath. She watched as entire teams were sent falling off the bridge by one foolish misstep or one mistimed dodge. If it weren't for the Psychics nearby plucking them out of the air before they hit the ground, Domino was convinced that they would all have broken limbs by this point.
Eventually, the Grunts and their machines had all run out of balls to throw at them. Since none of the Psychic types were using their powers to retrieve them, Domino mentally cheered at the brilliance of her plan and sprang into action. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and stepped up onto the bridge. Placing her arms out wide at her sides and taking slow, deliberate steps, she was able to slowly make her way across the bridge. At this point, her teammates had all failed so many times that experience had helped them master the art of moving across it.
By the time she reached the end, she was so happy that she leapt off the bridge with a cheer. This caused the cylinders to spin and send her teammates who had all be close behind her tumbling down into the ravine again. This time, she spared them all a silent apology and a quick look backwards before moving forward.
She wasn't completely heartless.
The next obstacle in her way was a set of monkey bars suspended over another ravine. Unlike the previous obstacles, there were no Grunts on the sidelines with weapons waiting to knock them down. Instead, she could see an assortment of Zubat, Pidgeys, and Spearows all roosting nearby, waiting for the moment they could attack. Like before, there was a small team of Psychics ready to catch them when they fell.
Domino winced. There would be no avoiding the pain or failure this time. She'd need to just grit her teeth and find a way through like she always did. The end was in sight, and she'd be damned if she failed now!
Stepping forward, she hopped up and grabbed the monkey bars. As the other trainees finally made it through the last obstacle, she started to swing herself back and for to reach the next bar. As she slowly made her way forward, the other trainees weren't far behind. The entire time, her stomach was a bundle of knots as she waited for the trap to be sprung.
When they made it halfway, they sprung it. The Flying Types launched themselves from their perches and shrieked at the top of their lungs. Diving through the air, the tiny monsters were fearsome terrors that pecked and bit at their hands and sides. A Zubat landed on the back of her neck and sunk its fangs into her neck. Reflexively, she lost her grip and tried to pry it off. By the time she realized what had happened, it was too late.
As she fell, Domino felt some kind of invisible force wrap itself around her body like a tight cocoon. Slowly, it halted her descent and lifted her up in the air to plop her back down on the ground. Growling, Domino pushed herself to her feet and narrowed her eyes.
The Flying types were making mincemeat of everyone. With how slow they were all moving, they might as well have been sitting ducks. At this rate, they'd all fail this obstacle course and go hungry together!
She took a few steps back and crouched down into a sprinters crouch. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her beating heart… and bolted as fast as she could towards the edge. As she reached the end, she leapt forward through the air and snatched two of the bars. Using her momentum, she forced herself forward. With her sudden burst of speed and the slow speed of those around her, none of the Pokemon in the air chose to target her.
When she reached the end and let go of the bars, she rolled along the ground. With a hiss of pain, she brought her hands up to her face and blew on them. With how fast she'd been going, she'd torn off some of her skin on those bars! Oh, she was so going to get blisters from this!
A small price to pay compared to a lost dinner though.
Stumbling to her feet, Domino spared a look back. Now that the others had seen her plan work, they were all stepping back to get a running start as well. It was then she noticed that there were large buckets of rocks at the end. If she were to make a guess, those must have been here for a reason. Whether it was to target the Flying Types or enemy teams, though, she couldn't say for sure.
She couldn't say she much cared anyway.
Turning her back on the monkey bars, she moved towards the final obstacle in her path. It was a single, simple rope dangling from the ceiling. She was meant to climb it and reach the ledge up above where the bell was.
She cracked a smile. She'd climbed up pipes on the sides of buildings being chased by angry urchins before. This would be child's play compared to that. Grabbing onto the rope, it took her a few moments to get used to the way that it would swing back and forth. Soon enough, she was able to start shimmying her way up the rope until she had reached the top and could leap onto the ledge.
From there, she wasted no time in dashing forward and ringing the bell on a post at the end. She pumped her fist into the air and cheered. "First!"
The instructor waiting for her at the end quirked his eyebrow before looking away. She frowned. That hadn't been the reaction she was expecting. Slowly, the rest of the trainees all made their way up the rope to ring the bell until they had all finished the course. The final one to make the trip had been a member of the same team she was forced on.
The final boy wiped some sweat from his brow and glared down at her. "Thanks for nothing."
Before she could say anything, his fist struck her cheek and sent her falling to the ground. She hissed in pain and tried to stand up to strike back, but a boot was placed on her chest and forced her back down. It was their instructor.
And he did not look pleased.
"Good work, brats! Everybody eats!" He declared as a smirk stretched across his scarred face. "Except for the gutter rat here and her team."
She snarled and tried to push herself up, to no avail. "I was first!"
He snorted. "Aye, you were first. Your team came in last though. Listen good to what I'm about to say: you don't win, unless your team wins. That goes double for when you eventually graduate this fine institution of ours and officially join Team Rocket!" He grinded his foot into her chest. "Or in your case, if you can graduate."
The instructor lifted his boot off her chest and stepped away. "That's enough for now. Get yourselves cleaned up and to the infirmary if you need it! I expect you all to be prepared when I next come calling!"
As the other trainees began to disperse, she felt one of them spit on her and a few send her send her dirty looks. None of it bothered her. She'd grown used to it in Kalos and the adults there could be far crueler than this. No, instead she turned her head to look up towards the observatory where she knew Giovanni would be.
When their eyes met, the two held eye contact for a brief moment. Then… he shook his head and turned to walk away.
That hurt more than any of the harsh words or wounds she'd suffered today. If she couldn't even live up to the expectations of the man who had taken her off the streets and brought her in, then what good was she!? Clenching her eyes shut, she growled and slammed her fist into the ground.
She needed to do better! She needed to be better! She needed-
"Well, well. Would you look at that, sis? The little brat does have some emotions after all."
"You're right! Here I was thinking she was an emotionless robot."
Once she heard the voices, Domino's eyes snapped open, and she backed away. Standing above her were two older, teenaged girls in Team Rocket uniforms looking down on her. One of them had shoulder length, light blue hair, and amber eyes while the other had her long, golden hair styled into large buns on the side of her head with the same amber eyes.
Glaring up at them, she stumbled to her feet. "Who are you two? What do you want?"
The bluenette giggled. "So hostile. I can see why you don't have any friends."
Blondie reached down to ruffle Domino's hair. She was tempted to bite off her fingers but held back. It probably wouldn't work. "Aww, well I think it's cute. She's like a little Poochyena! So aggressive at first, but deep down I'll bet she's just full of love and affection!"
Domino's eye twitched. "I am not!" She stomped her foot into the ground just to show how fierce she was. It didn't have the effect she wanted because it just made the two older girls laugh at her more.
The blond one rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, no need to blow a gasket." She held out her hand for Domino to shake. "My name's Annie. You may have heard of me. Impossibly charming, stunningly beautiful, and the best thief this side of Team Rocket!"
Bluenette narrowed her eyes and jabbed her elbow into Annie's side. "Ahem?"
A smirk crossed Annie's face and she hid the mischievous twinkle in her eyes behind her bangs. "Oh, and this is my little sister, Oakley. She's almost as good as me. No prizes for second place though."
Oakley growled. "You're so lucky you're my sister."
"Really? I'd have said the same thing. Anyone related to me won the genetic lottery as far as I'm concerned."
Domino slowly back away while the two were focused on each other so she could slip away. Sadly, they noticed. She barely made it two steps before they turned their attention back to her. The same charming smiles were on both their faces.
She didn't trust them.
"Why are you talking to me?"
Annie sauntered over to her and crouched down until she was eye level. "Because you're just the cutest thing we've seen all day!"
Domino was just about ready to punch this girl in the throat.
Luckily, she didn't have to. Oakley slapped her sister on the back of the head and grabbed her by the back of the collar to drag her away. "Listen. My sister and I are like you. We went through Specter training when we were younger too."
Annie nodded. "Yeah! We were just like you too. So young and full of loathing for everything… where did the days go?"
Her eyes narrowed. "You're mocking me."
Annie laughed. "Out of affection, I swear." She held out her hand for her to shake again. "We thought we'd come see how you were doing. You took your loss pretty hard, cutie."
Hesitantly, Domino reached out to shake it. "My name is Domino. And I just don't like to lose. Or have my food taken from me."
Oakley snorted in amusement and cocked her hip to the side. "Better get used to it. Old Burnside loves to use hunger as a motivator for his students. He's a bastard like that."
She blinked. "Burnside?"
Annie wagged her finger. "It was the nickname our class had for him. You know, since half his face looks like a burned hotdog." She smirked. "He always hated that nickname – so naturally, it stuck."
Domino laughed. She'd need to remember that. "You two are Specters?"
"We are. Best of our generation too, not that the others would ever admit it." Oakley crossed her arms. "Listen, Burnside's singled you out to be his punching bag. He does it to every class he teaches, and they almost always end up broken messes."
Domino glared. "So what? You want to help me? Why?"
"You mean aside from the fact it'll piss Burnside off?" Annie chipped in.
Oakley rolled her amber eyes. "Because you've got a lot of potential. With or without us, I think you'll make it out the other end a good Specter. With our help though? It'll be a lot easier. We can fill you in on the tricks he likes to pull and teach you a thing or two."
"Then when you officially become one of us, you'll owe us a favor. We can always use someone else to watch our back that we know can handle themselves." Annie added. "There may be no honor among thieves, but there is solidarity."
Selfishness that benefited them all, huh? Domino supposed she could understand that. So long as she knew what it was they wanted from her and there were no hidden motives, she could get behind it. "Will that be breaking the rules?"
Oakley shrugged. "We're criminals, Domino. Nobody expecting us to follow rules is thinking clearly."
"Don't think of it as breaking rules. Just think of this as practice for when you become one of us. Thinking outside the box and doing whatever it takes to win is the Team Rocket motto!" Annie advised.
She blinked. "I thought it was something else. Didn't it start with-"
"We don't talk about that!" The two of them shouted at once.
Okay… looked like she'd need to avoid saying the motto she'd heard some of the Grunts passing around. That was fine by her. It had sounded pretty silly.
"So you two help me in exchange for me helping you later?" It wasn't too different from the sorts of deals the other kids would make back in Lumiose City. Domino nodded and gave the two a bright smile. "Okay, that sounds good to me! You teach me now, and I'll have your back later."
Her two new teachers shared a smile. "Excellent! Now come on, let's get you something to eat. Can't expect you to be at your best on an empty stomach."
Domino could see that this was the start of a beautiful friendship.
3 Years Ago, Viridian City, Kanto
"Why am I here?"
Oakley leaned back in her chair, sipping on a strawberry sunrise. "Orders from the boss, Domino. You know that."
Domino slouched over the table. "I just mean why me, specifically? You know I don't do the whole damsel in distress thing well."
Annie drummed fingers along the edge of the table they were sitting at. "Don't sell yourself short. You're the best Specter to come out of the program in years. The boss must have taken notice and decided you were the best fit."
"It certainly helps that you're the right age." Oakley chimed in.
Domino leaned back in her chair with a sigh. The three of them were in Viridian City at a small café in one of the market distracts. Just recently, she had been recalled from an assignment overseas in Unova. She'd been busy tracking down one of Plasma's illusive Sages and had managed to narrow down the search to somewhere in Castelia City. From there, all she'd have to do is set up an ambush and either capture him for interrogation or kill him.
She'd had so many ideas for how she could do it. Maybe she could stage a false flag attack on one of the local drug kingpins and pit the two against one another. Maybe kill the police commissioners' brother and pin the crime of Team Plasma. Arceus, she'd even been thinking of slowly turning their own members in the city against one another until the Sage had no choice but to reveal himself.
The possibilities were endless!
Instead, here she was back in Kanto being prepped for what was for all intents and purposes a honeytrap.
When she found out who put her name forward to the boss for this, she was going to string them up by their toes!
The target of their little plan didn't even seem worth her time. He was a fairly skilled trainer on the League circuit, but beyond that? There was no connection to any prominent criminal, business, or law enforcement figures. He wasn't someone with influence or resources they could use. As far as she could tell, he was the exact type of person they should have been avoiding if his hatred of criminals was anything to go by.
Why the boss was interested in this Silver kid was beyond her.
But if the boss wanted her to get close to him, then that's what she'd do.
She ran a hand down her face. Might as well get this over with. "Remind me what the plan is again?"
The strawberry sunrise was raised up and Oakley took a sip from her straw. "It's simple. You walk down the street – looking as dopey and innocent as you can – with this purse once he leaves the store he's visiting." Her friend slid a small, black leather purse across the table. Sticking out of the top of it was a thick wad of cash. "Then one of our guys will show up to take it. You'll struggle with it while looking as helpless as can be."
"Which means no kicking the crap out of the guy." Annie warned. "Don't want you to scare him off."
Domino rolled her eyes. She wasn't stupid. She knew how to keep a cover.
"And once he sees it, dear little Silver will step in like a hero to save your person and chase the thief away. After which, you will work your magic on him and convince him to let you travel with him." Oakley laughed. "Like taking candy from a baby."
"Oh! He's coming out!" Annie pointed towards the nearby department store at a redheaded boy walking down the street. "Better get going if you want to catch him."
Domino sighed and plucked the purse off the table, pushing herself to her feet. "This kid had better be worth it."
She left the café and started walking down the street. Dressed in a violet sundress with a dark blue sunhat, Domino looked like any other mindless fool on the street. Combined with the fact she had no Pokeballs or weapons visible on her, she would have made a tempting target for any would-be mugger.
Luckily for them, the only one around here was their agent.
As she got within a dozen feet or so of Silver, their agent dashed out of the nearby alley and grabbed the purse. She let out a loud, sharp gasp and dug her feet into the ground. She and the agent both tugged on the bag at opposite ends.
"Help! Somebody! He's trying to steal my purse!" She shouted.
"Hand over the bag, lady!" The agent shouted in response. "Don't make me hurt you over a few lousy bucks!"
Predictably, everyone else on the street were all frozen where they stood. Most of them were just gaping like a fish and shifting uncomfortably as they looked on. Some of the more generous people would have called it fear, but she knew better. They were all happy to look on and hope that someone else would help, but they wouldn't lift a finger to do it themselves.
Someone more generous would have called it the bystander effect, but she knew better. This was nothing more than pure, unadulterated selfishness. It disgusted her so much she felt like she needed a shower.
If there was one thing she would give Silver, it was that he was different than everyone else. No matter how annoying hero types were, at least they always stood by their beliefs.
"Sneasel, stop that guy!"
Just as they predicted, Silver sprang into action once he realized someone was in trouble. His Sneasel dashed in between them and leapt into the air, kicking their agent in the face. The man tumbled backwards to the ground but rolled over his shoulder. Then he took off sprinting down the street, pushing aside bystanders in his way.
With the threat gone, the Sneasel turned to look up at her and let out an inquisitive growl. Domino blinked. Was she expected to respond to it like it was a person? The file had said Silver was close with his Pokemon, so she guessed it couldn't hurt.
Crouching down, she pulled the Sneasel into a tight hug. "Oh, thank you so much! You were so brave!"
The Sneasel sheepishly rubbed the back of its head.
"Don't be modest, Sneasel. You earned the praise."
At Silver's voice, Domino perked up and let go of the Ice type. Standing up, she turned and clasped her hands in front of her. "Are you this Sneasel's trainer?"
The redheaded boy nodded down at her. "Yes, ma'am. He's my partner."
Grabbing his arm, she pulled him into a tight hug as well. "Oh, thank you so much too! I'm so glad that you were able to help me! Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't been here!"
She made sure to say that last part extra loud. Most of those nearby who had chosen to stand by, and watch had the decency to look ashamed. Good. The last thing any of them deserved was to feel proud of themselves for doing nothing.
Silver flushed in embarrassment. "I-it was nothing. Really."
Domino pulled back and smiled brightly at him. His face was now almost as red as his hair. "Don't sell yourself short! You're a regular knight in shining armor!" She clapped her hands together. "I know! Come with me. I'm gonna treat you and your Pokemon to lunch."
Silver and his Sneasel exchanged a glance. "You don't have to-"
Her hand wrapped around his wrist, and she started pulling him down to street. They were accompanied by Sneasel's chortle of laughter. "Nope! I won't take no for an answer, mister!"
That was how the three of them wound up at a nice little Unovan restaurant. She was leaning forward and propping herself up on her elbow, sipping on a vanilla milkshake. Silver shifted in his seat across from her and Sneasel munched on a small muffin in its own. With a sigh of content, Domino turned her violet eyes to his brown one's.
"You still haven't told me your name." She pointed out. "I can't keep calling you my gallant knight forever… unless that's what you were aiming for?"
Silver's eyes widened and his face turned as red as a pepper. "No no no! That wasn't- I wasn't trying to- gah!" He rested his forehead on the table and groaned. "My name is Silver. Silver Axe."
Axe huh? An alias then. In the file she'd been given, his last name was unknown – an impossibility if he was willing to give it so freely. Maybe he was the son of someone important that they hadn't been able to find. Maybe he'd been in witness protection at some point. Hell, he might have even been an orphan like her and taken a name of his own.
Either way, she'd have plenty of time to figure it out if things went well.
"That's a nice name." She took a sip of her milkshake. "I'm Tiffany Davenport. It's a pleasure to officially meet you."
He mumbled something in response. At his side, Sneasel snickered and patted Silver's back in solidarity.
"While we wait on our food, I'm curious: are you taking on the Pokemon League?" She prodded. "Your Sneasel looks too strong to be a pet."
Silver looked down at his Sneasel and smiled. "He's my partner. Has been ever since I was a little kid, and he will be for as long as he'll have me."
The Sneasel raised its claws into the air and cheered in agreement.
What an idiot.
Domino smiled. "That's so sweet!"
"Heh. Yeah…." As he trailed off, Silver's smile turned into a frown. "I am taking on the Pokemon League, but that's not why I'm here. I was visiting family, unfortunately."
She cocked her head to the side, her golden curls formed a frame around her face. "Trouble in paradise?"
Silver tried to hide his grimace behind a sip of his water. "My family is complicated. It's nothing to worry about."
"Complicated? Heh, well you're in luck. I'm an expert at complicated." Silver's eyes shifted and he started to scratch the back of his Sneasel's head. Domino would need to push a little more. "You helped me out earlier. The least I can do is offer you someone to vent to."
Setting his cup down on the table, Silver looked away. "It's nothing special. My dad just wanted me to come visit him is all."
So his father lived in Viridian City? Good to know. "I'm sensing there's more to this than your dad calling you home."
"He wants me to take over the family business. He's got all these expectations and plans for me, but never actually asked what I want to do." Silver picked up the fork to his right and began to twirl it in his hands. The precision and speed he did it with reminded Domino of a master thief. "It just gets tiring pretending to be someone I'm not."
Domino could understand that. It was a common issue for conmen. Lying to everyone they met and changing who they were day by day wore down their nerves after a while. Some ended up breaking from it and quitting the life altogether. Others adapted to it and accepted that their entire life was a lie.
She tapped her foot on the ground beneath the table. "What is it your family does? What, are you like a chef or something? Oh! Maybe a tailor?" She plucked her own knife off the table and flipped it around to poke him with the blunt end. "I could see you as a cobbler. Fixing up shoes until the sun goes down!"
Silver and his Sneasel both laughed with genuine smiles on their faces. "If only. No, he's more of your typical businessman than anything else. He's got his hands in the import and export business, pest control, casinos, pharmaceuticals, even politics. You name it, he's probably got some influence there."
Domino hid her interest behind another sip of her milkshake. Those were all common forms of doublespeak used in the underworld to hide the true business of criminals. Whoever his father was, he must have been connected to organized crime somehow if his reach was that far. She was beginning to understand why she was ordered to watch him.
"That's impressive. I can see why it would be a lot to put on your shoulders though." She hummed. "Have you told him you don't want to follow in his footsteps?"
Silver groaned into his hand. "I have. He doesn't listen though. He just says that I'm going through a phase, and I'll get over it eventually. Then I yell… and he yells back… and then we don't speak for a few weeks waiting to see which one of us gives in first."
"Sounds complicated."
Sounded stupid was what it was. If you cared about someone, you didn't let simple fights get in the way of staying close. Silver didn't know how lucky he was to have someone that cared about him. His father didn't seem to understand how lucky he was to have a loving son either.
She wanted to whack the both of them on the head.
Domino leaned back in her seat. "What is it you want to do then?"
Silver closed his eyes and crossed his hands in front of him. "I don't know. That's what my journey is about. I want to find what I'm passionate about and pursue it, not be forced into something just because it's the family business. I've tried telling him that, but he says searching without a goal is pointless."
Shrugging, Domino looked up as their food arrived and thanked the waiter for their food. "It sounds like he's just worried about you. I'm sure if you went to him with a concrete plan, he'd support you."
That's what she heard good parents did, anyway.
"Maybe…." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring down the mood with my issues."
She snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes. "I asked, you dope. Besides, it's not like you're the only one with family problems. We've all got those."
"Oh yeah? What about you? Any secrets you wanna share?"
She tapped her chin with her knife. "Hmmm… nope!" Laughter escaped her lips. "If you want those, I'm afraid you'll need to try a little harder."
Silver chuckled. "Fair enough."
"Speaking of your journey, where are you planning to go next?" She prodded.
"Ah. I'm heading to take on the Cerulean City Gym." He told her. "I've heard that Misty is a tough opponent, but she's the last badge I need before I can compete at the Indigo League."
"What a coincidence!" She cheered. "I'm heading that way too to meet up with some friends. Do you want to travel together?"
Silver blinked. "You want to travel with me? Why?"
"You mean aside from the fact you're my knight in shining armor?" She teased. Predictably, he blushed a blazing red. "I need to go there anyway, and you seem trustworthy. I just thought it'd be nice to have some company."
"I guess that makes sense…."
She leaned forward, allowing the collar of her dress to fall forward slightly. "I'm also an excellent cook, if that helps."
Silver gulped and looked away. "A-ah! Well that's good! I'm a terrible cook. I burn everything to charcoal and mix up my ingredients all the time and once I even mixed up the hot sauce with the chocolate sauce for a sundae and- oof!"
Sneasel growled and raised its claws again in warning.
The redhead flinched. "I'm sorry. I was rambling."
She and Sneasel exchanged a glance before snickering. Yeah, they wondered why.
Silver shook away his blush but refused to meet her eyes. "Okay. Yeah, sure. I wouldn't mind some company on the road. It'll be nice to talk to someone who I can actually understand."
Sneasel chirped in annoyance.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"
Domino chuckled as the two devolved into bickering in front of her. Mission accomplished. While she wasn't a fan of her assignment, it wouldn't be too bad. Especially if Silver was always going to be this easy to tease. She was only meant to do it until Plasma had been defeated too which wouldn't take much longer than a few months at this rate.
So long as she protected him, she might as well treat it like a vacation.
This was going to be fun.
2 Years Ago, Lumiose City, Kalos
As one of the oldest regions in the world, Kalos was known for three things. The first was its rich history as a conquering empire that played a pivotal role in human history. The second was its rich culture of fashion, art, and sophistication. The third and final element that made Kalos stand out was its moniker as the nation of love. These three aspects combined to make Kalos one of the cultural hotspots of the world.
And if there was one thing Kalos loved to do, it was show off at every opportunity.
Nothing let them do that more than a fashion show.
As the center of the fashion world, renowned fashion designers and models would come from across the globe for the chance to have their work shown off their work. Those who stood out at one of these fashion shows would find their work in high demand and their name catapulted into the spotlight. More importantly, the tycoons of the industry could come together to make deals and find new talent.
Domino would never be able to understand.
Oh, she understood the power of clothes. Whether you were infiltrating a high society dinner, an academy for the gifted, or a military base, the right clothes could mean the difference between success or failure. The colors you chose, the condition of the clothes themselves, and even the way they were worn all played in important part in building a cover identity and disguise.
That was all clothes were though. A tool to serve a singular purpose. It was nothing worth glorifying or worshipping. The people behind it were hardly any better. The exploitation of cheap labor, staggering amounts of pollution, abuse of their models, assassinations and embezzlement, the list went on.
It glittered like gold, but beneath the surface? The fashion industry was as vile and corrupt as any other business.
Fortunately for her, she'd have the chance to strike back against them tonight.
This year, the Xerneas Illumination fashion show was being held at one of the ancient castles from the days of warlords and emperors. In addition to the hundreds that had come to show off their work at the event, thousands had come to see it in person. Millions more would be watching the live streams of the event to catch a glimpse at what the new height of fashion would be.
For her part, Domino was up above the main stage being used as a runway. At her side was a simple toolbox. She was sitting in the rafters which were holding up the massive lighting rig used to illuminate the room in a myriad of different colors. Made entirely of crystals and suspended by a single winch, it was an impressive sight.
Sneaking in had been simple. All she'd had to do was find someone with a uniform around her size and pay them a few thousand dollars to take the night off. From there, all she'd had to do was walk in with everyone else. As part of the maintenance crew, she had access to pretty much anywhere in the castle. The few places she wasn't allowed were easy to sneak into with the incompetent security forces they employed.
She'd been sent here for one reason: to send a message.
Team Rocket had been trying to establish themselves within the Kalos region for a while now. At first, it had gone well. They'd made some allies willing to profit from business with them and crushed the initial enemies at the ports who'd opposed them. It had seemed like their expansion would be a slow and easy victory.
Then they came across Team Flare.
The Kalosian syndicate and they had clashed in the past in other regions. Usually over bits of rare technology or ancient artifacts that could be connected to Legends. It had always been purely business. Whatever losses the two inflicted to the other had been minor in the grand scheme of things. As long as they stayed out of each other's way, there was some semblance of peace. Even when that had to come to an end with their encroachment into Kalos, they had believed it would still be purely business that brought them at odds.
Then their first agents in Kalos had been butchered in their beds. Their bodies strung up, their blood used to draw Flare's symbol on the walls, and their heads mailed to Team Rocket bases in Unova. Their message had been clear: Stay out of Kalos or risk war.
Perhaps if Team Rocket had been weaker, they would have done as they said and written Kalos off as a lost cause. Maybe if they and their other rivals had all joined forces, Flare could have forced Rocket into submission. Instead, Flare had chosen to strike at the most powerful criminal empire the world had ever seen and done so without any allies. An arrogant move if Domino had ever seen one.
Even then, their war could have remained professional. Plasma and Galactic had been no less brutal in their wars against them. Yet they had made a mistake that the others had never been given the chance to. Flare had killed one of Giovanni's old friends – someone he'd known during the Great War as far as she could tell.
That had made this personal. Now she and other agents all across Kalos were to give their answer to Flare: War.
Many of their agents were going to be hitting known Flare strongholds and assassinating prominent figures within the group. Some of them would be burning down labs and business connected to the group while others would target the banks connected to the group. Domino would be doing none of this. Instead, she had been assigned to strike a blow against the leader of Flare himself.
Lysandre Beausejour.
The man had hidden his connection to Flare well. As far as the public was concerned, Lsyandre was a brilliant scientist and a philanthropist dedicated to saving the world. He had fed millions and provided homes to just as many, often acting as a voice of reason and unity on the interregional stage. He might as well have been a saint.
Team Rocket knew better though. Unlike Giovanni, Lysandre had left a faint trail for them to follow. Wireless transactions that went to nowhere. Shell companies that set up shop across the world. An intense interest in the ancient mysteries of the world and anything related to Mega Evolution. Rival businesses becoming embroiled in scandals and enemies being assassinated. Slowly, they had been able to follow the trail back to him.
Like Kalos itself, his arrogance would be his downfall.
First, however, he would suffer.
Targeting Lysandre himself would have been impossible. He was too heavily protected at all times for her to accomplish on her own. Something like that would have taken months of planning and an entire cell of agents supporting her. For now, he was safe. Those close to him weren't as lucky.
While the Kalosian criminal didn't have any surviving family or even many close friends, their information pointed to him being close to one woman. Nikki Belrose, a famous model known for her obsession with perfection. Despite his efforts to hide it, Lysandre frequently had her over to his home, took her with him on trips, and sponsored her shows.
Whatever was going on between them, it was clear that he cared for her.
It made her the perfect target.
By killing one of Giovanni's friends, there would be no limits to this war. Anyone and anything Lysandre cared about would be destroyed. Even those that had nothing to do with Flare or the criminal underworld at all wouldn't be spared.
There was a saying that an eye for an eye made the world go blind. Maybe that was true. If so, then they would take both Flare's eyes and its heart. They would learn the price of standing against Team Rocket right before the little terrorist group was consigned to the pages of a history book.
As the fashion show below continued on, Domino patiently waited for Nikki Belrose to make her entrance. When she finally came on stage, the woman was wearing a flaming, flowing orange and white dress that trailed behind her. At her side, a female Pyroar walked with its main tied into a braid and dyed blue. The crowd cheered and music blared as the two of them strutted down the catwalk and posed for the cameras.
Domino smirked and grabbed the crowbar from her toolbox. Raising it above her head, she jammed it into the winch and wrenched it aside, snapping the delicate machinery inside. There was a loud creak for a moment that drowned out the cheers and the music below. Before anyone could even realize what was happening, the lighting rig fell from the ceiling.
When it came crashing down, the glass shattered it millions of tiny, razor-sharp shards. Most of the audience was fine except for those in the audience right next to the stage. For those on the stage like Nikki Belrose and her Pyroar though? They weren't just crushed by tons upon tons of glass. They were sliced into little bits and impaled on the shards before being smashed by the weight of the lights.
Gone was the standard of perfect beauty. In its place was a mangled blood stain beneath a mountain of debris.
As the crowd below screamed in terror and ran for the exits, Domino stood up and made her way off the rafters. The security forces would be busy trying to contain the situation and keep the guests from killing each other in their panic to escape. It would take a few minutes for the police to arrive in force and lock down the scene. By then, she'd be long gone, and this would be written off as a tragic accident by everyone.
Everyone except Lysandre, that is.
Team Rocket hadn't started this war, but with Arceus as her witness, they would be the ones to finish it.
Present Day, Mahogany Town, Johto
Pryce's home was on the outskirts of Mahogany Town in what could best be described as the suburbs. Painted a homely white, it was the picture of peace with a white picket fence, a perfectly maintained garden out front, and even a small chimney that could be seen from a distance. A perfect little home for a respected member of the community.
It was also very well guarded. While there were no bodyguards standing around the doors or patrolling the grounds, Domino had been watching long enough to notice the hidden guards. There was a landscaping van out front that never moved while new workers came to replace those inside every twelve hours. There were three joggers that patrolled the neighborhood in hour intervals, ensuring that there were always eyes on the streets. Finally, there was an old man who always sat on his front porch reading the newspaper.
Since she'd arrived, she'd kept a constant surveillance on his home. Finding a way inside was almost impossible. There were always eyes on Pryce's home, no matter the time of day. Someone would see her if she tried to sneak in while he was gone as long as they were watching. She could kill them, but that would only alert Pryce to the fact someone was coming for him. At best, he'd beef up his security to make it harder. At worst, he'd set a trap and kill her.
She needed to avoid both of those.
Luckily for her, she had noticed something while she'd been watching Pryce's guards. Any time they noticed an unfamiliar car in the neighborhood more than three times or if it spent a little too long near Pryce's home, they moved. The old man on the porch got up to smoke a cigarette and take a walk. The joggers all moved on the streets at the same time. Even the van suddenly started to move. Collectively, they would converge on the threat and follow them wherever they were going.
It was an impressive bit of coordination, but it had one glaring weakness. While they were preoccupied with dealing with the potential threat, they left his home unguarded. After all, why watch the house when you had the threat in your sights already? As far as she could tell, her target hadn't placed any cameras inside of his house either.
She could use that.
So she made a plan. Once Pryce left this morning, she didn't follow him like she normally did. Instead, she chose to wait until noon when most businesses had opened up and the lunch rush was about to begin. She'd ordered a pizza and was having it delivered to her targets house to see their reaction.
Thirty minutes later, the pizza arrived. When the delivery man stepped out of his car and walked up to the front door of Pryce's house, his guards all started to move. By the time the driver had gotten back in his car and started to drive away, he was moving right into an ambush by the guards.
It would take them five, maybe ten minutes to figure out the deliveryman was innocent, chalk it up to a mistake, and get back to watching the house. By then, she'd already be inside and working.
Once the guards were all out of sight, Domino left her hiding spot and approached the door to Pryce's house. She was able to pick her way through the lock in under ten seconds and shut it behind her before anyone could notice.
Now that she was inside, Domino took a moment to breath and look around. As far as houses went, it was hardly furnished, there were no pictures on the walls, and nothing that showed it was a true home. Only the nastiest, most careful criminals managed to make it to old age. They always had some tricks up their sleeves to give them an edge. Whether it was a concealed weapon, a covert escape route, or some sort of trap to deal with unwanted visitors.
A man like Pryce would have set multiple traps in his home while he was gone.
Before she took another step into his home, she reached down and lifted the rug that lead further into the house. Some criminals liked to set trembler switch near the entrance to the home that an intruder would set off by accident, activating some sort of trap like a firebomb or gas release. When she found nothing to worry about, she breathed a sigh of relief and moved on.
Tossing the place like a cop was out of the question. Not only would it have left an obvious sign that she was here, but it would also have been pointless. Someone like Pryce – someone smart enough to potentially plan a coup and lie in wait for years – wouldn't have left it somewhere easy to find. That meant she would need to get creative.
With the hours that Pryce would still be gone, she had plenty of time. She gently knocked on walls and listened closely for any hint of a hollowed-out space. She carefully pried the lightbulbs and smoke alarms out of the ceiling to search them for hidden documents. She even checked in the ventilation shafts and up the chimney. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
That was fine. She had an entire house to search, after all. However clever Pryce may have thought he was, she was better. If he had anything to hide, she'd find it sooner or later.
Her next stop was his bedroom. Placing her ear against the door, she waited for a moment to see if she heard anything. When no sound came from inside, she nodded to herself and slowly opened the door. When she heard a faint click, she froze on the spot and carefully peered around the corner of the door.
Sitting on a bureau at the foot of Pryce's bed was a claymore. A thin wire was attached to a pressure sensitive trigger that ran all the way up, through a hook, and over the door to wrap around the doorknob.
Damn it! How had she not noticed this!?
Growling to herself, she kept a tight grip on the door with one hand while reaching up to grab the wire off the hook with her other hand. While gently pushing the door open, she slowly brought the wire down and was careful not to put any more pressure on the trigger. Inch by inch, she moved her way forward. Swept dribbled down her brow and her throat felt dry. If she made one wrong move or put too much pressure on this, she'd be dead, and Pryce would know Giovanni was on to him.
She couldn't let that happen.
Domino wouldn't fail him.
Once she was within a foot of the claymore, she began to feel something akin to hope swell in her chest. Just a couple more steps and she could disarm the bomb Then she could finally get to work searching bedroom. There had to be something here if he was placing a trap at the door.
Before she could do any of that, the closet door to her left creaked opened and she froze. Out stepped Pryce, a silenced pistol in one hand and his cane in the other. Without a word, he moved towards his bed behind the claymore and sat down. With his pistol pointed at her and the claymore still primed to go off if she let go, she was trapped.
"Well… this is awkward."
Well everyone, what'd you think? A bit of a shorter chapter this time, but I definitely enjoyed writing it as an early christmas present for you all. I felt this time we'd give a bit of focus to the Team Rocket side of the plot and show a bit of Domino since she'll be playing an important role going forward. For those of you concerned, don't worry. This is the only time we'll be taking the focus of an entire chapter away from Ash and Interpol. Next chapter, we'll get back to the main plot and move things forward on that front. There's plenty of interesting things yet to come.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions, let me know. I always try to respond via PM when I can. As far as romance goes for those interested, the main romance is still undecided. So we'll see what happens and how things develop. Though I have been putting a bit more thought into it than previously.
Anyway, I think that's everything. While I can't say when the next chapter will come out, it will most likely be after Christmas. So until then, I hope you all have a happy holidays and a good time until then!