In the time since Ash and most of his slave girls had left for Alola, Hilda and Rosa have since been coordinating the Vipers with improved faith, their fellow gang members finally warming up to them a bit again. With supplies discreetly provided to them by the Aether Foundation with Perrin as a go between, the underground hideout in the Lumiose Subway system saw much improvements. With portable heaters, raised cots, clean water and other sundries smuggled in from service entrances around the city, the headquarters for the gang was beginning to feel more like a home for the destituted orphans and urchins of Lumiose and less than a dark hole to hide in.
In the span of the couple weeks after Aether Paradise had partnered with them, their numbers swelled, with kids as young as 10 year olds, to teenagers nearing their 20th joining their ranks, each one, a soul in need of assistance. As the group continued to grow, so did their ability to coordinate standoffs between them and the Prospects. Though public opinions was generally low for both factions, Vipers utilized their youth to their advantage, provoking Prospects during their day time racketeering gigs in front of witnesses, knowing that the criminals would more than likely hesitate being seen attacking the teenagers while onlookers observed them.
And with the help that Lorelei received, offering her various leased buildings across the city, from small storage garage lockers to even small businesses, like an auto body shop or convenience store, Hilda realized that though the group received new benefits in her newfound allies, she soon found problems coordinating all of her people throughout the city successfully. In the headquarters with the Lumiose Subway system, Hilda and Rosa worked to find solutions to their problems. From within their own cordoned off section to speak and deliberate privately, the two heads of Vipers spoke discreetly to each other, hoping to plan new methods of extending their reach.
"So, we know Brendan's group has offered to occupy that building here, but that's nearly halfway across the city." Rosa noted, looking at a map of the city's layout spread across a makeshift table. "Perrin was able to smuggle us some walkie talkies, but they're only short wave radio signals. They don't have that long of a range, and when we're over 50 feet underground with a roof of solid concrete with lead lining above us, we couldn't hope to get a signal through to anyone who'd even be directly above us, let alone where Brendan will be positioned."
"I know, but unfortunately, we're working with what we got. Aether might be offering us aid, but they can only send so much through their middle man without them aiding 'criminals' be discovered. If the Prospects found out, it'd be bad enough, but if the press did too, then that scandal would ruin Lusamine's chance at being elected as Lumiose Governor." Hilda sighed, pondering a solution to her problems. "What about the HAM radio we got from them?"
"It's a stronger wavelength, but the radio bands it broadcasts on can be picked up by anyone, including our enemies and the cops." Rosa replied, dejected such a nice piece of equipment was better off for scrap in this situation.
"If only Aether was able to provide our people cell phones. But that'd be asking too much from them. We can't rely on their help forever. I don't want people to think we should leech off others forever. We need to start making our own keep." Hilda replied. "If we steal from anyone, it's those garbage Prospects."
"Oh yeah, that reminds me, I'd received word that Lucas' group was working on a garden plot on one of the residential buildings in the South district." Rosa informed her. "It's not too big, and they're technically trespassing by sneaking up there, but we could grow some of our own food finally!"
"Our gang's getting bigger and better. These are good problems to have, but they still need solved fast, regardless." Hilda rubbed her eyes before sitting down in a folding lawn chair. "I won't let those scumbags coerce or intimidate another one of those kids out there. They exploit is where we're weak, on our own. Because they know-deep down-that when we band together, they don't have a shot at tearing us apart!"
"You know...Master said he'd be back in town. Why don't we pay him a visit?" Rosa smiled. "Tell him how things are going?"
"Sounds heavenly..!" Hilda grinned, her mind fixating on her Owner, her reason, her muse.
"Hilda!" A voice called out. "Hilda! Come quick! We got trouble!"
"What's wrong?!" Hilda asked, stepping out from her room, only to see a group of her gang members surrounding a man with white hair, the man hardly seeming too perturbed by the hostility towards him.
"Who the hell is this?!" Hilda snapped, demanding answered.
"We don't know. I spotted this creep walking right up to our main entrance tunnel, so I nabbed him." Calem responded, restraining the man's arms with his brute force alone, twisting the man's wrists with an iron grip.
"Ooo, hey careful now...you're hurting me..." The man coyly turned his head, the man clearly not as in pain as his words claimed to be.
"You're Prospects, aren't you?" Hilda surmised. "You'd best get to talking. We don't take kindly to you lot around here."
"You don't say..? And here, I figured you might have treated all your house guests this way." The man sarcastically replied, only form Calem to smack him across the back of the head with the butt of his pistol, the teen forcing the man onto his knees before aiming it at his head.
"Calem, stop! We need info first!" Hilda warned him, the young man still as wildly temperamental as always.
"That's right, Hilda. Keep your subordinates in line." The man said from his knees, the gun's barrel pressing against his head hardly rattling his nerve.
"...How do you know my name..?" Hilda gasped, realizing what the man just said.
"Don't you recognize me? And here I thought you'd remember me, but I suppose your boy toy friend you were with was more the one I talked to." The man sneered, reaching for his back, causing Calem to react, jamming the firearm in the man's face.
"Don't even think about it!" He warned him.
"Easy now, hotshot. I'll go nice...and...slow...just...for...you." The man replied, retaining his composure, pulling an item tucked under his shirt.
Raising it up to his face, Hilda realized that what the man had in his hands was a Skitty mask, the very same Skitty mask she saw when Ash, Rosa and her snuck aboard the Chateau all those weeks ago.
"Its you..!" Hilda realized.
"Its a shame, really. I neglected to give you my name, seeing how you and Ash were so thoughtful as to give me yours openly." The man explained, revealing to Hilda he had overheard their names when the duo addressed each other when they were on the Chateau, a rookie mistake that Hilda already had begun to realize she committed. "I am Xavier, currently employed as Head of Security for Prospects. And as I said, I'd have something interesting for you to hear."
"We're not interested in what you have to say." Calem scoffed before turning to Hilda. "I'm taking him elsewhere to deal with him. The younger ones don't need to see what I'm gonna do to him."
"Calem, wait." Hilda stopped him before turning to Xavier. "The timing of this is oddly perfect. We already had intel that suggests that Gala event happening at the Parfume Palace is a guise meant for a Prospect's operation. The fact you're here must mean Prospects already knows we're down here, and they sent you to deal with us, correct?"
"An astute observation, Hilda..!" Xavier grinned deviously. "But half marks don't make for a passing grade. You see, Prospects has been monitoring you lot for some time now. They know you've made this place your base. But it's far too convenient for them to evict you from the area. After all, you ensure this area doesn't fall into even less desirables than you lot. But I wasn't sent here to deal with you. I came here of my own accord."
"And why exactly would you do that?" Hilda asked, getting closer to the man. "What's so important about this subway tunnel?"
"Tsk, tsk! You know the rules last time. I don't give info away for free, especially not to ones who've irked me by beating me in the past." Xavier wagged his finger as he got up, despite Calem keeping his trigger finger ready. "I'll tell you what, you play another game with me. My rules, my pick of the game. I win, you give up that charming young man to me. And if you win, I'll give you juicy insider information, about the Gala event...and what truly makes your little hideaway so special."
"Fuck this! Hilda, you can't expect to listen to this lunatic, let alone go with his little game." Calem snapped, raising his pistol up to Xavier's head again.
"And what makes you think I'd even humor you, you weirdo?" Hilda scowled.
"Am I to take that as a no, then...Hilda..?" Xavier frowned. "Unfortunately for you, that's not the game we are going to play. You will play."
"Or what?!" Calem growled, flipping the safety off his firearm.
"I'm glad you asked, kid." Xavier smiled before looking up to the ceiling. "Banette, use Poltergeist."
Suddenly, a Banette phased through the solid concrete roof above them, the Ghost's ability to be incorporeal allowing it to hide until the moment to strike. It's eyes glowing a sinister purple, Banette's zipper mouth opened into a devlish grin as it's began to possess Calem's firearm, the gun violently twisting Calem's arm towards himself, the very gun once trained against its master now pressed against the side of Calem's head, the teenager now held hostage by his own weapon.
"Calem!" Hilda called out.
"Shit..!" Calem growled, hoping to move his head, only for Banette to simply force Calem's arm and the weapon it held to track his feeble attempts to escape his own arm's reach.
"What do you want?!" Hilda growled, helpless and admitting she was powerless.
"Ah, that's better." Xavier smiled in a smug matter of fact way. "Now, for the game, we play by my rules. And this time, it won't be a mere game of roulette. A game is only fun if there are stakes. I challenge you to a high speed race around the city, using hover bikes I've personally acquired from the Orre region. We start in the Western district, following the path around the city, counterclockwise, with the race ending in the badlands to the north."
"I've heard of those things." Rosa finally spoke up. "A six cylinder engine hover cycle. One wheel on the back allows steering while the front of the bike remains suspended by magnetism. Highly dangerous, highly illegal outside the Orre Region."
"What makes you think we'd use your bike after what you're pulling here?!" Hilda scowled at Xavier.
"You can inspect the hover bike for sabotage all you want. The game's no fun if I scuttle my competition." Xavier explained.
"But holding them hostage is just fine." Hilda sarcastically commented.
"You're lucky I'm letting you off with just that, the way I see it." Xavier bit back. "The way the boss sees it, you are only convenient tenants on his property, tenants he might decided to evict one day."
Growling at his comment, Hilda realized that Xavier had a point.
"When is this race of yours?" She asked reluctantly.
"In three days. Of course, if you get cold feet...just remember...my Banette can come back and make your nervous friend here finally pull that trigger..." Xavier waved smugly before letting himself out. "Toodles!"
After giving his master ample time to leave, Banette released Calem from his hold, the Ghost Type retreating back into the ceiling.
"Damn it!" Calem screamed, punching the floor in anger, the hit to the concrete floor only injuring himself more than anything. "FUCK!"
Without acknowledging Hilda or Rosa, Calem stormed off.
"Do you think he's gonna go after him?" Rosa asked.
"Unsure. But even if he did, I reckon that man knows these tunnels even more than we do. He would shake Calem in no time." Hilda sighed.
"So now what? Do we pack up? They know where HQ is." Rosa asked.
"No." Hilda replied.
"No?!" Rosa asked.
"You heard me. I reckon Master would agree, too. We're too conveniently centrally located, and even then, it's troublesome to communicate with our topside teams as it is. We need the underground tunnels to discreetly ash safely move about without drawing attention." Hilda argued her point. "Besides, if something about this spot is truly that important to Prospects, I sure as hell letting them get it without a fight. We just need to find out what's really so special about this place to begin with."
"I understand. But still, I don't know if we can trust him." Rosa admitted her concerns.
"I'd agree, but there's something about that guy that doesn't sit with me." Hilda said. "He clearly came of his own volition, and I doubt he'd let his boss know he came here for no good reason other than to challenge a pair of teenagers to a bizarre game for his own personal kicks."
"So you think he's some sort of wild card, huh?" Rosa asked.
"Either way, we can't turn him down after that little display he did. We have to play along for now." Hilda shrugged. "But who knows, he might be good on his word and give us intel if we win. The chance is too good to pass up, either way."
"I just hope you know how to race, sis..!" Rosa sighed in concern.
"You let me figure out how that is gonna shake out." Hilda reassured her sister. "But all the same, we should let Ash know."
Back at his mother's house, Ash and co had woken up from an amazing night of sleep, with Serena and Lillie helping their boyfriend's mother cook as Ash and his step sister made out on the couch, the trio in the kitchen wearing nothing but aprons, their bubbly butts jiggling as they moved to and fro.
"Oh, it's so nice to have your assistance, girls!" Delia smiled, Ash's latest conquest hard at work, as she usually was.
"It's our pleasure, Ms. Ketchum!" Lillie smiled. "I'm sorry that mother had to leave early. She had to see to getting back to her campaigning."
"Oh, it's quite alright, Lillie! I understand!" Delia smiled, reaching down to kiss Lillie on the neck, the blonde teen moaning from the mother's advance. "And please, call me Delia! We don't need to be so former, seeing how Ash made me his sex slave, as well!"
"That's good, mom. You've learned your place well." Ash said, the raven haired teen and Bonnie now joining the group in the kitchen. "You exist for me, and me alone. And it's about time too, Serena had been teasing me for so long about how hot you are... and boy is she right. This gorgeous ass is now mine...all mine..!"
Pressing his pelvis against his mom's exposed rump, Delia moaned as her son began to dry hump her ass, even as she stayed at the counter, making the group their meal, the servile mother moaning as she felt Ash's rigid girth inside his pants, pressed against her butt cheeks.
"I'm so glad I can make you happy in such an intimate way, Ash..!" Delia replied, her son now reaching beneath her apron to play with her breasts. "I intend to serve you with immense joy..!"
After eating breakfast, the group decided it was a good day to go to the nearby park, both to relax, and to train for the practical battle theory exam Sycamore had planned upon the end of the Field trip, a battle tournament involving 2 students pairing up and fighting to see who among them was the best and learned the most in their time overseas.
Sitting at a picnic table, Delia and Bonnie watched from the sidelines as Ash, Lillie and Serena took turns sparring with one another, the two observers not involved in training began occasionally getting frisky with each other once the occasional citizens staying in the park wouldn't notice.
"Braxien, use Psybeam!" Serena commanded her newly evolved starter Pokémon an attack, the Fire Type pulling a branch from her bushy tail to focus its latent Psychic abilities.
Launching the attack towards Lillie's Alolan Ninetales, the Aether heir commanded her own Pokémon to action.
"Aurora Veil!" She issued, her Ice Type setting up a powerful screen to protect her from both physical and special attacks.
As the Psybeam passed through the veil of light, connecting with Ninetales, the Alolan Pokémon held firm, the mitigated damage allowing her to continue.
"Icy Wind!" Lillie called, her Ninetales ready to slow Braxien down.
"Get in close! Use Ember!" Serena commanded.
Closing the distance, Braxien charged in a beeline toward the Ice type. As the two fox Pokémon continued trying to outmaneuver their opponent, Ash and Frogadier watched on in great interest, hoping to see if one of the two girls here would be a good battle partner for the exam to come.
"What do you think, pal?" Ash asked his starter.
Frogadier turned his head toward Lillie, the water type believing her to be the better option of the two.
"As much as I wanted to partner with Serena, I'm inclined to agree." Ash nodded back before calling to his girls. "Alright ladies! I've picked out of the two of you I want to pair with!"
"Is it me, Ash? Oh please tell me it's me!" Serena smiled as she bounced over to Ash, the raven haired man biting his lips in carnal hunger at Serena's jean shorts and skimpy crop top revealing a bit of her under boob.
"What about me, Ash? I think I'm a better partner for you, personally!" Lillie said, rebuking her fellow slave girl, the young blonde wearing her hair in a braided ponytail, wearing a plain white hoodie and matching miniskirt.
"This one's going to Lillie, I'm afraid. Sorry Serena." Ash apologized to his girlfriend. "It's just that when it comes to support options in a battle, Lillie's Ice and fairy type Ninetales being able to cover Frogadier's Grass weakness and dealing with Dragons is better overall. Especially since she gives a lot of support in her Aurora Veil and Icy Wind attack which will slow our opponents down.
"Awww..!" Serena pouted, wanting so desperately to partner with her long time lover.
"It's ok, Serena! I'm sure Master will pick you for another activity soon to make up for it!" Lillie encouraged Serena, her infectious positive demeanor enough to get Serena back to a happy mindset.
"That just means I gotta work twice as hard next time!" Serena touted, her determination ignited.
"That's the way, Serena! Besides, I got something real special planned for you and Liko specifically coming up soon." Ash grinned. "When the time comes, I'm gonna have you and her help me break some more of your fellow cheerleaders. Misty, May and Dawn are some fine babes...and I wanna have 'em to myself!"
"You got it, babe!" Serena smiled, giving her man a thumbs up.
As this happened, Delia and Bonnie continued to watch from afar, only for the mother to notice 2 men were approaching her table, and at a brisk pace.
"Bonnie, you go join the others." Delia advised her daughter.
"Why, what's..." Bonnie began to ask, only to realize the encroaching pair of men. "...Yeah...I'll go..."
Leaving to go warn the other's Bonnie couldn't help but turn her head to see as Delia got up to speak to the men.
"Mrs. Ketchum. You're a hard woman to track down. Lovely day for a trip to the park, isn't it?" One man coyly asked, he is suit adorned with a Prospects pin. "A great way to take away the stress...a darn shame you closed down shop for today though. Now how exactly do you intend to pay off your debt if you insist on taking an 'unscheduled break period'..?"
"Enough! I got your money right here." Delia scoffed, revealing the money her son had given to her the day prior. "Take it and get out of my life for good."
Seeing the briefcase flashed in front of his eyes, the man looked both to her and the case, the man in disbelief that she had the funds on hand, as if expecting to be approached by them any moment. Taking the case, the man opened it up, handing the case to his fellow Prospect goon to hold as he counted the individual bills in the sleeves.
"Now, if we're done, I'd prefer I enjoyed me day, thank you." Delia starkly replied, beginning to turn around, only for the man to stop her, grabbing her by the shoulder.
"Tsk tsk. Mrs. Ketchum. Not so fast..!" The man taunted her, putting the money back in the briefcase and closing it. "I think you are a little short. But this is a good start. If you need to make any more extra cash to make up the difference, there's plenty of dance clubs in the East District that are hiring. You look decent enough to go on stage...who knows..?"
"What are you talking about?! It's all there! Every cent I owed you was accounted for!" Delia yelled, stamping her foot down, causing onlookers to turn heads.
"Tsssss...I'm afraid not. You see, you failing to meet the last payment period caused your interest rate to jump up, I'm afraid." The man grinned condescendingly to her. "If I were to say what you still had left to owe us...I'd reckon you still owe us another 50k. Pay that by next month, and your debt will be paid in full."
"50k?! That's almost as much as I make in a whole year!" Delia yelled. "How do you expect me to make that in a month?! This is extortion!!"
"Oh, Delia. You're complaining now, but you were the one who came to us when you needed funds to begin with. You signed the contract, and in that contract, we stipulated that the rate of interest could be changed when you failed to meet your monthly installments, without your signature or approval to confirm such a raised rate." The man grinned, holding out a copy of the contract he kept on his person. "So what's it gonna be, Mrs. Ketchum?"
As Ash and Co began crossing the field to help Delia back up, the red headed mom closed her fist in defiance, her mind made up.
"No." she said.
"Pardon?"
"No! No more! You've leeched off me long enough! It's about time you people learned that we common folk won't bow down to you any longer. The Vipers are gonna take you down and this city will be a peaceful place to live again!" Delia yelled, the crowd around the onlookers becoming more observant to the altercation, more eyes turning on them.
Realizing that the people around them were beginning to rally to Delia's cries, some even nodding their heads. Even though their support was silent at best, some pedestrians still not yet bold enough to stand up to Prospects as boldly as Delia, many yet still turned their heads in defeat, turning their attention away from the incident, hoping that leaving well enough alone would spare them a fist from Prospects themselves.
Looking at the group around them, the leader of the Prospect duo shook his head.
"It seems that the cattle grow more and more bold everyday." He chuckled. "It's time to remind them this isn't a city..."
Suddenly, the man glared at Delia ever so briefly, only to immediately sucker punch her across her temple, sending the mother reeling, crashing to the grass below.
"...it's a pen. And one due for a culling, none the less..." He finished, his show of force enough to quash the previous boldness of many of the onlookers, the few remaining only watching in silent discontentment, only showing their disapproval by starting to record the event live.
"Mom!!" Ash yelled, running to her defense, putting himself between Delia and her assaulter, only to realize that this was not just some run of the mill thug, but the man who he stopped from entering his mom's bakery several weeks ago. "You..!"
"Ah, that brat. I see we meet again." The man smugly grinned, noticing the Frogadier next to him. "It seems we've overstayed our welcome. Let's go."
"You ain't going anywhere!" Ash growled, recalling his Frogadier. "Not until I'm done with you!"
"And here I thought you'd be smart and fight with something that could actually hurt me." The man spat out, raising his fist.
"If it's all the same, I wanna kick your ass myself!" Ash bit back, charging at the man.
Throwing a straight at the man, Ash backed up as the man tried to throw a right hook at him, Ash raising his arm to defend. Bringing up his leg, Ash went to kick him in the kneecap, only for the man to take a step out of reach. Blindly charging at him, Ash kept swinging wildly, only for the man redirect his momentum, allowing him to sidestep Ash, jabbing him in the side of his ribs with his knuckles, his strike knocking the wind out of Ash's lung.
"Stop this! Just use Frogadier!" Bonnie pleaded to her big bro, the blonde teen watching helplessly on the sideline.
Caught up in his pride and want to defend his mother's honor, Ash blocked out the very notion of fighting with his Pokémon. Throwing a quick straight at the man, Ash managed to hit him in the shoulder, only for the blow to not be enough, the man retaliating by jabbing Ash in the nose with a relentless strike. Knocked onto the grass panting, Ash held his bleeding nose in agony, the raven haired teen staring daggers at his opponent.
"Someone call the police, a teenager's being attacked in the park!" A bystander called from the sideline, the sentence distracting the man.
"I think we've proven enough what we're capable of, now." The man sighed, dusting himself off and catching his breath.
Just as the man turned to join his cohort, he heard Ash getting back up off the ground. Turning to face him, the man was just too slow to defend himself, with Ash landing a sucker punch of his own on the man, his fist thrown as hard as he could crashed into the man's jaw, not only dislocating it, but sending a tooth flying from the man's mouth, as well.
"Ah! Ahhh!" The man gasped, clutching his jaw in agony. "Yoo pierh of shiii..! Yo roke y dam jaaa..! Yo pay fo tiss, yoo an tha bithh!"
As the man and he fellow goon fled in the scene, the onlookers cheering in approval to Ash standing up to them, Ash collapsed to the ground, rubbing his bruised, bloodied nose, his slave girls rushing to his aid.
"Are you ok?!" Serena gasped, pulling a handkerchief from her back pocket. "Here, let me help stop the bleeding!"
"What were you thinking, bro?! You could've really gotten hurt!" Bonnie berated her foolish older brother, though far too glad he was none the worse for wear besides to be truly mad at her Master.
"Are you ok Delia?" Lillie asked her Master's mother.
"I'll be okay." Delia smiled at Lillie, only to turn to Ash.
"Please don't do that again, Ash!" Delia pouted as she got back on her feet, coming to help Serena with tending to her Master's wounds.
After being looked over by EMS who arrived shortly afterward, Ash and Co decided it was best to just head home, but not before making sure they were not followed by any suspicious individuals. Deciding it was best if Delia joined Ash on campus for a while, for her safety, the Ketchum family residence was left empty that night.
As dark set over Kalos, Delia's bakery, left closed down for the night was approached in the darkest hour, where not one soul was on the street at the time. Smashing a hole through the front window, a group of Prospect members began to dump gasoline all over the establishment before setting it alight. In but a few short minutes, Delia's long standing bakery of 10 years went up in flames, it's light illuminating the entire road for all to see.