Shut Up and Dance! [TR] [F]

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

Following up on the rather strange gym battle she had taken part in against Ecruteak's Gym Leader Morty, Sharada now found herself back in the heart of the city with a completely different objective. It had been a while since she had received a Team Rocket mission but the previous night, during her training session, she had received a message on her Poketch. Apparently Morty and his known accomplice, Eusine, would often take brief departures from the city to go off in search of a mysterious, Legendary Pokemon. Tonight was one of those nights and it just so happened that it fell in line with the Kimono Dance Theatre's sold out performance. But she wasn't there to watch their elegant dancing but rather to steal a shipment of a particular TM known as Surf. Teaching a compatible Pokemon the move meant that she would be able to cross large bodies of water without the need to use a boat and since the one of the following towns required the trainer to cross the ocean, Sharada found a personal gain in the mission as well. Personal gain or not, however, the brunette was still forced to take part. She had shown promise in stage one of their plan of taking over the Radio Tower and since then, harder missions had been sent her way. It was a good sign that Team Rocket had some level of faith in her, it meant that she had been successful in blending in. Now she just had to keep it up.

Renting a room in a shady bedsit, Sharada was made aware that she was not the only one who would be infiltrating the show. Several other Rockets would be placed in the crowd, to hold the guests as hostages while she, herself, took to the stage to deal with the Kimono Girls themselves. The dossier warned that they were adept battlers which made Sharada's role that much more difficult. It would test her skills as a trainer but she also needed to negotiate information out of them at the same time. It was no easy feat but by this point, she had no choice. To dress for the occasion, Sharada had obtained a kimono to wear above her Rocket uniform and also a traditional wig. Sorting out her makeup, it wasn't long before she, too, looked the part for this popular performance. She had received a few disguise tips from Tyrone and Langley, who were in her Rocket squad but she was no where close to pulling off the skill that they were able to. The brunette had learnt over time to adapt to situations but one thing was getting on her nerves and that was the clunky shoes she had been forced to wear. Grunting and cursing as she made her way out of the room she was staying in, she began to make her way towards the theatre. The plan would begin within the next hour.

Stepping out into the evening streets, a soft, cool breeze touched her cheeks and rustled at her furisode kimono. Holding herself together, the brunette stepped away from the wall and tried to walk in confidence as she struggled to hide her discomfort of the clicking geta. As she continued down the cobbled streets, she noticed many others walking in a similar direction as her, all wearing traditional looking clothing. Even the men were in yukata's but it atleast meant to Sharada that she was heading in the right direction. Becoming used to her shoes at a very slow pace, the Kimono Dance Theatre finally came into view but rather than heading straight for the front door and inside, a few groups of people were waiting out. The one thing which distinguished the Rockets from other, genuine guests were the red shades of obi, or the woven string which was wrapped around their midriff. There were always a few guests who would also wear red but there was also a code phrase, just to be on the safe side. As she found a place to stand whilst the theatre staff inside continued their set up, it wasn't long at all before a female began to approach her. Tall and thin with long blonde hair tied into a side hair arrangement, she raised her long sleeves to her mouth as if trying to hide her sly, fox like smile.

"What a beautiful night." Her feminine voice spoke out, drawing in Sharada's attention. "I hear Trouble's Brewing. I hope that the performance isn't affected." Her eyes thinning as she awaited Sharada's response, the brunette stared up at the taller female with her dull, blue eyes. "Morty and Eusine are away on business. But we have the strength of the Kimono Girls." The calculating eyes of the female becoming cheerful, she took a step forward, next to Sharada, "We should peer into the window and see if they are close to finishing their preparations. What do you say?" "Ah! How sly!" Playing along on the off chance that other people heard their conversation, Sharada and the mysterious Kimono girl walked closer to the building, where they were still in view but surrounded by less people. Once they were certain there were no prying ears, the girl next to Sharada spoke. "We still have 35 minutes before the mission will commence." She began in a whisper, as her body language tried to suggest that she was attempting to sneak a peak into the closed windows. "My name is Jae. I am on seat duty. Yourself?" Taking a glance at Sharada, she paused before responding. "Sharada. I'll be on stage." The girl's face pulling a look of surprise, Jae made a soft gasp.

"You? Hmm. I suppose we don't have enough time to get to know each other better so I will just have to believe in the judgement from the higher ups. But know this..." Leaning in to Sharada's ear, the brunette found it very difficult to stop herself from jolting back in defense but she couldn't draw in any attention, so forced herself to stay put as a vicious hiss entered her ear. "If you ***** up even once, I'll be taking over." Pulling away with a sweet smile plastered across her face, Sharada managed to pull a false one back in return before turning at the sound of clicking shoes. The people who had been waiting outside starting to enter the building, being greeted as the entered, meant that the mission was becoming that bit closer to beginning. Knowing that a lot of responsibility rested on her shoulders, the woman known as Jae gave Sharada a gentle pat on the back and despite her earlier threat, spoke in a sweet voice. "We should go to our seats." Suggesting their next move, Sharada nodded in agreement and entered the building. Flashing her ticket at the door guard, she stepped inside with no issue and was welcomed with a beautiful sight.

Dark wood covered the floor, with a large tatami mat spread over the top which was scattered with comfortable looking cushions and low tables. The walls were decorated with fancy, golden wall paper and red lanterns lined the walls, glowing a warm light. Finely carved beams hung across the ceiling but most importantly, the centre stage stood tall and bright. Taken aback by the sight, she felt a sharp nudge to her back as she was forced to move on in and find her seat, unaware that she had been blocking the way for others. Finally being able to take off her shoes, Sharada sat herself neatly down and waited for the performance to start. The table she sat on held a few people she hadn't seen but noticed once man wearing red, to signify his Rocket connection. The two exchanged glances but nothing more as they sat in silence, awaiting the start of the show. It gave Sharada a chance to have a good look around. The hall was large and the windows had wooden bars on the inside to act as grates. Either way, they didn't look easy to remove which struck that out as an escape route. There was likely rooms behind the stage which led to a rear exit and other than that, the only other doorway was the one they arrived through. The walls and floor was solid and from the size of the mat, it was unlikely that a trap door was hidden beneath them, though the possibility was still there. Taking plenty of things into consideration, it was only when the lights dropped on the stage that Sharada's attention turned to the front.

The spotlight sat on a fine suited, elderly gentleman, who held a microphone tightly in his grip. "Thank you one and all for attending the Kimono Dance Theatre's Autumn Performance! For many years, we have held beautiful dance performances, arranged tea ceremonies and witnessed incredible Pokemon battles. I am so pleased to see it blossom into something magnificent! ...My name is Tetsuo and I am the director here. Please, sit back and enjoy!" The introduction of the man sparked many head turns and the potential Rocket sitting before Sharada seemed to stagger, as if drawing himself back from acting in that very moment. Trying to remain calm and collected, Sharada needed to wait for her cue and as Tetsuo left the stage, the curtains dropped. Within moments, music began to play and the curtains rose, revealing five kimono girls. But just as the performance began, so did the Team Rocket infiltration mission.

"OKAY! NOBODY MOVE!"

From the back row, the hidden Rockets began to remove their disguises one by one, holding up weapons and Pokeballs as the guests began to scream in their presence. Like a wave, Rocket sprang up from their seats and it wasn't long before Sharada and her male accomplice also stood to their feet. Ripping off her kimono and wig to reveal her Rocket uniform, Sharada grabbed at a Pokeball of her own but wasn't interested in the screaming viewers. Parting from the table and cutting through the mass of confused people, Sharada had one destination and that was to the stage. The Kimono girl's were calling out desperately, trying to calm their guests but they would soon have another problem to deal with as Sharada hit the stage. The uprising Rocket grunt was determined to make a name for herself and by doing this in front of so many Rocket's, she might just earn some respect from her colleagues. "Shut your whining!" Sharada called deeply, hoping to grab the attention of the girls. Noticing that another Rocket Grunt stood at the opposite side of the stage, the girls were known sandwiched in. "If you don't want your guests to be hurt, I would suggest you start talking." Grabbing a Pokeball from her belt, she held it forward, her eyes glaring with a menacing aura. "Tell us where Tetsuo is hiding. If you don't speak, I will have to use force."

TLDR; Rockets have infiltrated Theatre and Sharada is on stage challenging Kimono girls.

[Deleted]

The Kimono girls did not take very long at all to realize that the notorious some group had chosen to attack their theater on the night they would be most vulnerable. With Morty hunting a legendary Pokemon the Kimono girls were left with nothing but themselves to try and put a stop to whatever evil plans had been laid out. With all the commotion going on it was hard to tell who the ring leader was but since Sharada was on their stage stopping her from getting to Mr. Tetsuo was the main priority. If they could stop her the other members would be easy to overpower with the help of the crowd and the police who no doubt would be on their way as soon as they were alerted to the takeover. Knowing the had to hold out until the police came one of the Kimono girls bravely stepped forward with a Umbreon by her side. She wore a robe black as the night that matched Umbreon's design.

As she cautiously approached Sharada her Umbreon took on an attack position ready to chew off Sharada's ankles to protect his master and home. The Kimono girls had always feared they would be targeted sooner or later as soon as the news of a tour to Cainwood broke out as the HM for Surf would be quite the valuable prize for a evil group such as Team Rocket. Mr. Tetsuo had tried his best to conceal the shipment but one way or another word got out leading to this despicable takeover. The first Kimono girl was stunned as her Pokemon waited for her to give an order. " Who are you and why are you doing this? This theater has nothing of value to theives. You are ruining our sold out show with this interruption." As she tried to make sense of everything not know about the Surf shipment. Fearing this criminal would stop at nothing however she had to do something.

" As I do not want to disappoint out crowd I will give you this one and only chance to leave now or I will forcibly remove you." She secretly did not think Sharada would back down but she had to try and save tonights show if she could even if her words fell on deaf ears. Her Umbreon began to grow impatient as he knew giving the mysterious lady time to plan her attack could never end well for him or his master.

Kimono Girl Zuki gives you a choice to battle or flee.

She sends out her level 32 Umbreon to try and convince you to leave. Either accept her offer or select a Pokemon.

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

As quickly as Sharada had rushed up onto the stage, the brunette felt her whole body pumping, as a wild emotion of excitement and nerves merged together and kicked into her all at once. Before her stood five Kimono Girls, their clothing each having a pattern which matched their choice of Pokemon. It was very elegant and fitting and if she was here under different circumstances, would most likely enjoy their performance. But she didn't have time for second thoughts or self doubts. As she looked across the crowd from the corner of her eyes, it was a little difficult to tell from the spotlights of the stage but she could see her fellow Rocket members reign in the crowd. Some holding whips and weapons, whilst others getting out their Pokemon, she needed to move quickly and carefully. The dossier mentioned that no harm should come to the guests but it was a gang of criminals and most had their own agenda. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if something were to happen. If she kept the battle with each, individual Kimono girl short and sweet, then hopefully that would be enough to please them. Exhaling from her lips, there was no doubt that this would be a dance to remember.

Sharada was by no means the ring leader to this operation, so whilst they were likely hiding in the crowd or watching close by, the brunette had been picked for this role due to her previous battle prowess. Belonging to a Rocket squad led by The Scourge who were each known for their individual strengths, she had a name to uphold, especially for her Boss. Other than her rising strength within the ranks, Sharada wasn't anybody just yet and thus, was given limited information. But that didn't mean she had been completely clueless on what she was walking into. Information on the performance was advertised world wide to draw in customers, so it was very easy for Sharada to find out some basic knowledge. There were souvenir programmes sold all throughout Ecruteak so she wasn't completely oblivious to just who she was up against. Still, a chunk of descriptive writing and a photograph was far different to real life interaction. So far, the take over had gone smoothly and without any hitches but how long would it be before things went awry? Would the crowd intervene, demanding certain moves to be used for their own enjoyment? Only time would tell.

Slowly, a lady finally stepped forward to face Sharada, her kimono silk completely black, etched with golden patterns which resembled the markings of an Umbreon, of whom which stood at her side. The words she spoke along with her reaction was nothing that surprised Sharada. With a light sigh escaping her lips, although she tried to act oblivious, this was far too much. With the amount of figures dressed in all black with red R's scorched on the cloth, there was no doubt as to who they were. "We aren't just petty thieves." Sharada hissed in response, trying her best to adapt herself in with the situation. "We are Team Rocket! It would be best if you listened to us and hand over what we want." Only her threats weren't working, including the one about the crowd and as if to protect their hall, the first stood ready to battle. Raising her eyebrows slightly, as if feigning surprise, Sharada took a glance to the side. "It's such a wonderful theatre. It would be a great shame if something were to happen to it." Upon saying this, a rowdy Rocket in the crowd decided to be the first one to cause some chaos, as he begun smashing away at the table and layered decorations in front of him.

However, there were only so many tables and before long, the Rockets would be climbing up the walls, ripping at the tatami mats, pulling down the lanterns, setting fire to the entire building... For a moment, she simply stared at the woman to see if it invoked any reaction. "I have already stated what we are after. But I wonder if Mr. Tetsuo even trusts you enough to tell you where his private quarters is, Zuki." Stirring up some speculation, it was known that one of these girls knew the location of the Director but the question was, which one? After reading over the programme, Sharada had learnt their names and which Pokemon they matched with. Their names were basically common knowledge for most but in a situation like this, it might be enough to spook the less strong. "But that is fine. I don't mind fighting." A wicked smirk lifting the corners of her lips, Sharada plucked a Pokeball from her belt and with a throw, sent out something incredibly unfitting for a Rocket. Basically the beacon of happiness, a Pokemon known as Togekiss emerged. Although her feathers seemed to have tinged to an off white, light grey rather than a pure white coat that their rare species were known for.

Uncaring of the reactions from the crowd of her choice of Pokemon, Sharada had always said and believed that if her Pokemon could win, it didn't matter what she used. "Looks like I'll be the one using force. Not that I wouldn't have spared you anyway... Yune! Dazzling Gleam!" A squeak emerging from the giant Togekiss, the friendly Pokemon listened to the Rocket without any hesitation and aimed straight for the Umbreon.

Togekiss uses Dazzling Gleam.

 

[Tyger]

Zuki held her ground as best she could, attempting to keep the crowd at bay and still fend off the invading Rockets. If she panicked, that would cause an issue with not only the customers but also the Rockets. Keeping a level head was paramount, although it was easy to tell her resolution was faltering as soon as a table was broken. Thankfully a battle would at least keep a few of the Rockets enthralled while the others went through searching. Biting her lip angrily, Zuki glared over at Sharada. "Dirty, rotten Rockets... Umbreon, we promised a show, and a show we shall give. Give this Rocket a taste of her own medicing with a Dark Pulse!" The Umbreon nodded, although it seemed a bit hesitant going up against the large Togekiss in the air. Zuki also took note of the serene Pokemon and a hint of confusion touched her face. 

While Umbreon charged up his attack, Zuki crossed her arms elegantly. "Surprising such a peaceful, serene Pokemon is fighting for you, Miss Rocket. Perhaps that's why it's not as pretty and white? Maybe you're bringing your Pokemon down with you." Zuki mused, glancing over at Umbreon. The creature seemed to be ready, and Yune wasted no time to go on the offensive as instructed. "Come Umbreon, we must beat them if we wish to push them out and save not only our performance, but our dance hall!" Afraid of what would happen if this was drug out too long, Zuki prayed Umbreon had the strength. Before the darkness could pulse from the Umbreon, however, Yune was making a splash. Shooting out a dazzling, bright light towards the Umbreon, Yune seemed to be a crowd favorite at least with the people that had stayed. 

Umbreon came out of the flash relatively fine, although it seemed as though the attack had done more than the creature was letting on. Gritting it's teeth, Umbreon attacked. Wafts of darkness pulsed off it's body, each pulse getting blacker and wider as Umbreon charged forward. As soon as the pulses were charged enough, Umbreon snarled, releasing the power that had been kept up. The darkness soared towards Yune, and practically splashed off with little to no effect. Zuki gasped, and Umbreon's ears went from erect to horizontal as it took a step back in shock. "Umbreon, don't be discouraged! The show must go on!"

Zuki's Umbreon - Level |32|

Health: 52/112

Current Status: *Dazzled*
Successful Dark Pulse!

Sharada's Togekiss - Level |30|

Health: 88/100

Current Status: Doesn't bother me!
Successful Dazzling Gleam!

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

Expecting the sight of her Togekiss to draw in a few heads, Sharada cared little for what both the Kimono Girl's and the crowd thought of her choice. A rare and unusual species to see, Togekiss thrived off of happiness, which was very strange considering she was currently in the hands of a Rocket, the complete opposite of such emotion. One thing which did stick out to Sharada, however, was the note from Zuki, pointing out that Yune wasn't her typical, pure white tone. Glancing over to her Togekiss, who seemed no different than usual, Sharada had noticed this slight change in colour only now. Was being in Team Rocket affecting her that badly? Perhaps it was wrong to drag her into this situation. Still, the brunette merely raised a hand, flicking a few wild strands of hair back over her shoulder. "Peaceful? You clearly haven't met many Togekiss. Mine is not like the usual sort." Sneering her top lip, the brunette loosely folded her own arms, too. "I strive to collect only the rarest Pokemon. Togekiss may not be the typical Rocket type but she has proved her worth and will only continue to do so as she drives your Umbreon into dust." Of course, the happy Togekiss wasn't like that at all. She had a good bit of power behind her attacks but there was no way she could injured anything too badly, even at the order of Sharada.

Using the surprising amount of resources at the Rocket base to investigate certain Pokemon typings, Sharada used the new discover of Fairy typing to her advantage and felt that Yune was a good match for the Umbreon. It looked well built and defencive but all they had to do was knock down that wall and move onto the next opponent. Her boots clicking against the stage as she took a swift step backward, her eyes naturally squinted when the dark mass of energy from Umbreon was quickly overpowered by the blinding flash from Togekiss' Dazzling Gleam. A positive was the crowd, guests and Rockets alike, were drawn into the show. "Good... Keep your eyes up here." Although she wanted to desperately avoid casualities, she knew that paying too much attention to them could cost her. The mission was priority and anything else was second place. Thus, she turned back to the match, only to see a surprised reaction from both Zuki and her Pokemon. "That's right. Don't let your crowd down." Sharada spoke with a sarcastic tone, "So many reviews say how amazing your shows are. Even I, a dirty, despicable Rocket, would be disappointed if you fell already." Laughing once to herself, she shook her head slightly before looking to Yune. "Another Dazzling Gleam!" Trying to stern her tone despite her strong attachment with the Togekiss, Yune knew that no matter how hard Sharada tried to be a Rocket, she was a sweet and caring trainer, deep down.

Togekiss uses Dazzling Gleam.

[Tyger]

Immediately put off by Sharada's aggressive tone, Zuki shrunk back a tiny bit, probably matching the stricken look her Umbreon wore. The creature was haggard and tired after only one hit, meaning it wasn't necessarily the most hospitable of battles for the dancer. Although their show was on the line, Zuki couldn't help but worry past the surface of the show, and instead about the theater and the patrons themselves. What happened if the Rockets didn't get what they wanted? Zuki's Umbreon was only one Pokemon, and while there were more dancers, what exactly was it they were destroying the peaceful atmosphere of the dance Hall for? They were looking for Tetsuo but surely they didn't expect to get what they wanted by shouting and intimidating them, right?

"We cannot back down just yet. Umbreon, Dark Pulse again!" The Pokemon was weak and weary, but they would fight to the last stand. Zuki couldn't help but feel bad for the Togekiss. Sharada was harsh with her words and the way she spoke about battling, and Zuki couldn't help but shake the feeling that the Togekiss was getting a sore end of the deal. Usually a peaceful Pokemon, this one wasn't against using it's abilities for Team Rocket. That must've meant a strong bond between the trainer, which meant Sharada wasn't letting on as much to the dancer. Why should she? The Rockets were all about strength and power. What stemmed from that? Fear. As long as they held an iron grip on this performance, the people would be riddled with fear long enough to let go of their logic to watch the chaos unfold. That's how they worked.

Yune wasted no time releasing her own Dazzling Gleam before Umbreon could fully charge the dark, pulsating energy. In another brilliant flash of bright light, Umbreon was left in the dust. While the Pokemon wasn't turned into dust, it was certainly a bit closer than it had been a few seconds earlier. The Pokemon lay unmoving, and Zuki let out a theatrical (and genuine) gasp.

Zuki's Umbreon - Level |32|

Health: 0/112

Current Status: ...
No Attack!

Sharada's Yune - Level |30|

Health: 88/100

Current Status: Doesn't bother me!
Successful Dazzling Gleam!

---

Yune fought brillantly, and has gained +1 Happiness (already MAX) as well as 1,600 experience!
(2227/2791)

---

Another brilliant flash of bright light interrupted the performance, leaving both the Rockets as well as the crowd stunned for a moment. From the side wings charged a Flareon. Skidding to a stop infront of the fallen Umbreon, it raised it's hackles and growled at Sharada and Yune. Another dancer, as elegant looking as Zuki, emerged as well. "Zuki, step back. There is no shame in defeat, but there is shame standing by idly while this Rocket attempts to steal our show." Kimono Girl Miki raised her eyebrows at the Togekiss before settling her fiery glare on Sharada.

"Please, be careful Miki! This Rocket is incredibly strong!" Zuki returned her downed Umbreon before stepping a few paces back to make room for Miki. The exchange between the two women seemed to break a few hearts in the audience as a few members clapped from their chairs despite the tension. Miki knew how to work a crowd for sure. Her Flareon did as well, judging by her dazzling entrance.

"Come, Miss Rocket. My Flareon is itching for a good challenge. I do hope you can comply." Her Kimono seemed to swish in the wind-less building. 




Kimono Girl Miki has stepped forward, with her Flareon! (Level 32)
Please choose a Pokemon to battle.

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

Feeling the glare of Zuki still situated on her, Sharada couldn't help but glare back, trying to block out the fact that she was currently on centre stage with both civilians and Rockets watching over her every move and word. The red R shone on chest beneath the spotlights, pointing out that she was the villain in this encounter, sent some level of thrill throughout her body despite her cloaked nerves. All she had to do was defeat the girls until they were defenceless and then find out the location of the Director, Tetsuo. With the help of Yune, one of the girls and her Pokemon were already on the edge, just one more push and they would fall. "So? Are you not going to spit it out?" Having already stated her and the other Rockets reason for being there, the lack of information from Zuki didn't sit right with Sharada. The girl's reactions were too genuine, she was easily surprised. It was unlikely that this was the trusted Kimono Girl, in Sharada's eyes atleast. "If you don't have the information I want, I have no need for you. So hurry up and move aside." Her cold, grey tinted eyes widened over at Zuki. Her Umbreon was bulky but had no other special merit. "You were warned."

With a nod of her head in the Togekiss' direction, the happy go lucky Pokemon spun on stage, before releasing the final beam that left the Umbreon collapsing to the floor. For a moment, silence pierced the room as the first battle came to an end. Staring on with an uncaring expression, the brunette flicked a strand of her back over her shoulder. Parting her lips to request Zuki to step down, it seemed that someone else was about to beat the blooming Rocket to the punch. A red blur tore across the stage, taking it's place protectively in front of the fainted Umbreon. Knowing that there were more than one performers here, it didn't surprise the brunette that much but perhaps the way the duo arrived, did. Much more bold and proud, her personality was very much like the flickering flames of a fire. Stepping in front of Zuki despite her warning, it appeared that the next opponent had stepped forward to face Sharada. "You think any of us care about your show?" Sharada sneered at Miki, as Zuki slunk off of the stage beneath the weak applause from the crowd. "Since none of you listen, I'll say it again... Tell me where Tetsuo is hiding. One of you know and if you don't play nice, I'll just have to rough you all up."

Pulling up her gloves, she couldn't help but admit that the Flareon did indeed look quite threatening. But as a trainer, she too had a team that she was proud to have control over. Lifting up a Pokeball, she silently withdrew Yune, who had done more than enough to aid Sharada. The Togekiss might be useful later on, depending on who stepped up next. But she wasn't so conceited to believe that she could win with a click of her fingers. But it was all the more reason to go all out, rather than tease her opponent. "I can give you a challenge. But can you do the same for me?" Scoffing her words to put on an air of arrogance, Sharada threw forward her next choice, revealing that of a Marowak. One of the most well known reports in the Kanto region about Team Rocket, was the fact that they had murdered a Marowak, making it somewhat ironic for a member of the same group to have one in her team. An insult to the species, almost. "You seem too brash, stepping in so quickly without fully understanding the situation. I don't believe that Mr. Tetsuo would trust you, either."

Smacking his thick club into his opposite hand, Marowak was a protector of the young but this Flareon didn't fit into his none-attacking category, so he would go all out. "Lorne! Use Bonemerang!" An attack that hit twice, it was unlikely that he could out speed the quick paws of the Flareon but once it was in his sights, Lorne would go in for the blow.

Switching to Marowak and using Bonemerang.

[Deleted]

Miki was fairy confident that she could put a stop to whatever plans these thugs may have and she wasted no time in showing her bravery. " You may have bested Zuku but if you think that is enough to scare me you are wrong. I will prove to be more than a match for you. When I have bested you we will make sure you face justice for ruining our show." As Miki was thinking over the current situation Lorne appeared across from her. The sight of such a powerful looking Pokemon was not very reassuring and her Flareon was weak to ground type moves so she had to act fast in order to bring him down before he could send her FLareon into orbit with his club. " Quick Flareon before he can strike use Iron Tail on that Marowak."

Flareon rushed Lorne with an amazing burst of speed before leaping into the air. As it reached the highest point he could FLareon's tail turned into a steel hard weapon as it lunged at the slow ground type. Flareon's tail scored a direct hit on Lorne's skull but as powerful as the strike was the toughness of the bone allowed him to absorb enough of the impact to keep him standing but ready to deal out some pain of his own. The Thick Club he had in his hand would make a wonderful tool to punish the foolish FLareon for thinking it could win this battle and with a powerful toss the bone flew towards Flareon's face as soon as he landed from making an attack. The bone struck him right between the eyes and knocked him out immediately while the bone ricocheted offed of the fire types skull into the roof of the building before coming back down and cracking him in the face again while he was still out cold and then Lorne walked over to recover his club.

" Oh no Flareon are you OK? You evil monster how dare you use such a sneaky tactic." As Miki thought about charging the Pokemon herself but one of the other Kimono girls stepped in to protect her and at the same time prevent her from making a horrible decision. " Miki there is not point. Stand back and let me handle things from here. Listen here you brute if you think that we will allow you to cause any more damage here you are wrong. I am Naoko and I will be your next opponent. Prepare to be crushed by my might!" She said as she sent out an Espeon. Just like his trainer he did not look very pleased at what had happened to his friends and he wanted to avenge their losses anyway he could. The only problem for him was he did not know what he would be up against.

---

Trainer Battle

Miki's Flareon|level 32|
HP: 0/93 (0%)
Status: KO'ed
Move: Iron Tail
KO'ed!

VS

Sahrada's Lorne|level 33|
HP: 63/92 (68%)
Status: Normal
Move: Bonemerang
Now stay down!

---

Lorne fought well and he gained 1600 experience. He now has 2515/3367 experience needed to level up. He also gained +1 happiness and he has +9 happiness overall.



Komono Girl Naoko wants to battle. She sends out her Espeon (Level 32). Please choose a Pokemon for battle!

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

The Kimono Girl's were certainly playing hard to get and this made Sharada's mission that much more difficult. A key note in the dossier was that obtaining information was vital in order to find the hiding place of the Director. So far, she had met two and neither of them had dropped even the slightest hint, despite her jibes. There were Team Rocket holding each and every one of their guests hostage and if Sharada couldn't get the results her way, then she feared someone would become hurt. If she could avoid it, she would but to avoid her cover being blown then maybe a casuality or two would have to happen. However, she would cross that bridge when she got to it. "Ruining your show?" By this point, the brunette found the words of the girls amusing. Turning her head slightly to the side, although the spotlights obstructed her view, she was fully aware that every set of eyes were up on the stage, watching their every move. "If you stupid women would acknowledge my demands then myself and our merry Rocket band would be on our way. It's your fault for choosing to put your guests at risk... Tsk. But otherwise, this is probably the most fun all these old geezers have seen in a long time."

A sly smirk spreading across Sharada's lips, she slowly shrugged her shoulders, "But if they are this calm by the time I have finished defeating you all is another matter." Standing on a slant with a bit of an attitude, Sharada placed a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes at the sight of the Flareon. The fire type certainly had a lot of energy and was bound to be much faster than her own Pokemon, Lorne. She did put quite a bit of faith into his sturdy body, after all the training the two had done together, it would've been a surprise to even her if he fell at the first hurdle. Unsurprisingly, he managed to stand his ground when the time came. Bracing himself for the impact, with his Thick Club tightened in one hand, he watched as the mass of warm fur bolted towards him, tail becoming as thick and hard as iron before being swung straight into the body of the Marowak. Hurting a little more than he wanted it to, Lorne grunted but managed to push himself free, throwing his club with incredible force. Striking the Flareon once, it wasn't even able to regain it's bearings as the club circled back for round two, knocking it out for the count.

Catching his club with ease, Sharada sneered a smirk down her nose in Miki's direction. "You were saying?" Her voice laced with a condescending tone, it did feel good to put someone in their place. Although what Sharada was doing was wrong, by being in Team Rocket she was developing some confident and high self esteem, in some backwards way. "As I said to Zuki. If you don't have the information I need, then get the heck out of my face." The tone of her voice deepening, she wouldn't have to warn Miki again, as yet another Kimono Girl strolled gracefully onto the stage. Looking down to the Espeon, a Pokemon she was familiar with, for a moment she seemed to search the crowd for someone but quickly covered it up. Tenebrae, who had disguised himself as a Rocket member, lurked in the audience. But he remained low, meaning that this wasn't the same Espeon they had met in the past. That was fine, Lorne would be able to handle this one instead. "Hmph. You think you can do a better job than the other two?" Raising her eyebrows as if doubtful, Sharada tapped a finger against her wrist. "I don't know if you girls are hoping to buy time in hopes of getting help but I assure you, no such thing will come. Once I am done with all of you, I'll be heading back stage to find the Director myself." Readjusting her gloves, Sharada nodded her head in the Marowak's direction. "You know what to do, Lorne. Bonemerang again."

Marowak is using Bonemerang.

[The REAL Joey]

Narrowing her eyes, Naoko did not take kindly to Team Rocket's appearance. Removing a concealed set of fans from her sleeve and extending it out into full fans in both of her hands. Gently fluttering them as if butterfly wings, she mysteriously orientated them around, more often than not concealing her face. "Fufufufu... Your desperation is becoming quite vulgar. You blindly thrash about, trying to beat out any shred of an answer to try and further your dastardly plans. It's amusing albeit pathetic." Striking a sudden parting of her fans in opposite directions, she posed a question to Sharada. "What makes you believe that any of us know of where Ojisan resides?" Folding her fans up, she decided to toy with Sharada's plight to find information by attempting to misguide her. "I can assure you, on the off chance you manage to vanquish my sisters and I, you won't find him back stage. But by all means, entertain that thought of finding what you seek."

Unfolding her fans once more, she could be seen readying herself for the battle. Whilst they were in such a dreadful situation, the kimono dancers lived up to their reputation as heavenly dancers. No manner of pressure or stress would unfurl their performance. "Espeon! To me!" Calling out to her Pokemon, the two entered into a unison in the form of a dance. Moving forward, ever closer onto the make shift battlefield itself, Naoko appeared undaunted by Sharada's threats and began to rapidly spin her arms around in a circular motion, each arm opposite of whether the other was situated. The fans adding to this circular spinning, it created a dazzling sight to behold, all the while the Espeon showing off its effortlessly footwork in keeping up with its trainer. "Now! Psybeam!" Lowering herself down into a sitting crouch like position, the Espeon elegantly hopped in front as it powered up its psychic talents. The red gem on its head glowing with power, a psychedelic beam was shot forth, engulfing Lorne before he could even aim his bone club.

With the stage filled with brilliant light, Naoko watched eagerly in the hopes she had laid waste to one of Sharada's team. If they could at least take her down a peg or two, it would surely inspire her sisters in rallying to fend off these criminals. "I did it... Surely Ojisan is..." Her breathing steady, although subtly irregular, she was greeted with a sight that caused a great deal of horror on her face. Lorne, as damaged as he was, still stood. Although now, he looked simply menacing. His eyes leering through his skull musk and the club in his hand patting up and down in the palm of his other, there was no doubt as to how this would end. Limbering up and launching his large bone weapon forward, it hurtled forwards with extreme prejudice. The Espeon realising the plight its trainer was in for having danced her way onto the battlefield itself, she quickly blasted her with a telekinetic force to safety before being struck not once but twice as the bonemerang followed up with its brutal assault. The hostage crowd gasping out in distraught horror, it was overkill. Slumping in a most inelegant fashion, it meant another kimono dancer had been subdued. "NO!" Cried out Naoko as she wobbled to her feet and returning her Pokemon.



Trainer Battle

---

Naoko's Espeon | ♀ | Level 32 |
Health : 0% (0/93 HP)
Status : Normal
...

Lorne | ♂ | Level 33 |
Health : 31% (29/92 HP)
Status : Normal
What goes around, comes around

---

Weather status: Normal

---

Victory!

---

Your Marowak fought courageously, gained 1,600 Exp and has levelled up!
Lorne gained 1 level and is now Level 34!
They also gain +1 Happiness!

---

Payout!

---

Kimono Dancer Naoko was defeated!
They accidentally drop £750! Score!

---

With another kimono girl subdued and Sharada not a step closer to gaining any information on where the target was, it meant things were getting quite tense. The very same tension also seemed to be poisoning the atmosphere of the crowd of hostages and their Rocket takers. It was rowdy before but one woman in particular was now sobbing terribly and getting into a state of hysteria, much to the annoyance of a particularly rowdy looking Rocket. Stomping his foot down and yelling out with spit flying everywhere, he seemed ready to make her shut up once and for all. "G'DAMN! YOU STUPID COW, SHUT THE HELL UP?! Do you have any idea who we are? Team Rocket ain't to be messed with." Not realising this would send her into even more of a quivering state, the Rocket's temples seemed to pulsate with pure, unadulterated hate. "THAT DOES IT! I'm gonna...!"

A loose cannon of a Rocket Grunt is poised to endanger a hostage!
Find a way to calm them down.

As if that wasn't enough the next of the kimono sisters braved forward. Dressed in brilliant blue robes which evoked the idea of the ocean's waves, she bought a serene presence. Although as serene as she was dressed up to be, her demeanour was very much that of a tidal wave crashing down upon the world below it. Accompanying alongside her was a majestic looking Vaporeon.  "Enough. You and your evil hearted accomplices have outstayed your welcome. This ends here. I will invite you once out of courtesy, remove yourselves." Her expression resolute, she was all but ready to unleash the sea's fury when a remaining kimono girl grasped at her sleeve. "Kuni... No... You don't have to do this..." Her face turning to her fellow dancer, the kimono girl known as Kuni spoke in a hushed tone. "Silence Saya... I must protect you from..." Stopping herself, she whipped her head to look back at Sharada with a determined stare realising the Rocket would be listening. "No. As I said before. This ends here. The fact you and your lackeys remain means I shall have to wash you all away!" Gracefully shifting her arms in parallel to one another and mimicking the motion of the waves themselves, she assumed an attack position as her Vaporeon darted around in a circle before ending up in front to guard her trainer.

Trainer Encounter

---

Kimono Dancer Kuni wants to battle!


They send forth Vaporeon (Level 32)
Please select a Pokemon for battle.

Thread reserved by Joey as I want to make sure the information reveal isn't mixed up.

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

Her eyes widening, Sharada was unable to hide her brief moment of surprise when the Espeon Kimono Girl, Naoko, challenged her. The brunette's brow furrowing just as quickly, she sneered her top lip as if in disgust. "You are the ones which are pathetic. Covering up some little old man instead of placing the safety of your guests first." Deep down, she had to admit that each of the girls were strong in their own way. It wasn't as if Sharada was the only Rocket in the room and even if they managed to defeat the brunette, there were many others who would've stepped up to take her place. Meaning that they were fighting a losing battle but continued to push on, regardless of how inferior they were in terms of strength and numbers. This was Team Rocket in a nut shell after all; a pack of rats who would band together to become strong. Although in Sharada's case, even she felt that she was a peg or two better than the rest. Still, it was a good thing she persevered with her blind thrashing, as the purple clad female finally brought the Director up in conversation.

"...What?" Questioning Naoko's words bluntly, of course Sharada knew that he was located in this theatre. Atleast, that was what the information she and the other Rockets had been given. Momentarily pondering on if the Rockets had been fed false information, what Naoko had said certainly gave the female food for thought. What if he had fled out of the building and was currently hiding elsewhere in Ecruteak City? If he had a separate hide out, then that would explain why the Rocket's couldn't just swarm the building from top to bottom. The city wasn't exactly small so for Sharada, she figured this to be the case, hence the need to extract this location. She had to believe this and follow the guide lines of the mission if she hoped to get anywhere. Believing the words of her target would only sway her thoughts, leading to failure and her receiving punishment. "Don't bother trying to mislead me. I know that he is here." Trying to pull a bluff, it was the best she could do until she was able to find out the truth. "Think of me as a mindless brute. Because I will defeat each and every one of you until his location is spilt. That, or maybe he will even come out himself."

Her sneering being cut off by the dramatic clash between both the Espeon and her Marowak, Lorne, for a moment even Sharada felt that her Pokemon hadn't survived the blow but the strong willed Pokemon retaliated. Bearing a great number of injuries, Lorne slouched forward, panting under his skull mask whilst gripping tightly to his bone club. It seemed that another round was over and with a flash of light, regardless of her next opponent, Sharada withdrew Lorne for a well deserved break. "Looks like the curtain has fallen for you. Next." Tossing her head to the side as if telling Naoko to move on, there was a sudden moment of tension in the crowd. Overhearing a particular bout of hysteria, Sharada turned her head and squinted through the beams of the spotlight, only to notice a Rocket grunt loom over a sobbing woman. Unable to do anything about it whilst on stage, luckily, it seemed Sharada's back up plan had begun to make his way through the crowd. Sharada had taken a chance by partaking in this battle with only five available Pokemon, the sixth using his abilities of illusion to merge himself in with the crowd as a Rocket grunt, just incase a moment like this should occur.

Clad in the typical male, grunt uniform, Tenebrae strutted to the scene in human form, his long, wild black and red hair swaying behind him. Adjusting the hat which sat upon his head, he pulled it downward to mask the red markings on his face, before the human Zoroark grabbed hold of the rampaging Rocket grunt by the arm and tightened his grip. "Don't waste your energy." Lifting his head slightly, Tenebrae's crimson eyes shone through the shadows of his hat, his line of sight meeting with that of the grunt. In order to try and calm him down, Tenebrae created an illusion in the mind of the man, to which Tenebrae himself then backhanded the woman, knocking her out cold. To the grunt, the pest was dealt with but to the other grunts, it was just Tenebrae attempting to calm the man down. Team Rocket were known for violence but they all knew why they were hear and one less hostage meant one less heart string to tug at from the Kimono Girls. It was best for everyone to remain alive and kicking.

"...Pay attention, human!" Snapping out of her heavy gaze across the crowd, Sharada looked back to the stage in front of her, noticing that one of her own Pokemon had let herself out of her own Pokeball. This wasn't an unusual occurrence as the Pokemon had always been... Independent. "Just how long were you planning on staring off into space? Focus. That beast has things under control and if he fails, that is his own fault." The elegant figure of Delphine the Gardevoir floated before her, speaking only to Sharada with telepathy, her words as spiteful as ever. Unable to mentally respond, it seemed that a pair of Kimono Girls had wandered onto the stage, although the blue clad female seemed a bit more protective of the other. Could this be a clue. "Hmph. Another dancer prepared to be booed off the stage? Delphine. You're up." Gliding forward to face the Vaporeon, Sharada had to push aside her worry for Tenebrae and regain full focus of the battle. "Once you are out of the way, there will be only one left... I wonder if that is my target?" Voicing her wonder, Sharada grinned before throwing forward her arm. "We'll just have to see! Delphine! Go in with a Thunderbolt!"

Switching to Gardevoir and using Thunderbolt.

[The REAL Joey]

As the confrontation between the Kimono Girl and Rocket reached to a fever pitch, the dancer's Pokemon staring ruefully, waiting for a chance to unleash a scornful fury on the other, it seemed that the hostage situation would be the foremost concern in resolving. Thankfully for Sharada, having covered most of the bases prior to the mission, had let Tenebrae roam around in the audience. It had stood to reason something like this would happen. As his arm was grabbed a hold of the Rocket grunt span with a belligerent look covering his face. "Oi! Hands off you g'damn... Huh...?!" Trailing off in a daze as he gazed into Tenebrae's glowing eyes, it was too late for the loose cannon to flee. The power of the illusions had taken hold of him and meant in his dimwitted mind, the woman he was going to off had been pacified. Now wallowing in the world of illusions, it meant one less worry. Hopefully that would be the end of interruptions from the crowd.

The boisterous Rocket was subdued!
Hostage spared.

Back on the stage, the sudden jolt from the telepathic words of Delphine seemed to bring Sharada's attention back to the fore. Having bought herself out of the confines of the Pokeball device, it meant that she had been deemed as the Pokemon next to lead up the interrogation. Taunting Kuni by presenting her with the possibility she too would be washed up and swept away, the dancer retaliated with a snooty expression as she slowly and calmly indulged in some graceful dance moves. "I think not. As I said before, my Vaporeon and I will sweep you away like the filth you are from the premises. Much like a purging flood cleansing the built up decay." For all her bravado, Kuni seemingly became uneasy when Sharada mentioned about there being one kimono girl after this fight was concluded, Saya. "You will do no such thing! Leave her out of this!" Her tone becoming like a rising tempest out at sea, it seemed Sharada had struck a nerve. So beside herself with fury at the thought of Saya being interrogated, it meant Sharada had enough time to sneak in an attack with Delphine. Ordering a Thunderbolt, the Gardevoir simply extended out both her arms.

Shimmering them in an enrapturing fashion, she lifted them both up. Almost as if summoning a thunderbolt storm from another location thanks to her psychic powers, a merciless cloud appeared, pulsating with flashes of light and rumbling. Waving her arms around it was only as she pointed them towards Kuni's Vaporeon that anything took effect. Zapping a prominent bolt of thunder forward, the Vaporeon convulsed violently as its body coursed through with a hefty amount of voltage. Flashing terribly before the move itself subsided, it was fair to say the Pokemon was knocked out. At least, if it were any other Pokemon. Defiantly calling out to her Pokemon, Kuni seemed to turn the bad situation around. "Vaporeon! I need your protection! We must retaliate and drown these criminals!" Spinning around on the spot as her arms flowed around like the ravaging waves of the sea, she ended up doing a rather difficult pose. With her feet planted in one direction, she twisted her upper half to lean over ward and gesture her direction towards Sharada and Delphine. "SURF!"

The command in itself was jarring. It was a move that was integral to the success of the mission. Sharada's objective was to seek the director but at the same time, he was a means to an end. By finding the director the real success of the mission hinged on them being able to secure the shipment of the Hidden Machine technique that was Surf. Given her Pokemon was capable of such a move, it meant surely there had be some tight relationship between this dancer and the director. Thankfully with Sharada being prudent in what she disclosed with the dancers, it meant they were only aware of her seeking out the director and not the HMs themselves. Kuni may very well unwittingly have dropped a big clue. Despite the progress being made, there were bigger things to worry about. Shaking off the crackling electricity, the dancer's Pokemon seemingly dissolved into a body of water. Creating a pool of water to one side, the Vaporeon jumped out of the very water itself into another body of water it created. Criss crossing from side to side of the stage, it was beginning to create a sizeable amount of water. "You're finished!" Yelled Kuni with a stormy loathing in her voice. As she finished, so too had her Vaporeon's preparations. Having created another water from dissolving parts of its body, the Pokemon joined all the water together to rise upwards an artificial wave that it would use to surf downwards on in order to attack Sharada's side.

Coming down with an almighty crash, the unforgiving force of the wave hitting at full force, it seemed the Vaporeon had made a sizeable dent against its opponent. The moment it connected, the water seemed to push off against the Gardevoir. Reforming as it all retreated back into the air at the centre of the stage, the many droplets of water reconstituted into Kuni's Vaporeon. It seemed the move Surf had its uses in ferrying people across but it was also a deadly move not to be underestimated. "N-No... Such strength... There is NO WAY you are a Rocket grunt... Who are you?!" A little shaken from her Pokemon's move being endured so well, it was clear Kuni had expected that to be enough to finish off Sharada's chosen Pokemon. However, given how strong Sharada was, it seemed to rattle Kuni to the point she began to even doubt Sharada was a Rocket. Time and time again a number of Team Rocket stooges had tried riling the establishment up but Kuni and her sisters had been able to thwart them with relative ease. What was so different about this time?



Trainer Battle

---

Kuni's Vaporeon | ♀ | Level 32 |
Health : 39% (53/135 HP)
Status : Normal
It's a washout!

Delphine | ♀ | Level 35 |
Health : 48% (49/103 HP)
Status : Normal
Water conducts electricity

---

Weather status: Normal

---

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

Slowly releasing his grip from the arm of the Rocket Grunt, Tenebrae straightened his back whilst readjusting the hat which sat upon his mass of wild hair. Briefly looking around, it didn't seem that the other Rockets suspected him, as most still had their attention on the stage or the hostages in front of them. Looking up to the stage himself, he noticed that Sharada was now battling alongside Delphine, her Gardevoir and with a gentle grunt, looked away. A part of him wanted to be a part of the Pokemon battling side of things too, he was, after all, a Pokemon himself. But Tenebrae understood Sharada's reasoning to leave him behind and with a turn, he continued to keep an eye out for further eruptions. Once the battles were over, the question loomed in his mind of how Team Rocket would react to the sight of victory and if the audience would end up being trampled over. For the possibility of such a scenario, he needed to think of a way to keep all these innocent people safe.

Meanwhile, Sharada also felt that the heist was nearing the end but that didn't mean she had become overconfident. There was still atleast one Kimono Girl left and she too, had another Pokemon or two she could use, in order to give Delphine a rest. This Kuni, however, came across very differently to Sharada than the others. She was just as graceful and elegant as the flow of water herself, yet her eyes danced with the rage of a vicious storm. Her Vaporeon also looked quite threatening, as if ready to cast a judgemental wave down upon them all. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You haven't been paying attention up til now? It doesn't matter. If you don't believe what I say, I'll simply use actions." She had already been called a brute up until now, there was simply no discussion between any of them. Atleast, until Kuni seemed to trigger some sort of reaction upon hearing Sharada mention the final woman. Lifting a hand but not trying very hard to cover her cinivining smirk, Sharada raised her eyebrows in a taunting manner. "Ooh? I wont? You had best stop me then, eh?" Considering the final girl to be the one she was after, Sharada turned to look at Delphine.

"I am not helping you." A voice suddenly called into her mind, "W-What? What are you saying? With your powers, you could surely find out--" "Hmph! It is true. But this is your responsibility. A task you must complete on your own. Besides. It isn't often that I see you actually work." Remaining perfectly blank on the outside, within, Delphine was being as rude and unhelpful as usual. Using her telepathic powers, she could've just as simply looked into the minds of one of the girls. But in order to help Sharada grow as a person, she would often hold back, forcing Sharada to use her own head instead of relying on others. Growling under her breath, it was incredible to Sharada that her Gardevoir would even fight at all, at times. "Fine... Just you wait and see. I have an inkling already, anyway." Looking back to face Kuni, she was ready to watch Delphine wreck some havoc when the sudden cry from her opponent caused her eyes to widen in surprise. "Surf?!" Muttering to herself, Sharada watched as the lithe Vaporeon managed to change it's own body into a tidal wave of water, which gushed down upon the unsuspecting Delphine before forming back into the water Pokemon.

"Delphine, are you alright?!" Casting her worry into her thoughts alone, the Gardevoir gasped for breath but managed to keep herself sturdy and upright. Remaining silent, Sharada was torn from her one side mind-conversation with her Pokemon, to enlighten the equally as surprised Kuni. "..Sorry to disappoint but I am just a mere Grunt." Keeping her words minimal, she couldn't help but feel that she was superior to certain, fellow grunts but it was up to the bosses back at base if they chose to acknowledge her strength. "Just a simple, nameless Rocket following orders... That is me." Kuni knew the move that both Sharada and the other Rockets were searching for, surely this meant that she was the one? However, Sharada needed to act calm. If it was indeed this one, then how would she be able to get her to spill the info? Perhaps aiming for the one she was so protective of was her only shot. "Your Pokemon has a unique move. But I guess that girl really is the one who knows about the location of Director. It wouldn't be you, yourself, right?" Placing extra emphasis on her final word, she pointed a finger forward, "I suppose I'll finish you off, to find out for myself! Delphine! Another Thunderbolt!" If she could atleast confirm that the final girl wasn't her target, then Sharada would rely on gut instincts and return back to Kuni for the required information.

Gardevoir uses Thunderbolt.

[The REAL Joey]

Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, Kuni's expression was taught with anger. No matter how hard she hit or what tactics she could muster up, they would be swatted aside by this supposed Rocket grunt. "Even if I am to lose, do not take my sister lightly." Raising a coy hand to her mouth, she giggled in a scheming manner. It appeared she had at least would be able to support the one she wanted to protect even if she was knocked out now. "The stage being so flooded with water... It would be just as your Pokemon has demonstrated against my Vaporeon. Water conducts electricity." Given the fact the next dancer's choice of Pokemon had to be a Jolteon, it was a little worrying that Kuni may have subtly created a perfect environment for the next battler to fight in. Having exchanged words, it would be what Sharada mentioned about Saya that riled up Kuni some more. "I told you before. Leave her well alone. If you touch a hair on her head." Shooting a tempestuous glare, it was obvious she had some sort of desire to protect her but whether it was because they were close or Saya really did know the director's whereabouts was hard to decipher.

The only thing that was very much a fact was that Kuni's Pokemon had mastered the very same move that Sharada had been tasked with retrieving. "Vaporeon, repeat your Surf! If we can endure... We shall have won this!" Their Pokemon both being ordered to fight, the two lashed out. Starting to form puddles of water on the stage as the Vaporeon materialised into water, Delphine wasted no time in calling forth a stormy cloud in the arena. Tapping into it's power, she flung both of her wraith like arms forward as a huge bolt of electricity zapped into one of the puddles. Setting off a chain reaction, the crippling electrical power jolted from one puddle to the next, on and on until it met with the target. Making it convulse violently, the Pokemon exploded into a splash of water, before recombining itself on the floor, knocked out cold. "VAPOREON!" Yelled Kuni, rushing off to pull her to one side and nurse her Pokemon's wounds.


Trainer Battle

---

Kuni's Vaporeon | ♀ | Level 32 |
Health : 0% (0/135 HP)
Status : KO'd
...

Delphine | ♀ | Level 35 |
Health : 48% (49/103 HP)
Status : Normal
Try fighting someone in your own league

---

Weather status: Normal

---

Victory!

---

Your Gardevoir fought courageously and gained 1,600 Exp!
They also gain +1 Happiness!

---

Payout!

---

Kimono Dancer Kuni was defeated!
They accidentally drop £750! Score!

---

"Kuni...! No... This is my fault..." The stage empty, it was only off stage that a faint, timid voice could be heard talking to herself. The owner of which being none other than the last dancer, it appeared the poor girl was almost paralysed by the situation she was in. Closing her eyes tightly shut and crying out, she shook her head. "NO! I can't let my sisters down..." Rushing onto the stage, she looked to Sharada and despite her frayed nerves, managed to pull together to sternly scold her actions. "H-How... Dare you! My sister was only trying to protect me and you hurt her Pokemon in such a horrible way...Do you have no heart?" Seeing her sister get up to take the last stand, Kuni called out. "SAYA! YOU MUSTN'T! FLEE!" Shaking her head again, she seemed to be gaining more and more determination. Perhaps her confidence as a kimono dancer was acting as a buoyant to compensate over her meekness. "I am the last dancer. But make no mistake. My performance is nothing to be looked down upon. I will electrify you with my dance moves!" Pulling out a Pokeball from her sleeve, she rather stylishly swayed around as she summoned her choice. "JOLTEON!" Appearing by her side with a crackle of electricity, the Pokemon certainly didn't look like a slouch. "I may not know where the director is but I will thwart your evil doing!"

Trainer Encounter

---

Kimono Dancer Saya wants to battle!


They send forth Jolteon (Level 32)
Please select a Pokemon for battle.

[Morrigan]

GRAYE'S MARINADES

Listening to the words of Kuni, Sharada couldn't help but notice that if the next Eeveelution was indeed an electric type, the stage had well and truly been set for a shocking turnabout. In front of her, Delphine had been using her powers to levitate ever so slightly off of the ground but a puddle of water had definitely formed around the feet of Sharada. Shuffling her boots across the thin layer of water, depending on her next choice of Pokemon, this could very well end up being a problem. Still, she called her bluff, bluntly. "No need to worry. Now that I know her Pokemon is an electric type, I can prepare in advance." Raising her eyebrows, it seemed that the watery Kimono Girl had let a bit of useful information slip. Sharada had already looked into the Kimono Girls and how the theatre was run, so she did already have an idea of the Pokemon she would be battling against. But in a situation such as this one, little nit picks of information such as that could confuse or rile up an opponent, even if it was simple, common knowledge. Kuni appeared to be protective over this final girl so anything to make it seem that Sharada wasn't going to hold back, meant that the brunette was going to use it in her favour. By now, she had hoped Kuni would've spilt any information that she might've known.

"If you truly value her, then you would've split the beans by now. Why are you so protective over her? I wonder. Perhaps she knows what I am after... If that is the case, then all she has to do is answer my one, easy question." Holding up a single index finger to signify one, Sharada wasn't going to let this drop. The safety of the hostages was running on a timer, if all of the Rockets decided to start a riot all at once, neither she or Tenebrae would be able to save them. They too had a part to play and needed to be careful so that their cover wasn't blown. She desperately needed this information and hoped to hold back in terms of violence. However, if it came to such a time, she had little choice. Time was ticking, she needed to get that crate of HM's. "Don't you let her attack, Delphine!" Calling out as soon as the Vaporeon formed into another puddle, the graceful Gardevoir prepared her attack. Waiting for just the right moment, the psychic Pokemon prepared herself, firing off a final thunderbolt that knocked the Vaporeon out cold. Smirking in a smug manner, Sharada flicked her finger from side to side, "Looks like you have dried right up."

Another Kimono Girl out of the way, Sharada had a lot to think about in regards to her. Her Pokemon knew Surf, the move that both she and Team Rocket were after, which was currently in the hands of the director. Did he give a HM to Kuni simply for her Vaporeon due to it being a water type or was she the one who knew of his location? There was also the fact that she was overly protective of this up coming Kimono Girl, causing Sharada to consider her instead. The possibilities still weren't clear in the mind of the brunette as she also couldn't completely count out the others she had battled. These girls were certainly good at keeping their mouths shut and secrets hidden. Lifting a Pokeball, Sharada withdrew her Gardevoir, who had been injured by the Surf attack, as the fifth and final woman stepped onto the stage. Much more meek than the others, Kuni once again intervened but Saya was quick to shoot her sister down. Closing her eyes, Sharada grabbed hold of a Pokeball and held it forward, as the Jolteon appeared in front of her. "You sound as if you are being honest but I can't trust your words just yet. I'll battle you just like I have done with the others and then I will decide if you are useful to me or not."

Enlarging her chosen Pokeball, the Rocket grunt threw it forward, the sound of something heavy landing amongst the water on the stage. Standing before the Jolteon was a large Nidoqueen, her feet stomping in the water before leaning forward and letting out a mighty roar. "If I had a heart, I wouldn't be able to finish the job. Speaking of finish, it's about time to wrap this whole mess up." Tossing her head to the side, Sharada stared at the back of her own Pokemon, "Now, Bellatrix! Use Earthquake, no holding back!"

Switching to Nidoqueen and using Earthquake.