When you ask a typical teenage girl what she wants to be when she grows up, her answer depends on her level of intelligence and maturity.
If both of them of them are low, she might dream of becoming a model… Not knowing that unless you’re on the same level that Cindy Crawford was in her heyday, it’s a thankless and tiring career that goes nowhere.
If both are high, she might have more sense, and think about a better profession, which is good… The fields of law and medicine always need more women.
I’ll wager even money that no girl ever dreams of being a ninja assassin when she grows up… But that was the career I followed.
My name is Kitsune… Pokémon trainer, Kunoichi, and if this job goes well, Rocket Reborn’s newest recruit…
No problem…
I may not have expected the life of a ninja… But I learned very quickly…
CHAPTER TEN
The Trial of the Taker
Kitsune surveyed the area in front of her.
The land beyond the beach was full of dead trees, odd-looking shrubs, and was covered by a lingering fog. The same fog was above her, obscuring the sky.
She wasn’t surprised, and very few trainers would be. This sort of environment was typical for a place inhabited by Ghost Pokémon.
She looked into the fog, and several sets of eyes peered out, looking at her. Some of them looked normal, others were just single eyes (Those would be Duskull, she thought) and some glittered like facets of gems. (Sableye, definitely, she thought.)
She glared back at them, and her eyes narrowed above her mask.
They’re waiting for me to make the first move, she thought. They’ll rush me as soon as I send out a Pokémon…
Well, they’re in for a surprise…
She tensed. A pokeball was hidden up her sleeve, and it had a Pokémon inside that was a powerful weapon against Ghosts…
Not a Dark Pokémon… They’d likely be expecting that, and would have thought up a strategy to deal with them…
Kitsune crossed her arms over her chest…
Then she opened them with a flourish, and the pokeball shot out. It burst open…
“GO! Miltank!” she shouted.
The Pokémon that appeared was indeed a Miltank. The rare breed resembling a pink cow standing on its hind legs, with a long, knobbed tail.
A haunting laughter echoed from the fog in front of them. Miltank looked rather annoyed.
“Wait for it…” said Kitsune. “Wait for it…”
Then “it” came. A gaggle of Ghost Pokémon flew out at them. Gastly, Haunter, Duskull, two Sableye, and even one Dusclops.
“Miltank, charge and use Return,” ordered Kitsune.
Miltank got down on all fours and rushed at the Ghosts, causing them to laugh more. What happened next took them all totally by surprise. Miltank swung with its hoof, striking several of them at once with an audible smack.
The Ghosts that it hit hollered in both pain and surprise. How could that have hurt them?
“Return again!” shouted Kitsune.
Miltank swung again at the side it hadn’t hit, causing more screams.
The Ghosts looked at Miltank angrily. They weren’t laughing any more.
Then most of them floated up, out of its reach, leaving only the Dusclops (the leader, it seemed).
Dusclops and Miltank stared at each other…
So what are you gong to do? thought Kitsune. You’re a wild Pokémon… You never got any TMs… You likely don’t know that many moves that can hurt a Normal Pokémon.
Dusclops motioned with its arms, egging Miltank on.
“Miltank…” growled Miltank.
“Body Slam,” said Kitsune.
Miltank leapt at the Dusclops, and crashed into it, smashing it against the ground. The Ghost groaned in pain…
But then, its fist became surrounded by an aura of black energy. It socked Miltank right in the udder. Miltank groaned.
Nuts, thought Kitsune. That was Payback. Better end this fast…
“Hyper Beam!” she shouted.
“MILTANK!” shouted the Pokémon.
Her eyes glowed, and a burning beam of energy shot from its mouth, striking the Duskull in the chest. It flew backwards and vanished into the fog.
Miltank took some deep breaths. Kitsune looked up, and saw the Ghosts flying away. Clearly they were afraid.
In front of her, the fog parted. She walked towards the center of the island with Miltank beside her.
* * * * * * * * *
In the Blueberry Cove Pokémon Center, Starbuck was just finished sending the Toxic Plate to Percival as Shadow walked out of the women’s dorms, wearing a bathrobe and drying her hair with a towel.
“I’ve taken about eight showers and I still feel soiled,” she grumbled. “I’ve never seen so much dirt.”
“I reckon it’s gonna get dirtier before it gets cleaner,” said a voice from one of the tables. “Full moon tonight…”
Starbuck and Shadow looked towards the table, and saw someone they hadn’t seen before. It was a man who looked about forty, with blonde hair and a thick moustache, wearing a plaid shirt and jeans.
Next to him was a Carnivine, and he was engaged in a game of sorts with the Grass Pokémon. He’d take a peanut from a dish on the table and flick it into the air, and the Carnivine would catch it in its jaws.
“Uhm, hullo,” said Starbuck, as they walked over to the table. “Who’re you?”
“I’m Charles,” said the man. “Don’t call me Charlie unless you’re willing to fight.
“Anyway, you might say I’m a guy who’s been a lot of places and seen a lot of things…”
He flicked another peanut, and the Carnivine caught it.
“So what’s so special about a full moon?” asked Shadow.
“In this city,” said Charles, “that’s when the Midnight Peddler comes out to sell his wares…”
Starbuck and Shadow looked at him.
“Uh…” said Starbuck.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Ghosts didn’t bother Shadow as she made her way to the center of the island, but they were watching her. She saw them hovering overhead, like vultures waiting for a starving animal to drop.
She didn’t like it. It was as if they were waiting to finish her off once something else was done with her.
The fog parted again, and she saw the infamous temple in a large clearing up ahead.
It was constructed of marble – black marble – and the entrance was flanked by pillars.
Above the entrance was a frightening-looking base-relief. Two monsters were in the picture, two strange-looking Pokémon that were apparently Dragon-Types. One of them was humanoid (more or less) with a long neck and a long tail. The other stood on four legs, and had spires jutting out from all over its body.
But these two Pokémon were not in a good situation in this scene. A dark cloud was above them, raining down bolts of some sort of energy, causing them to writhe in pain.
Above the frightening scene was a message that Kitsune could clearly read:
Let the three servants of the Master, whose names are Darkness, Destruction, and Death, lead the way.
“An evil temple with a curse posted above the entrance,” she said. “Well, that never stopped Indiana Jones…
“Miltank, return…”
Miltank retreated into its pokeball, and Kitsune carefully walked inside, into a long hallway.
It was a long, spotless hallway, made of stone and lit by odd crystals in the ceiling. A stone door was at the far end.
She paused, feeling the air… No ninja with the right to be called by the name would ever be killed by a trap. They were trained to sense them, using all seven of their senses.
Yes, there were seven. Most folks only counted sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. There were actually two others: sense of temperature, which was the ability to detect changes in heat and cold, and sense of equilibrium, which was the ability to detect changes in balance.
Ninja could use these to detect the slightest draft, or the slightest slant on the floor. Along with other acute senses, being able to notice these things often set a good assassin apart from a dead one.
However, she couldn’t sense any traps, so she carefully ventured forward.
She made her way up to the stone door and put her ear against it.
Then, she leapt back as it swung open.
“Stop sneaking around like a thief and come in,” demanded a powerful voice. “I saw you coming before you reached the beach.”
Kitsune quickly drew the katana blade from the sheath on her back.
“Who’s there?” she said, walking inside.
She entered a large, sinister-looking chamber. At the far end was an altar of sorts. Two braziers flanked it, lit by burning embers. A pedestal was off to the side, holding a very large book, and a quill pen in an ink well. A large, ceramic urn was in front of the altar.
Standing on the altar was a man in very outdated clothing. It resembled the armor of the Spanish conquistadors, made of either brass or bronze. (Kitsune wondered how he could wear armor that heavy, unless it was just plating.) He also wore a mask that covered his entire face, also made of the same metal.
“And just who are you?” asked Kitsune.
“I am the Taker,” said the man. “I take what others can give…
“And you’d best be prepared to do so, if you want to leave alive…”
* * * * * * * * * *
“Okay, Charles,” said Starbuck, “you piqued my curiosity… Who is this Midnight Peddler?”
Charles tossed another peanut to his Carnivine.
“If you’re out on the street under a full moon at the stroke of midnight,” said Charles, “the first thing you’ll hear is a set of squeaky wheels. Then he’ll come out of the gloom… A peddler in a dark cloak, pulling an old fashioned cart.
“He’s dressed all in black. His hands are visible, and his fingernails are long and sharp. His eyes are hidden beneath the hood of his cloak, but you can see that he has a very strong chin. And he speaks with an accent that no-one can ever identify.
“His cart has all sorts of odd items on it, and he always has a Pokémon with him. It’s not always the same Pokémon, but it’s usually a species that only comes out at night.
“Anyway, those who have the courage to talk to him say that he’s very talkative. And he seems to know more about the one speaking to him than he should. He knows what exploits you’ve been on recently… No-one knows where he learns these things…
“Now… If you ask him about himself, he’ll insist that he’s nothing more than a peddler… He’ll even sell the stuff on his cart if that’s what you want…
“And that’s where it gets interesting…”
“What do you mean?” asked Shadow, getting nervous.
“Everyone who has claimed to buy something from the Peddler never stays in Blueberry Cove long,” said Charles. “Within a few days, something makes them leave, seeking new things.
“It was said that Calamity Jane met him when she was a teenager, and what she bought from him made her one of the best trainers in Toreen.
“But it’s also said that Jimmy Green met him once…”
“Holy…” said Starbuck.
Jimmy Green was Toreen’s biggest mobster during the 1960’s. He was thought to be responsible for over three dozen murders. He was eventually caught, but was only tried and convicted of two of them, which he had apparently committed personally. The victims had been his wife and her lover, whom he had caught together.
“So what you’re saying is,” said Starbuck, “the Midnight Peddler can lead people to big things… But not necessarily good ones.”
Charles nodded.
“Folks say that he is a messenger of Fate itself,” said Charles, “and that if you’re brave enough to do business with him, Fate will intervene for you…
“For better… or for worse…
“You two kids have a good night now…”
He held up a pokeball, and the Carnivine was drawn inside. Then he got up, and walked towards the door.
“Heh,” said Shadow. “He’s pulling our chain! It’s nothing more than an urban legend…”
Starbuck rubbed his chin.
“Is it?” he asked.
He looked at the clock…
* * * * * * * * * *
Kitsune held her sword menacingly in front of her.
“Listen, ‘Taker’,” she said, “why should I give you anything?”
“I’m just doing my job, young lady,” said the Taker. “You want access to the inner sanctum, and the ones in charge demand a price.
“I was surprised you even got this far, to tell the truth. How did your Miltank defeat all those Ghost Pokémon?”
“If you must know, my Miltank has an ability called Scrappy,” said Kitsune, “making it the perfect Pokémon for use against Ghosts. Its Normal attacks work against Ghosts because of it. However, Ghost attacks still can’t hurt Miltank.
“Now I’ll ask you again… Why should I give you anything?”
The Taker chuckled.
Then Kitsune screamed as the whole floor beneath her seemed to vanish. She was standing in mid-air above a chasm that seemed to plunge deep into the earth.
It took her a few seconds to realize that she wasn’t falling.
“All I’ve done this time,” said the Taker, “was make the floor of this temple transparent. I could have made it vanish, causing you to fall to your doom.
“Legends say that the abyss below this temple is a passage right into Hades… And it may well be.
“And that is just what I will do if you do not put that sword away this instant.”
Kitsune nervously sheathed the sword. The floor reappeared.
She realized now the gravity of this situation. This Taker commanded very powerful magic.
“Don’t think you can simply leap to this altar and think it’s a safe spot,” said the Taker. “This lair has several features that I could use to strike you down long before you ever reached me.
“And if by some miracle, you managed to defeat me, that would not open the door to the inner sanctum that you seek. No-one can access its treasures unless they pay the fee.”
Kitsune sighed.
“So just what are you?” she asked. “A wizard? A demon of some sort?”
“I’m a servant of a very powerful being,” said the Taker. “One whose mind is so alien and complex, that to glimpse into it is to invite insanity.”
“All right, Taker,” she said. “How much?”
“There are three Payments,” said the Taker. “Things come in threes in this world. First, I require a Payment of Wealth. Something of sufficient monetary value.”
He pointed to urn.
“Simply put it in there.”
A realization came to Kitsune. This was why Jessica had given her that sapphire pendant.
She took it out of her pouch and tossed it into the urn.
“That is sufficient,” he said. “Next, I require a Payment of Knowledge.”
He pointed to the book on the pedestal.
“Simply write down the most useful thing you know.”
Kitsune walked up to the book and picked up the quill pen. She thought for a minute.
“Who else is going to read this?” she asked.
“Only my employer,” said the Taker.
“And who would that be?” she asked.
The Taker didn’t answer.
Kitsune thought again.
She knew a lot of important things, but she would be marked for death if she revealed most of the secrets she had been entrusted with…
Then she smirked.
There was nothing that said she couldn’t reveal Jessica’s secrets. And she had told her one of them.
She quickly wrote it down.
“That is sufficient,” said the Taker.
“Now, you are a trainer, are you not?”
“Yes,” said Kitsune.
The Taker gestured, and three pokeballs appeared in his hand.
“You’re challenging me?” asked Kitsune.
“Yes,” said the Taker. “You see, the last payment is a Payment of Vitality. As you spend it in this battle, I will collect it.”
What does he mean? thought Kitsune. It isn’t like I’m going to be the one fighting…
“All right,” she said. “Like you said, I am a trainer…”
She grabbed one of her pokeballs.
“So let’s throw down! Just remember, pal… In ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’, the Devil loses.”
The Taker chuckled as he chose one of his pokeballs.
He hurled the pokeball, and it flew towards Kitsune, trailing a stream of fire.
The pokeball opened.
“I choose… Lickilicky!” he shouted.
The Pokémon that appeared was five feet tall, stout, and chubby. It had pink skin, and a very long tongue.
Kitsune had heard of this before – the very rare evolution of Lickitung. But now that she actually saw it, she almost laughed.
“Heh, heh,” she chuckled. “Bet that guy is really good at licking lollypops…”
“Do you find my Pokémon amusing young lady?!” boomed the Taker.
“Uhm, no!” gulped Kitsune.
She took a pokeball of her own.
“I choose… Noctowl!”
She threw the pokeball, and a much more familiar Pokémon flew out. It was the evolved form of Hoothoot, a large owl with a five-foot wingspan.
“Noctowl!” it screeched.
“Not bad…” said the Taker, as Noctowl took to the air.
“Lickilicky… Use Power Whip.”
Lickilicky’s tongue lashed out like a whip, striking Noctowl in midair. Noctowl screeched…
And at the same time, Kitsune felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She clutched it.
It was as if that attack had hit her as well as her Pokémon…
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“Payment of Vitality,” said the Taker. “The magical properties of this shrine make Pokémon battles more serious business.
“As your Pokémon are hurt, you’ll lose as much energy as they do.”
“And if I lose the battle?” asked Kitsune, not really wanting to know.
“Then you lose all your energy,” said the Taker. “I leave you with nothing left.”
Kitsune started to sweat. She realized she had just wagered her life on this battle…
So losing wasn’t an option.
“Attack!” she shouted. “Zen Headbutt!”
Noctowl glowed with energy, and it flew into Lickilicky, slamming into its ample gut head-first. Lickilicky gasped and fell on its behind.
“Good effort!” laughed the Taker. “But it’s going to take more than that.
“Lickilicky’s hide is like rubber. It can bounce back from all but the strongest blows.
“And I’m going to show you another of its talents…
Lickilicky, use Toxic.”
“Huh?” said Kitsune.
Lickilicky blew a raspberry at Noctowl, splattering it with foul saliva.
Noctowl groaned and fell to the ground. Then Kitsune felt sick to her stomach. She felt like throwing up.
“Another rule of this battle,” said the Taker. “A trainer suffers from all adverse effects of her Pokémon. Your Noctowl is poisoned, so the same venom has infected your veins.”
Kitsune started to sweat heavily…
But under her mask, she grinned.
“Noctowl…” she said. “Use Psycho Shift.”
“Huh?” said the Taker.
Noctowl’s eyes glowed with a sinister light. It stood up, and then Lickilicky clutched its stomach in pain.
“Ergh!” groaned the Taker, clutching his own stomach.
“Your own medicine tastes bad, doesn’t it?” asked Kitsune. “Psycho Shift lets Noctowl transfer the poison in its system to its opponent. As a result, I transferred the poison in mine to you.
“I think I’m getting the hang of this!”
“Clever…” muttered the Taker.
“Noctowl… Air Slash!” shouted Kitsune.
Noctowl flew into the air and whipped its wings forward, sending a blade of air forward. Lickilicky cringed under it.
“Lickilicky, Refresh,” said the Taker.
Lickilicky glowed with energy, and sparkles of light surrounded it. Kitsune recognized the move. It was flushing the poison from its system.
“Take Down!” shouted Kitsune.
Noctowl made a flying swoop at Lickilicky…
“Thunderbolt!” shouted the Taker.
An aura of electricity surrounded Lickilicky, and lightning struck the Flyer. Both it and Kitsune screamed.
Noctowl hovered in mid-air for a minute. Its tail feathers were burnt, and it was a little stunned…
But it remembered its master’s command. It swooped, and plowed into Lickilicky. The long-tongued Pokémon tumbled backwards and didn’t move.
The Taker growled. He held up his pokeball and recalled Lickilicky.
“First round to me,” said Kitsune.
“But how much pain can you endure?” asked the Taker, taking another pokeball.
“Kingler, go!”
He threw the pokeball, and the huge crab-like Pokémon appeared from out of it.
“Kingler, Brine,” ordered the Taker.
“Kingler…” growled the Water-Type.
It raised its claw, and a powerful jet of water shot at Noctowl. Noctowl was thrown against the wall, and crashed.
The force of her Pokémon being knocked out hit Kitsune like a hammer. She was knocked over on her behind.
She groaned.
“Kingler… Return…” she muttered.
* * * * * * * * * *
Starbuck was sitting in front of the television at the Pokémon Center, looking at the TV Guide. His mother walked up.
“Anything good on tonight?” she asked.
“Uh…” said Starbuck. “There’s an Outer Limits marathon starting in fifteen minutes. I figure I might watch at least some of it.”
His mother looked at him.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to stay up so you can go out to look for that Midnight Peddler person,” she asked.
“Maybe,” he replied.
“Starbuck,” she said, “I’ve been from one side of Toreen to another, and seen lots of strange things, but you can’t expect me to believe in magic.”
“Why not?” asked Starbuck. “How can you explain some of the things that we’ve seen so far? Talking Pokémon, servants of the gods… Is that not magic?
“Can the things that some powerful Pokémon do be described as anything but magic?”
Lisa just looked at him. That was always a touchy subject for her.
“Besides mom…” said Starbuck, “if I go look for the Midnight Peddler, and it turns out he doesn’t exist, I won’t be any worse off than I was before. You can’t deny that.”
“No…” said his mother. “I guess I can’t…
“But be careful, okay?”
* * * * * * * * * *
Kitsune’s second pokeball burst open.
The new Pokémon was humanoid, with a thin torso and arms, and thick legs. Its legs and part of its head were pink, suggesting a skullcap and trousers.
“Medicham!” it said.
“A Fighter?” laughed the Taker. “Hand-to-hand attacks are suicide against a Kingler’s crushing pincers.”
“Kingler…” said the crab, snapping its claws.
“My Medicham doesn’t have to get close to your Kingler to hurt it,” said Kitsune. “Medicham, Psychic.”
Medicham’s eyes glowed, and a wave of energy shot at Kingler like a ripple. The crab groaned in pain.
“Keeping your distance, huh?” asked the Taker. “Fine with me…
“Kingler… Ancientpower!”
Kingler glowed, and waved its claw. The floor rumbled, and Medicham nervously looked around…
A group of boulders tore out of the floor, and flew towards Medicham.
“Medicham, jump!” shouted Kitsune.
Medicham leapt up, and landed on one of the flying boulders just as it hurtled towards it.
It got the idea. It deftly leapt from one boulder to the next, towards its foe.
“Kingler?” said the crab.
Medicham cleared the last boulder, and smashed its foot into Kingler with a Hi Jump Kick, knocking it over.
The Taker growled and held his chest.
“Kingler, Crabhammer!” he ordered.
Kingler whacked Medicham with its pincer, and the Fighter tumbled backwards. Kitsune held her chest again.
Medicham got to its feet.
“Time to cook this crab,” said Kitsune. “Medicham, Focus Blast.”
Medicham put its hands together, and in a move reminiscent of Goku’s Ka-me-ha-me-ha, fired a burning blast of energy at Kingler. Kingler screamed and toppled backwards.
The Taker looked at Kitsune in silence for a few seconds. He held up the pokeball and recalled Kingler.
“I must say,” he said, “you are the first worthy challenge I’ve had in years… Most folks who come here are nothing more than greedy treasure hunters without any talent at all. But you, young lady, I can see that you are above and beyond them. This is sort of… refreshing, actually…
“Time to unveil my best Pokémon. Only one of my opponents ever lasted long enough to face it, and even he fell before it…”
He threw his third pokeball.
“I choose Tauros!”
The pokeball burst open, and a large, hulking Pokémon appeared. It was a rare breed, but one that was well-known (mostly due to the fact that Ash Ketchum had captured a whole heard of them in his journeys), a powerful bull, four feet tall at the shoulder.
Kitsune flinched. This Pokémon was the male equivalent of Miltank, but unlike her Pokémon, this species was known for having a rotten temper.
“Tauros, Flamethrower,” ordered the Taker.
Tauros blew steam from its nostrils. It exhaled a stream of flames, striking Medicham. Medicham hollered, and Kitsune strained and sweat.
“Medicham, try a Hi Jump Kick!” shouted Kitsune.
Medicham leapt up, and aimed a kick at Tauros.
“Tauros, Giga Impact!” shouted the Taker.
“WHAT?” gasped Kitsune.
Tauros glowed with fiery energy, and charged at Medicham. Medicham couldn’t do anything – it was caught completely off-guard. The bull slammed into it in the middle of its leap, throwing it ten feet.
Kitsune screamed and was thrown off her feet as well.
She gasped for breath and looked up. Medicham was out cold. She groaned and got up.
She pointed her pokeball, and recalled Medicham.
He had saved his best Pokémon for last… But she had done the same…
She threw her third pokeball.
“Ninetales, go!” she shouted.
In a burst of energy, an incredibly beautiful Pokémon appeared. It was a gorgeous fox, with nine large tales, glowing with golden energy.
“A Fox Pokémon in the hands of a trainer named Kitsune,” said the Taker. “Cute.”
“We’ll see how cute it is after it uses Nasty Plot,” said Kitsune.
Ninetales growled a little, and glowed with purple energy.
“Tauros, Take Down,” said the Taker.
Steam blew from the bull’s nostrils again. It charged at Ninetales…
Ninetales braced itself just in time to take the blow. Kitsune braced herself too. She shook in pain and sweat stained her headband.
“Flamethrower,” she commanded.
“Ninetales blew flames at point-blank range at its foe, and Tauros bellowed. It stumbled backwards.
“Tauros…” it groaned.
“Ninetales… Flare Blitz,” said Kitsune.
Ninetales’s eyes burned with fire. It charged at Tauros, and became shrouded with flames. It was a practical fireball when it hit, and a flaming burst erupted in the center of the shrine.
When both trainers could see again, they could barely believe what they were seeing. Both Pokémon were still standing.
I have to use its most powerful attack, thought Kitsune. I have to hope that it will be enough…
“Tauros, Giga Impact!” shouted the Taker.
Tauros glowed with energy flames again, and prepared to charge…
“Ninetales…” said Kitsune. “Use Overheat.”
“Huh?” said the Taker.
In the next second, the whole chamber erupted in an inferno. Tauros roared, and the Taker screamed.
When the fires died down, Ninetales was panting for breath, its fire extinguished. But the severely burned Tauros was lying on its side, and the Taker was down on one knee.
Kitsune felt energy returning to her.
The Taker sighed.
“You are victorious…” he muttered.
The stone wall behind him opened, revealing a secret chamber within.
“All three Payments have been made…” he said. “You may take whatever you desire from the inner sanctum.”
Kitsune didn’t say anything. She simply walked up onto the altar, past him, and through the opening.
Inside the room was a treasure hunter’s dream. There was gold jewelry, antique vases brimming with coins and gems, precious goblets, golden harps… Truly, it was a king’s ransom.
However, she remembered Jessica’s warnings. She wasn’t to get greedy in this place, because as tempting as these treasure were, all of it was cursed.
As the Taker watched from the door, she looked around until she found what she was looking for. She picked it up.
It was a golden rod, about three feet long and three inches thick. On one end was a glowing white orb in the shape of a perfect sphere, about the size of a baseball. On the other end was a glowing, white gemstone, slightly bigger.
“The Nexus Rod?” she asked.
The Taker nodded.
“And I can take this?”
“I said anything,” said the Taker.
“But be warned…
“My employer stole that artifact from its rightful owner, and only the magic of this shrine keeps his agents from reclaiming it. Should you take it, my employer will do nothing to protect you from his wrath.”
Kitsune smirked.
Then I’d best give it to Jessica ASAP, she thought.
She didn’t say any more. She tucked the Rod into her belt, and fled the chamber the way she came.
* * * * * * * * * *
Nine PM.
Jessica and Lorenzo watched as Kitsune placed the Rod on the desk in front of them.
“I have done as you requested,” she said, bowing. “I have delivered the artifact. I trust this proves my competence…”
“I dunno,” said Jessica, offhand, picking it up. “I was kinda hoping for it sooner…
“Well, go home for now… We have your number. If we decide to hire you, we may have some jobs that you can handle.”
As Kitsune left, Jessica turned to a safe on the wall and opened it.
“IF we decide to hire her?” asked Lorenzo. “Why the Hell wouldn’t we? Kitsune did an excellent job!”
“True,” said Jessica, with a smirk. “She’s clearly one of our best prospects yet. But if she knows we think that, she might ask for more money.”
Jessica put the Rod in the safe, and closed it.
“Well, we have a key part of our plan, but we need information we don’t have yet before we can use it…
“Until then, maybe we should concentrate on Starbuck again…”
“We could have Leo fight him again,” suggested Lorenzo.
“Naw, too repetitive…” said Jessica.
She thought for a minute.
“Lorenzo, want to go out to get pizza?” she asked.
“Are you asking me out?” he said with a chuckle.
“No…” she said. “I just happen to know a place that makes really good pizza…
“And where we can find someone who fits our needs.
“After all, they say that when you need a big job done… Hire a professional…”
And on that ominous message, we bring this chapter to a close.
Next chapter, Starbuck goes out in search for the enigmatic Midnight Peddler. But that’s not all. Once again, he’s bothered by Major Jane, whose mysterious agenda can’t spell good news.
The quest continues… Stay tuned.
Re: Pokémon: Storming Heaven's Gates
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Originally Posted by Zorak
