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Pokemon: On the Case! (Daxxel x Applepoisoneer)

Before Leona had time to laugh at the ridiculous names for such powerful pokemon, her Ivysaur acted without her orders. He let go of Claude and slapped her out of harm's way with his whips still extended. She fell to the ground a few yards away, rubbing the back of her head. He'd saved her, but in doing so, Sprouts had left himself open for an attack. He took two beams and fainted, looking worse for wear.

Leona cried out and forced herself to her feet. Sprouts trembled as she recalled him, but it was clear it was just reflexive. She too threw out two pokemon; Banette, the ghostly doll pokemon, and Gourgeist, the ghost grass hybrid. "Take them down. No mercy." She groweled, feeling that uncontrollable anger and sorrow overtake her. In her logical mind, she knew that this was what all her handlers had warned her against. Getting too emotional would lead to mistakes and breaking protocol, but this whole situation was out of bounds as far as she was concerned. So, what else could she do but free herself up from the red tape.

Gourgeist used leech seed on the normal looking Persian, while Banette opened its zippered jaws and launched a phlegmy glob of dark toxic sludge at the Alolan cat. Gourgeist, whom she'd simply named "Pumpkin", was used to starting virtually every battle with Leech seed, and instinctively reached out for that move when beginning a battle. The Banette, whom she'd affectionately dubbed, "Nettles", was just a scrappy futher mucker, and threw out the first attack he could think of.
 
Mittens mewed as it was wrapped in the thin vines of the leech seed. Growling as it struggles to free itself from the plant, the Persian flared at the floating pumpkin like Pokémon. Snuggles on the other hand dodged away from the gooey attack. Letting out a loud roar, the dark-type Persian sent out a wave of dark energy throughout the arena.

Tristan grimaced knowing the dark-type attack would be extremely effective against not only his Decidueye, but also Leona’s Pokémon. “Decidueye, protect them with Frenzy Plant!” He shouted and the owl-like Pokémon landed between Gourgeist and Bannette slamming its foot to the ground. The earth shook and split as massive vines sprouted out of the ground in front of the three Pokémon.
 
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The two ghost pokemon flew backward to try and avoid the blast of dark energy. The plants slowed it drastically, taking the hard edge off, but they still took a little damage from the exposure. Not nearly as much as they might have.

"Alright, we'll see how they like it." Leona was psyched up now that the immediate danger had passed. Just the little bit of time the plant frenzy had afforded her had also given her a moment to plan. "Pumpkin, Trick or Treat!" A ghostly ray enveloped the normal Persian. It began to become translucent, as though it were fading from existence, but stopped before it could. The cat pokemon was now half ghost, and would be susceptible to all the things her ghosts were. "Nettles, Faint Attack."

The little doll stuck a pin in it's own neck, stumbled toward the two Persians, and pretended to die in an almost Bugs Bunny-like fashion. It waited for the now ghostly persian to move a little closer, then leaped up and scratched it across the face in a shadowy streak.
 
The pale Persian smirk as the puppet attacked feeling confident, as Persians usually do. As the attack hit, the Persian reeled as the attacked did far more damage then expected. Claude growled and looked at his Meowstic that was struggling to its feet. “Felix Psyco Cut!” He shouted. But before the psychic-type had even tried, a ball of dark energy blasted it into the wall, Tristan’s Decidueye swooping past. Claude recalled his Meowstic and looked at his Persians, “Mittens, Foul Play, Snuggles Play Rough!” both feline’s eyes glinted as they rushed towards Tristan’s Decidueye.
 
Leona knew her Banette was in too close to evade easily. She decided it was probably better to take the hit and do a little more damage than risk provoking an attack of opportunity by running away. She didn't want to see Nettles hurt, but she didn't want Claude to escape again either. "So they want to play?" Leona smirked. "Well, that's what dolls were made for. Nettles, pain split."

The plush pokemon convulsed a little in a psychic cloud of dark energy. She could tell it had effected him drastically, and she hoped he would be able to pull of this one last move before she recalled him. The doll plucked a ghostly hair from the dark Persian's coat and swallowed it. Then, he began to stick pins in his soft body. Deep purple clouds swirled around both the Banette and the persian, swam together into one large cloud, and crashed back into their respective hosts. Nettles collapsed with the force of the strike, and Leona recalled him immediately.
 
Tristan’s Decidueye was hit squarely with the normal Persian’s attack and was engulfed in a cloud as the two struggled. “Decidueye Leaf Blade!” Tristan shouted and flashes of green could be seen through the cloud of dust. As the dust settled both Pokémon looked worse for wear. The two persian’s regrouped, both looking close to collapse. Claude clapped from above, “I’m impressed, it has been a long time since anyone has given me such a fight. You have definitely made my list. Snuggles, Mittens return,” he said and blew a kiss at Leona and Tristan, “perhaps we can meet again my dears and I will be taking those extraordinary Pokémon with me then,” he said as he was hoisted out of the arena. As he left he looked back at the gym leader, “Team Claw is done with you Don Provo you have been judged and found...wanting,” he said and laughed as he was hoisted out of sight.
 
"We can't let him escape!" Leona shouted, filtering through her other pokemon to try and come up with a plan. There were rules in place to prevent agents from using lethal, or even very harmful force against humans using pokemon. Not only was it bad for the person being attacked, but the pokemon who killed, either by accident or otherwise, were often subject to fits of traumatic stress. There was also a ton of red tape that would inevitabley lead to the destruction of said pokemon. As angry as she was, Leona would never subject her pokemon to that.

"This is a tough gambit..." She threw out her oddish, a rookie pokemon that she'd only gotten recently. He hadn't had much in the way of training, and was much more of a lover than a fighter. She hadn't even given him a name yet, but he was the last thing she could come up with. "Oddish, vine grab him, now!" The Oddish looked confused, but followed her finger, just in time for his gaze to land on Claude's feet slipping through the hole he'd made. The way he'd come in was not conducive to long distance grabbing, and Leona slid her palm over her face in defeat. It was an expression the Oddish was used to seeing, and nuzzled her knees in apology.

She picked up the little vegetable pokemon and hugged him to her chest, watching the criminal slip through the cracks.
 
Tristan looked to his Decidueye, but it was took weak to fly after the retreating figure. “Well on the bright side we made his list,” Tristan said shrugging. He then looked at the gym leader who was slinking away, “stop, by order of the BUREAU OF POKEMON INVESTIGATION you are coming with us to answer some questions,” he said in a very official tone as he displayed his badge.

An hour or two later, Don Provo was in an interview room waiting for Tristan and Leona to ask him some questions. Tristan had decided to let the Don sweat a little while he tended to his injured Pokémon. “It might not be much, but it seemed that Team Claw had a personal grudge against the Don. We might be able to get something out of him that could be useful,” Tristan said to his partner as he waited for the Bureau’s own Nurse Joy to return with their Pokémon.
 
Leona sat stone faced for a long while after returning to HQ. She knew she wouldn't be able to breathe again until her pokemon were out of the healing rays, and the gaze of the particularly judgemental Joy had been diverted elsewhere. She took back her pokemon with a solumn nod, and the relief lightened her mood.

"I agree." She finally replied. "Maybe he knows someone from the organization personally. So, how do we want to do this? Good cop, bad cop?" The corner of her mouth twitched up a little at the thought of the classic charade.
 
“Good cop bad cop? You watch a lot of crime dramas huh?” Tristan asked with a smirk, “I have never seen anyone actually use that before, heh can’t hurt, you wanna be the good cop or bad cop?” He asked as the pair headed back up to the interview room where Don Provo was waiting.
 
He shouldn't have asked that. Leona took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. "Bad cop, if that's alright with you?" But without waiting for an answer, she pushed open the door that separated them from Don Provo.

"Well, Mr. Provo," She began in a deep, authoritative tone. "Despite the disgrace of nearly getting your pokemon nabbed, it's hard to see you as a victim. You've got a record as thick as a Snorlax toenail., and we could just send you up the river now and save ourselves a whole lot of trouble. Or..." A subtle gesture aimed at Tristan told him it was his turn.
 
Slightly stunned by the complete 180 in his partners usual demeanour, Tristan stood at the door for a moment before walking in, “We May be able to work a deal if you cooperate and tell us what we need to know.” He said taking a seat opposite the Don. “Firstly you can tell us what connection you have to the criminal organization know as Team Claw,”

The Don merely chuckled, “You ain’t got nothing on me, I
And I don’t know nothing about no team Claw,” he said bluntly
 
"We've got plenty on you." Leona told him flatly, narrowing her eyes and leaning into his face. "Enough to put you away for a long, long time. And of course your pokemon will have to be confiscated, but I suppose that's slightly better than getting them stolen by Team Claw. Hell, you might even get them back, if they haven't been rehomed in the ten or so years it'll take you to get out of prison. " She stood straight again and folding her arms in front of her. "But perhaps it would be for the best."
 
“Now we don’t have to go that far, I mean your gym is a very big draw to our city, so if you helped us out we might be inclined to look the other way on some of your less then legitimate enterprises,” Tristan said folding his hands in front of himself. “All we want is Team Claw, that’s it,” he added with a pleasent grin.

Don Provo sat in silence for a moment, “Fine, I’ll tell you what I know, but I want our deal here in writing,” he said “and I want you the repairs to my gym to be paid for by the city, after all it’s such a draw to young trainers,” he said smugly leaning back in his chair.
 
Leona scowled, knowing City Council probably wouldn't go for it. She was new to this town, but government was government. "You'll get your written contract, but insurence will have to cover your damages. City Hall has padlocked pockets." The detective wasn't entirely sure where she'd go if he didn't comply, she might have to back up and try a new route. She folded her arms sternly and squared up with her eyes.
 
Don Provo chuckled, “no deal Princess,” he said crossing his arms, “I am the victim of a vicious attack, I had my personal property damaged and the bureau couldn’t prevent it, so maybe you should pay for the damages,” he added.

Tristan could see this was going nowhere fast, and he knew there was little he or Leona could do if the Don didn’t cooperate. “Ok how about this, you tell us what we want to know and we’ll not only look the other way with your side ventures, but we will also make sure your gym is the main gym for the city, you would be the sole provider of the Snowdrift Badge,” He said grinning. Provo day silently for a moment then nodded. “You got a deal.”
 
Leona turned her head a little, just long enough to roll her eyes. "Alright, we'll get that process started once we bring in Team Claw. But you've got to give us any Intel you have on where to look for them. We could shake every bush in town, but that's more time you spend in competition."
 
“Alright I’m playing along sweetie,” Provo said, “now I don’t know about this Team Claw, but I do know that punk kid that wrecked my gym. His name is Claude Feliday, him and his sister tried to become part of my crew. But let’s just say they didn’t pass initiation.” He said leaning back in his chair. “I’m mean they were strong trainers, but when push came to shove they were only good for slowing people down, you know a patsy. Eh, they took the fall for one of my crew and I hadn’t seen ‘em since, until today.” Don Provo crosses his arms as he spoke and seemed to show no emotion in confessing to setting up two kids to take the fall for him. That made Tristan’s stomach turn, he was helping this jerk, at times like these the job wasn’t worth it.
 
"Perhaps Claude's assessment of you was accurate enough to make it into your file." Leona scowled and rested her hands on her hips. "This gives us a personal motive as well as a professional one." She turned her face intently toward Tristan, virtually snubbing Don Provo. "Perhaps it's worth investigating recent skermishes surrounding other victims, as well as mapping future targets." She paused, and looked down her short, upturned nose and the criminal in the chair. "Do you have any further questions for our guest. I think I'm through."
 
"No I think we got all we need from him," Tristan said then turned to look at Provo, "You are free to go," he said and opened the door for Leona. As the two left the room Tristan wondered if they had gotten any good information at all. "So what do you think, did you get anything out of that? Seems like Claude and his sister had a reason to attack Don Provo, but I don't see any way to find either Claude or his sister.
 
Leona lead Tristan over to the office coffee pot, and found it empty. Color rose in her cheeks at the sight of the clear glass carafe. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath before replacing the coffee filter and setting the pot to brew. "While I don't think it'll help us find Claude and his sister specifically, I do think it's opened up a few more leads we might be able to look into. We should also keep on the predictive trail, and try to figure out whom our next victim might be. So, not only do we look into who's got the next strongest or well known pokemon, but question the the previous victims to see if they've had previous altercations with people who then disappeared. I know it's...oddly specific, but it's something to go on."
 
“Good idea, I never thought of that angle. Scorned apprentices seeking vengeance on their masters,” Tristan said scratching his chin. “Hmmm...if vengeance is their motivation, then we have made ourselves quite the targets as well having beaten Team Claw twice now,” he wondered aloud.
 
Leona rested her chin on her hand. "So what if...we make ourselves bigger targets?" She offered, an idea flickering into life like a candle flame. "What if we draw so much attention to our pokemon that they can't help but send their best and brightest after us. If we bring down the best, we could strategically weaken the rest." A kind of ferocity crept into her eyes, illuminating them in the same way they might if confronted by a particularly strong opponent.
 
“And how would you suggest we do that?” Tristan asked fully intrigued in Leona’s idea. “I mean not like we can become famous overnight,” he chuckled as he tried to think of a way to get the attention of Team Claw. “Well we could hold a press conference and directly call out Team Claw,” he said snapping his fingers as the idea jumped into his head, “We could totally get their attention if we do that and practically dare them to try and strike again,”
 
"Hmm..." Leona began to pace, stopping only to pour herself a cup of coffee and add a few sugar cubes. Her pacing resumed as she stirred. "If we call them out directly, they'll have time to plan and back-plan. They'll come at us knowing we're waiting for them. We've got to find a way to make them feel like they're catching us by surprise..."

She stopped and seemed to focus on a spot on the wall with a red hot intensity. "What if we bring the most prominent pokemon trainers we can get, to us?" She spun around and took the seat across from Tristan. "I know it's a stretch, but what if we set up something like a....a fundraiser pokemon tournament. An event that big might draw out more than just Team Claw. I know it'll take a lot of work, but if we could keep it contained, it might do the trick. What do you think?"
 
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