ouka 001 ⇒ people here are morons

[worththeclub]

Who: Ouka and Isaac
Where: Route 35, close to Goldenrod
When: Thursday evening
Summary: Ouka tells Isaac about the stupid person she spoke to a few days ago
Rating: G
Log:

It's been two days since her conversation with that anonymous Team Rocket member. And Ouka's been a bit on edge since. Sure, she'd sounded confident over the 'Gear, but it was one thing to spout words, and a whole other thing to actually be doing anything about it.

And she sure as hell wasn't going to let this person think that she's just going to sit idly by and allow them to continue whatever they're doing. As such, she's spent every day training. But training outside of Goldenrod is starting to lose its appeal. And she really doesn't know a thing about this anonymous stranger.

It's creepy, but somehow she gets the feeling he knows her. Or at least, knows of her... how else would he be able to know that she's just recently arrived? She's training her newly evolved Gloom right now, and keeping Mamoru's Persian close by her person, just in case the level 100 Pokemon is needed.

And she's also called Isaac a little while ago, asking him if he'd meet her outside. The sun looks as though it's about to set, and she really doesn't want to be alone.

Comments

[worththeclub]

"They were strong enough to overwhelm a group. From what I've heard, those girls were also Pokemon trainers, too. So... it's possible this was a group effort, even."

She nods in agreement at Isaac's words. "Yes, they need to be stopped."

The way those girls had been brutalized, though. She shudders at the memory of those photos. How heartless it had been reminds her of something in her past. And it's not really something she cares to remember. Ouka falls silent, trying to push those memories from her mind. It isn't possible that something like that would happen here, is it...?

[glaciates]

"I'm sure there are people here who are looking to take care of it. We can't be the only ones who want them stopped."

Isaac falls silent though. What if the other people who want to stop them can't stand up against them? He knows he's going to step in at some point, but right now he's not strong enough. He has to be able to rely on his Pokemon and he still doesn't. They're not strong enough.

Ouka's silence is troubling. "Is something wrong?" A pause. Of course something's wrong; those girls were just attacked. "...Is anything else wrong, I guess?"

[worththeclub]

"N-no... I just... the attack reminded me of something. From home. A little while before I came here, Omi-kun and I were... taken. And these people set a bunch of us out into the woods and hunted us."

"It's just... people are so horrible, sometimes." She's frustrated. It's very clear that she's frustrated. Frustrated, and scared. She doesn't want anything like that to happen again. And right now, she's not sure she can trust that Team Rocket wouldn't come up with something like that.

But such things are in the past. It's probably more useful to focus on things in the present. "But if they're such a big organization, how do we stop them? We don't even know how many people there are in the organization... Or what they want."

[glaciates]

Isaac is silent, taking that in. Did she come here directly after that? Is she dead back home? He runs a hand through his hair, expression troubled. "I'm sorry to hear that. It's a shame that happened." But there's nothing that can be done about it now.

"Yeah, people really can be horrible." He drops his gaze to the grass, expression turning solemn very quickly. Yes, he knows that first-hand. He's a horrible person. But now isn't the time to dwell on that either, and Isaac glances back at Ouka.

"I'm sure there are plenty of people willing to work together to stop them. If they've got a group, fine. I'm sure we can form one of our own. We'll work together to stop them and make sure they don't pull anything like this again."

[worththeclub]

Thankfully, she didn't die from that. Omi had been the one who'd saved her from it all, though Ouka really isn't clear on the details of how it all happened.

"I don't really know anyone here, though. Just Tot-san. And I guess Youji-san and Ken-san too, but... we don't really get along." She feels horribly useless in this situation. "The man that pays for our housing might be willing to help, though. I've never met him, but Tot-san says he's a good person." What was his name again...? "Hughes-san?" It was something not-Japanese.

She shrugs a little at that. "But I'm sure we could spread the word, somehow. Others must be just as outraged at how horrible those people are."

[glaciates]

"Hughes?" What a small world! "He's from Amestris; where I'm from. I'm sure he'd be willing to help. He's a good guy." That said, that's... only a few people. Isaac doesn't know very many people either - at least, not very many people he'd trust enough to help in this situation. "I can ask a few people from my world. Mustang and Armstrong would probably help. Maybe..."

He trails off there and shakes his head. Hell no, he's not going to Kimblee for help with something again. He was turned down flat last time; he's not risking that humiliation again. "I'm sure there's something we can do. It's probably better not to broadcast to the entire network though - there must be Team Rocket members monitoring it."

That's a horrible realization. Everything they do or say on the Gear could be watched closely by Team Rocket. Isaac frowns. "It might be best to avoid using the Gear as much as possible." He'll certainly be avoiding it. Texting is probably safe enough, but anything else...

[worththeclub]

"Oh! Well, you can ask him, then." She's already kind of taking his money and freeloading off of him, so asking him for this as well would be kind of awkward. That and the fact that she'd never actually met the man. Just heard about him from Tot.

"Why? Do you think they're monitoring our conversations too?" She shudders at the thought, and can't help but take a look around them, just to make sure nobody else is watching them from the shadows. Ouka doesn't see anything, but sidles up closer to Isaac, just in case.

"How do we know, though... who's Team Rocket, and who's, I don't know... Spies?"

[glaciates]

"I don't know. They could be." Isaac follows her lead, glancing around them. He's used to being paranoid like this - nothing has really changed since he died in Amestris. All the same, he's currently standing out here with a girl who more likely than not would need protection. He's used to taking care of himself and only himself. Having that kind of pressure on him is terrifying.

"I don't know. I don't know much about Team Rocket. I guess the first thing to do is learn more about them. Maybe there's some way we can identify who's in the organization. Other than the outfits, I mean."

[worththeclub]

She can take care of herself, actually. But it's nice to know that someone is there.

"Well, there's that... Cobra Commander. The one that threatened to gas the Pokemon Academy and then gloated about how nobody could catch him." She frowns, remembering that conversation as well. It hadn't ended all that well. Are all Team Rocket members smug and immature?

"So really, we should look for anyone that is rude and immature." ... Other than herself, of course.

[glaciates]

Rude and immature, huh? That... could probably describe a lot of people here. "I think they're probably older; at least the one I was talking to was. He seemed pretty cruel too - that shouldn't be that hard to spot."

But there are a lot of people in Johto. Who knows just how many of them are Rockets? "How do people join Team Rocket anyway? They must be approached somehow. Maybe it would be best if someone worked from the inside to get information for awhile."

...He really doesn't like the idea of working for an organization like that, but Isaac's done worse. A lot worse.

[worththeclub]

He should try talking to Hughes-san.

"I don't know, but recruitment must be hushed, because I've never heard anything about it. I wonder how they choose who gets to join and who doesn't..."

She'd volunteer to be the mole, but she's already verbally assaulted two Team Rocket members. "But it'd probably be good to figure out more about the organization before we do anything."

Ouka's just a spoiled little girl. She's had no experience with anything remotely similar to this. So she's really just reacting based off of what she's seen on crime shows and mystery novels. But at least she gets points for trying.

[glaciates]

"That's a good question. Someone must know, but figuring out who's in the organization is probably going to be easier than actually joining it."

Isaac folds his arms. He doesn't like this at all. The fact that someone in Team Rocket would threaten Ouka - a child - isn't sitting well with him at all. It's possible they didn't know who she was, or haven't seen her face, but they implied that they did know of her at the very least. It's troubling.

"We'll figure this out. Don't worry."

[worththeclub]

"We could send someone to join it and infiltrate from the inside, right?"

... Yes... she is letting how sheltered she is show just a little bit. (Just a bit...) But Ouka is rather excited about her own plan regardless. It couldn't possibly fail; works all the time im the movies, and it sounds like it'd be a good plan.

She pauses, and then glances up at Isaac. "Can I stay with you?" It's less of a question than a statement, actually. Once Ouka's made up her mind about something, she's pretty much not taking no for an answer.

Don't worry, Isaac... Mamoru is going to show up in a week or two...

[glaciates]

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. It could be really difficult, but I'm sure we can find someone who would be good at it."

Don't worry Ouka, Isaac is ridiculously idealistic and this sort of thing would totally work! It was what Mustang was doing back in Amestris, after all!

The question comes out of nowhere and Isaac stares blankly at Ouka for a moment while his whole brain cries. "That's... You're probably better off staying in town with Hughes. I'm..." Isaac glances over his shoulder and then shrugs. "I haven't been staying in town." He doesn't offer an explanation as to why - but it should be obvious that staying with him is kind of a horrible idea. Unless Ouka really likes sleeping outdoors.

[worththeclub]

She dislikes sleeping outdoors. But she still does have that nifty tent that Ken let her borrow gave to her when she first arrived, and that's not actually as bad as she'd thought it would be.

Plus, she doesn't know this 'Hughes' person, and she's not sure she feels safe around him, even if Tot does think highly of him. "He's got Tot-san to take care of, too." She pauses, and then shoots Isaac an intimidating glare. "Do you not want me around?"

... It would be wise for him to choose his words carefully.

[glaciates]

...How does he always get himself into situations like this? Say the wrong thing and suddenly he's risking pissing off the wrong person.

This normally only happens when he's dating though...

"No, that's not it. I just figured it would be easier to stay in town. I mean, that's where you've been staying, right?"

Ouka, you're pretty intimidating.

[worththeclub]

You don't get your way by being passive. She's had to fight for what she has, and so Ouka's not afraid to be a little aggressive.

"Right, but... that wouldn't exactly help me fight against Team Rocket, would it?"

But he'll need to defeat the Gym Leader here, so it isn't like this is a decision that needs to be made right now. Not that Ouka hasn't already decided for him, regardless.