[PXFIRE] [RP] PXFIRE Roleplay - A Game of Storms

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

'Nora' the Lilligant
The Gracedia Order
Jadeblossom City, en-route to the Gracedia Intelligance Agency Building

"No," Nora said, defiantly. No way, no how. She had suspected it. But she was not going to do it. Not unless Yesley had a hell of a reason.

They were in a rather large van-a nice one with a great deal of bulletproof glass, perfect for foiling would-be assassins. Yesley and Nora were seated together, the two of them posing the most ridiculous contrast possible-Nora's deplorable apperance against Yesley's princely getup-and Yesley was agitated by the scent of Nora's polluted aroma but knew better than to open a window, just in case.

"I'll be quick with you. You are going. And before you raise your objections, I'll tell you why we're doing this now. The short of it is, the Black Lotus have been piece-by-piece piercing together your identity together, or at least, who they think is you. The 'rumors' of Lilligant being killed semi-indiscriminately are true-those are Black Lotus Agents, trying to get a bead on you, and considering that five assassins have been put to your location, I think that any intelligence officer with a brain would realize that there was definitely something suspicious about how every assassin sent to this specific spot would always wind up dead, and would then start sending Onyx Circle after you. Perhaps even teams of Onyx Circle, if they felt you warranted it. Of course, the fact that all the assassins have been as obvious as they are means we're fairly sure they either aren't taking you seriously, they want to maintain their higher-priority assassins on targets of higher importance and/or lower danger, or this is just a prelude to worse. In other words, we're coming to the conclusion that your days of being an operative in the shadows are going to be over very soon. But just not using that talent is a waste."

Nora blinked. She was slightly more sober, but still very angry about it. Good god, no. She knew exactly what that meant.

"... You're sending the best you have to the Tempest Festival, then? I don't do my business like that, I don't, I don't!" Nora yelled.

"You're not only going to the Tempest Festival. We'll talk more once you're with the others about the full details. You'll be kept very busy for this one, I assure you. That said... Yes. You're competing," Yesley said. "Now, can you please stop shouting about it?"

Nora glared, but complied. She mulled it over internally, sliding a leafy arm across the door handle. She wasn't stupid enough to argue with Yesley's points. She knew that they were closing in-the time between the fourth and fifth assassins were much closer than the first three, and altogether they had been steadily increasing in frequency. It was only a matter of time, but Nora had thought that would just mean she packed up and left for Hana city. Apparently, the Gracedia Intelligence Agency had completely different, and completely stupid ideas.

She did a lot of ridiculous jobs beforehand, too. Before and after joining the Gracedias. The sheer stupidity that was the Psycho Clefairy job was only the most recent; no, before then there was the Sylveon who had a 50% chance of being one of the very 'dark ones' that the Cult Felicity had been born to worshipped (Nora refused to believe in the supernatural and nothing outright was shown, but there were way too many coincidences going on with that girl to just be 'luck'); before then there was the job where she had to learn how to deliver a baby for a high-ranking Black Lotus agent, the latter of which Nora would kill after the baby was secured; Before then, before even her switch to the Gracedia Order, there was the business with the animator who was part of a brainwashing cult (unrelated to Felicity's cult), and before then, perhaps one of the strangest jobs she ever did, there was the business in Petrox City. Nora never thought she'd be putting up her work in an Art Museum. Nora also didn't think she'd have to learn how to perform laser eye surgery. And Nora definitely didn't think she would be fighting magical girl cosplayers-and Nora wasn't quite sure they were Cosplayers for their unusual effectiveness. When you're having to consider whether or not one of Liao's best-kept secrets is a friggin' team of high-school wizards in frilly outfits fighting crime in the name of love and justice that had somehow evaded all detection by even the best of the Black Lotus, you had gotten yourself into a real pickle. Nora had done some things that she had really had to stop and consider whether or not she had actually been tripping the whole time.

But all of those-one and all-were done on her terms. Alone, stealthily, as a lone operative, in the shadows to the best of her ability to do so, which was, in those particular cases, particuarly stymied by outside circumstances or just the odd rules of the job. She would argue her most interesting missions were her hardest for her screwups, or else being blatantly unable to operate without coming under scrutiny. But this was a different story. If Yesley had his way, she was going to be watched on live television, broadcasted to everyone, in one of the most bloody shows of fighting skills one could ever ask for, and expect her reputation to keep totally There would be absolutely no secrecy after that. And that was a lot to ask for an agent of the shadows, like Nora. And though she couldn't prove it-it was just a shoddy assumption-she had a gut feeling that Yesley had somehow expected her to do more than just compete, most likely her typical shady operations. She'd be caught, for sure... By some rabid fan begging for her autograph attracting enough attention to draw the whole Black Lotus onto her position. If she even lived.

She didn't want to do it, plain and simple. Nora did not count on being 'the one,' like so many foolish Pokemon did. Nora did not go into the culture of Liao-where the most important person in Liao is the most bada*s. Nora could foresee the whole assassination attempt on Taiya being scripted to remind her followers of her prowess (Nora didn't doubt Taiya's prowess herself). Nora could foresee the devotion to the Black Lotus being concordant with the power of the possibly-fake Ante that their best had. Nora could foresee the dictators of the last fifty years being previous winners of Tempest Festivals. Nora could foresee the Legendary Pokemon of ages past being merely normal Pokemon of near-unheard of fighting skill and prowess.

In a world of powerful beings who's uncanny superpowers were almost always only used for fighting... It was the only logical conclusion that everyone would so thoroughly enjoy blood sport. Everyone but the people who actually killed for a living. Might made Right. That was the first law of Xia. And Nora's might wasn't might she could leverage in the Tempest Festival. Not all of it. Nora did not want to compete. She couldn't see herself winning.

"... Boss. The Tempest Festival. That place. It is nothing short of a deathtrap. You'd be burning me as an asset. You'd be sending your best black operative to your death," Nora said, trying her best to speak clearly.

"... Nora," Yesley began, and Nora realized that this was the first time Yesley had ever said her 'name' directly. "I understand your life has been harsh, seemingly futureless, and I know that the Tempest Festivals aren't pleasent experiences. I know from experience. I know from the operatives I had to send there before, telling me horror stories and how they wouldn't take another life again from how bad it was. I know exactly what you are thinking," Yesley said. "I know. But I made this decision for two reasons. the first is, in light of all that's happened... You don't have a future in our business anymore. Not as an operative, not as you are. The Black Lotus is closing in on you. You will be found. You will be caught. You will be killed. It was always a risk-but now the risk is becoming more certain. Every minute they further and further pin down who and what you are, and why they should kill you. I know you didn't sign up for this to die. But the way this is going... You won't live."

Nora looked harshly upon him. "And I suppose the second reason is that you believe in me?"

Yesley looked mildly sheepish. "If I didn't believe in you, you wouldn't be here right now. And I believe in you perhaps the most. You're going to get every advantage I can leverage. The finest equipment. The finest weaponry. The finest in protection. Nothing but the finest. Nothing less, because I want to give you every edge you can get. The Gracedia Order is... Terrified, of the Master Blaze Jewel. Terrified of the Black Lotus and this 'ante' they're so strongly suggesting and rubbing into our faces. We're throwing you in there, Nora, because we believe you to be the kind of person who could... As cheesy as this will sound to you... Be the guide in the darkness. I would say 'light,' but that would insult you. You know the darkness too well. But now you need to make yourself known."

Nora honestly wasn't much more convinced than before.

"... We would also compensate you heavily. On top of any rewards you might receive in the Tempest Festival itself for any victories you may achieve," Yesley added.

Nora sighed deeply. Like it or not, she needed money, and burning the Gracedia Order on a major mission would mean killing her career. Yesley's speech worked-but it worked because Nora realized that if they were really this desperate, turning them down would mean the end of her career as an operative. And that meant no more money or easy drugs for her.

"... Fine. I don't like it. But I'll do it," Nora said, trying her hardest to sound as reluctant as possible.

"Thank you. From the bottom of my heart," Yesley said. "Now... We're almost here. Before we disembark, I should add one more thing, before we make this all official."

"Whut?"

"The Tempest Festival is universally a team sport, with the exception of the very last event, the Deathwish Endurance. You're not competing in all of them," Yesley said. "So you'll have to make yourself aquainted to our... Other operatives. And while you may think you're one of the most interesting we've ever recieved... Some of our others are competitors for the role."

"Eh, I've dealt with all sorts of weirdos. Cult gods, magical girls, psycho midgets, popular animators, newborns, clown assassins, post-ironic hipsters, all sorts. Workin' with 'em can't be too different," Nora said.

Yesley sighed, in a manner that came off to Nora as to mean 'Famous last words right there.' Or just 'I really hope you were tripping for most of that.' Hard to tell. "I hope as much," he said.

Nora nodded.

Nora didn't imagine herself seriously going to the Tempest Festival and participating in the bloodsport. She had when she was little, but never seriously. She couldn't see herself fighting those battle-ready lunatics that populated these events, not at any stage of her life, even as Queen Taiya took throne and reminded everyone now and again that Lilligant could be bada*ses, please and thank you. And especially not when the world of intrigues and secrets was open to her, not while she delved deeper and deeper into the works of spycraft and assassination.

Then again, she didn't imagine herself fighting magical girls either. She still thought she could have been tripping for all of that, though.

[Soups]

Jax the Marowak
Gracidea Order
Lytala City, Snag ‘a Room

Failure has never been Jax’s cup of tea. He understood the concept of it and its importance, but it wasn’t anything he was used to himself. To Jax, failure was life’s way of slapping you in the face, grabbing that same face, and shoving it in a pile of… well, you know where I’m going with this. To put it simply, Jax was, is, and always has been about success, and if you let him tell it, he’d rather die than fail.

“And that’s all she wrote…” Jax sighed, as he watched an extremely bold Toxicroak lose its life to Queen Taiya. “For him, at least…”

Of course the Toxicroak, its poor soul now travelling to the afterlife… well, hopefully... didn’t lose its life unnecessarily. What it attempted was courageous. If it had successfully taken the Queen’s life, it would’ve been talked about for years to come. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much left to talk about now… except the spilled remains of the poor fellow.

To no one’s surprise, not a tear was shed. In fact, the masses cheered in a way that they hadn’t cheered before. Was it because they legitimately enjoyed the public murder or was it because they feared the same would happen to them if they hadn’t? The latter isn’t far-fetched as it seems.

Jax didn’t care to personally attend the Opening Ceremony. Awards aren’t given for that. He understood what he was here for: to rid of the Black Lotus and push the agenda of his faction, Gracidea Order. How he was going to do that was unbeknownst even to him, but he knew he’d have to try… and it wasn’t going to be easy.

“Let’s try not to die, Jaxy…” Jax whispered to himself sarcastically, “It’s OKAY to do this… you know… not alone.”

Jax knew that his best chance at success and survival involved working with others. And who better to work with than his own family, the Gracidea Order.

“Tomorrow oughta’ be a treat…” Jax said sarcastically before switching the bedside lamp off.