{RP} The S.S. Wishmaker - Tides of Witchcraft

[[Desolate Divine]]

Jon and Alyssa Drake
Safe House C
Affected RPers: @Neo Emolga @Chakramaster

Jon groaned internally when he saw Jirachi float into the room, with Jimmy entering a minute later, seemingly catching up to it.

"After last night's s**tshow, he still lets it run around off leash..." Jon thought to himself irritably, before hearing out what Cassandra had to say. Really, what she and the others wanted was to cut their losses. And at this point, it made the most sense.

"Then lets cut our losses." Jon explained, "I only became involved in this investigation because I felt like I owed the league for giving me a sense of purpose, after a s**ty start to life, and by helping resolve this, I could keep it the way it is, and hope that it does for someone else what it did for me."

Thinking about his next words carefully, Jon continued.

"Even when I suggested taking the fall, that was the same reason behind it. That people who need it can get involved, without worry of being cheated, or the opposite, being overly scrutinized in the name of keeping things fair. I mean, you all probably have seen the way airport security is in Unova since the terror attacks twenty years back. The response is to treat everybody going through security like they're criminals. I didn't want to see the League turn into that."

"The sad thing is, that in the last day, I have seen the ugly side of the league. I have seen a trainer that I once looked up to, that is one of the faces of the League, try and murder three unarmed women in cold blood, all for his pride, and try and blame me for it, choosing me as the scapegoat probably for the same reason." Jon continued, noticing Steven's face sink at Jon's comments about the League, "Don't get me wrong, I know Lance doesn't represent the League. But it has put a person like him in a position of authority, and can't seem to stop the in-fighting between those at its peak, that I can't help but lose a little bit of faith you know?"

"Everything until now has been for the sake of the League. But I think I can finally say I have done enough, and been through enough for it. The League is on its own now." Jon said, before turning to Cassandra, "I agree to your offer, and I’m going to make sure that win or lose, you’re given the hardest battle you will ever face. I am still going to pay Lance a visit, because he made this personal, and I'm not the forgiving sort when it comes to stuff like that though."

Jon unclipped the Pokeball containing Zoroark, and tossed it to Steven.

"I won't be needing this anymore. But I will need you to send me a copy of that footage." Jon explained, before making his way out the door.

"Cass, if you feel like joining me on a trip to the infirmary, I'd appreciate the company. I think I'm going to enjoy seeing the look on his face when he realizes how little he actually achieved at the cost he paid..."



Jon Drake
Infirmary
Affected RPers: @Neo Emolga (Bunnied with permission)

Jon and Cassandra made their way from Safe House C towards the infirmary, stopping by Jon and Alyssa’s room for Jon to get his tablet. As he opened up the lock screen, there was an email notification containing a video file.

Jon tapped it, and was quickly taken to security camera footage of Lance ordering his Dragonite to use Dragon Rush on Violet and Jarena, before being thrown by an invisible force against a wall.

”Lance… What the f**k are you doing?” said Jon’s voice in the recording.

Jon quickly scrolled through, seeing the footage of Latios Mega Evolving to hold the two Dragonite in place, before Jon began beating Lance.

“This is more damning than I remember… You want a copy?” Jon asked Cassandra, as he quickly sent a copy of the video to Alyssa and to his own mobile, just in case, before leaving the room and making their way to the infirmary.

When they arrived, and entered the safehouse that had been designated as the infirmary, they were quickly stopped by someone before they could get too far in the door. Jon recognized this person as Operative Anthony Hunter from briefing for the mission. During the briefing Jon had found himself irritated at how much Anthony would tend to run his mouth, before weaseling his way out of action when called out.

“Sorry, he isn’t allowed visitors.” Anthony said, stepping forward, “Especially you two. Cynthia’s orders.”

“Really?” Jon asked, “You have written confirmation? A confirmation code?”

“She gave me these orders in person when she escorted Lance here.” Anthony replied irritably.

“Even then, it’s policy to send through a written order as well.” Jon explained, “Covers your a** if she makes a bad call and something goes wrong…”

“Listen she-”

“Also covers hers if some a**hole is using her name to validate their bulls**t…” Jon interrupted before staring Anthony dead in the eye.

“I don’t know what you-” Anthony began before being cut off by the sound of a Pokeball activating, and Latios manifesting in the tight space they were already in.

“Here’s the deal Anthony.” Jon said, before brushing past, giving him a good shove when he tried to interfere.

“Matt told me you’re really taking orders from Mr. Dragon-Fetish in there, when I beat the truth out of him about the leak.” Jon explained, “Lucky for you, I’m really trying to stop getting my hands so dirty. I hadn’t been in a fight in years before this cruise, but s**t, it really brought out the worst in me.”

Anthony went silent, as Cassandra passed him.

“So be a good boy, and wait right here while we have a little chat with your boss.” Jon explained, “And if you are good, Latios won’t do to you what I told him to do earlier if you tried to leave this room.”

”Didn’t tell me anything?” said Latios’ voice in Jon’s head.

”You and I know that but he doesn’t. Just put on your mean face.”

“Cheers Anthony. Keep up the good work.” Jon called out as he entered the main part of the infirmary, leaving Anthony in the company of Latios.

“Now for the fun part.” Jon muttered to Cass as they made their way towards Lance’s bed.

In the bed sat a bruised and bandaged Lance, who gave Jon a glare before noticing Cassandra with him, his glare turning to an arrogant smirk.

“I’m so sorry that the truth got out.” Lance called out sarcastically, “I wish I knew who was behind it…”

Jon walked over to the front of the bed, noticing the machines that Lance was hooked up to, and the painkillers he was receiving via IV. He was talking big talk, but really, he was in a lot of pain still.

“Looks like I really did a number on you Lance.” Jon said cheerfully, before pulling the file from the holder at the foot of the bed.

“Hey what are you-” Lance called out, before being interrupted.

“Smashed eye socket, four broken ribs, bruised tailbone, missing teeth- Oh god, how will you ever do those cover shoots without that dazzling smile!” Jon read out, “Ooh, patient history, this will be fun. Oof, syphilis, that’s rough buddy.”

Lance began to speak up before Jon closed the file.

“Just kidding around. About the syphilis at least. All the current stuff though was legit.” Jon explained, “Just came to tell you that we are abandoning the cover up story. The Ladies are gonna come clean about the witchcraft, you will get your title back, and they will be punished, after tonight’s match of course. You get your pride back, and it only cost you…”

Jon opened the file again, reading it out.

“A smashed eye socket, four broken ribs, a bruised tailbone and some missing teeth.” Jon explained, “That’s what your pride’s worth, isn’t it?”

Lance began to speak before Jon interrupted him again, mostly because he knew being cut off would agitate an egomaniac like Lance.

“Except that’s not all.” Jon explained, “The ladies are getting punished but it’s going to cost a whole lot more. Because you involved me, and you made this personal...”

Jon made his way over to Lance’s bed, giving him a light shove to move aside, which would have hurt with the broken ribs, before sitting next to him, and unlocking his tablet to reveal the video footage.

“Wait, where did you-?” Lance began as he recognized the footage.

“Yeah, your guys didn’t do a good job of burying this.” Jon explained, as he pressed play, “I don’t blame you for wanting it buried. Pretty heavy stuff. The well loved Indigo Champion, having his oh-so powerful Dragonite attack two unarmed women, and arranging to pin it on someone who works under him.”

The video played, getting to the part when Jon began beating Lance.

“Ooh, this is my favorite bit.” Jon explained, “But want to know the best thing about this?”

“What…” Lance asked through gritted teeth, knowing Jon was going to tell him anyway.

“Had we all just played nice and went along with the plan we discussed, my wife, Alyssa, would have had to have quit her job. She is a reporter at BattleNET. 600,000 subscribers, and standard stories get 3 million hits.” Jon explained, “With Jon Drake being branded a cheater and given a lifetime ban, it isn’t a good look for her if she continues covering League Events, so she would have left all of that audience and influence behind.”

Jon locked the tablet, as he got off the bed.

“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to pay you a visit Lance.” Jon explained, “To tell you that now that I am not taking the fall for the Ladies, just like you wanted, Alyssa can keep doing what she is doing. Spreading the good word about what is going on in the League. And as soon as this cruise is over, BattleNET will be getting the story of the century…”

“You wouldn’t.” Lance replied, trying to feign confidence, “If she publishes this, the public will see the High Sea’s Champion or Runner-Up, depending on how tonight goes, beating a League Champion ruthlessly. Your reputation will be just as ruined as mine.”

“Hardly.” Jon laughed, “Yeah, I went over the top. But at the end of the day, it was to protect someone you intended to harm, as well as having found out I’d be your scapegoat. I’ll get an assault charge at worst, which will probably get thrown out, seeing as no court will want to deal with the cancel-culture backlash of a man being punished for defending a woman from another man who means her harm.”

“See, wanna hear something that I find to be hilarious?” Jon explained, “I’ll tell you. We were originally going to show the second half of this clip. When I am beating you senseless, to sell the cover up.”

Lance’s expression shifted as it dawned on him what Jon was implying.

“We were going to tell everyone that the evil Jon Drake was blackmailing Violet and Jarena of the Diamond Ladies, but the heroic Lance, Master-Of-Dragons found out and tried to intervene, before being brutally attacked by the monster. You would have been a hero.” Jon explained, “So instead of just letting things play out the way we planned, winning your title back in a true underdog story, and being dubbed a selfless hero in helping catch the evil mastermind, Jon Drake, you now are sitting in a hospital bed, beaten to s**t, now branded as an attempted murderer and coward, and probably finding yourself in some s**ty prison cell instead of the house arrest the league would have pushed for to sell the story. But hey, now everyone will know the girls cheated, and you are still Indigo Champion. Sounds like a good price, right?”

Jon began to smirk, as Lance seemed worried by what he would say next.

“See, I am not too happy about you trying to throw me under the bus.” Jon explained, “If your plan worked, I would have wound up in prison, my wife would be alone, and you’d be living the high life. So there is going to be one more thing this will cost you.”

Jon leaned in close to the bed-ridden Champion.

“As you can tell, I have made it a bit of a mission of mine, to burn you and everything you love to the f**king ground.” Jon explained, “Tonight, Cass here, and I are going to battle, and put on a hell of a good show. It will be the last time for both of us for a while. And because I already began fulfilling my end of the deal with the league by tanking my reputation last night to set up for the cover up, I’m still getting paid regardless. It’s what, 500k, 300k, 200k and 100k for first, second, third and fourth? So whether or not I win tonight, I’ll be walking out of here with first and fourth’s prize money, so six hundred thousand dollars. And Cass is looking like she will be walking out of here with a pretty sweet gig consulting for the league on these sorts of matter in the future since she was so cooperative by the end of it."

“She was a target this morning, and now you’re on a nickname basis with her?” Lance hissed.

“Yeah, funny how cooperating and not being a general piece of s**t does that.” Jon retorted, “But I’m still talking, so be polite and listen.”

“The real fun begins after.” Jon explains, “Because once you are able to battle again, I’m taking the thing you care about most. Your title.”

“Even if the league strips it because of the whole attempted-murder thing, people will still see you as the champion unless someone earns that title from you.” Jon explained, “So when that time comes, I will challenge you, and make sure BattleNET is there to cover the whole thing, so that when I beat you, when people think of the Indigo Champion, it is me they think of.”

“You cocky piece of s**t.” Lance laughed, “You think you can beat me?”


“Oh I know I can.” Jon explained, “You know what leagues I participated in?”

“I got all the badges in Kanto when I was sixteen or so.” Jon explained, pulling out his Trainer Card App on the tablet, showing his sixteen badges, “I never challenged the league though, because I didn’t want the attention. I moved to Hoenn instead, getting the badges there, and even though I didn’t challenge the league there either, met Steven and wound up in this life.”

“That was twelve years ago now.” Jon explained, “And now that I think about it, I wouldn’t mind the attention of being the one to beat Dragon Tamer Lance. Hell, I might even raise a team of Dragons myself just to beat you. I imagine people would forget your battling prowess pretty soon, only really remembering the s**ty things you did.”

“So congratulations.” Jon explained, ”You won. Was it worth it? I hope so, because everything that comes now, is all on you…”

Lance sat quietly, fuming, but unable to think of a way out of this.

“Cass, you got anything you want to add?”