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When the competition began, one might have thunk that the girl from the fishing town would have forced herself awake, to stand up and ready, so that she might have more of a chance at actually winning the competition. They might have thought she would have had her Net Ball ready, rather than simply hanging from a strap around her wrist, and that she would have narrowed her eyes, waiting for the smallest of ripples. They might have even thought that she’d have diligently had her Pokemon at the ready, ready to use Astonish, to try and catch a Fish off guard as it tried to steal her bait… And they would have all been wrong, every single one of them. Yes, as everyone set to fishing, Anima seemed only to grow drowsier, even as her grip on her fishing rod tightened ever-so-slightly, wedging itself between her clasped fingers. It was almost as if the atmosphere of the fishing tournament was something akin to a home, of sorts, for her, prompting her to get even more comfortable, as she continued to almost doze. Were she left undisturbed, even Confi’s chirrups would fail to stir her, and instead, she’d have simply sat at the dock’s edge, feet lazily kicking back and forth, as her Rod’s bob continued to bob up and down across the waters… Even as others caught various types of Water Pokémon, Anima’s fishing post seemed to almost be serene in it’s… Almost eerie silence, as her eyelids seemed to grow heavier, and heavier… And as they began to close, those around her would have sworn they saw a small parting of waves, and blue near her fishing rod’s bob, as a light-blue crown seemed to slowly, but surely, raise from the water. Yes, and as it rose, it was followed by a small, blue head, with beady red eyes which stared at Anima as a… Rather strange creature, resembling a jellyfish, continued to rise from the waters. The Pokémon's limbs swayed back and forth on the wind, as if the Pokémon was hanging by the head, as it followed the line towards Anima… And finally began to reach its blue arms towards her, coming to gently grasp at her hands and arms, tentacle-like hands wrapping around as it came to begin to lightly tug, to pull on her hand-- And as her eyes flickered open, with the smallest of pricks upon her left hand, and she was pulled forwards. Her stomach turned as she grit her teeth, as she was pulled into the water, and in an instant, pulled under by the force of the ghostly-Pokémon, as something stabbed into both her left hand and her left leg. She struggled to pull her hand away, arm surging as she fought beneath the water to get up, and yet… She already felt her hand slowing to respond, and her arm would be soon to follow. For a second, Anima’s heart seemed to freeze as she stared beneath the water, into the red eyes of the creature which had pulled her from the dock… Only to have hope re-enter the back of her mind, as a wailing chirrup echoed out, muffled by the waves as she threw her head up, to see Confi paddling down towards her. In a quick fashion, she threw her right arm upwards with all her might, wrapping around Confi-- and began to weakly kick her legs, struggling against the growing numbness in her left arm as it continued to travel through her system-- And her mind continued to race, she squinted as she glanced back down at the water-type which gave pursuit, racking her brain for… Something, anything, until something in the back of her mind clicked. Pieces of one of the papers she had read, coming to mind. Frillish. A Curious, Mischievous Ghost Type Pokémon that Dwells Deep Within the Ocean. Those who are stung by this Pokémon's hidden barbs are said to be paralyzed, and once drug beneath the waves, are never seen again. As they broke through the surface of the waves, Anima did her best to force her head above water for as long as she could, arm still draped over Confi, as the Pokémon paddled over towards the dock. “Th..anks…!” Anima managed to get out through gasping breaths as she hooked her arm, now mostly limp, around one of the wooden support-pillars which held the dock steady… As she then turned her gaze to sweep across the water’s surface. This, of course, has naturally led to the spreading of similar rumors, and other such sayings; many of which purport their hunting methods to be cruel, and evil by nature. I however, would disagree, as it must be acknowledged as a Scholar, that to impose a moralistic view of things - that they are evil simply for how they hunt, or that they truly understand the cruelty they invoke - is to anthropomorphize the Pokemon’s psyche. While their capacity for intelligence must be acknowledged, of course, it must also be understood that their behaviors differ from those of a human’s, and to apply our laws and nature to them is, of course, unnatural in every sense of the word. A good example of this can be found in the works of… A shallow breath escaped Anima’s throat, as she spotted those red eyes, lurking beneath the waves. Staring at her, but also at Confi, as the Pokemon tread water in front of her, defensively pacing in front of the trainer. If the Frillish were hunting, they would be looking for any second to dart around Confi - using their higher speed - so as to drag her down with it into the depths below, where she would be helpless to escape this time. Instead, however, the Pokemon was just… Watching her. If Confi had scared them off, of course, they would have left as well, which meant… They had an objective, of some sort. Of course, of all Ghost-Type Pokémon, it can be said that Frillish are among the more interesting when it comes to studying their behavior, for as Pokémon, Frillish are among the more intelligent of sea-faring creatures. Many scholars have put forth various theories, of course; Professor Ginkgo once put forwards that, given they were first discovered within the ruins of an undersea castle, that the residents of that land may have become the first Frillish. This was backed up by their seemingly faux-regal demeanors, and rather… Opinionated natures, however, many scholars have disagreed with this notion, as such idiosyncrasies are found within most Ghost Type Pokémon.  Anima’s breathing slowed then, for a moment, as she felt the paralyzing toxin cease to spread-- Even if she had no more control of her left arm and leg than she did moments before. She was lucky to still be conscious, and had she been connected to that creature any longer, she knew very well that she wouldn’t be. Still, as she stared at the creature, swaying back and forth, she couldn’t help but… Feel a little bad for him. Frillish, however, are somewhat unique as far as even Ghost Type Pokémon go, as they often-times live within their dens as a sort of ‘court’. It has been recorded by many autonomous vehicles that Frillish tend to engage in social obligations with those within the court, all serving to rule over those Pokémon that live within their domain, as minor rulers. They are then, thought to be beholden to that of the Jellicent. So it is that in higher waters, for one to encounter a Frillish, it is likely that they have been - for one reason or another - cast out from their den, and are seeking to create one of their own. For that matter, they require subjects, for to rule over nothing is the loneliest a ruler could be. This would correlate with the reports of Frillish finding people and Pokémon alike, who appear to be dead or dying, with some scholars even supposing that they are dragging them to their dens, so as to bring them to their ‘kingdom’, where they may yet thrive in unlife. …And so, she slowed her breathing again, and lowered her voice. “...Confi… Come to my side…” she murmured, barely audible as she let her head hang low. He was… Lonely, that much was clear to her, and she… Wanted to help him, even if it meant dragging him upon a tumultuous journey, seeking other misfits. …And like any Pokémon, when discussing their motives, it is still important to remember that they cannot be held to the same standards as a human being. They are under no obligation to treat you nicely, and in the case of a Frillish, they see your state as a living being as an illness to which they know the cure, and in some regions, it is said that to be caught by their paralyzing venom is to be caught by the hands of death itself. It was only as Confi stirred lightly underneath her limp arm, that she could tell the Frillish had taken the bait. Anima’s heart thundered in her chest as she let the gentle rock of the waves, and the general hustle and bustle of the docks wash over her as she stayed tangled against the wooden support beam, eyes half closed… And it was only as a gentle, flash of blue came to float just in front of her, red eyes staring into hers, that anything changed. “...Astonish!” her voice came out louder than she intended, as she threw her eyes open, and pulled away from the dock; Confi surged from her side, letting out a piercing, singular wail as a dark aura overtook the Pokemon, and in an instant, as Anima began to fall beneath the waters, she watched the Frillish freeze in fright-- Should one find themselves in the water with a Frillish, worry not. Royalty as they act to be, they’re not used to having others resist them, or staunchly refuse and surprise them. As such, it is well known that they are easiest to catch when flinching from fright! This has also caused them to garnered a reputation among trainers as an opinionated, and mischievous Pokémon most likely to attack when someone is asleep, or has their back turned, as they’ll generally use their coloration to blend in with the water, before striking to drag their prey down to join their court. And in a singular, concerted motion, she hurled the Net ball from her right hand, directly into the Frillish. A bright red beam cascaded beneath the docks, then, as she continued to sink, heartbeat louder than anything else in her ears as she watched that Ball shake once… Then twice… And then a third, and final time, before growing still; as it came to rest gently atop the waves; the netting which covered the top of the ball automatically began to reel back into the loop around her wrist… As Confi, who had slipped from her sight, began to gently nudge her upwards, towards the surface again. It was only then, as she broke water, gasping for air again, and as she hooked leg around the wooden support beam, that she finally pulled the netball fully into her hand-- And wondered whether it still counted as ‘catching’ a fish, if she had been caught by the ‘fish’ first.

“I understand you have questions for me, but I would appreciate just a little bit more help with distribution if you would be so kind. I can answer what I can when I have free moments.” Victor thought about this for a moment, but it was only for a moment. He gave a little bit of a shrug and smirked. "Not like we're on a time clock here..." he chuckled at Tinker. "But a hero's work is never done... I'll help you out with this, then we'll talk. You can basically pay me back that way when this is all said and done." "So transactional!" Tinker joked. "But if that's how you would like things to be done, then so be it." "Hey, what can I say, I got my priorities" Victor smirked, proceeding to hand out a few of the burgers as requested. "Now, let's start handing these out, shall we?" It was a bit... different for Victor to be doing something like this. Handing out food to people that lived like this, it made him remember the times he was asked to help volunteer for one of those soup kitchens where they did this too. Of course, that was also about the time frame he wasn't exactly all heroic either... nothing but a hacker with one thing on his mind: getting paid and taking down corrupt bureaucrats. Even still, he didn't really make it a bit of a habit to do this either when he took on the Override persona either. Part of him felt bad because of it, but then again, no time like the present... right? After a while, a man came up and accepted the burger gracefully, but ended up seeming embarrassed when he spoke to Victor. "I hate to ask for more shit," he started. "but do you have a cigarette? I had a couple stashed away and now I can't seem to find them." "Hmmm cigarettes? Unfortunately I can't say that I do. Don't really smoke." Victor sheepishly chuckled. He glanced over towards Tinker, whistling. "Hey, do we happen to have any cigs?" ...probably not the smoothest move on his part... The man just got more embarrassed at that. "Hey, nah, you don't have to go announcing it to the world. It's fine. Thanks for the burger." "Well, the goal wasn't to embarrass you. Just new to this, so bear with me." Vic bowed his head slightly, a little embarrassed himself. ...smooth, McCoy... smooth... Tinker walked over all the same, though, and it didn't take long for him to suss out what was going on. "Didn't you say you were quitting?" Still sheepish, the man replied, "A month ago is a month ago. Now is now." After this little exchange between the two, Victor cleared his throat and continued. "Why pick it back up if you wanted to quit? Again, I'm new to this. If I'm intruding into business, just tell me to drop it and I will." The man dodged the question. "It's a bad habit, I know," he said, looking down at his burger, peeling at its foil wrappings with a fingernail. "I just think I'm allowed a few bad habits is all, given the circumstances." Victor sighed a bit, before nodding. He moved over and put his hand on the guy's shoulder, removing his sunglasses to look the guy in the eyes. "But you shouldn't throw all that progress away just due to some circumstances. A month or not, that's progress nonetheless and it's steps you want to take to prove to yourself that you can be better." Victor gave the guy a smile, backing away some. "Trust me, from someone who had a hell of a start in his life, breaking bad habits and starting on the right foot... it's not something to sneeze at." "Yeah, maybe in six months I'll try again," the man said. "Thanks again for the burger." Victor watched the man walk off, though he heard in his ear the all too familiar Scottish voice. "Helping out the public not fall back into old habits, sir?" He sighed, before muttering to where only P.I.X.E.L. could hear. "...you of all people should know... what some encouragement can do for a person who's struggling to find themselves." After a while, they finally got the burgers handed out, which meant now was the time for Tinker to hold up his end of the bargain. "So... any place we can talk privately?" Victor asked. "I think any place around here is bound to have a wandering ear or two," Tinker said. "But I know these people. I trust them." "Alright then." Victor moved slightly, taking what Tinker said as gospel. He tapped his watch for a moment, making a quick scan with it. He needed to make sure no one else was around to listen... namely anyone that was Zodiac related. "Give me one sec... just, making a quick scan of the area." "I don't think they'd be happy if they found out about that-" Tinker said, but the scan returned negative. "Yeah, well... more so just a safety precaution." Victor nodded, noticing the scan results were negative. "Good... now..." He took the moment to produce the pendant he wore under his shirt, letting Tinker get a look at it before putting it back in. "Our mutual friend, Sarah, provided me it. And while I've done extensive searches on it, I need to hear these things from a member of that order. And like you showed me before, you were... are... one of those members." "Are. Present tense," Tinker said. "Past-tense only in that its founder -- Cassandra, the reason we all gathered together -- died, but we're still carrying on their wishes, so present-tense in my mind, at least." "Word tense aside..." Victor shook his head. "I want to know anything and everything you all know. Starting with the biggest thing: how did Cassandra come to obtain that prophecy? What did they do to have it appear before them?" Tinker shrugged. "They were a Thinker," he said. "Same inscrutable way they got all their prophecies, or how Lachesis knew how far away Caesar was based on the light-speed delay of a Catty Key call. Thinker brains are build different, taking in all sorts of data -- data that might not even seem relevant -- and just spitting out an answer." "That tracks... even still..." Victor rubbed his chin. "Next thing I'll be asking: their initial disappearance years before the declaration of the end of the world... where were they? I assume you all had the same question when they made the Order, correct? ...well, depending on if the order was made before or after they returned, I suppose. Not the point..." "They were still around. Not like there was much space for them to go," Tinker joked. "It is easier to do so when nobody is looking for you, and, frankly, nobody was." "So they were still technically active, just... no one was looking for them. It makes sense. Disappear to the point where no one finds you just to continue operating." Victor nodded, crossing his arms slightly. "My next question is this: why didn't they just come out to both sides before then? Let's be honest, most already knew they were a Renegade Cape working with both sides... so why didn't they just come up to the heads before that initial declaration? They could've helped them out immediately..." Tinker frowned. "You are getting into questions I cannot answer," he said. "I cannot explain all of the actions of a dead person. If I had to guess, I would say it was a manner of logistics and secrecy. Imagine if one of the four major organizations in Scarlet City found out before the others, what might they have been able to do with that information!" "Right... right..." Victor paused, sighing as he ran his hands through his hair. Tinker was right... questions like that were not helping... not right now they weren't. "I'm sorry. But you happen to be right. If any of the organizations, more likely say the Gibbons... that probably would've pushed Project Rubicon further than what it already was." He let out a heavy sigh, before looking at Tinker. "What can you tell me? Anything... I'm over here struggling to put all these pieces together and despite my vast access to all the databases and tech... I'm coming up with barely anything."