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Description
HUNTERS GUILD: Unchained Hearts
Date Joined: 23|09|2013
Current Funds: 21 St

Merits: [+][+][+]
Strikes: [x][x]

------------------------------------

Noir Suede
Species: Lucario
Nature: Serious
Characteristic: Strong Willed
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Ability: Inner Focus

Strength: [x][x][x][][]
Agility: [x][x][x][][]
Intelligence: [x][x][x][][]
Charisma: [x][x][x][][]

Total Points Left: —
Type Bonus: Fighting >> Strength

Move 1: Aura Sphere
Move 2: Power-Up Punch
Move 3: Bone Rush
Move 4: ExtremeSpeed

Inventory:

Hunters Access Permissive
Description: A card with cryptic markings on the back.

Ornate Chopsticks
Description: A gift from the Iaponese Ambassador.

-Item 3
----Description:

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Ryoma Sengoku
Species: Quilava
Nature: Quirky
Characteristic: Thoroughly Cunning
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Ability: Flash Fire

Strength: [x][x][x][x][x]
Agility: [x][][][][]
Intelligence: [x][x][x][x][]
Charisma: [x][x][][][]

Total Points Left: —
Type Bonus: Fire >> Charisma

Move 1: Flame Burst
Move 2: Brick Break
Move 3: Extrasensory
Move 4: Eruption

Inventory:

Stylish Lab Coat
Description: The standard coat was too plain for my tastes so I saw fit to send it in for a little modification. Other than some pockets into which I shove my paws, I had it lengthened until it almost touched the ground and faint green wisps of flames printed on the sleeves and around the bottom coattails. The base colour was the only thing I retained from the original design. All in all, I’d say it gives off the impression of an unconventional scientist which describes me perfectly.

Green Scarf
Description: This requires no explanation, I believe.

Evolution Slip
Description: Self-explanatory. Hmhmmhmm, I am so very tempted to just let nature run its course.

It had so far been quite the dull and dreary day in Andalusst City. Not only was the settlement deprived of sunlight by thick and dark clouds hanging overhead, it was showered by sporadic drizzles which continued way into the night. Suffice to say, the weather contributed majorly to the citizens’ depressed and foul moods. The present atmosphere also caused light fog to encroach into the streets, reducing visibility and making it so cold that needles were piercing into the residents’ skins; as a result, most of them were decked out in thick clothing and carried oil lamps to illuminate their path. There were some though who were not as affected by the sorry state of the weather as the majority.

Noir was included in that small minority. Having been trained in the harshest of environments by his mentor for ten whole years, the Lucario considered the fog to be a minor inconvenience at most. Currently, he was reading an article concerning a specific restaurant in a newspaper-like flyer whilst standing atop the finial of a flag pole jutting out from the side of a tall, stone building. As he reached the last few words, he lowered the piece of paper away from his line of sight and gazed down at the restaurant in question: the ritzy Cafe Obscurite.

He sensed a familiar presence behind him. “You sure took your own sweet time,” he remarked offhandedly, crumpling the soggy article and tossing it away as his sideways-worn, cloak-like shawl billowed out over his dominant arm.

“In technical terms, I arrived here with seconds to spare,” Ryoma uttered in his usual, amused tone of voice. “Some of us do not have the luxury of having a lot of free time in our hands, Noir-kun.”

Despite Noir’s annoyance at Ryoma’s referring to him with such a casual and somewhat condescending tone—punctuated by his clenched fists—he kept his vexation bottled up inside and screwed tightly. He recognized that Ryoma was stronger than him after a completely one-sided duel which ended in the Quilava’s favour; hence, he stayed true to his beliefs and gave the latter the respect he deserved, albeit begrudgingly.

Ryoma was not a fan of the rain—not his obvious weakness to the element so much as it always ruined his appearance—so he was glad that his coat was made of water-resistant material. He straightened the collar of his lab coat and added, “You know as well as I do that my current experiment requires constant scrutiny.”

Indeed Noir did, as he had to involve himself in the eccentric Quilava’s experiment as what was agreed between them five days prior. Their partnership did not blossom straight away though as it took a fair bit of convincing from Noir to make Ryoma agree on only one, simple stipulation on his end, and that was to join Unchained Hearts. Ryoma ultimately accepted on the basis of wanting to keep a closer eye on ‘Test Subject 01’ while Noir put forth that condition since he knew better than to fully trust the former.

Speaking of Ryoma, he had sauntered forward and sat down on the edge of the roof. “Cafe Obscurite, huh?” he pondered aloud, observing the restaurant below. “The name makes for a feeling of irony when you consider the establishment’s success and popularity.”

“The way you’re talking about it makes me think that you’ve eaten there before,” Noir observed.

“Once or twice,” Ryoma admitted with a shrug. “It truly is a restaurant for those occupying the upper echelons of society if the extravagant prices are anything to go by. That in itself makes it the perfect setting for us to hold our discussion with the Hunters representative who sent us the invitations as the Guild values secrecy and subtlety above everything else.” He hummed and rubbed his chin in thought. “I can’t help but marvel at the swiftness at which they discovered our partnership.”

Noir scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. “It’s a waste of time thinking about it,” he uttered bluntly. “The Hunters are the oldest of the three guilds. They have eyes and ears all over the city. Heck, I won’t be surprised if they’re listening in on us right now.”

The amber-eyed Quilava chuckled to himself and quipped, “I guess I just have to be more discreet then.” He glanced sideways at Noir. “Incidentally, have you noticed the slight escalation of crime and violence lately?”

“In which you played a part, no doubt,” Noir replied with surety. The Lucario huffed before he added, “I don’t really care about what happens on the streets…but I can’t force myself to sit back and ignore weaklings trying to be strong.” He promptly produced some broken Lock Stones and tossed them at Ryoma.

He caught them easily, examining their shattered appearances. “Such a waste,” he said with mock sadness, keeping them in his coat’s inner pockets. “Of lives, I mean.” His frown suddenly morphed into a grin. “They must be addicted to the rush of energy by now. That addiction will prove fatal.”

“Then their deaths would only confirm that they are nothing but weaklings,” the taller of the two Pokemon stated in an unsympathetic manner. “Let’s go.” With that said, he leapt off the finial and down towards the streets.

”You never cease to amuse me, Noir-kun.” Ryoma immediately jumped after the Lucario.

“Welcome to Cafe Obscurite,” the Gallade host greeted them the moment they stepped foot inside the restaurant. “You two gentlemen are expected this fine evening.”

As the Gallade led them to their table, both Noir and Ryoma allowed their respective gazes to wander about the interior of the place: the walls were painted in soft tones of blue and green which had the effect of making the space more open and airy, the lighting was just right to reflect the restaurant’s sophisticated nature and a water feature occupied a wall on the western side of the establishment. They soon reached their table which, much to Noir’s annoyance, was already attended by a familiar, smug-looking Furret donning a blue newsboy cap.

“Yo, small world, eh?” Cuffin addressed his guests, Noir in particular, with a small grin and a quick wave.

Noir sighed and sarcastically responded, “I guess trading didn’t work out for you.”

“Not really, no,” the devious Furret played along. “Got bored, decided to return to my old job.”

“Sure you did.” The Lucario knew he had a right to be suspicious of the Furret when they first met a fortnight ago. “This is Ryoma by the way.” He gestured to the Quilava.

Ryoma observed the Furret’s whitish pupils with interest before he introduced himself with a slight bow, “Ryoma Sengoku. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine,” Cuffin reciprocated affably, tipping his cap at Ryoma. “Anyway, pull up a seat. Whatever you order, the Guild will cover it…is what I’d normally say.” He smirked at Noir. “I really don’t like owing other Pokemon favours so this one’s on me.”

Noir said nothing as he and Ryoma took their seats, but he did send a subtle nod Cuffin’s way. ”At least he has certain aspects that make him tolerable.”

The Furret rolled his left shoulder and stretched his body backward, exhaling a sigh of relief in the process. “You know, it’s really vexing having so many different masks at your disposal so it’s unliftin’—don’t you know I always order the damn usual—” He held up a paw just as an Empoleon waiter attempted to pass him the menu. Cuffin continued, “—to be myself for once. Though—” A snicker passed through his lips. “—I’m not even sure if my myselfness is even intact.”

”I take that back, he’s insane,” Noir thought, furrowing his brows as he struggled to comprehend the restaurant’s ridiculously-priced dishes in the menu.

In complete contrast, Ryoma was right at home. “Thank you,” he said as he accepted his menu from the Empoleon. As he scanned the menu for suitable dishes, he engaged in small talk with the waiter. “Do you enjoy your profession, hmm?”

The Empoleon blinked at Ryoma in surprise as it was rare for a patron to initiate a colloquy with him. “Erm, yes I do, sir,” he answered after a moment’s hesitance. “Though some days can prove to be unbearable—” He gestured subtly to Cuffin. “—I strive to make the patrons enjoy their dining experience.”

“Commendable attitude,” Ryoma complimented with a smile, handing the menu back. “As an appetizer, I would like some Wiki slices. For the entree, I’d have the Cheri and cheese risotto and finally, a cup of Mago sorbet to sweeten my palate.”

“Excellent choices, sir.” The waiter enthusiastically jotted down the dishes before he turned to Noir. “Have you decided on yours, sir?”

Noir felt the onset of a headache coming along the longer he stared at the menu: it even reached a point where he was massaging his temples. Placing the menu down on the table, he groaned, “Just…give me a three-course meal that has Leppa in each dish. I don’t care what they are. Just make sure they’re Leppa dishes.”

“I’ll ensure that they shall be to your liking, sir,” the waiter promised the Lucario and wrote down what he considered to be the best Leppa dishes the restaurant had. Arranging the menus in a neat stack before he picked them, he shot Cuffin a look of resentment and subsequently left the trio of customers to their customers.

“Oi oi oi, you two aren’t holding back at all,” the milky-eyed Furret deadpanned. He swore that he felt his wallet shiver.

Ryoma took a bite of his complimentary slice of garlic bread and chewed slowly until it was mere salivary mush. Swallowing and washing it down with some water, he dryly reminded Cuffin, “As I recall, you did offer to pay for our meals so I believe that it’s a bit late for a protest of any kind.”

Cuffin waved a paw dismissively. “Yeah yeah, no need to tell me that twice,” he grumbled. “I was kinda hopin’ for a couple of greenhorns, you know, at least in terms of the whole fine dining thing.” He looked at Ryoma. “But I gotta say—”

Noir frowned contemplatively as he saw Cuffin tilt his head down and knit his brows together, a wide but foreboding smile stretching across his features. As a being sensitive to the aura of others, he immediately became aware of the feelings of malice pouring out of the Furret’s person. ”Is this his true self, then?”

“—I really love that mask of yours just now,” Cuffin resumed, a sinister undertone in his words. “You say all those nice things, but I can see the pity and disgust in your eyes. I feel the same way. I treat that Empoleon the way I did because he’s only content with being a waiter instead of taking advantage of that massive amount potential in him.”

The Quilava smirked in response, unfazed by the fact that Cuffin managed to see through his facade. “Then I guess all of us are of like mind here,” Ryoma pronounced mirthfully, clasping his paws together. “I believe this shall be a very interesting meeting.”

Noir concurred with Ryoma’s statement, though he kept it to himself.

“Right, time to get to business.” The Hunters representative stretched once again, as if he had just woken up from a long slumber, flexible, pliant. “Ah, that feels so good,” he sighed. “Anyway, name’s Cuffin…but I’m sure you’ve heard of me. There’s no need for introductions on your part, I already know who ya are. Spy network and all that jizz.” He winked in Noir’s direction, drawing out a huff and a roll of the eyes from the Lucario. “"So...I work for this kid, Sundance. He made me promise to ask ya a few things before I go off on my own thing. He'll get his feathers in a bunch if I don't.”

Since he did not like repeating himself, Noir opened his mouth to protest but he held his tongue when Cuffin held up a paw.

“Just humour me,” Cuffin huffed, shaking his head and giving Noir a look of understanding. “I don’t like this any more than you do…but it’s unfortunately part of my job criteria as a representative of the Hunters.” The Normal-type subsequently cleared his throat and got back to the main topic. “First things first—why do you wanna join the Hunters?" The question was accompanied by a slumping of his shoulders and a dramatic recitation, as if driving home the fact that he was being forced to ask it to the new Hunters.

Ryoma glanced at Noir and gestured for the Lucario to go first. “It’s only right considering you are the leader of this team,” he reasoned. “I’m sure you won’t disappoint us, Noir-kun.”

A growl rumbled in Noir’s throat. ”If you consider me the leader, then you could at the very least not refer to me with that horrid term,” he thought with exasperation before he fixed his eyes on Cuffin. “You already know why I originally joined the Hunters…but since that goal is somewhat within reach—” He glanced subtly at Ryoma who merely shut his eyes and smiled in response. “—let me tell the real reason why I sought to join the Hunters in the first place.”

Cuffin leaned in closer while Ryoma simply stirred his consomme with a spoon.

“Power,” Noir stated, picking up an Oran Berry from the Berry basket on their table.

The grin on Cuffin’s face grew wider if that was even possible. “Power, eh?”

By that point, they were so immersed in the conversation that the interior of the restaurant faded away into a vast white expanse of nothingness, the trio of Pokemon being the sole inhabitants of the desolate setting.

“That’s right,” the Lucario confirmed, staring down at the Berry in his paw. “Today’s society is a rotten and merciless system where the weak are persecuted by the strong. Lies and deceit dominate everyday life, but it sickens me that many choose to be ignorant of this fact, opting instead to live in a fake sense of idealism. The recent crisis clearly divided the weak from those that wield with power. Why should we help those weaklings when they should be adhering to the basic nature of wanting to seek for power? Call me a pessimist, but I don’t think that’s going to be last crisis that’s going to descent upon this city. Let the future belong to those who fight and survive, and let those who give up be consumed by nature.” Noir paused to sandwich the Berry between his paws. He gave out a grunt as a light shone between them, the action garnering Ryoma and Cuffin’s interests even more. The blue-eyed Aura Pokemon then opened them up to reveal a resplendent, vermillion stone distinguished by the pattern of a DNA within. “There’s no convoluted reason as to why I joined Hunters other than the fact that they are strong. They are the oldest Guild…and their influence is spread throughout every nook and cranny of the city. Their control over the masses is so subtle that they don’t even notice that their lives of bliss are mere lies. That is a form of strength I can respect.” Noir looked at Cuffin dead in the eye. “The weak need to know their place.”

Cuffin nodded thoughtfully. “You’re powerful as it is, judging by how easily you scaled the Great Statue without gettin’ noticed and overcame a type disadvantage to beat that Quilava,” he noted. His lips curved upward. “I met up with him and a Chimchar partner of his here yesterday. Never have I seen two Pokemon look so out of place.”

”Speak for yourself,” Ryoma and Noir thought in unison.

“Anyway, what makes you think the Hunters can help make you get even stronger?”

Noir shook his head and huffed, “I’m not looking for help. It just pays to surround yourself with strong company.” He raised his paw until the stone was at eye level. “I’ve felt it before—the rush of unrivalled power coursing through my veins. Never have I felt so exhilarated in my life.” The memory of his stabbing his paw straight through his former employer’s heart made him smile, but it was immediately replaced by his signature frown. “But I wasn’t strong enough.” He tightened his grip on the stone. “I lost myself in that rush of power…but never again. When I attain that power yet again—” The stone promptly shattered, unable to withstand the force of his hold. “—things will be different. I WILL subjugate that power.”

Ryoma inwardly chuckled. ”You never disappoint me, Noir-kun.” Ironically, he was pulled out of his thoughts by a snicker, though it differed from his in a sense that it was more maniacal. His eyes immediately zeroed in on Cuffin who had his head in his arms, the latter’s shoulders oscillating up and down in tandem with his titters.

“Something funny?” Noir verbalized both of their thoughts.

Cuffin smothered his laughter, raising his head and wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye. “Nah, it’s…it’s just th-that—” He giggled some more. “—I looked through the profile the scouts had on you…so I somewhat knew that you were going to say all that…but to actually hear those words in person…” The Furret threw his head back and chortled out loud, his laughter echoing throughout the vast expanse. “I like you,” he said, bringing his head down sideways and smiling gleefully at Noir. “Sundance was lucky to have snagged you before the Explorers or Researchers.” He next turned his manic eyes towards Ryoma. “Got nothing on you though. But I really doubt that you’ll disappoint. See, the thing about me—” Cuffin grinned. “—my intuitions are always right.”

“Oh, the pressure,” Ryoma quipped, his voice rising a pitch. He folded the digits of his forepaws together as he divulged his motivations. “As I mentioned before, Noir and I are of like mind,” he reminded Cuffin. “I’m interested in power, you see. More specifically, the ambiguity of it. You can say that I have a more passive take on Noir-kun’s goals. On its own, power is neither benevolent nor malevolent. Power is power, and it is out actions that determine the manner in which it is viewed. Every single being in this universe craves for power, consciously or not. Some are born with power, others aren't so lucky. The latter group more often than not are filled with envy at the sight of the former group, hence why they search for power. The lucky ones seek to defend the status quo and thus, want more power. And what do you do with power? Do you use it to inspire others...or subjugate them? I seek an answer to this question, hence this experiment. I want to see if power causes the folk here to regress into their more primal states...or to achieve a greater level of evolution.” The Quilava picked up the jug on the table and poured the red-tinted, blood-reminiscent water into his wine glass until the brim. “Will they successfully contain that power or—” A single drop, and the glass shattered. “—will said power consume them?” He placed the jug back down and leaned back against his chair. “Irrespective of the outcome, I shall be looking forward to it.”

“Hope ya save a seat for me,” Cuffin wittily remarked, swinging his legs underneath the table in uncontrollable glee. He knew that he would not be getting bored any time soon as long as Noir and Ryoma were around. “All right. Respectable, yeah. Next on the agenda is…” He tapped the table twice; on cue, the beads of liquid spattered on the once clean surface converged in the middle, forming a single word.

SKILLS

"What can you bring to the Hunters? What skills or talents can you provide for us?" Once again, his recitation held a somewhat mocking vibe to it.

Noir bit the insides of his cheeks, again punctuating the fact that he absolutely disliked repeating himself. In spite of that, he relented and told Cuffin, “This will be the last time I answer this question, got it?” He got a mock salute in response. Smothering his ever-growing annoyance with the Furret, he monotonously answered the question. “I’m still an all-rounder, still able to deal with almost any kind of situation and still capable of using the appropriate skills necessary to get the job done. You’re unlikely to find a multi-faceted individual like me for a long time. I’d even go so far as to say that I’m easily worth about 20 Hunters.”

Cuffin blinked. “Guess ‘humility’ is not in your dictionary, eh?” he wisecracked.

“It’s not arrogance if it’s true” came Noir’s riposte before he crossed one leg over the other and glanced away.

“I’ll hold you to that then.” The Hunters representative then gestured that it was Ryoma’s turn.

Said Quilava brushed a paw along his fringe, looking at Cuffin with amused, half-lidded eyes. “I may not look like it, but you wouldn’t want to get into a scuffle with me.” He eyed Noir from the corner of his eye. “I believe that Noir-kun can attest to that.”

“Hmph,” Noir scoffed.

Ryoma resumed, “I am also aware of the slight rivalry between you and the Researchers. Well, I believe I am more than capable of turning that tide in your favour by giving you an insight into the mind of a Researcher.”

Cuffin narrowed his eyes as they glinted with anticipation. “They were always rather stuck-up, at least in my opinion,” he said with a frown. “I think they need to be knocked down a couple notches, if ya get what I mean.” He leaned back and cracked his spine by stretching backward. “Right then…” Tapping the table, he watched as the letters morphed and reconfigured themselves.

ROYAL GUARD

He stared at the two words, adopting a contemplative expression. “To tell ya the truth, I think the question’s redundant now,” he remarked. Cuffin explained, “I was gonna ask ya whether or not you’re against doin’ things that the Royal Guard ain't gonna like if they catch ya doin' em…but after seeing how determined you both are in wanting to achieve your goals, I’d say a couple of unfettered Pokemon like you is more likely to flip the bird at them rather than worry about what they’d think of ya. ‘Cuz of that—”

Noir inwardly sighed in relief. ”He finally thinks before he speaks.”

”The Royal Guard is just as corruptible as any other citizen here.” Ryoma was instantly formulating a plan as his body shook in exhilaration. ”Perhaps I should allow Sid to be more adventurous.”

“—I’ll be skipping to the last, non-formality part.” The penultimate term garnered the rookie Hunters’ attention as Cuffin waved a paw over the words.

SECRETS

”Secrets, huh?” Noir fought the urge to smirk.

A serious expression, devoid of any mocking qualities, plastered itself on Cuffin’s fuzzy face, making him look like a different Pokemon altogether. "You already know the basic stuff, so I'm gonna level with ya,” he uttered. “Truth is, the Hunters are all about knowin' things about everybody else. Yer gonna learn secrets that nobody else will know. It'll change the way you look at this whole city, and yer prolly not gonna like what you see, but you'll always know exactly what's goin' on under the coat of sugar. I wouldn't blame ya if you'd rather go hang with a Guild that doesn't deal in the worst of what Andalusst can offer."

“Why should I be worried?” the leader of the new Hunters team questioned rhetorically. “Secrets hold lots of power, enough to really hurt someone. Those in the know can make those who don’t do whatever they want. It’s just another form of strength for me. Sometimes, a slip of the tongue is all it takes to make those without mettle fall, despair and give up.”

“I’ve lived with secrets from the very moment I opened my eyes for the first time,” Ryoma spoke up. “It’s just as Noir-kun mentioned, secrets are powerful tools. Everyone knows that. They would readily revert back to their basest instincts, even if it’s to acquire a measly and irrelevant one. And I believe that I speak for the both of us when I say that what we’ve experienced in our lives have made us strong enough to bear any secret Andaluust has to offer.”

Cuffin reverted back to his ‘normal’ self as he tipped his fedora, his frown replaced by his signature grin. "Is that so?” he mused. “Well... I have high hopes for you. Remember that.” With that said, he snapped his fingers.

On cue, the empty setting reverted back to what it was before: the interior of Cafe Obscurite. The Oran Berry was back in the Berry basket, Ryoma’s wine glass was in one piece and the table cloth was still in its pristine state. It was as if their conversation had never taken place when in actuality, it did—it was simply conducted with their vast and powerful minds.

Immediately afterward, the waiter returned with his flippers laden with everyone's orders. The Empoleon dexterously laid out their meals, starting with Ryoma’s and following it up with Noir’s. He hesitated with the platter containing Cuffin's meal as if he were mulling whether or not to spit on it just to spite the annoying Normal-type. Ultimately, he decided against that and opted for the professional route, placing the silver platter in front of Cuffin with a mild clatter. He then lifted the cloches.

“Bon appetit.” He briskly waddled away.

"Before we eat..." Cuffin reached down and palmed the nearest glass. He held it up and forward across the table. "Let's toast, to the new recruits," he proposed. He then leaned in slightly and added, “That’s you guys, just so know.”

The meeting ended with a clink of three wine glasses.

Description
HUNTERS GUILD: Unchained Hearts
Date Joined: 23|09|2013
Current Funds: 21 St

Merits: [+][+][+]
Strikes: [x][x]

------------------------------------

Noir Suede
Species: Lucario
Nature: Serious
Characteristic: Strong Willed
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Ability: Inner Focus

Strength: [x][x][x][][]
Agility: [x][x][x][][]
Intelligence: [x][x][x][][]
Charisma: [x][x][x][][]

Total Points Left: —
Type Bonus: Fighting >> Strength

Move 1: Aura Sphere
Move 2: Power-Up Punch
Move 3: Bone Rush
Move 4: ExtremeSpeed

Inventory:

Hunters Access Permissive
Description: A card with cryptic markings on the back.

Ornate Chopsticks
Description: A gift from the Iaponese Ambassador.

-Item 3
----Description:

------------------------------------

Ryoma Sengoku
Species: Quilava
Nature: Quirky
Characteristic: Thoroughly Cunning
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Ability: Flash Fire

Strength: [x][x][x][x][x]
Agility: [x][][][][]
Intelligence: [x][x][x][x][]
Charisma: [x][x][][][]

Total Points Left: —
Type Bonus: Fire >> Charisma

Move 1: Flame Burst
Move 2: Brick Break
Move 3: Extrasensory
Move 4: Eruption

Inventory:

Stylish Lab Coat
Description: The standard coat was too plain for my tastes so I saw fit to send it in for a little modification. Other than some pockets into which I shove my paws, I had it lengthened until it almost touched the ground and faint green wisps of flames printed on the sleeves and around the bottom coattails. The base colour was the only thing I retained from the original design. All in all, I’d say it gives off the impression of an unconventional scientist which describes me perfectly.

Green Scarf
Description: This requires no explanation, I believe.

Evolution Slip
Description: Self-explanatory. Hmhmmhmm, I am so very tempted to just let nature run its course.

It had so far been quite the dull and dreary day in Andalusst City. Not only was the settlement deprived of sunlight by thick and dark clouds hanging overhead, it was showered by sporadic drizzles which continued way into the night. Suffice to say, the weather contributed majorly to the citizens’ depressed and foul moods. The present atmosphere also caused light fog to encroach into the streets, reducing visibility and making it so cold that needles were piercing into the residents’ skins; as a result, most of them were decked out in thick clothing and carried oil lamps to illuminate their path. There were some though who were not as affected by the sorry state of the weather as the majority.

Noir was included in that small minority. Having been trained in the harshest of environments by his mentor for ten whole years, the Lucario considered the fog to be a minor inconvenience at most. Currently, he was reading an article concerning a specific restaurant in a newspaper-like flyer whilst standing atop the finial of a flag pole jutting out from the side of a tall, stone building. As he reached the last few words, he lowered the piece of paper away from his line of sight and gazed down at the restaurant in question: the ritzy Cafe Obscurite.

He sensed a familiar presence behind him. “You sure took your own sweet time,” he remarked offhandedly, crumpling the soggy article and tossing it away as his sideways-worn, cloak-like shawl billowed out over his dominant arm.

“In technical terms, I arrived here with seconds to spare,” Ryoma uttered in his usual, amused tone of voice. “Some of us do not have the luxury of having a lot of free time in our hands, Noir-kun.”

Despite Noir’s annoyance at Ryoma’s referring to him with such a casual and somewhat condescending tone—punctuated by his clenched fists—he kept his vexation bottled up inside and screwed tightly. He recognized that Ryoma was stronger than him after a completely one-sided duel which ended in the Quilava’s favour; hence, he stayed true to his beliefs and gave the latter the respect he deserved, albeit begrudgingly.

Ryoma was not a fan of the rain—not his obvious weakness to the element so much as it always ruined his appearance—so he was glad that his coat was made of water-resistant material. He straightened the collar of his lab coat and added, “You know as well as I do that my current experiment requires constant scrutiny.”

Indeed Noir did, as he had to involve himself in the eccentric Quilava’s experiment as what was agreed between them five days prior. Their partnership did not blossom straight away though as it took a fair bit of convincing from Noir to make Ryoma agree on only one, simple stipulation on his end, and that was to join Unchained Hearts. Ryoma ultimately accepted on the basis of wanting to keep a closer eye on ‘Test Subject 01’ while Noir put forth that condition since he knew better than to fully trust the former.

Speaking of Ryoma, he had sauntered forward and sat down on the edge of the roof. “Cafe Obscurite, huh?” he pondered aloud, observing the restaurant below. “The name makes for a feeling of irony when you consider the establishment’s success and popularity.”

“The way you’re talking about it makes me think that you’ve eaten there before,” Noir observed.

“Once or twice,” Ryoma admitted with a shrug. “It truly is a restaurant for those occupying the upper echelons of society if the extravagant prices are anything to go by. That in itself makes it the perfect setting for us to hold our discussion with the Hunters representative who sent us the invitations as the Guild values secrecy and subtlety above everything else.” He hummed and rubbed his chin in thought. “I can’t help but marvel at the swiftness at which they discovered our partnership.”

Noir scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. “It’s a waste of time thinking about it,” he uttered bluntly. “The Hunters are the oldest of the three guilds. They have eyes and ears all over the city. Heck, I won’t be surprised if they’re listening in on us right now.”

The amber-eyed Quilava chuckled to himself and quipped, “I guess I just have to be more discreet then.” He glanced sideways at Noir. “Incidentally, have you noticed the slight escalation of crime and violence lately?”

“In which you played a part, no doubt,” Noir replied with surety. The Lucario huffed before he added, “I don’t really care about what happens on the streets…but I can’t force myself to sit back and ignore weaklings trying to be strong.” He promptly produced some broken Lock Stones and tossed them at Ryoma.

He caught them easily, examining their shattered appearances. “Such a waste,” he said with mock sadness, keeping them in his coat’s inner pockets. “Of lives, I mean.” His frown suddenly morphed into a grin. “They must be addicted to the rush of energy by now. That addiction will prove fatal.”

“Then their deaths would only confirm that they are nothing but weaklings,” the taller of the two Pokemon stated in an unsympathetic manner. “Let’s go.” With that said, he leapt off the finial and down towards the streets.

”You never cease to amuse me, Noir-kun.” Ryoma immediately jumped after the Lucario.

“Welcome to Cafe Obscurite,” the Gallade host greeted them the moment they stepped foot inside the restaurant. “You two gentlemen are expected this fine evening.”

As the Gallade led them to their table, both Noir and Ryoma allowed their respective gazes to wander about the interior of the place: the walls were painted in soft tones of blue and green which had the effect of making the space more open and airy, the lighting was just right to reflect the restaurant’s sophisticated nature and a water feature occupied a wall on the western side of the establishment. They soon reached their table which, much to Noir’s annoyance, was already attended by a familiar, smug-looking Furret donning a blue newsboy cap.

“Yo, small world, eh?” Cuffin addressed his guests, Noir in particular, with a small grin and a quick wave.

Noir sighed and sarcastically responded, “I guess trading didn’t work out for you.”

“Not really, no,” the devious Furret played along. “Got bored, decided to return to my old job.”

“Sure you did.” The Lucario knew he had a right to be suspicious of the Furret when they first met a fortnight ago. “This is Ryoma by the way.” He gestured to the Quilava.

Ryoma observed the Furret’s whitish pupils with interest before he introduced himself with a slight bow, “Ryoma Sengoku. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine,” Cuffin reciprocated affably, tipping his cap at Ryoma. “Anyway, pull up a seat. Whatever you order, the Guild will cover it…is what I’d normally say.” He smirked at Noir. “I really don’t like owing other Pokemon favours so this one’s on me.”

Noir said nothing as he and Ryoma took their seats, but he did send a subtle nod Cuffin’s way. ”At least he has certain aspects that make him tolerable.”

The Furret rolled his left shoulder and stretched his body backward, exhaling a sigh of relief in the process. “You know, it’s really vexing having so many different masks at your disposal so it’s unliftin’—don’t you know I always order the damn usual—” He held up a paw just as an Empoleon waiter attempted to pass him the menu. Cuffin continued, “—to be myself for once. Though—” A snicker passed through his lips. “—I’m not even sure if my myselfness is even intact.”

”I take that back, he’s insane,” Noir thought, furrowing his brows as he struggled to comprehend the restaurant’s ridiculously-priced dishes in the menu.

In complete contrast, Ryoma was right at home. “Thank you,” he said as he accepted his menu from the Empoleon. As he scanned the menu for suitable dishes, he engaged in small talk with the waiter. “Do you enjoy your profession, hmm?”

The Empoleon blinked at Ryoma in surprise as it was rare for a patron to initiate a colloquy with him. “Erm, yes I do, sir,” he answered after a moment’s hesitance. “Though some days can prove to be unbearable—” He gestured subtly to Cuffin. “—I strive to make the patrons enjoy their dining experience.”

“Commendable attitude,” Ryoma complimented with a smile, handing the menu back. “As an appetizer, I would like some Wiki slices. For the entree, I’d have the Cheri and cheese risotto and finally, a cup of Mago sorbet to sweeten my palate.”

“Excellent choices, sir.” The waiter enthusiastically jotted down the dishes before he turned to Noir. “Have you decided on yours, sir?”

Noir felt the onset of a headache coming along the longer he stared at the menu: it even reached a point where he was massaging his temples. Placing the menu down on the table, he groaned, “Just…give me a three-course meal that has Leppa in each dish. I don’t care what they are. Just make sure they’re Leppa dishes.”

“I’ll ensure that they shall be to your liking, sir,” the waiter promised the Lucario and wrote down what he considered to be the best Leppa dishes the restaurant had. Arranging the menus in a neat stack before he picked them, he shot Cuffin a look of resentment and subsequently left the trio of customers to their customers.

“Oi oi oi, you two aren’t holding back at all,” the milky-eyed Furret deadpanned. He swore that he felt his wallet shiver.

Ryoma took a bite of his complimentary slice of garlic bread and chewed slowly until it was mere salivary mush. Swallowing and washing it down with some water, he dryly reminded Cuffin, “As I recall, you did offer to pay for our meals so I believe that it’s a bit late for a protest of any kind.”

Cuffin waved a paw dismissively. “Yeah yeah, no need to tell me that twice,” he grumbled. “I was kinda hopin’ for a couple of greenhorns, you know, at least in terms of the whole fine dining thing.” He looked at Ryoma. “But I gotta say—”

Noir frowned contemplatively as he saw Cuffin tilt his head down and knit his brows together, a wide but foreboding smile stretching across his features. As a being sensitive to the aura of others, he immediately became aware of the feelings of malice pouring out of the Furret’s person. ”Is this his true self, then?”

“—I really love that mask of yours just now,” Cuffin resumed, a sinister undertone in his words. “You say all those nice things, but I can see the pity and disgust in your eyes. I feel the same way. I treat that Empoleon the way I did because he’s only content with being a waiter instead of taking advantage of that massive amount potential in him.”

The Quilava smirked in response, unfazed by the fact that Cuffin managed to see through his facade. “Then I guess all of us are of like mind here,” Ryoma pronounced mirthfully, clasping his paws together. “I believe this shall be a very interesting meeting.”

Noir concurred with Ryoma’s statement, though he kept it to himself.

“Right, time to get to business.” The Hunters representative stretched once again, as if he had just woken up from a long slumber, flexible, pliant. “Ah, that feels so good,” he sighed. “Anyway, name’s Cuffin…but I’m sure you’ve heard of me. There’s no need for introductions on your part, I already know who ya are. Spy network and all that jizz.” He winked in Noir’s direction, drawing out a huff and a roll of the eyes from the Lucario. “"So...I work for this kid, Sundance. He made me promise to ask ya a few things before I go off on my own thing. He'll get his feathers in a bunch if I don't.”

Since he did not like repeating himself, Noir opened his mouth to protest but he held his tongue when Cuffin held up a paw.

“Just humour me,” Cuffin huffed, shaking his head and giving Noir a look of understanding. “I don’t like this any more than you do…but it’s unfortunately part of my job criteria as a representative of the Hunters.” The Normal-type subsequently cleared his throat and got back to the main topic. “First things first—why do you wanna join the Hunters?" The question was accompanied by a slumping of his shoulders and a dramatic recitation, as if driving home the fact that he was being forced to ask it to the new Hunters.

Ryoma glanced at Noir and gestured for the Lucario to go first. “It’s only right considering you are the leader of this team,” he reasoned. “I’m sure you won’t disappoint us, Noir-kun.”

A growl rumbled in Noir’s throat. ”If you consider me the leader, then you could at the very least not refer to me with that horrid term,” he thought with exasperation before he fixed his eyes on Cuffin. “You already know why I originally joined the Hunters…but since that goal is somewhat within reach—” He glanced subtly at Ryoma who merely shut his eyes and smiled in response. “—let me tell the real reason why I sought to join the Hunters in the first place.”

Cuffin leaned in closer while Ryoma simply stirred his consomme with a spoon.

“Power,” Noir stated, picking up an Oran Berry from the Berry basket on their table.

The grin on Cuffin’s face grew wider if that was even possible. “Power, eh?”

By that point, they were so immersed in the conversation that the interior of the restaurant faded away into a vast white expanse of nothingness, the trio of Pokemon being the sole inhabitants of the desolate setting.

“That’s right,” the Lucario confirmed, staring down at the Berry in his paw. “Today’s society is a rotten and merciless system where the weak are persecuted by the strong. Lies and deceit dominate everyday life, but it sickens me that many choose to be ignorant of this fact, opting instead to live in a fake sense of idealism. The recent crisis clearly divided the weak from those that wield with power. Why should we help those weaklings when they should be adhering to the basic nature of wanting to seek for power? Call me a pessimist, but I don’t think that’s going to be last crisis that’s going to descent upon this city. Let the future belong to those who fight and survive, and let those who give up be consumed by nature.” Noir paused to sandwich the Berry between his paws. He gave out a grunt as a light shone between them, the action garnering Ryoma and Cuffin’s interests even more. The blue-eyed Aura Pokemon then opened them up to reveal a resplendent, vermillion stone distinguished by the pattern of a DNA within. “There’s no convoluted reason as to why I joined Hunters other than the fact that they are strong. They are the oldest Guild…and their influence is spread throughout every nook and cranny of the city. Their control over the masses is so subtle that they don’t even notice that their lives of bliss are mere lies. That is a form of strength I can respect.” Noir looked at Cuffin dead in the eye. “The weak need to know their place.”

Cuffin nodded thoughtfully. “You’re powerful as it is, judging by how easily you scaled the Great Statue without gettin’ noticed and overcame a type disadvantage to beat that Quilava,” he noted. His lips curved upward. “I met up with him and a Chimchar partner of his here yesterday. Never have I seen two Pokemon look so out of place.”

”Speak for yourself,” Ryoma and Noir thought in unison.

“Anyway, what makes you think the Hunters can help make you get even stronger?”

Noir shook his head and huffed, “I’m not looking for help. It just pays to surround yourself with strong company.” He raised his paw until the stone was at eye level. “I’ve felt it before—the rush of unrivalled power coursing through my veins. Never have I felt so exhilarated in my life.” The memory of his stabbing his paw straight through his former employer’s heart made him smile, but it was immediately replaced by his signature frown. “But I wasn’t strong enough.” He tightened his grip on the stone. “I lost myself in that rush of power…but never again. When I attain that power yet again—” The stone promptly shattered, unable to withstand the force of his hold. “—things will be different. I WILL subjugate that power.”

Ryoma inwardly chuckled. ”You never disappoint me, Noir-kun.” Ironically, he was pulled out of his thoughts by a snicker, though it differed from his in a sense that it was more maniacal. His eyes immediately zeroed in on Cuffin who had his head in his arms, the latter’s shoulders oscillating up and down in tandem with his titters.

“Something funny?” Noir verbalized both of their thoughts.

Cuffin smothered his laughter, raising his head and wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye. “Nah, it’s…it’s just th-that—” He giggled some more. “—I looked through the profile the scouts had on you…so I somewhat knew that you were going to say all that…but to actually hear those words in person…” The Furret threw his head back and chortled out loud, his laughter echoing throughout the vast expanse. “I like you,” he said, bringing his head down sideways and smiling gleefully at Noir. “Sundance was lucky to have snagged you before the Explorers or Researchers.” He next turned his manic eyes towards Ryoma. “Got nothing on you though. But I really doubt that you’ll disappoint. See, the thing about me—” Cuffin grinned. “—my intuitions are always right.”

“Oh, the pressure,” Ryoma quipped, his voice rising a pitch. He folded the digits of his forepaws together as he divulged his motivations. “As I mentioned before, Noir and I are of like mind,” he reminded Cuffin. “I’m interested in power, you see. More specifically, the ambiguity of it. You can say that I have a more passive take on Noir-kun’s goals. On its own, power is neither benevolent nor malevolent. Power is power, and it is out actions that determine the manner in which it is viewed. Every single being in this universe craves for power, consciously or not. Some are born with power, others aren't so lucky. The latter group more often than not are filled with envy at the sight of the former group, hence why they search for power. The lucky ones seek to defend the status quo and thus, want more power. And what do you do with power? Do you use it to inspire others...or subjugate them? I seek an answer to this question, hence this experiment. I want to see if power causes the folk here to regress into their more primal states...or to achieve a greater level of evolution.” The Quilava picked up the jug on the table and poured the red-tinted, blood-reminiscent water into his wine glass until the brim. “Will they successfully contain that power or—” A single drop, and the glass shattered. “—will said power consume them?” He placed the jug back down and leaned back against his chair. “Irrespective of the outcome, I shall be looking forward to it.”

“Hope ya save a seat for me,” Cuffin wittily remarked, swinging his legs underneath the table in uncontrollable glee. He knew that he would not be getting bored any time soon as long as Noir and Ryoma were around. “All right. Respectable, yeah. Next on the agenda is…” He tapped the table twice; on cue, the beads of liquid spattered on the once clean surface converged in the middle, forming a single word.

SKILLS

"What can you bring to the Hunters? What skills or talents can you provide for us?" Once again, his recitation held a somewhat mocking vibe to it.

Noir bit the insides of his cheeks, again punctuating the fact that he absolutely disliked repeating himself. In spite of that, he relented and told Cuffin, “This will be the last time I answer this question, got it?” He got a mock salute in response. Smothering his ever-growing annoyance with the Furret, he monotonously answered the question. “I’m still an all-rounder, still able to deal with almost any kind of situation and still capable of using the appropriate skills necessary to get the job done. You’re unlikely to find a multi-faceted individual like me for a long time. I’d even go so far as to say that I’m easily worth about 20 Hunters.”

Cuffin blinked. “Guess ‘humility’ is not in your dictionary, eh?” he wisecracked.

“It’s not arrogance if it’s true” came Noir’s riposte before he crossed one leg over the other and glanced away.

“I’ll hold you to that then.” The Hunters representative then gestured that it was Ryoma’s turn.

Said Quilava brushed a paw along his fringe, looking at Cuffin with amused, half-lidded eyes. “I may not look like it, but you wouldn’t want to get into a scuffle with me.” He eyed Noir from the corner of his eye. “I believe that Noir-kun can attest to that.”

“Hmph,” Noir scoffed.

Ryoma resumed, “I am also aware of the slight rivalry between you and the Researchers. Well, I believe I am more than capable of turning that tide in your favour by giving you an insight into the mind of a Researcher.”

Cuffin narrowed his eyes as they glinted with anticipation. “They were always rather stuck-up, at least in my opinion,” he said with a frown. “I think they need to be knocked down a couple notches, if ya get what I mean.” He leaned back and cracked his spine by stretching backward. “Right then…” Tapping the table, he watched as the letters morphed and reconfigured themselves.

ROYAL GUARD

He stared at the two words, adopting a contemplative expression. “To tell ya the truth, I think the question’s redundant now,” he remarked. Cuffin explained, “I was gonna ask ya whether or not you’re against doin’ things that the Royal Guard ain't gonna like if they catch ya doin' em…but after seeing how determined you both are in wanting to achieve your goals, I’d say a couple of unfettered Pokemon like you is more likely to flip the bird at them rather than worry about what they’d think of ya. ‘Cuz of that—”

Noir inwardly sighed in relief. ”He finally thinks before he speaks.”

”The Royal Guard is just as corruptible as any other citizen here.” Ryoma was instantly formulating a plan as his body shook in exhilaration. ”Perhaps I should allow Sid to be more adventurous.”

“—I’ll be skipping to the last, non-formality part.” The penultimate term garnered the rookie Hunters’ attention as Cuffin waved a paw over the words.

SECRETS

”Secrets, huh?” Noir fought the urge to smirk.

A serious expression, devoid of any mocking qualities, plastered itself on Cuffin’s fuzzy face, making him look like a different Pokemon altogether. "You already know the basic stuff, so I'm gonna level with ya,” he uttered. “Truth is, the Hunters are all about knowin' things about everybody else. Yer gonna learn secrets that nobody else will know. It'll change the way you look at this whole city, and yer prolly not gonna like what you see, but you'll always know exactly what's goin' on under the coat of sugar. I wouldn't blame ya if you'd rather go hang with a Guild that doesn't deal in the worst of what Andalusst can offer."

“Why should I be worried?” the leader of the new Hunters team questioned rhetorically. “Secrets hold lots of power, enough to really hurt someone. Those in the know can make those who don’t do whatever they want. It’s just another form of strength for me. Sometimes, a slip of the tongue is all it takes to make those without mettle fall, despair and give up.”

“I’ve lived with secrets from the very moment I opened my eyes for the first time,” Ryoma spoke up. “It’s just as Noir-kun mentioned, secrets are powerful tools. Everyone knows that. They would readily revert back to their basest instincts, even if it’s to acquire a measly and irrelevant one. And I believe that I speak for the both of us when I say that what we’ve experienced in our lives have made us strong enough to bear any secret Andaluust has to offer.”

Cuffin reverted back to his ‘normal’ self as he tipped his fedora, his frown replaced by his signature grin. "Is that so?” he mused. “Well... I have high hopes for you. Remember that.” With that said, he snapped his fingers.

On cue, the empty setting reverted back to what it was before: the interior of Cafe Obscurite. The Oran Berry was back in the Berry basket, Ryoma’s wine glass was in one piece and the table cloth was still in its pristine state. It was as if their conversation had never taken place when in actuality, it did—it was simply conducted with their vast and powerful minds.

Immediately afterward, the waiter returned with his flippers laden with everyone's orders. The Empoleon dexterously laid out their meals, starting with Ryoma’s and following it up with Noir’s. He hesitated with the platter containing Cuffin's meal as if he were mulling whether or not to spit on it just to spite the annoying Normal-type. Ultimately, he decided against that and opted for the professional route, placing the silver platter in front of Cuffin with a mild clatter. He then lifted the cloches.

“Bon appetit.” He briskly waddled away.

"Before we eat..." Cuffin reached down and palmed the nearest glass. He held it up and forward across the table. "Let's toast, to the new recruits," he proposed. He then leaned in slightly and added, “That’s you guys, just so know.”

The meeting ended with a clink of three wine glasses.