"Okay, these trainers are starting to really piss me off now."

Sierra was scratching at her face repeatedly, like she had an itch that refused to die just on her cheek. She's been scratching it for a good solid five minutes now, pacing in a predetermined line back and forth in front of Beta, like she was rubber-banding back to the same spot on repeat.

That Ash Ketchum and his miniature harem had managed to get away from them, and to top everything off with a nice bow on the top, they'd managed to report Synthcorp's activities to relevant authorities. Along with that, a large number of failures region-wide had set the group back a large amount, leaving them scratching their heads as to their next moves validity and chances for success. A thousand victories made redundant by tens of defeats.

It was frustrating, to say the least.

"It's a Kantoean, and two Kalosians. Can someone explain to me why we can't kick them off a cliff or something and be rid of them?" The irritated female asked, showing off her teeth as she frowned and begun another pace across the room.

"Well you tried that already, and it evidentally didn't do anything." Psi responded from the corner of the room, his hood still kept up to conceal all of his features from being visible, even to his partners. he sounded amused by all of this, having to move his hand into a position where it would conceal a sile were he wearing one. "In fact, I'm pretty sure all you did was piss them off"

"You tried." Beta corrected. "We simply attempted to retrieve their Pokemon. Had they resisted, we would have taken to appropriate measures. Such excessive force was unrequired from the beginning of the conflict. It's failure has only made our groups reputation plummet further, making out future objective that much harder."

"So yeah, thanks for that, you wannabe assassin!" Exploded the pacing woman. Another series of scratches followed. Sierra wasn't used to being on the losing side, and it was beginning to get under her skin, like a rash. Sierra didn't do the losing side. She didn't lose. She refused to lose. "Seriously, what like, what - what even was your plan there? I'm genuinely curious!"

"Get rid of them, get their Pokemon was pretty much my motif. Didn't really care what happened so long as that goal was accomplished." The cloaked boys response was soft as it was arrogant. He wasn't showing a shred of remorse for the actions that he had taken, and Sierra was growing more and more angry every time he spoke.

It was him. It was Psi who was getting under her skin like an infection. It was Psi being a smartass that was making her irritated like she'd been awake for a week without being able to blink. It was Psi who had shown up, and then suddenly, all these failures, these losses that Synthcorp had been immune to had begun to pile up.

"Who the hell do you even think you are?!" The girl suddenly erupted towards their assigned partner with anger that surprised even Beta, who shot his head to face her. "It's bad enough that I got teamed up with this joyless Kantoean damn robot, but you're freaking useless! Beta at least understands why we need to be subtle, when to use full force, or when we just need to kick people into the gutter, but you're just - What's wrong with you, you freaking masked mystery maniac?!"

"Masked maniac?" Psi questioned, turning his body to face Sierra front on. "You know, when you're angry, you don't think too much about what you're saying, do you? You going on about understanding subtlety? That's amusing. Heh, I think I prefer you like this. You're easier to make fun of when your backs to the wall."

"Wanna test me?" A Pokeball was torn from Sierra's belt, and her left eye narrowed while her right one was left wide open. It made her look psychotic, but her ruthless personality was very real. Her merciless, cocky persona was still very much intact. "Give me a damn chance, Psi. I'll knock you and that shit attitude of yours into the next damn oblivion!"

"Try it." Psi edged her on further by reaching into his clock and retrieving a Pokeball all of his own. His stance indicated a calm confidence in his own abilities, as well as those of his Pokemon. "Please. Just try it. I'm begging you."

"Cease this."

Both agents stared at their resident leader, whom remained emotionless in his facial expressions, but this marked one of the few times something even remotely close to desperation, worry and concern for those under his command was detected in his voice. The situation was that dire. It broke the shell around Beta like a walnut, and was forcing him to at least, even slightly, convey some emotion.

Synthcorp had little to no fail-safes for when it came to something like this. Victory had to be achieved no matter what, otherwise there was literally no point in doing this sort of thing. Victory was the only conclusion that could be attained. That was it. That was all they could have, and all they would ever accept. Evolution didn't accept failures, so why were they supposed to?

So this setback... This news having gotten out about their operations on Pokemon and their attempts to steal powerful ones from trainers... This had dragged their name through the mud. To the rest of the world, Synthcorp was now as low a bunch of criminals as Team Rocket was... That was huge.

A failure that wouldn't be tolerated unless results were achieved.

"We are faced with a failure state should we refuse to compile our efforts and do what we must to gain victory." Beta stated bluntly and matter of factly. "We have a duty that we must perform, lest we desire the repercussions of not achieving our objectives. Gamma should be an example of what failure will result in."

Both parties froze in place, but their emotions were etched into their very beings. Sierra was showing fury and anger, impatience and a desire for violence, something to take out these frustrations on. The more ruthless the better, the more force she could use, the better she'd feel. There was a fire in her eyes, and a fang in her teeth, clenched tightly, ready to unhinge and bite someone if that was what it was gong to take to win this damn fight.

On the complete flipside, Psi was showing none of these traits. Instead, his stance showed only that of someone calm, knowing in his abilities. He knew he was good, and he knew that Sierra, no matter now much she would talk down to him, would not be able to withstand the salvo that he would unleash on her if she went through with this battle. Small movements in his limbs indicated him relaxing however, listening to the logic that Beta was presenting to him.

"Hrmm..." The hooded assailant made a quiet noise with his throat, before he decided to stand upright like normal. "Of course. I apologize. Fighting further would only serve to delay us." His apology was so insincere that even Beta picked up on it, but it was clear he wasn't going to bow his head and actually say he was sorry, because he wasn't at all. "Beta, what do you suggest?"

"You just gonna ignore me?!" Sierra yelled, her breathing now having become ragged and irregular. Her nails dug into her skin in her cheek under her right eye, allowing blood to slip out of its bodily container.

"Yes." Psi responded simply to the enraged girl, and then totally blanking her from his own mental perception. she probably screamed something at him, but he didn't even acknowledge it. To the calculating Kantoean, he inquired into the plan. "Beta?"

"Task assignment to acquire powerful Pokemon is still in effect, and therefore, we must acquire these Pokemon. However, those Pokemon are far too dangerous with their trainers nearby, and ourselves in the vulnerable open spaces. Logic would indicate a separation of trainer and Pokemon, yet these tactics have proven inefficient against these particular individuals." Beta glanced between the two of his partners. "I suggest an illogical action in order to achieve success against our opponents."

"Which is?"

"The containment of both trainer and Pokemon."

Clemont had seen a large number of cases like this throughout Lumiouse city, and he had to say, he was getting kind of sick of seeing these crimes getting away unpunished. Every time he had to hear a new one had been committed, he would sigh in despair and frustration. He had finally been able to settle into the routine of his Gym leader duties, and his inventing, and making time between the two to develop his relationship with Korrina before these investigations had shown up. Inventing and Pokemon league duties had taken the back seat. He made time for Korrina were he could, and she was incredibly understanding of the stress he was under, and he was so thankful for that, and he told her that every time he saw her...

He just wished that he didn't have to.

Yet another building had been attacked, robbed, ransacked, and the staff either injured or completely ignored. The object stolen? Something completely superfluous. In this case, it was some sort of wiring contraption - And it held absolutely no relation to the other things that had been stolen.

What was the relationship between the stolen objects?

Who was even stealing them?

And for what reason were they even being stolen in the first place?

Clemont had been through too many theory meetings with the police to even remember what the current theory was supposed to be. At this point, he was working through the fatigue and trying his best not to fall asleep while investigating the site.

He sighed. What a day he had had. Inspections, reports, and all manner of things had been wearing him down for a long time today.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't mind, not at all, but the issue here was that it was all the same thing - No new information. Nothing to go off of. Nothing to give them a lead or anything that they could use to acquire some sort of edge against their opponents.

They were chasing ghosts

He just wanted to take five minutes off, or find something that was going to help. Anything that was going to help.

Just one thing...

"Clemont!"

Sleepy eyes widened when he heard his name being called out by a voice he recognized very well.

When he turned around to track down the source, the sight of three travelers, one Kantoean, and two Kalosians, had never been a more welcome sight for the blond gym leader in his entire life.

He was going to get those five minutes off after all.

I know its short, and I know its been a long time, but this story is kind of the least important thing that's on my mind. I will complete it, of course I will, I promise you - But updates will be in between themselves. I will finish this story, I promise, but it will take time. i have other projects I want to work on, all the time, but this will get done. I hope you enjoyed it, and hapy new year all ^_^