Like no one ever was

[mostlyajerk]

Assorted Threads.

Comments

[mostlyajerk]

The moment Cisco took a fighting stance, Hartley's partner, his Zorua jumped out in front of him. Only of course he used an illusion, appearing instead as a much bigger and scarier Mightyena, growling at Cisco from a threatening stance. "Shh, calm down. Cisco's not going to do a thing to me."

He looked at Vertigo and waved, then sent an apologetic look to Rawry. But he was here to intimidate, so he might as well focus on that. Hartley brought his hand down on the folder he had put down, focusing on Cisco and raising his eyebrows. "This is all that is left of all you've worked on at the lake. No lives were lost, but the research certainly was. Are you going to continue to play ignorant when I'm offering it to you? You could keep it, if you admit."

[viber]

Holy shit. That thing was massive and terrifying and he wanted to cry. And apparently Sneezy was crying because he could heard sniffling but not the normal kind, this one was worse. Great, wherever he was hiding was going to be so covered in mucus now. Cisco pushed himself against the wall an started to shuffle left towards Verigo. Rawry had cover but Verigo didn't and if that pokemon attacked, he didn't want the little guy getting hurt.

"Dude, I don't know anything about it!" Which was actually pretty true. He knew it existed, he knew Wells was trying to do something there with energy but whenever Cisco asked, he made it very clear that he wasn't allowed to know and hell, Cisco didn't like rocking the boat. He was glad enough that Wells wanted him here. "It's Wells project, it's not mine." Cisco eyed the folder, suddenly curious but the loyal part of him knew that Wells didn't want him to know about his business so he shouldn't look. "Don't come in here and threat me with your pokemon, do you have any idea how out of line this is? I could have you arrested!"

[mostlyajerk]

"Of course it is." Figured. Anything of this magnitude and with that much hidden underneath the surface, of course Cisco only knew the bare bones about it. "Settle down, Z. This one won't attack me. I promise."

That didn't keep his tiny Zorua, in the guise of a big and terrifying Mightyena, from growling at Cisco.

"I'm already a fugitive these days, Cisquito, so maybe I don't care so much what lines I cross any more. How are you going to have me arrested? You'd not even dare to lay hand on me, at least not if you know what's good for you."

Hartley opened the folder, casually browsing through the pages. "It's not right. Forcing pokémon to do anything."

[viber]

Cisco kept moving left, slowly and slowly until he was close enough to Verigo to scoop the little guy up, holding him in his arms and glaring at the other pokemon. It was like an angry wolf and his poor pokemon was just like a lost bunny, no way could that ever end well.

"It's not right to break in to a restricted lab and scare my pokemon but you're doing that anyway. Why should rules apply to one but not to another?"

Cisco moved behind Caitlin's desk for some extra shielding, still holding Vertigo, eyes never leaving that nasty mutt. "I'm not scared of you, you know? My guys might seemed scared right now but if you come at me, they'll attack too." Maybe. Probably. Okay, Vertigo might but hell, Rawry could too so that was at least like half a team. "I won't let you bully me."

Cisco eyed the folder, wishing he had more context, wishing he got what was happening. Stupid willing ignorance. "Leave."

[mostlyajerk]

"What I'm doing might be against the law. But it's for good." Hartley felt sorry for scaring the pokémon that really weren't to blame for any of this, but he knew what he was doing and why he was doing it. He knew he had to do it. "If I leave this here, Cisquito." He closed the folder and arched his eyebrows. "Tell me honestly what you'd do with it. Would you finally try to pull your head out of the sand or are you that comfortable in your ignorant complacency?"

[viber]

"I owe everything to Wells. He's a good man, he wouldn't do anything to hurt pokemon." Not that Cisco had seen personally, people kept implying things but he'd never seen it. Not even when Vertigo got tangle in his invention and they had to undo the cables to release him, there wasn't even anger there, just amusement and fondness. Why would he hurt them? "... I'll read it but that doesn't mean it's what it seems, you might be misunderstanding. Wells loves pokemon."

[mostlyajerk]

"Things are rarely as they seem." That said, Hartley whistled and Z turned around himself, shifting into his own form for just a moment before actually turning into a Spinda, clearly copying Vertigo. Only when he jumped up the table and them up on Hartley's shoulder, he showed no sign of being dizzy whatsoever. "Don't just trust blindly, Cisquito. I know it's easier not to see some things, but for people in our position? That's irresponsible."

[viber]

"You want me to trust you, that's why you brought that file, you expect me to read it and to see whatever you see. Why should I blindly trust you instead? What happens if I don't see it? What happens if it's innocent and Wells meant no harm? You'd never believe me." Which he probably didn't. Why would he want to hurt pokemon? It made no sense. Then again, Hartley was so hyper on this topic, even pokeballs were 'abuse'. "You just want me to take your side."

[mostlyajerk]

"I want you to look at the file and think for yourself. I hope you'll see what I see, sure, but I didn't alter this. That is the opposite of expecting blind trust. Why would you blindly trust me? You have no loyalty to me. Just read it or destroy it. That's all I ask." Hartley lifted his arm and pressed a button on his gloves. Z whimpered at the sound most wouldn't even be able to hear and a Gallade teleported into the room. Almost Hartley's height, Z jumped over to join it immediately and Hartley followed.

"You know how to reach me, Cisquito."

[viber]

"Holy shit." Those were some big pokemon Hartley had, first wolf thing and now scary tall guy. Cisco looked down at his dizzy bunny swaying side to side and sighed. Man, he'd never have pokemon that cool. Ever. Not as long as these dorks never evolved. "I'll read it but no promises. If I see nothing dodgy, I'm going to Wells." He owed Wells so much, he kind of had to. He owed Hartley nothing. "Get lost."

[mostlyajerk]

"I'm not lost any more. I just think you might be." That said, Hartley pulled up his hood and touched Gallade's arm. They teleported outside and it wasn't long before there was no trace of them to be seen.