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Chapter 2 — Blasphemy
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Several days prior…
“Do you think you’ll find it anytime soon, Oakley?” a tall and athletic young woman questioned, casually leaning back against a wall while idly twirling one of the two overgrown spiral ponytails of her blonde hair. Despite her overbearing haircut, she wore discrete spy gear which consisted of black pants with the lower section of her left leg colored in dull red and a black top that exposed her fit midriff. An Espeon sat on his hind legs while diligently standing guard at her side.
“Quiet, Annie!” another young woman hissed aggressively. The woman was easily as athletic as Annie and dressed in almost identical clothes. The most notable difference between their attires was that her black pants had the lower section of the right leg colored in azure blue instead. Unlike Annie’s extravagant hairstyle, her neat silver-colored hair had a subtle shoulder-length cut that slightly fanned out at the end.
“Fine, Oakley.” Annie scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest while looking away.
Both wore intricate antireflective high-tech sunglasses with dark red markings on their frames. Annie’s sunglasses had a stylish and modern one-piece sports design, while Oakley’s had an antique two-piece round design. They wore long gray gloves that covered their arms up to their elbows with metallic armbands wrapped around each of their upper arms.
Oakley hummed as she rummaged through the numerous books lining the bookshelf she faced. Her sunglasses, equipped with night vision, enabled her to see and read the contents of the bookshelves in the dark library whose scant illumination came from the faint moonlight that shone through the windows. Oakley hastily stood up, moved over to the next shelf, and then crouched down to resume her search. “It’s gotta be around here, somewhere,” she murmured impatiently.
“Well, hurry up and find it already,” Annie hushed back while a bored expression settled on her features.
Oakley paused and threw her an unimpressed glance. “Says the one that’s just standing there doing nothing.”
“Sorry, you know this isn’t my thing. All yours,” Annie replied with a shrug. The Espeon idly looked back and forth between the two sisters’ hushed discussion while remaining completely silent.
Oakley rolled her eyes and resumed looking through the assortment of books. The vast majority of them appeared old and worn out, centered mainly on history, mythology, and the nature of the Pokémon world. As she rummaged through them, Oakley noticed a hefty book with intricate letters on its spine. She let out a pleased hum as she pulled it out. “I think I got it.”
Annie curiously leaned in to look at it and frowned when she noticed the strange typescripts adorning the book’s cover. “What language is that?” she asked, slightly mystified.
“It’s an old language dating back thousands of years, presumably from the draconic tribes of eastern Johto, modern-day Blackthorn city,” Oakley answered while slowly tracing some of the letters with her hand. “It’s still readable thanks to Blackthorn’s population keeping it alive, so the knowledge is out there. And, this isn’t the front cover. This is actually the back cover.” She smirked and flipped the book around, revealing a wordless cover that featured an ornamented image of two distinct draconic Pokémon with an orb-like decoration above them. “This is the front cover.”
Annie nodded slowly. “I see. So, I presume those are—”
“Correct,” Oakley interrupted. “These two Legendary Pokémon are Latios and Latias.” She frowned as she moved her arms up and down, weighing the book. “This book is quite old and heavy. Its covers are made of some type of stone.” She adjusted her grip, opened it, and delicately turned through the pages. “The paper is very thick, too. Feels like silk.”
“So, what’s in the book?” Annie asked, raising an eyebrow. “Anything of value?”
“I don’t know the full picture yet. It’s not like I can read this language. But our computer can decipher it. Presumably, it’s got topics ranging from details about Alto Mare, some of its hidden goodies, its guardian Latios and Latias—”
“Boring,” Annie interrupted while waving her hand, her voice flat and disinterested. “Just more random whatever rare Pokémon Giovanni wants. Tell me what else is new this time around.”
“It gets better and you’re gonna love it,” Oakley replied. She froze briefly when Annie’s Espeon let out a quiet snarl and crouched down while using his head to signal toward a nearby corner. Oakley pressed closer to the bookshelf and tilted her head to the side. “Wait, I hear something.” She paid close attention to the faint sounds while quietly closing the book and tucking it under her arm. “Footsteps, possibly a guard,” she whispered.
“We can easily take a guard out,” Annie pointed out with a shrug. “What’s the big deal?” she asked, mindful to keep her tone down.
“No violence today, Annie. Don’t leave our card or rose, either. I’ll explain why later. Let’s retreat, we have the book.” Oakley swiftly reached with her free arm and spaced the remaining books on the shelf so it’d be difficult to notice if one disappeared.
While Oakley covered their tracks, Annie looked down and gave a short nod to her feline companion. The Espeon’s eyes narrowed and glowed faintly as he used a Psyshock attack to create a series of solid footstools made of blue psychic energy along the wall behind them, leading up to an open window near the roof.
Annie dashed and deftly jumped up the wall using the psychic platforms, climbing it in an instant. Once Oakley finished, she immediately turned around and ran up the wall the same way. Once both spies exited through the window, Annie’s Espeon reared back and easily jumped through the open window in one great leap.
Annie gently closed the window once Espeon made it through and retrieved a Poké Ball from a holster attached to her pants. “Espeon, return,” she whispered. A red beam of energy shot out of the device, enveloping the lilac feline and dematerializing him into the confines of the sphere.
“Let’s go,” Oakley murmured when she noticed the gleam of a flashlight shining around the corner of the bookstand they had just looked through.
The Team Rocket agents took off running along the rooftop, heading to the other side of the imposing library they had just pillaged. They glided down the rooftop through a previously placed zip-line and carefully covered their tracks afterward. Both women hastily ran to their vehicle, parked inconspicuously along one of the adjacent streets.
Annie and Oakley jumped into the bulky, black with pink accents, modern-looking convertible car, with Annie taking the passenger’s seat and Oakley taking the driver’s seat. Oakley took off her sunglasses, pocketed them, and handed her sister the heavy book. “All good?” she asked abruptly.
“Yeah, all good,” Annie answered with a quick nod while taking off her shades.
“Perfect.” Oakley pressed her fingertip to a panel on the car’s dashboard. The screen flashed on as it authenticated her fingerprint. The vehicle’s engine turned on in a surprisingly quiet manner for a car of that size and, with that, the pair drove away from the scene.
Annie glanced back as the library faded into the distance, lost among the many buildings of the Johto city they drove through, with passing streetlights providing sporadic illumination in the night. She let out a disappointed sigh and looked down at the book in her hands, idly examining it with an apathetic expression. “So, why did we ditch the signed card and the rose? We always leave those after every heist. It feels empty not to do it,” she complained. “The police tease is part of our identity.”
“Because of safety. I’ll be honest with you, Annie,” Oakley began, her tone dead serious while her eyes remained fixated on the road ahead. “We’re in grave danger. This is going to be the most dangerous mission we’ve ever taken. I’m taking no risks with this.”
Annie blinked and looked at her sister with a stunned expression for several long and awkward seconds. “Pardon me? What?” she questioned disbelievingly.
“I’m worried about this, Annie,” Oakley replied, uncharacteristically anxious. “I want you one hundred percent serious with this assignment, okay?” she asked sharply. “No fashion complaints, no detours, no jokes.”
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Annie frowned but regained her composure and finally nodded in agreement. “Okay, I will be,” she relented. “I’m serious now.”
“Good. The reason we ditched our calling card was that I don’t want the library contacting Alto Mare and informing them that we’re planning something, and thus put our whole operation in danger,” Oakley explained. “Without the police getting alerted, the library staff won’t notice the book is missing right away and realize Alto Mare could be in danger. They’ll only find out if they specifically look for it, or whenever they next take inventory.”
Annie thoughtfully nodded along. “So, that gives us several days at the very least, possibly more, before the library realizes a sensitive book about Alto Mare is missing and they contact the city. And, even if they do contact them, they have no idea it’s us.”
“Precisely,” Oakley replied. “Hold on, I need to focus.” She scowled as she drove through street after street, slowly exiting the city and entering the mountainous countryside. As the car approached a steep climb, Oakley floored the gas pedal and sped up considerably. The car rocketed up the road and smashed through the security railing when it reached a tight turn, flying off the jagged cliffside. As the vehicle plummeted into the abyss, it abruptly transformed.
The car’s side panels right behind the doors and a large section of the underside opened as a pair of wings that ended in two potent rocket engines emerged and properly aligned into place. The back section shifted open, forming a long tail that ended in two vertical fins resembling those of an airplane. The car’s interior shifted inward, giving space for the front fuselage to narrow into a sharp and aerodynamic jet-like shape at the same time as a glass canopy slowly slid overhead to seal off the car’s cabin. The rocket engines roared to life in a fiery ignition, propelling the transformed car through the air like a jet plane.
Oakley reached into the main console and inputted several commands. She took her hands off the steering wheel and let the autopilot take control. “Okay, we’re good now,” she said at last.
“So, what’s got you so worked up about this mission?” Annie questioned, her expression conveying clear concern. “I haven’t ever seen you this uneasy about anything. It’s always smooth sailing for us.”
“I’ve kept you a bit in the dark about this mission while I did my homework about it, Annie. It’s not like you pay much attention to background research and preparation until it’s time to get to work, anyway,” Oakley started, giving her sister a knowing stare.
Annie laughed embarrassedly and scratched the back of her head in the process. “Yeah, you definitely know me.”
“Yes, I know you. You’re my sister, you idiot,” Oakley said drily. “The mission we’ve been assigned by Giovanni is to infiltrate Alto Mare and capture the guardians, Latios and Latias. We’ve also got to steal something called the Soul Dew and finally, our biggest target, take control of or steal a machine called the DMA.”
“Soul Dew? DMA? What? Speak simple words, please,” Annie replied, blinking in confusion.
“DMA stands for ‘Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare’ and, apparently, it’s a machine so powerful it can bend entire regions to its will. As for the Soul Dew, it’s an obscure artifact shrouded in complete mystery. That book is one of the few available records of it, and its existence is not widely known to the public. Supposedly, it’s a mythical jewel that contains the soul of a Latios,” Oakley clarified.
“Oh! Hold on, let me get this straight, there’s a jewel out there that contains a Legendary Pokémon’s soul? Now you’ve got me very much interested in this,” Annie commented eagerly, eyes gleaming with greed. “It must be so gorgeous! I’d love to get my hands on it.” She patted her chest. “That thing belongs in a necklace hung around my neck.”
“We’ll know more about the DMA and the jewel once our computer decodes the book,” Oakley said, her lips curling into a pointed smirk. “Giovanni wants them, too. But, as always, we’ll see what we can keep for ourselves once we’ve finished the mission. We’ll give Giovanni enough to keep him happy and the paychecks rolling.” She waved a hand dismissively.
“Well, this doesn’t sound too hard. Steal a jewel and a machine… and capture a pair of rare Pokémon. It’s nothing out of this world for us. What’s the catch? Why is this mission so dangerous?” Annie asked curiously.
Oakley frowned and bit her lip slightly. “Well, I don’t know the exact danger level, I’m only presuming it.”
“We’re going off a presumption!? That doesn’t sound anything like you at all, Oakley,” Annie retorted sharply, narrowing her eyes at her sister. “You never leave anything to chance. You don’t take risks. You’re a control freak. What’s wrong with you?”
“What do you know about Alto Mare, Annie?” Oakley asked abruptly while leaning back into her seat. “Tell me.”
“Uh, not that much,” Annie answered honestly, shrugging afterward. “I know it’s famous for being one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions. Good museums, beaches, parks, history, and lots of cultural stuff. But those aren’t things that I’m particularly interested in. There are far better places for fashion, luxuries, and jewelry. That’s what I crave.”
“Spot on but you missed the biggest thing. Alto Mare is also famous because it’s the only city in the world that’s governed by Pokémon. Precisely, by the guardian Latios and Latias of the legend,” Oakley explained.
Annie’s jaw dropped slightly. “I thought that was just random propaganda to draw in clueless tourists,” she said, flabbergasted. “I’ll admit I’m not someone who reads into other places unless they interest me. I wouldn’t know.” She glanced at the book and focused on the draconic carvings on the front cover. “So, are they like… Alto Mare’s actual heads of state?” she asked disbelievingly.
“Yes. Well, more or less,” Oakley answered after a moment’s thought. “I’m not entirely sure how that works, or how there are people who’d ever be willing to live under the rule of a stupid Pokémon. Anyway, the point is that those two Pokémon govern the city, and they’re known to be very strong. But, no one knows exactly how powerful they are. I presume they’re immensely powerful and thus dangerous opponents. That’s on top of having an entire city’s resources at their disposal.”
“Why do you presume that?” Annie lifted her gaze from the book to look at her sister with narrowed eyes. “You never work off presumptions. You’re a woman of pure facts.”
“Well, look at this,” Oakley started, reaching to the car’s console. She glided through its apps and opened a web browser. She proceeded to look up information about Alto Mare and its guardians. She selected several of the first videos that immediately popped up. Both sisters sat back as the video loaded and went on to show amateur fan footage from a tourist, filming as one of the city’s fabled guardians interacted with a few locals and tourists in what looked to be a museum.
“See?” Oakley swiped at the screen, selecting another video that depicted something similar, now a lush park and what appeared to be one of the guardians playing with young children. “And again.” Oakley changed to a different video that showed similar footage on what seemed like a main plaza. “What are you noticing here, Annie?” she asked sharply. “What’s the pattern?”
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be looking for,” Annie admitted, her expression perplexed. “Well, those two aren’t shy from the looks of it. They’re just… I don’t know how to put it, going around the city?”
“Precisely!” Oakley exclaimed.
The outburst made Annie slightly jump on her seat. “Careful there.”
“Now, think about this objectively,” Oakley said sternly. “This is a fucking Latios and Latias we’re talking about. Latios and Latias! They’re two Legendary Pokémon. That means they’re some of the rarest Pokémon on the planet and their value on any market, legal or illegal, can easily go into the billions. And, they’re just there.”
“…Yeah, I can see they’re there,” Annie mumbled while raising an eyebrow.
Oakley let out a weary sigh and rubbed her temples. “They’re just there, Annie. Tourists and locals share videos of them to the point they’re always just one web search away from anyone who wants to see them or know where they are. There’s no secrecy. They don’t hide. They’re not worried. And that’s the problem. That’s why I’m worried.”
Annie’s eyes slowly widened as realization dawned on her. “I see where you’re going.”
Oakley nodded. “Bingo. If anyone can find them and they're so valuable… Why are they still there? Why are they not afraid?”
“Why… hasn’t any other criminal… like us… taken them already?” Annie wondered. “Why? There are thousands of high-profile criminals out there. Yet they’re still living in the city like nothing’s wrong.”
Oakley looked ahead to the distant horizon, her eyes a bit lost. After a long moment, she said, “Giovanni filed this assignment with me a few months ago. He said we’re the best he has for it. I decided to do my homework before telling you about it.” She paused, thinking of the best way to express her thoughts. “During that period, I went through most of my acquaintances and contacts. Other hunters, poachers, spies, everyone I had, and came to a startling discovery. No one from the underworld that’s tried to abduct those two dragons has ever been heard of again.”
Annie’s breath caught in her throat. “Really?”
“Yes. There have been cases of dumb trainers who’ve tried to be a little too smart and have tried to catch them, but it’s all fine with them. Usually, they get a stern warning and they’re off.” Oakley shook her head with distaste. “But criminals, like us? There are no failure records that I know of in the underworld. Those who have announced their intentions to try and abduct Latios and Latias are usually never heard from again. Are they dead? Are they in jail? Unknown.”
“So, it’s all or nothing with those two,” Annie commented nervously. She swallowed audibly. “And… We’re next.”
“Yes, we’re next.” Oakley’s expression hardened and her resolve steeled. “But there’s a big difference. We’re not like the rest. We’re different. We won’t fail. That’s why I’ve been preparing so much for this, and we’ll continue preparing. We’re not done yet. If we’re to successfully capture those two dragons and the island’s valuables, we must take utmost precaution and only go challenge them once we’re absolutely ready and certain that victory is assured.”
“Got it,” Annie responded with a single, resolute nod. “So, we’re heading to Alto Mare now?”
“Yes, but not directly,” Oakley answered. She leaned back in her seat while putting her arms behind her head. “We’re heading to a small port city with tourist ships that leave for Alto Mare daily. I have a feeling those two dragons would immediately notice a flying car entering the city’s airspace. So, we’ll be infiltrating the place as tourists and doing intensive recon first. Once we’re ready, we’ll strike with full force.”
Annie’s grip on the book tightened and she focused on the two draconic engravings. “So, these two are our next opponents. Alto Mare’s guardians, Latios and Latias.”
“Indeed, they are. If they’re as powerful as they’re renowned for, then I’ll do my best…” Oakley smirked sinisterly with an ominous glint in her eyes, “to make sure they meet their match.”
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Chapter End
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