Taking Back the Night [Open]

[Akkai]

It was a cool night in the city of Castelia. The city was lit up blocking out any stars that might have gleamed out from beneath the heavy cloud cover. But walking down the busy night light streets was a red haired man dressed in jeans a white t-shirt and a jacket. He looked like anyone else on the street but truly this man was one to fear. He could disarm and break someone’s wrist in a simple motion and can kill with a few hits. But his greatest ability was his aim. This young man was Akkai Kuromi former gang member of the Famous Zoroark gang turned bodyguard for the Republic but unknown to most he was also a well-known hitman for higher. Only those with deep pockets could afford his serves since he could kill a target from over 500 yards and kill with a single shot to the forehead or heart. He was known for his clean kills and his ability to disappear from the scene of the crime. But other than those few things he was a mystery his past lost to the wind.

But tonight Akkai was out to meet with one of his clients who needed his protection for a trip they were leaving for tomorrow. Akkai didn't know who they were since this would be the first time they have used Akkai. Akkai tended to stay with the same people since those people seem to trust him over anyone else and they tended to hog his serves making it almost impossible for anyone else to have him. Akkai grumbled to himself since he wasn’t the biggest fan on meeting new people since he preferred just to stay with the same people it was predictable and easy for him to guard them. Akkai walked off to the side and pressed his back into the wall of a building. Pulling out a box of cigarettes he tapped it gently on the wall behind him before pulling one of the death sticks out. Placing the cig between his lips he flipped open his silver lighter lighting the tobacco stick up. Snapping it closed he placed it back into his pocket while his other hand kept ahold of the cigarette between his pointer and middle finger. Taking a long drag he held the smoke in as he pulled it away from his mouth.

Looking up to the sky he let out a soft sigh releasing the puff of smoke into the night air. ”Wonder how annoying this one will be,” muttered Akkai to himself as he took another drag. He stood there for at least ten minutes before dropping the already finished cigarette to the ground and crushing it with his foot before shoving his hands into his pockets and walking away.

[VERONA]

Verona tried to stifle a yawn. She had been up since a little before dawn and was ready to sleep, but there was one thing left to do before would let herself do that. There was someone she wanted to meet before tomorrow, before any and all interaction became defined by the job. Verona had to meet him, just to make sure she could trust him to not be some secret weirdo or murderer or Arceus knew what. And that was the sort of thing you couldn’t find out once the job had already started. (Unless, of course, you found out too late).

She had wanted to send one of her darling little Pidgeys ahead of her to find him for her, but she felt odd about letting a Pokemon out in such a busy city. Even though the sun had gone down, there were just as many people out and about as there had been while the sun was up, if not more. Thankfully, it hadn’t been too hard to find out where this guy liked to hang around. Dark, shady alleys would have been Verona’s guess if she didn’t know better, but the street she had turned down was lit up by streetlights. And there was only one red-haired man down this street, the only one who matched the description of the bodyguard.

Again, doubt started to sneak into Verona’s mind; this was a bad idea, wasn’t it? No, not bad, silly. Ridiculous. She half couldn’t believe that she had already gone as far as hiring the man. It didn’t matter how she felt now; it had already been arranged, and she had to go through with it. And before all that, she wanted to talk to him.

He was already walking off. Verona was missing her chance. She tried to quicken the pace of her walking, but somewhere along the line gave up on walking altogether and just jogged up to the man. “Hey,” she called out before reaching him. Even if it was unlikely, she didn’t want to surprise him by seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Verona slowed back down to a walk. “I didn’t think I’d see you here.” It was true, she hadn’t thought it; she’d planned it. “I wanted—” Verona stopped to wrinkle her nose. She smelled cigarette smoke, but wasn’t about to say so. It could have been cigarette smoke, but she told herself that it could just as easily be any other kind of smoke. She still wasn’t used to cities this big.

Thank Arceus she would be getting away from the smells tomorrow. A sweet escape into fresh air.

“I wanted to clarify something,” Verona continued. “If you don't mind.” Mind or not, she was going to ask it anyway, and that was something she’d already made up her mind about.

(ooc: hope this is okay. also, i'm guessing that she's already hired him so they already know what the other looks like.)

[Akkai]

Akkai blinked as he heard someone call out towards him. Coming to a stop he turned to look at who was approaching him from behind. A disgruntled look crossed his face as he noticed the woman before him. It was his client and it’s a woman. Akkai didn’t mind woman per say but they weren’t his favorite type of people since they tend to talk his ear off when he took up protection jobs like this. Sighing softly to himself he turned to face the woman barrying his hands deep into his pockets. ”Yeah what is it?” asked Akkai as he tilted his head to the side wondering why she was chasing after him. He did have plans to meet her in the next hour or so at a local bar to discuss the trip but Akkai guessed like most woman she couldn’t wait till then. He mentally rolled his eyes at the thought.

Before the blond woman could something would run pass her at unbelievable speed. At first glance you thought it was a large pokemon but once the pokemon appeared it was just a simple Zorua but of course this was just an illusion to hide Ayumu’s true appearance. Akkai found it easier to travel around with Ayumu when he took the form of a smaller pokemon made him less threatening. Akkai raised an eye brow wondering where Ayumu had disappeared off to but it didn’t take Akkai long to piece it together. The smell of food reeked off Ayumu which Akkai assumed came from his indulgence in stealing pokemon food from one of the local shops. Ayumu was raised as a gangster and stealing didn’t bother him and his with his illusion ability it was easy for him to do it. ”Had fun I see. Full now?” asked Akkai as he squatted down and patted Ayumu on the head but in reality he was just petting Ayumu’s back legs. Ayumu didn’t mind since he knew Akkai was just playing along with his illusion.

[VERONA]

Well, didn’t he look happy to see her. Verona couldn’t help but feel as though he didn’t like her, but her guess to the reason why was that he had caught her wrinkling her nose at something or other. Maybe he was a smoker after all and was half expecting her to berate him for it. That was the best guess she could make, and it wasn’t a very good one. When it came to people, Verona was awful at guessing, which was probably good for this guy, this Akkai; Verona wasn’t about to guess his real job anytime soon, or even suspect that there was another job aside from being a bodyguard.

Arceus, he probably thought that she was going to ask him something important, didn’t he? Verona did her best to keep her face neutral, and as she was about to ask the question, something ran past and gave her a fright. Verona didn’t gasp or make any kind of sound, but her eyes were wide and surprised. It appeared to be a smaller Pokemon, and as it had no wings, Verona was unfamiliar with it completely. If it wasn’t a bird, then she had no interest in it, but if it belonged to this bodyguard, then she probably shouldn’t just ignore it.

“What a… lovely Pokemon.” She had paused upon the smell of food reaching her nose, and was a little grateful that there wasn’t only smoke in the air. “Anyway…” Back to trying to look as if she didn’t care how trivial her question really was. “I just wanted to clarify that… you do know this region well, don’t you? Not just the usual paths that everyone knows, but the more secret ones too.” She was talking about the routes. Verona preferred going off-track than following the same old path that everyone else walked, and if she was lucky that was exactly how they would be travelling tomorrow.

[Akkai]

Akkai just hummed in agreement. Ayumu in this form was quiet cute Akkai wasn’t going to deny that but he knew the woman didn’t care much for what Ayumu was. Akkai then got back up into a standing position and leaned onto his left foot waiting for to woman to say what she wanted to say but when it finally came out Akkai’s eye brow rose dramatically. Did she really just ask that question? Akkai wondered how idiots like these found him. Akkai didn’t care if they were idiots or not but it helped from time to time if his clients were at least at the same level he was. ”Yes I am well knowlaged on this regions,” replied Akkai coolly trying not to show his announce towards the womans stupid question. Akkai could guess this woman didn’t find him through the council. The council members knew that he was born and raised in this region and he knew it like the back of his hand.

Akkai then leaned back at the woman’s second question. Of course Akkai knew all sorts of roots from the commonly traveled to the not so commonly traveled. Akkai had to take different paths to cover his tracks when. Akkai gave the woman a simple nod before he turned away. ”If you have any other questions ask them now because I am heading home to pack and then go to bed,” responded Akkai as he turned his head to look at the woman. Once the woman replied or did not reply Akkai looked away and disappeared into the crowd and headed back to the hotel he was staying in. He would meet the woman tomorrow outside the city on the route of her choice.