Crimson Soudoyer

[Gifted]

"And?" It didn't to.tally seem like the answer Melody was looking for.

[Raven]

"They're too young to be legal," Ryan said.

[Gifted]

She sighed. "Lot's of little kids have a pokemon. I...had... Crybaby at that age. And?"

[Raven]

"Not pokemon that powerful, not all of them. If you had Crybaby, where is it?"

[Gifted]

"In a drawer." She said impatiently. "What else?"

[Raven]

"I don't know. What?" Ryan asked, trying not to sound annoyed.

[Gifted]

Melody sighed and snatched the photo back, pointing at each kid in turn and going in a line. "Advocate, Saint, Advocate, Saint, unaffiliated, Advocate, Saint. That's not weird to you?"

[Gifted]

"Not that weird," Ryan said. "They're only children."

"Exactly, don't people usually join gangs with their friends?" She gestured to herself, putting bunny ears over a Saint's head, and to the two boys from different gangs who'd climbed on top of the gigalith.

"Usually, but people grow apart about three stages before they join gangs for their problems," Ryan pointed out.

She sighed and didn't answer. Her throat hurt too badly for this nonsense. She wasn't sure why she even bothered telling him. It would only set in stone her death sentence

"What's the point?" Ryan asked.

Melody paused, her lips pressing together as she contemplated before finally answering. "Three." She said.

"What?"

Melody sighed. "There are not two gangs in this town. There are three."

"Three? What on earth are you talking about?" Ryan asked, but the pitch of his voice raised and it was clear the idea worried him.

"This picture is of their handler taking a batch of recruits out to the playground. they start very young."

"Does the gang have something to do with Tanya?" Ryan asked.

Melody nods. "She's the leader. By telling you she was powerful, I said too much. Now they want me dead."

"And that's what that was?" Ryan asked, gesturing behind them.

Melody nodded. "That Trevanant and this one are the same." She pointed to the picture. "He was my favourite as a kid. They wanted to use it to hurt me."

"Is that the first kid today?"

Melody raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"If so, then people are spreading lies."

"Then they're... working for her." Melody rasped. "Can we go to a pokemon center and then get a hot chocolate or something, please?" Her throat was killing her. She hoped a warm drink would help.

"It's right around the corner," Ryan said.

Melody nodded and hurried into the pokemon center. Only then did Crybaby jump back inside his pokeball so she could take them all in and get them healed. She came out with her perfectly healthy misdreavus floating alongside her, looking less anxious.

"All healed?" Ryan asked. "Let's get you sorted now."

Melody nodded and smiled a bit, following him to wherever he knew of that sold hot chocolate or coffee or anything that could help.

Ryan led her to a small coffee shop well inside Advocate territory. Like most things in the Burrows, it was small, a bit dingy, and clearly under funded, but the shop was cozy and smelled delicious.

Melody ordered a small hot chocolate and the rumours against her had apparently not reached here yet - she could barely afford the small, but the last survivor of the first was handed a large and told not to worry about it. Melody thanked the woman serving, and sat in the corner sipping her drink for a moment. "My m- er, Tanya always said a warm drink is the best remedy for a sore throat." Although she didn't sound any better, it was clear talking hurt less.

Ryan nodded. "My mother used to say the same," he said. "But for us that usually meant warm lemon water."

Melody nodded and took another drink. "I could usually get hot chocolate from Tanya if I needed it. If I was sick" She hesitated. "Recruitment starts young. She has a good system. She plays like she's just kind. Rents out her pokemon to small children for a pittance, so they have something to protect them."

"Does she side with the Saints?"

Melody laughed. "No. Officially she's a mid level Saint sure, but it'd just a more secure front for her than the Advocates would be. She's her own thing. She wants to be more powerful than both sides. And I dare say she is, individually."

[Raven]

"You think?"

[Gifted]

She nodded. "She won't, but the way she works means in theory she could destroy either gang at any time with ease. However, it would cripple her own power and the gang still standing would likely annihilate her, and if she tried to do it to both at once it would just lead to three less overwhelming gangs and she would lose power over time. No, there's no chance of her actually pulling it off. She's not strong enough to destroy a gang and live to tell about it. But she is strong enough to destroy one."

[Raven]

"You know a kid named Ethan?" Ryan asked.

[Gifted]

She pulled out the picture again and tapped one one of the boys on the gigalith. "Yeah, we've known each other a while."

[Raven]

Ryan nodded. "I'm going to have you double battle me with Lynn. Your pokemon will learn a thing or two, and she's a legal trainer, so she can take her pokemon to the center. You'll be able to get some more power behind you, and we'll help make sure you can stand up for yourself a bit easier."

[Gifted]

Melody nodded. "Thanks. I'm not as strong as I should be... Tanya does that." She frowned.

[Raven]

"Is that why you wouldn't let the guards in your hospital room?" Ryan asked, slightly changing the subject.