Subtle Smuggle

   Brookfell was like a little labyrinth of rats sometimes. People going in and out for their little treats - otherwise known as illegal goods. Bumping into each other, scrapping over all sorts of garbage. People always had their different sides and seeing so many people come together to show how awful their bad side could be… Entertaining, at best. But mostly terrible.

   Zen was sure the only reason he chose to settle in such a shit hole was because it was nearby. He’d not been around long enough to get to know the whole Reignsrest region in person, he’d barely been around long enough to know his way around Brookfell properly. It was just crawling with Cynic and that was as good as it got for him - a comfort zone full of little rats that he actually knew. Well, not that he knew them well.. But enough to recognise their sad little faces.
   The blue-haired little man was an avid lover of all cybernetics and gadgets and had always considered himself an inventor, even when he was little. Sometimes they had called him a little prodigy, but that was a story for another day.

   Zen had found himself a rather cosy spot under Cynic’s dark wings, one where he could usually get all of the resources he needed and wanted, but getting out to see the world was often a little more enriching. Not just for him but his Pokemon as well. There was news of a Cybernetic deal by a bunch of smugglers cycling around and Zen really couldn’t help himself from wanting a piece of the action. As much as there was a passion filled with burning hatred in his heart to get away from it all, he truly missed the chaos, the drama and the fighting he often fulfilled with his brothers. They who he wouldn’t dare name, or admit that he missed. That aside, he wanted some fun back in his life sometimes that didn’t include feeling like a little bird in Cynic’s cage.

   Zen was roaming the lower rings with his sidekick of a Pokemon, Havoc. At a glance it probably just looked like a fat Toxtricity, but he loved it’s charm - and it’s fiery nature. Zen tended to adopt some odd Pokemon, especially fusions. He felt that, as an oddball himself, he had to give back a little.
   There was some scuffling in the street as Zen wandered with some sort of pastry in his mouth at the time. He was dressed down from his usual attire, a white lab coat of a kind and a turtleneck jumper. A weird combo for Brookfell. As he watched the fight begin to amp up he approached the people in question. Still with the pastry in his mouth, he raised his hand to the two suspicious individuals - who seemed baffled beyond all else. Zen finished off his bite and handed the rest of his lunch to Havoc, who happily scoffed down the questionable bake.
   “By any chance would you be dealing in illegal Cybernetics? I’m looking for some myself.” Zen spoke up with a smile, like some lost child. The smugglers looked at each other before laughing.
   “You’re a funny cop, little man.” One of the criminals remarked, wiping a small tear from his eye.
   “Wh– I’m not a cop? I’m an inventor. There’s a big difference.” He corrected with clear offense, crossing his arms. “ So? Where are they at? Where’s the shipment? The warehouse?? C’mon.” The smugglers looked more confused now than amused, maybe even annoyed.
   “We’re not letting some random little freak in on our deal–”
   “Dude!” The other smuggler whacked her co-conspirator. Zen smiled sweetly as they somewhat argued. “We don’t have a deal. End-of little man. Get lost before I set my Mightyena on you!”
   “Ah, man. That sucks. I was willing to pay out for this one. Guess I’ll find someone else–” Zen shrugged, turning on a foot in a dramatic swivel. “Maybe the cops will like it when you guys palm them off too.”
   “Wait–!” Both smugglers piped up then, and Zen looked as smug as ever. “ How much?”
   “Hm? What?”
   “How many credits?”
   “ I guess you’ll have to wait and see.” Zen turned back to them then, holding out a holopad in a bit of a flourish to the two questionable citizens. “Load all you have onto here, I’ll see what I can do for you. I might even have the deal of a lifetime for you if you help me out with some of my work.”

[Word Count: 763