"Stop!"
In a instant, the incoming blade came to an abrupt halt in mid-air, mere inches from the tip of her nose. Footsteps could soon be heard as several individuals approached the two fighters. Lowering the sharpened extension attached to her arm, the attacker swiftly backed away as the officials came in to suspend their bout. With a pout, she crossed her blade covered arms before letting out a huff.
"Aww come on, I was just getting to into it..."
"That's enough Li," one of the intervene-rs shot, "this was a simple sparring exercise, you should know the extent of which your Morph's abilities can be used, especially against your future partner."
The bladed brunette, indifferent to the situation, acknowledged her superior's statement with a reluctant nod. Breathing a sigh, her supervisor turned back to the Morph's would-be-victim before instructing the other aids to assist in escorting her off the field.
"Your attitude still needs some work..." her higher-up started, "but you're progressing quite well in your physical training, in actuality, you're doing more than just okay, your results are exceptional."
"Of course!" the floozy brunette spat. "It's because you keep chalking me up with these weaklings, if you do that, I can't help but cut them down."
"In any case, the results for your physical training and intelligence tests are complete. I will be delivering the reports to Commander Reed momentarily, please make any necessary preparations and meet me in front of his office in ten minutes."
With a small bow her supervisor turned in her place before marching out of the room. It was time. Her first chance to start some actual field work for the organisation had come. In a matter of minutes she would be assigned to a squad to begin the Pokemon Liberation Force's counterattack against the leaders of the nations. If there was ever something she was looking forward to, it was this.
Unfortunately, the higher-ups' intentions were a little bit different from what she had in mind, which she was just about to find out herself.
---
"What?!"
"Understand Meiling, the Kanto PLF division is more than capable of handling the situation, it's jus-"
"Yeah?! So why the hell are you sending me to help them then?"
At this point, she had become quite irritable, the commander's assignment was definitely not what she had in mind. And to think, she had been looking forward to finally getting some action. It was surprisingly disappointing and annoying at the same time.
"Li! Show some respect," her supervisor hissed from behind her, "especially in front of the Commander."
"Aww geez, sorry about being rude!" the brunette snapped back, her tone just as cold. "But if you haven't noticed, there's a crisis going on!"
"Rest assured Meiling, we are well aware of the situation in Johto," came the soothing voice of her commander, his voice pleasantly calm in the face of the furious half-naked samurai Morph, "and as promised, you will be assigned to the first squad assembled for its liberation. However..."
"However what?!"
"Li!"
"Please calm yourselves, both of you," he continued, ushering his two subordinates to quell their bickering, "as I was saying, a problem has arised involving the Kanto liberation force..."
"Commander, what's this about?! I never heard of such a report..." her supervisor suddenly piped, much to her own and her protege's surprise.
"Ah yes, well, the report was just recently submitted by one of the on site medical officers," Reed continued to explain, his voice unwavering as he did so, "the strike force was successful in apprehending the first target city's leader."
"G-Gym Leader Brock?!" her supervisor rebutted, obviously just as surprised as she was about the recently received news. "P-Pewter City's been freed?"
"Reinforcements have already been deployed for the city's clean up, the number of casualties and damage reports are also being processed." Retrieving the appropriate files from his desk, the commander held up what was the report for the current case. "In the matter of Brock's arrest however, we were unable to successfully retrieve him."
"What the hell does that mean?!" Meiling suddenly exclaimed, taking her first chance to speak since hearing of the news. "You said they freed the city right? How come they didn't bring him in?! Don't tell me..."
"He died..." he finished for her, handing over the papers to her supervisor, "everything about the mission is detailed in there. I trust you can handle things from here on Chiharu?"
"Of course."
"W-Wait a minute, what's this got to with me?" piped the bladed brunette. "Why'd you want to see me?"
"Ah, I almost forgot, my apologies Meiling," her commander replied, "there is a reason as to why I called you here. Chiharu has just finished compiling your test results and presented them to me before our meeting, and admittedly, I was quite surprised with the results."
"Oh really?" the rebellious samurai sneered, shooting daggers at her supervisor as she did so. "How'd I do?"
"Meiling, you should give Chiharu a little more credit," he laughed, much to the embarassment of his subordinate, "your results are quite frankly outstanding and your revisionary report is also very impressive. From this, I have decided that you are more than qualified to begin some serious field work, which brings us back to why you're here..."
At this point, the scantily-clad Morph couldn't help but notice her supervisor's suddenly deterred attention. Was she embarassed that she had put in a good word for her? Or was it something a little less straightforward? Unable to comprehend her superior's motives, she turned back to hear the rest of her commander's proposal.
"Initial reinforcements have provided minimal aid to the current strike force, as not to attract attention from the neighbouring cities. Thus, while remaining temporarily hidden from the region's new government, it won't be long before their presence is detected, especially how any future communications with Pewter City will arouse suspicion."
"Is this where I come in?" she pressed irritably.
"Yes Meiling, this is where you come in. Along with three other agents, you will form a new squad to provide direct support for the current liberation force. The details of the mission are covered in that document I justed handed to Chiharu, please read it over before making the necessary preparations."
It was then that both of her superiors flinched from her sudden slamming of the commander's desk, it would have been a lot less shocking if it had just been her fist hitting the table but with a giant blade attached to each arm, the damage was considerably greater.
"Li! What are you doing?!" Chiharu exclaimed as she watched her protege face off against their commander.
Remaining ever professional, Commander Reed stood his ground and happily confronted the opposing brunette with a calm smile. Baring her sharpened teeth into a serrated smile, the teenage Morph held out her other bladed arm to his cheek, all much to the shock of her mentor.
"Alright old man, I'll help you out..." she started through berrated breaths, "I'll help these losers, but the moment I finish cleaning up their mess, I wanna be on the next team outta here for Johto. That's the only reason I joined this stupid place and let you have your way with me."
"L-Li! Please..." her mentor stammered in disbelief.
"Fair enough," Reed suddenly replied, his expression unchanged, "I will keep to my promise and allow you to assign yourself to the first strike force leading Johto's liberation."
"Heh! Alright, I can agree to that..."
"Good. Now Meiling, if you would be so kind as to remove your scythe from my face and join Chiharu for the team's briefing. Your mission starts in one hour."
Flashing her superior a smile, the brunette retreated from her position of attack before turning to leave the room, having finished with her role for the meeting.
"Come on Chiharu-hara, let's go."
Sighing, her supervisor turned to follow her subordinate out of the room, but not before giving the commander a swift apologetic bow.
"Excuse us Commander."
Smiling, he gave her a small wave as she did so, "Good day Chiharu."
---
The two of them had rendezvoused at the allocated meeting room where she was to be briefed on the mission in further detail.
"Your squad's only purpose is to provide any necessary support to the current strike force, nothing else. You are to follow the assigned leader's orders directly as you will be under his jurisdiction the moment you arrive, otherwise, do not interfere."
"Ehh?! Wait a minute! You're sending me out there to help these idiots, right? So why the hell am I taking orders from them?!" the brunette protested, slamming an irritable fist into one of the loose-side table that littered the room, halving it on the spot. "I should be the one giving the orders!"
"Even you should understand that the leader is always in charge, Li," Chiharu continued, her tone void of sympathy, "no matter who you are, you will follow your superior's commands."
"That's bullplop!" she huffed, falling roughly into a nearby seat, arms crossed. "Who is this jackass anyway?"
Her supervisor's eyes narrowed as she read over the papers the commander had given them. Locating the page where the members of strike force's profiles began, she handed them to her subordinate, who hastily tore them away. It was then that an immeasurable force fell over the room. The few moments of silence that followed the samurai's review was heavier than gravity itself. Chiharu knew what was coming and it wasn't going to be pleasant; the leader of the current strike force leading Kanto's liberation was Clove Wheldst, a particular person Meiling was never fond of and for a number of reasons.
"Chiharu-hara...what the hell is this?"
"What do you mean?" her higher-up inquired, slightly taken aback by her protege's lacking response. "It's the members list for the strike force."
"I...I can't read it..." the teen huffily replied, averting her mentor's eyes, her face tinged with the faintest flush.
For the first time in a long time, Chiharu smiled. "Y-You can't read it Li? Are you saying you can't read?"
"Chiharu baka! That's not important!" she stammered, bonking her supervisor on the head. "Now why the hell is Clove-chan's picture in here? He's not on the team as well is he?!"
Supressing a snort, her supervisor brushed off the previous attack before beginning to explain the situation to her underling. "I'm afraid you don't understand, Li. Wheldst is not only participating in Kanto's liberation...he's leading it."