Gabriel grit his teeth as he scaled along the wall. The Sneasel's slim body trembled as he pulled himself further up the brick terrain and up to the windowsill that was currently covered by a black curtain. The young mon peered as best as he could through the darkness, but eventually decided that he couldn't get a good view of the interior. Just as he had been trained Gabriel placed one clawed hand against the window and traced a single claw tip against the glass. He made a square shaped hole and used the palm of his hand to stick the cut out portion of class against his hand and very carefully set it against the edge of the wall. He positioned himself before the hole and kicked his legs inside.
The Sneasel landed on the carpet with a muffled thud, thanks majorly in part to knowing how to land silently. Gabriel slowly made his way to the side of the wall and peered further into the apartment that he had infiltrated. He was in living room area and could see two couches propped up in front of a television that was playing late night broadcasting. The commercial was some sort of advertisement aimed toward grass-types and how a 'deluxe one of a king sealant' could coat their vines and what not and protect them from harsh heat.
On one of the couches sat a snoring Zangoose who was drooling on his own chest. The mon looked fearsome enough to Gabriel, but he still had more reconnaissance to perform. Near the entryway was the dining area that was a complete mess. All sorts of crumbs and stains coated the countertop, stove, and even floor. To Gabriel's eyes it looked as if someone had just poured sauce in the area and mopped it around without a second care in the world. He made his way toward the only hallway and peeked around the corner. He could hear some voices behind one of the doors, though they were too muffled to understand what they were saying. He was at least able to tell that the voices came from the second door on the right side of the hallway.
With his prowling around now completed he made his way back to the window and just as easily made his way out. He was soon scampering down to the lower level that he had climbed up from where a Mightyena waited on the balcony. "They are in the room." Gabriel reported as he landed down, "One Zangoose on the couch right when you enter. There's a hallway to the right of the door where on the right side, second door down, there are some mon talking."
The canine nodded, "Good work, Gabe." He pushed his head through the sliding glass door and barked out, "Monstrol, you got that?"
"Yeah yeah, I heard the kid." The Mukrow perched on the bed snapped out. He spread his wings and began to rise into the air as he zipped out from the room and up along the building's side.
Gabriel headed inside the cooler room and plopped himself down on one of the room's twin beds. "So, when dad talks to them, then we'll leave?" He asked the canine.
"Yeah, that's the plan." The Mightyena confirmed. "You did good work up there. Went at it like a champ. Those lessons really did come in handy."
Gabriel smiled at the praise and puffed out his chest a bit, "I did great, didn't I?" He asked rhetorically. "Yeah, I did pretty great. No one even saw me up there!"
"Mainly because it's night." The canine said with a low snicker. "But still, you went up and didn't freeze up. That's good."
"So, what are they going to talk about?" Gabriel asked. "My dad didn't say."
"Oh… just business." The Mightyena explained. "Your father is going to let him understand why you don't bail out on contracts. He's going to give him a lesson that he won't forget anytime soon."
"What's he going to teach him?" The Sneasel asked as he saw the Mightyena moving to the other side of the bed, away from the window.
"Well… how to treat others with respect mostly." The canine answered. With the Sneasel's eyes on the dog he didn't notice the body falling past the window behind him. "And also how to report to him. To make sure that your father's territory grows correctly."
Gabriel nodded, "I guess I understand. I don't know why he needs so much of it."
"Well, your father is a visionary." The Mightyena responded, "He has big goals in his sights, and that starts with more people respecting him for the mon that he is. That respect will also apply to you, Gabriel."
The Sneasel let out a sigh and kicked his feet against the bed, "How much longer?"
"Perhaps a few minutes more." His guardian stated. "Can I get you some snacks in the meantime?"
Gabriel shook his head, "Nah, I'm not hungry anyways. Is dad going to have free time tonight?"
"Sadly, no." The stoic canine stated, "He has some more deals to seal with a few other mon. Especially after he deals with the mon upstairs. There will be a shake up of sorts, but I'm sure later on the week his schedule will clear up."
Gabriel didn't respond to that statement, only letting out a frustrated sigh. He knew that it wouldn't happen. Ever since he had been three he had been hand fed that lie. Yeah, sure, he'll get the work done today then tomorrow you two can hang out. He didn't even feel mad at this point, just something else. He couldn't describe it honestly, but he felt it.
There was a flutter at the window as the Mukrow from before flew on in and landed next to Gabriel, "They're done." Monstrol announced as he preened a wing. "Take the kid down. The boss and the others are using the ducts. They said to wait on the outside and to listen for the signal. Then walk over to the next block and that'll be all."
"Alright." The canine made his way to the door and used his jaws to tug at the knob and open it, "Come along now, we're almost out of the woods. After this I think we'll get some food. I hope so, anyways, I'm starving."
"Yeah, okay." Gabriel hopped off of the bed and walked out of the room with the dog. Once the door closed Monstrol preened for a bit longer and flapped them a bit. Monstrol spread his wings and flew back out of the window and peered down at the sight of a bloody Zangoose corpse on the sidewalk with several civilians quickly already forming a scene at the sight of the crime.
Gabriel made his way down the stairs with the canine, passing by other mon along the way. Some gave the two no attention as they went about their own business. Others, however, recognized the Mightyena and quickly got out of the way or would rush into their rooms and slam the door shut. As they arrived at the ground floor there were many anxious mon in the lobby talking amongst themselves. Most were so caught up in discussing the scene outside that they didn't notice the two dark-type mon passing by and out of the front doors. The Mightyena led his smaller charge to the left and down the street where a Zoroark waited against the wall.
"Uncle Ben!" Gabriel cried out as he ran to the Zoroark and hugged his leg.
The fox smirked his usual devious smile and bent down to pick the Sneasel up and threw him up in the air, easily catching him again. "Heh, how are you, sport?" Ben asked as he set Gabriel back on the ground. "Your father and I were pretty busy today, sorry about that." He said as he kneeled before Gabriel. "And what were you doing this fine day?"
"Being bored." Gabriel grumbled.
Ben's smile grew, "Well, you won't be for long! Tonight we're going to pizza palace!"
"Even dad?" Gabriel asked eagerly. The slight twinge in Ben's smile caused the Sneasel's shoulders to droop.
"Hey, sport, don't be so down." Ben said as he patted Gabriel's shoulder, "We'll have fun there still."
"I know… I just…" Gabriel sighed, "Forget it."
Ben reached down and picked up Gabriel again, this time setting him on his shoulders as the three made their way down the block, "Listen, your father is working hard now, yeah, but it's so later on he'll have more time with you. Get all the hard jobs done early and play later. Remember that rhyme?"
"Early bird gets the worm." Gabriel repeated from memory.
"There you go. These jobs are the worm, and that worm helps to feed you and all of us."
"I don't like worms." Gabriel said as he shuddered. "I see Monstrol eat them all the time. They look so disgusting."
Ben grinned up at the Sneasel, "Heh, you'll understand what it means in time." He stated. "For now, how about we get ready for our night on the town, eh? PIzza sounds right for the stomach."
"Yeah, pizza's good." Gabriel agreed with a soft chuckle.
"Now, for tomorrow, we have some more training to do." Ben reached up to pinch Gabriel's thin arm, "You need to get some more muscle on that form. You'll get into far more climbing adventures, I assure you of that."
"But training is so booooring." Gabriel groaned.
"But it helps us out in the long run." Ben stated. "Right now you can hang from ledges for a few minutes. Imagine with more training how much longer you can hang? In your father's business it's always important to defy expectations. Most expect a Weavile to be weak physically and be stealth bound. You'll be stealth bound, but no weakling, as your father's will dictates."
"Yeah, that's what everyone says." Gabriel muttered. He slouched forward against the Zoroark's red mane of hair, "Everyone gets to see him but me. It's not fair."
Ben sighed, "We already talked about this, Gabriel. He's busy. When you get older you'll be able to see him more."
"But how long til then?" He asked Ben as he played with the red hair.
"It'll be some time." Ben stated as he flinched a bit when one strand was tugged, "Just trust me on this. As you get older you'll have more time with your father."
~~~
Ben's words didn't necessarily ring true for Gabriel though. That night was filled with fun, but the next day he was busy overseeing Gabriel's training. He climbed walls, lifted weights, and learned that the most important aspect of his performance was to NEVER be seen. That was, in fact, the greatest strength of his father's group. Yeah, that was right, his father's business was made entirely of dark-typed mon. Whenever Gabriel asked one of the older employees why they didn't hire other types he either got a chuckle or a sarcastic response. Even Ben avoided the question, though Gabriel didn't understand why. The only non-dark types that Gabriel ever saw were the shines that his father brought with him. They weren't a part of his father's company, so Gabriel didn't know why they only came over during the night. That wasn't enough time to really do any work for his father, and he didn't know why he never was allowed into his father's room when they were with him.
In fact, Uncle Ben made sure to keep him away from the room when a shiny came over and instead would entertain him with board games or have him train a bit more. Or he would let him play with Rick. Rick was a bit older than Gabriel so that he could work with the other employees, but also the second youngest. The Sableye was quite the trickster and eagerly led Gabriel out of the building to play tricks on those passing by. Mostly these tricks consisted of the two of them leaping out from the shadows to scare a passer by, or to sneak behind them and steal their coin purse. Gabriel always found himself more attracted to stealing any coins that he could because one important reward would rear its head… seeing his father.
Anytime Gabriel snuck around, or stole, or did as he was told his father would personally come over and actually talk to him. He would say how proud of Gabriel he was and how he had become a true mon in his eyes. Every single time Gabriel would feel pride surging within his chest and he found himself wanting to do even more activities to just see his father. The Sneasel found that with every single job he did successfully his father ended up seeing him less and less. It was only the biggest jobs that caused his father to sit up from his chair and see him. Uncle Ben said his father couldn't pay attention to every single thing he did, given that he had so much on his plate, but that the best way to get his attention was to go above and beyond with the jobs he was assigned. And so Gabriel pushed himself more than he ever had before.
The result of his intense training finally caused him to evolve. That day was the best day in the Weavile's life. His father took the day off and spent time with his son. Gabriel's eyes practically sparkled the entire time he talked with his dad. They spoke of his performance, of how strong he had become, and how great of a future he had. The hi-light was his father telling him that within a month he would spend more time with him and teach Gabriel how to run his business. That night when Gabriel was alone he wept with joy in his bed. Finally, his father wanted him around more!
But Darkrai was quick to take away his happiness.
~~~
It started like any other night. His father's employees were seated around the tables downstairs and played all manner of cards games. His father was upstairs and busy with work, as usual. Uncle Ben had gone up a few minutes ago as well. Now evolved Gabriel had to wonder if he would be allowed to head upstairs. As he glanced at the stairwell he felt a poke against his side. He glanced back and smiled at the sight of Rick. "Hey."
"Yo, dude!" Rick punched him in the arm, "You go and evolve and don't see me? I'm hurt." He sniffed. "I would cry."
"But you can't." Gabriel finished his joke with a smirk. "Sorry, but my dad has priorities."
"Yeah, boss man and all." The ghost crossed his arms and leaned against a wall, "So, you're going to be my boss soon too?"
"I hope so!" Gabriel said with eagerness lining his voice. "That means I can spend more time with my dad."
"Yeah, that'll be good. Hey, don't forget about me when you're lording over everyone! Also, get me the good jobs. I don't want that crawling through the sewers stuff."
Gabriel nodded, "Maybe Ill put you down there just because of that now." He said with a smirk, "May-"
He didn't finish as a window shattered. Gabriel and Rick snapped their heads toward the sight of Monstrol tumbling upon the ground. The Honchkrow frantically flapped his wings as he cawed, "The cops are coming! The cops are coming!"
"Cops?" Gabriel asked Rick as the mon on the ground floor was quick to start moving. Almost as if they had coordinated this day years ago they set about to start barricading the door. Others rushed upstairs while a few got into corners. Rick grabbed Gabriel and pushed him toward one of the rooms. "Don't come out." The ghost snapped as he closed it. Gabriel heard the lock being activated and all the Weavile could do was peer out from a small crack in the wall.
He couldn't see much, but he could hear the sound of someone shouting into a megaphone. The words were muffled but there was some silence. And then… the door was burst down. Again, Gabriel couldn't see much but he could hear shouting and the sounds of battle. Curiosity pushed him to try and see something, anything. His wish was soon granted as he saw several mon wearing blue armbands rushing past the room he was confined in. The Weavile could hear shouts from upstairs as something banged against the door.
Then all hell broke loose.
From his position he could hear something falling down the stairs. A quick peek allowed Gabriel to see that several bloodied bodies had fallen down. Gabriel felt his stomach twist from the sight and he turned away as quickly as he could. Still, there were a few mon heading up the stairs and amid the numerous noises he could hear his father shouting all manner of obscenities. The clash happened for a few minutes and soon after silence permeated the air. Gabriel could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest and it began to thrash when he heard the doorknob being pulled upon. Uncle Ben had taught him a few things, so he took a step back and raised one clawed hand up. There were some murmurs on the other side as the door slammed into the room. Gabriel swung out at the empty air. A clawed hand grabbed at his outstretched arm and tugged him out. He was slammed down onto the ground while his hands was bound behind his back painfully.
"Hey, easy, it's a kid!"
"Yeah, one of them though."
Gabriel winced under the lights and turned his head up to see a rather fearsome Charizard above him. One of his large feet pushed down on Gabriel's back. The lowly position Gabriel was in only caused panic in his mind and he whimpered softly. Would the dragon eat him now? It seemed not as he was hauled to his feet and forced out into the main room where the others were likewise busy being binded up. Most sported bloody faces as they took the time to shout out various curses at the guard-mon.
The scene caused Gabriel to wonder WHY the guard had come into their place. Why had they beat everyone up? They only beat up criminals, right? Gabriel was set down in a corner as more guard-mon came into the room, one escorting Uncle Ben and another holding his father. Gabriel watched on as they set Ben down, yet pushed his father out of the front door. Then, one by one, the other mon were stood up and walked out. As Gabriel was stood up one of the guards grabbed a white hood and slipped it over his head, "Just keep your head low, kid." He said softly. "Don't knock it off."
Gabriel's footing was shaky as he was led out of the building. He could hear what seemed to be a loud crowd outside. All the voices mixed together as the guard led Gabriel along. The night would be one of the longest in his life. The group was led to the guard barracks in a Rapidash drawn carriage. Once he was inside Gabriel's hood was taken off and he was brought in for what the officer termed 'processing'. Names were collected, sketches were drawn, and everyone was put into a cell. Gabriel, however, was spared the last part. Instead he was set in an office where an elderly Hypno waited.
From there the older guard gently asked him some questions, most of which Gabriel refused to answer. His father always said to never tell any guards the truth. They would abuse their power and use whatever you told them to hurt your loved ones, after all. The Hypno became quite frustrated during the interview and left the room, which caused Gabriel to smirk with glee. But that wasn't the end of it. Gabriel was kept there for a few days as the guards continued to hammer him with questions. He was denied food and water for periods and told to answer the questions they presented. There were times where Gabriel would break down and start crying, but he refused to answer. He couldn't disappoint his father at all!
One day a Breloom wearing a fancy tie walked in. He had seen the mon a few times before and knew that he was one of his father's friends. He got Gabriel out of the guard station and at a temporary home of a mon who owed his father a few favors, at least that was how the Breloom worded it. At first there were many mon outside of his new house, but eventually the crowds dispersed. The guards had said that his father had done bad things, and as the years passed the Weavile's naivety began to disappear. He heard words on the streets and caught wind of gossip that was muttered behind his back. His father wasn't getting out anytime soon, that was for sure. So he had one thing left to do with his life.
Find someone else.
](https://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u552/KiyoshiThePolarBear/timmylament_zpslvuhtkml.png "Cornered On The Market! [T](OOC)")
