Alex was really hoping that Malamar might be open to negotiation, which is why he took the risk of buying her from the League despite having killed her previous trainer. Judging by the emotions, however, it seemed there was a bit of a complication.
There were feelings of hurt, sadness, and a hint of anger in the connection Malamar had established with him. This might mean she truly cherished Lucien and whatever relationship they shared, and that she might direct her anger over losing him at Alex.
There was also conflict, relief, and a bit of hope. It told of the possibility of a negotiation, that she might consider changing her loyalties to Alex. Perhaps there was more to the story than had been told.
"Answer my question," Alex demanded, resting his hands on the handles of his guns at his waist.
He might have been confident in taking out Malamar by himself, but a bit of precaution never hurt.
'He was good to me,' she answered honestly. 'He gave me food when I did a good job, even more when I managed to catch spies. He was a good trainer. I regret losing him but he was weaker while you were stronger.'
'I submit to the will of the strong. So long as I can eat and read human minds freely, I am willing to follow you.'
"I will require a bond, and you know what that entails for psychic types."
'My mind will be as open to you as your mind is open to me. If I harbor any ill feelings, you would know, and I would die. Yes, I am aware.'
"Very well."
Alex allowed a greater connection to affect his mind. He saw memories of the young Inkay being born in a room, with Lucien's face being the first thing she saw. Then came memories of benefits and work flooding in. One rule was hammered into place from a very young age. Those who work get to eat. It was a fair trade-off that Malamar embodied.
She would always do her best to perform as expected. Then, she would enjoy her reward, Expert ranked Pokémon meat. At times when spies were caught trying to infiltrate their inner circle, she would be given Elite ranked Pokémon meat, the best she had ever tasted.
Apart from that, she spent most of her time locked up when not in use, but it didn't bother her. So long as she could read minds and find spies, she was satisfied.
As for why she hadn't manipulated any minds, Alex could only assume it was Lucien's main Malamar that took charge of that particular responsibility. It made sense since Lucien would want his key asset by his side at all times while the Malamar before him was only responsible for detecting spies.
The last thing Alex received from her memories were her personal convictions. She was saddened by Lucien's loss, but what she was truly grieving was the comfortable lifestyle she had enjoyed under him. After all, all she had to do was a bit of mind-digging and her strength would grow naturally. It was, as far as she was concerned, the optimal exchange of benefits.
As for the later emotions of conflict, relief, and hope, perhaps Alex could be a better provider. He was certainly stronger than Lucien, and her responsibility would remain the same, finding spies. If she could continue doing the same job she had done all her life while earning greater rewards than before, it would be the ideal outcome for her.
It also helped that her new trainer smelled nice. Lucien had been attractive as well, but in a different way. Alex, however, was a piece of paradise that promised comfort, resources, and security. With him, maybe she could ask for more.
On Malamar's side of the connection, she easily concluded that sticking with Alex was the better choice. He was rich and powerful, but more importantly, he was generous to all his Pokémon. They dined on Elite ranked Pokémon meat regularly, received massages, ate Pokéblocks for their health, and enjoyed top-quality grooming at all times. It was a stark contrast to the way she had lived all her life.
She didn't need to see the end for her conviction to be solidified. Alex was the clear winner, an absolute paradise. Not only would she do her job well, she would kill anything that threatened it. As the leader of this nest, Alex was the best she could ever hope to find, no matter where she looked, and she had looked in plenty of minds.
'Please take care of me from now on,' she said in Alex's mind, accompanied by a respectful bow.
"Happy to have you with us, Malamar."
She chirped happily in reply.
With his new recruiter secured, all Alex needed to do now was reach Champion rank, and he could begin establishing his organization. The base was already under construction, and judging by Celise's updates, it was going well. The same held true for Maris and Lyra, who were both on track with their groups.
The only thing missing was Alex himself. If he could reach Champion rank, he would officially begin his years-long plan.
Now that Alex didn't have an excuse to keep meditating in Hoenn, he started scouring Devon Corp's bounties for missions. He was still short one million bullets, plus change, which he would likely be able to achieve if he took down another base and a target worth no less than 10 million credits. It would have to be another Champion, unless it was someone like Lucien, who was simply good at escaping.
He skipped over all the minor targets like drug dealers, managers, orphanages, studios, and corporate entities. These were targets with very little payout, the kind of targets weaker bounty hunters would benefit from hunting.
Instead, he focused on established Elites with certain securities that guaranteed their freedom against the League. Targets similar to Lucien, who could escape at any time, or Blackwake, who came and went with the tide.
In the end, he found one that wasn't quite ideal but had potential. A target that wasn't worth much on his own but, with a bit of extra effort, could be worth far more.
Target: Riven Marrek
Rank: Elite
Contract ID: #6372-SC
Payout: 1M credits
Order: Dead or Alive
Known Pokémon Team: Aggron, Magneton, Empoleon, Steelix, Skarmory, Scizor
Riven Marrek, male, 54, 5'6" (1.68 m), with tanned skin, iron-gray cropped hair, cobalt eyes, and visible scarring across his hands and forearms from decades of metalwork. He wears reinforced work gear layered beneath naval-style coats and is rarely seen without a blackened wrench adapted into a weapon.
Once a respected shipwright in Slateport's naval docks, Marrek shifted into smuggling and clandestine shipbuilding, redirecting his mastery of metallurgy toward criminal enterprise. He specializes in constructing vessels with armored hulls and concealed compartments, providing syndicates, pirates, and rogue trainers with ships designed to evade seizure and inspection. His operations dominate Slateport's underground shipbuilding trade, leaving many clients indebted and bound to his services.
Marrek is pragmatic and methodical, relying on technical superiority and an intimate knowledge of harbor infrastructure to maintain control. His Steel type team reflects his philosophy, durable and unyielding, capable of sustaining prolonged engagements while masking illegal modifications with the constant noise of industrial work. His docks function as both a construction site and a fortified base, making direct confrontation a high-risk undertaking.
This was a man who had his fingers on the pulse of the economy, a man who could bring in and take out resources no matter the source. Someone Team Dominion relied on for the successful delivery of their shipments.
Alex could only guess that the reason his death was warranted was because he was in bed with Team Dominion, who were currently under the League's focus. Otherwise, his dealings were largely left alone under the protection of the Underworld.
Now however, this very important man was likely abandoned since the rest of the Underworld had a problem with Team Dominion as well. They wouldn't go out of their way to hassle their opponent's operation without clear benefits but they wouldn't protect those who dipped their hands in too many pots either.
The benefit Alex saw was that Riven likely knew Team Dominion's shipment routes. There was no way he would let something he himself could take advantage of slip by just like that. This meant Riven was the key to obtaining a mountain of resources, so long as Alex was careful.
If Alex could get to him quietly without alerting Team Dominion, he could stand to gain far more than what the League would reward him. He would be able to intercept shipments heading out of Hoenn that might contain mountains of ammunition.
He would have to be careful, though, since Team Dominion would likely change routes and schedules when the source of the leak was discovered, so he would have to act fast to grab as many resources as possible.
First and foremost, however, he would have to somehow convince Riven to cooperate. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to see a single bullet.
As for how, perhaps taking a page from a certain dark knight would serve as a good model.
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The results of last week's poll are in. You can find the full details in the post titled Pokémon: Bounty Hunter Alex Poll on Patreon for free without needing an account.
In summary, the story will continue to explore the other regions in order. There will be an increase in Slice of Life moments, and Alvera will appear as filler to show what life in this AU is like for a regular trainer. Check the poll post for spoilers.
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