Suspicions

Story by UmiTheUmbreon on SoFurry

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#4 of Hidden Lifestyle

A company called Unovanish is in charge of keeping Castelia City free of feral pokémon through practices the owner's daughter disagrees with strongly. When she's forced by her father to work for the company and carry them out herself at eighteen, she finds herself in the toughest predicament she'll ever face.

~ for flashbacks.

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Words or phrases in Japanese will be used occasionally by their respective characters.

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Existing; complete stories:

'All They Knew.'

(Male alolan ninetales x fem trainer.)

'A Night She Couldn't Resist.'

(Male midnight lycanroc x fem trainer)

'Cassidy's Journey.'

(Male braixen x fem trainer.)

'Midnight.'

(Male umbreon x fem trainer.)

^ Excluding 'Midnight and 'Hidden Lifestyle,' all three works take place in the same universe.


"If we don't find and expose the source, Aika, this could very well be the end of Unovanish in Castelia," Ayame's father, Kado Nishida said to one of his two highest-ranking employees who'd just returned from working. She was still in her outfit, while he was in a business casual one. It's how Kado usually dresses. High ranks like Aika didn't have as strict of a schedule but still had to work. The ranking system is based on skill on the field, loyalty, and overall behavior. An employee would have to endeavor to prove to Kado they were willing and worthy, and it wasn't easy to get noticed in the first place.

"What do you suspect, sir?" Aika was comfortably ranked at five. She was twenty-five years old and out of most people's reach working here. The silver pixie cut and sky blue eyes helped.

They sat in red leather chairs in Kado's office located underneath the lobby. It used an entrance unknown by anyone but her, Dami, and Ayame. It had a kitchen and restroom inside for temporary living in extreme cases. Kado lived off-grounds but spent more time in his office for work and safety reasons.

He stood and walked to the room's left side by his desk. A PC and wall of four flat screens displaying the lobby, various floors, and the roof were on a counter below. "Our current methods are falling behind. Pokémon are being released to roam the city again. Our cameras and locks are destroyed constantly, which costs us to repair." Kado stared up at the displays. "This will soon be no more. In a few weeks, we will have access to all of the city's cameras and install many hidden ones. The deviants will not be able to hide from justice and neither will the ferals. It's the beginning of our more dominant rule."

Aika crossed her leg over the other. "Why not post guards at the cargo boxes? It could deter the deviants."

"Risuku ga taka sugiru. That will likely start a war. Deaths of ours and theirs are likely to result. We must tread carefully and outside of direct conflict."

That made sense. Tension was climbing due to Unovanish's continued undeterred presence. "Hai, increased surveillance will erase many issues, but what will we do about the scarcity of pokémon?"

"They are taking refuge and may have a base similar to ours. I feel it. We must find it as soon as possible." Kado returned to the chair in front of her and sat. "I'm keeping all employees on the same schedule regardless. We cannot allow anyone to slack. The more pokémon captured, the more time we have."

She nodded. "Should I let everyone know? The lower ranks can find it."

"Schedule a meeting with all employees ranked two and above... And include Katie. Her work impresses me. I will supply you with flyers including the day and time tomorrow morning at seven. Order them to find the haven and report it to you when one of them does, then you to me as soon as possible. Tell Muso to do the same with our pokémon. I am also considering training and arming our human employees with pistols. It would be similar to the course they took with their dart guns... The waters may get dangerous from here, but do not bring that up in the meeting. Relay this information to Dami. You are dismissed."

He was running an errand for Kado, so he couldn't attend. "Affirmative." Aika stood and bowed before exiting through the door that led to three flights of stairs. She already had a pistol, as did Dami since they were experienced.

Kado stared at the door as it closed. He didn't want to bring his daughter into a dying company. Her birthday and first day of work were close.

Unovanish's goal was to rid of pokémon, but a haven meant they were likely nearby so they could still access their city. Without pokémon to drive away from Castelia, the mayor would no longer have use for Unovanish. It wasn't a company standing on solid ground. Kado could find another region requiring assistance, but he made the most money in Castelia. The last region he worked in was Johto, where he defended GoldenRod City for a few years.

He got up and walked to the kitchen, looking at a picture on the wall of him and Ayame from her birthday a few years ago. Kado wanted the best for her, and he wanted her to know how to fend for herself in life. Her training and working this job would aid immensely. Ayame would be a helpless brat had her mother raised her. Kado wouldn't allow that. She was spoiled as is, but he knew how to balance it.

On Duty

Katie stayed in the room three doors down from Ayame in 417. It wasn't as fancy, but she was more than okay with what she had-- and she lived close to her best friend. Two females lived in the rooms between them, which Ayame's father likely set up....

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Ace & Mille

A lucario sat on his bed that late afternoon. The mattress was stiff, but he was used to it. Recruited pokémon that were ranked one through three didn't get as good of rooms as humans had. The pokémons' were located by the east end of the lobby on...

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Days Before

Ayame stood in front of her mirror while running a brush down her hair at 9 a.m. She couldn't keep her mind off of Friday. She'd be inducted by her father, its founder, into Unovanish in three days once she turned eighteen. It's a company that keeps...

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