ohmyarceus | MAY - JUNE TEST DRIVE MEME

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test drive

MAY - JUNE TEST DRIVE MEME

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"Mostly because while the local grunts and privates are screwing around being incredibly obvious, the admins and other higher ups--who can do subtle even if their juniors can't--are busy getting their sticky fingers in as many pies as possible," Steven explains. "We've got the Radio Towers in Goldenrod and Lavender both, Silph Co, and the Game Centers, among others."

"Holy shit." That is... well, she doesn't know how important any of those things are in this world, but it sounds more like high scale corruption than just a stupid little operation like she'd assumed. Which might be how most people thought of them, which would make them seem less threatening generally... "Wouldn't have guessed that. Which I imagine is the point."

"Mmhm," Steven says. "I was actually pretty impressed once I realized the extent of it. It doesn't mean that most of your average local Rocket grunts aren't basically mooks, but." He shrugs. "Speaking of which, if you're looking for work after Training Hell is over, you usually can usually get a job through the team, although I suspect Security--which you implied was your old job?--I suspect Security is one of those positions you have to make Beta to get. And good luck doing that in less than nine months."

"Beta?" Ranks, she assumes, but they mean nothing to her right now. She huffs out a breath, and then tries very hard not to focus on how weird that feels. "Guess I'll have to work my way up, provided I stick around. What jobs do the newbs get?"

"It goes Grunt-Private-Beta-Alpha-Admin-Boss," Steven explains. "But the highest they ever let people from other worlds get is Alpha. We've got one of those--Handsome Jack, who's more or less in charge of our ad hoc crew. As for the rest of us from other worlds... there's Dirk, who's our Beta. He just got promoted back in May--he's very good at organizing large scale heists. Carly, Tyler, Lydia, Steve Palchuck and I are all Privates now, and the rest of you are still Grunts."

So he's your superior, Melissa, but only by one level.

"Grunts and Privates are allowed the 'easy' jobs and the 'medium' jobs--the 'hard' jobs are the ones that require Beta rank. But for example... I work in the Radio Tower. An 'easy' job there is the receptions desk and the 'medium' job is in the newsroom, which is where I work. Advertising, sound technicians, and radio personalities, however, count as 'hard' jobs. If it's a full time position, you don't have to turn in your quota--but if it's anything less than that, you still do.

"There's a list of the most commonly available jobs for the team by level and location--well, it's labeled 'missions' but it's basically jobs--and I'd be happy to get you a copy. You can also work outside the Team, of course--those of us that do work with, do because we don't have to worry about job-hunting and it allows us bonus wages outside of the weekly stipend. But it's not at all odd to be doing something else and just turning in your quota regularly. Jack, for instance, runs his own company, called the Hyperion Corporation--it sells novelties, mostly, although he's branching out to investing in entertainment."

"...This is the least important question, but you actually have someone whose name is 'Handsome Jack'?" Melissa doesn't know if she's annoyed at the potential arrogance or impressed that people actually agree to call him that. Assuming that it's not literally the name his parents gave him.

The fact that Steven is currently higher ranked doesn't bother her- she knows how this kind of system works, has moved up it in the past and can do again. Even if she doesn't like the company's policies, she's likely to want to advance just because she dislikes being on the bottom. At least she has a goal now?

She nods, taking in what she's being told. "Got it. Sounds like I would enjoy even most of those jobs over the... quota shit." Melissa is many things, but stealing from children is still below her. Probably. Unless she can justify it as being for their own safety, which will take her all of ten minutes once she figures out what all Pokemon can do.

"We do," Steven says. "Well, Jack's his name. He treats 'Handsome' as more of a title, really. And it's accurate--or, well, I think it is anyway. You'll meet him later--hell, I can invite him to get drinks with us if you'd like. He's best in a more social setting, I've found."

There's a little smile on his face, talking about Jack. It's clear he's fond of the man.

But then he shakes his head. "Most of the easy and medium jobs aren't full time," he admits, before checking quick to make sure that the admin who'd been training Melissa is still out of earshot. He lowers his voice anyway, "Honestly," he says under his breath, "they don't check to see if your pokemon was properly stolen when it comes to turn them in, so a lot of us just catch our quota pokemon instead. Just, you know, make sure it's high enough level first."

Melissa snorts a little. Well now she has to meet him. "Sure. Guess it'll probably be good to meet my coworkers and all that." And admittedly, even though Steven is the only one she's met, she prefers him to the weirdo training her.

"Ooof course not." She sighs, but nods when he shares his tip with her to show she heard him. That's good to know. "...Why the hell are we even here? Do you know?"

"Nope," he says, popping the p. "None of us do, really. The space llama god of this universe wanted us, he grabbed us, and he dropped us where Team Rocket could find us. That's-- really all anyone knows. Hell, even the people from other worlds who didn't end up with Team Rocket were just sort of... dropped off here out of the blue. Except instead it's at this crazy woman's house in New Bark Town, where she thinks she's literally everybody's mother."

...Melissa will just go ahead and assume 'space llama god' is not a real thing. She hopes. "Why the fuck would someone pretend to be everyone's mother? She sure as hell wouldn't fool anyone." Honestly that introduction almost sounds worse.

"No clue," Steven says. "I suspect she's not exactly well. That said, you'll probably want to pretend you've had your own encounter with her—I usually claim that I hitchhiked to Goldenrod shortly after arriving at her house."

"Right. Guess that makes sense, with the whole criminal organization thing." She hasn't seen the costumes yet and is not looking forward to whatever they use to try and conceal their identities.

"Yeah," Steven says. "Basically the most important rule here is Don't get caught."

Well. At least Melissa's pretty sure she can do that. "Here's hoping I manage, then," she says, glancing back towards the Admin, "...I think I'm being dragged back to shit again. Appreciate the tips, though. And the promise of drinks."

"So you are," Steven says. "And I better go turn in my quota. I'll contact you on your gear later where to meet."

He smiles. "And Melissa? I'm glad to have you on the team."

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MAY - JUNE TEST DRIVE MEME

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Cut?