[Surveillance ID: A small cave in Paldea. A seal rests at its end, glowing Cyan in the dim light. Suddenly, from the pool of water at the cave's edge, a form appears. DreyTwo, with madness in his eyes. He sends out his team: Pikes (Shiny Rufflet), Dublin (Decidueye), Hokkaido (Hakamo-o), and Athens (Falinks). All of his Pokemon look exhausted, and show clear signs of battle fatigue and overuse of certain moves. Pikes is scratched up from overuse of Brave Bird. Dublin is missing too many feathers, as a result of far too many Spirit Shackles. Hokkaido's scales are cracked in many places: the result one Belly Drum too many. Athens immediately uses No Retreat upon exiting the water, psychologically conditioned to do so. They are unsure whether they want to be here or not.]
DreyTwo: So this is the vault of Chi-Yu. Not too different from how I remember it. And just my luck, all the stakes are gone!
[A black smoke begins to churn around DreyTwo.]
DreyTwo: I can feel its power even from here... such perfect strength... I need to use it. No one will ever look over me again.
[The smoke churns thicker.]
DreyTwo: Dublin, ready a Spirit Shackle to lock it in place. We're catching this thing if it kills us.
[The Pokemon share a worried look.]
[DreyTwo wrenches open the vault, and Chi-Yu floats out. Beautifully terrifying, it hangs in the air like a spark of pure envy. The black smoke churns thicker around DreyTwo, thin lines connecting him to the Koi. Chi-Yu's Beads of Ruin is influencing him.]
DreyTwo: Dublin, use Spirit Shackle. Now.
[A single weak feather arrow pierces through the fish, pinning it to the floor. DreyTwo throws an Ultra Ball, and before letting it shake, lunges over to it, using his bare hands to force the ball shut. Black flames lace themselves across his hands and arms, eating into his flesh, but he won't let go. In fact, he won't let himself let go.]
[Suddenly, from the cave entrance, a figure of hope appears. Adam, rank eight FLIP agent and part-time exorcist appears, with his partners Phan and Cypher. Adam lunges at DreyTwo, knocking the blazing ball out of his scorched hands.]
Adam: What the fuck are you DOING, man? You have burns covering half your upper body!
DreyTwo: So? It'll all be worth it in the end.
Adam: What even is that end? Your goal? Why are you even doing this?
DreyTwo: ...Catch the Fish.
DreyTwo: [The black smoke writhes.] Then... everyone will look at me like they do Drey. [To no one in particular:] You think you're better than me, don't you? You come up here, living the life I always wanted to live, with everything I've ever wanted. Then you just tut-tut me away when I try to follow in your footsteps. You think you're sooooo mature, don't you?
[While DreyTwo is ranting, Adam is focused on Chi-Yu. The Legendary's pure strength is slowly melting the cave.]
Adam: [To Chi-Yu] ...Fine, you arcdamn little candle. Envy. You want something?
I'll give you everything I got.
Get back in your hole, little fish.
[For the briefest of moments, Adam's eyes overlap with Phan's, and with a single Power Gem, Chi-Yu falls to the ground.]
[DreyTwo whirls back around on Adam, smoke swirling as he does.]
DreyTwo: That was supposed to be mine. Mine, mine, mine!
[Adam closes the vault door, paying no attention to the raving teenager.]
Adam: You can try again once you get a flameproof suit, kid.
DreyTwo: [Ignoring Adam] And if I can't have mine... I'll take yours instead. [Drey eyes up Cypher's Pokeball].
DreyTwo: Hokkaido, Screech. Disorient him. Dublin, Spirit Shackle him in place. Pikes, swoop in, and... huh?
[DreyTwo looks around the cave. Cypher is leading his team away. Pikes gives him a look of pity, and leaves.]
Adam: You know... I would die for my team. Drey would too. Can you say the same for yours?
DreyTwo: [The smoke is so thick around him, it's hard to make out his face.] I. Can do this. Alone. Now, give me your balls.
[DreyTwo lunges at Adam, and he doesn't react.]
[DreyTwo lands a direct hit; Adam does nothing. DreyTwo begins to buffer, he didn't expect this.]
Adam: Oof. ...Go ahead. Let it out of your system. I've been hit with... way worse.
[DreyTwo stops. He looks around. His team has willingly left him. He is all alone.]
Adam: I'm sorry. But, I can help you if--
DreyTwo: Not again. [The Chi-Yu smoke surges so thick, his sihlouette is lost entirely in it.] NEVER. AGAIN.
Adam: ...I see. Then I concede defeat. In accordance with your game, this is yours. [Adam laid $20 on the ground in front of DreyTwo.]
[DreyTwo takes it. He doesn't know how to react. He runs out of the chamber, black smoke trailing him.]
[A small, folded paper falls out of his pocket.]
[Adam waits for a minute before rising to his feet and examining the paper.]
[It's a drawing of the Azure Flute. Below it, is the words "Last Resort" scribbled in dark ink.]
