The city's energy was a different beast in the waning evening light. The frantic pulse of the workday was fading, replaced by a more leisurely, exploratory hum. Most people were done with work or school at this point in the day. Adults headed to restaurants and bars, or the bright promise of neon-lit entertainment districts. Children went to playgrounds or sports fields to get out their lasts bursts of energy before bed. Teenagers went home to study or went out to alleyways holding hidden parties only they knew about.
Raichu, levitating just behind Eliana's shoulder, was a constant spark of static against her neck, her ears twitching at every passing shadow and distant siren. She was in her element, a coiled spring of urban aggression. Anyone that passed by too close got a subtle spark or mental push to stay away. Since the day Raichu had been caught, Eliana had managed to somewhat quell the mouse's murderous tendencies. At least enough for the Pokémon to be able to exist in public without attacking someone.
She navigated the streets not with a map, but with an intuitive pull, following the currents of thought that centered around wealth, technology, and power. Even though Eliana had never been to Silph Co., it wasn't hard to find the tallest building in the city. She ignored the obvious distractions: the glittering storefronts of the commercial district, the boisterous crowds spilling out of a stadium where some minor Pokémon tournament was concluding. She was hunting for something more interesting.
As they moved deeper into the financial district, the architecture grew more imposing. Eliana found a spot across the street from the main entrance, a small plaza with a concrete bench partially hidden behind a large, abstract sculpture. From here, she could watch the flow of people in and out of the building. As well as looking into the bottom floors, seriously the large windows made up the vast majority of the walls.
Eliana looked up with disbelief as Raichu floated around her,
Raichu stared at her before pointing out that someone powerful lived in this city, they had even attacked her trainer earlier.
Eliana considered her Pokémon's words,
She settled onto the bench, leaning back as if she were just another teenager killing time. Raichu hopped onto the back of the bench, her nose twitching as she caught the scent of one of the May food stands around. Eliana skimmed minds, a light, effortless touch. The thoughts were a dull wash of corporate anxiety.
*...deadline for the Q3 projections is insane...*
*...did Margaret get the promotion? I swear, if she did...*
*...need to pick up dry cleaning on the way home...*
It was tedious and nothing fun for her to get involved in. Then, a flicker of something different. A spike of fear, quickly suppressed. Eliana locked onto it to find a man in a crisp, gray suit, maybe in his late forties, was walking briskly towards the entrance. To an observer, he looked like any other mid-level executive on a mission. But Eliana could feel the frantic thrumming of his mind beneath the polished surface.
*...can't believe he found out... stupid, so stupid... just have to get through the door, delete the server logs...*
The man briskly walked into the tall building. Eliana perked up at that, decidedly putting a passive control over the man so she could keep track of him regardless of where he went. Silph Co. was much to advanced, even with the man backing her up there was no way she'd be let in there.
So instead Eliana waited, playing a small game on her PokéNav as Raichu took a nap beside her, her tail draped over the back of the bench. She kept small tabs on the man, finding out his name to be Mr. Kim, had messed up big time. Apparently he was supposed to download a file to be transferred to Team Rocket, wow these guys were everywhere, but didn't remove all the evidence. A coworker had happened upon it and reported to the higher ups. Eliana didn't know what Mr. Kim was doing considering he had already been found out but she'd be waiting to see what happened to him anyways.
After a few hours the sun had set and the city was cast in the neon glow of its nightlife. The same man that had gone into the building hours ago stumbled out, looking pale and disheveled. Mr. Kim kept fumbling with his tie, a sheen of sweat on his brow even in the cool evening air. He looked around nervously before taking off down a side street, away from the main roads. Eliana searched after him to find that a group of people were surrounding him. Eliana smiled, this was exactly what she had been waiting for.
The electric mouse's ears twitched and she was instantly alert. A crackle of yellow energy began dancing around her cheeks as she asked her trainer if there was trouble.
They followed the man at a leisurely distance, letting Raichu's psychic surf carry them silently through the shadows. Mr. Kim's panic was a beacon, leading them away from the bright lights and into the city's forgotten arteries. The buildings grew older, smaller, the streets narrower. And the group of people following him slowly got closer. Eliana believed that it was Team Rocket coming to tie up lose ends, those people truly work fast.