Vex

The prize money was substantial—enough to fund a month of luxury and then some. I stuffed the thick wad of cash into my jacket, the bills still warm from the organizer's sweaty palm. The crowd had parted for me like I was royalty, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe and perverse curiosity. I had given them a show they would never forget.

I wasn't still sure whether I should return or not. There was a real chance of damaging my toys too badly. Plus... I kinda enjoyed doing this shit out in the open as well.

The night air outside was a relief after the stifling basement, but Celadon's underbelly was still a dangerous place. I took a shortcut through a narrow alley, the walls slick with grime and the stench of decay. I was halfway through when I felt it—a presence, a shift in the shadows. My hand went to my belt, but I was too slow.

A figure dropped from the fire escape above, landing silently in front of me. She was a vision of lethal beauty, the kind that could make a man stupid. Her hair was a wild mane of crimson, cut short and spiky, framing a face that was all sharp angles and cold, calculating eyes. She wore a skin-tight black combat suit that left nothing to the imagination, the material clinging to every curve of her athletic body. Her breasts were high and firm, her waist narrow, her hips flaring into powerful, toned legs. A scar ran from her left eyebrow to her cheekbone, a flaw that only made her more dangerously attractive.

She moved with a speed that was breathtaking. One moment she was a silhouette in the dark, the next she was on me. Her hand, a blur of motion, shot out and snatched one of the empty pokéballs from my belt. Before I could even react, she delivered a sharp, precise kick to my solar plexus. The air rushed from my lungs in a pained whoosh, and I stumbled back, gasping for breath.

"Don't move," she said, her voice a husky purr that sent a chill down my spine. She twirled the stolen ball between her fingers, her eyes gleaming with a predatory light. "I've been watching you, Alex. Your little catches. Very impressive."

I straightened up, my lungs burning, my anger warring with a grudging respect for her skill. "Who are you?"

"Name's Vex," she said, a slow, predatory smile spreading across her lips. "I'm a problem solver. And I think you'll solve many of them." She held up the empty pokéball. "I want to know how you make them. How you modify them to catch people."

"And why would I tell you that?"

Her smile widened, becoming something almost feral. "Because I have a list. A long, long list of men who... annoy me. Men who've underestimated me. Men who take their position as granted." She took a step closer, her hips swaying with a hypnotic rhythm. "I dream about catching them, Alex. About making them my pets. About making them kneel. About making them lick my pussy until I get bored of them. I want to build a harem of broken, obedient men. And you're going to give me the key."

She was close now, close enough that I could smell her—sweat, gunpowder, and a faint, intoxicating perfume. "Tell me," she commanded, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Or I'll break every bone in your body until you do."

I laughed. It was a low, genuine sound of amusement. "You think it's that simple?"

"Try me," she hissed.

"Fine," I said, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "The secret is in the frequency modulator. You have to recalibrate the—"

She leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with avarice. That was her mistake. In that moment of overconfidence, I moved. My hand shot up, grabbing her wrist and twisting it. The stolen pokéball clattered to the ground. She was fast, though—she brought her knee up, aiming for my balls, but I sidestepped and shoved her backwards.

She stumbled, but recovered quickly, her body a coiled spring of lethal grace. She lunged for the fallen ball. "Let's see if it works on you," she snarled, and threw it.

The ball sailed through the air, a perfect throw. It struck me square in the chest. There was a flash of red light, a familiar snap of energy. The ball fell to the ground, wobbled once, and then... nothing. It rolled away, inert.

Vex stared at it, her face a mask of confusion. "What... what the fuck?"

I smiled, a slow, predatory expression. "Did you really think I'd be stupid enough to make myself ****? I've been modifying my own bio-signature for months. I'm immune. The balls don't work on me."

Her eyes widened. "You... you planned for this?"

"I plan for everything," I said, and I threw my own pokéball.

She was still frozen in shock, her mind trying to process what had just happened. The ball hit her in the stomach. The flash of red light was instantaneous, engulfing her sleek, combat-suited form. Her body dissolved into energy, her scream of rage and disbelief cut off mid-cry. The ball hit the ground, wobbled violently, and then stilled with a triumphant ding.

I walked over and picked it up. It was warm, vibrating with her captured fury. I could feel her inside, screaming, pounding against the walls of her new prison. I laughed, a low, triumphant sound that echoed in the filthy alley.

"Welcome to the team, Vex," I whispered to the ball. "As for your list of men, don't worry. The only one you need... is me. I think you're going to fit right in."

I tucked her ball into my belt, alongside Chloe's and Silvana's. Three trophies. Three weapons. Three beautiful pets that belonged to me.