Pokémon Of Sand and Shadows

[HelloYellow17]

Summary:


Desperate to escape the lawless region of Orre, an ex-criminal named Wes attempts to leave both the desert and his past behind for good. Not all goes to plan, however, and soon he is caught in the middle of a dark and sinister plan that stirs quietly from the shadows.

Whispers of savage Pokemon, ruthless warlords, and a terrifying organization known as Cipher are rising from the sands, and Wes soon finds himself fighting to save the very region he was trying to forsake.

But demons from the past are cruel, and fighting corruption comes at a heavy price that not all are willing to pay.


Hey, hi, hello! Thanks for swinging by, and welcome to my first fanfic!

I decided to write about one of my favorite Pokémon games of all time, Pokemon Colosseum. I hope you'll enjoy taking this ride with me as I retell this fantastic story. As this is my first attempt at any kind of novelization, helpful feedback and critiques are more than welcome!

Please be advised that this story will have minor swearing, scenes of violence and death, and depictions of both Pokemon and child abuse. If any of these are sensitive topics for you, please use your discretion.


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Spoiler: Notes for reviewers, PLEASE READ

Well! This is LONG overdue. I’m a big advocate of making your feedback preferences known, and yet here I’ve been without anything of the sort on my own fic. 😅

Feedback I would like to receive:
I have previously been very open to ALL critique—and while I still do want to eventually come back and polish up each chapter as much as possible, I’ve decided for the time being that I want to focus on completion of OSAS before anything else.

With that said, here’s a list of feedback I would like, and a list of feedback I would rather not receive at this time.

What I am looking for:
• Point out grammar and spelling errors.
• Point out missing line breaks between scenes
• Tell me what is or isn’t working with a character. Please be as specific as possible and address scenes or chapters where you feel there is room for improvement.
• I’m always open for feedback on battle scenes!
• I love hearing what you like about the story—even better if you tell me why you liked it! Tell me what worked for you as a reader so that I can know to keep doing it! :)
• I love memes. Memes are always welcome.
• Feel free to speculate, theorize, etc! I LOVE seeing what people come up with!
• More in-depth crit for the newest chapters is VERY encouraged, as it is easier to implement moving forward vs crit on early chapters. When in doubt, keep crit on early chapters (chapter 8 or under) on a surface level, then go in-depth with the later ones!
• The more specific the advice, the better.

What I am not looking for:

• Broad, vague strokes on story improvement as a whole. (I.e. general worldbuilding, pacing) These are often not easily fixed, and I don’t want to get hung up on a single chapter or detail before moving forward.

• General story choices. I understand that some of my headcanons or writing choices may not be your cup of tea—and that’s okay! However, I will be sticking with the narrative choices I’ve made, the lore I’ve come up with, capitalizing Pokémon names, etc. Please do not ask me to completely rework my headcanons. Yes, this includes people in Orre mentioning Arceus or using legendaries’ names as curse words, my decision to use Poke-speech like they do in the anime, etc. I don’t plan to change these.

• In a similar vein, please approach the story on its own terms. Maybe I don’t write Pokémon the way you prefer, maybe novelizations aren’t your thing, maybe trainerfic in general isn’t your thing—that’s okay! We all have our own tastes. But if your whole review is just going to be “yeah this whole premise isn’t my cup of tea,” then…I don’t know what to tell you. I can’t do much with reviews like that. You don’t have to like it, but at least give helpful feedback.

• Providing criticism without helpful solutions. Saying “this character doesn’t do it for me” is not helpful feedback. Please tell me why something isn’t appealing to you, and please try to throw out some ideas of how you think it could be better. Simply telling me you dislike something, without elaborating, is not constructive.

• Please don’t mock my writing choices. It’s one thing to laugh or meme off of characters’ ridiculous antics, and another to make negative, passive aggressive comments about the writing. (“Wow what a coincidence x happened” “What a ridiculous thing for that character to say” etc.) If you have an issue with something, just say so directly! I’m totally down to hear you gripe about specifics. I am not down to try to decipher vague comments and figure out if it’s crit or not.

• Last but not least, I’m aware that the pacing isn’t great and that there are a lot of characters introduced all at once. This is honestly a huge hang-up for me currently. If you have specific ideas or suggestions, I would love to hear them! Otherwise, there’s no need to point out the flaws with this. I am painfully aware, I promise. 🤣 I just don’t have any ideas for how to fix it right now, so I’m pushing onward despite that.​

I may add or change this list as the story moves along, but for now, they will stay as is! Thanks for reading this, and I hope it helps with your reviewing experience!

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Spoiler: Editing Changes

• Added extra details to the opening scene​
• Added in the Skarmory chase​
• Extra details in the cellar scene: Novo’s scar​

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Spoiler: Editing Plans (Reviewers please read)

I will be going through each chapter and making note of edits that need to be made that I am already aware of. This is to save reviewers time and energy so that they don’t end up pointing out things I already plan to change! Some chapters will have more notes than others.

Chapter 1 Future edits:

• Skarmory being taken down by a single Psybeam. Ahaha, yeah full disclosure, I forgot Steel resists Psychic when I wrote this. I plan to change it to Novo using Confuse Ray to veer it off-course.

• Missing line breaks. I can’t remember if I fixed all of these or not, but I do plan to go over this and add in line breaks where they are missing…eventually. It’s not a high priority atm, but I am aware that line breaks have been missing in this chapter at some point.

• Some have commented on the abrupt scene change between walking into the diner and Wes’ nightmare. I hear you! As of right now, I don’t have any ideas or plans for addressing this. But if anybody does have specific ideas on how to make this flow better, I am all ears!​

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Chapter 1: Escape​

Some would say that "barren" and "Orre" were the same thing.

It would only take a brief view of the landscape to see why. The desert region sprawled for miles, seemingly without end, with little to no life in sight. The sun blazed down mercilessly on the copper sands as the winds whistled aimlessly across them. The only sign of life was the occasional tumbleweed that rolled lazily on by.

One thing disrupted the flat expanse: a series of cliffs, tucked away from the sands, which formed a narrow canyon. At this canyon's mouth sat a large building—or, at least, something that barely qualified as one. The structure, though massive, almost looked more like a pile of poorly assembled pipes and scrap metal than an actual building. Like its surroundings, this, too, was a quiet and still place, with only the howling canyon winds to break the silence.

It wouldn't be quiet for long.

BOOOOM!

An earth-rending explosion shattered the stillness. Flames burst from a section of the dilapidated building, followed shortly by screams. People in dark uniforms emerged from the blazing building, their faces masks of panic and confusion. Among the chaos, no one seemed to notice one person in particular dashing away from the scene, with two Pokémon sprinting at his side.

"Go, go, GO!" the young man shouted at his companions as he raced for a beat-up motorcycle parked on the desert sand. He sprang nimbly onto the seat, revved the engine, and glanced quickly into the sidecar, where his two partners should have been safely seated—only to find his Umbreon watching him tersely.

He glanced over his shoulder and found his Espeon a few yards away, yipping loudly at the people fleeing the burning building, tail waving triumphantly in the air. He didn't speak Pokémon, but the runaway figured if he did, he would be hearing a choice selection of colorful insults.

"Neo, you idiot-"

"Espi-esp, esp, esp! Es-SPI!?" The Espeon's barks cut short in a yap of surprise as his trainer hauled him off his feet and shoved him under one arm. He sprinted back to the motorcycle and dumped the creature rather unceremoniously into the sidecar next to his brother, ignoring the Pokémon's cries of indignation.

"LEO! I'LL KILL YOU, BOY!"

A terrifying roar of rage sounded from behind the trio, and the trainer turned his head to see his least favorite person in the world: a massive, hulking man with no hair (though he made up for that with an impressive beard and eyebrows), charging straight toward them, his face red and contorted with unfathomable fury. Several others, clad in dark clothing like the rest, flanked him on either side.

Anger and bitter satisfaction alike swelled inside the trainer's chest. He faced his now-former boss with a growl.

"If you're going to threaten me," he said, "call me by my real name." He sneered. "It's Wes, by the way. In case you forgot."

The man roared again, this time too incensed to form any words. He barreled toward the trainer and his Pokémon with a murderous expression, but this wasn't Wes' main cause of concern: a flash of light emerged from a Pokéball at the man's belt and took the shape of a metallic bird. The Pokémon spread its wings, emitted a blood-curdling screech, and took to the sky.

It was time to go.

The motorcycle engine started with a roar, and in one smooth motion, Wes swept astride the motorcycle. He raised his left arm high above his head, sunlight glinting off a strange metal contraption that encased it. Holding a small remote in his hand, he looked his boss dead in the eye, smirked, and pressed the button.

KA-BOOOM!

The second explosion was, if possible, even more impressive than the first, and nearly knocked every bystander off their feet. The giant man's bellows of rage were drowned out by a monstrous roar as the motorcycle kicked into gear. Its rider slammed on the gas and he launched the bike forward, narrowly missing a dive-bomb from the enraged Skarmory, and soon the crowd of people were left in the dust.

Skarmory flew overhead, shrieking horribly as it gave chase. Wes shouted a command to his Pokémon, but he needn't have bothered—his Espeon had already charged up a Psybeam and fired it at his foe.

A metallic clang followed by another agonized screech told Wes that the Psybeam hit its mark. He glanced over his shoulder to see the bird tumbling out of the sky and down to the sands below.

He laughed and let out a whoop of celebration, his companions joining in with triumphant cries, and the trio plowed through the desert until the base and its inhabitants were long out of sight.

——————————————————————————————————

The sun was sinking below the horizon and the temperatures had started to drop by the time their destination came into view: an old, rusty, seemingly abandoned train car. Near the door, a wooden sign swung lazily in the desert breeze. On its face, it read: OUTSKIRT STAND. The crusty thing had been converted into a diner, and though it wasn't much to look at, it was a place Wes was familiar with. Most importantly, it was a place where they would be safe for the night.

He hoped.

The motorcycle puttered to a halt as Wes pulled up to the establishment. Dim lights shone through the train car windows as old Western music hummed from an outdoor speaker. Wes stood and stretched his limbs—speeding through the desert for hours did his joints no favors—as his Pokémon followed suit, leaping nimbly from the vehicle and stretching their lithe bodies.

"All right, who's hungry?" He pushed his mirrored goggles off his face and into his sandy hair, revealing a pair of golden-colored eyes, and grinned at the two Eeveelutions. His Umbreon gave a yip of hearty affirmation. His Espeon, on the other hand, squinted at him, then sniffed airily and turned his head away from his trainer.

"Spi."

Wes heaved a weary sigh. He crouched down in front of his Espeon to be eye level with him despite the fact that the Pokémon was pointedly avoiding his gaze. "Neo. Is this about me manhandling you back there?"

The Pokémon, Neo, irritably flicked his tail in response.

Another sigh. "Look, I'm sorry. But there's a time and a place for gloating over a victory, and doing so while escaping from an exploding building is not it."

Neo flicked his ears back and looked at the ground, looking slightly abashed. "Esp." He then looked back up at his trainer with a small glare. "Espi-esp!"

"I know, I shouldn't have been so rough. I'm sorry, bud, really. How can I make it up to you?" Wes glanced at the Outskirt Stand, then back at his Pokémon with a sly grin. "How about I get you a whole plate of bacon and we call it even. Truce?"

Neo's eyes grew wide and he leaped to his feet. "Es-PI!" He waved his tail excitedly in the air, all injuries to his pride forgotten.

"Bri!" There was a reproachful bark from the Umbreon.

Wes rolled his eyes, but was still grinning despite himself. "Fine, fine, bacon for everybody. Don't get used to it though, you hear? This is a one-time deal."

He wasn't sure if they heard the last line, as they were already bounding excitedly to the entrance of the train car. Wes snorted in exasperated amusement, then followed his companions into the warmth of the diner.

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Muffled cries, the screams of Pokémon, a child sobbing quietly in a corner - images and sounds flickered and blurred together, one coming right after the other as if in a disorganized photo reel.

A flicker, and there was a dark room, in which a child was sobbing over the limp form of a Pokémon's body. He looked up, tear-stained face twisted with anger. "This is YOUR FAULT!" he screamed.

The scene dissolved into darkness, and a man's husky, menacing voice spoke in a snarl. "It's time you learned this lesson, boy."

Another shift, another dark room littered with Pokémon lying ominously still, limbs splayed out in awkward angles—and there was another voice, a kinder voice, accompanied by a sad, tired smile.

"Do good, kid."

He sat bolt upright with a gasp, drenched in sweat and shivering. Breathing heavily, he glanced around the room. It took a moment to remember where he was: Outskirt Stand. The diner cellar. A night's stay in the musty place, where he and his Pokémon would be hidden from prying eyes.

Safe.

"Dammit—" He buried his face in his trembling hands. Again, he thought shakily. Again. When in Arceus' name will they stop?

He felt a gentle nudge at his arm, and raised his head to see his Umbreon looking up at him with wide, concerned eyes. "Umbri?" The markings on his coat glowed softly, gently illuminating the dark, dusty cellar.

Wes forced a feeble smile and placed a hand on the sleek black head. "I'm okay, Novo. Just some more bad dreams, is all." Beside him, Neo stirred and stretched out his legs before relaxing back into sleep with a gentle purr.

Novo, unconvinced, bunted into his arm again with his head. He placed a paw on his trainer's lap, giving him a stern stare.

"I know it'll help, bud, but I've got to be able to sleep on my own sometime." Wes closed his eyes briefly. He was exhausted, and yet returning to sleep would undoubtedly mean more nightmares, more voices, more things he'd rather forget...he opened his eyes again and looked at his Umbreon. "All right...just one more night," he said wearily.

Novo purred in response and brushed his face against Wes' shoulder. The two sat in silence for a moment, Novo leaning into him as Wes stroked the Umbreon's sleek black fur. He paused at Novo's left side, fingers brushing at old scars that he knew were still there, despite the fact that they were nearly invisible under the dark coat.

More memories flashed through Wes' mind, and he couldn't suppress the shiver that followed. Novo, sensing his trainer's distress, chirped and brushed against him again. Wes sighed and finally laid back down in his sleeping bag, closing his eyes. His Umbreon touched his nose to his forehead and purred gently, using Hypnosis.

Just before drifting off to a dreamless sleep, Wes had one last coherent thought.

The sooner we leave this region, the better.

 

[HelloYellow17]

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Spoiler: Editing Changes

• Extra detail: Wes’ knife​
• Edited Willie’s intro scene and removed the battle​
• Mentioned Rui’s height​
• Rui mentions Celebi​
• Small details added about Phenac City​

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Chapter 2: Interference​

Wes was awakened the following morning by the sound of footsteps and chatter from the diner overhead. He sat up, stretched, and was slowly gathering his bearings when a familiar smell wafted to his nose...

Bacon.

He groaned. "Aw, hell—"

"ESPI!"

He was pushed flat on his back as his Espeon leaped at him, eyes wide, tail wagging in excitement. "Espi! Epsi, espi, espi, espi, espi!"

"No, Neo." Wes shoved the Pokémon off of him with a grumble. "I gave you and Novo plenty of bacon last night. One-time deal, remember?"

At the sound of his name and "bacon" being used in the same sentence, the Umbreon lifted his head and yawned. "Umbri?" He pricked his ears forward and gave his trainer a hopeful look.

"I said no, guys." He donned a teal trench coat that fell past his knees and began to pack up his belongings, pausing only to give them a stern look. "Last night was a special treat, but today we have to get on the road as quickly as possible, which means nothing fancy for breakfast. And that's final."

Naturally, not ten minutes later, he found himself sitting across from his Pokémon in the diner, watching them each chow down a fresh plate of bacon.

Despite all his griping, he did relish the opportunity to spoil his partners. Bacon—or any decent food, for that matter—was hard to come by, and therefore was practically a delicacy. Under normal circumstances, he would have had to resort to swiping table scraps for all three of them, but thanks to the cash he'd snatched from the hideout, he could afford to dote on his Pokémon just a little. After yesterday, he figured they deserved it anyway.

The diner was just as shabby on the inside as it was outside. Still, there was a homey feel about the place, peeling wallpaper and rusty metal windows notwithstanding. The smells of various breakfast foods drifted through the air while the signature Western music played quietly in the background. On the wall across from where they sat was a flatscreen TV, arguably the most modern thing about the place. It was showing some old, obscure cartoon that nobody seemed to be watching.

Through the grimy window next to their booth, Wes could see two men laughing and talking amongst themselves, seemingly rejuvenated after a hearty meal. They continued laughing as they entered their vehicle—an old hover truck of some sort. Neo paused from his feast to watch them intently, his ears pricked forward, eyes trained on a large burlap sack that rested in the truck bed. His gaze remained steadfastly fixed on them, and he only returned his attention to his plate after they drove away and out of sight.

Wes, meanwhile, had turned his attention elsewhere. He ate his breakfast quietly while discreetly scanning the occupants of the place. It was relatively empty, with only a middle-aged woman seated up front, dozing quietly in her booth, and a gruff-looking man stretched out at his own booth in the back, face obscured by his cowboy hat. The diner owner could be heard whistling from the kitchen behind the counter at the very front of the train car. No signs of immediate danger, it seemed. Still, he was anxious for them to be on their way.

"Here's the plan," he muttered quietly to his Pokémon. They both looked up at him from empty plates, licking the last remnants of bacon grease from their muzzles. "We'll head to Phenac to stock up on supplies, and head straight to Gateon from there. It'll take us a handful of days, but if we only stop for occasional breaks, we should make it in good time. And then, if all goes well, I can get a passport there and we'll be out of Orre. For good."

Those last two words felt like a breath of fresh air to him. They were so close now, he could almost taste it. Soon, very soon, they would be rid of this disease-ridden, Arceus-forsaken desert, and they would be free.

Neo chirped softly in agreement while his brother nodded, looking resolute. Wes couldn't help but smile softly and give them each a rub behind the ear. He'd never been much for people, but his partners more than made up for that. As far as he was concerned, there was no need for human company when his Pokémon were far and away better than any humans he'd bothered with.

"We bring this breaking news to you live from Eclo Canyon—"

A female reporter's voice blared suddenly from the TV and interrupted his thoughts. He turned his head and felt his chest freeze: raw footage was being displayed on the screen, footage of a familiar metal building, now reduced to shambles and a pile of smoking debris. The diner owner poked his head from the kitchen and, upon seeing the report, grabbed a remote from the counter and cranked up the volume. The woman up front snorted awake at the noise, and soon everyone present was watching intently.

"Reports of an explosion yesterday have led investigators and authorities to this building, which has now officially been confirmed as the home base for Team Snagem. The scene was already abandoned by the time authorities arrived, and no casualties have been confirmed. The cause of the explosion remains unknown.

"Team Snagem is infamous for its involvement in theft, property destruction, and Pokémon trafficking. Authorities have been unsuccessful in shutting down the organization..."

"Hah!"

Wes gave a start as the gruff man from the back barked out a laugh. "Serves 'em right, the rotten thieves! Shoulda blown the whole lot of 'em away!" He rose to his feet and stretched.

"Aye, I'll level with ya there." The owner nodded approvingly as he spoke, and the woman up front gave a disdainful sniff.

"I don't understand how authorities haven't at least made some progress," she said. "Whoever bombed that shack has done more than they have in thirty years!"

Wes turned back to his plate and inhaled deeply, willing his heart to stop racing so fast. He glanced uneasily at the metal sleeve that covered his left arm from his shoulder to his wrist. The existence of Snag Machines—particularly this Snag Machine—was not public knowledge, and his identity was safe for now.

At least, it should be...the bartender knew Wes as a regular, but not well enough to be suspicious. And, worst case scenario...Wes reached under his coat and brushed his fingers against the hilt of the knife he kept strapped to his belt. Well, "knife" was bit of a generous term for the thing—it was an old Skarmory feather that he'd strapped to a makeshift hilt. Not exactly the most conventional blade, but it had served its purpose on more than one occasion just fine.

The feather itself had come from none other than Gonzap's own Skarmory, and as much as Wes hated that bloodthirsty bird, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction at being able to weaponize part of something that had once terrorized him.

Yes...he, Neo and Novo had fought their way out of hell once, and they could fight their way out of this place if they needed to. Although, there was no need to resort to violence if it could be avoided. All he needed to do was get moving as quickly as possible—

"Howdy, stranger!" A hand clapped on his shoulder, and he found himself jumping again. Inwardly cursing, he turned his head to see the man from the back now standing beside him, grinning down at him. "Those are some mighty fine Pokémon ya got there!"

Wes shrugged off the man's hand and eyed him darkly. "Can I help you?" He growled.

The man chuckled and removed his hat, revealing a surprisingly young-looking face and a head of pink hair—pink hair? He offered a hand to the younger trainer. "Name's Willie. Yours?"

He did not shake his hand. "Wes," he answered curtly.

Willie withdrew his hand, though he didn't seem to take any offense from Wes' rudeness. "Mighty fine name. You come to these parts often?"

What did this man want from him? "On occasion," Wes said curtly.

His terse responses must have given Willie a clue, as he stepped back and tipped his hat to him. "Well, pardon me for interruptin' your meal. Was a pleasure meetin' you." He then walked up to the front counter to pay for his meal, then exited the diner.

Wes let out a breath and slowly eased his hold on the knife. He hadn't even realized he'd been gripping it so tightly.

He finished his meal quickly, his senses now on high alert after the newscast. It wouldn't do for them to stay here any longer.

He stepped into the bright sunlight after paying for his meal, then made straight for his motorcycle with Neo and Novo trotting happily on either side. He was halfway there when a shout stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey, stranger! Care for a battle before you go?"

Wes turned his head to see Willie leaning up against the diner, a cigarette in his hand and two Zigzagoon at his feet. The sunlight made his bright pink hair even more shocking to look at, and Wes quietly snorted to himself in disbelief. Pink hair. Unbelievable. Not that he had much of a right to mock strange hair color—his own was such a light, platinum blonde, it was often mistaken for silvery white. Still, at least he could blame genetics instead of poor decisions.

Willie eyed the metal contraption on his arm, but if the stranger thought anything of it, he said nothing. After all, eccentric fashion choices weren't unusual in Orre. The man did, however, squint his eyes a little as he observed the tattoo on Wes' face; a thin white line that went across the bridge of his nose from one cheekbone to the other. Wes was not unused to strange looks at his face, and while stares in general made him uneasy, he'd learned to shrug it off. Still, he sighed a little at the man's scrutinizing look. Speaking of bad decisions...but no, it was better this way. Tattoo or no, he would have been stared at anyway; his choices had been either a nasty scar or this tattoo to cover it up, and he'd chosen the latter.

Wes looked back at the man and shook his head. "No. We have somewhere to be—"

"Aw, don't be like that! We can make it quick." Willie gestured to his Pokémon. "They could really use the training, see."

Novo perked up his ears, and Neo flicked his tail, eyes gleaming with excitement. Wes supposed it had been a while since they'd had a chance to battle—properly, anyway. He figured battling while on the job for Snagem hadn't really counted, considering the main goal had been thievery and not victory.

But—no. He couldn't afford to waste time, not with Snagem at his heels, and especially not after that broadcast. The clock was ticking.

"I said no," Wes said a little more forcefully. "We don't have time for a battle. Sorry."

Willie looked disappointed, but he merely shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, can't be helped, I s'pose. You in a hurry, then?"

"Yes." Wes hopped on his vehicle and turned to face the man as his Pokémon followed behind. He noticed Neo glancing back at the Zigzagoon over his shoulder and walking with a particular swagger, as if attempting to flaunt his superiority to his would-be foes.

Show-off.

Novo remained calm and stoic as ever, faithfully watching his trainer for any commands as he settled next to his brother with a dignified air.

"Do you know the fastest route to Phenac from here?" Wes asked Willie.

"Phenac, eh? You gonna take on the Pre-Gym there? You certainly look tough enough." When Wes didn't reply, he shrugged and pointed the way. "Head that direction and you'll be there by early afternoon. It's mostly a straight shot."

Wes nodded his thanks. He was about to start his motorcycle when a thought occurred to him, and he turned back to the other trainer. "Hey."

"Yeah?" Willie grinned at him again. Such open friendliness from a total stranger. He was far too naive for this place.

"You should be more careful about who you challenge to battle. Your Pokémon are easy targets, and there are still plenty of Snaggers out there." He pulled his goggles over his eyes and gripped the handlebars tightly with gloved hands. "Don't pick fights you have no chance of winning." With that, the motorcycle roared to life and he drove off, leaving a bemused trainer in his wake.

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Phenac City was often referred to as "the jewel of the desert", and it was easy to see why. Laid out in a circular pattern, with the tallest buildings at the northernmost top of the circle, the city gleamed with white stone and crystalline waterfalls flowing along the streets. The desert sun reflected off the sparkling water and white structures, making it blindingly bright to look at.

To Wes, it was a literal eyesore.

Perhaps he simply wasn't used to such pristine buildings and clean streets. His life had consisted of dirt, sweat, and rust, and none of those things seemed to belong in such a perfect place as Phenac. Plus, there was an air of false grandeur about the place that repulsed him, particularly in the way its citizens liked to flaunt Pokémon as symbols of status. Snagem may have shipped stolen Pokémon around like merchandise, but in Wes' opinion, Phenac was hardly any better. He'd preferred to avoid it on his previous missions if he could help it, but today's errands made it a necessary destination.

We won't be here for long, Wes told himself as he and his partners walked to the city gate. Just head to the market, grab supplies, and get back on the road. In and out. Simple.

The desert winds billowed the tails of his blue trench coat behind him as he, Neo, and Novo approached the city gate. Neo swatted playfully at the swaying fabric before bounding ahead to be at the front of the group, where he usually preferred to be.

They had just stepped through the entrance and started their way to the center of town when Wes saw the Espeon stop dead in his tracks. He didn't think much of it and continued walking; random things caught Neo's attention all the time. He did stop, however, when he heard a soft, alarmed chirp behind him. "Spi!"

Wes glanced over his shoulder to see his Espeon standing stiffly, fur on end. He was facing away from his trainer, ears forward, eyes focused on two men in the shadows near the city wall. They were hefting a large burlap sack between them, and were muttering under their breath, glancing about warily.

"Neo?" Wes asked quietly. He approached his Pokémon and knelt beside him, Novo close behind. "What's wrong?"

"Espi." Neo looked at Wes with wide eyes, then back at the men in the shadows. "Esp!"

Wes observed the pair with narrowed eyes. He vaguely recognized the truck parked against the wall and remembered seeing it briefly at the Outskirt Stand. He gave Neo a questioning look. The Espeon continued to stare forward, body rigid, and growled softly.

Perhaps it was obvious, or maybe Wes' personal history had taught him the signs; either way, it was clear to him that these men were not up to anything wholesome, and everything about their demeanor screamed, "shady business."

He got to his feet with a sigh and turned away. "Not our business, bud. We're here to get away from those kinds of people, remember?"

"Es-piiii!" He felt teeth tugging at the hem of his pants and saw Neo gripping the black fabric in his mouth, looking up at him with a pleading expression.

"What's the matter with you?" Wes asked irritably. Since when had his Espeon developed such a strong moral compass? "We can't stop every shady person in town. Leave that to authorities or something. Let's go."

"Bri, umbri." This time Novo chimed in, looking up at his trainer with urgency.

"Both of you, now?" Exasperated, Wes turned one last look at the suspicious men. They had set down the sack and now appeared to be quietly arguing with one another—but they weren't the ones who held his attention this time.

The burlap sack was moving.

"Oh, for Arceus' sake." He ran a hand through his sandy hair and looked down at Neo and Novo. "What, they have a Pokémon or something?" Neo's tail lashed, and Novo flattened his ears against his head. He frowned at them. "Not a Pokémon? Then what...?"

Oh.

He looked at the sack again. Whatever—no, whoever—was in the sack was struggling fiercely, which prompted a bark and a kick from one of the men.

Merciful Arceus, he thought. Kidnappers? In broad daylight? In Phenac City, no less? Even for Orre's standards, it was rather bold. He glanced back at his distressed Pokémon and sighed. They had come here for a pit stop, nothing more. They had a long road ahead, a city to get to, an unforgiving region to leave behind forever. He had absolutely no obligation to interfere in what was clearly a messy situation, especially considering they were in enough hot water as it was.

Let someone else handle it, he thought. Preferably someone who didn't have an entire gang of thugs out for their blood.

"Not our business," Wes said again, and turned away. "Let's go."

He only made it two steps before Neo sprang in front of him, fur bristling, giving his trainer a hard, burning stare. Novo stood cautiously at Wes' side; Wes knew the Umbreon would go along with whatever plan his trainer thought best, especially if it was the safer route. Neo, however, seemed to have his own agenda at the moment.

"Move."

"Esp."

The two glared each other down for a moment, Novo glancing between them. Wes had all but made up his mind to return Neo to his Pokéball when his brother stepped forward, cautiously moving between them, and looked intently into Wes' eyes.

"Oh, for the love of—" Wes turned on his heel and made his way towards the old hover truck, swearing under his breath. "Fine." His every instinct screamed at him to walk away and to never think about those men again, and as much as he wanted to listen, he couldn't bring himself to say no to the pleading stares of his Pokémon. "This is the only time, got it? Don't make me pretend to be some hero."

Neo and Novo chirped and strode eagerly at his heels.

Wes could hear their conversation as he approached. "Wha' do you mean, take a rest? We're almost there!"

"I'm tired, man. An' shouldn't we bunker down till nightfall anyhow? This lil scrap ain't making it easy for us, and I don't want to cause no scene." The second man glared down at the wriggling sack.

"I'll cause a scene!" The first man snarled. His eyes were shielded by his own pair of sunglasses, and some blonde hair could be seen poking out from under his dark beanie. "We're gonna cash in on this haul today, an' I don't care how tired you are! I ain't keeping this extra baggage longer than I have to!"

"Pipe down, Trudly!" his partner hissed. "We can't go around shoutin' our business, someone might hear us—"

"Someone like me, for instance?"

The pair whipped around to find Wes standing a few yards away, arms folded, his companions at his side. The first man, Trudly, addressed him in a low growl.

"Listen, kid, I dunno what you heard, but you best keep to your own business if you know what's good for you."

Wes raised an eyebrow. "Very scary. Consider me intimidated."

Trudly snarled and took a step forward, but his partner reached out an arm and stopped him. "Ain't nothin to see here, stranger. We're just delivery men doin' our route. Now get gone." He glared at Wes through a pair of orange goggles that matched the absurd color of his hair.

"Funny, I don't recall people being a common delivery item," Wes remarked. Both of the men paled. "Would your 'route' happen to include some sort of human trafficking ring?"

The sack wriggled again, and this time muffled shouts could be heard coming from inside. The second man swore vehemently and gave the bag another kick, producing a yelp from their captive. "Damn it all," he spat at Wes, "You just had to stick your nose where it don't belong! We'll make you sorry, boy!"

He stepped forward and summoned his Pokémon in a flash of white light. Two Whismur hopped forward, tensed for battle. Despite their readiness to fight, it was hard to find the pink, rotund things menacing. Wes snorted. "Is that all you got?"

"You cocky little—" The trainer's lip curled, and he bellowed at his Whismur. "UPROAR!"

"Neo, Novo, charge up!" Wes barely had time to give the command before the opposing Pokémon launched their assault. The brothers responded immediately to the veiled phrase, having executed it hundreds of times before.

Neo's forehead jewel gleamed, and a silvery Protect shield formed around him, blocking the Whismurs' attacks completely. Novo, however, braced himself and took the hit - he tumbled backwards, then scrambled back to his feet and howled. Neo's fur bristled and his eyes gleamed as he gained strength from his brother's Helping Hand.

"Neo, Confusion! Novo, Bite!"

They lunged forward. The opposing trainer bellowed commands, and both Whismur hurled themselves at the empowered Espeon. Novo intercepted a Headbutt from one, staggered briefly, then returned a fierce Bite, fangs tearing into the pink Pokémon. The Whismur's battle cries turned to shrieks as the Umbreon flung his opponent and sent it rolling through the dirt. The second Whismur failed to reach Neo before it, too, was sent flying from his Confusion attack.

"Switch!" Wes' voice sounded from behind.

In a synchronized motion, Neo and Novo gracefully moved across the white stones, each one targeting the others' former opponents. The Whismur struggled to their feet as their trainer called for another Uproar. The resulting attack screamed through the air, piercing their foes' ears, but it hardly mattered - the Espeon and Umbreon were already upon them. With a final Bite and Confusion, the Eeveelutions sent their foes tumbling backwards. The Whismur rolled to a stop at their trainer's feet, and this time they didn't get back up.

"HAH?!" Trudly roared in fury at his partner, who stood frozen in shock. "Was that the best you could do against some scrap off the street? You're an embarrassment!"

"You're no better," replied Wes dryly. Neo and Novo trotted triumphantly back to him, and he crouched down to rub their ears. Trudly spat a colorful insult at him in response.

"What do we do, Trudly?" The orange-haired man's eyes were wide with fear as he returned his Pokémon and addressed his partner. "M-maybe we should run—"

"Shut your trap, Folly! Don't throw around my name here! We can't have everybody knowin' who we are!"

"...but you just said my name!"

Trudly blanched. "Aw, hell—"

"What in Arceus' name is going on here?" A female voice drew everyone's attention. A middle-aged woman stood a cautious distance away, watching the scene with frightened eyes. A young man in jogging gear walked up beside her, frowning.

"I'd like to know that myself!" he said.

Wes stood, staring Trudly and Folly in the eyes as he responded to the people behind him. "These guys are kidnappers," he said simply. "And thought they could get away with it."

"What?" The woman cried. "Do you mean—are you sure—oh!" She gasped in horror at the sight of the still wriggling sack.

Folly swore loudly and grabbed Trudly by the arm, hauling him towards the hover truck. "Time to bail, man!" He glowered at Wes, who returned his gaze nonchalantly. "I'll remember you, kid!"

Wes smirked. "Aw, how cute."

The men broke into a sprint and hopped into their truck. The young athlete yelled and started forward, but he only made it a few steps before the truck roared alive and hauled away, plowing recklessly to the city entrance. He turned to Wes in frustration. "We—we have to stop them!"

Wes shook his head. "They'll be long gone by the time we can give chase. No point in that."

"Can you boys help me with this knot?" The woman had rushed to the sack and was frantically pulling at the rope tied around its mouth. The young man sprinted over to help, but Wes hesitated. He had half a mind to walk away right then and there—he'd done his duty, after all—but then decided, more out of curiosity than anything else, that he might as well stay to make sure the victim was all right.

The knot was, in fact, relentlessly tight. Even with two people working at it, it refused to give way. Wes brushed them aside and called for Novo, who stepped forward and gnawed at the rope. Within seconds, the rope was severed, and the woman swooped in to open the sack.

A girl burst out of the sack, gasping great gulps of air. Most of her red hair was pulled up into two pigtails, and the rest of it was drenched in sweat and plastered to her face. In fact, she was almost entirely drenched in sweat—not surprising, as Wes couldn't imagine how hot it must have been inside the stifling burlap.

"Oh, you poor dear!" The woman reached out and pulled the girl's blue and pink jacket from her shoulders in an attempt to cool her off. "Those monsters, how could they do this to you?"

The girl looked around, taking in her surroundings. She seemed incredibly disoriented. "Wh-where—?" She broke off in a coughing fit. The Phenac woman placed an arm around her shoulders and tutted with concern.

"You poor, poor thing—do either of you have water?" She asked Wes and the boy beside him.

Wes shook his head, but the athlete promptly answered, "I do!" He procured a water bottle from his pack, crouched beside them, and handed it over. The girl, still gasping for air, gave him a weak smile and took it from him. She opened it with shaky hands and raised it to her lips.

"You need to take small sips." Wes surprised himself by speaking. What did he care? Why had he bothered to stick around this long? Why hadn't he left already? "You're probably really dehydrated, so don't drink it all at once or you'll make yourself sick."

The girl gave him a shaky nod and did as he advised, sipping carefully from the bottle. Her hands were trembling so badly that the woman beside her reached out and helped keep them steady. "To answer your question, you're in Phenac City, dear," she said kindly. "Would you mind telling us who you are? Perhaps there's someone we can call for you?"

The girl lowered the water bottle and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "My name is Rui," she said, her voice now steadying. "Rui Everlin." She looked between the woman and the boy beside her and smiled at them—a surprisingly genuine one, Wes thought, considering what she had just been through and how badly shaken she was. "Thank Celebi you were here to help me...I don't know how to repay you!"

Celebi? Wes frowned a little. He'd scarcely ever heard people swear by that name. He noticed the woman and the boy beside him exchange surprised looks, and wondered if they were thinking the same thing as him: She's not one of those crazy believers, is she?

The athlete simply shrugged. "Well, we didn't do much," he admitted as he turned back to the girl. He gestured to Wes. "He's the one who did all the work and chased those thugs off. It was real impressive, too, you should have seen it!" He gave Wes a look of shining admiration, which made him feel rather uncomfortable.

The girl named Rui looked up at him with shockingly bright blue eyes. She beamed at him with radiant gratitude. "Thank you—thank you so much! And you are?"

Wes paused. Giving out his name to perfect strangers was not on his list of things he wanted to do today—but then again, rescuing a kidnapping victim hadn't made it on that list, either. "Wes," he said shortly. He didn't offer his full name and was grateful when she didn't ask for one.

"I'm Dash," said the young man. He and the woman helped the girl to her feet, and Wes couldn't help but note how short she was—her head barely reached his shoulders, if that. No wonder she got kidnapped. Easy target, I suppose.

"And you can call me Marla, dear," said the lady kindly. "But enough about that—we need to get you taken care of. Who can we call for you? Perhaps we can help you get back to wherever you're from? Oh, we ought to get you to a hospital!"

"No, no, I don't need a hospital, really!" Rui said. "If—if I can get to a Pokémon Center, I can—wait!" She stopped abruptly and her eyes widened as if she'd just remembered something. She turned to Wes with an urgent expression on her face. "Those men you battled—did they have an unusual Pokémon?"

Wes eyed her warily. Unusual Pokémon? Perhaps the heat had disoriented her? "No." He shook his head.

Dash frowned and nodded. "They looked like ordinary Whismur to me..."

"You didn't see a Makuhita?" She looked between the three of them. Wes shook his head again. "Oh..." the girl's face fell and she looked deeply troubled.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about those—those—thugs any longer, dear," Marla fussed. "Let's get you taken to a Pokémon Center and—"

"No, wait!" The girl's face was urgent. "I need...I need to speak with the mayor!"

"The mayor?" asked Dash. He gave her a baffled look. "Why the mayor?"

"Those men grabbed me because I saw something," said Rui. "They had a Makuhita and there was something really...really wrong with it. I need to report this to the mayor so somebody knows about it!"

Marla frowned at her. "I'm not sure what the mayor can do if those people have left town already..."

"They were heading here for something!" Rui said emphatically. Her eyes were wide and pleading. "I think they might come back, and I'm really worried about what they plan to do with that Pokémon!"

Mew above, she's sure passionate, thought Wes. She was awfully fired up and upset, all for a Pokémon she didn't even know. What is wrong with this girl?

"The Center is close to the mayor's house," offered Dash. "We can take you there after we take you to the mayor, I guess...?"

"Oh, would you? I don't know this city well, so that would be really helpful!" Rui beamed at the athlete.

"But you ought to take this young man with you!" Marla gestured to Wes. "If those criminals are coming back, you ought to have someone with strong Pokémon."

"No," Wes said shortly. "I have places to be." He'd taken far too many detours today already.

Marla gave him a pleading look. "Oh, but if those men come back for her...I don't have my own Pokémon, you see, or I would take her..."

Dash rubbed the back of his head. "W-well, I do have my Castform," he said. "He's not a battler, exactly, but...maybe..."

They all looked at him hopefully. Even Neo was looking up at his trainer with pleading eyes. Traitor, thought Wes sourly. Do you want to get to Gateon or not?

A low, harsh, eerily familiar voice rang inside Wes' head. Sticking your neck out for people is what gets you killed, it snarled. Don't be a fool, boy.

Right. He didn't have time for this.

But then he noticed Novo, practical though he was, shift uncomfortably and look up at him. Never once had his Pokémon led him astray. For all the survival instincts Wes' upbringing had drilled into him, he would always trust his Pokémon, his family, more than anything else.

Wes was done in. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long-suffering sigh. "Fine."

Neo chirrupped happily and Marla beamed at him approvingly. "You're such a kind gentleman!"

I'm definitely not.

"Oh, thank you, thank you so much!" Rui bounded up to him, and for one terrifying second he thought she might hug him. Don't touch me. He was immensely relieved that she didn't.

"That's really generous of you, man," said Dash. He looked relieved. "Maybe we can all go together—"

"No." Arceus forbid Wes get saddled with more unnecessary distractions today. He quickly thought of an excuse. "You two should go to the Town Hall and report this incident. Make sure authorities know about what happened." Not that it will do much, he thought to himself. The only "authorities" in Phenac City were the staff at the Town Hall, and they could do little more than raise awareness and alert the citizens.

Dash nodded. "Alright, good plan."

He and Marla said their goodbyes. Dash left his water bottle with Rui, claiming she needed it more than he did and that he had plenty more where it came from. Rui thanked him and Marla generously for their help, and the two set off in the direction of Town Hall.

Rui turned to Wes with a bright smile. "I'll let you lead the way, then!"

Her bubbly demeanor absolutely baffled him. What kind of person could smile so easily after being kidnapped, for crying out loud? Wes shook his head slightly and sighed again—he'd been doing that an awful lot today, it seemed. "It's this way. Let's go." He didn't even wait for her to respond before setting off in the direction of the mayor's house, Neo and Novo trotting faithfully in tow.

It was already looking to be a long day.

 

[HelloYellow17]

​

Spoiler: Editing Changes

• More mentions of Rui’s height (she smol)​
• Tweaked conversation about Rui’s Pokeball errand​
• Extra details about Phenac and the Pokémon in it​
• Tweaked dinner conversation​

Chapter 3: Change of Plans​

Sunlight streamed down on the whitewashed streets and sparkling fountains, and there was no respite from the blinding brightness and burning heat as Wes and his Pokémon walked with Rui to the mayor's home. The girl certainly noticed this, as she commented for what must have been the fourth time on how beautiful the city was.

"I haven't been to Phenac in a long time, but it's even more beautiful than I remember!" she said in awe. "It's so lovely!"

Wes shot her a look—or tried to, but ended up looking over her head. He had to drop his gaze significantly to actually make eye contact. Arceus, this girl was small. Just how old was she, anyway?

"Not for years," she said. She still wore a small smile on her face as she talked. "I was just a kid the last time I was here." Her attention shifted to the Eeveelutions striding at Wes' side. "What are their names?" she asked lightly.

"The Espeon is Neo, and the Umbreon is Novo," he said. She already knew his name, so he figured the names of his Pokémon were inconsequential information to give out at this point.

"They're beautiful Pokémon!" Rui exclaimed, admiring Novo's sleek black coat. Neo looked over his shoulder and chirped happily at the compliment. He was always pleased to be acknowledged.

Wes felt a prickle of unease at her comment. He was painfully aware of Neo and Novo's rare species being capable of drawing attention. Fortunately, in a place like Phenac, rare Pokémon weren't an unusual sight; Wes had seen plenty of Pokémon in his days at Snagem, but even he couldn't identify half the Pokémon trotting at their trainers' heels in this city.

Not that showing off had ever been Wes' motivator for keeping his Pokémon out. Neo and Novo were security, an extra set of eyes, and even though Wes hated the awed looks they received from passersby, it was a necessary precaution with Snagem on his tail.

Neo strayed to a nearby waterfall and swiped a paw through the water before bounding playfully back to Novo, who greeted him with an affectionate headbutt. Rui giggled and looked back up at Wes. "So...Wes, was it? Where are you from?

"Nowhere, really."

"Oh? Did you move around a lot?"

"...yeah."

"That's so fascinating! I've only ever lived in the same town my whole life, so I haven't been to many places."

Obviously, Wes thought dryly.

"So was there a reason for you moving so much? Was it for your parents' work?" Those blue eyes sparkled excitedly as she talked to him.

Too many questions. Nervousness flitted about in his chest. She was entirely too curious, and every question was making him feel more and more threatened.

The familiar, growly voice rang in his head again. The best lies are half-truths, boy.

"I sort of...grew up on the streets, actually," he answered hesitantly.

Rui's eyes widened and the brightness vanished from her eyes. "Oh." She dropped her gaze to the ground. "Oh. I'm...I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

An awkward pause. Taking advantage of the silence to divert the attention away from himself, Wes curtly asked, "And you?"

"Oh, I'm from Agate Village!" She looked up at him again, appearing relieved to be talking about something else. "It's absolutely beautiful there—have you ever been?"

"No."

"Well, you should definitely visit sometime. It's completely different from anywhere else in Orre!"

How would you know?

He was momentarily saved from the agonizing small talk as they rounded a corner and the marketplace came into view. The place was crowded with people and Pokémon alike, dotted with vibrant colors of foreign Pokémon and their trainers. Open-air shops under white canopies lined both sides of the street and offered a wide variety of products that could be found nowhere else in Orre: fresh fruit, imported goods, and a wide variety of fabrics, amongst other things. Vendors, citizens and tourists alike bustled from one booth to the next, and the air was buzzing with snippets of conversation here and there.

"Aguav berries! Hondew berries! Come and get your exotic berries here!"

"How much for this bag?"

"Forty Poké? That's entirely too much, I won't go above thirty!"

"...Wow," Rui breathed in amazement. She quietly soaked in the scene for a moment as they walked, and Wes huffed a sigh of gratitude for the reprieve. It didn't last long, however, because soon she was tugging on Wes' sleeve. "Hey, do you think they'll have Pokéballs here?"

Wes frowned at her. Pokéballs? This girl was just getting weirder and weirder by the minute. "Phenac doesn't sell Pokéballs anywhere."

Rui sighed in disappointment. "They didn't have them in Pyrite, either...oh!" She gasped and was momentarily distracted by a woman who swept past with a sleek, purple-coated feline at her heels. "I've never seen that Pokémon before!"

Wes, however, was still fixated on the first half of her statement. "Pyrite?" he asked in disbelief. He glanced at her outfit: she wore a frilly pink and blue jacket over a dark purple tank top, a white pencil skirt, and pink rubber boots. He had a hard time picturing this girl, neatly dressed and put together as she was, wandering the ragged streets of Pyrite. Not to mention that her bubbly disposition would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Yeah." Rui clasped her hands behind her back and kicked idly at a pebble as they walked. "That's where I was when those two thugs..." She trailed off, a troubled expression overtaking her face.

"That's where you got kidnapped," finished Wes bluntly. That didn't surprise him in the least. Pyrite was not known for its upstanding citizens, after all.

Rui nodded, her gaze still fixed on the sidewalk.

"So, let me get this straight. You're not a trainer. Yet you left your hometown and wandered to Pyrite Town, of all places, to look for Pokéballs...in a region that doesn't have wild Pokémon."

Rui gave a weak laugh and looked at Wes with a wan smile. "Well, when you put it like that, it sounds pretty dumb. But that's the truth, I promise."

"Well, what in Mew's name do you need Pokéballs for?"

"It's for my grandpa," she said. "He's a former Ace trainer, and he's been teaching some of the kids in our village about becoming trainers."

"Pokéballs are useless if there aren't Pokémon to catch them with," said Wes dryly.

"Well, you see, Papi—my grandpa—he's hopeful!" Some of the brightness had returned to Rui's eyes. "There have been rumors of wild Pokémon sightings around the area up north, so he thinks they might be migrating back into the region!"

"First of all, those are just rumors. Second, are you telling me he sent you to get Pokéballs instead of going himself?"

Rui pursed her lips. "W-well. Not exactly."

"'Not exactly?' The hell does that mean?"

She averted his gaze. "I did volunteer to go, but...Papi wouldn't have it. He said it was too dangerous. But he's not exactly young and spry, no matter how much he might think he is, and it had me worried...besides, I'd been wanting an excuse to see the world outside Agate anyway, but no matter what I said, he wouldn't listen, and—" She stopped short, as if to catch herself from rambling, then scowled. "So I just went anyway," she said flatly.

Wes had no idea how to respond to that. Sure, she'd been stupid and reckless to take off like that, but a small part of him respected her resolve, nonetheless.

"Well," he said after an awkward pause, "how do you like the rest of Orre, then?"

Almost immediately a voice screamed at him inside his head. She just got kidnapped, idiot! What kind of a question is that?

But Rui didn't seem to take offense. She shot him an incredulous look, then burst out laughing.

Dumbfounded, Wes could only keep walking as she followed, her laughter continuing for a few minutes until, at last, she was forced to catch her breath between giggles.

"Oh, dear Mew," she gasped, "thank you for that. I really needed the laugh."

Well. He hadn't been trying to be funny, but rather than tell her that, he rolled with it. "...Yeah. No problem."

Rui wiped tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. "I know I'm an idiot for doing what I did, but thanks for not making me feel like one."

He bit back a snort. Well, at least she was aware that she had been stupid...

He was saved from having to come up with a reply as the mayor's home finally came into view. He nudged Rui with his elbow and nodded, and they made their way up the wide stone steps.

True to the atmosphere of Phenac City, the mayor's house held nothing back in terms of extravagance. While not incredibly large in terms of height, it made up for that by sprawling impressively in either direction, showcasing large, gleaming windows and ornate carvings all over the exterior. The front steps led to a wide porch lined with bright white pillars, and the blue double-doors were a sight to behold. Even if Wes hadn't known this to be the mayor's home, it would have been easy to guess.

Of course, the bright banner that stretched across the pillars and read "MAYOR ES-CADE WELCOMES YOU!" was also a slight giveaway.

Rui looked the building up and down with awe. "Are you sure we can just...knock?" she asked in almost a whisper. Wes merely shrugged. He'd never bothered to visit this place himself.

Rui seemed to take this as a yes, as she stepped forward and knocked boldly on the metal doors. Apparently, her recent ordeal hadn't done much to diminish her enthusiasm.

After a brief pause, the doors creaked open and a tall, crisply dressed man with fiery red hair stood before them. He looked down at them with a penetrating gaze. "What is your business?"

"We wish to speak to the mayor, please," said Rui. She met his eyes evenly despite the man's intimidating presence. "It's urgent."

Wes half expected them to be turned away, but the man simply nodded. He eyed the Umbreon and Espeon at Wes' feet. "No Pokémon indoors here. Security policy." Wes begrudgingly returned his companions to their Pokéballs, and they were escorted through the doors.

The cool air inside was a welcome relief from the relentless desert heat. A sparkling crystal chandelier greeted them from overhead, sending multicolored glints of light off the pristine marble walls. A massive flatscreen TV was mounted above a fireplace to their left, and to their right was a handful of plush couches. Straight ahead was a sleek wooden desk, at which sat the mayor of Phenac.

Wes had never seen the mayor personally before, and quickly surmised that he hadn't missed out on much. The man was short—very short—and, like his house, made up for it in terms of width. He was as round as a Jigglypuff, with a puffy mustache and bushy eyebrows to match. His head, though mostly bald, sported two large tufts of gray hair on each side.

"Welcome, welcome!" boomed the mayor. He beamed at them through beady eyes that seemed as though they were stuck in a perpetual squint.

Rui stepped forward and gave a small, polite bow. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Mayor."

"Oh, please, call me Es-Cade, my dear!" The man chortled. He rose from his seat and walked around to the front of his desk, gesturing them to the couches. "Please, sit! I insist."

Rui did as requested and took a seat. Wes would have much preferred to stand, but upon seeing the mayor's inquisitive look, he sat with a quiet sigh.

"Eldes, would you please fetch our guests some tea?" Es-Cade pleasantly addressed the red-haired man that stood stoically by the front doors. The man gave a curt nod and strode through an exit at the back of the room.

"Now, what do they call you, my dear?" The portly man turned back to Rui.

"I'm Rui, sir. Rui Everlin."

"I see!" Es-Cade said. He looked at Wes. "And you, my good man?"

"Wes." The mayor continued to look at him, as if expecting more, so he sighed. "Wesley Lycas."

"Excellent!" He beamed again. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting you both?"

Rui hesitated. Wes gave her a pointed look. This was your idea, not mine. She cleared her throat. "Well, you see, Mr...Es-Cade, it's not exactly good news."

Es-Cade's smile faded to a concerned frown. His bushy eyebrows knotted together. "Oh?"

Rui shifted nervously before continuing. "You see, sir, I'm here to report an incident. I was brought to this city because...because I was kidnapped."

"Good heavens!" The mayor's eyes widened as far as his beady face would allow. "Are you quite alright?"

"Yes, I am, thanks to Wes," Rui gave the rogue trainer a grateful smile before turning back to Es-Cade. "But...that's not the whole reason I'm here."

She paused and looked at the floor, as if trying to find the words to continue. "You see, sir, I know this will sound strange and you might not believe me, but...I was born with a gift. That gift allows me to see the auras of people and Pokémon."

Es-Cade's eyebrows shot up an inch or two, and Wes didn't even bother to mask his disbelief as he stared at her. Auras? That did it. Not only had he happened to rescue the most clueless girl in all of Orre, she was also certifiably insane.

"Well, I won't pretend that this isn't...very hard to believe, my dear," said the mayor after a pregnant pause. "Are you certain about this...this gift of yours?"

Rui nodded, her face resolute. "I've had this gift for as long as I can remember, sir. I've always been able to see aura."

"Very well," he mused. He raised a meaty hand and rubbed his chin. "Go on."

"Well, I was traveling through Pyrite when I saw these two men. One of them had a Makuhita and was battling another trainer. I don't know how to explain it, but...there was something wrong with that Pokémon. Its aura was...dark. I'd even say it was evil." She shivered. Her face was solemn and fearful as she recalled the memory.

"And you've never seen this, erm, aura before?" Es-Cade asked.

Rui shook her head. "No, sir, never. I've seen auras of many different kinds, but not like that."

"Could it be, perhaps, that you've never encountered an aggressive Pokémon?"

"With all due respect, Mr. Mayor, I've seen aggressive Pokémon before." Rui's voice took on a stern tone as she raised her head and looked Es-Cade in the eyes. "This Makuhita was something completely different. And the way it battled was...horrible. It really looked like it wanted to kill the other Pokémon."

Wes sat back in his seat, absorbing all this new information. This girl was clearly sheltered—that had been obvious from the beginning. He, unfortunately, had seen Pokémon kill on command more than once. While not every Pokémon was willing to kill, there were plenty more that were either eager enough or desperate enough to do so. It was certainly not unheard of, and something that was all too common in Orre's crime rings.

He wondered if the mayor was thinking the same thing, as the man had a skeptical expression on his face as he listened to Rui's story. "You do know that Pokémon can and do sometimes kill other Pokémon, my dear?" he asked gently.

"I know that!" Rui said in frustration. "I do! But they only do so if commanded, right? Well, this Makuhita was on a rampage and was acting of its own accord—its trainer couldn't even stop it!"

"I see, I see," Es-Cade backed down slightly upon seeing her frustration. "That is very concerning, Miss Everlin. I can assure you that I will assign some of my staff to look into the matter—although, if this Pokémon is in Pyrite, there's only so much I can do."

"I...I understand," Rui sighed. She relaxed a little and slumped back in her seat.

Es-Cade seemed to notice her disappointment. "Do you perhaps have a description of the criminals?" he asked kindly. "I can also try to put out a search for them, and see what we can come up with—ah!" His eyes brightened as the doorman reentered the room with a tray of tea. "Perfect timing, my good man! Thank you kindly!"

The man said nothing, only depositing the tray on the coffee table in front of them before resuming his post by the doors.

Wes didn't trust drinks from strangers, so he quietly declined his tea. Rui and Es-Cade sipped theirs as she gave him a description of the two men. Wes only spoke up to give their names and a description of their other Pokémon he'd seen. He noticed the mayor raise his eyebrows as he spoke of the two Whismur; the odd fact that Wes hadn't seen a Makuhita was not lost on him, apparently, and it likely contributed to his doubt. The man said nothing of it, however.

Once Rui had given all the information they knew, the mayor kindly thanked them for their visit and personally showed them out the door with a smile, promising her that he would look into the case at once.

As the doors shut behind them, Wes couldn't help but feel that they had just wasted a massive amount of time. Rui must have sensed this, too, because he noticed she was staring at the ground with slumped shoulders as they walked to the Pokémon Center.

He released Neo and Novo from their Pokéballs. They both stretched and gleefully bounced around Wes' feet, happy to be outside again.

Rui brightened a little at the sight of the Pokémon. She giggled as Neo brushed playfully up against her legs, then looked up at Wes with a sheepish expression. "You probably think I'm crazy, huh?"

Wes shrugged. "Maybe a little." No point in sugar-coating things.

"Well, you don't have to believe me, but I promise I'm telling the truth." Rui glanced at the Eons walking ahead of them. "For example, I can tell by your Pokémons' auras that they are happy and well cared for. They really love and trust you...and it's part of the reason I knew I'd be safe walking with you." She grinned at him.

Wes decided it wasn't worth pointing out that she could have deduced this from Neo and Novo's evolutions—Espeon and Umbreon only got their evolutions from bonding with their trainer, after all. Instead, he shrugged again and said, "It makes no difference to me. You saw something and reported it, and now you can move on."

Rui bit her lip, but said nothing. Whatever she'd seen in Pyrite—or whatever she thought she'd seen—was obviously weighing heavily on her, and their fruitless meeting with the mayor had done little to help with that.

Not my problem, Wes told himself. He'd done more than enough for this random girl today, and wasn't about to take it upon himself to cheer her up. He wouldn't even know where to start, anyway.

Wes was about to head in the direction of the Center when he noticed Rui stop short. What now? He followed her alarmed gaze to what she was staring at and suddenly he, too, stopped walking.

Someone was heading their way. Whoever this person was, they were massively tall, dwarfing every other passerby on the street. Wes saw the long, flowing silver hair and initially thought it was a woman, but as the stranger came closer it was apparent by the square jaw and bulging, muscular figure that it was a man. But the hair was not what kept his attention; there was something visibly wrong with him.

He exuded an air of cold, crisp, precise cruelty as he walked. Wes had seen his share of men drunk with power who thought they had it all—but this man knew he was in charge, and was keenly aware of his own authority. The stranger passed them on the sidewalk, but not before turning his head to glance at them. Wes met the man's eyes for just a second, and felt a chill trickle down his spine; his eyes were red as blood.

A cruel smirk played across the stranger's lips before he turned away and breezed past them in the direction they came from, head held high, eyes straight ahead.

Wes felt Rui step close to him. He noticed she was shivering. "He was...scary," she whispered.

Wes couldn't help but nod in agreement. He was immensely grateful that such a person was only a stranger and nothing more. He had a feeling he would never want to tangle with that man.

He shook his head and rolled the uneasiness from his shoulders. "Center's just up ahead," he said to Rui. "Let's get inside." She nodded nervously, and the two set off for the wide white steps leading to their destination.

The Phenac Pokémon Center was an impressive sight, even to Wes. He had only been here a handful of times, and he was always just as amazed each time as he was upon his first visit. His negative impression of Phenac and its population aside, he had to admit: they knew how to treat their Pokémon.

The building was a large dome with white gleaming walls and a sparkling glass ceiling. At the back of the room, straight ahead from the entrance, was a marble counter in front of a healing machine and a crisply dressed nurse who chimed a cheerful greeting as they walked through the doors.

To the right, a luxurious lounge for trainers held a TV, plush couches, a small snack bar, and ornate bookshelves adorned with all kinds of literature. A row of video-call booths lined the wall near the shelves.

To the left was an enclosed, glass-walled play area for Pokémon. Wes knew from previous visits that the play area extended through a door in the wall to a larger, fenced-in outdoor area. He'd never used it himself, though—the thought of leaving his Pokémon in someone else's hands was mortifying to him.

"Welcome!" The nurse smiled at them from her place behind the counter. "How may I help you today?"

Rui stepped forward, hands clasped behind her back as she addressed the nurse. "Y-yes, um, could I use your video phones?"

"Absolutely! Right this way, I'll get you started..."

The nurse escorted Rui to the phones and Wes wandered over to the couches to sit and wait. Novo followed, looking around with great interest; he, too, always appeared to be impressed with the place whenever they visited.

"Espi!" Neo pawed at Wes' knee and pointed his snout over to the play area, where an Aipom had its face pressed against the glass, wiggling its tail playfully at the Espeon.

Wes shook his head. "Sorry, bud," he said quietly. "We don't have time today."

Neo sat on the tiled floor with a sigh.

"Tell you what," Wes lowered his voice even further as he reached down to rub Neo's ears. "When we get to Johto, you can play with tons of wild Pokémon every day. How does that sound?"

Neo pricked up his ears and kneaded the floor in excitement. "Spi!"

Johto. Wes had only heard stories of it, but it sounded like a beautiful place, so entirely different from the sandy Orre Region. He'd heard about green forests that stretched as far as the eye could see, of giant shining lakes, of mountains that stretched so high you couldn't see their peaks. He'd dreamed of seeing it from the moment he first learned of its existence.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Soon. Very soon. Just be patient.

Novo hopped into his lap and he idly stroked the Umbreon's head, lost in thought, until Rui returned and sank onto the couch a short distance away from him with a sigh. Novo growled softly at her abrupt appearance, a quiet rumble that only Wes could hear.

"Well, my grandparents are happy to know I'm safe, but that didn't save me a tongue lashing from Nan." She turned to him. "They're so grateful to you, by the way. I'm sure they'd love to meet you if you'd like to visit!"

"Sorry, I have other places to be," Wes muttered. There would be absolutely no more detours until they reached Gateon.

"Oh, I...I figured as much," replied Rui. There was a note of disappointment in her voice. "Well, you're always welcome if you—"

She broke off suddenly, her eyes fixed on something over Wes' shoulder. He turned his head to see what had grabbed her attention, and saw footage of a burning building on the TV. The words MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION REVEALS SNAGEM HIDEOUT flashed across the screen.

"What—when did this happen?" She breathed in disbelief.

"You're just now finding this out?" Wes blurted. Surely, sheltered though this girl was, she'd have heard something about it already. He was certain that news of the incident had traveled across every corner of the region by now. Uncovering Snagem's hideout would be earth-shattering news.

Rui surprised him by throwing him a withering look. "Yes, I'm hearing about it just now," she said scathingly. "It's not like I've spent the last twenty-four hours in a sack or anything!"

"...Oh." Wes suddenly felt incredibly stupid. "Right...sorry."

Rui returned her gaze to the TV. "I can't believe..." She trailed off and didn't bother to finish her sentence. Wes left her to her thoughts and continued stroking Novo's fur, watching his yellow rings pulse with light.

"They deserve it."

He looked up in surprise at those words. Rui was still watching the screen, but a dark expression had taken over her features. It was a jarring change from her usually smiling face.

"You think so?" Wes asked.

She turned her eyes to his, and he was shocked at the amount of pure hatred he saw there. "Yes," she said quietly. "I hate Pokémon thieves. Snagem had this coming, and they deserve a whole lot worse."

Wes looked at her for a moment before answering. "I agree," he said quietly.

"Umbriiiiii." Novo's whine broke the tense moment. Wes heard the Umbreon's stomach growl, and suddenly realized how hungry he was, too. He rubbed Novo's ear. "I guess it's time we go, then."

Novo leapt off Wes' lap as he stood. He turned to Rui. "The nurses can help you arrange a ride with someone from here. You should be able to make it back to Agate that way."

Rui stood, too, and bowed her head to him gratefully, hands clasped behind her back once again. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Wes. Really. I don't have any way to repay you for it, but...I really am gratef—"

Her stomach suddenly rumbled loudly, and she flushed a little in embarrassment. "Sorry!"

Wes narrowed his eyes at her. "Did you say you were in that sack for a whole day?"

She shifted a little. "Well, I don't know exactly how long it was, but it was a long time..."

Wes took a closer look at her. For all her smiles and cheerfulness, he noticed for the first time that she was still a little pale, and her fingers were shaky as she fidgeted with her necklace. "You haven't eaten."

Rui gave him another smile, but this time he was paying enough attention to see how forced it was. "It's fine! You've done more than enough for me today, I can...figure something out..." She trailed off, not looking very convinced at her own words.

She could figure it out, Wes mused to himself. And yet...he had gone long stretches without food before. He knew firsthand how unpleasant it was, and he was certain that this girl had no means of getting food for herself. There was no way she still had any money on her after being kidnapped.

The low voice came into his head again. Remember this, boy. Don't stick your neck out for nobody.

Anger burned in his chest at the intrusive voice. You don't get to tell me what to do. Not anymore.

"Alright," he sighed, turning to leave. "Come on." He gestured for her to follow him.

"What? Where—?"

"We were going to find a place to eat anyway. You might as well come with us." He looked at her over his shoulder. "But after this, you'll really be on your own. Got it?"

"I—what do you—I don't—are you sure?" Rui spluttered.

"If you don't hurry up, I'll change my mind."

Rui blinked at him, and for a moment Wes thought he saw tears in her eyes. He turned his head away and hoped to Arceus he was mistaken. He had no idea what to do with people when they cried...

Rui bounced up to his side. "Where to, then?" she asked brightly. Any indication that she'd been teary had quickly vanished.

"I've got a place in mind," he said. And with that, they strode through the Center doors back into the sunlight.

———————————————————————————————————-

Wes couldn't help but feel mildly impressed at the speed with which Rui was devouring her burger. It made him wonder just how hungry she must have been this whole time.

His restaurant of choice was closer to the edge of town: a small, dingy, hole-in-the-wall kind of place that he'd always preferred thanks to their low prices and low profile. By Phenac standards, it was "seedy," but compared to the Outskirt Stand, it may as well have been fine dining. The blue painted walls and tiled floor, though scuffed in many places, certainly made it feel a lot cleaner than the dusty old train car.

His Pokémon were happily eating their kibble from bowls on the floor. It was no plate of bacon, but it was better than nothing, and far better than what they had been accustomed to at Snagem.

A waiter stopped by to offer drinks, which Wes declined. He'd need to be fully alert for their journey ahead—though after the long events of the day, alcohol was tempting.

The waiter turned to Rui, but she also shook her head. "Not today, thank you."

The waiter left, and Wes narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you even old enough to drink?"

Rui nearly choked on her fries. "Wha—excuse me?" she asked indignantly as soon as she could speak, "I'll have you know, I'm well over eighteen!"

He raised an eyebrow. "By what, a few months?"

Rui huffed at him. "I'm twenty-one, Wes."

Oh. He was genuinely surprised at that. She was much closer to his age than he'd originally thought, only a year younger than himself. "Sorry. You just look younger."

"I get that a lot, actually," she said dejectedly. She picked at what remained of her food.

"It's because you're short," he said bluntly. He immediately recognized his mistake when Rui raised her eyebrows at him.

"Wow, really? I'm short? Thanks for pointing that out to me, Wes, I never noticed," she said with a dry smirk.

Moron. "I—that's—yeah. Sorry."

Rui snorted and waved her hand. "Don't worry about it, I get it all the time. And even if I were taller, I'd still probably look younger."

"Well, the pigtails don't help," Wes blurted. Rui's eyebrows rose even higher, and he mentally kicked himself. Gods. Was it always this hard to have a normal conversation? He grabbed his water and spent a deliberately long time sipping at it, wishing more now than ever that he'd ordered a beer instead.

Rather than take offense, Rui simply gave him a sly grin. "Well what about you, Mr. Tough Guy? You don't look much older than seventeen."

Wes choked and spluttered on his drink. "I—what—seven—?" He stopped short when he saw that Rui had erupted into a fit of laughter.

He scowled at her. "That's not funny."

For some reason, this only made her laugh even harder and she was forced to grip the table for support. Neo and Novo looked up at her from their meal in alarm and Wes began to feel uncomfortable as heads turned in their direction. Why was this girl so loud?

"S-sorry," she gasped as her laughter subsided. "I honestly didn't think I'd get a reaction out of you, with you being so stoic and all, but that was funny."

Wes grumbled darkly under his breath. Rui snorted and bit her lip in an effort to keep herself from laughing further. Her face held a lot more color now that she'd eaten, and she was, if possible, even more lively than before.

Having finished their meal, Wes stood. "Let's go." Rui and his Pokémon followed him as he paid for the meal at the counter up front and stepped outside.

The sun was horrifyingly low in the sky, and Wes inwardly groaned at the sight. They were behind schedule, but no matter—they'd be on the road soon enough, and all their troubles with Phenac (girl included) would be left behind.

"Briiiii!" Novo yawned and stretched happily in the sunlight, his yellow markings glowing contentedly. Neo padded up between Wes and Rui and let out a soft burp. He blinked sleepily up at his trainer with a lazy purr.

The corners of Wes' mouth twitched into a smile upon seeing them so content and peaceful. For the first time since escaping the Hideout, he allowed himself to relax a little. All that was left to do was stock up on some supplies and hit the road now. It should be smooth sailing from here, he thought.

And then he heard a voice that turned his blood to ice.

"Keep your wits about you, ya hear? He's in this blasted city somewhere."

Wes swore under his breath and grabbed Rui by the arm, pulling her around the building into a side alley. She squawked in protest. "Wes, what're you—hey!"

He ignored her and listened closely. He heard the rough cadence of three all too familiar voices across the street, causing his heart to race.

How could he get out of this without raising suspicion? He looked at the redhead. If she found out who she was… He remembered her face in the Center as she spoke about Snagem. The anger in her eyes, the righteous fury. There was no way she would let him off if she knew. Not a chance.

"Are we sure he's still here?" another voice drawled from where the first one had come from, just across the street. Wes turned his head to listen.

"Shut your trap and quit whining!" the first voice barked. "The faster we get moving, the sooner we'll find the damned rat."

There was no mistaking that gravelly voice. Wes had heard it all too many times before, usually before facing an unpleasant punishment. Wakin, Gonzap's second-in-command, had always loved to dole out the punishments himself whenever he could. Wes glanced nervously at the metal sleeve on his arm.

If Wakin found Wes now, he was a dead man.

Wes' mind raced. He scrambled to think of a way to get out of this city without setting off Rui's suspicions. He certainly couldn't tell her what was going on, nor could he merely bolt away—what if she started calling after him? Caused a scene? Drew attention from those menacing voices across the street…?

A crazy, half-baked idea occurred to him, and he tightened his grip on Rui's arm as he looked back at her again. She was apparently oblivious to the conversation taking place across the street. She seemed much more concerned with Wes' odd behavior and his grip on her arm. He decided to take a chance on her naivety.

"Hey. You said you needed Pokéballs, right?"

"Y-yeah?" Rui attempted to tug her arm out of his grip. She looked frightened. "Wes, can you let go of me?"

"Sorry," he said quickly. He released her and took a step back. Breathe. You need to stay calm. He met her blue gaze evenly. "I know a place where we can get you some. I just thought of it."

Rui frowned at him. "You do?"

"Yeah, but it's...not here. It's a bit of a drive. But I can take you there." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he even had time to think them through.

"That...that would be really helpful! But I don't have any money—"

"Don't worry about it." Damn, he was panicking. Stay calm. Don't show fear. "I'll cover for you. But we need to get going now if we want to make it there at a decent hour."

"Are—are you sure? You've done so much for me today already—"

"I'm sure, let's go." He almost grabbed her by the arm again to drag her with him, but remembered the fearful look she'd given him and decided against it. "Come on, I'll show you to my bike."

He stepped cautiously out of the alleyway, looking around for any sign of Wakin and his grunts. Rui stood a few paces behind him, mumbling in confusion. "Bike...?"

"Neo. Novo." Wes kept his voice to barely more than a whisper. They pricked their ears and stood at attention. "Keep a lookout."

He motioned for Rui to follow him, and they stepped out into the open.

Wes was sure that Rui would hear his heart trying to escape from his chest. He hated having to walk in the open, hated that he couldn't move any faster than a brisk walk, but he knew that darting through the shadows would only raise her suspicions. He could not afford to be caught. Not now. Not like this.

He was grateful that they had at least made it to the edge of the city already for their lunch. They were able to reach the city entrance relatively quickly, and made it to his bike shortly after that.

Rui looked at his monstrosity of a vehicle with wide eyes. "Okay, when you said 'bike', I had a very different image in my head," she said as she took in the massive engine and rusty exterior.

Wes didn't bother to reply to this remark. He'd crouched down to his Pokémon and was muttering a hurried apology. "Sorry guys, but there isn't room for all of you in the sidecar. You're gonna have to go in your balls for now."

Neither Neo nor Novo were very pleased with this arrangement, but he didn't have time to reason with them before returning them to their Pokéballs. They would get over it. What mattered now was getting as far away from this city as possible.

Wes gestured for Rui to get in the sidecar as he slid into the driver's seat. She climbed in awkwardly and nearly fell over in the process.

The engine bellowed as he brought it to life. He thought he heard Rui trying to say something, but couldn't be sure. Rather than wait to find out, he slammed on the gas and the motorbike lurched forward, kicking up a cloud of dust as they flew out of sight and left the blinding white city behind.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Spoiler: Editing Changes

• Extra additions to Rui’s POV: More backstory details, extra details of her seeing aura​

Chapter 4: Questions​

Rui wasn't entirely sure this wasn't all just some sort of fever dream.

In the span of just over a day, she'd seen a crazed Pokémon, been kidnapped, had nearly suffocated in a sack, was rescued by someone who acted for all the world as though he'd rather have left her there, and was now flying across the desert in a crazy death trap of metal with said stranger.

It had been a weird day, to say the least.

Wes didn't speak at all as they sailed across the sands. Rui was actually quite all right with this, as most of her concentration was spent shielding her face from the sandy winds and trying not to panic at the absolutely terrifying speed at which Wes was driving.

Rui peeked at the driver underneath her hands covering her face. Despite his gruff demeanor and the begrudging manner in which he'd helped her, Rui did sense that Wes was a kind person under all the rough edges. His aura, a pleasant blue color, seemed to indicate so, at least. And he didn't have to escort her all over Phenac and treat her to a meal, least of all take her somewhere to find Pokéballs. His actions seemed very contradictory to his attitude, and she had to admit she found it a little amusing.

She pulled her gaze away from Wes to glance at her surroundings; at one point, she thought she saw some town ruins in the distance, and despite the desert heat, she shivered. Wes would probably scoff at her for it, but she hated even thinking of Noctis ruins. They were a bad omen.

The hours ticked by in silence as the sun slinked lower and lower in the sky. Rui's ears gradually adjusted to the dull roar of the engine, and she found that if she ducked her head at just the right angle, she could keep most of the sand from her face. She still found herself wishing for some goggles like the ones Wes had, though.

After what felt like ages, the bike started to slow. She looked up, hopeful to see their destination—and saw nothing but more desert and an old abandoned train car. What?

Wes rolled the bike to a stop. Bewildered, Rui glanced around again, thinking that maybe she missed something, but the scenery remained desolate and unchanged. She started to feel a little uneasy. Surely Wes hadn't dragged her out here with ill intentions...?

"Are you coming?" His voice made her jump. He'd already started for the old, worn down building and was impatiently looking at her over his shoulder. His Umbreon and Espeon had been released from their Pokéballs and were already waiting outside the car's entrance.

"Um...where are we, exactly?" Rui asked nervously.

Wes didn't answer, but jerked his head to the train car. It was only then that she noticed there were lights on inside the thing, and the dim strains of Western music reached her ears. So it wasn't entirely abandoned, after all.

Rui clambered awkwardly out of the sidecar, once again nearly face-planting into the sand as she did so, and followed Wes as they headed into the...whatever this place was.

It was a diner, apparently.

Rui blinked in the dim lighting as she surveyed the dusty interior. This place was very different from home, but it was also very different from Phenac. Most of the places she'd seen had tried to flourish despite the lifeless desert, as if trying to fight against their surroundings and prove to be something more. This place embraced the empty sands, the lawlessness of the desert, and made it a home—a creaky, grimy, dilapidated one, but a home, nonetheless.

Wes approached the sleepy-eyed man behind the counter, who could only be the owner of the place. He rubbed the back of his head as he addressed him. "Hey, Grogan. Got any Pokéballs in stock?"

The man, Grogan, gave Wes a bleary-eyed stare. "Pokéballs?" he grunted. "The hell do you need those for?"

"They're not for me, they're for her." Wes nodded at Rui.

Grogan looked her up and down. He raised an eyebrow at Wes. "Who's this, your mail-order girlfriend?"

Rui felt a wave of indignation at the snide remark. She was about to offer a stinging reply when Wes answered. "She's just a lost traveler. I'm doing her a favor."

"Awful long way to come for a favor."

"We're looking for Pokéballs, do you have them or not?" An edge crept into Wes' voice.

Grogan waved a dismissive hand. "Sure, sure, I got the old things somewhere." He turned and headed into the kitchen. Rui noticed a somewhat startled expression on Wes' face.

"You look pretty surprised he has Pokéballs," Rui observed. "I thought you knew he had them?"

Wes turned to look at her, his surprised expression melting into a smooth, unfazed one. "Well, yeah. This is the only place I've known in Orre to ever sell them, so he doesn't always have them in stock."

That makes sense, Rui thought. She began to feel slightly ashamed of herself for doubting the trainer. So what if he was a little guarded? He'd saved her life in more than one way today, and she ought to be grateful.

Grogan returned to the counter with a bag in hand. "Got 'em here," he grunted, and then unceremoniously dumped out the bag's contents onto the countertop.

Rui blinked at the little balls rolling across the dingy surface. There was a much greater variety than she'd expected; red, blue, yellow. She stared at them all and realized she didn't have the slightest clue what the difference was between them. "Uh."

Wes heaved a weary sigh beside her. "Just all of the regular ones," he said. "And maybe a few Great Balls."

Grogan obliged and packed about half a dozen red Pokéballs and about four blue ones. "Will that be enough?" Wes asked Rui.

"Yeah, those should be fine," Rui mumbled. She dropped her gaze to the floor and shuffled awkwardly, feeling acutely embarrassed at her complete lack of knowledge. She'd expected this to be a relatively simple errand, but clearly she had been utterly unprepared for it. No wonder Papi was hesitant to let me go. I have no idea what I'm doing...

To make matters worse, Rui quickly realized that neither she nor Wes had a bag to carry the Pokéballs. Grogan merely waved a hand and let her keep the old canvas tote he'd brought the balls out in. "I've got plenty of space for the rest of these old things, and that bag was just collectin' dust anyway."

Rui thanked him profusely and stuffed the balls into her new bag, feeling even more abashed than before. She heard Wes saying something more to the diner owner, but she wasn't paying much attention anymore. She leaned against a wall with a sigh, and felt something brush her hand.

She jumped, and then looked down to see Neo nosing at her fingers. He blinked up at her with dark, inquisitive eyes. Rui couldn't help but smile at the innocence reflected in his silvery aura. He'd done this same thing just hours before, when they were at the restaurant, and he was just so darned cute she couldn't possibly resist showering him with affection.

Rui crouched down to his level and the Espeon allowed her to stroke his fur with a purr. "You're a glutton for attention, aren't you?"

Neo shamelessly purred louder in response.

She noticed Novo watching from a safer distance. He sat primly at Wes' feet, crimson eyes narrowed distrustfully as he observed her. She'd attempted to pet him, too, at the restaurant, and his only response had been to snarl at her. Unlike his brother, Novo's aura was a lovely shade of lavender—and it spiked every time she addressed him.

"Novo, was it?" Rui asked softly.

The Umbreon answered with a growl.

This caught Wes' attention. He looked over his shoulder and glanced between Rui and Novo. "What are you doing?"

Rui smiled up at him sheepishly. "Just trying to make friends."

He gave her an odd look, but said nothing. Rui was sure he thought she was crazy—although, given the day's events, she couldn't entirely blame him. She sighed and stood, despite Neo's soft protest for more attention. "I guess your Umbreon doesn't like strangers...sorry about that."

Wes merely shrugged. He nodded to Grogan and made for the door. "Let's go," he said.

Rui blinked. "Go...where?"

"It's too late to go anywhere else, so I booked us a place for the night." He didn't wait for her reply before pushing his way out the door, so Rui quickly followed him before giving a hurried thanks to the diner owner. She stepped out into the desert air and was surprised by how cool it already was - the temperatures were rapidly dropping now that the sun was almost below the horizon.

"S-sorry, but I'm just confused," she said as she tried to match Wes' brisk pace. "Where exactly are we staying? This place doesn't look like it has any rooms..."

Once again, instead of answering, Wes simply kept walking until they reached the back end of the train car. He kicked away a layer of sand to reveal what looked like some kind of cellar door, then wrenched it open and, to Rui's disbelief, gestured for her to step inside.

This is exactly how you die in horror movies, Rui.

Still, Wes hadn't given any indication that he planned to hurt her in any way, and she felt a little better upon seeing his Pokémon dart down the creaky steps as if they'd been here before. She took a deep breath before glancing briefly at Wes.

She couldn't help but notice that the golden rays of the setting sun matched his eyes. Rui balked at this sudden thought. What is wrong with you? she asked herself sternly. She shook her head slightly and then ducked into the cellar.

It was pleasantly cool in the place, if a little dank and musty. The only source of light was a tiny window right near the ceiling and an old, dim lightbulb that hung so low she nearly hit her head on it. The walls were covered with shelves of stored food, and the only thing on the floor was a small mattress and quilt.

The cellar door slammed shut and Wes stepped into the room behind her. "It's really not much," he said, "but it's the best option available out here." He must have noticed her eyeing the tiny mattress, because he then added, "You can take that. I'll sleep on the floor."

"Are—are you sure?" Rui turned to him uncertainly. She felt as though she'd been asking that question a lot today.

"I prefer the floor anyway."

The weirdest thing about that statement was, he seemed to mean it. This baffled her a little. What kind of person liked to sleep on the floor?

She sighed and flopped onto the mattress, only to cough and gag as a cloud of dust puffed up into her face.

Wes grimaced a little. "Sorry. Should have warned you about that."

Rui, still coughing, just shook her head and indicated it was fine with a wave of her hand.

The trainer gestured to some water bottles sitting near the steps on a crate. "Some water, if you need any," he mumbled, then he went about setting up his space.

Wes removed his blue coat, revealing a black tank top underneath. Rui couldn't help but notice a variety of faint scars across his arms and shoulders. Overwhelming curiosity made her want to ask about them, but she'd gotten the distinct impression that the man hated questions, so instead she held them back.

But then she saw Wes push a large crate up against the wall under the small window, and she couldn't help herself. "What's that for?"

"It's for Novo," he answered simply. "He likes to watch at night."

As if on cue, the Umbreon hopped up onto the crate and peeked at the steadily darkening world through the grimy window. He turned to his trainer and bunted him happily with his head. A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Wes' mouth as he rubbed Novo's chin.

Rui couldn't help but smile a little herself. Gruff though he may be, this odd stranger was certainly soft on his Pokémon.

Wes waited for Rui to get settled on her mattress before turning out the light. The dim lights from the train car overhead filtered through the tiny window, but they were left in almost complete darkness save for Novo's gently pulsing rings.

"Um, goodnight, I guess," Rui said awkwardly. What did one say in a situation like this?

There was a pause, and for a moment she thought he wouldn't answer her. Then he heard his mumble from his place across the small cellar. "Night."

Rui settled down onto the mattress. She'd never stayed in a place like this, and wondered if she would ever be able to fall asleep. But then the events of the day caught up to her, and her exhaustion pulled her under.

---

She couldn't be sure what time it was when she woke.

It was still dark outside as Rui sat up. She promptly stifled another cough as more dust swirled up from the mattress at her movements. So much dust everywhere...the first thing she was going to do when she got home was shower.

Still, though...Rui glanced around the dark cellar and shook her head to herself in disbelief. It was wasn't an ideal situation, but it was far better than wherever she might have ended up if she'd never been rescued from that sack…

A shiver rippled down her spine at the memory: the suffocating heat. The mens' voices and rough hands as they tossed her around like merchandise. The paralyzing terror as she had started to wonder that maybe it didn't matter where they were taking her because she was going to die of heat stroke before she got there…

Rui's hand flew to her necklace. She grasped it tightly, forcing herself to take deep breaths and keep her hands steady. She could feel the edges of the black crescent moon pendant digging into her palm, and the sensation grounded her a little.

You're fine. You're fine. Everything is fine. She closed her eyes. You're safe. You'll be home soon.

Her panic gradually eased and she relaxed her grip on the pendant. Yes, everything would be alright. Soon she would be back home, and everything would be back to normal…

And yet...did she want things to go back to normal? She certainly had no desire to repeat the experience of the last couple days, but Rui's yearning to see more of the word outside of Agate was still as fervent as ever. She opened her eyes and looked down at her palm, where a crescent moon-shaped indentation had formed from her tight hold. She'd always wanted to travel the region—and maybe even the world someday—ever since Rui's mother had told her stories of her home region of Hoenn...Rui sat quietly for a few moments, lost in a swirl of thoughts and memories.

A soft glow caught her attention. She spotted Novo sitting on his crate by the window, ears pricked, eyes alert as he watched the world outside. Rui couldn't help but wonder if there even was anything to see out there.

All the same, the Dark-type Pokémon brought a small smile to her face. Rui raised a hand to her necklace once more as fond childhood memories of her mother's Pokémon, another Dark-type, rose to the surface. She watched Novo for a moment, running her thumb over the smooth pendant.

Her mouth felt dry and sticky, and she remembered what it was that caused her to wake. Breaking from her stupor, she slowly rose from her mattress to grab one of the water bottles that Wes mentioned earlier.

The trainer in question was, indeed, on the floor. He'd apparently rolled up his coat to serve as a pillow, and Neo was curled up against his trainer's chest. One arm was loosely draped over the Espeon, and the two were fast asleep. Rui smiled a little at the sight. There had been a time when she thought she would be traveling around, with a Pokémon to sleep beside at night...

She shook these thoughts from her mind and was making her way past the sleeping pair to the crate near the door when a low growl met her ears.

Rui glanced over her shoulder to see Novo watching her every move with narrowed crimson eyes. His body was stiff, hairs on the back of his neck raised. She noticed him glance between her and his trainer.

"It's...it's okay, Novo," she whispered slowly. "I'm just getting some water. I won't hurt your trainer, I promise."

Novo continued to stare, but his growls subsided at her words.

Rui moved cautiously to the crate, grabbed a water bottle, and tiptoed past Wes and Neo back to her mattress. Novo again growled softly as she stepped past his trainer a second time, but remained where he was.

She settled back on her mattress with a quiet sigh. She gave the Umbreon a tired smile. "See? I'm harmless, I promise."

Novo gave her a hard look that plainly said I doubt that very much before returning to gaze out his window.

Rui downed the water greedily and was just about to get back to sleep when she heard another sound.

She lifted her head off the pillow. Through the dim light of Novo's glow, she could see Wes twitching in his sleep. His breathing became labored, and he started to mumble something in distress.

"No...please...no—"

Rui paused. Should I wake him? she wondered anxiously. She was pondering what to do when Novo, without a sound, slipped from his perch atop his crate down to the floor below, and stepped up to his trainer.

The room brightened a little as his rings filled with light. He bowed his head, touching his muzzle to Wes' forehead, and a soft hum filled the room. After a brief moment, the sound faded, the lights dimmed, and Wes fell back into peaceful slumber with a quiet sigh.

Novo silently stalked back to his crate without sparing Rui so much as a passing glance. She could only stare at him in wonder. What was that? Was this a common occurrence? She'd never seen a Pokémon use Hypnosis on their trainer before...

Rui rested her head back on her pillow. It seemed the more time she spent with this unusual trio, the more questions she had. She was pondering these many questions when she finally drifted back to sleep.

---

Wes could not believe that, a full day later, he was right back where he had started.

Not only that, but instead of his Pokémon sitting across from him in their usual diner booth, it was this girl.

He'd figured they could all do with some breakfast before returning to Phenac, so here they were, morning sunlight filtering through the dirty windows, waiting for their food to be ready as Neo and Novo downed their kibble at Wes' feet.

He put his head into his gloved hands and sighed. It's like Arceus himself doesn't want me to leave this place.

"Es-piiiii?" Neo peeked at him from under the table with wide, sparkling eyes.

"Neo, you're getting regular Pokémon food today, and I swear to Arceus if you whine to me about it, I'll put you in your ball for the rest of the day," Wes growled.

Neo looked thoroughly mortified at this answer, but he knew defeat when he saw it. He slunk back to his place under the table with a pout.

Rui giggled at the sight. "He must love human food, huh?"

"Mostly just bacon," Wes muttered. A small part of him regretted the day he'd let the two brothers try some. What a pair of monsters he'd created.

Rui placed her elbows on the table and leaned in a little. "So we're going back to Phenac today, yeah?"

"That's the plan."

"Do you have a P*DA or something? I'd really like to find a way to contact you and pay you back when I can..."

"I don't give out my number to people I don't know. Sorry."

"Oh?" She cocked her head at him, a smile dancing across her face. "You don't give out your number to strangers, but you'll rescue them from kidnappers, escort them around the city, and give them food and a place to stay for the night?"

Wes felt a small tinge of warmth in his face. "That's...different."

"It's very different from just giving out your number, I agree." She smirked.

"Look, I didn't—I don't—"

Rui laughed, and the sound filled the small diner. Wes was grateful that there weren't any other customers to give them weird looks this time. "I'm teasing, Wes. You don't have to give me your number if you aren't comfortable. I just want to pay you back, that's all."

"Well...don't worry about it," Wes mumbled in response. He'd much rather send this girl on her way and never have to contact her again. It was simpler that way.

The call for their order came, and he was grateful for the chance to end the conversation, if only briefly. He knew she would likely pepper him with more questions once he returned with their food—and, lo and behold, he was right.

"So, where are you heading?" Rui asked him around a mouthful of omelette.

"Pyrite, actually." Wes had pondered a few false answers to give her, so as to prepare for the onslaught of questions.

Rui's eyes widened in shock. She hastily swallowed her bite of food. "Pyrite? But...why?"

Wes shrugged. "Thought I might take on the Colosseum challenge there."

"Ohhhh!" Rui suddenly leaned forward in excitement, putting her face far too close to Wes' for his comfort. "That's so cool! Agate doesn't have a Colosseum, so I've never seen any Colosseum matches before!"

"Um, yeah." Wes leaned away from her to regain some breathing room. Not for the first time, he wondered what in Mew's name was wrong with this girl. Had she never heard of personal space?

Thankfully, Rui sat back in her seat with a resigned sigh. "If this trip has taught me anything, it's that I really haven't seen enough of Orre. So much of it is so different from what I'm used to."

It's about time you realized.

"You could always change that, you know," said Wes as he picked at his plate. "You shouldn't wait too long to leave a place." Like me, he thought ruefully.

"I would, but...I probably shouldn't go alone." Rui gave a slightly bitter laugh. "I mean, we both know how that went when I tried it."

"Then go with someone."

"I don't really have anyone to go with."

"What, you don't have trainer friends?"

She dropped her gaze to the table. "No, actually," she said hesitantly. "I mean, Agate is mostly full of old, retired Ace trainers and maybe a few young families that are related to them. There wasn't anybody my age growing up, so...I didn't really have any friends." She grinned at him sheepishly. "Sounds kind of pathetic, huh?"

No, Wes thought, It sounds...lonely. For once, he thought he could relate to her, if only just a little. "Well, get yourself some Pokémon, then. Be a trainer. You're probably safest that way, anyway."

Rui laughed again. "Come on. You and I both know Pokémon aren't easy to come by. They haven't been since the Johtohan War." The smile faded from her face a little. "I...I don't do Pokémon, anyway."

Wes frowned at her. "Why not?" She certainly seemed to like them enough.

"I just...don't."

It was the first vague answer she'd given. Wes took the hint and didn't press the issue further. They finished their meal soon after and headed out to Wes' motorbike.

Neo had warmed up to Rui quite a bit over the last twenty-four hours. Wes had a suspicion that it had to do with the fact that she was always showering him with attention and praise whenever the Espeon so much as looked at her. He narrowed his eyes as he watched Neo rub up against her legs with a hopeful mewl.

"Oh my gosh, you're so adorable!" Rui giggled as Neo brushed against her. He answered with a happy chirp. She grinned over her shoulder at Wes. "I think he really likes me!"

"He likes everybody," Wes replied dryly, although he knew that wasn't exactly true.

Rui didn't seem to hear his remark and walked ahead to the motorcycle with a spring in her step. Wes glared down at his Espeon. "Stop sucking up to her. She's not staying."

Neo's only response was to blink smugly at his trainer before sauntering ahead, tail held high.

Brat.

He once again had to return Neo and Novo to their Pokéballs to make room for Rui in the sidecar. Neo was more willing to go along with it this time, but Novo seemed more sour about it than ever. Wes sighed quietly to himself and wondered how long his Umbreon would hold this against him.

Once they were both seated, he heard Rui speak up from beside him. "To Phenac, then?"

Wes nodded and gripped the handlebars. "To Phenac." And then, finally, to Gateon. And beyond.

He roared up the engine, and they were off into the desert once more.

---

Neo liked the new girl.

He had decided so almost immediately upon seeing her emerge from that stuffy brown sack. Even though he'd sensed anxiety and fear rolling off her in waves, he also sensed something else: kindness. Gentleness. Sincerity.

He liked that. It reminded him of his trainer.

Her vivaciousness made itself known as they walked around town, and he liked her even more. Her bright spirit added a new dynamic to the trio that Neo had not seen before, and it was fun. Novo was always serious and alert, and Wes always made an effort to remain composed and impassive. Neo loved them, but Mew above, being the only energetic one of the group sometimes got downright boring.

Her energetic enthusiasm, while thrilling to him, only seemed to agitate his trainer. She peppered him with questions, laughed a lot, and walked with a bounce in her step all while irritation quietly emanated from Wes in spades. Neo found this highly entertaining to watch.

But aside from her odd red hair, her loud laughter, and her bubbly personality, there was one reason above all others why he liked the girl so much.

She was a total pushover.

He'd discovered this as they sat at their booth in the Phenac restaurant. While his trainer spoke with the girl, Neo had cautiously leaned forward to sniff her hands from his place at Wes' feet. Her scent was pleasant yet unfamiliar, and it stoked his curiosity. She must have felt his whiskers, because suddenly her attention was on him and she was stroking his head and cooing at him all the while, telling him how handsome and beautiful he was.

Well, she clearly had good taste.

He tested this a few more times, and sure enough, each time he brushed against her, he was showered with her affection. She seemed absolutely thrilled every time he paid attention to her, and she was more than willing to return the favor.

They were at the Outskirt Stand when Neo decided to test this even further. He was pouting under the table after he'd given Wes the Begging Eyes and was told a hard no. The smell of bacon wafted tantalizingly in the air, and Neo chuffed and gloomily laid his head on his paws. He couldn't believe his trainer sometimes. Who could possibly deny him, Neo the Great (and Handsome, according to the redhead) Espeon, when he put on the charm? Apparently his stone-cold trainer could. Hmphf.

His eyes rested on the pink pair of boots across from him, and he had an idea.

He waited until near the end of their meal when Wes briefly left the table to pay for their food, then slunk over to the girl and rested his head in her lap. He let his ears and tail droop, then looked her straight in the eyes and blasted her with Irresistible Cuteness, utilizing his Begging Eyes to the max.

It was a sight to behold. Her face crumbled, her resolve wilted, and she glanced quickly about before discreetly slipping him a piece of bacon under the table.

"Don't tell Wes," she whispered.

Neo devoured the meat with gusto. He could feel his brother's stare of disbelief on the back of his head and could practically hear him asking where his dignity went. Neo chose to ignore this, and instead licked the last remnants of bacon from his muzzle and settled down smugly at Wes' feet when he returned. Score one for the Espeon.

Yes. Neo liked the new girl very much.

---

Novo was very unsure about current events.

True, he did help his brother pressure Wes into stepping in to rescue the girl, but he hadn't expected her to stay. The longer she stayed with them, the greater the anxiety was that he could sense from his trainer. And Novo disliked anyone who set his trainer on edge.

Which was basically everyone that wasn't him and Neo, but that was beside the point.

This girl. She was naive. And boisterous. And loud. Her laugh grated on Novo's ears, and he thought her voice was loud enough to draw attention from two streets over. Hadn't the plan been to blend in and go as unnoticed as possible? In fact, wasn't the plan to be well on their way to Gateon by now?

Novo sensed from Wes' quiet tension and frustration that he was having the same thoughts as the Umbreon. The mounting anxiety to be on the road almost made him regret begging his trainer to save the girl. Almost. Much as he disliked her, he was sure that sack had not been a comfortable place to be, and kicking those men and their Whismur to the curb had been fun. Still, her bubbly demeanor rubbed his fur the wrong way.

His opinion of the girl lessened even further when, at the restaurant, she'd tried to pet him. She'd stretched out a cautious hand, as if to touch his head, and he snarled at her. Sure, she didn't seem like a threat—far from it—but if Wes didn't want her to get close, then Novo wouldn't let her get close to himself, either. It was that simple.

Nonetheless, he suffered through their annoyingly long stay at Phenac City. Once the girl was set, she would be on her way, and they would be on theirs. No more invasive questions or weirdly bright smiles.

But for some reason, she followed them as they finally made their way back to the motorbike. Wes had picked up the pace considerably, and Novo felt joyous at the prospect of moving ahead as planned. Yet...the girl was still here. Did she not understand? Was she that naive? Surely—surely—Wes wasn't planning on bringing her along?

Novo's shock was immeasurable when Wes crouched down to level with him and told him he would have to go in his Pokéball.

What?

His trainer seemed displeased at the idea, too, as he mumbled an apology to him, but Novo's shock only deepened further when he saw the redhead make for the sidecar.

What?

Not only was he being forced back into his Pokeball for the second time today, he was being booted out of the sidecar? His spot? The spot where he loved to watch the scenery fly by and feel the wind in his fur? All for this—this girl? This girl, of all people?

The feeling of betrayal was palpable. He made certain Wes knew this by cramming every fiber of his wounded pride into a piercing glare before he was sucked into his Pokéball.

This girl.

Novo did not like this girl.

---

Chapter 4, in which we get some new POV!

Here's some trivia for you all that has absolutely no bearing on the plot whatsoever but I'm going to share it nonetheless:

The "mail order girlfriend" comment was inspired by chuggaconroy's LP of Colosseum on YouTube.

In the main anime, it is canon that "Pika-pi" is Ash's name in Pikachu's language, so I decided to do something similar in this story. Neo's "Espi" and Novo's "Umbri" are them saying Wes' name. Again, not relevant to know, just a fun little detail :)

Stay tuned for next chapter, where things get...interesting! ;)

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 5: Stirring Shadows​

Wes couldn’t help but grumble a little once Phenac City came into view.

Yesterday he had hoped to never have to lay eyes on this city again, and yet here he was, shielding his eyes from its brightness even with his shaded goggles on.

He parked in his usual place outside the city wall, released Neo and Novo immediately, and stalked back through the city entrance with Rui close behind. He’d alerted the two Eons to keep close and stay watchful; he didn’t think Wakin’s impatience would have kept him in the city for very long, but he couldn’t afford to be careless. Especially not since he still had the Snag Machine...he spared a glance at the metal sleeve.

“Wes! Rui!”

Someone was shouting their names. Wes cursed quietly under his breath; having someone shouting his name in a busy city was not an idea he was fond of. He looked for the source, but Rui spotted them first - Dash and Marla, running towards them from across the street.

“Oh my goodness!” Marla panted once they’d reached them. She was looking at Rui with dismay. “You...I can’t believe you’re still here! You should have left by now, dear!”

“W-well, we technically did leave, but-” Rui began.

“That’s not important now!” said Dash. He looked panicked. “Rui, those men that took you - they’re back! They’re here, and they were headed to the Mayor’s house!”

Rui’s face drained of color. “Are...are you sure it was them?”

Dash nodded solemnly. “I’m sure. Positive. It was definitely them.” He looked between her and Wes with worry. “I-I’m really worried for the Mayor! You told him about them yesterday, right? What if they found out and...and...” he trailed off and gave Wes a pleading look.

Wes was rubbing his temples in frustration. Another distraction. Another. Damned. Thing. He sighed yet again. Rather than fight it this time, he figured if they could power through the issue quickly, then he could still be heading to Gateon by the end of the day.

He raised his head and fixed Dash and Marla with narrowed eyes. “All right, here’s the deal. We’ll go check on the Mayor and make sure everything is fine. Maybe we can even report that you two saw those men back in the city. And then we’ll get going, because we really need to be on our way.”

He could have sworn Marla had watery eyes as she thanked them. “Such incredible young people you are!” she sniffed. She and Dash said they would continue to look for the suspects before they parted ways.

“Do-do you think the Mayor’s okay?” Rui’s face was taut with worry as they made for his home. “What if they did find out and they’re here to do something to him?”

“He’ll be fine,” said Wes shortly. “First of all, those two thugs had less than one brain cell to share between them, and second of all, we’re talking about the Mayor. He’ll have security with him. Remember that doorman?”

“Yeah...yeah, you’re right,” Rui said. She relaxed a little. “He should be fine - but I am glad you offered to check on him. I’ll be glad to know for sure.” She smiled at him. “You’re a really good person, Wes.”

No, I’m not, Wes thought with annoyance. He felt ready to sock the next person who needed a favor in the jaw. He wanted to get. Out. Of. Here.

They made it to the Mayor’s house in good time, largely due to Wes walking so fast and Rui almost needing to jog to keep up. The massive estate looked very much unchanged from the day before. Wes snorted and shook his head. Such a waste of time.

Still, they marched up the steps. Rui bounded forward to knock on the door with her usual enthusiasm -

And the door creaked open.

She let out a gasp, and even Wes felt an unpleasant sinking feeling in his stomach. Certainly there was an explanation. The doorman had just forgotten to shut the door tight and lock it...right?

Rui hesitated, then pushed her way inside.

“What - Rui!”

But the girl had already stepped through the doorway. Wes could see that the lights were out inside, and he uttered a few more curses under his breath. Did this girl have a death wish?

He hastily followed her inside with Neo and Novo at his heels. She had only ventured in a few steps and was now looking about the room. Wes grabbed her by the arm with a growl.

“Are you stupid?” He hissed. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Rui turned to look at him with horror in her eyes. “Wes...” she whispered. He could feel her trembling in his grip.

Wes then noticed their surroundings, and he immediately understood her fear.

The office was unrecognizable from the day before. Not only were the lights out, but the room was destroyed; papers were scattered all over the floor, the fireplace was shattered, furniture was upended everywhere. Wes noticed the tea set that had been used to serve them yesterday was smashed into pieces on the floor.

“Rui,” he said slowly, “we need to get out of here. Now.”

He was just about to drag her back outside when the door at the other end of the room burst open.

At first, he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. For half a crazed second, as he saw massive ball of red and white, he thought he might be looking at a bizarre Pokemon. And then he realized it wasn’t what he was looking at, but whom.

The man that stood before them was tall, lanky, and dressed in some kind of ridiculous bright yellow track suit. His face was covered with gaudy shades, and he was adorned with flashy jewelry. But most noticeable of all was his hair; a massive afro that, for all intents and purposes, looked as though it defied the laws of physics just by how big it was. But the absurdity didn’t stop there - the hair was dyed two colors and split evenly down the middle, one side white, the other a fiery red.

Wes briefly wondered if this wasn’t just a hallucination. What did he have for breakfast, again...?

Afro Hair was apparently talking to someone else as he entered. His high, nasally voice carried a lilting accent that was almost as obnoxious as the fluff on his head.

“Now, now, darling, ain’t no need to get your hair worked up in a frizz. Why, that lil’ gal can’t have gone far, can - oh!” He squawked in surprise upon noticing Wes and Rui in the room. “Boys, I think we have company!”

Two more men stepped into the room from behind him, and Rui gasped in terror. She grabbed Wes by the arm and stood close to him. “Those - they - they’re-”

“I know,” Wes replied. He looked Folly and Trudly up and down with disgust. So these men had the nerve to come back to this place?

Neo and Novo stepped forward and faced the three men with bristling fur and low growls.

“Gah!” Trudly barked in alarm and pointed an accusing finger at Wes. “That’s - that’s him, boss! He’s the one who ran us out of town yesterday! An’ that’s the girl, there!”

The “boss” placed a hand on his hip and cocked his head to the side as he surveyed the newcomers. He scoffed and turned his head back to Trudly. “Are you boys tellin’ me you lost to this lil’ scrap?”

Trudly shuffled awkwardly. “Uh, Folly battled him, sir,” he said quickly.

“What’re you throwin’ me under the bus for?” Folly snapped. “You’da lost, too!”

Wes had started to inch toward the door, pulling Rui along with him. If they could just make a break for it while they were arguing amongst themselves -

The strange man’s gaze suddenly snapped back to Wes in his escape attempt. “Oh, I don’t think so, sonny boy!” he sneered. “Trudly, care to prove to me you’re not a pathetic lil’ sap like our dear Folly over here?” Folly made a noise of indignation, looking highly affronted.

“Sure thing, Boss!” Trudly barked. He whipped two Pokeballs from his belt and hurled them onto the floor.

Two beams of light faded to reveal a Duskull and a Spinarak. Wes almost shook his head at the pitiful Pokemon. Did these thugs really think they stood a chance against Neo and Novo?

But still, getting into another messy situation was not on today’s agenda. He took another step closer to the door -

A web shot from the Spinarak’s mouth and stuck to the door over Wes’ shoulder. With a fierce tug, it was slammed shut.

“Oh-ho!” the odd man cackled. “Tryin’ to run away, now? And here I thought you was some gentleman lookin’ out for this girl!” His eyes rested on the redhead as he mentioned her. Rui shivered and took another step closer to Wes.

“Here’s the deal, sonny! You hand that girl back over to us, nice an’ easy, and we let you go free! How do that sound?”

“What do you want with me?” Rui snapped. She was quivering, but her eyes were fierce.

“Well, lil’ gal, we was hopin’ you could tell us.” A sneer slid its way across the man’s face. “What are you doin, goin’ around and seein’ things you’re not supposed to see?”

Rui’s eyes widened in horror. “You did do something to that Makuhita!”

A sudden ringing interrupted the exchange. The man gave a start and giggled. “Whoops-a-daisy! Pardon me, boys and girls!” He pulled his P*DA out of his pocket and answered. “Hellooooo?”

There was an incredibly awkward silence as he listened to the other side of the phone call. Nobody else in the room dared to speak. Folly was seething with anger near the opposite doorway, and Trudly was growling at Wes, clearly itching for a battle. Neo and Novo stood planted firm, growling at the men and now Trudly’s Pokémon. The Spinarak and Duskull were shifting in front of them, eyeing their opponents warily.

“W-Wes...” Rui’s frightened whisper reached his ears. “I’m so sorry - we shouldn’t have come here - I shouldn’t have barged in-”

“You think?” he growled at her. Rui ducked her head. Wes could still feel her trembling. Despite his annoyance, he felt a small tug of sympathy for her.

“I won’t turn you over, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he mumbled back to her. Rui kept her gaze on the floor, but she tightened her grip and nodded.

“You...think we can get out of here?” she whispered.

Wes snorted. “Please. Neo and Novo will take care of this.”

But even if we escape, what happens to the Mayor? he wondered. There was no indication of where the Mayor might be. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t actually home and they hadn’t come for him after all, but something else...?

It was a small thing to hope for, but he did anyway.

“Ah, just lovely! Goodbye, darling!” The man with the afro ended his phone call with a flourish of his hand before returning the P*DA to his pocket. He turned to the grunts behind him. “Well, boys, I’m off to Pyrite now! Ta-ta!”

“Wh-what?” Trudly spluttered. “You’re just gonna leave us to deal with this alone?”

“Yes indeed, darling,” his boss drawled with a wink. “I have frightfully important business to attend to, so I’ll be on my way. But I do trust you’ll have the girl with you the next time we meet.” His last sentence, though still drawled in his light, lilting voice, suddenly contained a cold and dangerous edge to it.

Trudly paled in fear and nodded. “I-I‘ll do it, boss!” he stammered.

“See that you do.” The man glanced back over his shoulder at Wes and Rui and winked. “Was lovely meeting you, darlings!” He sauntered off through the back door and was gone.

“Was he for real?” Wes mumbled dazedly. Rui gave a nervous laugh.

“All right, boy,” Trudly snarled. His face was twisted with fierce hostility, but there was something akin to desperation in his eyes. “You heard the boss! He needs the girl back. Pronto. Hand her over and nobody gets hurt.”

“No, thanks,” Wes said cooly.

Folly glanced between the two of them nervously. He sidled towards the door.

“You wanna do this the hard way, then?” Trudly roared. “FINE! Hard way it is!” He addressed his Pokemon. “String Shot and Shadow Ball!”

“Neo, Confusion on that Spinarak!” Wes barked. “Novo, keep that Duskull away from him and Bite whenever possible!”

The Eeveelutions acknowledged their orders with a bark. Novo was immediately tied up in a String Shot, but he gnawed his way through the sticky webs with Bite; Neo dodged the Shadow Ball and plowed into the Spinarak with Confusion. The spider screeched as it was thrown into the opposite wall and fell motionless to the floor in one hit.

The Duskull fired another Shadow Ball, and this time it struck Neo’s shoulder with enough force to send him tumbling. The Espeon yowled in pain, but before the Duskull could launch another attack, he was yanked out of the air by Novo’s jaws. The Umbreon had leaped onto the desk to reach his foe, and now hurled him down to the ground with a fierce tug. The Duskull wailed and shot another Shadow Ball at the Pokemon; the attack rolled off Novo’s shoulders with almost no effect whatsoever. He lunged and ended the scuffle with a swift Bite.

Trudly roared and raged. “You - you PATHETIC LITTLE-” he swore vehemently and returned his fallen Pokemon to their balls before turning on Wes. “I’M NOT FINISHED YET!”

Rui’s eyes widened. “Wes-”

“Not now, Rui.” Wes focused intently on his opponent.

“But - Wes -”

She didn’t get to finish her thought. Another beam of light filled the room as Trudly unleashed his third and final Pokemon.

A Makuhita.

Rui choked a cry from behind Wes. “That’s the one, Wes!” she cried. “There’s something wrong with that Pokémon!”

Wes looked the Makuhita up and down; it didn’t seem like there was anything wrong with it. Sure, its tense posture and fierce growls were aggressive, but he didn’t see how -

Without a command, the Makuhita hurled itself at Novo with terrifying speed. Novo scrambled to get out of the way, but he’d been caught off guard. The Makuhita slammed a fist into the Umbreon’s side and sent him flying into the lounge area, crashing into a knocked over couch.

Wes hissed through clenched teeth. This Makuhita was fast. No matter; it was still outnumbered, with a type disadvantage to boot. “Neo! Confusion!”

The Espeon was back on his feet and ready to rumble. He blasted a wave of Psychic energy at the Makuhita. Wes could hear Rui shouting in alarm, but he didn’t listen. What was she so worried about? This battle would end quickly soon enough, they were fine -

The Makuhita barreled straight through Neo’s Confusion. Wes blinked. That was new.

Neo let out another howl as his foe tossed him effortlessly to the side and kept gunning forward - straight at Wes.

Oh.

He barely had time to react. He ducked and dove to the side, but he wasn’t quite fast enough to dodge the entire blow. The Makuhita’s fist glanced off his right shoulder, and Wes felt something pop, followed by a thrill of pain shooting down his arm as he crashed to the floor.

Rui’s screams filled his ears. The Makuhita lunged for her next, but Novo rammed it out of the way with a Return. The Pokémon tumbled across the floor, then scrabbled to its feet with another snarl, and Wes got a good look at its eyes.

He felt a shiver go down his spine; he’d never seen such empty, such soulless eyes in a Pokemon before. He’d seen more than his fair share of abused and neglected Pokémon during his time in Snagem, but none of them had been quite like this. This Makuhita was filled with nothing, nothing at all, except pure, unfiltered hatred.

“Rui - Rui!” Wes shouted, sitting up and trying to put some distance between him and the Makuhita. “The bag! Give me the bag!”



“Wh-what?”

“Just give it to me!”

She did as told, and the canvas bag was tossed into his lap.

The crazed Pokemon lunged at Wes again; Neo blocked it this time with a Protect, then another Confusion. Though the Espeon’s Psychic-type attacks should have greatly weakened the Fighting-type, it seemed hardly fazed at all. If anything, it was even angrier than before. Both Neo and Novo lunged at their foe, only to be thrown aside yet again.

The Makuhita locked eyes with Wes, and launched at him a third time.

Wes’ instincts kicked into overdrive.

He was hardly aware that he had dug into the bag and was now holding a Pokeball in his hand. The machine on his arm came to life, soft orange lines glowing as they ran all the way down to his fingertips. The Pokeball in his hand glowed and hummed as the machine did its work.

The Makuhita bore down on him, and Wes threw the ball.

The Pokemon vanished in a beam of light. The ball fell to the floor with a light thunk, then shook once...twice...three times.

And then clicked.

A stunned silence filled the room, only to be broken by Trudly’s scream.

“WHAT?!”

The ball flew from its place on the floor to Wes’ open hand - the one with the machine. He stared at it numbly, unsure of what to think or feel.

“WHAT DID - HOW DID YOU - THAT’S MY POKEMON!”

Trudly was practically foaming at the mouth. Wes looked up into the man’s eyes.

“Not anymore,” he said bluntly.

Trudly took a step forward, looking about ready for murder, when Neo and Novo limped out from under the wreckage of the battle. Neo’s forehead jewel gleamed menacingly, and Novo’s rings pulsed with anger.

“Doesn’t look like your friend is here to back you up, either,” Wes added.

Folly was indeed nowhere to be seen. Trudly balked, glancing at the advancing Pokemon and where his friend should have been. He snarled a volley of insults at Wes before retreating hastily through the door.

Wes’ shoulders slumped in relief, and he stared at the Pokeball in his hand. Never, not once, had he seen a Pokemon behave in such a way before...

A shuffle from near the door caught his attention. He turned his head to see Rui backing away from him, her face white with shock. “You...how...how did-”

Wes staggered to his feet and sucked in a sharp breath at the pain that laced through his shoulder. Something was definitely wrong with it. He grimaced at Rui. “I’ll explain later, okay?”

Rui continued to stare at him. “You...you just...you just stole-”

Wes didn’t have time for this. He grabbed Rui by the arm and made for the door. “I’ll explain later. But for now we need to get out of-”

“I’m not going ANYWHERE with you!” Rui’s voice was shrill as she wrenched her arm away from him. “Not until you explain to me what just happened! Right now!”

Wes clenched his jaw and took a long look at the girl. If he told her the truth, would she understand? Would she allow him to continue on his way without turning him in? Or would she give him away to the authorities in a fit of rage?

He thought of her face in the Pokémon Center when she spoke of Team Snagem, and he knew the answer.

He heaved a long, weary sigh. “Okay. Okay. I’ll explain. But can we please go somewhere else? I don’t want to be here when authorities get here. It won’t look good for either of us.”

Rui seemed to accept this answer, as she tersely nodded her head after a moment’s pause. “Fine.”

They took the back exit to avoid being seen, and Neo and Novo were returned to their Pokeballs until they could be taken to the Center for their injuries. Wes made an effort not to let his own injury show, partly out of attempts to avoid suspicion from curious onlookers, but mostly out of habit. He led Rui to a bench that was tucked away next to a few artificial waterfalls; their conversation would be safe here, with the rushing water to discourage potential eavesdroppers.

Rui sat far away from him, on the opposite side of the bench. Though she’d been clinging to his arm just moments earlier, now she wanted nothing to do with him, and was putting as much space between them as possible. She fixed him with a burning glare. “Well?”

Wes took a deep breath. He would have to be careful, very careful, on how he approached this. The low voice spoke in his mind once again, repeating words from yesterday: The best lies are half-truths, boy.

And as much as Wes hated that voice, he listened to it.

“I...I told you I grew up on the streets, right?” He started slowly. Rui narrowed her eyes at him and nodded. “Well...I associated with all kinds of people. Living that life, you have to make connections to survive. I had...had some close friends who got caught up with Team Snagem.”

Rui’s hands curled into fists as they rested atop her knees. She said nothing, so Wes continued.

“I didn’t like what Team Snagem did. I never liked it. But these friends of mine...they did what they thought they had to do to survive. So they stayed with Snagem for a long time, until something happened.” He paused and stared hard at the ground. “They...killed one of my good friends and his team.”

Rui’s expression remained unchanged, but she pursed her lips at this revelation. “Why?” she asked.

“Because he broke one of their rules...I don’t know all the details.” Wes ran a hand through his hair. “I just know that they killed his team and made him watch before they killed him.” Anger started to rise in his chest. Horrifying images, ones that plagued his nightmares, began to flicker across his mind. He shook his head and pushed them back as he took another deep breath.

Not now. Keep it together.

“So,” he pressed on, “I got together with a couple of friends and we decided to do something about it. We rigged up some explosives and infiltrated the base. That explosion that happened a few days ago? That was me.”

Rui’s reaction was clearer this time. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “That...was you?”

“Yeah.” Wes gave her a bitter smile. “Best damn thing I ever did.”

She stared at him in shock for a moment, then her eyes went to the machine still on Wes’ arm. “That doesn’t explain that, though.”

“I stole it before I - we - blew up the base. Snagem had a whole bunch of machines made to convert Pokeballs for stealing, so we set the bombs off in all the rooms that held them. We destroyed them all...except this one.” He looked down at the metal contraption. Sunlight glinted off its many curved surfaces. “This was the only portable one they had. I stole it because...well, I’m actually not sure. Part of me wanted to use it against them, I guess. Somehow.”

“Then how did you automatically know how to use it?” Rui’s voice hardened a little with suspicion.

“I had a general idea of how they worked from what my friends told me. Plus, it’s pretty straightforward. You just throw a Pokeball with that arm.” He raised head back up to meet Rui’s eyes. “That’s the story.”

Rui scanned his face as if looking for any traces of falsehood. “So...you were never part of Team Snagem yourself?”

“No,” Wes said firmly. “Never.”

“You’ve never stolen a Pokemon?”

“Today was the first.”

She sat still for a long time, staring hard at him, fists still clenched. Wes tried to calm the pounding in his chest as he met her gaze evenly. Please let her believe me. Please.

“Okay.” Her voice was quiet. “I believe you.”

Wes allowed himself to breathe a tiny sigh of relief. Thank. Arceus.

“But...what does this all mean?” Rui leaned back with a sigh. “That Makuhita...I don’t know what they did to it, but it’s badly scarred, and dangerous. You saw for yourself.”

Wes nodded.

“And I’m apparently the only person who can see them...that I know of, at least.” She tipped her head back to look at the sky. “I’ve never met anyone else who can see aura...but then I just happened to meet you, and you just happen to have a machine that lets you steal Pokemon...” she trailed off and gave him a pointed look.

Wes stared blankly at her. “What are you getting at?”

“Well, isn’t it all so...convenient?” Rui sat up on the bench, angling to face him. “It’s all so circumstantial. Doesn’t it seem like we were meant to meet and maybe...I dunno, join forces?”

“Join forces for what?”

“To save those Pokemon!” Rui waved a hand exasperatedly, as though she couldn’t believe Wes wasn’t getting it. “Whoever those people in the Mayor’s house were, they’re part of something. A gang, maybe, or an organization. And I know there are more corrupted Pokemon out there from what I overheard while I was in that sack. Whatever they’re doing to those Pokemon, it’s wrong, and it’s horrible, and - “ she broke off, her voice quivering with emotion. “I want to save them, Wes,” she finished. Her eyes were pleading as she looked at him.

Wes sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course. Of course this girl, with no knowledge of how the world worked, would want to go charging in to challenge some underground crime ring without evidence, on the off chance they might save some random Pokemon she didn’t even know. Really, why did he expect anything different?

His arm twinged painfully, and he held back a wince.

“Look.” He raised his head again. “That’s a nice idea and all, but you have no actual evidence. You don’t have any leads. And you’re not even slightly qualified to lead any sort of investigation. It’s best to tell authorities everything you know, and let them take it from there.”

“But what can they do?” Rui huffed. “They haven’t accomplished anything in years when it comes to Orre’s crime rings! I mean, you did more to expose Snagem than they have ever done, and you’re just one person!”

Wes had to admit she had a point there. Orre’s pitiful excuse for a police force was precisely why crime was so high. Few criminals were successfully caught, and even fewer were ever punished.

He shook his head. “I’ve done my part, all right? I did what I could to destroy and expose Snagem, I hit them where it hurt the most, and now I’m a dead man walking if any of them catch me. I’m also pretty sure that blowing up buildings is still a crime, whether it belongs to a gang or not. So there’s that. I’m not in any position to...to play hero, or whatever. And I don’t think I want to. I just want to lay low and live the rest of my life in peace.”

“That’s your answer?” Rui asked in disbelief. “You saw that Pokémon! You saw what those men did - and are doing! And you’re just going to ignore it?”

“I never said I was going to ignore it, I’m just going to leave it to the police.”

Rui scoffed. “Which is basically the same thing.”

“Well, we cant all be a hero, all right?” Wes snapped. Another pang shuddered through his shoulder and down his arm, and he hissed in frustration. Why, why, why couldn’t he have just ignored his Pokemon yesterday and let someone else rescue this crazy redhead? He rose to his feet. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to heal my Pokemon and get my shoulder looked at, and then I’m leaving this place. You should find yourself some transportation to Agate, and then I think it’s for the best if we never see each other again.”

Rui had also risen to her feet and was frowning at him. For a moment Wes wondered if she’d even heard what he said. “You...hurt your shoulder?” She looked concerned.

“A crazy Pokemon tried to kill me, in case you didn’t notice.”

“I-I didn’t realize you were hit! I’m sorry-”

“Doesn’t matter.” Wes turned away on one heel. “I’m going now.” He marched off in the direction of the hospital.

“Wait!” Rui rushed up beside him. “At least let me go with you to the hospital!”

“What the hell for?” he spat. “I don’t need you. Go away.”

“No! You got into this mess because of me, and the least I can do is make sure you’re okay!”

“I’m fine, and I’d be even better if you’d leave me alone.”

“At least let me go with you. Okay? Then I’ll leave and I’ll be out of your hair, I promise.”

Her face was so sincere as she looked at him. Wes found it so damned infuriating. How in Mew’s name could this girl possibly have the energy to care so much about absolutely everything? Didn’t she ever get tired? Like a normal person?

Wes grumbled in defeat. “Fine.” And with that, he made for the hospital with Rui in tow.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 6: Lockdown

This is definitely not how I thought today would go.

Rui said these words to herself as she sat beside a grumbling Wes in the Phenac clinic. Their visit had taken roughly two hours from start to finish, much to the Trainer’s chagrin.

He was in quite a sour mood, although Rui couldn’t exactly blame him, given the day’s events. She glanced at the sling on his right arm; she couldn’t believe he’d had a dislocated shoulder ever since leaving the Mayor’s house. He’d hardly shown any pain at all, and even after the nurse set it back in place, he was prepared to leave and skip receiving pain medication altogether.

Rui had, with some considerable effort, convinced him to stay for just a little longer. Good as he was at masking it, there was no way he wasn’t in pain. She shook her head to herself. What kind of person brushed off a dislocated shoulder like it was nothing?

As a peace offering and in an effort to temper his mood, she’d taken his Pokemon to the Center, healed them, and brought them back while he waited. This seemed to ease his stress a little.

Rui looked around the room. She couldn’t help but notice there was a tense atmosphere in the clinic. Nurses and doctors were muttering to each other in worried, hushed tones, and clients were whispering to one another. News about the break in at the Mayor’s estate must have been reported and was spreading around the city. Rui just hoped the Mayor would be found safe and sound...she sighed and slumped in her seat. She found herself wishing she could do more, so much more.

At long last, the nurse emerged with the medication and they were able to get on their way. Rui bit her lip hesitantly as they walked out the door. She knew she’d told Wes that she would go her own way after this, but she couldn’t help but wonder if those men, Trudly and Folly, were still in the city. They were still after her, and the thought of being left alone was terrifying...but she couldn’t possibly ask more of him. He’d made it clear that he had his own plans, and he’d sacrificed so much for her already...

She blinked in the sunlight as they stepped outside. The hospital was near the upper elevations of the city, so they had a clear view over the sloping buildings and cascading waterfalls. The sun was getting low in the sky, tinging the light blue with gold and glowing off the city below. Rui basked in the breathtaking sight; bad memories of Phenac aside, it still managed impress her.

She shot Wes a sideways look. “I...guess this is it, huh?”

“Yeah.” He wasn’t looking at her. Rui wondered if he was having the same thoughts as her about Trudly and Folly, but if he was, he said nothing. Instead, he sent Neo and Novo out of their Pokeballs. “All right, guys. Time to say goodbye.”

Novo cast her a sideways glance, chuffed, then turned his head away to look out over the city. Rui smiled wryly; she’d been expecting as much from him.

Neo’s eyes widened in dismay as he looked from his Trainer to Rui. “Esp? Spiiiii?”

“It’s time for us to go, bud, and she needs to get home. Say goodbye, okay?”

Neo’s ears drooped in disappointment. Rui crouched down, and he wandered over to place his head on her knee with a loud sigh.

Wes rolled his eyes. “Such a drama queen.”

Rui giggled at the Espeon. “I’ll miss you too, Neo,” she said as she stroked his head. “It was fun to get to know each other, wasn’t it?”

Neo rubbed his chin against her knee. “Spi.”

She got back to her feet. “So, um...thanks.” She looked down at her feet and clasped her hands behind her back.

“...yeah.” Wes mumbled and shifted awkwardly. “Well, uh, see you, I guess-”

“Umbri!” A bark from Novo made them both jump. The Umbreon was on his feet, looking at something in the distance. He turned to his Trainer with an anxious growl. “Bri!”

Wes raised a hand to his face and let out a growl. He looked as though he might throw something. “For Arceus’ sake,” he said weakly, “What now?”

As if in answer to his question, a loud, booming voice echoed through the streets, making them both jump. Rui glanced around for the source of the sound and found it was coming from speakers all throughout the city.

“This is a public announcement to all citizens of Phenac!” Rui perked up - that was the Mayor’s voice!

“All citizens are to return to their homes immediately. All visitors are to take shelter in the Pokemon Center. We ask that every individual remain indoors until further notice. There will be no exiting or entering the city at this time. We thank you for your cooperation.”

She heard Wes groan beside her. “Well. Fantastic. We chose a great day to come back here.” His voice was dripping with annoyance.

“What do you think is happening?” She turned to face him, fear creeping into her chest.

“Probably trying to chase down whoever broke into the Mayor’s house...which doesn’t put us in the best position,” Wes replied grimly.

“Why not?”

“Because we were there. If anybody saw us going in or out and reported it, we could be suspects.”

“We can just tell them the truth, right? And I bet if we could find Dash or Marla, they would vouch for us!”

“You’re forgetting that I stole a Pokémon while we were there. If that gets found out...”

“...oh. Right...” Rui bit her lip. “Then...what do we do?”

Wes didn’t answer immediately; he seemed to be wondering this himself. Then he turned and looked at her. “We’re getting out of here.”

Rui blinked. “‘We’?”

“You’re welcome to stay here for hours and possibly get arrested, but personally, I have other things I’d rather be doing.”

“O-okay, but how are we getting out? The Mayor just said-”

“Forget what the Mayor said. We can at least check out the entrance and see if we can sneak out somehow. It’s not like they have a police force to guard the exits.”

Rui frowned at him. “All right...but if we can’t find a reasonable way to get out, I think we should go to the Center and wait things out.”

Wes scowled. He clearly didn’t like her counteroffer, but rather than argue, he simply sighed. “Fine. Deal.”

They headed towards the southern entrance. Rui had to admit that, her rising anxiety and pounding heart aside, she was grateful they hadn’t parted ways just yet. It was nice not to be alone, and, gruff though he was, she was starting to enjoy Wes’ company. She watched Neo and Novo weave around their Trainer as they walked, and she felt a little more at peace in their presence.

They eventually rounded a corner and the south gate came into view. Four men stood in front of it, forming a human blockade of sorts. One man in a white and gold uniform stood in front of the other three and was repeating directions into a microphone.

“All citizens please return to your homes! There will be no leaving or entering this city until further notice! I repeat, all citizens return to your homes immediately...”

There weren’t many people in the small square, but those who remained were quickly hurrying about in varying directions to their homes. Rui caught a glimpse of a few faces as they bustled by; each one looked tense, worried, and fearful.

She then got a closer look at the men standing in front of the entrance. They each wore distinctly colored uniforms and carried an air of authority in their posture.

“Are those...officers?” Rui asked uncertainly.

“The guy in front is some kind of Town Hall member,” Wes answered as he surveyed the scene, “but I don’t recognize the ones behind him...they can’t be officers, I know Phenac doesn’t have...” he trailed off with a frown.

Rui then made a prompt decision and approached the man with the megaphone. She heard Wes hiss her name behind her, but she ignored him. She hadn’t been with the Trainer that long, but knew him well enough that he would probably come up with something brash and reckless to get them out of here. Rui, however, had a little faith in the power of negotiation.

“Excuse me!” Rui raised her voice in an attempt to be heard over the megaphone. “Can you tell us what’s going on?”

The man lowered the megaphone and threw her a thoroughly disgruntled look. “Look, lady, I can only repeat myself through this damn cone and be ignored so many times. Now get gone. Go home.”

“Please, sir...” Rui put on her best pleading face. “I’m just a tourist, you see, and I don’t live here-”

“Bah!” He waved a hand in frustration. “Then go to the Center or something!”

“Care to tell us why we can’t leave the city?” Wes surprised Rui by stepping up beside her and addressing the man sharply. She held back a sigh; she’d been going for the sweet and innocent angle, but Wes’ glare would quickly ruin that.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rui saw one of the three men nudge his neighbor and whisper in his ear.

The Town Hall member turned to scowl at him, but then quailed slightly under Wes’ fierce gaze. He huffed and shook his head. “Look, I’m not at liberty to share details, but I have it on good authority that there’s an armed and dangerous criminal in this city, and nobody’s going anywhere until we find the culprit.” His face darkened. “You’ve heard the orders from the Mayor and myself, so stop wasting my time and get inside somewhere!”

“Excuse me.” One of the uniformed men stepped up. His face was obscured under a helmet with a dark visor. He wore a scarf around his neck, a crisply fitted button-up uniform, and thick gloves. Every piece of clothing, from his visor to his boots, was a solid oceanic blue. His two companions behind him wore identical uniforms, except that one was in all red, the other all green.

He seemed to be glancing between Wes and Rui - she couldn’t see his eyes, so it was hard to tell for certain. He then clapped a hand on the Town Hall member’s shoulder. “You can go on home now, sir. We’ll take it from here.”

The man balked. “But-as a Town Hall official-”

“No need to worry, this area’s been cleared of civilians save these two. You’ve done your duty.”

The staff member sighed in relief. He pushed past Wes and Rui further into the city, and she thought she heard him grumble as he passed, “Don’t get paid enough for this.”

The man in blue turned his head to Wes. “You, sir. I’m going to need to see your Trainer I.D.”

Wes narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“No worry, it’s only a precaution. We’ve got a Pokémon thief running somewhere through this city, so we need to be sure no Trainers are carrying unregistered Pokémon.”

Rui’s heart raced in her chest. Wes had tucked the Makuhita’s Pokeball onto his belt, next to the other two...

“My Pokémon are right here,” Wes said cooly, and gestured to the Umbreon and Espeon that stood loyally his feet.

“I’m sorry, but I still need to see your I.D.”

Wes raised an eyebrow at him. “And who are you, exactly? I don’t remember Phenac having officers.”

“We are volunteer transfers from Pyrite who have offered their services to keep Phenac safe.” An edge crept into the man’s tone. “Now, for the last time, show me your I.D., or things will get difficult.”

Rui glanced nervously at Wes. What do we do? What do we do? But the Trainer merely sighed and shrugged his shoulders. His face was perfectly calm as he reached into his coat and handed his Trainer card to the...officer? Supposedly?Rui still wasn’t exactly sure what to call these men. She’d never heard of authorities transferring from Pyrite before - but then again, she supposed she didn’t know much about a lot of things.

The man in blue pulled out his P*DA and scanned the card. After a moment’s pause, he read aloud, “Wesley Lycas, twenty-two, native Orre citizen, three registered Pokemon. An Espeon, an Umbreon, and a Makuhita.” He pocketed his device and handed the card back to Wes. “Looks like everything is in order. You’re all clear, but we still can’t allow anyone in or out of this city until we do a thorough search.”

Wes heaved another sigh of exasperation. Rui could tell from his clenched jaw that he was trying very hard to maintain his patience. “Look, we really need to be on our way. Can you just let us go?”

“Sorry, sir. No exiting or entering until the lockdown is lifted.”

Wes looked ready to argue, so Rui quickly stepped in. “Thank you,” she said, “we’ll be on our way now!” She grabbed her companion by the arm and pulled him away.

“I can’t believe this-“ he mumbled under his breath as they turned to go. “We are never getting out of here...”

But we aren’t arrested, either, she thought. She looked up at him and was about to ask what sort of stunt he’d pulled when she heard a series of distinct sounds from behind them:

Several Pokémon being unleashed at once.

Wes stiffened. “Oh, hell-”

Rui was suddenly wrenched to the side as he dove, pulling her down with him. She didn’t even have time to shout before she heard Wes call to his Pokémon. “PROTECT!”

And everything around them exploded.

A maelstrom of Pokémon attacks engulfed them. Rui heard herself scream as she saw flames, leaves, water, psychic energy - but none of them reached her or Wes.

Neo and Novo flanked the two of them on either side. Novo’s rings flared as Neo’s jewel gleamed, a white silvery shield forming around them. The attacks subsided, and the shield evaporated like mist.

The dust settled. The three uniformed men stood with empty Pokeballs in their hands. Five growling, rumbling and snarling Pokemon loomed right in front of them -

Rui choked out a cry.

Dark. Angry. Black.

It was Pyrite all over again - but worse. Much worse. Rui trembled as she took in the sickly sight of purple-black flames engulfing the aura of - not one, not two, but three of the five Pokemon before them.

A Quilava twitched and clawed at the ground erratically as though trying to get at an itch it could not scratch; a Bayleef breathed heavily with raging hatred in its eyes; a Croconaw snapped its jaws and looked horrifyingly eager to tear something in two. A Spoink and a Grimer flanked the three creatures on either side, and although their auras were clean, they were tense and ready to fight.

These men were certainly no officers.

There’s more of them, she realized as she took in the corrupted Pokemon with growing horror. Lots more. Then she realized something else.

We are so, so dead.

“So this is how you want to play?!” Wes was back on his feet and roaring at his opponents. “Just who the hell do you think you are!”

The man in blue smirked at him. “Play dangerous games, win dangerous prizes, my friend.” Wes snarled a curse at him.

Rui rose shakily to her feet. “W-Wes-”

“What!” He snapped his gaze to hers, and Rui flinched a little; he looked thoroughly pissed.

“Those - those - those Pokemon are like that Makuhita!”

He stared at her in disbelief. “You’re joking.”

“The - the-” Fear made her words were jumble together. “Quilava-Croconaw-Bayleef!” She hoped to Arceus she made some sort of sense in her panic.

“Briii!” Novo stalked forward with a growl, utterly undaunted by the number of foes. One of the Pokemon, a Spoink, squealed a challenge back at him.

A volley of cries reached Rui’s ears as each of the men hollered commands at their Pokemon. Rui ducked, Wes shouted for another Protect, and this time the shield barely held against the vicious barrage.

She was not convinced it would hold a third time.

“Novo, Dark Pulse on that Spoink! Neo - Confusion on the Grimer!” The Eons lunged into the fray at the command, and chaos ensued. Wes ripped the third Pokeball from his belt and unleashed the Makuhita.

The Pokémon’s aura was no different from before. The darkness shifted around it eerily, unnaturally, like a sickly specter. The Makuhita blinked as he took in his surroundings. The dark flames of aura burned higher as he noticed the fighting.

“Makuhita, Vital Throw!” Wes called from behind. The Makuhita turned to give him a blank stare.

“Does...does he know you’re his Trainer now?” Rui asked nervously. The sounds of the battle raged in front of them, and she heard Neo shriek in pain.

Wes must have heard this, too, because his jaw clenched. “Dammit, we don’t have time for this -“ he stepped up to the Makuhita. “Look, I’m your Trainer now. Long story. I need you to fight for me now or we are all dead.”

The Makuhita seemed to understand this. He blinked and nodded his head slowly.

“Right, then - Vital throw!”

The Makuhita continued to stare.

Wes growled in frustration. “For the love of - you know what, I don’t care what you do, just get in there and throw down, and don’t hit the Espeon or Umbreon. Go!”

The Pokémon didn’t need to be told twice. As if a switch had been flipped, the Makuhita went from a blank, lifeless slate to a raging machine. His head snapped to the battle and he lunged into the chaos with a terrifying bellow. “Ma-KU!”

Things were not going well for Neo and Novo. The Espeon was panting heavily as he clashed with the Bayleef, Quilava and Grimer all at once. He finally landed a solid Confusion on the Grimer, launching it several feet and taking it out of commission, only to be buried beneath the attacks of his other two foes. He wailed as the Bayleef battered at him with its vines - and then said Bayleef was blasted off its feet as Makuhita slammed into his side with terrifying force.

Novo was snapping his jaws at the Spoink with the Croconaw hot on his heels. He finally landed a Bite on its tail, and while the Pokémon shrieked, he knocked it out with a Dark Pulse before flinging it away from the battle. The Croconaw was upon him immediately, and the two engaged in a whirlwind of fangs and claws.

Shouts rang across the battlefield as one command after another was called. Rui heard one of the men, the one in green, laugh smugly. They knew who would win this fight; they had made sure of that before the battle had even begun.

The playing field was even now, but Wes’ starters had taken a beating. Neo’s fur was charred from the Quilava’s flames, Novo was limping badly, and both of their attacks were rapidly weakening. They would not last much longer.

The Makuhita, on the other hand, was thriving.

He slammed the Bayleef off its feet once more. The grass Pokémon let out a cry that was cut short by another brutal blow - then another, and another. The Bayleef’s cries transitioned from ones of frustration to screams of pain.

Rui noticed this with horror. “Wes, stop him!” She shrieked.

Wes had left Makuhita to his devices as he called commands to the struggling Eons. At Rui’s cry, he followed her gaze and swore at the sight.

He had a Pokeball in his hand with lighting speed; Rui caught a gleam of light as the machine on his arm lit up and emitted an orange glow along its seams and edges. With a fluid motion, the Trainer lunged forward and hurled the ball at the Bayleef, and the Pokémon vanished in a beam of light.

She heard one of the men scream in fury.

The Makuhita barely seemed to notice that his foe had vanished. He immediately hurled himself at the Croconaw with a roar, and Rui saw his aura bursting with aggression.

Rui didn’t hear the ball click in all the chaos, but she saw it fly back to Wes’ hand. No sooner did he tuck it away than he hurled another one, this time at the Quilava. The fire Pokémon had barely disappeared into the ball before he chucked another at the Croconaw.

The Trainer in red roared; his companions balked in fear and confusion at the sudden turn of the tides. He lunged forward - and the Makuhita, fresh out of opponents, charged at him.

“Holy-” Wes choked as he fumbled for his Pokeball, but he wasn’t quick enough. There was a loud thud and a scream as the fighting Pokémon landed his blow and threw the man back ten feet. He landed hard on the white stones and moaned in pain as his companions backed away with shouts of terror.

He’s out of control, Rui thought as she watched in horror. And Wes just caught another one like him! Merciful Arceus -

The Makuhita bore down on him again, black aura billowing about him, but Wes managed to return him just before he could slam his mighty fists down on the man’s chest.

“That Pokémon,” he said shakily to a pale Rui as he tucked away the ball, “is insane.”

“You know,” she replied weakly, “you’re not wrong.”

Crack!

The ominous sound rang out like a gunshot. The Quilava reappeared in a burst of white light, snarling with dark fury. The flames roaring from its neck and tail contrasted starkly with the black cloud of aura around it.

It fastened its eyes on Rui and lunged.

She stumbled backward with a yelp. A black and yellow blur shot from the side and rammed the fire Pokémon, sending it rolling across the stones. The Quilava staggered to its feet and faced Novo with a bellow of rage.

Rui felt a hand on her arm tug her back and away from the fight. She heard Wes’ voice beside her. “Dark Pulse!”

A wall of dark energy flowed from Novo’s pelt as he charged at his foe. The Quilava belched flames at him; Novo darted under them, and his Dark Pulse knocked the Quilava onto its side.

Another crack; the Croconaw burst from its Pokeball and immediately lunged at a weakened, barely standing Neo.

“Novo, Bite! Neo, Return!”

“Es-PIIII!” Neo yowled as he launched his assault on the rapidly approaching Croconaw. His pelt gleamed with white energy, then blasted from his forehead jewel into the other Pokémon’s chest. The Croconaw bellowed as it was sent sprawling across the white stones.

The trainer in blue screamed at the Croconaw as it struggled to rise to its feet. “You pathetic little - SHADOW RUSH!”

“Shadow Rush?” Wes scoffed. “The hell kind of move is-”

Rui wasn’t listening. The moment its Trainer gave the command, she watched in horror as the Croconaw rose unsteadily to its feet. It’s aura pulsed brighter, stronger, bigger...

And then consumed the Pokémon.

For a moment, it felt as though time had slowed. Rui saw the sickly flames flickering around the Croconaw as it rushed at its opponent. Dark, black tendrils snaked about its body, as though binding it, suffocating it. Her chest ached.

Wrong. Wrong. Whatever had been done to this poor creature, it was wrong.

The Croconaw slammed into Neo. Rui heard him screech in pain as he was sent flying through the air, then landed with a gut-wrenching thud.

Wes moved past her in a blue blur as he launched another ball at the Croconaw. It disappeared once again into the ball, and this time, after several shakes, it did not reappear.

The ball had barely flown back to Wes’ hand before he launched another at the Quilava. Novo staggered away as his foe was sucked into the Pokeball, his fur singed.

Click.

The third and final ball landed in Wes’ hand. He shoved them both into the bag with a furious mutter.

A roar rang out. “YOU!” The Trainer in blue screamed at Wes. “HOW DARE YOU!”

Wes gazed back at him in cold fury. “Play dangerous games, win dangerous prizes, I suppose,” he spat.

The blue Trainer looked ready to lunge at Wes when a moan came from his companion lying on the ground. He spat at him before turning away to help his fallen comrade.

“Es...pi...” A weak mew reached Rui’s ears. She and Wes turned to see Neo limping to his Trainer. He looked up at him with dull eyes before collapsing to the ground.

A quiet, frightening rage appeared in Wes’ eyes. “Alright,” he hissed as he returned his Espeon and Umbreon, “That. Is. It.”

The tails of his coat streamed behind him as he turned and, without a word, stalked for the front gate.

“W-Wes?” Rui followed him cautiously. His anger scared her a little.

“Come on,” he said crisply. “We’re leaving this damned city.”

They strode past their attackers; the two men were busy helping their wounded colleague to his feet. Rui turned her head away from them and continued after Wes.

He didn’t say anything as they walked to where his bike was parked. Rui hesitated as they approached it. What was the plan now? Where would they go?

“Let’s go.” Wes’ voice made her jump. He was already on the bike, pulling his mirrored visors over his eyes. She noticed he’d already ditched his sling, and she vaguely wondered when that had happened.

Rui took a shaky breath. “Where are we going?”

“Anywhere that isn’t here.”

It was a good enough answer, for now. Rui climbed into the sidecar once again, still only just managing not to trip, and once she was settled in, they were off across the sands once more.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 7: Noctis Mortem

The crumbling old house left much to be desired in terms of comfort, but Wes supposed it was better than nothing.

They'd made it to the ruins of a tiny old town about two hours northwest of Phenac. Night had officially settled over the desert, and the winds brought a sharp chill in the cooler temperatures.

Rui had major hesitations at first, when she saw where they were headed. Wes didn't entirely blame her; staying in an abandoned town at night, with its decaying buildings and creaking houses, would make any regular person nervous.

But for Orre natives, it was even more ominous, as they all knew what had reduced so many towns like this one to ruins; as a result, most citizens avoided these places out of fear and superstition.

Wes was not "most citizens", however.

"It's perfectly safe, trust me," he'd said to her as she planted her boots firmly in the sand and refused to move closer.

"How do you know that?" Rui looked at him with fearful eyes, the dying light of the sunset fading behind her. "How do we know there aren't still traces of - of the-"

"I know because I've stayed here before. Several times. Do I look dead or sick to you?" he asked curtly.

Rui pursed her lips. "O-Okay..." she said nervously.

Now they sat in what appeared to be an old inn of sorts; they'd settled in a room with two small beds for the night. The desert breeze rattled a rickety window across the room, and the house groaned quietly. It was one of the few buildings left that had a more or less intact roof overhead, and it was the only one Wes trusted not to cave in on them in the night.

He patted as much dust out of his mattress as he could as he set up his space, then noticed Rui glancing at her own with a wary eye.

He sighed. "Look, you're not going to get sick by staying here. Noctis never worked that way."

"I-I know." She slowly sat on her mattress. "It's just...this place is so creepy. To think it used to be a place full of people and families not that long ago, and now it's...like a graveyard."

"They're just empty buildings now. Don't get too worked up over it."

She didn't answer, and instead curled up into the mattress as if trying to retreat into herself. Wes held back another sigh. He supposed he ought not to be too judgmental; places like this had been routine for him as he traveled for his Snagem missions, but he was well aware he was an exception. It was part of why he'd resorted to staying in these towns in the first place - they kept unwanted visitors away, and guaranteed he would have privacy.

He sat on his mattress and pulled out the canvas tote, ignoring the painful throbbing in his shoulder. That battle had not done his injury any favors, and he would look at it later, but his Pokémon were his first priority.

Wes was grateful that he'd kept a small store of healing items tucked away in his bike, as he'd never had the chance to get supplies in Phenac.

And that was the only reason I went there in the first place, he thought sourly.

Neo was first. Placing a flashlight on the floor for light, Wes revived and healed up the Espeon and was relieved that, while he'd been thrown around quite a bit, none of his injuries were serious. Neo curled up beside his Trainer with a tired sigh and promptly fell asleep as Wes rubbed his ears. "You did great today, bud," he said quietly.

Next was Novo. Wes hadn't got a good look at the Umbreon before returning him, so he wasn't sure what to expect - and he certainly wasn't prepared to see blood dribbling down his foreleg. Novo looked up into Wes' eyes with a weak mew. "Bri."

"Oh, Arceus - " Wes fumbled through his bag until he found a roll of bandages, another thing he made sure to always have on hand. He sprayed Novo down with more Potions, then pulled him into his lap as he gingerly bandaged the Umbreon's leg.

"I'm so sorry, Nov," he said with a grimace. He clenched his teeth. Damn those guys, attacking them with five Pokémon at once...

Novo blinked up at him and rubbed his chin against Wes' shoulder (thankfully, his uninjured one). "Umb." He gave a tired, throaty purr.

Wes finished bandaging Novo's leg and let him curl up next to his brother. He wouldn't be watching out of any windows tonight; he was far too exhausted from their earlier battle. It was more like an ambush than a real battle,Wes growled to himself.

"You take really good care of them." Rui's voice jolted him out of his thoughts; she'd been so quiet, for once, he'd almost forgotten she was still there. She was curled up on the mattress with her back against the wall, watching him tend to his Pokémon with a small smile.

Wes shrugged - and immediately regretted the action when his shoulder gave another painful throb. "Of course I do. They're my..."

He paused. He glanced back at his sleeping Pokémon and finished, a little more quietly, "They're my family."

"Family, huh?" The smile faded from her face a little. "Do...do you have other family, or parents...?"

"No."

"...oh." Sadness flickered in her eyes. "I'm...really sorry."

Wes almost shrugged again, but he knew better this time. "It's fine. I don't really remember them."

Truth be told, at times he wished he could remember more - and other times he was glad he didn't. He thought he might have vague memories of his father's face or his mother's laugh. A part of him thought he could remember that she liked to sing...but he couldn't be sure about any of it. Perhaps he'd only dreamed such things.

"Were you really young?" Rui was looking at him intently.

"I was five."

"Oh, Arceus - " her eyes widened, her face appalled. "That - that's so young - and you've been on your own ever since?"

"...more or less."

There was a brief silence. Rui shivered a little and pulled her jacket more tightly around her.

"Noctis?" she asked quietly.

Wes gave a bitter snort. "What else?"

She dropped her gaze to her boots and fell silent.

Noctis. He'd been so young when the mysterious illness swept through Orre and devastated its population, but he'd heard the stories plenty of times from older adults at Snagem. They spoke of its effects, how it turned one's skin as white as a sheet and blackened their eyes and veins until they looked like a corpse, how the seizures and screams of agony would last for hours, sometimes days, before death took them.

He'd heard other stories, too - about families, neighborhoods, and entire towns like this one that went from active, healthy and thriving communities to desolate, corpse-ridden ghost towns in a matter of days.

Noctis Mortem. Night Death. It was appropriately named.

Even before the illness, Orre was a rather hopeless excuse for a Region. The nuclear war with Johto seventy years earlier had already ensured that the area wouldn't be suitable for wild Pokémon for many years - if ever again - and many people speculated that the nuclear after effects on the population were a big factor in the massive Noctis death toll.

Wes didn't care to know all the facts and details. They didn't matter to him anyway, not now when everything was said and done. Nothing would change the fact that his parents were dead, or that he lived on the streets for a year after that, or that he was picked up by Snagem and subjected to daily horrors for the rest of his life after that.

All of that was supposed to change, he thought bitterly. He was supposed to be on his way out of Orre for good, heading to a better, brighter place with his Pokémon beside him, catching his first opportunity for real happiness...

As if to spite him in his thoughts, his shoulder throbbed again. He clenched his teeth. Of course that had all been too good to be true. It seemed he'd been doomed to perpetual misfortune from an early age.

"How's your shoulder?" Rui spooked him out of his wallowing thoughts. She was looking at him with concern.

"It's fine," Wes lied.

She raised an eyebrow at him, then dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out the meds he'd been given at the hospital. She tossed them to him, the bottle rattling as it flew. "Here. You should take some."

"I don't need-"

"I don't care who you are, Wesley Lycas, nobody dislocates their shoulder and then walks it off." Rui huffed and folded her arms. "So take the stupid pills already."

Wes stared at her. "Did you just...scold me with my full name like a parent?"

"Yes, and if you keep acting like a child, I'll keep parenting you!" she snapped.

Wes shook his head and popped the bottle open with a grumble. "You're unbelievable."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I'm aware."

He swallowed the pills with a shudder; he'd always hated taking the things. Medicine wasn't too common a commodity at Snagem, and to be caught taking it was to be made a target. Any sign of weakness or injury made one easy prey for the other kids who were desperate to prove themselves.

You're not at Snagem anymore, he told himself. You don't need to hide. She's not a threat. Not a threat.

Still, he didn't look at her as he shoved the meds back into the canvas tote. There was a moment of silence.

"I lost my father to it, too."

Her voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear her. Wes glanced at her and saw that she'd pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, staring blankly as though lost in memory.

"Noctis?" he asked. She nodded.

"He was a scientist, actually. When the Noctis hit, he was working in the labs for days on end trying to find a cure. He eventually caught it from one of the patients. I was almost two."

Wes wondered why she was sharing this. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

She gave him a wan smile. "It's all right...I don't remember anything about him, I was so young." She brightened just a little. "But even so, I'm proud to be his daughter. He was fighting to save lives, and that makes him a hero in my book."

Wes didn't know what to say to that, so he remained silent for a moment. He vaguely wondered about her mother, but he thought he could see a faintly haunted look in her eyes as she returned to her thoughts. He decided not to ask.

After a moment, she seemed to come back to the present. She blinked and looked up at him, then gave a nervous laugh and sheepishly fiddled with her hair. "Sorry, I don't know why I got into that. You're probably tired of hearing me talk all the time..."

Wes shook his head and waved a dismissive hand. "I don't mind."

He was surprised to learn he actually meant it - well, sort of. Mostly. He still wasn't used to so much conversation with another person, but he supposed it wasn't all bad.

Rui gave him a more genuine smile this time, and somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that, for all her obnoxious optimism, smiles quite suited her.

He cleared his throat. "We should probably get some sleep. We have a long ways to go tomorrow."

She cocked her head to the side. "Where are we going?"

"Pyrite. It's the closest town, and I know a few people there that can get you to Agate."

"I see." Rui relaxed her shoulders with a sigh. Her eyes rested on the canvas tote beside Wes. "What are you going to do with...them?"

Wes followed her gaze to the bag, inside of which the four Pokeballs rested. "No idea."

He wouldn't ever admit it to her, but the thought of those Pokeballs made him extremely uncomfortable. He'd gone out of his way to leave Snagem and all its ways forever, and yet, just two days later, he'd Snagged not one, but four Pokémon.

Granted, he supposed he could justify it as self defense, but the way he so naturally and quickly reverted to his Snagger instincts was not lost on him, and it disturbed him greatly.

And...why had he bothered to take the Snag Machine? Why hadn't he destroyed it with all the others? On the surface, Wes had told himself it was a backup plan, a last resort; if he couldn't scrape up the funds for a passport in Gateon, then he could have sold the thing in the right part of town for a solid price.

But a tiny part of him whispered that maybe, just maybe, he'd been afraid to leave behind something that had been so integral to his identity for so many years.

He hated that thought almost as much as he hated Snagem itself.

Rui spoke again, and her interruption was so sudden he nearly jumped. Arceus. How many more times was she going to do that?

"We really should see if there's a way to help them," she said. "Those poor Pokémon are really suffering, Wes. I could see it."

Her use of "we" grated on Wes' ears, as though she thought of them as a team or something.

"Those 'poor Pokémon' would have killed me or you in a heartbeat," he answered dryly.

"Yes, but I don't think they want to." She raised her eyes to his again with an urgent expression. "They weren't born like this, it's too...unnatural. Someone made them this way. Which means there's got to be a way to fix them."

Ever the optimist.

Wes shook his head and sighed, moving the bag from his mattress to the floor and gathering up the flashlight. "We can talk about it later," he said, although he wasn't sure he had any intention of doing so. He didn't like to think about it. "For now, let's get some sleep."

He fully expected her to argue, but instead she just nodded her head wearily and laid back on her mattress. "Yeah...okay." Her voice finally betrayed her tiredness. "Goodnight, Wes."

"...yeah. Night." He found he was very unused to having someone - a human someone - say goodnight to him. Was it always this weird to be around people all the time?

Wes was about to lay back on his mattress when he caught sight of Novo curled up beside his brother, rings pulsing gently in the dark. He hesitated, wondering if he needed Novo's Hypnosis again...but no. It had been a far too long and eventful day, he was worn out, and the pain in his shoulder was subsiding now, thanks to the meds. He would be fine.

Probably.

He settled down, and he didn't even have time to reconsider before sleep overtook him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

He was crouched behind a cluster of sagebrush, scoping out the targets ahead as the sun beat down mercilessly on his dark clothing.

Two young teens, a boy and girl, strode hand in hand to their parked hover car outside the walls of Phenac. A Poochyena and a Shroomish darted happily about their feet, squealing and yapping, utterly oblivious to the predatory eyes upon them.

He swallowed past the panic rising in his throat and tried not to show his reservations.

"Your move." A voice growled over his shoulder and he could practically feel Wakin's cold eyes boring into the back of his head. "You got about twenty seconds before they reach the vehicle."

He nodded, took a deep breath, but his feet refused to move.

"The hell are you waiting for?" Wakin snapped. The boy turned his head to look at him. I can't do this, he thought. I'm not cut out for this.

Then a cruel sneer curled across the man's face. "You scared, Leo?" he taunted.

And the boy knew what that meant. He had hesitated, had made a costly mistake. Hesitation meant fear. Fear meant weakness.

And weakness meant death.

Without a word, he darted forward. He might die someday in this Arceus-forsaken desert in this Arceus-forsaken region, but it wouldn't be today. Not today.

He barely made it in time; the young couple noticed him just as they were almost to their vehicle. The girl saw him first and pointed with a gasp of surprise as he came closer.

The male teen eyed him warily, but not without a hint of concern. "You, uh...you lost, kid? You need some help?"

"Y-yeah, I'm lost," he replied. He tried to put on his most innocent face - not that he really needed to. The torn clothing, the dirty smudges all over his face and arms told his false story well enough. "Could you...help me into the city?"

They exchanged a nervous glance. "Well...yeah, sure," the older boy replied after a pause. "But where are your parents? Do you need us to call them for you? And you're probably dehydrated, we should take you to a hospital, yeah?"

He tried and failed to quash the guilt screaming at him from inside. These people were too innocent, too kind, too trusting...why hadn't they learned by now? Didn't they know better?

"Don't move."

The harsh growl sounded from behind them. Over their shoulder, he caught a glimpse of Wakin's snarling face, the viciously triumphant eyes, the gun in his hand.

The girl let out a shriek and the boy moved protectively in front of her with a cry as their two Pokémon sprang in front, growling. But no amount of screaming would save them here; they were too far from the city wall, and Wakin always made sure never to pull a heist like this where strangers could intervene.

"Give me your Pokémon and I'll let you go free."

"P-please, we're just travelers!" the girl cried. "We've never done anything wrong, just let us go! Please!"

Wakin growled. "I don't give a damn who you are. Now return them and hand them over, or I shoot the girl first."

There was a pause, and then they shakily returned their Pokémon. The girl broke down into sobs as they tossed the Pokeballs at Wakin's feet. The boy held her close.

"There, you got what you wanted! Happy?" The boy seemed like he was trying to look brave and defiant, but the tremor in his voice gave him away.

Wakin sneered. "Almost." His eyes shot to the young boy behind them. "Leo!"

He was already one step ahead of his boss. The boy raised a hand with three more minimized Pokeballs inside it. Pickpocketing was easy when the targets were more concerned about the gun pointed at their heads.

The girl's wails and the boy's cries pierced him like a dagger. He ignored them.

The rest was a blur; Wakin said something to them before letting them go. They sped off through the desert, and he thought he might have heard some words thrown over the boy's shoulder, but he didn't catch them.

He did, however, catch the gleam of hatred in his eyes.

Wakin stepped up beside him. It was a job well done, he thought. He started to feel hopeful about a reward; maybe he'd get to have a decent meal, for once -

Wham.

He was not prepared for the unexpected blow. He staggered as blinding pain shot through his head. He raised a hand to the wound, and when he pulled it back, found it covered in red.

"Your little dramatic pause nearly cost us the whole mission, you brat!" Wakin roared at him, but he refused to cower under the man's terrifying fury. No fear. No weakness.

"I'm willing to let it slide this time, only because Gonzap seems to have a special interest in you," the man snarled, "but I'm warning you, boy. You pull another stunt like that, and I won't hesitate to pull this trigger. Got it?" He articulated this threat by spitting into the sand at the boy's feet.

He nodded, which made his head hurt more, but he refused to let it show. He hastily blinked the tears away; pain was weakness. Weakness was death. "Yes, sir."

"Good." Wakin turned on one heel and marched in the direction of their hidden motorcycle. He didn't wait for the boy to follow him.

But he followed, nonetheless.

The scene changed. Desert shrubs and sands blurred together and were replaced with a dark, blood spattered room. The lifeless bodies of several Pokémon were strewn across the room, and one man was slumped on the floor against the wall, his breaths rattling painfully in his chest.

"No!" The scream tore from his own lips as he struggled to reach the dying man, but his captor held him fast. "No - please - NO!"

"It's time you learn this lesson, boy." A low, gravelly voice rumbled from the shadows across the room. A hand raised, and a large, steel-feathered bird stepped out from beside him, wings spread from its side like swords.

The injured man coughed, resulting in blood cascading from his mouth and down his front. He looked at the boy with a weak smile. Those eyes, though dull and fading, still held fondness.

The only pair of eyes that had ever regarded him with kindness.

"Do good, kid."

The command was given, the bird lunged with wings spread, and the sickening sound of impact was masked by the boy's screams -

"Wes - hey - Wes! Wake up!"

Someone was shaking him. He shot upward with a strangled gasp, nearly slamming his head into Rui's as he did so. He coughed and gagged, trying to rid the smell and taste of blood from his senses -

Then something soft and warm leaned against him, and Novo's worried trill met his ears.

Dust. Moonlight. An old inn. He remembered where he was.

He buried his face in his shaking hands, breathing heavily. Neo came up on his other side with a concerned, "Espi?" His Eons leaned against him, comforting him with their warmth, their presence.

A timid hand brushed his shoulder. He flinched at her touch and shoved her away with a snarl. "Go. Away."

The mattress across from him creaked as she sat back down on it. "Do...do you want to talk about it?" she asked quietly.

He didn't answer her and instead swore shakily under his breath. Like hell he wanted to talk about it...

Rui seemed to take this as an answer, as she said nothing more.

He laid back down, his Pokémon curling tightly around him. Novo was nosing his arm urgently. "Bri, briii, umbri..."

Wes pulled the Umbreon close to him and closed his eyes. He didn't know if Novo would take that as permission to use Hypnosis or not, and he didn't care. He just needed to feel his Pokémon close to him, and maybe his heart would stop pounding so hard...

A lump formed in his throat and he immediately swallowed it. He crushed the broken feeling rising in his chest. He would not cry, dammit, he would not. Not now, not ever, and especially not in front of this girl, this stranger.

To cry was to be vulnerable, and to be vulnerable was to be weak, and weakness was -

A familiar humming met his ears. He felt Novo touch his muzzle to his forehead. He thought he heard Rui murmur something, but before he could catch the words, he was plunged into darkness once more.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 8: City of Rust


"D-do you always drive that fast?"

It was the first thing she'd said to him all morning - well, afternoon, by this point. They were several hours into their trek to Pyrite, and they still had a ways to go; Wes had only stopped for a brief moment to allow them to stretch their legs and to let Neo and Novo out of their Pokeballs.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah. Why?"

Rui spluttered a little in disbelief. Her hair was a mess from their high-speed drive, with wispy strands sticking out at all angles. "'Why?' Do you realize how fast that is?"

For all her obnoxious nagging, Wes had to admit he was grateful she'd finally decided to start speaking again. The tension from last night's...episode had carried over into the morning, and for perhaps the first time in his life, he'd found the silence downright uncomfortable. Her inane chatter was at least better than the gaping awkwardness.

Barely, anyway.

He leaned back against the motorbike and watched Neo and Novo chase one another around a nearby cactus. He noticed that Novo, though still limping slightly, was back to his usual self and his wound was already well on its way to being fully mended. Pokémon never ceased to impress him with their insanely fast ability to heal, and the still-present ache in his shoulder made him a little envious of that fact.

He turned his attention back to Rui with a deadpan tone. "So?"

"So," Rui pressed, "don't you think it's a bit reckless?"

"Considering you practically waltzed into a broken-in home yesterday, I don't think you get to lecture me on recklessness."

She didn't seem to have a comeback to that, so she dropped her gaze to the ground and rubbed her boot into the sand with a small scowl. Wes couldn't help but feel a little satisfied at that, considering she was usually the one leaving him without a response.

Still, the silence threatened to return, so he made a little effort to keep the conversation running. "We should make it to Pyrite in a few hours. We're fairly close now."

Rui looked back up at him with a tiny grin. "I guess making good time is one perk of your crazy driving."

"See, you're already seeing the light," Wes replied nonchalantly. He turned back to the bike. "Anyway, let's get going."

Rui sauntered around the bike to slide (well, fall, really) into the sidecar. "Don't get in your head that I like it. I still think it's dangerous," she sniffed stubbornly.

It was hard to take her seriously most of the time, but especially now when she was so unceremoniously wriggling into her seat. Wes snorted and called his Eons back to him before returning them.

And then, partially out of habit, but largely out of smug pettiness, he hit the gas and launched the bike out into the sands. Wes thought he heard Rui yelp over the bellow of the engine, and he couldn't help but smirk just a little.

Of course driving like this was dangerous. That was what made it fun. It wasn't his fault the bossy redhead was too uptight to see that.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unlike Phenac, Pyrite was actually easy to miss if you weren't paying careful attention. While Phenac was a shining beacon of white stone and reflected sunlight, Pyrite almost exclusively consisted of rust, dust, and old scrap metal buildings, and if it weren't for the rocky red plateaus encircling it, the town would have blended into the desert altogether.

As they approached the city entrance (or what could loosely be considered as such, as it was little more than an old, creaky boardwalk), the dull strains of music could be heard carrying through the air. It was some variation of bluesy jazz, though Wes couldn't be entirely sure. It was a unique style of music that he'd only ever heard in Pyrite.

He felt Rui step close to him as they entered the city. At least this time, she had the good sense to be cautious and on her guard - not that she was likely to be kidnapped again, not with Wes and his Pokémon around.

Rusted buildings and loosely hanging storefront signs creaked and groaned in the desert breeze. Wes made the very conscious decision to stick to the main roads so as to avoid predatory eyes; all the same, he still caught the occasional passerby leering at the redhead beside him. Pyrite natives knew easy prey when they saw them, and no doubt Rui would have been targeted already had she been alone.

"So, where are we going?" Rui asked apprehensively as she glanced around the place.

"Town square," Wes answered. He kept his eyes forward and walked with a purposeful stride; hesitation and nervousness only attracted unwanted attention in a place such as Pyrite. "I know a few people who hang around there that might be willing to give you a lift home."

Rui looked up at him. "Are they your friends who helped you against Team Snagem?"

"Wh-?" Wes nearly asked her what in Mew's name she was talking about when he remembered what he'd told her in Phenac. "...oh. Uh, no. They're not here."

Rui didn't question this answer, for which he was grateful. He hadn't given much thought into explaining about his non-existent "friends".

He almost snorted at the thought. Friends. Right. As if he would ever care to be friends with other human beings. His experience over the years very convincingly solidified his belief that they were all either rotten to their core - or incredibly stupid. Neo and Novo had proven to be the only source of friendship worth investing in.

"Is that the Colosseum?" Rui raised her eyes to a massive wooden dome in the distance that peeked over the red plateaus.

"Yeah, it is. We aren't going there today, though," he added in case Rui decided she wanted to see it. "You're going home."

Surprisingly, she didn't protest this, and merely nodded. Wes figured she was probably quite ready to be home after the insanity of the last few days.

"Well, well, well, look what the Meowth dragged in!"

An all too familiar voice called out and made them stop. Wes clenched his teeth and suppressed a groan.

A young man slouched from the shadows of a nearby building with a greasy smirk slathered across his face. His torn, baggy, dust-coated clothing perfectly matched the rugged buildings around him, and he would have blended in almost flawlessly were it not for his obnoxiously green, shaggy hair.

He stopped a few paces in front of Wes and tipped his head back, hands tucked in his pockets. "Been a while since I've seen you around here, Lycas."

Wes knew exactly what the rogue Trainer wanted. "Not now, Cail," he grumbled. He moved to sweep past him.

Cail stepped in front of him, blocking his path with another grin. "Why not? You in a hurry?" Wes caught a whiff of the alcohol on his breath.

"Yes," Wes snapped. "Now let us-"

"Oooh!" Cail's eyes lit up as he finally noticed Rui, who had stepped cautiously behind Wes as soon as he'd appeared. Cail's grin widened as he looked back at Wes. "Who's this?"

Rui pressed a little closer to Wes and fixed the green-haired Trainer with narrowed eyes.

"Nobody," Wes said flatly. "Just finding her a ride home. Don't suppose you know anybody off the top of your head that would be willing?"

"Hmmm," the Trainer cocked his head to the side. "I really can't think of anyone...but a battle might jog my memory."

Wes rolled his eyes. Cail prided himself on being something of a gatekeeper of Pyrite, always challenging every visitor to a battle before letting them get too far into the city. He'd never been any trouble for Wes in a battle, but that didn't stop the rogue from challenging him every time he visited.

"We'll battle later. Now if you're not going to be helpful, get out of my way."

Cail raised his hands in submission. "Fine, fine." He smirked at Rui. "I gotta ask though, what's a cute thing like you doing here? You don't look much like his type."

Before Wes could respond, Rui spoke up sharply. "That's none of your business," she said.

Cail raised an eyebrow, then leered at Wes. "Feisty one, isn't she? Is that why you're giving her a shot?"

"We are not a couple!" Rui snapped.

"Oh-ho." Cail leaned into her face with a gleam in his eyes, his smirk spreading wider across his face. "If that's the case...how about a drink with me, then?"

"Back off!" she spat.

The Trainer withdrew with a laugh. "Easy there, Carrot Top. I was only joking."

"What did you just call me?"

Wes sighed and pulled Rui along as they marched past Cail. The Trainer's laughs followed them down the street. "Let me know if you change your mind, sweetheart!"

Rui snarled over her shoulder. "That greasy, slimy little-"

"Look." Wes pulled her around to face him. "You already look like you don't belong here, so people are going to target you and try to get under your skin. Don't fight back or you'll just escalate things."

"He started it by getting in my face!"

Sweet baby Arceus. No wonder she'd gotten herself kidnapped the first time she was here. She was far too spicy for her own good.

Wes sighed again. "Just lay low, alright? We won't be here for much longer."

Rui scowled down at the ground with a grumble. Wes took this as a good enough answer and continued leading her down the street until, finally, the town square came into view.

In all honesty, it wasn't much to look at; in fact, it wasn't even a square. There were no benches or fountains like there were in Phenac. The area was completely open, ringed with a yellow circle painted roughly over the dirty, scuffed pavement. In the center, two Trainers were sparring against one another with their teams; more Trainers lounged around the edges, some sitting with their Pokémon, others lazily observing the battle in the yellow circle.

It was much less a town square, and more of a makeshift battle arena.

Rui's eyes lit up. "This is where I saw Trudly and Folly!"

That wasn't surprising. Battles spontaneously erupted all around town, but if one wanted to show off a powerful Pokémon, this was the place to be.

Wes scanned the area for any familiar faces. Plenty of missions in Pyrite allowed him to get familiar with most of the local Trainers, though they were little more than acquaintances to him. Yet, he'd won enough battles in the area to earn their respect, and he figured he could find someone to take Rui home if he offered enough money.

He inwardly grumbled at that thought. The money he'd snatched from Snagem had been meant for supplies and travel, and yet he'd already forked out much more of it than he would have liked. Still, it was worth it to get this girl home and off of his tail.

Rui suddenly seized his arm in a painfully tight grip. She was staring at the battle square in horror. "Wes..."

Wes looked from her to the battle square, completely bewildered. "What?"

She looked up at him in fear. "There's more of them, Wes!"

He immediately knew what she meant, and he wished he didn't.

Wes glanced back at the battle; one Trainer was commanding a Flaaffy and a Shroomish, the other a Noctowl and Ledyba. At first glance, it seemed like a normal battle - until the Noctowl Trainer shouted out a specific command.

"Shadow Rush!" he bellowed.

The Noctowl dove at the Flaaffy with far more ferocity than was warranted for a mere battle. It tore into the Pokémon with flashing talons and a blood-curdling screech, and the Flaaffy screamed as red spattered the ground.

"HEY!" shrieked the Flaaffy's Trainer. She was spitting with rage. "Control your Pokémon!"

The other Trainer smirked at her. "What, scared you'll lose?"

"You think you're so special with that fancy move?!" She shouted at her Flaaffy. "Thundershock that Noctowl!"

Flaaffy was trembling from head to foot, whimpering in pain, as it tried to get back on its feet. It let out a piercing cry as it launched a small shower of bolts at its foe. The Noctowl let out another screech, tried and failed to dodge the bolts - then, in a rage of feathers and flurry of talons, lunged at the Flaaffy again without a command.

"OY!" The Trainer roared at his Noctowl, but the bird blatantly ignored him and continued to rip at the Flaaffy. The Electric Pokémon, in turn, changed its cries from bleats of pain to snarls of anger, and launched one bolt of electricity after another in retaliation.

Several Trainers around the battle yelled and dove for cover as lightning bolts and psychic blasts shot from the ring and into surrounding buildings. Fluff and feathers flew; the two Trainers shouted helplessly at their raging Pokémon, but both of them were now beyond reason. The Ledyba and Shroomish, temporarily forgotten, exchanged a glance and cautiously edged away from the scuffle.

The girl finally returned her Flaaffy and whirled on her opponent. "What is WRONG with you?" she yelled. "Forfeit this match right now!"

"What?" he shouted back. "Your Pokémon was even worse!"

"YOU started it!"

Wes grabbed Rui by the arm. "Let's get out of here." He made to pull her away before things came to blows - or worse, the police showed up.

She hesitated. "Wait, but those Pokémon-"

"What do you want me to do, Snag them in front of everyone?" he growled.

Rui bit her lip, but resignedly followed him as he led them into a side alley. Wes walked briskly, making sure Rui was close behind, until they reached another secluded alleyway that was a safe distance from the ruckus. He sagged against a dusty wall with a sigh.

"What do we do?" Rui looked at him with wide eyes.

"I...don't know," Wes said. Truth be told, he'd much rather stay out of the whole mess, but he knew Rui wouldn't take that for an answer. He ran a hand through his hair. "We could...report those Pokémon to the police. Yeah. Let's do that."

He knew from the look on Rui's face that she disliked the plan, but she didn't say anything to protest it. She leaned against the opposite wall and faced him. "What about the ones you already have?"

"I can turn them in to the police, too." Wes hadn't thought of this before, but now that he was saying it, it seemed like the most viable option. He couldn't take them with him, and he couldn't in good conscience leave them in the hands of an unsuspecting Trainer, either. "I'm sure that they're more qualified to deal with this stuff than we are."

Maybe. Probably not.

Rui folded her arms and looked down at the ground. "You're right," she grumbled after a moment. "I don't like the idea, but...I can't think of what else we can do..."

It was perhaps the most practical thing Wes had ever heard her say. He shot her a look. "What do you have against the police, anyway? I know they're next to useless, but it's like you've got a personal issue with them or something."

"That's because I do have a personal issue with them." Rui raised her eyes to meet his, and there was a cold anger in both her face and her tone. "They didn't lift a finger when my starter got stolen from me."

Wes stared in shock, utterly speechless for a moment.

"You...had a Pokémon?" He finally asked. He'd never in a million years have pegged Rui as a Trainer.

"A long time ago," Rui said. "But that doesn't matter...she's gone now." She glared back down at her boots.

Suddenly Rui's intense hatred for Pokémon thieves, her disdain for the police, and her obnoxious sense of justice made much more sense to him. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Rui shrugged, but didn't say anything. Wes began to wonder if she wasn't entirely the blissfully naive girl he'd assumed she was.

He cleared his throat. "Well...come on. Let's go to the station. Maybe we'll have a better shot at finding you a ride there, anyway."

She nodded, then looked back up at him with a small, if somewhat forced, smile. "Yeah. Let's go."

Wes decided now was as good a time as any to let Neo and Novo out of their Pokeballs. Normally, he didn't like to walk around Pyrite with them out in the open; Snagem may have been the most notorious gang for Pokémon trafficking, but they were not the only ones, and Pyrite was a trafficking hotspot. However, after seeing the mess in the square, he decided some cover would be a good idea.

Once Neo and Novo had a brief moment to stretch, they all set off for the station.

He only knew where the police station was due to years of carefully avoiding it. Even though his Trainer name and record were clean, he had no intention of letting them catch on to his Snagger identity. Every instinct of his shrieked protests at him as he led Rui deeper into town towards the station; he should be staying away from such a place, not waltzing right up to it, for Arceus' sake.

Do you never learn? That familiar snarl was in his ear again. You're a damned fool, boy.

Wes clenched his teeth. I know. He would never be rid of that voice at this rate...

The Pyrite police station came into view all too soon. Like the rest of the town, it wasn't much to look at; other than the large front door and the symbol of the Pyrite police above it, it was barely distinguishable from any other building in the area.

Rui, true to her usual fashion, was the one to step forward through the door first. Wes was more than happy to let her; the closer he could be to the exit, the better.

The inside of the station was just as unremarkable as the outside. There was a reception desk straight ahead with a very bored looking officer slouched behind it, and to the right was a metal door that was shut and locked securely; Wes knew from conversations with other Pyrite citizens and Snagem associates that it led to a hallway of prison cells.

Wes glanced warily about the place, scanning for any other potential exits - just in case. The only option he saw was another door behind the reception counter and a window on the wall to their left. He decided to only take a few steps in and stay as close to the front door as possible. Neo and Novo, faithful as always, remained close to him on either side.

The officer behind the desk was staring out the window, balancing a pencil on his puckered lips and apparently completely oblivious to their presence. After a pause, Rui cleared her throat and he jumped, sending the pencil flying with a clatter. He blinked sheepishly at his visitors and sat up a little straighter in his seat with a cough. "Erm, hello, what can I do ya for?"

Rui gave him her usual polite smile. "Hello! We need to speak with...uh, whoever's in charge."

He quirked an eyebrow. "On what business?"

Rui glanced at Wes, who merely shrugged. She turned back to the officer. "We wanted to report some dangerous Pokémon."

The officer snorted. "No need for that, miss. We've been getting reports and calls about dangerous Pokémon several times a day."

Rui's eyes widened in surprise. "You - you have?"

"Yes'm. I assure you our force is already working on the case."

"...oh." Rui clearly hadn't been expecting that answer. "Well, we also have some Pokémon that we would, uh...like to turn in."

The officer frowned. "Turn in?"

"Yes, sir. We believe them to be dangerous."

"And where did you get these Pokémon?"

Rui paused, and Wes braced himself. He could always try to step in with a lie and hope it would be convincing...

"They were actually given to us, sir." Wes blinked in surprise as Rui plowed forward without so much as a stutter. "We won a couple of them in a contest, and the other two were given to us by some concerned citizens in Phenac. They didn't know what to do with their Pokémon, so we offered to bring them here."

It was a stretch, but her face was shockingly earnest for such a bald-faced lie.

"Phenac, you say?" The officer leaned back in his chair and folded his arms with a furrowed brow. "That's news to us...how many Pokémon did you say you had?"

"Four, sir."

He nodded, still frowning. "Right. Will you just wait here a moment?" Rui nodded, and he rose and exited through the door behind him.

Wes shot Rui a sideways glance. She threw him a mischievous grin. He would have to ask her later where she'd learned to lie like that.

The officer returned through the door, and this time he had someone with him: an older gentleman with gray hair and a mustache to match. Wes felt an uncomfortable lurch in his stomach; he'd never personally interacted with this man, but he knew exactly who he was.

The Pyrite Chief of Police walked with a serious and dignified air. The lines on his face and bags under his eyes were a testament to his many years on the force. His crisp navy uniform highlighted his sharp eyes, which immediately rested on Wes.

Wes met his gaze evenly and forced himself to remain calm and collected. This man knew nothing, had nothing on him. He would be fine as long as he was careful.

Still, he couldn't help but notice the Chief's eyes briefly flicker to the Snag Machine on his arm.

"Chief, these two have some things to share that I think you might be interested to hear," said the officer.

The Chief nodded to him. "Thank you, Lenin." He gave Wes and Rui a small, polite smile. "And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

"Rui Everlin, sir," Rui said with a small bow.

Wes gave the Chief a nod. "Wesley Lycas."

"A pleasure to meet you both. I am Timothy Sherles, Chief of Pyrite Police. My officer here tells me you have some unusual Pokémon you would like to turn in?"

"Yes, sir," said Rui.

Sherles glanced at the Eons gathered at Wes' feet. "I take it you're the Trainer, son?"

Wes gave another curt nod.

"Very well. If you please, I'd like to speak with you in my office about this matter."

He hesitated. You've got to be kidding me. Stepping into the Pyrite Chief's office was the last thing Wes wanted to do, but he couldn't very well refuse without raising suspicion...

To make matters worse, as he and Rui both stepped forward to follow him, Sherles glanced at the redhead and said kindly, "No need, my dear. I only need to speak with Mr. Lycas. You may wait out here."

Rui blinked. "I...oh. Okay, then." She gave Wes a small smile as she sat in a chair near the door, but he noticed a tiny glint of confusion in her eyes.

Wes followed Sherles into his office with his Eons beside him. Everything is fine, he told himself firmly. Just tell him Rui's story, hand over the Pokeballs, and be done with it. He knows nothing about me.

Sherles' office was a rather small and humble one, quite different from the mayor's in Phenac. There were no windows, making the room feel cramped, and the desk was a beat up old thing, its top covered in a variety of papers.

Rather than take a seat behind his desk, however, Sherles stood in front of it and looked Wes up and down with an unreadable expression. He glanced at Wes' companions again. "Those are some fine Pokémon you've got there, son."

"Thank you."

"Now, then. Tell me how you came across these dangerous Pokémon."

Wes chose his words carefully while making sure to maintain eye contact. "As Rui said, I won two of them in a contest at the...Pre Gym in Phenac. And the other two we offered to take from a pair of Trainers that didn't know what to do with them. We all figured out pretty quickly that they're dangerous."

Sherles nodded, keeping his sharp gaze steady. "And how would you describe their behavior?"

"Unpredictable." Wes reflected on the Makuhita's blank stare, on the hatred in its eyes when battling. "They don't seem to know some commands, and they don't always listen. They lose control easily and fight too harshly...and they attack people." The dull ache in his shoulder, though significantly better than the day before, was still a solid reminder of that last part.

Sherles nodded again. "Well. That sounds about right with the reports we've been receiving here in Pyrite. However..." he leaned forward slightly, fixing Wes with that impenetrable stare of his. "I'd like you to tell me how you got those Pokémon."

Wes blinked. "I...already did."

"Oh, yes, you did," replied the Chief cooly. "Now this time, I'd like you to tell me the truth."

Wes narrowed his eyes. The Chief was toying with him, that was all. This man had no real information on him; his intimidation was merely a bluff. "That's the truth. Sir."

"Is it, Mr. Lycas?"

Sherles straightened and leaned against his desk, then tipped his head back and regarded Wes with a critical eye. When he spoke again, his calm voice contained a threatening edge, and Wes felt the blood in his veins freeze over.

"Or should I call you Snagger Leo?"

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 9: The Deal

Wes froze.

Panic flared inside his chest at the mention of his Snagger name. No one, no one outside of Snagem knew him as Leo. So how...?

He willed himself to stay calm, to not let his shock show, but his mind was racing.

How did this man know? How did he know?

"Surprised?" Sherles asked breezily.

There was a light touch of smugness in his voice, and it was enough to pull Wes back to his senses. He folded his arms and regarded the Chief with a cool gaze. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't get cute with me, son. I know exactly who you are - and I know what that is, too." He jerked his head at the metal sleeve on Wes' arm.

How? How? How did he know?

"I'm sorry, but you must be mistaken. I have no idea what you're getting at." Wes maintained his icy stare.

Sherles sighed. "Very well, then." He pushed himself off the wall and pulled an envelope from a stack of papers on his cluttered desk. He pulled a single photograph from it and handed it to Wes. "Perhaps this will convince you."

Wes stared at the picture. The metal building in the background was unmistakable; it was team Snagem's hideout, as it used to be before Wes destroyed it. And, walking in the foreground with Neo and Novo at his side, was Wes himself.

Questions, so many questions, were bursting through his mind. How did he get this picture? And who took it? And how did he know where to find the hideout in the first place? How?

Wes slowly looked back up at Sherles. "How did you-"

"I have my resources, Snagger," said Sherles smoothly as he retrieved the photo from Wes' hand and slid it back into its envelope.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

He was trapped. Utterly trapped. The only way out of this building was back through the door behind him, past the officer, past Rui. But maybe, just maybe...he had Neo and Novo...

As if they'd read his mind, his Pokémon tensed at his feet. A low growl rumbled from Novo's throat, and Neo's forehead jewel gleamed.

"I wouldn't think about running, if I were you." Sherles eyed the two Eons. "That photo is one thing, but trust me when I say I have more than enough evidence to incriminate you here and now. You walk out that door, and I'll have that rather recognizable face of yours posted everywhere from here to Gateon."

The jig was up. Wes dropped the act with a snarl. "And who's to say you'll catch me?"

"Oh, I may or may not be able to hunt you down, but if my information is correct - and I believe it is - I won't be the only organization looking for you, now, would I?"

Wes didn't answer.

Sherles smirked a little. "I thought so." He tipped his head back again. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a few questions for you. Care to tell me why you blew up the Snagem hideout?"

"That's none of your business."

"Considering you're a prime suspect in my office, I'd say it is my business, Lycas."

"Well if you're going to arrest me anyway, what's the point in telling you anything?" Wes snapped.

Sherles raised an eyebrow. "Arrest you? Who said I was going to arrest you, son?"

"That's why you have me here, isn't it?"

"No, as a matter of fact, it isn't."

Wes stared at him. "What?"

"I'm not here to arrest you," Sherles repeated. He rested back against his desk once more. "I'm here to cut you a deal."

There was a brief pause. Wes narrowed his eyes at the Chief. What was he playing at?

"For the last eighteen months, savage Pokémon attacks and sightings have been increasing around the city. I have reason to believe someone - or a gang, more likely - is responsible for this, though we have little evidence to test that theory or make any headway. That's where you come in, son."

Wes leaned against the wall behind him and glared at the man as he folded his arms. "I don't follow."

"My sources indicate that you spent quite a lot of time here in town on your Snagging missions, and are quite familiar with the locals - particularly the Trainers," Sherles said. "You're likely more integrated into that crowd than any of my officers...which is why I'd like you to go undercover for me."

Another pause.

At length, Wes said slowly, "Are you joking?"

"Do I look like I'm joking, son?"

He most certainly did not. That icy stare of his was as serious as ever. Wes snorted in disbelief. "And why would I help you?"

"Well, for starters, there's the fact that I have everything I need to arrest you where you stand, if I need to," said Sherles idly. "For another, if you lend us your cooperation...I'll make it worth your while."

"Prove it."

"I'll reduce your sentence - and, depending on how helpful you are, I might even be willing to waive all charges. I will see to it that you have a place to stay and operate from while you are here, and I'll make sure your Pokémon are taken care of."

Wes mulled this over in his mind. He hated being backed into a corner like this, and yet it didn't actually sound...all that terrible. "What would I do?"

"Mostly gather information. Tell us everything you know about Snagem - and that lovely little accessory of yours -" Sherles nodded again at the Snag Machine, "and report any sightings of savage Pokémon to us. Try to find out where they are coming from, and why. That sort of thing."

Well. That didn't sound too difficult at all. Wes leveled a wary gaze at Sherles. "How do I know this isn't a trap of some sort?"

"You mean, more than it already is?" Sherles asked wryly. "What more do I have to gain from you? I already have you where I want you."

He was absolutely right, and Wes hated him for it.

He continued to fix the Chief with a hard stare. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"As a matter of fact, I didn't. My informant has been tracking you for some time, but lost your trail at Phenac." He actually chuckled a little. "Having you resurface on my very doorstep was the last thing I expected - although, I didn't expect you to blow up that hideout, either. You're full of surprises, son."

Wes had latched onto the first part of Sherles' statement. "Who's your informant?"

"That's classified information."

Well, he didn't expect he'd get an answer, but it had been worth a shot. He went for his next question. "Why me?"

"Now that's a good question." Sherles straightened a little, regarding the Snagger with critical eyes. "Why would I want you, of all people? I certainly didn't intend to involve you originally - but then you went and pulled that stunt in Eclo Canyon, and it had me wondering what you knew. And where your loyalties lie. If I'm not mistaken, you were no ordinary Snagem grunt. You were the best they had, a top-tier worker, were you not?"

Wes steadily looked at him and refused to answer.

That gaze was so persistent. Unflinching. Sherles continued. "Not only are you a valuable source of information for me, you're also an important link, as I believe Snagem is behind these incidents with savage Pokémon."

"They're not," Wes said curtly.

"Oh? You know this for certain?"

Well...no, he didn't know for certain. But he did know one thing with absolute surety. "Snagem doesn't redistribute Pokémon. They only take and sell for a profit."

"And do you know where all the Pokémon go?"

"...No. I don't."

"Hm." Sherles grunted. "Then I'm maintaining my theory for now. But in the meantime, you still haven't given me your answer."

Wes paused. He glanced down at his Pokémon; they were both still on high alert, but had backed down and were crouched warily at their Trainer's feet, keeping Sherles under a watchful eye.

If he got arrested, Neo and Novo would be taken away...

He had no choice. They were the entire reason he'd left Snagem in the first place, and he was not about to lose his family. Not after everything they'd gone through.

He looked back up at the Chief. "I'll do it."

Sherles smiled and gave an approving nod. "A wise decision, I think."

"But," Wes said harshly, "I have my conditions."

Sherles' eyebrows shot up an inch or two. "Do you, now?"

"Yes." Wes knew he was in no position whatsoever to bargain, but he was going for it anyway. "One: I do this job for you, and not only do you waive my charges, you provide me with a passport."

"So it seems I was correct in assuming you would make for Gateon," Sherles grunted. "You dislike Orre that much, hm?"

"This region hasn't done me any favors."

"Interesting. I'm sure it could say the exact same thing about you."

Wes ignored this comment; he was well aware of what he'd "contributed" to the world so far. He wasn't proud of it, yet he couldn't help but venomously wonder: where was the rest of Orre, when he was just a child on the streets? Where were the police and the authorities then?

Nowhere. The one time - the one time - the police were actually competent at their job, it worked against him and not for him.

Of course.

"I have another condition," he said. "Nobody gets to know who I am. That information stays between you and me. I don't need to make it any easier for Snagem to find me."

The Chief narrowed his eyes. "And what about that rather innocent-looking girl you have with you? What's her role in all of this?"

"Nothing. We just happened to meet. I'm helping her find her way back home."

"You? Escorting a stranger? Forgive me if I find that very hard to believe, son."

"It's the truth," Wes said testily. "You can ask her yourself."

"Does she know who you are?"

"She knows about the Snag Machine but...no. Not me. And I intend to keep it that way." The less people knew who he was, the better...for multiple reasons. "In fact, she needs to get back to Agate, and you can help with that, right?"

Sherles nodded. "I don't see why not." He scrutinized him for a moment longer, as if digesting Wes' proposed conditions. "Is that all?"

"Yes."

He paused. "Very well, then," he said at length. "I agree to your demands, Lycas."

Wes was genuinely surprised to hear this. For what it was worth, the Chief really did seem to want his full cooperation.

"However," Sherles continued, "I will need to disclose your identity to one other person who is working closely with me on this case." At these words, he pulled a P*DA from the front pocket on his uniform and began typing a message.

Wes eyed him warily. "And who might that be?"

"Oh, I'm sure you know of him," Sherles said lightly. He slipped his device back in his pocket. "In fact, why don't we meet with him now?"

Perfectly on cue, the door beside Wes creaked open. He nearly jumped at the sudden entrance, but managed to just barely hide his surprise. Novo tensed and growled as the newcomer stepped into the room, and Neo leaned against his Trainer with a soft, concerned chirp.

If the office felt small before, it was certainly crowded now. The man that slipped inside and shut the door behind him was much, much larger than the average human; he was almost big enough to make Wes wonder if he was human - but then again, he'd lived most of his life under the figurative and literal shadow of his massively oversized boss, so the man's size wasn't entirely new to him.

The visitor folded his giant, muscular arms and stepped back against the right-hand wall so as to get a good view of both Wes and Sherles. Wes didn't recognize this man immediately; he thought the auburn hair and mustache somewhat rang a bell, but his face was not overly familiar to him.

"Duking," Sherles greeted the impressively sized man with a nod. "I'd like to introduce you to our new recruit." He gestured to Wes.

The man called Duking shot a sideways glance at the Chief. "Is this him? The Snagger?" His voice was deep and impressive, like rumbling thunder.

"Yes."

Duking narrowed his eyes as he scanned Wes from head to foot. His eyes rested for a moment on the machine on Wes' arm. He then met Wes' gaze with an unimpressed expression.

"So," he said curtly, "you're a Pokémon thief."

"Former Pokémon thief," Wes growled. He matched Duking's glare with his.

"Ah, yes. Very reassuring." The reply was dripping with sarcasm. Duking turned to the Chief. "Sherles, just what are you tryin' to pull?"

"Nothing," said Sherles evenly. "He's agreed to work with us, and he's our best shot at making any progress on this case."

Duking grunted. "I know we said we'd have to get outside our comfort zones to get to the bottom of this..." He fixed his gaze back onto Wes. "...but I'm still not sure about throwing in with his lot."

Those last two words grated in Wes' ears. Anger bubbled in his chest. "Don't lump me in with the rest of them," he said quietly.

"Oh, so you're above them, are you?" Duking scoffed. "Think you're better than the rest of your peers because you were the best at the dirty work?"

Wes was about to offer a scathing retort when Sherles stepped in. "What matters, Duking, is that he's giving us his cooperation, and we need it," he said sternly. "Additionally, he needs a place to stay while here in Pyrite, and your place is a good as any."

"If you think I'm housing a criminal under the same roof as my kids, Sherles, you've got another think coming." Duking's voice was little more than a low growl.

Wes scoffed at this. "What would I have to gain by harming your family? You think I actually want to be here?"

"Listen, kid, I don't need another reason to have a target on my back. I've got enough on my plate tryin' to run this city and get to the bottom of these Pokémon attacks, and I don't need to be sheltering the likes of you."

A realization dawned on Wes at that last statement. "You're the mayor." He snorted and tipped his head back, folding his arms again. "I should have known."

The Pyrite man snarled at him. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean it's obvious. Hiring other people to do all the dirty work for you while treating them as less-than? Sounds like every other authority figure to me."

"Don't get snarky with me, kid. I've been serving Pyrite since before you were born, and I don't need my name associated with criminals."

"Spoken like a true politician."

Duking's eyes flashed; he stepped forward menacingly, his massive form filling the room as he did so. Neo and Novo sprang in front of their Trainer, their snarls filling the small space -

"Enough!" Sherles barked. He stepped in between Wes and Duking, warding the mayor off with one arm and glaring at them in turn. "Both of you - sit back and shut the hell up. None of us are getting anywhere until you can figure out how to be civil and work on this case together. Duking, you will house this young man and I will personally see to it that he behaves while he is here. And you -" he shot daggers at Wes - "watch that smart mouth of yours. This man has done more for this town than you've done for anything in your entire life, and he deserves your respect."

Respect. Wes hated that word. It was the word of authoritarians and tyrants and men drunk with power. It was the word that was shoved down his throat daily in Snagem, one that forced him to keep his head down and eyes low if he didn't want an unprovoked beating. It was one that nearly took his Pokémon, his family, his everything, away from him.

Respect. It was a dirty word , one that left a bitter taste in his mouth whenever he heard it.

Still, he said nothing and only gave a curt nod to the Chief in response, though he kept his eyes focused on Duking. The large man glared back at him for a minute longer, then backed down, grumbling under his breath. Sherles narrowed his eyes at Wes' growling Pokémon. "And while we're at it, return them both. We don't need things getting ugly in here."

Wes clenched his teeth in frustration, but he did as told. Neo and Novo vanished into their Pokeballs.

Sherles relaxed a little and adjusted his uniform with a small cough. "Right then," he said. "Before we continue, Mr. Lycas has a few conditions upon agreeing to work with us." He listed off Wes' demands to Duking, who listened with an increasingly sour expression.

You mean work for you. As if he'd ever willingly volunteer for such a ridiculous project himself.

Still, if this deal really was as good as Sherles made it out to be - though he didn't give much weight to the man's word just yet - then it would mean a much easier time of getting out of Orre. A slower method, but a cleaner one...a safer one.

"Very well," Duking's rumbling voice pulled Wes from his thoughts. "I don't like this setup, Chief...but I'll put my faith in you."

"Thank you, Duking," said Sherles. "I do think we can count on him." He nodded towards Wes as he spoke.

Duking turned his attention back to the Snagger. "I'm warning you now, kid," he said darkly, "you make even one indication that you plan to harm my family, and I will personally see to it that you are locked away for the rest of your life."

Wes glowered up at him. He disliked this man more and more with every word that came out of his mouth.

"Don't call me 'kid'," he said softly.

"I'll call you whatever the hell I want."

A snarl rose in Wes' throat, but before he could say anything more, Sherles interrupted once again. "Let's get to business, shall we?" he said briskly. "Lycas, I believe you said you had some dangerous Pokémon to turn in. We'll take a look at these Pokémon tomorrow, but first, let's get your...ah, friend on her way home."

She's not my friend, Wes said silently. He decided not to bother with semantics, however.

"Hold on, are you talking about that girl out there?" Duking asked Sherles with a frown. "She's with him?"

"Yes," Wes spoke up sharply before Sherles could say anything, "I'm just helping her get home. Nothing more."

The Pyrite mayor's gaze burned into him. "How do we know you're not taking advantage of her somehow?"

Fury seethed inside him. Sure, men like Gonzap and Wakin were not above taking advantage of women at any given opportunity, but Wes was not Gonzap, he was not Wakin, and how dare this man accuse him of such a thing, how dare he -

"I'm confident he's telling the truth," said Sherles. "But we can always confirm with the young lady herself and make sure the stories line up." He nodded to Wes. "I believe we're done here, for now. Let's get things situated."

He crossed the room and opened the door, gesturing Wes to leave first. Wes exchanged one more scathing look with Duking before stepping back out into the lobby.

The officer outside, he noted, was no longer trying to balance a pencil on his lip; seeing the mayor step in likely had a hand in that. Sherles did, however, quickly dismiss him from the lobby as he emerged.

Rui, still seated in her chair near the front door, perked up at the sight of Wes emerging from the office. "Wes! That...um, took a while..." her smile faltered at the sight of Duking and Sherles behind him, her face a mask of confusion. She shot him a sideways glance. "I, uh, saw the mayor step in...what's going on?"

Before Wes could answer, Sherles clapped a hand on his shoulder, and the sudden touch nearly made him jump out of his skin. Arceus. Why were people so touchy all the time? Between all the contact with strangers, and Rui clinging to him over the last few days, he'd had more than enough of it and was at his limit.

"Miss Everlin." Sherles beamed at her kindly. "Your friend is a volunteer helping us with our investigation here in Pyrite, so he'll be in town for a while. But don't you worry, we'll arrange transportation for you to get back home."

A whirlwind of expressions flickered across Rui's face all at once like a photo reel: joy, shock, confusion, and then...doubt. Her eyes flicked between Wes and the Chief. "...Really?"

Sherles didn't answer this immediately, so Wes assumed that was his cue to speak up. "Um. Yes. We talked about the case, and the Pokémon we...we got..." Damn. He was usually better prepared for these things, but at the moment he felt so put on the spot. He consciously resisted the urge to rub the back of his head in a nervous fidget.

"No need to be modest, son," Sherles said cheerfully. "Why, this case is why you're here in the first place! I respect your desire to keep things confidential, but I'm sure this young lady is trustworthy with some of the details."

Rui looked more confused than ever. "What?"

Wes was even more bewildered than she was, though he made sure not to show it. What was Sherles getting at?

The Chief threw Wes an incredulous look. "Does she not know why you have the Snag Machine?"

Wes met his expression. Just play along. "Well...not the whole reason, no."

Sherles barked out a laugh. "Look at you, being so modest!" He turned to Rui with a grin. "This young man has been with us for some time, Miss Everlin - not too long, mind you, but he's worked with us to expose the Snagem hideout and steal the Snag Machine to help us in our investigation. Truly, we'd be at quite a loss without him."

Rui's eyes widened in shock. She stared at Wes, utterly dumbfounded. "Is...is this true?"

He merely gave a curt nod.

She jumped to her feet and grabbed him by the shoulders, her face far too close to his. Mew have mercy, his bubble was being violated so many times today. "Wes! That's amazing! I didn't - I had no idea - I understand now! Why you have that machine, why you caught those Pokémon...this all makes sense!"

It does? he thought numbly. His mind was still spinning with the turn of events. What was happening? How did he end up here - in Pyrite, in the middle of a police investigation, when all he'd meant to do was flee to Gateon?

Rui paused for a moment. "Hold on, is that even your real name? Should I call you Wes?"

He gingerly pried her off of him and pushed her back until she was at an acceptable distance. "Yes, that's my name. You can keep calling me that."

She grinned at him; she was taking this all remarkably well, he thought. "I can't believe - I was spouting off to you about helping those Pokémon, but you've been on top of it all along! You're incredible!"

Oh, no. No.

Wes was fine with lying; he'd done it often enough, had developed the skill for it, but this was a whole new level. He was not comfortable with pretending to be some...undercover hero. He was the furthest thing from that.

Still, he had to roll with it, at least for now. He didn't have much of a choice.

"Well, we should get you home," he said. "I'm sure your family is worried about you-"

"Wait!" Rui's face lit up. "I - I want to join the investigation!"

Oh, for the love of Arceus -

Sherles looked taken aback. Duking spoke up from behind Wes. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I got your name, Miss...?"

"Rui Everlin, sir," she said with her usual slight bow. Her eyes were vibrant with excitement. "And I think - no, I know I'd be a really valuable addition to the case, and I'd really like to volunteer if you'll have me!"

"And...what makes you say that, Miss Everlin?" Duking asked politely.

Rui shot Wes a look. "You didn't tell them?"

"...No."

She frowned at him before turning to Sherles. "You see, Chief, I can see the auras of Pokémon...and I can detect which ones are dangerous by their aura."

Sherles cocked an eyebrow and threw Wes a sideways glance.

"It's true," he muttered. "That's how we got the Pokémon in Phenac."

"Well..." Sherles trailed off with a contemplative expression. "That does sound useful, Miss Everlin. But...are you certain about this? This is a dangerous mission, and you must be eager to get home, not to mention your family-"

"That's alright!" Wes had never seen Rui so excited - which was saying something, he noted. "I can explain everything to them, they'll understand - if you'll have me, that is..."

"Hm. What do you think, Lycas?" Sherles looked at him; neither of them had been prepared for Rui's enthusiastic offer. Wes could say no...but the blazing passion in Rui's eyes would not be easily dissuaded, and he was sure she would fight fiercely for her cause.

"That's...fine, I suppose," he said tersely.

Rui beamed, and before Wes could react, she threw herself at him in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Wes! Thank you!"

Sweet merciful Arceus above get off me.

"It's - it's fine, really," he said stiffly. He moved to pry her off of him a second time, but to his immense relief, she pulled away of her own accord.

He was so glad to be free of her grip he almost didn't notice the frown on her face. "Why didn't you tell them I can see aura?"

"I...didn't want you to get involved." It was technically the truth, but in the current context, it sounded...so much nobler than it actually was.

He hated it.

Rui's face softened and her smile returned. "You worry too much."

Apparently not enough, if he'd gotten himself into this mess.

Sherles turned to Duking. "Well, this is a bit of a last minute adjustment...Duking, I don't suppose you'd have room for her as well...?"

Wes saw him wave his hand nonchalantly in his peripheral vision. "Not to worry. We have plenty of space."

"Oh-" Rui looked at him with concern. "I didn't think about - I'm sorry - I won't be a bother, will I?"

Duking chuckled - a warm and genuine one, from what Wes could tell. "No need to fret, miss. We'll be happy to have you. In fact, my daughter will be thrilled to have another lady in the house. I think she feels a bit outnumbered these days."

Rui grinned at him. "Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor."

"Please. Call me Duking."

Wes resisted the urge to give a derisive snort. Such a different response from what he'd been given...although, Rui had no criminal activity to her name, and her very existence screamed "wholesome and trustworthy" so loudly she might as well have plastered it on her forehead.

He supposed he didn't have any of that going for him.

"Well, then, that settles it," Sherles said brightly. "I have more work to attend to in my office, but Duking will help you get settled in and we can get started in the morning." His eyes rested briefly on Wes as he spoke, and though his face was cheerful, there was a warning glint in his gaze: don't you dare try anything.

Wes briefly glanced at Duking; he wouldn't be able to try anything no matter how much he wanted to. He knew that much.

Duking ushered them out the door and led the way to his home as Rui struck up a conversation with him. Wes could only follow in a daze as the early evening sun warmed them from behind with golden light, with one thought running through his mind in a constant loop:

How, how, how did his simple plan to get to Gateon go so absurdly wrong?

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 10: Victims and Warriors

Wes had been in a plethora of uncomfortable situations within the last few days, but this one might have been the worst of them all.

Duking had introduced him and Rui to his two children just outside his home before sending the kids back inside with Wes in tow. The mayor remained with Rui outside the back door to the kitchen as he caught her up to speed on their investigation plans.

Wes would not quickly forget the burning stare from Duking as his son and daughter happily led the Snagger inside. The mayor said nothing to him, but he didn't need to; that look said everything Wes needed to know.

Try anything and I'll kill you.

So here he sat in the modest kitchen, trying not to fidget as he took in the yellow painted walls around him and attempted to ignore the girl's penetrating stare; she sat at the kitchen table across from him, looking him up and down as though silently critiquing every detail. For all he knew, she probably was.

Marcia (or Marci, as she had very adamantly insisted she be called) was the younger of Duking's two children. Her brother, Secc, had given a quiet but polite hello before retreating back into his book where he sat at the other end of the table.

Whatever her brother lacked in sociability, Marci more than made up for it with hers. She was loud, energetic, talked way too fast, and reminded Wes far too much of a certain redhead - a fact that was not helped by her auburn colored hair.

And, as luck would have it, Marci was particularly interested in Wes; she studied him from across the table as though he were a textbook and she was preparing for a test.

He was just about to ask her what in Mew's name she wanted when she finally spoke up.

"Dad says you're a Pokemon Trainer."

Wes blinked. "...Yeah. I am."

The girl frowned at him. She looked him up and down once more.

"But you don't look like a Trainer," she blurted.

Wes had absolutely no clue how to respond to that. What was that even supposed to mean?

"Because Trainers dress different!" Marci continued, apparently not expecting a response to her previous statement. "They wear cool shirts and shorts and they have cool bags for all their stuff - oh, and they wear hats, too!" She leaned forward as she spoke, eyes sparkling, as if she were imagining herself in those clothes.

She sat back and scrutinized Wes' face once more. "They don't have weird stripes on their faces, though," she remarked matter-of-factly.

Wes stared at her. What did this girl want from him?

He forced an air of patience into his tone. "Well...I'm still a Trainer-"

"Yeah, but you don't look like one."

Good lord. This girl was pushing buttons Wes didn't even know he had.

She gave him a toothy grin. "Your coat is cool, though!"

"...thanks."

"So...um..." Marci trailed off for a moment, shifting a little in her seat. Then she leaned forward again, face eager, and asked, "Can...can I see your Pokémon?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Wes saw Secc peek over the top of his book.

He could not possibly have been more grateful for the opportunity to turn the attention away from himself. "Sure." He pulled the Pokeballs from his belt.

Neo and Novo stretched happily as they emerged from the beams of light. They blinked and sniffed the air, taking in their surroundings. Neo waved his tail excitedly and Novo turned to his Trainer with a questioning look. "Umbri?"

Marci gasped so loudly that she might as well have sucked all the oxygen out of the room. Secc lowered his book and craned his neck to get a look at the Pokémon from his end of the table.

"Oh my gosh!" Marci squealed so high Wes was sure she would summon a flock of Zubat. "Secc! Secc, look, they're Eeeveelutions!"

Secc abandoned all pretenses of remaining aloof. His eyes widened in awe as he approached their end of the table and he got a better look at Neo and Novo.

"Wow...wow," he whispered. He looked at Wes, his eyes shining almost as bright as his sister's. "Did you raise them yourself?"

Wes nodded.

Secc crouched down in front of Novo in utter amazement. "Wow..." he said again.

Neo was reveling in all the attention; he purred loudly and rubbed up against Marci's legs with a happy chirp. She squealed again and immediately sat on the floor to pet him, a gesture that the Espeon greeted with enthusiasm.

Novo twitched his ears nervously and sat closer to his Trainer. Secc cautiously reached out to pet him, and Wes noticed the hairs rise on the back of Novo's neck. He placed a hand on the Umbreon's head.

"It's okay, Novo," he said. "They're..." What? Safe? Not a threat? (Though a threat to his pride, maybe.) They certainly weren't close enough to be called friends, not when they'd just met.

"They're okay," he finished.

Novo blinked at his Trainer. In an act of trust in Wes' judgement, he relaxed his shoulders and allowed the boy to stroke his pelt.

"He's so soft!" Secc exclaimed with a grin.

Marci was giggling hysterically as Neo pranced about her, begging for more attention. He rubbed his face against her shoulder, flicked his tail across her face, then flopped onto his back in front of her in an appeal for belly rubs.

He was quite possibly the most shameless Pokémon Wes had ever seen.

The door rattled from the other end of the kitchen as Duking and Rui came in from the house's side entrance, accompanied by another young man that Wes didn't recognize; he had spiky, dusty brown hair and a Plusle perched comfortably on his shoulder.

Rui blinked in surprise at the scene before them, a warm smile spreading slowly across her face.

"Dad, Dad, look!" Marci cried happily from her seat on the kitchen floor. "He has the coolest Pokemon!"

The Plusle on the newcomer's shoulder let out a reproachful chirp. "Plu!"

The young man laughed and patted the tiny Pokémon's head. "I'm sure she didn't mean anything personal, Plu."

Duking's eyes flickered over the sight before landing on Wes. He couldn't be certain, but Wes thought he saw Duking's eyes narrow just a little. The man didn't seem to appreciate the fact that his children were already associating so closely with the Snagger.

"Right," he said evenly. His eyes remained trained on Wes as he spoke. "That's nice, Mar. But it's time for both of you to get on your homework."

There was brief spell of groaning and protesting from both kids, but a stern look from their father caused them to sigh in defeat. Marci kissed the top of Neo's head before hopping up, and Secc gave Novo one last chin scratch before standing and returning to his books at the table.

As Wes rose from his seat, the mayor gestured to the young man beside him. "This is Silva, by the way. He helps me manage the Colosseum and is a close family friend of ours. He'll be helping us with the investigation." Silva greeted Wes with a wave and a friendly grin; Wes merely responded with a nod.

"Can we help with the investigation too, Dad?" Marci piped up from her spot at the table; she hadn't even bothered to open her textbooks yet.

"No, Mar. Please don't ask again."

Marci sat back in her seat with a defeated sigh, and Silva reached out and ruffled her hair with a laugh. "Don't worry, Marci, it's real boring stuff anyway. Lots of paperwork and long meetings." He lifted Plusle from his shoulder and let the Pokémon hop onto the table in front of Marci, who greeted him with a giggle.

"You always get to help out with stuff, though." Secc was the one who spoke up this time, though he kept his eyes on his book as he mumbled.

"That's because I'm a grown-up, and grown-ups get to do boring things. Take my advice and don't become one."

"More boring than math?" Marci wrinkled her nose at the still unopened book that rested in front of her.

"Marci, stop your complaining and get on your homework." Duking shot his daughter a stern look. "You should both count yourselves lucky that you even have the chance to get an education. Most kids in Pyrite aren't so lucky."

Most kids in Pyrite don't even have parents, Wes thought dryly.

"Does Pyrite have a school?" Rui asked in mild surprise.

Marci chipped in before her dad could reply. "No. Dad's making us do online school through some lady in Johto." She scowled. "We're the only kids in Pyrite who have to do homework."

Secc snorted and rolled his eyes. "Gee, how terrible."

Marci glared at him. "Just because you're some nerd who actually likes it, doesn't mean the rest of us do!"

Secc clearly had a scathing retort at the ready, but Duking cut in before he could deliver it. "Enough. Marci, if I hear one more complaint out of you, you're going to your room."

Marci slumped in defeat and looked down at her book with a wistful sigh.

"I can help you out later, if you'd like!" Rui flashed the girl a warm smile. "I was pretty good at math when I was in school."

"Really?" Marci looked up at her, eyes shining with admiration.

"Really!"

"That's a nice offer, Miss Everlin, thank you," Duking said as he gave Rui an appreciative look. "But for now, Mar will have to manage on her own. We need to get you both settled in."

He gestured for them to follow him as he made his way through the open doorway that led into the living room. Rui and Silva made friendly conversation with one another as they followed suit.

Wes fell in line behind them with a quiet sigh; he was sure they'd be put in some stuffy guest bedroom, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Not only did the idea of staying in someone else's house make him uncomfortable to the highest degree, it was a house filled with several people. As if dealing with Rui for the last few days hadn't exhausted him enough already...

But of all the things he'd been expecting, a secret cavern was not one of them.

He stared in surprise at the room Duking had led them to; the entrance to the cave itself had been hidden behind a bookshelf in Duking's office, which was just off from their living room. "Stuffy" was certainly not the appropriate description here; the cave was impressively sized, large enough to fit a table in the center of the floor and several mismatched chairs around it, a handful of bookshelves lining the walls, and, next to a door on the back wall, a waterfall that trickled down the stone into a tidy pool on the floor. The pool must have had an outlet to drain somewhere, as it didn't spread or flood across the floor.

"Wow...wow!" Rui breathed in awe. She'd been speechless for the last minute or so, mouth gaping as she took in their unexpected surroundings. She turned to Duking with an expression of pure, unadulterated excitement. "Did you build this?"

Duking chuckled a little at her amazement. "Silva and I built this place some years back out of the cliffside behind the house. It started out as a fun idea for the kids, and then...I guess we got a little carried away with it."

Silva grinned. "Well, it helps that Duking has a couple Rock types on his team. It was fun for all of us."

"This is so cool!" Rui turned to Wes with a beaming smile. He held back a snort; she looked for all the world like a five year old child on their birthday.

"We have two bedrooms just through the door there." Duking nodded to the other door on the back wall. "They...well, they're not much. Kind of small and nothing to write home about, but I hope they're comfortable enough for you."

"Are you kidding?" Rui laughed. "We get to stay in a secret cave! This is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me!"

Not that your standards are very high, Wes thought to himself. He didn't know much about Rui's hometown, but clearly the girl hadn't seen much. Though he had to admit - this hideout was impressive.

"Well, I'll give you both some time to settle in," Duking said. "We should have dinner ready in an hour or so, and you're - ah - welcome to join us." Wes noticed his gaze darken ever so slightly as the mayor glanced at him; hospitality aside, this man was certainly not happy to have Wes at his dinner table.

I don't want to be here, either, you know.

Neither Silva nor Rui seemed to pick up on this, as Silva cheerfully bade them farewell and followed Duking back out of the cave and into his office, and Rui bounded over to the doorway from across the room.

She threw Wes yet another child-like grin over her shoulder. "Feels like we're real spies or something, doesn't it? Working undercover and staying in a secret base?"

Wes was about to scoff at her and tell her how stupid that sounded, that they were not actually spies, when he caught sight of the unbridled joy on her face. Arceus above, he'd never seen such a pure expression before.

He decided to let her have this one. "Sure."

The bedrooms were indeed small and nothing extraordinary. Aside from a bed, lamp, and small dresser in each one, they were completely bare. Much as he disliked staying in someone else's home, Wes had to admit he preferred this over a more typical bedroom; he could almost pretend he was in a small shelter on a Snagging mission, which felt much more natural to him.

"You know," Rui's voice sounded from her room across the narrow hallway, "we ought to let those Pokémon out of their balls and get to know them a bit."

"What, the crazy ones?" Wes asked in disbelief. He closed the door to his room and frowned at her as she emerged from hers.

"They're not crazy, Wes, they're just...damaged," Rui said. "They're not going to get any better by sitting in their balls all the time, and you are their Trainer now."

"I'm not their Trainer."

"You are for now," Rui said stubbornly. "Besides, they've been in their Pokeballs since yesterday. We should at least let them eat something."

She had a point there, though the thought of confronting any one of the savage Pokémon made Wes feel uneasy. "Fine," he said, "but we're not doing it inside. I don't think Duking would thank us if his house got destroyed."

Rui smiled wryly. "You sure like to think of the worst case scenarios, don't you?"

Wes snorted and hefted the bag onto his shoulder. "Call it a talent."

He made his way back through the cave and made a point to ignore Rui's giggle behind him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rays of the setting sun bathed the town in dusty gold. Wes was grateful there was still plenty of light out; Pyrite was not a place to be wandering the streets after dark.

For the sake of privacy and to avoid prying eyes, he'd found an abandoned lot out near the edge of town. He'd only ever seen a few groups of street kids loitering around the area before, and with evening closing in, they would either be finding a place to hunker down for the night, or they'd be scoping out potential thieving opportunities. His instincts proved to be correct when they found the lot empty.

He decided to send out Makuhita first, though he wasn't sure why; perhaps he felt that fists would be easier to dodge than a jet of flame or a stream of water or a flurry of leaves. Not that he felt any more at ease about it.

Makuhita blinked and slowly looked around; it didn't seem to be too fazed at the drastic change of scenery, though it was hard to tell anything from the blank expression.

Wes glanced at Rui. "Does it still have that weird aura? Or something?"

Rui nodded, looking Makuhita up and down with a concerned gaze. Wes noticed she wasn't just looking at the Pokémon; her eyes seemed to be taking in the space around it as well, taking in sights only she could see.

She turned back to him. "It's still there. His aura is just...off. But he doesn't seem to be as aggressive as before."

Makuhita looked up at them both, apparently noticing them for the first time since looking at his surroundings. "Ma."

Something about Rui's statement had stood out to Wes. "'He'?"

Rui nodded again and returned her attention to Makuhita. "Yeah. I can tell a Pokémon's gender by their aura. Females and males have certain patterns about them...the Bayleef is also a male, by the way. Quilava and Croconaw are female."

Wes had no response to that, and could only shake his head slightly. Mew have mercy, this girl was weird, and her ability to see aura was still unsettling to him.

"Ma."

Wes jumped as he felt a tug at the hem of his coat. He looked down and, to his surprise, found Makuhita tugging at the blue fabric.

"Um. Can I help you?"

Makuhita stared up at him; Wes resisted the urge to flinch. Docile though he seemed to be, those eyes were still so hollow, so soulless, so...empty.

Rui crouched down to level with Makuhita, and pulled something from her jacket pocket. "Here, this is for you. I think you'll like it."

Makuhita turned to look at her, and gave a few slow blinks before taking the treat, a small biscuit, from her outstretched hand. "Ma-ku."

Wes shot her a look. "Where did you get that?"

Rui grinned up at him. "I grabbed a few from the Phenac Center yesterday. They had a whole jar for Trainers to take some, and...I mean, I'm not a Trainer, but I thought I could give some to Neo and Novo at some point." She looked back at Makuhita with a gentle smile. "I think this guy needs it more, though."

"Ku." Makuhita nibbled away at the treat. He sounded somewhat pleased, though his expression remained as blank as ever.

He didn't seem all that different, Wes thought. His insane rage in battle aside, Makuhita was behaving like an ordinary, mild-mannered Pokémon. As he watched the fighter finish his treat, Wes thought he looked...almost normal.

Then Makuhita looked up at him again with those eyes and that blank, lifeless stare.

Almost.

"You should name him," Rui said suddenly.

"I-what?"

"Every Pokémon should have a name, shouldn't they?" Rui got back to her feet. "I doubt those thugs had a proper name for him, so you should give him one."

"Rui, he's not my-"

She shot him a sharp look. "Wesley Lycas, he's your Pokémon until we can get him better, so you should treat him like it," she said.

Arceus, you're bossy as hell.

Wes sighed in defeat and looked down at the Pokémon. Fine. It wasn't like naming him was a big deal, anyway...right?

Wes stared at the Makuhita. The Makuhita stared back.

A name...it had been so long since he'd named another Pokémon. He couldn't even remember how he came up with ones for Neo and Novo; they had simply come to him.

And just like that, a name for Makuhita popped in his mind.

"Maku," he said.

He heard a light sputter and looked over to find Rui giggling at him. He frowned at her. "What?"

"M-Maku?" she asked with an amused grin.

"Yeah, what of it? It suits him."

"That wouldn't, I don't know, have to do with the fact that he's a Makuhita?"

"Shut it. It's a good name. Right?" Wes addressed the Pokémon. Makuhita cocked his head to the side, then nodded. "Ma."

"See? He likes it."

"Well, what are you gonna name him when he evolves?" Rui's grin spread wider. "Harry?"

Wes scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous." He paused, then added nonchalantly, "I'd call him Yama."

At this, Rui let out a real guffaw of laughter. "Did-did-did you just make a joke?" she choked.

He shot her a sideways glance. "Would that be so hard to believe?"

"Well-yeah!" She spluttered. "I don't think I've seen you laugh at...at...anything!"

"Not my fault if most people have a terrible sense of humor."

"Oh, really?" Rui folded her arms and cocked her head to the side, still grinning. "So yours is better than everyone else's?"

"Exactly."

"How humble of you."

"I try."

Rui's eyes lit up with an idea. "Tell you what." She clasped her hands behind her back. "If I can make you laugh by the end of this mission, you buy me a Pokepop."

Wes stared at her. "That's stupid."

"It's a bet! So if I lose, you get something out of it."

He snorted and folded his arms. "And what would that be?"

"Hmm..." Rui squinted up at the sky for a moment, lost in thought. "How about...I buy treats for your whole team?"

That...actually was somewhat tempting. Still -

"You have no money," Wes deadpanned.

"Only because of current circumstances!" Rui said. "Once I get a new P*DA, I'll have access to my account again - and yes, I do have my own money, in case you doubted that," she added dryly.

Wes looked at her expression and realized she was actually serious. He shook his head in disbelief. "Fine, I'll play along, but only because it means free treats for my team."

"Oh, you think so?" Rui leaned forward with a mischievous smile. "I have plenty of jokes up my sleeve!"

He rolled his eyes. "And they're probably all terrible."

"Ha! Just you wait, Lycas. I'll get you."

"I'm sure."

"Ma?" Maku's voice caught Wes by surprise; he'd almost forgotten the quiet Pokémon was still standing right in front of them. Maku was looking between him and Rui with a somewhat hopeful gaze.

"Sorry, bud, I don't actually have any treats on me," Wes said wistfully. He threw Rui a sideways smirk. "I'm sure we'll get some soon, though."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ma. Ma-ku." Maku gestured to Rui with his fist.

She blinked at the Pokémon in surprise. "Oh, you mean my treats!" Maku nodded, and her face fell a little. "Um, sorry, Maku, I don't have that many, and was saving them for the others..."

Maku blinked. "...ku." He looked down in disappointment.

Well, great. Now Wes felt sorry for him. Neo and Novo's begging tactics were one thing; he'd caved in to them from time to time, and they'd lived their lives knowing and trusting in his affection. But this poor Pokémon...he acted for all the world like Rui was the first human to ever show him kindness.

"It won't hurt to give him another one," he said to Rui.

She raised an eyebrow at him, then grinned. "If you say so." Instead of offering the biscuit to Maku, however, she dug one out of her jacket pocket and held it out to Wes. "You give it to him. You're the Trainer, after all."

Wes paused, then took it from her hand, knelt down, and held out the offering.

Maku blinked and slowly took the treat from Wes' hand. He nibbled at it - then took a larger bite, and then a larger one, until he shoved it all into his mouth. He looked at Wes and mumbled through a mouthful. "Ma."

"You're welcome. I think." It was a bit difficult to read Maku compared to Neo and Novo; Wes was used to relying on twitching ears and waving tails to tell him what they were feeling, and Maku's expressionless gaze didn't help things, either.

He suddenly noticed the sun was sinking lower in the sky; they would need to get a move on if they wanted to address the other Pokémon. After explaining to Maku that he would need to go back in his ball for now, he returned him.

"So, Wes, what are you going to name the other ones?" Rui was smirking at him. "Let me guess - you'll name the Quilava, 'Quilly'?"

"Shut up, Rui."

"Oh! How about 'Bay' for the Bayleef?"

Wes rolled his eyes. "You know what, if you're so good at names, then you should name them."

"Wait-are you serious? Do you mean that?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

He thought for a second, then shrugged. "If you want to, then...sure. Why not."

Rui beamed at him. "I'd love to!"

"Knock yourself out, then. But make sure they're at least decent ones."

"No promises. Maybe I'll name one of them 'Princess'."

"...You know what, I take it back. I'm keeping the naming privileges."

"No, wait, I was kidding! Let me name at least one!"

"Fine."

And with that, Wes tossed out the next Pokeball.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She blinked and took in her new surroundings as the light from the Pokeball faded.

She didn't recognize this place - not that that was new, per se. She hadn't recognized the last city she was in, either; all she could reliably remember of her life before that was white walls and bright lights and cold metal tables...

And pain. Lots and lots of pain.

She twitched at the memory, the flames of her mane and tail sputtering in response. The dark monster in her chest stirred.

A voice met her hears, and she snapped her head around to see...two humans. One with hair as red as the flames of her tail, and the other in a blue...something. It was somewhat like the coats the humans wore within those white walls. Somewhat.

The first one, the red one, looked at her with a smile. She felt her skin crawl at her flank and lunged at her side with her teeth, gnawing away at the sensation. Then she scratched behind her ear, and raised a hind leg to scratch her other side, and -

Itch. Itch. Itch.

It had been a long time since she'd actually been itchy; ever since leaving the white walls behind, the sensation never returned. But she'd grown so used to it, that constant prickling sensation under her fur, that it felt unnatural, wrong even, to be without it. So she had itched and scratched and twitched and clawed herself bloody in various places in an effort to keep calm.

But these humans made her nervous, and nervousness made her want to twitch, scratch, bite, and that blackness in her heart stirred even more, threatening to rear its ugly head -

"It's okay."

A voice made her raise her head. The red one was looking at her and cautiously approaching her, but it wasn't the outstretched hand that was frightening, oh no; it was that smile on her face.

She didn't like that. When the white-coated humans would smile at her, with sharp and pointy things in their hands, it was a sure sign of more pain to come.

The blue one muttered something under his breath that she didn't quite catch, and the red one laughed. She shuddered; her flames flickered as she twitched and spasmed anxiously.

If a smile was a hint of pain to come, then laughter was a guarantee.

Yet there was something...different about the red one's face. She didn't know quite what, but that face seemed...gentle? Mild?

She didn't know humans could look like that. It unsettled her.

She caught sight of the blue one's face and found something else: wary cautiousness. Distrust.

Ah. That was an expression she recognized.

Another spasm took her left shoulder, and the red one was coming ever closer. She tried to hold still, but the harder she tried, the more she twitched. That imaginary itching sensation was tingling, prickling, crawling under her skin and it was everywhere, all over, everywhere -

Fingers brushed the top of her head.

"Qu-qu-QUI!"

She didn't mean to, she really didn't, but it was so unexpected, her body was twitching so much, and that blackness was clawing at her, telling her to hurt, destroy, tear - and oh no, oh no, she didn't mean to, she was sorry, sorry, so sorry -

The blue one yanked the girl out of the way as flames belched over their heads. She heard a shout, saw them both staring at her in alarm.

Oh. Oh no. The humans hated it when she did that.

She would be punished for this, she knew. And punishment always hurt. And after the punishment, they would come at her with more sharp things poking under her skin, the itching would be back tenfold and it would make her wish she could crawl out of her own pelt like it always did and that monster inside of her would take over and please she didn't mean to, she didn't mean to, she didn't mean -

A strange smell hit her nostrils. She slowly raised her head and only then realized she'd curled into a ball in an attempt to hide from the world.

A gloved hand was cautiously extended in front of her, holding...food? She blinked and raised her head a little higher to meet the blue one's eyes. That wariness was still there, but there was something else, too...more softness? She wasn't sure.

"Here." His voice was quiet. "Take it."

Slowly, very slowly, she craned her neck forward to take the morsel from his hand. She delicately clutched it in her teeth, then immediately snapped her head away before he could have a chance to do - something. Hit her, or stab her with something sharp, or yank her by the ear.

One of those things, certainly. Humans always did those things.

He continued to speak to her, but she didn't catch the words; she was busy gulping down the food. Who knew when her next bite of food would come? Best to eat it all before he could take it away.

"May I?"

The girl's voice again. She shot a wary glance upwards to see her reaching out a cautious hand.

The blue one growled. "Rui-"

"It's okay, Wes. She's just scared."

What was wrong with this human? Her eyes were so kind, her voice so gentle, she was so different from the white ones...

She licked the last of the crumbs from her muzzle as she stared at this strange human...then reluctantly bowed her head. If this girl wanted to touch her, she would make it happen one way or another, anyway. Humans always got what they wanted in the end.

The hand brushed her head again, and even though her entire body quivered with phantom itchiness, she was prepared this time. It would hurt, but if she didn't struggle, it wouldn't be too unbearable -

Soft.

The girl's touch was light. Fingers gently brushed through her fur, stroked the top of her head, scratched behind her ears. She felt her muscles relax ever so slightly at the sensation. It felt...nice.

"Kohna."

She blinked up into the girl's eyes. So warm. The girl spoke again.

"Kohna. Can we call you that? Do you like that name?"

A...name? She twitched her ears. She'd had a name, back in the cold white rooms, but she could never remember it very well. SD00245...something. It was long and strange, and never felt like much of a name.

Kohna. It wasn't bad. She even...kind of liked it.

She slowly nodded her head.

The girl smiled again - Kohna's flames sputtered nervously at the sight. The blue one spoke to her. "We'd keep you out for a little longer, but we need to meet with the other Pokémon, too, so you'll have to go back in your ball for now." He grimaced a little. "Sorry."

Sorry? Sorry? Did this human just apologize to her? A Pokémon?

She mulled these things over and over in her mind as the light from the Pokeball sucked her back inside. Food. Gentle touches. A new name.

These humans were very strange, indeed.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Even before she could take in her surroundings, she was ready.

Her Trainer only ever let her out of her ball for two things: meals and battles. But she learned very quickly to always assume she was being unleashed for the latter. Taking too long to gather in her surroundings had earned her some painful blows from advancing foes in the past, so now she knew better. Always be ready. Always be prepared to attack, to fight, to win.

Some Pokémon took little pleasure in battling, but she was not one of them. She relished the opportunity to tear at her opponents, to send them sprawling in the dirt, to make them bleed, make them hurt. It was a welcome outlet for the rage that constantly simmered in her chest.

And yet, as she tensed her muscles and lashed her tail and snapped her powerful jaws...there was no attack, no hailstorm of fire or lightning or whatever else aiming straight for her head. She blinked and looked up at the two humans standing in front of her - two unfamiliar humans.

It took her all of five seconds to size them up. She came to a single conclusion with a derisive snort.

Pathetic.

They were all alike, humans. Thought they were so mighty just because they could suck her back into a Pokeball if she behaved too wildly, just because they could strap her down to a table and muzzle her jaws shut while they inflicted all sorts of misery, just because she knew that if she didn't obey their every whim, she would have hell to pay.

But humans could posture all they liked. She knew the strength in her scales, the deadly force of her fangs; she had the real power.

She glared up at the two strangers, unflinching, undaunted. Her willfulness would surely not go unpunished, but she didn't care. She'd had worse, and she would endure worse in the future. Pain only made her stronger, so she welcomed it.

"Oh, Wes, look at all of her scars..."

The girl cautiously stooped down to her level and looked her squarely in the eye with...was that pity?

She lashed her tail again, kicking up a cloud of dust behind her as she did so. She, a mighty Croconaw, was not to be pitied. She was raw muscle and strength and ferocity; she was a fighting machine, designed to destroy, to obliterate, to win at any cost.

Pity was not for her, no; it was for the weaker Pokémon she encountered in those cold, tiled rooms, the ones that wailed and struggled and sobbed even as the light faded from their eyes and the life ebbed from their limbs. They were the fragile ones, the ones that cried with every stab or blow or stroke of pain.

She'd never cried; she was made of stronger stuff than they.

A low growl rumbled in her throat as she leered at this pitiful little human in front of her. She would make sure this girl knew the truth: She was a warrior, not a victim.

She was not to be pitied. She was to be feared.

But before she could make her move, the other human stepped forward and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. He murmured a word of caution, made her stand and take a few steps back.

She growled again, and he locked eyes with her.

Those eyes did not contain the same aggravating sympathy as the girl's did - but there was no fear in them, either. They held caution...and something else. A quiet, burning defiance, almost as if he were daring her to test him.

She was not sure whether she despised this or respected it.

"Um, hello." The girl took a step forward again, ignoring the glare from her companion. "It's nice to officially meet you. I'm Rui, and this is Wes, your new Trainer." She gestured to the man beside her with a smile. "It's probably confusing to take all of this in at once, but don't worry, we'll take good care of you."

Another lash of the tail, another mocking snort. As if she needed reassurance. She needed nothing, never did, never would.

"If...if it's all right with you, we'd like to give you a name," the girl continued. "How does Nani sound?"

She looked at the girl with a cold, deadpan stare. Names were of no importance to her, least of all names given from humans. She'd never acknowledged the name given to her by the white-coated ones, and she certainly wouldn't adhere to anything these ones had to -

"It means 'mighty wave' in Alolan."

The use of the word "mighty" gave her pause. Hm. Perhaps - perhaps - she would consider it. She supposed a warrior did need a worthy name...

"We'll give you time to think about it, if you'd like." The man spoke this time. He was still looking at her with that fiery gaze of his. "You'll need to go back in your ball for now, but we'll have food for you later. You can mull it over in the meantime."

It was odd, the way these two were speaking to her. From her experience, humans only addressed her to bark orders, yet these ones were just...talking. As if trying to have a conversation.

She glared at them both. She had no response for them.

They exchanged a look. The man simply shrugged and held up her Pokeball. She looked at him one last time and thought she caught a glimpse of something softer in his eyes.

"We'll see you later, okay?"

The beam of light engulfed her, and as darkness swallowed her up, she snarled to herself.

No matter if these two were somewhat different. Humans were all the same, in the end.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Right. Okay. We'll deal with him later."

Wes shakily got back to his feet and shoved Bayleef's ball back into the bag as he huffed this statement.

The second Bayleef had been released from his ball, the Pokémon bellowed in rage and launched a flurry of leaves straight for their heads; Wes had only narrowly managed to shove Rui down and duck under the slicing green blades before returning him.

Rui was slower to get to her feet. "His-his-his aura..." Her voice betrayed the fact that she was trembling slightly.

"Yeah, I know it's messed up, that's the point-"

"No, I mean-it was worse!" Rui exclaimed. She turned to Wes, face distraught. "It was like...like it was consuming him or something!"

Wes frowned at her. "Maybe some are worse than others?"

"I...I don't know...maybe?" She bit her lip and glanced at where the Bayleef had been standing just a moment before. She looked back at Wes, her eyes pools of worry, and asked the question that had been festering in the back of his mind.

"Wes...how are we going to fix these Pokémon?"

"I don't know." And for all his frustration at being in this situation, for all his annoyance at being kept from his destination at every turn, Wes found himself genuinely wishing he knew the answer.

The terror in Quilava's eyes, the scars lacing Corconaw's body, the emptiness in Maku's eyes...

Whoever was responsible for this was a monster.

"We'll figure it out," he said. He looked Rui squarely in the eyes. "We just need some time. And starting tomorrow, maybe we'll get some answers."

She nodded, and her anxiety seemed to ease a little. She glanced at the fading sunset. "Well...we should probably go back, right? I'm sure they'll be waiting for us."

Wes sighed a little. Right. The day wasn't over yet; he still had to deal with people before he could retire peacefully for the day. "Yeah. Let's go."

And with that, they left the empty lot behind.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Artwork by @Dragonfree

Chapter 11: Defeated​

Wes stared at the scene before him, at an utter loss for words.

The kitchen had transformed from the previous night; the table had been scooted to the very center of the floor, with a second, foldable one set up and pushed against one end to make a single long, mismatched dining table. The air was buzzing with chatter, and the smells of a variety of breakfast foods wafted about the busy, cramped space.

"Mar? Where'd you put the bacon?" Secc's voice sounded from where he stood near the stove, scrambling eggs in a large pan.

"I put the plate over there, on the counter." Marci was busy flipping pancakes next to her father and made a vague gesture to the other end of the kitchen; Wes did a double take at the sight of the massive mayor in a flowery apron and wondered for half a second if he was in a bizarre dream.

"Where?"

"Over there."

"I don't see it-"

"That's because you're blind."

Before Secc could snark a reply, the side entrance to the kitchen swung open, and in walked Silva, Rui, and two dark haired children Wes did not recognize. The kids waved excited greetings to Duking and his kids as Silva and Rui brought in what looked to be grocery bags.

Rui caught sight of Wes and grinned. "Good morning!" Plusle, who sat sat atop her head, mimicked her greeting with a chirp.

Wes blinked in surprise; Rui looked entirely different today, and it took him a moment to realize why. Her usual pigtails had been let down and pulled back into a half ponytail, allowing the rest of her red hair to cascade down to her shoulders, and her skirt and jacket had been replaced with a plain, light blue T shirt and blue jeans. She suddenly looked much older than before.

"Morning," he said slowly.

The two unfamiliar children stepped into the kitchen to greet Secc and Marci, and Wes met Duking's eyes with a bewildered look.

"I thought you only had two kids," Wes said.

Duking raised an eyebrow at him. "I do," he said cooly. He gestured to the pair. "This is Nett and Megg, Secc and Marci's friends. They come here often and take online classes with my kids."

"Hello!" Nett chirped in response. Megg grinned and gave a shy wave as the two carried a stack of plates to the table.

Wes responded with his typical nod, but the kids still looked at him hopefully, as if expecting more. "Um, hello," he mumbled awkwardly.

Megg set her last plate on the table before fully turning to him. "Are you the Trainer helping Duking?" she asked eagerly.

"...Yes."

Marci chipped in from her end of the kitchen. "And he has the coolest Pokémon, Megg!"

"Really?" Megg glanced between Wes and Marci as her eyes lit up with excitement. "Can I see them?"

Wes shrugged. "Sure, you-" he broke off with a frown as he looked about the kitchen and found his Espeon and Umbreon were nowhere in sight. Where had they gone? They'd only just entered the kitchen with him -

"Umbri?" Novo poked his head out from under the table and looked up at his Trainer.

"What are you under there for?" Wes mumbled. He gestured for Novo to step out, and the Umbreon happily trotted to his side. Neo, apparently also under the table with his brother, followed suit with a chirp, though Wes noticed he moved a little sluggishly. He frowned at him, but Neo merely blinked up at him contentedly.

"Oh, wow!" It was the boy, Nett, who spoke up this time; he'd already taken a seat at the table, and Megg sat down beside him. "An Espeon and an Umbreon! They're really rare, aren't they?"

Wes felt a prickle of unease. He was not keen on where this conversation could be heading, and he preferred to avoid questions about where he got Neo and Novo if he could help it. He decided to vaguely answer this question with a noncommittal shrug.

Nett looked like he had more questions to ask, but before he could continue, Duking broke into the conversation as he brought a plate full of waffles to the table. "Alright, everybody, let's settle in and eat, shall we?"

Wes was still digesting the sight of him in that obnoxiously frilly apron. Rui surprised him by nudging him in the ribs - how long had she been standing next to him? - and the two took a seat.

Everyone settled in around the table - the now very crowded table, Wes realized. He found himself needing to take deep breaths. There were so many people, it was so loud, and there was so much food -

Wait.

He'd been so busy taking in the busy scene, he hadn't noticed just how much food there was sprawled atop the tablecloth. Wes stared in disbelief; he'd never seen so much food all in one place, being offered to him for free. Unless he included snatching food from the open-air markets in Phenac, but he had a sneaking suspicion that didn't count.

"This looks amazing!" Silva exclaimed from his place at Rui's other side. "Looks like you guys worked hard this morning!"

"It'd be better if Marci hadn't lost the bacon," Secc muttered.

Marci swelled with indignation. "I didn't lose it, I left it on the counter right where I said it was!"

"Well, it's not there anymore!"

"Probably because you moved it somewhere and forgot about it!"

"Why on earth would I-?"

"Secc. Mar," Duking sighed. "Drop it."

The two siblings exchanged glares and fell silent.

"Now, then!" Duking beamed at them all (well, everybody aside from Wes), his massive form towering over everyone else at the table. "Dig in!"

The chatter multiplied as everyone dished up their plates. Marci, Secc, Nett and Megg all conversed about school - Wes only knew this because Marci's voice was so loud it carried easily from their end of the table - and Silva was saying something that made Rui laugh and Duking chuckle. He quietly dished some food onto his plate, and when nobody was looking, stashed some biscuits in his pocket, just in case; rule number one of his upbringing had been to never pass up an opportunity for a meal, whether current or future.

He may have been likely to stay here for a while and receive regular meals in the process, but nothing in life was certain. That was another thing his childhood had taught him.

"So, how do you two know each other, again?" Rui's voice tugged him from his memories, and he decided to focus on it, if only to attempt to drown out the rest of the noise in the small kitchen.

"Oh, I'm just a family friend-" Silva began.

Duking barked out a laugh. "I may have introduced you as such, but that's a bit misleading." He clapped Silva on the shoulder and grinned at Rui. "Silva here is family to us. Been with us since he was a kid, and he's one of the best people I know."

Silva shrugged off Duking's grip on his shoulder, looking a little embarrassed at the praise. "You make me sound so noble, Duke." He then addressed Rui. "Duking's the one who deserves all the praise, though. He and Dahlia took me in when I was really young - I lost my parents to Noctis, see. I was wandering the streets when they found me. Practically raised me as their own." He flashed the mayor a grateful smile. "I owe everything I have to him. Who knows where I'd be now if he hadn't found me."

Wes held in a bitter snort. He had a pretty good idea of where Noctis orphans usually ended up: either on the streets, in a gang, or dead. More often than not, the first two options led to the third one fairly quickly.

"Oh, that's so sweet!" Rui beamed at them both. "I take it Dahlia's your wife, then?" she asked Duking.

A small shadow passed over Duking's face, and he gave her a pained smile. "Yes...she was. I lost her a few years back. To Noctis."

"...Oh." Rui's face fell. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

"Not to worry, Miss Everlin." Duking waved a dismissive hand. "You couldn't have known. The last several years haven't been easy on us, but we've been able to manage."

Rui murmured something in response, but Wes' attention was directed elsewhere when Secc spoke up from his end of the table. "Um. Wes? What's wrong with your Espeon?"

What? Wes frowned and glanced over his shoulder to where Secc was pointing; Neo was slouched on his haunches in the doorway to the kitchen, head bowed and panting slightly.

"Neo?" Wes asked, concern flickering in his chest. "What's wrong?"

Neo blinked up at him with a somewhat dazed expression. He staggered to his feet and took a wobbly step towards his Trainer...then another...

...And then vomited a massive heap of undigested bacon all over the floor.

Silva, who was closest to the mess, hastily scooted his chair away with a squawk of disgust; Marci's mouth dropped open, and there were a few seconds of stunned silence.

Wes slowly bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, for the love of Arceus."

Rui erupted into a fit of laughter, breaking the tension and sending the kids into a fit of giggles. Silva chuckled weakly, still edging his chair as far away from the puddle as possible.

"Well. S'pose that explains where all the bacon went," Duking grunted. He fixed Wes with a deadpan stare. "You're cleaning that up, kid."

Rui leaned over her plate, laughing so hard that tears were leaking from her eyes. Wes heard a loud burp; he snapped his head around to see Novo sitting contentedly near the kids' end of the table, licking his muzzle.

Wes couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. "You too?"

Novo blinked, then ducked his head, paws shifting guiltily.

The laughter multiplied, and this time even Duking joined in with a light chuckle. Cursing under his breath, Wes rose from his chair to take care of the nightmare on the floor.

So much for having an appetite.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Rui insisted they give the other Pokémon breakfast before heading to meet with Sherles. Wes agreed on the condition they do so outside once again; he didn't trust one of them not to snap and go berserk, and he was already on rocky enough terms with the mayor without being responsible for the destruction of his house.

Duking took notice when Wes set Bayleef's Pokeball aside on the table and frowned. "Why aren't you taking that one?"

"He's too aggressive," Wes answered curtly. "I figured I'll deal with him when I have the time and space."

"Hm." The mayor eyed the Pokeball thoughtfully. "Silva and I have some work to do in the Colosseum today. I could let him out with my team and see if I can wrangle him."

"That would be great!" Rui chirped, but Wes threw him a wary look.

"Maybe. He's pretty wild and attacks on sight," he said.

Duking narrowed his eyes. "I think I can handle it," he answered coldly.

Wes held back a scoff and finished packing his bag before heading out the door with Rui. It's your funeral.

Duking had been generous enough to provide Wes' team with Pokémon food from his own supply. It was low-grade quality, but Wes hadn't expected anything much (it was Pyrite town, after all), and Neo and Novo had lived their whole lives living off odd meals of questionable quality and had turned out healthy enough. High quality Pokémon food was a luxury that most Trainers simply couldn't afford.

The Espeon and Umbreon, however, were in no need of breakfast after their display in the kitchen. After a thorough scolding ("Just because it's bacon doesn't mean it's yours!"), they were promptly returned to their balls for a time-out. Wes was certain they would both sulk and pout afterwards, but he would have to deal with that later.

"Do you think it's a good idea to let them all out at once?" Rui asked as she eyed the three Pokeballs in Wes' hand.

"They'll have to get to know each other sooner or later," he said. "Might as well introduce them now." He shot her a sideways glance. "Let me know if any of them show signs of getting out of hand, though."

Rui knotted her eyebrows together and nodded.

The three Pokémon blinked in the sunlight and shifted as they took in their surroundings. Maku sat passively, taking in the scenery with no expression whatsoever; Kohna snorted and twitched, pawing at the ground anxiously, and Nani (Maybe? Had she accepted that name?) immediately crouched into a battle stance, snapping her jaws ferociously at the other two in turn.

Wes had no way of interpreting her fierce growls, but the message was clear, nonetheless: "Which one of you do I get to tear apart first?"

Kohna squeaked and recoiled, flames sputtering as she twitched and spasmed with more intensity. Maku met the Croconaw's gaze head on, and Wes thought he could hear a low growl rumble from within.

"Easy."

All three heads snapped to him, noticing him for the first time. Wes kept a cautious distance, crouching down in an attempt to look as non-threatening as possible.

"You're not here to fight, all right? I'm your Trainer now, which makes all of you teammates. I figured we could get to know one another."

Kohna relaxed a little, though she stil raised a hind leg to scratch obsessively behind her ear. Maku simply stared, while Croconaw huffed and leered at him.

Wes met her eyes. "Nani, right? Is that what we can call you?"

She snorted at him. Wes had no idea how to respond to that.

"I'm...going to take that as a yes." She glared at him, but didn't protest, so Wes assumed his guess was correct and continued. "Right. Nani, meet Maku and Kohna." He gestured to the other two.

All three exchanged wary glances with one another. Nobody seemed eager to break the ice.

He sighed. Well. So much for that.

"Let Neo and Novo out." Rui's hand rested lightly on Wes' shoulder as she spoke, and he only barely managed to hide his flinch. Her touch wasn't unpleasant, per se, and was much less threatening than most, but it was far too foreign of a sensation for him to be comfortable with it.

He glanced at her over his shoulder and saw that she was closely observing the Pokémon before them. "You think that's a good idea?" he asked.

She nodded and shifted her gaze to his. "I do. They're the only...ordinary Pokémon here, and maybe some interaction with them will do the others some good. Besides, they're teammates, too."

Wes was aware of that, though he knew he would look like a pushover for letting them out of their time-out so early. Other issues were more pressing, though, so he gave a nod of agreement and rose to his feet before turning back to the three before him.

"You have two other teammates I'm going to introduce you guys to. Their names are Neo and Novo, and they are not-" he broke off to give Nani a hard stare, as he saw her tensing into battle position once again, "to be attacked. We don't attack teammates. Ever. Got it?"

Nani lashed her tail in frustration and reluctantly relaxed her shoulders. Kohna and Maku listened quietly.

They all flinched a little at the bright bursts of light; it seemed they were highly sensitive to sudden sounds and movements. Novo stretched luxuriously in the sunlight, and Neo immediately set to bounding about playfully at Wes' feet. "Spi, spi, spi!"

Novo pricked his ears forward, his attention fastened on the three Pokémon eyeing him warily. The hairs rose on the back of his neck in apprehension.

"Neo, Novo." Wes stepped closer to his Umbreon in an effort to calm his nerves. He gestured to Nani, Maku and Kohna. "Meet your...new teammates."

Novo relaxed a little, but stayed where he was, craning his neck forward and sniffing the air so as to smell them from a cautious distance. Neo, however, cocked his head, then pranced right up to them with a cheerful greeting, tail waving in the air. "Spiiiiii!"

Kohna flinched back. Nani growled, curling her lip to show her impressive fangs. Maku simply stared.

Neo paused, looking at each of them in turn before rubbing up against Maku with a friendly purr. "Esp!"

For the first time, the fighter showed something other than rage or dull acceptance. He blinked and took a step back, and Wes saw utter confusion overtake his face. "...Ma?"

Rui giggled from beside Wes. "This is so cute!"

It's cute until it isn't. Wes was still keeping a close eye on Nani. She growled whenever any of the Pokémon came too close, and stiffened as Novo cautiously approached the group, but so far she was behaving herself. Still, he didn't think it wouldn't take much for her to snap her jaws at any one of them.

Once greetings had more or less been exchanged, Rui helped Wes break out the food and sat beside him as the team ate. He took extra care to keep everyone apart as they are, just in case one of them had any food aggression; Novo, though now much calmer, had been a nightmare to deal with when he was a young Eevee, and Wes was not about to risk unpleasant exchanges with the newcomers.

While they waited, Rui pulled out Wes' P*DA. She'd asked to borrow it the night before, and ever since, she'd been obsessively searching all over the internet for any possible information on the Pokémons' afflictions, but so far her search had come up empty. Wes wasn't surprised at this, and even told her she was unlikely to find anything, but she insisted on searching nonetheless.

Once they were all set and returned to their Pokeballs, they rose to their feet. Rui slipped Wes' P*DA into their bag and hefted it onto her shoulder, and Wes spared the old thing a disdainful glance. Much as he disliked the idea of spending more money, he would probably need to get a new one. The old tote from Grogan was not at all suited for Training.

Rui was practically chomping at the bit to be on their way to the police station, so they quickly made their way into town. "Today's our first official day on the job! Isn't that so exciting?"

Wes grumbled. "Sure."

She scoffed. "Gee, Wes. I'm gonna have to ask you to turn down your enthusiasm a little."

He shot her a look. "Well, why are you so excited? I thought you hated the police, yet here you are, helping them out."

"That's exactly why I'm excited!" Rui beamed at him. Wes vaguely wondered if her face ever hurt from smiling so much. "You don't understand, Wes - I've had this gift of seeing aura all my life, and was always treated differently because of it. And now I've found a real use for it, a way that I can not only help Pokémon, but people, too." She turned her head back to the road in front of them. "And if I can help with this investigation...maybe I can prevent other Trainers from experiencing what I did. Maybe I can actually do something."

"So it sounds like you still don't have much confidence in the police's ability to get anything done," Wes remarked dryly.

Rui shrugged. "Well, to be honest, they don't seem confident, either. Why else would they be looking for volunteers? Still, at least they're trying to do something. It's more than what I expect-"

THUD.

She wasn't able to finish her thought, as at that exact moment, a blur rushed at them from a side alley and collided straight into her. Wes jumped, someone yelped, and Rui tumbled to the ground with a cry; when the dust settled, both she and a young boy on roller skates were sprawled in the dirt.

"What the hell-" Wes helped Rui to her feet and snapped at the boy, who was clumsily picking himself up off the pavement. "Watch where you're-"

"I-I'm so sorry!" Rui gasped. She brushed past Wes and approached the stranger. "Are you okay?"

...You're welcome, I guess.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay!" the boy grinned sheepishly at her. "Uh, real sorry miss, I guess I wasn't paying attention-"

Wes narrowed his eyes at him.

"No, no, it's alright, I'm not hurt or anything," Rui said kindly. "But you should be more careful, you might not be so lucky next time."

"Yeah, sure thing, miss! Uh, I gotta go, but thank you!" he flashed her another charming grin, then made to breeze past them both.

Wham.

Wes seized the boy by the collar and pinned him up against the wall near the alley.

Rui squawked in dismay. "Wes! What are you-"

"Give it back," Wes snarled.

The boy's eyes widened in fear. "I - I dunno what you're-"

"I wasn't born yesterday, kid. Give it back. Now."

A fire sparked in the boy's eyes. "You're crazy!" he spat.

"Wes, stop!" Rui shouted. She pulled hard at the back of his coat. "What is wrong with you?"

"You've got five seconds to hand it over before I make things difficult."

"I - I ain't -" The boy struggled weakly against Wes' grip, but was quickly realizing his efforts were futile. "Fine!" he snapped. "Just lemme go, okay?"

Wes released him, but remained tense and ready in case the boy tried to bolt. With a hateful scowl, the boy slipped Wes' P*DA from his pocket and thrust it out to him. "Here. Happy?"

Rui's eyes widened in shock. "What - how did-?"

"I'll let you go this time, but don't push your luck. Others won't let you get off so easily." Wes fixed the boy with a cold stare.

"Fine, then!" the boy bit back. "I didn't want your stupid P*DA, anyway!"

He straightened out his rumpled shirt, and Wes noticed his trembling fingers, the barely restrained tears in his eyes. The ripped and smudged clothes, the greasy hair, and the boy's thin frame were all a dead giveaway to his life on the streets.

The boy glared bravely up at him, and Wes heaved a small sigh.

Damn those sad, frightened eyes.

"Here." He thrust a handful of bills out to the boy. "It's not much, but it'll fetch you a good meal. And for Arceus' sake, don't target anybody you can't run from."

The boy stared in disbelief for a second before cautiously taking the money from Wes' hand. He glanced at it, then shot Wes a hateful look and spat out an obscene insult that made Rui gasp in horror. Before either of them could respond, he shot off like a rocket and disappeared around a corner.

Rui gaped after him, utterly speechless for a moment. "That was...something else," she said feebly.

Wes gave a resigned shrug. He took Rui by the arm and continued forward to their destination before answering.

"That's Pyrite for you."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duking was already inside the station with Sherles when they arrived. Rui greeted him with a warm hello, which he returned. He did not acknowledge Wes, and Wes was perfectly fine with that.

"All settled in, I take it?" Sherles asked brightly. He briefly glanced at Wes with the tiniest hint of surprise in his expression. Wes wondered if he'd expected him to attempt to cut and run already.

"Oh, yes!" said Rui. "Duking's home and family are wonderful, aren't they, Wes?" She faced him with a smile. He noticed both Sherles and Duking glance at him.

"...It's nice," he said curtly.

Rui shot him a look, as if to ask, that's all you have to say? He ignored it.

"Well, that's good to hear," said Sherles as he straightened his uniform, "Now, let's get to business, then. If you'll follow me-"

"Oy, Chief!"

Wes heard the door burst open behind him with a shout only a split-second before something rammed into his back. He stumbled forward in surprise, then whipped around with a snarl. "The hell?"

He was face to face with a young, ginger-haired officer that looked to be close to his age. The officer stood tall in his navy uniform before saluting the Chief and continuing loudly, "Chief Sherles, sir! I'm here to give my report of this morning's-"

He broke off as he finally noticed Wes for the first time. He blinked, then greeted him with a bright smile. "Oh, hello! Who're you?"

"Johnson." Sherles narrowed his eyes as he addressed the officer. "You're late."

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir. Got held up by those kids again on my way here, they wanted to say hello to Frego and -"

"Johnson, if you're going to let those kids pet your damn Arcanine every morning, then leave earlier. No more excuses."

Johnson straightened and grinned wider. "Yes, boss!"

"Don't call me 'boss'. I'm your Chief."

"Sorry, boss."

Sherles sighed. Duking chortled in amusement.

Wes couldn't help but stare at the young officer in disbelief. Is this guy for real? The lopsided grin on his face reminded him of a dopey, idiotically happy Growlithe with their tongue lolling out of their mouth.

"Right, then. Johnson, this is Wesley Lycas and Rui Everlin, the volunteers for our savage Pokémon case I briefed you about yesterday evening."

"So you're our brave volunteers, then!" Johnson chirped cheerfully. He smiled at both Wes and Rui in turn. "A pleasure to meet you both!"

"You too, Officer Johnson!" Rui said warmly. When Wes didn't reply, she jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

He sighed. "Yes. A pleasure."

Mother of Arceus, I have to deal with too many damn people.

They filed into Sherles' office, and for the second time that morning, Wes forced himself to take a few deep breaths. The room was entirely too small for so many people, and the fact that Duking was large enough to fill the space for three individuals didn't help matters.

Sherles had pulled a few mismatched chairs into the room for everyone to take a seat; Wes made a point to choose the chair closest to the door. Rui pulled one back to sit beside him, to his mild annoyance.

"Well, no point in beating around the bush," Sherles said as soon as he'd taken his seat behind his desk. "We need to formulate a plan on how to go about this investigation."

"I thought you already had a plan, boss?" Johnson asked lightly. "That's why we got these two, right? Speaking of which," he grinned at Wes and gestured to the metal sleeve on his arm. "Is it really true that's a Snag Machine? And that you stole it?"

Wes eyed him warily. How much, he wondered, did this officer know? Did he know who he was, or had he been told the same cover story as Rui?

"Yeah, it's true," he said tersely.

That dopey smile spread wider across Johnson's face. "I guess you could say you snagged the Snag Machine, then. Heh. Snagged, get it?"

Wes stared at him. Sherles heaved a long-suffering sigh while Rui at least gave him a weak chuckle.

...Yeah, he has no idea.

Duking shook his head at Johnson, though he had a small hint of a smile showing under his mustache. "It's no wonder you and Silva get along so well."

Sherles cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "As I was saying," he said pointedly, "we have a plan, but the specific details have yet to be worked out. Namely, the details of how we intend to get these savage Pokémon away from their Trainers."

"But - I mean - don't you have the authority to seize Pokémon if you have proof of abuse or criminal conduct?" Rui asked with a frown.

"Oh, believe me, we've tried that route a handful of times," said Sherles. "Unfortunately, it has only served to slow us down. The moment an officer shows up with their badge, all suspects scatter and go into hiding for weeks, sometimes months. We haven't been able to get anywhere with that."

"Oh…" Rui looked down at her lap, brow furrowed in thought.

"Which is why we've come to this," Duking said. He shot a wary glance at the machine on Wes' arm. "We need to make progress on this case, and the only way to do so at this point is through...less orthodox means."

"Which is where you come in, right?" Johnson asked brightly as he turned to Wes.

Wes looked Sherles steadily in the eye as he answered. "Yes," he said slowly, "but we haven't gone over the details of how I'm supposed to Snag these Pokémon."

Johnson glanced between Wes and Sherles in confusion. "Well...with that thing, right?" He pointed at the Snag Machine.

Sherles rolled his eyes. "He means how we plan to get away with it. Which, to be frank, is the reason I've called you all here. I can't imagine any one of these Trainers will take kindly to having their Pokémon stolen from them, and it certainly wouldn't take long for word about your snagging to get around to the others."

"And then none of them will want to come within fifty feet of me," Wes remarked dryly.

Unless they're trying to kill me, which...wouldn't be unlikely.

"Precisely. Which begs the question: how we plan to move forward." Sherles looked at each of them, but nobody said anything for a moment.

"So we have to find a way to take these Pokémon from their Trainers without them noticing…" Johnson frowned at the Chief. "I don't think that's even possible, boss. No Trainer is going to just not notice someone's missing from their team."

"Oh, they'll notice eventually," Duking said as he rubbed his chin. "But if we can at least make sure they don't notice right away, and don't make any connections between that and Lycas…hmm."

Nobody spoke for a moment as everyone pondered the situation. Wes folded his arms and sat back in his seat, unsure of how they would find an answer.

I really wish they'd thought this through before blackmailing me, he thought bitterly. This might have all been for nothing.

He shot a glare at Sherles, but the Chief was looking down at his desk as he rubbed his temples. He spoke and acted like he was perpetually tired with a headache - which, if he was constantly having to work with the likes of Johnson, was probably true.

Wes glanced about the room as he rifled through his thoughts in search of a solution. Both Rui and Duking had focused expressions, evidently lost in thought. Johnson appeared focused as he looked at the bulletin board over Sherles' shoulder - wait, no. He was just distracted and looking at the wanted posters. Wes sighed and returned to his thoughts.

Stealing something without anybody noticing right away…

Wait.

"Pickpocket."

Everybody turned to Rui as she spoke. She was suddenly grinning widely, a gleam of mischief in her eyes. She turned to Wes, and he knew she was thinking the exact same thing he was.

"With all due respect, Miss Everlin, I don't think anybody here has the qualifications for that - except maybe you." Duking narrowed his eyes accusingly at Wes. "And you're too well known among those Trainers to get away with it."

"I am, but she's not talking about me." Wes looked at Rui, and before he even realized it, he was returning her mischievous grin with his own. He turned back to the others.

"We might know a kid…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The late afternoon sun relentlessly showered its rays over the city of Pyrite. The old metal buildings absorbed and then amplified the heat, sending ripples through the air. It felt for all the world like the town was a dry, dusty oven.

Not that Wes was complaining; he'd grown used to the heat long ago. He did notice, however, that Rui was panting and frequently wiping sweat from her brow, even as they stood in the shade of a building next to the town square and observed the battles taking place.

She noticed him looking at her and shifted a little defensively. "Agate doesn't get this hot, okay?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Honestly, though, how are you not dying?" She threw a disbelieving look at Wes' coat. "That thing doesn't look light at all."

He shrugged. "It's common knowledge to keep yourself covered in the desert to protect from sunburn."

"Yeah, but is a heavy coat really necessary?"

"I'm used to it."

Rui shook her head at him. "You're crazy."

"Thanks, I'm flattered."

She snorted and turned her attention back to the square where two Trainers were preparing to start a battle. Wes folded his arms and leaned back against the wall. He had his reasons for never parting with the old, worn out coat, but he was not eager to share any details.

Light flashed from the square as the Trainers summoned their Pokémon; he threw Rui a sideways glance. "Anything?"

She shook her head and sighed. "Nothing. They're all normal." She slumped back against the wall dejectedly. "After seeing two at once yesterday, I thought there'd be a lot more."

"If Sherles' reports are accurate, then there's quite a few of them around here," said Wes. "We just have to figure out where they are."

He'd made a point to keep his Pokémon in their balls as they watched. Having a Pokémon by one's side was a common enough occurrence in Phenac, but in Pyrite, it was only an invitation for unwanted attention; at best, a Trainer wanting a battle, and at worst, Pokémon traffickers looking for new targets.

"What happens when we do find one?" Rui asked.

"Well, until we can find that kid again, we'll just make a note of who the Trainer is. Try to catch their name. But nothing much is going to happen until we can find our pickpocket."

"I barely even remember what he looks like," she said. "It all happened so fast."

"I remember. We'll find him." Wes heard Rui snort, and glanced at her to see her frowning at him.

"Yeah, I'm sure you got a good look when you pinned him against a wall and threatened him," she said dryly.

Wes scoffed at her in disbelief. "Are you seriously guilt tripping me right now? Over not letting him steal from us?"

"I'm just saying, you could have been a little gentler with the poor kid," Rui shot back. "You didn't have to put the fear of Arceus into him!"

"Yes, I did," Wes snapped. "All it takes is one failed attempt to get you killed around here. I was teaching him a lesson."

She looked at him with narrowed eyes for a moment before relaxing slightly. "All right, I'll take it. But for Mew's sake, Wes, you don't have to be so rough with people. Not everybody is out to get you."

He snorted and turned his head away. Of course she would believe that. She had yet to learn what he had as a small child: everyone was out to get something.

You know nothing about how the world works.

In a small, strange way, he almost envied her for that.

They sat in silence for a while as they watched the battle unfold. Wes had to admit he shared a little bit of Rui's sentiment; they'd been out here for hours, hoping to at least spot another strange Pokémon, but had had no such luck. He'd been under the impression that they were everywhere, but perhaps the other Trainers were more careful than the two they'd seen yesterday.

"Look who's back in town, hmmm?"

A silky feminine voice sounded from the street and broke through his thoughts. Wes turned to its source - and only barely managed to hold back a groan.

She sauntered up to him like a prowling Persian, hips and hair swaying from side to side as she moved. Her tight clothing accentuated her curves in all the right places, and her boots clicked against the dusty pavement with each step.

"Emok," Wes said flatly, "what do you want."

She came to a stop several inches too close for his liking and smirked at him, one hand on her hip. "Is that any way to greet me? I've missed seeing that handsome face of yours, you know."

"What do you want, Emok."

Emok laughed softly. "Oh, there's a number of things I'd want from you, darling." She reached out to his chest and traced the clasp of his coat with an idle finger. "But maybe a battle would do...for now."

She gave him a sultry, half-lidded look that nauseated him.

"Wes?" Rui spoke up uncertainly, frowning between the two of them. "Who is this?"

Emok raised an eyebrow at the redhead, apparently noticing Rui for the first time. She snorted and grinned back at the Snagger. "What are you doing around town with this wallflower?"

"Wallfl - EXCUSE me?" Rui spluttered angrily. "Just where do you get off calling me a wallflower?"

Emok tossed her a simpering smile. "Don't get too bent out of shape, sweetie." She stepped closer to Wes, bringing her face uncomfortably close to his as she addressed him again. "Surely you don't intend to keep this...little thing around for company?"

Wes scowled at her, but Rui broke in before he could reply.

"What, like you're better?" she spat. "He's far too good for you!"

Emok snapped her attention back to the redhead with a gleam in her eyes.

Mew help us all. Wes needed to do damage control, and fast, before things got too heated.

"Rui." He fixed her with a burning look. "Shut it."

Emok barked out a laugh. "'Rui'? Arceus, even your name sounds prissy."

"Oh, that's rich, coming from you!" Rui bit right back, blatantly ignoring Wes altogether. "What were you named for, the sound of a Meowth coughing up a hairball?"

Emok's eyes flashed; she stepped toward Rui with a snarl, hand reaching for a Pokeball on her belt.

Wes shoved Rui back and stepped between them. "Enough." Arceus above. Between Emok and Cail, it was like the redhead was trying to pick a fight with every stranger on the street. He glared at the Trainer in front of him. "Emok, I'll let you have your battle, but afterwards, you get to answer some questions for me."

There was still fire in her eyes, but she met Wes' gaze with a flirtatious grin nonetheless. "I'm flattered, sweetheart, but if you want to know more about me, buying me a drink will do just fine."

Rui snorted loudly from behind Wes' shoulder. He shot her a scathing look.

"Next battle, then," he said to Emok. The one in the square was winding down, its victor already apparent.

"Glad to hear it," she said smoothly. Her eyes flickered to the Pokeballs on his belt. "Oh, and don't think I didn't notice you've got some new additions. I'm excited to see them in action."

Oh. He hadn't thought about that. "They're too new," he said quickly. "I'm still getting them used to the team, so I don't plan on-"

"Are you holding out on me?" Emok narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "You know how I hate the idea of someone going easy on me."

"That's not-"

"Don't patronize me, Lycas. If you want answers to your questions, then I want to see what you've got."

Rui snarled from behind him. "You little-!"

Wes threw an arm out in front of her to stop her from approaching Emok. He matched the Trainer's fiery gaze with his own. "Fine."

A sly smile curled over her lips. "Good," she purred. She jerked her head to the now empty battle square. "Shall we?"

Wes nodded, and she turned and strode over to her side of the ring. Rui spoke up in a hesitant murmur.

"Are you sure about this?" Her eyes flickered with worry. "You've seen how they can get in battle…"

"I'll call them off if it gets too heated," Wes replied as they walked to the yellow circle. "Worst case scenario, I'll have to forfeit and we still get to see what she knows."

"That's not the worst case scenario and you know it."

She had a point, and Wes didn't have a response to that. They'll be fine. This is worth the risk...hopefully.

Rui took her place outside of the ring, several paces away, but remained where Wes could see her out of the corner of his eye. If Emok had an unusual Pokémon, Rui would signal to him.

He locked eyes with Emok, two Pokeballs in hand. She gave him a curt nod, and they simultaneously sent out their Pokémon.

A Zubat and a Gulpin materialized across the ring. Novo shook hismself as he emerged, then pricked his ears forward at his opponents; Kohna glanced about, then pawed at the ground nervously when she caught sight of the other Pokémon.

Wes crouched and called them to him as Emok did the same with her team; it was a common practice to fill in one's team on what was happening before throwing them into battle without warning - though not every Trainer gave their Pokemon such courtesy.

Novo trotted up to Wes and affectionately bunted into his arm, which Wes returned with a chuckle and rub behind his ears. Kohna was slower to follow, continuously glancing over her shoulder at the opposing team.

"Kohna." The Quilava turned to Wes as he addressed her. "As you can tell, we're about to have a battle. I know this is your first time with me, but I promise if you just listen to what I tell you, you'll be okay. Alright?"

She fidgeted a little, her back leg twitched, but she nodded her head. "Qu-qu-qui…"

"Novo here will watch your back, and you should watch his, too. Work together and this will be easy." He glanced at the Zubat and Gulpin before returning to look at his Pokémon with a grin. "Too easy."

Novo kneaded the ground in excitement and let out a bark. "Umb!" Kohna sat up a little straighter.

He rose to his feet and found Emok and her team waiting for him. She placed a hand on her hip and tossed him her usual, seductive smirk. "Ready, sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that."

She laughed. "Ooh, you are fun to tease." A glint entered her eyes, and she shouted her first command. "Zazo, Supersonic that Quilava!"

"Novo!" Wes barked.

The Umbreon sprang into action and leaped in front of Kohna before launching his Swift attack. The starry rays smacked into Zubat and sent him tumbling through the air, knocking his Supersonic waves askew.

Another shout from across the arena, and Gulpin lurched forward, poisonous fluid bubbling from his mouth. Wes called to Kohna.

"Kohna, stop that Gulpin! Ember!"

Kohna looked back at Wes with wide eyes. "Quiii?"

He frowned at her. "You don't...know that move?"

She shook her head.

Novo yelped as Gulpin's Sludge grazed his side; he bravely held his own as he fought off both foes at once.

Wes clenched his teeth. They didn't have time for this. He'd never heard of a half-grown Fire Pokémon not knowing Ember; weren't half of them born knowing that?

"Right, ah, how about Scratch?"

Zubat dove for her. She scrambled out of his reach, just barely avoiding his Bite, before looking back at her Trainer in fear.

Not even Scratch? He threw out his last guess. "Tackle?" Surely even she would know -

"Qui…" Kohna whined and hunched low as she shook her head, flames sputtering sporadically, legs twitching.

Her terrified eyes looked up at him, and Wes realized she was not afraid of the attacking Pokémon - she was afraid of him.

"It's - it's alright, it's okay-" Except it wasn't okay; Novo was taking hit after hit from the Zubat as he targeted Gulpin, and even though the attacks were weak, he would surely be worn down soon enough.

Emok cackled from across the arena. "You weren't joking! Are you telling me your Quilava doesn't even know how to battle?"

But she did know how to battle, Wes had seen it. Back in Phenac, she'd been on a rampage, her Trainer letting her run wild. The only command he could remember hearing from them in that battle was -

He looked at Kohna again. "Shadow Rush?"

A spark entered her eyes. Her flames roared to life as her fur bristled, a snarl escaping her throat. At the very mention of the move, Kohna's entire demeanor transformed.

He had no idea what that meant, but he would take it for now. "Right - Shadow Rush Gulpin!"

She moved before he even finished his words. She lunged for the little green Pokémon, teeth and fangs flashing, then slammed into him with reckless, brutal force. Gulpin was sent rolling across the ring, but wasn't out of commission just yet.

Finally! Wes called for her to keep it up before shifting his attention to Novo, who was snapping in frustration at Zubat. The little bat's sporadic flying pattern was making him a difficult target to nail down.

"Dark Swift, Novo!"

"Briii!" Novo let out an enraged snarl before launching a Swift and Dark Pulse in rapid succession. Zubat flitted about to avoid the wave of blackness, but was unable to avoid the starry rays infused with Dark energy. He tumbled through the air again with an ear-splitting shriek.

A beam of light caught Wes' eye; Emok was returning her now unconscious Gulpin, muttering curses under her breath.

"Zazo! Supersonic Quilava!"

The Zubat dove for Kohna, narrowly avoiding Novo's jaws as he lunged for a Bite. Wes was about to give another command when Rui's voice broke through his focus.

"Wes! Kohna - call her off!"

"What?" he barked at her. "What are you-"

"Wes, there's something wrong with-!"

A bellow of rage cut her off, and Wes snapped his attention back to the battlefield.

Kohna was thrashing furiously in the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust with each movement. Zubat flew at her, but Novo intervened and knocked him back with another Swift. Kohna staggered to her feet and raised her head.

Wes did not recognize her.

An unearthly rage gleamed in the Quilava's eyes; every muscle was taught, her flames raging higher than ever, her lips curling in a vicious snarl, revealing pointed fangs.

He made an effort to call out to her. "Kohna-"

She spat a massive ball of fire at the fluttering Zubat, striking him directly and ramming him into the dirt where he lay still.

So you do know fire moves.

But Kohna wasn't finished.

She breathed another jet of fire towards the motionless Zubat. Emok shouted and reached for her belt to return her Pokémon; Novo sprang forward and barely managed to deflect the flames with a Protect, giving her enough time get Zubat safely inside his Pokeball.

"Kohna!" Wes could hardly believe this transformation. This was not the terrified, timid Quilava of just a few moments ago.

He stepped into the ring to approach her, and heard Rui shriek behind him. "Wes, NO!"

Kohna was oblivious to Wes' presence, however. Instead, she turned to Novo -

And blasted him with fire.

Novo yelped shrilly as the force of the attack sent him rolling, his pelt badly singed. Wes swore vehemently. "Kohna, STOP!"

She didn't seem to hear him; she advanced on Novo as he struggled to his feet, breathed in to launch yet another assault -

"KOHNA!"

She froze.

In an instant, her demeanor changed yet again. Kohna blinked, her flames dying down as the muscles in her body relaxed. She looked about with apparent confusion - saw Novo, saw Wes running towards them. "Qui...Qui?"

Wes knelt beside his Umbreon to assess the damage. He let out a breath of relief upon seeing that it was nothing too serious; he would need a trip to healing machine and a Burn Heal on top of that, but he would be fine.

Novo leaned into his Trainer's arms, and Wes could feel him trembling. He clenched his jaw and returned him to his ball.

He rose to his feet and glanced over at Kohna, who cowered under his angry stare. "Kohna, what the hell was that!" Wes spat.

"Qu-qu-qu-"

"I'd like to know, too!" Emok stomped up to Wes, her face twisted with fury. "You trying to kill Zazo or something? Huh?!"

"I didn't tell her to do that, Emok-"

"She's your Pokémon!"

"And I told you she was new!" Wes bit back. "I didn't want to use her, if you remember!"

"Wes." Rui's hand on his arm startled him. He shot her a glare, but her eyes were on Kohna, who was now whimpering and curled into a ball.

Rui looked up at him with a saddened expression. "Return her," she said softly.

Despite his anger and Kohna's dangerous behavior, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for her. He nodded and quietly returned her. They would have to sort things out with her later.

"I'm not paying you!" Emok snarled. "You played dirty!"

"What?" Rui's voice sharpened. "He won fair and square before any of that stuff happened!"

"'That stuff'? Zazo was almost-!"

"Stop." The two fell silent as Wes pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, Emok, I won't ask you to pay me. But I do need you to answer some questions for me." He raised his head and met her eyes. "Either you pay me and walk away, or you don't and you answer my questions."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Wes was acutely aware of the fact that she could walk away without giving him anything at all, and nothing short of threats would stop her.

"I'm sorry about Kohna," he said. "I really am."

Her face softened a little. She sighed. "I guess I did sort of force you into using her, but - I dunno what you're doing with a Pokémon like that, Lycas."

I don't know, either.

Emok folded her arms. "Here's the deal. I'll answer three questions for you, and then I'm out of here. Good enough?"

Rui looked like she wanted to argue, but Wes silenced her with a sharp glance. "Yes. Good enough," he said. He jerked his head to a nearby alleyway. "Let's talk somewhere less crowded."

Emok raised an eyebrow at that, but she didn't protest. "You lead the way, then."

He did just that, with Rui beside him. She said nothing, but the worried expression on her face mirrored his thoughts. His mind went back to her question from the previous evening.

How are we going to fix these Pokémon?

And though he hated to admit it, the question left him feeling utterly defeated.

I don't know.

Author's Notes:

Me: *promises that the plot will finally start picking up*

Also me: *publishes like 3 more slow chapters of introducing and establishing characters and plot*

Me: *sweats nervously*

Okay I'm sorry guys, I grossly underestimated how long it would take me to set up all of these new characters.
BUT! It is time well spent, and I do not regret it!

I do apologize if these last couple chapters have been a snooze fest for you, though. This story DOES have lots of action in store, so just hang in there and fasten your seatbelts!

 

[HelloYellow17]

TW: This chapter contains depictions of child abuse that may be upsetting for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Chapter 12: Belonging

It hurt to breathe.

Not that Leo wasn't used to it; ugly bruises, bloody scrapes, and deep cuts had become a regular part of his daily life since he'd been recruited to the team. Most Snagem adults needed an "outlet" for their stress - or so they claimed, at least - and his small size had made him an easy target.

But today was different; today, he'd been targeted by none other than Gonzap himself.

It had all happened so fast; Gonzap was publicly berating him in front of several crew members over something minor - something that wasn't all that uncommon in and of itself. But then, without thinking, a snide comment had slipped from Leo's mouth the second his boss had turned his back.

He came to regret that decision very quickly.

He wasn't even sure how he'd managed to escape afterwards to his favorite hiding spot, a small crevice in the canyon wall a short distance behind the base. All he knew was that if he stayed in that building, beaten and weakened as he was, he would not survive much longer. Weakness was eagerly exploited by other Snagem kids who were desperate to rise through the ranks and ensure their own survival.

The second he staggered through the narrow opening into a wider, cave-like niche, he crumpled to the floor and his senses left him.

Had he been here for minutes or hours? He couldn't be sure. Time was nothing more than an agonizing blur as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Perhaps it wouldn't matter whether he'd stayed at the base or not; maybe he was going to die here anyway, alone in this miserable corner of the desert...

He tried to sit up, but the pain in his ribs was too great. He collapsed back to the ground and blacked out once more...

-----------------------------------------------------

Water.

The next thing he knew, a bottle was being pressed against his parched lips, water trickling into his mouth. Leo gulped it down greedily, the cool liquid providing welcome relief to his dry and scratchy throat. How strange...where was this water coming from?

He forced open his eyes. Though his vision was hazy, he could just make out a figure of a dark-haired man hovering over him. With a jolt of terror, he recognized the Snagem uniform the stranger was wearing under his blue coat.

He shoved the water bottle away and tried to scramble out of the man's arms. Leo heard him yelp in surprise. "Woah!"

He didn't get far; after trying and failing to rise to his feet, he collapsed onto the sand once more, gasping through the white-hot pain in his chest. A hand rested on his shoulder, and Leo tried to flinch away from the touch.

"Easy there, kid." The man's voice was gentle. "I'm not here to hurt you, okay? Take it easy..."

The boy raised his head to glare weakly at the stranger. He then noticed a Sandslash sitting beside the man, and his panic rose even more.

"S-stay away!" he gasped.

"I'm trying to help you, kid," the man sighed. "I won't do nothin' to hurt you, swear to Arceus. Here." He held out the water bottle to the boy. "You're dehydrated. You need to drink."

Leo scowled at the bottle and pushed it away. "I don't...don't need...your help-"

"Yes, you do. I don't blame you for wanting nothin' to do with me, but you won't make it out here if you don't let me help you. Please, kid."

His entire body was pulsing with pain, his mind felt fuzzy and unfocused, and he no longer had the strength to hold his head up. Leo slumped in defeat. "F-fine," he mumbled faintly.

The man gave a brief nod and a relieved smile. "Good...I know somewhere we can go that's safe, but I'll have to carry you. Just hang in there, alright?"

His voice sounded distant, as though it were fading away. Leo barely managed an incoherent murmur in response. He was dimly aware of being lifted up and hefted into the man's arms, and the resulting wave of pain plunged him into blackness.

---------------------------------------------------

"Just who the hell do you think you are?"

Gonzap's roars of rage haunted Leo's dreams. Every word was enunciated with another blow from his mighty fists.

"I'm going to tell you something, boy, and I'm only gonna say it once, so listen good."

His massive hand closed around the boy's throat and hauled him up into the air until his feet were off the floor. Gonzap leaned in, lips curled in a snarl, and the feeling of his breath in Leo's ear sent shivers down his spine even as he gasped for air.

"You always have been, and always will be, a worthless little scrap. You are nothing, you hear me? Nothing. Don't you ever forget it, Leo."

And he, Leo, never would.

"So, what's your name, kid?"

Leo narrowed his eyes at the man as he sat across from him and slowly worked alway at the sandwich he'd brought. He moved carefully so as not to aggravate his injuries; even several days later, sudden movements still caused his chest and head to flare up in pain. He was propped up in a sleeping bag against a rock near the cave wall, and had scarcely left his spot since being carried to the small, secluded cave.

The man watched him intently, waiting for an answer. Leo shifted a little uncomfortably, his many bandages crinkling as he moved. "M-my name's Leo-"

"No, kid. I mean your real name."

Leo stared. "But...that is my real name."

"Is it?" His companion leaned back against the opposite cavern wall, folding his arms with a scowl. "Or is it the name Gonzap assigned you when he dragged you onto this Arceus-forsaken team?"

Leo had no idea how to answer that. Sure, Gonzap had given him his name on the day they'd picked him up off the streets of Pyrite, but he hadn't thought much of it. Every kid was given a new name once recruited to Snagem; that was just the way things were.

Rather than try to come up with a response, he frowned and shot back, "Well, what's your name? You never told me."

The man chuckled. "You never asked." He held out a hand with a grin. "Name's Alden. At your service."

Leo slowly shook his hand in bewilderment. This man was so strange, so...different from all the other grown-ups at the base, from the way he spoke to the manner in which he carried himself. He was kind, yet held an air of weary authority, as if he was both fully aware and tired of his own self.

Leo jumped a little at the sound of Alden's P*DA pinging. With a sigh, Alden pulled it from his pocket to check the message, then rose to his feet.

"Duty calls. I'll be back later tonight. I'll leave Flick here with you, so for the time being, just get some rest." At the mention of his Sandslash, he unleashed her from her Pokeball and she promptly curled up beside the boy.

"Can I go back yet?"

"Not just yet. Give it a few more days. And remember, nobody can know I helped you get back on your feet. Gonzap or Wakin will have my hide for being soft on you."

Leo blinked up at him. "But why?"

Alden looked away from him at that question. "Because...in their opinion, anybody who isn't strong enough to survive on their own has no place in Snagem. And people don't just leave Snagem." He shot Leo a firm look. "Don't let that discourage you, though. You're a tough kid, I can see it. You'll make it far here, you just need a fair shot."

Alden glanced through the narrow cave opening to the darkening sky outside, then back at the boy. He then removed his coat and tossed it to him. "Here. That sleeping bag will keep you warm, but take this, too, just in case."

He slung his bag over his shoulder and made to leave. Leo situated himself into the warm fabric of the coat, then spoke up again. "Um, Alden?"

Alden glanced at him over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"...Thanks."

Alden grinned at him. "No problem, kid." And with that, he left.

Leo glanced at Flick and reached out to stroke her fur, being careful to avoid the sharp spines along her back. Flick raised her head and chirped at him, then rested her head in his lap, which brought a smile to his face. He rubbed her ears and pondered the question he'd meant to ask Alden before he left.

Why help me, then?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another morning, another breakfast filled with inane chatter, too many voices, and too many people. Even after several days in Duking's household, Wes remained just as uncomfortable as he'd been the first night they'd arrived.

I will never get used to this.

Not that that sentiment bothered him. The busy, messy kitchen that was always full of food, the cozy living room that held odd messes of homework papers and kids' games, the constant sound of laughter and conversation that could be heard from anywhere in the house...all of these signs practically screamed the same message to him, over and over: You don't belong here.

Wes was all too aware of this. After the stunt he'd pulled at Snagem, he didn't belong anywhere - which was just fine with him, he adamantly told himself.

He briefly glanced over his shoulder through the kitchen doorway and into the living room beyond, where his team was eating their breakfast. After a few days, Rui had convinced him to allow the new Pokémon out and about in the house as long as they were kept under a watchful eye. She claimed that their auras seemed calmer when spending down time outside of the Pokeballs, and insisted that having more time around people and other Pokémon would do them some good.

They were behaving well enough so far, though on more than one occasion he'd caught Nani eyeing the family Plusle, Plu, as though trying to determine if he was an appropriate snack size. Rui said he was just being paranoid, but Wes trusted the Croconaw about as far as he could throw her - in other words, not at all, considering she'd bite his arms off first.

Silva and Duking were absent this morning on account of managing something at the Colosseum. Rui was gone, too, saying something about an errand she needed to run with Johnson's wife, Lyvia. The two girls had only met a few days ago when Johnson and Lyvia came over for dinner, and they had wasted no time at all in forging a new friendship.

Not that any of that mattered to Wes; to him, she was simply another person he was forced to deal with on the regular. He was beginning to think the madness of constant socializing was never going to end.

Despite his relief at having less people at the table this time around, however, he was acutely aware of Rui's absence this morning. She often chatted enough for the both of them, and Wes hadn't realized how much he'd relied on her being somewhat of a buffer between him and unwanted conversation.

"Hey, Wes, tell us about Neo and Novo's evolution stories!" Megg said. She, Marci, Secc, and Nett were gathered at their usual place at the end of the table.

"Oh, this should be fun!" Johnson, who sat directly across from him, chimed in with a wide grin, looking just as excited as the kids did. Wes looked at that childlike expression and heaved a quiet sigh.

Why are you here, again?

He shrugged and returned his attention to his scrambled eggs. "There's not much to tell, honestly."

"Aw, come on!" Wes didn't need to look up from his plate to know Marci was giving him her best pouting face. "There's gotta be something. How did Neo evolve?"

Wes took a bite and replied in a deadpan tone. "He fell out of a tree."

Johnson barked out a laugh as the kids burst into giggles. "Now that's a story. What happened?"

"That's it, that's what happened. He ran up a tree, fell out, and evolved."

"But was that all?" Nett asked with a small frown. "I thought there was usually a trigger that made Pokémon evolve."

Wes merely shrugged again. "Probably got a rush from falling down, I suppose. That's all that happened."

Secc was the one to speak up this time. "What about Novo?"

Wes paused and shot another glance at his team over his shoulder; Novo had finished his meal already and was now playfully tussling with Neo while Kohna and Nani watched with varying expressions, Kohna looking faintly terrified and Nani looking disdainful. Maku was perched atop the living room couch and gazing out the large front window, something Wes caught him doing rather frequently.

He watched the Umbreon wrestle with his brother for a moment before turning back to the table. The circumstances behind Novo's evolution had been...less than pleasant.

"He evolved in a fight," he said carefully.

"Ooh, a mid-battle evolution!" Johnson exclaimed. "Always wanted to see one of those."

I didn't say it was a battle. Wes didn't bother to correct him, however. It would be easier to let them go along with that.

Marci bobbed up and down in her seat. "Tell us about the battle!"

...Great.

Mercifully, Wes was saved from having to invent a story on the spot by the sound of the kitchen entry door bursting open.

"Good morning, everyone!" Lyvia said cheerfully as she entered the room with Rui in tow. She smiled at the kids as they returned her greeting, then moved to take a seat beside her husband.

Wes was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that a man as clueless as Johnson was able to find someone to romance, let alone marry. He'd wondered if Lyvia was just as odd and naive as the officer was - but she, remarkably, was quite normal, and even good-looking, to boot. Her short, curly black hair framed her kind, round face, her smile was remarkably warm and genuine, and she greeted everyone with a friendly wave, not unlike Rui.

...Perhaps she was a little naive, then, Wes thought. Anybody who could be so carelessly friendly to random strangers on the street had to be, to some extent.

Lyvia scooted awkwardly through the crowded kitchen; it was already difficult for a regular person to get around in such a small space with so many people, let alone someone as pregnant as she was. After a few mumbled apologies and Megg and Secc scooting their chairs in as close as possible, she was able to settle in beside Johnson with a weary laugh.

"I tell you, some days I think this baby can't come soon enough!" she breathed.

"Well, tell her to wait a little longer, it's not time yet," Johnson replied with a wide grin before greeting her with a kiss.

Rui stepped further into the kitchen and threw Wes a particularly bright grin, which immediately raised his suspicions.

"What?" he asked.

"We have a surprise for you!" she said. She and Lyvia exchanged a knowing look before she pulled something from her shopping bag and tossed it to him across the table. "Ta-da!"

Wes stared at the object in his hands. It was a Training bag - and a nice one, at that. The sleek black and white design was one thing, but he could tell from the material that this was not just an ordinary bag; it was specifically created with capsule technology, a highly sought-after feature that allowed items to be stored in massive quantities.

"Oooh, is that a Trainer bag?" Marci gasped from her end of the table. All the kids leaned in for a closer look, eyes wide.

He looked up at Rui in shock. "Where did you get this?" More importantly, how did you afford this?

"Pyrite's got some good wares if you know where to look!" said Lyvia brightly. She must have read the expression on Wes' face, as she quickly added, "And don't worry about the cost. It's mine and Johnson's treat."

Wes stared at them both, faintly mortified. "What?"

"It was Johnson's idea," Rui said. "He noticed the bag we've been using wasn't...well...made for Training, and he insisted on getting you a new one."

Wes looked between her and the officer, hoping that at least one of them was joking.

"I can't accept this."

Johnson laughed and waved a hand. "Of course you can! Consider it a thank you for volunteering for this mission. No average person would be so willing to do that for us."

But I'm not a volunteer, I didn't sign up for this, I'm not…I don't...

Something incredibly heavy and unpleasant weighed in Wes' chest, making him feel as though he might sink through the floor. It pulled at him from the inside like a dull, persistent ache, twisting his stomach into knots, and felt remarkably like…

Guilt.

"I can't take this. Really. I don't deserve it."

Rui laughed. "Stop being so modest and just accept the gift already!" She sat in the empty seat beside him and began dishing her plate. "Besides, you need it. That old tote was ready to fall to pieces if someone so much as looked at it the wrong way."

She did have a point there, but it didn't serve to make Wes any less uncomfortable. "I - I don't-" he looked back up at Johnson and Lyvia. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely! With your help, we actually have a chance of getting somewhere in this investigation." Johnson grinned wider. "You could say we'll...have it in the bag."

Secc snorted into his hashbrowns. Megg and Marci giggled while Nett slowly shook his head. Lyvia rolled her eyes and addressed her husband with a sigh, though her face still held a small smile. "Are you telling me that the entire reason you wanted to give the bag to Wes was so you could make that joke?"

He smiled at her. "Might have been part of the reason."

An agitated bark from the living room interrupted the conversation; Neo was bouncing playfully around Nani as she snapped at him in a rage, his paws just barely dancing out of reach of her furious jaws. Novo yapped at him in distress, glancing from his brother to Wes in a plea for intervention.

Despite the sigh that escaped him as he quickly rose from the table, Wes was grateful for the excuse to leave. Once again, the thought that played through his brain in a constant loop was brought to the forefront of his mind.

I don't belong here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"I did good, didn't I?"

Rui grinned at Wes as they made their way through town to continue their search for their pickpocket, Neo weaving between them and Novo trotting faithfully beside his Trainer.

Even after several days of searching, they'd been unable to find much of anything in terms of the boy or strange Pokémon. Their only stroke of luck had occurred a few days prior, when Rui managed to spot the Flaaffy's Trainer in another part of town - but without a means to steal her Pokémon, Wes found no point in challenging the Trainer.

Wes glanced at Rui, caught off guard by her sudden remark. "Did good on what?"

"On the bag! I picked it out, you know. I may not know much about Training, but I know capsule technology when I see it."

Wes tried to ignore the knot in his stomach at the mention of the bag; he hated to even look at the thing, but he couldn't very well refuse to use it without looking ungrateful or raising suspicion. Instead, he attempted to divert the conversation away from it.

"I'm surprised that you do, considering you couldn't even tell the difference between Pokeballs back at the Outskirt Stand," he said dryly.

She scowled at him. "Hey, I'm not a Trainer, okay? Besides, it's not like I had a reason to know the difference between Pokeballs. That was the first time Papi has needed any for a long time."

"I'm surprised he needed any at all," Wes said. He suppressed a grumble at the mention of Rui's grandfather; this whole mess could be boiled down to the fact that he'd sent his granddaughter on an errand for some stupid Pokeballs, and for what reason? "You said he was teaching the village kids how to catch Pokémon?"

"Yes!" Rui said brightly. "Oh, and when I spoke to him the other day, he said they actually spotted some Oddish in the forest! So the rumors were true! Wild Pokémon are coming back to Orre!"

Wes looked at her in amazement. He hadn't expected to hear that, but his attention was primarily focused on another part of her statement.

"Forest?"

"Mm-hmm." Rui nodded and clasped her hands behind her back, her boots kicking up small clouds of dust off the pavement as she walked. "My village is right at the edge of Agate Forest. It's a beautiful place."

"There are forests in Orre?"

Rui shot him a look of mild surprise, and Wes realized just how much shock he'd been displaying in his tone - but he couldn't help it. He'd scarcely seen any trees in Orre, let alone a whole forest. He'd thought he would only ever get the privilege of seeing such a thing once (well, if) he ever made it to Johto.

"As far as I know, there's just the one that I grew up in," Rui said. "But it's pretty sizable! Are you telling me you've never seen a forest? Ever?"

Wes shook his head.

She beamed at him. "Well, that settles it, then! You have to come visit my hometown. I can show you all of my favorite places, and take you to the best waterfalls!"

"Waterfalls?" Wes' mind was positively bursting now. Since when did Orre have any of these things?

He was pulled out of his bewilderment by the sound of Rui laughing. He blinked at her, utterly nonplussed. What was so funny?

"S-sorry!" Rui giggled, shaking her head. "I've just never seen someone so amazed at the idea of trees and waterfalls!" She smirked at him. "It's rather adorable."

Adorable? Adorable? Wes stared at her. "I didn't - I don't - what's that supposed to-?"

Rui laughed again, even harder this time. "Merciful Arceus, you are so easy to tease!"

Wes broke into a scowl. "Stop it."

Rui raised a hand to her mouth in an effort to stop laughing, but only managed to snort instead.

"Alright, I'm leaving you behind." Damn it. Why did his face feel so warm?

"Wa-wait! Don't be like that!" Rui jogged to keep up with him as he significantly increased his pace, and grabbed his sleeve, still failing to stifle her laughter. "I'll lay off, okay? I was just messing with you, you Grumpig."

"I am not a-" Wes broke off with a huff. "Whatever."

In the corner of his eye, he saw Rui bite her lip to hold in her laughter.

You're lucky I didn't leave you in that damn sack in Phenac.

He refocused his attention on the alleyways they passed by, scanning for any sight of the boy. They'd visited the places Emok had suggested several times already, but Rui insisted on checking again at different times of the day, just in case.

Wes reflected on what precious little information Emok had given them regarding savage Pokemon several days ago.

"Well, they're definitely being distributed, but I couldn't begin to tell you where from or who's responsible," Emok had said as she folded her arms and leaned against the alley wall across from him.

"Then how do you know they're being distributed?" he asked.

"A hunch. But a solid one." She idly looked at her painted nails as she spoke. "I've asked a few Trainers here and there, as I wouldn't mind getting one for myself, but not one of them would give me a straight answer. Whoever is giving out those Pokémon is taking solid measures to make sure nothing gets traced back to them." Emok looked back up at Wes with a smirk. "That's two questions, by the way. You've only got one more."

"I'm aware," Wes said coldly.

"Funny you should be asking me about these Pokémon when you seem to have one yourself. Where'd you get that psycho Quilava, again?"

"I'm the one asking the questions."

"Alright, easy." Emok raised her hands in a gesture of submission. "No need to get testy, sweetheart."

Rui gave a snort of disgust from beside him. She threw Wes a sideways glance, and he knew they were both thinking the same thing: they weren't going to get much more from her.

"Right, then." He turned back to her. "Last question, do you know a blonde kid on roller skates that lurks around here? Had a bandana in his hair."

She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Are you really asking me if I know one scraggly brat from another around here? They all look the same to me. And I don't exactly spend my time on street scraps." She slipped him a sultry wink. "I've got bigger fish to fry."

"You're really despicable, you know that?" Rui took a step forward, bristling, but Wes threw an arm out in front of her to keep her at bay.

"Any idea where a kid like him might hang out, at least?" he said briskly.

Emok shrugged. "Could always check some of the abandoned lots at the edge of town. I see groups of em there sometimes...oh, and that creepy lady's place - what was her name? She's the one that thinks she's some sorta witch or something. Fortune seeing and all that crap."

Wes frowned at her. "Fateen?"

"Yeah, that's the one. I see kids hanging around her hut at odd times. Don't ask me why, though. She's a crazy old Golbat if I've ever seen one."

That was odd, he thought. As far as he knew, Fateen was the town's self proclaimed Psychic, and frequently offered readings and other odd services to Trainers as they passed by her door. Wes had never bothered to learn more about her, and often steered clear of her hut whenever possible - he, like many others, found the old woman's presence rather off-putting.

"Right. Thanks for your help." He nodded to Rui, and the two made to leave.

"Wes?" Emok called from behind him. He paused to glance back at her, and was mildly surprised to find that she didn't have her usual mocking or flirtatious expression; instead, she wore a small frown.

"I don't know what you're doing asking these questions, and quite frankly, I don't want to know. Just...be careful, alright? Anybody who can keep that many Trainers quiet has got to have some real power under their belt."

She had a point there - not that Wes hadn't considered this himself. He simply gave her a curt nod and tried to ignore the foreboding prickle that traveled down his spine. "Thanks."

And with that, they had left.

"Hey, Wes, look!" Rui's quiet gasp pulled him back to the present, and she raised an arm to point at the oddly colored hut down the street.

He followed her gaze and spotted a small cluster of kids milling around the back of Fateen's multi-colored hut. Their heads were ducked low, and they appeared to be speaking to one another in whispers, glancing about furtively as though afraid of being discovered.

"Emok was right," he said in surprise. He hadn't actually expected her tips to be of any help.

"What are they doing?" Rui murmured as she squinted at the scene.

That was a good question. On closer inspection, he realized the kids were actually standing in a line of some sort. They were ducking in and out of the tent, and once one reappeared, they quietly slipped behind a nearby building and out of sight. Fateen herself was nowhere to be seen.

"Think she might be smuggling something to them?" Rui asked with a frown.

"It sure looks like it." But what, exactly, was she peddling off to them? Not more unhinged Pokémon, surely? He glanced at Rui. "Only one way to find out."

They carefully made their way across the street towards the hut. As they came close, Wes addressed Rui again in a low voice.

"Alright, we have to be discreet about this. If we're too direct or raise their suspicions, they'll scatter and-"

Rui, however, wasn't listening. She stepped up to the group with a smile and a friendly wave. "Hello!"

Dammit, Rui -

The kids froze, all eyes on her, then exchanged nervous glances before one of them in the center stood up and spoke. "What do you-?"

He froze as he recognized her, eyes wide. "Aw, hell!"

"Oh, it's you!" Rui exclaimed.

Wes stepped forward before she could damage things further and addressed the boy. "Look, kid, we don't want any troub-"

The boy bolted into the tent.

Wes bit out a curse and tore after him, Neo hot on his heels; he shouted for Novo to stay with Rui as the rest of the kids yelled and scattered and he heard Rui shout his name behind him, but his sole focus was on the boy scrambling through the inside of the hut.

The tent itself was full to the brim with colorful fabrics draping across every surface and shelves adorned with a wide variety of strange and colorful objects, from crystals to sparkling beads to jars of herbs. The boy nearly slammed into a tiny woman stocking the shelves, causing her to squawk and topple over in fright; Wes saw him fixate on one overstocked shelf near the front exit.

Oh, don't you dare -

He dared.

A deafening CRASH rang in Wes' ears as the boy ripped the shelf from the wall and sent it careening to the floor behind him. The woman behind Wes yowled a stream of profanities as Wes attempted to plow through the wreckage and slipped on a smattering of beads. He tried and failed to catch himself and slammed to the floor instead, glass shards slicing at his palms through his gloves.

"Dammit-" he snarled. "Neo!"

"Esp!"

Neo pulled ahead and sailed over the debris in a single, graceful bound. He landed deftly in the sunlight just beyond the tent's opening, then darted out of sight in the direction the boy had fled.

Wes pushed himself up off the floor and burst through the opening flap, then pelted after his Espeon, the woman's shouts continuing from within the hut.

He caught a glimpse of Neo's tail whipping out of sight around a corner and down a narrow alleyway; Wes sprinted past it and down the next alley, calculating where the boy would go next. The kid obviously had experience running from danger and was well aware of which routes to take - but two could play at this game, and Wes was no novice himself.

Having a Psychic Pokémon certainly didn't hurt matters, either.

He blew past a cluster of dusty Trainers hunched low in the shadows; they yelped and leaped back as he ran past, but Wes paid them no mind. He skidded around another corner and caught a flash of blond hair disappearing behind a nearby building.

Perfect.

Wes slowed his pace, allowing himself time to catch his breath, then made his way behind the building. Even before the empty lot came into view, he could hear the boy's angry shouts.

He was suspended in the air, encased in a blue bubble of Psychic energy, thrashing and snarling as Neo yapped and bounced around beneath him in a springy sort of victory dance. "Esp! Esp! Esp!"

Wes gave a breathless grin as he walked up to the chaotic scene. Neo caught sight of his Trainer and barked triumphantly, tail waving proudly in the air. The Espeon trotted up to him and was rewarded with a rub behind the ears.

"Good job, buddy," he breathed.

"Put me down!" the boy howled. "Put me down NOW!"

Wes looked up at him. "Look, kid, I'm not here to hurt you-"

"I DON'T CARE!"

He was frantic, struggling desperately despite how futile his escape attempts were. Wes heaved a sigh.

"Swear to me you won't run and I'll let you down."

"I do! I swear!"

"Alright, then." Wes nodded to Neo, and the Espeon's eyes glowed. The boy was lowered to the ground and the blue bubble vanished.

There was a brief pause in which he glared daggers at both Wes and Neo. He opened his mouth as though to say something - and then made a break for it.

"Spi!"

The bubble was back around him in an instant. The boy flailed and snarled in fury, spitting one obscenity after another.

"What did I just say about running?" Wes snapped.

"I'M SORRY, OKAY?" the kid bellowed. "If this is about the other day, then I'm sorry! And I didn't take nothin' else, I swear!"

"That's not what-"

"If ya want money, I don't got none!"

"I'm not here for-"

"Wes!"

Rui staggered into view, clutching her chest and gasping for air, Novo padding beside her; unlike Rui, the Umbreon appeared rather bored with the whole affair, and showcased this by sitting idly at Wes' feet and stretching his jaws into a wide yawn.

Rui leaned forward with her hands on her knees for a moment to catch her breath before straightening up. An expression of horror filled her face as she took in the scene.

"What are you doing?!"

"He ran. I stopped him," Wes said curtly.

"For Mew's sake, Wes! Put him down!"

"Not until he hears us out."

"Shut up! I don't care what you want, I ain't helping you!" the kid spat.

Wes snapped his attention back to him with a growl, but before he could respond, Rui shoved herself between them and addressed his hostage in a gentle tone.

"I'm sorry about this, I really am. We just wanted to talk to you, I promise."

"I got nothin' to say to you, lady!"

Rui sighed and shot Wes a glare. "Put him down."

He scoffed at her. "He's just going to-"

"Now."

They glared at each other for a moment, then Wes relented with a venomous grumble. "Fine."

He signaled to Neo, and the bubble burst once again - this time dropping the boy to the ground with a yelp and a hard thud.

"Wes!"

"What?"

Rui looked as though she wanted nothing more than to throttle him. Instead, she settled for throwing Wes a murderous scowl before turning back to the boy and offering her hand. "Here. Let me help you."

He jerked away from her. "Don't touch me!"

She retracted her hand and knelt in front of him, undeterred by his rudeness. "We're not going to hurt you, I promise. Can you tell us your name?"

"Like hell I'm gonna tell you!"

Wes massaged his temples in frustration; this was going nowhere. He stepped up beside Rui, pulled a few bills from his pocket, and thrust them out to the boy. "Just hear us out. Alright?"

The kid eyed him warily, glancing between him and Rui, then reached out to take the money, but Wes jerked his hand back at the last second. "You can have this after you listen."

His face melted into a scowl. "Fine."

Rui offered again to help him to his feet, but he ignored her outstretched hand and pushed himself up, dusting the dirt from his clothes - not that it did much. His baggy shirt and shorts were so ragged, dirty, and torn, Wes was convinced not even a wash would make much of a difference.

"Right. Tell us your name, kid."

He took a moment to answer, as though holding out in a small attempt to spite him. He finally bit out a reply. "Lon."

Rui gave him another kind smile. "That's a nice name. I'm Rui, and this guy here-" she jerked her head to her companion with a note of annoyance, "is Wes. Sorry he's such a jerk."

Wes shot her a withering look. He was about to remind her that this whole fiasco was her fault for not listening to him, but if Rui caught his glare, she ignored it and continued.

"We've been looking for you because we want your help," Rui said. She clasped her hands behind her back and maintained her friendly smile, and Wes witnessed Lon's tense features relax slightly. If he weren't so frustrated with her at the moment, Wes might have been a little impressed at her ability to disarm the kid. Maybe.

Lon folded his arms and frowned at them both. "Help? With what? And what's in it for me?"

Wes chose to answer this one. "A place to stay and three square meals a day for your pickpocketing services."

Lon's eyes widened in disbelief for half a second - then he snorted and shook his head. "Nawww. You ain't serious."

"We are serious." Wes shifted his stance a little, and the movement was enough to make the boy flinch. He paused at the sight, and forced a softer air into his tone. "What we need is someone with your skills for a long term operation. If you cooperate with us, we'll make sure you have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat. You have our word on that."

The boy fixed him with a flat stare. "How am I supposed to know you ain't lyin'?"

"Look, we won't force you if you don't want to." Wes returned Lon's steady gaze. "The way I see it, you have nothing to lose, here. Either you don't come with us and you go back to your life on the streets, or you come with us and have a safe place to stay."

That statement finally seemed to get through to him. Lon blinked, then furrowed his brow as he looked between Wes and Rui once again.

"...My team, too?" he asked quietly.

Wes frowned at him. "You have a team?" He hadn't noticed a belt or any Pokeballs on the boy.

Lon shifted a little and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah. I got three. An' I ain't goin anywhere without 'em."

Wes found himself glancing downward at Neo and Novo, both of whom had placed themselves loyally at his feet on either side. He hadn't expected the kid to have Pokémon of his own, but he was certain that Duking would be able to help out with that. In any case, the boy wouldn't be accepting their offer if his Pokémon weren't included, and Wes could hardly blame him.

He looked back up at him. "Yes. Your team, too."

Lon chewed his lip for a moment as he thought it over. "Okay," he said slowly. "I'm in. I think."

Rui beamed at him. "I'm so glad! I promise we'll take good care of you!"

Lon looked at Wes expectantly; he handed the money over and a small grin took over the boy's face. "Are y'all really for real?"

Rui laughed. "Yes. Really for real."

The tiny flicker of joy in Lon's eyes was not lost on Wes. Despite his annoyance at the kid's stubbornness, he couldn't help but feel a tiny prickle of warmth. He may have had his issues with Duking and some of the man's methods, but there was no doubt that the kid and his team would be in good hands under his roof.

Lon looked at the bills in his hands with an expression of awe and disbelief. When he looked back up at them again, his face was positively shining with excitement.

"So, whaddya want me to do?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It seemed that, after several days of fruitless searching, their luck had taken a sharp turn for the better all in one day.

Lon stared up at Wes, eyes wide in horror. "You're kiddin' me."

They stood at the outer edges of the Battle Square, observing the battles taking place. They hadn't been there long before Rui pointed out a semi-familiar face watching the scene from the other side of the street: the Noctowl's Trainer from their first day in Pyrite.

Wes glanced at the boy. "Time to put your skills to the test, kid."

"Are you serious? You want me to - to-" he glanced around warily before lowering his voice. "Steal his Pokémon?"

"Not just any of his Pokémon. He's got a Noctowl we're after, so pay attention to which ball it's in. When the battle's over, I need you to snatch it from him."

Lon glanced between him and Rui, positively thunderstruck.

"Who the hell are you people?"

...That's a good question.

Rui gave a weak laugh. "I know how it looks, but I promise we have a good reason for this. We'll explain everything later, okay?"

Lon gave her a long, studious stare before relaxing his shoulders a little. "Okay," he said slowly, "if you say so…"

Wes glanced briefly at Rui, and for the second time today, he found himself mildly impressed by her ability to charm wary strangers. Had she not been so naive and pure, such a talent would be a dangerous weapon.

"So…" Lon turned back to Wes. "You gonna battle him, then?"

"Sure am."

Lon didn't respond right away, but Wes caught the gleam of excitement in his eyes all the same. He couldn't help but feel a little eager himself; battling gave him a thrill that he could find scarcely anywhere else…

Aside from Snagging.

No! He shoved that thought away with a bolt of anger. You're not a Snagger. You are not one of them. Not anymore -

That low, gravelly snarl whispered in his ear again. Are you sure about that?

Wes clenched his teeth. Screw you! Get out of my head!

Once a thief, always a thief, boy, the voice hissed. That's all you ever will be, and that's all anybody will ever see.

Snarling under his breath, Wes pushed himself off the wall behind him and marched across the street towards his selected opponent. Neo and Novo followed suit, and a concerned chirp from his Umbreon met his hears. "Bri? Umbri?"

The Noctowl's Trainer looked up as Wes approached. His eyes flickered over the Eeveelutions trotting at Wes' side, then back up at him. He raised an eyebrow.

"I take it you wanna battle?" he asked in a slow, drawling voice.

"I do," Wes said curtly.

The man smirked. Wes took a brief moment to take in his appearance in case Lon should fail in his thieving attempt; he had short, spiky brown hair and impressive sideburns curling down his face. His leather boots and jacket were coated in a thin layer of dust, a sign of how much time he spent in the outdoors and on the streets of Pyrite. His stony facial features made him look older at first glance, though on closer inspection he didn't look much older than thirty or so.

"You so cocky you had to show off your Pokémon before we even started?" he asked.

"Yeah. Sure." Wes wasn't interested in conversation; the sooner they could start this battle, the sooner he could more easily ignore that voice inside his head.

The man barked out a laugh and extended his hand. "Name's Nover. I'll take ya up on that challenge. Next battle, then?"

He shook the man's hand. "Wes. And yes."

Several minutes later, he stood in the ring across from Nover, having recalled Novo to his ball. Wes knew he was taking a risk by using one of the newer additions to his team, but after coaching them through several training sessions in the abandoned lot at the edge of town, he was feeling more confident. At the very least, he'd managed to avoid outbursts like Kohna had had in their battle against Emok, which had to count for something - although, oddly, none of them seemed to know any moves beyond Shadow Rush, which he and Rui had both found a little concerning.

As Wes called Neo close and prepared to send out his second Pokémon, he caught a glimpse of Lon retreating to the shadows in the corner of his eye; he had instructed the kid to keep his distance from him and Rui whenever possible, to prevent himself from being associated with Wes' battles, and to keep a low profile as much as he could. Not that he needed instruction on the last bit; any street kid knew all about trying to go as unnoticed as possible.

Wes sent out Nani as Nover unleashed his two Pokémon: a Ledyba and a Wingull. The two Trainers crouched to address their Pokémon.

"Right, Nani, this is your first official battle with me, so be sure to listen carefully, alright?"

The Croconaw leered at him, and Wes began to wonder if he hadn't made a huge mistake in choosing her. Of all his Pokémon, Nani was far and away the most difficult for him to manage; while Maku was compliant and Kohna was eager to please, Nani had made it clear that she would rather call her own shots, thank you very much. Wes had usually managed to coax her into cooperating with him, but only just by the skin of his teeth, and he had a suspicion her cooperation was more out of boredom than it was out of respect.

"Nani, Neo's got a disadvantage against the Ledyba, so focus all of your attention on them. Neo will take care of Wingull, and then together you can work on his Noctowl. Sound good?"

Neo chirped. "Esp!" Nani narrowed her eyes and merely snorted at him.

...I really hope that was a yes.

Wes stood, and the two took their place inside the ring. Nani's eyes lit up at the sight of her opponents, and she snapped her jaws at them with a ferocious snarl, tail lashing in the dirt.

Nover shouted the first command. "Silver wind! Wing attack!"

"Psybeam, Neo! Shadow Rush!"

Neo leaped gracefully to the side and avoided the Ledyba's silvery gust with ease; he spat a colorful ray of Psychic energy at the Wingull, but missed as the bird dodged at the last second. Her wings flapped furiously as she dove from the air to ram Neo with a Wing Attack - only to be bowled over by a bellowing, raging Nani.

Wingull let out a squawk as Nani's Shadow Rush forced her to the ground. She struggled to rise, only to be rammed again with another Shadow Rush.

"Wh - Nani!" Wes barked. "The Ledyba!"

Too late. Neo, distracted and confused by Nani's sudden change of plans, was not prepared for the Ledyba's next attack.

Wham!

The Espeon's shrill yelp of pain pierced the air as he took a Comet Punch to the side and was blasted off his paws.

Wes cursed under his breath. "Neo, Confusion! Nani, lay off the Wingull-"

But there was no need; Nani had already hammered the poor thing senseless. She stood proudly over her fallen victim, tipping her head back and snapping her jaws in the air in a show of victory. Nover hastily returned his Pokémon with a grumble, frowning at the Croconaw's antics.

Neo staggered to his paws and attempted to launch a Confusion at his rapidly advancing foe, but only managed a weak hit before the Bug Pokémon buried him in a Silver Wind.

"Shadow Rush!"

Nani seemed to have very suddenly and conveniently regained her hearing. Instead of rushing to Neo's aid, however, she took her time in swaggering over to her teammate, chest puffed outwards in some sort of display of bravado. Neo deflected another attack with a Protect, then finally managed to nail Ledyba with a powerful Psybeam, sending him tumbling through the air in a daze. The Espeon took advantage of the brief reprieve to shake the dirt from his pelt and regain his bearings.

At long last, Nani seized her opportunity. She sprang upward and managed to latch her claws onto one of Ledyba's feet, then hurled him into the ground much like she did with her previous opponent. She sprang forward to ram him with a Shadow Rush -

A flurry of brown feathers and an ear-splitting screech; Nani was thrown backwards as Nover's Noctowl came into play. She bellowed in rage and was back on her feet in an instant, lunging at the massive bird with a murderous snarl.

Damn. Wes had been so busy assessing Neo's condition after his beating, he hadn't noticed Nover summoning his Noctowl until it was too late to call out a warning.

"Nani! Focus on Ledyba!"

If Nani heard him, she certainly showed no sign of it. Nover called a command and Noctowl dove at her again, but this time she was ready, and met the blow head on with her own Shadow Rush; the collision sent both of them tumbling backwards through the dirt.

Meanwhile, Neo engaged with Ledyba once more, struggling through another Silver Wind to strike the bug with Confusion.

"Dammit all!" Wes spat. "Nani!"

She finally seemed to hear him. While Noctowl staggered upright and attempted to take flight once more, Nani turned to face her Trainer.

She looked Wes dead in the eyes, snorted, then tossed her head back over her shoulder and lashed her tail, kicking up a cloud of dirt squarely in his direction.

Did she just-?

Neo let out a weary yowl of triumph; Ledyba was downed at last, done in by a well-aimed Psybeam that had thrown him to the ground followed by a Return. Wes wasted no time in sending him after Noctowl, who was now tearing ferociously at Nani and looked more than ready to draw blood.

A vicious snarl tore from Nani's throat; with every blow Noctowl dealt, she struck back harder, and the attacks were increasing in intensity from both sides. She lunged in at the nearest opening and snapped her jaws shut around the bird's leg with horrifying force.

The resulting scream of pain from the other Pokémon made Wes' blood run cold. Such a scream should never be heard in a casual battle setting, not ever, and yet - Noctowl's Trainer looked largely unconcerned.

"You're fine!" he snapped. "Shadow Rush!"

"Nani, stop!"

Neither Pokémon seemed to be hearing their Trainers anymore; the two were little more than a whirlwind of feathers and scales as they tore at one another, their cries twisted with rage. Nani released her hold on her opponent's leg and snapped her jaws in an attempt to shred Noctowl's wing -

BAM.

On Wes' command, Neo rammed into Nani with a simultaneous Return and Confusion, ripping her and her foe apart and sending her flying across the ring. Despite the brutal force of the blow, Nani was back on her feet and whirled on him in a matter of seconds, fangs bared, ready to rip into Neo with savage pleasure -

She vanished in a beam of light just before she could make contact. Wes shoved the ball back onto his belt with a shaky curse. He should have known, he should have known this was a terrible idea -

Noctowl rammed Neo with terrifying power, sending him rolling through the dirt. Wes heard him snarl even as he struggled mightily to rise back to his paws.

"Protect!"

Neo managed to summon the silvery shield just in time; Noctowl bounced off of it with a solid thunk. Wes took advantage of the opening to send out Novo, then promptly recalled Neo. The Espeon had done more than enough, and there was no need to keep him on the field any longer.

The final moments of the battle were mercifully short; Novo made quick work of the already weakened and badly injured Noctowl, and Wes couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief to see her returned to her Pokeball. Her leg was stained red, having sent small droplets of blood around the ring in her frenzy to keep fighting.

Wes returned Novo and looked up at the other Trainer from across the ring; Nover scowled sourly at Noctowl's ball before clipping it back onto his belt, then strode across the field to Wes.

"Well," he grunted, "couldn't be helped, I suppose."

He was remarkably unfazed by the violent turn of events mid-battle. Wes fixed him with a burning stare.

"Sorry about that. You probably want to get your Noctowl's leg looked at."

Nover snorted and waved a dismissive hand. "Naw. She'll suck it up."

Wes clenched his teeth and bit back a scathing response. Instead, he kept his words to a minimum as Nover paid him and thanked him for the battle, then watched him turn and walk away in the direction of the Colosseum.

"Wes?" Rui's voice made him jump. She was looking at him with mild concern. "You alright?"

He heaved a weary sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "It happened again, didn't it? She lost all control like Kohna did."

"...Yes." Rui's reply was quiet. "They both did. Her and the Noctowl." She shook her head. "What was he thinking? Pokémon aren't meant to battle like that, but he didn't care at all…"

Wes didn't reply. He knew exactly what Nover had been thinking; he'd met too many Trainers in Snagem with the same methods, the same mindset. The only thing that ever mattered to them was results, rules and Pokémon's welfare be damned.

He glanced around and noticed Lon was missing. "Where's the kid?"

"Already on it. I think." Rui frowned a little. "I didn't even see him disappear, but I figured he was just being discreet...you think he'll come back?"

"Only one way to find out. Let's see if he turns up."

They headed to their previously appointed rendezvous point, an old lot outside a warehouse near the Pyrite Drop. The Battle Square was much too public of a place, and for Lon to be seen with them after every battle would raise suspicion all too quickly.

As luck would have it, Lon was already there waiting for them, a wide grin on his face and a Pokeball in hand. An Igglybuff was perched comfortably on his shoulder - a rather cutesy Pokémon for such a rough kid, Wes thought. "That was too easy."

Wes held out a hand, and Lon gave him the Pokeball. "You sure this is the right one?"

"Duh. I wouldn't make a dumb mistake like that." The smile faltered from his face a little. "That Noctowl...there's something wrong with her, isn't there?"

Wes nodded and carefully slipped the ball into his bag; he would have to officially Snag her later to overwrite her Trainer's I.D. associated with the ball, but first he and Duking would have to try to look over her injuries. "Yeah. There's something wrong with her. And we're going to...try to fix it."

Arceus knows how.

"And...and your Croconaw, too?"

Wes sighed and nodded again. "Yes."

Lon dropped his gaze to the ground and nudged at a pebble with his foot. When he raised his head again, he wore an apprehensive expression. "Do...do you know what's wrong with them?"

"Not yet." Rui spoke up gently. "But we'll figure it out, I'm sure. The first thing is getting these Pokémon away from where they can hurt other people."

Lon chewed on his lip, evidently lost in thought.

"Let's get back to Duking's, shall we?" Wes suggested. He didn't want to admit it, but the events of the day had left him exhausted, and the more he thought about this hopeless mission with these damaged Pokémon, the more tired it made him.

"Yes, let's," Rui said in agreement. Wes caught her looking at him with concern in the corner of his eye; he brushed past her and ignored it, and led the way back to Duking's home.

He didn't know how long they'd been walking, himself lost in thought while Rui chatted with Lon and got acquainted with his Igglybuff (who was apparently named Ozzy). He gave a small start of surprise when he felt Rui's hand on his arm and found himself looking into her blue eyes, which were shadowed with worry.

"We'll figure this out, Wes," she said fervently. She kept her voice low, supposedly to keep Lon from overhearing, though there was little need; the boy was animatedly filling in his Pokémon about the day's events and on where they were heading, and was entirely oblivious to their conversation.

Wes blinked at her. "I never said we wouldn't."

"No, but you seem...overwhelmed." Rui gave him a small smile. "I do think they're getting better - slowly, but surely. And I know there's a way to help them recover. I just know it."

And even though her baseless optimism usually annoyed him, even though her persistent positivity often wearied him...Wes found himself starting to believe her, though he had no idea why.

He said nothing to her, and she didn't press him for a response, but as Duking's house came into view, he couldn't help but feel just a little lighter than before.

 

[HelloYellow17]

(Art by Pen)
Chapter 13: Evolution Origin​

Ten Years Earlier

Neo loved the outdoors.

There was just something about the way the sun warmed his brown and tan pelt and gleamed off every surface. There was something about the way the desert winds tickled his ears pleasantly and carried with it all kinds of smells from faraway places, tingling his Eevee senses. The sand beneath his little paws was soft, and it was sosatisfying to swipe at it and watch it blow to dust.

He didn't just like being outdoors. He relished in it.

And so it was that, on this particular day as he, his brother, and his Trainer sat outside a short distance from the Snagem base in the shade of a large desert shrub, he pranced about with glee.

The young boy watched him from under the shrub as he and Novo ate their lunch. "Lunch" was probably a generous term, as there was only a handful of kibble for the two Eevee and a bare-bones sandwich for Wes. But food was food, and none of them would complain about that.

Neo frolicked in the sun and batted at the wind as though it were a tangible enemy he could ward off with only his paws. He rolled in the sands, then leapt to his feet and shook it all off in a cloud of dust. He blinked happily at his Trainer, who watched with a small smile on his face.

Neo loved seeing his Trainer smile. It wasn't a common sight, so when it occurred, he relished it as much as he did the sun.

Novo sat beside Wes with a dignified air. He always sat up straight and stiff, like some sort of sentry. Playing and rolling around in the dirt was beneath him - or so it was indicated, what with his head held high and the way he watched his brother with a disdainful gaze.

Neo snorted at him. Killjoy.

The wind kicked up a bit, causing the branches of the shrub overhead to creak as they rubbed against one another. Neo pricked up his ears at the sound; he had an idea.

"Vee!" he barked, and bolted straight at the shrub's base.

"Neo!" he heard Wes call his name in surprise as the Eevee clawed his way up the brittle branches. "What are you...?"

Neo climbed farther up into the shrub, claws scratching at the rough bark as he ascended. He would get to the very top of this thing, and then he would be the tallest he'd ever been-!

Crack.

The branches gave way beneath his paws as they snapped in two, too fragile to bear his weight. Neo squeaked in surprise and scrabbled frantically for a foothold, but to no avail; the branches showered down to the ground, and the Eevee came tumbling down with them.

He landed in the sand with a solid whump! He heard his Trainer shout his name and his brother give a surprised yap. Dazed, he sat up and shook bits of leaves and bark from his fur.

Neo felt branches sticking out of his fur from all angles, so he promptly busied himself with trying to pull them from his pelt. He was tugging at a particularly stubborn one when a strange, unfamiliar sound reached his ears. He looked up in alarm.

His Trainer was laughing.

Neo stared. He'd never heard the boy make this sound before. He'd heard laughs from the bigger humans at the base, but those sounds were harsh, cruel, and unpleasant. This was...entirely different.

Something warm bubbled up in his chest. Neo kneaded the ground with his paws and gave a pleased yip. "Vee!"

His Trainer wiped tears from his eyes and looked at the Eevee with a wide smile - a real smile! - before bursting into another fit of laughter. The warmth in Neo's chest grew and he couldn't help but purr. Seeing his Trainer like this made him so...so...

Happy.

The sun's rays seemed to suddenly intensify. Neo was now warm all over, and everything around him was bright and glowing...

Wait. Glowing?

Bright white light filled his vision. Neo caught a glimpse of Wes' shocked expression before the light overtook him completely. He wanted to cry out in fear, but he couldn't make a sound, couldn't do anything except wait as the light and the heat threatened to swallow him whole -

It stopped.

Neo blinked open his eyes. The light was back to normal now, and the heat had faded from his body. He saw Novo and his Trainer staring at him in alarm.

Novo barked. "Vee!"

Neo flicked his tail. What was the matter with - huh?

His tail felt...different. Longer. Narrower. Neo glanced over his shoulder, and a slender, forked tail was now where his bushy one should have been. The sun glinted off the fur on his back; his coat was now sleek and light purple in color, and when he moved, he could feel a new sense of power in his now slender legs. He was bigger now. Taller. Stronger.

He was fabulous.

Neo turned back to his family with excitement. He chirped at his Trainer, but the sound was different, more melodious than before. "Espi?"

"Neo..." Wes broke into yet another wide smile. "Neo, you evolved!"

He rushed forward and scooped him up into his arms. Neo blinked. The boy was so much smaller now...or was Neo just bigger?

That new, wonderful sound reached his ears. Wes was laughing again.

Neo closed his eyes and rubbed against his Trainer with a hearty purr. He would do anything, be anything, go anywhere, if he could hear that sound more often. The warmth returned to his chest again, and he embraced it.

Happy.

———————————-

Novo didn't quite know why he hadn't evolved yet.

He sat next to his Trainer as the boy worked on his bike, the setting sun casting a faint glow on the two of them. The dark-haired man been working alongside him earlier, but he'd had to leave a few hours ago. He'd left his tools with the boy and cheerfully told him he was sure he was getting the hang of it.

Novo didn't like many humans at the base, but this dark-haired man was an exception.

There was a distinct clank, and he heard the boy curse from under the hood. Novo twitched his ears and rubbed up against his Trainer's leg. Surely they would go inside soon? They'd been out here working on this old hunk of metal all day, and it was getting late.

His brother Neo had been returned to his ball about an hour earlier; since evolving into an Espeon, he now quite literally rose and slept with the sun. As soon as the sunset had started to fade from the sky, he'd fallen asleep in the sidecar. Wes had returned him so he could get some proper rest.

Now it was just the two of them in the fading light. Wes had a flashlight clenched between his teeth as he continued to work on the massive engine. Despite Novo's desire to return indoors before it got cold, he couldn't blame the boy for staying out here as long as he could. They all preferred to stay away from the base, and the people inside, as much as possible.

Novo watched the last of the sunset ebb from the sky as he pondered. His brother had been a fully evolved Espeon for a few months now, so what was keeping him from evolving? He knew closeness with his Trainer wasn't the issue; he felt a rush of joy every time he looked at the boy, and he loved him just as much as he loved his brother. And while it only hurt his pride just a little that he now got totally steamrolled by his brother in all of their play-fights, here he was. Still an Eevee.

He could evolve, so why didn't he? Novo wished he had an answer.

The sound of boots crunching on sand made him prick up his ears; he turned his head and saw three figures walking towards them. He brushed against his Trainer again and alerted him with a low growl.

Wes pulled his head out from under the hood and tugged the flashlight from his mouth. He gave the Eevee a questioning look until he, too, noticed that they had company. He turned to face them with a glare.

The three visitors came to a stop a few paces in front of them. Novo felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck as he recognized the one at the forefront of the group. The humans called him "Sage", or something equally stupid, to match the sickly green color of his hair. He was young, still a teenager, but he still had several years on Wes, and he had just as much savage viciousness as any Snagem adult. His friends on either side of him were roughly the same age as he, and the three of them stared Wes down with a menacing air.

"How's it goin', Leo?" Sage sneered. His words were amicable enough, but his tone suggested otherwise.

Novo felt his Trainer tense beside him. "What do you want?" he snapped.

Novo couldn't sense emotions as acutely as his brother could, but he didn't need to, at least not with his Trainer. Two years with the boy had taught him everything about his mannerisms and emotions; he knew exactly how he was feeling at any given moment just by observing his body language, his voice, the changes in his eyes.

Right now, Wes was afraid.

He hid it well, and his emotions were usually indecipherable to anyone that wasn't his Pokémon. But Novo knew, from his tense posture and narrowed eyes and the tiniest quiver in his voice. He was afraid. And, given who was standing in front of him, he had every right to be.

Sage laughed, but it wasn't a nice sound. It was cold and cruel and smacked of barely restrained rage, nothing at all like the way Wes sometimes - well, rarely - laughed.

"You hear that, boys?" Sage called to his companions, still leering at Wes with a chilling glare. "He wants to know what we want."

His cronies chuckled darkly. They all stepped closer.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Leo," Sage said in a low growl. "Trying to one-up everybody else by snatching missions out from under our noses? Now that's ballsy. Or maybe you're just stupid."

Wes folded his arms and leaned his head back. "Or maybe you're all just incompetent," he said coldly.

"What did you just say to me?"

Sage stepped forward again with a hiss. He was now frighteningly close to the boy, looming over him.

Wes tensed further, but kept his voice steady. "You heard me."

A terrifying, predatory gleam entered Sage's eyes. Novo stepped in front of his Trainer, baring his teeth and fluffing out his fur as far as he could. "Veeeee!"

The teen scowled down at the Eevee and curled his lip in disgust. "So that's it, huh? You think you're better than everyone else just because you've got two fancy Pokémon?"

"I don't have anything to prove to you," Wes bit back. His hands were curled into fists at his sides now as he openly glared at Sage. "You're just a bunch of low-lives who pick on smaller, younger targets to make yourselves feel better. You're pathetic."

WHAM.

The older boy's fist was so fast it seemed to have come out of nowhere. Wes staggered backward into the motorbike, and Novo flew into a rage. "EE-VEE!"

His teeth ripped into Sage's calf. The teen screamed in pain and lashed out at the Eevee, his fists berating every inch of Novo's small body. Novo simply sank his fangs deeper, bracing himself against the painful blows -

He was suddenly wrenched from his foe as Sage was sent careening into the sand. Novo shook himself and looked up to find his Trainer standing over him, eyes burning furiously, fist still raised from the devastating punch he had landed on Sage's jaw.

The other two boys roared in fury, and before either Wes or Novo could react, they lunged forward.

To face even one of the boys would have been difficult for his Trainer, given the significant size difference, but two on one made it an impossible fight. Novo lunged into the fray, biting down wherever he could, tearing with his claws. One of the boys landed a solid kick in the Eevee's ribs and sent him rolling across the dirt.

"Wait!"

Sage staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth. His friends froze at the command. One of them held Wes by the collar of his shirt, the other hand raised in a fist to continue the beating. Wes coughed weakly, a dribble of blood going down his chin. More blood was streaming from his nose, which appeared to be broken. He glared at Sage with seething fury.

Sage leered at him with a bloody grin. "Hold him." The boys did as commanded, each one taking an arm and wrenching them behind Wes' back. Sage stepped forward, his face twisted with sickening glee.

"I'm about to really enjoy this, Leo," he said. He raised a fist.

"VEE!"

Novo staggered to his paws and lunged forward, ready to tear into Sage's other leg. This time, however, the teen was ready for him. His boot connected with Novo's rib cage, followed by a resounding crack.

Wes choked out a cry as his Eevee was sent rolling through the sands again, yelping in pain. "N-N-Novo!"

"Right. Where were we?" Sage returned his attention to his victim.

"You bastard!" Wes bellowed, struggling vainly to break free. "Too big of a coward to face me by yourself?"

"Well, I didn't want your little pets to get in my way, did I? Speaking of which..." Sage's eyes flicked to the Pokeball on Wes' belt where Neo was contained. He addressed his lackeys.

"Take it."

Wes thrashed and cursed, but could do nothing as Neo's Pokeball was ripped away from him. Sage's friend tossed the ball to him, and he caught it with a smirk.

"You know, an Espeon would really boost my credibility around these parts, don't you think?" Sage grinned at Wes again. "And you even did all the hard work of evolving it for me. Thanks, Leo!"

Wes spat an insult at him that wiped the smirk right off the teen's face.

"You just never learn, huh?" Sage snarled. His gaze then rested on the open toolbox that sat a pace behind the boys, and his eyes gleamed. "I know something that'll fix that foul mouth of yours."

The conversation hummed in Novo's ears as he tried and failed to rise from where he lay. His chest was on fire, and it hurt to breathe, let alone move, but his Trainer was in danger, he needed him...

Through a haze of pain, Novo saw Sage step up to Wes with a wrench in his raised hand.

He struggled to his paws and lurched forward with a wail, but he was too slow, too late.

Blood sprayed across the rusty surface of the motorbike. Red spattered onto the sand. Novo heard his Trainer scream in agony, heard the boys' raucous laughter, heard Sage howl, "Let's go again, shall we?"

And something inside him erupted.

He wasn't aware of the flash of light or the heat emanating through his body. He wasn't aware of his high pitched howl of rage morph into something deeper, louder, more sinister. All he knew was that he was lunging forward, his paws barely grazing the ground as he flew at Wes' attackers, at these creatures that could barely call themselves human, ready to tear into them with wild abandon.

His fangs flashed. His claws shredded. A strange dark energy was pulsing from him, knocking the thugs backward just before he ripped into each of them with savage pleasure. Their screams turned from ones of rage, to ones of pain, and then to ones of absolute terror.

"Novo, STOP!"

His Trainer's shout pulled him back to his senses, and Novo halted his assault. The three boys were huddled in the sand in front of him, shaking, bloodied, crying in fear, all bravado completely forgotten. Novo advanced a step, snarling, and in an instant all three of them were pelting back to the base as fast as their injured legs could carry them.

Novo spat at their retreating figures in disgust, and that's when he noticed that the pain in his ribs had vanished. Next, he noticed a strange light emanating around him - no, from him - in pulses. He blinked down at his sides, and where a fluffy brown coat used to be, there was now a sleek black pelt with glowing yellow rings.

He was no longer an Eevee, but an Umbreon.

Wes' ragged voice tugged him from his daze. "Novo..."

Novo turned his head to find his Trainer slumped in the sand, his face almost completely slathered in scarlet. Blood was streaming from his mouth and nose, but most concerning was the horrifying gash across the boy's face that ran from one cheekbone to the other.

Novo bounded up to him with a worried rumble in his throat. "Umbri?"

Wes gave him a shaky grin and rubbed his now significantly longer ears. "You...finally evolved..." His words came in painful gasps.

"Briii?" Novo whined and nuzzled his Trainer's face. He heard a tiny, pained sob escape from the boy. A hand gripped the fur tightly around the Umbreon's shoulders.

"Are...are they...are they gone?" Wes' voice was little more than a shaky whisper. Novo nodded, and the boy's eyes clouded with fear. "Neo...N-Neo-"

Novo glanced around for any sign of his brother's Pokeball. He found it resting in the sand just a pace away, having been forgotten in the ensuing chaos. He bounded over and nosed it back to his Trainer.

Wes grabbed the ball in a shaky hand and pulled it close to his chest. Another sob escaped him as he curled into a ball in a vain attempt to escape the pain.

Novo quietly bowed his head and licked the blood from his Trainer's face. Those boys would never bother him again; he'd made sure of that. As Wes wrapped an arm around the Umbreon and cried, Novo came to one very solid, very clear conclusion.

He would do anything, be anything, go anywhere to make sure his Trainer never cried, never hurt like this again.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 14: Perspective​

"This is where y'all live?"

Lon's face was a picture of shock as he took in the sight of the sizable house. Compared to the sprawling, luxurious buildings in Phenac, Duking's home wasn't extraordinary by any means; it was a simple cabin-style home that might have once looked immaculate, but time and dust had coated it to more or less match the look of the rest of the town and the plateaus surrounding it. But in Pyrite, where most housing options were limited to rundown apartments, it may as well have been a high-end mansion.

"More or less," Wes said. "We're guests here, as are you - so if you're thinking about taking anything, don't." He gave the boy a hard look upon seeing the tiniest hint of mischief cross his face. Wes knew that look all too well, as he'd worn it himself more than once.

Lon scowled. "I wasn't gonna."

Yeah, I'm sure.

As they walked up the steps to the front door, Wes noticed Lon hover back slightly, fidgeting nervously. He then realized the boy had since returned his Igglybuff to his Pokeball, and wondered if he was preparing to bolt again.

Rui must have noticed this, too, as she paused and turned back to Lon with a kind smile. "It's really okay, Lon," she said gently. "It's perfectly safe here."

Lon shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing between her and Wes. "You sure? You promise?"

"Yes. We promise."

Wes looked at him and jerked his head to the door. "We'll go inside first, if that helps. Nobody is going to force you inside."

This seemed to calm the boy's nerves a little, and he nodded. Rui then opened the door and they filtered inside, Lon trailing in behind them.

Wes was not prepared for the chaos awaiting them on the other side of the door.

He heard a woman's voice first, a rough cadence that was shrill with distress. As he, Lon, and Rui stepped inside and shut the door behind them, he caught sight of Duking attempting to soothe an elderly woman who was ranting in hysterics.

The sound of the door snapping shut caused her to turn and see them. Her eyes, magnified behind a pair of oversized spectacles, immediately fastened on Wes.

"YOU!" she barked. She pointed a gnarled finger at him and took a menacing step towards him - and it was only then that Wes realized she was absolutely tiny. She couldn't have been any taller than his waist, and Duking's massive form behind her only served to exaggerate her petite frame even further. Her stern, wrinkled face seemed barely large enough for her massive spectacles, which magnified her eyes and gave her a distinct look that resembled a Flygon.

"You!" she said again. "You're the one who destroyed half my wares!"

Wes stared, utterly bewildered. "What?"

"And you chased down this poor boy, too!" She threw a sympathetic look towards Lon, who, oddly enough, suddenly had his hands idly in his pockets and was wearing a smug grin. "What business do you have with him? You street thugs are all alike, targeting helpless children!"

"I think there's been a misunderstanding-" Rui began, but she was promptly cut off.

"Duking!" The old woman whirled back to the mayor, who was pinching the bridge of his nose with a weary sigh. "This is him, the one who destroyed my house! Why is he here?"

Duking raised his head to throw Wes a withering glare. "Of course it was you," he growled.

Wes snarled at him. "What's that supposed to mean? And who the hell are you?" he snapped at the woman.

"Wes!" Rui hissed and jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. "Don't be rude!"

Lon folded his arms and grinned wider. He threw Wes a triumphant look. "Serves ya right for chasin' me."

You snarky little -

Duking heaved another sigh and gestured to the sofa. "Why don't we all take a seat and I'll explain?"

The old lady gave an ill-tempered grunt and took a seat in a cushioned armchair near the fireplace while Duking sat in another beside her. Wes took note of her multicolored robes and glittering jewelry, and he suddenly realized who she was: Fateen, the self-proclaimed Psychic of Pyrite.

"You're our new recruit, I take it?" Duking asked Lon as he cautiously took a seat on the very end of the sofa farthest away from all of them - and closest to the door, Wes noticed. The amusement on his face from earlier had faded to wary nervousness.

Lon looked Duking in the eyes and slowly nodded.

"A pleasure, then," Duking said warmly, and extended his hand for the boy to shake it. Lon did so, though not without hesitation; the man's sheer bulk was clearly intimidating him. "What's your name, kid?"

The boy glanced nervously to Wes and Rui before answering. "Um. Lon."

"Lon, eh? Nice to meet you. I'm Duking, the town mayor - though you might already know that."

I seriously doubt it, Wes thought. Kids on the street couldn't care less about who had what titles or who was supposed to be in charge; the only thing worth remembering was who was a friendly face and who meant them harm.

Lon stared at him for a moment, then snapped his attention back to Wes with an accusatory look. "You didn't tell me you was workin' for the mayor!"

Wes raised an eyebrow at him. "And?"

"Is this a trap?" Lon bristled. "Are you fixin' to turn me in?"

"Easy, there kid, you're not in trouble," Duking said. "We'll explain everything."

"I certainly hope so!" Fateen said briskly. "I'd like to know what business you have with this poor boy, and why your rogue friend here decided to run him down like a Houndoom on the hunt!"

"I wouldn't have chased him if he hadn't run," Wes grumbled.

Duking shot him a sharp look before addressing her. "I promise, Tee, there's an explanation for all of this." He gestured to the two seated on the sofa. "This is Rui Everlin and Wesley Lycas, and they're volunteers for Sherles and I. They've been working on a case with us. And this -" he then addressed Wes and Rui, "is Fateen, gifted Seer and talented herbalist of Pyrite. She is an honorable woman and deserves your respect." His gaze sharpened and bore into Wes on the last word, and Wes returned it with a glare.

"Pleased to meet you!" Rui said brightly. Fateen looked at her and seemed to soften a little at Rui's smile.

She looked back at Duking with a sigh. "Am I to understand you have plans to involve this poor boy in your investigation?"

"Only if he would like to," said Duking. He spoke to Lon. "Seeing as you're here, I take it you'd like to help us?"

Lon nodded again. Wes could tell he had questions about why the mayor, of all people, was hiring him to steal Pokémon for him, but he said nothing. It was best (and safest) to never ask questions.

"Allow me to explain what it is we're doing here," Duking said. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, then glanced at Fateen. "Tee, I know you won't approve of everything you're about to hear, but just bear with me until the end."

Fateen's eyebrows knotted together, but she said nothing and gave a curt nod in response.

For the next several minutes, Duking filled them in on the basics of the mission, from the savage Pokémon to Wes' supposed volunteer work to Rui seeing their aura. At some point, Plu the Plusle wandered into the room and hopped onto Duking's shoulder; the mayor idly rubbed the Pokémon's ears as he spoke, and the sight of a tiny creature perched on such a hulking figure was almost comical.

"...And that's where you come in, kid," he finally said to Lon with a small smile. "To be honest, I'm not fond of the idea of putting a kid like you in this kind of danger, but you have my word that we will operate very carefully and do everything in our power to make sure none of the thefts are traced back to you."

Lon shifted in his seat. "My Pokémon will be safe, too, right?"

"Of course."

"This is quite the mess you're in, dear," Fateen said to Duking, her arms folded and a thoughtful, concerned look upon her face. She looked much less hostile than before, though there was still a disapproving air in her tone. "How do you know any of this will work?"

"We don't, Tee. But we have to try. Most importantly, we have to find who is behind this."

"Hm." Fateen mused for a moment, then sighed. "Well, I must say, I'm disappointed, dear. All this work, and you never once thought to ask for my services?"

Duking frowned at her, but Rui spoke up first. "Services? You mean...like, fortune telling?"

Fateen shook her head and waved a dismissive hand. "Oh no, child, none of that. I mean my medical expertise. Surely you'll need someone with treatments available should any of these Pokémon get too close to one of you or your teams."

"I didn't think you would want to be involved in something like this," Duking said with a frown.

"Normally, no. I prefer to let the Trainers sort out their problems amongst each other and to leave it at that. But lately, I've had far more children at my doorstep than I would like with either their own injuries or battered Pokémon. I suspected something was wrong before, and this confirms my suspicions."

"Strange you didn't know about all of this already," Wes said dryly. "Thought you might have seen it coming, what with your Sight and all."

Rui nudged him a second time with a sharp glare, but Fateen merely looked at him. "One does not simply See whenever they wish, my dear. It is a gift that manifests itself whenever it may."

Wes snorted, but said nothing more. Strangely enough, the woman actually grinned at him in amusement.

"You are a skeptic. No matter, however; I see now that you have a good heart, despite your...destructive tendencies. I will quite enjoy working with you, I think."

Wes stared at her. What did she mean by that? Her shift in attitude towards him was rather unexpected - but he caught the faintest glimmer of mischief in her eyes, and he felt unsettled under her knowing gaze.

Duking looked as though he was about to question her himself, but he was suddenly interrupted by a sound at the top of the stairs by the entryway.

A yelp of surprise and a thud caused every head to turn to the stairs to see Marci awkwardly clinging to the banister halfway down the steps, a look of pure horror on her face. Judging by the way she was half-sitting, half-standing on the stairs, it was evident she had slipped.

A hiss came from the top of the stairs, out of sight. "Ugh, Marci!"

Nobody said anything for a moment. Then, Duking spoke slowly in a low voice.

"Marci. Secc. Were you listening in?"

Marci got to her feet and answered far too hastily. "No!"

Duking narrowed his eyes. "Secc. Come on out."

There was a brief pause, then Secc slowly shuffled into sight, standing a step above his sister and looking incredibly sheepish.

"What did you two hear just now?"

The siblings both spoke at once: Marci with a nervous squeak and Secc in a defeated, deadpan tone.

"N-nothing!"

"Everything."

Duking closed his eyes and raised a hand to his face, muttering something under his breath that sounded like, "Arceus help me."

Fateen chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. "Come now, dearie. You didn't really think you could keep something like this from them for very long, did you?"

She had a point there, Wes had to admit. So far, the explanation for Wes' Pokémon had been that they were sick and needed treatment - which wasn't entirely untrue, Rui had pointed out - and that Secc, Marci, and their friends were not to go anywhere near them. New Pokémon would be worked with either in the empty lot at the edge of town, or in the secret cavern after the kids had gone to bed, and Lon's presence would be explained as a relative of Johnson's that needed looking after - but to Wes, the whole thing had sounded rather flimsy from the start.

The gathering was shortly broken up after that. Fateen politely excused herself and left after giving Duking a stern reminder to keep her informed. Duking pulled his kids aside to speak to them privately and Rui offered to show Lon to his room - a guest room just off the living room that had once been Silva's.

Wes shook his head as he followed after Rui and a very dazed, confused looking Lon.

More damn people to deal with.

The following day, Wes inwardly decided to take back almost every complaint he'd ever had about Duking's kitchen feeling too small - it wasn't ideal, but it was much, much preferable to Sherles' small office. At least the kitchen had windows.

He was seated across from the Chief, Duking in a chair beside him, as Sherles once again hammered away at him for any information Wes had on Snagem. Unfortunately, his knowledge had been a disappointment to Sherles and Duking both; while he knew that Snagem had a second base that they had no doubt retreated to after the explosion, he couldn't tell them where it was or what it looked like, nor could he tell them what Snagem ever did with their stolen Pokémon. Such information had been closely guarded, only made privy to the higher-ups in the team.

The irony of this was not lost on him; after all, it had been Gonzap's offer to promote him that had led to Wes defecting in the first place.

Sherles, at least, seemed to be willing to take Wes' answers at face value. Perhaps he figured the Snagger had no reason to lie to them, not in his current situation and certainly not because of any love or loyalty to his old team. Duking, however, had accused him more than once of trying to hide something, which Wes had to repeatedly refute.

Seriously, what's your problem with me?

As Sherles winded down his questioning, Wes was prepared to write this meeting off as another fruitless waste of time - but Sherles didn't dismiss him. Instead, he said something that took Wes by surprise.

"I believe it's time to talk about Miss Everlin," he said.

Wes blinked. "What about her?"

"I'm not entirely comfortable with things as they stand." Sherles straightened a bit in his chair before continuing. "I agreed to your condition not to share your identity with anyone - even my own officers - but I'm having my doubts about keeping things from her." He looked Wes dead in the eyes. "I think you ought to consider telling that girl the truth about who you are."

Wes stared at him for a moment, hardly daring to believe he was actually serious - but the Chief's expression didn't waver. Wes scoffed. "I hope you're joking."

"Why would I joke about this, son?"

"Because it's insane," Wes said flatly. "You think she'll want anything to do with any of us once she finds out I - no, all of us - lied to her face?"

"That is certainly a concern, I won't deny that," said Sherles. "But I can't help but feel the longer this charade continues, the riskier things will be. I can't guarantee your identity will remain hidden. It may be for the best to get everything out in the open sooner rather than later."

His reply had been perfectly calm and steady, yet Wes narrowed his eyes at that last statement. "Is that a threat?"

"No, I assure you it isn't," Sherles said evenly. "Believe it or not, Lycas, I'm only speaking out of concern for you and Miss Everlin. She seems to be quite fond of you, and I believe she deserves to know the truth. After all, this mission wouldn't be remotely possible without her."

"The answer is no," said Wes. "I told you from the beginning that I don't want people knowing who I am, and it's going to stay that way."

Duking, who had been listening to the exchanged with a thoughtful expression, cleared his throat and spoke up. "I gotta side with Sherles on this. My kids are one thing - I didn't want them involved in this whatsoever, and I don't want the integrity of the mission compromised by their knowing about it." He scowled a little before continuing, clearly still unhappy with the way things had played out the day before. "However, Rui is different. She willingly placed herself with you at the front and center of all of this, and it doesn't seem right to be keeping secrets from her."

"'Doesn't seem right', does it?" Wes folded his arms and stared hard at the mayor, trying and failing to keep his rising frustration from showing. "Funny that should come from you - from both of you - when you've blackmailed me into this whole damn operation in the first place."

Sherles raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather I arrested you instead? That was your only other option, if you recall. I wasn't about to let you just walk out of my office, not with the evidence I had against you."

"And authorizing me to steal Pokémon for you?" Wes shot back. "Last time I checked, that was still illegal, with or without your permission!"

Duking snarled. "You've got some nerve preaching to us about what's legal, kid!"

Wes snapped his gaze up to meet Duking's. "Well, maybe it's about time someone told you you aren't above your own rules!"

The mayor stiffened in anger, and looked fully prepared to fire back an equally snippy response when Sherles raised a hand and quieted them both. He looked at Wes, and while his voice remained measured, there was a new heaviness in it that wasn't there before.

"I won't try to pretend that I'm a saint, here," he said. "I was fully aware of what I was signing up for when we set out to find you for this mission, and I knew that going this route would mean doing things I have never once considered in all my years of service." Those icy blue eyes bored into Wes, unwavering as always. "Should my actions in this investigation be made public, I will certainly lose my position and any credibility I have ever had. It's quite possible it would undo everything I have worked for, everything I have strived to build within this force."

Wes glared at him, unwilling to back down despite that intimidating stare. "Why do this, then?"

"I suppose...after thirty years on the job, of giving everything I had to serving this town, of trying to make things better for the folks around here...I got tired." Sherles paused and dropped his gaze, and all at once, Wes could see that tiredness in him; in every line on his face, in the slight slump of his shoulders as he spoke, in the cadence of his voice, in the fibers of his very being.

"I got tired of doing all that and not accomplishing a single damned thing," he said. "And I got especially tired of watching kids die on the streets."

He looked back up at Wes, and there was a quiet fire in his eyes that spoke of decades of exhausted frustration.

"That," he said softly, "is why I'm doing this."

Wes said nothing for a moment; he knew Sherles' sincerity was not the kind that could be faked or invented, and as he soaked in the Chief's words, a thought spoke quietly from the back of his mind: that maybe, just maybe, this was a man he could eventually come to respect.

It didn't change the fact that this mission was still little more than a fool's errand, but it was something, at least.

He spared a glance at Duking, but there was no need to ask for his thoughts on the matter; the man's firm expression of weary determination was more than enough. And, as much as Wes disliked him, there was something to be said for his willingness to take so many children under his wing. Wes wasn't sure he'd ever met anyone quite so willing to go out of their way for street kids without expecting anything in return.

He sat back in his chair with a sigh and finally broke the silence. "Fine. I get it. But that doesn't change my answer." He looked back at Sherles. "My answer is still no."

He could tell by the look in Sherles' eyes that he wasn't satisfied with the answer, but he didn't protest. Instead, he leaned back and sighed. "I won't force you, Lycas, but I won't pretend I like it."

Duking looked at him with an odd, unreadable expression. "Why so adamant, kid? Are you afraid of what her reaction would be?"

Afraid? That word made Wes bristle. He was not afraid of anything, least of all some random, naive girl's opinion of him.

"She hates thieves," he said. "Lost her starter to them some years ago, and has a personal vendetta against them. She finds out who I am, and I can guarantee she won't stay on the investigation. I don't think she'd be too excited about working with a thief - or with people who have lied to her from the very start."

Duking looked at him steadily. "You didn't answer my question."

What do you want from me? Something flared defensively in Wes' chest. Was it anger? Frustration? Fear - no, not fear, never fear, he was not afraid, not vulnerable, not weak. He didn't know what it was - all he knew was that it made him want to snap at the man before him.

Sherles must have sensed this, as he once again intervened just before Wes could say something. "Never mind that. If you've got nothing else to say, Lycas, then this meeting is dismissed."

Wes gave a curt nod, and all three of them rose to leave. He noticed Duking hang back and exchange a few words with Sherles, but he didn't care to stay and find out what they were. He walked out the building and into the harsh sunlight.

Duking's question had unsettled him, but the most bothersome thing was, Wes couldn't figure out why. He wasn't afraid of what Rui would think - honestly, who gave a damn? She was nothing more than a clueless girl from some insignificant town, and he couldn't care less what she thought of him - hell, they weren't even friends. Why would he care?

And yet, despite the fact that he let out Neo and Novo in an attempt to calm his agitation with their presence, the question needled at his mind for the rest of the day.

Maku couldn't remember.

He sat atop the sofa in the living room and watched the world go by outside the large window. It had become a favorite spot of his; here, sitting in the sunlight, he could peacefully ponder without fear or disturbance or interruption - well, most of the time. The smaller humans liked to talk to him sometimes, but he usually didn't mind.

His Trainer, at least, seemed to understand his need for privacy, and gave Maku his space whenever he desired it. He appreciated that about him.

The sun settled on his skin and wrapped him in a blanket of warmth. Maku liked the sunlight. If he sat in it long enough, it seemed to transport him to another time, another place...another lifetime, even.

He had vague memories - or what he thought might be memories - of his life before cages and needles and cold tiled floors. Sometimes he thought he could remember blades of green grass under his feet, a warm breeze washing over him, the sound of laughter and a young girl with bright, blond hair...

But then, they would fade away. Sometimes he wasn't sure if they were actual memories, or simply snippets from a long-forgotten dream.

Maku couldn't remember, and he was alright with that. He wasn't sure he wanted to remember.

Because if he did remember, then he would have to also think about his most recent memories. Ones of pain and terror and misery, ones he tried his best to blot out and shut out, ones he tried not to feel. He would have to think about how he might have been happy, a lifetime ago, but that it had all been ripped away from him. That laughter and bright sunlight had been replaced with blinding sterile lights overhead and cold, indifferent voices discussing what to do next, what new methods could be tried -

He shuddered and forced away all thought, all memory, all horror that threatened to bubble to the surface.

Maku couldn't remember. He did not want to. He did not.

A soft, playful growl met his ears from behind him; he didn't bother to turn his head to the source. The Umbreon and Espeon were tussling behind him, engaging in antics he'd given up on trying to understand. It was bizarre, the way they were fighting, and yet also...not fighting. No blood was drawn, no yelps of pain or fear ever escaped. What was the point of fighting or battling if you weren't doing everything in your power to win?

Fwomp!

A blur of black and yellow entered Maku's peripheral vision as Novo flopped onto the couch beside him - evidently, his brother had more or less thrown him there in their "fight". Maku turned his head to stare at him, and the Umbreon, splayed on his back with his paws in the air, blinked up at him apologetically before rolling to his feet.

"Play?"

Maku gave a start; the high-pitched chirp could only be addressed to him. He turned around fully, and saw the Espeon looking up at him from the floor, tail weaving excitedly, eyes bright.

He stared. "...Play?"

Neo chirped again, kneading the carpet with his paws. "Yes! Play!"

"What is...play?"

Novo hopped off the couch to sit beside his brother. He cocked his head to the side as he looked up at Maku, looking somewhat perplexed at the question. "Play?" He spoke in a thoughtful rumble. "Play is..."

"Fun!" Neo interrupted with a bark. "Play is fun!"

Novo swished his tail in agreement.

Maku looked blankly between them. "Fun?"

It was Neo's turn to look perplexed. He twitched his ears, and his tail slowed in its movement, lowering slightly to the floor as he pondered how to answer. "Fun. Fun is..."

"Happy."

Maku and Neo both turned to Novo as he answered. He was looking at the Makuhita with a calm, steady gaze. "Fun is happy."

Happy?

Maku frowned. He knew what the word meant, and yet...he wasn't sure he could remember what it was. Had he been happy before? Did it feel like the sun? He was certain he hadn't experienced it in the White Rooms, but if he closed his eyes and pondered, he thought he could remember...a girl's laugh, her arms around him, the trees swaying in a warm breeze...

The images were almost immediately swallowed up by newer, fresher ones; restraints rubbing at his raw, bloody wrists, sharp and painful pricks as needles slid under his skin, the sounds of his own screams echoing off the walls -

No. No. No. He would not remember, he would not think about it, he would not -

"No." The word escaped him in a snarl, a little more fiercely than intended. He opened his eyes and saw Neo flinch at his sudden hostility; Novo continued to fix him with that unwavering gaze of his.

"No!" Maku barked again. "No play!"

Neo's ears drooped in disappointment. Novo looked him in the eyes and responded with a soft, steady rumble. "No play," he acknowledged.

He rose to his paws and nudged his brother over to the other side of the room where they could continue their antics and leave Maku in peace. Maku watched them go, and felt his muscles steadily relax; he hadn't even realized he'd tensed up in the first place.

He turned back to the window, to the sunlight, and closed his eyes once more as he focused on soaking in its warmth.

He liked the sun. He always did - had he? Did he like it before?

He shook his head, cleared his thoughts, and tried to remember.

...Or was he trying to forget?

Neo had a problem.

He stretched his paws out in front of him as he lazed idly on the floor of the waterfall cavern. He'd been dozing beside his brother for a while now, and he was very ready for a change of pace. He reached out a paw and nudged his sleeping sibling.

No response.

Another nudge. Novo did not move.

Neo then reached out with both paws and lightly battered at his brother's back.

Novo cracked open an eyelid and fixed him with a blank stare and a low, rumbling growl.

Neo retreated with a sigh. He knew better than to push further - previous experience had reminded him that, while he might have been the harder hitter of the two, Novo did in fact have a type advantage on him, and would not hesitate to use it when his afternoon naps were interrupted.

Neo rolled to his paws, tail flicking in annoyance.

Yes, he had a big problem, all right: he was bored out of his mind.

Normally, he'd appeal to Wes whenever Novo wasn't reciprocating his desire to play, but on this particular afternoon, his Trainer was in the office beyond the hidden bookshelf door, in a meeting of sorts with the other humans and discussing...something. He knew it had to do with the strange new Pokémon they'd been encountering, but beyond that, he didn't care to know the details.

To make matters worse, the nice redheaded girl was in the meeting with them, thus eliminating all of his first options for a playmate. But no matter; this was a household full of children, after all, and they all relished the opportunity to shower him with attention whenever he appealed to them for it.

He approached the computer desk on the other side of the room where all four kids were gathered and was almost immediately rebuffed.

"Sorry, Neo." Marci addressed him with an apologetic grimace. "We gotta get this assignment finished today. We'll play with you later, okay?"

Neo let his ears and tail droop; Nett laughed and rubbed his head. "Later, we promise!"

Neo chuffed and walked away. "Later" was a problem, because "later" was not "right now."

His gaze rested upon Kohna, who was curled up near Novo, and an idea occurred to him.

He padded up to her and sat directly in front of the Quilava, wrapping his tail neatly around his paws. He cocked his head to the side as she blinked her eyes open and looked up at him with a wide, questioning gaze.

"Play?" he chirped.

She stared at him, a flicker of alarm entering her eyes. "P-p-play?"

Neo purred and rose to his feet, kneading the rough stone floor in excitement. "Yes! Play!"

Kohna blinked at him, then slowly shook her head, scooting away from him nervously. "N-no. No play."

Neo wanted to push her further, but he saw her flames begin to sputter in her anxiety, and decided his brother would not thank him for prodding her into a burning frenzy while he was sleeping beside her. With a sigh, he turned away from her to scope out his next target.

He saw him almost immediately; Maku was sitting upright against a bookshelf, watching the waterfall spill down the back wall, as though lost in thought. Neo took a step forward, but Maku shifted his gaze to him and fixed him with that blank, flat stare of his.

...Right. He'd already tried the Makuhita the other day with no success.

He lashed his tail in frustration. He was so restless, he was so bored, and nobody wanted to play -

A splash drew his attention to the pool of water at the back of the room; Nani, oblivious to everyone else in the room, was frolicking about in the water, evidently having a grand time in spite of herself.

Yes. Yes!

He was at the water's edge in an instant, tail weaving hopefully in the air, ears pricked forward. He chirped a greeting, and Nani froze in her play, her gaze automatically shifting to his. Her eyes narrowed and a growl rose in her throat.

"Play?" Neo mewed.

Nani curled her lip, revealing an impressive set of fangs, and the growl rose to a snarl. "Go. Away."

Neo was undeterred. "Play!"

She snapped at him. "AWAY!"

Clearly, she wasn't understanding what he wanted. He decided to help her out with a demonstration, and swept his paw through the water, flicking a few droplets in her direction.

"See? Pla-"

SNAP.

He just barely managed to dance out of reach of Nani's flailing jaws as she lunged at him, enraged, her movement spraying water in every direction. A bellow escaped from her maw and echoed off the cavern walls.

Yes. Yes. Yes!

"N-N-Neo!" Megg gave a terrified squeak as Nani launched herself from the pool, dripping water onto the floor. "What are you doing?!"

Neo trilled in response, prancing across the floor as he expertly dodged her fangs. "Plaaaaaay!"

He heard Secc urgently say something, heard a bark from his brother from across the room - he was awake, did he want to play, now, too? - but Neo was busy darting and weaving across the room, yapping in delight as Nani lunged at him time and time again.

"Fight!" she roared. "FIGHT!"

"No! Play!"

She spun and lashed her tail at him, managing to just barely glance a hit off Neo's shoulder. He barked, mildly surprised at the amount of force she'd packed into the blow, but no matter; she would learn how to play properly, she simply needed some practice.

He was so caught up in the excitement, however, that he hadn't been paying attention to what was behind him. Neo moved to spring backwards, only to collide into a pile of wooden crates with a solid k-thunk. What were those doing there, anyway? He glanced at them over his shoulder and -

Nani's snarl was suddenly close - very close. He snapped his head back around to see her looming over him, jaws parted as she prepared to lunge -

She vanished in a beam of red light. Neo blinked, baffled, until he caught sight of Wes standing across the room with Nani's Pokeball in hand, an expression of alarm written on his face. The door had been swung wide open, with the kids anxiously gathered around it; evidently, they had interrupted the meeting to put a stop to the charade.

And to ruin all the fun.

"What the hell, Neo!" Wes barked at him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do, and we were scared she might hurt him-!" Megg's voice was unusually high as she apologized profusely to Duking over Wes' shoulder.

Neo wilted a little and dropped his gaze to his paws. What was so wrong about trying to play?

He heard the sound of Wes' boots on the floor as he approached him. In the corner of his eye, he saw his Trainer crouch in front of him, felt him place a hand under his chin and raise his head until he was looking up into Wes' golden eyes. He was frowning at him, but his expression had softened a little.

"Don't be too hard on him." Rui was close behind Wes, speaking over his shoulder. Her gaze was soft as she looked down at Neo. "I think he was just trying to make friends."

Wes sighed and rubbed Neo's chin. "Are you going a little stir crazy, buddy?"

Neo blinked and nodded. Wes said nothing, but he didn't need to; Neo caught a ripple of understanding from his Trainer, and an unspoken sentiment seemed to pass between them. In all their years at Snagem, they'd spent as much time as possible outdoors and on missions in the field; neither of them had any memories of being stuck inside so consistently, nor of being surrounded so closely by so many people.

They were out of their element here, and Neo knew that Wes was painfully aware of it.

"Tell you what," he said after a brief pause. "After this meeting is over, we'll go to that abandoned lot on the edge of town and you can run and play to your heart's content. Okay?"

Neo lit up at the prospect. "Play! Please! Play!"

A small smile flickered across Wes' face, and Neo purred with joy; it was a welcome, if rare, sight to see. He stepped into his Trainer's arms and rubbed into his chest, his purrs growing louder as Wes stroked his fur. He thought he might have even heard a tiny huff of laughter from him, but Neo couldn't be certain over the sounds of his own rumbling.

"You gotta give me thirty more minutes though, alright? Just thirty, and then we'll play."

Neo chirped. "Yes!"

Thirty minutes of waiting would normally feel like a lifetime; but as Neo sat through the remainder of the meeting in Wes' lap, perfectly content and relishing in the sensation of Wes' hand stroking his fur, it felt like no time at all.

The last few days had been nothing short of a whirlwind - but then again, Rui supposed she could say that about every day since she'd set out on her errand for Pokeballs; it had only been a few weeks since leaving home, and yet, with all the excitement, it felt as though it had been months.

"Rui, dear, are you certain you want to stay?" her grandfather, Eaugun, had asked one morning over a video call on her newly replaced P*DA. The many lines of age on his face deepened as he frowned at her, his worry reflected in his icy blue gaze.

Rui heaved a long-suffering sigh; the question was brought up in every call, and despite her constant reassurances, both of her grandparents never ceased to worry. "Pap, I'm completely fine, I promise. It's not like I'm doing this alone, and Duking and his family have been perfectly hospitable!" She shifted on her small bed so as to sit in a more comfortable position. "Besides, I'm not even the one doing the dangerous work. That's on Wes, and he and his Pokémon can handle it."

"And who exactly is this young man?" Rui's grandmother Beluh pushed herself into the frame, and the concern on her face was slightly more accusatory than Eagun's was. "You've mentioned him an awful lot, yet we have yet to even see him! Really, the least he can do is let us thank him for all he's done for you!"

If she had been speaking to anyone but her grandmother, Rui might have rolled her eyes. Instead, she sighed again and said, "I've offered to have you meet him on one of our calls, but he's - been busy. And he's just not very…"

She trailed off, searching for a suitable word. "...Social."

Truth be told, Wes seemed highly keen on not interacting with her grandparents, though Rui wasn't sure why. She wasn't going to push him, though, and she certainly wasn't going to mention that to them; her grandmother didn't need any additional reasons to be suspicious of him, in any case.

The camera shifted, then the screen blurred into a sudden jumble of color and chaos; Eagun had dropped the P*DA again. Rui smiled a little as she heard Beluh's voice gently chiding him in the background; her grandfather had never been great with technology, and it was rapidly becoming an expectation that he would fumble the P*DA at least once every video call.

After a moment of shuffling, the camera was righted on their faces once again, with Eagun grinning sheepishly.

"Never will get used to these things," he said. Rui responded with a laugh.

"Well, see that you make him join our call one of these days," Beluh said sternly - she was not one to be deterred from their conversation, despite the interruption. "And at least promise us you'll be back home soon, if only just to visit. We weren't exactly prepared to send you off on some grand journey, my dear!"

"Shouldn't that be expected in a family of Trainers?" Rui asked with a grin.

Beluh shook her head with an exasperated sigh. Eagun chuckled at Rui's response. "Does that mean you're thinking about Training again?" he asked.

Rui's breath suddenly caught in her throat; she felt her chest tighten and gripped her P*DA a little more firmly than necessary, feeling the laughter drain right out of her.

"No, Pap. I'm not."

Her face must have clearly reflected her inner feelings, as she saw Beluh's expression soften and she noticed the teasing spark leave Eagun's eyes.

"Never you mind," he said gently. "We just worry and want you to come home safe."

Rui forced another small smile, though judging from her grandparents' faces, she failed to make it a convincing one. "I will. I promise."

"And see if you can bring this friend of yours!" Beluh said. A sly grin slid across her face. "I have so many questions for him."

"Oh, please. It's nothing like that, Nan."

"Are you quite sure about that?"

"What are you - I don't - yes!"

A mischievous twinkle entered Beluh's eyes. "Hmm."

This time, Rui did roll her eyes. "You haven't even met him, and now you're pushing me at him?"

"Who said I had to push?"

Rui was floundering for a response when a shrill cry cut through the audio. "Pi-pi-pika!"

"Ah, yes!" Eagun said brightly. "Rika would like to say hello!"

The camera, no doubt now held by Beluh, panned downward until a round yellow face and two pointy ears came into view.

"Pikaaaaa!" Rika squealed in delight as soon as she caught sight of Rui's face, her red cheeks sparking excitedly. Though her muzzle and the tips of her ears were growing silver with age, the Pikachu still held as much energy and vivaciousness as her Trainer, Eagun.

Rui broke into a wide smile. "Rika! Good to see you!"

Rika took the next several minutes to tell Rui an exciting story, waving her paws and chirping, while Eagun attempted to translate - it was something about the trees near the Relic, apparently.

"She's been quite interested in the Relic, lately," Eagun said with a small frown at the Pikachu. "I can't be sure why, though, and she doesn't seem to know, either."

"Maybe because of the new Pokémon showing up?" Rui said.

Rika tilted her head to the side, then shook her head. "Pi. Pika!"

"No, it's something about the Relic itself, I think," Eagun mused. "But I suppose Pokémon have always been somewhat drawn to it."

That was true, although Rui couldn't ever remember Rika taking a specific interest in the old stone that sat in the center of Agate Forest. Local legends said it was guarded by a powerful and mysterious Pokémon; Rui herself had always liked to believe they were true, even though there had never been much evidence to suggest that they were.

Both Eagun and Rika admitted they were at a loss, and the conversation turned to other things; idle chat about Beluh's volunteer work at the hospital and Eagun's training of the young prospective Trainers, until Rui heard Marci calling for her and she had to say goodbye. Light teasing and cheerfulness aside, she still caught the traces of concern on their faces before the screen went black.

She pocketed her P*DA and ventured out the door with a sigh. I'll be perfectly fine. It was about time I left home and did something, anyway.

Marci met her halfway across the cavern and led her to the living room with a bounce in her step - something the girl always seemed to have, Rui had noticed with amusement.

"I wonder what Pokémon you'll find today!" Marci said excitedly. She looked up at Rui with a wide smile, as if expecting her to throw out a couple guesses. Ever since they'd overheard the conversation regarding the mission three days ago, she and Secc (and Nett and Megg, whenever they came by) had been having a blast coming up with names for the new Pokémon and playing with them whenever Wes or Duking was around to supervise - much to Duking's worry and dislike.

Rui merely laughed and said, "Who knows?"

Lighthearted as her response was, Rui couldn't help but feel a sinking sensation in her stomach; everyone on the investigation was already beginning to feel overwhelmed, and she knew she wasn't the only one beginning to wonder if they'd bitten off more than they could chew. Since adding Lon to the operation three days earlier, things had been rolling forward rather quickly - and soon they had found themselves surrounded by more savage Pokémon than any of them knew to deal with.

Thanks to Lon's skills and Wes' battles, they had managed to acquire three new Pokémon in addition to the Noctowl: a Misdreavus, a Skiploom, and the very same Flaaffy they had spotted on their first day.

However, after evaluating each of them before allowing Wes to officially Snag them, one thing had become painfully clear: they had a lot of work cut out for them.

Misdreavus, whom Marci had named Dio, took it upon himself to wreak absolute havoc whenever and wherever possible, and as a result, needed to be kept under strict supervision whenever he was out of his ball. Nyra, the newly named Noctowl, was still healing from her injury and was adamant on not letting anyone get too close; every change of her bandages came with an hour of coaxing and a plethora of Duking's homemade Pokeblocks. Skiploom, or Pim (once again named by Marci), was mercifully laid back and quite easy to manage - so long as no Pokémon set her off, anyway. Rui was certain she was never going to get the sickly, overpowering Sweet Scent out of her clothes after Kohna had suddenly sneezed and caused the Skiploom to erupt in the middle of the living room.

Perhaps most concerning of all, though, was the Flaaffy. Rui had chosen the name Marlow, but whether or not the Electric Pokemon had any qualms with it, she couldn't be sure; the poor thing immediately curled into a ball and trembled uncontrollably whenever anyone, human or Pokémon, came too near.

"It's odd, isn't it?" she'd asked Wes worriedly after yet another failed attempt to soothe her. "We saw her battling the first day here, and she wasn't terrified of everything then."

"That was a battle." Wes had kept his eyes trained on the shivering lump of fur across the cavern. Even with an entire room of space between them, the Flaaffy's terror was almost tangible. "She couldn't afford to be like this."

"It's amazing she was able to battle at all," Rui murmured. They both kept their voices low in an attempt to keep her calm.

"She had no choice." There was a bitter edge in Wes' tone, and Rui gave him a questioning look. What did he mean by that?

He never gave her one, and the look in his eyes made her afraid to ask.

As Marci led her through Duking's office, Rui heard Wes' voice just before the living room came into view.

"Oh, come on, Neo. You've had your turn for years."

Rui stepped into the room in time to see Neo, padding away from where Wes sat on the sofa and in an obvious sulk. She blinked in surprise to see not Neo, but Maku sitting in his lap.

Wes must have caught sight of the expression on her face, because he merely shrugged and said, "Don't ask me. He just wanted to sit here."

Maku blinked up at her with that usual blank expression of his - although, Rui could have sworn she saw just the slightest hint of contentment there.

She grinned back at Neo, who had curled up in a corner next to his brother with a huff. "Poor guy got booted, did he?"

"Look, I'm not a futon. I can only fit so many Pokémon in my lap at once."

Marci giggled. Rui noticed Secc sitting in one of the armchairs and promptly did a double-take when she saw Bayleef sitting beside him, humming in contentment as Secc rubbed his neck under his leaves.

"Look who's making progress!" she said with a grin.

Wes snorted. "He still wants nothing to do with me."

"Fi's just getting used to people, that's all," said Secc. The Bayleef nudged him affectionately, and the boy smiled.

Rui blinked. "Fi?"

Secc flushed. "Y-yeah. I, uh. Named him." He threw a worried look at Wes, but Wes merely waved his hand.

"It's fine. I doubt he'd accept a name from me, anyway. He seems to like you a whole lot more."

That much was certainly true. After several failed attempts to work with the Grass Pokémon, it had become clear that he actually didn't have many problems with anyone - save for Wes and his team. Rui guessed that, after the beating he took in Phenac, he saw Wes and his Pokémon as a threat, and as such, would have nothing to do with any of them.

Fortunately, he'd taken to Secc quite quickly, and now they could at least count on the Bayleef being in the same room as Wes, Neo, Novo, and Maku without launching into a rampage.

Secc brightened at the response and returned his attention to Fi. Marci looked on with a touch of envy on her face, then turned to Rui.

"Wouldn't it be cool to be a Trainer, Rui?" she asked.

For the second time that morning, Rui forced a smile. "Of course!"

"Why don't you have any Pokémon, then?"

Both Secc and Marci looked at her curiously, but Rui was especially aware of Wes' gaze; he'd never pried for more information since their first day in Pyrite, but no doubt he had his own questions.

Rui shrugged her shoulders and hoped her smile remained a convincing one. "I'm just not cut out for Training, I guess. It's not my thing."

Secc seemed to accept this answer, but Marci's eyes went wide. "Really? I've always wanted to be a Trainer!"

Rui was searching for a proper response when Wes suddenly spoke. "Well, let's get going. Lon's already waiting for us outside." He gently nudged Maku off his lap and called his team to him before returning them to their balls.

Rui let out a tiny breath of relief. It was hard to tell if he'd interrupted the conversation for her sake or not, but either way, she was grateful.

Marci bade them an energetic farewell as they walked out the door. Once Wes informed Lon of their route, the boy set off on his own, this time with an Azurill perched on his shoulder. They had agreed it was for the best that Lon not be seen with Wes or Rui, in case Trainers started connecting the dots and suspecting the boy's involvement. He needed to go as unnoticed and unseen as possible.

"Thanks for that, by the way," Rui said as they headed deeper into town.

Wes raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

She laughed a little. "For saving me back there. I know Marci means well, but I didn't know what to say."

He shrugged and looked back to the road ahead of them. "No idea what you're talking about."

Rui grinned. Of course he would say that.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again, though he didn't look at her when he did. "You'd make a good one, though. If you ever wanted to try again."

"Wh- a Trainer?" she spluttered in surprise.

He rolled his eyes. "No, a street performer."

She looked at him, somewhat befuddled, then grinned. "I think that's the first compliment you've ever given me."

He shifted his bag and looked mildly uncomfortable. "I'm just saying."

"Well...I don't think I'll ever train again," she said. "But...thank you. That means a lot to me, actually."

He didn't reply at first, and Rui wondered if he ever would, but then he muttered a reply. "You're welcome, I guess."

And for the rest of the morning, Rui couldn't stop grinning.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 15: Reunion

They were being followed.

Wes had suspected it for a few days now; he could have sworn he'd felt an unwelcome pair of eyes boring into him from the shadows as he and Rui spent the days combing the streets for more trainers to battle, and was almost certain he'd glimpsed someone—or something—whisk around a corner and out of sight more than once.

He hadn't said anything to Rui. He was pretty sure that if he did, she would poke him in the side and mouth the word paranoid—and maybe it was paranoia. He'd kept his ear to the ground, but since his arrival in Pyrite, he hadn't heard a whisper of Snagem. He was pondering whether to tell Rui just as much when, on the way back to Duking's house one evening, he saw it.

They had just rounded a corner, the fading glow of the desert sunset casting long shadows between the dilapidated buildings on either side of them, when he heard a strange, low buzzing. He snapped his head around, and this time, he was just quick enough to catch a greenish blur before it vanished behind a nearby building. His blood turned to ice.

This was more than just a stranger on their tail.

"What are you looking at?"

Rui wore a look of idle curiosity. He could tell her about his suspicions—but no. He knew who he was dealing with. He could handle this. Wes forced a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing, really. Just thought I saw someone familiar."

"Oh? Who?" Rui's eyes sparkled with curiosity. When he didn't answer right away, she grinned mischievously. "Not Emok, right?"

"Wha—why would you guess her?" Wes scoffed in disbelief.

She shrugged and returned her attention to the road. "I dunno. I mean, don't you two have a history or something?"

"What?"

She glanced back at him in surprise. "Wh—don't you, though? I mean, I figured, with the way she greeted you—"

"Hell no. That's not—it was never like—that's just Emok. She likes to mess with people. Especially me." For some damn reason. Wes huffed and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Rui gave a snort of laughter. "Well, that explains things. No wonder she messes with you. You're too easy to rile up."

"Excuse me?"

She grinned. "You heard me."

"Where the hell did—? That's not—"

She laughed and turned to face him while walking backwards. "Look at you! You just proved my point!"

"I did not."

Rui retorted with a fast quip, but Wes wasn't listening anymore, his ears straining to pick back up the buzzing sound. Try as he might, though, he could no longer see nor hear their follower; they'd likely turned tail as soon as he'd caught sight of them.

Good.

He forced himself to appear as attentive as possible while Rui talked enough for the both of them, but his thoughts wandered for the rest of the journey back to the house.

Tomorrow. He would deal with this tomorrow … for better or for worse.

That night, he dreamed of places, of memories, and of people he would rather forget.

——————————————————————-

It was especially windy today.

Wes shielded his eyes from the sand swirling through the air and marched onwards, undeterred. Despite the persistent winds, the sun was still as bright and hot as ever. It seemed the desert was determined to make him pay for choosing to spend his lunch break outside.

Not that it mattered. The desert could freeze over, for all he cared; he would rather expose himself to the elements than spend a minute longer than necessary inside Snagem's hideout. At least out here, in the middle of a miniature sandstorm, no one would bother trying to find him.

He made his way to his usual lunchtime spot: a large scrub bush backed up against a cliff, one of the very few sheltered spots that was close enough to Snagem to make it there and back during his break. It was a perfect location, and one that he had only ever shared with his Pokémon and Alden.

Alden, however, would be absent today; he'd been sent on a Snagging mission near Gateon, and, given the distance, wouldn't be back for at least a few more days. Wes would never admit it, but it was different with Alden gone. Being around another human that didn't want to constantly take advantage of him in one way or another was…nice.

He made it to the large tree—well, alright, bush, but the thing was big enough to technically be a tree, and who in Orre really got to determine what trees looked like, anyway—and paused for a moment before calling out his two Eevee to stretch their legs. They loved being outside at least as much as he did, if not more, but it was unusually windy today, and he wasn't sure if exposing their little eyes to the harsh, sandy gusts was a wise decision. He'd only had them for a few months, and even with Alden's guidance, he was afraid of messing something up. What if they got an eye infection, or—?

WHAM.

Wes staggered forward with a yelp.

Always have a proper stance. Be light on your feet. Alden's advice rang in his mind. Be prepared to dodge. Make yourself a difficult target. Use your smaller size to your advantage.

He whipped around, head pounding from the unexpected blow. He sunk into a crouch, steeled himself, and lifted his gaze to meet his opponent's eyes—

A young girl stared back at him. She looked to be his age, but she was much smaller. Her fists were balled, and her stance matched his own. Her grey eyes burned with intense ferocity. She had short, light brown hair that fell just below her chin—the tips were jaggedly cut, the Orre special, hard to do it yourself without a mirror—Wes felt his mind drifting. She must've hit him harder than he thought.

"What are you doing in my spot?" she spat.

"Y-your spot?" Wes spluttered. "This is my spot! Always has been!"

"Liar." She narrowed her eyes. "I've never seen you here before."

"And I've never seen you! Who are you?"

The fire in her eyes calmed ever so slightly, but she kept her fists raised. "You mean…you weren't expecting me here?"

"Why the hell would I?" Wes snapped.

"You're not…here to hurt me?"

Wes blinked. Hurt her? She was the one who'd hit first.

Even though his head throbbed, he took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm. He'd seen enough people pick fights they thought they'd win. There was a tension in her jaw that bullies never had—she'd picked this fight because she thought she'd had to.

"No," he said slowly. "I'm just…here for my break. I come here every day at this time."

"...Oh. I guess I shoulda figured." She slowly relaxed out of her fighting stance. When she looked him up and down, her gaze was calculating, but no longer threatening. "You look too easy to beat up. Are you the kid Sage is always picking on?"

Wes bristled. "That's none of your—"

"Wait, you have Pokémon, too?" Her eyes settled on the red and white spheres on his belt, and she tensed up again. "Y-you're not gonna set them on me, are you?"

"Wha—no!" Wes stammered. Gods, why couldn't this girl just go away? "Who are you? What do you want?"

She scowled at him. "Well, what I want is for you to go away and let me have my spot, but I don't want you to set your Pokémon on me, so…why don't we just call it a truce and share?"

Share? Share? His head was still throbbing. "I already told you, this is my spot."

"And it's mine, too! My breaks are usually earlier, but I switched with Len today. How was I supposed to know you'd be here?"

He returned her scowl. "Well, I don't want to share. Go away."

Her eyes flickered—Wes saw defiance there, but something else, too…fear?

"Fine!" Her voice cracked on the word. She whipped around and began to make her way back towards the base, against the wind—that must have been why she was walking so slowly, every step heavy, the same way he walked whenever it was time to return from lunch.

Alden's voice rang through his mind. Don't make an enemy when you have the chance to make a friend, kid. Believe me, most of those other kids are just tryin' to survive, like you.

Wes chewed on his lip. Alden wasn't here, but if he were...

"Hold it!" he called out. The girl's back stiffened. He saw her tense, as if contemplating flight, but at last she turned. Her head tilted up, defiant, as he approached. She thought he meant to beat her up after all, Wes realized. The idea made his chest twist strangely. "We can share. Just this once. But in return, you—you owe me, okay?"

It took a moment for his words to sink in.

"Owe you? Owe you what?" she said suspiciously.

He opened his mouth and then closed it. He hadn't exactly thought it through that far. "If I ever have to take my break early, I get to eat here. Deal?"

Her eyes narrowed like she was searching for a catch. "Deal," she said at last. She spat into her hand as she came forward, then held it out. Wes did the same.

The girl tucked a messy strand of hair behind her ear and winced as the wind picked up a little and sprayed them both with a fresh gust of sand.

"I'm Renna, by the way. What's your name?"

She didn't wait for him to answer before she sat in the cover of the bush, settling into the sand to make herself comfortable. She blinked up at him expectantly.

He slowly sat down across from her. "...Leo."

Renna grinned. "Hi, Leo."

There was a moment of silence as they looked each other over. Renna didn't seem like a threat, and she had obviously deduced the same about him. Wes pondered for a moment and reflected on Alden's words once more …

Then he spoke, and his words sealed the beginning of a new friendship.

"Wanna meet my Pokémon?"

The scene swirled and faded, and when it came back together again, the copper sands had been replaced with steely walls. Snagem's mess hall had never been all that much to look at—but then again, the same could be said for the rest of the building.

A small crowd of kids and teenagers huddled against one wall, watching the scene unfold from across the room. Some looked terrified, some eager, and others awed.

Wes staggered under another blow, but held his ground. He glowered at the older boy from under his raised arms. "That all you got?" he spat.

The boy barked out a harsh, bitter laugh. "You really don't know when to quit, do ya, Scarface?"

Wes heard a couple snickers from the crowd. He clenched his teeth and lashed out blindly. He hadn't expected to actually land a hit, just buy a few more seconds, but then—the impact blossomed across Wes' knuckles, and suddenly the older boy was stumbling backwards with a hand over his bleeding nose, eyes wide.

A heavy silence filled the room. The boy narrowed his eyes and drew himself up to his full height—two heads taller than Wes. He pulled his bloody hand from his face and curled it into a fist.

"You…" he snarled. "I'll kill you!"

"Having fun, Fray?"

All eyes turned to the girl standing in the doorway to the entrance, her arms folded and eyes narrowed. Her short, choppy hair had grown some since the day she first met Wes, and she was taller now, though her air of confidence was much the same.

"Stay out of this, Renna!" Wes snapped.

She glared at him. "Shut it." Her gray eyes flicked to the older boy. "Not that I care, Fray, but Scarface here has another Snagging mission tomorrow. Should I tell Gonzap he won't be able to go because you beat him up?"

Fray blinked. "I...uh…" He glanced back at Wes, one hand still cupped around his face. Wes noticed his eyes were watering. "No. This nobody ain't worth any more of my time, anyway."

"That nosebleed was free, though," Wes retorted.

Fray growled, but Renna cut him off. "He's worthless, Fray. Just drop it." She idly raised a hand and examined her fingernails. "Oh, and by the way, Wakin's heading this way, and he's in a real bad mood. I wouldn't stick around if I were any of you." She threw a pointed look at the crowd of kids on the other side of the room.

She didn't need to say anything more. The mess hall came alive with shuffling movement as the kids immediately scattered, heading for any of the three exits. Renna stepped aside as Fray and several others bustled out the door behind her. In less than a minute, the room was clear.

Wes pushed himself off the wall and wiped a dribble of blood from his mouth. He shot Renna a burning look. "I was fine, you know."

"You're welcome."

"I mean it. I didn't need your help."

"Sure." Renna rolled her eyes. "When are you gonna learn, moron? Quit mouthing off to people twice your size! Actually, quit mouthing off, period!"

"He started it!"

"Yeah, and he would have ended it, too!" Renna shot back.

Wes could only respond with a scowl. He knew she was right, but what difference did it make? People like Fray were going to push him around whether he fought back or not. And it wasn't like Gonzap would care unless someone got too injured to work...

Renna relaxed a little, her face softening. "I'm...sorry for calling you Scarface, by the way. I had to convince Fray—if he thought we were friends—"

Wes glared at the floor. "It's fine." After a few beats of silence, he added quietly, "It's better than Leo."

"You …don't like your name?" Renna sounded surprised.

"It's not my name."

"Wha—yes, it is! What are you talking about?"

Wes looked back up at her. "It's a name Gonzap chose for me. But it's not mine. I picked my own a few years ago."

Renna's eyes widened. "Really? You can do that?"

"I don't know if I can, but I did." Wes gave her a small grin. "My real name's Wes."

"Wes, huh?" Renna tilted her head to the side. "How come you still go by Leo, then?"

"I don't think Gonzap would like it if he knew I changed my name from the one he gave me."

She grimaced a little. "You're probably right. He'd think you're rebelling against him or something."

Maybe I am, he thought venomously. Gonzap and his rules could rot; Wes' name was his own to choose.

"Well, then…" Renna stuck out her hand with a wide grin. "Pleasure to meet you, Wes."

He stared at her for a moment, at this fierce, fiery girl who had absolutely no obligation to call him her friend...and smiled. He laughed and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, too."

The scenery blurred again, then came back together to the same scrub bush, the same harsh sun. A slightly older Wes sat with his Pokémon and Alden.

Neo and Novo were eating over a scrap of fabric that Wes had laid out for them in a feeble attempt to keep sand out of their food. He'd wondered about scraping up the funds to get a bowl for them, or maybe taking one from the mess hall, but had no idea how he'd keep the thing without it getting stolen...and he wasn't sure how successfully he could get them to eat out of one bowl together, anyway.

As if to confirm this last thought, Novo hunched protectively over his kibble and let out a garbled snarl, as if suddenly realizing he wasn't eating alone. Neo flinched away, tail twitching in annoyance, and responded with a soft growl of his own.

"Novo, cut it out!" Wes said sternly. He scooted Neo's pile as far away from his brother's as possible. This appeared to be good enough, as the hairs along Novo's back slowly smoothed out and Neo returned to his meal in peace. Novo had plenty of dignity, but apparently it vanished once food came into play.

Alden, having seen this scenario play out more than once, merely shook his head and then glanced at his watch. "Is it just me, or is she a little late? That's not like her."

Wes shrugged and took a bite of his sandwich. "She had her first Snagging mission today. Maybe it went late."

Alden's face darkened. "I always said Gonzap starts you kids on those damn missions way too young."

Wes looked up at him. "What do you mean? Mine went fine! And I've been on a bunch since!"

"You've got your Pokémon looking out for you on yours, kid."

"I didn't on the first one."

"Yeah. That time you had me."

Wes scowled. It wasn't that he was ungrateful for Alden's help and guidance over the three years he'd known him, but it frustrated him that the man still saw Wes and Renna as helpless children in need of protection. None of the other adults treated him that way; in fact, now that he'd proven himself to be such a skilled Snagger, he was being pulled into more missions, and being granted more responsibilities on each one.

Alden didn't reply, but Wes could tell he was displeased with this—though Wes had no idea why.

Novo looked up from his kibble and pricked his ears forward. Neo quickly followed suit, and before Wes could glance over his shoulder—

"Wes, Alden! Look, look, look!"

Renna's voice was ringed with excitement as she ran to them, something clutched in her hand and eyes bright with triumph. She reached them, panting, and shoved the object in her hand out to Wes' face: a Pokéball.

"I did it!" she cried, face glowing, hair plastered to her forehead with sweat. "I Snagged my first Pokémon!"

Alden's smile was one of relief, not triumph. "Glad you made it back safe, kid. Who's the new Pokémon, then?"

Without another word, Renna tossed the ball to the ground; even before the light faded, she had scooped up her new companion and held it out at arm's length for them to see. "Look at her! Isn't she amazing?"

"Amazing" was not the word Wes would have chosen. Renna's new Pokémon was a round orange blob, with beady black eyes and four short, stubby legs. It took Wes a moment to realize that the blobby part was a massive head that was twice the size of its body. The creature blinked slowly at him before opening its horrifyingly oversized mouth and greeting them with a rough, grating rumble.

"Inch," it said.

Wes stared. "What. Is that."

Alden laughed. "Well, I'll be damned! Is that a Trapinch?"

"Yeah!" Renna beamed. "Her name is Viria and she's perfect and she's mine and she's beautiful!"

"Amazing" was one thing, Wes thought. "Perfect" and "beautiful", however, were truly stretching things. It had a face like a boulder, and its orange skin reminded him of the desert at its hottest.

Still, he smiled. Renna had been desperately hoping for her own Pokémon ever since meeting Neo and Novo, and he could see just how thrilled she was to finally have one. "Congrats, Renna! You did it!"

"Yeah, I did!" Renna swelled with pride. "Wakin told me I was sloppy, but I don't care. I still got her, didn't I?"

"You sure did, kid." Alden gave her a small smile, though to Wes it looked somewhat forced. "They gonna be putting you on more missions, you think?"

"I think so! I mean, I wasn't great, but Del thought I was good enough to go again. Besides, now that I have a Pokémon, I can do even more! We can work as a team!"

"And we can battle, now, too!" Wes smirked. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't need you to go easy! We'll trample all three of you—right, Viria?"

"Tra."

Neo's eyes lit up and Novo let out a reproachful bark. "Umb!"

"We'll see about that," Wes said smugly.

The sands swirled again, and this time images flickered past, snippets of angry shouts and tears and dark, shadowed rooms…

"I didn't—didn't mean to—I'm sorry—!" Wes sobbed.

A boy's young, tear-stained face in a dark room as he screamed—

"This is YOUR FAULT, LEO! I HATE YOU!"

The boy's face changed to Renna's, her angry and tearful shout ringing off the walls—

"I did what I had to do, Wes!"

He wanted to scream, to run, to get away from these memories. "Stop it—please—I'm sorry—"

And then, as if granting his wish, everything blurred and faded into dark nothingness.

———————————————————

He awoke slower than usual.

Wes forced his eyes open and sat up slowly. He felt like his brain was slogging through mud. It took him a moment to acclimate himself; he was still getting used to the lack of sunlight from being underground. What time was it? He checked the time on his P*DA and groaned. How had he slept in so late…?

"Bri?"

Novo pricked up his ears from where he sat near the bedroom door—his self-appointed watch post for every night. He blinked up at Wes expectantly.

"Novo," Wes said slowly, "did you help me sleep last night?"

Novo wagged his tail. "Umb!"

Well. That explained things. Wes heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, bud, I know you're trying to help, but from now on, don't use Hypnosis on me unless I ask. Okay?"

The Umbreon's ears drooped slightly, but he held his trainer's gaze. "Bri. Umbri."

"I mean it. I can't afford to keep doing this. It's not…" He paused. "Healthy."

...Not that going without sleep was any better, but he would have to take his chances with that. The fact that Novo had taken it upon himself to use Hypnosis made him uneasy—had he done it before?

Novo looked down at his paws and rumbled a reluctant agreement.

At the foot of Wes' bed, Neo stirred and stretched, parting his jaws in a wide yawn. "Spiiiiiiii…"

A knock at the door made all three of them jump. Novo arched his back and snarled until Wes hushed him.

"Wes?" Rui's voice sounded from the other side of the door. "Um, sorry to wake you, but we have another meeting with Sherles today .. .remember?"

Wes pinched his nose and stifled a groan. Another meeting. Fantastic. He was beginning to wonder what the point of all these meetings were; other than obtaining a few new Pokémon, they had made precious little progress in tracking down any culprits or where the Pokémon were coming from. It wasn't like any of this got settled in meetings anyway. Inevitably, he'd pick another battle, Lon would do his work, and Sherles would be safely back at the station, ready to welcome them with paperwork and agendas. Sherles grilled him about what he'd seen, if any of the trainers seemed related—they weren't, but nothing Wes said would convince him otherwise, so they talked in circles for hours.

He mumbled a response as he forced himself out a bed in a foggy daze. He glanced at the three other Pokéballs on his belt, slung over the bedframe, and heaved a sigh.

If this really was his ticket to Johto, it would be faster to walk.

——————————————————————

"That," Silva said slowly, "is a lot of Pokémon."

Rui sat with Wes and the others inside the cavern, each of them around the table that Duking's kids usually used for homework. Secc and Marci had been banished from the room for the duration of the meeting, much to their chagrin ("But why can't we stay? We already know what's going on!") and Lon, who had little interest in dull meetings, had been more than happy to go entertain his Pokémon in the living room.

They all turned to the large cluster of Pokéballs resting on the tabletop; including the four Pokémon Wes had Snagged from Phenac, they now had a total of twelve, with their newest being a Quagsire that Lon had successfully snatched yesterday.

Sherles shook his head and rubbed his temples. "Merciful Arceus," he mumbled, "How many more are there?"

"What are we gonna do with 'em all, boss?" Johnson asked with a frown.

"For the last time, Johnson, don't call me boss—"

Rui looked back at Duking and Sherles across the table. "Well…what are our options?"

"That's the problem," Duking said. "Orre doesn't have anything in the way of Pokémon shelters, and we don't even have a Center in this town we could hope to turn them over to—once they're cured, of course."

He faltered a little at that last statement, and Rui's stomach sank. Despite her insistence that the dark auras of these Pokémon were steadily becoming clearer and purer, everyone else seemed to be getting more and more discouraged by the day. To them, Maku, Nani, and Kohna were all still prone to frenzied fits mid-battle, and she and Wes were struggling to work with them in such a state. It seemed that once they lost control, nothing could reel them in besides Wes shouting at them—and even then, that didn't always work.

Rui chewed her lip in frustration. There had to be a solution somewhere—but where?

"Couldn't some of you take them?" Wes' voice pulled Rui from her spiraling thoughts. "Johnson only has two of his own, right?"

Johnson tilted his head to the side thoughtfully, then shook his head. "Well … nah, that won't work. Sakura and Frego aren't just battling Pokémon, see. To be on the force, Pokémon and their handlers have to go through a lot of behavioral exams, and..."

He trailed off, but he didn't need to finish his sentence. None of the newly Snagged Pokémon would last more than five minutes in a behavioral evaluation.

Silva glanced at Duking. "I mean…you've got room on your team..."

Duking sighed and rubbed his forehead. "It's…it's not that I'm unwilling, but I already have my hands full, what with the Colosseum and the kids…but I could take in a few, I suppose. It could be good for them to train with Omi and Hiro."

"And you, Lycas?" Sherles looked at Wes. "You have room for one more, yes?"

"Technically, yes," Wes said tersely. "But I don't know how smart it would be to take another one. My hands are full with who I've got."

He could say that again, Rui thought. Maku and Kohna were docile enough—most of the time—but Nani alone had enough attitude for all five of his team.

But, to Rui's mild surprise, Wes sighed and said, "If I can find one that I think will be a good fit and won't be too difficult, then…I'll consider it."

That still left them with several Pokémon unaccounted for. Johnson threw Duking a hopeful look. "Well...what about Secc and Marci, then?" he proposed. "They seem mighty eager to be trainers—"

"With all due respect, officer, there is no way in hell I am letting my kids train those Pokémon." Duking raised his head and gave Johnson a hard stare. "If they were normal Pokémon I might consider it, but these ones…they're dangerous. I won't entrust them to anyone but a skilled trainer."

Sherles nodded. "That would be for the best, I think."

"Oh!" Rui perked up. "Why don't you take some, Chief?"

There was an awkward pause in which both Silva and Johnson shifted uncomfortably. Duking sighed again, and Sherles' face was taut. From the shifting auras in the room, Rui immediately sensed that she'd hit a nerve.

"I—um, sorry, I didn't mean to offend..."

"S'okay, Miss," said Johnson. He shifted in his seat and glanced at the Chief. "Boss just…doesn't do Pokémon."

"It's alright, Johnson," said Sherles with a wave of his hand. He looked at Rui with a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I used to be a trainer, Miss Everlin, but I haven't been for nearly twenty years now. Not since I lost my starter on the job."

Oh. Oh. Rui felt her stomach drop and heat rush to her face. "I—oh, Arceus—I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have—"

"It's quite alright, my dear." Sherles' reply was understanding. "You didn't know."

Silva mercifully interrupted the brief pause that followed. "Well…what about you, Rui? Have you ever thought about being a trainer?"

Rui noticed Wes shoot her a sideways glance, though he said nothing. She dropped her gaze to the table. "I...I don't do Pokémon, either. For reasons similar to Sherles'."

Silva frowned, but said nothing.

Johnson stared at her for a moment as he processed her statement. Understanding blossomed across his face. He blurted, "Do you mean you lost a—?"

"What about you, son?" Sherles cut him off with a sharp look before turning to Silva.

Silva blanched. "Wh—uh—me?"

"No, the other Silva," Wes mumbled dryly. Rui bit back a snort.

Duking sighed. "A trainer, Sherles. Silva's never even had a Pokémon, and I certainly don't think his first should be…one of these." He gestured vaguely at the many Pokéballs on the table.

But Silva was now looking at the Pokéballs with a strange look on his face, as though he'd never considered the possibility before. "I mean…I've never had my own Pokémon, but I've spent my whole life around them, and helping out at the Colosseum…"

"Heh. You should give the Misdreavus a try," Johnson said with his usual lopsided grin. "He sure seems to like you, doesn't he?"

Silva paled a little. "H-he likes to torment me. Not the same thing."

It was true that the Misdreavus, Dio, had a nasty habit of tormenting anyone in general—popping out of shadows with a screech, phasing through walls next to people's heads, and pestering the other Pokémon while cackling maniacally—but the ghost was particularly interested in Silva. Rui didn't know much about ghost types, but she and Wes both guessed this was due to the fact that Silva himself had claimed he was not fond of ghost types, thus leading Dio to fixate on his fear.

The worst part, however, was trying to work with Dio in any constructive way. While all the new Pokémon were allowed out of their balls under Wes and Duking's supervision, Dio's antics in particular made him nearly impossible to reign in without having Novo watching his every move.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Duking said curtly. "He's not experienced."

"He has you, though, doesn't he?" Wes said. "If he wants to try, he's got space to train in the Colosseum. And you'll be there with your team to keep things from getting out of hand."

That's a good point, Rui thought. Wes had been utilizing the Colosseum on its off days to train with his team, and it was certainly a relief to have an open space where the unstable Pokémon could be worked with more safely.

Duking seemed to be mulling this over when Silva said, a little quietly, "I wouldn't mind giving it a try."

Sherles gave a curt nod. "Well then, aside from that, it seems we don't have many other options other than to keep up with what we're doing, then. Are things still working in the Colosseum?"

"Well enough," said Duking. "It's a good spot to work with several Pokémon at once, and they do seem to be responding to training, though some are more receptive than others."

Duking, with Silva's help, had been taking as many of the Pokémon as they could to the Colosseum to work and train with them on their breaks. At first, Rui wondered why he didn't simply train with Wes—but she had a suspicion it had something to do with the frosty atmosphere she'd detected between the two. Better not to pry.

The conversation shifted to Wes and Rui and any information they'd been able to gather—which was, unfortunately, next to nothing. Every trainer Wes had battled either dodged his questions, refused to speak to him outright, or simply answered with a smug variation of, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"No one's talking," Wes said, and Rui could hear the frustration in his tone. "Whoever is responsible for this, they're powerful enough to keep all these trainers quiet. The most I've been able to get is that they seem to be getting these Pokémon after a battle of some kind, but that's it."

Johnson cocked his head to the side. "A battle, huh? Like a special sort of battle?"

"No idea."

There was a heavy silence. The weariness in the room felt suffocating.

"I—I'm taking notes!" Rui spoke up, a little louder than she meant to. "On the Pokémon, I mean. On what's working and not working. I've noticed the ones that have spent the most time with us have much calmer auras than the newer ones, so something is working. I think a lot of it is just…treating them right."

Duking nodded. "I agree. It's pretty obvious they haven't received the best treatment, though it seems to go farther than simple neglect. I know trainers in these parts are rough on their teams, but these Pokémon here—" He jerked his head to the table— "are all showing signs of serious abuse."

Rui nodded, then dropped her gaze to her lap. Even with the savage ones aside, the way Pokémon were treated in this town was horrible. After all, what kind of town had a Colosseum but not a Pokémon Center? (It didn't have a hospital for people, either, apparently.) It was all so foreign here, with the harsh battles and weaponizing of Pokémon. In Agate, Pokémon were friends, companions, another member of the family. While it was true that Agate mostly consisted of retired Ace Trainers from other regions, she'd never realized how different it was from the rest of Orre.

More things were said after that, but she had long since stopped paying attention, and instead mulled over possible solutions to their many problems. Perhaps she could ask Pap or Nan for advice…but that would mean sharing more details about the mission, and causing them more worry…

Rustling and movement made her jump and look up; the meeting had apparently ended, as everyone was rising from the table and breaking off into separate conversations. Wes already standing and gathering up his bag

She frowned at him. "Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm going out to run some errands today. We need more Pokéballs, and Lon said he knew a place that sold some here."

"Oh! Really?" Rui perked up. "Let's go, then!"

"No. I'm going alone." Wes' response was surprisingly curt, even for him. "It's in a not so great part of town, and I'd rather you not come."

…Oh.

For some reason, his words hit her like a punch to the gut. Of course he wouldn't want her to come—what she'd seen of Pyrite was shady enough, so she couldn't imagine what the less desirable parts of town were like. And I'm worthless in that department, she thought dejectedly. In a place like that, I'm just…extra baggage.

She knew it made sense for her not to go, knew it was practical and not personal…so why did she feel so hurt?

Rui forced a small smile. "That…that makes sense. I was going to help Marci with her homework, anyway."

Homework. Wes was saving Pokemon. Duking was saving a city. I feel so useless.

Wes wasn't looking at her; he seemed preoccupied with gathering his belongings. He only briefly made eye contact with her to nod and say, "See you later, then," before walking out the door.

Silva and Johnson cheerfully bade him farewell and they, too, began filing out of the room with Duking and Sherles. Rui looked back down at her hands.

If I had stayed a trainer, would I have been more useful…?

"Rui? Care to join us?" Duking was still standing in the doorway and looking at her with mild concern.

"Y-yes, I'm coming!" Rui injected what she hoped was convincing cheerfulness into her tone and hopped up from her chair. Duking ushered her through the door with a small smile.

"You know, we're quite fortunate to have you here," he said lightly. "We wouldn't know where to begin without you and that impressive ability of yours."

Rui blinked up at him and returned his smile, a tiny flicker of warmth replacing the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Oh, I don't know about that. Wes is doing most of the work, anyway."

Duking shook his head. "Trust me, my dear, you're more valuable to this mission than any of us." His mustache twitched as he smiled wider. "I just thought you ought to know that."

Rui wasn't able to answer, as at that moment they entered the kitchen and Marci bounced up to her to tell her all about an art project she was excited about. Rui took a moment to take in the sight of the cozy kitchen, of Secc tucked into his usual seat as Duking ruffled his hair, of the pleasant and bright auras emanating from all three of them.

Not useless. She raised a hand to her necklace and held it tightly. I am not useless.

She would keep repeating those words until she believed them.

————————————————-

Gods, he hated this bridge.

Wes squared his shoulders and clenched his jaw, forcing himself to keep his eyes straight ahead as he walked across the creaky wooden planks. The Colosseum lay just ahead, a once-impressive wooden dome that now looked as though a tornado had ripped through it. No matter how many times he'd trekked across the gaping canyon that separated the Colosseum from the rest of the town, he still felt as queasy as he had the first time.

The bridge swayed slightly in the updrafts from the black abyss below. Wes felt his heart skip a beat and cursed quietly under his breath. He did not relax until he finally made it through to solid ground on the other side.

Wes allowed himself a moment to take a few deep, shaky breaths, then let Neo and Novo out of their Pokéballs. Logic told him they would have been just fine crossing the bridge with him, but the thought of either of them slipping off the edge was enough for him to dismiss that thought.

"Es-prrrrr!"" Neo trilled as he shook out his coat. Novo yawned and blinked sleepily.

"Keep an eye out, guys," Wes said, his voice low. "We're expecting some…old friends."

Both of them tensed and sharply met his gaze. They understood what he meant.

Wes had spent the last hour walking the side streets of town, waiting for her to reappear. He'd kept Neo close, and as soon as the Espeon alerted him with a soft chirp, he'd felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck.

He'd meet her on his own terms.

Wes stepped into the empty Colosseum and made for the training arena, a smaller dome behind the main one that was little more than wooden walls and rafters and packed-down sand for the floor. A few empty oil drums sat along one side—props for training exercises, he figured. He leaned against one and waited.

Neo and Novo sat at attention on either side of him, ears pricked and eyes alert. After several minutes, Neo's tail lashed and Novo rumbled softly. Wes raised his eyes to the hole-y ceiling and spoke, his voice echoing in the vacant space.

"I know you're here."

Several beats of silence. Then—

"Long time no see, Leo."

Her voice, though soft and low, still carried across the dome. Wes flicked his gaze to the entrance and saw exactly who he was expecting to see.

Instead of the usual dark, baggy Snagem uniform, she was sporting a leather jacket and slim, dark denims with sturdy boots. Her short, choppy haircut was long gone; now her hair flowed in sleek, straight tresses all the way down to the center of her back.

"Renna," Wes said quietly.

"Wes." She strode out of the shadows and took up a position a few feet in front of him, though she still kept close to the edge of the room. Never leaving her back exposed, like a good Snagem member.

She leaned against the wall and regarded him with a cold, gray-eyed gaze. "Miss me?"

Two growls saved Wes from having to answer. Novo stalked forward, hairs rising on his nape, lip curled to reveal a sharp set of fangs. Neo weaved around Wes' legs and took a protective stance in front of him.

Renna merely spared them a passing glance. She looked back at Wes with a raised eyebrow. "Turned them against me already, have you?"

"I didn't turn them against you." Wes returned her icy stare with his own. You did that yourself.

"Figures." She pushed herself off the wall and came closer, ignoring how Novo's snarls grew louder with each step she took. Wes gave no command to attack, however, so the Umbreon simply nipped threateningly at her heels as she passed him by.

She came to a stop scarcely a few inches from Wes' face. This close, he could see her smile barely masked sharp edges of anger.

"I'm a little hurt, you know," she said smoothly. "You didn't even bother asking if I wanted to come along for the ride?"

"Slipped my mind, I guess," Wes answered coldly.

"Oh, come now. I know we weren't rainbows and sunshine, but I doubt you'd forget about me so easily." She leaned in, uncomfortably close—intentionally close, he knew.

"Are you done?" he growled.

"Oh, I'm just getting started." Her eyes bored into his. "Tell me, what's this about you running off to play cop?" She raised a hand to fiddle with the collar of his coat in a mockingly flirtatious gesture.

Once upon a time, such a gesture would have meant something to both of them—but that time had long since passed. He pushed her firmly by the shoulder and spoke in a low voice.

"Step. Away."

A gleam entered Renna's eyes, one that Wes knew well, and he wondered if she would push back just to challenge him. Instead, she took a few steps back with a mocking snort, ignoring the growls from Neo and Novo as she moved.

"Even after all this time, it doesn't take much to get under your skin, does it?"

"Don't test me, Renna."

Her eyebrows shot up, then she tossed her head back and barked out a laugh that rippled with cold, righteous fury. When she looked back into Wes' eyes, her own were bright with anger. "Are you threatening me, now?"

"Depends," Wes spat. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I've been sent to track you down. Drag you back to Snagem if I can." She crossed her arms. "Wakin assigned me the job himself."

"Of course he did." Wes tried and failed to mask his own anger as he spoke. "Wouldn't entrust the job to anybody but his favorite, now, would he?"

He'd struck a nerve.

She was back in his face before he could even blink; her hands closed around the lapel of his coat as she slammed him into the oil drum behind him, a snarl tearing from her throat.

"Don't you dare go there. You of all people should know—"

"BRI!"

Novo's enraged bark rang in Wes' ears. He saw the Umbreon advancing on Renna, back arched, rings pulsing, ready to tear into her in an instant. Neo flanked her on the other side, his jewel gleaming with psychic energy.

Renna's eyes flicked to them and back to Wes. "Call them off," she said softly, "or I will make things ugly."

Her hand twitched to the two Pokéballs on her belt.

Wes glowered back at her, seething with hot fury. He didn't doubt Renna's promise to wreak havoc, however, and silently returned Neo and Novo to their Pokéballs before shoving her away.

She huffed and straightened her jacket. "Don't go there," she repeated, glaring daggers at him. "Don't you dare."

He scoffed at her. "Am I wrong? One day you hate everything about Snagem and what it stands for, and the next you're sucking up to Gonzap and Wakin, chomping at the bit to do all their dirty work—"

"Well, we weren't all as lucky as you, were we?" Renna snapped. "We weren't all naturally gifted, so some of us had to scrape and claw for every chance to make ourselves useful!"

Wes folded his arms. "Don't make it sound like it was easy for me. You know damn well it wasn't."

"But that didn't stop you, did it?" she hissed. "Didn't stop you from stepping on everyone else to survive, to rise up the ranks, and now you have the nerve to lecture me for doing the same thing, for trying to protect my family—"

"There you have it, then!" Wes shot back. "You protected yours, and I protected mine!"

"By blowing up the base?" Renna's volume rose with every syllable. "Do you realize how many people you could have killed? Kian has scars because of you!"

Wes' stomach wrenched. He'd been careful, so careful, about timing with the shifts on base to minimize casualties, but he'd known there were bound to be injuries. Kian was one of the few grunts he'd never had issues with … but the damage had already been done. He couldn't afford regrets.

"I didn't blow up the base," he said, forcing his voice to remain even. "I blew up the Snag Machines. There's a diff—"

"Oh, sure!" Wes saw Renna's eyes briefly scan his blue coat, then she looked back at him with a bitter, scathing sneer. "I'm sure Alden would be so proud of who you've become, Leo—"

It was Wes' turn to lunge.

He seized Renna by the collar of her jacket and wrenched her face close to his. Rage blazed in his chest.

"Don't call me that, don't ever call me that, and how dare you—"

"How dare I? How dare you! You LEFT!" Her shout echoed painfully off the rounded walls. "You left, Wes, and you didn't tell me anything before you—you—"

Her voice cracked.

Wes stared, shock slowly washing over his hot anger. Renna's eyes glistened with angry tears; her smooth facade from just a few minutes ago having crumbled to dust.

"I..." His grip slackened. After months of watching Renna dive headfirst into the life of Snagem authority, of watching her appear to revel in it, he'd chosen to keep her in the dark about his plans. Perhaps, if they'd been on speaking terms at the time, he might have known how she really felt, and things would have been different…

You were no better, the voice in his head hissed, almost gleeful. You subscribed to that life just as much as she did, didn't you? After Alden—

I know. He clenched his teeth. I know.

Renna was trembling slightly, still glowering at him, and Wes could no longer deny the shame swelling up inside his chest.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Her eyes flashed; she shoved him forcefully away. "Shut the hell up! You think I want your pity? I've made my decision and I'm stuck with it. But don't you dare think for one second it's because I wanted to."

Silence filled the space between them. Wes closed his eyes and ran a shaking hand through his hair, forcing himself to take deep breaths. Renna's remark had cut deep, slicing at him like an icy knife—and she was right.

Wes was nothing like Alden had taught him to be, and he hated himself for it.

Still, she knew better than to call him Leo, knew how much he hated that name and what that meant to him, and—

Wait. Wait.

He glanced down at the Pokéballs on his belt.

A name—

"Dammit, Wes," Renna said through clenched teeth. "If you'd just left the region like a sane person, I wouldn't have had to deal with all of this."

Wes shook away his thoughts and looked back up at her, taking in the frustration on her face. He leaned back against the oil drum once more and folded his arms to hide the fact that they were trembling. "So. You found me. Now what? Going to turn me in?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at him and mirrored his stance. When she finally spoke, her answer caught him by surprise.

"No."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Renna sighed and shook her head. "Even if I wanted to drag you back to Snagem—and I'm not sure I don't—that's not what I'm here for. I was under orders to tail you and find out what you're up to, but nothing more."

What? He frowned. He'd expected Snagem to attempt to drag him back at any cost. What was she playing at?

Renna must have seen his confusion, because then she said, "I didn't get it either—until I came here." She paused. "Somebody here has a monopoly on your head, Lycas. And they're powerful enough that Snagem doesn't want to get involved."

Wes stared at her, a chill running down his spine. "What?"

"That's what I should be asking," she said coldly. "I mean, what the hell, Wes. First you go rogue, then you look like you're leaving the region when I lose your trail…and when I find you again, you're here? Doing something—whatever it is—to piss off someone you don't want to be pissing off, frolicking around with the cops, of all people? What is wrong with you?" She snorted. "And don't think I haven't seen that frilly little side piece of yours following you around."

He bristled. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I got roped into things I didn't sign up for—but what do you mean, there's a monopoly on my head? Where did you hear that from?"

"You know how it is here. Trainers talk. Somebody's in charge of this town, and it sure isn't that pseudo-mayor, no matter how much he might think it."

"Who, then?"

Renna shrugged. "The only name I was able to get out of anybody was 'Cipher.' People were too freaked out to tell me anything more." She sighed wearily. "Look, I don't know what you're up to here in Pyrite, and I don't know why you haven't just ditched Orre entirely—and that ridiculous girlfriend of yours—but listen to me when I say this, Wes. People are out for your blood—and not just here. Gonzap would love nothing more than to kill you with his bare hands."

"First of all, she's not my girlfriend," Wes said curtly. "Second, I know Gonzap well enough to have figured that out for myself, thanks."

Renna tipped her head back."That stunt you pulled was stupid and reckless as hell, but I will say you missed out on the show afterwards." A bitter grin flashed across her face. "I've never seen him so pissed. Thought he was going to tear down the rest of the building himself in his tantrum. Got some good burns from the explosion, too."

That was satisfying to hear. "Good. He deserved it."

Her eyes glinted with fierce satisfaction. "Hell yes, he did."

They looked at one another. "So…you're not going to turn me in?" Wes asked warily.

"Like I said. I don't think I can, at least not without putting a target on my back. And unlike you, I'm not too keen on the idea." She sighed again, and her face softened a little. "If you know what's good for you, you'll high-tail it out of Orre as soon as you can. There's nothing good waiting for you here."

Wes shook his head. "I can't."

Renna raised an eyebrow."Why? Is it because of that girl?" She smirked. "I know things didn't pan out when we tried to go steady, but—come on, now. Really? Her?"

"It's nothing like that."

She rolled her eyes. "Coulda fooled me, with the way she follows you everywhere and looks at you with those big eyes. She's like a lovesick Poochyena pup."

Lovesick? Wes briefly reflected on the times Rui looked him in the eyes, and distinctly remembered her expressions. Bewildered. Frustrated. Flat out annoyed.

He scoffed. "Please. You're exaggerating."

"Oh, maybe a little. I think my point still stands, though."

He changed the subject to more pressing matters. "What are you going to do, then?"

"I'll stick around, for now. Who knows? Maybe I can strike a deal with this mysterious person who so badly wants to bring you in." This time her smile felt real. "But for now, it looks like my hands are tied. I can't touch you."

"And if things were different?" Wes asked. "Would you really turn me over to Gonzap?"

Renna met his gaze evenly, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I don't know," she said quietly.

Wes didn't know how to respond to that, but he didn't have to; Renna stood up straight, her expression becoming impassive once more. "Well, as fun as this little reunion was, I have other things to do."

"Not going to grill me with questions, are you?" he asked dryly.

She raised an eyebrow. "And what good would that do? Unless you're saying you'll tell me what it is you're doing?"

"Depends. What is Snagem going to do with the information?"

Renna shrugged. "Dunno, that's not my decision. But I can't imagine it spells good news for you or your new friends." She sneered at the last word.

Friends? No, Wes certainly wouldn't call any of them that. But he thought of Rui, of Marci and Secc and the other kids at the house…

He looked her in the eyes. "I can't tell you anything."

She snorted. "I figured as much. I could try to force it out of you, but I'm not an idiot." Her gaze flickered to the Pokéballs on Wes' belt—she'd noticed his three new ones, then. She looked back at him. "Once a Snagger, always a Snagger, huh?"

Wes clenched his teeth and refused to answer.

"Not to worry, I'll get the information I need one way or another." Renna dusted off her jacket and headed for the exit. Wes expected her to leave without another word, but as she reached the door, she glanced back over her shoulder. "And...Wes? I don't know why you're here, but...try not to get yourself killed."

He gave her a wry smile. "I don't plan on it."

She huffed in amusement. "Moron. Give those gremlins of yours some love for me. Cobalt and Viria miss them."

He nodded, and then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

 

[HelloYellow17]

The last few weeks had been quite unusual for Neo—though, they were unusual for his brother and his trainer, too, he was sure. Still, it wasn't every day that he could say he had his own mission to fulfill.

"Look, guys," Wes had quietly said to him and his brother one afternoon, "I don't want to put too much pressure on you, but I'm gonna need your help with your new teammates for…" he'd paused, as if unsure of what specific words to choose next. "A little while," he finished.

Neo looked at Novo and back at Wes, tilting his head to the side. Help? Help how?

"I need you two to keep a close eye on them whenever they're out of their balls, okay?" Wes rubbed the back of his head—something he often did whenever he felt uncertain about something. "I don't like the idea of having them out all the time, but Rui insists it's the only way they'll improve, and, well. They've gotta get used to us somehow, I guess. So just watch out for them and make sure they behave. And...try to make friends with them whenever you can. Let them know we aren't a threat." His face darkened, and Neo sensed crisp waves of apprehension rolling off of him. "I hope it doesn't have to come to it, but if any of them snap, don't hesitate to knock them out. Got it?"

Novo immediately answered with an affirmative bark. Neo shuffled his paws and hesitated before nodding. He didn't like the idea of having to fight his teammates like that. As a team, weren't they all supposed to be friends? And friends wouldn't attack each other...right?

Then, all at once, a solution came to him: if he could convince Maku, Kohna and Nani that they were friends, then they wouldn't ever have to fight! And it just so happened that Neo was an expert at making friends. This would be easy. Why, there was no reason why they wouldn't all be the very best of friends by the end of the day.

He would very quickly learn how wrong he was.

Nani made it abundantly clear right from the start that she wanted nothing to do with him—or Novo, or Wes, or anybody else, for that matter. Even when Rui tried to join Neo's efforts by offering the Croconaw one of Duking's homemade treats, Nani took personal offense at the gesture and likely would have removed Rui's hand if Neo hadn't summoned a Protect just in time.

Maku was hardly any easier. Every attempt to engage him in play was met with a blank stare or, if Neo was lucky, a grunt and a shake of his head. "No fight," he'd said once with a frown.

Neo huffed. "Not fight! Play! Play is fun! Fun is happy!"

Maku growled at him. "No fight! No play!"

Fine, then.

At least things weren't a total loss—Kohna was much more receptive than the other two, and even liked to take her afternoon naps curled up beside Novo. Though she'd originally been extremely quiet, the Quilava had gradually been opening up to Neo and Novo as the days went by, and one afternoon, to Neo's soaring delight, she finally agreed to play with him.

"Play! Play! Play!" Neo bounced all around her, his yaps echoing off the walls of the cave inside Duking's home. He heard Nani growl at him from her usual place under the waterfall, but he'd long since learned to drown out her griping.

"Don't overwhelm her, bud," Wes said. He sat at a table with Rui and Silva, and while the latter two had been chatting with each other, he'd been watching each of the Pokemons' interactions like a wary Skarmory.

Neo chuffed at him. He knew his trainer meant well, but that didn't mean he had to be a killjoy...

Kohna shuffled her paws nervously. "Play…"

"Play!" Neo snapped his attention back to her and lunged forward. He nipped lightly at her flank, psychic energy sparking from the jewel on his forehead.

Kohna stumbled backwards with a yelp. Her flames flared, almost singeing Neo's fur with their heat. She stared at him, then at her flank, then back at him.

"Not...hurt?"

"No hurt! Only play!"

"...only play," she repeated slowly. A glimmer of understanding appeared in her eyes. "Only play. No hurt. Play...play!"

She rocketed forward and headbutted Neo in his side. The sudden movement caught him off-guard and sent him sprawling across the floor as he squawked in surprise.

Novo rose to his feet with a bark, hackles raised, but quickly relaxed once Neo scrambled to his feet with a yap of excitement. Maku, who had been dozing in a corner, was now wide awake and watching the display with a keen interest he'd never shown before.

Neo and Kohna pranced about the cave, exchanging lighthearted barks and growls as they dove at one another. Neo was careful to warn Kohna if she got too rough or her flames too bright, and Kohna was quick to adapt, her eyes brighter than Neo had ever seen them.

He was so caught up in the fun, he didn't notice Maku step up to Novo and sheepishly tap his fists together.

"...Play?" Maku asked.

Novo blinked and twitched his ears. He regarded the Makuhita for a moment, then nodded with a friendly purr. "Play."

They stepped away from the wall and out into the open space, careful to give Neo and Kohna their space. Maku shifted his weight from one foot to the other, watching Novo closely. The Umbreon skirted around him, light on his paws, and sprang forward to give him a nudge when—

WHAM.

Novo's yowl broke Neo from his playful frenzy. He snapped his head up just in time to see his brother flying across the cavern before crashing into a bookcase on the other side. Kohna squeaked in alarm and immediately scampered to his side to inspect him for injuries, but Novo was already back on his feet and shaking dust from his pelt, apparently unharmed.

"No fight!" he barked at Maku, who had covered his face with his fists and looked faintly horror-struck. "NO FIGHT, ONLY PLAY!"

"Novo!" Wes rose to his feet and swept across the floor to his Umbreon, looking shaken.

"Dear Mew!" Neo heard Rui gasp from the table. "Where did that come from?"

Maku began rumbling something that sounded like an apology, but he didn't get very far before Wes rounded on him. "The hell was that, Maku!"

"P-p-play…"

"It doesn't look like he meant to," Silva said hesitantly, "but damn, he can pack a punch…"

"Play! Not hurt! Not fight!" Neo sprang to Maku's side and appealed to his angry trainer. "Bad at play, but not fight!"

Wes' face softened just a little. He huffed and ran a hand through his hair. "Gods, what am I going to do with all of you?"

Nani grated out a laugh from her pool. "Stupid!"

"NOT STUPID!" Novo, clearly still upset from getting launched across the room, spun around and yowled at her. Nani leaped from her pool with a snarl.

They were all quickly returned to their balls after that.

Neo spent the next few days stewing over what to do. They'd been doing so well, making so much progress...Kohna had played with him! And Maku, well...he'd at least tried to play…

After the incident, however, things had gone back to square one. Maku kept to himself and was more adamant than ever in his refusals to play, and Kohna had quickly lost interest, perhaps out of fear of injuring Neo or Novo. Nani remained as distant and smug as ever.

The one good thing to come of this setback was that, after a handful of very quiet and uneventful days, Wes finally allowed himself to relax again and eased up on his hovering. Neo would never tell him, but he was like a smothering mother Pidgey with the way he fretted over them. Even Rui had to occasionally step in to calm his nerves.

And then, one morning as Neo ate his breakfast and smelled the tantalizing aroma of bacon wafting from the kitchen, he had an idea.

Perhaps playing wouldn't work, at least not for a while. But food...everybody needed food. Even Nani. And what better way to make friends than to introduce them to the best food that ever existed?

It was a perfect plan, one that absolutely guaranteed good results—and delicious treats for Neo himself, but of course that wasn't the reason why he was planning this. Not at all. The only problem with this plan was his trainer.

Wes had been especially watchful ever since Neo and Novo's first bacon-snatching escapade. Neo couldn't for the life of him understand why, though. Who wouldn't gorge themselves on the best food in the world? And why in Mew's name was he expected to restrain himself? It was utter nonsense.

Still, though, there was no underestimating the glare Wes gave him whenever Neo so much as looked at the White Box in the kitchen where the food was held. Arceus above, if looks could kill…

Neo was undaunted, however. This plan was perfect. He just needed to find a way around Wes' watchful gaze. And, as luck would have it, the opportunity presented itself a day later.

Wes was preoccupied with yet another meeting with Duking, Rui, and the tired looking man called Sherles. He had been but prepared to keep the entire team in their Pokéballs when Silva convinced him to let them stay out in the living room, promising he would keep an eye on them. Neo hadn't thought much of this—until, as the late afternoon sun filtered through the window and clouded the entire room with its drowsy warmth, Silva nodded off in the armchair where he sat.

It was as if it was meant to be.

It took a moment to gather everyone together—Maku from his perch looking out the window, Kohna and Novo from their nap on a cushion in the corner, and Nani...well, Nani was snoozing in the other armchair. She cracked open one eye and warned Neo away with a growl and a curled lip.

Her loss, then.

The plan was simple. The kitchen was just the next room over, and as long as everyone remained quiet, sneaking into the White Box to pilfer this morning's leftover bacon would be no problem at all. All they had to do was follow his lead.

Kohna and Maku listened along with intrigued, if somewhat confused, expressions. To Neo's horror, it seemed that neither of them even knew what bacon was.

"Ba...con?" Kohna cocked her head to one side as Maku leveled Neo with a blank stare.

"Bacon!" Neo purred and kneaded the carpet, barely able to contain his excitement. All the bacon they could ever want was just around the corner and through that doorway—

"No."

Novo's soft growl felt like an Electrike's Thundershock. Neo stared at him, utterly betrayed. "No...bacon?"

"No," Novo growled again. "Not allowed."

Kohna shifted anxiously. "Don't...want trouble…"

"No trouble!" Neo rose to his paws from a sitting position, his tail held defiantly in the air. "Only bacon!"

In the corner of his eye, he saw Nani raise her head, her eyes fixated on the team.

Novo hissed. "No bacon!" He lashed his tail. "Obedient. Listen. No bacon. Wes says."

Neo felt a growl of his own rumble in his throat, but before he could protest further, Nani slunk from her chair and tottered over. He bristled. Nani had never once approached them—at least, not like this. She'd always come at them in a raging frenzy of snapping jaws…but this time was different. She held a swagger in her step, exuding massive overconfidence that only a proven fighter could. She stepped up to Novo with a gleam in her eye.

"Want bacon," she rumbled.

Novo, to his everlasting credit, was unfazed despite her intimidating presence. Neo could see the muscles rippling under scales, scales that were torn and tattered from countless scars. Nani was close enough that she could easily tear into the Umbreon in half a second, and Neo couldn't help but wonder if his brother would be able to raise a Protect quickly enough if he had to.

Novo met her predatory gaze dead on. "No."

Nani curled her lip. "Want bacon. Get what I want." She leaned in so close her breath ruffled Novo's fur. "Not stop me."

Kohna squirmed. Neo tensed. They were seconds away from what could only be a brutal fight—

"Won't stop you." Novo stepped back, though his stance was not one of submission, only calm acceptance. He knew what battles to pick, and this would not be one of them.

Nani snorted at him. "Good. Coward."

Novo's rings flared at the insult, but he remained still, his crimson eyes boring into her blue ones.

Eager to pull her attention away from his brother, Neo hopped over to the door with a quiet chirp. "Follow!"

The kitchen tile was pleasantly cool beneath his pads. Neo strutted confidently to the White Box, and with a glow from his forehead jewel, the door popped open, if a little too forcefully from his excitement. The contents inside the door rattled, swayed—and then a container rocked free from its place and plummeted to the floor with a SPLAT.

Red liquid burst everywhere. Neo barely restrained a startled yip. Kohna squeaked in alarm and skittered back, her paws sliding all over the smooth floor. Maku tensed and growled, and even Nani showed her fangs—but then, after a tense pause, all was still.

Neo stared at the red stuff. It looked like blood—blood!—but no, this wasn't that. It was thick and smelled strangely sweet...familiar, even. It reminded him of the train car diner, of the foods Wes would sometimes order, of the fries he would share with Neo and Novo. He couldn't remember what this substance was called, but he remembered liking the taste. To confirm his suspicions, he leaned over the broken bottle and licked at the oozing substance. Yes, this was the same stuff all right, and it was good.

But, tasty as it was, this wasn't what he'd come for. He chirped at his fellow teammates—no, his friends!—to soothe their fears. Kohna, somewhat reassured, sniffed at a red splotch near her paws and began lapping at it. Maku and Nani soon followed suit and tentatively tasted it for themselves.

Neo turned back to the White Box. Rising to his hind legs and placing his forepaws on a lower shelf, he nosed and sniffed his way through the contents until he found what he was looking for: his treasure. His one true love. His bacon.

He lovingly wrapped the container with his telekinesis and lowered it to the floor as if it were a newborn kit. He struggled with the lid until Nani shoved past Maku and used her claws to shred it open. All four of them stared at the meat with awe.

Neo chirped triumphantly. "Bacon!" His jewel glowed as he distributed the bacon between the four of them as evenly as possible. Then, "Eat!"

None of them had to be told twice. Nani immediately tore into it, rumbling with delight. Kohna sniffed at it, then nibbled, then began chomping in earnest.

Maku, however...merely nibbled, then wrinkled his face. He placed the bacon back on the floor. "Don't like."

What? What? Neo had never even considered the possibility that anyone could dislike bacon. He stared at Maku in horror. How was this possible? How could this be? How could they possibly be friends like this?

He was still wallowing in his shock when a voice made them all jump.

"Neo, I swear to Arceus, I'm gonna ship you overseas."

There was no mistaking that voice. Slinking low to the floor, Neo slowly raised his head until he was looking Wes in the eyes.

Busted.

In the corner of his eye he saw Novo sitting primly at his feet. Traitor. Rui stepped into the kitchen beside Wes, her eyes widening at the mess, and over Wes' shoulder, Silva was rubbing the back of his head and apologizing profusely.

"Swear I only dozed off for a second, gods, I'm so sorry—!"

The next few moments were a blur. Nani puffed herself up and immediately began snapping her jaws at Wes, which resulted in her prompt return to her Pokéball. Kohna and Maku, both thoroughly ashamed, stared at the floor and wouldn't meet his eyes—but Wes wasn't looking at them, anyway. He stared at Neo, then at the shredded container, then at the red splotches splattered all over the kitchen. He slowly raised a hand and ran his fingers through his hair, looking as though he were at an utter loss for words.

"Well," Rui said with a feeble smile, "at least they were working together. That's a first."

Neo always did like that redhead.

Wes sighed and looked at Maku and Kohna, who were still cowering slightly. "You're not in trouble, okay? I know who's responsible for this." He narrowed his eyes at Neo, and the Espeon flattened his ears and sank even lower into the floor.

The other two Pokémon nodded, and Wes returned them to their balls. He crouched down to level with Neo, who braced himself for a scolding...but, to his surprise, Wes reached out and rubbed him under his chin, then cupped his head in his hands and looked into his eyes.

"You," he said tiredly, "are the biggest damn brat I've ever had to deal with."

Neo picked up on the note of amusement mixed in with Wes' exasperation. He flicked his tail and responded with a sheepish mew. Did this mean...he might not be in trouble…?

"The next time I catch you stealing bacon, I'm turning you into a rug."

Oh.

Wes gave him a hard stare. "And until I can trust you again, you're not allowed anywhere without my supervision, moron."

Well...he supposed things could be worse.

Wes pulled out Neo's Pokeball, saying something about how he was going in timeout until they got the kitchen cleaned up. As the red light washed over him, Neo had a sudden, horrifying realization:

All that work, and he didn't even get to eat his bacon.

---

Author's Notes:

So, as you can guess...this isn't really an OFFICIAL chapter, uh, whoops! This is a (late) April Fool's installment, and even though it's a bunch of shenanigans with a side of bacon and a dash of crime, I hope you still enjoyed the wholesomeness!

That being said: Keep your eyes peeled! OSAS Ch. 16 will be published later this month, and it's a doozy! ;)

Happy late April Fools, y'all!

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 16: Blue

Spoiler: Important Notes

NOTE: some changes have been made to the story that haven't been edited into earlier chapters yet. Here is a list of some of the edits that will be made to previous chapters and will be reflected in the story moving forward:

*Duking is no longer the mayor of Pyrite, though he still holds some less official authority/respect over the citizens.

*The character Livia has been removed from the story entirely. (Most of you are probably thinking, "Who's Livia?" LOL. Exactly.)

*A big Pyrite Colosseum tournament is coming up.

*As reflected in the updated beginning chapters, Wes carries a knife with him.

That is all! Enjoy this chapter! :)

Huge thanks to @kintsugi and @Pen for beta reading this chapter! 💛​

Immaculate.

That was the most appropriate word to describe his office. The bleached walls perfectly matched the white tiled floor. Even his desk only held the essentials: a slim white monitor and a stack of files neatly placed in an upper corner.

Ein took a sip of coffee from his mug—also white, to match the rest of his belongings, and without blemish, as all things should be. He scowled down at the cluster of pages before him, the only things that threw off the tidiness of the place. The pages were yellowed with age, smudged and torn in a few places. He suppressed a shudder; he had been less organized back in the day, less precise, less dignified. But as much as the small coffee stain in one corner haunted him with his former imperfections, he pressed on, scanning the words for any sliver of information as he had done countless times before:

Data Entry Log #132

It has been ten days since administration. The results so far have been...poor, to put it simply. Survival rates are failing to improve despite our many adjustments, though at the very least we can say they are remaining at roughly 50%.

Of our 25 subjects, 10 have perished so far, and we expect 2 more to expire in the coming days. Of the expected 13 survivors, all have shown signs of gaining immunity.

This is promising, but it is not enough. We are still unable to replicate the results of our very first test. My partner continues to insist he is replicating the serum exactly as he did the first time, but I still maintain strong suspicions that he is not divulging everything he knows. This is unacceptable.

Until now, I have always been the one possessing every bit of available knowledge on this team. The thought that someone other than myself has a missing part of the equation and refuses to share is...quite infuriating to me. My patience has now worn thin. I will seek to rectify this imbalance as soon as I am able. I had been hopeful about accomplishing this through more diplomatic means, but, regretfully, I may have to resort to more...convincing methods to get the truth out of him. It seems I have no other alternative.

I will not waver, however. This is for the cause.

Ein hissed softly in frustration and set his mug down—delicately, of course, to avoid even one spilled drop. Emotions could be useful, but they could not be allowed to interfere with his constant precision.

Twenty years. Twenty years of this Arceus-damned research, and he was still no closer to the answers he sought. Even now, his partner's foolish morality was determined to haunt him, to hold him back from obtaining more information.

Damn you, Ian—

"EIN!"

Ein tightened his lips at the distant roar. Gods above, of all the days for this buffon to shove his way into his office—

The door burst open and promptly slammed into the wall. Ein raised his eyes to see his visitor and made a mental note to get someone to buff out the scuff marks later.

"Gonzap," he said dryly. "To what do I owe the marvelous pleasure—"

"We had a deal, Ein!" Gonzap bellowed. His face was splotched red with rage—and half-healed burns, too, it seemed. Such unfortunate blemishes on an already incredibly unfortunate face.

"I have no memory of any deal, dearest Gonzap."

"Don't you 'dearest Gonzap' me," the man hissed. He drew himself up to his full height and crossed his arms, evidently trying to appear as large and menacing as possible. Not that it worked; muscles could only get one so far when they were directed by such pitiful intellect. "What the hell is this about not encroaching on Cipher's territory?"

Ah. This was about that. Ein straightened his glasses and cooly returned Gonzap's gaze. "Precisely that. We've decided to neutralize the threat as quickly and quietly as possible. We cannot afford to let that boy live any longer, and that girl—"

"That's not what we agreed on!" Gonzap's veins were popping now. "I told you I wanted to deal with that bastard myself, didn't I?"

"You want him dead, do you not?"

"Hell yes, I do!"

"Then I fail to understand your complaint. Cipher has already set things in motion to have him eliminated."

BAM. Gonzap's massive fist slammed down onto Ein's desk with enough force to rattle the computers and send several papers fluttering to the floor. Ein's mug bounced from the impact and shattered on the floor, spraying its contents in every direction, staining the polished whiteness—

"You said you would give him to me." Gonzap's face was inches from Ein's now and was rapidly transitioning from scarlet to violet. "We made a deal, you filthy lab rat!"

The coffee continued to pool across the white tiles. Ein's temples throbbed.

Rising slowly from his seat, he maintained Gonzap's stare and replied steadily, his tone laced with ice, "I would be careful, dearest Gonzap, of whom you call a 'lab rat' in these parts. I would hate to take your insubordination as an invitation to turn you into one."

Gonzap paused. He curled his lip at the threat, but there was no mistaking the glint of fear in those feral eyes.

He still knew his place, then. A shame, really. He would make a delightful test subject.

Ein straightened his lab coat. "That deal was then, and this is now. The boy has become a much larger nuisance than any of us have anticipated, and considering your remarkable failure to control your subordinates is what created this predicament, we can no longer afford to entertain your vengeful wishes. Not to mention we now have that girl to deal with."

He suppressed a shiver anticipation at the last sentence. That girl. There were far too many coincidences from the reports about her. She had to be the one, and if so…

If so, he could finally get his answers.

A snarl rose from Gonzap's throat, but Ein silenced him with a raised hand. "However," he said curtly, "should he manage to survive our next attempt, I will negotiate with Nascour on your behalf, on the condition that you never show your hideous face in my lab ever again."

Gonzap blinked for a moment, then barked out a harsh laugh. "That all you want? Hell, it would be my damn pleas—"

"In addition," Ein interrupted sharply, "you will provide me with two extra shipments of subjects. Do that for me, and I'll be sure to keep your little traitor alive just long enough for you to have at him."

"Two?" the larger man snapped. "In case you haven't heard, that bastard blew up all our machines!"

"Not all of them, if I've been informed correctly."

"Yeah, genius. He took the last one with him."

"Is that so?" A smirk danced across Ein's lips. "You failed to mention that to Nascour, Gonzap."

All the deep red hues suddenly drained from Gonzap's face. Ein's grin widened.

"I—that's not—that is to say, we planned to get it back—"

"Ah yes, I'm sure you did. How unfortunate it is that you haven't succeeded yet. Not to worry—I'm certain Nascour will be nothing but understanding once I pass this along."

For once, Gonzap was speechless. Ein relished the fear now etched across every line of his face. Ah, few things were sweeter than watching an inferior being quiver with dread…

"Fortunately for you, I'm feeling generous today." Ein straightened the papers on his desk before looking back up at the man, who had now taken a few steps back from Ein's desk. "Once we give you the boy, you will let me have that girl. Alive. You will also supply us with every subject you have left."

"Them Pokémon were supposed to get shipped to the Under—"

"Dearest Gonzap, I am far more of a threat to you than a few black market peddlers. Do not forget what organization this is." He tipped his head back. "The Under belongs to Cipher."

Gonzap swallowed, then dropped his gaze. "Yes."

"You forgot something."

His jaw clenched. "Yes, sir."

Ein smirked again and stood. "Very good. Now, if you excuse me, I have another project to attend to." As he breezed past his subdued foe, he added lightly, "Oh, and please do fetch a peon to clean up this mess of yours. Tell them if I come back to a single stain, they'll become my newest subject."

The door shut behind him in the sputtering Snagem leader's face.

*****​

Hey, it's me again, back for another data entry! Ugh, I don't even know what I'm saying. Who am I even talking to? This feels weird. Wes says to just write what we know so far—and that's what I've been doing, but he says little personal notes like this aren't necessary. So I'll try to keep it more straightforward this time. ;D

Progress remains slow, but there's still progress! The Pokémons' auras are getting brighter and brighter every day. I've noticed that the more often they're out of their balls and interacting with others, both people and Pokémon, the calmer their auras are becoming. Even the more antisocial ones like Marlow (Flaaffy) and Nani (Croconaw) appear to be benefiting from it, which is a huge plus!

Training with them has been even more effective. I suspect it's because it gives them an outlet for all of their negative pent-up energy. Duking and Silva have been trying to keep an even rotation with as many of them as possible so they all get some time to train, but it's been tough with so many...At least Wes' team is able to get consistent training in.

Speaking of Wes' team, they're farther along than any of the others at this point—sometimes the dark aura is barely noticeable! I know they've been with us the longest and have had the most training, but I also think a lot of the credit goes to Wes for how gentle he is with them. He'll never admit it, but I think he's actually a bit soft on them. (Don't you dare erase this part, Wes.) ;)

We've been working a lot with Noctowl in particular lately! We've named her Nyra, and I think she'd be a good fit on Wes' team if he decides to take her in. She has a lot of opening up to do, but that's what I said about Maku and Kohna, and now they keep cuddling up to Wes every chance they get. (He likes to pretend it annoys him, but the other day I caught him putting a blanket in his lap just for Maku. I see right through you, Lycas.)

Even Nani is more cooperative than she used to be...well, most of the time, anyway. I think she's even warming up to Neo a little? So I'm sure Nyra will make progress, too. I mean, if Nani can, then I think anybody can, right?

Duking has noticed something that's caused us some concern, though. He says it looks like several of the Pokémon are well past their evolution stage—meaning they should have evolved a long time ago, but they haven't. I hadn't noticed at first, but after he pointed it out, I think he's right: Fi's leaves are wilting, Nani is shedding her scales more than I think is normal, and Kohna will flare up out of nowhere, as if she can't keep all of her fire contained. We suspect this has to do with their unusual condition, but we have no idea what's specifically causing it. I didn't realize this would be such an issue, but according to Duking, it is. I guess it's not healthy for a Pokémon to prolong evolution once they're ready? Now that I think about it, it makes sense. But is it different for the ones that evolve through stones? It must be, because Rika hasn't had any problems and she'll probably never evolve.

And I'm rambling again. Sorry!

Anyway, I think that's all for now. I'll write more if anything changes, or—I hope to Arceus—we find out where this all started. Bye!

P.S. Novo still doesn't like me, but I DID get him to accept a treat from me yesterday. It's a work in progress. :D

Rui set down her pencil and sat back with a sigh. It was an unusually peaceful afternoon in Duking's kitchen. She glanced through the open doorway into the living room, where Neo, Novo and Kohna were curled up together on the couch, fast asleep. Maku was at his usual perch gazing out the window, and even Nani was dozing in a corner.

With the kids all in the cavern working on homework assignments and Duking and Silva at the Colosseum making preparations for the upcoming tournament, the house was unusually quiet and still. The afternoon sunlight filtered in through the windows, illuminating the kitchen in a cozy glow, and in the warm silence, Rui felt a little drowsy herself.

"You finished?" Wes' voice tugged her back from her thoughts of an afternoon nap. He sat adjacent to her at the table, looking at the notebook in her hand.

"Yeah, I think so. Let me know if I missed anything?" Rui handed the notebook over to him.

She watched for his reactions as he read. She noticed him roll his eyes at her small jabs at him, and she couldn't help but grin.

Wes had grown just a little more relaxed around her over the last few weeks, and while Rui was grateful for that, she was becoming more and more aware of just how little she knew about him. He certainly wasn't keen on talking about himself, and none of Rui's attempts to dig deeper seemed to be working.

Back home, it had been easy to develop friendly relationships with her neighbors, the younger kids, the clerk at the supermarket—in Agate, a friendly wave and a smile was always reciprocated, regardless of how familiar you were with the other person. Making friends had never been a struggle for her—until now.

She tried not to pry, as it was clear he was a private person, but her curiosity kept getting the better of her. She'd tried using as many conversation starters she could think of, only to get short, barely helpful responses. Her ears burned as, unbidden, the memory of her last attempt resurfaced:

"So, Wes, where did you get your bike?"

"Had it since I was a kid."

"Really? Did someone give it to you?"

"No. I restored it."

"Oh! So you know your way around bikes and cars, then?"

"Not really."

"Did you just teach yourself how, then?"

"A friend taught me."

"Oh, cool! Who was your friend?"

He hadn't answered that. Other attempts at conversation were about just as successful as the first:

"So, what's with the line on your face?"

"It's a tattoo."

"Wha—really? Why? Is there a reason for it?"

"I was sixteen and an idiot."

She hadn't known how to respond to that, so the conversation had fizzled out.

So here she sat, across from him at the kitchen table, pondering how on earth she could possibly get to know someone who seemed adamant on never opening up.

"I don't see why that's a problem, dear," Beluh had said over the phone one evening. "Some people just like to be private about themselves. Why, old Garlin scarcely says more than ten words to Eagun when we go by the market, and they've been battling together for years."

But that was the problem, Rui thought; even old man Garlin had friends, yet Wes seemed bent on not making any friends at all. But hadn't he claimed to have friends who helped him steal the Snag Machine? Where were they? What sort of people were they? What sort of person was he, for crying out loud?

She rested her chin in her palm and observed him as he flipped through the pages of the notebook. The sunlight through the kitchen window settled on his shoulders, outlining him in rays of gold. She found herself taking note of the way his hair, perpetually messy and wild as it was, overlapped in silvery waves and framed his face, contrasting with his tan complexion. The windswept look suited him, especially considering how much time he likely spent flying across the desert in that motor-

Wes raised his head and locked eyes with hers, and Rui suddenly realized just how long she'd been staring.

Her face flooded with heat. She tore her gaze away from him, but not before she caught him raising an eyebrow at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said hurriedly.

She could practically hear his frown. "Doesn't seem like nothing."

She'd always been such a pathetic liar, and Wes was far too good at detecting falsehoods. Say something.

"What's, um..." Come on, Rui. She forced herself to meet his eyes again.

"What's your favorite color?" she blurted.

That was it? That was the best you could do?

Wes fixed her with a blank stare. Rui was endlessly grateful he couldn't hear her internal screaming.

"What?"

"What's your favorite color?" she insisted. "Everybody has one. Mine's purple."

"That's what you wanted to know?"

She didn't trust herself to sound convincing, so she just nodded.

"For gods' sakes, Rui." Wes shook his head and returned his gaze to the pages on the table. "I thought it was something serious with how long it took you to say something."

Mew's marbles. He'd noticed. He had noticed her staring. Rui forced a laugh and resisted the urge to lock herself in the nearest closet for the next thirty years.

"W-well, you still didn't answer my question!"

Wes shrugged. "Don't have one."

"What?" Rui blinked at him, still attempting to shove down her embarrassment. Thank the gods he wasn't looking at her night now, her face felt so red. "Come on, everybody has a favorite color."

"Apparently not. I don't have one."

"There's not one that makes you think of...I don't know, good memories or something?"

"Why do you care?" Wes' eyes snapped back up to hers as an edge crept into his tone. Rui flinched a little at the flare of hostility.

"I—I was just curious, that's all!" she said hastily. "I just...wanted to get to know you better. As a friend."

There was silence for a moment. Rui found herself unable to hold his intense gaze and instead glanced about the kitchen. Great, now she'd made things awkward. Why had she bothered to say anythi—oh, right. Because she'd been staring. By Celebi, she was such a hopeless case—

"Are we friends?"

Surprised, Rui looked at him again. The question had been blurted out so...innocently. The look on Wes' face was one she hadn't seen before: rather than his usual somewhat sour expression, he wore a look of surprised curiosity. With his head tilted slightly to the side, he almost looked like Neo or Novo whenever they were confused. It was a look she'd never seen on him before.

She bubbled out a laugh—not a forceful effort to hide her disgrace like the last one, but a genuine one—and playfully slugged him in the shoulder. "Of course we are, you moron!"

Wes stared at her, completely bewildered. He glanced at his shoulder, then back at her. "The hell was that for?"

Rui froze. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"

Wes spluttered in indignation. "Did it hu—for Mew's sake, that was the most pathetic punch I've ever felt. No, it didn't hurt." He sounded downright offended that she'd thought she could injure him.

She blinked. Clearly, Wes had never engaged in this kind of banter before. "It was a joke. You know, like a playful jab?"

He looked at her like she'd sprouted a second head. "What, you hit people for fun?"

She sputtered. "Wh—not like that! It's harmless. Teasing, you know?"

"No, I don't," he said flatly. He looked her up and down, then added quite matter-of-factly, "You're weird as hell."

Rui let out a guffaw of laughter at that comment. His brutal honesty was refreshing, even if it sometimes came at her expense. Not that she minded being called "weird" in the first place; while it bothered her when she was younger, after years of strange looks and classmates calling her "that aura girl", she'd decided to embrace it as a compliment anyway.

"Yeah, okay, I'm weird," she chuckled as her laughter subsided. "I'm just trying to teach you how to have fun. Is that so bad?"

Wes frowned—apparently, he didn't have an immediate response to that. He looked as though he was working on coming up with a reply when a muffled shout came from the direction of the cavern.

What was—?

Wes was instantly on his feet and heading through the kitchen. Rui followed suit, her laughter immediately vanishing in a new sense of urgency. As they burst through Duking's office towards the secret door, the voices became more and more distinct.

"I don't care what you think!" Lon's voice was fierce, echoing off the stone walls as they entered the room. "I think it's stupid!"

Rui stepped into the room just behind Wes and flinched at the blazing, aggressive auras that immediately assaulted her sight.

"You're stupid!" Marci fired back. "Everybody needs to know how to read, and you promised my dad you would try!"

Secc, who was the only one actually sitting at the table they used for homework, glanced up from his book and threw Wes and Rui a desperate look that plainly read, 'please help me'. Marci and Lon had risen from their seats and were exchanging shouts across the table.

"Yeah?" Lon sneered. "Well, your dad's a prude!"

Secc's gaze snapped over to Lon. "Hey," he said in a low voice, "don't talk about our dad like that."

"Why?" Lon rounded on him, his sneer turning into a snarl. "Don't like it? Well, it's true! You're all prudes!"

Secc slid his bookmark in his book and set it delicately on the table; a simple gesture, yet he managed to do so in a marvelously threatening manner.

Marci slammed her hands down on the table. "Listen, greasewad!" she spat. "Call my dad that one more time and I'll break your teeth!"

Lon stared at her for a moment; Rui wasn't sure if he was baffled by her bold threat or if he was still processing the insult "greasewad."

"All right, that's enough, all of you." Rui stepped in with her hands out in an effort to calm the raging atmosphere. "Everybody needs to calm down—"

"He's the one who started it!" Marci pointed accusingly at Lon. "He's been nothing but mean ever since you guys brought him here!"

She wasn't entirely wrong; Lon had made it clear he wanted no part in their gatherings and usually kept to himself with his Pokémon. While he seemed to enjoy his pickpocketing missions, he was quick to slide in a snide comment under his breath whenever receiving coaching from Wes, and Rui suspected the only reason he even half-heartedly agreed to take some online classes was because, despite Duking's generosity and kindness, the man still intimidated him.

"So what?" Lon snapped.

"'So what?' We gave you a place to stay and food to eat and we've been nothin' but nice to you, and you've just been a slimy little-"

"Marci, stop," Rui said sternly. She moved a little closer to the table to look the girl in the eyes. "This isn't helping anyth-"

"No, let her finish!" Lon barked. "Go on, say it, Princess!"

Wes groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, for the love of—"

"Alright, I will!" Marci shouted. She balled her hands into fists, her face red with fury. "I hate you! You talk big and think you're all that, but you're nothing special! You're just a leech!"

"What did you just call me?"

In an instant, Lon had a Pokéball in his hand, and Rui felt her stomach drop. "Lon, please, you wouldn't—"

"YOU THINK I WON'T?" Lon roared. "TRY ME, THEN!"

And before anyone could stop him, he threw the Pokéball to the floor.

Rui's breath caught in her throat.

She hadn't actually seen Lon's third Pokémon before; she'd only ever seen him let his Azurill and Igglybuff out of their balls, and at meal times he'd always made a point to feed his team somewhere privately...and she now understood why.

Sickly black aura flickered around the Slugma, swirling like an eerie specter. The Fire-type gurgled, flames bubbling from his mouth, and Rui had the horrifying realization that Lon wouldn't be able to stop him if he decided to erupt-

"Enough!"

The cold fury in Wes' shout sent chills down Rui's spine. He pushed himself past both Rui and Marci, and with a flick of his wrist and the flash of a Pokéball, Novo was immediately at his heels.

Wes rounded on Lon, his eyes blazing with a ferocity Rui had never seen before, his posture rigid with tense anger. "You make even one move, kid, and you'll have to answer to me!"

At this, Novo stepped in front of his trainer and stared hard at the Slugma, rings pulsing ominously.

Lon wilted under the heat of Wes' angry stare, but maintained a degree of defiance. "D-don't tell me what to do!"

"Don't threaten us with your Pokémon, then!" Wes spat. He towered over the boy as blue flames of aura lashed upwards and danced around him, their brightness reflecting his rage. "You call yourself a trainer?"

Lon took a step back; behind him, his Slugma made himself taller and gurgled out a sound that was somewhere between a hiss and a sputter, his black aura spiking at every movement. Novo tensed at this, a growl rising in his throat.

Rui's chest tightened with alarm. "Lon, call off your—"

"I am a trainer!" Lon clenched his fists, ignoring her altogether. "I have a team—"

"I don't give a damn!" Wes roared. "If all you use them for is to intimidate defenseless kids, then you're no better than a common thug! Is that what you want?"

The Slugma quivered. Steam hissed from his body, dark shadows swelled at every shout that echoed off the cavern walls, threatening to burst—

Rui clenched her teeth and seized Wes by the arm, yanking him back a step. "Stop it, both of you! Lon, call off your Pokémon!"

Wes flashed her a furious glare. "Rui, stay the hell out of—"

"That Slugma's one of them, Wes!"

He and Lon froze. Rui heard Marci gasp. Rui glanced at the girl and her brother and hastily gestured for them to leave; they scurried off quickly through the secret door.

Lon slowly looked over his shoulder and paled at the sight of his quivering Slugma.

Wes spoke in a low voice. "Call it off. Now."

For once, Lon didn't need to be told twice. He fumbled with his Pokéball, and only after the Slugma disappeared did Rui exhale shakily.

Wes leveled his gaze, and Rui was sure the quiet fire in his eyes would melt Lon on the spot then and there. "Where. In the hell. Did you get that thing."

Lon stumbled backwards, clutching the Pokéball tightly to his chest. "N-none of your business!" He boldly returned Wes' glare, but failed to hide the tremor in his voice.

"I won't ask again, kid!"

"He—he was given to me, okay? I got him for doin' a favor for somebody, that's all!" He retreated a few more steps. "But you can't take him! He's mine!"

"You're out of your damn mind if you think I'm gonna let you keep it!" Wes snapped. "Hand it over! Now!"

"No!"

"Lon, please, that Pokémon is dangerous!" Rui said. "We can help—"

"NO!" Lon clasped the ball in both hands and squeezed it so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Lon—"

"I NEED HIM, OKAY?"

Lon's voice broke as tears spilled down his cheeks. "I n-n-need him—he's the only one strong enough to battle, 'cause Mimi and Ozzie are just babies an' I need money to feed em, and—and—" He sniffed and wiped at his tears with a shaking hand. "An' when this gig is over, I'll still need him!"

Wes paused and took a step back, the hostility draining from his face. He ran a hand sheepishly through his hair and appeared unsure of what to say.

Rui stepped ahead of him. Lon flinched and shrank back as he approached.

"Lon," she said softly, "do you think we're going to kick you out once this mission is over?"

Lon blinked and sniffed again. "Aren't you?"

"No." She crouched in front of him. "Why would Duking want you to take classes if he was just going to throw you back on the streets after all this?"

"But…" The boy glanced from her to Wes in disbelief. "Wh-why'd he want me?"

"You're a good kid," Rui said gently. "And Duking sees that. What's important is that you're not going to have to worry about Mimi or Ozzie while you're with us, okay? You're all safe here."

He stared at her for a moment. "An-an Mel, too?"

"Your Slugma?"

He nodded.

Rui smiled and reached out her hand. Lon paused, then took it, and she gave him a reassuring squeeze. Merciful Celebi, he was just a child, and the kind of life he'd had to live already...had Wes had to grow up like this, too?

"Your Slugma will be safe, too...but we need you to let us take a look at him, okay? He's sick, like all the other Pokémon you've been helping us find." She looked into those frightened eyes. "Can you do that for us?"

He tensed. "Do I still get to keep him?"

She glanced at Wes, who had narrowed his eyes at the question, then back to Lon. "You can keep him, but he'll have to stay under supervision, okay? No battling or sending him out without someone else until he's better."

Lon looked down at the ball in his hand. "You promise you'll make him better?"

Rui's stomach clenched. Could she promise that? She thought of Maku, Kohna, Nani. They were recovering, that was for certain...but was there a permanent solution? A real cure? They hadn't found one yet...gods, they hadn't found anything yet...

Still, she met the boy's gaze. "Yes," she said fervently. "I promise."

For a couple beats, Lon didn't move. He looked at the Pokéball for a minute, chewing his lip, until he slowly handed it out to her. She gently took it from him, and even through the ball, she could feel the hot aggression pouring out from within.

Rui gave him another soft smile. "Thank you, Lon." She rose to her feet. "Why don't you head to the kitchen to get something to eat? Wes and I will be right behind you."

He nodded and, after glancing at Mel's Pokéball one more time, shuffled out of the room.

"Did you really mean that?"

Rui turned to Wes and found him frowning at her. "Of course I meant it," she said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, for one thing, we don't know if we can cure all these Pokémon." He nodded at the ball in her hand. "And for another, how do you know Duking won't just toss him out?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you think he would? Besides, he made this cave in hopes of helping Pyrite kids one day, remember?"

"Sure, but he can't stay here forever. And you didn't answer my first point."

"I—I know." Rui dropped her gaze. Novo, no longer needing to be on guard, had settled himself contentedly at Wes' feet and looked ready for his afternoon nap, yawning widely.

Surely these Pokémon had been just like Novo, once; normal, healthy, mentally sound. There had to be a way to get them back to that state. And Wes had a point; generous as Duking was, Lon probably wouldn't be able to stay forever. But where else could he go? Certainly not back to the streets…

This whole town is such a mess, she thought. She was beginning to understand Sherles' weariness.

She looked back up at Wes and held Mel's Pokéball out to him. "We don't have any answers yet, but we will. They're out there somewhere, and we'll find them."

Wes took the ball with a slight shake of his head. She knew that look: even if he had a retort, he wasn't going to say it. Rui took a deep breath, forced a smile, and made her way to the door.

"Let's eat, I'm starving!"

*****​

Even after many questions, Lon hadn't been able to tell them much, except for a vague description of the man's orange hair and that he went by the name "B." Apparently, he had approached the boy near a bar off main street that was common Valor territory, and the "favor" he'd asked of Lon was to smuggle a handful of weapons from Mystic's base in exchange for a "special Pokémon." When Rui expressed her horror that anyone would ask a child to do something so dangerous, Wes had merely shrugged and said, "Street kids are the safest bet. To them, they're expendable."

Rui wasn't sure what was more disturbing: the fact that Wes was probably right, or the matter-of-fact which way in which he said it.

With such little information to go off of, Wes had suggested they look for Cail, the green-haired young man they'd ran into on their first day in Pyrite. While Rui wasn't overly fond of the idea, Wes argued that someone like Cail, who prided himself on being well-connected, would be their best bet for getting more leads.

And yet, oddly, Cail was nowhere to be found in his regular haunts, and by late afternoon they'd made little progress. Rui heaved a sigh and slumped in her seat. They were in a dingy old restaurant—or something that vaguely resembled a restaurant, anyway—but they'd come here more for respite from the heat than for the food. She'd peered curiously at the menu, but Wes swore up and down that they were much better off without ordering anything.

"Trust me on this," he'd said flatly, "You don't want anything from here. Last time we were here Neo was sick for like a week."

"But you didn't get sick?"

"I didn't get anything." At her questioning look, he simply shrugged. "Couldn't afford it, and they needed it more than me."

Ah. Rui didn't know what to say to that. How often, she'd wondered, had he been forced to make the choice between feeding his Pokémon or himself?

Wes opened a map on his PDA and searched for their next place to look. Rui took to staring out the grimy window, lost in thought, as the minutes trickled by. She had no idea how much time had passed when Wes asked her a question that jolted her out of her daze.

"It was a Skitty, wasn't it?"

Rui nearly jumped out of her skin. She threw him a bewildered look. "Wh-what?"

"Your starter," he said. "Was it a Skitty?"

She forced herself to hold his penetrating gaze but couldn't hide her shock. "You—how did you know that?"

Wes nodded at something over her shoulder. Rui followed his gaze, though she already knew what he was referring to; she'd noticed the small gang of kids lounging outside the restaurant almost an hour ago, though it hadn't been the kids that held her attention.

"One of those kids has a Skitty. You've been staring at him for the last half-hour."

Rui felt a bit of heat rush to her face, unrelated to the harsh sun they'd been standing under all afternoon. Had she really been that obvious?

She fidgeted in her seat. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything, though," she said defensively. She hastily searched for something—anything—to say that would change the subject, but Wes was undeterred.

"It's a simple question. You had a Skitty, didn't you?" he said bluntly.

Sweet Celebi, even while she was actively avoiding his eyes, she could still feel that burning stare. Images flashed through her mind, ones that she'd spent years trying to bury: an empty street at night, the white cobblestones glowing under the streetlights; cold laughter from the shadows; her mother's panicked voice and the sound of her own screams-

Forget. Forget. Forget. She was supposed to forget.

"Rui?"

She almost jumped at the sound of her name. She blinked at Wes across the table, who was now frowning at her. Oh, gods, she'd spaced out once again, and now he was looking at her like that, and was he going to ask more questions?

Nothing is wrong. You're fine. She sat up straighter and forced a bright smile. You're fine.

"Yeah, I had a Skitty." She quietly took another shaky breath. "Her name was Daisy."

"Daisy, huh?" Wes sat back in his seat and idly folded his arms. "Why that name?"

She shrugged. "It's my favorite flower. Couldn't think of anything else, I guess."

Wes gave a mocking snort. "And yet you lecture me about unoriginal names."

Rui laughed a little. "Okay, come on, cut me some slack! I was ten." In an attempt to lighten the mood, she threw him what she hoped was a convincing grin. "Besides, it could have been worse. I could have gone with...I dunno...Skitters or something."

"I see nothing wrong with that name."

"Okay, now I can't tell if you're being serious or not."

Wes' eyes met hers, and for just a moment, Rui thought she caught the tiniest hint of a smile. But then he turned his head to look out the window, and she found herself wondering if she'd seen it at all.

"So," he said, "how did you manage to get a Pokémon in the first place? I can't imagine Agate has a Skitty colony."

Rui looked at him for a moment. This was...different from the conversations they'd previously had. She was trying to put her finger on it when it suddenly hit her.

Her smile widened. "You have a lot of questions today." Usually she was the one asking.

Wes shifted a little and shot her a small frown. "So?"

"It's not a bad thing!" she said quickly. "It's just, well...not your usual."

"...Oh." He relaxed a little at that. Then, with a smirk, he said, "Just trying to get to know you better, as a friend. Is that so bad?"

"Ooooh." Rui raised her eyebrows and leaned in, planting her elbows on the table and resting her chin in her palms. "Did I hear that right? Did you actually admit we're friends?"

"No. I just quoted you."

"Oh, get over yourself, Lycas. You totally just said we were friends."

"When the hell did you start calling me 'Lycas'?"

"Since we became friends, I guess!"

He rolled his eyes. "Gods. It was a joke."

"Right, right, we're just chatting and joking around. Wanna know what that's called?"

"A waste of time?"

"It's called friendship, moron."

"Sure." Wes pushed himself up from his seat and gestured for her to follow. "But we have been here too long. Let's head to the battle square and see if we can find Cail there."

"Alright, good plan." Rui followed Wes out the door. "But don't think I didn't notice you changing the subject."

"Technically, you changed the subject. You never answered my question about where you got your Skitty."

"Oh—right!" Rui blinked in the harsh sunlight that greeted them and stepped up beside Wes. "Well, it's not that exciting. Mom was from Hoenn, and she managed to call in a favor with an old friend. That's how I got Daisy."

Rui tipped her head back to look up at the sky—it was lovely today, a crisp, bright blue that contrasted with the red plateaus around them. Growing up in Agate, surrounded by retired trainers and their teams, she'd thought it was normal to see Pokémon everywhere she went, even if there weren't any wild ones to speak of. She hasn't realized what the lack of wild Pokémon would have meant for the rest of Orre.

"You were lucky, then," Wes said. His eyes were scanning the streets as they walked, his gaze sharp and attentive.

Rui nodded. "Yeah. I didn't realize it before, but...I do now." She paused and spared him a nervous glance. "Um, Wes? Where did everyone here get their Pokémon, then? Do you...do you think they were stolen?"

"Probably," he replied evenly. "Most of them, at least. If they weren't stolen from someone directly, then they probably got them from the black market in the Under."

The Under. Despite the afternoon heat, Rui had to suppress a shiver. She'd only heard stories of the city that lay at the depths of Pyrite Canyon, so far underground that sunlight never reached it. Once, old man Grover had told her there were still reports of Noctis circulating in the deepest slums of the city, and that the place was so eternally filthy they could never hope to eradicate the virus completely. Beluh had scolded him for trying to scare her, and promptly told Rui that it was no good to put stock in such rumors.

But whether or not the rumors were true, it never changed one thing that even Rui knew for certain: nothing good ever came from the Under.

"Do people from the Under come up here often, then?" She tried to mask her unease with a conversational tone.

Wes shook his head. "The opposite, usually. Pyrite citizens will take trips down there to find what they need. It's where all the shops around town get their supply of merchandise, and the Under gets it from other regions. Smuggling or something, probably."

"Oh." Rui looked at the ground and pondered for a moment. A question was nagging at the back of her mind, but she wasn't sure if she dared ask it: How did you get your Pokémon?

She threw Wes a nervous glance, but he was still scanning the area as they walked, evidently unfazed by their conversation. She could ask him...but he'd probably close himself off again if she did. Perhaps she would save it for later.

Besides, she was sure the answer wouldn't be anything sinister—maybe he got Neo and Novo from a friend, or maybe Sherles helped Wes get them when he started volunteering. There were other ways to get Pokémon aside from The Under, after all.

An idea sparked. "Wait—could that be where the savage Pokémon are coming from, then?" she said suddenly.

Wes mulled this idea over for a moment. "It's...definitely possible, but I'm not sure. For one thing, the market in The Under distributes to all of Orre—we've only heard of them appearing here and in Phenac so far. And for another…" He paused briefly before continuing, "The Under gets most, if not all, of their Pokémon from Snagem. And as far as I know, Snagem never experimented on Pokémon."

Right. Wes didn't talk about it much, so it was easy to forget just how much he knew about the inner workings of Snagem, Orre's dark underbelly. Rui repressed another shudder; she couldn't imagine the things he must have seen, working undercover in those kinds of places…

"What was it like?" The question slipped out before she gave herself time to reconsider it. Wes turned his head to raise an eyebrow at her, and she added hastily, "Working in Snagem, I mean."

A shadow passed over Wes' face. Rui noticed his eyes resting on the Snag Machine for a moment before he bit out a reply. "Miserable."

The bitterness in his voice was strong enough to make her wince. "I bet," she said softly. When Wes didn't reply, she added, "I'm...sorry you had to experience that."

He merely shrugged, and the conversation lapsed into silence. Rui mentally kicked herself. So much for being careful, stupid.

"It's blue, by the way."

Wes' voice was so quiet, she almost didn't hear him. She frowned at him in confusion. "Huh?"

"My favorite color." He shifted a little, his eyes focused straight ahead as the battle square came into view. "You asked earlier, and...it's blue."

Rui blinked, then slowly smiled. "Blue, huh? Like...this color?" She pointed at his coat.

He glanced down, then nodded.

"Hm. That's a nice color! It suits you," she said.

This time he did look at her, with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yes! It's a Wes color."

He snorted and shook his head, and this time, Rui really did see it: a tiny smile, just barely noticeable enough to be called one, tugging at the corners of his mouth. She almost pointed this out to him—then thought better of it. She wanted that smile to last as long as possible.

They fell silent, but this time Rui didn't feel any urge to break it. She leaned back against the wall behind them and looked skywards with a small smile. Was it just her, or was the sky even more beautiful than it was before…?

"Look, it's the guy who still owes me a battle!"

Rui turned her head to see precisely who they were looking for: Cail, trudging over from the other side of the square, eyes on Wes and wearing that same crooked grin. Another trainer, tall and lanky with a pair of harsh eyes like a Swellow's, followed just behind him, an Abra curled atop his shoulders.

Wes rolled his eyes. "Looking to continue your losing streak, then?" He shot Rui a sideways glance, and she knew they were both thinking the same thing. It's like he was waiting for us here.

Cail and his companion stopped just a few feet short of the pair. Ignoring Wes' jibe, he looked down at Rui and grinned wider. "And hey, you still have Carrot-top with you!"

Rui only just managed to mask her glare. "I'd rather my hair look like carrots than seaweed," she said evenly.

The other trainer barked out a laugh and clapped Cail on the shoulder. "Oooh, man, you gonna need a Burn Heal for that?" he asked mockingly.

"Shut up, Calda," said Cail, though his tone remained light.

And yet...Rui took a closer look at the rogue trainer. His tone was perfectly casual, that lackadaisical grin of his the same as usual, but they did not match the quivering, stuttering patterns in his aura.

He's...afraid. The hairs on the back or Rui's neck stood up. Afraid of what? Of Wes? But he hadn't been this way the first time they'd met, and he most certainly wasn't afraid of her…

Cail smirked at Wes. "Damn, she bites now. They grow up so fast." That grin of his would have been perfectly convincing if not for the shiver that rippled through the flames of his aura.

"What do you want?" Wes asked frostily.

"Well, normally I'd say I want a battle, but...not this time." Cail tipped his head back and shoved his hands in the pocket of his cargo pants, but Rui was focused on the flickering of his aura, which danced nervously like fire in the wind. "I'm here to talk business. But it ain't a conversation for this kind of place."

Wes' gaze hardened and he folded his arms. "Funny you should say that, as we have some questions for you ourselves." He glanced at Cail's companion. "But I'd rather you talk to us here or not at all. I'm not interested in meeting you in some shady corner."

Cail shrugged. "Thought you'd say that." He turned to Calda.

"Do it."

The other trainer moved so quickly Rui barely had time to see what he was doing. She caught a glimpse of him reaching up to his Abra, his lips forming a command, and then there was a flash of light, she heard Wes shout something—

A strange, eerie sensation enveloped her. It was cold, unpleasant, and sent shivers down her spine. Rui's limbs felt glued to her sides, white light blinded her from all sides, and she felt as though something invisible was squeezing around her middle, driving the air out her lungs so that she couldn't breathe, let alone scream—

Pop!

Color exploded back into Rui's vision as the ground became solid beneath her feet once more. The abrupt change was so jarring she stumbled and would have fallen had Wes not grabbed her by the arm to hold her steady.

Head reeling, Rui gripped his sleeve tightly and tried to make sense of what had just happened. They were now inside what looked like an abandoned warehouse of some sort, the tiles chipped and cracking, debris and empty boxes littering the floor and old, broken vending machines lining the walls.

"Cail!" Wes roared. He pushed in front of her, and with a flick of his wrist, sent three Pokéballs out on the floor. The light faded to reveal Maku, Kohna, and Novo, each of them immediately tensing into battle-ready stances upon release. Neo and Nani's Pokéballs were also poised in his hand, ready to be unleashed at any moment.

"You've got ten seconds to tell me what the hell is going on!" There was a look in Wes' eyes that Rui had never seen, an almost feral ferocity that made her chest tighten with fear. He took another step forward and raised a knife—a knife, a knife, where in Celebi's name did he get a knife—as his Pokémon flanked him on either side, replicating his fury with growls of their own.

"I wouldn't be so hasty, if I were you, kid." Another voice spoke from the shadows of the dimly lit room, and as the stranger stepped forward, Rui tightened her grip on Wes' coat in horror; there was no mistaking that unnerving voice, that brightly colored hair, and suddenly she was back in the burlap sack again, choking between shouts and sobs and gasping for air in the stifling heat—

Trudly tipped his head back and looked her dead in the eyes, lips curling over chipped teeth in a taunting sneer.

"Miss me, sweetheart?"

 

[HelloYellow17]

Chapter 17: Dust and Shadow​

Spoiler: Chapter CWs

This chapter contains depictions of PG-13 level violence and injury, including:

• a mild concussion
• a knife to the throat (no injury)
• receiving stitches
• a brief mention of blood

Trudly. Folly. Cail and his companion, then one other lurking behind them. Dust and shadows, broken vending machines and old shipping crates scattered across the room, and…only one exit, on the opposite wall and behind the five trainers.

Wes took all of it in as he scanned their surroundings, blood roaring in his ears. If his memory served him correctly, this was the old abandoned warehouse at the edge of town. Nobody frequented this place save for the odd street kid looking for shelter.

In other words, they were perfectly isolated.

He faced down Trudly with a snarl—Gods, these guys really didn’t know when to quit—and tightened his grip on his knife. “Cail, what is this!”

As if channeling his trainer’s anger, Novo arched his back and snarled. Kohna and Maku responded in kind, tensing up further and piercing the eerily quiet room with growls of their own. Cail, however, simply turned his head away and didn’t answer.

Trudly sneered. “You mean you haven’t figured it out by now? I thought it was pretty obvious.”

“We had a deal.” Cail spoke quietly, shifting his gaze to Trudly. “Now give her back.”

Folly tossed him a toothy grin. “So hasty, are we?”

“Just give it to him, Folly,” Trudly said. He was focused on Rui, looking her up and down with a smirk and a nasty gleam in his eyes. “You don’t look so good, sweetheart. First time Teleporting?”

Wes felt Rui’s trembling fingers tighten around his arm. He raised his knife. “You’ve got ten seconds to let us go before I turn my team loose.”

Trudly merely raised an eyebrow. Folly barked out a laugh. “What a cocky little bastard you are!” he said. “You think your little pets can take five of us at once?”

“Four,” Cail said, his voice sharpening. “I’ve done my part. Now give her back.”

Folly shot him a withering look, but still dug into his vest pocket and pulled out a Pokéball before tossing it haphazardly to the green-haired trainer. “There’s your reward. Happy now?”

Cail caught the ball and observed it with narrowed eyes. Pointing it at his feet, he clicked the button and released its inhabitant. A Furret emerged from the light and immediately hunkered down into a defensive stance, scanning the room with wary, haunted eyes.

Cail’s face darkened. “That,” he growled, “is not Melba.”

“Oh, for cryin’ out loud, are you telling me you wanted that scrappy little Machop back?” Trudly finally took his eyes off Rui to snap at him. “We did you a favor, kid. This Pokémon right here is an upgrade.”

“Wes.” Rui’s voice was nothing more than a shaky whisper.

He spared her a glance and saw her eyes on the Furret, her face pale. He looked back at the Pokémon and watched as it swung its head around, caught sight of Kohna, and immediately bared its fangs at the Quilava with a hiss. Kohna arched her back in response, flames sputtering.

Another one? Wes swore under his breath. As if they didn’t have enough to worry about at the moment—

“I never asked for an upgrade!” Cail was shouting now. He stepped towards Folly, hands curled into fists. “Where’s my Pokémon!”

“Woah, easy, man.” His companion, Calda, hastily pulled him back by the arm, face taut with alarm. “You can’t mess with—”

“We had a deal!” Cail pushed against his friend’s restraint, ignoring him completely. “We do what you ask and you give us back our—”

He was cut off by a beam of light; the trainer that had been quietly watching from the shadows stepped out from the wall with a newly summoned Mightyena at his heels. He regarded Cail with an icy stare.

“Let’s not forget who’s in charge here, shall we?” he said calmly. The Mightyena mirrored his threat, staring down Cail and Calda with a low rumble in its throat, slowly raising its hackles.

Calda paled and said something to Cail in a panicked murmur. Face twisted with fury, Cail relaxed his shoulders and took a step back. He looked as though he was about to say something when—

“FRRRRREEEEEE!”

Holy hell. Wes didn’t know a cutesy Pokémon like Furret was capable of making such a horrific sound. It was somewhere between a screech and a snarl, and just as everyone turned their heads to the sound, Furret lunged straight for Kohna with another ear-splitting shriek.

Dammit! “Kohna–!”

But Kohna didn’t need a command; she was more than ready. Rather than cower and flee like Wes had expected her to, she smoothly avoided a swipe of Furret’s claws before ramming it in the side. Furret then locked onto Kohna’s scruff with its teeth, and the two became a whirling ball of chaos and cries, kicking up dust and knocking a nearby stack of crates over in the process.

Wes wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip by. In one motion he flicked out Nani and Neo’s pokeballs and shouted, “NOVO!”

Pebbles and dirt sprayed out from under Novo’s back paws as he launched himself at the Mightyena, smoky dark energy pouring from his maw. Mightyena whirled on him with a bark.

“OY!” Trudly bellowed. “I DON’T THINK SO!”

More flashes of light; Wes saw the familiar Duskull and Spinarak emerge, quickly followed by Folly’s two Whismur. With a curse, the Mightyena trainer summoned an Ariados and barked a command.

“To hell with it!” Cail roared. A Snubbull and Kirlia appeared at his side with a flick of his wrist. “Let’s give it to ‘em!”

Calda was not on board. He backed away from the impending melee and reached up to the Abra on his shoulder. With a pop, he vanished into thin air.

Pandemonium erupted. Rui shouted and pulled Wes back as several Pokemon hurled themselves at him. Instinct kicked in and he ducked, yanking Rui down with him, knife at the ready. A Whismur barrelled straight for his head, shrieking bloody murder–

Neo yowled and sprang in front, summoning a wall of white just in time. The Spinarak and both Whismur bounced off the Protect shield with a couple resounding thunks.

Wes bit out several more choice words. This was not an ideal battle situation; too many enemies, too much movement, too much to keep track of–

Duskull phased through the shield with a cackle and blasted Neo with a Shadow Ball, sending him rolling across the room and into a pile of broken crates. The shield disintegrated and a slightly dazed Whismur picked itself up, then staggered forward with a growl—

“Maku, get—!”

There was no need; Nani darted forward and snapped her jaws around the Whismur’s body, then with a mighty swing of her head, sent it flying across the room. Without missing a beat, she immediately turned to the Duskull, who was taunting Maku and dancing through his punches untouched, and blasted it back with a jet of water. She then bellowed up at the ceiling, snapping her jaws with maniacal glee.

Right. Wes certainly didn’t need to worry about her. For once, he was grateful for the Croconaw’s crazy bloodlust.

“WhiiiiiiEEEEEEE!” The last remaining Whismur planted its feet and screamed, drowning out every other sound. Wes covered his ears and saw Rui do the same. Gods, what an obnoxious Pokémon—

Nani cringed and lashed her tail in annoyance. She whirled on the pink Pokémon with a growl, but before she could do anything, Maku rushed in and slammed it with his fist, sending it rolling several feet, where it lay still and did not get back up.

Nani curled her lip at Maku and lashed her tail again, evidently furious that he had taken out her foe. She opened her mouth wide, bubbles frothing, as she prepared an attack, and Maku tensed and crouched with a growl—

“Enough!” Wes barked. Both of them looked at him. “Nani, if I see you attack any teammates, I swear to gods—”

“Wes!” Rui cried and wrenched him back by his sleeve. No sooner had he staggered back a few feet than a purple needle whizzed past where he had just been standing.

Poison Sting. Shit.

Even from a Spinarak, it would be very bad news if he or Rui got hit with that. He didn’t need to worry for long, though—a jet of flame seared across the little spider’s back, eliciting a high pitched squeal. Kohna, now freed from the Furret, came barreling in with a snarl, flames licking at her jaws. Some distance behind her, he saw Novo and Cail’s Kirlia facing off against the Furret and Mightyena.

Out. Out. They needed to get out. But how to find the exit in this place, how to leave without recalling his Pokemon? He couldn’t afford to, not with so many—

A piercing wail drew his attention to the wall several feet behind them; Neo was tightly bound in a String Shot and struggling to get free. Ariados, loomed overhead, perched atop a broken vending machine, tauntingly clacking its mandibles before firing off a Poison Sting directly at the Espeon’s face.

Wes was already halfway there before he even realized it. He felt his mouth move, heard his own distant shout, but the blood roaring in his ears drowned out whatever command he’d given to Maku and Nani. A blast of water knocked the Ariados off its perch and it struck the ground with a thump. Scuttling frantically, it barely managed to right itself in time to dodge Maku’s flying fist. They would keep it busy, and for now, that was good enough.

Rui was already and Neo’s side, tearing at the webbing. “This stuff is stronger than it looks, I think we need a—”

“Move.” Wes stooped down and flicked out his knife. “Neo, stop moving for a second.”

Neo, panting and in distress, looked up at Wes with wide eyes. Wes saw the poisoned stinger from Ariados’s attack buried deeply in one ear.

“It’s okay, bud.” Wes forced his voice to remain steady despite the chaos storming around them. “Just let me—”

WHAM.

Rui’s shout, Neo’s wail, a ferocious snarl—all the sounds blurred together as something massive rammed into Wes’s side and knocked him off his feet. The ground slammed into his back, driving the breath from his lungs as a crushing weight bore down on his chest.

Thick black fur, putrid hot breath, a flash of white fangs—Wes only just managed to shield his face with his snagging arm before Mightyena’s jaws clamped around it. Teeth scraped against metal with a horrible, grating scree-eech.

Mightyena thrashed with another enraged snarl, its claws digging into Wes’ shoulders and spattering his face with flecks of drool. Wes clenched his teeth and shoved his arm further into the creature’s maw, jamming its mouth open with the bulky metal. Mightyena let out a garbled bellow that was somewhere between a whine and a howl and writhed in fury, finally managing to slash through Wes’ shirt with its claws to gouge into his side.

Hissing through clenched teeth, Wes struggled under the canine in a vain attempt to throw it off while fumbling blindly for his knife—only to realize it had been knocked from his hand during impact. Mightyena’s weight threatened to crush his ribs, the thick fur smothering him, he couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see—

THUD.

The Mightyena’s snarls suddenly cut off in a shrill, shrieking yelp that pierced Wes’ eardrums, and the next thing he knew, the weight on his chest vanished. Instinct drove him to push himself upright, and yet his head was spinning, his lungs couldn’t pull in enough air…

“Ma! Ma-ku!” Through Wes’ blurred vision, he saw Maku hovering beside him, reaching out to shake him with his little fists.

Wes blinked. The eerie emptiness in the Makuhita’s face was gone, replaced with an expression of…was that worry? Fear? And—he blinked again. Were his fists glowing?

“Ma!” Maku whined again.

“I—I’m fine, I’m okay.” Wes sat upright. “Did-did you just use a move? A real one?”

Maku’s face changed from worried to proud as he beamed in response. “Ku!”

Well. That was unexpected, but he wasn’t about to question it. He caught a glimpse of Novo tussling with the Furret across the room, and Kohna was now keeping the Mightyena busy with Nani at her side…except…something was wrong.

Nani’s entire body went rigid as she quivered from head to tail. A low, guttering growl emanated from her throat and she slowly turned her head to Kohna, a savage gleam in her eyes—

“Oh, hell—” Wes scrambled to his feet and fumbled for her ball, but he was too slow. In half a second, Nani snapped from frozen to frenzied and lunged at Kohna, who was now interlocked with Mightyena in a flurry of snarls and snapping jaws. Nani was nothing more than a blue blur as she rammed Mightyena with her head, then spun and blasted Kohna point-blank with a Water Gun, the force of it knocking the Quilava off her paws.

Kohna landed heavily on her side and lay stunned as Nani swooped in with jaws parted wide. Spitting a stream of steady curses under his breath, Wes managed to recall the crazed Croconaw just before her fangs locked shut around Kohna’s head, then promptly slid the lock shut.

Gods-dammit. As if the current situation wasn’t bad enough without unstable Pokémon…

Kohna was looking worse for wear after such a hit. She stirred feebly, struggling to rise back to her feet, but it was clear she was no longer in fighting shape. Wes recalled her, too, then frantically palmed the other Pokéballs at his belt as he searched for the exit. If he could just get there, and recall the rest of his team along the way—

“STOP OR SHE DIES!”

Trudly’s screech rang over the din, and suddenly the chaos came to a lull as Wes, along with everyone else, turned to where Trudly stood between two vending machines at the far wall. In one arm, he held Rui, tightly ensnaring her around the shoulders and pinning her to his chest. With the other, he raised a knife—Wes’s knife, he realized with a sickening jolt—to her throat.

“I’m about to make myself REAL damn clear!” Trudly bellowed again. “If you don’t want to see this pretty little thing bleed out in the dirt, you’ll do exactly as I say!”

Wes was frozen to the slot, staring at Rui, who was struggling in vain to break free. Trudly growled and made a harsh, jerking movement that made her gasp in pain. He turned back to them with his face twisted in fury.

“Return all your Pokémon. Now.”

“Like hell I will!” Cail shouted from somewhere several steps behind Wes. “I’m not doing a thing until—”

“Cail.” Wes struggled to keep his voice steady, not daring to remove his gaze from Rui even as his hand slowly trailed to his belt. “Just do it.”

“No! Not until these pricks tell me what they did with—”

Rui thrashed again, snarling something at Trudly, and the man shifted his knife-hand to shove her head back before pressing the blade to her skin.

“I SAID DO IT!” Wes snapped his head around to give Cail a seething, withering glare, his hands balled into fists.

Folly cackled from Wes’s other side. “Oooh, this is good!”

Cail stared hard at Wes, his jaw clenched. Then, with a bitter snort, recalled his two Pokémon. Wes followed suit, ignoring Neo’s squawks of dismay and Maku’s nervous fidgeting, but paused to make brief eye contact with Novo. The Umbreon was battered and bruised from the brawl, but his eyes were still bright with a hunger for more. Good. Wes gave him a tiny, barely perceptible nod, and returned him with a click.

He turned back to face Trudly. “We did what you asked. Now let her go.”

Trudly barked out a laugh, and Folly and the Mightyena trainer joined in. “Do you think I’m stupid, you little street rat?”

Yeah, actually, I do. But the glint of the knife convinced Wes to hold his tongue. Stall. They needed to stall, and then he could figure out a distraction of some sort, and…and then…

“What do you want?” he snapped. It was a fair enough question, and one that he hoped would buy him some time to think.

It was Folly who answered, somewhere in Wes’s blind spot to his right, several paces back. But as he spoke, some shuffling footsteps indicated he was strolling closer.

“Wellll, it’s not so much about what we want,” he said in a gloating drawl. “But our boss sure wants you outta the way. And after gettin’ acquainted with you back in Phenac, I can’t say I blame him.” He entered Wes’s field of vision, still a pace or two away, and leaned in with a sneer. “You’re a damn pebble in our shoe, you know that?”

A quiet laugh sounded somewhere to Wes’s left, slightly behind him—not far from where Cail was still standing, from the sounds of it. “Can’t believe one guy gave y’all so much trouble.”

Folly shot him a glare. “Shut your trap. You saw the mon this bastard has on him. He got himself not just one, but three Shadow Pokémon. Hell, maybe more.” He turned his gaze back to Wes, curling his lip. “But you’re gonna tell us exactly where you’re hiding them, aren’t you?”

Wes’s mind was hung up on one part of Folly’s statement. “Shadow Pokémon?”

Folly’s eyebrows shot upward, and the other trainer laughed. Trudly snickered and growled, “Hah, figures. You don’t even know what they are, you just knew a good deal when you saw it.” He glanced at Rui with a dark glint in his eye. “Or should I say when you saw it, eh, girlie?”

Rui met his gaze unflinchingly, her eyes burning with fury. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she spat through clenched teeth.

“Oh, sure you do! That’s why we had to nab you in the first place, isn’t it? Running your mouth off in the Battle Square downtown about that Makuhita, asking questions you shouldn’t even know to ask. A shame nobody ever taught you when to keep your mouth shut.”

So, the strange Pokémon had a name. Wes hastily shoved that information aside for later. Right now, he had to focus on ensuring that there would even be a “later.” He mentally took stock of where everyone’s position was; there was no sign of either Folly’s Pokémon, the Ariados, or the Spinarak, but he caught a glimpse of Trudly’s battered Duskull hovering over the man’s shoulder, and the sound of heavy panting alerted him to the Mightyena that must be at its trainer’s feet. All of them, save for Cail, were a good five feet away from him at least.

They’re keeping their distance, he realized. But why? Perhaps they were wary of him making a sudden move to call out a Pokémon, or that he had another weapon stashed somewhere on him…but that didn’t make much sense. Wes scarcely dared to breathe, let alone move, with that knife at Rui’s throat. In fact, it was odd nobody had come up to restrain him at all. What was the point of the knife, then, unless—?

Unless it’s a bluff.

Several things clicked in his mind all at once. Trudly had mentioned their boss…Phenac…that absurd guy with the atrocious hair. And hadn’t he said something before leaving the Mayor’s office that day? Something about taking Rui alive?

“Speaking of which,” Trudly growled, “I believe that Makuhita you have there belongs to me. Hand it over with the rest of your Pokémon, and maybe I’ll think about letting Girlie here off the hook.”

Wes locked eyes with Rui, surprised to find she was steadily looking at him. Her gaze was brimming with fear, but there was something else, there, too, a glint of understanding…had she realized the same thing he did?

“Oy, you think Boss will let us keep one?” Folly asked with a wicked grin. “I mean, that Espeon packs a punch.”

Wes slowly, carefully reached for his belt, not breaking eye contact with Rui. With a tiny jerk of his head, he glanced at the broken vending machine behind her. A spark of recognition lit her face, and she responded with a blink.

“Like hell he’d let you take one as good as that,” Trudly huffed. “You can barely handle your little pink pom-poms.”

“Hah? Like your mon are any better?!”

Wes mouthed the word to Rui: now.

Rui slammed her head back into Trudly’s chin and stomped on his foot. The man lurched with a yell, and she broke free of his grip. She reached through the broken glass of the vending machine behind her, seized a stray bottle, then swung it around to bash it against Trudly’s head with a resounding crack.

“NOVO!” Wes shouted to the Umbreon before he even materialized from the Pokéball. Novo sprang from the light immediately into a defensive crouch, then whirled and lunged for the Mightyena that was already hot on Wes’s heels.

Rui stood over Trudly’s slumped form with the now-shattered bottle in her hand, her face white. Wes sprinted over and grabbed her by the arm. “Come on, let’s go!”

She stared at Trudly and didn’t budge. “D-d-do you think he’s okay?”

Gods, why do you care? “Doesn’t matter. Let’s go!”

Rui met his eyes and gave a shaky nod, but before either of them could take another step, an eerie shriek split the air and made them flinch.

“Skuulllll!” Trudly’s Duskull dove from above, ghostly energy swirling around it as its red eye glared with righteous fury. Wes swore vehemently and went to duck—

A pair of hands clamped around his shoulders and hauled him backwards, breaking Rui from his grip. “I don’t think so!” hissed the Mightyena trainer.

Wes caught sight of Rui narrowly avoiding the Duskull’s attack while attempting to ward it off with her new weapon. The ghost merely cackled maliciously and phased through her swing.

Wes snarled over his shoulder at his captor. He’d had enough of this.

He allowed himself to fall slack for just a moment, catching the other trainer off guard and throwing him off balance. The man muttered in surprise. “The hell?”

Wes seized his opportunity and shot upright, jerking his head back to slam into his captor’s face. He felt a sickening crunch from what had to be the bastard’s nose, and the roar of pain that followed confirmed it. He wrenched himself free and seized Neo’s Pokéball.

Rui was somehow managing to hold her own against the little ghost; she seemed to be trying to placate it by talking to it while brandishing the broken bottle as if it were a deadly sword. In any other situation, Wes might have found it amusing, but instead, he summoned Neo and barked an order. “Take care of that Duskull!”

It wasn’t an ideal matchup, especially with Neo’s poisoning, but he had little other choice. Nani and Kohna were out of commission, Novo was busy, and Maku wouldn’t be able to be of much help against a ghost. But all they needed to do was incapacitate the Duskull, and then—

“You little shit!”

A fist slammed into Wes’s side, knocking the breath from his lungs. Dammit! He’d thought he would have more time, but the trainer had regained his composure quickly. Wes staggered and whirled to face his opponent—only to be hit again from behind.

“Not so cocky now, are you?” Folly snarled in his ear. Wes rammed an elbow into his ribs, drawing out a grunt, and the man shoved him harshly forward.

Use your momentum against your enemies. Alden’s voice resounded in Wes’s mind, clear and steady despite the surrounding chaos. If they throw you off, lean into it. Use it.

Wes stumbled, then gathered his feet under him just in time to duck under the Mightyena trainer’s swinging fist. He’d swung wide, his face a bloody mess—clearly the pain was affecting him. Wes shot upward and clocked him in the jaw, sending him reeling, then turned to block another punch from Folly. He kicked the man in the shin, then seized him by the collar and hurled him to the dusty floor, where he lay wheezing.

Wes whipped around again, ready to face whoever or whatever came at him—until a warning yowl from Neo made him turn his head. The Espeon was bounding toward him, eyes wide, but Wes couldn’t see anything—

Suddenly his legs were swept out from under him. Wes yelled and flailed before hitting the ground hard, and Duskull materialized out of thin air above him, shrieking with glee. A Shadow Ball from Neo immediately collided with the ghost and subsequently launched it out of Wes’s sight, and Neo sprang after it with an angry yowl.

Up. Up. Get up! Wes rolled onto his side and pushed himself up to his elbows, scrambling to get back into his feet, but he was too slow. He lifted his head just in time to see a boot swinging straight at him—

CRACK.

Blinding, white-hot pain burst through his skull and smattered his vision with stars. The world spun as he was sent rolling from the impact, his ears ringing so loudly he could hear nothing but his own thoughts.

No. No! Get up! Come on!

But his body didn’t seem to want to obey him. His vision swam, his head spun, and he struggled just to get to his hands and knees. He blinked, staring down at where his hands were pressed into the ground, and vaguely registered something red dripping onto the dirt between them.

Somebody was laughing. “Hit him again!” But the voices sounded far away, as if he was deep underwater. He tried to raise his head, but the ringing pain only intensified. In the corner of his eye, he saw it again: a raised boot coming straight for his head…

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!”

Suddenly someone was standing over him. Wes heard a man yell, followed by a solid, resounding THUD. He blinked, then slowly forced his head up.

Rui hovered over him, feet planted in a defensive stance, arms extended as though she had just shoved someone with all her might. Several feet away lay the Mightyena trainer in a heap, groaning and groggily stirring, looking as if he’d been thrown.

Rui glanced down at Wes over her shoulder. “Are you alright?”

She looked distraught and worried, but what really caught his attention were her eyes. Wes blinked again, trying to clear his fuzzy vision. Was he seeing things, or were her eyes glowing…?

“WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?”

A new voice bellowed across the warehouse—but not just any voice. Even with his thoughts disjointed and foggy, Wes knew that gravelly roar.

Duking.

He let out a shaky breath of relief and slumped to the floor. Rui dropped to his side with a cry.

“No, no, no—Wes! Wes, can you hear me? You need to stay awake, stay with me, okay?” She rested her hands on his shoulders and started to roll him onto his side.

Wes batted her away and managed to groan a reply. “M’fine.”

“Hands up where I can see them!” That was Sherles now. How in the world they’d managed to find them here was beyond Wes, but at the moment he was too relieved to care.

He felt Rui fumbling with something at his waist and managed to raise his head with a growl. “Hey—”

“Hey, there you are.” She managed a feeble grin. “Here. Neo and Novo are back in their balls. They’re all accounted for.” She finished clipping them back into his belt, and only then did Wes realize he was on his back. When did that happen…?

“Hands up!”

Rui jumped and looked up at something Wes couldn’t see from where he lay. He attempted to move his head, but Rui stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I said, hands up!”

“J-Johnson, it’s me. It’s us—”

“Put your hands in the air now!”

Johnson…? Wes hadn’t recognized his voice. He’d never heard him sound so forceful, so serious. Was this really the same dopey-faced officer? The one that looked like a stupidly grinning Growlithe? That guy?

Rui paled and held up her hands, and Johnson finally entered Wes’s sight as he swooped in and pulled her arms behind her back.

“Sorry, Miss Rui,” he said hastily under his breath. “I don’t mean any offense, but we have to arrest you both just for appearances. Frego will take you back to Duking’s.”

Rui swallowed and nodded. Johnson met Wes’s eyes and gave him a tiny grin. “You look awful.”

Wes weakly draped an arm across his face. “Thanks, Johnson.”

“You’re welcome.”

To Johnson’s credit, he didn’t cuff Wes due to his injuries, and instead helped ease him to his feet and guided them both to his Arcanine’s side. He glanced around, then hurriedly murmured, “Call Fateen once you’re there. She’ll be able to patch you both up. Duking will be there shortly, too.” He spared a glance at the man in question, who was busy towering over a cowering Folly and demanding answers.

Wes could only nod tiredly and lean into Frego’s side. All he wanted now was treatment for his Pokémon and some sleep.

Johnson patted Frego’s head, murmuring a command, and with a pop, the warehouse disappeared from view.

---

“How many fingers am I holding up?”

Wes cracked open an eyelid to see Rui holding up several fingers with trembling hands. He sighed. “Six.”

A flicker of relief eased some of the worry from Rui’s taut expression. She gave a curt nod and shifted in her chair. “G-good, um...next question, what’s your middle name?”

An abrupt sting at the side of his head made him wince; Fateen, who sat beside him on Duking’s living room couch, dabbed at the gash on the side of his head with some antiseptic as she stitched it shut. Her old fingers were surprisingly delicate as she worked her magic.

Wes blinked open both of his eyes to fix Rui with an annoyed stare. “I don’t have a middle name, Rui.”

She gave him a weary grin. “Good, it was a trick question.”

“Look, I know you think you’re helping, but these questions are ridiculous.”

“They are not!” Rui exclaimed. Even after being safe inside Duking’s home for nearly an hour, she was still pale and trembling all over. “You probably have a concussion, Wes, and we need to make sure you’re not going to get worse!”

He sighed again and held back another wince as Fateen gave a solid tug. “Fine. Next question.”

“Okay, um...what’s two plus two?”

“...Are you serious?”

“Just answer the question!”

He looked her dead in the eyes. “Seven.”

Rui’s face drained of what little color it had. “That’s—that’s not—”

“Rui, I’m joking.” Wes snorted and rolled his eyes—a big mistake. A bolt of stabbing pain immediately shot through his head, forcing him to close his eyes with a grimace. A groan escaped him through gritted teeth.

Fateen pulled away slightly; Wes managed to open his eyes a little to see her patting Rui’s hand. “Now, dearie, I know you mean well, but I’m going to have to ask you to sit back and stay quiet. You’re upsetting my patient.”

“She’s not upsetting m—”

“Stop talking!” Fateen barked at him.

“Shroo.” Fateen’s Shroomish companion grumbled from where she sat at Wes’s other side. He nearly jumped; the Pokémon had been so quiet and still, he kept forgetting she was even there.

A shadow fell over the room as Duking’s massive frame filled the doorway from the kitchen. He looked almost as tense as Rui did. “What’s the verdict, Tee?”

“Definitely a concussion, though it doesn’t seem severe,” she said briskly. “In the meantime, I don’t suppose you and Silva could patch up this girl’s hands? She’s got quite a few nasty cuts.”

She nodded to Rui as she spoke, and Wes glanced back at the redhead just in time to see her hastily attempt to hide her hands in her lap. “Oh, don’t worry about me, I’m fine!”

Duking frowned and reached out a hand. “Let me see.”

Rui hesitated, then timidly held out her palms, where Wes could see several cuts laced across them, smothered under a layer of dried blood. Until now, he’d assumed the blood had been his; Rui had given no indication of any pain or discomfort.

Duking furrowed his brow. “‘Fine’, my eye, kid,” he said with a grunt. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. Silva, fetch us some bandages, will you?”

“Yeah, they’re in the bathroom closet, right?” Silva’s voice sounded from the kitchen.

“Yes, should be in the back somewhere…” He steered Rui towards the kitchen. Rui spared Wes a glance over her shoulder, and he responded with a halfhearted wave. She smiled a little, and allowed Duking to usher her through the doorway.

“That should do it for your head injury, for now,” Fateen said as she drew back with a sigh. “Now, let me see to those gashes you’ve got on your side. From a Mightyena, were they?”

Wes tensed. “Don’t worry about that, I can treat them myself.”

“And why in Celebi’s name would I let you do that?” she huffed. “I’m already here with all my supplies, and an old Murkrow like myself doesn’t care for second trips, dearie.”

“Really, it’s fine, I know how to treat stuff like this. You don’t have to go through the trouble.” Wes scooted away from her. It was one thing to let her treat his head injury—he’d been so dizzy he wasn’t in any shape to protest it to begin with—but he had to draw the line somewhere. He’d spent nearly his whole life treating his injuries himself, and he wasn’t eager to stop now, least of all for an old woman he barely knew. “They’re not that deep, anyway—”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

Wes sat up and moved to push himself up off the couch. “I said it’s fine—”

“Dearie.” Fateen held his wrist in a vice-like grip with one hand and patted his arm with the other. Her glare held a steely glint that made Wes freeze where he sat. “If you keep fighting me at every turn, I assure you I will not hesitate to ask Miss Amanita here to knock you out with Sleep Powder so that I can get my work done.”

Wes slowly turned his head to look at the Shroomish that sat quietly beside him on the couch, and—gods. He never thought he would find a perpetually scowling mushroom intimidating, but he supposed there was a first time for everything.

“Do we have an understanding?” Fateen asked sweetly.

Wes huffed and slouched back in defeat. “Fine.”

Fateen grinned and patted his cheek. “That’s a good lad.”

“Shroo!”

He sat in tense silence while she worked on the gashes in his side, trying not to flinch at her touch. A head injury was one thing, but letting her lift his shirt to work at the injuries underneath felt…even more vulnerable, somehow. At the very least, she mercifully didn’t comment on his array of scars.

Thankfully, the injuries to his side weren’t deep enough to warrant stitches, though he still had to suppress a wince when Fateen applied antiseptic to the wounds. After several minutes of quiet, she suddenly spoke again.

“Quite an independent one, aren’t you, dear?”

Wes had no idea how to respond to that. His first thought was a biting retort—Whatever gave you that idea?—but he stopped himself. She was gracious enough to treat his injuries, after all; the least he could do was dial back the snark.

Not a threat, he told himself as he scanned her wizened features. At least…I don’t think she is.

Fateen didn’t seem to mind Wes’s lack of a reply. She carried on. “Independence is an admirable quality. A necessity, even, in these parts.” She paused in her work to gaze at him with her beady eyes. “But take care not to let that independent streak push away would-be friends and allies. You and that girl would be dead were it not for that young officer fellow keeping an eye out—Johnson, was it?”

Wes frowned. “What?”

He had been wondering how Sherles and company had found them so quickly…he shook his head with a bitter snort. “Right. Figures. Of course they’ve been tailing me. Even with dirt on me, they don’t trust me to do my damn job.”

“Perhaps,” Fateen hummed, unruffled by Wes’s hostility. “But have you considered that it’s also to keep you safe?”

Wes rolled his eyes. “Sure, maybe that’s it. Can’t let their useful thief-for-hire get put out of commission.”

Fateen hummed again as she applied a bandage. “I will not tell you what to believe, dearie. But I advise that you do not set your mind so rigidly on one conclusion. People are not as black-and-white as you may think.” She looked him in the eyes again, and there was something penetrating in her stare that made Wes shiver. “And that includes you.”

The hell is that supposed to mean? Wes wanted to ask, but before he had the chance, Duking’s enormous silhouette filled the doorway to the kitchen once more, ushering Rui and Silva back into the room.

“Well, it’s probably not as good as what Tee could manage, but we got you properly patched up,” he said kindly to Rui. “Tee, you got any ointments for her?”

“Certainly.” Fateen pulled away and wiped her hands clean on a damp cloth. She patted Wes’s hand again. “There you are, dearie. Be sure to get plenty of rest. However… ”

She started rummaging through her kit beside her and suddenly addressed Duking. “His head injury concerns me. You’ll want to keep a close eye on him tonight, and don’t let him sleep too deeply. Have someone wake him every few hours, and it’s best that he sleeps out here with someone close by.”

“Wh-?” Wes sat up straighter, glancing between her and Duking. “That’s not—I’m fine, really, I’m a light sleeper anyways—”

“Thank you, Tee,” Duking sighed. “We’ll be sure to do that.” He accepted the ointment from Fateen’s outstretched hand, helped her gather her things (and her Shroomish companion), then ushered her out the door.

Annoyance flared up in Wes’s chest at being ignored. “Look, I really don’t need special treatment, I’ll be fine.” Frankly, the thought of someone watching him sleep was mildly horrifying. He wouldn’t sleep a wink like that, and he was tired, dammit—

“Fateen knows what she’s about, kid.” Duking gave him a stern stare, but his tone was lacking the usual bite it had when addressing him, and Wes noticed shadows under his eyes. “I don’t take her advice lightly, and neither should you.”

I told you not to call me “kid.” Wes nearly said as much, but barely managed to hold his tongue when Rui’s voice reminded him she was still in the room.

“If it’s no trouble, I’d be happy to keep him company, Duking.” She gave him a beaming smile that felt oddly out of place. “I mean…I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep much tonight, anyway!” She laughed that thin, forced laugh Wes had grown to recognize.

“You should try to rest though, don’t you think?” Silva said delicately. “I mean, you’ve both had…quite the night.”

“Exactly!” Rui flashed him a grin. “You two have had several long nights in a row at the Colosseum, but I’m wide awake after all that adrenaline. Really, I could use the distraction!”

Duking stroked his mustache with a weary sigh. “Well…only if you’re certain, hon. I’m going to insist you both stay out here in the living room for the night, at least. Easier to hear you yell for me from here than from all the way in the back rooms.”

“Mine, too,” Silva said. “It’s the second on the left. Careful not to knock on the first one, though, because that’s Marci’s room, and she’ll never let you hear the end of it if you wake her up.”

Wes made a mental note to avoid the first door on the left at all costs.

Silva then stretched with a yawn. “Well, Rui, if you’re sure, then I’m off to bed. Johnson and Sherles will brief us in the morning on what they find out—sounds like they’ll be up all night asking questions.”

“Of course I’m sure,” Rui said. She gave him a wave as he trudged up the stairs. “Sleep well!” Silva replied something incoherent through another yawn.

Duking remained behind for a moment, looking as though he had something to say. He fidgeted awkwardly, opening his mouth and closing it a few times, then finally nodded stiffly to Wes with a grunt. “Glad you’re both safe. I’ll be in my room if you need anything.” And with that, he followed Silva upstairs.

Rui’s mouth twitched into another smile. “I think he’s warming up to you.”

Wes threw her an exasperated look. “Did you hit your head, too?”

“Oh, come on, Lycas. Would he go through all this trouble for you if he hated you?”

He would if he could get use out of me, Wes thought sourly. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time he’d been used for someone else’s agenda. Hadn’t he been Gonzap’s most prized possession, as long as he did as he was told and kept his mouth shut and functioned like a perfect, well-oiled machine?

Fateen’s words prickled at the back of his mind. People aren’t as black-and-white as you may think. But Wes knew contempt when he saw it, and it was ever-present in that man’s eyes, especially whenever Wes was within ten feet of either of his children. On one hand, Wes had to admit he couldn’t completely blame him. And on the other—well. The feeling was mutual. Duking couldn’t possibly begin to know what Wes’s life had been like, having a roof over his head and food to eat and fancy secret caves with waterfalls inside his own damn house. While Duking had had the esteemed privilege to eat at a dining table surrounded by friends and family, Wes had been lucky if he managed to scrape up enough food to go around between him, Neo, and Novo.

Not that it mattered, anyway. Soon they would get to the bottom of this gods-forsaken investigation, and soon Wes would be free of everything that shackled him here. Just as Duking had no interest in Wes’s way of life, Wes had no interest in his.

Is that completely true? The thought pushed its way into his head, annoyingly taking the form of Fateen’s voice, and he irritably swept it away with all her other nonsense.

A dull throb in his skull pulled him back to the present. He glanced at Rui, who was situating her own pillows and blankets on the large armchair across from him, and frowned.

“You’re going to sleep in that chair?”

Rui shrugged, fluffing and re-fluffing the pillows. “Why not?”

He watched her as she arranged the pillows, then rearranged them, stepped back, huffed, and rearranged them again. “That won’t be comfortable,” he said.

“Oh, I’m fine!” Rui said brightly. Then she grabbed one of the pillows and discarded it, and set about restructuring her setup for the fourth time.

“Suit yourself, then.” With a resigned huff, Wes stood up and made for the basket in the corner that held a supply of blankets and pillows— apparently provided by Duking for Marci and Megg, as they made forts in the living room so often he finally decided to simply keep a supply of “construction materials”on hand in said large basket.

“What are you doing?” Rui said, suddenly noticing he was up and moving. “Go lie down, I can get those for you!”

“For gods’ sakes, I’m just grabbing a blanket, not lifting weights.” Wes snatched the first one off the pile. “Stop fussing over me, I’m fine.”

He went back to the couch and cleared his belongings off of it, including his coat and belt—thankfully, all his Pokémon had already been treated and were now resting safely in their Pokéballs—before he noticed Rui had not responded with a quip of her own. He glanced over his shoulder.

She was staring at the ground with a haunted look in her eyes as she fiddled with her bandages, lips pressed tight, her face still as pale as it was an hour ago. Wes slowly turned to face her.

“Rui?” He said slowly. “You all right?”

She looked up at him, and with a jolt, Wes noticed tears brimming in her eyes. Before he knew how to respond, she suddenly crossed the gap between them and threw her arms around him.

He froze. “I, uh. Rui?”

She didn’t reply right away, instead pressing further into him. Wes could feel her whole body quivering against his, felt her breaths coming out in hitching sobs.

“S-sorry,” she gasped, “it’s just that—gods, I—those men—I was so scared they would get me again, and that y-you and your P-Pokémon would get hurt, and—and—you did get hurt, and it’s my fault, it’s my—”

She broke off in another sob.

Wes scrambled for something to say, but his mind came up blank. Instead, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and returned her embrace. For a moment, they simply stood there, neither one making a sound save for Rui’s quiet sniffling.

“Your fault, my ass.” Wes finally found the words to speak. “Unless you’re telling me you set all that up yourself personally? Come on.”

Rui managed a weak, broken laugh at that. “Y-you know what I mean. They were after me.”

“And me, too, if you remember,” he said. “So I’m just as much to blame as you are.” He paused, then added more softly, “If anything, I should be thanking you for what you did back there. You saved my life. Or at least saved me from another kick in the head.”

He suddenly remembered the way she looked after shoving his attacker away—specifically, he remembered her eyes, and that unnatural glow about them. Wes briefly wondered if he ought to tell her about that, but…no, she didn’t need anything else on her mind. Besides, it had almost definitely been some kind of concussed hallucination of his.

Rui wiped her eyes and pulled away from him, her face red. “S-sorry,” she said again, and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Ugh, I’m a mess—I’m sorry you had to see me like this—”

“It’s fine, Rui,” he said quietly. “Really.” And for once, Wes realized that he meant it.

She looked back up at him with that bright, trademark smile of hers, as if nothing had happened. “Thank you for that. I’m alright, just needed to let it out a bit.”

Wes scanned her face. While her smile did look less strained than it did before, he couldn’t help but wonder at the practiced ease in which she plastered it back on so quickly. Something in him wondered just how much experience she had doing exactly that.

“Yeah,” he said after a short pause. “It’s no problem. You sure you’re alright?”

“Of course I am! Don’t worry about me.” She turned away and headed for her chair. “You should get some sleep. I’ll wake you in a couple hours.”

He watched her shift the pillows around one last time before settling into the chair, then followed suit by settling onto the couch. Despite all his various aches and pains, it felt as though his body had picked up on the fact that he was about to rest and was now practically begging the couch cushions to swallow him up. He settled onto his pillow with a soft sigh.

“…Goodnight, Rui.” He found himself wanting to say more, though he wasn’t sure what. His brain immediately fogged with exhaustion and he gave up trying to come up with anything else.

She gave him one last smile before he dropped off to sleep. “Goodnight, Wes.”