Winter in Sinnoh was, as Sarah had experienced many times before, a huge, frigid bitch. Everything was cold and dry and sharp, even people. Having the thermostat up all day racked up more than a little money that should have gone to other causes and the oppressive and stuffy atmosphere the hot office created meant that everyone walked around as though they'd only just woken up. She practically had to deal with a zombified group of people for the first two hours of her shift.

Letting a heavy stack of papers fall on her desk, she took a moment to breathe in the cold air coming from the open window in her office, her muscles aching like they'd been wrung out. Looking outside, she was met with nothing but a nebulous wall of grey. Mist accumulated around the building, making it impossible to see the streets below. It looked as though they were floating high above the clouds, even though the streets of Jubilife were only three floors down.

There was a sharp sound as Sarah closed her lighter, the tip of her cigarette burning meekly, a thin line of smoke rising up toward the ceiling, much the same color as the mist outside. Sarah took a long drag and felt her shoulders relax, a guilty feeling of bliss flooding her body. One minute. Just once cigarette and then she'd go back to processing all those complaints and grievances from the Ranger department.

Fucking Rangers, she thought, spitting out a mouthful of smoke. Costs this, costs that, even when they agree to help us they spend half their time complaining that we're not paying for shit their own department should take care of. Oh, what's that? They're not paying you nearly enough for this whole Team Galactic hunting business? Yeah, welcome to the club, you whiny tossers.

Not to mention the news that Rowan had gone missing, of course. As if her anxiety weren't bad enough. The most renowned Pokemon professor in all of Sinnoh, possibly captured by Team Galactic. If the Association looked bad before...

Sarah sighed, resting her back against the colorless wall. This was partly Lucian's fault, to be fair. The man knew his way around politics and Pokemon battling both, but the moment he was in charge of something like this the whole process became a bureaucratic nightmare and any new action taken needed to be notified to at least three people and signed by five more. Not the greatest atmosphere to hunt Team Galactic. It made it difficult to try and figure out how to stop the terrorists when they had much more freedom to act than the Association did.

Regrettably, she couldn't help but think back to Cynthia. As much as she disliked the woman, that was the one thing she had going for her; she didn't give a damn about laws, rules or bureaucracy and if there was a job to be done then it would get done, by any means necessary. Not the best politics to have during times of peace, but perfect for situations such as this, or back during the war.

Feeling a cold pang in her chest, Sarah thought of Palmer, and then of Barry. A tight anxiety had been coiling around her ever since her husband had accepted that job, like a pestering cloud of smoke, slowly suffocating her. But… no, of course she was being ridiculous. Palmer was with Cynthia; he'd be fine. And Barry and Inyssa were heading for Snowpoint right now, the safest and most recondite city in all of Sinnoh. They'd be safe for the time being.

So deep Sarah was in her own thoughts and worries that the moment she heard steps inside her office she jumped slightly, the cigarette almost slipping from her fingers.

"Hey. Sorry to intrude."

The woman was short and pudgy, with a heart-shaped face and long, tied-back black hair. She looked familiar, Sarah thought. Maybe from the International Relationships department? No… Scientific Branch, that was it. She'd seen her around before, and she'd even worked alongside her once or twice in the past. She was… eighty-percent sure that her name was Stella or something along those lines.

"Oh… Hi." Standing up straight, Sarah walked to her desk and extinguished her cigarette. "How's it going?"

"It's going alright," she replied, forming a tired smile which said a lot more than could be expressed with words. "Took a look at your department while I walked over here. Everyone running around like they're late for something. Then again, mine's no different." She sighed, and as her shoulders moved down Sarah noticed the file she carried, hugging it to her chest. "Team Galactic, am I right?"

"Yeah," said Sarah, tone bitter. "Team Galactic."

"I don't think the Association's been this hectic ever since the war. I really hope they're paying you extra for all this work; you look sincerely dreadful, dear."

"They're not. But it's fine, I don't expect them to." Sarah crossed her arms, frowning. "Anyway, what do I owe the pleasure to?"

Stella un-hugged the file, holding it in front of her as she spoke. "Right. It's probably nothing, but I just thought I'd check. You report directly to Lucian, don't you?"

"You could say that. Why?"

"Well… there's something he might want to take a look at." Stella looked down as she opened the file. "You remember the Solaceon Geographical Institute?"

"Vaguely," replied Sarah. "Small team. They belong to your department, if I'm remembering correctly. What about them?"

"Like I said, it's probably nothing. Still…" The woman frowned ever so slightly, eyes still glued to the sheet of paper inside the file. "They've been rather quiet lately, all things considered. Their monthly reports consisted mostly of a few geographical sheets and a comment by the head scientist that no strange developments have been observed. I honestly wouldn't have given it a thought if it weren't for…" She looked up at Sarah and gestured with her head for her to approach. "Here. Just out of curiosity, I dug a little deeper and took a look at some of the documents stored in their laboratory."

Sarah walked over to the woman, staring over her shoulder at the file. Most of the page was filled with graphs and numbers, none of which she had any idea what they meant.

"You're gonna have to interpret this for me."

"This is last month's seismic activity," explained Stella, pointing at the uppermost graph. "According to this there's been some sudden, powerful tremors in the areas both inside and around Mt. Coronet. Not nearly enough to be considered an earthquake, but still…"

Sarah looked closer, her eyebrows meeting above her nose. "And… they didn't inform you about any of this?"

"That's right. Then again, with everything that's going on…" She let out a sigh. "It may very well have slipped off their minds. This is probably just some anomaly. Or maybe a fight between two groups of Hippowdown. Wouldn't be the first time the Rangers fail at keeping them in check."

"Could be," admitted Sarah. "But like you said… it's strange that they didn't mention this in their report."

"Yeah. Still, I doubt it's anything to worry about. I mean, Mt. Coronet is being monitored by your people, right?"

Sarah nodded. "Orders from the Champion herself. No one enters or leaves Mt. Coronet without being verified first."

Which she still hasn't explained her reasons for, Sarah thought bitterly.

"Well… there you have it." Closing the file, Stella took a step back and shrugged. "Just thought I'd inform you, in case it ends up being something important. You think Lucian would want to know about this?"

A few seconds passed in silence. Sarah stood still, staring at the file, slowly nibbling on her finger. Stella was right; it was probably nothing. But just in case…

"Contact the institute," she finally said, looking up at the woman. "Ask them to explain this in-congruence. If they fail to give a good explanation or they refuse to answer outright… Then contact me again, and we'll take this matter to Lucian."

Stella gave her a curt nod. "Got it. I'll keep you updated if anything comes up." A tiny smile formed on her lips. "Honestly, it's nice to talk to someone so sure of themselves once in a while. Ever considered moving to another department?"

Sarah mirrored back her smile. "Sorry, but you're not getting me in yours. I've still got a job to do here."

"I see… A pity. Oh well." Stella shrugged, then turned around and headed for the door. "Take care!"

She whispered something and raised her hand slightly in what could have been interpreted as a goodbye, watching the woman disappear from her office. She stood still for a few more seconds, thinking. That graph… Those strange tremors surrounding Mt. Coronet…

No… Not now. Sarah shook her head, turning back to her desk. If anything comes of that then she'll let me know. I gotta focus on processing these papers now…

However, just when she was about to sit down again, a loud, persistent ringing filled the room, making her wince. She glared at the phone next to her computer as though it was responsible for everything horrible in the world, and then sighed heavily. Now what? Who wanted a piece of her this time?

Grabbing the receiver with a bit more force than necessary, she lifted it up and placed it close to her ear.

"Hello?" she asked, voice thin from exhaustion. "Yes, this is Sarah Paladino, who's asking? The… Veilstone Pokemon Center?"

Sarah tilted her head to the side, a confused look on her face. What on…?

"Yeah? Oh, you mean when my son's Staravia? Yeah she..." There was few seconds of silence, and then her eyes shot wide open. "She did what!?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

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Lucas stood up and placed his hands on his hips in what he liked to call a 'job well done' kind of pose.

"Alright Archie, you can put the last stone back now!"

Dust and small pieces of rock were unearthed from the cave's soil as his partner moved forward, his massively heavy frame causing small tremors with each step he took. Thick vines erupted from the fully grown tree resting atop his shell, coiling around the big stone at the far end of the room. With little effort the Torterra lifted it up and placed it atop the clump of similarly shaped rocks, effectively sealing the tunnel which they had just come out of.

Lucas smiled at the sight, and after letting out a sigh of relief he wrung his hands together, cleaning them off the dust and grime that had accumulated in them during their previous altercation. His clothes, now ragged, torn and similarly dirty, would unfortunately have to wait until he left the cave and flew back to Canalave. Still, he couldn't complain. Looking over his shoulder, Lucas saw Saturn standing a few feet back, arms crossed and an impressed look on his face. The man looked even more handsome than usual, covered in dust.

"That was… that was a close one." Saturn eyed up the pile of rocks with a hopeful look. "Think she'll stop chasing us now?"

"It… should be enough, I think," said Lucas, frowning. "Steelix don't tend to over pursue their prey. Seeing as they're… you know, that massive and slow."

"Yeah… Though I'll admit, I got kinda worried there at the end. She looked quite ready to have us as an afternoon snack." He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling nervously. "Who'd have thought that those earthquakes were being caused by a Steelix stuck in the tunnel she herself had made?"

"At least she's free now," said Lucas, and then immediately turned to Archimedes. "And I couldn't have done it without you. Come here, you big goof."

Despite the low grumbles coming from the Torterra –which were low and deep enough to shake the air around him– he didn't protest or move away as Lucas placed his hand on his forehead and caressed his rough scales in what could have been considered a form of petting. The beast reciprocated by nuzzling the side of his head –already as big as his trainer's torso– against Lucas' chest, almost toppling him down to the ground.

"I'll make sure to wash you later, alright? We'll go to the beach and I'll ask Sierpinski to hit you with Water Gun over and over so we can rinse all that dirt off." Lucas' voice was full of affection as he continued to pet his starter. "Now try to get some rest. You've earned as many tomatoes as you can eat later."

Flicking his wrist, Lucas produced one of his silver Pokeballs and returned the Torterra to it, leaving both trainers alone in the dark and enormous underground cave. Their only source of light was the odd creature floating behind Saturn, its bell-like metallic body shining with a powerful gleam as though electricity had been passed through it. As many other reasons as Lucas had for being glad that Saturn was here, his Pokemon knowing the move Flash was definitely the most practical one.

"Ready to head out?" asked Saturn, pointing behind him with a big grin on his face. "Not that I'd want to imply that our time here has been anything but entertaining, but you know…"

"Er, yeah…" Lucas looked down, feeling his cheeks redden. "We've been down here for a while, huh? I'm sure the professor must be worried."

"He'll be proud is what he'll be!" declared Saturn, tone full of confidence. "Though only if we make it back to the surface, seeing as we can't get any reception here."

"You're right… Just, gimme a minute." Lucas closed his eyes as he placed his hands on his hips and leaned as far back as he could. Wrinkles formed on his forehead and there was a sound like a branch snapping in half. "My back's… kinda killing me. I think I spent too much time hunched over in that tunnel."

"Oh! Right, where are my manners." Hurrying over to him, Saturn placed a hand around his shoulders and helped him walk toward the nearest wall. "Here. Let's sit and drink some water, alright? We can head out in a few minutes once you've recovered your breath."

Neither of them said much for a couple of minutes, simply breathing in the cold air of the cave and trying to calm their nerves from the frenzy of their recent escape. Lucas could feel his eyelids getting heavy, and his muscles turn sore. And while the idea of falling asleep on Saturn's shoulder wasn't one that he particularly disliked, he figured that doing so while that odd and terrifying psychic Pokemon of his watched would be somewhat uncomfortable. Still…

"Er- do you mind if I…" Without much subtlety or smoothness, he let his head rest on the man's shoulder, letting out a sigh. "There."

…That didn't mean he couldn't rest that way for a couple minutes. Saturn didn't seem bothered by his boldness; sending a tender look his way, he huddled closer and gently placed his head against Lucas', letting out a tired sigh that mirrored his. He didn't know for how long they stayed that way. Didn't care, either. As far as he was concerned, hours could have passed with them simply leaning against each other, listening to each other's breathing, and he wouldn't have complained one bit.

After what felt like ten minutes or so, Saturn broke the silence.

"It's been nice…" His voice carried that soft, almost whisper-like tone of someone on the verge of falling asleep. "Just… this. Getting a break from work for a couple days… And with you, of course." As he said that last part he nuzzled the side of his head against Lucas'. "I couldn't have used my free days any better."

Lucas felt the temperature in the room rise a bit. "M-me too. Though this is technically work for me, it doesn't really feel like it."

"That's what tells you that you chose the right path for yourself," said Saturn. "Additionally, maybe now you'll get permission from Rowan to embark on more advanced personal projects. The whole independent scientist vibe… It really suits you, I think."

"Heh… You only say that so you can spend more time with me," Lucas whispered, twiddling with his thumbs. "Though you're in kind of the opposite situation as me. Are you sure your boss won't mind that you're taking so much time off?" Saturn's body turned tense as he said that, and Lucas felt panic start to bubble inside his chest. "N-not that I'm complaining! I'm just… you know, worried. Wouldn't want to get you into trouble."

"It's fine," he said curtly. "I actually haven't taken any days off since I've started… working there." He pronounced the last word with a slight delay. "So I've got more than a few stored up now. I doubt my boss would mind; he's the one that made those rules, after all."

Lucas nodded, though in the position he was in it was more like a nuzzle against Saturn's cheek. The man didn't move or say anything else. Huddled so close to him, Lucas could feel the rhythm of his breathing slowing slightly, as though he were actively trying to control it. He recognized the gesture instantly.

"Is…" He hesitated, stopping the question short. Should he push on this? What if Saturn didn't want to talk about it? Then again, he'd been plenty quick to change the subject every time the topic had come up before. Maybe this time… "Is… everything okay over at your job?"

Saturn turned to look at him; there was something strange in his expression, something Lucas couldn't quite identify. The muddy blue of his eyes shone like two fireflies drowning at the bottom of a pond, heavy and distant. When he replied, his voice didn't sound much like his.

"Yeah… Yeah, it's just…" He shuffled in place, forcing Lucas to raise his head and move away from him a few inches. "Just… same as always. Lots to do, lots of friends to take care of and…" He scratched the back of his neck absentmindedly, looking the other way. "And maybe some stuff I don't really know how to deal with. But it's fine. I'll figure it out."

Lucas nodded and then, slowly, tentatively, he reached over and placed a hand on Saturn's thigh. "Is it… bad? Like…"

"It's nothing serious," he assured him, still looking down. "The fault lies with me, rather. But I shouldn't give it any thought, really. I've got a job to do and people that are depending on me, I shouldn't…" He struggled for words, lips parting an closing a few times. "… I don't know."

"It's okay not to know," said Lucas.

"Not when there's so much at stake," argued Saturn, tone sour. "I can't be doubting myself at the zero hour; If I start wondering what if and think about backing down… wouldn't that make all my previous efforts completely useless? I've made it this far…" For a moment he seemed unaware that Lucas was at his side, listening. It felt as though he were talking to himself. "…They need me. That's all there is to it."

Lucas had unconsciously moved back slightly, lifting his hand from Saturn's thigh, and now stared at him with a clear look of worry on his face. As though through the pull of his gaze alone, he made the man turn to look at him once more. He looked lost.

"What is it?" he asked. "You can tell me."

Saturn blinked rapidly a few times, seemingly because of the dust in the air all around them, though that wouldn't have explained the mild redness in their edges.

"I… Someone told me some time ago that I'm following the wrong path, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about that since then." He craned his head down, sighing. "I don't know. How far is far enough when it comes to benefiting all of humanity? No, a lot of people would argue that we're not even doing that. But I mean… I've known these people for so long and they're all good and determined and hard-working and… We're not bad, we're not… the villains." He seemed surprised as he said that last word, and seemingly from nowhere he let out a sharp chuckle. "God, what am I even talking about? I sound like an idiot. He taught me better than this…"

Lucas said nothing all throughout, simply staring down and twiddling his thumbs, nodding every once in a while. However, when Saturn leaned back against the wall and sighed into his palms, making it clear that he had nothing more to say on the subject, he thought it prudent to say what was in his mind.

"Isn't that what all important people wonder?" he asked. "Where are you supposed to draw a line? Everyone has their own opinions about that but I don't think there's ever been a definitive answer. I could tell you what I consider to be 'far enough' when dealing with, like… your dreams and goals and all that stuff, but that wouldn't help you much, would it? You could ask everyone and you'd always get different answers."

Saturn lowered his hands from his face, turning to Lucas with a somewhat surly look on his face.

"That's… the problem, yeah." He shook his head. "There is no answer. So how am I supposed to…"

"But…" Lucas interrupted, turning toward Saturn with a hopeful smile. "The fact that you're wondering and beating yourself up so much about this is a good sign, I think. Bad people never stop to think if what they're doing is right, do they?"

Saturn's eyes went wide, and for a moment he seemed caught off guard. "I… I don't know."

"Well I think so," said Lucas, shrugging. "I'm sure everyone who's ever impacted the world in a meaningful way has had to deal with those thoughts. Those who made things worse probably dismissed them, putting their goals above everything else and justifying themselves that way."

"But… what if those people were on the right?"

"We just agreed that it's not as easy as that," countered Lucas. "It's like… you know in games when the villain is giving their big elaborated speech and you can't help but agree with some of their points but then they end it with 'And thus, humanity is impure and must be destroyed' and you're like… Okay you kinda lost me there, buddy."

Saturn raised an eyebrow, the edges of his lips shaking with laughter. "I… don't think I'm familiar with those kinds of games."

"Well that's how they tend to go. Anyway, my point is that those people like you who really stop to consider if what they're doing is right… they're probably the ones we remember more fondly, right?" Inch by inch, Lucas leaned slightly toward Saturn. "So I'd say you're in pretty good company."

Saturn let out a small laugh, mirroring his movements.

"You… always know what to say, don't you?" The shadow of a smile quirked up his lips. "It's incredible."

"I like to think before I say stuff," said Lucas. "Especially when I'm with someone I care about."

And, before Saturn had a chance to speak back, Lucas decided to follow Inyssa and Barry's example of throwing caution out the window, leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on the man's lips. It was quick, like the moment during which one held their breath, yet by the time they moved back it felt like a few minutes had passed. Saturn stared at him with a shocked expression, his pale cheeks a full crimson.

"Whatever it is, I know you'll make the right choice," he said, looking up at Saturn. "You're the type of person to do so, I'm sure."

For a second all of the worry in Saturn's posture and expression seemed to vanish and he mirrored back Lucas' smile, reaching to hold his hand as well. However, after a few seconds, something seemed to dawn on him. His face went blank. Slowly, heavily, he turned to look at the floor instead, his shoulders dropping.

"Yeah… I…" His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, something like determination flashing through them. "…Yeah."