Virah tapped on her chin as she spectated a battle going on between two trainers, both were roughly her age, and both didn't feel or look like competent battlers.

Sure, they had the energy for it, but they didn't use it for anything other than calling out the moves of their Pokemon, and even then, Virah thought the chosen moves were completely useless, both in terms of the battle's context as well as the usage.

Why use Poison Sting against a Venonat point blank? Virah didn't know, and it looks like the youngster didn't as well, judging by his words of shocked exclamation and dumbfounded expression.

Someone passed her by, blocking her view of the battle, Virah caught a glimpse of purple hair and her vigilance went high, when they sat next to her, Virah prepared to stand up but they spoke before she could.

"I know who you are," they said, prompting Virah to sit back down, "you also know who I am,"

She knew it, Virah closed her eyes in seething anger, "why did you sell drugs to the veterans in Cianwood?"

"Are you really curious or are you just playing the moral high ground? I've gone through several missions before, but I never killed anyone," replied the now confirmed ninja, "and I'm older than you by a few years,"

"That was an accident," Virah bit out, somehow, her guilt from being the cause of the gang war had disappeared, and now she was denying things.

And Virah could see why, this person wasn't Whitney or Grene, and she was a ninja, giving her secrets was a bad idea all on its own, confirming the things she investigated was way worse.

"Accident?" She asked, "how was that an accident? You used deadly gas to choke that entire building, there's no accident there," the ninja accused, "it was on purpose,"

"I didn't know my aura would make the gas more toxic," Virah defended, "and you know what?" She stood up, "if you don't want to believe me, then I'll simply walk away,"

"You can't do that, I'll tell the Jennies that you're the one who caused the gang war," the ninja threatened.

"No one would believe you, I'm at my first circuit and you're just some random trainer," Virah spat, "the chances of them thinking you're right is low,"

"You're right," the ninja admitted, "I can't convince them, but they'll be suspicious of you from now on,"

Virah paused, would the police be suspicious of her? But she was just a trainer on her first ever journey! There's no way that the Jennies would even consider something like that, let alone actually start investigating her!

"Are you willing to take the risk?" The ninja's question dropped a bucket of cold water at Virah's thoughts, freezing her mind and dumbing her down.

Virah sat back down, "what do you want?"

"Your help," the ninja answered, "there's something going on in both Johto and Kanto, and it has something to do with Team Rocket," she explained, "I'm Janine by the way,"

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"Virah," the poison specialist introduced herself, she was still suspicious of the ninja but it's not like she had a choice, it was either go with her or get put on a watchlist.

"Why do you need my help?" And that was what bothered Virah, why did this person need her help? Janine seemed like a competent combanant, and unlike Virah, she was an actual ninja.

"Father won't allow another war to break out without a "proper reason" or so he claims, despite that, he's sent spies in Johto to gather information," Janine scowled, "he knows something I don't, but I know I'm old enough to be able to learn that information, but he refuses."

So she was just being rebellious? Is that it? And another thing- "you're Kantonian,"

"Yes, but I'll stay in Johto if it means that I prove myself to my father," Janine rebuked, "help me figure out Team Rocket's intent and prove myself and I swear on my word that your secret is safe with me,"

"I can also report you," Virah returned the blackmail, "I know your face and name,"

"And how can you be sure that I am not wearing contacts or have dyed my hair? Are you confident in my features being actually this? Enough to risk your current safety?" Janine's argument left Virah at a loss for words, she was right.

"Fair enough," Virah nodded, "what do you want me to do?"

"For now, let's simply walk around, talk, I want to learn more about Team Rocket and in exchange, I'll give you information in return, they're down here as well, if you're curious," Janine offered, "and not to mention, Lithos is the person you are looking for,"

Is he now?..

"He's a Steel Type specialist, and also an executive in the Johto branch of Team Rocket," Janine finished by lifting her hand and offering Virah her Pokewatch, "I can transfer his file to you if you wish?"

"Give it to me," Virah nodded.

"Is your Pokewatch cracked?" Janine asked warily, "I need to know,"

What did Janine mean by this? Virah shook her head, "I don't know what that is,"

"I see," Janine said, she pulled out a Pokewatch from her bag and offered it to Virah, "this has all the basic functions of the Pokewatch, but don't expect it to connect to the net, you cannot use this to track your trainer record nor watch professional battles but you can save files and view them on it,"

That sounded way too convenient to be true didn't it? It was free from anything that could connect to Virah's trainer life but somehow still capable of functioning?

"I already know who you are," to prove her point, Janine took out a third Pokewatch and showed it to Virah, on the screen was a trainer profile, hers.

Virah took the offered watch, "I'm assuming I can only use this for ninja work?"

Janine nodded, "yes,"

That made sense, Virah pocketed the Pokewatch and opened her own, she looked over the League's database, saw that there was nothing on Janine on the Johto side of things, moved to Kanto and there.

"You didn't dye your hair, or put on contacts," Virah said.

"I was lying," Janine shrugged.

"And you're fine with this?" Virah asked the ninja, "I know who you are,"

"There's no point to it, and besides, mutual dirt on each other means that there's no divide between us," Janine looked Virah straight in the eye, an unspoken threat in her gaze, "and it's not like you'll reveal who I am to the league won't you?"

Virah shook her head, "no, I won't do anything like that,"

Janine smiled, "it's good that we came to a proper understanding then,"

Janine stood up, "follow me,"

Virah looked at the retreating form of her new aquaintance and spent way too long contemplating on whether or not she should go after her or simply leave- who was she kidding? She needed to go.

Virah hastily jogged after the older ninja, "where are we going?"

"Somewhere," Janine answered vaguely.

As it turns out, that "somewhere" was inside an old building with creaky floorboards, it reminded Virah of the shops the tail peddlers commonly emerged from and she warily stared at the back of Janine, should she attack her now?

"This isn't an ambush," Janine looked back and gave her a side glance, "you know that there are people suddenly popping out of nowhere right?"

"Yes, it's not exactly hard to see them," Virah retorted.

"It's not hard if you keep your eyes on them and are looking for them specifically, but to the common trainer? They might as well be just people who go in and out of shops," Janine explained, "none of them knows about the things going on behind the scenes, and for good reason,"

Janine stopped, "put on your gear,"

"Why?" Virah asked despite already doing so.

"We're going underneath Azalea so I can explain things to you," was Janine's straight forward answer.

"Explain things?" Virah asked as she locked her mask in place, she pulled her hood and draped the veil over her eyes, "what's going on?"

"We'll exchange information, like I said, and I know that you don't have anything of value yet so I'm showing you the ropes," Janine pulled her face mask and covered the upper half of her face, she nudged her head at the harmless looking door, "come on,"

Virah slowly followed Janine into the abandoned bathroom, she frowned, what could possibly be here?

Instead of explaining further, Janine walked over to an artwork of a Gyrados roaring on top of harsh waves, a column of fire erupting out of its mouth.

Janine pushed the artwork by its frame and revealed a hollowed wall behind it, at the back, a lever stood, she pulled it and the floors at the end of the bathroom started to get pulled downward, they turned into stairs that led deep underground.

"You can use your Aura to activate the markings on the artwork, otherwise, it won't get pushed," Janine explained, "now come on, I'll show you the ropes,"