She brushed the golden locks away from her face, hair falling behind her head as her black eyes scanned the grass surrounding the tower. The green blades swayed from the comfortable breeze as she took in the sight of the structure. A homely feeling of familiarity washed over her. Four months…

"Oh my, I didn't realize you were back in town!"

Before even turning her head, the thirteen year old girl beamed at the voice, instant recognition in her eyes as she whirled around to face the middle-aged woman approaching her. "Mrs. Beacon!" quickly, she jogged to meet the woman's approach halfway. "I knocked on your door last night, but you weren't there."

The woman's black ponytail fell down her back as she and the girl stopped in front of one another. A tinge of red lined her cheeks at the statement. "I apologize, Agatha. A fire broke out in the bakery a couple days ago. Damage isn't serious, but I've been tending to it."

Agatha nodded in understanding, fondly allowing Beacon to pat her head. "I should have stopped by there too. How is your husband doing? Has he been getting better?"

"The doctors say that his leg will never quite be the same, but he's been walking well enough for the past two and a half months, about." Beacon estimated, her face easing up a little bit, a slight somberness in her eyes. "I feared the infection would leave far worse behind; it wasn't a case commonly known, given the Pokemon is alien to Indigo. But those two are geniuses, and they managed to figure much out."

Much tension left Agatha's muscles as her hands clasped one another. "That's… so relieving to hear. Is he cooking again?"

Beacon's chuckle warmed the girl's heart. "Is he ever. I'm certain he'll have a plate of lasagna ready the moment he learns you're back. Do stop by?" The young teen's face had lit up like a Christmas tree as she nodded to the request, prompting an affectionate twinkle in Beacon's eye. "But no need to focus squarely on us. How have you been? The four months seem to have been kind to you, young lady, and dare I say you've grown even more gorgeous."

"They have been eventful," Agatha admitted. "But I think it would be easier to go over everything when there is more time, like a meal." her head gestured to Pokemon Tower. "I offered to go into the tower in uncle and grandmother's stead. For familiarity."

Understanding washed over Beacon's features. "Then I wouldn't dare keep you from something as dear as that. May we see you this afternoon?"

Agatha's grin stretched across her face as naturally as a blooming garden. "You didn't even need to ask."

/

The golden light from the lantern on the wall splashed over her whitish beige shirt as she adjusted its position. A comfortable humming complacently escaped her throat, humming a clear, scripted tune that had been memorized years ago. Her pitch altered throughout the song, seamlessly blending together to recreate the familiar melody.

The third floor of Pokemon Tower… she could feel the presence. She always could. You were never alone in this tower, even now when everything was quiet. Still. But she felt it. She felt everyone. And it made her smile.

"I'm sorry I've been gone so long, everyone." she looked ahead, across the field of gravestones as her hands rubbed the sides of her gray pants. For a split second, a light breeze moved her golden-blonde hair, but stopped as though it had never happened. "I'm glad you've all been well. And that uncle and grandmother have kept everything together." As though she could see from every side, she looked down to the right, and grinned at her ankle, where a Sableye had appeared out of nowhere. "Yami." He remained perfectly still and content as she reached down to pat his head for a few seconds. "You're usually not on this floor." Yami always favored the second floor, and occasionally hung around on the first. "How has the cherry field been? I'm going to be joining Anya for lunch tomorrow, but the question slipped my mind at the time… The Growlithe and Meowth have another Egg already? How many months has it been? It definitely wasn't more than six." She cared very little for how much time passed by as she and the Sableye chatted together. In fact, their conversation may have gone by an hour longer if the sound of footsteps up the staircase had not alerted them.

Pushing her hair back, the girl adjusted her clothes to ensure her appearance was kept. She was always well groomed, but it was especially important to be so in this threshold between the land of the living and the afterlife, and especially when in the presence of someone else. It was non-negotiable. Everything you said and did was in the presence of countless deceased souls at peace.

A boy came into view. At his side was a Clefairy, who carried a single, small glass pot of water containing a small, aqua-blue flower, which Agatha immediately recognized grew near the Vermilion coast. A notebook rested safely in the side pocket of his grayish-brown backpack. From the looks of it, he had been prepared to say something to his pink companion before both newcomers immediately took note of her and Yami, stopping as both duos were now in full view of one another.

"Oh, hello." he spoke evenly, mildly surprised as Agatha's black eyes studied every nook and cranny of his appearance. Short, brown hair perfectly straight. A very thin and yellow, zipped up sweater that signaled he may not yet be used to Lavender's natural breeze. Perfectly clean pants as green as emeralds. A pair of black eyes carrying a studious look that locked with hers.

"Good morning." she crossed her arms, but remained fairly relaxed. "The tower usually doesn't get visitors this soon after opening up."

"That's actually why I'm here," he admitted as Clefairy's gaze briefly lingered to the notebook at the side of his backpack. "It's easier to study that way."

"Study?" She raised a brow at that.

His grin was carefree. "Of course. Where else in Kanto would I go to research ghosts? It's the reason I'm in town."

"So you're a traveler, then?" her eyes briefly set on Clefairy, who returned her gaze with a steady nod. The fairy Pokemon's gaze was even yet soft, welcoming interaction.

Agatha already knew, of course. He could have been somebody who moved into town while she was out, but the sweater gave away otherwise. He was from out of town, and had likely just arrived recently. At this time of year, there would be little need for any kind of warm clothing for just about anybody already accustomed to the constant light breeze of the town. He was likely a trainer as well, and given that he looked to be the same age as her, probably a rookie.

"Yes, we just got here yesterday in the evening. I figured I'd come by early while the place was quiet."

Her lips quirked up at that. Oh indeed, he was most certainly an outsider. "You have a lot to learn, traveler. Even if every floor of this tower were to be packed, it would be perfectly quiet all the same. No one dares create a ruckus in here." As the bottom half of Yami's body sank into the ground (the top half remaining perfectly still), her left hand's fingernails brushed against a Poke Ball clinging to her belt. "Which is why I must hope that your research does not include capturing a ghost. I'm assuming one as educationally enthused as yourself takes the time to read signs?" There was no rule against capturing anything in Lavender… unless it was in Pokemon Tower. A ghost outside the tower's property was fair game, but anywhere in, on, or around the area was a safe haven, and any attempts at capture in those locations was serious poaching, and grounds for eternal banishment.

Undeterred by the narrowing of her tone of voice, the boy's hands raised out in front of him. "Relax, miss. You don't need to worry about that. I wouldn't do something like that. I'm just here to observe and take notes." She detected no dishonesty in his voice, and looking down at Yami, he did not either.

The smallest, most minimally visible tinge of red lined the boy's cheeks as Agatha strode to him and Clefairy, legs carrying her as effortlessly as the wings of a Pidgeot. "That is good to hear, and I'm sure you don't mind me confirming your intentions. I should welcome you to town." stopping in front of him and Clefairy, she offered a hand, voice perpetually smooth and confident. "My name is Agatha. My family is one of Pokemon Tower's caretakers."

Their fingers locked together with little effort as he accepted the handshake. "I'm Samuel. I came here from Mossgreen." The gears in Agatha's brain turned. She believed that was a small town far south. "This is my friend Clefairy." The fairy offered a greeting and another nod as Agatha looked down at her, and the two separated, her hand now pressed against her hip. "Are you a trainer too?"

"For four months, not that it feels as though I ever left, being in here now. You're a first year too, correct?"

Samuel nodded. "Yes. I'm focusing on the Gyms while also going wherever I learn the most." his finger pointed down to the Vermilion-native flower in Clefairy's tiny glass pot. "I'm simply here for that, honest. Although, when the innkeeper learned I was visiting the tower today, she asked me to take this flower with us. For her son's Abra."

"Dorado." Agatha quickly responded. "His name was Dorado." Beside her, Yami was now in full view once more, studying Samuel as the young teen boy offered the small ghost a quick, respectful nod. "Mrs. Applecorn is no longer able to climb the stairs to floor five, and normally pays somebody to take gifts to his grave. I assume she gave you directions on where in the fifth floor?" She nodded in approval as he confirmed. "Just let me know if you need help. And if you still prefer to conduct your studies when there are not a lot of visitors, it's saturday, so it's usually a couple hours from now when activity becomes more frequent. Although, the sixth floor is usually visited a lot less on this day."

Samuel nodded. "Thank you, Agatha. A couple hours is probably enough for today." a comfortable silence hung between the pair as he looked her over for a moment, and a small grin formed on his face. "Although… I wouldn't mind spending a couple extra with you."

A light smirk lined her face as she turned her cheek to him. "My, my… ghost Pokemon not all, then? I am about as native as you can get in Lavender." looking him in the eye once more, she crossed her arms. "Well, if there are any questions you'd like answered, it can be done at the bakery on the southwestern side of town tomorrow evening. Provided you have acceptable taste in pasta, of course."

/

When he and Janine passed through Lavender Town's gates, Ash immediately felt the change. The change was in everything. In the air. In the way he looked at the grass that lined the road. The very vibe that the architecture gave off. Everything. Everything. It was as though the gates to "The Noble Town" led to another dimension. Almost on instant, it felt a bit chilly as well, the breeze passing through his clothes sending tingles up his spine as he gripped his shirt getting off of his bike. Looking over at Janine, he wondered if she felt the same. Her eyes were focused on the tower in the distance. Pokemon Tower was located in the very center of the town, and could be seen from any spot in the town, no matter where one was, according to Professor Oak's stories.

"Are you… cold?" he asked carefully as the duo returned their bikes to their Poke Balls. The Pokemon Center wasn't too far away, already visible up ahead.

"The Lavender Town chill, that's what they call it." she responded, looking at him with a nod. "We're being watched." His eyes slightly widened at the statement, although it didn't take too long for him to understand as he looked around. "They say you're never alone in Lavender." Ash followed his friend's finger as she pointed to the tower. "Ghosts dance around the roof of Pokemon tower, and linger all throughout the town." She shivered in place for a moment. "It's… I need to get used to it." her eyes found their way back to him. Her face seemed… softer. "Maybe going inside will…?"

He nodded at her in agreement. Just as he was about to speak, there was a rumble. Two rumbles at once, in fact.

It was coming from their stomachs.

The two friends stared at each other for what felt like a lot longer than five seconds, cheeks turning mildly red as a mutual realization overtook them. Ash was the first to giggle, to which Janine responded identically.

"I think we have more than one reason to get to the Center, Ash." Janine was somewhat more relaxed as she said it.

/

There was thankfully no line in front of them when they reached the Center's front desk, much to Ash's great relief. After a short few minute check-in, Nurse Joy had assigned them to a room on the third floor, and taken in their teams for checkups and revitalization. With the majority of their teammates exhausted from a day of battling, it was sure to be a welcome relief. He and Janine had sped-walked to the point of borderline jogging on the way to the cafeteria the moment business with the amused Nurse was done; something both of them were only mildly embarrassed to admit.

The cafeteria in question was only lightly occupied, with a few trainers their age and a couple of teenagers and adults spread out across different tables. A few Pokemon playfully ran around, but things were spacious enough for the duo to find their own quiet corner.

"Mmm…" Janine hummed a bit as she chewed her grilled veggie and cheese sandwich, carefully swallowing before looking across the table at Ash. "So, what's your to-do-list before moving on?"

Swallowing his pasta, Ash looked back at her thoughtfully. "Let's see… I'd like to make some training progress before we leave. There's a little experiment I'm hoping Pikachu and I can try out." he noted her curious look as he pondered the rest. "I'm not sure if I should have my hopes up, but since we're in a town full of ghost Pokemon… I wanted to see if I could find a friendly one to help Nebula with Ominous Wind. Even if they don't know the move themselves, they can teach her more about the distortion process that comes with ghostly moves."

She nodded along to him. "That's clever. There are some set goals I'd like to reach before leaving, too, speaking of 'experiments'." After a few more bites, she broke the short silence. "Didn't you say you were going to try and see if there are any evolution stones in this town?"

He perked up at that, face turning thoughtful. "Yeah… I never bothered going to any shops in the cities that might have had them, because I knew I couldn't afford them, and no one on the team was ready. But now, Pikachu and Eevee…" he sighed. "Even with my… idea, I could probably only get one." The thought gave him pause. He had mentioned having a potential plan while on the way to town during training, and he still wasn't quite looking forward to the idea.

"What's your idea?" The girl was rather curious, although her face fell into a mildly concerned frown at his silence. "...Ash…?"

Setting his fork down, Ash let out a sigh, not quite sure how to phrase such a simple sentence. Finally… "I think I'm going to try and… sell some of my TMs."

The alarm on Janine's face was palpable. "Wait, that's your plan? Are you sure you've thought-"

"I have," Ash felt a tinge of guilt when interrupting her. "Trust me, I know it's weird, but…" he gathered his thoughts for a moment. "I'm going to look through them, and see which ones I don't need anymore. Now that my team is more experienced, certain moves might not require the cushion the TMs provide as much as they used too."

"You won't just have six Pokemon forever," she reminded him. "A new teammate might need Iron Tail, for example."

He nodded. "I thought of that, but… in the long term, I can always buy them again if it's necessary. This is just an immediate thing. With any luck, I'll have a lot more money on me a few months from now. We've been gaining momentum, but since some of my team needs stones to evolve, I need to make sure they don't stagnate."

She studied him for a moment or two, before eventually relaxing. "I… never really thought of an idea like that before." she sighed. "I'll admit… It's pretty clever."

A light smile lined his face. "So you don't think I'm going crazy."

She chuckled a bit. "You seem to know what you're doing. Thought outside the box."

"Heh, thanks." he returned to eating for a moment. "I need to see if this town actually has a shop with stones first. Most of the cities probably do, but I'll need to see about here."

Janine bit her lip. "Fuchsia had a stone shop for a while, but… it was closed down before I left. I don't know it still is…"

Ash raised a brow at her tone. "Why did it close down?"

"The owner was a Team Rocket informant, and was potentially donating his earnings to them."

Ash felt his blood turn cold at the statement. The thought of a seemingly normal boy unzipping his hoodie to reveal a Team Rocket uniform filled his thoughts. 'They could be anywhere…' Feeling his eyes wandering around the room, Ash tried to shake himself out of the panic by refocusing on Janine, whose face was laced with concern.

"Ash…" she was chewing her lip now. "Sorry."

"Don't… apologize." Ash felt a surge of guilt as he looked down at his plate, suddenly feeling slightly less hungry. "I asked." After a few moments, he managed to make eye contact with her again. For some reason, the look of guilt on her face broke his heart.

'Damn it, get it together, Ash!' he mentally snarled to himself. Now he was making her feel bad over something that he brought up. Struggling to find his words, he stuttered out. "S-so, t-they… found him out?"

She looked at him for a bit longer before replying with a nod. "Father had him tied up and ripped straight out the door, from what I know." An unreadable look passed over her eyes. "He shows no hesitancy with criminals in Fuchsia… especially the ones right within his city's walls."

'HIS city?' Ash thought to himself with mild confusion. It was an odd way to word things, but the message came across, nonetheless. "Fuchsia's crime rate is famously low." he commented. The territory's law enforcement was unrelenting under Koga's leadership, with most issues more often than not being dealt with at a swift efficiency. The results spoke for themselves and then some. At a certain expense, it meant only the boldest of criminals were usually willing to operate openly in such a place, almost as though accepting a challenge. But in general, the city was considered quite a safe and protected place for the innocent. Of course, mixed in with the reputation that Leader Koga had amongst challengers… certain rumors had sparked regarding the extent of the law enforcement's ruthlessness, but Ash tried not to think about that for the moment.

She nodded at that, seemingly with some pride. "He… Leader Koga values the law and the safety of his civilians. He would never allow crime to fester in our home." She bit into her sandwich once more, continuing after she swallowed. "Anyway… I'm not sure if you'll be able to get a stone in Fuchsia, just as a warning. So… If Lavender Town has one, I think you might be making a good move."

He nodded back at her in understanding. "Thanks for letting me kn-"

"Janine? Is that you?"

Janine's eyes widened in recognition as a nearby voice filled their ears, Whirling around, she turned to see a teenage girl approaching their table.

She had navy-blue hair with spiked pigtails, and was dressed in casual black clothing. The curious look on her face grew into a beam as she drew closer to them. "It is! How are you doing?"

Janine's expression matched the newcomer. "Kris! I did not realize you would be here!"

"Heh, likewise." Kris stopped in front of them. "I just got into town for business a few nights ago. Waiting for someone. It's been months, hasn't it? Since the end of last Season? You already look grown up."

A slight tinge lined the young poison-specialist's cheeks as she set what was left of her sandwich back down on her plate. "It's great to see you." She was about to say something else before her eyes widened ever so slightly, head turning back to Ash. "Oh, I'm sorry! This is my friend Ash. Ash, this is Kris, an Ace Trainer. She was aunt Aya's pupil before being promoted to the rank herself."

Ash perked up at "Ace Trainer", quickly straightening his posture. "It's nice to meet you."

Kris smiled at him, her grin felt very relaxing. "Same here. Are you both doing well?"

"For the most part." Janine responded. "We've just been discussing our plans for staying here. We just arrived tonight."

The older girl nodded at that. "Yeah, I overheard a bit of your conversation." Her eyes fell back on Ash. "Lavender does have a stone shop, so you're in luck. Their collection of evolution stones and other jewels is pretty varied, so I'm sure you'll get what you want."

That definitely shot his mood up. "Great!" he said almost a little too enthusiastically, feeling the relief set in. After finding out about Fuchsia's stone shop, he wasn't sure what he'd do if Lavender lacked one of their own.

Janine seemed to be pleased as well, although her expression gave way to curiosity a few moments later. "So… you said you were here on business for the League?"

For a brief moment, a seriousness that Janine almost caught (and that Ash missed) passed over Kris' eyes. "I am. There's… someone I need to speak to from overseas. In person. He won't be getting here until sometime tomorrow, though." She relaxed herself. "I'd love to catch up with you, but I understand it's getting late. Are you free tomorrow?"

"For you? Of course." Janine smiled at the older girl. "I was planning to take it easy on my first day here, anyway. Give the team a moment to unwind while exploring the town a little bit. I'd love to talk with you if you have time."

Kris seemed pleased. "Sounds great, I know where we should meet up, too." Ash perked up in surprise as her gaze returned to him. "You're welcome to join us too, Ash. I'd like to get to know you."

Ash shifted a bit. These two clearly had a fair amount of history, especially if Kris was a student of Janine's aunt. If they hadn't seen each other in months, he'd likely be a third wheel. Despite himself, he still found the offer tempting.

Janine's voice brought his attention to her. "It's fine, Ash. I think you two would get along well."

The encouragement brought a somewhat uneasy grin to his face, although it only remained uneasy for a moment. What was he worried about? They were the ones inviting him. "Sure, I'll come." he looked Kris in the eye. "Thank you for the offer, umm..." was there a special way to address an Ace Trainer?

The Ace Trainer's cheeks flushed. "If you're friends with Janine, just call me Kris. Anyway," she looked between the two. "You can't come to Lavender without visiting the Bakery of Beacon. It's just south of this Center." her lips twitched. "Trust me, the place is heavenly. How bout' I treat you two to dinner tomorrow evening, once you're all settled in?"

The two younger trainers exchanged curious looks. Sensing no objection from one another, they both looked back at the Ace Trainer and nodded. "We'd love to." Janine replied.

"Do they serve Pokemon food?" Ash inquired.

A quick "Mhm." from Kris confirmed it. "Their recipes are pretty varied, too. I'm sure just about anyone from your team will be satisfied." She took a step back, signaling that she was about to leave. "Well, enjoy yourselves for now. I gotta go out real quick before bed."

"Are you staying here at the Center?" Janine asked.

"Yeah, nearby on the first floor. I just need to stop by the Applecorn Inn one last time to confirm my contact's arrangements are all ready to go. Would've done it sooner, but there was a problem at Mr. Fuji's place that I needed to help out with." she waved while taking off. "See you guys tomorrow!"

Janine smiled fondly at the teen's retreating form, before turning back to Ash. "Aunt Aya took her under her wing four years ago. Even when she was young, she was more interested in the League itself than she was in Conferences or tournaments." she looked back in the direction Kris had taken off in. "I… she's kind of been an example for me growing up. She grew so much, and now she has pretty much reached my aunt's level, halfway through her teens. They're both Gym Leader candidates." she looked back at Ash. "Something about her has always been so… soothing, too. Like talking to her just relieves your tension. I always looked forward to her visits."

Ash chuckled. "You know… I kind of get that feeling from Nurse Joy." He thought back to Opening Day, and how even after everything he and Pichu had been through on that day, meeting Viridian's Nurse Joy had, if only briefly, eased him up just a bit.

She nodded. "Yeah, it's… kind of like that."

/

Nurse Joy had informed them that their teams would be ready for pickup by morning, so Ash and Janine had their room to themselves for the night. A small balcony was just outside the room, offering a clear view of the night overlooking the nearby area of the town, although neither of them used it, content to simply turn in for the night. They even held off on showers until morning, having felt the fatigue and deep yawns setting in the moment they both set foot in the room.

Although Janine awoke at her usual early hour, and kept herself busy with reading until the time Ash usually woke up, Ash had slept a good forty minutes later than normal, although she chose to allow him if he truly needed it. So, before leaving for breakfast, she simply left a note back in the room stating that she was going out and she hoped he had a good morning (along with a reminder to meet at the bakery if they did not run into each other prior to that). After picking up his team from Nurse Joy, he gave his mother a call on the way to the cafeteria for breakfast.

"To think you're in Lavender of all places now." Delia awed from the other end of the screen. "You're practically on the opposite end of Kanto from Pallet!" The woman was grinning from ear to ear now. "You've grown into quite the productive traveler, honey!"

Ash's face burned at her praise. "I never really imagined being this far out before." Technically, he had, given the inevitability of it all once he had become a trainer, but the reality of reaching such a point was far more surreal. "It feels…" something surged in his chest. "...It feels kind of nice, though." Like he was free, unrestrained. Just months ago, his life had been entirely contained within Pallet's borders, and now… "I have four badges, I've traveled across so much of the mainland at this point, and…" he was beaming at the screen now. "I just feel stronger than ever! Things are going to get a lot more rough once we leave for Fuchsia, but I… I really think I'm ready!"

Delia blinked for a moment, taking in her son's expression before a light, hearty chuckle escaped her lips. Wiping an eye for a second, she gazed at Ash through the screen with an expression of love that melted the boy's heart. "Ash, I… It's so good to see you like this." Blinking back her tears, she pumped her arms in front of her. "Now make sure those next four Gym Leaders don't know what hits them!"

He felt a fire inside of him at her tone, nodding back. "I won't disappoint you, mom."

Easing up a bit, Delia switched topics. "So… how has Janine been doing?" she had spoken to the girl once over one of Ash's calls, and seemed to like her. Ash remembered his mother being caught off guard by how "polite" and "professional" his new friend was.

"Things have been going good for her. We actually ran into a friend of hers during dinner last night. She's treating us to dinner at a bakery tonight."

"The Bakery of Beacon?"

Ash blinked. "Yeah… how'd you know?"

His mother offered him a relaxed chuckle. "Lavender Town… Professor Oak has many fond memories of that place. You know, it might have even been the place he'd run his lab from, if Pallet hadn't been a lot more isolated."

Ash couldn't hide his surprise. "This town… means that much to him?" Oak had shared the occasional stories about his travels, and had plenty to say regarding Lavender. For some reason, any emotional attachment to the town had never been brought up. His biography hadn't specified a great deal either, so Ash had assumed it wasn't anything too important.

'Unless…' the boy mentally kicked himself for not considering it sooner. 'It was private.' The biography also hadn't mentioned Oak's less than stellar grades growing up; the memory of Gary believing otherwise caused Ash's doubt to creep back up, but he pushed it down for now. The more he thought about it, the less it bothered him. Either way, it was only natural that a book wouldn't cover literally every single detail on Samuel Oak's legendary life.

"He's told me and the others a few things," Delia admitted. "Just… maybe try asking around about Samuel Oak during your stay? You might learn something about him."

With a relaxed nod, Ash thanked his mom. He had to admit, she had gotten him curious. "Sure thing, mom. Thanks for the advice. I'll tell Janine you said hi, too."

"Please do. And good luck out there. Don't forget who your two biggest fans are, sweety!"

He felt a bit misty eyed. "You and Trucy, of course."

/

The cafeteria had more occupants than the previous night, which didn't surprise Ash too much (he imagined most of the people staying didn't eat dinner as late as he and Janine had), but it thankfully wasn't packed, and he found himself and his team stationed at the same table he and Janine had eaten at last night. He quickly set up his friends' bowls upon letting them out, before digging into his food. As he ate, he thought over the plans for the day.

'I'll scope out the stone shop ahead of time to see what prices I'm dealing with. I'll think over which TMs I'll sell for extra money. After that, we can probably just wander the town for the day.' As Janine had said last night, they planned to take it easy for the first day. They would be here for at least a few days at the minimum (likely no more than a week), so training can come later. Some slow-paced, casual exploring would do well for all of them. And of course, he and Janine would be meeting Kris at the bakery she had mentioned.

Of course… Even if he sold some of his TMs, it was most likely that he would only be able to afford one evolution stone. They were more expensive than any of the TMs he had on hand right now, by quite a bit, in fact, and given how retail worked, he wouldn't get as much money selling a TM as he would spend buying one. He wasn't sure what the exact prices would be, but he knew that they would be big.

'That's the hard part. I have three Pokemon on my team who can use stones to evolve. Pikachu with the Thunder Stone, Valiant with the Dawn Stone, and Eevee with a good few to choose from on her own.' Valiant likely wasn't ready, but having a Dawn Stone on hand would still be useful. When the subject was brought up on the road, the Kirlia had expressed more interest in becoming a Gallade than a Gardevoir. Pikachu and Eevee were probably in the right spot for a good evolution, although in Eevee's case, she would need to choose which stone she wanted, and not all of her evolved forms even used stones, complicating things even further. Sylveon's criteria was met differently; otherwise they would need a Thunder Stone for Jolteon, a Water Stone for Vaporeon, a Fire Stone for Flareon, a Sun Shard for Espeon, a Moon Shard for Umbreon, a Leaf Stone for Leafeon, or an Ice Stone for Glaceon. But the last time he'd talked to her about it, Eevee was undecided regarding which she wanted or preferred.

'I'll have time to think it over.' he reminded himself. He had to choose one of the three teammates, but maybe having the three of them talk it out together would help-

As he instinctively looked on over to his team, something caught his eye. Pikachu, Nebula, and Tempest all seemed to be eating normally, but… Valiant…

The Kirlia, seated between Eevee and Phenom, seemed lost in thought, almost like he was in a trance, picking away at his food. His two friends both offered him concerned looks, although he seemed to brush it off when they questioned him about it. Quickly rising from his seat, Ash made his way over to the trio, catching the attention of the rest of the team.

"Valiant…" as if startled, the Kirlia jolted as Ash crouched down to meet him at eye level. "Are you alright? I can take you to Nurse Joy if you're not feeling well."

The emotion Pokemon struggled to send him an easy grin, but his smile came out shaky instead. "I-I'm alright, Ash. H-Honest."

Ash frowned at him, now increasingly concerned. Even speaking with Telepathy, Valiant hadn't sounded overly confident or honest. "Is it because the town is filled with ghosts?" That would be the easiest explanation; if Valiant wasn't feeling well, Nurse Joy would have found as such the previous night, but most psychics would feel naturally uncomfortable in a place like Lavender. The average psychic was pretty much allergic to distortion, after all, and it took a great amount of strength and experience exposed to it to overcome that.

Reluctantly, Valiant nodded after a few seconds of pondering. "Y-Yeah, that's… part of it…"

"Part of it…" Ash repeated as Eevee rubbed her head into her psychic friend's side. The contact seemed to comfort him momentarily. "Do you mean there's something else?" As Phenom tried to make eye contact with him, Valiant (very slowly) shook his head. Ash's brow furrowed. "Valiant-"

"I-I'll…" The Kirlia paused for a moment, hanging on his thoughts as he reluctantly allowed Ash to look him in the eye. There was something in the young psychic's gaze. Something unrecognizable. "I'll… tell you. Just… please give me time." His face was urgent. Begging.

With some reluctance, Ash allowed himself a conceding sigh. The fact that Valiant did not want to say anything right now just made him even more concerned, but whatever it was, his friend clearly did not want to talk about it, and any further pushing or prying would just produce additional discomfort. "Okay… We will talk about this eventually though, right?" Valiant's nod was a bit more reassuring this time. "Good… do you want to stay in your ball for today?" another nod. "Would you like to be let out at the bakery tonight?" A pause… and then a nod. Ash attempted a smile. "Okay… just remember we're here for you, okay pal?"

Valiant looked between Eevee and Phenom for a moment, before his gaze fell on Pikachu and Nebula, who, at this point, had also approached them with some concern. Another nod.

Behind Pikachu and Nebula, Tempest watched the exchange without comment, his eyes narrowing at Valiant's almost foreign expression.

/

After breakfast, Ash briefly returned to his room to put on a light sweater, heeding Nurse Joy's advice that it would help him get used to the chill in the air a little bit faster. Unsurprisingly, the mass presence of ghosts was credited to the somewhat chillier atmosphere of the town.

As he stepped outside of the Center with Pikachu on his shoulder, and Eevee and Phenom walking alongside him, Ash couldn't help the wave of apprehension passing through him as he felt a tingle traveling up his back, causing his muscles to momentarily lock up and his breath to nearly catch in his throat.

By now, it was after 9:30, well into the morning. Nonetheless, it didn't take Ash or the trio of Pokemon very long to notice that things didn't feel as bright as they normally would elsewhere. The sky wasn't gloomy and filled with gray clouds; it was a typical, tranquil morning. Nonetheless, Lavender town felt… dimmer. Even in the daytime, as the stories had suggested. It made sense that the stories were not exaggerated in that regard; a town populated with ghosts was not going to be overly bright. It wasn't like the town was dark, however, or that it was trapped in a perpetual nighttime. It just… didn't completely feel like day.

The other thing that caught the group's attention the moment they stepped out, was Pokemon Tower, which extended over every surrounding building for all to see. At his feet, he heard Phenom moan in awe a bit at the sight of the towering structure. 'Visible from everywhere in the town.' He reminded himself.

They were probably walking for about fifteen minutes with no real aim. A couple children stepped out of their houses to observe them curiously, while on another end, a couple tended to a few flower pots on their porch. Ash tried to take it in without drawing attention to himself. So far, the townspeople seemed to be perfectly normal; it was as though nobody cared that the town they lived in was haunted en masse. It was as though it were as normal for them as Pallet was for him and his mom. But how does one get used to knowing such a thing? The complacency itself was almost creepy, if Ash didn't know better, he would have assumed they weren't even aware of it all.

He tried to push the thought away for now. Professor Oak always insisted that Lavender wasn't simply some haunted horror place out of an urban legend. And apparently, he himself was personally fond of the town. It would be foolish to trust Samuel Oak's judgment. Perhaps the townspeople having lived in such a place their entire lives really did make all the difference.

"Excuse me?" with some thought, he spoke to a man passing by in the opposite direction, who stopped and looked back at him curiously. "Sorry, I was just wondering if you could give me directions? I'm looking for a stone shop. For evolution items."

The man raised an understanding eyebrow. "Oh? Yeah, I know where that is. Hold on, I'll write it down for you."

/

It wasn't much longer before Ash and his team found themselves in front of the shop in question. On the way, Ash had used the walk to gauge how his friends currently felt: Eevee's fur seemed to stand up a bit as they walked through the town, while Pikachu gripped his shoulder just a little bit more tightly than normal. Looking at Phenom, the Tyrunt seemed to fidget on occasion even while walking, although he did his best to put on a brave face and raise his head. Overall, everyone was on guard. Ash wondered, only half jokingly, if Tempest would try and seek out a ghost for a fight if he were to let him out.

The shop in question was rather unassuming from the outside, almost resembling that of an ordinary house. Ash figured his team was looking forward to stepping inside, away from the outside atmosphere of the town, so he wasted no time in climbing up the short set of stone steps and opening the door.

A bell sounded as he and his three friends stepped in, signaling their arrival. He could hear some shuffling presumably from the room behind the counter up ahead as he scanned the surrounding area of the shop.

The interior of the shop wasn't much less unassuming than the outside of it was; normal carpet, normal walls, normal decor, but it wasn't normal; not with the staggering collection of valuables to be seen throughout the store. Glass display cases spread out on different sides, each showcasing a different merchandise. Lots of jewelry and necklaces and other valuable rocks, but what Ash was focused on were the evolution stones.

And from what he could see… they had just about everything that he could think of. A Thunder Stone, a Fire Stone, a Leaf Stone, a Dawn Stone… it looked like anyone in need of any evolution item could get what they need here. For the right price, of course, and Ash already felt his stomach sink at the numbers shown next to each display case. 'I'd be forfeiting my entire funds if I tried to buy one of these without selling any of my TMs…'

The tension in his team didn't take too long to evaporate, and it only took Pikachu a little bit longer to gravitate towards the Thunder Stone display case with an entranced stare, almost as though the stone were a magnet. Eevee almost seemed to be beside herself, seated on the floor with an expression of awe. Tyrunt was a bit closer to the counter, eyes shimmering at a nearby piece of jewlery.

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"Just don't touch anything, guys." Ash quickly reminded his trio. "We're here to look."

Just then, the door behind the counter opened, catching their attention and momentarily breaking his team out of their trance. An older woman who Ash guessed was in her early to mid fifties stepped out. She had emerald hair with gray linings nonetheless well taken care of, and wore a casual blue uniform with bright yellow symbols on it, and white pants. Upon seeing Ash, she offered him a smile.

"Hello, I'm sorry I couldn't greet you sooner. You caught me when I was handling rearrangements in storage." she approached the counter, her fingers resting gently against the surface. "Even though we're open, we usually don't get any visitors for another half hour. How can I help you?"

Ash sent her a polite smile. "Oh, hi, miss…"

"You can call me Anya."

"Anya." He repeated. He looked back at the displays for a moment before saying, "Um, well… I'm honestly just here to look at the prices for now…" he made eye contact. "If you don't mind me asking, how stocked are you usually? Is there any chance you'll run out of anything within the next… week, maybe?" Realizing something, he quickly elaborated. "I mean evolution stones."

"Hmmm…" she thought his inquiry over for a moment before answering. "We usually have a few in stock at a time. It's not common for us to run out this time of year." she sent him a reassuring smile. "If you'd like, I can put one on hold for you to pay for later. Although…" her eyes fell on Eevee, and Ash quickly knew what she was getting at.

Cheeks flushed, he replied, "Yeah, we… don't really know what we're getting just yet. We just wanted to see what our options were."

She nodded in understanding. "It makes sense. My starter was an Eevee, and my first catch was a Poliwag." she gave a nostalgic chuckle. "So I know a thing or two about this dilemma."

That got a giggle out of him. Pokemon with multiple evolutions were an exciting prospect… until the time came to actually weigh your options.

Anya said what he was also thinking, however. "Don't worry; when you and your team do make the choice, it will always feel rewarding." With that word of reassurance, she took out a clipboard. "Tell you what, if you give me your name, I can keep you posted just in case our stock gets low before you come back. Just as a quick warning if we're almost out of a given item. You're staying at the Pokemon Center, right?"

He nodded gratefully. "Yes, my name is Ash Ketchum."

"Ash Ketchum…" she repeated as she penciled in his name, before sending him a kindly grin. "And… there! You're good to go, Mr. Ketchum."

"Thank, you, Anya. We'll be…" he was about to turn to leave when a light bulb went off in his head, remembering his earlier conversation with his mother. "Oh, wait!" Curiously, the older woman perked up. "I know this might sound weird, but… is there anything you can tell me about this town and… Professor Oak?"

For a moment, her eyes lit up. "Samuel…" the familiarity in her tone would have given her away, if the usage of his first name had not already. "Yes, there is, but… why do you ask?" she sounded more curious than accusatory.

Feeling a bit sheepish, he scratched the back of his neck. "Well… you see, um…" he straightened himself out. This woman was nice, there was nothing for him to be nervous about. "I'm actually from Pallet Town. My mom is studying under him, and I heard that he has history in Lavender."

Anya perked up. "I see! Quite the curious one, aren't you?" she teased with a raised brow, reddening his cheeks further. "Well, there is a fair bit I can tell you about Samuel. He first came here when he was thirteen years old, back when that was the age limit for becoming a trainer." her eyes twinkled a bit. "He was such a studious soul even back then, soaking up just about everything he learned. Of course, I got to see him in action in battle as well, and he was certainly no slouch, let me tell you!"

Ash grinned at her nostalgic tone. It felt as though she was reliving a sea of memories just by talking. It sounded like a good feeling. "Were you two friends?"

"Of the sort. I actually met him through my best friend, although…" her cheeks tinged a bit. "You… might not believe me."

His brow raised, feeling extra curious now. "I'll be open minded."

"If you say so." Anya breathed for a moment before continuing. "You see… Elite Four Agatha was my best friend."

Ash started, an image of the older ghost specialist flashing through his mind. Just the thought of her elicited numerous emotions: Terror, respect, admiration, wonder… she was a Master even among Master, and often viewed to be the greatest expert on the ghost typing to ever walk the earth. From the ghosts themselves, to how distortion worked, to how to cover their weaknesses and play to their strengths, to literally every bit of ins and outs that could ever possibly be associated with ghost type Pokemon, Agatha was the single greatest source of knowledge. And that knowledge had carried her through a multi-decade long career, and a coveted position in the prestigious Elite Four throughout multiple generations.

"W-Wow…" was all he could get out for a moment.

Anya chuckled. "So, you believe me?"

"...Yeah," he admitted after some thought. It sounded fantastical on paper, but in practice, Lavender was the ghost Master's hometown, and Anya seemed to be about the same age as her. Everything fit together, as far as he was concerned. Suddenly, the implications of her statement clicked, however. "Wait a minute…" his eyes widened. "Are you saying… Professor Oak and Elite Four Agatha knew each other back then?" Oak had relations with every major figure in the League, but he had never heard of him going that far back with anyone other than Leader Blaine of Cinnabar. And even that was after Oak had reached adulthood.

Anya chuckled. "Heh, they sure did. Agatha and Samuel were… Well, they were everything you can imagine two people being." As if checking off a list, she held up her fingers. "Best friends, sworn rivals, lovers, comrades, sometimes all of the above… it was like a human whirlpool of history! No matter what form it all took, it sometimes felt like their lives and careers were intertwined. Always going in separate directions, but never without finding their way back to one another, one way or the other." Eyes drifting downwards to the counter, she fondly drummed her fingers against the surface before looking back up at Ash. "Agatha is a year older than me, so she started out before I did. It's… incredible to see where she's gone. But in retrospect, I'm not surprised. She was born for this, and so was Samuel. It just wasn't immediately clear until they started tapping into all of that." Another pause. "You know, when Samuel won the Conference, Agatha was his final opponent. She won the next year after that."

"Oh, right!" The biography had mentioned that detail. He and Agatha were both fourth years during that Conference. Nobody had ever won a Conference that early before, so the matchup was significant: No matter who won, history was being made. Even now, nobody had ever broken that record, although Lance and Cynthia had tied it, winning the Conference in their fourth years as well (and, unlike Oak, setting a record for fastest to get into the Elite Four in that same year). "I have Oak's biography, it's my favorite book. I didn't realize they knew each other outside of that, though."

"Most people don't," Anya admitted. "They're both quite private people. Why, Agatha would probably have her companions haunt me if I divulged too much more!" she didn;t seem too nervous about that, however, simply giggling.

"Are you two still in touch?"

"Yes, she visits town regularly, and I'm always down to catch up with her over a meal at the bakery, or a trip to the cherry field. This is her home, and no matter how long she lives at the Plateau, she never stopped feeling that way."

Enjoying the conversation, Ash was about to think of something else to say when a startled yelp from Phenom caught his and Anya's attention. Turning around, he almost jumped, seeing the Sableye who had appeared next to the young dinosaur seemingly out of thin air. On opposite ends, Pikachu and Eevee observed the newcomer with caution, the latter sending a suspicious look making it clear that no mischief would be tolerated.

Anya's hearty chuckle diverted his attention away from the scene, however. "There's no need to be alarmed, everybody. This is Yami, and he's harmless."

Ash eased up at her relaxed tone. "Is he yours?"

"Not quite. He's a local ghost, and he's sort of… everywhere, really. A lot of ghosts in town are like that. My mom says that he's been around here since I was two years old. He's always been about as docile as a ghost can get, and he isn't much for pranks, either. He just lingers for the sake of hanging out." There was reassurance in her tone, and Ash suspected that he and his friends were not the first she had given this explanation too. In front of him, Phenom and Pikachu seemed to be a bit more at ease at her words, although Eevee did not entirely drop her guard. A moment or two later, Pikachu approached Yami and offered him a paw, which the ghost silently accepted.

"I see…" Having gotten over the brief startle, Ash carefully knelt down to get a better look at the Sableye. "Hi, Yami. I'm Ash."

"A lot of the ghost Pokemon in this town are basically citizens in their own right, you'll find." Anya elaborated further as Yami returned Ash's greeting. "They're a community interwoven with our own. Ghosts are a part of our everyday life." she flashed him a sympathetic grin. "I understand it's not the same for you. Ghosts are pretty rare in most parts."

Her words left Ash deep in thought, the gears turning in his head as he contemplated the perspective. With ghosts being an actual part of the community, just as much as the townspeople themselves… it made sense that everybody treated the town's atmosphere as normal. It was.

"Hmm…" he rubbed his chin for a second before looking back at the woman. "Hey, uh… thanks for telling me all of this."

She chuckled sweetly. "Of course, I'm always happy to share with outsiders, especially somebody as young as you." her hands folded together. "I understand that Lavender is not what you're used to, and I understand even more that you're going to be uncomfortable for a while. Trust me; nobody is offended, we all understand." her eyes twinkled a bit. "But… I do hope that you'll be able to find enjoyment in your stay here."

Her smile really was contagious. 'Elite Four Agatha has good taste in friends.' "I'm sure I will."

Just then, the bell sounded as the door opened, to the sound of footsteps. Turning back, Ash saw an old man with a bald head entering the store. The boy blinked… he seemed somewhat familiar.

"Hello, Anya. I understand I'm a bit early…"

Anya's face lit up. "Mr. Fuji! I was expecting you." Seeing Ash studying the newcomer, she elaborated. "This is Mr. Fuji; he handles starter Pokemon distribution in Lavender, and runs the small lab in our town."

Ash perked up. "Oh, so you're a researcher?"

Fuji nodded as Yami walked over to him and tugged on his pants. "Well, to a degree, I suppose." slowly bending down to pat Yami on the head, he continued. "Our lab is mostly just for distribution, that's why it's a lot smaller than the others. I used to be a researcher full time, in Cinnabar, but… I've sort of slowed down over the years. Nowadays, I just take care of Pokemon."

Ash wracked his brain for a moment. If he had a history in research, that could be why he seemed vaguely familiar. Ash could have sworn he'd seen pictures of someone similar in the research field before…

Looking back to Anya, he offered a friendly wave. "I'll leave you guys to whatever you need to do." he turned to his team. "Come on, everybody!"

"Take care of yourself, Mr. Ketchum!" Anya called back as they left the shop.

On his way through the door, Ash couldn't help but feel… mildly satisfied as the outsider air greeted them. 'You were right, mom. I did learn things.'

/

The rest of the day came and went without too much excitement. Ash explored the town to his leisure, taking in the simple yet meaningful sights, all the while Pokemon Tower loomed over him and his friends. A couple times, a mischievous ghost (once a Gastly and later a Shuppet) popped up out of nowhere to startle him, but they would vanish without a trace almost immediately after, leaving behind a seemingly disembodied giggle.

Apart from Valiant, everyone on the team was given some time to roam outside. None of them saw action, except for Tempest, who predictably requested to do some light exercise in a nearby courtyard. A girl Ash's age had bumped into them while he and the Krabby were practicing Ice Beam and Crabhammer, and requested a battle. Tempest made short work of her Chikorita, and defeated her Mareep next after a light struggle. She didn't appear particularly bothered by the loss; instead seeming more impressed than annoyed. When asking how many badges Ash had, she was startled when he answered that he had four, stating that she only had two so far.

After she left, a quick time check told Ash that they were nearing the meeting time at the Bakery of Beacon. At this point, the dimness of the town had begun giving way to a pretty orange sunset. Having passed by the bakery during his walk shortly after lunch at the Center, he had a vague idea of where to go, but asked for directions from a woman tending to the vegetation in the courtyard just in case. On the way to the bakery, he and Tempest bumped into Janine and Ivysaur, to pleasant surprise.

"Oh, Ash!" The girl sent him a wave to signal him over. "I haven't seen you all day!" As Ash and Tempest stopped in front of the duo (the Krabby begrudgingly accepting a "handshake" from Ivysaur's vine), she shifted her backpack for a moment. "How have you been today?"

"Things have been going smoothly so far," Ash grinned relaxed and casually. He was still getting used to the town, but there was definitely something comfortable in her familiarity. "Sorry I… missed breakfast, and… everything else." His cheeks flushed as he bit his lip.

Undeterred, Janine raised a quick hand to silence him. "Don't worry about it, it's no big deal." Shifting her head up, she chuckled at the sky. "Sunset looks really nice from this angle, right?"

Looking up with her, Ash had to agree. "Yeah, it does." Allowing his gaze to linger for a moment, he looked back at her. "So… how has your day been? I visited the stone shop and had a nice talk with the owner. After that… the day's just been walking and some light training. A trainer challenged us, but not much other than that."

With a light hum, she nodded at him, gripping the straps of her purple backpack as Ivysaur's head softly brushed against her leg. "Our day hasn't been much more than yours. None of us battled or trained, although we did stop by Pokemon Tower a few hours ago. We didn't go in, but we met a gravekeeper; he was pretty insightful. And-"

Ash couldn't help his startled yelp as something appeared between their faces without warning. "Gah!" jumping back for a second, it didn't take too long for him to identify the giggling ghost as a… Misdreavus? As if on instinct, Tempest took a step forward with his pincers aimed to fire, although Ash quickly shot out an arm to stop him. "Tempest, stand down!"

With some reluctance, the river crab obeyed, lowering his pincer as the ghost locked eyes with him. A moment or two later, Misdreavus sent the Krabby a flirtatious wink before vanishing into thin air.

Catching her breath for a moment, Janine chuckled nervously. "Sorry, guys… I was just about to warn you." her eyes lingered on the spot where the Misdreavus had been. "She's been following us around all day." Shifting in place, she glanced at Tempest for a moment before looking back at Ash. "The gravekeeper called her Admelia. He said that she always finds somebody to latch onto and stalk around for about twelve hours or so, but that she'll go away eventually."

"So you were today's lucky winner?" Ash couldn't help the tease. Ivysaur chuckled.

"Yeah…" the girl's cheeks reddened as she scratched her wrist. "She's been popping up on and off. Anyway…" her eyes lingered in the direction where they knew the bakery was. "It's almost time… I think we should be about five minutes away by now."

He nodded at her. "Alright. You ready to go, Tempest?" he looked down at the Krabby, who nodded absentmindedly, still staring back at the place Admelia had appeared from, as though daring her to show up a second time.

/

"The Bakery of Beacon, proudly serving Lavender Town for over 85 years."

The sign was read just in front of a decently large building in front of the group. The bakery in question was of a simple, brown aesthetic with a red and blue roof that changed colors halfway to the side. Ash's eyes lingered on the sign for just a moment before moving up the set of stone steps and opening the door.

Immediately upon walking in, the interior was fancy and clean. It wasn't over the top, but appeared much more high end than the unassuming exterior on the outside. The carpet was a pretty, deep red that stretched across the floor as far as Ash could see it, and the overhead lighting looked far from cheap at first glance. Looking around, he could see some patrons further down the large room, some eating a meal, and one table waiting for theirs. The place did not seem overly busy for the moment, which was reassuring.

The first thing that had caught his attention, however, almost as though a switch had been flipped, was the smell. He wasn't sure what he was smelling, but it gave him the urge to suck it all in. 'Pure bliss' was likely the best way to describe it. Looking down, he saw Tempest and Ivysaur's attention caught by the same thing.

Janine blinked, unable to help her grin. "Wow… I like this place already."

"Same here." he responded. Already, he felt thankful that Kris had invited them here.

"Good evening!" A woman with tied back brunette hair approached them, wearing a red and blue uniform that seemed token for restaurants, clipboard in hand. "Lacey Beacon" read on her nametag. "Table for two? Pokemon are allowed out here in the front section."

"They're with me, Lacey!" As Ash's head turned to the direction of the voice, his eyes bulged.

Kris stood up from a blue booth by the window, casually approaching the group with a lax smile. Behind her was an Arcanine. A massive Arcanine. The fire type dog was leaning against its trainer's seat in a lying position with its forelegs folded across its chest and yet… it was still huge. As if on instinct, Tempest's eyes homed in on the canine behemoth like a missile, the river crab's gaze glued as can be.

The waitress, Lacey, nodded at the Ace Trainer. "Understood, Kris." she gave Ash and Janine an approving nod. "She already reserved that booth for you three. You'll find the menus there, so I'll see you soon."

Janine nodded, briefly lowering her head. "Thank you, ma'am." she spoke as formally as could be.

As the duo and their Pokemon approached Kris. who greeted them quickly, Ash's pacing slowed as the Arcanine behind her rose to its feet, its full, four-legged height even more staggering up close. He knew the species was big, and he wasn't sure off the top of his head how this specimen compared to the average, but there was no way it was below average. It definitely surpassed six feet in height.

Although Ivysaur paused for a moment, he continued forward as Janine continued her approach, completely unfettered as Arcanine took a couple steps to meet her. Ash blinked as his friend's hands gently patted the canine's snout… before the fire type's tongue gave her cheek a big, slobbery lick in response.

An incredibly childish giggle escaped the poison specialist as she rubbed the large dog's face with fond familiarity. "Hee hee, it's great to see you, Smokey! I'm glad you've been taking care of Kris."

As Ivysaur cautiously joined them, Ash watched the exchange in silence for a few moments, before a gentle hand on his shoulder redirected his attention to Kris, who he hadn't realized was standing beside him until now. She was at least a good head taller than he was, and likely more. "Try not to let his size distract you, Smokey's heart is as big as the rest of his body. When he's not on the battlefield or in training, you'll hardly find a creature more calm."

Ash's eyes returned to the beast, who was leaning downward to give Ivysaur a decent sniffing. Calm fire types were somewhat rare; not all of them were known to be overly aggressive, but the typing was often associated with energeticness and adrenaline. He doubted Smokey had any shortage of that while on duty- he was an Ace Trainer's Pokemon, after all- but seeing him now… felt like looking at a house pet. A very humongous one.

His body stiffened as the Arcanine rose up once more, the dog's attention finally finding its way to him and Tempest. The water type's eyes had not left Smokey since the moment they first landed on him, but the much larger creature barely even seemed to register (or was perhaps just ignoring) the Krabby's gaze as his legs casually closed the distance between him and Ash. The boy took an involuntary step back as Smokey slowly closed in on him, and soon found the dog's large snout in his face, his heart rate increasing as the dog began to sniff.

Looking back over to Kris, Ash was greeted with a warm, reassuring smile. The sight of her expression was almost like a magic trick, his nerves and quickening heart rate calming down just a little bit as the fire type canine's snout moved down to his chest, pressing against him as Smokey's nose inspected seemingly every inch of his body. Tempest said and did nothing, simply staring deeply into the larger creature as Kris' partner spent a few more moments examining Ash.

Finally, Ash released his held in breath as Smokey pulled away from him, and felt a small tickle as the dog's tongue momentarily brushed against his hand. As the Arcanine's eyes fell on Tempest next, Ash briefly worried what would happen if the smaller Krabby were to be startled, but Smokey seemed to read the water type fairly well, and simply offered Ash's partner a brief nod before lightly trotting back to the booth.

"He seems to like you." Ash turned to see Janine wiping her cheek with a napkin. "Smokey's always read people well, his eyes are just about as thorough as his nose." Her hand traveled across her belt for a moment as she looked across the room. "Is… there going to be enough space to let everyone out?"

Kris nodded, returning to her seat and petting the large Arcanine's head, the fire type gently leaning into her touch. "Yeah, like Lacey said, this part of the bakery is free for Pokemon to be out as long as they don't roam too far unattended. That's part of why the place is so big." Nodding back in understanding, Ash and Janine released their teams one by one. Looking around, each teammate immediately understood where they were, having been told about the trip ahead of time. Ash released Phenom first, and as though by accident, the young Tyrunt locked gazes with Tempest, his eyes lingering for a moment or two before Eevee's arrival stole away his attention.

After everyone else had been released, Ash's hand lingered on Valiant's Poke Ball, mind flashing back to breakfast. He could see the rest of his team looking a thim with what appeared to be understanding, before he slowly unclipped the capsule and released the young psychic.

Emerging from the light, the Kirlia's posture predictably stiffened for a moment, before taking in a deep breath and trying to exhale gently. A soft rub from Eevee seemed to ease him momentarily before he turned to his trainer, who was already crouching down to face him.

"Hey, buddy. How are you feeling right now? Do you want to be out?"

For a moment or two, Valiant stared back at him without a response, before looking around silently. Standing by the booth with her hand resting gently against the table, Janine's eyes fell on the Kirlia's form for a moment as she watched the exchange. Finally, Valiant turned back to Ash, locking eyes with hsi trainer with a somewhat reluctant nod.

"Yes, I should be… I shouldn't keep hiding…" His telepathic voice didn't seem fully convinced of his own words, but his facial expression appeared progressively steel nonetheless.

Ash patted his head. "Okay, don't force yourself too much, but good to know."

/

Ash and Janine sat across from Kris at the booth, Janine next to the window (which provided a good view of the outside area and the tower looming in the distance) and Ash on the outside. Smokey remained positioned by his trainer's seat, leaning laxly against the frame while observing the two younger trainer's teammates. The twelve Pokemon were a bit spread out, but not too far, most mingling with one another, although Pikachu was perched behind his trainer's head. They had already ordered a set of Pokemon food for their teams, and true enough, there was something for just about any taste bud. The significantly harder part, however, came from deciding which human food to order.

Ash's eyes scanned the menu, widening a bit at the impressive variety of dishes. "Bakery" almost seemed like a catch-all term: It felt like just about any dinner, snack or dessert baked in an oven was present, even those one normally wouldn't expect from such a place. The prices didn't seem too bad either, although Kris had already declared she'd be paying for everything.

"This place is family owned." The Ace Trainer's voice in question caused him to raise his head from the booklet. "It's been around for most of this town's life, so just about anybody who's lived here for a long while just looks at it as a part of it all. Their recipes have expanded and evolved over the decades, but ask just about any of the regulars; it always stays true." her eyes skimmed through the entrees. I always come here whenever I end up in Lavender." she looked between the two for a moment, her smile growing. "One bite of their entrees or desserts, and you'll feel like you've entered heaven without dying."

Janine's eyes landed on a particular item on the menu. "I was told earlier that the lasagna is one of their famous signatures… I'm thinking of having that."

"I'd definitely recommend it myself." Kris nodded. "I'd say it's their best non-dessert item. What about you, Ash?"

"Ummm…" he paused for a moment while looking through the dishes. "Maybe that, I'll see."

"Take your time," the Ace Trainer reassured before refocusing her attention on Janine. "So you two just came from Saffron? I was a bit surprised to find you this far out so soon, given that you chose to start in Viridian."

"I was not expecting it too much myself," Janine admitted. "But it's been an eventful period. I have three badges at the moment." she nodded to Ash. "And he has four. I wasn't able to beat Sabrina yet, but he did."

Sitting back gently, Kris whistled a bit. "Not many first-years can say they got a Marsh Badge this early on. So, which were the other Gyms?"

"Pewter, Cerulean, and Celadon." Ash answered. "Probably what you'd expect; neither of us have been to Johto yet."

Indeed, the teen girl did not seem too surprised. "Yeah, for Kanto, those three are usually where trainers earn their first badges. Especially Cerulean. So… you said you two first paired up in Celadon, right?"

Although Janine nodded, she added, "We actually first met a lot sooner than that. Back in Viridian, but it was just for one night. We didn't see each other again until Celadon after we had already earned our badges from Erika. We were both visiting the same breeder for different reasons."

"Was it Suzie?" Ash wasn't too surprised by Kris' correct guess. Janine had mentioned to him that her family had history with the famed breeder, and if Kris was connected to them as well, then it made sense. "It's been a bit since I was in Celadon. Things have thankfully started to settle down from what I know, but I've been busy with assignments elsewhere." She paused for a moment, looking between the two of them with some thought, carefully collecting her words. "So then… Fuchsia's next, right? A bit of a trip from here, in more ways than just length, but… Are you looking forward to visiting home?"

Looking over to his friend, Ash could see some pause in the girl's considerate expression. "I am… father will definitely be looking to evaluate me, so I need to take this next stretch of traveling as seriously as possible. He'll have words for me if I come out looking subpar."

Kris' eyes narrowed for a moment, briefly glancing at Ash before examining Janine candidly. "Of course… It's pretty bold to set your sights on that Gym so soon. Even with the time it will take to get there, it's even gutsier than going to Saffron's Gym. Most trainers would probably go to Johto for their next badge, if Pewter, Cerulean, and Celadon were already checked off."

"You're right," Ash admitted. "It's…" he chuckled a bit. "Nerve-racking, but we both wanted the challenge." part of him hoped it didn't bite him later on, a memory of his match with Surge flashing through his mind, but he pushed it away. He wouldn't allow a repeat of that to happen. He had already told his mother this morning that he was ready, and though the thought of what Koga might throw at them did elicit a healthy dose of fear, he would not take that back.

Kris studied him for a moment longer, and seemed as though she was about to say something before the sound of footsteps caught their attention.

Ash blinked. Instead of Lacey, like before, they were greeted by a small boy with short, brown hair wearing the same uniform, and "Caleb Beacon" on his nametag. For a brief moment, Caleb seemed nervous, cheeks a bit flushed as he stopped in front of the table, before regaining his composure at a surprising rate.

"H-Hi, good evening." his voice steadied further as he went on. "Grandma and the others are ready for your orders now. The Pokemon food will be ready in a few minutes, too." skillfully, he shifted his hold on the clipboard as he prepared to write their orders down.

'Thanks, Caleb." Affectionate familiarity lined Kris' voice. "I'll be having the lasagna for my entree, and soft toast with jelly on the side. Orange juice to drink." she looked over to Ash and Janine. "You two decided yet?"

They nodded. "Yes, I'll have lasagna too," Janine answered. "With garlic bread and a glass of milk."

After some thought, Ash said. "Lasagna, mini pizza rolls, and grape juice. Thanks."

The younger boy wrote the items down before flashing them a smile. "Okay! My aunt will update you when the food is almost ready. Do you want your drinks first or with the meal?" They all answered "with."

As Caleb walked off, Kris' eyes scanned the Pokemon watching him for a moment before returning to the two younger trainers. "Seven years old, can you believe it? No way my handwriting was good enough for a job like that back then. His grandmother is the owner and lead cook of this place; Lacey tells me that he loves going into the Pokemon section to hang out. Customers love him too. Definitely a future trainer or breeder if I've ever seen one; Mr. Fuji has already taken him under his wing."

Ash chuckled at that. "I know a little girl back in Pallet who loves everything to do with battling. I was like that as a kid, too." just as he began thinking back to all of the time sunk into watching televised tournaments, a feeling of discomfort began making itself known in his pants area. Fidgeting a bit, he stood up, embarrassment flickering through his features. "I, uh… forgot to go to the bathroom on the way here." Both girls waved him off as Pikachu followed him to the restroom sign. Eevee considered going with them, but lingered behind with Valiant, who was beginning to ease up at the thought of food coming soon.

The Kirlia's attention turned back to the window, where a full view of Pokemon Tower's somewhat distant yet towering form was offered. The night sky was fairly clear, and stars had begun forming around the famed structure's roof. Despite effectively being a cemetery, the design of the structure wasn't particularly gloomy, and yet…

Valiant's eyes squeezed shut after looking at the tower for a moment too long. Was something like that… really in there?

Janine and Kris watched Ash leave for a moment of silence, before the blue-haired girls found their way back to the poison specialist. After a moment, she said, "Nice friend you've made."

Janine looked fondly in Ash's direction for a moment longer before redirecting her attention back to Kris. "It's nice traveling with somebody. I'm glad I ran into him."

"So am I, from the looks of it. I figured your journey would yield some nice opportunities for you. Compared to your rigid business back at home. It's good to see you both get along so well."

Janine tapped her chin for a moment. "Yeah… things were pretty smooth from the start, so traveling together was pretty convenient, since we've both been going in the same direction." she sighed for a moment. "We are probably going to split up once we're both done with Fuchsia, but… that's a bit of a ways from now. I'm enjoying it while it lasts."

Kris nodded along with her, expression progressively growing thoughtful as she studied her younger friend. "Say, ummm…" she took a long pause, lingering on her words for a moment. Gradually, a minor wave of understanding began to pass over Janine's expression before the Ace Trainer continued. As she spoke, she leaned in just a little but, voice lowering. "Does he… know?"

A slight frown occupied Janine's features as she shook her head. She almost reached up to scratch her ponytail, but refrained in the end. "...No, he does not." As Kris lightly nodded, the younger girl's eyes found their way to the table for a few seconds. "It's- that's… It just wasn't something you should tell somebody you've just met. I was still getting to know him for a while."

Kris sighed. "Yeah… it's not easy to tell a new friend that you're actually Leader Koga's daughter. Or that you come from the Kyo clan." As she locked eyes with the Fuchsia native. Her face was sympathetic but stern. "He will find out, though. If not from you then once you two both get to Fuchsia. It'd be better if you were the one to tell him."

Janine's brow furrowed. "I know he will… I'm just not sure how to bring it up." subconsciously, her index finger began tapping the surface of the table. "It's just… saying that you're a Gym Leader's daughter isn't easy for people to believe just like that. I couldn't just lead with it when we were just getting acquainted with one another, and yet… once I actually bring it up, it means I've been keeping a secret the whole time."

"Do you think he'll be angry with you?"

"I don't think so," Janine admitted. "That's not like him. It just feels… really awkward. I'm not sure how to tell him." she heaved a sigh. "I know waiting until the end would be worse. Like you said, the truth will come out once we get there, whether I want it or not."

Kris nodded. "Which is why it's important that you tell him before that." though she was understanding, there was a clear firmness in her tone. "You two trust each other, right? There's nothing to hide, anymore." her hand reached down to pat Smokey's head once more. "I'm not saying to blurt it out right this second, but if you tell him soon, with plenty of time left, it should be easier."

Janine nodded, trying to relax some nerves that she hadn't fully realized had tensed up. "I hear you. I'll just… need a little bit more time. Just to figure out how I'm going to say it."

"Atta girl, you'll do just fine."

/

Ash stepped out of the bathroom with Pikachu in tow, feeling a great deal of relief.

"Heh," he looked down at his starter with a chuckle. "At least that didn't hit me right before the food got here, right buddy?" The mouse giggled at the thought.

As the duo prepared to walk through the hall back to the dining area, something caught Ash's eye as he turned. He hadn't noticed it before, being in a hurry to get to the bathroom.

It was a decently sized, framed picture of two kids standing next to a Scyther. One of them was small… thinking back, he looked kind of like that Caleb kid from before, but was clearly younger. This picture must have been from a few years back…

The other was a pretty girl with teal hair that fell just beneath her ears, but did not reach her shoulders. She was holding onto Caleb's shoulders from behind, and both kids (along with the Scyther) were beaming at the camera. Ash couldn't quite make out the location of the photo, but he assumed that it was taken in a backyard.

"Hmm… family owned, so it makes sense that there'd be some pictures like this." Ash commented as his starter climbed up his back and onto his head to get a better look. "Kind of crazy that they've been running this place for so many decades, right pal?" A nod and affirmative chirp from Pikachu signaled the young mouse's agreement.

The sound of the girl's restroom door opening stole their attention away from the photo. Exiting the bathroom, Lacey blinked for a moment before smiling. "Oh, hey. How's it been for you so far?"

"You have a nice place." Ash commented.

The woman chuckled. "Thanks, we get that a lot. This bakery is the heart of our family, so we do everything we can to keep it in top shape." her arms crossed for a moment. "A little bit closer to 'restaurant' nowadays, with how much the menu has evolved, but the roots remain the same." Eyes lingering for a moment, she noticed the photo that Ash was standing in front of. "Oh, were you two looking at that?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Ash turned back to the picture. "Um, yeah. Hopefully that's okay."

"Course it is. Pictures are meant to be looked at." Advancing forward, she stopped next to him, offering Pikachu a brief tickle on the chin that left the mouse squeaking in high-pitched delight. "That was taken three years ago, Caleb was four and his sister was nine. Her name's Kimberly. They're my nephew and niece, and the Scyther is Knighter." She stared at the photo for a bit, thoughtfully taking in the picture before turning back to him. "My brother took it just before leaving. He's an engineer working overseas, and his time here at home can be a bit spotty because of that ever since his promotion."

Ash understood that. Professor Oak's granddaughter was rarely ever in town nowadays, spending most of her time overseas as well, being a prominent figure in Hoenn's Pokemon Contest field.

"So… how long has Caleb been working here?" he asked curiously.

"About six months. He wanted to start helping out. Was a bit surprised he started as early as he did, but he's been doing fine for his age."

"Does…" Ash tried to remember her name. "Kimberly work here too?"

"...Not quite." Lacey's brow furrowed for a moment. "It's not typical for them to start that young, although we've had pre teens in the family helping out in the past. Also-"

Something from the corner of her eye caught her attention, and by extension Ash and pikachu's as well. The boy blinked… it was a Sableye.

'Wait… this might be the same one from the store.' he quickly realized.

Lacey's reaction confirmed that thought. "Well if it isn't Yami! I'll bet someone's come for his nightly plate of food, eh?" The Sableye seemed quite cheerful in response, nodding in affirmation. "Gotcha. Just wait there one moment, pal." Preparing to leave, she nodded at Ash and Pikachu. "I'll be seeing you. Enjoy your night, okay?"

Ash watched her leave for a moment, presumably returning to the kitchen, before looking back at the Sableye. He had never met a member of Yami's species before, so he wasn't quite sure how to read them, but the small ghost seemed to recognize him and Pikachu. A few gears began turning in his mind as the dark/ghost type looked back at them. After a moment or two, an idea occurred to him.

"Hey, Yami… I know it's sudden, but I was wondering something." the Sableye tilted his head as Pikachu made his way back down to the floor, looking up at his trainer curiously. "You see… I have a Staravia named Nebula who's trying to learn Ominous Wind, but she's struggling with it, because she's having a hard time learning how to summon distortion. I was wondering if… you could give her a few tips?" He knew it was a sudden request to make, but he had to start somewhere, and Yami seemed to be a friendly ghost.

The Sableye crossed his arms in thought for a few moments… before looking back at Ash and nodding. Suddenly, he turned to Pikachu, and the two seemed to have a brief conversation, Pikachu nodding along in understanding to whatever the ghost was saying. After a few moments, they both turned to Ash, Yami gesturing for the young trainer to follow. Complying, Ash allowed the ghost to lead him and Pikachu to the entrance of the bathroom hall, and pointed at a picture.

This was another picture of Caleb, and seemed more recent. Standing next to him was a familiar old man… Mr. Fuji, Ash quickly realized. Ash stared at the photo for a moment or two before a lightbulb went off in his mind. "Oh! So, meet you at Mr. Fuji's lab?" The Sableye nodded. "Tomorrow… afternoon?" Given the short notice, it seemed to be a more convenient time than the morning. The Sableye nodded again, and Ash beamed. "Thank you, Yami! I'll find a way to make it worth your while, I promise!"

/

After a reasonable wait, the group was given their food and drinks, while their Pokemon were nearly finished with their own meals. One look at the lasagna had Ash's mouth watering, and a single taste was all it took to cloud his thoughts.

He'd never once thought that anything he'd eat would surpass his mother's cooking, and the delicious quality of the lasagna almost felt dangerous as a result. Would he ever dare think it? Based on the observations he had made regarding his team, they seemed to have been having similar reactions to their own food, especially Phenom, and Eevee was too distracted relishing in her own food to critique the young dinosaur's manners as he practically plunged his face into the bowl.

Over the meal (and the prior wait for it), the three trainers discussed a few aimless subjects, such as past gym battles and travels, or the antics of a couple of Kris' colleagues. When the time came to order dessert, Ash found himself struggling between the numerous, heavenly combos across the menu. Eventually, he and Janine both decided on a giant, cinnamon roll-esque pastry glazed with brown sugar and chocolate and marshmallow icing to the point of being drenched, deciding to split the dessert between both of them, while Kris chose a cake-like dessert stuffed with apple and strawberry filling.

The cinnamon dessert was carefully cut in half before being served, the hot steam indicating it was fresh from the oven.

"Well?" Kris teased playfully. "You two gonna gawk at that thing all night, or is it going in your stomachs where food belongs?" Her words snapped Ash out of his trance, carefully taking a fork and plucking off a sizeable piece of the dessert before biting into it. As he swallowed it, he couldn't help the goofy grin on his face. "See? That's better."

"You weren't kidding when you said the lasagna was their best non-dessert dish." Ash recalled the specific wording the older trainer had used previously.

Kris tilted her head with a hint of mock-embarrassment. "I've been eating here on and off for about three and a half years, now. "Plenty of time to indulge in the sweet side of their talents." Her eyes shifted to Janine. "Are you alive there?"

The purple-haired girl was staring at her half of the dessert with a blank, yet almost comical expression, unable to decide if she was looking at the most desirable thing she had ever seen, or a bottle of poison. "Last time father caught me eating this much sugar, he had me walk on ice cubes with my bare feet."

Although her statement took Ash by surprise, Kris responded before he had the chance too. "You're away from home, remember? I know old habits die hard, but try making your own rules for yourself. It's not like you eat this way all the time. It's a treat, which you've both earned."

After a moment, Janine nodded with minor reluctance before raising her fork. Slowly, she sank the utensil into the pastry and took off a decent piece. Bringing it up to her mouth, she out the whole thing in with one bite and started to chew. A few moments later, her eyes bulged, and as she swallowed, her face split into a smile. A massive one.

"It's, uh…" the giddiness in Janine's voice perfectly matched her angelic expression as her shimmering eyes stared down at the rest. "Oh dear Mew…"

"Those were… pretty close to my thoughts." Ash admitted with minimal embarrassment. He found his eyes lingering on Janine's face for a moment before breaking away to look back at Kris. "Thanks for inviting us here, by the way."

"Don't mention it," the Ace Trainer began digging into her own dessert. "What better way to catch up? Or get to know someone? I was always told that socializing is best over a meal." Her hand patted Smokey's head. "It really has been nice meeting you."

"Same," Ash quickly said. He hardly cared that Kris treating them to an amazing dinner may have given him a biased first impression of her.

/

The morning sunlight spread over the sky above Pokemon Tower's roof. Kris gazed up at the tower in the distance for a few more seconds before turning to the door.

The Applecorn Inn. Where her contact was staying. And their meeting place.

She allowed the fond memories of last night to linger for just a little bit. She certainly had not banked on running into her mentor's niece all the way out here, or on Janine having a friend with her as well. It was such a welcome distraction… but now that was over. Her body and face stiffened a bit as she took a step forward. Despite herself, she could feel her heartbeat increasing ever so slightly, the weight of it all finally making itself known to her.

Stepping inside, she walked through the front lobby, a familiar sight that she had been in before. A few people lounging took note of her uniform as she silently strolled through to the front counter. The woman at the desk perked up upon seeing her.

"Hello, Ace Trainer Kris." She spoke as professionally as possible. "I was informed you would be coming this morning. You're here to see Agent Klark, correct?"

Showing the woman her bad for extra measure, Kris nodded politely. "Yes, ma'am. He's staying in room 3-12, correct?"

"Yes, just up the elevator, three rooms to your right."

Offering a quick thank you, Kris made her way up to the third floor. Stepping out and into the hallway, she knocked on the door in question. A few moments later, it opened to reveal a tanned-skin man about a head so taller than she was, with blazing red hair, short but slicked back into spikes. He wore a fairly unassuming outfit, rather usual for a man working undercover; a simple, yellow buttoned shirt and a pair of purple pants.

"Good to see you, Kris." Klark's tone was decently steady, completely unsurprised by her arrival, although his eyes reflected mild concern as he gestured her in. It was best she entered quickly, lest any passerby noticing an Ace Trainer entering somebody's hotel room.

The interior of the room was fairly spacious, with one bed halfway to the window. The room itself was not anything fancy, however. Booking a particularly luxurious room would clash with the effort to blend in, after all. By the window was a Pokemon most in Indigo would not have the faintest idea of, but Kris recognized her as a Decidueye. The Alolan Pokemon stood stoically near the corner, eyes deeply fixated on the teenaged Ace Trainer, but not hostile. A male Stoutland lay near the bed with one eye open to observe the newcomer.

"I trust your transportation went smoothly?" Kris asked as she and Klark shook hands. He had an unsurprisingly firm grip. He was also quite handsome, but her mind wasn't on that. The thoughts flowing through her head regarding both their reasons for being here were too overwhelming, and there was room for nothing else.

"It did, thank you for asking." Klark's tone was as professional as they came as he pulled up a chair at a nearby table, him and Kris both sitting at opposite ends. "You… certainly reached fairly deep in your own pockets to fly me out here." As they pushed themselves in, their eyes met. "Of course, I was due in Indigo anyway, with the Iron-Masked Marauder currently present within Team Rocket's ranks. But…" his face fell into a deep frown. "You… needed me sooner." The verbal mask was beginning to slip away. He was concerned for her, and it moved her. But it did not deter her.

The young Ace Trainer was already removing the folders from her back, neatening up the papers as much as possible before positioning them at the middle of the table. "Yes… I trust you're ready to take notes?"

As though her words had summoned the object, one of his hands was already planting a fresh notebook in front of himself, before pulling a pen out of his pocket with the other. "You already know, Kris." his brow furrowed as they locked eyes once more. He could see a river of emotion in her gaze. One that she had an easy time hiding from most, but that he had an easy time spotting. "Listen… I know you don't want me to say this, but you're scared, and you should be." he bit his lip. "I know you've thought this long and hard, but I need to bring it up again. Once we do this, it's past the point of no return. I'll do everything I can, but… knowing that, are you-"

"Yes," Kris struggled to make her interruption as polite as possible. 'This is the reason I became an Ace Trainer in the first place.' "Your concern means the world to me, Klark, but you already know that this needs to be done."

"The severity, however," he continued, mildly hushing his tone as though on instinct alone. "You are conducting an investigation on a Gym Leader, completely off the books and behind the Indigo League's back. The evidence that you have pitched to me and Looker already is worthwhile, but your actions…" he paused for a moment. "You're only fifteen years old, Kris. You have everything ahead of you. What you're doing right now, if it leaks out, your career is over."

"I am well aware," although her response was borderline rehearsed, the shift in her facial expression very briefly betrayed her true emotions. At that moment, Klark saw the face of a child. "Which is why you and Looker have my full trust in this." A few seconds later, she realized her foot had been tapping against the carpeted floor, and quickly stopped herself. "This has led me deeper than I ever imagined it could go, and…" she chewed her lip. Her mask was slipping. 'Damnit, Kris! Aya trained you better than this! And yet you can't ask her for help on this one…' "It's… you'll see in the file I've been building, but… I don't care if this is an illegal investigation. I haven't cared in a very long time." She locked eyes with him once more. Much more fiercely, but not hostile. "Obviously, this isn't enough, but it's a start. And if it's halted now, the momentum will be lost forever. We cannot allow this to get out until it's time to make a move."

"Even if this succeeds…" Klark responded. "And everything in your case is proven right, you will not escape punishment. Not with the means you have been going by." she nodded at him. "That's why this is the last chance to back out. I'm not telling you what to do, Looker and I are going to offer you our full support if you truly wish to go through with this. I'm just triple-checking that you understand the severity of it all. Everything."

"I do." whatever shakiness was in her voice before had since evaporated.

He nodded back at her. "Then I will not say anything on the subject ever again, and from here on out, none of the information in this room will be known to anybody but us and Looker." at her grateful nod, he added, "So, before we start, just how incriminating is this evidence?"

"Not quite enough, as I said before," she admitted freely. "It's enough to start building a case, but not to indict. Not against a Gym Leader, which is why this entire investigation has to be carried out in the dark."

Klark hummed in agreement. "Indeed, any leaks would immediately shut you down. That's why you can't turn to anybody in the Indigo League."

"Even my own mentor…" she trailed off, a flicker of heartbreak passing over her eyes as she leaned forward with her hands folded together. "But two undercover, International Police Agents…"

"Our jurisdiction is different," Klark confirmed. "As long as everything is kept between us, and nothing gets out, you will be fine. Until on your own terms…"

She nodded again. "And by then, my actions can't be brushed off, or ignored. Even if I face legal ramifications, the damage will be done. It'll all be exposed." she took a breath for a moment. 'Of course… I've already informed you that things are… much worse than I initially realized when I started all of this."

"And I have agreed to keep an open mind." Klark affirmed. "You certainly spared me no warning, but you don't work in my field without being prepared for things that may sound ridiculous on paper. That's why, as long as you know the implications of what you're doing, then the more severe the contents of what you're investigating, the more important it is for me to review them."

"I… never pictured it turning out like this." she admitted. "It's… terrifying, but…" she breathed deeply again. In and out. "Part of me regrets starting all of this, not realizing just what I was getting into. And yet another part of me is glad that I did. This is… even I still have to remind myself to wrap my head around it."

"You're extremely brave." Klark looked her over for a moment. Business such as this was something he needed to be used to, but coming from somebody her age… "Now then… are you ready to get started?" his hand rested on the papers, just waiting to be read and discussed.

She maintained eye contact. This was it. Her point of no return. There would be no turning back. None, from the moment she uttered the words-

"Yes, I am."