Forum Thread

Plot
After discovering the existence of Shadow Pokemon, and Team Rocket's nefarious plans regarding them, 23-year old Angel ends her association with the group and makes it her new life mission to rescue, protect, and ease the pain of as many Shadows as possible from all who desired them harm.

Alexandria "Angel" Flamel and Team

Nanaki Flamel and Team

Minor Characters

Glossary

A Note From Angel

---

Title: Kanto Shadows

Link Nature Chain
Quiet Male, Chain # 34
Hardy Male, Chain # 61
Jolly Male, Chain # 128
Hardy Male, Chain # 133
Modest Male, Chain # 138
Hardy Male, Chain # 31
Female Brave, Chain # 45
Male Mild, Chain # 122
Impish Male, Chain # 43
Jolly Female, Chain # 50
Docile Female, Chain # 55
Jolly Female, Chain # 109
Careful Female, Chain # 132
Naughty Male, Chain # 52
Jolly Male, Chain # 94
Naughty Female, Chain # 46
Quirky Female, Chain # 60
Naïve Female, Chain # 52
Relaxed Female, Chain # 87
Serious Female, Chain # 73
Quirky Male, Chain # 10
Bold Female, Chain # 32
Brave Female, Chain # 57
Modest Male, Chain # 121
Docile Male, Chain # 46
Serious Female, Chain # 126
Modest Male, Chain # 99
Gentle Female, Chain # 185
Impish Female, Chain # 10
Timid Female, Chain # 57
Adamant Female, Chain # 160
Impish Male, Chain # 122
Hasty Male, Chain # 99
Jolly Male, Chain # 130
Clefairy Female, Chain # 84
Impish Male, Chain # 170
Hardy Female, Chain # 68
Brave Male, Chain # 19
Brave Male, Chain # 128
Lax Male, Chain # 93
Timid Male, Chain # 174
Serious Female, Chain # 46
Gentle Female, Chain # 150
Modest Male, Chain # 91
Lax Male, Chain # 45
Lax Male, Chain # 106
Bold Male, Chain # 61
Sassy Female, Chain # 46
Quirky Female, Chain # 127
Timid Female, Chain # 61
Quirky Male, Chain # 5
Hardy Female, Chain # 19
Careful Female, Chain # 134
Calm Male, Chain # 109
Lax Male, Chain # 139
Mild Female, Chain # 134
Lax Female, Chain # 163
Modest Male, Chain # 3
Quirky Female, Chain # 88
Lonely Female, Chain # 47
Jolly Male, Chain # 116
Sassy Female, Chain # 69
Hasty Male, Chain # 127
Quiet Male, Chain # 42
Quiet Male, Chain # 144
Docile Female, Chain # 41
Lax Male, Chain # 128
Bashful Male, Chain # 53
Bashful Male, Chain # 9
Quirky Female, Chain # 16
Adamant Female, Chain # 61
Quirky Male, Chain # 102
Docile Female, Chain # 37
Serious Male, Chain # 125
Impish Male, Chain # 24
Hardy Male, Chain # 91
Lonely Female, Chain # 75
Quiet Female, Chain # 79
Quiet Male, Chain # 54
Lax Male, Chain # 57
Lax Male, Chain # 93
Serious Neutral, Chain # 20
Naughty Female, Chain # 58
Serious Male, Chain # 64
Sassy Female, Chain # 52
Lax Female, Chain # 19
Jolly Male, Chain # 23
Serious Male, Chain # 11
Timid Female, Chain # 94
Impish Male, Chain # 42
Docile Male, Chain # 11
Mild Male, Chain # 57
Impish Female, Chain # 144
Jolly Male, Chain # 91
Brave Male, Chain # 138
Lonely Male, Chain # 82
Lax Female, Chain # 8
Calm Male, Chain # 144
Careful Male, Chain # 114
Relaxed Neutral, Chain # 135
Quirky Neutral, Chain # 105
Serious Female, Chain # 9
Hasty Male, Chain # 58
Naïve Male, Chain # 35
Careful Male, Chain # 40
Mild Male, Chain # 73
Sassy Male, Chain # 16
Lax Female, Chain # 8
Relaxed Female, Chain # 178
Calm Female, Chain # 107
Lonely Male, Chain # 137
Bold Female, Chain # 52
Modest Female, Chain # 15
Jolly Female, Chain # 117
Hardy Female, Chain # 84
Quirky Male, Chain # 48
Mild Male, Chain # 83
Lonely Male, Chain # 94
Rash Female, Chain # 111
Hasty Neutral, Chain # 32
Serious Neutral, Chain # 137
Timid Female, Chain # 49
Jolly Male, Chain # 72
Calm Female, Chain # 49
Quirky Male, Chain # 71
Jolly Male, Chain # 11
Mild Female, Chain # 3
Hasty Male, Chain # 128
Naïve Female, Chain # 86
Bold Male, Chain # 44
Serious Female, Chain # 30
Hasty Neutral, Chain # 87

Lax Male, Chain # 72
Sassy Male, Chain # 58
Lax Male, Chain # 130
Impish Neutral, Chain # 59
Sassy Male, Chain # 108
Hasty Female, Chain # 196
Adamant Male, Chain # 13
Mild Male, Chain # 173
Lax Male, Chain # 19
Lax Male, Chain # 229

Hasty Neutral, Chain # 108
Calm Neutral, Chain # 56
Lonely Male, Chain # 4
Quiet Female, Chain # 128
Naïve Female, Chain # 135

Hardy Neutral, Chain # 99

---

Title: Johto Shadows

Hardy Male, Chain # 90
Gentle Male, Chain # 15
Hardy Male, Chain # 86
Docile Male, Chain # 29
Sassy Male, Chain # 49
Quirky Male, Chain # 9
Timid Male, Chain # 12
Modest Male, Chain # 75
Gentle Female, Chain # 168
Lonely Female, Chain # 21
Timid Male, Chain # 36
Mild Male, Chain # 38
Naughty Male, Chain # 109
Modest Male, Chain # 14
Hardy Male, Chain # 112
Gentle Male, Chain # 181
Relaxed Male, Chain # 2
Quirky Female, Chain # 12
Modest Female, Chain # 28
Timid Male, Chain # 131
Serious Female, Chain # 39
Sassy Female, Chain # 6
Docile Female, Chain # 54
Naughty Male, Chain # 12
Brave Male, Chain # 23
Bold Male, Chain # 99
Bold Female, Chain # 185
Modest Male, Chain # 57
Calm Male, Chain # 77
Hasty Female, Chain # 83
Serious Female, Chain # 32
Sassy Female, Chain # 10
Careful Male, Chain # 106
Gentle Male, Chain # 71
Naughty Male, Chain # 117
Naïve Male, Chain # 156
Brave Male, Chain # 103
Serious Female, Chain # 84
Naughty Female, Chain # 171
Serious Female, Chain # 4
Quiet Female, Chain # 110
Quirky Female, Chain # 42
Serious Male, Chain # 89
Impish Female, Chain # 73
Sassy Male, Chain # 84
Hardy Male, Chain # 9
Serious Female, Chain # 46
Calm Female, Chain # 16
Naïve Female, Chain # 9
Impish Neutral, Chain # 109
Adamant Neutral, Chain # 46
Serious Neutral, Chain # 120
Docile Neutral, Chain # 132
Impish Neutral, Chain # 119
Lonely Neutral, Chain # 39
Naïve Neutral, Chain # 8
Careful Neutral, Chain # 77
Jolly Neutral, Chain # 11
Naïve Neutral, Chain # 58
Quirky Neutral, Chain # 68
Lonely Neutral, Chain # 123
Bashful Neutral, Chain # 21
Rash Neutral, Chain # 124
Careful Neutral, Chain # 88
Mild Neutral, Chain # 64
Jolly Neutral, Chain # 121
Sassy Neutral, Chain # 36
Rash Neutral, Chain # 105
Gentle Neutral, Chain # 35
Gentle Neutral, Chain # 91
Docile Neutral, Chain # 104
Hardy Neutral, Chain # 113
Relaxed Neutral, Chain # 69
Jolly Neutral, Chain # 111
Naïve Neutral, Chain # 91
Docile Neutral, Chain # 30
Mild Neutral, Chain # 40
Lonely Female, Chain # 5
Quirky Female, Chain # 26
Impish Male, Chain # 29
Relaxed Male, Chain # 142
Rash Male, Chain # 99
Impish Male, Chain # 129
Modest Male, Chain # 26
Modest Male, Chain # 114
Naïve Male, Chain # 109
Brave Female, Chain # 13
Lax Male, Chain # 13
Quiet Male, Chain # 21
Careful Male, Chain # 5
Naïve Male, Chain # 134
Careful Female, Chain # 111
Adamant Male, Chain # 86
Bold Female, Chain # 56
Serious Male, Chain # 112
Docile Female, Chain # 110
Gentle Male, Chain # 14
Rash Female, Chain # 79
Lonely Female, Chain # 93
Brave Female, Chain # 17
Hasty Female, Chain # 60
Docile Male, Chain # 18
Rash Male, Chain # 84
Timid Male, Chain # 142
Serious Male, Chain # 11
Rash Female, Chain # 95
Rash Female, Chain # 39
Careful Male, Chain # 37
Naughty Neutral, Chain # 156
Quiet Male, Chain # 94
Impish Male, Chain # 80
Naughty Male, Chain # 60
Bashful Male, Chain # 2
Quirky Female, Chain # 6
Hasty Female, Chain # 135
Modest Male, Chain # 18
Gentle Female, Chain # 34
Careful Female, Chain # 91
Rash Neutral, Chain # 101
Bold Neutral, Chain # 22
Docile Neutral, Chain # 50
Naïve Female, Chain # 69
Gentle Male, Chain # 132
Naughty Female, Chain # 33
Naïve Neutral, Chain # 19
Careful Neutral, Chain # 3
Lonely Neutral, Chain # 120

---

Title: Hoenn Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Sinnoh Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Unova Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Kalos Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Alola Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Galar Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Paldea Shadows

TBD

---

Title: Alolan, Galarian, Hisuian, Paldean Shadows

Formes and Evolutions

---

Title: Emeran Shadows

Fakes and Megas

---

Title: Giga, Mega, Retro Shadows

Real Mega

---

Title: Kanto Shadow Dex

Clefable:
Shadow Skill: Deafen. Deafens and disorients the opponent for 30 seconds.
Clefable dwell in small groups in hidden places. Due to their superb hearing, they prefer quiet areas, away from humans. With hearing even more sensitive than normal, whispers can make the Shadow distraught.

Gyarados:
Shadow Skill: Silence. Prevents opponent from using moves such as Roar or Intimidate
From the moment they evolve, Gyarados are struck by a desire to destroy. They will not calm until nothing is left. Shadows, however, seem incapable of such ferociousness.

Raichu:
Shadow Skill: Jump-Start. Sends an overcharged jolt of electricity into whatever it touches at the moment. Do not approach if you or your family have a history of heart problems.
To prevent an overbuild of electrical energy, Raichu regularly discharge electricity into the ground from their tail. Shadows, however, have lost that ability, and so sporadically shock themselves or who/whatever is around them.

Rapidash:
Shadow Skill: Mock. A laughing whinny that brings to the forefront of the mind, a person's shortcomings in order to make them utterly lose faith in themselves and their abilities.
Rapidash can go from 0 to 150 in ten steps. They are a sight to behold when they race, for the faster they go, the hotter their mane burns. Highly competitive, they can often be seen challenging others to races. Shadows seem to desire a win, and will play dirty to achieve it.

---

Title: 1. An Unexpected Visit

Angel swore under her breath as she attempted to pull on her leggings. She’d gained a few pounds this month. A new chocolate had been released recently, and couldn’t get enough of it. Sadly, it looked like she was going to have to cut back on it just a tad bit. Soon, too. Her father would be very disappointed if he found out she’d put on a few pounds so soon after losing a hundred. Not that it should really matter, as her new daily routine kept her busy enough to keep her pear-shaped physique. But her father was convinced that, with the way her sweet tooth was, it wouldn’t take much to fall back into old habits.

Sometimes she found it hard to juggle all the parts of her life. With too much free time on her hands, trying to find an hour or two to take care of the family finances or travel for her assignments for Team Rocket could cause an overwhelming amount of stress on her. Her life was so very simple, made complicated by her inability to manage her own time. It was difficult for her to make even a tiny bit of time to draw or watch Pokémon in their natural habitat.

The four of them lived on the shore in Flamestryke. The rest of the island had been terraformed to be a perfect symbiosis of all eighteen Types. And so, in order to maintain the purity of the island, everyone who helped manage and maintain it, as well as anyone who came to Challenge, resided in Flamestryke. It had taken a lot of time and money to purchase and design the Blossomly Island and its one-of-a-kind layout. Within two weeks of their opening, they’d drawn dozens of tourists and three Challengers.

The entire thing was more like a Contest than a Battle. All your Pokémon could faint, and you win. You could take down all of Nanaki’s with one shot, and lose. It was the way you fought with your Pokémon that mattered the most. How you utilized the terrain to make their weaknesses a strength, and how you reacted to your opponent doing the opposite.

Of their thirty Challengers so far, five were given the Symbiosis Badge. Their last Challenger, about two weeks ago, had impressed her father so much that he’d given her 10,000 Pokédollars. That was the first battle Angel had watched, and it had created a stirring within.

After the Challenger left, her father had approached her with the news that her mother was pregnant, and that in six months, he’d be taking paternity leave. He’d asked her if she would be willing to take on leadership of the Gym for those few months. The look on his face when she turned him down hurt. But it was what he mumbled after that broke her heart.

Not wanting him to shut down the Blossomly Gym, she’d reluctantly agreed, reminding him of how she was so not suited for the task. He’d told her that he understood, but he would much rather it be in her hands than in her brother’s, for she was more likely to actually take care of what needed to be taken care of. It was an argument she couldn’t disagree with.

She’d half wanted to bring up how badly she didn’t want to do it. That she finally felt the Call, and wanted to go on her first Journey as a Trainer. But she couldn’t really. Not without hurting him in two ways. The first being that he would feel like he was forcing her into the temp role. And though she’d never been good at keeping secrets or hiding things from him, her allegiance to Team Rocket was something she’d managed to hide for eight years now.

The frantic sounds of her Sylveon interrupted her thoughts and brought her back to reality. Her eyes refocused just in time to see Sylvie rush into the room, lose his footing on the new wooden floor, and slide into the dresser. Angel leapt from the edge of the bed to the foot of the dresser, scared that the force of his slide would cause the mirror to wobble off onto his head. But not only did her concern prove unwarranted, but she overshot and slammed into the dresser.

With a hiss, she grabbed ahold of her arm, and smiled as she turned to her best friend. The first thing she noticed was the intense fear in his eyes, and she felt a sinking feeling in her heart. Sylvie was quite brave for being a Naughty boy, but there was one thing that terrified him. Person, rather. And that was Giovanni.

Angel reached out and cupped Sylvie’s face, moving her thumb against his cheek until he leaned his head into her hand. “Stay put. I’ll take care of it.” She took Sylvie’s face in both hands and kissed him on the forehead. With the help of Sylvie’s ribbons and a small groan, she got to her feet. After a few deep breaths in to calm herself, she headed downstairs to the foyer.

Her eyes widened as she turned to see Giovanni lounging on her couch. His Persian lay beside him. At first glance, it appeared to be asleep, but she could tell by its breathing patterns that it was only pretending. Directing her attention to Giovanni, she gave a small curtsy. “To what do I owe this…pleasure?”

Giovanni’s lips curled up ever so slightly as he brought a glass of red liquid to his lips. A quick glance to the nearby cabinet said that he’d helped himself to her own Flaming Cheri. His Persian moved slightly, drawing her attention. She happened to notice some gray in its face, and she tilted her head. How old was that cat, anyway? The thing had to be pushing thirty years, if not more. “It’s been a long time since we spoke. Congratulations on the new addition to the family.”

She frowned, eyes turning back to him as she tried to figure out how he could have learned that when her parents had just announced it earlier today. Ah. Wait. It was most likely the talk of the island, which meant everyone at the Blossomly PokéTel would know.

Giovanni’s smile fell flat at her silence. “Usually, when a person gives congratulations, the recipient thanks them. Not stares at them as if they lack the ability to form the proper response.”

“I’m sorry!” She bowed her head. He would see it as submission, but what she was really doing was gathering herself. Angel hated how easily he could put her on edge. After slightly longer than necessary, she met his eyes again. “You caught me off guard. I heard such statements from you are usually followed by bad news. I was worried you had something horrible in mind for me.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “Rumors about people are usually wrong. You have a brain. It’s not difficult to do your own research instead of blindly following the masses. Have I ever given you a mission where you had to do something wrong?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “I digress. I have a task for you. My preferred team isn’t due back for a few weeks. You’re not as good as I’d like you to be for this mission, but you are one of my top Agents.”

Top Agent, but not as good as he’d like her to be. That was an insulting compliment if she ever heard one, but she’d take it. The smile returned to Giovanni’s when he noticed her curiosity had been aroused. Eyes still on hers, he reached down to the table with his free hand and slid a Confidential envelope she had failed to notice before across to her.

Angel picked it up and began to leaf through the dossier within as she listened to Giovanni give a more in-depth briefing.

“Surely you’ve heard the news of strange Pokémon appearing all over the world. Rumors say that they’re stronger than normal Pokémon, and slightly crazed. The combination of which is allowing them to disrupt the habitats of natural Pokémon. There are even a few stories of skilled Gym Leaders having difficulty bringing them to heel.”

She had to refrain from throwing his earlier words about rumors back in his face. Angel chose not to look at him so he wouldn’t see the emotions in her eye. Instead, she continued looking over the date she’d been given. “If they are in fact so strong and dangerous, what makes you think I can help?”

“You’ve worked with Team Rocket for, what is it? Eight years now? Your various talents have been an asset to the organization. You have a marvelous success rate at bringing back Pokémon stolen from us, and all without drawing attention. One of your finer moments was when you convinced that Murkrow to return and continue gathering discarded items for us. The information we’ve been able to piece together from the various tech pieces it has brought back have helped further our understanding of Pokémon and allowed us to help them better.”

Not feeling a response was necessary, Angel remained silent as she finished her perusal of the data. After putting everything back inside the envelope, she threw it in the fireplace and turned her attention back to Giovanni. The acrid smell of burning paper made her scrunch her face a bit. She almost pinched her nose to keep the smell out, but she knew that would be seen as a sign of weakness.

Giovanni set his empty glass on the table. Annoyingly, not on the coaster. But that was another thing she wouldn’t dare comment upon. He steepled his fingers; his knuckles touched the bottom of his chin. “Excellent. Now that you’ve read over the data and blueprints I gave you, do you feel you are up for this task? The lives of dozens of Pokémon depend upon your success.”

“I do. Just give me a week to—”

“Time is of the essence. You leave tomorrow night at the latest for the Kanto Region. I leave it to you to find the quickest route possible.” He stood to leave, and his Persian was instantly alert and on the floor beside him. Why would it pretend to be asleep? Almost to the door, he paused and turned back to her. “I truly hope you succeed in this, Alexandria. It is long past time your services were put to the best use possible.”

Minutes later, Angel still stood beside the table as she tried to wrap her head around what just happened. A gentle mewl sounded from the stairs, and she looked up to see Sylvie. With positivity she did not feel, she coaxed him down the stairs. Based on his hesitation, she was certain he could feel her distress. Sure enough, once he was beside her, he extended his ribbons to embrace her.

She extended her right hand to stroke his head, chuckling softly at his loud, happy purrs. “I have to leave for ten days. You’re probably still scared and exhausted, but can you find Ebony and Dreamer for me? There will be some nummies in it for you.”

Sylvie released his hold on Angel, spun a few times in excitement, and ran off to do as asked. It was only once he was far out of sight that Angel fell to her knees and allowed the shakes to take over. She did her best to manage her emotions as all sorts of scenarios went through her head. Angel hugged herself after another chillshake, wondering if she should have sent someone other than Sylvie. But no. If Sylvie felt she was worried it would be dangerous, there was the chance that he would act out to her dad, and then she’d never be able to leave.

Angel’s hands clenched at her sides as she took several deep breaths. There was no need to be so scared about this. It could be the chance for the adventure she was looking for. If she could have her Journey before her mother gave birth, everything would work out great. Yes. This could be the start of something new.

---

Title: 2. Even Friendships Set Sail

Angel reached above her head, and gasped in a mix of pain and satisfaction as her back finally popped. Arms still above her head, she paused to watch a group of Wingull in the sky, fighting over what appeared to be a Goldeen. From this distance, it almost seemed as if they were squawking the word "Mine". The thought was ludicrous, but it still made her laugh.

"Angie! Darling!"

At the sound of the captain's voice, Angel brought her hands to her sides and directed her gaze to her friend, who quickly closed the distance between them. Maya's warm hands wrapped around hers. "Yet again, I have to thank you for the marvelous stories you share. Your imagination is a truly wonderful thing." Maya squeezed Angel's hands gently. "Remember. If you ever have the call, I'd be honored to share your Journey with you. The Swanna is only here for a few days. I do hope you to be the one to take you back home."

She pulled her hands out of the grip, and wrapped them around Maya's, tempted to tell her friend that those stories weren't from her imagination, but, as usual when the urge hit her, she chose not to speak. People like Maya were a precious gift. There wasn't anything wrong with being an Agent of Team Rocket, but she knew what most people thought of them. Perhaps if she ever left the organization, she would be brave enough to speak. Until then, the fear of losing those few she cared about kept her silent.

"My business might take me a while. But if time permits, I'll stick around for a few extra days just so you can take me home." Angel gently squeezed her friend's hands and began to pull away, only to find herself pulled into a tight embrace. How did she hate being hugged so badly, but feel like melting—in a good way—when it was from someone she trusted. When Maya finally pulled away a minute later, Angel whimpered softly. Thankfully, Maya was already several feet away, skipping back to her cabin, happy as a Ribombee.

Once Maya closed the door behind her, Angel turned and headed down the landing bridge onto the docks of Vermilion City. The layout of the city came back to her so easily that it took her about ten feet to realize she'd started heading towards the Pokémon Center.

But she wasn't going to see or stay with Nurse Joy this time. Not after the last time, where she was made to feel like she was only allowed around because of how good she was with understanding Pokémon. Many Trainers could connect to and speak with their own Pokémon after some time of being together. It was a special few who were able to quickly form bonds with any. She'd gladly use her gift to help Pokémon, just not when she felt like that was the only reason someone wanted her around.

So, this time, Angel had arranged to stay at her friend Ally's house. Who lived...Angel spun around in circles a few times, looking down each of the four intersecting streets. After the fourth spin, she nodded and pointed down the path that looked the most familiar.

Her mind began to wander as she walked, paying just enough attention to her surroundings to warn her of impending danger. She thought of how tomorrow, she'd be a the Silph Company in Saffron City. Her father would be so jealous! Too bad she couldn't tell him. He was under the impression her disappearances were due to her wandering out somewhere on the island and meditating or otherwise getting closer to nature.

The change in the sound of her footsteps was enough to bring her out of her reverie. In the distance, she could hear the sound of an approaching motorcycle. A quick glance around revealed that she was in a rundown part of town. She frowned, wondering how she got here when it was at least two streets out of the way. Looking behind her, she exhaled in relief when she established the oncoming motorcycle belonged to Officer Jenny, who pulled onto the side of the road near her.

Not expecting herself to be the target, Angel got her bearings and took a step in the direction that would bring her to her destination. She didn't get very far before a hand tightly gripped her left wrist. Jumping, her free hand reached into her pouch for her Cheri spray, only to yet again breathe a sigh of relief. "Jenny! You gave me a fright!"

Officer Jenny didn't immediately answer, which was a strangeness in and of itself. Night had fallen during her meandering, and the moon barely provided enough light to see Jenny's face. Tight lips. Anger filled eyes. What happened? Anxiety filled her, and she tried to pull her hand away, but Jenny only tightened the grip. Had her ties to Team Rocket finally been discovered?

Finally, Jenny spoke. "Angel Flamel. You are under arrest for the destruction of The Swanna. Speak wisely, as anything you say goes into the records. You have the right to a representative. If you don't have one, we will assign one to you. Do you understand what I've said?"

For a while, Angel stared at Jenny, mouth agape as she tried to process the words just spoken. Thoughts of Maya filled her head, and she made a mental note to check on her friend before returning home. Without thinking, she tried to pull her hand free again. This time, Jenny brought out a pokéball that was sure to hold a Mightyena. "Look...I don't know what you're talking about. I arrived at the Port and left instantly. It took me" Angel looked up at the sky, then back, "over half an hour to get this far. I guarantee that you have the wrong person."

"Please don't lie to me. We have an Eye Witness who says otherwise. That they saw someone matching your description flee from the port as the boat caught fire."

"You know me. And you know that Maya's a dear friend. Of which, I have so very few. I would never do anything to harm you, Maya, or Ally. Ever. I know I'm probably currently the only young'un with silvery hair in the city right now, but the witness had to be mistaken. There's no way. And you know it."

The grip truly lessened, but Jenny didn't release her hold. "I—" Eyes closed, and she took a deep breath in. When her eyes opened, Angel could see tears welling up within. "I'm sorry. I'm just doing my job. Please don't make this harder on us. Just come with me for questioning."

"I've already given you my story! Isn't my word enough?" Angel didn't give her time to respond. "Well, make a mental note of this. I arrived. I instantly left. It took me half an hour to get here. Even you know that you have the wrong person. So why waste our time?" Angel's hand came free with ease. She spun and began to walk at a brisk pace.

"If you walk away from me, I won't protect you any longer," Curiosity caused Angel to pause and turn around, and Jenny continued to speak. "I—I know your secret. Have for a few years now. Why, Feathers? Why would you align yourself with the likes of them? Your skills could be put to much better use elsewhere."

Feathers. Now there was a name she hadn't heard since she was young. All because she had climbed a tree to see a bunch of newly hatched Taillow. The Swellow hadn't much cared for her presence, and chased her through the forest. When she arrived back at town, she was covered in mud and feathers. The story had quickly gotten around, earning her that nickname.

Angel shook her head, trying to make herself focus on the problem at hand. "You've put me in a difficult position. I have important business to attend to, and—"

Before speaking next, Jenny crossed her arms. "Is it something to do with them? Because if so, it's not more important than our friendship."

"Our friendship?" Angel scoffed. "You're the one wanting to arrest me for something you know that I didn't do. I don't want you to lose your job, and I really don't want our friendship to end. But I can't, and won't, suffer for things I didn't do. I've done enough of that in my lifetime already."

Jenny sighed, and shook her head. Some of the tears in her eyes flew outward. "You're not the one in a difficult position. I have to let my best friend go because I know she didn't commit a crime. Or take her in and let it become public knowledge that she has willingly aided and abetted a criminal organization multiple times."

"Enough!" Angel swung her right arm through the air forcefully. "I'm so sick and tired of hearing about how evil they are. They have good intentions. I know it. It's not their fault some of their members have made grave mistakes and poor judgment calls. I truly believe they're just misguided and misunderstood."

"Oh, you poor naïve soul. Come to your senses! Why must you always see and expect the good in people? As much of a heroic trait as that is, it is also a serious flaw. Your blind and undeserving trust in people is going to one day be your downfall. Please, for the love of Arceus! Come to the Light and fix this mistake before it becomes a regret."

"Shouldn't you love that about me? That after everything I've been through, I still manage to see the good in people? I allow myself to be hurt time and again because I just can't accept the fact that there are individuals out there who thrive on the pain they inflict on others." Angel squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would prevent the tears falling from her eyes. It didn't. She felt her fingers tremble, but forced her arms to remain at her hips. It took several deep breaths before she trusted herself to speak. "Tell you what. If I ever discover that I was wrong, I will turn myself in and accept responsibility for everything I did while with Team Rocket."

"That...That's not going to alter my decision. Ever since that day, every time something happened while you were in town, I covered for you as best as I could. If you walk away from me now, I won't cover for you anymore. I'm not going to let myself go down just to protect someone who is incapable of seeing the truth. Even though it angers me to know that you would make a mockery of everything I've sacrificed for you."

"You mean to tell me you automatically assumed that I was behind every problem that occurred while I was in town? How dare you stand there and lecture me on friendship when you're the one acting like a jerk. Goodbye, Officer Jenny." The two of them fell into silence, uncertain of what to say or do next. After what seemed like an eternity, Angel ran off, unable to handle being in her now ex-friend's presence any longer.

---

Title: 3. Bellossoms in the Wind

Angel’s movements were stiff as she headed away from Jenny. Every couple of steps, she felt the urge to look back. She felt like she was in one of those movies, where someone is watching another walk away. Only this time, she was on the walking end, doing her best not to look back. Doing so implied hope, and she didn’t feel there was any chance of mending this burnt bridge. The tingling in her back told her that Jenny was staring at her retreating form, possibly hoping for that movie lookback.

But Angel finally understood why the walker sometimes chose not to look back. Because they knew that to do so would be to give in to their heart. That they were leaving for a reason stronger than the bond they were breaking. They felt that the end would justify the means.

Numb, she let her feet lead the way. Ten minutes later, she tripped on something. When she saw that it was the bench near Ally’s house, she questioned if she should take some time to collect herself first. Ally was likely to ask questions that she wasn’t up to answering, and she definitely didn’t want to mess up two friendships in one night. In the end, she chose to rest for a bit.

“Bell?” Angel blinked, only to find that she couldn’t see. Her hand went to wipe whatever it was away, and she found herself surprised when she felt wetness. When had she began to cry?

A pair of hands gently touched her knees, drawing her attention to the Bellossom that stood before her. On the right hand was a wristlet made of tightly woven flowers, marking him as Ally’s Petunia. Once he noticed he had her full attention, he smiled, took a few steps back, and began to dance and sing.

It was a story of the meeting of an Alolan and Galarian Vulpix, who quickly became the best of friends. Over time, the two grew closer, but sadly, they were separated during a blizzard. He gave a few quick stanzas about the journeys of each, as they struggled to find each other yet again.

Suddenly, he stopped, reached out his hands to her, and she couldn’t hold back a sigh. Every story of Petunia’s ended this way. He would spin a marvelous tale, get to the most crucial part, and then never reveal the ending. “Why do you do that?”

Petunia tilted his head, but Angel could see through his act of innocence. “You never finish your stories.” Angel booped him gently on the nose. “Why do you keep people hanging?”

He launched into what she expected would be a quickly spoken long-worded explanation, and so began to make the “slow down” gesture with her hands. But he was already done. It took her a few seconds to replay what he had said. While stroking the petals of a flower on his head, she said, “Life is whatever we choose to make of it.”

The flowers on his head spun a few times as he held out his hand, muttering words of encouragement to her. After a little while, Angel took his hand and allowed him to lead her. As they walked, he rattled on, mostly about every event he could remember worthy of telling her since she’d last visited. From the bits and pieces, she could pick up during his rapidly excited speech, he had some really interesting stories that she’d have to ask about when he was calmer.

She was still processing the last revelation of a relationship between Ally and Maya when he opened the door. His happy mood was instantaneously gone as he rushed from her side to a woman rocking on the floor beside the couch. The woman lifted her head from the creases of her arms at the sound of the door opening, and, upon noticing Petunia, unwrapped her arms from around her knees to draw him into a tight embrace. Through the smudged and flushed face, Angel finally recognized the person as Ally.

Angel shut the door behind her, but, instead of going to her friend, she headed towards the kitchen. It only took a few seconds to locate the most recent location of the coffee pot. A touch of her fingers against the glass informed her that it hadn’t been off long, so she poured a cup for Ally.

When she returned, Ally was on the middle cushion of the couch. One of Petunia’s hands stroked her left arm, but she didn’t really seem to notice his presence. Or hers. Angel passed the steaming cup of coffee into Ally’s hands, and then sat on the other side of her.

Uncertain as to what to say, Angel placed a hand on Ally’s leg. A few minutes passed before she finally asked what was wrong. When a sniffle and a drink were her only answer, she stood and did various small chores around the house. She’d been in this place before, and she didn’t have any energy for weeks. Depending on the severity of whatever was bothering Ally, this little bit of help would probably wind up being wasted. But still. It was the least she could do since she was already there.

An hour later, Angel returned to the couch, and reached for the now empty cup on the coaster. A hoarse, angry voice told her to get out. She paused and turned to her friend. Ally looked to be furious. At her. But why? What in the world did she do?

When she didn’t move, Ally leapt to her feet, practically yelling now. “Get out! I don’t want you here. Or Petunia, for that matter, since he brought you here.”

Angel was still trying to figure out what she’d done when she remembered the last thing Petunia had said before opening the door. Something about Ally getting in a relationship with…No. She shook her head, tears filling her eyes, not daring to believe it. “I heard about the fire. But I didn’t realize. She can’t be dead.”

She didn’t see it coming, but Angel sure felt the heat on her cheek from Ally’s well-placed slap. Her head jerked with the force, and she turned back to her friend, mouth open to speak. But she was cut off.

“Officer Jenny recently left. She told me everything. I loved you like a sister! I can’t believe you would do something like this to me.”

“Okay, first.” Angel completely ignored the slap, feeling that if it was something Ally needed to do in that moment, then she would grin and bear it. “I didn’t know the two of you were together until like two minutes ago—”

“That doesn’t make a difference!” Ally’s hands trembled at her sides.

“I’m not saying it does,” Angel’s own hands shook as she tried her best to remain calm, despite the anxiety flooding her at the confrontation. “I don’t know what happened, but I swear to Arceus, I will make whoever killed our friend pay.”

“I already know who did it! And Arceus help me. If you don’t get out of my house now, along with Petunia, I will call Officer Jenny. Consider it my last act as your ‘friend’.”

Something hit Angel in the chest, and she looked to the floor to see a pokéball. Shock filled her, and she met Ally’s tear-stained eyes. “Please. You’re not in your right mind at the moment. I understand you want someone to pay, but you can’t push away the only ones left in your life.”

That wound up being the wrong thing to say, as Ally screamed at the top of her lungs for them to get out. Certain there was no point arguing at the moment, Angel picked up the pokéball, grabbed the hysterical Petunia, and ran into the chilly cold of the night.

---

Title: 4. A Clefable of Sorrow

Shadow Skill: Deafen. Deafens and disorients the opponent for 30 seconds.

Clefable dwell in small groups in hidden places. Due to their superb hearing, they prefer quiet areas, away from humans. With hearing even more sensitive than normal, whispers can make the Shadow distraught.

After fleeing Ally’s, Angel ran and ran until she couldn’t run any more. Upon seeing a bench a half mile outside the city, she’d collapsed onto it and cried herself to sleep. As she opened her eyes, movement caught her attention, and she lifted the blanket slightly to see Petunia cuddled against her chest. She frowned, wondering why he stayed with her instead of returning to Ally? It was little things like this that made her certain Pokémon were more sentient and aware than most people gave them credit for. Quite unfortunate that a good portion of Trainers treated them as inferiors rather than equals. Wait. Blanket?

Angel sat up and stretched, the blanket falling to her waist. The crisp early morning air made her shiver, and as she pulled cottony material around her shoulders, a familiar smell made her pause. Bringing a small portion to her nose, she inhaled deeply. Yup. Poochyena. Her gaze drifted back toward the city, half hoping she would see Jenny walking away. But by the chill of the material, she knew whoever had placed it upon their sleeping forms was long gone.

As she watched the sunrise, she tried to come to terms with everything. But it was all just too much, too fast. Without proper time to adjust, she was likely going to cave in on herself. It had happened before. The only thing she could hope for right now was that it didn’t happen at the wrong time. Oh, how she wished she’d brought Sylvie along. Or, at the very least, her Purrloin plushie.

Never before had she been alone during this type of situation. Granted, she currently had three Pokémon with her. But their companionship had never been as calming as flinging herself at her father and crying into his chest until she fell asleep to his heartbeat. Her intense anxiety was the biggest reason why she hadn’t gone on her Journey yet. She’d hoped to one day overcome her fear, but more and more, it was looking like an impossible task. Perhaps she should just face the music, and go for it. Maybe an adventure would wind up being the answer she’d sought all along.

Her fingers brushed against one of Petunia’s flowers, causing him to stretch and fully awaken. He sat up and leaned into her. For a while, neither of them said anything. Once the gorgeous shades and hues of the sunrise had settled off, Petunia broke the silence with a single word. One that managed to crush her heart. “Home?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out his shrunken pokéball. “I’m sure Ally doesn’t want to see me yet. She’s probably really worried about you, though.” Angel placed the pokéball in his hand.

“Friends?”

Angel had to hold back a sob at the desperation in his voice. “Ally’s really mad at me right now. I hope that she still considers me a friend once she’s calmed down enough. But she might not for a long while. She needs someone to blame for what happened. And without knowing the facts, the only one she can blame is the one all evidence points to.” She touched a finger to his nose. “But us? We’re still friends.”

“Soon?” Petunia scooted off the bench, then turned to look at her.

“Again, that’s up to her. Not right now, but when she’s much calmer, you tell her that I’m not mad at her. That I’m still her friend, and will be there when she needs me. She knows how to reach me. As soon as she does, I’ll drop everything and come visit.” Angel paused, debating on saying more. But instead, gave Petunia a gentle shove back towards the city. “Go on, now.”

He turned from her and took a few steps before pausing and looking back over his shoulder. “Love is forever.” That said, he turned back and headed home.

She didn’t respond to his last statement because she knew the heartbreaking truth. Love didn’t always last forever. It took both people hard at work, determined to keep the bond. And even then, it didn’t always work out for whatever reasons. One reason why she preferred the company of Pokémon over humans. Except for Jenny, Ally, and Maya, that is.

Maya. Her heart broke again. Why was it that the more she grew as a person, the more people distanced themselves from her? It never failed that every time she began to feel content or braver, something happened that shattered her, setting her back months of progress. Going back and forth between a figurative Silcoon and Beautifly was starting to wear thin on her. She wished life would just choose already. Happiness or Sorrow.

In hindsight, many of her problems over the years were self-inflicted, but still. One should never have to suffer so much for their mistakes. Her hands clenched on her legs. Why did she always do this? She had everything she could ever want. Her life was practically perfect. Why was she always so unhappy and cynical?

Footsteps sounded, and Angel looked up to see two people headed her way. They paused a couple feet from the bench. They yelled at each other loud enough for her to clearly hear what they were on about. “I’m tellin’ ya! I saws what I saws! I ain’t crazy!” The older, unkempt man gestured strongly with his hands, but the younger female was having none of it.

“I never said you were crazy. I don’t doubt you saw it. I doubt it exists.” From this angle, Angel could barely make out the woman’s face, but it was clear that she did, in fact, think her companion was crazy.

He gave a frustrated sigh, and threw his hands in the air. “I ain’t stupid eithers. That means you think it exists only in my head!”

Angel stood, leaving the blanket on the bench behind her for the next traveler to use if they so chose. Once in polite conversation distance, but still far enough away to have not taken the pair by surprise, she spoke. “Excuse me?” Even so, they jumped as if she’d appeared out of thin air. “May I ask what exactly you’re discussing?”

The man glared at her. “Why? So ya can make fun of me toos? It’s all the same with ya whippersnappers. We’re suppos’ta believe everythin’ ya says without hesitation, but ya won’t bother returnin’ the favah.”

She waved her hands defensively in front of her. “No, no! I’ve seen many things that most people would say impossible. I’d love to learn more. And see where it happened, if possible.”

His eyes lit up like holiday lights, completely unaware of his what she would assume granddaughter frantically motioning from behind him for Angel to not encourage him. The act elicited a smile from Angel, which caused the man to turn around. But his granddaughter was the epitome of innocence, hands behind the small of her back, a smile on her face. She batted her eyes at him twice before stretching out a hand to Angel. “I’m Malevolence. This eccentric fellow is my grandpa, Ignatius.”

“Bah!” He waved a hand dismissively. “She can call me Iggy.”

Taking the hand offered her, she fidgeted before speaking. “Name’s Alexandria. I’m on my way to Saffron City, but will gladly take a detour to see what your grandfather is so excited about.” She wasn’t entirely sure if it was her paranoid imagination, or if they really had a very small reaction to her name. Either way, her heart had begun to beat rapidly. And with zero ability to read any form of social cue, she was certain this would end badly. Trying to save face, she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, brushing a lock of hair out of her face to hide her unease.

”Are ya sures? It would be a bit outta ya way. And ya might not sees anythin’.”

Angel looked to the older man, who still had a hopeful and expectant demeanor. He seemed eager to prove to his granddaughter that he was not crazy. “Honestly. It’s not a problem at all.” She followed Iggy and Malevolence as they headed back towards the city.

Ten minutes later, they paused at a pair of trees. At first, Angel couldn’t see anything marking the area as special. On her third look over, she noticed the lack of branches within a two-foot space. Ah. It was a little-known path into the forest.

“Not many people know this here path. I only dos cause I used’ta be the Ranger around these parts. Ya wouldn’t think much of it, but a lotta poachin’ goes on. Mostly by those mangy teams. What’re their names again, dearie?”

“Magma, Aqua, and Rocket.” Malevolence spoke the names as if by rote. “But it’s not just them. Many individuals do it as well. There are a lot of Pokémon who have at least one quality that makes them sought after. It’s to the point that some of them are being placed upon a Protection list.”

“Now, I don’t wanna go down theres again. Seems a few Pokémon don’t understands why I stopped comin’ to see thems, and they’re mads at me.”

“So…Did you see the Pokémon in person or not?” Angel winced slightly as her question came out a bit ruder than she intended.

“Nuh-uh.” Ignatius shook his head, either not taking it that way, or not catching it in the first place. “I saw it on one of the cameras I installed. But when I went to show Mal here proof of it the next day, it was already gones.”

“The Pokémon or the video?”

“Both. I think whoever’s been poachin’ lately had somethin’ to dos with it. But Male believes I’m seein’ things. Even thoughs she can’t explain why two minutes are missin’ from the log.”

“Well!” Angel stretched her arms above her head, and bent from side to side once. “One way or another,” she then bent her arms, elbows out, fists at chest, and twisted right, then left. “We’ll know the truth soon.”

He frowned. “Just ‘cause ya can’t see somethin’ doesn’t mean it don’t exists. Just means ya weren’t lucky. Ya know…Like with all them Legendaries and the super rare Pokémons.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. Pokémon love me. I can practically guarantee I’ll have the proof you seek.” Without waiting for a response, Angel began walking into the darkness of the forest.

Within minutes, she was far down the path, and away from any quick source of help. Well, except for Dreamer and Ebony, that is. The two were the only Pokémon she’d brought, so hopefully, they could handle whatever creature Ignatius had seen. If, in fact, he’d seen anything. Because despite how much she herself had witnessed and knew was passible, her own father’s memory failed him on occasion. And that was saying something, because he wasn’t quite as old as Malevolence’s grandfather.

About when she planned to give up and head back, she heard a noise, and her hand instantly went to her belt to open Dreamer’s pokéball. But when she heard the sound again, she picked up on agony in the voice. Whatever Pokémon it was, it was obviously in pain. Quietly, she called out. “Hello?”

Though her words were gentle, the Pokémon screamed again. Angel looked around, but didn’t see anymon in the clearing. “Hello?” This time, she spoke in a whisper, and heard a somewhat pained response. “Can you come out? I won’t hurt you.”

After a minute or so, a Clefable stepped out from one of the bushes. But it was unlike any she’d seen before. At first glance, it looked normal, but a closer inspection revealed a purplish tinge to its color. A shadowy aura of the same color surrounded its form. It took a few steps, then stumbled to the ground, screeching again. Tears filled her eyes as she watched it just lay there, hopeless and helpless, trying to cover its ears with its hands.

She rushed to its side and helped it sit up. For a while, the only thing she did was hold it and listen to it breathing as it tried to relax. Finally, she couldn’t be silent any longer. In a voice even softer than before, she spoke. “What’s wrong?”

It chose to remain silent for a while before choosing to speak. When it did, it revealed that, he apparently, had no clue how he came to be here. The only thing he remembered was people sticking him with needles and running tests on him day in and day out. All the while, he was in a circular enclosure of some sort, filled with liquid. People were always around him, talking quite loudly, so he never got to sleep. And the pain. He was always in such pain. But the thing that stood out to her the most, was the mention of the red “R” on the door.

Choosing to ignore that part for now, she adjusted the topic. “This…aura about you…Were you like that before? Or did this happen during?”

His response was a confused sound, leading Angel to believe he had always been that way. After all, when something is the only thing you’ve ever known or experienced, to imagine anything to the contrary would be beyond comprehension.

All of a sudden, he leapt up and ran off into a nearby bush. Angel almost called out to him, but her attention was caught by the sound of footsteps, and she turned back to the clearing entrance to see Malevolence approaching.

“Well, there you are! I was beginning to think you recognized us and decided to snag the Shadow for yourself.”

“Recognized you?”

Malevolence brought her hand to her mouth as she laughed. “Oh my. You mean to tell me you haven’t been fully informed of this mission?”

“Lady, I don’t even know who you are, nor what possible acquaintanceship the two of us share.”

“You’re really out of the loop then. Let me make it clear as crystal for you. Both of us,” she motioned her pointer finger to herself, and then to Angel, “are agents of Team Rocket. Giovanni sent me on a mission to retrieve a runaway Shadow. When I saw you, I assumed you’d been sent on the same mission. Course. I wasn’t sure it was you until you said your name, but.”

Ah. So she hadn’t imagined the reaction earlier. “You’re lying. Giovanni came to me in person to recruit me for a very important task in Saffron City. My job has nothing to do with a…Shadow, you said?”

“Good. Then I shall finally get the promotion I’ve deserved for so long. As for you? I believe I speak for all Agents when I say that your sudden disappearance would be quite beneficial.”

“Say what now?!” Angel stood, the pokéballs for Dreamer and Ebony ready in her hands.

“You heard me, grunt. The beloved pet of Giovanni. Hated by all other Agents due to the courtesies given you. Allowed so much because your skill is such an ‘asset’. How do you manage to act so goody two shoes all the time?”

Angel couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You’re not a member of Team Rocket. Giovanni would never have hired someone with your lack of manners and disregard for life.”

“Oh. Em. Gee.” Malevolence burst out in hysterical laughter. “It’s not an act? You truly think Team Rocket are the good guys? Darling, we’re as bad as you can get. Haven’t you ever wondered why you never met another Agent? Never been to our facilities? The rewording of your missions so you feel you are doing the right thing. Everything to ensure that the mission gets done, and you end up none the wiser. Well. It’s time you knew the truth.”

“The truth? You just told me you wanted me out of the way. Why should I believe anything you say when it could be nothing more than a means to an end?!”

“Girl. Don’t you dare lie to me. To me! I can see it in your eyes. You’re having doubts. Tell you what. If you give me that rare Sableye, then I’ll let you go. I’ll tell Giovanni that you failed miserably, and aren’t worth his time anymore.”

“And if I were to tell him that you spilled the beans on what Team Rocket is truly about? Don’t you think Giovanni would be immensely teed off? You’d be “taken care of”, just as you plan to do to me.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t leave you capable of telling the tale.” Malevolence reached for a pokéball hanging from the strap under her left chest pocket.

“Cover your ears!” the Clefable yelled from behind her. With precious little time to react, Angel covered her ears just as a screech to rival all screeches filled the clearing. The two of them fell to their knees in pain. Their eyes met, and she just knew that they would forever be nemesi.

Malevolence struggled to her feet. Still disoriented, she staggered to the edge of the clearing, then paused. Wobbling a bit, she stretched a hand out to balance herself against a tree, and turned back to face Angel. She held out her other hand, revealing a shrunken pokéball. “You may have the Shadow, but I have your Sableye!”

A quick glance around where she’d fallen showed Dreamer’s pokéball beside a rock. Geometry agreed that if a pokéball hit the rock at just the right angle, it would have been sent Malevolence’s way. By the time Angel turned back towards the path, the woman was already hidden by the darkness of the path as she made her way back up.

Instead of chasing after her like she should have, Angel froze. All she could do in that moment was repeat “no” again and again. Tears fell from her eyes, and she was finally able to move. Yet, she still didn’t give chase. Just beat her fist against the ground, now sobbing so badly she could barely breathe.

The Clefable came up beside her and offered assurances. The thought crossed her mind that if he hadn’t screeched, Ebony would still be here. It made her hate him. Yet, she allowed him to console her.

In the midst of the forest, she couldn’t tell how much time had passed with her just sitting there. But after a while, she spoke as softly as she could while trying to make her hoarse voice audible. “My father is a genius. I believe he can help you with your hearing problem. If you’re willing, you can come along with me.”

He made an unintelligible sound as she brought out a pokéball, and shook his head. Angel frowned, uncertain if he’d spoken gibberish in that moment, or if she was so out of it she couldn’t communicate as well as usual.

When his eyes drifted to the pokéball, realization hit her. “I’m sorry. But you must go in there. I know you might not like enclosed spaces right now. My main concern is you being seen. Obviously, I can’t protect you. So if another Team or those two show up again, they’ll take you. And you’ll be back in a tube.”

His head shook furiously, not liking that idea one bit.

“You’re going to have to choose. Which would you prefer? Pain until you can take no more? Or a few days in a pokéball while I get you the help you need?”

It took him a while to respond, but when he did, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“I know you’re putting a lot of faith and trust in me. You won’t regret it.”

He made a sound as she enlarged the pokéball, causing her to shake her head. “No. It’s my fault. I underestimated them, and then froze when Ebony needed me the most. You aren’t responsible.”

He touched his hand to the pokéball. The last thing she heard before he vanished was a sorrow-filled cry.

Pokéball now in her belt pouch, she sighed. Malevolence was a liar. Had to be. There was no way Team Rocket could be like this. None. Still… Her morality would never let her work for such horrid people. When she returned home, she vowed to study every mission she’d ever done. She needed to make a choice, and quickly. Even if it meant she lost everything and everyone, she would do the right thing.

---

Title: 5. A Shocking Good Time

Shadow Skill: Jump-Start. Sends an overcharged jolt of electricity into whatever it touches at the moment. Do not approach if you or your family have a history of heart problems.

To prevent an overbuild of electrical energy, Raichu regularly discharge electricity into the ground from their tail. Shadows, however, have lost that ability, and so sporadically shock themselves or who/whatever is around them.

It was a long time before Angel felt the desire to get up. How could she have frozen up like that? Her Pokémon were like family to her. Dreamer should have been summoned. And then they should have left the Clefable in relative safety to go after Malevolence. Now the two of them were probably long gone with her beloved friend, and she was unlikely to ever see them again. The only thing that she could do at this point was continue to Saffron City. With a sigh, Angel headed off.

As she crossed into the city around sunset, she suddenly realized that without Ebony, her plan to get inside the facility needed to be re-evaluated. Was it possible to come up with a new scheme before nightfall? And even if it was, did she really want to go through with this? Malevolence’s words were repeating over and over in her head. Combined with her already existing doubts, if if if Team Rocket really were the bad guys, she shouldn’t be doing this.

She half wanted to complete this mission before she started digging around for the truth. But what if this was one of those turning point choices? Whatever decision she made now could affect countless lives.

Informing the facility of a potential threat was an option. Actually, no. Warning was out of the question. The fact that she had knowledge of a future crime implied her involvement with the people who wanted the item. She could just not steal the item, but she was already here. Not to mention the fact that if she stole it, she could make sure it was put to good use. Not that the Silph Company had malicious intent. But because she knew that if she failed, Team Rocket would just send another Agent in after that. And that person or team might not have her morality.

Angel sighed deeply, wishing her mind wasn’t so darn annoying. Why did she always have to overanalyze everything? Granted. It was better than not thinking about her actions at all. But she knew she needed to find a middle ground. Doing so would be quite a difficult task, considering her mind didn’t work on the same wavelength as normal people.

Trying to focus, she let herself take in the view of the city. There was a lot of shouting and running around. Banners, sounds, and smells filled the air. Seemed Saffron was in the midst of preparations for a festival. All the greens, reds, pinks, blues, and other flowery colors made her guess it was to celebrate the arrival of spring. She groaned, wishing she could have some much-needed fun. Hopefully time was on her side.

A cute little dandelion floof of a Pokémon came up to her, and offered a flower necklace. Angel noticed they were orange blossoms, which tended to make her sneeze despite how much she actually loved the smell. Instead of turning the lei down, she bowed her head and allowed the lei to be placed around her neck. She tried to hold back a sneeze, but failed, causing the Pokémon to gasp, an offended look on its face.

It turned to leave, but Angel called it back. Once she managed to convince it she didn’t mean anything by the sneeze, she reached into her bag and dug through until she found her Pokédex. Understanding flashed in its eyes as Angel faced the device’s scanner thingy to the Pokémon.

“Eldegoss. The Cotton Bloom Pokémon. Evolved form of Gossifleur. Native to the Galar Region. Eldegoss occasionally sets its seeds to the wind, allowing plants and Pokémon alike to benefit from the nutrients within.”

“Oh, wow! What’cha doing all the way in Kanto?” Angel held out her free hand to the cutiepie, but paused, unsure as to whether or not she should touch it. The Eldegoss made a pleased sound and leaned into her hand, allowing her to stroke its face.

“There you are, Lyla!” A Trainer about her age rushed up to them and paused a foot away. She bent down, hands on her knees, panting. After a minute, she stood and held out a hand. “Hi, there! Name’s Elsa. Are you in town for the festival?”

Angel shook the offered hand. “Sadly, no. Just passing through on business, but I’m hoping to have some time before I have to leave.”

“Ah, well that’s too bad. People have traveled from as far as the Galarian and Alolan regions to participate in this debut event. It’s a rare opportunity to see Pokémon from all over the world in one spot. If all goes well, it will return next year.”

“Well, I’ll definitely try to finish things up real quick like. I wouldn’t want to miss out on what might be the chance of a lifetime.”

“You sure wouldn’t! Oh, hey!” Elsa grabbed her Pokénav out of her pouch, played with it a bit, and handed it to Angel on the Contact screen. “If you do get the time, hit me up. I’d love to talk about my home region.”

“Th-Thank you.” After placing her info in the device, she returned it to Elsa, who, based on the Sylveon cry, had sent a quick message to Angel’s Pokénav. For some reason, she couldn’t help but apologize for her shyness. “Sorry. I’m trying, but interacting with new people is scary.”

“No need to apologize.” Elsa waved a hand to calmingly as she put her Pokénav away. “I get it. A few of my friends are like that. The more you put yourself out there, the easier it gets. The friends you make along the way to your dreams are so worth every bit of all your struggles.”

Lyla cried out, and Elsa’s left hand went to her mouth as she gasped. “Ah! I’m sorry! Have to run. Forgot I volunteered to help set up a part of the festivities for Galar. See you around.” She waved her hand, and ran off, Lyla following her.

Angel stared after them for a few seconds before she shook her head. While she was in motion to turn down the road to the Silph Company, she froze upon seeing a woman with bright pink hair in a sailor’s outfit. Could it be? She took a step towards the person, but was distracted by shouts from behind her. When she turned, she saw a crowd gathering around someone being electrocuted by a Raichu. A strange occurrence, to be honest. But what really stood out was the purplish color of the Raichu. Another Shadow? What were the odds of two in such a short time?

Without another second of thought, Angel ran towards the Raichu. Her plan was to jump in between the two, interfering with the flow of electricity. As she was a millisecond away from having hundreds of volts rushing through her body, she realized how stupid that thought was. Thankfully, the Raichu had collapsed to the ground just in time. A few sparks came from its cheeks, but it was otherwise harmless.

People had gathered by the man, who had stopped spasming. Angel hoped he was okay. With the amount of people checking on him, she knew he’d be taken care of. Her attention turned to the Raichu, who was panting and whimpering. Nobody else was paying any attention to the Pokémon, even though it looked strange. Or was she the only one who could see its color?

As she bent down, she heard a familiar female voice. “Is that your Raichu?”

She swallowed and forced herself to speak. “No. I’m just making sure it’s okay.”

“Why? She attacked someone for no reason. Surely she deserves whatever punishment and pain that comes her way.”

Her hands clenched on her knees. There was no way the person was who she thought it was based on the pure belief in that tone. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to look behind her. If it was true, she didn’t want to know. Couldn’t. It would break her.

“Just as with people, Pokémon make mistakes. No. They shouldn’t hurt people simply because they’re in pain. But you can’t always control your actions. She may not be mine, but I’m not going to let her be harmed for something that is obviously not her fault.” Angel didn’t give the person a chance to respond. Picking up the Raichu, she took off running, wondering how she kept getting involved in things like this.

After ten minutes of running and backtracking to make sure she couldn’t be followed, Angel hadn’t found a decent choice. She skidded to a halt when she heard neighs, and looked around for a stable. There! Angel crossed the distance, and burst inside, startling the Mudsdale and both forms of Ponyta. Within seconds, she had them calmed down, but it felt like it had taken hours to do so.

Angel could feel static building within as the Raichu awoke. Looking into her eyes, she reached down a hand and began to stroke her face. “Ssh. Relax. You’re safe now. Well. Not now now. But you will be. You just need to be brave and go inside this Pokéball for me. Can you do that?”

She made a sound as she turned her head away, shivering. Angel could now see small jolts of electricity coming from her cheek pouches. Again, the Raichu whimpered. How were both Shadows scared of pokéballs? That fear was supposed to be a rare occurrence.

Wait. If this Raichu went through the same experience as the Clefable, then it actually made sense. They would equate the pokéball to being trapped, which would remind them of what was done to them. Angel choked back a sob at how horrible that was. “Please, sweetling. You’re in pain. It will be a while before I can get you help, but at least you won’t be hurting any longer. Not to mention you won’t be able to shock me or others.”

“Please don’t make me go into the darkness! I’ll do anything but that.”

“It’s only temporary, I swear.” Angel continued to stroke her face, tears welling in her own eyes. “Please. I can’t bear to see you hurting.”

The Raichu placed a hand on Angel’s heart, and opened her mouth only to jerk in pain. Angel herself was suddenly spasming, unable to move, think, or even breathe. She was aware of falling to the straw covered floor, but the next five minutes escaped her. When she reconnected to reality, the first thing she saw was the Raichu sitting against the wall opposite to her.

Realizing she’d just had hundreds of volts of electricity flowing through her body, she looked down to her skin and clothing, but found only slight damage. She turned to the Raichu, wide-eyed, wondering how she had managed the strength to push away.

Trembling, the Raichu forced herself to her feet and walked to Angel. She didn’t have to say anything. Angel knew what she wanted. “I’m sorry.” That said, she pulled out another pokéball and sent the Raichu to safety.

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Title: 6. A Race Against Time

Shadow Skill: Mock. A laughing whinny that brings to the forefront of the mind, a person's shortcomings in order to make them utterly lose faith in themselves and their abilities.

Rapidash can go from 0 to 150 in ten steps. They are a sight to behold when they race, for the faster they go, the hotter their mane burns. Highly competitive, they can often be seen challenging others to races. Shadows seem to desire a win, and will play dirty to achieve it.

Angel opened her eyes to a bright light shining directly in her face, followed by the voice of someone demanding to know who she was and what she was doing in their stables. The person didn’t lower the beam even when she raised a hand to shield her eyes. They yelled the question again, and she knew she must come up with something quickly to prevent this from becoming a public scene. “I’m so sorry! I brought an injured Pokémon here to rest.” She looked around the area of the stables that she could see, then turned back to the owner. “It looks like she wandered off when I fell asleep.”

After several seconds, they lowered the light, and Angel blinked her eyes repeatedly. As if that would help get her vision back faster. Their usage of a flashlight finally connected to the reality that it was nighttime, and she swore softly under her breath. She gave a quick bow. “Excuse me. I’m late for an important meeting!” Angel ran towards the man, who surprisingly moved out of the way to let her pass.

Thoughts rushed rapidly through her mind as she paused long enough to get her bearings before heading towards the target. As she maneuvered her way through the obstacle course of a city, she heard a loud neigh. Instantly, she went into panic mode, wondering if the owner of the stables had decided to punish her for trespassing after all. But a glance behind her made her stop in her tracks.

A Rapidash ran by her so fast, the force of the backwind knocked her on her bottom. She cried out as she hit the ground hard, and then heard a sound similar to tires screeching. The absence of hooves let her know before turning around that the Rapidash had stopped. Well. Either that or was far enough away to no longer be heard. Wait. Was the purple aura she’d just seen her imagination? Or had she found a third Shadow in the same day?
When she turned around, the Rapidash was no longer in sight. Still staring at where she last knew the horse to be, she screamed and spun around when she felt warm air on her face. How had the horse gotten behind her so fast? Rapidash nickered, backed off a little, and then pranced in place.

“You…Want to race?”

It gave a loud whinny, and reared. Its front feet danced in midair, giving Angel the chance to see that it was female. Even though Rapidash seemed to be aware of how squishy her new friend was, Angel still scooted back a foot. Better to be safe than sorry. Rapidash then hopped beside her in such a way that reminded her of Pinkie Pie from that one children’s cartoon, and she couldn’t help but burst out in laughter.

Angel shook her head and got to her feet as the Rapidash stopped dancing to look at her strangely. “You wouldn’t understand.” She looked to the ground to make sure nothing had fallen out of her backpack, and then readied herself for the race. “On the count of three. One. Two—”

With another whinny, Rapidash sped off, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.

“Oh-oh. So that’s how you want to play, is it?” Even had Rapidash played fair, Angel knew she wouldn’t have won anyway. But at that moment, it didn’t really matter to her. She ran after the Shadow, enjoying the moment.

After a few minutes, they came to a halt across the street from the Silph Company. Her body tried to go limp on her, and she had to place a hand on the wall of the house beside her to steady herself. She’d pushed herself harder than expected with that run. But Arceus, did she feel so much better. Though only temporary, the burning sensation in her legs and lungs gave her a different kind of pain to focus on.

Beside her, the Rapidash strutted back and forth, acting as if her win was the most spectacular thing in the world. Her fiery flames had settled down to a muted orange, tinged with purple. Angel chuckled softly, and reached out a hand to stroke Rapidash’s snout. “You did good, girl.”

Her attention turned to the building, trying to figure out a last-minute plan to finish what she came for. An idea suddenly came to her, and she looked to Rapidash as she considered the possible consequences. It was a dangerous choice, putting your trust in a complete unknown. There were so many ways that things could go wrong. And without a working knowledge of the associate, things could quickly go south for you while they escaped all punishment.

She half growled, half sighed. There was simply no other choice. “Hey. Mind doing me a favor?”

Rapidash let out a questioning neigh, and her ears perked up.

Angel didn’t respond immediately, going over it all in her head one last time, hoping for a different course of action. But nothing came to her. It was time to go all in. “There is something inside the building that I need to fetch. If it’s not too much to ask…Could you possibly provide a distraction for me?”

Before she could even discuss the possibility of a reward, Rapidash rushed the building and began wreaking havoc. It didn’t take long for the night shift to chase after her.

It wasn’t until the last of the employees had gone around the side of the building that Angel ran towards the door. She cursed instantly upon opening it. For there, in the middle of the room, was a desk. And, at the desk, sat a man. He was on the phone with someone when he saw her. His face immediately went from laughter to shock. He was too far away to hear his words, but she knew what was the most likely thing said.

Not waiting to see what he did next, she bolted for the stairs. She easily recalled the blueprints to the building, and ran effortlessly through the corridors, climbing floor after floor.

Five minutes later, she reached the doorway she was looking for. Placing a hand against the metal, she braced herself as she attempted to catch her breath. She could hear her heartbeats in her ears, and feel each one pulsing through her chest. No matter how quickly she inhaled, she couldn’t fill her lungs. Her entire body felt like it was overheated. Every muscle trembled, making it difficult to even lean. Angel placed her other hand on her stomach, desperately wishing for it to settle down as well.

A soft whimper escaped her lips. Whatever was wrong with her was getting worse. With Kanto being the closest to Blossomly, her parents hadn’t tried elsewhere for answers. But it was clear she needed to try harder. Someone in as good of shape as she was shouldn’t be experiencing this.

Finally, her symptoms lessened enough to return focus to her mission, and she took a step back to look at the door. There was a sign on it, claiming a Bio Lab was beyond this point, and warned people from entering unless they wore a hazmat suit. But according to the dossier, the entire sign was just a deterrence to keep those without clearance from sating their curiosity.

Her head turned left, then right, checking for people in the area. When she saw none, Angel typed in the first keycode listed on the papers, crossing her fingers that it worked. If it didn’t, it meant that she’d been too late, and it had been two weeks since the codes were last changed. Thankfully, the device clicked, and the light turned green as the door hissed open.

Knowing Rapidash couldn’t keep everyone distracted for much longer, she quickly scanned the giant room, looking for the item in particular she’d been sent to obtain. Unfortunately, the layout had changed from when she’d been given the data. That shouldn’t be a problem, though. What she sought was clearly identifiable. Besides. How many glowing pink containers could there be in the world?

Dropping the backpack from her shoulders, she opened it, and gently stuffed the vials into the outer pouch as she could. She managed to get six there, and two more inside, but there were still three left. Unfortunately, based on the shouts she could hear in the distance, she knew there was no time to rearrange. Hoping it wouldn’t matter much, she left the last three in the container, and then went to the window.

Angel opened it, placed two fingers in her mouth, and gave a loud, piercing whistle. Within seconds, the Rapidash appeared. As soon as she was close enough, she leapt out the fifth story window, deftly landing on Rapidash, who cried out. “Sorry, girl. It hurt me, too.”

Just as she was getting ready to turn Rapidash into a gallop, a voice called out to her. The one from earlier. Her gaze turned to the window she’d just leapt out of, and she found herself unable to breathe at the sight of the person standing there.

A Houndoom’s bark sounded, distracting her, and when she glanced back at the window, nobody was there. Angel shook her head, reminding herself yet again that not only was there no way it could be her. And that now was not the time to be focusing on such questions.

She had no clue where to go next, or what she planned on doing now. The only thing she knew for certain is that she needed to put as much distance between herself and this town as possible. And so, they ran so far away.

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