Forum Thread

Title: 7. The Journey Beckons

Once they'd covered half the distance from Saffron City to Lavender Town, Angel reined Rapidash. She attempted to hop off as normal, but her legs gave out and fell to the ground. It seemed the adrenalin rush was no more now that they were in relative safety. Angel couldn't even muster the energy to move onto her back. Instead, she lay on her right side, eyes focused on the small part of the starry sky she could see. The fact that she could even still breathe astonished her. This was the most useless her body had ever been.

Rapidash knelt beside her, and it was clear from her whinnies that she was excited at how far and fast she'd just run.

For twenty minutes, they lay like that. Angel knew the moment her body had recuperated enough from its trial, for her mind was able to focus on something other than the pain. It went to the person in the window, who looked and sounded just like Maya. She hadn't seen the person who spoke to her about the Raichu, and she knew that two people in the same town who sounded like someone from another town was highly unlikely. But she also knew that it could be her mind refused to accept Maya's passing.

She did not want to dwell on those thoughts, so her mind turned to Ebony. But she couldn't think of anything that would change what happened. Angel had no clue where Mally or Iggy were or the locations of any of the Team Rocket bases. There was no way she could get her beloved Pokémon back. A fact she would have to learn to accept.

A beep sounded, and she dug into her satchel to bring out her Pokénav. It was Elsa, but she couldn't talk. Not now. She squeezed her eyes shut and hoped her lack of desire to speak at the moment didn't destroy the friendship before it began.

After a few more seconds, the beeping stopped. The Pokénav was silent for about a minute longer, and then a text came in: Hey, there! If you're still around, I'd love it if you could come to the Galar section. Lyla and I are getting ready to make our big premiere, and we'd love it if you could be here. Oh! I just realized that I didn't get your name.

A part of her wanted to reply, but her hands shook too badly to even attempt to type a response. Maya's death. Ally's abandonment. Jenny's not-quite-betrayal. The Clefable. Seeing Maya. The Raichu and Rapidash. Hearing Maya. There was just so much, and it kept piling on.

She almost returned the Pokénav to her satchel but, at the last minute, decided to call her father on the secure line. After a few rings, he picked it up. "Where are you? We've been worried sick ever since we discovered that you left Blossomly. Why would you do that without telling us? Especially with your recent condition?"

Angel took a deep breath and dove straight into everything from the last few days. Well. Without mentioning her association with Team Rocket, that is.

After she finished, her dad was silent for a long while. "You chose a perfect time for your Journey. Reports of these Pokémon are popping up all over. I want to investigate and help them, if possible. Perhaps even see if I can make them normal again. When you reach Lavender Town, could you send those three to me? I will do what I can and then return them to you."

"How often should I send them to you?"

"To keep them out of evil hands, I'd say once a week or as soon as you have three on you. Carrying more would be risking them and yourself. And Alexandria? I know you're twenty-three, but you're exploring the world for the first time. Things and people aren't always what they seem. Be very careful who you trust and let in on your secrets."

Secrets? Did he know about her affiliation with Team Rocket? Angel swallowed before responding. "Pfft. You know me. I'm always careful."

"Uh-huh. So, you're saying the situations you find yourself in are Dreamer's fault?"

She laughed at his jibe to her Absol and sniped back, "Nope. The blame falls all on Sylvie. He always gets me involved in some form of mischief."

"I knew it! I never liked those ribbons. "

"That's just cause you never spend time with him. Oh! I know! He's been wanting to go into one of those beauty things. Perhaps you could get to know him better while training him to use his ribbons wowtacularly."

Her father groaned. "What is it with you and your weird words?"

Though he couldn't see it, she shrugged. "I have a gift."

"Yeah. To be super annoying. Anyways. I must go tend to important work stuff. Make sure to be back no later than two months. Love you. Bye."

After she told him she loved him and said goodbye as well, she hung up, a smile on her face. One thing was certain when it came to her dad. No matter how upset she was, he could always make her smile. Sometimes, it was by saying or doing something funny. Other times, he could annoy her into laughter. Rarely, he caused her pain to begin with.

Once the Pokénav was back in the pack, she pondered what to do. A glance at the Rapidash said that she was up to travel again, and they had a lot of ground to cover before they reached Lavender Town.

Angel stood, and Rapidash not only followed suit but whinnied and pranced around as well. "You can't seriously want to run again? Aren't you exhausted?" She threw her hands up at Rapidash's outraged neigh to calm the mare. "I've seen you run. You don't have to prove yourself to me. It's just...I don't want you to hurt yourself. There's been so much loss in my life recently, and I don't think I could handle being responsible for another."

She waited with bated breath as Rapidash pondered the statement. "Blargh!" Angel raised a hand to wipe her face clean from the sudden lick. Grossed out as she was, she couldn't help but smile when Rapidash whinnied as she pranced in a circle once. "Oh, so you think that's funny, do ya?" Again, Rapidash let out a neigh that sounded like laughter.

Amusement gone, Rapidash let Angel mount her again, and the two of them continued to Lavender Town, though this time, at a much more leisurely pace, which was still quite fast despite the fact she'd ordered the mare not to go faster than a trot. She couldn't believe the mare was willing to compromise for her sake. After all, she'd done nothing to earn the Pokémon's trust or respect.

Half an hour later, they arrived on the outskirts of the town. It was still several hours before people started to get up and go about their day. Angel jumped down and rested her cheek against Rapidash's while she petted her snout.

The thought suddenly occurred to her that she had no clue what Rapidash's problem was. Clefable had extremely sensitive hearing, and Raichu couldn't control her electricity. But the only thing Rapidash wanted to do was run. Wait. That was it! If the only thing on her mind was the run, then she might one time run so far, fast, and hard that her body gave out on her. Angel was silent as she tried to figure out the best thing to say to ensure cooperation.

Finally, she paused and looked her new friend in the eyes. "I know you want to run, but I can't let you. It's too dangerous."

As expected, Rapidash was confused, outraged, and a bit betrayed. Angel spoke quickly to defuse the situation before it blew up. "Remember the lab?" That seemed to hurt more than help. The instant Rapidash jerked her snout out of Angel's hands, she stepped back, and Angel expected the horse to rear and kick her front legs. That was exactly what happened. Unfortunately, she was too close, and a hoof connected to her shoulder, and the force of the blow knocked her to the ground. Despite how dizzy and in pain she was from the fall and the force of the hoof punch, she continued to speak.

"You're enjoying your freedom. They're still after you and wish to regain control over you. There would be no more runs like we had tonight. Is that what you want?" Angel breathed a sigh of relief when Rapidash calmed enough to place and leave all four hooves back on the ground. She retrieved a pokéball from her belt and enlarged it. "If you choose to get into this pokéball, I can take you to my father. He'll help you. You might even get a chance or two to compete with him. He's as competitive as you and might even handicap himself to make it more fun. How does that sound?"

She could have made it back to Saffron City in the time it took Rapidash to agree. Once again, Angel let out a relieved sigh. The first step was to find the Pokémon Center. She could rest there for the night and transfer the Shadows to her father in the morning. After that, she had all the time in the world to figure out what to do with whatever she'd just stolen from the Silph Company.

Thankfully, her backpack mostly prevented others from seeing the pink hue of the vials. The strange glow would attract attention and be very difficult to explain. There was a high chance that any scientist, not just those who worked at the Silph Company, would recognize it and know it shouldn't be in her hands.

Angel stared down the path into town, nervous as to whether she would get caught. It took her a few minutes to remind and convince herself that paranoid behavior only made one more conspicuous and that it was in her best interest to walk around as if she had nothing to hide. After a few minutes, she felt she'd steeled herself enough, put on a false smile, and stepped into the city.

Title: 8. A Shadowy Future

Angel was in a strange town. It looked a great deal like her hometown of Cerulean City, but, at the same time, it didn't. At first, she couldn't explain why it was different. But then she noticed the rundownness of buildings from her childhood, with their doors and windows shuttered closed. The streets that used to be full of joyful children and Pokémon were now empty. Now, the children huddled in dark corners, were filthy and needed food. All of them were alone, not taking solace in each other's company as if they feared even another child. Which, considering the naivete of children, was a strange sight. In fact, the only grown-ups she saw were very well-fed and dressed and loitered around the only two shiny, maintained buildings in town.

Everyone "better off" wore clothing or items that openly showed their allegiance to Team Rocket. Angel breathed a sigh of relief. At least the town would now be saved. They'd help the people here. Two children walked towards one of the adults. Their hands were open, most likely to beg for food or money. Instead of giving them some, as she expected, the Agent summoned a Pokémon, which made the children run off.

For a while, she just stared at the Pokémon she saw. It had an aura like a Shadow, but it was black instead of purple. And it didn't look like any Pokémon she'd ever seen before. It looked like it had been fused from several different Pokémon.

The sudden appearance of a Pokémon beside her caused her to jump, fearful that she was under attack. She calmed down when she remembered this was not only a dream but her dream. Still, when she turned to face the Pokémon fully and saw it was a Giratina, she stepped back so quickly that she fell on her bottom.

Giratina laughed at her, which only caused her to blush. "Happens every time. And yet, still funny." A female's voice. "Hello there, Alexandria Flamel. Known as Angel to those closest to you. I would not have appeared to you yet, but too slowly is your heart and mind heading in the right direction. You needed to understand now."

"U-Understand wh-what?"

"What Team Rocket is all about. You've already noticed that the Trainer there called out a strange creature. You may have even concluded that it was related to Shadow Pokémon. You are correct, but they are unlike the ones you hold within your pokéballs. These, like the Paradox and other Artificial Pokémon, were created. Unlike the others, these are inherently evil, designed with power, control, terror, and anarchy in mind."

Though she didn't speak it aloud, Angel thought it was cool that science could do that.

Giratina stomped a foot. "It is not!" There was a pause, and sorrow was in her voice when she next spoke. "This results from hundreds of Shadows being dissected and experimented upon. They may be an aberration but are like their normal counterparts in nearly every fashion. Team Rocket isn't the only one running tests on them. But they are the most apathetic to those they consider subservient."

Angel was silent as she did not want to believe any of what was being said. "They can't be all bad if they let them go after they get what they want."

The Giratina shook her head. "I assure you that if they did, it wasn't intentional. Giovanni wouldn't let potential strength like this slip through his fingers. His scientists aren't just testing to find the best genetics. They don't care about the result when testing for their weaknesses and endurance, so long as they get results."

"What?" Angel's eyes widened, horrified that anyone could go that far for science.

"We cannot let this future come to pass. You are not the first to see the Shadows as the Pokémon they are. But you are the first willing to fight for them. They need you."

She shook her head furiously, still in doubt about everything she'd just been told. Eight years! That's how long she'd been with Team Rocket, and until yesterday, she'd never been asked to do anything that wasn't wrong from her point of view. "How—" Angel swallowed and took a deep breath. "How do I know that you are telling the truth? Or you are even real instead of a figment of my exhausted imagination?"

Giratina tilted her head, and the only thing Angel could see in her mind was her father giving her one of his common 'Are you really that dense?' looks. For the second time in less than two minutes, she blushed in embarrassment.

"Does it matter? If I'm real, you believe me automatically because it came from a Pokémon. If I'm just inside your head, you already believe what I say is true and are desperate to convince yourself."

Angel chewed on that statement for a little while before she spoke. "What do I need to do to prevent this future?"

"Get those three to your father, where they will be safe. Then continue to do as you have done. I have many people to contact, and they will help ensure the safety of any Shadow they come across. As for what you must do...You already know the answer. All you need do now is find the courage to follow through."

Aye, she did understand that her next step needed to be to leave Team Rocket. But to do so would add a bullseye to her back. She would need powerful allies if she chose to go that route. It took her a while to realize Giratina had continued to speak. "Hmmn?" Angel turned her full attention to the Legendary.

"Return to Vermillion City. Speak to Officer Jenny. You will need her connections and protection to stay ahead of Team Rocket."

Angel shook her head so hard and quickly that she had to pause before she spoke to let the dizziness pass. "I can't! She doesn't trust me anymore. She'll throw me in a cell the first chance she gets."

"Trust is unnecessary, as is becoming best friends again. You only need her help. The worst that will happen is being locked away for a week or two."

Again, she shook her head, this time much gentler. "If some of the Shadows are in as much danger as you say they are, being locked up might cost them."

"And what if, in the future, you had the chance to save dozens but were prevented because you were caught? No. It's best to do this now, on your terms, before the ante is too high, even at the loss of a life or two. You must do what is best for the greater good. That's the reason I chose you to be the first of the Warriors of Light. You are smart enough to know the risks, and brave enough to take them. Now, awaken. Danger approaches."

From a sound sleep, Angel jerked into a sitting position. Though sweat poured down her face, she shivered. Her breaths were quick and shallow. The reality of the dream faded, but the sensations remained. Never before had she experienced a dream like that.

Angel frowned when she realized where she was. Hadn't she gone to the Pokémon Center to sleep for the night? How in the world did she end up here?

A crunch drew her attention, and she directed her gaze to the path into the city, where she could see a couple headed her way. She seemed to be in a hole beneath a tree but could see through the roots. Few people would have their eyes that low, so she'd chosen a good hiding spot for whatever reason she didn't remember. Well. It was still possible for people to notice her, but in her experience, most tended to overlook or deny the obvious. Unfortunately for her, the newcomers had a Pokémon walking with them, and it was at the perfect height to see her.

It cried out in actual speech, and Angel couldn't move. Was she still in a dream?

The pair was still about thirty feet away when they knelt. One was a male with short purple hair and green eyes. His companion was a woman with waist-length red hair and blue eyes. No way! Could it possibly be the most notorious trio in all the Regions? A glance down at their shirts confirmed her suspicions.

"Ohmygosh!" Angel exclaimed as she crawled out from her hidey hole. "Can it really be Jessie, James, and Meowth?"

They blinked in surprise and then huddled together as they muttered amongst themselves. After a minute, they stood, and James spoke. "Oh, goody! Did you hear that, Jessie? We're famous!"

"I heard it, but now she knows we're with Team Rocket!" Jessie wrapped an arm around James' neck, drew him in, and gave him a noogie with her other hand.

Angel laughed as she got to her feet, which made them turn to look at her. "Relax, Jessie. It's not like there's another group like you. And if there was, well. I'd hope you three could prove you're the better team."

"Of course, we could! Nobody's better than us!" James shouted with utter confidence. "But, uh. Who are you?"

She approached them. "I'm Alexandria Flamel. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

The three went into another huddle, but this time glanced her way every so often. They all shook their heads when they turned their full attention back to her.

"Strange. I would assume you'd heard of me. Mally and Iggy had."

"Now, them, we've heard of. You spoke their names with a bit of hatred. Do you have an issue with them as well?"

"I met them not too long ago. They tricked me and stole my Melanistic Sableye, Ebony. He's one of my closest friends, and I was so surprised by their deception that I let them get away. Now, I'm scared I'll never get him back."

A third huddle. Then, Jessie: "Where did you last see them?"

"About a mile from Vermilion City."

"We'll help you, but only because it gives us a chance to put them in their place. We have a reputation to protect as the best of Team Rocket. Oh, and you can travel with us if you'd like."

Angel opened her mouth to turn them down but realized she could just as easily transfer the three Shadows she carried to her father in Vermilion City. Plus, traveling with three of her heroes would be a fun experience. "I'd love that."

Title: 9. Murkrow's Treasure

Angel followed the trio in silence for several minutes, unsure what to say to a group who had been her idols for the longest time. She'd tried to explain her reverence to people before. Only her father understood, though. Neither approved that the trio repeatedly lied to, cheated, and stole from Trainers. But what made her admire them the most was their perseverance and dedication. No matter what happened. Regardless of their failures. They never gave up. Their willpower, creativity, and the fact they did not let their losses set them back was something she thought everyone should respect them for. Sadly, it seemed more people focused on the negative than the positive.

She glanced hesitantly towards them, trying to get the courage to speak and figure out what to say. James caught the first look and paid no mind. After the fourth time, he paused. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh. Uhm." Angel blushed slightly and almost looked at her feet like a child being scolded. "Sorry. It's just...I've been with Team Rocket for a long time. So long, I'd lost hope that I'd ever have the honor of meeting you, let alone traveling with you. I know I'm a nobody, too, so..."

"And? We're nobodies as well and look at us. The whole world knows our names. It just goes to show that, even if you're a failure, you're still a somebody. You can still make something of yourself. So long as you're doing what you love, nobody else's opinions matter."

"Enough with the feelgoody stuff," Meowth interjected, "We gots a long ways to go and can't be pausin' all the time for small talk."

"Meowth's right, you know." Jessie walked off. "C'mon. We can get to know each other better when we stop for lunch."

"Could always just find "the twerps" and hope they blasted us off in the right direction," Angel muttered softly, but not quietly enough, for James burst out in laughter. He gave her a friendly slap on the back before he, too, continued down the path.

Silence fell yet again. After a while, Jessie and James began to point out spots and tell her about a memory of that place. Most of it was of battles with Ash or other Trainers—which she had already heard many of secondhand from those involved—but it was something else entirely to hear it from the point of view of the "villains".

Finally, they chose a spot slightly off the road and went about the necessary tasks to camp for the night. Angel almost questioned why they weren't eating luxury in town, but then she remembered. Team Rocket. If anyone in town recognized them, they would be chased out. What a lonely, scary life this had to be for them.

After she shook those thoughts off, she placed her knapsack beside a tree and wandered about to make herself useful and collect things like twigs and water. For a little bit of that time, she looked around for things to eat that weren't poisonous or otherwise bad. But, ultimately, she chose not to get anything she saw because she wasn't certain enough. Angel made a mental note to pick up a book on wild flora and fauna the next time she was in town.

Ten minutes later. They sat around a nice little fire while they waited for the potatoes and wild mushrooms to roast to perfection. Nobody spoke, and she could feel goosebumps on her arms. It was as if the mood had completely gone south. Halfway through, she could no longer take it. "Did I do something wrong?"

Jessie sighed, fork midway to her mouth. She set it down and grabbed her Rocket Radar. A few clicks of buttons later, she passed it to Angel.

A picture of her with Sylvie covered the top half of the screen. Not just any picture, either. It was the one her mother had taken of them and the Trainer who won the 10,000 PD and the Symbiosis Badge, but with everyone else cut out. How in the world did they get this picture? It was only on their Hall of Fame wall in the Flamestryke PokéTel.

She scrolled down to read the message:

Attention:

Agents of Team Rocket. With heartfelt sorrow, I announce the betrayal of one of our own. According to a reliable source, Alexandria Flamel chose a crucial mission upon which to turn on us. As of now, she is excommunicado and will be treated as an enemy. If seen, she is to be detained and questioned for the whereabouts of the items she stole. Use whatever means, within reason, to gain the necessary info. Anyone seen aiding her in any way will be seen as a traitor.

End Memo.

Angel handed the Radar back to Jessie, who started to speak but thought better of it. James broke the new silence. "We investigated it. Mally is the one who reported this. Giovanni knows she plays dirty. We think that, since he has followed through with this, knowing Mally's history of lying, well...he must have reason to want you out."

"I'd recommend rethinking whatever it is you plan on doing and just turn yourself in. Giovanni's bad side is not a place you want to be." Jessie picked up her fork and returned to her meal.

When Angel opened her mouth to explain, James cut her off. "We don't want to know. The less you tell us, the better chance we can get away with this little bit of help."

"It's really important, though. Kinda life or death."

They looked at each other and went into another of their huddles. Not long later, James turned back to her and shook his head. "We can't...Without Team Rocket, we don't know what to do with our lives. But we promise you. If we figure it out and feel the same way, we'll do what we can to help without helping you."

"And if you don't? Feel the same way that is?"

He shrugged. "Honestly, kid. I like you. So hopefully, it doesn't come to that."

At that moment, Angel glanced at Jessie, whose gaze was behind her, towards Saffron City. Emotions flashed through her eyes, and she instantly grabbed her Rocket Radar from beside her. Angel became even more confused when Jessie met her eyes, mouthed an apology, and leaped to her feet. "How dare you think you're worthy to sit with us?"

Angel's mouth fell open, unable to process what she'd just heard. How in the world did they go from friends to enemies so quickly? A male's voice sounded from behind her. It sounded like Iggy's voice, only without the accent. Ahh. Now she saw what was going on. They were protecting the only life they knew. And besides, if they did end up on her side, their continued access to Team Rocket's technology, information, and equipment was necessary. Friends and allies in high places, just as Giratina wanted.

"Well, well, well. All the misfits are in one place. This makes our job so much easier, doesn't it, Mal?"

She stood and turned around to see Mally and Iggy. Only, Mally's grandfather was no longer old. Instead, now they both looked to be about her age. How had she not noticed the disguise? She was usually very good when it came to such details. Then again, tired or distracted minds rarely ran at full wattage.

"Four against one are very good odds. Don't you agree?"

The question was addressed to Jessie and James to see where their loyalties lay. Angel backed off so she could see everyone at once. At practically the same time, everyone brought out a pokéball and enlarged it but did not set the Pokémon within free. She looked back and forth between them several times before she chose Mally as the biggest threat.

"What do you want with me? You already have my most precious Pokémon. There's nothing else you can take from me." Though she already knew the answer, it was also clear that she needed to play along for the sake of her new friends.

"You can drop the innocent act. You have something that belongs to us. Hand it over." Iggy held out his hand. His tone made it clear that this was a very serious matter.

Angel crossed her arms. "And you have something that belongs to me. Since neither of us are likely to give that up, well, " she shrugged. I guess we're at a Catch-22."

"Are we really, though? I highly doubt you can tie your shoes without daddy's help." Mally glanced down at Angel's Velcro Mismagius shoes. "Case in point, I guess."

"First. I happen to like playing with it. The sound calms me and annoys others when done long enough. Second. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

Mally took a step towards her and laughed when Angel took one back. "Looks like you're all bark and no bite. Give us what we want, and we will go away. Simple as that."

She took a few more steps back until she was partially hidden in the cover of the trees. They could still see her, but it just felt safer to her. Deep down, she knew they were right. About everything. There was no way she would get out of this without some sacrifice. Angel tilted her head as she remembered something her dad had told her long ago. To carry around some loose PD in her pocket. That way, if someone ever tried to steal from her, she threw that at them and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. This was a bit different but the same, nonetheless.

After a little while, she stepped forward. She faced away from her new friends, as she didn't want to see the looks on their faces as she did this. "On one condition. Give me back my Ebony. He is of far lesser value to you, and your progression than retrieving the items will be."

Everyone put away the pokéball they'd grabbed earlier when Mally did. Seemed they all understood that this wasn't going to come to a fight. Mally reached up to her strap and grabbed a pokéball. When she held it to face Angel, the Mega Sableye sticker was visible.

Angel carefully removed the knapsack from her shoulder and set it on the ground. She then reached into the outer pouches and took out six vials. Their pink glow lit up the area, almost like they reacted to the sunlight.

"Only two remained at the Silph Company. Where are the other two?" Mally tensed, eager for a fight.

What was with that woman? James said she was known to lie. That, combined with her few interactions with the woman, made it glaringly clear that she was nothing more than a drama queen who enjoyed power plays. Angel never understood why those in power had to make others feel inferior. All it did was make you a jerk.

She pretended to be surprised and confused. "Other two? I left four there. There was another Agent in the room right as I left. Perhaps she took it." Her words must not have convinced them, for Iggy demanded she open her bag.

When she complied, he knelt beside her and took a closer look. But Angel knew all he would see were her Pokénav, Pokédex, and an extra set of clothing. Well, if you could call a Leafeon costume 'clothing'. So long as he didn't lift the costume, he wouldn't find anything. She held back a sigh of relief when he stood, turned to Mally, and nodded.

Suddenly filled with unease, Angel closed her knapsack and stood. She smiled nervously in the hopes the situation had been resolved and she was no longer a target."

"You may have thought you won, but I assure you. That will never happen. Now why don't you be a good little girl, and," With all the strength she could muster, Mally threw the pokéball. "Fetch."

Her mocking laughter followed Angel as she took off after her friend. Unfortunately, she didn't get very far when it was snagged out of midair by a Murkrow. The single silver feather marked it as the one she'd returned to Team Rocket long ago. He cawed at her. "Since you took my freedom, I shall take your most precious treasure. Only when you release me shall he be returned."

After a caw she assumed was meant to intimidate her, he flew back toward Jessie and James. While he pecked at James' head, he subtly dropped the pokéball behind him, then headed back toward Mally and Iggy.

Angel's hands clenched into fists and trembled at her sides with barely held back anger. She no longer needed to discover some overwhelming truth about Team Rocket. The proof was right there. In how Mally and Iggy treated her and the trio. In how quickly and easily Giovanni turned on her. How could she have been so foolish?!

She watched the crueler pair as they retreated and knew it was one of those things that she had to let go of. It was of greater importance to get the three Shadows and two vials to her father. Besides, Ebony was in far better hands with Jessie, James, and Meowth than with Mally. When she could no longer see any of them, she released all her rage and fury into a single scream.

Title: 10. Letter of the Law

Angel sat against a tree. Her legs were bent at the knees, arms wrapped around them so she could rest her head. The knapsack was on her lap to serve as a pillow but also prevented others from stealing it. Wetness dribbled down her left arm. She snorted as she jolted awake, and the first thing she did was wipe drool from her mouth. A glance showed that nobody could have seen, but it didn't stop her blush, even as she let out a relieved sigh. It would have been so embarrassing to be caught doing that.

It had been hours since Team Rocket left, so it should now be safe enough to head back to Vermilion City. Not that she wanted to, by any means. Since she knew that she would likely get arrested for doing so. But Giratina was certain Jenny's help would be needed, and though she wouldn't admit it aloud, Angel knew it as well. A few days to weeks in a cell now would be a small sacrifice for the betterment of Pokémon.

Ugh! In times like this, Angel wished she knew how to ride a bike. Travel between cities would be so much quicker. Still boring as hell, but the boredom would only last half as long. Maybe if things went well, she'd see if she could purchase a custom tricycle to get around with. Still greatly upset by everything that had happened recently, Angel walked slower than usual, which caused her to take half an hour to reach Saffron City.

She could have headed straight to Vermilion City to save some time, but paths existed for a reason. It was too dangerous for even experienced Trainers to stray from the path. Wild Pokémon tended to be apprehensive about places humans treaded often. But when in their territory, one never knew what to expect. So many stories existed of people who braved the wilds and were never seen again. Some say they chose to live among the Pokémon. Others give much darker options.

Four hours later, she found herself in Vermilion City, and the streets were busy with people on their way home from work. She wondered if she should sit on one of the benches by the Café to wait for the crowd to thin out since the number of people was too much for her to handle. But it was where everyone was headed that drew her curiosity. What was going down at the Pokémon Center to attract so many onlookers?

Angel went through the masses as best she could and was almost there when she heard the sirens. When she glanced to her left, she saw Jenny arrive at the building. For a few split seconds, Angel freaked, under the impression her presence had been detected. But she need not have worried, for her friend ran straight inside as she released her Houndoom. Not long after the initial shock had worn off, she realized how stupid her assumption had been in the first place.

She considered summoning Dreamer to provide aid but shook her head when she realized that doing that would only worsen things. Especially when she knew nothing about the situation. Angel also didn't want to be seen as an enemy when she meant to be the hero. More sirens sounded, and she looked to the road again to see two more officers pull up. They summoned an Arcanine and Mightyena and rushed inside as well.

If she waited for this to end, she could probably get in, transfer the Pokémon to her father, and get out before Jenny knew she was there. Unfortunately, she had a strong feeling that Giratina was correct. And even if she wasn't, Angel couldn't let a years-long friendship end like this. They should at least try to work it out.

After she took a deep breath, she approached the Poke Center. As she made it to the door, it opened to reveal the three Officers and two people in handcuffs. Their perpetrators were both males, slightly younger than herself. One wore fire-themed clothing with an "M" sewn into the middle of their shirt. The other person wore water-themed clothing with an "A" on their shirt. It wasn't difficult to figure out they belonged to Teams Magma and Aqua.

Jenny paused and gasped at the sight of Angel. The gasp was loud enough to cause the two nearby officers to glance at her. They said nothing but must have asked with their eyes if there was a problem. She shook her head and made a 'stay here' motion with her hand but didn't move.

From behind Angel came a different siren sound, and she knew the transport car had arrived. The other two Officers headed toward it with their prisoners, but a minute later, Jenny still hadn't moved from the open doorway. It prompted Angel to speak, amusement in her voice. "That's a lot of warm air you're letting escape."

Her friend approached, and the door finally closed behind her. Once beside Angel, she spoke softly. "If I had known this would be a Team party, I'd have brought some cake. What are you doing here? You must be crazy to return, knowing what I must do now."

Angel nodded, then shrugged. "I understand that you gotta do what you gotta do. Just allow me to do something quick." She stepped toward the building, but Jenny stretched out an arm to block her way. "Let me pass. I'm transferring some Pokémon to my father to prevent Team Rocket from acquiring them." Her words were soft so others wouldn't hear, and it would be clear she meant what she said.

Unfortunately, after earlier, Jenny didn't seem to believe her. As she crossed her arms beneath her breasts, her right foot moved slightly toward the door. The act placed her between the building and Angel and was another silent statement. One that said, 'My arms may be crossed, but if you try to get inside, I can and will take you down.'

Since she knew that Jenny wouldn't let this go, she motioned for her to follow and headed away from the entrance so they could speak without being overheard. She sat down on the Poke Center garden's retaining wall and took a deep breath as she began to kick her feet from nervousness. "You were right."

"Naturally. About what?" Surprisingly, Jenny sat beside her on the wall.

She turned to Jenny. "Team Rocket. Have you heard about the Shadow Pokémon that have recently been discovered? Most likely. News is spreading rapidly. Anyways. I was told to steal something from Saffron City that related to Shadows. No clue what it was or what all it did, but I didn't show up at the rendezvous point."

A beep sounded, and Jenny raised her finger to silence Angel while she responded to the call on her walkie-talkie. "Go for Jenny." After a few seconds, Jenny glanced at Angel, then asked, "How did you make ID?" Before she shut down the conversation, she told whoever was on the other end to "Bring her in for questioning." Then she gestured to Angel to continue her story.

"I was on my way to Lavender Town, where I planned on sending some Pokémon I'd caught to my father and the items I'd taken from the Silph Company. Could have sworn I went inside the city, but the next morning, I awoke sleeping under the roots of a tree outside. Before waking, I had a strange dream of a Giratina speaking to me. She warned me of a possible future if Team Rocket got their hands on enough Shadow Pokémon."

She paused to see if Jenny had anything to say, but her friend shook her head. "Well. The notorious trio of Team Rocket walked by not long after I awoke. We had a discussion, and they agreed to help me."

"Help you with what?"

"Oh! I probably should have mentioned in the beginning that two other members of Team Rocket had assaulted me not long after I left here and took Ebony. That's what Jessie and James had agreed to help me with. Getting my darling back."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Flash forward almost back to Saffron City, and the two who stole Ebony from me found us. Jessie, James, Meowth, and I, well, we became friends. They would have helped me then, but they didn't want what had just happened to me to happen to them."

"What was that?"

Angel had to take several deep breaths before she could answer. "Giovanni thought my missing the rendezvous was me stealing from him. I've been blacklisted from Team Rocket. I was presented with the choice of: Fight, endanger others, and likely lose. Or give them what they want. Common sense dictated I choose the latter, so I did."

"You what?!"

Jenny's raised voice caused Angel to flinch. "It was my best option!" she hissed. "Besides, they didn't get all of it. I managed to hide two vials from them. And no, I'd rather not give them to you. I don't know what they're for. Team Rocket wants them badly. And no offense, but if the Silph Company can be stolen from, what chance do you have against a retrieval team?"

"So much ignorance in those statements," Jenny said, though there was a smile on her face. "Okay, first. We just took into custody a few Agents who were after someone inside the Pokémon Center. Second, your cell and the entrance have high-level security, and the evidence room is even more. The odds of someone who doesn't belong there getting them out from beneath our noses isn't very likely. Lastly, and I mean no offense. But do you think you could protect it from them better than we could?"

"Touché. In that dream, Giratina told me to come back here and find you. She seemed to think I would need your connections if I planned on stopping Team Rocket before they could create new super-powered Pokémon using the DNA of the Shadow Pokémon. That's why I'm here now. I'm hoping to work with you. Against Team Rocket. In the short term, at least. Long term, I hope we can be friends again."

For a while, Jenny remained silent as she processed everything. Finally, she stood and faced Angel. Tears already welled in her eyes as she reached into her back left pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

Before Jenny could speak, Angel interjected. "Please. I have three Shadows with me. I need to transfer them to my father so he can figure out how to help them. They'd be safe from Team Rocket in his lab, what with his multi-layered security system."

Jenny shook her head, and the action caused her bangs to sway cutely. "I can't. Those are evidence."

Angel leaped to her feet. "How can you say that? These poor creatures were tortured by Team Rocket! They trusted me to get them the help they needed! Surely you can't be so heartless as to risk them being stolen back to be tested on some more?"

"Don't." Jenny's voice broke, and her eyes narrowed at Angel's words. She reached up her free hand and moved her hair out of her face, though Angel knew she wiped the tears from her eyes so others wouldn't see. "You know my hands are tied. I can't bend the law whenever I wish. Doing it even once would be opening the door to a slippery slope. I love you like a sister and would do anything for you. But regardless, I'm going to hold you accountable like everyone else. Not even my real sister would get special treatment. Now, please. Turn around and lace your hands behind your head."

"Why?"

"Are you going to continue to make this difficult on me?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, a sign of her impatience and frustration.

"No, I mean. Why do you ask people to do that? You're just going to take my arms and place my hands against my lower back. So why not ask me to put them there and save you the trouble?"

Jenny blinked and then laughed. "I never even thought of that. If I remember, I'll ask my superior the next time I'm in her office. Funny as that may be, I will still have to ask you to cooperate."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But at least I got you to laugh." Angel turned around, hands already in the proper position. She tensed as the cuffs encircled her wrists. Not because they were too cold or too tight. But she suddenly realized that she couldn't hide this from her father. And he was going to be mad when he found out.

Title: 11. Convictions

Angel and Jenny spent the ride in silence. Well, not really. Jenny attempted to speak but was met with Angel's continued silence. Until she had a chance to truly calm down and take in everything that happened over the last few days, she'd continue to have anxiety attacks. And the last thing she wanted was for Jenny to see her at her worst.

After what had to be the longest car ride ever, they arrived at the station. The sight of motorcycles outside made Angel question why Jenny had left hers at the Poke Center. Angel guessed that Jenny must have wanted to be the one to take her in. She probably had to, though, to prove that she could mete out the same justice to close friends as she could a stranger. But to pass her off to someone else to deal with? Maybe she was way more torn up about the situation than Angel could see.

It took about fifteen minutes for her fingerprints and face shot to be taken and her belongings inventoried and set aside. Then, oddly enough, they placed her in one of several empty holding cells. Where were the people from the Poke Center? Not that she cared. She preferred solitude, and since Jenny was likely the one to have requested solitary, she appreciated the continued gestures to her mental well-being.

The cell itself didn't have bars. Instead, it was made of two pieces of plexiglass. Three if you counted the door. A rectangular slot in the middle of the door was tall and wide enough for practically anyone to place their hands side by side. Once inside, she slid her hands through. When the officer removed her cuffs, she looked at where she would stay until she was fully processed.

There were no other furnishings besides a cot beneath a window across from the door. She went to that cot, knelt, and took in the view. Angel couldn't see much of the city, but she'd never much found cityscapes beautiful. The ocean drew her attention, and she couldn't help but stare at it. Though she couldn't swim, she closed her eyes and imagined herself in the water. Pelipper and Wingull squawked above her, the wind blew in her face, and the scent of salt filled her nose.

Eventually, the idea of freedom became too much for her, and she sat on the cot properly. Angel turned her attention to the floor, but after a little while, that bored her. She was one of those people who always needed something to do, or else she went insane. So, she leaned against the wall and tilted her head back to look at the designs on the ceiling.

Out of nowhere, she began to tap her head against the wall. Thirty seconds later, her head started to hurt, but she found herself suddenly overcome by a masochistic urge, so she continued to bang her head. Just about the time she'd given herself a decent-sized headache, the officer from earlier returned. He paused at the door, held up another pair of handcuffs, and then beckoned her to him.

Angel shook as she got to her feet, crossed the distance, and put her hands through to be cuffed again. She swayed the moment they clicked into place and took several steps back. He said something, most likely a question about whether she was okay. She looked at him, only to frown when she saw him and his twin. "It's...so hot," was all she managed to say before she passed out.

When she awoke, it was semi-darkness. The first thing she noticed, aside from the fact that she was in an actual cell now, was that she was not cuffed. The next thing she noticed was a white bracelet on her left wrist. Angel turned it over to see the Poké Center emblem. Well. At least she knew they had taken care of her.

"Hey!" A voice called out from the cell across from her.

She ignored the call and the taps of fingernails against the bars. When that failed to get her attention, the person whistled, dog-called, and made other sounds to get her to respond. Finally, she decided it would be easier to go with it and lifted her head.

"Ah! There you are!" He exclaimed when he saw that he finally had her attention. He paused and tilted his head. "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Though she didn't want to talk now, he sounded genuinely concerned, so she figured she owed him a response. "I'm fine."

"Of course you are. That's why you look like you haven't slept in days." He leaned against his bars and stretched his hand as far through as he could. "My name is Faolan. I'm in for catching a poacher in a net trap. Apparently, it's okay for them to do it to Pokémon but not for us to do it back. How about you? What are you in for?"

For a long while, she just stared at his hand. When it didn't seem he would give up, she scooted forward, stuck her hand between the bars, and shook his hand. "Alexandria Flamel. Someone framed me for the destruction of The Swanna."

"Oh," was all Faolan said as he withdrew his hand. "I'm going to count that as good news. That duckling was so unbelievably ugly."

It took a little for Angel to get the reference, but when she did, she burst into. Between gasps, she responded as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you for that. I've had a rough last few days."

"Have you hit rock bottom yet?"

She frowned, confused. "I guess you could say that."

"That's good, then. It means things can only get better from here on out."

Angel shrugged and turned away from him. "It's kind of you to say that, but you have no clue what I've been through."

"Enlighten me, then."

"Why?" Angel turned to face him again. "So, you can judge me like everyone else for my mistakes?"

His face softened. "You're right. I don't know what you've been through. But I know that no matter what you think now, not everyone is out to get you."

"Fine. You wanna know what's been going on? I only have a few friends. One of them was Maya, the Captain of The Swanna. I've been told she passed in the fire. My second friend, Ally, was in a relationship with Maya and blames me for what happened. My final friend is Officer Jenny, who turned on me when she discovered..." Angel trailed off.

Faolan gestured for her to continue, but she wasn't certain she should. Then again, he might understand based on why he was in jail. Still, she felt the tears well in her eyes before she continued. "That I am—was—a member of Team Rocket." The silence that followed her revelation made her certain that she had been judged and found wanting by Faolan. When he finally spoke, though, it wasn't what she expected.

"I, too, have done questionable things. So, what if you joined Team Rocket? Both joining and leaving, you must have had good reason to do so. What you did in the past shouldn't matter. What you do with the life you've been given determines who you are."

Again, silence fell. Angel had thought his previous speech was unexpected. But she was blown away by Faolan's next words. "Oh. And just so you know. We're friends now. So, nyuh!"

She couldn't help but giggle when he stuck his tongue out at her.

Title: 12. Consequences

Angel groaned as she stretched the tension out of her muscles and sat on the cot. A yawn escaped her as she rubbed the grit out of her eyes. As she stared at the floor, from the corner of her left eye, she caught sight of a pair of steel-toed boots on the other side of the bars and tensed.

"It might be dark and super boring down here, but that doesn't mean you get to sleep the days away. Should have used this time to study, work out, train, something. Anything is better than letting your mind and talents go to waste." Her father paused for a few seconds. "Then again, if what Officer Jenny has told me is true, you've been doing so for a long time."

"Hey, sir! Don't be talking down to her like that." Faolan's sleepy voice entered the conversation, and she was thankful that her father chose to ignore the kid.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her father continued. "I don't care what your excuses are for why you joined. You didn't talk it over with me first. And then you lied when you told me you wished to stay away because you experienced the Call."

"I didn't lie about that!" Angel exclaimed as she turned to meet his eyes, only to instantly regret it as she saw the amount of disappointment held within. "When I spoke to you that day, I'd had an epiphany. Things have happened since, and my views have changed. I want to make something of my life. To make the world a better place."

"If I believed you chose it out of morality, it would be worth a cookie. But since I think you did that only because your hand was forced, I won't congratulate you. Seriously, though? Alexandria Nicolai Flamel. Your mother and I raised you better than that."

The usage of her full name caused her to flinch again. Faolan saw and prepared to speak again, but she spoke over him. "I will assume that nothing I say would make you change your mind. So, I must let my actions prove otherwise."

He shook his head. "You got yourself into this mess. Get yourself out."

"Wait!" she cried out as he turned to leave. "Surely you didn't travel all this way just to tell me that and then walk off."

Her father paused but didn't turn to look at her again. "Jenny told me the hidden reason you were arrested. I didn't doubt you were guilty of the accusation. You've always had a fascination with Team Rocket. But I'd hoped, after everything everyone ever told you, that you wouldn't willingly become an Agent. Instead, your reaction when you recognized me told me everything I needed to know. You knowingly, willingly, and deliberately aided them. It's not something I can let slide."

"It was! I thought I could do good with them!"

"Good with them?!" At that, he did turn back to her, and she felt tears burn in her eyes at his outrage. "I create technological advances for all walks of life to improve the world! You should have said something if you weren't content with our accomplishments!"

"That's not what I meant! I—" She fell silent and then sighed. "Never mind. You wouldn't understand."

"And that is exactly why you're in trouble. You chose not to communicate with me." He looked away from her again. "I brought the rest of your Pokémon, just in case you were serious in your desire to start your journey. But I'm of half a mind to keep them from you as part of your punishment. Do me a favor, though, and don't come home until you understand why I'm so disappointed in you."

"Does that mean you don't want me to send you more Shadows?"

With extremely obvious sarcasm, he responded. "Yes. Because that's the type of person I am. I'm mad at you for joining Team Rocket, and I will act just like them and punish innocent Pokémon. Seriously? Don't ask such stupid questions. Goodbye, Alexandria."

Before she could say another word, he walked off. Once they heard the hallway door shut, Faolan spoke. "Well. That was quite rude."

Angel didn't answer. She'd long since stopped trying to explain her father to people. His heart was always in the right place, even if how he went about things seemed a little...much. Despite his occasional outbursts, she knew that he cared for her. Just...Sometimes she wished he could understand how what he said and did negatively affect her. But even if he did, he'd likely say that she needed to do something about it since she was the one with the problem.

They heard the jingle and jangle of keys, and Officer Jenny approached Faolan's cell. As she placed a key in the hole, she spoke, "The charges against you have been dropped. You're free to go."

"Aww. But now I don't want to go. Who's going to keep this lovely lady company?" Faolan somewhat teasingly replied as Jenny held his cell door open.

"Unless you commit another crime, you can't stay. And until the Judge settles on her punishment, she can't leave. If it's that important, I can see if a decision can be made today. Regardless, you still must leave this area."

Faolan nodded and took off, which left just the two of them. Jenny sighed as she closed the door. She then looked down the hallway before she turned around to face Angel. "I didn't want him around for privacy reasons, but your decision came in not long before your father arrived."

She leaped to her feet, crossed the short distance to the door, and wrapped her hands around two bars. "What is it?"

"Since there is no proof of past crimes with Team Rocket other than your word, you cannot be charged for those. Regarding The Swanna, the other person with your hair color has confessed to setting the fire, so you're also clear for that."

"What about what I told you the day I turned myself in?"

"The Judge thought long and hard on that one. And, since you are known for wild imagination and creative stories, you were labeled as someone who cannot tell the difference between reality and fiction. Thankfully, you have not been deemed a threat to yourself or others, so there was no need to place you in a Psychic Ward."

"And my punishment?"

"This is the part you might not like. You have been banned from participating in any Trainer Event until you earn enough Integrity Points. This means your every move will be closely watched in Kanto. Try to do only good things with your newfound freedom."

"Oh." Angel fell silent and hung her head as she let her arms fall to her sides. "That's not at all something I would have expected. Seems like way too harsh of a punishment." She gasped. "Does Father know?" Jenny's silence and sad eyes answered that question. "Please tell me I can still be a Gym Leader!" More silence. "Arceus! That's why dad's so mad at me right now. I was supposed to lead the Flamestryke Gym for a few months. Going to assume that's out of the question now."

"Well. Technically, you could, provided you take care of the paperwork. But you would not be able to oversee or participate in a battle. It would not be a legitimately recognized Badge earned by the opponent. I'm sorry, Angel. You chose this on your own, and now you must deal with the consequences."

Finally, Jenny unlocked the cell and let her out. "The person on the other side of the door will check you out. You still have my number, and I will help you however I can. Just—"

"Yeah, I know. So long as it doesn't go against your rules and regulations." Angel couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice and felt so bad that she had to continue, "Not that I'm mad at you. I understand your hands are tied. And I don't want you giving me special treatment or anything just because we're friends. No more covering things up. Even if they're minor infractions." She didn't know what else to say, so after she hugged Jenny, she headed out.

As she looked through her knapsack a few minutes later, she found her father had not only taken the three Pokéballs that held the Shadows but left four of her signature balls. They were red and gold with a Cheri Blossom pattern. She sighed, smiled, and shook her head. It was just like him to be mad and still doing something sweet. He called those moments 'being the better person'.

Several minutes later, she was greeted outside by Faolan, who seemed above the Lunatone she was also free. She smiled and walked past him to the docks. Part of her knew he would follow, and that was fine. Her mind just needed time to think before she spoke to him.

Title: 13. Roar, Gyarados

Shadow Skill: Silence. Prevents the 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.

Angel sat down at one of the little tables that overlooked the ocean and wondered if Maya would still be alive had she chosen to turn down the mission for Team Rocket. She probably should have to begin with since she'd both succeeded and failed in the mission. But at least everyone had gotten what they wanted. The meddlesome goody two-shoes were out of the way so they could get things done. Part of her felt she could have done more good if she had continued to work for them after the organization revealed the truth to her.

But one thing she'd chosen to live her life by was the fact that things happened for a reason. And her father now had some of that glowy liquid from the Silph Co. So regardless, if they could figure out its purpose, they could use it against Team Rocket. They could even become as much of a thorn in their side as Ash Ketchum and his friends. Perhaps it was for the better, too. She doubted she would have been able to play Team Rocket from the inside, what with how easy she was to read and how she couldn't lie. At least, not very well. Not to mention, it was unlikely they would have believed her anyway. Do-gooders didn't just up and change overnight. Horrible things had to happen to them to set them on a different path.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced up to see Faolan. Only then did she realize she'd been quiet for far too long, and she blushed. "Sorry. I was just wondering if..." Angel trailed off, shook her head, and looked back to the ocean. Though she barely knew Faolan, she knew he would be like every normal person and tried to convince her that she was not at fault. And honestly, that wasn't something she could deal with now. No matter how badly she tried to deny it, Maya would not have been docked that day had Angel not pushed for a bit of speed.

After a little while, her gaze went to the shrunken pokéballs still in her hand. She pressed the buttons to enlarge them and released her friends. Sylvie, her Shiny Sylveon. Dreamer, a black and white Absol. Rosie, a Leafeon who'd grown up around cherry blossom trees and taken their appearance. Anya, a mischievous Litten. And Aleu, a Midday Lycanroc who did not have the neck fluff that all others had. They all instantly began to shower her with questions and demands for attention. Anya was surprisingly quite upset that she hadn't been invited—something along the lines of being rude not to include her. Of course, she didn't care that the others weren't invited, either. Just herself. All in all, it made her laugh. Even Faolan seemed to be amused, for she heard a soft chuckle.

Anya began to look around for Ebony, but when she didn't smell him on her, she just jumped atop Angel's head and curled up. Angel choked up at that, for she knew the little one merely thought Ebony was off to himself. As soon as Anya found out the truth, she would be devastated. Hopefully, Angel could keep it from her, and she would never have to know. Ebony was Anya's best friend. Aside from her, that is.

When she looked at Faolan, she saw that he was focused on Sylvie, Rosie, and Dreamer. Well, more so Rosie and Dreamer, which made sense because, although rare, Shiny Pokémon weren't quite that rare. Angel pointed at each Pokémon as she introduced them, then went into details about Rosie and Dreamer. She explained how the young Eevee had grown up in and evolved beneath a Cherry Tree, so she was shades of pink and red instead of green and brown. And how, though Dreamer's color origins were unknown, she was certain Absol's reverse-colored coat made him a bearer of creation, purity, and good luck. Not that she believed the superstition of them being harbingers of doom and destruction.

"Do you only have five?"

"Yes and no. My sixth member, Ebony, is a Sableye with Melanism. I don't know if you've ever heard of that, but it's an excess of pigmentation and makes his skin darker than the rest of his kind. I named him Ebony because I thought he was the same shade as the gem. He carries a topaz-colored gem, as big as the one you would see a Mega holding, but he can't Mega-volve. Maybe he's in permanent Mega form? Heh. Never thought of that."

She shook her head before she continued. "But a Team," she paused to draw an 'R' on the table, "uh, borrowed him. I tried to make a deal to get him back and almost did, but a Murkrow decided that it would...be easier if Ebony stayed under the protection of a notorious trio for a while."

"'Team Rocket took him'," she mouthed when she realized he seemed confused. Angel then pointed to Anya and then placed a finger to her lips. At least he understood the points and shushes meant that she didn't want Anya to know yet.

"What did you do to the Murkrow for it to not want to cooperate with you?"

Angel shrugged. "You could say that it was a consequence of my naïveté. Back when I thought I was doing good by being a member of Team Rocket, they told me that a Murkrow had been taken from their facility. They said that he was a beloved partner to one who knew Giovanni. I was sent to retrieve him. Didn't realize I was returning him to a life of torture and servitude."

"Hold on. No offense, but you don't seem that naïve. How did you go so long without knowing what everyone already knew?"

Tears welled in her eyes. It wasn't that his words had hurt her. It was more like she was angry with herself for having been so stupid not to pick up on the signs. To hear others point it out was like salt in the wound. They'd never allowed her contact with other members and never let her set foot in any facilities. In hindsight, everything that was said and done screamed suspicious. But she'd grown up misunderstood. Perhaps that was a trait Team Rocket used to manipulate her? If that was how they'd recruited her, did that make her empathy a weakness? Now too upset to speak, she moved her head to look at the water again.

Faolan said nothing more as if he knew he'd accidentally upset her. It wasn't his fault, and she wanted to tell him that. But if she did that, it would be akin to self-admittance that she was a monster. And since she already always felt bad enough about herself, it wasn't something that would be very helpful.

As she watched the water, something caught her eye. A purplish aura like the Shadows she'd found. "No way." The words were barely audible as she laughed inwardly at the fact that her father had missed this by minutes. Something about her demeanor must have caught Faolan's attention, for he was now beside her as they both looked into the water.

A Gyarados leaped into the air from twenty feet below with a mighty roar. Angel heard Faolan gasp as Anya noticed she was above water and jumped onto the table with a hiss. "What is that?" Faolan had such a childlike tone of wonder in his voice that she couldn't help but smile.

At first, she didn't plan to tell him anything, but then she remembered why he'd been arrested. He'd tried to poach a poacher. There was a high chance that if he knew what to look for, he could become one of Giratina's Warriors of Light. She could tell he was the type of person who would do everything possible to find and protect the Shadows. Mind made up, she replied.

"It's a Shadow Pokémon. Team Rocket and others after these oddities. They want to experiment on them. According to Giratina, who came to me in my dreams, wholly subservient Pokémon, more powerful than the Ultra Beasts, will be made if Team Rocket has their way. The vision of the future Giratina showed me revealed a world run and oppressed by Team Rocket. Perhaps each Region was ruled by a team" Angel shook her head. "It's not something we can let happen."

"Do you have a plan to keep them out of everyone's hands?"

"Not really. I do want to find a way to purify them or something. Make them worthless to anyone who wishes to use them for malicious purposes. But right now, I'm sending them to my father, Nanaki. He's a skilled scientist and inventor. He's going to provide them with a safe place to stay while he helps them to be better."

"Be better?" Faolan asked, but she shook her head again.

"More details can come later. For now, though, we need to find a way to convince Gyarados to come with us before someone sees."

"Why not just capture it?"

"I hate that concept. No matter how badly I want to help them, it's still their choice. If they decided to turn me down, I would give advice, but I would not go against their desires." When she looked at him, it was clear she had once experienced a similar loss of choice at one point, which led to her firm belief in free will. He nodded, but she had no clue whether it was because he ceded to the wishes of a friend or if he felt the same way.

Angel returned Sylvie to his pokéball as she hopped atop the railing. For a few seconds, she hesitated. She felt a bit woozy at the combination of heights and that she was about to leap into the water when she couldn't swim. After a few deep breaths, she jumped forward into the ocean. Above and behind her, she heard Faolan call out her name with quite a bit of concern. Had he noticed her hesitation and placed two and two together? No. That wasn't something most people would even think of. His concern most likely regarded the height from which she'd jumped.

The moment she hit the water, she realized why he was worried. She'd barely managed to clear the shallow water. Once she'd shaken off the stupidity of her actions, she brought out Sylvie, who quickly noticed where they were and extended his ribbons to wrap around Angel's waist to keep her afloat. With Sylvie's help, Angel "swam" a bit farther out and began to talk to the Gyarados. "Hey, there. I saw you a few moments ago. If you're scared, there's no need to be. We can help you if you give us a chance."

For the next three minutes, she went back and forth between silence and soothing words. When it seemed like she would have her first—well, she wouldn't say loss or failure—disappointment, for lack of a better word, Dreamer called out from above her, and when she glanced at him, she noticed that his gaze was past her. Angel turned her attention that way to see the Gyarados, male from the looks of it, slowly approach her. He seemed so peaceful and calm. It was his behavior that helped her realize how she could help.

"Poor thing. You must feel horrible. Having the desire to go on a rampage and destroy stuff but unable to do so." Angel reached out a hand to stroke his face. "I know of someone who can help you." She began to reach into her pouch, only to remember that it and her backpack were on the table. In order not to startle him, she continued to speak to the Gyarados. "My father can come up with a way to make you once again able to destroy at will. But you must trust me. Can you do that?"

There was no response for quite some time, and she opened her mouth to tell him it was okay if he didn't want to trust her. But she said nothing. Just as with Ally, she recognized this as a silent moment. Where choices could make or break a person. It was an important decision, and the Gyarados needed to do it without her influence. At last, he nodded.

She turned, looked up at her Pokémon, and raised her hand. Rosie was the first to figure out what she wanted and used Razor Leaf to toss an empty pokéball to her. Angel, of course, missed it due to her hand-eye coordination being pathetic. Thankfully, it was a ball, and balls, unlike her, could float without help. Rosie's ears laid back, and Angel smiled at her to tell her it wasn't her fault. When she turned her attention back to Gyarados, she could have sworn that he laughed at her.

Before he touched his head to the pokéball, he leaned forward and nuzzled against her neck. Angel was certain that he even purred, but that was impossible. The Gyarados wasn't a catfish like Whiscash. She had to frown and tilt her head at that. Was Whiscash a catfish or a whale? And come to think of it, did catfish even purr?

Sylvie's voice drew her out of her thoughts, and she held onto the pokéball while they "swam" to a spot where she could climb out of the water. By this time, Faolan and the others had reached them. Beside her, Sylvie did the shaking dry thing, and Angel couldn't help but wonder why humans couldn't shake their bodies like that, as it looked fun.

When she realized that Faolan looked at her weirdly, she spoke. "If we split up, we can protect more of these Shadows than if we were together. We can also obtain the aid of more like-minded individuals." After she placed the now shrunken pokéball in her backpack that he'd brought, she held her hand out to him. "I will give you my father's contact information with your agreement. But you aren't to share it with anyone else without my explicit face-to-face permission just to be confident the approval came from me."

Without a second's hesitation, he handed over his Pokénav. She felt bad for the lack of complete honesty, but it wasn't as if she wanted to tell the truth. That she would rather be alone than risk the problems that came from misunderstandings because no matter how hard people tried to convince her that they would always be there for her, they always lied. The only person she trusted was her father—despite the way he treated her—because she knew that if it came down to it, he would drop and/or risk everything for her.

"I also gave you my contact info. Just in case you ever needed my help with something or find yourself in trouble." Angel returned the Pokénav, then stretched her arms above her head and leaned back until her back popped. "Well. I should probably be going now," she turned, began to walk off, then paused and looked back. "Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

"For being there for me while I was locked up. It's as if..." She trailed off, unable to say what was on her mind. As if he knew she was the type of person who could easily drive herself crazy with her thoughts if left alone. Even though she did her best to ignore him most of the time, he'd kept her sane. Kept her from being overwhelmed with thoughts of worthlessness and loneliness.

"Anytime, Alexandria."

"Call me Angel." And then, she truly walked off, though, honestly, she had no clue what she planned to do next.

Title: 14. Problematic Pidgeotto

Shadow Skill: Backup. Calls for the assistance of nearby nestlings but leaves them to fight alone as it flees.

Though Pidgeotto will claim a large area for their home, they will fiercely protect the nest, located in the center of the territory. Shadows, however, seem unconcerned about themselves and their brood and will not defend, even if their own life is in danger.

Angel could feel Faolan's gaze on her back as she walked off, and a part of her wondered if he was upset that she'd turned down his offer to go with her. They may have spoken a lot while incarcerated, but he knew little about her. If he knew even a tenth of what she'd been through throughout her life, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Few would. And she wasn't inclined to tell a stranger such aspects about herself. In honesty, not even Ally, Jenny, and Maya knew of a darker detail.

She'd learned the hard way so many times not to trust her thoughts and feelings to people. Even those she felt she could trust, as she wasn't a very good judge of character. It was disgusting how easily people could manipulate others for whatever reason, and then, once they got what they wanted or the person stopped being useful, cast them aside with no regard for the consequences.

Sylvie sounded concerned as he wrapped his ribbons around Angel's waist, but she just shook her head. "It would be nice to have human company, but I can't risk it. Besides, what I said did make sense. The more of us stopping Team Rocket and the others, the better. Yeah, it will be dangerous, but anyone Giratina has visited knows the future we're against. Others will fight."

Again, Sylvie commented, and Angel sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. I admit I do want him around. But is it because I think we could be friends? Or because I'd rather not be alone with my thoughts after all that's happened? The latter is selfish, and I don't want to use someone like that." Angel sighed again at Sylvie's response but said nothing, for she knew deep down Sylvie was right. But she didn't have the strength to argue or even think about it right now.

Rosie spoke up in response to the silence, and Angel smiled sadly as she reached down to pet Rosie and Sylvie's heads. "I know, I know. Just, I guess...Give me time. Becoming a better person is the true reason behind going on your journey. Everyone comes home changed in one way or another. Mostly in a good way. As much as I've wanted to, I won't give up on life simply because things are hard right now. Even though sometimes it seems like the storm is so powerful, it won't ever end. The way I see it, well...How to explain it?"

After a few seconds pause, she continued. "What do you do when you misplace or lose an item and can't find it? Eventually, you buy another to replace it. And what usually happens then?" Rosie cried out with a little hop, as if she was excited that she knew the answer. It caused Angel to chuckle before she continued. "That's right. You find the item the moment you bring the new one home. Life is like that, except it's the better days you've lost and can't see. It would be such a tragedy if one were to surrender, unaware that the storm was about to break."

Tragedy. Angel's thoughts turned to ten years ago when Cinnabar Island was decimated by a volcanic explosion. They moved the Gym to the Seafoam Islands and only began the rebuilding process a few years ago. Maya played a tremendous part in that. Her boat, The Swanna, was a freighter. Only those willing to carry their weight during the voyage could use her boat for passage. Not even Angel, her closest friend, was exempt from the rule. Due to most people being unwilling to lift a finger when it came to hard work, Maya could go about her business without too many problems.

As for Maya's contribution to the rebuilding of Cinnabar Island, she regularly traveled from the island to the mainland for building materials, as well as to pick up new people willing to work for a few weeks and drop off those who had gotten hurt or were no longer of the desire to continue. When she returned to Cinnabar Island, even she would stay and help until they were almost out of supplies.

Maya had found a home on Cinnabar Island and a family in Angel and Ally. If what Angel saw at the Silph Company was true...Maya was both alive and allied with Team Rocket...Then it stood to reason Maya would find another way to get the next shipment to the island. She wouldn't let someone like Giovanni dictate where she went when. And if he dared to stop her, he'd be in for a surprise. That was one thing Angel loved about Maya. The fact that she wouldn't let anything stop her from achieving her dreams. Angel found herself amused at the thought of Giovanni cowed by someone half his age.

The incident at Saffron City had only happened a couple of days ago. If Maya had stopped for more materials, it might be possible for Angel to make it to Cinnabar Island before her friend. And friends they still were. For now, at least. She knew what it was like to be judged without the chance to prove herself, and she refused to be that type of person. Thankfully, it was still early enough in the day for her to catch a boat out, so she began to walk down the wharf in search of a boat.

What she wasn't prepared for was the cold shoulders, snippy replies, glares, and other reactions that made it clear none on the wharf would help her. At first, she was confused, but then she remembered Jenny said that the person who'd burned The Swanna had silver hair. Jenny knew it wasn't her, but the information hadn't gotten to the public yet.

When Angel realized the wharf was a lost cause, she turned her gaze to the lake and thought about ways to reach her destination that wouldn't require her to make the longer journey around the lake on land. As she stood there in thought, she remembered a story she'd heard once about a Trainer who had used a Gyarados to traverse a lake to reach an island with a light tower.

She didn't know if Cinnabar Island was the same distance from her as that island was to the mainland. And even if she did, she'd be risking both herself and the Gyarados. Traveling that way without knowing how to swim was too risky for her. Not to mention the necessity to keep Gyarados existence secret. Angel had heard no conversation in passing on the wharf about an oddity, so she either assumed Gyarados hadn't been around the area for too long or there would be no discussion while she was present.

But why reveal himself to her? Had Giratina spoken to him to inform him of the safety she provided? Shadows seemed to understand human speech, but could they communicate with another Pokémon? At some point, she'd have to find that out, though she also figured her father, the scientist he was, would put that to the test himself. Still, curiosity now tugged at her.

Wait. Didn't Ally have a boat? Angel shook her head. Surely that wasn't a very good idea. Jenny would still be in the process of making a statement for the public regarding the situation, so Ally should still be in the dark about it all. Then again, aside from herself, Ally was probably the closest person to Maya and so would have warranted a personal visit ahead of any work done to ease the minds of everyone else.

Regardless. Not much time had passed since that day. Would Ally slam the door in her face or be willing to hear her out? She glanced down at Sylvie and Rosie, who merely stared at her, curious about what was on her mind. But they didn't say anything. Instead, they chose to be catty and nuzzled her as they walked in and around her legs. They continued until they got a chuckle out of her.

"Don't know how you two managed to talk me into this, but I can't just not try. Especially when so much is on the line." To be fair, she didn't understand why she was even doing as Giratina asked. One person couldn't possibly have the power to change the world. And she was just your run-of-the-mill wannabe Trainer with no useful skills who constantly messed things up for herself and others. What possible difference could she make? Especially without friends in high places?

Sure, Jenny was the second to the Chief of Police, but there was no way Angel would ask her to aid her more than she already had. Because of what she knew now, the more Jenny did for her, the higher the risk of being fired for her part in aiding and abetting a known criminal. Angel's father might be a well-known and trusted scientist, but he wasn't one of those people who had the money or favors to call in. Well. A few. But she'd much rather him use those to help further his research and not to bail her out of trouble yet again. Even though she felt that there wouldn't be another bailout for her, as it was long past time she learned about consequences and accountability.

When her mind returned to being unable to do anything due to only being one person, the lyrics to one of her favorite songs came to mind. It spoke of a key that each person held inside them and how they could unlock it with belief in something with all their heart and soul. The song encouraged you to chase that belief until you change the world. For people like herself, it was a song of empowerment.

A memory of one of her voyages with Maya came to mind. The two were on the ship's bow, and they headed past a beach covered in Staryu, Starmie, Clamperl, Shellder, Krabby, Kingler, and other Pokémon who made such areas their home. There was a single person who did nothing but walk up and down the beach, pick up beached Pokémon, and return them to the sea. Angel remembered that she'd asked Maya why the person wasted their time with that when there would be more to save later. She'd also questioned if the person knew they couldn't save them all.

Maya replied: "They know some won't make it, and the tide will wash more ashore. But just now, they gave those another chance to live. People say 'a drop in a bucket' like it's bad, but it's not. It takes a lot of time and patience to fill that bucket with water that way, but eventually, you see results. Life is all about the small things. The compliment you give someone, or the five seconds you pause to smell the flowers, each day avoiding a bad habit or doing a good one, or every time you see something and think of your friend, partner, or family member. All those small things add up."

After a short pause, Maya turned to face her and added. "I want you to remember something, Angie. Never forget that choosing to do something when you can't do much is far better than having the ability to do so much and choosing to do nothing. Or worse, making things harder on those trying to help."

Though her mind was now made up to go find and ask Ally for help, she didn't move. Couldn't. As her body was frozen due to the many possibilities of what could happen—all negative, naturally—going through her mind. By her side, her hands trembled, and she could feel her heart pound in her chest. She could feel the heat in her cheeks, and she could only breathe with rapid and shallow breaths. Tears filled her eyes as she hugged herself, though she knew it wouldn't do anything to calm her down. Arceus! It had been so long since she'd experienced an anxiety attack this bad.

She grunted as Sylvie pushed her forward slightly as he jumped onto her left shoulder and rubbed his face against hers. Due to the pressure on her shoulder, Angel lifted her arms to move him off and then held him against her chest slightly tighter than she should have, but he seemed to understand that she needed to figuratively squeeze the life out of him just then.

Rosie's next words instantly drew Angel out of her emotional state of mind, and she frowned as she looked around. Where had Anya and Dreamer gotten off to? "Anya! Dreamer!" Sylvie and Rosie quickly joined in to call for their friends, but there was no response. Surely, they couldn't have gotten that far. After a few minutes, they finally heard Dreamer's cries and Anya's yowls. Angel let Sylvie go, and the three took off toward the sound.

When they came across them, Angel temporarily froze at the sight she saw. Anya was in a tree before Pidgeotto, who appeared to be a Shadow. Dreamer stood his ground against a familiar outline at the tree's base: Mally. Notified of Angel's presence by the sound of her feet as she skidded to a halt just a few seconds before, Mally turned around...And smiled?

"Well. I'm surprised Jenny is still on your side. Then again, of course, she would be."

"What's that even supposed to mean?" Angel frowned, completely confused at the question.

A shake of the head was the only answer Angel got before Mally gestured with her hand toward Dreamer. "Remove this creature from my path unless you wish me to do so myself. Be warned, though. You definitely will not approve of how I do it."

"I will not." Dreamer growled, and she continued. "Neither Dreamer nor Anya seems inclined to let you have that Pidgeotto. We know your plans and'll stop at nothing to keep you from using the Shadows to create monstrosities."

Mally lifted a hand to her mouth and laughed. "Oh my. Seems you're not as oblivious as I thought you were. It's cute, though. How you think you can stop us. Everyone knows you. Always focusing too much on what others will think of you. We aren't scared of you because we know you will stop long before 'nothing'. After all, you're an overly emotional, desperate for cookies, scared little child whose very existence serves no purpose."

Angel couldn't help but back up a few steps when Mally approached, which only made the woman laugh again. "See what I mean? You're nothing to me. To us." Mally brought out a pokéball and enlarged it. "I'll have that Pidgeotto. And you know why? Because you'll call off your Pokémon to keep them from being hurt. That's just who you are."

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides at Mally's words, and she growled. Anger filled her, but she didn't do anything as the woman slowly turned around and walked back toward Dreamer and Anya, whose growls became louder and more threatening.

Giratina's voice echoed in her mind just then. "I came to you first because I sensed the potential within you. Great things the world will see from you. But you must believe in yourself wholeheartedly. If you can't do it for yourself, then do it for them. The Shadows need you. Without your help, well, I don't need to go into details about what they will experience. You. Are the girl with the power. Show the world who you are."

As if she felt a chill go down her spine, Mally turned to Angel and flinched when she saw the determination in her eyes. "Take her down!" were the only words Angel needed to say before Dreamer used Flamethrower and Anya Fire Fang. Sylvie unleashed Mystical Fire while Rosie let off her best Hyper Beam yet. Mally threw up a Protect Shield just in time, and then, with a look akin to surprise and anger, she fled.

Anya and Rosie shouted victory, whereas Dreamer and Sylvie focused on something different. Sylvie's attention was on the Pidgeotto in the tree and Dreamer's on an enlarged pokéball, very likely the one Mally had just held. Angel saw the pokéball but chose to ignore it, for now, what with Pidgeotto being more important. "Hey, darling. What seems to be the problem?"

Pidgeotto's answer surprised her. That there wasn't any problem. And even if there was, she didn't care. But when Angel realized there were no other Pidgeotto or its evolutions here, she knew those words were a lie. "Poor thing. You must be so lonely." At those words, Pidgeotto fluttered her wings and hopped toward her a few times. When Angel saw the interest, she brought a pokéball and held it to Pidgeotto. "If you want, I can help you not feel so alone."

A few seconds later, Pidgeotto flew down and touched the pokéball with her beak. Once safely inside, Angel turned her attention to the other pokéball, the one Dreamer held in his mouth. He dropped it into her hand once she knelt on the ground and placed the other in her pouch.

Angel gasped when she pressed the button to release the Pokémon inside as two Shiny Meowstic popped out. She wasn't aware that a pokéball could hold more than one Pokémon. "Heh. I guess that makes sense, though." Sylvie questioned what she meant, and Angel turned to look at her. "If a Pokémon can refuse to go into a pokéball at all, it stands to reason that there would be bonded pairs of Pokémon who refuse to be separate from each other."

She looked at the Meowstic, who seemed confused and scared. Angel didn't say anything. Nor did any of her Pokémon do anything. After a minute of crinkled noses that made it clear the Meowstic—one male and one female—were sniffing them out, they approached. The two then did something none had expected and pounced on Angel, who fell backward. But instead of being bitten like she half expected, the two covered her face in kisses and kneaded their claws on her skin. All she could do then was laugh and pet their heads.

Title: 15. Meowtastic Motivation

The two Meowstic eventually fell asleep on her, and Angel couldn’t bring herself to remove them. One by one, her other Pokémon found a spot on her and curled up to sleep. Their weight on her both comforted and terrified her. Night Terrors were a common experience for her, including the ones that pinned her to the bed, incapable of movement. That wasn’t what terrified her the most about people or Pokémon on her chest.

Her Pokémon knew how it made her feel and made efforts to avoid it as best as possible. However, Sylvie would do it in rare situations anyway. Usually, it was only when he felt it would help far more than it would make her uncomfortable, and she was actually grateful for those moments. It took a true friend to know when to force their affection and when to hold back out of respect. Dreamer could also regularly be found with his upper half on her chest. It was a compromise she allowed since it only made her partially uncomfortable. She felt movement and then heard a chirp beside her right ear. It was Sylvie, who then nuzzled his face against hers.

She chuckled and lifted a hand to pet his face. At her movement, the two Meowstic finally stirred and awoke. It took them a minute to stretch and clean their eyes, and she groaned in pain when she could finally sit up. When it came to cats, there were very few circumstances where she would disturb them if they were comfortable. Typically, only if she’d gone numb or had to use the bathroom. “Did you have a nice nap?” Nap was an understatement since they’d been asleep for at least three hours.

The male responded with an adorable purr, but the female turned to her and spoke. “Thank you. We don’t know how you managed to get us away from that witch, but we are eternally grateful. Topaz and I were taken from our friend in Kalos many years ago. His name is Jayden, and we would appreciate it so very much if you could return us to him.”

“Uhm. I wish I could, but I’m doing something important at the behest of Giratina.”

Their ears twitched and then laid back against their heads, and she couldn’t stand to see them cry. “Well…| Angel brought out her Pokénav and drew up an image of Primarcina. It looked like Kalos was only a few weeks’ journey from Kanto. It would be quite a way out of her way, but…She looked back up at the Meowstic, and her heart melted at the look in their eyes. “I’m sure Giratina wouldn’t mind if I helped you out. That said, I still need to do something first if that’s all right with you.”

Maya. She still needed to see and confirm if she was alive, and if so, face her and question why she’d never mentioned her alliance with Team Rocket, even though she would have known that Angel was a member. Not just because of the stories she told but because, unlike Angel, she would have had access to that information. Angel remained silent as she watched the Meowstic speak amongst themselves. After a few minutes, they nodded. “It’s okay. We couldn’t have expected you to drop everything to help us.”

“If it were something else, I may have. But, like you, I’m in search of a friend. Something may have happened to her, and I want to verify that she’s okay. Once I’ve done that, I’ll gladly take you to Kalos to find your friend.”

At that, Topaz and his partner made a chirrpurr and began to knead their claws on the ground. Angel chuckled at how such a simple statement could make them so happy. The same could be said of people, too. Sometimes, a few kind words or a single small action could make a world of difference in someone’s life.

She changed position to where her legs were at an angle from her body and reached out to pet the female. To her surprise, the female approached and stood against her chest as she rubbed her face against Angel’s. “My name is Amber, and my partner is Topaz. We have another request for you. If it’s not too much trouble, that is.”

From the looks on their faces and their posture, it was clear they hesitated to ask. Angel knew that response. She recognized it all too well from looking in the mirror every day. It was the hesitance of someone who’d been abused. Deep down, Amber and Topaz seemed to fear she would be another Mally, even though her current actions so far said otherwise.

It was not only understandable but expected. That was how people like Mally drew you in. They promised you a happy future and did everything to support and encourage you and make you trust them. All the while, they slowly separated you from your friends and family, making you dependent on them for everything. Once they knew you couldn’t make it on your own and had nobody to turn to, the true “fun” began. Where they chipped away at your soul, destroying you piece by piece. Angel shook the thoughts from her head before she spoke.

“My name is Alexandria, but you can call me Angel. You don’t have to say anything if it’s too hard on you. All you need to know is that you will always have food and shelter with me. And I will make sure your needs are met before my own. I can’t promise that nobody will ever hurt you again. What I can promise is that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe until you’re reunited with your friend.”

Amber and Topaz leaped into her arms again, and she hugged them tightly as they cried. “Dreamer, darling?” Angel spoke as she reached a hand down to rummage through her knapsack. The deftness with which she drew out her wallet, opened it and pulled out her credit card with one hand clearly showed how often she’d had to do things while carrying around an attention-seeking Pokémon.

Once she handed the card to Dreamer, he ran off toward the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy would instantly recognize him, and know that he wanted food for the gang. There likely wouldn’t be enough food for all of them because Dreamer couldn’t tell Joy there were two extra mouths to feed. But she knew everyone would gladly take smaller portions to ensure Amber and Topaz had their fill.

Angel turned to the Meowstic and sighed deeply. Her Pokémon laid their ears back at that, but not in fear. They were more concerned about her emotional state, as they knew that sigh meant she had something on her mind. “I’d rather you hear this from me and have time to think about it than throw it at you at the worst time. But…I used to be a member of Team Rocket.”

When their only response was to lay their ears back, she continued. “Mally was as well. Or rather, is. And the friend I want to find might be, but I’m unsure. If she is, she hid it really well, for I didn’t catch on to it in all the years I’ve known her. It will bother me if I don’t find out the truth about if she’s alive and whether she’s with Team Rocket. Perhaps I can persuade her to end her association with them if she is.”

Rosie nuzzled her head against Angel’s chest, who absentmindedly gave scritches to the Leafeon as she continued. “The only reason I bring it up is because, if she is Team Rocket, I didn’t want you to see her and think I was placing you right back into their hands. Although truth be told, Maya would be a much better owner for you than Mally was. You definitely wouldn’t be mistreated.”

“Why?” Topaz asked, and Angel tilted her head, confused. “It makes no sense for us to question your actions and motives when everything we’ve known for the last few years has fallen apart. You promised to return us to our friend, and you smelled honest. We would be fools to think for a second that you meant to betray us.”

“Besides,” Amber interjected, “Your heart is in the right place. You aren't a bad person just because you are a member of an evil group, and anyone who lives by that logic is a fool. Look at the most notorious trio in all Primarcina, and how they care for their Pokémon despite their obsession with kidnapping Pikachu. Then, look at people like Mally. What you do, not who you know or ally with, defines you.

She averted her gaze to the ground. “I hate to tell you, but there are people in this world who will pretend to be your friend. Pretend to care for you and make you feel special or important. Only to not only stab you in the back when you least expect it but make you believe it was your fault.”

Amber walked to where Angel stared so that their eyes met. “You seem like a cat person. What is the most important difference between cats and dogs?” When Angel shook her head, Topaz appeared and answered Amber’s question. “Dogs trust anyone, even when they shouldn’t. Though they can acknowledge when to end their loyalties.” Back to Amber. “Cats, on the other hand, aren’t very trusting. If a cat chooses you, there is no doubt in their mind that you are someone worthy. And unlike dogs, they will break ties at the first red flag. When they do, they are highly unlikely to trust you again unless you can prove it was an accident.”

Her lip curled up in a smile, and she made a strange sound as tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m crazy for getting so worked up about this. Most of the people I’ve known in life have faked being my friend. In most cases, they were after a chance to meet with my father, hoping I could persuade him to contribute to their research or get an easy win at the gym, among many other things. When you’re always lied to, manipulated, and used, it becomes the only thing you expect. So, I never know how to react when people and Pokémon like you come along. Part of me is hopeful I found a genuine friend. While most of me is scared to open myself up yet again.”

“It’s okay,” Topaz assured her as he hugged her. “Everyone has things that hurt and broke them. But it’s how you react that defines who you are. Not only do you keep going, but you refuse to let it take your ability to love. You haven’t allowed it to make your heart bitter. And you seem to be someone who is willing to learn from their mistakes. That’s more than what most people do. Whenever you feel worthless, remind yourself that you’re better than those who hurt you. Tell yourself that, even if you don’t believe it, because once you do, you can move forward.”

“Pardon my interruption,” a male’s voice sounded from behind her, and Angel leaned her body back to look at the newcomer upside-down. He had striking blue eyes and curly blonde hair to his shoulders. It wasn’t until she saw the red “R” stitched on his shirt above his heart that she spun around in fear to face him. All her Pokémon, even the Meowstic, went between her. Strangely enough, the action made the man smile. “Didn’t you just get done telling her that not everyone from Team Rocket was bad?”

Angel gasped at his words, only to realize that it made sense for him to understand the Meowstic pair if he was a member of Team Rocket. Then again, he should only be able to understand the Meowstic pair if he’d spent a lot of time around Mally. She scooted back a foot at that realization, which caused the others to growl at him. He approached anyway but stopped and knelt before her Pokémon. That was a smart move on his part. It let him put her at ease while ensuring they could bite him if he made a wrong move.

“My name is Asher, and yes, I’m a member of Team Rocket. I heard the news, and I think it was courageous of you to do what you did. At least you could escape. I can’t. My mother’s grip on me is very tight. She probably wouldn’t even approve of me talking to you.”

“Odds are, neither will anyone else. There or here.” Angel frowned, really concerned about what this man was up to.

He shrugged at those words. “Like you, I’m a nobody. Mostly. I’m an Agent and can only go out in the field because of my mother’s station. I know what you plan to do and would like to help if you let me.”

“Even if I could trust you to help, why should I? What’s in it for you? Do you plan to betray me when I least expect it? I hate to tell you, but if you want to get on my father’s good side, you’ll have to do that on your own, as there’s no way right now he would take me at my word for anything.”

“Because I want to get to know you better.” He smiled at her, possibly hoping to put her at ease, but it only made her more uncomfortable. “I’ve followed your progress since the day you joined. At first, I despised you, thinking you had some goody-two-shoes act that helped you get the job done better than any other Agent. That you had a plan on shooting to the top. It wasn’t until the Silph Company I realized it wasn’t an act. You were yourself. After so many years as an Agent, you hadn't let Team Rocket corrupt you.”

“So, I dug around a bit more and discovered some things about your past and what you went through. You’re amazing, and I wanted to be the one to help you see that.”

“And you chose to seek me out like some stalker?” Angel was flattered by his words, but she wouldn’t dare tell him.

Asher blushed and lifted his left arm to place that hand in embarrassment on the back of his head. “Yeah, well. No. I knew you’d been arrested, so I came to speak to you in the cells, but when I found out you’d been released, I figured you couldn’t have gotten far. When I saw Mally, I just headed in the direction she’d come from. So. What do you say?” He moved the hand from earlier and held it out for her to take but kept it in front of her Pokémon.

Angel stared at the hand for nearly a minute as she contemplated what to do. A small part of her felt accepting his offer would be a mistake. But she was never sure if she felt that way because it would come to bite her or if she was simply scared. A glance at her Pokémon showed them as all calm. Yet, she knew that didn’t matter, as unless they felt the choice would be extremely harmful to her, they let her make all decisions on her own.

Eventually, she inched forward, reached between Sylvie and Rosie, and placed her hand in Asher’s.