[M] Pokemon: Avarice Versus Justice! (Ashen and Headwrapper)

[Headwrapper]

A small flock of Hoothoot scattered as the door to the apartment building in southeast Goldenrod swung open. From it appeared a male who stood at an average height for an adult, his face hidden beneath his dark hood. The man stepped out into the dark early morning, his fingerless gloves holding a messenger bag in one hand, and a paper cup with a plastic lid in the other. After taking a few steps down the street the man came to a sudden halt, before turning and walking over to the tall chain link fence that served as the cities southern border.

On the other side of the fence the man could see a stout figure, peering from behind a dark evergreen. "Drowzee. Drowzee!" he barked. The short figure would finally waddle up to the fence, peering up at the man behind its long yellow snout. The hooded man sighed as he squatted down to be face to face with the short fat lump. "Do you have to make me late every morning? Get out of here, what did I say would happen if you kidnapped another child?" A long moment of silence passed as the man and Pokemon stared at each other. The wings of the Hoothoot returning to their original meeting spot could be heard back towards the apartment.

Finally growing impatient, the man would set down his messenger back. He held up his now freed hand to the fence, his index finger held back by his thump, before giving the long yellow snout a flick. "Get out of here before I let Umbreon have a turn with ya." In response, Drowzee would give his snout a tender rub with a small stubby hand before turning and waddling back into the tall grass. A smile grew across the hooded man's face before he picked up his messenger bag and continued on his way.

After finally making his way uptown, the man would the wide blue doors of the Goldenrod Police Station. With some effort, he managed to open one of the doors despite his full hands, and he hurried inside. As he passed the front desk he thought he heard a greeting, which he returned with a simple nod as he continued to the office. A long hall packed with desks, the office was mostly empty except for a handful of the night crew. As silent as ever, the man continued passed them without a word, slipping away into a room even farther in the back of the building. This room was similar to the previous, but much smaller and with fewer desks, six of them to be exact, arranged so each pair of desks faced each other, separated by black dividers. The lights automatically flickered on as the man stepped through the doorway.

He counted the empty seats as he made his way to the back of the room. "One, two, three, four, five... six." The final desk, in the back of the room, was his own. With much urgency he would sit on the black leather chair and begin unpacking his messenger bag. A few folders, a laptop, and his favorite pen, worn from obsessive clicking, biting, and tapping. He placed the computer on a dock and turned it on, and then took a glance around the empty room as he waited for the machine to boot up. As his eyes scanned the area, he lowered his hood and unzipped his jacket, revealing a white, collared shirt. His tan cheeks were covered in stubbly hair, and dark purple circles rest just below his brown eyes, which were nearly covered by his wavy, dark hair. Those dark eyes would stop, noticing something unusual about the room.

The desk that sat just in front of him, that faced his own desk and was usually covered in random photos of crime scenes, boxes of donuts, or cartons of takeout that the other detectives brought was perfectly cleaned off. It almost looked like a brand new desk. Although hidden underneath his hair, the man's eyes furrowed as he almost immediately made the connection. "Ugh," he sighed, remembering the responsibility the uncovered wood symbolized. His glance would shift back to his computer screen, a line blinking, beckoning him to type his account information. At least he was early enough that some work would be done before the others barged. He raised his still gloved fingers to the keyboard, his fingertips peeking out of the cloth from just past the knuckles. Clive Oiler, the screen read as a string of asterisks filled the empty field, just before the computer unlocked.

[Ashen]

It was a dark morning, before the sun even rose, and a young woman was pacing. It was warm out, though really, anything even remotely un-cold was warm to the Snowbelle City native. A Beartic was watching her master pace, a worried look across her small face. When her master stopped and noticed her Pokemon, she hesitated. "You can't tell me you're not nervous?" she said. "I mean... This is what we've worked so hard for, Zita. And all our efforts, all our years at the Academy and all the time we spent doubting--it's finally coming to an end. Today's the day! I'm going to start work as... as a real detective! Zita, this is insane. Of course I can't sleep! We've trained so hard, you and me and Valkyrie. I just can't believe it's here already."

The Beartic could only watch and smile. She didn't have to do much to keep the woman going.

As the rookie detective rambled, a Braviary peeped his head into the room. Valkyrie, upon hearing his name, gave a soft cry and walked over to his master. He cocked his head, wondering why the darkness did not symbolize bedtime tonight.

The master was far too nervous for that. She gently pat her Braviary on the head. Whereas the Beartic was as old as she, her Braviary was her closer companion. They'd been through the Academy together, and they were much stronger in each other's company. "Kyrie, this is... This is so much. I can hardly believe it." She walked up to her full-length mirror hanging from her closet door. Her dark blue eyes were shining sapphires, sparkling a shade too dully. The bags under her eyes told her she should have gone to bed, but she knew she would have to use makeup to hide them in the morning. She stared at herself in her short nightgown, her Beartic and Braviary behind her. "Finally," she said. "Yulia Oryolovna, Private Detective."

Morning crawled to meet Yulia's enthusiasm. She was dressed in her uniform before the sun even woke. Back in the mirror, Yulia soothed her pencil skirt one more time. She unbuttoned and buttoned her suit jacket, tugged her undershirt into place. She checked her small-heeled shoes, shifted her stockings. The scarf around her neck was a fashion statement, one she made daily. Glasses perfectly symmetrical, she nodded to herself in the mirror. Finally, Yulia took her flat, sky blue hair in her hands, and she tied it up into a tail that met her shoulder blades. "I'm ready!" she sang. Then, in a calmer, quieter tone, she affirmed, "I'm ready."

She made sure to get a good breakfast, not knowing what to expect of her day. Around her were the food bowls of four Pokemon. Her Glameow, Fritz, was the pickiest eater, and was always the first to every meal. Valkyrie and Zita ate at the table, across from Yulia. The last member of the group, Ivy, crawled up to Fritz's bowl to try and steal a bite. The Skorupi was not so lucky, and received a scratch attack for her efforts. She went back to her own dish, defeated.

When breakfast was done, Yulia recalled three of her Pokemon to their Poke Balls. She then knelt down to meet Fritz's level and planted a kiss on his head. "Be a good kitty," she cooed. The Glameow simply rolled his eyes at her and turned away. Yulia sighed, then headed out to her car. She started the forty-five minute drive to her workplace. Once there, she parked in the parking space allotted to her. Standing outside those intimidating doors of the Goldenrod Police Station, she took in another large breath. This was it.

She hadn't been told much about her partner. Clive Oiler was his name, a young prodigy whose last partner had been transferred or something. Or perhaps he had never had a partner at all. Would he be accepting of Yulia then? Annoyed? Whatever the case, Yulia was sure she would be able to handle it. She had gone through all sorts of hells getting here, and she was not going to let some snobby boss get under her skin.

Heels clicking, Yulia walked her way down the hall. She had memorized the layout of the building already, as always going above and beyond to be ready to succeed. She made her way to the back of the room, past four tables. Hers was the fifth one, the empty one, waiting for its new occupant. Before even setting her messenger bag by it, Yulia walked straight past it. Her boss was already at his desk. She walked his up to him and gave him a low bow. "Mr. Oiler, sir," she greeted, offering him a proper salute. "I am Yulia Oryolovna, the new recruit, and I am reporting for duty! I've been told we will be working together on the coming missions, and I look forward to meeting you, sir."

She had perfect posture, though held her salute for a moment too long. Her piercing eyes looked through him, but she knew better than to maintain eye contact for too long. She stood there, appearing confident, and waiting for him to respond. It came down to this. Would her partner like her? Would she know how to get around it if he didn't? Of course she could, she thought. She was Yulia Oryolovna, valedictorian of her graduating class at the highest ranking police academy in the world. She could handle anything. She would fulfill her goals.

She would make her parents proud.

[Headwrapper]

Clive chattered his teeth loudly as he continued his work. Sprawled before him was layer upon layer of photos of Team Avarice gang members. Each was cropped so that the main focus of the picture was for an individual. A neat pile of similar photos sat on the corner of his desk— these were the original photos the crops were taken from. The grunts in the pictures varied in appearances - the criminal organization seemed very diverse- but they all shared a common outfit. Black pants and shirts, with gold trim and a large golden "A" on the front of the shirt. They greatly resembled Team Rocket, the very same team that was taken down by children all those years ago. Unlike the Rockets, however, team Avarice opted to wear masquerade masks instead of donning a hat.

"You are real people, aren't you?" the detective sighed softly, glancing between the pictures and records that were displayed on his computer screen. Who were these people that called themselves Team Avarice? More importantly, where were their weakest links, their grunts, being recruited? Their motives were not completely clear just yet, but if they are able to mobilize a large number of grunts in a short amount of time then they would obviously be a problem. Truly, theyu already were a problem. There have been reports of Pokemon being stolen from trainers in neighboring towns or along the routes, and so far none of these missing Pokemon had been recovered.

Clive's attention focused on one particular photograph for far longer than it had on others. The woman pictured, sporting the Avarice look, had dark crimson hair that fell in long curls around her mask. "Could you be one of Whitney's girls, I wonder?" A gloved hand reached out to set the photograph off to the side, in its own special place, away from the rest. The man's fingers tensed just after setting down the thick paper stock, sensing a disturbance in the peace that was the empty office. Was it about that time for him to wear his headphones to drown out the others?

Before he knew it, a blue streak zipped down the walkway and stopped directly by his desk. The girl was quick to introduce herself, and even offered him a bow and a salute. The detective let out a long sigh and pulled his jacket around his collar. Honestly, he had not gave much care to prepare the new recruit that was forced on him. The PD was granted additional funding for once, and with that money was able to recruit much needed help. Everyone else needed help, anyway, but Clive felt that he did just fine working alone. He remembered the dry taste in his mouth when the chief told him that he would finally be able to have a partner and how it was perfect that a fresh detective could be paired with a prodigy like himself in such a busy time.

"I'm Clive. Mr. Oiler was my father's name." He left his response at that. It hung in the air while he clicked a few more times at his computer, and finally tearing himself away from the screen so that he could turn his chair and face the new recruit properly. The man stayed seated, his dark eyes slowly scanning the woman before matching her gaze. Was she unimpressed, disappointed maybe, with her new boss's shabby and unorganized appearance? Well if she did, oh well. There were more important things to this line of work than being pretty and putting on makeup each morning. "Oh. I guess that empty desk there is yours. Did they give you a laptop yet?"

[Ashen]

Yulia thought her partner looked quite lackluster. For one so young, he had the enthusiasm of an old man. She kept her comments to herself and maintained a smile the whole time he typed away at his computer. When he finally did look at her, she offered another bow, not knowing if he'd caught the first. "My apologies, Mr. Clive," she corrected, not quite willing to part with formalities yet. She watched him take in her appearance. Of course, Yuilia had made sure everything had been perfectly in place before she had left for work. Her partner would find not a thing out of place. She stood with confidence knowing this, and waited for him to finish his study of her before speaking.

"They gave me a laptop during orientation." Yulia placed a hand on her messenger bag. "I have already completed the necessary online trainings on it, and have organized all the necessary documents for the GRPD. I've studied all of our workings intensely and am ready to start work as soon as possible."

She was a go-getter, that was for sure. The online training sessions were supposed to last her a few months into the job at least. The documents on the Goldenrod Police Department were probably unopened by most of its staff. In fact, no one had even told her to set up her issued laptop, but of course she had. She smiled as she told him this, not in a malicious way, and not looking for any sort of praise. She was proud of herself, and that was all that mattered.

Her dark eyes fell to his desk, and the collection of papers. "Team Avarice." She spoke the name as if its syllables carried a sour taste. "I do hope that, together, we will put a stop to them."

It was common knowledge, the goals of Team Avarice. They were an organization most deemed worse than even Team Rocket. A band of villains set on kidnapping Pokemon, only to torture them to bring out their "full potential"... It was sickening, and Yulia hated that they had any place in this world. It was the reason she had become a detective. She would see to the end of Team Avarice if it was the last thing she did.

She turned her gaze back to Clive. "Have we any new leads on them? I reviewed their folder many times. I do look forward to putting an end to them. Ah--sorry." She backed away, only just realizing how much she was talking and how eager she probably looked. "I should ask, before all else, do you have a task for me? You'll find I'm a quick worker, and it is absolutely a pleasure to be here, sir."

[Headwrapper]

Clive's lips curled into a scowl as the recruit described the work she had already completed. It was clear that she was not saying this all to seek his approval. No, maybe it was for her own self-esteem, or maybe there were other standards she hoped to live up to. The ambitious lot were always pushed by something or someone to strive for greatness, no matter how strange or annoying it might seem to others.

Crap. If she had completed all of the training already there's not much I can do to keep her off my back. As much as he would rather work alone, the man knew that any attempts to keep his partner preoccupied with busy work or other trivial things would not go unnoticed. This girl, Yulia, would probably take notice to it and draw attention from their superiors herself. Such a thing was not beneath the overachieving type.

It did not take long before the girl's attention was drawn towards the work on his desk. Overachiever or not, anyone in town would know who Team Avarice was. They were dangerous to people and Pokemon alike, and had already caused major lockdowns in cities across the region. Clive's dark eyes glanced over the articles placed before him, eventually locking back onto the picture he was inspecting earlier.

The detective's eyebrows raised when his new partner's sudden apology came. So she did have some self awareness after all. Even so, the man did not convey any sense of guilt over his lack of enthusiasm. "I don't have anything for you yet. Sorry, I'm used to working alone." He turned back towards his desk, scratching his stubbly chin. He picked up the picture of the red-haired girl once more, lost in thought for a moment. "Actually, how good are you and your Pokemon at battling?"

Just as Clive managed to produce his question, another figure stepped through the door. "Hey look, Clive finally made himself a friend!" The first figure was a taller man, at least a decade older than Clive. His dark uniform did little to conceal his muscular physique, and his white hair was buzzed short, contrasting with his tanned skin. Following closely behind him was a woman, shorter than the man, but still tall for a woman her age. Her long, green hair framed her pale face, falling straight down either side and almost reaching her hips.

"Jean, don't make fun of Clive. He doesn't understand jokes anyway." The woman stepped forward, extending one hand to Yulia. "You must be the new recruit. I'm Natasha, and this is my partner Jean.

[Ashen]

Though Yulia took note of the man's lack of energy, she did not think any less of him. She was used to people not being nearly as enthusiastic as she, and she did not let the jaded demeanor affect her. He told her he had nothing for her, but Yulia didn't mind that. It was day one after all, and she was more than capable of keeping herself busy. There was some worry in her partner's features though, and Yulia watched him awhile to figure out why. Did he feel it was his responsibility to give her something to do every minute? She shook her head lightly, and was about to tell him that it was quite alright, but then he spoke again.

Battling. Yulia's parents had both been battlers, her father for work and her mother for recreation. She'd grown up knowing the mechanics of the fight. The Academy had trained her extensively in battling too, and though Yulia's grades in that had not been as high as other things, she knew herself to be perfectly capable. She liked strategizing, and she liked showing how much her Pokemon could handle. She'd never had a full team of six, but knew her profession didn't exactly call for it anyway. Her bonds between her three Pokemon were fortified more due to the fact that there were not six Pokemon to share her love.

But why was Clive asking? She studied him a moment more. Did he want to test her? Yulia smiled at that. Finally, a way to show her skill beyond her stellar grades from her transcript. She bowed a little, and she made a move to dig into her bag for her three Poke Balls, but before she could formally respond someone interrupted them. She looked up at the two people in uniform walking towards them. They were joking about Clive, but Yulia didn't dare smile at her partner's expense. She waited for them to speak, then bowed again. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" She held out a hand for Natasha, then one for Jean. "I am Yulia, and yes, this is my first day here. I'm very excited to be here, working alongside Mr. Clive." She motioned towards Clive, casting him a smile.

When Yulia looked back to the two new people, she still wore a smile. "Are you two detectives as well? I haven't gotten a chance to meet everyone yet, or, really anyone besides my partner and a couple people who helped with my orientation. I do hope to learn everyone's names soon!" When she turned back to Clive, trying to include him in the conversation too, she noticed that he did not look particularly happy about these two. Maybe the man just wasn't a people person. She'd find a way around that, or maybe she'd even fix that. Wouldn't that be funny, she thought, a new friend. She cleared her throat, then looked back to Natasha and Jean.

[Headwrapper]

The glint Yulia's eye and her motion towards her bag were plenty to serve as an answer for Clive. It would be beneficial to have a partner who could hold her own in a battle to help compensate for his own limits. Clive's Pokemon could not hold their own for very long in battle, except for his Umbreon. The rest had been trained for sleuthing, spying, and if he needed to be creative, interrogating.

The jests direct towards him as the fellow detectives entered did little to stir him. More or less he seemed to just ignore them, continuing with what he was doing without so much as recognizing the incoming party. The dark spheres of his eyes continued to dart around the files and photos lain on his desk, and occasionally towards his computer screen, but hardly ever towards the others in the room. Still, even though he had not paid much mind to the others, he could feel his jaw tightening as he felt their stairs lingering on him every so often.

Natasha's lips curled slightly as she shook Yulia's hand. "That we are. In fact, it looks like your desk is just behind mine." A pale hand gestured to the desk that was the fourth one from the entrance to the office. "It will be nice to finally have another woman around. The men don't know it but they wouldn't be able to find the radio tower if a woman didn't point them in the right direction first." She turned to glance at her partner. "Isn't that right, Jean?"

The large man's muscles seemed to bulge even more somehow as he stepped closer. "I never claimed I was smart. They've always said you have to be in this type of work, but I have my own way of getting to the bottom of things." A large white smile glistened as the man let out a low chuckle. The man stepped away to pick up a large blue mug that had been sitting on the corner of desk number three. "Who wants coffee? Ladies?" The man paused for a moment, peering over to Clive. "Clive?"

Clive's eyes didn't even leave the computer screen as he continued clicking and typing away. A gloved hand raised one of his hood strings to his mouth so he could chew on it as he continued observing the images that moved across the screen, before moving that same hand to hold a paper cup he had brought with him that morning, which was empty. Without moving his eyes away from the screen he would drop the cup into the trash bin sitting next to his desk. "I'm good." With that, the larger man would exit the room with his mug to get his own coffee and anything that was requested from the other parties.

[Ashen]

Yulia smiled warmly with Natasha as she joked. She didn't offer much, not willing to place herself above men even in jest, but she gave no indication that she did not approve of the joke. She watched the way Jean responded, and she wondered if Yulia herself would ever get to that level of comfort with Clive, or he with her. She bowed a bit, and to Jean's question she responded, "Just water, thank you."

Jean left after that, leaving Yulia and Clive alone with Natasha. Yulia could tell Clive was not too fond of this woman, but she did not dare inquire yet. She turned her attention to Natasha, figuring Clive would like the time where he was not being directly spoken to. "So, Ms. Natasha," she said politely. "How long have you been with the force? Do you battle as well? How many cases have you worked on, and what sort of things should a beginner expect? What has been your hardest case? Your most rewarding?" Yulia watched Natasha's face, then shifted. "Ah, forgive me, I do not mean to interrogate you. I just want to be as prepared as I possibly can! I've done well in every training program, but you know how things are. Sometimes school programs and tests don't exactly translate, you know?"

Yulia took a very conscious step away from Natasha. This was the kind of thing that had annoyed many of her peers at the Academy. She asked too many questioned, harbored too much enthusiasm; but how could she not? This was her raison d'être, her very reason behind her existence. And yet, she could feel the headache creeping through her mind. Her fingers were stiffening, her feet growing cold. She could feel her body protesting this annoying demeanor. She tried hard to shake it off, and unconsciously a hand dove into her pocket for some kind of painkiller. Not now, please.​

[Headwrapper]

Natasha's emerald eyes widened for a moment, as if caught off guard by the bombardment of questions. She should not be surprised that a rookie would be so eager to here of more veteran detective's stories. After all, although Natasha and Jean lacked the reputation Clive Oiler had, they had plenty more experience. In a few years, when the detectives that sat at desks one and two decide to retire, Natasha and Jean would become the most veteran active detectives on the force. The woman recovered quickly from the younger girl's interrogation, a dimply smile curling across her face once again.

"Really I don't think any of those are simple to answer," she chuckled. "How about I take you out to lunch for your first day, and we can talk about those things then? Assuming that's alright with Clive, of course." The woman offered a mischievous glance over Yulia's shoulder, staring at Clive at his desk behind her. Of course, he did not respond right away. But Natasha knew better than to think he had been ignoring them entirely. While the man was known to tune out anything that did not help him with his work, he also seemed to know and recall everything that he had witnessed, even in passing.

"I don't mind. But she might be busy today." The large printer, a large cube that took up one corner of the office, began to hum and stir to accompany the brief answer. Clive quickly walked over and snatched up the page that had been printed, and strode straight back to his desk. "She's going to be challenging the Goldenrod City Gym today, and, if her Pokemon aren't too tired after that, we'll be visiting the Underground as well." His dark eyes scanned over the warm printed page he held in his hand, observing the profiles of the people on the list. At the very top was the red-haired girl, and just beneath was a blond man, not much older than Clive. Those two were the most important on the list, since he knew where to find them.

Jean returned from his quick voyage, a warm mug in one large hand and two bottles of water grasped in the other. He offered the cold bottles to the two women in the room before sitting at his desk. As he waited for his computer to boot up, he noticed Clive staring at his list. Jean had watched Clive perform this ritual dozens of times. He had always took a moment to review his thoughts before doing any field work. "Say Clive, shouldn't you print two of those lists at a time now?"

Clive looked up at his list, eyes quickly flashing towards Jean and lingering for a moment before glancing over to Yulia. "Oh... Right..." A hand moved over to his mouse, and he tried to mask his reluctance by making sure he put extra fervor in clicking to print another page. Soon the printer came back to life with whirs and hums as it produced a copy of the page he had been holding. "There you go."

[Ashen]

Natasha didn't seem too irritated with Yulia's onslaught of questions, and for that the rookie detective was grateful. She quite liked the idea of lunch, but before she could answer she looked towards Clive. Her partner seemed to have other plans for her. Her sapphire eyes watched him as he retrieved a sheet from the printer. He spelled off her tasks for the day, and Yulia wondered where all these tasks had suddenly come from. Regardless, her mind was already racing. Whitney was a normal-type user, and Yulia would have no problems with type advantage. Her Miltank was a problem to most who challenged her, but Yulia's Beartic...

She pulled herself out of her thoughts, realizing she could not lose so much time to strategizing. Jean returned then, and Yulia bowed her thanks before taking her water bottle. He reminded Clive of Yulia's position as his partner, and she smiled pleasantly. She opened her water bottle and took a sip, then capped it and reached for the paper. She thanked Clive, and as her eyes trailed the paper her face grew serious. That woman... Quickly she looked back up, wondering if anyone caught the recognition in her eyes.

The young recruit tried to shake it off. She glanced between the three others, assuming she was safe. Clearing her throat, she turned to Natasha and Jean. "Thank you very much. I should complete the tasks Mr. Clive has given me. If I have free time during my lunch break, I would love to grab something to eat with you." She grabbed Natasha's hand, gave it a firm shake, then grabbed Jean's as well. "I will see you both around, then?"

Once the two had left, Yulia turned to Clive. She still felt wary about the paper in her hand, but she was trying to remove it from her mind. "When did you want to head to Goldenrod Gym?" she asked. "I think Whitney has a slight disadvantage against my team. While I claim no fighting-type Pokemon, two of my Pokemon do have very powerful fighting-type moves. I am still up for the challenge, however. You will be accompanying me, yes? Otherwise I can go alone, please don't let me interfere with your work."

She was talking too much again. Yulia shifted a bit. She folded the paper in her hands and tucked it into her bag, giving her hands something to do. She met Clive's eye then. He didn't see the way her gaze lingered at that woman? He didn't notice how uncomfortable she got? Did he see the effects of her worsening headache? This would not ruin her first day, she would not let it. She had prepared for this, prepared to do this, and nothing was going to come between her and her goals.

[Headwrapper]

Clive continued to stare at his page of captioned photographs, even as Jean and Natasha eventually exited the office. His eyes did not leave the colorful page even as Yulia spoke, but long exhale out of his nose was enough of a hint that he could hear her questions. Only once he was completely satisfied with his review of the notes would he finally look back towards his partner. He noticed some reluctance coming from her, but could not infer where it was coming from. "You're sure you and your Pokemon are okay with challenging the Gym?"

He lowered the single page he had been holding all of this time onto his desk and zipped up his hoodie. "The first person on that list, with the red hair. She is a trainer under Whitney in the Goldenrod City Gym. My goal is to find out more about her. The thing about Pokemon trainers is that you can learn a lot about them just by watching them battle, and how they handle their Pokemon. It's a gamble, but I'm hoping that when you challenge the gym that she is one of the trainers you face before reaching Whitney herself."

After tightening his worn gloves over his palms, Clive quickly zipped up his hoodie. Truly, he knew little more about the particular suspect other than her resemblance to one of the masked Avarice members caught on film. From the way she wore her hair, as well as other similarities to the Goldenrod City Gym leader, the girl seemed to aspire to be more like Whitney. A common enough trait seen in Gym trainers, perhaps. Her story would lay completely bare before him once he saw her battle, though. How she commanded her Pokemon, how they responded, even her choice of Pokemon in her party would paint the picture of who this girl was, and if she was worthy of being a suspect.

[Ashen]

It took Yulia a few moments, but she was sure Clive had not caught the reason for her discomfort. She could relax at that. She saluted in response to his question, confident that she would have no difficulties challenging a gym. In fact, she was looking forward to it.

Clive moved back to the paper. Yulia looked down again, trying to remain composed. She hadn't known the things he had said about the redhead, and listened carefully in case she would need such information later. The more her partner talked, the more Yulia thought the girl from the photo and the woman she knew were not the same person. She kept quiet just in case. If Clive caught on, she wouldn't know how to explain away how she knew as much as she did.

After Clive explained his reason for wanting to take her to the gym. "I absolutely agree," she said. "Watching how someone treats their Pokemon, especially in the heart of a heated fight, tells a great deal about their character. Observing how they witness their Pokemon's failures is as important as watching how they celebrate their victories. I'd be glad to go against the suspect. We'd have more of an idea for who she really is, I'm sure, and you would also get to learn more about me. I'm sure that was part of your original plan, wasn't it?"

By then, she was itching to go to Goldenrod Gym, or at least get out of the police department. There was a nagging in her mind to tell more about that woman, to get a closer look. She didn't want to be in this building anymore, needed some fresh air. Yulia started for the entrance, hoping Clive was following her. Before leaving, she hesitated, then turned to face him. Slow down. "If we confirm that she is working under Avarice, should we bring her in for questioning? Will I get to question someone on my first day?" Normally Yulia would be beyond excited, but with this person? She hoped for the best.

[Headwrapper]

Clive's dark eyebrows furrowed at the idea that he would learn more about Yulia during her battles at the Goldenrod Gym. It was only natural that he would learn more about her eventually, since she was forced upon him as a partner and all. He certainly did not arrange for this little exercise with the intention of learning more about her. If he had confidence in his own battle experience, he would have challenged the Gym himself.

He chose to simply not respond. Better to just let the girl think that for whatever reason he would have an interest in learning more about her. Her past, her ambitions, her Pokemon, none of those really mattered to him if they did not directly lead to him cracking his case. There was no need to deliberately delve into all of those things when there were more fruitful leads to pursue.

With a swift motion, he patted his pant legs and the pockets of his jacket, ensuring that he had not forgotten any items of importance. Another swift flick and he had opened his Pokegear, double checking the time, before stepping towards the exit of the office. He slowed to a stop when Yulia had suddenly turned around to ask another question. "Questioning? No. If my suspicions are confirmed, we will have to place surveillance on her. For all we know, she could be a grunt. Avarice would drop her from their ranks the moment we lay hands on her, and she will be of no use to us then."

Without hesitating for another moment, Clive quickly brushed passed Yulia, through the exit of the office. The desks nearby were full of people, the office now in full operation now that the day has started. Phones ringing, papers shuffling, radios blaring, all were familiar noises to Clive. His eyes did not meet any other pair as he made his way to the front doors, which he lazily pushed open with his hips. The instant that the warmth of the morning sun touched his skin, he raised the hood of his jacket.

The Gym would be to the east. He immediately turned and started towards the correct direction, only taking a single moment to check if his partner had followed. While Yulia might have moved with earnest, an itch to display her talent, Clive simply moved with a purpose, a desire to complete a task. The walk to the Gym was not going to be very long, but that was no reason to take any longer than necessary to reach the destination.

[Ashen]

Yulia mentally slapped herself in the forehead. Of course it was too early to bring anyone in for questioning. If the girl really was a grunt, she'd be discharged immediately, perhaps even executed. Would the leader of Team Avarice really stoop to such a level? Yulia didn't want to find out. She thought, perhaps, she already knew the answer to that. She thought back to all the Pokemon she had seen, the ones that had made national headlines. Poor creatures tortured by the machines Team Avarice built, broken beyond repair in most cases. A shiver ran through the young woman's body. Those poor Pokemon. No, she would stop them, would stop this stupid organization dead in its tracks.

The rest of the building had started its daily routines already. Yulia remembered how excited she had been to first walk through here, during her years in the Academy. Everything had excited her, from the never-ending ringtone of the phones to the sounds of things being dropped to the smell of too-dark coffee. Now, it all seemed so much. The phone calls were beating at her already hurting head, and the smells of perfume and breakfasts were making her nauseous. She stepped right into line beside Clive, willing him to go faster.

The sun was hot and oppressive, and as Yulia stepped into it she found herself wishing to be back home among the snow. She shook the thought, shoving her complaints about the weather far to the back of her mind. Clive was wasting no time getting to the Goldenrod Gym, and he didn't bother to associate with her as she did. This would be a long process, she thought, getting him to open up to her. Yulia tried to remain peppy, but now too many things were going wrong. They all bit at her, annoying bugs, and she wished it could all just stop. How easy it would be to stop this, she thought, but she shut that idea down just as quickly as it had formed.

The gym was even bigger and more intimidating in person. Once outside its doors, Yulia looked it over with twinkling eyes. This was the gym of Whitney, and it was the gym that she and her Pokemon were going to fight in today. They walked inside, and Yulia looked over the onslaught of pink. She had known the younger gym leader had a thing for the color, but the walls and floors were both smothered in it. She stood out within it, with her blue hair and her black uniform. She took some comfort in knowing Clive stood out more: the brooding man in black, coming to the gym to observe.

Once she had gotten used to her surroundings, Yulia turned back to her partner. "Do you see her?" she said quietly. "I hypothesize she's farther inside, and that I would have to take on the trainer here before I can proceed." She turned her attention to a brown-haired lass winking at her. Yulia smiled in return. To Clive, she asked, "Will you just be watching on the sides?"

[Headwrapper]

Clive's eyes scanned the pink walls of the large battle arena, familiarizing himself with the building. The heavy scent of girlish perfume almost managed to snuff out the smells of battle. Underneath the floral scent he could smell singed hairs, raised dust, even diced leaves. Many battles took place within these walls, and it was not Clive's first visit. Enough traffic came through the city's gym that time and time again he found himself seeking clues here. Usually he could directly speak with Whitney or any of the friendly greeters that stood at the front entrance and be on his way. Because of this, none of the Gym trainers should recognize him or have reason to be alarmed by his presence, but of course this was a factor he would have to consider as he observed.

"She probably is further into the Gym," Clive agreed, lowering his hood off of his head. "I will have to follow you from the sidelines as a spectator, otherwise I might be mistaken for a challenger. Also, my Pokemon and I will be able to heal your Pokemon in between battles if they need it, so don't be afraid to let them go all out." His hand grazed lazily along his belt, reassuring himself that his Pokeballs were all in his possession. After a quick glance towards the young lass that stood before them, Clive offered Yulia a nod and began walking out of the battle area. After taking a few steps he would pause, turning his head to address his blue-haired partner once again. "Oh yeah, good luck." Without another word, he stepped back to where he would be able to watch the battle, just a few yards behind where Yulia would have to stand once she and the lass began battling, but well outside of the boundary of the arena.

Once Clive was well out of the way, the dark-haired girl would lock eyes with Yulia before approaching. "Welcome to the Goldenrod City Gym! We use only the cutest Pokemon here: Normal and Fairy types! Let's see what you got!" Without hesitation, the girl would retreat a fair distance before releasing tossing her Pokeball into the arena. With a flash of white light, a Snubull would appear, baring tiny fights and announcing its presence with a high pitched growl.

[Ashen]

Yulia was alone in the Goldenrod Gym. She watched Clive head off, leaving her to take on this lass alone. Yulia greeted the competitor with a cheery smile and a wave. The lass wasted little time, sending out a Snubbull straightaway. Yulia looked back to Clive for affirmation, then nodded. She could pull this off, she knew she could.

The newbie PI kept her attention on the battlefield. She entered battle mode, and she was ready to give it her all. She grabbed one of her three Poke Balls, and she held it lightly to her lips. This was her newest Pokemon, the one who did not quite trust her yet. Was it wise to start with such a Pokemon, especially when proving herself to her partner? Shaking all doubt, Yulia threw her ball into the air. "Ivy, let's see what you've got!"

As the ball soared to the air, a white light shot from it and onto the battlefield. Out came a Skorupi, who shuffled around the battlefield nervously. "Ivy!" Yulia cooed, knowing the Pokemon was normally jumpy. Hearing her name, Ivy began to focus. Her big eyes fell over the Snubbull, and her expression turned to one of determination. "Alright!" Yulia sang, "let's see a Cross Poison!" The scorpion shuffled around the battlefield, then centered on the Snubbull. She charged forward, landing a perfect hit on the fairy-type. The Snubbull took considerable damage, but remained standing.

The lass then called out to her Pokemon. She called for a Fire Fang, which Ivy took. The Skorupi let out a cry and used Pin Missle. Yulia shifted, then called out to Ivy. "You're okay! Let me see a Sludge Bomb instead." Yulia knew her Pokemon would be rattled, and that a ranged attack was probably better. Before the Skorupi could move again, the Snubbull landed another Fire Fang. Ivy sustained a burn. Yulia shifted again, knowing her poor Pokemon would be able to handle little else. She shook her head, and waited for her Skorupi to land her Sludge Bomb. With a critical hit, the Snubbull was successfully taken out of the game.

Yulia jumped up and cheered, then crouched and called Ivy closer to her. The Skorupi scuttled towards her, staying clear of her trainer. Yulia didn't force contact, but she complimented and congratulated her. She didn't even think to look to Clive until after thanking the lass for a great battle. Yulia recalled Ivy to her ball, and finally returned to her partner.

"So?" she asked, proud, when she got to him. "How was that? Ivy is the newest addition to my team, she was saved from Team Avarice. She's strong, and we're working on her nerves." She tucked her ball back into her bag. "Was that satisfactory? My other Pokemon are ready for the next battle if we're ready!"

[Headwrapper]

Once Clive reached what could serve as a suitable viewpoint, he stood and watched patiently as the trainers prepared for battle. Dark eyes studied Yulia briefly as she turned towards him before focusing on the battlefield. This battle, although it would most likely be a trivial one, would probably mean a lot to her. It was technically the first time she commanded her Pokemon for the sake of a case, after all. For Clive, this was only another obstacle that needed overcome or otherwise averted.

Clive crossed his arms once Yulia called for her Pokemon. The battle had officially started. "Hmm. Quite a nervous one," he said to himself, observing the Skorupi Yulia had lovingly called Ivy. The Pokemon seemed a lot more than bashful just by nature, but no one would be able to guess what caused such shyness from just looks alone. The nerves seem to take a backseat to the Skorupi's trainer's commands, fortunately.

With nothing left to hold them back, the two teams began the struggle to outduel one another. Clive remained stationed in his spot well behind Yulia, only occasionally shifting his eyes away from the battle to study other parts of the Gym he could see. There was no sign of the redhead they were looking for, and for the most part Clive's vision was obscured the pinkness of everything. Even the flowers lacked any variety really, as most of them were stained with the color.

Almost as promptly as it started, the battle was over. Before the two trainers were even finished with their farewells, Clive began moving towards the next part of the Gym. He threw the blue haired victor a side glance as she joined him. With a nod, he conveyed his understanding of the Pokemon's origins. "Ah, I see. I wondered why she seemed so shy." Before the pair reached the next part of the Gym, the detective stopped. "Saved how? Was Ivy a part of their experiments? Or simply a Pokemon they had harvested?" Already, plans began to formulate in his head as he considered the potential for another lead.

[Ashen]

Clive was suddenly very interested in Yulia's little Skourpi, and briefly the girl wondered whether or not she should have said so much. She didn't flinch, instead calmly answering his questions. "Ivy was a Pokemon born into Avarice," she explained. "Her mother was one of the Pokemon who got the brute of their experiments. Ivy was going to be trained under them, forced to evolve as soon as possible and then forced to give her all, all the time. It obviously had very averse effects on her. She's a mess with her nerves now, no matter how much I work with her I don't know that we'll ever get her to calm down. She's a lot better than she was, though. When she first came to me, she wouldn't listen to a word I said, and she remained very far from me at all times. I'm proud of her for getting this far."

Yulia knew there was no point in evading the next unasked part of his question. He would ask how she got Ivy, and Yulia didn't know how to answer that. She hesitated only a moment, then went on. "I found one of Team Avarice abusing her, and I stepped in to help her. Poor Ivy was too weakened to even shy from me, and you realize that's saying something. I was able to rush her to a Pokemon Center, but I couldn't catch up with the grunt, unfortunately. I'm just happy Ivy is okay now."

It wasn't really a lie. Yulia kept a straight face, grateful for her calm composure. Her head was getting bad again, and she wished to get into another battle, to distract herself from this pain. She looked around the pink gym, in search of her next opponent. "Shall we move on?" she suggested. She spotted the next contestant, a beauty of a woman playing with her hair. Yulia looked back to Clive. "Do you see who we're looking for? If not, my other two Pokemon are ready for the excitement!"

[Headwrapper]

Clive remained silent as Yulia described her Skorupi's background. The exposed fingers of his gloved hand reached to scratch at the stubble that littered his neck and cheeks as he considered the story. If the girl had just happened upon a Team Avarice grunt abusing the Pokemon, how did she learn so much about it? A frown set upon his face as continued to consider the words his little rookie partner.

Now would not be the time to press into it. It would only their current task. The Avarice activities Yulia described were not exactly unique. Similar stories of other Pokemon in similar scenarios have been shared to the public already. Her tale did not prove that the blue-haired girl knew more than she let on, but still, Clive would have to keep the story of little Ivy's salvation in mind.

In response to Yulia's question, Clive would give the rosy gym a glance over. "I suppose she must be the next trainer, before your final battle with Whitney. Guess you should try to make this next battle a quick one."

As Clive retreated to his spectator spot, the beauty would approach Yulia, a large smirk across her glitter covered face. "I better be careful. I don't want to accidentally steal your boyfriend!" She let out a laugh as she stepped back to her post, and then tossed one of her two Pokeballs in the air to release a Meowth.

[Ashen]

Her story seemed to settle in her partner's mind, though there was something bothering him about it. Yulia searched his eyes, but she could conclude very little from Clive's expression. Like him, she let it go, wondering if he would bring it up later. Yulia looked down to the ball that housed her Skorupi, now on the top of the various other things in her bag. Ivy, she knew, was a threat to even have around, especially when Yulia would get to greater foes, and especially when she got to the heart of Team Avarice's workings. But all the memories she had of the little scorpion, all the pain and suffering she had endured; Yulia couldn't help but feel responsible, and she had vowed to help Ivy in whatever way she could.

She nodded in response to Clive, and approached the next opponent. Yulia greeted the beautiful woman. She laughed aloud at her joke, silently wondering what her ex-girlfriend would make of it. Glancing back at Clive, she thought of the possibility. Her, with a man, and not only that, but one as stolid as Clive... It truly was amusing. "I don't think you have to worry about that," Yulia replied to the beauty. "Now. Let's see what you've got!"

The beauty sent in a Meowth. Yulia threw a blue and yellow ball into the air. As it spun, a beam of light shot out from it, and a flying Braviary appeared in the air. He gave a low caw and assessed the situation. A Meowth, that was child's play. He looked back at his master, a smile instantly meeting his beak when he saw her.

"Valkyrie!" Yulia, too, looked happy to see her most trusted Pokemon. She noticed Valkyrie's eyes glance towards Clive and, remembering she hadn't had the opportunity yet to introduce her Pokemon to her partner, told the bird that she would do so later. Focus back on the battle, Yulia called for her Pokemon to use Bulk Up. A missed attack from the Meowth allowed for an encore of that move, and finally, with Valkyrie bulked and concentrated, he unleashed a super-effective Superpower, instantly taking the Meowth out of the battle.

The second Meowth did not prove to be much more challenging. Valkyrie sustained some hits, but was able to defeat his opponent before any serious damage could be done. Once the battle was over, Yulia thanked her opponent for the fight, and she braced herself as her Braviary flew up to her and enveloped her in his wings. She rustled the large bird's feathers, then started back towards Clive. "How was that?" she asked. "This is Valkyrie, and as you can see, we are very close. He was my partner all throughout my Academy years." Valkyrie smiled at Clive, but seeing the man's demeanor, he didn't press him for a response. He only looked between the two humans, wondering how well they would get along.

Yulia eventually recalled Valkyrie to his ball. She placed it back in her bag, then looked around again. "Now it's just Whitney left, isn't it?" she asked. "Even if we don't find the girl we're looking for, I'm having fun battling here." Her dark eyes met Clive's again. "Are you learning as much as you wanted to about me?"

[Headwrapper]

Just as before, Clive stood from his vantage point to watch the battle take place. His arms crossed his chest as the glare of Pokemon being released from their balls flashed across his eyes. A deep huff escaped him as he compared the two Pokemon that were called forth: a Meowth and a winged beast nearly four times its size. He already knew this battle was going to be a complete wash, regardless of how well Yulia commanded the Pokemon she had so carefully trained.

It felt like the detective and the Braviary locked eyes for a moment, before the winged Pokemon returned his attention to his master. Heavy flaps of his crimson wings held him afloat as its trainer relayed information to it, and finally he would turn to face his opponent. The battle was now underway. Clive shifted in his spot, finding himself once again searching for his main target. It seemed that there would not be a chance for Yulia to battle the suspect, but Clive might still be able to confirm that the girl trained here, which was still something. All it took was to see her command a suspicious Pokemon, or find some betrayal in her voice, to help him confirm his suspicions. Once he found enough proof to convince himself, then he could approach things differently.

His thoughts were interrupted by the crash of a strengthened Superpower, which wiped out the gym trainer's Meowth. The second Meowth was defeated almost as quickly, Valkyrie's attacks sending it straight back into its Pokeball. That meant the only battle left for Yulia to complete her Gym challenge was one with Whitney, the leader. It was possible that the trainer they were looking for was working in the next room, the main stadium, to facilitate the battle. It would probably be worth attending the battle for the chance to locate the woman.

The man's hands shifted to his pockets as he took a few steps forward to meet Yulia and her Pokemon halfway as they approached. "Yes, it's clear that the two of you have spent a lot of time together," he responded, before glancing up towards Valkyrie. "Nice battling." He offered the Pokemon a nod before it was returned to its ball. His gaze matched Yulia's as they continued their conversation. "Yeah, unfortunately only Whitney is left. I'm hoping that the person we are looking for might be there, but chances are she won't be. I don't want to spend time asking any of the other trainers if they know where she is either, or else she will know someone is searching for her."

He had just about ignored Yulia's testimony about having fun battling, but he couldn't help but duck his head slightly after hearing her final question. He drew a long breath, holding in his desire to explicitly tell her that he did not care to learn all that much about her anyway. "Sure," he finally huffed. "Anyway, we've spent enough time here. Let's get your badge and move on."

After they made their way into the main stadium of the Gym, they were greeted by the sounds of a battle already underway. Clives gloved hands tightened together in front of his face as he observed. The battle was between Whitney and the girl they had been looking for. His front teeth snapped together as he gnawed idly at the threads of his black gloves. After a few moments, a young lass approached the pair of detectives. "Whitney and Sierra will be finished soon! They just wanted a quick battle before the next challenger arrived!"

Clive merely nodded, still biting away at his gloves as he watched the battle. Whitney commanded a Lopunny against the other redhead's Persian. "I didn't know she had a Lopunny," he muttered. "It might not be registered in the Pokemon League, so she probably can't use it for regular gym battles."

The furry brown Pokemon dipped and dived between repeated slashes of the Persian's claws, before finally landing a kick to the long cat's abdomen. "Now Lopunny!" Whitney cried. Without question, the Lopunny delivered a High Jump Kick, it's knee crashing against the Persian and sending it hurling back towards its trainer. The one-on-one battle was now over. Clive hurried to walk to the edge of the arena to get a closer look of the loser's reaction, hoping she would convey a telling sign of her character.

[Ashen]

Yulia could tell her partner wanted to waste no more time talking about that battle he'd just watched. She was grateful he addressed her Pokemon, but once Valkyrie was recalled Yulia straightened herself and nodded. Clive wasn't paying attention to her at all now, intent on finding his target. Perhaps, Yulia thought, that would help her more than harm her. If her own partner didn't pay her much mind, it would give her the space she might need to take matters into her own hands... Brushing her thoughts from her mind, Yulia silently followed Clive to where the gym leader was bound to be.

They arrived at the small stadium, and Yulia was surprised to find the battlefield already in use. She looked over the Lopunny and Persian before she took a moment to study their trainers. Whitney commanded the Lopunny. Yulia had to admit, the girl looked much older in person. Even so, her timeless enthusiasm was clear in her eyes and in her voice as she spoke to her Pokemon. The other trainer, younger and more inexperienced, could do little as her Persian was attacked. Yulia suddenly noticed that this other trainer was their target, the girl from the photo Clive had shown her. Her perfect red curls were pulled back now, and without the Avarice mask over her face, Yulia almost did not recognize her. But there she was, this member of a criminal organization, battling against a gym leader, almost as if she were any other Pokemon trainer.

Instantly Yulia was thinking back, trying to remember more information about this one. According to the young woman who had spoken to her and Clive, this girl's name was Sierra. Yulia couldn't recall a Meowth or a Persian under Avarice imprisonment as of late, so maybe--hopefully--the girl's Pokemon was her own. But the girl herself... Just who was she? Yulia tried her best to not stare, but she wanted to know for sure. Was this one of Avarice, truly? She looked so young, so innocent. Why could she not remember? The longer she stared, the more her headache grew, until finally she had to take a woozy step away and look for a painkiller in her bag.

It was then that the battle ended. The girl, Sierra, looked disappointed for a moment, but her expression soon faded. She recalled her Pokemon after whispering a few words to it. When she looked up again she was smiling. She seemed to realize that she and Whitney had had an audience, and her cheeks colored the slightest bit. Bright eyes looked over Clive, lingering, then looked at Yulia. The two women made eye contact when Yulia had found the tablets in her bag. A look of confusion crossed Sierra's face, and quickly Yulia looked away, hating that recognition. A long time passed before Yulia dared to look back, into eyes that held as much recognition as her own.

Yulia downed the pills easily, then walked towards Clive. He was near where the battle had ended. Yulia tried to look natural, and she offered a smile to Sierra. "You battled well!" she said. "Both of you. Having the opportunity to experience how Whitney battles makes me excited to try and get my own badge."

Sierra was shy, though whether that was a personality trait or a result of Yulia's presence, the PI couldn't tell. Sierra hesitated. "Are you going to take on Whitney's gym?" She looked to Clive, studying him. There was fear in her eyes. "Whitney's tough, as you saw, but I'm sure you'd be able to best her, ma'am." Her last word, an afterthought, confirmed Yulia's thoughts. This woman knew her, feared her, which meant she had to be part of Avarice. But how was she going to tell Clive without exposing herself as well?

Yulia turned to her partner, wondering what he would do.

[Headwrapper]

Clive drew a sharp breath and held it in as he tried his best to listen and observe the losing party in the battle he just witnessed. In his experience, the moments just after a competitive trainer loses a battle lend some of the most insightful glimpses into who they were as a person. Sometimes those glimpses were just one page of their book, and sometimes they were entire volumes in themselves. Are you one of them?" he thought as he watched, his eyes now squinted into elliptical dark almonds.

It was hard to see the girl's expression as she spoke to her incapacitated partner, moments before she returned it to its ball. Clive found it odd that despite making the effort to get so close to her Pokemon, the girl did not display much of any physical affection for it. Just a few whispers and back into the ball. If only he knew what those whispers were, that oddity might actually mean something to anyone other than himself.

Other than that minor detail, the girl, Sierra, took the loss well. A full smile returned to her bright-eyed facade, and she made her way off of the arena for the next participant. When the girl looked his way, Clive made sure to make eye contact before offering her a gentle nod. It was then that the girl acknowledged Yulia. Immediately Clive noticed a sudden shift in the girls features. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes opened a bit wider, she drew a sharp breath. The detective was careful not to betray any hint that he noticed the sudden reaction, but it was well-logged in his mind.

He turned to face both Yulia and Sierra as they spoke to each other. Even as they spoke, he noticed Sierra still take a moment to give him a second glance-over. There was an unquestionable look of dread in her eyes, thinly veiled by the conversation. The detective even noticed the odd way the girl addressed his partner.

Clive resisted to urge to gnaw on his gloves again. He did not miss the fact that Sierra's blaring peculiarities truly began once she had seen Yulia. Between that and the story about the Skorupi earlier... Something was suspicious about Clive's new partner. And this girl as well, Sierra. That will have to be addressed when he can speak to Whitney, the Gym Leader, in private. The leader was observant enough to be helpful in past cases, tipping him off if a particular suspect had been in her gym. Clive wondered how she would react if he told her he suspected someone who was under her watch, though.

When the conversation stalled, the detective glanced to his partner. "Well, better get this over and done with. You have a lunch date to get to, don't you?" His expression remained as calm as ever as he spoke. He followed the sentiment with a nod towards Whitney, who stood happily at her end of the stadium.

[Ashen]

There was no way Clive hadn't noticed something between Yulia and Sierra. The PI dreaded the conversation she would have to have with him later, if her partner decided to bring this up. She didn't know what she would say; she didn't know how to feel about the interaction now. Yes, she knew she knew Sierra, but how? What did she know about her? There were too many gaps in her memory to think clearly about this. As Yulia thought on it, she wished the medications she took would take effect much sooner.

Things were moving on. Sierra managed to slip away, and Yulia was sure she saw her pace quicken once she thought she was out of earshot. Yulia shook her head and turned her attention to Whitney. "Are you ready for round two?" she asked. She stepped up to the battlefield, which was only slightly messy from the previous match. Whitney seemed ready as ever, despite the battle that had just ended. She started with her Miltank, the dreaded beast that everyone feared. Yulia hesitated, then sent out her Beartic. Zita was a ferocious-looking beast, and she let out a roar when her feet touched the ground. Glancing only for a moment at her trainer, she assessed the situation, and she set her focus on the Miltank before her.

Yulia gave Zita a moment to gather her bearings. She turned to her partner. "Meet the last member of the team!" she announced. "Zita has been with me since I was born. She's the daughter of my parents' Beartic back home. And she's full of spirit, so I can't wait for you to see her in action." Zita seemed to be smiling as Yulia talked about her. She didn't remove her attention from the opposing Miltank. Yulia looked back to the battle. "Alright, Zita! Let's start with an icicle crash!"

It wasn't a very long battle. Yulia commanded her Pokemon effortlessly, and it seemed the Beartic knew what her trainer wanted before the words left her mouth. The two were completely in sync. Zita was powerful, but she had a more reserved fighting style. She took advantage of the critical hits available to her, but her slow movements made her a less fearsome foe than Yulia's Braviary. Still, Zita was able to take on Whitney's Pokemon by herself, and then the battle was over. Yulia ran to hug her icy bear, then looked to Clive to make sure he had been watching. She retrieved her gym badge from Whitney, her first, and held it up to the light. "It's a pretty one, isn't it?" she admired. She showed it off to Clive, but wasn't hopeful he would reply. "What an experience. Thank you for this opportunity, sir."

With Zita recalled and Whitney thanked for the battle, Yulia was ready to leave. Sierra was gone already, but they had a lead, and Yulia knew this would have to get them somewhere. She tried to be positive; her personal ties to Sierra would mean less than the leads they would get, certainly, and it would lead to them stopping Team Avarice altogether. After that, it didn't matter what happened, who recognized Yulia's face. But this, this was a start. Smiling, Yulia tucked her Plain Badge into her bag and looked back at Clive. "I hope we can use what we learned today to get to our goal. This was fun. What are our next steps?"

[Headwrapper]

Clive watched passively as the battle unfolded before him. As he had hoped, it lead to his partner's victory. His gaze regarded the Plain Badge when Yulia presented it, and he offered her a small shrug in response. It was not long after that the time to leave had come. Before heading out, he offered a wave to Whitney, who had acknowledged his presence with a bubbly smile. It was funny, actually. Clive could remember a time when this red-haired gym leader cried about any loss. She had grown to be a good sport, despite her skills also improving.

The pair of detectives backtracked their way out of the gym, reemerging onto the streets of Goldenrod. "Well, we have a name, and a place of employment, now. I feel like it will be worth the time to place some surveillance on Miss Sierra. Of course, before that, we will have to do a little bit more homework. Has she been convicted or accused of something before? Find her address, her parent's addresses, any other places of work, bike ID, if she owns a car or any property... All of those things will make surveillance a bit easier."

As they walked, Clive turned his head to get a better look at Yulia. "You and that girl had never met before, have you?" He spoke a bit cautiously, fearing that he might be going for too high of a gamble. If the events at the Gym did give him reason to be suspicious of his new partner, questioning her in even the most trivial of ways would expedite the process of her creating ways to cover things up. "She began to act so strangely when we approached, but I would have sworn she was more concerned about you specifically."

It would not be long before they would approach the station once again. It was approaching an appropriate hour for lunch. Should Yulia wish to take up Natasha on her offer for lunch, Clive would have no qualms about it.

[Ashen]

As expected, Clive hadn't given Yulia much to work with. The woman took this small disappointment with grace. When they were done in the gym, they were able to head back onto the streets of the city. Yulia listened to their next steps attentively, taking numerous mental notes as he spoke. She would look into all the things he wanted later, both through public records and through a private source. Was that safe? Was it worth risking so soon? Yulia didn't know, but regardless of her means, she was determined to find out more.

The young detective was pulled from her thoughts when Clive questioned her. Yulia hesitated only slightly, then adopted a smile and slightly perplexed expression. "I noticed that too," she said. Her voice was calm, surprisingly slow. She pretended to be perplexed. "No, I can't recall ever having met her. It was strange though, she seemed almost... afraid of me." She looked over the sleeves of her shirt, then checked her skirt and stockinged legs. "Could it be related to some trauma? Could it lead us to another clue? It's most interesting." She was thinking on it, so her expression was genuine, but she was thinking of not why Sierra recognized her, but why she would have been afraid. She considered it, then shook her head. "I'll write a report of all my speculations when I get a free minute. I have much to write today. I should have it submitted to you by tonight. Is that alright?"

They had arrived back at the police department then. Yulia looked at her wrist. Her eyes followed the second hand for a few seconds before focusing back on Clive. "Should I let you alone now? I would like to catch up to Natasha, if it's alright. I'm still interested in finding out more." And, she had to admit, the cranky man looked like he needed a minute alone. After getting her response, Yulia politely bowed and headed away from Clive in search of Natasha. All the while she was thinking about all the ways that day could have gone differently. Had she ruined anything? Should she have monitored her expressions better, feigned complete surprise at Sierra? She couldn't help but think, somewhere, someone was laughing at her for destroying everything she had worked so hard for.

[Headwrapper]

Clive grew quiet as Yulia responded to his careful probing. On the surface, she seemed to be just as confused about the girl's behavior as he was. He decided it was best to leave things at that, at least for a while. There were plenty of other avenues that needed attention, ones that were likely to give him answers sooner. He raised an eyebrow at his new partner's pledge to provide him a report with her thoughts. He was far from against the idea, rather, he was not used to it. Working alone in most cases, there were few times he had been promised any information that he did not have to dig himself. "Sure. I think tonight would be fine," he finally responded slowly.

Yulia had posed him another proposition as they were approaching the GRPD, to which Clive was quick to oblige. "Of course. Natasha is very knowledgeable. Very easy going, too." Not long after, the pair separated. Clive made his way back to his desk, immediately transposing his mental notes onto the screen. There was some digging he would have to do before he could place the aforementioned surveillance on Sierra.


Natasha emerged from an interview room, adjusting her jacket before turning her head to watch fellow officers escort a middle-aged man out of the room. Jean emerged from the observation room connected to the room she had just been in, and he marched to stand next to her. "I can't believe you managed to get him to talk," he said, rubbing one of his giant shoulders. "If what he said is true, we'll blast the roof off of Harde Corp."

Natasha rolled her neck casually, a small smile forming on her lips. "Well, men are easily manipulated. Besides, we gave him little choice, after all. The senior executives at Harde made a mistake being so forward about having their managers comply to their tactics."

[Ashen]

Yulia was glad to finally be freed of Clive. She didn't know how she would get along with the man. It was as if he had never worked with anyone before in his life. Would all of their cases be so excruciating? No, Yulia thought, eventually the man would warm up to her, and not all their cases would be so close to home. At least, she could hope. Sierra did present a problem, and Yulia wondered how they would handle this without her losing her job after her first case.

Before she headed out to find Natasha, Yulia found herself stepping out. She dug through her bag for a cigarette and watched as the flame she lit danced on her lighter. It had been her only bad habit, she'd been told throughout the Academy. Goodie Two-Shoes Yulia Oryolovna smokes? She had gotten tired of everyone poking fun of her for it, and she had gotten used to hiding her habit. Now, she smoked openly, far from the entrance of the building, knowing no one from the Academy would dare insult her now.

When she was finished, she walked back inside and sought Natasha. She found the woman with her partner. They were talking about something, another case from the sounds of it. Yulia respectfully waited for them to stop talking, then entered into their conversation. "Good afternoon Ms. Natasha, Mr. Jean. I hope your morning has been going well. I have a little bit of time to spare, and I was wondering if you would still were interested in getting lunch together? If you'll have me, I would still like to ask you a couple more questions about how things work around here, and maybe some tips on how to get Mr. Clive to open up a bit. We did some field work today, and it seems working as his partner may prove difficult if I cannot get him to work with me." She looked between the two elder detectives. Was she talking too much again? "Or... We could talk about lighter things. Please, don't let me annoy you in any way."

Yulia had had friends before, of course. She kept in contact with only a few after graduation, and she occasionally met up with them for coffee and a quick chat. She wondered if that was a better approach to mingling with her coworkers than asking too many questions. Socializing was not her strong suit, at least not socializing for pleasure rather than work, but she was interested in trying. Yulia liked Natasha so far, and she did want to get to know her better. After all, she would be a great asset to her while she worked here--and maybe the first friend she would make here.

[Headwrapper]

Jean and Natasha exchanged glances as Yulia spoke, both of them smiling softly. The interaction was not unlike the kind parents might have, silently amused by their child's silliness and youth. "I need to get busy on some paper work, but you ladies go ahead without me," Jean said. He gave the others a nod before excusing himself, carefully and deliberately navigating his large physique through the narrow walkways of the department.

Natasha's emerald eyes were quick meet Yulia's, one cheek dimpling as she tightly curled the corner of her lips. People were quick to learn that the green-haired detective rarely was the first one to break gazes, which put them on edge. The habit had its benefits. There was a certain level of discomfort caused by cheery eyes tracking your face, unwavering in their pursuit, and such discomfort was often enough to scramble one's mind and leave them vulnerable to probing and interrogation. "Don't worry about annoying anyone, Yulia," she finally said with a smirk. "Not everyone can be as uptight as Clive. Of course my offer still stands."

She finally did direct her gaze towards something else, an older man with thick glasses crossing by. Natasha's expression sobered for a moment, but when the man had passed her expression regained its previous cheer. "Do you like sushi?" she inquired suddenly. "They expanded the department store a while ago, and I have been dying to try the new sushi place that opened there."




When Clive finished rigorously typing at his desk, one of his hands quickly reached for his folder of pictures from earlier that morning. He moved the picture of Sierra off to one side, before scanning over the picture of the male he had considered before. There would still be time left that evening to take a stroll through the Underground, he thought. Maybe he would be able to find this man's whereabouts if he put in a few extra ours of searching.

First thing is first, he needed to get the surveillance placed on this Sierra. His hands went back to work, quickly pulling up windows in search of the information that would be needed by the surveillance offers once the order was issued.

[Ashen]

Yulia and Natasha made their way to the sushi place in the department store. As they walked, Yulia took a moment to remind herself to not overwhelm her superiors. She wanted to enjoy this outing, and make a good impression on Natasha. With the Sierra dilemma aside, Yulia did intend to spend a very long time working for the GRPD. She had worked too hard for this just to let one silly case interrupt her dreams.

Once they were seated at the restaurant, Yulia looked over all the different kinds of sushi on display. "Wow," she breathed, "I've never seen so much fish in one place. It all looks so good." She brought her eyes back to Natasha, a sparkle shining within them. "Back home, we didn't get to have sushi very often. I'm originally from Snowbelle, and there's next to no fish up there. Quite tragic really, because sushi is so delicious." She paused a moment trying to decide what she wanted to try first. "Do you have a recommendation? I think I might have to keep coming back here and try it all; it all looks great!"

After they had made their selections, Yulia sat and twirled the straw in her glass of water. "Do forgive me if I'm asking too many questions," she started, "but can you tell me how things work around here?" The blue-haired woman put on her best smile, then continued to ask Natasha question after question about the workings of the police department. She made sure not to drag on too long, and stopped as soon as their food arrived, not long after they had ordered. Yulia thanked their waiter and examined her food. "I don't think I've ever had Magikarp," she commented. "The most common type of sushi, surely, but I just don't think..." She picked up a pair of chopsticks and effortlessly balanced her food between them. "Ah, I should ask you if you have questions for me," she seemed to recall, an afterthought. "I hope I'm making a somewhat positive first impression."

In the back of her mind, Yulia could feel a headache blossoming. She flinched just slightly, nearly imperceptibly, as it came. A flush of something washed over her features--irritation? Panic? Wordlessly she dug into her purse and pulled out a pill bottle, then decided against it and turned her attention back to Natasha.

[Headwrapper]

For the rest of their meal, Natasha answered Yulia's questions straightforwardly, without hinting any annoyance with the new detective's curiosity. She offered her as much advice as she could with the time they had, in regards to being a part of the force at the GRPD. She even went on to offer some advice about Clive. "Just try to remember he is not a complete ass. He might not act like it, but he cares deeply about protecting the well being of both people and Pokemon. Just... don't expect him to treat you differently because you acknowledge that fact."

When it was time to leave, Natasha lead the way back to the station, pointing out some of her favorite bars or shops as they walked. Growing up in Goldenrod, she had a lot of knowledge about the city's hot spots. "I'm afraid I don't have the time for a proper night in the city these days," she would say. When the pair did eventually arrive back at the station, Natasha said her goodbyes and rendezvoused with Jean.

The next few days seemed to pass by slowly for Clive. The surveillance on Sierra resulted yielded no clues for two days. Of course, Clive sought other avenues that might help him find more information about Team Avarice. Hours upon hours, he sat in front of his computer, dead to the rest of the world, tearing apart frame after frame of surveillance videos from different events. Avarice grunts stealing rare Pokemon from the game corner, snapshots of gold-studded trainers disappearing into the Underground. His mind filtered away the useless pieces, and sometimes he would leave for the field to look at a scene in person, even taking Yulia along at times. Nothing seemed to interest him, until his phone rang one afternoon.

"Clive. She's... What you've been following her for like three days and you think you know her now? Well did you see anyone visit her... Yeah. Okay stay there, I'll call back." He hung up, and began to flip through his contacts before dialing out to another caller. His face remained calm, but his fingers moved quickly. "Hi. Detective Clive Oiler GRPD. Can I please speak to Whitney?"

The man stood, wrapping his jacket around his shoulders and sliding his arms through the sleeves just as a new voice rang from his phone. "Hey it's Clive. Has Sierra come to the Gym today? I spoke to her briefly when I was there the other day, and I wanted to follow up with her about something. I see. If you see her, have her call me. You still have my card right? Bye."

As soon as his phone was back in his pocket, Clive's hands flew to one of his drawers. He pulled out a document, and with a pen from his desk began filling in dates and his signature. For the most part, the form was already filled out, barring those minor entries. "Time to get a warrant signed," he told his partner, hurrying out of the office without looking to see if she followed suit. If she did follow him, he would explain to her that the surveillance team lost track of Sierra. She was last seen entering her residence a night before, and never emerged. She had not gone to the Gym that day either, which was not normal, and she did not call. The warrant was for legal permission to enter her house. Clive had preemptively filled out most of the paper work in case he ever needed it.

[Ashen]

Over the next few days, Yulia took every opportunity she could to learn more about her workplace, her coworkers, and especially her boss. She worked diligently, often for hours on end, stopping only for the occasional bathroom break or smoke. In that way, she was similar to her partner. Despite their long hours together, Yulia found that Clive didn't like talking much. She wasn't terribly bothered; she had work to do anyway, and she trusted he was hard at this case too. Occasionally she would wonder just what he was digging up about Avarice. She trusted Clive, trusted that he knew what he was doing and that he would be valuable to stopping Team Avarice where they stood, but deep down Yulia knew that she was going to be the one to truly bring them to a halt.

The newbie had finished all of her orientation paperwork and had even started delving into a few different cases. Her main case was the same as Clive's, stopping Team Avarice, but she enjoyed looking into smaller cases surrounding their organization and pondering whether there was anything she could do. She was looking over the paperwork of one particular cold case when she heard her partner on the phone. Yulia listened without seeming like she was listening, but she could not deduct much from Clive's phone call. He was still tracking Sierra, but it sounded like something was wrong. She dully turned her eyes back to her own case, until he spoke to her. She watched him for a few paces, then got up to chase after him. Finally, they had some kind of lead.

Yulia listened to Clive's briefing of their situation. Sierra missing could not have been a good thing. "Do you think Team Avarice has her?" she asked, though the answer to that was clear. "I hope she's alright. They wouldn't hurt her, I hope, not over this." As ideas flew by, Yulia found the guilt growing within her. If that rotten organization laid a hand on that poor girl, it was Yulia's fault. If they had just left her alone, if they hadn't brought unnecessary attention to her... "Maybe she's hiding out with them," she hypothesized. "Have you found anything interesting about her lately? If nothing else, this could be the clue we've been waiting for." Her first lead on her first case; of course Yulia was excited. She just couldn't shake the headache now steadily drumming at the back of her head. Yulia didn't have to wonder; she knew it was related to what they were going to find out.

[Headwrapper]

"She had done a pretty good job these last few days being normal, or at least pretending to be," Clive said as they hurried through the halls. "But you're right. This might be exactly what we need to move forward." As they turned the corner, he reached for his phone again and dialed a number. When the call was answered, he spoke hurriedly. "Yeah. I'm going to get a warrant to enter the residence. Don't move until I get there, and keep watching for anything strange. Bye."

Moments later, Clive and Yulia arrived at the judge's office. Initially, they stepped into a small and warm lobby, overseen by a lone female secretary. "Ah, Clive. What can I do for you today?"

"I'm speaking to Judge Peridotte," Clive said offhandedly as he walked passed the woman's desk. The secretary stood up in order to try to counter this action, but Clive was quick to open the thick and dark wooden door behind her and enter the office.

Judge Peridotte's office was quite large for a single-person office, easily about the same size as the room Yulia and Clive shared with the other detectives. The walls were lined with bookshelves containing all sorts of law books and case documents. A grand Pergola desk sat in the center rear of the room, with a stout and balding man sitting behind it. He glanced up, over his glasses, as Clive entered the room. "Why hello there Clive. I must have been unclear with my secretary when I said I would not be seeing anyone for the next couple of hours."

"Don't be too hard on her. Not her fault we have to waste so much time signing papers just so I can search through people's private property." Clive approached the desk as he spoke, placing the unsigned warrant in front of the judge.

"You remind me too much of your father," Peridotte sighed as he began to meticulously read through the pages. "That reminds me... I have something for you. His eyes stayed glued to the pages as he reached for a drawer with one hand and pulled out a small box lined with leather. He nudged it in Clive's direction as he got to signing the pages.

Clive narrowed his eye brows as he reached for the box, carefully lifting it. He unfastened the lid and lifted it to reveal a single a Pokeball, with three long scratches across the front. Clive's lips quickly felt dry, and he could feel his heart beat faster and his breathing quicken involuntarily. "Is..."

"It's empty," Peridotte announced nonchalantly.

Clive drew a long breath and sighed. "Of course..." He closed the box and cleared his throat, regaining his bearings almost as quickly as he lost them. He watched as the judge finished signing the paperwork, and took the stack of papers from him when he was done. "Thanks."

"I don't want to see you barging into my office until you put a stop to that Team Avarice," Peridotte sighed. "Figures your father would teach you to just barge in here all the time, as if that's proper procedure." He glanced upward towards Yulia. "And I see you're already teaching others to do the same. Care to acquaint us?"

"Oh, yeah. This is Yulia. She is one of our new detectives, she is currently under my guidance."

[Ashen]

Yulia found herself falling in love with this thrill. She only had a basic idea of where they were going, and when they arrived at the courthouse Yulia was taken aback by the size of it. She had been in this building before, even sat through a case or two thanks to her student ID and "the endless opportunities observing this case would bring," but the size got her every time. She was quick to shake it off and watch Clive. The way the man took control of the situation, barging into the place and demanding audience with a judge; it was captivating in its own way. Yulia wondered how long until she had that kind of authority.

As Clive walked past the secretary, Yulia tossed an apologetic smile towards woman. Her protests were pointless; of course they were. Clive was on a mission, and it was clear nothing was going to stop him. That excited Yulia more than it scared her. Finally, this lump of a partner who sat by his desk endlessly sifting through papers and photos, this man had come alive. She was enamored by his resolve, as if this sudden life in Clive charmed her. An onlooker might have mistaken her watchful eye for something other than a rookie's fascination with her superior's command. The door to the judge's office was pulled open, so Yulia followed after her partner, thoughts racing about what they would find today.

The judge's office looked exactly as expected. Yulia's sapphire eyes trailed over the numerous titles on the bookshelves, recognizing a few and mentally taking note of others. Her attention was diverged when the judge started speaking. This man even looked like a judge. The way he sat by his desk seemed to radiate authority, yet Clive spoke to him as if they were childhood friends. The judge knew his father, at any rate. It was the only mention of family Yulia had heard of Clive, so she listened closely. Maybe that friendship with this judge got them their warrant. A smile crawled over Yulia's lips when the judge put the pen down. That was easier than she expected it to be. She readied herself to leave, but the judge stopped them.

Yulia didn't understand the gift--an empty Poke Ball?--but she knew now was not the time to ask. She wondered if she would ever have a time; if she could somehow manage to pry any information about her partner's personal life. She snapped up when the judge mentioned her. "Yulia Oryolovna, Private Investigator!" She had to admit, it felt good to say that. She extended a hand to the judge and gave a firm handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Peridotte. I'm certain we will be meeting again often." She cast a glance to Clive, already preparing the questions she'd ask him about this man later. Looking back to the judge, she bowed a little bit. "Thank you for signing our warrant. I'm excited to get this case figured out." Her enthusiasm was clear. She wanted to ask the judge questions, but his words from earlier, I must have been unclear with my secretary when I said I would not be seeing anyone for the next couple hours, plus this lead had her wondering when they would be leaving.

[Headwrapper]

"Nice to meet you, Yulia," the judge said as he shook the detective's hand. He also cast Clive a look when he was thanked for signing the warrant. "Of course. Truthfully, I feel your superior would have imploded if I had done otherwise." He allowed himself a short chuckle before gesturing towards the pair of detectives. "Well, off you go then. We all have important work to be done." He picked up the small case that contained the scratched Poke Ball, Clive had set it back down on his desk while skimming through the warrant, and pushed it back into the detectives hands. With another wave, he beckoned them off.

Having acquired what he came for, Clive took his mysterious gift and the warrant and lead the way back out of the courthouse. "Thank you," he remarked mildly as he walked passed the secretary outside of Peridotte's office. "We need to hurry," he then told Yulia, briskly marching his way back through the halls. "Every moment we lose could potentially alter the story we're trying to read." Once back out of the courthouse, which was not far from the police headquarters, he hurried his way into the parking lot that sat between the two buildings where the department's vehicles were held. Without a word, Clive approached the driver's side of one of the vehicles, unlocked it with a key, and hopped in. He assumed Yulia would follow suit and occupy the passenger seat. Clive normally preferred walking through the walk paths of Goldenrod, but as he had said, there was little time to waste. Besides, he may require something that he normally kept stored in the vehicle.

The drive was not long, and before long they parked on the street outside of the apartment building. As Clive climbed out of the car, he was approached by two officers, presumably the ones he was on the phone with earlier. After speaking for a few seconds, Clive waved them along, with a similar air of ostracism he had with the secretary earlier. "I will be..." He paused, glancing towards his partner. "I'm sorry. We will enter the apartment ourselves. You two just keep the area outside the door clear." He reached back into the car for a pair of white rubber gloves, and pinched them between his fingers as he walked along to the apartment building.

"Apartment four twenty-one," he sighed idly as the elevator carried him, the two officers, and Yulia if she continued to follow, upwards. "Apparently the super has been shirking his duties, so there's no one to open the door for us. Which means I guess the super gets to fix a lock later." He tapped his foot as the elevator slowed to a stop on the fourth floor. When they reached their destination, Clive motioned to the officers to handle opening the door as he reached for a Pokeball from inside of his jacket. Once the door was open, out came Houndour from his ball, ready to help explore the inside of the apartment for clues.

[Ashen]

Yulia could tell Clive was just as enthused as she, though he showed it in different ways. She laughed politely at the judge's joke before chasing after her partner, casting another apologetic look towards the secretary on the way out. Outside, she hopped into the passenger side of what she assumed to be Clive's car, and then they were off to chase their lead.

They drove to an apartment complex, where a couple police officers were already stationed outside. Clive, like he did back at the courthouse, disregarded their authority and charged forward. The cops, perhaps already used to this, let him. Yulia watched the way Clive forgot about her, only referencing her as an afterthought. She wasn't offended; she knew how it could be, chasing something this exciting. She just wondered how long before they did become a we. Clive and Yulia, the crime-fighting duo of Goldenrod City... It was a far-off dream, perhaps, but it was one she silently entertained as they entered the apartment.

Yulia thanked the cops who had helped them enter the apartment. She smiled at the Houndour after he'd made his entrance, and for a moment she considered bringing one of her Pokemon out, but ultimately decided against it. Her Pokemon were large and not good sniffers admittedly, so she knew their talents lie elsewhere. She decided to look for clues on her own, listening for her partner.

But after a while Yulia paused. She watched Clive for a moment, then awkwardly cleared her throat. "Ah, sir," she started, "what is it we should be looking for?" His need for independence was annoying in this partnership, but Yulia kept herself tame. "For that matter... where are we? I didn't get a chance to look at the warrant to see whose residence we would be raiding, and I apologize for that. I think communication would be key in something like this." Her attention was demanded by the Houndour, who was sniffing at something in the corner of the room. Perhaps he had found something, and all her questions would be answered so soon.

[Headwrapper]

Clive remained quiet as he carefully stepped through the apartment, hardly touching anything unless absolutely necessary. He first strolled over to wide glass door at the far end of the living room, which lead to a balcony. He stepped outside briefly, glancing about once outside. There was no immediate mode of entry, but decided he would have to come back to revisit that fact. He stepped back inside the apartment, and not long after was approached by Yulia.

He drew a long breath, feeling his brow grow hot at the realization that he dragged Yulia along for almost no reason. Without really expressing what it was that was happening, his partner was pretty much standing alone in the dark. At least he remembered to bring her! All that was left was to grow accustomed to the extra work necessary to at least keep his partner in the loop, so she might be able to offer her talents. The thought of being distracted for the sake of such a menial thing was discouraging, though.

"Sorry. This is Sierra's apartment. She had never emerged from it since turning in for the night last night," he glanced down a hallway, which seemed to lead towards the bedroom of the apartment. "Right now I am looking for any clues that hint at a forced entry or something proving that she snuck out. Maybe an unlocked window that couldn't be locked from the outside. Also, most importantly, any implication that she is associated with Avarice."

It was at that moment he noticed the Houndour's cry for attention. Clive stepped slowly towards the black canine and gently brushed it away with the back of his hand. "What is it, Houndour?" Now able to fully view the corner, Clive saw the gold colored feather that rest there, tattered. He gently picked it up in his gloved hand, slowly lifting it to eye level as to not damage the feather more. "Hmm, it's a fake feather, the kind they use for clothes." He reached for a sample bag and placed the feather in it, before offering it to Yulia to inspect. "There's a Team Avarice executive that likes to wear feathers like this. Likens himself to Ho-oh."

[Ashen]

Yulia tried not to feel like a burden as she watched Clive remember his duties to his partner. She listened to him as he confirmed her suspicions about their whereabouts. Yulia had never seen Sierra's apartment, and she noted that it looked like any other. The young woman didn't seem to have company often. Certain things were messy, like the clothes thrown on the ground and the empty dishes left about, but other things, like a stereo beside a decent television set, seemed untouched, shrouded in dust. She nodded to Clive, prepared to look over the apartment thoroughly for any indication that someone left without intentions of returning.

She was thankful her partner showed her their find without being prompted. She turned the bag with the feather over, examining it. It was a simple decoration feather, probably from a headpiece or a fancy top of some sort. "He calls himself Phoenix," Yulia said, knowing exactly to whom Clive was referring. "He hadn't shown up in any reports for a long time. I had assumed he wasn't part of Team Avarice anymore. Not that this proves anything, but it's suspicious, certainly." She looked around the room again. How would two people exit an apartment without using the only door?

Yulia silently started down the hall and into Sierra's bedroom. It was a mess, though she couldn't be sure if that was because of Sierra's untidy lifestyle or from another cause. Clothes and towels were thrown about the bed, some sliding off. An open Poke Ball rested on a nightstand, and there was a crack in it that was stained dark red. Beside it was a stone that shone in the colors of the rainbow with a strange black symbol in the middle. "Clive," Yulia called. "Come look at this." She held up the stone. "I didn't know Sierra used a Mega Pokemon. Key Stones are a little pricey nowadays, aren't they?" She motioned towards the Poke Ball. "I wonder if that was her Mega Pokemon. Whatever it was, it's gone now."

She handed the Key Stone to Clive, then checked the window of the room. There was no sign that it had been opened recently. "Teleportation, maybe?" she wondered. "Do you think Whitney would know what kind of Pokemon she used? Maybe a strong psychic type got her out of this one. Or..." She looked back to the living room. "Maybe Phoenix brought a strong psychic type and bailed her out." Yulia speculated to herself, not knowing if Clive was listening. She came up with different possibilities, trying each on to test for loopholes. Finally she turned to Clive. "There's no obvious sign she left. All the windows and the door show that. We're too high for her to have possibly gone underground. What do you think?"

[Headwrapper]

Clive frowned as he took the Key Stone, clearly puzzled. How would he have missed such an object on Sierra's person earlier? She must not have had it when they watched her battle in the Gym. After taking pictures of the room, he placed the Key Stone and the damaged Poke Ball in their own respective sample bags. He did not like what stories they potentially had to tell, but even more so he hated how unclear those stories were. Key Stones were a rarity in Johto. Clive could not count on one hand how many trainers had one, and every one he could think of were much more experienced and skilled than Sierra had seemed to be.

"It is possible they used Teleport to leave. I doubt they could have used a teleportation tile like the kind Team Rocket was said to have invented, but using a Pokemon to do it would be much easier. We should still verify that there isn't an Underground exit, she could have locked the door behind her and went that way as well." He glanced around, eyes carefully scouring the walls, the messes, everything they came across. After a long moment, he sighed. "It will be hard to determine where they went if they did just vanish into the air. I think figuring out where Phoenix has been hiding will help answer that, however. He may have been keeping a low profile, but I'm sure one of his known subordinates has had to have popped up somewhere."

He continued to carefully investigate the rest of the apartment, occasionally stopping to coerce his Houndour to smell something in order to familiarize it with Sierra's scent. After exhausting all avenues for the search, he eventually decided he had enough. When that happened, he approached Yulia. "Well, I don't think there's anything else left for us here, at least for now. We need to look into finding out where Phoenix has been hiding. How about you talk to Whitney about Sierra's Pokemon and try to figure out when she got this Key Stone, and I will review our records to try to find the most recent connection to Phoenix?"

[Ashen]

Yulia nodded slowly along with Clive, considering his thoughts. If a teleportation pad or tile was out of the question, they would be hard-pressed to find out where they had disappeared to. Alakazam was a Pokemon strong enough to manage that, especially one that was mega evolved. Could that have been the missing resident of the Poke Ball? She hadn't seen any trap doors or hidden exits, but she knew that couldn't rule them out entirely. It certainly was a mystery, and she felt the excitement coursing through her veins. Finally, something to solve.

As they were getting ready to leave, Yulia kept her eyes peeled for any last-minute clues. Finding none, she starting thinking of their next courses of action. Clive was giving her tasks to do--did that mean he trusted her as a partner? She nodded at him. "I will also get in contact with the other lovely ladies at Whitney's gym and see if they have seen any other Pokemon used by Sierra. Right, I'll get right on it." She gave Clive a salute. Her smile showed just how pumped she was to do her job.

Later, Yulia was on her way to the Goldenrod Gym alone to find out more about their target. As she walked there, she was lost in her own thoughts. Finding out where Phoenix had been hiding... That might have been a better place to start. The private investigator looked behind her, towards her workplace. Her partner was trusting her now, but she wondered if she might ever trust him. What Clive didn't know, what no one at the Academy had even guessed, was that Yulia had a way to get information out of Team Avarice. She was interested in Phoenix, and she hoped her secret snitch would get her what she wanted. "Freya?" she murmured quietly. "I hope you can give me something."

After speaking with all of the regulars at Goldenrod Gym, Yulia learned little. Sierra did not use any psychic types according to the girls there, meaning this investigation gave her little. When she finished at the gym, she made her way home, all the while trying to get in contact with her source.

[Headwrapper]

It did not take long for Clive to return to his desk at the precinct. He slid into the chair behind his desk, and his hands quickly got to work unlocking his computer as he adjusted his seat. Gears turned and his own mental instructions clicked into place as he preemptively formulated how he would go about his search for a connection to Phoenix. He tapped his fingers, annoyed, as he waited for his computer to fully boot up. After the icons of his desktop had loaded, he went to work.

Clive hardly noticed as others had made there way in and out of the shared office, only looking up when spoken to directly. "You didn't... ditch Yulia, did you?" he heard Natasha say.

Clive initially only responded by pulling the hood of his jacket over his head, but even from beneath the protection of the warm fabric he could feel Natasha's gaze. "She's out on the field. We're about to make some headway with the Avarice case. I can tell." He could hear Natasha hum as she turned and returned to her own desk. There was something more to it, a smile or a grin. Although Clive was not watching, he heard it in that small hum.

After finishing his extensive search, Clive narrowed down on two inmates that were somehow involved with Phoenix. The pair was suspected of working with Phoenix or Team Avarice at some level, but there was no evidence that was admissible in court to support the claims. They ended up being charged and incarcerated for other crimes, however. Clive wondered if after spending time in their cells, if they were more willing to open up about working with Phoenix.

"Olivine City Detention Center..." He mumbled to himself as he stood. He spent the next few hours gathering various records and placing them in his messenger bag, until it was time to call it quits for the day. It was about that time that his Pokemon would want to be out of their Pokeballs for a while.

[Ashen]

Finally, Yulia had established contact. She had a long talk with her snitch, and though she ultimately got less than she'd hoped for, she still had something of a lead. She had a name, and a person who might know a thing or two. That would have to be good enough. After searching at home, Yulia learned that her person wasn't going anywhere, so she took some time to finally relax.

She lost track of time, and by the time she woke up visiting hours were nearly over at the detention center. Swearing under her breath, Yulia grabbed her keys and ran out the door, hoping she would still be able to get what she needed. With Clive gone, she wouldn't have to explain how she had the hunches she did, and when she came back to him with information maybe he'd deem her a worthy partner after all. It was a bit early to make a name for herself, but Yulia hoped this would at least put her into some good books.

When she arrived at Olivine City Detention Center, she noticed she had some fifteen minutes with her contact. She swore again and hurried inside. After flashing her ID, she was allowed to meet with her contact, some man who recognized her instantly. He stared, open-mouthed, at the blue-haired woman behind the glass screen. Yulia kept a straight face, not wanting to give herself away. She hated how these places always smelled, like blood, sweat, and absolute despair. Shaking the thought, she cleared her throat, and she had a chat with the terrified man before her.

A guard came to get her shortly after the beginning of their meeting, so Yulia couldn't get much, but what she did manage to get from this man she planned to look into. She politely thanked the guards and left the detention center, a bad feeling rising in her stomach.

When Yulia got home, she thought to call her partner, but realized it was getting lately. She didn't want to disturb him by texting him, so she thought an email was her best bet. Sitting down at her laptop in her bedroom, she told Clive that she'd met with a former member of Team Avarice at the detention center, and that she had new information on the possible whereabouts of Phoenix. She didn't want to share too much via email, so she promised to speak with him first thing tomorrow morning.

Former Grunt Michael Boston hadn't been with Avarice for a few weeks, but he'd been around just as word of Phoenix was going around. It was The Great Revival, or so the man himself had called it. Phoenix was coming back, though this time his hiding place was unknown even to his closest allies... except. Boston speculated that it was on a remote island, and that there was another lab there where Avarice was storing even more Pokemon and running torturous tests. He'd been in charge Phoenix's tech team, and he'd gotten glimpses of Pokemon they couldn't account for on their main campus, plus essays written by a few names he'd recognized to be a part of Team Avarice. Yulia speculated that Phoenix teleported or flew to such an island, but if the rest of Boston's guesses were true, Avarice was perhaps bigger than expected.

Knowing she needed to relay everything to Clive tomorrow, Yulia spent most of her night researching all that she could, though her results came up moot. Maybe, she hoped, her partner would have some info she could rely on.

[Headwrapper]

After leaving the station, Clive quickly began making his way towards the northern route. A sandwich shop caught his eye on the way, and he stopped to grab himself some food before exiting Goldenrod altogether. As he walked further and further away from the cities northern exit, and less and less people occupied the space around him, his face grew less and less stoic. His jaw loosened, and the wrinkles on his forehead began to relax. Still, he raised his hood over head to avoid making eye contact with the few other wanderers around him. This was his alone time, a necessary time for him to keep his sanity.

Eventually, he reached the national park. His wandering would lead him to a bench a ways away from any others that also visited the park for the evening. After a few silent moments sitting along, Clive reached for his Pokeballs and began to release each Pokemon he had with him. First, an Umbreon, followed by his Houndour, and then a Zorua. "Alright you three, behave yourselves. Especially you, Shroud." He pointed his finger towards the Zorua before leaning back against the bench. He watched silently as the three dark types vanished in the grass, rolling in the dirt and playing with each other.

As he sat, Clive would glide his hand back and forth over the messenger bag, which he placed next to him. Unable to help himself, he reached inside, procuring the damaged Pokeball from inside. His thumb carefully traced the gouges across the front as he inspected it, eventually hunching forward to get a closer look. He remained entirely silent as he angled the Pokeball in front of him, watching how the light played around the deep cuts. After several long moments like this, he returned the Pokeball in its place.

He settled for eating his sandwich silently as he resumed watching his Pokemon play, his Umbreon actively taking a leadership role among the three. He would settle them down when things got too rough, or would keep Shroud from wandering too far. After nearly an hour, Clive stood, threw away his trash, and called for his Pokemon to regroup. It was about time he took them home and fed them.

After walking back the way he came, Clive would return to his apartment. He got his Pokemon settled for the night, and changed into more comfortable clothes: a pullover hoodie and his boxers. He settled on his couch, legs crossed, with his laptop in front of him. He spent some time reviewing the files he had gathered earlier that day, organizing his thoughts. After stopping by the station, he might make the trip to Olivine City and begin probe his man. He wrote questions he wanted to ask in a black, spiral notebook. He also scribbled other thoughts and references to other documents as his eyes glanced back and forth between the notebook and the screen.

The time to call it quits for the night came. Clive reached to his laptop and began to close the lid, when he saw a pop-up for an email from Yulia. He clicked and read her brief message. "What?" he wondered aloud, rereading the words. He wondered what lead Yulia to the detention center, when her task was simply to probe the Gym. No wonder she never returned to the station before Clive left. He supposed it was his fault for not contacting her like a good partner should have.

He grew sick at the thought that she might have somehow screwed something up. Did she get as much information as she could have from whoever she spoke with? Did she receive false info to lead them off trail? Clive usually had a nose for such things, but only if he was there, in person, for the interview. Will whoever she spoke with make contact with Phoenix or Avarice? At the very best, he would warn them of Yulia's appearance and to actively avoid her. At worse, they would seek measures to make her information completely worthless, and will find better ways to hide their evidence. "Ah, shit," he sighed, closing his laptop. He wouldn't know the answer to any of these questions until he met with her tomorrow. No point in getting himself worked up about it right now.

He raised an eyebrow quizzically at a strange ghost Pokemon standing behind his laptop. If memory served, it looked like a Mimikyu. "Shroud, what did I say about doing that without permission?" The illusion of the Mimikyu faded, and the Zorua stood in its place, head lowered in disappointment. Clive laughed, petting the small Pokemon before going to bed.

He awoke the next morning rather early, even earlier than normal. His first thoughts echoed the same as what he was fearing the night before after reading Yulia's email. Still, he pushed on through his morning routine, and made his way to the station, messenger bag and hot cup in hand.

[Ashen]

Yulia awoke to little paws pressing into her cheek. She groggily rolled away, only for her feline friend to follow her, kneading his paws into her chest. "Fritz," she grumbled, pushing the Glameow off. He fell from the bed, gracefully landing on his feet, and hissed at Yulia. That meant it was time for him to eat. Yulia rubbed at her eyes and stared down at her expecting kitty. "You're needier than my ex," she grumbled. Just then, her alarm went off, reminding her of the long day she had ahead of her.

The mirror showed bags she didn't know she had, and as the tired woman finished applying her lipstick, she let out a sigh. She'd stayed up later than expected trying to find more information on Phoenix, but all the newspaper articles and televised programs on him were old and inconclusive. Now she was feeling the effects of her fruitless research. Setting her makeup down, she made her way to the kitchen where her Glameow was still eating, and she made herself a cup of coffee. Today she would talk to Clive about the information she had, but how would she explain her hunches? She didn't want to give away her secret quite so soon, and she reminded herself to be more careful of it so early in her career. For now she would just have to hope he wouldn't ask too much.

The Goldenrod City Police Department opened its doors and welcomed another monotonous day. Yulia walked inside and headed for her desk. She wasn't surprised to see her partner already sitting at his, though there was a new look on his face. He seemed concerned, even panicked, and Yulia wondered if she should approach with caution. She bowed slightly towards him, greeting him with a chipper, "Good morning Mr. Clive." She set her bag down at her desk and rummaged through it for a moment before pulling out a folder filled with papers. "I don't know if you saw my email, but I have some things I think we ought to discuss."

She set the folder on his desk and opened to her handwritten notes. As she pointed to particular parts of her writings, she explained what she had learned, about The Great Revival, about the Pokemon bank larger than expected, about speculations of a deserted island. "I also think he could be hiding in another remote location, like an abandoned woods or a swamp or something of the sort. There are many places across the world where he wouldn't be bothered. Even in my hometown of Snowbelle you could manage to avoid people if you just went hiking through the snow. I think if we found this branch campus it might help us in finding the main campus, and then we could stage a way to take down Avarice once and for all. Or, I think Phoenix is smarter than that, and he probably doesn't enable many people to communicate between campuses. The grunts on the branch campus probably don't even know where the main campus is." She flipped to the last page of her notes, a marked up map of the Jhoto and Kanto regions. "I already jotted down some places I think something like this could be hidden well, but forgive me, I'm not a native of either of these regions and I might be missing several locations. I intend to make the same speculations for other regions too, if given some more time." Notations filled her map, small circles covering forests and caves, with words like "underground?" and "abandoned" marked at certain locations. She'd clearly been busy, but Yulia was painfully aware she was only left with speculations.

Something seemed to occur to her, and she reeled back from the notes. "Oh!" she said suddenly. "Sierra, yes. I asked around at the gym. No one remembers her ever using any psychic-type Pokemon. She hadn't come back to the gym last I checked either, though I can call them shortly and ask again. Do we have any leads on that front?"

[Headwrapper]

"Good morning, Yulia." Clive looked up towards his blue-haired partner as he leaned back in his chair. After a moment he glanced down at the paper cup that was in his hand. A dark, brown ring was dried at the bottom where the liquid once was. The edges were covered in bite marks, and Clive took a moment to run a thumb across them before setting the cup on a coaster off to the side. "Yes, I did see the email," he responded, drawing a long breath as he watched Yulia present her notes.

He listened carefully as the girl spoke, taking in every word. There was no sense in interrupting at this point, but his face still reflected his reactions as he took in and processed the information. The creases on his forehead deepened at the prospect of what was called "The Great Revival." The concept of the lab that tortured Pokemon through testing bothered him, but it was hardly new news. "You're right, the lesser locations should contain clues as to the location of the main campus. They will also be easier to locate, and ultimately shut down." His hand reached for the damaged Pokeball he had been given the day before, which was resting next to his keyboard. In the same way he felt the bite marks on his cup, he ran his thumb over the scratches on the face of the Pokeball.

With his other hand, he pulled Yulia's map of Kanto and Johto towards him. He pointed to a few locations that he felt they should rule out, or at least place lower priority. "We won't have the time or the resources to check every location," he explained. "Suspect locations near cities we might be able to lean on other PD's, but it will be difficult finding time to search all of these more remote locations. He pointed to one labeled spot, not far from Mahogany Town. "This is near the waterfall that the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town trains at. I doubt he would never have noticed an Avarice facility being built. That being said, we could tell him to keep his eyes peeled."

After expressing his concerns with other locations, he settled for leaning back in his chair once more. He swallowed when Sierra was mentioned. He had nearly forgotten about her himself. "Nothing," he sighed. "That reminds me. There's another inmate that has had association with Phoenix at Olivine Detention Center. Do we know if he and Michael Boston may make contact? Even if we are confident with Boston's information, we don't know where this other inmate's loyalties lie." He produced his own notes form the night before that he had pulled together, and pointed to the picture of the man he was referring to.

[Ashen]

At least this time, her partner seemed to be listening to her. Yulia spoke with a new determination as she explained her notes. Talkative as she was, she was used to people brushing her off, often not paying attention to her ramblings. But Clive showed genuine interest, and though she knew he was interested in the case itself and not what she had done to work towards solving it, a sense of pride still tinted her words nonetheless.

Yulia and Clive worked together to rule out possible locations. She was grateful for his expertise in the area, and soon they had a map with a closer focus. Checking all of the locations now would not take the weeks it might have before. When that was done, they moved onto their next lead: people. Sierra was still a dead end, but this new person... Yulia perked up at the mention of a second inmate. She remained quiet as Clive fetched a photograph, then studied the picture carefully. "I don't recognize him," Yulia admitted. "I can't say whether he and Boston have spoken, but Boston certainly didn't mention anyone else. Did you have a chance to speak with him yet?"

In the back of her mind, a headache softly drummed against Yulia's skull. She didn't know if it had anything to do with the man whose photo she was staring at, but she hoped so. Absently her fingers danced into her purse, to a pack of cigarettes half-empty. She had just clocked in; it was a little too early for a smoke break now. Hopefully the headache would die down soon and she could continue work without too much hassle.

She walked over to her desk, grabbed a pad and pen, and made her way back to Clive. She started writing notes to herself, a list of things that ought to be done. "I can get in contact with the police departments in the areas you suggested," she said, writing down names of towns and villages. "I'll contact Mahogany Town's gym leader too--it was Pryce, wasn't it? That should help us to narrow down where we need to look. Later, if we have time, we can go search some of the nearer locations ourselves." Yulia hesitated, then looked between her own desk and Clive's. "That is, if we haven't got other work we ought to be doing? I'm sorry, I should have checked first."

[Headwrapper]

"I haven't spoken to him yet," Clive replied. "Like Boston, he too was brought to Olivine on charges unrelated to Avarice, but based on what is known about him I feel that his loyalties lie with Avarice, or at least they did for a time. I truly wish you had consulted with me before questioning Boston on your own. It would have been simple to question the two of them separately, without the risk of them conspiring. Even if Boston was cooperative, there's no telling if he could have been threatened or coerced by others before or after you had spoken to him."

He shook his head calmly when Yulia questioned if there were other things she should be doing before completing her self appointed tasks around Avarice. "This case is my top priority now. If someone has a problem with you aggressively putting this case above all else, then they should have known better than to pair you with me." His head tilted slightly as he spoke, his voice trailing slowly as he seemed to ponder something else as he spoke.

"Call me once you're done contacting the other PD's," he said, standing quickly and beginning to gather his things. "We can check those satellite branches later tonight. It's probably best we go as a pair." He didn't want to mention that he did not want to risk having to battle should they run into any Avarice while scoping out the areas, and he would rather defer his new partner for such tasks. His Pokemon had their talents, but Clive himself was not much of at trainer when it came to battling. "I shouldn't be long."

[Ashen]

Yulia took her partner's criticism gracefully, though inside she was scolding herself. She couldn't be acting independently, even if her partner wasn't exactly open with her, either. Secrecy would do them no good, and it would result in Avarice getting away with their schemes longer, hurting more people and Pokemon. She'd never forgive herself for that. With promises to check in with Clive more, Yulia ducked back to her desk, her agenda and map in hand, ready to call the departments she'd marked.

But something stopped her. If Clive wanted complete transparency between them, he was going to have a rough time. Yulia's fingers danced at the air above her purse, itching for a cigarette. This mission would be just another thing out of her control. After all, if she spilled all her secrets to Clive, she'd be the one being thrown into prison, perhaps even put to death, without a second thought.

The young detective had to make a conscious effort of removing those thoughts from her head. She absently straightened her pencil skirt and punched a few numbers into her phone, talking to officers at different locations and relaying to them their new tasks. It took her a couple hours to get through her whole list, but she hoped reaching out to so many people would result in something concrete. Crossing out the last destination on her list, Yulia let out a sigh. Glancing at the clock hanging on the wall, Yulia thought she finally deserved her break.

The fresh air did little for her headache. Yulia retrieved a cigarette and a bottle of tablets from her purse. A bad mix, perhaps, but her body was demanding a release, and she was going to get one. Yulia wasn't out long, but as she stood there, watching people and Pokemon bumble about, she thought about Avarice. Would she, with the help of Clive, really be able to stop them? It was a lifelong dream of hers, ever since their foundation, some seventeen years ago. But was it really possible while tricking a seasoned detective and going against what she knew?

Yulia returned to Clive's desk and nodded a greeting. "I've phoned all of the other police departments on our list," she reported. "We ought to head out relatively soon to check the nearby locations. My Pokemon are not meant for the dark, so I'm not sure how helpful I'll be once the sun goes down."

[Headwrapper]

After departing form the office, Clive eventually made his way to the Olivine Detention Center, where is partner had ventured to just the day prior. After introducing himself to the keepers running the place, making sure to flash his badge of course, he was able to secure some time with a specific inmate. Of course, arriving at such short notice, special arrangements needed to be made in order for a private interview to take place. Clive was lead to the empty room typically used for visiting hours.

It was a small room, with various small tables and folding chairs hodgepodged together to make for a barely acceptable sitting area. Clive patiently sat himself down on one of the folding chairs, ignoring that it leaned to one side if he shifted his weight the wrong way. He took a look at his Pokegear as he waited, scanning over the screen blankly. How did anybody manage to get by with the old Pokegears? Nowadays, it was like having all the knowledge in the world on a little screen. Back in the day, you barely got... a radio.

Clive's musings were cut short when one of the guards arrived with the inmate. The detective rose, pulling his sleeves up above his elbows. "Tay Breese?"

"The hell are you?"

Clive glanced over to the keeper of the inmate, giving them a nod. The keeper merely nodded back, stepping back towards the door and standing ready in case they were needed. Clive gave the inmate, Tay, a moment to get himself adjusted on the seat across from him before taking a seat himself. "My name is Clive Oiler. I'm a detective with the GRPD."

Tay gave the detective a confused glance, before shaking his head sourly. "You don't look like no detective. Anyway, I don't answer no questions without my lawyer."

Clive quickly interjected. "I'm not here to question or interrogate you. I just want to talk." His eyes aimed at the opposing man's pale forehead, studying the subtle wrinkles there before continuing. "Okay whatever, you don't believe me when I say I just want to talk. This is just a quick interview. You already have your sentence, so it's not like I can arrest you for anything. I'm hoping you can help me with a different case I'm working on."

Those same wrinkles Clive was studying grew deeper as Tay straightened himself. "Fine, what do you want? Whatever it is I got nothing to do with it anyway."

"I appreciate your willingness to help. Let me cut to the chase. I'm working to locate some people in Team Avarice. I was told you have been one the few inmates with outstanding behavior here. So I was wondering if you heard anything from the other guys inside, and maybe you would be able to clue me in."

"What's in it for me?"

Clive sighed. "That's the same thing I would ask. I really think because of the good behavior on your record, I might be able to cut you a deal to get you out sooner. But you have to cooperate. I can't convince anyone you're a good enough person to be let free if I can't prove you're cooperative."

The creases on Tay's forehead were evident again. After a moment of thought, the man shook his head. "I wish I could help, but I didn't hear anything about Team Avarice in here. It's not really a normal thing that comes up in conversation..."

Clive tapped his fingers on the table, repeating the same series of taps twice before halting himself. "That's unfortunate. But, I want you to know I'm being genuine with my offer to help you. If you do h-" He stopped when he heard the sound of the door he came through earlier open. His head turned slightly, as if to look towards the door, yet he stopped himself from turning completely. Instead, his eyes glanced towards Tay. He noted everything he saw in an instant. The way lump of the man's throat moved as he swallowed, the shifting of his eyes as he studied who had just entered the room, the telltale lines of his forehead.

After the brief moment, Clive finally turned his head to find the image of Yulia stepping towards him. "We're going to be late," she snapped, crossing her arms.

"Right." Clive pulled his card from his pocket and slid it towards Tay. "Anything, just let me know. Seriously," he said with a nod.

Tay's gaze shifted between the blue haired woman that entered the room and the detective immediately in front of him. "Sure," he quickly spat. Clive bid his good-byes, prompting the guard to escort the inmate back into the jail. After signing himself out, Clive quickly marched away from the Olivine detention center. Once he and his partner were far enough away from any onlookers, the image of Yulia faded, leaving only a small Zorua behind.

"That was incredible, Shroud." Clive smiled as he glanced down towards his Pokemon. After petting the Zorua's dark fur, he returned it to its Pokeball. The man stood for a moment, reflecting on the image of Yulia crossing her arms and frowning at him for being "late". "I think I like the rude one more."

Clive ventured his way back to the office, eventually meeting back up with the real Yulia. "Let's get to it then," he said in response to her suggestion. "If it gets dark, that will make discreet surveillance even easier and hopefully alleviate any risk that we'll get in any battles. My Pokemon will be able to help us make our way around." He stood up, zipping up his jacket and fluffing up the hood. "I'm guessing the other PD's are able to cover the large cities? You'll have to bring me up to speed on which ones are willing to offer us some coverage. We should focus on the remote areas that won't be covered. I think you had an area of Ilex Forest highlighted on your map."

[Ashen]

As they started out, Yulia was pulling out the map she and Clive had marked up earlier, relaying the information she'd gotten from the phone calls she'd made earlier. Most of the other police departments were willing to help, but some, like those located in large cities, were too busy to lend much aid. Yulia made speculations about these cities, guessing Avarice wouldn't be operating around such large populations of people, but that anything was possible. She mused the entire way to Ilex Forest, laying out possibilities for Clive as much as she was thinking through things for herself.

The sun was setting, but in the forest it already appeared to be night. Yulia looked around at the dark woods, noticing several Pokemon shuffling around. "Celebi is rumored to live here, isn't it?" she asked, the only thing the Kalos native knew about this forest. She softly padded through the grass and was surprised by a Farfetch'd that hopped out of a bush and cawed at her before scurrying off. Yulia remained composed and turned towards her partner. "You don't suppose Avarice would be trying to kidnap a mythical Pokemon like Celebi, do you? I can't really put it past them, but... Poor Celebi." She turned towards the path leading deeper into the forest and shrugged. "I guess the only way to find out is to look for clues."

Yulia removed a Poke Ball from her bag and threw it into the air. Large wings started beating powerfully, and her Braviary emerged with a caw. Valkyrie flew to Yulia and nuzzled her before awaiting orders. "Alright Val," she told him, "we need to look for some clues here, okay?" She looked to the ceiling of trees and wondered just how well her bird Pokemon would be able to see in the dark. "We think Avarice may have connections here, so we're trying to make sure. Let's see what we can find."

Yulia split from Clive and his Pokemon to search the forest faster. The woods were empty except for the wild Pokemon wary of them. Yulia was thankful for that, and she was sure Clive wouldn't have wanted to deal with any people, either. Altogether, they combed through the entire forest, giving special attention to the shrine located in the center. After the fruitless search, Yulia made her way back to Clive. "I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary," she said, though a nearby rustling caught her eye. She looked back to Clive when she realized it was only a dark-colored Pichu scampering away from her intimidating Pokemon. "If you haven't found anything either, we can mark this place off our list." She sighed and turned towards the shrine. "At least they haven't set their sights on mythical Pokemon," she mused. "Yet."

[Headwrapper]

Clive gently tossed a Poke Ball from one hand to the other as Yulia mused about Celebi. "It wouldn't be the first time some idiots would try to take advantage of Celebi, let alone other powerful and special Pokemon" He dug a boot into the grass beneath him. "It's dark, the trees are thick. If they were smart about it they could easily hide here."

He watched as Yulia's Braviary appeared from its ball, and promptly turned to split towards the other side of the forest. He lazily turned his wrist to release his Umbreon, whose naturally luminescent rings helped light the way through the forest. Together, they sifted between trees, around the small pond within the forest, and even through most of the tall grass after Clive sprayed himself with a Repel. Like Yulia and Valkyrie, their search would also bare no findings.

"We didn't find anything either," Clive sighed when he and Yulia found each other. "I have time for another one. Got your map?"

[Ashen]

From the looks of things, not even Clive and his illuminating Umbreon could find anything out of the ordinary in this forest. Yulia didn't consider this a loss; taking her map out of her back, she put an X through the circle she had drawn around Ilex Forest and wrote a note to herself of the time and date they finished checking it. Listening to Clive, Yulia nodded absently and searched her map for a nearby location they could check. Two places off their map would be better than none, so she scanned the map of Johto and pointed to a landmark not far from where they were.

Slowpoke Well wasn't far at all from Ilex Forest. Located on the edge of Azalea Town, the two would easily be able to walk there in a short time. Yulia knew little about the man-made cave. It was dark enough that people would be able to hide there without being noticed, and it was located towards the middle south of the Johto region, providing a strategic location for an organization as far-reaching as Team Avarice. She'd chosen this location with hopes that it would lead them to some sort of clue, but the woman also had other motives. She'd seen Slowpoke before, had fallen in love with their smiling faces and long tails, but Yulia knew their home in Azalea was a tourist spot, and she thought it might be fun to do some sightseeing while searching with her partner.

Yulia started off eastward, assuming Clive would follow her. "We should check Slowpoke Well before we call it a day," she suggested. "It's situated in a strategic location and it's tucked away underground. If Avarice had any connections to other places underground, we might be able to find some sort of railroad or something. If not, at the very least, Slowpoke's face makes things seem less stressful, wouldn't you say?" She didn't expect Clive to acknowledge her optimism, but she thought maybe the man could do with some carefree little Pokemon in his life.

[Headwrapper]

Clive nodded, clearly in agreement with Yulia's observations. "It would make a lot of sense. We're not too far off anyway." He joined the young detective eastward, easily matching her stride. As they trekked, they rounded a long, deep pond. The darkness of the forest made the water appear dark, painted with the colors of a starless night sky. Only the faint glow of Umbreon's rings seemed to reflect off of the black mirror painted across the forest floor.

People and Pokemon, living in harmony. That was the vision that humans grew up learning to strive for. Clive wondered if Pokemon ever thought the same? Would it not be easier to live in serenity, hidden among the trees or beneath the silent waters?

His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of a man-made structure, seemingly as intrusive to the forest as it was Clive's mind. The building jutted through the trees, a and a set of double doors served as the entrance. This was the check gate that often separated routes, towns, and cities in Johto. Clive hastened, approaching the doors before Yulia and marching through. He halted to hold one of the doors open for his partner, though he did not even bother looking back to make sure she stepped through, only trusting that she would.

Once they exited the opposite end of the building, they found themselves in Azalea town.

"Poooooke.

A Pokemon on the detectives' right yawned loudly. Unsurprisingly, it was a Slowpoke, dozing beneath the shade that a small wooden sign offered. The wrinkles around Clive's lips smoothed slightly, although he did not bother smiling. He merely considered the Slowpoke for a short moment, before then tightening his jacket around his collar and continuing onward.

There were plenty more Slowpoke around the town, of course. Most of them were sleeping, and the ones that were not seemed to do nothing but stand still or lay on their bellies, a blank expression strewn across their faces. Their eyes were large and round, and did not seem to betray much. Their long pink tails seemed to always curl, the white tips dangling lightly just above their heads.

"Well, it definitely seems like none of the Slowpoke think anything is amiss," Clive observed. "Not sure if they ever would have a reaction even if they did."

[Ashen]

Yulia knew Slowpoke were common in Azalea, but she hadn't been expecting one to greet them at the edge of town. She jumped a bit at its loud yawn, but once she saw the cute face of the slow Pokemon she smiled. "It's so cute!" she mused, bending down and offering it some pats. "Hey little guy. Are you doing a good job guarding your town?" When she looked up again, Clive was already starting away. She straightened and trailed after him, noticing the way he clutched at his jacket. Was he nervous around the harmless pink Pokemon?

They made their way to Slowpoke Well, walking through small colonies of its namesake in the process. Yulia had never seen such large gatherings of Slowpoke before, and she found the dumb-looking things endearing. She wondered how the townsfolk felt about these Pokemon, and she imagined herself living in such a place. Waking up to a large, yawning mouth, a low rumble of a roar, maybe even next to a special someone... She glanced towards her partner, and she almost laughed out loud. Now wasn't the time for daydreaming. She had to get to work.
'
Slowpoke Well was darker than Yulia anticipated. She strained her eyes against the darkness, seeing wide eyes and blurs of pink. Even more Slowpoke were gathered here, unaware or unbothered by her and her partner. Too dark to see, Yulia decided this was a job she'd need help with. She pulled a Poke Ball from her satchel and gently tossed it into the air. Soon, a Skorupi landed on the ground with a soft thud. She made frantic noises, but once she laid her eyes on her master, she relaxed, if only slightly. "Ivy," she cooed, "are you up for this task? I need you to help me out, since it's too dark, okay?" The Skorupi paused, then burrowed under ground, her tail peeking above the earth. Yulia knelt down and tickled the tail, causing the Skorupi to resurface. She shot into the cave, leaving Yulia jogging to catch up. "Let's start searching," she called to Clive. She dug around her bag for her flashlight, keeping an ear out for her Skorupi. The small bug was inexperienced when it came to field work, but Yulia knew she'd detect a grunt faster than any of her other Pokemon.

[Headwrapper]

Clive took a long breath of the cool, damp air of Slowpoke Well. The smells of Azalea Forest coming off of his clothes made him feel out of place here. With the subtlest of interest, he watched as Yulia called on her Skorupi, and the brief interaction that took place afterward. The woman's blue hair was barely visible in the darkness, and eventually the color faded as she disappeared deeper into the cave.

Clive glanced down towards his Umbreon before offering him a knowing nod. "Let's see what we can find." As he and Umbreon slowly and methodically ventured deeper into the cave, Clive began to wonder if Avarice would even bother with a place that is visited so often. He could barely make up footsteps on the cave's floor, thanks to the help of Umbreon's glowing rings. They were random, stomped into the earth by dozens or hundreds of visitors excited to see where the majority of Azalea's Slowpoke resided.

The footsteps ended where the reflection of Umbreon and Clive's figures began. For the first time since entering the cave, Clive turned on his own flashlight, shining it over the expanse in front of him. A large pool of water was lain before him, and even darker painting than the pond back in the forest, other than the dispersed globs of pink lain out over the rocks or poking their heads out of the water. He rolled up one of his sleeves as he lent down, sticking his arm into the water. The water's icy cold bit at his arm as he lowered it deeper, until he stopped, realizing he could not touch the bottom without getting his clothes wet. "Well, they never make it easy, do they?"

The detective stood up, glancing around for his partner. He wondered if she could use any of her Pokemon to venture deeper into the cave, over the long pool of water. From what he could tell, it rounded a corner farther along, and there was no way of knowing what was lying ahead from where he was standing.

Clive merely stood for a minute, waiting for his partner to come into view, before finally deciding waiting was not the answer. He cleared his throat. "Yuli-... Yulia!" he called out. It felt strange calling out his partner's name, probably because he hardly bothered addressing her directly anyway.

[Ashen]

Yulia was busy getting her Skorupi to cooperate. The frightened Pokemon moved frantically around the cave in search of any clues, and when she didn't find any, she squealed in fear, as if she believed she might get hurt from a disappointed master. Yulia instead praised the poison bug with a gentle pat on the head. "We'll just keep looking," she assured, and she carried on throughout the cave.

She couldn't find much. Slowpoke Well was filled with signs of people, tourists eager to check out this famous attraction, townsfolk coming down to check on the inhabitants of the cave, and of course the countless pink Pokemon that yawned when Yulia and Ivy walked by them. There was nothing out of the ordinary, not that she was sure what out of the ordinary would look like. How would she know if any of these footprints were of a Team Avarice grunt? She and Ivy found little to go on, and she hoped her partner was having better luck.

Then she heard it, the awkward sound of Clive calling her name. She turned sharply, hand already flying to her head in salute. Had he called her by name before? She looked at the second Clive in the water, the wavering blurry one on the surface. "Oh," she said, "You think there might be a path through the water. Good idea!" She knelt down besides the water and felt it. This, the ice that ran up her skin, this felt like home. The water was deep, and she'd have little luck finding much without resurfacing for air, but... She got up again and pulled out a second Poke Ball. Throwing it into the air, she watched a large icy bear fall to the ground with a roar, startling several of the Slowpoke around for only a second before they resumed their carefree night.

Zita looked into the water with a nod of understanding. The Beartic was accustomed to cold waters, and so she dove straight in. Yulia stepped away, too late for her to avoid the splash her polar bear Pokemon had made. Wringing out the edge of her pencil skirt, she turned to Clive. "Hopefully she finds something," she said cheerily. Then she sat down to wait.

It wasn't long before Zita resurfaced. She climbed out of the pond in one elegant motion and shook a few droplets of water from her fur. In only a single glance, Yulia knew that her Pokemon had found no leads. "There's nothing," she said to Clive. "It would make sense that they wouldn't want to set up a base somewhere so populated. I don't think you can walk anywhere here without being seen by a Slowpoke." She recalled both her Pokemon and shrugged. "We've made a lot of progress today though! I'll mark this place off on my map. Then I think we ought to call it a night, huh?"

[Headwrapper]

Clive watched the silent interaction between Yulia and her Pokemon patiently, curious as the bear dove into the cool water of the well. He managed to stand just outside the edge of the splash zone the Beartic created with its descent, only moving slightly to shake out his legs give his Umbreon a quick scratch on the head. He simply offered Yulia a small shrug in response to her hopes that Zita would find some sort of clue. Clive knew well that the task at hand required diligence, and he was fully prepared to turn many stones before finding the one that mattered.

When the Beartic returned, confirming that there was nothing of interest beyond the pool of water, Clive let out a brief "Hmm" before nodding and returning his own Pokemon to its ball. "Well, it was worth the effort. We were out here anyways. And if Avarice really does have some sort of lab it would be hard to up and move it, so it's not like we won't catch up to it eventually." He paused, had Yulia's optimism started to rub off on him? No, he was never easily discouraged, he was simply voicing his thoughts aloud, something he never really had to do while working solo.

The duo made their way back to their homes, content and exhausted from the night's search. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, they would follow a similar routine: starting their day for a variable amount of time in the office, before branching out to one of the locations marked on the map. Finding some sort of hideout or secret Avarice lab was not a simple task to complete, however, that did not mean their searches were not fruitful. As different people across Johto learned of their roles as detectives, they often tipped them off to potential clues or reported Avarice related activities that were not known to the GRPD before.

Clive also began to find a new appreciation for his partner. Of course, her proficiency as a trainer was a huge bonus, helping them to accomplish certain tasks faster than Clive and his Pokemon could on their own. There was however, more to be admired. Unlike most people, Yulia was usually willing to go the extra mile when needed in order to satisfy Clive's desire for diligence. There were even nights that the pair rested in a Pokemon Center, just to extend their search an extra day before returning home.

Clive stood in the office one morning, holding a warm paper cup in one hand as he looked over a blown up version of Yulia's map that was posted up on the wall. Next to the map was a large whiteboard, with notes scrawled all over and various arrows pointing in different directions, creating a constellation. Usually, Clive kept most of his notes on his own laptop, but discussing things over with Yulia became too much of a chore without both of them having a proper visual.

Natasha approached the detective, giving the map and the notes a glance over before she spoke. "So you and Yulia sure have covered a lot of ground over these past couple of weeks, huh?"

"I think so," Clive replied, shrugging his shoulders. "But we have a lot more to do. And both of us have some lukewarm leads to follow should any of them get hot."

"Hmm. Well, good thing you have a partner who can keep up. You seem to be getting along much better than before." She shot Clive a glance, speaking again before he could interject. "She compliments you well, much like Jean and I do. Shit, I bet she's figured out you drink hot chocolate in the mornings just to pretend you drink coffee like everyone else." She laughed, turning away to leave the office. She raised a hand over her head. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me!"

Clive shook his head as Natasha left, only grinning slightly once she was completely out of view. The secret about the hot chocolate was the least of his worries... Although, he would rather Yulia not know about that.

[Ashen]

Over the next couple weeks, Yulia came to fall in love with her job. This was the part she had enjoyed most while studying at the academy, but better: she was out in the field, searching for clues, making undeniable progress in narrowing down her search. Her efforts might have seemed insignificant to many, but to her, she truly felt she was getting closer to bringing down the elusive goons of Team Avarice.

Another impossible accomplishment, she was getting closer to Clive. The stolid man seemed to be opening up to her bit by bit, and in the shared conversations over bites to eat, Yulia found him smiling more often. There was a spark in his eyes when they talked about new clues, an urgency to solve this case, a passion that the man she'd first met had lacked. She was growing more used to having him around. He was enthusiastic, but rarely outwardly so, and Yulia appreciated that about him, in the way he worked, in the way he interrogated and investigated. Yulia still had a lot to learn about this job, but she was learning more and more each day, and she had Clive to thank for that.

Today, she had a special lead, and as she readied herself in her apartment she was practically bouncing on the heels of her feet. Her Glameow, Fritz, watched her with suspicious eyes. She was cheerier than usual, the cat Pokemon noticed, and he couldn't understand why. He didn't care much either; the spoiled kitty rarely cared more about anything other than his breakfast. He meowed impatiently as his master pulled on her skirt and yanked her hair into a ponytail. Irritated, he slunk from her bedroom to go to the kitchen, where he would undoubtedly punish Yulia for not paying attention to him fast enough.

And sure enough, Yulia did find a pile of spilled Pokepuffs in the kitchen when she finally was ready. "Fritz," she muttered, already bending down to clean up the ones that were not half-eaten. When she finally finished, she left a bowl of food out for her Pokemon and went to her car, where she started the drive to the Goldenrod Police Department. Finally, she had something to offer Clive, something that wasn't speculation or a location marked off the list. She had a real lead, somewhere they could go to get somewhere, and she could hardly believe her luck.

When she got to work, she all but tripped out of her car in excitement. She briskly walked to her desk and spotted Clive talking with Natasha--or, as was usually the case, Natasha talking at Clive. Yulia pretended not to pay attention to Clive's secrets about hot chocolate or coffee, and she walked straight to her desk. After greeting Natasha warmly, she pulled her briefcase onto Clive's desk. "I have a lead," she said, her words tumbling out of her grinning mouth.

She'd been sent on an investigation the previous day, and she'd come back with something to make all previous investigations worth it. In truth, Yulia hadn't been feeling well, and she had passed out for some time on-site. This, however, wasn't too uncommon for the migraine-sufferer, and she thought nothing of it. But she had come to in time to notice an Avarice grunt wandering around. After a quick confrontation and a Pokemon battle, she'd learned from the grunt that there was to be a grand attack on Saffron City. The grunt hadn't known much, just that they would steal a lot of Pokemon from Sabrina's gym during a festival of some kind in only a few days. Yulia had let the grunt go, as per their agreement, and she was confident that she and Clive would be able to get to Saffron's gym before anything bad happened.

Yulia told Clive as much, waiting for his response. "We should phone Sabrina in advance," she suggested, "and get there as soon as we can to look for clues until the festival starts."

[Headwrapper]

As Clive stepped away from map and board mounted on the office wall, he noticed Yulia not far from her desk. He could tell she was excited about something, what with the way she was practically leaping out of her shoes with every step, and grin across her face. Sure enough, as soon as Clive approached, Yulia turned and placed her briefcase on his desk, sharing her news promptly afterwards.

The more senior detective listened patiently as he processed the information shared by his partner. However, he, too, would grow more excited as the critical details of Yulia's story came to light. Granted, his personality did not yield the same ecstatic behaviors as Yulia's, but the signs were still there. His eyes widened as they glanced down at his desk and back to his partner's face, the forever-wrinkles on his forehead nearly vanishing as his expression opened up. "Well shit, Yules, that's a good find." He glanced down at his PokeGear for a moment, before looking back to his partner with a determined gaze. "Let's not waste any time. We'll need to talk to the chief before communicating with the Saffron police and Sabrina. From there we can catch the next Magnet Train to Saffron. The trip shouldn't take more than an hour from the station."

Following Clive's remarks, they did not waste any time. Clive boldly stepped into the chief's office, sharing the information his partner had found, and they quickly were able to get in touch with the chief at the SPD. Clive and Yulia were entrusted with updating the law enforcement at Saffron of Avarice's plans, as well as advise on how they can protect the citizens and Pokemon from the attack. Being the only true experts on Avarice's dealings, it was imperative that the pair remained in the Saffron area until the threat had passed. Clive was convinced of this fact, and it did not take much to convince the chiefs of both cities as well.

As soon as Clive and Yulia were travel ready, they made their way to the Magnet Train Station not far from the GRPD headquarters. There was an available train fairly regularly, so the pair did not need to wait very long after arriving to board an available car. "Ever ride in one of these before?" Clive asked his partner, politely ushering her ahead of him with a wave of his arm.

[Ashen]

Clive wasn't one to show his emotions, but Yulia could see the excitement creep onto his face, too. He was looking forward to this just as much as she was, looking forward to bombarding Avarice before they could ever know what hit them. Already she was dreaming of how it would all go down: the day would come where Avarice would start their attack, perhaps with smokescreen to shield them from view, and they would try to steal Pokemon at the festival, but Yulia and Clive would be there, crimefighting duo, expecting them, ready with their own Pokemon and a set of handcuffs for each grunt that thought they would get away with this. It sounded like some sort of comic book, Yulia thought. She laughed to herself at that. The Adventures of Clive and Yulia. She was sure Natasha would get a kick out of that one later.

Yulia took some time to call both the Saffron City Police Department and Sabrina herself just as Clive contacted the right people. They were expecting them, and Yulia expressed excitement in working with them to put a stop to Avarice once and for all. Once she hung up, she wondered if perhaps she'd seemed too excited, but thought better than to dwell on such things.

They wasted no time getting ready, and in a short while they were at the train station. Magnet trains were impressive things, Yulia thought, and she wondered how her isolated childhood in Snowbelle might have been different had she had such quick access to the rest of her region. They came frequently enough, so in only a few minutes Yulia was stepping onto one with Clive by her side. "No," she answered shyly, "we don't have much in the ways of technology where I'm from. We're a bit too far from the rest of the region." As the train began to move, Yulia became fascinated with its speed. "You probably take things like this for granted," she mused, "but this is actually really incredible. I'm glad I can experience this with you."

In less than an hour, their train was pulling into the station in Saffron City. The trip had seemed much shorter, as Yulia was so caught up in her thoughts. She was far too excited, she thought, and she didn't know how she would last the days until the attack. Her head was thrumming against her skull already, and absently her fingers reached into her purse for a cigarette. Remembering where she was, she tossed it back and turned to Clive. "What a pretty city," she said cheerily. "It'll be so exciting to live here for a little while."

She pulled out a map from her purse as she was stepping off the train. "So, Sabrina," she said, reminding herself of her objective. "That would be... here." She pointed to the building on her map, then found the station. "Not far at all. Sabrina will be expecting us. I warned her over the phone already, but I thought I'd give her a visit as well. Should we book a hotel?" When was the last time she'd stayed with a guy? Had she ever? Yulia scolded herself. Such childish thoughts. Clive was her partner, her trusted companion after all. Still, she was sure they'd both come back to Natasha poking fun.

[Headwrapper]

Clive took a long look around the station as he and Yulia exited the train, casually making his way outside. Saffron city was similar to Goldenrod in a lot of ways, but it was definitely the larger and more crowded of the two cities. Even from the front of the train station, the large tower of the Silph Company's headquarters can be seen, standing tall above the rest of the massive buildings of the city. Everything was structured efficiently in order to pack so many buildings and people so densely. The roads and walkways were meticulously labeled, and the residential buildings were lain out evenly like bricks.

"We should speak to Sabrina, as well as convene with law enforcement here," Clive began, tightening his bag against his back. "Someone from the office should be working on getting us rooms in a hotel. Oh, actually..." As he was speaking, Clive noticed a message left on his PokeGear. He tapped on the screen and quickly scanned the message. His face scowled, the wrinkles on his forehead appearing more prominent. "They're uh, working on the rooms. I guess with the events taking place in the city this week, it is difficult to get two rooms in the same hotel for a few consecutive days. They said we have at least a room with two beds, and working on the second."

He shrugged before starting in the direction of Sabrina's Gym. "No sense in worrying about it right now, I'm sure they'll figure it out."

The walk from the station to the gym was a short one, made easier by the clear walkways of Saffron City. Clive stopped briefly to peek inside a window of the Dojo next door to the city's real gym, before his face twisted at the sight of muscleheads and their musclehead-type pokemon and he hurried over to the gym's entrance. He lead the way into the gym, only to be greeted with the sight of a large group of law enforcement, and a trainer standing between them all. Clive immediately recognized the trainer as the Gym Leader, Sabrina, with her long black hair and eyes that seemed to gaze beyond what was in front of her.

"I foresaw your arrival," Sabrina said, calmly. "I felt it would save everyone time if you had the chance to speak with me and the SPD in the same place." She slowly stepped out from the large bundle of uniformed officers and detectives, and extended her hand to shake Yulia's and Clive's. "I am Sabrina, the Gym Leader of Saffron City." She turned her head towards Clive, interrupting a question forming on his lips. "My powers are not able to give me glimpses about everything, in fact, I have not yet been able to sense anything foretells of Avarice's plans for the festival that your partner has warned us about."

[Ashen]

As they started their walk to the Saffron City Gym, Yulia's thoughts were swimming. She was already planning; she'd have so many people to talk to, so many clues for seek, so many sights to see. Work was a priority, of course, but Yulia wanted to take in this big city, to explore the larger-than-life buildings and experience the culture of a place with far more people than her tiny town could ever manage. The festival preparations were already underway, with a few banners hanging from buildings and street signs boasting a huge celebration. Between her breaths of excitement, a familiar fear crawled down her spine. So many people, so many bright colors and interesting Pokemon, just like it had been back then.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Clive suddenly checked his PokeGear. So, there was a possibility they'd be sharing a room. Yulia noticed the way Clive seemed to grow uncomfortable at that, and she nearly laughed out loud. She didn't much care; she would do what she needed to, but Clive... Had he ever even had a girl in his life? The thought of him, ever stolid and cold, bumbling about a shared room with blushes under his skin, amused her greatly, enough to make her forget the trauma that had just stirred up within her mind.

The gym was filled with all sorts of people, but Yulia was surprised to find police officers waiting for them. She cast a curious gaze towards Clive but said nothing. Walking inside, Yulia greeted the creepy gym leader with a smile. So, Sabrina had planned all this. She bowed her thanks. Once introductions were underway, Yulia explained in greater detail what she had witnessed, how she knew about the future attack, and her plans on stopping Team Avarice the day of the festival. As she spoke, however, she felt a dull ringing in the back of her mind, a quivering fear, a terrified girl begging to be let out.

When the briefing was done, Yulia excused herself. She stepped outside and clutched at a cigarette. "Stop it," she mumbled to herself. Lighting her cigarette, she also dove into her purse for some painkillers, a combination she had been warned about too many times. She threw them back without water and nearly choked on the mix. Taking a long drag, Yulia shifted. She was excited; that much was clear from the pounding of her heart and the dance in her soul. She was going to stop an attack from Avarice, saving who knew how many Pokemon, and hopefully bringing many grunts' time with the organization to an end. She hadn't been expecting this, though, these repressed memories, the trickling terror that came with the thought of going to a festival. She needed to get away from her own thoughts, but how?

Yulia was only gone for a few minutes, and when she returned, she walked back to Clive. "Sorry about that," she murmured, and she wondered if her partner could smell the smoke on her breath. She'd never been one to hide her habit, but absently she wondered what he thought about it, how he perceived it. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Maybe getting something to eat would be the distraction she needed, she hoped. She motioned towards Sabrina, talking to one of the police officers. "Are they up to date? Maybe we can get something while they figure out hotel arrangements, yeah? I'd love to try whatever cuisine is popular here."

[Headwrapper]

Clive had been standing with his face buried in his PokeGear at the time Yulia returned to the inside of the gym. Occasionally he glanced upward to watch his Umbreon chase after one of Sabrina's Abra, only for the psychic Pokemon to teleport a few paces away. Neither Clive nor Sabrina seemed to mind allowing the Pokemon play together, as both were clearly tending to other matters. Clive hurriedly finished typing and sending a message once Yulia approached, and turned to face his partner.

He faintly picked up the scent of cigarette smoke from Yulia, which he had grown accustomed to during their travels together. It was a common habit to have, especially in their line of work. Much like caffeine, it was never something Clive allowed himself to crave. There was only enough time and energy for him to focus on his work, after all. "Yeah, they're pretty well caught up," he said, glancing back towards Sabrina and the officer she was speaking to. "The festival is scheduled to go on, as planned, but the security detail will be much higher profile."

The detective gave his PokeGear a quick glance one more time before looking back to Yulia. "You're right that it's about time we ate." After recalling his Umbreon, Clive bid the Saffron gym leader and the Saffron City law enforcement good bye, noting that they will meet again the next day to prepare for the festival and the potential attack from Team Avarice. Within moments he and Yulia were back on the yellow-brick streets of Saffron. Clive was fairly certain the hotel it was planned for them to stay in had a restaurant, but he wanted to stall before having to check in. The office at GRPD may just need the extra bit of time to get them a more ideal rooming situation.

He pointed down the street he and Yulia had walked down to reach the Saffron Gym. "I think I saw a few steakhouses on the way over here. Not really sure if that's going to be the go-to spot or not. What do you think?"

[Ashen]

Yulia let her mind wander in response to Clive's suggestion, picturing the delicate and expensive meats they would have available in a city restaurant. A steakhouse sounded perfect, just the thing to satisfy her hunger, though she wondered if perhaps the setting was a bit too formal? She and Clive, entering a restaurant by themselves, dressed in the formality of their uniforms; what would onlookers think? She looked over her partner, at his small eyes, his smile-less lips. He was handsome, in a way, probably even above her if she were batting for that team... Shaking her head, she dismissed the childish thoughts. "Sure," she responded, "let's check it out."

The smell wafting from the first steakhouse they passed was enough to pull Yulia into its comfortable atmosphere. Diners filled the tables, each dressed in their own business casual way. The lighting was dull here, almost romantic, and the waitress greeted them with a bright smile and a chipper, "Table for two?" Once shown to their seats, Yulia was amused at the menu, laminated and inked with unique patterns across the borders of the paper. She read over some of the dishes--sautéd Tauros, pan-seared Bouffalant, sirloin Miltank--and her mouth began to water. When was the last time she'd eaten at such a place? "What a menu," she murmured, eyeing the T-bone Camerupt herself. "So many choices..."

Once the waitress had returned to their table, bringing with her the drinks they'd asked for, she took their orders and scurried off again. Now, alone with Clive, Yulia watched him curiously. Perhaps now was the time to tell him about her trauma? A new pain blossomed in her head, this one coming from above left ear and working its way towards her back. She winced at it, knowing its cause and not wanting to yet do anything about it. It would be a safety hazard, she thought, not telling him. "Clive?" she mumbled quietly. She realized she might not be audible over the murmur of the restaurant, so she cleared her throat and tried his name again. "We should talk about something."

She twirled the straw in her glass of water, watching as the ice cubes dipped below the surface. "I'm from Snowbelle City," she said, something she'd surely told him before. "We didn't have much in the way of festivals. It was too cold to. My parents worked all the time, and I was an only child, so I spent many of my lonely days playing with Zita in the snow in the Winding Woods near town. But, well, one day, there was a festival coming to Lumiose City. I begged my parents to take me, which involved taking off from work and making the lengthy journey to the center of the region. It was... a big deal, and I'm still not sure why they agreed. So finally, I left my small Snowbelle, and I was in the big city.

"I imagine that festival was a lot like this one will be. There were people and Pokemon everywhere, and so much food, and decorations, and games... It was paradise for me. I remember being so excited I couldn't talk straight. We spent hours there, me hopping to every game or attraction. I even got Papa to try and win me a stuffed Pokemon, though I don't remember if he did. But eventually, I found a balloon I really wanted, a yellow one. It was all by itself, so I tried to grab for it, but it seemed to float away. I kept chasing it, and next thing I knew, I was away from the festival, lost, and I was staring into the eyes of a Drifloon. I didn't know what was happening, I was too little, but I started crying for my Mama and Papa. Then a different Pokemon came, a Hypno, and it scared the Drifloon away. It wanted me, or more accurately, it wanted to feed on my dreams. And, well, it did, for weeks. It was only after I returned home that I even knew how long I had been okay. I didn't talk for a couple years after the incident, I was so spooked. Those weeks were agony, being kept only to see vivid nightmares in my sleep, captured like a puppet and used to be tortured. I'll... never forget it."

Yulia cleared her throat. Her gaze had fallen to her glass again, but her hand was still at her straw. Had she ever spoken about what had happened to anyone but her ex? She wasn't even finished, she hadn't told him everything, but she didn't know how much more she could talk about. Her head, now pounding, was preventing her from even thinking straight. She shook her head lightly, still avoiding his gaze. "It's been years since then," she said, trying to keep her voice more level. "I'm alright. I've learned to cope, and now it's a part of my past like any other. I just..." She turned to the window towards the entrance of the restaurant, towards the streets of Saffron. "I haven't been to a festival since, and I just wanted you to know, in case anything happens."

Within her mind, a little girl screamed to be acknowledged. No, Yulia hadn't told Clive everything that had happened, but would any of the rest of her story matter? If Clive only knew, he'd trust her less, would perhaps send her to the jail cells they were trying to use for the Avarice grunts. Yulia didn't know what sort of future she'd hold with Clive, but she knew she couldn't destroy what they had now, not from running her mouth about her buried trauma.

[Headwrapper]

After being seated, Clive leaned back casually in his chair as he looked through the menu. Unsurprisingly, he did not display the same interest and excitement that Yulia did, only silently glancing back and forth between different options on the menu and offering a quick "Hmm" when Yulia commented about the options. Upon making his decision, he laid the menu back on the table as he peered around the dimly lit restaurant. He actually quite liked the lighting itself, its softness soothing to the eyes. He was sure some psychologist somewhere thought that lulling the sense of sight would bring out other senses, making the food taste better and all of that, but Clive was content with just being in the dark.

His eyes wandered from table to table, observing the other diners briefly before moving on to the next group. Business people chatted up a storm over drink and prime cuts of meat that they could charge on their companies' dimes, small groups of young adults laughed loudly as they shared the newest viral videos on their PokeGears, and couples both young and old quietly enjoyed each others' company, hardly looking away from each other as they talked and ate. Inwardly, Clive was glad to see people enjoying their lives. Although he was only observing from the outside, he knew that without the work he and his colleagues dedicated themselves to, this kind of peace would never exist.

Clive snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Yulia call his name rather loudly, only then realizing how long he had been ignoring his partner sitting across from him. His expression quickly grew somber as Yulia began speaking, clearly identifying that whatever she was about to say was rather important. Almost automatically, his eyes watched Yulia carefully, memorizing her expressions as she spoke, his peripheral vision catching subtle body language.

The detective winced as soon as a Hypno was mentioned in Yulia's story. Clive knew all too well how Hypno and Drowzee preyed on the young. Those same Pokemon catalyzed the case that put him on the map as a great detective, after all.

The detective shifted slightly in his seat. It may have appeared he was merely reacting to Yulia's story, and as much it did pain him to hear what his partner had gone through, there was more that caused Clive to stir. There was a sudden guilt that had welled up in him, as he thought back on his first large case that invigorated his career.

He remembered the faces of the parents of the children he had rescued. They saw him as a hero, a savior. Hell, even for a little while, Clive allowed himself to believe them. Fancied himself a hero, accepting the praise without a second thought and springboarding his reputation. Only now, did he realize, that his role was only a minor one for those children, who had to go through so much more before returning to happy or normal lives. Even now, looking at someone who had gone through as much or more of the same trauma that they did, Clive had no idea what to say. Some "savior" he was. He wondered if Yulia had ever studied any of his past cases, if somehow she thought he could relate to the horror.

Clive exhaled through his nose as he pushed back his thoughts, focusing back on Yulia. He remained silent as he let her continue, his eyes actively watching her even as she avoided glancing back. Finally, Yulia concluded her story and explained her motivation for letting Clive know so much about her past. There was a long silence afterward, as Clive silently mulled over what he had heard and tried to formulate a response.

Although Yulia seemed fixated on peering out of the restaurant's front windows, Clive continued to watch her carefully. There was no easy way to see Yulia's eyes from the side and through her glasses, yet he began drawing an outline around her face with his gaze, habitually memorizing every detail of her features. He halted as he watched his partner's lips, fixating on them for a few seconds and watching her nervous breaths.

He leaned back in his seat, forcing himself to stop interrogating with his eyes, or "staring" like Natasha constantly told him he was doing. He wanted to say something, he could see that Yulia needed him to, but it felt like Clive's brain would short circuit every time he thought he knew what to say.

What would his dad have done, he wondered. His hand gently caressed the damaged Pokeball at his hip, his fingers carefully sliding around the sharp slashes in the metal. Without another thought, Clive reached across the table and give Yulia's forearm a gentle squeeze. "Thanks for letting me know, Yulia." His gaze sought to meet hers, hoping she would brave away from the front windows and return back to him.

A few moments later, the waitress returned with the detectives' food. She stood awkwardly for a moment until Clive shyly withdrew his arm from Yulia and made room for the food to be served.

[Ashen]

The silence after she'd finished speaking was pulsating, and Yulia squirmed under its weight. What was Clive thinking of her? She could only imagine what was crossing his mind. My partner is a basket case, he'd determined, finally readying to dismiss her. How could someone so traumatized work on a case like this, anyway? Regardless of what Clive thought, Yulia knew she had to do this, had to pursue this case, had to keep working. Without her ultimate goal of bringing down Team Avarice, Yulia wouldn't know what to make of her entire existence.

If he thought ill of her now, he certainly didn't say so. Yulia jumped at his touch, gentle and intimate for the cold detective. Had he ever touched her before? A handshake, maybe, but this was sweeter, came from somewhere not professional. Yulia looked up at him, frightened dark eyes peering over thin frames. There was something in his expression, some nostalgic pain, some buried regrets. She wanted to ask about what was running through his mind, but despite her own openness, she felt it wasn't her place to. He had a right to his secrets, just as she had a right to hers. Still, that wouldn't stop her from wondering, worrying. Maybe Clive didn't see insanity written across her forehead. Maybe, instead, he saw a bit of himself looking back.

Yulia didn't have a chance to respond before their waitress returned. Yulia thanked her for delivering their meal, and she looked over her plate with a subdued hunger. The steak looked beautiful, juicy and steaming, decorated lavishly with bright vegetables. The conversation lingered in her mind, and doubts filled her throat. Did she say too much? How could she get Clive to trust her, too? And at the end of this week--would she be okay in another festival? She tried to dismiss the thoughts, but the only replacements were those of the pain in her head. She was itching for a cigarette, another so soon, but she was determined to get through her meal.

"Like I said," she mumbled, taking a knife into her hands and cutting into her meat, "I'm alright, yeah? In fact, I look forward to experiencing this with you, taking down a bunch of grunts and maybe enjoying a bit of the festival in the meantime. It'll be fun." She shoved a forkful of food into her mouth. Her inner voice was screaming to her, begging her, taunting her. Yulia turned away, trying to gauge how this headache would progress. After she swallowed her first bite, Yulia felt her vision blurring. "Er, sorry, Clive," she mumbled, already pushing from the table. Her eyes wandered the restaurant, searching for salvation. "I'll be right back." As she started away, a dizziness seized her legs, staggering her. She mumbled something about being clumsy and, awkwardly, waddled away to the bathroom, where she locked herself in a stall and just about collapsed.

By the time she again opened her eyes, someone was calling out to her. "Sweetie?" called a light voice, the voice of an elderly woman. "Are you alright? Do you need me to call someone?"

Yulia looked around, at the cramped stall, the wet floor. Her purse was open in a puddle, and a bottle of painkillers had rolled out. At least she'd had the sense to fall onto the toilet and not into it. She stood up on shaky legs, head still hazy. "I'm okay," she replied, though her voice wasn't convincing.

"Are you sure?" The older woman knocked on the door. "You've been in there awhile."

Clive. Yulia gathered her pills back into her purse. She flushed the toilet and opened the door to find warm brown eyes staring at her. Yulia thanked the woman for her concern, which only seemed to grow as she saw Yulia's face. The younger woman gently pushed past her, making her way to the sink and mirror, where she saw a new, bleeding gash running along her scalp. Blood had trickled down the side of her head, probably from where she'd bumped it... on what? "I'll be okay," she kept repeating, half to convince the older woman and half to convince herself.

Situations like these were not uncommon, but Yulia resented the timing. Had Clive thought she'd ditched him? Did she want to explain why she often passed out in public restrooms? She cleaned up her new wound as best she could, and she brushed some hair over it to hide it. Her glasses were crooked, and she'd have to fix those later, but mostly she looked presentable, if not a bit sweaty. Wiping herself off with paper towels, she rushed out of the restroom and went to find Clive.

Luckily, he was where she'd left him, though she had no idea how long he'd been waiting. "I'm so sorry--" she started, but she didn't know what to say. Could she blame this on nature's call of womanhood? Somehow, she doubted he'd fall for that. As she took her seat, she figured there was no reason to lie. "I blacked out," she admitted, trying not to make it sound like a big deal. "It happens a lot. Some brain thing. Never got it diagnosed properly. Really should." Her staccato sentences felt foreign on her tongue. She shook her head, trying to focus again on her meal, hopefully now not cold. "I'm sorry, this is a lot to pile onto you at once, isn't it? I've dealt with it all my life, so I'll be okay." Not quite the truth, but close enough.

[Headwrapper]

Clive began cutting up his own steak quietly, as Yulia carried on. She still seemed... off, but understandably so, Clive thought. She may have just felt a little flustered after reliving and opening up about her experiences. Clive continued to work at his food in silence, letting Yulia expel what she had to say. Before long, however, his partner would stand to excuse herself. She stumbled slightly as she went to leave. Clive frowned, his dark eyebrows pinching together as they furrowed. His instinct told him there was much more wrong than Yulia feeling a little bothered from her earlier confessions, but despite this, he remained silent as he watched Yulia leave.

A few hypothetical explanations crossed his mind as he slowly picked at his food. Was it a girl thing? It was possible, he supposed, if she was unprepared. He was not convinced though, because most women were usually fairly adept at masking something so private from people if it was not their business. Society had a funny way of conditioning them to do so. If that was not it, though, then what? Smoking in the bathroom? That would not make any sense either. If she really could not resist the urge she could easily have just gone outside. Maybe some personal medical issue he did not know about, then. Should he not have been made aware if his partner did have any serious medical problems that could impact her effectiveness to work? Maybe not, there was probably some law that ensured the right to withhold medical disabilities to prevent hiring discrimination.

Clive eventually resolved to the fact that he did not know enough about Yulia to be predict her strange and sudden departure. However, his suspicion was hardly sated by this, especially once he had finished the food on his plate and Yulia was still yet to return. He waited, glancing at the clock on his PokeGear occasionally and sometimes turning his head in the direction Yulia had left. Was she up to something? Did some Avarice member get to her somehow in the brief moment she and Clive were separated? Finally, Clive decided to it was time to make a move, but just when he went to stand, Yulia had returned. Clive was not happy with her explanation for the extended disappearance.

He sat up straighter, a vein bulging slightly on the side of his forehead. "Bullshit," he said flatly, his annoyance clear. "Yeah, you probably did pass out, you look like a damn mess, but no one has 'some brain thing' that has never gotten diagnosed. What, you just waltzed through the academy without thinking once that you should understand why you might randomly pass out? Didn't cross your mind that it might get you killed in the field?" He glanced down at his tightened fists and white knuckles and quickly relaxed them, drawing a long breath as he did so. He sunk back down into his chair as he exhaled. He spoke again after sitting silently for a few seconds. "We'll talk about it later, just eat your food. I'll be waiting outside." Suddenly, he stood up and tossed enough cash onto the table to cover their meals plus a tip for their server, and left to go wait outside.

[Ashen]

Yulia quickly noticed Clive's empty plate and his expression. There was irritation there, mixed with concern, curiosity. She didn't know what to say to him; how could he accept any apology she'd have? The truth wouldn't make any sense anyway, and she was used to writing this kind of thing off. It wasn't a big deal with her, just something, she'd gotten used to, but as she gave her explanation, she realized that wasn't going to work with her partner.

He was angry. His voice was too steady, the kind of subdued but very present anger her father had always reserved for her. Yulia's gaze immediately fell as he called her out, and she saw his fists, his snow-capped knuckles, itching to strike. Panic washed over her, and quickly she thought of ways to get out. Would Clive hit her? No, he wouldn't dare... would he? She had mace in her bag, and her keys could be a switchblade if she needed them to be. It would take too long to call her Pokemon; could she defend herself alone? He wouldn't do this in a restaurant, he wouldn't, he couldn't...

By the time Yulia found the nerve to reply, Clive was storming away. She held up a hand as if to stop him, but he was already on his way, determined. The gentleness from earlier, his hand on her forearm, that tender squeeze; where had that man gone? And why had she frozen up like that, so defenseless, so pathetic? She looked to her plate, to her steak barely touched. Her appetite was gone now. "I hope you got what you wanted," she mumbled. The tears springing to her eyes felt foreign, not hers. "I... I know I may get killed," she continued in a softer, more childlike voice. "That's what I've wanted all along."

Yulia couldn't take another bite of the steak she'd ordered, and for a brief moment she mourned the opportunity. She doubted Clive would be coming out to eat with her again anytime soon. She looked over the bill and set aside her half in her wallet, intending to pay Clive back later. She didn't need him paying for her, especially not after that. The way he reacted, where had that anger come from? Shaking her head, Yulia got up from the table and headed outside. "That's why I hate men," she said softly, and she paused, as if expecting a response. It took her only a few moments to realize her ex wasn't around, that she hadn't spoken to her in months, that she, just like everyone else Yulia knew, had been pushed away by this brain thing.

Clive was where he'd said he'd be, and Yulia slowly approached him, not wanting to startle him. She didn't know what was going through his head anymore. Would he request a different partner for the remainder of this case? What would she do then? She shook the thought and cleared her throat. "Um, thank you," she said quietly, hand fetching the money she'd set aside. "I don't really need you to cover me, but I appreciate the thought." She motioned the money towards him. "And uh, thanks for coming out with me." Her smile was clearly forced, but her voice sounded genuine, if not pained. She averted her gaze, wondering if there was anything left planned. She would do anything for a shower.

[Headwrapper]

Once Clive made his way outside, he sucked in the evening's air, holding it in as he briskly made his way in the alleyway between the restaurant and the neighboring building. Almost as soon as he was out of view from the street, his body jerked as he grabbed the damaged Pokeball from his belt and threw it as hard as he could, exhaling loudly. A large clang boomed back at him when the orb hit a metal trash can, leaving a dent in the soft aluminum. Some startled Rattata scurried away and disappeared behind other various nooks, and the ball fell to the ground, laying open and revealing the black surface on the inside.

Clive drew another long breath and released it as he walked to pick up ball. He tried to shut it, and then realized that he broke the latch and it would no longer stay closed on its own. Whatever. He was glad he let the anger out somewhere no one saw, and he could think straight again. He could be himself again.

He emerged from the alley, and found a spot on the brick wall at the front of the restaurant to lean on while he waited for Yulia. He still held the Pokeball in his hand, lightly turning his wrist back and forth so that it would close and reopen as he mulled things over. "He was a fool for thinking he could even come close to fully trusting Yulia. He knew from the way she talked and acted that she was always hiding something, or bottling up some sort of trauma, but right when he thought he was beginning to understand what that might be she proved that there was plenty more that he did not know.

Clive had his reasons for resenting having a partner, although it did not help that he naturally worked better alone in most cases. He thought about his father's old partner, who he used to call "Uncle Richie" as a kid. Clive remembered seeing Uncle Richie almost as much as he saw his mom and dad. Clive also remembered seeing Uncle Richie's face on the news when the warrant was out for his arrest the night Dad had been killed, and Mom went missing. How much did Richie lie before then? How many demons did he have in the closet before one of them finally crawled out?

Maybe history was meant to repeat itself.

Clive eventually glanced up from his broken Pokeball, noticing Yulia's approach. He squinted his eyes, staring at the money the woman was waving towards him for a few seconds. He cleared his throat before stepping away from the wall, walking passed Yulia and pretty much ignoring her fake smile and her thanks. "I'm not covering shit. The next one is your treat. Actually, all the food I like is cheap, so you owe me the next two. Also, you pissed me off, so make that the next three. And every time you have a brain thing, I might also have a brain thing and lose count." Clearly, he was willing to pretend the whole thing did not happen, pending certain conditions.

He slid the Pokeball in his pocket and replaced it with his PokeGear too look up the directions to the hotel as he walked. "Not much left to do now besides hole ourselves up in the hotel until we get back to it tomorrow." He frowned, reading the text from the office. No luck. Just 1 room 2 beds. I will email the reservation to you. Sorry!

[Ashen]

Yulia stilled when Clive spoke to her, harshly dismissing her money and demanding she pay for his meal the next several times they went out to eat. Did that mean... he wouldn't be leaving? She straightened, watching his body language. She wasn't going to speak, to anger him even further, but perhaps this meant, all things considered, she would still have a partner by the end of the day. She would still have someone helping her take down the organization she'd set her life against. Maybe, then, she hadn't ruined things for once.

She noticed the Poke Ball in his hand, the same one he'd had earlier, at the judge's office. She didn't dare ask about it, but she noticed how easily he was opening and closing it. Was it broken? She wanted to know more about it, but she knew she was on thin ice already. Whatever that Poke Ball meant to Clive, she was probably never going to find out at this rate. She watched Clive approach the front desk, praying she wouldn't have to put up a front for much longer.

Finally, after everything that happened, Yulia was thankful to be heading back to the hotel. She noticed Clive pulling up directions and didn't question him, instead silently following behind him. Her head was still pounding, and she was feeling faint again, but she wouldn't be passing out again. She'd be good for a while, she usually was, but she felt her skin tingling, her body itching for something. As much as she hated her brain thing, she would have given anything to have one just then, one severe one that kept her under forever. She knew one like that would never come, and that it wouldn't solve anything, anyway. She had to be the one to stop Avarice, and without her, she feared what would happen to all the Pokemon in the world.

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the hotel getting so close, and as Clive went inside, she scurried along, pretending that she'd been aware of her location the whole time. The hotel itself was a nice place, fancier than any building her small town had back home. She was excited to take a long, hot shower, and just lie in her bed, naked, until morning. She wonders if they had managed to get two separate rooms, and silently Yulia panicked about spending the entire night with a man who quite possibly hated her.

[Headwrapper]

Upon reaching the hotel, Clive quickly approached the desk and announced that he was checking in. Quickly, he leaned into the counter and asked if there were any additional rooms available.

The woman behind the counter casually typed Clive's name into her computer as he spoke, hardly looking up from behind her round glasses as she mulled over his question. "Most likely not, we and everyone else have been pretty much booked because of the festival. But I can still double check one more time..."

Clive stepped back impatiently, glancing around the front lobby of the hotel. He hardly noticed his surroundings as he hurried to check in. It was hardly special, but it was nice. The floors white tiles gleamed, their waxed surfaces reflecting the decorative lights from above. A simple, yet well kept, blue carpet lined the walkway on either side, housing various forms of seating such as couches and high tables with matching chairs. Televisions were positioned in various locations throughout the seating area, playing the news or recent Pokemon League matches.

"I'm really sorry, but we still do not have any other rooms available."

Clive turned to face the woman behind the counter rather contentiously. He immediately realized he must have looked angry, as the woman just about had a heart attack when she met his gaze, and he quickly corrected his expression to be more neutral. "That will be fine... We will be here a few days, so if anything opens up can you please let us know?"

"Of course sir. I have all of your information right here." The woman proceeded to check both Clive's and Yulia's identification before handing Clive a pair of card keys and directing them to the elevator.

Without a word, Clive handed Yulia one of the keys before approaching the elevator. After pressing the elvator button, the man shuffled his feet slightly as he and Yulia waited, clearly bothered by something. "I'm sorry for getting angrier than I needed to," he said briefly, without even turning to face Yulia. It might have been unclear, but he did mean his words. He was still angry, no doubt, but he did regret dashing the small amount of trust Yulia started to have for him. She may have done the same with him, but that hardly provided him any solace.

The elevator announced its arrival with a loud ding before opening its door to welcome the detectives inside. Upon stepping in, Clive pressed the number for the floor written on the key card, then paused for a moment before pressing the button for the roof. Hotels in Kanto commonly had rooftop seating and vending machines that he thought his Pokemon would enjoy, especially once it grew dark. He also figured Yulia would want to settle in to the room by herself for a while.

[Ashen]

While Clive was asking for another room, Yulia was silently plotting the next few days. Would she even be in this hotel room much? Maybe worrying about this wasn't worth it, after all. But Yulia thought of herself in bed, beside a similar bed, with a man in it, him snoring perhaps? He'd be there to catch her every movement, her every breath. Would he be exposed to the reality behind her blacking out? What would he make of that? Yulia shook her head, praying the thoughts away. Whatever weird behavior she'd exhibit throughout the night, Clive would probably be too mad now to even bring it up. Maybe that was for the best.

The receptionist was busy typing away at her computer, so Yulia's attention went to one of the televisions in the lobby, the one broadcasting some Pokemon battle. A spunky-looking young trainer was commanding her Audino against a veteran's Charizard, and from the looks of things, the Audino was winning. Yulia wondered if perhaps she could have led such a life. As a kid, hadn't she wanted to become famous for battling? She turned away, swallowing the bitter nostalgia. It was hard to think back to a time before Avarice existed, a time before she knew what she needed to do.

Finally, the receptionist finished her search. As predicted, Yulia would be sharing a room for several days with a man who loathed her. She tried her best to look professional as she accepted the key to her room and made her way to the elevator, trailing behind Clive. She figured the wait for the elevator would be another painful silence, but his words fell softly, warmly. She looked up at her partner, at his tired expression, and tried to read the lines of his face. The elevator arrived before she could reply, so she wordlessly stepped in, mulling over her words. She absently noticed the buttons he pressed. Say something, she scolded herself, hating the silence, hating her own hesitation. "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier," she replied. Her gaze fell to the panel in the elevator, the buttons, the number of floors. "You were right, it could endanger me greatly, and you have a right to know." Why was she shaking? Yulia paused, trying to focus, to stop her involuntary actions. As the elevator arrived at their floor, she hesitated. "And thank you," she mumbled, not daring to look his way. "Um. Mr. Clive." With the informalities now destroyed, Yulia started away, off to find their room.

Their room was spacious enough. The two beds were separated by two nightstands, with a lamp on one and a phone set on the other. Beyond the beds was the door to the tiny bathroom. The dresser in the room had a TV perched on it and an instruction manual on how to use the remote. The window on the far wall looked over the city, and Yulia made a beeline for that, taking in the view. She could see a few Rattata scurrying about outside and a few Spearow flying overhead. She spent several minutes admiring this new city before she reminded herself that Clive would return any moment. She set her bags beside the bed closer to the window and unpacked just the clothes she'd brought as pajamas. With those in her arms, she went into the small bathroom and started her shower.

She didn't know how long she had been in there for, but by the time she stepped out, her mind was in a total haze. She felt mentally exhausted, and she knew there would be little she'd be doing before bed. She had wanted to do so much; she had files to look over, sightings and incidents with Team Avarice in Kanto, the history of the festival, any updates from home. But as she tugged her towel closer around her body, Yulia knew all of it would have to wait for tomorrow.

Cerulean hair still dripping, pajamas still resting on the toilet, Yulia stumbled out of the bathroom and just about collapsed onto the bed she'd claimed. She was too tired to even notice whether Clive had returned or not. In the morning, she'd scold herself for not untangling her hair, for not properly drying herself, for not even having the sense to clothe herself, especially considering her circumstances, but as she lay there, she felt her body drift off, her desires vanish. As if physical desire trumped anything she may have wanted, she subconsciously pulled a blanket over herself, ignoring the subdued pleas to not lie like this, not for Clive to find her. "We should... at least... a shirt..." she mumbled to herself, but it wasn't long before she was still, silent, her chest rising and falling, her mind finally blank.

[Headwrapper]

When Yulia dismissed herself from the elevator, Clive remained silent. His face was still, even as the elevator closed and began to ascend. It slowed to a stop upon reaching the roof, releasing Clive in a small area sheltered by a glass roof and large windows. He pushed his away passed the doors that lead out to the seating on the roof, pleased to find that no one was occupying any of it.

He wandered towards the edge of the roof, peering through the protective metal fencing that served as a safety barrier. He squeezed the painted iron bars as his gaze dropped down below.

Once satisfied, he took a step back and made his way to one of the tables He nimbly set his bag onto it, before plopping down onto a chair and lifting his legs onto another chair adjacent to him. From there, he chose to just sit in silence for a while. There would be a lot legwork that could be done over the next few days before the festival started. It actually might benefit him to scope out the city during the night, when it was more likely he could find some sort of Avarice activity. He liked working at night more anyway.

Maybe Yulia would need the space too.

Clive felt bad when thought about how he exploded at her in the restaurant. She seemed so frightened. She very much resembled a frightened Pokemon, and when Clive thought about it that way, it made him feel a little sick. Clive was a little surprised how far Yulia had yielded then, as it seemed a little uncharacteristic of her. Then again, he had never blown up in her face either, and the timing might not have helped either.

Clive let some time pass, allowing a few of his Pokemon to spread their legs while he scrolled through different emails and news clippings on his Pokegear. Nightfall quickly approached, and once the darkness had arrived, Clive made his way back to the floor he and Yulia's room as on. He guided himself to the room, unlocked the door with a swipe of his card key and a click, and stepped inside. He blinked idly as he took in the room, quickly noticing Yulia unconscious in one of the beds, one of the blankets barely pulled over her body.

"Hmm." Clive placed his bag at the foot of his bed, before settling himself next to it. "Long day, I guess," he muttered idly to himself, although he did not place a lot of faith behind those words. He reached into his bag and dug around with one arm until he found himself a fresh pair of socks, changed into them, and relaced his shoes. He paused by the door for a moment to turn off the light, before leaving the room.

His late night stroll spanned a few hours, but it was still rather uneventful. With the help of Zorua's illusions, Clive was able to move through many parts of the city unnoticed. He confirmed one of his suspicions: Saffron had an "Underground" that was similar to the one he was used to in Goldenrod. It was where people met to make dealings unappreciated by the law or hire folks for unsavory deeds. Clive turned a blind eye to most of what he saw- he was there for the bigger picture. He identified the people who knew who of their peers were a part of Avarice.

Zorua began to grow tired of the late-night stroll, especially while keeping up his illusions on not only himself but also Clive. That was when the time to retire came, and Clive made his way back to the hotel. He figured his morning was going to be ruined anyway, so after quickly changing into some shorts and a t-shirt that would serve as his nightwear, he spent another hour, maybe two, scrolling through files on his laptop. He started to familiarize himself to particular criminals that had caught his eye in Saffron's database, but didn't get far before falling asleep with his head just by the keyboard.

[Ashen]

Yulia had a fitful dream that night. She was trapped in a room of mirrors and her face kept changing, kept distorting. Around her she could hear the screams of her Pokemon, her Beartic and her Braviary, her Skorupi and her Glameow. She woke with a start, thankful to be back in a world that made sense, and she tried to go back to sleep when she rolled over and noticed Clive.

The room was dark, but the city lights outside cast a soft glow over their furniture. Clive was so different now, so much less intimidating in shorts and a T-shirt. Yulia didn't know why she was surprised; of course the man didn't sleep in a trench coat and hat, after all. Yulia turned over again, back facing Clive, when she suddenly realized how cold she was, how bare. The fabric of the towel brushed against her waist. Yulia paused. Her pajamas, the soft, mint satin...

Jolting upright, Yulia was horrified to find her body uncovered. She quickly gathered up her towel and scurried into the bathroom, muttering an angry, "I'm going to kill her," as she left. Her pajamas were just where she'd left them. What had happened...? As she slipped into the loose pants and tank top, she struggled to remember what had happened. She'd gotten back to the hotel room and showered, and... then what? Had she just passed out? She shook her head, hanging her now dried towel in the bathroom. Her hair was dry, its knots tangling at the nape of her neck. She hadn't even had the sense to untangle her hair? Frustrated, Yulia walked back to her bed and sat on it, hoping she wasn't waking Clive. She cast another glance towards him, noticing his computer. Had he been working all night? And she'd fallen asleep even before nightfall. Not only was she a ticking time bomb, now she was slacking, too. She struggled to think of any reason why Clive would want her as a partner.

It didn't take her long until she could run her comb through her hair again. She set her brushes and combs aside and plopped back down on her pillow. The sun hadn't risen yet. She wondered if it was worth welcoming the nightmares again, or if now she could catch up to her partner, bury herself in all the files she'd meant to last night. Checking the time on her cell phone, Yulia shrugged. She certainly didn't need any more sleep, and there were things to do.

She didn't notice the sun rise, but the next time she looked up from her own computer screen, the room was bright, and bird Pokemon were singing outside. She thought of her pet back home, her Glameow, and wondered if he would be eating well. She'd left enough food to last him her whole trip, and she had faith he wouldn't eat too much, but she suddenly missed her grumpy cat. Glancing at Clive again, Yulia shoved her feet into a pair of slippers, grabbed her key card, and left the room. She ventured to the rooftop and threw three balls into the air. She wouldn't see Fritz for a few days yet, but at least she had the rest of her team.

Valkyrie seemed confused at his surroundings, and he fixated on the glass roof above him. Soon, he was cawing happily at Yulia, his wings beating wildly. "I missed you too," she murmured. Zita was patient as she watched the Braviary bond with her master, and once it was her turn she leaned in for some head pats. The Skorupi skittered around the roof, not approaching Yulia but not hiding, either. Yulia bought Pokemon snacks from the vending machine on the roof, and she gave them to her Pokemon, promising she would feed them properly later. She took a seat on the couches there and sighed. Despite all the sleep she'd gotten, she was exhausted, like she hadn't rested at all. Shaking the thought, Yulia pulled a cigarette out from her bra and juggled it between her fingers. Right in front of a no smoking sign, she lit the stick and stuck it between her lips. "You won't tell on me?" she murmured to her Beartic. The large Pokemon made a soft noise of displeasure and turned away, off to play with the Skorupi.

After her cigarette break, Yulia recalled her Pokemon and made her way back to the hotel room. There was still more work to be done; there always would be. She wanted to explore more of the city, talk more with local authorities, but she didn't want to leave without telling Clive. As she stood outside the room she shared with him, she hesitated. She didn't much want to talk to him, either. His expression from the previous night returned to her, his knuckles... Yulia shook her head. She was not going to let some disagreement get in the way of doing her work. Clive was her partner first and foremost; they would figure out their differences and work together again. They had to. But a nagging voice in her head taunted her, interrogated her. Little Yulia, so scared of a man, it sang. She shook her head, hard. Clearing her throat, Yulia returned to their room.

[Headwrapper]

Clive awoke to a room well lit by the morning sun, his nose just inches away from the laptop that had sat next to him. He carefully rose, sitting back against the pillows behind him as he gained his bearings. Slowly, he peaked over to the other bed, sighing in relief upon realizing he was no longer in the presence of his naked partner. Things would have been awkward if he had to deal with her waking up without any clothes on.

He sat up even straighter then, crossing his legs and pulling them close with one hand. For a long while, he simply sat silently, his brain slowly revving up as he grew more awake. His hand reached for his PokeGear, and for a few moments longer he scrolled through it, searching for any interesting news. After not finding anything noteworthy, he set the device aside and began getting himself ready for the day.

He groggily made his way to the shower, taking his time as he let the water flow down his neck and back, loosening up his stiff muscles. Once he was done and dressed, he cracked open one of the windows to help bring some fresh air into the room, and sat back at the foot of his bed to work on his laptop again. With the police scanner on his Pokegear serving as background noise, Clive began planning key places within the city he wanted to investigate based on his evening stroll, as well as other findings. He shot off a few emails to some of the local colleagues he and Yulia just met the day before at Sabrina's gym.

The sudden click of the door unlocking was enough to break his concentration, and he glanced over in time to see Yulia step back into the room. Clive's dark eyes watched her for a moment, before quickly returning to his laptop's screen. "Huh. Didn't realize you could wear the bathroom decorations."

[Ashen]

Luckily, Clive was awake when she returned, but for several long moments she just stared at him. Sitting legs-crossed like that on a foreign bed, bathed in sunlight, eyes lit by the glow of his work... Yulia had to admit, he looked almost domestic. She averted her gaze as soon as he teased her, red painting her cheeks. "Ah, sorry," she mumbled awkwardly. "I was so--" But Yulia stopped herself, knowing her partner hadn't asked for her explanation. What could she say that wouldn't raise suspicion anyway? She had no reason to be as tired as she had been last night. Shaking the thought, Yulia made her way to her bed and set aside her clothes for the day. As she gathered her brushes and toiletries, she glanced over at Clive. "Did you... sleep well?" she asked, wondering if he wanted to talk at all.

Waiting for his response, Yulia held her things in her hands. She would say nothing about her nightmares, nothing about the exhaustion clear on her face. With the small talk done, she went to the bathroom and dressed herself, then spent several minutes brushing her teeth and brushing the bags from under her eyes. She tied her hair back into a low ponytail, fixed the glasses on her nose, and patted down her dress. Deciding she looked presentable enough, she returned to her bed and set her things away again. Absently, she wondered if Clive saw through her, saw through the makeup, the cheery cheri berry-print dress she wore, the cowboy boots. She looked peppy enough, younger than she was, not at all like a detective investigating a criminal organization. Underneath the facade was an exhausted and wary woman, one who could feel the panic bubbling, the anticipation of this festival, the anxiety of screwing up again.

Now was not the time for such thoughts. Yulia grabbed her messenger bag with her laptop and some papers, various newspaper clippings and printed files and maps of the attractions of Saffron. "I'm going to explore a bit," she announced. "I've been researching this city and the surrounding areas, and I've got a list of places and people I'd like to check out. I can forward the list so we don't end up repeating anything. Or..." She turned away. "We could go together?" Her suggestion seemed almost fearful, but she cleared her throat and looked back to him. "I can go alone if you're busy working on something. It might be quicker that way anyway; we could cover more ground apart. It was just a suggestion." She tried to read his expression, wondering if last night had stuck with him as it had with her. "I also thought I'd get lunch while I was out, so if you wanted me to start paying you back, now might be a good opportunity."

[Headwrapper]

"I slept alright. I stayed up longer than I think I should have." Clive's eyes darted to different points on his screen for a few seconds longer, before carefully turning to place the laptop on the bed behind him. He picked up his PokeGear, scrolled through a few different screens, and turned off its police scanner component, remaining silent all the while. As Yulia gathered her things and disappeared into the bathroom, Clive wondered if she perceived his silence as leftover anger from the previous day.

Truthfully, Clive had been mostly over it after spending time alone on the roof of the hotel. After letting out his anger in the alley beside the restaurant, and taking some time alone with Zorua to perform some less-than-honest sleuthing, he did not really care any more if Yulia continued to hide things from him. The way she acted had always been suspicious, and he was fairly sure that as more was revealed about Avarice the more it would be necessary for him to discover what Yulia's secrets were, but that time would come on its own terms. For now, he could work the same way he always had. He would use his own instincts and carve a way forward alone.

Clive suddenly stood, looking at his darkened reflection in the blackened screen of the television sitting on top of the room's lone dresser. He realized something: he did not want to go at it alone, again. Even he could not deny that the more recent days of working with Yulia were actually enjoyable. She had talent, that was for sure, and secrets or no secrets, she did bring plenty to the table when it came to making progress towards bringing down Avarice. Hell, she was the reason they were in this city to begin with.

He ground his teeth together in irritation. Was this what someone was supposed to feel about having a partner? Like Nat and Jean? Dad and Uncle Richie? Would they have gotten as angry as he did if they realized they were being lied to by the other, while still in a state of concern? On one hand, Clive knew himself. To be more successful, it was better that he brought himself back to one singular focus. Anything Yulia discovers can be treated as information Clive can use to fuel the flames that would scorch Avarice off of the map. With the help of his Pokemon, and with his own keen intuition, he knew that he could crack any case.

The problem was the other hand, the one that had remained hidden in the shadows. It had not been apparent that it was there until Clive chose to step away, and it stopped him with an iron grip. He liked the time he spent with Yulia. He was almost repulsed by the thought. It nearly made him nauseous when he thought about how silly his nickname for her, "Yules", was. In the end, however, he could not deny it at all. Around her, working the case just felt new again. Sometimes it was almost like he was back to working his first case, all those years ago.

He exhaled loudly from his nostrils, turning towards the direction of the bathroom again. Why was he being so stupid? It was not like Yulia felt the same way. She was eager, excited to be a detective and learn from him, but it all was for her own personal gain. Clive could not fault her for that, it was natural. Anyone who had a passion for the job and wanted to have a successful career would behave similarly.

The conflicted detective quickly stepped back towards his bed, and collected some of his things to place in his bag. As he did so, he heard Yulia's silent footsteps emerge from the bathroom. Upon her announcement that she was going to explore the city, Clive turned to face her, peering through the glasses Yulia had hastily repaired the night before. "I, uh..." He paused, what the hell was wrong with him? He felt unsure, and his skin felt hot under his clothes. The room felt like it was shrinking. It seemed like there was ocean before, between him and where Yulia had lain naked, but only mere millimeters between him and those glasses that had a subtle slant to them, serving as a single barrier that kept Clive from being pulled into Yulia's eyes as they watched him.

He firmly made a decision, grounding himself once again and regaining his composure. "It's an unfamiliar city. We should stay together, at least for the first few days. I did some exploring last night. Maybe I can help prioritize where we need to go first."

[Ashen]

She couldn't help but note something off about her partner. Even dismissing the events at the restaurant, Clive never acted with such... hesitation? As she watched him consider her suggestion, Yulia turned away awkwardly. Had she said something wrong? She replayed her words in her head, looking for any hint of irregularity, of offense. Finding none, she subconsciously cocked her head at the older man. His hesitation, she realized, was not because of her, but because of a war he was having within himself.

Yulia wasn't going to ask. Clive had his secrets, and after last night, now more than ever she wouldn't dare ask about them. She only waited patiently, pretending to look for something in her messenger bag while he debated his answer. When he finally did speak, Yulia felt relief wash through her, surprising herself. Had she been so desperate for that confirmation, that companionship? She smiled warmly. "You're right. I've been studying maps, but that's nothing like actually exploring. I can make an agenda for us while you get ready, if you'd like."

But she was already getting to work. Yulia pulled some papers from her bag and looked over them again. She busied herself picking places to check, people to talk to. All the while, her thoughts were wandering. These last several hours, ever since the restaurant, had been so uncomfortable, but now, it was like Clive had absolved her from such feelings. She hadn't realized how important his approval was, how much she wanted him to still like her. What did it matter? Yulia had become a detective for herself, to prove to herself that she could. She knew she had to be the one to stop Avarice. She had to stop those villains from hurting Pokemon like her poor, anxious Skorupi. Clive was just an instrument, a partner she'd been assigned, someone to shed new light on her goals... wasn't he? She glanced towards him, at his cold eyes, the curve of his jaw, the blossom of his lips. Their relationship wasn't strictly business-like, and last night, his reactions, had proven that.

Realizing she was getting distracted, Yulia cleared her throat and looked back to her papers, now with far more pen marks and red circles than only a few moments ago. Seeing that Clive was set, she slipped her papers neatly back into her bag and got up to go. "Where did you explore?" she prompted. "I was thinking we'd not venture too far at first, so I picked out some places close by, but if you've already covered them we can go further than I thought." She pulled a map from her bag and handed it to him. "These were just some ideas I had, but I'll follow your lead."

[Headwrapper]

Clive watched Yulia silently for a brief moment after the blue haired detective got to work identifying places to scope out. Had it really only been a month or so that she had approached his desk, bright eyed and bushy tailed? He looked back towards his own laptop, pausing for a moment before deciding to sit down and go through some things one more time. There was one last thing he was trying to confirm before he had fallen asleep the night before.

A quick search query confirmed one of suspicions: many of the arrests that were tied to the type of profile that matched a closeted Avarice grunt happened in a handful of locations. Oftentimes, the tells were obvious. Someone who worked two or three jobs and then suddenly cutting it down to only one that paid less or even none at all, without any lifestyle changes like a move or marriage. The type of decision making that lead one to join an criminal organization as a grunt typically lent itself to getting arrested for other things as well, but without evidence it was merely speculation to say that these people were all Avarice members. Clive was confident that enough of them were, though.

Night clubs. That seemed to be the typical place these people were tracked down and arrested. Seemed obvious enough to Clive. There was a chance the clubs themselves could have been used as some sort of front or a way to clean any dirty money, but they also may have just been popular places to be. Aside from money laundering, Clive usually associated crimes at night clubs or by people who frequented them with either drug related activities or human trafficking. There was no evidence to suggest Avarice was dealing drugs, but human trafficking was definitely a possibility. They had kidnapped Sierra, not too long ago. She was not the first disappearance either.

He would need to keep a more watchful eye next time he neared the Underground, both in Saffron as well as in Goldenrod.

When Yulia was done, Clive took her map and looked it over. "I didn't get too far from here, but I was curious about this warehouse." He pointed to one of Yulia's red circles. "It seemed like there were more people headed there than there needed to be for a night shift. I didn't see any delivery trucks parked there, so I don't think there would be a night crew to load up trucks or anything like that." He stopped, deciding to share his earlier thoughts with Yulia as well. "Do you recall anything about any Avarice involvement in night clubs or that sort of thing? I noticed that a lot of arrests for people who could be low ranking Avarice members happen in a couple of the night clubs here. Maybe that's typical for this city, but it's bugging me now that I'm thinking about it."

[Ashen]

And just like that, the two of them were back to work mode. Yulia thought back to the notes and records she had read through. "Night clubs?" she murmured in response, trying to recall any correlation. "There are always lots of arrests at places like those, so nothing especially stood out to me, but I could look over the files again. None of the names stood out to me." She peered at the map and made a mental note of the warehouse he'd been referring to. Suspicious nighttime activity in a city as big as Saffron likely wasn't uncommon, but it was still worth checking out.

As they started out of the hotel, Yulia was already cross-referencing public files with what Clive had come up with. "It's an abandoned warehouse," she told him after a quick internet search. "Used to belong to some Poke Ball design company a couple decades ago. It's restricted now, so there shouldn't be anyone entering." She looked up at Clive. "So that could be a good place to search. An abandoned warehouse would make the perfect place for an organization like Avarice, after all." Not breaking pace, she pulled papers from her messenger bag, newspaper clippings filled with strangers' faces, court testimonies typed in that unbearable font. She scanned them all, looking for anything that would resemble a clue.

It took her a few minutes, but she shoved a paper towards Clive and packed all the others back in her bag. "What about this?" she asked. "Someone was arrested for trespassing here a couple weeks ago. The kid was just sixteen though. You don't think Avarice would be using children?" Before them, the warehouse was coming into view. No one was around, and the place itself looked like it could be home to several ghost-type Pokemon. "I guess we can't put it past them. Now's as good a time as any to start searching." She started jogging towards the warehouse, already fueled by an adrenaline that came with making progress.

Yulia drew a ball from her bag and threw it in the air. Out came her Braviary, who looked warily towards the warehouse. "We're looking for clues that this place might be an Avarice base," she murmured, in case anyone besides Clive and her Pokemon was within earshot. Turning back to Clive, she motioned towards the warehouse. "What should we be looking for?" she asked. "I can check the outside, if you want to cover the interior. It's a pretty big place, so it might take a while. Want to come back tonight too and do a stakeout?" The questions seemed never-ending, but Yulia couldn't help it. After all the tension, she was excited to get back to something she knew, something more logical than the emotional fanfare. The idea of a stakeout, of being squished against Clive as they waited for a grunt or two to stroll into their trap... The very idea erased the unease about her partner.

[Headwrapper]

Clive took the paper Yulia handed to him, glancing over it casually as he thought. There was a good chance a sixteen year old would be stupid enough to trespass without needed the likes of Avarice to egg him on. Chances are he was the only one in a small group to take one for the team and got caught. The detective had his suspicions, but there was not a whole lot to work with, so he just left it at that.

He looked over the outside of the warehouse as he and Yulia approached. The building was certainly old, and had not been painted for at least a decade or two, short of the fuzzy and worn graffiti that lined certain walls. Through the windows at the very top, Clive could see that the inside was probably pitch black. It was probably ill-advised to venture inside alone, but that never stopped Clive anyway. Besides, he had his Pokemon. For everything he and his team lacked in battling, they excelled in sleuthing and escaping.

Clive raised a gentle hand to hush Yulia, as if his outstretched hand could slow down the questions as they came thundering towards him. His eyes scanned for the entrances and exits of the warehouse, in case he needed to make a quick exit once inside. Once his line of sight was no longer sufficient, he began circling around towards the other side of the building, scanning for any doors or windows. The main entrance seemed to face the street, with their being another exit on one side. There was most likely another door at the rear of the building.

"Let's see what we can find then," he finally said, releasing his Umbreon from its Pokeball. "I think you're right, we should come back tonight. I'm sure we will find a good spot to hide in while we're searching, so keep an eye out." He glanced towards his Umbreon before nodding towards the entrance of the warehouse. "Let's meet here again in exactly one hour, if we don't see each other before then," he told Yulia. With that, Clive and Umbreon made their way into the warehouse.

Upon entering, the pair were immediately greeted with the typical musty warehouse smell one would have expected. If Avarice was doing anything here, they certainly did not care to keep the place dry. As Clive's eyes adjusted to the dark, he could see that most of the warehouse was empty, but there were clearly certain items that have been moved around recently. The mystery there was who or what would have moved them.

After making a slow crawl through the dark for a few minutes, Clive eventually decided that there was no sense thinking anyone was inside the warehouse in the pitch black. "All right, let's light it up," he finally said. Promptly, his Umbreon focused energy into its rings, illuminating the area with a Flash. "Much better," Clive said. He immediately spotted stairs in the far corner of the warehouse that lead down. There were also metal stairs that lead to a large mezzanine that sat above him.

Clive quietly approached the stairs that seemed to lead into the basement. Without a sound, he leaned over to peer down the flight and saw that they lead to a closed metal door. Through the thick glass window that was centered near the top of it, he could see that whatever room laid passed it was lit. The man drew a quick breath, holding it as he listened closely for any sound that might be coming from below. The sound of his heart beating echoed in his ears, drumming louder and louder before he finally released his breath and killed the noise.

"Sound empty to you?" he asked quietly. His Umbreon nodded solemnly, which prompted Clive to proceed down the steps. It was odd that this place would have more activity at night than during the day, and maybe the reason why would lie within this basement. He stopped at the bottom of the steps, and returned his Umbreon to its ball before sending out his young Zorua. "If there's any trouble, you will have to keep us hidden," he whispered, before reaching for the large metal handle of the door. He gave it a pull, and the thick metal did not budge. "Locked. With a pretty secure door too...."

[Ashen]

After making a note of the time on her phone, Yulia started towards the building, listening as Clive made his way inside. She wondered how the man would manage in the dark on his own, but she figured his Umbreon would keep him safe, and if he needed anything, she was only a shout away. Assuring herself Clive would be fine, she busied herself with scouting the building and surrounding area, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Her Braviary had taken to the skies, examining the roof of the building and the trees nearby. He cawed to alert Yulia of a hole in the roof, but Yulia reasoned it was too small to fit any person and most Pokemon. Just a product of the building's age, she thought, and after a quick glance over the rest of the roof, she decided she wouldn't be finding any clues up there.

The ground was more interesting, anyway. There were mostly-covered footprints in the back of the building, human ones. She jotted down a few notes about them in a notepad. They weren't defined enough to follow, but if nothing else, they proved that someone had been to this warehouse, and recently. She continued to search, finding dried grasses, abandoned twigs, a few burrows where wild Pokemon had made their homes. The building itself was ordinary; dark, graffitied, damp. There were all sorts of dents in the metal that made the walls, all things that hinted at a long history and nothing more. She took notes as she wandered, hoping Clive had better results.

Valkyrie wandered independently of his master, another set of eyes on the things she had already looked over. He stopped and landed a distance behind he and started pecking at the ground. He made a sound to get Yulia's attention.

"What is it?" she murmured, walking over to where her Braviary had noticed something. He was near an Oran bush, and Yulia parted its branches. There was just dirt underneath it, ordinary dirt. The bush was lopsided, its growth stunted on one side by the building. The wall of the warehouse there had a small hole, barely big enough for a Cutiefly to squeeze through. Yulia poked at it, then placed both hands against the metal. The plates shifted under her palms almost too easily. She stood back and examined the area again; the warehouse jutted out here, a pattern that was replicated on the other side. "Valkyrie," she called, and she patted the wall, waiting for her Pokemon to act.

The powerful headbutt of a Braviary was enough to dislodge the wall, revealing an alcove behind it. The interior of the building didn't jut out at all; these areas were likely crawl spaces instead. Yulia squeezed under the now crumbled metal and dug around for a flashlight. There was little in the alcove; a few empty boxes, spiderwebs, discarded Poke Balls and gems. Yulia followed it to a set of stairs. She tried to walk down them but found herself feeling more and more claustrophobic, as if these stairs were made for a child and she was just a giant intruder. She ascended again and called her Skorupi to the alcove. "Alright Ivee," she cooed, "do you think you can get down there for me?" The scorpion Pokemon warily looked to the stairs, shifted uncomfortably, then bolted down.

She wasn't gone long, and when Yulia saw her big eyes coming up she peered down the stairs to see what she'd brought. Clamped in her tail was a flyer of some sort. Yulia took it and made her way back outside to better see the paper. On it was the face of someone she almost recognized, a dark-haired and bright-eyed man adorned in a deep red uniform. "Member of the Month" was written atop the flyer in red paint, not nearly as old as the building. Something was down there, something active, but from only a flyer alone, Yulia couldn't tell what.

She made her way back to the meeting place, already trying to think of possible explanations. If she could just get down there herself... Perhaps Clive had had better luck finding a way down.

[Headwrapper]

Clive pulled the door a second time, in vain. He remained completely still as he observed the door, glancing around the sides before focusing on the thick window at the top center. He inched closer and finally peered inside. From what he could see, the room was fairly empty. It was well lit, and he could see rows of empty wooden shelves aligned in parallel, an empty library of stories. The detective strained and twisted in an effort to get a better view, but he quickly realized there was not much else that would be visible with the limited size of the window, and the small space he had to move around.

Just as Clive was beginning to decide it was time to give up, the lights behind the door flickered off. His eyes darted around the black canvas that lay before him, eager to find a quick explanation for what just occurred, his heart rate beginning to pick back up. A ghost Pokemon, perhaps? A simple power outage? Instinctively, Clive ducked below the window, hoping that if there was anything inside of the locked room that would not be able to see him while he was not able to see it. His Zorua nestled beside him, following its trainer's lead, and remained still. Clive slowed his breathing, watching his Pokemon carefully while listening through the door behind him. He was proud of his little Zorua for not showing any sign of panic. It would have quickly cast illusions to protect itself if it had been spooked.

Eventually, Clive slowed his breathing, bringing back the complete and still quiet from before so he could better hear his surroundings. As far as he could see or hear, nothing was going on in the room behind him. "It's nothing," he whispered to Zorua.

Then it hit him, a quick jolt through the door. Clive let out a loud grunt as he struggled to force his muscles to move through the electric shock. With much strain, he finally threw himself onto the steps in front of him, away from the electrified door. He pressed his arm against one of the steps as he turned himself to look back at the door, all the while breathing heavily as he tried to recover. The black slate behind the window remained, but in the center there floated one round, red eye, staring at Clive. Two loud bangs echoed off the the other side of the door, which stood unyielding.

"We'll want back up. Zorua," Clive waved a hand to his Pokemon, and immediately their images vanished. Clive looked back as he slowly limped his way up the steps. The eye still seemed to stare straight at him, uninfluenced by Zorua's illusion.

With the help of Umbreon's Flash, Clive and his Pokemon made their way back out of the building. With each step, Clive felt his movements start to become more normal as he recovered from the electrocution, but he undoubtedly must have looked a little pale. It did not take him long to find Yulia. "We saw... something," he grunted. Before he could explain any further, the sound of a vehicle rumbled at the front of the building. A long grinding sound, followed by a bang, suggested that the passengers were stepping out of a van.

Clive held up his hand, requesting silence from his partner and the Pokemon present with them, and inched his way to one corner of the building. He caught a quick glance from around the corner before quickly retreating, not wanting to risk giving them away. "They aren't dressed like Avarice grunts. Whatever this operation is, it is a bit more secretive," he whispered to Yulia.

[Ashen]

Yulia stood by the warehouse pondering, coming up with millions of unanswerable questions about the poster she held, the alcove, what lie beyond. She turned her attention back to the man on the piece of paper. Could she later send this in for testing? Check the age of the paper, the paint, anything to get the slightest clue? She was pulled from her thoughts at a soft caw from her bird Pokemon. Yulia looked up, eyebrow raised, and tried to meet her Braviary's gaze. He was cautiously glancing back towards the warehouse. "Have you heard something?" Yulia asked, approaching the bird and gently patting his neck. "Is it Clive?" Valkyrie shifted his weight and looked back to Yulia, a concern growing in his dark eyes. "Alright," she said softly, "let's go check on him. You go in here, alright?"

Once Valkyrie was back in his ball, Yulia started towards the main entrance of the warehouse. Her thoughts were ablaze; was Clive alright? Had something happened? Should she call for help before investigating? Perhaps, she thought, she was only overreacting. She glanced at her watch. It hadn't quite been an hour yet, so it wasn't surprising her partner hadn't made it back yet. So why did she feel so uneasy?

She saw him as soon as she reached the entrance, a flash rushing towards her. Yulia jumped instinctively, then calmed herself down to look over her partner. He was pale, slow; something was wrong. His words sent up countless red flags. "Are you alright?" was her first question. But before Clive could answer, they both heard someone pulling up nearby. Yulia silenced. Was the stakeout happening already? She looked over Clive, searching for any injuries, any blood. Finding none, she moved away from the entrance, not wanting to be seen by whomever was trespassing.

Adrenaline pumped wildly through her veins. She wanted to know that Clive was okay, but she was also living off the danger. Hadn't this been what she'd trained so long for? Yulia motioned Clive inside the warehouse and out of sight, and they remained still, waiting. The flyer, whatever Clive had found, and now this. They would be finding clues, after all.

But then a familiar pain snaked through her temples and spiraled in her forehead, blurring her vision and sending a nausea crawling through her stomach. Yulia held her breath, dread seizing her. Oh, please, she pleaded silently. She looked to Clive. She couldn't do this to him, not now, not like this. Shaking her head, she turned back to the entrance. Not until the danger goes away, she reasoned. Please, don't put him in danger​.

[Headwrapper]

Clive was relieved to feel his movement gradually become more normal as time went on, finding himself easily able to return his Umbreon to its ball, follow Yulia into the warehouse, and hide behind one of the various nooks. He could feel a mild burn on the sides of his hands that were touching the door he was shocked through, but nothing he thought would be critical to address, especially during their current situation. He managed to take a quick glance at his Pokegear, only to find it had been completely wiped, the screen a black rectangle with a flashing white bar.

Clive's Zorua followed the detectives closely, easily nudging itself into a dark space nearby, hidden from view. Its eyes carefully watched the movements of its trainer, trusting it would be commanded once the time is right.

The detective remained completely still as he waited, his eyes calmer than the water in Ilex Forest. In his mind, he was taking stock of who was in the warehouse: at least three alleged trespassers up ahead, Yulia behind him, and his trusty Shadow nearby. The voices up ahead grew harder to hear, and as the room grew more silent he only then could hear the dull ring in his ears, most likely a side effect from being shocked. He strained to listen further ahead, and eventually made the move to inch deeper into the warehouse to reaffirm the location of the suspicious characters inside.

He glanced back towards Yulia, and inhaled sharply when he saw her heading back out of the warehouse. Should he turn back as well? It might be safer to call for backup before proceeding further anyway, and Clive hardly felt like he should be swimming in enemy waters in his current state.

There was a sudden pull against his pant leg, and Clive could barely make out his Zorua's concerned expression through the dark. The detective listened carefully, and ground his teeth. More trespassers were entering the warehouse from the entrance behind them. "Quickly, hide all three of us," he whispered. He picked up his Zorua, and their images once again vanished, invisible to all others. He cautiously and quietly followed Yulia, unwilling to make too loud of a sound to warn her and give away their position. The seed of panic began to sprout when he realized that his partner was still fully visible, and her only cover was the darkness of the warehouse. That was hardly a cover, as it was possible the trespassers could have access to the lights.

What's wrong?, he thought, glancing down in his arms, Although he couldn't see it, he could feel his Zorua's deep breaths and strained muscles as he tried to control his illusions. It was trivial for even a young Zorua to mask itself in illusions, but to conceal others is a more daunting task. Clive's Shadow never had practice making two grown humans invisible before. The task proved to be difficult, especially when the Pokemon was fatigued and its targets were so far apart from each other.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on, blinding as it shredded through the darkness. Clive could hear the newcomers, there was at least a pair of them, yelp at the unexpected flash. From the sound, they were close, and it would only be a couple seconds before they would see Yulia, who now had very limited options for cover in the light of the warehouse. Suddenly, Clive rushed towards his partner. In a less than graceful motion, he wrapped one arm around her and pulled her towards him, and then used his other arm to hold his Zorua against her, putting them all in one big Bewear hug. In doing so, they all suddenly vanished, invisible to human eyes. Minimizing the area the Zorua needed to manage helped ease the burden, allowing him to successfully guise them.

"Did you hear that?" A man and a woman about Yulia's age, dressed in plain jeans and t-shirts with Pokeballs at the hip, walked by. "The lights probably just scared some Rattata or something."

[Ashen]

Her heart was beating so hard she was afraid Clive would hear it. Yulia's headache quickly skipped to a migraine, and she could feel her throat constricting, her airways becoming narrow ducts for survival. This wasn't supposed to go this way; she had trained too long and too hard to give herself away during her first stakeout. Her thoughts were torrential; she was begging with her own body, her own consciousness, to let this pass, to do whatever they wanted when they were safer, away from Clive, but she knew they had never listened before. Worse, the people were coming, and though Clive might be safe--his Zorua was used to hiding him, after all--she was left in the open, vulnerable, ready to sabotage their entire mission.

She flipped through alibis in her head. She was just lost, that was it, a poor lost woman who had wandered into this warehouse by accident, and Couldn't you kind strangers guide me home? Or she'd been looking for a Pokemon, a Happiny maybe, something uncommon enough that they would quickly dismiss her. It was too hard to think of anything believable with the pain that seized her. Perhaps it was time to give in, to use her little curse to her benefit. After all, who could hurt someone like her?

But suddenly her body clamped up, and Yulia felt herself falling. She squinted through blurred vision to make sense of what was happening. Was she fainting? But this warmth, this touch--Clive? Her hands weakly felt the back of his coat, then his neck, the brush of his hair. He was holding her. Why? Had he caught on to her condition? "Clive," she tried to speak, but footsteps drummed through her eardrum. The trespassers were so close, but they couldn't see them. Had Shadow managed after all? She closed her mouth, her eyes, and wrapped her arms around Clive. Could he feel her heartbeat now? Could he feel the way she was shaking? What would he make of that?

And just like that, it was over. Pain fell from her body, discarded, and Yulia opened her eyes. She adjusted her glasses and looked up, into the face of the man who was holding her. She smirked at that. Had the stoic detective fallen for her after all? She moved away from him, still caught in his embrace, and took inventory of her surroundings. She knew this place, those people, their voices. How... did she get here? Yulia bit her lip, trying to recount her steps. She'd been in the hotel, in the bathroom, had glanced in the mirror and--then what? Why couldn't she remember?

She didn't want to be here. This man was making her feel trapped, suffocated, and she needed some fresh air. She wanted to talk to the people by the entrance. What were their names again? But they couldn't see her, and she knew, deep down, she had to keep it that way. She could at least do that.

The strangers seemed to hold her gaze, but Yulia knew better. Shrugging off whatever they thought they'd heard, they continued into the warehouse, downstairs, out of view. After a few minutes, there was a crash, a swear, then footsteps up the stairs. They reemerged with a small box. It was a plain thing, though it had dark, colorful markings on its side and a port for some sort of plug in the back. Yulia knew this, for some reason, and knew what the box contained. They were stealing mega stones.

Her hands started shaking. How could she let them walk away, knowing what these grunts would do to the Pokemon they decided to experiment on? Those stones were made for other reasons, were for research; they were not ready to be introduced into the world yet. But the hitch in Clive's breaths, the strain of Zorua's illusion; it would be smarter to stay put. She watched helplessly as the two left the warehouse, leaving her alone with Clive and his exhausted illusion Pokemon.

Once they were safe, Yulia inched away from Clive. "They're going to get into trouble for that," she mentioned absently. Would Clive want to follow them? Or see if they left the door unlocked? She looked him over, his features blanketed by the darkness in the warehouse. "You look not so hot," she said, brow raised. "Did something happen?" Something told her she was talking too lazily, too freely. How did she usually talk to this man again...? She turned away from him, trying to make sense of her situation. She and Clive, at an Avarice base, in daylight; it had been a stakeout. At least, she guessed as much. It was almost as if something had caused all her memories from the past couple hours to just... vanish.

There was no time to think on it. Yulia adjusted her glasses again, straightened her skirt. "We should go," she suggested, not caring if Clive followed her. The outside was too bright, and she squinted at the painful reflection in her glasses. She didn't know the way to the hotel, or if she even had a key. Had she brought a key? She must have. She wasn't that forgetful. She pulled a couple of cigarettes from her purse and juggled them both between her fingers. "Clive, sweetheart," she murmured, assuming he was somewhere within earshot, "would you be so... kind..." The cigarettes fell to the grass beneath her, unlit, and as her words trailed she winced. We're safe now. Her eyes closed, and she lost her balance, falling forward onto the grass. Her breathing took a few moments to stabilize, but her consciousness was gone. If anyone came back to the warehouse, the passed out woman lying in the grass would be the first thing they'd see.

[Headwrapper]

Clive watched in complete silence as the strangers walked by, unknowing of his and Yulia's presence. One hand idly scratched at Shadow's neck as he comforted the Pokemon as it strained to use its ability to keep the party safe. The detective watched patiently as he observed the trespassers' decent down the stairs, wondering about the mysterious red eye that had attacked him through the door earlier. Was it a Pokemon? Did it follow these people's commands, or did they have some way to subdue the thing or otherwise keep themselves safe?

He wished he could venture closer, toe that line between recklessness and cunning that he normally would, but he could not risk compromising Yulia and Shadow's safety. The last thing he needed was a leg to go numb and him stumbling down the stairs. As they waited, he would occasionally draw a long breath, expanding his chest and abdomen as his lungs filled with air, before slowly breathing out. When he did so, he could feel a warmness push any tingling side effects from his earlier confrontation away, towards his fingertips and the tips of his toes.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and the trespassers emerged and left, as quickly as they came. Clive noticed the box they were holding and memorized it appearance, but was not sure what to make of the thing. They could then hear the van start up and drive off, vanishing into the sound of the city. At once, the entire group seemed to come back online, able to move freely. Clive set down his Zorua, giving him a once over glance before returning the Pokemon to its Pokeball. "Thanks, Shadow."

"Yeah well you try looking hot after getting zapped," he mumbled, slowly feeling at the Pokeballs under his coat until he found the right one and held it in front of him. "You weren't looking so hot yourself not too long ago." He tossed out his Pokeball, bringing back his Houndour. If the trespasser left something behind, they would have a scent Houndour could use later. Until Clive could find something of the sort, he could at least let the Pokemon memorize whatever new smells were added to the warehouse in hopes they would come up later. He guided the Pokemon with some gestures, but did not allow it to descend the stairs with him. Despite his instincts pleading him not to, Clive forced himself to pull at the large metal door a second time, only to find it was still locked. He hurried back up the stairs without looking back, and lead his Houndour back up to the entrance of the warehouse.

The detective halted soon after stepping out the front entrance, giving his Houndour a chance to smell the door frame and handles before stepping forward. He watched his partner carefully as she dug through her purse. Was he better off having her around or not, he wondered. His caution turned into bewilderment when Yulia spoke to him, raising an eyebrow quizzically as he waited for her to finish her sentence. That did not happen. Rather, the woman dropped to the ground, her blue hair a flourish of lightning behind her as she suddenly descended. "Yules? Yulia!"

Clive stumbled forward, a grunt escaping his lips as his feet pounded on the grass beneath him and he reached Yulia's side. He carefully turned her over, calling to her periodically as he did. She was still breathing and had a pulse, which had both stabilized relatively quickly. "Well, better now then 15 minutes ago," he eventually muttered, reaching for his Pokegear, which was still just a blank screen. "Fuck." Since Yulia seemed stable, Clive decided to continue to monitor her until she either awoke or he felt she was unconscious for too long.

[Ashen]

Her dreams swelled with cries of torment, of tortured Pokemon, of shattered stones. When Yulia finally did wake, she couldn't be sure she was away from her nightmare. She sat up suddenly, bringing her headache back in a flash. The world was too bright. It was still daylight, so she couldn't have been out long--right? The trees were swaying, and bird Pokemon were flying far in the distance. She was in front of the warehouse again, with Clive. As memories competed with hallucinations, Yulia could only pinch her eyes shut and grab for the only other human around. She pulled herself close to Clive, a terrified child against his chest, and willed it all to go away.

She knew she was in trouble. Her memory was compromised, just like it always seemed to be after one of her spells. She remembered those people, the Avarice grunts? They were coming, and she and Clive were hiding, and--oh, he had grabbed her. Like she was grabbing him now. Completely out of line.

Red flashed across her cheeks and Yulia jumped away from Clive. What had she been thinking? Passing out on him like this, and then grabbing him like they were friends, or worse--what was wrong with her? She turned away, keeping her gaze steadily on the grass. She located a pair of cigarettes, ones she must have dropped but didn't remember grabbing. If Clive was here with her, out in the open, it meant they were safe from whatever threat had come earlier, at least for now. It meant, whatever had happened, she hadn't ruined this after all.

Yulia looked back to Clive. How would she begin to explain what had happened? She didn't even know if he'd want to hear it now. All the ways this could have gone wrong played in her mind, bloody scenes that would continue to haunt her. And that touch--would he hate her for grabbing him? He'd done it first, maybe, but that was out of necessity. That hug just a few minutes ago, she still wasn't sure why she'd done it. To remind herself of reality? How could she tell him that?

Yulia cleared her throat, and the quiet sound was deafening in her ears. She tried to stand, but a wave of dizziness fell over her, and she thought it better to stay put for now. "How long was I out?" she asked, but then waved him off. She didn't want to know, or, rather, Clive couldn't accurately answer that. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, expecting her words to be ignored or, worse, thrown in her face. "I think... we should go back to the hotel for now." She tried to fight the dizziness, and soon she was on her feet, though unsteady as a newborn Spoink. She needed Clive's help, but she was afraid to ask for it, lest he think her even more incapable--if that were even possible. The beating in her head was alarming still. Had she taken something for that already? How much? The last thing she needed now was to overdose on painkillers.

Between the headache and the dizziness, Yulia didn't know how to read Clive's expression. She couldn't comfort him, didn't know how to. How many more strikes until he refused her help on this case altogether? "I'm sorry," she said again. "I... I can explain. When we get back. Okay?"

[Headwrapper]

Finally, Yulia awoke. Clive felt like he was waiting for an eternity, but the logical part of his mind continued to remind him that only minutes had passed. As always, he was grateful for following logic over any compulsive emotion that might have caused him to panic. "Hey hey hey," he called gently when Yulia sprung up, almost as quickly as she had fallen. Clive hovered one arm behind his partner in case she would suddenly fall backwards.

He watched in cautious silence as Yulia gained her bearings, clearly not recognizing his presence right away. Without any experience in this kind of thing, Clive could hardly venture a guess as to what kind of episode Yulia had just experienced. It was almost like the way she carried herself, spoke to him, basically did anything, changed for a while. Until, of course, she ate grass. It was just Clive's luck that his partner was a mystery all her own, waiting to be solved in parallel to his current case.

The detective drew a sharp breath through his teeth when he was unexpectedly grabbed, and his partner dug herself into his chest. Without a doubt, Clive was caught off guard by the sudden embrace, and was not completely sure what to do. What did Yulia need? Was she still delirious? Trying to sort out her bearings? He slowed his breathing, as if to not disturb the delicate and mysterious person clinging on to him. Maybe the confusing and unexplained curiosities surrounding this woman was why he kept her around... A uniquely challenging case, or...?

Clive was soon released, presumably when Yulia realized what she was doing, and the pair distanced themselves from each other. Rather, Yulia moved away as much as she could while being seated, and Clive rose to his feet. The man turned back towards the warehouse and took a few steps towards it, shielding his subtle scowl from view. How silly he just was, he thought. Handling Yulia like some kind of fragile dove, trying to wrap his head around what she might have needed during a moment of weakness, forgetting that she would never truly lean on him in that way- at least when she was in her right mind.

He quickly shook off the notion. Just learn from the mistake and get back to business, he thought. Soon Yulia was back up on her feet, though her legs appeared shaky and not ready for a long journey. "There's no need to rush if you need some more time," Clive said as he approached. He eyed her carefully, eventually deciding he did not want to waste time taking her to a doctor. How was he supposed to get her back to the hotel without looking suspicious?

It was not a far walk back to the hotel, but Clive was sure he did and Yulia both looked quite out of sorts, especially when he realized Yulia was still too shaky to walk. Even if he wanted to, which he very much did not, Clive would not be able to carry her all the way back while shaking off the last bit of the shock he took earlier.

Regardless if Yulia protested or not, Clive insisted they wait a few more minutes before they finally started back to the hotel. When the time came, Clive offered a hand, arm, shoulder, whatever it was Yulia may have needed to help her make the trek. They used their key card to enter one of the side door. Luckily, it was the middle of a work day, so they did not run into any other hotel guests on their way up the elevator and into their room. Once he was sure Yulia was seated on her bed, Clive dropped down onto his. After a minute had passed he turned to one side and reached for his laptop, and began to tiredly punch in a few notes with one hand, though the progress was slow.

[Ashen]

The minutes they spent waiting outside the warehouse were torturous. Yulia's thoughts were frenzied. She couldn't bare being this close to Clive and not saying anything. What was going through his mind? She felt she needed to say something, but what was there to say? How could she fix this? She clutched her head, wishing the world would eat her whole. No, she thought, she couldn't let this get together. Hadn't she made it through the Academy, blackouts and all? She had a case to solve, villains to stop, Pokemon to save. Now was not the time to give up.

Somehow, the minutes passed, and though Yulia still wasn't quite ready, she needed to get away from this place. She fought through the nausea smiling, trying to convince Clive she was well enough to go, knowing he didn't believe her but not fighting her anymore. Together, they were able to get her back to the hotel, past the lobby and up to their room, then back onto her bed, room spinning. She spent several minutes trying to gather her bearings before glancing over to Clive. He busied himself with his computer, typing far too loudly--or was that the headache? He was typing slowly... Was that on purpose? Something had happened to him at the warehouse, but she was struggling to remember what. In everything that had happened to her, she'd completely forgotten about what Clive was going through himself.

Guilt tinting her cheeks, she turned away. Couldn't she do anything without bringing so much attention to herself? "Do you... need anything?" she dared to ask, though she doubted her ability to fetch him anything. Absently, a hand snaked through her purse, to a smooth bottle. Yulia poured the painkillers into her hand and swallowed them without a drink. She then turned to face him. "Hey, Clive," she murmured, "I'm... I'm sorry for back there. I don't... really remember all of it, unfortunately, but I'm sorry for what I put you through. I'm sorry for making you watch over me. I'm sorry for not being there for you." She searched his expression, tried to read the room. Was it safe, now, to tell him more? Was it too dangerous to remain silent?

She nudged her purse off the bed, and she shifted so the skirt of her dress covered her legs when she turned to face him fully. A part of her told her to stop before she had even begun, but she had to weigh how much danger she could put Clive in like this. Memories from that scene traveled back to her, the grunts, the strain of Clive's poor Zorua. If she had been smarter, hadn't been like this, how different could things have turned out? And what even happened after that? She shook her head, and her gaze fell to the floor. Quietly, calmly, she started speaking.

"I had told you about the festival I went to as a kid, how I went with my parents, and got led away by a Drifloon, and found by a Hypno. However, I didn't... quite tell you all of it. I was under the Hypno's spell for what felt like years, and when a Ninetales crossed my path, I considered it a blessing. I mean, everyone knows the legend of Ninetales, right? If you pull one of its tails, you'll be cursed. I was just seven years old, I didn't know any better, and I thought... I hoped... That if I pulled one of its tails, my curse would be death."

Had she ever uttered those words aloud? She swallowed, hard.

"Well, obviously, it wasn't. Instead, the Ninetales gave me this... condition. It's why all of my doctors visits have come up ordinary. Medically, there's nothing wrong with me. You can't test for curses with a stethoscope. I just black out at random. Sometimes I can feel it coming. Sometimes I don't remember afterwards, when it happened or what I was doing. It's... been something I've dealt with for almost all my life now."

A small voice in her mind called out to her, calling her an idiot. Would Clive not run away, now? She was a liability out in the field; what would he want her as a partner for?

Yulia's gaze rose to his face, and the expression in her dark eyes was unreadable. "I don't tell people," she went on, "because I don't want them to see weakness when they look at me. I don't want to be the traumatized girl or the lady who passes out. I'm a private investigator. I made my way through the Academy with little support and a lot to hold me back, but I did it, because this--bringing down Avarice, and stopping the torture of Pokemon, of people, and making this world a better place to live in--that means everything to me."

She was talking too much. Yulia turned away, going over what she'd just said. Was it all for nothing? Clive had every right to be angry at not disclosing this sooner, but would that affect their dynamic? This mission? She shook her head. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," she said quietly. "You're... the only person I've ever told, actually. This must be a lot. I'm sorry." Again, being with Clive was making her anxious. Had she just ruined it all? She needed a cigarette, or some fresh air, but she doubted her legs would carry her outside now. She just had to wait for Clive's reaction now, and deal with it, somehow.

[Headwrapper]

Clive responded to Yulia asking him if he needed anything with a single chuckle that dripped with sarcastic amusement, followed by a low "Nope." He continued to press one key at a time on his laptop, desperate to document his thoughts before he forgot any details or found himself needing to sleep and recover. Even as Yulia apologized, he continued punching away, painstakingly filling in his running document line by line. He still acknowledged that his partner spoke, only silently, by occasionally glancing passed the side of the laptop screen to look at her before going back to the screen again.

It was not until the tone of Yulia's voice shifted, growing even quieter, that Clive gave her his full attention. The sides of his lips twitched involuntarily as he studied Yulia's face, as if searching for something. Yet, he still listened, and he listened carefully. His gaze never left Yulia's face, unflinching even at the most surprising parts of her story. The Ninetales curse was an alarming factor, but like anything else, Clive knew there was no sense in questioning it until she was done. The rest of Yulia's sentiments, as noble as they sounded, did not stir much of a reaction either. At that moment, Clive was a sponge that was absorbing all of the information, and sponges did not typically have much to say.

Slow, empty, seconds of silence lingered once Yulia had concluded, ending with yet another apology. Clive laid still for a while, before turning himself and sitting up. He glanced back towards his laptop for a moment before pulling it to his lap. After a few key presses, he turned the thing towards Yulia, who would probably notice that Clive turned the camera on. He peaked to the screen to make sure there was a good shot, before snapping the picture, then spinning the laptop back around and turning the camera back off. He then closed the laptop lid and threw it to the center of his bed, before standing up. The new case file, the one about Yulia, will need to be started when he felt motivated to work again.

He probably did not have the energy to spare to just pace the room, but something in his body- maybe adrenaline, cortisol, testosterone- dictated that he would do so. "I never told you about Uncle Richie, did I?" he asked. "He wasn't really my uncle, but he was basically a brother to my father, so that made him basically my uncle too. They were partners. They made a legacy together unlike anything the GRPD, and maybe any PD across Johto and Kanto, had ever seen. Anything I've managed to do since starting my career is child's play compared to the feats they've accomplished."

He stepped passed Yulia's bed, eventually slowing to a stop to lean his shoulder against the wall by the window. He watched the streets below as people weaved their ways through the city, like ants as they carved their way through their mound. "Uncle Richie... Well, he was a pretty top notch guy. Never had kids, or a wife, but he just wanted to lock up bad guys. He volunteered at the food bank, I remember him taking me along once when I was old enough to fit a single can of baked beans in one hand. I think he did some stuff at one of the churches too? I don't know specifically what."

"Locking up the bad guys was his primary way of contributing to society though. And he was good at it, my dad was too, obviously, that's why they were so renowned." He paused, glancing down at the window sill, before deciding it would be welcoming enough to sit on. He lowered himself down before continuing, occasionally glancing towards Yulia when he did, but mostly talking at the room's cool and conditioned air. "If you look around you'll find pictures of my dad some places at the precinct. Three of them to be exact. One in the trophy case, one in the hallway leading to the courts, and one in the chief's office. There are zero pictures of Uncle Richie. None of the old school guys want to even acknowledge his existence. Can you venture a guess why that is, rookie?"

Clive paused to dig under his coat until he found the broken and scarred Pokeball that was given to him by the judge weeks ago. He continued on, whether Yulia answered or not. "We don't usually take kindly to turncoats, traitors, and deserters. For good reason. I mean, we swore our lives to the protection of others. It's a covenant we made to mankind, to Pokemon, and to each other to defend the innocent and to bring justice to those that harm them. Personally, I don't make a big deal of it, but at the end of the day that is what it is, isn't it? So when someone turns their back on something like that... actually worse, opposes it, we can't take it lightly.

'You're probably smart enough to understand where I'm going with this, right Yulia? The reason my dad died, on the field, is because Uncle Richie got him killed. In fact, he might have been the one to do it, no one knows. The bullet in my dad's brain was registered to him. This Pokeball, which is supposed to be locked up in evidence, had Uncle Richie's prints all over it. Uncle Richie was the only one who could have known where my mother was hiding while my dad was working on such a dangerous case, and yet somehow she went missing."

There was visible tension across Clive's forehead, despite his speech being steady. "They never found him. There's a lot of details to the case, and believe my I know them all, but to keep it short he was spotted a couple times with a cartel and that was it. Gone. Far too much time has passed for that case to ever be solved now, not by the law anyway. That man was partners with my dad for longer than I've even been in the game, and for that whole time he had demon's in the closet. He had better plans for himself. It did not matter to him if he betrayed maybe the only person that entrusted his life to him. His other life, the non-detective life, was more important."

Clive drew a long breath, finally letting go of the visible frustration on his face as he stood. He glanced down at Yulia. "All of that being said... thanks for telling me. I'm honored to have been the first person you told. I still have questions about what you just told me, still have doubts, but whatever the actual truth is I know I can handle it. However. I do not want Uncle Richie. I don't want to make that picture the first that goes into my personal file about Yulia Oryolovna, and have to obsess over it like I have with Uncle Richie's, just to keep myself safe. I can not accept more secrets if they might compromise our work, or get me killed. If stopping Avarice really means everything to you, which I believe you when you say it is, then you will answer me honestly- are you still holding anything back, yes or no?" His dark eyes met Yulia's, not quite leering, but his facade was still unwavering.

[Ashen]

Clive was quiet, processing. It was normal for him to be silent as he listened and considered the information presented to him. That comfort, however, was far outweighed by the anxiety bubbling beneath Yulia's skin in the silence that followed her story. She tried to look away, to focus on anything else so that she wasn't staring at Clive, waiting. But then, he went back to his computer, as if to ignore her entirely. Yulia hesitated, not knowing how to address Clive's behavior, when suddenly he turned the laptop to her. She noticed the light beside the camera before she saw her reflection, and as Clive closed her mugshot away with whatever he was documenting, she felt a horrible feeling deep in her stomach.

Then, he started talking. Yulia got no acknowledgement of her story, but she gave Clive the benefit of the doubt. She had no idea why he was suddenly talking about his uncle, but she listened politely. Hadn't she read about the investigating duo in a class somewhere? Hadn't a classmate even done a report on them? But she listened from Clive's perspective, putting herself into his shoes. She watched him as she talked about his father, and his good-natured uncle, and the night that everything changed. Suddenly, Yulia understood why Clive had begun talking about all this, long before he asked his question, and a wave of nausea suffocated her. Clive had a lot of admiration for his father, that much was clear, but he did not want to become him.

Her gaze fell to the floor, hard. Thoughts spiraled out of control. She knew what he would come to ask, but what could she say? How could she answer the partner she was supposed to trust with her life? And then he uttered those words, demanded them, and Yulia felt her throat close up. She could not speak, could not think. He was right; he didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve the secrets that could endanger him, the partner who could have been a traitor. But what would he think if he knew?

Yulia sat in silence, at war with her conscience. Maybe it was time to come clean once and for all. Clive would try to help her; this was his mission, too. She believed in his passion in shutting down Avarice. They were connected that way. So when she told him, he would be patient, and he would help her, and he would think nothing of it.

But she knew that was wrong. She knew opening her mouth now would be suicide. Five little words would ruin her life, and she couldn't bare to think of a world in which her secret was out.

Though maybe it was time for a world in which she didn't have to hide.

Yulia brought her gaze to Clive, to his cold expression. How long had she kept him waiting? How many minutes stretched between his question and now? She did not know how to apologize, for any of this. "Clive," she said softly. She could only pray the fear was not as obvious in her voice as it was in the shaking of her hands. "I would never do that to you, and I hope you can trust me when I say that. I would never forgive myself if any pain befell you on my behalf. Even today, knowing something could have happened to you because of... this, I hate it. I hate myself for putting you in danger."

Her words were unsteady. She tried to think of the best way to tell him, how to word it, what not to say. The best way would be to come out with it, directly.

"When I black out," she started, but her voice cut off sharply. The color drained from her face, and she sat there, as if paralyzed. A voice from back then, the source of her trauma, found its way back to her thoughts. She heard it clearly, as if it was being spoken aloud, as if her enemy were in the very room with her.

If you tell anyone, I will kill you.

It left as quickly as it had come, another unwelcome memory in this trip through her thoughts. Yulia was left panting, unable to explain to Clive what had just happened. How could she? She couldn't find the words, the body language. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face, and then she was sobbing. It was as if her body was acting on its own, betraying the composure she'd spent so long trying to perfect. She tried to wipe at her eyes, though the act seemed hopeless. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I don't... I don't know what's wrong with me." Yulia reached for a box of tissues on the nightstand by her bed and removed her glasses. The world blurred around her, a mosaic of color and complexity.

Clive would hate her. How could he ever trust her after this? Of course she had more to hide, and the day she didn't was the day she died.

She vowed it.

"I'm sorry," she said again. She landed from the bed on shaky legs and grabbed her bag. The rest of the pack wouldn't satisfy her now; she'd need to buy some more cigarettes. She looked to Clive, unable to clearly make him out. Her crying wouldn't stop, and she knew there was no use in trying. "Clive," she said again, more desperately. "I promise, with all of who I am, that I will never hurt you. The second I break that promise, I want you to kill me."

Before he could even respond she was on her way out. She needed to get away from this, from her partner and her job, her warring memories. She was not well enough to stand, let alone walk out like she was doing, and in her haste she left her glasses on the bed, but that did not matter to her.

Her partner must have hated her. If she couldn't rely on him, she didn't know how she would ever defeat Team Avarice.

[Headwrapper]

The moments after Clive posed his question grew long, but even still, the detective's eyes stayed fixed on his partner. His brows furrowed, the tension on his face evident form the deep lines that traveled across his forehead. Secretly, he prayed. Prayed he would not have to start the file, prayed that he would get a straight answer, no matter how much that answer might complicate things. Prayed that his suspicions can be put at ease, that he could focus his efforts purely on bringing Avarice to justice. Prayed that when he did so, he could do it in a way he never thought possible: with a partner by his side.

His gaze was unyielding, even as Yulia stammered and paused, fighting to get her words out. No emotion was betrayed by Clive's face. He only watched and listened intently, waiting for the answer he demanded. Finally, he got it. He knew the moment that Yulia broke down, a sobbing mess. Clive recognized that frustration- it was not very different from when the subject of an interrogation has been convinced to relinquish vital information, and yet some ultimate force, some threat, some force of will did not allow them to do so. Unwilling to crack, despite the enormous pressure weighing down on them.

It was only upon yielding to this notion that Clive's fixated stare finally wavered, and he gazed down towards the floor. His sullen expression hardly changed, even upon hearing Yulia's vow to him and what she asked him for should she break that vow. Moments later, Yulia was gone, and Clive felt lonely again.

It had been so long since he had felt it, lonesomeness. Even alone, he hardly felt lonely. After all, he had his Pokemon and he had his duties. Now though, he was reminded of a time before he was able to be appeased by such things. What it was like for years after losing his parents and their family friend. Had things really gone full circle, threatening to pull him back into the confusing haze that those feelings created?

"Don't be stupid," he said to himself, sitting up. To think that this would even compare to the most tragic event of his life was so foolish. What, he was going to feel slighted, disappointed, that this woman he had known for a few months could not trust him with something secret to her? Of course that made no sense. At least she made some things clear to him. Nothing changed, and Clive was responsible for his own life and for his work.

His thoughts quickly jumped to what he would be adding to his new file. Who was Yulia, exactly? Why had she one day appeared immediately appointed to be his partner while working on the Avarice case that she felt so passionately about? The circumstances of her upbringing clearly lead to her current quirks. What details did he not know about and how could they manifest? What of her stories, how much could he believe, and how much could be fable or even just the ramblings of a madwoman?

He moved quickly to reach for his laptop, wincing and gasping loudly when he did so. Maybe the file could wait until after he had more rest. After some careful movement, his head tiredly hit one of the pillows on his bed, and he stared at one of the empty walls blankly, his brain still stringing together thoughts to add to his beloved files. First they were the Yulia file, but eventually his thoughts drifted back to the familiar Avarice file. Lastly, he recalled every last detail of the Richard Mears file.

After a long while, Clive arose, too restless to fall asleep, despite the fatigue from the day's events. Gently, he picked up the pair of glasses Yulia left behind. He let out a long sigh before releasing Houndour from his Pokeball. "Let's at least make sure she's okay," he said tiredly, motioning the glasses forward for Houndour to lead the way. They started out of the hotel, slowly following the scent trail that would have been left behind by Yulia.

[Ashen]

Her tears were relentless, even long after she'd left her room and snuck out of the hotel. Her legs were burning, and a nausea was threatening to close her airways. When was the last time she had felt so shitty? There was no coming back from this; her silence had ensured her partner's betrayal of trust. Had she not just ruined every chance she had of completing her life mission? No, she thought, she could still do it alone, without Clive, without anyone at the police department. It was her mission; she didn't have to involve anyone else.

In her blind stumbling from the hotel, she tripped on a Ratatta scurrying by, and as she fell to the ground she cursed her clumsiness. She didn't have the strength to get up, so she scooted to the nearby building and threw her head against its facade. The action sent stars through her vision, so she pinched her eyes shut, grabbed fistfuls of her skirt. "I hate you," she growled, helpless, child-like. "I hate you," she repeated, louder now. "Why won't you die?" She was nearly screaming by her last word, loud enough to attract the attention of a woman walking nearby. Yulia didn't even look up. She must have looked crazy to this world, to the people who could never trust her, no matter what she did. And wasn't she crazy? Didn't she deserve this?

When she finally stopped crying, she thought back to the events in that hotel room, just minutes before. No, Clive, she should have said, easy. I have nothing else to hide. Wouldn't that have prevented all this? Or Of course, Clive, I have more to hide--don't we all? Anything would have been better than her reaction. Thinking about it brought the tears back, but she blinked them away. In all her years, she had never cried like this. What was so different about Clive? Whatever it had been, she was sure she'd just lost it for good.

She knew she could not sit like this forever. Yulia looked around, at the dark alley she had found herself in, the silhouettes of Pokemon high above her. A purple blob peeked its head over a trash can to stare at her. Why had she left without her glasses? She pulled a Poke Ball from her bag and gently threw it in front of her. The Beartic that came from it located her owner, and she made a concerned groan when she saw her. "Hey Zita," Yulia said, gently patting the bear's leg. "I'm going to need your help getting up, okay?"

The Beartic shifted. Strong and steadfast, she helped Yulia to her feet, and the two of them were able to make it back to the street. Yulia then recalled Zita, and she squinted at the street signs and people around her. Where... was she? Getting lost was just another thing to add to the list of things she'd ruined that day. She walked for a few minutes, but she could not find any landmarks, not through her nearsightedness. She swore, and just as she was about to ask for directions, she saw a blur of black approaching her.

Yulia panicked. From the size of it, the thing approaching her was likely a Mightyena, or even a Zoroark--no, not hairy enough. It was a Houndour, she realized, as it drew near. Clive's Houndour. She looked beyond the Pokemon and saw a man, her partner, coming to find her, even after everything. Did he... still care? You're still his partner, she reminded herself. For now. Hoping her eyes were not still red, Yulia walked to Clive and offered him a small smile. "Hi," she offered quietly. "You wouldn't happen to... know the way back?"

[Headwrapper]

"Slow down a bit," Clive said calmly as he followed after his Houndour. The dark Pokemon was eagerly tracking its target. Thanks to its training, it hardly wasted a moment while performing such a task. Each step put made the scent trail clearer, only serving to increase the Pokemon's confidence as it continued to bridge the distance between itself and the target. Despite this, the loyal Pokemon slowed its pace upon its trainer's command.

The streets of Saffron were still relatively busy, even in the later hours. Any light, be it from the sun or the lamps that lined the streets, reflected off the golden bricks and made the city glow bright like Azalean charcoal. It was not very different from Goldenrod, Clive thought. With so much activity happening at any given time, and with such a great population, it was easy to believe that crime would inevitably take place along these streets. That's what people did, after all. They make rules, and break them too.

The detective continued to follow Houndour, preoccupying himself with such thoughts as he did. He considered asking his Pokemon to slow down a second time, but instead pushed passed the fatigue. It would be better if he found Yulia sooner rather than later, before it grew too dark. Finally, they succeeded in doing so. Clive spotted his partner's blue hair just as his Houndour let out a quick bark. "That's enough Houndour, I see her now," he said calmly before the dog became too set on barking. The slowly approached Yulia, who was clearly lost. Rather jumpy too. Clive figured the reason was obvious, and he reached into a coat pocket for Yulia's glasses.

"Yeah," he said in response to her question, presenting her with her eye wear he gently pinched between his fingers. He gave her a once over as she took the glasses. They definitely had a rough day, the both of them, and their last conversation did not serve to make things much better. He wondered if it was the right thing to do, putting her on the spot the way that he did. Maybe she was not strong enough to handle that kind of thing, not from someone who intimidated her sometimes.

Still, the girl did not break down at the sight of him. In fact, if anything she might have been glad he came and found her, so Clive took that as a good sign. He had already resigned to the fact that the truths he needed from her would take time to extract, meaning he had no reason to press the issue further. "We should probably hurry back," he said. "We both look like crap. Can you walk okay?"

[Ashen]

Clive's response to Yulia's lighthearted question was simple, cold, but Yulia only had herself to blame for expecting anything else. She gratefully took her glasses and set them on her nose. Like magic, she blinked the world back into focus, but she found that she still did not know where she was. Had she not studied the map of this city well enough, or was she too exhausted to even recognize her own surroundings? Either way, she was glad Clive was here, despite everything that had gone down, and that they would be able to relax for a bit as soon as they got back to the hotel.

Body still aching, Yulia assured her partner she was well enough to walk, and the two of them made their way back to the hotel. The walk was near torturous for the blue-haired detective, and several times throughout it she thought she might pass out before arriving at their destination. However, the familiar building came into view and, letting out a sigh of relief, Yulia found the energy to keep going. The elevator provided a short but welcome respite, and from there it was only a short walk to their room. Yulia dropped into the bed she'd claimed and sighed into the soft sheets and cool pillow. She was only dully aware of Clive's presence in the room. She did not know if he took his place in the bed beside hers, if he stayed up on his laptop, or if he passed out like his body must have been begging him to, for in only moments sleep claimed Yulia, and nothing would stir her from her slumber.

By the time she awoke, daylight was streaming through the window and bathing the room in a cheery glow. Yulia moved to rub the sleep from her eyes but found her glasses in the way. She took them off and instead rubbed the sensitive skin on her nose, now red and imprinted from her frames. Clive was still asleep beside her. Yulia checked the time and pulled herself out of bed, then to the bathroom. The shower was everything she needed, and as it wiped the memories of yesterday far from her mind, she made a promise to herself. She would never act like that in front of Clive again.

After her shower, she quickly and quietly got dressed and watched Clive for several moments, deep in thought. She could explore the city some more, check out popular daytime spots and mingle with the locals, or she could sit down and draw up some more notes, read up on more crimes. She decided on something else entirely; as her stomach growled, she knew Clive would likely be hungry when he woke too. Grabbing her purse, she checked her phone for nearby restaurants, and she made her way out to bring him breakfast in bed. The entire way there, she struggled to decide if it was an apology or not.

The menu was displayed on the wall behind the counter, with bright pictures of entrees and appetizers. Yulia stood in line awkwardly, trying to decide what to get. What did Clive even like? The line moved steadily until it was her turn to order, and she stumbled over her words. The receptionist gave her a weird look, so she apologized. She decided on a pancakes-and-bacon platter, convincing herself that everyone liked pancakes, and she paid for the trays and carried them back to the hotel. It was still early in the day, and she wouldn't expect Clive to be awake for a while yet, but a part of her wanted him to wake soon, to see if he was still mad, so she could find a way to fix everything.

[Headwrapper]

Upon returning to the hotel, Clive withdrew to the bathroom, marching straight to the porcelain bowl at the very end of the room. When he washed his hands, he carefully observed himself in the mirror. A dirty man, flogged by the events of that day, stared straight back. His eyes were dark as ever, but when did the circles under them get there? Just above them, the lines on his forehead were beginning to create permanent homes for themselves, lining his head systematically like the streets of the city. The stubble on his face was starting to become a short beard, neglected over the last few weeks.

He washed his face before leaving the bathroom. Yulia had already reserved to her bed, and was already asleep if not just about to be there. Clive chose to do the same, managing to get into more comfortable clothes before sliding underneath the sheets. He closed his eyes, drawing slow and steady breaths as he recollected what needed to go in the Oryolovna file, then the Avarice file, and lastly the Mears file. By the end, he had fallen asleep.

He stared out into the darkness as his thoughts picked back up. I need to get a new phone, he thought. I wonder how much the Saffron police have investigated the people working the festival. Avarice might compromise the security staff. He was not sure how long he laid there before he briefly felt the warmth of the sun on his face. I'm awake. That was his final thought before he suddenly opened his eyes, disappearing from the sea of darkness and arriving once again the hotel room he shared with Yulia.

He groaned softly as he sat up and blinked the room into view. Yulia was already awake, and dressed for that matter. Clive rubbed his eyes gently before croaking out a "Good morning." He cleared his throat quickly. "Looks like you've been up a while." He looked towards the window, squinting at the light that was pouring in. It had been a long time since he slept in for so long. He'd find a way to make up the lost time, he thought to himself.

[Ashen]

Her partner was not so quick to rise. Yulia ate her breakfast quietly, then discarded the trash from it when she'd finished, all the while watching to see if Clive would wake up. After a while, she realized she looked a lot like a stalker. She looked away quickly, but her mind wandered; what would he have thought if he'd woken to her just staring at him? She tried to distract herself with work: she read an entire blog entry on the history of the festival, and once it was late enough to be socially acceptable, she placed a few calls, to the GRPD, the Saffron Police Department, and to several local businesses. She made these calls in the hallway, but Clive didn't even stir each time she returned. Worry started to settle in; had the previous day exhausted him that much? Had the injuries from the warehouse been so severe? Yulia glanced at the tray she'd brought, wondering if she should wake him, and ultimately deciding against it.

By the time he did awake on his own, Yulia was deep in her work. She noticed him quickly and greeted him with a smile and a chipper, "Good morning!" She set her papers aside and looked him over. He looked... okay. Not mad, not yet. Groggy. She shook her head. "Not that long," she replied, a lie. How long had she been awake? She motioned towards the papers now scattered across her bed. "I've been productive, at least. I've checked in with a few of our partners and made sure things were alright back home, too. I updated the report I started for Saffron City, and I've already sent you the link to the online version of the document. I have a meeting in..." She glanced at the bottom-right corner of her laptop. "...a couple hours, with one of the regular vendors at the festival, about her experiences in past years and some recent activities that may be related to Avarice." She glanced back at him. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled, "I'm rambling. I've just been doing busywork, is all."

Her list of morning activities; was she trying to convince him that she could still do her job? She dismissed the thought, not wanting to dwell on her motives. She turned to face him more fully. Yulia was dressed comfortably today, in a silky blouse and shorts, barefoot, her sandals kicked off on the other side of the room. She wondered, for the first time that day, if she looked too informal for her partner. She quickly cursed the thought; when had she cared about that before? She was off-duty anyway, and could dress however she pleased. Though this need to now impress Clive irritated her. Had they not been working together all this time?

She cleared her throat. "I, um, brought you breakfast." She motioned towards the tray on the nightstand by his bed. "It might be a bit cold, now. I thought you would be up earlier. Oh--not to imply anything, you're free to sleep however long you want, and I know yesterday was, um..." Shut up, Yulia. She straightened awkwardly. Her eyes fell back to her files, her laptop. "Pancakes," she said after a moment. "It's pancakes, and bacon, and the lemonade in the cup is for you too. I didn't know how much syrup you'd want, so I brought three packets, but you can have the one I didn't use. I put it beside the tray. I just thought it might be nice, to wake up to some food, since I figured you'd be hungry." She was still talking too much. Yulia cursed the shy way she now talked to Clive. This wasn't her.

"I'm sorry," she said, turning back to him. "Listen to me. I sound like an idiot." She laughed quietly, mirthlessly. "How are you feeling? Did you sleep well?" Her smile this time was more genuine.

[Headwrapper]

Clive rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he listened to Yulia explain what she had gotten into that morning. From the sounds of things, she was definitely up much earlier than he was. He wondered how that could have been, with all that had happened the day before. Maybe Yulia was accustomed to having to recover quickly from after passing out. Clive wondered if he had stayed up a lot longer recollecting his thoughts. He had a whole extra file to consider now, after all.

The man sat up completely, turning so that he was seated on the edge of the bed, facing Yulia. His gaze stayed low to the floor as he shook off the last remnants of his sleep, the bottoms of his bare feet pressing into the carpet. Plans on how he would spend the rest of the day already began to spiral in his head. He still had not taken a shower since the day before, so he would have to knock that out of the way, make sure he did not have any important emails, and then figure out his phone situation. Hopefully he would not have to go without until the PD could replace his old one, but he had a feeling that might be the case.

He raised an eyebrow, and looked up curiously when Yulia stated that she had thought to surprise him with breakfast. He glanced back and forth between the tray and Yulia herself while she explained everything rather timorously. Clive didn't really know what to say, both because of the kind gesture and because of the way Yulia was behaving. Even when they were first partnered together, the younger detective was never so disjointed with her words. In fact, it annoyed Clive at first how confident and prepared she always seemed to be, but he did learn to appreciate it. In a way, Clive was sad that their relationship was suddenly strained so much, but he knew it was necessary. It was also far from irreversible, or at least that was what a small part of him hoped, anyway. He knew better than to let that small part control him, though.

A sudden relief poured into the room once Yulia recollected herself. Clive reserved any of his own comments about Yulia sounding like an idiot to himself, simply choosing to reach over to the tray of food and place it on his lap. One side of his lips curled into a smile as he responded to Yulia's questions and he squeezed out some of the syrup on his now cold pancakes. "I'm alright. A lot better, actually. I can't believe I slept for so long without waking up once. Thank you for the food."

He ate his food silently, the fact that it was cold hardly bothered him, and he occasionally reached over to his laptop so he could scroll through the day's messages. "We need to make the Saffron police aware of what we saw in that warehouse," he eventually said idly. "There was something else in that basement besides whatever it was those people took. Something guarding it, a Pokemon maybe?"

When he finished his food, he stood to throw away his trash, and then grabbed a few items from his bag. He announced that he was going take a quick shower and retreated to the bathroom. The same familiar face from the night before stared back at him in the mirror, as shaggy as ever. Maybe the circles beneath his eyes that he was so shocked to see the other night were always there after all. They weren't so bad now, and all it took was a stupid amount of sleep.

He took his shower quickly, and when he was done he even took the time to trim the hair on his face back to stubble length, shaved his neck, and combed his long hair away from his eyes. After getting dressed, he reemerged from the bathroom and promptly took a seat back on the side of his bed. "Good luck on your interview with the vendor," he said as he started to put his boots on. "My phone broke when I got shocked yesterday, so you won't be able to reach me. We'll meet up later."

Once he was fully dressed and ready, he rose to leave the hotel. "That being said, need anything from me?" he asked unceremoniously.

[Ashen]

When Yulia heard the water flow from the shower head, she pulled her laptop back onto her lap and reopened the file she’d shared with Clive. She had dedicated a portion of the report to the warehouse, but she hadn’t been particularly specific about their findings there. She’d detailed what she could—the exterior, the passage she’d found, the possibility of some headquarters in the basement—but she’d left a lot out, instead putting brackets where she thought Clive could describe things better. She was embarrassed at how much she didn’t remember about the day, likely because it had led to everything. When she finished adding what Clive had mentioned, she set the laptop aside again and glanced to the other side of the room. Had he seemed… wary? Disappointed, maybe? Yulia shook it off. She was looking too far into things.

Clive returned looking much more refreshed and prepared for the day. Yulia smiled at him, and she bowed her head in thanks at his good wishes. When he mentioned his phone, however, the smile fled from her face. “Oh,” she murmured. Being in an unfamiliar place, a place with confirmed Avarice activity, with no way to contact her partner… What could go wrong? She nodded again, agreeing to meet up later, whenever later was. Maybe the day apart would be good for them. After all their forced time together, all the bad energies they’d already stirred up in this city, maybe it would be for the best.

“I’ll be alright,” she replied to his question. “Thank you. I’ll catch up with you later. I’ll be updating the report after my meeting, so if you want to check that feel free. I might explore a bit afterwards. Anything of note I’ll put in our report. Right; have a good day!”

When Clive left, Yulia gathered her laptop and the files she’d been working on, and she packed everything away in her bag. Shortly after, she left the hotel, and she spent the afternoon without occasion. Her meeting had been uneventful. Yulia had spoken with an elderly woman in charge of a food stall who had had a lot to say about nothing of interest. She spoke extensively about the festival, including many things Yulia hadn’t cared to know. The detective was able to rule out the old woman’s suspicions of Avarice meddling as anything serious, and she walked away from the meeting with a budding headache. Back at the hotel, she updated the report with the little useful information she’d gotten, and she sighed. Now it was time to really find out more about this city.

While at the hotel, she changed clothes, and she reemerged looking markedly different than usual; the light tones of her makeup, when she wore makeup, had been exchanged for bold, dark hues; her ponytail had been set free, and her light blue hair fell over her shoulders; her favorite ascot tied around her like a bandeau, concealing her chest from the view her low-cut dress gave her. When she left the hotel, she reached for a cigarette and dangled it between her teeth. An entire city to explore; where to begin?

She started at cafes and restaurants, mingling with the staff. The festival was the talk of the town, but Yulia listened intently. The more she heard, the more excited she was about experiencing all the festivities herself, even if she would be working. She wondered if she and Clive would have a moment, afterwards, to enjoy it all. A loud voice snapped her from her thoughts.

“I’m sure your boyfriend will take you to all the attractions.” The waitress who had brought her her drink wore a wide grin. “You’ve got one of those, don’t you, doll?”

Yulia chuckled. “You could say that,” she replied. “He’s stuck with me for now, anyway.”

“Don’t say that!” The waitress swatted at the air between them. “No one would be stuck with you. You’re a charming young lady. Anyone would love to take you.”

Yulia leaned forward, hair dangling over the tall drink she didn’t remember ordering. “I’m sure he would,” she sighed. “I’d show him such a good time.” She reached for the straw and smirked.

The waitress chuckled. “You have fun, then,” she said. “Holler if you need anything else.” She started away to tend to someone else.

Yulia was surprised to taste the bitterness of alcohol through her straw. She had had to order something to be allowed in, but why this? Was that where her newfound confidence was coming from? She shrugged it off. Whatever helped her to talk with more locals.

Later that night, she made a map of the bars and clubs in town, and she started visiting them one by one. Socials hubs like these were the best places for information, and she intended to find something useful. By the fourth bar, however, she’d lost sight of her mission, and she tossed back another glass. The brunette on her side giggled. They had been talking about Avarice, but the peppy girl kept leading the conversation astray, and Yulia wasn’t sure she didn’t want that. Her head was pounding again, always there to ruin her outings.

“Remind me again what you know about Avarice?” Yulia’s words were slurred. The bandeau had been taken off in some bathroom, and she knew the cleavage was distracting. She also knew it helped get answers.

“They took my brother’s Rapidash,” the girl repeated. “Like a month ago. We went over this. Some blonde girl in a stupid uniform. He found it scratched up and bleeding a couple weeks later, near the police department. Can we stop talking about that?”

Yulia made a mental note of what the girl had said, though it blurred in her mind. She’d remember it later, she told herself, and as she turned to face the girl again, she forgot all about Avarice.

By the time she made it back to the hotel room, it was dark. Her phone had died, so she had made it home by following her Braviary. As she slipped her key into the slot, she composed herself. She was sober—mostly. Walking straight, at least. Had she found anything? A few mentions of isolated Pokemon kidnappings, but she struggled to remember specific details. Had the night been more work or play? She couldn’t decide.

She let herself in, wondering if Clive would be there. What would she say to him? Why did she have to say anything to him? She’d spent the day investigating, and she had nothing to be ashamed of… until she remembered how low-cut her dress was, and a dark red splashed onto her cheeks. It had helped with the customers at the bars, perhaps, but her partner… She hadn’t considered him finding her like this.

[Headwrapper]

Without any more time to spare, Clive grabbed his bag and left the hotel. He was almost surprised that it was virtually afternoon time when he stepped outside, forgetting just how long he had slept in. The sun shined down on the buildings of Saffron city, which reflected the light in kind, painted in a deep orange-yellow. Clive could smell the warmth emanating from the bricks beneath his feet as he walked, reinvigorating him as he ventured down the streets. After not much more than a few minutes of walking had he arrived at Saffron's police station.

He was surprised to find Sabrina already standing in the center of the front lobby, idly watching an Abra, presumably hers, teleport around the room. "I knew you would arrive," she said, her voice hardly changing pitch. "You have information you wished to report."

Could anyone get used to dealing with someone who seemed to always know what was going to happen? Clive was doubtful. He wondered how bored Sabrina's life must have been. She did mention she had some limitations when it came to seeing the future, but she still hardly seemed surprised by anything regardless. "I... do," he said carefully.

"Detective Zain is in his office," Sabrina said, before Clive could ask the question. She turned, and started down a hallway, knowing full well that Clive would follow suit. As they walked, the Abra would teleport closer to stay near its trainer. Sabrina stopped in front of one of the closed doors, the glass window covered with a set of plastic blinds. A plaque rest on the center of the door, reading "Detective Zain Hamsine" in capital gold letters. Sabrina lightly tapped the glass, and in a few moments a man let them inside. Clive remembered him from the initial meeting he and Yulia had with Saffron force. He was dressed in nearly all black, black shoes, slacks, and button up shirt, with a red necktie. His tan face bore little facial hair other than his neatly trimmed mustache, and his medium length brown hair parted directly down the center of his head, curling off to either side. "Ah, Sabrina. Always good to see you. And Clive, I'm glad the city has not scared you away yet."

The discussion was brief. Clive explained what he recollected from the previous day's endeavors at the warehouse, leaving out some of the details that were best left between him and his partner, mainly Clive's use of his Zorua's illusions to hide and Yulia passing out. He answered a few questions, none of which seemed to lead into much more discussion. Zain scratched his chin lightly. He had been leaning casually against the front of his desk as the trio discussed. "That is all very suspicious. We will have to get some guys on it to try to track where their vehicle was headed to. Also, find out whatever we can with what's left at that warehouse. Are you able to go with them Clive? And Sabrina-"

"I will not go. A gym challenger will be arriving at my gym in twenty minutes. Goodbye, detectives."

Both men watched as the gym leader left, the door seemingly shutting on its own accord. Clive used his fingers to move a length of hair away from his face as he spoke. "Does Sabrina often help the Saffron police?"

"She has done me quite a few favors, but only of her own volition. She is ambitious, in her own way. But she does care for the city. A proud Gym Leader, that's for sure." Zain turned to take a sip from his coffee mug, then took a second one before gently placing it down and facing Clive again. "I can get some guys together. It does not sound safe to be in that warehouse alone."

Clive spent the better part of the afternoon guiding Zain and a couple officers through the warehouse, where they searched, scanned for prints, and even collected data based on evidence of vehicle movement where Clive identified the Avarice member's vehicle was likely parked. Clive was surprised that the metal vault downstairs was nearly empty. There was definitely evidence that there was something there, but it was mostly a musty room with a few barren desks. No floating red eye to electrocute them. "We'll run the numbers and let you know what we find," Zain assured him once the collection of evidence was complete. "It's starting to get late. How about I give you a ride back to the hotel you're staying at?"

Thanks to the help of Zain, Clive had made it back to the hotel from the warehouse quickly and without issue. He sat down on his bed, taking stock of the room as he felt around his bag for his laptop. He noticed Yulia's items had moved a bit- maybe she was ruffling through it all before she left or she had returned from her meeting and left again. Eventually deciding there was nothing else unusual about the room, Clive tapped away at his laptop. He was greeted with a few angry messages from the police chief about why he was not responding to his phone. Clive rolled his eyes.

Sorry, phone broke during a stakeout. Will need issued a new one after the festival.

Clive reread the email even after he responded, chuckling to himself mischievously. He could imagine what the police chief would actually be saying if they were in person, without a paper trail to bar him. I fucking give you a pretty young gal as your partner, and you repay me by running off with her to Kanto on some fucking honeymoon! At the end of the day, though, Clive did owe the chief some updates. He opened up the report Yulia had started and read through it, adding his own recounts where needed. When he was done, he refined the info in a separate report to better suit the chief's tastes, and sent him an update with a promise that he and Yulia would have a full report after the festival.

We'll issue one up yours when you get back.

Clive snorted upon reading the chief's reply. The man was always so belligerent when he could get away with it, but such a kiss-ass when having to speak to the public or the city council. Clive had a lot of respect for him though, remembering how hard he worked back in the day, when Clive was an orphaned teenager. The man always expressed a lot of respect for Clive's father, which also helped facilitate their relationship.

As Clive got caught up on a few odds and ends- his emails and a few reports and notes, he thought about what he would do with the remainder of the night. He had no idea when Yulia would be returning. She was a big girl that could handle herself, or at least did not need him anyway. That left Clive with the running assumption that he'll see her when he sees her, and to plan on doing his own thing. Maybe he could better explore the "Underground" some more, using Shadow to help him interact and gain more information. Alternatively, he could put his suspicions around the night clubs to the test, but it was unlikely that would bare any fruit.

Eventually, he settled on something other than field work entirely. He began reading through what attractions were going to be made available at the festival. A parade, plenty of food stalls and gift vendors, a battle competition, even a Pokemon beauty contest judged by some big names in the competition scene... all things Yulia would probably want to stop and enjoy, but will be too preoccupied with work to admit it. Clive wondered, would any of these events be what Avarice had their eyes on? Their motivations were not usually driven by blind violence, setting loose some kind of weapon on a crowd of people is probably not what he needed to be trying to prevent. Perhaps they were after the Pokemon being entered into the competition? Or even some of the Pokemon helping to run the festival itself?

He ran back through his notes and collection of reports on Avarice's known thievery of Pokemon. They were not typically done on a grande scale. Usually it boiled down to overpowering or fooling a trainer or trainers, sometimes young ones, who were out on a route alone, before taking their Pokemon. A mugging, for the most part. It made Clive suspicious about the idea they would be present at the festival, but it was irrefutable that they were present in the city.

Clive glanced back to his email upon receiving a message from Zain.
Hello Clive,

I tried to give your phone a call, but I forgot you mentioned you needed to replace it. Are you still at the hotel? Can you give me your room number so I can call you? We found some important information from the clues we gathered today, but I can not share those documents outside of our server.

Thanks,

Detective Zain Hamsine.

A few keystrokes later, and Clive heard a ring come from the hotel's phone. "Yes this is Clive. Yes please connect that call."

On the phone, Zain gave Clive a quick rundown of what his PD found so far with the evidence gathered from that day. They had a heading and a direction on the Avarice vehicle, which they caught on a few security cameras. They could not identify what had happened to the Pokemon Clive had seen. There were a few prints that could be found that helped identify a few suspects, but the whereabouts of those suspects was unknown. Clive wondered if they could share the identity of those suspects with Sabrina, and Zain agreed, including that if she knows the face, Sabrina usually knows the next time she will see a particular person again. The detectives then wished each other a good night and agreed to reconvene in the morning before hanging up.

Clive stood to look out the window of the hotel room, tossing around the idea of exploring Saffron's "Underground" scene a second time. Ultimately, he decided against it. He had no phone in the case of an emergency, and it was getting rather late. In fact, he wondered if he should try to get a hold of Yulia. Immediately after the thought reached his mind, he rolled onto his bed and picked up the hotel phone, typing Yulia's number as he read it off of her information from his laptop. The call immediately skipped to voicemail. "Hey, I got shocked, what's your excuse?" he grumbled, hanging up the phone before the voicemail began recording.

He decided there was one thing left he needed to do that night, if he was not going to go anywhere. He changed into the comfortable clothes he had been wearing as his nightwear, grabbed a cup of water, and retook his position on the bed with his laptop. He opened up the Yulia file, and began filling things in. His thoughts, the facts that he knew, facts yet to be confirmed, his suspicions. Occasionally, he would scroll back to the top of the document to look at the picture that he took. The quality of the picture was not great, but it was still unmistakable that it was Yulia. As messy as it had gotten from the day's events, her hair was still long and blue, falling behind her delicate ears and her small shoulders. Clive would realize he was not going to find any new information just by staring at the picture, and would go back to outlining his thoughts. More than once, he would pick up the phone again to give his partner a ring, failing to reach her every time. Eventually, he was out of updates for his file, and was simply looking over the picture again as he tried to decide what to do next.

"I should just go to bed," he told himself. He'd start to think about the Avarice file, and the Uncle Richie file, but he could not seem to hold the thoughts straight. After a while he would give up and look at the Yulia file again, wanting to add more to it but realizing there was nothing more to add yet. Where the hell was she?

Suddenly, he heard the door unlock and open. He almost did not recognize Yulia when she stepped into the room, but like the picture, it was unmistakably her. Clive's eyes almost rolled out of his head trying to find a proper place to be, and after a few quick glances at his partner and realizing exactly why she looked so different, he sunk down behind his laptop screen, his gaze back to the screen. "Welcome... welcome back," he managed, clearing his throat halfway through. He pressed a couple keys to save his document, before hitting a different combination to close it, and then clicked to open his emails. "Been doing some field work?"

[Ashen]

Yulia found both amusement and embarrassment to Clive’s reaction to her presence. As she closed the door behind her, a smirk crawled onto her lips. Had she flustered her old partner? The alcohol widened her smile, and a cruel idea to toy with him crossed her mind, but she still had the sense to dismiss it. After this whole trip, leading her partner on was the last thing she needed, even if, in the moment, she could think of nothing funnier. But doing so now would only hurt her career, and as drunk as she might have been, she knew stopping Avarice always came first.

She turned to greet him with a less malicious smile. “You could say that.” She hated how the words passed her lips: lowly, tauntingly, unprofessional. They weren’t slurred anymore, but did that make things better or worse? As she stood there, she struggled to find something to say: I learned about several Pokemon kidnappings; some Avarice grunts made trouble at one of the bars I went to, and the bartender had some interesting things to say; a suspected grunt stopped showing at one of the clubs about a month ago—but as she remembered the conversations she’d had that night, they all blurred together. “I’ll update the file with all my findings tomorrow,” she promised instead, a cop-out.

She moved to her bed, where she found her bag spilled open and her clothes pouring onto the sheets. She glanced towards Clive; had she left it like this, or had he gone through her stuff? If he had, she realized, he wouldn’t have left things so messy. She almost felt guilty for mentally accusing him, but her mind wandered back to the previous night, to the picture he’d taken of her. Yulia swallowed the lump in her throat. Even if he had gone through her bag, he wouldn’t have found anything incriminating, save for the cigarettes and aspirin, two habits he knew his partner couldn’t kick. Sighing, she shoved her clothes back into her bag and set her pajamas beside her.

Without thinking, she shouldered out of her dress. As she reached for the tank top she’d just set aside, her arms brushed against the bare skin of her chest. Her scarf. She’d been using her scarf to keep herself modest, and though she remembered taking it off at some point during the night, she couldn’t remember where she had placed it. “Luna would kill me,” she mumbled to herself, tossing around the contents of her bag in search of it. Only after she’d turned her bag inside-out did she realize her scarf had been the only thing keeping her modest. With her dress pooled around her ankles, she was topless.

Dark eyes slowly rising to meet the man at the opposite end of the room, Yulia quickly pulled her tank top over her head and swiftly turned away. She was caught between apologizing and pretending it hadn’t happened. Had he even noticed? She pulled on her shorts and sat on her bed, amidst the contents of her bag. Pull yourself together, Yulia. She awkwardly cleared her throat, and her fingers reached for the square box now lying on her bed. She pulled it open, but there was only one left. She never did replace them like she’d meant to.

She ventured a glance towards him. If his expression was different, she was too drunk to notice. “Did you read my report?” she asked, trying to fill the awkward silence. She reached for her phone but, finding the battery dead, she plugged it into the wall. “I had updated it after the interview, but I had left some areas for you. I’d also like to add some details about the things I’ve heard tonight, as well as…” Her voice trailed as her phone blinked to life, and notifications flooded her screen. Clive had called her? She shifted awkwardly. “I’m sorry, my phone was dead.” Her face went a shade darker. She looked at him again, checked for any sign of irritation. It couldn’t have been an emergency… right?

Yulia also noticed the notifications for the report’s updates, and she realized how stupid she was for telling her partner what he’d already read. A text from an unknown number pulled her attention; had she given her number to the girl at the bar? Scolding herself, she set her phone down and looked back to Clive. “Sorry,” she mumbled again, “how was your day?”

She’d listen to him talk, feeling only partially guilty that her partner had been hard at work while she’d been embracing the nightlife. When he finished speaking, she’d excuse herself to the bathroom, where she’d wipe the paint from her face and prepare for bed. She threw her bag and its contents onto the floor, another problem for tomorrow’s Yulia, and she got comfortable in bed. She turned, watching Clive for a few moments, wondering what he was thinking about her. Did he have regrets? “Mr. Oiler,” she murmured, tasting the name she hadn’t used in so long. “Clive.” Her gaze was faraway. She couldn’t tell what was keeping her speaking: alcohol? A childish need to right things with her partner? Something else entirely?

She sighed softly. “What does this mean to you?” Her eyes fluttered shut, but she continued. “Have I ever asked you? I can tell you want to succeed almost as much as I do, but… why? Why is Avarice so important to you?” In the dark, with her eyes closed, she looked like she was already asleep. If she let herself, she could drift off easily now, helped by her long night out. But she waited, wondering if they had similar stakes in this. If he just wanted to prove himself—and hell, didn’t she, too?

[Headwrapper]

Clive raised an eyebrow at Yulia's response to his question, although he did not dare look away from his computer. Whatever expression he had on his face would not do him any favors, he knew, and it was clear to him there was still some alcohol left in his partner's system. The less Clive spoke, the less interaction he would need to have with a not-so-sober Yulia who would be likely to embarrass the both of them somehow. The more senior detective certainly did not care to bother having to work around that, so the less discussion they would have while Yulia got settled, the better.

His mind went back to his previous thoughts, the slight worry that troubled him when he could not get a hold of Yulia. He felt silly for how relieved he was that she was back, but at the same time, it was irresponsible of her to be out drinking alone in an unfamiliar city. Of course there was plenty of information to be found out there during the night, Clive was familiar with that notion, but Yulia was... well, there was a lot more that could go wrong for her if she ran into trouble. A pretty young girl like her could always potentially attract unsavory attention, and Yulia had the added weakness of... randomly passing the hell out.

Given there was little warning, Clive was surprised when he saw Yulia shed her dress casually in his peripheral vision. He tilted his head slightly to confirm what he thought he saw, and once he did he rolled his eyes before looking back to his screen. He attributed his partner's casualness to the fact that she was still somewhat intoxicated, although he was not too sure after considering that it was not the first time he had seen her in such a familiar way. Maybe it was a weird Kalos thing. Regardless of what it was, Clive chose to let it go and continued focusing his attention at organizing the last messages he had received on his computer. After a few moments, Yulia began to stir some conversation.

When there was a sudden break in Yulia's prattling, Clive briefly looked up, noting that her phone was now spurring back to life. "It's fine. I used some of your report to put together my update for the chief. I went back to the warehouse with the lead detective from Saffron. We might be able to ID some people off their prints, but that's about it. Once they're ID'd Sabrina might be able to foresee the next time she will see them, which could prove useful if they are going to be part of the festival plans."

After Yulia vanished into the bathroom, Clive shutdown his computer and stowed it away in his messenger back. He stretched a little before settling down and getting comfortable, laying his head back on his nest of pillows and closing his eyes. Of course, he needed to put his files to bed before he could sleep himself, and he began his nightly ritual as he laid. He stopped on the Yulia file, thinking back on their previous night. Clive would have to figure out more about this "curse". He of course thought there was merit to the legend of Ninetales, but was it true that Yulia really was cursed? Did it even matter? There was still something... something else that did not add up, Clive thought. Something about Yulia that he felt would reveal something that needed to be brought to light. It was just a hunch for now though, brought about by Yulia's effective confession that there was more to her story that put them both in danger.

Before Clive even knew it, his partner was back in the room. A few silent moments passed by as Clive laid with his eyes closed, broken once again by Yulia. Clive opened his eyes and turned slightly to face his partner, at first to correct her for the "Mr. Oiler" thing again, but then holding back when she seemed to correct herself. She then posed an interesting question. Why was Clive driven to hunt down Avarice?

Clive stared at his partner's gentle face, softened by the promise of sleep, which lingered just barely out of reach for both of them as it patiently waited to take them both. "I just lock up bad guys, Yulia," he said with unusual brevity. "That's what I do. I don't need another reason." He frowned subconsciously as he turned back to his original position and closing his eyes again.

Suddenly, he straightened up somewhat, not quite sitting up but not completely laying down like he was before either. He looked out into the dark, in a space somewhere between him and Yulia, avoiding looking at his partner entirely. "That's all I do. I don't do... this." He waved his hand between him and his partner. "I don't know what the chief was thinking with giving me a partner, a rookie even. I can't do it right. It's not how I operate. I keep saying it doesn't matter and that I don't care, but it's not true. I keep worrying, wondering, obsessing. It's already in my nature to compulsively think about my work, and now one subject is not just some person out there in the world, it's a person who is right in front of me that I interact with every day. It becomes even more complex and... I don't know."

[Ashen]

The answer to her question was as concise and lifeless as she should have expected, but a part of its bluntness stung her, as if her assumption that he had any stakes in this was ridiculous. Why had they been paired up? If it was just another job to him, how would she ever compare when the only reason she was even here, had pushed through the Academy and past her limitations, was to stop this? Yulia swallowed the lump welling in her throat. She felt stupid for asking him anything at all, and now she was painfully aware of their differences stretching between them, stark and startling. After everything that had happened, everything that was still happening, maybe she had been wrong to think they were a good fit for each other, even for a second.

She opened her mouth to fill the silence, but then Clive was talking again, mindlessly reminding her of her place. She didn’t know what kept him talking, but his reminder that she did not belong here, with him, settled deep in her stomach. She had been the one to invade his space, his work, come fresh out of the Academy with no experience and too much pep, waltzing into his office and demanding a mentor when he’d had no intentions of being one. She wanted to speak, to fill this silence now settling around them, but her words had escaped her, leaving only guilt in their wake. She opened her eyes to look at him, the cold detective she’d met so long ago, the only man she had ever trusted with her life. Would he be better off without her?

“But… you do do it right.” Her voice was quiet, surprising, but her confidence built up the longer she spoke. “Maybe it is just a job for you, but I can tell you care about this, and that you’ll stop at nothing to catch these bad guys and save the world from Avarice’s dumb mission. And you don’t need a partner, I know that, you’ve worked so long without one, so well, and I just make things harder, but… I’ve enjoyed working with you, Clive. I’ve enjoyed our time together. Maybe that’s cheap, saying that now, after everything, but…” Her gaze fell, and a small smile fell onto her lips. “Do you know how scared I was? My parents never wanted me to work with cops, putting my life in danger and traveling the world, people where I’m from don’t shoot that high, but then I made it into the Academy and I graduated from it and they assigned me to you, and I just wanted you to like me, and to trust me, the way all the legendary crime-fighting duos do, and I never thought we’d get there because you hated me from the start, but then we developed something, we had something, and you even trusted me enough to come all the way out to Saffron, even if I didn’t have physical evidence, but you trusted me and I trusted you to protect me, and I thought you a friend, and… Disregarding everything I’ve already ruined, I think… I think what we had was right. I think you were doing it right.”

When she finished her speech, her eyes rose to find Clive’s, and roses scattered across her cheeks. “I think you should give yourself more credit,” she added, more quietly. “It’s not what you’re comfortable with, nor what you’re used to, but I think we work well together. I think—no, I know we will bring down Avarice together. And after that, if you… if you want to go back to how things were, go back to not having a partner, then…” She sighed and closed her eyes again. Yulia knew she was talking far too much, giving Clive all of the praise he did not ask for and likely did not want. She shut her mouth and rolled onto her back. “Sorry,” she whispered. “We should… get some rest.”

[Headwrapper]

As Yulia spoke, identifying some of the highlights of her partnership with Clive, the more senior detective couldn't help but sit up straight, crossing his legs in the process. Clive's tilted his head slightly as he listened attentively to his partner's words, watching her carefully all the while. A part of him was elated to hear that Yulia valued the time so highly, and how greatly she valued Clive's trust. Another part of him, a more pessimistic part, reminded him that Yulia was always excessive about such things, and that her passionate oration could very well be her exaggerated, slightly inebriated, recollection of it all. Even so, Clive could not help but sit and mull over her partner's words, almost as if he was in disbelief.

They made eye contact, the whites of their eyes marginally visible in the darkness. After a moment, Clive, turned his gaze back to the abyss he was staring at before, letting Yulia continue on. Eventually, her tune was sung, but even then Clive continued to sit for a while. "There is something that I want out of this. Something from Avarice," he eventually said. "Despite my reputation, I needed to pull some strings to get the case. It was hard work, risky too, with all of the lies I needed to tell. It took an unbelievable number of sleepless nights to put my preceding cases to bed so that I could tackle this one full time. I thought I would have the case all to myself then, but then... well, it just didn't last long."

He glanced over to his partner briefly, unsure if she was still awake or not. Either way, Clive felt the call to sleep begin to overwhelm him, and so he complied, falling asleep promptly after his head hit the pillow.



Clive awoke early the next morning, finding the room still mostly dark when he did. He knew that there was no chance he had enough sleep, and to that end, remained in bed in an attempt to regain his slumber. Every few minutes he turned, chasing a nonexistent portal that would return him to his dreams, until finally settling for a position on his side, facing Yulia. After laying in the dark for so long, Clive's eyes were well-adjusted to it, and he could make out Yulia's figure on the bed. She had shifted a little from the position he had last scene her in, but otherwise appeared sound asleep. Behind the lamp that sat on one of the nightstands between them, he could catch a glimpse of Yulia's sleeping facade. Clive always found it strange to see someone's face when they were asleep. He was so accustomed to searching for and memorizing the expressions on faces that when those same facial muscles sat dormant, unburdened, they seemed to adopt an entirely different identity. They no longer conveyed a dynamic image that at any moment could betray a fleeting emotion. They remained rested, dormant, acting simply as the cover of a closed book.

He watched Yulia's body rise and fall with her breathing, doing so for only a few repetitions before finally sitting up in his bed. The prospect of falling back to sleep was unattainable. He stood up tiredly, and groggily grabbed a few things before disappearing into the bathroom. After a short time he reemerged, making his way back to his things and grabbing his laptop from where he had left it. He spent some time checking on things, catching up on some of the GRPD field reports from the previous night, emails, and the like. The room had turned blue as light began to encroach on the sky's canvas, beckoning the morning to come.

Clive decided to take a short break before it would be time to get into more serious endeavors. This would be their last day before the festival, meaning that there would only be enough time to make certain preparations. There might not be enough time to do everything, which meant they would have to quickly decide on what was important, and maybe even solicit the support from the likes of Zain and Sabrina. Clive continued to mull over these thoughts as he left the hotel, making his way to the first coffee shop he could find without the assistance of his long destroyed phone. He noticed the barista's eyebrow twitch slightly when he ordered a medium hot chocolate, before resolving herself to punching in the rest of the order.

After his short stroll, Clive returned to the hotel. He placed Yulia's coffee on her nightstand, paired with a pastry wrapped in a thin, brown paper bag, and then returned to the spot on his bed he used to work. He rolled his eyes at the Chief's email. "Sending someone on the train with a new phone." At least Clive did not need to expend too much effort replacing the phone himself, he thought as he started to quickly pull up files onto his screen. Soon afterward, he started scanning through his notes that chronicled the Saffron adventures so far, in anticipation of putting together the day's game plan.

[Ashen]

Yulia had been awake while Clive continued to speak, and his words settled around her. She found herself with only more questions. What could be so important to him about this that he would work so hard just to get the case? And if he had wanted it alone, what did that mean for her? A new fear encroached on her, wrapping around her throat, and as she wondered what would happen upon their mission's completion, she found herself unable to breathe.

By the time she'd composed herself, the room was still, silent. She was just overthinking. Whatever stakes Clive had in this, it was his secret to keep, just as she had hers.

~~~

No sooner had she opened her eyes than a blinding headache caused her to sit up, mumbling a swear. Yulia was still, getting used to the new pressure in her head. She glanced to the other bed, where she found Clive already at work for the day. Had she overslept? The aroma of coffee wafted through the room, warm and welcoming, enough to make her crave a cup. As she reached for the phone on her nightstand, she noticed the cup and delicately wrapped pastry left for her. A favor returned.

She felt ill. Had she gotten drunk? Why? Yulia struggled to remember what had happened the previous night, but memories only crawled back to her, slowly and painfully. She absently reached for a purse out of reach, for the painkillers and cigarettes that would soothe this mess. Remembering where she was, she figured the coffee would have to do instead.

She grabbed it from the nightstand and took a long sip. The liquid was still hot, with a hint of sweetness she hoped would satiate the effects of her foolishness. She turned back to Clive. "Good morn--" Yulia stopped herself, eyes glancing towards her phone and confirming the time. "Morning," she finished. At least she hadn't slept too late. "I appreciate the breakfast." Had he anticipated her hangover? Regardless, it was a thoughtful gesture. She ripped a piece of the pastry and savored the fluffy crust. Even after everything she'd done last night, he was still being nice to her. Maybe this wasn't such a lost cause.

Yulia grabbed for her laptop and monitored the two dozen tabs she had opened. Her inbox was flooded with equal parts work and spam, and she started by sifting through that. She then went to the report, the one she vaguely remembered telling Clive she'd update last night. She had been investigating, but she remembered so little that she doubted anything would be useful. Muttering another swear, she reached for her phone and scrolled through the many notifications there. New texts, a missed call from an unknown number, even several alerts from an app she didn't remember installing... She sighed. Now it was time to pick up the pieces and get back on track.

She and Clive had talked. She remembered that, their heart-to-heart in the darkness, how she'd rambled about... something. And how he'd shared his insecurities about his job. A new side of him. Her partner had finally opened up to her, and she wasn't even sober enough to remember the details. She shook her head, then added what little she could to the report. It wasn't much, but it might give them some kind of lead tomorrow--

Tomorrow. Yulia hadn't realized how quickly the festival had snuck up on them. There was still so much to do, so many phone calls to make, authorities to alert, backup to schedule, just in case. Unless Clive had already done those things. Had he been up long? She glanced towards him again. Not wanting to mention last night, especially not the lingering questions she still had and the secret she still wanted to know, Yulia cleared her throat. "What have you been up to?" she asked, already pulling her laptop into her lap and opening a new tab to create an itinerary. Even with her headache, she vowed she'd work hard today. She didn't know just what had happened yesterday, but she couldn't forgive herself for letting so many details escape her, or for getting drunk in the first place. Besides, she thought wistfully, if they got enough done today, and if everything went according to plan tomorrow... Maybe the two of them would be able to enjoy just a bit of the festival together.

[Headwrapper]

"Don't mention it. I should have thought to bring you something with more electrolytes in it, but I'm sure you'll manage." Clive briefly glanced over his screen for only a brief moment before returning to his notes. Before Yulia had awakened, Clive was able to get a hold of Zain. The Saffron detective had organized the findings from the previous day's exploration of the warehouse in preparation to meet with Sabrina. With the assistance of her psychic powers, they could predict the next interaction with the suspicious persons and deal with them appropriately. All that was needed was to familiarize Sabrina with the images found from the street camera and other information that was identified from suspect's prints.

He explained as much to Yulia when she asked him what he had been up to. There was a brief moment of silence as he finished off the last little bit of his hot chocolate, the warm chocolate blanketing his tongue with its sweetness. "Today is not a day for investigation," he concluded aloud. "We need to dedicate today to doing what we can to keep innocent people safe. If the local Avarice grunts we have identified are planning to reveal themselves at the festival, Sabrina might be able to tip us off. That doesn't mean everything is completely safe though, does it? We need to discuss what we know with the event organizers, advise them about what to do to try to make the event as safe as possible. After all, no one knows more about how Avarice presents itself than us, believe it or not."

There was a gentle thud after he closed his laptop. With an almost youthful rigor, Clive leapt out of bed and stowed the computer away into his bag. "We'll also have to do the same with the security detail that the Saffron police has put together for the event. We'll need to get our arms around what risks are there. We know they're bold enough they might go after tourney or contest winners, knowing that they could kidnap the most well-trained Pokemon and making their efforts worth the while. We also know they are clever enough to potentially nab Pokemon or trainers that are out of the spotlight too- sacrificing what they perceive as quality to gain a low-risk reward. Predicting when and where these things could happen at such a large event... It's a challenge, but we'll have to do the best we can with all of the information we know."

Clive slung his bag over his shoulder, and casually sauntered towards the doorway. His movement was light and silent as he nearly floated across the room. "I need to run off. The Chief sent someone with a replacement phone. Just need to meet them at the magnet train station and then attend to our appointments. Want me to wait for you to get ready or should we just meet up later?" His words came out casually, betraying no concern, even over the last few days events.

[Ashen]

Yulia listened attentively as Clive outlined what was left of their responsibilities before the festival. She jotted a few things down into notes on her phone so she wouldn't forget any detail. She nodded occasionally and chimed in here and there with the people she could contact. As he continued, she sifted through the contacts on her phone to find the woman who had gotten her in contact with the vendor she'd met with yesterday. She could likely contact other vendors through her, so she made a note to call her soon. She also made notes to touch base with the local police department, with celebrities that would be attending, and with any other authority figure that came to her mind. Finally, when Clive finished speaking and Yulia finished writing, she looked to him, only to see that he was getting ready to leave. To answer his question, she looked back to her notes, pausing a moment in thought.

"You can go on ahead," she decided. "If you can get in touch with the security for the festival through the PD, I can get in touch with the locals, the vendors and maybe some regulars, and between us we can warn enough people so that people will be aware without being sent into a panic." She figured Clive would want to meet with the least amount of people personally, so as she crossed out names on her note sheet and wrote Y's and C's next to each task, she gave herself more of the social work. She didn't mind it as much as he did, an after wasting most of yesterday, she had to make it up to him. She nodded to herself. "It's important not to create too much of a panic. Don't want everyone to be so wary that Avarice catches on. Then they might not do anything at all, and our entire mission here is bust." After everything that had happened in this city, she couldn't imagine it all being for nothing.

She told him to text her from his new phone when he could, and like that, he was off. Yulia got to work scheduling impromptu meetings with event directors, contest winners, famous battlers, telling them all to be wary but not panicked, to trust in the authorities, and to report any suspicious behavior. She had gotten through her list in only a couple hours, and afterwards, she returned to the hotel to wait for Clive. While there, she brought up an online map of the festival grounds and previous years' pictures of the layout. She wondered where a grunt might be able to hide, or where a person might go missing without anyone noticing. The thought sent a familiar shiver down her spine, but she had to bite it back. She had a job to do, and the people of Saffron City--of the world--were relying on her.

By the time Clive would return, he'd find all her tasks already completed and an annotated map sent to his email. Still late afternoon, Yulia thought they might visit the festival grounds, to check out the locations she'd circled and commented on while people were still setting up, if Clive had also finished his calls and meetings for the day. Despite the severity of her work, and how she knew she wasn't here for fun, an excitement bubbled within her at the thought of going to this festival, even if it hadn't yet started, even if there wasn't much to see yet. She shook her head, willing her excitement away. There would be a time for that after​ Avarice's festival plans were foiled.

[Headwrapper]

Clive adjusted his bag on his shoulder as Yulia offered her parting words. "Right. Talk to you later then." Without any more delay, the detective turned and left the hotel. It was time to get down to business.

The detective's Umbreon accompanied him as he walked towards the magnet train station on the north side of the city. Even though it was still technically morning, the streets were rich with all kinds of foot traffic: walking commuters, street vendors, deliverers, and many Pokemon accompanying them. "What do you think Umbreon? Everyone seems to be excited about the festivities." Clive huffed a single laugh when his Umbreon simply turned his head in response, and moved to start walking on the other side of its trainer. Clive was quick to determine why, at the sight of the fighting-type Pokemon and their trainers training loudly outside of a dojo they walked passed. Aside from the obvious fighting versus dark type mismatch, Clive was well aware that his Umbreon was not a fan of the brutish grunts and shouts that typically accompanied martial arts training.

The train station soon came into view, and the pair hurried to enter. It did not take long to figure out which train came from Goldenrod, and Clive made his way over. A younger woman expeditiously approached him. She was the one sent by the chief, and she quickly handed Clive a blazing red device, the screen completely black. The train back to Goldenrod was leaving soon and the woman needed to hurry back to attend to other errands for the chief, she had explained over her the loosely fitting red frames of her glasses. Clive nodded and watched her leave, unable to help but think about when Yulia gets flustered or talks too much.

Clive lowered himself on an empty bench, his Pokemon hopping up beside him so they could both get a better view of the new device. "Did it have to be red? Black would have been better." Clive grumbled quietly to himself as he turned the phone over a few times. Aimlessly, he began pressing buttons in hopes of turning the thing on. "Did they even bother to charge this damn thing?" The man sighed loudly as he sat up, leaning back against the bench. Suddenly, he felt the phone slide out of his hand. He swung to snatch it, but it was not falling down to his feet like he thought it was. Rather, it was floating squarely in front of him, and two blue ovals appeared on the screen.

Was this kind of a trick? Maybe a prank from a ghost Pokemon? It seemed unlikely in broad daylight. Before Clive could think on it more, a high, robotic voice sounded from the phone.

"I'm up! I'm up! Rotom Phone at your service, Mr. Clive Oiler! Thank you for choosing me as your new trusted Rotom Tech companion! Now, I would just need some basic information to begin set up! Is C-L-I-V-E O-I-L-E-R the proper way to spell your name? Would you like me to use a nickname? My algorithms can recommend you one if you would like?"

As the phone rambled on, Clive and Umbreon exchanged a glance, before Clive snatched the phone out of the air. "Weird, I didn't know Rotom even appeared anywhere in Johto. Don't worry little guy, we'll get you somewhere safe so they can find you a different device to possess. How does a nice washing machine sound? Maybe a fan?"

"No no no!" The phonesuddenly wriggled itself free from Clive and floated in front of him. The blue ovals, its eyes, were now on the back of the phone and not on the screen. Even through their robotic style, it was easy to see the Pokemon within the phone was distraught. "Clive Oiler, sir, I am a specially trained Rotom serving to help you get the most value out of your device! I even have the invoice and a copy of the receipt from when this phone was purchased." Still floating, the device spun around to show Clive the screen and scroll through the aforementioned documents. "Now please, let's set up your device! I promise I will do all I can to be helpful!"

Clive stopped walking, and his mouth hung open slightly as he looked at the phone in front of him. "Um, well jeez... When you put it like that... We better get you sent back to Goldenrod ASAP! Sorry, but I don't think I need another Pokemon on my team right now. Besides, your kind of technology is way out of my league. I'm used to the old fashioned stuff, like the Pokegear? You know the ones that take the different cards?"

"O-oh..." The Rotom's eyes peered down towards the ground below, before gently floating back into Clive's hand. "Okay, Mr. Clive Oiler, sir."

Clive felt bad, seeing the Rotom be disappointed, but it would be better off with someone who would appreciate the technology. Besides, it was not his fault HQ sent him a newfangled device he had no say in choosing. He drew a sharp breath, steeling himself. "I'm sure you'll make a fantastic friend for another trainer! Heck, I bet anyone back at the police department back home would want a brand new Rotom Phone at their side while doing detective work!"

"Thank you, Mr. Clive Oiler, sir."

"Here, let's just put you in a nice, cozy spot in my bag, and we'll get you squared away as soon as I'm done with today's work." Clive reached to unzip his bag as he walked, halting suddenly when he realized his Umbreon was resting on its haunches right in front of him. "What?" Clive asked, returning his Umbreon's cool, knowing stare. After a few seconds of their silent face off, Clive shook his head. He clasped the phone between both hands and leaned forward to whisper towards Umbreon. "You know we can't. I don't want some stupid fancy phone. Besides, surely having a talking phone is some kind of security risk." Another long, silent moment passed, with Umbreon continuing to defiantly stare at Clive. "Umbreon, are you kidding me?" Clive whispered. Once again, his Pokemon did not waver.

The detective sighed loudly in annoyance, before glancing down and removing his top hand from the phone. "It's Clive."

"What was that, Mr. Clive Oiler, sir?" the phone called back in its metallic voice.

"For the nickname. Just set it to Clive."

Clive worked with his new Rotom to set up his new phone as he walked towards his rendezvous point with Zain. In truth, it was pretty convenient to be able to just tell his phone what to do while he was preoccupied with other things, but that did not mean there were not some missed translations along the way. Each time Clive got confused with the set up, or Rotom said something annoying, the detective would shoot his Umbreon an angry glance. The Umbreon would peel its face back in a toothy smile, almost as if it was about to sneeze, in response.

Eventually, Yulia would receive a message from Clive's number: "GOT MY NEW PHONE AND AM READY FOR ALL KINDS OF FUN ADVENTURES!!!!" It would quickly be followed with a "That was not me, it was my phone. Long story, you'll see later."

Later that afternoon, Clive would return to the hotel room. Umbreon was back in his Pokeball, and even Rotom was secured in the detective's pocket. Although there was still some daylight to burn yet, Clive felt accomplished in that the day's tasks were done on his end. If everyone followed through with their promises, the festival would be relatively secure, even if Avarice decided to make an appearance. In fact, it was likely they would make an appearance, if Sabrina's intuition was worth its reputation. The psychic predicted that the two grunts that had been identified were targeting the Pokemon at the "Little Cup" being hosted for the youngest trainers and their Pokemon. A very lowly and unrewarding goal, Clive had thought. He wondered if Avarice was merely looking for mere numbers and not quality of the Pokemon they were stealing this time around.

Upon finding Yulia, Clive would explain such thoughts as he laid out on his bed for a short rest.

[Ashen]

Yulia had been thumbing through emails on her phone when she saw a notification scroll from the top of her screen. She glanced at the message preview, all caps, full of enthusiasm, before she noticed the name of its sender. "Huh?" she said aloud. Her emails already forgotten, she tapped the preview and studied the message she had just received. It was from Clive, but the grammar, the exclamation points, the elation; this couldn't have been from her stick in the mud partner. She had to wonder if someone was playing a prank on her, but why? Another message came in a moment later, much more Clive-like, but it shed no light on the previous one. Yulia raised a brow, wondering what her partner could possibly mean. His phone...? With a giggle and a shake of her head, she returned to her emails, eager with questions for when she saw Clive again.

Later, back at the hotel, Yulia glanced up when the door opened and smiled her acknowledgement at Cilve. "Good afternoon!" she greeted, chipper as always. She listened to him tell her about Sabrina's predictions, about Avarice's intentions of harassing the young trainers during the Little Cup battles, and they shared their disgust at the organization not past stealing from small children. They agreed to scout the arena, and Yulia ensured that Clive had already arranged for some officers to be stationed there come tomorrow. Once they finished sharing their hypotheses and plans, Yulia set her laptop down and turned to face Clive more fully. With a raised brow, she asked, "So, what kind of phone did they send you?"

Before Clive could answer her, the phone seemed to come alive all on its own. It leapt from his pocket and levitated between them, smiling and chirping. Yulia took one look at his new phone before bursting into laughter. She tried to cover her mouth, tried to apologize for how rude she was being, but she couldn't help herself. "They sent you a Rotom phone?" She looked at the thing again, the downtrodden expression of the Pokemon in the phone, and she tried to straighten herself. Her partner, the old-fashioned veteran detective, the stubborn old geezer in a young man's body; what would he do with such a new-age contraption? The thought caused another giggle to bubble from her throat. After a few moments, she cleared her throat and averted her gaze. "I'm sorry," she finally mumbled, though a smile was still planted across her lips. "I'm sorry," she said again. "It's just, you... a Rotom phone..." She tried once more to clear her throat. "Right."

She looked back to the papers strewn across her bed. Before she could start laughing again, she took some into her hands and read over the notes she'd made, the places she'd circled on the map she'd printed. "Are you set to head out?" she asked, referring to the festival grounds. She showed him the map, identical to the one she'd emailed him. Grabbing a pen, she jotted down a few more notes around the Little Cup arena. "Do you mind if we stop for some coffee first?" she asked. She got up and grabbed her purse. She caught sight of the Rotom phone again and, as laughter threatened to come out again, she motioned towards the door. "After you."

As they prepared to leave, Yulia's thoughts wandered to their last stakeout. She'd just near ruined that, all because of her dumb condition. Her headache was still numbly drumming, and she felt groggy, but these were the effects of a night poorly spent, not a threat to her mission. Would Clive believe her if she told him as much? She tried not to think about it, to forget about the warehouse and focus instead on the fairgrounds, on the things to look out for today. They would likely not find anything new, nothing to put them in danger again, but a part of her still wondered, still worried, and she had to shake her thoughts free. Soon this mission would be over, and they would both be able to take comfort in all the people and Pokemon they'd have saved.

[Headwrapper]

Once Yulia made her amusement in regards to Clive's new acquisition of Rotom blatantly clear, Clive rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm completely ignorant to these new phones, y'know," he said as he stood up and crossed his arms. "Besides, what's so-..." His eyes squinted in response to a sudden flash of light coming from Rotom, and he shook his head in confusion.

"Oh, sorry. You weren't posing for a picture?" Rotom's eyes widened in its own way to convey shock.

Clive sighed, uncrossed his arms, and slid his hands into his pockets instead. "Whatever." the detective stewed for a moment while Yulia gathered her notes, only looking up upon being showed a copy of the map. Funnily enough, both Clive and Rotom eyed the map carefully before Yulia withdrew it to add her supplementary notes. The phone hovered close to Clive's side as he moved, even following him as he made his way to the door. "Coffee sounds good," he said.

"Here's a list of places serving coffee!" Rotom cheered, hurrying to shove its search results into Clive's face. In response, Clive grabbed the phone and stowed it back in his pocket, Rotom's muffled protests audible all the while.

"It's not that funny," Clive sighed to Yulia, noticing her renewed amusement.

The walk from the hotel to the nearest coffee shop did not take long, but there was a long enough line of patrons ahead of the pair of detectives that they would have to wait a short while to place their orders. "This festival must be amazing for the businesses here," Clive observed aloud. "Just from the way people are dressed and the Pokemon they have with them, you can tell they're here from all over Kanto." He sighed as Rotom freed itself from his pocket, automatically scanning the nearby Pokemon for the built-in Pokedex. "And of course mine sticks out like a sore thumb," Clive grunted, snatching Rotom out of the air again.

Yulia and Clive chatted idly as they waited their turn, but eventually things grew quiet. During that time, Clive's thoughts began to wander. He wondered about Yulia's future as a detective. Despite her fiery zeal to bring Avarice down, she would need other ambitions to continue on. How did she envision it? Or was she so fresh to the game, so shortsighted that she had not thought about it at all? Clive remembered being that way, and he still was sometimes, committing everything he had to solving the current case at hand before thinking about what came after.

Still, remembering Yulia's words from the previous night, he wondered if his partner only imagined a future with their partnership still intact. She seemed to ache at the thought of it not being that way... but that could have been merely the alcohol. For Clive, anything seemed possible in regards to the future. The idea of ridding himself of the extra baggage was beginning to grow hazy, contaminated with the idea that Yulia would remain his partner for years to come, like Nat and Jean. Even so... there were mysteries beyond what their jobs obligated them to solve. To drag someone into things such as those... it would not be likely.

[Ashen]

During their walk to the coffee shop—a place Rotom would have suggested, had the poor thing not been shoved away into a pocket again—Yulia made a conscious effort to keep the laughter from her voice. Clive’s expression was funniest, the irritation at his new device, at the amusement it brought her, mixed with indignation that he was not as hopeless as they both knew him to be. She tried not to think about it too much, but she had to hide another giggle behind her hand. Going forward, regardless of what happened, she knew their time together had just gotten more entertaining, and absently, she wondered if it would ever get old.

At the coffee shop, Yulia and Clive swapped observations and speculations about the festivalgoers. Kantoians bumbled around them, wide smiles plastered on their faces. Some were sporting the latest model of a Poke Finder, posing for photos with their Pokemon. Yulia wondered if she had looked so like a tourist, once, during her first time outside of her native region. She told Clive about Kalos, about the sights and Pokemon she had left behind, and surprisingly, she found herself laughing for new reasons. Through all the chaos of their current mission, she’d forgotten how much she enjoyed spending time with her partner, and she hoped, after this was over, they could continue to grow past the bumps and get closer.

Eventually, they reached the front of the line, and Yulia only glanced briefly at the onscreen menu behind the counter before ordering a cappuccino for herself. Without thinking, she ordered a hot chocolate for Clive. It was only after she’d paid for both drinks that she turned to him, and, as if for the first since speaking with the barista, seemed to consider he was there. Cheeks reddening, she shifted awkwardly. It hadn’t occurred to her to check with him if that was indeed what he’d wanted, even if she’d watched him order hot chocolates over coffees before, even if she’d paid attention to plenty of his food preferences. “Is that… okay?” she asked suddenly. “I can ask them to change the order, or I can order something else entirely. Sorry, I forgot…” The rest of her sentence dissolved somewhere on her tongue. She shifted awkwardly, scolding herself for her oversight.

But before either of them could do anything about the drinks, their drinks were being set on the counter, quick only now that she didn’t want them. She offered Clive his hot chocolate, hoping it wasn’t too much of an issue, and waited for him to take a sip before she even touched her cappuccino. A part of her also worried about what Clive would think about her knowing his order, if he’d think it weird. Would he know hers? She shook her head. Maybe she was making too big a deal of things, as always. She chuckled softly, dismissing her anxiety. “You work with someone long enough, you get to know their preferences,” she said with a wave of a hand by way of explanation. Seeing everything was okay with his drink, she started for the door, ready to head to the fairgrounds. Perhaps some girlish part of her was looking forward to this too much, but she shrugged. Where was the harm?

[Headwrapper]

Clive's thoughts were interrupted once had and Yulia finally reached the front of the line, greeted by a friendly barista ready to take their order. He looked over the menu while Yulia placed her order to ready himself for placing his own. Every coffee place seemed to want to name their sizes differently, as if just using small, medium, and large was not good enough for some reason. Also, what the hell was a frozen hot chocolate? Would that not just be chocolate ice cream or like a milkshake?

"Hmm?" He looked away from the menu after hearing Yulia place her order, annexing Clive's usual with her own. He pretended to pay no notice, shifting slightly as he glanced about, until Yulia had turned and apologized for potentially being presumptuous. "No, uh, it's fine. Just didn't think you remembered my order." The drinks were prepared promptly, leaving little room for much more discussion before they were ready to get to their task for the evening. Have they really been working together for that long now? How had the months gone by so quickly?

The pair made their way to the festival grounds. It was a skeleton of what it was going to be once the festival actually starts, but it was enough to get an idea for the layout. Many stalls were set up or still in the process, barren of any valuables that could get tampered with before the next morning. Barricades to stop vehicular traffic and guide foot traffic were already put in place, and some security detail was already put in place to oversee the area.

The pair of detectives walked along the orange-yellow brick roads, taking in the sights. Clive even let Rotom float around a bit, on the premise that the wandering device would be taking pictures of any areas of interest. "Can't wait to see how it all looks tomorrow," Clive mused aloud.

[Ashen]

Already, the fairgrounds were coming alive. Yulia paused to take in the numerous stalls and attractions being set up, only a shell of what they would become, yet still adorned in fantastic colors and patterns. Even if they instilled a sense of excitement in the grown woman, they also brought about a sense of dread. Yulia had been here before. Not here, exactly, but in a similar place, in a different region, with stalls like these, and festival games and cheery music and delicious food. She tried to shake the memories away. Eighteen years had passed since that last festival, and this time, she would be much wiser, much more able to protect herself. She had other people to protect, too, the festivalgoers just trying to enjoy their holiday. It was her duty to be the savior to them that she had never had.

A wave of nausea struck her, and she swallowed, hard, willing the thoughts away. Now was not the time. Trying to focus, she pulled out the map she had marked up and took a few moments to figure out where they were. From the corner of her vision, she saw Rotom pop out from its hiding place, and a smile spread across her lips. That Pokemon would no doubt help in their investigation, in the photos it took and the insight it provided, and in the amusing frustration it caused its master.

They then got to work scouting the fairgrounds. Yulia juggled her cup of coffee, her map, and a notepad as they walked down rows and alleys, mindlessly rambling about potential hiding places. As they walk, she glanced at some of the signs beside certain stalls. They contained menus for the food that would be available tomorrow, and Yulia’s mouth watered at some of the pictures. She turned to Clive, reminiscing about deep-fried foods she had dared to try before. As they worked, they filled the moments of silence with chatter relating to the festival. By the time it was dark enough to return to their hotel, Yulia was confident in their investigation, and she was surprised at how much she had enjoyed just walking around with her partner. Tomorrow would be the real test of their abilities, and a huge step closer to their goals.

Back at the hotel, Yulia excused herself for a shower, and she emerged from the bathroom with her hair dripping onto the towel around her neck. She sat on her bed and attempted to soothe out the tangles in her hair. “I was thinking about ordering room service,” she said. “Would you like anything?” She set the comb down to grab the menu from the drawer of her end table, and she tossed it to Clive’s bed. While he was looking it over, she let out a long sigh. “It’s hard to believe we’ve been on this mission for as long as we have. Sometimes it’s easy to think we haven’t made any real progress, like we’ve stagnated, but this… Tomorrow… This feels like real progress. Like we’re doing good for the world, and at the end of the day, maybe we’ll even be heroes. Not that that’s the goal, of course; they emphasized at the Academy that this was often thankless work after all. But it really feels like, after all this time and trying, we’ll have made a difference.”

She looked up at him and chuckled. “Not to mention how much closer we’ll be to shutting down the whole organization! All the arrests we’ll make, the affiliates we’ll get to interrogate, all the evidence we’ll be able to secure…” She sighed. “I’m just a bit excited, is all. And I’m… happy. I’m happy I’ve gotten to go on this trip with you.” She took the comb back to her hair and turned away. “After this, I bet returning to Goldenrod will feel anticlimactic,” she noted with a laugh.

[Headwrapper]

Once the evening drew to a close, it was time for the pair to return to the hotel. Clive felt that the preparations that he and his partner had diligently worked on all day were sufficient. On one hand, he hoped that nothing would happen and that no person or Pokemon's safety would be at risk. On the other, if things go the way the were expecting, they may nab some suspects and might finally make the breakthrough they needed. There was no sense on dwelling on the potential outcomes now, however. The best thing he and his partner could do is rest and be ready. The light stroll through the park put them in a eupeptic state, making the journey back to the hotel a swift and easygoing one.

While Yulia preoccupied herself with taking a shower, Clive asked Rotom to scroll through some of the photos and footage that he had acquired while in the fairgrounds. After a short while, Clive cleared his throat and waved the device away before kicking off his shoes and tossing his coat of to the side. He mentally chided himself for already forgetting that there was no sense dwelling on things now; Yulia and Clive were as prepared as they were going to be for what was to come the following day. Clive quickly changed into his more comfortable nightwear- he decided that he would be better of showering in the morning- and grabbed the TV remote. He settled on his bed after turning the TV on, and began clicking through the channels.

After a few minutes, Clive glanced over to the corner of his bed, where his new phone had lay. On the screen, it looked like Rotom's eyes were closed. Clive was surprised that the thing would feel the need to sleep, but it seemed like a small tradeoff for a device that almost never needed charged. The detective reached over and gently moved his new gadget to a darker corner of his nightstand.

Once Yulia returned, Clive silently listened to her words while looking over the room service menu. The rookie was letting her mind wander, filling itself with high expectations and ambitious tales, it seemed. There was only a chance that the kidnappers they planned on busting would lead them to anything substantial, and if they did it might help them slow down a specific Avarice initiative at best. It was a gamble if they would even be able to put a dent in their operation with anything they would learn. All of that besides, depending on how many arrests they made, it could take a long time to interrogate everyone they needed to, which would put a delay in their field work for a while.

He chuckled at Yulia's final words, setting the menu down. "It may, but honestly, I miss my bed. Then again, I was finally getting used to having to share a room. Going to have to get used to an empty apartment all over again." He looked back up at the television screen, intrigued by the sudden outburst as a master chef berated one of the trainees on his reality show. Clive laughed, amused by the chef's choice of colorful language and his distinct accent. "Sometimes I wish I watched more TV for things like that," he sighed after catching his breath.

[Ashen]

The television filled the silences between their conversation, and when Yulia took a moment to look at it, she was surprised at what she saw on the screen. Her partner didn't seem like the type for reality TV, but then again, she figured there wasn't much else on. His homesickness brought memories of her home, of her much comfier bed, and her fussy Glameow. Absently, she wondered what Clive's place was like, if he had any pets, if he would ever live with someone else. She doubted it; the man was much too stubborn to share his space, she thought. Though, she had been pleasantly surprised after sharing this room with him, and she knew she, too, would miss this closeness.

As another chef was berated by the most colorful language Yulia had ever heard, the detective hid a giggle behind her hand. "Sometimes, mindless entertainment is important," she commented. "You can't be caught up in work mode all the time. Besides, the TV makes for good company. Though..." She turned her attention to him, and a playful smirk crossed her lips. "If you've been lonely, Clive, I could pass the word on to Natasha. I'm sure she'd be halfway through planning a party before I even finish speaking." She laughed. "Could you imagine? She'd get the whole office at your place." Yulia could hardly picture all their coworkers crammed into Clive's home, touching his furniture, eating his food, filling the place with their loud voices. The thought amused her, even if she knew her partner would loathe it. "Maybe don't tell Natasha," she murmured, laughter still bubbling from her. "I don't think we'd hear the end of that."

As their conversations died down, Yulia finished with her hair, leaving it loose while it dried. She got ready for bed, and she wished Clive a good night, dreaming of all the progress they would make tomorrow.

But her dreams instead were filled with distant memories, vivid and haunting. Yulia woke with a start in the middle of the night, hellish faces and golden fur still blurring at the corners of her vision. She rubbed her eyes and got up, not wanting to go back to sleep and risk the continuation of her nightmare. She threw on a sweater and went to the roof, where she balanced a cigarette between her lips. This would be different, she kept reminding herself. Her demons were taken care of. She had someone to protect her now.

She returned to the hotel room wordless, exhausted and not at all relaxed. She woke again hours later, groggy. Dread crept through her consciousness, and to shake it, she tried desperately to distract herself. She busied herself with evidence from the case for the zillionth time until Clive awoke.

[Headwrapper]

Once the night drew to a close, Clive cleaned up his items that he ordered from the room service, and quickly fell asleep afterward. His rest was rather sound and dreamless, and he awoke the next morning with plenty of energy. He reached for Rotom to check the time, then sat up on the edge of his bed. Across from him, Yulia was already awake, reading through her own notes. Clive looked over his partner, quickly observing that she looked rather tired. She may not have slept well, or maybe she had only just woken up and had yet to shake off sleep's grasp.

"Good morning," Clive said, carefully observing his partner's reaction. "Today's the day," he announced, quickly standing up and hurrying to the bathroom to get ready. He made quick work of his morning routine, even adding a few additional steps to the process. Soon he reemerged, completely ready and almost a new man. The short beard that had begun to grow on his face was buzzed down to less than stubble length, and Clive's neck was completely smooth, devoid of any stray hairs. The hair atop of his head, still slightly damp, was combed back and away from his face, making his dark eyes more visible. He was dressed rather simply, with just dark blue jeans and a black tee gently covering his figure, but all of that was going to eventually be covered by his coat anyway.

"Looking good sir!" Rotom explained, zipping across the room to stop in front of Clive. "You slept for six point seven nine hours! You should try to average about eight hours of sleep eight night to promote good health!"

"Thanks," Clive sighed as he marched right passed the floating device. He dropped down onto his usual spot on the side of his bed to start putting on a pair of long, black socks. He glanced briefly towards Yulia while he did so. "We should reconcile with the Saffron PD again, but then after that it's probably best that we are nonchalant with how we inject ourselves into the festival. We'll enter in the same way as any normal civilian would, before we establish our positions. As of now, Sabrina's ESP is the best information we can go off of in regards to where exactly we will see Avarice appear, but we should be prepared for anything. Still, between your Pokemons' strength and my team's tricks, I don't think they can escape with anything. The tricky part is making sure no people or Pokemon get hurt."

Once they were both prepared, Clive threw on his coat and they left the hotel room. Clive immediately halted when he opened the door. "Hey... This was not here before, right?" he asked, his voice somber. On the wall in front of him was a large drawing of a feather, plastered on the wall using a dark black pigment. Dark lines were used to outline the shape, taking up nearly the entire height of the wall, and a dusting of black was used to shade in the edges of the feather. Upon closer inspection, the black pigment was in fact a powder. He touched it, rubbed his fingers together, and caught a whiff of the smoky smell "Charcoal?" He took a few steps down the hall, searching for other drawings that may have popped up in the hallway, but his search was fruitless.

"Remember where we last spotted a feather?" He asked Yulia, glancing at her before returning his attention to the drawing. "We need to see the security cameras," he then said. He waved at Rotom, who promptly took a picture of the vandalized wall. Clive then quickly made his way down to the front desk, where he was quickly able to introduce him and Yulia as detectives and share the oddity they had discovered. The hotel's manager was quick to oblige allowing them access to the small room where the cameras could be monitored, and had a security guard aid them as they searched through the footage.

After deciding that the vandalism most likely took place during a certain period during night, knowing Clive and Yulia had turned in for the night at a certain time and that Yulia had even left the room briefly, the security guard was able to quickly find the video of the perpetrators at work. "Wait, what?" he exclaimed, rewinding the video and watching it through again. Clive watched from over the man's shoulder intently, his eyes never moving away from the screen. On the flickering monitor, he could see the hallway in front of the hotel room. With a small shimmer, a figure, hooded with a cloak that draped down to their knees, suddenly appeared in the shot. The figure observed the door for a moment, idly smoothing their hand over the face of a wooden box that they held. They then turned, opened the box to reveal the drawing implements inside, and began their work. Once complete, the light flickered again, and they vanished.

"That's strange, I've never seen the cameras mess up like that. Why go through all of the trouble to hack the cameras just for some graffiti?"

"They didn't hack the cameras," Clive said. "They were teleporting." He glanced over at Rotom. "Crap, we need to go, we're running out of time." He looked over to Yulia and gave her a nod. "If possible, we would like to get a copy of this any other video evidence you find," he then told the security guard, before then turning to leave and lead the way to the Saffron PD. Thoughts swirled around his head, a storm of newly discovered facts, as he marched. The world around him seemed to fade into shadow as he walked silently, trying to compartmentalize his thoughts after a seed of chaos suddenly sent them into disarray. What was their visitor's purpose? Was the message on the wall intended to be a threat? Some kind of warning that Phoenix was aware that he had become a suspect during the investigations back in Goldenrod? Was the artist actually a part of Avarice, and if so, how did they know the detectives' whereabouts?

[Ashen]

Yulia’s attempts to wake herself up were less than successful, and when she finally felt herself dozing off among studying her notes again, she sighed in relief. She prepared to set her work aside to get a few more winks of sleep, but then she noticed the clock on her laptop, noticed it was far too late for a nap, and she quietly groaned. Today would be a day for coffee, then, and lots of it.

She showered, hoping that would wake her up, and even took the time to apply makeup, though she took care to keep her look simple and natural. By the time she finished getting ready, she didn’t feel anymore awake, but she was glad to be feeling refreshed. Yulia wore her hair down, and she dressed in a simple dress and jean jacket, complimenting her look with her signature ascot. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she was sure she looked like any ordinary girl trying to enjoy a day out at the fair. Satisfied, she fell back onto her bed, careful not to wake her partner, and got back to work.

It wasn’t long before Clive awoke, and she greeted him with a chipper hello, ignoring the grogginess at the edge of her voice. Today was the day, and despite the less-than-ideal start to it, Yulia was determined to make it a good day. How could it not be? There was so much to do, so many opportunities to collect information, to get closer to stopping Avarice, and to protect the people and Pokemon of the festival.

While Clive got ready in the bathroom, Yulia set her laptop away and prepared the purse she would take with her. She looked at Clive when he was done, and Yulia couldn’t help but think he looked too normal, and too unlike his normal self, though she knew he would soon be swaddled by his signature coat. She nodded along with his suggestions. “I’ve contacted Saffron PD,” she told him. “They’ll be expecting us before the festival starts for a short briefing. Hopefully Sabrina will be there as well, if she isn’t busy with her gym.” She nodded to herself. “No one will be getting hurt today,” she announced, and the confidence in her voice made it clear she believed that, or she was trying hard to convince herself.

Finally set to leave, they started out of their room only for Clive to pause at the threshold. Yulia tried to peek over his shoulder, and there, on the wall, she saw the curious drawing of a midnight black feather. She took to Clive’s side to examine it, even snapping a couple pictures up close. “Why would someone do this…?” she murmured to herself. A quick scan of the rest of the hallway revealed nothing else out of the ordinary. The last feather they’d found, the gold one in Sierra’s apartment, Clive had suggested it had been left behind by Avarice Ho-Oh enthusiast Phoenix. But this feather was different, was dark, lacked the gorgeous rainbow plume of the legendary bird. Were they related? But what would Phoenix be doing all the way out here, in a different city, a different region, in their hotel, and why? Was Avarice onto them? Yulia nodded grimly, following her partner downstairs and to the security cameras, hoping they would bring some clarity.

But the security footage was less than helpful. The perpetrator had shielded themselves too well, and their escape was flawless. Clive almost seemed to panic after seeing it, and Yulia could only watch him, wondering what was going through his mind. She was thinking a million thoughts too, about their own safety, about the safety of their mission, of everyone at the festival. Fear forced its way up her throat, suffocating. Memories bombarded her, and she had to consciously push them away to be able to focus. Her day was looking worse and worse, and it was getting harder to stay positive.

As Clive ran off, Yulia knew she had to get going too. She quickly left a phone number and email address for the security guard before chasing after Clive. She struggled to keep up with him, but when she did catch up with him, she asked, “What are you thinking? They couldn’t have caught on to us, and even if they have, what purpose do they have of… that? The feather?” She had too many questions, and she doubted Clive had any definitive answers.

Yulia thought back to her source, the one who had told her—or not her, exactly—about this whole leg of their mission. She trusted the source, knew they had been telling the truth, but was it possible someone had lied to them? The thought persisted, and for the first time since coming here, she started to doubt their mission. Feeling sick to her stomach, she only hoped their mission would be a success.

[Headwrapper]

"It's no mistake that we were the ones to receive the message," Clive said. "Somehow, they know that we're here. I don't know what they are trying to tell us, though." He pressed on, weaving his way through the pedestrians that lined the streets. Uncertainty threatened to encroach on the detective's thoughts, but he did his best to hold off his doubts. After all, what was the worst that would happen? The festival goes off without a hitch, and Avarice fails to show up? It would be disappointing to return to Goldenrod without the evidence he and Yulia were hoping to find during their travels, but they would be far from being empty handed.

Still, it was unnerving to think that had Avarice wanted to be more bold, both he and Yulia could have been in much more danger. Delivering the message that the teleporting artist, or whoever they served, was trying to convey, must have been more important than simply incapacitating the detectives that were on their trail. Why would that be the case, and if it was, why be so cryptic? At present, the knowledge they had about Avarice was far from what they needed to dismantle the organization. Their plan for the day was to intercept a small heist on Pokemon being trained by kids. It was hard to believe that compromising such an operation would give any of the Avarice leaders heartburn.

"We need to be more diligent than ever," Clive eventually said as they continued their trek. "Even if the feather is just some prank meant to scare us, we can't take any risks." His brow furrowed tightly, as it often did, causing his temples to swell. "That means we don't leave each other's sights for today. And more importantly, don't trust anybody, even Sabrina and the Saffron PD. They were the only ones who knew where we were staying." He thought back to when Zain had nonchalantly asked for the room number so that he could call the phone in the hotel room. Was that as innocent as it seemed?

When they finally arrived at the Saffron PD headquarters, the pair of detectives were lead to the room where the day's briefing was taking place. Zain stood at the front of the room, leading the discussion, and in the corner behind him stood Sabrina- her eyes peering beyond what was in front of them, like they always seemed to do. "There you are," Zain said, addressing the new arrivals. "We were just discussing posts."

"Sorry we're late, we had a bit of a disturbance this morning," Clive said as he approached. "Show him, Rotom." In seconds, the red phone zipped out of Clive's breast pocket and stopped in the air to give Zain a proper view of the screen as it scrolled through the various pictures of the charcoal feather that was printed on the hotel wall. "We don't know what it means, but it might be a message from one of the Avarice leaders. All we saw in the security cameras was a hooded figured doing the deed, then teleporting away like a scared Abra." Clive then motioned to Rotom to return to him as he stepped back. Seeing there were no empty seats left, he leaned against one wall in the briefing room. He then remained largely silent for the rest of the discussion- memorizing the map of the festival grounds that Zain presented on a large screen next to him. Light detail here, heavier detail there, the exists each person was responsible for covering in the event they need to lockdown and prevent anyone from exiting. All of the information came quickly and punctually, which was evidence of Zain's preparedness for the festival.

The time had come. All of the assigned security detail was commanded to report to their posts. Shortly after they arrive, the festival gates would open to the public, and the festivities would begin. Sabrina would be tied up with making appearances throughout the festival, but the information she had provided was plenty contribution. Clive and Yulia were assigned to walk the grounds closest to where the junior competition would take place, where Avarice's appearance was predicted to take place. They were given radios so they could listen to the Saffron PD communications, yet Rotom protested and insisted that Clive leave his behind. After jumping from the smart phone to the radio and back, Rotom was able to tune into the Saffron PD's radio frequency and serve as a radio himself. Clive shrugged off his doubts about the legality of such a feat.

Clive once again lead the way, guiding Yulia to where would be their post. As they walked, he looked over to his partner. "Did you feel like Sabrina was... Watching you?"

[Ashen]

As the detectives made their way to the Saffron PD, Yulia’s thoughts bordered on overwhelming. She was struggling to think of anyone who would know their location and leave such a taunt, or a warning, or whatever the charcoal feather was supposed to be. Of course, the people at the police departments knew where they were—both here in Saffron and back home in Goldenrod—but none of them had any motives. Had it been possible that someone might have followed her or Clive back to the hotel room at one point? Regardless, Clive was right: they needed to be extra cautious today. Hopefully this was just some false alarm or some mindless threat from people they were going to put a stop to today. Though, she couldn’t help but think the graffiti outside their room had been sent by someone with far more power than some grunts disrupting a Little Cup match.

The briefing was quick and efficient, and while Clive told those present about the feather, Yulia kept an eye on the faces around them. Could one of these people have been responsible for the graffiti? None of them gave anything away with their expressions, not even when Clive showed them the photos Rotom had taken of their findings. As Yulia watched everyone, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Sabrina seemed to be looking through her, as if the psychic trainer could glimpse her secrets with looks alone. Yulia tried not to let it bother her, tried to pay attention to the maps and details laid out on the PowerPoint, but the unease settled in her chest. She had nothing to do with any of this; surely Sabrina wouldn’t think otherwise?

Afterwards, Yulia was more than happy to get away from Sabrina and leave the SPD. Only blocks away, on the way to the festival, was she finally able to let out a breath. She had been so optimistic earlier, but now, doubts swelled in her mind. She hated not knowing who she could trust, but she hated even more the thought that Sabrina might not trust her. As they walked, she cast a glance towards her partner. Would Clive come to suspect her of helping their enemy? She couldn’t stand the idea, of her partner not trusting her, of him thinking she would stoop so low—but… She stopped walking, and she seemed to consider something for a moment. No. With a shake of her head, Yulia fell into step behind Clive again. Whatever was going on, she had faith that she and Clive would be able to handle it.

The music could be heard from blocks away, loud instruments filling the entire city with a clash of cheerful thunder. The first echoing bang of a drum startled Yulia, but she pressed on, convincing herself this would be different. When the fairgrounds came into view, she was surprised at just how colorful everything was. The balloons, the stalls, the amusement park rides, even the people were dressed in vibrant shades and patterns. A person in a Smeargle costume stood at the entrance, and the paintbrush in their hand was a rainbow all its own. They wore a satin purple jacket with blinding gold stars on it. Even if the mascot was meant to be for kids, Yulia found its vacant gaze and its too-peppy movements creepy. She ignored it as they walked through the gate and started for their post.

Now all that was left was to look normal and wait. Yulia scanned the crowds, already searching for anything out of the ordinary, but Clive’s question drew her attention to him. She hesitated. So he had noticed, too. “Yeah,” she replied sheepishly. “I must have one of those faces, you know?” But she knew she didn’t; even if her face had looked much plainer, her bright blue hair made her memorable to anyone, a fact she was not terribly fond of. She shrugged awkwardly. “I’d want to know what goes on in Sabrina’s head, but I think the only person capable of making any sense of that would be her.” Her fingers drummed against her purse, itching for a cigarette, but she couldn’t, not here, not without leaving Clive alone. She shook the thought and instead turned her attention to the Little Cup arena. Signups were still taking place, and children bumbled about with their parents and their Pokemon, eager to get a taste of a real battle. She couldn’t imagine anyone stooping low enough to steal the smiles off those children’s faces, and she found herself looking forward to crushing whatever plans Avarice had for them today.

They passed the time chatting idly, though they both remained alert, ready to jump on whatever threat presented itself. Yulia promised she would miss no detail, so when she spotted someone adorned in a black and gold leather jacket, she motioned for Clive to follow her gaze. The young man was lingering around the arena, and after a minute, a woman joined him. Though she wore no jacket, her blouse was the same colors of the uniforms the Avarice grunts wore. She kept her hands in the pockets of her pants, but from the distance, Yulia couldn’t see what she was holding. They remained by the arena far longer than any other passersby, and they didn’t seem to be watching any of the competitors or cheering anyone on. “I don’t like them,” Yulia muttered through her teeth, quiet enough that only Clive would hear her.

[Headwrapper]

The festival officially began, and the bustling crowds that went with it began to flow through the streets. The constant fanfare of drums and horns served as the city's heartbeat for the day, the energy seeming to burst through the yellow bricks that lined the streets. There was much to see, and plenty to do, but the pair of detectives had a specific mission that they were determine to succeed. Upon reaching their post, they passed the time, all the while scouting for the expected dangers. As time went on, Clive began to question if Sabrina's abilities really had any merit. It was too early to prove or disprove their effectiveness. After all, the Little Cup had not even started.

Upon being motioned by his partner, Clive directed his attention to the suspicious man wearing gold and yellow, who was then accompanied by a woman dressed in a similar pattern. The distance made it difficult to be sure that the pair was the same duo at the warehouse and captured in the surveillance footage, but Clive was leaning towards the affirmative. He hummed in response to Yulia's statement, turning his head to try to get a better look at the pair. "Odd. Almost seems too obvious, the way their dressed. Don't think I would have even recognized them from this far away otherwise. It's not like an ugly wardrobe is a crime though, so just keep an eye on them for now."

The Little Cup carried on while the detectives minded their mission. The suspicious duo also stayed nearby, not much further than a few strides from the battlefield outlined in white paint on the ground. It was not until the last few rounds of the Little Cup approached, leaving only the final four contestants, that the black and gold pair decided to wander away from the event. "So after sitting through all those boring little kid battles, they decide to step away when only the best trainers are left?" Clive wondered aloud, quietly enough to keep his thoughts between him and Yulia. As tempting as it was to split up and keep an eye on both the suspicious pair and the Little Cup, it was unwise to do so after the uncertainty left from the morning's events. Clive noted as much to his partner. "We can just radio the others to watch out for those two. We can't risk leaving our post unattended."

The semi-finals of the Little Cup began, the match squaring off a young girl in a red dress and her Litleo against a boy and his Spearow. Although they made some tactical errors, both trainers made their commands with a confidence that surpassed what was offered by most of the young trainers until that point. Clive wondered if these kids were naturally talented, or if maybe they had parents that were strong trainers. He was suddenly hyperaware of the damaged Pokeball that nested inside of his coat, its weight pressing against his chest. Would he have had the same encouragement to battle, or even take on a Gym challenge, if his parents were there? There was no way to know for sure.

The battle concluded when a well-timed Aerial Ace landed, knocking out Litleo. The small crowd applauded when the victorious trainer offered his opponent a handshake, praising her and her Pokemon for a fun battle. The female trained looked apprehensive at first, before smiling and shaking the boy's hand. "That leaves only two more battles," Clive said to Yulia, as he scanned the area. With a couple taps of his fingers, he summoned his Rotom from where it rested in his pocket. "This is Clive," he said, speaking into Rotom to transmit over the radio. "Two more battles of the Little Cup. Anyone see our black and gold friends in a while?"

After a long moment of silence, Clive clenched his phone angrily. "Were you even transmitting? I knew I should have just taken the radio," he grumbled as he shook the device, the Rotom inside shouting in surprise. He stopped when a response came.

"I thought I saw them both go inside the Mr. Mime Maze. Must have gotten lost in there. It's been a bit."

[Ashen]

Yulia considered Clive’s observations about the pair they were watching. Their clothing was too obvious, as if they were trying to pull the attention of the people looking for them. A distraction? But from what? She scanned the arena, taking note of the Pokemon currently on the field. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary there. Her gaze swept the fairgrounds, and still she saw nothing unusual. Whatever their purpose was, the black-and-gold-clad trainers were definitely suspicious, and Yulia was beginning to think Avarice was definitely onto them after all. For an organization that had been so elusive for so many years, there was no way they would plant such an obvious trap.

But as the battles carried on, Yulia still couldn’t figure out what they were trying to distract from. The young trainers carried out their battles, and the festival continued all around them, but other than that, nothing strange was going on. She shot a glance towards Clive, wondering if he had noticed anything, but from his expression she knew he too was waiting for something to happen. Though there was something else there, deep in his eyes, and as Yulia followed his gaze back to the trainers, she wondered if Clive saw himself in them. Or perhaps he saw the opposite, if he wished he’s grown up like they would, encouraged to battle, instead of in the shadow of an infamous detective. She tried to imagine what his upbringing would have been like, but her parents had been famous battlers, and she couldn’t imagine it any other way. “It’s never too late to try,” she mumbled, eyes trained on the battlefield, wondering if Clive had even heard her.

After the first of the semifinal battles, Clive retrieved Rotom from his pocket. Yulia watched him get frustrated with it with a hidden smile. He spoke with their current partners, who told them of the pair they’d asked them to keep an eye on. If the two had gone off to enjoy the rest of the festival, maybe their worrying was for nothing. But Yulia couldn’t have faith in that at all. She looked back to the battlefield, at the two new trainers stepping up to their places. They were very similar, perhaps brothers, and though their skills were equally matched, the Aron was no match for the Buizel, and one of the boys walked away victorious. With only one battle remaining, Yulia was sure to pay special attention to the people gathered around. She didn’t notice anything unordinary, but she knew how quickly that could change.

Then, the last battle was underway. Spearow faced off against Buizel, and both trainers looked like they were having the times of their lives. The crowd too was bubbling with excitement, and Yulia smiled at the scene. Everyone was cheering for the youngsters, and even she found herself rooting for one more than the other. Between watching the battle and watching for suspicious activity, Yulia commented to Clive about the kids out there, about their futures as trainers, about how she never would have had the confidence to do something like this. And just as the Buizel was ready to end the battle with a final Water Pulse, as the crowd got ready to cheer their excitement, a black fog filled the arena, thick and suffocating and the cue they’d been looking for.

Yulia was alert in an instant. She was already on the move, squinting through the fog to see what was happening. A smokescreen? People at the front of the arena were choking on the fumes, and she could hear the young trainers crying. She hopped the partition between the arena and the stands, not willing to wait for the smoke to dissipate. Finally it was her time to shine.

She trudged through the dark air, holding her breath and ignoring the sting of her eyes. Already her fingers flew to her purse, where she pulled a Poke Ball and threw it into the air. “Valkyrie!” she called to the Braviary that came from the ball. “Whirlwind!” The powerful bird didn’t hesitate; he flapped his powerful wings in an attempt to clear the smoke. In a corner of the battlefield, Yulia found one of the battlers in tears, and she learned from him that his Spearow was missing. She first led the child away from the smoke and left him in the care of one of the festival workers. Next, she returned to the battlefield, this time in search of clues from Avarice.

It didn’t take long to find one. As the smoke cleared, she noticed a young man with a Buizel in his hands. He held the failing Pokemon upside down, as if about to lose his grip. Yulia called to him, startling him. She didn’t know where her partner was, but she wasn’t going to let this criminal out of her sight. She chased after him, running him into a corner between a few game stalls and a large souvenir shop, and there, she summoned her Beartic to stand behind her and ensure he had no way of escape. “You are going to give that Buizel back to the child you stole it from,” she snarled.

The man swore, trapped. He released the Buizel, who scampered away in search of its trainer. But Yulia wasn’t going to let the man off that easily. She descended upon him, determined to get her answers. “You’re going to tell me just who is behind this,” she growled, and she couldn’t help but think the voice that came from her throat was not at all hers.

A few minutes later, she had the man in handcuffs, and a local police officer stood beside her. According to him, they had already caught another man, too, and all the Pokemon stolen had been returned. Yulia sighed. The two men caught were not the people she and Clive had noticed before, but according to the one she’d caught up with, they were affiliated with Avarice. It almost seemed… too easy. Leaving the criminal in the police officer’s custody, Yulia went back to the arena in search of Clive.

When she found him, she caught him up on what he didn’t know about what had happened. “It’s too easy,” she kept saying. “That was too easy.” And she couldn’t shake the feeling that something much, much worse was about to go down.

[Headwrapper]

The interruption of the final battle of the Little Cup was sudden, shocking most of the onlookers and the participants. Smoke quickly filled the area, blackening the view and causing those unlucky enough to be too close to struggle to breath, let alone see. Unlike his partner, who was quick to move and bolt into the fray, Clive lingered in his spot for a while longer. His eyes studied the perimeter, trusting that the active security and Yulia would take care of what was happening within the fog. He carefully reached towards his belt to grasp one of his Pokeballs while announcing the sudden disturbance over the radio. When Clive did finally approach the smoke and the crowd fleeing from it, assisting civilians as they tried to navigate their way out, Yulia had already been within the cloud for a nearly a minute.

He could hear Yulia command her Braviary, and shielded his eyes as the smoke was pushed away from the area by a powerful Whirlwind. Now that things were clear, it was obvious that Sabrina's prediction was correct. One of the men dashed away from the arena, leaping over barriers and weaving his way through the coughing onlookers with a sac over his shoulder. Meanwhile, his partner struggled with a Buizel, and soon he was also on the run. "Shadow," he called, releasing the obedient Zorua from its ball. "Surround him." Noting that Yulia was already chasing after the man trying to kidnap the Buizel, Clive pointed in the direction of the other man, who seemed to have a bit of a head start.

Even from a distance, Clive could see that man begin to shift his path. His sprint came to a sudden halt, and he began to dash a different direction, before stopping and starting to go another, before crashing straight into one of the vendor stalls. Spearow wrestled itself free from the sac and flew in circles, disoriented, before spotting its trainer and descending down, uninjured. In moments, officers that were on duty rushed to the criminal sprawled on the floor, and put him in cuffs. "That was impressive, Shadow. The range of your illusions is farther than ever." Clive flashed his Zorua a rare smile, and even went as far as to stoop down and scratch the Pokemon's head.

Once both culprits were in police custody, Yulia returned, and the pair reconvened briefly. "It is too easy. Something isn't right." Clive looked over towards Rotom, who had been hovering nearby, a few feet above Shadow. "Hey, did we reestablish a visual on those two in the maze?" he called over the radio.

"I'm going in to find out," replied a voice emanating from the Rotom-phone. "They have not come back out this whole time."

Clive's eyes furrowed, concern evident in his expression. He glanced over to Yulia, before scratching his chin and looking a different direction. "Well, we're not out of the woods just yet, but there's plenty of security here in case something else happens. We need to get whatever information we can out of the two we bagged, in the meanwhile. C'mon, we'll be the first to speak with them once they're booked."

They began to walk with the arresting officers that pulled the two Avarice members out of the fairgrounds. As they walked, some onlookers cheered or shouted some choice words at the criminals, who both ignored the crowd around them. They seemed to be well-prepared for the arrest, behaving in a way that was compliant where legally required but never saying anything that added to their crimes. Clive imagined that booking and interrogation would be no different. The observation was a little concerning, as most Avarice grunts that were arrested never seemed as calm and collected during their arrests. Naturally, they probably never planned to get caught. So why were these guys so different?

As they neared the edge of the fairgrounds, the voice over the radio echoed out of Rotom once again. "We shut down the maze and looked all over. The other two are gone." Clive sighed heavily, whispering an obscenity under his breath as he glanced over to Yulia, before nodding and affirming that they should still continue as planned.

A short while after they returned to the Saffron precinct, the detectives were standing near the interrogation rooms. "Damn it, why is it taking them so long to book two guys?" Clive wondered aloud, staring down the hall. He was still unsettled by the calmness of the pair that were arrested, and the two missing suspects. The sooner they could start interrogating, the sooner he might have some answers.

"Detectives!" A shout came from around the corner, and an officer soon followed the sound. "Team Avarice members were spotted at the Magnet Train station! They're not letting anyone in or out and all trains are stopped!"

"Shit." Clive stared right through the officer, his brows furrowing tightly as he focused his thoughts. He turned towards Yulia, opening his mouth to speak, and then paused as Rotom flew in front of him to make him aware of an incoming call. "We need to move, interrogation later," he said, grabbing the phone and rushing towards the exit of the precinct. He snatched Rotom out of the air, answering the call as he marched and placing the phone up to his ear. His determined, steady, march faltered. His feet dragged, until he finally slowed to a complete halt. His brows were no longer pinched together tightly, the furious look of determination gone from his face. Any tightness that was on his face was in his jaw, which was clenched like a vice. "Chief," he finally barked back into the phone. "They cut off the Magnet Train. We won't be back for a while. Yeah, I know." The phone suddenly hung up, and Clive stared at it in his hand as he urged his legs to move forward again.

Once he caught back up to Yulia, nearly every wrinkle and vein in his forehead was visible. "They are attacking the Gym as well as looting the trucks going into the Department Store in Goldenrod. The Magnet Train station in Goldenrod is also being taken over, I'm guessing so that they can make their escape with everything they plan to steal."

[Ashen]

It was just too easy. Yulia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong, even as she and Clive left the fairgrounds to head to the police department. The criminals they’d apprehended were almost docile, and as they were taken away, she thought something odd about that, too. They were taking too long; she wanted to get the interrogations over and done with so she could be ready for the next attack. And there would be a next attack; it was almost too obvious. The criminals almost expecting their arrests, the missing maze-pair from earlier… There was too much suspicion surrounding this mission, and she longed to get to the bottom of it.

But before they could start the interrogations, a new disturbance interrupted them. Yulia turned suddenly at the newcomer, and their words made her heart sink. If Avarice was holding up the trains, that meant they were trying to make sure no one could leave Saffron. They had something planned in the city, and Yulia and Clive needed to be there before things got too ugly.

She started off after her partner, nodding her agreement that the interrogations could wait. Her mind was filling with her fears: The Little Cup event was just a red herring, and now the real danger was going to occur at the station. Was trusting Sabrina the right thing to do? She thought to her contact, the one who had told her to go to Saffron in the first place. They’d been right, but they hadn’t been referring to the Little Cup business. There was still a chance for her to be a hero today, she just needed to get to the station and stop whatever madness Avarice had planned next.

Until Clive stopped walking. Yulia stopped suddenly to turn to him, unasked question lingering on her lips. He’d been on the phone, and when he brought her up to speed, her heart fell. The Little Cup fiasco had been a red herring, but it was a distraction from what was going on back home. Avarice wasn’t cutting off the railways to keep people in Saffron. It was to keep them out of Goldenrod.

A heavy feeling swelled in the pit of her stomach. A light drumming echoed in the back of her mind, announcing the incoming headache. She’d been wrong. As much as she was trying to not jump to conclusions, she felt that she was wrong. Something serious was happening back home, and she wasn’t even there to deal with it. Yulia tried to shake her thoughts clear. Now wasn’t the time. She had to get to the station and do what she could.

When the two arrived at the train station, they had to fight through a wall of reporters and officers standing around outside. The entrance was blockaded, and several children trapped inside the station were screaming. A woman in uniform was talking to a police officer, and Yulia overheard that Avarice had taken over by force, using their tortured Pokemon. Yulia turned to Clive, a hand already digging for a Poke Ball. “We’ve gotta get in there,” she announced. She summoned her Beartic, and she together they started for the entrance, ignoring the officers trying to stop her. The barricade couldn’t hold against the force of a Beartic’s headbutt, and the metal beams fell, crumbled, to the floor. As soon as Yulia was inside, she scanned the place, the many panicked faces of the innocent bystanders, and she locked eyes with three people in Avarice uniforms. They looked more bored than anything, and when they saw Yulia, one of them stepped forward, an amused smile on his face. “I’m not supposed to let anyone on,” he said. “You should run on before you get hurt.”

Yulia snarled. She looked to the train, doors locked, dozens of people trapped inside. Avarice had taken control of the rails. Her first priority should have been freeing all these people, but her heart drummed to a different beat. She had to stop them. She had to do whatever it took to stop Avarice, and she didn’t care how long the people around her had to wait.

The grunt summoned an Arcanine from a black Poke Ball. The poor thing appeared to be in severe pain; it was panting, snarling, and flames flew from its body wildly, uncontrolled. It wasn’t wise to fight here, Yulia knew, but if she could distract them, maybe Clive could do something. Though the other two grunts turned away, unamused with the impending battle, and she knew it would be rough to get past them. They were trapped.

Thinking of a plan was near impossible with the headache getting worse. All her training for this moment was swimming in her head. She needed to handle this professionally, but… Before she had a chance to think, a blast of flames was heading straight towards her and her Beartic. She jumped out of the way, flames nearly brushing her skin. She recalled Zita, knowing it was the safer option. They couldn’t fight. She tucked her Poke Ball away and tried to soften her expression. “I’m not here to battle you,” she tried, her voice verging on angry. “I’d like to understand the situation so we can help each other.”

But the grunt saw through her rehearsed words. “We don’t need your help.” He rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m not here to talk with a cop. All I gotta do is keep you from getting back home, so we can sit here all day. Try to negotiate all you want. It won’t work.”

Yulia raised a brow. How did the grunt know she wasn’t from here? That she was trying to go back to Goldenrod? Avarice was directly targeting her and Clive, then, and all these people were endangered because of them. She tried to swallow the guilt. Yulia turned to Clive. There had to be another way to get back to Goldenrod. All the people at the police department, and the department store, Whitney and her trainers… What was going to happen to them? “Do we have word from the port?” she asked him. It was the only other way to get back to Johto, and if Avarice was so desperate to keep them away, that was exactly where they needed to be.

[Headwrapper]

Blood boiled as it traveled through Clive's veins, while he and Yulia made a mad dash for the Saffron Magnet Train station. Knowing that their colleagues and innocent civilians were in danger served as a source of pressure, hastening them forward as they scrambled through the city streets to get to their destination. Naturally, with their thoughts scrambled, they moved towards the closest source of their distress in hopes they could quell the closest problem that they could.

Images of the recent events flashed in Clive's mind as he weaved his way through the streets. The warehouse, the red eyes behind the door, the van full of Avarice members... the charcoal feather, and the hooded artist who used teleportation to help deliver its message. What could it have meant? Why were these all connected, and when did Avarice decide to start toying with the pair of detectives that were on their trail? A rock sat at the bottom of his stomach and his heart writhed as he struggled to balance his thoughts with the red-hot emotions he harbored.

The familiar weight of the broken Pokeball pressed against his chest, and for a moment the thoughts slowed down as the memory of his father gently took their place. Was this a time to avoid making the same mistakes his father had? To avoid being bold and to prevent passion from getting in the way of logical thought? If not, was it instead a time to take a page out of the old man's book? To stow away fear and doubt, and accomplish what needed to be done without regard to the costs?

The answer came quickly, and Clive retook control of both his heart and mind. There was no time for doubts, and it was time to act. His steeled resolve became his armor for what was to come, both in the immediate future and once the dust settles. He and his partner neared the station, and he marched through the throng of onlookers and police. The barrage of questions, the flashing of cameras, and the thrusting of microphones all ricocheted off of Clive's hardened determination.

He listened silently, the veins on his head still throbbing, as he and Yulia were briefed on the current situation. A small nod was all he offered in regards to approval of Yulia's plan to force through the barricade, though she hardly needed his opinion. "Just study them, Shadow," he said as he released his Zorua from its ball once again. "Stay hidden. And watch for my signals if we get into trouble." The Zorua nodded silently. Its eyes seemed to convey the same determined expression as Clive's. They slowly vanished into the thin air, as the Pokemon became invisible.

Clive cleared his way through the damaged barricades, following the wake of Yulia and her Beartic's forced entry. Eagerly, his eyes took in the sights of what awaited them inside. They almost swept over the trio of Avarice members standing before them, immediately scanning the people beyond them. Most of them did not seem to be hurt, at least not severely, but their faces all pleaded for help. Hundred of pairs of eyes stared back at Clive and Yulia, and Clive could feel the calling to try to meet their wishes start to pull him closer. A noose roped around his neck, dragging him into the danger.

He sighed loudly, snapping himself out of once more police followed in through the entrance that Yulia made, and easing the burden. His focus went back to the immediate danger ahead: the three abductors. "Yulia wait-..." he started, but before he knew it the situation was starting to get out of control, and his partner was soon in the beginnings of a battle with one of the Avarice hijackers.

Despite being expected, the sight of the agonized Arcanine served to further infuriate Clive, but his steel cage prevented any of the emotion from coming out. It stayed as invisible as the Zorua hiding nearby. If his training served well, Shadow would be burning the image of the Arcanine in his mind, ready to be recalled again in a moment's notice. At the very least, that was one benefit to the senseless battle. If only Yulia had not approached so quickly, they could have tried to retake control of the situation.

After the brief exchange that followed Yulia's refusal to battle, it was clear what the motivation of the hijackers was. It came to no surprise. There were little options for the detectives to consider though, without the means to overpower their adversaries. As it stood, any battles would greatly endanger innocent civilians, and it was unlikely they could win. Furthermore, each second lost was time that they could not be helping back home. "Shit," Clive sighed. At this rate, Avarice was likely to get away with stealing all of the battle supplies they could ask for in Goldenrod, and have free reign of the Magnet Train just long enough to make their getaway and redistribute the goods as they saw fit.

"The fast ship? Is it running today?" Worst case, they could try to commandeer a boat if no one could offer up their service. Before Clive could even finish fabricating the thought, Rotom interjected himself, floating between the two detectives. "There are no reports of any obstructions at the port in Vermillion! The Fast Ship S.S. Aqua between Vermillion City and Olivine City will be running all day until nine PM tonight!"

"We'll take care of this situation, you two get on home." Clive turned to identify the source of the voice behind them. It was their familiar Saffron counterpart, Zain. "There's no time to explain, but this whole thing is going to hit both of our cities very hard. You two get going and do what you need to do back home. I'm sorry to say we can't offer you much in terms of an escort, given the present circumstances." He tightened his blazer around himself as he stepped passed, and offered a small nod.

"Let's go," Clive said. He waved two fingers towards exit, and upon leaving was greeted by Shadow, who he recalled. From there, he hurried southbound towards the gate that lead to Vermillion city.

There was not much of a walk between Saffron and Vermillion. The city full of buildings with deep red roofs quickly came into view. The sudden change from the busy, loud, yellow festival of Saffron to the brilliant scarlet and relatively tame port-city was almost jarring, but the detectives hardly had time to notice as they continued their trek to the port. Not long after arriving, they tracked down a female police officer with blue hair that spread like sharp wings behind her shoulders. She quickly lead them to the ports, and was able to get them on a police-boat back to Goldenrod with little issue.

Clive sat silently in the back of the boat, hunched over his hands as he rubber them together. The veins in his forehead had calmed, laying dormant beneath his skin as his blood cooled. For the most part, he was ghostly quiet as sat, silently wishing for the boat to move faster.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Natasha grimaced as the chief gave her and Jean their orders. With Clive and Yulia effectively stuck in Kanto, and with how unprepared the police department was for an attack on such a scale, they had no choice but to split up and help where they were needed. Splitting up with Jean made her nervous- her partner was too much of a macho man for his own good. Without someone that understood him to reel him in, he was likely to overextend his musclebound neck.

"Don't worry about me, I'll keep those girls safe," the man beamed as they parted ways. She watched as he hurried away, towards the Goldenrod gym, and then hurried off with her small team to where the supply trucks were being hijacked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Bust through, Rhyhorn!" Jean shouted as he neared the Goldenrod City gym. With a loud roar, his Rhyhorn charged ahead, plowing passed Avarice grunt after Avarice grunt before busting through the locked doors of the gym. Even then, the Pokemon did not stop, and continued to trample anything ahead of it until it reached the main stadium of the Gym. Soon after, Jean rushed in, panting loudly. His Machamp followed closely behind, stomping into the room with pounding steps.

"What's going on in here!?" Jean demanded. "GRPD, no one move a muscle!" In the arena ahead of him, Whitney seemed to be locked in a battle with a girl decorated in Avarice colors. Behind Whitney, many of her Gym trainers sat on the ground, defeat painted across their shocked faces. In contrast, standing behind Whitney's opponent, Avarice grunts took stock of Pokeballs, money, and items they had nabbed.

Whitney's opponent suddenly turned her head, shaking her straight, oil-black ponytail. She almost growled at the sight of Jean's badge. "How did you get in here?" She did not wait for a response, and waved a few of the other Avarice members over. "Take care of the cops, while I settle this." A smirk grew across her face as she turned back towards Whitney. "Wipe those tears out of your eyes! I'm going to end this, once and for all!"

Jean grunted loudly as the four Avarice members approached him with their Pokeballs in hand. It was only a matter of time before the other members he rushed passed would follow him, leaving him surrounded. What was it that Natasha always made sure they did? "Secure the perimeter first, then you can let loose," he said, his booming voice calmly resounding from his chest. "Steelix, Tyrantrum, Rock Tomb!" In a flash, he released two more of his Pokemon. The entire Gym shook as the two Pokemon summoned large boulders, slamming them into the entrance that Rhyhorn had made. That should buy some time before Avarice reinforcements could make their way inside, Jean thought.

He turned back towards the approaching Avarice grunts, chuckling as slapped his palms together and squeezed them. His large smile exposed his teeth, which were as blindingly white as the spiky hair atop his head. "Only the four of you? My Pokemon and me, we've been through much bigger battles than this. So come on!" With a final roar, the large man grew wild, tearing the buttons of his shirt apart and exposing the large collection of muscles underneath. Before the Avarice members could react, all six of Jean's Pokemon were let loose from their balls, standing intimidatingly around their leader as he continued to let out a loud roar. Steelix, Tyrantrum, Machamp, Rhyhorn, Hitmonlee, and Conkeldurr spanned, looming over the Avarice members as they readied the black Pokeballs in their hands.

[Ashen]

Yulia couldn’t have been happier to hear the unwarranted voice of the Pokemon trapped in Clive’s phone. For once, the annoying thing had valuable information to offer, and as soon as they got to the port in Vermillion, they could board the S.S. Aqua back to Johto and stop the chaos going on back home. She nodded her acknowledgement to Clive, but before they left, she stopped and looked at all the people trapped on the train and at the station. Could they just leave them here? Yes, came the immediate reply, a hasty sentiment that darkened Yulia’s eyes. But before she could argue with herself, a voice from behind them gave them the permission to leave. Zain Hamsine. Though she didn’t want to leave him and his partners alone to deal with the situation, she knew she and Clive were needed elsewhere. With a gracious nod towards the local detective, Yulia started off in a run from the train station to the port in the next town.

She barely noticed the change of scenery as they made their way from the city of gold to the city of crimson. The events at the Magnet Train station were replaying in her head. Her willingness to keep innocent people in danger without a second thought, to do whatever she needed to do in order to stop Avarice, scared her. Yulia thought back to all her peers at the Academy, the many people who had studied alongside her and had offered her support. They had all had dreams of saving the world, of protecting people, making a difference. She had repeated those same dreams to herself for years. She had studied to make a difference. She had become a detective to protect people. But the whole time, hadn’t she known that was a lie?

They were able to get to Vermillion and board their ship without much issue, thanks to the help of a perky police officer. Once aboard, Yulia struggled to sit still. She opted instead to pace the back halls of the ship, lost in thought. Her head thundered incessantly, and she reached into her purse to fish the painkillers that would let her rest. Nightmares filled her mind, of what was happening back home, of what could happen if they didn’t get there soon enough. Wasn’t it all her fault? In her distracted pacing, she nearly collided with a man guiding a cart full of cleaning supplies towards the elevator. “Oh!” Yulia blurted in surprise. “I’m so sorry!” But the man just bowed with a forgiving smile and continued on his way, leaving Yulia suddenly aware of her surroundings. She noticed her partner, sitting still and silent, an unreadable expression in his eyes. So lost in her emotions, she hadn’t noticed how all this had been affecting him.

She walked over to him and sat beside him. She had been trained in how to comfort people during crisis situations, but she knew none of those lessons would work on the cold detective. Instead, she placed a hand on his, a silent act of solidarity. Yulia didn’t know what he was thinking, or what he thought of her for leading them to Johto, but none of that was important when they had people to save.

The detectives were off the ship as soon as it docked, taking off towards the Goldenrod Police Department. The often-crowded streets now were silent, eerie. Even from the port, she could see distant police vehicles and yellow tape stationed at the department store, the gym. Yulia dialed the police department on her cell, and she tried to get as many details as she could to save them from the trip to the police department. “The Department Store is mostly under control,” she repeated so that Clive could know, too. Natasha for the most part had taken control of the situation there. Yulia had faith the woman could handle herself, but something felt odd. “Natasha?” she repeated into the phone. “Where’s Jean?” They had been needed in different locations, and Jean had taken off alone to handle the situation at the gym. “Let’s go help him,” she told Clive after she had relayed the information to him. So, they changed course, heading now for the Goldenrod Gym, hoping they weren’t too late.

They arrived at the gym to find several people in uniform securing the perimeter. Yulia learned from one of them that a few grunts had tried to enter the gym since they’d gotten there, but that they had handled it. Jean had blocked the entrance, trapping them outside to deal with reinforcements. Yulia thanked them for the information and summoned her Beartic, who, after a few moments and a variety of moves, was able to break through the boulder blocking the gym. Once inside, they immediately saw Jean. He was shirtless, with sweat dripping down his body and a crazed smile on his face. Across from him was an Avarice grunt, and behind her were four of her friends, already defeated. Whitney stood at the back of the gym, clutching an arm and panting, while her girls surrounded her, trying to make sure she was okay. She turned her attention to the ongoing battle, and that was when she saw the face of the last grunt. Sierra was back.

“Jean!” Yulia called out, already summoning her Braviary as she ran towards him. From the looks of things, the battle had been going on for a while, and both side’s Pokemon looked exhausted. Sierra’s Nidoqueen looked beat, but normal, not in incredible pain, not like the Pokemon Avarice used. But the grunts behind her connected her to the organization, confirming their doubts from before. Yulia was sure her Valkyrie could finish things off, and then they could clean up the situation at the gym, at least. She commanded her Braviary to use Brave Bird in what she hoped would be the final attack of the battle.

But Sierra crossed her arms over her chest. She looked to Yulia, then to Clive behind her, and pouted. “No fair,” she muttered. With a glance back towards Yulia, Sierra sighed. “Alright, now.”

The gym shook with a new tremor, nearly knocking Yulia off her feet. Her eyes scanned the gym, but the quake was causing clouds of dust and sand to sting her eyes. She noticed Sierra starting away, but just as she was about to call out and stop her, she heard the ground shatter and Jean cry out in pain.

All eyes turned to the man, who now lay bleeding on the floor. His legs were bent awkwardly, and his face scrunched up in pain. An Excadrill stood by him, eyes enraged and body shaking in incredible pain; an Avarice trap. The Pokemon looked over Jean again before burrowing back underground. Yulia ran to Jean, eyes wide, petrified. “Are you alright?” she asked, though the question was pointless. She turned, eyes scanning the gym for the one who’d done this. “Clive,” she said, voice harsh, strained, panicked. She pointed towards the exit, where she’d last seen Sierra. “Don’t let her get away.”

Once Clive disappeared, Yulia turned her attention back to Jean. Guilt clouded her judgment, sent tears to her eyes. If she had gotten here sooner, would Jean have gotten hurt? If she had approached another way, would any of this had happened? Now wasn’t the time, she told herself. Hands shaking, she grabbed for her phone to call for rescue, hoping Clive would catch up to Sierra.

[Headwrapper]

The news of Natasha and Jean splitting up to handle the overwhelming Avarice operations taking place rattled at Clive's mental cage, but it held fast. Logically, he knew that each of the detectives were formidable in their own rights and could handle themselves- but it was hard to ignore how much greater they were together than the sum of their parts. Still, if Natasha seemed to have control of the Department Store situation, it was clear that they would be most needed at the Gym. After urging their legs to carry them as fast as they can take them, the pair made their long overdue arrival. Clive readied his Pokeballs, sorting out his lineup, while watching Yulia's Beartic clear the entrance to the gym.

Once inside, he took in the sights. Evidence of the multitude of battles that took place were everywhere. The defeated grunts standing behind their last-standing member, damaged walls, knocked over plants and decorations, and the Gym trainers and their leader huddled in the back of the gym. Clive looked towards the battle between Jean and the grunt as he cautiously began circling around them, in hopes of making his way to the terrified gym trainers. Priority number one was to extract the innocents safely. Jean may have been too preoccupied with the sheer number of Avarice trainers in the gym to execute such a task, but the fact that the building still had four walls surrounding it meant that he was holding back for the sake of the innocents trapped inside.

Clive began to tread carefully, his senses keenly aware of his surroundings as he began the trek towards Whitney and her girls. He hardly managed to take a few steps before the earth began to rumble, kicking up dirt and sending various articles within the room flying. Clive saw the grunts hurry out of the gym through their newly created exit, before a loud shout came from Jean's direction. Through the dust, Clive saw the flash of blood and Jean crumple to the ground. Without hesitation, Clive leaped forward, stopping near Jean, but his eyes were transfixed elsewhere. He let out a loud sigh, before letting himself look down towards Jean.

The large man was on his back, eyes squeezed shut and his teeth clenched, while he pressed his large hands on the wounds on his abdomen. Seeing Yulia join the man's side, Clive did not bother to kneel down.

"They're safe, Jean," Clive said. "We'll get them out of here." The detective turned towards the exit that the Avarice grunts escaped through, the image of Jean's Conkeldurr blocking the falling debris from raining down on the Gym trainers burning in his mind. Would such a well-timed Wide Guard have protected Jean just as well?

"Don't let her get away." Was Yulia giving orders now? Clive felt his cage rattle once again, and once again it held true. She was right anyway, with medical attention on the way for Jean and the officers outside coming in soon to escort the girls out of the gym, Clive's mission was clear, and without another word he sprinted out of the gym.

After rushing out of the gym, Clive caught glimpse of the five Avarice members hopping over the fence on the edge of the city that lead into the woods. They were not taking the Magnet Train with the rest? He ran after them, taking hold of the top of the fence as he vaulted over it and continued the chase. As he ran, he released his Umbreon alongside him, who kept pace. The two weaved their way between the trees, laser focused on the group ahead of them as the slowly caught up. The moment they reached a small clearing, Sierra spun around, grimacing as the other grunts continued onward. Clive instantly understood something was not right with the picture, and the moment he saw Sierra's lips move to give a command he spun himself away, pressing firmly into his ankle.

"I'm a bit smarter than that," he said, scowling as Excadrill erupted from the ground where he was just standing. "Keep him preoccupied, Umbreon," he commanded, and in an instant, the Umbreon charged into the Excadrill with a Take Down before Taunting it. Despite the visible pain and frustration the Excadrill endured, it turned its trembling body towards Umbreon, falling for the taunt.

"What?" Sierra, gasped, exasperated by the failure. "Excadrill, what are you doing! Get him!" She began to shriek at the Pokemon as she gave her commands, her eyes widening as Excadrill ignored her and continued to swipe at Umbreon. The detective was approaching her quickly, his dark eyes furrowed in a furious scowl as marched through the grass. Panic began to take over as the girl scrambled backwards. "Stay back! Don't get closer! I know all of your tricks, Clive Oiler! No illusion will fool me, and you can't beat me in a battle. Just let me go o-or else it'll kill your Umbreon!"

"Get on the ground," Clive commanded, ignoring Sierra's threats. "Hands where I can see them. I said get on the ground, now!"

Sierra's teeth clenched, trembling as her eyes grew even wider. Something stopped her from fleeing and pressing onward. Something she was not supposed to bring attention to, something that scared her more than being captured. She spun to dart away, in a different direction than before, but Clive was already too close. He jumped forward, and was quickly able to get a hold of her arm. Expertly, he managed to twist the girls wrist tuck her arm beneath his own, and she let out a loud yelp. Clive quickly knelt on one knee, avoiding a swing of the girls free arm, and forcing her to drop to the ground next to him. He kept firm contact with her arm as he brought it behind her, and made the arrest.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light behind them, where Umbreon and Excadrill had been battling. A hooded figure stood behind them. Clive thought it may have been the same "artist" that they saw in Saffron, but he could not tell for certain. The figure stood silently for a few seconds, before a girlish laugh came from beneath the hood.

"Get me out of here!" Sierra called back towards the hooded girl. A gasp escaped her lips when the hooded figure's laughter grew louder.

"Oh, Sierra. I'm not here for you. I'm just gathering what you borrowed from Phoenix." Slender, pale fingers reached out from underneath the cloak, and within them was a Pokeball. The figure recalled the Excadrill into the Pokeball before stowing the cloak away. "I can't help you, it seems. Your capture is all a part of my master's plan." They turned back and forth to survey the area, before glancing back towards Clive. "You know of the stories of the Duo Towers? How the one in the West burned while the other stood the day that Ho-oh fled? Phoenix likes that story, of course. This operation was not much different, right? Saffron stays largely intact, while havoc rained in Goldenrod."

The figure remained silent, and suddenly disappeared, teleporting away as they had done before.

[Ashen]

The whole world was moving in a frenzied blur. Yulia was only vaguely aware of the people swarming into the gym amid the smoke, officers coming to help with what they could and EMTs coming to treat the casualties. One walked by her to get to Whitney and her girls, and another walked right up to her and Jean. Yulia answered the questions they had, but as soon as the conversation was over, she couldn’t recall anything that had been said. Her mind was too busy whirling, thinking of all the ways this was her fault. If only she’d gotten here sooner. If only she’d handled Sierra when she’d had the chance. If only she hadn’t listened to her informant about Saffron to begin with. Sierra and her grunts were gone now, and Yulia could only hope Clive had been able to catch up to them. For now, she stayed with Jean, even as he lost consciousness, as the EMTs loaded him onto a stretcher, as they lifted him into an ambulance. Being here was the least she could do.

Her head was pounding. She wanted to catch up with Clive, protect him in the event that something happened to him, too. She was only getting in the EMTs way, anyway, so once she was sure Jean was in good hands and there was nothing more she could do, she started after her partner. By the time she caught up with him, Clive was already handing Sierra over to the authorities. Again made useless, Yulia tried to swallow the helplessness welling up in her throat. They had done what they came here to do, and with the criminals apprehended, things could return to normal soon. She tried to remind herself of that, but she had little success.

She needed to make herself useful. In the next moment, Yulia was on her phone, ready to check in with the other locations under attack and see what she could do to help. The Department Store had been taken care of, though not without casualties, and things were clearing out already there. The Magnet Trains were still being held up, but the grunts had started dispersing. Avarice’s mission was over, and Yulia dreaded finding out what they’d made off with this time. For the most part, however, things were taken care of, and there was little she or Clive could do now without getting in the way.

Her phone call concluded, Yulia caught up with Clive. His Umbreon beside him showed signs of a battle, and Clive looked… off. Yulia cocked her head. “What’s going on?” she demanded. Her tone was too commanding, and she scolded herself for it. She wasn’t usually this high-strung, but the stress was clearly showing. She cleared her throat and started again. “Jean is en route to the hospital, along with Whitney and her trainers. Things are clearing up at the other locations and should be returning to normal soon.” Though her voice was level, the woman was clearly freaking out. She tried to take a breath and asked again about Sierra. “Did everything go okay on your end? Are you alright?”

[Headwrapper]

The trip back felt long, grueling, as Clive dragged Sierra along. The arrested criminal had finally reserved herself to defeat, and trudged along slowly, pitifully, with her arms cuffed behind her back. Sleek, black hair sheltered the sides of her face as she stared downward, watching nothing more but the ground beneath her as it passed underneath her feet. She only uttered one word, each time Clive directed a question towards her. "Lawyer. Lawyer."

Deciding that there was little sense in questioning the suspect before booking, Clive eventually grew silent and thought back to the events that transpired. Most puzzling of all was the sudden appearance of the teleporting psychic who had come to reclaim the tortured Excadrill. At first glance, it seemed that she knew a lot more about Avarice than what the grunts did. Enough so, that she was able to reveal that one of their leaders relished in the idea of sending the lead detectives hunting them down over to a different region before executing what was probably one of the largest heists in the history of Johto. Phoenix made a spectacle of them, even likening the entire scenario to one of the legends regarding the Pokemon he named himself after.

Was that what the feather was meant to convey? Clive wondered. That they were in the eastern tower, which stood safe, while the west burned down?

The sun's rays began to beat down harder once they exited the forest, trading in the shelter of trees and the carpet of grass for the tall walls and golden bricks of the city. Once he returned to the outside of the Goldenrod Gym, Clive guided Sierra into the back of a police car, and closed the door. He remained rather stoic, quiet, even when addressed by the officers around him. It was not long before Yulia joined him, briefly described the status at the various points of interest across Goldenrod City. Clive hardly glanced at her as she spoke, even though all of the words stayed imprinted in his brain for safekeeping. After his partner was done speaking, and even seemed to pause to wait for his answer regarding what happened, he finally glanced her way.

"I uh, apprehended one of them. Sierra," he said. His voice was faint and gruff, rising out of his throat as if it was buried in gravel. His eyes lowered and followed Umbreon, who was slowly pacing at his feet. He knelt down to give the Pokemon a few pats with his gloved hand, before returning it to its Pokeball. As he rose back up, he suddenly hissed and let out an annoyed grunt. A sharp pain exploded in his right ankle, unexpectedly causing him to teeter slightly. In that moment, Rotom released itself from Clive's pocket, hovering near his foot for a moment before rising up to eye level. "Looks you like sprained your ankle! That usually happens when you twist your foot in an awkward direction, and tear the ligaments around your ankle bones. Must have happened riiiiight..." Rotom's face suddenly vanished from the screen, replaced with a video. It was a green clearing, surround by trees, the same one where Clive had faced off with Sierra. "Here!"

When the video slowed and began to play frame-by-frame, Clive could clearly see when he put all of his weight on his foot and spun, narrowly avoiding the same trick that had taken down Jean. Clive felt his gut wrench as he watched how close he was to getting himself sliced open- was it really that close?

"The best treatment is self-care. Don't forget the RICE method! That's rest, ice, compression, and- woah!" Rotom was quickly silenced when Clive snatched the phone out of the air, and tucked him back into his coat pocket. The man's face was twisted into an aggravated scowl. Jean was carved up in a hospital somewhere, who cares about a twisted ankle?

"We're going to be needed soon," he said to Yulia, dismissing any more discussion. "With an attack like this, the Chief will surely have to make a statement to the city. He's going to need as much information as possible." His mental cage rattled, shaking inside his head harder than it had all day. Keep it together for a bit longer, he urged himself, even though he wanted nothing more than to burst, scream, and break something.

[Ashen]

Yulia blamed herself for Clive’s unsettling tone. She had been the one to lead him astray, after all, the one to get in the way of their work and delay their progress. She was always so damn hasty; hadn’t she learned anything from then? And now, as the city burned around them, as ambulances blared through the air, as alarms sang of the damages dealt, as their mission shattered at their feet, she was left with only guilt. The people of Goldenrod and of Saffron were terrified, confused, and Team Avarice had gotten away with far too much today. Yulia’s hands balled at her sides, and though she tried to keep calm, at least outwardly, she felt that at any moment she was going to burst.

Her attention was pulled by her partner’s cry. He had tried to pet his Pokemon, but getting up sent a cringe through his features that suggested another casualty. Immediately, Yulia reached to grab for him, to steady him, but she decided against it when she saw him standing on his own. He was in pain, and she longed to help, but she didn’t want to again get in the way, to frustrate him even more. Rotom chimed in with an explanation before she could ask, and even if a twisted ankle wasn’t the severe injury she had feared, she knew Clive would likely make it worse if he didn’t get a chance to rest soon. “Clive,” she said gently, and she hated how weak her voice sounded. But his reminder of their duties silenced her, and she nodded her agreement.

She wasn’t going to let him walk back to the police department like that, though. “Would you…?” Yulia didn’t know how to ask her question, didn’t know if he would even want her help. She hesitated before taking a Poke Ball from her purse and throwing it into the air. Out came her Beartic, who roared when her feet reached the ground. “Lean on Zita,” Yulia told Clive, motioning towards the bear Pokemon. “She’s as sturdy as they come, and she’s not going to let you fall.” She paused, waiting to see if Clive would take the offered help, before shifting awkwardly. “We should get back to the station,” she mumbled.

On the way, Yulia struggled to keep herself together. Her hands trembled, her skull drummed, and she could hear the distant whisps of a hallucination threatening to control her. She needed her medication, or a cigarette, or something, but there was no time for that. She had to think through what had happened, to report to her superiors, and to strategize new ways to go about catching Avarice. Her source, the one who had led her to Saffron in the first place, had he mislead her? No, Yulia thought, he had been misled. There had been no lie in his eyes when he’d spoken to her. That meant the higher ups of Avarice had compromised him to ensure he would tell Yulia exactly what they wanted her to believe. Who had orchestrated that? Phoenix came to mind, but Yulia wondered why he’d wanted her and Clive to be absent. Was it possible he was already suspecting—No, Yulia hurriedly dismissed the thought. Phoenix led them away so that the focus was elsewhere, so that no one would suspect this, so that they could get away with more goods, more Pokemon, and more casualties. That was all.

So busy mentally working through her theories, Yulia didn’t realize them reach the police department. She looked over at Clive to check how he was doing after the short walk. He would be able to sit soon, at least, and Yulia made a note to fetch him some ice for his ankle. She glanced at her phone, eyeing the many notifications in search of any updates on Jean, even if it was too early to expect those. She shoved her phone back in her purse and, swallowing her guilt, she entered the building with her partner.

Once Clive was in a chair with ice in a zipped plastic bag, Yulia was taken in for her account of what had transpired. She told her superiors everything she knew about the situation, starting from the source who had told her about Saffron. She couldn’t give his real identity as part of their agreement, but she had already assured them he was trustworthy before this, and so she did not waste time reestablishing that. She talked about the festival, the grunts there, the Magnet Train stations, getting back home, and the gym, giving enough detail for a length report that she would write later. When she talked about Sierra, Whitney, and Jean, she could tell from the faces of those around her that there was still no news about them. She bit her lip, trying to not let her worry cloud her judgment. Jean would be okay; he had to be.

When she was finished with her questions, she made her way outside and lit two cigarettes between her fingers. They did little to calm her, but they would have to do for now. While she waited for Clive, Yulia swiped through various tabs on her phone, sent numerous emails, and made several phone calls, trying to get updates on the places and people she was too late to save. Even if she could do nothing for them now, she needed to know the damage she had caused. Once she’d gotten all the information she could, she went back inside. Later, she would be found at her desk, typing away at her computer, restlessly documenting everything she knew, everything she suspected. Her head howled, and she had to keep stopping from the pain, but she pressed on, eager to complete her penance.

[Headwrapper]

"I'll be fine," Clive protested as Yulia's Beartic approached him. "It won't be too far." Still, despite Clive's protesting, Zita remained close by. Clive trudged along slowly as they made their way back to the station, his mind sorting through the details of everything that had transpired. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions, but there was something ominous about his interaction with Sierra. Even before the mysterious Psychic had appeared, Sierra's attempts to flee suggested a motive beyond her need to escape. Was she leading him away from something?

While trying to focus on the experience, Clive could feel his blood pressure rise in frustration. For hours, he had been pushing aside the anger he felt towards... everything,, but now this damn sprained ankle was going to bring the worst out of him. Each step he took was too short, was not in tempo and hurt, and he could feel his foot swell more and more in his shoe. He filled his lungs to capacity before letting out a loud sigh, and made a motion at Zita, finally giving in and accepting the help that was offered. Beartic were typically a bit taller than an average person, so Clive had to reach upward to place his hand on the Pokemon's shoulder to pull the weight away from his ankle. As awkward as it was at first, he quickly decided that the relief from the pain made it worth it.

Finally, they reached the police department. It felt like it had been so long since Clive had seen the broad, dark doors that lead into the front. Upon entering, the place looked strangely empty, despite being busy. Every single body was constantly in motion. Not one single person was sitting at their desk, and those who were present were rushing to get to wherever they were going. It was going to be a stressful few days, nights... weeks, Clive knew.

When he was finally given the opportunity, Clive gently lowered himself onto a chair. He panted silently as he worked to loosen his shoelaces, and slowly, very slowly, peel his shoe off of his foot. "I wish I wore my boots," he thought out loud, thinking that the added support may have prevent the injury. After the sharp pain from removing his shoe, there was a bit of relief as his ankle was given the chance to breath. Yulia rushed over to hand him a small bag full of ice, and Clive studied his partner's face as he took the bag the from her. Part of him wanted to tell her to stop looking so damn guilty like everything revolved around her, but that was a dangerous, slippery slope he did not want to go down just yet. Any chink in the armor, and bend in the bars of his cage, and he would let too much of his emotions go at once. He continued to assure himself that there would be a time, and a place.

Clive watched Yulia leave for her debriefing. When she was out of sight, he glanced down at his swollen ankle, gently icing it. Knowing that all there was to do was to debrief and plan next steps, the intensity, panic, and adrenaline were all starting to ebb away. With Clive's frustrations locked away, all that remained was exhaustion. Exhaustion, and the notion that despite everything Avarice had done, there would be a tomorrow, an opportunity to bring justice and remove the threat that Avarice has become.

A burst of green flashed in Clive's peripheral vision, and he glanced up quickly to see Natasha march down the hallway. "Nat? You're here?"

The woman lowered herself down onto a chair next to Clive, sitting in it sideways. "We got things under control at the department store, mostly. We are working with the management there to finalize the numbers for all of the stolen goods. I needed to come back for a debriefing before the chief goes in front of the press. You know how it is. The longer it takes for his message to go out, the more panicked and upset people will be. An incomplete message is better than a late one." She glanced down at Clive's foot, before glancing around the hallway. "Where's your partner? Where's Jean? What happened at the Gym?"

The zipped bag of ice nearly burst when Clive clenched it tightly. "No one...?" He paused, his eyes still as they stared straight back in Natasha's. His question morphed into a plain statement. "No one told you."

Natasha's head tilted suddenly. "Told me what?" she snapped. "What happened?"

Not a single muscle moved on Clive's face, until he broke himself away from his colleague's gaze and turned away. "Nat... Avarice had a trap set up at the gym. A contingency plan if things didn't go there way. Jean got hurt. Really bad. He's in the hospital right now. He had lost a lot of blood." Finally having blurted it all out, Clive, turned his head to look at Natasha again, and he almost grimaced, feeling his heart sink into his stomach. Natasha's lips had turned white and dry, and her eyes were widened, frozen in shock. Worry painted her face with wrinkles, rippling across her forehead and branching away from her lips.

"You saw it happen," she asked, weakly.

"Yeah, we got there right before it happened," Clive replied.

"He shouldn't have even been there."

"Nat, you couldn't have kn-"

"Well, you should have!" Natasha snapped. "This was your case! You've been on Avarice for months, and yet you did not realize how big of a threat they would become. No, somehow you ended up on the other side of the continent while they planned to tear the roof off of our city." She stood, concluding the discussion before Clive had a chance to speak. "I need to go." With that, she hurried off. Clive sat in silence until it was time for his debriefing.

The conversation with Natasha, the showdown with Sierra, and events at Saffron all swirled around in Clive's head while he gave his debriefing. After eventually offering up everything he could offer, he stood up, assuming he would be dismissed.

"And where do you think you're hobbling off to?" the Chief asked. "No, no. You're coming to help me prepare for this press conference. This was your hot case, and now it's on fucking fire. And you're gonna have to say a few words too."

Before Clive could interject, another man spoke up. It was the mayor of Goldenrod. "Detective, what he means to say is, you and your partner have the most awareness of the Team Avarice case. In addition to the clarity your experience can provide, the people of Goldenrod need to know that the case is being worked by people they can trust. You helped resolve a city-wide crisis early in your career, before I was even mayor. The chief just needs you to help ensure his statement is accurate, and you just need to read a short script afterwards. Show the people that someone who has helped protect them before is part of the team working to protect them again now. No need to answer questions or any of that. What do you say?"

"I'm sorry, but shouldn't I be working the case right now? I have a suspect in booking right now, and-"

The Chief cut him off. "Yulia can work the suspect. Tell her, then come to my office. Those are orders and that's that." He slammed his notebook shut, and hurried off. The mayor politely nodded towards Clive and stood to gather his things.

Clive made his way outside to where Yulia was, and leaned himself against the wall of the GRPD. "Hey. I need you to work Sierra for me. I'm going to be busy. The Chief wants me to help him put his statement together."

[Ashen]

As Yulia’s attention flittered between the six separate documents she had started drafting, she kept one eye on her phone, jumping every time its screen lit up. Every notification was for some spam email, some unimportant news; she had not yet received word on any of the things she was waiting on. The notifications were a constant distraction, even to the woman who had been a pro at shutting out such things before. The drumming in her head wasn’t lighting up, and she was working too slowly and too distractedly to be productive. Frustrated, she kicked away from her desk and started back towards the lobby, reaching into her purse for her box of cigarettes.

On the way, she nearly ran into Natasha, who was storming away with an intense anger in her gaze. “Na—” Yulia started, but the other woman was too busy to even notice her, and from the looks of things, there were important things to do. Yulia debated going after her, but she couldn’t face her, not while her partner was in the hospital, not while she still believed it her fault.

Outside, she balanced the unlit stick between her lips. Her ex had often scolded her about her habit, about her lack of moderation, and she was better than she was, but this was an exception, and she needed some kind of relief from the pain in her head. Before she could light her smoke, however, she noticed Clive through the window of the doors. He was finished with his debriefing, then, so Yulia tucked her cigarette back into its box and headed inside.

He was angry. Clive had kept his cool through all the turmoil of the day, and once this was all over, he would need a break. They both would. Yulia greeted him with a nod and prepared to ask how he was doing, how his ankle was, but her questions got lost somewhere in her throat when he spoke instead. She arched a brow, confusion spilling over her features. Clive was going to make a statement? To the public? That didn’t sound like him at all. “No, that’s alright,” she insisted, “I can help the chief with that.” But judging from his reaction, she realized it wasn’t a choice either of them could make. She nodded solemnly, only able to offer a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry about Sierra," she said instead. “You’ll be great out there. The people trust you.” And right now, they would need that more than they’d ever need a panicked Yulia. She bowed her goodbye and started towards the holding cell, all the while wishing she had lit that last cigarette.

Yulia watched the woman from the other side of the two-way mirror. She absently tapped at the notebook in her hands, rehearsing the things she wanted to say. Key words and phrases were written across the page, in a different language so no one would be able to read. She had done countless interrogation practices during her time at the Academy; this certainly wasn’t her first time here, so why did she have such a bad feeling in her throat? Sierra was dangerous, she knew, but not only for the reasons the rest of her team knew. She soothed the edge of her skirt, dusted her blouse, then went into the room, walking with all the confidence she could fake.

She took a seat across from the criminal. Sierra looked small, afraid, her eyes wide as she watched Yulia. The detective tried to ignore it and cleared her throat. “Sierra,” she acknowledged. “You have the right—”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Sierra cut in, indignant despite the way her voice quaked.

Yulia nodded. This was not going to be easy, but she hadn’t expected it to be. “I was hoping you and I could talk a little bit. You can help—”

“What are you trying to pull?” Sierra stood up, but she reconsidered what she had been about to do, and she sat back down. “You dress in a cop’s uniform and suddenly you think you’re not guilty?”

Yulia hesitated. The room was being watched, of course, and this interaction was being recorded. Anyone watching would have found Sierra’s words nonsensical, or perhaps irrelevant. If Yulia addressed them, would that make her guilty, like Sierra was suggesting? If she ignored them, would anyone watching assume Sierra was losing it? The silence stretched between them, and Yulia quickly continued before it became suspicious. “If you can help us catch the rest of Team Avarice, we can lessen your sentence. This can be mutually beneficial, but I need your cooperation. Why don’t you tell me what happened today?”

Tears welled at the corners of Sierra’s eyes. Her hands clenched, and she gritted her teeth, as if she was fighting to say something. “I’m not crazy,” she said, a plea. “I don’t belong in here. None of this were my fault. If not for Phoenix, and that damn… that woman.” She turned away to hide the stray tear rolling down her cheek.

Yulia made a note in her book. “What woman?”

Sierra turned back to her, glaring. “You know this,” she cried. “Why are you asking me what you already know? I can’t… I don’t… I’m not talking to you.” She turned her whole body away this time. “I demand a lawyer. Or are they one of yours, too?”

Yulia had to keep herself from flinching. This woman was going to put her in danger. “A lawyer will be assigned to you,” Yulia replied, even and rehearsed, dodging the comment that followed her out of the room. She had faith Sierra would ultimately bite her tongue, but the snarky comments she was making only served to put Yulia on edge. She glanced down at her notebook. Phoenix and… that woman. At least they had something of a lead. She would pick this up once Sierra had a lawyer. Yulia hoped Clive was having a better time with his duty.

[Headwrapper]

"Well, that's about as ready as we'll get," the chief announced, slowly guiding his mouse over to print the document that he, Clive, and the mayor had finished writing.

The mayor sighed in his seat, standing up carefully on tired legs. "Yes, let's go then." On either side of the door behind him stood a pair of armed officers, watching silently. Clive watched them intently as they opened the door and followed closely behind the mayor while he made his way out and down the hallway.

Clive sighed loudly, before stepping to follow. He felt the chief shoot him a glance, but he ignored it. The sooner they got this over with, the better.

The press conference was held outside of the Town Hall. Clive was surprised to see the turnout. The crowd overflowed out of the barriers that were set up, watching the podium with eager intent. The detective grimaced at the sight of cameras and microphones in the front few rows. Reporters crowded the those rows, disgustingly eager as they browsed through their little notebooks. As he and the chief made their way around the crowd to the front, shielded by a small wall of officers, Clive found himself searching for Yulia somewhere. Maybe in the crowd, or lurking behind the backdrop that stood behind the podium. Whether she was around or not, he was not able to locate her before taking his seat on one of the chairs that lined the elevated tribune that he shared with the chief, the mayor, and others he did not recognize.

The mayor spoke first, offering his condolences to those who suffered due to the actions of Team Avarice. He thanked the GRPD for their quick action and highlighted their success in mitigating the overall damage. He urged the citizens to stay strong in these difficult times, and report any suspicious activity in the future. He then handed off the podium to the Chief of the Goldenrod Police Department, to let him explain what transpired and to describe what measures were going to be taken moving forward.

Clive shuffled in his seat nervously as he watched the chief approach the podium. Even while the chief was addressing the crowd, Clive continuously folded and unfolded his printed out page in his hands. All he was expected to do was read his part, maybe answer a question or two, and then dismiss himself from the podium. He listened silently as the Chief described the circumstances of the attack, meticulously describing the exact times that the attacks started, where they took place, and how they were executed. It was strange to hear the chief talk for so long without cursing up a storm, but it was a solemn affair after all. Soon, Clive heard his name.

"I will turn it over to our lead detective on this case, Mr. Clive Oiler. Clive?"

As the chief stepped away from the podium, Clive slowly marched forward. He moved slowly, but dutifully fulfilled what was expected and stepped to the podium, taking the chief's place. With maybe too much care, he gently placed his folded up page onto the podium, and took a moment to consider the large number of microphones in front of him, which greedily stared straight back. He swallowed, hard, before drawing a breath and starting to speak.

"Good afternoon everyone, I'm Detective Clive Oiler. I have been leading the open case on Team Avarice for the last six months, and I would like to take a moment to describe what we presently know about this criminal organization, as well as answer any additional questions. Team Avarice is a criminal group that is actively using abused Pokemon in order to strengthen their group. Their precise objectives are not known, but it is clear by their actions that they seek to obtain power and influence at the expense of the livelihoods of people and Pokemon alike. As the Chief has described, the shameful events that have taken place today have proven just how dangerous this criminal group has become. To that end, my partner and I, backed by the GRPD, are working diligently to expose these criminals in hopes of dissolving the group, permanently."

The detective paused, glancing around at the solemn, pleading faces down below. He cleared his throat. "I will be taking a few questions at this time." Almost immediately, the reporters stood up, leaning forward to call out their questions, ignoring the line they had formed. Clive tensed, freezing in his tracks as the sudden surge of stimulus reached him. Some woman, dressed in a blue suit jacket and a matching pencil skirt, stood next to the podium and quelled the reporters with her arms spread in front of her. Eventually she got them seated again, and would direct the order in which their questions were presented.

"Hello, Rachel Degine of Olivine News. Detective, how many Team Avarice members are in custody?"

"Their are currently four suspects that have been taken in for interviews after today's attacks before we press any charges. We will issue a full report once the interviews have been completed."

"Doug Bine, Goldrenrod Channel 7. Detective, can you speak more about your colleague that was injured in the battle against Team Avarice."

"He is currently under the care of Goldrenrod Medical for serious injuries. I have been advised not to disclose more at this time."

Several more questions passed, while Clive carefully worded his answers. He was told not to over discuss, which was not a problem for him anyway, and to share details honestly, but only the ones that were asked for. As the queue of reporters began to draw to a close, a smug looking reporter, dressed in a tan trench coat and brown pants, addressed him. The man's green eyes peered through slightly squinted eyelids, and his light brown hair rested atop of his head like a Slakoth on a tree branch.

"Detective, Oliver Burnstine, Channel 9 News. Is the GRPD really able to prevent another attack like this from happening again?"

Clive licked his drying lips, before answering hoarsely. "We are committing every resource we can to surveillance of this case. The protection of the citizens and Pokemon is our top priority- to that end, we have enlisted the support of other police departments in relevant cities to identify and shutdown any Avarice operation that is discovered."

"Like Saffron City? There are several reports on social media and other news outlets that a similar attack, albeit smaller in scale, took place in Saffron also."

"Yes we have counterparts in Saffron assisting with the case."

"Last question from me, should the social media statements that Phoenix was behind these attacks be believed?"

"We have not drawn conclusive evidence on that yet. Thanks."

Just when he thought he had finally dismissed this reporter, Oliver, Clive was irked to hear another question come from his mouth. "Detective, after so many months on this case, do you really think it's likely that you and your partner, new to the force, will be able to pin down Team Avarice? They seem more organized than group of wild Drowzee."

Clives hands slammed against the side of the podium, ringing through the microphones in front of him. He leaned forward, his tight jaw and the lines around the sides of his nose revealing his irritation. "Before I leave this podium, there is one thing I want to make sure everyone, everyone, understands," he announced, a defiant timbre echoing in his voice.




Natasha stood up, despite the people surrounding her in the waiting area of the hospital. With Jean in the middle of surgery, she was forced to be subjected to the only thing the place seemed to want to air on the televisions: the press conference. Undoubtedly, she was surprised to see Clive even glance at the podium, yet alone answer so many questions behind it. But now... this. "Stop, you idiot," she sighed. She felt even herself grow silent when Clive seemed to stare straight at the camera. His voice, accompanied with a slight buzzing from the old television's speaker, ran out.

"Team Avarice is nothing but a lot of cowards, organized only out of their desperation to keep their pitiful existence as a group afloat. Like every challenge this world has ever faced, they too will come and go, and fade away to nothing but a bad memory. Every possible, legal, measure will be taken to dismantle their facilities, expose every single coward in their group, including their leaders. That goes doubly for Phoenix. After all of his showboating at the expense of good people and Pokemon, I will be proud to put him in cuffs myself."




Clive was stiff armed away from the podium by the chief, who offered to answer a few more questions before concluding for the day. At first, it Clive frowned defiantly, but knowing he had made a mistake, he followed marched off of the stage, lead by a few security officers. He could hear the reporters behind him shouting, hoping for him to elaborate further, to soak up more of his dramatic outburst. It was fine, the chief and the mayor would spin it as some crap about how passionate the GRPD was to tackle this case at full force. Best case, he would get an earful later. Worst case, well, who knows?

[Ashen]

Yulia learned fairly quickly that she wasn’t going to get any more information out of Sierra. She instead turned her focus to the vague hints she’d already gotten, about Phoenix and some woman. All the leads she found about the high-ranking Avarice member online were from gossip blogs and even some conspiracy articles, and it was even harder to find dirt on the woman he might have been working with. Yulia took notes on what little she could and wrapped up her investigation for the day.

When her work was finished—for now, as her mind was too scattered to be useful anymore, even if her job was never really done—Yulia made her way to the police station lobby and turned to the TV hanging in the corner of the room. It was always set to some news channel, and she figured every one would be tuned to the conference being given in front of Town Hall. Instead of Clive, she saw the mayor instead, addressing the people and summarizing the results of the attacks. Clive was seated behind him, tiny on the screen, waiting his dreaded turn. If she got there quickly enough, she would be able to support Clive from the crowd and comfort him if anything went wrong. Maybe it was the paranoia, or her nerves from the day’s events, but she had a feeling things were going to go wrong. So she set up a radio on her phone to follow the news, and she started for Town Hall to see the conference unfold in person.

By the time she arrived, Clive was already at the podium answering the crowd’s pointless questions and looking all too uncomfortable about it. Yulia wanted to be up there with him, answering the questions herself and assuring the crowd the authorities now had things under control, but she remained still. Her presence up there would likely just make things worse for everyone. Besides, she was shaking, and though she refused to acknowledge them, several people around her were casting her wary looks. She would have confidence in her partner, despite his exhaustion, despite his pain, despite his reservations about talking to other human beings. Clive had been working these sorts of things far longer than she had. He would handle himself just fine.

As the conference continued, Yulia turned her attention to her phone while still keeping an ear open for Clive and the reporters he was answering to. She tried again, fruitlessly, to check on Jean, on the other casualties from the attacks, on the damages that were still being uncovered, but she looked up when a reporter from the crowd caught her attention. He was asking far too many questions, once that had been answered before. Why was no one turning him away? And then his final question landed, settled in the air, an insult disguised as innocent curiosity. Perhaps this opinion was one shared by the public—that she and Clive weren’t fit for bringing Avarice down. That they, in her inexperience, would only allow them to make things worse. The suggestion, as irrational as it was, turned Yulia’s guilt to anger, clenched her fist at her side. She turned to Clive who had the floor, awaiting his response.

It was… less than graceful. In fact, it was downright dangerous. The crowd turned uproarious at Clive’s passionate outburst, his threat, everyone clamoring for more information from the detective who had broken his composure. Yulia struggled towards the front of the crowd, an impossible task. By the time she got there, Clive had already been whisked away, and the chief had taken his place at the podium to fix the damage he’d done. She considered asking for the mix herself, trying to explain to the public what was going on, that they would stop Avarice, and that such threats weren’t necessary, but someone in the crowd tapped her shoulder to ask if she was okay, and that was when she realized just how badly her body was trembling, her breathing ragged, her headache violently thundering. She would be useful to no one, now. She needed to go home.

On her way there, she texted Clive a wall of text to explain that she was leaving, that she would be by his side if he needed anything, that he needed to get some rest, too. She sent several other messages to several other people, pleas to keep her updated if anything changed. When she arrived at her home, her Glameow greeted her with a loud, hungry meow. Yulia rolled her eyes. “You’re so needy,” she murmured, but at least here, feeding her pet, she felt more useful than she had all day.

She couldn’t remember dozing off, but she woke up on the floor several hours later, headache persistent as ever and a cramp forming in her neck. Yulia sat up and rubbed at her eyes, trying to remember how she’d gotten here. She was home. She’d walked here after the conference, and had fed Fritz, and… then what? She made her way to her laptop to check for any updates from the attacks, from her partner, and she saw it was the middle of the night. Cursing herself for passing out, she reached for her phone to check on Clive. Was he okay? She’d told him she’d be there for them; had he needed her? She saw instead a message from Natasha. Jean… would be okay. A huge sigh of relief escaped her at the news. Natasha’s text said she’d give more details in person, so Yulia quickly replied with a thank-you and a suggestion to meet for coffee tomorrow. She only hoped the text wouldn’t wake up the poor woman.

Everything else was coming along, too. The public had been successfully pacified, though she couldn’t imagine the chief was very happy about the extra measures he’d had to take to ensure that. Plans for repairing damages were already being made. Clive had successfully put a target on his back, but with the absence of any alarming messages from him, she assumed he was safe for now.

Still exhausted, Yulia went to the bathroom to prepare for actual sleep. The woman staring back at her from the mirror had dark smears on her face, no makeup she had used. She rubbed at them, took them between her fingers and examined them carefully. Was that… charcoal? When had she…? She shook the thought, too exhausted to deal with more tonight, and stepped into the shower. In the morning, she would get in contact with Clive, with Natasha, with the chief. The worst was over. She just needed to rest.

Just as soon as she stepped out of the shower, her cell went off in the next room. She pulled a towel around herself and hurried towards it. The caller ID struggled to place the person calling her, and it flickered between different names, a weird glitch. After watching it a moment, Yulia answered with a wary, “Hello?”

She could almost hear the smirk on the other end of the line through the deep voice that answered her. “Yulia.”

She straightened, subconsciously pulling the towel tighter around her body. “Who is this?” she demanded.

There was a sigh, then, “Your partner has some gall, pulling me into the spotlight. I take the stage on my terms.”

She hesitated, then dared, “Phoenix?”

The line went dead, and she was left only with the frantic beating of her heart. Had that really been Phoenix? How had he gotten her number? What reason did he have to call now, in the middle of the night? Just to threaten Clive? No—if he’d wanted to do that, he’d have called Clive him. That had been a threat for Yulia. She swallowed, hard, and dialed her partner’s number. Even if it was late, even if he should have been asleep, Yulia needed to hear his voice, to know that he was okay, to know Avarice hadn’t gone after him already.

[Headwrapper]

It was a cool, silent night in Ecruteak City. Free from the light pollution that plagued more modern cities, only the pale light of the moon above served to illuminate the wooden boards that constructed the buildings in the city.

Clive took a sip of his tea silently, watching the kimono girls perform their dance on the stage above. From his seat on the floor, the stage elevated the dancers well above him, commanding the attention of him and the rest of the patrons of the dance theater. Each movement of their dance, every detail of the patterns on their kimonos, and the serious expressions born on the girls faces, all was laid bare for the entire audience. Clive wondered how the dancing kimono girls would fair if people were shoving microphones in their face, asking stupid questions about their craft.

He heard a small clank as the older man set down his own cup of tea. "You just can't help but turn into your old man, can you?" the old man grumbled. His white eyebrows were furrowed, although Clive was sure they were permanently set that way, and a white scruff covered his cheeks and neck. "I should have broke your legs the day you said you were going into the academy. I should have seen it all coming. Hello? Is the tea going to pour itself?"

Clive sighed softly, as he gently lifted the teapot between them and refilled the old man's cup. The urge to snap back in anger, gnash his teeth, and find somewhere private to kick something, was all gone now. The steel cage, the prison, had been torn asunder earlier that day.

The old man let out a gravelly sigh as he took the tea up to his lips, taking a sip. His tongue could hardly feel the heat of the scalding hot liquid, and after he was satisfied with his drink he wiped the excess away from his pale, cracked lips with his thumb. "If you want to disappear, you just need to ask," he then said with a hushed voice. His gray eyes watched Clive for a long, tired moment, before he shifted his gaze back towards the dancers. "So how did the Chief take it?"

"As well as you would think," Clive said. "But he didn't take me off the case." He paused, nodding casually in response to the surprised look from the old man's face. "Maybe he will, if the right person convinces him. I expect that she will try tomorrow."

"I hope she succeeds. I'm not even going to ask you what you were thinking, because I know you weren't. That's the problem with you Oilers, always thinking with the wrong head."

"You think that's what I'm doing?"

The old man shot a steely, cold, glance towards Clive, and downed the rest of his small cup of tea. "I practically raised you, and I know what parts of you I failed to fix. Don't pretend any of this was planned, like you're smart, you're just a fool." After sighing once more, he adjusted himself on the floor to look more directly towards Clive. "Look, this head-on big shot stuff, it's not you. I knew that when you were still just a little boy without parents. That's why I taught you to fight dirty, how to use the shadows to your advantage. That's why I thought maybe, just maybe, you would be more safe doing this stupid cop shit than your daddy was."

"You did make sure I'd be safe," Clive said thoughtfully. "It wasn't the targets on his back that did him in, remember? It was trusting the wrong people."

"What did I say about pretending you're smart?" the old man grunted harshly. "Anyway, the Chief didn't take you off the case. So he still thinks you need to be the one on the case. Probably because there's barely any of you left to take on the case anyway. So he gave you a slap on the wrist. Then, you had a fist fight with a few Graveler." He raised an eyebrow towards Clive's bloodied knuckles. "Then, instead of getting back to work, you came to drink tea with an old man. Shouldn't you be with that new partner of yours, how did you put it? Dismantling Avarice's facilities and exposing each and every coward? She's probably got just as much of a target on her as you do, thanks to you. At the very least you should have brought her here. I'm tired of only seeing girls in kimonos everywhere I look, such a waste of youth, and I'm getting too old to travel."

Clive rolled his eyes, choosing to be selective about which of the old man's statements he would entertain. "She... can handle herself. And I think we both need a little space until we throw ourselves back into it headfirst." The old man hummed in response, and both of them sat in silence as they watched the dancers close out the rest of their show. When the last of the night's shows ended, the pair stood outside of the theater briefly before parting ways.

"Clive... Come back soon, okay? I'm getting old. Much too old. Don't let another couple of years pass before the next time."

Clive looked down, bashfully. "Yeah. Of course." The older man declined Clive's offer to walk him home, insisting that the young detective needed to be hurrying home itself, and not to linger too long on the road back. They bid each other farewell, and parted ways.

It was late, very late, when Clive finally reached his apartment. Once in his bedroom, he laid out his belt along the length of his bed, and took three of the Pokeballs to release his Houndour, Umbreon, and Zorua. He would let them sleep in the apartment that night... extra sets of ears would not hurt. Without bothering to brush his teeth, he tore away at his clothes, tossing them haphazardly throughout his apartment as he double checked the locks on his windows and door. Finally, he settled down onto his bed for the first time in what felt like ages.

He laid sleeplessly for a long while. The silence was... strange. Occasionally, he would stand near the door of his bedroom, and could barely make out the sounds of his Pokemons' breathing in the living room. When he laid back in bed, he would be in a blanket of silence again. The soft breathing in another bed, the gentle rise and fall he had grown accustomed to, was not there anymore. Yet, he still felt watched. Like a thousand pairs of eyes were watching him from the darkness. Just when he decided to sit up, he heard something stir in his coat on the floor. Rotom emerged from the breast pocket, and floated into Clive's view. It was a call from Yulia. He cleared his throat before commanding Rotom to accept the call. "Hello? No, I wasn't sleeping. Can't, actually. Are you at home?"

They talked for a while, awkwardly at first, but eventually they grew more comfortable as they broached the numerous difficult topics they needed to speak about. They talked about Jean's condition improving, and how Clive suspected Natasha was going to try to boot him from the case and try to take it over herself. Clive apologized for his outburst at the press conference, but ultimately standing firm that he did not regret what he said and was determined to see things through. Clive chose not to bring up the events in Saffron, but if Yulia brought them up he would remain mostly silent. He did not fully blame her for being at the wrong place during Avarice's right time, and he preferred to keep it that way. After a while, he asked a rather curious question. "Hey, your commute to Goldenrod is kind of far right? I was just curious, that's all."

[Ashen]

The phone didn’t ring long, but the wait to hear her partner’s voice stretched on for eons, and Yulia could have sworn she was losing her mind. When she finally did hear Clive, content and confused and not at all like she’d woken him up, she let out a sigh of relief. It hadn’t occurred to her to ask why he had been awake until several minutes later. Even if it was late, and she was exhausted and ready to collapse, she took comfort in the sound of his voice, in not being alone tonight, and she didn’t want to hang up.

So she didn’t, and she was surprised when Clive didn’t either. Yulia sat on her bed and absently curled her hair around her finger as she listened to Clive. They had much to discuss, and none of it could wait until they reconvened for work the next day. Yulia tried to assure him; even if he had made a dumb and dangerous move on live television, she knew how dedicated he was to his work, what this meant to him, and she had confidence Natasha would see that, too, some way or another. Natasha was just stressed about her partner’s condition, Yulia assumed, and now that Jean was on his way to recovery, things would slowly start going back to normal. They would catch Avarice, deliver them to justice, and move onto the next case. Or that was what Yulia wanted to believe. It’s what she had to believe. And she hoped Clive could believe it, too.

When the conversation lulled, Yulia hesitated before bringing up Saffron. She had apologized already, but she didn’t feel it was enough, so she told Clive again how sorry she was that she had misled him, that she had allowed herself to be misled. He didn’t respond much; maybe he was tired of hearing her already, or maybe he just wanted to let her talk. Either way, when she had said what she wanted to say, the line went quiet, and she shifted awkwardly.

His question broke the silence and caught her off guard. “It’s about a forty-five-minute drive,” she answered. Immediately she was up and moving towards her laptop, looking through her email and news alerts for anything that might be going on at the police department. This late at night, she could probably make the trip in just over half an hour if she really needed to. But no one had tried to notify her of another attack, and without realizing it, she let out a sigh of relief. Clive mentioned something about curiosity, but the tone of his voice made her question that. Was Clive Oiler… afraid? Her thoughts drifted back to the call from Phoenix, and she wondered if they would be safer together. Because she knew he wouldn’t ask, Yulia told Clive, “I’ll be right over.” Then, she hung up the phone and started packing a bag.

She dressed quickly and shoved her pajamas into a duffel bag. It would be a long trip, but she would better be able to protect Clive from right beside him, and after everything that had happened that day, a bit of precaution couldn’t hurt. Though he hadn’t exactly invited her to his place. Was she jumping to conclusions? Yulia tried to convince herself of what she knew: that his voice had asked her more than his words, and that this was safer for both of them. Swallowing her paranoia, she finished her packing.

His address was saved onto her phone… somewhere. Yulia spent a few moments looking for it as her coffee brewed. When she found it, she plugged it into a map online and mentally tried to picture the area. When her cup was done, she was about to exit her apartment when her Glameow meowed at her. “You should be asleep,” she told the poor Pokemon. But Fritz huffed at her, and he pawed at the leg of her pants. “I’m going out tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow, just in time for supper, okay?” Fritz was indignant, and he shook his head, meowing more loudly. He wove himself between her legs, making exiting the apartment impossible.

That was how she found herself driving through the dark with the bratty cat Pokemon in the passenger seat, licking his paws and glancing at her with a look of pride. “I hope Clive isn’t allergic to you,” she sighed, but the Glameow did not acknowledge her. He stretched out on the seat with a yawn and closed his eyes. Yulia sighed. She turned her thoughts elsewhere, to Clive, to the call with Phoenix, to the dangers they might face throughout the night. Would Avarice do anything so soon? And if Phoenix himself did come to his apartment, what would he do when he saw her there? A bad feeling rumbled deep in Yulia’s chest, and though she tried to force it away, it only worsened. She stopped the car in the middle of the road, clutching at this new pressure. “We’re going to be fine,” she said confidently. “Nothing will happen to him, Freya.”

A honk from behind her startled her back into motion. The only other person on the road this late, and they were going the same way she was. Of course. Yulia muttered an apology the other driver could not hear and continued on her way.

When she pulled up to his apartment building, Yulia sent Clive a text to tell her she had arrived. She balanced her duffle bag across her back, her laptop bag over one shoulder, and her cranky Glameow in her arms, then locked her car and started for his apartment. When he greeted her, she offered a small smile. “Meet Fritz,” she said, motioning her head to the kitty in her arms. Fritz meowed warily at the stranger. “He doesn’t do Poke Balls,” she explained, “and he didn’t want to be alone tonight, either.” Once the door was closed, she set the cat down, and Fritz immediately went exploring. Though he hissed at Shadow, he eventually settled down by Clive’s bed and went back to sleep. Yulia took a look around, too, and she set her bags by the entrance. “I’m sorry for intruding,” she started. “I just…” Her eye caught on a window, at a flashing light outside, and when she saw it had captured Clive’s attention too, she realized just how on edge they both were.

Yulia turned back to Clive, and she shifted awkwardly. She hadn’t visited anyone’s place since… her ex, she suddenly realized, and she didn’t know how to act in her partner’s apartment at four in the morning. It would be laughable later, maybe, but now, she was all too aware of how out of place she was in a man’s apartment. She looked to the couch in his living room and decided that was where she’d be sleeping, so she moved her bags there and unpacked a blanket she’d stuffed into her bag. “I don’t know about you,” she said, “but my brain is fried. You must be exhausted too. Do you want to… watch a movie? Until we fall asleep?” She tried to convince herself this wasn’t awkward, but she was doing a terrible job. Tired as she was, she still wasn’t ready for sleep, not anymore. If anything happened, if someone attacked them, she wanted to be alert, ready; sleep could come later.

[Headwrapper]

The man cleared his throat as he placed his now barely warm cup of coffee into the cup holder of the police interceptor vehicle. He glanced over towards his partner. "I gotta take a piss, I'll be right back." He groaned abnoxiously as he stepped out of the car. As he briskly marched towards a nearby gas station, he adjusted his belt, flashing a few ultra balls that hung at his hip.

When he returned, his partner gave him a knowing nod. "He's still up," he said gravely, pointing towards a window, several stories up one of the nearby apartment buildings. The apartment was lit, and occasionally a figure would walk passed the window.

"Anyone enter the building?"

"Not for a few hours now."

"I guess I'd be scared shitless too if I said the things he did," the first cop grunted, leaning his seat back slightly and glancing up towards the window. "So arrogant."

"Think they'll take him off the case?"

"They better not, what are we babysitting his ass for?"

"Yeah."

The two men continued their watch, occasionally shifting at the sound of the radio or after cracking a wise joke. They passed the time easily, well accustomed to the long nights on patrol. After a while, about forty-five minutes or so, the officer in the passenger seat motioned. "Look. Isn't that..."

"Yeah, his partner. Look, she even brought her puddy tat," the officer in the driver's seat jeered. "She doesn't look like she's coming to walk him to work either, huh? Think they're uh... you know?"

"Nah. I don't think so. Wouldn't really explain why she'd only be showing up at this hour... Whatever, it's their business."


Clive stood in silence after Yulia had hung up, staring at his phone blankly. He wanted to call her back or message her, tell her not to make the journey back to Goldenrod over his silly question. Every time he started to tap at his screen to do so, he would stop and pause, erase the message, or back away from the contacts screen. After a while he realized that he had hesitated for too long, and it seemed like it was pointless to try to stop her.

After throwing some comfortable clothes back on, he dropped down onto his couch. He felt silly, childish, for letting himself sound so helpless. Like someone who needed protected, when he always saw himself as someone who protected others. Even so, he was glad that Yulia was the one who volunteered to join his side. Despite Clive's doubts, despite the mistakes they had made, there was no one else he would trust. No one.

He sighed loudly as he slid his hands down his face, and glanced over towards his Pokemon, who all sat patiently as they watched him. For a moment, he considered cracking open his laptop and working on the case during the long lull in the middle of the night. It would be a useless endeavor if he tried, he knew. The tireless thoughts, the hypersensitivity to every sound and movement, the deafening silence around him- it would be too much to handle. Quickly, he snatched up the remote and turned the television on to a random channel, letting the low volume fill the empty space.

Rotom let out a few brief buzzes, signalling Yulia's text. She had arrived. Clive's steps were completely silent as he ambled across the apartment to let his partner in. Upon opening the door, he raised his eyebrows curiously at Yulia's feline cargo, and stepped aside to let her in. Once his partner was inside the apartment, Clive peeked down the hallway outside, then retreated back into the apartment himself and closed the door.

"I should be the one to apologize," he said during their conversation. "You finally got to go home after all of this time, and now you're stuck with me again." He disappeared into his small kitchen, and came back with some cups of water for the both of them which he placed on the coffee table.

The detective stood awkwardly for a moment, scratching at the scabs on his knuckles for a few seconds. He suddenly grew abashed by them, and placed his hands on his hips as he pretended to be preoccupied with watching Shadow stalk Fritz, the intruder, from a distance. "Uh, yeah, that sounds good. The remote's by you." He gently motioned towards the couch, inviting Yulia to sit.

An awkward moment lingered as Clive stood in his apartment, devoid of seating options besides the one singular couch against the wall. He lowered himself quietly onto the opposite end of the couch, shooting his partner a momentary glance. "I uh... Thanks for coming, Yulia. I'm glad you're here."

They did watch a movie, as Yulia suggested. They eventually turned off the lights, and were mostly silent as they watched the first part of the movie they had chosen. Clive realized that he was more absorbed in his own thoughts than the movie's narrative, and that his eyes sneaked glances at his partner at every opportunity. Symbolism and fanfare were not usually things at the forefront of his mind, but he could not help but feel like there was a significance in this time they shared together. Something that solidified their partnership, something that banded them together despite any frustrations, doubts, fears, or disagreements they had.

Like their earlier conversation on the phone, they eventually learned to manage the uncomfortable stillness. Clive tossed his feet onto the coffee table, and occasionally snorted out a chuckle or two at certain punchlines in the movie. He found the most comfortable spot to nestle his head against the backrest of the couch, letting his elbow hang over the side of the armrest. The movie began to grow fuzzy, and he would blink and miss small bits and pieces of what was happening. This happened a few times, until one time he opened his eyes and the movie was completely over, and a different program had been playing on the screen. The sun was beginning to rise, its first few rays spilling into the living room through the window. With their help, Clive saw that Yulia was still awake.

His feet fell to the floor as he straightened up. "Sorry... sorry," he said, wiping away at his eyes with the tips of his fingers. "You should sleep a little," he croaked tiredly, slowly rising to his feet to get out of the way. His mouth felt dry, and he swallowed a few times while appraising Yulia. Finally, he gave her a little nod before trudging back towards his bedroom to chase after the opportunity for a little bit more sleep.

[Ashen]

Throughout the movie, Yulia found herself dozing off, but she couldn’t sleep properly because she would jolt awake every couple minutes, convinced that whatever crash or other loud noise from the TV’s speakers was someone breaking into the apartment to attack them. Even when things were quiet, her mind wandered too quickly for her to rest, thinking of everything and nothing. She couldn’t focus on the movie, on the characters, on the somewhat ridiculous plot, but she did turn her attention to her partner.

Clive was so close to her, trying to relax, though his eyes weren’t on the screen, either. He hadn’t quite asked her here, but he had expressed gratitude at her coming regardless, and Yulia thought maybe, despite how paranoid she’d been at how she’d ruined things between them, they could still trust each other. They had both made mistakes, catastrophic ones, but they were still here, and didn’t that mean something? She still trusted him, enough to believe together they would take down Avarice, and after that… Who was to say? But as Yulia pressed herself against her side of the couch, as she stole glances at her partner illuminated by the TV screen, as she listened to his breathing and the short exhale through his nose at the funnier moments of the movie, she found comfort in being with someone she cared about, who cared about her, and she thought maybe she could get used to this.

Every so often, Yulia heard Clive snoring before he woke himself up, and she smiled to herself. She wanted to tell the poor, exhausted man to get to his room and properly get to bed, but every time she looked back at him, his eyes were closed again, and he looked too peaceful to disrupt. She tried to watch the movie then, hoping it would also lull her to sleep, but when it didn’t, she felt herself growing more frustrated.

Clive moved suddenly, and Yulia greeted him with a smile. He had been asleep now for a while, and finally, he was retreating to his room. Though his suggestion to her was a well-meaning one, Yulia wondered if sleep were even possible for her now. As he walked down the hall, Yulia called after him, wishing him a pleasant respite. With her partner gone to bed and her Glameow off… somewhere, Yulia was entirely alone.

She tried propping the pillows on the couch and tucking the blanket around her, and as she lay down, she could feel herself drifting off. But a sudden pain in her head jolted her upright, tugging the blanket from where she’d tucked it. As she fought the pain, she looked around the apartment, squinting through the dark to see Clive’s furniture, the ordinary pieces any apartment would have. What else did he keep around here…? She stubbornly swallowed the thought and again rested her head on the pillow. She was a guest, and it was none of her business knowing what her host had hidden here, if anything at all. If she allowed herself to look, she could only guess at what would happen to Clive.

Hours ticked by, and Yulia lingered on the edge of consciousness, unable to rest. She felt a tickle in her hand and startled, only to find the wide eyes of her Glameow begging her. She sighed and scratched him between the ears as her drumming heartbeat normalized. “Do you want to go out?” she asked, and when the Pokemon started for the door, Yulia put her shoes back on, wrapped herself in her blanket, and headed out into the cold early morning.

Fritz pawed around outside, looking for a place to do his business and clearly irritated her had to do it outside like some Growlithe. Yulia had long ago gotten used to his sassy looks, though, and she ignored his attitude to watch the people outside. The world was starting to wake for the day, and she was not at all ready for it. She looked through her phone, at the few notifications she had, and when Fritz nudged her leg, she went back inside. Confident she would not sleep anymore, she instead went to the bathroom to get ready for her day.

The woman in the mirror looked exhausted, and Yulia cursed herself for leaving her makeup home in her haste to pack. She did what she could to wash her face, then went back to the living room. As she grabbed a pillow to set it back in its place against the arm of the couch, another sharp pain seized her, and she slumped forward, unconscious.

She rose again only a moment later, curious eyes taking in the surroundings as if for the first time. She made her way to the kitchen, where she poked through drawers and cabinets and located Clive’s biggest knives. “You have made this all too easy,” she mused, but she set the knives back where they belonged. A glance down the hall suggested Clive was still asleep, and she smirked. She had far too much freedom. She located her phone and pulled up a map, memorized her current coordinates, and let out a breathy sigh. “Idiot,” she whispered. She started for Clive’s room, silent on her feet, but she paused, clutching her head, and in the next moment she was on the floor with a graceless crash.

The world was spinning too hard for her to get up, so she stayed here, legs bent awkwardly under her and breathing ragged. There was no way Clive had been able to sleep through that, especially right outside his bedroom, and she scolded herself for not letting him sleep. She would tell him she was fine, when he asked, would tell him she’d just gotten dizzy, and that she’d be up in a minute. But inside, she cursed herself for bringing her here, for endangering him like that.

In another moment, Fritz scurried towards her, licking at her cheek. “Sorry,” she said to him, scratching him under the chin. “In my purse, Fritz, can you…?” For once obedient, Fritz did as he was told, bringing the bottle of pills she had trained him to retreat. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since her last dose—hours? Minutes?—so she took another, hoping they would clear her mind. She didn’t know Clive’s plans for the day, but it was getting late, and they’d be needed down at the police department, surely, but they could wait a little longer, wait until they’d had breakfast, until they readied themselves as well as they could.

[Headwrapper]

Moments after Yulia's fall, Clive emerged from his bedroom. He shot a sideways glance out into the living room, before looking back down the hallway. "Yulia?" he asked with a puzzled expression. "Are you alright?" He could not help but glance around the apartment a second time, stepping into the hallway as he glanced around. Despite Yulia's insistence that she was fine, he brought her a glass of water from the kitchen, and knelt down to hand it to her. His expression was neutral, passive, as he looked her over after giving her the water.

He exhaled heavily through his nose, turning his head to glance back towards the hallway. "You know... You already told me about your... curse, and everything. You don't have to put up a brave face if you don't feel like it." He thought back about the "brain thing", Yulia's curse... the file he started for her. "Anyway." He stood. "We have work to do." He offered his hand to help Yulia up, before disappearing back into his room.

Once fully dressed and prepared for the day, Clive had stopped inside of his apartment's small kitchen. He paused for a moment as reached for the white, paper packet full of hot chocolate mix. Right, she already knows, he thought as he snatched up the packet and emptied it into a paper coffee cup. "If you're hungry or something, feel free," he called to Yulia while he poured hot water from an electric kettle into his cup. "I'm uh, out of coffee, though. And there's not much food, I tried to make sure there wasn't much that could go bad while we were gone. Most of the grocery stores were closed yesterday, can you imagine?"

Although Clive had left the chief a few messages to excuse the pair's absenteeism for the day, the time came that the pair were ready to move along. The detective yawned loudly as he locked the apartment door behind them. "You sure your Glameow will be alright?" he asked Yulia. "Not many choices of furniture to scratch up in there." They would have to stop at the apartment again later, he thought, for Yulia to pick up Fritz before heading home. He wondered if Yulia would linger in the apartment when they did, if she would want to stay... Don't think like that, idiot, he thought to himself. Why would it matter, anyway?

He lead the way down the usual, short path between the apartment and the GRPD. It took no time to reach the station, and Clive paused at the base of the steps leading to the front door. It was going to be a long day. He watched Yulia on her way through the door. It'll be fine, he reassured himself, before following suit.



"That is just absurd."

Natasha's voice was controlled, but stern and insistent. Clive wanted to wince each time she spoke. Daggers were interlaced with the woman's strong voice, penetrating coldly with each word she directed towards those who would hear. Clive watched tiredly, sitting still in his chair in front of the chief's desk, immediately next to the one Natasha sat on.

"That childish outburst made it plain as day. He's a liability if he stays on this case. People will get hurt."

"Nat-"

"It's not just about you, Clive," Natasha interrupted. She turned her head abruptly towards him, causing some of her straight, green hair to shift in front of one of her dark, puffy eyes. "You are going to get yourself hurt, you might get Yulia hurt, and who knows what other casualties Avarice might cause because of you. We both know you're not normally like that. The stress of the case is getting to you, and you need to let someone else take the wheel."

Clive tilted his head back, eying Natasha nastily. Where his face once held a tired expression, it now held a sinister, vicious, almost vile facade. "Oh is it, now?" he hissed. "I'm the one who's pressed about the case, am I? Me, who has only been working the case for months, who's been electrocuted, stalked, and dragged around like a puppet. But not you Nat, you only started freaking out when your partner was hurt doing his job. Jean was a damn hero, and I did the best I can to make sure his effort and sacrifice was not for nothing. What have you been doing in the meantime?"

"Enough of this," the chief announced, pounding his fist onto the solid, wooden desk. "I decided Clive is staying on the case. That is my call -- don't you say another damn word -- that is my call, and I will not tolerate this insubordination, got it? Now get back to work, we're just fucking around in here while there's criminals to catch.

After leaving the chief's office, Clive paused in front of the door for a long moment. He turned an apologetic gaze in Natasha's direction, be she had already turned and begun her march down the hall. Her black suit hugged tightly against her figure, and Clive noticed her gloved hands clenched even more tightly as they swung on either side of her. He exhaled heavily through his nose as he turned to begin his own march in the opposite direction. The chief was right, there was work to do.

[Ashen]

You don't have to put up a brave face if you don't feel like it. Yulia knew Clive was trying to be nice, trying to relieve the blushes of embarrassment blossoming across her cheeks, but still, his words gave her pause. They comforted her, if slightly. She didn’t have to hide this from him—but didn’t she? There were too many details still that Clive did not know about her curse, too many things that would ruin their case if she told him. Clive had meant well, but Yulia wished she could trust in his words, that she could really trust him to the pain she felt. All she wanted more than anything was for her secret to no longer be hers.

After ensuring she was okay, Clive had started off. Yulia cautiously sipped at the glass of water he’d brought her, then nodded to herself, dismissing her previous thoughts. She got up on shaky legs and met him in the kitchen, where she watched him reach for a hot chocolate packet. It wasn’t much of a breakfast, and she frowned thinking he’d be running on nothing else, but she had no place to judge; most of her breakfasts consisted of worse. She joined him with her own borrowed mug of hot chocolate, and as they sat together, sharing their tiny breakfast, Yulia’s thoughts returned to routine, returned to work, and all the things they needed to do. She thought to the chaos of yesterday. Even if she knew they wouldn’t be expected down at the station today, Yulia wanted—needed—to be there.

And Clive felt the same way. Yulia was grateful Clive suggested driving to the station, and Yulia all too enthusiastically nodded her agreement. She prepped her bags and set them by the door to retrieve later. Before she left, she gave Fritts a kiss on his head. The Glameow only hissed in response before trotting away. Yulia cast a last glance around the apartment. Would she be back here? Not just to pick up her pet and her things—would she come back to… hang out? Not out of necessity, but to visit her friend and trusted partner? She shook the thought. Calling to Fritts to be good, she turned to leave. Yulia didn’t know what would be awaiting them at work, and as much as she wanted to return to her duties, she did not want to find out.

She hadn’t expected to find Natasha, red-faced and eyes like daggers, arguing with the chief. The woman was enraged, and Yulia had never seen her quite like this. Jean. Yulia couldn’t imagine what the elder woman had been feeling while waiting for news of her partner, and now that he would be okay, she must have needed an outlet for all the anger she hadn’t let herself feel before. Clive was an easy target to direct it at after the press conference, but even still, Natasha was going too far.

But her concerns were not unfounded. The chief was adamant, but Natasha’s concern for everyone’s safety was apparent. Maybe she was right. Maybe Clive had been too involved in the case, and maybe he would end up overworking himself to madness. What kind of partner was Yulia to stand by while that happened and do nothing? But she had to stop Avarice, for herself more than anyone else, and she couldn’t do it alone—she couldn’t do it without Clive. She was selfish to let him keep working, to not intervene, but no matter how much she wanted to dissolve this fight, Yulia kept quiet, useless.

As Natasha stormed off, silenced by the chief, Yulia cursed herself with regrets of all the things she did not say. She turned to Clive, wanting to reach out to him or even hold him, but he didn’t need the comfort, and she didn’t want to offend him. The man had always been fine on his own. She thought back to when they’d first met, how hard it had been for him to adapt to having a partner. How stoic he had been. How strong. And now… Yulia tried not to settle on Natasha’s accusations. If nothing else, Clive’s rashness was incentive to bring Avarice down before it was too late, before Clive worked himself insane. Yesterday’s chaos had been a setback—a lot had gone wrong—but they had gotten new details, more to go off of, and Yulia believed they would catch Avarice. Together.

For all the fanfare it had started with, the day continued without event. Yulia spent most of it at her computer typing away, only taking an odd cigarette break. She didn’t see Natasha again, and she hoped in vain that the woman had gone home early for much-needed rest. She also didn’t see much of her partner, in part because she was so focused on her work, but she wondered about him throughout the day, and about Natasha’s warnings. The more she thought about the threat he was to himself, the more her hands shook, and she wondered if perhaps he wasn’t the only one too stressed to work efficiently on this case.

At the end of the day, Yulia and Clive started back for his apartment mindlessly discussing the monotony of their work. Yulia didn’t ask after Natasha, didn’t even bring up that morning in their conversation. It wasn’t a conversation she knew how to navigate quite yet, and she hoped Clive wouldn’t bring it up either. Back at his apartment, Yulia found Fritts napping on top of her duffel bag which was already covered with his fur. If she had to guess, he likely hadn’t moved from that spot since they’d left. Yulia brought her bags to her car, but before she picked up her Glameow, she looked around the room. She hesitated, not quite ready to go home alone. “Hey, Clive,” she said softly. “Let me treat you to pizza?” She was already pulling her phone from her pocket and looking up the number of the nearest pizza parlor. “As thanks,” she added, “for letting me stay here last night.” It was just an excuse, but it provided her a reason to stay here—and an easy out if that was not what Clive wanted. Besides, she told herself, after the stress of the day and the tiny meals they’d had thus far, they could both use some empty calories.

[Headwrapper]

Clive was surprised to hear the offer Yulia presented after returning from the car, where she had left her bags. "Oh, it was no problem," he said, somewhat abashed. He rubbed the back of his head with one hand and cleared his throat. "But since you're offering, why not?"

After Yulia had ordered the pizza, the pair of detectives had quickly dropped onto the couch in the same seats they had assigned themselves the night before and flicked the television on. The movement was natural, almost too natural, but the familiarity was comforting and neither one of them cared to question it. "We should... give Jean a visit soon," Clive said. He let out a small sigh after lifting his legs onto the coffee table. His ankle still hurt, if only a little. He pretended to have a sudden interest at his pair of black socks, observing his feet while tilting his head to the side. "He's strong, so he'll recover... But he's probably going to be in a lot of pain for a while."

The man sat silently for a long while, suddenly growing stoic. He watched Fritz curiously, his eyes almost transfixed as he continued to tilt his head to one side and the other as the cat Pokemon moved around. Yulia may have spoken, but Clive would not have heard it over another thought that crossed his mind. "I wonder if his Pokemon are still in the Pokemon Center," he suddenly said. "I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. They're probably worried, on top of dealing with their own injuries." He locked eyes with Yulia. "After we eat, we should try to see them." His feet quickly dropped to the floor, and Clive hardly noticed the shockwave in his ankle while he was preoccupied with typing a message in his phone. He was tense, focused, as if locating Jean's Pokemon had become a top priority. It was only after hitting send did he seem to snap out of it. "Oh, uh, I guess you have a long trip back. You might not want to stay even later if you don't want to."

While discussing, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of the pizza. A rather small and skinny boy stood at the door step, carefully balancing the food on one hand while holding the receipt with a pen and clipboard in the other. Clive took the food while Yulia signed the receipt, and the youngster hurried off. Clive vanished into the kitchen, reemerging with a couple of plates and paper towels for them both, which he made space for on the suddenly crowded coffee table. They chatted more as they ate, the conversation growing more casual as the time passed. "You know, I got a few letters today. Some people had dropped them off at the station, because of what I said the other day. They were... very positive, actually. Seems like for every fuckhead like Oliver Burnstine, Channel 9 news there's three or four journalists trying to spin the whole thing as a positive." He wiped his fingers with a napkin, then twisted the napkin up in his hands while he spoke. "I probably shouldn't have, but I read a few of the articles. Some of them brought up stuff about my dad, the kind of guy he was. I guess that was the kind of stupid thing that he would have done, so they're trying to draw some kind of parallels. Lazy writing, I guess."

Once they were done eating, Clive tossed the plates into the dishwasher before grabbing some of his things. "We better hurry if you still wanted to visit the Pokemon Center with me. We shouldn't stay too late."

Soon after arriving at the Pokemon Center, the nurse escorted them to where Jean's Pokemon had been resting. "There was another visitor earlier, his partner? She had long green hair, you just missed her. She will be back tomorrow to pick them up, as long as they're all healed up by then. Ah, here we are. Watch your step, it's a rather large room, but we wanted to make sure they could all stay together since they've been anxious about their trainer. We had to accommodate for the space requirements for such large Pokemon."

Clive glanced around the large room once he had stepped inside. It had felt like he stepped into a stadium. There was no ceiling, but there were plenty of places that were shaded by trees or manmade structures for the Pokemon inside. Clive counted each one of Jean's Pokemon as he spotted them, nursing their bandages or even training.

"Machamp! What did I say about putting weight on that arm?!" the nurse shouted. Machamp stopped his one-arm pushups, and rose to his feet.

"Ma," he snorted, before glancing over to Clive and Yulia. "Machamp?"

"Hey," Clive said with a quick nod. The nurse stepped away from them, opting to watch from a distance. "We wanted to see that you were all okay. Would you mind calling the others over?" Clive stepped back, avoiding Machamp's large arms that protruded from its back as the Pokemon turned and shouted to the other Pokemon. The earth rumbled beneath his feet as they slid, ran, marched, and burrowed over to them.

They talked with the Pokemon for a while, reassuring them that what they had done to protect others the day before was remarkable. After a while, each Pokemon wandered off and went back to their favored resting spots. Just when he was preparing to leave himself, Clive's eye caught Conkeldurr. The large Pokemon stood stoically, leaning heavily on the concrete pillars it always carried. Clive approached the lone Pokemon, placing a hand on its shoulder. "You did the right think, Conkeldurr," Clive said. "Jean is very proud of you. It must have been hard to follow his order and save those girls instead of your trainer, but that's exactly what he wanted. "

Conkeldurr looked back at Clive for a long while, before turning his head back forward and nodding in understanding. "Conk..."

Clive sighed. "Be seeing you." It was about time to go, and he accepted the nurse's offer to lead them back to the lobby of the Pokemon Center.

[Ashen]

Yulia was starting to enjoy the quick familiarity of Clive’s living room and the ease with which they could settle down near each other. They got to mindlessly talking until Clive mentioned Jean. A tension seemed to settle over the room, heavy and intrusive, at his name. Yulia had debated visiting him, but she’d wondered if Jean would even want to see her, or if he would blame her for not getting to the gym sooner, not preventing what had happened. Besides, after that morning, she was afraid of seeing Natasha, too, afraid of what she might say in her well-earned rage. Yulia could visit Jean’s Pokemon, though—she owed him that much—and she agreed to go along with Clive after dinner.

The conversation became less heavy as they ate, more carefree, and Yulia happily bit into her pizza as she listened to her partner. At the mention of his letters, she set her slice down and raised a brow with an inquisitive, “Oh?” She considered them for a moment before saying, “That’s good. I’m glad to hear not everyone has a stick up their ass.” Still, she wondered what these “positive” reports and articles would do to the public opinion. Of course, it was no secret most sane people hated Team Avarice, but she didn’t want anyone to follow in Clive’s rash footsteps and endanger themselves. Clive had training, could handle himself, but if anyone tried to do what he’d done? Threaten Avarice? Maybe even go further than that? She hoped people wouldn’t be stupid enough to try.

When Clive mentioned his father, Yulia turned away, quiet. She hadn’t met the man, only knew what she did about him from the things she’d read, but he wondered about him. Wondered how like him Clive really was. There was a sadness in the cold man’s eyes, a longing, a boy who’d had his father senselessly taken too young. She made a mental note to page through those articles, too, just to see what else she could learn. It was charming, in a way, to see Clive taking after his father, but she remembered with dread how he’d looked when he spoke about the veteran detective’s demise. How Clive warned her that the same would not happen to him. And he’d been right—Yulia would never hurt him, would never betray him. She hoped.

She didn’t notice him finish eating, but when he got up to leave, she hastily joined him, abandoning her mostly-eaten crust. The Pokemon Center wasn’t far, but it was getting dark. If she wanted to get home and get a decent amount of sleep, their trip would need to be short.

A pink-haired nurse led them to where Jean’s Pokemon were staying. She mentioned Natasha, how they had just missed her, and Yulia couldn’t help the sigh of relief that passed her lips. She had nothing but respect for the older woman, but she was not ready to watch another altercation between her and Clive so soon. Jean’s Pokemon were all together, and each sported some type of cast or bandage, but luckily, none of them looked too hurt anymore. She watched as Clive mostly spoke with them, praising them and telling them their trainer would be okay. It was strange, watching the man who so strongly disliked people treat another man’s Pokemon with such patience and kindness. As he spoke to them, Yulia offered some pets and scratches to those who would accept them, and, when it was time to go, they wished them luck with their recoveries.

Back at Clive’s apartment, Yulia thanked him for letting her stay even longer, then got things packed and secured Fritz in her car. She bid him good night and finally made her drive home, exhausted and more than ready to go to sleep.

The front door lock had been broken. Her key got stuck in it, and in her struggle to get it out, the door opened by itself. Her heart was pounding as she pushed the door the rest of the way open. It was dark out, dark enough that she wouldn’t see someone following her, so she kept on alert, phone already ready to call the police, and she flipped on the lights.

The place was a mess. Soot and ash had been strewn across the living room, staining her furniture an ugly black. Things had been thrown from shelves and tables to the floor, torn and shattered, and Fritz angrily meowed at the spilled dirt of a plant that had been knocked over. The bathroom mirror had been cracked, and her bed was stained a deep, menacing red.

It was just a warning. She knew that. Yulia wasn’t in any danger. But she couldn’t help the hairs that stood up on her arms and neck, nor the chill that raced down her spine. Someone had been here, had destroyed her home, all to make a point. Fear gave way to rage, and as she fell to her knees, she felt completely powerless.

She didn’t want to call the cops. This had been personal, and she didn’t want the authorities poking into her business like that. She did wonder who could have done this—Phoenix? Or had Freya sent one of her lackeys instead? Yulia wondered if she should tell Clive, then decided against it. She would tell him later, tomorrow, not now, not when he’d struggle to sleep with the news. She knew she was safe, but Clive… What would they do to him? That thought scared her more than anything they’d dare do to her.

Exhausted, terrified, and angry, Yulia couldn’t find it in herself to clean a thing. Instead, she emptied the bag she’d taken to Clive’s, filled it with new clothes, grabbed Fritz, and checked herself into a nearby hotel. She would deal with this later, when her hands weren’t trembling quite so much.

The next morning, she arrived to work all too early. Yulia hadn’t been able to sleep much, so she figured getting a head start on her day was better than pacing her hotel room in a panic. She looked over the notes she’d drawn up. Avarice had screwed up. As soon as her shift was over, she was fingerprinting her whole house. She would find out who’d done this, and she would find justice for them all.

[Headwrapper]

After Yulia's departure, Clive turned back to face his apartment. It had grown late after their evening's activities, and naturally he decided it would be best to prepare for bed and turn in for the night. Unlike the previous night, he had little apprehension about doing so, and quickly stepped into his bedroom to change. He did so, and carried his Pokeballs into the living room. He may not have felt apprehensive, but he was still wise enough to be careful still, and he released his same squad of Pokemon into the living room like he had the other night.

He reached for the television remote and pointed it to turn off the display. In doing so, he caught a whiff of Yulia's perfume from her previous spot, causing him to pause for a long moment. He glanced at the spot on the couch, then cleared his throat before going back to his routine. Once everything was in order, he bid his Pokemon a good night before retiring to his room to rest.

The detective rested, although not without some bouts of restlessness. A part of him was still on edge, sensing a danger that may or may not have been there, but was certainly real. However, each time he awoke, he managed the fear. He studied it, reflected on it, held it at his fingertips, and then quickly sealed it away. Become that hero they wrote about, he bid himself. No, be even better. You're even smarter. Upon his fourth awakening, he noticed the time was close to the normal hour in which he would typically awaken, and so he did. Tiredly, he peeled away his bed covers and straightened up on the edge of the bed while he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Finally, he hummed a low pitch, nearly a growl, before quickly rising to his feet.

He found no clues of any misdoings in the apartment. His Pokemon stirred at the sound of his footsteps, and began to stretch in their own positions within the living room. From across the room, Clive observed the lock on the front door, and then the sliding glass door that blocked the balcony. Finding nothing, he hurried to shower and dress himself for the day. He was out the door and on his normal walk to work by the normal hour, with his normal cup in hand and carrying his bag like he normally would. It was all normal until he stepped into the office he shared with the other detectives and found both Yulia and Natasha already there, working.

A swallow echoed in his ears just before he cleared his throat. "Good morning," he said as he walked towards his desk. He stopped briefly to look over at the large board that was hung on the wall between Natasha and Jean's desks, trying to make out the notes and pictures plastered all over it. Natasha stood in front of the board, her arms crossed as she leaned her weight to one leg. She stood for a long while, silent as a ghost, as she looked around the board.

The woman hardly gave Clive any mind, only offering an inexpressive glance when she turned to pick up something from her desk. "What?" she asked flatly, turning back to the board to pin the picture somewhere. "I'm thinking."

"Nothing, it's, uh... Can I help?" Clive asked, uncharacteristically cautious in his tone. "You know, fresh set of eyes, and all that."

"You handle yours, and I got mine," Natasha said as she took a step back from the board, never taking her eyes off of it.

Clive felt the muscles in his torso tighten, as if bracing for a blow to his stomach. He drew a long breath through his nose and sighed, then continued on to his desk. He placed his laptop on the dock, and looked over towards Yulia while waiting for the computer to boot up. She showed signs of a restless night, and Clive wondered if she had gotten enough rest after returning home. "Everything okay when you got home?" he asked her. "I didn't hear from you last night, so I was wondering."

His phone buzzed, and he held it up to get a better look. "Ah, we got the camera footage from the magnet train stations, finally. Between this and a few of the interviews we have scheduled, we can better understand how Avarice executed the attack so quickly. Guess we should prepare."

[Ashen]

Yulia spent the day dozing off at her desk and jolting awake at every sound. She was miserable, but she tried to wake herself up and put on a smile, to varying levels of success. She was only partially aware of the people around her, of Natasha working herself too hard in the absence of her partner, of Clive trying to prove himself useful to her, but today, Yulia mostly kept to herself. She didn’t want to get in the way, tired and useless as she was, and she didn’t want anyone to see how totally drained she really was.

When Clive approached her at her desk, Yulia set aside what she’d been working on and greeted him with a half-hearted smile. “Oh,” she mumbled, “yes, I’m sorry. I was just so tired, I forgot to text you when I got back.” That wasn’t really the truth, not at all; she had made the conscious decision to not tell him what was going on because she hadn’t wanted to worry him, but she hadn’t realized, in doing so, she would worry him regardless. The image of her living room covered in ash flashed through her mind, and she swallowed the rage beginning to bubble over within her again. “I didn’t want—“

She was interrupted by a notification from his phone, and Yulia snapped her mouth shut to listen to what she considered to be more important. The camera footage was a good thing; that would give them something to focus on today instead of reviewing the same notes she had reviewed far too many times already. That was, if she could manage to stay awake long enough to watch the footage. She shook the thought. “That’s great,” she said. “Seeing it all go down should help a lot in understanding just what happened.” She reached into her purse for her phone to pull up the footage herself, but she couldn’t find it. She panicked for a moment before spotting it beside her computer. Yulia let out a sigh. She would need another cup of coffee. Or four.

The two got to work shortly after. Though Yulia had meant to tell Clive what had happened at her apartment, their new work was more important to her, and she didn’t want him to worry himself so much he’d make mistakes during their interviews. Besides, she was distracted too, busy jotting down notes on what they did and, at the end of the day, typing up a summary of what they’d learned. She sent it to Clive for a proofread before she would eventually forward it to the chief. Finally, when it was time to go home for the day, Yulia packed away her things and braced herself to return to the mess she had left last night.

But first, she had to confide in her partner. She found him at his desk packing up for the day, and she approached him, lingering about awkwardly. She didn’t know how to bring this up, how to prevent him from worrying, how to convince him not to tell people. To anyone else, it would likely look like Team Avarice was threatening her life, but Yulia knew better. She didn’t know how to tell Clive that she knew better. Struggling over her choice of words for several moments, she finally waved at him, the first acknowledgment she’d made since coming over here. She cleared her throat.

“I sent you a report to read,” she started, not at all what she’d wanted to say. She hesitated and tried again. “About last night.” It wasn’t the most elegant segue, and she cursed herself for not preparing things better. “Look, Clive.” She set a hand on his desk and tried not to shrink under his expectant gaze. “When I got home, I…” This was harder than she had been expecting. Her hesitation was likely making him worry more. Why couldn’t she just spit this out? She took a breath and tried yet again. “Avarice was at my apartment last night.”

She didn’t give him time to respond. “They’d broken in by the time I got there. There was…ash everywhere, ruining the furniture, and in the bedroom…” She hesitated before deciding against mentioning the blood-like stains on her bed. “I think it was just a threat,” she added, knowing it would do little to alleviate his worries but hoping anyway. “If they had wanted to hurt me, they could have, easily. I checked myself into a hotel just in case, and I haven’t been back yet, but I was going to fingerprint the place, see if we can’t get some names on file for this. The MO—the soot and ashes I mean—matches Phoenix, but I doubt he’d be dumb enough to come out himself, or not without covering his tracks. Maybe we’ll still find traces of him, though, or find him on the cameras outside. It’s worth a try.”

When she finally finished speaking, Yulia noticed her hands shaking again, and her breaths were uneven. She knew she was in no danger, but even still, the fear was there, impossible to hide from. She tried to swallow it and put on a brave face for the man in much more danger than she, but this exhausted, she didn’t have it in her to pretend.

She straightened and looked around the room to make sure no one had been listening in. Turning back to Clive, she sighed. “I’ll be alright,” she added. “This isn’t the first stalker I’ve had. At least this time, they skipped the traumatic breakup.” She tried to smile, but her joke fell flat, and she quickly shook it off. “I just thought you should know. But you go home, get some rest. I’ve got a lot to do. A whole apartment to clean up.” Or perhaps that part would wait until later, when she’d gotten any semblance of rest. She watched Clive, hoping he wouldn’t push this, knowing he would.

[Headwrapper]

Overall, Clive found that the day's work proved to be production. From the interviews, he and Yulia learned that Avarice's takeover of the train stations and the department store used the same strategy. The criminals were fast, taking advantage of previously planned surprises to clear a path for their ranks to rush in and overwhelm the security.

The inventory of goods stolen from the department store was lengthy, and unsurprisingly focused primarily on battle items and trainer equipment. The team did not bother much with the items on the shelves, and instead loaded up the goods still in shipping containers that had yet to be put on display. Clive was impressed at Phoenix's opportunistic approach. The day of the festival in Saffron had also lined up with the day of the week the Department Store in Goldenrod usually expected their larger shipments of potions, revives, Pokeballs, and TMs. Avarice had compromised some of the incoming trucks without being detected and drove them to the department store's shipping dock. They then quickly and violently took control and began loading the goods that were still on pallets onto the trucks, filling their trailers from end to end before driving off.

The prospect of Avarice loading up on such items was concerning. Of course, they surely had access to these items already. Their usual supply was likely to be slow, burdened by the need to launder the money involved and to mask the traceability of the items themselves. To go to such drastic measures meant that Avarice had plans for something that required such items in large supply, and very soon.

Much like the trucks, the trains were taken over similarly. Avarice agents were implanted in the trains and in place of the operators, and as such could easily control the flow of passengers. They strategically placed a number of team members, armed with their tortured, vicious Pokemon, in just the right trains that they would arrive at the stations. From there, it was trivial to make way for additional passengers, hold them hostage, and take over the stations themselves. Emptied trains were used to transport the stolen goods, but had arrived empty when they reached the next station. How they managed to remove so many goods, and where, were both mysteries.

Later that day, Clive got to work on unpacking the information they had. I see it, he thought to himself. When he returned to his desk, he dropped down into his chair and turned to face the wall behind him. In his mind's eye, he could see the paths towards finding Phoenix painted in front of him, bleeding downward like raindrops on a car window. But which one, is the right one? His eyes were wild, determined, and he hardly blinked. Suddenly, he licked his lips, and turned back towards his desk. "Satellite guy, satellite guy," he muttered, scrolling through his desk phone's contacts. He finally settled on the number, and gave it a rang. It went to voicemail. Clive left his voicemail and quickly typed an email to follow up.

Shortly afterwards, while Clive was gathering his things, Yulia approached him. Some kind of confession hung her lips, but she was reluctant to part from it. Clive watched her patiently, expectantly, while she struggled to make out what it was she was trying to tell him. The man stood still as a statue, intently watching Yulia's face as she struggled to put together the words. He only moved when his partner finally blurted out what Avarice had done. His messenger bag, which he had just finished stuffing with his laptop and notebook, slipped from his fingers and hit the desk with a loud thud. His head hunched forward and his face somehow grew even more serious. He placed one hand on the desk and leaned forward, almost as if to challenge what Yulia had just said.

His partner continued, citing her feelings that the stunt indicated that Avarice did not intend to truly harm her. Clive's gaze wandered towards the rest of the office, suddenly unable to continue looking at Yulia directly. He straightened up as Yulia carried on, and pretended not to notice her hands shaking. "I'm going with you," he said sternly. "And I won't ask why you waited until now to say anything."

[Ashen]

She had suspected that he would worry, that he would want to take things into his own hands to protect his partner and further their case, but Yulia hadn’t expected the dread that crept from her core at the thought of Clive coming home with her. She was confident she could handle whatever Avarice threw her way, and while she did trust her partner, she worried for his safety more than anything. The villains had already broken into her apartment once—and who was she kidding? Their access to her home could not have been easier if she’d left the door unlocked for them—so what was to stop them from attacking Clive as soon as he walked through the door? Unease stirred in her stomach, and she wanted to tell him no, tell him she’d be fine, that he needed to rest after such a long and productive day, but she knew the stubborn detective wouldn’t listen to her anyway.

So instead, Yulia sighed. She hesitated, shifting the strap of her bag from one shoulder to the other. “I didn’t want you to worry all day,” she answered, but the excuse felt stupid now, and she felt stupid for saying it. She started away, knowing he would follow but hoping he wouldn’t, hoping he would suddenly remember some appointment he was late for or somewhere else he would rather be. When she heard his footsteps trailing her, though, she silently swore and led him out to the parking lot.

The forty-minute drive back to her apartment was an agonizing wait of second-guessing and blind panic, and it was a wonder Yulia managed to avoid crashing her car at all. You’re such an idiot, she scolded herself, and other insults easily followed. She didn’t regret telling him; Clive deserved to know what was going on with things pertaining to his partner and this case. She just regretted putting both of them in more danger than her comfort was worth.

After a quick stop by the hotel to pick up her things and her Glameow, who only acknowledged Clive with a sleepy meow, they arrived at Yulia’s building to find it just as ruined as Yulia had left it. It wasn’t any easier to look at the second time. She refused to look at Clive, who was no doubt taking in the scene in search of clues. Even if this wasn’t her fault, Yulia was embarrassed to be showing her apartment like this, or embarrassed she’d been attacked at all. Swallowing her pride, she set Fritz on the floor and took a step inside, counting the deep breaths to try to calm herself.

Finally, she looked to Clive to gauge his reaction to such senseless destruction. As she watched him, she felt her headache worsen, and a familiar murk started to close in on her. This was not an ideal time to faint—no time was, really—and she desperately pleaded with herself to avoid this. She bit into her lower lip, drove her fingernails into her palms, hoping the pricks of pain would keep her here. After a moment, the blackness faded, leaving only a rush of nausea. A warning.

She stumbled gracelessly towards the bathroom to expel the bile racing up her throat. If she hadn’t already been embarrassed, now she was mortified. She hated appearing so frail, but there was at least solace in knowing Clive would likely understand her retching as a reaction to her surroundings. When she finished cleaning herself up, she made her way back to him, a rushed apology on her lips, eager to move on.

Yulia crouched beside her couch and touched at the ash staining the cloth. She needed to work, look for clues that would lead them to stopping Avarice, but seeing her things destroyed like this… Maybe she wouldn’t be as useful as she’d hoped. She stood again, trying to ignore the dizziness that caused, and focused her attention back to Clive. “Give me a few minutes to feed my Pokemon, and then we can look around. We’ll find something; we have to.” She refused to believe this had been done to her for no reason and with no benefit. “Maybe Shroud can sniff something out. I’ll get Fritz searching too.”

She met his gaze, her own eyes pleading with him to listen to her. “And once we’re finished, Clive,” she said more softly, “you really ought to go home. Get some rest. This has been hard on everyone, but I promise. I’ll be alright.”

[Headwrapper]

Once they had arrived at Yulia's apartment, Clive carefully followed his partner into her home, carefully observing his surroundings as he treaded forward. His face was hard as he glanced around, careful not to betray any sort of shock or surprise from what he saw. For now, he simply absorbed what he saw, which was not anything more than simple breaking and entering and vandalism. The soot and ashes were a nice touch, he thought, and he was almost surprised not to find feather patterns strewn about. Phoenix loved to take ownership of his deeds, especially now, while he believed he could still get away with it all.

The detective turned away as Yulia hurried to the bathroom and retched, and took the opportunity to wander around the apartment. While he was sure Yulia respected a little privacy, the apartment was no longer her own. It was a crime scene, and Clive was all too comfortable with exploring those. He carefully walked between the furniture, studying the soot and ashes, until he caught a glance inside of Yulia's bedroom. He quickly stepped away and looked towards the bathroom door just before Yulia had returned. "Yeah. Houndour might remember the scent from the feather we found in Sierra's home too."

He reached beneath his coat for his Houndour's and Zorua's Pokeballs, pausing momentarily to acknowledge Yulia's suggestion to go home once they were finished. He let our a single chuckle, pretty much a grunt, before continuing to dig out the Pokeballs he was reaching for. "Don't you worry, I'll be out of your hair once we're done." He released the pair of Pokemon before continuing. "You know, if we were doing this all above board it would go by a lot faster. There's a lot here for just two of us."

He knelt down and reached into his bag, while giving his Pokemon instructions on what to look for, to focus on, and when to seek his attention. A camera emerged from his bag, prompting Rotom to rise from Clive's pocket in protest, insisting that it's newfangled camera lens would be more than suitable for the job. Clive eventually yielded with a loud sigh, instructing the Rotom to stay close. He began to threaten he would do something should a single picture be out of a focus or misaligned, but eventually trailed off, either not having the heart to threaten the eager Pokemon or just engrossed by his work.

After a while of searching, Clive returned to the center of the living room, peeling away at the blue nitrile gloves he had put on during the search. He sighed and looked around for Yulia. "Hey, listen. I know this is your home and everything, but... Can you stay at a hotel a couple more nights? I really think we ought to get more people involved, get forensics here. We can make this worth it, somehow. There's more here than just fingerprints and boot prints, I know it."

He turned, taking in the ash-stained room once more. "Rotom... You can check for cameras and microphones right?" He nodded once the phone responded positive, with the stipulation that they would need to be in close proximity. "Okay good. That's your next job." He watched as the phone buzzed around, floating near the walls, against decorations, and even underneath pieces of furniture. An idea popped in Clive's head, but he needed more information, more to affirm his suspicions.

"Yulia, besides the ashes... What else links this to Avarice?"

[Ashen]

Yulia was thankful for Clive’s silent concentration as he looked through what used to be her apartment for clues. His inability or unwillingness to talk to her during their investigations had been the source of many of her frustrations, especially in the beginning, but now, it was a welcome reprieve to the young detective who didn’t know what to say about the crime scene in front of her. Clive insisted that they involve other people, but the thought of so many of her coworkers, of strangers, squished into her tiny rooms, sifting through her belongings, looking for the things that would incriminate her in ways she couldn’t have even predicted… Yulia swallowed the thought.

She fed her Pokemon quickly, stopping only when she saw that one of the bags of food had been slashed, but she moved it and its spilt entrails out of the way before summoning Fritz and the Pokemon still in their Poke Balls. Her Braviary, Beartic, and Skorupi seemed wary once they could look at their surroundings, but the Glameow only tsked in the others’ direction before plopping down at his food bowl. As they ate, Yulia went to find Clive, only to listen to him arguing with his phone-Rotom. When he noticed her, he again suggested opening her home to strangers. If Clive couldn’t find anything in this wreckage, Yulia doubted anyone else would. Contrary to what Natasha believed, Yulia knew Clive was the best fit for her partner, the most determined to stop Avarice alongside her; his insistence was endearing, if annoying, but she couldn’t find any excuse to refute him.

“Yes,” she replied quietly, already dreading the drive back to the hotel. She had a feeling she wouldn’t be sleeping well there no matter how many nights Clive’s investigation took. Fritz found them then and meowed angrily. Yulia crouched beside the fussy cat and tried to reason with him, promising extra treats if he helped them look for clues, but Fritz seemed to roll his eyes before trotting off to his bed, half-torn with stuffing spilling out of it, and dropped into it. Yulia didn’t have the heart to argue with him, fearing the poor Pokemon was stressed from all the moving around, from having his home destroyed too—even if it was far more likely that the Glameow was just stubborn and lazy.

She moved to scratch him behind the ears, but Clive’s voice stopped her. He was talking to Rotom again, asking it to scan the place for cameras or microphones. Both things he would not find here. Yulia wanted to tell them not to waste their time, but she didn’t know how to. He’d ask why she knew, with one hundred percent certainty, why her apartment was clear of anything like that. She kept quiet, feeling the rift between herself and her partner grow yet again.

He then turned to her, catching her by surprise even though she had no reason to be startled by him. Yulia shifted, wondering about the reason for her partner’s question. “It seems obvious,” she said, “doesn’t it? All the destruction and ash, we’d just need some feathers to match Phoenix’s MO perfectly. And the timing is too convenient, after your—um. After the press conference at City Hall, I mean. Especially after Phoenix called me—”

She paused. Had she…told Clive about that? Her face flushed, and she turned away to hide it. Yulia hadn’t been keeping that from him on purpose—had she? After Phoenix’s call, she’d gone to Clive’s apartment, and spent the night there, to protect him. It wasn’t a conscious choice, not telling him about it; she’d simply been preoccupied with everything else. Or that was what she told herself.

She met his gaze again and tried to move on, failing to feel any less awkward. “Maybe I am just paranoid,” she admitted. “This case has become so important to me; maybe I’m trying to link too much to it.” She didn’t believe those words even as they left her mouth. Avarice had been the most important thing in her life long before she’d even enrolled In the Academy, and she had no reason to believe this could be linked to anything else. “I don’t have enemies, Clive,” she continued. “An ex, maybe, but she’s long gone. I don’t have anyone but Avarice that would do this to me. And besides, even if this has nothing to do with them, shouldn’t we figure out who did this anyway? For our own safety?”

What was she even saying? Was she trying to convince Clive or something she didn’t even believe herself? Her head was drumming, and she jumped when she felt the soft fur of her Beartic rub against her arm. “I’m fine,” she told Zita, who looked like she didn’t believe her trainer in the slightest. Yulia cleared her throat and met Clive’s gaze again. “I do believe it’s Avarice,” she told him. “You can call it a hunch, if you want, but I just don’t know who or what else would be behind this.”

She turned away, crouching beside an overturned pot to absently paw through the dirt all over the floor. “But they’ve made a mistake,” she continued softly. She wasn’t quite talking to Clive anymore. “They’re so rash, focusing on their theatrics at the expense of common sense. And we’re here to catch them when they fall. Because they will fall.”

Her voice was rising, and she could feel her skin heating again. She didn’t know why she was getting so worked up about this—maybe the stress was getting to her, and she was too tired to fight it now—but she needed to calm down. Yulia looked at Clive, as if remembering he was there. “I’ll take a five,” she mumbled, an apology woven between her words. She hoped the time out of this place would clear her head. She wasn’t helping anyone like this anyway. “Let me know if you find anything. We can… We’ll call for backup later, once we’ve finished here, and see if they can find anything we can’t.” She nodded, trying to convince herself this was a good idea.

[Headwrapper]

Clive watched Yulia as she hurriedly left the apartment. He sighed heavily, mentally noting that Yulia was likely pushed as far as she ought to be for now. The recent events and their current setting was stressful enough, he understood, so he would be wrapping up the night's search alone. He reached out towards the floating Rotom-phone as it approached him, confirming that no surveillance equipment had been transplanted anywhere in the scene.

The detective groaned slightly as he knelt down to search through his bag. After a minute, he had withdrawn a few vials, brushes, rolls of tape, and his fingerprinting and casting kits. When prodigal intuition failed, it was time to fall back to the fundamentals. He worked methodically, expertly, and silently. With time, he had collected various castings of the fingerprints on the door knobs and various pieces of furniture and accompanying decorations. He added castings of the boot prints around the entrance of the apartment, and then collected a few vials worth of the ashes. Each sample that he took was meticulously labeled with clear, carefully written letters, which did not match Clive's usual chicken scratch.

Another groan escaped his lips as he stood up. He took a few moments to stretch his back, and then lean his weight off of his aching ankle. When he was done, Clive tugged at the blue nitrile gloves that clung to his hands like a second layer of skin, but did not remove them. Something urged him to scan for foot prints in other areas in the apartment. It would not have made sense, he found several prints near the door way, so there was no reason for anyone to enter through a window. Indeed, he did not find any foot prints that suggested the windows were used as an entrance, but what he did eventually find was even more surprising.

"She was here, too," he said, raising his black light higher. In the center of the living room, he could make out a pair of small foot prints, the shoes of a little girl. The prints sat undisturbed, and no sister prints suggested that the person who left them took a single step from that spot. No prints suggested that the person had walked to this spot, either. "Had she come to watch?" he wondered aloud, as he began to make the cast.

It was late, very late, when the night's work was done. It was time to retire for the night, and for the pair of detectives to go their separate ways. Clive collected up all of the samples and what could be considered evidence, intending to visit the HQ to drop off the evidence before turning in for the night. Once he and Yulia went their separate ways, Clive did make his way back to the GRPD and checked in all of his samples for safekeeping. He lingered for a while longer, deciding that it would be best to go ahead and request any testing that he thought was needed. He wanted to see if forensics could identify the source of the ashes- or at least what was burned to produce it.

Hours passed, and Clive would still be present at his desk, processing through the fingerprints and shoe castings. All of the imagery had been added to the system, and so he set to work having the images ran through the system against what was already on record. After clicking through a few menus, a loading bar would appear on the center of his screen, lingering at about half full. Clive stared at the screen blankly, hunched forward tiredly as he did so. The stubbornly slow loading bar gave him an opportunity to rest his eyes, and after having his eyes closed for a few seconds he decided that his tired neck needed a bit of a rest to. He overlapped his arms over top of each other before laying his head down.

Just like that, Clive awoke to realize hours had passed. His computer had also gone to sleep, having sat idle for the elapsed time, and Clive only saw his own face reflected back in the dark screens of the deactivated monitors. Someone had turned off the lights, save for a desk lamp nearby. Even so, the blue light that crept through the window allowed ample view of the room, although it was all mostly a blur as Clive shook off the heavy fog of sleep. His chair creaked as he stirred and began reactivating his computer, sifting through his papers, and the like.

"You know you won't be at your best like that," a voice said from across the room. It was Natasha's voice. "Someone brought back a file for you from forensics, too."

Clive did not reply, preoccupied with stretching his aching and unrested body. He stood to do so, and rounded the corner of his desk to pick up the file Natasha had alluded to. These should not have returned so early, but Clive wondered if the lab-rats on night shift knew what case the testing was for. There was still further testing being suggested to pinpoint an exact source for the ashes, but it was clear that the origin was from untreated wood. A tree or pile of firewood perhaps.

He placed the papers back onto his desk. Nature was calling, and he would not be able to enjoy the familiarity of his own bathroom that morning. He focused his efforts on not steadying himself and not stumbling as he tiredly left the office, not wanting to look like a fool in front of Nat. He relieved himself, vigorously washed his hands and face in cold water. After he worked through his morning routine the best he could, he studied himself in the mirror for a short moment. "Don't have time," he grumbled, straightening himself before marching back towards the office.

[Ashen]

The nighttime air did little to soothe her frazzled nerves, and as she pulled a cigarette or two from her purse, Yulia felt like she was about to collapse against the side of her apartment building. Her head was spinning with the impact of everything that had happened, and she couldn’t think straight. Despite her efforts, it felt like things were getting worse. Why had she ever thought she would be able to stop Avarice? To stop her? And now, because of her ambitious pride, her home was wrecked, her partner was in danger…not to mention all the people and Pokemon who had already suffered at the hands of Team Avarice. Her hands quaked, and her cigarettes fell from them to land on the ground. Yulia startled, then stomped out their flames. With this most recent attack, she and Clive were getting closer to achieving their goals—but she also felt that she was closer to losing herself entirely.

Clive stayed at her apartment later than she wanted him to, but she couldn’t blame him. He was being thorough, checking the place for whatever clues he could find, however negligible, and she was thankful for him. In her state, she wasn’t able to look things over with his attention. When they finally finished at her apartment, she recalled her Pokemon to their balls, packed more food and treats for them, and with Fritz in her hands, she bid Clive goodnight and headed back to her car.

Yulia didn’t remember getting to the hotel. Her car took her elsewhere, driving along new, narrow roads and back alleys, camouflaged by the darkness of the night. Fritz noticed something off when he awoke from his nap in the passenger seat. Yulia looked…different, eyes glazed over and lips shaping around something inaudible. He hissed at her, but she didn’t seem to notice. Wanting to get her attention, to ensure she was okay, Fritz leapt into her lap. Yulia panicked, swerving dangerously close to a telephone pole. The car skidded to a halt, and she sat there for a minute, panting. Her eyes turned towards the Glameow and narrowed. “You stupid fucking cat,” she barked in a voice wholly not hers, a voice that startled the Pokemon into lying down again. She started the car again, eager to continue what she’d started.

Back in the parking lot of the GDPD, Yulia blinked the world back into focus. There was a new gap in her memory, one that encompassed all of her night since she’d left her apartment. Why did she feel like she had gotten no sleep at all? She looked at herself in her mirror, then fixed the bags under her eyes with the makeup in her purse. Still looking tired, she shook herself awake and got out of her car. It was just about time to start her shift, so she figured that was where she’d been going before she lost her memories.

As she locked her car, she noticed her Glameow in the backseat, still asleep. “Fritz?” she murmured, confused, incredulous. She pulled open the door to scratch him behind his ears. The Pokemon looked over his trainer, and when familiarity crossed his eyes, he purred against her palm. “What are you doing here?” she asked, and she wished the Pokemon could answer her, could tell her all the things she couldn’t remember, all the things being kept from her.

Fritz meowed softly, as if to reply, but in the next moment, he jumped back, startled. A seizure ripped through his trainer’s body, paralyzing her, and Yulia fell to the ground, shaking. Her breath hitched, and she struggled to keep her grip on her consciousness, but her fight was futile, and everything went black.


~~~

The halls were long and narrow, and the torchlight coming from the sconces on the walls provided little insight to what this facility was used for. Angry footsteps echoed through the hall. Phoenix was here; she had ordered him to be, and she wouldn’t dare disobey her. She had a lot to say about his carelessness, about the clues he had left behind—not to mention his little pet, Sierra, who had been a thorn in her side for months now.

He was right where she’d told him to be, waiting for her. When he saw her, he stood and saluted, but she waved him off with a heavy grunt. “What is this?” she demanded, slamming a photo on the table between them.

Phoenix looked it over. It was a photo of Yulia’s apartment taken from Clive Oiler’s Rotom-phone. The ashes Phoenix had left were still strewn across the floor and over the furniture, and several things lay broken and in disarray, clearly visible even through the black-and-white filter. Phoenix hesitated. “I thought—”

“There’s no reason for us to scare Yulia,” she interrupted, fist slamming against the table. “Do you want to break her? We aren’t worried about her. Don’t you think the Oiler boy will link this to you? I can only imagine what clues you left for him—”

“He doesn’t—”

“Don’t interrupt me,” she snarled, silencing Phoenix. “Where’s Sierra?”

At that, Phoenix straightened. “She’s in custody,” he responded. “Last I heard, anyway.”

“Take care of her,” she said with a dismissive wave of the arm. “I don’t want her to start talking. She’s always had loose lips, that one.”

Phoenix mumbled. “Freya…?” he mumbled.

“Don’t question me,” she bit back. “And don’t you take matters into your own hands again. You work for me. Don’t forget that.” With that, she got up from her seat and stormed out, leaving Phoenix to think about the mistakes he’d made and the one he had left to make.


~~~


She was late. Yulia glanced at the clock on the top of her phone screen and cursed herself. Her head was pounding from where she’d fallen on the asphalt earlier, and dried blood ran from her new wound to her temple. She turned on the water and rubbed at the blood, all the while swearing under her breath. Fritz meowed warily behind her, but Yulia didn’t have the time to dote on him right now. “I have to get to work,” she told him.

In truth, she didn’t know how she’d gotten back to her hotel room, or where she had been for the past four hours. She could only imagine the mouthful she’d get when she got back to work. After these recent attacks, and the break-in, the police department needed her now more than ever, and she had disappointed everyone by disappearing without warning.

Once she was half-convinced she was presentable enough to face the public, she left her hotel and made her way to work, even if by the time she got there, her shift would be halfway over. She would make up for it by staying late, she told herself. She didn’t even have a good reason for why she’d missed so much time. I was passed out in a parking lot was only half true, but she couldn’t remember the whole truth. She never could.

She entered the building as a whirlwind, panting from running from the parking lot, and sat at her desk. She hadn’t looked at anything work-related before she’d arrived—she figured it would only make her more anxious, and she didn’t need to get into another almost-accident on her way—and now, her eyes fluttered over the screen trying to keep up with the notifications still streaming in. She hadn’t even seen Clive yet, who likely had his own share of questions and concerns for her to address.

Yulia got to work replying to emails and texts, then typing up additions to reports she’d already penned. She had more surveillance videos to watch, another report to read and respond to, and seemingly dozens of other ever-growing tasks. Apparently, Clive had already begun the forensic analyses of what he’d found in her apartment, too, and she needed to talk with him about that. Overwhelmed and exhausted already, Yulia’s work began lacking important details, and she was all too aware of her slipping quality.

She tried to gather her bearings while on a cigarette break. Yulia considered that being here, still working, wasn’t going to help anyone, but she couldn’t go home—where was home, anymore?—and she didn’t want to let her coworkers down, anyway. If she just focused, she could get through the documents she needed to read, maybe have another conversation with Sierra, or if she could just remember what she’d—

The cigarette fell out of her hand, and Yulia realized then that she was dozing off. She straightened, then put out the flame. She needed to find Clive, share updates—not that she had any, not really—and explain that she hadn’t been feeling well, but she was working on it. All her other duties could wait until she’d had some rest, but she wanted to know what, if anything, he’d found in her home.

[Headwrapper]

It was a quick trek back to Clive's desk, only taking a detour to get a cup of coffee. He took a sip of the liquid, paled to a near milky white from the generous helpings of cream and sugar that were added, and grimaced at the hint of coffee flavor. Dirty bean water, he thought sourly. Upon arriving at his desk, he lowered himself into his chair and took a second look at the various reports on his desk. The fingerprint scans he initiated earlier that night were completed. It turned up basically empty, as any matches had a very low probability of being correct. It would at least add new fingerprints in case they come across a repeat incident in the future.

Clive took a moment to pause and ponder the fingerprint findings. If there were no findings then the people involved would not have been the typical grunt who already had a history with crime. These were either people brand new to crime, or people too good to have ever been caught before. Why leave fingerprints behind then, if they were so good?

The detective moved on, raising the forensic report about the ash samples again. Unlike before, when he was still half-asleep and probably delirious, he took his time while rereading the report. "Measurable traces suggest raw material source is wood from an aged tree with no prior heat history or artificial treatment." After another pause, Clive turned and typed away at his computer. First, he gathered a list of lumberjacks in the Johto region. Then, he expanded the list further, as he requested information on the largest consumers of lumber. This included shops that sold firewood, charcoal makers, paper mills, fabricators, furniture dealers, and more. It would be impossible to review records of every inventory transaction for each of these companies, but Clive knew that in a few days time he would likely be able to narrow the list down. He put the word out to park rangers and property owners to be on the lookout for missing trees, in case Avarice decided to gather their own supplies.

When it was all said and done, Clive paid another visit to the forensics labs and put in another request for a round of tests with the remaining ash samples. He was also told that if he had suspicions on a source of the wood, if he could provide samples it would make it easier to pinpoint the specific species of tree the ashes were produced out of. With a promise to keep that in mind, Clive left the lab staff to their work so he could return to other matters.

He reread for the third, fourth, and fifth time, Yulia's report of her interview of Sierra. It was probably about time they approached her again, he thought. Who is her lawyer? he wondered. If it was someone who had a good relationship with the justice system, Clive could imagine they would strike up a deal to lessen her sentence if she complied and forfeited useful information. It would be a gamble for the GRPD though. There's not a whole lot of evidence suggesting that Sierra herself would know a lot of information. If anything she was just someone following orders, turned criminal by Avarice just like any grunt. Her crimes were also very clear, and it was arguable that she was definitely involved with the near-lethal maiming of Jean. Letting her off lightly would not look good to the public, the Chief, Natasha, Jean, or really anyone, if the information she had to offer did not help them.

Clive could not leave it up to chance. He began to review everything they had known about Sierra. Her previous tenure at the Goldenrod Gym, her supposed and unexplained abduction, her involvement with the terrorist attack, and... the statements from that strange girl that day. She had said Sierra's capture was imperative to her master's plan. Why would Phoenix need Sierra captured? Also, who exactly was that girl? She had powers of her own, it seemed, without necessitating the help from Pokemon to teleport. So confident in this ability that even in Yulia's apartment, she simply teleported herself to her position without taking so much as a step to move around, evidenced by her footprints. Sierra seemed to know who this girl was, and presumably her power also, since she sought after her help during the arrest. Maybe striking a deal with Sierra would be worth it if they had more information about the girl, in addition to Avarice's plans.

He decided he would broach the topic with Yulia, since he had left her in charge of interrogating Sierra before. It may have been time for him to take the wheel next time they talked to her, and possibly her lawyer.

When he did eventually find her, she was looking more ragged than he had been. He blinked his baggy eyes before furrowing his brows, giving Yulia a quick glance over. "You alright?" he questioned flatly.

After giving Yulia time to discuss or explain away her apparent exhaustion, Clive brought up the topic of Sierra and his earlier thoughts on the way things would likely go. He deliberately pointed out what he knew about the strange psychic girl, and his hope that identifying who or what she was might help them cripple part of Avarice's toolset. That would only be a bonus, if Sierra could explain anything in regards to Phoenix's plans.

[Ashen]

Clive looked as if he’d been hard at work all day, something Yulia couldn’t quite say of herself. Roses dotted her cheeks, embarrassed at having nothing to show for the hours she’d been here. She tried to shake the feeling and greeted Clive with a half-hearted smile. She was quick to wave away his concerned about her well-being. Yulia didn’t like people worrying about her, and by this point, making excuses for her black-out spells was second nature. Clive didn’t press her, and she was thankful for that. They were able to move on from talk of her and get to the important discussions about their work.

As always, while they discussed details about their mission, Yulia jotted down notes onto a pad she pulled from seemingly nowhere. Speaking with Sierra again was a good idea—as long as it wasn’t Yulia doing the interrogating. She thought of the last time she’d tried to talk with the girl, how Sierra had reacted to her, and her pen stilled in her hand, nervous. Yulia looked up over the frame of her glasses, gnawing her bottom lip. “Maybe we would have more success if you spoke with Sierra,” she suggested. “I’ll double-check which lawyer has been assigned to her, and I’ll reach out with them to schedule a meeting. If everything works out, we can conduct the interrogation as early as tomorrow.” She wrote reminders to herself to do the things she was going to, and then she set her pad back in her bag. Even if she was unfocused, she could at least complete these simple tasks, and it would make her feel a lot better for the work she didn’t do today.

When they finished speaking, Yulia nodded towards Clive and fluttered back to her desk to arrange that meeting with Sierra’s lawyer. After she’d done that, she looked over her notes again and stared at the one about the psychic Clive had mentioned. They didn’t know much about her, and it seemed the psychic wanted things to be kept that way. Yulia wanted to talk with her, to try to find out more about her ties with Avarice and what her goals were, but they didn’t know where to even begin in tracking her. Maybe the interrogation with Sierra would give them some kind of lead, but for now, Yulia sighed and made a small note to come back to that later.

It was getting late, so typing up the rest of her notes and sending a final email to the lawyer with Clive CC’d, Yulia gathered her things and started back to her apartment. It was only on the road that she remembered the state her apartment was in, that it was a crime scene now, and she paused, wondering where she should go. Yulia needed sleep; she knew that, but a part of her was drawn to her home. She wanted to again search for clues, to get back at the people who had done this to her. Clive had been thorough, sure, but maybe there was something she would see that he couldn’t, and—

She snapped out of her trance as a honk blared from the car behind her. Startled, Yulia realized she had been stopped at a traffic light that was no longer red, and she moved forward cursing herself for zoning out so bad. Now was not the time to bring her work home with her. But Avarice had never been just work to her—it was her whole life, and she was getting closer and closer to putting it all to rest.

Back in her hotel room, she let her Pokemon out of their Balls, fed them, and then got ready for a nap. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow, and she slept straight until morning. Yulia dragged herself out of bed and into the shower and got ready for work. By the time she got to the police department, she was two hours early for her shift, but she got to work anyway. It wouldn’t make up for her tardiness the day before, but it was a start.

By the time Clive arrived at his desk, he would find an email confirming the meeting time with Sierra and her lawyer. Yulia had spent a portion of the morning doing research on this lawyer, and she was excited to find he was new to the legal world. With any luck, they would be able to reach a conclusion easily, and they could start exploring whatever leads they got later today. She’d also made a list of things Clive needed to go over with Sierra—not that her partner needed the reminders, she knew, but spelling it out on paper helped her keep organized, and besides, she wanted to feel helpful.

Before he could even sit at his deck, Yulia was there, handing him the list she’d made and rambling about her speculations of Sierra’s connections to other members of Avarice and even to the psychic. “If you can get her to talk,” she went on, “it would be invaluable to us if she mentioned anything about Phoenix. I don’t expect her to want to share, though, so really emphasize what we can do with her prison sentence, and how grim it’ll look if she decides to not help us. I know how threatening you can look, so really use that to our advantage, yeah?” She smiled at him, showing that she meant no harm by her light jab. “Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know Jean’s recovery is going well. I spoke with Natasha about it earlier. Rumor has it he’ll be out of the hospital by the end of the week. Natasha is sure happy about that, but I would still keep out of her way after…well, you know.” She finally looked up from the papers her eyes were racing over and smiled awkwardly. “Oh,” she said quietly. “And good morning.”

Yulia seemed almost back to her usual, chipper, overeager self, but whether that was because she was feeling better after some rest or because she was masking how stressed she really was, not even she knew.

[Headwrapper]

The new began rather normally for Clive. After arising from his sleep, he slowly meandered his way into his living room, where his Pokemon had been resting. Even now, it was hard to sleep at night without the assurance that his Pokemon, with their heightened instincts and perception, were standing watch. He pretended not to notice his Umbreon stir slightly when he walked by on his way to the kitchen for some water.

After going about his morning routine, Clive marched dutifully to the police department and made his way to the office. Any lethargy or dullness from his earlier slumber was suddenly wrenched out of him the moment he stepped in, repelled by Yulia's energy. As Clive made his way to his desk, his partner had already approached him, spouting off all kinds of suggestions, speculation, news and words of encouragement. Clive quietly accepted the documents Yulia had prepared, feeling like an executive being briefed by their secretary before an important meeting as he did. He tried to glance over it briefly, but could not help himself from looking back up to Yulia every time she piled on a new piece of information.

Finally, Yulia's excited and wordy discourse slowed to a halt. Clive barely stifled a small chuckle in response to the girl's awkward smile, and he returned it with a grin of his own. "Good morning," he said, setting down his things. He rearranged a few items, and stowed his bag underneath of his desk. He leaned over his desk, pressing the tips of his fingers into as he did so. "Let's unpack all of that, shall we?"

He stepped back and picked Yulia's list back up. His eyes sped across the page as he skimmed through it, and eventually he mumbled a silent "okay". He frowned slightly, just before sitting down and flipping to a page in his notebook. The line on his forehead furrowed slightly as his eyes darted between the documents, and he eventually stopped to write a few notes and cross out some words to make corrections. "I'll get her to talk, without a doubt," he finally said. "But it's tricky. We can't get excited over every little thing she says, and we have to be careful about making any promises. She is young, which is all the more reason that she will tell us anything we would want to hear to help lessen her sentence, whether it's true, half-true, or completely untrue.

"Currently, Sierra's charges are all directly tied to the attack. We were not able to dig up anything else that was actually illegal, but those are still some hefty charges. So we can still learn a lot even if we keep the topics centered around the attack itself." Clive then began to describe his plans for the interrogation, emphasizing that a few minutes of preparation could save many hours, days, weeks, months, or years over the lifetime of a case. The clinical nature of his proposed approach outlined his talent and experience, his practice and study of the craft.

To Clive's annoyance, the lawyer pushed the meeting time to be in the afternoon. He speculated that it was to give him time to conflate Sierra's head with meaningless "tools" to stop her from potentially further criminalizing herself, and coach her to queue to her defense attorney when she was not comfortable with answers. Maybe the lawyer would even try to undermine the interrogator's approach by warning the suspect ahead of time about their practices... Which brought up a good point.

"Hey, where did you say this lawyer went to school? You said he's rather new, right?" He swiveled in his chair, waiting for an answer. Upon hearing the name of the law school, he quickly did a quick internet search and looked up the faculty there. He hummed to himself, writing down the names of who he saw, and quickly opened more browser tabs to search some other things. "Ah, these are all old school guys," he said. "So they all think like this..." He spun around in his chair and inched towards a bookshelf against the wall. From one end, he pulled out an older looking book, with binding that was rather worn with age. He tossed it on his desk and it landed with a loud thud.

"I bet at the academy they teach a few different methods for interrogation, yeah? Well all these old guys, all they know is the good ol' Reeves and Associates method. Probably the leading cause of false confessions and shaky evidence." He shook his head as he turned back towards Yulia. "So if this guy is anything like his mentors, he's probably telling Sierra that we're going to barge in there with a narrative and are going to try to bully her into saying things we want to hear. We'll cut her off from making any objections, and ask stupid questions like 'Did you do it because you were force or did you do it because you planned it'? He's coaching her to recognize those things and empower her to 'call us out' on it or whatever."

The scornful mockery in Clive's voice was thick, rich with his distaste for the topic. His annoyance was evident in his tone, but at the same time he almost conveyed something else. His eyes seemed to glaze over, suddenly under stimulated by the task at hand. Like someone who was bored.

[Ashen]

Yulia was fascinated, watching Clive ramble about his work like this. She was reminded of how much longer he had been at this than she had, and how much more she had to learn. She’d looked into the lawyer’s school, too, but she didn’t know the names of his professors like Clive seemed to. She wondered how many of them he had met personally, how many were infamous around the police department. She took mental notes on the methods he mentions, the names he brought up. It reminded her of the Academy, of studying too many things at once, of keeping different quotes straight and brainstorming ways around example lawyers. Those days felt so long ago now, and she found herself missing them.

And as Clive continued on, she thought with a chuckle to herself that perhaps Clive did, too. The way he spoke about this made her think he could be a professor himself. Though perhaps a tutor was more accurate; Yulia couldn’t imagine him in front of a whole classroom of students listing off things to look for during an interrogation. She also realized he didn’t particularly enjoy this. Clive seemed bored, and that made Yulia excited about what would happen after this interrogation. With any luck, they’d be able to follow whatever leads Sierra gave them, and that would put them back out in the field. Clive seemed happier out there, and Yulia thought back to the work they’d done together, the warehouse, the festival. If she had to choose, she thought being out there, looking for clues with her partner, was her favorite part of the job, too.

Yulia shook her thoughts. She was getting distracted again, so she refocused on the conversation and picked up the book Clive had tossed to his desk. Originally, she’d thought all the books Clive surrounded himself with were for show, so to see his familiarity with his shelves impressed her. As he thumbed the different spines, she picked up the book he’d chosen and sifted through the chapters. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen this title—she recognized it and many of Clive’s other books as staples in the library at the Academy—but she couldn’t remember the last time she had given it much thought. She asked Clive to borrow it, intending to reread it before the interrogation. Clearly, she still had a lot to learn.

They talked over different approaches to the interrogation over a couple cups of coffee, and since Sierra’s lawyer kept postponing their meeting, they temporarily went their separate ways. Yulia returned to her desk with Clive’s book, eager to explore the topics he had brought up in their conversation. At some point, she realized she needed to eat lunch, so with plenty of time still before the interrogation, she made her way to the vending machines down by the entrance and brought something small back to her desk. There was still much to do, and she didn’t want to let her lunch distract her.

There was still the topic of that psychic. Yulia made a note to contact Sabrina to ask her about her girls, if any of them had been missing lately, or if any had been acting suspiciously. Clive had seen their psychic more than Yulia had, so Yulia thought the two of them could pay Sabrina’s gym a visit, maybe even entertain the idea of a Pokemon battle while they were there. Of course, they would also have Sierra’s leads to follow—if she ended up giving them any—and just thinking about all the work they’d have to do soon would make anyone overwhelmed. Yulia was far from it; with so many things to do, she felt alive, useful, and all the closer to stopping Team Avarice.

When the time for their meeting finally came around, Yulia walked with Clive to the interrogation room, bid him good luck, then walked to an adjacent room to take a seat. From here, she could watch the whole interrogation from a one-sided mirror. Clive’s book laid on the table in front of her, and she was ready to reference it as if she would be tested on it later. She glanced at the people in the next room, at Sierra and she sat up a bit straighter. Sierra couldn’t see her, wouldn’t recognize her from here, and Yulia took solace in that. The fear that had been in her eyes the last time they’d seen each other… That was a clue in and of itself, but not one she could voice to Clive or anyone. If Yulia had to guess, the girl had gotten into serious trouble among Avarice, which meant she had lots to tell them.

It was a shame, if Yulia really thought about it, how young Sierra was and how she was already tied up in such a mess. She wondered what would happen to the poor girl once this was all over. What would happen to Yulia herself. She tried not to think about it, and as she shook the thoughts from her head, she turned her attention back to the next room. So distracted, she realized she’d missed what Clive had just said, and she cursed herself for it. As she caught up on the interrogation, she pulled a pen out of her jacket pocket and wrote down all the things Sierra said that she thought might lead them somewhere. By the time the interrogation was done, in addition to all the things Clive had made note of, they would have an extensive list of new things to explore.

[Headwrapper]

The majority of the Clive's time was spent preparing for the upcoming interrogation. After giving it much thought and discussing it through with Yulia, Clive eventually decided on his approach. He kept a mental list of the questions that needed answered, and tried to formulate ways to answer them depending on the direction the discussions would go. There was no way of knowing how Sierra would react to Clive's presence, since he had been the one to arrest her. Clive had a guess as to what ways the lawyer may try to prepare Sierra, but again, he had know way of knowing how seriously she would take his advice.



Sierra waited patiently in the interrogation room. Her wrists were bound to either end of the rigid, thick wooden table in front of her. The room was bright, making the details of everything around her extremely apparent. She could see the outline of her broken thumbnail, the bruises around her wrists from fighting her restraints a few days prior. She could clearly see the wrinkles and lines on her lawyer's face as he read through his documents, waiting as silently as she was. What she could not see was anything outside of the brightly lit room. The heavy door had excessively thick seals around its perimeter, blocking any outside light from contaminating the room. The pane of glass the nearly took up the entire wall to her right was was reflective as can be. From her side, anyway.

There was an abrupt knock on the door, and it suddenly opened. The door's swing was quick, but uncharacteristically silent, and a figure emerged through it. He moved with silent, deliberate movements, hardly making any unnecessary sounds as he did so. After quietly closing the door from behind him, his dark eyes looked towards Sierra and her lawyer. Sierra steeled herself, trying remain quiet as she drew a long breath through her nostrils and stared back in return. She remembered those eyes, which seemed to scan feverishly before intensely focusing on their subjects.

The man politely introduced himself, acknowledging both Sierra and the defense attorney as he did so. The girl kept herself calm throughout the formalities- she had been prepared about the deceptive and manipulative methods the detectives would use. Predictably, Clive Oiler made her aware of her rights, released one of her handcuffs so that she could be more comfortable, and stated that he wished to hear about her account of the attack that took place in Goldenrod City. So, the lengthy discussion began.

The first several minutes of questions were easy to answer. The attorney had told her beforehand to expect several "soft balls". She answered a few of the questions without reason to reserve any information, such as her name, age, and some of her trainer information. Other questions, which seemed to be slightly more personal in nature, were shot down by her attorney. Sierra was surprised to see Clive's reaction to such challenges. She expected him to push back. She expected him to try to maintain dominance of the situation, lash back out, voice annoyance, bare his teeth. He did nothing of the sort. Rather, he would continue to write in his hardbound notebook, and the dark eyes would glance up again... and watch. They watched the attorney first, usually, as if waiting to make sure he was finished speaking. They would then move to Sierra briefly, offering the same opportunity, occasionally soliciting her to nod in agreement with her attorney.

Those moments were the worst. They were silent, and cold. Sierra knew the maneuver was a calculated and rehearsed move, but it was far enough from what she expected that she still could not help but feel rattled each time. Authority, at least in her mind, was supposed to be loud. They should be outraged at any hint of what they perceived as defiance. Their compassion should be evident, their emotions bright and hot. This man was after something different, as if his mind was racing elsewhere.

Finally, the detective directly broached the topic of the attack. The attorney allowed Sierra to tell her account of what had happened, at least in the way they had previously agreed upon. Clive listened patiently, seemingly writing even less than he was before. Before he asked more questions, he thanked her for the retelling, a gesture that stirred the discomfort in the room again. Even her attorney stirred slightly in his seat.

"Everything you've recounted seems to match up with the facts that we have gathered," Clive went on to say. He straightened himself in his seat and leaned forward, placing his forearms on the table while looking towards the attorney. "Look, there's no question, this attack was a big deal. It's gotten the attention of a lot of people, and you can imagine there is a lot of pressure to make sure that innocent people do not get hurt again, and..." He paused for a long moment, and turned his head towards Sierra. The bags below his eyes were almost darker as he looked her over sadly. "And to stop Phoenix from victimizing others for his greedy ways. He should be the one behind bars right now, and there are plenty of reasons to arrest him. We just have not found him yet."

The attorney cleared his throat before chiming in. "And what are you suggesting?"

"Well, based on the information that Phoenix has made public, he was clearly involved with the attack. I also believe that Sierra may have some insight to his motives, or can at least give me details about how he issues his orders."

"My client has already made it clear that she is not interested in further incriminating herself. There is also shaky evidence around some of her current charges, meaning it is very probable that she may face a lesser sentence than what she was even arrested for."

"Several eye witnesses recounted that she gave the order that almost killed a detective on the scene," Clive quickly replied, his dangerous gaze directed entirely towards the attorney. "She destroyed a city Gym in the process, and put people and Pokemon in harm's way. Throw out any delusions of leniency. Not from the courts, nor from the public." The attorney opened his mouth to say something again, but Clive continued on. "I don't need fodder or any additional incriminating evidence, not for this. The moment an officer of the law was sliced open from knee to shoulder, I would have everything I would need offer to the prosecution. Did you know that had the wound began just two inches to the left, it would have punctured that man's femoral artery and he would have bled to death as the rubble crashed around him. A man who just finished putting criminals behind bars for embezzling funds from various Pokemon Centers in the region.

Mistakes happened. But while we piss around in here, the actual criminals are out there, and they will keep hurting people and Pokemon. And they will take young people and toss them aside to save their own skin. They threw you out like trash, Sierra, I was there and I saw it. And what are they doing to your Persian, huh?"

"I would like a moment to converse with my client in private, please."

Clive licked his dry lips, and glanced around once before nodding. "Five minutes." He gathered his things, turned off the microphone on the wall, and left the room. After letting out an audible sigh, he walked to join Yulia in the other room, where she had been watching.

"He's asking her to make the plea deal," he said, watching through the glass. Sierra seemed frustrated. Although they could not hear her, she swayed from side to side in her chair as she spoke. Her skin was started glow red, and she could not stop a few stray tears from rolling down her cheeks.

When Clive returned to the interrogation room, the discussion continued for several more hours. Sierra and her attorney agreed that she could share more information, but they asked for a lesser sentence and that any further evidence drawn from the discussion could not be used to incriminate her further. After frequent back-and-forths, Clive leaving the room to "review" several times, and many one-on-ones between Sierra and her attorney, an agreement was finally reached. "This is great," Clive commented. "You are going to help a lot of people, Sierra. And you are going to show them that you are even stronger than they are."

"Just promise you will catch him," Sierra replied. She looked serious, and Clive was intrigued to know what images were in her mind that she suddenly became hellbent on capturing Phoenix.

"With any luck, we'll do more than that," Clive said, and they got to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After some time discussing with Sierra, Clive eventually adjourned the interrogation for the day. He had concerns for the girl's well-being and ability focus after several hours of tension. Others may have claimed the move was ill-advised, as it presented an opportunity for the girl to fabricate stories, rethink her decisions, or ultimately back out on their agreement entirely. Clive would have argued that the girls tired, battered, mind was just as likely to produce incorrect statements, and lead to other frustrations. They reconvened the next day.

"Do you drink coffee, Sierra?" Today, Clive sat on one side of the table so that there was not as much obstructing him and Sierra from each other. He rotated his cup of hot chocolate slowly before taking a sip.

"No, I don't like it very much," she said. "Like the sweet stuff with a lot of creamer is okay."

"I don't like it either," Clive said. "That's hot chocolate in there."

After a few more hours, Clive had everything that Sierra claimed she had to say. There was a lot to unpack, to say the least, and Clive could almost hear Yulia bouncing against the one-way mirror in anticipation, ready to chatter his ear off while he still digests it all. He had to admit, any excitement would be justified. They did a damn good job. Furthermore, there was a lot to be worried about:

Firstly, Sierra had shared more information about the day of the attack, and the reasons for the attack on the gym. Avarice had organized the various attacks across different teams, so she did not have many details about how the heists on the magnet train stations or the the raid on the department store inventory were carried out. Her attack on the gym, she suspected, was merely a way for Avarice to overwhelm the justice department's resources to make the other raids more successful. "He knew that I had personal reasons for returning to the Gym," she said. "That was where he first recruited me, and made me believe that they could make me... better."

"Better how?" Clive asked.

"They make you feel stronger. They give you access to their powerful Pokemon. They put money in your pockets. They even make you feel more beautiful, healthier, which was a big deal for some people. They promise you path forward so that you can beat anyone who you thought was better than you before. Phoenix was the one who did those things with me... And when he told me I was ready to go back to Goldenrod I didn't know he was using me for other plans."

Sierra continued to describe the events and the planning she was a part of leading up to the attack. Eventually, Clive asked her why Phoenix would go so far to make sure the other plans would succeed. Sierra hesitated, thinking for a moment, but then responded. "He needs more resources to finish his plans. His plans to catch legendary Pokemon." She straightened in her seat, sensing Clive's stare suddenly watching her.

That was when Sierra had gone on to explain Phoenix's plans to reign in his namesake, the Legendary Ho-oh. In order to capture such a powerful Pokemon, he required the Legendary Beasts, Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. Not only would these Pokemon powerful, but they were linked to Ho-oh, as was told by their legends. If Avarice could acquire all three, control them and amplify their power, Phoenix would easily be able to flush out Ho-oh. Using Avarice's new powerful beasts and the other resources at their disposal, they would capture the legendary bird. Phoenix desired to control Ho-oh himself, and be one of the most powerful and indispensable members of Team Avarice. Unknown to the public, his lab already has Entei in their custody, and work was already started to amplify this Pokemon's power.

"The beasts are challenging, of course," Sierra had explained. "Phoenix spent a long time building his way up, stealing and capturing powerful and rare Pokemon until he grew strong enough to match Entei, Raikou, and Suicune's strengths. They have been quite elusive, but with enough resources and the right Pokemon he only needs to find each one of them once to guarantee their capture."

Eventually, Sierra exhausted all she knew about the plan to capture the legendary beasts, and ultimately Ho-oh. "What of the psychic that was present during the attack?" Clive asked.

"I don't know her name, but Phoenix keeps her close by. She is a very strange girl, and does not seem to take very much seriously. It's almost like she thinks she is just playing, so she is happy to get a chance to use her powers. I've seen her do as little as fetch food for Phoenix and as much as steal certain Pokemon for him. The strangest thing I've ever seen her do though, is say 'no'. It rarely happens, but it has. Phoenix will ask her to do something, and it might seem trivial even, and she will shake her head and refuse, saying something like 'that is not what I'm supposed to be doing right now'. We always thought it just had something to do with her... strangeness, and never thought more of it."

After bidding Sierra farewell, Clive left and rejoined Yulia in the other room. He set his notebook down, and pressed his hands firmly against his face. "Here we are," he said.

[Ashen]

The back-and-forth action between Clive and Sierra’s lawyer kept Yulia at the edge of her seat, her gaze restlessly flicking between the two men as they deliberated over the future of the young girl sitting by them. The notepad she’d been using was already filled with the things she wanted to remember or notes she wanted to bring up with Clive later, and as the interrogation dragged on, she eventually filled up the margins of the paper, too. Her excitement was palpable; they were getting real leads now, information they could act upon, that would bring them closer to their goals. Still, Yulia couldn’t bite back the bitterness she felt for Avarice, to have manipulated a young girl like Sierra, too small to be in a place like this, too young, too naïve. She certainly wasn’t the only person Avarice had wronged, and Yulia felt for all those they would never be able to help.

Realizing that everyone was growing weary, and that continuing the interrogation in this state would lead to less accurate information and more frustration, Clive decided to end the meeting for the day and reconvene tomorrow. That night, Yulia typed up all the notes she’d collected during the interrogation along with her speculations and reminders—mostly to herself—to research certain things further. When she made it back to the room adjacent the interrogation room again, she had a new notepad, and she was ready for more details.

This day was far more lucrative. Sierra had a lot to say about Phoenix, whom she had been working under, and who had used her only to discard her when he was finished. As Sierra spoke, Yulia’s pen raced across her notepad. Even if what had happened with Sierra was an unfortunate byproduct of Avarice’s many heinous acts, Yulia could take solace in knowing the young girl was using her situation to help other people, even if it wasn’t her intention. And with all the new information she was giving them, Yulia was confident they would be closer than ever to putting an end to this.

And yet, as Yulia watched Sierra through the one-way mirror, she felt a pang of guilt seize her. Maybe it should have been her in Sierra’s seat, talking about what Avarice had done to her. She quickly swallowed the thought, unwilling to even think about other paths she could have taken. She was a detective, one of the lead ones on Team Avarice’s case, and now was no time to regret her decisions.

By the time Clive finished with his interrogation, Yulia had already returned to her desk to type up the updates for that day. There were many, and combined with the notes from yesterday, the document she ended up emailing to Clive was several pages long. She attached an apology for that in her email, then, after making a quick stop in the lobby, made her way back to the other room, where she found Clive already waiting. “Yeah,” she replied, just as surprised to have so much new information. She held out a water bottle that she’d gotten from a vending machine downstairs. “I thought you’d be exhausted, after such a long chat. Congratulations on getting her to actually talk.”

After Clive had taken the water bottle, Yulia reached for her phone and pulled up the document she had just sent to Clive. She told him about it, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. “We have so many new avenues to explore,” she said. “If we’re to believe Sierra, then we know where we’ll find Phoenix next, and once we’ve got him, the rest of Avarice won’t last long. He’s a major player, and if we can ambush him, find him before he catches Suicune and Raikou…” Her voice trailed as her thoughts tripped over themselves, an overeager mess. Yulia took a moment to breathe before continuing. “We should track down Raikou. I’m sure Phoenix will be doing the same. It’s the less elusive of the two, so I think it’s a better bet than Suicune. Then we can wait for Phoenix, and arrest him before he can disrupt the legendary beast, and even if Phoenix keeps his mouth shut, I get the feeling Avarice will crumble without him.”

Yulia looked back at her notes, and she brushed over the section she’d started about the psychic. It seemed no one knew much about her, but if she was working with Avarice like Sierra seemed to suggest, then Yulia figured she was an enemy of theirs. “I don’t know what to make of the psychic,” she admitted. They would try to find out more, but they couldn’t afford to get too hung up on her, even if she was an unpredictable wild card.

After that, Yulia paused, heat rising to her cheeks. She’d been talking a lot, and she realized Clive would likely want to rest after such a long and draining discussion with Sierra and her lawyer. Yulia reminded him of the document waiting for him in his email, then fluttered off to her desk to get started on the notes she’d left for herself.

Yulia didn’t noticed time passing her by, and after compiling all her new findings into a document that was even longer than the one she’d sent Clive earlier that day, she realized it was long past the end of her shift. She was thankful for Sierra and all the information she had volunteered, because acting on it like this gave Yulia a sense of purpose. She could convince herself she was actively working to stop Team Avarice, and that made her feel less guilty about not doing enough.

In the days that followed the interrogation, Yulia and Clive spent most of their attention coming up with a plan to catch Phoenix. They were in contact with several scientists who devoted their lives to tracking legendary Pokemon, and eventually, they settled on a date and time to seek out Raikou. They weren’t worried about Phoenix capturing the Pokemon he needed; instead, they were excited about this opportunity to stop him and Avarice.

Also in that time, Sierra had been sent to a separate facility far away from Goldenrod to protect her from Team Avarice. She would be serving a shortened sentence, and though Yulia was sure the young woman would never want to see her face again, she wanted to send her a thank-you at some point, after Phoenix was in custody, because it was Sierra who had made any of these plans possible. Jean had also been released from the hospital, and though he was stubbornly against it, he was staying home on his doctors’ orders. Reparations were underway to fix all the damage Avarice had caused in their attack, too. Things really were getting better, and as the detectives plotted to stop a major figure in Avarice’s ranks, they finally had hope again.


~~~

Phoenix fiddled with the Dusk Ball in his hands, a bored look on his face. He didn’t want to be having this conversation, and every part of his body language showed that. “I say let them come to me,” he mused. “It’s not like I can’t take them on.”

Her brows creased, and she heaved an aggravated sigh. “I need you to be prepared. Don’t underestimate them.” She met his gaze with a cold look. “None of your pointless theatrics.”

Phoenix sat up, sizing up Avarice’s leader. “If I didn’t know better, boss, I’d say you’re scared of ‘em.”

That only angered her. “I’m not,” she answered coolly, “but you should be. Don’t make me regret my decision of putting you at my right hand. You’ve already sabotaged us by not offing Sierra when I told you to. If you ruin this, too…” She didn’t have to finish her sentence for Phoenix to know how serious she was.

There was a lot riding on this mission, but he was sure, once Ho-Oh was under Avarice control, they would be unstoppable. He flashed her a grin that didn’t betray the fear in his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he told her, setting the Dusk Ball down. “Ho-Oh won’t let us down.”

[Headwrapper]

It was a pleasantly warm, cloudy day in Goldenrod. The clouds and sun seemed to work together to create an enjoyable balance of shade and sun rays. The sun would occasionally pass throw the clouds, warming up the skin of any travelers, commuters, and others spending their time outdoors. Then, just when one would think they have had enough warmth and sunlight, the clouds would provide shade once again. This brought about a pleasurable result for most people and Pokemon, and many would be enjoying the agreeable weather of that day.

Between the thick trees in one of the more heavily forested areas of the National Park, the shade was ever present, resulting in a slightly cooler climate. Nocturnal or otherwise photophobic Pokemon made their homes here, within the hollows of trees, in dens beneath the earth, hidden amongst the shrubbery and foliage, and even within the small streams and creeks. Few travelers ventured here. Any semblance of walking trail was rather discreet, and the only viable city or town one could travel to through the National Park would be Olivine City, which could be more easily reached through official routes or even by ferry. Regardless, deep within these untamed woods, surrounded by nocturnal Pokemon and guided only by a few tree markers, a detective trekked at a casual pace.

Clive Oiler of Goldenrod City vanished into this forest in a search for peace and quiet, for salvation from the eventfulness of the last several, busy days. He had only been drifting between the trees for less than an hour, and did not intend to continue for much longer. That was all the time he needed to gather himself, reorganize all of his thoughts from the last few days, and forge his resolve for the next several days to come. There was much to reflect upon from the days that immediately followed the fruitful interrogation and eventual collaboration with Sierra.

Firstly, Clive and Yulia were subjected with a torrent of information related to the legendary beasts and their travel patterns. They spoke with scientists and lorekeepers that have each spent a considerable number of years studying the subject, and who did their best to condense the understanding from that study to simple information that the detectives could quickly understand and put to use. They learned about the techniques that were developed to predict the paths each beast followed, based on years worth of reported sightings. How these routes occasionally changed, even spread to other regions. They learned about the technology available to isolate the sound of each beast's bark, the effects their presences had on the weather around them, even the chemical artifacts left behind in nature by their mysterious powers.

Meanwhile, Clive was still on damage-control duty with the public. Although most of the developments of the case had to remain a secret, he was asked to continue to make statements to the media about the state of things. These types of conversations were draining for the regularly withdrawn detective. His role was clear: to advertise the hotline for the public to report any known information about the case, provide assurance that justice would ultimately be served, and insist that until that day comes, the people and Pokemon of Goldenrod, Johto, even the world, would be safe from the wretched Team Avarice. Save for maybe the first of these three distinct duties, these tasks took a great deal of mental strain for an individual who is regularly reclusive, and whose most notable public appearance resulted in a rather dangerous outburst. Each statement he made to a reporter, every small tremor in his voice chronicled by a microphone, every determined look caught on camera, required deliberate control and calculation. One could argue, and not be incorrect in saying so, that some of Clive's public statements were genuine, came naturally, and that were fueled by his passion to upend Avarice. It would be wrong to say that expressing such thoughts outwardly, unguarded by the binding of a report or safe within a note file on his laptop, was natural for Clive. So, he constantly shielded his facade. Fueled by his own willpower, he projected the image of justice that was expected from him, and kept his temper reigned in.

There was also the matter of Yulia, who stirred certain thoughts and emotions for Clive that needed reflected upon. The young detective's mood had bounced back considerably since the terrorist attack on Goldenrod. It had to, and rather quickly at that, in order for her to continue her work to bring Avarice to justice. With this recovery came a lot of energy. The plans they had in motion placed them unimaginably close to finally capturing Phoenix and initiating what they hoped would be downward spiral of the criminal organization he was so important to. This proximity to the cusp of what they had been so eager for created a sense of urgency in Yulia. Clive blamed himself slightly for his inability to keep up with the excitement, having before been able to match the young woman's endurance as they spent hours reviewing, planning, speculating, and searching. Zeroing in on the target, obsessing over it, was in Clive's nature too. He would never claim that there was anything wrong with, and believed that any great detective had that trait, regardless of any personal sacrifices it may have lead to.

Where he did differ however, was the ability to share that excitement with another, even a close partner. Clive had no experience feeding off of the energy of a partner, and like his public appearances, found the experience exhausting at times. Yulia's excitement fueled her focus and diligence for the work, and so Clive would continue to allow her to ramble on and reaffirm her stalwart efforts to the cause. After all, whether he liked it or not, was that not another role for the more senior detective to play? Like his other efforts, the frequent masking and fulfillment of an expected role drained away at Clive's mental battery.

All of this did not take away from one final subject on the man's mind: the personal file he kept on his aforementioned partner, Yulia. Sometimes he thought about just scrapping the whole thing, just dropping it and moving on. After all, he made the file during an emotional time, a time where his relationship with his fledgling partner had grown strained and was clinging on by a strand. Much has happened since then, and despite all of the mistakes, there was no doubt about Yulia's dedication to the cause. However, he could not bring himself to do so. There was still some suspicious details and unexplained, or rather, not satisfactorily explained, behaviors and events around Yulia. The way she spoke about Avarice, it was clear her disdain for them predated her involvement with the case. Over the years, Clive had met many who were passionate about their cases, for varying reasons. He had seen people who had a true passion for justice and people who saw some glory in solving their cases. Yulia's eagerness came from a different place, he just did not know where.

The detective paused as the sight of a young woman came into view, peering from behind the trees. Her sparkling blue eyes watched him from afar, and her sky blue hair fell behind her shoulders in a neat ponytail. After fully emerging from behind the trees, Clive's partner straightened her pencil skirt and adjusted her scarf.

"You're getting too good at that," Clive said after drawing a long breath, and he waved a hand at the illusion before him. As if the image was commanded by Clive himself, it yielded, and Yulia's figure dissolved into a mist where the detective's Zorua was standing. The Pokemon squeezed its eyelids happily, clearly content with its work. A red beam of light connected with the Zorua, sending it back into its Pokeball.

After finally getting his fill of alone time with his Pokemon, Clive reemerged from the forest of trees and was back in the main area of the National Park. He headed southward, to get back to his work. As he marched, he noticed a large figure, hunched over a proportionally large walker, making his way towards one of the benches. "J-Jean?"

"Wait," the large man groaned under his breath as Clive approached. Slowly and painstakingly, he used his walked to support himself to turn around, and then slowly lowered himself onto the seat. A long, slow, growl rumbled in his throat as he did, and once it had passed he looked up towards Clive with a large smile. "Hello," he finally said. His voice boomed, but Clive noticed it was not quite as loud as he normally expected out of Jean, the powerhouse of a man.

"Are you okay to be walking around like this?" Clive asked.

Jean laughed, carefully and quietly, and slowly leaned back slightly to pull his muscle shirt to the side. He was wearing a white tanktop underneath of it, which he slid up slightly. "It's all healed now, they sewed me up nice," he said, alluding to the long, messy scar that nearly divided him in two. He was right, it had healed, and there were no traces of wet gore or infection. "They said if I can manage it, some exercise would be good.

"What about you? Do you have the time to be leisurely stroll through the park? You have some bad guys to catch, don't you?" He chuckled for a second, but his face then grew serious. "Nat showed me what you said... Even I know you should be more careful than that. You know what they're capable of."

Clive turned his head away, sucking on the inside of his lip. Jean's words and tone had a way of humbling him, like a younger brother being mentored by his elder. He supposed that Natasha had the same effect on him, in her own way. "Yeah. It's making for some good articles, at least. Like something straight out of a movie." He cleared his throat before looking down towards Jean. "It's good to see you're in good health."

Suddenly, Clive's Rotom phone vibrated. After a quick series of buzzes, it floated from his pocket and floated in front of him. "Oh... Uh, Jean, I need to go. It was good to see you. Stay safe." Quickly, he snatched Rotom out of the air and hurried off, nearly running.

After a quick trek back to Goldenrod, Clive hurried his way through the doors of the weather research labs that had been solicited to assist with predicting Raikou's next appearance. "I got the message," he said, glancing over to Yulia, who had arrived sooner than him. "This is earlier than we thought, isn't it? Are we sure it could really be... Raikou?"

"Well it's not anything we were anticipating, I can tell you that much," said one of the researchers, standing from his chair and reaching over his computer monitor for some papers and folders. "A thunderstorm is suddenly gathering over Mt. Mortar, which is not typical for the area. The present weather patterns did not lead to any predictions for thunder there, either. Whatever is going on over there is not normal weather, we know that." The researcher quickly flopped back on his chair, quickly grabbing the thermos full of coffee that he almost knocked over. "It might be Raikou, it might be Zapdos, or it might just be a cluster of Pikachu. We haven't seen anything in that area on our satellites except dark clouds."

Clive frowned, staring long and hard at the screens in front of them. When he straightened himself, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Yulia. "Are we ready for this? We haven't had time to prepare anything, anyone. It's just us and whoever we can scrounge up in the next couple of hours."

[Ashen]

It wasn’t unlike Yulia to bury herself in her work and ignore everything else in her life. Sprawled out on her couch in her pajamas, a half-finished cup of coffee by her laptop, and dark rings under her eyes had been her default state while still at the Academy, and now, she was happy to return to the nostalgic position. She took another sip of cold coffee before hitting send on the email she had drafted to the chief. Next, she had an email from one of the legendary Pokemon researchers to read and reply to, and she still had more details to add to her never-ending reports. Soon, she and Clive would be preparing to go face-to-face with Raikou, the thunder Pokemon itself, but beforehand, there was so much still to do.

Before she could continue getting through the emails constantly flooding her inbox, Yulia’s attention was pulled to the loud rumbling of her phone against the coffee table. She quickly set her laptop aside to reach for it, but the laptop balanced too close to the edge, and she ended up nearly throwing her phone in the process. The sound of her hitting it against the coffee table to catch it with probably too much force was enough to startle Fritz, who had been asleep in her lap. “Sorry,” she mumbled to him, offering him a scratch on the chin to make up for it. She then grabbed her phone and swiped away her notification.

“Yulia!” The familiar voice crept through her apartment and sent a shiver down the investigator’s spine. It was just the person she wanted to hear from the least.

“I’m busy,” Yulia replied, shoving her phone aside and returning to her laptop. “Go away.”

The other woman laughed, and Yulia swore it sounded almost too villainous to be real. It was loud, too loud, and Yulia snapped her hands over its source in an effort to quiet it. She tried to ignore her and clicked on the next email in her queue, but she couldn’t concentrate, not with someone waiting for her to take the bait like this.

Yulia groaned, then asked, “What do you want, Freya?”

Freya paused, as if trying to find the right words. “I’d like to offer a recommendation,” she said. “You know, this Avarice case is kinda taking over your life. It’s embarrassing. Have you spoken to anyone but your partner since you’ve been on it?”

Yulia huffed. “If you’re contacting me just to insult my social life, you’re wasting your time.” She considered something, then added, “If you’re here to tell me to step down from the case, I’ll tell you now what I’ve been telling you for years. No.”

Freya sighed. “It was worth a shot,” she said quietly. “In that case, maybe you should call Mama. It’s been months, or maybe years, hasn’t it? Give her the goodbyes she deserves. Tell her Freya misses her.”

Yulia glanced towards her phone. Even though it was her day off, she felt like there was too much work to do to be wasting time talking with Freya. “I’m not doing that,” she said coldly. “What, are you threatening me now?”

Freya laughed. “I know you and the Oiler boy are after Raikou,” she said. “And I know you’re not coming out of that unscathed. If Phoenix doesn’t kill you, maybe Clive will.”

Before she could stop herself, Yulia stood, anger balling her fists and creasing her brow. “How do you know about that?” she snarled.

There was a beat of silence, then, “I cheated a little. Sue me. Anyway, I look forward to seeing how it plays out. You must think you’re very close to stopping me, eh Yules? So I look forward to watching you fail. Again.”

Yulia drew in a breath. Freya was trying to get under her skin, to throw her off, so that she wouldn’t be able to do her job. She had to calm down and think things through. If Freya knew about their plans to ambush Phoenix, that changed everything. They needed to re-plan everything, and train more, so that even with Phoenix expecting them, he would not win.

“You sound awful,” Freya continued. “Maybe you should drink something. Have you moved at all today?” When Yulia didn’t answer, she sighed. “Well, whatever. It’s your life you’re wasting. Try not to work yourself to death though, okay?” Still being ignored, Freya laughed. “Alright then. Goodbye, my favorite sister.”

Yulia hissed. “Fuck you,” she spat, but there was no response. Freya was already gone. Yulia tried again to focus on her work, but Freya’s voice echoed in her mind. Yulia wasn’t going to let her take this away from them. They were too close to catching Phoenix, and whether he was expecting them or not, Yulia intended to bring him into custody.


~~~

Not long after her conversation with Freya, Yulia’s phone came alive with a new notification, this one summoning her to a research facility in Goldenrod. She and Clive had been there before; some of the researchers there were helping them track Raikou. She wasn’t at all prepared for such a summons. Yulia chugged the remainder of her coffee, threw on a blazer and skirt, then hurried out the door to make the drive. It wasn’t long after she’d arrived that Clive joined her, and together they found the researcher who broke the news.


Raikou moved on its own schedule, and it didn’t seem to care that Yulia and Clive were not at all ready to meet it. Yulia wanted to shake her head, to tell Clive that this was better left for when they were better prepared, but she knew that wasn’t a smart move. If the legendary Pokemon was making its presence known at Mt. Mortar, it wouldn’t be long before Phoenix went there with intentions to capture it.

Yulia sighed, frustration crawling up her throat. This day was not going her way, and she was starting to get anxious. “We have to go,” she told Clive. “This isn’t ideal, I know, but if we don’t go now, we might miss our chance to bring Phoenix down.” She thought back to her conversation with Freya. How had she known Raikou was this near? There wasn’t time to question that now. All they could do was take this opportunity, be careful, and hope nothing went wrong.

[Headwrapper]

Clive drew a long breath through his nostrils, taking a long moment to consider Yulia's reply. It was indeed the one he expected, and certainly one that he agreed with. That did not make the task cut out for them any easier, though. "Right," he said plainly. He called over to the researchers as he patted his breast pocket, the motion to summon his Rotom-phone that had become all too natural. "Let's get a move on then, there's no time to waste." He turned and left the room, leaving the researchers to gather their things in a mad scramble.

After coordinating a couple of phone calls, Clive hopped in his car and made his intentions known on the police radio as well. Once Yulia had joined him, he floored it to Ecruteak City, a van of researchers' and equipment following closely behind. Once there, they had to slow down. Around Ecruteak City there were no proper roads meant for automobiles. Clive knew of a path that was just wide enough to fit the car and just trodden down enough to be driven on that would lead them close to Mt. Mortar. In order to avoid collision with a tree or a wild Pokemon, he had to drive slow. It may have been easier and just as fast to walk, but the it was imperative to their ability to control the situation that the researchers were able to bring their devices. They would be able to alert them of any more shifts in weather, or pinpoint the location of an anomaly or spikes in electrical energy.

The path through the trees was dark, the view of the skies above obstructed by the lush green leaves. Even so, the detectives' surroundings grew even darker as they approached Mt. Mortar. A rush of rain drops began to pour down from above them, accompanied by flashes of lightening and the crackling of thunder. They were approaching the center of the storm, and also the base of Mt. Mortar. When they did finally reach a clearing, Clive pulled his car closer to the base of the mountain before shutting it down.

He threw on one of their raincoats, grabbed a large flashlight, and stepped out into the torrential rainfall. The heavy rush of rain drops impeded his vision of everything, and he was hardly able to make out anything much further passed his own nose. He cursed out loud, which no one heard over the pounding of rainfall. He hurried over to the researchers' van and knocked on the window. "Anything?" he shouted over the rain, shielding his face with his sleeve.

"Whatever it is, it's higher up the mountain, towards the peak. There's no way anyone can get up there, especially in all of this. Not even Avarice."

Clive clenched his teeth, looking back towards the base of the mountain just north of them. To the east was a lake, which he knew would lead to Mahogany Town. "Stay here," he instructed the researchers, before stepping away towards the handful of police officers that accompanied them. "Secure the perimeter, watch out for any signs of Avarice. They may already be here, or are on their way. Either way they won't be happy to see us here."

He directed a knowing glance towards Yulia, and pointed towards the lake with his flashlight. They headed eastward, towards the lake. Despite the short distance, it was a slow-moving process. Their visibility was poor, and the ground was slippery and thick with mud. Only when they neared the sand near the edge of the lake did they find some reprieve, and were able to march towards the shore. The waves lake seemed to swell with water, pushing beyond its normal boundaries as the rain poured down. Waves swelled and splashed against the shoreline, smoothing the sand as the water ran inland, then back into the lake.

A flash of light illuminated the area, lighting up the surroundings. In that instant, Clive could see across the entire lake, almost to the route on the other side that lead to Mahogany town. He could make out a large, white, bulging over the surface of the water. It was close to the side of the mountain, about halfway between the shore he was standing on and the shore on the other side of the lake. The thunder boomed loudly around them, and Clive quickly turned towards his partner. "Hey, did you see that?" he shouted, pointing in the general direction of whatever it was that he saw.

A loud bark resounded from above them, far up towards the peak of the mountain. Another flash and crackle immediately accompanied the bark, lighting up the area again and shaking the ground.

"That bark... It's Raikou!" one of the researchers exclaimed over the radio. "Those tremors are caused by its cries."

The tremors continued, accompanied by a chorus of barks that sounded like crashing thunder. After several seconds of this phenomenon, Clive's eyes widened suddenly, his heart suddenly dropping from his chest. He all but pressed the radio to his lips, shouting over the storm. "Is Raikou in battle?" he asked.

"It's hard to say, but they are definitely in distress."

Clive cursed again, quickly rushing by Yulia and pushing her along with him. "I need units on the east side of the perimeter. There is an un-ID'd vehicle or something on the lake. All other units guard the perimeter and protect the research van. We're going up the mountain."

"Headed eastward."

"Units converging on the van."

"There is no safe way up there," a researcher protested.

"Someone's already figured out a way," Clive retorted. "Leave it to us to figure out. Keep us updated on Raikou's status." He panted heavily as he marched up to the base of the mountain. After catching his breath, he turned to Yulia. "Any bright ideas?"

[Ashen]

It all happened in such a rush that Yulia was having a hard time even keeping up with her own thoughts. After they agreed to chase the legendary beast, Yulia, Clive, and their team of researchers set out towards Mt. Mortar. They didn’t know how much time they had before Raikou, a Pokemon who enjoyed wandering the region, left, or before it was captured. Yulia tried not to think of that possibility. Phoenix was competent, was one of the highest authorities in Team Avarice, but he was rash, and if they could get there fast enough, she was sure they would be able to stop him.

But no matter how they hurried, Raikou was not going to make this easy on them. The storms it brought about sent anxiety scattering through Yulia’s entire body. She hadn’t seen weather this bad since before she’d left her hometown of Snowbelle, where snowstorms were more common than sunlight. But she’d been a child then, and this time, she had to travel in this downpour, rush in it, and she was terrified of getting into an accident and hurting someone. As they pushed on, Yulia prayed Raikou would calm down, if just a little, so they could rescue it from Avarice’s greedy plans.

Yulia knew they had passed Ecruteak City by the sight of a million leaves being thrown about by the wind. She had heard tales of the forests surrounding this city, had seen postcards of it in autumn, but now, she could hardly make out the trees through the ferocious rain. Mt. Mortar now was a blurry silhouette on the horizon obstructed by the dark clouds forming around it. If that was where the storm was coming from, that was where Raikou was, and they would need to find a way up there, however dangerous it was. There was no saying what Team Avarice would do with Raikou’s power on their side, and Yulia was not willing to find out. Getting to Raikou was their top priority. They just had to figure out how.

The closer they got, the harder it was to see, until Yulia could only make out shapes in the flashes of lightning every few seconds. It wasn’t safe to continue, even for the researchers who had dedicated much of their lives to studying Raikou’s behavior. Yulia was no expert, but this didn’t seem normal for the legendary Pokemon, and if she could help it, she didn’t want to endanger the researchers. She agreed with Clive, who told the researchers to stay put and be on the lookout for Avarice, and she followed him eastward, towards a lake. Though it was difficult to get there, and she didn’t manage it without splashing mud all the way up to her chest, eventually the two did reach the lake, where the storm was a little lighter. Rain still pelted them, but they could see now, and Yulia took a moment to take in her surroundings.

The longer they stood in the rain, the more hopeless this mission seemed. It was too difficult to reach the peak of the mountain like this, with Raikou causing such a disturbance in the weather, and Yulia had heard enough about Mt. Mortar to know it was a labyrinthine hellscape that they did not have time for. She bit her bottom lip, trying to think of a plan. Another flash of lightning cracked beside them, and Yulia looked up suddenly at Clive’s comment. He had seen something in the center of the lake. “What was it?” she asked, but before she could answer, a loud roar echoed around them. It sounded like the thunder they’d been hearing, but louder, almost pained, and it caused the ground around them to shake. Yulia had to step away from the lake before the ground’s tremors threw her into it. She didn’t have long to think on the roar; soon, their radios came alive. The researchers knew the sound to be Raikou, except that it was in distress. Phoenix was already there. They were running out of time.

She could feel the pressure like anvils settling on her chest. They had to figure out something before Phoenix took off with Raikou and continued with his plan to catch all the beasts. Yulia squinted up at the mountain. “Phoenix must have had one of his Pokemon teleport him up there,” she guessed. She couldn’t think of another way for anyone to get to the peak so quickly and unscathed. But neither she nor Clive had Pokemon with that ability, so they would need to find another way. She got an idea, but she hesitated, knowing the dangers. Figuring she didn’t have much choice, Yulia drew a Poke Ball from her purse and threw it in the air. A moment later, her Braviary was flying beside her, his feathers getting soaked almost instantly. “Valkyrie,” Yulia cried, “can you fly?”

The big bird Pokemon looked to the top of the mountain. It was a long distance to fly even in good weather, and the water splashing around them had the force of a Blastoise’s Aqua Jet. But one look at his master, and Valkyrie knew Yulia hated to ask him of this. It was dangerous, and she valued her Pokemon’s safety, but she couldn’t think of another way to save this mission. Valkyrie nodded, then landed and waited for Yulia to climb onto him. She was bigger than him, taller than him, but the Braviary was powerful, and it took off into the thunderous skies. Yulia called back to Clive, promising to send her Braviary for him, and as her voice was drowned out by the storm, her Pokemon struggled to get her to the peak.

It was not a stable trip, and though Valkyrie struggled to stay upright, beating its wings against the storm, the two did make it to the top of Mt. Mortar. Yulia let out a sigh when she felt solid ground beneath her feet, and just as quickly as she’d hopped off her Pokemon, she instructed him to pick up Clive. When he’d gone, Yulia took in the peak. The barking was defeaning here, and the storm was bad enough that she could only see several paces in front of her. She had to continue, had to find Phoenix, no matter what it took.

She followed her ears, and a new flash of lightning revealed a black-striped Pokemon, a pale purple mane, the long and menacing fangs. Raikou was here, and from its expression, she could see it was in pain. She ran towards it, not sparing a single thought for her own safety. Her only concern was saving Raikou and stopping Phoenix before it was too late.

Before she could reach the tiger Pokemon, however, a voice called out to her. It was difficult to make out in the storm, but she recognized it, had heard it on the phone mere weeks ago. “Yulia,” Phoenix said, a hint of amusement in his voice. He stepped towards her, and Yulia saw that he was wearing the black and gold of Team Avarice, with a sparkling mask covering his eyes and a dark cape whipping with the wind. He held a Dusk Ball in his hand, and he drummed his fingers against it as he looked her over. “You’re not going to get in my way, are you?”

She snarled. “Leave Raikou alone,” she warned. “You are under arrest for the abuse of people and Pokemon, and we will stop you. Today.”

He shrugged. “No, you won’t,” he said simply. “You’re alone, Yulia, and you’re powerless. You know that, don’t you?” Before she could respond, Phoenix tossed the Dusk Ball into the air, summoning his Gengar. There was a small device strapped to its head causing shocks to the poor Pokemon, who winced every other second. Its eyes were wild, and its smile mad. It sent a Shadow Ball hurtling towards her, and Yulia jumped out of the way, barely dodging, and scraping her knees on the craggy ground.

She was quick to get up. “If it’s a battle you’re looking for, I can and will defeat you.” She needed to buy a bit of time until Valkyrie returned with Clive, but she was down a Pokemon, and she worried about her Skorupi’s ability to fight in these conditions. She didn’t want to send any of her Pokemon out in weather like this, but… Yulia looked at the Gengar, saw the pain it was in, and bit her tongue. She had to do something.

Behind them, Raikou roared again, and Yulia noticed that it, too, had a contraption on it. It latched onto its back, and no matter how Raikou moved, it couldn’t seem to shake it. That was what was hurting it; that was what they would need to remove. But Yulia couldn’t do that yet, not with Phoenix here. So she pulled out a Poke Ball, intending to stall Phoenix. When Clive got here, one of them could deal with Phoenix while the other saved poor Raikou.

Yulia’s Beartic seemed irritated at the rain, but when she saw the look in Yulia’s eye, she straightened and let out a roar. Phoenix scoffed at the new challenger, then recalled his Gengar. He sent out a new Pokemon, another stolen one. The Dragonite looked weary and too tired to fight back, but after a wave of agony passed through its body, it turned its eyes to Yulia. It looked ready to plow through anything that got in its way, and from the looks of things, it was not used to losing. It would be a hard opponent to beat, Yulia knew, but she had no idea this Pokemon would be even harder to fight for her partner.

[Headwrapper]

Clive squinted, protecting his eyes from the relentless rain, as he watched Yulia and Valkyrie soar towards the top of Mt. Mortar. The feat did not look easy, the winds and the torrent of rain water battered the young detective and her Pokemon. A chill ran down Clive's back, and he turned to peer back towards the mysterious mound out in the middle of the lake. Was it an escape vehicle? Phoenix himself would not have a need for that, as he had proven he had access to teleportation before. Back up Avarice grunts, perhaps? Could the white mound be some sort of vehicle they would use to transport the captured Raikou? If so, why not capture it in a ball?

One officer that joined as part of the mission hurried over to Clive. "It's just you?" Clive asked, already anticipating the answer.

"There's not many of us, sir. It did not seem wise to leave the the researchers short on protection."

Clive remained silent, not that he would be heard over another one of Raikou's barks, booming like a thunderclap. There was another loud noise, one that came from the lake behind him. The mound, bulging amongst the waves, began to grow. Clive found that the mound was not white, not even most of it. In fact, it was blue, and its size grew larger and larger at an exponential rate. Soon, the figure of a massive Wailord appeared in the center of the lake. However, it did not end there. The Pokemon's tail began to raise up in the air, so high that Clive could have sworn that the Wailord was completely vertical with its face under the water.

"Fuck fuck fuck!" Clive turned, grabbing the officer that recently joined him. They ran, away from the beach, and more importantly, away from the crash of the Wailord's tail smacking against the water. Away from the massive wave that the impact created, the plumes of water and foam that soared above and came crashing down. Despite their efforts, the wave was catching up with them. Clive clutched at his belt and his breast pocket, doing what he could to ensure he did not lose any of his Pokemon as the waves overtook them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the police officer grab a Pokeball and release a Pokemon.

Clive gasped for air when he finally emerged from beneath the wave, which drew back into the lake. His body ached, having been battered and buffeted as the wave crashed over him and dragged him all the way back towards the beach. He wiped his wet hands on his face to clear the hair and water away from his eyes, belching as he did so. In the distance, a disturbingly far distance, he saw the officer standing with his sturdy Poliwrath. The Pokemon must have been able to grab its master in time and, using its profound strength, prevent him from tumbling back towards the beach in the way that Clive did. The officer shouted something while backing away, but Clive struggled to hear what it was. Suddenly, he heard another crash from the lake behind him. When he turned, he saw it: another large wave folding over the lake's surface and rolling towards him.

In that moment, Clive heard a loud cry from above him. A red figure was descending towards him from the dark sky above, at an impressive speed. It was Yulia's Braviary, Valkyrie. Clive ground his teeth, shifting his glance between the bird Pokemon diving towards him and the approaching wave. None of Clive's usual tricks would be able to help him out of this situation. So, there was no time to think, only act. He turned and began to run up the beach's sandy banks, waving an arm to Valkyrie as they neared each other. As the Braviary approached, so did the large foamy wave threatening to sweep them both away. Clive only slowed to a stop once the Braviary was close enough that he could make out the outline of its eyes, underneath the drenched white feathers on its crown.

As soon as Valkyrie landed, Clive hopped onto his back. The Braviary pounded its wings heavily, sending water and sand in every direction, before taking off. Clive grunted at the sudden jolt, and clung on tightly as they quickly ascended. The rain stung his skin as they soared against it, and each beat of Valkyrie's wings sent plumes of water every which way. Once Clive acclimated to the speed of the flight, he glanced down towards the ground below, and witnessed the second wave washing over the shoreline he had just escaped.

From his new vantage point, he could see small dots zooming near the Wailord in the center of the Lake. They zipped, zigged, and zagged around the water, moving towards the shore. "Unidentified persons are approaching the shoreline from the lake... Anyone copy?" After a pause, he only heard static, and he stifled a curse. He would just have to hope the boots on the ground could take care of things there, while he and Yulia took care of things at the top of the mountain.

The visibility near the top of the mountain was worse than what Clive had experienced so far, and the thunderclap sounds of Raikou's barks were deafening. When they finally reached the top, Valkyrie quickly landed, shakily planting itself on a flat section of land. Clive just about rolled off of the large mount, resting on one knee as he caught his breath. As he did so, he observed Yulia's powerful Braviary, which showed visible signs of exhaustion from its flight up and down the mountain, against turbulent winds and heavy showers. The creature was panting harder and faster than Clive was, and would occasionally shake off the water from its feathers.

Clive hardly felt like he was in much better shape. He was covered in scratches and bruises from being tossed around like a rag doll from the Wailord's Surf down below, and did not have a chance to recover before clinging onto Valkyrie for the flight up the mountain. Regardless, he had to move. Raikou was up here somewhere, and presumably Yulia was as well. He needed to catch up to her so that they could calm Raikou and find a way to protect it from Avarice's greedy clutches. He drew a long breath before rising to his feet. Another bark sounded, and Clive could feel the ground beneath of him shake as it did. There was no mistaking which direction it was coming from, and so he began to head that way.

Eventually he could make out the markings of a battle through the torrential rains. He recognized Yulia's figure first. She was tense, focused on the battle. There was clearly a struggle, and her opponent was not to be taken lightly. The lack of visibility made it difficult to tell how much time had passed since the battle began, but there was clearly a struggle. More importantly, Yulia was definitely not taking her opponent lightly. As Clive continued to make his way closer, Yulia's opponent came into view. It was unmistakable who it was, given away by his mask and gaudy cape.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the entire area for what felt like an eternnity. Clive's eyes quickly scanned the field in front of him, and he saw Raikou on the opposite side of the battle, struggling to stay upright. He counted the two trainers, gridlocked in battle, and Yulia's Pokemon... but what of Phoenix's?

The light faded, but Clive still got his answer. An orange blur descended and crashed into the ground near Yulia and her Pokemon with a loud crash. The impact sent shockwaves up Clive's legs.

The Dragonite roared with a loud Baroo! Clive felt his shoulders and back stiffen when he saw the dragon Pokemon, but he tried to wrench himself from the thought. It was no surprise that Phoenix would have strong Pokemon at his disposal, so his possession of a Dragonite was hardly shocking... Except Clive did not recall any Avarice activity taking place in Blackthorn City, which would be the first place he would expect a Pokemon from the Dragonite evolutionary line to originate from.

Speculation aside, Clive had a job to do. While Phoenix was distracted with Yulia, Raikou was suffering, and more importantly, unattended. He had no idea how many Pokemon each trainer had left, but he had to consider the very real possibilities that Yulia would lose the battle or that Avarice would take control of Raikou prior to the battle's conclusion. After taking cover behind a boulder, Clive released his Zorua and carried it in his arms. "Time to go dark for a while," he said. Almost immediately, the pair became invisible thanks to Shadow's illusion abilities. "If something happens, you need to hide," he whispered to his Pokemon, before starting his trek towards Raikou.

He took a path behind Yulia, away from the battle, using the boulders to help hide his footprints. He knew his Zorua would not be able to cover up every clue of their presence, so even when invisible it was best to exercise caution. Occasionally, he would stop and brace himself at the sound of a strong attack landing, or when he saw a stray attack strike something nearby. Regardless, he had approached Raikou with only minor difficulty. Here, he could see the contraption attached to the Pokemon's back, which was presumably the source of its suffering. Clive did not recall this kind of device being used before, but wondered if it was fundamental in creating beastly Pokemon like the Excadrill that attacked Jean. He would need to find out how to safely remove the device.

Phoenix frowned, and placed his hands on his hips. "Dragonite!" he called. "Return to me!" With a beat of its wings, the Dragonite leapt backwards and landed next to him, pausing the battle. "I supposed I should not have expected the both of you to play fair, eh Yulia?" He swiped his finger along the right side of his mask, activating a specialized set of lenses. He squinted as he peered through the bright green, blue, yellow, and red infrared map, in which he was able to clearly see the form of a man holding a small quadruped Pokemon in his arms, even though he was not clearly visible before. "There!" he said, pointing squarely in that direction. "Direct a Thunderbolt there, Dragonite!"

Clive's eyes widened, surprised to have been suddenly rooted out despite everything that was going on. There was no time to react to the sudden flash of light that originated from the top of the Dragonite's antennae, which illuminated the Pokemon's fearsome face. What a face it was to behold. Just through and below the Pokemon's right eye was a terribly long scar, which extended down its snout. The right eye itself appeared to look normal, despite the disfigurement that passed through it. A sudden wave of recognition overwhelmed Clive, sucking the air from his lungs. Dad's Dragonite? he thought, before his vision was obscured by the white hot flash of a Thunderbolt.

The Thunderbolt attack was fast, instantaneously unleashing damage in the direction Phoenix directed it towards. Dirt and rocks were sent flying in random directions as the lightning bolts carved up the land, and a chorus of cries echoed when the attack landed. Clive shouted in pain, his voice hoarse, scratchy, and deeper than usual. Accompanying him was Shadow, who let out a shrill cry just before fainting. Above both of them was a loud bark from Raikou, who had been hit also. When the dust cleared, Clive and Shadow had become fully visible again, in much worse shape then they had been when they vanished. Clive teetered in place as he struggled to keep his balance, staring down at his fainted Zorua. His clothes had a dusting of black soot on their surfaces and even some flakes of char on the edges of his sleeves and collar.

"Aha, there he is!" Phoenix declared, reverting his mask back to normal to get a good look. "Come to put me in cuffs, have you? Come to show me how much of a coward I am?" He held up a black and gold phone, pointing the camera towards Clive. "Well? Anything to say?"

Clive could not hear anything. The world around him was spinning, fast. Both of his ears rang, the sound like a knife going through his skull. For a moment, he seemed to mumble a sound, a question perhaps, but his shock prevented him from articulating any type of proper speech. Slowly, painstakingly, he reached behind him, drawing out an Ultra Ball. Just as slowly, and painstakingly, he raised his arm arduously, aiming the ball towards Raikou.

Suddenly, Raikou let out a long howl, quite easily the loudest cry it had let out the entire night. A burst of lightning shot out in a circle around the legendary beast, sending anything in the immediate vicinity flying, including Clive and his Ultra Ball. Clive landed on the ground with a thud, with Shadow sprawled out a few feet away.

Phoenix shielded himself behind his cape as debris flew passed him. It's almost time, he thought. He turned back towards Yulia and her Pokemon, bidding his Dragonite back into the fray. "Let's wrap this up, Yulia."

[Ashen]

Phoenix was relentless, and Yulia cursed under her breath for underestimating him. His Dragonite was a powerful beast, and Yulia’s Beartic was barely withstanding the never-ending attacks it kept throwing at her. Zita was too tired to fight for much longer. Yulia needed her other Pokemon. She worried her bottom lip, wondering if it would be a good idea to send in her Skorupi. The poor thing was nervous enough, and sending it into this downpour against such a strong foe would likely make it too anxious to fight at all, if she didn’t get blown away with the wind. It was no use; until her Braviary returned with Clive, Yulia hoped Zita would be able to hold out.

Occasionally, Yulia stole glances at the pained legendary beast a short distance away. With how much pain it was in, with its writhing and its agonized yells, Yulia wanted to help it now, to ignore Phoenix and free it from the contraption he had put on it. But Phoenix would easily stop her now. She needed Clive. Although… As she squinted through the storm, she noticed something off about the ground before Raikou. It was as if rainwater was bouncing off of…something. Deciding it was just her eyes playing tricks on her, Yulia tried to ignore it, and she turned back to Zita as she took another Outrage from the Dragonite. Panting, the Beartic stood its ground and fired an Ice Shard at the Dragonite. But the dragon Pokemon was too quick, and like all of her other attacks, this one didn’t make contact either.

Suddenly, Phoenix called off his Dragonite, and Yulia straightened, trying to figure out what he was doing. Was he getting bored already? But he had his Dragonite attack elsewhere, near the Raikou, and Yulia then understood what had been so off about that spot. Clive had been there with his Zorua, looking for a way to free Raikou. If they didn’t get out of the way, they would be charred. Yulia felt herself scream, but she couldn’t even hear her own voice, and besides, it was too late. The Dragonite’s Thunderbolt came crashing down on them, distorting Shadow’s illusion and hitting Clive head-on. She started towards him, but she looked again at Phoenix, and she stopped. If she didn’t do something, would Phoenix kill her partner?

As much as she wanted to help Clive or release Raikou, she wanted to wipe that stupid grin off of Phoenix’s face even more. She called out to him, but her words got lost somewhere in the storm, and she was interrupted by a deafening cry from Raikou. Yulia grabbed for her ears, wincing at the sound. Under these conditions, she could barely hear herself think, but she had to move fast. She called Zita back to her side and commanded the Beartic to use a flurry of ice moves, ignoring the Dragonite to cripple the trainer. When Phoenix heard her plan, he laughed. He didn’t even have to tell the Dragonite to take each and every hit for him, and he wasn’t the least bit bothered by the agony his Pokemon seemed to be in. Dragonite looked ready to fight to its own death, and Yulia refused to drag this on anymore. The battle should have ended ages ago.

Phoenix yawned and waved his hand lazily. “I’m getting bored, Yules,” he called to her. “You’re lucky I can’t physically hurt you. Next time, let your partner do all the battling. I’ll finish what I started.” He turned away to approach Raikou, and he seemed to speak to it. Before Yulia could reach them, Phoenix was climbing onto the legendary beast. Together, they leapt off of Mt. Mortar, taking the worst of the storm with them.

Yulia and Clive had lost.

Yulia barked into her radio, desperately calling for help. She commanded all ground units to follow after Phoenix, and she requested medical help at the peak. She didn’t know if anyone could hear her over the winds, so she repeated herself louder while rushing to Clive. He was cut up and bruised, and his skin from where he’d been struck looked raw, painful. She could have prevented this, she told herself, if she had stalled Phoenix more, had distracted him better, had defeated him; maybe then he wouldn’t have noticed Clive. As guilty as she felt, however, there was no use thinking that now.

“Clive!” she called, dropping to her knees beside him and looking him over for his worst injuries. Blood was washing away with rainwater, and it was impossible to tell how much he was losing. “Don’t worry,” she said, even if she didn’t know if he could hear her. “Help is on the way. They’ll be able to fix this.” She stumbled to her feet and retrieved the battered Zorua, petting his fur and checking him, too. “You’ll both be okay,” she said, more quietly this time, hoping it wasn’t a lie.

A nudge on her shoulder startled her, and she looked up to find her Braviary. “Valkyrie,” she breathed, “I’m glad to see you.” She wrapped her arms around him and pet his head. He looked weary, and she couldn’t blame him. After thanking him for transporting both of them up the mountain, Yulia recalled both him and Zita to their Poke Balls, promising them a good long rest soon.

All that was left to do was wait for help to arrive. Yulia could barely think over the sound of her own grief and guilt, so she again reached out to the ground. She confirmed that someone was on their way up to treat Clive now that the storm was quickly dissipating, but no one had seen Phoenix at all. He must have teleported shortly after jumping off the mountain, she guessed, and she swore. She had let him get away.

She turned her attention to Clive and placed a gentle hand on his. “I’m sorry,” she breathed, not audible over the rain. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I should have… I didn’t mean… Are you okay?” It was a stupid question, even if Clive was conscious, and Yulia knew it. She shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “Phoenix got away with Raikou, but we… We still have Suicune, right? There’s still Suicune. And we’ll beat him there, and catch him, and we’ll free the other beasts. We will, I know it.” Yulia was rambling now, more for her own benefit than Clive’s. She needed to say something, convince herself that this wasn’t the end. They would still have another chance, as long as Clive didn’t give up on her now.

The sound of a helicopter’s blades pulled her attention. Yulia was up in an instant, still cradling Shadow. When the chopper landed, she rushed to meet the people who jumped out of it. The medics had arrived. She quickly explained what had happened as they lowered Clive onto a stretcher and took him back to the helicopter. They were flown back to the base of the mountain, where Yulia handed Shadow to one of the medics. Despite their protests and suggestion that she get looked at too, she politely declined a ride to the nearest hospital and set off, promising she would meet up with Clive soon.

Now that the storm had lightened up, Yulia wanted to investigate and find any clues that Phoenix could have left behind. There was whatever Clive had seen in the lake, back before they’d ascended, that she wanted to look into. As tired as she felt, she was determined to keep looking for something to ensure that next time, they did not fail.

She had been alone for only a couple of minutes when she heard footsteps approaching. Yulia looked up to find two young people in Avarice grunt uniforms walking towards her. “Hey, uh,” one said, awkwardly shifting the brim of his hat. “Don’t take this personally, but we have orders to battle you.”

His partner tugged on his sleeve. “It’s uncanny,” she said, pointing a finger and tracing her own face. “Like twins.”

Yulia did not have time for this. She looked between the two grunts. They were barely adults, new recruits from the looks of things. Phoenix was so overconfident that he hadn’t even sent experienced lackeys after her? Unless, she figured, there were others nearby.

She scoffed. “How dare you talk to your boss that way?” she demanded, voice growing lower and eyes narrowing. “I should have your heads for that. Don’t you even know who you’re looking for?”

The first grunt straightened, his face going pale. “Freya?” he murmured. “I—I’m so sorry, I thought you were Yulia, I—”

Yulia crossed her arms over her chest. “Shut up,” she growled. “Where are the others?”

She second grunt averted her gaze. “Phoenix has returned to headquarters, and the others have taken the submarine. We were told not to leave until Yulia—”

“Get out,” Yulia interrupted. “I suggest you not return to headquarters at all, given your performance here.”

They both looked up at her, mouth agape. “Y-yes,” the first replied at the same time the second mumbled, “I’m sorry.” In the next moment, they were both running off, terrified.

Once they were out of sight, Yulia let out the breath she’d been holding. She couldn’t believe that had worked. Any other grunt would have seen right through her. She supposed there were some perks to looking a whole lot like the leader of a criminal organization. Now, she knew there was a submarine somewhere, maybe in the lake, and it had to lead to…somewhere. This would require further investigations, but for now, there was little she could do by herself. Hoping what she’d learned would be enough, Yulia tried to make herself look presentable, and she headed for the hospital, praying that Clive was alright.

[Headwrapper]

It all happened too fast.

"Is that all you got?" Clive asked. Well, he thought he did, but maybe it only came out as a mumble. Then came his last ditch effort to try to catch Raikou with an Ultra Ball... Then, he was floating, if only for a moment. He had crashed into something, hard, knocking him out of his senses. A while later, he heard Yulia's voice, but whatever she said was all gibberish. When Clive tried to open his eyes, he could feel a vice crushing his skull. So he kept his eyes closed, listening to Yulia ramble on.

His eyes opened, and he did not know where he was. There was the roar of rotors above him. A short ways away, he saw Shadow was in a small medical chamber used for Pokemon.

"Clive, can you hear me?"

A pair of medics stood in front of him. The first, a dark-skinned woman with a sharp chin, leaned forward and observed Clive's eyes pensively. "Just take it easy, we are going to get you to the hospital. Can you focus on my eyes?"

Of course he could. The woman's face was right in front of him. Yet, it seemed to be moving away so fast.

Before he had time to readjust his focus, the sound of the rotors disappeared. Everything around him seemingly rushed away, giving way to the image of a whole new environment around him. He grunted in discomfort, shifting his weight slightly as he tried to sit up. He strained eyes, trying to make out his environment in the dimly lit room. Outside was dark, but not in the same way it was before. The moon shown its pale light through the window, unobstructed by any storm clouds and uninterrupted by any flashes of lightning or roars of thunder.

Clive realized he was dry. From his parched lips to the white gown that covered him in place of the clothes he had on before. As he shifted, sitting up on the side of what he now realized was a hospital bed, he realized being dry did not make him fully clean. Dirt was dried to the hair on his legs, which he flexed back and forth in an effort to shake off the tight feeling. Other parts of his body felt tight, painful even, if he moved the wrong way. A reminder of what had happened, judging by the time of night it was, hours earlier. "Shit," he croaked hoarsely, before clearing his throat. The bottoms of his feet pressed firmly against the cool floor, and he stood himself up rather slowly, but steadily.

Did things take a turn for the worst? If he was in a hospital, there was a very good chance they may have. Clive was surprised to not find Yulia close by, wallowing in self-loathing for a failure she believed she caused. He found it surprising, and alarming. He paced the room, searching every flat surface he could. The countertop nearby, the stand by the bedside, the chairs, even the bed itself. "Where are they?" he growled. His Pokemon, especially Shadow. Rotom. The damaged Pokeball, the on that used to carry that Dragonite. The Dragonite that Phoenix commanded, the one that Clive was sure knew from before. There was no mistaking the battle scar across the dragon-type's eye, the same one his late father pointed to with pride when declaring how loyal his prized Pokemon was.

Clive cursed aloud. His patience was absent, having not returned with the rest of his bearings. Part of him wanted to venture out of the room to get some answers. After debating for some time, he cracked the door open and poked his head out. He peered down a long, brightly lit hallway, which reeked of antiseptics. Yup, it's a hospital he thought as he acclimated himself to the smell.

"Can I help you, sir?" a voice asked from behind Clive.

He turned his head to look towards the other end of the hall. A somewhat stout woman in light blue scrubs stood behind him. She watched him questioningly, her brown eyes nested atop pudgy cheeks. When Clive was not quick to reply, she raised an eyebrow, and shifted her weight from one strong leg to another. When Clive did reply, she was clearly not pleased.

"Oh no, I know who you are. You get back in that room and chill out."

Surprisingly, Clive obliged. He was rewarded a short while later when the the nurse returned, carrying Shadow. Despite what they had gone through, the Pokemon looked healthy, and it eagerly hopped onto the bed with its master. Shadow glanced up at Clive curiously, wrinkling its nose.

"It's that bad?" Clive asked.

"Just a bit red, is all," the nurse said stepping closer. "Although you'll want a haircut. It's crazy what damage a Pokemon's electric attacks will do to your ends. That's the least of our worries right now though." She watched Clive's face intensely, watching his eyes as if checking for something in particular. "You must be hungry. Do you feel like you can eat? We'll want to make sure you're at least mostly back to normal before we can discharge you, and I'm sure you'll want to shower some of the dirt and rainwater off. Let me get you something, I'll be right back."

Clive cleared his throat before the nurse hurried off. "Hey, is there anyone else here? We were at Mt. Mortar..."

"Checked in? Nope, just you hun. Though, there was a girl who came to visit you earlier. If she's still around I'll send her over, okay?"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"... although we have no official details yet, the video posted by Phoenix of Team Avarice and the confirmation from my sources that Detective Oiler is, in fact, in the hospital raises alarming questions for us citizens. If, after these events, our tax dollars are continuing to go to such a weak defense against the likes of Team Avarice, then I'm afraid the safety of people and Pokemon alike are doomed.

Oliver Burnstine looked over his article one more time. "Hmm, maybe my call to action is not very clear," he mused. After a moment of thought, he began making more changes to the document on his laptop.

[Ashen]

With everything around here a blinding shade of sanitized white, Yulia couldn’t help but feel like a Magikarp out of water in the hospital waiting room. At least her hair had stopped dripping muddy droplets onto the pristine floors, and the nurses weren’t giving her quite so many dirty looks as they shuffled by. Still, she felt awkward here in her drenched and dirty clothes, waiting for news of her partner.

She should have gone home. Or not home—what was home, anymore?—but somewhere where she could have cleaned herself, gotten a fresh set of clothes, maybe a meal or something. The day’s events kept replaying in her minds, especially things she could have done differently, and her sleeves sticking to her skin were a reminder of everything that had happened. Out of place and unkempt, she needed some fresh air. If anyone recognized her here, what would they think? A washed-up investigator, barely out of school, too green to do anything right?

Her phone was too wet to function properly, but she kept checking it anyway, too used to relying on it to know what was going on around her. The television in the corner of the room kept pulling her attention. It was tuned to the news, and they were already talking about what had happened. An anchorwoman was speaking with a researcher Yulia recognized, one who had gone with them to Mt. Mortar. He had no good things to say about her or Clive, and she gritted her teeth. Averting her gaze did little to block out the incessant noise of her failings. She tried to remind herself that this was only a slight setback, that the good guys lost all the time, and that didn’t mean they would never catch Avarice. There would be a next time, and she wasn’t going to let them lose then.

Finally, a nurse came into the waiting room and locked eyes with Yulia. “Ms. Oiler?” she said, and that fake name was all it took for Yulia to spring to her feet and follow the nurse all too quickly down the hall.

Yulia peeked into each room they passed, wondering if she would see Clive. She didn’t know how he would be; the nurses had told her very little, but if she was being led to him, it at least meant he was conscious. She considered the worst, and by the time they stopped at his room, she had to swallow the lump forming in her throat. The nurse nodded towards her and continued down the hallway to give them their privacy.

He looked about as well as she should have expected. It was hard to see the stoic man in a hospital gown, with injuries all over. Yulia tried to offer him a smile, a small comfort. “Hey,” she breathed. “I’m sorry for—“ But she cut herself off, because now wasn’t the time for pointless apologies. She shook her head. “I’m glad to see you’re okay.”

There was a TV here too, and Yulia glanced at it before wincing. “You might want to turn that off for now,” she suggested, and before Clive could protest, she did so herself. Silence settled around the room, and she took a seat in the chair across from his bed. She hesitated, feeling even more awkward than in the waiting room. “I had to tell them I was your wife,” she said in an effort to lighten the mood. “They wouldn’t allow visitors except for close family, so…” She laughed, and when she scratched the back of her head, she was reminded of how wet her hair still was. “I meant to clean up a bit,” she admitted, “but I was worried, because it looked bad, what Phoenix…” Her voice trailed. She didn’t want to acknowledge what had happened, not yet. “How…are you feeling?” she asked instead.

She seemed to remember something, and she reached inside her back. It was wet, ruined maybe, and when she pulled out a can from it, it had bits of wet paper stuck to it. She took a moment to pick them off before offering the can to Clive. It was a lemonade, something from the vending machines in the lobby. “I would have brought you something warm, but I didn’t know when they’d allow visitors, so I figured this was safer,” she explained. “You must be hungry, too. Do you want me to get you something from the cafeteria? Do you know when they’re going to discharge you?”

Yulia was trying, maybe too hard, to be useful again. She felt that she owed it to Clive, after all. There were so many things she wanted to discuss with him—their feelings about what had happened, or their next steps, or his own recovery—but everything was tangling into one big mess in her head, and she didn’t know where to begin, or if she should. He had been attacked, and she didn’t want to overwhelm him while he was still in pain and in need of rest. But Yulia needed something to focus on, to hope for, to escape the guilt she was perpetually trapped in.

Realizing she was talking too much and not giving him an opportunity to reply, Yulia straightened again. “Take the time you need to rest,” she said. “It’s been…a long mission, all of this, and I hate to see you keep getting hurt through it.” She thought to what Natasha had said, and Yulia wondered if she had been right, if perhaps it would be best for Clive to take a break from tracking Avarice. Would that spare him further injury? But Yulia shook her head. Selfish as she was, she didn’t want to do this alone. It would be worth it, she told herself, if they could stop Avarice once and for all.

[Headwrapper]

When the nurse returned, Clive stirred in his position at the edge of the hospital bed. His expression softened, if only a little bit, at the sight of Yulia following the nurse closely behind. Her hair was still wet, and like Clive, she carried bits of dried mud on her skin, hair, and clothes. She may have had a few bruises and cuts beneath the cocoon of dirt and rainwater, but she she seemed to manage to avoid any serious injuries. "I'm glad you're safe, too. I screwed up." He scowled, more than usual, upon making his confession.

He quietly accepted the can of lemonade from Yulia. As he sat idly, listening to her speak, he gently rolled the can between his palms, watching it carefully. By now, he had learned it was easier to let his partner chatter on until her lungs were out of breath and she work out some of her own feelings. It may have helped to intervene and reassure her, but Yulia must know by now how rare that was for him to do. He smiled inwardly, realizing just how far along their understanding of each other had come.

"She said I'd be free to go once I seem normal and eat something," he said. "Probably won't take too long... just some burns, I guess. Who hasn't been hit with a few thunderbolts here and there, anyway? They hit a little harder when you're older, though." He moved his gaze away from Yulia for a moment, growing quiet. His most immediate concerns upon awakening had been addressed. Shadow silently explored the room, sniffing around the furniture and occasionally glancing back at it's master seeking affirmation. Yulia sat in front of him, seemingly in one piece and with enough spirit left to continue her mission. Only one haunting thought remained. How did Phoenix come to acquire that Dragonite that he commanded? Clive figured that after all of these years, the prized Pokemon of his late father had either passed or was completely reconditioned by Richie.

He looked back at Yulia, only to avert his gaze once more. "Something tells me you won't need to worry about this mission does to me for much longer," he said, his voice lowering. "They wouldn't be in their right mind to keep me on this one, especially not on the field. They'll keep you on it though, I know they will. I'll say whatever I need to say to make sure of that, if I have to. But they can't afford to lose both of the minds that have been on the case." He frowned, staying silent for while. If Yulia had any protests, he listened, but did not say much and continued to avoid locking eyes with her. Eventually, he would gently pry at the tab on the can of lemonade with his weakened fingers until he managed to pry it open so he could take a long drink.

There was a light knock on the door. The nurse had returned. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to check on a few things." She rolled over a small cart that was in the room, which carried a computer. She was quick and methodical, occasionally instructing Clive to move a certain way, turn his head, squeeze something, all the while noting her observations into the computer. "If everything looks good," she said, feeling Clive squeeze her thumbs on her instruction. "Then the doctor will likely have you discharged in the morning. It's just a good idea for us to keep an eye on you for the first night. In the meantime, we can get you fully cleaned up and so you can be a bit more comfortable." She looked over towards Yulia, awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I was not sure. Were you planning to stay with him, Mrs. Oiler?"

[Ashen]

Once Yulia had finished her rambling and Clive had explained what he knew about his condition, silence settled around the room for a brief moment. Yulia tried to allow herself to breathe and take a minute to collect her thoughts about what had happened. Her blind was already blinking through all the things she would do after a long nap, including all the reports she would have to write, and the delicate way she would have to word things. Would there be more press conferences? She would deal with those. As much as she hated the idea, she wasn’t about to let Clive make this any worse for them.

When he spoke again, stating the very obvious outcome of the day’s events, that he’d be removed from this case altogether, Yulia’s heart fell. “No.” It was barely a whisper, or perhaps just a breath, that automatically escaped her lips. Yulia stubbornly shook her head. “They won’t remove you,” she said, already trying to think of the ways she could prevent that, the people she’d impress, the things she would say. She knew, though, that it would all be fruitless. That this really was the best option for Clive’s safety. But she couldn’t stand the thought of being so alone. Yulia had spent too much of her life in solitude—or not quite. She’d always been trapped with the person she’d hated most. Clive wouldn’t leave her alone to that. But the man was too reserved, too tired to argue or too defeated to care, so Yulia dropped it. She would try her hardest to keep him on this case, but the more she thought about it, the more she doubted her efforts would get her anywhere.

She wasn’t given long to wallow. A nurse came into the room then, and Yulia stood awkwardly, as if expecting to be escorted out so that Clive could finish whatever tests he still needed to have done. Remembering the lie she’d had to tell to get here, she sat back down and tried to look like whatever the wife of an injured man was supposed to look like. She waited patiently as the nurse saw to Clive and watched his responses, eager to have more confirmation that he was going to be alright. All things considered, he was stronger than he looked. She tried to tell herself her worrying had been for nothing.

Satisfied with all the test results, the nurse finally turned to Yulia to ask if she were leaving. Yulia was almost shocked at the question. It wouldn’t have been a consideration if the hospital staff knew who she really was, and she wondered, if they went snooping, if they would call her out on her bluff. Yulia turned towards Clive, an awkward smile on her lips. Would he…want her to stay? He would probably say no. Something about troubling her, or about how he was fine, actually, and this overnight stay was unnecessary. She wasn’t even supposed to be here, and he likely wanted his privacy. But Yulia had spent enough time in hospitals as a kid to know how lonely they were, and she wondered if her partner would like some company. Besides, even if the hospital was guarded, it was still possible Avarice wanted to get back at Clive, to prove whatever point they were trying to make. It would be safer if she stayed.

“I am staying, yes,” she replied with a polite smile. Yulia paused then, realizing again how she must have looked. Once the nurse left them, she hesitantly turned towards Clive. “I’ll get back to the hotel,” she explained. “Get a shower, a change of clothes, pick up a few things. I think the nurses would appreciate if I didn’t smell like a Trubbish all night.” She got up and rubbed at her eyes. Now that the adrenaline was fading, she was just left exhausted. “What do you want for dinner?” she asked. “I’ll pick up something on my way back.”

When she had her answer, Yulia started off. It was impossible to keep her mind free of the consequences of their failure today, even if she knew now wasn’t the time to be worrying about it all. She needed to clean herself up and be there for the partner who could have died because of her.

At the hotel, she took a long shower, scrubbing the dirt and grime out of her skin and wincing when she hit a new wound. Her hair took the longest; mud had clumped tangled strands of it together, and she emptied half a bottle of conditioner before she could force a comb through her pale blue locks. Finally, when she finished her shower, she looked several degrees more presentable, if exhausted. She took some time to feed her Pokemon, including Fritz, who was not happy about being left on his own this much. Then, she pulled an overnight bag together, kissed Fritz’s head, and started back towards the hospital.

Yulia arrived before sundown with her bag slung over her back and a box of whatever fast food Clive had agreed on before she’d left. He had been moved to an overnight room, so a nurse gave her directions to his wing of the hospital while reception told her his exact room. When she saw him, she offered him a small, sleepy smile. “Hi.” She offered him the food she’d brought. “Like you asked for.”

She wasn’t expecting him to be awake long, not after everything that had happened, so she had brought her laptop to get started on the new list of things she had to do. She’d gotten herself some coffee—far too much of it for this late in the day, and yet not enough to keep her from feeling like such a zombie. It would be another long night, but for now, she had a moment to sit with her partner. Rest. Talk.

Though, with so much on her mind, she found it impossible to talk about much of anything. With a long sigh, Yulia collapsed into the chair by his bed, and she said, “I really am glad you’re okay.”

[Headwrapper]

Without giving it a second though, Clive accepted the food that Yulia had brought back. He did so tiredly, but his grumbling stomach demanded a remedy. After Clive had taken a few bites, he nestled back comfortably in his bed. Once situated, he returned Yulia's tired, endearing, gaze, which she directed towards him from her seat nearby. "Same to you," he said, equally as tired and endearing.

It did not take long for Clive to lose track of their conversation, and unknowingly succumb to slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Good, good. Your Pokemon are learning quickly. You've grown more confident yourself. Impressive, having only given it about two weeks of effort." The old man held out a Pokeball and recalled an indisposed Haunter. "I still can not get used to seeing you battle head-on. Of course that has never been my specialty either, but it is necessary from time to time."

He watched Clive pensively as he tended to his own Pokemon, his trusted Umbreon. "Even still... You're still getting carried away with your emotions," he mumbled to himself. He reflected on Clive's request for the old man to train him and his Pokemon again, like he had all those years ago. Despite his bones aching and his vision beginning to grow fuzzy, the old man had obliged. He had his reasons, of course. "Care to join me for some tea? Nothing like it, after a good battle."

Clive stood from where he had been kneeling, and recalled his Pokemon. He straightened his jacket, looking towards his mentor with a sullen glance. "I'm going to be late. I need to go in early... Apparently there's not enough of us doing paperwork all night. There will be plenty of time for tea after I speak to the Chief in the morning."

The old man nodded, solemnly. He planted a wooden cane made of twisted wood into the ground in front of him, lost in thought. "You're sure about this?"

"They got me pushing papers on night shift, Naabhi. It's temporary, yeah, but whatever case they put me on is not going to be the right one. They're not going to let me anywhere near Avarice now, but they might be my only chance to find out where he is. He had to be the one to give them Dragonite. And I need to know... How... where... You know? It's my right to know."

The old man, Naabhi, scratched his chin tiredly. "Yes... If that's what you need to move on. Go on then." He waved his hand casually, pivoting around his cane.

Clive hurried back to Goldenrod, where he he made his way to the GRPD. He was beginning to miss seeing the place during normal daylight hours. His legs awkwardly carried him to a cubicle in the center of the main office, far from the detectives' office he had grown so accustomed to. He sat down, noticing the reflection of a small scar no wider than the nail on his little finger, sitting just above his right eye, on the blank computer monitor. A small reminder of his night at Mt. Mortar, which vanished once he turned on the computer.

A few stacks of papers and some late night bookings later, and the morning was soon upon him. "Guess we can call it a night, huh?" one of the officers a few desks away chimed, nodding towards the clock and eying Natasha marching towards her office for the morning.

We can call it a career, Clive thought. He stood, and began his quick march towards the chief's office. It was time to get it over with. He knew he had to do it before he saw Yulia, before she noticed the paper in his hand and asked any questions. He casually waltzed around the other bodies hurrying towards or away from their workstations, and up the steps. He listened outside the chief's door for a moment, before letting himself in.

The chief was silent, and had not acknowledged Clive's presence as the younger detective approached his desk. Preoccupied with reading the newspaper in front of him, he would occasionally reach for a sip of coffee or chew on the end of a pen to occupy his oral fixation. Only once he completely finished reading one of the articles did he glance upward. "Just who I needed to see," he said. "I need you back on the Avarice case, starting tomorrow. There are too many other cases and we're not getting anywhere, and the mayor thinks that if you can pull some kind of miracle, it will put us in favor with the taxpayers before the next election. If you can't... well I hope the night shift has been treating you well." The chief then tossed a badge towards Clive, who caught it promptly.

"You're serious?" Clive stammered.

"What, did you think I was going to let you off so easy? Go arrest some gold fuckers."

Restored of his rank and duties, the detective Clive Oiler stepped out of the chief's office. After shutting the door behind him, he looked around. Upon seeing no one to spy him, he gave his badge a kiss and placed the chain around his neck. There was no time to spare. The aches and tiredness of the previous night's work melted away as he hurried to the detectives' office, proudly displaying the badge around his neck and tingling with excitement.There was no doubt now- he and Yulia will capture Phoenix and rescue Dragonite. They will dismantle Avarice, and with any luck, Clive will find Richie once and for all.

[Ashen]

It had been a long couple of weeks without her partner. Even if Yulia had known that Clive would be taken off the case after his injuries and reckless behavior, she still hoped that he wouldn’t be, so when it did happen, she felt like her dreams had been slashed. Even if she’d always figured she would take down Avarice by herself, she had grown dependent on Clive’s companionship. He was the only one who understood them like she did, and now, alone, the task of defeating them felt hopeless.

After she’d heard the news of Clive’s removal from the case, she called out sick the next day, missing an important press conference, several meetings, and her assignment to a new partner. It didn’t matter; Yulia wasn’t ready to go back to work, not after losing her partner, and besides, she felt guilty for what had happened to him. Still, for all the devastation she’d felt, she couldn’t imagine what he was dealing with.

They hadn’t talked very much since that day in the hospital. Outside of conversations about work, Yulia didn’t know what to say. In truth, she hadn’t talked much to anyone since that day. She was exhausted, and after so many failures, all of the enthusiasm she’d had upon graduating the Academy was waning. She wondered if it really was possible to stop Avarice, or if she would finally lose herself chasing an impossible goal. She feared what that meant for everyone she cared about.

There was one person she couldn’t seem to escape, as much as she tried. Freya had become much bolder, harassing her at all hours of day and taunting her lack of progress. Freya was cocky, but she was careful, and though Yulia paid special attention to her insults, the villain never did drop any clues about her intentions. Yulia had been losing more and more sleep, and most days, the hours blurred together, making it impossible to keep track of time. She just needed a good long rest, or—No, what she needed was to finally put a rest to this. To Avarice.

At least Freya didn’t bother her while at work. Yulia stared at her laptop screen, her gaze brushing over the curt lines of an email dated two weeks ago but not focusing on any words. She was nursing a cup of coffee, her third today—or maybe fifth. Who was counting, really? Her new partner had already given up on her and requested to be transferred to another case, and with so much work piling up lately, no one, least of all Yulia, had any objections. That left her as the only investigator presently on the Avarice case, though she’d heard rumors that that would be changing soon.

The email was from one of the Raikou researchers from Mt. Mortar, someone who, thanks to her failure, was out of a job. None of the researchers had reached out to her since, but she scanned for any details she might have missed. She was running out of new leads to search, but she had to feel useful somehow. Avarice had been oddly quiet lately, and she knew better than to take that as a good thing.

Yulia was losing track of time. She was doing that more often lately, without someone to keep her on track. Days often blurred to nights, and she wondered if her lack of progress lately was in part because she didn't have a partner. Clive worked nights now, and they passed each other in the halls sometimes. They had moved him to primarily busywork, and from how he always looked coming in, he wasn’t enjoying it all that much. Yulia wondered what he was up to these days, but she never felt comfortable enough to reach out to him. She felt responsible for his removal from the Avarice case, and she didn’t know how to speak with him when she thought he might be mad at her. In losing her partner, she also felt that she’d lost a friend, one lingering just out of reach. She wanted to reconnect with him, but it was as if a rift had opened between them, one she didn’t know how to cross.

Yulia closed her laptop and packed it away in her bag, intending to grab something to eat from the vending machines in the lobby. Though she had finally cleaned up her apartment enough to live in it again, she didn't much have the energy to make her own meals. Lately, she’d been spending too much time confined to either her apartment or her office. She couldn’t remember the last time she had gone out for fun, but she didn’t see the point. To her, it wasn’t overworking if she had nothing else to do, and everyone was counting on her to put a stop to Avarice. Right now, she was the only one who could.

As she made her way through the lobby, Yulia caught a glimpse of Clive. She stopped in her tracks, trying to stay out of his line of sight, but then she saw him ducking into the chief’s office. Yulia hesitated. She didn’t want to be nosy, but she did want to know what business the chief had with Clive. Maybe it had something to do with all the paperwork he’d been tasked with—or maybe there was something else. Was it possible Clive was being moved again? Or maybe the chief had reconsidered his position on everything that had happened, and he was going to fire Clive. Racked with anxiety, Yulia lingered outside the office.

To not look suspicious, Yulia soothed the edges of her skirt, fidgeted with the ascot around her neck, and pretended to look at a plaque in the hallway highlighting the diligence and integrity of the Goldenrod Police Department. It wasn’t long before the door opened again, and she glanced just in time to catch Clive’s eye before hastily looking away. Clive stepped into the hallway, but not before she heard him speak with the chief.

He sounded…happy.

Finally, Yulia allowed herself to look away from the plaque, and she offered Clive a small smile and a surprised look, as if she hadn’t followed him over here. The bags under her eyes were a permanent feature now. Her heels clicked dully against the polished floor as she closed the distance between her and Clive.

“Hi.” She wished she didn’t feel so awkward around him, and it didn’t help that her nosiness was now very not subtle. Yulia tried to dismiss her thoughts and glanced at Clive. He was looking more alive than she’d seen him in a long time, and she wanted to know what he’d been told.

Of course, she had been messaging him, even if she’d been heavily advised against doing so. Yulia wondered just what the boss would do to her if he found her so blatantly breaching confidentiality agreements, but Yulia didn’t feel right keeping Clive in the dark, not when they’d made so much progress together. And, since all of their conversations had been about work lately, Yulia fell back on the one thing she knew how to do: she told him about work.

There hadn’t been many updates, admittedly, but she had her suspicions about when Phoenix was going to pursue the last of the legendary beasts, and she shared those speculations with Clive. Yulia was nervous about it; she didn’t have faith in herself or her abilities, and she had no idea how she would take Phoenix down alone. But, with Clive off the case and everyone else eager to not work with her, she didn’t have much a choice.

After mumbling about Suicune and Phoenix some, Yulia finally sighed. “How are you?” she asked to keep things polite. “Are you just starting your day?” She sent a glance towards the chief’s office and raised a brow. “You’re popular today, mm?” Even though she wanted nothing more than to go home and rest, she wanted to know what Clive was so happy about, and besides, it would be rude to leave now, after he’d already seen her.

[Headwrapper]

It was a surprise to run into Yulia so quickly. Without a need for a summons, the young detective had approached, offering an awkward greeting. Equally as surprising as her sudden arrival, was her physical appearance. Clive had inferred from their conversations and messages that the girl had been tired, dogged, even a little demoralized, over the last few weeks. What the messages did not fully convey was how overwhelming those feelings must have been for her, so much so that they manifested physically.

Yulia's face, elegant, pretty, youthful, seemed to have aged somewhat over the last several weeks. Clive sensed it in the dullness in her eyes, the bags underneath of them. Even her skin had lost some of its youthful glow, like waning moon. Clive would have though to give her a hug, if he were the hugging type. After all, there were no excuses for his decisions leading up to his suspension, and he had been so absorbed in his own journey to recover that he had not thought to see his friend in person to check in on her. So, instead of hug, his hand went to the badge around his neck, squeezing it lightly as he sobered up from the excitement of having it returned to him.

"I'm alright," he answered. When Yulia suggested something about the meeting with the chief, Clive slowed to a stop. "Well, I'm only going to get a lot more popular soon, I hope." He pinched the chain around his neck between his thumb and forefinger, raising it to give Yulia a better view of the badge displaying his rank as a detective. One side of his lips curled into a half-grin, as he waited to gauge his partner's reaction.

"You will have to tell me more about what we know about Phoenix and Suicune. We're going to stop him this time, and do it for good." He turned his head, yawning audibly into his shoulder. "We should discuss it tonight. I just came off a shift of pushing papers, and you have a long drive home. Technically, I'm not back on the beat until tomorrow anyway."

After they said their goodbyes, Clive continued his way to his office, his real office. There, he situated a few things, ensured he had renewed access to files concerning the Avarice, and loaded up his bag with some documents he had printed out.

Back in his apartment, he released his Pokemon and tiredly laid out some of their favorite foods. "This was what I could pick up on the way home. Maybe after I get a chance to rest I can cook us up some steaks or something, huh?" Once his Pokemon were preoccupied with their food, Clive hurried to his room, changed into more comfortable attire, and then returned to the living room. There, he laid out on his couch, holding one of his printed documents over him as he read through it.

As time passed, the detective's lounging arrangement evolved. Soon, he rolled from his back onto his side. Then eventually, he laid flat on his belly, placing the papers he was reading from on the floor next to the couch so that he could continue reading without having to hold them up. He was nearly done scouring through some old research from a well-known researcher of the legendary beasts, Eusine, before the grips of sleep seized him.

It was late in the afternoon when Clive awoke. He peeled his cheek off of the edge of the couch, groaning quietly as he sat up. His Pokemon had been lounging around nearby, and they all stirred slightly as they glanced up to watch their trainer. Clive chuckled, upon realizing why his partners were all so eager.

He grabbed hold of his phone and checked the time while clearing his throat. "Hmm."

A quarter-hour or more passed while the detective bode his time, packing up his things, stretching his limps, and lounging on the couch for a small while. Then he gave Yulia a call. "Hey. Would you, uh... Does Fritz like steak?"

[Ashen]

Though Yulia noticed Clive toying with the badge on his chest, she didn’t think he had meant anything by it. Things had seemed so final; was it possible he was implying—? “Oh,” she said quietly, too shocked to say much more. Her gaze found the badge again. It was the one he’d had before everything with Phoenix and Raikou, the one he’d had when he’d been her partner. And if he was showing it off again, then that meant the chief had some sense in him after all. Clive was back. Yulia had her partner back.

“Yes, of course,” she blurted in response to his confidence. If Clive really was back, then of course they wouldn’t fail this time. Yulia felt much better about ambushing Phoenix while he tried to steal Suicune as long as Clive was beside her. There was so much to do before then. She was already making mental lists of all the things they’d need to plan together, all the documents she’d need to send him, the notes she’d have him look over. Even if it felt like little had happened in the time since he’d been gone, Yulia needed him to be perfectly up to date so that they would be as prepared as possible for Avarice. If Clive started tomorrow, she only had a little bit of time to get everything together.

So caught up in her planning, Yulia forgot the man was even there, so when she noticed him, she shifted awkwardly and offered him a half-hearted grin. She stumbled over an apology for zoning out, then nodded, trying to regain her focus. “We’ll discuss tonight,” she repeated, nodding her agreement. “That gives me plenty of time to gather all the new information you need and organize it. It’ll give me something to do today that’s not staring at my empty inbox.” She smiled, and for the first time in a long time, it was not forced. “I’m glad to have you back, Clive.”

Yulia spent the rest of her morning getting together all of the files she had on Team Avarice. She put together a single document that acted as a summary of everything they knew this far, and she referenced it in another document she made, a list of things she needed to tell Clive when they discussed the case again. The list was organized by Yulia’s idea of importance, starting with what they knew about Phoenix and Suicune and ending with all of the tangents she had thought up since day one. When she was finally finished compiling everything, she sent the documents to the printer room, and she made her way there.

To her surprise, they were still printing when she got there, and she was made painfully aware of just how long her documents were. She considered condensing them so as not to overwhelm Clive, but then, she figured he knew most of these details anyway and could skip over them. Besides, having a note sheet like this could only help them going forward. “This is productive,” she told herself, not realizing she was speaking aloud, as she justified dedicating so much of her time to this task.

Natasha, who had been walking through the hallway, heard Yulia’s voice. She peeked into the room, and when she saw Yulia was just talking to herself—over yet another thick stack of papers—she continued on. It was just business as usual, then.

When her documents finally finished printing, Yulia stapled them together and returned to her desk. In addition to the case summary and the list of things to talk about, she also had many note sheets. They contained her hypotheses, and though they were less important than the facts they had, she still wanted Clive to be aware of what she’d been thinking about. Lastly was all the information she’d found in various encyclopedias and on research websites about the legendary beasts. Since that was their next mission, she wanted to be as knowledgeable as possible on Suicune and its connection to the other beasts. Finally, after everything was organized, Yulia put all these things into a single folder to give to Clive later.

By the time she’d finished all of that, her work day was nearly over. Yulia glanced at the clock on her computer. She couldn’t even remember what she’d wanted to work on that day—more emailing people who didn’t want to talk to her, or checking on things that had no updates, probably. There was very little to do while they waited for Phoenix’s next move, so Yulia was glad for this distraction. With only a couple hours left of her day, she pulled up her inbox again.

There was an update. After the events at Mt. Mortar, Yulia had returned there to investigate what those grunts had told her. She’d gone diving into the lake, borrowing a couple water-type Pokemon and scuba gear to really explore. There were secrets there, she was sure of it, and she’d wanted to get to the bottom of them herself. While she’d found nothing out of the ordinary, she had found a formation of rocks that had looked like it might have been moved into place by humans. Some of these rocks had even looked like a gate of sorts, though Yulia couldn’t figure out how to open it. She had grabbed a sample from these rocks and sent it in for analysis, and her results had just come back.

They confirmed her suspicions: the rocks under the surface of that lake were not native to the area but instead had been transported in and carved to fit the natural rocks. Something was being hidden down there, but she didn’t know how to investigate further without damaging the local ecosystem or alerting Avarice of her plans.

But this was a start. Yulia responded to the email with her gratitude and added these new details to her notes. She briefly considered reprinting the documents for Clive but realized that would be a great waste of paper, and she instead wrote in what she’d learned. So excited about finally hearing back about something, Yulia almost didn’t notice her phone vibrating against her desk. Clive was calling, so she answered.

“I’ve made a discovery,” she said in lieu of an actual greeting. Though she was still exhausted and jaded, some of the animation had returned to her voice. “Avarice must be hiding something in the lake near Mt.—oh, um.” Realizing that Clive had asked her something before she’d started rambling, Yulia cleared her throat awkwardly, cheeks growing warm. All of this was better saved for their in-person conversation, she realized.

She considered what he’d asked. “Fritz?” she repeated, charmed that he’d even remembered her Glameow’s name. “He does, yes, but I have to warn you, he has more expensive tastes than I do.” She laughed lightly, because as fussy as her pet was, she still adored him. She paused, then added, “I’ll be over soon. Let me help prepare it.”

Almost satisfied with the work she’d done that day, Yulia packed up and went home, only to shower quickly and get ready for an early dinner at Clive’s. When she tried to wrangle Fritz into her arms, though, the Glameow protested loudly. “We’re visiting Clive,” she told him, and that seemed to calm the cat, if only a little. Yulia went through her kitchen, gathering things that would go with a steak dish, like several spices, some carrots, and a probably-not-yet-out-of-date onion she still had in her fridge. When she had everything together, she started for Clive’s apartment.

When she arrived, she shot Clive a text to let him know, then smoothed the edge of her skirt, brushed the hair from her shoulders, and sighed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually cooked for herself, and she thought doing it with someone else might have been fun. The last time she’d had steak—that had been with Clive, too. Maybe, she thought with an amused expression, the man was better for her self-care than she realized.

[Headwrapper]

After hanging up with Yulia, Clive peeled himself off of the couch. He put his work things away and neatly placed his bag in the corner of his bedroom. Without giving it much consideration, he put on a pair of tan denim pants and a comfortably soft cotton shirt. He pulled up his sleeves, which became taut against his forearms, before washing his hands. Then, he headed to the kitchen to begin preparing dinner, shooing away his Pokemon all the while.

When Rotom buzzed, signalling Yulia's arrival, Clive wiped his hands on a clean rag before answering the door. After greeting his partner uncharacteristically warmly, he took some of the things she was carrying from her and ushered her into the apartment, sneaking a quick poke to Fritz's nose as he was carried passed."I hope you're hungry," he said as he closed the door. "I think we'll have enough for everyone, Pokemon included." He looked at some of the ingredients that Yulia had brought, eying the labels carefully as he disappeared back into the kitchen.

While the pan was heating up on the stove, he began cutting up some of the carrots into thick batons, tossing the excess into a nearby bowl. His work with the knife was quick and precise, each stroke confident and methodical. His hands firmly held the implement and the vegetables he was cutting, but without unnecessary tensing or squeezing. When he finished cutting the first set of batons, he placed them near a small pile of baby potatoes he had already cut into halves.

"You said that you made a discovery?" he asked, casting Yulia a glance. "Something in the lake." Deftly, he reached for another carrot and sliced off the top, before proceeding to craft additional batons to include in their meal. Interested in what his partner would have to say, he continued to work in relative silence as he listened. A sudden, unseen disturbance broke his silence. "Don't even try it, Shadow."

The Zorua, hiding, invisible near the entrance of the kitchen, snickered as it reappeared into view and fled back into the living room.

"You should have seen them earlier," Clive said, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat. Carefully, he inspected the pan and quickly decided it was as hot as it was going to get. "Guess it's my fault for mentioning the prospect of steak to them."

After they were done cooking, only awkwardly bumping into each other in Clive's small kitchen a few times, they laid out their mouthwatering and aromatic feast. On the detective's plates laid their thick cuts of steak, pan-seared and fragrant with the smell of black pepper and thyme. Joining the main course were the roasted potatoes and carrots, which having been flavored in the seasoned juices of the steak, had filled the air with their own delectable scents. A few choice cuts of meat were laid out for the Pokemon joining the meal, complimented with a few of their favorite berries.

When they were partway through their meal, their conversation maundered to the Avarice case. It was inevitable, with what had transpired before, Clive's effective suspension, Yulia's recent discovery, and the pairs incessant desire to close the case for good. Shamelessly, Clive leafed through the file that Yulia had brought with her, chewing on a fragrant and buttery potato.

[Ashen]

Once Yulia had been ushered into Clive’s apartment, she set the rest of her things down and sternly told her Glameow to be a good boy before walking to the kitchen to make herself useful. She got to work beside Clive in chopping the vegetables she’d brought, all the while eyeing the steak already on the stove. Clive had gone all out for this, and it was endearing to see the proof of his enthusiasm in his behavior. Yulia was excited that her stoic partner was excited, and just like that, the miserable last couple weeks faded from her mind.

As they prepared dinner together, Yulia mentioned the documents she’d prepared for him, and she told him she’d give them to him once they finished eating. She couldn’t stop herself from talking about them, however, and about the discovery she’d made at Mt. Mortar. She went over the email she’d gotten about the rocks, and her speculations about what Avarice was hiding down there, before she interrupted herself with an apology to save the rest for later.

She didn’t even notice the illusion Pokemon come up to them, so when Clive suddenly called out to Shadow, she turned to look for the Zorua. She giggled at the poor thing’s attempt, but then she thought of Fritz and his tendency to steal food, and she cast a glance around the room to look for him. She found him stretched across the couch in the living room snoring. Yulia smiled; even her fussy cat felt right at home here.

When dinner was finished cooking and they’d plated their meals, Yulia made sure all the Pokemon were fed before sitting at the table herself. She watched Fritz out of the corner of her eye, hoping he would behave but knowing he wouldn’t. He tried to paw a berry from Shadow’s bowl, but Yulia scolded him, and the dejected Glameow returned to his own food. Yulia turned her attention back to Clive with an amused sigh. Even if she’d said she’d wait until after dinner, she handed him the documents she’d brought and continued her conversation from earlier, fully catching him up on the details about the case he’d missed. Yulia couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this animated about work, but she enjoyed having someone to share it with, someone who was also passionate about giving Avarice what they deserved. During a lull in the conversation, she realized how long she had been rambling, and she turned away, her cheeks coloring slightly.

She sipped her water so that she could collect her overenthusiastic thoughts. She motioned towards her plate, which was empty except for a few stray vegetables. “Supper was delicious,” she said, and there was pride in her voice at having helped make it. “Thank you for inviting me over.”

If Clive was not yet tired of hearing her talk, Yulia still wanted to go over some details about Suicune and her plan to stop Phoenix. There was no room for failure now, and she wanted Clive’s input on the best way to trap the Avarice official and save the legendary beast. But she had spoken for a long time, and she was also content saving such talk for later if he preferred.

Now that she’d gotten all of that information off her chest, Yulia realized just how exhausted she was. She had always been the type to work herself to the bone, but it was starting to wear on her now, as she was so close to her goals. A headache drummed at the back of her head, and she was sure, if Clive let her, she could pass out right on his couch. But she shook herself awake and carried the dishes back to the kitchen, including the Pokemon’s bowls now licked clean. She liked feeling useful, and she owed Clive for the dinner anyway.

“I feel like I’ve been talking forever,” she announced as she scraped the plates into the trash can. “What’s new with you?”

[Headwrapper]

As usual, Clive remained quiet as he mulled over Yulia's thoughts, both the ones she spoke as well as the ones documented on paper. When he finished his meal, he gently nudged his plate over to make more room to leaf through the file more attentively. There was a lot of information he needed to mull over. There were lessons learned from the failure at Mt. Mortar, a summary of the known tools Phoenix and the rest of Avarice had in their arsenal, and speculation regarding Suicune's whereabouts.

Furthermore, Yulia mentioned the findings regarding the rocks found beneath the lake near Mt. Mortar. Clive had his own suspicions when he first noticed the the large mass that turned out to be a Wailord in the middle of the lake. A lake that could not sustainably house such a massive Pokemon. There could have been the makings of some sort of travel system that Avarice used to traverse the continent, and ship supplies, people, and Pokemon. Alternatively, they may have been hiding a secret facility, similar to the one they discovered beneath the warehouse in Saffron City.

They discussed Suicune, what was known about it, and Yulia's plans. Clive admitted he needed time to think over the details, referencing back to some of their misgivings during the Raikou mission. How they were unprepared for the sudden discovery, ill-equipped to handle the scale of the mission, and just blatantly outmatched. Frankly, Clive was annoyed by Phoenix's preparedness for his illusion tricks with Shadow. Admittedly, he was also tired of getting shocked so many times during this case too, but was prepared to deal with it again.

For a moment, Clive hesitated. There was a particular topic he had not addressed with Yulia. One that she needed to know could cloud her partner's judgement in the future. As he considered an appropriate way to approach the subject, he observed the enjoyment in Yulia's face, despite the signs she had been working herself so hard that day. Unable to help himself, he pushed the topic of his father's Dragonite aside for the time being to revel with his partner.

"It was good. Thanks for helping prepare it. You didn't have to." Once the work discussion was set aside, they began to clean up after themselves. After grabbing a few items himself, Clive watched as Yulia carried the rest of the dishes back into the kitchen. He joined his partner, organizing the emptied plates into his dishwasher while Yulia continued to scrape off the rest. "What's new?" he repeated. "Hmm." Clive pondered for a moment, wiping his fingers with a checkered dish rag. "I've been training with my Pokemon the last few weeks, with the help of an old mentor of mine. In fact, Shadow and Houndour have both learned a few new moves."

He took the remaining plates from Yulia. "I'll finish this up," he said while he balanced the stack in his hands. "Relax a bit." He nodded back towards the living room before dismissively turning to finish putting away the rest of their meal.

The gentle roar of the dishwasher announced when the task was complete, and Clive emerged from the kitchen. He was a little surprised that Yulia was not completely passed out on the couch when he approached, and he observed her carefully before he settled down in his own seat. Like before, his partner still showed signs of fatigue. Maybe ones she could hide from others, but Clive knew people better. He knew Yulia better. "Hey, um..." He shifted uneasily in his seat, before deciding to lean forward and rest his elbows against his knees so he can better face his partner. "I wasn't sure how to say this, but I wanted to say that I'm sorry. That was I wasn't there for you these last few weeks. I should have came to see you after everything... Like, in person. Not just on the phone."

With a loud sigh, he turned his head and looked to his Pokemon, particular his Umbreon. He withdrew his breath briefly before looking Yulia in the eyes again. "There's something else. Something I have to tell you. After all, it just wouldn't be right to keep this kind of secret from you after how pissed I was at you back in Saffron. Huh, I had forgotten we had a steak dinner back then too..." He rubber his chin gently, as if in thought. Suddenly, he stood and disappeared into his bedroom.

When he returned, he carried the broken Pokeball in one hand. "Listen," he said before he dropped into his seat and leaned towards Yulia. His eyes locked with hers, magnetized to Yulia's dark blue irises. "In the grand scheme of things, you might still be new to this line of work... But if you even think that this will jeopardize your safety, it's your right to march to the Chief and tell him I withheld this information. Get me booted right back out of the case. It's just as much your right as it would have been mine about the 'brain thing', alright?"

Handling the item delicately with his finger tips, Clive raised the broken Pokeball between them. "This Pokeball used to contain a dear friend of mine, my father's strongest and most loyal Pokemon. A Pokemon that has been missing ever since my dad was betrayed and both my parents were wiped right off of this world." He paused, finally breaking his gaze from Yulia to look at the ball. "I'm not trying to be dramatic, but I want you to understand that this is something I... in the right situation, the wrong situation, I don't know what I might do. This Pokeball originally contained the Dragonite that Phoenix used against us at Mt. Mortar. There's no mistaking it. The same scar, the same tremendous power. It was my dad's Dragonite. And they have it."

[Ashen]

Yulia was quick to wave off Clive’s thanks. Keeping everything updated about her case was part of her job, and she enjoyed feeling useful. She appreciated the opportunity to make something special, and though she didn’t know how to word it, this dinner catch-up meant more to her than Clive could know. She was glad when he started talking; as much as she had to say, she was starting to feel self-conscious about her rambling. It came as a surprise that Clive had been training with an old mentor. He had never shown much interest in battling, and his Pokemon seemed better suited for the non-combat parts of their missions. But though it was unexpected, Yulia was relieved Clive was doing new things to keep him and his Pokemon active.

His apology seemingly came out of nowhere, and Yulia quickly shook her head, dismissing it. It wasn’t like she had tried to meet with him, either, and he’d been the one in the hospital. She had thought to, but a part of her figured he’d be too upset to see her again, or that she wouldn’t know what to say, so she used work as an excuse—just like she always did. “You don’t have to apologize,” she told him quietly. Remembering the state she’d last seen him in, and what had happened to him at Mt. Mortar, filled her with a returning guilt from not doing more to help him, but now that he was back on the case, and back to being her partner, Yulia was determined to make up for her wrongs. They’d take down Avarice for good this time, and she was sure nothing else would mean more than that.

She wasn’t the type of person to stay idle, and even after Clive had sent her away to relax for a minute, Yulia busied herself with sorting the pillows on Clive’s couch. Fritz had taken two of them to lie across and thrown a third on the floor, so Yulia shooed the cat Pokemon off of them. She gave him a pat on the head and scratched him under his chin, a compromise. It had been a long and busy day, but Yulia could find comfort in things finally starting to look up.

But when Clive spoke up again, the air turned tense, and Yulia nervously arched a brow. His tone indicated that whatever he had to tell her wasn’t such a happy thing, and her mind whirred with possibilities. It was difficult to not jump to the worst conclusions, but she tried to silence her thoughts. Yulia turned her attention to Fritz as she waited for Clive to return, but, as if sensing the tension, the Glameow hopped off the couch to poke around the kitchen some more.

Clive returned with a Poke Ball, and Yulia wondered what kind of Pokemon he was about to show her. But as he got closer, she realized the thing was broken, and she dreadfully wondered what had been housed in it. She recognized that Pokemon; she’d seen it once, when they met with that judge so long ago now. Clive’s words did not comfort her; all this talk about his safety unnerved her. She tried to keep her expression neutral, though she wondered if Clive knew her well enough to see through her. She let out an unsteady breath and nodded to show she was listening, and she waited for him to continue.

As Clive explained the origin of the Poke Ball and the Pokemon it belonged to, Yulia realized this was likely an heirloom, something Clive had to remember his father. But if the Pokemon it had belonged to had been a Dragonite, powerful and scarred and all too familiar… Yulia’s eyes widened as she remembered the Dragonite they’d encountered on Mt. Mortar. The very same tired-looking Dragonite that had attacked Clive and sent him to the hospital. Yulia reached for her partner, placing a hand on his in comfort. “I’m so sorry,” she began, not even able to conceptualize his grief. That wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg, however. If Clive’s father’s beloved Pokemon had fallen into the hands of Avarice, what did that mean?

Yulia turned away from him, her brows furrowed in thought. She thought back to the things she had read about the great detective Clive’s father had been, including his betrayal by his partner. Was it possible his partner had been working with Avarice? Maybe it was mere coincidence that his Pokemon had ended up in their hands. And—was that Dragonite the reason they’d failed to stop Phoenix at Mt. Mortar?

No. Yulia decided she was not going to blame Clive, especially if he’d been thrown off by seeing his father’s Pokemon again. His connection to that Dragonite did not endanger them any more than her condition did, and she wasn’t about to place her guilt on his shoulders. But this was a new piece of evidence for their case, and she was eager to research it and see what new leads it brought up.

“What do you suppose that means?” she asked. Even if his father’s betrayal was shrouded in mystery, she still figured Clive might know more about that Dragonite than anyone else. If his father’s fate was because of Avarice, then Yulia would not rest until he was avenged, and his Pokemon was home with his son. “Do you think your uncle Richie might have anything to do with our case?” she pressed. Her voice was gentle—she knew these things were sensitive for Clive, and she didn’t want to upset him—but she couldn’t hide the excitement that came from potentially having a new lead.

[Headwrapper]

"Honestly, I am still not sure what to make of it," Clive responded, turning the damaged Pokeball in his hands. "There's no evidence suggesting that Avarice existed that long ago, but perhaps we've always been wrong about that. All of that being said, criminal groups are making deals and and transactions all of the time. It's quite possible Richie had no use for the Pokemon he stole, no means to control them himself, so he traded them or sold them for something more useful. Nothing significant has really come up about him for more than twenty years, he might have sold off and embezzled what he needed to so he can retire in some far off country."

The detective paused in thought for a moment and leaned back in his seat. "Who knows, I could be wrong. But I don't think anything about Richie is going to lead us to Avarice... Actually, if anything, Avarice might be the one loose end that might lead me to Richie someday." He gently tossed the Pokeball into the air and caught it, before placing it on the coffee table in front of them. "I wonder where the rest of his Pokemon are, though. None of the others would have been as stubborn or as strong as Dragonite. If they had a use for them, Avarice might have broken in the others too." After another long, silent, pause, he straightened himself up. "I think we're already on the right path. We need to prepare for Suicune. We can not fail."

As they began discussing preparations, the list of provisions that were needed grew longer and longer. The idea of preparing for another showdown, on top of investigating their other leads, grew to be a daunting one. The underwater cavern was still a mystery that needed explored. Then, they needed to be more prepared for another standoff with Phoenix and any other support he might bring for the crucial steps in his plan. Clive and Yulia needed their own way of tracking Suicune. They need items and resources to keep their Pokemon healed between bouts, ways to protect themselves from teleporting enemies and to prevent their escape, and either a way to defeat or stave off Avarice's vicious and tortured Pokemon. They were not able to defeat Phoenix in a full on battle, and there was no guarantee that he would not have more help in their next face off.

It was clear they had a lot of work to do in the days to come, so they said their farewells before Yulia left for the night.

The next day, Clive made his way to the office early, a personal list of plans already in his mind. There was no getting around it- even with the last few weeks of training, he'd have to train more have a chance at stopping Phoenix from carrying out his plans. The potential of teleporting was an issue, but after giving it some thought, Clive realized that even if he could not prevent Avarice from teleporting to him, he could stop them from teleporting away. Umbreon was already proficient with his Mean Look and his Taunt attacks, but he was slower than many Pokemon. Houndour, however, could slow down their opponents with Fire Spin. With the right training, Houndour could be fast enough to catch even Phoenix's Pokemon off guard.

He put an order in for healing supplies from the store room, maxing out his allocation. He sent Yulia a note as a reminder to do the same, and even sent a request for an increase on their allocations given the severity of their mission. When he returned to the office from the store room, he was surprised to find the other detectives had started their days also.

"Clive!?" Natasha and Jean exclaimed in unison. Their eyes fell to the badge dangling around their colleague's neck, inciting an immediate reaction from both of them.

Jean stood from his seat, which creaked upon being freed from the weight of its enormous load. "You're back!" he roared. "Hoo-ha!" In one large bound, he closed the distance between himself and the new arrival and wrapped one large, vascular arm around him. "About time they came to their senses, huh?" he asked.

Clive clenched his eyes as he braced himself against Jean's powerful bind. Even after recovering form his injuries, Jean's body still managed to allude nature with its massive size and just how unyielding his muscles were. When Clive was acclimated to the feeling of being crushed by the massive tree trunk that was Jean's arm, he glanced upward, noticing Natasha observing him cautiously.

She stood with her arms crossed, and she leaned to one side as she studied him with a steely gaze. "You look different." She said coolly.

"I've been training with my old guardian in Ecruteak," Clive said. "He helped me train my Pokemon and we talked through a few things. I'm sorry about what happened before Nat, what I said."

Natasha's ice cold gaze had warmed slightly, but she turned her head to break any eye contact with Clive. "Well, that's nice of you to say. Doesn't mean you-"

"And also, I think I need your help. Both of you. What do you think?"

Whatever words Natasha was planning to say fell apart, the letters dissolving before she could form them. Had they ever heard Clive ask for help before, in all of the years they worked together? Did his stubbornness, which he justified with his prodigal talents, finally weathered away? "I, uh, we-"

Jean grabbed Clive by the shoulders, nearly separating his torso from his waist. "Well of course we'll help you, buddy! We're basically you big bro and sis, always have been. Same goes to your partner, you know? Whenever and wherever you need us, we'll be there."

[Ashen]

Despite the excitement coursing through her veins, Yulia listened patiently to Clive’s speculations about his father’s Dragonite, and she tried to temper her animation. Clive was right; the likelihood of the Poke Ball being related to their case was slim, and even if it was related, that only told them that Richie had, at some point, dealt with someone in Avarice—maybe. If Clive didn’t think it was a lead worth pursuing quite yet, then Yulia believed him. Of course, she would still look into things to see what she could find, but there were a million other things she had to do, and those would be her priorities. And who knew? If they did end up learning something about Richie or Clive’s dad, then after this was all over, after Yulia had completed her life mission to stop Avarice, maybe then she could help Clive solve that mystery, too.

But Clive’s guesses were wrong about one thing. Richie couldn’t have been part of Avarice while Clive’s father was still alive, not if Yulia was remembering her dates properly. She tried to remember when the two detectives were popular, when the betrayal happened. It was before the day Avarice formed, a day she remembered clearly. If she concentrated, she could still remember the faces of those first grunts, people who had long ago moved on. But she didn’t know how to tell Clive this without sounding insane, so she kept her mouth shut and nodded along. It was a moot point. And even as she and Clive moved onto other subjects, there was still a nagging thought in her mind, the thought that she simultaneously knew far more and far less than she ought to about Team Avarice. She tried to dismiss it, but the drumming headache that came with the effort would not let her rest.


~~~

Clive was not the only one focused on training. Yulia knew there was so many things she could have done differently back at Mt. Mortar, and the entire battle with Phoenix was many of them. She would never blame her Pokemon for her own incompetence as a trainer, so she knew it was up to her to help her team meet its potential. Next time, there was no room for error, so she needed her Pokemon to be relentless.

A couple hours before her shift started the next day, Yulia drove to a field somewhere between her apartment and the police department. It was a calm place with a couple trees and a few berry bushes, not significant enough that anyone would come here. That was perfect; Yulia wanted her Pokemon’s full concentration, and she didn’t need anyone distracting them. She pulled a Poke Ball from her bag and threw it into the air. A moment later, a Skorupi landed on the grass a little distance from where Yulia was standing. The bug Pokemon immediately dashed to hide behind a tree when she didn’t recognize her surroundings. “Ivy,” Yulia called, coaxing the Pokemon away from its hiding place and back to her.

Ivy was a Pokemon who had been practically left on Yulia’s doorstep, battered and bruised, a tortured reject of Avarice’s experiments. Yulia had taken the poor thing in without hesitation, and though she’d invited the bug-type onto her team, in the years since, Ivy had made little progress. The Skorupi was still as skittish as ever, and she didn’t hit very hard. She was too afraid to battle most of the time, which made her an almost useless member of Yulia’s team. Yulia realized she was doing a disservice to her poor Pokemon—Ivy wanted to help, but her fears kept her paralyzed. So, Yulia was now prepared to work on those. Some might have thought Ivy a lost cause, but Yulia saw the potential within her.

Yulia was patient, even as Ivy ran from her, and even as her Poison Sting attacks missed the wide cardboard targets Yulia had cut out that morning. When Yulia saw that her Pokemon was getting tired, she fed her some snacks and recalled her to her ball. It would be a slow process, but a worthwhile one, and she believed Ivy would help them stop Avarice.

After Ivy, Yulia called out her other two Pokemon, and she let them train against each other. Though her Beartic had a significant advantage over her Braviary, the two were evenly matched, but she knew they could be even stronger. As she watched them train, she thought with a hint of amusement that Clive’s Pokemon might make better foes. If he was serious about his training, then she’d have to see how well he and his Pokemon were doing sometime. It even sounded…fun.

On her way to work, Yulia wondered if this slow progress really was such a good use of her time. She believed in her Pokemon, and she believed this training would help them, but was it more helpful than other things she could be doing to prepare for their encounter with Suicune—and thus Phoenix? She mulled it over on her drive.

When Yulia got to the office, she made her way to her desk and set up her computer. She made her way through her usual morning routine, then got to work on all the emails she needed to reply to before finally bringing up the articles and online books she’d rented about Suicune. She was interrupted, however, by a message from Clive, reminding her to stock up on battling supplies. And smiled, appreciating the kind gesture. Maybe she was rubbing off on him. Before she could forget, she heeded his words and ordered a collection of potions, revives, elixirs, and even some berry mixtures. Then it was time to get back to her research.

After a while, Yulia got up in search of coffee. She walked to the breakroom, and while she waited for her coffee to pour, she overheard two officers in the hallway. They were talking about Clive, and she lingered in the doorway in an effort to eavesdrop. Apparently, a conversation this morning was so out of character for the stoic man that the officers were joking he needed to be temporarily fired more often. Yulia rolled her eyes at their joke, even if the two wouldn’t be able to see her. But she shook her head, a smile on her face. Clive, asking for help… It made her proud.

Coffee in hand, she got back to work, prioritizing the list of things she and Clive had come up with last night. Unlike Raikou, the legendary water beast did not stay in one spot for long, so tracking it would be much more difficult. Yulia barely knew what it looked like because of its rarity, and she wondered if it would be beneficial to go out and study it alongside the researchers, to get a better idea of its behavior. Would Clive join her? If she could convince the researchers to let them observe with them, then that would be a huge benefit in their investigation. And, she had to admit, a childish part of her got excited about the idea of watching such a legendary Pokemon with someone she was close to.

Clearing her throat and shaking the silly thought, she shot an email to the board of Suicune researchers again, filled with apologies, and sent it out. If Clive thought it would be helpful too, then they’d find a way to organize something.

Lastly, Yulia pondered Clive’s Poke Ball. She wondered if the archive had anything about it, or about his father at all, and she made a note to check. First, though, Yulia made her way to Clive’s desk, and when she found him, she greeted him with a chipper hello. “How has the work been treating you today?” she asked. “I got an early start—not a good idea, after staying up so late last night—but I think it’ll be a big help. What about you? Anything new?” The small talk was a welcome reprieve from staring at her computer screen all day—and she was just happy to have her partner back on the case.

[Headwrapper]

Clive glanced up from his documents upon Yulia's approach. He returned her greeting with about half of the energy she sent his way, which was still more than usual. He lifted a paper cup from his desk to his lips and took a small sip. "I guess I've made some headway, but nothing groundbreaking yet," he responded. "There's still a lot I need to do. My Pokemon too. Since it seems like it's going to be impossible to avoid another standoff with Phoenix, I came up with some ideas that I think will help. It'll just be a matter of making sure we can execute."

After placing his cup back down on his desk, he straightened in his seat. "I also talked to Natasha and Jean. They're going to be on standby in case we need the manpower. Call it a strategic task force, in case of emergencies. We can count on them. Oh, and before you hear otherwise, Nat and Jean made it a big emotional thing, not me. You know how loud Jean can get. And Nat can be sensitive sometimes. I don't know. Anyway."

As they continued to chat, the topic of observing Suicune came up. "It would be good to see it, at least once," Clive agreed. "Even better if we could keep tabs on it somehow. Would be great if we could catch it and keep it safe for a while until we can catch Avarice, but even if we could, who knows what effects that would have on other Pokemon and the rest of the ecosystem. Heh, who knows, maybe if we see it we can at least warn it of how dangerous Avarice is."

"In the meantime, they only loose end we can try to tie up for now is that underwater cavern. What do you think?" Clive pulled up the images and test reports about the cavern that Yulia had shared with him. "If we can borrow the right equipment, maybe we can find the entrance."

After they were finished reconnecting, they went back to work. Clive went about securing a vehicle they could use to explore underwater, using the evidence Yulia had gathered to justify the expense. With how organized Yulia's work was, putting together the information took little time. In fact, Clive spent more time putting together an explanation of what the findings were and organizing a persuasive proposal to secure a vessel of some kind.

The effort became fruitful the following day, but not in the way Clive had expected. While he and Yulia were chatting in the office, one of the workers from the department stepped in. He carried a thick, black briefcase made of a rugged plastic. "Hello detectives," he said, bowing his head slightly. "I was asked to deliver these to you."

Clive raised an eyebrow, and motioned for Yulia to make room for the young man to step closer. He watched as the newcomer approached the desk to drop off the heavy cases with a small thud. "What is this?" Clive eventually asked.

"Ah, they are each a set of Devon Scuba Gear, from Hoenn." The man quickly unfastened the case and opened it. Inside were two identical devices, each paired with a Pokeball marked as property of the department. The devices each had a full face shield made of tempered glass, framed with an orange and blue piece that looked similar to the coloration of a Marshtomp. The bottom half of the mask had a strange device with a mouth piece. "Once fitted properly, this face shield provides a water proof seal," the young man explained. "And this mouth piece down here can provide plenty of oxygen for hours, even when diving deep under water. They're used by a lot of trainers in Hoenn, where there is a lot of water routes. It makes underwater exploration much easier, without the need for any large vessels."

Clive ground his teeth, picking up one of the face masks. "This... Wasn't what I was expecting," he sighed. "Oh, but thanks for bringing them to us. We appreciate it." He shook his head as the man left, looking over the scuba gear suspiciously. "Just when I thought I was getting too old to be scuba diving and shit," he sighed. "To Mt. Mortar then?"

[Ashen]

The short break with Clive proved useful for more than just a reprieve from her independent work; they were able to talk over the details of the case, including what would come next in their plans to stop Avarice from stealing Suicune. Yulia nodded along with Clive’s ideas and offered her own when the conversation called for it, and once they finished talking, she walked back to her desk feeling far more accomplished and focused. She was smiling for another reason, too: it amused her how her stoic partner though it necessary to protect his reputation after his run-in with Natasha and Jean. Yulia wondered if she should tell Natasha about Clive’s insistence, knowing that the older woman would tease him for it, but Yulia decided against it. She had only just gotten her partner back; there was no reason to tease him too. Regardless, Yulia took comfort in knowing Natasha and Jean were there for them, despite all that had happened.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and the next day was shaping up to be the same until the two received notice of a delivery. She tried to guess at what it could be. Had her battle supplies come in already? But why would Clive also be a recipient of those? Weren’t these briefcases a little big for some potions and Oran berries anyway? As the man opened the cases and explained the scuba gear inside, Yulia shifted, wary. They had requested a vehicle for exploring the waters of Mt. Mortar, not…this. She cast a glance towards Clive, wondering if he had order scuba gear instead without telling her, but he seemed just as apprehensive about their packages. Maybe, due to their lack of verifiable progress in this case, their budget had been reduced to only cover this? Well, fine. Yulia could figure out some silly scuba gear…right?

The Snowbelle City native took one of the briefcases and looked over its contents. Yulia was not a swimmer; in her hometown, you didn’t need to be in the water long to lose your limbs to frostbite. Sure, the local school and workout room had heated pools, but she’d never taken an interest in swimming. She knew how to swim, of course—mostly—but as she regarded the gear, she wished they had been sent anything but this. What if her incompetence with the gear or her slow swim kept them from a huge discovery? They could have at least sent a water-type Pokemon along with this to help propel them. Would her Beartic be able to swim like that? It wasn’t that Yulia was afraid of drowning, or so she told herself, but she was a lot happier when she wasn’t surrounded by water.

Yulia shifted her weight. Despite his annoyance, Clive was taking this in stride, so she didn’t want to complicate things with her protests. “Won’t we need outfits?” Yulia asked, but as she poked around her briefcase, she found a diving suit in the same blue-and-orange hues as the devices. When was the last time she’d worn something so form-fitting? She cringed, not liking the thought of wearing something so revealing, but she soon shook the thought. Now was not the time to be self-conscious, not when she had a job to do. “Y-yeah,” she mumbled as she snapped the briefcase closed and picked it up. “To Mt. Mortar.”

Soon enough, the detectives found themselves back at Mt. Mortar, suited in their wetsuits and scuba gear and staring at their reflections in the calm waters. This place was so different from the last time Yulia had been here, and the wave of anxiety that washed over her at remembering last time was nauseating. That had been a failure, and one she wouldn’t let herself forget. It would not happen again.

After mentally preparing herself for being underwater, Yulia threw a Poke Ball into the air. Her Beartic landed on the ground with a curious sound, and the beast approached the water with a hopeful gleam in her eye. “Zita,” Yulia commanded. “Clive and I are going under there. I need you to stay up here and come rescue us if you don’t hear from us for a while. Okay?” It was an unnecessary safety precaution, Yulia hoped, but it made her feel just the tiniest bit safer about diving. She tried to shake the rest of her doubts, and then, after shooting a glance towards Clive, she hopped into the water.

Dozens of water-type Pokemon swam past her in a flurry of vibrant colors. For several moments, Yulia could only watch them, mesmerized by the beautiful sight. When she remembered why she was here, she shook her head and refocused on the mission. They were here to look for a cavern, and any clues Team Avarice had left.

The lake did not look very large from the surface, so Yulia was surprised as how far it stretched. So unused to swimming, her kicks quickly wore her out, and she once again wished they had been sent a submarine instead of some scuba equipment. She again kept her complaints to herself and tried to search despite the ache rising in her body.

Eventually, she stumbled upon a tall and sturdy rock that seemed out of place. The moss growing all around it did not reach its surface, and it was a different color from the rocks around it. This had been what she’d noticed before, though this time, she thought she saw something dark and sleek behind it. With Clive’s help, she pushed the rock out of the way to reveal a broken door. Something had destroyed it; it was covered in dents and even had a hole that Yulia could just see into. The land rose enough so that the room was mostly above its surface. The land was filled with broken pieces of metal and damp papers. After poking around some, Yulia even found the switch that had likely powered the door, though it was just as broken.

What was this place? Yulia wished she could get inside to further examine the broken things just out of reach. “Were they set up here to study Raikou?” Yulia thought aloud, her words bubbling from the communication device built into the gear. Once Raikou had been captured, Avarice wouldn’t need any of this anymore, so they must have destroyed it. There was little they could gleam from so many broken parts, but the sight gave Yulia some hope. If they’d been spying on Raikou from under Mt. Mortar, maybe they were doing something similar with Suicune. But the water-type beast didn’t like to stay in one place, so where would a hideout like this even be?

Feeling like she’d hit another wall, Yulia turned away from the broken door and kicked back to the surface. She was getting tired already, and she needed fresh air to think clearly. When she did surface, she nodded to her Beartic, who looked like she was asking permission to go for a swim. Yulia motioned towards the water as she sat on the edge. “When would they have built all this?” she mumbled as she removed the device from her face. “Just how long has Phoenix been chasing down the legendary Pokemon?” It unnerved her to think something so heinous could go on for so long, and she wondered what else Avarice had done without anyone noticing. The thought made her sick.

Once Clive had surfaced too, Yulia turned to him. “I wish we could get in there,” she sighed. “If they have anything like this closer to where Suicune is, we have to find it. That could be how we stop them.”

[Headwrapper]

An entirely different Mt. Mortar from what Clive had previously experienced loomed above him and his partner. The amazingly tall mountain stood high above them, visible well before they approached its base. When they finally neared, the lake they intended to explore was lain before them. Its surface was calm, peaceful. A rather stark contrast to Clive's memory of being swept away by a massive wave that erupted from a more active, foaming, raging lake several weeks before.

The more senior of the detectives sensed a shift in his partner's demeanor, although she seemed to carry the anxious thoughts well. "Don't worry. We're here on our own terms now."

Clive shook his legs and casually stretched his shoulders as they neared the lake's shore, testing the fit of the scuba gear. The blend of materials used in the suits were tight fitting, like a second skin, and allowed for great mobility. Once beneath the water, the garments would not hinder the detectives' movements at all, while the masks would allow them to stay submerged without needing to surface for a greatly extended period. At least Clive hoped so, he had never used this Hoenn tech before.

After returning Yulia's glance with a small nod, Clive watched his partner plunge into the lake. He drew a long breath before following suit, fully submerging himself before the cold waters could change his mind. Once his eyes adjusted to the nautical views around him, Clive located Yulia and closely followed behind her as they kicked towards the rocks she had identified previously. Occasionally, Clive would pause to observe a distant rock formation, shoal of fish Pokemon, or some other distraction, but once he abandoned interest he would catch up with Yulia with a few powerful strokes of his arms and legs.

Responding to Yulia's wave for assistance, Clive helped to push a dissimilar looking rock from its position, revealing a destroyed door. After Yulia had peeked inside, through a crude and probably violently-placed hole, Clive took a turn to do the same. The room inside was in shambles, the remnants of some kind of dwelling or base strewn about the dampened floor. From a distance, most of the abandoned items inside were unrecognizable. Bits of paper and pieces of destroyed equipment or plumbing. However, one particular portion of the rubbish and debris caught Clive's attention. He pressed himself as closely as he safely could to the door, trying to get a better view.

The room was clearly meant to be a temporary dwelling. Anything of value was stripped from the room, and from the appearance of things, it was done in a quick fashion. Only a certain amount of deliberate preparation would have allowed for this. Avarice deserved some credit, they ran a intelligent operation. In the back of Clive's mind, he strongly challenged the idea that Phoenix was smart enough to understand the technical details of his mission, and was relying on others to handle such matters. Serving as the flashy tip of the spear, he relied on others- scientists, the strange psychic, and his minions- to hold the shaft.

A wide, cylindrical shaped platform had been placed against one wall. The platform itself was rather useless, but it was clearly meant to house some kind of equipment, the kind used in certain Pokemon research labs. The only equipment Clive knew of that would have been a similar shape would have been a DNA analyzer. The kind found in labs researching fossils or Pokemon with strange DNA such as Eevee. He wondered why they would need something like that to study Raikou. What more did they intend to do with the Pokemon besides enslave it and use it for their own demented conquest?

The duo resurfaced a shot while later, having reached a plateau in their discoveries. Clive pulled the gear off his face once he pulled himself out of the water, dropping next to Yulia. "Just how do we find a makeshift base, though?" he replied. "I noticed something in there. I think. They left behind a stand. Nothing, like, fancy, but it's a cylindrical shape. I've only seen equipment that would sit on something like that in specific types of research labs, the kind that study Pokemon DNA. I wonder how that would be useful in tracking legendary Pokemon, though."

He pulled his legs closer to him to sit cross legged as he looked out across the lake's surface. "Maybe that's how they are tracking them," he continued. "I wonder... do we know of any DNA scientists that are confirmed to be Avarice members, or even have gone missing in the last few years? Something we need to check later."

The man sat in silence for a long moment, finally tearing his gaze away from the shiny blue waters of the lake to look towards his companion. "You didn't hear it from me, but Nat's Milotic could probably Hyper Beam through that door." He let go of his legs, letting them extend so that his feet can dip back into the water. "You know, maybe a lakefront vacation wouldn't be so bad once this is all over. I can't say I've ever done anything like that before."

[Ashen]

Yulia listened to Clive dismiss her idea of searching for another Avarice temporary base. It had been an optimistic idea: there was no saying where such a thing would be if their focus was a wandering Pokemon like Suicune, and there was no saying whether or not they even had another base. He was right. There was probably no use in looking for another hideout. Mulling it over, Yulia sighed, wondering if it was worth the effort anyway.

She didn’t consider it long, because Clive’s revelation caught her attention. Her gaze trailed back to the water, even if from here she couldn’t see the entrance of the hidden base. “DNA research…?” she repeated aloud. What would Avarice be studying Pokemon DNA for while hunting Raikou? Raikou was a legendary Pokemon, sure, but so much information had been documented about it by scientists over the years. Did Avarice really need to go through the trouble of hiring their own researchers when a quick online search would likely get them the information they sought? That depended on what they were using such information for, and Yulia knew with a darkness in her heart that they were going to use it to harm. She wondered what they had found, and what they would find now that Raikou was in their possession.

Team Avarice specialized in powerful, tortured Pokemon, and they often employed strange devices to deliver pain to their stolen Pokemon. Maybe, Yulia thought, these devices were bound to a Pokemon’s DNA, and that was why they had been studying it. Or maybe Clive was right, and they were somehow using the DNA to track down Raikou, and even Suicune too. She tucked these new speculations in the back of her mind, eager to follow these leads wherever they took her. She would have a lot to type up when she got back, and that was before she even got started on checking arrest records and missing persons reports for any scientists that might have been affiliated with Avarice.

Pulled from her thoughts again, Yulia looked up at her partner with a raised brow. Even if Natasha had assured them that they had her support, Yulia had still wondered if Clive would take her up on that. “Hyper Beam,” she repeated. “You’re right.” A new wave of excitement washed over her, and she debated calling Natasha right away, but she then decided to not be so hasty. Natasha was working on things of her own, and Yulia didn’t want to pull her from those. Avarice had made plenty of mistakes before, and behind those doors could have been anything. Optimistic about what they might find, Yulia made a mental note to email Natasha later, if she didn’t see her in person first.

With her to-do list ever growing, Yulia sighed and stood up, her suit still dripping. Their field work had given them few answers, but she had tons of new questions to explore, so she couldn’t consider the mission a failure. Her content smile matched Clive’s, and she nodded along with him. “Once this is all over,” she agreed, “once we stop Avarice once and for all? Hell, I’ll pay for the lakefront vacation. I think we could both use it.” It had been years since she’d been on a vacation. She had been forced onto her last one, and she had complained even then that it would get in the way of her work. Some time away from all this, after everything she’d worked for had finally succeeded, sounded like bliss. “Or maybe,” she went on, “I’ll have to take you up to the mountains. Show you were I grew up, and take you ice fishing.” She struggled to imagine him in such a setting, wrapped in several layers and choked by a thick scarf, but the thought made her laugh. Once they finished with this mission… Yulia didn’t know where she’d begin in celebrating.

A gentle breeze blew past them, and a shiver raced down Yulia’s spine. She wanted out of this suit, and she needed a piping hot cup of coffee. With their business finished, Yulia looked around the area again, as if to search for any last-minute clues. Her gaze settled a moment longer on the tip of Mt. Mortar before she turned back to Clive. “I’d like to document all of this,” she said. Their higher ups would want to know what they’d done with their submarine substitute, and Yulia planned on emphasizing the importance of their discoveries in the hopes that it would win future favor.

She recalled her Beartic, who seemed slightly bummed about being pulled from the water, and prepared to leave. “This was…fun,” she admitted. “I’d forgotten how much I enjoy field work with you.” Though a blush ran across her cheeks, her kind smile didn’t falter. “Let’s get back to all those things we said we’d do. And after that… I could really go home and use a shower.”

[Headwrapper]

Noticing the gradually rising, red glow in Yulia's cheeks, Clive felt a similar warmth rise in his own face. The warmth was strange, uncomfortable and, one might venture to say, embarrassing. It felt new and foreign, carrying an long-forgotten feeling of newness with it. It demanded a degree of carefulness before choosing another action or before muttering another word. It grounded, humbled, those who felt it. Reminded them of human's inexorable desire for friendship, attachment, or companionship.

Not one to debase himself, Clive cleared his throat, pretending to look elsewhere for a moment. "Yeah," he finally agreed. "We got a lot to do." Then, he quickly withdrew his feet from the water and stood, causing a ripple to travel across the lake's surface.

Once everything had been put back and order, the pair made their way back to headquarters. While Yulia worked on documenting their findings from the field, Clive began his search for scientists that may have recently aligned with Avarice. It was going to be a complete crapshoot if identifying any such scientist would be helpful or not, but as long as there was a chance, Clive felt compelled to keep the information at his and Yulia's disposal. Maybe there would be some kind of loose end with the person they identify, a family member who has heard from them recently, a credit card transaction or phone call that could at least get them in the same geographical region as the suspect.

Several hours went by. For the first hour, Clive spent most of it leering at his computer screen, occasionally taking a break to jot something down. During the second, he did much of the same, however, he had begun frequenting the printer. Each time he returned, he would return with different piles of papers that were kept separate with paperclips. Once the third hour rolled around, he had removed his jacket and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He began pinning the documents he collected to the cork board mounted behind him, in the very rare empty spaces that were left. Each stack belonged to a certain person of interest, names that Clive began to commit to memory. Not just the names. Ages, addresses, or at least the ballpark areas, criminal records if a person happened to have one. Their physical traits, their height, weight, facial features if a picture was available.

Eventually, he began to glean over the last pile of documents that he would hang on the bottom of his board. Carefully, methodically, he turned through the pages. When he reached the end, he flipped back to the first page, reading the woman's name again. Mira Saisho, the name read. Clive wheeled his chair back around to his computer screen, going back to the digital records for Mira. This woman had a mugshot on record, although it was from nearly ten years ago now. The image was grainy on the printout, but the quality was much better on the computer.

Despite being a mugshot, Mira looked rather pretty in the image. She must have been in her late twenties in the image, which aligned with her date of birth that was listed in the profile that Clive put together for her. Her hair was shorter in length, just barely falling below her jawline, and was shaded in a silvery purple hue. It had clearly been expertly styled. The silvery tresses were straightened and styled into curtain bangs that shrouded the sides of Mira's face, teasing her beautiful and youthful features through the space in between.

This woman is a scientist? Clive thought to himself, gazing for too long at the woman's shoulders, exposed through her aptly named cold-shoulder top. Once he could finally tear his eyes away from the screen, he sifted through the printed documents again. She stole from Silph Co., he realized. And she was trying to steal a... Master Ball?

He considered the strange profile for a while longer, before pinning the documents on his wall. It seemed like it was time to call it quits. Although Mira's picture was a welcome distraction amongst the see of unflattering mugshots and images of missing persons, or large question marks where pictures were not available, Clive knew that a rested mind would not have been so distracted by such things.

~~~~~~~~~

A heavy, burdensome force weighed down on Clive the next morning. Moving was a struggle, requiring much effort and occasional stretching in between bouts. "Too old for this shit," Clive grumbled on his walk to headquarters. His muscles ached in response to the previous day's activities, despite his apparent training over the last several weeks. None of that training particularly included swimming, Clive regrettably realized.

The rest of the morning went by rather predictably. Even Clive's soreness became manageable, only requiring a few pain relief pills and an occasional stretch here and there. The day's oddities only began when Clive noticed a strange, rolled up piece of paper on his desk. "What's this?" he involuntarily wondered aloud as he reached for the bound up roll. The paper was stiff and rough to the touch, and was bound in a single pale blue ribbon. After untying the ribbon, Clive carefully began to unroll the hardened paper, which creaked and crunched under the flexion.

The inside of the aged document was marked in a fading, dark ink, which outlined what appeared to be a map of some kind. "This is..." Clive held his breath for a long while, before tapping his Rotom-phone awake. "Town Map," he commanded, and he set the phone down next to the map. With his fingers, he pinched at the screen to zoom in towards Blackthorn City, then scrolled down slightly. The aged, dried up map matched the cliffs to the south of Blackthorn. On the eastern side of the cliffs, a strange, red circular mark was stamped. Clive cleared his throat, before letting go of the map, which promptly coiled itself back up.

Where did this thing come from? Clive could only venture a few guesses. His father and Dragonite hailed from Blackthorn City. Could the map been a gift from one of the older member's of the force? Maybe an old trinket of his father's that served as a memento? "Hey, you guys," he said, addressing the other detectives in the office. "Did any of you see anyone leave this on my desk?" He carefully raised the decrepit document, gently shaking it in front of him.

[Ashen]

Despite a long and monotonous day spent late at the office typing away at her computer, Yulia went home that day feeling proud of the work she’d done. Field work seemed to have that effect on her; there was something about escaping the endless screens and files and paperwork to get a more hands-on approach to a case that was so liberating. Even if they were no closer to stopping Team Avarice than they were yesterday, she had faith the things they’d learned would get them there.

By the time she arrived back at her apartment, her head was pounding, and she was ready for a shower. She let her Pokemon out of their Balls first, and as they ate the food she laid out for them, she let the day—and the slime from Mt. Mortar’s lake—wash off of her. Pain seized her, drumming from her skull and crippling her, and it was impossible to think at all. So, after a shorter cleanse than she had wanted, Yulia was wrapped in a robe, a cigarette between her fingers, gazing at the stars and wishing she could celebrate a good day at work without a migraine.


~~~

She didn’t know when she’d gotten to bed, or why she’d recalled all of her Pokemon into their Balls last night, but the next morning, Yulia awoke to Fritz poking at her with a look that could only mean he was looking for more food. She sat up in bed, grateful that her headache was gone. It was earlier than usual, but she didn’t see the point in more sleep, not when there was so much more work to do.

Yulia checked her emails over a bowl of cereal while Fritz noisily ate another bowl of food. She hadn’t had the heart to argue with the Glameow, and with a sigh, she realized she was becoming a pushover. Most of the notifications on her phone were pointless: she’d received updates about the documents she requested but not the actual documents themselves; a Suicune researcher had given her a generic response to a question she had asked about the water-type’s migration patterns; her request for more field work funding had been denied, already, and the points she’d made about it had been ignored. When she finished reading through them, Yulia was already heading out the door, her bowl of cereal unfinished.

Things at the office were like usual. Yulia greeted the coworkers she saw on the way to her desk, including Clive, who had several more mugshots staring at him from his corkboard than she remembered last time she saw him. She offered him a sympathetic smile for his sores and reminded him that, if he ever needed it, she always had ibuprofen on her. Then she continued to her desk and got to work.

She highlighted the tasks she wanted to get done that day and then started down her list, working methodically to make sure she didn’t miss anything. Today would be a research day; she wanted to know more about the lake at Mt. Mortar, and Suicune, and the complications of a hastily-built hideout. It was only when she heard Clive call out that she looked up from her work. She couldn’t see what he was referring to, and from the looks of things, no one else knew what he was talking about either. Yulia took a sip of her coffee before starting over to his desk to see what he’d received.

“What’s up?” She almost didn’t see the aged piece of paper among all of the other things spread across his desk. As Clive compared it to the map on his Rotom phone, Yulia leaned closer, inviting herself into his space. She was thankful for Clive’s familiarity with the region, because she certainly wouldn’t have thought of Blackthorn City, not immediately. Her eye caught on the small red mark on the map, and she cocked her head. “Strange,” she commented. “It looks like a clue to something.”

She paused to glance around the room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was the usual crowd for this time of day, and though a few people were looking their way curiously, most had already returned to their own work. Could one of them have left this on Clive’s desk? But why wouldn’t they say anything? She turned back to the map, trying to guess at what it even was. “Should we…go there?” It was a little soon to be doing more field work, but this was a special occasion. A clue had practically fallen into their lap. Could this map have been related to Avarice somehow? But who would have information about something like that, and why would they hand it over to the detectives on the case?

Yulia hesitated. Her gaze wandered to the wall of mugshots behind Clive, and her eyes brushed over the faces of the researchers there. “You don’t think this is a trap?” she suggested. She didn’t want anyone else to get hurt, but she needed to know what this map meant. It could have been nothing—it probably was nothing—but what if it wasn’t?

Excitement spread through her at the thought. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and found the quickest route to Blackthorn from Goldenrod. Yulia opened her mouth to suggest going with backup, in case, but she stopped herself. Blackthorn… She’d read about Blackthorn at the Academy, the city where Clive’s father was from. Maybe this map wasn’t related to Avarice at all; maybe she’d been hasty and inappropriate by inviting herself over here. Yulia took a step away from Clive’s desk, suddenly feeling embarrassed for jumping to conclusions. This wasn’t her place; Clive’s opinion was paramount here. So, she asked him, “What do you want to do?”

[Headwrapper]

"I... don't know," Clive replied slowly. He picked up the mysterious roll of paper once again. It's dry surface was rough against his finger trips. So dry, he worried the ancient looking scroll would crumble into dust at any moment. "As far as we know, it's just a piece of paper. No sense in getting worked up over it yet. If it really does have something to do with Blackthorn City, then maybe it's just something of my dad's one of the old heads found. Just forget it for now."

He reassured Yulia with a nod. As if to make a point of it, he tucked the cracking document away into the drawer of his desk. "Go make a lunch run, would ya? I've been wanting to try something from that new Unovan place... Bagel sandwiches I think they're called."

When he was alone once again, Clive drew a long breath and exhaled slowly. It was time to get back to work. He could not afford any unnecessary distractions. Even with all of the effort that he and Yulia had been pouring into the case, they still did not know when Avarice would make their next move, where they would make their next move, and who they would put in danger in the process. Even after their large scale attack, Sierra was the only significant arrest that GRPD to show for it all. Avarice knew they could get away with more of the same if they felt the payoff was worth it.

After a while, the detective spun around in his desk to face his board of disordered notes and pictures, so insanely disorganized that almost no mind but his own could comprehend the logic to the arrangement. The only possible was exception was Yulia, who had learned to accommodate Clive either because of genuine fondness or desperate necessity. The collection of profiles he amassed before hung down towards the bottom, and he began to pluck off the ones he no longer had interest in. For example, he removed missing persons whose disappearances did not coincide with Avarice's activities as well as any who were almost certainly deceased, but the authorities lacked hard evidence or a body to prove it. Clive understood that at times like these, even he would need to rely on calculated gambles and assumptions where hard evidence would not give him the answer.

He paused for a moment to observe Mira Saisho's mugshot turned glamour shot before passing over it, stopping to review a different stack of bound pages he pinned to the wall. Soya Omao, he read. Another scientist who had gone missing. Instead of a mugshot, the reference picture was one that had been clearly taken from an identification card of some kind. Maybe a drivers license or even a college ID. Soya was a young scientist who had graduated with his PhD about five years ago, which was only a year before his sudden disappearance. He was not a native to Johto, hailing from Kalos. In fact, he was only reported missing when his landlord noticed the rent was past due.

Clive carefully separated the stack of pages from the board and rolled back to his desk. Searching online, he found various research that was performed by Soya. Pokemon and Climate Regulation, On Legendary Pokemon's Migration Patterns and their Effects on Magikarp Birth Rates, and Johto's Ecology Before and After the Burning of the Brass Tower were titles of a few of the works that the researcher had coauthored. Clive glimpsed through the abstracts of several of the published studies, and noticed that they commonly mentioned legendary Pokemon, including Johto's legendary beasts. Could Soya Omao truly be a person of interest?

A deep, frustrated scowl sank into Clive's face as he considered the prospect. One of the more plausible examples of a scientist who may have aligned with Avarice, yet no one had even heard from him for quite some time before his disappearance. No, there must have been some link that he could dig up. Would it even be worth the time to do so? As he pinned the Soya's records back to the board, he waited for an answer to come to him. To gradually float through his mind or immediately present itself, like decisions oftentimes did. However, it did not happen.

His frustration subsided when Yulia did eventually turn with some grub. His sullen scowl flipped into a subtle grin as he accepted his share. "Thanks."

Several hours passed while Clive and Yulia continued their work. They reconciled their findings and discussed their ideas with each other when needed, before splitting off to continue their individual efforts. So much information had been reviewed and passed around that by the end of the day, Clive had nearly forgotten about the strange, cracking, rolled up map in his desk. Even so, when it had grown quite late and the office grew quieter and quieter, he found himself reaching into the drawer. Gently and carefully, he unrolled the map across the top of his desk again.

Outside, just outside of Goldenrod where the golden bricks and bright lights gave away to the thick, round trucks of shady trees, a small girl hummed tune to herself. Perched upon a sturdy branch, she allowed her legs to dangle, kicking them gently to the beat of the melody. She was almost invisible under the cover of the trees' thick foliage, her long and straight black hair blending in seamlessly. It fell in a long, straight slab to the middle of her back, and two long curtains of hair, tied in pink ribbons, hung in front of both of her tiny shoulders. She used her slender and pale fingers to hold herself in place on the branch. Her lips, pressed together as she hummed, curled into an unnerving smile. A disingenuous smile, almost inhuman, trained unnaturally rather than through genuine human emotion. The girl lifted her hood over hear head before letting herself fall backwards, vanishing into a brief flash of light.

She reappeared in a brightly lit room, a few steps in front of a large, ornate desk. Seated on the other side was Phoenix, who bolted slightly, almost dropping something in his hand.

"Holy... How many times have I told you to stop doing that?"

"Fifty-four," the girl answered in a delicate, singsong voice.

Phoenix sighed, pressing his long fingers against his deliberately tanned forehead. "You are so lucky you're useful. Where have you been anyway? Any signs of Suicune?" While waiting to hear his answer, he placed his elbow on the surface of the white and gold desk, and rested his head on his fist. With his other hand, he swung a small bell in front of him. The string was simple and thin, almost invisible to someone standing a few strides away. The bell itself was round and the color of brass, and as it swung, it made virtually no sound. "This stupid thing was supposed to summon Suicune, and here we are."

"I have not detected any clues as to Suicune's whereabouts."

"Well then why are you here? Keep looking." Phoenix frowned, unimpressed with the answers he had been receiving. A light flashed, and the girl, his psychic, was gone. After idly watching the bell swing back and forth a few more times, he suddenly pocketed the thing and bolted to his feet. With a flourish, he wrapped himself in a black leather jacket with red, green, white, and gold feathers that protruded from the sleeves and collar, and marched out of his office. His march took him down a long, brightly lit, hallway, and down an elevator. He descended for a long, long time, before reaching the bottom. When he arrived, he stepped briskly passed a few of the Avarice workers and scientists that had been scrambling around.

Finally, he stopped in front of two large, rectangular structures. The large, box-shaped cages where made up of six solid walls, five of which were covered in a white panel to match the aesthetics of the Avarice labs. The six wall was made of a nearly indestructible and clear material, which allowed for safe viewing of the specimens inside. Phoenix grinned in amusement as he turned his gaze from one cage to the other, proudly observing his collection. On his right, lay Raikou, breathing heavily while resting his large cloud-shaped head on its paws. On the left was a Entei, standing tall and proud, but shaking with... something, Phoenix did not really care whether the emotion was rage, fear, or pain, as long as it was effective. "If Suicune won't answer to its bell... Maybe we can find another way to draw it out."

[Ashen]

Just forget it for now. Clive’s reaction to the map he’d received didn’t make much sense, and confusion spilled across her face, unashamed. It wasn’t like Clive to just turn down something that could have been a clue, and besides, where was the harm in exploring? If it did turn out to be nothing, they would only lose a few hours, and at least then they’d have tried. Yulia considered arguing with him, reemphasizing the importance of exploring a possible lead, but something stopped her. Maybe Clive was dismissing this because it was a sensitive topic for him. Maybe all this was about his late father, and pursuing this would mean coming face to face with things he was afraid to find. Yulia didn’t want to push that—she didn’t know where to begin in navigating that—so despite how unsatisfied and disappointed it made her feel, she let Clive brush off their new clue.

The way he dismissed her was also confusing, though less so. Clive had an abrasive personality, and she’d long ago gotten used to that. She knew he hadn’t meant to offend her by ordering her away from his desk, so she didn’t get offended. Instead, she nodded, mumbling something about being in the mood for a bagel, before heading back to her own desk. She considered calling for a delivery, but the bagel shop was only a few blocks away, and she thought the fresh air could do her some good.

The streets of Goldenrod were alive with the lunch rush, and as she watched the lines of cars grow longer, Yulia was glad she wasn’t driving in this. Outside the police department, she saw a few protesters with picket signs yelling about…something. She smiled at them as she passed them by, though they didn’t seem all that happy to see her. Glancing at one of their signs, she noticed they were protesting the abolition of the police force due to its inability to stop criminals and keep people safe. Yulia thought of Avarice, of the people and Pokemon they had hurt, killed, and she darted away from the crowd, unable to swallow her guilt.

In the bagel shop, the array of Unovan flavors met Yulia at the door as soon as she entered. She was overwhelmed by both the length of the queue and the size of the menu behind the counter. After trying for several minutes to decide on their order, she gave up and picked a few things at random, intending to let Clive pick what he liked from her selection. Finally, with their meal in hand, Yulia headed back to the police department, wary of the protesters, and made her way to Clive’s desk, where she laid the array. She only briefly peeked at his corkboard and the files on his desk before deciding he would tell her about any important findings later. When he’d chosen his food, Yulia took the bag with the rest and went back to her desk to eat her lunch and continue work as usual.


~~~

A couple quiet weeks went by, and the detectives were no closer to finding out where Suicune was hiding. Frustration was an understatement, but Yulia tried to be calm about how she approached the data she did have. It wasn’t like she’d been unproductive. She had traced those stones from Avarice’s lair under Mt. Mortar to a region of Sinnoh, though the masons there denied any big purchases of such materials to Johto in recent years. With Natasha’s help, she had revisited the abandoned lab, too, but everything she’d found there had led to a dead end. She had even attended a few press conferences, mostly for damage control, since the public wanted explanations for the environmental changes caused by the legendary beasts’ disappearances, and they wanted updates on the Avarice case. It had been a tiring couple weeks, but despite that, Yulia couldn’t help but feel like they weren’t going anywhere.

Of course, there was still the subject of that old map Clive had received. They hadn’t talked about it again, and Yulia figured Clive had either gone to investigate it himself or simply thrown it out. Even so, it lingered in the back of her mind. Could it have been the clue to saving Suicune and shutting down Team Avarice? She had tried to do her own research on Blackthorn City, or on Clive’s late father, but she still couldn’t guess at what the map was for.

She was thinking about it on her way to work one morning. Yulia was stopped at a red light, and she happened to glance towards the side of the road, where a round, pink Pokemon was whimpering. She immediately pulled over to help the poor Hoppip, treating it with some extra potions she kept from her training sessions. The Pokemon chirped happily and floated away, but when Yulia got up to return to her car, she noticed a young girl learning against the passenger side door. She was a slight thing with a faraway gaze and a carefree attitude. Yulia looked around for her guardians for a moment before approaching. Before speaking, though, Yulia hesitated. There was something about the girl’s face that just felt…creepy.

“Hey, sweetie,” Yulia said in a gentle voice. “Are you lost?”

The girl looked towards Yulia, but it seemed like she was seeing through her. She giggled to herself. “You’re wasting your time, Yulia,” she sang.

Yulia stilled. She didn’t know who this kid was or why she knew her name, and there was something terrifying about her demeanor. “I—” Yulia started, unnerved. “Pardon?”

The girl’s smile widened. “You already know the way to the answers you seek,” she said. Her voice hardly seemed to come from her, as if she were speaking through telepathy, though her mouth was moving. “Why look for other clues when you won’t follow the ones you’ve been gifted?”

Yulia did not know what the girl was talking about, and she hated the way her voice was raising the hair on her arms. “Okay,” she said quietly, trying to figure out what to do with the strange case. “Why don’t you come with me? I’m headed to the police station, and we can contact your parents from there. Then we can talk more about these…clues.”

The girl shook her head, her pigtails bouncing. “Good luck,” she said, and after a dramatic curtsey, she vanished into thin air, leaving the detective with far more questions than she knew what to do with.


~~~

For the rest of her drive, Yulia couldn’t think of anything but that strange girl. Maybe that whole conversation was just someone playing a trick on her, but…maybe it wasn’t. What had the kid meant by the clues Yulia had been gifted? All of the leads she’d had so far had been dead ends. Or, all except the one that was yet unexplored. The map. Could that be—?

Yulia arrived at work only a few minutes late, and she all but ran to Clive’s desk, unable to keep the enthusiasm out of her steps. She really did think she was onto something. She couldn’t explain it—not the girl, nor her feelings about the map—but she needed Clive to know how important this was to her. When she got to his desk, she breathed his name in a rush. “That map you got the other week. I really think we should follow it.” She explained what had happened that morning, the girl who had approached her, what she’d said. “It could be nothing, and it could even be a trap, but I can’t rest until we know for sure.”

[Headwrapper]

Like most mornings, Clive arrived at the police station early in the morning. Stiff as a board, he made his way towards his desk, where he set up his things and hung up his long jacket before settling in his chair. As he waited for his computer to boot up, he idly scratched at his neck, where coarse hairs had begun to accumulate after being unshaven for too long. Once he was logged in, his arms and hands sprung to life as he got to organizing for the day.

The last couple of weeks had been disappointing, to say the least. There had been almost no traction on the attempts to pinpoint Suicune's location. Clive could not help but believe that every moment that they stood still, they were falling further and further behind Avarice. Infuriated was the lightest way to describe how Clive had begun to feel. Truthfully, he had expected that between him, Yulia, and the few resources at their disposal, they could still manage to track down the elusive legendary Pokemon. Only now was he beginning to feel such a belief to be foolish. In fact, he had begun to feel like they were not opposing Avarice at all were acting more as historians, merely documenting the malicious group's actions only after they had already outwardly revealed them.

The detective stirred when his partner suddenly burst into view, clambering over to his desk. She wheezed and puffed her case, and explained the events that had transpired on her way to work. At first, Clive appeared surprised, raising his eyebrows highly in anticipation of Yulia's report. He looked more serious when at the mention of the strange girl. That girl. He remembered her high pitched laughter, giggling at the expense of Sierra when Clive arrested her. She even said something about Sierra's capture being a part of her master's plan, which even now, Clive did not know what that could have meant. His jaw tightened at the mention of the map.

The thought of climbing the rocky mountains south of Blackthorn City, seemingly at the behest of that creepy teleporting girl, raised the hairs on Clive's arms. Before, it was easy to ignore the map because there was no concrete reason to believe it had anything to do with their case. It could have been dropped off by anybody who might have forgotten it. However, to think that a psychic with some connection to Avarice left it there, flat on the desk... what was Clive supposed to make of that? He did not know what to expect to find if they followed the anomalous clue. An Avarice lab? Suicune itself? A death trap, hidden in the mountains, away from civilization?

Slowly, as if handling a dangerous instrument, Clive retrieved the map and set it down in front of him. "This really does not seem like any better of an idea," he groaned. "Now that you've seen her yourself, you have to admit that girl seems... inhuman, right? And as far as we know, she's involved with Avarice... I'm positive it was her shoe prints we saw in your apartment, remember? But even still... we have not made any headway in almost two weeks..." He drew a long breath, his chest inflating like a balloon as he did so. His mind racked around the possibilities, the risks, the frustrations they shared, the possibility of Avarice beating them to the chase.

"Let's go, then," he finally said, decisively. "Get your things ready and stock up on what you can carry. We'll go, but we are going with the attitude that this is a trap and taking every precaution we can. It's also a really long way, even if we fly. Blackthorn's not really known for their hospitality industry either, so if it gets dark before we're done then we're to have to rough it at the Pokemon Center."


Several hours had passed while the pair scrambled to get their affairs in order, stockpile their things, and make the journey towards Blackthorn City. They stopped in Mahogany City, deciding that both they and their Pokemon needed to take a break. Luckily, the Pokemon Center in this city offered food and lounging, which the travelers took advantage of.

"You know, the Gym Leader here specializes in Ice types," Clive casually mentioned to Yulia before taking a bite out of his hamburger. They any of their Pokemon not in their balls were gathered over to one side of the Pokemon center, where they could rest in the comfortable seating. Clive's Umbreon laid tiredly on one end of a sofa, letting his legs dangle over the edge while resting his head on Clive's knee. Occasionally, the Pokemon would sniff and look upwards, eying the food in Clive's hands. "Actually, we'll be passing by the Ice Path on the way to Blackthorn. You'd probably like it."

[Ashen]

Yulia hated to admit it, but Clive was right; following the map they had randomly received was a bad idea, and this was most definitely a trap they would be walking into. Yet there was no shaking the feeling Yulia had that the map did mean something, and that that kid was trying to help somehow. Maybe she was just desperate for something considered they hadn’t found anything in so long now, but either way, when Clive reluctantly agreed, Yulia felt overwhelming relief. She went back to her desk to get her things together, already daydreaming about what they would find in Blackthorn.

As she prepared for their trip, something Clive had said clung to her mind. The psychic hadn’t even seemed human. Yulia remembered the girl, her eerie smile, or the way her voice had an unnerving, almost magical quality to it. If she wasn’t human, then what was she? She seemed too human-like to be a transforming Pokemon using telepathy. Could she have been a ghost? And why was she following Yulia and Clive on this case? The more Yulia thought about it, the more questions she came up with. Realizing she could answer none of them, she gave up on that lead for now and focused her attention instead on following the map.

When it did come time to go, the two regrouped and set off for their long trip westward. Yulia didn’t know what to expect when they got to Blackthorn City, but while they made their way there, she had plenty of time to research it. She paged through different articles about tourism and Five Places to Visit Before You Leave Blackthorn before her gaze finally fell from her phone, and she looked through the window instead. Yulia was no stranger to traveling—she was from an entirely different region, after all—but as she took in just how big Johto was, and as she thought about how much wider the world was than she’d ever seen, she wondered if she would ever get the chance to travel it for fun instead of for work. When all this was over… If all this ended, and if she was still alive, and not behind bars, then she would think of the places she could go.

After so long on the road, their break in Mahogany Town was a welcome respite. Yulia relished the chance to stretch her legs and finally use a bathroom. When her stomach started howling, she realized she had skipped lunch, so even the greasy chicken sandwich she shoved into her mouth tasted divine. All her Pokemon enjoyed the berry salad she’d chosen for them too. She had had some doubts about taking a break, but now that she was relaxing, she was thankful Clive had suggested it.

They got to talking some more. “Pryce, right?” she said in response to his mentioning the gym leader. “I would like to face him someday. Zita would appreciate a level playing field.” Her Beartic was without peer, and Yulia had no doubts she would be able to defeat other ice-type Pokemon without difficulty. She glanced at him over her chicken sandwich. “You know, not everyone from Snowbelle likes the ice and cold. Most of us hate it, actually, since we know how miserable it can get. But…” She smiled. “I do like the cold. The Ice Path seems like a fun tourist attraction, and I’d love to visit it proper, and see what the puzzles are like, when we have more time.”

Not wanting to spend too much of their day resting, the detectives finished their meals, recalled their Pokemon, and started off again. They passed through Route 44 without event, and when they saw the Ice Path just outside Blackthorn, Yulia edged closer to the window to get a better look. There were several tourists gathered out front in front of a person with a clipboard, and Yulia longed to join their tour group. “You grew up near this, right?” she asked. “Did you ever make it all the way to the bottom? I hear they have prizes for those brave enough to tackle the cold and clear all the puzzles. Sounds intimidating, but also like a great thing to do with friends.” She sighed contentedly. “We’ll have to come back here,” she said. “I’d like to try the puzzles, and who better to try them with than someone familiar with how they work, right?”

Past the Ice Path, Blackthorn City finally came into view. Yulia was excited to see this new place, and she was especially excited to finally explore that map that had been nagging at her all this time. Now all they had to do was not get themselves kidnapped or killed. With any luck, they would find the answers they’d come all this way for. Despite how bizarre this whole situation was, Yulia was remaining hopeful that they would find something.

[Headwrapper]

Clive briefly observed the tourists and travelers as he and Yulia passed the Ice Path. His lips curled into a small grin. "I suppose they were a bit of a challenge," he said, not having the heart to tell Yulia that he found the puzzles easy, and that the coldness and plethora of ice Pokemon were what he found to be challenging to deal with. "Umbreon and I did explore it a bit when we were younger. In fact he was still an Eevee back then. It's been a long time since I've seen any of it though. We moved to Ectruteak after, uh, everything."

He stiffened slightly when they neared Blackthorn City. Everything felt different and ancient. Unlike many of the other towns and cities in Johto, which were surrounded by heavy woods and trees so thick that walking around them was time consuming, Blackthorn was surrounded by mountains. Enormous cliffs that towered above them. They surrounded the sky above them like a picture frame. Most of the buildings were a far cry different from the buildings and houses seen in Goldenrod. In fact, even the traditional lodgings of Ecruteak appeared to be modern marvels compared to most of Blackthorn's houses. In this city, nearly every building, save the Gym, Pokemon Center, and PokeMart, had thatched roofs made from water reeds that grew in front of the famous Dragon's Den. The walls were constructed from wooden planks, raw and unpolished compared to modern wooden buildings.

Despite the humble appearance of the city's structures, the trainers that wandered the city's paths each seemed to walk with a sense of purpose and pride. Serious expressions were on each of their faces, brows furrowed and a slight scowl on their lips. As he and Yulia wandered through the city, Clive found himself returning the various trainer's expressions in kind. Catching himself in the act, he began to realize where his own behaviors originated from.

Waving his partner on, Clive lead them towards a wooden bridge that lead south towards Route 45. They stopped at the entrance of the bridge, and Clive took a moment to retrieve the old map. "This bridge will lead us to a winding mountain road. Somewhere along it, we'll need to go off course to get to where the map is pointing to. We'll need to be careful if we have to climb any cliffs for fly with your Braviary." He stowed away the map before nodding towards the bridge and leading the way across.

Route 45 was as Clive said, a winding path high up in the mountains. Where the sections of the path carved into the mountain's face were not safe enough to carry any travelers, wooden bridges were built. Far below, if one was brave enough to look down, was a wide and furiously foaming river that carried the water that melted from the mountain's ice caps back into the other rivers and streams of Johto. Before the pair of detectives began traveling through the path, Clive paused, as if sensing something. Without prompt, Clive's Umbreon emerged from its ball, immediately sniffing at the air.

"What's wrong?" Clive asked. In response, his Umbreon looked towards the path ahead, and lightly tapped a dark paw against the dirt beneath it. "Oh, you want to walk the path?" Clive sighed heavily. "I guess you always did like it here, didn't you? Okay, let's go then." He shook his head gently, unable to repress a small smile that escaped his lips. He gave Yulia another nod before proceeding through the mountain path.

They carefully navigated through the carved roads and bridges, occasionally stopping to look up at the mountain tops if they heard any rumbling. Every time they glanced upwards, the sounds stopped, and they proceeded onwards. That is, every time, except for once. As they walked across a section of the path, a large slab carved across the mountain face, a rolling rumble echoed across the cliffs. Clive noticed the pebbles lining the path begin to quiver, bouncing to the rhythm of this unknown energy.

Umbreon let out a small bark, lowering itself into a defensive stance. He bared his teeth and leaned backwards on all fours, and his tail shook vigorously. Only when a shadow suddenly surround the Pokemon did it finally move in response to its trainer's shout, leaping down the narrow cliff path. A large, round boulder came crashing down from above, landing with a loud crash where Umbreon had been standing. After a few seconds, the boulder began to wiggle. It wiggled its arms free, all four of them, then finally its legs, before hopping up and standing.

"A Graveler," Clive hissed. "It must have seen Umbreon, and took it as a challenge." To make matters worse, the Pokemon had landed so that it was between the two trainers and Umbreon, leaving the team scattered. The Graveler jumped before diving forwards, rolling itself into a ball. It gathered speed before rolling straight towards Umbreon a second time. Nimbly and without any hesitation, the dark Pokemon leaped backwards onto a nearby wall, before springing itself over the Graveler. Unable to slow itself down, the rock-type collided with the mountain face, scattering dust across the area.

As the dust began to settle and Clive could blink the stinging feeling of dirt out of his eyes, he noticed a few missing pieces from the wall the Graveler had collided into. Why did the collision leave black shadows on the wall? No, was it a hollowed out cave behind said wall? There was no time to find out, as the Graveler began to steady itself onto its feet again. "Don't let him start again! Umbreon, use Confuse Ray!"

[Ashen]

The esteemed Blackthorn City was nothing like Yulia had anticipated. City, she felt, was not an apt description, as the scarce buildings and patches of mountainous vastness surrounding them reminded her more of a town or village, not a city. The architecture was plain, but Yulia appreciated the place’s quaint simplicity. She took in the fresh mountain air and tried to learn more about the place her partner had come from. The people here looked just as stoic as he always did, and when she tried smiling at a few passersby, they only shot her confused and strange looks. She straightened awkwardly. It wasn’t hard to see where Clive got some of his mannerisms from. People weren’t the friendliest in Snowbelle either, but Yulia had gotten used to the wide smiles and chipper hellos from Goldenrod, and as they pressed through this new city, she found herself missing that.

They didn’t stay long in Blackthorn, and beyond it, on Route 45, Yulia let Clive take the lead. He was the one with the map, after all, but it was also fascinating to watch him wander roads he had once known. He walked with a familiar pride, as if he weren’t exploring this new potential lead or thread, but instead was reconnecting with an old friend. Yulia smiled at that. She wondered again what it had been like for him growing up here, running through these dangerous paths with his Eevee. Yulia looked out at the mountain and, seeing the jagged cliffs, she was glad to have him with her.

She was enjoying the atmosphere and doing a bit more sightseeing than investigating when an Umbreon’s cry got her attention. The smile that spread across Clive’s face told her everything she needed to know about the man’s relationship with his Pokemon, and her heart melted. She spent a couple minutes watching them walk together before getting back to work. She was distracted again by a strange noise overhead, though when Clive didn’t seem to find anything up there either, she tried to block it out. That was, until Clive called sharply for his Umbreon, and Yulia turned just in time to see a boulder chip off the mountain to land right where Umbreon had been only moments before. Boulder wasn’t quite accurate; when the thing sprouted limbs, Yulia realized it was a Graveler instead, one who was determined to be in their way.

The Graveler went charging after Clive’s Umbreon, so Yulia reached into her bag and felt for the familiar Poke Ball. She summoned her Beartic, and no sooner had Zita landed on the road with a thud was she locked onto the opponent. “Zita,” Yulia called out, “ice beam!”

But the moment the Beartic opened her mouth, the Graveler collided with the side of the mountain, sending chunks of rock and clouds of dust everywhere. Yulia covered her eyes and choked on the dust that had already gotten in her mouth. It began dissipating soon, and she squinted into its remnants to check if anyone had gotten hurt. After determining that their team was fine, Yulia ordered another attack against the wild Graveler.

Between both trainers and their Pokemon, the Graveler wasn’t able to find its footing and charge another rollout, so after taking a few hits, the defeated Pokemon hopped to a lower part of the road, tucked its limbs close to its body, and rolled away. Yulia praised her Beartic before recalling her to her ball, then checked in with her partner. “How’s Umbreon?” she asked, already reaching for a potion if he needed it. Once Clive and his Pokemon were alright, Yulia looked to where the Graveler had crashed. There was something there, and she tried to determine if this was worth investigating. Wherever their map was leading, it had waited this long; they could put it off just a bit longer. Yulia approached the broken wall and peered into the darkness. “A hidden passageway, maybe?” she thought aloud. “What would it be hiding?” She turned back to Clive. “Let’s explore it. That Graveler knocked a lot of the wall free already. Help me pull out the rest, won’t you?”

[Headwrapper]

Clive joined Yulia next do the damaged wall, carefully stepping over the shattered rocks that were scattered all about. "We are very close to where the map was leading us," he said, eyeing the cracks and hollows of the wall carefully. "Maybe this is what we are meant to be looking for." They began finishing what the wild Graveler had started, and managed to break themselves a narrow throughway they could use to squeeze themselves into the mountain. Clive did so with a strained groan as he wedged himself through.

Despite having smashed through most of the outer wall, the cave inside was dark. After seeing Clive nod, Umbreon helped to work around this issue. The rings that decorated its body began to glow brightly, filling the area with a light that at least allowed the trainers to see where they were going. "This will do," Clive said, seeing a passageway that lead deeper into the mountain. "Nowhere to go but forward, I'd say." He quietly observed Yulia's reaction, faintly visible in the glow of Umbreon's light, before pressing onward. But where does forward lead? he wondered. If this path keeps going eastward it could lead us to Kanto.

They followed the dark passageway for a long time. The air in the cave was cooled, bone chilling, and they pressed onward for a long time. The path descended downward, sometimes down steep and slippery slopes. The trainers would have to rely on their Pokemon or each other to safely slide down the abrupt scarps. They pressed onward for a long time. Like the mountain path outside, the cave occasionally rumbled, hinting at some kind of danger that was not immediately present, and yet they pressed onward for a long time. The fears of getting lost in the cavern, unable to retrace their steps, began to set in. Yet, they continued to press onward, for a long time.

Clive shivered as he pressed his hands against an ice cold wall, a dead end. Was that it? Did they miss a turn somewhere? Was something supposed to be here, that they did not see? "Shit," he sighed, crossing his arms around himself tightly. "No way this is it, is it?"

As if to answer him, a fissure formed in the ground beneath them. Without giving the trainers and their Pokemon time to react, the entire floor shattered. The rocks and debris fell, along with Clive and Yulia, onto a sloped bed of smooth, shimmering rocks. The remains of the floor noisily rolled down the slope, kicking up dust and debris as they did so. The trainers, without anything firm to hold onto, slid down the slope until they also reached the bottom.

Covered in dust, bruises, and scratches, Clive stood up shakily. It now appeared like they were in an entirely different cave. Darkness was no longer an issue, here. In fact, the walls, stalagmites and stalactites all shimmered and glistened with their own blue, fractal light. Even the ground glistened, giving Clive the feeling he was trapped inside of a glass prism. "Wow," he sighed, delicately venturing forward. The ceiling of this particular cave was several stories high, giving him a newfound sense of freedom that the previous caves, cramped and cold, did not offer. He saw a blue stream of water flow through the median of the cave, almost completely invisible among the glowing blue stone floor. "Hey, you okay?" he finally called towards Yulia.

[Ashen]

Even with the two detectives working together to make an opening in the broken cave wall, the stone was unyielding. Yulia considered returning to Blackthorn for some tools, but Clive’s comment that this might have been where the map was leading them stopped that thought cold in its tracks. If they really were this close to finding a clue, Yulia didn’t want to waste time backtracking. She tackled the wall with a new determination, and soon, parts of it came crumbling around them. They had made a hole just wide enough for them to fit through single file. Yulia poked her head inside, trying to get an idea of where they were about to go, but it was too dark to see much inside the cave. Fishing for her flashlight, she noticed Clive already going inside, and not wanting to miss out on this adventure, she followed along.

His Umbreon was able to light the dark cave for them, so once they were inside, they got to look around. The cave wasn’t exactly welcoming. It was narrow, cold, and with such deep inclines and jagged rocks, far more dangerous than they should have been okay with. Even the ground beneath their feet didn’t seem completely stable, and Yulia wondered if they should have returned to Blackthorn after all. Not wanting to abandon the way they’d just opened quite yet, Yulia dismissed those thoughts. She dug her phone out of her purse and glanced at the top of the screen, where “No signal” was written in bold letters. Comforting. Swallowing her nerves, Yulia pressed on, spurred by the thought of something new, something that could help them.

It was hard to find anything in this cave, though, when the lighting was dim and everything looked the same. Umbreon’s light cast unnerving shadows across the rocks, and Yulia had to take a steadying breath before continuing. She didn’t know what she was looking for—an item, a passageway, maybe even a Pokemon or person—so she kept her eyes peeled for anything. Any rock that looked slightly out of place, any crevice just off the path; Yulia explored it all but found nothing. Her attention was pulled by her partner, who seemed frustrated at his lack of findings too. She was about to call out to him, to voice her speculations about this cave, why it was here, what it had been used for, but she was interrupted by a distant rumbling. The sound grew louder and louder until it was upon them, and then the ground beneath them started to tremble. “Is this—?!” Yulia cried, fearing they had fallen into a trap after all. But before she could finish her thought, the ground opened up and swallowed them.

Yulia scrambled to grab for something, anything that would keep her from falling. Her hand grasped at the rocks, too smooth to hold onto, but in her desperation, she swiped her palm against a rigid surface, piercing her skin. Blood flowed instantly from the new wound, coating her fingers and making it even more impossible to grab onto anything. As they fell, their screams echoing around them, Yulia pinched her eyes shut and hoped that this of all places would not be where she died.

When next she opened her eyes, Yulia was on solid ground. It was bright here, somehow, and as she got up and dusted herself off, she took in her new surroundings. Was this another floor of the cave? The rocks here seemed to glow, painting the area in a beautiful, almost magical light. After checking that she hadn’t broken anything, Yulia ventured towards the stalagmites closest to her and crouched beside them. Could this have been what the map had been leading them to? But…what for?

She looked up at the sound of Clive’s voice. At a glance, he seemed fine, though with a few bleeding scratches of his own. Yulia looked down at her hand, now covered in red, and tried to dab at the wound with some napkins from her purse. “I’ll be alright,” she answered evenly. She would take care of her new wound later, when—if? —she got out of this cave. For now, though, they had a whole new place to explore, and she was determined to find whatever this map wanted them to find. She turned back to Clive. “Are you okay?” Once she had confirmation that her partner wasn’t in any immediate danger, she started walking around this new cave in search of clues.

The thought of getting out only briefly came to mind, when Yulia realized how difficult it would be to get up the way they’d come. Her Braviary might be able to fly them back up to the floor above, though she worried about his long wingspan in such a crowded place with such sharp rocks all around. If he was careful, though, her Pokemon would probably be the safest way out of here. But Yulia was not about to walk away with nothing, not after all this. So, only briefling glancing at the time on her phone, Yulia returned to her search, eagerly looking for anything that would make this trip worthwhile.

She found it wedged between some dimly-glowing rocks. The silver sheen caught her attention, and when she knelt beside it to get a better look, Yulia found a small bell tied to a ribbon. She freed it from its place, rubbed at the scar left by the rocks, and tried to ring it, but no sound came from it. “Clive,” she called, standing and heading towards him. “Do you think this means anything?” She offered him the soundless bell and watched as it caught the light from the stones around them. It almost seemed transparent, and despite the scratches on its surface, it was beautiful. She wondered how it had ended up in a place like this, abandoned as if it were trash.

Maybe it was. Yulia turned back to where they had fallen. Had they come all this way for just a broken bell?

[Headwrapper]

Knowing that both his partner and his Pokemon were okay after the fall, Clive was able to return to taking the new sites around him. He recalled Umbreon to his ball, allowing him the opportunity to rest after such a long fall. The cave that he and his companions found themselves in was certainly extraordinary, and it was hard to believe that it could have been natural. Clive had never seen anything like the stones that the floors and walls were made of, which glowed independently with their own light. For a cave, the ceiling was very tall. Clive saw a few groups of Zubats and Golbats adjusting their positions after being disturbed by Clive and Yulia's fall. Another interesting feature Clive kept a mental note of was the curious stream of water that flowed through the room. It was extremely cold to the touch, meltwater from the mountain perhaps. It exited the cave somewhere, somehow, else it would pool indefinitely until the cave was completely submerged in the water.

Just what was this place, and was this really where the map was intended to lead them? If that was the case, then surely they would find something. They searched, painstakingly, amongst the glowing rocks and along the strange stream of water that flowed through the room. It was not until Yulia called to him, holding brilliantly silver bell, that Clive abandoned his own search. He took the bell, inspecting it for a moment before trying to ring it himself. There was no sound, and he felt no movement inside of the object. It was as hollow as it sounded.

The detective turned the bell in his fingers while he considered Yulia's question. "At the very least, it means someone else was here before. But I don't see any signs of a camp. Or... remains. The way this bell is crafted, it very much looks like the kind of bell used in older traditional Johtonian rituals. I've seen similar ones in Ecruteak City, for ceremonies honoring the legendary Pokemon that used to inhabit the Bell Tower... Wait..." He took a closer look at the bell, as if trying to will some sort of confirmation of his suspicions. "Yulia, has anyone ever really explained the history of the towers in Ecruteak City to you?"

Soon, they recounted one of the most important events in Johto's history. Clive, having lived in Johto his entire life, had no trouble recalling the information. He had heard the story told in hundreds of ways, through dozens of different forms. It referenced in movies, TV shows, and books. Museums dedicated entire wings to art depicting the event. The Kimono Girls, whose Clive elderly mentor had a very particular interest in, told the story frequently through interpretive dance and grand shows they put on with their Pokemon. Indeed, any Johto native was aware of the legend.

"The Burned Tower, once called the Brass Tower, and the Bell Tower, were constructed over seven-hundred years ago and had served as perches for the legendary Pokemon Lugia and Ho-Oh, respectively. After five-hundred fifty years, lightning struck the Brass Tower, engulfing the tower in flames. The people and Pokemon could only watch as the flames overtook the tower, lighting the night sky with its light. Only a powerful rain would douse the fire, but by then it was too late. The tower was destroyed. Lugia fled, with many believing it disappeared to the depths of the ocean. Lastly, three Pokemon perished in the wreckage." Clive paused to clear his throat, having lost himself in the story. The more he spoke, the more he let himself believe in the deliberate nature of the map leading them to the bell, and the possibilities the bell might bring. "Ho-Oh descended from the heavens and revived these nameless Pokemon into powerful beasts. Raikou, embodying the lightning that struck the tower. Entei, embodying the flames that burned the tower. And Suicune, embodying the rains that brought an end to the fire. All three owe their very existences to Ho-Oh"

The detective held up the bell between himself and Yulia one more time. "Ho-Oh, of the Bell Tower. That girl, she referenced the story of the towers. I thought she was only making fun of me and embellishing Phoenix's image, but... She came to make sure I arrested Sierra. She was at your apartment when it was sacked. She convinced you to that we need to follow the map, which she must have left on my desk. All to lead us here, in an otherwise empty cave if it were not for this bell. I think that whoever she serves, herself or otherwise, has bigger plans than we or Phoenix even imagined."

They mulled over their thoughts, for a time. Then, the ground began to shake beneath them again. Clive grabbed Yulia's arm instinctively and braced against one of the rock structures with the other. They had fallen through enough collapsing floors. However, the shaking eventually ceased. The Pokemon flying near the ceiling above them were restless now, screeching and flapping their wings heavily. This particular rumbling was unfamiliar to them, not routine to a life within these caves. Where could it have come from, Clive wondered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Blackthorn City, a trainer exited the Pokemon Gym with his head down. He had been bested by Clair, the dragon master, for a second time. There was no doubt in his mind that his Pokemon were just as strong as hers, but she had answers to his strategies before he could make the decision to deploy them. He needed to make his choices faster, for the sake of his dream to challenge the Elite Four and for the sake of his Pokemon. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise coming from the nearby mountains. From the same direction, clouds of ash and smoke rose, and large projectiles came crashing towards Blackthorn City. One large boulder eclipsed the sun above him as it crested in its trajectory, and its shadow grew larger and larger around the trainer as it came crashing towards him.

The trainer gasped when he was suddenly grabbed and his feet left the ground as he soared away from the Pokemon Gym to escape the crashing boulder. When he finally opened his eyes, he realized that Clair herself was the one who grabbed him, riding atop one of her Dragonairs. "What's happening?" He asked, but the gym leader only shook her head in response.

Back in Goldenrod City, a terrible thunderstorm had the entire city trapped indoors, many without electricity. The dark clouds seemed to come suddenly, covering the entire area and neighboring routes in a matter of minutes before rain and lightning descended upon everything. Those that were unfortunate enough to be outside when the sudden shift in weather took place, were unbelievably drenched, tracking heavy pools of water in whatever buildings they sought refuge in. Thunder roared incomprehensibly loudly as it struck the lightning rods of the tallest buildings in the city. The winds roared and howled, knocking over branches and powerlines.

Back the the GRPD, the Chief gathered everyone he could in the blacked out offices. No matter the conditions, they needed to make sure everyone would safely make it indoors, and he reflected as much in his instructions. Within the hour, the GRPD deployed teams to seek out anyone who may not have found shelter and get them to safety. Sirens blared as a signal to help people or Pokemon where help was, and several instructions to get to shelter blared over any radios and functioning speakers throughout the city. "Where's Clive and Yulia, damn it?" the Chief roared, turning to Natasha and Jean close by. They exchanged glances, both shaking their heads.

"We don't know," Natasha said solemnly. "Neither of them have been receiving any calls or messages. They were last heading to Blackthorn City to follow a lead."

[Ashen]

The tale of Bell Tower and the birth of the Johtoian legendary beasts was a famous one, and its influences were woven through every form of media in some way. Yulia had seen so many movies and read so many books based on the legend that she didn’t know where history ended and where embellishments began. She had studied it in school, of course, but like any schoolchild in Kalos, she didn’t care much for the history of faraway regions. So Yulia listened to Clive recount the story, impressed by his native knowledge of the tale, and she looked over the bell she had found. Was her partner implying that this broken thing was in some way connected to Ho-Oh and the trio of beasts Phoenix was after?

She took a few moments to process the story and all the implications to their current situation. If Clive was right about that girl she’d found on the side of the road earlier, and if she really had been stalking them throughout their investigation, then Yulia had to wonder why. What was her goal? Was she working for Avarice, or was it possible she was on their side? And if she was helping them, why not approach the GDPD with her clues like normal instead of being so cryptic about everything? Yulia thought about it for a few minutes before deciding it probably wasn’t worth speculating. They didn’t have enough information about that girl, so any guesses they made would be baseless. What they did know is that she had led them here to this bell, which was possibly connected to the legendary beasts and Ho-Oh. Was it the clue to finding Suicune before Phoenix could?

Another earthquake shook the cave, and Yulia braced herself for another fall. This one, however, wasn’t nearly as powerful, and she and Clive were still standing by the end of it. She looked up at where they’d fallen from again, and she swore she could hear something distant, as if coming from outside the cave. As she listened, a droplet of water splashed onto her shirt. Was it raining? “Hm.” The forecast hadn’t said anything about rain, had it?

She turned back to Clive. “I think we should go soon,” she suggested. She was getting a bad feeling about being down here, and something told her there was more than rain just outside. “I don’t know why this bell was here, or what it could be used for in its current state, but I’m sure research will be able to tell us something.” Her words were more for herself than Clive, and when she pocketed the bell, she pulled a Poke Ball from her purse and tossed it. Out came her Braviary, who looked unsure about the cramped space he’d been brought into. “Hey, Val,” Yulia cooed against the bird’s neck. “Do you think you can fly us up there? I need you to be careful, okay. The rocks are sharp, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

As Clive and Yulia made their way back through the cave, the bad feeling growing in Yulia’s stomach only got worse. Her head was hurting not too, a dull drumming against her skull, and she was anxious about what they would find outside. As they approached the entrance of the cave, the rain got louder and louder. Furious streams flowed between the rocks, and soon, it was up to their ankles. “A storm?” Yulia murmured. Her suspicion was confirmed when they reached the entrance: they were caught in a downpour, with thunder shaking the mountains and lightning splitting the sky. Yulia was eager to get out of this cave, but she stopped herself. A storm this bad only meant trouble; not only would they drench themselves halfway to a cold, but the slippery narrow passages would be impossible to traverse now. No rescue team would ever find them in weather this bad.

With an aggravated sigh, Yulia turned towards her partner. “Where did this come from?” she wondered aloud. She reached for her phone, intending to inform her superiors about the new situation, when she saw that she still did not have reception here. Fear clamored up her throat. Something bad was happening, and she couldn’t find out what it was, or call for help. She was trapped in a cave that had already collapsed once. How long before it fell down around them?

Yulia remembered Mt. Mortar and the storm Raikou had caused in its distress. Maybe it was fate that they kept getting trapped in these storms. She looked to the sky between the narrow passageway out, but even from here, water splashed onto her glasses and rendered her blind. She took them off and tucked them in her purse since they were no good to her now. “Wait,” she mumbled. If the only storm like this they had seen was caused by Raikou, and the bell they’d found was somehow connected to the beasts… Phoenix had Raikou and Entei in his custody, leaving one last Pokemon out there. But the bell was broken, and wherever Suicune was, it couldn’t have heard its inaudible chime. …Right?

Yulia sighed, her hands shaking. This all was supposed to have been a simple investigation, but she had had too much excitement for one day. She glanced towards Clive, and with another, irritated sigh, she said, “I guess we’re stuck here.”

[Headwrapper]

"Well, we're not staying here either," Clive claimed all too calmly. Too calmly because, as he spoke, he watched as cracks formed in certain areas of the cave walls. A slow-moving trickle of red-hot liquid began to pour out of the cracks and pool on the hard stone floor. The accumulation of lava would happen slowly, but it was only a matter of time before it would fill the room. Clive thought that perhaps their Pokemon could help seal the cracks, but it would be to no end, as new cracks were forming every minute. Another tremor shook the cave, and more of the molten rock fell, this time from above, just outside the cave's exit.

"It must be coming out the top of the mountain too," Clive observed. "I didn't know that could even happen here. Not unless-" he was interrupted by the sound of a brief, loud, cry of a Pokemon from outside. It had a rough, throaty sound, and rather low in pitch. The cry was so short it sounded more like a bark, but Clive imagined it had to have come from a rather large Pokemon to suit the sound. Soon afterwards there was another tremor and another splash of lava plopped on the ground just outside the cave's exit. "This is not natural."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Phoenix, sir! I have news to report!"

The Avarice grunt approached his superior, shielding his face as he did so. Silently, he observed the scene around him, what plan Phoenix was bringing to fruition. The legendary beasts they had captured, Raikou and Entei, stood on either end of the plateau they were standing on. They were nearly half a mile apart, but the earth around them was so flat that you could easily see each beast from anywhere on the plateau. Somehow, Phoenix manipulated the Pokemon into unleashing their powers, causing the exact disturbances the grunt had come to share. "Sir, various thunderstorms have suddenly appeared all around the continent. Meanwhile, there have been reports of new volcanoes forming all over the world. Some in the middle of the ocean, but more notably it was said that the mountain south of Blackthorn City is beginning to erupt, causing damage to the nearby city."

A grin formed on one side of Phoenix's mouth. "It is even more amazing than I imagined," he mused. "What else? Any signs of Suicune? Ho-oh?" He knew it would be too easy if Ho-oh were to appear while he only had two of the legendary beasts, but he could hope. It was far from guaranteed that Suicune would appear either, but this plan... this would be a good attempt. If Suicune did not appear to save its partners, its brothers in rebirth, then it would appear to clean up the damage they had caused. Waterways polluted by contaminated rainwater would need to be cleaned with the Pokemon's abilities. Forests that have been prematurely set alight by fallen lava would need to be doused. Someone, somewhere, would witness this extraordinary Pokemon performing extraordinary feats, and Phoenix will learn about it. When he does, he will claim the Pokemon as his own.

Silently, he hoped for the more thrilling outcome of his plan, to see Suicune make a heroic appearance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This isn't good," Clive grumbled. Shapes began to form in the pools of lava that seeped through the walls, as well as the puddle just outside the cave's exit that suspiciously began to move into the cave, as if to escape the rain outside. The shapes swirled around before accumulating to form a mass that rose from the lava. The mass budded two ear-like extremities before also growing a large pair of yellow eyes. A Slugma had formed from the lava, and soon after, even more began to accompany it. They bubbled and burst from the walls, they slithered into the cave from outside, and more even began to appear from the path behind Clive and Yulia, from deeper within the cave.

The slug Pokemon brought a nauseating heat with them, and they were also too confused to pay mind to the trainers they inadvertently trapped in the cave. They continued to file into the cave and the temperature of hollow continued to climb with Clive and Yulia trapped inside. There were few choices to consider, too few. The path towards the cave's depths were filling up with lava and Slugma too, the room they currently residing in was growing much too hot to be safe, and the outside was flooding with an unknown amount of lava trickling down the mountainside.

Clive quickly determined that he would prefer to brave the downpour and thunder outside than to roast inside the cave. He nodded towards Yulia, hoping she agreed, and called for his Umbreon. "Let's clear a path!" he commanded Umbreon. "Use Psychic!" Umbreon strained himself for a moment, regaining familiarity with its strange abilities, before his eyes suddenly began to glow with an eerie blue hue. A similar hue began to form around the Slugma closest to the cave's exit as they were lifted into the air, and out of the way. The trainers and their Pokemon hurried outside then.

The heavy, cold rain drops offered a welcome respite from the heat of the caverns, but soon brought about their own form of torment. It was nearly impossible to see, and the winds whipped the detectives devilishly. Despite the difficulty seeing through the storm, there was one feature that was evident. The cliffs and mountains of Route 45 and Route 46 were blanketed in pools of molten lava that glowed in fiery reds and oranges, occasionally flickering and licking at the rain drops that splashed and steamed on the pools. Clive nervously watched as the hot lava poured down the side of the cliffs, afraid that the wind might toss some of the molten liquid at them before they had a chance to react. All around them, the wooden bridges tossed and shook violently with the wind, and a few had even caught fire before descending to the depths below them. Clive's mind began to race as he tried to search for an out. Any kind of shelter, some place to hide from the rain, thunder, and lava. Somewhere that he could just think for a moment. He instinctively recalled Umbreon to its ball.

"Route twenty-nine is that way!" he called to Yulia once he managed to make some kind of heading. He waved southward and began marching towards the direction he indicated. "If the bridge is still up, we can make it!" There was a gate at Route 29, where they could rest and figure out what in the hell was going on. Clive silently prayed they would make it. He prayed a little more each time the wind whipped up and he braced himself to keep from falling off of the cliffs.

[Ashen]

Things were not looking good. If the downpour hadn’t been bad enough, now the investigators had lava to worry about as well. Yulia looked frantically between the cave behind them, where a deadly molten bath was pooling between the rocks, and the path outside, which was dangerously slippery with rainwater and all too eager to throw them to the cliffs below. There was no good option. Panic settled in Yulia’s chest proper, and she struggled to think of any way to get out of this situation. Her Pokemon would be no help: her Braviary, already worn from having to fly them back up the cave, wouldn’t be able to navigate these harsh winds, and her Beartic would be powerless against the lava all around. Yulia took a moment to breathe. The most important thing was staying calm. She and Clive needed to think of something.

It didn’t take long for them both to arrive at the same conclusion: that their chances of survival were better along the steep slopes of the mountain than within the fiery cave. Yulia held her breath as she moved slowly out of the cave, and once outside, she continued at a Slowpoke’s pace along the narrow paths. The wind whipped her clothes and hair, and as much as she tried to tie it back, it easily came free and blinded her. The rain was harsh enough to pelt her skin, like needles coming at her from every direction. She just hoped the lava falling from the top of the mountain stayed off of her. Yulia tried to think of the way they’d come, the walkways they had used, the dangers they’d faced then. Gulping down a breath, Yulia focused on Clive’s voice and prayed they would make it out alive.

She was thankful for him. If Yulia had been alone, she didn’t know that she’d even be able to move, so petrified by her own fear. But Clive’s voice was a beacon, and his knowledge of this area brought her comfort, however tiny. She followed him on the way to Route 29, slipping on the rocks too many times but luckily not falling. As she moved, she couldn’t help her rapid, self-degrading thoughts. If not for her insistence they follow the map, they wouldn’t have been stuck in this situation in the first place. And for what? All they were bringing home was a dumb bell, if they got out at all. Yulia shoved her thoughts aside. Now wasn’t the time.

Thankfully, the bridge was still intact, though it howled with the wind as it was thrown every way. Yulia gulped. The unsteady bridge looked like suicide, and if not for the storm beckoning her to the unforgiving depths of the mountain’s base, she would have never set foot on something so dangerous. But she took the first step, and then the next, mumbling platitudes that did not help. Eventually, finally, they had crossed the bridge, and Yulia could breathe again.

They wound up at the gate of Route 29, where many other trainers were already crammed into the small building. A few people were going around offering healing items to treat Pokemon wounded by the storm, and chatter about the sudden storm filled the room. Yulia reached for her phone again, but her wet fingers didn’t register on the screen, and it was no use anyway. The storm had destroyed her signal, leaving her stranded with no way of contacting the outside world.

She tried her luck with the people around her. Though talk of what was happening was endless, no one seemed to know why any of it was happening. Theories were floating around that this was the apocalypse, that someone had angered a legendary Pokemon, while others speculated that it was a much smaller disturbance, and that it would be over soon. Yulia let out a huff. “What is going on?” She returned to Clive to see if he was having any better luck. As she did, though, she saw the door of the gate, and the glass window spattered with rainwater. Had her eyes been playing tricks on her, or had she glimpsed…something? Something blue and purple and white, almost like a Pokemon. Yulia shook the thought. She turned back to Clive. “I can’t contact anyone,” she told him. She motioned towards the video phones located near the reception area, where a few people were trying and failing to call others. “I’m going to see if I can get through to Goldenrod,” she told Clive, though her hopes were not high.

When her call unsurprisingly failed, Yulia clutched her fist in frustration. Their only option was waiting out the storm, but that didn’t sit right with her. When she returned to Clive, an aggravated sigh escaped her lips. “It has to be Avarice.” Maybe she was jumping to conclusions—Avarice was such an important part of her life, so maybe she just couldn’t imagine anything not connected to them—but this whole thing was too like their meeting with Entei, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Phoenix had something to do with this. But if he had the power to disrupt the entire region like this, maybe he was a bigger threat than they had given him credit for. They really couldn’t let him get Suicune, because there was no telling how he would abuse its power then.

[Headwrapper]

The first thing that Clive did upon entering the tiny and crowded building in Route 29 was shed his jacket, which was heavy and wet with rainwater. It fell to the ground with a loud plop. It would have been a rude gesture, but considering the entire lobby was soaked with water and mud tracked in by trainers and their Pokemon seeking shelter, it was easily overlooked. The detective panted heavily while collecting his thoughts and catching his breath, struggling to focus with the events transpiring around him. Like Yulia's phone, Rotom-phone also was unable to contact anyone. All around them, people were chattering about the storm and the quakes they felt from volcanos erupting in the region.

He hummed thoughtfully when Yulia mentioned the potential of Team Avarice causing these disasters. It was not a farfetched idea, when considering everything they know. It was confirmed that Phoenix had possession of Raikou. Based on Sierra's testimony, he also had Entei. If the strange devices attached to Phoenix's Pokemon worked as well on the legendary beasts as they did on his other Pokemon, then he could push them to unleash their powers to a degree painfully beyond what they may have been able to before. Was all of this- the sudden storm, the eruptions - part of Avarice's plans?

"I think you're right," Clive said. "This was too sudden to be normal. What we don't know is, if this is a part of their plans, or could this be Raikou and Entei fighting back?" He pushed a wet strand of hair off of his forehead. "It's terrible that they have this kind of power in their possession." He sighed loudly, and glanced around the gatehouse again. He watched as people helped each other heal their Pokemon and others dried themselves off. Sopping wet outerwear was hung all around, draped over benches and armrests or over top of the reception counter. Nearly everyone was struggling to contact anyone using their mobile phones or the video phones nearby.

"Damn, we need to get out of here," Clive said. "If it really is Avarice, we need to be doing something." He ground his teeth, thinking about what options they even had. Naturally, he wanted to return to Goldenrod. With access to resources there, maybe they had a chance of knowing what was going on. Even if they did brave the storms, though, Goldenrod was so far away. They could not fly in this weather. Commandeering a vehicle would not have made much sense either, considering it would be nearly impossible to drive through the storm.

"There's something outside!" someone suddenly called. The man had his face pressed to the glass of one of the exit doors. "Is that a Pokemon? Maybe it's causing the storm!"

Clive shot Yulia a glance, then recoiled when a crowd began to form around the door.

"Where did it go!?"

"It's right there! I've never seen anything like it!"

"So fast!"

"It's going to the other side!"

Before they could be cut off from the exit, Clive grabbed his belongings. "C'mon," he grumbled to Yulia before rushing to the gatehouse's other doorway in a few long strides. He looked through the windows, but with the rain flooding the glass it was nearly impossible to see anything. He thought a saw a streak of purple, blue, and white rush passed. "What was that?"

When Yulia joined him, Clive paused. Was something jingling? He did not recall hearing that sound coming out of Yulia's bag or pockets when they were traveling before, but maybe he was not thinking straight in all of the commotion. "What is..." He looked outside again. The purple, blue, and white figure reappeared, and this time it was standing still. The compulsion to do something about the situation pressed against Clive's temples. It might have been the desire to get out and find out if the storms were Avarice's doing, or the prospect that some mysterious Pokemon was causing the storms after all. He braced himself for the torrent outside, and pushed his way through the door.

The winds whipped at him as he stepped outside, lashing him angrily. He raised his arm to shield his face, squinting to try to make out the figure up ahead. With his other hand, he reached for his Pokeballs, just in case he needed to defend himself. As he approached, he realized that the purple he saw was a long flowing mane, draped over a massive blue quadruped. White, diamond-shaped markings decorated the creature's legs and torso, and two matching ribbon-like tails waved with the whipping winds. The creature lowered its head defensively, displaying its cerulean, hexagonal horn that began just above its muzzle and extended well above its head. In the darkness of the storm, Clive could make out two red eyes watching him.

Suddenly, the creature raised its head back up and stood more proudly. Majestically, heroically, even. Despite the conditions, the Pokemon's appearance was extraordinary, demanding respect from those around it. Clive felt a pressure weigh down on him that was similar to what he felt when they encountered Raikou. "That's really it... Suicune," Clive gasped. "But what brought it here?"

Soon, other trainers braved the storm to witness the sight. "Did someone just say that's the legendary Suicune?" Soon commotion joined the sound of the howling winds as people began to scramble back into the storm as quickly as they had first tried to flee from it.

Suicune stood still and calm, raising its furry chin majestically. Its red eyes gazed down on the onlookers for a long moment, before it turned away and bolted into the nearby woods. A heavy gust roared, battering the trainers and pushing many of them to the ground. Leaves and branches rushed by, sometimes painfully whipping someone unlucky enough to be in the way.

Without waiting more than a moment to get back on his feet, Clive locked his gaze in the direction Suicune had fled to. "We're going after it," he told Yulia, grabbing her arm as he pressed forward.

"Wait!" The gatekeeper called after them. "No one should travel in- aah!" Another gust interrupted the gatekeeper, and while the rabble hurried back indoors, Clive continued onwards.

[Ashen]

Yulia was feeling more and more helpless by the minute. She agreed with Clive, they needed to get out of here and find a way to stop this, to help everyone who’d been affected. Hadn’t that been the reason she’d sought this job in the first place? But going out in a storm like this in any kind of vehicle was practically suicide, and there was no way they would help anyone if they couldn’t keep themselves safe. She was racking her brain for any idea that wouldn’t lead to disaster when she realized the people around had all taken a sudden interest in…something.

Yulia joined them as they gathered around the window in one of the doors, but the large crowd was impossible to see through, so she could make out nothing but the rain from outside. She wondered what they were looking at, and if it was the same thing she had just spotted, but she shook her head. What did it matter? She needed to find a way out of here.

When the thing outside moved to the other window, Yulia joined Clive right up against it. It was almost impossible to see through the downpour, and even between the streams of rain staining the window she could only make out the colors of the trees and road outside. Then something jumped right onto the road, and Yulia squinted to get a better look. She only glimpsed a long, white ribbon before the thing was moving away. A Pokemon, maybe, but what was it doing in such a bad storm?

Her attention was drawn to her bag when she started to hear a high-pitched ringing. Every time she moved, something inside her bag made noise, so she dug into it. She pulled out the broken bell she’d found in the cave, and to her surprise, when she did, it chimed as if it had never been broken at all. Yulia stared at it, and she flicked her wrist a couple times, listening to the new sound. Puzzled, she stashed the bell into her pocket before following Clive out into the harsh storm.

They were immediately pelted by the rain, fierce in its onslaught. Yulia could have sworn hail was pricking her skin now too. Tugging her sleeves down and her hair out of her face, she squinted into the rain to try and see the thing again. After all the research she’d been doing lately, it would have been impossible not to recognize it. Suicune was here, the real legendary Pokemon Suicune. Clive had been right; it must have been summoned by the strange bell after all. Yulia hesitated. She got the feeling Suicune was trying to tell them something, but what…? Before she could think on it too long, she was distracted by the people shouting behind her.

Many of them were calling them back into the gatehouse and out of the storm, but when they saw the legendary Pokemon for themselves, that changed. Most people went their whole lives never seeing a legendary like this, so Yulia couldn’t blame their awe. She wanted to tell them to return to safety inside too, but such a thing would only sound hypocritical.

That was when Suicune started off. Yulia didn’t wait for Clive; they both started running after the beast. They were two fools running in a dangerous storm after a Pokemon most people still considered a mirage. But Yulia couldn’t give up. Whatever Suicune was trying to say to them, she was determined to find out.

It was impossible to keep up with such a Pokemon, and pretty soon, Yulia slowed to a stop, nearly slipping in the rain. They had lost track of Suicune. Frustration surrounded her sigh, and she desperately turned to her partner. “Where…?” Remembering her bell, she removed it from her pocket and tried to ring it again. She couldn’t hear anything, but she couldn’t tell if that was because it was broken again, or because the storm was so loud.

Her hopes were answered, however, when she looked up and saw that the Pokemon she’d been calling was right in front of her. It walked between her and Clive, elegant in its gliding movements. “Suicune,” she breathed. “You came.”

Suicune lowered itself onto its knees, as if asking the investigators to climb onto it. Yulia looked between it and Clive. “Are you trying to take us somewhere?” She pet the Pokemon’s back, and when it did not move away, she took that as permission. Yulia lifted herself onto Suicune’s back, and once she was settled, it turned to Clive, waiting for him to do the same. “I think Suicune wants to help,” Yulia said. “Maybe it can take us to whatever is causing these storms.” She offered a hand to Clive to help him up. “Come on! Who knows how much time we have now!”

[Headwrapper]

Upon pausing their chase after Suicune, Clive panted heavily as he pressed one arm against a tree. His chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths, which began to slow as he looked around. It was a struggle to make out anything in the shade of the trees and through the torrential downpour. There was a glimmer in his peripheral vision- the bell that Yulia had in her possession. Clive watched his partner shake the bell. To both of their bewilderment, Suicune returned.

The legendary beast was even more majestic up close. Its large purple mane flowed extravagantly, despite the heavy rains. The large quadruped's steps were almost completely silent as it stepped through the foliage, placing itself between Yulia and Clive. Instinctively, Clive prepared himself. After all, Suicune was a powerful Pokemon that they knew little about. There was no telling what it might do.

Suicune averted Clive's expectations when it lowered itself accommodatingly, silently inviting the detectives closer. The Pokemon remained still as they approached, even when Yulia stroked its back. In fact, it only moved after Yulia fully climbed onto its back, so that it could wait for Clive to follow suit.

Clive hesitated. Was Suicune acting this way because of the bell, or was there some other reason? Clive's fingers itched towards the inside pockets of his coat as he frantically weighed the possibilities. If the storms were truly caused by Avarice, could they risk Suicune getting involved? Between Umbreon's Mean Look and Shadow's illusions, we can keep Suicune here, Clive thought. After all, their plan was to keep Suicune away from Avarice. That alone would be enough to stave off the worst of their plans. They could figure out how to end these storms after they were sure Suicune was safe.

Clive's gaze went from Yulia's outstretched hand to Suicune's red irises, which were seemingly glowing with anticipation. Perhaps there was no way of controlling such a beast after all, Clive thought. Perhaps Suicune was offering their best chance of winning. Perhaps there was this was the long shot they needed. Clive's steel cage drew itself closer, which he embraced like a suit of armor. His brow furrowed and his jaw tightened in determination. "Okay, let's go!" He grabbed onto Yulia's hand and lifted himself onto the legendary Pokemon's back. It was an awkward arrangement, but sufficient enough for Suicune. Without hesitation, the Pokemon began racing forward.

They reached breakneck speeds in a matter of seconds, bursting out of the trees and foliage. Despite the speed, Suicune seemed to have full control of its stride, quickly weaving through the terrain's obstacles effortlessly. It climbed over rocks with ease and weaved its way around the trees. Soon, the group approached a wide river overflowing with rainwater. Even still, Suicune's speed only seemed to pick up. Its strides grew longer, and before the detectives could act, they were soaring over the water. When Suicune's feet touched down on the water, its paws pressed against the surface as if it was solid. The turbulent waves chased towards them, which Suicune leapt over with ease.

Once they crossed the river, they began the next obstacle. Clive's legs tightened as he braced himself for their sudden ascent through the highlands. Rocks and pebbles tumbled behind them as Suicune raced up the side of the cliffs, the gravity pressing down on them as they climbed at a nearly vertical angle. The storm became worse, but also even more abnormal than it was before. One side of the plateau above them was shrouded in thick, black storm clouds, that thundered loudly and constantly. On the other side, cracks and fissures shattered the cliff sides, releasing flowing pools of lava that sputtered and cracked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phoenix sighed loudly, scrolling through his phone. The enjoyment in seeing social media abuzz with news of the storm was quickly wearing away without the payoff of capturing Suicune. Perhaps it would not come after all, but even so, the damage done to the continent would be enough to draw it out. It was only a matter of time. Even still, the disappointment was aggravating. Not nearly as aggravating as the ruckus the grunts were causing. "What is going on over there?" he shouted.

"We see something!"

"It's so fast!"

"Quick, move out of the way!"

Many of the grunts scrambled backwards, and a few fell to the ground as a blue quadruped soared up the side of the plateau. Phoenix's eyes widened in disbelief before he began laughing uncontrollably with joy. "He's here!" he cheered. "Oh? And is that?" As the legendary Suicune crested in its leap, Phoenix spotted them. His two favorite detectives, bravely riding aback the beast to face him.

[Ashen]

As Yulia and Clive sped through the storm on the back of the legendary Suicune, Yulia wondered if maybe she had made a mistake. They were traveling so fast that she couldn’t begin to make out her surroundings—not that things would have been much better standing still, at this rate—and she had no idea where Suicune was even taking them. She clutched onto the edges of Clive’s shirt, desperate to hold onto something to feel just a bit safer about their journey. Even if Suicune was the very image of elegance, and even though the ride felt a lot smoother than it looked, she was still terrified of how fast they were going. It one of them were to fall off— No, she brushed those thoughts aside. For some reason she couldn’t explain, deep within herself, she trusted this Pokemon. She trusted wherever it was taking them, and she trusted that it would keep them safe.

Once she found that conviction, Yulia’s fears slowly faded away, and she was able to look out at the blurry world with new interest. The forest and river and mountain made up a kaleidoscope of bursting color, and she wondered what this ride might look like another time, when the rain wasn’t ruining the view. Amazingly, Suicune was able to scale a mountain with ease, and though gravity tugged harshly at them, she didn’t think she or Clive would fall off. She tried to squint to make out the summit, but it was only when Suicune burst forth and landed atop the peak of the mountain that she understood, finally, where it had taken them.

She heard him before she saw him. Yulia would know the high-pitched and annoying voice of Avarice’s second in command anywhere. The arrogance leaking from his whole demeanor disgusted her. It was still difficult to see through the rain, but it was impossible to miss the garish colors he wore, as if he weren’t afraid at all of being found. The second Suicune stopped, Yulia leapt off the creature’s back and pointed a finger at the man. “You,” she snarled. Suicune had taken them straight to Phoenix.

There, behind him, in traps of their own, were two other Pokemon. Raikou looked far worse than the last time they had seen it, battered and struggling atop Mt. Mortar. It bore a new collection of scars between its impenetrable bindings, and Yulia could see its bleeding skin where its fur had been singed off. Beside it was Entei, wrapped in similar binds. Its cold and determined face that Yulia had seen on the cover of storybooks was now defeated. The two suffering Pokemon broke her heart, and as they roared, their pain drowned out by the storm, she was determined to free them. They were responsible for this storm, she realized, and when she looked again at Phoenix, she suddenly figured out what was going on.

The Avarice grunts scrambled on either side of them, staring in awe at the legendary beast and in apprehension at the detectives. They were completely soaked and wore their irritation on their faces, and Yulia wondered how long they had been up here, just waiting. Had they been expecting them? No, Yulia doubted it, given the surprise on Phoenix’s face when he saw them. They had been expecting Suicune, though, and the detectives had let the Pokemon fall right into their trap.

She longed to tell Suicune to run. She wanted to command Clive to get back on the beast and ride it far from here, where Phoenix couldn’t find them. She would handle Phoenix herself. But that plan had failed at Mt. Mortar, and the painful reminder of that kept her from suggesting such a thing. She reached for her Poke Balls, wondering how she could make this time different.

While she thought, Phoenix was rambling about something or another, but Yulia wasn’t inclined to listen to his nonsense today. She wouldn’t let the man distract her again. Turning sharply to her partner, she called his name, voice hardly audible over the storm. “We have to do this together.” Was that the reason they hadn’t saved Raikou before? If they worked together, battled together, would they better be able to stop Phoenix? It was worth a shot. Loosing a Ball from her purse, Yulia tossed it into the air. Her Beartic landed with a kick of dust and a roar.

Phoenix laughed. “This again?” He drew a Poke Ball from his belt, and out came the very same Dragonite that had halted them before.

Yulia looked to Clive, waiting for him to join her. “Suicune needs us,” she breathed, even though Clive wouldn’t be able to hear her. “Raikou, Entei, they need us.” Suicune had approached its trapped brothers, but it lingered a distance away from them, afraid of a trap. Its sympathetic gaze looked to the other Pokemon’s bindings, as if trying to think of a way to break them out. Phoenix’s grunts lingered about Suicune. They held a rope similar to the ones holding Raikou and Entei, but they seemed afraid to approach the aurora Pokemon. Yulia nodded to herself. Now was their best chance at putting a stop to this.

[Headwrapper]

Like Yulia, Clive had spared little patience or regard for Phoenix's monologue. Instead, he cautiously absorbed the scenario that had played out. They were in the lion's den now, and it was clear that the stakes were never greater than they were at that moment. Thunder struck the ground hard, shaking the ground beneath them. Entei and Raikou each let out horrible shrieks as they suffered, cascading across the region while Suicune witnessed. It was clear that the legendary Pokemon understood the stakes also, by the way it observed and cautiously approached its counterparts.

Together, huh? Clive thought internally in response to Yulia's demands. "You're right. You, and me, and Suicune. It will be different this time." Clive reached to his belt, hesitating for a brief moment before his fingers finally situated around one of the orbs. About that moment was when Phoenix called out his Dragonite, in response to Yulia's Beartic. "It will be different, this time," he repeated, staring down the battle scarred Dragonite. There was no mistaking that this would be the final battle with Phoenix.

Clive spared a glance towards Suicune, who was strategically avoiding the range of the Avarice grunts' tools, looking proud all the while. The Pokemon had its fill of observing what had happened to those captured before, and its demeaner immediately returned to its usual heroic aura. Its purple mane and ribbon-like tails billowed in the harsh winds before the Pokemon reared back its head, charging a bright light within its maw. When it swung its head back forward, a rainbow-colored beam, icy cold, emitted towards the device that ensnared Entei. The device was immediately covered in ice, which caused Entei to stir. The Pokemon stared around in confusion, if only for as long as it took for an Avarice trainer to flip a switch on another device that caused Entei to return to its previously submissive state.

The commotion Suicune caused was what it took loose the tension that had been building since its arrival with the detectives in tow. The grunts, riled up after facing the consequences of their hesitation, began loosing their devices as well as a few Pokemon towards Suicune. The Pokemon was clever, and fast, and avoiding the hazards with little issue. The grunts were persistent, but it would be futile to catch Suicune without help of stronger Pokemon. They called for support from their leader.

Phoenix growled. "Take care of it!" He shouted at the Dragonite, gesturing towards the Suicune. "Whatever it takes!" He shielded his face as the Dragonite beat its wings heavily, gearing up to take flight. Suddenly, something struck, and the dragon Pokemon let out an aggravated snarl. Clive's Umbreon, suddenly loosed during the commotion, had recklessly charged into Dragonite and caused it to stumble backwards. "Don't worry about this one," Phoenix commanded, reaching for one of his dusk balls. "You need to take care of Suicune."

"Mean Look!" Clive commanded. Immediately, Umbreon's eyes began to glow. A ghastly purple aura emanated from them and swirled around Dragonite, before dissipating. The same purple glow outlined Dragonite's body. "He's not going anywhere," Clive growled. His heart pounded heavily and his hands trembled. Dragonite was in front of him, so close. He was being given an opportunity that he never imagined he would have in his entire life. A chance at a truth he had abandoned learning a long time ago. His cage rattled, and he remembered himself. Steady now, he thought. Some things are bigger. He looked towards Yulia. "Together," he said, repeating her earlier sentiment.

"Aha, so this is how it will be, then," Phoenix laughed, raising the dusk ball. "Then let this be our final dance! Let this be a lesson to all who oppose Team Avarice... and oppose my destiny!" He let out his Gengar from the dusk ball. The Pokemon trembled as it floated into the battle. Its expression was agonized, in a horrifying way. Gengar's red eyes were wide and crazed, its pupils dancing all around as it took in the site of the plateau. Upon catching sight of Umbreon, Gengar stretched its arms high above its head, forming a Shadow Ball that it promptly let loose.

Umbreon took the hit, and before anyone could intervene was lashed heavily by Dragonite's tail, sending him back towards Clive before heavily landing on the muddy ground. Umbreon hissed as it rose back to its feet, surprisingly unshaken by its injuries, a testament to the stalwartness of the species. Clive called out a command to use Moonlight to heal. A few beams of pale light managed to squeeze through the clouds above, healing some of Umbreon's injuries in mere moments.

"Mean Look only works while Umbreon is in the battle," Clive explained to Yulia. "And it won't work on Ghost types." The clouds were a problem too, but he had no time to explain that. They blocked the light, limiting Umbreon's ability to heal itself during the battle. That was a challenge for Umbreon and Clive to overcome while they supported Yulia's team. This was what they trained for.

[Ashen]

The storm only got worse with each new pained scream from two of the legendary trio, and Yulia’s heart broke for the beasts. As much as she wanted to go to them and break them out of their binds so that they could stop this storm and get far away from here, she knew doing so before she and Clive defeated Phoenix would be pointless. So, the eccentric Avarice admin needed to be taken down today. She would accept nothing else. Yulia nodded to herself and returned her attention to the battle.

Normally, she would have the advantage in this fight. Pokemon type effectiveness was a required course early on in trainer school, and by now, the chart of what beat what was ingrained into her head. Any Pokemon professor would have said an ice type like Beartic would have no problems defeating a flying dragon like Dragonite. But Yulia couldn’t take comfort in her odds yet. The old Dragonite looked much more powerful than her Beartic, and the tools Avarice used to heighten a Pokemon’s power only added to that. In addition, there was the wild storm raging all around them, which brought visibility dangerously low. Yulia called out a couple moves, but her Beartic missed both of them. This would be far from an easy win.

But she wasn’t alone. Yulia turned to Clive, who was calling out to his Umbreon to stop the Dragonite from interfering with Suicune’s rescue. Returning her attention to her Beartic, Yulia took advantage of the Dragonite’s distraction. “Zita, quick!” she called to her Pokemon. “Icy wind!” The attack did not hit hard, but it did hit, and Yulia was glad to see the Dragonite wince as tiny ice shards pelted its skin. It was the first thing since this battle had started that had actually worked.

Phoenix laughed off his Pokemon’s pain, and after more theatrics that Yulia didn’t care to pay attention to, he called a Gengar to the battle. The Pokemon’s red eyes stared straight into Yulia and sent a shiver running down her spine. She tried to shake it off. Half of her Beartic’s attacks were useless against a ghost-type Pokemon, but her Braviary would be next to useless against the new foe. Swearing under her breath, Yulia turned to the sky. Instead of attacking the Gengar, her Braviary could use his flying-type moves to try to clear the storm clouds… No, she realized such a task was impossible for just one bird, and she returned her attention to the fight.

She shifted her weight, considering her next move, before she pointed across the battlefield to the Gengar watching Umbreon like prey. “Okay Zita,” she called to her Beartic, “let’s try an Icicle Crash!” The Beartic let out a long roar which froze the air around it. It grasped a pair of icicles in its massive paws and hurled them at the Gengar. Luckily, the move hit. The ghost Pokemon stumbled for a few moments and flinched, giving them another chance to strike.

Now was their chance. “You take Gengar!” Yulia hollered at Clive, hoping his Umbreon still had a bit of energy left to finish the Pokemon off with one of its dark-type attacks. Yulia pointed to the Dragonite then, now flying just a little distance from Umbreon. “Zita!” she commanded. “Blizzard!”

The ground trembled with the force of the attack. Rain hardened to ice all around them, and it fell to the ground where it shattered into sparkling pieces. The Dragonite was pelted by the hail, and after struggling to fly against the blizzard, it gave up its flight and landed on the ground with a tremor. Now, hopefully, it would be an easier target.

The Dragonite, annoyed at being knocked out of the sky, rounded on Yulia’s Beartic. It sliced at Zita with a Dragon Claw, throwing the bear Pokemon several feet before she landed on her side in the mud. She was up only a moment later, ready to continue the fight. Yulia called for a Frost Breath, and when the Dragonite dodged out of the way of that, she balled her hands to fists.

The fight was going nowhere. Even with the Dragonite grounded, she couldn’t hit the thing. Yulia glanced towards Clive again. He was still handling the Gengar, and he was counting on her to finish off this Dragonite. Nodding to herself, she called out to her Beartic once more. The bear Pokemon stopped to concentrate on what it was doing. She remained unflinching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It was only when the Dragonite came running at her with another Dragon Claw that Zita unleashed the Sheer Cold she’d been building up.

The dragon Pokemon seized, and as ice crept over its scales to cover every inch of its body, it fell to the ground, wiped out. By some miracle, the Beartic’s move had hit, and it had taken the Dragonite out in one shot. Phoenix recalled his Pokemon, cursing its uselessness. Yulia felt like celebrating.

But the battle wasn’t over. Yulia turned back to Clive, ready to support him however he needed.

[Headwrapper]

With Dragonite under the effects of Mean Look, Clive turned his sights on the Gengar. Phoenix naturally adapted his strategy, now hoping to use Gengar to stop Suicune's rescue of the other beasts while handling the detectives with his now battle-locked Dragonite. The same tactics would not work to trap Gengar, a ghost type that was immune to the binding effects of Mean Look, so Clive would need to adapt his strategy too. Despite what was at stake, Clive felt comfortable with such a mission. In fact, where he and his team lacked in straight battle power, they excelled in the art of trapping, distracting, and deceiving. When given a target, Umbreon has always proven to be persistent, and he could easily outlast most of Gengar's moves.

Gengar was fast. At Phoenix's command, the Pokemon seemingly dove into the ground, becoming as shadow. Clive could hardly make out the shadow gliding across the ground towards Suicune during the bright flashes of lightning that illuminated the battle. "Pursuit!" He commanded Umbreon. The quadruped chased after the shadow at an uncharacteristic pace, as if feeding off of the speed of its target. With a growl, Umbreon stomped its feet on Gengar's shadow, forcing it to to ascend above ground once more. "Snarl!" Clive commanded, taking advantage of Phoenix's split focus between him and Yulia. The crazed and powerful Gengar was reduced to covering its ears as it took Umbreon's attack.

A wave of icy cold rushed over the battleground. Clive shuddered and turned to face the source. Then, he witnessed the result of Yulia's half of the battle with Phoenix. Ice rose began to envelope Dragonite, covering its entire battle-scarred body before rendering it unable to battle. We'll make it up to you, Clive thought empathetically as the mound of ice leaned over and fell to the ground. The detective bore his teeth upon hearing Phoenix's verbal attack on the Pokemon just before recalling it to its ball. And we're starting with him.

Phoenix unleashed his next Pokemon. The white flash of light from his Pokeball materialized into a massive silhouette that was more than three meters tall before a Pokemon formed in its place, shaking the ground as it landed on its feet. The Aurorus roared loudly, shaking the sheet-like mane that spanned on either side of its long, towering neck. An amazing display of ice and rainbow-colored light bellowed around the massive Pokemon. Somehow, between the lightning strikes, the tremors of volcanoes, and now a brilliantly lit ice storm, Clive could make out Phoenix's demands for more power from the fossil-born Pokemon. Briefly after that moment, the Aurorus swung its long neck around. It strained at the top of its swing, now howling even louder. Clive could make out large veins begin to protrude from the Pokemon's powerful neck moments before everything around it was covered in a bed of ice. Rain drops froze in mid-air, clinking as they hit the ground, and the wet mud and grass beneath Aurorus's feet quickly froze into a kaleidoscope of ice.

Clive exhaled in awe, taking a step back to protect himself from this new wave of cold air. He exchanged a glance with Yulia, his vision barred by his ice-cold breath solidifying in front of him. "Brace yourself," he advised. Phoenix was adapting his strategy once again. Clive and Yulia were successful in keeping him off of Suicune for now. If it was not understood before, Phoenix had to understand now, that there was no way he would capture Suicune as long as Clive and Yulia were still standing.

"Message received," Phoenix growled. "Oh, message received indeed!" He laughed loudly as he basked in the light of his Pokemon's auroras for a time. "Don't think I'll let this lucky streak of yours continue!" he threatened. "Aurorus, Ancient Power!"

Clive watched as the Aurorus summoned large boulders all around it, which hovered in the air for a brief moment before autonomously launching towards his and Yulia's side of the battleground. The attack seemed to be aimed towards Zita, the ice-type that would take more damage from a rock-type move. Wanting to take advantage of Phoenix's lack of attention to his other Pokemon, Clive turned towards Umbreon, ready to give the command to incapacitate Gengar even further. His heart stopped. The Gengar was gone. There was no trace of its shadow either neither around Umbreon or on the far side of the plateau where Suicune was. Wherever it went, Clive figured it would be safer to keep Umbreon near the main battle until it showed itself again. He called to Umbreon, instructing it to help Zita who was now surrounded with the boulders from Ancient Power.

"Until we find Gengar, we'll help you," Clive called to Yulia. Umbreon would be able to heal some of the damage to itself and Zita, and even use Helping Hand for a joint attack. A dark spot formed in the corner of his eye. Instinctively, Clive turned his head to the battle once again and witnessed the formation of a shadow against the face of one of the boulders. "Umbreon, wait!"

"Now Gengar, Focus Punch!" Phoenix roared. The shadow on the outside face of the boulder materialized, darting inconceivably fast towards Umbreon. During the commotion of Auroras's entrance, Gengar had been hiding in the shadows, charging up its physical attack. The attack connected violently with Umbreon, who howled agonizingly as it tumbled across the icy ground.

Clive's hands shook violently, but even he could not pinpoint the exact emotions associated with the tremors. Gengar's attack, empowered by the crazed state Avarice subjected the Pokemon to, was nothing short of vicious. Clive's stalwart and prized Umbreon had never let out a scream so harrowing as to rack its trainer to such a degree. Clive had never seen a Pokemon contort its face so painfully from getting hit by an attack during a battle. Shakily, he raised Umbreon's Pokeball to recall it to safety, exhaling steadily to properly keep the red beam of light straight.

The beam hit Umbreon, but didn't take. The Pokemon twitched as it flopped from one side to another in a pitiful attempt to rise to its feet, barely able to even raise its head from the ground. A sound involuntarily choked itself out of Clive's throat as he willed another beam at Umbreon that did not take. "Umbreon," he called, steeling his voice. "Return." The third beam did not take either. Clive exhaled loudly and desperately glanced towards Yulia and Zita. Phoenix had not missed a beat with his plan and they were too busy dealing with Aurorus now. Meanwhile, Gengar prepared a Shadow Ball to finally close out the battle. Clive's chest had begun to rise and fall rapidly as he fired beam after beam to recall Umbreon, who ignored the command to return while it struggled, its ears drooped to the ground.

Clive shouted and bolted towards Umbreon, abandoning his post by Yulia's side. Gengar swung its arm and tossed its Shadow Ball. When the detective's feet reached solid and frozen ground, he slid to his knees towards his Pokemon. Frozen rain drops pelted his face as he slid, and he grabbed Umbreon tightly. He miscalculated his launch, however, and the Shadow Ball was still going to connect. Clive braced for the attack, turning his back to shield Umbreon as he pressed it to his chest.

A bright light flashed, and a sudden warmth covered Clive's skin to stave off the cold of the arena. Could this possibly be what a Shadow Ball could feel like? He jerked his head around and dropped his jaw in amazement. Clive's Houndoom, who was Clive's Houndour until recently, stood proudly between them and the threat of Gengar's attack. A stream of flames flowed powerfully from Houndoom's maw and collided with the Shadow Ball, slowing down its trajectory. In fact, the attack slowed to a stop, before being deflected back in the direction of Gengar. The ghost-type was struck with its own attack before being engulfed in flames. Houndoom's then changed it fire attack into a Fire Spin that fully trapped the already engulfed Gengar.

Houndoom turned to face its trainer and its fellow Pokemon, licking its lips as embers puttered from the sides of its jaws. It glanced down at Umbreon with a stoic expression and nodded slowly. Umbreon had done enough as the unspoken ace Pokemon of the team. Having the most experience, their trainer always needed to depend on Umbreon to handle the most difficult situations and battles, but it was time to share the burden with Houndoom and Zorua. Umbreon understood. It understood that its trainer would be safe, that it could rest for a time. Clive returned Umbreon to its ball when it lost consciousness.

"Good boy," Clive called, carefully scratching around Houndoom's horns. He nodded towards Yulia and Zita. "They need our help. Let's hurry!"

Clive hurried back to his post and Houndoom slammed its horns against one of the boulders using its Rock Smash, completely shattering it and giving Yulia's Pokemon some more room to move. "We're okay," Clive called to Yulia.

[Ashen]

It had been a long time since Yulia had seen an Aurorus. Though the rock- and ice-type Pokemon was undeniably gorgeous with its elegant mane and shimmering body, Yulia couldn’t help but feel sad when she looked at it. Like all of Avarice’s Pokemon, Aurorus seemed to be in great pain, and though she wanted to yank it away from Phoenix and rush it to a Pokemon Center, she knew the only way to stop the Avarice admin was to defeat him. Yulia called out to her Beartic, and they set their sights on their new opponent.

Clive was struggling on his end of the battlefield. Gengar was a lot shiftier than either of them had first thought, and when Yulia glanced toward them, she found both Clive and his Umbreon searching for the elusive ghost-type Pokemon. She didn’t know what Phoenix was planning with his missing Gengar, but it couldn’t have been good. She worried for Suicune and its brothers, but even as she squinted, the rain, hail, and fog made it impossible to see very far, and she couldn’t tell how they were doing. She considered running towards them to check if they were okay, but an attack from Aurorus stole her attention back to the fight. “Zita!” Yulia called out, hoping her Beartic would move out of the way in time, but it was no use. The Aurorus was a lot faster than it looked, and soon, Yulia’s Beartic was shrouded in large stones. Zita let out a pained yell, and though Yulia called for her, there was no response. Dust settled over the battlefield like a curtain, and she couldn’t even see through it to find her favorite Pokemon.

Thankfully, Clive and his Pokemon stepped in to help. Yulia wanted to tell them to focus on defeating Gengar, but she supposed there was little they could do while the ghost-type Pokemon was gone. So, Yulia nodded towards Clive and called out once more to her Beartic. This time, the Pokemon let out a long roar as she broke through the wall of rocks surrounding her. Zita was still standing, panting and ready for more, no doubt thanks to Umbreon’s healing. “That’s my girl!” Yulia cheered, and from where she was standing, she almost thought she saw the bear Pokemon grin.

Their victory was short-lived, because Gengar had never really disappeared. It had only been hiding, and now it was back and ready to cause more trouble for them. Its fist slammed into the poor Umbreon, and Yulia called out, panicked. She had never heard a Pokemon make such a noise before, and the creature looked battered and miserable. Part of her wanted to stop the battle just to help Umbreon, even though she knew it was stupid. Doing so would damn Suicune, and it would set them further back in rescuing Entei and Raikou too. She couldn’t let that happen. She knew Clive wouldn’t let that happen.

Yulia tried to ask Clive if Umbreon would be alright, but another attack from the Aurorus refocused her attention on the fight. “Zita, use your Superpower!” The Beartic nodded and charged after the Aurorus, but the dinosaur Pokemon hopped out of the way of the slow-coming attack. The Beartic tried again, and this time, her massive fists landed directly on the fossil Pokemon’s long neck. Where Aurorus’s rock-type moves had the advantage over the Beartic, Zita’s fighting-type smash was a one-hit knockout. Zita stumbled away from the Aurorus, weakened, just as Phoenix recalled it and muttered something about a distraction.

When next she faced Clive, Yulia found him running onto the battlefield towards his Umbreon. “Wait!” she yelled after him, but it was no use. He needed to save his Pokemon, and the stubborn Umbreon wasn’t letting him. She ran towards them too, but a bright light stopped her in her tracks, blinding her. After a moment, she was able to open her eyes again, and she saw a Houndoom standing in front of Clive and Umbreon, protecting them. No, it wasn’t just a Houndoom; Clive’s Houndour had broken free of its Poke Ball to evolve just when its trainer had needed it most. Yulia beamed with pride as she watched the hound Pokemon fight back against the Gengar and defeat it.

Phoenix was forced to recall his third defeated Pokemon, and he was growing visibly angry. He threw another Poke Ball into the fight, and out came a ferocious-looking Gliscor. Such a Pokemon was a poor fit for this kind of fight; as soon as it landed it shielded itself from the hail pelting it from all sides, and it was at a huge disadvantage against an ice-type Pokemon like Beartic. So, while it tried to shake the ground with an impressive earthquake, Yulia ordered Zita to hit it with an Avalanche, which made the Gliscor so weak that Clive’s Houndoom was able to easily finish it off.

From Phoenix’s expression, it was clear he was out of Pokemon to use. So, desperate, he pulled a strange black Poke Ball from his belt and tossed it across the battlefield. It bounced against the caged Entei’s thick fur, and they were all surprised when the legendary Pokemon disappeared inside it. The ball flew back to Phoenix’s hand, and he tossed it into the air. Out came Entei, who immediately tried to return to Raikou and Suicune, but a powerful zap shot through its body, paralyzing it. “If you do what I say,” Phoenix taunted, “that won’t happen again.”

Yulia’s eyes widened in alarm. “You bastard,” she yelled at Phoenix, who took the insult with a graceful bow. She turned to Clive, her fists clenching. “What do we do?” She didn’t want to hurt Entei, but the legendary Pokemon was now under Phoenix’s command. While she hesitated, Phoenix commanded Entei to use Flamethrower, and the fires singed Zita’s fur. The Beartic let out a growl before falling to the ground, defeated. Yulia swore and recalled her Beartic, then sent out her Braviary. While Valkyrie examined the situation, Phoenix tossed another of those black Poke Balls to Raikou, capturing it. He then summoned it too to his side.

Yulia swore. “I guess we have to fight them,” she muttered. “It’s the only way we’ll be able to free them. All of them.” The storm lessened and the hail faded, the only silver lining Yulia could find in this situation. Just as she turned towards her Braviary on the battlefield, Suicune stepped between her and Clive, a new challenger. It was determined to save its kin.

[Headwrapper]

Clive's expression darkened as Zita fell to Entei's attack, his mind transfixed on the site of Gengar's vicious attack on Umbreon earlier. He feared that Avarice's methods would be just as effective at bringing out such ferocity in the already-powerful legendary Pokemon in their possession. A head-on battle was going to be difficult and risky, but that that was exactly the position they were finding themselves in now.

Suicune joined their assembly, which came at a bit of a surprise to Clive. He searched in the direction the legendary Pokemon had been earlier, where it had fended off the grunts at the fringes of their battle. There was no sight of the Avarice grunt's Pokemon, and the trainers seemed a little worse for wear too. However, the few of them that had the resolve to see their mission through, were beginning to muster up some of their energy. It would only be a matter of time before they reorganized and healed their Pokemon, a luxury that Clive, Yulia, and Phoenix did not have during their deadlocked battle.

The next phase of their battle began with another flamethrower from Entei, aimed towards the group. This time, Clive and Houndoom were prepared to respond in-kind with their own Flamethrower. The streams of fire collided, expelling heat throughout the area. Clive shielded his face with his sleeve, peering over it to monitor the attacks. To a trained eye, it was clear that Entei's Flamethrower was slowly pushing through Houndoom's, inch by inch, but that did not bother Clive on bit. Before he could act, Clive spotted a yellow flicker from the corner of his eye- an electric attack heading towards them from Raikou. His heart leaped to his throat.

With incredible swiftness, Suicune placed itself between the detectives' Pokemon and the electric attack. A translucent, blue, sphere surrounding it. A Mirror Coat. Raikou's attack bounced off of the shield, returning to its sender. The lightning bolts carved the ground and singed whatever grass was still left in their path before narrowly missing Raikou, passing just above the device strapped to its body.

Clive wanted to capitalize on the second chance Suicune gave him in hopes to catch Phoenix off guard, but it seemed the two trainers had the same idea. In fact, it was exactly the same idea. Almost in unison, they shouted their command: "Overheat!". The streams of fire coming from the opposing fire types' maws poured even heavier in chaotic, turbulent surges. Another wave of heat passed over the immediate area as the flames destroyed the ground beneath them, forming clouds of smoke. Entei's attack was still incrementally inching closer towards them, a net neutral change in the situation Clive and Houndoom were in. Even still, Clive was unbothered. In fact, he had never seemed so confident in a Pokemon battle before. "Yulia," he said, confident that Phoenix could not hear them collaborating through the chaos of the battle. "Hurry and help Suicune destroy the device on Raikou. Entei won't be able to keep up an attack live Overheat forever, and once it hits its limit, it will need to rest for a few minutes. Even Phoenix's methods wouldn't work, then."

Clive flinched, seeing more sparks flickering from Raikou as it prepared another attack. "There's no time to explain, but just make sure nothing hits Houndoom!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The cellular towers are back online!" Someone called. Natasha, Jean, and the Chief all shifted in unison.

"Find out when we can expect power to be restored!" the Chief commanded. The storm had subsided for some time, surveyors all over the city were assessing the damage and casualties that it had caused. However, without cell service and power, intel was non-existent. There was no telling for what caused the unnatural storms. There was no sign of any missing persons, and there would only be many more missing persons reported once calls begun pouring in. The Chief spun towards the detectives. "And find out where Clive and Yulia are!"

Natasha already had her phone raised to her ear, nodding gently in response to the Chief. The situation demanded a certain measure of levelheadedness, something she understood the Chief lacked at times. Her long, green, hair had an almost intumescent gleam in the dull glow of the building's emergency lights. "Clive did not answer. I will try Yulia now."

The Chief received a call of his own. It was from one of the lead researchers that was previously helping them track the legendary beasts. Running their equipment off of temporary power, now paired with the return in cell service, the researchers had detected significant traces of energy that matched all three of the legendary beasts spread across the region. "Get a copter!" the Chief roared to the almost empty room, before turning back to the phone. "Where's it coming from? Send me the coordinates! How can you not have coordinates!? That energy is coming from somewhere damn it!"

"Oh, it's Clive," Natasha sighed, reading over the message sent by Clive's Rotom-phone. "We've got the coordinates!"

"Get that damn chopper!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Backup's coming," Clive sighed, spotting a faint yellow drone approaching from what was probably miles above them. A nearby Rotom-drone used to scout, no doubt. The detective ground his teeth as he moved his gaze from Houndoom and Entei's struggle to Yulia's Pokemon and Suicune. He was weary of stray attacks from the other half of the battle, knowing that any disruption would end the competition between the fire Pokemon. The end of the duel was so close that he could feel a metallic taste in his mouth.

Where the two competing Overheat attacks collided, the flames seemed to swell and swirl in tempestuous sphere. That sphere had made its way closer and closer to Houndoom, and it brought a tremendous wave of heat with it that burned Clive's face and throat. Despite this, Clive stepped closer to his Pokemon. "Give it everything you've got, Houndoom!" he commanded. "Think about what they've done to their Pokemon! Think about what they did to Umbreon! Make that your power, and show them every ounce of it! Push back, down to the last spark!"

The tempest of flame began to push back towards Entei. A harrumph escaped Clive's lips, his focus now transfixed on the flames. It was all coming together now, and he needed to make sure that he and Houndoom saw to their roles. All of Clive's anticipation was directed at the flames, completely surrendering his faith to Yulia and Suicune to take care of Raikou, completely or for the time being.

Phoenix's frustration with the situation had erupted. What good was having two legendary beasts when one was completely occupied while the other was stuck in a two versus one battle? "Let's just get this over with already!" he huffed. With indignation, he commanded, rather, he forced, Entei to let loose as much power as it could muster. "End it! Burn them up, Pokemon and Trainer both if that's what it takes!" To his delight, he watched Entei's flames flare up once more. They lit up Phoenix's signature shades in glorious light as the attack pressed into Clive's Houndoom.

Clive braced himself, but he did not move from his place behind his Pokemon, making sure Houndoom could still hear his commands. The tempest was coming closer, quickly now. "Down to the last spark!" he repeated. "Make sure he has nothing left!" The stream flowing from between Houndoom's jaws began to narrow. Eventually, the attack could no longer keep the opposing flames at bay, and they collided with Houndoom. The heat was overbearing now, and even Clive stepped back, slapping away small flames on his sleeves and pants. Smoke surrounded him, densely covering Houndoom in a dark shroud.

Clive coughed loudly, stepping out of the smoke to regain a visual of the arena. Entei stooped forward, panting heavily. "I'm sorry, but it's almost over now," Clive whispered. Surely even Phoenix understood that pushing the Pokemon any further would kill it, something he could not risk. It would need time to rest, even a minute, which was all Clive needed. "Houndoom!" he called, but not in despair, worry, or concern. He was preparing a command, raising his fist in the air.

The smoke began to clear, thanks to the windiness brought about by their altitude. Where the smoke was densest, a red light glowed hot like a furnace. As the smoke cleared, sharp, pointed fangs and a houndlike maw formed around the burning light. Eventually, Houndoom's dark figure was birthed from the dense smoke. A chuckle bubbled out of Clive's throat when he heard Phoenix's outrage, but he kept his eyes on Entei. Phoenix had thought Clive's tricks ended with his Zorua's illusions. That the special eyewear he used at Mt. Mortar completely negated Clive's abilities in a battle. Finally, Clive clawed ahead, just one step, and the one step he needed.

Houndoom's ability, Flash Fire, negates nearly all damage from fire-type attacks and uses their energy to amplify that Pokemon's own attacks. Both Pokemon expelled all of their energy in their duel, but only Houndoom was able to recycle that energy to reach new heights. Absorbing Entei's initial attack would have been easier, but that would have shown their hand too early and would have given Phoenix time to develop a new strategy. Now, his time was running out. Clive's patience was paying off.

"Houndoom! Incinerate!" Clive roared. In kind, Houndoom's howl boomed from behind the burning furnace in his maw. A stream of orange, red, yellow, and black flames erupted from between his jaws. Entei lacked the ability to rebuttal with any sort of attack, and its fatigue kept it form dodging in time. The flames engulfed Entei, down to the last spark. Clive watched as the flames burned everything around the legendary beast. Watched as the device attached to its body grew brittle in the heat, cracked, and degraded. Only when the flames cleared away did he exhale a shaky sigh of relief.

[Ashen]

As the battle dragged on, it was clear to see that everyone was growing exhausted. All three trainers exchanged tired expressions with each other and their Pokemon, even if Phoenix tried to hide his behind a prideful grin. Yulia was feeling more than a little worn; after the traumatic events of the day, she would be overjoyed to get home, shower, and curl into bed. But they were almost at the end of all this, and she would not be able to rest until Phoenix was taken down once and for all.

Yulia’s Braviary flew just above her, awaiting instructions, as Clive and his Pokemon went head-to-head with the legendary beast Entei. Suicune was determined to assist them, and it had even withstood a supereffective attack from its own brethren. While Phoenix and the legendary Pokemon he stole were busy, Yulia intended to make use of the opportunity she’d been given. “Valkyrie!” she called to her bird Pokemon, and she pointed towards Raikou. But she wasn’t asking her Braviary to attack the Thunder Pokemon; she was heeding Clive’s advice and instead pointing to the device enslaving Raikou, hoping her Braviary could attack that and break the legendary Pokemon free of its torment.

Valkyrie dove towards Raikou, but Phoenix noticed his descent, and he commanded Raikou to fire a thunderbolt. The Braviary was quick to dodge out of the way, but at his second attempt to hit the device, Raikou’s Discharge disoriented the bird. If Phoenix wouldn’t let them approach Raikou, then they’d have to switch tactics. “Air Slash!” she called, and her Braviary was flapping his wings even before Yulia had finished her command. Just one beat of his wings was enough to nearly knock Phoenix off his feet. A second Air Slash was aimed at Raikou’s device, but the Pokemon moved its body so that the brunt of Valkyrie’s blasts landed against its thigh instead. Yulia swore. Raikou was just too quick. But then Suicune stepped before her, and as it began charging an attack, light became collecting in its mouth, and Yulia saw her opening.

“Aerial Ace!” Valkyrie swooped towards the Raikou, but the electric-type Pokemon was too busy dodging an Aurora Beam from Suicune to move out of the way of this attack. Valkyrie’s beak smashed against the device, denting it, but Raikou roared and kicked the Braviary away. Yulia hoped that that was enough to break the device, but Raikou still seemed to be in pain; it hadn’t been enough. Yulia called for a Whirlwind, and as her Braviary created fierce winds, they took over the battlefield and even brought some of the fire from Clive’s fight dancing through the air. Now was time to finish things.

This time, Valkyrie’s Air Slash made contact with the device, and the strong wings snapped the thing in half. Raikou paused then, and it looked around the battlefield, as if seeing it for the first time. Yulia looked to Clive and his Houndoom, and she saw that they were handling things on their own. Just a moment later, Houndoom’s fiery blast torched the device right off of Entei, freeing it.

Freed, all three legendary beasts turned their ire towards Phoenix, who seemed much smaller than he had a moment ago. He was out of Pokemon, out of placed to run, and he knew it. Yulia recalled her Braviary, thanking him for a bold battle, and she stepped towards Phoenix. It was almost too good to believe. They were about to bring down Avarice’s second-in-command, after all this time.

Phoenix looked Yulia over with a disgusted expression. “Freya warned me not to lay a finger on you,” he spat, malice coating his voice. “She let me keep my position so long as no harm came to you. But you know what? I always hated Freya, and it looks like I’m no longer bound by her stupid laws.”

Yulia froze. Phoenix was quick to draw a kunai from his boot, and as it soared through the air towards her face, he took off running towards the mountain’s edge. Yulia barely had time to move out of the way. The blade sliced across her face, tearing the edge of her cheek. She grabbed at her wound, but blood was already gushing from it, and the shock was dizzying. She couldn’t let this stop them, though. They were not going to lose again. “After him!” she yelled, motioning with her free hand towards Phoenix. Biting back the pain, she ran for him.

When Phoenix got to the edge of the mountain, he turned to blow both Yulia and Clive a kiss. Then, as dramatic as ever, he turned to throw himself to the depths below. Before he could, though, something caught his attention, and terror crossed his face. A helicopter rose into view a moment later from where he was about to jump. “Put your hands in the air!” a man shouted from within. But when Phoenix looked ready to dart off again, the man leapt from the helicopter and tackled him to the ground. Powerless, the Team Avarice admin finally resigned himself to his fate.

Seeing Phoenix in handcuffs, Yulia could finally let out a huge sigh of relief. But her mouth filled with blood, and spitting it to the ground made her cringe in pain. She tried to ignore it and turned to Clive with an agonized smile. “We did it,” she said, but when she took a step towards him, the exhaustion and the pain caught up to her, and she stumbled to the ground.

[Headwrapper]

Clive emerged from behind a metal door, painted green. At about eye level, a plastic plague was fixed to the door with symbols that communicated that the room behind it contained access to a fully equipped bathroom, with a shower. His hair was slightly damp, but now with clean water. Not the thick, heavy, and rank mixture of soot, snow, mud, and leaves that was plastered all over his body and clothes before. He wore a plain white t-shirt and a stiff pair of jeans that was stocked in the back of the GRPD's surplus closet for ages and still needed broken into.

Just outside the door, on a nearby bench, an older woman, stout and round in stature, and the Chief, his face in a deep scowl, were seated. Upon seeing them, Clive let out an exaggerated sigh. "Much better," he said sarcastically. He recognized the woman. She was a psychologist that the PD kept on retainer. She would evaluate his mental state to help provide context to his verbal report to the Chief. More than likely, she will also determine Clive's fitness to return to work after what the GRPD must have seen as a stressful, traumatic battle. Clive was more surprised that the Chief himself appeared to hear Clive's recollection of the event, but considering how short staffed they were, it perhsp should not have been so surprising.

"Anything else you need, princess?" the Chief asked grumpily, to which the psychologist waved a hand at him.

"Care to join us, now, Clive?" the woman asked.

"Yeah, now that I don't smell like shit any more," Clive said, moving his hair back and away from his face. "Any word on Yulia? And our Pokemon?"

"We'll get to that. Come." The psychologist rose, and lead them to a separate room so that they could speak in private. Clive was not thrilled with the idea, considering he had already relayed his recollection of the day's incidents earlier. He thought his request to take a shower and change would use up enough time that they would let this wait for another time. Regardless, he followed, and joined them at the table in a nearby room. He recounted every detail he could remember, again, stopping to answer questions as they came up.

"And what happened to Suicune? Raikou? Entei?" The Chief peered over his thick, meaty, interlaced fingers as he watched Clive.

Clive thought back to the moment Yulia collapsed. He was out of breath after the long battle and the subsequent chase after Phoenix. He had not even noticed the haze in Yulia's eyes before her legs gave out. He had rushed forward, narrowly catching her upper body before it hit the ground, her legs already crumpled beneath her. He remembered calling out to her, and when he did not solicit the response he wanted, he called out for help from the nearby helicopter.

The detective huffed as he dragged Yulia slightly, laying her flat on her back. He watched her body closely, even lowering his cheek close to her mouth and nose. Her chest rose and fell, and he could feel her breath against his cheek. All good signs that Yulia was not in immediate danger, but probably fatigued or dehydrated. Clive sat up, resting on his knees. "Hey," he said to Yulia, hoping she was conscious enough to hear him. "Look at that." He nodded towards the legendary beasts. All three were watching the sky above. Among the clouds above them, which had begun to clear away, a rainbow painted the sky. Peculiarly, the rainbow seemed to be moving across the sky. It took a few moments for Clive to realize that the rainbow was trailing behind a large, glowing bird Pokemon. "Is that..."

Clive concluded his recollection to the Chief and the psychologist. "Once Ho-oh had passed by, the beasts ran off, so fast that you couldn't see them start their runs, all three in different directions." After he concluded, there was a pause in the conversation. "So, we done? You both know my partner and two of my Pokemon are in the hospital, right?"

At the hospital, Clive bumped into Natasha. "She's resting, she might be up now," Natasha told him. "I'll catch up to you both later, I need to take this call." Clive continued to the room Yulia was supposed to be in.

[Ashen]

The overhead lamps were a painful shade of blinding white, and when Yulia’s eyes opened, she cringed under their scrutiny. It took her a moment to realize she was in the hospital, not at all helped by the lights that temporarily stole her vision or the pain thundering in her skull. She sat up and glanced around the sanitized room, trying to remember what had happened. Her fingers flew to her cheek, where she could feel the imprint of a thread scissoring her face in place under her bandages. She couldn’t feel it now, but once her pain meds wore off, she was sure she would be cursing Phoenix’s name every time she looked in a mirror.

Phoenix. That was right—he’d been arrested, after all this time, which meant the legendary trio of the Johto region was free at last. Yulia turned to the window, but the blinds were drawn, and she couldn’t tell if it was still storming. She thought to open the blinds herself, but she was too dizzy to move much, so she took a few minutes to let herself breathe and try to remember how she had gotten here. Was Clive already? She looked around for her cell phone, but she couldn’t find any of her things. Besides, the thing was likely waterlogged beyond repair anyway. She’d have to use the video phones down in the lobby when she could walk again.

“Look who’s joined the world of the living.”

Yulia startled at the familiar voice. She dropped back down in bed, not wanting to face her guest, especially not now. “Go away.”

“Don’t be a child, Yulia.” Freya’s voice was impatient as always, and Yulia could practically hear her rolling her eyes. Freya scoffed. “You must think you’ve won.”

Yulia turned to her side and pulled the covers over her head. Maybe, if she were lucky, she could ignore Freya long enough for her to go away. It hadn’t worked in the twenty years they’d known each other, but maybe.

But Freya, if nothing else, was stubborn. “Phoenix meant nothing to me,” she insisted. “He was a foolish manchild with ridiculous dreams. I’m surprised he even got as far as he did with his silly Ho-Oh summoning plan. So don’t think for a moment you’ve bested me just because he let you arrest him.”

“He was your best man,” Yulia pointed out from beneath the covers.

“No,” Freya argued, even though Yulia was right. “I don’t need him to get rid of you, Yulia. Just you wait.”

Footsteps in the hall cut their conversation short, and Yulia poked from under the covers in time to see a nurse walk in. “You’re awake,” she said, and her soft voice filled Yulia with comfort. The nurse looked around the room, confused. “Were you…talking with someone?”

Yulia waited a few seconds, but when Freya did not come back, she let out a breath. “No,” she lied. “What’s happened? Where’s my partner?”

The nurse offered her a warm smile. “We will contact him for you. He’ll be here by the time you finish your evaluation.”

“Evaluation?” Yulia repeated. She sat up straighter. “I’m not…”

A pair of men entered the room clad in police uniforms. Their smiles were forced as they stood awkwardly next to the nurse. One held a clipboard in his hand, and the other greeted her with a bow of his head. “Ms. Oryolovna,” the latter one greeted her. “We’re here to ask you about Suicune and the events leading up to your confrontation with Phoenix.” He motioned towards the chairs by her bed. “May we have a seat?”

Yulia’s head hurt too much for her to think straight, but she tried her best to answer all of their questions. Finally, when they left her alone and the nurse returned to her room, she could take comfort in knowing Clive was on the way. While she waited, Yulia wondered how long she’d been interrogated, how many pointless questions she’d been asked. She had every intention of writing up a thorough report of everything that had happened as soon as she got out of here anyway—and as soon as she found a way to stop her skull from splitting itself open.

Clive entered the room, and Yulia made to get up and greet him, but she thought better of it. She instead waved at him. “So,” she said, beaming. “We did it.” Under Freya, Avarice was still a powerful organization capable of great harm, so they weren’t in the clear quite yet, but still. Taking down the second in command was cause for celebration. “Any word on Phoenix? I would pay to see him in prison colors. Maybe if he grovels enough they’ll let him sew some gold patches onto his robes or something.” She chuckled softly. After everything that had happened, she was glad to see her partner was still okay.

[Headwrapper]

Clive acknowledged Yulia's wave with a short chuckle, if one could call it that. It was more of a quick exhale from his nostrils, but a small smile cracked his lips. "Yeah, we did," he agreed, stepping further into the room. He took a moment to take in the surroundings, the vinyl flooring and green walls, before finally sitting in the visitors' seat. "Our colleagues are still interrogating Phoenix now. We'll see what we can learn when we get the recordings. And, we'll have our turn soon enough." His tone was serious, though there was an effort to curb the usual harshness. "It seems that with the legendary beasts freed, the storms subsided, too. They really did a number on the whole region, though."

The man slunk down in his chair a little, retrieving his Rotom-phone from his breast pocket. He began tapping at the screen as he continued. "Damage to infrastructure throughout the region, buildings destroyed by either wind or volcanic activity, floods. Johto won't be the same." He stopped on a video of the news describing the events, and pushed Rotom towards Yulia, with surprising familiarity with the technology. The phone lazily floated over to Yulia's bedside, stopping close enough that she could see and hear the content on the screen. Clive sat quietly for a minute, listening to the news report, before finally standing up and snatching the Rotom-phone from the air. "Sorry, I shouldn't be focusing on the negatives. What we managed to pull off was nothing short of amazing, you know? Not many can say they fought side-by-side with Suicune. In fact, our intervention may have saved the region from complete ruin. We stopped the storms and saved the legendary beasts, and indirectly Ho-oh, I suspect."

Stopping himself from lingering on Yulia's freshly sewn wound was difficult, but Clive did his best not to. Frankly, he was not sure how Yulia might have felt about the new deformity, given she usually took particular care with the way that she presented herself. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass Yulia by staring, and somehow planting a negative perception of the wound's appearance. Even if the crisscrossed stitches leave behind a scar, Clive hoped it would heal nicely enough that Yulia would only see pride in it. "Anyway. Are you feeling okay? You've been through quite a bit."

Clive felt like he had been through quite a bit, too, although he would be too stubborn to admit it to himself. Besides the shower in the cramped washroom at the GRPD, he had very little downtime. After checking on Yulia when she had fainted and witnessing the sight of Ho-oh, Clive watched her get carried onto a stretcher and back to a helicopter. Then he shrugged off a few medics to retrieve the Pokeballs that contained Umbreon and Houndoom, describing how serious the former's injuries were and insisting they treat them as soon as possible. Then the rush back to GRPD, touring through the region via helicopter and witnessing the destruction caused by the storms firsthand. The questioning, and the rush to the hospital. There had not been any time to process the ups and downs of the day's events, and the effects began to manifest in more physical ways.

Suddenly snapping out of a bout of brain fog, the detective realized he missed the first half of Yulia's response to him, only putting together her response based on the latter half. He shifted awkwardly towards the door. "I'm going to find out where our Pokemon are. I'll be back in a bit. Want me to bring you anything?"

After exiting the room, Clive found Natasha lingering in the hallway. She was carrying a few snacks and sports drinks, and she handed one of the electrolyte-enhanced drinks to Clive. "Where to?" she asked him.

"I'm going to see Umbreon. I'll be back." When Clive proceeded onward, he felt his t-shirt tighten against his chest. Natasha clung onto the back of it with her free hand.

"You should wait," she said. Her long, straight hair did little to conceal the apprehension painted across her pale face. "Y-yulia's Pokemon are there too. You should go together once she's cleared."

Clive stared at Natasha like he was looking at a ghost. There was no ignoring the queues, not for a detective like himself. He couldn't ignore the stammering. He couldn't ignore the Natasha's hand trembling as it pulled on his shirt. He couldn't ignore when tears slowly began to form around the eyes of one of the strongest women he knew. "Why don't you want me to go?" he asked. He waited for an answer, but did not receive one. He pulled himself away and virtually ran down the hall.

After scrambling and being redirected a few times, Clive finally made it to the Pokemon Center wing. He slammed his trainer card proving his ownership of his Pokemon, and was told a doctor would be out to see him soon. When the doctor finally arrived, he was happy to express that Houndoom was fully healed, and handed Clive its Pokeball. Before speaking about Umbreon, the doctor handed Clive a clipboard with a pen attached to the clip. Umbreon's vitals were stabilizing, he said, but it was important that he be placed in surgery as soon as possible to correctly set some of the shattered bones. It was imperative that this was done, the doctor said, to ensure the Pokemon might regain the ability to walk someday.

Clive stared at the clipboard dumbfoundedly, although he struggled to focus on the page. Something gripped his chest, squeezing and twisting everything until he could feel a burning sensation rise in his throat. His jaw quivered involuntarily, but Clive fought against it and clenched his teeth as he signed the clipboard. When the doctor took the clipboard back, he said something, but Clive hardly heard it over the noise of his heart pumping in his hears. The detective nodded in response. "How long?" he croaked. About five hours was the answer he received.

Once the doctor left, Clive was left alone with his thoughts for a short time. His entire being urged him to escape, lest he lose his composure in front of everyone around him, which was simply not an option. He was supposed to be steel, unrattled by any tremors that threatened to shake his foundation. Was that truly who he could be, when it came to his childhood companion? The young Eevee that he spent his childhood with and one of the only artifacts of his parent's love? The Pokemon that gave him purpose, that evolved because of the bond they shared, that protected and served him faithfully during each mission? Would burying the knotting, twisting pain in his chest make him any more heroic? It would be easy to find out.

"Not here," a low voice said next to him. A large, firm, hand grasped Clive's shoulder. "Come on." Jean pulled Clive to his feet and walked him outside of the Pokemon Center, somewhere others would not see him cry. It was the least he could do to repay Clive for visiting his Pokemon while he was indisposed from his injuries.

Back in Yulia's room, Natasha drew a sharp inhale as she a read a text message from Jean. Any hint of apprehension or grief she had before entering Yulia's room was sealed away. She broke the news of Umbreon's critical condition to Yulia, although she did not know about the need for surgery. "I made sure Jean was with Clive so he wouldn't be alone," she said. "I'm sure you've seen his soft spot for Pokemon. That boy... he's more sensitive than he lets on. I used to think it was a macho thing, but I guess it's really a detective thing, isn't it?"

[Ashen]

Her heart ached with each new piece of information Clive shared. Yulia looked towards the window again. She wanted to ask Clive to open the blinds as much as she didn’t. Just what did the outside world look like now? If Johto really was as ruined as Clive was suggesting—and it was difficult to believe otherwise after the news report on his Rotom-phone—how many lives had been turned upside down because of Phoenix? Because of Avarice? Because of her? A shiver ran down Yulia’s spine, and though she tried to shake the negativity squeezing her chest, it felt impossible. If she had been more competent, had stopped Avarice sooner, had prevented its foundation at all… Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and Yulia startled. She wiped at them before Clive could see.

When she looked up to make sure he hadn’t noticed her crying, she found him staring at her, or perhaps at the stitches now holding her face together. Yulia looked away. She would mourn her face later, after she’d had a chance to really look at it, and once she’d calmed down from the whirlwind of her thoughts. She struggled to think of anything but the tragedy she hadn’t prevented. “I’m fine,” she answered her partner, though the words felt hollow in her throat, and she was embarrassed for saying them at all. Of course she wasn’t fine; she was lying in a hospital room when she should have been writing reports or brainstorming the next plans to shatter everything Freya had left. Yulia heaved a long sigh.

Clive mentioned wanting to find his Pokemon, so Yulia nodded and mumbled something about bringing her back a pack of smokes. It was a joke, mostly. Even if she would have killed for the nicotine in that moment, she doubted she’d be able to smoke comfortably with all the gauze in her mouth, to say nothing of the damage she’d do to her new wound. Besides, she doubted any of the nurses would take too kindly to her smoking here.

Once Clive was gone, Yulia looked around the room again. More than anything, she hated being idle, and not having at least her phone was killing her. She decided to head down to the lobby, where at least she could access the video phones there and try to get in contact with someone. She was stopped, however, by another visitor. “Natasha?” she said as the elder detective stepped into the room with a graceful smile. “It’s so good to see you.”

Now that she was feeling more coordinated on her own legs, Yulia crossed the room to offer the woman a hug. Natasha updated Yulia on what was going on, including the situation with Clive’s Pokemon. Yulia’s heart sank for his Umbreon, and she looked down the hallway, intending to find and comfort Clive himself. But Natasha stopped her before she could take one step. He likely wouldn’t want to be seen yet, she argued, and besides, Jean was with him. He would be alright. Yulia didn’t like being away from him, not when she felt he needed her, but she heeded Natasha’s warning and sat back down on her bed. There would be time to comfort him later.

“Aren’t you the one who needs comforting?” Natasha pointed out. She motioned towards her own cheek. “How are you feeling?”

The women chatted for a few minutes, but when Natasha excused herself to tend to something, she wished Yulia a speedy recovery and left down the hall, her heels clicking against the polished floors. Alone and antsy again, Yulia left her room too, though she was stopped by a worried nurse who expressed concern about Yulia’s condition. When Yulia told her she needed to make a call, the nurse led her back to her room and gave her a cell phone to use so that she wouldn’t be walking around the hospital.

Yulia clicked on the phone icon and stared at the keypad. How long had it been since she’d spoken to her parents? They had made a point of not showing up to her graduation, and she had resented them for that, even if she understood their reasons. Their daughter was a failure, chasing delusions instead of making something of herself, and they probably never wanted to hear from her again. But Yulia felt her cheek, and her mind drifted to Team Avarice, to Freya. She had known going in that her line of work would be dangerous, but now was different. This was the endgame, and she knew Freya better than anyone. Maybe, she thought, this would be the last chance she ever got to talk to her parents.

The old woman who answered the phone sounded more exhausted than Yulia remembered. She hadn’t heard that voice in years now, and she reeled at that revelation. “Mama?”

“Yulia?” Her mother tsked. In a strained voice, she asked Yulia how she was doing. Her voice went from exhausted to annoyed to curious in just a few words.

It felt strange, slipping into her native tongue again after so much time. She hadn’t had reason to use it this past while, but the familiar syllables returned to her like home. She told her mother that she was doing fine, far from the first lie she’d given her, and asked after her and her father.

The conversation was short and horribly awkward, two strangers with mountains of history between them, but by the time she had spoken with both her parents and finished the call, Yulia felt…better. She hadn’t told her parents much, certainly not about her job or about Team Avarice, and if she had, she doubted they would have believed her anyway. She’d answered their questions about the disasters in Johto as best she could, and when she’d ended the call, she’d told them she loved them, just like she used to do, just like she hadn’t since she was a child.

Yulia let out a long, shaky breath and tried to convince herself that wouldn’t be the last time she spoke to either of them. She could practically hear Freya teasing her for the thought, so she cleared her mind and paced her room. When a nurse returned, Yulia asked her to check on Clive, and to bring her her discharge paperwork, because any longer in this room and she would undoubtedly go insane.

[Headwrapper]

When Clive was done, he wiped his face with the front of his t-shirt. He sat on the edge of a brick half-wall that surrounded the health center, away from the traffic that flowed in and out of the front entrance. His thoughts were overwhelmed with his concern for his Pokemon. The outcome of the operation being performed on Umbreon, his long-term outlook and quality of life. How could Clive have been so stupid, to lead his Pokemon into such a trap? Had just been a better trainer... No- he already thought through the scenario a thousand times. Nothing could have been done. It was the price they paid to defeat Avarice, to protect more people and Pokemon in the long run.

Clive rose. It would take time to forgive himself, he knew. But the only direction was forward. It was the only direction he ever knew to go.

The detective found Jean, who had been waiting at a distance a bit closer to the front of the Pokemon Center entrance. They glanced at each other for a long moment, a bit awkwardly. "Thanks," Clive mumbled, nodding towards his fellow man. They went back inside through the Pokemon Center entrance. After stopping at one of the large screens that showed the status of the various patients within surgery, they were able to confirm that Umbreon was still being operated on. It would be a long night, a few more hours based on the previous estimation Clive was given.

There was little that could be done but wait. That fact did little to calm Clive, who found himself constantly taking deep breaths or wandering to keep his mind preoccupied. He took another trip outside, letting his Houndoom and Zorua out of their Pokeballs for a while. He spoke to them, petting them on the occasions that they were not wandering and stretching their legs. It was then that a nurse found him, letting him know that Yulia was looking for him, and that she was going to be discharged soon. "Oh... yeah. Thanks." Clive silently watched the nurse leave, unsure if he wanted to go back to Yulia. She would be in better company with someone else, someone who could see their recent victory in a more positive light. Celebrate the damage they had done to Avarice's organization, and see that the damaged region around them would have been razed to the ground had they not joined Suicune and defeated Phoenix. The logical voice in the back of Clive's mind could be that person, but his voice was distant amongst the roaring emotions that swirled around him.

"You're coming, aren't you?" Jean's question snapped Clive out of his stupor.

"Yeah, of course."

After shuffling back to the human hospital side, the group of four detectives reunited. Clive remained silent, awkwardly distant when the others spoke. Noticing this, Natasha made the suggestion that they return to the Pokemon Center, to which Clive quietly agreed. They found a themselves a table in one corner of the waiting room, which was surrounded on two adjacent sides by benchlike seats fixed to the wall, with the remaining perimeter lined with chairs. Clive sat in the corner, where the benches joined. From there, he could see the monitors that displayed the status of patients in the operating rooms. Furthermore, he could nestle himself against either wall, giving his tired body some respite.

Natasha and Jean left to get coffee for everyone, leaving Clive and Yulia alone for a while. At first, Clive was not very keen on speaking, for a number of reasons. He was tired. He was sad. He feared losing his composure if he externalized his thoughts. This lead to a rather one-sided conversation, if Yulia chose to pursue it. Eventually, though, Clive began to open up a little. "I've always pushed him too hard," he sighed, shaking his head. "I trained him to be reckless and disruptive, to keep attention of the threats towards him so that me and the others could complete our missions undetected. I taught him to be unrelenting... which is why he wouldn't go back in his ball, even when..." He paused, shaking his head to signal he would not speak more, unwilling to lose composure.

When Natasha and Jean returned with coffee, they brought along additional conversation to try to distract Clive. He used the opportunity to lean back in his spot in the corner, trying not to make a face when the bitterness of coffee hit his tongue, still offended by the bitterness despite the fact that his drink was almost as white as milk. After taking a few sips, he set the cup back on the table, letting his arms lay in his lap. Before he would drink more, he would let his arms rest for a few moments. In fact, his neck needed a rest too, and he leaned his head against the wall to rest for a moment.

Someone gently nudged him awake. Clive drew a breath as he glanced around, trying to gather his bearings. It was not a dream, he figured out quickly. He figured out where he was quickly, but he didn't hear what Natasha or Yulia, one of the women's voices, said. There was a doctor standing at the end of the table, a surgeon. The mask dangled around the man's stubbly neck, and he held a clipboard with a few pictures and X-rays. After asking if Clive needed a moment, which the detective declined, the surgeon explained what had happened to Umbreon and what was done to correct for it. The Pokemon would need to stay at the Pokemon Center for a few days, and Clive would need to learn to care for the injured Pokemon as it recovered. It would take months, maybe over a year, but the Pokemon was very likely to make a full recovery. The surgeon insisted proper rest and physical therapy would do it, after the corrections he made in setting the Pokemon's bones back into place. "He'll be waking up soon, if you'd like to see him."

[Ashen]

The next few days were so busy that even if she’d wanted to, there was no way Yulia would have been able to heed her doctor’s orders to get some rest. How could she, when it felt like the whole of Johto was on fire thanks to Phoenix and his meddling with the legendary trio? There was little she could do about the damage herself, but Yulia still liked to keep on top of the news so she could understand the gravity of what had happened. What she’d been responsible for.

She balanced her laptop on her legs as she sat in bed. The dull glow of its screen was the only source of light in her bedroom, and she cursed another website for not having a dark mode option. She was reading yet another article about people who had been attacked by wild Pokemon. It was common now; everyone was upset about the natural disasters and how they’d changed the region, and the poor confused Pokemon were so scared that they were attacking anything they perceived as a threat. Yulia wished she could help. There certainly weren’t enough funds or hands to help with damage control, and she was preoccupied down at the police department, but her heart longed to be with the people and Pokemon hurt by this, to offer what comfort she could, even if she doubted any of them would want her after they found out what she’d done.

It was getting late. Yulia set her laptop aside and walked to the bathroom. On her way, she spotted a pair of blue and gold eyes leering from the darkness. Fritz hadn’t spoken to her since her stay at the hospital. He had gone without food or attention for admittedly too long, and Yulia had already cursed herself for her mistreatment of her Glameow, but she had since showered him in love and snacks since getting back, and at this point, he was just being his fussy self by holding a grudge. Yulia shook her head at him and continued to the bathroom, where she flicked on the light and cringed at the painful brightness.

Yulia was exhausted, but she hardly had had the time to notice something like that. This close to taking down Avarice once and for all, her mind whirred with what would have to come next. While she washed her hands, she caught a glimpse of her reflection and gently poked at the stitches holding her cheek together. They looked far less severe now that they had had some time to heal, and she doubted the scar would even be that bad. Her whole body ached with loathing for Phoenix, but if taking him down only required getting her face cut up, she’d do it all over again.

After throwing water on her face—and being careful of her wound—Yulia returned to bed. It was past midnight, and she really needed to get some sleep, but her fingers hovered over her trackpad. She’d had a lot of trouble sleeping lately. Phoenix, through his questioning, had kept his promise to his boss, which meant that Clive and the rest of the police department were still in the dark about the true puppet master behind Team Avarice. Yulia needed to tell him, and soon, but she didn’t know how. She’d wasted many hours in bed trying to figure that out. It wasn’t like she could just blurt out that she was connected to Avarice’s leader, or that Team Avarice only existed because of a sin she had committed nearly twenty years ago. It sounded ridiculous even in her head. But it was the truth, and the success of this mission relied on Clive believing her—and defeating her.

Yulia closed her laptop and got into bed. Staying awake overthinking was slowly killing her, and she didn’t know how many more sleepless nights she could last before she fell asleep at the wheel on her way to work. Trying her best to clear her mind, she pulled her covers to her chin and let out a breath. The end of Avarice was soon. She could figure out the details with Clive later.


~~~

When her alarm went off the next morning, Yulia swore under her breath and forced herself out of bed. Her body ached, and a headache drummed dully against her skull. She was dizzy on her own feet, and it took several labored breaths while she steadied herself against her bedframe until she felt better. She was coming down with something; that was what she told herself. She’d just been in a hospital after all, and those were cesspools of germs and sickness. That was easier than admitting that Freya might have been behind this, taking advantage of her weakened state to prevent her from doing what she needed to do.

Yulia mentally planned out her day while her coffee brewed. She and Clive were supposed to investigate Phoenix’s Pokemon that morning, trying to find out about their original masters and return them as quickly as possible. Normally, it would only be a job for one of them, but Clive’s relationship to Phoenix’s Dragonite had complicated things. It had been his late father’s beloved Pokemon, and Yulia couldn’t imagine the grief Clive was going through, especially while his own precious partner was recovering from an intense surgery. Yulia wanted to be there for him, in whatever ways she could be. She quickly downed her coffee and tossed the empty mug in the sink, and with a goodbye to her Glameow—wherever he was hiding—Yulia started out the door.

When she arrived at the police department, she didn’t go straight to her desk like she normally would. Instead, she walked to the evidence room, where they were keeping the Poke Balls they’d confiscated from Phoenix. She’d told Clive to meet her down here so they could both start their day with this. Yulia wondered how her partner was doing. He’d been a mess since his Umbreon’s operation, though he hadn’t been keen on showing it. She sighed. This would all be over soon, she reminded herself. She would keep optimistic because she believed Clive needed that, even if positivity was the last thing she felt about what had happened and what still needed to be done.

[Headwrapper]

Unlike softer, more malleable materials, steel is commonly recognized for its strength and durability. Its resistance to to bending against high forces that may be imparted against it. For this reason, steel can be depended upon to maintain its integrity when high stresses are imparted against it when it is used in the fabrication if structures, machinery, and the like. The material's strength also makes it difficult to work with, requiring a great deal of energy to form and shape into what a craftsman envisions. Likewise, it was difficult to repair damaged steel. Its resistance to change made it difficult to form back into its original form, and even once done, it would require additional support for the structure to return to its original strength.

Clive gently lowered his Umbreon onto a thin, fabric covered mat. They were in a Pokemon Center, where several other hurt or sick Pokemon were being cared for. Clive did not have enough time to work the Avarice case and take care of Umbreon, not was there anyone he could call on that would be able to make such a commitment, so the Center had to do. It was hardly a disagreeable arrangement, once one accepted the necessity of the additional care Umbreon required during its recovery. The staff were friendly and had an appreciated for Umbreon's role in saving the region from destruction. In fact, Clive was grateful that unlike some professions, notably journalists, most medical staff had an appreciation for the efforts of the GRPD in keeping Avarice in check and minimizing the time the hospitals and Pokemon Centers were without power during their most recent affair, which had been dubbed the "Great Storm".

The dark Pokemon tilted its head slightly while accepting its owners scratches under its chin and around its face, returning the touch with a couple gentle licks. White strips of bandages and gauze wrapped around Umbreon's abdomen, extending down to one of its hind legs that he was not supposed to move for the time being. The dressings did not bother it much, so there was no need to for a cone or other physical deterrent to prevent it from nipping at them.

The Pokemon squinted its eyes towards Clive once before turning its head towards the nearby nurse, gladly accepting her gentle petting also. Umbreon moved slowly and with little energy, but it was rather content given the situation. "We will take good care of Umbreon," the nurse said to Clive, offering him a sweet, youthful smile. "You can count on us! We're counting on you to stop Team Avarice once and for all." The young, pink-haired nurse held her cheerful expression, even for the extra awkward moment it too Clive to finally respond.

A somber, tired expression was pasted on Clive's visage. Signs of strain were red and apparent on the sclera of his eyes, and his mouth curled down into a subtle frown while he analyzed Umbreon one last time. "Yeah," he finally responded to the nurse while scratching at his stubbly, unshaven cheek. "I will."

On the way to the GRPD, Clive trekked passed several buildings that were under construction, requiring repair after the Great Storm. Within the city, foot traffic had mostly returned to normal, but there were several active alerts advising against venturing through the routes unless absolutely necessary. The sweeping changes across the region brought about by the Great Storm had disoriented, confused, and in some cases, displaced populations of Pokemon, leading to increased attacks from more aggressive wild Pokemon hordes.

Clive finally made it to headquarters and promptly made his way to the evidence room where he and Yulia agreed to meet. Clive had just started signing the paperwork to checkout Phoenix's Pokeballs when Yulia arrived. He nodded in her direction as he wrote his signature one final time, then turned his attention on the attendant who was bringing out what he asked for. His stare laser focused, watching the attendant with scrutiny as they retreated back behind the guarded area. It was the same when they reemerged with a tray holding four black Pokeballs.

"Here is what you asked for," the thin, squirrely man said. "Ah, and a copy of the diagnostics ran on them so far. All forensic samples were already taken, so you do not need to worry about accidentally contaminating the samples."

Clive silently nodded while the man spoke, grabbing at the Pokeballs before he was finished. He tossed two of them to Yulia, and cradled the other two in one hand against his chest. "Alright, thanks," he told the squirrely attendant, waving over his head as they he lead the way out.

"What do we know about the temperament of these Pokemon, after they were released from the Avarice devices?" Clive asked Yulia. "Doesn't seem like there was much time to rehabilitate them. Might make them dangerous if we're not prepared to deal with them. Not all of them had great leads as to where Avarice may have acquired them either, so who knows if they were dangerous even before Avarice's meddling." His thumbs inadvertently swiped against the orbs he held as he weighed them up in each hand. Judging by the labels placed by the attendant, he held both Gengar and Dragonite, leaving Gliscor and Aurorus with Yulia.

[Ashen]

Compared to the harsh lights of the lobby, the evidence room was a dark and dreary place, and while Yulia understood why it was safer for everyone to examine Phoenix’s Pokemon in a controlled space like this, she wondered how much more comfortable the poor things would be if they could get some fresh air. Dismissing the thought, she turned her attention to the two Poke Balls Clive had tossed her. The Balls themselves were odd little things, almost reminiscent of Luxury Balls but without any of the detailing, and she doubted these were nearly as lush for their inhabitants. She turned back to the data they had been given. Unfortunately, the tests run on these Balls and their Pokemon had revealed very little about their previous lives, but Yulia was determined to help them anyway. She owed them that.

She nodded along to what Clive was saying, aware of the risks these confused Pokemon posed on their safety. But Yulia was stubborn. “I still want to see them,” she said. “They deserve some kindness after everything they’ve been through, don’t you think?” So, taking a step back and bracing herself for the worst, Yulia tossed one of her Poke Balls into the air. Gliscor landed on the dusty floor, and as soon as it saw the detectives, it scuttled to one dark corner of the room. Now that the thing wasn’t aggressive and in pain, it looked pathetic, terrified, and Yulia couldn’t help but feel for it. It reminded her a lot of her own Skorupi whom she had also saved from Avarice. Yulia had been working with Ivy for years, and still the little bug was too afraid to battle most days. Would this Gliscor suffer the same fate? Looking at it, Yulia felt overwhelming sadness for it, and she bit back the guilt.

She slowly approached the Gliscor while keeping a respectable distance, and she held out her hand. “Hi,” she said softly. “You’re okay. We aren’t going to hurt you; we just want to help. That man that hurt you before, he’s locked away now, and you’ll never have to see him again. You’re safe here.”

The Gliscor stared at her outstretched hand apprehensively, as if doubting Yulia’s words. It hissed at her, but the tension fell from its body the tiniest bit. Yulia took that as a victory. “Do you remember anything about your home before all this?” she asked. The Gliscor shook its head, its ears twitching. “That’s okay,” Yulia said, giving the creature an understanding nod. This Pokemon had a long road ahead of it, but she hoped that it would warm up to people and find a new home, filled with peace and love.

She returned the Gliscor to its Ball and looked at her other Pokemon. Aurorus was a Pokemon native to the Kalos region, which meant it was a long way from home. She wondered if Avarice had taken it from Johto, or if they’d traveled so far just to get such a powerful Pokemon. She shuddered to think of such a long plane ride stuck with such a miserable man as Phoenix. Yulia retrieved the paperwork again and looked over the data on Aurorus. “They think this one belonged to a veteran trainer,” she told Clive. “Due to its prowess in battle.” It was little to go off of, but it was something. Maybe she’d be able to find Aurorus’s former trainer by looking up a list of accomplished trainers who had used an Aurorus or Amaura before. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack, but if it meant another stolen Pokemon could return home, she would do it.

She wondered what it must have been like, training alongside a Pokemon for so long, celebrating all your victories with it, only to have it stolen from under your nose. Yulia thought of her Beartic, the Pokemon she’d had since she was a kid. She would never forgive anyone who dare tried to split them up. Resentment for Avarice running anew in her veins, she tossed the new Poke Ball into the air. Unlike Gliscor, Aurorus did not seem afraid of them at all. It walked away from them and regarded them angrily, huffs expelling from its flaring nostrils. This Pokemon had an attitude, and Yulia smiled at that. It was so like her Glameow at home. She tried to speak to it, but the Aurorus was determined to ignore her, so after several failed attempts to communicate, Yulia returned it to its Ball for now.

Her experience with her half of Phoenix’s team had gone better than expected, and while she had little information to go on, she had faith they would both recover from their trauma and move on to kinder lives. Yulia then turned to Clive, wondering if he had learned anything about his half. He at least already knew where one of his Pokemon belonged. That was why she was here, after all. Yulia didn’t know how Dragonite would react to seeing such an old friend—nor how Clive would handle the reminder of his late father, nor the audacity of Avarice to take someone so dear to both of them.

[Headwrapper]

Having said his piece, Clive shrugged, stepping back as Yulia interacted with the two Pokemon in her possession. After he observed for a while and determined that things were at least okay for the time being, Clive took a moment to go over the records of Gengar and Dragonite. In regards to Gengar's origins, there was not much to go on. There was no doubt the Pokemon was well trained and powerful though, based on the ferocity of its attacks during their earlier battle. Umbreon was one of the most stalwart Pokemon Clive had ever seen, and his current, feeble condition was an outcome of his battle with Gengar. A very extreme ending for a Pokemon battle, even for one against a crime organizaition.

When the time came, Clive casually released Gengar from the ball, anticipating it to be a much easier meeting than the one they would have with the other Pokemon in his possession. The ghost Pokemon appeared, rubbing its eyes tiredly, as if it was just asleep. Its mouth was transfixed in a permanent, toothed grin despite the concern conveyed by its enormous red eyes. It glanced around the room curiously, before acknowledging the Pokeball in Clive's hand. "Geng?"

"No, I'm not your new trainer," Clive responded. "In fact, that is why we wanted to see you, to find out where your home is. We understand you were trapped with the trainer that used this Pokeball for a long time. That's all over now." Clive paused, observing how the Pokemon responded to his words. If anything, the creature seemed puzzled, but not very nervous, either. "You must be confused where you are," Clive continued. "We're in the headquarters of the Goldenrod Police Department. My name is Clive. I'm a detective. Over there is Yulia, my partner. We've been working for a very long time to take down the team that enslaved you and many other Pokemon."

Gengar's eyes rolled upwards towards the ceiling, deep in thought. It reached its short arm upward to scratch just below its permanent smile, which was now flipped into a peculiar, toothy frown. Suddenly, it exclaimed in recognition, and floated enthusiastically towards Clive, the toothy frown flipping back into a smile once again. The Gengar landed on its feet just a few paces in front of Clive, and to the detective's shock, knelt down, bowing to the ground with its arms raised above its head. The Pokemon repeated this gesture several times, apologetically, almost obsessively.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Clive asked. "Are you... apologizing?" He shot a troubled glance towards Yulia, before kneeling in front of the bowing Gengar. "No no, you aren't responsible for anything," he said, catching the Pokemon's arms and stopping it from bowing. A shiver tingled through his spine, and he became overly aware of the hairs on his arms and legs standing on end. A common effect when directly touching ghost type Pokemon. "We could definitely use your help, if you could help point us to clues that will lead to more arrests of Avarice's leaders. Maybe when you're... hey!" Clive slipped back a half step, clinging to his hip in surprise. Gengar had managed to slip away the detective's belt, so slyly that Clive had not even felt it.

The Pokemon raised the belt, observing the two Pokeballs attached to it. He looked closely, as if distinguishing what was inside. "Geng?"

"You're looking for Umbreon? Well, um, he's at home right now, actually. Perhaps he can come with me next time." Clive licked his lips dryly, and returned Gengar into its Pokeball. He caught his belt before it could hit the ground, and secured it around his waist again. "That one seems to remember some of what Avarice forced it to do," he said flatly, making a note on a page of Gengar's documents. "Honestly, that was hard to see. And with everything happening with Umbreon, I'm probably not cut out to help with any rehabilitation with that one." He placed the Gengar's ball on top of the documents at a nearby table, before turning back to the rest of the room. "Okay, and now the hard one."

Without delay, Clive released the battle-scarred and hardened Dragonite. The Pokemon appeared a few feet above the air, and landed with a thud that shook the room and its occupying furniture. Its head was bowed down slightly and its arms were raised on either side of its frame. A battle-ready stance, ready to charge at any moment. Steam blew out of its nostrils a moment before it glanced left and right, taking in everything in the room. The powerful dragon was almost just as Clive remembered it, save for a few missing scales here and there. The scar across its eye, the sturdy stance, the raw presence and power the Pokemon exuded. Each limb looked heavy and powerful, moving with the heft of a massive crane. The Pokemon pounded its tail heavily against the ground, beckoning acknowledgement. Almost as if asking for a reason it should not bust through everything in its path to get to freedom.

"Dragonite, it's me, Clive," Clive said, holding up his hands. "You don't recognize me, do you? I was a lot smaller when you last saw me."

Dragonite snorted defiantly, but it stood straighter, relaxing its neck and lowering its arms. "Baroo?"

"Yeah, it's been what, maybe twenty-five years, almost? I'm grown up now. I'm a detective now, like dad was, see?" Excitedly, Clive found his badge and held it up. "Me and my partner are trying to stop the criminals that were using you before, which is how I found you. You remember Eevee, don't you? He's gotten a lot stronger now too. He evolved into an Umbreon, and I think he was really happy with the decision. Oh, and remember Master Naabhi? He's old now, real old. But he's still a great trainer. He lives in Ecruteak now. He says he likes the culture, but honestly I think he just has a thing for the kimono girls. You know how he was. And-" Clive gasped raising his arms up in defense. The massive tank of a dragon leaped towards him. A violent outburst, perhaps. Distrust caused by the torment the Pokemon was previously subjected to across multiple criminals. No matter the cause, Clive crossed his arms and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the pain to come.

Instead of a crushing blow by Dragonite's arms or tail, a wave of wind bellowed around Clive, whipping his clothes around. The rush was so cold that it stung his skin until his face and the back of his arms were numb. He heard papers fly around the room as the nearby table screeched, skidding several feet away from its normal position from the sudden shift in the air. When Clive opened his eyes, he saw Dragonite standing between him and Yulia, resuming its earlier, battle-ready pose. Its back was to Clive, and the Pokemon growled at the blue-haired woman in front of it. Heat bellowed from one of the Dragonite's fists, while the other crackled with electricity, filling the room with the scent of ozone. Clive acted quickly, realizing he was still holding onto the black Pokeball, and recalled Dragonite. The moment that followed was silent, all but for the heavy breaths of the pair of detectives, as they stared each other for a long while. When Clive's chest stopped beating like the frantic drumming of a marching band, he loosed a final sigh before turning to pick up the documents that had scattered to the floor. "He might need some time," he muttered in a monotonous tone. "He's old, y'know." His eyelids drooped, half-covering his eyes as he scoured the floor for things that needed picked up and reorganized.

[Ashen]

Yulia’s heart broke for the poor Gengar Clive released from its ball. This was the Pokemon that had attacked Umbreon so severely that its fate had been in the air, but it wasn’t the ghost’s fault, not when it had been controlled by such a vicious man. She knew Clive would have said the same, so she began to say as much to reassure the Gengar, but she stopped herself when she caught a glimpse of Clive’s face. Seeing this Gengar again was a painful reminder of their battle, and of waiting to find out if his precious partner Pokemon would live or die. Maybe she should have been the one to evaluate Gengar. It was willing to communicate, even went so far as to apologize to Clive, and that gave Yulia some hope that its rehabilitation would likely be easier than the rest.

Clive recalled the Gengar. He was stone-faced as always, but Yulia knew him well enough to know he was hurting. She wondered if he’d appreciate a hug. Gengar’s attitude about what had happened hadn’t been easy for her to watch, and it hadn’t been her Pokemon who’d been injured. They still had Dragonite to evaluate too, and who knew what scars would rip open then? Ultimately, Yulia decided against a hug, not wanting to distract or embarrass Clive, but she did put a hand on his shoulder to remind him that she was still there for him.

The old Dragonite that emerged from its ball to shake the room looked exhausted. It had seemed worn when they’d battled it, and why wouldn’t it when it was being put through so much? But now, free of its torture device and Phoenix’s grasp, it looked even more defeated. Yulia considered giving this Pokemon a hug too, but she didn’t want to interrupt the moment. Clive was speaking to it like an old friend, reminding it of their shared memories. Yulia smiled sadly, remembering a much younger Clive and a world much brighter than this one. She turned away, offering them some privacy. Maybe she would give him that hug after all. That small comfort was the least she could do for putting him through this.

Yulia’s attention was wrenched back to the Dragonite when it turned hostile. Her hands flew to her bag and found her own Poke Balls. It was a cramped room, but Yulia had battled in smaller, and she believed she would be able to subdue the Dragonite enough to diffuse the threat. But as its harsh winds whipped around the room, cutting at her skin and throwing papers and furniture to the floor, Yulia realized the Dragonite wasn’t trying to attack Clive. Its gaze was locked on her.

This Pokemon recognized her. It knew her face, and it knew the trouble she had caused. This Dragonite believed her to be responsible for its agony, and wasn’t she? Yulia’s grip around her Poke Balls loosened, and her arms fell uselessly at her sides. There was no reason to protect herself. Whatever penance this Pokemon was about to give her was surely a blessing compared to what she knew she deserved. So Yulia stood before it, defenseless, and waited for those punches to knock the breath right out of her. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate. But the attack didn’t come, and when she opened her eyes again, she saw that Clive had recalled the Dragonite, turning the room to a deafening silence.

She stood there, trapped in stunned silence. Clive offered some excuse for Dragonite’s behavior, but he didn’t know the truth, and Yulia didn’t know how to explain that his old friend’s rage was justified. Her gaze dropped to a paper by her foot, the notes they’d received on Aurorus, but she couldn’t really see them. When Dragonite had turned to her, why had she just…accepted it? Shame choked up her throat. In that brief moment, she’d forgotten about her lifetime goal of stopping Avarice, and she’d been willing to take the easy way out. She hated that weakness.

Yulia didn’t know when she’d started shaking, or why, but when she knelt down to pick up the fallen paper, she saw that she was trembling. Rage flooded her veins, stronger than the guilt of what she’d done. Her mind whirred with never-ending taunts. She’d known what Avarice had done, what they continued to do, and she knew it was all her fault, but no one had ever tried to hurt her because of it. No one had known to. And she’d known that she could—likely would—die for this. It was what she’d spent so much of her life preparing for. But this first taste of consequence was a brutal reminder of what she was, and Yulia was disgusted with herself.

Clive was probably wondering why she hadn’t helped him pick up any of the papers or right any of the furniture. Yulia glanced at him, not meeting his eye. “I…” she started, but the words died on her tongue. She didn’t know how to explain. She could offer some lie—she had just been threatened by a powerful Pokemon after all; wouldn’t anyone be shaken up after that?—but she couldn’t find the words. Instead, she got up and tried to straighten herself, and she started towards the door. “I’ll…” she started, but that sentence, too, got lost deep in her throat, and she left the room in silence.

In the restroom, she refused to meet her reflection’s eye as she splashed water over her face. Yulia knew she was overreacting, but the erratic metronome of her heartbeat obeyed no logic. That Dragonite… Her gaze fell to her hands, tracing the tiny cuts caused by its winds. Dragonite was safe now, and soon, every Pokemon stolen by Avarice would be too. It wouldn’t be long before she could put this all behind her. But she didn’t quite deserve that, did she? The image of Dragonite’s crackling punches returned to her mind. No matter what she did now, she would never erase the pain she had caused.

Several minutes later, when her breathing had finally stabilized and she’d dried her face well enough, Yulia emerged from the restroom. She buried her feelings deep inside herself. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up on her emotions. Clive had probably returned to his desk, so Yulia went to hers. After Phoenix’s Pokemon’s evaluation, she had plenty to do, and she only hoped her new tasks would keep her from thinking too hard about what was to come.

[Headwrapper]

Clive stood still, papers in hand, as Yulia suddenly left the room. He was still as a statue as he watched the door swing closed behind her. Alone once again, the detective returned to pacing the room, preoccupying himself with the duty of collecting the documents that had been scattered all over the floor. Yulia was a big girl and would catch up later. "What a fucking mess," he sighed grouchily, referencing more than just the dilapidated room. He righted a fallen table close to a nearby wall and used it to keep the different pages organized into logical piles. It took a while, but Clive eventually returned the room to working order. The furniture was placed roughly where it belonged, the various documents had been reorganized correctly, and the four Pokeballs were grouped together in the carrier from the evidence room.

After scanning the floor and the walls and taking measure of the room, Clive huffed to himself and left. After a short trek to return the black Pokeballs to the attendant at the evidence room, he made his way back towards the offices. His head was heavy as he made his way through the narrow halls of the GRPD, his eyes watching the old carpet of the wing as the detective was preoccupied in thought. As he neared the offices, though, the carpet gave way to the cold tile of the more modern sections of the building. More foot traffic came with the change in scenery, necessitating Clive to actually watch where he was going. His fist crumpled the edges of the stacks of papers as he passed a nearby television mounted on the wall of one of the offices, and he stopped to take a look. The screen cut to different newscasters with words crawling across the bottom of the screen, speculating and questioning the future of Johto after the Great Storm. There was no doubt that the effects of the Storm would continue to be studied and discussed for years to come. It was a fact Clive had well accepted, and was not the cause of his tension nor the reason the vein in his temple began to swell. What riled him was one of the guests on the news show that was being played: Oliver Burnstine.

The taste of resentment lingered in Clive's mouth like burnt bread at the thought of Burnstine, the self-proclaimed expert on the Avarice case. Ever since his line of questioning at the press release after the attack on Goldenrod city, the man had continued to become a larger and larger source of distrust in the GRPD, and frankly, the spread of inaccurate information and speculation. Just behind, very closely behind, bringing the leaders of Avarice to justice and ending the suffering of people and Pokemon around the world, Clive eagerly wanted to shut the man up for good. "Turn this shit off," he said to no one in particular, grabbing nearby remote to change the channel. The walls around him tremored as he stomped off towards his own desk in the detectives' office.

Finding the office empty, Clive was quick to get to work. He knew Yulia would want them, so he left the stack of files about the Pokemon they confiscated from Phoenix between their desks. Clive spun his chair around to face the board on the wall behind his desk before taking a seat. It was not long ago that he added Aurorus and Gliscor next to the pictures of Dragonite and Gengar, which stemmed from Phoenix's mugshot like a messed up family tree connected with red yarn. After adding a few more notes to the board, Clive hurriedly spun back around towards his computer, where he committed the rest of his memory of their recent investigation to their working report.

After a while, Clive's fervor for his work slowed, and he gave himself a moment to catch up on emails. Only one-hundred thirty-five emails that were not automatically sorted into folders he habitually ignored... And, only a few of them were more than seven days old. Clive quickly decided the fate of each email, almost instantaneously, opting to either ignore them indefinitely or to respond to them. He did not get very far before he felt Rotom vibrate in his breast pocket, which he tapped lightly with his fingers to prompt the phone to float in front of him. The detective exhaled loudly from his nose, smiling at the picture of Umbreon and the nurse from the Pokemon center that Rotom displayed on the screen. As Clive's eyes feasted on the details of the picture, Umbreon's smile, its paw curled forward in the nurse's hands as she trimmed his claws- what she habitually called "manicure time"-, he wondered if after all the pampering during recovery if Umbreon would actually want to return to duty. He seemed to be enjoying the attention the nurses and doctors gave him plenty.

Waving Rotom away, and the thoughts that accompanied it, Clive turned his attention back to his computer. Something caused him to hesitate before he could get back to his emails, though. Rather, before he let himself distract his mind from more important things. Casually, he moved his mouse towards a particular directory in his files, allowing it to meander across the screen at a slow pace. He left the folder open for a moment, before glancing back towards his list of emails without actually reading them. To an outsider, he looked preoccupied with his work, staring intently at the screen. Biting on the edge of his collar which he raised up to his teeth, slowly rolling the fabric back and forth as he soaked in the pertinent information. His thoughts were not on what was on the screen, however.

Dragonite. The scarred and battle-experienced dragon Pokemon that was previously commanded by Clive's late father, before somehow falling into enslavement by Team Avarice. Upon initial inspection, Clive really did not think that the Pokemon had changed much. It was powerful, and it knew it. It was intelligent and well-trained enough to defend itself and others with little need for commands. Even among the best and most well-known dragon trainers in Blackthorne city, such a competent and well rounded Pokemon was a rarity. It was surprising to find that the Pokemon was so defiant and emboldened upon releasing it from its Pokeball. Clive expected a more hollow, broken-spirited version of his father's ace Pokemon. Perhaps it would have surrendered upon being released, or lashed out violently in fear... But it was more controlled than that. The Pokemon took the time to assess the situation before acting, regardless of how violent that decided action was.

Clive could not put his finger on it yet, but something just was not right with their interaction with Dragonite. The Pokemon had clearly recognized Clive, even dropping its guard momentarily upon recognition. It could have easily struck Clive and Yulia at the same time with its enormous tail or both of its wings, or even with a special attack like its Thunderbolt or Hyper Beam, but that was not how it chose to position itself. It went for Yulia, specifically, but that still did not explain the Pokemon's choice in positioning. If the Pokemon lashed out in fear of Yulia, perhaps in response to a stray action that a cornered Pokemon could have scene as threatening, its movement would have been more reactive and panicked. It would have charged straight towards the source of danger at full force, or fled in the opposite direction with the same fervor. Fight, or flight... or freeze, which the Pokemon clearly did not do.

The detective pictured himself in the position of the large Pokemon, his body subconsciously turning slightly even while he kept his eyes glued to the computer screen. He imagined himself leaping forward with the gust of powerful wings, a heavy tail trailing behind him. His weight shifted as he completed his lunge, maneuvering the tail so that it graciously flicked behind him, without hitting the surprised trainer that he turned his back to. Leaving his back completely exposed to said trainer, unafraid of any retaliation, so that he could direct his full attention to the other figure that was now in front of him.

Clive let this image pause in his mind upon hearing a click in his mouth, jolting at the sudden feeling of his front teeth touching through the fabric. He let out a heavy sigh upon realizing he chewed a hole straight through the collar of his shirt, which he released from his mouth. Maybe he was letting his emotions influence his judgement, trying to find more excuses for Dragonite's behavior. Even still, his instincts told him not to let it go, vibrating in his bones. He clicked around in his computer for a moment, pausing as he hovered over the file he had created just before the Magnet Train incident, titled Yulia Oryolovna. As close as they had grown, and regardless of how much they had overcome together, he knew he could not trust her. Not completely, anyway.

[Ashen]

She could not concentrate. A migraine had formed at her temple, and it was blurring her vision so badly that Yulia couldn’t even look at her screen without flinching. She’d received a response to the email she’d sent to the researchers of the legendary beasts that morning, but she couldn’t make out a single word. Frustrated, Yulia pushed away from her desk and left the office in search of coffee. Even her footsteps felt disoriented. She’d been getting severe migraines all her life, but this felt different. No, she was getting sick. Yulia could practically hear her ex scolding her for overworking and forcing her to take a break, just like she had done too many times during her studies. But they were too close to stopping Avarice to want to rest now. She needed to right things.

Yulia didn’t notice how hot her coffee was until it was scalding her throat. She wrenched the cup from her lips and rubbed at her exhausted eyes. Surely that Dragonite hadn’t shaken her up this badly? She tried to shake herself awake, tried to get a grip, and returned to her desk to get back to work. Her thoughts wandered, distracting, until a clear voice broke through them.

“Look at you, Yulia. You’re falling apart.”

She didn’t bother looking up; the voice was coming from her own mind, which made it especially difficult to ignore.

“Don’t you think it’s time to give up? You’re going to kill yourself like this.”

Yulia groaned. “Leave me alone,” she said under her breath. She tried not to think of the truth in those words, though, tried to convince herself she was fine. Just like always.

Freya laughed. “Maybe you should tell your boyfriend about this,” she taunted. “You wouldn’t want him to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, would you? I could tell him for you.”

Yulia violently shoved her chair from her desk. A few people looked her way, but she tried to ignore their stairs as she stormed to the bathroom. There, she clenched her fists. “I am not in the mood to deal with you today,” she snarled.

Someone called from the last stall, “Excuse me?”

Yulia’s face went hot. She hadn’t noticed anyone in the bathroom, and now she was self-conscious. To whoever was in that stall, Yulia probably looked insane angrily talking to someone who shouldn’t have existed. She was insane. She left the bathroom before she could meet the stall’s occupant, cutting her conversation with Freya short.


~~~

At the end of the workday, Yulia packed her things and got ready to leave. She hadn’t seen Clive since walking out on him after evaluating Phoenix’s Pokemon. She didn’t know how to apologize for that, especially not stretched as thinly as she had been all day. She’d even spent her lunch at her desk, forcing herself to be productive as the pain beat at her skull. Absently, she wondered what her partner thought of her. He knew her better than to think her behavior was only the result of a Pokemon threatening her.

In her car, Freya taunted her again. “Your secret is coming out soon,” she reminded. “Wouldn’t it be better if you tell him? If you don’t, I will.”

“That was not part of our deal, Freya.” Yulia struggled to keep her focus on the road as anger flowed through her. “If you don’t shut up,” she warned, “you will get us both killed.”

Freya let out an aggravated sigh. “Let’s end this, Yules, shall we?” When Yulia didn’t respond to her, she pouted. “Let me fight him.”

“No.”

“I want to fight him,” Freya said stubbornly. “If he wins, I’ll turn myself in.”

Yulia startled, nearly crashing her car. She pulled over to collect her thoughts. “You’re lying.”

“Nope.” Freya giggled, and Yulia could not tell the woman’s intentions. She never could. “We’ll have a Pokemon battle, and if he wins, I promise to turn myself in.”

“And if you win,” Yulia prompted.

“You give up.”

Yulia put her car back in drive and merged onto the road again. “No.”


~~~

Back at her apartment, Yulia tossed her shoes somewhere in the foyer, dropped her purse in the kitchen, gave Fritz a gentle pat on the head, and all but fell into her couch. Her conversation with Freya had been replaying in her mind for the rest of her drive. Yulia did not want to take that kind of risk, nor put that much pressure on her partner, but… This wasn’t her decision to make alone.

She sat up and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Scrolling through her contacts, she stopped at Clive’s name and opened their text conversation. Maybe Freya was right about one thing. Maybe it was finally time to tell him what was going on.

Her fingers shook as they slid across her screen. Can you meet me at my apartment? she texted him, and then added in a second message, It’s important. It probably wasn’t the wisest decision, hosting him here, where no one would hear her if he decided to hurt her. He would be justified; Yulia had caused so much damage, and she’d accept Clive’s judgment, whatever that was. As long as Team Avarice was stopped, then Yulia was willing to do anything. She got up and paced around her apartment. It was a mess, but she couldn’t bring herself to clean, and Clive had known how out of it she’d been lately anyway. But she could at least pull herself into the shower.

Yulia had never told anyone. She had no idea what Clive would do to her when he found out the truth. This might have been the last time she would ever be a free woman. Freya had given her a way to stop Avarice. The evil mastermind probably saw that she was losing this fight, and she was looking for an easy way to get her power back. But still, if it meant Freya would be stopped, wasn’t it worth considering?

After her shower, Yulia sat in her living room waiting for Clive. She’d taken far too many painkillers, but they did little to lessen her headache and much to turn her thoughts to fog. Her foot tapped erratically against the floor, enough to that even her Glameow mewed confusedly at her. “I’m okay,” she told him, even though there was no truth to her words.

[Headwrapper]

Clive yawned loudly at his desk and took a moment to check the time on his computer monitor. It was getting late and he had other responsibilities to attend to. Umbreon would have been waiting for him at the hospital and he had promised his Zorua that they would find time to train. Besides, it had been a long day, and he was not feeling particularly productive any more. Between the incident with Dragonite and rest of Phoenix's confiscated Pokemon, Yulia's strange disappearance, the news, and the constant toiling and contemplation over it all, Clive's mind was ready for a break before he went back to it. There was much to think about and he was struggling to come up with any next steps.

Another yawn croaked involuntarily as Clive gathered his things. The heft of his new overcoat felt strange and unfamiliar. He had to get rid of his old one after the Storm. Just one of many things that was lost or needed repaired after the incident. The detective slung his back over his shoulder with a gloved hand and turned out the lights as he exited.

He mentally counted the number of Pokeballs at his hip as he begin his walk out of the HQ, and his hand subconsciously paused on Shadow's ball. His legs slowed to a stop before he turned to face the direction of the evidence room. A scowl formed on his face just before he set out in that direction.

"I'm here to pick these up," Clive said. He placed a written note in front of the attendant, a different one than the one that served him earlier, and pushed it across the counter. The attendant, an older woman, squinted at the inventory numbers on the note through her spectacles for a long while. She carried the paper towards one of the shelved boxes, the same one that Clive watched the earlier attendant seek ought, and she peered inside.

"You don't want any of the other ones?" she asked. Clive shook his head in response, and the woman shrugged before picking up Dragonite's black Pokeball. The woman waddled slightly as she marched back to the counter. When she arrived, she did not forfeit the ball. Rather, she frowned, searching over Clive's shoulder. "I can't let you take a dangerous Pokemon on your own. Weapons and Pokemon require two responsible parties and a regular follow up.

Clive raised his eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?" he asked, leaning closer to the counter as if to listen better. His back foot tapped the ground behind him twice before he crossed the same leg behind him. The woman repeated herself. "Oh, Clive responded. "My partner should be here in a moment... Ah, there she is." As he spoke, the door behind him opened, and Yulia's figure stepped inside.

"Sorry I'm late," Yulia's voice said as she approached the counter. Clive's hand slid the paperwork over to her loudly as Yulia plucked a pen from a nearby holder. "Where do I sign?"

After securing Dragonite's ball, Clive and his partner left the evidence room and made their way out of the GRPD. Only after they ducked somewhere private did Yulia's image fade away to reveal the Zorua hidden beneath. "You're getting really good at this, Shadow," Clive said, kneeling to pet his Pokemon. "Even the penmanship matched! And I don't think she even heard the sound of you jumping onto the counter either." After scratching his Zorua behind the ears for a while longer, Clive reached for its Pokeball. "I'd say that was good training for today. We'll have to experiment with something more challenging next time."

After stowing away Zorua's ball, Clive, reached for Dragonite's Pokeball. It glistened like obsidian, the trademark black color Avarice used for their special devices. Not here, he thought, returning the Pokeball back where he stashed it beneath his coat. There would be time to speak to Dragonite, privately, later. Clive wished to rest and prepare himself first. Also, it was long passed the time he would usually visit Umbreon at the Pokemon Center.

~~~~~~

Later, after Clive and his Pokemon were at the Pokemon Center for slightly over an hour, Clive's phone buzzed. The detective reached for his pocket as he leaned back on the small couch in Umbreon's room, giving one last glance over all of his Pokemon as they sniffed and poked at each other. The smile on his lips faded as a his phone buzzed a second time and he read the messages. Sure. Hang tight, he texted back.

Clive crossed one leg over the other, mulling over his thoughts. He did not know what to expect from this sudden meeting. After all, Yulia had basically ghosted him after their incident with Dragonite. His mind raced. All of the weirdness, the throwaway explanations, the strange behaviors that just felt wrong, were they all connected? There was too much work to be done facing Avarice directly for Clive to find explanations for it all. No, maybe he chose to let things lie because... just because.

"Guys, get ready to go in a few minutes," he said to his team. He stood up, his expression turning somber. The same expression he wore just before committing his focus to a dangerous mission. "Sorry Umbreon, something came up today," he said steadily, giving Umbreon's coat a few gentle scratches.

~~~

A few gentle knocks echoed through the front door of Yulia's apartment. Clive stood on the other side, glancing idly up and down the hallway. He stowed his gloves away in the deep pockets of his coat, mentally counting the Pokeballs at his hip again.

[Ashen]

When the knock came at Yulia’s door, she realized just how unprepared she was to face Clive. It was obvious to anyone, especially to her partner, that she had been acting weird lately, and inviting him to her home out of the blue didn’t help. The case was getting to her; the region was filled with senseless destruction that she could have prevented if she were just stronger. The guilt was eating her, and with no one to talk to about any of it, Yulia was nearing a breakdown. But that was about to change. Regardless of how Clive reacted, she hoped just talking about all this would help her to feel less alone.

Her apartment looked similar to how it had when Phoenix had broken in and left it a mess. She tried not to think about that as she approached the door and smiled at Clive. When she saw him standing there, she was suddenly aware of how awkward this all was. She could have at least prepared dinner, or ordered takeout, or even made him a cup of coffee for interrupting his night for her. But she hadn’t thought to, and wouldn’t have had the energy to besides, so Yulia stood before him, her cheeks burning in shame. “Hi,” she said, her voice painfully high-pitched and weird. “Come in.”

She mumbled an apology for the mess and welcomed him to have a seat on the couch. She sat on the opposite end. After a silence that stretched on for far too long, Yulia asked him about his Umbreon, and she apologized for missing him at work after the event with Dragonite. As the conversation died, and Clive no doubt expected her to explain herself, Yulia let out a long sigh. How could she start? It was better to not think too much and to just get it out, she decided.

“I had a reason for calling you here.” That was obvious, and Yulia cringed at how dumb she sounded. She steadied her expression. “I think it’s time I told you what I know about Team Avarice.”

Yulia looked so small on her side of the couch. She was more out of it than usual, and she couldn’t blame her cluttered thoughts on the painkillers alone. But her voice was oddly calm. She had spent two decades trying to talk about this, and now that she was here, it was liberating as much as it was terrifying. She sighed again and averted her gaze, staring instead at her Glameow. Fritz was pawing at Clive’s pants leg, as if looking for food. Yulia cleared her throat and ignored her pet. “I told you before about my medical condition,” she said to Clive. “I get headaches so painful I pass out. That’s… not the entire truth.

“When I was a little girl, my parents took me to a festival some distance from Snowbelle. They were always such busy people, and I was an only child, so this was supposed to be really special for me. For a while, it was. The food, the games, the decorations, even the people and Pokemon were all so magical. But I was young, and foolish, and so fascinated by this bright yellow balloon that I didn’t notice my parents getting further and further away from me. By the time I realized I’d been following a Drifloon, I was lost, and I didn’t know how to get back to the festival.

“I must have sat there crying for hours, because the sun was setting when a Hypno found me. It scared away the Drifloon, and when it saw me, it…” Yulia’s voice shook. The memoires of those vicious Pokemon felt too new. “It preyed on me,” she continued. “It put me to sleep just to give me horrible nightmares. I don’t know how long I was missing, but it felt like years. It was miserable, and I didn’t know what to do. I just remember wishing that it would end.”

Yulia startled when a drop of water splashed on her thigh. She hastily wiped her eyes and continued. “Eventually, a Ninetales found me. Like any kid, I’d heard the myth about them: pull a Ninteales’s tail, and you’ll be cursed. I never wanted to hurt the thing. I just wanted the pain to stop, and I thought maybe, if my curse was death, then finally, it’d be over. But obviously, that’s not what happened.”

Finally, Yulia looked up at Clive. “This is going to sound crazy,” she breathed, “but when I pulled that tail, the Ninetales did curse me. It doomed me to share my body with the last little girl who’d been stupid enough to mess with it. She had died from her curse, but she got a second chance at life through me. She’s…” Yulia laughed sadly. “She’s with me, now and always. Her name is Freya.”

Yulia paused, and a strange smile fell over her lips. “Clive!” she said in a voice that was not her own. “Nice to finally meet ’cha!”

Her head jerked in a motion that looked painful. “Stop,” she barked. Then, to Clive, she offered an apologetic look. “She’s awful. We were both kids when we were cursed, so in a way, we grew up together. She knew she could do whatever she wanted and I’d have to take the blame, so she’s been tormenting me since. Freya craves nothing more than power. She likes knowing she’s the strongest, and she’ll stop at nothing to remind everyone of that. She doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process.”

The headache was vicious now, and Yulia’s words slurred until she stopped herself to collect her thoughts. She cleared her throat and spoke again, more clearly. “She can’t take control whenever she wants,” Yulia assured, even if Freya had done just that only seconds ago. “I can fight her easily. But when I get my headaches, or I black out, it’s a lot harder to stop her from claiming my body. That’s why... That’s why it’s my fault she was able to start Team Avarice. I was too weak to do anything to her, and now… it’s…”

Thick tears were welling in Yulia’s eyes now. She wiped at them again. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so sorry. It’s so stupid, and complicated, and it makes me sound insane, I know. But it’s true. And when Freya’s in control, I’m not aware of my surroundings. It’s as if I’m sleeping dreamlessly. So believe me too when I say these past months we’ve spent on the case together have been genuine. I know as much about Team Avarice as you do, Clive. I need to stop them, because I’m responsible for all this.”

Before Clive could speak, Yulia rushed on. “Before you say anything,” she said, “I want to tell you the deal Freya offered me earlier. She wants to have a Pokemon battle. With you. If you can defeat her, she’s willing to turn herself in. If she wins, though, she wants me off the case. I just wanted you to know her terms.”

Yulia stood and offered her hands to Clive in surrender. “I understand if you want to turn me in,” she said quietly. “I understand if you want to hurt me. I want to hurt me too. But I am not going to let you or anyone else stop me from taking down Avarice. From taking down Freya. Do whatever you want with me, but we must finish our mission first.”

Finally, it was all out there. Yulia felt a weird calm on her shoulders, as if her secret had been weighing her down. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she could breathe. “So that’s my story, Clive, and my connection to this case. That’s why destroying Avarice is everything I live for. I don’t expect you to understand, or even believe me, but…” Yulia didn’t know how to finish that sentence, so she didn’t and let her words hang in the air between them. “I know you don’t like battling,” she said, “and if you’d rather not, or if this is all too ridiculous for you, then we can find another way to stop her. But I thought you should have a say in the decision too.”

[Headwrapper]

The awkwardness was anything but bearable from the moment Yulia opened the door. Clive made note of his partner's strange manners and cautiously followed her into the apartment. Immediately, he took note of the apparent state of the apartment. It was obvious that Yulia did not spend much time taking care of the home. Clive wondered how much she had bothered to pick up since Avarice members broke into her apartment. From the odor, it was apparent that a Pokemon lived her full time. That was nothing new, which Clive remembered at the site of Yulia's Glameow, Fritz.

Clive sat on one end of Yulia's couch. He did so prudently, perching on the edge of the cushion without bothering to relinquish his coat. He did not even remove his shoes, a customary behavior in Johto. Only when Yulia addressed him directly did Clive fully look at her. He shared news of Umbreon's improving condition and told Yulia not to worry about disappearing after meeting with Dragonite, as it was normal to be shaken up after such an event. Then, the conversation stilled. Clive remained patient, perfectly comfortable with the silence, and he eyed Yulia expectantly.

Finally, Yulia began to state her reasons for asking Clive to visit. Clive hardly winced at the mention of Avarice, and that Yulia had information to share about them that she had not disclosed before. However, Clive was surprised to hear Yulia recount her story about Hypno and Ninetales, the same one she shared in Saffron City. What did that have to do with Avarice?

For all his stoicism, Clive still could not help but turn himself towards Yulia when her recollection of her meeting with Ninetales unfolded differently from the last recounting of the story. Clive's expression quickly grew much more serious, his eyes sharp as knives as a deep scowl set upon his lips. Freya. The name hung in the air for a moment, just before Freya introduced herself.

Clive's stoic expression remained as still as a stone statue when he saw Yulia's expression change. A voice, Yulia's voice but not Yulia, greeted him. Clive's heart started and he did his best to hide a quizzical look. He had never seen something like this before. Was he witnessing some kind of psychotic break unfold in front of him? Perhaps the responsible thing to do would be to take control of the situation and get Yulia somewhere safe where that she could get some kind of mental help. Despite having an idea of the responsible thing to do, Clive continued to listen. He wanted to hear what Yulia had to say after she clawed back control.

It was difficult to watch as Yulia delved into the details of sharing a body with another consciousness. In truth, Clive was not sure if it was because he pitied the girl or because he had too much trouble watching a liar cry. It almost became too much to bear when Yulia spoke of the last several months they had been working the case and swearing that she knew just as much about Avarice as he did. Clive's chest heaved powerfully as he exhaled a strong breath. Was he supposed to believe that, when until only a few moments ago Yulia knew exactly who, or maybe even what, Avarice's leader was while Clive was left to search and hunt for clues like a blind fool?

Clive's legs twisted, ready to spring off of the couch at any given moment. Despite himself, he managed to stay still still as Yulia clued him in on Freya's offer to end things once and for all. A battle of all things? Would Team Avarice's ferocious leader really hang their legacy of suffering all on such a fragile thing? As much as he was tired of staying silent, of listening and calculating a response, Clive had to pause to consider the prospect.

His apprehensiveness melted away as he contemplated. He even leaned into the back of the couch, no longer preparing to bound away at the drop of a hat. He bit at his thumbnail as his eyes seemed to stare through Yulia, now hearing her but barely listening. "I think I understand now," he said, glancing down at Yulia's hands, which hung in surrender before him. He did not elaborate.

"I want to speak to her," he said, suddenly staring Yulia in the eyes. His expression was unyielding, unable to even toy with the idea of compromise. This could all be a silly game, a ruse, a trap, or even a desperate cry for help, but Clive had little to lose by playing along. Perhaps this other personality would be more honest and forthcoming than the one he had been dealing with for months now.

Steadily, Clive rose to his feet, pacing to the other side of the room. He did not watch to see if Yulia complied with his request while his back was turned, but after a few seconds he went back to face her again. "The way I see it, this seems like a desperate bargain to try to escape a defeat that is already assured. With Phoenix behind bars, who is left to take the mantle if I were to just arrest you both?"

Of course, Clive struggled with those words, despite himself. Sacrificing Yulia's freedom to lock away her harbinger, whether it was real or fabricated, was no victory. It was not true justice. Either way, he needed to understand this new side of the coin, which Yulia hid from him, if he would have any chance of winning.

[Ashen]

The silence was agony. Yulia didn’t know how long she sat there waiting for Clive to say something, but it felt like hours. His expression, as always, provided no clues, and Yulia silently begged for something, anything that would tell her what he was thinking now. She turned away, her face burning. Maybe… this had been a mistake. She should have kept her mouth shut, should have kept working on the case like before. Freya would have to concede eventually; she’d said she would if ever Yulia dismantled her organization. But Freya held too many aces, and had no limits on how far she’d go to get what she wanted. The out that Freya had offered had been worth consideration, and Yulia couldn’t have done so without her partner.

She had been awful to him. Yulia reflected on these past months while Clive processed her story. She had strung him along, letting him get tangled in this mess her vile other half had created. How many times had Clive been hurt for this? How many scars did he hold, reminders of a partner who had not been truthful? His poor Umbreon was in the hospital because of her. Yulia bit back the tears. If she’d been strong enough to fight Freya, or if she’d just killed them both, long ago, then none of this would have happened. She just wished Clive would say something.

And then he finally spoke, his cryptic words offering no explanation for how he felt. What did he understand? Yulia turned to face him again, hoping his meaning would be clear in his expression. It, of course, was not. His next words seemed to come out of nowhere, and they instantly brought tears to the corners of Yulia’s eyes. He wanted to speak to Freya? Why? Yulia should have seen this coming—Clive was an investigator, after all; why wouldn’t he want to get more information?—but the simple request was a complete shock. Did this mean he believed her story? Yulia stammered for a moment, her words jumbling in her throat. She nodded. “Okay.” Her voice was small, pathetic. She thought to warn him, or to apologize for whatever Freya was bound to say, but she held her tongue. This situation did not need to be made worse by her dumb fumbling.


She was quiet for a moment, but her gaze lingered on Clive as he walked across the room. When he spoke again, a cocky smile spread across Yulia’s face. “You want to arrest Yulia?” she said in that voice that was not hers. “Your own partner? I misjudged you, Clive Oiler. You don’t care for Yulia nearly as much as she cares for you.”

Yulia—Freya—stood and looked Clive up and down. “Arresting me won’t stop the cogs I’ve carefully put into place,” she said. “It amuses me that you think I’m done now because you’ve arrested that buffoon. Phoenix was ever a burden, and the day you took him off my hands was the second best day of my life.” She flashed a carefree grin. “I hope he finds the bird he was chasing in that jail cell of his.”

She walked over to Clive and offered him her wrists, as if inviting him to cuff her. “I won’t stop you, and I won’t let Yulia resist either. Go ahead and take us down to the PD. I can’t wait to see how you explain that your partner was your greatest enemy all along.”

Her hands twitched, as if involuntarily, and Freya spared a quick glance at them. She chuckled. “It won’t be the first time we’re locked up, you know,” she pointed out. “It’ll be a great opportunity for some sisterly bonding time.”

There was a switch then, as easy as a blink. Freya’s expression was muddied by a new dread. Yulia turned away, but she did not move her hands, still caught in the air between them. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, too quiet to hear. She didn’t know if Clive would actually arrest her, but the suggestion that he might, coming from his own lips, was enough to break her heart. Would that be for the best? Freya could have been lying about having a backup plan, and if so, Clive would be able to stop Team Avarice. Without her.

She stepped away, and as a tear rolled down her cheek, the sadness left her eyes. Freya scoffed. “You know,” she said, “in all the time Yulia has gotten to know you? I thought you lived up to your daddy’s stories. A dedicated detective stopping at nothing to solve a case, right? You even ruined half the region to get to me. But now, I see that I was wrong. You’re nothing like your father.” Freya chuckled. “You’re just like Richard Mears, aren’t you?” She jerked her wrists towards him, a satisfied grin plastered across her crying face. “Come on then,” she urged. “Prove me right, Clive Oiler.”

[Headwrapper]

There it was again. The distinct shift in Yulia's mannerisms. Her eyes. The way her lips curled into a certain sneer as she spoke. Clive frowned as he glanced down at his partner's pale wrists, which she offered him in sardonic defiance.

Was this "Freya" really the criminal mastermind they had been looking for? Was she actually what Yulia described? Clive had not known the legendary Ninetales' curse could be so powerful, but there have been crazier stories. Whether this crooked being was truly someone else's soul or a simpel delusion, she needed stopped somehow... and damn it all if Clive could not shake the feeling that he needed to find a way to protect Yulia in the process.

His heart softened when Yulia returned, marked by her shift in expression and the formation of tears in her eyes. Even so, it was not enough to rid of him of the anger he felt. How much he felt betrayed. Was he really so untrustworthy, after everything, that Yulia held this from him through all of it? The entire population of the region needed to suffer before she could finally trust him? Those who were injured or killed during the Storm, the rescue Pokemon that risked their lives during it all, even Umbreon? That's what it took? No, he was allowed to be angry and to make it known.

Clive steeled himself, maintaining his intense gaze when Freya retook her position as the pilot. That was when she surprised him, comparing him to his late father and his infamous partner. Clive did not know what to make of her comments, and despite himself, he chuckled. What was it to him that he was nothing like his late father? Was he supposed to aspire to earning an early grave for himself? Maybe hand over Umbreon and the rest of his Pokemon to the next criminal organization himself before croaking, just to save time. Just the very idea repulsed him.

"It's so nice to hear those lips utter something I can fully believe is the truth," Clive said. Coolly, almost casually, he readied a pair of handcuffs. The chain links that joined the restraints glinted in the light, metallic and cold. They jingled lightly as he continued on. "I wonder, Freya, if you would have been more honest with me than she was, had we been on the same side." That was when Clive took one of Yulia's wrists and locked one of the cuffs around it. He did so forcefully, the frigid steel biting into her skin. For the moment, he hardly cared if it was Freya or if it was Yulia he was aggressing. Part of him hoped it was a little of both. He realized quickly that it probably was, as Yulia's tears dripped down her cheeks, passed Freya's smug grin.

Clive paused, awkwardly. He did not proceed to recite the suspect's rights, nor did he instruct her to place her arms behind her back. The usual motions simply did not come. As time pased, the lines on his forehead grew deeper and his jaw began to ache as he ground his teeth. Finally, something flipped over, a quick twitch flickering across his face. With a firm grasp on the free cuff on the other end of the chain, he pulled Yulia, or possibly Freya, towards him forcefully. His larger stature made it easy, and he took advantage of his physically commanding position. His grip tightened on the cuffed arm, pulling his partner and her secret harbinger so close that they could feel his breath on their shared face.

"I want you to explain what happens if we battle," he said. "Where do you go if I win? And what of the rest of Avarice?" He hated himself for backpedaling now, but there was no escaping his desire for justice. He saw it in Yulia's tears, that she was a victim in all of this too. Maybe she did deserve his anger, which was tenfold what he allowed himself to show, but the matter should be between just the two of them. Setting aside the invitation to the current meeting, Freya an invader who had long overstayed her welcome.

[Ashen]

Freya’s insult did not have the effect she wanted, and though she scowled at Clive’s stubbornness, she did not relent. He was unreadable as always, but when he produced a set of handcuffs, bright satisfaction washed over Freya’s face. His words were a sweet scythe through Yulia’s chest, and while Freya relished them, overjoyed at this bitter turn of events, she could feel the deep twist in her shared stomach. Clive had hurt Yulia worse than anything Freya had ever said to her. It was delicious, this pain Freya got to witness, this victory over the true host of her body. When Clive finally clamped the cuffs around one wrist, she looked down at them, another hint of joyous surprise lifting her eyebrows.

He was actually doing it. Based on Yulia’s feelings for him and the time they had shared together, Freya had pegged him differently, but Clive was proving to be one man not to cross. Freya couldn’t help the wide grin now, even as pain rippled across her chest and knocked the breath out of her. It was Yulia’s reaction, her pathetic feelings, that were hurting Freya too. So overwhelming was her grief and sense of defeat that their shared body trembled. Freya rolled her eyes and clenched her hands, jerking the uncuffed wrist in Clive’s direction to remind him to finish the job.

But he didn’t. He wasn’t. He was watching her now, concentrating thoughts that he never showed in his expression. Freya prepared to tease him, or to insult him, to spur the moment along, but before she knew it, she was being yanked towards him with a force she had never seen him use with Yulia.

In any other situation, this would look a hundred shades different. Freya laughed out loud at the hilarity of that. Yulia was finally in the arms of a man, just like her parents had always wanted. From this angle, Clive’s face was stone cold, furious, and Freya wondered just how much prodding he would take before he cracked. Would he hurt her? Hurt the partner who betrayed him? They were close enough now that Freya could easily reach out and kiss him. Would that do it? No one would even know. Locked in Yulia’s apartment, the curtains drawn, her neighbors far too busy with their own lives to second-guess the hitched breaths heard through thin walls, Clive could get away with just about anything. Was he capable of violence like that? Just like his beloved uncle?

A hiss drifted in from the next room. Yulia’s Glameow was watching the scene with narrow eyes. He had never been much of a battler, or even a good guard cat, but as much as he had seemed like he disliked Yulia, she had always taken care of him. Fritz’s claws were out, ears pulled back, and he watched as a former friend threatened his master.

It was Yulia who choked on a sob. She deserved this after what she’d done, she knew, and she had expected this situation would never end well, but in the dozens of times different scenarios had played out in her mind since meeting Clive, she had never anticipated this. It really was over. She would waste away in a cell, or worse, and Clive would never look at her the same way again. Memories of their time together filled her mind: her first day on the job, fresh out of the Academy, when Clive had worn his irritation like armor against her preppy demeanor; the late nights they’d spent working on the case, both at their desks and out in the field, sharing cups of coffee and theories and inside jokes; the times away from work, the restaurants and the takeout, the sweet vulnerability where they could be something other than partners diligently working on the same case. Yulia had hoped, stupidly, that those moments would trump her betrayal, that they could return to that someday. Now, though, looking at his face, the expression she thought she had learned to read, she realized that was all gone.

Freya sighed in irritation. This was a good thing: If Clive was asking about her proposal, it meant he wasn’t as steadfast as she’d thought, or that he was clutching onto some hope of saving his partner. Maybe he did like her, even after all this. But Freya had her victory over Yulia dangling from her wrist, and she just wanted Clive to finish this.

“If we battle,” she started, her voice lacking any of the seriousness the conversation deserved, “and if I win, I want you to resign from this case. Burn everything you’ve learned about it. I want the slate completely cleared.” She wasn’t foolish enough to believe Clive would take her up on that, or that he would hold up his end of the deal, but those were her conditions. “And I will win, Clive,” she added, her grin returning to her lips. “Because you never did like battling, did you? Always left that to your unshakable partner. I wonder, in all that time, how much stronger her Pokemon got than yours. I wonder how easy it would be to send your precious friends back to the hospital.”

Another hiss from Fritz pulled her gaze. The Glameow was ready to pounce, though this time, he was looking at Freya. Pokemon were more perceptive than humans, and Fritz knew an enemy when he saw one.

Freya turned back to Clive. “But if, somehow, you pull off a miracle and defeat me,” she continued, “then I’ll disband Avarice. I’ll call off the whole operation and send everybody home. Maybe my grunts will keep the Pokemon we’ve given them, or maybe they’ll be abandoned in their Poke Balls in the warehouses you have yet to find, I don’t care. But we will stop what we’re doing. Fair is fair.

“As for me,” she added. “I’m sure I’ll find some other way to enjoy Yulia’s company. Maybe we’ll even see you again. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Freya took a step away from him and flexed her uncuffed arm, as if to remind Clive that he could still take this easier route. “Those are my conditions,” she finished. She let Clive consider them for only a moment before speaking again. “As a private investigator, I’m certain you’ve heard of blood pacts.” A deeply taboo and illegal practice, it was possible, with a Psychic Pokemon’s help, to sign deals in blood. They were often officiated by psychics who would somehow know when the deal was broken. Punishment ranged from torture to sure death at the hands of a Pokemon’s mind-bending attacks. “I’m confident in myself,” Freya said, “but I’m not stupid. I don’t trust you. So I want insurance.” She motioned her free wrist towards him. “Or if you’re afraid of losing, you can just finish up here. It’s getting late, isn’t it?”

[Headwrapper]

Clive's expression remained still and stoic, like a statue's, while he awaited responses to his questions. His knuckles grew as white as marble as he squeezed the metal cuff, which dug into his palm like a knife. His eyes only moved to the sound of Freya's voice, glancing down to her lips briefly. He could not help but feel a sort of fascination in her tone, how it seemed so familiar and foreign at the same time. Could this intruding spirit really be the work of a Pokemon such as Ninetales? It was a captivating mystery of its own.

A hiss echoed from the other room: Fritz. Clive flared his nostrils before suddenly releasing Yulia's arm. A sharp line of pain remained across his palm where he had been squeezing the metal band, though he paid it no mind. He was not particularly thrilled with the answers as he they rolled off of Freya's tongue. Having to destroy the evidence over losing a battle was hardly an option he could fathom. It would be incriminating beyond belief. Even if he could hide his tracks, somehow frame the breach as a cyber attack or a raid from Avarice, there would be no way he could not incriminate himself. Leaving the case would be too obvious, but even if he did not, it would only be a matter of time before the story presents itself to his peers. Nat and Jean had the skills to figure it out, and they would not be particularly kind about it. Clive would forever be on the run, or behind bars for a long time. Too long of a time for him to be off the streets, unable to go after the real criminals. Unable to cling to his hope for revenge. The risk was not only too high, it was tragically, ludicrously, impalpable.

But. Clive could not help but reel his head at Freya's taunt, which alluded to the dangers such a battle would pose for his Pokemon. It served as an agonizing reminder that his ace Pokemon was unable to battle. Inwardly, he kicked himself, knowing that he let his anger flare through the stoic expression he had managed so far. Fritz hissed from the other room again, causing both Clive and Freya to pause. Did the Pokemon really know waht was happening? Could it really sense that the blue-haired woman standing in front of Clive was not truly its master? That there was an enemy there that only he and Clive could see? A satisfying feeling washed over Clive as the feline Pokemon seemed to take his side, easing some of the tension in his chest.

Freya proceeded with offering the reward that was on the table for defeating her in battle. Clive was not entirely satisfied with it, either. Avarice's defeat was inevitable. Clive had to believe that. Defeating them and unwinding Yulia's destiny from Freya's was something only he could do. The deal, as Freya presented that, did not seem to give him a path to doing so. Not without a certain kind of help, which Freya had begun to detail.

"A blood pact?" he asked rhetorically. He turned away for a moment, contemplating the idea. Seriously contemplating. When he spoke again, his tone lofty and distracted, he did not turn back to Freya. It was as if he was speaking to the room around them instead. "It's a shame that your trust is so fickle. I was the one who asked to speak to you, thinking you'd be trustworthy, remember?" Ignoring Freya's surrendered wrist, he paced towards the far wall and slowly came to a halt. There, he could conceal his contemplative expression. Defeating Avarice was not enough anymore. Winning, on its own, seldom was for a man like Clive. He had to have it all, even if he bent the rules a little to get it.

Don't be stupid. The thought rattled in his mind. It was a stern, womanly voice, that belonged to one of the strongest detectives he knew: Nat. You need to value yourself and the work you do. How many more people will Avarice hurt if you lose? How many Pokemon? And who will there be to take on the next case, and the one after that? You need to take calculated risks and make incremental steps forwards, without losing ground.

Another voice chimed in, offering its own opinion. It was low-pitched and proud, though Jean spoke with a polite tone when he addressed his partner. But would any of this be worth it if even one victim is left behind? Maybe in a few years we can take down Avarice, but then Yulia will be...

Freya has already destroyed countless lives. Yulia's was the first, and there's no going back. We need to stop the bleeding.

The bleeding never stops, Clive thought, now with his own voice, his own presence of mind. For every victim, there is a lifetime of torment. Of anger, solitude, poor judgement. It will define them. When the detectives relieved themselves of the unsolvable murder case, turned their backs, they placed the burden on me. I can't do that, even after...

Clive inhaled, probably for the first time in over a minute. There was a certain aloofness in his expression as he gave her a once over. His choice became so painfully clear now, but he had terms. "A blood pact it is," he said lightly. "But while we're using such powerful magic, I'd like to amend our terms. If I win, I don't want to see you again, Freya. You'll pay for your crimes alone. Yulia will remain free."

[Ashen]

Staying silent while Clive considered the terms of her deal was nearly impossible for someone as impatient as Freya. She looked at her wrists and saw the marks already blooming under the strain of her new bracelets. Clive wasn’t just taking the easy way out. Why? Freya needed to not rush things. If she played her cards right, and with just a bit of luck, then she would be able to defeat the host of her body once and for all, and there was nothing she wanted more than to ruin Yulia like that.

When Clive finally moved towards her again and responded to her conditions, Freya had to keep herself from cheering aloud. The fool was actually going to commit, then. Battling him would be a walk in National Park, especially with one of his main Pokemon unable to battle still. Freya smirked. This would be so much fun, and the best part was Yulia would get to watch as her beloved partner failed to fulfil her dream of stopping her parasite.

Though when Clive introduced new conditions to their deal, Freya’s smile fell. She shook her head with an apathetic shrug. “No can do, Clive,” she said. “Let’s pretend for a moment that I was up for that. It’s rude of you to try to take me away from my sister like that, but I digress. There’s no way you’d be able to keep Yulia free while punishing me. I dunno if you were even listening to her story, but I died. My body is at least thirty years decayed. There’s nowhere I could go.” A new smile met her lips, dark and taunting. “Besides,” she continued, “even if you found me someone else to mess with, I certainly don’t know of any magic strong enough to detach me from Yulia. It’s not like you can hire a surgeon to just cut a few veins and I’m free. I’m in her head, and she’s already had psychiatrists try to get rid of me. They couldn’t.”

Freya adjusted the cuff on her wrist and impatiently tapped her foot against the floor. Clive would have to agree to her terms if he wanted Yulia free; there was no way around that. All this stalling was getting on Freya’s nerves. After an exaggerated huff, she spoke again. “If you can somehow figure out how to do that, though? Sure. I agree to leave you alone if you win.” She chuckled. “Maybe figuring out how to get rid of me is what you can devote your life to once you turn in your badge, huh?”

Meanwhile, Yulia was struggling for consciousness in her own body. She felt as if she were underwater, and Clive’s voice was a ripple barely meeting her ears. He wanted to save her. Did she hear that right? Clive wanted to save her and get Freya away from her. Yulia had spent many years trying to figure out how to do just that, and she didn’t have much faith there was a way, but… Clive was a better detective than she was. He had more experience, more connections. Was it possible he could find a way to save her? For the first time in a long, long while, Yulia could take comfort in the hope that this secret of hers would not control her forever.

[Headwrapper]

Clive's fingers curled into a fist, a scowl traveling across the usual path that wrinkled around his lips. If there would ever be a chance to rid Yulia of this evil harbinger, this battle would be it. He would not have much time to prepare, but Clive had to try. There had to be a way, but he had to find it on his own. "Then it's settled," he said, taking Freya's wrist. His hands paused as he worked to unlock the cuff he had placed on her earlier, but only for a moment. A metallic clink signaled the bond's release, and Clive placed the chain back on his belt. "We'll battle for it."



As he exited the apartment building, Clive drew a long breath, savoring the cool night air as it filled his lungs. He shivered as he exhaled and frosty breath plumed from his lips. Was it really so cold at this time of the year? Perhaps that was not so important, given the task at hand. There was only one week to prepare himself for his battle with Freya. His preparation would dictate Avarice's, and therefore, the region's, fate. The continent would not be able to handle any more losses at the criminals' hands, not any more. They could not afford another Great Storm, or another ransacking of the supply chain, or kidnapping of prized Pokemon. It was up to him and Yulia to finally end it all.

Another frosty plume formed in front of Clive's face, trailing behind him as he walked. Yulia was the only other person who knew more about Avarice's corruption and wrongdoings than Clive. Would he be able to finally stop them without her help and her passion for justice? Perhaps not, and perhaps that was exactly why he needed to win this battle. Undoubtedly, Clive was still angry about Yulia's secret and he still had some doubt about whether or not that Freya was really someone else's conscious. Even so, Yulia was his friend and his partner, and there was no finishing this case without her.

After passing under a street lamp, Clive's stride slowed to a stop. He glanced in the general direction of where he had parked his vehicle, then reluctantly turned around, one hand at the Pokeballs on his hip. "Why don't you save us some time and come out?" As if by command, Clive's shadow began to sway and wobble, bubbling as it rose from the ground and stood on its own two legs. Clive furrowed his eyebrows and took a step back, but quickly relaxed as the figure before him fully took form. "Gengar?" Before him stood the Gengar that Phoenix had used in their battle. Could it possibly have escaped the evidence locker? Was it possible that it clung to Clive's shadow this entire time?

Gengar motioned for Clive, watching him with its unreadable expression that was locked in a permanent smile. After a while, Clive eventually understood. "You want to show me something? Go on then, let's go."


~~~~

Almost exactly one week had passed since Clive's meeting with Freya and Yulia. His preparations were complete. At least, as complete as they could be. Clive clung onto Dragonite's back as they soared towards the designated meeting location. The straps of a heavy backpack pulled tightly on Clive's shoulders as the brisk winds pierced his face. He lowered his head as they traveled at breakneck speed, mentally recounting his preparations and his plans for winning the battle to come.

Dragonite effortlessly landed before the mouth of a large cavern in the side of a mountain, flicking his wings lightly before landing on his feet. Clive stepped down, taking a moment to search the area. He could not be sure that there were no traps laid out for his arrival. After setting down his bag, he knelt down and gently slid his fingers over the earth at his feet. It was all new, volcanic soil, and it still felt slightly warm to the touch. The caves nearby must have been formed by Entei, who had forced the volcanoes to expel lava during its torment at the hand's of Avarice.

Clive took stock of the Pokeballs that hung on his belt. There were five Pokeballs of various types, which left room for one more battle-ready Pokemon. "Here goes nothing," Clive said dryly, digging into his pocket. He raised the clear bell, holding it between his thumb and index fingers, and let the dwindling sun's rays bounce off of it. With a fluid motion, he shook his wrist, and hoped the bell might work its magic. As the sun continued to descend behind the horizon, with no response to the bell's call, Clive eventually conceded with a humbled nod. "It was worth a shot." He picked up his bag, recalled Dragonite into a refurbished red and white Pokeball that had scratches on its face, and descended into the caves.

It took a long time to navigate through the caves, but as Clive made his way through the newly formed lava tubes, he finally found the meeting spot. Several purple chandeliers and lanterns, which Clive recognized as dormant Pokemon, hung from the tall ceiling of the cavern and lit it with a gloomy glow. Perhaps the darkness was an unplanned advantage he could utilize, he thought. There were not many advantages he had in this battle. Yulia, or possibly Freya, stood at the other end of the cavern, ready with Pokemon that were more carefully trained for battle than Clive's. They were watching, and waiting. It may be the last time he would see them in person, but Clive would not let that bother him. There may have already been several last times that they have already passed over, without realizing it. However, it was hard to ignore that several painstaking months of research, work, and battles would all boil down to their battle. That the last one hundred sixty-eight hours of preparation, travel, strategizing, and training also lead to this moment. In his quest to find a solution to the root cause of the Team Avarice problem, Clive had seen more than he had ever dared to imagine. It was time to put his newfound knowledge to the test. With no way of knowing what this battle would bring, Clive had no choice but to trust in his instincts, his strategy, and his Pokemon.

[Ashen]

The apartment was so much emptier in Clive’s absence than it had been before he’d arrived. Freya locked the door behind him, but it was Yulia who was left with control of the body, who felt the weight teetering on her shoulders. All of the time and energy she had dedicated to studying hard and becoming a detective, taking on this case, giving it her all… It was all going to come down to a single battle, one she couldn’t even partake in. She trusted her partner, of course she did, but Freya had been right that he wasn’t a battle. He and his Pokemon were under a tremendous amount of pressure because of her, and the only thing Yulia could do now was wait.


~~~

The following week passed by in a blur. Yulia was horribly unwell, so she couldn’t fight Freya for control as often as she would have liked. Freya loved it, and she spent much of her time in preparation for her battle. She took her time contacting her hidden admins, ensuring that they would go through with her plans if she failed. She wasn’t concerned about it, but a deal was a deal after all, and she was powerless to betray a blood pact. Not a single one of her underlings dared to ask what she was up to.

Freya also took her time with Yulia’s Pokemon. Zita and Valkyrie had shown their distaste for their master’s doppelganger as long as Yulia had had them, but it was Yulia’s voice that reassured them they needed to obey Freya. Yulia feared what Freya would do to them if they dared stepped out of line. She had seen firsthand what Avarice did to disobedient Pokemon, what pain Freya had designed, and Yulia would never be able to watch her Pokemon go through that. Ivy, her Skourpi, had the sense to remain in her ball, but her other Pokemon spent long and tiring hours on different battlefields, pitted against each other and the never-ending arsenal of stolen Pokemon Freya had at her disposal. Yulia didn’t know when Freya had become such a powerful Pokemon master, but with each day, with each new training session, Yulia grew more and more fearful about the upcoming battle.

Finally it came time to face him. Yulia hadn’t slept that night, hadn’t slept all week; Freya had stolen whatever chance of sleep she might have had. Now, as she dragged herself out of bed and pressed a button on her coffee maker, Yulia couldn’t stop herself from trembling. Today, the fate of Team Avarice, of her life’s work, of her partner, of her future, would be decided. She let out a long, shaky breath and, while her coffee cooled, she took a seat at her personal computer.

It had been a long time since she had logged into social media. Yulia hadn’t made many friends at the Academy, opting to focus too hard on her studies instead, but her friends lists were populated with the names of people she had once known. Some she hadn’t seen in years, and she wondered if they even remembered her. Yulia felt compelled to say her goodbyes still. She drafted a public message, thanking the people in her life who had gotten her where she was. Her message was longer than she meant, and she scheduled it to be posted tomorrow afternoon. If, somehow, Clive managed to not only win this battle but also find a way to free her from a life sentence, then Yulia would delete the post before it could go live. But, more likely, everyone she knew would be finding out tomorrow what a villain she was.

Fritz walked up to her, snaking between her legs with a long meow. Yulia pushed away from her computer and bent down to scratch him between the ears. “If I don’t come back,” she told him, “I need you to go to Heather in 209.” Yulia had determined the young woman was the least likely to turn away a stray Pokemon in the whole apartment complex. She had considered leaving a note for Heather on her door, but she hadn’t wanted to scare her. Yulia just hoped her darling Pokemon—all of them—would be okay when she was gone.

“You’re wasting time.”

“I know.” Yulia rose to retrieve her mug of coffee. “Just… let me have this.”

She could practically feel Freya rolling her eyes. “The psychic is waiting,” she reminded petulantly, but she retreated, leaving Yulia with her final moments of peace.


~~~

The drive to their agreed upon meeting place was long enough that Yulia had more than enough time to worry about what was to come but far too quick to think of a way to stop it all. When she arrived, Freya took over and parked the car illegally on some grass. She fidgeted in the skirt Yulia had chosen and gave an annoyed grunt before ducking into the cave.

Several Pokemon scurried out of her way. The locals had yet to know for sure how Avarice’s interference would affect the fauna of this area, but the Pokemon were still hostile at having their homes destroyed or mutilated. Yulia’ trapped in the passenger seat of her own body, watched them run from her. She didn’t want to think about her role in their aggression now.

Eventually, the pathways opened to a wide cavern dimly lit by Pokemon. The click of Yulia’s boots thundered across the place, terrifying. They were alone, or so they thought until a voice emerged from the darkness. “Leader.” It was the psychic, seated cross-legged and levitating near the back of the cave as if they had been there the whole time. Had they been there the whole time?

Freya approached with the slightest bow of acknowledgment. “Is everything in place?”

The psychic nodded and smirked under their mask. “Oiler has a trick up his sleeves today,” they purred.

Freya narrowed her eyes. “So do I.” She reached for her belt and ran her fingers over the six balls secured there. She had pored over her selection, using her knowledge of Clive’s team and her supply of stolen, powerful Pokemon. She had been sure her selection would perfectly counter his team, but the psychic’s words gave her pause. She ultimately decided the words of a weirdo were not worth listening to.

Footsteps echoed, and Freya turned to find Clive approaching. “There you are,” she said, and Freya’s voice seemed to rumble throughout the cavern.

A Pokemon emerged from a ball behind her, and when Freya turned to the psychic again, she saw that they had summoned an Alakazam. The Pokemon looked her over with its narrow, all-knowing eyes before turning to size up Clive. The psychic too looked between them. “Shall we?” they urged.

“Yes.” Freya waited for Clive to approach them. “A pact paid with blood,” she said, then summarized their terms: “Should I win the following battle, Clive Oiler agrees to resign from Team Avarice’s case and destroy all evidence he has gathered since taking it on. Should he win, I agree to disband Team Avarice and, should Clive find a way to undo the curse that has bound me to my host for twenty years, I agree to pay for my crimes alone.” Freya then turns to Clive. “That covers everything, right?”

The psychic lingered. They held a dagger now, though Freya couldn’t remember them taking it out of their robes. A blood pact required the consent of both parties, and as Freya offered her bare wrist, they waited for Clive to agree to her terms.

[Headwrapper]

Steeling himself, Clive set down his bag, then approached Freya and the mysterious figure that was with her. Without a doubt, the hovering trainer was the psychic that was selected to facilitate the blood pact. Clive could not help but eye their masked face with tremendous suspicion as he took his place across from Freya to listen to the terms of their battle. The light of the purple flames around them danced across everything, waving in amazement as Freya summarized their arrangement. Clive watched as they danced across his opponents familiar face, the six Pokeballs she possessed, and the psychic's strange mask. They reflected just right on one of Alakazam's spoons, which it held onto like life depended on it, and Clive observed the humanoid Pokemon for a long while. For some reason, it reminded him of that Drowzee sniffing around for dreams just outside of Goldenrod, the morning he met Yulia.

Suddenly, all eyes were on him. "Hmm," Clive hummed, agreeing to Freya's terms. His upper lip curled as the icy steel of the dagger cut into his skin, loosing thick drops of blood. Before any of the crimson drops could hit the ground, they paused, hovering in the air momentarily before ascending back towards the dagger. As the blade floated between Clive and Freya, their blood was drawn into the steel. It absorbed the scarlet ichor hungrily until the blade was stained a deep red color. The pact had been formed, and as the dagger slipped back into its sheath, the battlers' fates were placed on the scales to be weighed against each other.

As they separated to take their positions, Clive squeezed his hand. It shook with an incredible tremor that he could hardly control. "Focus," he hissed to himself, afraid of letting the adrenaline cloud his judgement. He took his position, a few strides away from his bag, a far distance away from Freya. Upon ridding himself of its weight, his trench coat flopped heavily on the ground, kicking up a plume of dust. The dust had not even settled before Clive lifted two of his five Pokeballs in one hand. "It's up to you to even the odds," he said into the scarred ball.

Clive was eager, but not stupid. He made sure Freya had selected her starting Pokemon, watching her through his usual, exasperated expression, before loosing his Pokemon. Gengar was almost completely camouflaged in the darkness of the cavern. Save for its blood red eyes, which glowed brightly as the Pokemon lifted its eyelids. The ground beneath him rumbled as Clive's second Pokemon took form, slamming the ground heavily with its colossal tail. Like Clive, Dragonite was eager with anticipation, loosing a loud roar as it appeared on the battlefield.

Freya also sent out two powerful Pokemon: Mienshao and Golurk. Perhaps luck was on Clive's side after all, he thought. If he played his cards right, neither oppoenent would pose too great of a threat to his two starting fighters. Dragonite, battle scarred and war torn, could take quite a few hits. His other Pokemon would not be easy to hit in the first place. Without missing a beat, Clive commanded Dragonite to perform its Dragon Dance. "Don't be shy about it!" he added. Dragonite took to the air with a heavy beat of its wings, weaving and swerving as it performed the ancient dance. And as Clive commanded, the Pokemon refused to be defensive with its moves. It veered dangerously close to Meinshao, as if to posture its brute strength. Even from a distance, Clive could feel the intimidating power that Dragonite possessed. It was the same as when he captured it in the Dragon's Den....




"So, you've returned," the Elder at the Dragon's Den stated.

Clive held up a newly repaired Pokeball. The material on its face was still scratched, but the hinge and latch were fully functional. "I have."

"I will take you to him, then."

After descending deeper into the Den, Clive finally saw him, standing on a small remote island in the center of the Den's watery cavern. His father's Dragonite. Upon sensing Clive, the Pokemon took flight, landing in front of its old friend. "I need to know that I can do this. It's the only way to know if I can beat Freya, and to beat Avarice once and for all. So don't hold back."

It was a long, hard fought battle. The scratched Pokeball shook one final time on the stone floor of the Dragon's Den. Then, it quivered as the latch clicked with a confirmed catch. Clive dropped to his knees, exhausted of the battle just as much as he was ecstatic with his victory. I can really do this, he thought.




The memory of his victory at the Dragon's Den refreshed in his mind, Clive continued to extend his commands. Gengar would be able to move well before Golurk would. "Into the shadows," he commanded, and Gengar promptly vanished, a phantom in the caves walls. Before long, Freya's Pokemon had a chance to catch up. They interrupted Dragonite's dance with a few moves, but he resisted, staying in flight. Power emanated from the dragon's limbs, crackling with anticipation. Dragonite descended upon Mienshao with Outrage, preparing to crush it with all of its might. With a well-timed Ally Switch, Mienshao vanished, and the sturdier Golurk took its place. Dragonite's attack landed with so much ferocity that the Golurk fell to the ground, kicking up dust. After a long pause, the golem began to rise.

"Now!" Clive commanded.

Suddenly, Gengar appeared from behind Golurk, striking it with a vicious blow to the head. That was enough to eliminate the large golem-like Pokemon from the battle. Its partially risen body fell back down. The massive, outstretched arms slammed the ground and kicked up another cloud of dust, covering everything. Undoubtedly, Golurk's defeat would be confirmed once the dust settles.

Responding to its orders, Mienshao suddenly emerged from the dust cloud, spinning wildly as it rose to deliver a surprise attack to Dragonite during the commotion.

Dragonite was too fast, thanks to the benefits of his earlier Dragon Dance. It spun to meet Mienshao's blow, matching it with its tail. The fighting-type folded over the appendage like a closing book, expelling air loudly as the tail crashed into its abdomen. A wild roar loosed from Dragonite's jaws as it continued the swing in a furious pirouette, sending its opponent flying in a completely different direction. Mienshao hit the ground, tumbling as it failed to recover. When it finally skidded to a halt, it was clear that Mienshao and Golurk were no longer able to battle.

Clive continued trying to still his trembling hand. He knew better than to boast so early in the battle, but there was no denying that the start of this battle went as well as he could have ever hoped. Factoring the damage his Pokemon had taken during the first skirmish, he judged that his and Freya's teams were now about even. The challenge had only just begun; in a few seconds, they would be facing two freshly rested Pokemon.

[Ashen]

The battle was in full swing now. Freya commanded her team with a grace Yulia had never had the confidence to possess. She glided around her side of the field, pointing out her targets and yelling to her Pokemon with a clear, commanding voice. This, apparently, was not enough to keep them alive, and when Freya withdrew her Golurk and Mienshao in quick succession, anger exploded across her face. She threw the Poke Balls to the ground, and a deep crack formed at the top of one of them. “Worthless,” she snarled as she looked to her bag for her next fighters.

The psychic and their Alakazam watched her tantrum from the sidelines, a small smirk hiding under the human’s mask. They already knew how this battle was going to go, of course, but seeing how it played out was no less fun because of it. They ran their hands over their dagger, now full with strangers’ blood, and pondered what could be done with it. An angry soul like Freya’s was a powerful force in their magic, but… The psychic looked at Clive as he commanded his Pokemon. Something told them there was already a use for Freya in the cards.

Freya didn’t take long choosing her next Pokemon. She sized up Clive’s two, a Dragonite and a Gengar, and from there her choice was obvious. She paused, though, her fingers hesitating over the minimized form of her Pokemon’s Balls. That Dragonite… Freya had never cared much for which Pokemon her subordinates used. As long as they weren’t useless in battle, it was all the same to her. But Freya recognized the scar on that Dragonite’s face, and she grunted to herself. That had been Phoenix’s Pokemon. Was Clive trying to disarm her by using a Pokemon she would recognize? She turned towards her bag and reconsidered. Well, two could play at that game.

The Primarina fell from the air with a flourish, and it immediately locked eyes with the swift and strong Dragonite. Freya’s second Pokemon erupted from its Ball but remained in the air, its powerful wings throwing dust and rocks everywhere below it. It was a Braviary. Yulia's Braviary, and Valkyrie’s discomfort with this whole situation was clear on his face. He spared only a backwards glance at his master—to the witch he wore his master’s face—before setting his sights on the battle. He, like all of Yulia’s Pokemon, had been told to obey orders, but that did not mean he had to be happy about it.

Freya called out, giving each Pokemon a list of attacks to use, and the flurry of moves came at Clive’s side with no hesitation. The Dragonite, despite its heightened speed and attack, was powerless against Primarina’s Ice Beam. When it fell, the water-fairy Pokemon turned towards its trainer to celebrate, but Freya’s attention was already on her next moves. The Braviary almost landed an attack on Gengar, but the ghost Pokemon was too slippery. When Clive recalled it to its Ball, Freya straightened and hummed to herself. She wondered what he had planned.

Next came a Houndoom and Clive’s precious Umbreon. The latter was one of his star Pokemon, and Freya could remember with an amused grin the look on his face when she had made fun of him for his Pokemon’s failing health. It had had its time to heal, but Freya still wasn’t worried about it. The thing was weak, and it would bow down to the powerful Pokemon she had chosen. She called out new attacks, ordering her Primarina’s focus on the Houndoom while Valkyrie took the Umbreon. The Braviary’s face was twisted in remorse; he knew this adversary, and he never wanted to hurt it, but he trusted Yulia. He needed to.

One particularly reckless Brave Bird later and Umbreon was out of battle. The Houndoom, who had been supported by an array of Umbreon’s defensive moves, was able to withstand a Bubble Beam to its face, and it came back with a vigor Freya hadn’t been expecting. Her Primarina succumbed to the Houndoom, but her odds were still looking good. Clive was down two Pokemon with one injured, which meant he had two healthy Pokemon to go. In addition to Braviary, Freya had two more as well, but she was looking forward to seeing how Clive would handle this.

The jewel Pokemon Diancie let out a beautiful, high-pitched cry when it landed on the battlefield. It seemed to smile at Clive, and it twirled so that the crystals on its body sparkled. Freya waited for Clive to choose his next Pokemon, and when he settled on Gengar again, she smirked. This would be too easy.

The psychic gave their Alakazam a knowing look. The mythical Pokemon Diancie would be the rarest one they would see that day, and they were impressed at Freya’s ability to attain it. To steal it.

Freya flashed Clive a Cheshire grin. Their battle had had no clauses against using mythical Pokemon, and she was sure he hadn’t been expecting a trump card like this. Diancie was the perfect counter to his team, and she had gone through great lengths to obtain it just for this. She could practically feel victory already. Clive had had a great start, but this battle was going to wrap up in Freya’s favor, now.

[Headwrapper]

Freya's anger did not go unnoticed by Clive. The cracked ball that sat at her feet flickered dimly, reflecting the flames around the battlefield. Any heedlessness Team Avarice's leader may have had was likely gone now. The battle was only going to be more difficult from here. Clive steeled himself as the next pair of Pokemon were summoned. His jaw clenched at the sight of Valkyrie, who was clearly disconcerted by the situation.

The other Pokemon Freya chose to send out was going to be a larger issue for his team. Dragonite was at a type disadvantage, and Shadow, disguised as Gengar, lacked the mastery of poison moves that the real thing had. Not to mention that a stray hit from either opponent would likely take the Zorua out. Clive did not have enough time to think of an out and issued his commands with reactive compulsion. Shadow disappeared, outwardly mimicking Gengar's ability to hide in the shadows, and Dragonite dipped and dived around Primarina's ice beam. Lightning crackled around Dragonite's firsts as he swerved viciously, but ultimately, it was impossible to get close enough to finish off Primarina.

Not now, Clive thought as Dragonite collapsed. He returned it to its ball reluctantly. Dragonite had fought well and Clive could not help but feel like he let the dragon Pokemon down. As he returned the scratched Pokeball to his hip, Clive promised to make it up to Dragonite by winning. He recalled Shadow and sent out Houndoom and Umbreon.

The two Pokemon Clive trusted the most stood firmly, dutifully awaiting their commands. Deep within his gut, Clive's stomach turned remorsefully at the sight of Umbreon. It was too early to bring him back into the thick of battle, especially against such powerful Pokemon, but what choice did he have? Besides, Umbreon would never have forgiven him if he fought such an important battle without his most longstanding companion. Even if the path to victory was going to be painful.

His heart heavy with each command, Clive directed his Umbreon to defend Houndoom at all costs. Light Screen minimized the damage from Primarina's special moves. Houndoom howled as he charged towards Primarina, his jaws crackling with yellow sparks. Umbreon kept pace, a milky white light glowing around him before he bestowed energy to its partner using Helping Hand. The white light transferred to Houndoom then, and the pair split from each other. Umbreon dove towards Valkyrie defiantly, and the two Pokemon colliding with a loud crash.

Faithful to his trainer's commands, Houndoom pushed passed Primarina's attacks, trumpeting another loud howl before collapsing its electrically charged jaws around Primarina with its Thunder Fang attack.

When the dust settled, both Freya and Clive lost a Pokemon in the skirmish. A faint shimmer, like a star, ascended from Umbreon's limp frame. Clive wondered if Freya even noticed it. "Thank you," he whispered, returning his cherished companion to its ball. A sudden mindfulness swept itself over Clive. He was more mindful of how dark the cave had been, how ominous the disguised psychic was as he watched them battle, and how much his own hand trembled. Did it only start again now, or had it been trembling since he noticed it at the start of the battle?

His awareness did not end there. He could tell in Freya's body language that she was already excited to move onto her next Pokemon. Despite that, Clive could not have predicted that the next opponent in the lineup was going to be the mythical Pokemon, Diancie. The diamonds around the Pokemon sparkled as it twirled, relishing in its own entrance. Clive tapped at his breast pocket nervously, and Rotom-phone appeared before him to confirm that the Pokemon was a Fairy and Rock type. Rotom also added a comment about how powerful a mythical Pokemon was. "I'll keep that in mind," Clive muttered, stowing the phone away.

The timing was inopportune. Had Clive known he would be facing such a Pokemon, he could have adapted his strategy. Umbreon knew one steel-type move, and perhaps his other Pokemon could have found ways to whittle down the threat. There was really only one good option for him now. Taking a moment to double check that he had the right Pokeball, he loosed Gengar, the real Gengar, fresh and ready to battle.

"Is that all you got?" Clive called out to Freya. He was bluffing, and she probably knew it, too. However, Clive was sure that his comment would annoy her, even if only a little. Diancie would be strong, really strong, but his Pokemon were faster. Gengar disappeared into the shadows, twice as fast as the doppelganger before it.

As Gengar vanished, Houndoom loosed a cloud of poisonous smog towards the other side of the battlefield. Clive clenched his quivering hand into a fist, hoping that this would give him a chance. At best, Diancie may be inflicted with poison, and at worst, the smog would serve as a mild distraction that Clive could take advantage of.

[Ashen]

Freya could tell Clive was immobilized by her choice of Pokemon, and just like that, everything she’d done to bring Diancie here was worth it. She smirked when she saw him mumble something into his Rotom-phone, and she even swore she saw his hands shaking. He knew he was out of his depth, and nothing his silly phone could tell him would change that. Freya could have laughed. But his insult, shouted over the fray of their battling Pokemon, formed a crease in her brow. Had he been expecting more than a mythical Pokemon? It was true; in pursuing her organization, the man had dealt with each of the legendary beasts of Johto. Maybe Diancie wasn’t the trump card she thought it was. Freya scowled, and she yelled a new command at her Pokemon, trying to ignore Clive’s stupid remark.

Diancie quickly proved its prowess in battle. Though it moved very slowly, its attacks were powerful, blasting into Clive’s Pokemon before they could find the chance to prepare. A single Power Gem was enough to take out the already-injured Houndoom, and as Diancie readied its Earth Power, Freya was sure the Gengar would be disposed of just as easily. But the Gengar faded into thin air, drifting away from where the attack would have hit it, and Freya swore under her breath. She yelled to the Braviary, and Valkyrie quickly obeyed, but with his target invisible, there was no way his attacks could make contact.

What did it matter though, really? With Houndoom out, Clive only had two more Pokemon: his Gengar and something else—likely the Zorua he favored. But with Gengar injured from its last stand in this battle, and Zorua being a puny, unevolved thing, Freya doubted Clive would be able to do anything. She had to stop herself from celebrating her victory already.

If she had glanced over at the psychic at that moment, she would have seen the wide, half-hidden grin and chuckling form that suggested this wasn’t over yet.

When Shadow came onto the field, Freya shifted her weight and grunted. Now she just had to finish this. She commanded her Braviary to beat his massive wings, an attack not aimed at either of Clive’s Pokemon but at her own team. Diancie was strong, but it would be even stronger riding its partner’s Tailwind. Freya then took a moment to study the Gengar and Zorua. The Gengar moved too quickly, uninhibited, as if it wasn’t injured at all. As if this was the first time it had seen this battle. “I see,” she said to herself, her eyes landing on the small dark-type Pokemon. “You think you’re clever.”

Freya focused all of her attention on Diancie, calling attack after attack and relishing the mythical Pokemon’s raw power. It didn’t come as a surprise when Braviary was defeated, and she recalled the fainted bird with barely a glance towards him. She tossed her final Poke Ball into the air, and out came her host’s precious Zita, the very same Beartic—just a Cubchoo then—that her parents had given her so long ago. Zita, like Valkyrie, had received Yulia’s instructions to follow Freya’s orders. The ferocious polar bear narrowed her eyes at Freya, and when she turned to the opposite side of the battlefield to size up her opponents, she seemed remorseful. Resigned. She was a powerful foe, but a tortured captive of a battle she did not want to win.

Freya crossed her arms over her chest. “Let’s see how you handle these two,” she said, indicating the two unstoppable forces on her side of the field. Maybe it had been her own oversight that had defeated Yulia’s Braviary, but Clive would have no chance against a mythical Pokemon and his own partner’s childhood friend.

[Headwrapper]

Despite Clive and his team's efforts, Diancie quickly proved to be an overwhelming force in battle. Houndoom was quickly taken out by a Power Gem attack that it was unable to avoid, and as Clive recalled the unconscious Pokemon, a sudden burst of pain exploded in his head. A piercing voice, rather, a cacophony of voices, shrilled inside of his head.

What are you doing?

C'mon, get her!

Maybe you should just let us all go, huh?

When are you going to get serious?

Clive jerked a glance towards the backpack he had placed on the ground nearby, pushing the voices out of his mind. It was not time for this nonsense. Now back in a one Pokemon disadvantage, Clive needed to focus on how to turn the battle back in his favor. Diancie was a huge threat, but that did not mean the detective and his Pokemon did not have a few tricks left. He sent out his final Pokemon, the clever Shadow who Clive previously switched out earlier. "It's all up to us now!" Clive called out to the Gengar and Zorua.

After reaffirming the importance of avoiding Diancie's attacks, Clive commanded both of his Pokemon to take to the battlefield and take advantage of the strengths they had lying in the shadows cast throughout the cave. What they could not achieve through raw power they had to try to obtain through misdirection. Gengar sank into its shadow, vanishing completely, as Shadow sped up with increasing Agility. Focused completely on avoiding Diancie's attacks and heeding Clive's warnings, Shadow managed to avoid any direct hits during their opening bout.

Clive saw an opening to eliminate the Braviary supporting Diancie in its onslaught. Sorry about this, he thought. At Clive's command, his Zorua paused on a stalagmite, and its own shadow seemed to extend out down the rock. The black shadow quickly grew, writhing and slithering like a snake towards Diancie. Despite the darkness of the cave, the Shadow Sneak was too obvious of an attack, and had no hope of doing significant damage to Diancie. And that was not what Clive was counting on.

"Now, bring it down Gengar!" At Clive's command, a purple blur leaped from one of the stalactites above, transforming into Gengar. He wrapped his surprisingly dexterous tongue around Braviary as he flew by, and immediately descended towards the ground, meeting with the Zorua shadow as it sped across the cavern floor. Shadow vanished entirely for a brief moment before reappearing at the end of its shadow, readying a Foul Play as Gengar tossed Valkyrie towards the ground. Turning the Braviary's own strength against itself, Shadow finished knocked it out with a strong blow.

Hey look, he finally woke up! A voice chided inside of Clive's head. It was accompanied by... applause? He huffed as he pushed the sounds out a second time, swearing under his breath. It was down to the final two on two battle, and his bag of tricks was growing empty. If he was going to win, he needed to do it fast before he's revealed everything he had up his sleeve. The Gengar and Zorua reset their positions in front of Clive, and all of three of them watched as Zita entered the battlefield. Clive nodded knowingly, acknowledging the loyal Pokemon's discomfort. He addressed the Pokemon and its oppressive despot at the same time. "This will be over soon." Taking stock of the situation, Clive's gaze paused briefly on Gengar, reflecting on their private meeting that took place of their introduction to Freya.



Gengar had approached Clive after leaving Yulia's apartment.. "You want to show me something? Go on then, let's go." The trek proved to be long, taking Clive outside of town and into the nearby woods. Under the cover of the trees, the woods were dark, too dark to travel through safely, but he continued to follow Gengar's glowing red eyes into the mysterious nothingness. After stumbling over roots and low branches and blindly waving his arms to avoid collisions with the hidden trees, Clive eventually fumbled into a clearing, well-lit with moonlight.

The detective approached a stone obtrusion, only a few feet tall, jutting out of the ground like a gravestone in the center of the clearing. There were carvings in the obelisk, perhaps in a language he could not understand. "What is this?" he asked, turning back towards Gengar. Before he could completely turn around, a sharp, icy chill ran up his entire body, and everything faded to black.

Gengar slowly raised Clive's ghost from his body, allowing the physical body to sink to his knees and fall over to his side. Gengar watched, its grin unmoving, as the ghost -a silhouette of Clive made of blue smoke- awoke.

When Clive opened his eyes, he realized he was floating in the air, Gengar holding onto the cuff of his coat. Gengar gently released him, giving him a moment to glance around. He was still in the clearing, but he was... flying? And who was that below him? It was him, motionless. "What did you do to me!?" he shouted. Gengar simply shook his head once, and floated down towards the obelisk. It paused for a moment, before ushering Clive onward and diving straight through the earth.

Clive followed suit, growing used to maneuvering as a ghost a little too quickly. He paused, shuddering at the sight of his own unmoving body nearby, and pressed himself through the ground below him. There, he and Gengar floated inside of a large, dark room with walls of clay. The room was lit only by the strange blue glow of Clive's ghost, and Gengar's large red eyes. There was another stone, carved in the shape of a narrow dome, like a giant gum drop, sitting atop what appeared to be a stone coffin. Like the obelisk, an odd pattern was carved into this gumdrop-shaped stone, like a childish drawing of a frowning face. Surprised by this new discovery, Clive set aside his intial concerns as the observed the tiny room. As the detective approached the stone, over a hundred voices filled his mind, so overwhelming that even his ghost pressed its hands against its ears. Children, men, and women, cackled and shouted and screamed inside of his head, all at once. The sound was deafening, and it grew louder and louder with each passing second until Clive could feel his head about to burst.

Only when the sound suddenly stop did Clive open his ethereal eyes. We was met by the sight of a young girl placing her hand on the odd stone. He immediately recognized her as the strange, teleporting psychic he had met before. She mumbled something to the stone as she waved her hand overtop of it, staring straight at Clive's ghost all the while. A green puff of smoke, a wisp, floated out of the girl's chest before being aggressively sucked into the stone. If Clive could still feel his heart, it would have sunk. What sort of trick was he caught up in?

"You needn't worry, Clive," the strange psychic said. Clive noticed a faint, almost invisible, green glow float off of her skin in small wisps. Perhaps it was something he could now only see with this newfound perspective, or an afterimage of whatever sorcery she just practiced. "In fact, it is a very fortunate coincidence for us to find each other like this. I think you have found what you're looking for in this Odd Keystone." She giggled lightly as she stepped closer, her eyes never leaving Clive's ghost. "We should get you back to where you belong... before you get too cold. But I will leave you with one thing: some words you must remember."



Refocused on the battle, Clive issued his commands. Shadow and Gengar continued to prove to be quick and elusive, vanishing, dodging, disappearing and reappearing to confuse their opponents. Finally, the Zorua reappeared in front of Zita, sending another Shadow Sneak directly towards her. Quickly, the shadow zigzagged across the ground beneath the Beartic's legs as it beelined towards Diancie. Then, just as abruptly, the shadow forked, splitting in two as it surround Diancie. The two ends met, forming a circle around the mythical Pokemon. Shadow's form suddenly vanished from in front of Zita, dodging another powerful attack, and he reappeared from the shadowy ring around Diancie, striking the Pokemon.

The Shadow Sneak attack was weak, and the Zorua bounced off of Diancie pathetically, almost too pathetically, causing the small Pokemon to roll across the ground several times. In the process, it was detached from the shadow underneath Diancie. Silently, hidden by the distraction of the small fox-Pokemon's charade, the shadow ring melded together into the form of Gengar. The ghost revealed itself, its mouth open wide as toxic sludge formed within its maw. It loosed a Sludge Bomb from a recklessly close range, hitting Diancie directly with little room for either the mythical Pokemon or the ghost-type to escape.

[Ashen]

On the outside, Clive looked calm and unbothered, but Freya knew him too well to not notice how he stumbled. He almost seemed like he was struggling with something, and unaware of the voices he was hearing urging him on, Freya assumed he was frazzled by the direction their battle was going. He was losing, and he was probably only not realizing that he’d never had a chance at winning to begin with. All of her cocky assumptions went straight to Freya’s head, and as her confidence swelled until it was bursting from her smile, she disregarded her own strategy to back in her won glory.

Yulia had raised Zita to be a powerful Pokemon, and she didn’t have to worry about Diancie either, so Freya casually crossed her arms over her chest and watched on with a relaxed smirk. Even if the Gengar and Zorua pair fought well, able to play on each other’s disappearing abilities, they would never be able to do any real damage to either of her Pokemon. Still, their invisibility was getting annoying. Freya called for Diancie to summon rocks across the field, suspended in the air by its mythical aura. The ghost- and dark-type Pokemon would be unable to tread so freely around the cave now without cutting themselves on the rocks. Freya then turned to the other half of her remaining team. “Let’s change things up in here,” she said. “Beartic, Hail!”

Gusts of wind bellowed from the cave’s entrance, bringing with them a sheet of sleet that slammed against human and Pokemon. Freya was expecting it, so she shook it off with an easy smirk. In this weather, Zita would be able to land stronger attacks, perfect for finishing this quickly. But, more importantly, it would make it difficult for Clive and his Pokemon to see too far, so Freya’s team was just as invisible as his.

Or she thought, until his Gengar appeared in front of her Diancie, an attack already formed in its mouth. Freya called out to the Diancie, but it was too late. The Sludge Bomb landed with full force, and the Diancie was thrown across the battlefield, its crystals twinkling and a howl emerging from its throat. There it remained for several seconds, unmoving, until Freya was forced to return it to its ball. “Useless,” she snarled. “After everything I did to get you here. Useless.” She shoved the ball away and reached for another without looking, but when her fingers grazed only empty air, she swore. Zita was all she had left. “Fine,” Freya spat. She pointed across the field to the Beartic. “C’mon, you oaf, attack the Gengar!”

Zita summoned shards of ice from the air around her. They surrounded her, getting bigger and bigger until they were the size of a full-grown man. One after the other, Zita hurled them across the field. The first narrowly missed the Gengar, and it shattered dangerously close to Shadow. The next barely hit the ghost Pokemon, who was starting to show its exhaustion on its face. It disappeared, but Freya rolled her eyes. She was tired of this tactic. “Blizzard!” she commanded.

The psychic chuckled to themselves from their place away from the battle. They rummaged in their pack for a blanket, which they draped over the Alakazam. The Pokemon wrapped the blanket around its thin frame and joined their master in watching as the battle began its final stages.

The air in the cave got even colder, breaths hardening to mist instantly, as the hail picked up. Zita let out a roar and formed new ice around her, and then a wave of it was headed for Clive’s team. It slammed against Gengar and Shadow both, unavoidable in the cramped, cold space. Zita straightened and looked on in the storm, her expression tight, her eyes narrow. Clive’s Pokemon would pull through. They had to.

Freya shielded her eyes, but once the blizzard let up, she squinted through the storm to figure out the outcome of the attack. Gengar was unmoving, and Shadow was gone, likely obscuring its body with an illusion. Maybe the Zorua already had an attack planned. “Keep an eye out,” Freya muttered to the Beartic, who grunted her acknowledgment in return. At least now, they were evenly matched, though that might have been a stretch. Freya had a powerhouse of a Pokemon on her side, while Clive had only a tiny, wounded fox. It was time to end this.

[Headwrapper]

Gengar and Shadow's sneak attacks were more effective than what Clive had even hoped for. The super effective attack from Gengar was enough to knock out Freya's mythical weapon, one that she was surely counting on fully countering Clive's team. A chilly breath floated in front of Clive as he squinted across the battlefield in an attempt to keep track of his team through the blinding snow. Even as the chilling air stung his skin, he fought to keep focus on the battle. They were successful in taking out Diancie, but Freya was never going to give them a free victory.

The reckless charge at Diancie had placed both Gengar and Shadow in positions that were vulnerable to Zita's attacks. Blizzards and large masses of ice began to fly through the air before there was a chance for Clive's team to recover, suddenly placing them on the backfoot. The steep cost of taking out a Mythical Pokemon. Clive did not dwell on it. There was no going back now. The path taken to get here was0 scorched behind him, and it was this belief that he had to instill in his team as they fought to claim victory. "Move it! You need to stay in the battle!"

The detective braced himself against the bitter cold as he watched his Pokemon scramble to make distance from Zita, narrowly dodging her initial attacks. Zorua's earlier Agility helped it move quickly, but both he and Gengar could not make themselves invisible with such a vicious onslaught headed towards them. Hail racked them as they struggled to focus on the ice shards that soared from Zita's direction, but they pressed on, dashing to get back to their trainer. Just when it seemed like they would finally make it with minimal damage, Zita let out a powerful Blizzard attack that connected against both of her targets.

Ice formed on the hairs on the backs of Clive's arms as he shielded himself, the residual winds of the Blizzard rushing past him. When the gusts finally stopped, he lowered his arms, wincing as the frost nipped at his skin, and scanned the battlefield. Although his smile was still permanently fixed on his face, Gengar remained inanimate and clearly could no longer battle. Shadow began to limp along towards Clive, but upon observing Clive's nonverbal queues immediately vanished amongst its illusions before Freya and Zita could see. As he did so, Clive resisted the urge to gaze towards the ceiling of the cave. He still had cards to play in this battle.

Other than Freya's spoken commands to Zita, the cave was silent. Clive turned narrowly to pick up the trench coat he had abandoned earlier. As he pulled his arms through the sleeves, he briefly glanced down towards his bag. Then, without a word, he returned to his position, directing his focus on Zita and Freya while fastening his coat. Zita was still relatively fresh to the battle, her vitality apparent even through the concerned look on her face. Freya seemed less bothered than Clive would have anticipated. She expected the remainder of the battle to be easy, perhaps, though she must have been thoroughly annoyed of dancing with shadows. As Clive fixed his collar, he realized his hand no longer tremored. This was his battle to win, as long as he and Shadow stayed focused.

A shimmer of light flickered above the battlefield before descending downward like a raindrop bathed in light. At Clive's command, his Zorua reappeared with its Night Shade attack. A wall of purple, ghostly smoke appeared near Zita as Shadow vanished again. Suddenly, blood red eyes and matching crimson jaws revealed themselves through the violet portal, before instantly vanishing without doing damage. Immediately afterwards, with a loud boom, a mirage of the same image appeared at Zita's side, then again on her opposite side, then behind and above. The continued to appear and immediately disappear until the true Night Shade attack connected for some damage. As it did so, Shadow reappeared where the drop of light was falling, allowing it to strike him.

Clive sighed with relief as Umbreon's Wish reached Shadow, healing him significantly. They were still on the backfoot for this final one-on-one showdown. Clive was counting on flawless execution for them to win the battle, as the truth of the matter was that Zita possessed much more power than Clive's Zorua. That is not even speaking to the wealth of battle experience that the Pokemon possessed, possibly more than Clive and Zorua combined. Victory was well within reach for Freya, and yet Clive knew that it was his steal. Not just for himself, but for Yulia, for the entire Johto region, for even the world. Everything that had led them to this final bout, the friendship, the anger, the physical pain, the battles they won, the battles they lost, they all had to mean something.

That's right, he had to remember the reason he signed up for this crazy battle in the first place. "I'm coming, Yulia."

Another wave of ice attacks came hurdling towards Shadow. He ducked and dove to avoid them, before moving closer to start closing the gap between himself and Zita. The attacks became more erroneous and difficult to predict as Zita worked tirelessly to hit Shadow, using the placement of her attacks to corner him. "The ice!" Clive called, a command that would have been vague for any Pokemon other than the tricky fox. As large, man-sized boulders of ice surrounded the Zorua, a final one came hurdling his way. It connected exactly where the Beartic had aimed it, but by then, one of the ice shards had disappeared to present an escape route for Clive's Zorua. Mixed in with the sculptures of ice that Zita had flung around were illusions of ice, making it difficult for anyone but Shadow to discern which ice blocks were real and which were fake.

A shadow snaked along the ground, a Shadow Sneak attack that rose up from Zita's feet. Zita struck at the spot where Shadow would appear from the dark contour, having grown accustomed to this trick. It swiped passed the mirage of Shadow as the second, real Shadow ascended, squarely swiping the Beartic with its claws. A minor victory, as the frost from Zita's attacks, empowered with the snowstorm around them, began to tighten up Shadow's joints. He was slowing down, a significant problem against an opponent who has the potential to knock him out with a good square hit.

"Night Daze!" Clive quickly commanded. A black shockwave emanated from Shadow's mouth, hitting Zita as she struck the dark fox Pokemon with an icy blow. The Zorua tumbled before crashing into an icy boulder. Clive shouted to his Pokemon to move before Zita shook off the darkness that shrouded her vision. Covered in frost and bruises, Shadow struggled to move back towards its master, gritting its teeth as it crawled. Clive racked his brain for a solution, a way to recover after this misstep, but before he could think of anything, another Blizzard swept over Shadow and the rest of the battlefield before him.

Is this it? Clive wondered, clenching his teeth as the remnants of the Blizzard whizzed by him. As the winds yielded, the small black silhouette of Shadow appeared, rolled over on his side, his fur covered in frost. He remained completely still. Clive could hear his own heart beat drum inside of his ears as he called for Shadow to get up, to respond, to do anything. After several painstaking moments, Shadow's head turned towards Clive, as if awaiting another command from its master. "Can you get up?" Clive asked. The weight of the rocks that filled his stomach lessened as Shadow managed to get back on all fours, albeit in a shaky stance. Zita was readying one more, final attack, potentially an ultimate end to the battle. "Shadow," Clive began, gently. "Thanks for everything. You worked hard to help me with this case. I never would have made it this far without you, and Umbreon and Houndoom."

The detective flinched, looking down to see the mirage of a pair of arms that wrapped around him. Then another pair, and another. He recognized arms, even though he did not turn to see who they were attached to. They were the friends that supported him, even at his worst and nastiest moments. Those that showed him kindness as he and Yulia travelled the continent as they faced off against Avarice. He knew it was one of Shadow's tricks, an illusion, but they felt so real. Two more pairs of arms, one dark and thick and the other dainty and gentle, suddenly wrapped around him. "How do you..."

Clive's words halted as the illusion faded away, and a bright white glow began to overtake Shadow's figure. His silhouette glowed brightly, filling the cave with light and causing the Pokemon hanging above to stir. The stalagmites around them cast long shadows throughout the arena, and the light was so blinding that Clive shielded his eyes with his arm. He could barely make out the silhouette of the Zorua in front of him as it grew taller and stood on its hind legs. The light vanished as immediately as it came once the Zorua completed its evolution to the Illusion Fox, Zoroark.

Zita, spurred on by new urgency from its master, met the newly transformed opponent with a powerful attack, only to miss. Zoroark had shaken off the frost that covered its body previously, refusing to let Clive down. Suddenly, a second Zoroark swooped from the shadows, striking Zita banefully. As Zita fought back, her attack passed through the newly introduced figure, revealing that it was swapped with another mirage. What appeared to be the first Zoroark took advantage of the force of Zita's attack, using Foul Play to turn her strength against her.

Then, where there were multiple Zoroark, there were none. The serpentine contours of the shadows across the cavern snaked and coiled along the walls and the ground, and before long the dark figures of the Illusion Pokemon began their onslaught. A mirage would launch itself from one shadow, passing through Zita or her counter attacks, only for the real Pokemon to emerge from a different shadow to land a Night Slash attack with its claws. The figures viciously charged Zita in this fashion, and Clive could hardly keep up with the flurry of ice and shadow attacks that nucleated around Zita's position.

After Zita was struck with several attacks in a row, the ultimate moment came. The Freezing Pokemon was down for the count, but it prepared a final, viciously cold attack. Two Zoroark appeared from the shadows on either side of Zita, swinging claws that glowed in banefully purple light. The Beartic slammed its sheer cold attack to the ground, covering everything around it in solid ice. The two images of Zoroark remained still, floating inside of their icy prisons.

Purple and red shockwaves fulminated like lightning as Zoroark descended from above Zita, slashing downwards with both arms. The force of the slash echoed around the cave, stray shockwaves crumbling the ice around the Pokemon. The critical hit was enough to force Zita to stagger forward as Zoroark leaned down on one knee, its giant plume of hair wrapping around him like a blanket. Clive watched, his eyes moistening as the Beartic awkwardly stepped forward. Clive nodded solemnly, trying to make eye contact with the Pokemon, but only the whites of its eyes were visible. Zita's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed onto the floor of the cavern.

[Ashen]

Freya was getting more and more frustrated with each new imaginary attack, and she couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice while she called new commands to the Beartic. The Pokemon’s brow furrowed as she glanced back at her master’s double, snarling. Zita might have been able to fight better, maybe even enjoy the battle, if not for the incessant yelling from an insecure trainer who was starting to think this battle would not be as clear cut as she had hoped.

Zita dodged what attacks she could, but she was able to withstand all of Shadow’s feints. The attacks that actually hit her didn’t do too much damage anyway, and it would take a lot to topple a Beartic. Freya encouraged her to take them all and to not let such puny hits interrupt her own attacks, but as time dragged on, all of these moves were starting to wear on her. The snow had given her an advantage, but that was lost as she grew sluggish. But Zita tried to shake it off, and she kept going, even stronger in the face of impending loss. She hit the disappearing Zorua again and again. It wasn’t easy, but it was a fun challenge, almost like a game, trying to figure out which Shadow was the real one, which attack would end this fight.

The battle was wearing on Shadow, too, and Zita watched fatigue spread through his body. She was getting ready to end this, but then a blinding light filled the cave. Zita paused, bracing herself for some strange, unforeseen attack from the dark-type Pokemon, but she quickly realized this wasn’t a move a Zorua could know.

Behind her, Freya bristled. “You can’t—“ she started, turning towards the psychic and their Alakazam in disbelief. Of course, there had been nothing against evolving a Pokemon mid-battle in their agreement, so Clive was completely within his right to do so. That didn’t mean Freya had to be happy about it. She clenched her fists, looking at the new illusion Pokemon with a burning hatred. She couldn’t have predicted this, and now… No, what did it matter, anyway? Zorua, Zoroark, they were both weak Pokemon. This only proved how weak Clive was, to need so much help, like his healing and his tricks and this evolution. But none of it mattered in the end. Freya was still the better trainer, and she would still win.

The battle continued, and Zita remained steadfast, until she was staring down two identical Zoroark before her. She looked between them, concentrated, trying to determine for herself which was the mirage. Freya was yelling at her, telling her which one to hit, and how to hit it, how to finish this all, but… Zita remained still, stubborn. What Freya was saying was wrong. Freya wanted her to hit the Zoroark on the right, but the longer Zita stared between them, the more sure she was that the flickering illusion on the right was the fake. If she aimed instead at the left, this battle would be over, and Freya would win her freedom.

So, Zita prepared a Hyper Beam, focusing all of her energy into getting it just right, and when she unleashed it, she aimed for the one on the right. She was, of course, just obeying her trainer. When the fake Zoroark disappeared into the air, Zita smirked, knowing that the real one would come to finish her off. What she wasn’t expecting, however, was for Shadow to come not from the left, but from above.

Neither Pokemon nor trainer had seen the attack coming, so the Beartic was completely vulnerable to the newly-evolved Zoroark’s sharp claws. Zita took the attack straight-on, and instead of enduring it like she had every other, she staggered. There was far more force this time than in any attack before it, and despite this failure, despite her loss, a smile crossed her face. Clive had done it. Despite it all, he and his team had bested Freya. Zita didn’t know how things would go from here, if she would ever see her real trainer again, and though the thought brought a tear to her eye, she was proud, too. Proud of Clive, and of Shadow, and even of Yulia. Freya would finally be put to justice.

Freya blinked. The dust on the battlefield settled, and the blizzard was getting lighter too, so she couldn’t even deny what she was seeing. Was Zita really…? Freya ran onto the field and grabbed fistfuls of the Beartic’s fur. “Get up,” she hissed. But Zita was too wiped to respond, and her body slumped to the ground, fainted. “Get up you stupid, worthless bear,” she demanded again.

You will not insult my Pokemon, chided someone from deep within Freya’s mind.

Freya rolled her eyes. She didn’t need this. This had been a fluke, a convenient coincidence. Clive evolving his dumb Pokemon had been a circumstance she couldn’t have prepared for, and she deserved another chance before of that. This time, she would swap Yulia’s weak Pokemon for better, stronger ones, since clearly Zita wasn’t the undefeatable force she had been led to believe. Freya rose and looked over her Poke Balls. She did still have one, Yulia’s, a Skorupi that had been rescued from Avarice. She had made very little progress and was still a terrified, skittish thing. Would it make a difference? Using a seventh Pokemon was against the rules anyway, but…

Ivy landed on the battlefield with a scared shuffle and a startled cry. She glanced between Clive and Shadow before turning completely towards Freya. “You,” Freya called, but the Skorupi charged at her. Freya cried out when dual stingers lodged themselves into her leg, and as the poison settled in her bloodstream, she fell to the floor.

The psychic finally rose from their place and approached Freya, an amused smile on their face. They weren’t going to point out that she’d broken the contract; her present predicament was funny, and what would happen next would be worse than this anyhow. “They will be fine,” the psychic said to Clive, motioning towards Freya’s pained expression. “Congratulations on your victory.” They gave him a bow. “Now, there is just one thing left for her, isn’t there?”

[Headwrapper]

A deafening pulse filled Clive’s ears as the reality of his victory began to sink in. They did it. He and his Zoroark, and the rest of his Pokemon companions old and new. Even though he knew they would, knew they had to, the small amount of doubt nagged at him like a pebble inside of his boot. Now that he was relieved of such doubts, he felt relief.

While Clive was coming to grips with the victory, and what was to come next, Shadow marched back to his trainer, panting. When Clive finally acknowledged the Pokemon with a glance, the Zoroark smiled wide, tilting its head while raising its clawed hand. The detective exhaled lightheartedly and laughed soundlessly. “You’re much taller now,” he remarked with amusement. Clive paused for a moment, reflecting back on the final moments of the battle, knowing that Shadow’s loyalty and friendship was what made the difference in the end. “Thank you, Shadow.”

Clive picked up his bag solemnly, and he and Shadow watched in silence as Freya shook Zita in protest. The pair gave each other a knowing nod before approaching Freya and the psychic that administered the battle. Clive frowned at the sight of Skorupi, even more so when the Pokemon attacked Freya and the woman cried out like a child throwing a tantrum. This woman, this evil spirit that caused all of this havoc, was she really harmful now that she was defeated? Perhaps, like Sierra, she was just the product of the experiences the world placed her in. Did she deserve what came next? In fact, was it worth the risk? Clive’s experience with Gengar at the strange tomb beneath the stone obelisk did not exactly give him the confidence that his plans would not backfire.

When the psychic spoke to him, Clive did a double take. At that moment, he resigned himself. Whatever the answers were to his questions, he would never know them. Save for one. “Yes…” He returned his Zoroark to its Pokeball before kneeling to remove something from his bag. He struggled with the large object for a few moments before lifting it out of the bag with both hands and quickly setting it on the cold ground. The strange, smooth stone sat silently, its markings staring in Freya’s direction hungrily.

The rush of voices returned, squealing and yammering with excitement in Clive’s head. All one-hundred six of them were active now, drowning out even the trainer’s own thoughts. He fell to one knee and placed a hand on the stone, instantly silencing them all as he felt the iciness of the stone against his palm. The cave seemed so soundless that even a pin drop would echo throughout the hollow. When Clive spoked, his voice rumbled like a lower tremor across the cavern. “You underestimated me, didn’t you?”

It did not take long for Clive to lose patience with Freya’s retort. Their shared scars burned, reminding them that there was no denying the blood pact. “I just about went to hell and back to find this. A prison that can hold even you, Freya. I know you’ll miss your sister, but you’ll make so many new friends that I think you will cope rather quickly. Say your good-byes.”

Clive drew a deep breath, closing his eyes to try to remember the words that the strange psychic had told him. He began to recite the strange, foreign words, only opening his eyes when he felt something change in front of him. Despite any protest, green, flickering wisps, as thin as threads, began to pull away from Freya and Yulia’s shared body. They seemed to come from everywhere, gliding forth effortlessly and without resistance as they passed through their skin and clothes. They combined and formed a green orb that grew larger as more and more of the wisps eagerly nucleated with it, until it was slightly larger than a Pokeball.

To Clive’s surprise, the strange girl, the very same one who seemed to always have a hand to play, had appeared next to him. She giggled loudly upon being recognized by everyone around her, and she waved her fingers mischievously at Freya. “Au revoir! It’s been fun!”

Finally, the wisps completely filled the green orb, and Yulia seemed to lose consciousness. When Clive drew his hand away from the Odd Keystone, it glowed greedily, and the green orb was drawn into it. Clive stood, praying silently that the deed was done.

The psychic girl smiled from ear to ear as she knelt by the Odd Keystone, staring into its markings hungrily. Beneath the long bands that covered the girl’s eyes, Clive could barely make out her wild, greedy expression. She placed both hands upon the stone and looked towards Clive. “Come back to the Obelisk when you’re ready to see the true power of the Odd Keystone. It’s better that you and your Pokemon rest first.” She nodded her head towards Yulia, her eyes never leaving Clive’s. As the girl giggled, both she and the Odd Keystone vanished.

Later on, Clive emerged from the cave, carrying Yulia in his arms. He was shocked to realize that it had grown dark outside while he and Freya battled it out in the cave. The moon illuminated Yulia’s face, and Clive watched her with worry. She was breathing, but what was taking her so long to return to consciousness? Did he screw up the ritual or maybe fall for one of the creepy psychic girl’s tricks?

[Ashen]

So distraught about the loss of the battle, and the Skorupi’s poison running through her leg, Freya didn’t notice what Clive was doing. She only looked up at him when he spoke to her, talking about what he’d gone through to get… What was that? Terror settled in Freya’s eyes as she frantically glanced between Clive and the strange rock in his hands. Of course she knew what it was, but it couldn’t have been real. How would Clive have found an Odd Keystone, the item capable of trapping all of the souls of a Spiritomb? Say your goodbyes, he had said, but he couldn’t have meant to—

Realization dawned on her, and Freya ground her teeth as she tried to think of a plan. She needed to escape, but if she ran now, the psychic’s Alakazam would probably bring her right back with its telekinesis. She didn’t have any Pokemon left to help her get away either, not after exhausting all of Yulia’s worthless friends in battle. Freya looked down at the mark on her hand, the still-stinging cut that she shared with Clive. She had agreed to the terms so carelessly, failing to think of an outcome where she would not make it out on top. But now…

Freya felt like her core was shattering. Wisps of her soul fizzled from the body she had stolen, and as they tore from her, she let out a pained, animalistic howl. The sound carried on the green fragments, echoing in the cave. The last thing Freya saw was that stupid girl, laughing, taunting, before the screaming suddenly stopped.

Yulia wouldn’t wake for a long while after that. When she finally did, the world blurred in a dark swath of colors, impossible to comprehend. She blinked hard, willing her vision to focus, and her eyes fell on Clive. He was above her, close to her, closer than he’d ever been—was he carrying her? “Clive?” she said, but her voice was weak, and it came out in barely a whisper.

She couldn’t remember anything. Yulia fought through a budding headache for her memories, but they were too distant for her to reach. She could just barely recall that morning, going through the motions, and then heading to… a cave? It was impossible to think when it was so quiet, as if her ears had popped and she was hearing for the first time how sharp the world could be. The distant calls of a flock of Spearow, and the quiet nighttime coos of a Kricketune, the splashing of lively water-type Pokemon somewhere nearby. She could hear it all, as if the white noise she’d heard as long as she could remember was suddenly gone.

Freya.

Yulia startled, nearly knocking Clive off balance. It was only when he set her on the ground that she clutched her aching head and tried to find the familiar presence in her head. “Freya,” she called—aloud or in her head, she didn’t know anymore—but the only response she got was sweet, precious silence.

Yulia turned sharply to Clive as memories slowly trickled back to her. Yes, the cave, and the pact, and a battle. There were tears in her eyes, a smile on her lips, as she pieced together what must have happened. “Clive,” she breathed, joy lingering on her breath. “You won? But… how? And what…” The smile faded, and a look of worry crossed her pale eyes. “What did you do to her?”

[Headwrapper]

Just as Clive was beginning to put distance between his back and the exit of the cave, Yulia began to stir. In fact, she began to stir a little bit too much for Clive to continue carrying her. Worried he might drop her completely, Clive quickly dropped to his knee and lowered Yulia to the ground. He was unsure iif his presence or the sound of the voice would help Yulia reorient herself or just cause her more panic, so he remained silent, patiently waiting for his partner to regain her bearings.

The sound of Freya's name made Clive turn lean his head questioningly, but he continued to watch in silence, even when Yulia acknowledged him fully. His lips parted when she asked about Freya, as if the answer was stuck in his throat. Doubts haunted his decision, especially as he formulated a way to describe it to someone besides a a creepy psychic man or little girl. "Yeah, I won, and she's not a problem any more," he said dryly. It was apparent that was not a sufficient explanation, but he stood back up anyway.

"We have a long way back,. We can talk about it on the way. No sense in waiting around here."

Once Yulia was ready, they began their journey back to the nearest Pokemon Center. Clive placed his hands in his pockets as they walked, idly toying with the Pokeball that contained his Zoroark, the only Pokemon still fit for battle for the timebeing. "Turns out I'm not too bad at Pokemon battles after all," he finally said, glancing towards Yulia. "Not that Freya made it easy. Apparently capturing Raikou, Suicune, and Entei was just a side project. But anyway..."

They reached a clearing at the top of a hill, where they could see the lights of a nearby town below them. The familiar red roof of a Pokemon Center called out to them like a beacon. Clive halted his march as they took a moment to rest. He glanced down at the cut on his hand for a moment, before holding it up to show Yulia. "I'm still angry, you know," he said, though the gentleness in his voice did not do much to convey that feeling. As he brought his hand back down, he looked over the cut with fake interest. "But you were a victim of Avarice just as much as anyone else. It would not have been true justice to leave you to be tortured any longer."

"That girl, the one who gave you the bell. She taught me how to seal away mischievous spirits into a Keystone I found. She took off with the Keystone after I sealed Freya away." Clive paused to gauge Yulia's reaction, but cut in before her imagination got too far. "After we and our Pokemon have some time to rest, and we figure out what the hell we're telling HQ, we can go find the Keystone. Apparently there is still more to be done with it."

[Ashen]

She couldn’t blame Clive for being angry with her. Their entire relationship was built on lies, after all, and Yulia was sure, if the roles were reversed, she would have a hard time forgiving him. Yet his anger didn’t make her anxious. It was almost freeing, to be laid bare like this, to have no more secrets, and to know her blames were hers alone. She deserved this, and it felt good. She would try to make amends for the things she’d done, the lies she’d told, the monster she’d hosted, but for now, she was just glad everything was turning out okay. She felt hopeful about the future in a way she never had experienced before, and that was all because of Clive, his bravery, and his choice to protect her.

After he finished speaking, Yulia just stared at him, unable to form the words she wanted to say or even focus her emotions into something coherent. So, she did the next best thing. She pulled him into a hug, pressing his body so tightly against hers and holding onto him with all the strength she had left. “Thank you,” she murmured into his neck, and he meant that, more than he could begin to understand.


~~~

It was his idea to blur the truth. Yulia and Freya’s story was so ridiculous that the chief would never believe it, and besides, Yulia didn’t want her history so intimately showcased to the public either. So, when Yulia finally sat down to write a report of what happened in that cave, she took her time relaying the story she and Clive had crafted together. She wrote about her blackout, which wasn’t a lie, and Clive’s grueling battle, with a lot of help from him to fill in the details. She obviously left out the parts about the psychic and Clive’s blood pact. If anyone had yet asked him about his new scar, he hadn’t told her. When it came time to write about Freya, Yulia hesitated. She and Clive had agreed on what to say: Freya, so overwhelmed with grief and rage and dread following her defeat, had taken her own life upon the battlefield.

Yulia typed that out, then deleted it and retyped it twice more. Was it even a lie? Clive had told her what actually happened, and she knew Freya, if given have a chance, would have fled the battle after her defeat and started over, silently getting stronger and biding her time until she could return. It was because of Clive’s clever idea that she was truly gone. But Freya had agreed to the pact. And she had agreed to the consequences of that Ninetales’s prank, so long ago. Freya, twice, had chosen her own death. Yulia hoped, this time, she’d stay dead.

She was coming to miss Freya’s presence in her head, though. For so long, Yulia had listened to her snide comments, her taunting sighs, her pointed jabs, and the silence was unnerving as much as it was refreshing. She didn’t feel bad about what had happened to the malicious spirit, but she did wonder how she would ever get used to a life so alone.

With one final proofread, Yulia forwarded the report to Clive, requesting that he double-check her details and fix any typos. Then, she let out a long sigh. She opened a new document on her laptop, an official notice of registration addressed to the chief of police. Yulia wasn’t innocent, and she didn’t feel right continuing to work for the Goldenrod Police Department as if she wasn’t responsible for the most heinous criminal organization since Tem Rocket. But she had devoted her whole life to this. Ever since she was seven years old, she had lived with the sole purpose of banishing the spirit who had taken control of her life. She stared blankly at the document, wondering, Now what?

Her phone vibrated on her desk, and the sound startled a nearby Fritz, who was none too thrilled about having his nap interrupted. The Glameow got up and stretched, then walked over to press his head against Yulia’s legs. He’d been kinder to her since she’d gotten home from the hospital, and Yulia wondered if he knew that she was alone, now. She bent down and scratched behind his ears while she grabbed her phone, and a smile came onto her face as she saw the text from Natasha. The senior detective was inviting her to coffee, likely so Natasha could learn what had really happened. Yulia would miss Natasha and Jean, and since the pair had provided so much guidance to her, she intended to keep in touch with them. She was quitting, but she couldn’t stray too far from the GDPD after all.

She thumbed a reply, then pushed away from her laptop and stretched. She had agreed to meet with Clive today. There was more to be done with the keystone that held Freya’s soul, and Yulia had agreed to join Clive as he pursued that trail. It wasn’t entirely selfless; she had spent two decades with that woman, and getting rid of her without a proper goodbye didn’t sit right with Yulia. She had to be there, for herself as much as her partner. Or—perhaps not partner, not for much longer. Friend.

She got ready to leave, but just as she reached for the remote to turn off the TV, she did a double-take. Yulia hadn’t been paying attention to the Channel 9 news; she had kept it on more for the white noise than anything else. But there was a familiar face onscreen now. That reporter—what was his name? Oliver Burnstine? Yulia recognized him as the one who had provoked Clive all those weeks ago, asking such pointed questions about Avarice and spreading doubt among the public about the pair’s ability to take them down. Yulia smiled. That interview, for all the trouble it had caused, had aged poorly.

He was on TV now in another scandal. Apparently he’d pressed the wrong buttons, and the celebrity he’d been interviewing had hit him in the face. Shockingly, the public had sided with the celebrity, chastising Brunstine’s approach to the interview and his invasive questions. It was a blow to his career he wouldn’t easily recover from, and Yulia was glad he wouldn’t be reporting again any time soon. He’d done enough damage. She made a mental note to share the news with Clive when she saw him.

Oliver Burnstine had been wrong. So had everyone else who’d doubted Avarice could ever be taken down by a rookie detective and her stoic partner. In the days following Clive’s victory, several grunts and even an admin of Team Avarice had come forward to turn themselves in. Though there were likely many more of Freya’s underlings out there evading the law, without their leader, Avarice would continue to crumble until it was just a memory. It was all Yulia could have hoped for.

She turned off the TV, grabbed her purse, and headed out to meet with Clive.

[Headwrapper]

The Avarice case was now on its way to bed, soon to become a memory. To some, the disbandment of Team Avarice would simply mark the end of a chapter, a change in the tone and flavor in the news media and warnings put out by public officials. For many, it was a breath of fresh air, relief from the fear that the criminal organization created. The effects of the Great Storm would be remembered for generations, its long term effects still unknown. For the GRPD, the case was still not cold just yet. The district attorney would have their hands full amassing the evidence that was collected in order to press charges on those that were arrested. Even Clive and Yulia had yet to submit their own report.

Clive was not too worried about the report. Yulia had no trouble with writing them before, leaving him to make final tweaks before the final send off. There were more pressing matters on his mind, anyway.

He waited in the spot he and Yulia had agreed to meet, occasionally glancing over his shoulder. He was not nervous, not really. It was hard to imagine anything more nerve-wracking than the fateful battle in the cave just days before. Even still, he could not help be wonder just what that creepy girl had waiting for them... at an obelisk... in the middle of a dark forest. Even Gengar, the Pokemon that lead Clive to that spot in the first place, did not convey much information when asked about what to expect.

After mentally reminding himself that he would have his answers soon, Clive gave the area around him one more glance. Spotting Yulia approaching him, he bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Thanks for coming," he said. "I still remember the way. You ready?"

The trek through the forest was not nearly as daunting as it had been in the middle of the dark night after Clive had met Freya. Although the trees deflected much of the light, the forest seemed like an entirely different place in the day time. Still, Clive had no trouble navigating to the clearing where the stone construction stood. "There's no mistaking it," Clive said to Yulia, approaching the short stone pillar. The ground was almost completely barren of grass for several feet in front of the obelisk, above the tomb that was underneath the surface. Gravedigging was backbreaking work, and Clive hardly had the time to properly clean up after robbing the tomb of the Odd Keystone.

"You came!" An excited, high-pitched voice squealed behind Clive and Yulia. It was her, the creepy psychic, and on the ground beside her was the Odd Keystone. Her sleek, black hair draped over her small frame, like a waterfall of black oil. "I have so many new friends to play with now!"

"The Keystone?" Clive asked.

"Oh yes, I told you I would show you what it can do." The girls feet left the ground as she began to float in the air, as gently as a Drifloon. She circled the pair of detectives as she spoke, occasionally changing direction for her own amusement. "This grave belongs to a wizard from Sinnoh, who traveled here almost one hundred years ago in search of dark, mischievous spirits that had escaped from the Odd Keystone. When he found them, he would lock bind them to the cracks in the stone, very much like you did, Clive." A giant smile stretched across the girls face, so large that it was almost unnatural. "There was a little... accident, and he never brought all of the spirits together again. A few of them even got away to cause mischief somewhere else. But now, there are one-hundred seven spirits in the Odd Keystone again."

She floated backwards, landing on her feet just behind the Odd Keystone. "There are some very bad spirits in here, now," she said. "Like Freya!" She turned her large, toothy smile towards Yulia. "One more spirit will fill up the Odd Keystone, and we can have fun again in a different way." She giggled, and placed her hand on the Odd Keystone. Then, she began to recite a strange, ancient tune.

Clive jolted, recognizing the words and the same ones he used to bind Freya. Realization dawned upon him, then. The strange green light he could see floating around the psychic when Clive was a ghost was the same color as Freya's spirit when it was called into the orb. They were cut from the same cloth, in one way or another. Now, even in the land of the living, he could see the green light coming off of the psychic as it was drawn into the stone.

When it was over, the psychic's body fell to the ground with a wooden thud. "It's... a mannequin?" Clive wondered. "Was she not skin and bones a minute ago?" Before he and Yulia could question any longer, the Keystone began to glow. The markings glowed with a purple light, before a similarly purple cloud grew above the rounded stone. Green orbs of light circled the edges of the round purple cloud, and then the same light formed a menacing, green face at the cloud's center. The stone groaned with a long, metallic sound.

The new Pokemon that appeared was definitely dangerous. It went without saying that it needed to be subdued and captured. Clive looked towards Yulia. "Sorry if it's not what you were expecting... But she's in there. Maybe you should..." Yulia interrupted him, and after she said her peace it was clear that the Spiritomb was for Clive to battle.


They sat on a fallen log shortly after the battle, leaning on each other slightly for balance. Clive held the Ultra Ball containing Spiritomb between his to hands in front of him. "I guess we better hurry back and wrap up our reports," Clive said, but he did not move from their spot. He sighed. "I think I am going to take a break for a while, once things settle down." Now he actually turned to face Yulia. "I found information about the organization that Richie belonged to in Avarice's archives. I think it's about time I found him."

[Ashen]

The place where they were supposed to meet was creepy, and as Clive led her deeper into a nightmarish forest, Yulia had to remind herself to breathe. She wasn’t entirely sure where they were going, just that it involved that keystone Freya now resided in and some psychic Clive needed to speak to, but Yulia trusted him. After the past few weeks, now that Clive understood the things she had kept from him and still chose to be around her anyway, Yulia was sure he held no resentment for her. She trusted he wouldn’t lead her into danger, but as a tall stone pillar came into view, raising the hairs on her arms, Yulia wondered, however briefly, if her conviction was warranted.

The small girl’s voice startled them, cutting through the silence and seeming to echo around them. Yulia jumped. This must have been the psychic Clive had told her about; Yulia wondered if there was some unsaid requirement that all psychics needed to look as unsettling as possible. The girl rambled on about Clive’s Odd Keystone and its journey getting all the way here to Johto, and Yulia listened attentively. As much as she hated that cursed spirit, Yulia had spent most of her life with Freya, and she wanted to know what would become of her.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the psychic looked straight at her. Yulia choked, trying to cover up her surprise to not make the girl feel bad. When the psychic’s body began to glow, though, Yulia didn’t have the sense to mask her alarm. She hadn’t been conscious the last time something like this had happened, so Yulia watched, confused and wide-eyed, as the girl seemed to abandon her own body. When she slumped forward, no longer human but a wooden doll instead, Yulia only stared, mouth agape, trying to understand what had just happened.

The psychic’s soul went into the Odd Keystone, which seemed to come alive with a new, sinister, smiling face. The look of the Spiritomb sent chills down Yulia’s spine, but she tried her best to straighten herself and put on a brave face. “Yeah,” she mumbled in response to Clive. She was grateful for his presence; she didn’t know how she would have faced the weird girl or the strange ghost Pokemon alone. When Clive urged her to battle the new foe, though, Yulia only shook her head. Freya’s memory would always be a part of her, and she held a connection to Spiritomb as a result, but Yulia hadn’t been the one to banish Freya, nor to find the Odd Keystone. No, this Pokemon was Clive’s reward, his fight, and she would not take that away from him.

She happily cheered Clive on from the sidelines, and after the battle, once Spiritomb was snug in its new black-and-yellow ball, Yulia supplied Clive with some potions to nurse his Pokemon back to full health. She noticed then that the forest around them was getting brighter, the sunlight streaming more fully through the trees, as if the psychic’s presence had somehow cast a shadow across the woods. She shook the thought and let out a sigh.

“Congratulations,” she said as she sat beside Clive. The battle had made him weary, and she didn’t mind when he rested his head against her shoulder. They talked a bit about the battle, and when Clive mentioned taking a break from work, Yulia supported him. He deserved him, and besides, wasn’t she doing just that, too? The Goldenrod Police Department would struggle with the absence of two of its best detectives—they had brought down Team Avarice, after all—but with Natasha and Jean and the rest of the team, Yulia knew they would manage eventually.

Clive sat up and looked at her, and his words gave her pause. Yulia knew how important Clive’s father had been to him, and she knew how badly he wanted to understand what had happened between him and his best friend, Richie. A lead could mean nothing, or it could shine some light on Uncle Richie’s actions, an invaluable reward. “Oh, Clive, that’s great,” Yulia breathed, genuinely happy for him. She laughed to herself then; even when taking a break from his duties, Clive couldn’t really take a break. But Yulia couldn’t fault him, because she was exactly the same way.

She turned to look at the obelisk again. “You know,” she said softly, a small smile playing over her lips. “I’m about to have a lot of free time on my hands, and I have just a bit of experience playing detective. I graduated top of my class, and I happened to help bring down the greatest criminal organization of our generation. I might be a valuable asset.” She turned back to him, chuckling to herself. “If you’ll have me, I’d love to work on another case with you.” Yulia tilted her head, her pale hair falling over her shoulder. The sunlight streaming through the trees reflected off her eyes, making them gleam. “Well,” she said, a familiar excitement wrapping around her words. “Are you ready for our next adventure?”


The End