The Snagger reached for her cowl, and flicked it back. Underneath were tucked two long pink ponytails.
"Lovrina?"
"Um… surprise?" Lovrina said.
"Wait… you!" Wes roared, Rui having finally allowed him to stand up.
"Wes, please, let me explain!"
"You were the one that stole my Snag Machine!"
"I needed to! I finally had the chance to take Cipher down from the inside! I just needed a Snag Machine! Krane wouldn't give me a blueprint to work from, so I needed yours!"
"What about Megg's?" Michael piped up.
"Exol's actions were intercepted not long after they occurred, and the Snag Machine returned to ONBS. However, I highly doubt Megg had the courage to use it again," Eldes stated.
"Though, Lovrina, I must ask… why the secrecy?"
"To make a ruse like that work, you have to deceive allies as well as enemies. In regards to keeping my actions secret from Cipher, and thus keeping access to all of their weaknesses, you were enemies, from a certain point of view."
"From a certain point of view? From any other, we could've helped you!" Rui roared.
"Mom, enough," Michael told her. Rui looked at Michael like she was about to scold him, but Michael had already started.
"Lovrina did her best to keep us a step ahead. She couldn't let her identity slip, not even by accident. I trust her."
"Oh… well…"
"So, Michael… what do you say about a battle?"
"Huh? A battle?"
"There's something I want you to do…"
SNAGGER LOVRINA would like to battle!
SNAGGER LOVRINA sent out DRAGONITE!
Go! Springtime!
Michael's eyes narrowed. This was a Shadow Pokémon.
"So that's what happened to that Dragonite! Well, Michael, why don't we see one last Snag before the Snag Machines become completely useless?" Mr Verich said. Michael nodded.
Springtime leaped forward, and used a Leaf Blade attack. The Dragonite took it like a champ. Springtime tried a Scissor Cross, and then an Aerial Ace. Finally, she used a GrassWhistle, to send the Dragonite to sleep. Michael tossed his last Snag Ball.
… … … …Gotcha! DRAGONITE was caught!
MICHAEL defeated SNAGGER LOVRINA!
"Thanks… I always wanted to see you Snag something in a determined battle, and not just one of those all-hell-breaks-loose deals."
"You're welcome."
"Michael, honey… the deadline didn't help us at all with the purification. Why don't you two go for a walk, and we'll get caught up on this purification."
"Sure thing, Rui!" Lovrina said.
Michael and Lovrina had pretty much walked all the way around the HQ Lab, when Michael kicked off the conversation.
"Lovrina,"
"Call me Ashley."
"Why?"
"I was taken from my family at birth, and raised among these Cipher crooks to do their bidding. According to Eldes, my birth name was Ashley."
"OK… listen, Ashley… I do like you. I really do. But I was expecting Megg to be the Snagger."
"Yeah, Eldes met her a while back. He heard the whole story of how she Snagged the Mawile. We pretty much-"
"Wait, you and Eldes were in this thing together?"
"Come on. I'm the head scientist. I don't know everything about Cipher. Plus, the guys didn't take me seriously, thank you Ardos, so I needed Eldes' help to get anything done."
"Makes sense."
"Yeah, anyway, I made sure to cover my tracks, and at any chance I could, conceal myself. If it was conceivable that you could confuse me for Megg, I rigged the situation so you would. If someone could identify me, mainly Ardos and Greevil, I made sure to be out of their way as the Snagger."
"And Eldes made sure that he was in contact with Megg, making her a sure-fire candidate."
"Yes. Also lucky Megg had a crush on you."
"Wait, I'm confused now. Do you have a crush on me, or is that just pretending to be Megg?"
Ashley responded with a simple hug. Michael could hug her back this time.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Michael, we're almost done," Rui stated. All but one Shadow Pokémon was purified. Shadow Lugia was still to be done, however.
"Lovrina, is it purifiable?" Rui asked.
"You still don't trust me? Yes, it's purifiable. Like I would cave in to Greevil." Ashley stepped into the Purify Chamber, and looked at the Sets. All were running at full tempo. She placed Shadow Lugia into one of the Sets.
Something's different about the LUGIA! Maybe…
Green lights surrounded the Set, as Hitmonchan, Magneton, Farfetch'd and Exeggutor let their hearts wide open. The energy struck Lugia, surrounding it in a green orb. Purple light was expelled from its heart.
LUGIA opened the door to its heart!
"Like I said, I would never have harmed a Pokémon like that! XD001 received no adjustments after you were kidnapped, Professor Krane!"
"Thank you, Lovrina."
Yes, Michael did discount Lovrina as a candidate for the Snagger. True story, I had done something similar before I wrote that passage. It was just too funny.
Remember, way back when we last met Ein, he discussed procuring the services of a certain man? He was kidnapping Ashley. I planned this thing way ahead. Told you I was looking forward to this ending.
As for Wes's disappearance, he was going to investigate Deep Colosseum, but it was a trap. He fought valiantly, but there were too many Cipher members. With his last breath, he transferred Winter and Shuckle out of there. I can't put it in something on it's own merit, because Wes' Hall Of Fame was already released, but I gave it my best shot.
There's a feeling deep inside me, and it's always there to guide me...
