A/N: I forgot the last time I've updated but it feels like it's been awhile so sorry for that. I have no excuses other than laziness. Hopefully this chapter won't reflect that. Either way, you'd tell me, right?
Sora-Hikari - Oh wow! You actually went through and reviewed for every chapter! I'm touched. oAo Thanks for reviewing!
Nhame - I'm glad you showed me the pic even though it was kind of a hassle. ;)
Chris - You should get used to logging in! And don't worry, I'm not giving up on this story. It's for the sake of Girlpowershipping! About the chapters, I'd like to think that I'm improving so I write more; there's more things to include now that the plot's rolling. Regarding evolution & legendaries...I think it's kinda early for that. We'll see!
Miko - Thanks for the input as usual. And yes, Dawn will eventually get a fire Pokémon. I'm still working out when though...
Yasetsu - Shinx is most likely the Naughty type but he means well. Hey, people mature as they grow older (most anyway), Shinx probably will in the future.
Dux - Thanks for saying that! Longer reviews are awesome. I really dislike love at first sight sh*t; I like it better if it's a bit more realistic, even if like you said, it's more tedious and drawn out. Oh, and I'm totally open to any pairings that you readers want. Just make a suggestion and I'll try to incooperate it in if I think it's do-able. ;)
Chapter 6
It was morning in Eterna City. Cynthia stepped out of the building and glanced at her watch, which read 8:02. She had thought over yesterday night's events and pondered over what to do next. Because Cyrus had managed to elude her, she was in a bit of a bind. Chances are that he returned to Veilstone or headed off to some unknown location in order to further his plans. There was no way for her to act without knowing his whereabouts. She wanted to keep a low profile so storming the Team Galactic headquarters was not an option. Besides, what Looker said was that they need solid evidence before they could formally make a move. I can't do anything directly… She reminded herself. Cynthia was considering her options when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
It was a man's voice—Looker. "Miss Champion! I'm sorry if I woke you up."
"…Oh, you didn't," She replied slowly, mildly irked at his choice of addressing her. "What is it?"
"You're at Eterna, correct? But there's something going on in Floaroma—I've told you before, I think." He began urgently. "I was going to head there but HQ wants me to report back."
Cynthia listened quietly. "I'll see what I can do. Though, I don't understand; wasn't this a secret operation?"
"Yes, but I've been absent for awhile now you see," He explained carefully. "I have to report back or it'll look suspicious!"
"I see…"
He quickly added, "But rest assured! I will be back in action shortly! Er, if you could…I was hoping that you could keep things in check while I'm gone…"
"Of course," She answered. "You don't have to worry. I'll head over to Floaroma immediately."
Looker sounded relieved. "Uh, but don't do anything too crazy! We're undercover here!"
"Mm, I got it."
With that said, the call ended. Cynthia examined the device for a brief moment before tucking it back into her pocket. I suppose Floaroma is my next destination… She stopped at the nearby Poké Mart before making her way toward the forest entrance. Along the trip, she bought herself some breakfast. The Champion paused to look at the Eterna Galactic Building. Things seemed to be back to normal. If Gardenia does what she says…it'll be fine. She decided, throwing the wrapper of her finished pastry away. As she continued walking, a familiar woman approached her.
"Champ—uh, wait…"
The blonde looked at her, mildly surprised. "Gardenia, you're here rather early. But I'm glad."
"Ah, well…I did promise you so I have to do this," She answered awkwardly. "Besides, it's my job as the Gym Leader—you said so yourself."
Cynthia smiled. "That's good to hear. I hope you'll remember all those other things I've mentioned too."
"Right…I will," Gardenia replied slowly. "But you really won't explain, huh?"
Her smile remained. "I'm sorry."
"…I guess it can't be helped…" The Gym Leader sighed. "So you're going now?"
Cynthia nodded. "Mm, I have something to take care of in Floaroma. I'll leave you to your business then."
Gardenia watched as the blonde departed, heading toward Eterna Forest. She sighed. What luck is this? The twenty-year-old continued on her own quest. She was heading toward the Eterna Galactic Building. She did not know why the Champion was running around in disguise interfering with Team Galactic affairs or how she was dragged in; Gardenia just knew that she was doing her duty as the Gym Leader—something that she had neglected for awhile. Lately she had been preoccupied with taking care of the Gym (the plants and the Pokémon), that she had turned oblivious to whatever it was that Team Galactic was doing. That seemed more of police work so Gardenia chose not to dip her hand in. However, she now found herself standing before the Galactic building's entrance.
"What do you want, Miss Gym Leader?"
The said Gym Leader crossed her arms. "I gotta talk to someone inside. It's official business."
"Sorry, but—" The goon began.
She cut him off. "It's official business."
The man mentally cursed his partner for leaving him to stand by the doors alone. Giving in, he reluctantly stepped aside to let the twenty-year-old in. Gladly entering, Gardenia glanced around. That was the easy part. She looked at the receptionist, who was watching her with narrowed eyes. Here goes…
***
"I'm sorry, Dawn. I'm afraid I can't go with you."
"Oh, don't worry! I'll be fine! I'm still sorry about yesterday…"
"I already said that it was alright, remember? Now why don't you eat?"
At the moment, the fourteen-year-old was having breakfast, courtesy of Cheryl. Dawn had woken up that morning and promptly apologized to the older woman for returning late last night. To her surprise, Cheryl had apologized as well, telling Dawn that she could not accompany her back to Floaroma. The green-haired woman explained that her old aunt had fallen ill abruptly and she wanted to stay and take care of her. Dawn was sympathetic; she told Cheryl that she would be fine traveling back alone.
After finishing her meal, she bid a good-bye to the older woman and thanked her properly before leaving. Once she was outside, Dawn checked her Poké Tech. The clock read 8:36. She thought about yesterday night. She had failed to save the bicycle shop owner; instead, she was the one who had to be saved. Her mind came back to Cynthia. Though grateful that the blonde was there to help her, Dawn was still curious as to why the older woman was there in the first place. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't to see me. She shifted her bag. It was heavier now due to the presence of the Pokémon egg. But…
"Oh, right…she did say go to the bike shop," She recalled abruptly. I have to see that boy again anyway…
Upon arriving at the shop, the doors swung open, surprising her. The boy from yesterday ran out toward her, his face plastered with a wide grin. He grabbed her hand and swung it around excitedly. Dawn was thoroughly confused.
"Wow, you actually did it!" He exclaimed. "I thought you were lame, but thanks a lot!"
Disregarding his last comment, she took her arm back. "W-what are you talking about?"
"No need to be modest, young lady."
Both she and the boy turned. They were faced with a middle-aged man with thin locks of brown hair; he appeared tired but relieved. The boy ran back up to the man who stood in the doorway of the shop.
"Mr. Rickshaw, that's her!"
The man nodded. "Yeah, that's a surprise."
"…Er…" Dawn was still trying to make sense of it all. "Mr. Rickshaw…? Isn't he…? Why…?"
The boy laughed. "If you're playing dumb, it's really convincing!"
"Stop it!" The man said, bopping the kid on the head. "It's thanks to her that I was able to leave. You didn't do anything to help!"
The ten-year-old frowned. "Okay, okay…"
"Now, why don't we go inside and have a chat?"
Mr. Rickshaw kindly led Dawn inside and showed her to a seat while the boy stood by them both. The middle-aged man sat opposite to her and gave her a can of soda. Dawn looked at it reluctantly before meeting his eyes again. This was all too strange for her taste. Before he could speak, she started first.
"Um, thanks but…I'm not really sure I understand," She admitted. "I didn't do anything to get you out!"
He shook his head. "They let me out this morning on account of Gardenia."
"But why…?"
Mr. Rickshaw rubbed his chin. "You were the reason she decided to help, of course! There's no need to be modest!"
"Me?"
Dawn couldn't imagine why Gardenia would do anything with Team Galactic on her behalf. Besides, she had not spoken with the Gym Leader since the end of their match the other day. Cynthia who was the one who— …I get it now. Dawn put two and two together and finally understood why Mr. Rickshaw thought that it was her who 'saved' him. She would have to pay Gardenia a real visit later to get the whole story.
"That's right," He answered. "Those goons captured me and asked me to go along with their nonsense. When I wouldn't cooperate with them, they decided to keep me there!"
"Er, is everything fine now or…?"
Mr. Rickshaw nodded. "They won't be bothering me again anytime soon, thanks to Gardenia. But I would still like to thank you properly!"
"Oh no, you said it yourself!" The fourteen-year-old began automatically. "It was Gardenia who helped you!"
He shook his head. "She's been as helpful as the police I'm afraid. I'm just glad that she's finally come to her senses—and it's thanks to you! That's why I want to give you something nice."
Before Dawn could throw in another word, he had gotten up and headed toward one of the bike racks. He wheeled one out and stood it in front of him proudly. The boy stared at it enviously while Dawn watched speechlessly. It was a shiny new bike for crying out loud; one that would cost her no money at that. It was only a natural reaction.
"No way…" She murmured.
Mr. Rickshaw laughed. "My apprentice here says that you're a new Trainer. I remember my old starter days and I thought how easy it'd be if you had one of these to travel around with."
"But, I can't—not with this!" She protested, coming back to her senses. "I honestly didn't do anything to deserve it! I'll prove it!"
"Thought you'd say something like that."
Everyone's heads turned. At the door stood the Gym Leader herself. Gardenia walked over to Dawn and clasped her on the shoulder. The younger girl looked at her uncertainly. Gardenia disregarded it, her expression partially serious and half-reluctant.
"Just take it, kid! It's his good will here," She began. "After all the trouble all of us have been through, can't you be grateful?"
Dawn lowered her gaze. However, she then looked up and slid Gardenia's hand off of her shoulder, meeting her eyes. "Even so, I didn't do anything. Cynthia was the one who convinced you, not me. I won't take the credit for that—not after what she already did for me!"
Gardenia frowned but she seemed more tired than angry or annoyed. This girl is difficult! She scratched her head, glancing over at Mr. Rickshaw. He met her gaze for a second before turning back to Dawn. His expression was that of a frown as well.
"If that's so then…" He began.
The navy-haired girl shook her head. "I'm sorry for deceiving you, but you should be thanking someone else."
"Argh…" Gardenia sighed, grabbing the younger girl by the arm. "Sorry, 'bout this," She added to the middle-aged man.
With that said, she pulled Dawn out of the shop, leaving Mr. Rickshaw to turn toward his apprentice with confusion. Outside, Gardenia released her grip on the fourteen-year-old girl's arm. She rubbed her temples, trying to figure out the best way to explain everything.
"I'm right, right?" Dawn began first. "Cynthia told you. I don't know how, but she did."
The Gym Leader examined her for a moment before answering. "Okay, you got me. But I know what I'm doing so can't you give me a break?"
"No! I've already gotten enough help here, I'm not about to get more—for no reason too!" The younger girl retorted. "I want to rely on myself for once! That's why I became a Trainer!"
Gardenia said nothing. She looked elsewhere instead. Then, she pulled out a small pouch; the contents inside sounded like money. She tossed it to Dawn, who caught it with both hands. The fourteen-year-old examined the bag then looked back up at the older woman.
"I think that you should take this then," She began with a sigh. "Give it back to her. If you beat me next time, I just won't pay you—sound fair?"
Dawn's face lit up. "…He, he, alright."
"Geez, but do you have to be so stubborn?"
"Sorry," She replied sheepishly. "Um…but I still want to know what happened."
Gardenia crossed her arms and closed her eyes for a moment. "Nope, no can do. That's all I can say."
"Why?"
"Do you want me to ask for the money now?" The Gym Leader countered. It was successful in keeping the younger girl quiet. "Just go with it! Or…find her and ask her yourself—just don't get me dragged in."
Dawn thought about it and nodded slowly. "Okay…"
"Alright, then I'll see you some other time," Gardenia concluded, glad that Dawn decided to comply. "Take care of yourself!"
Bidding a good-bye, the Gym Leader began to walk off, leaving Dawn before the shop. Gardenia paused for a moment before deciding to call back toward the fourteen-year-old.
"Try Floaroma!"
Dawn smiled, watching as Gardenia resumed her walk back to the Gym. Thanks… She supposed that she ought to appreciate the turn of events. It was rather ironic actually or at least she was lucky. Either way, Dawn decided to continue; she'd have to go through Eterna Forest first. Chances are Cynthia was still there. I have to hurry! Glad that she had already restocked on supplies the previous day; she headed straight for the city gate. However, as she walked, Dawn heard someone call out to her—well, not exactly, but she turned all the same, due to the familiarity of the voice.
"Hey, stupid!"
Apparently, it was the boy from the cycle shop and he was coming up to her on a bike. She moved out of the way as the boy was rather shaky when he tried to stop. It was because the bike was bit too tall for him so it was difficult. He got off and propped up the kick stand.
"…What do you want?" She inquired, not to keen on the insult.
He readjusted his cap. "Hmph! You're still an idiot, even if you are older than me!"
"If you came here just to—" She began heatedly.
He looked at her firmly, cutting her off. "No, you dolt! I'm here to lend this to you!"
The boy pointed towards the bike, his expression was firm. Dawn looked between him and the bicycle for a moment. She laughed but he was not amused.
"You can't be serious. I already told you that—"
"You're not listening! I'm not giving it to you—I'm not stupid! I'm lending it to you, since you're coming back."
Dawn blinked. "You don't have a bike to lend me."
"Now I do! It's an early birthday present from Mr. Rickshaw for looking after the shop while he was gone," He explained. His gaze shifted to the ground. "And even if you were useless…you did keep me company…and you tried to do something…I couldn't. This…this is for that."
At his words, she looked at him with sympathy. The boy quickly snapped out of it once he noticed. He stuck out his tongue in disgust.
"Ugh, cut it out will ya!? You're creepin' me out!" He shouted. "I'm only repaying you for what you did do!"
It was too late. Dawn pulled him into a three-second hug before he could escape. He stood a yard away from her after that. Dawn was all smiles.
"Thank you…"
The boy crossed his arms haughtily. "Hmph! You still have to give this back! A-and if you even scratch the paint, you'll have to get me a new one!"
"Okay, it's a deal," She answered with a smile. "You'll definitely get it back."
Before he walked away, the boy shoved a small book into her hands; he explained that it was the manual for the bike. It had instructions on how to shift gears as well as information on what to do if the bike needed repair. Dawn was about to hug him again but the boy ran off. Smiling, she tucked the book away and examined the bicycle quietly. I can use this to catch up with Cynthia. Then I can patch things up. She decided; that reason would justify her decision for now. Though she knew that if she wanted to catch up to the older woman she would have to hurry.
Mounting the bike, Dawn felt rather excited; it showed on her face, causing a few glances to come her way. She didn't mind; at the moment there was probably nothing that could have made her happier. However, by the time she reentered Eterna Forest, she was reminded that she would have to search for someone in there; someone who had most likely left hours before she did. It would be a task—that was certain.
Maybe I should've asked her for her phone number…or something. The fourteen-year-old thought wistfully. She snapped out of it. No, it'll be okay. I have a bike now. Resuming her journey, Dawn recalled the route that Gardenia had shown them the previous night. Coupled with her bicycle, she was by the Old Chateau within twenty minutes. She privately thanked the Gym Leader for showing up the other day.
Remembering what both Gardenia and Cheryl had said about the Old Chateau, Dawn stopped by the corner of the fence and looked at the building. It seemed the same as always—except for the fact that the door was slightly open. Dawn was curious. That's odd…I thought that this place was abandoned… Deciding to take a closer look, she walked her bike to the front gate, only to find that the shrubs that were previously blocking it were torn down. The gate was now accessible. Whoever had cut the plants down had obviously decided to pay the Old Chateau a visit as well.
Dawn found herself doing the same, treading cautiously as she pushed open the rusted gate, causing it to creak noisily. It remained open as she walked through the front yard, which was heavily littered with weeds and fallen leaves. She leaned her bike by the front of the building. Up close the mansion seemed a bit daunting, with its darkened windows and ramshackle appearance. However, she pushed on, entering through the double doors slowly. As expected, the interior of the house was no better than the outside. The air was musty, as dust and cobwebs gathered throughout the house. It's abandoned alright. The fourteen-year-old thought, coughing. Though despite being deserted, she couldn't shake off the feeling that the house was alive somehow. It was a distant feeling but she sensed it nonetheless. At the moment everything was still; as if the house was holding its breath.
She stood in front of the door way and looked around the room. It must have been quite grand when the building was still in use; there was an impressive flight of stairs leading toward the second floor. A lot of the things were gone now, leaving behind only rusty candlesticks and broken junk that no body wanted. However, something interesting caught her eye. It was a statue of a Pokémon, a Rhydon if she was correct. She wondered why it wasn't taken. Maybe it's because it's too big… Dawn touched it; the statue felt cold and dusty. Though that wasn't the thing that she found interesting; it was the statue's eyes that caught her attention. It seemed as if it was staring—glaring at her!
"What are you doing here?"
The sudden voice made her jump. Dawn tore her gaze from the statue and looked up; from above the stairs stood none other than Cynthia. At the moment, the older woman seemed a tad solemn in expression but her tone was that of mild surprise. Dawn was rather surprised as well; though it was a bit ironic, she was glad that she ran into the blonde again.
"Um…I was just looking," She answered, stepping away from the statue. "I didn't do anything so…oh! I'm trespassing, right? I'll—"
Cynthia walked down the stairs. "I'm not accusing you of anything. Besides, it seems as if we both are."
"Huh? You mean…"
The older woman shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of owning mansions."
Dawn was relieved. For a minute there she thought that she was in trouble. Now that she wasn't, she was curious as to why Cynthia was here. The blonde seemed to notice because she decided to answer Dawn's unasked question on her own.
"I was passing by and I thought that I should take a look," She explained. "I didn't pass through Eterna Forest the first time around."
A light bulb went off in Dawn's head. "I get it! You've probably heard about this place in Eterna!" She was talking more to herself, as if trying to reason with it. "A history fanatic like you couldn't help but wander in."
Cynthia blinked. A smile came to her face a few seconds after. "Nice work, detective. But I think it's time for both of us to leave."
"Eh? I just got here…" Dawn murmured.
"We're trespassing," Cynthia reminded her. "…I'm leaving." She walked by the door but paused to look back at Dawn, who didn't move. "You're not afraid of ghosts?"
"But it's daytime," The younger girl reasoned. "And even if it was night, I don't know…" She looked back at the statue. "I've never seen one, how can I be afraid of it if I've never even seen it?"
"…I guess you're right. But…" Cynthia began, walking back over to Dawn and patting her on the shoulder. "We're not supposed to be here either way," She smiled. "So come with me, please?"
Dawn looked back at the older woman and gave a small sigh. It didn't take long for her to give in. She reminded herself why she was looking for Cynthia in the first place. The two of them exited the building. Dawn grabbed her bicycle while Cynthia closed the door behind them. The blonde examined Dawn and her new bicycle with a smile.
"That's why you caught up so fast, right?"
The younger girl nodded. "Mm-hm…but it's also 'cause you spent so long—"
"What's wrong?" Cynthia inquired, as Dawn stopped talking in mid-sentence.
She looked back at Cynthia abruptly. "I wanted to ask you what you said to Gardenia."
"…Hm, that's not important," The older woman replied slowly, looking away. "I already fixed everything, didn't I?"
Dawn lowered her gaze for a moment before looking back up. "But—I still want to know! It's my business too!"
"…I just asked her to give me a hand that's all," Cynthia answered after a short pause. "Simple persuasion, honestly. I didn't make her do something that she didn't want to do."
She examined Dawn's expression after her reply. The younger girl seemed to be fairly convinced so she was relieved. Technically, what happened back at the Gym wasn't anything gruesome. She really did just have a talk with Gardenia about the events regarding Team Galactic and simply asked the Gym Leader to help her out. Well, that was after the one round match with the twenty-year-old using her Roserade; it was to settle the issue of the prize money. Everything else was an unsaid matter.
"Still, I want to give this back to you," Dawn began, interrupting her thoughts.
Cynthia was slightly alarmed. "The egg…?"
"Huh? Oh, no!" Dawn replied quickly. "…I really want to hold on to that. This is something else!"
Cynthia laughed, feeling relieved. "Alright, what is it?"
"Here, it's the money," The younger girl answered, handing her the pouch from earlier. Cynthia looked at the object in her hands quietly as Dawn went on. "I've already made a deal with Gardenia so it'll be okay."
Cynthia smiled, pocketing the pouch. "If you insist…"
"But still…thanks."
The older woman said nothing. Instead, she looked at the sky. Dawn followed her gaze. Clouds rolled lazily across the stretch of blue. The forest was still. Cynthia decided to break the silence. "Where are you going?"
"Um…Floaroma Town," Dawn replied, looking back at her.
Cynthia blinked. "Really? That's where I'm going."
"Er…I'm not stalking you or anything, if that's what you're—" Dawn answered.
The blonde laughed. "No, I'm saying that I could give you a lift."
"A lift?" She repeated. "Like, in the air…?" Cynthia nodded, in which Dawn quickly declined. "Oh, no…I'll be fine so…"
Cynthia exhaled. "Well, then that's a shame. I guess I'll go with you through Eterna Forest."
"Eh? You'll still…"
"Sure, we're going the same way," She replied simply. "I'll just follow you by air, since I don't have a bicycle. Ah…maybe you should follow me. It'll be faster."
Dawn nodded. As she got on her bike, Cynthia mounted the white Pokémon from before. She took the opportunity to use her Poké Dex. While Dawn read the contents that popped up on the screen, Cynthia looked at her curiously.
"Where did you get that?" She inquired.
"Oh, I got it from Prof. Rowan," Dawn answered. "So that's a Togekiss…"
Cynthia was mildly surprised. Professor Rowan, hm? Well I suppose that explains a lot. Her Togekiss took to the sky, but remained in Dawn's sight. She looked back down toward the younger girl. "Let's go! We can talk later."
With a short nod of agreement, Dawn began to follow after the Pokémon's shadow as it flew. Sure enough, Cynthia did know which routes to take. There were a few minor difficulties here and there, where Dawn lost sight of her but they were out of Eterna Forest in no time. It was a little bit past noon when they were outside of the forest gate. Cynthia was waiting for her on the other side. She was looking down one of the paths; the one that was a shortcut to Jubilife City. She remembered that it was the underground route that could transfer people between the forest and the city quickly, but she also recalled that it was a bit unsafe to travel on.
Dawn pedaled up to the older woman and pulled her bike to a stop. "What's wrong?"
"How about a break?" Cynthia suggested, pointing to a small house not too far away.
The younger girl agreed and the both of them approached the building. It was a rest stop run by an old woman. She offered to heal Trainers' Pokémon, as well as snacks for both humans and Pokémon alike for a small price. The old woman greeted Dawn and Cynthia warmly; they were the only ones there at the moment. While neither of them needed their Pokémon to be healed, Dawn and Cynthia bought themselves a drink and a snack. They were currently sitting at one of the tables that the woman had outside under a large umbrella.
Dawn had decided to let Piplup and Shinx out so that they could relax; she was examining the map that Pearl had given her not too long ago. So we're at Route 205… Tucking the map away, she returned to her drink. Cynthia was sitting upright in her seat with her drink untouched, looking rather stiff and unapproachable. Dawn examined her expression carefully. At the moment, the older woman's features appeared rather blank but calm nonetheless. She seemed to be watching Shinx chase Piplup around in small circles. Her gaze abruptly shifted toward Dawn, catching the younger girl off guard.
"Yes?" Cynthia inquired lightly.
"Huh? Oh, nothing…" Dawn murmured. She thought about it briefly, changing her mind. "Well, actually, I was just wondering where you were going."
Cynthia finally took a sip from her drink. "I already told you that I was heading to Floaroma."
"Mm, but what are going to do?" Dawn continued, fiddling with the straw in her bottle of juice. "You're not really going to Floaroma just to visit, right?"
Cynthia exhaled slowly. "Hm…I'm not quite sure…" She looked toward the distance, holding her own bottle in her hands absent-mindedly. "I've been stuck in one place for awhile. I don't think I really know where I want to go next."
"I think that's because you want to go everywhere," Dawn answered, letting go of her straw.
"Everywhere?" Cynthia repeated, raising her eyebrow slightly.
Dawn placed a hand under her chin. "Isn't it true? I've been cooped up for awhile too… But now's my chance! I want to see all the places I can—even if I don't know what or where they are." She smiled, turning to the blonde. "Isn't that like wanting to go everywhere?"
Cynthia returned the smile, her gaze shifting back to the two Pokémon. After a moment of silence, Cynthia got to her feet and faced the younger girl ."…Then let's go. I'll go with you."
***
"You do realize what it is that you're doing, don't you!?"
"Yes, sir. B-but I have a good reason!" The detective looked desperate.
"Looker…you can't screw this one up."
Detective Handsome nodded. At the moment he was in the office of his sector's chief. After returning to headquarters, the Chief informed him of the meeting between all the other sector leaders with the Head of the Department. The main focus of the meeting was to discuss Pokémon poaching and the dealing of counterfeit goods, such as Poké Balls and Potions.
Team Galactic was mentioned once but the subject was quickly put to rest as half of the other sector leaders and the Head of the Department dismissed it as insignificant, claiming it was a matter of the past. Poaching and counterfeiting appeared to be far more important items on their to-do list. Many argued that Team Galactic had been inactive for awhile since its prosecution and that that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Everything that the company did was technically legal and permitted. The authorities had no right to intervene.
In exchange, Handsome had briefed the Chief in on his own operation. Truth be told, his department had not granted him rights to do anything regarding Team Galactic. This was a private matter between himself and the Chief of his sector. He had already planned to operate in secrecy prior to meeting with the Champion. Having her aid simply made things easier for him that was all; especially when Cynthia had said that she would vouch for him. He shared this news with his Chief and was scolded in the process. The Chief had been primarily against Handsome's actions from the start but slowly grew more open to the man's theories as he listened. He promised to keep the matter a secret but he offered no aid—side for the occasional piece of advice or input. Currently, it seemed as if he would only give his input—negative input at that.
Part of him was furious while the other was afraid. "To get the Pokémon League involved…the Champion—are you crazy!?"
"S-she gave me her consent—" The detective reasoned. "We can investigate this and—"
The Chief shook his head. "I've listened to your ideas for long enough, Looker. But when you go out on your own and do this…this rouge operation…" He looked the detective in the eyes. "I don't want to report you, but I will if you keep this up. You'll lose your job!"
There was a stretch of silence between the two men. One could easily feel the tension in the room. The Chief looked at his co-worker with a mixture of pity and disappointment. He knew that the man meant well but rules were rules.
Handsome's jaw tightened and his eyes shut briefly. "Then I'm afraid that I'll have to quit, sir. I'm sorry."
With a deep breath, he turned and swept up his trench coat before walking out the door, leaving the older man behind in shock. He heard the Chief call after him but he chose to ignore it. He stopped by his cubicle and grabbed a few important things before heading to the elevators. He would get the rest later; right now he had to talk to the Champion.
Outside, Handsome took a seat on one of the benches off to the side where he would be undisturbed. He was in the middle of dialing her number when he paused. If he told her that he was fired then would she still help him? There was also the fact that he hadn't given her the full story—that he was just acting on account of his own suspicions to consider. He slowly began to put his phone away but paused once again. It wasn't right to keep her in the dark, especially because she was second person who listened to him. She had the right to know, or he'd just be taking advantage of her status to help him with his goal.
Handsome shoved the phone into his pocket.
***
5:01… Dawn read, examining her Poké Tech. It had been a few hours since exiting Eterna Forest. She and Cynthia had been walking for awhile along Route 205. Dawn managed to see many Pokémon along the way but managed to catch none of them. When Cynthia had asked her why she said that she wanted to focus on training Piplup and Shinx first; after which the blonde simply smiled. What Dawn did do was battle Trainers; she battled against any and all of the Trainers that she could find. Despite having only two Pokémon, she showed that she could hold her own quite well—to Cynthia's surprise.
Now that her supply of Potions to keep Piplup and Shinx going was diminishing, Dawn was looking forward to arriving at the town. According to Cynthia they were almost there; Floaroma was just past Valley Windworks. As the name suggested, it was a facility that helped generate some of the power for West Sinnoh by utilizing wind energy. However, as they approached the bridge, two Galactic Goons were present. They seemed bored so they quickly spotted Cynthia and Dawn.
"Hope you're not planning to cross—the bridge is closed!" The first man jeered.
The second one grinned. "But for a small passing fee you can go right ahead!"
"Isn't this a public bridge?" said Dawn, looking at Cynthia, who chose to say nothing.
A sudden cry from across the bridge caught everyone's attention. The two goons groaned. They ran to the other side immediately, leaving Dawn and Cynthia to follow. The men were now standing before a little girl who seemed to be intent on getting to the Valley Windworks. She was shouting at them while the two goons did their best to ignore her.
One of them couldn't stand it anymore and gave the girl a shove on the head, sending her to the ground on her rear. "Pipe down, brat! You've been trying to do this for hours!"
"You better scram before we get really nasty!" The second goon warned, taking out a Poké Ball.
Dawn decided to intervene, stepping behind the little girl and pulling her up. Her action caused the first man to sneer. "What, 'pick on somebody your own size', right? We've heard that one before!"
"You wanna be a hero? You're just a bigger shrimp than she is!" The other man added.
Dawn frowned. She usually considered herself a fairly calm person but that was it! "Why don't you battle me and find out!?"
The two men laughed. "Ha, ha, ha! Yeah right! You're not even worth the trouble!"
"You…!" Dawn pulled out a Poké Ball but she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Cynthia, who shook her head. "But they—"
"Your Pokémon aren't ready for another battle right now," The blonde reminded her. "Let's just go for now."
Dawn looked elsewhere, feeling rather frustrated. However, she knew that Cynthia was right so she would just have to let it pass at the moment. The little girl sniffled. Dawn decided to focus on her instead, leading her away from the two men. "Don't cry! You're only giving them the satisfaction they want!"
"Tch, better listen to your math tutor and run, shrimp!" The first goon called out.
Cynthia shot the man a look that was not quite menacing but silenced him all the same. "Don't worry, we'll definitely return."
"…What was that all about?" The second man inquired once the other three were gone.
The first man frowned. "I dunno…but something about that blonde chick seems like bad news…"
As they approached Floaroma Town, the little girl explained her situation to Dawn. Apparently, Team Galactic had taken over Valley Windworks, holding one employee—the girl's father as a hostage, because they needed him to operate the machines. The event had taken place about three or four days ago. Rumor has it that even one of the Team Galactic Commanders was present. Either way, no body had dared to voice their opinion. Of course, no body knew why or what Team Galactic needed Valley Windworks for so they figured that it wasn't anything special. Hey, they still had their power so what did it matter who was running the machines that produced it?
Cynthia felt the sudden familiarity of the situation. Indeed, the navy-haired girl was getting the same look in her eyes as she listened to the little girl's story. Dawn knelt down and quickly reassured her that her father was going to be okay. It appeared to work as the girl ceased her crying and looked a lot more comfortable. Cynthia said nothing but when Dawn flashed her a hopeful look, she found herself feeling the same.
Once they were in Floaroma Town, there was a sudden feeling of lightness and tranquility. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the whole town was situated in the middle of a vast field of flowers, but the place was filled with an assortment of scents. Dawn looked around in awe; she had never seen so many flowers in her life! There were more here than there were at Eterna Gym.
"Wow…!" She breathed, taking in the sight. "It's wonderful!"
The little girl laughed. "C'mon, I'll let you guys stay with me!"
"Eh? Are you sure?" Dawn asked in surprise.
The girl nodded. "Daddy's been gone so I've been all alone…"
An uneasy stretch of silence came between them. Dawn wasn't quite sure what to say. Surely, they couldn't just stay at some girl's house just because they agreed to help her, right? Nevertheless, the girl's expression made her think otherwise.
"…In that case, I hope you don't mind," said Cynthia abruptly.
Both Dawn and the girl smiled. The girl grabbed the older woman by the hand and dragged her forward. "Okay, follow me!"
The girl led Dawn and Cynthia to her house, which was across from the Poké Mart; it was a modest accommodation. There were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. The girl showed Dawn and Cynthia the guest room, after explaining that the previous rooms belonged to her father and herself respectively. Dawn and Cynthia had just placed their bags down when the girl suddenly made a declaration.
"I'll go make you some food!" She said excitedly, rushing out of the room.
Dawn scratched her head. "Gosh, she hasn't even introduced herself!"
"Neither have we," Cynthia reminded her.
The fourteen-year-old placed a hand underneath her chin. "Do you think its okay?"
"Mm. It should be fine," The older woman answered, taking a seat. "We'll do it properly at dinner time."
Dawn blinked. "Ah, not that! I mean, we can really help her out…right?"
"You decided already," Cynthia replied lightly. "So you'd do it either way."
Dawn laughed. "Good point."
"Though I do think that there's something just as important that we have to consider," Cynthia began seriously. Her expression was solemn.
The navy-haired girl bit her lower lip. "Wh-what is it…?"
"There's only one bed…"
A/N: Ah, ha, ha, ha...yeah.
Next: I'll flip you a coin for it. *flip* The coin's on its side... o__O;
No, I'm kidding.
Next: Dawn and Cynthia head over to Valley Windworks for their second attempt at a rescue operation. What? Who's Mars? This isn't Sailor Moon!
