Ruby was waiting in the waiting room of the Viridian City hospital. She explained what had happened to one of the nurses, and they admitted her parents and brother right away.

A nurse walked into the room and pulled her aside.

"The people you brought in here are in stable condition, but they haven't woken up yet. We've given them everything they need to recover, if that's going to happen, but we're just going to have to wait and let nature take its course. Do you have any other family you could stay with in the meantime?" the nurse asked.

Ruby nervously played with Mew's Poké Ball on her belt.

"I think I have options," Ruby said calmly.

The child quietly left the hospital to explore outside.


Back in Lavender Town, Miya was still in disguise patiently waiting for her injured Pokemon to recover at the Pokemon center. She had picked up a newspaper and lazily scanned it for current events. The local crime and business section was always interesting. Plus, she wondered if there were any more leads on what was happening in Pokemon Tower.

Miya finished scanning. The paper was disappointing, as there wasn't a lot of information about the Lavender Town incident, yet, anyway. She proceeded to fold the paper down, and that's when she caught someone's gaze.

There was a man in a brown trench coat with graying hair. Miya quickly put the paper back up to her face, hoping she hadn't been recognized.

Looker! she thought.

The last thing she needed right now was interference from the secret police and private investigators. Or did she need that kind of interference?

They might be able to help me find our culprits? But, what if I get caught? Before I faked my death, I was a top ranking Team Rocket agent. Even now, my arrest would probably bring them a very large bounty. Plus, if Giovanni ever finds out I'm alive...

Miya swallowed hard; she would rather not think about that. She knew almost all of Team Rocket's secrets, and she highly doubted the organization would take chances on those secrets leaking out to the public. If they figured out she was anywhere but the ghost world, they could, and probably would, come after her.

Just then, a news report caught her attention.

"Local authorities continue to be baffled over recent incidents involving Pokemon and their trainers..." the news reporter on TV said.

"...and then, just like that, Charmander reached out, scratched me, used flamethrower, and disappeared into the night! I tried to call him back, but he just wouldn't listen," a distraught little girl said to the camera through tears.

"we think it might all be related to the restless spirits in Pokemon Tower. I'm a medium, and, shortly after I attended a memorial service with a family, I heard a voice telling me 'get out,' 'get out,' 'the spirits of the dead Pokemon must be avenged, the spirits of the dead Pokemon must be avenged," the wrinkled old woman wearing a flower crown said.

"...so there you have it folks..." the stunned news reporter said to the camera.

Miya rolled her eyes. There was nothing in the news report about plans to investigate and no mention of real precautions people could take to keep themselves safe.

Well, I see they're still afraid to face the truth.

She let out a sigh and gently took the newspaper away from her face. She was hoping she wouldn't regret this, but the regular police weren't really doing an investigation. The news report she just watched proved it. It took on the same ominous tone that allowed Team Rocket to run Kanto.

"Lock up your people and your Pokemon; these are dangerous criminals. I repeat, lock up your people and your Pokemon, these are dangerous criminals," Miya repeated in her head.

Yet, you allowed Team Rocket grunts to openly threaten trainers, loot stores, rob innocent people, and use Pokemon in unorthodox manners for nearly 20 years after you started making those reports? With a track record like that, I wouldn't trust you guys to rescue a trapped Skitty, let alone protect my family's safety.

Miya shook her head. She didn't trust the Kanto police to do anything, and the media was just interested in fear mongering. Maybe letting the secret police in on this wasn't such a bad idea if she wanted to see it change.

Sometimes, the risks are what make life worth living... Miya heard her own words echo.

Quickly and quietly, she took a piece of paper and discretely wrote a note to the detective. She then placed it and the little metal piece that she found in Pokemon Tower in a tiny envelope about the size of a playing card.

Hopefully I'm making the right decision. Miya thought.

Shakily, she stood up, crossed over to the area where the detective was sitting, and handed off the evidence.

"I thought this might be of interest to you..." Miya said calmly in a whisper.

Looker stopped, took the evidence, and said, "the weather is clearing isn't it? I'll let you know if I see any clouds."

Miya sighed. The transaction went more smoothly than she thought it might. "I thought this might be of interest to you" and "the weather is clearing isn't it?" were both code phrases Looker's agents used. The former meant "I have important news to share" and the latter meant "thank you agent; I'll let you know if I find any leads." Unlike Team Rocket, though, the secret police was a much smaller organization, and agents knew each other by name and face. She doubted Looker was being that absentminded; he knew she wasn't part of the organization, she just hoped he didn't find out who she really was.


"Mari Soto! Mari Soto! Please come to the front desk!"

Miya jumped at the mention of her fake name.

What do they want now? She asked herself.

Cautiously, she pulled her sun glasses on, tightened her scarf, pulled her coat tightly around her, and made her way to the front desk. She nervously placed her gloved hands on the counter to keep them from shaking.

She stood at the counter, a look of surprise and trepidation on her face. She stood counting the seconds. Nurse Joy appeared with a tray containing one Poké Ball.

"Your Haunter should be feeling much better now!" Nurse Joy said cheerfully.

"Oh, thank you," Miya said with a weak smile.

Miya took a look around the Pokémon center waiting room; Looker was gone. There was an Officer Jenny standing by the door, but that wasn't unusual.

The former Team Rocket member tucked her Poké Ball into her jacket and prepared to leave.

Just as she made her way to the front of the building, an announcement interrupted her.

"Attention all Pokémon trainers! Attention all Pokémon trainers! No one is allowed to leave the Pokémon center at this time. I repeat, no one is allowed to leave the Pokémon center at this time!"

Miya rolled her eyes and continued toward the exit. She didn't have time for this. Officer Jenny stopped her.

"I'm sorry, but didn't you hear the announcement? No one is allowed to leave! It's too dangerous!" Officer Jenny yelled in a stern voice.

Miya let out a huff, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes.

I'm really not in the mood for this today. Miya thought to herself.

"Look, I realize you're just trying to do your job, but I'll take my chances, okay?" Miya said, a tone of disinterest in her voice.

"You really shouldn't go out there. People and Pokémon are attacking for no reason. It's pure chaos out there. I can't guarantee your safety if you leave these premises," Jenny said.

"I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself," Miya said sternly as she gently tried to nudged Officer Jenny out of the way and push her way out the door.

Jenny stepped aside, and Miya exited