Feeling a lot more refreshed after a month off. It's good to be back.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon but I do own my OCs.

The roar of the crowd felt like it was never going to end. I would've done a victory lap around the gym if Ninetales didn't bowl me over and lick my face off. Her progression from a scared Pokémon to what everyone witnessed was nothing short of inspiring. She finally rested on top of me when she had enough. Despite the noise, she almost fell asleep.

"My precious girl. I'm so proud of you," I whispered in her ear. She gave a weak lick to my cheek. "Get some rest." She smiled while the red beam did its job.

I took my time standing up as the experience left me tired in my own way. Vivian was waiting just over the midline with the referee holding something covered in a velvet cloth and one league official with a microphone in hand. Cleaning some mud off my hands was the least I could do before walking over.

For someone who just got swept in a full battle, Vivian was insanely composed. The straight face she had made me feel slightly uncomfortable for the first couple of steps. She softened up a little when we shook hands. The league official kicked off the post-match celebration as the audience settled down.

"Congratulations Ryan! You have reserved a spot in the Hoenn League tournament at Ever Grande City. We look forward to seeing you battle against the best trainers from across the world."

The cheering kicked back up. I tried scanning the crowd for my most vocal supporters, but I couldn't do it fast enough. No point in looking like a moron or distracting myself from soaking in some well-deserved praise. Vivian took the mic for her part.

"In accordance with league rules, I hereby present you with the Dynamo Badge." She pulled it out from underneath the cloth along with two other objects. "You have also earned the TM discs for Volt Switch and Thunderbolt. May they serve you well. Once again, congratulations!"

I took all three then held them up for everyone to see. Some sections even started chanting my name. Oh, how wonderful it felt to hear. I wondered if the stream was still up and if the serenading could be heard. The league official went on with closing remarks; Vivian leaned in as everything was wrapping up.

"Enjoy the moment. Remember to go back to the conference room before you leave."

"Gotcha." With the little ceremony done, I felt more comfortable looking around.

My housekeepers stayed in their seats as everyone else was filing for the exits. Rebecca was consoling Jack as he held his head in his hands, but it was out of joy rather than sadness. I can only imagine how he felt about the battle from start to finish considering the Shroomish incident when he was younger. Maybe they had something to say when I returned.

Cecil and Maddie were furiously waving to get my attention. I waved back and got a thumbs up; couldn't tell what they were screaming but I assumed it was something encouraging. After quitting, I assumed they wanted to stay home for a bit. Hopefully I helped them cut loose after the bullshit they've had to deal with.

Winona's loud whistling brought my attention to the VIP area. For someone with a lot of responsibilities and the expectation of being impartial during the battle, it was refreshing to see her act like an average spectator. Her reaction of pounding on the glass while cheering surprised most of the section.

Drake and Sidney stood with arms folded. They were talking amongst themselves for a bit then started clapping. They weren't going off the rails like Winona, but it was enough to show they were happy for me. If anyone told me two members of the Elite Four would take time out of their busy schedule to watch me in person, I would've told them they were crazy.

Shawn was completely stone-faced. He was standing albeit looking like he was ready to leave. I didn't know what strings were pulled to get him that seat, but he didn't do anything blatant to piss me off which was good enough for me. I refocused on the bleachers to find my parents.

Mom was bawling her eyes out while clutching dad's chest. He ran a hand through her hair for comfort. Try as he might, he couldn't stop himself from tearing up too. All those dinner conversations about me planning to be the best were one step closer to fruition. I could feel my PokéNav buzzing from text messages, but I ignored it for the time being. There was still business to attend to.

Walking out the main door to the conference room still yielded some excitement. Those who were milling around came to the velvet rope wanting autographs. I was encouraged by the people in blazers to interact. Honestly, it felt weird considering I was a nobody who happened to win their eighth badge. Time whizzed by as I signed one after another; someone gave me a nudge indicating my time was up. Vivian and the referee were waiting for me as I walked in.

"Didn't think I would get swept like that," the gym leader started. "Be careful about not letting that get to your head. Remember, leaders aren't allowed to substitute."

"What about Volt Switch? Why didn't you use it? That's a legal move."

She shook her head. "Didn't fit into my strategy. I'm still required to give out the TM."

"You didn't want it over Hidden Power?"

"Nope. I preferred Hidden Power on certain Pokémon because it's the ice variant; prevents ground types from running around unchecked. Unfortunately for me, you didn't have any of them." She gently tapped the table. "Things will be very different at the tournament. Still, I won't deny how impressive you and your team were tonight."

"Thank you."

"We have another matter to take care of. I'll let the referee explain it." Way to kill the vibe.

"Due to your throat slashing gesture before the match, you incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. According to league records, that is you third one."

Ah shit. "Let me guess, a bigger fine?"

"For your third one? There's more to it."

The funny thing was I didn't regret any of them. Aggron being called out of bounds prematurely against Brawly while trying to get back to the field was something any trainer would argue over. I'll admit I was harsh on Wallace when I said a Pokémon Center might not have been enough to heal his water types; dude shouldn't have insulted Magneton about its electrical output. Vivian was lucky all I did was a throat slash gesture and a few mean words. I still had some leftover frustration.

"Lay it on me," I sighed. The referee pulled out a notecard.

"The fine is 10,000P which can be deducted from your winnings or can be paid within seven days. You are also officially suspended from participating in league sponsored activities for seven days. An appeal can be filed and then you would to league headquarters for a hearing."

None of that was worth flying all the way to the other side of the region then all the way back. I was okay with not earning 10,000P from my victory. As for events, contests weren't my thing and I didn't need any more badges.

"Alright, just take away my winnings now. I'm not going to appeal."

"Okay, I will take care of everything. My job here is done. Have a good night."

An awkward period of silence followed as an official went to work setting something up on the computer. I remembered to get a nagging feeling off my chest.

"Hey Vivian?" I said sincerely. She perked up. "Can you please tell me what happened to Wattson?"

"I'm not permitted to speak on it," she replied after glancing at everyone with a blazer in the room.

"Please? Nothing is making any sense. We both know how much he loves his job. Then there's the issue of him giving up control of New Mauville so it could be sold. It's not like Pokémon Services is a good buyer."

She pouted. "Like I said, I can't tell you anything. How about I tell you what happened to Shawn instead since you two fought?"

Good job deflecting on her part because I bit. "Enlighten me."

"He applied to be a dealer at Lostelle's just before they opened. Got the job, got trained, started working blackjack tables for the overnight shift. Worked his way up to prime hours and tables with larger amounts of money being thrown around. From what I've heard, he's one of the best employees. We ran into each other well before tonight."

I knew she was telling me enough while also leaving out a lot. Did he try to get his original job back? What did he think of me? Did he show any remorse? My guess was she didn't want to rile me up again.

"So, I take it you gave him a VIP ticket?"

"I offered it to him on his break first and he didn't say anything; just took it and went back to work. Believe me, I was surprised he showed up tonight."

"Oh… well good for him," I said with no emotion.

"Like I said before, he's a different person now. I can't stop you from believing what you want to believe." Vivian looked at the projector. "Are we all set?"

The official nodded. "Yes. Ryan, allow me to explain what is going to happen moving forward."

"I'm all ears."

"What I have pulled up now is a formal application for the Hoenn League tournament. I can help you fill this out after we're done. More importantly, I want to show you a major rule change that is being voted on by the competition committee since we still time before the final ruleset goes out."

Another tab was selected. It had a few paragraphs of text containing the details along with a diagram indicating the change. Instead of trying to dissect it by myself, I waited.

"The standard procedure is to have preliminary battles to trim the field down to 256 trainers. After that, there are what we call qualifying rounds. They function the same as preliminary battles except the field eventually decreases to 32 trainers. All of these are double battles. What the committee is looking at is replacing the round of 64 battle with a full six on six battle instead of a double battle."

I internally cheered at the proposition. Trainers were looking at a minimum of three double battles assuming one made it to the round of 32. One less double battle would be welcomed by a lot of people.

"Hmm… that sounds interesting. When is the final vote?" I asked trying not to sound overly excited.

"Next week. We have informed other trainers that have won eight badges about this and will continue to do so until a decision is made."

"Fair enough. Come to think of it, how do you make a bracket if you get oh… 500 trainers?"

A few clicks later, the FAQ page was staring me in the face. Good to know I had a knack for embarrassing myself when it came to league policy. At least they were patient with me.

"Every trainer is given a rank from 1 to the highest numbered participant. There are a variety of factors when determining rankings."

"Can you pull up my stats? I'm seeing things like total gym battle attempts, winning percentage, total Pokémon differential, total type matchup score, sportsmanship rating, location, and coin flipping. I think I know what some of those are but would like clarification if I can get it."

The official nodded. "Not everything is public for trainers to request, but I'll pull up your file and give you some relevant information."

For the sake of privacy, the projector was turned off. Vivian was obliged to stay although she didn't need to contribute to the conversation. Another official walked in with Winona and Sidney. They took a seat behind me as the data was being compiled. We stayed quiet until the computer screen appeared on the projector.

"Okay Ryan, we'll start with location. If you're a Hoenn resident, you get a higher ranking over those who are from different regions. This is near the bottom of the tiebreaker list, so a lot of things need be the same for this to be a factor."

Sidney let out a small laugh. "Home field advantage, baby. Can't say the same for other regions."

"Moving on, you have a rematch recorded against the Petalburg and Mossdeep gyms. That puts you at 10 total attempts and an 80 percent win rate. We prefer to emphasize those points over the total number of badges won. It helps prevent badge padding and helps ensure trainers don't overexert themselves or their Pokémon. If they want to go for more badges, so be it."

The dumb decision to challenge Norman right after Brawly may have come back to bite me. Going 8-for-9 would've been better at the cost of an extra day or two of rest. I started piecing together the rest of the numbers.

"Is my Pokémon differential good?" I asked.

"Having a +15 differential in 10 leader battles is solid. Some trainers can be in the negative which is interesting. If there's a tie, we'll look at your differential against gym assistants."

Getting the sweep definitely put me in a good spot. I just hope that weighed more than some other categories.

"What about type matchup score?" Winona opted to speak up.

"That's a little more complicated. A challenger's Pokémon is split into offense and defense and is rated from zero to four on a round by round basis. The more disadvantaged a matchup is for the challenger, the higher their score is. Moves for both sides are also considered. Remember my Swellow versus your Magneton? That round would likely be registered as a zero because you had a massive advantage"

I thought about another matchup. "So, my Magneton versus Vivian's Raichu would get me a high score?"

"Probably a two or a three. Going back to our battle, Aggron versus Skarmory might actually be a four since neither Pokémon had a significant advantage. It's all up to the competition committee."

"It's also private until the seeding," an official said.

I was too tired to replay every matchup in my head and try to guess my score. "What about sportsmanship rating?"

"Also private," the official said. Sidney shifted his body.

"Not gonna lie kid, three unsportsmanlike conducts put you at least in the bottom half of the field in that category. Still nowhere near my record though which is a good thing." The official glared at him before Winona jumped in. I had questions but was unlikely to get answers.

"The paperwork we do after the battle helps with the rating process. At this point, your numbers are pretty much locked in."

Her statement hit harder than I expected. My final ranking was not only determined by me, but also by others coming in after me. The official started wrapping things up.

"Don't be too concerned for now. You'll know all the information once the time comes. Why don't we fill out your application so you can enjoy the rest of the night?"

I did so without any issues. The only thing I had to worry about was lying about my trainer status. A portable healing machine was brought in after; saved me a trip to the Pokémon Center.

Winona and Vivian moved to the corner to talk. I occasionally peeked up since I couldn't make out what they were saying; probably mentor to pupil stuff. My former coworker kept a stern face when she wasn't talking. I almost broke out into a cold sweat when an official joined their conversation and looked at me. I hope I didn't put her job in jeopardy with my performance.

Sidney was on his PokéNav until he heard that I was done. He came over as everything was being packed up.

"When I got the email that you were trying to win your eighth badge, I was hyped. I had a feeling about you when we met at Lostelle's."

I was trying to not act like a fanboy. "Thank you."

"Do you remember what I said to you before we parted ways?"

"Not really. That day was all a blur."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Enjoy yourself. Tell me, have you been doing that?"

Another gut punch. I felt my happiness was a zero-sum game and the value was in the negative. One happy moment for every two bad or stressful moments is what it felt like. Ardos constantly looming over my head didn't help matters.

Flannery's gym was the only one where I felt comfortable at the entire time. The other seven either came with a loss, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, or was stressful as hell. Winona might have been the worst due to the wind drowning out my orders and I passed out afterward.

On the other hand, I was immensely happy for my Pokémon trying their best. They still chose to battle instead of refusing at the start of our journey. Visiting the hot springs was a great time. I even bought a fucking mansion! Jack and Rebecca wanted what was best for me despite my massive fuck-up with Latias. The money sitting in my account was a nice cherry on top.

"Some days are better than others. It's an emotional rollercoaster," I said. "I savor the good moments when they happen."

"Good points. The trainer life isn't as easy as some people make it out to be," he replied while shrugging his shoulders. "Anyway, I have to get going. Drake had to bounce early but offers congratulations. He's glad to see Aggron has gotten stronger since facing Salamence. Hope to see you on the big stage in a few months!"

"I plan to be there." Sidney looked past me to Winona.

"How can you not root for this kid!?" he said then focused back on me. "Love the moxie. Keep it under control and you'll be a force to be reckoned with. It's been a pleasure."

We shook hands and he left with an official. I was about to follow him out until Winona motioned for me to stay. She ended her conversation with Vivian by patting on her shoulder. The new leader left along with every remaining official. I felt uncomfortable with us being the only two people in the room.

"How are you feeling?" Winona softly asked. I knew what she was getting at, but that didn't stop me from being honest.

"Wet. Muddy. Tired. Kind of cold now that things have calmed down. So help me if I have to deal with Rain Dance ever again."

She laughed. "You didn't stop Ninetales at the end!"

"Anything to make sure she's happy." I rubbed my eyes. "Honestly, it's been more stressful since I stepped foot in Mossdeep. A few small breakdowns here and there."

"That's… a little concerning. Tate and Liza told me you were attacked in Shoal Cave by a person named Brandon. Is that true?"

All I wanted to do was go home. "Yes. He's one of Ardos' associates."

"Okay. I have a plan that I want to run by you. How would you feel about going to the police and let them handle everything?"

"Do they have the Pokémon to deal with Brandon?"

Winona was hesitant to answer. "They have numbers."

"I doubt he'll go quietly even if they tell him it's about attacking me." I quietly yawned. "Arrested or not, Ardos might leave Hoenn entirely once he knows Brandon is being targeted. We lose Ardos, we lose Latias. I'd prefer the league handle the investigation because of their manpower."

Going to the police would put me in a position to get questioned then arrested if I slipped up. My ass needed to blend in with the rest of society for as long as possible. Participating in the tournament would blow my cover. A solution hopefully would be reached by then. Winona nodded before continuing.

"Will Ardos come after you himself?"

I used to assume he was too busy running Pokémon Services to follow me around. After Winona asked, my mindset changed. He might have been more scared about all of this than me. My skill ceiling was limitless since I didn't have to put energy into running a business or put on a fake persona. On the other hand, he had the public on his side despite the internal turmoil Maddie claimed.

"There's no telling what he'll do," I sighed.

"Yeah, you're right," she replied. "Maybe something will come up tomorrow with Maddie."

"Can't wait to hear the details."

Winona put her elbows on the table and leaned in with her chin on her hands. She had a relaxing smile to go along with soothing eyes. I suddenly didn't feel tired anymore.

"Now that you're done collecting badges, when do you want to have flying lessons?"

Damn, I nearly forgot about that. "Whenever you're available. I can come to Fortree or you can come to me."

"Fortree is better for what I want to teach you." We sat in silence for a bit.

Why did I let my guard down around Winona? I mentioned Latias during our match on accident and I even tried wiggling my way out of out conversation the next day. I felt amazing once I got that pent-up frustration off my chest.

She could still do her job while not giving a shit about my personal life. Talking about everything could be done over the phone. She could've watched our battle on a computer instead of in person. She could've actively rooted against me in favor of Vivian. I just didn't get why she was so nice to me despite all I had done. What did she see in me?

"I'll check my calendar for open dates then give you a call," Winona said.

"Good. I'm looking forward to it," I replied while standing up.

"Before you go, I can give you specific details on Wattson's condition."

"Didn't the people in blazers say…" I froze up out of shock.

"Vivian can't say, but I can. Remember that I'm the supervisor for Hoenn's gym leaders. If no explanation comes from the league, it can come from me if I know the word won't get out."

I stared shaking out of nervousness but played it off like I was cold. "Please tell me."

"He is resting in an Ever Grande City hospital. Reports were that he was assaulted one night after staying late. Closed the gym and got attacked on the way home. Suffered a broken femur and plenty of bruises. Someone came to help but the suspect ran away."

"Did they find out who did it?" I growled while clenching my fists.

"No. One person wearing dark clothing on a surveillance camera was all the authorities had. Since then, they've been looking into a few things. The good news is Wattson is doing fine in the recovery process."

Just like when I talked about Latias, I snapped. My fist wasn't going to leave a mark on the dense wooden table, and it hurt with every pound. I didn't give a shit. The sound of each muted thud echoing scared Winona after the sixth or seventh one, so I changed gears. Repeatedly lamming the chair into the ground was a good way to vent without hurting myself.

It got to a point where Winona gently grabbed my arm without saying a word. I instantly stopped and stared ahead to collect myself.

"Part of me hopes that one of Ardos' crew did it and I get a chance to deal with them before the police," I said monotonously.

"Despite all that has happened, you've kept a level head."

"Only because I'm not strong enough to actually do anything without me or my Pokémon getting hurt! What progress has been made on this since the last time we talked!? None! Absolutely nothing!"

She slowly grabbed both my hands and got me to look at her. I realized I was all bark and no bite once she started rubbing them. Yelling in her face wasn't really going to help me.

"I understand it hurts. None of this is going to be resolved overnight. People who have the skills to deal with this are doing just that." She gave me a small hug; I did the same. "You've done a great job throughout all of this," she cooed.

We continued to embrace each other in silence. I wanted to believe Winona was just saying those things to make me feel better, but her skin was also in the game. One loud sniffle and some minor trembling had her rubbing my back.

"Let it out, Ryan. It's okay to cry."

I dug my head into her shoulder and did what she suggested. The tough persona held together by anger and raw intensity gave way to my childlike behavior. Winona held me tighter with each round of wailing. My fatigue came back in full force; closing my eyes for five minutes was welcomed.

"I want to go home," I mumbled while wiping my eyes.

"Take your time. I'll walk out with you."

Deep breaths calmed me down for good. Winona led the way until we got to the lobby. The only people left were the custodial staff, one official presumably to escort the flying type leader out, the receptionist, and my parents. Mom stood up with her arms out.

"There's my baby! Good job out there!" We shared a quick hug. "Who's this?" Winona shook her hand.

"Winona, the gym leader of Fortree City. Pleased to meet you! I stopped by to congratulate Ryan on his success."

Mom turned to me. "Oh? You never mentioned she would stop by," she said while playfully elbowing me in the side.

Dad rolled his eyes because he knew she was embarrassing me. I avoided direct eye contact with the leader. In my peripheral vision, I saw Winona blush while slightly looking away. Mom was too busy laughing to notice.

"Glad you could stop by. Are you going to stick around or head back to Fortree?" dad asked.

"I'd love to say but unfortunately, I can't. Not a job with a lot of down time."

"Can't argue with that. Have a safe trip."

I looked at Winona. "Thanks again for coming."

"No problem! I enjoyed every minute of it."

She waved before walking out. My face got red in a hurry. My wet shirt did a good job of hiding any sweat while also cooling me off.

Calling a cab was the first thing that crossed my mind when I had some time to think. My parents told me how they felt at every point in the battle on the ride home. I'd probably get nervous watching the replay since they felt the same way.

Entering the house gave me a short third wind. I stayed awake long enough to feed my team, tell them they would get more praise later, recall them, and take a shower. If I didn't move the nozzle to cold, I would've fallen asleep standing up.

Checking my PokéNav in bed was the last thing on my list after setting an alarm; had to talk with Cecil and Maddie around lunchtime. There were two notifications from right after I won. One from Sadie and one from Lucas. I opened my younger sister's text first.

Congrats on the win! My cheering scared the neighbors the first time lol. Just tell me when your league battles start, and I'll make plans to watch you in person! Plenty of personal days left.

All the stress of coming back home made me forget to tell my siblings about the battle. Mom probably did it. Lucas' text also made me feel warm inside.

Holy shit! Way to come out swinging and never letting up! I had it up in the locker room and the whole team was watching. Wish I had a video because we were hyped as shit. Our offseason will be underway by the time you get to the big show. Can't wait!

I love my family.

Cecil and Maddie came over on time even though I woke up a few minutes before they knocked. I did my best to make them comfortable seeing as the house wasn't as nice as their apartment. A backpack was placed on the last chair at the kitchen table. They already ate which made me feel slightly better about having chips for breakfast.

"Great job last night! I haven't seen anything like that in my life," Maddie said.

"Probably easier than those underground battles at New Mauville, eh?" Cecil added.

He had a point to a certain degree. "Each one is different. You should've been there when Norman beat me the first time around. Total shitshow."

"Oh yeah! Sorry about calling you in the middle of that," Maddie said sheepishly. "Anyway, let's get down to business. You want to go first or one of us?"

"Lay it on me," I replied.

Maddie unzipped the backpack then pulled out a manila folder stuffed to the brim. She pulled out client evaluation forms along with pictures of client feedback forms.

"You've heard me bitch over the phone about a lot of things, but I'll start here. Compare this form and this picture," Maddie said while handing them to me. "Keep everything because we made copies."

Some statements required the client to circle a number from one to five with five being the highest mark. There was an area underneath each section for additional comments to go along with one large area on the back. Names were blacked out for confidentiality. I started with the physical copy.

Above average was the best way to describe it. Mostly fours circled with some threes mixed in. No comments to read either. The one in the picture was the opposite. Two was circled at every opportunity. Comments were illegible yet went beyond the allotted space.

"Not sure what I should be looking for to be honest," I said.

"Look at the top on the front for both."

"Same Pokémon listed, same injury, same appointment time, same therapist. Still don't… oh. Same date." I looked at them. "Really? Faking feedback?"

I was handed more comparisons across different time periods. The more egregious fakes made me chuckle because the number four was circled for every category. Other fakes could pass for a standard review on their own just by removing the comments which happened. I was never a fan of surveys.

Adding reasonable fake comments to legitimately positive surveys may have been worse. A good experience with no comments was essentially a blank check. I was handed online reviews with the fake comments front and center.

"How does the public see them?"

Maddie sighed. "In a positive light. People understand results may vary so that's the fallback excuse."

"Even with the fake comments?"

"Those pictures are a breach of patient confidentiality. I'd be blacklisted from the medical field if I went public with them. Pokémon Services have the advantage because they could spin it as a disgruntled former employee trying to soil their name. Funny thing is that they wouldn't be wrong." Glad to know I wasn't the only one doing illegal things to get to the bottom of things.

"Okay… how does the league see them? Other people in the field?"

"They're cautiously optimistic about the place because of the turnover rate. You know how they've already been visited once even though it was for someone tripping the alarm? Well, they got another visit from the league before I left."

That was news to me. "Go on."

"It was a standard facility inspection that took a lot longer than I anticipated. They passed although I'm not sure by how much." Maddie leaned back. "That's all I got. It's nothing compared to what Cecil has."

Cecil carefully laid out the contents of his folder. There were a lot of pictures that came out with a blur or weren't completely focused. Quick snaps helped avoid detection. The couple held hands after he let out a loud sigh.

"There was a point where I was working odd hours. Most of the shifts were overnights with a few early mornings thrown in. As you can guess, they were when the facility was closed. What I did at first was like what we did at New Mauville except we used the battle area in the back the rules were stricter."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Do you know how there are Pokémon that are specifically meant to help rehabilitate a client's Pokémon or were meant to battle at Lostelle's?" I nodded. "We weren't allowed to battle with those Pokémon. There's another set that only certain people can use under certain circumstances."

I went into a daze. Skarmory and Machop might have been two of those Pokémon since they were never choices for money matches. They also turned on me after Jon flashed a badge denoting a higher rank than mine.

"And those circumstances are… what, exactly?"

Cecil's finger pointed to a photo containing what looked like a projector screen. The image wasn't focused, but it was a textbook example of human DNA. He then handed me a clearer picture of what I assumed was a Pokémon's DNA since it was compared to the double helix.

"Eight people including myself were each given one Pokémon. We each battled under the instruction of four high level employees and were told a certain way to battle. It supposedly was an experiment to see how much a Pokémon's DNA could mutate. Battles would last for hours on end with constant fainting and reviving, pushing the Pokémon to their absolute limit. Rinse and repeat every other day. Sometimes there were new instructions. Sometimes we were given new Pokémon. Anyone that didn't follow the riles was kicked out of the group," Cecil explained.

"Like sparring?"

He shook his head. "Far worse: no dodging. If someone ordered it, they were kicked out. Pokémon that did were attacked by an instructor's Pokémon."

"That's fucking disgusting," I hissed.

"Results were put into a table here. Like the other pictures, I took this one quickly. It shows the ideal nature for each Pokémon to achieve the best results. Problem is I don't know what that means. I left on my own terms the next day."

I squinted trying to find anything legible. One result that was near the bottom contained "Growlithe" and "Rash" with what appeared to be an attack crammed into the same box as a number I couldn't read. Another result I could make out was "Skar" with "Serious" which was enough evidence for me.

"Hold up for a second," I said while pulling out my PokéNav. "I think you both need to look at my pictures to understand why the table matters. Start at the one I scroll to then swipe left."

Ein File S contained more information in the rest of the packet although the cover page would provide enough information. Cecil was shocked from the start and got progressively angry with each page. Maddie went from angry to sad. I appreciated them not taking their emotions out on my gear.

"Pure evil," Cecil growled. He pulled his hand away from his girlfriend to slam the table. "And I went with it for some extra money! Dammit!" I was terrified to see what he would do next. Maddie rubbed his shoulder to calm him down.

"You didn't know. It's alright," she whispered into his ear. Maddie gently caressed his hand again.

"Between that and not telling you anything, I'm a terrible person. We nearly fell apart," Cecil said with his head down. His girlfriend cupped his chin and made him look at her.

"When you left the program that day, you apologized for your actions and told me what I needed to do to stay safe." She let go and rested on his shoulder. "We can come up with a better plan to stop this now that we know what's going on. I love you Cecil."

I let them have their moment while rummaging through more pictures. Trying to identify the various Pokémon while battling was impossible because of the blur. Another shot of the projector had a picture of a Lairon on it with and ID number on the top of the slide. I went to ask about it, but Maddie opened her mouth first.

"Where and how did you get this information?" she asked.

"Ardos followed me to Sootopolis with his yacht. I broke in looking to see if there was any dirt on him and this thing called 'Ein File S' was out in the open. Didn't take the whole thing because that's a disaster waiting to happen."

"I kind of wish you took it. Then again, it might have been bait."

"Getting out was hard on its own." I thought of something besides the Lairon picture. "Speaking of getting out… how did Cecil get out of a serious situation like that? What happens to people who get kicked out?"

Cecil sat up then folded his hands. He tapped the table as if buying time to come up with the right words. I thought about taking my question back, but he eventually formed a small grin.

"Good news is the people that were involved in this were considered exceptional employees. Losing them to an 'accident' would raise suspicion down the road. Instead, a Hypno would use its pendulum to wipe their memory while they were awake."

"Why not while sleeping? Dream Eater would seem to do the trick."

"Risk of severe brain damage if done out of malice. Humans can handle some attacks. Dream Eater is not one of them. The pendulum works on its own."

At least Latios couldn't do something like that… I hoped. "Did it hurt otherwise?"

"I only saw it once. The person wasn't in any visible pain during or after the experience. Saw them the next day and they looked fine. After that, still fine. Just a cloudy memory that they brushed off as something they usually did late at night before going to bed."

"What about your experience?" I asked. "How do you remember so much?"

"Simple: I acted like my mind was wiped before it happened. The guy who handled it is the right-hand man of the owner, so I needed to put on a good act. Kept it up at work all this time. Nobody suspected a thing."

I laughed. "Funny you mention Hypno. I remember the day I was hired to battle for Ardos. Those who didn't make the cut left his yacht looking oddly calm."

"Exactly! That's how he nips problems in the bud," Cecil replied with his arms out. "At least the ones he has direct control over."

"You think it would work on police or someone with the power to shut the business down?"

Maddie stepped in. "Luring them to Hypno in an enclosed room is the safest possible option. Especially if its for a routine check of sorts because their guard would be down. Ardos doesn't necessarily have them in the palm of his hand, but he's made sure to be friendly with people he has to answer to."

Not surprising, but that was another layer to get through. The field he entered was unintentionally designed in his favor. Favorable service to benefit Pokémon and humans? Check. The ability to hide behind company and industry policies? Check. Keeping the facility in working order so he can show the league all is going well from a distance? Check. Finding evidence about the other side of Pokémon Services would require a massive in-depth investigation.

"We hate waiting, but we're also in a rough spot," Cecil said. "Now you're up to speed."

"Thank you. As for my end, I've told you about what happened to Sootopolis. Mossdeep was no picnic either. I was attacked in Shoal Cave by a high-level associate named Brandon."

From the look on their faces, they didn't know who he was. Good.

"Stay away from the place and you should be good. I didn't mention you guys," I added.

"Neither of us are planning on staying in touch with our coworkers anyway. The Pokémon Center might be looking for people," Maddie said. Glad they were making the process easier. I tapped the table.

"I don't plan to go to the police because I want the league handling the investigation. However, I can't control what happens to you two. If you feel like you're in danger or there's a prime opportunity to move in, go to somebody that can help. Please leave my name out of it if possible. Whatever happens after that, happens."

Mentioning that made me sick. That was so much to ask for my mistake. I didn't care if it was an act or not, them nodding in agreement gave me some peace of mind.

"Last thing before I forget," I started. "What's this ID number above Lairon mean?"

Cecil rubbed his forehead. "You know that you could buy a Pokémon if you wanted?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, that Lairon was supposed to be part of the battle training. Its ID number was 170435 whereas the one you could buy was 170436. A clerical error made the potential Shadow Pokémon available for sale. I was told the secretary responsible was berated for five minutes straight then fired. Policy changed after that."

Jon mentioned that back at the waterfall on route 114 before I jumped in. Hearing it again hit home since it was miserable when I got it and became scared when I mentioned Shadow Pokémon. Cecil looked at my belt.

"You have it, don't you?"

"Fully evolved, yes," I bluntly replied. "They can take him from my cold, dead hands."

We sat in silence thinking about the future. Having eight badges gave me more free time and hopefully more energy to train. Being ready for action at the drop of a hat was critical.

"Unless you guys have anything else, I'm all set," I said.

"Nope," Cecil replied.

"Same," Maddie added. I asked them if they needed anything before walking them out.

I snagged a glass of water and plopped down on the couch for a nap. The smell of my parents cooking dinner was enough to get me out of the deep sleep. Dad's nudging woke me up completely. I waited until we were done eating to tell them my next move.

"Tomorrow I'm going back on the road."

"Already? Isn't the tournament a few months away?" dad said.

I shrugged my shoulders to hide my nerves. "Things only get harder from here on out. Gotta keep training."

Mom's face indicated she wanted me to stay longer. "Go at your own pace. You're welcome home anytime."

I went back to the couch to fade in and out of consciousness. Mom watched her usual round of shows including the nightly news. The anchor mentioning a large police presence in the city got me out of my daze. A reporter was talking in front of an apartment complex on the southwest side.

Unbelievable. They didn't. No, they fucking didn't. Not again.

Residents reported seeing a large man trying to enter a room with a key that didn't work. When questioned by a neighbor, he walked off the property. The resident of the targeted room was not home at the time of the attempted break-in. The building's owner has encouraged residents to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police. Back to you.

I waited for a commercial break to go to my room. All I could do was nervously laugh while shaking my head. The smile eventually turned into a scowl. At a certain point, being one step ahead isn't going to cut it.

Guess I'll have to be two steps ahead.

For those in college who are in coming up on finals and/or graduation, good luck! Have a good day and I will see you next chapter :)

-W4f