"Lance, is there something you need my help with?"

Everybody's busy preparing for the big battle that they all know will happen soon, especially Lance. This was why Falkner found it so surprising that Lance had actually called him over to Indigo Plateau for a talk.

"No, it's something else." Lance shook his head from where he was sitting behind his office desk and after a few seconds of silence, picked up a printed copy of a document from the pile on his table.

"My men are still busy analysing the load of information the informant gave us and we are far from finished in sorting through the entire thing, but just last night, they came across this hidden report that detailed one of Kain's dirty deeds. I'm not sure if this is the right time to inform you about it, but I still feel that you and your family have the right to know."

Hesitantly, Falkner took the document that Lance offered. The report wasn't very detailed and he finished reading through it in less than a minute. However-

Fucking Kain.

"I'll fucking kill him." Falkner stood up in rage and marched towards the door, his right hand still gripping tightly onto the report as it crumpled under his hold. There's no telling what he'll do if Lance didn't stop him in time and pulled him back.

"Falkner. Not now. I know you are mad, I am angry too. I was Champion when Walker was still the Gym Leader and even I had no idea this was what really happened to him. I know all you care about now is to tear him asunder but now is not the time."

"Dad went missing when he was out on a mission to locate the Sinjoh Ruins, that was what you told me when I first became Gym Leader." Falkner turned around and spat in Lance's face, the anger burning at the back of his mind the only thing he can feel right now. He held up the crumpled report in his hand right in front of Lance's face.

"Do you know how my father's disappearance had affected my siblings? Throughout all these years? Especially my sister? She really believed that he had abandoned us and there's nothing I can do or tell her that it is not the case, because the Sinjoh Ruins is a national secret. And now you are telling me Dad, he… He was murdered?! By Kain?! YOU ARE THE CHAMPION! How did you not know about this until now?!"

"I wasn't the one who gave Walker the order to locate the Sinjoh Ruins. I have no idea who gave him the order or that he actually went on such a mission until his disappearance." Lance quickly explained. "All I knew was that someone had given him the mission on orders from the League that wasn't authorised by me and that it has something to do with the Sinjoh Ruins. I have no idea if Walker even knew if that mission wasn't authorised by me, or if he decided to do it anyway with that knowledge. There were no clues left for us to find out who was the real mastermind behind that fake mission order until now."

"Kain. Him again." Falkner said with gritted teeth. "But Dad is a Gym Leader. How on earth did Kain managed to murder him? Even if he had a capable trainer on his side, Dad is a Flying Specialist. Escaping from a perilous situation should be easy for someone of his calibre."

The report in his hand did not mention anything on how Walker Bale, the previous Gym Leader of Violet City, was eliminated. The only thing written was that he had been removed from the picture and that he was sent on a mission to locate the Sinjoh Ruins. That was all.

Falkner needs answers, badly. He couldn't face his siblings otherwise.

The two Pillars of Indigo remained in silence, each not knowing what to say to the other.

"I have no idea how I'm going to break this news to Skye and Ciel, especially Skye. She changed so much after Dad's disappearance." Falkner said in a low whisper, a mixed look of sorrow and anger on his face. "She kept saying she hated Dad for disappearing on us without a word but she's the one who is wishing for his return the most. How am I going to tell her that Dad is KIA instead of MIA? She will break."

"I promise I will get to the bottom of this as soon as the Rocket crisis is over." Lance promised as he placed a comforting hand on Falkner's shoulder. "Kain owes us too many explanations, but this is not the time. Now, Indigo's safety is our priority."

"I understand." Falkner answered after a few seconds, even if it is obvious that it is visibly taking all of his effort to say that. "I will keep this to myself for now. My siblings and I have waited for ten years, we can afford a few more weeks. Just don't let me catch a glimpse of the bastard until then, I cannot promise you that I will not kill him on sight."

With that, Violet City's Gym Leader stormed out of Lance's office and slammed the door behind him, fury still clear on his face as he made his leave.

"Kain Briggs." Lance gritted out as he punched the wall in his anger the moment he was alone once more in his office. The pain in his fist he felt from punching the wall did nothing to quell the anger in his heart. Not just because he is angry at Kain for needlessly meddling with everything that is not his business to do so, but also angry at himself for his failings as Champion. The more he dug deeper into Kain's secrets, the more horrifying it gets.

He should have known. He is the Indigo Champion.

Some Champion he is.


"What, in the world is this?"

Every Ranger is entitled to have their own locker to store their stuff in the locker room, which is also conveniently located next to the changing rooms in case we ever need to hurry and change into our combat gear for sudden deployment. However, what I never expected to happen was for the lockers to be used by others to send each other confession letters.

"Oooh, open them up, Skye! Open them up!" Amy exclaimed from where she was beside me. Yes, that's right. The first thing I saw when I opened my locker was to find confession letters stuffed in it somehow. It's not just one, it's not just two, but an entire pile of them.

"Maybe those aren't for me because they got the locker number wrong?" I suggested lamely, but even I know that my suggestion does not sound convincing at all. Heck, it's not even the first time I received a confession in this lifetime, I had received a few back when I was still in the 9th Regiment, but this really takes the cake.

"Someone's popular, I see." Jacky whistled when he came over to see what the commotion was all about. He turned around and shouted in Rufus' direction.

"Hey loverboy! Any of these happen to be yours?!"

"Hey, if I wanna woo Skye I definitely wouldn't do something as outdated as writing confession letters! I would go down on a knee and propose immediately!"

"Real man, that one." Jacky chuckled while I was sorting through the pile of letters with a frown. I haven't opened my locker for a while because there wasn't a need to recently, so I have missed these. Furthermore, from the looks of it these letters all came from different people.

"Hey, lovely! I am not brave enough to approach you in person, so I hope the words written in this letter can convey my feelings for you. I know we just met, but ever since I laid my eyes on you these feelings I have for you keep growing every day. Nowadays, I could not sleep without thinking about you. Every night, I would dream of you and when I wake up in the morning I wake up with a smile on my face because I may see you-"

"Alright, that's enough." I snatched the letter that Amy had opened without my permission and started to read out loud for the entire squadron to hear. Adam is already rolling on the floor howling with laughter while Rufus is leaning onto one of the lockers for support, his hands on his stomach and trying to catch his breath from laughing too much. Jacky is obviously doing his best not to laugh but I can see that he is quickly failing.

"I have another!" Amy whipped out another letter she got from somewhere that I had missed and opened that too. "Oh, I know this guy! He's from Liam's squadron, wasn't he? Ahem, here it goes. You may not know it until now, but I love you so much that I am afraid about showing it. Ever since I first saw you in action at the Aerial Obstacle Course the only person that I could ever think about is you. Whenever you are around me my mouth just freezes and I can't speak, anything that I wanted to say to you just cannot be expressed. My lips lock up because my love is so strong-"

"Amy." I warned as I snatched away that letter from her hand too. "Respect their privacy, okay?"

"Is it my imagination, or are most of these letters from the Kanto Rangers?" Jacky mused as he idly dug through the pile of letters. Wait, when did he start digging through those without me realising?

"Our Skye is one attractive girl, there's no hiding that!" Amy said excitedly as she hugged me from behind. "She got the looks, the skills, the personality, and she takes no shit from anyone!"

"Guys." I lamented in exasperation. "Can you just knock it off already?"

"Nope."

"I hate you all."

"What are you going to do with all these letters though?" Rufus asked in curiosity once he finished laughing everything out of his system. I stared at the pile of letters in thought. Rufus is right. What am I going to do with them?

"Uh… do you think anyone would know if I burnt them in secret…?"

"Ouch, that's so cruel."

"What do you expect me to do? Write a response to every single letter? I don't have the time for that."

"Or you could just declare that you already have a boyfriend." Rufus teased while wagging his eyebrows and pointing at himself. The hint is blatantly obvious, but it's plain as day to everyone that Rufus chances are hard stuck at 0%.

Although, his idea does have some merit.

"You did give me a brilliant idea." I nodded slowly while stroking my chin in thought. "Alright, you guys can help spread the word for me. If anyone wants to try and woo me, defeat Falkner in combat first, then we can talk."

There was a collective wince from everyone present.

"Ouch. Aren't you being a little too brutal here, Skye?"

"That's the whole point. I have no interest in pursuing a relationship at this stage of my life." I replied as I gathered the letters. I will just put them in my bunk for now and decide how to deal with them later. Thankfully, I happen to have a plastic bag stored in my locker, so it was easy to carry the pile of letters around.

"Hey little guy, mind helping me out a little?"

I happened to spot a wild pidgey looking for food around the nearby trees when I exited the building. I knelt down and beckoned for it to come closer, which the little guy did after staring at me for a few seconds. I always keep a few Oran berries on me because most flying types love those, and I often treat my own pokemon with some of the berries I have after they did a job well done. It's also very handy in bribing wild flying types to help me do a small favour, like what I'm asking the pidgey to do right now.

"See the grey building over there? Third floor, fifth window from the left, I need you to deliver this bag of letters into that room. Just fly into that room and leave this bag on the floor, and this berry is yours."

The pidgey gave me a happy chirp and immediately took the bag of letters in its talons, but not before plucking away the Oran berry from my hand using its beak. The rest of us watched as the pidgey flew with the bag of letters in hand and quickly disappeared into the bunk that I shared with Amy through the opened window and reemerged from it seconds later, flying off into the distance.

"Hot damn, Bird Whisperer, how on earth did you convince that pidgey to help you? It's wild."

"Have you forgotten? I live among birds." I scoffed as the five of us continue to make our way to our next destination within the Ranger camp. "Their likes, dislikes, what makes them tick, I know them all by the back of my hand. Bribing them with food to help me out with a small favour is as easy as breathing to me."

"I would like to see Falkner trying to do that."

"I'm sure he could, it's not that hard." I said with a yawn. "You guys should try it out sometimes too. All you need is an Oran berry."

"You sure make it sound so easy, Bird Whisperer." Jacky said doubtfully with a raised eyebrow.

"Call me by that stupid-"

Amy then began to chant non-stop, much to my annoyance.

"Bird Whisperer, Bird Whisperer, Bird Whisper- AH! STOP, SKYE! OKAY OKAY I WAS WRONG JUST STOP TICKLING ME- AH!"


"Interpol?"

"Some new organisation set up by the PWL." Pyral grumbled while sipping on his cup of coffee. "In any case, they will be coming over here for a visit, permission granted by Lance himself. They are conducting investigations on the Rocket that gave us trouble back at Cherrygrove and the Johto National Park and since we are some of the few people that had direct contact with him, the representatives from the interpol are going to ask us some questions regarding that guy."

"We wrote everything that we know about that guy into our mission reports though?"

"Exactly what I said to the higher ups." Pyral replied with a snort. "But since this is a direct order from the Champion himself, we cannot refuse. Still, it's just a short questioning and would probably not take long. I'm just letting you know that there is such a thing happening. Jacky and Amy are volunteering to obtain the security clearance needed for those two. Apparently they both personally know one of the representatives that are coming over."

"What time are they coming over?"

"Not long from now." Pyral replied. "Rehearsals are cancelled for today because us commanders will be having an important meeting, so use this time to take a much needed break. We will go back to having rehearsals first thing tomorrow. Any other questions?"

"Nope."

"Then you are dismissed."

"Alrighty. See ya, boss!"

I left Pyral's office with a skip in my steps and headed for the lounge where I know most of the Rangers that are involved in the rehearsals are currently gathering there to rest, mingle, and generally have fun. I was greeted by rowdy shouts and cheers from the foosball table the moment I entered.

"One more win for the Yellow Squadron!"

"Ah darn it!" Adam yelled. "We were so close too!"

"I know, right?" Rufus lamented. "We can't win with just us two."

"Yo, wassup?" I joined the conversation as I walked up to Adam and Rufus, who were the ones playing foosball with members of the Yellow Squadron right before I came in. From the looks of it, Adam and Rufus got their asses handed to them.

"The Yellow Squadron is the best squadron when it comes to foosball, that's what!" One of the members taunted good naturedly. I looked at that guy in slight curiosity, then back at my squad mates.

"How badly did you guys lose?"

"10-3." Rufus shrugged. "Maybe if Jacky was here he could have evened the odds a little."

"Lemme have a go." I said in excitement as I rolled up my sleeves. "It's been a looooong time since I've played foosball. I'm usually not one to boast, but I'm undefeatable at this game back at the 9th Regiment."

"Now that's a ballsy claim to make." The Ranger from the Yellow squadron laughed in good fun as he too, prepared for another showdown. "We usually play 2 vs 2 for a foosball table of this size. So, who's your partner?"

"No need for any, I can handle you guys alone." I boasted while crossing my arms in front of my chest. "I don't need an extra pair of hands to show you guys that the Black Squadron reigns supreme in the foosball department."

"Those are big words, lady."

"They won't be if I win. So, in or out?"

"I'm just gonna say this before we start, we are not going easy on you simply because you're a girl."

"Please, it's not like you can beat me even if your entire squadron comes at me together. I'm the reigning queen of foosball back at the 9th Regiment. Ask your friends there if you don't believe me."

"We will see, we will see."


"To the left, Skye, to the left!"

"Shut up pottymouth! You are distracting me!"

Pass the ball, do a feint and wait it out… now!

"SCORE!"

Another loud cheer sounded out from around us when I scored another goal. I quickly checked the score, 8-4. Damn, I had gotten rusty. It's been a long time since anyone has scored more than three goals against me.

The little plastic ball was released into the centre of the foosball table once more, signalling the start of another round. A small crowd had gathered around us by now thanks to all the noise and cheering from our side.

"SHOW EM SKYE! SHOW EM WHAT WE BLACK SQUADRON IS FUCKING MADE OF!"

"Don't shout in my ear, Adam!" I yelled back while my hands were frantically moving across my side of the foosball table, trying to end this match as fast as I could. Do another feint, pass... Nope, the ball got intercepted and now I need to get it back. Wait, they are trying to snipe from across the table! Ah ha! I blocked it, now the ball is back in my possession! Do another feint, and… shoot! SCORE!

"SKYEEE! WE HAVE BROUGHT THE GHOST WHISPERER HERE TO MEET THE BIRD WHISPE-"

The final round had started and I quickly took control of the ball and dribbled it around. Even then, I somehow managed to grab a cushion lying around near me and threw it in the direction of Jacky's voice out of pure reflex when I heard that thrice blasted nickname again.

"I told you many times to not call me by that damn nickname!"

I made a powerful shot with a sudden flick of my wrist, scoring the final goal and ending the little competition we are having against the Yellow Squadron.

"Hah! Told you guys that I wasn't joking when I said that I am undefeatable at foosball! Who else is next?" I declared as I made a come-get-me motion with my hand. Trying to beat me at foosball? These guys are a lifetime too young to do so.

"Alright, alright, the Yellow Squadron will admit that the Black Squadron reigns supreme in the foosball department." My competitors surrendered with grace, prompting a mixture of cheering and jeers from the crowd around us.

"All hail Skye, the undefeatable foosball queen of Johto's 1st Ranger Regiment!" Rufus cheered before bowing dramatically bowing down in my direction.

"How about the both of us go out on a date to celebrate your victory, Skye?"

Whistles and shouts rang across the room the moment Rufus made his 'confession'. I simply rolled my eyes. Rufus and his antics.

"Sorry Rufus, but nope."

I plainly ignored the "Ooooh" from the crowd that followed after.

"SKYE! OVER HERE!"

Jacky's voice got my attention and I turned my head to search for him. I found him and Amy soon enough. Right beside them are two people that are obviously not from this camp, a tall lanky man and… a little girl?

"Oh, Jacky? Amy too? And who's that?" I asked the moment I made my way over. Jacky quickly introduced us to each other.

"Looker and Velda, the ones that Amy and I had told you about before. They are here on official business as members of the interpol. Looker, Vel, this is Skye. I know you are supposed to meet my boss too but he's not here at the moment. I will go get him. Skye, you mind leading the both of them to Meeting Room Three while I'm at it?"

Ah, so this little girl was the one who had defeated Amy and Jacky back during the Ever Grande Conference. I remember now.

"Sure." I replied readily before greeting our guests. "Nice to meet you, Looker, Velda. I'm Skye."

"Nice to meet you. And please call me Vel." Velda replied on behalf of Looker and her with a sweet smile. Still, isn't she a little too young to be a part of this… interpol thing? Whatever that is. I only know enough to know that it is an international organisation set up by the PWL, so whatever they are doing must be some serious and heavy work. Can this little girl really handle it? She couldn't be over fifteen.

I led the two guests towards Meeting Room Three like what Jacky had suggested. Velda made some small talk with me along the way.

"So, I heard from Jacky that you have a very strong affinity towards flying types?"

Damn it, Amy, Jacky. Stop spreading that blasted nickname to everyone you guys meet.

"Huh? Oh, that. It's not that big of a deal actually. If you have been living alongside flying types for as long as I have you would naturally be able to understand them and get them to listen to you." I tried my best to downplay the so-called "superpower" that I supposedly have. What I can do with flying types is honestly not that big of a deal.

"Honestly, they are just exaggerating things and making a big fuss out of it. My family has been working with flying types for as long as I can remember and we are very accomplished in this field. Anything I did with flying types that my fellow Rangers viewed as impossible, I bet that my father and older brother could do it too."

There, that should do it. Although, from the look on Velda's face, it seems like she is… a little disappointed? Did I read it right?

"Well, I've heard a little about you from Jacky and Amy. Pretty sure we had a brief conversation some time back when you called Jacky and asked him for tips about poison types but I don't think you remembered any of that." I continued the conversation as we made a turn, remembering the hilarious phone call back in the Scramble Room that day.

"What did they call you again? The Ghost Mistress? Nice job beating Jacky and Amy, by the way. I saw the matches, you are skilled."

"Thanks."

"Alright, we are here- Oh, boss, you are here already?"

"Obviously." Pyral drawled from where he was sitting lazily on a chair. He got up and went to shake hands with Looker and Vel and the three of them briefly introduced themselves to each other.

And with that, the questioning started.


"Scratch it here, yes, here. Underneath her jaw close to the joint area between her jaws and neck. See? Aria is not as scary as it looks, right?"

Like Pyral told me, the questioning didn't take too long. Pyral and I told them everything we know or felt while facing that terrifying Rocket in battle. Looker had gone with Pyral to do some top secret stuff after that, leaving me with our guest, Vel.

After it was made known to Vel that I owned an aerodactyl, it became obvious that she was interested in Aria due to the fact that Aria is a prehistoric pokemon that not many people will have the chance of seeing in person. So, I brought her out to an empty training field to allow the little girl to interact with Aria. Velda still looks a little scared of her, but Aria is really not as scary as she looks, really!

"I can see why they call you the Bird Whisperer. You are really good at what you are good at."

I made a mental note to have a long talk with Jacky and Amy later. They really should stop telling others of this stupid nickname of mine!

"I really should go strangle Jacky and Amy later. At this rate the whole world will know me by that stupid nickname."

Velda laughed at my response, her hands still scratching Aria underneath those massive jaws of hers, making Aria purr in delight.

"I can understand. I was once stuck with the nickname of Ghost Mistress. Didn't like it all that much too."

"Oh, yeah. I remember about your banette because Amy kept talking on and on about it. It left quite an impression on me." I said with a grin as the memories from that day resurfaced in my mind. Amy's reactions towards ghosts are always so hilarious. Ah, good times.

Velda fell silent for a short while, as if thinking about something. I let her be, knowing that interacting with an infamous prehistoric pokemon will do that to anyone. It was the same for me when I first got Aria.

"Dolly's actually really friendly too. If Dolly's a male I would name her Casper. Casper the friendly ghost, got a nice ring to it."

My head whipped in her direction, startled. Casper the friendly ghost? Isn't that...

"Casper the… friendly ghost?"

Those words left my mouth even before I could think. Velda turned to look at me as well upon hearing my question, her facial expression a little shocked too.

"Uhm, yes?"

Casper the friendly ghost. This is too much of a coincidence. The only way anyone would know about that is if… If… That means Velda, she… No damn way. This is fucking impossible but- There's no other explanation!

"Do you… happen to… Oh fuck this. Are you reincarnated or something?"

My rash behaviour reared its ugly head again when I simply blurted my thoughts out loud. I thought I might have just irreversibly screwed myself up until I saw the expression on Velda's face and suddenly everything just clicked.

She's like me. She has to be like me!

I'm not alone in this world.


Name: Skye Bale, 16, Female

Affiliation: Indigo Ranger Force, Johto Region, 1st Ranger Regiment

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Code Name: Zephyr

Pokemon Team:

1. Pidgeot (Crown), male

2. Gliscor (Glide), male

3. Skarmory (Dia), female

4. Crobat (Beats), male

5. Jumpluff (Cotton), female

6. Dragonite (Tino), female

7. Noivern (Echo), male

8. Emolga, (Emi), female

9. Hawlucha (Hawk), male

10. Sigilyph (Cosmo), female

11. Aerodactyl (Aria), female

12. Masquerain (Heli), male