July 4th, 1927

It was ridiculously wet in France, Anna found when she got off Brian. She was able to mask the Braviary's vibrant plumage with a strong notice me not charm, and she recalled him into his pokéball.

With her arrival, she could feel a concentration of Dark Magic, a beacon that was so strong against her Sensor abilities. With the magical origin, she could feel Grindelwald's magic all over it, making her pause. Along with the origin, she could sense its general direction, flexing her aura, and she pinpointed where the magic was coming from, letting her feet take her.

Anna wore her regular clothes with a notice me not charm, her coat also charmed against the constant rain. The hood was pulled up, obscuring most of her features, the long coat loose around her. It wasn't worth the bother fitting into the fashion of this world, since dresses would be difficult to maintain if she even wanted to play with her Pokémon. Shaymin was hidden in her hood, the hedgehog like Pokémon cuddled up against Anna's neck. An umbrella was open in her left hand, a wide diameter big enough for two people.

Eventually, she encountered a blonde woman crying in the rain. Anna felt pity for the woman, and she could sense that the blond had magic. Without thinking, she approached the woman, making the blonde look up as the Trainer held her umbrella over the woman's head. Anna could feel a magical signature nearby, and she turned to see Vinda Rosier approaching them.

"Who are you?" the blonde asked while getting drenched from the pouring rain. She had an American accent, also holding a breathless quality to it. Why would an American be crying in the rain? In Paris, of all places, the city of love? Unless…forbidden love?

"I'm a…friend," Anna offered, shielding the other woman from the rain. "Are you alright?" In the back of her mind, the trainer could feel a slight pressure on her mental shields. She made sure her mind was locked up tight and could tell it was coming from the woman, but she wasn't being forcefully invasive. A natural Legilimens, it looked like.

"We should get out of the rain," she coaxed the woman into standing. It wasn't immediately obvious that the blonde was crying, her tears mixing with the rain. Anna's eyes met Rosier's and inclined her head.

"I know an…acquaintance," the Trainer said slowly, her gaze moving back to meet the crying woman's eyes. Anna's aura filled with compassion, working to calm the Legilimen's fluctuating emotions. "If we're not careful, you might get sick." Anna's aura expanded to lay over the woman, further isolating her overwhelming Legilimency so they could follow Rosier.

It was a mansion they were led to, none of them talking even as they went inside.

"I am Anabel Dubois," Anna introduced herself once she cast a drying charm nonverbally over them and her dripping wet umbrella. "What's your name?"

"Queenie. Queenie Goldstein," the blonde made a small smile towards the younger woman, and Anna could tell Queenie was being truthful.

"It's nice to meet you," Anna said, "I would ask why you were in the rain, but I think I know enough." She had pulled her hood back, revealing Silvius, who had fallen into a nap. The Trainer reached to take off her coat, umbrella shoved into a pocket treated with the undetectable extension charm, laying it off to the side of a loveseat, then moved the Shaymin into her hands. The little flowers on the hedgehog made a lovely scent, which had a calming effect on whoever smelled it.

"You have a broken heart," Anna sat close to Queenie, laying the snoozing Silvius on her lap, "How terrible. Some say that love is considered one of the strongest magics in existence." The Trainer sighed, "But I disagree. It's not love you seek."

"How do you know?" the blonde witch asked, and Anna was worried she'd start crying again. She vaguely heard Rosier entering the room and held a hand out towards Queenie.

"It's because I know the folly of mankind," Anna said gently, "Love is not an emotion. It's a promise. Love is a two-way street. One can love, but they may not be loved back. It's a tragedy, don't you think? To love someone so much, to accept them for who they are, but society won't let you be together. What you're striving for is acceptance. It took hardly a second to realize why you are here."

Soft hands reached to hold Anna's and green met green.

Anna continued in a soft voice, "You are a victim of forbidden love. It's wrong, that society and your government won't accept you or your lover. The system is wrong, but it doesn't have to be. The centuries of hiding from the non-magicals are why you are unable to be together. Stand up, and fight. Change doesn't happen through silence. Fight for what you believe in, and I know someone who can."

Anna could feel an enchanted object hovering around the room, following Rosier from when she entered. By now, Silvius woke up, mollified by the emotions the Trainer was projecting. The Shaymin blinked at the blonde witch, then cooed.

"This little one is called a Shaymin. I call it Silvius. Silvius, this is Queenie Goldstein. She's a witch like me," Anna spoke to the sleepy Pokémon. She was aware that Rosier had left the room and plucked a teacup that was hovering in the air. The teapot poured into the cup, steam rising.

"It looks cute," Queenie noted, and Silvius squeaked. Anna sipped her tea, listening to the Shaymin proclaiming that the witch was cute too.

"Silvius said 'You too'," the Trainer smiled. She was pleased that the American witch was getting even slightly more relaxed. Anna could sense Grindelwald's magic coming closer. She felt more apprehensive but was careful to keep her aura calm.

When Grindelwald appeared in the doorway, Queenie was already on her feet, wand pointed at the German. Anna discreetly recalled Silvius, the teacup hovering in the air before the woman snagged it again and took a sip.

"You knew," was the accusation towards Anna, who didn't look up when Queenie spoke.

"I did. Believe me, Queenie, this wasn't planned, on my end," Anna said, "I saw someone who needed help. And I can sense him from a mile away." She glanced up; her eyes nearly glowing as she reached for her aura. "He's like a beacon."

The teacup was pushed aside once more, floating in the air. "Hello again, Mr. Grindelwald," the Trainer greeted the Dark Lord, standing up and moving so she was close to Queenie, who backed away.

"Miss Dubois," the blond referred to Anna, "I am…surprised you came to Paris early." He kept a relaxed posture, his hands open and empty in front. The man was very clean shaven, and Anna could feel his magical aura. It was still dripping with darkness, she noted, still as overwhelming as the first time she saw him in person.

"What can I say? I was free today," she shrugged, "He's not your enemy, Queenie. Not right now."

The trainer extended her aura again, this time encompassing the whole room. It would be awful if a duel was to suddenly break out, so she magnified a calmness that came on slowly to avoid suspicion.

"You're with him," Queenie stressed, her wand unwavering. Her eyes flitted from Grindelwald to Anna, lingering for only a second before switching.

"It's not in the books yet, but yes," the younger witch agreed, "I haven't lied to you since we met. I swear, on my life and my magic, that my only intention is to help you." Her voice was soft, recognizing that the other woman was very high strung, like a wounded Poochyena. Any misstep could lead to disaster, even though she could feel that Queenie was a pacifist.

The swear made Anna's magic flutter around her, but it served its purpose. Of course, she did think Grindelwald could help Queenie in some way, albeit maybe in some twisted way. The next step was lowering her mental shields and allowing her to brush minds.

"You're not lying…" was the observation, and the blonde witch breathed in like she was suffocating. "Why are you with him."

"Listen to him and think. It's not a crime to listen," Anna tried to put on a reassuring tone, "While you think you are free because there are no shackles on your wrists, you don't see how society, the law, and the government has bound you. For your own sake, Ms. Goldstein, open your eyes, and see how the world has lied to you."

She waved her hand and her coat unfolded itself from the sofa, floating and moving towards the Trainer. Putting it on, Anna smiled at the American, feeling pity towards the tense woman. "I believe you'll make the right choice."

Then she looked over to see Grindelwald watching them, his own masked surprise as Anna manipulated Queenie with soft words and kindness. It was something he'd do, drawing in people like a fly to honey. The girl, no, Anna, was different. The impression he had gathered in their first meeting that 'Anabel Dubois' was confident, yet not arrogant. The creatures the girl commanded were aggressive, yet tame, if that horned 'Pokémon' was an indication.

The girl had a way with creatures much like that Scamander, and that could be very useful indeed. She was effectively a beast tamer, with a difficulty in creating bonds with humans but compassionate to a fault. Instead of pretty lies, the girl used honest kindness.

As he observed the two, there was a noticeable difference in the room, like a blanket of calm emotions. Said emotions was no doubt the work of Dubois, as Ms. Goldstein was tenser than a bow string.

"I'll see you very soon, Mr. Grindelwald," Anna bided the Dark Lord farewell, bowing quickly with respect, "Think about what I said, Queenie. Goodbye." She walked out the room, encountering Rosier in the hall and meeting her gaze. "Je te vois aussi, Mlle Rosier," Anna told the woman politely, before leaving the mansion.

There was still time before Grindelwald's meeting was to take place, so she went to Place Cachée, which was essentially the Paris version of Diagon Alley. She rented a room for two days, letting out her smaller Pokémon.

The trainer shopped for a bit to pass the time, then returned to her room a few hours later.

Anna released Gardenia, who's pokéball was with the others in one of the magically expanded pockets of her coat, and eventually set the room up so they could fall into a Trance, looking at their immediate future.


Almost immediately, they could see a large room, a mausoleum, if the headstones were any indication. Dozens of wizards and witches filled the room, and she could vaguely see herself standing near the back of the crowd. There was little sound, muffled and distorted voices echoing in the room. The center of the room stood Grindelwald, recognizable with his snow white hair. There was the black smoke of Apparition, then blue fire, much like the fire in the vision before Grindelwald stepped foot in Adam's Folly.

Then there was a castle hidden in the mountains, and the vision ended.

Anna opened her eyes, finding herself sprawled on the bed. Gardenia was watching the Trainer, waiting for any instruction.

"I think I'm going to sleep," the woman said, recalling the Pokémon and set an alarm charm. She transfigured her clothes into a set of night clothes, pulling the blanket off the bed.

Jolt and Silvius approached the bed, Jolt situated on Silvius' back. There was a ring of Gracidea flowers that was planted and picked in her basement that was spelled with an everlasting charm that turned the Shaymin into its Sky Forme.

Both of them curled up on another pillow, taking a nap immediately. Anna smiled at them before falling into her own sleep.