{Present day}

As I expected, the Unova public records had no map for that mountain area. The help desk recalled there being one, but somehow misplaced it. Given his hazy recollection when I pressed for details, I concluded Team Celeste was up to no good again.

So I tried my next best source: scofflaws. From all my travels, I learned every region has at least one seedy bar. For Unova, that was the Molting Mandi-Bar of Castelia City. Nowhere would you find more rule-breakers in the region than here, second only to organized crime bases. Law enforcement knew about this place, but tolerated it in exchange for being a wealth of tipped information on worse scum. And that is why I came here, too.

I entered the bar in my cloaked attire and shades. It was late at night; the witching hour of scofflaws. Street thugs, delinquents, petty burglars, gamblers, maniacs, ex-grunts, cue balls, punks, and washed-up businessmen alike were present. Policemen would have a field day with the amount of records they could scrape off this crowd. In fact, some of the customers were police officers, likely bribed and here for the view.

The bar was run by one male bartender. He had two Mr. Mime cleaning around the bar, and a Mandibuzz perched on guard in from the liquor storage room. Tables scattered about, surrounded by cushioned seats and couches. All the servers were young waitresses, ranging in age from sixteen to thirty, dressed in revealing outfits to better 'attract' customers. They received tips for serving drinks…among other services.

"Well…this could take a while." I took off my hood and walked straight to the counter.

The bartender glanced at me while he was serving other customers. When it came my turn, he slid a glass and poured some liquor.

I raised an eyebrow. "You know I can't handle this stuff, right?"

He smirked, "And I know you don't entertain a booty call even if one smacked you in the face."

"Heh, I guess things change, in due time."

The bartender leaned toward me. "So what brings you here? Not used to seeing you by yourself."

I frowned. "Like I said: things change." But I whispered, "Know anything about missing records?"

"Kid, you're going to have to be more specific than that." He motioned to everyone in the bar. "Everyone walking in here has a history they'd like to erase, if they haven't already."

"Then how about maps to northern Unova. Of the less charted variety."

He pondered for a couple of seconds. "Might have heard about what you're looking for." His face grew stern. "But you know the rules of this bar…"

I reached my right hand into my cloak. Then I discretely opened a portal to reach my wallet in the stash. To any onlookers, it looked like I just pulled my wallet from my cloak. I reached in and pulled out a few thousand PokeDollars. "Of course…"

The bartender showed no reaction, except for his tantalized eyes. He slipped the bills below the counter, then leaned in again to whisper, "There's a customer who comes in here. Looks like a cop, but his uniform doesn't match the other officers in Unova. He comes fairly regularly, but the strange thing is I hardly know him. I assume that's the sort of m.o. of the guys you look for, am I right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like it could be a Defense Division member of the Alchimian Society." "So, is he here now?"

"Was here yesterday. Don't know when he'll come back in here."

"And he knows of the missing map?"

"Something like that. He boasted once in a drunkard state. Likes to get to know my ladies. In otherwords: one of my most valuable customers."

"I'm not here to get him arrested."

He gave me a serious look. "Better not. You don't look like a cop, but nobody in this establishment takes kindly to undercover cops."

"I'll keep that in mind." I pick up my glass, out of courtesy. "Thanks." I'm about to step away from the counter, when the bartender grabs my arm.

"I'd be wary of this man," he disclosed quietly, but with a stern, gritty voice. "Something about him…even I keep my distance. And if either of you create a scene in this bar…it's out the door!"

"Got it."

He let me go and moved on to the next customer.

I contemplated using my 'persuasion' on him to forget about me. But given how strict his policies are to allow small lawbreakers to roam free, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He didn't know my name or anything, and he didn't ask. Just as I'd prefer.

I wandered the bar for a bit. "So, I got an Alchimian member who comes in here to get drunk and womanize! He's likely older than me, and definitely has some level of 'persuasion'. I can't press him for information; that'll likely create a scene, and I'll get kicked out. Or worse: in law enforcement's radar. So in that case…" I found an empty table against a semi-circle couch. After I set my glass on the table, I plopped onto the seat, reclined to a relaxed and carefree position, slicked back parts of my hair, and waited. "I'll have him come to me!"

I had visited this bar a few times before, but never had I done a stakeout here. The music here was a leisurely party ambiance, peppered with heavy bases to keep you from falling asleep. There were no standard security cameras anywhere on the ceilings or walls. My eyes wandered to each customer that came and went. All of the customers were men, and most sat alone or in pairs at the tables, even though there was enough seats for eight at each table. Unfortunately, the guy I was looking for didn't seem to come tonight.

But the night wasn't completely wasted. I also watched the waitresses to remember their routines. Every waitress was primarily in charge of taking drink orders and delivering them. They wore lots of makeup and were not dressed in any uniform, so they likely dressed to a specific code by what they had in their own wardrobes. The most common outfit type was that of a small crop top, short shorts, and high heels. And they would use their looks to elicit bigger tips. Sometimes, at request or because one was too drunk, the waitress would stop to sit right up to the customers, entertaining them with sexual advances or caresses. Then, for a high price, a customer could follow a waitress to one of the backrooms. Didn't know exactly what they were doing back there for hours, but I could think of at least two reasons a guy would want to be there.

Some of the waitresses seemed to recognize me from my visits a year ago. They'd wave sultrily, but nothing passed that when I didn't wave them over. The ones who didn't know me did try to entice me.

The first one was a blonde woman, who looked a year older than me. "Hey there, handsome," she cooed. She held her serving board against her chest, trying to draw my attention there. "Need a refill?"

I politely shrugged. "Nah. Heard liquor tastes finer the longer you wait."

"Wine isn't the only thing that applies to," she says in an alluring tone. "You know where to find me." She walks off to another table, giving the man the same tone of voice.

"Later," I mumbled. "Gonna have to keep this drink close. About my only excuse to keep them at a distance. Fuck, the things I do for my missions!"

About a couple hours after that, another waitress approached me. I kept my calm and cool demeanor, but inside I was doing double-takes. "Pan?!"

The girl looked about my sister's age, had pink hair in pigtails, and dressed like her, too. But to my relief, she wasn't Pan. She did, however, lean close to me in a way that showed her cleavage through her top. "Haven't seen you here before," she amused. "Like, you need a…"

"I'm good," I said quickly in a more irritable tone than I would have liked.

"Fine," she huffed. "Like, whatever!" And with a swish of her pigtails she left me alone.

Before leaving for the night, I poured most of the liquor under the table, through a portal. I waved the bartender good night as I walked out the door.

I came back each night, waiting for my mystery man to come. I would order a drink from the bartender, then take it to a table where I could see nearly all the other customers. Three nights in, and I practically memorized which waitresses went to each table. Each waitress was in charge of ten tables, and each table had over a dozen waitresses responsible for it. That way some could afford time to be more 'social' with the needs of a customer, or multiple for one customer in some cases.

But there was one waitress who was not like the others. She was a short red-haired girl, with a tank top, a knee-length skirt, and high heels. She looked the youngest of the staff, but her facial makeup made her look slightly older. Her voice was so soft and quiet, I could never hear her unless she was possibly a table over.

But the biggest thing that stood her out from the others was her left arm. Or rather, the complete lack of one. She had a metal stub sticking out of her left shoulder. And many of the customers she served pointed that out. To her credit, she was very applicable in her waitress job. She had a notepad with a magnet that allowed her to stick it to her prosthetic stub, and wrote on it with her right hand for the orders. To serve the drinks, she balanced the serving board on her head.

As handy as she was, she was constantly the target of derogatory remarks. Throughout each night, she gave her best poker face against as many comments to her arm as possible. Where she faltered though was any cat calls and wolf whistles her direction. She flustered every time a guy teasingly pulled or shoved her around, tried to look up her skirt, or said any lude pickup lines. The other waitresses acted like this was no problem when it happened to them, but this girl seemed visibly upset. She trembled when she had to approach such customers, sometimes lost her balance in her high heels, and made frequent breaks to the restroom.

I sympathized with her frustration, but irritably and begrudgingly kept myself seated. I was more worried the bartender may be bothered if I disrupted his staff from work. "She seems new here," I concluded. "And definitely does not want to be here."

But something else was nagging me in the back of my mind about her. Like I'd seen her somewhere before…

Then, on the forth night, a different customer walked in. He wore a navy blue business shirt with a badge symbol on the shirt pocket. His demeanor was militant like, but with an air of confidence like he owned the place. It matched his "rugged and handsome" look he was going for. He sat a few tables away, reclining against the sofa. With a snap of his fingers, the pink-haired waitress approached him.

"May I, like, take your order?" she asks gingerly.

"Yes, I'd like some of your hardest liquor," he said coolly. "And please, feel free to join me!"

She giggled and went off to get the drink. When she returned, she sat next to him on the couch. He had one arm resting on the back of the coach, just behind the waitress who scooched against him.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched him all night. I needed to be sure he was the guy I was looking for. For a while, he seemed plenty entertained with the pink-haired waitress. There'd be a playful banter with the two. But after two hours, the waitress seemed a little miffed with staying with him too long. As he drank, he got louder, and looser with his actions. To my surprise, the pink-haired waitress got over her initial irritation after he whispered something to her, and rested her head on his shoulder.

A little later, another, blue-haired waitress walked by his table. I often saw her primarily taking drink orders, and was the least likely to be seen fraternizing with the customers. Of the waitresses, she was the most serious at her job. The rugged man watched her from time to time. She turned her nose up to every other customer who tried to flirt with her, and she directed the other waitresses how to maximize efficiency to each table.

When she passed by her table, the rugged man called her to join his side, adding a pickup line that made my skin crawl. She scowled and questioned him back, speaking just soft enough for me not to hear from a few tables over. The man gritted his teeth, but then he smiled. He spoke back to her at the same volume as her, in a smooth sort of way. Her eyes grew hazy for a second. He said some more things to her. Her body relaxed a bit on his every word, and she spoke more casually with him. Then she sat down next to him, mirroring the pink-haired girl.

I was fuming. I nearly broke my glass drink in my hands. "He is a Team Celeste member! How dare he use that 'persuasion' power for something as low as that!?"

But it didn't stop there. He 'persuaded' her to drink from his refilled liquor, which got her almost as drunk as he was. Then, with another command, they both stood up and stumbled to one of the backrooms.

Completely livid, I left my table and stormed out of the bar. "I can't stand this! There's a bar full of crooks, and a Team Celeste scumbag, and I can't do a fucking thing about it!"

I stomached watched the Celeste man for two more nights. He came to the Molting Mandi-Bar every four or five days. The man would sit at different tables, but still get very drunk and hit on all the waitresses. At some point each night, he'd have a dozen waitresses hanging around him and his table. The blue-haired girl never seemed to remember him between his visits, even when I questioned her. She became an unfortunate victim of his 'persuasion' power, from making her forget his visits, to getting her drunk enough to be more perceptible to his power.

I had enough after the third night. On my island, I summoned Nightraider and Zemblance to my private camp. Sensei was busy with a party of my teammates for some distractions against the Alchimian Society in the Hoenn region. So these two were the best available to rant to them of what I was doing and what I found.

I paced back and forth in front of them. "…and he has the blue-haired woman under his full control! My father is a terrible man, but I know he'd never stoop to such a level as to compromise how you treat a woman! And this bartender is so loosey-goosey with how far he's willing to let the laws be bent. Argh! I want to punch his fucking face in!" I punched a wall of rock. Then grimaced as the pain in my hand flared.

Nightraider nodded in agreement. [So you're going to get the information from him yet, on where you can find the map?]

[And get him arrested?] added Zemblance.

I cursed under my breath as I rubbed my injured hand. "Oh ho, I don't want him arrested. I want him to be humiliated…then arrested. But I'll need to know about the map first. Which required all this stupid staking out, where I couldn't interfere with anything without risking the bartender kicking me out. If I get kicked out, whether before or after I got the information I need, there goes a crucial hotbed of tipped information against the Alchimian Society. On top of all of this, I don't even know how strong his 'persuasion' power is compared to mine!"

[Alright, man, calm down,] said Nightraider. [Don't get yourself wound up too tight. Just think this through, like you always do.]

I took a few deep breaths, calming myself down. "What I need is a way to get him to come after me, by himself, outside the bar."

[I could do it,] Zemblance said. [You said he likes women, so why don't I lure him…]

"No!" I blurted flatly. "That would probably become the most questionable thing you'd done for these missions. Am I'm counting the time you got Pan in trouble at the Battle Frontier."

He gave a mischievous grin. [Admit it: you have no regrets for me doing that against her.]

I paused, thinking of something else. [You may be on track for something.] "Okay, I have some sort of idea. But..." I swallowed hard. "…I'm going to have to bait him the night before we really strike him back."

Zemblance rubbed his hands together. [Ooh, yes! What kind of illusion will you need me to conjure up this time?]

"A policeman. I'll need you to be invisible and stakeout the Castelia City Police Department. Find the grumpiest, hard-lining cop at that station. We'll use his resemblance the following night to bait the Celeste man into finding that cop, under the pretense that he's friendly. Then, after getting the info we need in an alley, we'll have that cop arrest him."

Zemblance grinned, [That's a good trick!]

Nightraider tilted his head. [And what are you going to do?]

I grimaced, "I'll have to fight fire with fire…"

On the next night the Celeste grunt was set to arrive, I got there early when lots of tables were empty. I also didn't order my drink at the bar. The table I chose was the one I knew the blue-haired waitress went to.

In a few minutes, she walked up to my table. "How can I help you, sir?" she smiled.

"Oh, I'm still thinking about the drink…but I do have a question. You know about that guy in the business suit…?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, I really don't," she interrupted. Her face puzzled, like she was earnestly trying to think of him. "I remember you asking me before, but I don't recall meeting him before. You sure he comes here? Or you're confusing him with someone else?"

"Nah, pretty sure he comes here. How about I raise my table number card for you so I can point you out to him?"

She paused, then shrugged. "That's fine. Not the craziest request I've seen at this bar." She walked off, still looking slightly confused.

About an hour later, the Celeste man walked in. I waited until he picked at table to sit at. Then I moved my table card, numbered '21', up on the back of my couch. By the time the blue-haired waitress came back to me, the guy already had a waitress by his side.

I pointed the guy out to her, and she made a sour face. "Him? What's your beef with this…guy?"

"Complicated," I replied, "but if you're immediate reaction to him is any indication, I despise him just as much."

She looked back to me. "So, why did you call me for…?"

"Just, stay away from him, out of earshot. Whatever your gut is telling you about him, I can say from experience it's likely true."

She dazed off for a second. Then replied, "Okay. So, was that all you wanted to tell me?"

I smirked, "Actually, I'm ready for my drink." I pulled out my wallet, then slapped ten thousand PokeDollars on the table. Her eyes grew wide. I continued, "I know you work harder than anyone else here at this bar. Feel free to split this among your co-workers if need be. In exchange, I'll need a lot of help tonight."

She gave me a suspicious look. "With what?"

I leaned back and replied coolly. "Everyone comes in for a drink. I'm thinking of something new to try, but I'm not sure where to start. So I'll need as much help as possible. Oh, and not just any waitresses; I specifically want every waitress who usually goes to Table 32…" I motioned to the table the Celeste Man was sitting at. "…to come help me out at my table. Can you make that possible?"

She pondered for a moment, her eyes getting hazy. Then she nodded slowly as she picked up my tip. "Yeah, I can work with that."

As I waited for my plan to begin, I saw the red-haired waitress pass by. She approached the table next to me, serving an off-duty cop. "C-can I get you something, sir?" she soft-spoke nervously.

I turned to look at her, but her hair partly blocked any good look at her face. But hearing her voice jogged a memory in my brain. "Wait…is she from…? No way…! She never really stood out much in that class, but if that's her…"

Just then, the first waitress approached me. It was the blonde-haired woman from the first night. "Hey, I see you don't have a drink this time? Shall I get you something?"

"Right, the plan. Focus on that right now…" I smiled to her. "Yes, could you send me a drink sample? And then stick around me for a while; have I got a story for you!"

She returned with a glass shot, then sat next to me. On the fly, I made up a long-winding story about a bumbling friend I never had. It led into making embarrassing jokes about the Celeste man sitting at table 32. As the story went on, the waitresses who usually went to table 32 came to my table one by one. I first had them change my drink, pretending to change my mind constantly. Then I'd 'persuade' them to also join me at the table. Most of them stood around the table, but two sat next to me on the couch, and one stood behind me. Any time one of those three waitresses tried to reach out to touch me, I'd shift my body position to keep talking directly to them, so as not to rudely shake off their advances.

As the night went on, my plan was going great. I ended up having almost twenty waitresses crowd my table, all of them usually in charge of table 32. And, to my delight, the Celeste man took notice. At first, he was confused why he wasn't getting a lot of attention as he used to. Then he had to make the one waitress he had under his thumb leave to keep him serving drinks. But as tipsy as he got, he caught wind of the commotion at my table. He was loathing the fact I was getting the most attention for the night. Every time I made a joke in my story directed at him, the girls laughed, and some would make glances his way. If looks could kill, his glare toward me would fry me ten times over.

But I pretended not to notice him.

Then the red-haired girl return with a third order for the cop-dressed customer. This was when I could get a good look at her face. After a few seconds glancing, I was internally shocked. "She is from that class! How did…?"

There was a sudden slam on my table. I whirled my head back. There before me was the Celeste grunt, seething through his teeth.

"What is the matter with you?!" he bellowed.

I tried my best to hold back a smile. "Beg pardon?"

"You have nearly twenty women clamoring around you, and you look like you hardly notice! Don't any of them entertain your attention?"

I looked puzzled. "Entertain? Why, I'm entertaining them with quite a compelling story. Right, ladies?"

Some of them nodded or shrugged, but they stood uneasily as the tension rose between the Celeste man and me.

He sneered, "I don't even want to know what you've been talking about." He leaned on the table. "Never seen you around these parts before. What's your name?"

I paused for a second. "Nate…"

A glass shattered on the ground. "Geez, girl, you turn your head so fast?" I heard the off-duty cop say, although I didn't turn my head.

"S-sorry…" The red-headed waitress squeaked. "I-I'll get you another!"

I wanted to turn my head to look, but I still had to focus on the scumbag in front of me. I continued, "I'm just another customer visiting Unova. Give it a month, and you won't see me around here again…"

He gripped my table. "I don't got a month!" His voice was slurring a little, but still barking mad. "I come here after long trips for work, and I get one night off every few days. Some stupid group is giving my boss trouble, and I'd hate to be the one to clean that mess up!"

I gave a laidback smirk. "Sounds like your organization is in a competitive field. If competition isn't your thing, I'm sure you could find another job, right?"

"Get out!" he growled.

I stood up. "Make me."

"Get out now!"

"There we go! That 'persuasion' actually felt pretty weak to mine." I mockingly scrub the inside of my ear. "Sorry, couldn't hear that. What did you say?"

"Argh!" He was about to throw a punch at me. Suddenly, a barrier materialized between us. One of the Mr. Mime used a Barrier attack to break us up.

At that moment, the bartender walked up to us, really pissed. "What the fuck is going on here?"

The Celeste man jabs a finger at me. "This punk is distracting my waitresses from my table!"

I shrugged calmly. "Not true. These ladies just came to me as I was telling a story. Paid for extra drinks while they passed by. Not breaking any rules there, am I?"

The bartender looks between me and the guy. His eyes fall to the Celeste man, who wobbles a bit from his slight drunkenness. "I better not see you start a fight in my bar. This is your last warning!"

The Celeste man looked like he was about to explode. But when the bartender ordered one of the waitresses to lead him back to his table, he relented. While he stumbled back to his seat, the other waitresses scattered discretely.

"As for you, ladies' man," the bartender turned to me. "You're only getting one for the rest of this night. You don't need to try so hard to prove me wrong on changing, at the expense of my business."

"Fine, fine, my apologies," I replied. Then I got an idea. "Mind if I take the one somewhere private?" I eyed the backrooms. "Might do me some good to cool off after that confrontation."

The bartender gave me a skeptical, but pleased look. "Not my business to know your business, but I have a mind to know not to send you any of my waitresses above your age."

I looked to the table over. The red-haired girl was frantically cleaning up the shattered pieces of the glass she dropped.

The bartender took notice. "Her? She rarely goes back there. Scares her half to death just having a guy flirt with her."

"They're doing it wrong then," I grumbled. "You got a better idea," I finished quickly.

He shrugged, "Whatever." He walked up to the redhead. "Hey, Zoe!"

She snapped to her feet and whirled around. "Y-yes, boss?" she flustered.

He pointed to me. "Take this young man to the back. I'll have someone else clean the mess, but do not screw up, again. Don't make me regret hiring you!"

She gave a pained expression, and her body looked like she was about to faint on the spot. But she nodded to him slowly. Then, without looking at me, she took my hand and led me to one of the six backrooms.

It sort of surprised me to see all the accommodations and furniture you'd find in a hotel in this room. There was soothing music playing in the room, which I could barely hear at first. But when Zoe closed the door, the sounds from the bar immediately cut off. The walls also seemed to be made of an unusual material.

My heart raced, understanding what the room was meant for. "I am not comfortable with this…stuff…but this is the best place to ask her." I took a deep breath and looked to her.

Zoe still had her hand on the door handle, shaking as she clicked it locked. As she slowly turned to me, she was visibly scared and upset. She let the notebook magnetized to her stub fall to the ground. She looked down at the floor, and was picking at the left strap of her tank top with her right hand. "I…I never really…did this before…" Her voice was shaking, like she was holding back a cry. She pulled the strap over her shoulder and stub. "…but…I…must…"

Not waiting any longer, I walked right up to her. She flinched and nearly screamed, had I not put my left hand over her mouth. She backed against the wall, which was fairly soft, and finally looked at me with petrified eyes.

I moved my right hand up to my lips, signaling to be quiet. "Sorry, but, I need to know something first." I whispered in as calm and sincere a voice as I could. "This room, is sound insulated from both sides? Blink twice for 'yes' and thrice for 'no'."

At first, she still stared at me frightened. Then she blinked twice.

"And are there hidden cameras or bugs?"

She blinked three times.

"Oh, thank Arceus." I sighed and let go of her. I also removed my shades and slid them into my pants pocket.

She stared at me, still pressing herself against the wall in a desperate attempt to keep as much distance from me as possible. "Who…who are you?"

I puzzled, "I'm Nate." I said it like she'd know.

But she blinked and still hugged the wall. "I…heard that name…before…"

"From school?" I continued. "The school for orphans near Floccesy Town? You were in Stephanie's class…"

As soon as I said that name, it all clicked for her. Her eyes grew wide. "You…Nate…" Tears streamed from her face, as a smile tried to break through her sniffling. But she let go of the wall and leaned onto my chest.

I let her bawl onto my shirt. "Zoe…" I lightly hugged her, though that made her briefly cry harder. "Shit, what did I leave behind?"

After several minutes of letting it all out, she looked up to me. All her makeup was smeared by her tears. "I never thought I'd see a familiar face again!" she sobbed.

"Um, here…" I led her to the bed, and we both sat down. I reached over to the night stand and gave her the box of tissues. She placed it next to her and grabbed a few to wipe her tears and clean most of her makeup off. A twinge of guilt knotted in my stomach. I couldn't help but stare at her prosthetic stub where her left arm used to be.

Zoe noticed where I was looking. She didn't seem to take offense, but she looked uneasy nonetheless. "So," she said once she felt calm enough. "Why are you here? What happened to you?"

It was my turn to look away for a moment. I rested my hands on my lap. "I…was going to ask you the same thing. The quiet girl in class suddenly ending up…here…" I looked back to her. "I remember the school being attacked. Then it…was kind of a blur. I don't know…what happened," I fibbed most of that.

As she recollected, the tears started to come back. "The last time I remembered you was you walked Stephanie to school, like you always did the two years you were around. Then…it happened so fast. Screaming…chaos...the school got destroyed…I woke up in the ER with my left arm in a brace."

I looked down again. My fists clenched my pants to stop myself from shaking up. "I remember that attack…" "Is…that why your arm…"

"Not quite. While it was healing, my classmates and I and the staff, we all got separated. I was moved to a new privately-owned hospital. Then during recovery it…they told me it got infected. And they had to amputate it." She mournfully looked to her metal stub. "After surgery, they released me, but…I had nowhere left to stay. And the hospital wouldn't help me further. I had to fend for myself in the streets, I grew hungry, and Team Plasma was at their worst! So I hitched a boat to Castelia City. I thought the 'city of gradeur' could be my ticket to opportunity. But with just one arm, and businesses recovering from Team Plasma's attempted takeover of the region, nobody would hire me…except here."

I bit my lip as I took it all in. I wanted to scream 'I'm sorry", but I didn't have the guts to do it. Instead, I asked, "What hospital was it? Do you remember the name?"

She thought for a moment. "I think it was…'Chail Main Hospital'…"

I choked. "Alchimian Society…of course…I'm so stupid!"

She noticed how shaken I looked, and reached her hand out to touch my arm. "This…this is none of your fault. All these things…they happened by accident and happenstance…"

"No it isn't!" I snapped. I gripped my head with both hands, remembering the aftermath of the attack on the school. "That attack…it wasn't random. And neither was what happened to you guys after that. There were bad people out there who were responsible for all that."

"What?! Who?" she gulped.

"I…I wish I could tell you. You wouldn't believe me if I told you, and I don't have a lot of time to explain it in detail. Even if you did believe me…that info paints a target on your back. Those bad guys would hunt you down for it…do worse than kill you for it! The fact that they let you go the way you are right now…they think you're inconsequential. They find you a non-threat because you mean nothing to the rest of society. That's how these bad guys are doing it; they worm their way into the public under everyone's nose, and either weed out those that nobody cares about, or neutralizes those that stand against them."

Fear filled her eyes as I told her this. "D-did you know…?"

"Before the attack? No. But I've been trying to foil these bad guys ever since."

She froze for a moment. Then she trembled, "Is…that why you're here?"

I paused. "Yes. That guy who threatened me earlier…he's a member of that bad guy group."

She hugged herself with her arm as she panicked, "Shit! He…he was trying to flirt with me a couple of occasions! What if he knows me from the school? What if they're hunting me down? What if…?"

I reached out and gripped her gently by her shoulders. "Hey! Hold it! Let's…calm down for a minute. I'm very certain that guy doesn't know you, nor was he sent here to look for you."

She relaxed a bit as she stared back into my eyes. "Okay…I trust you…"

I involuntarily let go of her the moment she said those words. "Just…be careful not to say that around me. I'm under enough pressure as is."

We sat there in silence for a minute. Then she scooched a little closer to me. "So…are you going to apprehend that guy?"

I gritted my teeth. "Fuck yes, I want to…"

"You got a badge or something? Like an undercover cop?"

I raised an eyebrow. "With those supposed cops that you've seen come through this bar, you think I'm one?"

She shrugged, "Heck if I know. The law certainly isn't looking out for me."

"I got to do something for her…" Just then, another idea popped in my head. "Hey, listen, I have an idea. My plan is to extort some information from him, but I need a private place to do it. I was thinking of bring him outside in an alley in the middle of the night to fight it out of him..." I gestured to the room we were in. "…but I think a room like this might be more suitable and less of a struggle on my part."

She looked at me confused. "But how are you going to get him in here? Customers can only come in here when accompanied by one waitress, and nobody else can join them while…'in session'."

I gave her an uneasy look. "Then I'm going to need your help…"

She grew flustered again. "What?! No! I mean I'd like to help, but I don't know if I can…" A tear streaked down her face. "I hate this place! I hate what I have to do in this job."

"That makes two of us." I reached over and gently wiped the tear away. "I know. But it's not tonight that we'll do it. And I'll be there for you at every step I'll need your help in."

She half-smiled. "Okay. What do you need? I assume I'll need to serve him and then coax him to the back?" She shivered uncomfortably as she spoke.

"Yeah, kind of. I'll need you to entertain him, but, more importantly, get him drunk. Like, really drunk. Then when you can appropriately do so, lead him to a back room I'll be waiting at."

"Oh. But, how are you getting in a back room? And don't forget, no more than two people can be in a room at a time."

I smiled. "I got a Pokémon for that."

She smiled back excitedly. "Ooh! Is it Knave? Or Primrose? Or Bravado? Or Joules?"

"No, none of those guys for this. I have another that's a Zoroark. He can create an illusion that'll allow me to slip into a room. Then I'll wait for you to come in shortly after that. Nobody will suspect a thing."

She gave me an impressed look. "Wow, you think of everything!" Then she sighed, "I guess I can stomach one night flirting with a wretched man if it means one less seedy guy I'll have to serve…"

"Hold on." I turn my body to face her. "I know this is me asking a lot from you. But if you do this…I'll get you out of here."

She nearly falls off the bed, flabbergasted. "You…how?!"

"I got some connections. But I can explain once the job is done. You still in?"

She put a hand to her head. Her excitement could hardly be contained. "I…got to take this all in. Wait, what am I thinking? Heck yes, I'm in!"

I sighed, "Good. Then the plan will begin during that guy's next visit. I'll have to go very soon, as I got to meet with said Zoroark as I planned."

"Okay." She leaned toward me, looking like she was going to hug me. But then she stopped herself and stood up instead. "Thank you, Nate. For today. You really made my night."

I rubbed the side of my face with my finger. "Eh, don't mention it. Surprise appearances are kind of my thing."

She giggled, then walked over to the door. She was going to reach for the handle, but paused. She turned back to me, with a warm smile. "You know, you really have grown since I last saw you. But I'm glad to see there's some good things I recognize that haven't changed. You still stick up for the little guys and gals."

I flustered slightly at the comment. "Yeah, thanks." I looked her up and down for a moment. "You look like you grown a lot, too. Almost didn't recognize you with the different outfit and all that makeup. Though with the foundation rubbed away, I can see you still have some of those freckles you were known for in class."

She reached her hand to her face and blushed. "Oh, stop. You're too kind! I guess I can see why Stephanie liked to hang out with you so much…" she said coyly.

I blushed hard. "O-okay, now. Don't you have work to go back to?"

"Oh. Right. Work." She first bent down to pick up her notebook. Then she reached for the door handle and unlocked the door.

Before she opened it, I added, "Oh! Might want to…" I pointed at her tank top strap still lose over her left side, and motioned with my body what I meant.

She blushed again when she realized it and hastily pulled the strap back over her shoulder. "Right! Work! Thanks! Work!" With that, Zoe rushed out the door.

I took a few minutes to myself in the room. "Okay, everything is set. Just need to bring Zemblance up to speed. Can't believe I found Zoe here, of all those students and of all places! This has to be a sign. I must take this opportunity!"

Feeling calm, I walked out of the back room and straight out of the bar. I walked a few blocks down to an alleyway. I stood alone for a few seconds. Then Zemblance shed his illusive cover and walked up to me.

[I found the cop, like you asked. I also think this alleyway would be a great place to…]

[There's been a change of plans,] I interrupted.

He frowned. [Aw, really? And I had all these tricks I was going to pull on him.]

[We're still going after the same target. But we're changing the bait…and the venue.]

[What's your angle?]

[There was a waitress I ran into after I goaded the Celeste guy. I…had seen her before.]

[Oh? So what's her beef?]

[Her name is Zoe. She was in that class I was around while stuck in Unova. Well, she's here now, and she's willing to help.]

He gave me a cautious look. [Will, you sure it's okay to be telling all your secrets to her? You remember the other times you roped outsiders into your missions?]

"I know!" I snapped quietly. I took a deep breath. [Yeah, I know. And I didn't tell her much. Just enough about what I was trying to do. And in exchange, we're helping her flee.]

[Can you do that?]

I sighed. [I have to. I owe her that, and everyone else I left behind back then. It's the least I can do…to atone for abandoning them. And it can work in this case. I can help her without compromising my goals.]

Zemblance shrugged. [Whatever works for you, is fine with me. More importantly, what am I going to be doing?]

[Okay, here's the new plan…]

I got Zemblance up to speed, then we prepared all the details in time for the Celeste man's next predicted visit.

Once again, I arrived at the bar early and ordered a drink from the bartender. At the same time, Zemblance snuck in by using his Illusion ability to make himself invisible.

As the bartender poured my drink, he said to me. "What did you do with Zoe a few nights ago?"

I flinched. "Why? She okay?"

"Okay? I've never seen her so proactive in her duties since I hired her?" He leaned in, giving me a meaningful look. "What's your secret?"

I whispered back, "If I told you, you'd be having a whole new career."

He laughed. "Well, I can't argue with that. Feel free to call her or any of the other ladies up anytime!"

I nodded, then muttered under my breath as I walked away, "Yeah, your damn lucky you give me leads, or I'd definitely have you finding a 'new job'." I chose a table far off to the side of the bar, and waited.

Like clockwork, the Celeste man walked in. He sat by a table in the center of the bar, and looked around before sitting. I assumed he was looking for me, but I slouched low enough to keep myself inconspicuous. Once he seemed settled, I stood up and put my plan in motion.

There were two people I had to talk to. The first one was the blue-haired head waitress. I 'persuaded' her to have the red-haired girl serve the Celeste guy, not revealing I knew Zoe's name. After she talked to Zoe off to the side, I approached her next.

She sighed with relief when I approached her. "Nate. Thank Arceus! I knew you said you'd come, but I feel so much better now that you are here."

"You know what to do?"

She nodded. "Yep. I'll be serving him the drinks while he gets cozy with another waitress or two, then when I got him as drunk as you requested, I'll bring him to the backroom you're waiting in. Which one again?"

I glanced over to my table, then over to the six backrooms. I quickly pointed to the one room with the clearest path between it and my table. "That one. Now, the Zoroark is invisible right now. But when the soonest opportunity comes, I'll sneak into that room. Keep in mind, the Zoroark is going to make it look like I'm walking into a different room with one of the waitresses to everyone else, even you. So don't get thrown off by that. Once we converge in the room, I'll take it from there."

"'K." She took a deep breath. "One more night. I got this!"

I reached into my pocket. "Oh, and one more thing…" I pulled out a pair of earplugs and handed them to her.

She gave me a confused look. "What do I need these for?"

I gave her an uneasy look. "That guy…let's just say he can run his mouth in ways that'll make you do just about anything. Just…of anything I told you, trust me on this."

"All right." She began to slip them into her ears.

"Test them in the bathroom or something to make sure it even muffles your own voice. You're good at lip reading?"

"I'll manage," she nodded as she adjusted her earplugs.

"Good. Then that'll be all until we meet in the back room."

"'K." Zoe looked slightly surprised, likely at how well the earplugs were working already. She took a deep breath. "One more night. I got this!" She gave me a wink as she walked off. "Wish me luck!"

I sat back at my table. I reached out with my telepathy. [Zemblance, time to get into position.]

[Got it.] With our telepathic link, I could sort of discern exactly where he stood in the room. He was careful not to bump into anything or anyone. A few minutes later, he slipped under my table and gave a light knock on the underside.

I watched Zoe serve the Celeste man. He had a waitress in each arm. He likely had a large drink from each of them before that sat beside him. I was too far away to hear what he or Zoe was saying to each other, but I could tell it was working. She looked the most jovial I had ever seen her in this bar, possibly even in her life. This definitely got the Celeste man's attention, and he seemed to try to 'persuade' her to join him. But she played it coy and left to get him another drink instead.

As the two repeated this dance of him advancing on her and Zoe teasing him with a drink for now, I sighed with relief and looked elsewhere. I waited until I saw one of the waitresses go to the restroom. A black-haired girl about my age did so, which meant it was my turn to act.

[Okay, Zemblance, the moment's now.] I pictured the black-haired girl in my mind. [Got the image?]

[Yep. Give me a sec.] Zemblance was a very good illusionist by this point. But he was still limited to doing one illusion at a time, and only so big. He had to drop his invisibility first, which is why he hid under my table. Then he materialized a replica of the black-haired waitress coming out of the bathroom and straight to my table.

The fake waitress reached a hand out. When I took it, I was careful enough not to press it too hard, or else the illusion would break. I stood up and looked toward the backrooms. Normally, the doors were close to each other in pairs, and further apart from the others. That still looked the case, but Zemblance used his Illusion ability to shift all the doors slightly over, so a different door was overlaid where the original door was that I planned to walk to.

Hands in my pocket, I walked straight along the intended path. [You have me heading to the intended room, right?]

[Don't worry.] His voice sounded slightly strained, as I knew how complex this illusion was going to be. [I'll lead you there.]

He had the fake waitress slip her arm through the loop of my left arm, and she tilted her head just above my shoulder. Her expression was that of someone cuddling a plush PokeDoll.

I rolled my eyes. [You don't have to make her that in-character.]

[It has to look authentic!] he snickered.

I glanced over to Zoe once more. She was handing the Celeste man another glass, when she glanced in my direction. She seemed a little thrown off at first, but blinked in a confirming way. With that, I strolled into the backroom Zemblance led me to. As soon as I closed the door, the fake waitress vanished in a rippling flicker.

"Okay. Now…I wait." I stood in a corner of the room by the wall the door came off of. I didn't want the Celeste man to notice me already there in any way, no matter how disoriented he could get.

I expected Zoe to come in with the Celeste man in a couple of hours or so. To my surprise, she came in in a little over one. She had the guy slung over her shoulder, yanking his right arm over to her right with her right arm, pushing his body against her left side.

The man looked wasted. His face was tinted green, and his eyes almost rolled to the back of his head. His tie and shirt buttons were loose. He somehow could still speak clear words, but his sentences made absolutely no sense. His body sagged to the floor, to the point where Zoe was nearly dragging him.

She barely managed to close the door behind her with her foot. Then she looked around the room, and noticed me in the corner. "He's…heavy…" she huffed.

I hesitantly walked over to the other side of the guy. Then we both heaved him onto the bed, where he crashed face-down.

"Well," I said while she caught her breath. "I'll admit, that was quicker than I expected."

She gave a half-smile. "Same, actually. He was actually a little too easy to please. He kept trying to hit on me, but I kept offering him one of our popular drinks, promising him I wanted him 'ready'." She shivered a bit. "After flirting and serving him over a dozen glasses of the strong stuff, he nearly slipped under the table. Fortunately, he got so erratic and loud that the other two waitresses left him. And he was very hard for me to carry."

I put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You did great."

She smiled back. "Thanks." She scowled at the guy, who was so passed out he didn't react to a word we were saying. "Now what are you going to do?"

My face grew dark. "My mission. I suggest you step out of the room for a few minutes. Got some sort of excuse prepared?"

"Easy. Sometimes customers pass out just before or shortly after coming in here. The waitresses can't really 'work' with a limp body, or want to."

"Good. Just let the door be open for a couple whole seconds, then you can step out."

"Okay." She did as I requested. While the door was open, I moved out of view from the outside. I also telepathically sensed Zemblance sneak in invisibly. Then Zoe quietly slipped out of the room.

Zemblance shifted his illusion to turn into Zoe. He looked to the Celeste guy. [Is he workable?]

I locked the door, then stepped up to the bed. [Yeah, he still speaks. Just got to be direct. Very direct.]

He changed back into his normal appearance. [Good. I can use my other tricks instead!]

I flipped the Celeste man onto his back. Drool was coming out the side of his mouth, and his eyelids fluttered half-open and shut independently.

I slapped him across the face. "Wake up!"

He groaned, "Oh, you tease! Please, hop on…"

I gritted my teeth. "You know who I am?"

"You…your voice is pretty low for a pretty girl."

"He still thinks I'm Zoe." I leaned over him. "Mind telling me some secrets?"

"What secrets?"

"I know you work for Team Celeste. You a grunt?"

"I'm no runt!" He said disoriented. He tried to prop himself up, but fell back on his back. "That group is a secret, I ain't telling no bitch anything!"

I released a guttural growl as I reached for his collar. I yanked his head off the bed as I got in his face. "Listen here you…!" I raged. But then a piercing scream shot through my mind. A reminder of a memory I felt I was reliving in this moment. I panicked and let the Celeste man fall onto the bed. "No. I'm not my father. I'm not my father." I reminded myself.

I shook my head, then looked to Zemblance. [Time for one of your tricks.]

He grinned, [With pleasure!] He focused for a second.

Suddenly, the room looked like it was shrinking. It caught me off-guard for a second, but I reminded myself this was Zemblance's illusion.

But the Celeste man didn't know that. He started to panic as the walls and ceiling closed around him. "No! Stop! What did I do? I did my job, as you asked!" He scrunched into the center of the bed.

"So now he thinks he's back among the Alchimian Society…being tortured?" I walked back up to him and peered over his face. "Don't worry. We trust your word. Just tell me everything you did."

He shut his eyes. "No, you're lying! You'll try to persuade me to say something I didn't! Please…stop…please…" His voice was petering out and slurring. His body slackened, and seemed about to pass out.

"Well, his resistance to 'persuasion' still works sort of like mine. But he's definitely losing it." I leaned in closer. "Then who would you be willing to tell?"

"No one…nobody…I want…momma…I want my momma…momma…"

I changed my voice to a slightly higher and softer tone. "So…young man…tell mamma what you did."

"I just…took the map from public records…for a revision to the secret complex…"

I smiled. "Are those blueprints for the complex with the map?"

"Yes, mamma…"

I cued Zemblance to stop his room illusion. "And where is the map and blueprints right now?"

"…at the secret prison site…near Black City…"

My eyes furrowed. "That place…I guess I have an excuse to visit one." I forced another smile. "Thank you, young man. Now, make mamma proud and go to the police station to punch a cop in the face."

"Yes, mamma…" He said hazily. Zemblance and I helped him to his feet. Then he groggily shuffled across the room. I unlocked the door so he could walk out.

Zemblance grinned, [Good on you, Will! Nice acting. You make me proud!] Then the door handle suddenly turned and he turned himself invisible.

Zoe came back in. She brought a towel with her, slung over her left shoulder. As she looked around, she plucked the earplugs out. "Oh. I thought he'd throw up in here."

I grimaced, "Well, given what he told me, I think I might throw up."

She gave me a pleased look. "He left the bar. I wonder where he's going."

I smirked, "He's going straight to jail, if he does what I said."

"Just like that?"

"I got a way with words myself, in a way."

She bashfully smiled. Then she handed me the earplugs. "I believe these are yours?"

"Yes…" She dropped them in my hand. After I placed the earplugs back in my pocket, I pulled out a piece of paper. "And I believe this is yours."

She took the paper and looked at it. "What's this phone number? Yours?"

I gave a slightly flustered look. "No. I don't have a phone. But this is your ticket out of here."

Her eyes sparkled as she excitedly stared from the paper to me.

"After you leave this room, tell the bartender you have to leave; I'll explain to him on your behalf. Then, go straight to this address…" I leaned up to her and whispered the address in her ear. "There's a family who lives in Icirrus City, who's a trusted source of mine. Go straight there, and don't stop! Once you're there, call that number. It belongs to a boy about your age named McGinnis. He's one of the few I can trust enough. Stephanie is actually with him…"

She gasped excitedly. "Oh my Arceus! Stephanie's still around? She's safe?!"

I nodded. "Ask him for a safe passage to Alola from where you are, and he'll work something out. Oh, and he knows me by the name 'Jimmy'. That'll clue him to everything."

She beamed, like a sun's rays that broke through storm clouds. "Thank you, Nate..." Then she leaped on to me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She wrapped her arm over my shoulder and her legs around my waist, hugging me tight.

I was so taken off-guard that we toppled onto the bed behind me. Our faces were very close to touching, with her whole body on top of me. I grew extremely flustered, and while I wanted to and could push her off, my brain and body were overwhelmed with confusion and weren't in agreement. "W-woah! T-take it easy! You…you can't do something like this here! I-I'd have to pay you for something like this!"

Zoe blushed, and started to get off. "Sorry…" She twisted her arm out from under my back. She struggled a bit to prop herself up, so I kept her steady with my hands at her waist. She paused when she was on her hand and knees over me, thinking of something. Then she sneaked a long kiss on my right cheek.

"W-what did I just…" I stammered.

She knelt upright and brushed some of her hair behind her ear, giving me a cheeky grin. "That was on me!" She finally got to her feet, smoothing her skirt. "Well, this good-bye then?"

I slowly stood up, my face entirely flushed in pink. "…y-yeah. Likely the last time I see you."

She looked crestfallen. "You never know."

I added, "Well, just in case, if anyone apprehends you or questions about me, blank out about me entirely. I'm still on the run, and I'd like to keep it that way."

She paused. "Okay." She gingerly looked at her paper again. "Huh, what are these symbols on the other side?"

"Oh, those are mixed up Unown letters, in a cypher McGinnis shared with me that only he can understand. I assume he'll ask you for the paper once you meet him."

"Can't wait." She slipped the paper through the top of her tank top, then clasped her hands. "Thanks again…for everything. I'll tell Stephanie about you."

I raised a hand. "Actually…" Then I stopped myself. "…never mind."

"Well…bye, Nate…" Zoe slowly headed out the door. Before opening it, she said, "Oh…" And then tossed me her towel. She smirked, with a slight blush, "You might need that…" And she left the room.

"Bye, Zoe." I caught the towel, looking at it in my hands with a perplexed look. "Huh? What for?" But the door closed.

At that moment, Zemblance turned visible. But he was stifling a snicker. [You got something, on your…] He motioned to his right cheek.

[Oh shit!] I frantically scrubbed the lipstick mark on my cheek. Zemblance bent over laughing as I got it all off. I blushed, "I get flustered too easily with this mushy stuff…" Once Zemblance calmed down his laughter, I pointed my finger sternly at him. "Don't. Tell. Primrose. A thing! And don't tell Bravado either, 'cause he'll use this as ammunition to tease Primrose."

[I know,] he snickered. [But it would have been so funny if you walked back to everyone on the island with that evidence still on your face…and you wouldn't even know about it until it was too late!]

I looked away, flustered. [Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.]

Then he added, [And are you sure you wanted to make her forget about you?]

I sighed, [She's knows a little too much. So it's for her own good to keep a target off her back. It's not fool-proof; she could remember under specific circumstances. But it lowers the risk of both of us getting caught.]

[So now what?]

"Now? We leave. After talking to the bartender, I'm not coming back here for as long as I can help it. Then…I got a blueprint to find in a prison…"