A/N: Short chapter to nudge the plot along. It was an interesting prompt this time round – couldn't use the word itself but the concept carries over from Light's last chapter quite nicely.

After Being Blue
Poke-Ball 10: Blackwash

He'd gone out of his way to see Lance. Agatha, on the other hand, was a surprise meeting.

He'd been on his way to Saffron city. He'd been pleasantly surprised the first time round to learn that Red had taken quite a bit longer to get there – but disenchanted to learn it was because the guards had set up a temporary blockade and he'd detoured to Vermillion instead. Then again, they'd met on the SS. Anne so Red had definitely been behind.

But Red wasn't retracing his steps. And the guards weren't complaining of thirst and other things and nobody was stopping him from walking through the gate.

Except a very familiar Gengar staring at him as he emerged in the light. One that made his heart skip a few beats before his mind caught up.

Agatha cackled as she hobbled out from behind her pokemon. 'You youngsters just grow more foolish, don't you?'

Blue adopted a neutral expression and raised an eyebrow. 'Has Red done something to earn your ire?'

The old woman cackled again. 'You can say that?' Her face grew serious. 'Are you aware of his intentions? His…dissatisfaction with how things are now?'

Blue considered the woman. She and her ghost stared back: two pairs of eyes boring into his soul. He nodded.

'He is stirring up a hornet's nest,' Agatha said. 'Foolish child doesn't understand just how complex the world is. Thinks a little teenage rebellion will have things the way he wants it.'

'I'm a foolish child as well, in your eyes.' Blue raised an eyebrow, though he couldn't deny Agatha was quite daunting, especially with her Gengar backing her up. 'Why complain to me?'

Her lips curled. 'Do you want a war?'

'No.' The thinkable answer fell off his lips before he could consider it.

'You say that and yet you know no war.' Her lips twisted. Perhaps it was a smile. Perhaps not. He thought it was something else. A warning. 'If you don't, you might want to stop your rival from doing something you'll regret.'

'I'll regret?' Blue repeated. 'Not Red?' He didn't argue about the rival bit. That was a bit more personal. And less relevant.

'Oh,' and her eyes glittered strangely in the afternoon light. 'I don't think he'll regret it in the long run. No…'