"Hello there, and welcome! I'm sure you'll have a great time at Samson's Jungle Theme Park. Would you like a picture to remember your stay?

Yellow stared helplessly at the photographer's beaming face. Red stared at Yellow's helpless face.

"Um," said Yellow.

"How 'bout it, Yellow? You want one?" asked Red, smiling.

"Um, if you want one, Red… I guess so," she answered shyly.

"All right," said Red enthusiastically. He turned to the photographer. "Where should we pose?"

"How about you try backing up against that sign over – "

"Wwaaiitt!!" Green's voice was loud enough to wake a Snorlax. She came speeding down the hill where the bathrooms were, clutching the wrist of Blue, who was being dragged behind her. And suddenly she was there if front of them.

Everyone stared.

"Don't get your picture taken without us!" She teased.

There was a moment of silence.

"Well all right then," said the photographer. "The more the merrier. Let's see. Brown-haired girl, put your head on spiky-hair's shoulder, and put your arm around his waist – no, under his arm – good."

Yellow stared at them. Green was so comfortable like that. So comfortable being… intimate. And Blue? He didn't look exactly comfortable, but he was unfazed. His face had the exact same deadpan expression it always did. How could theybe acting so natural when Yellow could hardly look at them without turning red?

"What about me and Yellow?" asked Red.

"I'LL POSE THEM!" Green announced rather than offered, running to them.

Green pushed Red closer to Blue, pulled his arms out to his sides, and backed away. She scrutinized him. Then, lighting up, she glanced at Yellow, grabbed her by the shoulders and… thrust her against Red's chest? Gasping in surprise, Yellow looked up at Red, who didn't seem at all bothered by this arrangement. He gave her a gentle smile that made Yellow feel as if she was going to faint, put his arms under hers, and wrapped them around her just below her chest.

Yellow opened her mouth to either say something or babble in confusion, but the photographer had already said, "Say cheese!" Before Yellow had the chance to unwrap her mind from the fact that she was propped against Red's chest and she could feel his heart beating and hear his breath and see every little hair on his arms, and smile, the camera had already clicked.

Yellow blinked at the flash of light.

"Great!" announced the photographer. "Here's your photo! One copy for you… one copy for you."

"Thanks," said Red. He stepped away to retrieve the photo, releasing Yellow, who began to start breathing more regularly.

"Did it turn out good?" the photographer rambled. "It looks like it. You two couples have a nice time!"

"We're not – " Yellow began to protest. But the man had already found another group to solicit. "We're not a couple…" she finished under her breath.

"We're not?" echoed Red.

Yellow blinked. "What?"

"Aren't we?"

"I – I…"

Yellow looked at Green for help. But it was futile – Green was recording the conversation on her cell phone.

"Isn't this a date?" asked Red.

"It is?"

Red looked down at his shoes. "Uh, that was kinda the idea, yeah…"

Yellow flushed. "Um… oh."

Silence.

"B-but," Yellow stammered, "but Green and Blue are here!"

"That's called a double date, sweetie," said Green in a mock-informative tone.

Yellow looked at the older girl again, but she didn't seem to be planning to help. Instead, she seemed to find the whole thing rather amusing.

Green laughed and snapped her phone closed. "Well, you lovebirds seem to have a few things to sort out… geez, you're both so dense. Anyway, I'll leave you alone for a bit… in fact, I think I'll go get some ice-cream." With that, she waved an object in the air.

"What the – Green, how did you get my wallet!?" Blue demanded as he reached for it.

She snatched it out of his reach. "Duh. When we were posing for the photo, of course. Yeah, that's right, I outsmarted you. Come and get it!" With that, she dashed away, cackling wildly as Blue ran after her.

Yellow watched the chase for a moment, pretending it was interesting – any excuse not to be looking at Red – but then Red spoke.

"H-hey, Yellow, I'm sorry. I should have been m-more clear that I meant this was a date."

He waited for her to say something, but she could only stare at him dumbly.

"I mean," he continued, "Green gave me the tickets and insisted that I invite you. She said you liked me for sure. I guess I should've known she had some ulterior motive… she probably wants that recording she took for blackmail, or something." He laughed softly.

Yellow blinked again. He thought she was… rejecting him?

He rambled on. "I mean, that's Green for you. Sort of like how the real reason she wanted to come here was because she had that crazy scheme to cheat on the games and sell the prizes to guys who couldn't get stuff for their girlfriends. I should've known better than to trust her. Anyway. I'm sorry, Yellow. If you want me to leave you alone now, I will… or, if you wanted to go home now. I mean, the park is gonna close in an hour…"

Yellow opened her mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. Red looked at her for a moment, then shrugged. "All right then. I guess I'll be… over there. Getting a… funnel cake, or something. See ya later."

He turned and walked away. His tone of voice had sounded nonchalant, but he seemed… upset. His shoulders were sagging slightly, and his head was resting just slightly lower than it had been the rest of the evening.

And without knowing what came over her, Yellow ran to him, catching him by the wrist. He turned around and looked at her.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Um, Red," she whispered. "I – I'm sorry. About the misunderstanding. It's just… I was surprised because I didn't know it was a date. It's not that I… you know… it's not that I don't want it to be."

Now he was the one staring at her.

"S-so," she continued, so nervous that her knees were knocking together, "If you want it to be a date, I'm… happy. With that. Are you?"

"Um… yeah. If you are, I mean."

"I am."

There was a pause for a moment.

"So…" Yellow prompted. "I-I guess this is a d-date now?"

"Yeah." He beamed at her. "I guess it is."

-

Yellow blushed at the memory as she gazed at the photograph of her first date. That had been ten years ago. Now she sat on a cozy living room floor propped up against a futon and leaning against Red's shoulder. Two of her best friends, Gold and Silver, sat on opposite ends of the futon, her daughter Anaranjada was asleep on a matt beside her, and there was a fire going and a box of photographs was in front of her. If her nineteen-year-old self in the photo could look back at her and see her now, she probably would have thought she would somehow have the perfect future. But her naïve nineteen-year-old self would have been wrong. Yellow's life was good compared to that of some others, but things were missing.

Like Professor Oak.

And Green and Blue and the younger PokéDex holders who she hadn't heard from in years.

And most of her beloved Pokémon.

"Remember back when the possibility that things wouldn't work out between us was our greatest fear?" Red said sadly.

"It still is a fear," Yellow pouted.

"OK. You're right. The difference is, it's now an irrational fear."

Yellow giggled. "OK."

Above her on the futon, Gold groaned. "Ew. Old people flirting."

Yellow snickered and playfully slapped his leg, which was dangling at her side. "I'm about one year older than you, Gold."

"And at least we have a love life," Red added as he passed the photograph up to Silver.

"Touché, Red. Touché."

"I've never seen this before," Silver observed. "What is it from?"

"Samson's Jungle Theme Park," answered Red. "It's from our first date. And Blue's first date. And Green's first date… when she wasn't trying to con anyone."

"How did Prof get this picture?" Gold asked as he took it in his hand.

"Green probably gave it to him," said Silver. "Before she moved away she cleared her house of anything that reminded her of him and gave it to Professor Oak."

"I bet that was one part of moving that you enjoyed helping her with, eh, Silver?" Gold teased.

"You bet I did!" Silver snapped. "That son of a Snubbul didn't deserve her!"

There was an awkwardly silent moment during which all wide eyes were on Silver.

"He didn't," Silver repeated defensively. "The fact that he might be dead, or whatever you say, doesn't change that."

"OK, Silver," Gold said. "Sorry I brought it up."

"You should be."

Yellow shifted her weight and leaned against the futon. This kind of contention between her beloved friends bothered her even more than the fact that she hadn't seen them in several years. She thought the ten of them would always share a bond as PokéDex Holders – but things had changed.

Sensing her mood, Red cut in before the argument could get any worse. "Can we please not argue? Ana's sleeping."

"We could go in the other room to argue."

"Or you could just shut up."

Ch-click! Yellow jumped at the sudden noise. It was quiet but clear and close.

"What was that?" Yellow exclaimed, alarmed. But she looked back to notice that all the others were simply staring at her, looking confused.

"What's wrong?" asked Red.

"You all didn't hear it?" Yellow asked.

"Nope – I didn't hear a thing," said Gold.

At that moment, Yellow noticed the sound of light footsteps coming from down the hall. It was Pika. He sped through the living room and towards the staircase.

"Pika?" asked Red. "What is it?"

Pika didn't pause to respond.

"I'll follow it," said Yellow, and without another word she ran to catch up with Pika as he bounded into the lab.

Yellow paused a few steps above the bottom of the staircase. Ch-click – there was the noise again. But she ignored it this time, focusing on Pika.

"Pika? Why don't you show me what you heard?"

Pika ignored her, scratching frantically at the door.

"Is someone there?" She questioned.

Ch-click! The noise sounded again, and the door swung open.

Yellow froze at the sight before her. A hooded-cloaked figure stood in the doorway. She gasped. A Reclaimer?

And suddenly, the figure sprung toward her, shrieking.

"Yyyyy!" The figure screamed.

"Augh!" Yellow screamed back, stumbling backwards up the stairs in an attempt to escape.

"Eeee!" The figure screamed.

"What is going on here!?" screamed Red as he dashed down the stairs.

"Llooww!" The figure screamed as it nearly knocked Yellow backwards as it dove towards her. But then its hood slipped off its face and… "Yellow! Ooh my gosh I haven't seen you in forever I've missed you soo much Yellow!" The hooded woman practically sobbed as she locked Yellow into a very enthusiastic glomp.

"G-Green?" Yellow sputtered disbelievingly as she tried to escape being crushed.

"Yellow! Red!" Green gleefully greeted them.

"Pikapika!" chirped Pika as it jumped on Green's head.

"Pika!" Green exclaimed.

"Senior Sexy Lady?" Gold joked as he and Silver rushed down the stairs to join the group.

"Mommy!" came a frustrated cry from… the sack on Green's back, of all places.

"Baby Teal?" Silver questioned as he quickly untied the sack and freed the six-year-old girl inside it.

"What in the world!?" Asked a sleepy-eyed eight-year-old standing at the top of the staircase.

"Ana!" Red scrambled up the steps to put her back to bed.

There was a brief moment of quiet, and then the room erupted into excited conversation. Yellow couldn't make out a thing that was being said.

"Wow, Green. I really didn't expect you here!" Yellow laughed nervously. "I thought you were a Reclaimer. I was terrified!"

"Ha ha! Sorry!" Green looked as though she was about to say more, but then she was distracted an approaching Gold. "Hey, Gold. How's it going?"

Yellow's attention turned to Silver, who was now holding a silent Teal. Wow, was all Yellow could think. That's Green and Blue's daughter. Teal was a couple of years younger than Yellow's daughter Ana, but was about the same size. Her narrow, sea-green eyes that were clearly inherited from her father absorbed the room confusedly. She wore a rumpled blue dress with torn stockings, and her brown hair was tied back in a messy bun. Clearly, Teal had gone a few days without grooming. The girl shifted, apparently uncomfortable among all these unfamiliar adults. Yellow felt a bit sorry for her.

"Hey, Teal," Yellow said gently. "Wow, you've gotten big."

Teal just stared at her.

"My name is Yellow," Yellow continued. "I haven't seen you since you were a little baby!"

"So?" asked Teal distastefully.

Yellow blinked.

"The heck if I care! Oh, and you don't have to talk to me like I'm five years old, by the way. I understand normal speech just fine." And with that, the girl jumped away from Silver and strutted towards the staircase.

Taken aback, Yellow laughed – though, honestly, she almost wanted to cry. What a mean little girl!

"Ouch!" exclaimed Gold, who'd apparently seen the whole thing. "That was cold. Poor Yellow."

"I'm sorry," Green started to apologize.

"She certainly has her father's social habits," Red remarked as he rejoined the group at the bottom of the stairs.

Teal spun around, glared at him, and swiftly punched him in the knee. "They're my social habits, moron."

Red gaped.

"Teal!" Green scolded, grabbing the girl by the collar. "What are the rules about hitting? Now, look. You go upstairs and find a place to sleep, all right?"

"I was doing that!" Teal stuck her tongue out as she departed.

Green made sure she left, then turned back to the group. "Yellow. Red. I'm so sorry. Teal's just a bit cranky from traveling."

Yellow laughed awkwardly. "I'm glad you two could make it. Although I just wish… the circumstances were different."

Green's voice turned solemn. "So do I. Were you guys here… when it happened?"

Yellow swallowed and nodded. "Yes. Silver had been staying here for a while, and he called us to come when the Professor's condition started to worsen. He died peacefully in his sleep… but I felt terrible… he was always asking, 'Where's Daisy? Where's Blue?'"

Green put her hand on Yellow's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I should have come."

Yellow just shook her head, unable to say anything more without starting to cry. She felt Red put his arm around her comfortingly and stepped backwards into his embrace.

Green bit her nail awkwardly. "So… guys. I would say we have a lot of catching up to do, but I get the feeling that it'll be entirely bad news, so… can we wait 'til the morning? I'm exhausted."

"Sure," said Gold, seeming to want to escape the heavy mood that had just sunk over the group. "I'll help you find a room. Come this way."

"Hey, wait a minute – where did Silver go?"

"You didn't notice? He followed your cranky daughter."

Gold grabbed Green by the wrist and starting dragging her up the staircase, leaving Red and Yellow alone.

"Is Ana asleep?" Yellow questioned.

"She's back in bed," Red confirmed, "but I'm sure she's just waiting for everyone else to go to bed so she can sneak away."

"Hm," Yellow nodded. "I figured she – "

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Both Yellow and Red jumped at the sound which came from the door. They looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

"This can't be good," Red remarked.

As if in confirmation, a voice bellowed from outside. "This is the Pallet Police! You have thirty seconds to get to the door!"

"I'll hold 'em off!" Red told Yellow, but she was already rushing up the stairs.

"Police are here!" Yellow announced as she rushed through the house. "Pika, Chuchu – get in the Poké Balls. Where are the Balls…? OK, just hide!"

Pika and Chuchu scampered away.

Yellow took a deep breath. Focus, focus… She looked up to see Ana and Teal standing side-by-side in the hallway.

"Ana, put out the fire," Yellow ordered. "Teal, where's your mother?"

"I'm right here," said Green, appearing behind her. "Yellow, Gold just jumped into the washing machine with a bunch of Poké Balls. What's going on?"

"Police," Yellow said distractedly. "If they find any immigrants or Pokémon, we're in trouble. Umm… Teal, come here."

Yellow grabbed the girl by the shoulder and hustled her into the kitchen. "Why don't you hide in this cupboard?"

"No!" said Green, who had followed. "Yellow, that's not a good idea."

"She has to hide," said Yellow.

"Whatever," said Teal, who climbed into the cupboard without complaint.

Green looked as though she was about to protest, but instead said gravely, "Do you know why the police are here?"

"Because they don't want us here and they like to harass us," said Yellow. "It's probably fine. I don't know why they're bothering us at this hour, though."

"Um, Yellow? I have a confession."

"What?"

"On the way here, I kind of… knocked out a police man."

Yellow's eyes bugged. "You did what?"

"I had to! He was about to arrest me!"

Yellow bit her lip, trying not to hyperventilate. "It's fine. It's fine. There's no way he knows you're connected to us."

"Except… I kind of told him I was related to Prof."

Yellow facepalmed herself. "This is a problem."

"We'll talk our way out of it," said Green reassuringly. "Let's go."

The police man was still standing in the doorway talking to Red when the two women went downstairs.

"I assure you, Officer, there's no problem here…"

"Red!" Yellow called to him.

Red casually turned around and waved her over. "There you guys are! Come here."

The police man put his hands on his hips and observed both women as they nervously walked over to him. "Which one of you was the screaming lady?"

Yellow blinked. "Pardon?"

"Apparently, neighbors heard us shrieking with joy and reported that a woman was being attacked," Red said sheepishly.

Yellow sweatdropped. "Sorry about that, Officer."

"It was just me," Green chimed in. "And, as you can see, I haven't been attacked."

The police man looked them over, then rolled his eyes and sighed. "Geez. As if your little group doesn't cause enough trouble. There's nothing here that seems to warrant an investigation – unlike that bonfire and apparently kidnapping case going on tonight - but could ya just… keep it down a bit? Make our lives a little easier?"

"Will do, Officer," said Red, relieved. "Sorry about all this again."

"Take care." The officer left promptly.

"That was all?" Green said as the door closed behind the officer.

"That's always all," said Red. "The policemen hate having us here… they threaten us a lot… but in the end, they can't do a thing about it because we have Pokémon and they don't."

"Oh," said Green – but she looked at Yellow, and they both knew the other was thinking the same thing.

If Green had knocked out a police officer who knew she was related to Professor Oak, that police officer would have woken up, and told the others what had happened by now. And since the police knew where Oak's lab-home was, they could have easily appeared, investigated, and arrested Green by then. It was good that they hadn't, and yet…

Why hadn't they?

(-O-)

Day was barely breaking in Pallet Town, but you wouldn't be able to tell this in the thick forest where Officer Jamison lie. Two cloaked figures stood over the man, the larger of whom held a Hypno in her arms in a position that it was directly above the man's eyes. It waved its eyeglass slowly. A quiet humming sounded throughout the forest.

"You saw a woman carrying a sack," said a boy's voice.

"I saw a woman carrying a sack," the policeman repeated.

"You went to arrest her, but saw that the figure in the sack was only a mannequin."

"I went to arrest her, but saw that the figure in the sack was only a mannequin."

"You let her go on her way."

"I let her go on her way."

"She didn't give you any trouble."

"She didn't give me any trouble."

"You will wake up in one hour," the boy instructed.

"I will wake up in one hour."

"Good," said a woman's voice. "Recall the Hypno, Nebula."

The Hypno vanished in a flash of red light, and the forest was once again silent.