Robert stretched his arms wide, pausing as he came up the stairs from below deck with N next to him. Zeno turned away, but Robert could have sworn he saw a suspicious look on his face. Shrugging, Robert turned to face the sea. The ship just departed from Liberty Garden and they were now on their way to Route 18.

Robert smiled wistfully. Pokemon he hadn't seen for quite a while were waiting for him back in Nuvema Town.

"Hey!" Alex popped up behind them on the stairwell, holding up some sort of flyer. "Look what I found posted on the wall board next to the food schedule." Zeno walked over, Greninja beside him with Joltik cupped in his webbed hands. Despite Zeno's best efforts, Joltik still wasn't entirely comfortable with him. In fact, Joltik seemed to be more at ease with Greninja, N, and N's Zorua.

Speaking of, Zorua yipped up at Greninja before jumping and transforming into a Joltik. He climbed up onto Greninja's palms and raised a foreleg in greeting to Joltik. Joltik, hesitant, touched it with his own leg.

Alex spread the flyer on the railing, the wind pulling at the corners ever so slightly. On it was a logo consisting of a black and white shield with a blue P emblazoned on it with a zigzag blue pattern behind it. At the bottom of the flyer were the words, Pokemon have become slaves, their freedom more at risk than ever. We, Team Plasma, are calling for their freedom. Join us to ensure their future."

"Team Plasma?" Zeno frowned. "Team?"

"Ah," Robert shook his head. "It's not what you're thinking." He patted Zeno's shoulder when he gave him a doubting look. "I know we've had trouble with groups calling themselves Team whatever in the past, but these guys, they're just activists. They believe that Pokemon under the use of trainers is a form of slavery and denies them freedom. They especially don't like pokeballs."

"But that's..." Alex frowned. "I mean, Pokemon aren't our slaves. They're practically family."

Robert shrugged. "Many are. But can you deny that there are those who purely see Pokemon as tools? As something lesser? Things to be abused for fun?"

N's expression darkened and Zeno nodded, casting a quick glance at N. "I see your point. So they do what to solve this issue?"

Robert frowned. "I think they've mostly done marches and protests and maybe a live interview once or twice? I dunno, they aren't that big of an organization."

"How long has it been since you've been in Unova?" N asked.

"For the last several months we were in Kalos, then sailed here," Robert answered. "Why?"

N leaned on the railing, staring across the sea. "Team Plasma isn't as small anymore. They've been on some huge headlines lately. I think people are even beginning to listen." He glanced over to where Zorua had transformed back into himself, running around Greninja. "It's why I choose to keep Zorua out of his pokeball. I've seen too many Pokemon hurt because of humans. Why should we capture them in round shaped devices, making them battle for just the pleasure of battling?"

"Not everyone is like that," Zeno said as he patted Greninja's back. "Plus, some Pokemon like battling. None of us here would make them do something against their will." Alex and Robert both nodded in agreement.

"I guess," N sighed. "But that's just you three. I guess..." He hesitated. "I guess I just sympathize with what Team Plasma says. There is truth in what they say."

"Yeah," Zeno turned away. "There is..."

Robert was once again reminded of Zeno's history. Born and raised within the ranks of Team Rocket, a group of criminals dedicated to the exploitation of Pokemon primarily. While Zeno may have been an assassin, he was sure to have seen Pokemon mistreated and sold. Or perhaps, even helped...

Robert shook his head. That was in the past now. He had changed since he left Team Rocket, but occasionally, Robert could still see him struggling against what he once used to be.

"Anyway," Robert said, breaking the tension filling the air. "Even if Team Plasma has gotten bigger, they're not an evil team. If we're going to be worried about anyone, it'll be the gangs of criminals."

"Were there always crime groups in Unova?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Robert nodded. "But they've never been truly organized to my knowledge. But Unova's always had a problem with crime, mostly in the big cities like Castelia and Black City. Looking at the gang we ran into, that was more organized than I would have thought."

"And they were shipping Pokemon over to Castelia City secretly," N said grimly.

"And people," Robert reminded him. "I did a little searching and it seems a few people have gone missing over the course of several months in Virbank. No reports of stolen Pokemon, but they could be catching them in the wild."

"And why do they want people and Pokemon?" Zeno wondered.

"The big guy, Strong Arm, he said something about 'lab rats'," Robert said.

Zeno's expression darkened again. "Experiments."

"'Fraid so."

Robert exchanged a glance with Alex. She nodded and she tapped Zeno's shoulder. "Hey, want to get some food. I'm starving."

He shrugged, letting Alex take him by the hand and lead him below deck. Greninja followed after them, Zorua following them to the stairs before turning back to sit at N's feet.

N followed them with his eyes until they disappeared. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's had, well, dealings with people like the ones in Virbank," Robert answered, keeping the fact that Zeno was a former TR member and assassin to himself. "Not good memories."

N nodded. "His Joltik is still scared."

Robert smiled. "He'll turn around I'm sure. Zeno's always been good with Pokemon. He always listen to what they want. It's why he hasn't even tried to do battle training with Joltik. He's waiting for when he can."

N smiled. "He is a good friend to Pokemon then. His Pokemon even spoke highly of him. However," N frowned. "Not everyone is like him."

"Ah, lighten up," Robert laughed, slapping him on the back. "You can't be a downer all the time. You gotta be more positive." His stomach gurgled. "Now come on, let's go find something to eat."

"You've been easily agitated lately," Alex remarked as she closed the door to our cabin. Greninja went to sit in the corner, Joltik in his lap.

I sat down on the couch, folding my hands. "Sorry."

"Sorry?" Alex sat down opposite me on the edge of the bed. "Zeno, what's going on?"

I shook my head. Earlier, I had found new energy to fight, to protect others. But now, now I felt my past weigh heavier on my shoulders. "It's... it's because this reminds me so much of Team Rocket. The organized crime, it's wildly different than the evil team we've faced up against. I don't know what it is, it just rubs me the wrong way."

"I thought..." I gripped a fist. "I thought I had finally freed myself from my past."

Alex stood, took a few steps towards me, and covered my fist with both hands. I looked up into her emerald eyes, dazzling along with her warm smile. "Look at all you've accomplished. You've befriended many Pokemon, saved so many people, and stopped so much evil. You've changed, and that's what matters. But," She leaned forwards, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. "If it all bothers you that much," She leaned back, smirking. "Then give them hell. Help stop the evil in this region."

"You realize you're telling me to take down a crime syndicate," I said in disbelief. "Like I'm, what, some sort of superhero?"

Alex laughed. "Maybe I am. But if anyone is going to do it, it'll be you."

"No..." I took her hand, meeting her gaze. "It'll be us."

She smiled, leaned her face towards mine, and-

"Hold on," Robert opened the door, looking back at N as he entered. "I just need to grab-" He stopped, seeing both his friends. "Um... I think I'm interrupting something here. I'll just, uh, grab my bag later." He tried to back out, but Alex, red in the face, moved faster. Robert yelped as he was clobbered on the head, disappearing out of sight as Alex thrashed him.

Even though Robert nursed a wounded noggin, he was glad to see Zeno looking better.

"So all it took was a kiss to fix that mood of yours eh?" Robert nudged him in the ribs, making sure to keep his voice low so Alex wouldn't overhear.

"We didn't-" Zeno groaned, seeing the look on his friend's face. "You don't care what I say, do you?"

"Nope," Robert grinned, then immediately turned his head so Alex wouldn't see his expression as she glared back at him. All the red she had dyed into her hair back before they'd arrived in Unova really suited her temperament sometimes.

They rounded a corner and stopped as they saw two people in the middle of the hall, one of them arguing to the other.

"I said I didn't need any of your help," a kid snapped at the man that towered over him. While the kid was likely our age, he wore a kind of dark suit with red outlines that matched his black pointy hair. A dark green scarf hung behind him as he glared at the man, who seemed to be in his late 40s, or maybe early 50s. With flaming red hair pulled back in a spiky ponytail, he wore a tanned cloak with a necklace of six pokeballs hanging around his neck.

He crossed his arms, face stern. "I'm afraid I promised your father to help you out while you're on your journey."

"And I said," the dark haired kid gritted his teeth. "I don't need your help. Me and Flygon can handle ourselves just fine." He turned away with a huff and spotted us. He narrowed his eyes, but didn't waste time making his way past us and down the way we had came.

The older man rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry you all had to see that."

N just blinked. Robert's first initial expression of shock turned to a gleeful smile. "Alder! It's you!"

"Huh?" Alder blinked, then his eyes widened as he recognized him. "Well, if it isn't you, Robert!" He walked over and pounded him on the back. "I haven't seen you since our battle. How have you been?"

"Wait," Alex's eyes widened. "I thought I recognized you! You're the Champion!"

"That's me," Alder grinned proudly. "Though Robert here nearly changed that. Say, are these your friends?"

Robert nodded and made the introductions. "Uh, I hope I'm not being intrusive, but who was that just now?"

"Ah," Alder sighed. "That was Kendrick. He's been on his own ever since his father moved out of the region. I promised to help him out, but it seems my help is unwanted." He suddenly broke out into a wide grin. "But that doesn't mean I should stop trying." He rubbed his chin. "Perhaps I should just keep an eye on his progress instead of directly talking to him."

He held up his hand to us. "Well, you kids enjoy the cruise. I have business elsewhere I need to attend to." He held up the pokeball on the left end of his necklace, opening it. A Braviary appeared on the railing, ruffling his feathers as he stared intensely at us. His beak was marred with scars and the underside of his left wing had a long thin scar. His gaze settled on Robert, eyes narrowing in recognition before he switched his gaze to N, who took a step forwards, head tilted slightly.

"If your friends are anything like you, Robert," Alder grinned at us as he walked over to the railing, settling a hand on it. "Well, I expect we'll meet again." He pushed himself up and over the railing as Braviary took flight. He flew beneath Alder, catching him, and together they soared away.

"He was interesting," Alex gripped the railing, trying to spot him, but shielded her eyes as the sun glared at her. "I've seen him on TV a couple of times. He's more imposing in person."

"He has that sort of air about him doesn't he," Robert nodded. "His Pokemon and battling skills are nothing to joke about either. If either you or Zeno end up facing him, well, even I think both of you would have a really hard time."

"You don't say," Zeno's eyes seemed calculating. "His Braviary was certainly powerful looking. N," He looked at the green-haired man. "You talked to Braviary?"

N nodded, his expression was unreadable. "That man, the Champion, so he's that kind of man..." And he said nothing more as he fell into silent thought.

"Well," Robert shrugged. "That was certainly a chance meeting."

"You know," Zeno said as they began walking again. "Kendrick, he seemed familiar somehow. I don't think I've ever met him, but his face was oddly familiar."

"You might know of his father," Robert said. "Judging by his looks, his father must be Grimsley, former Elite 4 member."

Zeno stopped and snapped his fingers. "Yes, Grimsley. That's right. He was wearing a kimono last time I saw him."

Robert coughed in surprise. "Say what now? When was this?"

Zeno rubbed his head, a bit confused. "I don't think I ever did tell you. He lent me his Sharpedo so I could get to Po Town where I thought Lillie was being kept hostage. He did mention he had retired recently."

"Retired?" Alex asked. "Really? Isn't he still young, relatively speaking?"

"Well," Robert rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "He didn't actually retire per say. He did, but only because he was on the verge of being ousted from his position. He got caught up in a scandal a couple years back, real messy affair from what I remember. Anyway, he retired on his own terms and left the region. I think that article I read about it mentioned his son was staying behind in Unova."

"So who's taken his place?" Zeno asked.

"Marlon. He used to be the gym leader for Humilau City, but he accepted the Elite 4 title when it was offered. He's a crazy strong Water type user." Robert spread out his arms. "I'm really hoping one of you beats Unova League Tournament this year. Because I so want to see either of you battle the Elite 4 and Alder himself! That would be amazing as heck to witness."

"Man we've had some luck so far," Alex said as she laced her hands behind her head. "First we meet Marshall, then Alder, the Champion himself."

"I know, right!" Robert grinned, giving two thumbs-ups. "If that isn't a sign of good things to come, then I don't know what is. Now, onwards my friends! My food awaits!"