A/N: Thanks for the review, Julie Togepi. The boy is the same one at the first chapter, for more info, you'll just have to wait.
"Guess what? Mommy's home!" came a far too shrill voice that made the three ladies sitting around the table jump.
"Lady Vanessa," Elizabeth, with crimson-red hair and sea green eyes said while getting up- and her colleagues soon followed her example. "We were not expecting you today."
"Well, you know how things are, I wasn't really going to come this time you know, but there was a trader off in Sakhmet who said that Selena wanted to talk to me while I was wandering around, and as soon as I turn around to ask him what- guess what happens? He vanishes! Just like that apparently, so I came here wondering what all of this was about."
"Well then, this is a pleasant surprise," Mary, with raven dark hair that flowed to her waist and a wearing a silver tiara adorned with Swanna gave a most genuine smile, revealing only a part of her pearly-white teeth as any proper lady should. The others imitated her, but then of course, faking a smile was second-nature when you were employed in a high position in Vanessa's domain.
"I know, it's so wonderful to see you all again," Vanessa said. "How are my girls doing?" She kissed each of them on each cheek once.
"We're fine, thank you," said Catherine, who had dirty blonde hair and the only one whose skin showed signs of age. "I think you'll be pleased to know that the governance of the realm proceeds as you would have wanted it."
"Of course, of course," Vanessa said. She, herself, looked hardly older than twenty with curly brown hair that extended to her neck. She wore nothing that distinguished her as a Gym Leader, just a black monk's robe with a hood to hide her face when necessary.
Vanessa took a glance around the room. Her eyes slid over the dozen or so guards as if they weren't there. They wore helmets that resembled the heads of a Feraligatr, and armor that resembled overlapping fish scales. The armor wasn't metal of course (at least, not anymore in this day and age) but a special polymer meant to be bulletproof.
Vanessa sighed. This hall was one of her offices, but she had apparently forgotten to remove the order that no one enter her offices without permission except during the bi-annual meetings, because the place was covered in dust. It had been hastily dusted an hour before, but it seemed her orders had been followed to the letter.
Vanessa didn't notice the three ladies were still standing and were waiting for her to sit or give an indication that they could sit, but Vanessa didn't catch on.
"Where is the phone?" Vanessa asked.
"Over there," Catherine said. The phone had been covered with a tarp, which was hastily removed by one of the guards.
"I need to call Selena," Vanessa said. "I wonder what it was that was so important. Has something happened in our realm?"
"No," Mary said. "Your domain continues to work properly under our management."
Vanessa didn't do any of the work of running her domain herself. She preferred to wander about, seeing sights and doing whatever pleased her. As her territory was very large, she divided it into three portions. The northernmost part was rugged mountains and under Elizabeth's governance, which was why she was wearing a dark blue deel common to the nobility in the area. The southernmost part, was under Mary's rule and was mostly dense forests, and Mary was dressed in a full light green dress that reached her ankles. The middle part which was mostly desert fell under Catherine, who wore a plain white tunic, though it was adorned with gold ornaments.
"But, there has been something that has come to our attention…" Mary said.
"Yes, well, let's call Selena first," Vanessa said and grabbed a chair and sat down. While she was fiddling with the controls, her three regents looked at each other, wondering whether or not they should also sit down. "Oh, it's one of her aides, yes, tell Selena that I need to talk to her. Or that she wanted to talk to me, and then I- well, it's complicated, just be a dear and call her, would you?"
She then turned around to face the others. "Oh, do sit down, dears, you don't need to be like that around Mommy all the time, so stiff and formal!"
The three of them sat down, but Catherine rolled her eyes when Vanessa wasn't looking. None of them appreciated the condescending use of the word 'mommy' from someone who was, in their opinion, far less suited to rule than themselves.
"Oh, Selena! Sweetie, you don't look so well," Vanessa said as Selena came on the screen.
"Does it really take so long to respond to my calls? Where have you been all this time?" Selena asked, looking about as exasperated with Vanessa as her three regents felt.
"Well, you see dear, I haven't been in touch with anyone important for the last two years," Vanessa said. "But I heard from your messenger in Sakhmet and came. What happened? You have dark circles under your eyes- have you been sleeping properly?"
Selena sagged in her chair and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, you don't know what kind of problem we're in, do you? Have you heard of Ash Ketchum?"
"Who?" Vanessa asked.
"You really haven't heard a word about him? He's the talk of Galea." Selena asked. "Well, you see- well, around eight months ago it turns out that a young boy by the name of Ash Ketchum got through our barrier, and he managed to topple Marley."
"What?" Vanessa practically screamed. If Selena didn't know any better, she would've said that Vanessa's surprise was too exaggerated and dramatic to be genuine. "But how?"
"I don't know," Selena said. "Somehow the barrier's getting weaker also. All of us are going to have to reinforce within a year, rather than centuries like we'd hoped."
"So… someone's messed with the barrier too?" Vanessa asked. "Wait… I know I shouldn't say this- but do you think maybe Wade did it? It kind of makes sense…"
Selena shook her head. "I thought so too in the beginning, but he wasn't involved at all apparently. On the contrary, he attempted to stop him. Right now though, I'm beginning to suspect His Majesty."
Vanessa gasped. "Selena, sweetie, that's treason!"
Selena frowned. "That may be, but I don't see any other explanation. His Majesty was the one who led us and spearheaded the creation of the barrier in the first place. And who else could have done it? It would have taken someone with knowledge of the barrier to do so. I just don't know why he would do something along those lines…"
"So, well then, have you tried bargaining with the child? Is Marley dead?" Vanessa asked.
"Any attempt at negotiating with him has failed," Selena said. "He has just recently defeated Wade and controls five out of Galea's eight realms. I do not doubt that he will be coming to you to take your domain as well."
"Why?' Vanessa asked. "What does he want?"
"Simply to rule all of Galea, though in his ignorance he doesn't realize that he could very well cause Gaela's doom," Selena said. "He has to be stopped…." It was here that Vanessa could've sworn she almost heard Selena sob. Really, Selena sobbing? "I've tried everything, and His Majesty is of no help at all. The boy proceeds despite everything I've thrown at him… all food supply from Linnea's earlier territory has been cut off. I must thank you by the way, for continuing to supply my territory."
"Huh?" Vanessa said and turned for a second towards her three regents for an explanations.
"Lady Vanessa, in your absence, Catherine and I took the liberty of deciding to supply Lady Selena with food," Mary said. "We increased production, increased work quotas, and managed to fill our own granaries and a good amount of hers as well."
Vanessa's territory wasn't well suited for farming- at least not as much as that of Linnea's, but years of irrigation projects had helped convert parts of the desert into arable land that were sufficient to meet their own needs and a small part that could be exported.
Of course, Mary left out the fact that they were selling food at inflated prices to Selena on account of their being a shortage, as compensation for better equipment they were using, and a plethora of other reasons- and pocketing the extra amount for themselves.
"Well, that was a good choice," Vanessa said with the tone of a kindergarten teacher telling a student that his drawing was wonderful. "Mommy made the right choice with you three."
"Anyway," Selena said, "my point is that you need to start practicing, Vanessa. If His Majesty isn't doing anything- or worse, is the one behind all of this- we're the only ones that Galea can rely on."
"Don't worry at all, honey," Vanessa said. "M- I'll have the entire situation under control. I'll begin running mock Pokemon Contests in anticipation for the boy."
Selena nodded. "Than you… Vanessa. You know, I've never really approached this as a topic, but I've always considered you as one of my true friends…" Selena flashed the smallest of smiles at Vanessa.
"Aww, sweetie, that's so cute! And of course I also think you're one of my besties," Vanessa said, her eyes practically shining. "Keep smiling- it looks so good on you! And don't you worry about a thing. I'll take care of it."
"Thank you," Selena said.
They continued talking but little of it was important, and Selena soon disconnected, leaving Vanessa to go and consult with her regents on what to do about Ash Ketchum.
"Are you sure the call's been disconnected?" Selena asked.
"Yes, milady," Jenkins said.
"Good," Selena said and swiveled around to face him. "Well, you were monitoring the conversation. Do you think I put on a convincing act?"
Jenkins nodded. "Yes, milday, I do believe that Lady Vanessa bought it hook, line, and sinker, as they say."
"But gods really, can she truly be so stupid?" Selena asked. "How can she know nothing about Ash? By this point all of Galea must be talking about him? You know, Linnea and I once had a bet on who we thought was dumber- Vanessa or Freyja. Linnea's in custody somewhere, but I have no doubt now that it's Vanessa. At least Freyja took the time to govern her domain herself."
Jenkins nodded. "Right you are, ma'am."
"I think at maximum she'll be able to hold on for another month or two," Selena said. "What of Alan Lazar?"
"Are spies say that he fled once Wade was deposed," Jenkins said. "But we're still tracking him. As he's probably traveling alone right now and not under Wade's protection, it is possible to have him assassinated now."
"See to it as soon as possible," Selena said.
She dismissed Jenkins and turned around to face the blank telephone screen.
She could see her own reflection. There were dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't faked that at least.
