Chessebelle's eyelashes slowly fluttered open, her sea foam hues squinting slightly as sunlight flooded through the windows of her make-shift home in the Valley. As soon as she was adjusted to the light in the room, memories of the previous night came back to her as she stared at the ceiling.

'Raichu-Pikachu prize that kaku won me... Kenny, Yachiru and Yumichika finding us... Meteor shower... Fuckin' Sevastian had to come up in our conversation... Then everything after that is a blur...' Chessebelle recited in her head as she closed her eyes for a moment to think some more. A slight groan made Chessebelle jump in bed, looking at the source of the groan next to her. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise when the bald man's sleeping face greeted her, a muscular arm slung carelessly across her waist. "Ikkaku?" Chessebelle whispered in slight disbelief, an arched brow adding to her skeptical outlook on the situation. 'Shit, are my clothes on?!' Chessebelle thought with a panicked look as she raised the blankets, relieved to see that she had on the dress from the night before, pulled down a little from her tossing and turning in bed. Chessebelle let the blanket fall back down onto her before glancing at Ikkaku, smiling slightly when she noticed his feet were practically off the bed so that he would be shorter than her in the bed. The red-head seemed to purr as she scooted closer to Ikkaku and put her arm around his shoulders, moving down to nuzzle her head into the crook of his neck affectionately.

"Well, good morning sunshine... I assume you got enough beauty sleep?" Ikkaku's husky voice broke the silence a few minutes later, the red-head slightly embarrassed when she realized he was awake. "What do you mean?" Chessebelle questioned after she got over her embarrassment, sitting up in bed and looking at Ikkaku expectantly. "You don't remember? Well, I guess you were pretty much passed out after I got you home." Ikkaku hinted, the IPF agent arching her brow at Ikkaku, waiting for him to explain further.

"Well yea.. When I got you home it began storming. I set you out on the loveseat in the living room and took a shower…" Ikkaku started, smirking a bit at Chessebelle's nodding head, before continuing. "So, I obviously picked you up and put you to bed. I didn't bother changing you, cause that'd be creepy—-" Ikkaku stopped for a moment, biting his lip before seeming to get flustered as he continued, "—I woke up in the middle of the night and I just couldn't sleep… I came up here and you looked so peaceful in your own sleep… I thought you wouldn't mind if I slept with you. I turned the TV on and watched it for a while before I fell asleep. I guess the automatic timer went off and turned it off for me…." Ikkaku finished with a curt nod before sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes as the blankets fell from his body, revealing his toned chest. Chessebelle bit her lip and took a quick glance at Ikkaku before blushing slightly and looking away, glancing at the door. She didn't even seem to be irritated by the fact that he had slept with her. She never would think Ikkaku would take advantage of her, especially when she was sleeping. She also wouldn't be complaining, when he has a toned, muscular body like the one he does.

"What time is it?" Chessebelle asked, looking at Ikkaku expectantly, the bodyguard rolling his eyes before looking at Chessebelle with a devious smirk. The bald man slowly moved over Chessebelle, pushing her to lie on her back on the bed, her head nearly hanging off the edge as Ikkaku practically laid on top of the girl, smirking at her confused expression. Ikkaku looked to the side and smirked when Chessebelle realized where the alarm clock was located. "Guess it's eleven.. Should we get up?" Ikkaku questioned, looking down at his boss as she blushed faintly from him still being on top of her before she gave him a look of mock disbelief. "Me? Get up before noon? Noo…" After Ikkaku shook his head and sat up once again, letting Chessebelle sit up with him, the red-head chuckled and raised her arms. "Carry me to the kitchen~" She purred as she grasped at the air, giving the universal sign for 'Gimme.'

Ikkaku rolled his eyes and went to scoop her up, but the sound of the front door opening made the two exchange a look of caution before a familiar voice echoed in the house. "Ikkaku~!" Chessebelle smirked at Ikkaku's eye roll once again, before she hopped off the bed beside Ikkaku, the man looking at her curiously. The red-head smiled and explained, "I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea of you carrying me into the kitchen." Ikkaku nodded before glancing down at himself, realizing he needed a shirt. Chessebelle came to the same conclusion about her own wardrobe and moved behind Ikkaku, pushing his back gently. "Go put some clothes on, ugly." Chessebelle purred, smirking to herself as Ikkaku looked over his shoulder with a mock pout, responding, "Only if you put some on too, Quasimodo." Chessebelle shook her head as she chuckled, pushing her bodyguard out of her door and closing it behind him, chuckling to herself. Ikkaku chuckled as well before moving down the hall towards the staircase.

Chessebelle turned and pressed her back against the door and smiled, letting out a soft sigh of contentment. The red-head stayed like this for a few moments before pushing off the door and moving about her room, picking out her outfit for the day. She laid it out on the side of the bed. As she started to undress, she took a glance out the window, at the deck, with a large overview of the acres of land behind the large guest house. "They sure treat us with enough hospitality…" The red-head murmured as she put her bra on, clipping it in the back, pulling off her panties, putting new ones on. She continued to look outside, leaning against the sill slightly, before noticing rain drops slowly starting to fall on her window and the deck. She grimaced slightly, but glanced up at the sky, noticing it was just a bit gray and gloomy, not the black ominous clouds she really feared. Chessebelle gave a sigh and continued dressing, before a loud static noise startled her, making her stop with her arms in a black tank-top, covering her boobs a bit, but not over her head yet.

"Chessebelle, you might wanna come out here. ." The red-head recognized Ikkaku's voice, a hint of concern in his voice, it would seem. She quickly finished getting dressed—pulling her tank-top the rest of the way onto her body and a pair of dark skinny jeans tucked into plain black winter boots, grabbing her famous white jacket with the gold trimmings, a gold star on the left breast—before she left her room and headed down the hall, stopping at the doorway to the kitchen, where her whole posse was waiting for her.

Kenpachi was looking rather solemn, with his arms crossed against his broad chest and his hair slicked back again-but then again that's how he always looked-with Yachiru sitting on the counter next to him, her hands gripping the edge of the counter, her knuckles turning unusually white. "What is it?..." Chessebelle questioned as she moved into the kitchen, finding Yumichika and Ikkaku on opposite sides of the kitchen island, looking intently at something in the middle of the surface, causing the static noise. Upon closer inspection, the red-head noticed it was the four group members xTransceivers, al tuned to the same radio station, faint voices starting to come through.

The champion looked at Ikkaku curiously as she stood next to him, his brown eyes focused on the radio; she opened her mouth to say something, but Ikkaku put his finger up quickly as the voice suddenly came in, probably as clear as it was going to get:

This broadcast is being announced live at the Goldenrod Radio Tower at one twenty-three in the afternoon, on Tuesday, January first, 2013. The Pokémon League officials, including myself, Lance the Dragon Master, Blue the Champion of the Kanto region, Cynthia the Champion of the Sinnoh region, and Wallace and Steven the Champions of the Hoenn region, have issued an evacuation of the east side of the Johto region, as well as the entire Kanto region. The League officials have ordered any towns east of Ecruteak City, to retreat to specialized shelters in the Goldenrod Underground, Cianwood City, Pokeathalon Stadium, or Olivine City. I insist that you avoid any tall grass, dark caves and even Ilex Forest, because of the urgency of the situation we are in. It is law for any Pokémon trainers to help others if they cannot make their way by themselves, including elders and children with low level or no Pokémon. I advise the citizens of Johto to fly here, as it is less likely to be confronted by… this infectious disease… Do not travel alone! No matter what you do, keep someone with you at all times! We have been ordered by Alder, in the Unova region, that we'd most likely be safe in Cianwood, because of its remote location in the ocean. We are stationing Wallace in Cianwood, Steven in Olivine, Cynthia in Ecruteak City, Blue in the Pokeathalon Stadium and National Park area, and I will be in Goldenrod City's underground tunnels. Please… We don't know how long this epidemic will last, but… Hurry.

The static that ended the broadcast wasn't nearly as scary as the announcement they had just heard. A frantic knocking at the door caused the group to jump and look at each other with wide eyes, as if wondering who was going to answer the door. "Excuse me! Miss Chessebelle? It's Lenzo, the mayor's secretary! The mayor needs to see you and your—ahem—group, in his office… I can escort you if you need me to!" The group exchanged looks once more before Chessebelle went back down the hall towards her room, moving to her night stand-slightly surprised to find all of her belongings, excluding her purse, on said-stand. The red-head quickly murmured her list of things under her breath, "Xtransceiver, work phone, headset, belt with… six pokeballs and one of them is empty…" Chessebelle knew which of her Pokémon was out of his luxury pokeball, making her give a slight huff, but putting her items in her pockets and proceeding to hook her belt onto her hips.

Chessebelle walked out of her room quickly, suddenly feeling rushed. "It's nothing; really, it was probably just a really cruel and elaborate prank…" The red-head looked into the kitchen doorway once more, surprised to see her four bodyguards had gotten their belongings and then returned to their initial spots in the kitchen. "What are you guys packing up for?" They looked at her like she was an idiot, Ikkaku shaking his head before turning around and grabbing her shoulders, a bit too rough for her liking, before looking her in the eyes.

"Do you not get it? Are you stupid? There's some fucking terrorist attack or something going on and you're acting like we have all the time in the fucking world! I don't care what that little fucking prick of a mayor has to say to you, we're going to Goldenrod City. Don't you care about what's happening to your parents right now?! They could be dead, Chessebelle!" "Ikkaku, that's enough."

Chessebelle's eyes has grown gradually wider as Ikkaku had chastised her, his tone growing harsher as he went on, Kenpachi's voice cutting on the only thing keeping the red-head from letting out a small squeak of a sob at what the bald man had to say to her. "I… I didn't think that was real… How are we supposed to know that shit is happening, we're in the most isolated spot in all of Johto and Kanto! C'mon guys you can't really think—" "Yes, Chessebelle, we do! Now it's time that you think of this as being serious too, you fucking idiot!" Ikkaku suddenly shouted, Chessebelle's scoff being cut off by the male's critical words, leaning back slightly, as if his words actually hit her physically.

The bald man shook his head again and walking to the living room of the guest house, leaving Chessebelle standing awkwardly as her eyes began to well up. She wasn't good with being yelled at, and he had called her stupid. Sure she didn't understand the severity of the issue, but she wasn't stupid; it just took her a minute to fully observe the meaning of what had been said in the broadcast. Yumichika gave her an apologetic smile and walked over to her, taking her hand and leading her out of the kitchen and down the stairs, escorting her to the front door. "It's ok, dear, he's just not good under pressure. He's trying to be your knight and keep you from being scared, but he doesn't know how to be one when he's scared himself." Yumichika explained as the red-head opened the door, walking out together, Chessebelle taking a breath of the cold winter air, trying to keep her tears from falling.

"Really, it's ok. . . He just needs time. I'll pack your things and you go see the stupid mayor." Chessebelle nodded slowly, Yumichika pulling his hand from Chessebelle's slowly and smiling once more, turning to go back into the house.

"Yumi?" Chessebelle suddenly said with a slight crack in her voice, grabbing his hand gently as he put one foot into the house again. He turned and looked at her with expectant eyes. "Can you tell Kenny to come with me? Can you send Luppi out, too, if you can find him?" She asked softly, her voice turning into that of a punished little girl. Yumichika smiled and nodded, pulling his hands from Chessebelle's once more and moving into the house. The red-head walked along the path to the side of the house and down the dirt driveway to the large dirt 'road', crossing her arms as she stood there, waiting for her company to come out with her. The sound of the screen door opening and closing with a slam caused her to turn, Kenpachi sauntering out of the house at his abnormal height, Luppi swaggering out next to the tall male. The red-head's seafoam hues slowly drifted to the large front window of the upstairs living room, Ikkaku standing there with a sad look on his face as he watched her turn her back on him, looking up at Kenpachi as he joined her.

"Let's hurry this along. I don't want to take too long; Ikkaku wants to leave, and so does Yachiru." Chessebelle nodded softly, walking ahead of Kenpachi, already knowing where the mayor's office was. Knowing Sevastian, he put her only a few houses down from the town hall, not wishing to be too far from his ex-lover when she was in a house with three other guys. "You do know this is a serious thing, Chessebelle, but what Ikkaku said about your parents was uncalled for. He can only take so much, you know." Kenpachi explained as Luppi moved to the side of his trainer, pushing his head under her hand to make her begin to pet the top of his head, hoping to get attention during this walk.

"I know." The agent replied curtly, pursing her lips as she looked down at Luppi's head while she walked, scratching the side of his ear as he rubbed his head on her pant leg, not even grumbling about the tan fur getting on her jeans.

"There's no reason to be short with me either, Chessebelle." He said gruffly, making her look at him with a slight glare, the male's own deep green hues giving an eye roll at her short response. Kenpachi wasn't one to put up with attitude; despite loving Chessebelle, he probably loved her the least out of the body guards.

The walk to town hall was about fifteen minutes and it was mainly spent in silence, save for rustling bushes, Luppi's purring, some small talks and grunts from Kenpachi, and gun shots a few miles away. The gun shots rose concern for Chessebelle, but Kenpachi didn't seem to pay any mind to the alarming noise, so she let it go.

The couple stood in front of the large pristine white town hall building, Kenpachi's hands in his long black trench coat, glancing down at Chessebelle with his good eye, waiting for her to lead the way, ushering her to proceed with a jerk of his head. Chessebelle smiled at Kenpachi half-heartedly before walking up the cobble-stoned path to the town-hall, quietly opening one of the double doors, Luppi pushing in between her legs to get into the building and out of the cold air first, Kenpachi coming in as the caboose. The red-head looked around at the small lobby, a desk with a computer but no secretary to be found.

'The little Lenzo kid isn't at his place. . . He left our house like five minutes after standing at the door with no answer. . . I hope he's ok?. . .' She thought for a moment-the thought was quickly pushed out of her mind, the blue-haired former love of her live coming out of a door down the hall to the left of the secretary's desk. "Chessebelle, we need to talk about the broadcast, I know you heard it. Where's the rest of your group?" Sevastian quickly spoke in his deep baritone, the voice she had grown to love so fully, but now hated to a great extent.

"I'm here. That's all she needs to protect her from big bad wolves." Kenpachi replied, more of a growl, if anything. Sevastian's amber hues looked Kenpachi up and down, his nose slightly scrunching as he looked from Chessebelle to Kenpachi, his scar crinkling with the motion of his face.

"Yes, well… As you heard, the broadcast is serious. I've yet to talk to anyone from outside of Starlight valley, but the Xtransceiver signals have cut out since the broadcast. All my calls have been dropped, as soon as I've tried dialing someone. It's always been in and out service here, but I think someone has literally cut the phone lines." Sevastian began to explain, walking back down the hall he had come from, his back to the two, but reaching over his shoulder and gesturing with his two fingers to come with him. Chessebelle gave Kenpachi a look, unsure of how to feel about what Sevastian just said; the idea of sabotage with a police force agent in their midst was an interesting thought. While not many people knew about her second occupation, there were plenty of conspiracies about her from when she was still young and dumb, but most love the champion enough to say the non-believers are just crazy.

The red-head followed behind Sevastian, Luppi sauntering ahead of the group, making sure Chessebelle was at least a few lengths behind the blue-haired devil, Kenpachi seemingly doing the same as he walked slightly ahead of Chessebelle. The group was lead into Sevastian's private office, a lavish navy and gold theme to match the male's general appearance, a large dark wood desk sitting in front of a window with the navy curtains pulled back only halfway.

Sevastian took his perch behind his desk and the navy char he had to match his color scheme, his hands placed behind his back, one hand holding his other wrist, as if holding himself back. Kenpachi moved to one side of the room, looking at the large bookcase that literally took up the entire wall filled with books of various colors, sizes, and spines. Luppi moved to the opposite side of the room, sniffing the various objects on the left side of the room, from the lamps to the fireplace to the other wooden end tables and such. Chessebelle, on the other hand, walked slowly to the front of the dark desk, taking a seat from one of the few chairs in front of the carpet, crossing her arms and looking at Sevastian's back as he began to talk once more.

"Chessebelle, have you any contact with your colleagues?"

"Not since last night when I arrived here."

"I see… Kenpachi, I believe? What about you? Have any of your friends or family contacted you?"

"Don't got any."

"Ah… Well then. Being the mayor, I have to talk to many important people from the Johto and Kanto region, and the other regions alike, but like I said, none of my calls have gone through. Now being the agent you are, I'm sure you're savvy with the fact that Team Flare has been the most recent of the evil organizations that plague our lands, and it was disbanded by a boy-girl duo at least two years ago. Team Magma, Team Aqua, Team Plasma and Team Galactic haven't been seen for the past ten years, it seems. Some crazy anarchists still insist on the rebuilding of the teams, but Team Rocket has been the only real threat to the regions-ours in particular. Lenzo and I were talking and it would seem that there is a 'disease' being spread, according to the broadcast, and Lenzo suggested Giovanni has been in hiding long enough, and he found it was time to finally make his appearance."

"Wait, stop there, Sevastian… Giovanni was taken into custody at least five years ago. He's been incarcerated ever since, in maximum security, might I add." Chessebelle paused as she furrowed her brow, Sevastian turning to look at the red-head with the same scared expression he had on his face when she had been packing her bags the day she left him.

"Chessebelle, I don't think that has anything to do with it. The other team leaders are free, never being taken into custody, whether you guys were too lazy or you never found them after their teams were disbanded. Cyrus is stuck in the Distortion world, or so we think, and Archie and Maxie have gone into business in the underground fighting rinks, so my sources have heard. Ghetsis and the seven sages have been caught, actually, but the seven sages were dropped of charges. Ghetsis was bailed out by N—they disappeared shortly after this happened… Who's to say they haven't teamed up and created this super virus and it broke out? We all know about the legend of Mewtwo and Giovanni's experiment gone wrong."

Chessebelle, Kenpachi, and even Luppi were taken aback by the male's accusation, all contemplating the ideas he was throwing out there. Kenpachi opened his mouth to reply to the conspiracy, but a loud slam of doors opening made them all jump, Chessebelle hopping out of her seat with wide eyes. Luppi's ears flicked, listening to the sound of the slam before his whiskers stiffened, his tail unwinding. The fur on his haunches began to rise, a hiss rising in his throat as he quickly turned to face the door to Sevastian's office. It only a few seconds before Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Yachiru had appeared at the end of the hall and ran to the office.

"What's wrong?" Chessebelle questioned with her brows furrowed once more in worry, Ikkaku quickly taking her hand and pulling her towards the exit his eyes filled with fear, Yachiru hopping onto Kenpachi's shoulder and whispering something in his ear. Yachiru, Ikkaku, and Yumichika were decked out in bags; Ikkaku held Chessebelle's duffel bag and a backpack on his back as well, Yachiru adorned with two little backpacks, one strap on each of her shoulders and Yumichika holding probably the largest of the duffel bags with a backpack on his back like Ikkaku.

"Mister Mayor, I implore you to leave-now." Yumichika ushered Luppi through the door, the latter being the last one out of the office, leaving Sevastian confused behind his desk.

"Ikkaku, what is—" "We have to get out of here." Chessebelle opened her mouth to ask what the problem was again but by that time they were at the entrance of the town hall—Ikkaku's Aerodactyl was waiting for them. "You've got Kenpachi and Yachiru?" Ikkaku called over his shoulder as he roughly pulled Chessebelle to the Pokémon, grabbing her hips and throwing her onto the Pokémon's back with a slight groan. "Yea, just get her out of here. Take Luppi!" Yumichika replied, the Persian in question taking the hint and hopping on the Aerodactyl's back, Ikkaku following suit and sitting behind Chessebelle, Luppi in the front. The red-head looked over her shoulder at Ikkaku as he held her waist, kicking his heels slightly into the Aerodactyl's shoulders, commanding him, "Let's go Hozukimaru, hurry."

Chessebelle leaned back against Ikkaku as the Pokémon took off into flight, Luppi leaning back into Chessebelle as well, the girl wrapping her arms around his shoulders and body, for the most part. Her seafoam hues looked down on Kenpachi, Yachiru, and Yumichika, the most feminine of the trio pulling two pokeballs off his belt and releasing his own two flying types: Dragonite and Pidgeot. The red-head watched as the trio grew smaller as the ascended into the air, the blue-haired mayor coming out of the town hall once they were a bit more than 20 feet in the air. He went to go talk to Yumichika on his Pidgeot, but he took off as soon as Sevastian made his way over to the male. Kenpachi and Yachiru did the same on the Dragonite, Sevastian looked up into the cloudy sky as his celebrity guests left the valley.

As Hozukimaru gained altitude, Chessebelle began to understand why the rush was in order. The look from above the valley gradually became a war-zone, it seemed. There was smoke and flames licking at the sky for air only a few miles from Town hall, what looked like flooding near Mt. Silver's base, thunder striking the ground in various places—no doubt from Pokémon attacks despite the growing clouds in the sky. From above, some of the trees were shaking and it sounded like an earthquake was happening, some of the poor trees even falling. Said trees were even falling on the houses of Starlight Valley. Screams of women, children, and men could be heard even from their height as they kept ascending into the air; gunshots were added to the barrage of noises comes from below, only making the scene more and more ominous. Chessebelle didn't understand what was going on still, whether it was the 'virus' they were talking about or Pokémon running rampant, but she did understand why her group was so keen on getting her out of there.

They were just doing their jobs.