A New Path

by TheCouchEffect

Ash has finally achieved his dream after so many years. He has become the champion of a Pokemon league. Despite this victory, he feels lost with no sense of direction. Weeks after his victory, he is framed for a crime he didn't commit. Unwilling to accept guilt, he will be drawn into a battle to clear his name and bring Team Rocket to justice before they can become unstoppable.

14. Comrades

Hello everyone, I'm back with another chapter!

... yeah, I'm sorry that it's so late. I just got caught up with work and preparing for my graduation this semester that I lost track of time. Then I started a new story that just sucked away my attention and this got put on the back burner for a bit. But I've finally gotten the motivation to write the chapter and get it out to you all for your viewing pleasure.

Before we get into it, I figured I'd announce a bit of a contest. Throughout the story, I've left little references in the chapter titles and certain names. The first person to correctly guess what I'm referencing will win... a pairing one-shot story. Just a little something for fun.

Anyway, on with the story! I hope you all enjoy this little return to a world of spies and criminals.

---

Silence.

Of all the things Ash had expected after revealing himself, silence hadn't been it. He'd expected there to be fear, anger, or at least plenty of shouting. To instead be faced with a calm silence and an inquisitive stare from his old friend had been unnerving to say the least.

His training told him that this was a mistake. The smart decision would have been to flee while he still had the chance. If Mallow called the police and they arrested him here, then Interpol's entire operation in Alola would be at risk. Rocket would find out not just who he was, but that he was working with Interpol.

Bare minimum, he and his team would be in immediate danger.

But… his gut told him that he could trust Mallow. She had always been someone who gave others the benefit of the doubt. You could have been the most vile man in the world, and she would still offer you a shoulder to lean on if she felt you needed it.

His reputation may not have been quite that bad, but it was close. If she was willing to hear him out and listen to his side of the story, then he'd tell her. Of all his old friends, she was one of the few he knew would give him a chance.

At the moment, he was sitting at one of the tables by himself. Pikachu and Mallow's Tsareena had migrated off to the side of the room to munch on a bowl of Poke food and have their own conversation. Mallow had left him here a few minutes ago to go and prepare some food so they could catch up, according to her.

He'd have been worried about how upbeat she was if he wasn't sure it was to hide her nervousness.

Soon enough, Mallow came out from the back carrying a glass of water and seafood salad sandwich of some kind. She set it down in front of him and sat down in the seat opposite of him, cupping her hands in front of her.

Her smile was bright enough to light up the room. "Sorry about that. I would have made you something better, but all the machines are off already." She apologized. "All we had left was some bread and Remoraid salad."

Laughing, Ash picked up the sandwich and bit into it. Despite being cold, the bread was still soft and fluffy enough that it felt like eating a cloud and the Remoraid was light, refreshing, and seasoned to absolute perfection. There was even a little hint of spice at the tail end of it to leave him wanting more.

He swallowed and smiled at her. "Mallow, your food is as good as I remember. No need to apologize. I'd happily eat whatever leftovers you have."

She giggled. "Glad to see that your appetite hasn't changed since I last saw you." She leaned forward and pointed at his head. "Like that mop of yours. What's with the yellow?"

Ash reached up and ran a hand through his dyed hair half-heartedly. "I guess I just felt like I needed a change of pace. They say blonds have more fun, so I thought I'd give it a try."

Mallow snorted in amusement. "Really? Well, I wouldn't recommend you keep it." She told him. "I preferred your raven hair. It's hard to see you without it… just another thing that has changed since those days."

Both Ash and Mallow winced. The two had been doing their best to dance around that little tidbit the entire time. Just pretend like everything was normal and he was an old friend popping in to visit. There was no avoiding it though. Now that he had revealed himself to her, they needed to address this.

He sighed. "You must have questions." He set aside his sandwich for the moment and leaned forward. "Ask away. I'll do my best to answer."

Mallow frowned. "What… what happened, Ash? The news said that you had killed someone and broke out of police custody. They had experts on explaining how you were a career criminal in hiding all these years."

Despite the situation, Ash couldn't help but laugh. A career criminal? Him? It was so outlandish that he felt whoever came up with it must have been very bad at their job. Before he'd been recruited by Interpol, he hadn't known the pointy end of a blade from the pommel or the first thing about cracking open a tumbler lock.

He shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised. People like their villains, and I guess they needed to make me into a good one. Newspapers must have sold like hot cakes when that story broke." He mumbled.

"You say that like what they said was false." She pointed out. "So, tell me the truth, Ash. I feel like I deserve it after all we've been through."

She was right about that. So, he did just that. He told her of how Team Rocket had taken control of his mind and used his body to frame him for a murder. How he would surely accepted his fate and likely died in prison if it hadn't been for Interpol. He even told her of how he had been recruited by them and was now working to bring Team Rocket down.

He didn't tell her everything. He left out the specifics of what he was doing here in Alola and didn't tell her anything about Alto Mare. But he made sure that she knew enough to get a decent picture of what had happened.

And to his joy… she believed him.

"I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this." She stood up and glided around the table, pulling him into a tight hug that he quickly returned. "What they did to you… it's just completely evil."

He breathed in deeply to calm his nerves. "It is. But there's nothing I can do about it. No real proof that could clear my name short of a confession by the one who did it."

If the file he'd read on Domino had been even half true, he knew there was a greater chance of hell freezing over.

Mallow pulled back. "This team you're on – they're looking after you?"

He smiled. "They are. Some of them can be a handful at times, but I know that they've got my back. I've only made it this far because of all the support they've given me."

Thanks to them, he was more than just another naïve trainer in a world full of them. He could defend himself without having to rely on his Pokemon. He was learning how to pick locks and blend into various different sects of society. Even knowledge of how criminals worked was becoming second-nature.

He still had a long way to go before he was a fully-fledged agent, but Ash felt he was on the right path.

"I'm glad to hear it." She told him. "So, Interpol huh? You must be here on a mission then. What can I do to help?"

He frowned and pulled back. "Mallow, no."

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'no'?" She demanded. "If you and Interpol are here, that must mean you're going after Team Rocket. I want to help. You know I can be useful!"

He sighed. "Mallow, it's not that simple-"

A finger jabbed into his chest and pushed him back. "I was an Ultra Guardian just like you, you know!" She growled. "I can handle myself!"

He held up the palms of his hands placatingly. "It's not. I know how capable you are. It's just that I can't involve you in this. I don't make those decisions and I wasn't even meant to reveal myself to you."

"So what? I'm just supposed to sit back and pretend that nothing is happening? That my friend isn't throwing himself into danger while I'm serving people their third sandwich in as many minutes?" She growled. "Not a chance!"

Ash flinched away. Yep… he knew that tone. It was the same one that every woman he'd ever known always got when they made their mind up about something. It meant that no matter what he said or did, nothing would dissuade them from doing what it was they wanted.

Usually he found it endearing, but this time? This time it worried him. Good intentions wouldn't be enough to stop Team Rocket's latest plot. They needed people with the skills and tools to do that – not a vigilante showing up out of nowhere.

If Looker could hear his thoughts now, he'd have given him the blankest stare in the world, he imagined.

"I'm not saying you can't help. You just can't help in the way you want to." His resolve held firm even under her intense glare and he straightened his back. "Look, I'll find a way you can help. Even if it's just research or something like that, it will be useful."

She flipped her emerald hair over her shoulder skeptically. "Alright… I'll believe you for now. If I don't hear from you every few days, though, I'm coming looking for you."

"Okay-"

"And the moment you find a way to end Team Rocket, I want to be there!"

Not going to happen, but this was one instance where he didn't mind lying. He smiled at Mallow and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I hear you. If I'm involved in the final battle against Rocket here in Alola, I'll make sure you're there. Champion's honor."

Her eyes scanned his face for a moment. She must have seen something she liked for she nodded and smile in approval. "Okay, good. I'm glad we can agree on that."

Ash should have been ashamed of how easy it was to lie to his friend. For her safety, though, he found that any shame had rapidly dried up. She could yell at him for lying to her once Team Rocket were gone and the region was secure once more.

He frowned. "There is one other thing… I need you to not tell anyone else that I'm here. Not even the other Ultra Guardians."

Her eyes widened. "What? Ash, if they knew that you were here and you were innocent-"

His fist tightened. "Then they'd want to get involved just like you do and put themselves in danger. Or they wouldn't believe what we tell them and they either call the police or try to arrest me themselves."

Either way, it would be more trouble than it was worth. As much as he loved his friends, he couldn't deny that bringing any more of them in on the truth would just endanger them and Alola as a whole.

Mallow clenched her eyes shut and looked away, gritting her teeth together. "Do you have any idea what it was like for us? You had only been gone from Alola for a few weeks. Our first Champion ever and best friend. We all looked up to you – loved you!"

He frowned. "Mallow…."

"Then we hear the whole world calling you a monster. We had to listen to an innocent woman's family cry over what was done to her." She dug her nails into the palms of her hands. "We all thought we were such idiots. We couldn't believe that we never saw it in you – Kiawe even blamed himself for not stopping you. As if he even could have! And Lillie! The moment she heard all of this, it was like watching someone's heart turn to dust before their eyes!"

With each harsh word, Ash's stomach twisted into knots. He had always known that the frame job Team Rocket had done would have a bad impact on his friends. Hearing just what it had done to them, though… it hurt more than he expected it too. Even if it wasn't true, he still felt responsible for it somehow.

Tears were at the edge of Mallow's eyes. "And me? I didn't want to believe it. For so long, I refused to accept you could do it. The things I said to the others…."

Instinctively, Ash reached out and pulled Mallow into a tight hug. The two just stood there for a moment in this tight embrace, the silence only broken by the occasional sniffle coming from his friend. After a few moments, she pulled away from him and wiped away her tears.

She took a deep breath. "They deserve to know the truth, Ash. That our faith in you wasn't misplaced." She eventually said once she had regained her sense of calm."

"… okay." Ash eventually acquiesced. "We can tell them. Just… just wait a bit, please. Until Interpol can get a good handle on the situation here in Alola and I can prepare myself for it."

A smile graced her face once more. "I can do that. We've waited this long – a little longer won't hurt."

Ash collapsed back into his chair at the table and tried to smile up at her. "Come on. We've wasted enough time on me tonight." He reached over to grab his sandwich and bit into. "It's been ages since I last saw you. Fill me in on everything that's happened since then."

Mallow giggled. "It's not nearly as exciting as what you've been through. Are you sure you wanna hear about it?"

At this moment? More than anything else in the world.

---

Domino had been in plenty of tight spots over the years.

Domino had been tracked through a forest by a hungry pack of Mightyena after being injured. She'd been hunted through the streets of Olivine City after assassinating a local drug kingpin. Once, she'd even had to rob a train in nothing but her small clothes, a single stick of dynamite, and an Arceus damned Kolibri pistol.

Yet somehow, this may have been the worst trouble she'd ever been in. At least in all the others, there was a chance for her to come out on top or get away.

Standing in front of a claymore that could go off at the slightest mistake while her target pointed a pistol at her chest? She couldn't see how she'd be getting out of this one. If she did, then it would be a hell of a story though.

Pryce drummed his fingers along the top of his cane. "So, you know a claymore when you see one? Impressive." He gestured to the side of the room. "Would you kindly toss your gun and Pokeballs aside? I find they tend to make one antsy, and if you don't concentrate on holding that line just so, I'll be down a house."

A scowl stretched across her face. Cheeky bastard. Slowly reaching behind her to her waist, she methodically unclipped her Pokeballs. For a moment, she considered releasing her team just to spite Pryce. The thought was quashed as soon as it came, however. If she tried, she'd be eating a bullet faster than she could bring her wrist up.

She tossed them all onto his bed – harmlessly out of her reach.

The aging criminal laughed mirthlessly. "Ah, good. You can follow directions." He taunted. "You must be one of Giovanni's little rats."

Her eyes hardened into slits. "Not sure what you mean. I just thought this would be a good place to rob."

A sigh escaped the man's lips. "Come now, girl. I know how this game works. I'm in no mood for it today." He rolled his shoulders. "I'll give you credit. Most people would be a bloodstain on my carpet by now. Guess you must be one of his favorites."

She sighed and her shoulders sagged in defeat. "When did you spot me?"

"Not long after you arrived in town." He told her. "You may never have been seen following me, but you got too comfortable with my schedule. Enough so that I could spot you waiting nearby in plain sight often enough to get suspicious."

Domino winced. Damn it, she'd thought that being there before him would have made surveilling him easier! Instead, all she'd done was make it easier for him to spot her and make a plan to catch her. She'd gotten too complacent, and it had cost her.

"And all this?" She asked. "How long have you had this trap set up?"

He shrugged. "A couple of days. I figured that sooner or later, you'd try to break into my home. There's nothing here beyond a half empty fridge and some old soap operas."

Wonderful. She was going to die for nothing then.

"What's the plan for me then? Bullet to the chest or the brain?" She couldn't help but ask.

Domino had always known that she'd die a violent death. In her line of work, expecting to die peacefully in her own bed and surrounded by loved one's would have been a fantasy. Still… she'd always hoped her death would have some meaning. That she'd die acquiring a precious artifact or killing a dangerous rival of Team Rocket.

So much for that.

"Nothing quite so barbaric. I have questions."

Or maybe not?

She frowned. "Alright. Shoot."

It wasn't like she had much of a choice here, after all.

"You're a Specter, aren't you?" He observed.

Despite the situation, a small, prideful smile split her face. "Sure am."

It was quickly killed from the exasperated sigh her target let out. "What a travesty. To think that my legacy would be tarnished to such a degree."

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean tarnished?"

"You're sloppy beyond compare. Foolish and arrogant. Not to mention your emotions are plain as day on your face." He scoffed. "Back in my day, you'd have washed out on the first day."

With each word that Pryce spoke, Domino could feel her patience wearing thin and a growing urge to stab him. "Back in your day, we still stole children in the dead of night just to throw them into a meat grinder." She sniped. "Remind me again, what was the survival rate? One in every twenty? Just how many frozen corpses did you dispose of back then?"

A cold, cruel glint was in Pryce's eyes. "Enough. The survivors were truly effective weapons that even your boss was happy to use." He grunted. "One of them would be worth ten of your ilk."

She doubted that. The older generations were good for one thing and one thing only: violence. Annie and Oakley had worked with some of them on a job once to snag a mountain of Mega Stones from a mine in Kalos.

The psychopaths had slaughtered the mining crew, set fire to the nearby town, and stolen the eggs of powerful Pokemon in the area. That last one had caused a minor war between the various different tribes of the local wildlife and made it impossible for all but the strongest of trainers to get through the area alive, let alone unscathed.

It had been an effective strategy, but far too indiscriminately violent. Annie and Oakley hadn't walked away from that job the same.

"If all you're planning to do is insult me, then I think I'll just set off this explosive." She growled. "Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll cause enough damage the roof collapses on you."

Pryce rolled his eyes. "Claymore's are a directional explosive, brat. If you weren't taught that then the standards have slipped even further than I thought." He sighed. "Tell me, why are you here? Giovanni and I had an agreement. He lets me retire in peace, and I let him live."

Her grip on the wire in her hands never wavered. "He thought the same thing. Then you started targeting his allies and have somehow managed to take control of the Rocket cell in this part of Johto."

Pryce tsked. "And he sent you here to confirm that I was his enemy? The brat is still soft, I see. If he had any sense, he'd have sent an assassin instead. Get the job over and done with."

"So you admit that you're behind our recent string of bad luck?"

A smile. "Not one bit." He told her. "I'll admit that I've taken control of the Rocket cell in this town. Hard not too after you fools let Interpol destroy your operation and steal all your valuable research. Not taking advantage of the opening would have been such a waste."

At least she had been right about their agents here having been turned. They'd need to clean house when this was all said and done. "But…?"

"But I'm not using them to target Giovanni. Beyond simple kickbacks and instructions on how to avoid the authorities, I've been content to let them run themselves." Pryce told her. "There's simply no reason for me to get back in the game."

"Except Giovanni stole your legacy, destroyed your career, and killed all your allies. Now you're just some old fossil in a backwater region that most people consider second-rate at best. All while he lives a life of glory and fame." She sniped.

Wordlessly, Pryce raised his silenced pistol and fired it at the wall next to her. It took all of her willpower and self-control not to flinch lest she set off the explosive in front of her.

"You're lucky I don't cut your tongue out for that. Test me anymore and that luck will run out." He warned.

She wisely kept her mouth shut.

Nodding his head, Pryce continued. "You are right about one thing. I'm old. My body aches in places I never knew could and any physical strength I once had is long gone. Perhaps someday soon, my mind will go as well." He told her. "I won't deny that the idea of revenge is tempting. Burning down Team Rocket and tarnishing his image. Feeling the life slowly leave his body. Perhaps even make him watch his own son die as well."

It wasn't the casual fantasies of violence that Pryce made which scared her. It was the way he said it. The barely suppressed glee she could hear in the undertone of his voice. The excitement in his eyes at the thought of a reckoning. The way his finger seemed to caress the trigger of the pistol in an almost loving manner. That he knew Giovanni had a son when not even she or anyone else in the syndicate knew that.

This was a man who would have made even Proton shiver in fear.

Then Pryce shrugged nonchalantly. "But I'm afraid that I enjoy living far more. In my current state, I'd be a dead man if I tried anything. No, I'll stick to enjoying my millions and the simple life of a Gym Leader, thank you very much."

"Is that right? And I'm supposed to just take your word for it and deliver the message to him for you?" She asked skeptically.

Once again, Pryce scoffed. "Hardly. If all I wanted was to send a message, I could kill you here and simply call him afterwards. His phone number is public information, after all."

"If you're telling the truth," She grouched, "then this whole thing was pointless."

And that was a mighty big if. Not that she was really in any position to challenge him on this.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure." He had an almost whimsical tone to his voice as he spoke. "I may not be the one trying to kill Giovanni, but I do know who is."

Her eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Pryce tutted and wagged the barrel of his gun tauntingly. "Come now, girl. You know how this game is played. If you want my information, you'll need to do a little something for me. Tit for tat, so to speak."

Her teeth began to grind together. "What do you want?"

"There's someone in town who's gunning for me that you need to kill. The son of an old enemy of mine who's decided he wants revenge." He sighed dramatically. "Human traffickers… they're so eager to say that Human life isn't valuable right up until something impacts them. Such a sensitive bunch."

"And just what did you do that caused a generational hatred for you?" She couldn't help but ask.

He shrugged. "Set the man's victims free and let them tear him apart. A bit of karmic justice." He smirked. "You may not be able to do his son in the same way, but you'll think of something."

As far as targets went, this was certainly one she could get behind. Team Rocket may have had their hands in all sorts of different businesses, but the one that was considered off limits was Human trafficking. To treat other people like chattel was barbaric. Giovanni had issued an organization-wide kill on sight order for any who practiced it.

Law enforcement liked to believe that they were responsible for the decline in that practice, but in truth? It had been Team Rocket's efforts to burn them out of the world that had done the best.

"Why me? If you've taken over this cell, then you've clearly got the manpower for it." She couldn't help but ask.

He scoffed. "Please. I may call you incompetent, but the fools you have stationed here? They're the type who choke on their own saliva. Asking them to do anything important is to court disappointment." Then he shrugged. "As for me? Well, I could kill him, but I feel it'll be so much more entertaining if you do it."

Lazy bastard….

"So," He drawled, "what'll it be? Do me this minor favor, and not only do you get to live, you can also find out just who the monster under little Giovanni's bed is."

For a long moment, Domino simply stood there in silence and mulled over her options. As tempting as it was to tell him to shove it, the reality was she didn't have a choice. Not if she wanted to find out who their enemy was, and certainly not if she wanted to survive this.

So she simply nodded and looked away. "Fine. We have a deal."

Pryce's grin became positively nefarious. He reached down and with a simple flick of his fingers, disarmed the claymore threatening her life. "Excellent. I'm glad we could come to an agreement. I guess there is honor among thieves after all."

---

Sixteen hours.

Latias had been waiting in the Alter of the Sunne for the past sixteen hours. The moon hung high in the sky at this point and illuminated the ancient, crumbling ruins in its light. Yet not a single one of the Tapu's had bothered to show up or send a message to her. It was as though they were simply uninterested in her presence and couldn't care less that she was here.

It was an insult. When a fellow Legend came to offer tribute within your kingdom, you were meant to do them the courtesy of showing up. To do otherwise was just asking for a blood feud to be started! There was a reason that Deoxys and Rayquaza couldn't be in the same atmosphere without immediately trying to kill each other!

She just knew that this was intentional too. Whether it was because of her youth or fondness for Humans, she couldn't say. Both tended to be looked down upon by her kind. Though if she were being honest? It was probably her attitude towards the destructive but beautiful creatures that inhabited this world alongside Pokemon.

So many Legends opposed them. Either for what they viewed as the infestation of their kingdoms, the corruption and destruction of their domains, or for simple arrogance. It tended to differ depending on just which Legend it was she was speaking to.

Mercifully, she rarely ever had to meet with other Legends. As one of the minor Legends, she almost never got dragged into conflicts or debates. The only ones who sought her out were those who had business in Alto Mare or, more curiously, a few others who shared her love for Humanity.

With a sigh, Latias dragged her claws across the stone walls around her. As tempting as it was to leave, she knew better. If she left and the Tapu's were to miraculously show up afterwards, they could use it as an excuse to attack her without retaliation.

It was aggravating. There were so many other things that she could be doing with her time. So many people that she could be finding some way to help! Yet here she was wasting it all at some dull old ruin.

Just as she could feel hers eyes getting heavier and a yawn at the back of her throat, a shiver ran down her spine and the air became thick with latent power.

The Tapu's had finally arrived.

The first to show themselves was Tapu Koko. A small collection of dark clouds gathered overhead, and thunder cracked the air. Golden lightning struck the earth in a cascade of energy that eventually merged together into a single beam. When the electricity dissipated, Tapu Koko could be seen in the epicenter of the blast and emerged from its shell.

The second Legend to make their entrance was Tapu Lele. A heavy aroma of flowers wafted through the air that was strong enough Latias could feel her muscles relaxing. There was a mighty flap of insectoid wings heard above her as the pink deity fluttered down to join them, scattering its sparkling scales all around them.

Following closely behind them was Tapu Bulu. As the horned, bovine Legend crawled out of the forest, vegetation began to grow in its wake. Up through the cracks in the ruins, trick patches of grass and vibrant flowers bloomed as life took shape in the ruins of the dead. With a drowsy yawn, they simply floated down to the ground.

Finally, Tapu Fini revealed itself to them all. Rain fell from the clouds above and a dense mist filled the area. As the mist drew near, her latent Psychic energy flared to life automatically around her. Instinctively, she pulled away from the mist that bore an unnatural connection to the dead. With an amused laugh, the horned deity dispelled the mist and floated nearby.

Once their theatrical and dramatic entrances were finished, Latias respectfully bowed her head to them. "Greetings, great Tapu's. It is a pleasure to meet you all." She began. "I am Latias. I have come to request that I be allowed to visit your islands for the foreseeable future."

Tapu Fini snorted. "Is that right? I must have been mistaken then when I sensed your presence in our islands before now." The aquatic Legend flicked her horn dismissively. "It seems to me that you've been enjoying yourself plenty so far."

Tapu Bulu raised his hand up to his mouth to cover up a yawn. "Children these days. No respect for tradition."

Latias flinched. "My apologies." She told them. "There was urgent business that I needed to attend to before I could come here."

With a tilt of his head, Tapu Koko hovered close to her face. "Does this business have anything to do with Humans, by any chance?"

"What makes you say that?" She asked as a frown split her face.

A giggle drew her attention to Tapu Lele behind her. "Foolish girl. We've seen you." Her rough, smokey voice told her. "Wandering those concrete jungles. Feeding their weak and insignificant. Even playing in the sand."

Tapu Bulu chuckled. "This business of yours sounds rather… quaint."

Her feathers ruffled in annoyance, but she pushed it down and tried her best to smile pleasantly at them. "How I spend my free time is my own, the same as it is for all of you." She told them. "I am simply trying to help people. It is my duty, after all."

"Duty?" Tapu Fini scoffed. "Your duty was to protect that little city of yours, wasn't it? Yet instead you failed and now it has been swallowed by the sea. All because you could not protect a single artifact."

Her claws twitched. "I would appreciate it if you left Alto Mare out of this-"

Another yawn came from the perpetually tired Tapu. "Honestly, I don't see why you're trying to make up for your failure here. It's just more work for you." He intoned, eyelids drooping. "Why you would voluntarily take on more work is beyond me."

Her smile turned into a frown. "Could we please move on? I didn't come here to-"

A demented, cruel laugh reverberated through her head. "I can just picture all those puny Humans of yours as they drowned. Oh, the agony on their faces! The fear they must have had in their hearts!" Tapu Lele croaked. "Crying out for a guardian that would never come. It must have been absolutely delicious!"

By this point, Latias had clenched her eyes shut and was actively fight back tears. She had known that the Tapu's would be cruel and arrogant, but to this degree? To intentionally rub her failure in her face when the wound was still fresh? This went far beyond what she would have been expected to tolerate.

Yet all she could do was grit her teeth and try to calm her raging emotions. "Their deaths were a tragedy." She managed to force out. "I may not have been able to prevent it, but I will use their deaths as the motivation I need to grow stronger."

Tapu Lele fluttered its wings and tutted. "How boring. Still, I suppose you're better than that dullard of a brother you had." She snickered. "That oaf went and sacrificed himself to save Humans! What a disappointment of a Latios."

Her blood ran cold.

Tapu Lele let out of a cry of alarm as she was flung backwards into a wall hard enough to shatter it completely. The island deity trilled in response and unleashed an explosive, psychic blast of her own that destroyed the area around her. Debris flew in every direction as the cruel Legend directed a hateful gaze towards Latias.

Fighting Tapu Lele was not a smart move. Latias understood this. Even putting aside the fact that she was a Fairy type, this Legend had millennia of experience on her side. By any stretch of the imagination, this would not be a battle she could win.

Latias didn't care. This cruel monster had insulted her brothers sacrifice and mocked the people she had failed to protect. This level of blatant disrespect and cruelty could not go unpunished. Not if she had anything to say about it.

Her eyes glowed with argent energy just as an orb of pink energy reminiscent of the moon gathered in front of Tapu Lele. The various chunks and shards of debris that now littered the ruins heeded her command and floated around them.

Just before either of them could launch their attacks, Tapu Koko blasted a bolt of electricity in between them. "That's quite enough you two!" He demanded. "End this now before you do something you'll regret."

"This runt attacked me! On our islands!" Tapu Lele cried with incredulity. "She needs to be punished!"

"You have insulted my abilities as a Legend, mocked the destruction of my kingdom, and spat upon the sacrifice of my brother." The air rumbled with each word she spoke. "Were I any other Legend, you would not have dared to do this. I will not tolerate such disrespect."

Tapu Bulu yawned and slammed his arm into the ground, cracking it on impact. "Enough. Lady Latias, lower your weapons." He groaned. "Lele… grow up."

Tapu Lele's eye twitched. "You're siding with her!?"

Tapu Fini sighed in annoyance. "You have disrespected her. While normally I would despise such boorishness, in this case, I can excuse it. Apologize now, so we can move on."

Realizing that she wouldn't be getting any support from her comrades, the pink Tapu grunted and dispersed the energy she had collected. "Fine… I'm sorry that I demeaned you and your family." She muttered."

Slowly, Latias released her hold on the debris around them and allowed it all to fall to the ground. While she didn't say anything to the cruel deity, she did give each of the others a grateful nod for supporting her.

Tapu Koko hummed. "Good. Now that we've put that matter to bed, we can move on to business." He turned towards Latias. "While I understand your desire for privacy, these are our islands. It is only polite that you tell us what you'll be doing here."

Latias sighed. It looked like there would be no avoiding this. "The Humans who were responsible for Alto Mare's destruction are here." She told them. "I'm trying to stop them from destroying anymore lives. Maybe even bring them to justice while I'm at it."

"Human justice, from the sounds of it." Tapu Fini chimed in. "It would be simpler to just kill them all and be done with it."

Tapu Bulu nodded, attempting to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "More effective as well. Humans tend to overcomplicate things." He stated. "A pest crushed is a pest no more."

"That's not necessary." She rushed to tell them. "Alto Mare was a… special circumstance. Your islands won't be destroyed, I assure you."

Tapu Koko tilted his head aside in curiosity. "And yet, you felt the need to come here and handle them yourself." He pointed out. "Despite what we may appear, we are the guardians of these lands. If these Humans are a threat, we will intervene."

She frowned. "And how would you handle them?"

A giggle came from Tapu Lele. "We'd slaughter them, of course." She declared. "Grind them into dust and burn them from our islands. Them and any other Humans who get in our way."

Her feathers ruffled in alarm. "You can't do that!"

"It is our right, Lady Latias." Tapu Koko corrected her. "The Humans have gone unchecked for too long. You are a victim of their arrogance. It is time we reminded them why they should fear us Legends."

This was bad. If the Tapu's went after Team Rocket, all hell would break lose. She could just imagine the four of them descending on the cities of the isles. With no way to distinguish Team Rocket from the populace or any care for collateral damage, they would simply cause untold destruction in their wake. In the best case scenario, they would devastate the cities and cause more damage than Team Rocket could ever dream of.

If the worst were to happen and they ended up captured because they underestimated their enemy? These islands would be left without the Tapu's to watch over them or keep nature in balance. They would be subjected to cruel experimentation and torture at the hands of the criminals, all in an effort to break their will.

As much as she may not have liked or agreed with them, she could not let that happen.

She bowed to them in respect. "Please, allow me the chance to handle them for you." She pleaded. "These Humans have wronged me, and it is only right that I be the one to punish them. If you must, you can consider it my tribute to you."

Tapu Lele snorted. "Tribute? You planned to do this regardless of our opinion. I would hardly call it tribute."

Tapu Koko silenced Tapu Lele with a glare. "This is an… acceptable gift. Ignore my fellow." He told her. "But know this: should you fail, we will expect you to pay us back tenfold."

Latias grimaced. She understood the traditions. To fail a task given by a fellow Legend always demanded immense repayment. "I understand." She muttered. "I will not fail. Just leave it to me and I'll have these Humans dealt with."

Tapu Koko nodded. "I am sure you won't, but good luck regardless. Should you need our aid, all you need to do is ask. As your elders, it is our duty to show you the way and offer guidance where we can."

She would sooner turn to Petrovic for help before them.

A pleasant smile graced her face. "Thank you." She told them. "You are clearly a group of wise, benevolent Legends. These islands are lucky to have you."

---

"This place is a security nightmare."

Looker glanced towards Nanu, leaning over a set of railing and sipping at his coffee. "What do you mean?"

The two of them were in the middle of Aether Paradise at the moment. This high-tech, artificial island was a wonder of modern engineering. Serving as not just a trade hub and science center for the region, it also doubled as a Pokemon Preservation and Rehabilitation facility – the largest in the entire region. It was even the sight of the famous Aether family home.

Unfortunately, it also happened to be a prime target for Team Rocket. The longer the Aether Foundation refused to hand over their data on Ultra Wormholes, the greater the risk of them storming the place became. Add in the sheer wealth and hordes of rare Pokemon held here, and it was only a matter of time until their enemies struck.

Nanu sipped leaned his back against the railing and sipped at a sugary, green abomination of a drink. "It's weak. The Aether Foundation are fools." He started. "You've seen what their security uses. A couple of cap gun and first or second stage Pokemon between them. Doubt any of them have ever been in a serious fight before."

Looker frowned. Down below, he could see some of the security force playing with the Pokemon in the reservation. "Alola is a peaceful region." He told Nanu. "I doubt they've ever had to deal with more than a rowdy Pokemon or drunken trainer at the worst."

"Doesn't excuse the fact they'll be next to worthless in a fight." His former mentor loudly sipped on his drink. "Most they'll do is be cannon fodder for a few moments."

"That's why we're here." He pointed out. "Their security may not be top notch, but Wicke has agreed to let us quietly station some agents here. They'll do whatever it takes to keep this place and that data safe."

Nanu grunted. "I know our agents are some of the best in the world, Looker. Team Rocket aren't slouches though." He sipped at his drink and swirled it around audibly in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. "They've got both strength and numbers on their side. When they hit this place, they'll come with an army."

"And we'll be prepared." Looker assured him. "The moment any sign of danger shows itself, they'll alert us. We'll have teams of agents teleporting and flying here in under a minute. Police and coast guard will be here in under five on top of that."

"That could work. It'd be a bloody battle if that happens though." Nanu admitted. "Assuming they don't jam our communications, anyway. If that happens, there won't be any backup coming. No one will notice anything until it's too late."

Looker audibly sipped on his coffee. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen." He drummed his fingers along the railing. "A signal or frequency of some kind. A constant one transmitted to our people back at the regional headquarters synced up to the alarms. Anything unusual happens and we stop transmitting? Our people know to come in hot."

Nodding, Nanu glanced back down towards the people below. "I'll take your word for it. Guess when the time comes, we'll see if we can fight them off." He grunted. "What about the data itself? You got people you trust watching it?"

Looker frowned. "Have you seen the labs down there? It's like a maze. They'll never be able to find the terminal they need, break past the cyber defenses, and get out before we trap them inside."

Nanu narrowed his eyes. "Really? And there's no other way that they could get the data?"

With a sigh, Looker took a long gulp of his spiked coffee. "The easiest chance would be for a mole of theirs on the inside to steal the data, but if they can do that, they won't bother attacking the island." He rolled his shoulders and looked away from his former mentor. "Beyond that? I suppose they could try accessing it via Wicke's computer. As the head of the Alolan branch, she'd have remote access to it."

"I see…." Nanu trailed off. "Well, sounds like you've got it all under control. Guess that means I can just kick back and relax."

Looker smirked and quirked an eyebrow at the Kahuna. "So no different from what you normally do?"

Nanu glared in mock offense at his one-time student. "Watch that mouth of yours. I'm not so old that I can't still kick your ass."

He held up his hands in surrender. "Far be it from me to give you a reason to use those old fists of fury of yours." He leaned back over the railing. "You will come and help if we need it, though, won't you?"

Nanu grunted. "Don't have a choice there. I'm a Kahuna and former officer. If I didn't show up, that'd just be more hassle for me down the line." Then he shrugged. "Not that I'll have to. From the looks of it, you've prepared for everything."

With a noncommittal grunt, Looker took another sip of his Galarian coffee. He had prepared for everything that he could. Now it was only a matter of time to see if his worries were well founded or all this preparation was for nothing.

He hoped desperately that it was the latter.

---

The first thing that Ash noticed when he stepped into the bar was how crowded it was. So many voices assaulted his ears at the same time, each of them trying to speak over the other and be heard. This late at night, he shouldn't have been surprised. Most people would have gotten off work and needed some way to blow off steam.

Clearly for the people in here, that was copious amounts of alcohol.

Normally, Ash would avoid these places like the plague. The only reason he'd ever step foot in one is because his job forced him to, but otherwise? He'd stick to other, more normal places to relax. Places that didn't immediately bring forth memories of men being brutalized on the floor or imposing, metal monsters standing above him.

Unfortunately, he had been invited out tonight. He couldn't just say no.

With a weary sigh, Ash spotted his teammate sitting in a booth at the bar. Petrovic looked in his element here, laughing away at some nonsense on the TV above the bar and lounging back with his feet on the table. He had even already started drinking if the empty beer bottles nearby were anything to go by.

This was going to be a long night.

He stopped beside the table and lazily held up a hand in greeting. "Hey, Pet. You called me?"

Petrovic grinned and held up a beer bottle in salute. "Ah, if it ain't the prodigal son himself! Come on, have a seat!"

Knowing that was just as much an order as it was an offer, Ash sat down across from the older agent.

"So glad ya could make it." The purplette took a swig of the swill in his bottle. "Ya came alone. What, the rat and overgrown lizard not wanna come and mingle with the common folk?"

Ash frowned. "Latias said she had some important business to handle for the Tapu's and couldn't make it. Pikachu… he just doesn't like being in places this loud. Sensitive ears and all that."

He wished he could say the same. Or at least give some sort of excuse that would have let him avoid coming here without risking offending his teammate. Not that he believed Petrovic would care, but he had to be careful. Arceus only knows what a man like him would do when annoyed.

Petrovic shrugged. "Their loss then. Guess I'll just have to find another time to get that dragon drunk." He chortled in amusement. "I'm hoping she's a loose-lipped drunk. That way she'll give me plenty of ammunition to use against her the next time she gets uppity."

Note to self then: never let Latias get drunk when Petrovic was around.

Ash leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. "So, why did you want to speak with me here?" He asked. "We could have done this back at the safehouse."

Petrovic snorted. "Fat chance of that. Looky and the other brat would've spoiled my fun."

Well, that didn't bode well for him then.

"Ya may recall that I promised to buy ya an ice cream cone for doing such a bang up job on your first infiltration the other night." The older man slapped his hand on the table. "Now, this may not be an ice cream cone, but trust me when I tell ya that it is all the sweeter."

Ash grimaced. "I doubt that. I had some during my mission. That stuff was terrible."

"Course it was!" The man exclaimed. "That was cheap, off-brand crap. Weak stuff they peddle to people just looking to throw their money away and pretend they're having fun. No, what you're gonna have tonight is gonna be premium, grade-A stuff. The kind no self-respecting man would ever turn down."

He gave his elder a flat stare. "Do I have a choice here?"

Petrovic's grin grew just a bit wider. "Not one bit." He slapped his hand on the table three more times, loud enough to be heard over the cacophony of other sounds in the bar. "Barkeep! Giratina's Void, whole bottle of the stuff and two glasses!"

Ash paled. "That doesn't sound pleasant."

"Oho… it ain't." While the two of them were waiting for the barkeep to bring the drinks over, Petrovic swung his feet off the table and leaned forward, setting his bottle aside. "So, how've things been the past few days for ya? Any trouble with your infiltration when I wasn't around?"

Ash shook his head. In the week and a half that had passed since his initial job for Team Rocket, he'd gone back to that bar every other day. Sometimes just to sit around and be seen like the others had advised, but also to take odd jobs.

Nothing as dangerous or important as what he'd done before. Honestly, he hadn't even been doing work for Team Rocket since that day. Mostly, he was helping small time criminals in need of temporary partners. People who needed a stooge to trick everyone else for small time cons. Someone who could pick the pockets of random people on the street or open the simple locks of convenience stores after hours. Once, he'd even just been asked to sit on a bench and record everyone who entered a pizza shop.

That last one had been fun. There was nothing quite like all the pizza he could eat and not having to pay a dime for it.

A part of him did still feel bad for taking part in all of that, of course. Crime was crime, at the end of the day. Compared to what he'd done for Team Rocket, though? It was much easier to stomach. He wouldn't be losing any sleep over such simple, minor bad acts.

Least of all when they were helping sell his image so he could take Team Rocket down.

"No, there hasn't been any trouble." He eventually told Petrovic. "Just waiting for when Team Rocket calls on me for another job."

Petrovic hummed. "Ya sound like ya know they will."

He shrugged. "I can't be sure, but Gozu did say I'd impressed him and there'd be more jobs in the future. I figure if I hang around that bar enough, eventually they'll call on me again."

"Fair point. Even if ya don't, I wouldn't worry about it too much." He told the boy. "There's plenty of other agents running the same or similar operations across Alola. One of us'll work our way into the good graces of their top dogs. If we're lucky, it'll be an experienced agent and not someone like ya. No offense."

Ash cracked a grin. "Some taken."

A few moments later, the barkeep arrived and wordlessly set down the bottle of alcohol and two glasses. With a nod to Petrovic, the man retreated back behind the bar.

Ash should have been surprised the man didn't ask about his age, but he wasn't. If Petrovic had chosen this place to take him to, then he'd found the one that wouldn't care about that sort of thing.

Petrovic rubbed his hands together in delight before grabbing the bottle. "Aha! Yes, finally! The good stuff has arrived." As he leaned over the table and started to pour the two of them drinks, he glanced up at Ash. "Ya know what this is?"

"The worst thing I'll ever taste?"

"If yer lucky." He grinned. "This right here is the single most beautiful drink in the world. A good, old-fashioned vodka. It'll blow that weak little beer ya had right out of the water."

Reluctantly, Ash reached forward and grabbed the glass. "Great. Can't wait…."

The older agent laughed and raised his glass in the air. "To yer first successful job! May there be countless others! Ad Victoriam!"

Without a second thought, the man downed the shot in one go. Following his lead, Ash tilted his head back and drank the vodka. Immediately, Ash could feel his throat burning and the sudden urge to spit the damnable drink out.

He ignored the urge and forced the drink down his throat. As soon as it was done, Ash lurched forward and began to furiously cough up his lungs.

Petrovic laughed again. "That's the spirit! Put some chest on yer chest!"

"This stuff tastes like lighter fluid!" Ash eventually managed to choke out.

"Makes ya feel like a dragon just before ya spit fire." The man grinned. "The first one is always the worst, but it'll numb yer taste buds and nerves for a bit. Make the rest go down easier."

Ash paled at the thought of drinking anymore of this stuff. "Please, no more…."

The sound of pouring liquid into his glass was the only response Ash got. "Don't be wasteful, twerp. This shit is hard to come by nowadays."

Ash rubbed his throat and glanced down at the drink like it was a monster waiting to devour him. He'd do anything to avoid drinking more of it.

"That thing you said before we drank. What does it mean?"

Petrovic blinked in surprise, pausing just before he could take another shot of vodka. "Ad Victoriam?" The man set the glass down. "It's a phrase from a dead language. Closest translation into ours is 'To Victory'. My regiment used to say it before every assignment back during the war."

Ash's eyes widened in shock. "You were in the Great War?"

He snorted. "Course I was. I was young and stupid once – filled with all sorts of patriotic vigor and dreams of glory." He let out a weary sigh filled with regret and bitterness. "What a crock of shit that was."

Ash flinched. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."

Petrovic shook his head. "Don't be. I wouldn't have told ya if I wanted it kept secret." He took another gulp of his drink and slammed the glass back on the table. "Ah! Your turn!"

When Ash drank the second time, he was surprised to find that Petrovic had been right. It didn't burn nearly as much as it had the first time. It didn't stop him from coughing furiously afterwards, though.

"If you don't mind me asking," he asked once he'd stopped coughing, "where did you fight?"

"Sinnoh." Petrovic told him. "I was a mechanic. Took care of the guns, artillery, armor, and everything else we needed to fight. First year of the war, I didn't see much fighting. Then Unova invaded and… well, everyone had to fight."

Ash flinched again. While he may not have been the most well-versed when it came to history, he still remembered enough of it. Enough that he knew the blockade of Sinnoh's coastline, and the subsequent invasions hadn't gone well for Sinnoh. Not once the Unovan's had arrived in force.

"Ya'd be surprised how quickly dreams turn to ashes once reality kicks in." Petrovic poured them both two more glasses. "History books nowadays talk about it like it was some grand adventure. Like we were all fighting for glorious causes in one big, beautiful, explosive clash of wills. And we might've been… at the beginning, anyway."

A frown graced Ash's face. "But?"

Petrovic sighed. "But it didn't last longer than a day once the fighting truly began." He shook his head. "Let me tell ya something, Ash. None of us cared about any of that shit once things started getting bad. We were just trying to live another day. Make it back home to our families if we had any. If we'd had it our way, the war would of ended long before it did. Before so many people had to die."

Ash looked away. "Why are you telling me all this."

"Because yer young and stupid. Full of hope and ideals. The kind that'll make ya put a cause before yer life. Take it from me – nothing in this world is worth giving yer life for. Least of all a worthless set of ideals that no one truly believes in." He took another shot. "Enough of that shit. It's too depressing – we're meant to be celebrating, so that's what we're gonna do!"

Ash took another swig of the alcohol, coughing again as soon as it went down. "R-right. Whatever you say, Pet."

He leaned back against the booth and swung his legs up onto the table once more. "Well, now that ya know all about my deep, dark past, let me ask ya something kid. What was it like on yer journey?"

Ash frowned. "You wanna know about my journey?"

"Sure do." Petrovic grunted. "Never went on one myself. Wanna know if they're everything the media hypes it up to be."

"Journeys are… they're even better than you'd think. Or at least mine was, anyway." Ash couldn't help but smile as the memories of simpler days came back to him. "Traveling to distant lands. Meeting all sorts of amazing people and Pokemon. Not to mention becoming immersed in so many different cultures. It's such an amazing thing to do."

It really had been the best time of his life. Just him, the open road, and his dreams.

"Huh… ya must've seen some pretty amazing things then."

"Like you wouldn't believe!" He could feel his excitement rising, even when Petrovic went to pour them both another glass. "I've seen caves that light up like the night sky. Been to the top of the highest mountains in the world. Arceus, I've even managed to see Legends before. Trust me when I tell you, there's nothing as majestic as one of them in their natural habitat."

You know… before they turned violent, anyway. Though, that may have just been when he was unfortunate enough to run into them. Constant, world ending tragedies that he seemed to always stumble upon often involved them somehow.

Petrovic's eyes flickered to the side. He grinned shortly after.

Ash's gut told him to bolt the second he saw it. Whether it was the alcohol or some budding degree of trust for the man, though, he didn't.

"Fantastic." He took one final swig of his vodka before forcing himself to his feet. "Ash, drink your shot and then follow me."

He downed the glass without much complaint and only coughing a little bit this time before getting to his feet. "Okay… why?"

The man grabbed his arm and dragged Ash behind him. "Well, I've shown you the joys of alcohol." He chortled. "Now it's time to show you the other reason that people come to bars to destress."

For a moment, Ash wasn't sur what he meant. It wasn't until he looked past him that he realized why and started to panic. Sitting at the bar was a girl who didn't look too much older than him. With strawberry blond hair, a cute button nose, and clothes fit for a tropical vacation, she easily looked the part of a happy tourist.

Oh no. Oh no no no. Ash knew where this was going, and he wasn't having any of it!

He was not going to get humiliated just so Petrovic could have a few laughs.

Sadly, he was too late to stop this.

"Sorry to interrupt, lass." Petrovic told the girl in his thick, country drawl. "I couldn't help but notice ya were eyeing my friend here."

She blushed and looked away. "I'm sorry! I don't usually come to places like this, and I just got caught up in the atmosphere was all."

He chuckled. "No need to apologize. My friend here is an attractive one, so ya wouldn't be the first to be caught staring." He pushed Ash forward. "Go on, kid. Introduce yerself!"

A bubble of nervous laughter escaped his lips. "O-oh. Um… I'm Alex. Alex Woods."

She smiled. "Terra."

As Petrovic force Ash into a seat next to the girl, the older man grinned. "Lovely. Well, Terra, my friend here was just telling me all about his adventures around the world." He whistled in appreciation. "Wonderful stuff. Stuff this guy's seen would make an artist weep tears of joy."

The girl looked at Ash in astonishment. "Really? You should tell me about them! I'd love to hear the stories of an adventurer like you."

It took all Ash's willpower not to trip over his words. "Honestly, it's nothing impressive. I'm sure any trainer who's gone on a journey could say the same." He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "But if you want to listen, then I guess I can tell you a story or two."

Petrovic chuckled. "Well, I'll leave ya kids to it then." He patted Ash's shoulder and turned to leave, but not before winking at Ash mischievously. "Good luck, kid. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

This was going to be a long night….

---

When Ash arrived back at the safehouse the next morning, he was pleasantly surprised to see that only Looker was here. Anabel and Petrovic must have both been out – either for business or for pleasure. As for Looker, he was busy doing… well, Ash wasn't sure what, but it looked important if all the odds and ends around him were any indication.

With luck, he could just grab a change of clothes and be out before the man noticed.

"You were out late."

Or he wouldn't be able to take more than a step before Looker realized he was here.

He laughed nervously. "Hey, Looker. Good to see you." He moved to sit across from the older man at the table. "Sorry if you were worried. Petrovic just took me out drinking was all."

Something he technically wasn't old enough to do here in Alola yet. But given that he was already a criminal in more ways than one? That had been one minor law he hadn't minded breaking.

Especially once he realized just how easy it was to let go of his worries once he had some of the stuff in him.

Looker gave him a disappointed look, his brows drooping low. "Ash… I am so disappointed in you." He didn't stop, even as Ash cringed. "I mean really, going out drinking with Petrovic? Has all your training not taught you how to listen to your survival instincts!?"

Ash blinked twice. "What?"

"Petrovic!" Looker growled. "When that man gets drunk, everyone suffers for it! You should have known better!"

Ash couldn't help but laugh. "He's not that bad."

Looker's stare turned flat. "He burned down a church one night because of how drunk he was. All because they refused to give him the wine they kept inside!"

He flinched. Okay, yeah that was pretty bad. He was pretty sure that whatever religion that church belonged to, Petrovic had earned a lot of divine ire for doing that. Then again, considering just who Petrovic was, that may have been his plan. Anger enough Legends and when the time came to collect his soul, they'd kill each other fighting to see who got to punish him.

Petrovic was devious like that.

His boss shook his head with a sigh. "Did you at least have fun last night?"

Ash smiled. Despite all of his reservations and worry? Yeah, he had. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Petrovic can be nice when he wants to… or when he's just got alcohol in him, it could be either one."

"I see." Looker reached over and grabbed his coffee, taking a short sip of the stuff. "And the rest of your night? Was that fun?"

He tilted his head aside. "What do you mean by that?"

Looker pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned in exasperation. "Ash… you reek of sex and have a giant hickey on your neck."

Immediately, Ash felt his face heat up and he jerked back as though he'd just been slapped. Oh Arceus, why hadn't he thought to shower before he left that girls place? Why hadn't he looked up ways to cover up hickeys?

More importantly, why had he even allowed her to do that in the first place!?

"Sorry, Looker." He told him. "I was just-"

Looker held up his hand to interrupt him. "You don't need to explain, Ash. You're hardly the first person to ever have a fling with someone they met at a bar." He frowned. "Though, weren't you going to be hanging out with Anabel later?"

Ash blinked. "Yeah. Why?"

"No reason." Despite his words, Looker's tone made it seem like Ash had made some grave error and didn't even know it. "A word of advice? Maybe practice your makeup skills and cover that hickey up. After you shower, of course. Wouldn't want any evidence of your escapades last night to be seen."

Huh, that was a pretty good idea. During his first few months training, he'd been surprised that he'd been given lessons on the importance of makeup and how to apply. Apparently, their agents used it all the time to make themselves more attractive or to fit the looks of certain covers, in addition to covering up bruises when needed.

Nothing had been more shocking than having the stuff applied to his face and suddenly looking like he belonged on the set of a TV show.

Shocking, but not at all unpleasant. He could see why so many people kept the stuff on hand now. There was just one problem with that.

"And hypothetically speaking, what if I have some marks in other places? Places I can't really reach to cover up? Like say… scratch marks on my back?"

Looker stared at him in silence.

Ash looked away and coughed into his hand, his face still as red as a tomato from sheer embarrassment.

Looker let out another long, tired sigh and looked up at the ceiling. As if demanding to know why the universe forced him to endure this. "Just don't take your shirt off in that case, even if you go to the beach then. But if for some reason you do, just tell her you were attacked by a pack of Rattata."

He frowned. "You think she'll buy that?"

"Of course." Looker stated. "You're just the type of unlucky son of a gun to get attacked by them. Probably while doing something stupid and reckless that angered them."

Rude, but not inaccurate. Ash leaned forward and rested his head on his hand. "Sorry. I'm just new to this sort of stuff."

"Don't apologize." Looker sipped at his coffee again. "Most of our agents end up doing the same thing. When you're constantly under stress from high-stakes jobs and near death experiences, we all need a way to relax. A bit of alcohol to take the edge off and a warm body to share your bed with are tame compared to other methods."

"So, I'm not in trouble for potentially risking my cover?" Ash inquired.

Looker shook his head. "Given that I assume you were both drunk, you gave her a false name, and your altered appearance? No, you're not." He frowned. "A word of advice, though? If she gave you a number, I'd get rid of it.

He blinked. "Why?"

Looker leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "Personal connections are a dangerous thing in this line of work. Doubly so for a wanted criminal like you." He told him. "One-night stands are one thing. Getting attached to someone is different."

"How come?"

The older agent frowned. "We're spies, Ash. We may carry badges and fight criminals, but we work in the shadows. Get out hands dirty so that the rest of society can sleep soundly at night." He told Ash. "It's not a job that fosters lasting friendships with those outside our agency."

"What if I wanted that, though?" He couldn't help but ask. "What if I want to keep the friends I made before I joined? Or even start a relationship with someone? Are you saying I can't?"

"No. The agency doesn't care what we do in our personal lives as long as it doesn't affect your ability to do your job." Looker leaned forward and set his coffee aside. "It's just not recommended. It wouldn't be fair to the people you care about."

"It wouldn't?"

"Think about it." Looker ordered. "We make a lot of enemies in our line of work. We can't always capture or kill them either. If they find out who our loved ones are, they will target them. Just so they can have an advantage over us when they need it."

Ash flinched. He could understand that part. It was why he had done his best not to reach out to any of his old friends and companions unless he couldn't avoid it. Even putting aside that they may not have believed him, he knew that each of them were the headstrong type. The kind of people who rushed in to fix an injustice, even if it wound up hurting them.

"But beyond that?" Looker continued. "We're often gone for months – sometimes years – at a time with no way of contacting them. That means no calls, no photos, no letters, and especially no postcards. Do you have any idea what that kind of isolation can do to a person?"

He closed his eyes. "It must be horrible."

"Like you wouldn't believe." Looker reached over and patted Ash on the shoulder. "The constant wondering when you'll hear from them again. Never able to know if they're just busy with a job, or they're dead and you just don't know it. Or worst of all, they grew tired of you and moved on with their life while you continue to hold a torch for them."

Ash shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "That… that isn't right."

"It's not." Looker agreed. "It's why a lot of us only end up forming connections within our group. It's easier that way. No need to lie or live in constant worry. Most won't even attempt to have that idyllic, normal life until they retire."

It made sense. If you truly loved someone, then why would you want to put them through that sort of pain? Constant fear and heartache. Lies that could topple a world. The danger of old enemies emerging from the shadows to tarnish those they held dear.

There was just one thing he didn't understand. "But aren't you and Wicke together?"

Now it was Looker's turn to flinch. "It's… complicated. There are some people that you just can't let go of – even if it's the right thing to do." He softly told him. "We're not technically together. I've told her many times that she should move on and find someone else. Someone who can give her what she deserves."

"But?"

"But she doesn't want to hear it. Says that she knows the dangers and is willing to live with them." Looker grunted. "I should still do my best to avoid and reject her, but… I just can't help it. I can never say no to her."

Ash tentatively reached over to pat Looker on the shoulder in support. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's our decision and the two of us are happy with it. As happy as we can be, anyway." He responded, nodding his head at Ash. "Tell me, is there anyone like that in your life? Someone you want more with even though you know you can't have it? An old friend, perhaps?"

Ash pointedly remained silent.

After a few moments, Looker seemed to take that as an answer and went back to his work. "Well, whatever the case, just remember to weigh the pros and cons before you do anything. The people we love deserve that much."

Ash still didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say to that other than silence. Romance may have been the furthest thing from his mind, but he hadn't thought that it would carry this much weight to it. To think that every agent had to be willing to live knowing they couldn't have love without risking harming those they cared about….

He shook his and decided to distract himself with Looker again. Sitting on the table around them was the strangest assortment of supplies Ash had ever seen. Spackle, petroleum jelly, cake batter, fertilizer, water sealant, non-dairy creamer, and so many other things that it made Ash's head spin.

"So… what're you doing?" Ash eventually asked. "It looks important."

Looker glanced up at Ash. "Do you really want to know?"

"I do." Ash reached forward to grab one of the bottles of creamer.

"I'm making explosives."

He immediately regretted his words and froze on the spot, his fingers mere millimeters away from touching the bottle of creamer. His eyes slowly panned up to Looker's face in the desperate hope that he was joking.

He was not.

"More specifically, at the moment I'm making some home-made C4, but I've gathered the ingredients for some others to work on later." Looker continued. "Honestly, you'd be surprised how many common household items can go kablooey if things go wrong."

Ash audibly gulped. "W-why are you making explosives? Don't we already have grenades?"

Which were safely tucked away inside of a metal crate, might he add!

"One word, Ash: paperwork."

Ash felt his eye twitch. "What?"

"If we use official Interpol resources then we have to fill out the paperwork afterwards. This includes things like explosives." Looker explained. "We always have to explain why we need it, what we plan to use it for, how much, why we're not using alternatives… it's a hassle. Damn Ethics Committee uses it to make themselves feel important."

"And making them yourself means you don't have to do paperwork?"

"Nope." Looker popped the P loudly with a click of his tongue. "See, the loophole in those regulations is the word official. Make, buy, or steal our own, and suddenly we have free reign to use whatever we need. Then we get to watch the Ethics Committee flail around like the useless fools they are."

Ash got the sense Looker had some sort of grudge against the Ethics Committee, but for now, he had bigger things to worry about.

"Why use explosives at all, though?"

"Two reasons. The first is that they're the best force multiplier Humans have. Things like a Garchomp or a Tyranitar may be scary at first glance, but with a well-placed explosive, they fall just like anything else." He explained. "Second reason is their sheer versatility."

Ash blinked. "Explosives can be versatile?"

Looker scoffed. "Of course! Explosives can be useful for more than just killing!" He told Ash. "They can be used as very potent distraction, an excellent form of deterrence or trap, they can disorient and spread terror through your enemies, and they can often be just what you need to sell an effective cover."

"Really?"

"Oh, trust me, Ash." Looker grinned. "A well-timed explosion has helped sell far more covers for me than any amount of lies or intel ever has."

He'd keep that in mind.

Ash leaned forward. "Do you mind if I watch you work? If knowing how to make explosives really is so important, then I should learn how to do that. I won't always have you around to do it for me, or an easy stash to access."

He hoped that he never had to use it, but at this point, Ash knew that he couldn't afford to let his reservations get in the way. As an agent of Interpol, he had a duty to protect the world. If an explosive could help do that, then who was he to ignore it? The more skills he had to take down Team Rocket and prevent them from hurting anymore people, the better.

Luckily for him, Looker smiled. "Of course. I'll just give you a few pointers for now, but in the future? I'll have you work on them with me. Give you a bit of practical experience instead of just academic knowledge."

"Awesome! So, what's first?"

"Safety, of course! Don't want you blowing your fingers off, or worse. So, the most important aspect of working with explosives is to ensure you're in a safe, stable environment. Anything less won't cut it."

As Looker began to teach Ash about the safety, history, and various different types of explosives, Ash listened with rapt attention. This would be yet another tool in his arsenal.

Only time would tell if and when he had to use it.

---

Anabel took in a deep breath of fresh, ocean air and sighed in contentment. "It's been so long since I've been to the beach." She hummed. "Isn't this great, Ash?"

Ash smiled at Anabel's enthusiasm from his seat on a blanket, reaching over to scratch Pikachu behind the ears. "It is." He agreed. "Alolan beaches are the best in the world. Take it from a guy who's been all over."

She glanced back at him over her shoulder, her long, violet hair swaying in the wind and a basket tucked under her arm. "I'll take your word for it. Mr. Adventurer."

It had been a few hours since Ash had been taught about the basics of explosives by Looker. In that time, Ash had done as his mentor suggested and covered up any evidence of his adventure last night. While he'd chosen to wear swim trunks, he had made a conscious effort to come in the largest shirt he could find.

By contrast, Anabel had come dressed for a day of beach fun. She had opted for a wicker sun hat sitting on her head and freed her hair from its typical ponytail. In a fairly conservative purple and white bikini that complimented her figure, she looked ready for a day of fun at the beach.

Ash looked out towards the calm ocean waves by the shore. "When was the last time you came to a beach to relax?"

She hummed and tapped her chin in thought, setting the basket down on the blanket. "Hmmm… since before I joined Interpol, now that I think about it."

Pikachu stared up at her in bewilderment. "It's really been that long since you spent time at a beach?"

"No, I've been to a few before on business." She grimaced. "Let me tell you, swimming to shore in a dress suit is not a fun experience."

Ash was tempted to ask, but the three of them had come to the beach to relax. He'd get that particular story out of her another day. "Well, let me ask you this then: have you ever been Mantine surfing?"

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "No, I haven't. Are you going to teach me?"

"If you want. They've got a ride pavilion not too far from here that should let us rent their Mantine for a small fee." He laughed. "Trust me, it's the most fun you'll ever have on the water. A surfboard just can't compare."

"I can't wait to find out for myself." She perked up. "Oh! But first, sunscreen!"

Anabel bent over to pull the bottle of sunscreen out of the basket. As she did, Ash blinked and stared at her, tilting his head aside in curiosity. It was only when he felt the smack of Pikachu's tail on his arm that he looked away in embarrassment. If the way his partner was laughing was any indication, he knew exactly what Ash had been doing.

Mercifully, when Anabel looked up towards them with sunscreen in hand, she didn't. "Huh, you're already looking pretty red. We should get you lathered up in this stuff before you burn."

Ash cleared his throat. 'I'm fine, don't worry about me." He told her. "Remember, I spent a whole year here. I'm used to the heat. You should go first."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself. Don't come crying to me if this ends poorly for you though."

With that said, Anabel squirted some of the sunscreen into her hands and began to quickly rub it along her body, working as much of it into her skin as possible. After a few moments, she paused and glanced his way.

"Would you mind helping me out?" She asked him. "I'd do it myself, but I can't exactly reach my back."

Pikachu grinned and tried to hide his laughter behind a paw. "Yeah, come on, Ash. Help a girl out."

Ash felt his eye twitch. He was so replacing Pikachu's ketchup with mayonnaise the first chance he got. All he'd need to do is find a nice bottle, rinse it out, and pack in the mayo with a little food coloring. Then watch as all his little buddies hopes and dreams turned to ash in his hands.

It would be glorious payback.

He reached over and took the bottle from Anabel. She turned around with what looked like a pleased smile and laid down on the blanket to give him easier access to her back. Once he squirted some of the cream into his hands and began to rub his hands together to warm them up, he paused.

For the strangest reason, his instincts were telling him that people were watching him. He almost thought that it could have been a potential enemy until he took the time to look around. Multiple guys – and even a few girls – were looking at him with jealousy in their eyes. When he tried to smile disarmingly at them, all it seemed to do was worsen their glares.

He couldn't understand why.

He and Anabel were just friends.

With a disinterested shrug, he started to spread the sunscreen across her skin. Once he felt her shiver, he paused. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry. It's just a little cold for my liking." She shook her head. "Well, don't leave the job half finished!"

As he followed her orders and continued to work the lotion into her skin, he hummed in thought. "Mind if I ask you a question?"

"Go for it."

"Why'd you decide to join Interpol?" He couldn't help but ask.

She glanced back at him. "What do you mean?"

"I've just been wondering is all." He explained. "You used to be a Frontier Brain. You had enough wealth that you'd never have to work a day in your life, you had the fame, and you had respect. Most people would have been happy with that sort of life."

Anabel shifted underneath him and let out a tired sigh. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" She told him. "It wasn't the perfect life you're thinking it was. I wasn't just a Frontier Brain, I was part of their image. That meant that everything I did was closely watched. I had to wear certain clothes, speak and act a certain way, and was expected to be on call 24/7 in case they ever needed me."

He frowned. "That sounds annoying."

She scoffed. "You think that's bad? I was outright forbidden from eating or drinking certain brands. Wouldn't want to offend the sponsors now, would I?" She sarcastically rolled her eyes. "Did you know that I wasn't allowed to be seen drinking apple juice? I had to smuggle some in by pouring it into an empty can of soda for an event once."

Ash shuddered. "If that's what I had to look forward to as Champion, maybe it's a good thing I never got around to it."

She chuckled. "You think that's bad? Try having to attend fancy dinner parties with rich people all the time." She groaned. "You know how everyone thinks the rich and famous are all incredibly weird and messed up? I can almost guarantee you, they are far worse than you imagine."

He could only imagine how grating that must have been. From what he knew, Anabel had been a prodigy from a middle-class family. Someone who worked her way to becoming a Frontier Brain through skill and a bit of good fortune. To suddenly be around people who'd been rich all their lives and forced to make friends with them for her job would have been a difficult task for anyone.

Let alone a Psychic who always knew what others were feeling.

Pikachu scampered over to the basket. As he began to pull out small packets of ketchup, he glanced back at them. "So, you joined Interpol for the change of pace?"

"Not exactly." Once Ash was done putting the sunscreen on her, Anabel forced herself to sit up and leaned back on her hands. "I wanted to do something more with my life. Do something meaningful and good for the world."

Ash blinked. "That's it? That's the reason you joined?"

She giggled and slugged him on the shoulder. "Sorry. I'm not that interesting. We can't all have a dark past or deep reason for joining up." She teased. "Interpol does good work. They may not always have the best methods, but at the end of the day, we're helping others sleep easy at night. That's more than most people can say, especially people within the League or the Battle Frontier."

He smiled at her. "Don't be sorry. I think the fact you joined because you wanted to help people is great. Far as I'm concerned, that makes you the best type of agent Interpol could ask for." He looked away from her bright, violet eyes and out towards the sea. "Not like me. If it hadn't been for what happened, I'd probably be here. Just another Champion living the high life or traveling the world."

When he felt her hand touch his, he looked to her. She was smiling up at him reassuringly. "Don't sell yourself short, Ash." She reassured him. "I know you. One way or another, you'd have found a way to do good in this world. You're just that type of guy."

He blushed and looked away. "Anabel…."

"Knowing Ash? He'd have probably done something to anger a Legend and gotten us dragged into another ancient feud." Pikachu couldn't help but chip in. "I still haven't gotten over the fact Arceus tried to kill us! Only you could have gotten us dragged into that mess!"

With the moment sufficiently ruined, Ash glared at his partner. "That was going to happen either way! I had nothing to do with that!"

"Oh, I don't blame you for that. I blame you for thinking that having me try to electrocute Arceus would actually work! And then I blame myself for listening to you!"

Anabel paled. "C-come again? You two have met Arceus?"

Ash looked away. "It's a long story. I'll tell it to you another time." He shook his head. "Come on, we came here to have fun. No need to keep talking about the past."

"Nice save. She won't suspect a thing." Pikachu whispered loudly. So loudly that when Anabel heard it, she just rolled her eyes.

"Alright, then. Keep your secrets for now. I'll get them out of you one day." She snagged the bottle from his hands. "Now come on, off with your shirt and turn around. I've gotta do your back for you."

Ash didn't have to be a genius to know that was a bad idea. Not when Looker had specifically gone out of his way to tell him to avoid that. "Nah, I'm good. Think I'll just leave it on. Too much hassle, you know?"

Anabel mockingly narrowed her eyes. "Hassle? I'm the one doing your back. All you have to do is lie down and be pampered by me."

He and Pikachu locked eyes for a moment. He'd need to think fast to get out of this one. "I'm just not comfortable with it, you know?" He tried. "It'd make me feel exposed."

Surprisingly, that worked. Anabel set the bottle aside and stood to her feet, stretching her arms above her head. "I guess I can understand that. No judgement from me then." She smirked. "Still, it is a shame. Your training has really started to pay off. You'd catch more than a few eyes here if you decided to show off."

He blushed and looked away. "I'd rather not think about that right now. Too complicated."

Now Pikachu and her were both laughing at him. "Whatever you say, Ash." She told him. "Just hurry up and do your limbs then. You promised to show me how to Mantine Surf, and I'm holding you to that."

Ash smiled.

This was going to be a fun day.

---

Team Skull had seen better days.

Ever since Team Rocket had arrived in force on Alola, their hold over the criminal underworld had been rapidly slipping away. The Kantonian syndicate had been ripping them apart, piece by piece. Destroying their allies, killing their people, and stealing their business.

If they had been a different group, perhaps they could have put up a better fight against them. They weren't a group of hardened, professional criminals, however. They were a band of misfits and outcasts who had come together. Even if society had rejected or failed them, Team Skull had taken in everyone and ran a simple but relatively peaceful business in the underworld.

Compared to the professional criminals and vast resources at Team Rocket's disposal? They were in over their heads. The only reason they had lasted this long in the fight against them was because Alola was their home turf.

That was quickly becoming irrelevant.

As Plumeria stood in the middle of Shady House, she watched as Guzma paced back and forth. Her boss hadn't been sleeping well ever since the war with Team Rocket started. Too many of their little brothers and sisters had died. Worst of all, the bounty on Guzma's head only seemed to grow with each passing day.

If something wasn't done soon, they'd lose this war.

Team Rocket couldn't be allowed to turn Alola into another of their bases.

"We need to do something, Guzma." She eventually told her boss. "Something to shake things up and throw them off guard."

Hearing her words, Guzma slumped down and sat on the edge of his couch. He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up at her. "I know that. I've got a plan… there's just gonna be consequences if we go through with it."

She frowned. "Worse than what we're already dealing with?"

"About the same, really." After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "Alright. Fine. Reach out to our contacts and friends in Rocket territory. It's time we hit them where it hurts."