A/N: Long overdue, but I don't really know how many people are reading this old story. But here's an update anyway. You can remind me to update by dropping a comment!

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No Rest of the Wicked

Rustboro wasn't a city she could imagine herself living in. It was far too industrious for her liking and populated with men in business suits. There wasn't even a garden to provide locals with a place to relax. The city was also rapidly growing – she could see construction sites to the east for an apartment block. The total opposite of her hometown. No wonder Steven spent so much time outside the city.

Rather than wait outside in the lobby area for Steven to return, Cynthia had decided to visit Roxanne, the rock-type gym leader of Hoenn. It had been over five years since she had last seen the girl, and she was interested to see how much stronger she had become. The girl had taken control of the gym at the age of thirteen in place of her sick father.

As she entered the gym, she spotted Roxanne standing a few feet away talking to a young adult male with pale green hair. Since she was reasonably close, she could clearly hear the woman introduce herself to the challenger. "Hello, you must be a new challenger. I am Roxanne, the Rustboro City pokémon gym leader. I became a gym leader so that I may apply in battle all that I've learned at the pokémon trainer's school. If you defeat me in a pokémon battle, I'll present you with a gym badge as proof of your strength as a trainer. Please take up the challenge. I look forward to seeing you as a challenger. Until then, farewell."

The boy nodded and headed towards the first trainer on the left side of the gym. Judging by the way the boy kept playing with his hands, Cynthia could tell this was his first time taking on the gym challenge. Watching him brought a smile to her face. She remembered how it had been when she first accepted the gym challenge – a nerve-wrecking but life changing experience.

"Cynthia, what have I done to deserve your presence here today?"

Turning her head around, she spotted Roxanne coming towards her. "I'm visiting."

"Oh, I didn't know you had family in Hoenn."

Cynthia shook her head. "Not family. Steven."

A slow smile spread across her face. "Oh… thought Steven had come to Sinnoh instead?"

"He did, but he couldn't stay in Sinnoh forever. Hoenn is his hometown, and he has family here."

At least it was a temporary stay. It wasn't as if Hoenn was a bad place to live in, but the region was bland. The diversity in the environment paled in comparison to that of Sinnoh. No mountain ranges, no snow, no beaches… All it had was a couple of volcanos and a few forests. Though she supposed the region's attractions didn't come from nature, but man-man structures such as the Space Centre of Mossdeep, the technology hub Devon Cooporation and the markets of Slateport. She preferred the quiet and the beautiful landscape of Sinnoh. Hoenn was just too lively for her tastes.

In the corner of her eye, she spotted the first gym trainer approach the challenger. It had been a couple of years since she had watched a gym battle though members of the league didn't often interfere with the gyms. A Champion's role was simply to evaluate the eight gym leaders to determine whether they were still worthy representatives. If at the end of the year, the gym leader had more losses than wins, they would be replaced.

Roxanne motioned for Cynthia to follow her into one of the side rooms. Although they didn't have to, most gym leaders lived inside their gyms so they could be on site and ready for any challenger. Cynthia wasn't sure if she'd make a great gym leader – the lifestyle was a little too restricting for her tastes. As Champion, she had freedom to travel around the region and do as she pleased, but gym leaders and the elite four for that matter, had to stay.

She supposed it wouldn't be too bad as one of the later few gym leaders since only a small number of trainers ever made it that far, but still, what a dull lifestyle to dedicate yourself to training one type. "So, how have you been anyway? I heard you and Dawn are taking turns being Champion," Roxanne said, as she led Cynthia inside the dining area. It was a bland room with a circular wooden table and two chairs. There was also a fridge and a storage cabinet, but that was it.

Cynthia sat down and nodded. "That is correct. It's actually a pleasant change to live at the house I grew up in rather than the league building itself." It wasn't that she didn't have her own privacy at the league, but once she left her quarters, she was in a public area. "I get to spend time with my younger sister."

"And Steven too it seems. I always thought you two would make a great pair. He's all into mythology and so are you. You know, the other Champions just aren't interested in that."

True. Her fellow Champions were more interested in becoming the best and training powerful pokémon and cared little for the world around them. Diantha of Kalos only used her status to boost her own fame in the acting business and the dragon masters, Lance, and Iris, were only acting in the best interests of their clans. Steven was the only one aside from herself who thought about the world and how it came to be.

"Steven came to Sinnoh to help us understand the legendary pokémon of Sinnoh better." Originally, it was only supposed to be a short stay, but Carolina's passing and the seals, made him extend it. "He's helping us understand the history of the druids. With Devon's technology, it'll make unearthing the mysteries much easier."

Roxanne walked over to the fridge, opened the door, and grabbed two cans of coke. She returned to the table, gave one to Cynthia then sat down with the other can. "Oh, the druidic history. I remember learning a bit when I was still at school. Our ancestors were people who used symbols as written text unlike the letters we use today. I found something of druidic origin in the Desert Ruins. There was an empty chamber there, but there was some script on the wall. We found similar writings in the Ancient Tomb and Island Cave. These chambers were also empty."

"Do you know what they said?" Cynthia replied, leaning forward, both elbows resting on the table.

She shook her head. "I'm afraid that's out of my expertise. I never quite got my head around deciphering the hieroglyphs… But if it's important to you, I could take you to the tombs so you can see it for yourself. Maybe Steven could help. I'm sure he's got access to technology that can help us. Do you know something?"

Cynthia leaned back in her chair, crossing her right leg over her leg then folded her arms. "My grandmother was a researcher too, and her focus was on the rocks and druidic legends. She found something – troubling things in her earlier days, but never completed her research. Steven and I are trying to work out what she learned."

"What did you discover?"

"The druids believed in Arceus, and they prayed to the silent deity, hoping for their questions to be answered, but Arceus never replied. So, the druids changed their methods and built a monument atop the highest peak in the world believing it would bring them closer as they thought Arceus lived in the sky. As we know, the druids were strong believers in evil spirits. All the dead were buried inside tombs and seals were placed on them to stop evil spirits from exiting and disturbing the living, but they also placed seals on areas they thought were sacred," she said, recalling the story Byron had passed on.

"Graveyards, memorial places, old ruins…" Roxanne said slowly, her brows furrowed.

"Up until recently, we believed there were two pokémon in the Creation Duo – Dalgia and Palkia, but we discovered the presence of the third one, Giratina, the one who lingers in the Spirit World. Giratina was cast out from Arceus's circle and trapped as punishment. He was sealed away by Arceus."

Giratina had been the first. He was living embodiment of evil and darkness. He was Sin. She frowned, thinking hard on her own words. The gems Cyrus had obtained from the Lake Guardians had been used to create a powerful tool to summon the brothers. The summoning had to take place atop Mount Coronet because that's where the magic was strongest. The columns, built by the druids, drew upon magical energies, and strengthened them. As it was the first monument created, it held the most power.

The second of the seals had been automatically broken and the creators of the land had been released. The three regis were seals themselves and their breaking allowed their creator, the second core seal, to awaken from its slumber. Four seals to be unlocked before the fifth one would break. Byron had called it 'The Old One' believing it to be Regigigas, but what if the name was reserved for another legendary, one far more powerful?

"Cynthia?" Roxanne waved a hand in her face.

Cynthia blinked. "Sorry. I was just in deep thought."

"About the history of our regions?"

"These seals… each one tells a story about how our world came to be."

That was it. That's what Carolina's research was focused on, the origins of pokémon and their world. Unfortunately, she never completed her research. She must've seen something that had left her traumatized and unwilling to investigate further.

"What do you mean?"

"The first seal was life and death. The second was punishment and sin. The third was land, ice, and magma. The fourth must be sun and the moon and the final one must be darkness and dreams." Once all five seals were broken, the cycle would repeat again, and death would follow. "I need to talk with Steven. If I am correct, then we need to find out how the first seal was and what lies behind it, so we know how to stop it." Giratina wasn't the first. Sin couldn't happen without life. Someone somehow broke the first seal and set the rest of the events in motion.

Pushing the can aside, she stood up abruptly, not interested in drinking. No time for sitting around and drinking soft drinks out of cans when there was a mystery to solve. It all made sense, but there were just two parts missing – when would the fifth seal break and how could they stop it? Spurred on by excitement, Cynthia headed back into the main area of the gym, followed closely by Roxanne.

"Cynthia? Where are you going?"

"I'm returning to Devon Corporations. I have a theory that needs to be shared."

"At least stay for lunch?"

She shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but this needs to be solved. Perhaps some other time."

Roxanne frowned but nodded. "You work too hard, Cynthia. Don't forget it's not a bad thing to take some time off to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. You may never get the chance again. I hope you find the answers to your questions, and I hope we'll meet again." The disappointment in her tone was evident. It wasn't often the Champion visited your home, let alone a foreign one. Still, this couldn't wait. Duty above all. She said her goodbyes and departed the gym.

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The nightmares didn't stop. Forever haunting, forever replaying scenes of the day when it all fell apart. Everywhere she walked, she was reminded of her involvement in Galactic's affairs. The warehouses reminded her of their base back in Veilstone, the trees and lakes only served to remind her of the capture of the Lake Guardians, and the people were constant reminders of her part in destroying lives. So many people hurt… So many pokémon corrupted… And she had played a major role in it.

Her eyes lingered on Mt Coronet. As usual, the mountain's peak was concealed by cloud, but she knew what it looked like having set foot there herself. She had lost her pokémon that day, and her friends too, but most importantly, she had lost a part of herself. She remembered as if it had happened yesterday – the long hike to the peak of the mountain with the false promise of glory from Cyrus. He had talked about it all week, and like a fool she had believed his every word.

In the end she was left with nothing. Cyrus betrayed Galactic in the end. Charon had died. Mars had lost her mind. Saturn had disappeared, and rogue Galactic grunts were in hiding, lost. They no longer had a leader, no one who could guide them along a path. She was like them now – lost and alone. Back in the same position she had been in before joining up with Galactic.

The temptation to end it all right now was overwhelming, but there was still a part of her that believed the pain would subside in time. That perhaps someday she would be rewarded with her perseverance to keep living despite the pain. Tears running down her cheeks, she dropped to her knees and brought her hands to her face. The road to hell was paved with good intentions. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves. These were old sayings her mother had taught her. As a child, she had thought them only words, but now she was starting to see the truth in them.

Averting her gaze from the mountain, she glanced down at the empty lake before her. Over a year ago she had captured a legendary pokémon. Capture the Lake Guardian and you will be given glory – that's what she had been told, but only grief and pain followed. All that remained now was a deep hole in the ground. No water and no Lake Guardian. Just an empty hole much like the emptiness there was inside her. No one knew where Cyrus and Charon had discarded the Lake Guardian. It was believed they had been killed, but could a legendary be slain? Perhaps they were damned to eternal suffering.

"Jupiter? Is that you?"

At the sound of the voice, she pulled her hands away from her face and glanced over her shoulder. A male with dark blue hair and dressed in the old Galactic commander uniform stood across from her. There were a couple of twigs in his hair and a few leaves too, suggesting he hadn't a roof to sleep under either. "Saturn?"

He approached her. As he closed the distance, she noticed the black bags beneath his eyes. A sure-fire sign he hadn't been sleeping properly, yet there was also a madness in them. He gave her a crooked smile. "I'm glad to see you." For someone who hadn't been sleeping well, he was certainly in high spirits.

"I thought you had died… We never heard from you again after the bombing of the lake…" The man had simply vanished, and Cyrus hadn't bothered to send anyone after him. Perhaps he assumed Saturn was going to die as well. Maybe he thought they were all going to perish. "Where did you go?"

"I remained in hiding. Lived off the scraps while I thought about my future. I watched them die, Jupiter." He took her by surprise when he lunged forward and grabbed her, his fingers clasping around her arm. "I gave them the order to die knowing what would happen… I sentenced them to their deaths… I'm an executioner, Jupiter. A murderer. Yet we still live. It's a sign."

She pried his fingers off her and frowned. "A sign of what?"

"A chance for us to redeem ourselves!"

Living in isolation for months had done something to Saturn's head. How could anyone find redemption after the crimes she had taken part in? "There is no redemption."

"You're wrong, Jupiter. Nothing has ever done anything so bad they couldn't be redeemed for." He grabbed her arm again, his fingernails digging deep into her skin. "We can't undo the past, but we can clear our conscience by taking away the source of our pain and grief."

Take away the source? What did he mean by that? Forget how to feel emotion? How was that even possible? "I don't understand… You just said it yourself. We can't erase the past. The crimes we've committed we'll remain with us until the day we die." Even in the afterlife they'd be forever haunted. There was no rest for the wicked. Again, she pulled her hand free then grabbed her right wrist, covering the marks his nails had left.

"Cyrus did this to us. He ruined our lives. He promised us glory, but what do we have now? Nothing. We can take that back – together. Just think about it, Jupiter – we can take our lives back." His eyes were alight with feral pain that unnerved her. What had happened to the man who was always the most passive? The one who agreed with everything Cyrus said and never argued? The one who cried himself to sleep after a crime had been committed?

"…What… What do you plan to do?" Was it even possible? Retake their lives Cyrus had stolen from them? It wasn't as if they could turn back the clock. Even if Cyrus was defeated, they could not take back those years lost serving under his rule.

"We make him suffer like he made us. I found Charon's notes. He wanted the Magma Stone to control Heatran, the legendary pokémon who lives in Stark Mountain. Do you know where it is?"

No, she didn't. The man had gone to Stark Mountain without it. "No… I've never even heard of such a thing." It only just showed that she really was meaningless to their plans. She was just slightly better than a grunt which really wasn't saying much. "He wanted to control the volcano?" To what? Destroy the world? How was that any different from Cyrus's grand plan?

Saturn rubbed his chin. "I don't really know why… Part of the page had been torn. Can you imagine how much power we would have if we somehow obtained this magma stone? We'd be able to control the volcano! No one would want to fight us."

It sounded too good to be true. Surely, the league officials knew something about this magma stone. Perhaps they had already found it and locked it up somewhere in a safe? If it could really control a powerful legendary then they'd be doing anything in their power to ensure it didn't fall into the right hands. Right? "I don't think I'm going to be much help."

"We can be together again, Jupiter." Never had she seen him so enthusiastic about something. Had he finally succumbed to the same madness she had? He looked deep into her eyes, holding her gaze, as he continued. "That's why I'm asking you. I'd invite Mars as well, but I can't find her. She won't answer her calls… But you and I can do this. We will find the magma stone and we will harness its power and take justice into our own hands. The world is going to fear us. We will be what Galactic should've been, Jupiter, and you're going to be there at my side."

She hadn't agreed to anything just yet but refusing seemed like a bad idea. This Saturn standing before her wasn't one she recognized. Something had changed. There was a hunger she hadn't seen in him before, a lust for power he believed would save them, but she had heard similar words before, and seen the results. Still, a part of her wanted to know if he could succeed where the others had not. Could he make the world into a paradise she had always dreamed of? Only one way to find out.

"Lead and I will follow."

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It wasn't long ago Charon had jumped into the volcano and taken down the remains of Galactic with him. That was supposed to be the end of chaos, but instead trouble was still lurking around the corner, and this time it didn't seem caused by mankind. Most likely it was a pokémon – There had been no mention of any weapons being used and no human could do that to another with just bare hands.

But even if a pokémon was responsible for it, why attack now? What reason could a pokémon have to murder someone? The image of the dead grunt appeared in his mind. The body had been maimed and parts had been removed. His death had been slow and painful. A shame there had been no security cameras installed in the Lost Tower otherwise they'd have an answer to these questions.

Up ahead, he saw his beach side mansion enter his line of sight. It was a two-storey white house situated atop the cliffs, giving them a great view of the ocean and the mainland. They even had their own boat, and a large fifty metre pool in the backyard which included water features. Palm trees surrounded the house further giving it that tropical paradise feel.

There was another water fountain at the front. Cyrus hadn't been overly keen on having a statue of a clefairy at the front, but Johanna had insisted. Of course, he wasn't going to spend time debating a pointless topic, so he had allowed the builders to add a fountain of a clefairy. But what was this? The statue was missing an arm. He walked towards the fountain for a closer inspection. Not only was its right arm missing, but the tail had been damaged too. The fallen pieces lay at the bottom of the fountain.

An invited guest had obviously visited. He moved his head to the right, examining the ground, searching for more clues. Blood. A fight had taken place. Dropping down to his knees, he reached out a hand to touch the blood, and noticed it was still warm. The attack had been recent. Rising to his feet, he looked towards the house and listened. No sounds of activity coming from inside. Had Johanna gone out? But if so, why would there be blood?

Keeping a calm composure, Cyrus headed to the front entrance and tested then door. It swung open. An unlocked door. That was odd. She always locked the door. Suspicions rising, Cyrus entered the house and looked down at the white tiles. Muddy footprints going in both directions. He followed the trail and saw that it ended at the staircase. At least they hadn't gone upstairs.

He followed the footprints into the main living room area. He was no stranger to mess – the Galactic grunts always failed to clean up their mess, and he'd have to order his commanders to clean it up. As he entered the living room, he was reminded of their work. Shards of glass littered the floor. Pieces of food was smeared on the walls in the kitchen. Photo frames had fallen, their casings broken, and the photos damaged by water.

He walked over to the fridge and peered inside. Empty. The grunts had taken everything inside. He slammed the door shut then returned to the living room. Treading with caution around the glass, he headed towards the staircase then felt a vibration in one of his pockets. Digging a hand inside, he pulled out his xtransciever. One notification. Johanna's number.

He opened the message and read the words on the screen. "It's too late." He looked at the message for a few moments longer, allowing the text to sink in before he put it away. Captured and taken away to Arceus-Knows-Where, and at the mercy of the former Galactic grunts. Most likely they had come for revenge. Failing to find Cyrus, they opted to capture Johanna instead.

Uttering a curse, he made his way up the stairs. The rooms here had been untouched. That was one positive to take out of all of this. He headed in the direction of Julia's room then pushed the door open. Fortunately, she was still sleeping. He entered the room and walked over to her crib and peered down. Completely oblivious to what had happened and fortunately so, but now her mother was missing, and he hadn't a clue where to find her.

Rather than disturb her, he walked around the crib to the window. Pulling the curtain back, he peered outside. The sun was beginning its descent below the horizon, turning the sky a brilliant hue of orange, its rays reflected in the water. In the distance, he saw the mountain ranges. Mt Coronet towered above them all, making the others seem so small in comparison. That had been the day he had learned Johanna had been carrying his second child. It had also been the day he had almost lost her.

He lowered his gaze then frowned. There. In the distance. Two Galactic grunts. He could recognize that aqua bowl hair cut anywhere. The pair was walking towards the house. Most likely they had returned to steal more things. Holding back a growl, Cyrus closed the curtain then exited the room. Placing a hand on his single pokéball, Cyrus made his way over to the staircase then walked down.

He summoned his crobat. "We're not going to allow them to leave this place," Cyrus said. The bat nodded and followed Cyrus into the living room then hovered in one spot to his right. Cyrus's gaze lingered on the door. Any moment now the two grunts would enter the house, and this time they wouldn't be leaving. The door burst open.

"We're going to search the house high and low for-Cyrus."

Watching the colour drain from the grunt's face was satisfying. His companion, a female, also paled.

"Did you really think you could break into my home without me knowing?"

"You taught us this, Cyrus!" the first grunt said, raising a hand to point a finger at him. "You taught us how to break in and take things that didn't belong to us! You made us into the people we are today!"

Cyrus didn't move from his position. "I didn't teach you anything. I simply gave you an opportunity to do something with your lives. You were already into criminal activity before you joined Galactic. I put out an advertisement and you all responded to it. You made the decision to join Galactic and become the people you are today – not me." His crobat flew around their heads and hissed. Both grunts jumped and shielded their faces with their hands.

"You promised us glory, Cyrus, but we meant nothing to you. We were just pawns in the game," the female accused, keeping her hands up. Crobat nipped at her skin. She yelped.

"No, you didn't. I didn't care for any of you then, and I still don't now. Crobat, use Toxic." The bat opened his mouth, his fangs coated with poison. He lunged forward and sunk his teeth into the grunt's shoulder then withdrew, easily keeping out of arm's reach. The man's eyes widened. He glanced down at his shoulder then winced. "Do you feel that? That's poison running through your veins right now. It is a slow acting poison, and you could recover if you reached a pokémon centre… However, there isn't one on this island yet. Fortunately for you, I do have a cure."

The woman glanced at her companion then back at Cyrus again. "You… monster!"

"You're the one who decided to enter my home uninvited." Cyrus lessened the distance between them, his gaze unflinching. "You stole from me. Did you really think I would allow you to leave unpunished? You will die here if you don't answer my questions. Is that a fate you desire?" he threatened.

The man was now on his knees, his left hand clutching his wounded shoulder. Sweat beads clung to his forehead. Pained gasps exited his mouth. He was burning up inside. That's how the toxic worked. First there was nothing then a slow burning sensation would start followed by nausea and vomiting. It would spread throughout the body as the poison entered the bloodstream. By that point, it would be too late to save the infected person.

"Now where is Johanna?"

"I don't know who you're talking about," the woman hissed.

"Crobat."

The bat flew around the woman's head and nipped at her flesh again. She cried out. "We didn't take her! Another group did!" she exclaimed, her hands shielding her head again.

Cyrus folded his arms. "And where might I find her?"

"I don't know!"

He looked at Crobat. Crobat flew at the woman again, this time scratching at her with his tiny feet. Grabbing her arm, she held back a cry, and looked down at the scratch. Blood seeped through the graze. "You are hiding information from me. Tell me the truth, or you'll end up in a worst position than the grunt who died in the Lost Tower earlier this month."

"We're at Stark Mountain," she admitted.

He tilted his head to the side. They were still hiding out at the volcano though he could see the reasons behind it. Staying on the mainland would attract too much attention, and the place was already scrawling with authorities. No gym leaders, no police nor any members of the league had authority on this island. Not until Battle Resort was opened, but that project was still months away.

"Take me there."

"I can't."

Cyrus looked at the man on the floor. "How much do you care for your friend here?"

"You're blackmailing me."

"A life for a life. It's a fair exchange." Most likely he'd be walking into a base of disorganized rabble, but the grunts were weak. Without a leader, they were clueless. "I'm giving you a chance. Will you take it?" Surely, it wouldn't take long. After all, what could a bunch of idiots do?

There was a pause, then, "…Fine." She lowered her hands, and threw another glance at the crobat, then turned her back to him. "Follow me."

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The tournament in Solaceon Town had been a nice break from the usual routine of being Professor Rowan's assistant. He respected the man, but ever since Rowan had become paralysed from the waist down, Lucas did more than just research pokémon. He also cooked, cleaned, and carried out other basic household duties.

For the first time since the accident, Lucas had enjoyed himself. It was just a shame it was coming to an end so quickly. Still, they had another day in Solaceon Town because Barry wanted to watch the farmyard show. The local farmers would show passing tourists what life was like on the farms. It included milking miltank, looking after the crops, shearing mareep, riding rapidash, and the popular arcanine show where the canines shepherded the mareep.

Not particularly interested in watching the show, Lucas had opted to stay behind at the café. There were only two other people who had chosen not to attend, and he didn't recognize either of them. As he waited for his mug of hot chocolate, he grabbed the local newspaper and read the words on the front page. It read, "Ghostly Murder in Hearthome City".

"Earlier last week, authorities were alerted to a crime case in Hearthome's memorial place, the Lost Tower. Although we have yet to receive an official report, we can confirm one young adult male was murdered. League officials were reportedly at the scene. There are rumours this is the work of Galactic," Lucas read aloud.

A murder in Hearthome? Unbelievable. It was unheard of – crimes were usually related to thefts, break ins and pokémon abuse, but an actual murder case? And in Hearthome of all places, the so-called city of love and peace. How ironic. His eyes scanned over the photo of the Lost Tower and the police tape around the entrance. The caption beneath it read, "Murder in the Lost Tower."

"They say a man was killed and ripped apart like a carcass," the waitress said as she placed his plain beef pie and sauce on the table before him. "Crazy, isn't it? Never in my lifetime have I heard of something so violent happening in this peaceful region. Ever since those Galactic people disturbed nature, weird things have started happening."

He said his thanks then glanced back down at the paper again, his mind trying to conjure up a scene of the murder taking place. The news article hadn't gone into too much detail, but a murder was apparent. "This is a natural cycle though, isn't it?" he said, lifting his gaze up to look at the woman. She was one of the eldest farmers in town but spent two days here at the café each week to help the staff. "I mean, it's not like chaos just appeared out of nowhere."

"I say it started with those folks in Johto-Kanto four years ago," she said, resting a hand on the edge of his table to support herself. "That man, Giovanni, wasn't it? He was the first to upset the balance, and now all these other criminal gangs are starting up. It only takes one man to start a war. We should find all these people that exhibit these signs and rehabilitate them, so these things don't happen."

She was right. Giovanni had started it. He was the first to take a stand against the league. Now, other organized crime gangs were appearing in all the major regions, but their ideas were far more destructive. Fortunately, there was always someone ready to fight against the tyrants. He supposed this was how heroes and villains were made – some were born to lead, and others destined to fall. "Do they know who was murdered?"

"I heard rumours it was a former Galactic member who died. If that's true, then I can't say I'm saddened by his death. You upset the balance and you must pay the consequences no matter how cruel that is. That's what my mother told me, and that's what I believe today." She looked at the paper.

"I'm not saying that he didn't deserve it, but the question is why and who?" The paper claimed it was Galactic-related, but if the waitress was right about the rumour, then why would a Galactic member turn on their own? That didn't make any sense. If the stragglers were planning a comeback like Team Rocket had, they'd need to be united. "It can't be a crime Galactic committed."

The woman shrugged. "And that's why we have the authorities. They will sort this out, and the offender will be found and trialled." She then glanced towards the clock on the wall. With a sigh, she added, "Well, that's my shift over. Don't think about it too much, kid. This will be all sorted soon. Really, the media should know better than to publish such articles in the paper where young people can read this. You be safe now." Shaking her head, she walked away, muttering something about the lack of subtly from modern day journalists.

Lucas remained seated his thoughts still focused on the paper before him. He wondered if Dawn knew about this then scolded himself. Of course, she would know, and so would Cyrus. If this was a Galactic crime they would know for certain. He considered giving Dawn a call right now to discuss the matter further, then stopped himself. She was probably busy trying to solve the matter now, and if he called, he might be disrupting her.

Instead, he thought about calling Barry. The blond was still at the show, but it would be over soon. Together, they could carry out some investigation on their own and hopefully put the pieces together. Maybe they could learn something new then present their findings to the league. They'd have a better chance at remaining undercover than a league official since they'd be less likely to be recognized.

It was better than just sitting around at home and acting as Rowan's assistant anyway. At least he'd be useful this way, and helping the league, and not just sitting back being useless. Dawn had enough on her plate already. Surely, lending a hand wouldn't be of any harm? Pulling out his xtransceiver, he dialled in Barry's number and gave his friend a call.

After a few moments, the receiver answered. "Hey Barry, it's me, Lucas."

"Oh hi, Lucas. You're still at the café, yeah?"

"Yes, still here. Listen, I need to talk to you about something."

"Can you wait a little? They're about to show us the mareep shearing show. They're picking volunteers. Call you back in an hour, all right?"

Typical Barry. "Yeah, sure. I'll see you after the show then."

"Bye."

He hung up on the phone. Lucas put the item away back into his pocket then grabbed his mug again. Bringing the rim to his mouth, he drank the remainder of it then put it back down. Rising to his feet, he pulled away from the table and headed towards the exit. From his current position on the veranda, he could see the surrounding farmlands and the barn where the mareep show was taking place.

Drawing in a deep breath, he started walking across the grass, trying to ignore the stench of farmyard smell. It was truly a wonder how people could live in these conditions though he supposed you became accustomed to it after a while. As he drew closer to the barn, he could hear the shears working. Most likely Barry was up there taking up the spotlight as usual.

He took another few steps when he felt a vibration. Digging a hand into his pocket, he pulled out the xtransceiver again and glanced down at the screen. A message from Barry. He opened the notification. The message read, 'Come quickly. There's trouble at the barn.' Without further thought, he broke into a sprint.