If you asked someone which places would be best to visit in the Kanto Region, most tourists would probably reply with Pewter City or Pallet Town as their first answer. However, even those as far off as Unova knew that there were not many places in the region that were as attractive as Saffron City. Not only was it the main hub for arriving in Kanto from other regions, but it was by far the largest and filled to the brim with things to see and do. Sure, it was crowded and quite noisy, especially in the summer months, but for those with the eyes to see, visiting was something almost always worth remembering.

Naturally the legions of Pokemon trainers who passed through each day would gravitate to the massive Pokemon Centers in the center of the city, for they boasted the most amenities and were occasionally considered a vacation destination in their own right. But there were many other Centers dotted around the city, and perhaps the most overlooked was a small one just on the outskirts of town, where the buildings and skyscrapers gave way to the hills and fields of Route 8. Here, things were quieter, and the smaller staff of nurses were perhaps more personable than those in the massive Centers elsewhere. Instead of simply going through the motions of healing your Pokemon and sending you on their way, they might get into a conversation with you while you wait, asking about your travels and memorable exploits with your team.

Joy was one of the nurses at this out-of-the-way Pokemon Centre, and to say that she loved her job was something of an understatement. She had known since she was a little girl that her calling was looking after Pokemon, and even as an adult that had not changed one iota. Each day she greeted every customer with a smile and ensured they left with their Pokemon happy and healthy. Being in a smaller center meant that it wasn't overrun at all times, but a steady stream of trainers coming and going from Route 8 ensured there was plenty to do. It was the perfect balance and she was perfectly content with her lot in life.

At least, until a certain someone walked through the door and her world began to change…

…

One day, on a seemingly normal afternoon, Joy was busy calibrating one of the healing machines at the back, when one of her coworkers tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, Joy? Uh, there's an Officer Jenny here asking to speak to a member of staff. I've got my hands full right now, could you take care of it?"

Joy looked up in surprise, and sure enough a female police officer with dark green hair was waiting at the desk. Joy had seen her around before, and had even taken care of their Growlithe at least once, but had never spoken to her at great length. She nodded to her coworker and went over to the desk to greet her.

"Hello, Officer." She said pleasantly. "Does your Growlithe need a checkup?"

"Hm?" Jenny looked up in slight confusion before shaking her head. "No, Growlithe's fine. I'm actually here on official business."

Hearing this, Joy stood up a little taller, not sure if she or someone in the building was under suspicion for some kind of crime. "I see. What is the issue?"

Jenny cleared her throat before continuing. "I'm sure you have a lot on your plate right now so I'll get straight to the point: about an hour ago a Pidgeotto was reported missing nearby. During that time we searched around but found no trace of it. That's why I came here; I was hoping to ask for your assistance."

"You want my help?" Joy looked around in surprise, not having expected that. "I'm not sure how I could provide any help that the police could not."

Jenny shook her head looking round before coming in closer. "Well, to put it bluntly, a lot of the officers on the scene aren't well versed in Pokemon behaviors. They understand Pokemon well enough, but they're not attuned to how a lot of them think and act. I thought, if anyone could figure out where it got to and why, it would be someone like you."

Joy digested this, the quite evident request for her services going through her head. It had been a rather slow day… "Well, it's an interesting proposition, most certainly, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to leave my workstation."

At this, Jenny gave a slight smile. "I'm sure if your boss hears about how it's to assist an officer's investigation, they'll let you off the hook. So what do you say?"

Joy gave it a bit more thought. She didn't always like to leave her post unattended, not when there were trainers that needed her assistance. But she did sometimes wish she could try out field work once in a while, and an opportunity like this didn't come around all the time…

"Very well. Where did it go missing?"

…

"...AND PIDGEOTTO GOT ALL UPSET AND HOOTED AT ME AND FLEW OFF AND I CAN'T FIND HER AND I WANT HER BACK AND-AND…"

"Yes, I'm sure you do. As you've said multiple times." said a particularly overworked officer to the hysterical young owner of the missing Pokemon. The officers on the scene weren't feeling especially excited by this assignment, and most of them were just giving a token look-round while trying to tune out the young girl's desperate cries to be reunited with her Pokemon. All except Joy, who was standing nearby and listening intently.

"Well, that's about how it happened." Jenny said to her. "Poor kid's starter Pokemon got antsy, broke out of its Pokeball and flew away. All things considered, we really can't tell where it's ended up after this much time has passed. What do you think?"

Joy thought for a time, thinking over what could have made the Pidgeotto suddenly decide to abandon its trainer like that. Usually, evolved starter Pokemon were joined to their trainer at the hip. She was sure there was more to decipher, and she would need extra details to pick it apart.

"Excuse me, dear." She said to the crying girl who was mourning the loss of her best friend. "Which direction did you say the Pidgeotto flew?"

The girl dried her eyes and pointed in the direction of Route 8. "That way. I saw her fly all the way into the woods before I could catch her."

"Which could mean she could have ended up absolutely anywhere in those trees." The overworked officer said, not taking care to be tactful. "I'm afraid the likelihood we'll find her is very unlikely."

This unfortunate news just made the girl cry even harder, and Joy shot the officer a dirty look.

"Well, really!" She said, biting her tongue before she said anything more. Kneeling down to the young trainer's level, she was determined to figure out the truth.

"Tell me, when did your Pidgeotto evolve?"

"Just a few months ago." The girl sniveled. "I got her when she was a Pidgey. I was so happy when she evolved. I wouldn't have let her if she was gonna abandon me!"

Joy chewed over this detail. What circumstances would lead to it suddenly needing to break from its Pokeball and flee, and not long after evolving? Going over her medical knowledge, there were a few options, and one in particular was starting to come to mind.

"Did you notice any changes in Pidgeotto after she evolved?" she asked.

The young trainer gave her an odd look, as if questioning whether the Pokemon Nurse in front of her had just read her mind. "Yes. Her belly got all big after. I thought she had just gotten fat."

"And did she fly up in the air or stay close to the ground?" Joy continued, her line of deduction growing closer with each new clue.

"I think she was real low, not even over my head like she usually does."

Jenny looked over with intrigue. "You're onto something, aren't you?"

"I think so." Joy replied, before getting up. "Tell me, is there a barnhouse anywhere on Route 8?"

…

A short time later, Jenny, Joy and the young trainer were walking along Route 8. As it turned out, there was a small farm on the Saffron City side of the route, and it did indeed have a barn. Having obtained permission from the owners, the group opened the door and ventured inside.

"I really don't see why we're going into a place like this." Jenny complained, not enjoying the scent of manure emanating from all around. "You haven't even told me what your hunch is."

"I want to be sure that I'm correct." Joy replied, smiling as she heard the sound of chirping from a loft up above them. Climbing up the ladder that led to it, she continued. "Pokemon are only able to break from a Pokeball if they are extremely determined to do so. Only a few such cases are known to exist. Extreme fear, anger at a trainer, or in this case…" She looked around once she was at the top and smiled wider as she looked down towards them. "They're expecting."

Jenny didn't grasp what she meant at first, before suddenly realizing and climbing up the ladder to take a look, the young girl close behind.

Once they were up in the loft, Joy pointed into a corner, where the Pidgeotto was nestled. It had made a small nest, and visible under its body were several eggs.

"PIDGEOTTO'S A MOMMY!" The girl squealed with delight, running up to take a look at the eggs. Jenny just looked on with shock.

"I'm amazed!" She said to Joy. "How did you know to look here?"

Joy gave a bashful shrug, clearly not used to being the center of attention like this. "Well, Pidgeottos have often been observed to prefer to lay their eggs indoors, because it's safe and quiet. And with her being in a bustling city and evidently on the verge of laying, it seemed likely to me that it would try and locate somewhere nearby that's out of the way. A barn with an open window like this would be the perfect candidate, especially with all the straw to make a nest out of."

At this, she pointed to the window on the other side of the barn, sunlight shining through. Jenny was just stunned. She knew that bringing in an expert might make things easier, but such deduction was something she hadn't seen coming.

She was really impressed…

…

Later that evening, Joy walked out of the back door of the Pokemon Centre, feeling quite pleased with herself. Being able to reunite a trainer with their lost Pokemon gave her a feeling of pride not unlike that she felt when healing Pokemon at her job. Alas, she probably wouldn't have such an opportunity anytime soon, not unless she decided to change her profession.

As she walked in front of the Pokemon Centre and began walking home, she spotted Officer Jenny a little ways ahead, writing a ticket for an illegally parked bicycle. Upon hearing her footsteps Jenny looked over and smiled.

"Hey, if it isn't the heroine of the hour! Nice job finding that Pokemon earlier!"

Joy chuckled. "Please, it was no trouble. I was happy to do it."

Jenny nodded, and seemed about to continue her work when she suddenly turned back to Joy. "Mind if I walk and talk with you? I need to head back to the station the way you're going anyhow."

Joy nodded, and soon the pair were walking down the pavement, the setting sun illuminating the shadows around them.

"By the way, I don't think I got your name." Jenny said after a short time.

"Um, Joy."

"Ah, pleased to meet you, Joy." Jenny said pleasantly. "I have to say, the other officers weren't thrilled at first at someone else coming in to do their job", she continued. "They perked up a bit when the Pokemon turned up a bit safe and sound, but were still a bit peeved that they didn't get to do it themselves."

"Oh no, I hope I haven't stepped on any toes at all." Joy replied, a little worried.

"Nah, it's just a bit of wounded pride, they could use some humbling every now and then." Jenny laughed. "They're all good officers in their own way, but I think they prefer more action filled assignments to the more banal trappings of the job. Me, I just take whatever assignments come to me and I'll do it. That's what you gotta do, after all."

Joy giggled a little, finding common ground in taking on any assignment they were given. "Heh, I am much the same way. If I need to fill a role at the Pokemon Centre, I'll happily make sure it's taken care of. If only field work like that were more common around here. Locating Pokemon could be an interesting venture."

Jenny nodded, before suddenly stopping. As Joy looked at her, she noted a grave look on the officer's face. "See, that's something I wanted to ask you." She looked at her walking companion. "There's something bigger that we're dealing with right now, and when I saw how you managed to locate that Pokemon, it came to mind for me."

Joy was immediately intrigued, and looked over with a cocked eyebrow. "Go on."

Jenny took a breath and continued. "For the past few months now, Pokemon have been going missing over in Lavender Town. Whether it's the local's Pokemon or those of visiting trainers, they just seem to vanish into thin air. No one knows why it's happening, and the force hasn't been able to piece together what could be going on. Just about everyone at the precinct has decided it's unsolvable."

Joy put a hand to her mouth. "I heard about that in the news. Such a horrible thing to have so many trainers lose their Pokemon."

"Yes, it is." Jenny said, clenching her fists. "And every other officer is content to let it sit as a cold case. I nearly gave up myself, but then I saw how easily you were able to find that Pidgeotto, and it got me thinking…"

She turned directly to Joy. "I need your help. On our own the police can't find them, but with your expertise we might just be able to find a new lead which will bring all those Pokemon home."

Joy silently considered the offer. This was indeed much higher stakes, and with her job to consider she was unsure whether to accept. Jenny seemed to sense her indecision because she quickly chimed in further.

"All I'm asking is for a day or two of your time, taking statements of those who have lost their Pokemon to see if there are any details we missed. I'll help pay for a hotel room in Lavender Town if need be. This case has been drawn out for too long and I don't want those Pokemon to stay missing. I'm sure you don't either."

She was right. As Joy imagined all of those Pokemon, almost certainly lost and scared, she knew her conscience would not be kept quiet if she didn't have a try. Now she knew she could do something like this, it only seemed clear to make an attempt on a larger scale.

"I do have some vacation days that I almost never use." She told Jenny. "I could see about getting this weekend free to have a look around."

Jenny smiled. "That's all I ask. If there's anything you can find that could bring us closer to an answer, I would be really grateful."

It only took a short time for Joy to come to a final decision. "Alright. I'll do it."

Jenny positively beamed at the news, and the timing was impeccable seeing as they were walking right up to the station at that moment. "Excellent! You don't know how pleased I am to hear that! How about I meet you outside the Pokemon Centre on Saturday morning?"

Joy nodded with a smile, and with that Jenny took a turn to head into the station.

As Joy continued to walk home, she mulled over the day's events. Her usually quiet schedule had been uprooted by a surprising, but not unwelcome, event. And now it seemed like she was being thrust into something much bigger.

Things were starting to get very interesting indeed…