The collective brightness of Noel's four computer monitors seemed to overpower the light being emitted by the lamp next to his bed. Odette hung off the back of his ergonomic chair as her eyes locked on the words he'd managed to pull up.

Virtue Corp is an organization dedicated to protecting and rehabilitating Pokemon that have been exposed to and otherwise harmed due to the disgraceful shiny trade. Our goal is not only to protect these mistreated Pokemon but to abolish the shiny trade as a whole.

He fell back against his backrest with a dazed huff, and Odette slowly crossed her arms.

"Well, there you have it. Official website and everything," Noel said.

She raised her hand to her cheek and began to scratch it pensively. "And nothing about J.L. Ménétries?" she asked for the third time since she'd gotten to his house.

Noel exhaled gruffly and leaned back over his desk. He began to click through the rather elegantly crafted website. Odette noticed the accents of pastel pink that appeared against the sleek white background; it matched perfectly with the color of the wax seal.

He pulled up the menu titled 'Our Main Staff' and scrolled through it hastily. The random set of names flew by, accompanied by walls of text that might have been these people's life stories, but nothing that matched the name she'd seen at the end of the note.

"I told you, nothing's here. There isn't even a person on here who has a name starting with a J," he explained. "I know that doesn't mean shit because a pseudonym could be anything, but you know…"

He clicked on another area of the website and began to skim it over. "I couldn't find anything about a 'J.L.' anywhere else. Nothing tied him to something like this. So as far as we know, the guy doesn't exist."

"Right arm, or wing, red!"

Odette and Noel turned to look at the far end of the room, next to the closet, where Enora, Isaur, and Solene were playing Twister with Noel's partners, Elton, his talonflame partner Freddy, and his vullaby partner Ru. Solene, the leader she was, had taken to spinning the wheel and making the calls. The latter five were already twisted and turned all around each other. A series of groans fell out of them at the new instruction, right foot red apparently, and suddenly, Freddy lost his winging and fell flat on his face.

"Dammit!" he cried. Being friends with Noel for so long allowed Odette the time to come to understand his bird partners a lot easier.

"You're out, Freddy. Better luck next time," Solene replied coolly.

Odette was suddenly happy she'd taken Ange and Loïc home first. She learned the hard way that Freddy and Ange together always ended in something catching on fire, and Loïc playing Twister was just a disaster waiting to happen. The Monopoly fiasco from the night before was enough. Plus, Noel was scared of him as it was.

"Come on, man! You had that," Noel huffed.

The sound of the door creaking open prompted them to turn toward it. Standing in the doorway was Noel's father, carrying a tray with two full wine glasses.

"Sorry to bother you two, but I bring refreshments!" he said gleefully as he sauntered into the room. Odette grabbed her allotted glass faster than she cared to admit. She didn't care about the possible hangover that would plague her at rehearsal tomorrow. She needed that buzz in her system pronto, and she'd let future-her deal with the consequences.

"The cherrim at the winery worked hard on this one, we just broke it out of the vault this morning!" Mr. Massé said.

She chugged it in one gulp.

"They did a good job," she said through a deep exhale, setting the empty glass back on the tray. Noel giggled into his own cup.

"You...know you're supposed to sip it, right?" Mr. Massé said hesitantly.

"She did," Noel said. "It was just a big sip."

Mr. Massé opened his mouth to speak but decided whatever he had to say wasn't worth it. He simply sighed. "Nevermind. Are you staying for dinner, darling?"

"No, I couldn't-" she started to say.

"Not sure why I asked, yes you are," he cut her off with a playful edge in his tone.

Her expression fell into a deadpan. "I don't get a say?"

"Well, we're not going to send you home empty-handed, adult or not! Dinner will be ready in forty-five minutes, I hope you like ratatouille." He winked at her before turning on his heel and heading back out, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Did he say dinner?" Isaur called in a strained voice. Her head was against a blue dot, and her arm was arched over Ru, touching a yellow dot. Of course, she'd still heard 'ratatouille' over all of that.

"Forty-five minutes," Odette repeated. "Focus on your game." Gods knew she needed to focus on her own issue at hand herself. She had to sort out her thoughts before bringing her team into it.

With a groan and already starting to feel an alcoholic fog forming in her lightweight brain, she dove face-first onto Noel's unmade bed.

"I'm going to scream," she said, her voice muffled by a pillow. "I just wanted an easy day. Was that too much to ask?"

"Oh, always," Noel cracked. "Though you could have just not looked at the letter."

She turned her head to shoot him a look. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't have looked at the letter?"

"Fuck no, baby, and I'd have torn apart the whole office looking for more," he said, setting his glass down on his desk. "Because that was clearly an ongoing conversation. I'm absolutely quaking at the thought of all the juicy information we're missing..."

He suddenly threw his hands up triumphantly as another thought occurred to him. "And I'm just stoked as hell that I figured out the cops were skirting the press before this. I'm so good."

Odette almost wished she had torn apart the office. But that surely would have woken Toulouse up. More importantly, she'd have had to explain to Bernard why his office looked like hitmonlee had raided it.

"Well, you know what has to happen now," Noel said darkly, leaning far back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. The sudden change in his tone made Odette force herself back into a sitting position.

"No, you're going to have to educate me," she said.

"Come on, Dee. Look at the facts here," he said. He slid the chair over to the bed, stopping when his knees touched hers. "It has to be so much more than a crazy coincidence that all of this nonsense happened on the same day."

"I think it's only a crazy coincidence."

"Hear me out, though." He raised a finger. "You happen to run into Dorien, who's apparently in the fucking shiny trade. You never told us that; is that why you stopped hanging out?"

"Yes," she replied confidently, despite not feeling so. Noel was her best friend, but she somehow couldn't find the words to explain how she had forgotten that fact. "Didn't want to talk about it."

Noel narrowed his eyes for a beat but let whatever thought had come to him go. "Shame because y'all would have made such a hot couple. Drugs and abusive trading methods aside, he's gorgeous."

Odette swatted at him. "Continue, please."

Noel raised another finger. "He threatens you and your 'mon in battle and freaks you out."

She pressed her lips together silently, and he took that as a sign to continue.

"Then, you visit your grandpa, the chief of Kalos PD, the man headfirst in the sacrilege cases, only to find he's in contact with some mysterious man who happens to be involved with an organization dedicated to shutting down the shiny trade, who pretty much admitted to Team Enigma existing." He paused, seemingly for dramatic effect, and held his hands out to his sides.

"And also admitted they were warding the press off of something involving shinies, which confirms your find," Odette added in a monotone. He was treading dangerously close to having an extremely valid point.

"Exactly. They know some shit that they don't want us to know," he said.

Her head had been spinning since she left Bernard's office, and not even the wine stopped that. This wasn't something that was just going to fade.

"Look, I'm just saying. There's some pieces here," Noel insisted. "I think we can make them fit if we start mining for more."

She raised her brow at him. "Are you saying we should get involved?"

He leaned back in his chair again, kicking his legs up to rest his sock-covered feet in her lap. "Nosy trainers get involved in police affairs all the time. Hell, the cops even enlist trainers for help once in a while. We wouldn't necessarily be out of line." He shrugged again before resting his arms behind his head. "We have a legit concern, we're not getting answers, and now we have some pseudo-legit leads. I say we run with it."

Odette lowered her brows at him before pushing his feet off her lap. "You really should have been a detective. Or a hacker, at the very least."

He laughed airily. "And let my powerhouse voice and strong dancing legs go to waste? I see you've never heard of multitasking. Who says I can't do both? I need my pretty sidekick to get started."

His jesting smile signaled a joke, but she knew him well enough to know there was a part of him that was serious. She'd only wanted to see an end to the crisis for her grandfather's sake, but now it was very clear that he had a bigger foot in it all than he was letting on. That concerned her even more. And how much had they found out? J.L. Ménétries made it seem like they were right on Team Enigma's trail, yet it was looking like nothing was changing as of late. As far as she could tell.

Was it possible that the Virtue Corp was, in fact, in cahoots with Team Enigma? Were they working alongside each other for some strange reason? Were they stringing the cops along? Were the cops in on it?

That thought made her stomach hurt.

It had to be just a coincidence that Dorien had decided to pop back into her life on the same day. He and his no-good shiny trading ways, flaunting it all like it was nothing major. She allowed herself to think back to their battle once again. The feeling she got, how her entire body told her to vacate the premises, and how he spoke.

But was that enough to run with? Her gut and her reads on people were usually not wrong…but even if she wanted to go with it, did she want to spend more time with Dorien just for the slightest chance he was possibly involved with sacrilege, and even worse, Team Enigma?

I know you say you're fine, and it has been almost a year since everything happened, but maybe you could try focusing on something completely new?

She was certain this was not what Bernard had meant when he said that, but this was certainly pretty new. She thought back to his tired eyes, the way he'd fallen silent that one week, and how he so seamlessly lied to her face about what he knew.

Her wary gaze cut over to her Pokemon, who were still quite caught up in their game. She could practically hear Solene and Enora screeching in her ears about how this was a bad idea. Isaur would most likely be all for it. Ange would simply go along with whatever, and she was still fairly certain all Loïc could consciously think about was pecha berries and crawling in the air ducts. She wasn't exactly concerned about breaking the news to him.

She decided, then and there, she didn't care about the stern talking-to in-store by her oldest Pokemon friends. She needed something else to do, and really...perhaps this was it.

Maybe it was the buzz, but she didn't care at the moment.

"Alright. I'm in. Need to run it by the crew, but I'm in."

Sitting around the coffee table in her living room, Odette watched, unsurprisingly, as Solene got in her face.

"Are you insane? You have to be insane. Please tell me you've fully lost it; it would be easier for me to swallow," she screamed frantically, grabbing Odette by her shoulders and shaking her.

"You heard me," she replied. "I thought I was pretty clear."

Solene's expression fell, and she settled back into her spot on the couch. Her jaw was clenched, and her stubby hands were balled into fists. The expected worrywart mode that Odette had anticipated since she resolved to discuss her decision with her team.

"You're going to give me a premature heart attack," Solene said in a drawl, raising a hand to rub the side of her face. "I might be skittish, but I'm sure I don't have to lecture you about how dangerous this is?"

"You don't have to tell me that you think it's a dangerous idea, I'm pretty damn aware of that."

"So then why is it even on your mind?" Solene snapped back, whipping her head around to give Odette a wide-eyed look.

"Because!" Odette retaliated, curling her fingers with the intensity of her words. "It's like I said, there's some shit happening here. You saw some of that battle, I showed you the picture of the note, and I told you what Grandpa said and what Noel and I found, there is something. Happening. In Kalos," she stressed. "And I want to figure out what it is."

And she wanted to figure out where exactly her grandfather stood on it. If his lying had gotten a little too out of hand. She wouldn't say that out loud because she didn't want to speak it into existence, but the more she dwelled on it, her curiosity overshadowed her apprehension.

"If not to uncover what's going on with Grandpa, then for my own head."

"What about your temper? I can't imagine this is going to be good for that," Isaur interjected cooly, speaking between the bites she took from an apple. Odette paused to consider her words.

"It's better my exploding anger be channeled into getting Dorien thrown in prison and figuring out what the fuck Grandpa's sitting on than going to work and thinking about...everything else," she said.

She fell silent as her more intrusive thoughts started to seep in, but she quickly shook them off.

That was exactly why she needed to do it. She wouldn't have time to dwell on the past if she were sleuthing; at the very least, her flaring anger could prove useful in keeping her determined. Somehow. Maybe.

Probably.

"I appreciate the concern, but I've made up my mind."

Isaur appeared to accept the answer, judging by her shrug as she exchanged looks with Ange, who's eyes glowed with interest.

"What would we be doing? Would we be able to do some cool espionage stuff?" Ange asked.

"You'd come along with me. To wherever I went, with or without Dorien. You'd help me investigate and provide me with more physical backup if we had to fight. So, I suppose, probably."

The flame on Ange's head flared up, and he clapped his tendrils together in excitement. "That sounds like fun! I'm in!" he gasped. Well, that was one.

"I'm inclined to agree, I could use the excitement outside of apartment packing," Isaur agreed. She downed the rest of the apple, core and all, and held up a thumb. "I'm down."

Two. The easy ones up for a change of pace.

Solene was shocked that Isaur had agreed and flailed her arms in her direction. "You have got to be kidding me," she sputtered, earning her a shrug.

"For once, no. She's got a point, I think I want to see where all of this leads," Isaur said, causing Solene to cover her eyes in disdain.

It was there that Loïc scurried out from under the coffee table, the remnants of three pecha berry stems hanging in his shadowy hand. He proceeded to scuttle around, looking for a place to put them, and when he couldn't find one, he settled for hopping up onto the couch and settling into Odette's lap. Once there, he politely set them on her thigh.

"Kyu," he declared, nuzzling down into her legs to get comfortable. Odette stared at him, unamused by the fruit remains staining her pants leg, but set a hand on his fake head nonetheless.

"Thanks for that, Loïc. Appreciate it." She used her free hand to toss the stems onto the table. She'd grab them later. At least he was for it, but that was also expected.

All was silent again as Solene and Enora had yet to vocalize their stance.

"I should also note that I'm not going to force any of you into going along with this," Odette said. "I'm giving you the option, but I understand our creative differences. Don't be obliged to tag along on my account because it's settled, I'm doing this for me now. My brain. My head. My distraction. I'm armed and in a better headspace, and I will figure it out. Noel and his team will be coming along too, so I won't be alone even if you decide to back out. That's a promise. I know better."

There was still no response until Odette felt Solene shift uncomfortably next to her. With a grouchy groan, she settled into the back cushion.

"Fine. I will get on board," she huffed.

An agreement. A reluctant one at that.

"Are you sure?" Odette pressed. "I'm telling you, you can say no."

Solene fell silent again as she wrung her hands together nervously.

"Sol, I'm serious. Tell me what you're thinking."

Solene looked to be deliberating with herself. Mulling something over in her head, trying to figure out a good response. Her brain gears were practically screaming. She squeezed her eyes shut at one point, inhaling the deepest breath she could muster, before nodding once.

"No. I understand where you're coming from," she declared, sounding more determined than before. "I won't lie and say I'm not afraid, but I want to offer my help. And be a voice of reason, because gods know you four tend to be lacking there."

Odette quirked a brow at the change in tone. "And you're sure?"

A firm nod followed, and the gothitelle was met with approving, proud pats from Isaur. "Yes. This hits close to home for all of us. I will be of help."

Odette couldn't argue with that, and her surge of confidence she wasn't going to refute. She liked when Solene remembered what she was capable of.

"Alright. But just know if you lose your nerve, you can back out at any time."

Solene gave a rough shake of her head. "None of that; not anymore."

Odette couldn't help but smirk at the response. She then looked over at Enora, who had her eyes trained on the floor for most of the conversation. Her lips were pressed together into a taut line. She was disgruntled. And thinking hard about something.

"I know we've already said it," Odette said softly, "but this definitely hits the closest home for you. These are shinies we're talking about, but I would understand why it would make you uncomfortable."

Still nothing.

"Enora?"

"Well, if you're going to force me," she said sharply. She hopped off her cushion and walked toward Odette's bedroom. As she went, the tips of her tendrils were engulfed in a faint blue glow, which traveled to the pecha stems. They levitated off the coffee table, toward the kitchen, and into the sink.

Odette sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. "Enora, come on," she called after her. "Don't be like that, I'm not forcing you to do anything! She paused. "And I was going to grab those!"

The sound of the bedroom door shutting was the response.

Enora wasn't on board, and Odette could have figured that out even if she hadn't spoken. So, then why the hell was she begrudgingly agreeing to come along?

Odette pushed herself to stand. "Enora!" she shouted, walking toward the room. "If you have a thought, say it! I want you to tell me what's on your mind!"

No answer.

She ground her teeth together, trying to ward off any oncoming anger. Losing it here wouldn't make the conversation any better. This was rough territory.

Odette had found Enora has an eevee, and aside from the moment they met in the alley next to Marieanne and Bernard's townhouse, Odette had no idea where Enora had come from and was never one to prod. Much like her, Enora wasn't one who liked to dwell too much on the past. That's where they got along.

Odette couldn't help but wonder if this reluctance was stemming from that unknown past.

Enora's refusal to speak wasn't giving her much to work with, so that was what she was going with. "Okay. Until you specifically ask to come along, I'm taking this as a hard no. You let me know when you're ready to talk about it."

All was still silent on Enora's end. That was that.

Pushing her bangs back, she trudged back over to the couch and fell back into it, taking a moment to shut her eyes, massage her temples, and collect herself. When she peered back out at her team's concerned gazes, she sighed.

"It's just gonna be the five of us. But we got this."