Ash, Aurian, and Lance materialized in the blink of an eye, footsteps unsteady against a neatly polished wooden floor.
"Where…" Ash trailed off, vision adjusting to the low light. "Where are we?"
"My office," Lance motioned for the younger trainers to sit. "Welcome to the G-Men's headquarters, located deep beneath an unspecified mountain range."
Aurian raised an eyebrow. "Will we ever know where we are?"
"Once your paperwork's processed, yes," Lance said, his chair letting out a satisfying 'whoosh' of air as he sat.
"How long will we be here?" Ash's gaze roved around the room, catching on a framed dragon scale, scores of bookshelves, and a single photo with a dark-haired trainer he didn't recognize.
"The length of your stay depends on if your bid for membership is successful. If you join our ranks, you'll be here for basic training before deploying for your first mission. If you do not succeed, we will find somewhere out of the League's reach for you to lay low…"
Lance trailed off at the look the younger trainers exchanged, halfway between panic and derision.
"Ahem, but for now we should start with your paperwork. There is a very specific protocol for asylum seekers. We've never seen anything like your situation though, so things may stray a little," he dug through a bookshelf until he found a massive three-ring binder, which fell onto his desk with a thud.
Ash took a hefty packet from Lance and grabbed a pen from a mug on the desk. "All of this needs to be completed, right?"
"All…" Aurian flipped through the papers, "fifty-two pages? What do you need, our entire life story?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
Lance grinned, despite himself. "I know it seems excessive, but we do require as much information as we can get to keep you as safe as possible. If we do need to go the full Witness Protection route, we need to generate entire new identities for you from scratch. This will help Research and Technology strike the right balance between getting away from the truth and keeping your covers believable."
"How often do you do this?" Aurian asked.
"Maybe once or twice a year? We normally keep our distance from skirmishes with the League, but there are special cases every once in a while. This definitely qualifies as one, in my eyes, and the G-Men are qualified to help."
Ash set his pen down, cursing his untidy handwriting. "By doing what, exactly? This seems different from what you did back at the Lake of Rage. No one ever talks about the G-Men."
"For good reason. If everyone knew what we did, we wouldn't be a covert operations organization. The fastest way to describe us is a peacemaking corps that specializes in decisive action. As we know, the League is great at developing trainers and maintaining structure for tournaments and loose governments. Frankly, they are unequipped to handle large amounts of organized criminal activity. That's where we come in."
Aurian nodded. "So you're the ones that handle Galactic and Plasma."
"It's, erm, complicated. We have a tenuous working relationship with the International Police on that front, but we disagree with a significant portion of their methods."
"That's an interesting way to say that you don't like how they do things," Ash frowned.
Aurian smirked. "More like you know the G-Men could handle it on their own."
Lance shook his head. "Classified Level Three. You're not quite there yet."
Ash and Aurian did not respond, instead choosing to bury themselves in their paperwork. Lance made small-talk with them through it all and did his best to relieve the trainers' nerves. After they handed in their completed packets, Lance perched on his desk.
"Traditionally, this would go to the Commander General for review. Since I am the Commander General, I declare the situation drastic enough for G-Men intervention. We will gladly take you on and make sure you are safe and out of the League's reach from here on out."
"Thank you," Ash sighed.
"Now for the hard part," Lance said. "You each get one phone call to your loved ones. We're not in the business of ripping families apart if we don't have to; we at least want to give you the dignity of a proper goodbye. Let them know that you're safe."
Aurian gave him a quizzical look. "... what happens after that?"
"Protocol states that we destroy your old PokeGears and replace them. The number you call is the only one you get to keep."
"One person? That's it?" Ash's face fell.
"All of this is for your safety. The more people that know you're alive, the higher risk there is of the League catching on and trying something sneaky to get you into custody. We can't risk your lives right now."
Aurian's eyes went wide. "You think the League would kill us to keep the truth underground?"
"They sent the International Police after you. Their fugitive cases never end well."
Ash and Aurian exchanged a panicked glance.
"Chances are that all this will blow over in a few months and you'll be able to return to your lives unimpeded. But for now, safety comes first," Lance said, passing both trainers a script.
"I don't like this, but I see your point," Aurian answered. "Okay."
"Aurian, who do you plan on calling?" Lance asked.
She sighed. "Do I have to?"
Ash raised a hand. "Is there anyone you can call that's not Atticus?"
Aurian paused, brows furrowed.
"Stepmom?" Ash asked.
"Wouldn't care."
"Aunts? Uncles?"
"Haven't seen them in years. They're all my stepmom's side, anyway. Atticus doesn't have living family other than Ben and I."
"Friends?"
"You tend to lose a lot of them when you swap career tracks," Aurian shrugged. "I don't think I'm close enough with any of them to call, you know?"
"Professor Rowan?"
"Too conspicuous," Lance interjected. "I can almost guarantee that the International Police will track calls going in and out of every Professor's lab in the Four Regions. Maybe even Unova, if either of you have been there."
Ash put a hand up. "If they're tracking us, how can we do this safely?"
"You'll use our secure line," Lance passed over an unmarked PokeGear. "When you call, there will be no traceable information. This number doesn't exist."
Aurian sighed, gaze heavy.
"Is there anyone else you can call?" Lance sat next to Aurian.
"No," Aurian shook her head, "there isn't. This mess destroyed pretty much any of the family I had left. I can't talk to my friends, my stepmom's in Almia with Arceus-knows-who."
She trailed off, deep in thought. After about a minute, a smirk crossed her face. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, Atticus picking up four rings later.
"Aurian! Where the hell are you? Please tell me you're okay, you'd never believe what's happened in Sandgem since you left-"
She cleared her throat. "My name is… wait, what do you mean, what's happened in Sandgem?"
"Galactic stormed the town three hours ago, right after League police did. They're looking everywhere for you. And Ash, too, I'm assuming you're still together."
"Is everyone okay?" the script dropped from her lap.
Atticus nodded. "Rowan's lab almost burned down. Galactic tried to force their way to the Lake outside of Twinleaf. It was a fight, that's for sure. Enough about here, where are you?"
"I'm fine," Aurian said. "Can I talk to Ben?"
"After you tell me where you are."
She tried her hardest not to roll her eyes. "The G-Men extended a Witness Protection offer, membership conditional if I pass their entry exams."
"Auri, this is equivalent to joining the military. Do you know what you're getting into?"
"It's either join up or burn time, and I'd rather not hide in Orre until all of this blows over. I'm staying with Ash, he needs anyone in his corner he can get. We'll be fine."
"You're grown, you can make your own decisions."
Aurian smiled. "I'm well aware. Aren't you the one who always encouraged me to be independent? You've gotten your wish."
Silence from the other end of the line.
"As much as I've… enjoyed… this conversation, this call was technically meant for Ben."
Atticus muttered under his breath as he walked across the house, the audio crackling as smaller hands took the device.
"Auri!"
Aurian gulped. "Hey, Ben. I wanted to let you know that I won't be coming home for a while."
"Dad said you're in trouble."
"Trouble that other people caused, not me. All you need to know is that I'm safe and with people who will protect me."
His lower lip wobbled. "When will you be back?"
"I'm… I'm not sure. After this, we can't talk much, not until I'm cleared to. I can't tell you where I am. You're probably going to hear some bad things about me, too. At the end of the day, you can count on the fact that I still love you and would do anything for you, okay?"
"Okay," he nodded, wet spots staining his favorite blue shirt. "I love you, Auri."
"I love you too, Ben. Stay strong for me."
Aurian ended the call before Atticus could protest, handing her Pokegear to Lance. She swiped at her eyes before looking up, the light in her gaze swapped for steel.
"All right, that's done. I'm G-Men property now, aren't I?"
Lance chuckled. "Property is a strong word; we prefer the term 'asset'. But I appreciate the commitment. Ash?"
"Just one person?" Ash trailed off, gaze fixed elsewhere.
Lance nodded. "Yes, that's correct."
"Are they allowed to tell someone else?" Ash blurted. "Of course I want my mom to know, but there's someone that I'd really appreciate getting the chance to speak to one last time."
"Protocols are protocols. I wish we could bend for you, but your safety isn't worth it," Lance put a hand on Ash's shoulder.
Ash's eyes watered as he dialed.
Delia answered in an instant. "Ash!"
"Hey, Mom. I wanted to let you know that I'm okay and now enrolled in the G-Men's witness protection program," he cleared his throat, tears running down his face. "After this call, I will be unable to contact you until our representative gives his approval."
Delia's tears said what her voice couldn't.
"As my chosen contact, you are unable to divulge my location or my status to anyone who asks, including law enforcement. If any details about my placement are leaked, the G-Men have full right to prosecute for breach of classified information. Additionally, they have the right to move me at any time."
Ash's breath hitched in his throat. "Since Aurian and I are pursuing a membership trial, things might look different. We'll keep you posted if we can."
"The most important thing is that you're safe. I trust you both as much as I love you. Nothing will ever change that, I promise."
"I love you too. Thank you for everything."
Delia waved before ending the call, eyes red.
Ash's hands shook, his own tears reflected back in the empty screen.
"Lance, please. Just one more call."
Ash closed his eyes, memories from Kanto and Johto running through his mind. Misty pulling him out of the river with her lucky lure, the way she yelled at him when Pikachu destroyed her bike, her stubborn determination to master all things Water-type, the way she cared for everyone she welcomed into her life.
How she pressed her lucky lure into his hands before she turned back towards Kanto, hands lingering over his for just long enough to make him second-guess her intentions.
"I will never ask you for anything else ever again. I'll take the assignments that no one else wants to take."
Lance shook his head, the look in his eyes betraying his neutral expression.
"Ash," Aurian put a hand on his shoulder.
Ash barely registered the feel of Aurian's palm against his sweatshirt, heart nearly beating out of his chest at the thought of Misty's smile- smug at first, then softening into something he loved.
He loved far more than that, he realized, sitting in an unfamiliar chair in an unfamiliar room, life suspended between G-Men, obscurity, and uncertain death.
He loved Misty Waterflower and couldn't tell her. Couldn't see her again, couldn't find excuses to spend extra time with her whenever she visited, couldn't send a message before bed in hopes of waking up to her words with the sunrise.
Couldn't tell her that none of this was his fault; the lack of light in the aftermath was never his intention.
Ash passed his PokeGear over before he could second-guess the motion, dissolving into a mess of tears.
Aurian passed over a tissue. "It's okay. Let it out."
Ash gripped her hand as hard as he could, the younger trainer's tears staining the shoulder of his shirt..
Lance sat in waiting with a new box of tissues. "I know how hard this is. You're doing the right thing. It's nice to know that you'd rather not sit on your hands, biding your time for a change of heart from the League that might not ever come. I'll walk you to your temporary room."
The two younger trainers stood, wiping their eyes before following the Champion out of his office and through a labyrinthine series of hallways and elevators.
"This is ridiculous," Aurian said. "How will we ever learn our way around?"
Lance chuckled. "It took me a good two years. At least we have signs now."
The unlikely trio paused in front of a door labeled A104, two locks on the outside.
"This is one of our guest bunkers. It's pretty sparse but should serve you well while you're here. Later today, I will introduce you to Overhead and fully explain your situation. For now, settle in and get some rest. I imagine both of you are exhausted," he offered.
Ash yawned, Pikachu copying the motion on his shoulder.
"I'll leave you be. I'll send someone to retrieve you when it's time to meet with Overhead," Lance waved on his way out, the door shutting behind him.
Aurian flopped back on her military-issue mattress, plastic covering sinking under her weight. "Holy crap, what a way to go out."
"Yeah…" he trailed off, voice tight.
"I'm sorry you didn't get your second call," she rolled over, propping her chin on her hands. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Ash paused. Pikachu nudged his shoulder and nodded.
"Only if you tell me about this 'career change' of yours."
Aurian laughed, darkly. "Back in Sandgem, my friends and I all made a promise that we'd be Coordinators once we started our journeys. Once Rebecca, Sally, Claire, Ebony, and I got into our first couple of Contests, things got rocky. Rebecca and I were the only ones that consistently made it out of the Appeals rounds. I won my first ribbon by accident and never really figured out a pattern. Some tricks worked, some didn't."
Ash nodded. "I've tried a few Contests, I get it. The whole system is ridiculously complicated."
"Right?" Aurian's eyes lit up. "All my friends loved Coordinating more as time went on, I started to hate it all. All everyone cared about was staying with the in-crowd, I was far more invested in the competition- and I hated losing. Nine months later, we hit the last contest before the Grand Festival cutoff. Rebecca and I went into the final with four ribbons each. Her Jynx used Perish Song and I froze. No idea what to do on the biggest stage of my life."
"We got into a big fight in the waiting room backstage. In the middle of it, I realized that I spent a year trying to be someone I wasn't. Handed her my ribbons and challenged the Gym in Hearthome the next day. Beat Fantina with flying colors and realized that I should've been a trainer all along," Aurian shrugged. "Made top 32 in my first League tourney, Rebecca didn't make it out of the Appeals round at the Grand Festival. We haven't talked since. My old crew went to Hoenn for a change of scenery while I ran to Unova and didn't look back."
Ash took a moment, picturing a defiant eleven-year-old Aurian leaving everything she'd ever known and hopping on a boat to Unova. Somehow, he wasn't surprised.
"I've talked long enough, sorry."
"No, don't apologize. You've… you've had a rough go of it," Ash said, passing Pikachu to a distracted Aurian. "Did you make any friends in other regions?"
"A few? All I've ever needed was my team and a good book. Seems like the opposite of you, what's your story with that second call?"
Ash took a deep breath. "You ever had a friend that you can't imagine living without?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Misty was the first person I met on my journey. She pulled me out of a river after I jumped in to save Pikachu and still stuck around after he fried her bike. She, Brock, and I traveled together for two years. I went to Hoenn, she took over her family's Gym."
Ash paused, eyes wet. "She's always been around. We text pretty often… and I can't even rely on having her tell me everything's going to be okay, you know? I can't even tell her that I… that I…"
Aurian gave him space, passing over the tissue box on top of the barebones dresser. Pikachu curled into his side and nuzzled his ribs.
"I didn't realize how much she meant until Lance said no," he said, "and I don't know what I'm going to do. If the League is saying all those bad things, I hope she'll ignore them."
"We can't tell people how to react, and that sucks," she offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. Is this the Misty from Cerulean?"
Ash nodded.
"She's awesome. Ran my Kanto team through the ringer."
"She tends to do that."
"Say as much as you'd like, but… she pulled you out of a river?"
He laughed. "Yeah, that's a weird one."
Ash launched into the story of how his journey started, sparing no detail. Aurian was a great audience, prodding closer to the truth with a series of well-timed questions.
"...and I still have that lure," he finished, digging through his backpack until he fished out the little floater. "She'd kill me if I broke it."
"Ash, girls don't just, like, give you their keepsakes for no reason."
"Even if it did mean something, looks like I'll never learn what it was. Hey, when do you think Lance will come get us?"
Aurian shrugged. "I vote we sleep until then."
"Sounds awesome," Ash said. "I guess we'll wake up when we wake up?"
His question fell on deaf ears, Aurian already passed out on her mattress. Light snores filled the air as Pikachu curled up on his pillow.
"We're gonna be okay, right?"
Pikachu gave him a sideways glare. "Pikapi pipika, chuka."
"Well yeah, we've gotten out of worse danger. This is different."
"Chupika, kachu."
"Glad to know you're still on my side."
(A/N): Thank you so much for reading C4 of Light in the Aftermath! Special thanks, as always, to thechinskyguy for stopping my run-on sentences and for generally being the Best Beta Reader. My upload schedule's about to get pretty wacky, so thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. Here's hoping for safe and happy holidays for each and every one of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, y'all!
- PL