“RRRAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!”

The Mightyena charged and tried lunging at Jennifer through the bars of the cage.

           

Jennifer felt Ralts seize up as the captured Pokémon behind the cage became violent.

She stroked Ralts’s tiny back comfortingly, as she stared down at the canine Pokémon unflinchingly.

≈It’s funny…≈ Jennifer sent telepathically towards Mightyena.

“What is?! That you’re still alive and I’m in the cage?!” Mightyena said sarcastically.

But Jennifer shook her head.

≈No, that I thought that. I was going to be a lot more terrified of you than I am right now.≈

This got Mightyena to stop barking at her. But he continued to growl as he watched her closely.

Jennifer nodded her head as she finished self analyzing herself.

           

≈Yeah. I really thought I was going to be a lot more scared of you than I am; I thought that I was going to be terrified to see you and thought that, once I did, I would be trembling in fear because of the injuries you caused.≈

Jennifer flexed her now healed up arm, that was once injured by this very Mightyena.

Then she gave a chuckle before shaking her head.

≈But now? Heh… All I feel is pity.≈

“P-Pity?!” Mighteya barked in confusion.

        

Jennifer nodded her head.

≈Yeah, pity.≈ Jennifer smiled softly at the Bite Pokémon in front of her. ≈After all, he was the worthless trainer who abandoned you.≈ She pointed out.

         

“Shut up.” He told her.

            

But she ignored him and continued right along.

≈He was the one who ordered you to attack indiscriminately.≈

          

“Shut up!” He shouted at Jennifer.

               

Jennifer smirked at him.

≈You were just another poor, hapless Pokémon of his, doing the bidding of their trainers that your loyal to.≈

              

“SHUT UP!” Mightyena barked at Jennifer.

                

Jennifer started laughing at Mightyena’s anger towards her.

≈He’s just going to abandon you, just like every other Pokémon he’s sent out. You’re just another Pokémon in his abandoned list of failed projects.≈

“No! That’s not true! He’ll never just leave me! He’ll come back for me and get me out of here!”

Jennifer felt bad for Mightyena. She really did. Here he was, abandoned and forgotten, the moment his trainer left him in the woods to attack wild Pokémon.

Arceus only knows for what reason. Jennifer thought.

So she took no pleasure in having to trick Mightyena like this.

≈Face it Mighty, he’s left you; forgotten about you. You mean nothing more to him, then another completed project: he’s never coming back for you.≈

“N-NOoo! Damien would never abandon me!” Mightyena whined in between growling at Jennifer’s harsh thoughts.

      

Jennifer smiled.

Gotcha.

             

With Mightyena’s thoughts slipping and weakening.

He thought more and more, about the trainer who had raised him.

She couldn’t quite yet see the surface thoughts that he was picturing of his trainer.

Got to push him a little more.

“Face it Mighty!” She shouted out loud to him. “Damien is never going to come back for you! He is an ugly human, with an ugly heart, and he gives two Pidgeys about you!”

“Th-That’s not true!” He shouted in a desperate, whiny tone. “Damien would never just leave me! He cares about me! He just wanted me to get stronger!” He argued.

Almost have him.

“just give up! That loser of a trainer won’t ever come out of his hiding hole to come looking for you. He’s a coward; a fat, stinking, worthless excuse of a cowardly trainer.”

“He’s not fat! He’s not stinky! He is brave and kind! Damien is the best trainer there is! When he gets here! You’ll all be sorry!”

         

Jennifer could see him now.

She could see, a handsome young man, blond hair, with greenish-hazel eyes. A rugged jawline, and high cheek bone.

He doesn’t look Hoenn…  Jennifer thought to herself.

        

She then smirked at Mightyena.

Who was staring up at Jennifer with tear filled, frustrated eyes.

Jennifer’s face, shifted to a compassionate expression.

“I’m sorry for this Mighty, but… Thank you… for your cooperation.” She told him.

“W-What do you mean? What did you do?! Like I would ever help you!” He shouted at her in defiance.

She shook her head sadly.

“You already have… just by talking with me and thinking about your trainer. Not sure how you haven’t realized it yet, or maybe you forgot in the heat of the moment, while I was making you angry. But I’m a psychic, Mighty; I was reading your mind: that is the only way I can understand what Pokémon are saying to me.”

      

Mightyena stared at Jennifer in disbelief.

“No… N-No! Please!” He pleaded with her, slamming himself into the cage. “Y-You can’t share what you know!” He told Jennifer. “H-He will get into so much trouble! P-PLEASE! Don’t tell them about Damien! Anything but that!” Mightyena pleaded with Jennifer desperately.

           

But Jennifer just shook her head.

             

“I’m sorry Mightyena… this is for your own good, as well. You need to forget about him. He’s a bad person and an even worse trainer.” She told him. “The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can move one and learn to live a happier life without him.” She tried to encourage him.

Mightyena just cried and whimpered at the thought that he had somehow betrayed his trainer. That he had been used and tricked into giving this person information.

He circled in the cage he was confined inside. Whimpering all the while, even after he laid down and curled in tightly on himself.

<Oh Damien…… I’m so sorry… please forgive me………>

                       

                     

Jennifer walked back to her group that was waiting near by for her.

“So? You catch any of that?” Jennifer asked Officer Jenny.

“Heard you say the name, Damien.” Officer Jenny tilted her head. “He got a last name?” She asked Jennifer.

“If he does have one, Mighty back there doesn’t know it.” Jennifer said with a jerk of her thumb behind her.

“Hmm… damn, that is not a lot to go on.” Officer Jenny murmured to herself.

“But I do know what he looks like.” Jennifer informed her.

“Now that is, a lot to go on!” Jenny said excited. She walked up and slapped Jennifer on the shoulder. “Great job kid!”

Jennifer felt herself blush a little at the praise from the older woman.

“T-Thanks, it’s nothing…” Jennifer told her.

                              

“Not nothing!” Aviary countered. “You’ve literally just helped us blow open a case we’ve been stuck on for months now!” She told Jennifer excitedly.

She then reached behind herself and pulled out a sketch book, along with a set of colored charcoal pencils.

“Now!” Aviary said enthusiastically. “Why don’t you start describing what he looks like; then I can go ahead and start working on his profile.”

Jennifer chuckled at Aviary’s exuberance.

        

“I can do you one better,” Jennifer told her.

She walked up to Aviary, who looked at the younger woman in confusion.

“What are you?—“

Then, Jennifer pressed her forehead to Aviary’s.

      

“Uummm!…— I… Am… this is… OH!…”

Aviary’s rambling was cut off, as an image of a young blond man, entered into her mind.

His short straight blond locks, along with his piercing greenish-brown eyes, had her captivated.

“Oh my Arceus!” She whipped open the sketch pad and started scribbling down what she was seeing within her mind. “This is incredible! Oh my gosh! Oh goodness!”

May and Officer Jenny, watched on as Jennifer was pressing her head against the junior officer’s: whom of which was furiously drawing and sketching down something on the pad in front of herself.

“This is amazing! It’s like he is here right in front of me!” Aviary shouted in joy.

        

“So? Is she like, sending the guys image directly into Aviary’s mind?” May asked aloud.

“Yeah, I am.” Jennifer answered. “I am showing her all the things I saw when I was searching through the memories Mightyena was thinking about while we were talking about his trainer.”

“Ohhh… okay… so, Like? Once you talked with Mightyena, his memories came to the surface and—“

“Umm… May?” Jennifer interrupted her friend.

“Yeah?”

“Not that I don’t mind explaining things… But I really, really need to focus here, so I don’t lose this mental image.”

“Yes! Please don’t lose it!” Aviary cried. “I’m almost done! Sergeant! Please shut that civilian up!”

      

May felt herself stiffen at being told to “shut up.” She wanted to yell at the private officer about what she had said.

But a hand landed on her shoulder, before she could say anything.

“Let’s just give them some space.” Jenny told the young trainer. “Let the sketch artist and the psychic do their jobs.”

May was then gently coaxed to the side, away from the two who were working.

           

“She didn’t mean to offend you,” Officer Jenny offered. “She was just worried about not getting the sketch right.” She insisted to May.

May herself was still mad at the junior officer’s remark. But let out a sigh of the breath she was holding in, and decided to let it go.

It’s not worth the trouble. She decided

“So? Is this it? Was this all you really needed her for?” May asked the senior officer, once they were mostly isolated.

Officer Jenny nodded her head.

“Yeah, that’s it. We’re not going to ask her or involve her more than this. We’re only going to file this down as a witness testimony anyways. So, if this ever goes to court, she will most likely not even need to testify. Which it probably won’t even get to that point.” Officer Jenny smashed her knuckles into the palm of her hand. “I’m going to nail this prick!” She said with an evil grin.

May shivered at the sight of Officer Jenny’s manic smile.

Mental note… don’t get caught committing crimes arounds this Jenny… she’s nuts…

                         

It was about another few minutes later, that Aviary and Jennifer came walking up to the two of them.

Aviary looking energetic, with Jennifer looking slightly drained.

“Are you okay, Jen?” May asked her little sister as she approached. She lent her an arm if she needed it.

Jennifer nodded her head.

“I’m good May,” She told her, even while she was sweating from her brow.

“Yeah right! You look like crap Jen; you look like you’ve run a Kilometers in thirty minutes.” She described.

“Ralts Ralt alts alts alt!” Ralts chided her mistress as well.

Jennifer chuckled at her friends’ concern for her.

“Thanks guys,” She said facetiously. “glad to know you like me for my appearance.” She said with a smirk.

May and Ralts puffed out their cheeks, then proceeded to playfully smack the top of Jennifer’s head.

“That’s for treating my concern so flippantly!” May shouted at her. “I’ll show you!”

“Ralts Ralts Ralts! Ralts alts alts!”

“Ow! Ouch! OW! I give! I GIVE! No more hitting the exhausted psychic!” Jennifer said with a laugh.

May calmed down after she realized her friend was fine, but just tired. She instead started to rub Jennifer’s back in comfort.

“You did it Jen,” She told her friend. “You’ve helped the police catch the bad guy.”

             

“Well,” Officer Jenny interrupted May’s praise of Jennifer. “The guy’s not caught yet,” she then gently slapped the sketch of “Damien” with the back of her hand for emphasis. “We still need plenty of things to actually nail this guy. And we actually need to find him and who he is.” She smiled at the quarto-group of two trainers, two Pokémon, huddled close together, hanging on Officer Jenny’s every word.

She held up her hand and gave the young with her namesake a thumbs up.

“But you did good!” She praised. “If nothing else, we now know exactly what he looks like.” She informed them. “It will only be a matter of time, before we catch this guy.”

She looked at the two young trainers that had helped her so much.

She gave them a salute.

“You two have my thanks, we never would have gotten this far without you two: especially you Jennifer Barakat. Well done.” She told them.

        

           

                

“Yes!”

               

*CLAP*

            

“Well done.”

            

*CLAP*

               

“Indeed.”

               

*CLAP*

                     

       

They were all startled by a deep voice that mysterious came from behind them, from the direction of the elevators.

          

They saw a tall uniformed police officer, with red hair, walking casually and slowly towards them. All the while clapping his hands.

                 

His large brimmed hat and glasses, obscuring parts of his face so that the four didn’t completely recognize him.

                      

*CLAP*

            

*CLAP*

                 

*CLAP*

               

*CLAP*

         

“Well done indeed Jennifer Barakat,” The male officer praised with a smile. “Rebecca would be so proud of you.”

      

“Mom?!”

             

Officer Jenny and Aviary stood in front of the two trainers, both pulling out their PokéBalls, ready to do battle at a moments notice with this mysterious stranger.

“And who are you? And how did you get down here? I see you’re in a police uniform, but I don’t recognize you.” Sergeant Jenny demanded with a stern but calm tone of voice.

         

“”AH!”” Aviary and May exclaimed at the same time. “”It’s the officer from in front of the police department!” They both realized.

        

“Ah! So it is!” Jennifer also realized.

        

“You’re saying he was outside of the police department when you two arrived?” Officer Jenny asked the three of them.

They all nodded their heads.

Officer Jenny turned towards the unknown man strutting towards them.

“Who the hell are you?”

          

The man in questioned smiled.

                                           

“Come now, Sergeant Jenny. I didn’t leave so little of an impression of you when you visited the mayor before, did I?”

Jenny stiffened at the implication.

                     

“Your!—“ She trailed off, not believe who was standing before them.

            

“HMPH!” The man harrumphed with a laugh.

         

Her grabbed the front of his uniform, and like a magician, pulled on it, revealing himself in full with a completely different outfit.

              

“Greetings everyone, glad to see you all again.” The red haired man with sharp eyes said to them.

                   

“”“”AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!””””

                       

All four of the women exclaimed at the sight of familiar face of the man they had once met.

                   

“”””LANCE!””””

           

They all looked from one another, blinking in surprise.

                       

“”“”HUH?!””””

                     

“”””YOU KNOW HIM?!”””” They all exclaimed together, at each other.

                              

“Well! I’m at least thankful that my presence isn’t that faded that I’m not remembered by four beautiful women, hahahahahaha!” Lance laughed at the confusion running through the group in front of himself.

               

Aviary pointed at the two younger trainers.

“How the heck do you two know Lance?!” She questioned.

“Me?! I know him from when he was undercover as a team Magma Grunt while he helped my friends and I deal with Team Magma.” May explained.

“Oh yeah,” Officer Jenny slapped her fist with her hand. “That’s right. I’ve read about this, you were involved in a major incident with team Magma, and Lance who is part of the Pokémon G-Men, was investigating them, trying to uncover their plot to destroy the world.”

“And I assume you know him, because he is part of the police force.” May pointed out.

Officer Jenny nodded her head.

“You’d be correct on that one, but that begs the question then…”

        

The three older women looked towards the Jennifer with skeptical speculation burning in their eyes.

                         

                                

“””HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW HIM?!”””

                                      

                             

Jennifer held up her hands in arrest. Terrified at the sudden closeness and accusing looks from the other three staring at her.

                  

“I, I…— I know him from home!” Jennifer explained hurriedly.

“From home?!” May questioned.

Jennifer nodded.

“Yeah, he—“

At that moment, Lance walked up and threw his arm around Jennifer’s shoulder.

“I’m her uncle!”

              

“””EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!”””

                            

“Ugh! Don’t add confusion into this already impossible situation unca-Lance.”

“””Unca?!”””

Shoot! I said it now! Jennifer realized she addressed Lance like she normally did.

                        

                      

“Now look what you’ve done!~ Hahahahaha!~” Lance said with a laugh.

“Me?!” Jennifer quipped in questioning outrage. “You’re the one who just dropped a bomb of confusion on everyone!” Jennifer pointed out.

“Bah-hahahahaha!~”

Everyone was blinking in confusion at this legendary trainer, acting casually with this young teenage girl from Ejapul.

                    

Jennifer let out a long drawn out sigh.

“I guess I’m the one who’s going to have to explain.” Jennifer was realizing.

“Sometime tonight, would definitely be preferable,” Lance teased her.

“Shut up Lance!” She groused with a shove.

          

May just blinked at her friend.

“I still can’t believe what I’m seeing… how in the world do you know Lance, like, at all?” May questioned her friend.

Jennifer let out a chuckle.

“Well?! How do you?!” Jennifer questioned. “You’ve had your own adventures and know people, I’ve had mine.” She pointed at Lance with her thumb, who was still hanging on her. “This guy and my mom are close friends.”

            

“Your mom?! Rebecca is?! What?!—“ May’s brain was quickly short circuiting.

“Oooohhh!” Officer Jenny looked as if she had an epiphany.

They all looked towards the senior officer.

“It’s because your mother is in charge of the police force of Ejapul.” Officer Jenny pointed out. “He knows your mother through work, just like how we met him.”

Lance pointed at the officer with a smile.

“You would be half right: we keep in touch through our respective work, thats true. But we actually go even further back then that.” He told Jenny. “We first met back when I had just won my first championship back in the Kanto region.”

“Ah!” Jennifer exclaimed. “Not this story!” She covered her face.

“”This story?!”” Aviary and May questioned Jennifer’s distress.

“Yes, the story of how her father had met her mother for the first time. I was part of that.”

Jennifer groaned in despair.

       

“It all began—“

“NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THIS!” Jennifer shouted. “Here is the, too long: didn’t read, portion of the story!” Jennifer complained. “Mom went to Kanto for police training, as an exchange student. My dad was arrested for charges he didn’t do. Then all three met, then they had to investigate who framed dad and then they all be came good friends! There, you see?! Their all just old,” She glared at Lance as she emphasized. “REALLY OLD, friends!”

        

Lance leaned away from Jennifer, looking like he had just been stabbed in the heart.

“O-old!” He groaned. “Aagghh! You wound me baby Jenny—“

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” She yelled red faced embarrassed at her unca. She covered her face in shame at her old nickname Lance used to call her.

She almost felt like crying at this point.

What was that old saying?! “No good deed goes unpunished?!” UGH!

                                     

Aviary just blinked at what was happening in front of her.

“I have no idea what’s going on anymore.”

The two next to her both nodded their heads in agreement, as they all stared at this two-time Pokémon champion and Pokémon master, as he acted extremely casually with this new trainer from Ejapul.

            

Lance was once again laughing at their confusion.

             

“Well, to put all this simply: Jennifer’s mom, Rebecca, is my colleague.”

“Because of her position in Ejapul.” Jenny guessed again.

But to her surprise, Lance shook his head.

“Not like that,” He told them. “That she is part of the Pokémon G-Men.” He informed them.

                     

““””WHAT?!””””

                  

May, Aviary, and Jenny blinked at Jennifer, who was also surprised.

“””You mean, you didn’t know?!”””

“NO!” She shouted at them in denial. She looked back at her Unca. “Mom works for you?!” She questioned him.

Lance nodded.

“Yes, there is a lot that is going on behind the scenes with that; but suffice it to say: your mother and I work with the Pokémon G-Men Detective organization.”

          

Jennifer put her hand to her head.

“You’re telling me?! That mom has been part of your covert detective group?”

“That’s right.” He told Jennifer.

“How long?— *GULP* — How long has she been working for you?!”

“Oh?~…” He trailed off as he scratched his chin in thought. “Nearly fifteen years.”

“So as long as I’ve been alive!” She pointed out.

“I guess you could say that.”

“I did say that; now, would you say that, Unca?! How long has she worked with you?! How long has mom been a spy with you?” Jennifer demanded in confused frustration.

“It’s as I said: I came to her fifteen years ago, right after your parents got married. Asked her to come work for me, and I promised that I would be helping her take care of Team Dunes, once and for all.” Lance told her.

Jennifer took a deep breath.

It all makes sense now… that shipping me between Ejapul and here… mom and dad’s relationship. Why sometimes she would stay here, and other times she and I would live in Ejapul……

                         

“That is why I’m here giving these two help right now.” He said with a wave of his hand towards the two officers.

“”Excuses you?!”” The officers both shouted out indignantly.

Lance raised his hands.

“Please! No need to thank me.” He told them smugly.

Officer Jenny scoffed.

“Thank you?” She said sarcastically to Lance. “If it wasn’t for you! Are investigating—“

“Would have been blindsided ages ago, and both of you would have already been fired.”

          

“…………………..”

Jenny stared wide eyed at the G-Man.

          

“F-F-F—Fired?!” Aviary asked in shock.

Lance nodded his head.

“Yup,” He pointed a hand towards the stunned looking Jennifer. “If it wasn’t for my reason for being in town, and doing a favor for a colleague of mine, I assure you. Both of you would have been out of your jobs and on the streets a month ago.”

“B-Bu—But why?!” Aviary cried out in disbelief. “What did we do, that we deserved—“

“It’s not about what we did…” Officer Jenny realized. “It was about what we learned.”

“Huh?!”

Lance was once again, nodding his head. An all to common thing that everyone was getting used too seeing.

“That’s correct. I was here in the neighborhood of Hoenn, following some leads about a Team Dunes activities in the area. The only clue and M.O. that came close enough to matching however, was the case you two were investigating.” He points out.

Aviary’s eyes went wide.

“So you were watching everything we were learning about?!”

“Private,” He told Aviary with a serious expression as he held up the policeman’s hat he wore earlier. “I was there the night that Officer Jenny had figured out Jennifer’s psychic abilities.”

          

“B-Bu—bu-bu—But! That was over two months ago!” Aviary pointed out.

“And I’ve been in the area since before these incidents took place,” He pointed at Officer Jenny with a finger and a smirk on his lips. “Do you really think it was a coincidence that she, a sergeant, was made lead on a case that spans almost every jurisdiction here in Hoenn?” Lance intricately detailed out to them. “That was also why I made sure to isolate the two of you; to keep the spread of information in only a few hands, so that not too many involved this case.”

“Because it involves Team Dunes?” Jennifer asked in a daze.

Lance shook his head.

“Because it involves you.”

        

This shocked everyone to hear.

“Me?!”

“””Her?!”””

                

Lance nodded.

“Yes, you. After you got hurt, your mother flipped her shit, *AHEM* Metaphorically, of course.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

“Somehow, I believe it more that she actually had literally, flipped her shit, but carry on Unca.”

“Right, as I was saying, when she heard you had gotten injured, she called me right away, as she knew I was investigating things here.” Lance winced and rubbed his ear. “My ears are still ringing……” He took a break before continuing. “After I calmed her down, I promised that I would take care of anything concerning your involvement.”

“””…The cover up…””” May, Aviary, and Jenny all said at the same time.

Lance nodded in agreement.

“Right; we decided to cover up Jennifer’s involvement with your case, Sergeant Jenny, because we were still unsure at the time, whether or not this investigation involved Team Dunes activities or not. And as you know, we couldn’t allow them to learn about Jennifer’s psychic abilities, lest they start an uprising and try to kidnap Jennifer.”

            

“So that is why you helped us that night… after talking with the Mayor…” Officer Jenny pointed out.

“That’s right,” Lance confirmed. “I had been using you two, for the last couple of months to further my own investigations. So, the least I could do, was help you maintain yours.”

“But that explains why you were also part of the, “don’t involve the Barakat child group”, because of who her mother is and who you are, and what you know.” Officer Jenny pointed out.

“Exactly, and as such, we’re coming full circle to the climax and conclusion of this conversation, along with everything that has been happening recently.” Lance acknowledged.

“…..Wow… just… wow Unca Lance… I just… this is a lot to take in.” Jennifer sat down on the ground next to Lance.

Ralts reached up and gently gave her trainer a hug, with her head resting on Jennifer’s collarbone. Trying her best to comfort her mistress.

             

Lance chuckled at his surrogate niece feeling overwhelmed.

“Yeah, that’s a lot to take in I bet, huh?” He said flippantly.

“I’ll say!” May shouted. “So then?! What the heck is next?!” She demanded. “If you’re here, does that mean these two screwed up, and they’re fired for involving Jennifer? Is Jennifer in danger?!” May asked worriedly.

But upon hearing May’s words, the two officers stiffened, realizing that what the young woman had said was a very really possibility.

Lance chuckled at May’s excessive worrying for her friend.

“In this case, no. No one is in trouble or in danger, and no one is getting fired.” Lance assured.

          

Officer Jenny and Aviary both breathed a sigh of relief, at the G-Man’s words.

                

“No, what we have here is a good old fashion cover up, unfortunately.” He told them.

“What do you mean?” Officer Jenny asked with narrowed eyes.

He shrugged.

“I made sure to file the reports you’ve made, with minor alterations to them, so they now fit, more or less in line, with what we need them to be for our peoples protection.” Lance informed them. “So, as it stands:” He pointed towards the three in front of him. “All of you are now under scrutiny and obligation of a gag order, to not mention or to involve Jennifer Barakat, in anyway, shape or from, with any case that is related to Team Dunes.” He told them. “And you’ll also be under penalty of the law, if any of you even so much as hints or mention to anyone or posts anything of the sort on social media about Jennifer’s powers or her involvement with this case.”

His eyes narrowed, his face growing deadly serious while looking at the three girls in front of him.

“Do I make myself clear?” He asked them in a tone the begrudged no argument.

          

All three of them saluted; including May.

“””S-SIR, YES SIR!!!”””

                   

Lance nodded at them.

“Good,” He told them. “Me and my men will be keeping an eye on you three; but rest assured, I do believe we can trust you.” He told them with a smile.

All three of them shivered at his sinister smile.

<That was like staring down a Aerodactyl!>

<I think I would rather fight this guy’s Gyarados barehanded!>

<Oh Joy! I’m so scared! I want to hold you in my arms, right now!>

          

Jennifer heard their terrified thoughts, because of Lance’s intense stare.

Glad he likes me… Jennifer thought to herself.

“Now, Jennifer.” He called to her gently.

“Y-Yes!” But she still jumped in surprise.

“You realize that you can’t get involved with this. At least, not anymore than you already are, correct?” He questioned whether or not the young woman understood that.

Jennifer nodded her head.

“Yeah, I get it. I’ve been too liberal with my psychic powers lately, and I’ve let too many people know about them.” She pointed out.

Lance nodded his head in satisfaction.

“Good. I’m glad at least that you get it. There is only so much your mom and I can do to sweep these things underneath the proverbial rug, as it were. We can barely keep your involvement in this case a secret anymore, that is, unless we shut the whole thing down, fire these two or have them transferred all the way to Unova, or something like that.”

Officer Jenny and Aviary both stiffened again at the realization at how expendable they both were, in comparison to this girl.

                              

But to their thankfulness, Jennifer was shaking her head.

“We can’t do that,” She told Lance. “That wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Besides! I was the one who had heard Ralts’s plea of help psychically. I was the one who impulsively jumped out of the car and ram towards danger, not being a Pokémon trainer, to fight against a Mightyena barehanded— WOW! That was really stupid huh?…”

Jennifer had never said it aloud like that before. It made her realize just how foolish she had been.

Lance was nodding at her with his eyes closed. Looking very smug.

I want to punch him in his face. Jennifer thought to herself.

“Yup, absolutely foolish.” He agreed with her. “But I think this little one would have called you something different that day,” He reached down and stroked Ralts’s head and hair. “I bet she would have called you brave. Right Ralts?” He asked her.

“Ralt! Ralts alt Ralt alts Ralts!” The tiny Feelings Pokémon cheered.

Jennifer felt her cheeks enflaming.

“You guys!…”

                                 

Lance chuckled, at his niece’s embarrassment.

                                   

                            

Everyone in the room could virtually feel the tension in the room change back to being calmer again.

“So? What happens now?” Jennifer asked as she stood up from the floor.

“Now?” Lance asked her.

She nodded.

“Yeah, in regards to the investigation. It’s not like you’re going to stop them, are you?”

“Oh goodness no!” He told her. He then jerked a thumb towards the two officers behind him. “These two are going to carry on their investigations like normal, but, now that you two know I’m also investigating right behind you, you can afford to leave a few things in your reports blank.” He smiled suggestively. “Saves me the trouble to having to copy your sloppy handwriting and forge reports.” He teased.

“S-Sloppy?!” Aviary shouted in outrage.

“Bah-hahahaha!”

         

Jennifer smiled at her unca as he laughed at Aviary’s reaction.

Yup, She thought. Still the same old Lance.

                    

“But, on a serious note.” He looked back towards the officers. “When you do your reports from now on, submit them through your chief or the mayor from now on. This why, they’ll get handled by me directly.” He told the two.

“So you can doctor them up.” Officer Jenny pointed out, rather than asking if that is what he was planning on doing.

He nodded.

“Just so.”

                 

Officer Jenny let out a large sigh.

“Perfect.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “This case just got a whole lot more complicated.” She lowered her hand, to look at Lance in the eyes. “Do you really think that this is an eco-attack by Team Dunes?” She asked him.

He shook his head.

“If you’re asking for my professional opinion, then, all I will say is, that we won’t know, until a thorough investigation is complete.” He told her, then shrugged. “But if you’re asking me, what I think?” He folded his arms, looking sullen. “I think it’s a waste of time: I’m pretty sure this is just a punk doing random acts of vandalism.”

                

“How do you figure?” Officer Jenny decided to pick the brain of a professional investigator, rather than just try to bum around on her own and get nowhere.

This may be my only chance to ask him directly, and to receive a direct answer as well.

           

Lance thought about his answer before replying.

“The problem I see with it is, that it reeks of an amateur, and someone who’s working solo.”

“And that denotes a thug, rather than Team Dunes because?” She realized she knew almost nothing on Team Dunes, and that she was going to change that.

Lance lifted a finger, holding it upwards.

“For one; anyone who is familiar with Team Dunes, will know that they work in a group, and do precision strikes on targets and locations.”

Jennifer nodded her head along with what her unca was saying.

“And, there is also the lack of accountability for these crimes as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, Team Dunes takes pride in what they do. They like to announce what they’re planning on doing, then following through with it: the person doing this, feels like they’re trying to get away with what their doing; rather than trying to seek notoriety.”

“Okay, that maybe true, but also, it could mean that they’re purposefully trying something different. Trying to blend in with the locals or something.” Officer Jenny realized that her argument just now was weak, but she also needed more information to go on.

I need to know more; I’ve got to keep the conversation going.

She knew, that without even looking at her, that Aviary was taking notes and writing things down on her pad.

“That is a possibility. They aren’t known for spreading far outside of Ejapul. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t in the past. Which brings me to my final point:” He told her.

“Team Dunes is organized. This isn’t some sort of garden variety of thugs like Team Rocket or Team Aqua or Magma; they aren’t grunts following blindly to a single person’s ideal. Each and every member of Team Dunes, is like a separate entity, one that works independently for their own goal, all working towards a single purpose: the total control of Pokémon and Ejapul.”

“So they can have power over Pokémon, like they wanted in the past: to make Pokémon their slaves?”

Lance shook his head.

“Worse than that. Intel suggests that they’re ambitions are the same, but have also evolved into something more sinister: they want to control all Pokémon in the world, and control who is allowed to have Pokémon.”

“But thats!—“

“Nothing short of total world domination. I know.” Lance agreed. “It is also why this organization has survived for the last two hundred and fifty years: it’s gone through different names. But it has ultimately settled on this name in particular.”

He shrugged after that.

“That is why I’m not getting directly involved with your case, Sergeant. I’m busy turning over, other rocks in Hoenn. Trying to find other leads. But that’s also why I am keeping an eye on this case… two reasons actually: one being; Jennifer. The second being; that I don’t know, that this isn’t a sort of splinter group of Team Dunes.”

“I see… So we should go into this expecting to find an evil organization at the end of this tunnel?” Officer Jenny asked Lance.

He shook his head.

“I don’t think so,” He pointed towards Aviary. “May I see your sketch please?”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah!” Aviary took out her sketch book and opened it up to the sketch she had drawn. “Here you are sir.”

He looked at it, hummed, then snapped a picture of it with his phone, before handing the sketch back to Aviary.

“If this is our perpetrator, I believe he is far to young: not that Team Dunes does hire that young,” Lance suggested. “But over all, they try to recruit older people, who share their ideals; not younger, easier to manipulate people.”

                                

*BA-DUMP*

                 *BA-THUMP*

                                   

Ralts looked up at her mistress, as she felt the surge of guilt flow through her.

She looked up just in time to see a look of pain cross her mistress’s face.

Jennifer looked to see Ralts was watching her. So she graced her with a reassuring smile.

                                   

“Anymore questions “Detective?”~” Lance teased Officer Jenny.

She laughed at being caught red handed with her questions.

“No, I suppose that will do. Guess I’m not as subtle as I think I am.”

He chortled at her words.

“You’re pretty good, just a little lack of experience on your part. You lead the conversation beautifully, but I knew what it was, that you were trying to do.” Lance told her with a smirk.

“So, when grilling someone like that, know your opponent… gotcha.”

Lance raised an eyebrow, impressed that she caught on to what he was suggesting.

                                        

“So?!” May spoke up. “Are we all done here, then?” She strongly suggested. “Jennifer has pretty much drained herself getting you two the information you wanted, and I’m pretty sure she wants to go home.”

“Yes, well. I still have a few things to talk with these two officers for a bit.” Lance informed her, then waved her and Jennifer off. “You both can go, is that alright Sergeant?” He asked her.

Officer Jenny nodded her head.

“Yeah, that’s fine.” She walked up to Jennifer and extended her hand. “Thanks again for coming to help us. You don’t know what it means to mean that we were able to get this information. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”

Jennifer laughed and waved her off.

“Bah! It was nothing,” She told Officer Jenny. “If it wasn’t for everything that had happened!” She looked over at Lance with narrowed eyes. “I would have met you sooner, and I would have gladly done this for you.” Jennifer assured her.

Aviary laughed as she walked up to shake Jennifer’s hand as well.

“Yes! Thank you very much! It was a great honor to work with a psychic! I never had before, especially not one as powerful as you! You really saved us on our budget by coming to help us!”

Jennifer tilted her head.

“Budget?”

          

           

“……………………….”

                 

                 

<I-IDIOT!> Officer Jenny shouted in her mind.

                

Jennifer looked at the senior officer in confusion.

          

“*SIGH* No point in trying to keep it a secret from a psychic I suppose.” She lamented. She looked Jennifer right in the eye before explaining. “One of the biggest obstacles we were facing, was a lack of solid physical evidence to prove anything that we were suggesting in theory, to the higher ups: but in my opinion, what we had was concrete proof. But a court of law would have dismissed the case out of court, with a simple non-irremissible evidence, or called me into question for working off of conjectures without physical proof of some kind.” She explained. “I asked for a requisition to have psychic be brought into our case months ago, but…” She trailed off, having a hard time saying what came next.

“…But they told us, that unless we provided proof of our claims. That they would not approve a budget for a psychic to be consulted without some sort of guarantee that it wasn’t a waste of time and money.” Aviary supplied helpfully.

“*SIGH* and… as luck would have it…” Officer Jenny drawled out. “A perfectly good chance, landed in our lap from the very case we were investigating, as it were: during your case, I had concluded that you must have heard Ralts’s cry for help telepathically; that was more than good enough for me, to try and get in contact with you, to figure out if you were psychic or not.”

Jennifer blinked at the deductive reasoning behind Officer Jenny’s logic.

“So?! You needed my help all this time… because of a budget?” Jennifer asked confused.

“*SIGH* I knew I was right!” Officer Jenny argued. “But this guy wasn’t leaving me room to argue with my superiors; by not leaving any sort of evidence. So I had no room to argue my case, other than suggesting it was a gut feeling.”

“Which in my area of expertise, works out to be an eight-to-ten ratio.” Lance chimed in.

“Eight-to-ten?” May questioned.

“That following your gut, usually ends up working, until it lands you smack dab in the middle of things, and then it kills you.” Jennifer and Ralts felt the wave of sadness come off of Lance at his words. “So remember to always have an exit plan for when you’re not sure or it’s a hunch only.”

Officer Jenny nodded at his pointed advice.

“A good thing to remember.” She agreed with him. She then looked back over at Jennifer. “So, yes and no: Yes it was because the higher ups wouldn’t approve me for a psychic. But no, that was not the reason I asked you; I asked you because I knew I was right, and that I knew you would want to see this case through.”

                                 

Jennifer realized that Officer Jenny had her pegged on this one.

“You’re right there detective.” She said teasingly.

Which only earned her narrowed eyes.

“Don’t get cute on me girl.” She growled.

Jennifer laughed and hid behind Lance.

“Lance! The mean officer is picking on me!~”

“D-Don’t hide behind a Pokémon champion! That’s cheating!” Officer Jenny cried.

“Hahaha!~ Fear not baby Jenny-Fur! I’ll protect you!~” He told Jennifer with a flourish of his cape.

“D-Don’t call me that!” Jennifer shouted.

               

Everyone was laughing at this point, at how Jennifer’s teasing had back fired on her.

                      

After everyone started to calm back down, Jennifer looked over at Officer Jenny to ask her.

“So? What is the consulting cost of a psychic anyways? How much did you end up saving, with having me do it?” She asked flippantly.

         

But the looks she received were described at best, as awkward and ashamed.

        

Jennifer blinked at their quiet, non-responses.

                    

She looked over to May, who also looked away from her. May’s face scrunched up a bit and she looked around nervously.

Jennifer blinked in confusion that even her friend looked hesitant to say anything.

She looked up at Lance.

Who was also looking stoic and unflappable.

                  

“Come on! What is it?!” She asked to group as a whole. “It can’t be that much, right?” She wondered curiously.

But the groups continued silence made her realize otherwise that the opposite was true.

“Holy shit!” Jennifer exclaimed. “Just how much do psychics charge people?!” She asked with her mouth a gap.

May coughed, right before she raised her hand again.

                     

“G-G-Generally speaking, a good psychic, one that is legitimate, usually ranges from five to eight hundred……” May trailed off.

Jennifer closed her mouth and cocked her head to the side in confusion.

“Well, that doesn’t sound that bad—“

“Thousand.”

“Huh?”

“Five to eight-hundred-thousand PokéDollars.”

        

Jennifer’s mouth fell open again, but this time out of shock.

“W-what?!” She exclaimed.

Officer Jenny nodded stoically.

“And that is just to consult with them. That is not even their asking price for the job usual: which can range anywhere from a million, upwards into the tens of millions.”

“Tens of!— who could afford that?!” Jennifer exclaimed.

“”””The rich and famous.””””

The four others said at the same time.

Jennifer stood there, her mouth open a gap, once again.

          

“Rich people pay that kind of price?!” Jennifer questioned them.

All of them nodded.

“Sure,” Aviary said. “Lots of the rich and famous, like to have their Pokémon’s minds read. Just so that they can know what it is that their Pokémon are thinking, or to know what is wrong with their Pokémon’s behavior.”

May nodded.

“Yeah, when I invited Sabrina to come meet Ralts, I had to entice her with a year’s supply of PokéBlocks.”

Jennifer gap even more at what her friend had just said.

“You had to what—“

“WHAT?! Sabrina-chan was in town?!”

                   

Everyone looked towards Lance.

“You know her unca?” Jennifer questioned.

“Hahahaha! Well! I would be a bad leader and chief if I didn’t know who all my subordinates were.”

“”””EEEEHHHH?!”””” The other four exclaimed.

“S-Sabrina is— is!— is part of Pokémon G-men?!” May exclaimed in shock.

                     

“Ah!” Lance just realized he had casually gave away the identity of one of his operatives. He scratched his cheek while looking at the faces of everyone. “F-Forget you heard that…..”

“””””AS IF!!!!”””” They all exclaimed.            

                             

Jennifer laughed after that.

“Geez! I had no idea that being a psychic was lucrative…” Jennifer thought dazed. “I basically do that kind of stuff, like reading Pokémon’s minds, for free daily… I should start charging people.” She joking suggested.

“Don’t forget, that you’re hiding your psychic powers.” Lance reminded her sternly.

“Oh… right.” Jennifer said sheepishly.

But Lance smiled at his surrogate niece, and decided she deserved a reward.

“But, you have helped these fine officers out with their case. And while you can’t be a famous psychic right now, you are more then obligated to be paid for your help here today.” He smirked at the now nervous looking officer duo.

“So? What do you say? What is it that you want for a reward? Let’s stretch their budget as far as it will go! Teach them a lesson.”

Officers Jenny and Aviary stood there nervously and stock still, as Jennifer pondered her unca’s words.

“Hmm?…….. What I want?” Jennifer wondered in confusion. Not sure what it was that she wanted.

She looked off to the side as she thought about this.

            

What I want………

She smiled, then nodded to herself.

             

She looked over at officer Jenny.

                    

Jennifer smiling face, only made Officer Jenny even more nervous.

                

<Oh Lord Arceus! Please don’t hurt my budget!>

             

“What I want, Officer Jenny,” Jennifer began. “Is…………”

           

Lance smiled, as if he was anticipating this.

But everyone else had large eyes at Jennifer’s request.