Gyms were horribly loud places in the off-hours. Not only because there was so much preparation to make for the next challengers, but because leaders would allow their Pokémon freedom they were generally denied during the day. The cries would echo about the huge buildings until there was hardly space enough to think within. They'd visited all the other gyms, upon their induction into the league, and this sort of ruckus was constant.

Their orders informed them that this was the sort of behavior caused by enslavement, and those cries were from anguish. Their own Pokémon, after being healed, fed, and rested, were released every night. If the Pokémon returned in time for the next battle, so be it. If they didn't…

It was annoying, but they were servants by nature. They took it with a smile, a nod, and little more.

This arrangement did allow them to have a bit of silence leaders rarely experienced, which was refreshing after a long stream of customers and trainers. With the staff dismissed, they could enjoy the scratch of a pen as inventory was taken, the bubbling of soup on the stove, and the sound of footsteps coming up the front hall.

All three were at attention, even if they didn't want to be. It was a shame that, even for all the raising Lord N had with Pokémon who depended on stealth, he'd never learned to quiet his footfalls. It was a wasted opportunity on his part.

More out of habit than respect, Dent pulled a chair out for him. "It's quite late to be travelling, isn't it?"

"Purrloin prefer the dark, I had one to say goodbye to," he said as he took the chair, and then the tea offered to him. "Since it's so quiet, I assume you've all said goodbye, as well?"

"As ordered," Pod said.

"Wonderful." N sipped his tea, blew on it, and sipped again.

There was a great deal of work to be done before the brothers could turn in for the night, but they waited for orders which had yet to materialize. N smiled as the sounds of a pot boiling over came from the kitchen, as they squirmed but stayed put.

"Don't ruin your dinner on my account," he said. Pod hurried off to the kitchen to salvage the food. "This isn't an enormous issue; I just came to ask a favor."

Out of habit, Corn went over and refilled the cup.

"There's a boy coming this way, by his rate of travel I'd assume he'll be here tomorrow. I'd like you to track him, it seems he'll turn out to be quite…" His eyes moved about as he thought of the appropriate word. "Let's settle with 'interesting', for now."

"Do you have a name?" Dent asked.

"I didn't catch one. He'll be coming on foot; he has dark hair, a Teppig, and a satchel. He should be simple enough to recognize."

This was vague, and could have described any number of their challengers. They nodded their agreement that they would find him, however.

"Would you like him to be given a badge?" Pod asked as he returned from the kitchen.

N finished his tea in a final swallow. "If he's worth following, he'll leave you little choice but to give him one." He brushed off Corn's moves to refill his cup as he stood. "Well, I've held you up much too long. I know I can count on you."

"Yes, Lord N," they said, with quick bows of the head.

Dent returned to the kitchen to divide out the meal. "Two of us should stay behind to maintain this place. It'd be too suspicious if we all disappeared."

"And we need the income…" Corn added. "Which one of us should it be? I don't think I'd mind going…"

"Neither would I," Pod added quickly. "It might be exciting."

Dent smiled down at his own portion. "If he's so interesting, I'm assuming he'll decide on his own."

They continue their work on the inventory and cleaning. Each was fully aware that this would be the last night of united domestics, and unsure exactly how they felt about that. But they were servants by nature, and they took it with a smile, a nod, and little more.