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Seven years. It had been seven years since that day I retired myself from the countless adventures I had during my travels across the region of Kanto.

I had returned to my home city and for those seven years took the role of gym leader. And I could hardly last just those seven with that duty alone. By the end of the first three, I had become bored and insatiable. The challenges, the events, they were dull and shallow in comparison to the journeys I had with my close friends. I yearned for something more, something so much greater – to travel once again and affect the world like I had in that wondrous past – but I could never abandon my home city and gym again. They needed me – now more than ever. Though the city already had three gym leaders before me to watch over its reputation and pride, only I could keep its head held high and reputation in boast. So within great reason, I resolved that I would stay as its gym leader… part-time. My thirst for wanting to become something less shallow and dull could not be ignored, so I became something far more involved and interesting within the "Floral Lagoon City": A private detective – the only one of its kind within the region of Kanto.

Part gym leader, part private investigator, there was hardly a soul that believed that such a dual career could be done with sanity-held ease. …and they're quite right. Juggling between the two titles and roles was near impossible for years – but no one else was more qualified than I. Or at least, no one was crazy enough to think it was a good idea.

To my fault, I was not educated or well-trained like other private investigators found in Saffron or Viridian. But to my advantage, I had experience in solving problems, much thanks to the travels with my old friends. And for three years, I used my experience to solve almost everyone's problems within my beloved city. It was difficult, as I said, to do that and continue as acting gym leader – but with the help of my three elder sisters taking charge whenever I was found absent, I had held my original position while succeeding in my help towards those who could never wait on the slow arm of the law. I had succeeded so well, that by the end of those three dual-identified years the city of Cerulean had quieted dramatically of serious issues that didn't concern the public eye.

I achieved limited satisfaction and pride by the end of those six years, but not so much in this last one. For an entire year I've received nothing but calls from suspicious husbands and trivial missing item cases. And for an entire year I've been begged countless times by my sisters to return to full-time gym duties. There was no doubt within my now-perceptive mind that they were attempting to schedule a "sudden vacation" for the three of them the instant I would take the gym's reins back into my hands. As bored as I was of my year's investigations, I had no plans of retiring my dual-title for an unknown number of months just so my irresponsible sisters could be "free". And so I continued to juggle both shallowing jobs in the hopes that just one of them would bring something of great interest to make this tiring year worth it.

My hopes were granted in the most shockingly-obvious way possible. Walking through the door of my detective office, a renovated guest room within the gym, was a familiar face. A face far too familiar to keep my usual professional composure. "ASH!?" I yelled in confused excitement, nearly dropping the coffee in my hands.

"Long time no see, Misty." he said to me – in a tone that made it sound like a day hasn't passed since we last saw one another. It had been two years, one month, and six days since we last spoke to each other through a vidphone, add two years and fifteen days if counting having seen in-person. …which was strange for me to know so accurately. I blame the shock of the moment.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" I asked him. My professionalism clumsily returned when my eyes caught a glance of the briefcase in his hands. He was more than likely here for business rather than pleasure… which oddly made me happy and sad at the same time. With a clearing of my throat, I straightened my back and sat comfortably into my office chair. "You're… here for my services?"

"Y-Yeah." he answered stiffly. His hand reached around and scratched at his shoulder, almost as if it was a nervous habit. The action gave attention to a noticeably-lacking feature.

"Ash…? Where's Pikachu?"

His face turned grim. And like so many of my clients before, he sat himself onto the chair in front of my table and sighed. "He's gone. Someone took him."

I accepted his case. Why would I not? Not only was Ash a very dear friend of mine, and not only was Pikachu a dear friend of mine as well, but whatever otherworldly power was watching over me had thrown a strange coincidence over this case to capture all of my attention: Today was the seventh year anniversary of when I left Ash and Pikachu's lives to make a life for my own. It was a day that I held of great importance in my mind, despite never mentioning it to others. I would often count the days that would pass since then in order to measure how long it would take for me to become truly independent. Independent from Ash Ketchum, who I had followed and supported for three years of my life.

Now he was a client of mine. Truly this would mean that I'm independent now, right? After all, he is the one asking for my expertise. The roles have reversed, and now he had to follow my lead. This had to be a sign that I've finally achieved enough to claim my own legacy. I'm sure of it.

And with my legacy and reputation, I immediately began my work. For the first hour of my investigation I followed my client back to the scene of the disappearance. Northwest of my gym and office, sat a peculiar cave that owned many names. Cerulean Cave to some, Unknown Dungeon to others – but as a native of this city, I simply saw it as an insignificant feature within the feature-full areas of Cerulean. Nothing was known about the cave, and nothing was known to be around it. It was simply a deep cave, like any other. It was at the entrance of this cave that my worried client had lost his faithful pokémon.

"It was just at the entrance? Not deeper inside?" I asked him, curious of how one could lose anything within a brightly-lit area.

"Yes. I was standing right here. Pikachu was on my shoulder for one second. Then after I looked into the dark end of the cave and turned back to ask if he could light the way for us… he was gone."

"How long did you look into the cave?"

"Just for a second. Maybe three at most."

"And Pikachu didn't make any sounds whatsoever? You didn't feel him leap off your shoulder?"

"No. None at all. Not even a touch. I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find him."

"And you're sure he didn't run into the cave ahead of you?"

"I was just looking inside it – I didn't see him running in there. Besides, it doesn't get dark until you get deeper into the cave, so there's no way I could have missed him."

There was already an obvious suspect, or rather a trio of them, that came into mind, but a more pressing question had to be brought up. "May I ask you something?"

"Er… sure?" he responded awkwardly. He obviously wasn't used to my professional way of speaking to him, as he and I would always speak to one another like immature children even when we grew into our late teens and early adulthood. But as this is a case and as he is a client, I cannot allow myself to respond in any other manner. Professionalism must always be held – even between two individuals as close as us.

"What are your reasons for being within Cerulean City, Kanto region? From a few recent news articles and programs, it shows that you were competing within the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup in Lacunosa Town, Unova region. One of them was dated just a week ago. With your loss against a promising Trainer named Trip. It seems a bit much for anyone to travel so far for just a shamed loss."

"I-It wasn't shameful!" he yelled at me angrily. I know I should have treated him with more respect as my client, but I wanted to tease him just once. For old times' sake. He continued with his upset reaction, "The battle was re–"

"I apologize." I interrupted, having no need for further arguments. "May I then ask why you're here?"

Ash lifted his right hand and presented the briefcase he'd been holding. I felt a sense of relief, as I had been curious of it since I had seen it on his person. "This is a package for Professor Oak. It's from Professor Juniper. She told me to deliver it to him as soon as possible."

"Ah yes, Professor Oak. I almost forgot that he is assisting in a study of this cave. And what is in this package?"

"Huh? Why do you need to know that?"

"Any information you can provide me with may aid me in my search for Pikachu."

"Um… I don't know."

"You don't know?"

My client shrugged and weighed the briefcase in his hand. "Like I said, I don't know. I was just left this package by Professor Juniper and was told to give it to Professor Oak as soon as possible."

"And you came here as soon as you could? By yourself?"

"I was only given one plane ticket… I couldn't afford to bring my friends here with me. I'm not exactly made of money, you know."

I nodded and studied the mysterious briefcase. "Locked. Code combination. Whatever's inside isn't for our eyes. And you said this was for Professor Oak?"

"Yeah. I just said that like ten times."

"Confirmation is always necessary." I responded. Briefcase in hand, I lifted and lowered my arm, attempting to feel or hear if anything was inside. By the faintest vibration I could feel that there was a paper or a few number of papers inside. What amount of importance each document held inside was as much a mystery of why it would be entrusted to a lone-traveling trainer – even of one of much renown as Ash. If only I could find its contents then I'd know why the fates brought him back into my life… and possibly Pikachu's whereabouts, of course.

"You… sound funny."

My client's words caused me to lose thought. I stared at him strangely. "Excuse me?"

"How you're speaking. How you've been speaking. You sound all… 'adult'-ish."

"We are adults, Ash. I'm 20 and you're turning 20 in nineteen days. It's only strange that we haven't spoken like adults until now."

"…And you sure know a lot about me. I had to remind my mom that my birthday was coming up. But you even know how many days it'll be until then. And you even knew about the tournament I was in. Heck, even May didn't know about that until I called her about it."

"So you call her, but not me?" I grumbled.

"What?"

"I said I'm an investigator, Ash. To know more about my clients would only be to my business' benefit."

"But I wasn't your client until this morning…"

"Look, I know everyone's birthday, okay? And I just happen to read the newspaper more often than you and your friends."

"When's Brock's birthday?"

"What?"

"When's Brock's birthday?"

"… somewhere in… December, I think…"

He shrugged his shoulders, showing that he wasn't sure of the answer himself. "Just admit it, Misty, you're running a fan club for me."

The briefcase struck him sideways and nearly knocked him into the river – a product of my 'clumsy' hands. "We should keep our minds on the case, Mr. Ketchum." I responded with a dulled voice, "Pikachu could be in danger and we are continuing to threaten it with our lollygagging."

My client climbed to his feet and returned the package to its secure hold. "Right. Do you have any leads?"

"A few, but I can't be too sure of any of them. One more question if you don't mind. Do you think Pikachu could have been taken from above?"

"You're thinking by an air balloon? Team Rocket? That's not possible. They were following me back in Unova."

"And they followed you here."

"You're sure?"

"A private investigator has to stay aware of any infamous criminals, returning or otherwise, entering their district. So when a trio of crooks starts causing problems for the authorities – I'm sure I know who they are and now I know why they're here."

"And you didn't do anything about them?!" he roared at me, this time without my coaxing. It pained me to give him the distant answer I was expected to give.

"I'm a private detective, a private investigator, an inquiry agent. I inquire when I am inquired. As that is a public matter and no one has come to complain about them to me specifically, I am expected by customers and peers alike to refuse becoming involved with such situations until I am inquired."

"But they're Team Rocket! Can't you just arrest them on the spot, knowing who they are and what they do?"

"No. Until they've done something wrong, they cannot be arrested. And even if they've done something wrong, I can't do anything about it unless someone asks me to. And even then, I can't arrest them – that's up to the authorities. As the authorities are already on them, I don't see why I would even be involved. Oh, and you're mistaking me with a bounty hunter or a vigilante. I'm neither. Private investigator. I investigate matters privately."

"They stole Pikachu! You're just going to let them get away with that?"

"We can't be sure they did."

"But you were just suggesting they did!"

"I am keeping them suspect. But I am not claiming them guilty."

"Then let's find out if they are!"

"I was just about to suggest that."

My client shook his head, showing only disappointment in my controlled pace. "The old Misty would have stopped them right then and there. She wouldn't have waited for them to hurt someone first."

"The old Misty was also ten years old and not immediately responsible for things concerning the law. I have two careers and a reputation to uphold, Mr. Ketchum. I would have hoped you would understand."

He spoke no more of the matter, much to my lowered, beaten relief. Despite having expected his upset words, they had stung me fiercely enough to cause me to reconsider my uninvolving distance. Ash isn't just a client; he's a very dear friend to me. And Pikachu isn't just a missing pokémon; he's a cherished companion. I owe many of my memories to the both of them – yet I'm treating them like I would treat anyone else that would have walked through my office doors. But the fact that they mean so much to me only gives me further evidence that I should keep my distance. If this is fate testing my resolve in becoming independent in my life – independent from not only Ash and Pikachu, but also from my sisters and anyone else that would see me as only an 'addition' or 'support' rather than acknowledging my full existence and potential – then I have to prove that I can do this maturely and professionally.

If I truly want to help my friends out, the best thing I can do is solve this case as efficiently and as effectively as possible.

With efficiency and effectiveness burned into my purpose, I quickly traveled to meet with the first suspects.

They weren't difficult to trace, and they were hardly difficult to find and corner. The Team Rocket Trio were not criminals known for their stealth. Their unpredictability and luck, perhaps. But anything that required honest skills or straightforward thinking was not a part of their forte. With the confusing reports the authorities and eye witnesses had left behind, their location was triangulated to a park nearby the Cascade Spring Resort – a rather popular getaway within Cerulean. Actually, from accurate triangulation, they should have been found within a construction yard at the corner of Geyser Ave and Maya St, close to a not-so-famous deli. But my experiences with Team Rocket in the past only assured me that they would have chosen an unintentionally innocent area for a hideout that was parked nearby a popular building or event. These buildings and events would often be promised with a buffet of some sort. Vast quantities of food were as much an attractant to them as misfortunately-placed pokémon.

The park where I had predicted them to be was empty, however. Such a failure only encouraged my impatient client to mumble insults in my direction. I ignored them and prepared to prove his words wrong. With a flick of my finger, a large portion of the so-called "grass" collapsed into an improbably-large hole. Digging was one of the only two honest skills the Team Rocket Trio could boast about, so a hideaway hole was certainly not out of the question.

Everything that followed from their cornering was unpredictably predictable. It had been years since I faced them in battle, but they fought the same way they always did: Irrationally and clumsily. Close to losing, they revealed the last of their honest skills: Machinery. A mecha, this one oddly in the shape of a psyduck, was piloted by them to battle both me and my client. As predictably unpredictable as I had expectedly never expected: their mecha was immune to most of my pokémon's attacks. I always found it strange how such failures of their own profession could face even hardened gym leaders like myself with ease. The strangeness of the thought vanished when a weakness was found in their poorly-designed machine. A strike from my client's charming, new otter-like pokémon had shattered the mecha instantly and left the pilots vulnerable to a final blow. It took all of our will to stop ourselves from naturally "blasting them off again". We had questions and business always came before pleasure.

"Where's Pikachu?!" Ash yelled.

He and his pokémon, of which I had come to know as an 'oshawott', stood fiercely above the trio, threatening them with their stance. The two humans in the team were at least ten years his senior, yet the three of them still cowered before him pathetically. It's been several years since I've traveled with the 'boy from Pallet Town' and faced the 'infamous' Jessie, James, and Meowth, yet the scene played out like it always had: A lousy group of villains losing to a young underdog and his friends.

For a moment, I had thought that not a day had passed since I traveled with him, and that this was just another run-in with these goons. But the oshawott by Ash's side told me the exact opposite. When did he acquire this pokémon? How? With who? And how is the 'who' associated with him? His traveling companions were famous to a point, but I wondered if this 'Iris' was as close to him as I used to be. Even with my constant researches of his actions within the region of Unova, I never got enough information to paint a clear picture of what kind of adventures he's had and what he's experienced. He could be a completely different person, and only my perceptions and hopeful sense of denial could be preventing me from seeing it. To me, he was still Ash Ketchum. The young man who once owed me a bike.

I didn't want to linger in these thoughts anymore. Already several more angry shout-back-and-forths were made between Team Rocket and Ash during my distractions. It was obvious that the trio had no idea where Pikachu had disappeared to, and they seemed insulted by the fact that someone had beaten them to their plan. As I suspected: Team Rocket, after noticing Ash separate from his friends in Unova, had planned on capturing Pikachu while he was alone and vulnerable. How they had followed him overseas and how they could have afforded it was beyond me. But the important fact was: They didn't have Pikachu. A side-thievery-gone-wrong had distracted them from their prey long enough to give someone else a chance to nab the faithful companion – and once again they were on the losing end.

Without my client's pikachu and without actually having succeeded in stealing anything from their last heist, the three were not guilty of any crime – even 'attempted robbery' was stretching the truth of their failure. Moreover, whatever they were wanted for in Unova didn't count here, and the statute of limitations may have forgotten them entirely within the Kanto region. I could make no arrest. But to let them free would have been foolish. They would only try to steal something from someone again. That's their nature. But still… it wasn't in my jurisdiction to –

"You're letting them go?!" My client was understandably upset. The trio, on the other hand, seemed quite humored by my decision.

"Looks like the twerpette's become a proper pencil-pusher." Jessie commented mockingly.

"I bet she can't even push a pencil without the pencil having done something wrong first!" James added.

"Yeesh, wid' d'a kind'a rules she follows – you'd tink d'at even 'er boss has t'a politely ask someone else if d'ey could fire 'er!" Meowth pronounced terribly.

The three of them laughed and added more teasing insults to my actions. They knew I wouldn't harm them from this point on. And so they pushed as far as they could with their mockeries without ever going beyond any boundary. It was… immature. Childish. Annoying. How could these three act like this if they were my senior? I wanted to respond with a carefully-timed snide comment that would strike at their laughable success rate and lack of true employment – just to depress their spirits enough to have won this argument. But their playful, idiotic jokes made me second-guess myself. Here they were, the most unsuccessful group of criminals to have ever walked the face of the earth, who had met more misfortunes and poor lucks than anyone else may have even seen, and they were happy. Stupidity might be to blame, but what use was my intelligence at this point if I couldn't find the relief they found every minute of their life? By the natural order of things I should just "blast them off" now and be done with it. It wouldn't harm anyone – the three are resilient and practically immortal – and I'd feel far better expressing that aggressive side of myself instead of just seeing them wallow in defeated depression from my venomous slurs. But I couldn't. Because of my reputation. And my career. And my strict sense of professionalism and maturity. Yet what good were those things if I couldn't grasp satisfaction from just a simple action?

I am only to be called foolish and weak for what I was about to do, but James' last insult of "She probably has to have a bad dream before she can even use her bed for arrest. Get it?" was just so stupid that someone had to do something before anyone else could return with a cheesier one.

"Mr. Ketchum. Would you do me the favor of considering me fired from this investigation for just a moment?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I wish to make some damages without harming my career's standards."

"Ohh. Sure. You're fired."

"See! Wha'd I tell y'a? She had t'a ask t'a be fired!" Meowth snorted loudly. "…Oh wait."

"Starmie! Hydro Pump!"

And with that final non-work-related blow, we were greeted with the familiar "Team Rocket's blasting off again!" jingle that brought back a strange sense of comforting nostalgia. The calming feeling must have been strong, as Ash stared at me oddly. I must have been smiling. And he would have said something in response to it, but we had no time.

"This side's a dead end." I said to him, "Rehire me and we'll continue the investigation."

He nodded and returned my status. For the next hour we traveled about and spoke with a few would-be witnesses. The City of Cerulean was being affected by strong winds around this late season, making it an unpopular destination for trainers and tourists alike this time of the year. As such, the few that dared to wander into the city's wind-biting temperatures were all possible witnesses. They were also all possible suspects, but most had their alibis and the rest had no leading evidence. Nevertheless, all were interviewed and questioned. Nothing solid came from any of them except for a few gossips that only promised to make us chase circles into the ground. It didn't matter: I already had other suspects and other trails to follow, but I had to make these individual calls just to be sure.

Night had come and the day's search came to an end. My client's mood had deteriorated terribly. Pikachu was still missing and we were "wasting time by just sitting here and doing nothing". With a calm demeanor, I assured him that we would find his companion, as no evidences currently gathered pointed to anyone unscreened having left the city's limits. The only possible route of escape was underground, and I would only hope that the criminal trio would secure those passages from anyone attempting to escape with their target. Retaking Pikachu from those goons would be far easier than from finding it within a city, of that I was sure. For now, all that could be done was to review what clues I had obtained and continue my search in the morning.

However, with my guest's impatience boiling up to the fore, I had to calm his nerves first and foremost if I were to get any reviews completed. It was a strange bother of an experience. Normally my job would have me force my clients out of my investigations until I was complete. That action wasn't done with Ash Ketchum, and it wasn't being done now. He had followed me throughout my day's search, which only a rare few had done before, but I had made him as one of the exceptions for the obvious reason of retracing steps. And now he was spending the night in my office, which certainly no one had done before, but I had made him as my only exception for reasons of…

I'm not entirely sure.

A part of me wants me to be convinced that I'm allowing him in here to help with clues and theories – using the partnership we had in the past as his résumé. But as I continue to distract him from his distress, with stories and conversations of what had happened since we had last spoken to one another, it became obvious that it was just denial that gave me the excuse. We weren't discussing the case anymore. The clues weren't being looked through. No more leads were brought up. It was almost as if we forgot what we were doing here.

And I felt strangely at ease because of it.

Morning came and its alarm acted as a terrible reminder of my business. I hurriedly made myself as presentable as I could before I set out for the day's investigation.

Scanning the office for anything I had left behind revived the memory of the enjoyable hours prior to my waking. Ash was sleeping on the floor, against a cushioned chair, he had sworn the night before that the spot was more comfortable than it looked, and after reluctantly sitting next to him I surprisingly agreed. The two of us had spent the entire evening and late night hours chatting, teasing, and laughing with one another. I affirmed to such actions in order to keep his mind away from worries, but I know for a fact that I appreciated those hours far more than I was willing to openly admit. It was a sweet memory, one that I would add to my most cherished thoughts. But the moment was passed – only a memory of something that would never happen again. The present and future now took precedence, and both depended on me to return to the business I was hired to complete. And this time, Ash would not slow me down.

He was asleep, deeply so. Normally it would take another person or pokémon to rouse him from his morning laziness, and I wasn't planning on being that person. With a hushed reach and grab, I snatched the briefcase away from his proximity and snuck out the office door. A close call with one of my sisters, Daisy, had almost revealed the sleeping guest, but I dodged her questions expertly and answered her discussions with a professional quickness. Free from suspicion, I soon made my way out of the gym and headed towards my main lead: Professor Oak.

There were far too many mysteries within this case to ignore or to entrust with Ash's consensus. The mingling and interrogations with random passerby the day before, while scheduled, were great excuses for me to tire out Ash's energy for the rest of this investigation. If I were to achieve an accurate conclusion, I needed to treat Ash as much a suspect as I would anyone else. The first of many clues he had told me never added up: Pikachu had gone missing without any form of fighting back, immediate cause for distraction, stressed noise, or nearby threatening suspects. Fact of the matter was, all signs pointed to an intentional escape. Pikachu would have to have had snuck off himself in order for Ash to not notice a disappearance of that ultimate invisibility. Unless he mysteriously vanished into another dimension – which was an actual possibility with an involved man like Ash.

Further adding confusion to this case was the 'package' Ash was sent to bring to Professor Oak. Why was Ash sent on his own? Why wasn't it merely delivered by a company? And what would be important enough to drag a Trainer away from their badge-hunting during a popular season? Ash supposedly never knew the answer to these, but Professor Oak would.

I reached the cave minutes ago, finding the travel to be much faster without a client by my side, and was readying myself to go climb down a man-made pit. A voice startled me out of the action.

"I wouldn't suggest going down there. We've already taken down the lamps and ladders. It would be a long travel back without either a light or a rope."

The voice that had sounded was familiar and smile-inducing. The ever-grandfatherly Professor Oak happily greeted me when our eyes locked. Returning greetings and small-talks of my own, we found a comfortable spot to finally speak of why the both of us were where we were.

"Ash said he was sent here to deliver you this package." I said as I held the briefcase up, "Professor Juniper sent it."

Professor Oak gave me a worrying frown. He rotated back and forth before producing a briefcase of similar shape and design. "You mean… this? I already received it. Two days ago, in fact."

Suspicion pierced through my system, but I wasn't ready to jump to conclusions. "She wouldn't have sent two just in case? Or sent one as bait in order to prevent the other from being captured?"

"While the latter would be ridiculous, as the briefcase intended for me carried only a few research pages, items, and a few personal documents that Professor Juniper didn't feel comfortable in sending through anyone else – I suppose the former isn't completely out of the question. Here, let me see what's inside."

The professor gladly took the briefcase from my hands and worked through its lock. "Strange… my combination isn't working. None of them are."

I stiffened in realizing that I could very well have handed him a disguised explosive, and if he were successful in opening it, we would have both suffered for my carelessness. My hands quickly took back the package, resulting in a respectful argument between the two of us. I had wanted to take it to a police station to be scanned, while he considered my reaction to be exaggerated and preferred to open it on the spot to refuse the dramatic tension. With his property and seniority victorious over my non-official business rights, I reluctantly handed him back the package. Without hesitation, he worked around the locking mechanisms with a specialized multi-tool. In seconds, the attaché case thudded open. Much to our reliefs: The package didn't explode. Instead, it revealed its only content: A paper that had one mysterious and nerve-wracking line on its blank page, "She follows your every step."

"Well that's curious." Professor Oak commented. "Who did you say gave this package to Ash?"

"Professor Juniper."

"I doubt that would be the case. She had called in ahead of time for the package that her messenger sent to me. I never received a second call for this one – especially for one with such a strange message. Can you confirm with Ash how exactly he came by this package?"

I was ready to agree when another thought crossed my mind. "I can, later. But for now, can I ask you who the messenger Professor Juniper sent to bring you the original briefcase was? Are they still here? And how can I get into contact with them?"

The professor thought it over, having difficulty remembering the messenger's name. "Veronica" was his guess and described a taller female of blond hair and green eyes. The name and descriptions belonged to no one I was familiar with. "She asked me earlier if I knew of any great spots to see the city's pokémon." he added, "I suggested your gym's aquarium first, but she ran off before I could suggest anywhere else. The young woman's quite excitable, so her loud personality shouldn't be too difficult to find."

I thanked him well for his help and went on my way.

My travel to the Cerulean City Gym was a fast one, quickened by my stressed thoughts.

"She follows your every step." I repeated to myself the cryptic message left behind. What the message meant was unknown, but who it was meant for was obvious. It wasn't for Professor Oak. It was for my client. Whoever had given him the package had expected it to be rejected from the professor, forcing Ash or whoever was curious enough, to open it and reveal its contents. Thoughts and studied assumptions filled my imagination, causing further stress and worry. This briefcase was meant to lure Ash out of Unova and into Kanto. Who followed his every step and where "she" was caused further grief… Was Ash being led into safety from a stalker within the foreign region? Or was he meant to unknowingly rendezvous with an agent of some sort? Who was the one pulling these strings and why go through all the trouble? What had Ash done now to become involved in this?

My thoughts ceased in meditated usefulness when I spotted my next target. Peering excitedly from one windowed glass to the other, a tall woman of light golden hair and striking green eyes danced under my gym's newly installed tunnel aquarium. It was a spectacular sight for any and all visitors. And though the beautiful water attraction had lost its magic with me, I found the woman's child-like enthusiasm to be quite contagious. Sadly, I had no time to admire the wondrous pokémon that swam in our waters. "Um, excuse me, Ms. Veronica?" I asked respectfully.

"Oh my! And what's this one? The guide says it's a poliwrath! Look how tough he looks!" The woman ignored me. She and a child of another visitor, who seemed quite entertained by the blonde's youthful friendliness towards her child, were busying themselves with expressive imitations of each pokémon they saw. "Raaa! You'll never defeat me!" the woman roared playfully. "Raar!" the child copied.

"Ms. Veronica?" I attempted to gain her attention again with a louder call. Only the child's parent turned, pointing towards herself curiously. "Er… Are you Veronica?"

The teal-haired woman shook her head. "O-Oh no. My name's Lucille. I was just wondering if you had me confused with someone."

"Actually, I'm trying to call that woman with your child." I gave a nervous laugh in apology. "I believe her name's Veronica."

"Oh, I see. Excuse me, Ms. Veronica? Ms. Veronica?"

Even the woman's call wasn't enough to make her turn. I wondered if the woman was deaf, or… if Professor Oak simply got her name wrong. The professor was never skilled with names. With or without names, watching the blonde eccentrically dash down the corridor made me question how I could ever gain her attention without being rude. "Excuse me! Miss!"

Still, she didn't turn. I was ready to approach her myself when a thought occurred…

The previous night's discussions flashed quickly by. Blond hair. Green eyes. Light green hat with a white stripe across. Loud and quick to action. A woman sent by Professor Juniper. These were the exact descriptions that Ash had given me of a sheltered young woman he had met during his travels in Unova. Her name wasn't Veronica. It was… "Ms. Bianca!"

Finally the woman turned. She blinked at me curiously before approaching me. "Y-Yes?"

I gave my introductions. Though my title as a private investigator had her shaken, she immediately calmed when I mentioned that I was a close friend of Ash Ketchum. Minor ponderings of what their true relationship was with one another entered and exited within a second – just enough to bother my mind, and just enough to return to the subject of importance. A casual form of an interview was given to her, allowing me a better insight of what her role was under Professor Juniper and confirmed her purpose in the Kanto region as a delivery-person. Like Professor Oak had explained before, I was reminded that only she, not Ash, was sent by Professor Juniper to deliver a package. When asked about the mysterious briefcase and the paper that read "She follows your every step." the blond woman shrugged.

"I had no idea Ash was even here. I thought he was still back in Unova… Wait. He's here? As in, here-here? Oh! I need to see him! Where is he?"

"I think I saw him walking out into the city." I fed her a lie. Even if just a friend, I wasn't comfortable with a woman of her age excitedly asking for a younger man's location. She took my bait and left hurriedly. It was only after she had disappeared completely that I realized that I could have asked her if she had known of anyone with a motive to steal Pikachu. In hindsight, I should have asked the same question to Professor Oak. But the series of clues unfolding slowly had me caring less for Pikachu's safety, and more for my client's. Perhaps by intuition or by collected evidences: I knew Pikachu was safe. Whoever had sent Ash in this direction and whatever they had planned, involved a living Pikachu. Whether as a hostage or an accomplice, the pokémon would not be harmed until the very end of the trail Ash was sent to follow. But I planned to find it before he could be fooled into it.

The trail of clues, however, slid quietly into a halt. I had no more direct leads. Only a cryptic message of "She follows your every step." was left to consider. A part of me wondered if it was the Bianca-girl that followed him, but as she said, she had no idea he was here. Another part of me wondered if I was the one following him, but I didn't know of this case until Ash had arrived. The point of a warning would be counterproductive if the warning itself would coax the chaser to chase. Unless, perhaps, I was meant to chase. There was the frightening possibility that I was unwittingly walking towards a trap. An overelaborate trap, but an ingenious one if I could figure out its purpose.

"For the last time, Misty isn't here! Just fight one of us already!"

The shout from my sister Daisy froze my movements. During my deep considerations, I had been pacing myself through the gym. I was originally heading towards my office. My day would have preferably ended with me at my table connecting clue after clue to one another and seeing if a pattern could be found. However, overhearing this event promised to be far more productive.

Peeking around the wall, I found two of my sisters, Daisy and Violet, speaking to two trainers. One, causing me to squint my eyes in disbelief, was Ash. The second was a woman of curved brown hair and a designer newsboy cap with a noticeable ribbon attached to it. Who was she? And why was she with Ash talking about a battle with my sisters? Ash already has the Cascade Badge from this gym – and unless he was planning to re-earn his right to compete in the Kanto League Championships, there would be no reason for him to request another battle… especially while his favored pokémon was missing.

"I don't want to battle either of you!" the curiously familiar woman shouted back, "I want to fight Misty! Like Ash here did!"

"She follows your every step." rang in my head once again. Was this the "she" in that warning or trap? And who was she following? Me? Or Ash? Her stubborn want to battle only me had given me the consideration that I was the one being stalked, but the two words "Like Ash" was a far more ringing clue. My eyes scanned her form again and again, trying to find any clue to her intention or identity.

"She keeps trying to pair me and Ash together. It's kind of annoying."

Those were Dawn's words echoing back into my memory, and they revealed the woman's identity: Lyra. A pokémon trainer Ash and his party had met in their travels. Dawn had specifically spoken about her during our old once-a-month vidphone conversations. The more often she would mention Lyra and her constant hinting, even after Dawn had left Ash's group, the less often our monthly calls occurred. Lyra was to blame for Dawn's growing fascination with Ash. Like a poisonous seed planted, the young blue-haired woman's mind became overgrown in confused considerations.

Adding more to the problem, Lyra herself was obsessed with the "boy from Pallet Town". Stories from anyone involved with her had always described the girl as an admirer of Ash. A recent vid conversation with Brock, however, had revealed that the girl had finally started an official relationship with her traveling friend Khoury. So what she was doing here, without Khoury, and beside Ash, was frustrating in queries to say the least. I already had enough in my hands with the conflicting details from this investigation, but her addition is simply making this case intolerable!

"Come on, Lyra, I don't think she's anywhere in the gym right now. I'm sure she'll be ready to fight you tomorrow." Ash commented as he patted her on the back. The two were heading in my direction, though neither had spotted me yet. I dove for a wedge between the wall and a large bin, hoping I could escape from their view in time. They passed without a second glance.

"Well if she's not inside the gym, then I can probably fight her outside!"

"N-No. We shouldn't bother her."

"Hm? Why are you hiding her from me? I can't go onto the next gym without beating her first in a pokémon battle. That would ruin the entire order of the journey you took!"

So it was Lyra. "She follows your every step." is clearly referring to female trainer's new task in the Kanto region. From what I observed in their continuing discussion, Lyra is attempting to take the same roads and battles around Kanto, and other regions afterwards, that Ash had encountered. A replication of Ash's journey in order to become just like him. She's following his every step. But why? Why Ash specifically? Where's her boyfriend? And why would the briefcase warn him of her? What does she know? If she's the main figure in this problem, would interrogating her only cause her to run? What's the best course of action for a situation like this? The troubling thoughts continued to increase in number. This is why an investigator never becomes involved with the clients, witnesses, suspects, or anyone within the case. Involvement of any sort would confuse any evidence already given or found. Even clients, witnesses, and suspects becoming involved with one another could complicate things even further. What was maddening was that every major person found in this case was involved with Ash in some form or another… And what was I? A tag-along? Another witness? A supporting role in this case of falling dominoes?

No. I'm Misty.

I'm Cerulean City's Gym Leader. I've shown my worth to this city's challengers – proving that I was no mere stepping stone to the League Championships. I've defeated foes by the hundreds with my own will and intelligence. I'm not just a side note within this world. I'm what pushed people to greater standards and what humbled those to abandon their misdirected virtues. I'm also Cerulean City's Lone Private Detective. Its accomplished guardian that the people turned to when they had no one left to depend on. I've solved this city's problems one after the other with speed and precision, with tact and professionalism, and with my own two hands. And without further involvement, and without further distractions, and without further doubt, I will solve this case.

Another night had come, and all direct investigations had to come to a halt. My client and his female associate had returned from their failed search of me, and were headed towards my gym. After confirming that I was indeed nowhere to be found in the large area's grounds, the two had left through the front doors in disappointment. "You can go back to the Pokémon Center, Lyra. I'm going to wait for her in her office."

"But the office door was locked."

"Then I'll wait outside of it."

"In that cold hallway? No way. You're staying with me at the Pokémon Center. I was able to reserve a special room in there, come on!"

"N-No thank you. If anything, I can just get my own room there."

"You won't at least visit my room? Come onnn – You said yourself that you've never been able to afford those rooms. This is your chance to check it out!"

"I just… feel uncomfortable sharing a room with um… a… you know."

"It's just a visit. Geez, Ash. Calm down. I just want to show it off to you. Maybe hang out and talk more. I mean, if I want to travel every road you have, then you're the best reference I'm going to get. Right?"

"Well… I guess."

"Great!" Lyra chimed victoriously and dragged my reluctant client out of view. She used Ash's pride in order to get her way. It was obvious that she wasn't planning on just "showing off" her room.

With a silent slide down an angled wall of the Cerulean City Gym, I swiftly reached the ground floor in front of the side lobbies. From there I took side roads and back alleyways to follow the two from a hidden distance. The two were taking their time, as they always had been, with Lyra focusing on gaining Ash's attention through fun discussions and tried attempts at flirting, and Ash stiffly trying to hide the fact that he was only in Cerulean City for troubled business.

I had to commend my client in his efforts to "keep the details of the case withheld from others unless I give you direct permission". For an entire noon and afternoon, my client had succeeded in never arousing Lyra's curiosity of why he was in Cerulean City or why his trusty companion wasn't by his side. Both should have been alarming facts, yet she never questioned it once. Instead, she had focused on questioning his favorite foods, colors, and other subjects a middle school student would believe were the keys to a man's heart. The conversations would have been vomit-inducing if I wasn't so engrossed in trying to find any clues or leads within her words.

More than once I wondered if I was headed in the right direction of this investigation, if I was missing something vital, or I was merely a pawn in all of this. For all I knew, this is exactly what the criminal had in mind when they gave Ash the package. For all I knew, Pikachu was already continents away, held captive by a strange group of powerful individuals. Or for all I knew, this was Lyra's scheme into making me keep a distance while she took my close friend on a date around my city. As foolish and childish as the last reasoning would have been, I don't believe her fanaticism with Ash has a limit. But I couldn't keep my mind focused on just one perspective. There was also the possibility that I was the one being followed and the possibility that Professor Oak was really the one in danger and he simply didn't receive the warning in the correct time. Every single one of my assumptions could have been right. And they could all have been wrong. Whichever the case was, I needed more clues to know where to head next, and I needed more time to compare and contrast the notes I had piled up today and yesterday.

"So… I have to ask. Where's Khoury?"

My client's voice hissed through the receiver, catching the sounds within Lyra's recently bugged room. I sat up in full attention, interested in the question given to the female trainer.

"W-Well… How about if you don't ask me about him. I won't ask you about Pikachu. S-Sorry if that sounded rude."

So she knew about Pikachu. That fact and all of the clues I've obtained would be enough to corner her into a confession. Except, if she is only an accomplice or a tool in this case, then the trail will be lost instantly if I approached her now. The only thing I could rely on now were the questions my client would give her from this point on. Which, much to my pulsating frustration, were let down as he quietly agreed to their negotiation of unspoken subjects.

I had to remain hidden in the rooftop of the Pokémon Center, waiting impatiently for further clues and leads. In a strange turn of events, I was now depending on my client to help me dig deeper into this case. But without his knowledge of being used as an extension to further my knowledge, I was still at the advantage. It was in that fact that I held confidence. Nothing else but time would prevent me from solving this case, and I sought to beat time at its game. So I sat, waited, and listened. The two within the room had no care to speak of business or clandestine agendas, but I knew something eventually had to slip. Only time would tell, and I would be its witness.

For the rest of the night, the two decided to discuss their pasts before they had met one another. The stories were long and drawn-out, but thankfully their amusing subjects saved me from my body's desire to give into fatigue. I sat comfortably upright and allowed myself to be lost in their grand tales.

Lyra's story was only slightly interesting, and pathetically insignificant in size of Ash's. Ash's stories excelled in all regards. He exaggerated a little here and there, he was humble at portions that he deserved to be proud of, and he was terribly vague when speaking of moments that had infinite amounts of fascinating details. It made me want to leap through their window and tell the story correctly. But, much to my surprise, where he told the stories perfectly were in the memories he had with me and Brock. They were still exaggerated, they were still humble, and they were still so terribly vague – but all of them were perfectly timed. His exaggerations expressed the shock and surprise we felt. His humility showed how lucky and unworthy we had felt. And his vagueness hid the details that never needed to be said to those who were not involved.

I reconsidered my earlier assessment, wondering if I was just being biased against his storied adventures with May, Dawn, and Iris. Each had such amazing stories if I simply ignored my direct disinterest for any of them. Each had wonderful experiences and events graced into their lives… especially with Ash. Just like my life. Just like my adventures, stories, and memories.

It was a sobering thought that made me wonder if I only meant as much to him as his other companions…

However, I never had to wonder how much he had meant to me.

I never told him how I felt for him then, in those distant, troubling memories, but Ash was more to me than just a friend or a companion. That quiet fact made our parting that much harder, and the years without him even lonelier. Time had eventually convinced me that we were just young and foolish – that I could have those kinds of memories and feelings for any other guy out there. But experience had taught me that wasn't entirely true. Every person I had met along the way within the seven years apart from him was interesting and charming – but no one was like Ash. No one gave me the same feelings and same sense of comfort that I had felt when I was around him. And all that evidence accomplished was annoying me into bitterness.

Ash wasn't coming back. Of that, I was sure. He would meet so many more people along the way. He would become the light in their life and their home away from home. And me? I was just a memory. An old friend that couldn't keep up with him. And I would eventually be forgotten…

"But what Misty and I had was… special, I think." his voice echoed softly through the receiver, "People always thought that since we fought with each other that we hated each other. Honestly, I think we were just balancing each other out. She'd call me stupid, and I'd call her stubborn. And we were both right." He laughed. "She'd yell at me for the most trivial of things. Beat me up when no one else was willing to lay a finger on me. And she lectured me for things people didn't think I did any wrong in. Others thought she was terrible to me for those reasons. But if it weren't for her, I doubt I'd be where I am today. I think she saw things in me that others didn't. Saw what was wrong with my life and attitude that no one else could or was willing to point out. It's like… she watched out for me when I was too busy watching over everyone else. And that meant everything to me.

"I only wish I could have meant something like that to her."

…

A light snoring was heard through the receiver's static. Lyra had fallen asleep during his stories. I assumed that was why he was willing to say so much. Why he was willing to admit so much. Why he said all those… stupid things.

"I'll be going now, Lyra. It was fun, but I have to make sure Misty and Pikachu are okay. Okay?"

"Okay, Khoury…" a tired voice whispered back.

The sounds of footsteps and quieted doorway openings sounded through, though I never heard it.

"Did you mean all those things you said?"

Ash froze as he stepped out of the Pokémon Center. He quickly turned to his left, finding me leaning against the wall. A part of me wanted to look up, to see the expression of shock that was on his face. But I couldn't. I stared at the ground, holding back tears that belonged to emotions that I couldn't figure out. I continued to stare, waiting for his answer.

"Misty? Where did –"

"I missed you, Ash. I want you to know that… every day of those seven years, I've missed you. And those few times we saw each other again, either in person or on the phone? It made those years bearable. As long as I knew you were okay and knew you still wanted to know how I was, I felt at ease. I felt okay. I never wanted to admit it, but I was a wreck during that slowed time without you. I was pathetic for so long without you. I tried hard to convince myself that if I could go forward for just one more day, and just get one step further in life, I'd be closer to being someone that would be okay with you moving on. You had your dreams and I had mine. I wasn't going to stop that. Now with you as my client, coming to me for help? I knew I was just one step closer to being someone who wouldn't drag your life down anymore. And I felt a sense of pride from that. I was going to move forward, like you were. And we would've been fine with that…

"But then you said those things, Ash. You said those stupid things that you shouldn't have ever said. I want to say you're a liar. That you're just saying that. I want to say that 'I've figured you out! You set this entire case up just so you could get away with a stupid lie like that! You were just trying to sweep me off my feet like you did with every other girl in your life!' That's what I want to yell in your face. What I wanted to scream in your face. But… I want to think you're not lying. I want to hope that you meant those words. I want to hope that you're just being stupid again, and you don't fully know what you're saying. And I want to be stubborn about it and show you what you really meant. And… And then…

"And then I'd tell you how much you meant to me. That you weren't just 'something like that' to me. That you weren't just 'my everything' and 'my world'. In my worst moments of my time away from you, you became my only hope in being happy again. You became my entire universe, my entire reality. And even though those cheesy lines didn't make any sense and I was just being irrational then? I didn't care. I wanted them to be true. I wanted them to be rational. I stupidly and childishly wanted it to replace the rules of the universe. Just so I could be with you always. And you'd never leave me. And you'd never look at another girl, and that they'd never look at you. And I wished I was all those girls – all those women you've met. All the amazing things they've done, I wish I could have done just so you would think I was amazing too. All the nice and wonderful things they've said, I wish I could have said just so that you would brag about how kind and beautiful I was like they are. And all the worlds they meant to you, I wished I could have meant to you so you would never need any of them anymore. So you'd only need me. Only want me. So you'd come back to me.

"I was selfish, Ash. I'm still selfish. You helped people and you cared for them. Even if you did something that harmed others, you never meant it. You just wanted to help. But me? I only did things so that people thought I was nice. So that they had a higher opinion of me. So they didn't think I was just some ugly, horrible, weak person that did things only for themselves. I cared, but only because you cared. Because I cared about you. Because you were everything that was 'right' about this world. You showed me that someone could care selflessly, without a single hint of wanting anything back. You didn't care for a pokémon because they were cute, or powerful. You didn't care for people because they could give you something in return, or because they were handsome or beautiful. You cared for them because… you just did. Because you just do. And… I think that's amazing, Ash.

"You're still amazing. After all these years, you're still the same guy I fell for. I used to think I was just being closed minded when all I would think about was you – that I was ignoring all the good guys that would pass me by. But seeing you again… Being with you again… I don't think I was being foolish. If anything, I'm being foolish now. I should be focused on helping you – helping the person who never selfishly wanted something in return when they helped others. Instead I kept you suspect, treating you with ill suspicion and hesitant curiosity because I thought you and I no longer had anything owed to one another. That the life you held outside of me made you a stranger to me from this point on. But that's a lie. You're Ash Ketchum. You're still you. Nothing's changed. And I still owe you so many things. Where I am now in life and everything I've done, I wouldn't have if it weren't for those stupidly young years I had spent with you. And hearing you talk about those stories with Dawn? …and May? …and Iris? It made me feel… sick. Wrong. Like they weren't supposed to be there. I was. I was supposed to be by your side, not them. They don't know you. At least, I didn't think they did. But the more you spoke of them, the more I realized that they knew so much more about you than I did. And it hurts. Because… I want to keep all of you to myself.

"Even after all this time, I still feel selfish for you, Ash. I hated that you 'found another girl' to follow you around. And I hate it more now. I'm scared. I'm scared that they really might take you away from me. Because I'm afraid that if anyone else takes you away, they're going to make you stop caring. Caring about pokémon. Caring about people. They're going to take away what makes you amazing. I can't let them do that. I didn't want them to do that then. And I don't want them to do it now. But that's selfish. That's stupid. That's childish, unfounded, and absolutely idiotic. I shouldn't hold you back. We're adults now. Mature now. Responsible. Experienced. We're all of that. We can move on just fine and adapt accordingly. You don't need me to watch over you anymore.

"You… You can be happy with them. That's all that counts. That's all that should count. That you're happy and fine and okay. And me? I'll eventually show you that I'm fine too. I'll show you how successful I can be. I'll succeed in these two careers, and gain so many awards for my walls. And I won't worry you. I won't stay lonely. I'll find someone to marry – someone that all the other girls would be jealous of. And I'll be a loving wife while still being an accomplished woman. And – And you'd think 'wow, I can't believe I missed out on that catch'. You'd regret not having caught me when you had the chance when we were younger. You'd wished that I was yours. You'd think you'd be a hundred times better for me than any idiot I'd marry. And that'd make me smile. Because that's all I want now. For you to want me. For you to take me away and claim me. For you to ignore what I've done and achieved and just to see me for who I am. For you to know that I won't ever be the same without you!"

…

…

My thoughts and tears were drowned out instantly by the taste of his lips.

It was a stupid move. Done only because he couldn't think of anything to say. But I didn't care. I didn't want to care. This was all I cared about. His lips, his breath, his touch, and his hold. Soft… Warm… Gentle… Firm… He wanted me. Of all the women in the world he could have had, he chose me.

I didn't deserve him. I didn't deserve his attention and love and care. Not yet. Not when there's still so much to accomplish, and so many more promises to keep. But the kiss was enough. It was payment enough for those days I missed him most. If all I had done had led me up to this point, then all my work was more than worth it. I still owe him, though. I can't forget that he's still…

"Pika pi."

…my client?

The sight of the yellow Mouse Pokémon struck my conscious harshly, surfacing the reminder of why I was here and what I still had to do. Except, I didn't have anything left to do. Pikachu was found. Or rather, Pikachu had found us.

"PIKACHU!" Ash yelled in jubilation and grappled the pokémon into a desperate embrace. The amount of emotion and love he gave his partner was enviable, but heartwarming. He's still Ash. After all these years, he still hadn't changed. Except…

"You're one sneaky jerk, you know that?"

Ash flinched at my half-compliment, half-insult. "Wh-What?" He stared at me in confusion.

I wasn't sure if I should take his reaction as an honest answer or as a foolish attempt to conceal the truth. "You planned all of this, didn't you? The package. Pikachu. Team Rocket. Bianca. Lyra. All of those were set up so that you'd get me to admit those things, weren't they? I never thought you could plan that far ahead – and for it to be so unnecessarily complicated that it would be too simple to accuse you. That's not what I would call romantic, but it certainly has my attention."

He continued to stare at me in confusion. "What? I didn't set this up!"

"Oh? And Pikachu just happened to find us out here at the perfect moment?"

My former client shot back with his own remark, forcing me to shoot back my own. We bickered and fought over facts and figures that he didn't fully understand and I couldn't fully comprehend, but we fought anyways. Honestly, I eventually knew that he couldn't have been the one to have planned all this – but there was always a nostalgic sense of elation gained from pressing his buttons. It was tradition for us to fight this way, and I had no intention of changing it.

Time passed and the morning eventually rose. Ash and I had to go our separate ways once again. He still had a dream to chase, and I still had a city to make proud. At least, that's what we tell everyone else.

The city of Cerulean is fine on its own. My sisters are becoming far more proficient as gym leaders, and the locals are becoming far more capable of handling their own private problems. The people here feel comforted in knowing that I'm still here to solve their troubles – but they don't need me as much as I wanted to think they did. They can move on without me – and they can be proud of themselves. But I stayed anyways. I still had to someone to make proud, someone to prove everything to, and that was myself. Ash would have me in any shape, way, or function, but I wouldn't feel proud to be his unless I succeeded in my promises for this city. He deserves someone better than who I currently am, and I'm working myself to become that person. And Ash? He told me he had slowly lost his interest in becoming a Pokémon Master. It was still something he desired, but it no longer pushed him to battle and train every day of his life – he simply enjoyed the adventure and wanted to continue it until he felt it was time to come home. Home, he specified, was anywhere where I was. An answer cringe-worthy for anyone who hated romantics, but it had my heart skipping like I was eleven all over again. For those reasons and answers, we moved on – but not without the other.

Ash and I started calling each other more often. It became a regular thing for us, which became a terrible distraction for his adventures and my two careers. But those things could wait. I'm sure that if I could wait years to see Ash for just a few days, everyone can spare a few minutes before they continue making countless memories with him.

And so life moved on. The two of us would accomplish and achieve far more things than anyone else could boast. Time and distance would slowly crush our spirits when we were most vulnerable, but a simple call, letter, or even the most unexpected visits would make everything better again. As long as I knew he was okay and he still saw me for who I was – I could wait just one more day. As long as I was smiling and laughing – Ash could keep going with a spring in his step. The both of us could move on with life with greater ease and comfort in knowing that we were there for each other. And none of this would be if it weren't for that fateful day when Ash was 'just a client'.

To this day neither of us could figure out who had set up the elaborate scheme of interconnected circumstances. The only one aware of the answer was Pikachu, and he never seemed to be willing to give away the identity of the mastermind behind it. Either way, name or no name, I'm always thankful for that person's interference. They had selflessly given up their time to give us the chance to be selfish with each other. And it was through that chance that we found our reason to continue living our lives effectively for others.

Whoever was the one responsible, I can only hope that they're rewarded for the treasured and precious life they've given us… or rather, found for us. Like Pikachu, that life was always there, but in our eyes, something just always seemed to be missing.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS IS THE TEXT-ONLY FORMAT OF A VISUAL NOVEL. TO READ THE VISUAL NOVEL IN ITS COMPLETE FORM (AND TO FIND OUT THE ONE RESPONSIBLE), GO TO fav . me / d5fzot4 (no spaces)