The Pink Spinda

A/N: Yeahyeahyeah, I’m just posting this to keep it safe off of my laptop which is a bitch I don’t trust. This is also on ff.net under the penname “Zhampy” formerly “Yoru Ryu” but they’re touchy over there and even though this isn’t that bad, well, you never know. But if someone here reads it and enjoys it… then yay? I’d be glad I suppose.

I never know how i'm going to write scenes until i'm actually writing them so the labels on this fic are quite vague. There'll be violence and oral sex and what have you but it's tame and whatever. Also can't be arsed to go through the whole chapter and format anything beyond this AN. Chapter three and onward get quite long. Wish it was possible to deactivate ratings…

Author: Yoru Ryu / Zhampy
Rating: M / R
Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokemon.
Warnings: Male/male, female/female, male/female pairings and adult themes. AU. OCs.


The Pink Spinda.
Chapter One

Slateport City had some of the best beaches, amusements and other sorted attractions to garner it’s reputation as one of the most respected seaside resort towns in Hoenn, thus it tried hard to maintain it’s expectations. True to form; the sky was clear, the Wingulls were squawking, and the salty edge in the air clung to the senses. There were children running riot along the beaches with their parents trying frantically to control them, the speedboats were making a roaring trade, the Luxury Liner was just pulling into port and a beautiful woman drew the gazes of all around her as she sauntered around the tables of the small outdoor café.

“Phew,” she sat down at a table with a redheaded man. “I can’t take this heat anymore. This is the third dress I’ve had on today,” she whined.

“This is orange,” the man muttered as he slid one of the glasses over from the woman’s grasp.

“Tastes like orange too, Lance. It is orange.”

“Ah, I hate orange.”

The woman sighed, “sorry. It’s all they had. It is tourist season y’know? You’re lucky I even got it back here with all these brats running around,” she inclined her head to a horde of small children while sipping her own drink. “But it’s nice to be outside! I was thinking about Will… why he’s so pale.”

She busied herself with the ice floating around her tall glass. The heat was almost unbearable, and the forecast only predicted more sun for the next week. Looking around at all the cheerful parents and their excitable children almost brought what one would assume to be a brilliant smile to her features, but in truth it just made her hate her job. She knew she had to make a living somehow, as she knew was the case with her friend, and their boss had been kind enough to close their building down for the day, but it was still a terrible business to be in on humid days. The summer holidays were the two busiest months of the year and the whole staff were grateful for any free time.

The Pokemon that had been sat at under the small table the whole time grunted as a small child ran over to pull on it’s ears. “Hey,” Karen said to the child, “knock that off.”

“I’m so sorry!” a lanky teenage boy came running over, grabbing the child. “My brother’s just had too much sugar,” he laughed then eyed the black Pokemon. “Must be warm for a black Pokemon on a day like this. He looks strong though! Are you a trainer? Wanna battle?”

Karen and Lance looked at the boy with bewilderment as he continued to babble on about his battle history as a trainer. She doubted the kid had much money, and it was too much hard work in such heat, but they had to relieve the monotonous somehow. She turned to Lance, “wanna double battle him?”

“Nah,” the redhead sighed. He didn’t seem to do well in hot weather, even sat under a parasol.

“Okay then,” Karen stood up, showing her stunning body off (successfully gaining more gazes), tapped her heels for the Umbreon at her feet to follow and took the lead a fair distance away from the café to battle. “Try to make it worth my while, kid!” she shouted, pointing Umbreon forward. The boy grinned as he threw his Pokeball onto the field. Karen noted it was a Net Ball so the Pokemon coming would probably be a Water type; good, she wouldn’t be at any disadvantage.

The blue patterned ball split as the light escaped it forming into a Whiscash, a Water/Ground type. Okay, strange choice for a land battle, she thought, watching the blubbery Pokemon, but maybe he has some trick up his sleeve. The blue Pokemon lumbered and rocked as it lay waiting for commands.

“Okay, Whiscash! Let’s do it!” the boy shouted vaguely as his Pokemon bent backwards to unleash a Water Gun at the Umbreon.

Karen shook her head. The boy had already shown his incompetence before the battle had even begun. Nevertheless she held her hand out with mild interest, “Umbreon, let’s finish this before it begins. Bite.”

The black Pokemon sprang forward from it’s relaxed stance to vault over the Water Gun and land in front of the Water type with perfect timing. The Whiscash bellowed as Umbreon seized it’s long whiskers between razor sharp teeth then performed a right-turn and slammed the chubby Pokemon against the concrete ground.

As Umbreon dived at his opponent again the boy shrieked; “Whiscash, Muddy Water!”

With a revolted look Umbreon took the initiative and spiralled out of the filthy waters path. The Water/Ground type continued to spew out the attack as it’s trainer stood triumphant watching Umbreon dash about avoiding the attack.

Karen barely held back a yawn as she watched the battle. Though it could hardly be considered such with how inexperienced the boy was. Granted she herself only had the one Pokemon, but she could control him and put some strategy into her style. Umbreon had immense stamina thus she enjoyed dragging out battles for as long as possible just to watch the rising panic on the opponent’s face - her usual partner, Lance, however, liked to wade in with his Pokemon and level everything within minutes.

Dragging herself from her thoughts she gave her Umbreon the last commands of the battle. “Umbreon, this isn’t entertaining. Finish that Whiscash; Confuse Ray and Faint Attack!”

The Dark type gave a motion of relief, skidding to a halt and arching it’s back. The Whiscash watched, mesmerised, as the rings on Umbreon’s body began to glow and pulse sending it’s senses haywire. The boy shouted and waved his arms telling his Pokemon to snap out of it but without a berry or the correct medicine it was pointless as Karen’s Pokemon ran in for the final attack.

“Water Gun again, Whiscash! You can do it!” the boy yelled desperately.

A small family sat at the café watching screamed as the wayward attacked burst through their table scattering not only them but other patrons. Karen laughed at the move as her Umbreon charged around the attack in a beeline for the clumsy Pokemon. Another random Water Gun swept through the image Umbreon left behind as it used it’s second attack to appear behind the Whiscash and throw itself with force into the Water Type.

The boy yelled again as his Pokemon was thrust into the air to land with a mighty splodge, unconscious. Over in just two attacks, Karen thought as she watched them. Hardly seemed worth it.

The tall boy hugged his Pokemon before returning it to it’s ball and approaching her and Umbreon. “That was so much fun!”

Speak for yourself, Karen muttered in her head.

“You’re so awesome! Are all your Pokemon that strong? It was over before I could even use my special attack!”

“Oh, really?” she feigned interest. “Well, whatever it was I’m sure it would have caused us trouble.” She held back her smile as Umbreon snorted indignantly.

“You should fight in the League. You’d so totally be Champion!”

At that Karen really burst out laughing. “Hate to burst your bubble kid, but Umbreon’s the only Pokemon I’ve got, and I’m honestly not interested in the League.”

“Aww, but…” the boy looked disappointed at the reaction.

Karen waved him off, haughtily flipping her silver hair over a shoulder. “Now I’m going to finish my drink. Have a good day,” she winked as a couple of waitresses from the café grabbed the boy demanding payment for the table he’d broken.

“Hey, what took you so long?” Lance grinned at her as she sat back down.

“I hate kids,” she muttered grumpily.

The redhead raised his eyebrows. “Seems the kid likes you; he’s checking you out right now,” he inclined his head in the direction of the boy picking up all of the pieces of the wreaked table.

Karen turned to scowl at the boy before looking back. “Anyway, you sound better.”

“I am,” he just smiled wide at her. “Actually, I got hit by that attack; it was quite refreshing!”

“Eh? That Water Gun?”

“Yeah. The manager of this place said he’d get that boy to buy us new drinks ‘cause of it,” he laughed. Karen looked at him and he did look pretty wet. “It went right over our table and into the one behind, but it still got me.”

“Oh, well,” she shrugged, but inwardly grinned as Lance’s face dropped. She leant over to snatch a newspaper from a gentlemen sat at the neighbouring table to hide her face.

Apparently Devon were on the front page again, though not a day went by without the business being in the news somehow. As she skimmed the article it seemed a feud had broken out between them and the Kanto-based business, Silph Co. There was a photo of the heads of each empire Mr Stone of Devon and Mr Silph of Silph grudgingly shaking hands after a live TV interview. The Kanto business had just brought their merchandise to the shores of Hoenn and after dominating the Johto area Devon couldn’t stand to lose anymore ground to them. The next battle would be for their own territory. Then Sinnoh… it would never end.

“Hey, Karen,” Lance spoke up. “Isn’t that those two coppers hanging around our building all the time?”

Karen turned her silver head in the direction her friend was looking, and sure enough two police officers were stood around. “Trying not to look suspicious, eh?” she laughed. “They aren’t doing a good job.”

“Wanna go over and fleece ‘em?”

“But of course,” Karen smirked evilly, putting the paper back on the man’s table (who looked astonished it’d been taken in the first place).

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

Slowly the couple made their way over to the police officers leaning on the wall overlooking the sea. Both officers had a paper cup of some sort of drink, their eyes never once leaving a specific building that dominated those around it. Their eyes trailed and followed all those who passed through it’s doors; child and adult alike, but for all intent and purposes the building just appeared to be another in the chain of Devon.

“Hey, guys,” Karen leered as they approached the uniformed couple. “Caught any criminals?”

The female of the pair glared, but it lacked any real effect. “I don’t know yet, we’re waiting for you two to do something.”

“Ahh! Winona, I’m hurt!” Lance cried, holding hand-to-heart. “What makes you think we’re up to anything?”

“Oh, you know,” the purple haired officer spoke quietly. “It’s always you two up to something.”

“Way to generalise,” Karen shot.

Lance put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “She’s right, y’know?”

“Yeah, I know…”

“So…” Lance folded his arms behind his back. “What are Sergeant Winona and Constable Brawly out doing on such a nice day? Don‘t you have speed cameras to be checking or innocent people to be arresting?”

Winona sniffed. “Unlike some people we have respectable jobs. Pay them no mind, Brawly,” she told the blue haired, taller man who did just that.

“You really know how to cut people deep,” Lance jeered. “You’re so talented.” The officer glowered at him as he moved towards her and stooped to look her in the face. “What else are you talented at?”

All the blood rushed to her face as she tuned red when the man put her face in his hands. “Sergeant!” Brawly shouted before a pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders. “W-what?”

“Hey now,” Karen breathed on his neck. “Don’t we get all excited?”

“D-do you two get paid… commission to do… this?” Winona gulped, still frozen and looking up at the redhead holding her.

“Ohh, nooo,” Lance breathed. “We just like you…”

“Uhh…”

“But that’s okay!” Lance suddenly pushed her away, gasping and red. “Since you’re both always around our building we can come and see you any time, now can’t we?”

Brawly untangled himself from his captor’s unwilling arms to stand beside his superior. “We’ve been posted here. Nothing we can do about it,” he said breathing heavy.

“We’ll have to send a fruit basket to your boss then,” Karen laughed, waving her fingers at the tall officer. “You’re both just so sweet!”

“Don’t mess with us!” Winona snapped, raising her hand. “We’ll get the evidence we need to bring down your business then you’ll be thanking us for saving you.”

“You really believe that?” Lance asked.

The female officer nodded hastily. “You might not see it at the moment, but what you’re doing… everyone there could be doing so much more,” she pointed at the building. “We saw you battling just then, Karen. You could really make a living from being an official trainer, yet you chose to work in this… business. We could help if we shut this place down…”

“Choice? I ‘chose’ to work where I do? I’m sorry, but I did not choose to work for Devon!” Karen stated angrily. “Certain circumstances led to my being there, and those same circumstances are keeping me there, and it’s certainly not something I want the police sticking their noses in!”

“Please, just… think about it. I know you’ll see our side eventually…” Winona pleaded.

Lance waved her off and grabbed Karen’s arm as she seethed. “You’ve said that before and you’ll say it again, but it never works. Feel free to keep on saying it though; we do enjoy harassing you,” he smiled brightly at them then steered his friend towards the building. “We had a great afternoon! The place opens at nine PM tonight if ya wanted to know!”

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

The quiet Bill welcomed them as they walked through reception of the Slateport branch of Devon. Many trainers of all ages had gathered in the lobby of the big shopping building to trade, or battle, or talk or whatever it was that trainers did as they made their way to the small lift off to the side of the main one. Keying in a number not given as an option the lift lurched and began it’s decent into the basement floors.

LET’S MAKE THIS LAST KISS LAST!

“Oh, god!” Karen growled as soon as the lift doors opened and the music blasted in.

“Looks like the band’s rehearsing,” Lance said, snickering at her.

She growled again and picked up the shopping bags they’d been carrying, “why do we need a band anyway?”

“Oh, come on!” Lance said as he swayed his head. “What good is a club with no music?”

Karen rolled her eyes. “Yes, but we’re not like most clubs, are we?”

“Hmmm, I guess not. But music’s always a good thing, hah.”

“Augh.”

They walked along the poorly lit hallways with tacky red and purple curtains and fake plants to emerge in the big performance hall at the end. Several people were all sat around some of the various tables but all watching the three people on the shallow stage with varying expressions of mirth or annoyance.

“Here you go, Will,” Lance snapped his fingers as he dumped a bag in the lap of a man sat at a table. “Just what the doctor ordered.”

“Very funny,” the thin man deadpanned.

“I thought so too.”

“He’s been waiting to say it all day,” Karen huffed as she sat down with her own bags.

The pale, sickly looking man rifled through the contents of the bag to pull out a small container filled with while oval pills. “Thank you for getting them, guys, but what’s all this other stuff?”

Karen and Lance looked at him till he indicated the contents of the bag again. “Oh that! Well,” Karen started, “I tell ya; the blonde in that pharmacy really worries about you, Will. He just kept giving all those things to us for you for free. Said you should drop in when you’re feeling better.”

“I’m not really ill,“ the purple haired man muttered, pulling something out of the bag.” What am I supposed to do with a hairdryer?”

“Dry your hair?” Lance tried.

“Rhetorical question,” Will deadpanned again.

I’LL BE WITH YOU TODAY, TOMORROW, YESTERDAY!

Karen glared at the trio on the stage while covering her ears. “Do they need to practise so loud? They’re not even plugged in!”

“Aww, Karen,” Will smiled sincerely from behind his eye mask. “Steven told them to practise. And besides! Music is good!”

The beautiful woman ignored Lance’s smug smile, “oh, he did, did he? Why do you all like music so much…?” she muttered.

“You’re just bitter,” Lance stated earning himself a slap.

“Oi!” one of the men on stage shouted, pointing at them. “No fightin’ in the back!”

“Shut the hell up!” Karen shouted back. “I’ve had a bad day!”

Lance leaned into Will, “she had a good day really,” he whispered.

“Did you not feel that slap just now?” Karen snarled at him, raising her hand again.

“Sorry!” he smiled nervously. Will laughed just as nervously.

After watching them a moment the lead man of the band straightened his guitar strap then stomped up to their table menacingly. “Listen lady-!”

“No, you listen!” Karen blared, turning around to him only to squint as his bald head reflected the light into her eyes. She put a hand to her forehead and continued; “maybe when you’re not tone deaf you can pull off singing with no music, but you sure as hell can’t at the moment, so shut the hell up!”

“How unfortunate for you that this is were I’ll be singing from now on then,” the man in plaid trousers said after a moment and shook his head sarcastically.

Karen looked around, shocked. “What? Where’s the normal band we have?”

“We are the normal band you have,” a red afro’d man said whilst dashing over to the table. “Hell-o, Karen!” he waved enthusiastically when she looked.

“Flint, Volkner?” she asked looking at the blonde just walking over and afro bearing one. “This guy’s part of your group now?”

“What happened to whatshisname? Tony? Tory?” Lance asked. “Your other singer?”

“Got hit by a car,” Volkner stated bluntly.

“Oh, right…”

“This is Sydney!” Flint introduced them and slapped the skinhead on the back. “We found him working in the cinema.”

“He wasn’t a very good usher,” Volkner mentioned offhandedly.

Flint nodded. “We heard him singing while he was cleaning up after a film so we just had to snap him up!”

“Such a heart warming story,” Volkner muttered. “What’s all this ‘we’ crap…?”

“I still work there part-time,” the guitarist said, mindful of Karen, “but you’ll be seeing a whole lot more of me ‘round here!” he smirked at her as she boiled.

Volkner adjusted his guitar and turned to leave. “He’s not really that bad… with music.”

“We’re still looking for someone else though!” Flint continued with a big smile at Karen, “possibly a girl.”

Horror flashed over Sydney’s face for a second. “Hey, Volk! The afro’s talking again!”

“Shut up, Flint,” the blonde said from across the hall and the redhead immediately obeyed.

“Ta taa,” Sydney waved and dashed back to the stage with his band members.

Karen seethed. “They’re like children. I hate children.”

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

It was mere minutes till the door would be open for the club and Bill was running around like a headless Swellow trying to keep things that were already in order, in order. The band currently consisting of Flint, Volkner and Sydney, or Error, as they called themselves, were sat on the stage waiting for the clear to begin playing, though under instructions not to sing, and all the staff were scattered around the hall, at the doors, behind the bar and in all sorts of nooks and crannies.

It was the height of summer so it was barely dark out at such a time, but the mood was the same as any other night in the Pink Spinda under the artificial lights and the loud coloured walls. The entire Devon building was open 24/7 to accommodate the club in the basement floors but it never got an overture of business at such times.

“Are we all ready?” a tall blonde woman in a billowing purple dress asked loudly yet politely.

“You bet!” Flint thrust his arm up.

“She didn’t mean you, idiot!” Volkner hissed bringing the man’s hand back down.

“Good, good,” Glacia looked sideways. “Mr Stone is expecting the best from all of you so don’t let him down, but if any of the patrons go too far… well, you all know the drill by now. Steven is in his office at the back if anything especially bad happens.” She looked down at her clipboard, “I think that’s it. Now it’s nine exactly. Have a good evening!”

As the secretary left the staff all looked at each other. Glacia was an incredibly nice woman, but did she always have to wish people a good evening when they worked in a lap-dancing club? The lift lights suddenly lit up indicating that people were already on their way down and soon enough the place was alive with activity, music and anything the paying customers could get away with.

“I never thought about an age restriction,” a young brunette said to his friend. “Lucky I can smooth talk anyone.”

“Haaah, yeah,” the black haired boy agreed, uneasy.

“But we’re old enough anyway!” he boasted gaining irritated looks from those around them enjoying the services. He suddenly leered at the nervous boy next to him, “and since it’s your birthday Ashy-boy, I paid for the best! Who says I never do anything nice for you?”

Ash wrung his hands in his casual shirt nervously. “You said we were going to a marine Pokemon reserve…”

“Of course I said that!” Gary laughed in his face. “How else could anyone get you down here?”

“D-does anyone know we’re here? Does mum know!?”

“We’re not even in the same country anymore!” Gary emphasised, “this is Hoenn not Kanto, not Pallet. No one knows us here, so you can ask for anything you want…!”

Ash looked around the room they were in. They were sat at a table with a small light built into it situated at one side of a big hall; a band playing music at the other side. Men and women whooped and hollered at the staff as they were entertained rather blatantly. He turned bright red at the things they shouted.

“Hey there, boys,” a tanned waitress with huge pink flowers in her hair greeted them lightly. “Aren’t you a little young bein’ in a place like this?” she giggled and placed a tray on their table to remove the drinks.

He quickly snatched his up to hide his face in. Even though he tried not to her outfit just drew his eyes to certain… assets. Gary, on the other hand, had no qualms about leaching. He wasted no time in sticking to her till she pushed him back down into his chair.

“Sorry, little boy. I don’t do that, you’ll have to find someone else to play with,” she winked.

“Hey!” Gary grinned, drawing his eyes from the tight waitress uniform. “I paid for two called Dragon and Dark. How do we get them out?”

“Ohohoho,” the waitress laughed. “This is your first time here isn’t it? If you boys paid in advance then you should have asked our man at the desk upstairs.”

Gary looked astonished and confused. “There wasn’t anyone there when we came in,” he said leaning from his seat.

“Oh, dear!” the waitress overreacted with a heavy pout, drawing the brunette boy’s eyes more. “I’ll get you help! Don’t you worry, leave it to me,” she sang and practically skipped off.

“I’m not sure about this, Gary,” Ash mumbled.

The older boy turned to grab his friend. “You’re not backing out now! I heard all about the four that work here. Water, Dragon, Dark and Flower; two dudes and two chicks… they’re the best… and I want to try one!”

“One of the girls?” Ash asked quietly.

“Of course! We’re not all gay, Ash! They’re the reason we’re here, and they’re the reason we’re staying here for the next month!”

“No Pokemon?” Ash asked, dejected.

Gary sighed. “Of course we’ll do other stuff. If Grandpa finds out we’ve been here he’ll kill us. You know what him and Silph are like,” he crossed his fingers for emphasis.

“Oh, excuse me boys,” the same waitress held her hands to her chest with fake timidity. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but your rooms are ready now. Please follow this man here,” she looked up at a huge bouncer all dressed in black innocently. Ash and Gary both audibly gulped looking up at the huge man. “Be kind to them Troy.”

“This isn’t one of them is it?” Ash asked his friend, panicked. “I mean-I’m getting the guy, but he’s-this… I don’t want to!”

“Take it like a man, Ash,” Gary snapped standing and following the monster of a man. Ash squeaked and followed quickly.

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

They passed rooms filled with all sorts of debauchery; one all-male, one all-female and one for everything and more. Eventually the bouncer stopped at the end of a small corridor and pointed to a hall filled with little cubicles. After a short moment Gary strode in oozing confidence while Ash just scuttled after him, thankful that that man hadn’t been the one they’d paid or. Seeing that Gary had taken a room and turned the coloured circle on the door from green to red Ash did the same. Really, since when did Gary know what to do? He was a virgin too!

He sat down on the chair in the centre of the room, folding his hands in his lap and waited. What was he waiting for? How had he let himself be dragged into such a situation? Was he really going to pay for sex, and from a total stranger no less? Why was he feeling so nervous but strangely excited at the same time? What if Gary’s Granddad found out and told his mum? When would he stop asking himself questions no one would answer? He slapped his head.

“I don’t think it’s a very good idea to do that.”

He lurched forward from the chair at the voice. When had someone entered the room? When he’d been asking himself questions? Damn those questions! He squeaked in reply but made no audible sense.

“So, what’s your name, kid?” the man stood against the closed door asked.

“A-A-Ash.”

“Okay then, Ash, you can call me Dragon,” the redhead smiled though it wasn’t particularly friendly. “Why don’t you sit down?” he pushed Ash back into the chair, walking behind it to kneel and talk to him. “How old are you, Ash?”

“A-ah, sixteen.”

“You sound nervous.”

Ash shivered as he felt the man’s breath on his neck sending tingly sensations down his arms. “I-I am. I’ve never done… this before.”

“Well, we can do whatever you want. Do you know what you want, Ash?”

How did this man use his name as an aphrodisiac like that? Ash shivered. “Uhm, it’s-I…” The man just continued to sit behind him, waiting and breathing. He tried to look round at what he was paying for but as soon as his eyes caught the yellow ones of Dragon his face took another dunk into the red and he jerked forward from the chair.

The redhead raised his eyebrows but didn’t move. “If this is some sort of game then I’ll warn you now; I don’t like games. I’ll take what I’m paid for and be done with it.”

“No, no!” Ash shouted at the man stood. “I just don’t-!” With his face flaming and his legs weak he dashed through the door without another word.

“Stupid kids,” Lance muttered.

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

“What?” Glacia asked as Lance told her the story again.

He sighed. “The kid just took off, I couldn’t find him anywhere. But if these are the people Steven’s letting in then he really needs a good beating! How did he afford us anyway? He was sixteen and geeky and nervous. I didn’t even touch him and he was about to explode! Would have been the easiest job ever! He was mutterin’ something about his friend telling his dad or some shit like that too…”

“His friend telling his dad…” Glacia mumbled to herself. “You’re right, how would someone that young afford you…where’s his friend now?”

Lance shrugged, “in with Karen I think. Hey, aren’t you the one that screens people for this sort of thing? What‘s up?”

The blonde woman shook her head. “Ever since Silph announced their business plans for Hoenn Steven’s been screening all customers for yourself, Flower, Water and Dark.”

“You don’t have to call us that when we’re inside the club,” Lance complained quietly.

“You know Silph have their own escorts, yes?” she asked and Lance nodded though he didn’t know overly much. If anything actually. “Well, they’re bringing that business with them and they have some elites amongst them too - it’d be another hard blow to Devon if they took us over too.”

“… why are you telling me all this?” Lance asked with only mild interest at best. “You lot sort all that out.”

“I have a… feeling that the young men who paid for you and Dark… I have a feeling one of them is Gary Oak.”

“No way! Gary Oak… Professor Oak‘s grandson?”

Glacia nodded gravely. “Both you and Dark know better than anyone how hard the police have been trying to take us down, and if this news got back to the Professor; him and Silph are like,” she crossed her fingers in explanation. “We’ll be ruined and possibly arrested and imprisoned.”

“But the one I had had black hair,” Lance mumbled. “… that means Karen’s…”

“Karen!” Glacia gasped covering her mouth. “We have to get in there!”


^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^