Warning: Disturbing images ahead, mostly surrounding Lysandre's scene and I guess around Xerosic.

If Ash said anything, she knew she'd start crying. So she said nothing as she looked back at Tobias, who was watching her quietly.

"You've caused quite a bit of trouble for me, haven't you?" he said finally.

She flinched.

"Well, I'm certainly not too bothered by it," he admitted, causing her to look at him in shock. "You could still turn a profit for me, and make up for all of that easily. And just within days."

"No!" Ash screeched. She lurched back, only to tumble to the ground. When she looked down, she saw that her ankles were suddenly bound together with rope, as were her wrists.

"Now, now," he stood up from his chair and stalked closer to her. "You shouldn't act like that. You have to remember -the client gets what he wants, whatever he wants."

Ash shot up in bed, sweating as she awoke from the nightmare. Her breathing was heavy and she felt tears at the corner of her eyes, threatening to spill.

"Are you okay?" N asked her in worry, and she looked over to see him watching her anxiously from his bed.

She gave him a trembling smile and nodded. "Yeah...it was just a nightmare."

He got up from his bed and came over, sitting on hers tentatively and pulling his legs up.

"...Was it bad?" he asked quietly.

Ash hesitated, before nodding. "It was. I saw someone I'm terrified of, and I was back with him and in that situation. I don't want to get caught again."

"You won't," N said confidently, reaching over to give her shoulder a squeeze. "I have a good feeling. And you're almost home anyway. It'll be fine, I'm sure."

Ash hoped so too, so she gave him as sincere a grin as she could. She then leaned over to him and hugged him close, hoping that one day she'd be able to see him again and they could be friends with no worries. She was going to miss him and the others, like she was already missing Colress. She figured, once she got home, she'd find a way to get in contact with all of them. Even everyone she met in Kalos -she'd have to find a way to contact them and let them know she was okay and back home, and then be able to keep in contact.

There was a knock at their door and N went to answer it, finding Brad and Aldith on the other side. Finding out the ship had stopped and that they were on the shores of Sunyshore City, they all exited off of the ship, where Brad frowned at Ash.

"Are you sure you don't want us coming with you?"

Ash wasn't sure. Actually, she really wanted them to stay with her the entire way. But...

"As much as I want you guys with me, I really want the others to go home too," she gave him a small smile. "I had a decent guy last time, who helped me out a little, but I think the others were stuck with people who really hurt them to make sure they obeyed. So please go back and help them go back home too."

She could see the three of them were reluctant still, but nonetheless exchanged goodbyes with her. And then they were back on the ship and Ash was moving away and watching the ship sail back into the waters. From there, she hefted the bag she'd been given more onto her shoulder, and began to walk around the city. She had enough money to buy some food, which she went off to do. She was hungry and hadn't eaten in a while, so it should be fine. She just had to make sure not to splurge, and to keep track of the money she'd been given so she didn't run out right away.

Finding a Pokémon Center, she watched it warily. She knew that a lot of trainers on their journeys tended to use the Pokémon Centers as a place to stay and rest, but she was afraid that if she went too, she'd be recognized and found by one of those who'd worked for Tobias. But he was far away...Then again, they went to everywhere and who knew when and where they'd pop up?

Frowning to herself, she made a decision and had taken a step towards the building, when she froze at the sight of someone she'd recognized. It had been one of the entertainers from the show she'd gotten lured into all those years ago, emerging through the doors of the Pokécenter. Breathing in rapidly, she turned from him and it, and started to run blindly away. When she was sure she'd gotten far away enough, she looked around and found she didn't recognize the area at all. Not that she would -she'd never been to Sinnoh before, much less this city.

Walking around warily, she tried to think on her next move. First, she was lost. Second, she wasn't sure who to trust. After everything, it was hard to trust anyone and she'd only just been lucky recently.

"I don't know where to go," she muttered, looking around and trying not to panic.

"Do you need help?" a voice startled her and she turned around quickly to face the speaker.

A normal-looking (though handsome) blond man dressed in comfortable clothes was smiling slightly at her, but she knew looks could be deceiving.

"I-I'm fine," she stuttered, discreetly backing away.

His smile faltered and he looked at her carefully. "Are you sure? You look like you're lost."

"I'm okay!" she blurted out in a yell, before turning and running.

She was panting by the time she stopped, even more lost and confused by the area. Sighing, she decided to find a place to stay and had headed in a random direction, only to be stopped again. This time, rather than fear, she was getting annoyed by all the stops and distractions she kept running into. But then her annoyance was quick to turn back into fear, this time as the man discreetly held a gun at her from inside his dark jacket.

"Give me your bag," he grunted at her, and she stared wide-eyed in shock.

N-no way. She was getting mugged and this man was going to rob her of everything Colress and the others had given her to make sure she was okay.

"Please, sir, I -"

"Just shut up and give me the bag!" he raised his voice slightly, emphasizing his point with a jerk of his gun.

She shakily handed it to him, and he snatched it from her. "Please don't shoot me," she begged, and he hesitated before shifting the bag further onto his shoulder and running from her.

She looked around and saw no one had noticed the altercation, and she started walking around disheartened. Running across the police station, she hesitated and entered. Maybe she could get help...She was at a lost at what to do and getting desperate, so maybe she should chance this place.

She talked to the clerk, explaining her problem, and was asked to wait a second. While she did, she felt anxious and wasn't sure if she should just stay there. She was feeling uncomfortable and she didn't like being out in the open, especially after having seen someone from that group of people being around.

A hand grasped onto her shoulder and forcefully turned her around, and she was looking into the eyes of the man she'd run from around the Pokécenter, hoping he wouldn't see her and yet still being caught by him now.

"Well, well, if it isn't Tony's girl. He's been looking for you, you know? You pushed him a bit, made him unhinged after you left him back in Kalos. He's got your picture spread all over the place amongst us, and wants you back. I wonder what I'll get for returning you?"

Ash couldn't help her reaction, acting like a wild animal as she viciously lashed out and smacked him across the face. She lashed out again, hitting him a second time, before she fled the area and away from him. She kept going until she made her way into a more rundown area, to which she found a somewhat empty building that had other squatters in it. She found her own niche, and felt like she could at least stay there for a bit.

~*~*~

Miranda Herron looked at the man that had reported to her, tapping her fingers thoughtfully.

"Tony's girl is here, huh?"

And she knew it was her as soon as Jared had described the girl, adding in how her eyes were golden-like, like honey. She knew those eyes. She'd wanted to carve them out and put them on display.

A cold, cruel smile curled her lips.

"I want you, and tell the others, to keep a look out for this girl," she ordered him. "And whatever you do, no matter what, do not tell Tony about her being here or having seen her."

He looked hesitant, and she scowled.

"Did I make myself clear?" she hissed, eyes flashing dangerously.

He nodded quickly, and she calmed down somewhat. She had a lot of plans for that girl. If Tony knew she was here and within Miranda's grasps, he would come there and likely ruin everything. She wouldn't be able to have fun with her little mouse.

And she was very looking forward to having fun with the little mouse.

"Leave me," Miranda dismissed Jared. "Continue to look around for her and capture her. Drag her back here no matter what."

Jared nodded and then left, with Miranda's eyes alighting onto her newest toy. She grinned rather sadistically, her fingers dragging tenderly against the nine knotted thongs, and letting the cotton cord of the cat o' nine tails catch against her skin. She lifted it up, admiring all 2 ½ feet of it, and was sure the plaited leather ropes dangled enticingly in the light.

She did an experimental flick of her wrist, exulting in the sound of a crack in the air as the cords lashed out. And she knew, from experience, that it would sound even better against flesh.

When the time came, she would have fun introducing the little mouse to the cat.

~*~*~

Lysandre looked around the building. It had been a base for a trafficking ring, and as of then, between his and Giovanni's Teams, many of the victims were being located and herded together while the traffickers were harshly rounded up. Although Giovanni would have preferred a more violent method and had suggested at least simply shooting them all in the head, Lysandre thought that if they could properly put them away and have the proper authorities lock them up, then maybe more positive light could be shown on them and their crusade.

He stepped into the room, and nearly had to take a step back from it because of the stench the room was drenched in. It smelled of decay and rot, and the underlining scents of urine and vomit. Putting a hand to cover his mouth and nose, he braved a step further into the room and looked around. His hand dropped from his face, and he stared numbly at the twitching body on the metal table in the middle of the room. Walking slowly toward it, he saw the young child -he couldn't even tell if it was a boy or girl anymore -shaking. The child did more so when Lysandre gently touched them.

"It's okay," he murmured. "They won't hurt you anymore. Help will be on its way."

The child's eyes and mouth were sewn together, and each limb had been amputated. He'd almost thrown up in his mouth, and was still tempted to. He felt his gag reflex acting up, but he couldn't in front of this child, no matter if they couldn't see him or not.

"It'll be okay," he said, knowing it wouldn't. As much denial as he wanted to be in, he knew that it was too late. He just wanted to reassure the child anyway he could.

But the child shuddered one last time before dying under his hands, and he stood still in shock for a moment. Then he gathered the child into his arms and held the body to himself, clutching it close. He hadn't been able to even be sure if he'd at least gave some measure of comfort to the child or not, before they'd died.

"Lysandre?"

He took a deep breath and turned to Malva, holding the child tightly. A part of him, at last second, pictured him holding Ash in his arms and he shuddered even more. And then he thought of his weapon, the one he'd wanted to make through either Xerneas or Yveltal.

What if he'd accidentally made these monsters immortal? Or what if, if he used Yveltal instead, he'd accidentally killed an innocent child like this one? He wouldn't be any better than those people. And making these bastards immortal was the equivalent of making Ash live in an eternal hell, not paradise -always having to watch her back and never feeling safe.

"Malva, make sure that every last one of those people are captured. Do not let any of them escape."

"Yes, sir," her voice was quiet.

He ran into Giovanni, who looked at him inscrutably, wearing no expression on his face. The man glanced only once at the corpse in his arms before nodding.

"Tell me if you still want them taken to the police."

Lysandre, feeling conflicted for once, didn't answer him or his dry tone. But, several hours later, when he heard news that some of the sex slaves had been arrested for prostitution and some of the traffickers had managed to buy their freedom, Lysandre went straight to Xerosic. He knew Malva would be foaming at the mouth after hearing the news, but neither she nor he could show their faces. Not yet.

But he wasn't going to let this be.

"I need you to do something, Xerosic," he stepped towards the man who listened promptly.

It was a change from his recent behavior, given that ever since hearing of Ash's abduction, he'd become very subdued. But Lysandre was very serious at the moment, and he also knew that once Xerosic heard what Lysandre was going to propose, he'd immediately agree and perk up somewhat.

And as for those others who'd managed to buy themselves a little time...

He wasn't worried. Lysandre had a feeling that Giovanni and his Team wouldn't let them get away so easily, and was probably already hunting them down.

As for Lysandre's own Team...

~*~*~

Xerosic appreciated the use of the Rocket's technology. After using a teargas solution that knocked out the entire precinct, Xerosic (and the group he'd assembled) easily traversed through the building. He was quick to find where the rest of the traffickers were being held at, while the prostitutes were held somewhere else. They were being taken cared of by someone else, and would be taken safely from here and brought to the main Flare Headquarters.

As for himself, he was there with a different task.

Snatching the airtight mask from his pocket and that sealed onto his face tightly, he grabbed his clipboard and continued into the holding area where many of the traffickers were kept. From there, he took out the Rocket's "cage-shield" tech, pressing a button and throwing it into a cell experimentally. A light gold energy shield was created from inside the cell, trapping the trafficker inside of it. But what else Xerosic had dropped with it, landing inside of the energy shield, was a container that broke and leaked out gas. While he was assured the shields would hold up against it, the mask was also another precaution.

He began to take note of the effects, ignoring the man's screams. Scratching a few things on his clipboard, he idly noted the man's skin practically melting off, before he moved. He wasn't a sadist by any means, and would go about this as clinically as he could.

Even if a part of him slightly reveled in their pain, after what they did to Ash and all.

He went onto the next cell, to which he redid the process again, only this time he noted different effects for the next chemical. The man's blood poured out from his nose, ears, eyes, and even from his fingernails.

Xerosic just observed, wrote something down, and then moved on. He did this with all the traffickers stuck there with him, and he felt absolutely no sympathy at all. These people were in the business of hurting people. So why would he care about hurting them back?

They were cruel beings who enjoyed cruelty, so people of equal brutality had been dispatched to take care of them.

It was a match to a match, and he certainly had no qualms about what he was doing right then.

~*~*~

Volkner, gym leader of Sunyshore's gym, couldn't stop thinking of the young pretty girl he'd met earlier. Unfortunately, she'd run away in a panic and he had no idea where she was or what had happened. Somehow or other, she'd gotten spook by him.

But he couldn't figure out why?

Unfortunately, he'd not seen her again after. So he'd headed to the bar restaurant he usually went to, knowing Flint would be waiting for him. Just as he was nearing it though, he saw a strange man running passed him, holding tightly onto a familiar backpack. He'd seen it before -that girl had been clutching onto it!

Scowling, he ran after the man, letting out his Luxray as he did so.

"Luxray, Agility! Then tackle!"

He was relieved when his pokémon managed to do as he said, catching the man off guard, and crashing him to the ground. From there, Volkner had caught up and snatched the man's collar.

"Where'd you get that backpack?" Volkner yelled.

"It's mine!" the man yelled back.

He shook the man. "Liar. I recognized it. It belongs to a girl. Where is she?"

The man pressed his lips closed, but even Luxray started growling, the pokémon's body crackling with electricity as it felt its master's agitation. The man looked at it warily. Another shake from Volkner had a gun falling from inside the man's jacket to drop onto the ground. Eying it in disgust, but also feeling worried now, Volkner carefully pocketed it before dragging the man with him to the police station. When he reached the clerk upfront and explained what happened, the clerk looked like he knew what he was talking about right away.

"A girl came in earlier. She was reporting her bag was stolen, but when I went to get Officer Jenny, she'd run away for some reason," the clerk told him.

Volkner wondered why she kept running away.

"This the man?" Officer Jenny appeared and walked around the counter to take the man Volkner had apprehended.

The man struggled a little, but Officer Jenny was quick to put the handcuffs on him. Volkner took out the gun carefully, still not wanting to leave his prints on it, and handed it over as well.

"He had this on him. I don't know if he..."

"I didn't shoot her!" the man protested. "I just made her hand over the backpack!" he confessed.

The man tried to back away, but a warning snap of Luxray's jaws kept him still.

"We'll process the backpack and its contents as evidence," Officer Jenny told him, though she'd opened it to at least peak inside.

A picture slipped out, showing the girl with a few other people. The most distinguishable was a man with long green hair and a weird contraption on one of his eyes, and the second being a blond man with glasses and in a lab coat.

"That's the girl," Volkner confirmed, picking up the picture.

Officer Jenny took the picture from him with a grimace that he curiously noted.

"I know her. Her picture's been circulating around the precincts in all the regions just recently. She's Oak's surrogate daughter of sorts, and Giovanni Rocketto's 'friend.' Apparently, she'd been taken a year ago by traffickers."

Volkner froze, remembering that meeting clearly. He and his fellow Sinnoh gym leaders and the Sinnoh Elite, along with Cynthia, had been in shock and wariness as they listened to (and even after) Giovanni's impassionate and furious speech towards everyone about the traffickers, even though they hadn't been face to face with the man. But now he had a face to put to the girl he'd run into and the girl Giovanni had apparently shown a picture of to his own Kanto colleagues. He also had a name.

Ash Ketchum.

He had to get to Flint, and tell him what happened. From there, he had to find a way to contact Giovanni somehow.

Volkner also had to keep looking for that girl, because who knows what else was going on and happening to her in his city.

~*~*~

It had been a few days since she'd had her stuff stolen and she'd run across the man from the trafficking group. She was terrified and growing rather paranoid of things, not sure if at any moment she'd get caught and/or found by someone who'd drag her back.

She had no money, was lost, and unsure what to do now. She was still squatting in that building, along with a few other homeless people. If she went back to the police, the man might be watching the area and keeping a lookout for her. And she didn't know how she'd get out of the city without being caught. She didn't even know what direction to go! It was hard making herself venture out for any reason, and only when she got really hungry did she dare sneak out.

Like then.

She could feel her stomach aching, and if she didn't eat soon she had a feeling she was going to pass out. She was feeling faint as it was.

She wondered if she could find a job. She was young though, and not sure who would hire her. And she was still trying to not be seen by those traffickers either. She wasn't sure if they would leave that place any time soon, or even if they were stationed there.

She caught sight of a strange-looking woman with purple hair, and dressed in a white uniform that looked kind of...space-like? She was walking swiftly down the street, carrying a bag that contained something heavy. Following after her discreetly, Ash was led to an area where a group of people mingled. They were all wearing similar uniforms, even complete with a turquoise-colored wig. Staying near the back of the group, she realized that this was a Team Galactic meeting. A recruiting meeting actually.

Sighing to herself, Ash turned back the way she came and left. She wandered around, wary of her surroundings and aware that she looked like some homeless person. Which she technically was.

But still, her clothes were dirty and her skin felt unclean. She knew her hair was probably starting to become lanky and greasy, and that there was no way someone was going to willingly help her the way she looked.

Funnily enough, one of those Galactic recruiters spotted her, now that they'd been set to go around the city. He strode towards her and she looked around, trying to see an escape.

"You there! You look like the type that needs a goal!" he started talking the usual propaganda, but Ash was just anxious about being in one spot for too long.

"Thank you, but I'm fin -" she'd just been about to interject, when she saw someone she knew. Someone she was horrified to see.

She remembered Miranda. She remembered the woman pulling at her hair, threatening to cut out her eyes, just happy to inflict any sort of pain on her. And she was across the street, some ways away, and staring straight at her with a slowly growing smile.

"I'll join!" Ash turned back to the Galactic grunt, practically shrieking. "It's fine! It's okay! I want to join!"

But then the grunt frowned. "Actually, are you even 18? We don't accept members under 18."

"I just turned 18," Ash lied. She was getting desperate. Heck, she'd been desperate these past few days, and she was definitely desperate enough to join a Team. "I'm 18 and I want to join. Like now! Please take me with you!"

Bewildered, the grunt nodded and turned, leading the way. Ash tried to rush him, until she'd gotten him to start running.

He, on one hand, wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to get him to do what she wanted.

~*~*~

That group of Galactic members left not too soon after, thankfully. And they traveled from Sunyshore, all the way to the not so far away city of Veilstone. Soon enough, Ash managed to get some food in her and get cleaned, and was wearing one of those ridiculous Galactic uniforms everyone had to wear. She hated the wig. It felt strange on her head, and made it itch.

They were now in a meeting in the Team's hall, but it was crowded and she was short. She couldn't help being stuck in the back, and trying to stand on the tip of her toes to see the leader of the Team speak, although she was able to hear him clearly. He had a nice voice, she noted. It was just...nice somehow.

Still trying to see over the tall forms around her, she tried peeking around the others, stretching her neck, but nothing helped.

"Can't see?' she heard an amused voice ask behind her, and she turned to see another member of the Team. He had dark blue hair, turned up into points at either side of his head.

She turned red in embarrassment, but nodded. She was taken aback when he held out his hand.

"Here, let me help," and when he tugged her closer and helped picked her up to sit on his shoulder, she nearly toppled back in surprise. But he steadied her, so she eagerly went to look at the speaker, curious to what the boss of Team Galactic looked like.

She pouted when she realized he was done and had left, leaving that purple-haired lady she remembered seeing from before, to finish up the meeting.

"Aw, I missed him," she carefully jumped off his shoulder.

"Maybe next time," the dark blue-haired man laughed slightly. "I'm Saturn. Are you a new recruit?"

"Yeah, I guess I am," Ash thought about it. She hadn't really wanted to join up with the Team, but she wasn't exactly there unwillingly either.

She just wanted to get away from Miranda.

Saturn shook her hand. "Welcome to the Team then. You'll get used to how things are done around here."

Ash smiled back weakly. She just wanted to go home.