((Oh my god I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to be as long as it is O_O))
Her footsteps echo off the grey walls as Caitlyn strides quickly down one of the many identical hallways of Team Galactic's Veilstone City headquarters. She passes a few grunts, most with the same uniform hair and clothing. They remind her of clones, though their facial features and skin tones still vary. A few, like her, chose not to change their appearance for the cult-like group, but they all have to wear the, frankly ugly, uniform.
She turns left into another corridor and recognises the portal ahead of her to be the one leading to Commander Saturn's office, where she had been summoned just minutes earlier. She steps forward onto the glowing circle. No matter how often she has to use these, Cailtyn has never quite been able to prepare herself for the sudden lurching feeling with every trip. She has, however, learnt not to let her dizzyness show when she reaches solid ground again.
"Commander," she greets Saturn, who motions to the seat in front of her desk.
"Please, sit down," he replies. Caitlyn does as she's told and lowers herself gracefully into the plush but small armchair. "If I may enquire why I was called here?" she asks.
"Commander." she adds respectfully. Saturn smiles at her.
"Well, Smith, in the years since you joined Team Galactic, your results and work ethic has been... exemplary, to say the least," he explains.
"Thank you," Caitlyn nods.
"And you must have grown curious as to what we're working towards here, have you not?"
"Yes, Commander, I admit that I have, to say the least."
"Which is why I, and your other Commanders decided to approach the boss, Cyrus, you've met him, I believe, and request that your talents be recognised. He has given me the honour of inviting you to join us in the higher ranks of Team Galactic. If you should accept, you will become a Commander, and work alongside Mars, Jupiter, and I, and you will truly become a part of what we're trying to do here at Team Galactic."
"Commander, I don't know what to say. Thank you, and yes, of course I accept." Caitlyn replies, using all her self-control to keep from grinning ear to ear. Instead, she settles for a polite yet enthusiastic smile.
"I thought you'd be pleased," Saturn says, "And please, it's Saturn now. I no longer outrank you."
Oh my god, this is huge, Caitlyn thinks to herself as Saturn informs her of Team Galactic's master plans and her duties. I've gotta remember all this to tell Jenny...
"Well, I'd better get on with it then," Caitlyn says, and stands up from her chair. "I don't get my own office now, do I?" she asks, a curious half smile forming on her lips.
"Actually, you do," Saturn replies, "Take the portal out of my office, and the one just own the hall from that leads to your new work space."
"Great. Thanks again!" Caitlyn says as she turns and walks into the portal.
She regains her balance quickly and finds her portal exactly where it was supposed to be. Caitlyn takes a breath in the hallway before stepping into it and takes the next in her new office. Inside it is almost identical to the other Commanders' offices, except hers looks fresher and the tech on her desk looks newer, though Caitlyn is sure the others will be upgraded soon enough. If there's anything that Team Galactic aren't slow at it's getting the latest technology.
Caitlyn inhales the scent of unused paper and new paint, satisfied, and sits down on her executive-looking chair. She considers picking up the phone on her desk beside her, but then realises it can probably be tapped into by Cyrus, so she pulls out her cell and dials the police station. Jenny picks up at the other end, "Hello? This is Officer Jenny at the Pastoria City Police Department."
"Jenny! It's me, Caitlyn. I'm calling from Team Galactic Headquarters in Veilstone-"
"What are you doing?! Do you know how risky it is to call me when you're not totally sure you're alone?!" Jenny interrupts hysterically.
"No, no, Jenny, I'm alone, don't worry. But I do have some-"
"How can you be alone?! You're a grunt, Caitlyn! The halls are probably bugged!" She yells through the phone, forcing Caitlyn to move it slightly further away from her ear.
"That's just it, Jenny. I'm not a grunt any more, I got promoted and I'm calling from my own office, where I'm alone." Caitlyn explains as fast as she can for risk of being cut off again.
"Oh," Jenny says, "Well you could've just said so! You had me worried about the mission being compromised or something!"
"Okay, okay, just calm down for a moment. I have important news," Caitlyn pauses, anticipating an interruption, then continues, "I got promoted to Commander, and Saturn told me about Team Galactic's mission." She takes a deep breath, and prepares to tell Officer Jenny their plan from beginning to end just as Saturn told her.
***
"Cassie, c'mon, I can see the exit!" Azon says, pointing to the distant glow of daylight that was the exit of the cave. Cassie barks happily, and runs with Azon towards the rocky doorway. A shape flies between them and the light, and before Azon can register what it is, Cassie lets out a yelp as the pokemon bites into her side. "Cassie, ember, now!" Azon commands. Cassie obeys, spitting angry fire at the pokemon. It falls from the air, fainted, and Azon bends down to get a closer look. "That's a zubat, I think," he thought out loud, producing his pokedex from his pocket to confirm it. "Good job, Cass," he says, to which his growlithe howls proudly, "I don't know what I would've done if it'd pulled a supersonic on us."
A small amount of blood seeps from the wound on Cassie's shoulder, which Azon notices. "Here, lemme get you a potion," he says, slinging his backpack off his shoulder and rummaging through the back pocket for the right medicine. He pulls it out and gives it to Cassie.
"You okay to keep walking, or do you wanna come back in your pokeball?" he asks, but Cassie shakes her head and bounds towards the cave exit, leaving Azon to pick up his backpack and catch up.
He has to squint his eyes when he walks out of the cave into the daylight, and holds his arm above his head to shade them until they adjust. He sees Cassie just a few meteres ahead on the other side of the bridge, and walks over to join her. "Hearthome City should be just ahead," he says, and the pair continue walking at their own pace towards their place to stay for the night and their first gym challenge.
***
Madi stands at the side of the Veilstone City Game Corner, watching as people walk in and out, with Finlay by her side. A single tourist entered not too long ago. She could tell it was a tourist from the camera she wore around her neck and the open-mouthed interest she had in every aspect of the building. Not to mention her Johto accent.
The same tourist walked back through the doors, with an even wider smile this time. Clearly they'd won big in there, which also means that they can afford to give a little to Madison. "Finlay, tha' one over there," she whispers to her eevee, pointing discreetly to the woman. Finlay jumps out from her hiding place and bounds over to the woman. She growls adorably and darts between the tourist's legs. "Aww! How cute! A wild eevee!" the woman coos, turning around to watch Finlay's performance. Madison walks casually up behind the woman and slips her wallet out from her shoulder bag while she's distracted by taking photos of Finlay acting cute.
Madi makes her escape quickly and quietly, ducking back into her hiding place. She opens the wallet and take out the woman's game winnings, stuffing them into her own rucksack. She ditches the wallet itself; someone else'll find it and hand it in to the police station.
"Awesome, Finlay," she says as her eevee returns triumphantly, "We go' heaps this time. Almost enough fer a whole week!" Madi grins ecstatically at Finlay, who smiles as much as a pokemon can in reply. "Now come on, let's get out of here. The smog smells gross," she says, and gets to her feet.
She takes a peek around the corner. The tourist's gone, probably at the police station now reporting the theft. But Madi's not worried. She never is, because they never catch her. She walks through the crowd with Finlay at her heels and is soon at the small forest she calls home.
Madi hoists herself up onto the first branch of her tree. Its the hardest bit, but it's not to bad for her since she's been doing it for so long. She scales the rest of the tree with ease until she reaches the little nook in the tree where she stores what few possessions she has, and tucks her bag into it.
***
"Okay, bye Bell." Daphne says, giving her little sister one last hug, careful not to crush Rabbit between them. "You'll make sure you win lots of contests, won't you?" Ridge added, making Arabella smile. "I will!" she replies confidently, pulling away from Daphne's hug. She walks down the short path from her house and when she reaches the gate, turns and waves goodbye to her siblings with her one free arm, the other holding Rabbit, her buneary. "Bye Daph! Bye Ridge!" she calls one last time, and then she's off.
Arabella sets down Rabbit and grips the straps of her backpack tightly with both hands. She take one last look at Floaroma town and all its flowers littering the ground before skipping away in the direction of the Valley Windworks. But she doesn't go that way, she crosses the bridge over the river and heads in the direction of Eterna City.
There are mixed emotions overflowing in Arabella's mind as she walks through the tall grass. On one hand, she's always wanted to enter competitions with her buneary, and she's the happiest she's ever been, which is really saying something. But on the other hand, she misses her family, and her pretty home town of Floaroma already.
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