Collections of Elegant Formulas: Chapter 1
Masterlist | Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Epilogue | Notes
The Strialton City Gym restaurant was empty: no customers at the tables, no Pokémon groupies near the entrance to wish challengers good luck, and the curtains between seating areas hanging open, fringes dusty on the hardwood. Black walked forward into the second seating area, and called out Samurott, who stomped at the floor and stared into the dark back of the restaurant. Silver turned to one of the tables and took the tablecloth between his thumb and forefinger, rubbing at the fabric, and then dropping it when dust came off on his fingers. Julie stepped in, Eevee by her side, and closed the door behind her. When she closed the door, the lights went out, and Silver immediately called out Typhlosion, who lit the front room with his flames.
Black called out into the back room. “We’ve come to challenge you for Gym Badges!” There was no response or movement from the back. The three advanced slowly, Black and Silver on either side of Julie, Samurott leading the way and Typhlosion walking behind them. After three more empty seating areas, the last devoid of tables and chairs, they reached the stage where the Gym Leaders normally waited; in place of the gym leaders, there was one more round table, clean, with place settings for three and half-full glasses of water. They approached; when Typhlosion crossed the curtain line into the back room, the curtain pulled closed suddenly, and bright lights turned on. All three of them covered their eyes with their hands, and when they pulled their hands back, three men in black wearing masks sat at the table, each with long white hair.
“Oh,” said Julie, while Black stepped forward and Silver reached down to the Pokeballs on his belt.
One of the three rose, making a sweeping gesture with his arm. “Welcome to our fine establishment, gentlemen. Unfortunately, we are no longer serving Gym Badges. The chefs are... indisposed.” Silver lifted his right heel and then put it back down, and Typhlosion slid to the right side of the room, eyes focused on the center table. “We would be happy to serve you an alternate meal, however, at the Pokémon League, if you’d be so kind as to come along with us.”
“That’s funny,” said Black. “Because we’re on our way there. But we need badges to issue a formal challenge, which is why we stopped here first. Samurott, ready.” Samurott dropped into a battle stance, waiting.
A second man stood up. “Unfortunately, the badge system has been... deprecated. We’d prefer that you took a more direct route to the League.” Eevee tugged lightly at the hem of Silver’s pant leg, and he looked down, then over to Typhlosion, who lifted his head slightly. “We’d be happy to accompany you on a direct route.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Black tugged at his bag, pushing it behind him. “We’ll arrive when we’re ready to.”
“Oh, no.” The third man stood up, each of them pushing back their chairs. “I’m afraid we’ll have to insist. Ghetsis will be very excited to see his son again.”
Julie shook her head. “Ghetsis has no son,” she said quietly, pulling at a gold bracelet on her wrist.
“That’s not your decision anymore,” said the first man, who picked up the glass of water in front of him on the table. “You were relieved of your command years ago, child. Team Plasma decides who you are now, and not the reverse.”
“We reject your terms.” Silver’s voice was flat. “Either battle us for badges or leave.” Eevee jumped in front of Julie, baring her fangs at the men on the platform.
“Very well.” As the ninja threw the glass of water behind him, three Bisharp jumped down from the ceiling. Samurott whirled around in time to partially deflect a blow with his horn, growling; Typhlosion launched a flamethrower before the other two even hit the ground, knocking them off-path and toward the left side of the room. The trainers ran to the curtains, Eevee falling back with them, and Black glanced at Julie. She bit her lip, and then reached into her pocket, pulling out a single Pokeball.
“Only if I have to,” she said, clenching it in her palm.
“Samurott, use Hydro Pump!” The Pokémon obliged, shooting jets of water at the Bisharps, hitting one square-on and glancing over another. The three ninja jumped away from the table, moving to the back corners of the room, and one recalled the Bisharp that had taken the full force of the attack. Samurott continued firing water, and one jet hit Typhlosion, whose flames sputtered as he slid back a few feet.
Silver growled, recalling Typhlosion and calling out Crobat. “A little warning?” Crobat whirled into the air, straightening out two of its wings like blades and surveying the room. “You could have used Razor Shell!”
“You could have used a water-type Pokémon. Samurott, Hydro Pump again!”
Black pointed forward, and Samurott repeated its move, hitting another Bisharp and knocking it down; the other two jumped aside, and then charged at Julie, blades extended. Eevee jumped directly into one, grabbing on and knocking it aside, but the other reached her and wrapped an arm around her, blade held close to her torso. She stood stock still.
Silver pivoted on one foot. “Crobat, hold!”
Black shook his head and relaxed his shoulders. “Samurott, hold.”
The tallest of the three ninja stepped forward. “All of you, freeze! Bisharp, get the other one.” The other Bisharp jumped behind Black and wrapped a blade around his waist, holding still. Black and Julie both looked at Silver, whose eyes fluttered closed.
Silver remembered Giovanni bursting into a cafe in Kanto and killing his friends. He remembered how Kotone had protected him, how Eevee had protected him, how he had done nothing. His feet felt like the same lead they had felt then; his body felt empty, draining out of the top of his head, until Crobat landed there, and he blinked, and he was back again. The ninja were walking toward him, an Absol leading the way.
Silver thought. Kotone would talk them out of this somehow. Except... that didn’t work with Giovanni, and it might not work here. And even if she could do it, I couldn’t. Green would pull some impossible solution out of his back pocket and act like he’d planned it all along. But I don’t have anything in my back pocket; Black’s the one with the gun. What would I do? What can I do? Crobat has no damaging moves that could hit both Pokémon, and even if it did, it wouldn’t be enough damage to- Crobat bit him on the ear, and he perked up. The Absol had backed Eevee into a wall, and the two Bisharp and hostages were consolidated in one corner of the room. A wing tapped him on his left shoulder. Oh. Clever bat.
The ninja watched him, tense. “Recall your Crobat if you want them to live.”
“I need to reach down for its Pokeball to do that,” said Silver. “Which means I need to move.” He stared them down and waited.
After a moment, the tall one spoke. “Fine. But slowly.”
Silver nodded and lifted his arm at the same time, bowing out his elbow slightly. As he pulled Crobat’s Pokeball into his hand, all three ninja watching him, the Pokémon fired a Confuse Ray at both Bisharp, Silver recalling it just after the attack was fired. Within a second, Black had pushed a confused Bisharp away, Julie had called out Zekrom and Zekrom had swatted the Bisharp away with a roar, Eevee had leapt over Absol, and Silver had jumped behind a confused Feraligatr, very suddenly in the center of the room. By the time the ninja had recalled their Bisharps and deployed a new team, the three trainers were behind Zekrom, and Feraligatr and Samurott stood in front of the legendary dragon, glaring at Absol, Accelgor, and Banette.
Julie hugged Eevee close, shaking her head. “I expected better from you three.”
Black rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t have. Samurott, Hydro Pump again!” Samurott obliged; Absol slid back a few feet, but Accelgor dodged around the streams of water and charged an Energy Ball, firing it into Samurott and making the Pokémon collapse. Absol charged at Zekrom, but bounced harmlessly off of its Protect, sliding back again. Feraligatr jumped forward to bite down on Banette, took a Sucker Punch to the jaw, but then clamped down anyway, both Pokémon stepping back dazed.
Black recalled Samurott and sent out Simisear, the fire monkey jumping into place and staring down Accelgor. Feraligatr dropped down to all fours. The ninja looked at each other, and then nodded, their Pokémon moving in unison. Banette Sucker Punched Feraligatr and then slid back just as the Energy Ball hit, knocking the Pokémon out; Absol’s Night Slash again bounced off of Zekrom’s Protect, the Pokémon obviously angry.
“Flame Burst!” Black pumped his fist as Accelgor was knocked out. “Now we’re looking good. If Zekrom could just use an actual attack...”
“Reflect,” said Julie, as Silver called Crobat back out and another Bisharp replaced the fallen Accelgor.
“Always the idealist...” Black’s Simisear took a Sucker Punch and then an immediate Night Slash, but did not collapse. “Simisear, Focus Blast!” The blast hit Absol, and the Pokémon fainted instantly; it passed through Banette and knocked Crobat briefly off course, but Crobat’s Bite attack finished off Banette, and then it swooped back around to Silver.
This time when the the ninja looked at each other, the tall one shook his head, and they all recalled their Pokémon. The tall ninja grabbed another Pokeball and threw it down onto the floor, and it exploded into thick smoke. The trainers threw themselves to the floor coughing; after a moment, Crobat had dissipated the smoke with its wings, but by that time the ninja had vanished.
“Huh.” Silver walked around the room, scanning the floor. “No badges.”
---
Iris drove the truck into a field to the south of Mistralton City, and rolled down the window. She craned her head outside, looked around, and saw nothing but grass and trees. Not satisfied, she released Excadrill out the window, and waited while the ground under the grass rippled in a circle around the truck. After a moment, Excadrill popped up and saluted; Iris smiled and recalled him into the Pokeball, and then reached for her XTransceiver. She propped it up on the steering wheel of the truck and punched in a code.
Cynthia’s face appeared on her screen. Her hair, mostly gray, was tied back in a simple ponytail. She wore her trademark jacket, and was leaning forward on something, resting her face against her hand. “Hey, Iris. Bad news.”
Iris frowned, instinctively reaching for the Pokeballs on her sash. “I’ve got good news, but you go first.”
“They’ve moved in on most of the Gyms already. The Shadow Triad had Strialton, which means they already know about Black’s plan.”
Iris smiled slightly, making a fist with her left hand. “I do like that you say had.”
Cynthia shook her head. “It’s not like they can hold it if they’re on some sort of badge quest, Iris. But yes, it’s something I suppose.”
“I’ve got something else!” Iris wagged a finger at Cynthia through the XTransceiver. “Guess where I am right now.”
Cynthia turned around briefly, and then turned back. “Please don’t tell me you went to the League.”
Iris shook her head quickly. “Oh hell no. I’m not crazy. I’m in a Rocket supply truck I hijacked. And I grabbed you a couple of guns and some Kyurems. These guys are even more incompetent guards than Plasma Grunts! You want some Kyurems?”
The connection briefly went staticky; Cynthia pursed her lips. “You aren’t crazy?”
Iris leaned back a bit. “Nope! Just awesome. There’s more supplies I haven’t gone through, too, looks like food and building materials but I didn’t spend a lot of the time in the back of the trunk. I brought it to Strialton.” She relaxed, shifting her head a bit to keep her hair from being crushed against the headrest, arms pulled forward from the hot vinyl of the seat.
“Iris.” Cynthia’s face was fully in her palm now. “Iris, why did you do that. There’s almost certainly a tracking device in the vehicle.”
“Okaaaaaay. But do you really think they didn’t know where Strialton City was?’
“No.” Cynthia looked up - it was the first time Iris had seen her truly angry, and Iris swallowed instinctively. “But they didn’t know where you were, Iris. And now they do. And that’s a problem because if they capture our only Dragon Master and they keep duplicating only Dragon Pokémon then we’re going to be Dragon Fucked.”
Iris tapped her foot rapidly, the sound muffled inside the cab. “Yeah, but... I can’t just sit hiding forever. I have to help. You get to drive around causing chaos and liberating people, how come I’m supposed to hide in a cave?”
“I know, I wouldn’t like it either.” Cynthia pressed her fingertip against her Xtransceiver, covering a corner of Iris’s screen. “What if we sent you to Johto? I was going to send Skyla on the grounds that she could get back the most easily, but it would be useful for you to touch base with the Dragon Clan there and potentially figure out a solution to this Kyurem nonsense. And it would throw them off your trail, at least for a little while.”
Iris pressed her finger against her Xtransceiver, touching the image of Cynthia’s. “I’ve heard the Johto Dragon Clan are... insular.”
“Lance is a stick in the mud, but they’re not bad people.”
Iris frowned, and looked down her nose at Cynthia. “I’ve heard that one before.”
“Okay, you’ve got me on that one. He’s actually a jerk.” Cynthia took her finger away and took a deep breath. “But I don’t think he’s a racist jerk, just a regular jerk. And if I’m wrong, you can yell at me about it later.”
-
“Come in.”
Morty slid the door the rest of the way open and kicked off his shoes, walking into the center of the Dragon’s Den. Lance sat on a small cushion, staring out the back of the building across the water.
“Hey, Lance.”
“I told you not to bother me unless you could fix things.”
“About that.” Morty took a seat on a cushion on the other side of the room, unwinding his scarf and folding it on his lap. “I don’t have any guarantees, but I may have thought of something.” When he took off his headband, it revealed his hairline, still blonde, making its way to the crown of his head.
“Morty, if you cannot bring back the dead, I do not want to speak to you.”
The ghost trainer laughed softly, folding his arms over his chest. He waited a moment, listening to his own breathing, steady and measured. His heart beat in his chest, slowly at first, and then a bit faster as he began to speak.
“I can’t bring back the dead, for all the time I spend with them. But there is someone who can.”
Lance turned around.
-
The Strialton City Gym restaurant was empty: no customers at the tables, no Pokémon groupies near the entrance to wish challengers good luck, and the curtains between seating areas hanging open, fringes dusty on the hardwood. Black walked forward into the second seating area, and called out Samurott, who stomped at the floor and stared into the dark back of the restaurant. Silver turned to one of the tables and took the tablecloth between his thumb and forefinger, rubbing at the fabric, and then dropping it when dust came off on his fingers. Julie stepped in, Eevee by her side, and closed the door behind her. When she closed the door, the lights went out, and Silver immediately called out Typhlosion, who lit the front room with his flames.
Black called out into the back room. “We’ve come to challenge you for Gym Badges!” There was no response or movement from the back. The three advanced slowly, Black and Silver on either side of Julie, Samurott leading the way and Typhlosion walking behind them. After three more empty seating areas, the last devoid of tables and chairs, they reached the stage where the Gym Leaders normally waited; in place of the gym leaders, there was one more round table, clean, with place settings for three and half-full glasses of water. They approached; when Typhlosion crossed the curtain line into the back room, the curtain pulled closed suddenly, and bright lights turned on. All three of them covered their eyes with their hands, and when they pulled their hands back, three men in black wearing masks sat at the table, each with long white hair.
“Oh,” said Julie, while Black stepped forward and Silver reached down to the Pokeballs on his belt.
One of the three rose, making a sweeping gesture with his arm. “Welcome to our fine establishment, gentlemen. Unfortunately, we are no longer serving Gym Badges. The chefs are... indisposed.” Silver lifted his right heel and then put it back down, and Typhlosion slid to the right side of the room, eyes focused on the center table. “We would be happy to serve you an alternate meal, however, at the Pokémon League, if you’d be so kind as to come along with us.”
“That’s funny,” said Black. “Because we’re on our way there. But we need badges to issue a formal challenge, which is why we stopped here first. Samurott, ready.” Samurott dropped into a battle stance, waiting.
A second man stood up. “Unfortunately, the badge system has been... deprecated. We’d prefer that you took a more direct route to the League.” Eevee tugged lightly at the hem of Silver’s pant leg, and he looked down, then over to Typhlosion, who lifted his head slightly. “We’d be happy to accompany you on a direct route.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Black tugged at his bag, pushing it behind him. “We’ll arrive when we’re ready to.”
“Oh, no.” The third man stood up, each of them pushing back their chairs. “I’m afraid we’ll have to insist. Ghetsis will be very excited to see his son again.”
Julie shook her head. “Ghetsis has no son,” she said quietly, pulling at a gold bracelet on her wrist.
“That’s not your decision anymore,” said the first man, who picked up the glass of water in front of him on the table. “You were relieved of your command years ago, child. Team Plasma decides who you are now, and not the reverse.”
“We reject your terms.” Silver’s voice was flat. “Either battle us for badges or leave.” Eevee jumped in front of Julie, baring her fangs at the men on the platform.
“Very well.” As the ninja threw the glass of water behind him, three Bisharp jumped down from the ceiling. Samurott whirled around in time to partially deflect a blow with his horn, growling; Typhlosion launched a flamethrower before the other two even hit the ground, knocking them off-path and toward the left side of the room. The trainers ran to the curtains, Eevee falling back with them, and Black glanced at Julie. She bit her lip, and then reached into her pocket, pulling out a single Pokeball.
“Only if I have to,” she said, clenching it in her palm.
“Samurott, use Hydro Pump!” The Pokémon obliged, shooting jets of water at the Bisharps, hitting one square-on and glancing over another. The three ninja jumped away from the table, moving to the back corners of the room, and one recalled the Bisharp that had taken the full force of the attack. Samurott continued firing water, and one jet hit Typhlosion, whose flames sputtered as he slid back a few feet.
Silver growled, recalling Typhlosion and calling out Crobat. “A little warning?” Crobat whirled into the air, straightening out two of its wings like blades and surveying the room. “You could have used Razor Shell!”
“You could have used a water-type Pokémon. Samurott, Hydro Pump again!”
Black pointed forward, and Samurott repeated its move, hitting another Bisharp and knocking it down; the other two jumped aside, and then charged at Julie, blades extended. Eevee jumped directly into one, grabbing on and knocking it aside, but the other reached her and wrapped an arm around her, blade held close to her torso. She stood stock still.
Silver pivoted on one foot. “Crobat, hold!”
Black shook his head and relaxed his shoulders. “Samurott, hold.”
The tallest of the three ninja stepped forward. “All of you, freeze! Bisharp, get the other one.” The other Bisharp jumped behind Black and wrapped a blade around his waist, holding still. Black and Julie both looked at Silver, whose eyes fluttered closed.
Silver remembered Giovanni bursting into a cafe in Kanto and killing his friends. He remembered how Kotone had protected him, how Eevee had protected him, how he had done nothing. His feet felt like the same lead they had felt then; his body felt empty, draining out of the top of his head, until Crobat landed there, and he blinked, and he was back again. The ninja were walking toward him, an Absol leading the way.
Silver thought. Kotone would talk them out of this somehow. Except... that didn’t work with Giovanni, and it might not work here. And even if she could do it, I couldn’t. Green would pull some impossible solution out of his back pocket and act like he’d planned it all along. But I don’t have anything in my back pocket; Black’s the one with the gun. What would I do? What can I do? Crobat has no damaging moves that could hit both Pokémon, and even if it did, it wouldn’t be enough damage to- Crobat bit him on the ear, and he perked up. The Absol had backed Eevee into a wall, and the two Bisharp and hostages were consolidated in one corner of the room. A wing tapped him on his left shoulder. Oh. Clever bat.
The ninja watched him, tense. “Recall your Crobat if you want them to live.”
“I need to reach down for its Pokeball to do that,” said Silver. “Which means I need to move.” He stared them down and waited.
After a moment, the tall one spoke. “Fine. But slowly.”
Silver nodded and lifted his arm at the same time, bowing out his elbow slightly. As he pulled Crobat’s Pokeball into his hand, all three ninja watching him, the Pokémon fired a Confuse Ray at both Bisharp, Silver recalling it just after the attack was fired. Within a second, Black had pushed a confused Bisharp away, Julie had called out Zekrom and Zekrom had swatted the Bisharp away with a roar, Eevee had leapt over Absol, and Silver had jumped behind a confused Feraligatr, very suddenly in the center of the room. By the time the ninja had recalled their Bisharps and deployed a new team, the three trainers were behind Zekrom, and Feraligatr and Samurott stood in front of the legendary dragon, glaring at Absol, Accelgor, and Banette.
Julie hugged Eevee close, shaking her head. “I expected better from you three.”
Black rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t have. Samurott, Hydro Pump again!” Samurott obliged; Absol slid back a few feet, but Accelgor dodged around the streams of water and charged an Energy Ball, firing it into Samurott and making the Pokémon collapse. Absol charged at Zekrom, but bounced harmlessly off of its Protect, sliding back again. Feraligatr jumped forward to bite down on Banette, took a Sucker Punch to the jaw, but then clamped down anyway, both Pokémon stepping back dazed.
Black recalled Samurott and sent out Simisear, the fire monkey jumping into place and staring down Accelgor. Feraligatr dropped down to all fours. The ninja looked at each other, and then nodded, their Pokémon moving in unison. Banette Sucker Punched Feraligatr and then slid back just as the Energy Ball hit, knocking the Pokémon out; Absol’s Night Slash again bounced off of Zekrom’s Protect, the Pokémon obviously angry.
“Flame Burst!” Black pumped his fist as Accelgor was knocked out. “Now we’re looking good. If Zekrom could just use an actual attack...”
“Reflect,” said Julie, as Silver called Crobat back out and another Bisharp replaced the fallen Accelgor.
“Always the idealist...” Black’s Simisear took a Sucker Punch and then an immediate Night Slash, but did not collapse. “Simisear, Focus Blast!” The blast hit Absol, and the Pokémon fainted instantly; it passed through Banette and knocked Crobat briefly off course, but Crobat’s Bite attack finished off Banette, and then it swooped back around to Silver.
This time when the the ninja looked at each other, the tall one shook his head, and they all recalled their Pokémon. The tall ninja grabbed another Pokeball and threw it down onto the floor, and it exploded into thick smoke. The trainers threw themselves to the floor coughing; after a moment, Crobat had dissipated the smoke with its wings, but by that time the ninja had vanished.
“Huh.” Silver walked around the room, scanning the floor. “No badges.”
---
Iris drove the truck into a field to the south of Mistralton City, and rolled down the window. She craned her head outside, looked around, and saw nothing but grass and trees. Not satisfied, she released Excadrill out the window, and waited while the ground under the grass rippled in a circle around the truck. After a moment, Excadrill popped up and saluted; Iris smiled and recalled him into the Pokeball, and then reached for her XTransceiver. She propped it up on the steering wheel of the truck and punched in a code.
Cynthia’s face appeared on her screen. Her hair, mostly gray, was tied back in a simple ponytail. She wore her trademark jacket, and was leaning forward on something, resting her face against her hand. “Hey, Iris. Bad news.”
Iris frowned, instinctively reaching for the Pokeballs on her sash. “I’ve got good news, but you go first.”
“They’ve moved in on most of the Gyms already. The Shadow Triad had Strialton, which means they already know about Black’s plan.”
Iris smiled slightly, making a fist with her left hand. “I do like that you say had.”
Cynthia shook her head. “It’s not like they can hold it if they’re on some sort of badge quest, Iris. But yes, it’s something I suppose.”
“I’ve got something else!” Iris wagged a finger at Cynthia through the XTransceiver. “Guess where I am right now.”
Cynthia turned around briefly, and then turned back. “Please don’t tell me you went to the League.”
Iris shook her head quickly. “Oh hell no. I’m not crazy. I’m in a Rocket supply truck I hijacked. And I grabbed you a couple of guns and some Kyurems. These guys are even more incompetent guards than Plasma Grunts! You want some Kyurems?”
The connection briefly went staticky; Cynthia pursed her lips. “You aren’t crazy?”
Iris leaned back a bit. “Nope! Just awesome. There’s more supplies I haven’t gone through, too, looks like food and building materials but I didn’t spend a lot of the time in the back of the trunk. I brought it to Strialton.” She relaxed, shifting her head a bit to keep her hair from being crushed against the headrest, arms pulled forward from the hot vinyl of the seat.
“Iris.” Cynthia’s face was fully in her palm now. “Iris, why did you do that. There’s almost certainly a tracking device in the vehicle.”
“Okaaaaaay. But do you really think they didn’t know where Strialton City was?’
“No.” Cynthia looked up - it was the first time Iris had seen her truly angry, and Iris swallowed instinctively. “But they didn’t know where you were, Iris. And now they do. And that’s a problem because if they capture our only Dragon Master and they keep duplicating only Dragon Pokémon then we’re going to be Dragon Fucked.”
Iris tapped her foot rapidly, the sound muffled inside the cab. “Yeah, but... I can’t just sit hiding forever. I have to help. You get to drive around causing chaos and liberating people, how come I’m supposed to hide in a cave?”
“I know, I wouldn’t like it either.” Cynthia pressed her fingertip against her Xtransceiver, covering a corner of Iris’s screen. “What if we sent you to Johto? I was going to send Skyla on the grounds that she could get back the most easily, but it would be useful for you to touch base with the Dragon Clan there and potentially figure out a solution to this Kyurem nonsense. And it would throw them off your trail, at least for a little while.”
Iris pressed her finger against her Xtransceiver, touching the image of Cynthia’s. “I’ve heard the Johto Dragon Clan are... insular.”
“Lance is a stick in the mud, but they’re not bad people.”
Iris frowned, and looked down her nose at Cynthia. “I’ve heard that one before.”
“Okay, you’ve got me on that one. He’s actually a jerk.” Cynthia took her finger away and took a deep breath. “But I don’t think he’s a racist jerk, just a regular jerk. And if I’m wrong, you can yell at me about it later.”
-
“Come in.”
Morty slid the door the rest of the way open and kicked off his shoes, walking into the center of the Dragon’s Den. Lance sat on a small cushion, staring out the back of the building across the water.
“Hey, Lance.”
“I told you not to bother me unless you could fix things.”
“About that.” Morty took a seat on a cushion on the other side of the room, unwinding his scarf and folding it on his lap. “I don’t have any guarantees, but I may have thought of something.” When he took off his headband, it revealed his hairline, still blonde, making its way to the crown of his head.
“Morty, if you cannot bring back the dead, I do not want to speak to you.”
The ghost trainer laughed softly, folding his arms over his chest. He waited a moment, listening to his own breathing, steady and measured. His heart beat in his chest, slowly at first, and then a bit faster as he began to speak.
“I can’t bring back the dead, for all the time I spend with them. But there is someone who can.”
Lance turned around.
-