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The cool night air was on her skin, goosebumps present, eyes on Reid. She turned, her voice dropping. "Because." She closed the distance with one step, her hand moving to rest on just one of his.

If he didn't react immediately her fingers would curl over the finger, to lock it in an awkward position. One that would allow even Henrietta to snap it with some swift effort.

"I want to know exactly what you want with me."

Her thoughts were free. If life had taught Henrietta anything it was that she wasn't pretty or beautiful or special enough to land a date with a man that had such high aspirations, especially when she looked like crap.

The single flaw in Reid's story was her - it was that a man would want to look good but bring along a wild card. Henrietta wasn't about to accept that it was because of who she is.

She wasn't anyone special.

And Reid could read all of that just fine.

***

"Come on man, that's embarrassing, just pay up, eh?" Goldberg said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Damn, this guy was not cool.

Jump hung his head low, unable to look up at Goldberg. Picking up chicks was supposed to be his thing. And he had lost to a complete stranger. "My swag," he groaned sadly, "has failed me..."

Why have I been losing my groove? Was it Kero? Or was it this Artemis thing? No, it was both.

Slowly, he pulled out his wallet and weakly held up 50 pokedollars to Goldberg. "Just take it."

****

N nodded. This child must have been a passerby. "Yes, I remember that conversation."

He wondered how Henrietta had fared after the shockwaves had hit her. Was her reaction as painful as Salieri's? N made a mental note to ask the next time he saw her.

"What brings you to this banquet?"

****

Reid tilted his head down. His eyes were covered by locks of his blue hair. A barely noticeable smirk crept onto his lips. "Alright."

Henrietta's movement was predicted thanks to Reid's mind reading. The choice to make a specific movement was at the forefront of any opponent's thoughts when they launched an attack, moreso in that moment than anything else. If he was quick enough, he could dodge an enemie's moves.

Reid's wiry frame was agile, allowing him to evade the grasp. The psychic ducked and stepped away, creating a distance between them again.

He stood up straight again after the retreating step. "What I want you to do, for right now, is understand that you're in the presence of powers beyond what you're capable of dealing with. And for your safety, you should probably stop right where you are. Otherwise I can't guarantee that you will get out of this encounter with your life."

Reid backed off some more, leaning against the balcony's banister again. He had a lock on Henrietta's mind. Now it was time to start digging deeper. "You're a potential detriment to my mission and I want to make sure you won't impede it. In any way I can."

The more Henrietta's thoughts raced and her emotions elevated, the easier it would be for Reid to probe deeper into her mind. And so he began, starting to sift past the surface thoughts to get to the heart of the matter. Why did Henrietta choose to oppose Team Plasma?

Why did she oppose?

Because those Munna wouldn't calm down otherwise.

Why did she fight them?

Because they'd stolen from the museum

And why did she fight now?

Because you've targeted me.

Shallow reasons, but underneath it all was the intent. She had no intention of killing Reid. There it was.

We're victims of circumstance. Standing here now, at odds. That's the only reason we have to fight - but I don't want to.

She tapped her side, a tiny item ball hidden in the color of the skirt of her dress. As it enlarged and light poured free she clenched it, bringing it up as her body stepped into stance.

The scarred shinai was before her now, gripped with both hands.

I want to understand you. And find a different route, where nobody has to hurt or fight or die.

"What's your mission?"

***

Goldberg took the money. "Come on, dude, get over it. I'm the champ of everything." He pointed to himself with a thumb.

((More of this))

Yana gave Wayne a small, catlike smile. Good boy.

"First of all, I owe you an apology. This date was obviously a ruse. Nothing personal. Just my job. I hope you understand."

The parasol twirled off her shoulder and then was down at her side. Both of her hands were on the handle. "Still, I need to know. Wayne Lee, just how much are you willing to do to get your pokemon back?"

Did she know where Wayne's original team of pokemon was? No, Yana didn't have that authority to access that information. But Wayne didn't know that. For all he knew, she was one of the top ranking members of the organization. The bluff wasn't outlandish.

****

Once Henrietta settled into her stance, two pieces of steel would embed themselves into the balcony with a solid THUNK. Two blood red hunting knives the size of machetes were in the ground right before her toes.

If one examined the angle, they could inference that the knives were thrown from a position directly vertical to the balcony. But if one looked up, they wouldn't see anybody.

"My suggestion for you to stand still was more of a threat, really," Reid sighed. She had aimed for his fingers before. He didn't have to be a mind reader to know that she realized something was up with him. Except he was a mind reader, so he figured it out that way.

He started to focus the majority of his psychic powers into probing Henrietta's mind, going even deeper. Probing was not a quick process. Out of all psychic functions, it took Reid the longest. He continued to drill forward, hoping to uncover more. What was her motivation? Why did she fight when she could run?

"My mission is to keep you from interfering with Team Plasma's actions. It's twice now that you've taken part in impeding us. I cannot let it happen again."

Reid tilted his head to the side. "The most beneficial option you have is to walk away from this. When you see Team Plasma, look the other way. And never mention this to anybody. That's the only way I can guarantee you don't get hurt."

****

Jump scrambled up to his feet, pointing up at Goldberg with renewed, fiery determination. "Hey, just cause you got lucky once doesn't make you the champ! My track record is through the roof! One loss doesn't change a thing."

He folded his harms, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "Think you're the champ of everything? For real?"

****

N shrugged. It looked like this child was just like the rest of the prospective trainers there. "The same thing," he replied. "I'm waiting on the speech."

He looked away habitually again, and this time he saw Salieri at the bar. Their eyes met, and she began to wave for him to come over. N hesitated, but then stood up.

"I apologize, a friend I was waiting for would like to speak to me." Normally one might smile now while saying goodbye, but N's smile was very weak. "It was nice to meet you and your Zorua friend."

"Come a little closer," Wayne said, "Maybe you'll find out."

What did she know about his pokémon? Did she mean the ones right here or...? Wayne had long since promised himself to do whatever it took to get his pokémon back. And you didn't live with Zack for as long as he had without learning a thing or two about doing whatever it takes.

Why did she fight?

Everyone else ran ahead, I can't let them get killed for it.

But why her?

I'd-

Henrietta stared Reid down. Her fingers had tightened around her handle thanks to the hunting knives. Still, she looked capable of charging forward any second. "Then everyone else is in danger of the same thing as me." There were no shifts in her stance, it seemed that she was indeed staying still.

Still, there was a determination there, and an intensity to her eyes now. That same feeling of being alive was back now, Henrietta could feel it. But how would it save her here? No, she didn't need saving.

The others might, though. That's how she saw it.

"You sure like to talk," Wayne said. This was the first time someone ever had a sword aimed at his neck. He was a lot less scared than he might've imagined.

"Just give me my pokémon back. That's all I'm in this for."