Adventures Beyond!

Chapter 49: Mirror Image

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Sapphire Plains, Sinnoh

Walking through the plains of Sapphire, Akari looked at the midday sky with sparkling eyes. She felt a new sense of excitement. She was going to do something big this time. And then she would be able to show that she was strong enough to be an asset to Miles and the others.

Sophie looked forward to Sapphire Town, which was getting gradually closer with every step. She was lucky that Mark seemed to buy the excuse that she and Jacob were going to bring Akari home.

Jacob, meanwhile, allowed his gaze to slowly shift over to Sophie. She wore the same, unclear expression on her face, yet the Pikachu had somewhat of an idea what she was thinking about.

"So lemme get this straight, we're gonna somehow find Diligence and Will, and use Akari to touch one of them to set up an advantage when we eventually fight them?" Jacob asked.

"As Princess told Miles' dad, there are tons of eyewitness reports around Sapphire about two suspicious Pokémon..." Sophie explains, "If we ask the right Pokémon, we'll be able to find them, no problem."

"Sounds good!" Akari excitedly exclaimed, "We would be able to confuse them good! Sounds like my biggest prank yet!" Her trademark Zorua smirk spread across her face as she snickered faintly.

"You brought me along because you didn't want Oliver to get hurt, right?" Jacob suddenly asked, "Where's that concern for your friend Jacob? I thought we were friends."

"We are, I'm just less worried about you when it comes to battles. You're strong, aren't you?" The Snivy raised an eyebrow, looking at the Pikachu with feigned interest.

Jacob only huffed and rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile

"I can't find her anywhere!" Miles whined, slamming his head on one of the tables littered in the commons.

"Who knows?" Oliver lightly patted his back, "Maybe she might have gone home."

The Rockruff whimpered faintly.

"What's with all of the whining in here?" Logan, who was getting a bit irritated hearing Miles complain about his problem.

Oliver looked over at the Scorbunny, "Akari, that girl that got attacked by the Greninja and Conkeldurr, somehow found her way here and ran away upon being found."

Logan looked away, "Sounds like a really bad soap opera, but for children..."

Miles only let his chin rest on the table. He wondered if he had really been doing the right thing by not telling Akari about his training, or all of the things he had gotten himself into. He knew Akari could be a bit of a blabbermouth, but was that really all of the reason to shut her out?

He knew he wanted to protect her and his parents. He always saw the positive in them not knowing what he was getting up to from day to day. It always seemed as if it was the best thing that he was living a double life, just like in the comics. Could that have been wrong?

"Yo, Miles!" Logan suddenly shouted in the Rockruff's ear, making him yelp in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Did you hear what we said?" Oliver asked, sitting next to him.

"Um..." The Rockruff shook his head, still a little dazed.

The Scorbunny sat on the other side of Miles, "Oliver said we could go and ask Mark about Akari. If anyone knows, it's probably him."

Mark, who had already been listening in on the conversation, walked in and looked at the three.

"How long have you been listening...?" Miles looked at him in surprise.

"You people are so nosy!" Logan stood up, pointing a paw at the Garchomp.

Mark shrugged, "Next time when you have a private conversation, don't have it in a room without doors."

Logan paused for a moment, "Okay, maybe you have a point!" He shouted with the same vigor.

"Anyways..." The Garchomp shook his head softly, "Jacob and Sophie went to take her home."

Oliver looked over at Miles once again, "What do you think? Want to go and see her?"

"I have to go talk to her!" Miles stood up from his seat.

Logan grinned, "Guess we have our answer. Let's go."

With Akari

"Alright, Ms. Lilo..." Akari paced back and forth in a small room with a singular table between her and a Milotic, "I heard from a little birdie that you saw a Greninja and Conkeldurr a few days ago. Where? How? Why?"

"Now, now, Akari..." Lilo used her tail to pet the Zorua's head, "There's no need to raise your voice."

Akari pushed her tail away, "Don't play coy with me, lady! Where are they!?"

"Akari..." Lilo smiled warmly as her tail wrapped around the Zorua, squeezing her, "How about we try using our inside voices?"

"I'm so sorry."