In Tune

Discovery

Charlie flicked her lamp light on and an orange glow lit up the dark room, 
"Solo?" asked Sooli as he slightly lifted his face with tired eyes.

Charlie shakily reached for her recorder, and flicked it on but couldn't find the strength to pick it up. 
"I've just had a dream that I believe was sent by Tapu Lele, there's no way my brain would be able to come up with such a vivid image. It was as if Tapu Lele was proving Kafu's theory true," Charlie gripped her bedsheets tighter with her trembling hands, "I know exactly what I'm going to do next, I'm going to the Altar of the Sun and showing Kafu that giant image." 

She flicked the recorder off and lay back down, but forced her eyes to remain open, she couldn't bring herself to go back to sleep from fear. 

~

Charlie opened the door with lightning-speed reflexes as soon as she heard a knock on the door. She'd drunk so much coffee to keep her awake, her actions felt super-human. Kafu raised an eyebrow at the dark sacks under her eyes, a book on the supernatural tucked under his arm. He walked in and pulled a chair out from under Charlie's desk and sitting down, 

"You've drunken a lot of coffee, that's not very good for an empty stomach," he commented and flicked through her book a bit. Charlie forced a giggle and slammed the door shut before scampering to her recorder and rewind the tape, a scratchy recording began playing back to them, 

"I've just had a dream that I believe was sent by Tapu Lele, there's no way my brain would be able to come up with such a vivid image. It was as if Tapu Lele was proving Kafu's theory true," the damaged tape managed to get out, Kafu's eyes bulged out of his head, "I know exactly what I'm going to do next, I'm going to the Altar of the Sun and showing Kafu that giant image."

The recorder scratched itself off and Charlie stood grinning at Kafu with her hands resting on her hips, Kafu shook his head and coughed, 

"What exactly was your dream?" he asked and leaned back onto his fist while pulling out his notepad to take notes. Charlie scratched her head a little and paused briefly to remember, 
"I was in a forest, and then Tapu Lele reached out to me and took me to the back of the Altar of the Sun," Kafu scribbled Charlie's every word into his notepad, "and it showed me this giant image of what seemed to be Ultra Pokemon hosting a reign of terror coming out of Ultra Wormholes! That's all I really remember right now, coffee makes me forgetful, but if we go to the Altar of the sun, we can have a look together!" 

Kafu nodded and clicked his pen off after writing down the final word. He nodded, 

"I agree, but we'll have to get an image of it down. I don't think our tiny cameras would be able to capture a giant image in great detail, but I know a good artist that would be able to sketch it up in perfect quality," he said and tapped his pen on the desk, "I'll write her a letter. She lives on Akala Island, so it shouldn't take long for her to get back to us." 

Charlie nodded as Kafu pulled a piece of paper out from her desk and began writing, she sighed, if only she could bring her computer she got from Team Rocket. Sure it was heavy and clunky, but it got the job done. 

Kafu finished writing it and folded it up to slip into his satchel, 

"I'll mail it to her. Don't expect a response soon, but for now, I'll look into ways of getting to the ALtar of the Sun discreetly-" he was interrupted by a knock on the door. Charlie pulled it open to see a hotel attendant standing at the door. He squinted at Charlie's ruffled hair and baggy eyes but was too polite to say anything,

"You don't happen to know where Kafu is? You did ask for his room and we can't find him anywhere," he politely asked, Kafu got up and leaned over at the door, 

"Yeah? What do you need me for?" he asked and scowled slightly. Charlie blinked a bit, he certainly didn't like talking to new people. The attendant coughed slightly, 
"You have a visitor that complained you weren't in your room, I'll leave you to it," he said and rushed away. Kafu raised an eyebrow and walked out into the hallway, Charlie followed despite looking a mess. 

A tall lady around their age wearing a beret and quaint little dress. 
"Bonjour, Kafu! It's great to see you! I haven't seen you since your visit to Kalos!" she smiled. Kafu blinked, 

"Wow, that's convenient. I was just about to send you a letter, Juniper," Kafu said and handed her the letter he'd just written. Charlie cocked her head, 
"Oh, wow!" she commented and placed a hand on her hip as Juniper took the letter with silk-gloved hands. 

Juniper took a moment to read the letter before smiling and tucking it into her purse and pulling out a large sketchbook and pencil. 

"Kafu, I'd love to help you with your research! Especially using my art. But I was actually looking for you because you still owe me that date for helping you research powerful energy in Kalos," she smiled sweetly. Charlie raised her eyebrows and looked at Kafu's irritated face, and then at Junipers sweet one. 

"Hold on- you two used to be an item?" she asked pointing at the two, Kafu scowled, 
"No," he snapped and slapped his forehead. Juniper giggled and pulled a Pokeball out of her bag and released a Vivillon. 

"Kafu, I have a witness. I promised to help you in exchange for a date and you agreed, can't change the past. The Vivillon nodded and Kafu folded his arms and looked away angrily. 

"Oh come on, that was- what- five years ago? Back when we were nineteen or something? Back then I wasn't as focused on my research. But now it's my life, and I can't change that for some ignorant deal I made back then," he snapped and stamped his foot slightly. Juniper giggled and shook her head. 

"Oh well, can't blame me for trying. But yes, of course, I'll help you sketch up this mural," she smiled. Charlie smiled too but turned away to scowl, 

Kafu has more resources than me, how am I going to discover the secrets of Ultra before him if he's been studying it for the past five years? she thought with a scowl but turned back to face them and forced a smile but clenched her fists. 

Juniper gave Charlie a hug, 
"And I can't wait to get to know your friend here! Hi! I'm Juniper from the Kalos region, and this is Vivi, my Vivillon!" she said politely and pointed to her pokemon partner. Charlie's eye twitched, 

This woman is going to be insufferable.