"Good morning," says Sherlock.

"Hullo," says Charlie. "Got a Geodude here who may've seen who spraypainted the public art on the bridge. I'll be able to start calling with more significant stuff if we can catch a few pettier criminals with 'mon testimony, but for now it's vandalism."

"That seems entirely reasonable. I'll talk to her."

There is the faint sound of Charlie trying to explain to the Geodude how to hold the phone; she either figures it out or Charlie holds it for her, because she commences chattering away. "Duuuuuuuuude. Dude geodude ge-geodude."

"Oh, dear," says Sherlock. "You're right, that was terrible. Did you see who did it?"

"Geodude! Geodude dude duuuuuuuude. Geooooo."

"Dude," mutters the Geodude.

"And he was ugly," Sherlock adds.

"Dude? Geodude. Duuuuude."

"Before she was traded to her current owner. That must have been quite the Wingull."

"The Wingull was nicknameless, and it was after sunset by the length of a small nap."

"At least one; she couldn't tell if there were more."

"Yes, thank you."

She is there, reading a book. "Hi, Sherlock."

"I had the most fascinating call from your father just now. He wanted me to interview a Geodude named Tiffany about some vandalism she witnessed, and during the conversation she made reference to having been defeated by a Shaymin before she was traded to her current owner."

"I didn't ask. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to talk to Tiffany again, and I didn't want to complicate matters with Charlie in case he is particularly skeptical of supposed legendary sightings."

"He is a little, yes. Well, I guess I know where I'm going next."

"May I come with you?"

"Sure!"

He grins.

"Way harder to get details from Tiffany without you. Do you think Tony'll want to come?"

"Potentially. We can ask."

Bella nods, shelves the book she was reading, and starts looking for Tony, sidestepping a subflock of Porygon on the stairs precariously.

Tony is downstairs, doing things with a holographic display that covers most of the ground floor.

"Hey, a lead on a possible Shaymin dropped into Sherlock's lap and he's gonna come with me to check it out, do you want to join us?"

"Ooh!" says Tony. "Nah. You guys have fun, though."

"We will. I dunno how long we'll be gone."

He shrugs. "Figures, on a trip like that."

"Yeah. Well, now I'm all antsy, I'm gonna pack." She pets the nearest Porygon and goes back up the stairs.

Sherlock, it transpires, does not take very long to pack at all. He meets her in her room.

Bella is evaluating her food supply. "I can restock at Solaceon and getting there won't take that long," she eventually concludes. She buttons her bag closed, makes sure all her Pokéballs are where they belong, and says, "You want to go right now?"

"I don't see why not."

"All right then." And down the stairs, and she waves goodbye to Tony, and opens the door and lets Rachis out.

Sherlock produces Irene.

Bella hops onto her bird and away they fly. "You ever been to Solaceon?" she asks.

"I have not."

"It's nice, if you like itty-bitty towns where nothing happens. There's some ruins and some towers not too far off from it."

"Ah, ruins. Good old ruins. So dependably ruinous."

"They're super ruinous, and there's about a billion Unown in there."

"That sounds interesting. I've never met an Unown."

"People occasionally catch them to try to get them to spell things, but of course nobody can handle more than six at a time, so the things they can spell are kinda limited even if a few people cooperate."

He laughs. "I wonder if they could be otherwise persuaded."

"Maybe! I mean, I assume they won't be as docile as the flock of Porygon, but perhaps. You could collect a tidy sum of money trailing a banner of Unown that spelled 'Eat At Joe's'."

"I do have an unusual advantage in that area."

"Very unusual indeed. Hey, does it make it weird to get into fights with wild 'mon when you can understand what they're saying?"

"Once or twice, I have successfully exercised diplomacy. But for the most part they don't have anything to say that I could not have guessed from context."

"Diplomacy? Do tell."

"Oh - placating a grumpy Staravia who just wants to chase me away before I trample her favourite berry patch, that sort of thing."

Bella giggles.

"She was very surprised when I said 'oh, I'm sorry' and went the other way."

"I'll bet!"

He laughs.

Even held down to Rachis's speed, it's not a terrible journey; there's one pit stop and then they fly the rest of the way and there is Solaceon. It is a sleepy, pretty little town, full of people and their Pokémon leading sleepy, pretty little lives.

"I confess I'm tempted to explore the ruins. On the way back, perhaps."

"Sure, why not? If this trip goes well we have all the time in the world, and if it doesn't it'll be a comforting distraction and you can get the Unown to spell stuff."

"I wonder if I can teach them to read."

"Good question. I don't even know if they know what letters they are."

"Another good question."

"Presumably they can tell that they aren't all shaped the same, at least?"

"I'd expect so."

"Are there any Pokémon who can read? Zag can recognize a handful of whole words - I can tell him to find a Pokémon center and he can do it even if the building is shaped funny, based on the sign - but not letters or anything. I'm not sure if that's just for lack of trying." They are approaching Charlie's house, now.

"I haven't tried with any of mine. I wouldn't rule it out, though."

Likewise Sherlock.

"So this is Charlie's house. Let's eat something and then go meet him at the station, see if he can direct us to Tiffany's trainer." She shows Sherlock to the kitchen and starts investigating it.

They do! Sherlock can probably tell by the available food, even if he couldn't guess from knowing Bella, that Charlie does not eat particularly inspired meals when his daughter isn't around, and that she is around sometimes but not for long or regularly. Nonetheless, Bella collects pasta fixings. "Not really enough room in here for cooperative cooking, do you want to or shall I?"

"I'll do it."

"All right." Bella yields the kitchen to him and gets some 'mon food out of a closet; she feeds her critters while Sherlock works on the human nourishment.

The human nourishment, when it arrives, is impeccable. Sherlock takes his turn with the 'mon food after presenting Bella with her pasta.

"This is really good," says Bella, after she has eaten about half of her pasta without pausing long enough to make any remarks about it.

"I know," says Sherlock.

Bella giggles and finishes her pasta.

Bella nods, puts the dishes in the sink, and goes out; she rides Branch through the town rather than risk tripping.

Sherlock walks.

Sherlock follows!

And there is Charlie. "Bella, hi. Sorry I wasn't home to meet you." He gets up and hugs her.

"It's okay," says Bella. "This is Sherlock, Dad - we were wondering if we could talk to that Geodude? Tiffany?"

"Nice to meet you in person, Sherlock. And I can tell you where the trainer lives; she's in the apartment block by the ice cream place."

"Do you know the apartment number?"

"Number... five, I think, I'll look it up." He looks it up. "Yep, five."

"Thank you," says Sherlock.

"No problem. Got a way to get the paint off the 'mon or something?"

"Sadly, that is not it."

"Actually, I do," says Sherlock. "Little-known fact - Ditto can eat paint off of most surfaces. It turns them colours for a little while. Mycroft finds it very entertaining."

"That sounds potentially very awkward for Tiffany, but sure," laughs Bella.

"I think she'll appreciate it. She seemed pretty upset."

"Yes, she was."

"I've got an officer out checking out a suspect now, by the way," Charlie says, "I was going to call this evening."

He smiles.

"Well, let's go unpaint a Geodude." Bella hugs her dad again and heads out.

To Tiffany!

"She sounded it."

"Hello again, Tiffany," says Sherlock. "It occurred to me that my Ditto, Mycroft, could probably polish off that paint if you wanted."

Tiffany stops trying to hide her painted face with her hands and says, "Duuuuude."

Tiffany tolerates slurping with only a little squirming. There is now a conspicuous gap in her decorative nail polish designs but no spray paint. "Geo," she says.

"Dude. Geogeogeodude. Duuuuude ge-geodude."

"And what was he wearing?"

"Dude."

"You certainly have an eye for fashion. Thank you."

"Geeeeo."

He smiles.

"What did she tell you?" asks Tiffany's trainer.

"That she fought a Shaymin in Unova, and the Shaymin's trainer was a man wearing an unfamiliar white uniform with pale green trim who didn't talk much."

"Whooooa, I didn't know the guy I got her from was up to anything like that."

Sherlock shrugs.

"Anyhow, I'm gonna re-polish her, thanks for getting the paint off!" says Tiffany's trainer, and she wanders off with Tiffany following and breaks out a case of assorted nail polish.

"Shall we?" he says to Bella.

"Yeah. Unova, wow. That's a boat ride, unless Irene wants to carry us both, Rachis can't do it," says Bella as she lets them both out of the apartment.

"I'll ask. I suspect she won't mind."

"Do you think you can track down the Shaymin's trainer?"

"I'm very nearly sure of it."

"Awesome." They are now out of the apartment building and down the stairs, where there is room for Irene to be called out and questioned.

"Well, that's good then."

"I might like to pack a few more things from home before we go. I came equipped to travel within the region, not necessarily outside of it."

"Yeah, sure, we can swing back by the lake, check again if Tony wants to come - do you still wanna stop in the ruins?"

"Hmm." He considers the ruins. "Yes, I think so."

"Okay. But let's not stay too long, I'm all excited now. A Shaymin! A Shaymin working with a human!"

"Just long enough to map them for Jarvis," he promises.

"Sure." Bella lets out Rachis again; the ruins are more convenient to fly to than to walk.

Bella shadows him - aboard Fireflower; there are all manner of things to trip on, and it's dark and Fireflower is bright - keeping an eye out for any Unown that might choose to attack them.

"Only for resale," says Bella.

He shrugs. "Take it if you like, then. I'd just leave it for the next explorer."

Bella doesn't argue with him; she pockets the nugget. "Generous of you."

Bella follows readily. And then they fly back to the lake, where they can update Tony and sock away more provisions.

"Just in case what?"

"I don't know," says Tony. "They're handy, though! Especially for looking at maps."

"All right," laughs Bella. "All right, anything else we need to do before we fly to another continent?"

Bella laughs.

"There. Now you're all set."

"Aww, I don't get a hug?"

Bella compliments her appropriately.

Sherlock gives Irene a hug when they arrive.

Aww.

"All right. Any idea where you want to start looking?"

"Not yet," he says. "I'm not even sure what I'm looking for."

"Okay. I'm sure there are tourist traps and hotels and stuff to interest us while we find out. I'm going to keep an eye out for a place to sell that nugget."

"Perfect."

Bella hops on Fireflower to stroll the streets of Castelia City, where they have landed, without so much risk of pitching forward and chipping a tooth.