Catallia City, located between New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City. It was a small town, but one famous, or rather, infamous for being the birthplace of one of the most renowned thieves in the world, the Black Arachnid.

But he wasn't always called that. He was once an ordinary person named Neko Hachi. As for why he became a thief, it all started when he was a child.

Ten years old Ito Jenny followed her mother, Kumo Jenny, as she stormed towards her friend, Neko Hachi.

Neko was in trouble again. Apparently, he stole an autograph this time, and Ito watched as her mother scolded her friend.

"But Ms Jenny," said Neko. "That other kid stole it fir-"

"I am perfectly aware of that!" shouted Ito's mother. "I have already scolded the other boy and told his parents! Don't take the law into your own hands like that! Next time, tell me or another officer about it! I don't, I repeat, I don't want another incident like the time you broke into Kyatto's house to save her abused Meowth!"

And with that, Ito's mother left the same way she arrived, leaving Neko, Ito, and their Pokemon alone.

"Mother is right, you know," said Ito as they sat down and Neko's Meowth and Ito's Spinarak leapt into their respective laps.

"Hey, that other time worked out for the best, didn't it?" said Neko. "Kyatto is in jail for abusing Meowth since not even Johto could ignore how badly she hurt him."

Neko's Meowth hissed at the mention of his former owner.

"You're lucky mother only gave you community service for that. She tends to look down on people who break into old ladies' homes. The Kyatto incident was the one exception," said Ito as she looked at Neko's Meowth.

Several months had passed since the Meowth was given to Neko to rehabilitate as part of his community service, but she could still see some of the wounds that woman had inflicted on her own Pokemon.

"You want to know what was the other reason I stole that autograph?" asked Neko.

That surprised Ito, who had assumed it was only about Neko doing his own brand of justice.

"Go on," she said.

"Someone famous signed that autograph," he said. "I thought that if I had that, I could use it to be inspired to make a name for myself, you know?"

"There are better ways to inspire yourself than stealing a stolen autograph," chastised Ito.

Neko grunted.

"Still, I do agree with the idea of becoming famous."

"Oh?" said Neko. He turned to her with a wide grin. "Then let's make a promise, you and I, and I will keep my promise, especially since it's you. We both will try our hardest, and one day, we'll make our names known throughout the world!"

Neko held out his hand.

"Yes, lets!"

And Ito shook it with her own.

(Twelve years later)

"Hey Ito!"

Ito was snapped out of her thoughts by a man whom she recognised as her friend, with his distinctive dark hair, brown eyes, sharp chin, and curled moustache.

"My apologies, Neko," said Ito as she idly scratched her Spinarak's head. "I was just reminiscing on our childhood."

"Which part?" he asked as he took his seat. His Meowth leapt into his lap with the ease of familiarity. "Is it the one where we made that promise to become famous?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."

"Too bad we haven't made that much progress, huh?"

Ito frowned at that. It was true that they hadn't got very far. She was stuck at an entry-level position on the force, and Neko couldn't even make it that far. All the employers in town were fully aware of what Neko got up to as a kid and were reluctant to give him a job. At least he was able to support himself through placement winnings from some of the local tournaments, even if he hadn't won any of them.

"Do you really think we could keep our promise?" asked Neko.

Ito carefully read Neko's expression. It was clear what answer Neko wanted to hear, but she couldn't bring herself to lie to him.

"I'm sorry Neko," she said, already prepared to comfort her friend. "But I don't think we can."

Neko's face morphed into shock, followed by looking betrayed.

Ito cringed when she saw how devastated he looked. "But we are not the only nobodies in the world. There are lots of others like us."

"If you say so," said Neko.

After ordering their meal, they spent the rest of their time together in silence.

Unknown to either of them, a certain green-haired girl had heard their entire conversation.

(Later)

After paying for his meal, Neko and Meowth walked home, and Neko's mind replayed his conversation with Ito over and over again.

Was that all he had to look forward to? A lifetime of nothing? Forgotten by history as a nobody?

With all those thoughts on his mind, he walked up to his home where he and Meowth were surprised to see a girl in front of their house.

"Good evening," said the girl. "Mind if I come in?"

Neko considered saying no, but felt it was prudent to ask why.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in front of my house?"

"I'm Sabrina, and as for why I'm here, Neko Hachi, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation you had with that Jenny."

As he sat across from Sabrina at his dining table, Neko asked his question.

"So," he said. "What was so interesting about what my friend and I talked about? Is it a school project of some sort?"

"A project, yes," said Sabrina. "But it has nothing to do with an academic institution of any sort."

Neko raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"It is my dream to fill the world with amazing individuals rather than mediocre ones, so I search for unremarkable people and try to convince them to be remarkable," said Sabrina.

So that was why, but still, Neko doubted this Sabrina girl could convince him Ito was wrong.

"Well, if you overhead our talk, then you should kn-"

"Are you really going to give up after one conversation with someone who already did?" interrupted Sabrina as she stood up and narrowed her eyes. "Do you really want to join the legions of unremarkable people in the world?"

Neko and Meowth felt chills down their spines, and the former realised he needed to phrase his answer carefully.

"No, I don't," said Neko. When Sabrina did nothing, he continued. "But what can a nobody like me do?"

Sabrina gave a savage grin as she sat back down, making Neko and Meowth flinch.

"There was one nobody who became the most powerful trainer in the world after only a year of training, stronger than even a region's vaunted Champion," she said. "He started out mocked by his peers as a nobody before he became one of the most well-known individuals in recent history."

Neko was shocked. Stronger than the Champions? Who could that possibly be?

"When he Mega Evolved his starter, it was the first confirmed instance of its species Mega Evolving in modern times."

Neko realised that sounded familiar from his history classes.

"He was able to fight evenly with an entire army, including an Elite Four called in specifically because he had a type-advantage."

Neko's jaw dropped as he realised who Sabrina was talking about.

"That's Twenty Gyarados Bill! He was a mass murderer and a monster!"

"Call him a monster if you wish, for he was that, but you were the one who asked what nobodies could do, and I answered with the most famous instance of a nobody who tried," said Sabrina.

Whatever response Neko tried to form died before it left his mouth. As a Johtonian, he hated to admit it, but the girl was right. Before he became Twenty Gyarados Bill, the monster was known as Bill Kid, an unremarkable crewman on a fishing vessel. And all historians agreed that the mocking prank he suffered was the catalyst that led to Bill going down the path he took.

"You understand the point I'm making?" asked Sabrina.

"Yes," answered Neko.

Bill may have been a mass murderer, but he was also a nobody who made history. All because he decided to do something about how he was mocked by everyone around him.

"So what's stopping you from becoming remarkable? What's holding you back?"

Neko's fists clenched, and his eyes became set with determination.

"My own inaction."

Sabrina smiled and took her leave.

"I look forward to what you will do next," she said as she walked out the door.

...

After she left, Neko stood in silence for a while as he overcame his remaining doubts.

Bill could have accepted his lot in life when he was humiliated the way he was, but he didn't. Bill could have remained an unremarkable fisherman, but he decided to show the world what he was capable off. Bill could have chosen to do nothing, but he made a different choice.

With those thoughts in mind, Neko had overcome his doubts. He could not accept being a nobody. He would show Ito, that Sabrina girl, and the world what he was capable off.

And most importantly, he wouldn't give up on their promise like Ito did. He made a promise to her, and he intended to keep it.

And if Bill became famous through infamy, then perhaps that's what he would do too. He would not commit murder, but perhaps high-profile heists from people who deserved it would do the trick.

Neko then looked up everything there was to know about Twenty Gyarados Bill. Bill spent a year training before he unleashed the fruits of his labour on Johto, so Neko decided he would do something similar.

As Neko watched an interview with retired general and former gym leader Javelin about his experience fighting Twenty Gyarados Bill, a certain thought entered his mind.

"Meowth, was my last name mentioned during our talk with Ito?"

Meowth shook his head.

"So then, how did that girl know?"

Neko and Meowth both shared a look of horror before Neko focused on the interview, and he tried his best to not think about what powers Sabrina might have.

...

Sabrina stood outside Ito Jenny's home as she considered whether she should remove the unremarkable police officer.

Ito had so far done nothing like Tommy did. He started out weak, before he grew a spine and stood up to her, so he was worthy of living, but Ito went backwards.

She started with a goal, and had given up on it, and almost succeeded in dragging her friend down.

Sabrina had every reason to remove that waste, but she also had one reason not to. Before she left, she read Neko's mind to make sure his resolve was sincere.

It was, and Neko wanted to prove to his friend what he could do, that he could keep his promise to her. If Sabrina killed Ito now, it would damage his resolve.

For the time being, that mediocre cop could live.

After the meeting with that girl, Neko and Meowth became regulars of the Catallia City Battle Club. It was a shame that Ito and Spinarak couldn't join them due to their work in the police force, but that didn't deter them. If anything, it was probably for the best given what they planned to do.

Fake Out, Feint Attack, Taunt, and his species' signature move, Pay Day. These were the moves Meowth knew, and with these moves, Neko and Meowth performed well enough in the local tournaments.

But they could no longer settle for four moves. According to the interview with Javelin Wataru, First, Bill's starter and the most powerful of his Gyarados, used at least six moves during the battle at Goldenrod City.

They considered what moves would complement Meowth's skillset and be useful in pulling off heists, and Neko and Meowth decided on Double Team.

Meowth concentrated, and suddenly, copies of himself briefly appeared in the training room before they flickered out of existence.

"Looks like we need to work on it more," said Neko.

Meowth nodded, and continued to practice.

After they increased the speed setting on the treadmill, Neko and Meowth ran faster. Faster than they ever ran before, but it was necessary.

While running, Neko considered what Ito would think if she learned of his plans.

In their teenage years, Ito learned from her mother that if he committed another vigilante crime, he would be charged as an adult.

His friend tearfully begged him to stop, not wanting him to be sent to prison.

Distracted by his thoughts, Neko tripped, which prompted the supervising Don George to press the emergency stop button.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Even so, you should probably take a break. You've been on that treadmill for over an hour. Training too much without any rest can actually work against you."

Knowing Don George's expertise on the matter, Neko accepted his advice.

As he sat down, his mind drifted back to Ito. His friend would be disappointed in him if she knew, and would try to arrest him no matter how much she didn't want to, but he would not give up on their promise.

Not like she did. She may have abandoned her promise, but he would make sure he kept his. A promise he made to Ito was more important than a promise he made to anyone else.

Meowth looked at his trainer beside him, and then the Don George standing to the side, before he looked back at the obstacle course.

At Don George's signal, Neko and Meowth sped forward.

As they reached the first obstacle, both Neko and Meowth somersaulted over it. Without losing any speed, they continued on.

At the next obstacle, a wall, Neko and Meowth climbed it in record time, which surprised the observing Don George, who became even more so at how fast Neko and Meowth descended on the other side.

At the final section, Neko and Meowth dodged every ball launched out of the shooters Don George placed.

"That was amazing!" praised Don George as they crossed the finish line.

Meowth didn't need to look at his Trainer to know they shared the same smirk.

Neko looked at his opponent. The woman was Unovan, and had blonde hair and yellow eyes like her daughter who sat to the side.

"Go Mama!" cheered the young girl, and as far as Neko could tell, only the z-shaped marks and her age distinguished the girl from her mother.

"This will be a one-on-one match between Neko Hachi and Elizabeth Snyder," said Don George. "Begin!"

"Go Meowth!" and Meowth ran onto the battlefield.

"Galvantula, come on out!" As the Pokemon materialised, Neko got his first look at the Unovan Pokemon.

"Okay Meowth, we've never seen that Pokemon before, but it's clearly a Bug-type, so we'll work with that, Double Team!"

As copies of Meowth materialised across the battlefield, Neko saw Elizabeth smirk.

"Get them all with Discharge!" and Galvantula released the wave of electrical energy, getting every Double Team clone, with the real Meowth only barely able to dodge it.

Neko and Meowth both quickly realised the opposing Pokemon was also an Electric-type.

"Thunder Wave!"

"Fake Out, then Taunt!" Meowth quickly clapped his hands in front of the electric spider, which startled it enough to disrupt its attack. Meowth then proceeded to Taunt his opponent.

Neko smirked as Elizabeth frowned. Thunder Wave was sealed for a while.

"Pay Day!" Coins materialized in Meowth's paws, and he threw them at Galvantula.

"Defend yourself with Sticky Web!" Galvantula released a pattern of sticky string, preventing Meowth's Pay Day attack from connecting.

"Try and get past this!" said Elizabeth, a wide smirk on her face.

Neko gave his own smirk.

"Shadow Claw!"

"A fifth move!?" shouted Elizabeth's daughter, as surprised as her mother.

Spectral energy covered Meowth's claws as he shredded the Spider Web and pressed forwards.

"Use Double Team to dodge!"

Like Meowth earlier, copies of Galvantula appeared all over the battlefield.

"Double Team can't dodge this, Feint Attack!"

"What!?" said Elizabeth.

Following his instincts as he unleashed his sixth move, Meowth found the real Galvantula and struck it down.

"Pay Day at point-blank range!"

Nodding, Meowth once more created his coins and blasted his opponent with them.

Unable to take anymore hits, Galvantula collapsed.

"Galvantula is unable to battle!" said Don George. "The winners are Meowth and Neko!"

Neko and Meowth couldn't help but smile. Four months of training led to that.

"That was amazing mister!" said Elizabeth's daughter. "How many badges do you have?"

"I don't have any," said Neko.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Just because a person has no badges doesn't mean they're weak, Betty dear," said Elizabeth. "The Non-Travelling-Trainer-Protocols were made so people like him don't have to take the long way of proving they're ready to take on the Pokemon League."

Betty Snyder nodded in understanding before she turned back to Neko.

"I look forward to seeing you in the Johto League on TV!"

"Not much I can do at the League with one Pokemon, but you'll be hearing my name another way," said Neko. "Be sure to remember that, though before you two go, can I ask you a question Elizabeth?"

"If you're asking me out, the answer is no."

"Not that. You see, I want to become famous, and I believe having the autographs of famous people can help inspire me for it, and aren't you the famous supermodel Electra? I've seen your photos, including the one where you worked with Elesa for that Alolan Style collection."

Elizabeth and Betty were silent for a moment before the latter broke it. "Your cover's blown, Mama."

"I know," said Elizabeth. "Sure, I'll sign an autograph. Just don't tell anyone I'm here. I'm spending some much needed quality time with my daughter and I don't want anyone ruining it for either of us."

"Agreed," said Neko as he took out a notebook and Betty gave her mother a pen.

(One month later)

To avoid Ito's suspicion, they needed alibis. If he befriended a teleporter, then it would be easier to establish them.

Which was why Neko and Meowth were currently at Route 34, outside of Goldenrod City, where Abra were known to appear.

Of course, if it was known that he had one, then any alibi would fall flat, but that could be worked around by not keeping the Abra registered to a Pokeball, and making sure no one knew about it in the first place.

Neko told Ito that it was just a trip, and that he would be back once he was done.

"Found one yet?" he asked.

Meowth shook his head.

Suddenly, they heard it. "Abraaa."

They turned to the source, and found what they were looking for. Neko motioned Meowth to stay still as he approached the Psi Pokemon.

Once he was close enough, he took out the Pokeblocks he brought with him and placed one in front of the Abra.

A purple glow surrounded the Pokeblock, one Neko recognised as Psychic, which floated towards the Abra, who examined it. He then ate the Pokeblock.

Neko smiled as he saw the Abra had enjoyed the meal.

"There's more where that came from if you join us, but before that, you should know what you're getting into."

Abra indicated that he was listening.

"I plan to become one of the greatest thieves in the world, stealing valuable items from people who deserved it. This path is more dangerous than an ordinary Trainer's life. Are you okay with that?"

Abra showed his answer by teleporting into Neko's arms.

"I'll take that as a yes, but just so you know, I won't be keeping you in a Pokeball. It'll make it harder for people to connect our heists to us."

"Abra."

(Seven months later)

This was it, Neko, Meowth and Abra were ready. It was the anniversary of Neko's talk with Ito and Sabrina. That day was the day they had chosen to introduce themselves to the world.

Their target was a museum in Floranda, a town famous for their annual Pokemon Exhibitions. Neko, Meowth and Abra travelled throughout Johto, searching for suitable targets, and they found one. The curator was involved with Team Rocket, and in exchange for bribes from them, he allowed them to operate out of the museum.

During the heist, they planned to leave behind enough evidence to guarantee an investigation into the museum, and since they also planned to steal what was probably one of the most valuable artifacts in the Trainer regions, the authorities could not ignore this.

The prize, an autograph from Pallet Oak the Invincible, the greatest Pokemon Master of all time, still on display after being donated by a private collector for the recent Pallet Oak Exhibit.

Abra was several blocks away, ready to teleport them as soon as Neko and Meowth were done.

With Neko and Meowth wearing face masks, and Neko dressed in all black, they made their move as soon as the guard left.

"Okay Meowth, pick the lock!" whispered Neko.

Meowth nodded, and extending his claws, he unlocked the door in record time and they both entered before the guard came back.

Inside, Neko and Meowth were ready for another guard. As soon as his back was turned, Neko turned to Meowth. "Feint Attack!"

Nodding, Meowth closed the distance between him and the guard and struck him just hard enough to knock him out, but not enough to cause permanent damage.

"Okay, we only have ten minutes before they notice, so we need to move fast!" said Neko as he and Meowth ran to where the autograph was located.

After five minutes, they found the exhibit.

"Use Shadow Claw to open a hole in the glass, but be careful not to ruin the autograph."

Meowth nodded and gathered spectral energy around his claws. It took him thirty seconds to create an opening large enough for Neko to fit his hand through and grab the autograph.

It took another thirty seconds for Neko to place it in a special case. And two minutes for him to leave behind the evidence that incriminated the curator for his ties to Team Rocket, and their calling card.

Neither he, nor Meowth, nor Abra, were sure why, but the black spider shape felt just right.

"Let's get out of here!" said Neko as they ran again.

After two minutes, alarms started ringing.

"Hmm, we were too slow," said Neko as guards started arriving where they were.

Instead of panicking though, Neko and Meowth smirked.

"But then, what sort of thieves would we be if we would fall to a minor setback?"

They rushed forward straight towards the guard who blocked the exit alongside his Pokemon.

"Machamp, grab th' M'owth! I'll tak' th' man!" Machamp nodded and raised all four of his arms.

But Meowth proved too nimble and dodged all four of his arms. As for Neko, to the guards shock, he leapt and grabbed the guard's shoulders. He somersaulted above the guard, and began running for the exit, with the guards too stunned by that display of acrobatics to pursue.

Back outside, Neko and Meowth encountered more guards, with lots of Pokemon at the ready. They tried running but something held them in place. They looked around, and saw a Wobbuffet.

"It's the end of the line for you!" said one of the guards.

"Meowth, Pay Day!"

Leaping forwards, the feline gathered coins in his paws and flung them towards all guards present. With the Shadow Tag using Wobbuffet distracted, Neko and Meowth were able to make their escape.

Once they were far enough from the museum, they met up with Abra who teleported them all back to Catallia City.

(The next morning)

Ito and Spinarak woke up, and performed their morning routines. Ito showered, while Spinarak went to the kitchen and started the coffee maker so Ito could enjoy a cup while they listened to the radio.

After she finished showering, Spinarak started the radio while Ito sat down with her cup of coffee.

"This is DJ Mary of the Goldenrod Radio, giving you breaking news from Johto."

Ito's interest rose as she brought her cup to her lips.

"Last night, a thief broke into the Florando City Museum and successfully got away with Pallet Oak's autograph."

Ito spat her coffee back out in shock.

"Calling in from Florando City is one of the museum guards who witnessed the event last night, Fred. Fred, can you tell me what happened?"

"Well, you see, the alarm was raised after we found Taito unconscious, and we found the fellow trying to make his escape," said Fred. "He was surprisingly athletic you see, and did an impressive somersault over Tsuyo."

"And what can you say about the rumours regarding the curator?" asked DJ Mary.

"When we saw what the thief left behind, Sam went spare, and called the police on him. Even now, he's still angrily muttering about how the curator let Team Rocket use the museum as a base and no one noticed."

"I see, and the other item the thief left behind?"

"It was a black spider shape," said Fred. "One of the guys thought that it meant the thief was called the Black Spider, but the others disagreed and said the Black Arachnid made more sense."

"Well there you have it," said DJ Mary. "The Black Arachnid has successfully pulled off a heist, and proved the curator has been accepting bribes from Team Rocket. Did he do that to divert police attention, or did he want the curator brought to justice? Will he pull off more heists in the future? This is DJ Mary, signing out."

Ito switched off the radio. The modus operandi of the crime sounded familiar. The stolen item was an autograph, just like when they were kids. A victim who had themselves committed crimes, like Kyatto. But was it really Neko? He stopped after she begged him to, and didn't commit a crime in years.

No, it couldn't be, as far as she knew, Neko couldn't pull of the feats the witness just described, and in any event, had never left a black spider shape behind at a crime scene back when they were kids.

She had also met up with Neko just yesterday. There was no way he could travel to Florando City and back in less than a day without a teleporter, and Neko didn't have one.

Even so, she couldn't shake the feeling.

"Maybe I should talk with mother," she thought. She then remembered that Neko spent the past year training hard at the local Battle Club.

"Spinarak, are you okay with signing up for more police training?"

"Spinarak!"

"I also think we should have a talk with Neko before our shift starts."

Back at home, Neko, Meowth and Abra relaxed after they kept the stolen autograph in a safe place.

They watched the news coverage of what they just did, and read every article and forum that discussed it.

"Looks like this was how we were supposed to become famous."

"Meowth!"

"Abra!"

"What do you think of people calling us the Black Arachnid?"

Meowth gave a thumbs up. Abra followed suit.

"Yeah, I like that name too," said Neko. "It just feels right."

Suddenly, Abra felt someone approaching their home and as previously discussed, teleported away to prevent anyone learning about him.

Several minutes later, there was a knock and Neko opened the door to find Ito and Spinarak there.

"Hi Ito, what brings you here today?" he asked as they came in.

"Well, have you heard about the Black Arachnid crime?" she asked as she sat down.

"Heard of it? It's everywhere. The guy's a man after my own heart."

Ito and Spinarak remained silent for a moment.

"Yeah, he is, which is kinda why I'm here. Do you have any insight on this? Any idea where he might strike next?"

"I'm not sure what insight I can give that you couldn't already figure out on your own," answered Neko as he dodged the question.

Ito saw through it, though she was not sure whether that was merely because he approved of the Black Arachnid or because he was the Black Arachnid.

"I see," she said as she got back up. "Well, Spinarak and I better get to work now."

A few minutes after she left, Abra returned.

"She's suspicious, but as long as no one knows about Abra, we're fine."

(At the police station)

"Moth-" Ito then remembered where she was. "Sir, does the m.o. of the Black Arachnid sound familiar to you?"

"If you're worried that it's your friend," said the now Chief of Police Kumo. "Don't be. I checked, and he has no Pokemon registered to him that can teleport, and I saw him at the restaurant yesterday. No way it's him."

Ito wanted to be relieved, but she couldn't.

"Still, I'm signing up for more training, just in case the Black Arachnid comes here."

Kumo raised an eyebrow.

"It's rare to see some initiative out of you. In fact, this is probably the first time in years. Sure, go ahead. It's nice to see you get back some of your old spark."

(One month later)

The christened Black Arachnid and Meowth leapt from rooftop to rooftop in Alto Mare. Their next target was Kagemori Yosei. They had observed him and have learned that Kagemori was a tyrannical patriarch, and that his daughter Kira was a frequent target of his abuse, though he was smart enough to have kept it out of sight from even his own guards.

But Neko and Meowth were smarter. They had collected enough evidence, they just needed to leave it behind as they made off with the Books of Zeref that Kagemori kept in his private collection.

Reaching the rooftop mansion of the Yosei family, they looked at the security personnel. None of them were allowed inside the mansion. Though the guards resented this, all of them assumed that it was just Kagemori being petty, rather than an attempt to make sure they didn't find out about his abuse.

They had agreed beforehand that since it would take a while for the police to arrive at the rooftop mansion, and that Kagemori would attempt to destroy the evidence, a more overt plan was needed to alert the police as soon as possible.

Taking out his small radio, Neko whispered into it. "Abra, we are in position. We're heading in. Be alert at all times."

"Abra!"

With Abra's confirmation, Neko turned to Meowth.

"Remember Meowth, the guards are innocent, and they don't know about what Kagemori did. Don't use more than the bare minimum force to knock them out, okay?"

"Meowth."

"Ready?"

Meowth nodded, and they both leapt into the courtyard, startling the young guard present.

"Greetings," said Neko. "You may have heard of me, but just in case, I am the Black Arachnid that everyone has been talking about."

"Akito! This is Hakaru! Call the police!" said the guard. "And send backup to my location!"

Neko and Meowth smirked. Everything was going according to plan.

"I will be liberating the Books of Zeref that your boss has. Now if you please, I will be on my way."

"Oh hell no! Go Persian!" said Hakaru as he released his Persian. "Hypnosis!"

Persian's eyes glowed, but before he could unleash his attack, Meowth interrupted it with his Fake Out.

"What?" said Hakaru as Persian was startled by the attack.

"Taunt!" said Neko.

"Me-owth," said Meowth to Persian, in the most insulting way possible. Persian's eye twitched, an action mirrored by Hakaru as the latter realised his options were reduced.

"You still got Slash, use it!"

White-coloured blades formed on one of Persian's claws as he leapt forward to attack Meowth. Meowth smirked and let Persian strike him.

To Persian's and Hakaru's shock, the attack passed through Meowth, and it dissolved, revealing that it was a Double Team clone.

"Feint!"

The real Meowth reappeared behind Persian, and struck him down, knocking him out.

While Hakaru rushed to Persian's side, Neko and Meowth ran into the mansion before Hakaru's backup could arrive.

Inside the mansion, Neko and Meowth ran to the library as they thought about the guards' predicament.

They had to choose between obeying Kagemori's orders to remain outside, and let the Black Arachnid move with impunity, or they could pursue, disobeying Kagemori and risking his wrath.

If they remained outside, Neko and Meowth would have an easier time completing their objectives. If they pursued, the guards could see Kagemori's abuse for themselves.

It was win win either way, so long as Neko and Meowth could get away in the end.

They arrived at the library, and searched for the Books of Zeref. Having found them on the table, they immediately began placing them all in a special container.

Suddenly, Neko felt an impending sense of danger, and immediately ducked under the blade that would have beheaded him.

Turning around, he saw the large and hulking Kagemori, with his bushy white beard and moustache. And he was wielding a large sword.

"Meowth!" said Neko, and Meowth darted towards Kagemori, with claws of spectral energy at the ready.

"You think you weaklings can stop me!" yelled Kagemori as he slashed at Meowth, but it turned out to be a Double Team clone.

Then Meowth appeared from behind Kagemori, but the man turned and slashed at him, and it turned out to be another Double Team clone.

As more copies of Meowth appeared, Kagemori continued to slash at them all, not realising that it was just a distraction to allow Neko to steal all of the books, leave the evidence and calling card behind, and escape. Once he was done, he silently signalled to the real Meowth and they headed towards the exit.

Suddenly, another door opened and in walked Kira.

"Fa- father, is something wrong?" she asked quietly.

"I thought I told you to stay in your room!" shouted Kagemori.

"But-"

"No excuses!" yelled Kagemori as he threw his sword at Kira.

Kira screamed and Neko and Meowth moved to stop the blade, but someone else beat them to it.

"Persian! Shadow Claw!" shouted a black haired guard who just arrived. His Persian immediately leapt forward and stopped the sword from hurting Kira and it clattered harmlessly on the floor.

Kira turned to her saviour who was about her own age.

"Kento…" said Kira.

"Hold on a moment," he said as he turned to Kagemori. "What the hell!? That was dangerous! If there's anyone you should be doing that to, it's the Black Arachnid right there! And even that's questionable."

"I thought I said you guys weren't allo-!"

"Shut it old man!" shouted Hakaru who arrived with the other guards. "We all decided that since you'd probably be mad at us anyway for letting the Black Arachnid in, it was better to chase them. Speaking of which..."

"I'm right here," said Neko. Everyone turned, and somehow, at some point, Neko and Meowth had made it past the guards while they were distracted. "Before I leave though, you guys should know that while Kagemori throwing the sword at Kira is a new low from him, he has a long history of violence against his own daughter."

And with that, Neko and Meowth fled with the Books of Zeref as the guards decided that pursuing the Black Arachnid wasn't as important as apprehending Kagemori.

That worked out for Neko and Meowth since the guards didn't notice Neko's Abra as he teleported them away.

(The next morning)

While training at the police station, Ito and Spinarak listened as the Goldenrod Radio broadcasted the latest heist committed by the Black Arachnid. Though it quickly became clear to every police officer present that the guards on the pre-recorded interview were more concerned about how the patriarch of the Yosei family had been abusive to his own daughter.

"Looking back, I now recognise the signs for what they were," said Hakaru. "What we thought was just her being scared of an unpleasant man in general was actually her being terrified of her tormentor. We didn't realise it since many of our fellow guards were also scared of him. The doctors said she had a lot of bruises, all in places that a casual observer wouldn't see."

"In retrospect, the old man not allowing any of us guards into the mansion, leaving us only to the separate, and way too small, guard house, should have been a huge red flag." said Kento. "But the man was such a jerk that we thought he was simply being a petty selfish d-"

"Language!" interrupted DJ Mary. "Though I do agree with your feelings, don't forget that young children listen to this radio. Now, what can you say about the Black Arachnid himself?"

"He was a thief, and I probably shouldn't be rooting for him," said Hakaru. "But he left behind enough evidence of what the old man did to put him away for a long time."

Ito stopped listening to the radio. Another heist, and another victim who turned out to be horrible themselves. At least she knew Neko wasn't behind them after she talked with her mother.

But what she knew and what she felt were two different things.

"Spinarak, Spider Web!" she said, and Spinarak used the move to create a large, sticky trap the size of the room.

(Several months later)

After the Black Arachnid had successfully pulled off heist after heist, the investigating team held a meeting to discuss what they learned so far and figure out how to catch him.

"Okay, first off," said Kumo Jenny, who had been appointed to head the task force after the Black Arachnid's second heist. "Let's go over his known crimes. Tsukauchi, if you please."

"Yes sir," said Naomasa Tsukauchi. "His first one was the theft of Pallet Oak's autograph from the Florando City Museum, leaving behind both his now distinctive calling card and enough evidence to implicate the curator for having ties to Team Rocket. His second one was stealing the Books of Zeref from the private collection of the Yosei family, and leaving video footage proving that the patriarch Kagemori was abusive to his own daughter Kira…"

As Tsukauchi listed the Black Arachnid's crimes, Kumo couldn't help but think about how the modus operandi reminded her of Neko when he was young. But she checked, and confirmed that since he didn't have any Pokemon registered to him that could teleport, his alibis held and he was cleared as a suspect.

But, Ito didn't seem convinced. Ever since the crimes started, she threw herself into training harder and harder. It made her worry for her daughter. Ito would not have peace of mind until they caught the Black Arachnid and proved beyond a shadow of all doubt that he wasn't Neko.

"...and his most recent escapade, stealing jewelry from Ragyo Kiryuin of the Kiryuin Conglomerate, and similarly to Kagemori, proving that the matriarch had murdered her husband Soichiro when he confronted her over what she was doing to their two daughters Satsuki and Ryuko," finished Tsukauchi as he turned a little green.

Kumo understood his reaction. For all that Kagemori was a horrible parent, Ragyo was far worse.

"Are we sure we want to stop him?" asked a Jenny from Goldenrod. "The Black Arachnid is like Gligarman, those three Bloodliner superheroes, Blaziken Mask…"

Kumo interrupted her. "Those vigilantes are barely tolerated, and the Black Arachnid commits his own crimes. Even though his victims are all horrible people themselves, that doesn't mean we can let it slide."

"Yes sir," said the Jenny, albeit reluctantly.

"Well, the Black Arachnid's m.o. is obvious," said Tsukauchi. "He specifically targets horrible people, and steals something of material or historical value from them.

"So we look at wealthy groups or individuals, and museums, and try to figure out if there's someone horrible among them."

"Well, in Goldenrod, there's going to be the Denki Memorial Exhibit," said the other Jenny. "A lot of important people are going to be there, like Javelin himself and the rest of the Dragon Tamers clan, the Fishers, and so on. With that many, there might be someone bad among them."

"Yes, that does seem like the sort of event the Black Arachnid would target," said Kumo. "There's also the advantage of us being able to increase police presence without arousing suspicion from the thief. Who would he target though?"

"Meowth, Abra, this is Mahiro Harutaka." said Neko as he showed them a picture of a short, unpleasant-looking man with glasses.

"He's a high-ranking executive at Insuricare. As for what he did, I got a tip-off from someone who works there that he's making every attempt to deny his customers legitimate insurance claims."

Meowth and Abra made disgusted faces at that.

"The informant gave us enough evidence to make him and Insuricare vulnerable to a major class action Breach-of-Contract lawsuit. He also said that Mahiro will be attending the Denki Memorial Exhibit since Insuricare is one of the sponsors."

Ito read the notice she was given. She and many other officers were called to supplement the police force at Goldenrod City for the Denki Memorial Exhibit. And the Black Arachnid task force members were of the opinion he would target someone at the event, even if they weren't sure who that someone was. There were so many people attending that they hadn't finished checking even a small percentage of them.

"I did some research, and it turns out that this Mahiro Harutaka owns an amulet that once belonged to the King of Pokemopolis, which he always keeps on his person," said Neko. "Apparently, it has a few lines of something called the Riddle of the Ages."

Meowth's and Abra's curiosity peaked.

"I checked, and all I could find on that is that one line is "A Bloodline to Unite the World." Not sure what it means though," said Neko. "So let's discuss the plan."

(Several weeks later)

"Ito," said Kumo to her daughter after they had reported in to the Goldenrod Police Station.

"Yes mot- sir?"

"Don't worry, we'll catch him."

"That's what I'm worried about," said Ito.

"Hey now, Neko stopped after you asked him to, didn't he? Have more faith in your friend, you know him best after all," said Kumo.

"Precisely," thought Ito after her mother left.

(The next day)

"Welcome to this very special edition of the Goldenrod Radio! I'm DJ Mary and for once, I'm the one calling in so I could report live from the Denki Memorial Exhibit right here in Goldenrod," said the pink-haired and glasses-sporting woman. "Lots of people have arrived already, from abroad and local. I see Kaoruko, the current head of the Fisher Clan of Kanto, and her husband and daughter, Kazuto and Jeanette."

Twelve-year old Jeanette smiled and waved at DJ Mary before she followed her parents to her seat.

"And of course, there's the Wataru Clan, better known as the Dragon Tamers Clan of Blackthorn, including Lance and Clair. Lance, Clair, everyone knows the story. Twenty Gyarados Bill devastated Johto's coast before being defeated right here in this city, with Elite Four Denki Tekina and his Ampharos dealing the killing blow against Bill and his most powerful Gyarados at the cost of their own lives. However, your grandfather Javelin was there, and unlike Denki, lived to tell the tale. Is there any special insight you can give on that historic moment from any tale telling?"

"Well, you know the Dragon Tamers have been raising Gyarados for centuries. Grandpa mentioned that he specifically did not bring his own Gyarados to the battle out of concerns his men might get it confused with Bill's," said Lance.

"And anything on the battle itself?"

"Grandfather said it was a sight to behold. He says that while the battles at the leagues are great in their own right, especially when there's a Mega vs Mega battle, none of them can compare to the fight between Denki's Mega Ampharos and Bill's Mega Gyarados," said Clair. "Unlike the league battles, it wasn't win or lose, it was kill or be killed, and there was no holding back."

"Makes me wish I was there to see it," said DJ Mary. "Thank you for giving us all a special insight on one of the world's more defining moments."

With a nod, Lance and Clair left to find their seats.

At first, Mahiro's driver had some doubts about helping the Black Arachnid kidnap his boss, but they have since been dispelled.

"You authorised payment on the Yamadas' policy, Joji!?" shouted his tiny, unpleasant human being of a boss into his phone.

"Someone broke into their house, Mr. Harutaka. Their policy clearly covers-"

"I don't want to know about their coverage Joji! Don't tell me about their coverage! Tell me how you're keeping Insuricare in the black. Tell me how that's possible with you writing checks to every Haruto Hogwash and Sayaka Sobstory that calls you!" said Mahiro as he ended the call.

Mahiro's driver decided that even if he was arrested for kidnapping, it was going to be worth it. Mahiro was such an over the top jerk that it's like he came from a kid's movie that needed an undisputably unlikeable character.

(Later)

Mahiro stepped out of his limousine, made sure he still had his Pokemopolis Amulet, and noticed something wrong.

"This doesn't look like the ven-" Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his neck and fell unconscious.

Meowth landed with agility, and leapt back to Neko's side.

"Thank you for your help, now as promised…"

"Keep the money," said Mahiro's driver. "Seeing him get his comeuppance is going to be more than worth all the trouble I get for this."

"Now now, I intend to keep my promises, so take it, it's yours," said Neko.

"I suppose, but before I go, I got a tape recording of what he said in the car."

"...and that is all the important people behind the sponsoring companies," finished Jeanette.

"Good, though now that we are on the subject, have you realised that there appears to be someone missing?" asked Kaoruko.

"Here's a hint, he looks like a minor villain from one of those kids movies I love to watch," said Kazuto.

Jeanette rolled her eyes at both her father's choice of words and his casual admission of what most people would regard as a guilty pleasure, though she appreciated the hint.

"Mahiro Harutaka from Insuricare."

"Never liked him," said her father. "I get bad vibes everytime I look at him."

"Really?"

"Your father grew up in Gringy City before it was cleaned up of crime and pollution," said her mother. "You do not survive in that sort of place without adapting. His experience allowed him to see straight through Capriccio's ruse back when your grandfather still disapproved of Kazuto. After that, your grandfather was shocked that he was going to marry me to a mass murderer who would have killed us all and changed his mind about Kazuto. And thank Arceus for that."

"Interclass romance for the win!" said Jeanette.

Unknown to the family, the police personnel present had overheard their conversation.

As Javelin's speech went on while he showed off the Ampharosite Denki borrowed and the Gyaradosite the Dragon Tamers took possession of, the Black Arachnid task force were working behind the scenes.

"Okay, here's what I found on Mahiro Harutaka and Insuricare," said Tsukauchi. "The ombudsman have received lots of complaints from their customers about Insuricare denying their claims and not making payments. The investigation however went nowhere."

"Interference from higher-ups who were almost certainly bribed?" asked Kumo Jenny.

"My contact there can confirm the interference part, and she herself suspects bribery but can't prove it."

"Any sign of Mahiro or the Black Arachnid?" Kumo asked into her radio.

"No," came the reply from various officers.

"I found strands of Meowth hair," said Ito. "I'm following the trail."

"Wait, don't go alone!" said Kumo.

"And at the T.A.T.O summit, Professors Samuel Oak and Cedric Juniper proposed a Pokeball limit," said Javelin. "They admitted that they have been working on it with Doctor Boxer for a while, but didn't come forward earlier because they had trouble defining what the limit should be. However, after how devastating Twenty Gyarados Bill's rampage was, it became more important to have a limit then spend more time figuring out the optimal limit. And thus, I proposed that the limit be made six in honour of Denki Tekina, who only ever used six Pokemon."

While he caught his breath, Javelin noticed with some amusement the looks of various young children as they finally learned why the limit is six.

"In honour of Denki, the T.A.T.O adopted the six-Pokeball limit. In honour of Denki, the maximum team a Trainer could have at any one time is six. Even if they somehow never learn his name, every time Trainers battle with full teams of six each, be it at the leagues or otherwise, they honour Denki Tekina's memory!"

And Javelin finished to thunderous applause.

Suddenly, the lights went out, and a voice that wasn't Javelin's was heard.

"What a magnificent speech Javelin!" said the Black Arachnid as Abra turned on the spotlights and they settled on the infamous thief and Meowth, who were standing on the balcony overseeing the room. "Truly, Denki Tekina was a great Trainer in his time, just as Bill Kid was a monstrously powerful Trainer who took a whole army to beat. But just because one powerful criminal was defeated decades ago doesn't mean we don't have plenty of criminals today. And there's two right here!"

The guests present looked at each other in confusion.

"Two?"

"Is the Black Arachnid counting himself in that?"

"Who's the other?"

"Yes, I am a criminal, for I do steal, even if I make sure my targets are only the horrible people of this world, but I will not steal from an innocent, nor will I ever kill anyone, and I will keep my promises, unlike Mahiro Harutaka of Insuricare!" said the Black Arachnid as Abra turned the spotlights to where he pointed, showing everyone the tied up Insuricare executive, with the Black Arachnid's calling card included.

"Of course, it is Mahiro," muttered Kaoruko as her family and many others expressed a distinct lack of surprise. "That greedy asshole."

People most certainly were surprised to see an upper-class woman using that kind of language, but they turned their attention back to the Black Arachnid.

"Mahiro Harutaka has been making sure that employees deny any and all claims made by their customers, and bribed high-ranking officials at the ombudsman to interfere with the investigation when people complained," continued the Black Arachnid as Abra turned on the recording they got from Mahiro's driver. "Behold, the proof!"

"You authorised payment on the Yamadas' policy, Joji!?" said the voice everyone recognised as Mahiro's.

"Someone broke into their house, Mr. Harutaka. Their policy clearly covers-"

"I don't want to know about their coverage Joji! Don't tell me about their coverage! Tell me how you're keeping Insuricare in the black. Tell me how that's possible with you writing checks to every Haruto Hogwash and Sayaka Sobstory that calls you!"

"And that, ladies and gentleman, is all the proof you need," said the Black Arachnid as he took out a box and placed it down. "But just in case, Meowth and I will be leaving all the other evidence we got our hands on."

He and Meowth turned to the exit.

"Now if you'll excuse us, Meowth and I will be taking our leave," he said as he showed everyone the Pokemopolis Amulet he took from Mahiro before he and Meowth ran to the window. But just before they could leave, a door to the balcony slammed open.

(Several minutes earlier)

"I found strands of Meowth hair," said Ito. "I'm following the trail."

"Wait, don't go alone!" said Kumo.

"The Black Arachnid has yet to kill anyone," said Ito as she and Spinarak followed the trail.

"And I sure as hell don't want my own daughter to be the first kill!"

"Don't worry, if he even is capable of murder, I'm the last person he'd start with."

"How can you be so sure it's Neko!?"

"Just a feeling," said Ito. The only problem was proving it, but how? What could she do to prove it? She knew Neko best, so there had to be something she could say to get him and Meowth to slip up.

As she reached a door, she heard Neko's voice.

"...and I will keep my promises…"

Ito and Spinarak cringed at the reminder of Ito's childhood. So that was what it was all about. Neko wanted them to be famous, but Ito gave up on any possibility of it happening. That must have hurted him more than she realised.

But that reminded her of something Meowth could be counted on to do no matter what. That was the proof she needed to show everyone that Neko was the Black Arachnid.

"Now if you'll excuse us, Meowth and I will be taking our leave," said Neko.

This was it, there was no turning back now. Her best friend was on the opposite side of the law, and no matter what, she must do her duty. She slammed open the door and yelled at the top of her voice.

"Kyatto is going to be released from jail!"

Neko's Meowth hissed at the mention of his former owner.

Meowth reflexively covered his mouth while Neko stumbled, dropping the Pokemopolis Amulet to the room below.

They turned back to see Ito and Spinarak. They knew that Ito always suspected it, but did she outright know it was them? Either way, it didn't change one thing.

They. Were. Busted.

Everyone in the room below Ito and her friend was silent. Her mother and other colleagues were silent. They all instinctively knew that the moment was between her and Neko.

She looked at her friend, and the mask and black clothes he was wearing. Ito always felt that the Black Arachnid was Neko, but now that it was confirmed beyond any doubt, she couldn't help but feel both devastated and betrayed.

Was that how Neko felt when Ito abandoned their promise?

"Neko, I know why you did it," she said softly, and yet the room was so silent that everyone heard her loud and clear.

"Then you know why I couldn't just give up, Ito," he said.

"It all comes back to that promise we made back when we were kids, huh?" said Ito. Yes, she most certainly knew why. He promised her, and any promises he made to her were more important to him than a promise he made to any other person. "You've certainly become famous, or rather, infamous."

On one hand, she felt touched by the lengths he went to, but on the other hand, as a Jenny, she could not approve of what he was doing.

"That I did."

"So, how is this going to go down? Are you going to surrender and turn yourself in?"

"You're a cop aren't you? It's your job to catch criminals," said Neko as he and Meowth prepared themselves after Neko signalled Abra.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" asked Ito as she and Spinarak did likewise.

"Catch us if you can!" shouted Neko as he and Meowth turned and ran.

"Trap!" Spinarak fired a large Spider Web to capture the duo.

The web then hit a purple psionic shield that Ito recognised as Protect. Upon taking a closer look, she saw an Abra standing protectively between them and Neko.

"So you did have a teleporter!" Ito shouted as Neko and Meowth jumped out the window and Abra teleported away. She then took out her radio. "I want every Shadow Tag user mobilised now!"

Neko and Meowth leapt from building to building in Goldenrod City as they tried to reunite with Abra at the agreed spot.

"Meowth!" said his Pokemon, and Neko saw the Thunder Wave attacks sent their way.

They ducked under the first attack, before rolling under the next. Getting back up, they somersaulted over the last one.

The police fired more Thunder Wave attacks, but try as they might, Neko and Meowth dodged them all.

The two eventually reached where Abra was waiting for them. At Neko's nod, Abra prepared to teleport, but found that he couldn't. Abra then glared behind Neko and Meowth in annoyance.

The two turned around, and saw that the police had caught up with them, and they had several Wobbuffet and Wynaut with them.

Neko heard a weird stretching and contracting sound, and Ito and her Pokemon landed in front of the other police officers. Looked like she used Spinarak's String Shot to catch up to them.

"You're not the only who's been practicing," she said. "Do you surrender?"

"You know full well I won't give up so easily."

"Had to try. Attack!"

As the police's Pokemon launched their attacks, Abra moved forwards and used Protect to stop them all.

"You can't use that in succession! Again!" said Ito.

"Dodge them all!" said Neko.

Meowth leapt over a Shadow Ball, before spinning to dodge a Psybeam. He then used Shadow Claw to block the Fire Fang of a charging Growlithe and threw the canine back.

Abra dodged a Thunderbolt, before he ducked under a Flamethrower attack. He then used Psychic to take control of both those attacks and used them against the police.

Neko leaned to his right to dodge a Thunder Wave, before leaning back to avoid a Hypnosis. And then, he somersaulted over a Water Gun before he flashed a smile at the police.

"Trap!" shouted Ito.

Like before, Spinarak fired a large Spider Web to catch the trio of thieves.

"Meowth, Shadow Claw!" shouted Neko as he and Abra got behind Meowth.

Once more, Meowth gathered spectral energy around his paws, and leapt, somersaulting backwards as he did to cut the entire length of the Spider Web from bottom to top, shocking Spinarak as the two halves missed Neko, Meowth and Abra.

"Pay Day!"

At the apex of his jump, Meowth righted himself and scattered coins at every opposing officer and Pokemon, forcing them to block or take cover.

"You will forever remember this as the day you almost caught the Black Arachnid!" said Neko as he bowed.

With even the Shadow Tag users distracted, Abra seized the chance and used Teleport.

(Back at the exhibit)

Ito returned to see her mother overseeing the police force who stayed at the exhibit as they collected the evidence Neko left behind, interviewed witnesses, and freed Mahiro from his bonds.

"He got away," she said. "Sorry."

"Don't be," said her mother. "I was the one who dismissed any possibility of Neko being the Black Arachnid. Did he say how he managed to work around the automatic register system?"

"No, but if I had to guess, he used the Ranger way."

"You mean he didn't capture the Abra in a Pokeball at all? Clever, I admit."

Ito grunted.

"If you're upset about your friend returning to crime, then look over there," said Kumo as she pointed towards Kaoruko. "My instincts are telling me that something good is about to happen."

In all the chaos as the police gave chase to the Black Arachnid, Kaoruko of the Fisher Clan had picked up and spent some time examining the broken pieces of the Pokemopolis Amulet.

"Kazuto dear, how much do you believe this artifact to be worth?" she asked eventually.

"Lots," said Kazuto.

"Yeah, that's about what I thought," said Kaoruko as she turned to Mahiro, who was still in the middle of being freed by police, with a smile that sent chills down the spines of the surrounding people. "Mahiro?"

"Yes?" he said as he sweated buckets. Kaoruko looked small from where he was, and yet, the look she gave him was one of the most terrifying he had ever seen.

"We would like to buy the Pokemopolis Amulet. Kazuto can arrange the payment of "lots" to be made to you. Do you agree?"

"Yes," said Mahiro as he allowed himself to feel relieved.

"Of course," continued Kaoruko as Mahiro felt dawning terror. "There needs to be some special arrangements in place, considering the circumstances. Jeanette, what happened to Insuricare's share price?"

Jeanette finished her call with the Fisher Clan's stockbroker.

"They lost half their value," she said. "And it's expected to go down even more once the true extent of the allegations are known."

"Thank you dear," said Kaoruko as she turned back to the now very pale Mahiro. "You and your company have suffered irreparable reputational ruin. Even if you manage to avoid prison, which I doubt considering the bribery allegations, you're going to find yourself in and out of court because of the inevitable class-action lawsuit."

Mahiro gulped as the police handcuffed him.

"And in all honesty, there is no reasonable expectation of you not losing and having to pay severe fines and damages, so the payment for the Pokemopolis Amulet will instead be placed in a trust fund, to be paid to the plaintiffs once the courts determine what the damages are."

The police started to take Mahiro away.

"But do not fret," continued Kaoruko. "The Pokemopolis Amulet payment can marginally reduce the massive payout you will eventually be liable for. You might just avoid irreparable financial ruin. Might, but don't you fucking count on it!"

Ito chuckled as Mahiro became so pale he looked like a ghost as he tried to avoid the glares everyone was giving him, with the officers escorting him being subtly rougher with Mahiro than they would with anyone else.

"You were right," she said to her mother. "That was good."

"And that concludes this special edition of the Goldenrod Radio," said DJ Mary. "Wasn't expecting a heist and a scandal, but be sure to listen in on future broadcasts as we give updates on the Insuricare situation. This is DJ Mary, signing out."

(Several days later)

Back in Catallia City, Ito entered her house and leaned against the door. Spinarak looked at her in concern as she slid down.

The police were searching Neko's house. She had requested to not be part of it, and her mother agreed.

Her first tear fell as she started sobbing.

"Spin?"

She was away from the eyes of her colleagues now.

"Spinarak."

Her tears streamed down her face now that her duty no longer demanded that she acted strong.

"Spinarak!"

Looking up in between her sobs, she saw the spider dragging an all too familiar black spider shape. Spinarak brought it closer, and Ito saw that there was a letter attached. She took the letter and wiped her tears so she could read what it had to say.

On it was a map with a location circled, most likely showing where Neko hid what he had stolen, and a message.

"I kept my promise, what about you?"

Ito allowed herself to smile, it really did all came back to that promise, and the message was his way of cheering her up.

Well then, if Neko kept his promise, then it was only fair that she reciprocated. She would work hard, and become the best police officer she could be.

And most importantly, she would not make the same mistake twice. She would never break a promise to a friend every again, especially not to Neko.

"Just you wait, Neko," thought Ito. "One day, you'll see, I'll catch you. It's the least I could do for everything you've done for me."

(Elsewhere)

Three figures suddenly appeared in a clearing, having just completed their latest heist.

"Well, that's one drug dealer of a museum curator who's going to jail for a long time," said Neko as he carefully put down the painting they stole.

Suddenly, they heard clapping and the trio turned to the source of the sound. Though Abra had no idea who she was, Neko and Meowth recognised the girl they met over a year ago.

"Sabrina? What are you doing here? How are you here?"

"Take a guess," said Sabrina.

"You have a Psychic-type Bloodline of some sort. Not sure if it's Psychic Heart or a Psychic-type Species Bloodline though," said Neko.

"Correct," she said with a bit of annoyance. "I thought I was careful, and yet, one slip, and you figured it out. For the record, it's Psychic Heart."

"Even the best slip up, like me."

"Yes, I heard on the Goldenrod Radio."

"So, why are you here?" asked Neko.

"To give you my congratulations," said Sabrina. "You've proven yourself a remarkable individual, and you've even managed to inspire your friend to do better. That's the sort of thing I want to see, and I will be sure to make my dream a reality, this I promise you."

And with that, Sabrina disappeared in a flash of light.

"Abra?"

"Yes, I noticed something seems off with her, but it's because of her that I didn't abandon my promise like Ito initially did," said Neko. "It's Sabrina that inspired me to not give up, so I'll give her that at least."

Neko then lied down on the grass.

"Either way though, I think we can relax for now. Ito should be home by now, and she should see the message we left for her. I can just imagine what heights she'll reach now."

Yes, he could just imagine it. Because of him, Catallia was infamous as the birthplace to one of the most well-known thieves in the world, and because of Ito, their hometown will be famous as the birthplace to one of the best cops in the world. She could do it.

And with that, Neko smiled as he slept.