The scent of smoke greeted Ethel before hendrix emmerson did, making Ethel wrinkle her nose. It wasn't that she was averse to people who smoked, but only that the scent felt unmistakably out of place in the shrine to Shaymin, a being of the environment and nature. Or perhaps it was just Fortree's atmosphere that it clashed with.

Either way, the sharp scent seemed to match the face of the man who approached her and demanded to know if he knew her. She looked up. After all, she was just about done.

She tried frantically and fruitlessly to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"No, I don't believe you have," replied Ethel, smiling politely. "Please excuse me."

And then, she stood up and began to leave.

She didn't run, or even power-walk. That'd make her look suspicious, of course. She should've known she couldn't escape notice from people for too long, but she didn't think that this random guy would be the first person to make her realize...

hendrix emmerson insists, and Ethel cringed inwardly. He tails her, matching her pace and calling her out accurately and brutally. Yikes.

She really would need a better disguise than hair dye and a changed fashion sense. Maybe she should purchase some non-prescription glasses?

"The Harmonia Foundation?" Ethel continues to play dumb. "In Unova? The ones who were some hardcore Pokemon rights group, or something?" She'd done some investigation about what people thought of the scandal here in Hoenn, so far removed from the event, and she drew upon that knowledge now to fake her way out of this encounter.

"I read a news piece about them, a while ago," she said, shrugging. "I hardly remember anything about them now, though."

It was a weak defense, and probably one that'd be seen through quickly and easily if this guy really did know his stuff. Ethel was comforted by the weight of a couple of Pokeballs, but most notably Flavor's, in her pocket. The Salazzle had been curious to see the shrine to Shaymin, but Ethel had been cautious about allowing a poison-type to visit a shrine to a nature deity. It was unfortunate that she had to watch for that boundary, but small steps were the path to redemption, and Flavor had been okay with it.

Now, her Pokeball was vibrating gently. She was still watching, and ready to step in to help if needed.

Unfortunately, hendrix emmerson is ruthless and unrelenting, absolutely discarding any notion that he would have bought her lies. Well then. He's spot-on about the darker hair, the region, and the connection to the Harmonia Foundation.

And then he asks a question that makes Ethel's blood boil. What does he mean, "what are you doing?" The implication, especially right after he brings up the unsavory things that the Harmonia Foundation was up to, is not lost on Ethel.

She suppressed the urge to snap back before slowing her pace and turning around. "Nothing like that, I assure you," she says calmly.

And then realized that, despite her illusion that she was in control of the situation, she had just outed herself. Damn it.

Well, there was nothing for it now but to keep going. Where deception wouldn't work, the truth might.

"I didn't know about the unsavory things until the public did. I was intentionally kept in the dark." She doesn't say by whom, or how, or otherwise elaborate. Henry Colt wasn't a topic she was willing to think about at the moment.

"I'm here now because I want to help, to right the wrongs I was part of previously." Ethel stares defiantly back at the man, not glaring but not willing to be pushed around anymore, either.

The man's satisfaction is obvious on his face, and Ethel wants to punch it right off. But he's also taller than her and looks athletic, not to mention it would just be a terrible idea to deck a guy she barely knew.

She doesn't verbally confirm what he says. There's no point. Plus, who knew what was going on here. What if he was somehow recording audio? If a life of celebrity had taught Ethel anything, it was to always behave as if you were on camera, because often, she had been.

Ethel watches as the man drops his cigarette and stomps it out. She almost yelled, but then he picked it back up, which-- well. Not the impression she'd gotten from him, so far.

And then her view of him promptly drops back down as he directs his pointed questions at her. But she keeps her cool. No need to give this guy more ammunition than he already had.

For a moment, she wonders. What has she done to help? Is anything she does in Hoenn really going to match up to the evils she did in Unova, which had ramifications far beyond?

She might not have the answers. But she is confident enough that she's been doing something right since she arrived.

She isn't going to tell him about Lilycove. Better not to attract attention, but...

"Not every way to help is loud and flashy," she says, her calm demeanor still unbroken. "I've been attempting to raise awareness about the unethical treatment of Pokemon, intentional or not, and how to take steps towards remedying it."

She's aware of how this is ironic, but she can't find it in herself to care. It was bred into her to care about Pokemon and work to better their lives, and that's not something she'll ever give up.