This time, the perimeter fence was already open, and the man of the hour himself was leaning against it when his friend arrived, followed by a—

“Wait, hold up—” he blinked, recognizing…

He then looked around; to ensure that they were well and truly alone.

“C’mere, through the fence gate, quick,” he ushered her in; once they were both inside he would close the gate; before grabbing her by the hand and taking her down towards one of the three aviaries—the good thing was that today, the Sanctuary was closed and there weren’t too many people around.

They would make tracks throughout the place; until he reached the aviary that doubled as the nursery for all migrating Pokémon that stopped by; before he opened the door of said aviary and ushered her inside.

Thankfully this aviary had special technology built into the glass panes; so once they were both inside he would immediately hit a button on the side which would darken the view to anyone outside who wanted to take a peek inside.

“When did you get them?!” he would exclaim once they were absolutely, irrevocably alone.

Oh, djinni.

This one already had a name, to boot?! Well wasn’t that going to be a hoot…

“Wait, wait, hold up, back up a little,” he would begin by holding up a hand.

“Are you telling me—that the time you met them—was during the time a lot of people were headed to Evergrande and feeding the Calyrex over there stories?!” he would stage-whisper.

Because clearly, there was something going on here.

His other question had been cut off—he belatedly wondered if his friend had something to do with her heading him off with regards to being an ‘avatar’.

“Shit…” he would continue a few moments later once the panic had settled down and he wasn’t thinking a thousand miles a minute.

“Did you… did you tell someone higher-up at the League about this?” he would then gesture to—oh, djinni she gave them a name to boot.

“…you better get that appointment with the higher-ups as soon as you can, because, well…” he would trail off, giving a dirty look that ended in a random direction somewhere.

“…if you don’t tell them you’re in possession of something—well, someone like them, you might get into a lot of trouble.”

Did it sound like he was speaking from experience? Oh, abso-fucking-lutely.

“See, the thing is… you know how the League wants to… well, keep their eyes on as many people as possible, especially ones who have companions that are clearly legendary in nature…” he would trail off as he released a minute sigh.

“…I can’t help but get the feeling that they might take them away from us if we do something stupid like break the law, or oh I don’t know… defect to the opposite side?”

There was a sarcastic bite in the last few words he said.

He sighed once more.

“You… you know how some people want their fingers in as many pies as possible?” he would begin after a belated period of silence. How was he going to breach the topic without letting his bias rear its ugly head!

“…it may be just me, but I can’t help but think that’s how the League wants. To keep an unnaturally close eye on anyone who has something on this level,” he would add as he gestured at the Calyrex.

As for her question about him using the Stormbringer all willy-nilly…

“I don’t think you were around here for the one time that I brought him out in battle. It was during the time the entire region almost got dunked on by a stupid-ass meteor, and everyone was stuck inside Hoenn and couldn’t get out.”

“Or maybe keep too many eyes out on those who’re known to dislike the way they run things…” he added with this dark side-eye to nothing in particular; he’d already attempted to appeal for alternative solutions but those clearly fell by the wayside.

There was a lot of resentment, there.

As for her question with him making use of the Stormbringer, well…

“…believe it or not, we actually had to save the Frog from… well, I’m pretty sure there are people on the opposite side of the mirror that know he exists.”