It was a lovely day in Lateral City, the blue sky clear of all but a few cirrus clouds. The sun was warm, but its heat countermanded by a casual breeze.
And Leaf was being asked to stay indoors.
“But Graaaace,” she whimpered. “It’s a pretty day! Can’t we do this later?”
“You promised me I could experiment,” Grace replied, checking that a laser lined up correctly, “and Lateral City’s library has the best maker lab around. I thought you said you liked libraries.”
“When I can read the books and not be poked at with wires,” the Zorua grumbled, as a Chikorita chirped apologetically from under the table. “See? Rose wants to go out into the sun, too!”
“Rose, you can catch up with Vance at the Pokémart if you want,” Grace offered, to Leaf’s dismay. “This won’t take TOO long, I just want to see what your illusion does to light!”
Rose clicked in an appreciative fashion and scamped out the door; meanwhile, Leaf crossed her arms, or at least her human glamor did. “We’re in a library. Can’t you just look it up?”
Grace sighed. “I tried! But the articles all had a lot of confusing math and no pictures. So I just have to figure this out myself! Anyways, I know you don’t like poking, so just… wave your hand through this laser beam when I tell you to. Your fake hand, not your real paw, I mean.”