This story comes from DamonMyLife's suggestion in my other story, The Soldier. Enjoy.

I don't own Pokemon.

Petalburg Docks. 10:45 PM.

A man in a sloppily buttoned shirt walked across the dock in a nervous, quick way. He wore small, round glasses and old tweed pants, making him look like a professor or teacher. In fact, he was a teacher; Jonathan Elm, the brother of the late Professor Elm of Johto.

Jonathan stopped under a flickering, dirty streetlight. He tentatively raised his voice. "H-h-hello? Is anyone there?"

"Quiet! You don't know who else might be here, Elm!" a harsh voice hissed. "Did you bring the money?"

Jonathan jumped in fright. "Y-yes... but you won't get it until I get the goods!" he added a bit more courageously.

The unseen man chuckled. "You actually think you can threaten me... how amusing... but it doesn't matter. Drop the money in that empty crate over there and walk away from it, Jonathan. I'll leave the berries next to you."

Jonathan dropped a Ziploc bag stuffed with 100 dollar bills into an empty crate marked 'Pokeballs: Handle With Caution-May Contain Voltorbs.' He dashed over to the streetlamp, where he found a bag that was giving off an almost sickly sweet scent. "Thanks..." he sighed. He looked around, but no one was there. The mystery man was gone.

But there was someone else who had seen everything. As soon as Elm left, this someone picked up a shiny round fruit, whipped out a notepad, and quickly scribbled, "Jonathan Elm. Illegal berries. Investigate further."

Petalburg Police Squad HQ. 9:05 AM.

Ash Ketchum sipped from his coffee from a styrofoam cup and grimaced. Despite all the money flooding in to maintain the Petalburg Police Squad in tip top shape, no one seemed to be able to find some half decent coffee.

"Looks like another day of paperwork, eh, Pikachu?" he asked his beloved electric mouse.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed, taking a bite of his stale Pokefood.

Ash absentmindedly fingered his belt, which held all five of his Pokeballs. Ever since the Battle Frontier had restricted challenges from May to August, Ash, who was now the Pyramid King, had to take a job as a detective in the months not battling.

Ash was about to take a nap to pass the time when his secretary walked up to him. "Mr. Ketchum, something's come up. Detective Brock has found a few, shall we say, interesting things down at the docks."

Ash lept out of his creaky swivel chair. "Thanks, Lydia. I'll head down there now." As he left the building with a determined Pikachu on his shoulder, he smiled to himself and thought, 'Finally some action.'

Petalburg Docks. 9:30 AM.

"... So I was just about to head home from my nightly jog when I heard what sounded like an illegal berry deal," Brock explained, his Croagunk ar his side.

'Mm-hm," Ash said, stroking his chin in thought. "You find anything?"

"Actually, yeah..." Brock said, pulling a plastic evidence bag out of his pocket. "It's a synthetic Cheri berry."

"Man, we haven't had to investigate illegal berries in months," Ash said. "Hey... there's someone coming this way!"

There was indeed a man approaching the crime scene, who had dark green hair and brown eyes. He looked like a farmer and seemed familiar to Ash, but he couldn't figure out why.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm afraid I can't let you pass. This is a crime scene," Ash said apologetically.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I misread the dock number on this piece of paper. I just came for a new shipment of fertilizer from Celadon," the man explained. "I'm Cole Hayden, berry farmer."

The reason for Hayden's familiarity instantly struck Ash. "Wait... are you Drew Hayden's father?" Ash asked.

Cole's face darkened. "Yeah, I am."

Petalburg Police Squad HQ. 10:00 AM

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention," Lydia said to Ash.

"Wha?" Ash said, looking up from the official report of the previous night's happenings.

"You've got a new partner!" Lydia said cheerfully, waiting for Ash's reaction.

"Wow!" Ash exclaimed. "Already?"

"Yep!" Lydia said. "And here she is!"

...

...

...

"May?!"

OK, I know a lot of things were left unexplained in this chapter, but things will start happening and everything will be explained. I promise!