This is a new Fanfic I have been working on for a short time. There is a little bit of context surrounding it's content. This is a slight AU, but still has heavy elements of the Pokémon anime and games. This region will be built up over the course of the story. I am quite new to Pokémon, so if I do make any lore wise mistakes let me know. Apart from that, enjoy.

~The Kalgooma Daily~

POKÉMON LEAGUE OFFICAL JEB LACHLAN FOUND DEAD IN HIS HOME

Yesterday at 4:00pm, a pokémon league official Jeb Lachlan was found dead in his house with deep cuts around his neck. Police have labelled the death a murder and have refused to give any details into who committed it and possible motive. Leading the investigation, Detective Sergeant Hamish Macauley has stated, "we will bring however did this to justice and the public have nothing to fear." Many have questioned if the death is bootleg rare candy or Team Chains related but details are scarce at this time. More will come in the following days.

Illusions

The vehicle jolted as we hit a speed bump, making us leave the seats for a split second. Due to being the detective sergeant to oversee the raid I was in the passenger seat, with plenty of leg and arm room. Contrasting to my partner who was in the back, stuck against the bulk of a fully dressed tactical response group officer. The van took a sharp turn, squishing my partner further against the door of the vehicle. Giving me and excuse to chuckle.

"You comfortable back there Harred?" We both had usual police uniform despite not requiring it, and only brought the standard equipment vest rather than the bulky bullet proof ones the men around us sported. Partly because we weren't the ones to clear the building out but more incase a suspect ran.

"Never been better Macauley…Never been better." She squeezed out, the TRG officer realised her position and moved over, leaning against the other TRG Harred, a twenty-six year old woman with dark brown hair tied into a bun below her navy blue cap. She was a Detective First Class Constable, serving a few years as a P.C before going to detective school. I was her mentor and partner.

"Very good." I looked at the window, seeing the pokémon and people of the Kalgooma region just going by. Totally oblivious to the series of black vans filled with police officers in black uniforms, balaclavas, kevlar helmets, bullet proof vests, assault rifles and SMG's.

"So we're sure our man's here?" The driver of the van spoke up with his usual gruff voice, while being fifty-five he was determined to not become a desk jockey. It was actually a miracle he was in the TRG in the first place. His dirty white hair and walrus moustache showing his age, accompanied by deep face wrinkles. He carefully watched the road with sunken cold blue eyes, with a crooked nose propping up aviator sunglasses. We had both known each other for a long time, while being thirteen years younger, I was a more experienced officer. Sergeant Timothy Gobb was his name. Army veteran turned police officer.

"We have a lot of dirt on the gang as a whole. If we can't nail him for murder we can put him away for something." While the raid was to target the gang we were mostly interested in the leader of the Jets gang.

His name was Oliver Jet, man who was now the prime suspect for the murder of a pokémon league official Jeb Lachlan. Cocoa and I were put on the case, the crime scene was in the home of the victim, in one of the upper class suburbs. The houses with a grand view of the ocean and a pool on display to the world. With floor to ceiling windows and smooth white walls. The wife of the deceased came home to find the front door open and Mr Lachlan dead. His neck being sliced almost to the spinal cord. Blood hadn't congealed and the body was warm meaning it happened recently. A window had been smashed, with the shards going outside. This was the thirty-first murder case Cocoa had been on.

Looking at Mr Lachlan he was near an open suitcase that was in the middle of being packed. Indicating he was heading somewhere fast. He was still wearing his clothing from work, and the keys to his car were still in the ignition. Meaning he rushed home in a hurry, not bothering to shut the front door. He also had recently installed CCTV, very good quality showing the front of his house. This suburb has one of the lowest crime rates in the region. He was paranoid that was for sure. Cocoa pointed out some speckles of blood on the broken window, swabbed for evidence. We also took Mr Lachlan's phone and laptop for anything. A tilted painting gave way to a personal safe that his wife didn't know the combination of. His wife was out with some of her friends at the time, her alibi checked out.

The autopsy said the cut was not a knife, being too thick for a standard blade. No other wounds meant that the murderer was professional and quick. At this stage we knew we were dealing with an experienced killer. From the blood smeared across the floor the body was dragged for three metres. Indicating the body was going to be removed, most likely for disposal. Forensics at the pokémon lab identified the blood on the window to be a pokémon's, a zoroark to be exact. After reviewing the CCTV footage we watched as Mr Lachlan pretty much flew out of his car and barged his way into his house. A good thing about expensive security cameras is that they are high quality. After a few minutes Mr Lachlan's wife walk up the driveway and entered the home. A few minutes later Mr Lachlan's wife walked up the driveway again. After reviewing the pokédex entry on zoroarks we found how zoroarks could make themselves look like any human or pokémon they wished.

We had a murderer, but we now need a motive and an owner of the Pokémon itself. The cyber squad got onto the victims phone and computer with ease. While I requested access to Mr Lachlan's office at the nearby gym. This place was not the usual gym battle types but where people could fight each other and practice moves. All of which were owned by the pokémon league. We entered the offices, search warrant in hand and ziplock bags at the ready. We requested for all documents, and his office computer, and sent them back to the station. We also asked for the records of any registered zoroarks and owners. But this one was unlikely to be registered if it was used for a hit. Nothing came up.

Mr Lachlan's personal laptop came up with several e-mails addressed to usual work contacts, but the cyber team did recover some deleted more suspicious messages. Addressed from anonymous sources, all talking about 'shipments'. Bootleg rare candy had become an epidemic, being cheaper and easier to produce that regular rare candy. A good chemist could make the two physically identical. However it was the effects that made them stand out, while normal rare candy would do the usual level ups. Bootleg came with side effects.

Side effects that made pokémon physiologically and psychologically unstable, unpredictable and destroyed their bodies internally and externally. Horrible stuff to handle but even worse to ingest. But in the eyes of a new and naive trainer, it was like an Arceus send.

Receiving this, we looked through Mr Lachlan's internet history which featured airplane ticket prices and foreign housing. Along with job offers, with the packed suitcase it indicating he was planning on leaving the region. His bank account also had some strange patterns, he had been depositing cash on top of his salary, going for several months now. We opened up his personal safe to find more documents, after it took a machoke rip it open. Inside we found another phone, and some papers, ones pointing towards interactions with the Jets gang.

The hidden phone's message bank found several conversations with the Jets involving the distribution of bootleg rare candy at the gym. However it appears that Lachlan got increasingly paranoid and skittish, his wife said he would stay up all night. That the CCTV was a new, fitting with the extra payment dates. We also got a number of the orders and shipments. One raid later at a self storage compound we found nearly a hundred pokéballs filled with bootleg rare candy. I'm surprised Dominique didn't find this before me. We also had one of the gang members. Even if he didn't speak was enough proof to get a search warrant. However after some interrogation he let slip the boss had a zoroark with him. Enough for an arrest warrant.

So in summary, Mr Lachlan was being paid off to keep a blind eye to bootleg rare candy being sold at his gym. However began to be paranoid and started to try and leave the country. The Jets must have caught on and feared he would speak out. So Oliver Jet sends his zoroark to bump him off before he can leave and spill the info. However before the pokémon could dispose of the body it heard his wife turn into the drive way and quickly leapt out the window cutting itself on the glass. The entire investigation took the span of seven days, now to end it.

By now we had entered a less desirable suburb, chicken wire front fences, patchy dry grass lawns adorned with broken windows and peeling wall paint on rotting buildings. The place we were going to raid was the gang's clubhouse, two storeys high that would look like a pub to the street. Most likely had a lab, some firearms and pokémon. Stakeouts showed it had a back door connecting to an alleyway.

"Gobb, throw us out here." I pointed to a road that leads to an alley behind the clubhouse.

"Will do." The van slowed but didn't stop, Cocoa and I jumped out and with three TRG members, two of them holding a battering ram. Gobb gave a quick salute before continuing with the other black vehicles to the clubhouse. As soon as our feet hit the ground we ran for the alley.

"We're near the location, breaching in ten, over." Gobb spoke through his radio, raids were fast and precise, time wasted was time evidence could be destroyed.

"Understood, we're in position, out." I responded back into the radio on my vest, I knelt behind a rubbish bin, while Cocoa got behind a dumpster. Two TRG members readied the ram while the third took a stun grenade off his belt.

"Breaching in five." I looked at Cocoa's face, she was heavily sweating and had wide eyes staring at the back door. While she had served several years as an officer she was still relatively new to being in action. Doesn't mean she hasn't, she had apprehended fleeing criminals.

"You'll be fine Cocoa…Remember, centre mass, only shoot when necessary and importantly have fun." She removed her pistol from its holster and offed the safety, before aiming it at the door. I know they give us pepper spray, tasers and batons but in a raid it was always firearms.

"Breaching in four!"

"I know sergeant." She looked back at me, I chuckled a bit looking at her glaring behind her sunglasses.

"Breaching in three!"

"Just consider that we are dealing with gangers and probably their pokémon." Methods for dealing with pokémon are different to humans. An officer could actually shoot a pokémon and because many are living weapons easily prove that they felt their life was threatened. While it may garner some bad attention from rights groups, I've seen what happens when a pokémon is underestimated.

"Breaching in two!"

"You'll be fine, we will grab a coffee after as a celebration for your first raid. I'll pay." We took aim at the door, the two TRG officers readying the rams momentum. While the third removed the pin from his grenade. The reason we didn't have any pokémon ourselves was for the simple reason. It was easier to shoot them then battle them into fainting.

"Breaching in one!"

"Thank you sergeant." The ram impacted with the wood, with the lock buckling and splintering against the door. The officers did it again. Cracking the wood even further and sending splinters inwards. Another hit did the job. The door and lock disconnecting, flying open. The stun grenade went in. Letting off a bang and blinding light as it exploded.

"GO GO GO!" The TRG officers rushed in with weapons drawn in a flurry of the words 'freeze' and 'on the ground now'. Two shots were fired, and the radio was buzzing with events happening in the raid.

"SUSPECT IN CUSTODY!"

"ROOM CLEAR!"

"ILLEGAL WEAPON IDENTIFIED!"

"SHIT!" As those words rang out as a roar of 'CHAR!' could be heard followed by a flash of fires light from the windows. It ended when a burst of gunfire echoed.

"PAPA MIKE IS DOWN!" One reason to bring a pokémon was to stop the effects other pokémon caused. In this case I'm hoping the building doesn't catch fire.

"SUSPECT HAS FLED UPSTAIRS!" Over the other radio messages this one was one I took notice of. One of the upstairs windows slid open and a person came into view, his eyes locking onto me. While it was possible to get down without breaking his legs it would open him up to an easy arrest.

"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST! DO NOT MOVE!" I ordered training my pistol on him, Cocoa copied me walking up beside me. I gestured her to get on the other side of the window. Instead the suspect disappeared back inside, I went for my radio then saw a small ball fly out the window. As soon as it landed it burst into a bright light and I heard a shriek of fear from Cocoa. When my vision returned I was met with a zoroark holding its claws at Cocoa's neck, deviously grinning at me.

"YOU DO ANYTHING FUCKING STUPID AND SHE DIES!" The voice came from the suspect. He slowly climbed down over the ledge and dropped to the floor. He was tall with a pudgy build in his early forties. He had a large unkempt beard and pony tail wearing blue jeans and a black singlet showing off his tattoos and muscles. It was Oliver Jet. Still keeping my gun on the zoroark I kept an eye on him as he backed away from the scene with a grin on his face. But I could tell from those eyes he was scared. Cocoa stayed still and calm, only moving in light breaths. The zoroark forced her to step forward, keeping its claws digging into her neck. I was tempted to grab my radio. But I knew the consequences.

"Well, we'll be off officers…bye bye." Jett said as he bolted. Suddenly the pokémon shoved Cocoa, losing her balance she fell forward. I managed to grab her under the arms before she connected with the ground. Those few seconds gave Oliver and his pet a head start.

"Gobb this is Macauley, we're in a 226 on foot. Suspect is Oliver and his zoroark. Requesting backup over." I barked into my radio as we both scrambled to our feet and started to chase after the two offenders. Their crimes now including resisting arrest and threatening a public servant.

"Keep an eye on them, backup will be with you soon over." We left the alleyway, both turning right onto the street. That's when we looked to see an Oliver heading in different directions, one being a deadly pokémon the other being a potentially armed and dangerous criminal.

"I'll take the one on the right." Cocoa said as she made off in that direction, leaving me with the other could be pokémon/Oliver.

He took a left turn, leaping over a backyard fence with the grace of a snorlax. I was gaining ground following him as we crossed yards. Stunning a few people and leaving several pokémon howling at us both. I met him at a fence latching onto him by his arm to attempt twist it behind his back before pushing him to the ground. Instead I was met with his full body weight as he used his feet to propel himself on me. We both toppled over in a heap with his heavy frame keeping me down. Winding me in the process. After recovering he hauled himself over the fence. With air back in my lungs I was at it again.

For a man who didn't look very fit Oliver could somehow move like a Liepard in the open. A shopping centre came into view. He was going to try hide in the crowd. Hard for a man like him, that is unless I'm chasing the zoroark using illusion. After leaping over a hedge we were in the car park, I was right behind him. If I took a leap now I could probably have him on the ground. If I missed I would be back to square one. I was going for it when a car suddenly cut me off. I didn't take notice of the driver trying to apologise. But it did give Oliver a few seconds of time. Which he used to get out of sight and into the building.

As I entered the sliding double doors, I looked around knowing I had lost him. It was the food court, the smells of various cuisines wafting through the air and chattering of people and their pokémon. If it was Oliver I was after it wouldn't be too hard but if it was the zoroark I might as well be finding a needle in a haystack. Exempt the needle can change its shape to look like hay, and could move amongst the stack. I wiped my forehead of sweat and changed strategies, I reached for my radio.

"Harred I've lost mine, how's yours?" I turned back to the door, moving past more passersby as I went back into the cool breeze of the world. Gaining a few looks for the sweat pooling under my armpits.

"Still on him sergeant, he's making his way towards Averend Park." She was breathing heavily in between syllables, I turned in the direction of the park. I knew this area well, as it was a common place for officers to visit.

I reentered the centre, using it to cut across to the park. I got the look a police officer would get if they were running urgently with sweat pouring down their face. Which was one of questioning, both from people and pokémon. At least this place had decent air-conditioning. I exited the sliding double doors at another entrance and proceeded to weave through another car park. I could see the park, which made me run faster hoping to catch Oliver by the time he got there. The park was busy as it was a weekend and the type of day families would be out having picnics and enjoying the nice weather. Sun shining, pidgeys singing. I slowed to a jog as I kept my eyes darting from person to person. As I slowed to a fast walk a young man came up to me.

"Uh, officer my phone has been stolen I-." I proceeded to jog away while ignoring him, one of the downsides of wearing a uniform is everyone knows you're a cop. Cocoa and I could have gone to this raid without them I however chose to. Mostly because it makes us more identifiable. Also I liked to wear my old uniform occasionally. I kept going until I was in the middle of the park.

"Cocoa what entrance is he…" Suddenly everyone's head flinched to the sound of two loud popping noises. I knew were gunshots. I darted off in the direction of the rubbernecking citizens until I found the scene.

Cocoa had her pistol drawn, visibly shaking. Meanwhile Oliver was belly up with blood across his chest, leaking from bullet wounds, unmoving. In his hand was a knife. I flicked my radio on.

"Gobb this is Macauley suspect is down. Request immediate backup…and a coroner." Everyone's eyes were wide and either staring with mouths open or turning away in disgust. One woman even fainted. Cocoa stood still, with her trembling becoming more violent. This was the first time she had ever killed someone. Without asking I picked up a nearby picnic blanket and draped it over the body.

"Police business, everyone remain calm and be on your way." I ordered to deaf eyes. I then walked up to Cocoa, who was still aiming at the corpse, I carefully pushed the gun down so it was pointing to the grass. I softened my voice.

"Hey…hey…you did your job alright." I spoke to her calmly, she eventually turned her head from the corpse and looked at me in the eyes. She holstered her pistol still shaking, thumbing on the safety. I then patted her on the back. She eventually looked around, the colour in her face slowly returning.

"She...she saved our boy." I looked left to see a family composed of a father, mother, young boy and growlithe. I looked at Oliver to see the knife in his hand, poking out from the blanket. The fact the boy had his hand against his neck I could figure out what happened. Oliver must have realised Cocoa was catching up to him and taken the boy hostage. Cocoa then did as police training taught her in the event of a life being threatened. Which was to aim for the centre mass and pull the trigger.

"I was just doing my job." She muttered to the family, we stood by the body for a while getting a lot of attention by the locals. I got the name and address of the family incase we needed witness's. I also asked around for anyone willing to give testimonies later. Finally the coroner van entered the park with some TRG officers and Sergeant Gobb.

"We going to get lip from Arnes for this mate?" Gobb asked as he stood next to me looking down at the corpse still covered by the picnic blanket.

"Maybe, I think we have enough witness's. She did well Gobb, I will have a commendation sent to her…how'd the rest of the raid go?" I asked him, he smiled and turned to me, pulling up his sleeve to reveal shallow gashes across his left arm.

"Another one to add to the collection. Several shots fired, all eight suspects apprehended, found lots of illegal drugs and pokéballs full of probably trafficked pokémon. An R candy lab, along with several kilos of the stuff and ingredients. Some injuries, one crook was shot in the leg. An officer got hit by a squirtle, two got singed by a charmeleon and a bublbasaur scratched me with its vines. Quite a good haul." 'R candy' was another name for bootleg rare candy, calling it 'risk candy'. I noticed Cocoa was sitting in a park bench nearby. Her face towards the ground and a shock blanket draped over her. I went and stood in front of her. She looked up at me, without her sunglasses she showed off her sparkling eyes. She smiled at me.

"So how about we get that coffee?" She asked in her normal active voice, by now the body had been cleared and bullet casing picked up as evidence. This place would count as a crime scene, and we would be contacted later for an inquiry.

We had to go back to the station to fill out police paperwork, give reports and wrap up the case including the escape of the zoroark. Seeing it was a domesticated pokémon it was the responsibility of the handler. Seeing Cocoa dispatched of the owner, the zoroark counted as a wild pokémon, no major issue, a report was sent to the KSPPC. After several hours we took a police car to get coffee, not bothering to change out of uniform. Car windows down, fresh air was something good to have after a tense situation. This might be the only time she kills someone, most officers go their entire career without having to be apart of a coroners inquiry. Sergeant Gobb I think hasn't even fired his gun in the field. I had a killed two people in my lifetime, however my number for ending pokémon lives was higher. I had reasons, biggest being you don't know what a pocket monster is going to do with its body. One moment you could be fine, in a matter of seconds you could be on fire.

I went to pay for a parking ticket, even as police we were still were subjected to traffic laws. Giving Cocoa enough cash and telling her to get my order of a double shot latte as I was sliding coin after coin into the slot on the ticket machine.

"OFFICER…OFFICER!" A short old woman waddled towards me with a shaky voice and loosely swinging handbag.

"I was walking past an alley and I heard a voice…I think there's a pokémon stuck behind a dumpster." She pointed to an alley down the road, there was something off about her emotions. Along with the fact she was already tugging at my arm.

"Ma'am calm down, show us the alley." I gestured her to lead the way.

I had a gut feeling that this old lady wasn't who she was trying to be. As in I thought I was right next to the Oliver's zoroark. The reason I didn't want to suspect her in front of everyone is because an officer arresting an old woman for bothering him wouldn't hold up the reputation of the force. Also he/she would definitly make a scene for everyone to pull out their phones and film the entire event. And by the time I'm back at the station I would have a reputation as the cop who arrested an old woman.

We went out of sight of the road, I kept a close eye on her as she then stopped and pointed at a nearby dumpster. As I approached I still watched her, with my hand slowly and discreetly moving closer to my holstered pistol. As I got closer I could hear a noise, a muffled voice repeating the same word. Whimpering and blubbering as if it was crying. As I went to look behind the dumpster, with my hand now on the pistol grip I caught sight of a strange shadow. A large bushy shape moving behind the woman's body.

Rapidly pulling the gun from its holster I whipped around point it at the transforming pokémon. I was met with a furry claw scratching at my arm loosening my grip on the pistol. Followed by a set of claws coming directly towards my chest. Instincts kicking in. I sidestepped the swing and pulled the baton from my belt. Extending it and readying it for action. The zoroark has fully revealed itself growling in rage. It came at me again. I backed away trying to block the flurry of swipes. The zoroark's eyes glowed a light blue and was surrounded by a crimson aura.

"COCOA! THIS IS MACAULEY, NEED…" I was cut off as a dark shock wave hit me making my head spin. Without coordination I began flaying my baton around trying to keep the creature back. I was brought out of daze when a sharp pain went across my forehead. Red poured down my face, curtaining my eyes in my own blood. I could only see red as I desperately tried to hold the wound shut.

I kept on swinging hoping the message had gotten through to Cocoa. Something I doubted by the second. My induced blindness got the better of me as I toppled over. Hitting the ground feeling the rough concrete grate my skin. Through the wall of blood I could see the silhouette of the zoroark coming down on me. I threw my boot towards the pokémon trying to keep it off. I felt a sharp pain race up my leg making me emit a howl of pain. It was around this moment I could feel consciousness leaving me. Through my dulling senses I could hear a voice and several gunshots ring out, I could then hear the buzzing of a radio. Followed by a distressed feminine voice.

"THIS IS DETECTIVE FIRST CLASS CONSTABLE HARRED! OFFICER DOWN! NEED AN AMBULANCE NOW!…"