"The Intergalactic Police?" Chiro asked, confused.
Jinmay nodded. "If anyone can help us, it's them. They deal with this stuff all the time. Selling species of other planets on the Black Market is highly illegal."
"I think it was an undercover Intergalactic Policewoman who bought me and Mom the first time we were put on auction and brought us home." Ash said. "Good thinking, Jinmay."
They landed the Mind Scrambler outside the police station, but inside the oxygen bubble. Then, they got out of the ship and walked inside.
Once inside they went up to the counter and Jinmay rang the bell.
The very alien that had helped Ash and Delia when they were younger came up to the counter.
"It's you." Ash said in obvious surprise.
"Is this the lady who helped you and Mom before, Ash?" Chiro asked.
Ash nodded. "Yes."
The lady seemed surprised to see him. "How may I help you?"
Ash explained how he and his friends and mother were kidnapped, how he was separated from them, and that the belief was that they had been put on auction and sold as was proved by finding Axew.
"I see…" The lady said. "And you came here for help finding them?"
The three kids nodded.
"Please help us. We don't know where to look next." Ash said.
"We already search for intergalactic slaves twenty four seven anyways." The lady told them. She handed Ash a type of communicator. "If we see any humans, we'll let you know immediately. Otherwise, all you can do is keep looking. That's all I can really do to help you."
A tear slid down Ash's face and Chiro put an arm around him.
"It'll be okay, Ash. We'll find them." He whispered in his brother's ear.
Ash sighed. "Thank you for your help, Ma'am. We really appreciate it."
"If you find one of your friends, let us know immediately so that we can come arrest their captor." The lady said. "Good luck."
The three kids thanked her again and left the building.
Back inside the Mind Scrambler, they came up with a new plan and left for a nearby planet to start searching.
Weeks later…
Ash groaned as Chiro shook him awake. "Can't I have just a little longer?"
"Come on, Ash. We're at another planet. It's time to get up and go search." Chiro said.
Ash groaned again before finally getting up. Axew ran past them without them noticing.
"Guys! Axew's going crazy! Someone help me get him under control!" Jinmay shouted.
Ash caught Axew as he passed by again. "What is it, Axew? Is Iris near?"
Axew nodded. "Axew-ew!"
Ash nodded back and told Chiro and Jinmay. "Looks like we've got the right planet, but we can't call the police until we're sure."
"Alrighty then." Jinmay said. "Let's get going."
They exited the Mind Scrambler to find themselves on a very fertile planet.
They had landed in a forest that was filled with strange creatures. They walked through the woods for about an hour before reaching some fields filled with unfamiliar crops.
Aliens of all types and sizes worked the fields.
Axew ran off, dodging Ash when the boy tried to catch him.
Chiro yanked Ash into some bushes where Jinmay was already hiding just as someone turned to look their way.
Ash spotted something the same shade of purple as Iris's hair out of the corner of his eye.
"Mistress! I brought you what you asked for from town!" Someone called, running past them.
Chiro quickly clamped a hand over Ash's mouth to muffle his gasp.
"Thm wuff Iwiff!" Ash said, although he meant to say 'That was Iris'.
"I figured." Chiro whispered in his ear. "Did you bring the communicator the policewoman gave us?"
Ash pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to him.
"Will you be quiet?" Chiro asked.
Ash nodded and Chiro removed his hand from Ash's mouth just as Jinmay was yanked out of the bushes by one of the aliens.
Chiro shoved the communicator back in Ash's hand and said. "Call the police and tell them we found one of your friends. We'll distract them."
Ash nodded again, activated the communicator, and started talking to the policewoman who had given them the device.
Chiro leaped out of the bushes to find Jinmay already fighting the alien that had grabbed her. More were approaching, though, so he knew she'd need help.
He ran over to her and helped her fight.
Meanwhile…
Iris was handing the package to her mistress when one of her fellow workers announced they had a spy.
He was holding a girl with pink hair and green eyes. Lasers suddenly came out of the girl's eyes and a fight broke out.
A boy with black hair and blue eyes about the girl's age jumped out of the bushes to help her.
While the two were distracted, Iris's mistress ordered some of her servants to check if there was anyone else in those bushes.
That was when Axew appeared and jumped into Iris's arms.
"Axew-ew!" Axew cried happily.
"Axew?" Iris was surprised to see him. "How'd you get here? Did you come with them?"
"Axew!" Axew nodded.
"Mistress! We found another kid! We managed to knock him out before he noticed we'd found him!" One of the servants reported.
Another of the servants walked up with a very familiar boy in his arms.
Iris gasped. It was Ash! How had he gotten here?! The last she'd seen him…
"Mistress, you might want to check this out." A third servant said nervously. He held out some type of communicator. The mistress's eyes widened. "He was talking on it when we found him."
The mistress snatched the communicator and broke it in half. "Let's hope they don't have our position yet."
"What's that thing?" Iris asked quietly.
"None of your business, girl! Get back to work!" The mistress snapped. "You! Kill him!"
"No! Axew! Dragon Rage!" Iris yelled without thinking.
She realized her mistake too late, but the damage was already done.
Trying to ignore the fact that she was probably in big trouble now, she ran over to her friend, who had been dropped when the Dragon Rage hit the guy holding him.
"Ash! Ash, wake up!" She shouted, frantically shaking him. Ash didn't respond.
Her mistress yanked her away from her friend angrily. "Kill him!"
One of the servants approached Ash while Iris was restrained by her mistress.
Pikachu arrived and knocked the servant away from the boy with Volt Tackle. Then, the yellow mouse pokemon stood protectively between the servants and his trainer, determined to keep Ash safe.
The boy and girl from before, having finished their fight, ran over to guard Ash as well.
That was when a spaceship flew towards them and landed in the fields.
Some aliens in uniform exited the spaceship and strode up to the mistress.
"You're under arrest for illegal dealings on species of other planets." One said.
The mistress tensed and whipped out a knife, which she put to Iris's neck. "Let me go or I'll kill her."
The boy and girl glared at her, while the aliens approached her.
"Let the girl go now and we'll give you a five minute head start." The alien that spoke before ordered.
The mistress hesitated before dropping the knife and fleeing with those who were loyal to her.
"Are you all right, Iris?" The boy asked Iris.
Iris nodded. "How do you know my name?"
The boy just glanced at Ash as an answer.
"Oh." Iris murmured. "Guess that makes sense."
"My name's Chiro and this is Jinmay." The boy introduced. "We've been helping Ash with his search."
"Thank you for coming to rescue me. I really appreciate it." Iris said. "Your name sounds familiar. Have I heard it somewhere before?"
"I'm Ash's older brother." Chiro told her. "He probably told you about me at some point."
"Will he be okay? Ash, I mean." Iris asked.
"He's unconscious, but not hurt." The girl, Jinmay, answered. "He might wake up with a headache, but will be fine otherwise."
One of the aliens approached Chiro and handed him something. "Here's another communicator to keep in touch. We'll let you know if we find any more of your friends. We appreciate your calling for help rather than trying to take care of it all on your own."
"Thanks for coming. Who knows what would've happened if you hadn't." Chiro said.
The alien nodded. "Glad to be of service. Try to be more careful next time, though."
Chiro agreed, knowing he was referring to what had happened to Ash. "We'll try."
"We're headed off to pursue that lady." The alien said. "Our particular unit probably won't meet with you again."
"I guess this is goodbye then. Thanks again for helping us."
The alien nodded and left them to pursue Iris's ex-mistress.
Then, Chiro lifted Ash onto his back and the group, now including Iris, headed back to the Mind Scrambler.