Like I promised, chapter 13 up a week early! I really like this chapter for some reason! Hope you enjoy it too!

Chapter 13

Truth

Carrie Ann's Milotic landed under the arch. It was blocked off by police cars and fire engines, as well as news vans and helicopters. "Go take a dip," Carrie Ann told Melody, who nuzzled Carrie Ann before hopping into the river. Carrie Ann turned around, and Amphoria shuddered, shrinking behind her trainer's head. Officers were pointing their guns at her, while a couple of men went on a boat on the river, letting a net fall into the water to fish out Melody.

"Great," she muttered, holding her hands up. She looked around; Lucas was sitting on the back of an ambulance with bandaged knees. Alice and Caroline were complaining to an officer from the backseat of a police car. Stephanie was nowhere to be seen. The only good thing about the situation was Carrie Ann had the Soul Dew tucked into her satchel.

Three officers ran up to Carrie Ann, one grabbing her hands and cuffing them behind her back while the other two handled a cage. "Don't touch her wool, it's full of electricity," Carrie Ann warned them, but they ignored her, one grabbing the sheep Pokémon and getting a shock. The other snickered, trying to coax the Mareep into the cage. "Go on, Amphy, it'll be okay. You'll be fine." With Carrie Ann's reassurance, Amphoria trotted nervously into the cage, and was locked in it. "Don't hurt her," she told the officers as they took the sheep to a police car.

Melody was netted and put into the back of a van, which was sealed as tight as possible, and a hose was stuck into an opening in the top to fill the vehicle with water. Carrie Ann was taken to a separate car, her head pushed down, cameras flashing and reporters blabbing the news.

The ride to the police station was short, and soon she was thrown into a cell at the end of the hall. A couple minutes later more footsteps, the sound of a cell door slamming. Then the same sounds seconds later. Then silence, long and tense. Carrie Ann felt alone; she was without her Pokémon, and the officers had taken her satchel. They had the Soul Dew, and she hoped to god it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. She stood by the metal rails for what seemed like hours, gripping the bars that separated her from freedom.

"I'm sorry." The voice came from the back of the cell, and Carrie Ann was filled with rage. She turned around, glaring at Cody, who was sitting on the edge of the metal bunk. He looked like he was holding back tears, like he'd already cried them. He looked at her with such self-disappointment he looked suicidal, and it tugged at Carrie Ann's heart. She wouldn't let it show, though.

"Tell me the truth," she spat, arms crossed, feeling vulnerable.

"I recognized them. As soon as I saw them. My parents, blue and red hair, you can't erase that from your mind. They knew it was me by my smile. They said, get the Soul Dew, and we'll love you forever. And I gave in. But I was wrong. I'm sorry." Carrie Ann was angry, but she couldn't help but sympathize for him. She walked over and gave him a hug, then slapped him across the face.

"I'll never forgive you," she told him, holding back tears of her own. But he was happy she believed him finally. He wrapped his arms around her waist, but she slapped him away. She wasn't ready to make-up with him.

"What now," he wondered, looking to the floor as Carrie Ann went back to the metal bars. She looked as far as she could down the narrow hallway, but she couldn't see anyone, and no one was in the cells on the opposite side of hers.

"We wait," she said, staring hard at the wall. She was remembering what Latias had told her the previous morning. Her Keepers gave her power, in return for her strength. "Are you really the Sea Keeper?"

He studied her, and she felt his stare. After a long silence, he spoke. "Yes."

"So, do you know anything about the relationship between the Guardian and her Keepers?" She knew it, but she wondered if he did as well.

"Possessive much? Haha, I know that it's bad if you get separated from us. Well, bad for you, at least. We gain strength from you, or something." Cody didn't seem to know too much.

"So you knew you could beat me, if you needed to. Because you had strength." Carrie Ann didn't ask. She knew his answer.

"Yes." He was ashamed of himself, she knew. He had taken advantage of her ignorance, almost ruined their purpose, and all he could say was 'sorry.'

"Latias told me. I gain power, you gain strength. Balance. But power, I just don't understand. What kind of power? Like a Pokémon's power, or something else, something more…" Carrie Ann continued her staring contest with the wall, concentrating on whatever she could.

"I just wish we weren't stuck in here. And where are the others at?" She was getting irritated; she didn't know how long she could stay in here with Cody before she broke.

"Carrie Ann," a British voice echoed through the hall, "is that you, dear? It's Alice." Carrie Ann broke her gaze, trying to see as far out as she could, and saw a hand reaching out, a diamond ring hugging the ring finger.

A second diamond-clad hand appeared, and an identical voice called out, "Caroline too!"

"Hey! Good to see you two! Well, your hands at least." the twins were so far down the hall, it was impossible that Carrie Ann could even see their outstretched hands.

Lucas's voice rang out softly, not echoing too much, but still quite loud. "You lovebirds have some interesting conversations." He was obviously in the next cell over, and by his words, he had most likely been eavesdropping.

"Stephanie here!" the girl said, shaking the metal bars, the rattling sound echoing loudly.

A door slammed open at the end of the hall, and Carrie Ann was certain the others were backing into the shadow of their cell just like she was. Footsteps stomped down the hall, to the very last cell. He unlocked the door and slid it open, and Cody jumped up from his position to try to escape. The guard was alert, though, grabbing Cody by the neck and throwing him the ground of the cell. Carrie Ann cowered in the shadows, forcing the man to come into the cell to get her. "Don't worry; you'll be safer where you're going. No annoying kids."

"He's coming with me," Carrie Ann countered, crossing her arms. "I won't leave my friends."

"Friend?" the guard was stunned. "You shoved this boy off the top of the arch, it was streamed live to every television set in America, and he's your friend? You've got issues. Come with me please, and you won't have to see this boy for a couple hours. And however long you like afterwards."

The man was stalled for long enough, Cody had gotten up and snuck out of the cell. His pocket-knife hadn't been confiscated, and it had all sorts of gadgets. He picked the locks of all the other cells, telling them to stay quiet. Then, he snuck his way back into the cell before the guard saw.

The man huffed. "Ma'am, we don't want to use force, but if it gets down to it, we will."

"I won't leave him. It's both of us or neither." Carrie Ann was solid with her words, her voice unwavering and confident.

"Fine. Both of you follow me." He walked out of the cell, eyeing Cody, who was standing right by the open cell door. They walked down the hall, Cody winking at each of the other teens as they glared at him for what he'd done. All of them but Lucas, who had heard everything.

The guard led the two out to the offices of the police station, and let Carrie Ann into an interrogation room, Cody in another.

A blonde-haired fat man sat on the other side of the table. Carrie Ann sat down, looking long and hard at the edge of the table. "What's your name, sweetie?" he asked, looking in a manila envelope. Carrie Ann remained silent. "We need you to admit to the crimes you've committed.

Carrie Ann was confused. Crimes? What crimes? The questions were answered at the sight of her face. "Well, for one, you pushed a kid off of the arch. That's attempted murder. And you—" the officer was cut off, a sound of static barely audible coming from his earpiece.

"Ma'am, I understand you were kidnapped? Come with me." He got up, opening the door as the guard grabbed Carrie Ann up from her chair and dragged her down the hall to a one-way window, with a bunch of Rockets lined up. Cody was one of them. "Which one put you in the van?" Carrie Ann's lips were sealed. The officer asked three more times, and still no answer. "Put her in confinement. That should break her."

Carrie Ann's eyes went wide, scared. She would be alone, vulnerable. The guard had let go of her arm upon entering the room, and she saw this as her chance. She walked forward, squinting. She couldn't turn Cody in. She saw the intercom button on the wall, and pressed it. "Cody?" she spoke, hoping he would play along. He did.

"Carrie Ann? Carrie Ann!" He stepped off of the platform that the rest of the suspects stood on, looking around the room. "Where are you?"

"Out here. Cody, don't leave me." by then, two more guards came in, trying to pull her from the intercom. When they finally did, she was in tears, screaming the words as if he could hear her.

She was taken to an empty room with grey walls. Nothing was in it, not even a chair. She sat on the floor, silent, staring at the door cold and hard. She wasn't sure how long she was in there. No food came when she was hungry. She didn't dare sleep no matter how tired she got. She was weak. Vulnerable. She hated it. She missed the company of the others, the comfort they brought. They were nothing without her, and she was nothing without them.

She finally couldn't take it anymore, and lay back on the cold cement floor, closed her eyes, and started towards a rewarding slumber for her stubbornness.

Yeah, so that's it for now. See you next Thursday!