Altomare revisited: Chapter 29
"Oh no" Ash muttered "May, please say you didn't"
"I won't repeat myself again!" the voice rang out again "Please withdraw your Pokemon and come quietly" the owner of the voice stepped out of the crowd, his greying hair betraying his age and the badge on his chest faded with age was still displayed proudly
"Uuuum" Ash replied nervously "I can't" behind him Charizard snorted its contempt at the officer
"What do you mean you can't?!" the officer demanded
"I don't have Charizard's ball with me, he's a friend and I saw no need for it when I picked him up" Ash admitted, Charizard seemed moved by Ash's show of confidence in him but remained silent eyeing the police officers wearily and woe betide any of them that tried to subdue him or his friends
"What about that other Charizard?" the officer asked clearly unimpressed
"Not mine" Ash shrugged "and her names Charla"
"Hey! You there!" the officer called out to Liza "Withdraw your Charizard at once"
Liza shook her head "I don't have her ball either, I left it at home"
The officer frowned "I refuse to believe that neither of you have your Charizards' balls on you. Now withdraw them this instant or I'll add resisting arrest to your charges"
"What are my charges?" Ash called back fearing the reply
"Pokephilia" the officer replied obviously finding the idea distasteful
Ash sighed "Why May why?" he turned to Latias and whispered "Don't worry I've got a plan"
Latias nodded 'Ok' she quickly informed the others, it seemed to placate Charizard who visibly relaxed although he was still slightly nervous for his friend's health
"Fine I'll come quietly" Ash called out surprising everyone
"What about the Charizard?" the officer called
"Charizard, Liza, Charla go with Amy to the garden like we were planning" Ash gave them a reassuring smile trying his hardest to conceal his own doubts and fears
Charizard and Charla nodded "Ok then" Liza called out
"I can't leave you Ash!" Latias cried "I love you"
Ash smiled sadly "I love you too Latias, I will always love you remember that" he pulled Latias close for one quick kiss before turning back to the police and slowly walking forward
Latias quickly got onto Charizard copying Ash's technique and along with Charla and Liza they quickly ascended above the rooftops and flew off into the night sky, Charizard roaring one last threat to all the police Pokemon daring them to hurt Ash.
Ash smiled as Latias translated Charizard's threat telepathically before breaking their mental contact lest the police somehow discover it, Ash finally reached the police lines and held his hands out for the cuffs almost laughing as he saw them all tense up obviously expecting this to be some kind of trick. Only once the handcuffs were in place did they relax, although a few of their Pokemon still gave him a wide berth much to his amusement.
Charla and Charizard were flying low over Altomare looking for an area of open ground large enough to land in, Latias was absorbed in self imposed depression she kept running the past few minutes over and over in her head, why had Ash just handed himself over? How could she have just abandoned him like that? What was this plan of his? And perhaps most importantly how could May have ratted them out like this? Liza was attempting to comfort Latias from Charla with only moderate success. Charizard was the first to spot a landing site, a large park with plenty of open ground, Latias and Liza nodded their approval and the two Charizard quickly swooped in and landed. Latias hopped off Charizard's back and waited for Liza to dismount too before leading the group to one of the many secret entrances to the Garden of the Lati only the knowledge that she was doing what Ash wished gave her the energy to do even this simple task, without Ash her life seemed hollow and all she seemed capable of thinking of were the worst case scenarios, what if Ash gets locked up forever? What if he dies? She sighed a lone tear streaking down her face.
"Wow it's beautiful" Liza muttered echoing the words of so many before her as she got her first glimpse of the garden, Charla and Charizard roared their approval realising that this would be their home for the foreseeable future.
Latias gave a weak smile able to only get a fraction of the pleasure she usually derived from peoples initial reaction to the garden, shifting her focus she could detect other people in the garden three others to be exact 'There are intruders in the garden be alert' she warned everyone in the group.
They all advanced slowly, Latias shifting back to her real body the moment there was enough cover to hide the glow then she quickly went invisible "What! Where are you?!" Liza cried out as Latias seemed to disappear before her very eyes, Charizard and Charla glanced around looking for their missing friend.
'Ssssh, I'm invisible' Latias responded quickly
Liza clamped her hands over her mouth "Sorry" she whispered
'No problem I should have warned you' a small twinge of humour tainted Latias' voice, she closed her eyes a concentrated pinpointing the location of the life forces she had detected 'Stay here' she commanded 'I'll see who's in the garden'
Liza nodded "Good luck"
Latias advanced slowly pushing through the underbrush towards the closest life force trying to make as little noise as possible, as she inched into the clearing she spotted the owner of the life force she had detected, Bianca. With a soft glow Latias faded into view and shot towards her friend, with the danger gone the tears she had been holding back flowed unheeded her sobbing alerted Bianca to her presence and she turned around her face a mask of concern "Latias!" she called out surprised to see her friend so soon "Where's Ash?" she asked noting his absence with dread
Latias shot into Bianca burying her head in her shoulder as she cried 'They got him!' she cried 'and I abandoned him!' she sobbed her body wracked with grief and sorrow, she had completely forgotten about Liza, Charizard and Charla who were waiting only a few metres away.
"Ssssh, ssssh" Bianca cooed softly as she gently stroked Latias' head "Calm down and tell me what happened"
Latias took a few deep breaths "Well we landed on the quay but the police surrounded us.." she managed before she started sobbing again
"Ash told us that he had a plan then told us to leave and gave himself up" Liza finished stepping out of the trees flanked by Charla and Charizard.
Back at the police station Ash was leaning against the wall of the cell he had been placed in "I hope Latias will be okay" he whispered to himself giving a silent prayer for her. He sighed as he leant back on the bed, since he had come peacefully and shown no signs of resistance he had been treated fairly well and had been given one of the more comfortable cells although it was still far from luxurious. He sighed "I'm sorry for lying to you" he said softly, he knew he had no plan for this beyond letting his friends find a way to prove he wasn't guilty at the trail in two days time but he also knew Latias wouldn't have left if he hadn't given her some hope that he knew how to get out of this. He leant back and closed his eyes, "Let's see she's psychic so maybe if I think really hard she'll be able to pick it up" he couldn't help but smile at how stupid that idea sounded. He decided to give it a try regardless of how far fetched it seemed but he found himself unable to focus on Latias as one key question bounced around his head, why had May informed the police? It seemed so out of character for her, maybe it was a mistake? Maybe? He drifted off to sleepfeverantly hoping that somehow he could salvage at least a portion of his friendship with May once this had all blown over.
