Cha. 36

Oak walked in front of Erika, who consciously moved away from her seat at the front of the table. The professor sat down and closed his eyes. "Start talking."

Erika's mouth was filled with a bitter taste. She pushed a red box across the table. "Professor, this is your invention. We found it on the ground. It was what the crim… boy used to block our attacks."

"Had someone ever call the League law enforcement a failure?" Oak half-opened one eye and took a glimpse at the box. "If they had, I don't know what the hell they are talking about!"

"The police department is so trained. Skilled. Beautiful! It only took half of the entire city force to hold a Pokédex in captive." Oak huffed, voice tainted with sarcasm.

Jenny II stood up abruptly. Lorelei and Agatha's eyes twitched and pushed her back down. "Be calm."

Oak looked coldly at Jenny II, who was panting heavily. "What? Do you want to hit me? Mmhmm, abusing an old man is about all that you can do."

Lorelei coughed as she felt the Lieutenant Chief below her hand was about to explode. "Prof, please…"

"Yes, this is my Pokédex. It belongs to Ash Ketchum, a beginner trainer I sent the way of Celadon to go to Cerulean to fetch a starter Pokémon just three weeks ago." Oak interrupted plainly and took the Pokédex in his hand.

"Are you going to tell me that he was the one who stole your key, who defeated your useless police sergeant with an Arcanine, and who escaped from a circle of your police?"

"Because you if are," Oak gave a humorless laugh. "I know a friend in Sinnoh who specializes in mental disorders."

"Sir! I know it all sounds unbelievable, but it is what happened." Sergeant Jenny, sitting on the wheelchair, blurted angrily. She pushed a photo across the table. "This was the Pokémon he used to block our entrance, and he used Aron, Pikachu, and Magikarp against the fight with Arcanine."

Oak took a look at the photo. His face changed. Just as they thought they had finally penetrated a crack in the old man's defense, the professor roared and slammed his fist down at the table.

"I don't know what game you all are playing, giving me an edited picture!" Oak bellowed. "This is not a Pokémon! I've not seen any one like this in the seven decades I've been accompanied by Pokémon, in all regions and the prohibited areas!"

"WHAT!? Are you going to tell me next that it's an undiscovered species that my student captured right outside of Pallet, MY OWN HOME!?" Oak continued roaring. "HAVE I MADE CLEAR THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE STARTER BEFORE HE LEFT!?"

Oak reached into his pocket and flung a picture of Ash onto the table, stamped with a 'Wanted' sign. "I don't understand how you retards think he is involved with your scandal, and I don't care to know."

He took out another paper and flung it at Erika. "My Pokédex tracks my trainer's GPS movements, and here are all of the places where he went."

"All I can see is that he entered your damn city a day after your key theft, and the weeks before, he was traveling through the Viridian Forest."

Erika's mouth blubbed open and close like a suffocating fish. "But… he… could have…"

"TEAMED UP!? AN ALIBI?" Oak roared. "How about just being wronged by you fools, just like my boy fifteen years ago!?"

"Then how do you explain he having three Pokémon when he battled me!? Someone had to be there to help him, and it's probably the Rocket who knocked me out after he passed out, like I wrote!" Sergeant Jenny yelled.

Oak shouted louder, the calm demeanor long gone. "BECAUSE ASH IS GIFTED!? HE CHARMED THE Pokémon!? I have done the exact same with Dratini when I first started sixty years ago without help! Am I also assisted by Team Rocket!?"

"Why are you asking me why the Rocket knocked you out!? Maybe because the agent didn't like how ignorant you are!?"

Erika gripped Jenny by the shoulder, signaling her to stop. Even Jenny II looked at her with wide eyes, head shaking frantically. Sergeant Jenny cared no longer. "OR BECAUSE HE IS THE DEVIL!"

The room froze for a second. Lorelei and Agatha bounced up in panic. An invisible current swept intangibly across the room.

Behind Oak was the shadow of a Dragonite, of an Arcanine, of a Gyarados, of…

The professor's eyes were a deep crimson. Words hopped out from between his teeth like shredded rocks. "Just. Like. Fifteen. Years. Ago!?"

The dome of the Celadon City Gym exploded into dust, not even leaving solid pieces. A giant Dragonite flew out with a man standing on his back. A menacing voice parachuted down. "Listen, Erika, this is a threat."

"I'll give you a day to pull back your pursuit of Ash and clear his fugitive record. He did nothing wrong, but he was attacked by your officers. The death of your Sergeant's Arcanine was out of pure defense."

"I don't know, care, nor believe what she said about how he died. Getting disintegrated? Ridiculous!"

"Girl, don't repeat your parents' mistake."

"One. You will publicly apologize on the regional news for your mistake of attacking my innocent student. Second. You will give Ash a Rainbow Badge for the troubles you caused him. Third. You will fire your Sergeant for the incompetence of both her and this disappointing Celadon police force."

"If you don't complied, I will bring over the Regis and release the cursed Gloom from under the Celadon seal." Oak looked to the skies. "Test me. I dare you."

The Dragonite began to ascend into the clouds. Oak's voice became blur as it rained down. "Agatha, Lorelei, give Lance my greetings."

Erika stared at her ruined roof and the disappearing image of the Dragonite, unable to speak. She knew Oak was radically protective, but not this much. "Is… he…"

The image of her parents flashed through her mind, and she shivered uncontrollably. Lorelei wrapped an arm around the Celadon Gym Leader. "Yes. He's serious."

"Oak is still furious." Agatha exhaled a long breath. "I wouldn't doubt his threats."

Sergeant Jenny sat in a wheelchair, face blank from shock. The Lieutenant Chief walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"What… how…" She couldn't understand how the situation suddenly took such an insane turn for the unexpected.

Jenny II shook her head. "Oak is right about one thing. The boy seems largely innocent. You shouldn't have chased after him, Jenny, especially without a warrant."

Sergeant Jenny dropped her jaw. "He was a suspect! I couldn't just watch him go!"

"I know, but the rules were disobeyed. If this is anyone else, it wouldn't have mattered… but this is Oak." Jenny II sighed with a dejected look of age in her eyes. "Maybe he's right. There are a lot of flaws in the police system."

"I LOST MY ARCANINE!" Jenny cried. Pain zoomed through her head. She let out an agonizing cry. "Oak isn't the king of Kanto! He couldn't be above the law!"
The room was silent. Agatha breathed. "He… is."

Jenny turned tearfully to Erika, who looked away. "Jenny… I'm so sorry."

"I'm your best friend. You know this. I'll support you whether you're right or wrong." She closed her eyes. "But I'm also the Celadon Gym Leader. I need to put the city's interest before our own."

Jenny quivered. Erika's words ripped deep through her heart.

"I'll await your letter of resignation when you're better."

"Erika…"

"In the meantime, I'll call up the Kanto Regional News." The Gym Leader sunk into a chair.

A/N: Too harsh? A lick of humanity.