Okay, I wrote this one kinda quickly, and since I don't like holding onto chapters for too long, I decided to post it. Anyway, I don't have anything to really say about this chapter, so enjoy!

Chapter 35

Where Did You Go, Audino?

The morning is misty. Too misty to be mist. It's more like fog... Yeah, it's foggy.

Streams made of thick puffy water linger in the air around us, making me feel a little bit nervous inside.

"This fog just keeps getting thicker," I tell my friends.

"You're right," Cilan says.

"Okay, would somebody tell me exactly where we're going?" Iris asks.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not all that sure," Cilan answers.

The three of us stop, and I start to panic inside. If Cilan doesn't even know where we are, then what chance do we have at getting out of here?

"You mean we lost our way?" Iris asks him.

Cilan's quiet for a moment before he responds. "I don't think we ever found our way in the first place."

Iris and I allow gasps to escape our lips.

"I hope this fog clears up soon," I tell Pikachu, who's perched on my shoulder.

His ear twitches and he points in front of him. "Pika pika!"

Turning my head, I'm able to see what he's pointing at: a small shadow coming towards us. It's about the same height as a small child.

"Someone's coming!" I tell my friends.

Iris's face breaks out into a smile. "Perfect timing! Let's ask for directions."

"Sounds good," Cilan says.

Turning to the shadow, I ask, "Excuse me, we're lost and wondered if you could help us find our way out."

"Would you mind telling us where—"

Cilan's cut off when the shadow comes out of the fog, revealing to be a pink and white creature. An Audino. Its blue eyes are slanted, however, like it's dazed.

"An Audino," I whisper, taking out my Pokédex.

Audino, the Hearing Pokémon. Audino has incredibly sensitive hearing, using its ears like radar to pick up even the faintest sounds.

"Wait, don't you think Audino's acting strangely?" Iris asks as I put my Pokédex away.

"I do," Cilan agrees.

Instead of looking happy and cheerful like an Audino usually would, it looks dazed and almost depressed. Its usually-bright blue eyes are dull and nearly colorless, looking like the life has been drained out of them.

The creature begins to walk past us, barely acknowledging we're near.

"Is something wrong?" Cilan asks it. No answer.

"Where are you going?" Iris calls after it.

"Audino, wait!" I yell.

Audino doesn't stop or turn around. It just keeps walking deeper and deeper into the thick fog.

Iris sighs, "That's weird."

The thick fog around us dissolves into faint mist before finally clearing away altogether.

"Look, the fog is clearing up," Iris says.

"You're right," Cilan says.

Even though the fog has cleared, there's no sign of any Audino around.

"You're all under arrest!"

Spinning around, my heart pounds furiously to see Officer Jenny glaring at us, along with two other kids.

"Stop! You stay right there!" the boy shouts. A small and circular green Pokémon floats over his shoulder, also glaring at us.

"Give it up while you've got the chance!" the girl yells. In her arms rests a small purple, black and white creature, who also glares at us.

I blink rapidly in disbelief. This...has to be some kind of joke, right? Right?!

"What are you talking about?" Aiming to reason with them, I step forward.

"Freeze! Don't move!" Jenny barks at me, making me flinch.

The boy turns to the green creature over his shoulder. "Solosis, quick, use Psychic!"

The green creature—Solosis—nods and its eyes glow. I'm suddenly lifted off the ground, and so are Iris and Cilan. We all fall to the ground, landing on our backs.

Jenny walks over to us, a stern glare resting on her face. She lifts up a small radio to her face.

"Arrest made at zero nine hundred hours."

The three of us are taken to Jenny's car, where I try to explain—frantically, I may add—that we're innocent. Pikachu snuggles into my arms, somewhat scared of the thought of being arrested for something we didn't do.

"Officer Jenny, we haven't done anything wrong!"

"Other than getting really lost in all that fog!" Iris mutters.

"I'm one of the Striaton City Gym Leaders," Cilan tells her calmly. "If you contact the Gym, they'll confirm it."

A while later, Jenny is talking on the phone in her car. "Yes, I understand. Alright, thank you." She hangs up and turns to us. "Everything checks out."

Sighs of relief erupt from both me and Pikachu. "We weren't lying," I tell her.

Her expression softens. "Sorry. I guess I was a bit flustered, that's all."

I feel the muscles in my face relax. "Is something wrong?"

She nods. "Yes. For the past three days, several of the Audino from town have suddenly disappeared."

Iris's eyes go wide. "Disappeared?"

"Without a trace," Jenny confirms. "You see, we had been following that dazed Audino for quite some time, and then, when we saw you talking to Audino, we assumed you had something to do with it."

The two kids from before step out in front of her, both of them looking extremely guilty.

"Sorry," the boy mutters. "I feel really bad that I attacked you with Psychic out of nowhere like that."

"Sorry," the girl murmurs.

Jenny smiles at the two kids. "This is Christie. She and Doyle here are helping me out."

I smile at the two kids, who look not much younger than I am. Possibly around Iris's age—ten or eleven.

"My name's Alice."

"And I'm Iris."

"My name's Cilan."

Solosis floats down to us. "Right, and this is Solosis," Doyle introduces the Pokémon.

"Solosis?" I take my Pokédex out and scan the floating creature.

Solosis, the Cell Pokémon. A membrane filled with fluid surrounds Solosis's body, which allows it to live anywhere. It defeats its enemies using its formidable Psychic-type powers.

"I'd like you to meet Gothita," Christie says, motioning to the small black creature in her arms. "Say hello." Gothita cheers her name in delight.

Iris smiles at the small Pokémon. "Wow, it's so cute!"

"Thanks!" Christie blushes at the compliment.

Gothita, the Fixation Pokémon. Gothita watches Pokémon and Trainers with an intense stare. Its bow-like feelers amplify its Psychic power.

"My grandpa's Audino is missing," Doyle tells us as I stuff my Pokédex back into my pocket, "and he's really upset. That's why I want to help find Audino. So I can cheer up my grandpa!"

"There's this Audino I'm really close to that's missing, as well," Christie tells me, looking sad.

Iris gives her a sympathetic look. "Wow, I feel so bad."

Doyle's depressed look is replaced by pure determination. "Solosis and I are determined to find out whoever did such a terrible thing!"

Christie glares at him. "No way! Gothita and I will!"

"We're gonna!"

"It'll be us!"

"Time out!" Jenny shouts over their bickering. The phone in her car suddenly rings, and she picks it up. "This is Officer Jenny." Suddenly, she gasps. "The Pokémon Center's Audino is gone?!"

At the Pokémon Center, Jenny attempts to get answers and information out of a frantic Nurse Joy while Iris, Cilan, Christie, Doyle, and I watch from the sidelines.

"I had just come into work," Joy explains. "I was busy giving out medicine to the Pokémon who're under the weather..."

"What about Audino?" Jenny asks her.

"I was frantically looking for the Audino who helps me treat the injured Pokemon here, but it was gone."

Jenny nods, writing all of this down in a small notepad. "Alright, I'll find Audino as soon as I can."

Joy looks a little relieved at the officer's words. "Thanks so much." She disappears in the back room behind the counter.

Jenny, Christie and Doyle begin to walk towards the exit when I stop them. "We would like to help, too."

"There are so many people upset because their Pokémon are gone," Cilan adds. "We must help!"

Jenny smiles, looking a little relieved at the chance to have a few extra hands on the case. "You're very kind."

Suddenly, Cilan takes out a detective's hat and magnifying glass. Placing the hat on his head, he says, "It's Detective Time! Detective Connoisseur Cilab at your service. When it comes to unraveling mysteries, I'm your number one chef!"

While I smile like a complete lovestruck idiot, Iris groans. "Oh no. Time to be annoyed again." Axew mutters something under his breath to agree with her.

"Now then," Cilan says to Jenny, "if you would be so kind as to give me the facts."

Jenny begins her explanation. "Three days ago, Doyle's grandfather's Audino disappeared." Doyle nods, the sadness clear in his eyes. "Then, the next day, the Audino from another Pokémon Center disappeared."

"And that Audino is our good friend," Christie sighs.

"This morning, the nursery school's Audino," Jenny continues, "and now we find the Audino from this Pokémon Center has disappeared as well."

"So that makes a total of four," Cilan summarizes.

"Well, I think some evil organization is stealing all the Audino for sure!" Doyle says confidently.

Iris tilts her head in confusion, making me a little jealous of her for adapting that trait from me. "Some evil organization?"

Christie raises her eyebrow challengingly at Doyle. "So what are they gonna do with them?"

Doyle nervously begins to defend himself. "They're...going to start a giant nursing center!"

She glares at him. "That doesn't sound all that evil to me!"

Doyle flinches at her sharp tone, and the way he reels back at her attitude reminds me of my early days in the Unova region, when I first met Iris. I was so hurt by her calling me a kid that I acted just like how Doyle is acting now.

"Okay, I think a Psychic-type Pokémon has something to do with that's going on here," Christie tells us. "They're probably using a Psychic-type move like Hypnosis and then they just lure them away!"

Nodding, Cilan snaps his fingers. "You might have something there. The Audino we saw in the forest was acting a bit strange, like it was walking around hypnotized."

Christie smirks at Doyle. "Told ya. My instincts are right on the money." Doyle glares at her furiously.

"It's still too soon to be certain," Jenny tells them. "Anyway, there are three more Audino living in our town. I say we split up and guard them."

The six of us stand outside in a circle. Pikachu moves from my arms to my right shoulder, hugging my neck with one arm.

Jenny, reading off a small chart, says, "There's an Audino living with an elderly couple."

Doyle raises his hand. "I'll guard that one!"

"I'll go with you if you want me to," I tell him.

He smiles at me. "Wow, Alice, you'd do that? That'd be so cool!" He turns to Christie. "I'll just prove to you my Solosis is the better Pokémon."

Christie glares at him. "No matter what you do, my Gothita is still the best!"

"Yeah? We'll see."

"Christie, do you think that you could guard the Audino Mimi's raising?"

She nods. "Yeah, I'd love to."

"May I help you?" Iris asks her.

"Sure, thanks."

"Alright, I'll guard the last Audino," Jenny says.

"If be honored if you'd let me assist you," Cilan tells her.

When she nods, I feel jealousy rising up inside of me, but quickly push it away. Nothing's gonna happen between them. You're overthinking, Alice.

Jenny holds out three tablets to us, each holding a chip and a touch device. "Here."

I take one from her and stare at it. "What's this?"

"A tracking device," she explains. "Attach this chip to Audino's body. It will enable you to observe and track Audino's location by using this screen. Should you lose sight of it, don't worry. This new technology will help us keep track of the tagged Audino and will lead us to the missing Audino as well." During her explanation, Doyle comes over and stands beside me. "And this is a messaging device, so if anything happens, let us all know."

Iris and Christie nod. "Yes, officer."

"Good. Now, make sure you stay close to Audino."

Doyle leans over to me, smiling, and whispers, "This looks like a real investigation!"

Unfortunately, Jenny hears him and glares. "Doyle!" she snaps at him. He shrieks. "This is a real investigation, with very real missing Audino!"

"Mark her words," Cilan says.

Iris glares. "Yeah, you too," she mutters.

Doyle and I walk to the elderly couple's house and explain the situation to them. Their Audino is beside them, smiling as it's completely unaware of the danger it's in.

The man nods. "I understand. We'll help in any way we can. It must be simply awful for the people who've lost their Audino."

I give them a smile. "Don't worry. I'll put one of these tracking devices on Audino." Grabbing the chip, I kneel down and stick it onto Audino's soft, furry chest.

"Okay, if your Audino goes anywhere, we'll know just where it went."

The man looks relieved. "That's very reassuring."

Later at the couple's house, Audino's eyelids sink partially, and it begins to walk towards the door.

"Audino's going somewhere!" I gasp.

The man holds out a Poké Ball. "Audino, return now!"

Audino is sucked into the Poké Ball by a red light, but once it's in, the Poké Ball shakes, and Audino comes back out, walking back towards the door.

"It got out on its own!" Doyle's jaw drops.

I turn to the man. "Don't worry, sir. We'll take care of this. See anything yet, Doyle?" I lean over his shoulder to look at the screen in his lap.

He taps the screen and a few different windows pop up. "It's working!"

I stand up and watch the Audino move closer to the door. "We should go. I'm gonna let everyone know first, though." I pull out the messaging device and send Iris and Cilan a message that says our Audino's on the move.

Doyle and I walk a few feet behind Audino, following it. Doyle holds the screen while I hold the message device. Iris messaged me a little while ago, telling me her and Christie's Audino is moving, too.

"I thought it would be like this!" Doyle says.

I bite my lip. "I think Christie was onto something when she said someone was using a Psychic-type Pokémon to hypnotize the Audino."

"Maybe so..." Doyle's voice trails off.

I look over my shoulder and smile at him. "Hey, I'm not saying I don't believe your theory about some kind of evil organization, kiddo. That could be a possibility, too." He smiles at me.

The device in my hand beeps, and I click on the new message. It's from Cilan. The Audino he and Jenny are watching has moved.

"It looks like the Audino Officer Jenny and Cilan were guarding is on the move like the others."

Our Audino turns right around a corner, and the two of us run into Jenny and Cilan. Their Audino pairs up with ours, walking in the same direction.

"Cilan!"

"Officer Jenny!"

"They're all heading in the same direction," Jenny says, looking at the screen in her hand.

Cilan looks up and gasps. "Another Audino."

Indeed, another Audino joins our two Audino, and Iris and Christie aren't that far behind it.

Iris looks at us and smiles. "Alice, Cilan."

The six of us all follow the three Audino for a little while until suddenly, the screens begin to grow staticky and unresponsive.

"That's strange," Jenny notes. "It's not working." She stops in her tracks, so the rest of us stop, too.

"What's wrong?" Cilan asks her.

"The screen is down."

"Mine's down, too!" Doyle says.

"So is mine!" Iris tells them.

"Please, stay calm," Cilan says.

"But we're going to lose them!" Iris protests.

"Officer Jenny, perhaps we should call this off and rescue these Audino." While Cilan speaks, the three Audino turn left past a corner.

Jenny nods. "Doyle and Christie, stop the Audino!"

"Solosis, use Psychic!"

"Gothita, Telekinesis!"

The two Psychic-types' eyes glow, and two of the Audino are lifted back to us, their eyes normal now.

"But where's the third one?" Jenny asks.

Not even thinking if the perpetrator is behind the corner, I run forward and around the corner, half expecting to see the third Audino.

Instead, I don't see anything. I hear the footsteps of my friends behind me soon enough, though.

"Where did it go?" Iris questions.

"We lost it!" I clench my teeth, furious at myself for not getting there quick enough.

Jenny kneels down to the ground and picks something up. "Look." Standing back up, she reveals it's the tracking chip from the third Audino.

"It seems to me, whoever's responsible for this must know about us and what we're doing," Cilan replies grimly.

Back at Jenny's car, the six of us stand around with the two Audino, who have recovered from their daydreaming.

"Officer, would you mind explaining just how the tracking device works?" Cilan asks her.

"It reads the target's location by picking up sound waves emitted from a chip like this one," she explains, holding the chip up.

Cilan stays silent for a moment, but then gasps. "It's possible the culprit could be luring the Audino using sound waves as well."

Iris blinks. "You think?"

"I do, and at a frequency people can't hear. You see, Audino is a Pokémon with highly developed hearing."

"A frequency that people can't hear..." Christie's voice trails off.

"It probably jammed our tracking devices," Doyle says.

"But, if that's the case, how can we trace the inaudible sound waves back to their source?" Jenny asks us.

Cilan suddenly points to me. "Alice, quick, use your Roggenrola!"

Startled by his outburst, I blink. "...Roggenrola?"

"Remember, Roggenrola's hearing is highly developed," he reminds me, "which means it can hear frequencies that people aren't able to."

Catching on, I give him a smile. "You're right! Okay then, Roggenrola, come on out!"

I throw Roggenrola's Poké Ball, and in a flash of light the color of shining water, he appears, ready for a task.

"I have a theory," Cilan says. "Since the culprit wasn't able to lure these Audino, I'll bet you they'll try again."

"Maybe," Iris agrees.

Suddenly, the two Audino's eyes become glazed over and droop halfway. They start to walk in a certain direction away from us.

"See? There they go!" Cilan gasps.

"Roggenrola, do you hear anything?" I ask him.

Jumping up, he nods and starts to follow the Audino.

"Excellent. Let's follow Roggenrola," Cilan says.

Still following the Audino, we come to a path lined with wooden fence.

"The signal's getting weak again," Jenny says, looking at the screen in her hands.

"Then we're heading the right way," Cilan murmurs.

Soon, we come to a ladder perched onto a rocky slope. The two Audino climb the ladder up the slope. Once they're up, they begin to move the ladder away.

"Wait!" I run ahead to them, Pikachu at my heels, just as they pull the ladder up. "Stop!"

I jump up onto the rocky slope and start to climb up, but lose my footing and slide down on my stomach.

"Sorry, but that's not gonna happen," Iris mutters from behind me.

Groaning from the sharp rocks, I retort, "Don't doubt me, Iris." I try to climb up the slope again, but end up sliding down once more.

"Is there another way to get up that cliff?" I hear Cilan ask.

"There is, but it'll take a while," Jenny answers.

"I know a much quicker way!" Doyle chimes in. "Solosis, use Psychic and get everyone up that cliff."

Suddenly, I feel myself being lifted off of the rocky slope and into the air. I'm lifted up to the top of the cliff, and I'm only released when my feet touch the ground.

Turning around, I give a small smile in Doyle's direction. "Nice job, Doyle."

He smiles proudly. "As I've said before, my Solosis can pretty much do anything." He smirks at Christie, who cringes and looks away, pouting.

The two Audino cross a bridge over a river between two large cliffs. Pikachu and I follow them, running onto the bridge once they're on the other side. However, their eyes glow, and the bridge suddenly shatters under us. Shrieking, Pikachu and I run back to the other side, and we're forced to watch the remains of the bridge fall into the water below.

I sigh in exhaustion and defeat. "Dammit."

"Now what do we do?" Iris asks.

"There's a bridge farther upstream," Jenny tells us, "but it's a long way from here."

Doyle smirks once again. "And once again, my Solosis will—"

Christie moves in front of them, cutting him off. "—watch as my awesome Gothita saves the day," she finishes for him. "Now, Gothita, use Telekinesis."

Once again, everyone is lifted up into the air and carried over the water. Gothita releases us once we're all safe on the other side.

"Gothita, thanks," Christie says to her partner.

Iris smiles at her. "Gothita's geeat, too."

Christie giggles, but Doyle glares at her fiercely.

We've lost sight of the Audino in the nearby forest, and no one's happy about it.

"We lost them! Where could they've gone now?" Doyle asks.

"Don't worry," I reassure him. "Roggenrola's gonna find them. For sure! Right, Roggenrola?"

He jumps up and down repeatedly and starts running.

Roggenrola leads us to a building with large windmills that look like it's been a long time since they've moved.

"It's a wind farm," Cilan says.

Jenny nods. "That's right. But the place has been abandoned for a while."

"I'm picking up the scent of suspicion."

I kneel down to Roggenrola's level. "Are you sure about this, Roggenrola!" He nods rapidly.

"We also know there are multiple culprits," Cilan tells us. "Elementary!"

Iris raises her eyebrow, obviously skeptical. "How do you know there's more than one?"

"An examination of the evidence proves this is the work of more than one," he explains to her. "I say it's Raid Time."

Nodding, Jenny says, "Alright."

We find an elevator that's been used to bring the Audino up to the higher floor, so we ride it up.

When the doors are about to open, Cilan shouts, "Freeze!" The doors open, and he steps out. "As long as Detective Connoisseur Cilan is on the case, evil is doomed...and the good wins!"

I look out beyond the doors to see the culprits: Team Rocket. Of course!

"Oh no, not you!" Jessie hisses.

Jenny runs out next to Cilan. "For multiple Audino kidnappings, you're all under arrest!"

I run out, too, stopping once I reach Cilan's side. "I should've known it was you!"

Jessie smirks. "How could you know that when you know nothing, indeed?"

"The answer to that as we feel the need!" James adds.

"Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future!"

"Thrusting the hammer of Justice onto the blackness of the universe!"

"Carvin' our names in the rock of eternity!"

"The fiery destroyer, Jessie!"

"And, with thunderous emotion, I am James!"

"Wisest of the wise, I'm Meowth!"

"Now gather under the name of Team Rocket!"

"This has gone far enough, Team Rocket!" Iris screams.

Christie blinks in confusion. "Team Rocket?"

"They're villains who steal other people's Pokémon," I explain to her.

Doyle's gaze shifts to the side, where a group of Audino in a large cage is revealed. "Hey, that's my grandpa's Audino!"

"The Audino from the Pokémon Center, too!" Christie gasps.

Iris shakes with fury. "Give those Pokémon back now!"

Throwing a Poké Ball, Jessie sneers, "Your wish is not my command! Woobat, you're up!" Woobat appears, ready for battle. "Air Slash, let's go!"

Woobat throws sharp spears made of air at us, and we're forced to dodge them by jumping out of the way quickly.

"Solosis, Confuse Ray!" Doyle shouts. Solosis shoots out bright yellow balls at Woobat. The balls surround the Flying-type before melting into it. It flutters there in the air, confused. "Awesome! It's confused!"

"Gothita wants to get in there, too!" Christie puts Gothita down to battle. "Use Psyshock!"

Gothita shoots out a blue and violet-colored ball at Woobat, hitting it and sending it into a nearby wall.

James throws a Poké Ball as well. "Yamask, you're up!" Yamask appears in a flash. "Shadow Ball!"

Before Yamask can attack, Doyle yells, "Solosis dodge it!" Yamask throws the ball, and Solosis is able to dodge easily. "'Kay, use Night Shade!"

Solosis sings a deadly tune, sending red and black waves towards Yamask. The Ghost-type is hypnotized by the dark waves.

"Now it's our turn!" I shout. "Roggenrola, use Sandstorm!" Roggenrola shoots sand at Woobat.

"Woobat, Gust, now!"

Woobat flaps its wings fiercely, sending both the sand and Roggenrola back. The sand hits Roggenrola in the face, and he crashes into the wall.

Biting my lip, I yell, "C'mon, Roggenrola! Use Stone Edge!" Roggenrola gets up and shoots pointed stones at Woobat.

"Woobat, dodge it, quick!"

Woobat is able to dodge the stones, but they hit the machine that's behind Team Rocket, creating a cloud of dust. I shield my eyes and wait until the dust clears before uncovering them.

The machine in ruins, the Audino walk out of the opened cage, their eyes back to their normal color. They all glare at Team Rocket.

Meowth shrieks. "Our machine went blooey and now they're all snappin' out of it!"

"James, do something, fast!"

"Who, me?!"

The seven Audino use either Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Ice Beam, Shadow Ball, Charge Beam, Solar Beam or Hyper Beam on the machine, blowing it to pieces.

A smile stretches out onto my face. "Yes! Those Audino are amazing!"

"Right! Not only are they kind-hearted, they can use a smorgasbord or moves," Cilan tells me, smiling.

"Wow!"

The clouds from the destroyed machine clear up to reveal Team Rocket, all three of them wearing jetpacks.

"I promise we won't forget this!" Jessie shouts at us.

"Right!" James and Meowth add.

"Don't move!" As Jenny runs towards them, the trio of villains flys off through the hole in the roof. She groans. "Ugh, they got away."

"Don't feel bad," I tell her. She turns around to face me.

"All the Audino are safe and sound," Cilan adds.

"They sure are."

All of us go over to the group of Audino.

"Are you guys feeling okay?" I ask them.

They all cheer simultaneously. "What a relief!" Iris says.

"So, mystery solved! It's Victory Time!" Cilan says.

Doyle looks up to Jenny. "Officer Jenny, didn't my solo so help you solve the case more than Christie's Gothita?"

She glares at him. "Wait, my Gothita did way more than Doyle's Solosis, right, officer?"

She thinks for a bit. "Oh... Actually, I think Alice's Roggenrola was the most helpful Pokémon."

Their faces fall, and they both groan, causing all of us to chuckle lightheartedly.

Okay, this one was cute to write, and in my opinion, was better than the last. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Bye!