The Journey Never Ends

Chapter 53: A Betrayal of Justice


Allie stared blankly at the prosecutor, unsure of what to say. If she admitted that she hadn't been privy to Ash's thoughts, then nothing she said would matter. They would assume that she was just an innocent and oblivious girl Ash had taken around with him while secretly working against the league. But if she lied and said that he had confided in her, then she might be falsely prosecuted alongside him.

She trusted Ash completely. She knew he would never betray Kanto. But how could she convince the court of that?

Without anything better to say, Allie decided on the truth.

"Ash Ketchum," she told them all, "is a jerk, a liar, and as callous as a Tyranitar with a skin condition." She saw Frederick nod his head approvingly of the Pokémon metaphor, then scowled when he realized that he was agreeing with his sworn foe.

Ash groaned. What the hell was she doing?

"In the past year, he's hurt me both emotionally and physically. And yet, his biggest crime is that he's overprotective. If he cares about something, he'll defend it to the death. Yes, he kept plenty of secrets from me, but he believed that ignorance would protect me. He did horrible things, but it was because he cared about me. About Kanto."

"Ash is one of the most deeply flawed human beings I have ever met. But somehow, that also makes him one of the most fantastic. He cares about everything and everyone he encounters and he will stop at nothing to protect Kanto from its enemies. I've spent the past year traveling with him, dealing with his insecurities, supporting him in his fight. If anyone knows his loyalties, I do. To charge him without a jury, without a defense attorney, and without respect for his civil rights leaves no doubt in my mind that the true enemy of Kanto and the Pokémon League are the forces which conspire against an innocent man.

"What happened aboard the Ubume was the perfect example of how Ash works to protect us all. After the fire at the Dante Club, one of his best friends was kidnapped. She was held captive by Rocket Nation and Ash was forced to become a commander of Rocket Nation. While working for them, he gained insight into their plans and organization. He was unable to stop them from attacking Kanto. But I saw his eyes the day he looked at the burnt ruins of Pallet Town. He cares, and as much as he tries to carry the burdens of the world, he's just one person. Not even Ash could have single-handedly stopped Rocket Nation's plans once they were put into motion.

"As for Giovanni, Ash wanted nothing more than to leave him chained up in his prison. But we needed his help to free Saffron City from Rocket Nation's control. Ash's loyalty to Kanto was the only thing powerful enough to help him overcome his personal hatred of that man and ask for help. Giovanni hacked a computer that no one else could, so Ash promised him parole in return for his aid. I don't like Giovanni either, but even criminals deserve mercy if they help protect society, right?

A few people near the back nodded in agreement. They were coming around to see Allie's point; she knew she had to keep arguing it or it wouldn't stick.

"And the reason he didn't stop Director Tadashi Hanamizuki was that he had already escaped. The director had attacked me and I managed to fight him off, but he fled before Ash arrived." Allie avoided saying exactly how her father had made his getaway, as the audience that had scoffed at Mew would have laughed her out of the region if she told them about Mewtwo.

"If you don't believe me, ask anyone of the thousands of people who have met him over the years. There's someone in every town who has met Ash Ketchum at some point. And I'll bet you anything that they remember him as a helpful, kind, and patient person. Ash has his flaws, but I'm proud to call him my mentor and friend. Kanto is his home, and I know he'd do anything for it."

The girl exhaled. Impressed with herself, she listened to the stunned silence of the courtroom. Even Cassidy stared at her, taken by surprise by her well-composed argument. Allie hadn't even planned it out; she thought it all out on the spot. She had used all the biggest words she could think of and the most complicated syntax she had learned in school. And, of course, she used her most authoritative voice, the one she had learned so well from Ash.

As soon as Allie had finished her monologue, Janine slipped out of the room. She had been concerned the guards would not let her out before the trial's conclusion, but she was a ninja, and had ways to make even the most stubborn people to let her pass. Luckily, this guard was a middle-aged man, and all it took was a flirtatious wink to convince him to get out of her way.

She navigated her way down the narrow halls and twisting corridors beneath the Indigo Stadium, until she reached the outside of the building, which was surrounded by the press and protestors who were held back by a line of police. The court case was high profile, and Allie had been true to her word when she said that legions would turn out to support Ash.

Taking a lapel pin off of her blouse, the gym leader handed it to a reporter who approached her the moment she made it past all of the police. It was in the shape of a heart, identical to the Soul Badge given by the Fuchsia City Gym in every aspect except one. "You know what to do with this, right?" she asked the black-haired woman.

Selena Skystar of the Pokémon News Network nodded confidently. She pulled a false back off the badge and pulled out a small microchip. This microchip had on it the recorded audio of the entire trial. She brought it to her news van and handed it to her cameraman. He nodded knowingly and began to edit the recording on the van's computer. The young man then hit a big red button, and the audio he selected was instantaneously streamed across the world.

The cameraman stroked the scar running down his face, a memento of when Rocket Nation had taken him prisoner. It was because of Ash and the champion's allies that he was free; he was simply returning the favor. Selena came over to him and rubbed his shoulders anxiously as they awaited the results of their last resort plan.

In this modern age, the internet was power. And in this case, the populist force of the internet was the only power capable of helping Ash. Within seconds, trainers from Kanto and beyond were receiving news of Ash's incarceration and listening to the entirety of Allie's speech. Within minutes, electronic petitions were being signed demanding his freedom. Ash had regained a lot of respect owing to his prominent role in the Resistance, and now that people knew he hadn't abandoned them, they wouldn't stand to see such an abuse of power by the board of directors.

Cassidy and Judge Beckwith had hardly finished with Allie when one of the Glorious Three looked down at her Xtransceiver and saw what was trending on the internet. Caron Evans stared at the screen with bulging eyes, then handed the device to John Lee, who was sitting right next to her. The leader of the three did not react at all, but took the news in stride and nodded to the judge.

Allie saw all of this as the bailiff was marching her back toward her seat. Lee glared at her, leaving Allie with no uncertainty that she had made a new enemy on this day. But he was also Ash's enemy, and if necessary, the two trainers would stand against John Lee and the Glorious Three together.

Cassidy was about to call Ash back up to the witness stand when Judge Beckwith gave a fake cough. "I believe we have heard enough. I will now take several minutes to deliberate on the results of this case. Please enjoy the refreshments while you await my decision." Allie supposed that vindictive business executives and dishonest bureaucrats needed to eat and drink like everyone else. The Glorious Three disappeared almost immediately into the back room where Beckwith was deliberating. So much for fair and impartial, but that wasn't a surprise.

The decision took a surprisingly long time. Several men in fancy suits had approached Allie during the break to inquire more about Ash and their adventures, but she ignored them. She had told the message she had intended to tell and had confidence that the plan was being carried out. She and Janine had planned to record the trial all along, but Allie never meant to make a speech. That was done entirely in the heat of the moment. But it may just have been crazy enough to work.

Judge Beckwith returned to his podium. He looked unsettled, as if his orders had just been altered in a way that made him uncomfortable, which, in fact, they had been. He spoke very quickly, evidently in a hurry to leave and get out of this sham of a trial with his reputation intact. "The court finds Ash Ketchum, Pokémon League Indigo Champion, innocent of all wrongdoing and absolute in his loyalty to Kanto. Case dismissed, defendant acquitted." He was growing increasingly pale. He disappeared into the back room before the stunned silence was broken by gasps of dismay. The crowd had come to see a show, but the finale wasn't the grand sentencing they had anticipated. Several of them handed money to others, and Allie realized that they must have had bets going throughout the trial. It didn't matter though. The joke was on them. Ash was free. That was all that mattered.

He was innocent. He was good. Case dismissed.


The morning after the trial, Ash was free to go. His Pokémon and clothes were returned to him and he was released from the dilapidated corrections facility. Allie and Janine awaited him outside the abandoned prison where he had been held. It annoyed Allie that they had insisted on holding him one more night—as a "security precaution"—but at least it was finally over. He beamed when they saw him waiting.

"Allie, that was absolutely genius," he told her, hugging the girl. "Crazy, but genius." One of his more sympathetic guards had explained to him the reason for his acquittal.

"Thanks," Allie smiled meekly. "It was Janine's idea to record the trial, but we didn't think that I'd get called up to the stand. That was an accident, but it worked out in the end. Using the internet seemed like the best way to get public opinion united in your favor."

"Amazing, Allie," he praised her once more. The girl glowed with pride. "And thank you, too, Janine. Where is Selena? She had a role in it too, right?"

"She and her cameraman were recalled to Cerulean City to report on the recovery effort," Janine replied as she hugged Ash. "PNN promoted her to be their senior reporter since her story about the trial was so critically acclaimed."

"Good for her," Ash reflected. "She was one of the most honest members of the media I've ever met. She deserves to be rewarded for that." He had met many journalists, but Selena and Alexa had been among the few in their profession with actual integrity.

Allie and Janine nodded their agreement.

"Well," Ash said. "Now that we're at the Indigo Plateau, we might as well stop at my apartment. We can rest there for a couple of days and make plans for Allie's league preparation."

Ash's apartment, as it turned out, was larger than Allie's house growing up. It was two floors, with multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, three bathrooms, and a full training ground in the back yard, complete with sandbags and a battlefield. Ash explained that the quarters were passed from champion to champion, so that they could visit the plateau for long periods of time without needing to rent a room. He had spent most of the previous three years operating out of the building, back when he was occupied by negotiations with the international board and actively avoiding his friends. It was nicer than most Pokémon Centers, and Allie at once knew that she would feel at home here. They were enjoying the tour, when Ash decided to lead them to the kitchen.

As they were just about to the kitchen, the champion leapt backward as the door flew open unexpectedly. The surprised young man nearly knocked Allie over, but he caught her without looking away from the door. A teenager emerged, staring at them blankly. "Tyler, what are you doing?" Ash demanded. He clearly knew the boy, whose face was covered with mustard and other bits of food from the sandwich in his hand.

"Eating," Tyler said plainly, continuing to chomp away at his sandwich. His dark brown hair was gelled up in a spiky point; the tips were dyed green. Although he wasn't obese, he wasn't thin either. He looked stocky, but with a gauntness about his face that was reminiscent of a great athlete who traded glory for indulgence.

"Why are you eating here?" Ash asked, not really sure if he wanted the answer.

The boy grinned stupidly, his bright blue eyes twinkling. "You gave me a key so I could watch your place while you were away." Although he was young, there were shadows under his eyes from late nights and his voice was hoarse from his lifestyle.

The champion sighed. At least it was a good reason. The last time Tyler had turned up unsupervised in his house, Ash had had to replace the rug in the living room. Still, he wondered what he had been thinking to give the boy his key again, and made a mental note to check all the carpets.

"Where'd the food come from?" Allie inquired. "I thought Ash had been gone since he started travelling with me."

"That's right," Ash realized, looking at the green ham and moldy cheese which Tyler had put on purple bread. "You probably shouldn't be eating that."

But Tyler wasn't paying any attention. He had finally noticed the two girls of his own age standing behind Ash. He set the sandwich down on a side table, without using a plate. Mustard dripped onto the ornate wooden counter. "Well hello ladies," he cooed, moving past Ash and in between the two girls. Allie shivered uncomfortably as he put his hands on their waists, while Janine gave him a dangerous look to warn him that he would receive shuriken in the side if he didn't move away. Oblivious to this, the buffoon kept talking, pulling the girls closer to his bulky body. "And what are your names, cuties?"

"Allie and Janine," Ash said impatiently. "Tyler, will you please let them go?

"Ah, only joking, Ash. But if you two want to get away from the old man over there, you can come with me to Billy's party tonight. It's going to be pretty crazy."

Ash scowled, growing irritated with Tyler's flirting. Allie smiled, knowing that he was just being overprotective of them. Her smile was a mistake, she realized a moment later, because Tyler thought she was smiling at him. He let go of Janine but came closer to Allie and whispered into her ear the kind of beverages and games they would have at such an event.

Allie's face contorted with revulsion at the suggestion. She would never understand how some people found all of that stuff enjoyable. It reminded her too much of the Dante Club and the sick things that had been taking place there.

Ash interrupted again, trying to regain control of the situation. "Tyler, it's been a long journey. We're tired, I've spent the last week in a prison cell, and we all want to relax."

"A party's the perfect way to let your hair down," the boy responded, pulling at Allie's ponytail in a way he thought playful, but she found annoying and creepy.

"Key, please, Tyler," Ash gritted his teeth, trying to convince himself not to kill the boy. Even though it would give the league a legitimate reason to lock him away for good, it was really tempting. Tyler shrugged and handed Ash back the spare key. He started walking toward the door.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Aunt Caron told me to invite you guys to dinner Friday night. The board wants to apologize to you for the trial the other day. They want to make sure there are no hard feelings, you know."

He turned around, forgetting his year-old sandwich on the table, and departed the building. He left Allie and Janine, and to a lesser extent Ash, feeling utterly bewildered and perturbed.

"Well that was interesting," Janine said with a raised eyebrow. She picked up the sandwich and held it as far away from herself as possible.

"He reminds me of Forrest," Allie decided. "They're both really hopeless, but that guy's creepy instead of sweet."

Janine nodded. "I don't think I've ever met more of an idiot." They entered the kitchen and she put the moldy meal in a garbage can.

Ash grunted, sitting down at the kitchen table. "Don't be so sure. He may act like a moron, but his aunt, Caron Evans, is on the board. And I know her too well to believe that she hasn't trained him to be as devious as she is. I decided a long time ago that he's almost definitely a spy, albeit an unwitting one."

"What was he doing here?" Allie inquired. "Apart from, you know, eating." She snickered.

Ash rolled his eyes. "He's my personal assistant," the champion explained. Allie raised an eyebrow, curious as to why she hadn't heard of such an assistant before. "Two years ago, Caron came to me and asked me to take him on as my apprentice. No one can say no to Caron, not even me. As it turns out, he's lousy at battling, has no interest in contests, and is one of the laziest boys I've ever met. He has no ambition. So instead, I made him my assistant. I could tell Caron that I was fulfilling my promise to her, but now I only have to give him menial tasks once and a while. Apart from that, he keeps to himself. Enjoys parties and girls and all that stuff I have no time for."

Allie smiled. She knew that even if Ash did have time for it, he had far too much self-respect to indulge in such a lifestyle. She was the same way.

Ash's Xtransceiver vibrated in his pocket. As soon as he saw the message on it, he felt a sudden need to sit down. They followed him into another room, where he immediately fell into his favorite armchair. "Judge Beckwith is dead," he announced grimly. "His body was found in his car this morning."

"He didn't look well when leaving court yesterday," Allie recalled. She had hated the man for his role in Ash's persecution, but he didn't deserve to die.

"'He leaves behind three children and a wife,'" Ash read miserably from the digital obituary.

"Even the 'bad guys' have families," Janine sighed. "We seem to forget that all too often."

"I don't," Allie frowned.

Janine looked up quickly. "I'm sorry, Allie," she apologized. "I didn't mean…"

"I know." The trainer waved off the apology. She hadn't meant to correct Janine, only to muse about her own connections to the worst criminal of them all.

They sat in silence for several minutes while they contemplated the implications of the death, or murder, of Beckwith. "I need to investigate it," Ash decided. "Your rooms are upstairs on the left side of the hallway. Go make yourselves comfortable while I start looking into this. Come down when you're ready for dinner."

"Sounds good," agreed Allie. "As long as we don't have to eat what Tyler was eating."

"No," Ash promised. "We've got some extra trail food left over. It's not great, but it's edible."


The next two days flew by. On their first morning in the apartment, Ash cooked Allie and Janine a hearty breakfast of eggs and ham, which he had purchased early that morning to replace his refrigerator of expired food. Afterward, he took the two out back behind his two-storied building to the full-sized battlefield. Although he hadn't been home in months, the chalk lines were perfectly straight, without a single bump or squiggle. Allie guessed that there must be a groundskeeper to take care of it, since she couldn't imagine Tyler putting any sort of an effort into such a precise task.

Allie and Janine spent much of their time at Ash's training against each other. The champion would appear every few hours to watch one of their matches, make suggestions, and advise them on strategy. Once, the girls even faced Ash in a mock double battle, but he still managed to beat them.

Time passed in a hurry, especially since Allie was so happy and content at Ash's apartment. Soon enough, it was time for their dreaded dinner with the board. Ash had received a formal invitation following Tyler's parting words, one which very specifically included a request to bring Allie and Janine.

"They know who you are now," Ash warned the girls. "And you denied them what they wanted most in the world. Not to mention the embarrassment that must have caused the Glorious Three."

"That's because they tried to deny you justice," Allie responded. "They got what they deserved."

"That may be true, but don't underestimate these people," he replied cautiously. "They're just as dangerous as Rocket Nation, perhaps even more so."

"I know," his companion assured him. For all her talk, she was unnerved by the piercing eyes of John Lee and the dangerous faces of his compatriots. "I take them very seriously. I just have faith that they won't win."

And so, for most of Friday, Allie and Janine worked on getting themselves ready for the big night. Ash had warned them that it would be a formal affair, to his dread, but forgot that girls tended to like such occasions. They went to a local beauty store after breakfast, where they purchased an abundance of hair and makeup products.

Allie curled her hair so that her blonde locks bounced fabulously as she walked. She rarely let her hair down except at night, but the curls looked nice enough that she didn't even put it in its typical ponytail. She applied just enough makeup to complement her natural beauty, rather than overpowering it and looking like a mess. As a child, she had rarely had a chance to practice with makeup, but May had shown her a thing or two while getting her ready for the Dante Cup contest.

She even managed to convince Janine to let her straighten the gym leader's hair, which was usually a spikey purple mess. They pinned it out of her face with a hairpin which Janine attached a Soul Badge to for added style. The gym leader, who had lived an even more isolated life within the forest outside Fuchsia City, kept pulling away as Allie tried to apply eye shadow and blush. But in the end, she reluctantly allowed her more civilized friend to put the finishing touches on.

It was an hour before dinner when Ash called up to the second floor. A few minutes later, Allie and Janine emerged from their rooms. The ninja girl could not have been more out of her element, and yet, her stealth training had prepared her for even the most unnatural of disguises, and so she pulled it off well. Her short black dress revealed enough of her well-toned legs to draw the attention of even the most oblivious of men, though it was not too short to be classy.

But as nice as Janine looked, her appearance was nothing to that of the girl standing beside her. Allie was resplendent in the blue dress and high-heels which she had purchased after her battle with Erika. Her face was framed by curls, instead of her generally straight bangs, and she smiled a bright white smile. Her makeover didn't make her any prettier than she already was; it just complemented her looks perfectly and drew attention to her features.

"Wow." Ash felt his face flush; although he had seen Allie dress up before, the amount of work she had put into this time left even him amazed. He found it difficult not to stare at her light blue eyes, twinkling amidst her golden curls.

"You don't look too bad yourself," she grinned at his reaction, looking at the red handkerchief in his breast pocket and the satin trim of his tuxedo. The champion was even wearing a sharp black bowtie, though she imagined it could only have been reluctantly. He didn't seem like a bowtie kind of person. "You clean up nicely," she joked.

"Of course," he smiled. "Only the best for the great board of directors." His bruises had faded and his face was less gaunt than it had been while he was in prison, but there was still a faint cut on his forehead from when he was pushed into his cell headfirst. "Come on, we're going to be late."

Just as they were about to step outside, the doorbell rang. Janine pulled it open and a young man stepped inside. He was about the same age, height, and build as Ash. He, too, was wearing a tuxedo, though his was accented by turquoise instead of red. Strangest of all, a Pikachu rode on his shoulder. Appart from his ginger hair, he could have been Ash's twin. As soon as he saw Ash, he smiled.

"Hey Ash," he said, closing the door behind him.

"It's been too long," Ash beamed. He gave the other man a hug, and then scratched the Pikachu behind its ears. "How have you been, Ritchie?"

"I'm great," the young man smiled back, his bright teeth glimmering. "While you've been off protecting the world, I've been here dealing with the idiots on the board. It's been so much fun," he laughed sarcastically.

"And I'll be forever in your debt," Ash told him. "Thanks for holding down the fort in my absence."

"It's my job," the red-head replied with a grin.

Turning to the girls, Ash said, "Allie, Janine, this is my friend Ritchie. He's one of Kanto's Elite Four. We were rivals back during my first two adventures."

"That's right. I beat him back in our first Pokémon League," Ritchie bragged.

"A lot of people have that right," Ash reminded him. "I was pretty bad back in the day."

"It's true," Ritchie told the girls. "But now no one is his equal. If you want to be the best, you have to dream big and train hard. That's what Ash and I both did, but there can only be one champion. Sparky, calm down."

The Pikachu on his shoulder was getting impatient, tugging at his hair.

"Alright, Sparky, take it easy," Ash told it. "Pikachu is in the back yard training. He was bummed to hear that the board wasn't allowing Pokémon to the dinner, but he cheered up when he heard you were coming to visit."

Sparky the Pikachu nodded appreciatively and bounded off to find his counterpart.

"They did that to spite us," Ritchie complained. "Darn them. What kind of Pokémon League officials would ban Pokémon from an official event?"

"The corrupt kind," Janine pointed out. She held out her arm to Ritchie, trusting him since it seemed so plain that Ash had great confidence in him.

The young man took it, pleasantly surprised. "You must be Koga's daughter. Janine, right? I know your father very well. He's a good man."

"I agree," Janine nodded, surprised that the man knew her missing father. Then again, she thought, he was an Elite Four member with authority over all the gym leaders in Kanto and Johto. It wasn't so strange. They must have met at a regional convention. "Well, shall we?" she said, looking at the other two.

It was Allie's turn to blush as she realized what had happened. A moment ago, the four had just been going to the dinner as friends. But Janine's decision to offer Ritchie her arm had a powerful effect: they became two couples, not four individuals. She looked to Ash as if searching for permission, but he took her arm without hesitation. She glowed an even brighter shade of red, and noticed that even Ash's skin was oddly warm to the touch. He was flushed too.

They arrived at the location of their dinner, the prestigious Indigo Estates. It was the premier resort in Kanto, generally occupied by visiting dignitaries, wealthy parents of trainers competing in the conference, and the board of directors themselves. The entire top floor was a restaurant which gave panoramic views across the plateau, from the various stadiums at the center to the steep drop-offs surrounding it. The board had reserved the entire restaurant, and the staff had cleared all the furniture apart from one large table at the center of the room.

The table was a large circle and had thirteen places set around it. Allie wasn't superstitious, but the number still struck her as ominous. The four trainers were the first ones there, so they sat down and the wait staff immediately filled their glasses with water and wine. Only Ritchie among them drank alcohol, and he only enjoyed it a little bit, so the unused glasses were brought back into the kitchen. The waiter who took them seemed perplexed that anyone would turn down such a good vintage, but he figured that he might get a sip at the end of the night if there were leftovers.

Eventually, one of the servers announced the arrival of the board members, and nine finely dressed people entered the room. Each greeted Ash politely, though vigilantly, and took their seat in turn. Eventually, John Lee stood in front of Ash.

"Chairman Lee," Ash said with a small bow. "It's good to see you again, this time on the other side of the witness stand."

John Lee returned his bow and smiled an obviously fake little smile. "Champion Ash, I am so sorry for that misunderstanding. Please know that the board only acted as we did as a precaution."

"Of course, of course," Ash replied, inwardly bitter about the situation. "I understand how it is. As a loyal champion, I should have been the first to suspect myself of being a traitor."

Both the champion and the chairperson laughed hollowly. "We've sacked the prosecution team. They won't be troubling you anymore. " What he didn't say, but Ash knew was the real reason, was that Cassidy failed and was removed, perhaps in the same way that Beckwith was dealt with. Lee's statement also came with the unspoken warning that although the court wouldn't be troubling Ash, the board wasn't finished making life difficult for the champion.

Allie was mesmerized by this dangerous waltz between two of the most powerful men in the region. She was so mesmerized, in fact, that she didn't notice another person approach her slowly.

"You're name is Allie Dogwood, am I correct?" the woman asked.

Allie was surprised that someone wanted to speak to her, rather than Ash, but she quickly regained her composure. She nodded, "Yes, that's me." The girl immediately recognized Caron Evans from the trial, and it was clear that the dangerous woman also recognized her. The woman's bright red dress was even more daring that the one she had worn in the courtroom.

"You showed great courage the other day at the trial," Caron told her. "I'm sure that Ash is very proud of you."

Even though Allie knew Caron was trying to manipulate her, she still felt pleased to hear the compliment. "T-thank you," she stuttered, embarrassed.

"You look beautiful in that dress," Caron complimented her again, before turning to Ash. "Dear Ty is ill, unfortunately, and unable to make it to dinner tonight. The doctor said he is suffering the effects of food poisoning," the woman apologized on behalf of her nephew. The trio, who had seen what the boy was eating, was not surprised. "He so terribly missed you, Ash. He was like a little lost Mareep without a shepherd. The poor boy has had too much time on his hands these last few months. You should take him with you the next time you go on such an epic journey. It would be such a good experience for him."

Ash nodded politely and said that he would consider it, but truthfully he would never even do that. He didn't trust his assistant whatsoever.

Allie and Janine were just relieved that they wouldn't have to deal with a hormone-crazed idiot tonight. The dinner might still be uncomfortable for Ash, but they could simply enjoy themselves without worrying about Tyler's wandering hands.

The pleasantries ended around the second course of appetizers. Ash, who didn't enjoy small talk, generally wouldn't have thought them of them as pleasant. However, they made what came next seem like nothing. The conversation had turned to the state of the league. Ritchie watched Ash and John negotiate in a verbal duel. The Elite Four member was ready to give his support to his friend and colleague if Ash needed it.

"I'm beginning to grow concerned," John frowned. "You still haven't appointed Elite Four members to replace Will and Karen. Bruno has been training in Kalos for far too long, you may want to consider replacing him as well. This is becoming a major issue, Ash. You must fill these vacancies with all due haste."

Ash ignored him. "While we're talking about vacancies, have you decided to replace President Goodshow yet? The Elite Four are important, but I can continue to fill in for them. We can't continue to function without a president."

"Of course you can," the chairman scoffed. "You've been functioning just fine without him with the help of the International Board. In fact, we'd like to move the other regions over to the same model."

Of course you would, Ash though. It would give you more power over them.

Allie whispered across Janine to Ritchie. "What are they talking about?" she asked him.

"It's a game of chicken," explained the Elite trainer. "They've been playing it for years. Ash is refusing to appoint any more Elite Four members until the board allows the election of a president. And since they each hold veto power over each other, it's a deadlock. Nothing can change until someone gives in."

"Oh," said Allie. "I guess that makes sense."

Noticing that Lieu Ming was staring at them, Allie and Ritchie broke off their conversation.

"Perhaps we could suspend the existence of the Elite Four program," Caron injected offhandedly.

Allie watched as Ash's face twisted in surprise and anger. Such a suggestion would serve no purpose other than cementing the board's control over the conference. Ritchie bit his lip, knowing he would be out of a job if this threat came to pass. But the other members of the board nodded their agreement, although a few dissenters seemed uncomfortable with the proposition.

"That's ridiculous," Ash said, unwilling to allow such an impossible suggestion go unanswered. "There's always been an Elite Four. You can't just get rid of them."

"You said it yourself," the woman called the Ekans reminded him. "There's no need for an Elite Four since you can do their job." Like a snake, she was slippery and sneaky. Ash cursed himself for making such a mistake. She set him up then lunged like an Ekans at an unsuspecting Rattata.

"I agree," the man called the Shiftry concurred. "But before we make a decision, dinner." He clapped his hands and the servers brought forward plates with potatoes, slow-roasted beef, marinated asparagus, and bowls of clam chowder, garden salads, and steamed rice. It was the best meal Allie ever had, but throughout it, Lee's threat lingered. Ash was unable to get comfortable, the girl knew, especially since Lee had made the decision to start dinner as a way to demonstrate his power and remind Ash who made the decisions.

After the main course, Allie stood up.

Janine looked up. "What's up?" she asked.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom before dessert," Allie told her quietly.

"If you give me a minute, I'll come with you," Janine offered. She tended to eat a lot more than Allie did, which on this occasion had resulted in a second helping of mashed potatoes that still needed eating.

"No worries." Being on the road for nearly a year, most of it without a female companion, had made Allie care a lot less about using the buddy-system for something as mundane as a trip to the bathroom. "I'll be quick."

She left the room. The others were only nominally paying attention to the events of the girls' side of the table, being so occupied in political discussions. A few minutes later, Allie returned, although her walking gait struck Janine as different from when she had left. For a moment, Janine thought she saw a strange, distant look in Allie's eyes, but dismissed it immediately.

The blonde girl took Ash's cup while he wasn't paying attention and swished it around, as if bored and trying to get his attention. He looked over at her, but he was so focused on the conversation that he didn't pay her much attention.

A few minutes later, Allie stood up again, presumably to go to the bathroom.

The ninja gave her a concerned look, worried that the trainer was feeling under the weather since she kept going to the bathroom. She would have followed her friend to make sure she was okay, but John Lee raised his voice and diverted her attention back to the other side of the table.

"See here, Ketchum," Lee had dropped all semblance of diplomacy. Before, he had called Ash "Champion Ash" as an honorific title. But now, compromise and courtesies were off the table. "The regional conference is subservient to the International Pokémon League.

"You're too self-interested to see that the Pokémon League is overpowered already. Government and democracy should be what moderates the world, not an organization formed for the sake of officiating Pokémon battles. Your own power does not matter more than the people of Kanto, Johto, or any other region." His voice stopped suddenly as he felt something inside his body go terribly, terribly wrong.

Janine watched in horror was face turned ghostly pale. The champion began clutching at his throat so viciously that he drew blood where his fingernails dug into it.

"What is wrong with him?" Caron asked with a mixed expression of both disgust and concern.

Janine didn't bother to answer. In a heartbeat, she had pulled him away from the table and laid him down flat on the ground.

"It's poison, but it's something I don't recognize. I don't know what to do," Janine cried, starting to panic.

"Take him to the hospital, immediately," John Lee ordered the closest server. "Janine, if you don't know how to help, then stay out of the way." The gym leader turned away, ashamed of her inability to help her friend. Lee turned to a waitress. "Did you see what happened? Did someone drug his meal?"

"T-the blonde-haired girl, sir," she said fearfully. "I-I saw her put something in his cup, but I didn't know what. I'm sorry, sir."

"Get after her," Lee commanded, and the anxious waitress scurried off to find Allie. "Alert the guards," he called after her, knowing that she did not have the guts to face a potential assassin, even if the suspect was a seventeen year old girl.


Meanwhile, in the restroom, Allie was totally oblivious to all of this. She finished zipping her dress, a more difficult task given the feast she had just enjoyed, and washed her hands. She was no farther out the door when she heard a commotion coming from the dining room. Allie knew immediately that something wasn't right. Her fears were confirmed a moment later when a figure burst through a door at the other end of the hallway.

It was a woman: tall, strong, and with blue hair that reached her shoulders. Her grim eyes never looked away from Allie as she strode closer to the anxious girl.

"Who are you?" she asked the stranger. "What's going on?"

The woman didn't respond immediately. "The champion has been poisoned."

Allie felt limp and she nearly collapsed to the floor. She needed to hold onto the door handle to keep on her feet. Ash was… poisoned? This couldn't be happening. Rocket Nation was defeated. They were all supposed to be safe now.

The newcomer continued. "The entire dinner party saw you put something in his drink. You'll come with me."

Suddenly, Allie's vitality was restored to her. She had done no such thing. She would never hurt Ash. "Let me see him," she insisted.

"No, we have to go!" The woman sprung at Allie with a surprising amount of agility for her age. Allie struggled, but the woman handily overpowered her. The girl gagged as she felt a rag of chloroform thrust over her mouth.

"No!" Allie struggled. "Help me!" she tried to scream. She could hear voices, but they were growing fainter, not closer, as the potent liquid overtook her. Dark shadows approached the woman and her captive, but they were suddenly gone, and Allie felt herself being supported by something scaly. Before losing consciousness, she noticed cold wind blowing through her beautifully curled hair. Her last thought was of Ash, dying alone as the poison drained the life from his body.


Author's Note:

This ended up a bit longer than I expected, but there's plenty going on. So we have the return of a classic character, the introduction of a new creepy character, and the return and proper introduction of the Glorious Three. Not to mention the death of the judge. And Ash getting poisoned. And Allie getting kidnapped. Wow… I just can't cut them a break, can I? Well, it's only going to get worse. Any guesses regarding Who Dun It? I'd love to see your guesses.

1) Who killed Beckwith, and why?

2) Is Tyler a moron or a manipulator?

3) Who poisoned Ash? Why?

4) Who kidnapped Allie? Why?

Find out next time in Chapter 54.

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TTFN,

Waras