A woman with a Manectric by her side was driving her car through Fluerrh City. The woman having blue hair and dressed as a police officer even if you were not from the town you come from you'd recognize the distinctive look of Officer Jenny. Parking her car in front of the estate of the richest family in town she got out and moved to the front door with a scroll of paper in hand. Knocking on the door she waited till it was opened.

"Can I help you?"

A woman with short brown hair opened the door. Dressed as a maid one of the many workers of the house Jenny unrolled the piece of paper and showed what's written on it. The maid asked with the paper on her face but the officer told it anyway.

"I have a search warrant to go through this house. Step aside."

Unable to stop the law the woman made way and let Jenny in. The officer looking for the one she wanted to interrogate first the maid picked up on it.

"I'll alert the masters of your presence."

Jenny waiting in the long hallway started rummaging through the drawers of various furniture. She did not had to wait for the owner to come down from a staircase.

"Officer Jenny. My maid told me about your search warrant. On what charges if I may ask?" Charles Valuer addressing the intruding cop on his property despite the search warrant Jenny got to the matter of hand.

"There are rumors your mines are distributing toxic metals to human and Pokémon. I'm here to find out if those claims are true. Courtesy of an anonymous tip."

"Of course it is." Charles bit his lip at being found out. He tried to keep this under wraps to keep the Valuer name high and now needed to play the charming diplomat and negotiator.

"I assure you Officer Jenny. The mines while poisoned, we have the situation under control and contained the contaminated pieces already. We're inducting our own investigation at the moment and are close to a breakthrough."

"If so I need to see the evidence for myself."

"Of course, this way officer."

Knowing just how stubborn a Jenny can be he took her along to the second floor. Heading to the room his wife made her research center for the purple rocks Charles knocked for his sweetheart to stop and open it. The woman opened it not happy to be disturbed by her husband of all people but cheered up once she saw Jenny and the Manectric.

"Louise, Officer Jenny is here to discuss our case."

"I understand. Good afternoon officer, would you like some tea?"

"No thank you. I'm here to interrogate you about the mines and to confiscate those materials in case the allegations are true."

"There's no need. I am glad to share the information we gathered in our research. Here is what we found so far."

Louise went over the case profile she set herself. A mysterious source that caused a contamination of the metals they delivered and fed to the Steel type resorts. Digging deeper in their mines they found more minerals and until it was solved laid off the workforce so they actually were losing money compared to just plowing on as if nothing is wrong.

"Thank you for your cooperation. But I have to take it all in as evidence."

"Officer, I'm sure we can discuss this properly. I can't just give you everything while my wife is still doing research."

Bargaining with a Jenny is nearly impossible thanks to their sense of justice but Charles tried anyway.

"No choice Mr. Valuer. Withholding evidence in a case can give me grounds to arrest you." As expected the officer did not bite.

"Understandable. If it can't be helped but would you please leave a few for us? We are taking responsibility after all."

Jenny was at least able to grant that request since the Valuer were quite helpful. Jenny leaving to gather a crew to transport the rocks and to file a police report Charles let his frustration go.

"Grrrr…" Louise seeing his fists clenched and grinding his teeth she had a suggestion that may calm him.

"Have some tea Charles." Some nice hot tea might calm him down but he refused.

"I won't. It got out somehow so there's a spy here. I'm going to find him and make him tell things he doesn't want instead. Olivier is going to like this." Charles out to find the towering bodyguard and to intimidate and interrogate the staff till they found the mole. Louise alone in her research room sighed as just like before people are after what they have in spades.

"Jealousy and greed are terrible things. There's always someone wanting more even if they already have it all."

The day reaching its end and having eaten dinner the lights in the kitchen in the hotel Ash, Amelia and Alfonzo were staying at were still on. Instead of going to bed Ash was watching Amelia make her treats. She wanted a fresh batch for tomorrow so she started on them already so she can concentrate finishing her Performance soon.

"Even she when bakes her treats she looks amazing."

Once again the most simplest thing she made look marvelous. Her Alcremie helped in making her pastry's as the little puff ball shared some of its cream with her trainer. Amelia whipping it up in a bowl with a spoon while carrying an apron took a quick glance at her guest smiling.

"Does it look good?"

"It does. Not as good as you."

The air between is as it always was. Two friends who just loved hanging in the downtime they after focusing on their own careers. Amelia did not have a spring in her step like Ash was used too. She took her pace slow and it's what he picked up on. He was a little distracted about the talk they had about the Valuer family trying to put Amelia in arranged marriage. Not that he an idea to take her down the aisle himself Ash still wished she can get her freedom.

"You ok?" Amelia asked him as he was quiet.

"Alfonzo isn't here so I figure we can talk about that…you know. If you want." Ash a mix of eager and upset needed to know more. She picked up on the topic and nodded.

"Of course. What do you wish to know?" The arranged marriage hovering over her future Ash started off with a peculiar question.

"So are your Pokémon also being wed like you are?" Pikachu shot his head to Ash. If Ash had interest in having the Performer as a potential mate he did not share the feeling with Amelia's Pokémon only being friends with them since they played together at times and who there trainers are.

"Awkward question." Amelia agreed with the mouse Ash elaborated on the question.

"I don't know. It sounds silly to me but like you said, I'm new to this." Since he seemed eager to learn the Performer granted his request.

"No. My Pokémon can choose what they want unlike me. If they don't find a partner its not a big deal though whoever I get married to has to earn the respect of my Pokémon as well. We have to live together so we must get along."

The relationship has to extend to the Pokémon of her romantic partner. Amelia would be far to busy running the business, do her commitments and settling the bickering between her and her significant others Pokémon. Currently working on the bond between her Ash's Pokémon Espeon and Sirfetch'd were already good dance partners. The sweets she's making can be a second step in gaining their full trust cause as the saying goes.

Love goes through the stomach.

"You ever been on a date before? Apart from all the boys your father tried to set you up?"

Shocked he asked she lost her perfect stirring motion and some of the batter she whipped up flew out of the bowl and landed on Pikachu's nose. Ash was sweating now but his cap absorbed and hid the droplets from the heir.

"Why am I asking this!?" At first he asked if Amelia found a potential partner to get out of the arranged marriage by herself. Then he asked himself why he's so intrusive to her love life. He never asked anyone these personal things before and he's afraid he was getting a bit too private with her life.

"Sorry Pikachu." Apologizing for the spill she took a napkin softly brushing his nose wiping it off. She took this moment to think of a response. No, she has never sought out a partner of her own until she met him. Was it the right time to tell she eyed him as her choice out of the arranged marriage, her escape road to perhaps finding true love and not because of a deal to safeguard a fortune few have.

Or should she tread the water a little more? Dip her feet in the pool that is her crush and find out if it was just a phase because he's so different to what she knows or that he truly is her soulmate she'd cherish more than the money on the family's bank account which can't buy him.

"Does the dance party count?" She asked him. He shook no. Amelia slowing down her stirring down disappointed he did not see it as a true date.

"Then I never went on a date with anyone before. You?" Amelia from the earlier options choose the latter not wanting to confess with the threat of Alfonzo interrupting them any time. Ash told her he's never been one as well even if the partner people brought to Pierre's dance party was called date.

"Not really. I've hung out with girls before by myself but I can't call them dates. I just saw it as friends hanging out."

"Just like us?" Amelia asked him barely holding a pout back at it not being called a true date. Ash was hesitant to call her just a friend. Even a best friend was not enough to describe her so he looked for the right word to say but failed.

"Uhm…yeah." Amelia began to pour the batter into shapes for her treats on a tray. The batter perfectly imitated the lump in her throat and a heavy hurt at being called just a friend. She was selfishly wishing for more than that.

"What is the closest thing you'd consider a date that you've been on?" Amelia returned the favor by asking his dating experience. He thought about it for a minute not responding before she pressured him.

"I trusted you with my wedding secret. You can give me this." Feeling bad to play dirty with him in this way he scratched his cheek before admitting what he thought was the closest thing to a date.

"Well. The dance party with you."

"Really? What was so different from the other one?"

"The first dance party was hanging out with my friends. That evening I only cared about you."

The heavy heart was lifted and jumped for joy resisting the urge to embrace him at this moment. In his own unique way he called her beautiful as she was feeling bashful now, the normally proud and confident heir reduced into a pile of daydreams with him being the center of them. Amelia tried to think of a way to say she did the same thing that evening the aid walked in on the two youngsters.

"Miss Amelia?"

"Curses. Yes Alfonzo?" Despising fate itself for sending him in at this time it was part of the course if he interrupted her despite her orders. It usually meant one thing.

"Your father requests for you to come home immediately. And your mother request Mr. Ketchum to accompany you despite your fathers protest."

"I understand. Tell him we're on our way home."

Alfonzo left the kitchen leaving them alone again. Amelia sighed as she turned to him again.

"This is an often occurrence for me. I hope you don't mind."

"Eh. I'm used to Professor Cerise calling me and Goh out for a job. I'm used to it. At least we got something tasty for on the road." Ash joked as he already started to smell the sweets getting ready looking forward to tasting her work again. Pikachu being lifted up by Ash in his arms he wanted to leave to get ready for tomorrow for the long trip.

"You know the promise you made?" He stopped walking an turned. Amelia worried with how outgoing he is and stuck up for his friends that he might talk about the arranged marriage Amelia was forbidden to mention to outsiders. Seeing the fear of repercussions he settled her down as his brown eyes almost glowed with compassion for her.

"Don't worry. I know to shut up. I'll control myself, I promise." Promising he will not tell her dad off for being stupid and to let her make her own choices he might as well spend the rest of the evening and the ride to Fluerrh City practicing biting his tongue to not speak out of line.

"Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Goodnight Ash."

Ash saying goodnight with a lot to think about, Amelia put the batter in the oven to let them bake keeping an eye if they raised well in the shape she wanted. As the batter rose up getting form it resembled her own heart and her feelings for a certain someone that shared her hair color.

So how many of you guys and girls do I have screaming, JUST KISS ALREADY!

Seems Officer Jenny has gotten wind of the problems the Valuer family have and took matters into her own hands and might be bad for business. Wonder who snitched them out?

Later