Chapter Fourteen

The Harrisons definitely knew how to eat.

All the meals that had been provided to Ash and Serena so far had been absolutely amazing, yet those were nothing in comparison to the feast that they had thrown the night that Flint had come home.

Ash, Serena, Misty, and Bruno had all been invited to join them that night, though the Elite Four member has to turn down that invitation, as he had a whole corrupt police department to investigate— but with fifteen in their numbers and a majority of them being children, the celebration was still loud and festive.

"When's Mama coming home?" Suzie asked softly.

"I don't know, little pebble," Flint said, scooping her up into his arms. "But there's a lot of people looking for her now, so it won't be long."

Suzie wrapped her arms tightly around her Father. "I'm glad you're home, Daddy."

"Me too," Flint whispered. "Me too."

Whenever Ash looked over at the recently returned father, there seemed to be moments like this. Not resting from his journey, but taking time to be with each of his children he hadn't seen in ages. Reassuring each one, talking to them, just being there.

Ash couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. If a father of ten could spend an afternoon with all of his children, none of it feeling rushed or a task to be checked off, why couldn't his father have done so for one child in fifteen whole years?

Serena looked up at him as he stared at Flint. "Are you okay, Ash?"

"I guess," he said. "Just thinking about family."

He looked at Serena, whose attention was back on her plate. He touched his chest, not liking the feeling that had settled there. He could ask his mother, but he didn't want to think more about her soulmate, his father, who she has never spoke ill of.

And so he waited until things had quieted down for the night. When Brock, Forrest, Rose, and Flint were all done putting the children to bed. Ash had just finished checking on his own Pokémon, Pichu having been hiding in Brock and Forrest's room all day to avoid the crowds. Serena was nowhere to be seen, Misty was talking with Rose, Brock and Forrest were in the other room— leaving Flint alone for the first time that day, sitting in a chair.

"Hello, sir," Ash said as he approached, not sure if he wanted some time alone right now.

Flint smiled. "Hello. It's Ash, right?"

"Yes," he sat down on the couch. "I, um, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions, if that's okay? About soulmates?"

His expression was slightly guarded, but still warm. "You recently met yours, did you not? The one who was racing with my son?"

"Serena," Ash confirmed. "We actually met a while back, though, we were able to meet up again."

He gave a pained smile. "I hope I can say the same for me and my dear Lola."

Ash looked away. "I'm sorry—"

He held up a hand. "Don't be, tell me your question, son."

"When me and Serena were apart, it was clear," Ash touched his chest. "Something just felt off for all that time, and when we were getting closer I could feel something was different. And now that we're together, things feel right."

"The Knowing," Flint said with a nod. "I know exactly what that feeling of separation is like. It's more than just being apart, it's when you can't be together. What you're feeling is normal if you two were separated for a time."

"The thing is I'm feeling something else now," Ash said, leaning forward. "And I don't know what it is. Earlier Serena said she was fine, and she looked okay, but— but she wasn't. I don't know how to describe it, but I…"

Flint's brow furrowed. "How… how long have you been soulmates?"

"Nine years, about."

His eyes widened. "Wh-what? And how long have you been apart?"

"…Nine years?" Ash offered uncertainly.

"How long were you two together before you were separated?"

"A few days," Ash shifted. "We met at a summer camp and no one believed us."

Flint leaned back in his seat. "You're saying that you've had a soulmate for nearly a decade, but have probably only spent… maybe a week together?"

Ash nodded, and Flint pressed his face into his hands, looking overwhelmed. "Sir?"

"I'm not a soulmate expert, Ash, but I can tell you that this isn't good for your bond."

Panic rushed through Ash. "Is it in danger?"

"Oh no, the opposite, I'd say," Flint muttered, and Ash relaxed slightly. "Ash, you're looking at a bond of ten years trying to manifest after a few days of you being together— that's a lot."

"What do you mean?"

Flint lowered his voice. "Soulmate bonds are something… sacred, Ash. Kids are usually only told the basics, the colors and the Knowing. But soulmate bonds are… complex, something a pair discovers for themselves, things that can take years and decades to form. Things that usually happen well into adulthood."

Ash swallowed. "But we didn't meet as teens."

Flint held out his hands. "As I said, I'm not a soulmate expert, but it sounds like you and Serena's bond is… developing. Growing into what it should be after such time, even though you two are not at that point yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Soulmate bonds are unique, Ash, you and Serena might have a connection I can't fathom, or it may be something similar to I and Lola's– they're diverse and personal. I think you both need to talk to your parents, learn their soulmate bonds, and maybe seek out an expert for your unique situation. But most importantly, talk to Serena, she'll understand what you're experiencing more than anyone else."

"I want you to go with Misty."

"I can't just up and leave, Dad," Brock said, crossing his arms. "You just got back, I'm not leaving you with all the kids, not so suddenly."

Flint put his hands on Brock's shoulders. "I'm not saying run off on a journey, but you two shouldn't separate after just meeting."

"Dad…"

"I'll be okay, Brock," Flint said softly. "Just go to Cerulean, meet her family, get to know her."

Brock swallowed. "It doesn't feel right. To leave when Mom is still missing."

"She'd want you to be with your soulmate, Brock," Flint said. "She knows just how important this is."

Brock hesitated. "...Just to Cerulean, then I'm coming back."

Flint smiled, before pulling him into a hug. "If you end up finding yourself wanting to keep going, then go on a journey. You have put so much aside for this family, and I want you to focus on yourself for a change."

"Dad..."

"You don't know how proud I am of you."

Serena had been dreading calling her mother.

Since the moment she had decided to throw the race, she had known that the call wasn't going to go well. That she had to brace herself for nothing but disappointment, but even that knowledge didn't lessen the sting when her mother answered the video call, a frown on her face and a furrow in her brow. Her stomach tightened, hands wrapping tightly around Flambé as he sat in her lap.

"Fourth place," Grace said.

"Yeah?" Serena offered.

"Not a misprint?"

"No, that's what I placed," Serena said, eyes flickering down. "That's how the race went."

Grace closed her eyes. "How did this happen, Serena? I know you're a stronger racer than that. Placing top three in your first official race would have done wonders for your career."

"It was my fault," Serena said– because it was. "There was someone trying to pass me and I was too focused on cutting them off. That, um, took my focus off of another racer and they got ahead of me."

Grace pressed her fingers to her forehead. "That's such a novice mistake!"

A pulse of annoyance ran through Serena. "It's like I'm in the novice division or something."

"Don't talk that way to me, Serena," Grace said, folding her arms. "You were doing well in seeing where you had messed up– don't ruin that with some attitude."

"Yes, Mother."

"Now, where is the next race?" Grace asked. "You should get there immediately, so you can use the track for practice." She pressed her lips in thought. "Or maybe you should stay in Pewter until the next novice race, and use that time to practice."

"No!" Serena shouted, sitting up with wide eyes, and Grace's eyes turned towards her. "I... um, no... I think I should go to a new track. After losing here... I just don't want to be in this city anymore. I need a fresh start."

Grace nodded in approval. "That's a good mentality. Now, where is the next race?"

"I'll have to check my map, see which one has the best route– so I can get there quickly," Serena said. "I'll let you know once I have everything figured out and I can hit the road– it is pretty late there in Kalos though, isn't it?"

"One of the few ways to talk to you with the time difference."

"Hey Serena– oh, hey, is that your mom?"

Serena stiffened up at the sound of Ash behind her, and she leapt to her feet. Flambé was forced to jump to the ground as she scrambled for the button to end the call. "Gotta go, Mom, someone else needs to use the video phone! Love you, bye!"

She didn't wait for a reply, hanging up right away as Ash drew up behind her. "Oh. Um, I wasn't planning on calling anyone."

"You weren't?" Serena asked, turning about and letting out a hesitant laugh. "I thought you'd want to before we left. The bus leaves pretty soon, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, in like ten minutes," Ash said, rubbing the back of his head. "I actually don't have time to make a call because my mom talks for ages– so I'll call her when we get to Cerulean." He gave her a smile. "At least we don't have to go through the cave again."

"Mr. Harrison was really nice to buy the tickets for us," Serena agreed. "I'm not really in the mood for hiking again anytime soon."

Ash laughed. "You can say that again. It will be awesome to travel with Misty for a bit longer too. Not sure what will happen after Cerulean though, with her doing the gym challenge."

Serena's heart hammered. "We're going to stick together though, right?"

"Of course! We'll have to plan out to see how our races and contests will overlap– but with my first contest in Cerulean that will be a pretty easy destination."

"I can't wait to watch it," Serena said, smiling softly.

Ash hesitated. "Serena?"

The uncertainty in his tone made her stomach twist. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am," she replied, putting on the brightest smile she could manage.

But that golden brown gaze remained locked on her, soft and concerned. Ash slowly sat down next to her, hand touching where his heart was for a moment. "No... I don't think you are." He reached out, grabbing her hand. "I know it's been a long time since we've been together, but if you need someone to talk to, Serena, I'm here, and I'll listen."

Serena could feel tears threatening to fall, and she swallowed. She hesitated, opening her mouth as she tried to find the words to describe what she felt.

"Hey!" Misty shouted. "Lovebirds! Our bus is going to leave soon– grab your bags and let's get going!"

"Coming!" Ash shouted, and all desire to speak left Serena.

The Pewter City Police Department was a mess.

How many people were working there, Bruno did not know. Time sheets suggested a full department, yet when he had put out an order for all members of the police to show up, there was a good chunk that never arrived. Fearing the worst league officials had sought them out– only to learn that they had been fired by the chief months before, or flat out didn't exist.

In terms of records, the former chief had been handling nearly everything. Taking reports, answering calls; he had been a very busy man. But it had also given him complete control of what information went in and out. The false records of people who had worked there made it look like they weren't short staffed, and nearly everyone else had been put to work in the field– patrolling roads, reporting on location to calls, keeping the city at large nearly perfectly functional. To the outside eye, all had been well, and any bumps that were encountered blame seemed to have been shifted to the missing 'delusional' gym leader.

The former chief of police clearly had some goal in mind, with how he had carefully manipulated the entire city– but to what ends, Bruno didn't know. He had been controlling all information coming in and out of the police station, and he didn't even want to know how many reports were fabricated or had been brushed aside. Control meant power, but the only thing he had done with his power was make the world believe that Lola Harrison was dead, and that her husband was crazy.

Why did he not want Lola to be found?

It seemed like a strange idea, that so much would have been done around a single missing person, but when Bruno looked into the chief's history... there was none. Records and certificates seemed to be in order at a glance, but when you dug there was nothing. Schools didn't have records of him, nor did any police academy, and while his birth certificate said he was from Viridian City the hospital records didn't match up.

The former chief of course refused to say anything, and he was currently in a holding cell in his old station. Bruno had temporarily taken charge, bringing in League officials to help him vet the officers currently stationed in Pewter, to see if anyone else was involved. The only thing that had been found so far was that they had believed what had been said about Flint Harrison, and all had seemed horrified when they had found that the chief's 'investigations' of her being missing had barely even been surface level.

So where did Lola Harrison fit into all of this?

A mother of ten, wife of a gym leader, with a wildly chaotic background. She had registered from everything to gym battles to contests, and everything in between. She never placed far in the variety of things she entered, seeming to be a jack of all trades when it came to her interests. It matched what everyone else said about her; a warm and bubbly woman who was always out chasing the next adventure.

The last time she had been heard from was when she had decided to seek out never before seen Pokemon, and had vanished into the wilds of Kanto, never to be seen again. The only lead they had was the fact that she was alive, due to her husband's soulmate bond.

Bruno didn't know where to start, or even what to look for. Too many questions, and not any solid answers so far. He tapped his fingers against the desk, this being far from what he was known for doing. He was a fighter, both himself and with training his Pokemon. He even spared with his own team at times, and with his team being part of the Elite Four that was no small feat.

But being an Elite Four member had duties, and right now that was finding out why one of his gym leaders had been put through this. Figuring out how corruption had wound its way into one of his city's police departments– and making sure that it did not happen again. He needed to find the roots, and kill it before it could sprout up again.

"Hey," Bruno growled, looking up as a police officer entered the building, a Growlithe by his side. "You didn't sign in– you should know by now that's required so long as I'm sitting here."

The officer froze, before turning. "I did sign in, sir."

"I ain't blind," Bruno sneered, rising to his feet. "You walked in without pausing. Show me your badge."

"Sir–"

"If you signed in there should be no issue with you showing me your badge," Bruno growled, but he already knew that this wasn't one of the officers– none of them would have hesitated in following orders.

And so Bruno was already letting out a Pokemon before the fake-officer could even speak, his Poliwrath easily brushing off the Flame Burst that came from the man's Growlithe. The fake grabbed a Pokeball, but Bruno already pressed a button on the desk, voice a deep growl. "We have an intruder."

Poliwrath fired a Scald as the fake released a Weezing– the water type move hitting the Growlithe, instantly knocking it out. The Weezing released a Smokescreen as the Growlithe was recalled, the fake darting deeper into the station. Poliwrath rushed after them, but didn't dare use any moves in such close quarters. Bruno was right behind his Pokemon, charging into the Smokescreen with no hesitation. He could hear the scrambling of the fake, followed by a yelp as Poliwrath pinned the man down.

Everything was happening in an instant, and with the thick Smokescreen still up, it was hard to keep track of what was coming from where. Bruno approached the fake officer that his Poliwrath had pinned down, only for the man to throw a Pokeball– only it was not to send out a Pokemon. The Ultra Ball was sent flying through the air, soaring right between the bars of a holding cell, right where the former chief of police was being held.

Bruno turned, sending out his Machamp in realization that this intruder was allied with the chief– only for the Weezing to immediately use Explosion– radiating a blinding burst of white energy. Machamp stood in front of Bruno, easily taking the powerful move, breathing heavily up standing tall as the flash energy faded– but the building was not as lucky. Part of the wall had been blasted away, including the one within the inner cell.

The Smokescreen had been blown away in the blast, dust and rubble now filling the air. Bruno could see the former chief of police though, letting out the Pokemon that had been in the Pokeball he had been thrown. The large Honchkrow came out with a deafening screech, grabbing the chief by the shoulders as it spread its wings. There was nothing he could do as the dark type took to the air, releasing a Haze from its beak as it whisked the former chief away.

"You!" Bruno growled, turning on the man that Poliwrath still had captured. "Who are you– and what are you trying to accomplish?"

The man looked up at him, grinning despite being worse for wear from the Explosion. Lavender hair was ruffled, but gray eyes gleamed triumphantly. "I've done exactly what the Boss asked of me."

"Yoo-woo~" A voice called out. "I'm afraid you have my soulmate there– will you be a dear and please let him go?"

A shadow fell over Bruno, and he looked up just in time to see a Meowth bearing down on him, claws gleaming with Slash. Hand balled into a fist, he slammed it into the Pokemon before it could attack him, sending it flying across the room, where it looked up to see Machamp bringing a Cross Chop down onto it, instantly knocking out the normal type. He snorted, before looking around to see who was talking.

The woman was perched on the roof of the police station, near where the Weezing's Explosion had blown parts of the building away. Long magenta hair flowed in the wind as she grinned down at him, dressed in black from head to toe– saved for the bright red 'R' that was on the front of her shirt.

"Rockets," Bruno snarled– an answer to one of his questions; but it had come at the price of a ruined building and the man behind it all having escaped.

She pulled a round object from her pocket, one that was slightly larger than a Pokeball. "Oh look, he can read, how nice. Arbok, a nice dig, won't you?"

The ground rumbled right below where Poliwrath stood with the man in his grasp– the floor cracking open as an Arbok flew out of the ground, sinking its fangs right into Poliwrath's wrist. This causes the water type's grip to loosen just enough for the man to twist free, tucking and rolling away as the Poliwrath made a grab for him again. The woman up above threw the orb in her hands, revealing it to be a smoke ball, a thick haze pouring out from it the moment it hit the ground.

"Rain Dance, Poliwrath!" Bruno thundered, hoping to clear away the smoke. In terms of sheer power he knew that his Pokemon would come out on top– as a single Ice Punch onto the Arbok was enough to knock it immediately out.

He could feel a humidity in the air rising as Poliwrath summoned a cloud above them, and within the thick smoke he could see flashes of red light– the Rockets recalling their Pokemon. By the time the rain came pouring down, slowly flushing the smoke from the air, he knew that it was too late.

There was no sign of the two Rockets, nor any of their Pokemon.

"Cha..." A deep voice rumbled, and he looked over to see his Machamp approaching him; the Pokemon looking unsettled. His Pokemon were powerful, yes, but they were not trained to deal with criminals. They had sheer force, but on a battlefield where league rules were thrown out the window was far from what they trained for.

Others were arriving, officers and civilians alike, coming to see what had happened. Questions and calls were being thrown Bruno's way, but he didn't bother acknowledging anyone. He simply turned away from them, pulling out his phone as the Rain Dance slowly faded away, a few swift taps across the screen before he held it up to his ear, listening to the ringing. Fingers twitch, each ring feeling like an eternity, before at last he answered.

"Lance," Bruno said in a low voice. "You were right– we have Rockets on the loose."