Chapter 73 Stolen Ring
Ash and Shelly are now out of the house as they are asking a kid about Heather.
Shelly: Hey! Um, I have a different question about what you t-told me before. Is that okay? You said before you can't tell me about the Guardian Angel who was giving you all food... but could you maybe tell us what would happen if you did?
Kid: Huh? If I told you who the Guardian Angel is?
Shelly: Y-yeah. Can you tell us what would happen?
Kid: Um, well, if I told you who it was and word got out, then we probably wouldn't get any more food.
Shelly: Huh? This Guardian Angel person would do that to punish you?
Kid: No! She would never! I mean, um, they would never!
Ash: I don't get it then. Why?
Kid: Um, I think it's not the Guardian Angel we have to worry about. It's the person looking after her. She doesn't want him finding out that she's doing it...
Shelly: Oh... Okay. Um... Can I ask who that person is? You aren't sworn to keep a secret about that, right?
Kid: I... Um, I guess not. You promise you won't let him find out?
Ash: We promise.
Kid: The man's name is Blake. He's kind of a jerk. He wears a light blue jacket and has a mohawky-thing.
Shelly: Ash! Ash, Ash, Ash! That was him! I thought so, but I wasn't sure! Then this Guardian Angel HAS to be Heather! She's been the one giving food to everyone in Ametrine!
Kid: Hey, quiet down!
Shelly: Oops... Sorry! Um, hey, do you know where we could find her?
Kid: Nu-uh. Actually, I think it's been a few days since anyone's seen her. Maybe she went to go find us more food? I dunno.
Ash: That's not good. Well, maybe we should just ask Blake?
Kid: What?! You can't do that! He'll find out!
Shelly: Don't worry! We won't say anything about her being the Guardian Angel! She's my friend! I'm just trying to find her! Can you tell us where Blake lives?
Kid: Um... It's right at the top of the hill. I'll go leave it open for you if you want... But then I'm not gonna be involved with this anymore!
Ash and Shelly thank the kid as they all head to the house where Blake lives. After getting there, they find Blake playing video games. So they have been trying to talk to him.
Shelly: S-so that's why, if you c-c-could tell us where Heather is, um, I would r-really appreciate it. (Noticing that Blake isn't responding) ...Um, h-hey? Are you even listening?
Blake: Yeah.
Shelly: Oh! Okay! So, then, um, could you, uh, please tell me?
Blake: Sure.
Shelly: Great! (Waiting for 15 seconds without any response from the man) U-um... Do you think he's just thinking about the answer, o-or...? U-um... Excuse me?
Blake: Yeah?
Shelly: Could- could you tell us n-now?
Blake: Uh huh.
Ash sighs as Blake is focusing on playing the game instead of paying attention to them, so they decide to wait for some more.
Blake: Boom! Gottem! Dumbass noob. (Finishes the game) All right, so who are you and what're you doing in my house? I wasn't paying attention.
Ash: My adopted sister, Heather. Tell us where she is right now.
Blake: Oh, that. Dunno.
Shelly: H-hey! Don't just shrug this off! Why did you lie before? You said you didn't know a girl with pink hair, but you definitely know who Heather is! You were supposed to be taking care of her!
Blake: Oh yeah? Look, I'll tell you what. There's no need to mince words here. We both already know what sides we're each on here. So I'll make you a deal: Get me the Ruby Ring, and I'll tell you where Heather is.
Ash knows from Cal that Blake is with Team Meteor, and he just remembered Saphira's choice back while dealing with Sirius.
Shelly: The Ring? But that's important to Heather...
Blake: Is it more important than her?
Shelly: Wh-what...?
Blake: My terms not good enough for you, bro? Then I'll throw in something else for you, too. (Takes out a TMX) How about this Machine? It's for Waterfall. You were looking for that, weren't you, Ash? Get me the Ring, and you get the girl and this sweet, sweet machine. Pretty good deal if you ask me, fam. Tit for a tat and the whole world wins. Whaddya say?
Ash is now hesitating, with the TMX for Waterfall, he can save Titania, but he is struggling because he can't let Team Meteor have the Ruby Ring.
Ash: I'm sorry, but I can't give it to you.
Shelly: H-huh? But Ash, w-what about Heather? We really need to find her!
Blake: Clock's ticking, fam.
Shelly: I, um... I have a really bad feeling about this. P-please?
Ash: Like I said, I'm not going to give you the Ruby Ring.
Blake: Bro, how much of my time are you gonna waste here? A lot can change in just a few minutes' difference.
Shelly: This could be Heather's life! Please reconsider! Just give him the Ring now and we'll figure it out later, okay?
Ash: Shelly, I care for Heather as much as you do, but you have to remember Saphira's words and have faith in her.
Blake: You already have the Ring? That's news to me. I was told that Fire-type bitch had it. Guess that's a little vague though, isn't it? I meant the one that's not related to me.
Shelly: Don't talk about Cal that way!
Blake: Ah. You're in with that oaf, are you? No sweat. There's a change of plans anyway.
Just then, Blake snatches the Ruby Ring on Ash's hand, both Pikachu and Greninja are not fast enough to react.
Shelly: Hey!
Blake: Like taking candy from a kiddo...Close enough. I'm outtie. Nice knowing you, fam!
Shelly: W-wait! B-but what about Heather?
Blake: I got the Ring already. Deal's off. Maybe if you look long enough, you'll find her. As if!
Ash: (Demands) What's that supposed to mean?
Blake: You really wanna know, yeah? All right, truth is, I had to lock Heather up.
Both: Wh-what?
Blake: Yeah! Turns out that chick was giving out food to everyone in the city. See, you probably already knew, but I'm taking orders from Team Meteor. Canis Major on deck, bro. What up. So when the mountain path got blocked off- Not my fault, btw, just saying- I got some orders from them to hide all of the city's food. You've heard of fasting, right? Monks don't eat for days to, like, cleanse themselves or some bullshit like that, right? Well, it's like that. If everyone in the city starves, this world will be cleansed too. Or some kinda wild dogma, whatever. Yo, full disclosure, I'm not about all their zealotry, I'm just in it for the outcome. Anyway, girl was getting in the way. No one's gonna starve to death if they're being given food. So I got orders to fix the problem. All business. Don't hold it against me. Or do. I ain't here to make demands, fam.
Shelly: That's awful! I can't forgive you!
Blake: (Taunts) Oh no, oh man- The seven-year-old won't forgive me... Man, what am I gonna do? Hey, I don't exactly love the idea of locking a kid up either, but I care about what you all think about as much as I care about Team Meteor's ideals, which is to say, not very much.
Ash: Then why are you doing this?
Blake: I'm just using them. I'll just do whatever they need and guarantee myself a nice cozy place in the New World. Don't have to deal with anyone I don't wanna. Total freedom for life, bro! Your little friend seemed to be interested in the same deal. No rules? She came right under my roof. Makes it all the easier to keep her for Meteor, so, that's that. Anyway, can't stay and chit-chat forever. I've got things to do, people to meet, worlds to end! You know, typical Sunday. Deuces. (Runs away)
Greninja and Pikachu are trying to chase after him, but Ash stops them.
Shelly: No... Now what do we do? How are we s-supposed to find Heather if he won't even help us?
Ash: Just like what Saphira said, no matter what we do, he would just not help us.
Shelly: I'll think of something... There has to be something, somewhere that can lead us to her... Maybe we should ask around outside more...
After getting outside, they start to think how to find Heather and how to find Blake.
Ash: He said she was locked up. So where could someone possibly hide a girl in a place like this?
?: Shelly? Ash?
They turn around to see a blue-haired man walking toward them, and he has a similar face to Blake.
Shelly: Eep! It's Blake, he's s-still here!
Ash: No, it's Cal, but in a blue-hair?
Shelly: C-Cal? Oh n-no, no, no... I'm sorry, I'm- (Tries to run away)
Cal: Shelly, wait. (Grabs her hand, causing her to turn to him) You don't have to be scared. I'm sorry for what happened before. I let my anger get the better of me and hurt you.
Shelly: N-no, I was really stu-stupid...I should've known th-that it wasn't, um, exactly the same...
Cal: There's no use in telling yourself things like you "should've known". That would just give me an excuse where I don't deserve one. I hurt you; You should be upset with me. Nothing I do will change the past, and I don't expect your forgiveness. So I'm just going to focus on what I can fix: The future. And if you can stand me, I would greatly appreciate your help.
Shelly: Um- Of course... But... um, j-just one question?
Cal: What is it?
Shelly: ...Why is your hair blue?
Cal: (Sighs) Here I thought it was a serious question.
Shelly: I was serious... but it's- Um, it just looks-
Cal: My hair is naturally this color. Or something close. I had it dyed back.
Shelly: H-huh? Why?
Cal: It seemed like the thing to do. That's all. I spent most of my life trying to do everything in response to my brother. Dyed my hair to be different from his, tried to join both the Reborn League and Team Meteor to one-up him...
Shelly: Wait, you what?!
Cal: Ugh, you didn't know about that. Don't be alarmed. I've left that behind. I was a walking mistake. I was trying to be someone better than my brother, when I should've just been trying to be myself. So I'm fixing that. Going back to myself. Having my natural hair color is weird, but it's fine. After all, blue flame burns even hotter. That also means that I need to stop Team Meteor as much as anyone else. So don't be afraid, all right?
Shelly: Al-all right... If you say so...
Cal: Thanks. I'm glad we had the chance to meet again like this.
Shelly: Come to think of it, if we'd have been just a few minutes off, this might not have happened?
Cal: I'm guessing you were just speaking to my brother.
Ash: Yeah. He had Heather locked up and we're trying to find her.
Cal: That's not all. I overheard him radioing Team Meteor for backup. They're dispatching an air unit here, right now.
Shelly: Huh? Oh no! He's trying to give them the Ring!
Cal: Right. I don't think I need to explain why that's not a good thing.
Shelly: What do we do? We still have to find Heather, and stop him at the same time!
Cal: Right, your friend with the Salamence... Didn't you also say that she was in the Elite Four or something?
Shelly: Yeah, you remember!
Cal: How does a girl that young get into something like that?
Shelly: Huh? Um, well... I think I remember that her mom used to be part of it a long time ago... So I guess she proved she was good enough to take over?
Cal: We could use her strength. She can fly out and deal with the air unit, leaving us free to chase down Blake. We get him, take the Ring, and then when the air unit comes in late thanks to Heather, I'll take out Solaris myself. I owe him a thing or two.
Ash: Yeah. Kiki. But still we have to find Heather first if we want this plan to go.
Cal: I have a feeling I know where she is.
Shelly: You do?!
Cal: I grew up in this place too, so I know all about it. Check out Blake's apartment. Look very carefully and there should be a hidden passage of some kind.
Shelly: R-really? That's crazy!
Cal: We used it a lot when meeting with Team Meteor. But, I'll bet he's changed the security on it since then. So I'll leave that to you two. In the meantime, I'm going after Blake. I'll need to slow him down.
Ash: Okay, so we have to investigate his room and find the hidden passage. Let's go. Time is short!
Then all three of them take action before everything is too late for them.
And here is a new chapter, as you can see, Shelly and Ash got reunited with Cal, and they are going to stop Blake from getting the Ruby Ring. I hope you like this chapter.
