Somewhere on a mysterious island
"You can't keep me here forever. People will notice I've disappeared." Seb pointed out.
"I told you, you are to never leave!" Darkrai said speeding forward in his Pokémon form.
"You want to know what'll happen when they notice I've disappeared? They'll send out search parties, the leagues, the lab, the police. Eventually they'll end up here, and I'm guessing you don't want that." Seb said calmly. "Now, if you want this partnership to work, you will let me respond to messages, and appear to live a normal life."
Darkrai stayed there, contemplating the points made. "Very well, but before you go. Hypno get over here!" Darkrai barked.
"Yes boss?" Hypno said running up.
"Make it so he can't tell anyone where he's been, or who he's been with." Darkrai said eerily.
"Right away boss." Hypno said.
A few minutes later, on Seb's boat
"Hey Ash. Yeah sorry I haven't been responding I've been training and didn't realize there'd be no signal." Seb said over speakerphone.
"Chloe wants me to come and visit? Sure, I'll head right in that direction." Seb said. "Give me two days, but keep it a surprise.
Two days later
"Still nothing from Seb?" Chloe asked as they were walking back from school.
"I wouldn't say nothing." Ash said with a small laugh. He had gotten a message from Seb a little earlier, so Ash had come up with a quick lie to get Chloe to take their path by the docks.
"Is that?!" Chloe said seeing the unmistakable boat.
"Yep, go on, he's waiting for you." Ash said, as he watched Chloe head towards Seb's boat.
Back at the lab
"My mother in law may have been onto something about him." Professor Cerise commented.
"Seriously, him and Chloe have been dating this long, he was an invaluable member to the team, and now that he's come to visit, you're questioning him?" Ash asked in shock.
"You tell me where he could've gone where he got no service, and without telling anyone." Professor Cerise said sternly. "I worry about all of you, him included, which makes this all the more serious."
"Professor, I promise he's not up to anything. We know the Orange Islands don't get great reception, maybe he went training there." Ash said.
"I suppose you have a valid point. Maybe I'm just overthinking things." Professor Cerise said.
"Exactly, take it easy. You've been busy assembling the new team, and worrying about us, just relax for a bit, there's no evil plot going on right now." Ash said.
Later that afternoon
"I'm surprised you're not with Chloe." Ash joked.
"You could've told me she had homework." Seb commented.
"It's a Tuesday, what did you expect." Ash said. "And if that's the case, why are you bothering me?"
"You never did your homework anyways." Seb joked, pulling up a chair.
"Untrue, I always finished my homework in school." Ash countered.
"Then what's all this?" Seb asked.
"Remember that Darkrai I was telling you about? Well apparently they've been on a five hundred year hunt." Ash said. "These girls were his final victims at each place, and I think this ones next." Ash said showing a photo of Darkrai in human form.
Seb began choking at seeing the photo.
"Seb! Are you okay!?" Ash asked in concern.
"I'm fine. Just choked on my spit." Seb said regaining his composure. He wanted to tell Ash what he was onto, but couldn't, and knew if he could he'd be dead already.
"So, where's you gather that she's next?" Seb asked.
"That much is just a hunch, but she broke into an old friends lab, and stole their research on Unown." Ash said.
"Do you know if she had any help?" Seb asked.
"No, any other cameras were destroyed, and we can't find any record of this girl anywhere." Ash said. "Seb, you have to promise me, if you see her on your journeys, warn her about Darkrai."
"I promise, I'll warn her if I see her." Seb said.
"See, I knew you aren't the bad guy Professor Cerise thinks you are." Ash said reassuringly.
"He thinks I'm bad?" Seb said, hiding his concern.
"He's just being overprotective because you're dating his daughter." Ash said calmly. "Personally I think he needs a vacation."
"You've got that right. I don't think he ever took a day off in the five years I was here." Seb said relaxing.
"So… now what?" Ash said awkwardly. His and Seb's relationship had always been that of mutual love for battle, but he really didn't want to take that much time away from Chloe's time with her boyfriend.
"Mind if I visit the aura tree, I think it might help me with my growing powers." Seb said.
"I'd be more than happy to let you, it's crazy your powers are awakening after all this time. Even Ultima never thought you had them." Ash said.
A few days later, back on Darkrai's Island
"Are you still sure it was for the best to let the lesser being leave the island?" Hypno asked.
"All in due time Hypno. He knows the power we hold over him." Darkrai said. "Besides with my new form, and his slaves, he isn't necessary if it comes to the worst."
"They are our equals, aren't they?" Salamence asked.
"Of course, but with his power over them, I can't trust them like you two, yet." Darkrai said, as he heard a motor approaching. "He's back, leave us!"
"You're sloppy." Seb said walking up to the shrine.
"Care to elaborate human." Darkrai said extending his claws.
"You were spotted getting those tiles. Ash knows of your human form." Seb said showing the board from his phone.
"Did you tell him!" Darkrai berated.
"You know I can't, and he doesn't suspect that she's you, at least not yet." Seb said. "But there's more I need to be told before I continue helping you."
"And why should I tell you anything." Darkrai said.
"Just an answer." Seb said, switching to the next few photos. "Why'd you kill all these girls, and what do you plan on doing to Ash."
"I'll show you!" Darkrai said raising his clawed hand, as Seb's body went limp in front of him.
"Boss, he is still of use as a contact to our enemy, kill him now, and that edge is lost." Hypno said.
"He knows too much, he must be eliminated!" Darkrai said.
"I have power over sleep, you have power over dreams, let's simply remove the evidence from his memory and phone, the less he knows the better off we are." Hypno said calmly.
"Very well, but don't get in my way again!" Darkrai spat.
Authors note
Lots of Darkrai and Seb chapters lately, didn't mean for that, but it's a fun chemistry to write, i'll try and focus more on the main group a bit again.