Chapter 9

"Alright," said Joleen quietly as she crouched beside me. "Staying off the main route took most of the day, but we are finally here. Accumula Town."

I stared through the bare branches of the tree we were in. She'd insisted we climb it so we could scout out the town first. Team Plasma was after me by now so it was best to stay out of sight.

I placed a hand over my chest and sighed in relief when it came into contact with the marble-shaped ball in my pocket. Riakou was still safe and sound. I was beginning to believe Joleen about the ball not hurting it. The Pokémon even appeared happy to be returning to it.

I was still in conflict. I could still feel part of me rejecting the idea of entrapping Pokémon. I didn't want to make them suffer, and yet, there was another part of me, a very strong part, which was beginning to question everything I'd ever learned about Pokémon and Team Plasma.

"Do you know where you're supposed to be meeting your grandpa?" asked Joleen softly.

"The old Pokémon Center," I replied. "My mother told me he's supposed to meet me outside … but I think that was when Team Plasma was uncertain about my involvement. I don't think I can meet him right now."

Joleen nodded slowly. "In that case, I'll meet him. You stay here and watch closely."

The young redhead slipped out of the tree and was on the ground before I could reply. She hardly made a sound as she landed and walked calmly through the trees and into town.

I stared out over Accumula Town. It was a decent sized town with several houses and apartment buildings huddled around a hill. On the very top of the hill (and a long flight of stairs) was a small house which looked down on an old building that looked like it had been closed for a very long time. As I stared at the broken down building, I could just make out Joleen's pale red hair walk by. It was difficult to miss in the early evening sunlight.

"Hello sweetie," said a snide voice I immediately recognized. "Fancy meeting you here."

I froze.

How did she know I was here?! I was up a tree and had donned some dark clothes to blend in with the trunk. My sandy hair might have stood out if someone knew to look for it. I couldn't move as I waited for her to speak again.

"Cold and heartless isn't my type, Renita," replied another voice that I recognized but for a different reason. "What brings a Plasma Admin to a quaint little place like this?"

I turned my head slowly and glanced down into the forest behind me. The Plasma lady who had confronted me before was leaning against a smaller tree as though bored. Her helmet had been removed and wavy blonde hair flowed down either side of her face. She was talking to an old man with gray-white hair. I didn't have to look at him to know he was my grandpa.

"Oh Cedric, Sweetie," cooed the woman with a sarcastic grin. "I'm flattered you care. You need to come with me."

"I'd rather try and shake hands with a Klink than go with you," muttered grandpa with narrowed eyes and a pursed mouth. "You're about as cuddly as a Carvanha in a feeding frenzy."

"Oh stop," exclaimed the Plasma lady in mock breathlessness. "You're making me blush, sweetie!"

Cedric stared at her with narrowed eyes as he refrained from speaking another word.

"No more compliments?" asked the woman. "And here I was enjoying your company so much! Very well, sweetie. We need to take you in for questioning."

"What have I done this time?" asked grandpa in alarm.

"Are you aware of what your grandson, Cristopher Juniper, has been up to?" asked Renita in a drawl. "He's been charged with the crime of capturing a Pokémon in a Poké Ball and resisting arrest. And it wasn't just any Poké ball, no, it was a Master Ball. Anyone found to be helping him will be dealt with quickly. We already found his mother harboring illegal Pokémon goods and we know she sent him to see you."

I clamped my teeth on my right hand and bit hard to stop myself from yelling out. The practical thing to do was to keep silent and remain on the run. I could help my mother more by escaping notice. That didn't make keeping silent any easier.

Grandpa appeared shocked as his mouth was hanging open unattractively and his eyebrows had disappeared into his white hair.

"Come along, sweetie," replied the lady while curling a finger around a lock of his hair. "I have no doubt you would have helped him. I suspect you were on your way to meet him now."

"You can't prove a thing," grunted Cedric. "I was merely enjoying a stroll through the woods. You wouldn't hurt an old man now would you? Never mind, I already know you would."

"Boys," said Renita in smug satisfaction. "Take our guest to headquarters for further questioning. I'm going to stroll around Accumula Town and wait for Christopher to make his appearance."

Several Plasma grunts marched out of the woods from around them and grabbed my grandpa before they sauntered him away. His only protest was to glare at the woman with a scowl.

"Now now," stated the woman as she put her helmet on. It wasn't clear who she was addressing. "Time for some fun, sweetie."

She turned and strode straight into Accumula Town and left me still holding my breath while thanking Arceus that people were not in the habit of looking up.

A/N: I'm really enjoying writing Renita into the story. She's turning into a character who has decided she needed a little more spotlight time than I originally anticipated XD

Oh well, let the fun ensue!