(RedDestiny92: You'll be seeing more AU things being thrown in from here.)
….

Three

Ghetsis's home..if one could call it that was something like a modern goth warehouse most Grunts lived in housing around the several acre home with access to some of the amenities. The square building had several rooms for a few of the select members that earned a place there with a few locked guest rooms each having it's own master suite level bathroom. The granite and dark wood kitchen had a full staff that cycled through the day so that every meal and snack was the best quality. Most of the art was abstract with dark colors and scenery that was leaning on macabre. It was rich on the inside and well hidden on the outside in a sort of district that was just for business.

He just didn't like attracting attention to himself, the helicopter was for his employees, he wouldn't use it or travel with too many pokemon most didn't know why but none were going to question him. He'd always been odd not that anyone would say that to his face.

The last one who did, who asked far too many questions, criticized his boss openly was removed from service for good, the public hanging was the end of it.

Paul stood with the other Grunts waiting for the dark car to arrive it was black at first glance but in the right light the dark red tint could just barely be seen. As the car stopped Rood got out to open the door he used to be the right hand man for the Plasma Leader but he was just a driver now. He was bitter but then with the enemies he made just from being too mouthy he took the low position over being without the protection offered by the team.

Offered by Ghetsis.

He opened the door and Ghetsis stepped out his children following behind him he glanced him reminding him to get the bags he had long since abandoned the old robes Zinzolin liked he wore a black suit, everything from his shirt and tie to his under garments happened to be black. It was simple, matched itself and the way he was stayed clean he didn't much care for fashion. He seemed a little disheveled, rare enough though it was clear he'd been in an hurry even his usual low pony tail seemed off he looked over his shoulder lowly telling Concordia to take care of her siblings before walking toward Paul as he approached he spoke clearly enough.

"Basement." he said simply.

Paul hurried to follow him, While Concordia straightened her neat green suit she looked over N and Anthea both in white the ride had been a little awkward. He didn't tend to take his frustrations out on them in fact when he didn't speak at all was when they knew he was angry. He'd been that way since speaking to Paul it made them nervous.

"Who is this woman father is so worked up about?"

"She is...special, that's all I know let's go have breakfast." she said, being the eldest she could shift a conversation with the same authority her father had.

Granted the kindness that came from her was leaps beyond his they went silent and followed her as she excused the Grunts to work, twenty, nineteen, and N at eighteen all carried themselves with the pride of their father. He wanted the whole family to look good, Concordia wondered how Touko would handle her role with them, if she would even take it.

….

Touko's head whipped up as the door was thrown open she backed against the bars behind her as he bounded toward her in a few steps. He grabbed the steel bars and ripped them off as though they were made of paper throwing the bars behind them they were embedded in the stone wall near the door. She swallowed thickly as he reached toward her grabbing her arm, her gaze shot toward him.

Gentle.

It was strange he barely tugged at all but what pressure he did put she wasn't going to fight against, as if she could. Paul examined the bars as she did, slowly turning to look up at Ghetsis. He used his right hand to grab her chin turning her head from side to side examining her. As she trembled slightly he moved to unbutton his jacket to slide over her shoulders. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

She was scared...and thrilled.

She wondered what was so wrong with her that the latter would happen even jokingly.

His hand lowered on her left arm to grab her hand before tugging her behind him, Paul stepped out of the way quickly.

"Paul."

He flinched.

"Y..es sir?"

"Consider yourself promoted aside from the cold she is well, keep the others in line."

"Yes sir, thank you sir."

He watched them go before taking a breath they'd seen him punish moronic Grunts that couldn't keep themselves in line, though that sort of strength couldn't have been used before.

Surely he would have killed one of them on 'accident' if it had been.

…..

He pulled only until he reached a room he moved to reach in the inner pocket of the jacket she wore to unlock it before handing her the key only stopping her when she attempted to put it back.

"This is one of your rooms, you'll want to keep that."

"One of them...?"

"This will be home to you, in exchange for your friends safety."

She bit her lip though hearing him rip through steel kept her mouth silent as he held up a phone, tapping the screen she saw Cheren's room he was on the computer searching for leads on her. After becoming a gym leader he started to get invited to events for them. He met his girlfriend Jasmine long before then as she took time to travel they reunited at one of those parties. He looked for Touko because she was like a sister to him, Bianca came in from behind where the camera was and still it wasn't clear how he watched them. They'd been friends so long they didn't have to know the story, she didn't know if they found out anything from her father but if they were already searching she knew she'd been here a while she shook her head.

Touya called in from his room across the hall if they saw anything, she could only wonder how many others were looking too. Partly it warmed her heart, though really she already feared he would threaten them though she didn't come of her free will she didn't even know where they were if she ran how long would it take to find them if he already knew where they were and he could kill them without an issue.

He didn't have to care about them.

"It's not a camera."

She looked up suddenly hearing a voice.

"...What?"

"I want it to be clear, grab them."

She heard the door slam and they were grabbed she saw a black clad arm though they didn't move they went limp.

"Should we kill them Master?"

She paled hearing the haunting voice coming from the phone she stared at him wide eyed.

"Just making an example she does not know that I don't waste time with little threats, my little group can put an entire town to sleep in a second, no one came to the door slam because..."

the view shifted to her other friends out cold at their computers or on the bed with a phone and newspapers, Brock and Ash passed out in the kitchen with Officer Jenny.

"They will wake up and not remember what happened, I can make them stop looking for you through this if you'd rather them live happier but that's really only if you do exactly what I say.

Understand?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat as he stared down at her, she wasn't so sure she would have risked their safety to begin with but that was the most proof she needed.

He clearly didn't need the Grunts for everything.

"...I understand...please don't hurt them let them go back to their lives they can think I just needed to travel on my own and find myself or something."

He didn't even smirk, no grin, like he simply had her where he wanted her he nodded.

"You heard her this time listen."

Cheren and Bianca were released the arms deleted browser history they were rearranged a bit of fog fading it was like nothing happened. When they woke up Bianca was her usual happy self thinking she only tripped, asking if Cheren heard from Touko yet.

He only mumbled something about her only just starting and probably not even being by the internet yet the only time she was as forgetful as Bianca could be was when she had to charge her phone. She sighed as he turned off the screen.

The room was fairly large only a plain bed and a trunk sat in there.

"Get cleaned up and someone will come to assist with decorating, you'd better get comfortable."

He turned on his heel leaving her with his jacket she stared down walking in slowly she dropped it on the edge of the bed hoping they really would be fine if she was obedient.

…...

(While my thoughts settle I had several ideas for this chapter and finally settled on this.)