A New Path

by TheCouchEffect

Ash has finally achieved his dream after so many years. He has become the champion of a Pokemon league. Despite this victory, he feels lost with no sense of direction. Weeks after his victory, he is framed for a crime he didn't commit. Unwilling to accept guilt, he will be drawn into a battle to clear his name and bring Team Rocket to justice before they can become unstoppable.

15. Friendly Fire

When he stepped inside the bar, Ash could immediately tell that something was off today. Typically, there were at least a dozen people either lounging around at the bar, drinking their sorrows away or waiting around for a job. This bar was a popular spot for freelance criminals to connect and be seen. Practically all the odd jobs he used to establish the credibility of his cover came from this place.

Yet today, the bar was practically empty aside from the bartender and four other people. He scratched the back of his neck and took a seat at the bar. Whatever was going on, there was no reason to act suspicious now. He'd play it cool until he knew more.

He waved over the bartender. "Hey, Frank. I'll have a vodka if you've got it."

Frank didn't bother looking up at him, far more concerned about cleaning an empty glass in his hands. "No can do, Woods. Big boss said no drinks for anyone doing a job today."

"Boss?" Ash asked. "What do you mean? I never signed up for a job."

"You weren't, but the boss figured you'd want in anyway." Frank told him. "Our Kantonian friends are hiring again. Big bucks this time."

His earpiece flared to life as Petrovic spoke up. "Rocket, eh? Guess ya impressed Gozu enough he thought of ya. Lucky."

Lucky wasn't how he would have described it. Ash smiled at Frank. "Is that why the bars' empty? He's stopping by to brief us all on the job again?"

"Got it in one." The bartender shrugged. "Normally, I'd be annoyed at the lack of customers, but you know those mafia bastards. They always pay well."

"Any idea what the job is? More attacks on Skull?"

"Don't know. Couldn't care less." The bartender set the glass down. "All I do is provide the meeting point. Beyond that? I try to stay out of it. Better for my health, you feel me?"

That was probably for the best. At least this way, he couldn't be targeted if things turned against Rocket and their enemies started looking into who helped them. The bartender that let them use their bar every once in a while would be far less important than someone who sold them information or incorporated with them.

Ash glanced back at the four others that would presumably be going on the job with him. They were all older than him but varied from late twenties to mid-thirties and even early fifties, if he had to guess. Compared to the last group of freelancers he had to work with, they all looked more competent. Backs to the walls and eyes on each entrance; the faint bulge of a shirt or pants hiding a weapon; noticeably calloused hands.

These were professionals. He didn't know what it said about him that Gozu thought he belonged with these people, but he didn't like it.

"Just act natural, kid. This probably ain't gonna be any different from another smash and grab." Petrovic spoke into his ear. "Just do what ya did before, and everything should be fine."

He hoped Petrovic was right. Much as it may have helped him stand out to Gozu, Ash didn't want to have to go through that again. Dealing with crazy fools with guns and traumatizing innocent shop keepers wasn't something he relished in this job.

It took half an hour before Gozu eventually showed up. Like before, he was dressed in tropical civilian clothes and wore a gruff expression on his one-eyed faced. Without saying a word, everyone's attention focused on him as he marched over to the bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey.

"Alright, lads. It's your lucky day. Team Rocket's got another job for you – with a much higher payout for much less risk." He raised the glass to his lips and downed the expensive whiskey in one go. "Each of you've shown me you've got half a brain, so that's why you're here instead of out there hitting more convenience stores."

"This guy sure does like to hear himself talk." Petrovic snarked. "And here I thought all veterans were meant to be the gruff, silent type."

Ash suppressed the urge to snort. If that were true, then Petrovic wouldn't be nearly as bad as he was. Chances were that Looker wouldn't always look ready to strangle the man, either. Anabel might even start to like him if he did that.

Shame that just wasn't who his partner was.

"I'll keep things simple. There's a farm on the island that belongs to a thorn in Rocket's side. It's chock-full of rare and highly sought after Pokemon." Gozu told them. "Your job is to get in, torch the place, and capture all those Pokemon for us."

Whoever it was that had gotten on Team Rocket's bad side, Ash felt sorry for them. Their profits must have been seriously damaged if this was how they were taking revenge. Droves of Pokemon taken against their will and a family's livelihood destroyed. His stomach rolled in distaste, but all he could do was bite his tongue and promise that it wouldn't be for nothing.

"What's the name of the place?" Another freelancer asked.

"Paniola ranch." Gozu shrugged. "Place is owned by some simple family. Normally, we'd leave them in peace, but that kid of theirs cost us a lot of money not too long ago. We can't just let that slide."

Ash's blood ran cold. Paniola ranch… that wasn't just some random farm they were talking about. That farm belonged to Kiawe's family. If Team Rocket were targeting Kiawe, did that mean they were going after the rest of the Ultra Guardians soon? Were Mallow and the others in danger, or was Kiawe a special case?

He didn't know what was worse. The fact that one of his friends had become a target of Team Rocket… or that he was going to help them destroy everything Kiawe's family held dear. No, no, that wasn't going to happen. Ash would find some way to stop this.

He had to.

"What are we supposed to do about the family?" Ash spoke up. "They won't just let us snatch their Pokemon without a fight."

"The family won't be a problem. Far as we can tell, they'll all be out celebrating the birthday of their daughter." Gozu chuckled. "We're just gonna give them a nice little gift to return home to."

"Brat, whatever it is yer thinking of doing, keep it calm." Petrovic warned. "If ya do anything stupid, ya won't just torch yer chances of getting to the heart of this. Ya may well end up dead."

He grit his teeth. As much as it pained him to admit… Petrovic was right. Like it or not, this was going to happen. All Ash could do was go along and try to limit as much damage as he could. He would just have to hope that Kiawe and his family could recover from this.

Gozu snapped his fingers. Hearing this, the bartender sighed and hefted a massive bag up onto the counter. Peering into its depths, Ash could see an assortment of Pokeballs sitting inside.

"These have been modified to transfer to a Rocket hideout when they snag something." Gozu told them. "You're to use these on any Pokemon you find while there. The one exception to this is their herd of Miltank. Those things are prime members of their species. No Pokeballs for them."

"How are we meant to catch them, then?" One freelancer asked.

"Intimidate 'em, persuade them, I don't care. Just don't cause any permanent harm. There's a lot of people who'll pay big money for a Miltank like theirs." Gozu rolled his shoulders. "There's a truck out back with cages. Shove the damn things in there and drive it to the address on the dashboard when you're done."

Ash blinked when one freelancer pointed to him. "What about the kid? He looks a little young. We sure we can rely on him to pull this off?"

Gozu's eye shifted to him, quirking an eyebrow in question. Realizing what he was meant to do, Ash cleared his throat and stood up. "I can handle this. If all we're doing is burning a house and catching some Pokemon, then this should be easy. Anyone can do that."

"There you have it. Kid says he can do, he can do it. I'm inclined to believe him." Gozu told them. "Standard rules, of course. Flat rate for all of you and no one collects your cut if something goes wrong. Pay today is fifteen grand each and the possibility of more work in the future."

With a dismissive wave, Gozu turned his back on them to go back to drinking. Unlike the previous group of freelancers, this one didn't seem to worry about who was in charge. They simply gathered their things and headed out the back, Ash following close behind.

This was going to be a long day. Somehow, he just knew it.

---

Human traffickers were among the most despicable people in the world. To consider owning another person like property… it was vile. It was no surprise that people could be this evil after her time on the streets, but that didn't make it any less disgusting. Despite Pryce's involvement, Domino was all too happy to end the slaver once she found him.

The target in question? Charles Lee, a prominent businessman in his early thirties from Hoenn. As far as the public was aware, he was just a simple Pokeball salesman. The irony of him selling devices to capture Pokemon while trafficking Humans on the black market wasn't lost on her.

Killing him would be simple. There was a practical cornucopia of options available to her. She could poison his food or drink the next time he went out. A bomb in his hotel room or car would atomize him before he knew what was happening. Perhaps even a distant assassination with a sniper rifle the next time he stepped outside would be a fitting end.

All good choices. None of them would help her find out where his next shipment of people was going, however. Giovanni had strict instructions. Whenever dealing with Human traffickers, the focus was on rescuing the victims more than simply killing their oppressors. Not that the latter wasn't important, of course.

Which left her with one option: she was going to need to get him alone and work her magic on him. That would be simple enough. Men always believed two things about themselves. First, all women found them attractive. Two, they were always the smartest people in the room.

Playing into those preconceptions had been child's play. A flowing black dress that accentuated her curves and a small dash of make-up to help her violet eyes stand out. Bumping into him at the local club he had taken to visiting had been as simple as meeting his eyes across the room. A few brushes of skin here, a teasing smile there, and a bit of Hoenn's native language thrown in?

Seducing him had been easy. In a foreign land, a beautiful woman who spoke your language might as well have been a diamond sitting among rubbish.

Standing in the bathroom of his hotel room, she could only laugh quietly to herself in triumph. Sometimes, it was just too easy. The security he had stationed outside his door hadn't even batted an eye when he brought her to his room. Their boss' philandering ways must not have been anything surprising.

Walking into the bedroom of a man known to view other people as inferior normally wouldn't have been something she'd do. Too many things could go wrong, and she didn't fancy becoming another victim for him to peddle to the highest bidder. The things she did to see Giovanni's orders through….

At least she had some insurance in case things went wrong. She had released all but one of her Pokemon from their balls and given them strict instructions. If she didn't leave the building in the next few hours, they were to rampage and kill everyone inside until they found her. For his securities sake, they'd best hope they didn't get too curious and interrupt.

There was a sharp knock at the door. "Hey, what's taking so long?" Her target called out. "I thought we were going to have some fun?"

Domino rolled her eyes. So impatient. Plastering a playful smile on her face, she opened the door to find him standing outside of it in his bathrobe. Trailing her fingers up his exposed chest to cup his cheek, a light giggle escaped her. "Just had to freshen up."

Pulling him into a passionate kiss, she carefully maneuvered them towards the bed and pushed him down onto its soft seats. Straddling his hips, she trailed kisses up his neck in a hungry display of desire. He moaned beneath her. Yet when he reached up to grab her, she pulled back and wagged her finger.

"Uh-uh." She winked down at him. "The sweetest of pleasures comes to those who wait."

"But I want you now." The man groaned. "Haven't I waited long enough?"

"Almost." She purred. "Close your eyes while I get something from my purse. I promise that it'll be worth the wait."

For one of them, that is.

Once her target had closed his eyes, she placed a quick kiss on the tip of his nose and slid off the bed towards the dresser where she had left her bag. Zipping it open, she reached inside and pulled out a thin needle housing a clear liquid inside.

A mixture of Arbok and Seviper venom distilled into its current form. A few drops coating a blade or mixed inside of food were potent enough to kill a man in under a minute. Injected directly into his bloodstream, she'd be surprised if he lasted even ten seconds.

Carefully holding the needle between her fingers, she glided back over to the bed and straddled his chest. It wasn't hard to tell that he was excited at the prospect she had finally returned. She could feel it clear as day against her skin.

"Are you ready for your surprise?" She whispered, nibbling on his ear.

"Yes~" He moaned into her touch.

Domino stole a deep kiss from him, snaking one arm up to graze his neck and positioning her knee between his legs. Then, without warning, she struck! She slammed the needle into her targets artery and injected the toxin straight into his bloodstream.

Her kiss suppressed his surprised scream. When that surprise turned to agony, she slammed her knee at full force into his groin and grabbed him by the throat. The few seconds it stunned him for were more than enough for the poison to do its work. Before he could even register what was happening, his blood had thinned to nothing, his organs liquified, and the air burned in his lungs.

When his movement stilled beneath her, she leaned away from him and looked down in triumph. Fearful, agonized eyes gazed up at her in a desperate need to know why she had done this to him. It wouldn't surprise her if he had seen those same looks on the faces of his victims and laughed them off.

It was only right that she do the same.

She hopped off the bed and wiped her mouth in disgust. It was awfully tempting to use the mouth wash she'd seen in the bathroom to wipe the taste of him out of her mouth, but there was no time. Who knew how long it would be until the security got curious about the lack of sounds coming from inside and decided to investigate?

She needed to act fast.

Snatching Mr. Lee's phone from the nightstand next to the bed, Domino held it up over his face. Once it was unlocked, she went to work. Scrolling past the dating apps, social media, and mobile games, she dug into his personal files.

Without even asking for a password or a second authentication, it let in her. Domino wanted to be surprised that he would be this reckless, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Poor bastard had been dumb in more ways than one, it seemed.

While she didn't have enough time to go through them all, what she could see was enough to make her stomach churn. Photos of men, women, and children in shipping crates that hadn't seen the sun in days. Plans to expand their operations on the Johto border. He even had a list of potential clients and influential people they could approach.

It was too much to see it all now. When she was done in Mahogany Town, Giovanni would want to see this. Every trafficking network they took down was one more step in the right direction, or so she had heard him say. She couldn't help but agree with him.

Team Rocket may have been criminals, but there were some lines never meant to be crossed. Anyone who did deserved nothing but death.

Tossing the phone into her pocketbook, she grabbed the corpse by the leg and slowly dragged it across the floor and out onto the balcony of the room. For a moment, she simply took in the gorgeous view of the lake in the distance and soaked up the suns rejuvenating rays. At times like this, she was reminded just how fortunate of a life she lived.

She shook her head and hoisted the corpse up, tossing it over the railing. For a few blissful seconds, there was silence. It was shattered as a body crashed into a car below, quickly followed by the screaming of those around to hear it.

Whistling a jolly tune to herself, she slung her bag over her shoulder and pulled out the single Pokeball she kept with her to release Hypno. "Come on, Hypno. Teleport us outta here. I would kill for a good taco right about now."

Assassinating people worked up quite the appetite. Besides, she'd let Pryce find out about all of this on his own and meet him later. All that mattered to her right now was lying low and basking in the glow of victory.

---

Paniola ranch was exactly like he remembered it.

The wide-open grasslands were perfect for a farm. Herds of Taurus and Mudbray roamed the fields, munching on grass in the distance. He could see a small cluster of Miltank inside of a pen, happily lounging around on a lazy day. With the sun hanging high in the afternoon sky and the gentle breeze against their skin, the ranch could have been mistaken for something out of an old cowboy movie.

It was a shame that peace wouldn't last.

The truck came to a stop in the middle of the ranch. Slowly, Ash and the other freelancers all stepped out of the truck. While some of the Pokemon had noticed them and seemed curious about their presence, most weren't overly concerned. Random visitors to the ranch were a common occurrence, after all. Why worry about the new Humans when they'll be gone soon, anyway?

He wished it were that simple.

"So, what's the plan?" Ash asked. "I doubt they're just going to stand around and let us capture them."

"We'll handle that. I doubt these things are used to fighting battles if they've spent all their time on this farm. Should be easy enough for us." One freelancer tossed a Pokeball up and down in the air. "You get to setting that house on fire, you hear? We do this right; it shouldn't take more than an hour."

Ash suppressed the urge to grimace. He'd known he'd have to take part, but he didn't think he'd be the one lighting the match that sent his friend's home up in flames. If that was what it took to protect Alola, though, then he'd do it.

He could hate himself when this was done.

"On it."

If there was one thing Ash could give this group of freelancers, it was that they were professionals. None of them were worried about impressing Gozu or trying to assert their authority. To them, this was just another job. They even went out of their way to hand him two gas canisters to carry into the house.

If only they could put their skills to better use than destroying people's homes. They were just as guilty as Team Rocket.

With a resigned sigh, Ash marched off towards Kiawe's home. True to Gozu's word, no one was around. Even the Herdier Kiawe's family owned had been taken out to celebrate with the rest of them.

Pushing his way inside, he took a moment to look at the home. Family photos hung on the wall, celebrating happy moments in their life. He could see trophies and certificates in places of pride displaying to the whole world their achievements. There was even a tiny pet bed for Herdier to sleep in. It was a perfect little home for any family.

"Listen, kid, I know ya may not like it, but this is part of the job." Petrovic spoke through his comm. "It's no different from when ya destroyed that shop. Don't let the pictures make this more difficult than it has to be."

Since they were alone, Ash didn't see any point in keeping quiet. At least for now, he could speak freely. "It's not that."

"It ain't? Here I thought ya'd be getting cold feet seeing the happy family photos." It didn't take a genius to hear the surprise in Petrovic's voice.

"Okay, it's not just that." He admitted. "I… know the family this ranch belongs to. Their son and I were close friends when I was last in Alola. Rivals."

Petrovic made a sound of understanding. "Sorry to hear that. This must be hard for ya."

That was putting it mildly.

"I won't pretend to know what yer going through. Even with all the dubious shit I've done, I ain't never had to destroy the home of someone I care about." Petrovic sighed. "Ya gotta do it, though, kid. If ya don't, they're gonna know something's up and start asking questions."

In this line of business, the wrong person asking the wrong questions at the wrong time meant death. Or worse, if some of the veteran agents stories were true. Ash set the gas canisters on the ground and walked over to a nearby wall. Among the photos on display, one of them caught his eye.

It was one taken not long after Ash had beaten Professor Kukui and become Champion in Alola. The entire class had gone out to celebrate and eat to their hearts' content on the beach, dancing, singing, and feasting until the sun rose the next morning. They had capped the celebration off with a group photo on the edge of the water, the rising sun in the background.

They had all trusted him to lead them during the Ultra Beast crisis. Each of them had helped him take on Team Rocket's worst. When he had been on the edge of victory, their faith in him had been what he needed to seize victory against all odds.

And this was how he repaid them.

He reached out to touch the photo. "Do you think they'll be able to forgive me for this? For everything I'm doing?"

"If they're anything like you? I'd be surprised if they didn't." Petrovic said. "Ya ain't done anything unforgiveable, brat. Sure, yer a bit more… shady nowadays, but yer the still the same soft-hearted boy they knew. If ya tell them why ya had to do all this, they'd believe ya. Don't go doubting that."

"And what happens if I go too far? Change too much?" He mumbled. "I'm not stupid, Petrovic. I know what I might have to do in the future. The lines I'll have to cross. What happens if I become a monster?"

Petrovic snorted. "A monster? That how ya see the rest of us? I'm hurt." He snarked. "Kid, let me tell ya a little something about lines. They're meant to be crossed. Ya can step over them when ya need to and step right back when yer done. They don't define whether yer a good person or not."

"You think so?"

"Trust me on this, kid. Some of the best people I know have crossed more lines than ya could count." Petrovic assured him. "You? It don't matter how many ya cross. Yer always gonna be the same person you've always been: an altruistic fool… but an endearing one."

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Pet. It must have been painful for you to say something nice to me."

"More than ya could possibly imagine. Now, get to work. Clocks ticking."

Ash nodded. He would just have to have faith that this job didn't change him for the worse. At the end of the day, he was helping people. He couldn't let his doubts make him forget that.

Unclasping Pikachu's Pokeball from his belt, he released his partner into the world. It didn't take long for his little buddy to recognize where they were. Pikachu tilted his head to the side in silent question.

Ash crouched down and patted Pikachu on the head. "Yeah, it's Kiawe's home." He admitted. "Gozu wants us to help burn it down. I guess he decided to hit back at us for interfering with their plans for the Ultra Beasts."

Predictably, Pikachu growled at the idea of helping Gozu with this. Sparks flew from his cheeks, and he gestured wildly around them, chirping angrily.

"We don't have a choice." Ash argued. "We need Gozu to trust us if we're going to get close enough to stop him. The only way we're gonna do that is by following his orders."

Pikachu stomped his paw on the ground, glaring up at him.

Ash blinked. Hold on… he had an idea. "Petrovic, could you call the police and warn them about this? Maybe if they get here in time, they can stop this and we can get away without suspicion."

"Hell no." Petrovic's harsh voice cut down what little rising hope he had. "We do that, this whole thing is over."

"But he won't know I had anything to do with it. If we just- "

"Think for a minute, Ash. If the police suddenly show up out of nowhere, what do ya think is gonna happen? Ya think he's just gonna shrug his shoulders and move on? He ain't stupid." Petrovic explained. "They have rats in the police who'll tell him about the anonymous tip. Best case? He considers everyone on the job bad luck and leaves ya out of future jobs. Worst case? He thinks it's better to cut loose ends and kills ya just to be safe."

Ash flinched. He hadn't thought of that. If Gozu got suspicious and dug too deep….

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't like this any more than you do, Pikachu." He told his partner. "We have to do this. All we can do is hope that this sacrifice is worth it in the end."

While he didn't seem happy, Pikachu was at least willing to go along with it. That was good. Grabbing the gas canisters, Ash meticulously poured the gasoline over every inch of the house. From the bedrooms to the kitchen and the bathroom, he left a trail of liquid death in every crack and crevice of the home.

By the time he was done, the stench was so bad that Ash wanted to vomit. He could only imagine how bad it must have been for Pikachu with how sensitive his nose was.

Ash took one last look at the house. Every childhood memory his friend had in this home would be gone soon. The one consolation was that the family itself would still be safe to build new memories wherever they landed after this. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out a lighter and flicked open the lid.

Cries of pain and a reverberating explosion drew his attention. On instinct, Ash and Pikachu both dove for cover behind the wall of the house. The two of them exchanged a wary look and leaned up to peer out of the window at what was happening outside.

A gasp tore from Ash's lips.

Standing at the edge of the ranch was Kiawe. Marowak, Charizard, and Turtonator, each of whom wore fiery expressions to match their burning anger, surrounded him. Fire scorched the battlefield and the unconscious forms of enemy Pokemon laid at their feet. The freelancers that he had come with all cowered before him.

No, no, no… he wasn't supposed to be here! Gozu had told them that Kiawe wouldn't be anywhere near this when it went down! Were his family nearby? The rest of their friends? What was he supposed to do now? What could he even do?

"Snap out of it!" Petrovic hissed. "Get yer head on straight!"

"But- "

"I know he's yer friend, but ya can't let him get in the way. If he arrests all the others and botches this job, ya can kiss yer chances of getting closer to the center of this goodbye!"

"What am I supposed to do then!?" Ash growled.

"Use it to yer advantage. Ya wanted a way out without blowing yer cover? Well, here ya go!" Petrovic told him. "Rescue that group of yers, make a show of fighting the other brat, and run away with yer tail between yer legs. No destroyed home, no hurt friend, and an excuse that Gozu won't be able to use against ya."

That… that honestly wasn't a bad idea. It was risky, but if he managed to pull this off? He just might save his friends' home. All it would take was a little theatrics and some wounded pride. Kiawe and he could survive that.

Ash glanced down at Pikachu. "Alright… I'll try to distract him. I need you to sneak around behind them." He told the electric rat. "If you can, focus on taking out Charizard. We'll never escape if that thing is chasing us down."

Reluctantly, Pikachu nodded and scurried towards the backdoor. Even at his fastest, Pikachu would need some time to work his way behind them. Ash would need to be on top of his game if he was going to get them all out of this in one piece.

He took a breath to center himself and force his nerves down. Then he pushed open the front door of the house and stepped outside, a wide and friendly smile plastered on his face. "Woah there, friend! What seems to be the problem?"

Everyone's attention spun to him upon his entrance. While the freelancers all seemed confused, Ash could see the fury in Kiawe's eyes. Frankly, Ash was just relieved he didn't turn the flames of his Pokemon on him.

Small mercy.

"Problem? What's my problem!?" Kiawe growled. His fists tightened at his side. "You thieves are here destroying my home and stealing our Pokemon!"

Ten yards. Ash kept his hands held high in front of him, palms facing upwards to show he was unarmored while he crept forward. "Ah, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. We're not thieves."

It was such a bald-faced lie that everyone – Kiawe, the freelancers, and the Pokemon themselves - couldn't help but look flabbergasted. For a moment, everyone just sat in stunned silence as a collection of Miltank rocked their cages back and forth in the bed of the truck.

Kiawe shook with rage at the perceived indignity. "Are… are you mocking me?"

Eight yards. "Not one bit." He called out. "We're here on a job. We're repo men who work for Gogoats Go-Getters – Repossess your property in thirty minutes or less, or your money back!" He smiled. "How'd that sound? I practiced all day in the mirror for that yesterday."

"You expect me to believe that?" Kiawe spat. "My family has owned this farm and everything on it my entire life! Not a single thing here was loaned to us!"

Five yards. The Fire-types were now actively sniffing the air and regarding him with critical eyes. For all the good his disguise had done at hiding his identity, it couldn't change his smell.

Ash shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you. It's the truth." He drawled. "Listen. If you want to talk this out with our boss, I'm sure Viren will be more than happy to give you people an extension."

It was a dirty tactic. Viren was the epitome of a corrupt and greedy businessman. More than once, Ash had witnessed that bastard try to steal this land from Kiawe's family. He had threatened them, forged documents, tried to bribe them, and used every trick in the book to steal it away for his own profit. In one truly despicable display, he had even witnessed him order his Pokemon to electrocute Kiawe's little sister.

To put it mildly, Kiawe despised that man.

As predicted, hearing that name set his old friend off. "He's behind this!?" He shouted. "Of all the dirty, rotten tricks that sleazebag could pull!"

One yard. By now, Ash was close enough that he could see the whites of Kiawe's eyes. A life of farm work and training alongside his Pokemon had left his old friend with a physique most could only dream of. Getting into a brawl with him wouldn't end well. Ash's one advantage was that he had experience in hand-to-hand combat while Kiawe didn't.

He'd need to strike fast to capitalize on that.

"Sounds like you and our boss have history." The tip of a golden tail poked above the edge of the tall grass behind them. Ash smiled. "So, I'll tell you what. We'll take our leave with everything we have, and once you clear things up with him, we'll bring it all right back."

Kiawe stepped forward menacingly. "You really expect me to just let you- "

He never got to finish. Ash stepped into Kiawe's guard and slammed his elbow into the Kahuna-in-trainings throat. As he stumbled back with a surprised cough, Pikachu leaped out of the grass into the air. A surge of golden, blinding electricity struck the three Pokemon behind them. While Marowak and Turtonator were still standing, Charizard had been brought to its knees.

Ash's hand flashed behind his back to pull out his revolver, pointing it at the now frozen Kiawe on the ground.

"Alright," Ash began, "here's how it's gonna go. You're gonna return your Pokemon to their balls and toss them as far in the opposite direction as you can. Understand?"

Kiawe didn't say a word.

Growling, Ash raised the barrel of his gun to the sky and pulled the trigger. The shot was deafening to everyone without ear protection. Flocks of Flying types took off from the nearby trees and fled for safety, while the few chattel Pokemon the freelancers hadn't taken now cowered in fear.

He snapped the barrel back down towards Kiawe's chest, finger beneath the trigger. "I'm not gonna ask again." Ash warned. "Return and toss them away, or I'll shoot your knees out instead. Phone too while you're at it."

He hoped Kiawe didn't call his bluff. He didn't have it in him to do that to anyone, let alone an old friend.

Slowly, Kiawe reached onto his belt to grab their Pokeballs and return them all. Forcing himself to his feet, he tossed them into the distance. While Ash couldn't exactly tell where they landed, it was far enough away that they'd be long gone by the time he managed to find them.

If anyone was nearby enough to hear it, they'd be calling the police. Ash's crew needed to leave now if they wanted to make their getaway.

"Me and my people are gonna leave with the Pokemon we've already taken. Then you're gonna forget you ever saw any of our faces." Ash told him. "Do that and I'm sure everything'll work out in the end."

Kiawe clenched his teeth and tightened hands at his side. His impotence in this moment must have been devastating to him. "Why are you doing this to us?" He demanded. "You don't work for Viren, do you? So, why?"

Ash shrugged. "You pissed off the wrong people. Should have known better than to make an enemy of Team Rocket."

Kiawe's eyes narrowed. Good. Ash may not have been able to do anything directly, but Kiawe would bring news of this to Olivia. She wouldn't stand for this injustice, he was certain. With a Kahuna involved, the pressure on Team Rocket would skyrocket. Hopefully, it would make their plans just a bit more difficult.

"You lot!" He shouted to the other freelancers. "Pick yourselves up and grab your Pokemon. We're leaving."

"But the boss said- "

"He isn't here!" Ash snapped. "And I doubt our friend here is gonna just let us burn his house down, gun or no gun."

Reluctantly, the other freelancers returned their unconscious Pokemon to the balls and scurried back into the truck. Without taking his eyes off Kiawe, he silently returned Pikachu to his Pokeball. Before he moved to join the others in the truck, however, he paused.

With the job going bad, there was a chance Gozu would hold it against them. If Ash was going to keep that man's trust for future jobs, he needed something to prove he could still be relied upon. He knew one way to do it… he just hoped Kiawe could forgive him when he eventually learned the truth.

"Give me your Z-Ring."

Kiawe recoiled in shock. "What? No!"

"You want to eat a bullet?" Ash prodded. "Give me the ring and the crystal. Now!"

Even staring down the barrel of a gun, Kiawe hesitated. Ash couldn't blame him. That had been his grandfather's Z-Ring. More than just a sentimental souvenir of family long past, it served as a reminder of everything his family meant to him. All the wisdom of his teachers and the strength he had gathered during his training condensed into a single priceless crystal.

"Come on. Think for a minute." He told Kiawe. "You got a family – a little sister, from what I heard. They love you and I'm sure you love them. Is a ring really worth never seeing them again?"

He could practically hear his old friend's teeth grinding together from over here. Slowly, Kiawe pulled the ring off his finger and tossed it in the air – which Ash handily caught with a single swipe of his hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you." He pocketed the ring and hopped onto the back of the truck next to the cages. He spun the pistol in his hands before holstering it. "Word of advice? Don't go lighting any open flames in your house for a while. And say hi to Mallow for me, would you?"

Kiawe's eyes widened at her name. Before he could ask how Ash knew her, however, the truck sped away. With a great sigh of relief, Ash leaned back against the side of the truck and looked towards the sky.

"Damn kid. Didn't know ya had that kind of performance in ya." Petrovic praised. "I know it was an act, but even I hate yer guts a little for that. Looks like all those lessons are paying off."

He didn't say a word.

What could he even say after betraying a friend? He just hoped that they arrived at the warehouse Gozu told them about soon. The sooner they were done with this, the sooner he could shower and try to scrub away the filth he felt.

---

Looker was used to getting into bed with all sorts of people. Warlords in foreign regions that ruled with an iron fist. Traitors and conmen that lied as easily as they breathed. Drug kingpins and crime bosses weak enough to be manipulated and controlled by Interpol. Sometimes, he would even get the chance to work with genuine heroes that refused to bend their morality in their job.

He always could appreciate that last one. The world needed more of them rather than men like himself, least of all the villains he dealt with every day. It was why Looker wasn't at all surprised to be meeting with one now. Sitting in the middle of a nice Unovan diner, he eyed the man across from him.

Guzma was… simultaneously exactly and not at all like what he pictured the leader of Team Skull to be. Like the goons that made up his little syndicate, his clothes were an assortment of baggy black and white monstrosities with a few chains for an edgy flair. That same casual arrogance that surrounded them all was even more apparent in their leader.

Yet unlike all of them, there was a cunning to Guzma's eyes. He knew more than he let on and knew how to plan ahead. Most of the people in this diner were members of Skull – even those not wearing its uniform. Even a few key people on the streets outside were members if their fixed gazes and set paths were anything to go by.

While it may have been a weak attempt to intimidate him, Looker could understand the reasoning. Rocket wanted his head, after all. He couldn't afford to just walk around unguarded or go into negotiations without some insurance.

Unfortunately for Guzma, Looker had done this dance many times before.

He swirled the straw through his Arnold Palmer. "Thank you for meeting with me, Guzma. I understand this is a difficult time for you."

Guzma scoffed. "Spare me." He grunted. "What do you want, spook? I don't exactly have the time to waste with you."

A bold lie if he'd ever heard one. If Guzma truly wasn't interested in what Looker had to offer, he wouldn't have bothered showing up. This strong, disinterested front was all a negotiating tactic. It spoke of a man who knew he couldn't show weakness, even in the worst of times.

"I'm sure. Watching everything you've built burn down around you must be difficult." Looker audibly slurped his drink. "I'll try to keep this brief, then. If you want to survive, then you'll do exactly as we say."

His counter narrowed his eyes. "Is that right? You think I'm just gonna bend the knee and become your puppet, is that it?" He growled. "Piss off. This meeting's over."

"Then go." Looker challenged. "Have fun on your own. I'm sure you've got a foolproof plan of your own for dealing with Team Rocket."

Guzma didn't move an inch. He couldn't. Not when they both knew that his chances of surviving to the end of the month were slim to none. Like it or not, he needed Interpol more than they needed him. Looker almost pitied the man.

"Excellent. Now that we've gotten the theatrics out of the way, we can get down to brass tacks." Looker leaned forward, swirling his drink in its cup. "We want Rocket out of Alola – or at least as weakened as possible. You want to survive and maintain your dominance in these islands. So long as you do what we ask, you'll have our support."

Guzma sneered and looked away. "Cops working with criminals? Here I thought your lot were meant to fight us all."

Looker chuckled. It was a common mistake. Interpol weren't simple policemen or even specialized units like the Rangers. They were spies that worked to protect everyone. Criminals that received a government paycheck and used their authority to keep the innocent safe from everyone else. It was the reason they were such an effective fighting force when it came to combating terror organizations like Team Rocket or Flare.

"Your mistake was thinking Skull is at all big enough to be a threat." He told Guzma. "You're a small fish in a very big ocean. As long as little fish like you help us catch the big fish like Team Rocket? We're content to let you swim away for another day."

"Pawns in your game, then." The kingpin sighed. "Let me guess… you're gonna use my people as cannon fodder to fight your battles?"

Looker raised the straw to his mouth to sip at his drink. He let the man stew in the silence for a few seconds before he answered. "You're no use to us dead, Guzma. The same goes for your people." He assured him. "What we want is for you people to clean up your act. You say these islands are yours? Then it's time to start acting like it."

The table rattled as Guzma slammed his fist atop it. "You think we haven't tried?" He snarled. "No matter what we do, we're always one step behind those Kantonian bastards!"

"Because you're not equipped to do it." Looker pointed out. "You're a loosely connected gang of misfits, orphans, and outcasts with nothing binding you together but a shared feeling of loss. Frankly, the fact you've managed to grow so large says more about Alolan society than it does your group."

Guzma's eyes narrowed. "Is there a point to this?"

The edge of Looker's lips twitched in amusement. "That's all going to change. We'll supply you with intel, weapons, Pokemon; anything and everything you need to defeat the Rocket cell operating in Alola." He sipped at his Arnold Palmer. "Then you'll assume a dominant stance in this entire regions criminal underworld – effectively blocking them out from doing business here. You and your people will live like kings. You, in particular, will be practically untouchable as far as the law is concerned."

"Generous offer." Guzma grumbled. "What's the catch?"

"Nothing you won't be prepared to follow." Looker shrugged. "You'll limit your crimes to petty theft, gambling, and drug trafficking – though that last one will be strictly monitored and only deal in high quality. No bad product that would kill anyone. You'll stamp down on anyone and everyone who breaks these rules, whether they're in your group or not."

Guzma took a moment to consider all this. "Hmm… I can agree with that. It's nothing I wouldn't have done, anyway. I try to keep my people off the hard stuff. I'll just consider this an excuse to make sure the rest of my islands are the same."

Good. The more agreeable he was to their commands, the more likely he was to be an obedient lap dog. "You'll also be providing security to the Aether Foundation in the future. Any shipments, facilities, or VIPs of theirs will be off limits as far as crime in Alola is concerned. You will, of course, be compensated for your generosity."

A snort escaped Guzma. "So, Interpol is in Aether's pocket? I should have known."

Looker narrowed his eyes. "On the contrary, you could say they're partners of ours. Or will be once we deal with this Rocket problem your organizations both face." He said. "Our interests simply align."

"Whatever you say, pal." Guzma shook his head. "Fine. My boys'll protect Aether. Never had much of a problem with those bleeding hearts, anyway. Half my people grew up in one of their orphanages."

Good. Wicke may have had some qualms about accepting help from criminals, but Skull was the lesser of two evils. With Aether's private security, Skull's goons, and Interpol's agents all working together? Alola just might be the first stronghold against Rocket's cancerous spread.

"Finally, if we give an order, we expect you to follow it. It won't happen often, but there will be times we need your people handle things that we can't." Looker told him. "Does all of this sound agreeable to you? Compared to us, you are getting the better end of the deal."

"Don't try to play me, G-Man." Guzma sighed. "If I know anything about you Interpol types, you always get the better deal in the end. But like it or not… I can't afford to say no. Fine. Help us survive this and Team Skull is yours to use however you want."

Looker smiled widely in triumph. "I'm glad you see things our way." He sipped his drink again, humming in delight at its fruity taste. "The first shipments will reach your people soon alongside targets for them to hit. By the end of the week, Rocket will be feeling some of the same pain you are."

Guzma chuckled. "Won't lie, it'll be good to see those bastards bleed." He blinked. "I got a question for you. Why do you seem so… relaxed? Weren't you at least a little worried I'd kill you if I didn't like what you said? I am a criminal, after all."

Looker kept quiet. A tiny smirk split his face as a red dot appeared on Guzma's chest, right where his heart was. Wordlessly, Looker tapped his chest in the same spot and flicked his eyes down to signal what he meant to Guzma. Seeing the grown man pale so fast was perhaps the most amusing thing he'd seen all day.

"Because if you tried, you and every one of your lackeys would be dead." Looker glanced out to the window towards a distant department stores roof and waved. Somewhere hidden in the distance, Anabel had been watching over them through the scope of a sniper rifle. "Now, do me a favor and leave. I saw a delicious pair of pancakes on the menu, and I'd like to eat them in peace."

---

It hadn't taken long for Ash and his crew to arrive at the warehouse Gozu told them about. Located at the edge of the city, it was hidden among the other warehouses of the industrial district. Mercifully, they hadn't run into any trouble with the police while making their escape. By the time anyone realized what had happened, they were long gone.

Yet Ash and the others hadn't been allowed to leave. Apparently, Gozu wanted them to stay at the warehouse until he arrived. It was… unsettling. Did Gozu suspect something? Was he going to die or was he just overthinking things? Whatever the case, he didn't like it.

Least of all since a plethora of Pokemon surrounded him in cages. He could only imagine the horrors each of them had endured or what fate awaited them once they left this warehouse. It tempted a part of him to pick the locks and let them out – give them a fighting chance at freedom. It was nothing more than a passing thought, however.

He couldn't risk blowing his cover. Ash would just have to hope he could save them all before they were lost forever.

He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. This was taking forever. It had been hours and Gozu still hadn't shown up. The sun had already set; replaced by the moon high in the sky. If this kept up, he was going to fall asleep before the man arrived.

"Hey, don't let yer mind wander." Petrovic spoke. "I know this waiting sucks, but that's half the job. Try to keep yerself focused. How many exits are there?"

Six, last he counted. The giant warehouse doors where trucks and crates were brought in. Three doors on the ground level, one at each end of the building. Two more up top on the catwalk for those needing to get to the roof. Potentially even more if Pikachu could bust down these metal sheet walls or dig through the concrete beneath them.

"How many guards are there?"

Impossible to say for sure, but he'd seen at least fifteen patrolling the building and unloading their merchandise. Assuming there were more patrolling other parts of the warehouse, outside, or simply hidden away? There might be close to thirty or more people. Getting into a fight here would only end horribly.

"Anything ya can use to yer advantage?"

Plenty. Assuming they hadn't figured out his identity and set this as a trap, he had the element of surprise. There were sprinklers above them – if he set those off, Pikachu could potentially deal with the entire warehouse in a single attack. He could even set the Pokemon free at that point and either fight alongside them or slip away in the chaos.

He had options, even if they were more drastic in nature.

"Yer equipment, what's its condition?"

That was simple. The glasses he wore were still working perfectly. Pikachu was still in perfect shape for any coming fight. As far as his own weapons went, Ash was fine. He'd only used one of the two dozen bullets he carried on him, and his knife was hidden safely beneath his shirt.

"Whenever yer dealing with the wait, always think about these things. This, and any skills ya may get in the future." Petrovic advised. "Ya'd be surprised how useful a second language can be for just passing the time."

He'd keep that in mind. His travels had given him a solid grasp of multiple languages already, but he was far from a master. Maybe he'd ask Anabel to help him practice some of them. Who knew when he may need to stop speaking Common and instead turn to the regional dialects?

Ash saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The Rocket Grunts around them all shifted in place – not standing at attention, but noticeably more alert than they were before. It wasn't hard to guess why. As Gozu stepped out of the shadows flanked by two lackeys, Ash and the other freelancers all met his eyes.

"Alright…." The commander began. "I'll give you all a chance to explain what went wrong. What the hell happened?"

Seeing that none of the other freelancers were going to step forward, Ash chose to speak up. "We tried to follow your plan. Everything was going smoothly. We captured most of their Pokemon and were about to set fire to their house." He told Gozu. "But… your intel was off. For some reason, their kid showed up."

Gozu narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, he showed up?"

He held up his hands placatingly. "No idea, boss. Maybe he got tired and wanted to head home early. Maybe he forget something and needed to come back to get it." He offered. "But whatever it was, he was there. We had to leave."

Gozu's frown deepened. For a long time, he simply stared at them all as if he was deciding what to do with them. Despite the apparent tension in the air, Ash did his best not to let his anxiety show. He was thankful for the glasses over his eyes. If he didn't have them, he was sure his fear would have shown itself.

"Don't worry, kid." Petrovic said. "I've yer back if anything goes wrong. I'm right outside."

That helped, even if only a little.

Gozu sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Hmm. Fair enough. Sometimes, things just go wrong in this business." He said. "I'll give you all props for snagging their Pokemon, especially the Miltank. Those'll fetch a pretty penny on the black market."

"Meet a gruesome end, too." Petrovic pointed out. "Best-case scenario? They end up part of some rich League brats team down the line or part of some corporations creamery empire. Worst case? They'll be some lucky bastards filet mignon."

He wished Petrovic would stop talking.

"Well, lads, I guess a deal's a deal. I ain't gonna let people go around saying Gozu doesn't pay his debts." Gozu told them. "Stop by the bar tomorrow. Frank'll make sure you all get your money. Be sure to keep an ear to the ground – we may have more jobs coming up in the future."

While the others slowly began to make their way towards the exits, Ash cautiously approached Gozu. "Mind if I talk to you for a minute, boss?"

Gozu grunted in annoyance and rolled his eyes. "What is it, Woods? I've got more important things to do than stand around talking to you."

"What a rude son of a bitch. Working with him must be a real pain."

Ash nodded and bowed his head. "I understand, sir. I just thought you might be interested in this."

When Ash pulled out Kiawe's Z-Ring and presented it to Gozu, he'd admit that the shock on the career criminals' face amused him. The thug must not have expected a common criminal like Alex Woods to be capable of stealing one. He was supposed to be a moron down on his luck, after all.

"Where did you get this?" Gozu took it from him and held it up to the light, as if examining it for any imperfections or signs of forgery.

Ash shrugged. "The kid at the ranch had it. I think was doing the Island Challenge or something."

"And he just handed it over?"

"He did when I pointed a gun at him." Ash said. "I wouldn't have killed him over it. That would have just been stupid… but he didn't know that. I thought there'd be a reward or something if I brought one of these back."

Gozu whistled in appreciation. "For a prize like this? You bet your ass there will be." He slipped the ring onto his finger, chuckling in appreciation. "You've got debts to pay off, right? That's why you're doing all this?"

Ash nodded, shifting his eyes to the side and wringing his hands together. "Yes, sir. I'm… getting close to the deadline they gave, and I don't wanna find out what happens if I can't pay in time."

"Heh. Well, it's your lucky day." The Rocket officer patted him on the shoulder. "How much is your debt? Don't answer that – it doesn't matter. Whatever it is, the reward for a Z-Ring will more than cover it."

He forced his eyes to widen, and he leaned back in apparent shock. "T-thank you!"

"Don't thank me. You're the one who put in the work." Gozu crossed his arms and hummed. "In fact… Team Rocket could use competent people like you. What would you say if I offered you a job on a more permanent basis?"

"Well, well. Looks like you're in. Congrats, brat! Never thought you'd- "Petrovic cut out, replaced entirely by the static of a comm gone dead.

Despite the smile he plastered on his face, Ash couldn't help but feel worried. Why had Petrovic cut out like that? Something wasn't right. "I-I'd say that I accept!" He rushed to answer. "I'm in! Whatever it is Rocket needs me to do to prove myself, I'll do it!"

Gozu chuckled. "I like your enthusiasm. Alright, it's settled then. Stop by the bar in a week and I'll go over the process with you. Trust me, this is the best decision you'll ever make."

The lights above them suddenly cut out. Ash looked around in bewilderment, his glasses automatically adjusting to the sudden change in lighting to allow him to see. Before he or anyone else could figure out what was going on, the massive warehouse doors were blown off their hinges, allowing light to flood inside and blind everyone else.

Standing before the warehouse was a veritable army of police officers and Pokemon, poised to strike at a moment's notice. Each of them – Human and Pokemon alike – all wore body armor designed for heavy combat. Yet among them were a few vibrant, red and white uniforms that signaled authority and experience.

The Pokemon Rangers were here.

"We have you surrounded!" One of them shouted through a megaphone. "Come out with your hands up! If you do, no one will have to be hurt and we can promise you a fair trial! This is your first and final warning!"

Gozu spat on the ground. "Like hell we're doing that! Boys! Let's show 'em how we deal with honest cops in Kanto!"

Ash didn't have to wait long to figure out what he meant by that. A gunshot rang out and pinged off the armor of one of the police. Then… chaos erupted as the police opened fire on the criminals within and their Pokemon charged in.

He didn't stick around to take part or see what happened. Ash turned tail and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, ducking behind various crates and boxes. With the cries of Pokemon and the constant thunder crack of gunfire, it was almost impossible for him to think.

He couldn't afford to panic. Not like in Alto Mare. Wherever Petrovic was, he wouldn't get here in time to save him and Ash doubted the police would be any kinder to him than the Rocket Grunts they were after. All he knew was that he couldn't afford to be captured.

If they arrested him, then it was only a matter of time until they uncovered who he really was.

Ash took a breath to center himself. All he had to do was find his way to one of the exits and make his escape into the forest. The Rangers said they had the building surrounded, but he doubted they snuck people in there. Even if they did, it wouldn't be nearly as heavily manned.

It was his best shot.

As he crept along the edges of the fight, the constant sound of bullets pinging off a metal assaulted his ears. The growls, barks, and roars of thrashing Pokemon was only amplified as many of Rocket's captives were released and joined in the fray on the side of their saviors.

As he came to a stop just behind the corner of one large crate, the ground shook. Peering out from behind it, Ash saw Gozu and his Aggron standing above a fresh splatter of blood and gore. It was all but impossible to tell what it had once been.

"You bastards just don't know when to quit!" Grasping his dog tag in his hands, Gozu held it out towards Aggron from behind cover. Before their eyes, it and Aggron both began to glow. "It's time I showed you just what I'm capable of!"

It was too late for anyone to stop it. In an explosion of iridescent energy, Aggron mega evolved before their eyes into a walking mountain of armor. It roared a challenge towards the surrounding police and charged forward – tearing up the concrete and crushing everything in its path. It reduced anyone too slow to move out of its way to a fine, red paste on the ground.

Ash tore his eyes away from the display. He couldn't afford to focus on Gozu. He would just need to have faith that the Rangers and the police could survive Gozu long enough to bring him down.

With the exit in sight, Ash practically sprinted towards the safety of the door. Once he was outside, all he had to do was make it past the tree line and he could disappear-

A cry of pain drew his eyes to the side, and he skidded to a stop. Like him, a few of Rocket's Grunts had realized how dangerous things looked and made their way to the exit. Yet, unlike him, their attempt at escape hadn't been as easy.

Three Rocket Grunts stood in a close circle around a lone figure on the ground, a Mightyena at their side. Upon closer inspection, there was a Ranger unconscious and bleeding at their feet, a Buneary by her side and badly beaten.

"Shit!" He heard one of them shot. "What do we do now!? She just jumped out at me!"

"It doesn't matter! We gotta get out of here!" Another said. "Just kill the bitch so we can go!"

They recoiled in shock. "What? But they're a Ranger! If we do that, they'll- "

"She's dead anyway!" One of them growled. "If we leave her to bleed out like this, them Rangers'll make us pay for it tenfold. Better to just get it over with now."

Ash's body acted before his mind even realized what was happening. His hand flashed to the revolver hidden on his belt. Stepping out from behind the corner, he leveled the barrel of his gun at the skull of the Mightyena and fired.

It never knew what had killed it.

As blood spattered on the Rocket agents and the gunshot rang out, they all leaped back. "What the- "

His hand snapped up. One, two, three more shots. Three more bodies fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, massive holes in the center of their skulls. For a second, the air stilled as what he'd done began to sink in. And he felt…

Nothing.

Why did he feel nothing?

No, he didn't have time to think about that. Not now, not when someone's life was in danger! Ash rushed forward to the side of the Ranger and her partner Pokemon to inspect their wounds.

While the Buneary would survive, the odds weren't looking good for the Ranger. Frankly, it was a wonder she was still breathing at all. That Mightyena had smashed through her armor and left a massive gash across her abdomen with its claws. If he didn't do something soon, she wouldn't make it through the night.

Unclasping a Pokeball from his belt, Ash released Pikachu. Before his partner could even fully process what was going on, he raised his hand to silence him. "Turn your tail to iron and press it up against her wounds." He ordered. His voice never wavered. "Electrify it just enough that the heat will cauterize them."

Nodding swiftly, Pikachu did as commanded and laid his tail up against the Rangers wounds. Lightning danced around his fur and sparked off its steel tail, but not once did it electrocute the wounded woman. It was a testament to how bad of a shape she was in that the Ranger didn't wake up from her wound being closed.

Ash scrunched up his nose in disgust at the smell of burning flesh, but kept his nerves steady. As long as she survived, he doubted she would care about how bad her scars would be. Or if she did, at least she'd still be alive to do it.

Once the bleeding had stopped, Ash nodded. "Alright. Let's get going, Pikachu. We can't stay here any longer- "

"Oi! Todd!" A voice shouted from not far away. "What were those gunshots? Are there cops back there?"

Shit. They needed to leave ASAP. He couldn't just leave the Ranger here, though. Rocket may overlook her Buneary, but an injured officer like her? If those other Grunts had been any indication, they wouldn't show her any mercy.

He needed to take her with him.

Scooping the Ranger up in his arms, he threw her over his shoulder. With a simple nod, he and Pikachu sprinted out the back door just in time for the nearby Rocket Grunts to see them and give chase.

The hunt had begun.

---

Petrel watched the Ranger raid from a distance with a deep scowl. Of all the rotten luck he could have gotten, those flamboyant sons of bitches just had to conduct their raid tonight of all nights. That brats luck must have been absolutely abysmal to get caught up in this.

Nothing he could do now, though. He wasn't stupid enough to think charging in would do any good. Best thing for everyone would be to wait until the fighting was over and comb through the wreckage for whatever was left. Ash would just have to survive until then.

He didn't fancy the kid's chances.

With an annoyed sigh, he pulled out his phone and pressed speed dial. "Oi, Looker. I've got bad news. Kid's in danger." He frowned. "It gets worse. The Rangers are involved… ya need to get here fast."

---

Latias could never understand nightclubs.

The music was so loud you couldn't even hear your own thoughts, let alone what anyone else was saying. The lights were always such odd colors and strobed so vibrantly that it was difficult on the eyes. Not to mention such massive crowds of people that you could easily become lost in it all. Combined with excessive alcohol, she had never wanted to step foot in one again.

Sitting at the bar under the guise of Anabel, however, Latias regretted not sticking to that decision. Pokemon senses were heightened compared to Humans, but for a Legend like her? The sights, sounds, and smells in this club might as well have been an assault on her ability to think.

That was without even mentioning all the surface-level thoughts and emotions she was sensing. Desperation to forget their worries. Unbridled lust for the people around them. Joy as people danced and drank the night away with friends and strangers alike. There was even a small collection of depressed thoughts huddled by the bar.

Yet buried beneath it all were the more insidious feelings. This anger and cruelty. Those looking to prey on the innocent patrons in the bar or otherwise hiding their greedy business where the authorities couldn't catch them. This nightclub was owned by Team Rocket – a base of theirs, so to speak.

Latias had to work hard to convince Looker to tell her where it was, but it was necessary. She needed to show that she was making progress or the Tapu's would get impatient. If she didn't, the destruction they would cause would be horrific. The people of Alola didn't deserve to be collateral damage in a war between the Tapu's and Team Rocket.

Fortunately, she could alleviate that tonight. If Interpol was right, then this was a major front for money laundering, intel brokering, and drug dealing. All she had to do was get all the innocents out and she could get to work dealing with the real threats.

Her eyes flashed up above the bar towards the wall. Behind the bartender, a fire alarm hung nearby. Hidden by the vibrant lights above, her eyes glowed as she used her Psychic energy to pull the alarm. In an instant, the sprinklers above went off and doused the crowds below in an endless stream of water. Screams of annoyance and confusion quickly gave way to panic as the blaring alarm sounded off.

Touching the minds of over a hundred people at once was never a simple thing – least of all when in a state of panic – but Latias was no ordinary Psychic. Rather than trying to brute force her way into their minds, she teased at their lax defenses and slowly stalked inside until a link had been established. From there, she could direct the crowd with some level of control.

Enough that even though they were all desperate to escape an imagined fire, they didn't trample anyone underfoot. It was a common danger in emergency situations. When people were running for their lives, they never cared who they stepped on to save themselves.

Thankfully, she was here to prevent that.

Once everyone had cleared out of the nightclub, all that was left was her and the criminals inside. They had realized there was no fire and stuck around. She could sense one approaching her from behind.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid you have to leave." She heard them say. "With the fire alarm tripped, we have to wait until the fire department arrives before we can let anyone in. Sorry."

Latias glanced back at him. Wordlessly, her eyes flashed. Unlike the civilians, she didn't show any mercy to this one. She smashed through his weak mental barriers and assumed control of his mind. In that instant, everything he knew became hers.

Only fifteen people were on guard tonight. In the basement, there was a vault full of a couple million in cash. Yet the most valuable thing here tonight was in the office on the second floor inside a safe on the wall. A flash drive full of blackmail material, intel, and financial records for their operation in Alola.

Perfect.

Rising from her seat, Latias kept up her illusion and turned towards the other Rocket guards who had been watching. Like their fellow, their minds fell easily to her power, and they became puppets on a string – their minds buried under the compulsion to obey.

Her eyes flashed, and the guards moved in unison to the basement. They would get to work setting the money inside ablaze and dealing with their fellow Grunts. She would focus on the safe.

Making her way to the second floor wasn't difficult. What few guards and their Pokemon that got in her way quickly fell under her sway. By the time she reached the office, she could sense only a single presence inside. That must have been the one in charge.

Pushing open the door, she stepped inside to find the owner of the nightclub sitting at his desk. More alarmingly, a Sableye stood at his side.

How annoying.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you made a mistake coming here." The owner said. "Do you have any idea who I am? Who I work for?"

Normally, she'd have been all for letting the bad guy ramble on. Tonight, though, she just didn't have the patience for it. Her eyes flashed, forcing the man unconscious with a single thought. When her gaze turned to the Sableye, she was surprised to see them raise their hands in surrender.

"Whatever you are, I don't want to fight." They said. "I can tell you're not Human. So, if you'd be so kind as to let me go, I'll tell you the combination to the safe. Assuming that's what you're after, anyway."

Latias tilted her head aside. "No need. I can get it myself." She narrowed her eyes. The Pokeball on the belt of the owner shattered under the pressure of her mind. "There, you're free. Go find yourself a new Trainer. Preferably, one that doesn't work for criminals."

The Sableye chuckled. "I'll do that. Good luck with whatever you're planning."

As the Sableye faded into the shadows to make their escape, Latias turned her attention to the painting on the wall. Lifting it off and tossing it aside, it revealed a tiny safe that required a passcode and a retinal scan. Team Rocket spared no expense to protect their investment.

Psychic energy reached out around the edges of the safe and encased it. Latias narrowed her eyes and gave a single command: Pull. In an instant, the safe ripped itself from the wall, sending a shower of dust and debris into the room. From there, cracking it open had been as simple as flashing her eyes and snapping the metal hull in two.

A lone flash drive fell to the ground.

She gingerly picked it up off the floor and held it in her claws. With this in hand, it was finally time to go. Team Rocket would be feeling this blow for a long time. With any luck, it would help them bring Matori and her lackeys to justice.

She hoped that Ash's mission was going as well as her own.

---

Ash didn't know how long he and Pikachu ran through the forest.

With the massive weight on his shoulder and the Rocket Grunts on his trail, it was impossible to keep track of time. His lungs burned and his muscles ached, but he forced himself to push on through the thick underbrush.

He had to. He could hear the distant voices of his pursuers alongside the yips and growls of their Pokemon. Frankly, it was a miracle that he hadn't been caught already. That wouldn't last forever, though. Eventually, his legs would give out or he'd trip and fall. Then it would be pitifully easy for them to kill the Ranger and him both.

They needed to strike first to prevent that from happening.

With that in mind, Ash skidded to a stop behind a massive oak tree and set the Ranger down against it. It took all his strength not to collapse right next to her. As it was, he was hunched over his knees and gasping for breath.

Pikachu glanced up at him and tugged at his pants. It didn't take a Psychic to know he wanted to know what the plan was.

It'd be great if he had one.

Leaning against the tree for support, he pulled out his revolver and slowly began to reload it. He'd need every bullet he could get for the fight ahead. "Alright. Here's the plan." He panted. "I need you to hide in the treetops. While I distract them and draw them away from the Ranger, you hit them from behind with everything you have. Got it?"

Pikachu narrowed his eyes.

"We don't have a choice!" He hissed. "Unless you have a better idea, we're gonna have to fight our way out of this."

Pikachu grumbled.

The voices of their pursuers grew ever closer.

Ash tried his best to smile for his partner, but all he managed was a weak grimace. "Come on, we've gotten out of worse than this. If we can survive Arceus' wrath, a couple of thugs should be no problem."

It didn't look like Pikachu believed him, but he did what he was told anyway. He scurried past Ash and dashed up the tree to hide among the branches. This late at night, he'd be impossible to see amongst the leaves and shadows.

For his part, Ash moved away from the Ranger and hid behind a different tree. Once his revolver was fully reloaded, he drew his dagger from its sheath and held it close. Reaching up, he switched to a thermal view of the forest. He needed to know just what he was dealing with.

The sight was nearly enough to make him vomit. Half a dozen Grunts and their Pokemon – a variety of serpent, canine, and boulder Pokemon – all barreling through the forest towards him. He couldn't panic, though. Not when someone's life was at stake. For their sake, he'd find a way out of this.

He had to.

As they drew closer, Ash steadied his breath and huddled up against the tree. By the time he heard their steps crunching the fallen leaves underfoot, he offered a silent prayer to Arceus. The growls and hisses of their monsters were so close he could feel his hair standing on end.

It was now or never! He steeled his will and-

"Argh!"

-And froze as a blood-curdling scream filled the air. Screams of fear and a frenzied roar quickly followed the sound of flesh tearing and bones shattering. Peaking out from behind the cover of his tree, Ash's eyes widened at the sight before him.

A Bewear stood in the center of the Rocket Grunts, covered in the blood of one of their own. Before any of them or their Pokemon could react, it struck again – moving faster than an untrained eye could perceive. Its massive paw smashed into the chest of a Grunt, sending them flying into a tree so hard that it splintered on impact.

Their broken body collapsed to the ground in a heap.

As it descended upon the rest of the criminals, Ash realized with startling clarity where he was. Back during his time in Alola, there had been a Bewear that made its home on the island close to civilization. Back then, he hadn't known the dangers of this titan of a Pokemon and nearly paid for it with his life. There was a reason most Alolan's considered it the most fearsome Pokemon in the entire islands.

A reason the Rocket's were now experiencing firsthand.

One Mightyena tried to turn and flee, only to be batted into the horizon with enough force you could practically hear its organs turn to mush. As the Grunts finally gained their bearings and tried to give commands, the Bewear had already killed another Mightyena.

This was more than a simple territorial fight. As aggressive as they could be, Bewear never attacked without giving a warning first. Yet this one had struck out of nowhere with such rage that it left Ash petrified.

He didn't dare move for fear of it turnings its attention to him.

One Grunt managed to raise their pistol in time to get a shot off. It struck the Bewear square in the chest… for all the good it did. The enraged beast barely seemed to feel the bullet in its chest and cleaved the man in two with a single swing.

An Arbok dashed towards the Bewear and wrapped itself around the imposing monster. As it tried to constrict the Bewear's movement and choke the life out of it, its fangs glowed a sickly purple and sank into the flesh of Alola's top predator. The three remaining Grunts opened fire with panicked screams, wildly firing in the vague direction of the Bewear while a Graveler accompanying them rolled forward and slammed into it at full force.

Yet it held its ground unflinchingly in the face of the unrelenting assault. No matter how hard the Graveler pushed against it or how many bullets penetrated it, Bewear remained standing. With a guttural growl, it flexed its muscles… and ripped itself from the coiled body of the Arbok, tearing the serpent to shreds.

"Get out of there!" One Grunt shouted to the Graveler.

But it was too late. Wrapping its paws around the living boulder, Bewear lifted it off the ground with ease and used it as a shield to block the bullets of the Grunts. Dashing into the middle of them, it smashed the Graveler down upon one of them and turned them into a fine red mist in an instant.

With the Graveler lodged in the ground, it raised its mighty paws above its head. For all that the Graveler struggled to flee or beg for mercy, it could not escape its fate. The Bewear brought its arms down and demolished the enemy Pokemon in a single blow, leaving behind nothing but disjointed chunks of rock and rubble.

"Oh, fuck this!" One Grunt shouted as they turned to run.

It was a mistake. The Bewear leaped through the air and pounced upon the back of the Grunt. Despite crushing his spine under its own immense weight, the creature hammered its paws into the body and beat it into an unrecognizable mess, kicking up dust and leaving a small crater in the ground.

It only stopped at the sound of a Pokeball releasing the monster inside. Before Ash's eyes, a Pangoro materialized behind the Bewear. It didn't bother to wait for its Trainer to give a command, it simply charged at the Bewear and tackled it from behind, carrying it forward and smashing clean through a tree.

"That's it, Pangoro! Kill that overgrown son of a bitch!" The final Grunt shouted, an almost hysterical edge to his voice.

Normally, Ash wouldn't have put his faith in that. As strong as Pangoro could be, Bewear was in a whole other league. Stronger, faster, more durable; they outclassed the Kalosian bear in nearly every regard.

But this Bewear had already taken a lot of damage. By now, the poison from that Arbok's bite would start taking effect and the blood loss from its wounds would make it weaker. Just enough that every mistake it made would only result in even more crippling injuries from the Dark type.

Ash tightened his grip on his revolver. Dashing out from behind the cover of his tree, he pressed the barrel of the gun against the Grunt's head. "Return your Pangoro, now!" He growled.

The Grunt froze. "W-what? Hell no! That thing killed all my friends!" He shouted. "Wait a minute… you're the bastard we were chasing! That thing must belong to you! You son of a whore!"

As Grunt tried to spin around to face him, Ash acted on his adrenaline-fueled instincts. He pulled the trigger… and it rewarded him with a shower of blood so thick it splashed back on his face.

He froze in shock and stared at the practically headless corpse at his feet.

The gunshot drew the attention of the Pangoro. It ceased its assault on the Bewear long enough to look back and see its dead Trainer. The enraged cry it let out was enough to snap Ash from his stupor to see the monster rush towards him with fire in its eyes.

Before it could get even halfway, however, Pikachu dropped down and slammed his Iron Tail directly atop Pangoro's skull. While the beast stumbled back, Pikachu sparked dangerously and let off a blast of electricity so hot that the ground underneath him turned to ash.

The instant it seemed to start resisting the pain of the electricity, and took a step forward, Ash raised his pistol again. He pulled the trigger and watched as the imposing monster stumbled back from the force of the bullet striking its chest. Once, twice, thrice, and five more times until every bullet he had left had been spent.

By now, the Pangoro was panting heavily and absolutely coated in its own blood. It wouldn't last much longer. If the anger in its eyes was anything to go by, however, it didn't intend to die until it had brought one of them with it.

"Pikachu, full power Thunderbolt!" He ordered.

His partner charged up the electricity and prepared to launch the final attack. Before he could, however, two thick arms wrapped around the chest of the Pangoro and lifted it up into the air. Just as quickly as it was lifted up high, it was brought back and slammed into the earth.

Bewear panted above the broken body of the Pangoro. Even from where Ash was standing, he could tell the Dark type was barely conscious. He wouldn't be surprised if that last attack had left it completely paralyzed now.

That didn't seem to be enough for Bewear, however. It slowly moved towards a nearby tree and ripped it clean out of the ground with a mighty heave. Stalking towards the Pangoro, it hefted the impromptu weapon high and brought it down like a sledgehammer on an egg.

The first strike killed the creature – completely caving in its chest. Bewear didn't care. It kept hammering away at the corpse, smashing the tree into the ground again and again with every ounce of strength in its body until the tree itself split in half on the ground. By the time it was done, you couldn't even tell what its enemy had once been.

Bewear looked to the sky and roared in anguished triumph.

Then… it collapsed to the ground. Its wounds had finally proven too much for it to endure.

For a moment, Ash just stood there and tried to process everything that had just happened. He didn't know if it was exceptionally good luck or bad luck that had made him wander into Bewear territory, but he'd take his mercies where he could get them. If it hadn't been for that thing, he and Pikachu might not have survived.

Staring at the body of the Bewear, he frowned. While he could still see its chest rising and falling, it wouldn't last much longer in this condition. It needed help – help it wouldn't get out here in the forest surrounded by corpses. Soon enough, the scavengers and carrion eaters would arrive. By then, any hope of survival for it would be gone.

Pikachu tugged at his pants and pointed towards Bewear, whining with his ears pressed against his skull.

Ash closed his eyes. "I know. You're right."

Fishing an empty green Pokeball out of his pocket, he tossed it towards the unconscious Bewear. It didn't even shake once before signaling the successful capture. At least in there, it could be held in stasis until he could get it to a Pokemon Center.

That would need to come later, though. For now, he still had a Ranger to save. He could focus on himself and Bewear once they were safe.

He just had to make it out of this forest.

---

"How bad is it?"

Petrovic scowled. "Not good, Looker. Rangers mucked the whole operation up." He said "It's a shitshow. Lots of dead and wounded on both sides, not to mention all the freed Pokemon wandering around. They couldn't even capture Gozu with all the firepower they brought. Useless gits."

Looker sighed. "I couldn't care less about any of that." He growled. "Where's Ash?"

"Got no idea." Petrovic shrugged. "Can't find any trace of the brat. Best guess? He slipped away in the fighting and made a break for it. Smart thinking – he wasn't ready for this kind of fight."

Not by a longshot. The moment Looker had heard about what was happening, he and Anabel had come as fast as they could. Yet by the time they arrived, it was too late. The warehouse had been torn to shreds, and the Rangers stood victorious… if one could call this bloody battle a victory.

"We won't find him by standing around." Anabel said. "We need to get in there and see what we can find."

That wouldn't be difficult. While the police had set up a perimeter to keep the few curious civilians out, they couldn't stop Interpol from coming in. Not even the Rangers had the authority to do that.

It didn't stop them from trying, though. One police officer on the perimeter held up his hand to stop them. "I'm sorry, but you three can't come in here. It's an active crime scene. You should all head home."

"Well, look at that! A policeman with some manners." Petrovic chuckled. "Now that's rarer than a shiny these days."

The officer frowned. "Excuse me?"

Anabel sighed. "What he means is we're allowed to be here." She pulled out her badge. "We're with Interpol. Would you mind stepping aside so we can do our job?"

"Interpol?" The officer stepped aside. "Alright, come on. Just try not to mess anything up. We're still trying to figure everything out."

Once they were past the perimeter, they could get a better look at things. Paramedics were frantically tending to injured officers and Rocket alike. While the fires had long since been put out, the scorch marks they created lingered.

"Alright, here's the plan." Looker told them. "Petrovic, start asking the captured Rockets and police what they can remember. They might have seen where Ash disappeared to."

He nodded. "I'll make 'em talk."

"Anabel, you do the same with the Pokemon." He ordered. "One of them is bound to know something. Start with the ones the Rangers freed. Knowing Ash, he'll have done something to stand out in their eyes."

"What about you?" Anabel asked.

"I'll investigate the perimeter. It's a long shot, but there might be a trail we can- "

"When I heard that Interpol was here, I thought someone was playing a prank on me!" A voice called out. Looker turned to see a Ranger moving towards them. "Why does it seem like whenever something goes wrong, you people manage to crawl out of the woodwork?"

Looker groaned in annoyance and dismissed the rest of his team. They could get to work while he focused on this fool. "Maybe if you Rangers could do your jobs right, nothing would go wrong in the first place."

The Ranger sneered. "Clever. But then, that's you spooks in a nutshell, isn't it? Always have a comeback and always have an angle. So, what is it this time? Why are you here messing with my crime scene?"

He grinned. "We were in the area and figured we could help. You Rangers are always whining about how we don't help you, so here we are. I'll expect a thank you in the form of a fruit basket."

The Ranger scoffed. "Fat chance!"

He shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for trying." He tapped his chin. "Though, come to think of it, why are you people here? There was never any word of a raid happening tonight. It's almost like you were trying to hide it."

"Of course we were. Rocket has moles in the police. If we wanted this to go right, we needed to keep things under wraps." The Ranger narrowed his eyes. "Why should that matter? Interpol would never spy on fellow agencies, though… right?"

Looker crossed his arms. "No, we wouldn't."

They snorted. "Sure. Just like you'd never funnel money to criminals or break the laws yourself. You still haven't told me what you're doing here."

"And I never will." Just outside the perimeter, he could see the news crews finally arriving. They must have been salivating at the thought of this tantalizing story. He gave it one day before the conspiracy theories started. "Oh, look. Your adoring public is here. You should handle that. We all know how much you Rangers love the spotlight."

He didn't bother waiting for a reply. Brushing past the Ranger, he moved deeper into the ruins of the warehouse. Those Rangers… somehow, they always knew how to get under his skin.

"You seem unhappy. What's wrong?"

Looker blinked. Was that Latias' voice he heard just now? Glancing to the right, he saw the identical form of Anabel standing there; her head tilted to the side in curiosity. She must have snuck in while the police were distracted.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. "I thought you were hitting a different Rocket base?"

She shrugged. "I finished early. You weren't at the hideout, so I came to find you." She said. "Oh! I also brought you a souvenir."

Latias dropped a small flash drive into his hands. Looker stared at it in silence for a moment. He couldn't believe it. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised, but he couldn't help it. Latias had managed to assault an entire Rocket hideout on her own. It would have taken weeks of planning and a well-equipped team of normal agents to pull this off.

They really were lucky to have her on their side.

"I'll go over this later to see what we can use." He told her. "It's good you're here, actually. We could use your help."

She blinked. "With what?"

"Ash is missing." It was better to rip the Band-Aid off than dance around the issue. "He was undercover when the Rangers raided the warehouse. We think he escaped, but we can't be sure where."

Latias' eyes glowed dangerously. A shiver ran down Looker's spine and his hair stood on end. The sirens of the ambulances and police cruisers suddenly went off, blaring under duress. There was even the telltale sound of metal creaking under what he could only assume was her attempt to hold back her Psychic power.

"I'm going to find him." She turned to leave.

"We still have no idea where he even is!" Looker told her. "What are you going to do?"

"Search the forest. It's the only place he could go they wouldn't find him." She called back. Her illusion dispelled – vanishing into thin air as though she had never been there. "I'll move faster on my own. If you find anything, call me."

Looker cursed under his breath and let out a sigh. He knew better than to try to stop her. He'd just have to hope she was right. Who knew what state Ash would be in when they found him?

---

"Gah, why are you so heavy?" Ash mumbled.

The unconscious Ranger on his shoulder gave no answer.

He sighed. "Yeah. That's what I thought you'd say."

Ash didn't know where he was going. They had just been wandering further into the forest and away from the warehouse. Ever since the battle with Bewear, everyone chasing him was dead- gone. They were gone. He could focus on everything else later. Shaking his head, he glanced down at Pikachu.

"Any ideas?" He asked his partner.

Pikachu glanced up at him. He chirped in response and shook his head.

"Well, we can't just drop her off at a hospital or a police station. We'd never make it through the city, let alone be able to leave once we get her there." He said. "We need to find another way."

His partner hummed in thought for a moment before coming to a stop. Raising his head, he sniffed the air and closed his eyes in concentration. Then, without warning, Pikachu took off into the distance as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"H-hey! Where are you going?" Ash shouted. "Wait for me!"

Ash chased after his partner, careful not to drop or hit the Ranger with any branches in their way. No matter how much he called out to Pikachu, he wasn't listening. All Ash could do was chase after him and have faith that he knew where he was going.

And when they emerged from the tree line… he understood immediately where he was.

Mallow's home.

His eyes widened. "What the hell are you doing!?" He hissed to Pikachu. "No, I'm not involving Mallow in this!"

Pikachu ignored him and sprinted up to her back door. Scratching at its base and screeching at the top of his lungs, it would have been impossible for her not to hear it if she was here. So it was with a resigned sense of defeat that when she opened to door to see what all the noise was about, he walked up the steps of her back porch.

She gasped at the sight of him. "Ash? What are- "

"Hey, Mallow." He tried to smile nonchalantly. He doubted it came across well. "You, uh… said you wanted to help, right? Well, I could use some right about now."

"I don't understand, what's going on? Who is that?" Despite her protests, she stepped aside to allow him inside. "And… is that blood?"

"It's not mine." He said without thinking.

He winced. That wasn't something he wanted to think about, let alone talk about. Shaking those thoughts from his head, he moved into her kitchen and cleared off the table. Gently setting the Ranger down, he took a closer look at her wounds. Mercifully, they hadn't reopened since he closed them.

"Tell your dad I'm sorry for messing up his kitchen."

"He's out with a friend tonight." Mallow slammed her hands on the table. "Ash, stop for a second and just tell me what's going on!"

He took a deep breath. When Pikachu hopped up to his shoulder, he scratched his partner behind the ears. "I was on a job for Interpol tonight. Undercover work, you know? Everything was going fine until the police conducted a raid." He told her. "That's how this Ranger got injured. I had to blow my cover to save her, and I had to take her with me when I fled. By the time we were safe, I didn't know where to go or what to do."

She blinked. "And the first place you thought to come was to me? Ash, I'm flattered, but I'm not a doctor."

He glanced at Pikachu. "No, but you are someone with a phone. Someone I can trust." He looked to the ceiling, running a hand down his face. "I need you to call the police. Tell them you just found her outside your door and that she needs a doctor. I sealed her wounds, but a professional should still take a look."

Who knew what sorts of things had been under the Mightyena's claws or in its mouth? He may have stopped the blood loss, but if she got an infection? Then only a doctor could save her now.

A frown split Mallow's face, and she stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What about you? Are you okay?"

No. No, not by a longshot. He couldn't tell her that, though. She didn't need to know what it was he'd done. He couldn't have her looking at him like a monster… and he couldn't afford to think about it until he was back at the safe house.

He could hate himself later.

"As much as I can be." He smiled weakly. "Don't worry. I'll be fine once I get some rest."

Her glare turned stern as she jabbed a finger into his chest. "You better. If I find out you're rushing off to do something dangerous after this, I'll strap you to a bed myself."

Ash chuckled. "You know, you should be careful how you phrase things."

"Don't try to change the subject." She warned.

A genuine smile graced his face. "I promise: no more danger for me tonight. Not once I leave."

"Good." She leaned back against the table and groaned. "First Kiawe, now you. It's as though everyone in my life can't go two seconds without getting in trouble."

He flinched. "How's Kiawe doing?"

"Apparently, Team Rocket hired a bunch of thugs to steal his family's Pokemon and burn down their house. He was able to stop them, but not before they took most of their livestock. One of them even stole his grandfather's Z-Ring."

"Ah.. that wasn't just any thug. It was me." He admitted.

She froze. "… what did you just say?"

"Before you get angry, just let me explain. Please." He begged. "I didn't know what we were doing until it was too late, and I needed to get close. Helping them was the only way to do that. If I tried to stop them, my cover would have been blown."

She crossed her arms. "You just blew your cover to save this woman – a complete stranger!"

"That's different! She would have died if I didn't do anything!"

"Did you point a gun at Kiawe?" She demanded.

His silence was her only answer.

"I can't believe it! Ash, what are you doing? How could you do this!?"

He and Pikachu both shrunk under her critical glare. "We don't like it anymore than you do. I had to do it, though. If we don't stop Team Rocket, they'll take over Alola. They would have gone after Kiawe eventually. At least with me there, I prevented the worst of the damage."

"Prevented it? You helped them do it!" Mallow accused. "They may not have lost their home, but their Pokemon? They can't run their farm without them!"

"The Rangers will give them back their Miltank." Assuming they survived the raid, anyhow. "They can always find more Mudbrey and Tauros. I did what I could."

"And the Z-Ring?" She growled. "Did they tell you to take that as well?"

He closed his eyes. "No. They had no idea he had one. I took that to help sell my cover." He whispered. "I can't excuse that. But I promise you, I will get it back."

"Forgive me if your promises don't inspire confidence." Mallow tightened her fists for a minute before her shoulders sagged in defeat. "What's happened to you, Ash? You'd never have done something like this before joining Interpol."

He wouldn't have. Back then, he had been the type of person to believe good intentions and a strong bond with your Pokemon could overcome any obstacle. He'd been naïve. Now he knew better. He knew that sometimes, risks needed to be taken to do good in the world.

He hated himself for it.

"Tell Kiawe I'm sorry." He said. "I should get going. You need to call the police, and I have a team to meet up with."

"Yeah… yeah, you should do that." She turned her back to him. "Just stay safe, Ash. Kiawe deserves to hear all this from you. You can't do that if you're dead, and I don't want to lose my friend again."

A weak laugh escaped him. "You know me, Mallow. Nothing can keep me down."

He and Pikachu left soon after. An ambulance and police cruiser would be here in the next few minutes. He needed to be long by then if he wanted to remain free. At least without the Ranger on his shoulder, he could focus on finding a way back to the safe house.

Just as he was about to pass through the tree line, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Before he could even understand what was happening, something swiftly tackled him to the ground and… nuzzled his face?

"I was so worried!" Latias shouted in his mind.

He gawked. "Latias? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, moron!" She growled. "When I heard what happened, I came as fast as I could. I've been searching all over the island for any trace of your mind. Looker and the others are going to be so relieved you're okay."

A warm feeling spread through his stomach. Even with everything that had happened, it still felt good to know that the team had his back. The simple fact they had been worried about him was enough to make him smile.

"I'm fine, Latias. Just tired." He promised. "We shouldn't stay here, though. The police will be here any minute."

She lifted off him and hovered nearby, beckoning him and Pikachu to climb on. "Got it! Where to?"

"Pikachu and I could use some rest. Just take us back to the safe house. Anywhere that won't involve more fighting."

---

Ah. Another long hiatus, another long chapter. You guys know the drill by now. Writers block is a monster we all despise. But I finally managed to work through it and bring the next chapter to bare! I hope you guys enjoy it. Let me know what you think! I appreciate all the kind words and people interested in more.

Until next time, have a good day.