Chapter 14: Being Lookered Upon
Ash and May were led to the police station on Mossdeep City where they went into the interrogation room with Jenny.
"So, what exactly led to this?" the officer asked while holding up the piece of armor that had been removed from Harley's Tropius. "And what is this?"
May looked at Ash uncertainly as he was more familiar with things in this time period. She might have a better chance of giving them away when it came to her full story.
Ash looked at Jenny and hesitated before saying. "His name is Harley, he was May's… ex-boyfriend that's been in love with her since they were children."
That was pretty similar to the actual story. Though Harley wasn't really in love with May, since they'd never actually met before and she'd only been promised to him.
"She decided she wanted to be with me and dumped him and he got really jealous and came after us trying to get May back," Ash said.
"I see. And this?" Jenny asked holding up the device.
"Something he made illegally. A device that forces Pokémon to do one's bidding whether he is their trainer or not," May said feeling that was a reasonable response.
Jenny frowned. "Like a capstyler Pokémon Rangers use, but it seems crueler and caused the Tropius pain, it flew off as soon as I removed it. I will have to see what else I can find out about it. If this is an illegal device it's probably more than enough to warrant at least ten years in prison."
Ash and May smirked.
"He called himself a Duke though?" Jenny noted.
"He's always been rather arrogant from what I've seen," Ash said.
He certainly was from the way he'd spoken against an officer of the law.
"I suppose that makes sense," Jenny said. "Well, the damage to the docks was quite something, and one of the people there was injured with a severe stab wound. I can promise you that there is sufficient evidence to put him away for a very long time."
"Good," May said. "Then he won't be bothering us again?"
"Most likely not," Jenny said as she finished writing her report. "But I will need to do further investigating. If you would both show me your IDs?"
Ash slowly drew his Pokedex and told May to do the same. They both handed them to Jenny who verified them.
"That checks out," Jenny said.
Ash grew worried. Harley wouldn't have an ID so it would look suspicious once they realized that. But that would affect him and May? They could only wait and see. For now, Ash had another concern.
"Is Morrison gonna be alright?" he asked.
"You will have to check at the hospital for that," Jenny said.
She drove them there with her police car. When they got to the hospital a doctor led them to Morrison's room. The man was unconscious but thankfully stable.
"He was lucky it was only his shoulder, but he may not be able to use it for a long time," the doctor said. "He will probably be out until tomorrow morning at least."
Ash and May looked at their new friend/rival in worry. But they were relived at least that he was not in any danger of losing his life. May looked down as a new thought entered her head.
"This is my fault," she said.
"No May," Ash said. "None of this is your fault. Harley did this, not you!"
She knew he was right but couldn't help feeling at least slightly responsible for the things Harley had done.
"If you hadn't come back, I would probably still be sulking," Ash said. "And Minun wouldn't have her trainer."
May smiled as she looked at her partner who had climbed onto her shoulder.
"I guess you're right," she said. "Du- Harley is to blame for his actions and no one else."
Jenny looked at May. Had she just about to call Harley 'Duke'? She felt as if there was something going on here, something she was not being told.
"I think that's everything I will be needing from you both," Jenny said. "I hope everything else goes well for you here on Mossdeep."
She headed off to return to the police station. When she got there, she met with one of her allies who was currently watching a news broadcast on TV. She looked and saw that Teams Magma and Aqua had both stolen a submarine from the Slateport City harbor. There had been two subs that were to be tested.
"Those teams are still up to no good huh?" Jenny asked.
"Yes," the man said not looking at her. "I hope to be able to pick up their trail sooner or later. I just hope its not too late. With the submarines and the orbs they stole as well, I fear they are close to completing their plan."
"Well, if you wouldn't mind doing a little investigating for me, there is something I'd like you to look into," Jenny said.
"And what would that be?" the man asked getting up and facing her. He was a middle-aged man in a light brown coat with short graying hair. "You know I'm a member of the International Police, right?"
"Then solving a mystery of two young people shouldn't be too difficult for you, Looker," Jenny said. "I feel there's something that they are not telling me about themselves. The madman who attacked the dock just a couple hours ago was trying to kidnap the young lady. According to her ID, she is the daughter of Norman the Petalburg Gym Leader. But I don't recall him ever mentioning he had a daughter before."
"Hmm. Nor do I," Detective Looker said. "That is very interesting. I will see if I can spare time to look into it. Just tell me who the other person is and I'll go and find them."
"Ash Ketchum," Jenny said.
"Well, how interesting," Looker said. "He's been at the center of the defeat of many criminal organizations. I suppose that will make things easier to find out what's going on. Very well, I'll accept this case and hope it leads me to Team Magma and Aqua as well."
…
Ash and May made their way to the Pokémon Center where they would rest and, in the morning, they'd go and challenge the Gym.
"Excuse me, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked after they checked in.
"Yes?" the Mossdeep Nurse Joy asked.
"Can you tell me what sort of Pokémon that the Gym Leader uses here?" Ash asked.
"The Mossdeep Gym specializes in Psychic Pokémon," Joy said.
"Oh," Ash said.
That would probably be an interesting battle. None of Ash's Pokémon would have an advantage or disadvantage over Psychic Pokémon.
"Just so you know, there are two Gym Leaders here," Nurse Joy said.
That caught Ash by surprise.
"Two Gym Leaders?" he repeated. "No way!"
"I'm afraid so," Nurse Joy said with a kind smile. "So, you have two options, either you find someone who is willing to battle them alongside you, or you can face them alone in a double battle."
Ash looked at May whose beautiful blue eyes widened at the news.
"Facing two gym leaders?" she repeated. "Wow, I never knew that was possible!"
"Neither did I," Ash exclaimed. "But, would you like to face them with me rather then just watch?"
She smiled. "Sure, why not?"
Ash smiled. "Thanks May."
He kissed her on the cheek and she smiled wider at the contact.
"Guess we better get some rest and go in tomorrow. After we check on Morrison," Ash said.
They headed over to the Center cafeteria to grab dinner as a man in the corner watched. Looker pulled back his glasses that he'd put on to cover his eyes. He'd also put on a hat to hide his head as well.
"Alright, mystery of the sudden daughter of the Petalburg Leader about to be solved!" he said.
…
Ash and May rested in their room along with their Pokémon. Pikachu and Eevee lay on the couch together while Plusle and Minun slept in their pokeballs. Tomorrow, May called out both Minun and Torchic as well.
"Okay, if I'm going to be helping you against two gym leaders, I will need to choose one of my Pokémon," May said. "What types of attacks are Psychic Pokémon weak against?"
"Uh, not too many," Ash said. "Bug, Dark, and Ghost. But we don't any of those."
Ash thought of his own Pokémon. Pikachu, Swellow, Grovyle, Corphish, Plusle, and Castform. Which one would he use? He thought back to his previous battles. He'd used Grovyle during the one at Petalburg, then Castfrom in Fortree, and Pikachu and Plusle in both battles. It had been a while since Corphish had had a turn, and the crustacean Pokémon loved battling, but the same could be said for Swellow as Ash hadn't used it since… since he'd fought a battle he'd lost against the Dewford Gym Leader Brawley before he'd met May, and that had been back when it was still a Taillow.
"Well, I know which Pokémon I'm using," Ash said. "Swellow!"
He then looked at May's Pokémon then remembered something. "Eevee can use Bite attack, which is a dark type move! That will do some damage against Psychic Pokémon!"
"Alright! Eevee it is then!" May said.
The evolution Pokémon looked at her trainer then turned to Pikachu uncertainly. She would have much preferred battling alongside her special someone. Pikachu put a paw on her.
"You'll do fine," Pikachu said. "And I'll be there to cheer you on the whole time, or maybe I'll get the chance to battle as well if the Gym Leaders use multiple Pokémon!
Eevee managed a light smile.
They had breakfast and then headed out to the hospital to visit Morrison. The man had woken up thankfully. He was now attempting to eat his own breakfast but had difficulty managing his silverware with the bad shoulder.
"Morrison!" Ash said.
"Hey, it's you two!" Morrison said.
"Yeah, are you okay?" Ash asked in concern.
"Well, I'm alive at least, might have bled out if not for you keeping pressure on this wound," Morrison said as he looked at his bandaged shoulder. "Thanks."
He then winced at the pain.
"I'm sorry you got hurt," May said.
"Wasn't your fault, that damn crazy man did this with his Seaking," Morrison said. "Please tell me he'd been locked up!"
"Yeah!" Ash said. "Officer Jenny thinks with all the eye witnesses and the evidence they'll have him locked up for a good long time!"
"Good," Morrison said managing a smile. "Well, I guess I won't be able to go to the Gym till I heal a bit, so I wish you luck Ash!"
"Thanks," Ash said. "Hope you feel better soon!"
Ash and May headed back out and began walking to the Gym. Ash had Pikachu on his shoulder while May carried Eevee.
"You really think they'll be able to keep Duke Harley locked up?" May asked.
Ash didn't want to get her hopes up too high. "I hope so. But prisons aren't always escape proof. I should know, I used to have this bunch of really annoying bad guys that were always chasing me trying to steal Pikachu. Me, Brock, and Misty all left them in jail at one point and they just got out soon after."
May looked down. "So, he could be back to hurt more people?"
"It's possible," Ash answered honestly. "All we can do is hope for the best."
May sighed then thought of something. "What I want to know is how he got to this time period in the first place! Did he come in through Mirage Tower?"
"That would have to be really lucky to end up in the same time period you ended up in," Ash said. "I don't know."
…
Looker listened to them as he watched from a small spy device he had following them.
"The Mirage Tower? The one from the legend that travels through time? Is that girl from the past or future?"
…
Ash and May continued walking through the island city, asking directions to the Gym. As they made their way there, they saw something.
Ash looked at a wall they passed by and spotted a poster for a… "Medieval carnival!"
"What?" May asked as they stopped.
Ash looked at the poster and read, "Moss Deep Medieval Carnival, takes place… tomorrow!"
"Medieval?" May questioned.
"That's what people call the time period you were from long ago!" Ash said. "Back when there were kings and knights all over! It says they allow costumes! Maybe we should go!"
"Can I use my traditional dress?" May asked.
She'd brought the dress back with her as a momentum of her old life.
"Of course," Ash said. "It would be perfect there. I'd just need to find something to wear myself. Let's see."
He looked at the poster.
"Okay it's says costume provided and there will be jousting on Rapidash, dancing, singing and a medieval themed banquet!"
"Sounds wonderful! Just like back home!" May said putting her hands together over her heart. "We used to have jousting tournaments back in our time all the time and the winner would receive a large prize of gold. Or the hand of a fair lady!"
"Well, you are the fairest lady in all of Hoenn, Princess May," Ash said.
"Thank you, and you are the most wonderful knight a princess ask for," May said.
They kissed and wrapped their arms around each other, not noticing a very small black drone nearby fly away. Pikachu's ears perked up and he looked but saw nothing.
…
Looker hummed. "So, this is the Princess May from the old legend that traveled through time to be with the one she loved. Very interesting."
Suddenly his cellphone rang and he reached into his pocket to pull it out.
"Looker here," the detective said.
"Looker, I have bad news. Team Magma is preparing their final operation!" A voice said on the other end.
"When?"
"They expect to be able to intercept Groudon in three days!" his contact said. "It will take place between Sootopolis and Mossdeep City!"
"I'm on Mossdeep now!" Looker said. "I'll get someone to help out and meet you there when I can! Thank you, Lance. I'll see you in a few days."
"You got it," the dragon trainer said on the other line as he hung up.
Lance stood on a submarine that had been stolen by Team Magma. He was in their uniform, undercover as a spy for the international police. Soon things would really start heating up, and get wet.
Oh boy, so Looker has found out the truth! Will this expose May to the public or will he decide to keep the secret? This definitely wasn't something I initially planned but once again the story just kind of writes itself. I felt like I needed to have some conflict in this chapter.
