Hello everyone! Here we are with the next chapter of A New Path. This came out faster than I expected and there were more people interested than I thought there would be. I'm glad. I took the advice some of you gave and added more detail to the story. I hope you all enjoy it. Since this story is going to heavily feature crime, I decided to add some elements about how Pokémon would have impacted certain crimes.
May had gotten used to sleeping in whenever she stayed in a hotel. While she spent most of her time waking up early on her journey - a remnant of her days travelling with Ash, Brock, and her little brother - she would confess that whenever she stayed in the city, she always took her time to enjoy the luxuries of civilization. Enjoying a good night's sleep wasn't something she got to do every day, after all. If she had it her way, she'd sleep forever.
Sadly, she rarely got her way.
The universe made that abundantly clear when a wave of ice-cold water splashed down on her. She shot upright, eyes wide and her hair clinging to her face. Her eyes darted around the room looking for the soon to be sorry fool who was responsible for this. It didn't take her long to spot her brother standing in the doorway, failing to smother his laughter with his Ralts stood beside him.
Her eye twitched. "Max... you're going to pay for this." She growled. "I hope you enjoy this joke while it lasts."
Max smirked. "Look at the bright side, May. At least now you don't need to take a shower."
She tossed a pillow at him. Would it hurt? No. Would it wipe that smirk off his face and make her feel better? Yes. Did it work? It would have if it weren't for that Ralts catching the pillow and throwing it back at her. She collapsed back on the bad when she heard them go, groaning into the pillow. It was no use trying to get anymore sleep. Not after her brother's lovely little prank.
She forced herself to her feet and through her usual morning routine. When she was dressed and ready, she trudged out into the common area of the suite they had all decided to share. Most of the others were up now and milling about the room. The only one who hadn't woken up yet was Ash. She wasn't surprised. She'd seen how tired he looked yesterday, and she was sure the others had as well. If he needed sleep, then he deserved to get as much of it as possible.
"Max actually went through with his prank? I swear, he's even more of a kid than Ash was when I travelled with him." Despite her words, it was clear Iris found the whole thing funny. Maybe if May hadn't been the one on the receiving end of an ice-cold awakening, she would as well. "Sleep well?"
May nodded. "I was until Max pulled his little prank." She sighed. "Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve a brother like him."
Serena rolled her eyes. "He's not so bad. He's charming, in an overexcited child sort of way."
Iris frowned. "Speaking of overexcited kids, you've all noticed how down Ash seemed yesterday, right?"
Misty nodded, brows furrowed in worry. "I did. I didn't want to bring it up when he was around, but it looked like he had a lot on his mind. He looked like he was thinking about something whenever he thought no one was looking."
Delia let out a sigh. Her hands tightened around the coffee mug in her lap. "He's been like this since Alola. Ever since he won the league."
"Why would he be so... sad after winning though? It's all Ash has ever wanted. It's what he worked so hard to achieve. He should be happy, not like this." Dawn mumbled.
Brock hummed in thought. "Maybe he doesn't know what he's supposed to do now. He may think that now he's won a league that he has no clear purpose anymore."
May hid her frown behind a sip of her coffee. She wasn't surprised that the others had noticed something wrong with Ash. Despite what she'd told him yesterday, he hadn't been able to hide his emotions well. Just like her, they were all worried about their friend. She was tempted to reveal to them what Ash had told her.
Only tempted though. She had given him her word and she wouldn't break her promise. He deserved that much. If the others had noticed and decided to try to help him, however, she'd do the same. Ash had been an inspiration for her during her journey. His unflinching determination and fire had always given her hope when she struggled. Whenever she thought something was impossible, she imagined how he wouldn't let any hurdle stop him and use it as inspiration to succeed.
She would do everything in her power to reignite that fire in him.
Cilan shook his head. "If that's true, then we need to do everything we can to help get him through this slump. Just because he's won one league doesn't mean he has to give up on his journey." He crossed his arms. "I know we all came here to celebrate with Ash, but now we have to help get him through this. All agreed?"
May and the others all nodded their agreement. Once Ash was up, they would help him as best they could. Chances were they'd all have to stay longer than they'd initially planned, but they'd do whatever it took to help Ash. He'd do the same for them if the situation were reversed. Until he woke up, they'd need to brainstorm some ideas about how to help.
Or so they'd thought. Once again, fate was unwilling to let things go so easy for May.
"Guys!" Gary shouted. He was deathly pale, clutching his Pokegear in his hand so tightly it might crack. "Someone turn on the news now! Get Max and Bonnie out of the room!"
Clemont didn't hesitate to do as Gary said and forced the two young children out of the room despite their protests. May felt a pit form in her stomach. Whatever had Gary worried must have been serious. What could have happened to put him in such a state? Had some Legendary been sent into a frenzy by another crazy team of criminals? Had there been an attack in the city from a herd of rampaging wild Pokémon? Was there some sort of natural disaster occurring in the world creating chaos among the people?
As it turned out, she would have preferred any of the others.
"We're getting confirmed reports that late last night, there was an attack at The Bisharp and The Gardevoir. It is with a heavy heart that I report that the victim of the attack was Elizabeth Burk, a philanthropist beloved by all for sponsoring young trainers' journeys and endeavors to help the homeless." The reporter intoned. "The police apprehended the assailant during the assault and identified him as Ash Ketchum, the 17-year-old victor and first Champion of the Alolan League."
It was said that a mother's love for their child was stronger than anything. Mothers were meant to support their children and any dreams they had. There were stories about mothers committing unbelievable feats of strength to save their children from beneath mountains of rubble. Every now and then, there were even the occasional tragedies where a mother would sacrifice their life to save their child from a rampaging Pokémon's blinding rage. Mothers were willing to do anything for their children. They would always support them, no matter what happened.
Delia was the perfect example of this. She had supported Ash in everything he set out to do. When he began his journey, she was there supporting him every step of the way and willing to offer advice if he ever needed it. When he participated in the League and fought against the best of the best, she was always there cheering him on. When he suffered doubts or felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, she was there to comfort him. When he was in danger, she was always the first one willing to do anything to protect him. Even when the odds were stacked against her, she wouldn't let anything stop her from supporting her son.
As far as May was concerned, Delia was the epitome of what a single mother could and should be. The love she had for Ash was obvious to everyone who knew the two.
Which was why the news that Ash had committed a murder must have shaken Delia to her core. May rushed to catch the woman before she fell and hurt herself. It gave her an up-close look at the sheer anguish on the Ketchum matriarch's face. Behind Delia's eyes lay nothing but shock, pain, and disbelief.
May wasn't much better. This... this couldn't be true. The Ash that she knew would never have done something like this! He was kind to a fault. He risked his life to save anyone who was in danger - whether they were a saint or a monster. She remembered how he had put her life before his own years ago when they'd nearly drowned in the temple of Samiya. He always strived to help others, no matter the cost. He could bring a smile to anyone's face and light a fire in them with just a simple conversation. That wasn't the sort of person who could kill another human being.
Let alone one that she would bet her life he had never met.
"We need to get to the police station. We need to find out what happened. There has to have been a mistake."
Ash didn't know how things had gone so wrong. One moment he was helping a girl save her injured Pokémon, the next...
"I'm only going to give you one more chance, kid. Confess. Make this easier on all of us and spare yourself the pain of going to trial."
The next he was in a police interrogation room, covered in blood sat across from an unhappy looking member of the police. Worse, he was being accused of... of having murdered someone. He didn't want to believe it. He would never hurt someone! He couldn't. But... he was covered in blood. He could feel scratches and bruises across his body. With no memory of the last eight hours either, he was beginning to doubt himself.
"I... can't." He whimpered.
The officer narrowed his eyes. It was clear he was losing his patience. "You sit here for hours not saying a word to anyone since we bring you in, ignore any offer to get an attorney or present the barest form of defense for yourself, and the first thing you have to say is that you can't confess."
The officer let out a tired sigh and slid a small stack of photos towards him. He flinched at the sound of them scraping against the surface of the table and reflexively slammed his hand on them so they wouldn't fall off the table. "Open your eyes, kid. If you want to say that you can't confess, that's fine. We'll take this to trial. But you should know that you will lose because we already have everything we need." The officer scoffed. "Don't believe me? Look at the photos."
He didn't want to do what the officer said. The last thing Ash wanted to do was force himself to see a crime that he had no memory of committing. But he had to see. Something inside was telling him that he needed to see what he was accused of doing. And what he saw horrified him. They were pictures of the crime scene and each of them showed a horrific amount of blood and damage. The walls had been smashed and smeared with blood. A table had been shattered and the glass of the window fractured almost completely.
The worst was the victim though. The woman was... he couldn't believe it. Whoever this woman had been before, it was clear she would be unrecognizable to anyone she knew. Her face was swollen and bloody to such a degree it disgusted him to look at the photo. Just looking at it made him want to puke.
He forced himself to look away. That only seemed to annoy the officer even more. "You sure you don't want to confess? Maybe get why you did this off your chest? Any jury will look at these and know that you're guilty. That's without even thinking about the eyewitnesses or the footage of you breaking into Mrs. Burk's hotel room."
Ash's eyes hesitantly slid to the officers. "I can't confess. I don't remember doing this. I... I couldn't have done this."
The officer scoffed. "Couldn't have done this? Kid, the arresting officers found you knee deep in her blood. There is not a shadow of a doubt that you're responsible for this." He slammed his hands on the table, forcing Ash to jump back in surprise. "The only reason we want a confession is to make things easier on ourselves. Not give you the time of day in court to inflict anymore pain on this woman's family."
"I can't confess to something I don't remember doing!" His eyes widened. "What if I was forced to do this? Controlled!"
It made sense! He would never hurt someone as long as he had any control of himself! If he couldn't control himself, though, then there was no telling what he would do. Surely the officer would understand-
"I'm not falling for that old trick. Nice try though."
Just like that, Ash felt all his hopes turn to dust. "Trick?"
The officer snorted in contempt. "The old Puppet Defense." The sneer made it clear he despised it. "You scum always like to blame others for your actions. You're hardly the first one to claim he was controlled by a Psychic and forced to commit crime."
He frowned. "But I could have been…."
The officer's eyes narrowed. "Kid, were you anywhere near a Psychic type or their trainer at all in the past few days?"
"No… they could have wiped my memory though!" He cried. "They must have! I don't even remember going anywhere near this woman."
"Excuses." The officer growled. "Kid, if there was a Psychic that powerful in the city, we'd know about it. There isn't a single Psychic type powerful enough to wipe away memories and control others that isn't owned by a trainer. And all of them can attest that they didn't go anywhere near you last night."
That… that wasn't right. If he wasn't controlled by a Psychic, then that would mean he really had killed this woman. He couldn't have. He had no memory of it, and he didn't have a murderous bone in his body. He couldn't have done this!
He couldn't have….
His silence must have shown his thoughts because the officer scowled and scooped the photos off of the table.. "Fine. Be that way. But I want you to remember that I gave you an easy way out with the confession. When you're convicted, I want you to watch the faces of your loved one's experience disgust and agony. You may not show any remorse or regret now, but I guarantee you will when your own mother looks at you like a monster."
The thought of what his mother and friends would say terrified him. He hadn't even thought about how they must have been taking this. The news would have reported this by now. It would be broadcast across the entire city, potentially the entire region. Who knew how long until it was spread across the rest of the world? He didn't want to face them. Not yet. They'd want answers that he couldn't give. If the evidence was enough to make even him doubt himself, he couldn't imagine it not being enough for his friends and family.
He was drowning at sea without a life vest or any help in sight.
"It's still hard to believe that he did this."
Looker glanced her way. "You and I pulled him off of her, Anabel. This shouldn't be difficult for you."
Anabel sighed. As she looked through the one-way mirror into the interrogation room at Ash, her mind wandered back to when they'd first met years ago. Back then, she had still been a Frontier Brain and Ash was one of her challengers. He'd been strong, kind, brave, cunning, and charismatic. She would admit... she'd had a small crush on him back then. One that had eventually faded in time. Even so, it was still hard to reconcile her memories of Ash with the monster she had seen in that hotel room.
She shook her head. "He's just not how I remember him being."
Looker frowned. "I know what you mean. I've met him before as well. He was a good kid then. He helped me in my operations against teams Galactic and Plasma. It's a shame to see that he became someone capable of murder."
She could feel the disappointment radiating off of the man. Literally. Her abilities allowed her to feel the emotion of other living beings, human or Pokémon. It also allowed her to communicate with them telepathically. A useful skill when she'd been a Frontier Brain since most trainers couldn't handle the uncertainty of what her Pokemon would do next. As a member of the International Police? It was invaluable. She could feel the emotions of victims and potential suspects, question Pokemon for clues, and communicate with any teammates without having to worry about an enemy listening in. It was the entire reason she had been recruited in the first place.
It was also the source of her doubt about Ash.
"Sir, if I can speak freely for a moment?"
"Go for it."
"Didn't something seem off about Ash?" She began. "When we intervened, he didn't react to us at all. Didn't say a word when we pulled him off, didn't try to resist us at all, didn't try to escape or hide from the press that had gathered outside. Then he spends the night here not saying a word or moving at all. Now he's acting as though he has no idea what's going on at all. It doesn't make sense."
Looker narrowed his eyes. "Some men lose themselves when they commit murder. Stop reacting to the world around them once it's over. Others can't handle the reality that they've taken a life and the guilt that comes with it. Their minds repress the memory to help them survive. It could be Ash is one of those people. It doesn't stop him from being guilty."
"I know. But... here's the thing, Looker. I couldn't feel anything coming from him at all."
Now she had his full attention. He turned to her and lowered his voice. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. There were no emotions coming from him whatsoever. Not hate, anger, sorrow, or boredom... nothing. In the hours that we've had him, not a single emotion has come from him." She narrowed her eyes. She reached out to Ash and was bombarded by a sea of emotions. The shame and guilt Ash was feeling was almost enough to overwhelm her. But the emotion that caught her most off guard was confusion. He genuinely didn't believe he'd done this. "Now, though, he's swimming in a ocean of strong emotions. This may sound crazy but... I need to speak with Ash."
Looker's expression hardened. "Why?"
"Because if my suspicions are right then he may not be responsible for this." She glanced up at the camera in the interrogation room. "I need you to get me five minutes alone with him. Without any eyes or ears on us."
Looker scoffed. "Is that all? The police won't just do nothing if their system goes down. They'll want eyes on him at all times after what he's done."
Anabel laughed. "You're resourceful, Looker. You'll figure something out." She patted him on the shoulder as she passed by. "Message me when it's done."
She made her way through the police station towards the interrogation chamber. The police cleared out of her way, offering her respectful smiles as she did. It was better than the usual reception she received. The International Police didn't mix well with other branches of law enforcement. Other groups despised the authority of the International Police to take control of any local force or operation without so much as an explanation. Add in the tendency of her group to bend the law when it was necessary, and it was little wonder that agents like her were viewed with suspicion.
She didn't let it bother her. Strict adherence to the law hadn't made a dent in Team Rocket's forces. If they wanted to win this war, they needed to be more flexible.
The spirit of the law was always more important than the letter, after all.
Anabel took a breath and steeled herself. This would be difficult. Ash was scared and alone. He was doubting himself for good reason. She couldn't let him panic. Not when they'd have so little time to get her answer. Once she received the signal from Looker, she made her way into the room. Her five minutes were already ticking away.
Ash's eyes shot to her when she entered the room. "Who are you?"
Despite the situation, Anabel allowed a small smile to grace her face and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Don't recognize me? I know I've changed a bit, but I thought you'd remember me." She sat down across from him and leaned forward, cupping her hands in front of her. "Anabel. The one you thought was a boy when you first met."
Recognition flashed through his eyes. "I remember you now..." He looked away. "You're a police officer now? Were you there when I-"
"Ash. Listen to me." She reached forward and grasped his head between her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. "We don't have much time. I know you have questions, but you need to trust me. Okay?"
He stilled. "Okay... I'll trust you."
"Good. Now be still."
Being one of the rare Human Psychics was a boon to her life. Empathy and telepathy were useful abilities. Much rarer than the abilities other Psychics had - like telekinesis. That was sadly outside of her abilities no matter how hard she tried. Beyond that, though, she was able to... detect the presence of other Psychics. When Psychics tampered with the minds of others, they left a noticeable mark for anyone who knew where to look. Psychic Pokemon did the same, albeit in a different manner. The marks they left were more... wild and potentially damaging. The downside of using their powers on a completely foreign mind.
When she found the Psychic mark in Ash's head - the void where a memory should have been - it confirmed her fears. Memories were fickle things. Two people who saw the same event would remember it two entirely separate ways. As time went on, they would forget or change things about the memory. Even when memories were supposedly forgotten, they were more dormant than anything. At any moment, they could be remembered by certain triggers. All were cases of memories being unreliable. For one to be completely gone, though, was all but impossible. It only happened in cases of severe brain damage.
As far as she knew, Ash hadn't suffered any head trauma. The only trace that there had once been something in the void of memories was the latent psychic marks left behind. Which meant only one thing: Ash had been controlled by a Pokemon and used as a tool to commit murder. He was just as much of a victim as Mrs. Burk had been.
Anabel retreated from his mind and leaned back. She winced in pain. Diving into another person's head was never something she enjoyed. The pain that came afterwards always endured for days. In this case, though, the pain was worth it. Now she knew her suspicions were right.
"Thank you for trusting me, Ash." She forced herself to her feet. If her estimates were right, she had less than a minute until the cameras came back on. "I have to go now but know this: You are not responsible for her death."
Shock and relief flowed from him. Even without her abilities, it was obvious in his posture. It was as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he could finally breathe easy. "I knew it! But the pictures-"
"Don't tell the full story." She made her way to the door. She glanced back at him. "I'm on your side. Just stay calm and everything will be fine."
She didn't stick around to hear his response. She didn't have the time. She needed to talk to Looker as soon as possible. The real culprits behind the murder were still at large and if things continued as they were, they'd get away with this while Ash took the fall. She and Looker may have been here to combat Team Rocket, but she would help Ash. After everything he'd done, he deserved that much.
"Excellent work as usual, Domino. I can always count on you."
Earning praise from Giovanni was a rare occurrence for most agents within Team Rocket. Most did work that was inconsequential. Routine thefts and other grunt work that hardly advanced any of their interests. Then there were the fools like Jessie and James - agents that could have become great if they weren't so single-minded. For grunts like them, they were only useful in fooling the public about Team Rocket's true nature. Still useful tools, but they were hardly reliable. The real work - the important work - was conducted by the Admins and personal agents of Giovanni.
The Admins oversaw the large-scale operations. When Team Rocket needed to establish themselves in a new region and stomp out potential rivals, the Admins were at the forefront. They oversaw important research into new fields of science that would help their business and ensure they remained a step ahead of their enemies. In the absence of Giovanni himself, they were the leaders of the organization and had the freedom to make decisions with the implicit support of the boss. So long as they served the organizations interests, they could do whatever they desired.
Then there were the Specters. The personal agents of Giovanni. While they had the authority to command the grunts of the organization when necessary, they typically worked alone. They recruited valuable allies and potential operatives to the organization. When someone was foolish enough to become their enemy, Specters were the guiding hand of their doom. If any valuable tech or Pokemon interested the boss, it was the Specters that stole them.
When things got truly dire, they would even be sent in to clean up the mess when the grunts failed, or the Admins were dealing with more than they could handle. Their arrival was a sign that heads would roll.
Domino herself had been part of numerous highly important operations. Operations that had secured Team Rocket's dominance and ensured Giovanni remained the titan of the underworld. Each of them could have ended with her imprisoned or killed for her work. The praise she received from Giovanni made all the hard work and danger worth it.
This was no exception.
She smiled and tipped her cap at Giovanni. "Thank you, sir. May I ask you something?"
Giovanni smiled. Sat behind his desk with his Persian in his lap, he looked like an ancient king. The man certainly had the commanding aura and resources to have been one. "You may. Can I assume it's about your most recent mission?"
Was she that obvious? "Yes, sir. This kid you had us frame… I understand that he's gotten in our way before, but was he really so much of a threat that we had to frame him for murder? He's an above average trainer at best with no experience outside of the league. It seems excessive."
Giovanni laughed. "I can see why you'd think that. What you know of Ash Ketchum is limited to his victories and defeats in the various leagues that he's participated in. He did exceptionally well in each one, always scoring within the top percentile of the competitors. Like you've said, he's even occasionally gotten in the way of our operatives during sensitive missions." He stood and walked towards the window of his office to look out at the city below. "Were he anyone else, I'd have found leverage against him and forced him to stay out of our way. But he's not just anyone."
What was Giovanni talking about? "Is he the kid of a rival? I know his mother's no one special, but the file I was given didn't mention who his father was."
Giovanni scoffed. "Hardly. His father is no one important. No, what makes him so dangerous is all because of his own actions." He glanced back at her. "You remember the old rivals, yes? Plasma, Magma, Aqua, Galactic, and Flare?"
She nodded. She'd had to deal with more than a few of their operatives on missions of her own. Those operatives were usually all well trained. It was a shame that they'd decided to dedicate themselves to working for megalomaniacs with plans of world domination - or worse, plans to forcibly change the world. Luckily, all of them failed miserably thanks to Team Rockets own efforts, the efforts of the League, and the efforts of various law enforcement agencies across the world. She told him exactly that.
"Indeed. Powerful rivals with delusions of grandeur. Each of them was powerful enough to bring their collective regions to their knees if they so wanted. Some even threatened the world. In time, it's possible they could have become a threat beyond their own borders." He chuckled. "And all of them were beaten by that boy. Or at least, he played a large part in their destruction."
Her shock must have shown because there was a flicker of amusement in Giovanni's eyes. But could she be blamed? One League obsessed brat had played enough of a role in the defeat of their rivals that Giovanni considered him more of a threat than any champion or law enforcement agency? She found it hard to believe. The kid wasn't that impressive as far as she was concerned. He was too naïve.
"If he's really responsible for what you say he is, then I understand why you want him off the board, sir." She frowned. "Are we sure this was the best move though? He's got friends in high places from what I can tell. Champions, League officials, professors. They could-"
"They will do nothing." He interrupted. "Calling them friends is a stretch. Acquaintances and mentors would be the more apt term. Most haven't seen him in years. None of them will be willing to stick their neck out for him when they see the evidence against him. Especially since he doesn't even have any memory of being controlled. Besides, he won't live past the weekend. An unfortunate suicide caused by the guilt over taking an innocent woman's life. No one will look closer."
If the boss felt the kid was dealt with, then she wouldn't press the issue anymore. Giovanni knew what he was doing. "If you say so, sir. Can I ask what my next assignment is?"
"You don't want to take any time to relax? You've worked nonstop recently - bouncing from one mission to the next without any time for yourself." He laughed. "Team Rocket will survive without you for a short while, Domino."
The thought of taking a vacation made her ill. She wasn't built to relax like some of the other fools their organization employed. She couldn't sit around on a beach drinking or wandering around the city aimlessly. She needed to work. She needed to do something valuable with her time. With how much effort she put into acquiring her skills, letting them atrophy to satisfy herself didn't sit right with her. Not when she'd get far more satisfaction from a job well done.
"If it's all the same, I'd prefer to keep working."
"Very well. Tell me what you know about the city of Alto Mare."
"Are you sure about this, Anabel? If you're wrong-"
"I'm certain, Looker." Anabel sighed. "Ash has all signs of having been under the control of a Psychic type. I'd bet my life that someone used him as a tool and an easy scape goat to commit their murder."
Looker took a deep breath as though to calm himself. She didn't blame him. Crimes involving Pokemon were nothing new. People used them for routine thefts all the time. Some used them for smuggling or fraud. Others solely relied on Pokemon such as the black-market trade of rare and highly valuable ones. They were even used to harm others. Criminals like Team Rocket or any of their now defunct regional rivals used them for all of these purposes - sometimes even more unique, esoteric crimes. The problem in this case was that this was a crime that couldn't be solved.
Psychic Pokemon posed a unique threat to humans. The ability to turn someone into a mindless puppet - to turn them into monsters that would kill their own friends or family without a second thought - was one of the unique dangers of psychics. It made identifying the true culprits in crimes difficult since those they controlled were usually the one's accused and convicted due to all the evidence that pointed to them. Most usually had their memories wiped as well. The only way to even identify when someone had been controlled was to have another Psychic enter the mind and specifically look for the signs. With how few Human Psychics went into law enforcement and the communication barrier between Humans and Pokemon, these types of cases usually ended with gross miscarriages of justice.
It didn't help that so many criminals liked to use it as an excuse to justify their actions. With how common of an excuse it was, she wouldn't be surprised if the police never bothered to investigate the claim in the first place. Why would they when they had clear evidence to convict? Most investigations showed that the accused were lying about being controlled anyway, so why waste the energy?
It sickened Anabel to her core that someone would use Psychic types for this purpose. It was scum like this that necessitated a registry for any sufficiently powerful Psychic.
She would not allow Ash to be another victim.
"Alright, Anabel. I trust you on this. You're Psychic, after all." He frowned. "You know this will be almost impossible to prove. Even if you're Psychic, the police won't believe you. Not when they have a mountain of proof that points to Ash and the majority of suspects who claim to have been controlled all end up being proven false."
Them being International Police wouldn't help either. To the local police, it would seem like they were trying to obstruct justice to protect a monster. Not a great look when they were already treated like criminals with badges.
"I'm supposed to just do nothing then?" She growled. "Ash was used like a disposable tool to kill a woman and the real culprit is leaving him to take the fall. I can't just let it happen!"
"Peace, Anabel. I'm not suggesting we do nothing." He placated. "I'm suggesting that we find the one responsible for this and get them to confess."
She blinked in confusion. "How are we supposed to do that?"
Looker laughed. "We use your abilities of course." He gestured to the city all around them. "You can communicate with Pokemon. That's an invaluable skill. Use it. Search the area around the hotel. The culprit may have made sure there were no Humans around to witness what they did to Ash, but I can almost guarantee they didn't think to chase away the wild Pokemon."
Realization dawned on her. "And once I find the Pokemon, they'll lead me straight to the one behind this!"
"Or give you an accurate description of the culprit if nothing else." Looker paused. "Do you know that Pikachu, Anabel?"
"Pikachu? What Pika-" She felt a tug on the leg of her pants. She looked down and saw a tiny Pikachu at her feet. She didn't recognize it at first. Pikachu were fairly common Pokemon for a lot of trainers. It wasn't until she heard its voice that she realized who this one belonged to.
'Anabel! Anabel, I need your help!"
Ash's Pikachu. The one that had been at his side since the day his journey began. She'd wondered where he was last night when she and Looker had to intervene. It was interesting to know Pikachu was able to recognize her, even after all these years.
"You're Ash's Pikachu, right? You look and sound worried... this is about Ash, isn't it?"
Pikachu nodded and dashed up her body to her shoulder. He stared her in the eyes. 'I heard about what they're saying Ash did. He wouldn't do that! You know him, Anabel. You have to believe me.'
Her heart broke for Pikachu. The earnest belief and care he showed for Ash was touching. The fact that he now had to listen to these accusations being hurled against Ash must have been terrible. "I don't believe he was responsible for this, Pikachu. My partner and I are going to do everything we can to help. How are his friends and family taking it?"
Pikachu's ears flattened against his head. 'Not well. Delia hasn't said a word since she heard. The others... they're worried about him. But they're also angry. I think some of them are starting to doubt him. They're talking to the police now in the station.'
That wasn't good. If they were talking to the police, chances were high that they were trying to find out why Ash was being accused. She could only imagine the looks on their faces when they were given practically airtight evidence that pointed to Ash as the killer. Whatever emotions they felt at that moment would likely have been enough to overwhelm her. And if they spoke with Ash? He would be crushed even more than he already was.
"I'm sorry, Pikachu. I'll do everything in my power to help." She hummed in thought. Maybe Pikachu could be useful. "Do you want to help us? If you do, we may be able to help Ash before too much damage is done."
'I'll do anything for him. What do you need me to do?'
Pokemon were inherently loyal to their trainers. It was a strange phenomenon that not many understood. Newly caught Pokemon had been recorded going to extreme lengths to protect and please their trainers. Even when their trainers were vile people - even those who treated them with no kindness at all - they would still obey and respect them. It took either extraordinarily harsh treatment or a severe lack of respect for a Pokemon to disobey their trainer. Yet... based on the immense feelings of worry emanating from Pikachu, she could tell their bond was something special. She could only imagine what the two had done together.
"We believe someone used a Psychic type to control Ash and force him to kill that woman. They turned him into a weapon and a scape goat. If you can help me track down where it happened, I can try to find any Pokemon nearby to help us find the one responsible."
Pikachu nodded and hopped off of her shoulder. 'Understood. Follow me.'
Before she followed, Anabel looked back at Looker. "He's going to help me track down where Ash went prior to going to the hotel last night. I may be a while."
Looker nodded. "I understand. Take your time and come back to me when you have answers. In the meantime, I'll get back to our original mission. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done there."
People thought being an agent of the International Police was an exciting career. For an organization like theirs that was shrouded in mystery to ensure they could be most effective, it was only natural that people made up their own minds about what they did. In the eyes of the public, they were elite operatives that infiltrated dangerous criminal organizations and brought them down from the inside. As far as the public knew, they were the best of the best. They lived exciting lives, traveled to exotic places, met interesting people, and did work that protected the world.
Some of that was true. They did have lives and experience things most people could only dream of. Their missions were always important - maybe not always world-changing, but certainly important to the people they helped. What no one who fantasized about the life knew, though, was that there were a lot of downsides. Even as a rookie agent, she knew that there were a lot of aspects of the job that were less than ideal. There was the constant danger that operatives like her put themselves in to protect others. Lots of the work they did went unheard and unseen by the public unless it couldn't be hidden, so they never received thanks for their missions. Then there were the dull aspects of the job - paperwork, surveillance, and - as she was personally experiencing for herself currently - searching for leads.
'-And then those Rattata from across the street tried to steal all of our berries! Can you believe that?'
Some people thought being able to understand Pokemon was a wonderful thing. And it was most of the time. Just not when she was conducting an important investigation to save an old friend from a crime he had no control over.
Anabel sighed. "Listen, as much as the drama between the Rattata families of Viridian City intrigues me... can you just answer my question?"
The tiny Rattata tilted its head to the side. 'What was your question again?"
She felt a flash of annoyance come from the Pikachu on her shoulder. 'Did you see a psychic type around here recently? Did a trainer use one against another human?'
The Rattata shook its head. 'Nope, sorry. Though I did see a bunch of Ekans recently try to-'
"Thank you for your time. Sorry to disturb you."Anabel practically ran out of the alley away from the Rattata. For the last two hours, they had talked to every wild Pokemon they could find. They hadn't been able to find a single one that gave them any clue about who framed Ash. They had been forced to listen to the drama of Pokemon all competing over territory, food, and anything else that could be considered valuable.
Pikachu growled. 'This is starting to aggravate me. Someone must have seen something.'
Anabel patted Pikachu on the cheek. "Have some faith. You said we still have one more spot to check, yes? We'll find one there." They had to. If they failed, then Ash's fate was sealed.
The last area they had to check was a small, decrepit alleyway. It was nothing special. Run down from years without maintenance and trainer battles, but otherwise unremarkable.
She glanced at Pikachu. "Are there any Pokemon nearby?"
Pikachu hopped off of her shoulder. He looked around the alleyway for a moment. 'Hey! Is anyone there? I need some help!'
For a moment, nothing happened. She was prepared to call it a failure. Then a Spinarak crawled out from a crack in the wall. It was big - far bigger than any Anabel had seen before. It looked at her for a moment before settling its eyes on Pikachu.
'Can I help you, young man?'
Pikachu nodded. 'I'm searching for someone. They would have been a human with a Psychic type - a powerful one. They'd have lured another human into this alley and attacked them.'
The Spinarak clicked its mandibles together. 'Now that you mention it, there was a human like that last night. Lured a boy in here and had that Hypno of hers take control. Poor boy seemed to have been trying to help her, but you know what they say about good deeds. Not sure what they did with him after.'
Pikachu and her both perked up at this news. Finally, they had a lead! If this Spinarak was telling the truth, then this could be everything they needed.
Pikachu rushed over to the Spinarak. 'Can you describe her? Please, this is important.'
'Hmmm... she was big - though all Humans are to Pokemon like you and me. Violet eyes and curly yellow hair. She was imposing as well - she tried to hide it, but it was obvious she wasn't some damsel in distress. Whoever the girl was, she was clearly capable. I certainly wouldn't want to follow her into a back alley.'
Pikachu tilted his head. 'Anything else?'
The Spinarak paced back and forth. 'There is one other thing. There was a flower on the girl's hip. Black. Like a rose or...'
Anabel's eyes narrowed. She crouched down in front of the Spinarak. "A tulip?"
The Spinarak blinked at her. Confusion rolled off of it in waves. 'Can she understand us?'
Pikachu nodded. 'She can. She's Psychic and one of those police that the humans have.'
'I see... well, yes. It was a tulip like your Human friend here said. Strange. Most Humans don't give a second thought to nature, let alone carry it around with them.'
Dread grew in the pit of her stomach. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't have been possible. Of all the people who could have been behind this, why did it have to be Domino? She needed to be sure. Needed to be certain before she told Looker who she believed was behind this.
Anabel pulled out her Pokegear. Connected to the International Police's database, she had access to up-to-date profiles on all the criminals they had catalogued and encountered over the years. A bit like a Pokedex for Humans. An important tool in her line of work. She pulled up the profile on Domino AKA the Black Tulip, one of Team Rocket's most dangerous Specters. There was hardly any information on the woman. Only a few photos and a list of crimes that she had been linked to. Anabel didn't doubt there were far more they didn't know about.
"Is this the woman you saw?"
Spinarak took a moment to look at the picture. 'Hmm... she was a bit older than this one, but otherwise she's the spitting image. She has the same predatory gaze in her eyes. Stay away from her if you know what's good for you.'
Well... this wasn't good. Ash hadn't just been used like a tool to murder a woman. He'd been turned into a mindless weapon by Team Rocket and forced to do something completely against his nature. Why? Because he had gotten in their way in the past? It was the only explanation Anabel could think of that they would dedicate one of their top operatives to frame Ash. He had made powerful enemies and not even known it...
"Thank you, Spinarak. You've been helpful. We'll be able to save an innocent life thanks to you."
Or so she hoped, anyway.
She sped out of the alley, Pikachu hot on her tail. She ignored his cries for answers about who the woman was. There wasn't any time. She quickly dialed Looker's number. He needed to know as soon as possible.
"Anabel? Have found out who controlled Ash?"
"I did. It was Domino, sir. The Team Rocket agent."
"..."
"..."
"Well... that complicates things."
"No, it doesn't." She growled. "We need to save him, Looker. Now more than ever. You and I both know their intent isn't to have him in prison, it's to kill him!"
She heard Looker sigh over the phone. "I know, I know... give me some time. I'll make a few calls. We'll get Ash out of this. One way or another."
She knew they would. She would do everything in her power to ensure it. No one would get in her way.
And that is the end of this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed what you read. If you have any criticisms or suggestions, please let me know. Anything that can help me improve this story so that you all will enjoy it will be greatly appreciated. Don't forget to leave a review and spread the word if you enjoyed!