Pokemon (Detective Pikachu)

A Legendary Search

41. What happened to you?

"Hey, calm down." Litten said, laying on his stomach. One of his paws was crossed over the other, and he lay next to the small fire. Tim was on the other side of that fire, as close as he could safely get. "Charizard, Alakazam, and your friend Gengar went to handle it. Your friends are as safe as can be."

"If only it were that easy. I know they're strong, but we don't know what or how many Pokemon were sent after her…" Tim told him, rubbing his head with one hand.

"Well, you'll find out. Charizard is back." Stufful announced, racing into the room. She had been standing watch at the door; now, however, she ran in to duck behind a rusty, overturned popcorn machine.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Litten said, looking irritated. "You're on watch, you can't just take a siesta."

Stufful didn't answer, or perhaps rather the disappearing of her behind the machine was her answer.

"Good grief." Litten grumbled. "Well, she did say Charizard is back. He'll let us know if you need to hide, even if Stufful is unreliable.

That got an answer. "Hey, that's mean!" Stufful's voice was muffled. "You know I don't like people!"

Tim, confused, was about to ask Stufful what she meant when the door swung open. He looked up, a surge of anxiety rippling through him- was he going to have to make a run for it? Stufful was watching at the door to warn him if anyone came to the park- and saw the last person he expected.

Emilia blinked in the dim light for a moment before her eyes landed on him.

"Tim…" she whispered, then her eyes widened, and her volume rose. "Tim!"

Tim stood as she raced over to him, on his feet just in time as she plowed into him, wrapping her arms around him. His mind went blank with shock and he stumbled, but stayed on his feet and brought his arms up to hold her, too.

"Oh my gosh… oh my gosh… Tim! Are you alright? Are you okay? I missed you!" She choked out, pulling back to get a good look at him, but not pulling far enough away to let go of him.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay. What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Charizard brought me here… gosh, you don't… you don't look okay… Tim, you're all dirty and, and you've lost weight!"

Tim was well aware of both of those… he'd had some help with procuring food, but it hadn't been enough, and he'd spent more than one night unable to sleep much from hunger pangs. He'd also spent most of his time in the last four weeks either inside this building, or trying to outrun an explosion, which definitely caused a certain amount of filth to accumulate. He was suddenly acutely aware that his sweater now looked more black then red, and his hair stuck to his head in filthy, matted clumps. He swallowed.

"I, uh… yeah." He finished lamely. What could he say to that?

Emilia didn't seem to care, pulling him closer again. Tim opened his mouth to tell her to stop, she was getting her own coat dirty, but couldn't really get the words out. Emilia, though, still had things to say.

"We were all so worried about you… we didn't know what had happened! And then strange things kept happening, and we found your phone and knew it was H, but we were trying to figure things out and solve the case so you could come home and…" Emilia swallowed. "And we couldn't figure out what had happened. And.. and… you're so cold…" Emilia trailed off, one of her bare hands grasping one of Tim's.

Tim definitely knew he was cold, too. The temperature outside kept him huddled near the fire, going over his notes over and over with hands that shook from cold rather than nerve damage and trying to figure out solid evidence that he could lay down. He knew exactly what had happened and who was responsible… but had no evidence to offer except his word. And no one outside his circle of friends would take that.

Tim shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I'm alright. Are you alright? I overheard them… they were getting desperate, so they were going to stage a Pokemon attack in broad daylight… Charizard and Alakazam and Gengar all said they'd go stop them, but… what happened?"

"I was… wait, they all… said they would go and stop it?"

Tim winced at his slip-up. He'd gotten used to talking to Pokemon here without worrying about being overheard… oops.

"Um, I mean… uh…"

"Tim… please, tell me. What's been going on?" Emilia whispered. "There's… there's things you've been hiding from me. I've been feeling that for awhile…"

Tim sighed and rubbed his face. "The more you know… the more danger you'll be in." Tim told her bluntly. "They're already going after you because of me… I can't make things worse for you!"

"Hey… it's you!" the voice completely distracted him from his conversation with Emilia and Tim looked down, shocked to see Stufful had not only come out of hiding, but was sniffing at Emillia's ankles. "This scent… you're the one that leaves the Pokefood!"

Tim blinked and looked up, mind blank for a moment. "You leave the Pokefood here?"

Emilia's expression turned shocked. "I… wh- ah, yes… I felt really bad for all the Pokemon here. Their world completely came crashing down, so… yes, I bring food as often as I can. I haven't come in the last month, but… how did you know that?"

Tim's face heated us as he realized he'd just slipped up, yet again. "Um, I mean-"

"Can you… talk to the Pokemon, Tim? There have been so many times where it seemed like you knew just what they were saying… can you understand them?"

Tim sighed. "It's a long story."

Emilia nodded. "Okay. Well, let's sit down, then. I don't think we're going anywhere any time soon."

He shook his head. "I can't do that. You're already in danger, I can't make it worse."

He grunted in surprise when Emilia then gave him a small shove. "I was just attacked by three huge Pokemon, and then four more joined the battle while I was in the middle of it. Tim, I really don't think it can get worse than that."

"You can still go home." Tim told her solemnly. "You can be placed in protective custody. I doubt he would go after you there. I don't have that option. You do, but if I tell you and he finds out, then that puts the real target on you. He's attacking you, but only to draw me out… that's why I sent Absol to protect you. If I tell you what I know, then he'll want you dead, too, like he wants me."

"Then we stay together." Emilia whispered. "Because it seems like right now, if he wants me because of you, then the safest place for me to be is with you. And besides that, I don't care. Listen to me, Tim." She grabbed his shoulders as he started shaking his head. "Listen to me. I don't care about the danger this could cause. If you're involved, I want to be involved, you understand me? I've liked you since I met you, and the more I'm with you, the more I want to be with you. I… I don't like it when you're reckless, when you do something for someone that might get yourself hurt, and I don't want you looking into dangerous situations, but… I know that's who you are. That's just who you are, and while I don't like how often you've scared me, I know you're going to keep being that way because you're you, and I don't really want you to be any other way, so I want you to keep me with you. I want you to keep me involved. At least if I'm involved, I know what's happening and can maybe help you… because that's what I want. That's all I want. I want… I want to be with you, and I want you to want me with you. I want you to feel like you can tell me things… anything. I will never think you're lying, or being silly… I know you. I've seen you at your best, I've seen you in a hospital bed… I've seen you face down horrible people and legends alike without wavering… but one thing I've almost never seen that I want to see is… when you need something, because I want you to feel like you can come to me. That's what I want… I want you to come to me. If you need help, or don't know what to do, or even if you just feel like it's too much. You don't have to be strong all the time, Tim. I want to look after you the way you look after everyone, because… because I love you." Emilia blinked away tears she didn't remember shedding and looked at Tim's face. She wasn't quite sure what was in his expression… shock? Hope? Fear? All three? She brought her hands up to his face, cupping it, her heart twinging at the fact that his cheekbones were a lot more prominent than they should have been. "I love you. Please."

She leaned closer, trying to figure out what his reaction was. She still couldn't read his face. She felt his hands come up to her shoulders, but he didn't push her away; instead, he simply held her, staring at her until finally, he spoke, voice cracking.

"I know what happened but all the evidence points to me. I don't know how I'm going to close this case. I'm scared."

"I know." She soothed, leaning closer. "We'll do this together. We'll close this case together."

"Okay." He whispered, his breath fanning across her chin and cheek. "Okay."

Emilia had never been happier with his answer. She closed the gap between his face and hers, tilting her face so she could press their lips together, and when he pressed back, everything just melted away, just for a moment.

"Wow, Mewtwo sure has been meddling in your life, hasn't he?" Emilia sighed. The two of them were sitting in front of the fire, Emilia's back against Tim's front as Emilia's coat was draped over them both from behind. Tim had protested her taking it off, but she'd been adamant about using it this way; Tim needed to raise his body temperature. Even now, she could still feel him trembling with cold behind her, despite being able to share her body heat this way. Actually, she was starting to get cold, too. But Tim's story wasn't finished yet, he'd only caught her up to the point where he'd left to go into the office building, so she wasn't going to move from where she was, leaning against his chest while his arms were around her, her arms on top of his.

At that moment, though, she felt one of his hands move, trembling a little harder than the rest of his body, and asked a question she'd been meaning to ask.

"Tim, why didn't you tell us about your hand?"

Tim stiffened. "What do you-"

"You know what I mean, Tim. Your hand. We ran into Tyler… he said that he's seen it shake uncontrollably sometimes. Tremors… indicate nerve damage. Your hand didn't fully heal after all… but you didn't tell us. You told us it was fine. Why?"

Tim sat stiff as a board for a moment, then sighed, slumping. "I… I didn't want to worry anyone. And… I hate it. I can't use it like I used to… it's not as strong, and it doesn't just shake sometimes, sometimes it goes numb or starts tingling. If I try to use it much, it gets worse."

"Do you still get pain?" Emilia pressed, hoping the answer was no… and hoping he wouldn't lie to her.

Tim gave a noisy breath, not really a scoff but a sound that Emilia often heard him make when he didn't want to lie, but didn't want to tell the truth… didn't want to answer. And that was answer enough.

"Oh, Tim." Under her coat, Emilia's right hand searched out Tim's, and found the wrist. Fingers tucking under his sweater sleeve, she encountered the brace. She rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.

"It's not a big deal." Tim muttered.

"Of course it is, if it causes you pain! Does it hurt right now?"

"Just a bit." Tim mumbled. "It's ached some as it got cold. But mostly the pain comes in brief, intense spasms. I just get those a couple of times a week."

Emilia sighed, resting her head against Tim's neck. Something else he'd been hiding from them.

"Lit, lit." The Litten on the other side of the fire stood up and stretched. "Lit, litten."

Tim scoffed.

"What did he say?" Emilia asked softly. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't fascinated by the fact that Tim could now understand Pokemon perfectly.

"He told me to get on with the rest of the story." Tim muttered, face turning a bit red from what Emilia could see.

"Did he? You're blushing…" she teased, and his face went even redder. Litten purred.

"Basically." Tim mumbled, barely audible, and Emilia giggled; Tim's blush was deepening. Whatever Litten had said, it was obviously something more than just telling him to finish, and Tim didn't want to say it aloud. Next to her, Stufful shifted. The little pink Pokemon had settled down next to her and gone to sleep awhile ago. Charizard had squeezed his way in just before Tim had started his story, and was now standing at the doorway, head sticking out to watch for anyone outside. Alakazam and Genger were both present as well, having returned as Tim told his story, causing a break in the telling where Emilia asked when Gengar had done with Meiko, and Gengar had assured her, through Tim, that he had simply taken her into GNN where it was safe, and reassured both of them that Absol was alright as well. The three attackers had retreated, and Absol had joined Meiko inside, any injuries minor.

"Well, you might as well finish it, then. What happened next?" Emilia asked him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Right, so I got the note to come at eight, so I got on Absol and rode there. We went into the parking lot together…"

Tim slid off Absol, looking at the large building.

"Well, this is it…"

"Careful, Tim, I'm getting a bad feeling about this." Absol warned. "I'm sure it's what I've been feeling all day."

"Well, then, we'll be careful. Let's go in there and stop this… whatever it is." Tim said.

"Stay close, just in case." Absol implored, and Tim nodded.

"Okay."

Side by side, the two entered. The parking lot under the building was mostly empty, less than two dozen cars scattered around. Tim almost opened his mouth to call out, but thought better of it; if there was someone here, it might be better not to startle them. Tim walked as quietly as he could, Absol padding silently next to him, as they went deeper into the parking lot.

"I don't see anyone." Tim muttered to Absol as they went further in. Given that it was so empty, it would have been easy to spot another person.

"Maybe they're inside a car?" Absol suggested.

"Maybe." Tim scanned the cars, but it was hard to see them all, at least the interiors, given how dark it was. Some of the cars might have had tinted windows, too, but Tim wasn't sure.

Absol suddenly stopped, Tim going a couple steps ahead of him before he realized and halted.

"Absol, what-"

"Get out!" Absol roared, surging forward. Tim cried out as Absol grabbed his arm and yanked, bowling into Tim at the same time so that Tim lay awkwardly on his back. Grabbing his neck as Absol started running, Tim pulled himself into a more normal position on his back.

"Abosl, what's happening?"

"We have to get out, right now!" The Disaster Pokemon poured on speed as he raced towards the exit, streaking outside just as a deafening crack and rumble split the air. The explosion roared in Tim's ears as flames suddenly washed over him and Absol, burning hot. Tim might have screamed; he wasn't sure.

Absol screeched to a halt and pointed his face skyward; something blue gathered around his mouth before pulsing into the air, a ripple of water rising well over their head and then bursting to rain down, putting out the tiny flames that had caught on Absol's fur and Tim's sweater.

Tim sputtered a little. "You know Water Pulse?"

"I know a lot of moves. When I was a bit younger I watched Trainers with their Pokemon, studying their techniques to learn as many moves as I could, in hopes that that would help me stop more disasters."

"Wow…" was all Tim managed before the smoke and dust in the air started him coughing.

Absol took off, the fires on the two put out. Tim wasn't sure where he was going, but right now, Tim understood what he wanted; to put some distance between that building, and them. Eventually, they stopped in an empty, open parking lot, Absol catching his breath from the running, and Tim from the coughing.

"What… what was that?" Tim said finally. "The note said to come there at eight to stop something bad… it said people would die if we told. I mean, I knew it was suspicious, but that…"

"I suspect that was a trap. No doubt set by our "H."" Absol said. "The reason I couldn't feel it for certain until the last moments is because they didn't know if they would be blowing up the building or not. It depended on you showing up. I think."

"So, if I hadn't gone…"

"Don't do that." Absol snapped. "If you hadn't gone, there was a chance they might have done it anyway, to rattle you and make you comply with their next demand. If someone's after you that doesn't care who they hurt, then they're going to hurt others to make you hurt. Don't let them do that."

Tim sighed. Absol was right, of course, and he'd known it was a trap- he wasn't stupid- he just hadn't expected something on that scale. And it didn't change the fact that the owners of those almost two dozen cars in the parking lot… wouldn't be returning home. Someone- Tim knew Absol was almost certainly right about it being H- had gone too far this time. Tim's fingers tightened, gripping Absol's fur harder. "We have to find them!"

"Indeed. We can't let anyone get away with that. But how do we start?"

Tim opened his mouth to say they started by going to find his father, Mr. Baker, and Inspector Holiday and telling them everything; they were going to need their help. But he never got the chance, due to another voice calling out.

"Tiiiiiiiimmmm! Absooooollll!"

Startled, both Tim and Absol turned, Absol crouching as if getting ready to battle this new threat, but it turned out to only be…

"Meowth? Why are you here?" Tim's mind went utterly blank in his confusion.

Meowth panted as she ran up to them. "I..I overheard him talking! The man in the office… He said that he was going to get rid of you!"

"Woah, woah, woah, slow down." Tim knelt. "Who did you overhear?"

"I don't know, the man in the office! I snuck out about an hour ago to go playing, and I found a building with a vent thing on the outside, and I was able to climb up there because there was a garbage can under it. I pulled out the vent and went inside to explore. There were lots of vents on the inside, too. But I stayed in there because I worried they might be mad. Then I went by one office room and I overheard the man in there talking. He was trying to make his voice quiet as he talked to someone, but I heard him say "Do it! That boy and his Absol need to gotten rid of, now! Blow them up!" and I thought of you because you're the only person I know who stays with an Absol, and then I heard a huge boom! I thought they'd blown you up, so I left to see if I could find you! Thank goodness you're okay!"

Tim and Absol looked at each other. Could Meowth really have overheard the person who had tried to get rid of them?

"Do you know where that was?" Tim asked urgently. "Could you show us? We need to know who that was, right away."

"Yeah, yeah, of course! It was this way!"

Tim and Absol followed Meowth at a trot, a sense of urgency filling them… but, they could only go as fast as Meowth could run. Tim swallowed his frustration and kept up the pace. Meowth was doing the best she could; going at a run when she could, and slowing to a walk to pant when she couldn't, speeding up again as soon as she could. At last, she stopped outside a large building, panting. "This… this… is… it." She panted. "This… is the… place. This way!" She scampered around the side of the building as Tim and Absol exchanged alarmed looks.

"City Hall?" Tim asked hoarsely. Absol didn't answer, just looked at him, and then the two of them followed Meowth around the side. They found her standing, as she'd said, next to a garbage can underneath an air vent.

"I went in here." Meowth told them.

"Perfect. Do you remember what vent you stopped at? Could you get back there?"

Meowth hesitated, then nodded. "Um… yeah! Yeah, I could find it again!"

"Do you know if it had a window in the room?"

"Um… I don't know. I think so?"

"Then I need you to go into that room and wait at the window. I can find the office that way and maybe find out who it is!"

"I'll do it!" Meowth declared.

Meowth hopped up onto the can, then into the vent.

"How long do you think it will take to get to the right room?"

"Um… not long. Just a couple minutes."

"Alright, we'll wait here for a couple minutes, then, and then we'll come looking for you. Once either Absol or myself see you, get yourself back in the vent and back out, okay? Don't spend more time there than you need to."

"Got it!" She told him, then disappeared.

Giving her the couple of minutes felt like an agonizing wait; after three minutes, Tim looked at Absol. "You go right, I go left? Check all the windows you can see… hopefully one of us will spot her. We'll circle the building until we do, in opposite directions."

"Alright. If there's trouble, yell."

"I will."

Tim and Absol both took off, racing in the directions agreed upon. Tim prayed he would get some answers, and maybe something that he could work with. He was going to have to bring his father, Inspector Holiday, and Mr. Baker in on this; the more people who could work through this, the better.

Turning the corner of the building, Tim started running down that side, checking windows- and then he stopped.

One window had had its blinds drawn- blinds that now hung crazily, clearly broken. Inside, visible through the broken blinds, Meowth was racing this way and that, trying to avoid the man in the room who was frantically trying to grab her. If Tim hadn't been in shock from who it was, he would have berated himself for not realizing that the person would probably still be in there, and sending Meowth in with them… but he couldn't think of that just now, as the blood drained from his face and he watched them through the window.

Meowth spotted him, and looked relieved; the man was the next to spot him, and the man froze, face going as pale as Tim thought his own must be. Meowth raced away; he could actually see her bounce off the desk and up into a vent, getting away as Tim locked eyes with the man who'd wanted him dead so badly.

And as Tim watched the man's expression change, he felt certain that the man now knew that Tim somehow knew.

Turning away, Tim sprinted down the side of the building, going the same way he'd been traveling in to begin with. He needed to cross paths with Absol, and he called out the Disaster Pokemon's name as loudly as he could.

He needed to get away, far away. There was nowhere in Rhyme City that was going to be safe.

The office belonged to a newly re- elected man he knew too well now.

Mayor Helding.

H.

A/N: A lot to unpack in this chapter. A LOT.

And okay, now that we're finally here, I gotta give a shoutout to the guest reviewer back when I posted chapter 20 who started to suspect it was the mayor. Kudos, my friend! I got that review and was like, "OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!"

I've been trying really hard to give potential hints without making it super obvious until the last couple chapters… maybe I didn't do a good job making it subtle, or maybe you're just that good. Regardless, detective hat's off to you!

Also, as a fun fact, what Litten actually said to Tim was, "Why don't you get on with the rest of your story, Loverboy?"