Chapter 26

"So, can you tell what has caused his recent ailment?" Shadow looked worriedly at Blade.

"I'm afraid not. At least not here, I know you are worried, but surely even you know bringing him to me would've been a better way to diagnose him." The doctor, a female audino in a doctor's coat, spoke plainly. "But just based on what you've told me, it may be a combination of fatigue and over exertion. You should bring him by the hospital soon so I can properly tend to him."

"I will, I was simply worried about moving him." Shadow sounded genuinely worried. "I shall bring him soon, thank you Doctor Chakwas."

The audino took a bow. "Just be glad it doesn't seem to be serious. Yet." And she turned, leaving the room.

Shadow sat beside Blade, the sneasel had seemingly returned to normal, he was no longer exhausted, dizzy, or vomiting, though Shadow wasn't certain if that was because he was doing better, or because he simply ran out of things to expel from his stomach.

"How are you feeling?" The darkrai gently scratched behind Blade's feathered ear.

"Better, thank you." Blade leaned over resting his head in Shadow's chest. The darkrai happily embraced the smaller mon, hugging him and holding him close.

Then as if to break the tranquility of the moment, Shadow's phone began to ring. He let out a sigh, grabbing it and answering. "Hello?" He sat silently for a moment. "Slow down, what do you mean you think he's been kidnapped?" Shadow looked surprised. "Behind the Pizza Shack? They tried to kidnap Cynder? Alright, I will be there to help shortly." Shadow sighed again and hung his phone up.

"What happened, is Cynder okay?"

"Yes, I have simply been asked to assist in an interrogation. Will you be alright by yourself?" The words made Shadow sick, Blade had some ailment he had no information on, and now he was about to leave him alone.

"I'd rather go with you. I feel much better now, I can handle it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

"In that case, tell me if you feel any difference." Shadow pulled him close.

"I," Before Blade could finish his sentence they teleported coming out behind the restaurant. "will."

Shadow carefully released the sneasel and turned his focus to the approaching Officer Igni.

"Pyre said you can help getting the information out of them, how exactly?" The braixen asked cautiously.

"I have two methods, digging around their memories myself to see what is going on. Or terrifying them into cooperation."

"Both of those sound," Officer Igni rubbed his temples with one hand "unbelievably unethical and illegal."

"The only difference between myself and your interrogation unit at the police station is, they're sanctioned for it and I am not."

"Hate that you're right. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't do this, but several students as well as citizens have started going missing lately, innocent lives are at stake. So do whatever you have to."

That was what made Officer Igni one of the best, he bent the rules when it was for the greater good, but wouldn't sacrifice anyone if he could avoid it.

Shadow took his words and approached the drizzile and mightyena.

"Hello there. Let us make this easy on each other, talk." Shadow spoke plainly.

"Fuck you cock sucker!" drizzile spat the words, and spat on Shadow's suit.

"Do yourselves a favor and cooperate."

Mightyena spit on him this time. "Bet that hot piece of tail you brought would be great on my meat you edgy bitch."

Shadow let out a sigh. "So be it, we get to do this the fun way." Shadow clasped his hands together forming a ball of dark energy between them, quickly digging his claws in and ripping it open, blasting both pokemon with the attack. "Dark Nebula!"

The two pokemon reeled and fell back, and their bindings fell away. But as they turned to look at each other, they each found themselves in an endless void. Drizzile turned back only to be greeted by mightyena's face, or rather what was left of it. The wold like pokemons lower jaw was gone and their was what appeared to be a spear jabbed through the back of his head and out his left eye.

The water type stumbled back in fear, falling flat on his butt only to feel several solid objects crack under his weight. Looking around he saw a sea of bones surrounding him. The bones began to shake and rattle, until they turned to dust.

"Help me…" Mightyena's head called out, the little remaining flesh burning and melting from its skull as it too crumbled to dust.

Drizzile jumped to his feet and turned to run away only to collapse in an instant. As he fell face first to the ground he realized he could no longer feel his legs. Looking back, his legs were upright, and severed from his torso. Just as the water lizard opened his mouth to speak, his tongue was grabbed and pulled hard, hanging out of his mouth.

Then his mouth was slammed shut snapping his tongue off painfully. Just as he opened wide to scream he found he couldn't. He touched his face, finding his mouth had seemingly disappeared. Then he noticed, his scaled hands felt off, glancing down, he could see the bones of his fingers, and that his skin and muscle was falling from his bones.

His left arm fell and turned to dust, followed by his right. He looked to the sky, as if seeking and from above, as he felt his own face peeling away leaving nothing but his skull and eyes. He could feel every second of it, even his lower jaw crumbling and blowing away. His left eye liquefied, and a single tear flowed from his right eye as it too turned to liquid.

Just as suddenly, light returned, Drizzile and Mightyena were still tied up, and the darkrai was looming over them.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

The two pokemon glanced at each other then at Shadow and began to nod furiously.

"Officer Igni, they are all yours." Shadow walked away returning to find Blade chatting with Pyre and Tin.

"So Pyre, I know it could make you jealous, but ya think Blade here would fit between me and Placi?" Tin joked.

"Perish the thought, Blade is far too good for you." Shadow said rather defensively.

"I don't think he was serious Shadow." Blade giggled.

"Oh please, for a cutie like you, I'll be serious." Tin teased giving a cheeky smirk to the sneasel.

"You seem oddly quiet Pyre, is something wrong?" Shadow changed the subject.

"Yeah, uh Shadow somethings…."

He was cut off. "We've got a lead." Officer Igni had finished his questioning. "I don't know what you did to those two, but they're singing like squawkabillies in spring. All we have right now is a name, Spanks in the Banks."

"Hey that's where me and Placi met!" Tin chuckled. Then covered his mouth blushing.

"Well what is it, cause there is nowhere in Firelink City called Spanks in the Banks."

"It's not in Firelink City," Tin began "It's in Icekey City, surprisingly close to Kamino Academy now that I think about it."

"Well what is it?"

Tin hesitated only for Placi to join in. "It's a bdsm club, found this cute 'meleon here bound in a tight leather suit and gagged with like 20 guys lining up to tong…"

Tin slapped him. "Shush! No more stories!" Tin blushed looking around. The only one with any measure of surprise was his father.

"I, did not need to hear that." He faced away took a deep breath and turned back. "So it's a bdsm club, I'll get into contact with the Icekey Police and ask them to investigate."

"That's All!?" Pyre stepped forward. "There's gotta be more Dad, these guys might be why Ivy went missing!"

"It's out of our jurisdiction, Pyre, it's all I can legally do."

"But…Ivy…"

Tin hugged Pyre as the charmander began to tear up. "Hey, we'll find him, I promise."

"Thanks Tin." Pyre hugged back.

"Alright, you kids head home, leave the rest of it to us." Officer Igni spoke sternly and they all began walking away.

Just a short way from the restaurant a certain raichu all but flashed in front of them. "So, I caught the whole thing. When are we leaving?"

"Huh? Nobody is going anywhere Rai." Tin said calmly.

"Sure, so what do I need for going to Icekey City?"

"You're not listening are you?" Placi asked.

"Not to them, if I know my best buddies, whether you let them or not," Rai began "Pyre is going to try to save Ivy solo, and Shadow isn't gonna let him go alone, so neither am I."

"Hey, you weren't planning on doing that right?" Tin looked down at Pyre. But the charmander didn't respond, there was a ferocity in his eyes. Determination. Tin grabbed Pyre by the shoulder and turned him around. "Hey, you're not going! You heard dad."

"Yeah, outsourcing the safety of my friend to some other people in a city that's at least a week's drive from here!" Pyre shot back.

"Pyre, it's too dangerous." Tin spoke sternly.

"Too dangerous?! We fought weird demon guys last week but this is too dangerous?"

"Yes! If someone manages to beat you they'll kidnap you and I might…." Tin was starting to tear up "and I might never see you again."

"Tin…" Pyre fell silent.

"I know you want to find your friend, I get it, but I can't lose you!"

"Pyre I think Tin is right." Cynder chimed in. "I want Ivy back too, but maybe this is too much."

"I can't just sit here!" Pyre shouted. "I just can't, Ivy's been missing and I didn't notice! He could be hurt or worse! And just didn't even notice he was missing!"

The reality of Pyre's words was sinking in. "You can't blame yourself, nobody noticed…"

"I should have! I know he's got a crush on me! I know how he feels, that's why he was always around! I should've known something was wrong when he wasn't around!" Pyre was crying, tears cascading down his face. "He is my friend! He loves me! And I didn't notice he was gone!"

"Pyre, please I can't lose you, not to some crazy kidnappers."

"Tin, my mind is made…" Pyre was cut off, Tin had captured his lips in a kiss. Just as Pyre began to relax into the kiss he shoved back. "I'm sorry Tin…I love you…but I have to do this."

"Pyre?"

"Keep Cynder safe for me, okay?" The charmander stepped back grabbing Shadow on his wrist.

"Pyre!" Tin lunged for them as Shadow teleported himself, Blade, Pyre, and Rai away.

Tin, in a panic shot to his feet sprinting back down the street to the restaurant. "Dad!?"

Officer Igni, hearing the breathless desperation in his son's voice, came running. "Tin? What's wrong?"

"It's Pyre, He and his friends are planning on going to Icekey City themselves. When I tried to talk them out of it, they just ran!" The charmeleon was in tears. "I couldn't stop him dad, I'm so…"

Officer Igni hugged Tin. "You know your little brother, he's a stubborn one. I'll let the Icekey station know they've got some runaways coming their way and to detain them until we can come get them. And I'll call Mare, he'll be able to help."

*With Pyre*

When they reappeared they were inside Nightshade Manor. "I am afraid we will have to pack light. We have little time."

"To run away you mean?" Mare's voice came. "I just received a rather alarming call from the police, that my sons and their friends were planning to run away on some madman crusade."

Shadow began to stare daggers at Mare. "You cannot stop us."

"Oh, I'm well aware. Just explain to me why you won't simply let the police handle this."

Pyre opened his mouth to speak, but knowing he blames himself Blade spoke first. "Because Ivy is our friend! And nobody hurts our friends!"

Mare looked at Blade for a few moments, then to the others, they shared his sentiment. "So be it. Codsworth!" The lucario stepped into the room. "The Icekey authorities have also been notified, so take the hauler, and the tailor, fit them for some form of disguises." Codsworth stepped out again. Mare moved to Shadow and Blade, pulling them both into a hug. "You look after each other out there, and don't hesitate to call, if you need help."

"Father, thank you."

"Thanks dad!"

"Alright, hurry, Officer Igni said he was coming in person."

The four pokemon hurried out of the room and down a few corridors into a rather large garage. Inside was a large hauling truck. "If the young masters would be so kind, we have a long road ahead of us."

The four quickly piled into the back of the vehicle, which was surprisingly well furnished, more like a mobile home than a delivery truck. The doors at the back shut with them inside.

Mare stood beside the door. "Codsworth, please, protect my sons."

"Fret not sir, I've been doing that longer than you have." Codsworth chuckled as the vehicle pulled out of the garage, quickly leaving the property just as a police car pulled in.

"Good luck boys." Mare sighed as he stepped out to greet the officers, his fabricated story already prepared.