Chapter 10: Meeting
Officer Grimm followed Athena the Gardevior into Mae's house just inside the door to turn and wait. He watched as Mae shut the door and he felt just a spike of nervousness travel through him. He was now alone inside the house where no one could see him. Normally he would have a partner with him but she was in his cruiser. Plus he didn't think she could help him that much in this situation. However he sized up both Athene and Mae and almost chuckled, he was sure he could deal with them if any unlikely trouble would arise. He turned to stare at Mae and noticed her hazel eyes were….well he just couldn't take his eyes off of hers.
"This way please officer we can speak in the den," She said smiling at Grimm but noticing him staring at her. She frowned. "Do I have something on my face?" It was only then that he snapped out of it.
"No ma'am," He said quickly with a small smile of his own. "Just lost in thought but please lead the way." She smiled and nodded walking down the short hallway her bare feet making muted thuds. Her Pokémon following after her and Grimm walking behind them. They entered a small but cozy room just off of the hallway. The floor was carpeted with a couch and a two person love seat facing each other a coffee table between them. There was also an easy chair in one corner next to a fireplace. He walked in to find Athene and Mae sitting on the love looking at him expectantly.
"Please officer have a seat," Athene said using a slender white hand to point at the couch behind him. He turned his head to size up the plush looking couch normally he'd prefer to stand and even looked back at the two females to tell them so but Mae then spoke.
"Please sit officer," She said as well, with a kind smile. This caused him to look back at the couch. He'd really like to stand but…he didn't want to seem rude. So he sat on the couch near the edge as not to lean back to give off a lazy appearance he was still on duty after all.
"Alright ma'am," He said pressing his hands together letting them hang between his legs. "Earlier today there was an incident evolving you-" Grimm was cut off once her heard footsteps approaching the den. He jerked his head to look towards the opening that lead to the room. At the same time his right hand dropping to his hip to rest on his pistol grip. "Who else is in the house?" He asked Mae even though he didn't turn to look at her. He knew better than this. He should've asked who was in the house and if there were any animals that could cause him harm before he entered. A rookie mistake and he couldn't afford to make any more of those.
"Oh that's just Anput my only other Pokémon," Mae explained her eyes filled with fear with the suddenly on edge police officer. "She's my Lucario."
"A female Lucario," Grimm repeated back, his fingers tightening around his pistol to actually grip it. At the same time his thumb flicked off the snap of the safety strap that kept the pistol in its holster. The footsteps got louder until a Lucario appeared around the corner a smile on her muzzle or what passed for one. She was about to walk into the den seeing her master and friend but stopped once her red eyes landed on Grimm. Her smiled faded away quickly as she froze looking very unsure. Grimm's eyes immediately went to the Pokémon's left ear only to find it covered by a bright red ribbon tied around her ear.
"Tell her to take off her ribbon," Grimm commanded his voice stern and cold. Mae and Athena just stared at the police officer unsure of what to make of this.
"Officer I don't understand," Mae said fear creeping into the edge of her voice.
"Tell her to take the ribbon on her ear off," Grimm commanded again turning in his seated position to face the Pokémon. His thumb pulling the hammer back on his pistol, making an audible click.
"Officer I still don't underst-" Mae started.
"Tell her to take off her ribbon now!" Grimm snapped getting to his feet hand still resting on is pistol ready to draw. This caused all three females to flinch and Anput the Lucario to take a step back from Grimm eyes wide in fear.
"Anput…honey do what he says," Mae said flicking her eyes between Anput and Grimm who hadn't once taken his eyes off of the Lucario.
"Lu," Anput said with a nod reaching her paws up to her left ear. Instead of trying to untie the ribbon she pulled the ribbon up her pointed ear lifting it right off. She held it in her paw her left ear twitching and flicking now that it was free. This allowed Grimm to see the perfectly blue and undamaged fur and ear. He breathed a sigh of relief his thumb releasing the pistol's hammer his hand falling away from his weapon. He then realized the look of fear in Anput's eyes and turned his head to see Mae and Athena held the same look. Regret replaced the relief he felt and he was at a loss for words.
"I'm sorry about that I uh…had a bad experience with a Lucario with a bad left ear. She attacked me and put me in the hospital," Grimm explained feeling like a major jackass. "We never caught her and I thought….I must apologize for my actions I didn't mean to frighten anyone." Grimm said not sure of how to handle this. It was Athena that came to his rescue by turning to her master.
"Officer Grimm saved me for two men that wanted to do disgusting things to me," The Gardevior explained. The look of fear on Mae's face was replaced with one of concern her hazel eyes locked with Athena before turning to look at Grimm.
"What happened?" She asked. Grimm slowly sat back down as his mind was all too happy to focus on the case and not what just happened.
"Well on her way home from work," Grimm explained returning his gaze to Mae finding himself very glad to do so. "She was approached by two male suspects both are in custody now. They had cornered your Gardevior and were trying to coerce her into sexual favors." A look of disgust took over Mae's normally kind face as she jerked her head to look over at Athena.
"Oh Arceus are you alright?" She asked her Pokémon. The Gardevior smiled softly reaching out to hold one of her master's hands between both of hers.
"Yes I am just fine thanks to Officer Grimm," She explained lightly patting the top of the human's hand with her palm.
"That's just sick anyone that does that should….Arceus they can't do that I mean…," She turned to look at Grimm her face still showed her clear disgust. "It's against the law to do such….isn't?" Her last word becoming unsure.
"Well ma'am it's a little complicated and I'm sure you don't want to get into the full details of-" Girmm started holding up a hand.
"No I do, I want to go into all the details how something like that is allowed," She said quickly eyes locked with Grimm's. She then blushed just ever so slightly having almost shouted at a cop. "I mean if you don't mind." She added in a kinder tone. Grimm nodded and smiled.
"Not at all ma'am," He said sitting back into his seat. Truth be told he was very glad he could spend more time speaking with Mae. Before he could start explaining movement to his left caused him to flick his eyes over to it. The movement was from Anput, Mae's Lucario she had entered the den and approached Grimm after retying the ribbon around her ear. He frowned for two reasons one was the closer proximity of her after the incident not moments ago and two he seemed to have forgotten about her. That was very sloppy again, it was as if once he focused on Mae she was all he could focus on. Despite him yelling at her and almost pulling his pistol she wore a smile on her muzzle.
"Lu-car. Lu, lu, lu Lucario?" She said in a chipper sounding voice. Grimm looked at her and wasn't sure of what to say. It seemed she had asked him a question but he'd be damned if he knew what it was. It was Athena that once again came to Grimm's rescue.
"She asked what you'd like to drink officer," The Gardevior explained with an amused smile on her face. Grimm felt like a real jackass now this Pokémon didn't even know English and he thought it had been her.
"Uh…no thank you I'm fine," Grimm said wishing to continue with Mae. Anput folded her arms under the spike sticking out from her chest and tapped her foot.
"Lu," She said staring right at Grimm who didn't know what to do or even what she said.
"She's very stubborn officer and won't take no for an answer," Athena translated for Grimm again.
"Oh uh water is fine," Grimm said with a nod this causing the Lucario to turn to look at Athena and Mae.
"Lemonade is just fine," Mae said Athena nodded in agreement. Anput nodded and turned walking out of the den swiftly. "Now officer please continue."
"Yes ma'am," Grimm said turning his full attention back onto the Pokémon trainer. "The first ever case to bring Pokémon human relationships into the spot light was the court case of Ketchum vs The Pokémon League. As you know the Pokémon League is the organization responsible for the laws and regulations regarding Pokémon. Ketchum presented evidence that Pokémon, while already intelligent creatures are even more than first thought. He further proved that Pokémon are capable of abstract thoughts, complex emotions and most importantly have free will. This led into Pokémon being capable of love and make their own choices allowing them to consent. The court ruled since Pokémon could consent they could be in a willing relationship with a human."
"So that's it?" Mae asked seeming a little disappointed by the seemingly simple case.
"Not exactly," Grimm explained. "The next case a month later was the people vs Ketchum. 'The people' represented by Harmonia Gropius argued while Pokémon may be capable of complex emotions such of love and free will Pokémon are more like children. That would do anything their parents said for they didn't know any better. Gropius saying that Pokémon could be tricked or fooled into such relationships simply because they didn't know any better and not because of love. Ketchum's counter argument was that there were many incidents in which Pokémon refused to listen to trainers and what they saw as 'bad calls' and not to mention Pokémon willing to protect their trainers with their lives. He explained that not all Pokémon had that strong of a bond with their trainers further proving that it was very possible for them to love on their own. He also sighted the ruling from the first case. Gropius counter that with saying: it was Pokémon of later evolutions that chose to disobey to further his Pokémon are children argument and shouldn't be allowed to be in relationships with humans. The court ruled in favor of Ketchum again still allowing human and Pokémon relationships but stated that the Pokémon had to be of consenting age such as a human would have to be."
Both Athena and Mae listened to Grimm explain the cases very closely. By then Anput had return and held out a glass of water for Grimm. He took it with a nod.
"Thank you," He said taking a quick sip allowing the water to wet his throat before setting it on the coffee table. "The next case was inevitable. Ketchum vs Gropius. This was a much shorter case only taking place in day the ruling delivered the same day. Ketchum argued that Pokémon do not age like humans. That Pokémon can evolve due to age but they can be evolved for just the experience they learn in battle. He went on to say that certain Pokémon could be evolved the moment they are born using a stone. They ruled in favor of Ketchum again removing the age of consent from Pokémon but humans still had to be of age." Grimm paused to take another drink of water.
"The next case was a much longer one. The people vs The Pokémon League. The people once again were represented by Gropius he seems to be the most out spoken against this issues. Not only that, but people owning Pokémon in the first place. Him and the organization he fronts. He changed tactics this time arguing that Pokémon and human relationships weren't natural. That no offspring could ever be produced between a human and a Pokémon. That relationships were just based purely on lust. That Pokémon and human's had no reason and thus no right to be together. The Pokémon League who was represented by Ketchum who has become the public face of supporting Pokémon, human relationships. He stated that humans were allowed to choose same sex relationships. That humans could be in male and male relationships or female and female relations. Such relationships could never produce offspring themselves yet were not illegal and allowed. They were allowed to make their choice and be happy, why couldn't Pokémon and humans have that choice? The ruling of Ketchum vs The Pokémon League stating that Pokémon were capable of making their own choices of free will played heavily in on this. The court ruled in favor of The Pokémon League." Grimm paused to take another sip of water which turned into a drink. Speaking for such long periods of time was drying out his throat. Mae as well as Athena and Anput had their eyes locked on Grimm listening to him intently.
"However that current ruling is now in appeal a year after the ruling. Gropius now going after the root verdict. He said while Pokémon may have a choice they don't get a fair one. Pokémon are captured against their will otherwise why would they fight before being captured? Then they spend all their time with their trainer and of course they were going to fall in 'love' with their trainer. Just from the lack of options of not being around their own species or opposite gender of their species. This created a kind of Stockholm syndrome one that is created by their trainer from not exposing them to other Pokémon expect to fight or take them to a a breeder. This is why Pokémon and human relationships needed to be illegal. The Pokémon League now represented by Hilbert are using the ruling of Ketchum vs The Pokémon League, as well as The People vs Ketchum as basic for their side. Saying that Pokémon are smarter than that and not everyone's Pokémon falls in love with them. In fact it's not that many cases and it should be a lot more if what Gropius clams is true. This case is still on going and no verdict has been decided yet. It's at this point that Gropius and his group are out of appeals. So while it's not exactly illegal for a human to have sexual relations with a Pokémon it's not fully legal either. One of those gray areas that is frowned upon and even considered taboo by the general public."
"My word officer I didn't know it had been going on for so long," Mae said taking a drink of her lemonade that Anput had brought her. "Do all officers have to study and know these cases?"
"No," Grimm said sitting up and flexing his back to crack it. Kinks had formed in his back from prolong sitting on the edge of his seat. "I just have a personal stake in the matter."
"You do?" Mae asked arching a brow sounding very surprised and something else Grimm wasn't quite sure he was picking up on. It almost sounded like disappointment. He looked at her confused not really sure why she was so surprised but then his eyes widened.
"Oh no not like that," He said quickly. "I mean one of the very first cases I've worked involved Pokémon and human relationships and the darker side of things. I ended up getting." He paused for the right word. "Injured." Mae gasped.
"Badly?" She asked concerned.
"I spent a week in the hospital but I made a full recovery," Grimm said but then held up a hand. "As much as I am enjoying our conversation we are getting a little off topic. The reason I am here is to ask you if you want to press charges against those two men. Your Pokémon can't do it herself but you being her owner can. Unfortunately it would be hard to prove their true intent without a confession but at the very less they will be charged with harassment of a domesticated Pokémon."
"I see," Mae said thoughtfully before turning to Athena. "What would you like? It did happen to you after all." She asked the Gardevior. Athena turned to Grimm.
"If we don't press charges will those men just go free?" The Pokémon asked him. Grimm shook his head.
"No they are still charged with other crimes to include assault of a peace keeper they won't just walk," Grimm explain leaning back into his seat again. The Gardevior nodded.
"I'd really just like to forget the whole thing officer. I don't want to have to go into court or provide a statement or even see those men again," Athena said with Mae patting her hand like her Pokémon had done before to comfort her.
"Then you have my answer officer," Mae said turning back and smiling at Grimm. "We don't want to press any charges." He nodded and got to his feet glad to be off of the couch.
"I completely understand," He said reaching into his chest pocket opposite his badge. He pulled out a thin looking business card and held it out towards Mae. "If you have any questions or change your mind for any reason you do have at least 24 hours to file a police report. Just call this number." Mae having stood up when Grimm did extended her hand and plucked the card from Grimm with a pair of fingers.
"Is this your number?" She asked looking at the card and then up to Grimm.
"Oh no that's the number for the detectives down at the station. If you wish to speak with me just ask for me. I'm sure they'll let you if I'm around," Grimm explained. "Any other questions ma'am?"
"Nope," She said with a smile. "But if I think of any." She waved the card. "I've got your number." Grimm nodded and turned to walked out of the den passing Anput on the way out. He nodded to her in apology.
"I'll walk you out officer," Athena said gliding over to Grimm and walking beside him. It was a short walk to the front door one that passed in silence until he opened the door to leave. "Officer." She said to get his attention. He turned and looked at her questioning. "Here take this." Floating in the air was another small card and Grimm while a little unsure reached out and held it. There was a phone number written on it. "That's her number." Athena explained. "In case you have any questions for her. I'll answer the first one. She is single." She then winked and smiled at him.
"Oh uh…I'll keep that in mind," He said after a moment to just think about what the Pokémon turned match maker had been implying. He nodded. "Have a good day ma'am." He said walking out of the house shutting the door behind himself. He looked out and saw his cruiser sitting in the street where he left it. He could also see Eris's horned head sticking up from the back seat looking at him. He started to walk quickly his shoes clomping on the pavement of the driveway. He looked down at the card that contained the phone number in his hands. He turned it over in his hands a few times before he placed it into his chest pocket with his other cards. He reached his car and opened the driver door.
"Hey girl," He said greeting Eris as she looked up happily her tail giving a single flick behind her. He started the engine and drove off leaving the house behind but Mae was still in the forefront of his mind. It was an uneventful trip back to the station with Eris just staring at her master. She every once in a while turned to look around the car even to stare out the back window. She just couldn't explain it but it just felt like they were be followed by something. She sniffed at the air turning her head to look around. All she could smell was one human which was her master and three other Pokémon. Those scents were attached to her master he must have picked them up from the house. She couldn't see anything and gave up, laying her head down on her paws but still that feeling didn't pass. Grimm pulled his car into his parking spot assigned to the car. The vehicle jerked as he placed it in park and killed the engine. He picked up Eris's Pokéball turning around in his seat and pointed it at her.
"Return," He said pressing the button that red beam shooting out again. He watched as Eris was turned into light and pulled back into the Pokéball. Placing the device in his pocket he exited the car and walked into the station. He sat down at his desk and the next two hours was him filling out the reports from his part in the raid as a T.R.U member, the missing Pokémon and lastly Athena. Once they were all nice and neat and filed it was time for his shift to end. He went to the locker room and changed out of his uniform. Putting on street clothes throwing his uniform into a gym bag. However his pistol went into the holster that sat in the small of his back. He pulled his t-shirt down to conceal the weapon at the same time pulling his belt tighter on his jeans to keep the weapon from slipping. He walked out of the locker room bag over one shoulder to see Ramirez already changed resting his back against the wall.
"You ready to party?" His friend and former partner asked a large cheesy smile on his face.
"It's a party for a 16 year old how crazy can it get?" Grimm asked walking past him towards the door. Ramirez chuckled walking with Grimm.
"I got three kilos of pot from evidence, boot legged liquor from that under cover bust and I offered shorter sentences for all the hookers busted today if they showed up," Ramirez explained. "It's going to be freaking awesome!" Ramirez said holding both fists into the air. Grimm just used his shoulder to shove Ramirez as they walked out the door. The two off duty officers chuckled as they got into Ramirez's car and drove out of the lot.