Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.

Hi all,

Here's the second release of the week. There will also be two chapters next week to make up for not posting one in a while.

Chapter 22

Lucas arrived at the police station early the following morning. After hours of deliberation, he devised a plan to catch the priest in the act. He just hoped he was not making a mistake by involving the police in his plans. If the church had spies at the station, his plan would be doomed from the start. He did, however, ask Delia about the relationship between the police and the church, which was neutral at best. She knew Officer Jenny had a negative opinion of the church, so he planned to seek her out.

He approached the front desk. "I would like to speak with Officer Jenny."

The receptionist glanced up from her typewriter. "What do you want to talk to her about?"

"I would like to report a crime," Lucas replied. "Specifically, a crime that is about to take place soon."

"I will check to see if she is available," the receptionist said, reaching for the phone. She terminated the call after a brief conversation. "Officer Jenny will meet with you right away. Her office is down the hall, the second door on the right."

Lucas thanked her and headed for the office. After knocking on the door, he entered after hearing a woman's voice invite him inside. Officer Jenny looked up, motioned for him to sit down, and resumed reading from the folder she was holding. A Growlithe lay at her feet, but it did not respond to his presence.

Species: Growlithe

Level: 31

Condition: Critical

Threat Level: Zero

He assumed the Growlithe would have evolved by now. Unlike most Pokemon, the species required a firestone to evolve rather than a specific level.

Then something occurred to him. Why was the Growlithe in such critical condition? He assumed that because the Growlithe did not consider him a threat, it did not react when he first entered the office. But as he looked closer, he realised something else was going on. Growlithe appeared sluggish, and its once-vibrant orange coat had lost its sheen, looking lacklustre and dull. The fire within its eyes, which should have been brimming with life, now appeared exhausted.

"This Growlithe was among the Pokemon affected by the Miracle Evolution drug," Officer Jenny explained. "He was one of the test subjects. Nothing the doctors do seems to help him, and I am worried he will not live long."

"Aren't they supposed to show signs of aggression?" Lucas asked.

"Not all of them. If they fail to evolve, they end up in this permanent state of lethargy."

He felt terrible for the Pokemon who had been harmed by the drug. When Professor Oak and Sabrina raided the gang's base, they discovered an underground lab containing several dozen Pokemon in cages. They were used to test the drug, and as a result, they all suffered adverse effects.

The Pokemon had been taken to a farm outside of town for treatment, and some accommodations had been built for them, but this was only a temporary solution. Professor Oak didn't have room for them in his lab either, so their situation looked bleak. He didn't expect the mayor to pay for their care indefinitely and would most likely have them euthanised.

The Fearow Gang's drug was designed to induce evolution at any stage of a Pokemon's life, regardless of the requirements for evolution. It had several negative consequences, the most serious of which included increased aggression or falling into a coma.

Lucas used his Insight skill to investigate what was wrong with Growlithe and switched to his traits tab. What he discovered made for depressing reading.

Traits

Learned/Acquired

Failed Evolution: Stats reduced due to failed evolution from drug use.

Stunted Evolution: No longer able to evolve.

Endurance Drain: Stamina reserves have been cut in half.

Energy Drain: Energy reserves have been cut in half.

Crippled Condition: Cannot recover condition beyond Critical.

The drug was truly terrible, and he hoped that the gang would face consequences for creating such a dangerous substance. The debilitating effects would significantly impact Growlithe's quality of life. Was there nothing he could do for him? Unfortunately, Insight did not provide a convenient solution for removing the negative traits.

He sat in the chair and watched the woman while waiting. He was surprised to see that she did not resemble Officer Jenny from the Viridian City police station. Her hair was blonde, and her eyes were a lovely lavender colour. Her uniform, however, was the same: a purple skirt and collared shirt. A purple cap with a black rim perched on her head completed the look.

After a minute, she put the folder down and fixed her gaze on him. "Who am I speaking to?"

"My name is Lucas Walker."

"How can I help you, Mr Walker?" Officer Jenny took out a notepad and looked at him expectantly.

"I believe someone is planning to hurt me tonight."

Officer Jenny arched her brow. "What do you mean?"

"I run a side business making Pokemon portraits for customers. I received a call last night regarding a commission, but the caller sounded suspicious. After he gave me his address, I asked some of my friends about him and discovered some interesting information about him. He is a hired thug, and he is not the type of person who would waste pokedollars on a portrait."

"Who are these friends?" Officer Jenny asked.

"I would rather not say," Lucas replied. "We grew up together in the orphanage, and because it served as a recruiting ground for the gang, we were exposed to the town's criminal elements. I don't want them to face discrimination."

Officer Jenny jotted something down. "Do you know anyone who would want to hurt you?"

"Aside from Team Rocket?" Lucas grinned.

She looked up, surprised. "Please elaborate."

"There was an incident in Viridian City recently where a Team Rocket member was killed. I believe I was the intended target."

Officer Jenny swivelled her chair to face her computer and began tapping the keyboard. Lucas brought up the incident so she would be aware of his relationship with Professor Oak. The fact that the professor sent him to the city because he was in danger suggested that they had a good relationship.

She returned her attention to Lucas after getting the details of the case. "Do you think this is connected to Team Rocket?"

"It's possible, but unlikely."

"Is there anyone else you have offended?"

Why did she have to put it that way? It sounded like he was a troublemaker.

"I can only think of one such incident, which occurred yesterday. I was on a date with Sabrina Kuroi when we got into an altercation with a priest from the church."

"You know Sabrina?" Officer Jenny's lips formed a smile. "I appreciate her efforts in driving the Fearow Gang out of town. It has made my job a lot easier."

"I knew they were blackmailing the mayor, but I am surprised the gang could operate so freely."

"Things were bad even before the blackmail," Officer Jenny sighed. "The truth is that our police station is severely understaffed. We give it our all, but there is only so much we can do. Are you a member of the Adventurers Guild?"

Lucas nodded.

"Well, as you advance in the ranks, you will notice that there are bounties out on criminals that the police should normally be dealing with. Instead of paying to increase the number of police officers, the mayor allows citizens to form these commissions to seek justice for themselves."

"Um, that is so wrong on so many levels. How can a society function like this?"

"I wish I could give you a good answer, but I am at a loss. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. You said you had a disagreement with the priest?"

Lucas nodded. "His name is Marcus, and he despises Sabrina because of the rumours about her. He approached us as we walked past the church yesterday and made a snide comment about Sabrina. I said some offensive things in Sabrina's defence, and now he hates me as well."

"I would jump at the chance to get some dirt on Marcus. He is a pig."

"I know, right?" Lucas leaned forward. "How about we set a trap for Marcus and make sure he answers for his crimes?"

"I do not like where this is going," she said, frowning. "I must adhere to the constraints of the law. What are you proposing?"

Lucas explained his plan to her, and she sat silently until he finished. Officer Jenny frowned, tapping the table with her fingers as she considered the plan from every angle. She didn't seem thrilled with the plan, but she didn't completely dismiss it either.

"If we are going to do this," she finally stated. "Then you must completely obey my orders. If you are unable to do so, then we will call off the operation."

"You're the boss!" Lucas saluted.

"Get out of here," she snorted. "Give me your phone number, and I will call you later this afternoon to go over the plan before we begin the operation."

Lucas gave her his phone number. Before leaving, he asked her a question that had been on his mind. "Why are there so many Officer Jennys around? Do you have a large number of sisters born on the same day?"

"My mother would have to be a superhuman to accomplish such a feat, given the number of Officer Jenny's out there," she said, rolling her eyes. "My given name is Lilia. Officer Jenny is a title bestowed upon senior female officers in all police departments. There is also Officer Mike for the senior male officer."

"That is a bit strange. What if an officer appears with either of those names? Isn't that confusing?"

"Not at all," she replied. "We would never hire people with those names."

Lucas frowned. She had to be joking, right?

Officer Jenny chuckled and proceeded to explain. "The titles Officer Mike and Jenny are named after two Kanto soldiers who distinguished themselves during the war. The naming convention was implemented throughout the United Kanto Region to recognise their accomplishments."

"That is interesting, but I still find it strange," Lucas said. "How about Nurse Joy?"

As she was about to speak, he raised his hand. "Wait. Don't tell me. I would like to find out for myself."

Later that evening, Lucas stood on the street under the streetlights, staring at the house where George Cole lived. It was the name of the person hired by Marcus to teach him a lesson.

Lucas spoke into a microphone hidden beneath his collar. "Is my voice coming through clearly?"

A voice echoed in his ear, sounding tinny. "Loud and clear. You need to get moving. Priest Marcus has left the church and is making his way down to the lower district."

"All right, I am going in."

He approached the front door, holding a bag in his hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small shadow darting towards the house. The sight made him feel better. Officer Jenny had no idea that he had brought Meowth with him as a backup plan in case something went wrong. Meowth would sneak into the house and be prepared to act if necessary.

Lucas was sure George would have noticed him by now, so he tried not to appear suspicious. When he knocked on the door, it opened almost immediately.

On the other side stood a bald man in a singlet that exposed his muscular arms. His torso, arms, and neck were covered in tattoos, and he had a fierce expression. Most people would be hesitant to approach him due to his intimidating appearance.

"You're late," George grunted.

"Sorry," Lucas smiled. "I was very busy at work. Are you George Cole?"

George nodded before turning and entering the house, expecting Lucas to follow him. It was not the most polite way to invite someone into your home, but it did allow Lucas to retrieve a pokeball from his belt. He threw it down, freeing the Pokemon in front of him.

Species: Golduck

Level: 47

Condition: Perfect

Threat Level: Zero

"Golduck!"

The blue Pokemon appeared in front of him. Golduck showed no signs of confusion after being summoned by another person, as he had been made aware of the plan in advance. He was one of Officer Jenny's Pokemon, and he was there to protect Lucas.

"What—" When George turned around to see Golduck standing in the doorway, he immediately started backpedalling. The Pokemon followed him into the house, not allowing him to escape.

George reached into his belt for a pokeball, but a warning sound from Golduck stopped him in his tracks.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Lucas said as he entered the house and shut the door. "Please remove your belt and toss it over to me."

"What is the meaning of this?" George yelled.

"Be quiet," Lucas instructed. "I already know why you brought me here, and you are in serious trouble. Do as I say, or Golduck will take the belt by force."

Without any other option, George removed his belt and tossed it to Lucas, who picked it up and held it securely in his hands.

"Into the living room," Lucas said, motioning to the doorway ahead of him.

George frowned but complied once more. He seemed confused by Lucas' apparent familiarity with the layout of his house. Lucas followed him into the room, conscious that he was running out of time. He gestured for the man to sit and then began explaining the situation to him.

"Do you think I am stupid? I did a background check on you after that suspicious call yesterday and discovered some interesting information."

Lucas took out the note Marcus had sent to the man and showed him. "Could you tell me how much it costs nowadays to cripple a man?"

George paled and opened his mouth to speak, but Lucas silenced him. Golduck pushed George deeper into the sofa, holding him there while Lucas removed some items from the bag. "Raise your shirt."

Lucas taped a wire and a microphone to George's chest, who appeared to finally understand what was happening.

"Pay close attention. Marcus is on his way because you sent him a letter threatening to expose his crimes unless he paid you a large sum of pokedollars. The police are currently surrounding your house and listening in on this conversation. You have two options: get Marcus to confess to his crimes or spend a long time in prison. Do you follow?"

Officer Jenny didn't want the man to have too much time to think about the offer, so Lucas had to persuade him quickly. If they had given George enough time to consider it beforehand, he might have found a way to get out of it.

George shook his head in fear. "I'm not going to betray Marcus. He will kill me."

"If you don't, you will be thrown in jail," Lucas threatened. "But if you help us,

Marcus will be the one imprisoned for a long time. At the very least, he will be excommunicated from the church."

"That's not reassuring. Where should I go after this? The church will not regard me favourably."

"Move to the Rota Kingdom?" Lucas shrugged. "Look, Marcus will arrive soon, and he will most likely kill you. If you want to live, you don't have many options."

"You sent the letter! If I explain it to him, he will understand."

"Even if you explain it to him, he could still kill you. He would not want to leave any evidence that could be used to incriminate him. You should have lived a more honest life, and you wouldn't be in this situation."

After a few minutes of persuasion, George agreed to cooperate.

"I'm going to be in the kitchen," Lucas said. "Golduck is going to remain here and make sure you cooperate. If Marcus questions you about him, just say he is yours."

Lucas went into the kitchen, which was directly opposite the living room. He hunkered down in the corner, waiting for Marcus to arrive. He reached into his pocket and grabbed a smoke grenade, feeling relieved to have it with him.

He finished the potion earlier this afternoon, after dozens of attempts. The potion was kept in a round glass vial and had a dark grey, murky appearance. The potion had no effect while in its resting state. However, shaking it violently caused a reaction, and he needed to release the vial before it shattered in his hands.

"Are you there, Lucas?" Officer Jenny's frantic voice rang through his earpiece, jolting him out of his reverie.

"What's the matter?"

"You have got to get out of there! I can see something on the roof."

Before he could respond, an explosion shook the house, and he instinctively covered his head with his arms. The sound had come from the living room. What in the world was happening? Whatever it was, he wanted nothing to do with it. He got to his feet and pushed open the kitchen door. When he looked into the living room through the open door, he saw a scene of devastation.

Golduck and an Espeon were locked in a fierce struggle, rolling amidst the debris scattered across the floor. The debris came from a massive hole in the ceiling, exposing the night sky.

Species: Espeon

Level: 38

Condition: Perfect

Threat Level: Lethal

The second Espeon drew the most of his attention. It was crouched over George's prone body, its mouth clamped around his neck. A tearing sound was heard, followed by a spray of blood that caused the man to shudder and lie motionless. Lucas gasped, instinctively raising his hand to cover his mouth, but it was too late. Espeon raised its head, its purple eyes gleaming and blood dripping from its chin.

"Espeon."

It sounded like the most eerie and alien voice he had ever heard in the context of the situation.

Lucas shook the vial in his hand before tossing it into the living room, where it shattered on the floor. The cloud of smoke billowed out and quickly obscured the living room. With his heart racing and bile in his mouth, he ran down the hallway. A loud cry sounded from behind him, but he did not turn around. He yanked the door open and ran outside.

The window on his right exploded. Espeon was thrown out the window, and Golduck jumped out after it. Golduck unleashed a torrent of water from his mouth, striking Espeon and sending it rolling across the ground. The distraction cost Lucas, who paused to watch the scene. A weight slammed into him from behind, sending him tumbling down the front steps.

He struggled to his feet, his hands stinging from the hard landing. The second Espeon that collided with him landed only a few feet away and quickly rose to its feet. Lucas felt helpless in that moment as he saw it preparing to attack.

Espeon paused as a stone bounced off its forehead.

"What do you think you are up to, Meowth? Only I have the right to abuse him."

Meowth emerged from the shadows with a handful of rocks in his paw.

"I have been saved!" Lucas exclaimed. "Praise be to Arceus."

"That attitude is unnecessary, partner."

When the Espeon was about to launch its attack, an Arcanine appeared and tackled it to the ground. It growled, freezing the Pokemon in place. Lucas could not blame it because the Arcanine was massive and intimidating as hell.

Several officers, including Officer Jenny, arrived on the scene. Lucas breathed a sigh of relief as they raced towards him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Lucas replied.

The image of George lying motionless in the living room flashed through his mind. He felt the bile rise back up into his throat again. He vomited the contents of his stomach on the ground. He grimaced and wiped his mouth with his hand. No matter how many times he saw a Pokemon kill humans, he could never get over it.

Officer Jenny patted him on the back.

"George is dead," Lucas informed her.

Should he feel bad about his involvement in this mess? Although George wasn't a good man, he didn't deserve to die the way he did. Was there a better way he could have gone about the whole thing?

Officer Jenny frowned. "Then Marcus will be charged with murder. The two Espeons belonged to him."

That piece of information came as no surprise to Lucas. Espeon was one of the church's mascot Pokemon, and they possessed the method for evolving an Eevee into one. Outside of the church, there were not many Espeons going around.

"Did you manage to capture him?"

"We sure did. He is going to pay for his crimes."

"I have got another Pokemon on the line," Misty announced.

Cobalt, the Blastoise Misty's sister had given her to protect her, was hovering nearby, ready to defend her if she was in danger.

"Go, Misty!" Ash cheered. He was lying next to Lucas on a lounge chair. Misty had offered him her extra fishing rod so he could try fishing, but he wasn't interested. He couldn't catch a Pokemon until he was ten, when he got his trainer's licence, so he did not see the point.

Lucas looked up from the book he was reading and watched her struggle to catch the Pokemon. Max ran up to help her. The Pokemon on the line, Goldeen, broke through the surface. He remembered her having a Goldeen in the anime. Would she finally get a new teammate?

He used Insight on Goldeen and saw that it had good potential, so he wasn't going to suggest that she try for another one.

Lucas had taken Ash and Misty to a remote fishing spot along Route Zero, taking advantage of the sunny weather to do some fishing. The location was close to the Pallet Town harbour, but far enough away that the Pokemon were not disturbed by all the activity.

Lucas wanted to relax after the excitement of the night before, and his team appreciated his idea. His Pokémon lay scattered across the grass, basking in the warm sunlight.

Marcus had been arrested and was currently being held in jail. The news of his arrest had already made the rounds, and people were discussing the scandal. To protect its reputation, the church quickly condemned Marcus' actions and excommunicated him.

"When does the egg hatch?" Ash asked, his gaze drawn to the egg secured in the harness strapped around Lucas. He tried, but he was not entirely successful in concealing his envy.

"About three weeks," Lucas replied.

He discovered that their bond had already formed when he examined the egg not long ago, which meant that he was already passively increasing Vulpix's favorability simply by having it close to him. This was a huge benefit for anyone, as the relationship with the Pokemon was already established before it even hatched from the egg. The higher their initial favorability, the sooner you could communicate with them telepathically once the bond was strong enough.

Every night, he placed the egg in a nest of fire and psychic stones to fulfil the egg's special requirements. However, it had an impact on the timing of its hatching. It would take another twenty days to hatch, but it should have hatched much sooner. It made no difference to him, as he was in no rush.

"That's a long time for an egg to hatch," Ash said, frowning.

Lucas shrugged and changed the topic. "In a week, I will take the breeder's examination. Do you remember how I promised to produce an egg for you when I became a Pokemon breeder?

"There is no need—"

"I am doing what I want to do, just like your mother did when she gave me a place to stay," Lucas interjected. "Is there a Pokemon you want specifically? I'm not sure I can get you a starter, but anything else is possible with a little effort."

Ash hesitated, but in the end, he could not contain his excitement. "You were going to produce a Pidgey egg as practice, right? I'd be cool with getting a Pidgey. Icarus is awesome."

"I can do that," Lucas said, smiling. "I need to start looking for a partner for Icarus."

Misty sent her Staryu into the water to fight Goldeen. He watched with interest, but there was no suspense. Staryu's level was much higher than Goldeen's, so it completely dominated the fight. Misty threw a pokeball to capture the Pokemon, and she smiled triumphantly when the ball stopped moving. Lucas and Ash congratulated her.

Misty took a break from fishing to have something to eat.

"Has Giovanni been around recently?" Lucas asked. He hadn't been able to keep an eye out for the man because he was preoccupied with work.

"Yes," Ash replied. "He has been telling me stories about my father, which is cool. But lately, he has been acting strangely, asking me questions about my father that I have no idea about."

Lucas was immediately suspicious. "What kind of questions?"

"It has to do with my dad's work in the army. I believe he has been asking Mum as well because she is annoyed with him at the moment."

He couldn't believe that he hadn't picked up on anything when he was at the house.

"What was your dad's job in the army?"

"Something to do with Pokemon research."

Lucas fell silent. Was this the real reason Giovanni was hanging around the Ketchums? Did Ash's father have some important information or research that Giovanni wanted to obtain? Why was he only interested in it now? Could the reason be as simple as running into him at the Battle Arena, or was there something else driving him?

He froze, remembering that Mewtwo would appear at some point in the future. Was this related to Ash's dad?

Lucas could not recall when it happened in the anime or whether the timeline was the same in this world. What he did know was that Mewtwo's appearance would have a greater impact because legendaries were much more powerful here. Giovanni had some insane ambition in creating his own legendary Pokemon, but imagine if he could control it. The implications were frightening.

How would Arceus react to it? Would the legendary Pokemon attack the humans in retaliation or do something else that would affect them negatively? Humans had been punished for manufacturing weapons of mass destruction during the war, but this was taking it to the next level.

Ash ran over to check out Misty's new Pokemon, leaving Lucas with his troubled thoughts. He needed to conduct his own investigation into the matter, but he had to be cautious. He didn't want Giovanni to catch on to what he was doing.

He put his troubled thoughts aside and resumed reading his book. After Professor Oak mentioned Aura Guardians, he became interested in learning more about the subject.

What is Aura?

Aura is essentially another type of energy that is derived from normal-type energy. However, unlike the other types, some humans can harness it to perform incredible feats. Although it's not an official typing, there is ample evidence to support its existence. Some moves are powered by aura, though they are few in number.

Although it is not completely understood, scientists believe it is related to the bond that humans can form with Pokemon after catching them with a pokeball, imprinting on a Pokemon egg, and developing a relationship with them. According to one popular theory, Arceus unlocked humans' ability to form bonds through aura typing, but inadvertently gave them the ability to manipulate aura.

Aura Guardians

Because of the church's influence, they are more commonly referred to as Aura users today. When the first Aura Guardians appeared, they were hailed as heroes because they empowered humans to survive and establish themselves in this world. However, their power is not omnipotent.

Some Aura Guardians can only use one technique, whereas others may have several. These techniques include the ability to conjure shields and calm wild Pokemon. There is a small subset of Aura users who can heal others, which is in high demand.

Because the church declared them heretics, they now reside in the Rota Kingdom, where they can live freely. This author believes that we lost something when the Aura Guardians were marginalised, all because the church fears what it does not understand.

Awakening Aura

Not every human has the ability to manipulate aura, and every aura user varies in their skill level. The most common way to awaken your aura is to be involved in a traumatic event, and the individual usually manifests a technique with which they will become most proficient.

Another common method is when the ability triggers when an individual first gains the ability to communicate with their Pokemon telepathically. There is some anecdotal evidence that this works better with certain Pokemon, such as the Riolu.

Lucas closed the book. It was an interesting read, and he was surprised it was still in print given what it said about the church. He wondered if he could ever unlock his aura. It would be nice if he could, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if he couldn't.

It wasn't something he needed to worry about. His breeder's license exam was around the corner, and he didn't need to be distracted by other things. It was time to hit the books once more before the big day.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas finally takes his exam. Can he obtain his breeder's licence?

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Thanks for reading.