@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 32: A Secret Sphere of Influence


"Welcome to Eterna City--the town that ties the past to the present." Brock smiled as he made a grand gesture to the city.

"Wow..." Ash was impressed. "So, what is there to do here? Besides the Gym, of course."

"Well, there's a name rater that lives here..." Dawn began. "She has her own segment on 'Shinou News Now'. She'll pick a postcard from a random person, go into a little history and origins about the Pokemon's name, and then rate it. It's quite interesting, and very well researched."

"How do you think she would rate Kori?" Brock asked as the group arrived on the city's main street.

"I'm not sure..." Dawn replied. "Maybe I should send in a postcard to her and find out!"

"Does she rate names from outside of Shinou?" Ash asked.

"Yes! She has rated names from elsewhere." Dawn smiled. "Usually as part of International Week or if the featured topic is from elsewhere."

She then pointed out a bike shop on the left end of the street. "That's Rad Rickshaw's Cycle Shop. I got my bike from there."

"Best not to go in there with Tintri." Brock grinned.

"Yeah..." Ash giggled before telling Dawn "Whatever you do, never leave a bike unattended around an Electric type. Trust me."

"I'll watch Stormy like a Braviary around my bike, then." Dawn smiled back.

As the group approached another corner leading into the historic district, a ringing got Dawn's attention. "The museum's security alarm!"

"Looks like the cops are already there." Brock noticed as several police cars sped down the street to join the officers already at the scene.

Ash located Officer Jenny and a small purple skunk Pokemon putting up police tape around the museum entrance. "What happened here, Officer?"

"One of the museum's prized artifacts, the Adamant Orb has been stolen." Jenny explained. "I'll give you three guesses about the prime suspects, and the first two don't count."

Dawn spotted Mars and Jupiter running for the street. "Team Galactic!"

"After them!" Brock called as the group ran as fast as they could to catch up with the fleeing admins.

"Noctis, use Haze!" Dawn heard Jupiter say before the group was lost in a grayish mist.

Ash coughed a little as the haze cleared. "That's one way to give us the slip..."

---------

"Is everyone okay?" Gardenia asked as she met the group in the square overlooking the museum. "I heard all these sirens this morning, and then saw the news report of the robbery..."

Kage noticed Brock had a dreamy smile on his face. [Don't even think about singin', coach.] he warned. [Save the singin' for after we catch the crooks.]

"Do we know anything about how Team Galactic took the orb?" Dawn asked.

"According to the cops I talked to, the crooks used a Grass type to steal the orb." Gardenia replied. "That's why they're questioning every Grass type owner that was in the area at the time."

"That explains why Nando is here..." Brock mused as the group approached a sidewalk. Officer Jenny was nearby, taking a statement from Nando.

"I fully maintain my innocence." Nando replied to Jenny's question. "I came to the museum simply to study the history of the Shinou region; and nothing more."

"I can vouch for this young man--he gave me a wonderful match at the Gym this morning." Gardenia agreed. "Doesn't look like the thieving type at all."

"All right, but that still doesn't explain this photo of a Sunflora stealing the orb." Jenny mused as she showed the group the picture in question.

"It is true I had my Sunflora, Soleil, with me. She was looking at one of the nature exhibits when you arrived to question me." Nando explained.

Jenny thought for a moment. "One of the cornerstones of the justice system is 'innocent until proven guilty'". she explained to Nando. You seem to be a man of fine character, but I still have some unanswered questions about this photo. Would you be willing to talk more at the station?"

"I will gladly answer any question you have." Nando replied.

---------

Ash smiled as a familiar Jenny with an Earth Badge pin on her hat arrived in one of the conference rooms at the police station. "Hi! I didn't know Kanto was pitching in with this investigation."

"It's great to see you too, Ash." Earth Jenny replied. "My sister asked for help with this morning's robbery, so I decided to use my day off to help out."

She then addressed Forest Jenny. "We could start by questioning every trainer with Sunflora..."

"That would spread the force out too thin." Forest Jenny explained. "There's likely hundreds, if not thousands of people with Sunflora here. With something so powerful as the Adamant Orb stolen, time is of the essence."

She addressed the group. "Here is what we know so far...as soon as we got the report of the robbery, we surrounded the museum. Assuming Galactic Admins Mars and Jupiter were the perps, there wasn't a way for them to get out with police everywhere. So they decided to fight their way out."

"That was where we came in." Ash added.

"If you don't mind my asking, why is the Adamant Orb so valuable?" Brock wondered.

"The orb Is somehow linked with the Legendary dragons, Dialga and Palkia." Gardenia replied. "That's why we need to find it, and fast!"

"It's also why we need to prove Mars and Jupiter did it, and tried to frame Nando." Ash agreed.

He looked over at Forest Jenny. "If it would help the investigation, we'd like to search the museum ourselves for the perps or evidence."

"I'll let the force know you're coming, and to let you guys inside." Forest Jenny replied. "The more we question your friend here, the more we realize his alibi is airtight. So we need that crucial evidence that he is innocent."

She gave the group some radios. "If you need to report to me, my codename is Forest Angel."

"PokeMaster01, standing by." Ash replied.

"SunrisePearl standing by." Dawn replied as she flipped on her radio.

"PewterSong, standing by." Brock replied. "Let's go."

---------

"Okay, everyone..." Ash began as he addressed his team in the museum foyer. "If you see anything interesting or suspicious, call me."

[PokeMaster01--got it!] Tails smiled before leading Tintri, Esrella, and Diddy into the art wing.

"You guys can start in the nature wing." Dawn addressed her team. "If you see something, call me. My codename is SunrisePearl."

[Leave it to us!] Kori smiled as she lead Stormy and Lola down another hall towards the nature wing.

"I have my team investigating the history wing." Brock replied. "Kage's leading Terra and Hinata."

"Now all we have to do is wait on our teams to report." Ash smiled.

---------

[The easiest way to prove Nando is innocent would be to find his Sunflora.] Tails mused as he admired a painting.

Diddy spotted a gold flower-like Pokemon near a statue. [There she is!]

Neither Pokemon expected the Sunflora to fire a volley of glowing green seeds. The force of the attack sent them tumbling to the ground in pain. [ShockingYellow64 calling PokeMaster01--Li'l Kong and Sonic Twintail are down, over!] Tintri reported over the radio.

He noticed the Sunflora ducking into the air vent. [Goldieflower is headed for the air vent!]

"Stay put, ShockingYellow--I'm on my way." Ash's voice crackled back. Tintri nodded.

As Ash and the others arrived to tend to Tails and Diddy, they did not see Mars and Jupiter hiding on the ceiling. "Okay, we're clear." Mars reported before elegantly jumping to the ground.

"Hat-boy and pals are busy tendng to their Pokemon, so let's go back to the room and plan our next steps there." Jupiter agreed as she saw Ash tell Tintri something.

Once sure no one was watching or following them, the admins disappeared into the vent.

---------

[Ah ha!] Kori cried as she and Tintri spotted a Sunflora wandering the nature wing.

[Are you Soleil?] Tintri asked.

[That's me--is my master okay?] the Sunflora asked. [He ran outside when the alarm went off, but he has yet to return.]

[He's helping the police figure out who caused all the chaos] Kori explained. [Did you see who took the Adamant Orb?]

[I did...] Soleil explained. [I saw two suspicious women set down an automaton that looked like a Sunflora. It then walked off towards the rarities wing.]

[Were they wearing Team Galactic garb?] Tintri asked.

Soleil nodded. [One had short red hair, and the other had purple hair in a high bun.]

[Could that Sunflora in Officer Jenny's picture have been a robot?] Kori wondered.

Tintri spotted what appeared to be a Sunflora walking towards them, and fumbled for his radio. [ShockingYellow64 calling PokeMaster01, we have a breakthrough in the case! The Sunflora Officer Jenny saw was really a robot, over.]

[The admins are here in this area!] Kori added.

"Copy that, Rainguin--we're coming." Ash's voice replied.

---------

"So, where did you see Mars and Jupiter?" Ash asked as the group meat Tintri, Kori, and Soleil in the nature wing.

[I see them...right here!] Soleil growled as she Cut the two cloaks Mars and Jupiter had been using to disguise themselves.

"I knew you guys were the real perps all along!" Ash growled.

"Yeah, we confess, we did it." Jupiter sighed. "But we were ordered to steal the Adamant Orb by someone.

"Give back the orb--NOW!" Dawn demanded as the group's Pokemon surrounded Mars and Jupiter.

"Venom, spray the perps!" Brock heard a voice call.

"Officer Jenny!" Ash smiled before pulling up his shirt to block the sickening smell.

Gardenia gasped as Jupiter dropped the orb. "Peony, protect the Adamant Orb!"

"That was close..." Dawn wheezed as Gardenia's Turtwig created a bed of leaves for the orb to land on.

"Yeah, but it seems our perps have escaped..." Brock noticed Mars and Jupiter were gone.

"Your friend's story checked out, so there was no way he would've been involved." Forest Jenny agreed. "At least the Adamant Orb is safe."

---------

"I'm glad the Adamant Orb was found safe. " Nando smiled as the group met in the police station parking lot that evening.

"You were actually a big help to the investigation." Forest Jenny smiled. We were only doing our due diligence when we asked you to come.

"Nando...while we were in the museum, I saw these interesting dragon Pokemon statues in the art wing." Ash began. "Are they the creation trio that local lore talks about?"

Nando retrieved his harp, and started a mysterious melody. "They say that in the beginning was Arceus, the Original One. He helped shape the world by creating Dialga to rule over time, and Palkia to rule over space. This done, he created three other Pokémon to act as the world's spirit. Azelf gave the world the gift of will. Mesprit gave the world the gift of emotion. Uxie gave the world the gift of knowledge. From their gifts came all that is good and pure."

He smiled as he concluded his song. "Of course, this is but one version of the tale. There are many more across Shinou and elsewhere."

"Here's another question for you..." Earth Jenny mused. "Who told the admins to steal the Adamant Orb?"

"Team Rocket!" Ash suggested.

"It's not impossible, as they do like rare and valuable things." Earth Jenny replied. "But I have heard no chatter from them since they were defeated in Johto."

"What about J?" Dawn suggested. "She could have her sights on Dialga, Palkia, or even Arceus!"

"The most likely suspect is the head of Team Galactic, but we don't know for sure who is responsible." Forest Jenny sighed. "But whoever they are, we won't rest until they are brought to justice."

Brock sighed. "We'll know the answer to this mystery soon enough."

To Be Continued...