《The Fire Within - A Pokemon Detective Story》


 Who is Neo Team Rocket? - Prelude

    John


    John Hetero has been following a lead about some remnants of Team Rocket coming back. His tech CI gave him a lead about missing equipment that was stolen from Silph Company. Ten years ago Team Rocket had took over Silph Company to gain access to the blueprints of the Master ball. His CI said there will be a big deal going on in the warehouse docks of Vermillion city. So, here he was hiding on top of the racks behind some large boxes with a wild Rattatta causally trying to challenge him to a battle for invading his turf.


    John was about to tell the Rattatta to scram when he heard voice and footsteps coming his way. With a swift shove he push the wild Pok¨¦mon away to focus on the new comers about to step into the light. The one in the lead was a skinny man with some thick glasses and grey hair. He look like a typical science villain with the fake white long jacket and the unkept look. The second one behind him was a man, looks to be military age wearing a sleek black suit with red accents. As they came closer John notice that the man with the suit has a scar that goes diagonally from the right side eyebrow to the left side chin. Once underneath him, John could hear the conversation they was having.


    "I''m telling you I am genius. By adding the recovered rage machine from lake rage in Johto, and a large pokemon lure from Silph Co. We can finally bring Neo Team Rocket back to its former glory. With Red missing and Gold off in Sinnoh for professor Elm, there is no one here that can stop us." said the old man in the lab coat.


    "Well there is Lance, but with that new Captain that we recruited and his ice types we will be untouchable." said suit guy coolly.


    "Sir, with this machine not only will it enrage the surrounding Pok¨¦mon but lure other Pok¨¦mon to the area and enrage them for continuous chaos and destruction. I can wait until we unleash it in....Wait..WHAT WAS THAT!"- lab coat guy.


    Just as they was about to discus their plans, the wild Rattatta made its move and tackled John out of his hiding spot and knocked the boxes over in a loud crash. That barely missed the team rocket members. Before Team Rocket could recover John swiftly took out his poke ball and in a flash of red light that dance in the darkness of the shadows came Pikachu.


    "Pikachu use flash". With no hesitation, Pikachu illuminated the entire warehouse with a bright light blinding everyone but John. Even the wild Rattatta was dazed by it. Quickly John leap from rack to rack to the floor. Using the confusion and was already around the corner before anyone recovered. Only to be greeted by the biggest Houndoom he had ever seen in his life.


    "Well well well... What do we have here sneaking around?" By the red R on his jacket, John knew he was a team rocket grunt.


    "Its that Interpol detective our sources said to watch out for. WE CAN''T LET HIM LEAVE HERE ALIVE OR HE WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW OUR PLANS." -huff lab coat.


    "Houdoom use fire blast", screamed the grunt. With a pop at his waist, John''s Arcanine pop out of her ball and use her own fire blast to counter.


    "Julie..." Before John could finish his sentence the blast collided in midair and burst on impact. The twin blast showered the trainers and the pokemon with heat and flames, causing the warehouse to catch fire. Angered that her trainer was attacked, Julie used extreme speed and burst through the curtain of fire they created and slammed the Houndoom to the ground.


    "Julie use play rough to put it down for good". With a evil look in her eyes you added fairy TE to her paws and stomped the living crap of Houndoom breaking its legs in the process. The man with the suit stepped forward pokeball in hands and shove the grunt out the way.


    "He is too strong for you, move out the way and let me handle it." With 3 pops and flashes of red, the guy in the suit let out Feraligatr, Umbreon, and Nidoking. With a small he only said a single word, "ATTACK".


    John had no choice but to release his team. "Pikachu, Mr. Mime, and Pidgeot. I choose you." "Pikachu take down that Feraligatr but don''t get close. Julie and Pidgeot keep that Umbreon from sneaking off into the shadows. Mr. Mime.. I know create barriers and don''t let anyone take the advantage on us.Don''t forget about the Nidoking, its weak to your attacks so harass him."


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    As soon as the barriers when up, all three enemy pokemon attacks slammed straight into it. They caused a large crack to form. From this moment on John knew that it was a kill or be kill fight and they was already aiming to kill. Anger filled his pokemon and there was no need for commands because in one second all hells broke loose.


    Pikachu fired off multiple thunderbolts at Feraligatr hitting it square in the chest and frying it skin. But Feraligatr was tough, seemingly able to shrug off the attacks. Knowing its was going to lose, it fired off a hydro pump that hit Pidgeot, breaking its wings before fainting.


    The fighting between umbreon and Julie was fierce. Umbreon was a master at dark TE and was able to nullify all of Julie heat and flames send its way. Julie had to use her speed and physical attacks to damage Umbreon, but was getting weaker with the curse that Umbreon casted upon her. Every time Julie slammed into Umbreon with a flame charge the flames extinguished and the damage was halved. Umbreon was also trading the blows received with its own shadow claws.


    Pidgeot was a menace, constantly throwing it off balance with quick aerial aces. It wasn''t until Pidgeot was hit with a hydro pump that the battle turned for the worst. Using its dark TE Umbreon slipped into the shadows and appeared in Pidgeot shadow while it was flopping on the ground and cut its throat with a shadow claw.


    John quickly tried to get Pidgeot into the its ball only to be body blocked by Umbreon. Julie tried to rush forward only to be knocked down by Nidoking earth power attack. While John wasn''t looking Pikachu was crushed by Nidoking in battle. It tried its hardest but couldn''t get pass the type disadvantage with just iron tail. Pikachu focused on stalling as long as possible while Mr. Mime was trying to land a psych attack on him. Pikachu rushed at Nidoking with combination attacks of double team, flashes, quick attacks and iron tails. It was going well Mr. Mime was keeping Nidoking off balance with its mind attacks and Pikachu was doing bits of damage on its own. But, it was all a scam. Nidoking was just waiting and watching for the attack patterns and keeping a good distance away from Mr. Mime so the psychic attacks won''t do much damage. When it had enough, Nidoking use earth power to detonate the earth surrounding him and Pikachu. Causing massive damage and collasping the floor on top of Pikachu.


    You monster... Mr. Mime charged out of the barriers to get closer to do good damage on Nidoking, but this is what umbreon wanted. Umbreon clashed one more time with Julie, gloating her in closer to hit her with a close and personal confuse ray to shadow ball special. This barrage of attacks knock Julie back and gave Umbreon space to slip back into the shadows to Mr. Mime back to attack him with a critical shadow claw that caused massive bleeding along Mr. Mime back and fainting it.


    Around John the world was on fire... the warehouse with the evidence was burning down and his pokemon was getting taken out one after the other with only juile left. He had to make a run for it but he can''t leave his friend behind to die as well. He quickly recalled her before the Nidoking could hit her with the brick break its been charging to bust her head open. John then took a step back to flee when he heard a noise above him. He chance a glance up and darkness took him.


    The man with the suit walked over to John with a smug smile upon his face. He had won and he knew it, and wanted to savor John''s death. A Muk had body slam him to the floor and is now spreading over his body to smother him. The man in the suit bent over and whisper in John ear, "Today is the day you almost caught, Don Gotti."


    John couldn''t move and could barely breathe, "I think the slam broke some ribs". John thought back to his family in Johto. His son Jace would be turning 16 in a couple of months. What a terrible birthday this would be for him. As Muk spread its body across his eyes, nose and mouth, John vision when from red/purple to black.

 Goldenrod City

    Jace


    *Beep Beep Beep* *Beep Beep Beep* *Beep Beep Beep*


    Jace awoke to his alarm clock sounding off that it was 7am. He checks his phone to see the many notification from Poke Book, they are all Happy birthday post from his friends and family.


    Today was his birthday, but for Jace today was just 2 months after the death of his father in Vermillion. He spend all of yesterday receiving the last of his father''s stuff from his office and review his notes. It only took so long to get shipped over because Interpol had to take them as evidences and skim and take out all the classified work that his father did. But they didn''t get to everything. His father had a back up hard drive in his house that he used to teach Jace some detective skills on how to follow clues and question people to find the answers that no one was looking for. The door to the study was always locked and the key was always on his father person. It finally came today with the last box of old cases.


    But today his father''s partner Rich Moore, said he had a birthday surprise for him at the station later today that he can''t miss. Uncle Rich was the glue that held Jace''s family together when they heard the news. If its wasn''t for Rich, Mrs. Moore, and his childhood friend April Moore, I don''t think his mother and him would have made it through the hardship. The dinners, the night outs, and the night in crying and reflexing has just what they needed at this time. While his father''s death is still a sore spot for both him and his mother, they can still find time to smile because of them.


    With a groan, Jace got out of bed and starts his stretching exercises. Every morning since starting High School he starts his early morning workout and run. His father and Rich had made fun of him for being the tall, lanky kid and said he need to eat more and fill out those bones. Jace laugh at the memory. He looks at his menu for the day and notice it was run day. Just, a nice 5 mile run through the city and the routes on his birthday, fun....


    While he was getting dress in his Air Machamp warm up clothes and Rapidash running shoes, Jace mother comes over to greet him. His mother Joy (yes, nurse Joy) was a short woman with pink hair and a natural low effort smile permanently on her face. Followed by her faithful Chansey, that was secretly a menace that should be fear if happen upon when sneaking in the house in the dark. This morning Jace mom still have the tracks of tears still on her face...She had cried herself asleep again...


    "Good Morning Jace, remember you have a meeting with Uncle Rich today and please don''t be late like you usually do." "Its a very special surprise that both me and your father started before his death and your uncle is now filling that role for your father."


    "Don''t worry mom, I''m not. Just a quick run through city and maybe the countryside to start my day, just like dad told me to do."


    "Ooo please don''t go on those routes, you know its dangerous without a Pok¨¦mon to protect you" "At least take Chansey with you, she can protect you and heal you up if you fall and hurt yourself, I can''t stand to lose you too at this time." - worried Joy.


    "Mom, Goldenrod city itself is more dangerous than the routes with all the new electric "self driving" cars". "What''s a few low level Rattatta and Pidegys going to do to that those beast won''t." "Plus, I think Chansey is too slow to keep up with me anyway."


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    Chansey stared daggers behind his mother back, ready to show this young boy the meaning of Hard Boil.


    "I just kidding, hahaha." Jace laugh nervously while his mom just looked more worried and Chansey was now lifting her egg out her pouch ready to do Arceus knows what. Jace only knew one thing to do to get him out this situation.


    Jace fled.....


    Jace ran as fast as he can to get out of arms reach of Chansey.


    Goldenrod city was as busy as it could be, because of the heroic actions of Red and the National bug catch contest, it was a huge tourist spot in Johto. The big town grew into a large core city of Johto. There was a movie studio, theatres for both plays and film, the Pok¨¦mon training school was grown into a giant campus. Poor Bill and his family, because more and more trainers keep coming to his house looking for Eevees they are always on vacation hiding from them. A lucky trainer could still find him around some of the cafes and still receive a Pok¨¦mon if they are quick, he only had 1 or 2 a year.


    Whitney has grown as a gym leader and person and is now staring in her own tv show. Jace never seen it but its some drama show where there is a new problem to fight about everyday. This is good for the challengers for her gym because that dam Milktank. Its only gotten better and she refuses to use appropriate lvl Pok¨¦mon for gym battles and only using 1 other Pok¨¦mon to keep that monster on the team. The league refused to correct her. They keep telling the public that complains that its builds character and keeps the nation strong incase of another war with Kanto. But, we''ve been at peace and have trade agreements with our neighbors for years. Whitney is the sole reason for most new trainers drop out the conference during the summer.


    The underground area, is still as bad and trashy as its every been. Probably even worst since Team Rocket disbanded and all the grunts that weren''t caught when into hiding there and similar places. Its constantly patrolled by the Goldenrod Police force to cut down on any organized crime there, no one wanted another uniformed team gathering strength. But if you ever want some after market poke tech, tms, and underground battles. The underground is the place to go, just watch out for the piles of garbage they bite. Jace doesn''t know who brought them to Johto, but it was believe to be one of the pokemon that Team Rocket stole and breed in the underground.


    Jace loved his city but its was just too crowd to get a nice run in the morning so he did his first 2 miles through the city, the next mile will be on route 34 and the last will be a back track through the city back to his house.


    But on this very morning while cruising through route 34, Jace saw a very particular sight. In the clearing he saw an Abra doing karate kicks in the clearing that was slightly hidden from the road. The only reason why he saw it because he almost rolled his ankle dodge a Pidgey crossing the round.


    As Jace stopped and moved in closer to the opening of the clearing, he noticed that there are some handmade wooden and earth worked dummies in the small area. The movements of Abra was weird and awkward to say the least. Jace never saw a psychic type try to train is body. He heard about a Hoenn psychic type that is also a fighting type but never in person. But this was the type of Pok¨¦mon that Jace loved. One that is willing and ready to get stronger on its own.


    Jace pulled out his phone and took another step forward to get a picture of Abra, but was startled by a crack that came from his foot. He glance down and realized he step on a dead branch. Not wanting to miss his opportunity to get a picture, Jace look back up only to see that Abra is gone.


    -BEGONE-

 Crouching Raikou, hidden Abra?

    Jace


    Instant pain slammed into Jace''s head as Abra started talking telepathically inside his brain. Only to be numbed by a the pain in his stomach and the gut hurling feeling as Abra teleport in front of him and delivered a low powered mega punch to his gut. Knocked down, head throbbing, gut aching. He had no choice but to throw up the dinner from last night. Let me tell you, frozen pizza rolls, tater tots, and protein powder does not feel nor taste good when coming back up.


    Weak...


    Abra teleported back to the dummies to keep practicing its kicks and punches. You could never catch me being this weak...


    Jace straining to get back onto his feet, his headache making his vision double for a second. "I wasn''t even trying to catch you... you.. lunatic. But if its a fight you want, its a fight you going to get." Jace dashed low going for a clean single leg take down after cutting of his dialog, trying to catch Abra off guard. But trying to catch a teleporting Pok¨¦mon is like trying to catch smoke.


    Abra disappear and teleported behind him and swept his legs for underneath him. As Jace bounced of the ground, he grabbed a hand full of sand, and concealed it behind his back.


    WEAK...


    Again Abra breaks into his mind almost causing him to up chuck again, but Jace held his guts down. He scrambled to his feet and goes for another take down, when Abra teleported again. But this time expecting the teleport, Jace threw his sand in a circle around him. "Pocket Sand" he yelled. Abra coming back into this dimension got a face full of sand. Jace took advantage of the blind Abra and delivered a smooth round house kick to the head.


    Stunned Abra turn around shaking in pain giving Jace its open back. Jace wrapped his arms around Abra waist and whisper in Abra ear, "You like giving people headaches, well I''m going to give you one. "WELCOME TO SUPLEX CITY." "ONE...TWO.....THREE.." After the third suplex Jace threw Abra with all his might over his shoulders, stunning Abra. He then goes over to Abra and sat on its chest to make sure its couldn''t flee or get up to fight.


    "Who is weak now.. Do you give or do you need to go back to the SSSSUUUUPPPPEEEEERRRR SLAM?" huff Jace.


    noo... Abra moaned in his brain.


    "Great now we both can nurse a migraine today and its only morning." Jace said, as he rolled off Abra. "I didn''t know that Psychic types could learn to fight with their hands like that. I thought all you psychic types like to attack from distance and fry people brains."


    Typically we do, but I don''t. The Abra line evolves by learning more about their life obsession. My obsession is war, human wars. I want to learn the why and how humans wage war against each other. You humans are a lot more destructive that the three legendary birds of Kanto. I had found a karate training manual on a weaker human and began training in the way of Cobra Kai Karate. My hypothesis was that if I learned how to fight like a human I could easily evolve into an Kadabra. But all I learnt so far was to kick butts and be a bad ass.


    "Arceus, this conversation is going to make me hurl", thought Jace.  "Not all humans are so bad, we have the police force and the Nurse Joys out in the world, like my mom and dad." "Well, that was before he got murder not that long ago."


    See, humans are dangerous beings of mass destruction always killing, always hurting. If I can find out why I can find a way to stop it. At least with Pok¨¦mon the reason is known to everyone in the immediate area and the only killing is for food and to be apex predator.


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    "Well, I don''t know why we are always at war or fighting, but we are not too different from Pok¨¦mon for the most part. Except for the apex predator part, are there really apex Pok¨¦mon?


    Of course, there are many top Pok¨¦mon, they''re on just about every route and you will enter their territory soon after leaving deep of the human paths. You will have to be careful though, because those Pok¨¦mon are not the same level of the Pok¨¦mon of the area and are many times stronger. In higher level regions there are even some that have perfected type energy and can do things out of fairy tales. Most of the harsh climates are made by those such Pok¨¦mon.


    "Arceus, I didn''t know regular Pok¨¦mon can get that strong. I know that the legendries are basically gods, but you''re saying regular Pok¨¦mon can get that strong too? Do other people know about this, I haven''t heard about this in any of my Pok¨¦mon classes in primary school."


    Most humans will never find this out without dying with the secrets on their lips. But there are some like the ones that control the region that know where and who these Pok¨¦mon are.


    "Sheesh, well that''s comforting to know." "But, if you want, I can give you a book that my dad left me, its called the art of war by Sun Tzu." "Sun Tzu is some old war philosopher from the Hoenn region."


    I thought you said you father was a good person. Why, would he have a book on war? Why also, would he give a child this book?


    "The book is just a Philosophy book." "While it has tactics of war, the advice and information in the book can be used for almost everything in life." "Also, my dad was a good guy, but you have to learn the art of war to protect the people from the evil in the world." "Shoot..." Looking down at his watch, Jace realized he was late for his appointment at the police department.


    "I can bring that book in a day or two, if I''m not to busy so you can read it and hopefully evolve." "Don''t leave the area until I come back with the book, ok." "C''ya" Jace started to race up and out the clearing to the road. When Abra stopped him again.


    You''re not going to catch me? With a Pokeball and claim me as yours?


    "ooo, haha." "I''m not even a Pok¨¦mon trainer, haha" " I was just passing by and you attack me remember." "But just be here in a day or two so I can give you that book."


    Jace fled....


    That human is very particular.... I would not mind being his Pok¨¦mon, not only is he kind but also strong enough to fight a Pok¨¦mon barehanded.


    WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?! DO YOU CARE THAT YOU HAD YOUR OWN MOTHER WAS WORRIED SICK AND HOW BAD THAT YOU MAKE HER LOOK WHEN YOU''RE LATE?!?!?!


    As soon as Jace entered his home his mother bombard him with questions, insults and threats. He even had to dodge a egg that look suspiciously like a rock from Chansey.


    "Where have you been and Arceus." "Look at your clothes, they are all torn and dirty." "You''re almost twenty minutes late for the meeting with Uncle Rich, do you know that Jace?" Yelled, Joy. "Have you been fighting the in city again?" "Arceus knows we can''t afford to be paying for another person medical bills just because you got mad." "What if a Jenny comes over to arrest you?" "oh oh oh, how you father would be rolling over in his grave like a Milktanks rollout."Jace laugh....


    "Oh is that funny to you, young man. Chansey give him some smacks to wake him." Said, Joy. Chansey steps up with a evil gleam in its eyes.


    "No no, its not funny mom." "I also wasn''t fight kids." "Just a crazy abra trying to learn Karate for a magazine." said, jace.


    With a straight face Jace mother look at him. "Chansey grab him, he thinks he can lie to his own mother I got something for him on the bottom of my shoes." said Joy. Chansey snuck up behind Jace and grabbed him. How in the hell did this fat Pok¨¦mon move that fast thought Jace.


    "Wait, Mom I telling the truth, its just an Abra on the route I was running." "That''s all." said Jace as he wrestled out of Chansey grip and dodging a slipper.


    "Do we need to call the Pokemon Rangers and report this? Wild pokemon attacks this close to town is very dangerous." Said, Joy.


    "No its fine, he is friendly now and I promise I was coming back with a book for him to read to evolve." "Now, please let me go so I won''t be an hour late and shame the whole family, lol."


    Reluctantly, Jace mother let him go upstairs to wash up and change clothes. But later on, he would have to face her wrath after his big surprise. She and Uncle Rich have been talking about it all morning. Her loving husband final gift to her only son, has finally hatched and ready for Jace to pick up. Its not, everyday in Johto a young boy gets a different variant of Pok¨¦mon available here in Johto.

 Jaces First Pokemon

    After getting cleaned up in the showers and putting on a new tracksuit, Jace was ready to go meet with Uncle Rich. He wondered what the surprise that his father prepared for him could be and why did it take so long to prepare. As Jace ran out the door dodging glares from his mom and Chansey, he when over the possibilities in his head.


    "It could be a police internship. He had been wanting to work with the police force, and he was at the age where he could get a job. It could also be a Pok¨¦mon. While he is a bit too old to start his training journey, after finding an interest in the force his father knew he needed a Pok¨¦mon partner. It could also be the new Applin laptop that he had been begging for a long time. His parents wanted to get him a cheaper Rotom book, but it was not what he wanted. Plus, it would be only for schoolwork and not for editing, which the hobby needed."


    As Jace walked up to the police station, his Uncle Rich, his father''s partner, and best friend were outside smoking.


    "About time you showed up, Jace. If you were any later, I would have to tan your hide. You lucky your mom called me and explained you got your butt handed to you by an Abra." Rich said, while smiling.


    "How are you, Uncle? I didn''t get beat up by the Abra, I want you to know that I won easily." Jace, cried out.


    "You should have it was an Abra, I''m surprised that it did any damage based on that most in this area would have just teleported away at the sight of you." Rich, laughed.


    "Me too... Uncle Rich that Abra was super weird. I found some where off route and it was doing Karate. Said it took a magazine or a manual from a person the other day and started to practice. It also had a physicals type move that was a punch." Jace, exasperated.


    hmm Rich thought, "we did have a report on a trainer getting robbed by a punchy Abra last month. But it was so ridiculous that we ignored the complaint, thinking it was the kid crying wolf. I guess we have to send a report to the ranger to clear it up."


    "No... don''t do that, I promised that I would be back with the Art of War book my dad gave me in a day or two." Said, Jace.


    "The Art of War? yea that is a very weird Pok¨¦mon.. But anyway, hurry up and come inside. The Police Chief himself really wants to see you too. He had a hand with this gift as well. Your father John, really pulled all the stops to get this gift for you." Said, Rich.


    Jace and Rich walked into the police department, with Uncle Rich leading him to the top floor for detectives. As Jace looked around he could not help but be amazed at the sights he was seeing. Conference rooms with police evidence spread, forensic specialists working with DNA in a state-of-the-art lab, not to mention the detectives and their ace pokemon coming in going into the various rooms. He saw sleuth detectives with Raticates, Ghostly, and a rare Kecleon. He saw detectives using a ditto to become a person some a victim can pick out their aggressor. He also saw the leading detectives with Arcanines like his father, Ninetales, Slowking, and... is that a talking Pikachu?


    But of all sights, nothing compared to the Police Chief Zuko as he was coming out of the office. He was a fire-type specialist with burns covering his whole body, but that is not the only thing that was shocking. Because of his training abroad program with Interpol like his father did, Zuko when to Sinnoh and learn aura from a gym leader there during the team plasma events. It was so powerful that even though Jace himself could not see it, he could feel the heat of a volcano radiating off the Police Chief. It was coming off in waves of terror like he was trying to force someone to flee, but Jace held his ground. It is not the first time he felt a fire types fire up close. Julie, his father¡¯s Arcanine had saved him from a wild Pinsir before and he still remember the heat coming of the flamethrower.


    That is when Zuko investigated Jace''s eyes and spoke. "Sorry about that young man, I keep forgetting to turn off my aura when I out of the office. The other officers and detectives have gotten used to it all these years, but I do say it is great to see the new generation is as strong as the old. My... you look just like your father, head of the Goldenrod Police department, please let me express our apologies again. John was one of my favorite and best detectives in this office, other than Rich, and quickly became a rising star in the Interpol agency."


    "It¡¯s no problem, sir, I''ve felt my father''s Arcanine heat before when she saved me as young boy from a wild Pinsir in the bug catching contest. Also, you all have apologized enough and done right by my family. The family readiness group has been invaluable to my mother and I... But Uncle Rich said you also wanted to see me and had a hand in my father as a present to me." asked Jace.


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    "Well yes, about your gift." Zuko then pulled out two poke balls and released two Arcanine, but one was an unusual color and look. As well as one growlithe of the same distinct color but the original look of a growlithe.


    "Julie", screamed Jace. He would recognize her anywhere. Especially because she has a bow in her hair that his mother made for her. Julie barked with pleasure, being reunited with her trainer¡¯s family. "Where have you been girl, I thought you were lost with all of my father¡¯s other pokemon?" Asked Jace, but all he got was puppy noises, warm nose boops, and kisses.


    Uncle Rich stepped forward and said, "Well, Julie had to go through some grief consulting herself before she could return to duty. To be honest she is still in consulting and in the care of the chief because he is a fire type specialist and knows how to raise powerful fire types. The doctor said that after Julie gets cleared, she can come back home with Joy and live a good retirement life."


    "Ooo... was she that bad", asked Jace?


    "To tell you the truth Jace, Julie here still has nightmares of that day and tends to lash out at random during the night. This is the reason she is with me, a person who is more flame tolerant than most. But she has not been alone, see here this is my Arcanine, Wildfire. " Said Zuko. "I found him while working in Sinnoh, it took me to an ancient city where I found this guy as King. You see the coloring and look difference. It is an old form of this pokemon only available to be found in the forgotten zones in Sinnoh. But nowadays since we opened it up the Hisui variants can be found spread around Sinnoh and maybe other regions."


    "But this is your present... come little one." said Zuko.


    Jace lifted his eyes to look at Zuko at that moment, he forgot about the growlithe stalking around the room. When the chief called it, it came and when and tackled Jace down jumping on him.


    Zuko laughed, "This little one is your gift. Your father and I thought it was time for you to have your first pokemon since he told me you wanted to join the force. He even won a bet with me to get my Wildfire and Julie to make an egg. This is your growlithe, a mixture of the strongest Arcanine in Johto and the fastest. It also has a mix between image of the Hisui form and the Kantonese form, it has Hisui coloring but the Kantonese look. Never before have we seen this in Pok¨¦mon breeding."


    "Wow", said Jace while he was scratching growlithe ears and accepting some fiery licks. All of this was making Jace a bit emotional, not only is he getting a new pokemon but also Julie back into the family after she gets better. Jace could not wait to tell his mother, but the look on Rich face while told him she might already know.


    "Also, young man. I would like you to join our young associated program. It has come to my attention from your mother and Detective Rich that you are looking into your father¡¯s murder. It has also come to my attention that you have some private files from your father in your house. Now, I not saying not to investigate your father''s death, but let me and other mentors in the program guide and help you. I want to do this for you because, we let you father go out there alone on a hunch that we thought was safe and it ended in his death. Detective Rich and I could live if we let die as well trying to find out who killed your father. How could we face your mother?


    Zuko paused his speech, letting Jace absorb the information into his brain.


    "Now I propose a challenge, Jace. I hope you are a betting man just like your father. If you agree to join our program and help solve small crime, as well as take the pokemon league challenge and earn at least eight of the 16 badges. I will let you on the case of who killed your father, as an aid to the lead detectives and specialist. If you agree, you will have full support and a small stipend to help build your team and education into becoming a top detective like your father. Now... do we have an agreement, Jace Hetero?" Zuko questioned Jace.


    Zuko took a moment to study Jace during his monolog. He was scanning this young face for any weakness and hesitation. But I saw none in his brown eyes and face. The only thing he saw was a determined look and his eyes and a strong set in his jaws as he made his decision.


    Jace never had to think hard about these answers, it was all his current goals and dreams put into one question. Without a doubt he will never let this opportunity pass him by.


    "Yes, a million times yes, I will do anything to become a detective and avenge my father''s death." said Jace.


    "Good, now your main mentor will but Detective Rich, since you''re family. He can show you the ropes and tell you the does and don''t while working with the police. Please, remember we are police not vigilantes. Once the summer circuit starts, you can report it to the local police station, and they should have some work for you to do. Now, walk wtih me, I must show you where you will be working after school until summer in June." explained Zuko while walking away.


    They passed many different rooms in the department. Jace meet some of the people we will be learning from like Sgt. Eric with patrol, Susan in forensics, Parker in missing persons, and Quinn in Drugs and Organized Crime. But the main room that interests both Jace and his Growlithe was the training gyms. It had a special attack area for range attacks that always had a Pok¨¦mon there to place targets and barriers, a track so you and your Pok¨¦mon can get some cardio and get faster, a weight room with metal weights for humans and resistant bands for Pok¨¦mon, as well as a fly zone for flying types can practice aerial maneuvers.


    As Jace was leaving the department he said goodbye to Uncle Rich again and thanked the Chief for the opportunity. His mind could stop working and he decided he was going to take his time going home, because if he did now his mom would bombard him with nothing but questions. He also had to register for the league challenge and think of his future team and name this little guy following him around.


    A late walk in the park will help him think.