No POV

The trio was at the pokemon center near to big safari zone. All of them decided to go for a small picnic there. Nurse Joy told them to make sure to avoid dangerous areas and gave them permision.

As they got ready, a black car arrived to pokemon center from which stepped out man in big brown coat with black suit under with purple tie.

"Ash could you pass me the berries?" Serena asked as she was putting everything in one bag.

While Ash gave Serena the berries, his eyes noticed the new person coming in and he knew this day wouldn't end up good.

"Long time no see Ash." said the man, getting Serena and Bonnie's attention. Ash on other hand didn't say anything and didn't even look at him.

"Umm, who are you?" Bonnie asked curious at this new situation.

"I am from International police. My name is Looker." he said as he pulled out his badge. Both girls were surprised, but even more that it didn't move with Ash at all. "I see you got better Ash." Looker said to Ash who finally looked at him, but Looker could see he wouldn't get so much of a good meeting.

"And you are once again late Looker." Ash replied coldly. Serena looked worried at Ash. Only few times he was like this and it was never good sign.

"We have some things to talk about." Looker replied.

"Did you finally catch them?" Ash asked, putting another things into bag. Serena was once again confused and Looker shaking with his head wasn't helping. "Then we have nothing to talk about." he turned to him, but he wasn't letting him. "I guess if you want, then talk. Girls please go ahead. I will find you."

"We can wait." Serena countered, but Looker agreed with him.

"I am sorry ladies, but this is something I can talk only with Ash." Bonnie looked at them in disbelief. Ash chuckled slightly and turned to them.

"If it won't be anything so secretive. Now go please." Ash's voice was now more calm and had small smile their way. Serena and Bonnie exchanged glances, but nodded and walked away. Ash turned to Looker, who had small smile on his face.

"Coffee?"

Serena POV

"What do you think they are talking about?" we sat at the small plain with table we sat at. I released all of my pokemon and we unpacked all the things. Bonnie was probably as curious as Serena.

"I have no idea. I mean, Ash didn't do anything these past weeks, did he?" I said, trying to understand.

"Well, maybe not what about Ash is telling us." Bonnie said as she placed one of the bags with berries on ground.

"What are you saying?"

"That is the thing. I am saying something. Ash doesn't tell us everything or he tells us something we would find out anyway, like his teaveling companions. I mean he never mentioned that he know fighting arts or however he fightet Challenger. Tell me I am wrong." Bonnie's words made me think about it. She always say this and I find it more believing.

"You are right. Last time in-" I was about to continue, when I noticed one od the bags with berries are missing. "Hey, did you take out all bags with berries?" I asked confused.

"I am sure I did." she looked inside but there was nothing inside.

We both stood up looking around, my pokemon looking as well. It didn't fall of the table.

"Pan!" I turned around to see Pancham pointing at the tree. We walked up to it to see small pokemon trying to open it by tearing it with its fangs. It had dark brown fur with pale brown paws, ears, tail tip, and face. On its back, it had red tuft of fur.

When it noticed us, it let out growl and grabbed the bag and ran. Mine pokemon followed it and I sighed.

"Bonnie stay here. I will be right back." I told her and ran after the small thief.

No POV

Ash and Looker sat at small table, both with coffee. They were alone in small room, but tension could fill for entire group of people.

"So answer me if you want to talk. Did they escape again? Did you find them or do you even know where they are?" Ash asked, on which Looker took sip of coffee.

"No. No and we don't know for sure." Looker answered calmly.

"Then why are you here Looker? Last time you paid me a visit, people died." Ash said with pissed voice, grabbing his cup harder.

"Yeah I know and I am still very sorry about it, but that is not the point. I have some reports about you doing troubles." he said as he pulled out small file.

"I have no idea what are you talking about." Ash countered, but Looker pulled out from file a paper with photos of him and next to it photo of captured team Rocket grunts.

"Does this look like nothing to you?" Looker asked with raised eyebrow. "When one of our agents reported captured team Rocket grunts with nobody claiming this, we looked on cameras in city and guess what we found."

Ash scoffed. "So let me guess. You are here to tell me to let it on you and ignore it."

"Yeah. Your father may have been g-man, but you are just a trainer Ash. Let it on us." Looker insisted.

"Yeah, because you always make a great job." Ash gritted through his teeth.

"Ash let me ask a question. What happened? If I remember right, last time we saw, there was no problem with us. That was the reason I am here and not some random agent Ash." Looker said with raising his hands in defens.

"Your way of work Looker. Each time we saw each other, you were on some organisation, but too late before stopping them. If I haven't done anything, Kalos would have team Rocket everywhere. Your organisation works only when things are already happening and are going to deap shits. Do you even know that there is a new organisation that is planning something here?" Ash words made Looker surprised.

"How do you know?" he asked, on which Ash crossed his arms.

"I have my own ways, those you won't try. But you didn't answer my question." Ash said with smirk.

"Yeah we do, but we don't know a lot of informations. I guess you know something." Looker asked, pulling out his recorder.

"OH I know. Like that they were in Johto without anyone noticing or their name. Team Flare..." Ash said with smirk.

Flashback

"So that is all you know?" Ash asked as he downed Scotch into his throat, as he let the doctor bandage his side. Jack sat on couch, taking his sip as well.

"Hey, it is more than you had. Do you think it has anything with what madam Madelyne said?" Jack asked, but Ash waved with his hand on his uninjured side to stop him.

"I had enough today Jack, don't remind me madam Akemi. It brings me nightmares." Ash said as he felt goosebumps on his back.

"You are just saying it because you liked it. Everyone does." Jack said with smirk, but Ash shook with his head in disbelief. "Oh yeah, I have got you something."

Presence

"Come back here!" Serena shouted at the small pokemon, but it didn't stop, it started to run even faster, getting out of range from Fennekin.

'Maybe I should have let the pokemon take the bag, but I was already on run and I did not want to give up now.' Serena thought to herself as she ran.

Ralts had the hardest time to catch up with them and got frustrated by its speed. When it notice how Pancham was slowing down as well, Ralts smirked and let one of its hands glow with energy and charged at Pancham from behind.

Before Pancham could react, he was propelled into sky by punch from behind. But Pancham ignored it, as he realised that he was flying at thief in high speed and taking him down with landing.

As they started to fight, Serena finally ran up to them to pull out her pokedex and after a few attempts, it finally scanned the pokemon.

"Litleo, Lion cub, fire-normal type. When they're young, they live with a pride. Once they're able to hunt prey on their own, they're kicked out and have to make their own way."

Litleo let out big stream of flames at all pokemons, but they all dodged, making Pancham angry. It punched into ground, letting out multiple glowing rocks, but Litleo simply jumped away, but the rocks didn't stop and hit Rhyhorn standing next to them. Rhyhorn turned to them angry and let out roar.

Serena felt how the ground under her feet shook, looking around confused. She noticed how Litleo wasn't there anymore, only leaving the berries behind. She then noticed all pokemon flying or running away. When she heard another roar, she turned around to see multiple Rhyhorns, but they didn't look like always when she encountered them. They seemed and between them was one bigger pokemon.

But this was enough for Serena to know, to run away. "Run guys! Run!" she said, as she picked up Ralts and ran, Fennekin and Pancham following. She looked behind and it was what she thought, they were going right behind them as they ran through small gap

"Litleo!" she suddenly heard and her head turned to side to see probably the same Litleo, standing on top of small hill with small stones covered by grass to jump on. They ran to it, quickly climbing up on the hill. As she finally got on top, she looked down to see multiple Rhyhorns hitting the hill, but doing nothing to it.

She turned back to Litleo, who seemed to be scared, but she warmly smiled. Thank you Litleo, you saved us." but before they could react more, a louder stomps were heard.

In the meantime

"So yeah, I wanted to also tell you that your mother's and the entire town's protection is still on going of course. But I needed to ask you for something Ash." Looker said, as he took out video recording. "This is your stunt from Loomiose city when you arrived. We gave it only to your mother to see it, but for the world, only Kalos has seen it."

Ash looked at recording with surprise. "So that is one of the reasons why didn't come yet?" Ash asked with his eys back on Looker.

"Yes, kinda. We are not completely sure, but that is why I am here. I need to ask you to come to Palet town or one of our safe house. If you will attract so much attention, they will notice and-" but before Looker could talk longer, Ash slammed into table.

"I am not going to hide Looker. There is nowhere in world they wouldn't find me. If I hide somewhere, they will find me or worse, they will go for someone I care about again. They already found me once a year ago." Looker eyes widened at this information, but Ash ignored him. "So I am not hiding. If they will come, I will deal with them. I did it twice, I can do it again without locking myself somewhere." Ash said, standing up and walking away. Looker sighed, as he watched how Ash slammed the door behind him. So he pulled out phone to call to headquarters, thinking about what Ash said.

Back with Serena

She looked down to see big Rhydon, walking through the big group of Rhyhorns, all of them making path for him. She noticed it had multiple scars, burns on its body and on the center of its chest was bigger hole, suggesting it must have stop multiple Rhyhorns from charing at Rhydon. She turned around to look at Litleo, it seemed very scared of the big pokemon.

Rhydon looked up to see all those pokemon and one human, they seemed scared, but one of them hurt his member and he wasn't letting that slide without a fight. With roar, he started to slamming into the hill, making to shake whole. Serena looked around panicked, seeing how the whole hill was shaking from the attacks and ground breaking under them.

"Fennekin flamethrower quick!" Serena shouted and Fennekin let out flames under them, hitting some of them, but Rhydon didn't seem to mind it and continued in attacking. A few Rhyhorns backed away because of the flames, but they returned back. Fennekin let out another one, Litleo joining her, both them sending big wave of flames, making most of Rhyhorns run away, but Rhydon didn't stop. It looked like it only made him even more angry and finally slamming into hill, making the group roll down from it.

They looked up to see the Rhydon looking at Pancham with fire in his eyes. Ralts jumped up, using its glowing fist to make a hit, but Rhydon only flicked with its tail, hitting all pokemon except Pancham and sending them away. He wanted only the small black and white one. Serena watched how Pancham stood against the big pokemon, she shouted a ran in front of her pokemon to protect her pokemon, but Rhydon just used his big hand to push her away.

Suddenly, Rhydon was hit by big flaming star and then by flaming punch from glowing pokemon. Serena's eyes turned to see both of her pokemon breathing heavily and now bigger and bipedal. Fennekin now held flaming stick, Ralts now higher with its eyes now visible, both of them having parts of body looking like skirts.

Litleo was looking at all of it surprised, they fighted someone, they didn't have to. But they did, to protect each other.

Rhydon revealed from flames with burns, but it didn't bother to look at them and instead dropped on his front and chatged at all pokemon, slamming them to rocks, knocking them out.

"No!" Serena yelled, but she didn't know how to react, run to her hurt pokemon or protect her pokemon in danger.

But then, Rhydon was hit by red-white ball, disappearing in red light for second. Serena and all Rhyhorns turned to new incomer to see messy hair trainer and yellow pokemon on his shoulder.

"Are you alright Serena?" Ash asked as he saw her there, she just nodded and quickly running to her hurt pokemon, letting Ash take over.

The pokeball opened, revealing angry Rhydon, looking at Ash. Rhydon let out roar, letting all Rhyhorns know to attack. It would hurt, but not kill. Ash watched with calm how all of them ran, he pulled out pokeball and let out a pokemon.

It was a large, hippo-like pokemon. It had a dark gray back and muzzle with several holes in them. It had a large, rounded snout, a mouth filled with peg-like teeth, and red eyes. It had black feet with four blunt claws each.

"Hippowdon use Sand tomb!" Ash yelled and Hippowdon's holes filled with sand, sending it in big stream straight at bunch of Rhyhorns, making them stuck in it.

Rhydon looked at his members, all stuck in sand angry and ran straight at the trainer. Pikachu jumped using its glowing tail to hit Rhydon, but it didn't stop Rhydon. Hippowdon was about to attack, but Ash raised his hand to stop him.

Ash ran straight at Rhydon. Both of them ready, but Ash on last moment jumped to side, grabbing Rhydon's head, lifting it up for Rhydon to loose balance for a moment. Moment that Ash used to slam Rhydon's side of head to hard stone, shattering stone to pieces. Rhydon lied there, grunting, but unable to move.

And then, Rhydon felt the tap on his head, only to be gone in yellow light.

The Kanto trainer looked at ball shaking, remembering what he heard.

"Ultra ball, one of the best catching balls on market. Catching with this bad boy is easier than pokeballs. You still have to make sure to tire the pokemon down, but it works very good."

The ball shook, Ash watched it with expecting to fail, only to 'click'. Ash sighed and walked away to pet his both pokemon, ignoring the ultra ball, as it dissapeared in white light.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Serena sat silently waiting for her pokemon to recover. After the whole fight, they canceled the picnic and came to center to let nurse Joy do her job, treating all Serena's pokemon with Litleo. When she found out Ash captured one of the pokemon from safari zone, it didn't make her happy, but she had to do her job first.

The door finally opened, revealing Joy with small smile. "All pokemon are fine." all pokemon ran to Serena, full of energy. She looked at them happy, when she noticed Litleo looking at them.

"Come here." Serena said with warm smile, on which Litleo flinched, but after a moment, Litleo ran to her leg purring.

"Litleo seems to like you Serena." Bonnie said with happines, but that imterrupted by Joy who cleared her throat.

"I am sorry to say this, but I will have to take Litleo and Rhydon back." Joy's words made girls widen their eyes. "I truly am, but we have to follow strick rules and we can't let any pokemon leave the safari zone unless speacial condition. You can comeback in three months, safari zone will let a few people to catch pokemon that are here."

Serena looked down at Litleo, it didn't understand the words, but it did feel the change in mood. Serena thought about how Litleo helped them in that situation after it only wanted food.

"Let them Joy." a sudden voice made them to turn around, there was standing Looker. "I will take responsibility if you want." Looker said with warm smile. Nurse Joy looked at him for a moment, but then nodded.

Serena turned to him with big smile. "Thank you Looker." Looker smiled back, his eyes traveling back to Ash. He had small smile, but he knew that this wouldn't be enough to make it up.

"I will be on my way, I have some things to. Pleasure to meet you both. Ash good luck." he said and left the pokemon center.

Serena thought about asking what happened, but it looked like too much secret for Ash to tell or he didn't wish to say it. And it troubled her even more, she fell in love with someone, who is locked book.

While in Lumiose city, Clemont in his gym, looking at the reports of The Speeding lighting after his day of gym battles. His screen then showed an incoming call from his friend Hugo.

"Hello Hugo, what is it?" Clemont asked, as he already received today things he asked for from him. So it surprised him another call today.

"Hey Clemont, you know we did some tests on BE1, when one of ours friends from Unova showed up and gave us theory on something that might help us work with it."

Clemont's eyes widened at this. "What do you think it is?"

"Have you ever heard of theory 'True power'?"

"The time is almost here and you will know what to do."