The Hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral: A OC/Pokemon/Amourshipping story

Chapter 7

The rain continued to pour as Markenel's soldiers continued their investigation. Most of them focused on searching the Arceans, confident that one of them was hiding Serena. Those who checked out began taking down tents and banners and taking apart the stages, then cautiously left the square, looking back to make sure no soldiers followed them to their hideout.

Ash and Pikachu focused on searching the civilians and leading them out of the square from the west side. Many of them were giving them dirty looks, still bitter that the justice minister ended the festival. The raven-haired soldier and his partner wished they could do something to cheer up the crowd or make it up to them, but they knew nothing they could do or say would make up for ruining their day.

But while Ash was guiding a family from the crowd, Pikachu looked behind his friend and noticed a slouched figure in a blue cloak with a wooden cane. The figure was scooting through the people and Pokemon in the crowd opposite Ash and Pikachu. Pikachu then noticed a light blue feeler dangling underneath the cloak. Its ears perked up, and it patted the side of Ash's head to gain his attention.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Pika," Pikachu whispered while pointing at the figure with its tail.

Ash looked in the direction Pikachu was pointing and saw the figure walking away. He smirked as he noticed the feeler hanging at the bottom of the cloak, instantly knowing what his partner discovered. The duo looked at each other and nodded before Ash turned to the soldier closest to him.

"Private, take over on my side," he ordered.

"Yes, Lieutenant," the soldier replied.

With his spot covered, Ash squeezed through the crowd with his eyes fixed on the suspicious figure. Pikachu climbed to the top of Ash's head and looked ahead to find that the figure was heading to where Sonia was helping some Arceans, and the four Machoke who carried Timothy were taking apart the main stage. However, as the mouse Pokemon looked ahead, it saw Butch inspecting people and Pokemon in the direction that the figure was heading. Pikachu climbed back down onto Ash's shoulder and whispered to him while making hand gestures to explain what was happening. Ash frowned, worried that he won't catch up with his target before it ran into Butch, but then his eyes turned to Lumiose Cathedral on his left side, and he smirked again.

"I got an idea, Pikachu," he whispered.

As Ash walked faster with Pikachu holding on to him by the head, the figure keeps walking until it spots Butch focused on interrogating a couple. The figure turned right to avoid the soldier, but Butch noticed it passing by just as he finished his interrogation.

"Hey, old man, hold it right there," he commanded.

The figure moved faster at the sound of Butch's voice. Butch ran over to the figure and began pulling it back by the cloak. The person under the cloak grabbed it and pulled back before Butch could take it off.

"Stop resisting, old man," Butch said. "You're making it harder on -"

"Hold it, Private Butch!" Ash called out.

Butch and the figure stopped struggling, and the soldier let go of the cloak to turn to Ash. Ash walked over to the figure's side, and the figure turned around, thinking it got its chance to escape until Ash grabbed it by the sides.

"Don't worry. It's us," he whispered to the figure. "Just play along, and we'll get you two out of here."

"Pikachu," Pikachu whispered.

The figure stood still for a moment at the sound of their voices and eased up. Ash and Pikachu smiled before the former put on a serious face and turned to Butch.