The Closest Ones

33. A little help

Ash POV

"Guys, let's try it again." I could hear Serena as we were all in city, on our way for my upcoming challenge. Serena was now training with her pokemon to get ready on next perfomance. And to her disappointment, it was not good and they worked on it for entire day. I needed some training, I checked on her time from time, but most of time, Bonnie was the one running around looking on us.

As I trained with newly evolved Sliggoo. Its body was now bigger, with shell on its back, bigger antenna-like horns. After the perfomance, it was strange with our communication and it got the point where Lucario went for the first time into lab. Frogadier on other hand was now even more ready for our battles.

During our training, I could feel someone watching me and other, but before I could think about it more, I heard sudden yell. "YOU NEED TO STOP!". I knew it was Serena and it wasn't good. I ran in there to see both Serena with her emotions on breaking point. Before she yelled, Pancham and Ralts seemed almost ready to punch each other to ground, Fennekin ready to sent out flames. It seemed it failed big time for now.

"I need some time. I am gonna take a walk. So-" before none of us could say anything, she ran away. I was about to follow her, but then I noticed someone behing the corner.

"Bonnie look out for others for me. I am gonna take care of something and unfortunately it is not Serena." I added the last part because she was asking these things and I went away, only with Pikachu jumping on my shoulder. As I walked past the corner, I swung my elbow, hitting the person forehead I guessed and took the person in lock with my hand. Pikachu alarmed by it, but I ignored him. "Why are you spying on us?" I asked as I tightened my grip.

"Argh- be-because I-I... we-we pulled of the impossible in Viridian city." oh you have to be kidding me. I stopped choking him and let him go.

"Cough* hey-cough*." he lifted his finger and indicated me to wait a moment. I may have took it too far. After few seconds, he stopped coughing and stood up. "Long time no see Ash."

"Hi Jack." I finally saw his face and it didn't change much. The same white almost completely cut only leaving short strands of hair. His red eyesdolls were little bit more redder, probably lack of sleep leaving red more then white. As I was about to say he got dropped the weight, I noticed his broken nose. "I see somebody repayed same as I did last time." I said with slight chuckle and he pouted.

"That time I did not deserve it and this time was something I didn't see coming." he pointed out, but I shook my head.

"What are you doing here Jack?"

"Me? I am working." I raised my eyebrow, but he continued. "And after I noticed you, I could use your help."

"Nope, nope, nope. I am not going to help you again Jack. I don't need anything from you and although we are friends, I am still not helping you." this time he raised his eyebrow on me.

"Because of what? Your girlfriend or that little girl you were with?" I shook my head and he laughed. "I knew you had the balls!"

"She is not my girlfriend. She is a friend and girl I travel with but she is not my girlfriend and if you are not planning on asking me for drink or anything else but doing a job with you, I will happily go with you."

"So you won't go, even if it means you will learn about team Rocket here in Kalos or some bigger organisation than them." this caught my attention.

"What are you talking about? Team Rocket isn't here and I did not notice anything around here." I said, but I knew he wasn't making this up. He might be adjusting the truth to piss me off, but he didn't lie normally.