The Closest Ones

70. All over again

No POV

"You heard him there. It will take days before the messages get delivered." Sanpei spoke loud at his brother.

"And I am telling you that he could be lying. So I won't let him out for any reason." Ippei countered. "Nihei is already watching him with orders against his release."

As they argued, elderly man stood on his balcony. He listened to them arguing. Shinobu stood behind him.

"I wanted to report to you about the doomed one. But it seems you listened to us already." Shinobu said.

Hanzo slowly turned around. "What do you think about it?" his voice was shaking, but still strong.

"What I think shouldn't matter. Your and Ippei's opinion is the only one that matters." she answered.

"And to me, your opinion matters." Hanzo said with smile.

Shinobu sighed. "I think there is still something the boy is hiding." she said.

"And do you think it has something to do with his mark?" Hanzo replied with raised eyebrow.

"I cannot say for sure. He looks like a troubled boy, who tries to do good. But he is also looking for a way to set loose. What I know for sure is that he is dangerous. But not as dangerous as Shadow Triad." as she was thinking, something hit her. She grabbed something from the shelve and ran to the fence. "Master Ippei!"

He looked up, stopping his argument. "What is it?" he watched as she threw at him something small. He caught it, seeing the fishing bait they found during the search for the missing people. It fit the description.

"Go back to the doomed one! Show him this!" Ippei and Sanpei looked at each other confused, but went back into the prison.

"What did you think of Shinobu?" Hanzo asked, but then he noticed it as well. His face went serious. "This looks familiar. Have you recieved any news from Kagetomo?"

Back in the cave, Nihei watched over the group as they talked to Ash. "Have you ever talked to Iris before meeting her here in Kalos?" Serena asked.

"We had a small conversation. Or rather, she did." Ash answered.

Flashback

Ash and Iris sat on a plane heading back to Unova. Ash didn't try to start any conversation with. Since they haven't talk from the moment Cilan died.

But Iris changed that. "You have to promise me something Ash." Ash looked at her, but she didn't return it. But he noticed her clenching teeth and clenching her arm on the armrest. "That if you find those motherfuckers that killed Cilan, then you will let me know." finally, she looked him in the eye. "I will not stand by while they are on the run somewhere. I will train so the next time we meet them, it will be the definitive time. And when you find them, WE will finish them once and for all. No matter what the circumstances are"

End of flashback

"I once got close to them, but they got away. But I wasn't in the best situation to face them anyway." Ash answered.

Serena was about to ask him about his adventure alone, but that was when Ippei and Sanpei ran in. Pikachu and Frogadier looked at entrance and notice

"What is it?" Nihei asked, surprised with their sudden return.

Sanpei spoke, "Ash, Shinobu believes you could know something about this." and he pulled out fishing bait. It was a chibi version of a man with green hair in a suit.