The World Without Them || Original Pokémon Fanfiction ✓

Chapter Twenty-One: The Upper Echelon

 "Ma'am, when was the last time you saw your son?"

 Frost opened his eyes and looked around. He was standing alone in a dull, unfamiliar hallway in what appeared to be an equally dull, unfamiliar building. He imagined that it was what the inside of a prison must have looked like. The boy furrowed his eyebrows.

 This doesn't look like the Tanna Society.

 "About a month ago, right before he left for school."

 He froze. That voice was one he hadn't heard in awhile, but one that still managed to paralyze him and render the rest of his body useless. Frost slowly turned. He spotted a door that was slightly ajar just down the corridor from where he was located. His heart began to beat faster as he edged toward the room. His footsteps were soundless and breathing shallow. Frost reached out for the handle, only to give a silent gasp when his hand passed right through it. The rest of his body followed, as if being dragged in by some unseen force. 

 However, all questions regarding the phenomenon left his mind as his eyes landed on the blonde woman sitting at a desk.

 His mother, Dakota Statice, sat across from James Herdman. The sight of the man was enough to give him shivers after the incident earlier, but the teenager focused solely on his parent. Frost was shocked to see how much older she looked; dark bags hung under her normally energetic navy blue eyes and her skin was paler than usual. It seemed like she hadn't slept in weeks.

 Herdman nodded and wrote something down. "I see. Did your boy ever show any interest in any particular area? Anywhere he might be now?"

 Dakota shook her head and sniffled. "No, Frost was never interested in anything like that. He always stuck to himself and never really got out much." Her bottom lip trembled. "It's sad, isn't it? I don't even know my own son's interests."

 Frost grimaced as the policeman continued.

 "The situation as a whole is most unfortunate. I only have a couple more questions before you are free to be escorted home. Now, I have a good understanding what Frost's attitude was towards you at least. Tell me, what was his relationship with Sorrel like?"

 That inquiry made the woman even more distressed. She sobbed into a tissue that was clutched tightly in her hand. Frost bit his lip as she opened her mouth to respond.

 "Sorrel and Frost were never... that close," Dakota hiccuped. "My husband had such high... expectations and I think it stressed... Frost out a lot. But Sorrel always just wanted the best for him."

 Herdman's pen suddenly stopped moving. The police chief looked up at her.

 "Mrs. Statice, would you say that Frost's behavior was reinforced in your household, especially under your husband? In other words, was Sorrel Statice not teaching the ways of the government to his son, even though he himself works for the Silverkeep Legislature?"

 Frost was taken aback by the man's sudden change in tone. Dakota met Herdman's gaze with a confused expression of her own. But a couple moments later she gasped, realizing what his true question was.

 "Absolutely not! Sorrel would never teach Frost to hate Inridia -- Frost doesn't, I swear! We only ever told him to be loyal to the capitol and its leaders, and to make himself a useful asset in the workforce. He must have run away for another reason, not because of us or any potential dislike towards our government, one that Sorrel puts endless hours into running!"

 Despite Frost's shock at the conversation unfolding before him, he narrowed his eyes. 

 I wonder how fond she'd be of them if she found out they're trying to kill me, he thought bitterly.