Love in the Time of Turbulence

Chapter 3: A Raid

Not as big a response this time, huh? That's okay! I still love seeing all of your theories on just what you think about the story and what will happen (especially since I know it all and can just stare at the screen smiling at your guesses). Enough of my rambling, let's get to what you all want: reading Chapter 3!

Chapter 3

A Raid

"The doors are locked," Clemont stated, explaining the rather obvious, even to someone like Ash. Not that he liked hearing the answer. To Ash, hearing that the doors to the radio station were locked was like saying they were giving up before they were even starting.

"Then we find a way in," Seamus said darkly. His eyes were staring ahead at something unseen to Ash. He wasn't worried about it, but the blond had seemed a bit off ever since the news of the summit attack had come to them.

"Right. Let's just pull out our Pokémon and bust through," Ash suggested, already reaching for his Hawlucha's pokeball. Clemont threw a hand out to stop him from doing so, shaking his head wildly. Ash listened, loosening his grip a little.

"We can't just charge in, Ash," Clemont told him sternly. Ash frowned, but otherwise completely understood Clemont's point. Despite being the kind of person who liked to go charging in, hoping to overwhelm the other team, he also recognized when some situations called for a stealthier approach. Like when Clembot had control over the Lumiose Gym...and now, of course.

"Okay. What do you have it mind?" Ash asked, scooting across the ground a little on his feet to get closer. Clemont didn't answer at first, his head swiveling back and forth on his shoulders. Eventually, though, he seemed to find something he was looking for, because he reached for his pokeballs and called Luxray and Chespin out.

"Chespin!" the Spiny Nut Pokémon exclaimed exuberantly. Clemont quickly headed that off by slapping his hand on his Pokémon's mouth, making shushing noises. Chespin just nodded, indicating that he had gotten the message.

"Luxray, can you use you X-Ray vision to see inside for us if there's a way to open the door?" Clemont asked, still keeping his hand on Chespin's mouth. Ash raised his eyebrows a little as Luxray padded forward slightly, his eyes gleaming at the metal door. He had to admit: Clemont was a genius. He would have never thought of using an interior route to get inside as quickly as he did. His skillset was relatively limited to that kind of quick thinking only when it came to battles.

"Ray!" Luxray barked out, indicating that there was something inside to get them in.

"Great," Clemont said, slightly patting Luxray's back as thanks. "Chespin, I need you to go inside through the air duct up there and open up the gates from there."

"Pin pin ches!" Chespin replied confidently, trotting along to the wall of the overgrown radio station. His vines extended out, almost blending in with the surface of the building, and reached the air duct, taking its covering off before snaking inside and securing itself around something.

"Pikachu, why don't you go with Chespin?" Ash asked of his best friend. "We don't want him to get into any trouble."

"Pi," came the anticipated response. With that Pikachu bounded over, grabbing onto Chespin just as the Grass type lifted them up and into the vent. Once they disappeared into the darkness of that small space, Clemont sat back. Luxray continued to keep a kind of vigil.

"Hey, Ash," called Clemont's voice about a minute after Pikachu and Chespin had left, "how come you didn't want Serena to join us? Sylveon's Protect could be pretty handy."

"Huh?" Ash asked. He didn't understand what Clemont was trying to imply to him. Seamus looked to not care either way, as he hadn't moved position even once. "Serena's over there."