When We Were Younger. |Gladion X Moon|Pokemon Romance Novel|

-22-

Acerola smiles as she presents me a generous handful of Ghostium Z.

"Congratulations! I'm sure you know what to do with these...Okay, time for cake!" she says with a cheery smile.

"Did you really bake this yourself?" I exclaim as I admire my extraordinary Mismagius shaped cake.

Acerola grins as she lights all 18 candles. Hau stands over the cake, he reaches a finger out to sneak a taste of the frosting, but Acerola smacks it away. They sing to me and we all sit down at the table to enjoy a slice of cake. Ninetails' nose twitches as Acerola slices the desert, she gets up from Acanine's side to investigate.

"Can Ninetails have some cake?" asks Acerola, she must have noticed this as well.

"She can have as much cake as she wants, I'm just happy she is finally interested in eating."

We all sit lazily on the couch watching the Lumiose City fashion show, Acerola and Lillie have been looking forward to it all week. Hau and I stare blankly at the screen, Lillie and Acerola moan when the show is interrupted by a breaking news report.

"We interrupt this scheduled program to bring you a breaking news report. All Pokemon Center branches are warning trainers across the region to refrain from Pokemon battle until further notice."

"A train carrying a large shipment of medical and laboratory supplies has malfunctioned. Local authorities have been investigating the incident and now believe it may have been a robbery. If this is, in fact a robbery, it will be one of the largest in Alola's history. We are now going live to Looker of the international police."

Acerola grabs the remote and turns up the volume as we all solemnly listen to the news report.

"We are now live at the train depot outside of Malie City where the cargo in question was last seen. Mr. Looker, what do you have to say about this?"

"Our team of investigators has just found the trains missing hydraulics housing at the scene. It is our suspicion that the train carrying the missing cargo was tampered with before it left the depot. We are still following leads, but I am confident that this is a crime scene and we are treating it as such."

"So, this was in fact a robbery? What else can you tell us Looker?"

"The hydraulic lines on the train appear to have been severed with a sharp object, but we are still confused as to where and how the event occurred."

"Our team will be investigating around the clock to close this case. During this period, we ask that you please refrain from Pokemon battle and exercise caution. The perpetrators are still at large and are most likely armed and dangerous, if you have any leads please contact your local authorities and DO NOT approach the suspects."

My concentration is broken by a desperate knocking at the door.

Acerola rushes to the door and looks out the peep hole. She opens the door and the sounds of sobbing fill the room.

Two young children, who are clearly upset, enter the house. Through their sobbing, they explain that Team Skull had just stolen the girls Yungoos. My blood boils as she weeps into Acerola's shoulder, I know nothing we say or do will be able to console the loss of a Pokemon.

I reach into my purse and page a Charizard.

"Do you have its Pokeball?" I ask, crouching down to her level.

She nods and shows it to me. The Pokeball is covered with well-worn heart stickers and the Pokemon's name has been written across it with purple marker.

I gently take the Pokeball from the girls grasp.

"I'll get it back, I promise!" I say as I dash out the door.