Side Chapter 11: Relieved Of Duty
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Officer Jenny was sitting at her desk, as she was just finishing the last of the paperwork for what was an especially bad hit and run case, when a knock at her door sounded.

She looked up to see the Chief of Police standing there, leaning against the doorjamb.

“Chief!” She shouted in surprise as she stood up from her chair. “What brings you down here? How can I help?”

The Chief of Police chuckled at her exuberance.

“Relax Sergeant.” He told her. “I just want to talk with you for a bit,” He said to her. “Walk with me will ya?”

She nodded her head.

“Sure, I could use a break; just finished the paperwork on this case.” She informed him.

She followed him out of the busy precinct and out the door.

“So? What is it that you wanted to talk to me about sir?” Officer Jenny asked the Chief point blank.

Police Chief Hank laughed at Officer Jenny’s directness and candor.

“That’s what I like about you Jenny; you’re different from the rest of you other cousins and family.” He said forthright.

“Sir?”

He waved a dismissive hand.

“I meant that as a complement: you’re different Jenny. Even different from those of your kin who made Lieutenant or Detective; every Jenny, I have ever met, always plays by the rules. They do things by the book and never disputes an order.” He glanced towards Jenny while smiling. “Do you remember the first time I gave you a personal assignment?”

Officer Jenny snorted at the memory.

“Of course I do,” She told him. “It was the first time I ever received a dock in pay as well.” Jenny reminded him.

“Hahaha!~ that’s right! “Here’s your new assignment Jenny!” I said to you while handing you the files.” Hank laughed.

Officer Jenny chuckled.

“I skimmed the case files then and there in front of you. I said, “this had better be a joke sir?! I’m not going to be hunting down someone who’s not paying their unpaid parking tickets!” I think I went on to curse you out and say it was a goddamn waste of human resources.” Jenny spoke nostalgically of her first assignment.

           

“But see Jenny? That’s what a mean: any other Jenny I’ve every met, would have taken that case and ran with it, no questions asked. But instead, you curse me out, yelled at me, and walked out saying: you had more important things to do.” Hank said with a laugh.

“Yeah… then you came down to my office later with the not only case in hand, but also notice that my pay was docked for the duration of the case, right before slamming both on my desk.” She reminisced while glaring playfully at her chief.

“Yeah, but you didn’t take that lying down. You just marched out of the precinct and went down town to start looking for the man in question.” He chuckled in remembrance. “But instead of just finding the man and giving him a summons or arresting him; like any other officer would have done: like your cousins would. You decided to investigate him. Investigate!” Hank shouted in disbelief with a shake of his head.

“On top of that, after following him around, you discovered a pattern as to why he was accruing this traffic tickets, which lead you to following him to an undisclosed location. Where you found a drug smuggling operation.” Hank smiled as he looked towards sergeant. “Pretty good day for your first assignment as a first class Sergeant.”

          

Officer Jenny folded her arm behind her head as she stretched her back. Her cheek coloring in embarrassment.

“Yeah, well…” She murmured. “It wasn’t that big of deal.” Jenny said humbly.

Hank chuckled as he shook his head.

“I was for me.” Hank told her. “That marked the day that I realized what incredible talent you had, in comparison to your relatives.” He explained. “Most other Jennys I’ve met, were all by the books and followed procedures. They never took a route that was off of the beaten path. The difference between them and you that I see, is that you have the true potential of a detective.” He praised.

Jenny couldn’t believe what she was hearing her superior say to her.

“I-I’m honored sir…”

Is this what I think it is?! Jenny thought excitedly.

                

“Yes… unlike you, most of your family gets their promotions by doing what their told and climbing the ranks trough dedication and following the rules; you on the other hand, take the road less traveled: when you come up to a crime scene, you don’t look at the evidence laid before you and see it for what it is; you look at it and ask, why?” He explained in awe. “Why is this here, is there a reason things are like this? Is everything as it seems?”

Hank reached over and tapped her shoulder before stopping in front of a building.

“You ask the questions of why things are, instead of taking things at face value; you question the evidence and refuse to see it as just a means to incriminate a person. You look for a motive and a cause: all of these things are what make you a true detective.” Hank told her.

“But… I’m not a detective yet Chief.” She reminded him. All while suppressing a smile.

He smiled at her.

“You are now.” He told her before turning towards the building. “This is a very exclusive restaurant Sergeant.” Hank pointed out. “The Mayor and I have brought you, to celebrate and discuss the closing of the previous two cases.”

               

Jenny could believe her ears.

Detective?… me?… this a!… this is a dream come true… She thought stunned as she was lead to an elevator. That she and Hank rode to the top floor, where they were greeted by a hostess, who lead them to a table with three other guests sitting there.

        

It was at that moment though. When Jenny spotted a blue hair figure sitting at the table with the other big wigs, that something didn’t register as right.

She glanced at her chief again, who just had a smile on his face while they walked towards the table.

“Sit here please,” Hank directed Jenny towards the seat next to the blue haired lady.

        

Jenny sat down as instructed and turned to look at her fellow officer and friend. Her eyes filled with concern as soon as she noticed the look on her friend’s face.

“Aviary!…” She whispered to her distraught friend.

Aviary sat there, staring blankly at the center of the table. She had tears streaming down her face, as she sat there looking for all the world like her starter had died.

Jenny turned to look at the three figures across from her.

“What is all this?” She demanded in a firm but controlled tone of voice.

The Mayor slammed the side of his fist down on the side of the table.

“Watch your tone you little ingrate! We—“

“We!” Police Chief Hank, shouted to interrupt the Mayor. He gave him a scolding look of contempt. “Are delighted to have the two of you join us today…”

After saying this, Hank sat down next to the Mayor. Making sure to keep him from flying off the handle again.

The third man stood up from the table and reached across with his hand extended towards Officer Jenny.

“Hello there,” The Man offered his hand. “My name is Ronald, I think we’ve met a few times before, but…” He said, trailing off his sentence. Hoping Officer Jenny would remember him.

To his thankfulness, she nodded.

“Yeah, your our D.A.” She then glared at the two other men at the table. “So… this isn’t just some formal reward for doing a days work, is it?….”

The district attorney pulled his hand back, after it was strictly ignored. He didn’t blame her, as much as he blamed the situation and his present company.

“You would be right,” Ronald answered before sitting back down. He then slid a tan yellow file folder over towards the Sergeant. “Here, read this and everything should he clear.”

        

Jenny raised an eyebrow at how final the attorney had sounded just then. She picked up the file and began to skim through it.

             

It barely took her two minutes to come to a conclusion.

“So…” Jenny spoke with a disappointed tone. “…Rather than accepting your responsibilities, it’s easier for the two of you to just get rid of those involved and shift the blame onto them, is that it.” She stated rather than ask them a question.

The Mayor glared at Sergeant Jenny as she finished speaking.

“That attitude of yours is precisely why you’ve been such a thorn in my side, you clone bit—“

“I—hi-hi-hi think, what the Mayor was trying to say was: that we appreciate the service that the two of you have provided us for these many years. Hah hah hah…” The attorney chuckled nervously, as he cut off, what was essentially his boss.

        

Jenny looked at them with narrow eyes, as she thought about what to do in this situation. She reached into her pocket and turned on her phone and redialed the last number she called.

“Do you really expect to get away with this?” Jenny questioned. “If I take this file and go to internal affairs about this, they’re going to—“

“They’ll. Do. NOTHING!” The Mayor growled threateningly.

        

“This is happening Sergeant.” The Mayor informed her. “Whether you like it or not.” He waved a hand towards the file packet in front of her. “This is the most generous offer we’re going to give you.” He told her. “If you expect anything else, or try to fight this. You’ll just end up losing.”

Officer Jenny angrily gripped at her chair. 

“Jenny…” Hank called to his best officer. “…This is regrettable, but this is the best for everyone.”

Jenny snorted at her Chief’s words.

“For everyone? Or just yourselves?” Jenny growled at her superior.

“Look, Jenny. I get it. You’re angry; your angry and upset, and you have a right to be. But this is more than just covering up a mistake or blaming you.” He told her. “If we were to take the blame for this, it would be announced as an international incident and the reparations Hoenn would have to pay, would have set us back by ten years!”

“So the shortcut solution to all this, is to just put it all on us, just because of the fact that Jennifer’s name was written on a report.”

“Like I said, it’s for the best: otherwise, everyone from the Mayor’s office, down to the last meter-maid, will probably have to be replaced because of this incident: not to mention we would have to pay the Barakat family three-hundred-million Pokémon dollars for a breach in the NDA.”

      

Jenny blinked when she heard that.

“Okay… that is a lot… *SIGH* …But it still feels wrong that you’re getting out of this scot-free.”

Hank chuckled as he shook his head while looking down.

“Not really… if anything, I’m loosing out on a lot.” Hank told her sadly.

       

Jenny tilted her head in confusion at the Chief’s words.

“*GROAN* Can we just get on with this?” The Mayor grumbled petulantly. “I have a tee-off with the Governor in less than an hour, and I would like to have good news when I go to see him.” He told then impatiently.

Jenny glared at the imprudent man sitting across from her. But then she remembered the woman beside her and turned to look at her.

Aviary still sat there. Distraught and devastated; her eyes looking lost as she stared straight ahead.

Jenny let out a resigning sigh.

I want to fight this… but I can’t be the one who hurts Aviary’s career.

“Fine.” Jenny said to them before sitting back and relaxing. “…You win.” She told them.

         

“You!— Wait?! Really?” The Mayor asked in disbelief.

Jenny gave an indifferent shrug.

“Yeah,” She said as she bobbed her head from side-to-side. “What’s the difference. If I try to fight against you at your own game, I’ll just end up losing at worst. And the best I could hope for is a draw, in which you have to shamefully retire from office.” She slapped the files in front of her with the back of her hand, before reaching down and picking up the pen next to it. “At least with this,” She smiled at them. “I get a severance and a six month vacation; on top of that, I can at least say I retired as a detective: for however brief my term as one would be.” She spoke disappointedly.

The Mayor smirked at the former Sergeant’s choice.

“Wise decision.” He then nodded towards the paper. “Sign it.”

                   

                    

               

Jenny was leading a stumbling Aviary from the building they were leaving.

“Easy there girl. I got you.” Jenny said to her friend.

“I… I can’t believe it Sergeant!” Aviary spoke in a very quiet whining tone. “We— *HIC* — We tried out best! We did everything right to catch the bad guys!— *HIC* — A-And we’re still treated as if this is all of our fault somehow?! *HIC*”

Jenny just wasn’t sure what to say or what to tell her.

“I just— *HIC* —I Just don’t get it Sergeant?! Why do we do this then?! If bad guys like the Mayor, the Chief and the Govern can just push their wants and views— *HIC* —Onto others?! And punish us for when they do wrong?! What’s the point of anything?!” She shouted in a receding tone.

Jenny rolled her eyes before opening her arms. Seeing the gesture, Aviaey gladly let herself be embraced into her Sergeant’s arms.

“What the point is: is that we need to fight against tyranny like this Aviary. That we have to find a way to prove that what we believe and think is right. If we let people who think they can get away with things like this escape, then of course they’ll win.” Jenny told Aviary as she stroked her hair. “It doesn’t matter if they’re the Mayor, a back door drug dealer, or an illegal Slowpoke tail vendor. We stand up to those kinds of people, so that people like us, don’t have to suffer from them again.” She told her. “That is why we stopped the Damien kid; that is why we rescued Jennifer and stopped the Team Dunes activity. Because we did it for others and for what was right. But regrettably we’re in an untenable position. So there was nothing at that moment we could have done.” Jenny said as she looked up at the approaching figure. “Right?” She asked him.

        

The man nodded his head as he approached them.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” He said to the two of them.

Aviary spun around after hearing the voice from behind her.

“You?!” She murmured in surprise.

“Hi, fancy meeting you here.” Lance greeted the two former officers.

His greeting had Jenny rolling her eyes.

“I figured you would be here or show up.” Jenny greeted him.

“Yeah,” He smirked at her, before lifting his phone up. “Helps when a certain someone butt dials me on speaker phone.” Lance points out.

“Pfft! Butt dials!” Jenny laughs. “Is that still a thing anymore? And if it is, is that the codeword for what I did?”

“Surprisingly? Yes to both.” Lance told her.

This made Jenny laugh loudly at what the G-men agent told her.

        

Aviary looked back and forth in confusion, between the two people she respected.

“What’s going on?” Aviary finally asked.

“Well you see…” “The thing is…”

Both Jenny and Lance stopped talking as soon as the other had begun.

Lance smiled at Jenny and raised a hand towards her.

“Why don’t you go first.” He told her.

But Jenny shook her head.

“No.” Jenny told him. “You know everything and have the big picture of things: I’ll chime in when it’s information I can contribute; I am still confused myself about some of the details, like: how were you involved in all this? I know you had a hand in this whole “retirement” scheme… but for the life of me? I don’t know why?”

      

“WHAT?!” Aviary shouted in outrage. She whirled around and started stomping towards Lance. Jenny reached for her, grabbing Aviary by her shoulders with both hands. “YOU GOT US FIRED?!”

“Directly? No; Indirectly, yes I did.” Lance admitted.

Aviary tried shaking off her Sergeant to get at Lance.

“This job was everything to me Lance! EVERYTHING! I always wanted to be a police officer!” She shouted and yelled as she struggled against Jenny’s hold. Once she released how futile it was, she settled down long enough to simply glare daggers at the man. “Do you have any idea how hard it is for women to get accepted into the police force?!”

Lance for his part, nodded his head in a understanding manner.

“I do.” He told her. “Believe me, I do.” He assured Aviary. “And it was never my intentions to use you two or land you two into so much trouble.” He explained. “These gentlemen used me and you two, to escape their just desserts.”

       

Lance held up a hand, to forestall anymore tirades from spilling froth from Aviary’s mouth.

       

“Allow me too explain.” Lance began. “The threat of anything happening to Jennifer, was something that loomed over their heads, since before she landed here in Hoenn.” He told them. “After the first incident, Rebecca’s; Jennifer’s mother. Called me, to go and investigate what it was that happened to her, and to investigate that none of the people we had talked with previously, had in fact, been Team Dunes members: those people included the Governor; The various Mayors from each town; and the Chief of Police.” Lance illuminated. “We kept the need to know of Jennifer and what potential dangers she face, to only a few people.”

Lance turned his hand and pointed with one finger towards the two of them.

“Then you two became involved.”

“”Us?!”” Jenny and Aviary questioned simultaneously.

Lance nodded.

“Yeah. You two were undergoing the investigation of the Dark Type Ecoterrorist case, which you two started working on getting close to Jennifer after her involvement with the case: mainly due to Jenny’s brilliant deduction.”

Lance watched in amusement, as a blush over came the teal haired former officer’s face.

         

“Since the two of you became insistent on speaking with Jennifer, they and myself thought, that we had no choice at the time but to increase your budget and give you basically unlimited resources to set up and find this culprit yourself: we were hoping with a warning and this budget, this would deter you from seeking out Jennifer.” Lance informed them.

“Wrong!” Aviary groused loudly at Lance while scowling at him. “If you think that was going to be enough to throw us off the trail! You’ve got another thing coming!” Aviary boasted.

“H-Hey!” Jenny complained softly. “D-Don't speak for me!”

Lance couldn’t help but let out a laugh at Aviary’s answer.

“And you would be right. This only further solidified for Jenny here, that she should continue trying to peruse Jennifer.”

      

He put his hands into his trench coat pockets. His face taking on a sullen appearance for the first time.

“Which brings me to my main point: you two eventually found out and became aware and involved with Jennifer; this made it imperative for me, to make sure you to were also under an NDA, like the rest of the people in the know.” He chuckled sadly. “To which, I filed it away with the rest of them… much to my regret.” He told them. “Not long after that, you two discovered the identity of the ecoterrorist. Which got the two of you pulled off of the case, which made it return back into the hands of the Regional Authorities to be. Then Jennifer made her daring capture of the criminal Damien Kane, which was then put into a report by miss Aviary here.” Lance nodded in her direction.

Both women nodded their heads.

      

I don’t like where this is going… Aviary thought.

              

“After this incident with Team Dunes, I left to go round up those in power and bring them to heel.” Lance said with a firm set in his jaw and an even firmer voice. But then he let out a sigh after speaking; his expression turning to regret.

“After gathering them, they brought in all kinds of lawyers, who searched and searched and went through the NDAs with a fine tooth comb…”

“No…” Aviary whispered.

Lance nodded.

“Yeah… I figured you two ladies would catch on quick.” Lance said with a sad smile. “They found your NDAs in amongst theirs; and for lawyers, that was much like blood in the water for a group of Sharpedos.” He told them regretfully. “Their lawyers, the Mayors, and Governor argued with me until both sides were blue in the face. To skip the gory details of it all, it came down to two things: that one; the Barakat family would accept the retirement and recompenses of all the guilty parties involved. And second; that you two would be given a fair deal. One that wouldn’t leave you from joining another police, from another region.” He pointed towards the packets they held. “They also agreed to promote you for jobs well done for both the efforts made during both these cases:” Lance detailed basically what was written in those retirement packets they held. “Over all, you two are getting a great deal; sadly, everyone here will know you as failures that had been let go on the force and were relieved of duty.” He told them sadly.

      

“I—….. I-I see….” Aviary said despondently looking glum and lost.

Lance smiled and looked towards the equally smiling Jenny.

“She doesn’t seem to understand. Should I tell her? Or should you?” Lance asked Jenny.

“H-Huh?” Aviary murmured as she looked up at the two who were staring at her with wide smiles. “T-Tell me what?”

“Aviary…” Jenny looked at her friend with a smile and narrowed eyes. “You don’t believe that Lance just set us up with all these delicious and wonderful bonuses, just as a means to apologies to us, do you?”

“Well I mean?!—… didn’t he?” Aviary looked back towards Lance with a questioning look. “If it’s not just a means to apologize or help us out of a bad situation; because of the camaraderie we’ve shared on these cases…..—! Then?! Is it?!—“

      

Aviary stood there, gapping like a Magikarp out of water.

        

Lance smiled deviously at the two of them.

“At the end of the day,” Lance pulled from his left pocket, another set of packets and folders. “I had looked into and gathered intel on almost everyone from those we’ve personally talked with.” He informed them. “If I had wanted to force the blame on the people of Hoenn here, I could have: but that wouldn’t have served the greater purpose and would have only served to divide us against each other.” He smiled at Aviary as he explained. “But instead, I saw an opportunity; I had met on this journey to protect my god-niece, two incredibly talented individuals: who which, had outstanding morals and forthright thinking and integrity.” Lance edified Aviary as he put away the packet he pulled out, then pulled from his right pocket two shiny badges with their names on them.

Lance handed one to each of them.

“I would be honor and would love nothing more: if the two of you would join us at the Pokémon G-Men Detective Organization.” Lance offered to the both of them.

          

Jenny and Aviary were both staring down at the new badges in their hands.

Aviary staring down at it through her tears at the engravings: Sergeant Aviary Sung. The tears fell as she hiccuped as she cried; the tears landing on the badge in her hands.

       

Jenny stared down at the badge in her hands with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

Her name was also plastered on it. But to her disappointment, is didn’t have her new rank, like Aviary’s did.

“Captain?” Jenny asked as she looked back up at Lance.

“Right…” He said while scratching the back of his head. “We go by military rank… so the closest thing to detective in our ranks is captain or lieutenant.” Lance explained before smiling at her. “If you want the Lieutenant rank, you’re going to have to earn it Captain.” He told her.

Jenny snorted at his audacity.

“And what makes you think I’m just going to accept it? After everything we’ve been through and what you’ve done?” Jenny said with a smirk.

Aviary whipped around to look at her Sergeant like she was crazy.

“Sergeant?! Are you nuts?!” Aviary questioned aloud. “He is offering you a premier job, at one of the most highly sought after secret police force known to man!”

Jenny chuckled at what Avery said.

“For one, I’m not your Sergeant anymore.” Jenny reminded Aviary while smiling. “I think he knows he can offer me something that will leave me with a better taste in my mouth, before I decide to do anything.” She smiled deviously at Lance; who was smiling deviously back at her.

                  

Aviary looked back and forth between her two superiors in confusion. Wandering what the secret messages that they were conveying through their eyes.

        

“Huh?!”

           

             

————————————————-

                     

                        

Hank stood there at the tee, as he and the people he would once have called friends, golfed after firing two brilliant officers.

No… not friends… they’re nothing but criminals… just as I am… All his life, he has made regretful choices. Some he wished more than anything to go back and fix. Others he would have just plain forgotten altogether.

“Why so glum, Hank?” The Governor asked him. “You should be joining us and relaxing in this game of golf and enjoying yourself: now that those two pesty wanna be detectives are out of our hairs, we don’t have to worry about them getting to close to out operations.” He reminded his friend.

In all honesty, Hank just wanted to shove his club up the Governor’s ass; he wanted to tell him off about being involved: that he wanted out.

 But Hank ultimately just let out a sigh.

I’m in too deep to ever truly leave now… my fate, will be the same as their some day I suppose… Hank thought sadly.

        

The golf-kart came to a stop as they approached a ball on the fairway.

“Alright Hank, we’re at your ball.” The Mayor announced as they pulled up along side the ball.

Hank got out from the side of the kart and walked up towards his ball. He put down his club bag and selected a club at random.

Doesn’t matter what I hit with… I can’t play seriously against the Governor anyways… don’t need a reason to make him mad.

                  

Hank lined himself up with his ball, setting himself into a stance, readying himself to swing the club.

           

            

           

            

“S-SIR!” Someone screamed from behind them.

All three men turned to see the Governor’s secretary come running up over the hill, waving a phone in his hand.

“SIR! IT’S AN EMERGENCY! THE PRESS WANTS TO KNOW WHY YOU’VE BEEN SIPHONING MONEY FROM LOCAL POKÉMON CHARITY FOR YEARS SIR!”

“W-WHAT?!”

Hank blinked at the new he was hearing.

“THEY ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF IT’S TRUE YOU USED TO HAVE INVOLVEMENT WITH TEAM MAGMA!”

“How?! WHAT?!”

Hank watched as the Governor’s face continued to pale. The Mayor was looking as equally as nervous and sweaty. Hank watched as he pulled his phone out and start dialing people.

Hank just could stop staring in as an amused smile creeped up onto his face.

         

“BAW!~ HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!~” Hank started laughing like a mad man, which caused the two men next to him to turn and look at him in frustration.

“Hank! This is no laughing matter!” The Governor shouted at the Chief of Police.

“Hahahaha!~ Of course it is!~” Hank said to him amused.

“What?! Did you know about this?!” The Mayor demanded in a shout.

But Hank just shook his head.

“Nah!… I just realized we goofed…” Hank informed them.

“Goofed?! Goofed how?! What in the world has happened, Hank?!” The Governor yelled at him.

                

Hank shrugged.

“We went up against the G-Men Detective Organization, and we lost.” He said as he looked at them with a smile. “We tried playing hard ball with them, when we weren’t even in little leagues yet.” He said metaphorically.

“What is that supposed to mean?!” The Mayor questioned.

“It means,” He looked back at the sweating nervous potbelly of a man with a sly smile. “We’re fucked!”

      

The blinked at his brevity of the situation.

          

“Bah!~ Hahahahaha!~” Hank just laughed at their expressions.

“Is this a joke to you Hank?!” The Governor questioned. “If we go down! You go down with us!” He pointed out.

Hank just nodded his head, as he set his stance to swing his glove.

“I am aware.” He told his boss.

“Then why in Arceus’s name are you lining up your shot?!” He questioned the Chief of Police. “We have other serious matters to attend to than playing golf!” The Governor berated.

                         

“Because,” Hank said as he took a swing with his club, hitting the golfball all the way to the green. Making it within ten feet of the hole.

The two men blinked in surprise at the shot the Chief of Police just made.

Hank turned and smiled at them before speaking.

“I feel like playing an “honest” game of golf for once.” He told the two as he gripped his club tightly. “And I feel like winning!”

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