274. Abnormal Events

"Beautiful Officer Jenny, it must be hard with so many children going missing! Let's use Hold Hands to solve this case together!" 

Before Misty could finish speaking, Brock had already rushed forward, taking Officer Jenny's hand and exclaiming excitedly.

Seeing Brock suddenly appear in front of her, Officer Jenny was momentarily startled before shaking off his hand. 

"Please don't interfere with my official duties!" she snapped.

"Ouch, there he goes again! Can't he think before acting?" Misty grumbled. "Not only does he behave like a nymphomaniac, but he's volunteering to help without even consulting us!"

Ash and Pikachu exchanged a knowing glance, throwing their hands up helplessly. They were well accustomed to Brock's antics by now.

"Huh? You're not from around here, are you?" Officer Jenny suddenly asked, her gaze turning suspicious. "It's strange for outsiders to suddenly want to help."

Misty quickly stepped forward to explain. "No! We just arrived in this city and met a mother who mistook our companion for her missing child." She gestured to a distraught woman sitting nearby, clutching a photograph and wiping her tears.

"Ah, I see. You're Trainers, right? If you've just arrived, I bet you're heading to the Pokémon Center. I'm heading there myself to gather more information. If you don't mind, I'll take you along!" Officer Jenny's demeanor softened as she offered a smile.

Brock instantly perked up. "It would be an honor to assist with your investigation, Officer Jenny!" he declared earnestly.

Shortly after, the group piled onto Officer Jenny's motorcycle, and she drove them to the Pokémon Center. At Brock's insistence, Officer Jenny allowed them to assist with her investigation. She handed them photographs of the missing individuals and instructed them to ask if anyone had seen them. Unfortunately, most people at the Pokémon Center were travelers who had no helpful information.

"They all said they didn't see anything! How about you, Ash?" Misty asked after finishing her round of questioning.

"No luck here either," Ash replied with a small shake of his head.

"And Brock?" 

Ash's expression turned wry as he nudged Misty and pointed towards the counter. Misty turned to see Brock animatedly chatting with Nurse Joy, who looked flustered.

"Not again…" Misty groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. She marched over and grabbed Brock by the ear. "We're supposed to be helping Officer Jenny, not flirting with Nurse Joy!"

"Uh… haha," Nurse Joy said awkwardly, watching Misty drag Brock away.

Ash approached the counter and placed the photographs down. "Nurse Joy, have you seen any of these people?"

Nurse Joy glanced at the photos and frowned thoughtfully. "Let me check if anything matches with recent reports…" she replied, heading to her computer.

"Huh? These are the children who have disappeared over the past few days, but we've never seen them here!" Nurse Joy said after examining the photos. Although deeply concerned about the situation, she confirmed she hadn't encountered any of the missing children.

Just then, Officer Jenny approached, looking equally empty-handed. 

"Ash, did you find anything?" she asked.

"No. Everyone I spoke to said they've never seen them," Ash replied with a slight shake of his head.

"I see," Officer Jenny said with a sigh of disappointment before turning to Nurse Joy. "Joy, have you noticed any unusual or strange people recently?"

Nurse Joy considered the question. With the Pokémon Center bustling with Trainers, there was always the possibility of a suspect among them. "These are mostly Trainers—nothing particularly odd. But now that you mention it, something strange has been happening."

"Oh? What is it?" Officer Jenny asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Recently, some peculiar Pokémon have been brought into the center," Nurse Joy explained, her expression troubled. "They're physically healthy after treatment, but they just seem... listless. They won't perk up at all."

She continued, "The Trainer of these Pokémon has been here several times, but I haven't been able to return them in good condition. The Trainer is getting frustrated, and I'm feeling increasingly anxious about it."

"When did this start?" Ash inquired. Officer Jenny glanced at Ash, intrigued by his question.

"Hmm... about four or five days ago," Nurse Joy replied thoughtfully.

"Officer Jenny, when did the first child go missing?" Ash asked, turning to her.

"The first child disappeared five days ago," Officer Jenny replied, her eyes narrowing as she began to connect the dots.

Though there was no apparent link between the two incidents, the timing was suspiciously close, making it hard to dismiss the possibility of a connection.

"Could you take us to see those Pokémon?" Officer Jenny asked, her tone urgent.

"Of course," Nurse Joy agreed, her own suspicions growing. If these events were related, perhaps they could find a solution to both problems.

By now, Misty and Brock had joined the group, drawn by the commotion. Hearing there was something wrong with some Pokémon, they quickly followed along.

Nurse Joy led them to the infirmary, where several Pokémon lay lifelessly on their beds. Their dull eyes and lack of energy painted a stark contrast to their otherwise healthy appearances.