Chapter 30: The Capital

                                    

                                          
The color drained from my face. "W-what?"
                          
"The curator went to check on it this morning, and there's no evidence of it anywhere. There's not even anything for it being stolen." He closed in eyes in frustration. "No fingerprints, electronical holes or of that sort. It's like it disappeared into thin air."
                          
"That can't be..." Ash said. "It's locked up tight, I remember seeing it!"
                          
I was using everything I had to not panic. I would have felt better if they knew it was stolen, because it wouldn't have taken long at all to find the thief. But it just plain disappeared... "Thank you, Professor." I shut off the screen before he could reply.
                          
I turned around with my arms crossed on my chest. "...Ellie?" Lucy asked in worry. I knew that I would break into tears if I said anything back to her.
                          
"What do we do now?" Wendy asked in sadness.
                          
It felt like two minutes before Natsu said something. "We find that orb."
                          
"How?" Serena asked. "I don't think Palkia wants us to leave Fiore until Arceus is put back to rest."
                          
"It's here," he replied.
                          
I looked at him. He stared at the horizon in front of him with a glare and his arms crossed. His scarf twisted in the wind. My face flustered at his features again.
                          
"You can't automatically assume that since it's disappeared there that it would be here, fire head!"
                          
"Gray!" Lucy hissed.
                          
I kept staring at Natsu. For once, he didn't pick a fight with Gray. That's when I stood up. "Where?" I asked. I could feel everyone widen their eyes.
                          
"I'm not sure," he answered. "But I know it's in Fiore."
                          
My head was whirling with questions, but somehow I knew he was right. "Then maybe..." I lowered my head in confusion. Did Palkia bring it here? I shot my head back up. "We have to find it!"
                          
"Ellie, Fiore is hundreds of miles all around! Where the heck are we supposed to look?"
                          
"Who cares?" I heard Ash say. We all looked at him, and he pumped his fists in the air. "It'll be fun just looking! We may even find more Pokémon."
                          
I smiled at him. "Are you always this fired up?"
                          
"Sure he is!" I could hear Natsu's huge grin.
                          
"Pika!" Pikachu gave a peace sign.
                          
~~~
                          
Eevee ran ahead when we got back to the guild hall. "Papa! Guild meeting, now!"
                          
"What for?" he asked. "A party?"
                          
I stopped in my tracks and scowled at him. "Yeah, we're having a giant party when all of Fiore is in this much danger!" I moved my arms in sarcasm.
                          
"Sweet!"
                          
"NO!!" I yelled at him. "It's for saving Fiore, you dope!" Even I couldn't believe I called him that, but the way he said it made me sick. "Seriously? After everything we've been through so far..." I grumbled furiously as I headed towards the stage. "Natsu, Lucy! Get up here! Ash, you too!" They were next to me in two seconds.