Episode 2: Put Down the 'Dile

Ash fumed with anger as he eyed the red haired boy carrying the panicked Totodile. Kamon...we may have just met, but we've already started off on the wrong foot by your so brazenly stealing a Pokemon that was very clearly meant for someone else; plus openly defying the professor!

As the group rounded a corner, Ash spotted a police alarm on a pole and pressed it as he ran by. So now I'm gonna have you answer for your crimes!

The group eventually cornered Kamon and the Totodile inside a garden in the town square, where Kamon's only escape route was out the way they had entered. "You've got nowhere to go now..." Misty warned as she approached Kamon. "So will you give back the Totodile, or what?"

"You and what army, sweetheart?" Kamon replied with a huff as he struggled to keep a grip on the squirming Totodile in his arms.

"Me and THIS army!" Misty replied as she heaved all four of her Poke Balls skyward, summoning Ami, a muscular blue duck Pokemon, a blue seahorse Pokemon with spikes on its back, and a purple starfish Pokemon with a red jewel as its core.

"Nice, a fan of Water Pokemon." Kamon smiled. "I suppose you want this one back because you wanna add it to your collection?"

"No--I want it back because it was promised to a friend before you decided to swipe him, and I intend to bring him back to his rightful trainer." Misty replied.

"And if I don't?" Kamon shot back.

"I have backup." Misty confidently grinned as Tintri charged an angry spark. "I also have a user of a Mega Ring with Z Crystals inside, who can call forth a powerful attack just by his Heart Song, not just Mega Evolve Pokemon."

"Oh look, Squinty-eyes is gonna cast a spell on me...I'm so scared." Kamon sarcastically replied, moments before the Totodile bit his finger. "YIPE!!!"

"Mr. Totodile's had enough of your attitude, I'd wager." Brock began as Kamon winced at his throbbing finger that was beginning to slightly bleed.

With that, he held his Mega Ring to the sky and sang Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... making a green crystal in the circle of crystals surrounding the emerald in the ring glow.

"GAH!!!" Kamon yelped as he was surrounded in a torrent of red rose petals, forcing him to drop the Totodile. The Totodile wasted no time running into Ash's arms, enthralled by the swirling red tornado its captor was trapped inside.

When the rose tornado dissipated some moments later, Kamon spat out a few stray petals. "First of all, what in Arceus' name did you just do?"

"Easy--I invoked a Z Crystal on my Mega Ring." Brock replied, showing Kamon his Mega Ring, a gold ring with an emerald surrounded by a rainbow of crystals sandwiched between ivy inlays. "This way I or a Pokemon of mine can use a powerful attack when the chips are down, or I can command my Pokemon to evolve to an even more powerful form, albeit temporarily."

Kamon just brushed off more rose petals. "Okay, fine...you can have the Totodile back. But next time we meet, don't think a magic spell's gonna save you!" With that, he climbed over the garden's northernmost wall and hurried off into the crowds of people, oblivious to the wailing siren approaching where he had been moments before.

Officer Jenny arrived moments later. "We received your report of a kidnapped Pokemon here, but it appears the culprit got away."

"The perp was a boy with long red hair." Ash explained as Misty shot Brock a warning glance. "He had on a red and black shirt, with jeans that nearly looked purple, and matching red and black shoes."

"All right...is there anything else you can tell me about our suspect?" Officer Jenny asked as she wrote down Ash's description of Kamon. "Such as if you've seen him elsewhere or what his name was?"

"His name was Kamon, Officer." Misty replied. "We found him hanging around Prof. Elm's lab not long after he arrived in town."

"Let's go back to the lab, and see what we can learn from the scene of the crime." Officer Jenny suggested. "I'll meet you three there."

---------

"I can't even begin to thank you for saving the Totodile I was going to give Ethan..." Prof. Elm smiled as Officer Jenny dusted the lab for fingerprints. "How can I ever repay you?"

Brock, meanwhile, was more interested in Officer Jenny. "I may have cornered a perp or three in my day, but maybe you can help me find my stolen heart--!"

This was as far as he got before Misty's Seadra sprayed him, much to Ethan and Lyra's delight. [That will be QUITE enough, loverboy!] she scolded as one of Prof. Elm's assistants gave Brock a towel to dry off.

"Thanks, Spritz--I didn't even have to drag him away this time!" Misty smiled as she hugged her Seadra.

"Well, what's important is the Totodile is safe and sound." Prof. Elm grinned as he gently placed the Totodile in Ethan's arms.

"Yes, that's always a good thing." Officer Jenny agreed before turning to leave. "Thank you all for pitching in with the investigation--we'll do whatever it takes to bring the punk that snatched this Totodile to justice."

"Thank goodness the Totodile's okay..." Lyra smiled. "You'd make a much better master for him than that red haired jerk."

Ethan grinned at Ash. "Thank you so much for rescuing Totodile for me--how can I ever repay you?"

"Just promise me this--that you will take good care of him and train him well." Ash replied as he and Ethan embraced as friends.

TO BE CONTINUED...