17 Ain't That A Big One?

In Pewter City.

An unrivaled feeling of relief at the moment.

Cassidy and Butch had been apprehended by the authorities, led by Bruno, Officer Jenny and even the Gym Leader, Brock, had to step up since the incident happened in close proximity from his city.

All the pokemon were now safely under the care inside the pokemon center, while some uncontrollable pokemon, who has been abused too much was given to the Officer Jenny to take care of.

And now, it was all over. Everything was back to normal, back as it should be. And Cinder's pokemon were all the better for it.

At the moment, he was standing outside the police station with Bruno and Officer Jenny. Officer Jenny was inside filling up the paper work, also preparing some papers that the Gym Leader in Pewter has to look over once she delivered it to the gym.

Cinder had given to give his report on how everything went down, after healing up his pokemon from the Pokemon Center, he was immediately called here to have his account of the matter. He wasn't nervous, not like before that is.

"Cassidy, Butch and Mike." Officer Jenny started. 'Mike' was the name of the Team Rocket Member that was supposedly 'the pick up'."According to our Intel and what we got out of them after some 'peaceful' interogation, are B ranked members of Team Rocket. Based on what they said, they had been undergoing an operation under orders from their higher-ups " She frowned. "That's the seventh team rocket incident of this year's season. Nothing too unusual, but... Hasn't their movements been growing in numbers lately? The season has just officially started a few weeks ago..."

"They are bold and foolish, that's what they are." Bruno grumbled coldly. "Usually, I don't have to personally attend to such goons, it isn't under my direct responsibilities. The pokemon that were caged by them are most likely stolen from the Alolan trainers visiting Kanto for the S.S. Anne that stopped annually in Vermilion. I gotta say, their higher-ups are remarkable for predicting the Alolan Trainer's activity, since Pewter City is close to the Indigo Plateau, most foreigners would want to see the victory road by passing Viridian Forest in Route 2, or some ignorant kids would try their luck by passing through the deep forest..."

"They really are foolish criminals." Officer Jenny also agreed. "After all, Indigo Plateau is where you are, the Elite Four, and the Champion are stationed."

"Exactly. I don't want to say that we let our guard down, but... Maybe we do." He gave Cinder an acknowledging look. "If you hadn't addressed the instincts of your pokemon, they probably would have gotten away. I can imagine the headache this would have gotten us and Lance from the Alolan League if that situation was what transpires." His gaze was suddenly softer, his intimidating and stolid personality seemingly dropping by a bit. "I know it was a scare for you, but you really had helped us out. So thanks."

Cinder's cheeks reddened a bit from the compliment he got from Bruno, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "It's not a big deal, but it was my pokemon who had done all the work. They deserves the credit. Plus, we're not the ones who stopped them." He looked over to Bruno, who shrugged humbly with a smile.

"I'm glad you took action though. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have been notified by any distress signal from a Pokedex, nice going by the way." Bruno suddenly frowned. "I knew it goes without saying, but be careful out there. Team Rockets operates with no predictable schedule. They could strike at anytime, anywhere, and in any way. All of their members are criminals that have a variety of different ways of doing things. It makes it borderline impossible to predict what sort of incident that they're going to be commiting next." He sighed. "And of course, they are all incredibly dangerous. Most of them don't even care about whether or not they are killing rookies, as you've experienced it firsthand."

Team Rocker, Cinder had been in the knows of them for a while. Everyone in Indigo did. However, after the earlier encounter and not even against any of their most dangerous members, in fact, he knew more than ever now - avoid them at all cost.

"Anyways..." Bruno said, pushing himself off of the wall that he was leaning against and permitting his crossed arms to fall on his sides. "You had already given your reports, and I'm afraid that I'll have a good amount of paperwork tonight, so I need to get back... Sigh, I didn't even got any training done for my new fighting-type teammate yet..."

Cinder frowned sympathetically. "From just one incident?"

"Part of the job, kid. When we're not battling, training, and fighting the challengers that won in the Indigo Conference, we're usually doing this."

"Anyway, I'll be leaving after discussing some things here with Officer Jenny. We still have a troublesome thing we have to deal with. You should help yourself back to the center."Bruno sternly said, going back to his usual phlegmatic character.

"What's going on?" Cinder asked, he wasn't quite willing to go back yet. He still wanted to 'hang out' with one of the Elite Four. After all, this wasn't something that would happen in any day. "Did something happened?

"Not exactly." The pair were interrupted by another and rather stern Officer Jenny, who had a large Growlithe with her. After entering their view, she nodded at her sister who returned in courtesy. She had a pokeball in her hand and seemed pretty cautious with it. "I'm here to give you the pokeball containing that 'thing' Elite Four, Bruno. Me and my partner tried our best at pacifying it, but it seemed to not be the friendliest creature."

Cinder looked at the pokeball curiously. "What is it?"

"It's a Starly. A pokemon that is one of the captured many, by the criminals. This one is a unique specimen of it's species though, it seemed to be not owned by any trainer and was obtained by the criminals much more earlier than the others." Bruno filled him in. "It's... Let's just say, it don't like humans."

Jenny scowled. "I warned you sister, this Starly is beyond reason. I can't release it because it actively attacks people, but I can't exactly out it up for adoption either. It scratched my Growlithe!!" She furiously slammed her hat on one of the motorcycle.

Bruno, Cinder and the other Officer Jenny(1) looked down at the Growlithe beside her, the puppy pokemon had a deep, still red, wound scar on it's upper lip and left eye. It added a ferocious charisma to it, that Cinder wouldn't mind if it was his pokemon, after all, the Growlithe looked like a predator or a pirate with that added on his look, it was just missing a pirate hat to go along with.

Bruno frowned yet again. "Surely it isn't that bad."

The Officer's scow deepened. "You have no idea."

Cinder stared at the capture device in Jenny's hand. "What happened to make Starly like that? Did the three criminals said anything?"

"Yeah... I vented my anger at those two." Officer Jenny(2) grumbled. "After some time, they relented, it was an abused pokemon, not much of a surprise from team rocket, but this one is much more pitiful. It was born in a pokemon mil - a placed that illegally breeds pokemon and sells them on the black market. In his cage, this Starly was starving to death when we got of it. Once it finished eating, it tried to take a bite out of us. One of my newest recruits had to get stitches after getting clawed at by the avian's large talons."

He frowned. Abuse could make a pokemon vicious or impotent. Cinder had never seen the actual results of it, but he heard stories.

"I'll take care of it. Let me get this pokemon right off your shoulder of already many responsibility." Bruno held his arm outstretched towards Officer Jenny.

Once he got a hold of the pokeball. Bruno released what contained inside, much to the alarm of both the Jennys and Cinder.

Once it was release, Cinder got a good look at the creature.

Starly are a small bunch, somewhat having the similar size of a baby pokemon like, Pichu. It was even smaller than the newborn, Fafnir, actually. However, this particular specimen made Cinder recollect his memory if what he knew from the books was right.

The normal/flying-type Starly, an avian pokemon with primarily grayish-brown plumage, it appeared to be roughly two and a half feet tall, over twice the average size the species were known to have. It was really cute when Cinder first saw it.

Until, the Starly tried to blast him with Whirlwind and all hell broke loose.

Cinder barely managed to keep his feet of the ground as he grabbed the pole nearby. Then, Starly swoop down at the Growlithe with Aerial Ace, zeroing in at the fire-type.

Jenny leaped back and shouted a command for Growlithe to use Flame Wheel. Starly dodge with surprising speed and lunged at the next person it saw - Bruno.

It had flies into the air and was aiming for Bruno's face when Machamp materialized in front of his trainer and snagged the pokemon with one of his four muscled arms. The Machamp held Starly up by its plumage and pointed it away from the others, growling a warning at it. Starly spat furiously and wriggled to escape, but Bruno's Champ wasn't going to let it go.

Jenny's(2) scowl turned to full force. "You see!? I told you it was going to attack whoever it saw! There's no reasoning with it, sister. I'm sorry, but we have to get it put down in the precinct!"

"No." Bruno's cold voice shut Officer Jenny(2) up. "I'm sure this Starly could still be helped."

"Yeah! We can't give it up without even trying." Cinder added his own opinion, as he stood upright after he was almost sent sailing through the skies with no wings.

"Hey kid, who the hell are you by the way, and what are you doing here!?" Jenny(2) was already in a bad mood, like she was in her period. A talking chipmunk at the side, in her fristration made it worse.

"I'm a trainer from Pallet Town. I'm the one who first found the team rocket's scheme." Cinder introduced himself. Before eyeing the avian who was still trying its best to furiously escape from Machamp's grasp. "I'll take Starly."

Jenny(2) looked at him sharply. "Out of the question-"

"-It's not. Ask Bruno or my sponsor, Professor Oak. They can vouch for me." Cinder persisted, he thought for a moment before saying. "I'm training a Gible right now. A dragon-type that are notoriously difficult to tame. If I can handle him, I can handle Starly. Let me try and train it."

Well, technically, he really could handle the baby dragon. It wasn't that hard if Cinder has to say so himself, but if it grew older, he knew he was in one heck of a ride when Fafnir matures.

Hearing this, Bruno and both the Jennys looked at him with astonishment. Being able to train a dragon was difficult, it was unbelievable that Cinder was able to get one.

To prove that he was being true to his words, Cinder got Fafnir's pokeball out and released him. When it appeared, it looked around curiously before the baby dragon comfortably began rubbing it's jet-like horns on to Cinder's pants. When the young boy patted it's head, the dragon cooed in delight.

Seeing that it was true, the three couldn't help but wonder who Cinder was, for him to have a Gible in such an early time when he just started out was nothing short of amazing. Was it luck? Or was it because he had some connections? They remembered Cinder mentioned that he was sponsored by Professor Oak, maybe...

Jenny(2) hesitated, but glared at him with stern authority. "I will ask Professor Oak about this, kid. When I found out you are lying just because you wanted to get your hands on a unique specimen pokemon, you'll have to answer to me. Think very carefully about what you're asking."

"I'm not that kind of person, officer." Cinder promised. "Please, just call him. I'm sure I can work with Starly, given enough time. Don't put it down."

She glared at him for a little while, before sighing. "Fine. I'll be calling the professor while you go and rest in the Pokemon Center. It's already late in the night. I also don't like to put a pokemon down, but I will do so in this case that you aren't able to train it. This Starly is dangerous, it could go feral at any moment's notice."

"All pokemon are dangerous if it needed to be." Cinder replied. He glanced at Starly, who was still struggling at Champ's grip. He certainly had his work cut out for him.

Jenny(2) shook her head. "I still think you are crazy, but alright. I'll be giving you Starly's pokeball once the professor tells me you're alright with handling it. For now, it stays with me."

She recalled Starly in it's pokeball and went over to her vehicle, she still have to patrol the city, lest they would be some shady things like team rockets would do, to get their team members out of jail.

Bruno gave Cinder a thumbs up. Which the latter couldn't help but sheepishly scratch his head, before remembering something. He took out his Pokedex and a pen, shoving it at the Elite Four Bruno's face as his eyes glowed with a fanatic gaze that the famous Typhoon Brawler of Indigo was all too familiar with.

"Can I get your autograph, Bruno, sir?"

**Alright. The cat's out of the bag, arrest them!! mow, Tony_McGee, yoshualeeho20. You are under arrest for doing a job well done on this recommendation. I, the Author, thank you -BOW-**