Tinted With Evil

Chapter 2: Thieving Opportunity

A/N: Here is when Tint starts showing his darker side. In the first chapter, he seemed pretty likeable. That might change for some of you as the story goes on. I'll keep this short, so on with the chapter.

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So far, Tint's first day as an unofficial trainer had been rather uneventful. He had made a quick stop at his house to pick up some stuff that might prove helpful on his adventure, packing everything into a small black backpack. Mostly, he just packed some items that he had picked up over the years of working for Professor Oak. Nothing too special or useful.

Professor Oak was sure to have noticed that Tint had left by now. It would only be a matter of time before the professor realized that Silence had gone missing as well and put the two together. He would alert the authorities of the theft and have Tint hunted down. That was what Tint had known would happen and was prepared for the worst.

Once Tint was sure that he was ready, he started heading north along route one. This was the route that all new trainers from Pallet Town took when they first started. Chances were that Tint would run into at least one of the other rookies along this path. After all, he was only a half hour behind the others, assuming that they had headed out immediately after receiving their first Pokemon. Ash would be behind him soon as well, if he hadn't been completely paralyzed by Pikachu.

Tint had traveled this route many times before. Since Pallet Town was so small, there wasn't a Pokemon Center or even a Pokemart. So, whenever Professor Oak needed an item, Tint or one of the other assistants would have to travel to Viridian City to pick up the parcel. It wasn't that long of a trip; just a few hours by foot.

He had been forced into battle on a few occasions by some overly aggressive wild Pokemon. Silence ended up proving to be quite reliable in battle, taking down the Pidgeys and Rattatas easily, receiving only a few bruises along the way. The resilient Sandshrew proudly stood up to all of the opponents that he was thrust into battle with. Tint couldn't help but notice that Silence had a bit of a mean streak in him, kicking at opponents while they were down.

The scenery was extremely serene, especially near the small lake and waterfall about half way between Pallet and Viridian. It was here that Tint ran across a young girl fishing. She was focusing intently on the lure at the end of her line. The lure bobbed slightly, but the girl stayed her hand from jerking back, waiting for the bite. She was obviously accustomed to fishing. Tint simply wished her luck as he continued onwards.

It wasn't long afterwards when he noticed the sky beginning to darken. A few raindrops dropped on his head, telling him that he should seek cover before the storm really picked up. Sure enough, just as Tint seated himself at the base of a large tree a large clap of thunder filled the air. Tint looked out at the wall of water that poured down from the sky, barely able to see further than an arms length into the downpour. A huge bolt of lightning jaggedly darted across the sky temporarily brightening the dreary day.

"Well, look who's here! It's Gramps' errand boy!" Tint looked over his shoulder in the direction that the voice had come from. Sure enough, there stood Gary, totally soaked but still carrying that proud smirk that he always wore.

"You look a little wet," Tint commented as Gary seated himself on the opposite side of the tree trunk.

Gary laughed slightly, "How observant of you. So you aren't completely blind like I thought. Shouldn't you be back at the lab helping Gramps?"
"Nope. Your grandfather sent me out to patrol route one and help any of you newbie trainers if you get in any trouble," Tint quickly lied. "How is your Pokemon?"

"My Squirtle is getting stronger, but still too weak. At least he helped me catch a few other weaklings."

Tint nodded his head in approval even though Gary couldn't see the motion. Tint probably could have caught his share of Pokemon also, if he had any Pokeballs. Unfortunately, that was part of the registration process the Professor Oak took new trainers through when they received their Pokedex's. Only now did Tint realize the trouble that he was going to have in the future. Without a Pokedex of his own, how could he compete in gym battles?

"The rain's letting up." Gary announced, snapping Tint out of his thoughts. "Quit slacking off and get back to work. Those other two might be having some trouble."

"Actually, there are three others. Ash showed up right before I headed out," Tint replied as he stood up. Gary hadn't heard what he had just said. The youngster had already vanished off into the bushes in search of more Pokemon. Tint's prediction for the relative of the great Pokemon Professor appeared to be correct so far.

So Tint continued towards Viridian. It wasn't long before the sun began to set, darkening the path. Ahead of him, the glow of the lights of Viridian told him that he was near his destination. Up ahead was empty police station, where an officer usually sat to check on new arrivals. "Something must be happening in town," Tint told himself as he walked past the building, noticing that nobody was inside, much to his relief.

Naturally, Tint's headed to the Pokemon Center. Silence could use a quick rest. He had walked a few blocks before he realized that there was a major problem with his plan. Chances were that the police were out looking for him and by walking right into a place where they expected him to go would be a big mistake. Tint stopped walking; pondering what he should do next.

The roar of an approaching motorcycle told Tint that he should start moving. A passing motorist would be suspicious of a person just standing on the side of the road doing nothing. Tint began taking cautious steps forward, pacing himself at a rate to try and not seem awkward. The motorcycle's headlight appeared ahead of him and Tint almost felt like he was about to die.

It was a police bike coming towards him. His first instinct was to turn and run, but he quickly knew that was a bad idea. If he ran, the officer would definitely stop and ask him what was wrong. Tint could only hope that if he acted naturally, the officer would just pass him by. The bike cruised past him and he breathed an instant sigh of relief. But that feeling lasted for only a few seconds until he heard the bike turn around.

"Excuse me sir!" A female voice called out as the bike stopped beside him.

Please don't have a physical description of me… "Yes, Ma'am?" Tint nervously turned to face the officer as she dismounted her motorcycle.

"I don't believe that I have seen your face before. Can I see some identification?" At least she hadn't busted him on sight. Tint nervously reached into his pocket, going for his wallet. He hesitated, remembering that the only ID that he had labeled him as Professor Oak's assistant. I can't give her that but, if I give her nothing, she'd be even more suspicious. Tint reluctantly handed the card over to the officer. "Oh, so Professor Oak must have sent you here to warn the new trainers that he sent out this morning about the Pokemon thief."

Tint couldn't believe his ears. She didn't think that he was the very thief that she was looking for! "Yes, I left as soon as we found out about the missing Pokemon. Have any of the new trainers made it here yet?" It would be best if he played along with the officer. He felt as if a fifty pound weight had been lifted off his chest and he didn't want it placed back on so quickly.

"Actually, I just took one of them to the Pokemon Center a few minutes ago. His Pikachu was pretty injured," The officer explained, "You can go and warn him. I'll return to the guard post and warn any trainer that I see headed this way for you."

"Thank you that would be very helpful." Tint bid farewell to the officer as she returned to her bike. Now, he had little choice but to head to the Pokemon Center. If the officer decided to go to the Pokemon Center and Ash didn't know about the theft, then she would know that Tint was up to something.

The Pokemon Center was a very large building, visible from almost anywhere in the city. Its large Pokeball colored dome shone brightly, acting as a friendly beacon to all around. Tint made his way through the twisting streets and to the base of the stairs that led up to the building. Up close like this, the building was far more impressive, towering proudly above everything surrounding it. Tint hesitantly made his way up the stairs, waiting for someone to pop out of the shadows and arrest him.

The glass doors to the Center slid open, inviting him in. The interior of the Pokemon Center looked exactly like a hospital, but with more of a welcoming feel to it. Sure, it was squeaky clean to the point of being scary, but if you overlooked that fact, this place seemed like a nice place. The friendly face of a nurse smiled at him as he stumbled forward. "May I help you?" The young woman asked innocently.

Tint reached behind him, unzipping the pouch where Silence's Pokeball was. "Can you heal my Sandshrew? He's just a little banged up," Tint tried to sound calm, but his voice sounded worried.

"So you're a new trainer too, huh? All trainers are like this when they make there first visit to a Pokemon Center. It's only natural." The nurse placed the Pokeball in a small holder beside her. "Your Sandshrew is only slightly injured," She reported, reading off some data from the computer monitor in front of her. "It should only take a few minutes to heal your Pokemon, so you can have a seat over there."

Tint thanked the nurse for her help before stepping away from the counter. He seated himself down on a nearby bench and took a look at the other occupants. Just as the officer had said, Ash was there, seated at a phone booth and in deep communication with someone on the other end. By listening carefully, Tint could make out the faint voice of Professor Oak. Luckily for him, they didn't seem to be talking about the theft, instead worried about the well-being of Ash's shocker mouse.

In the opposite direction sat three overly dressed individuals at a table. The trio wore dark, bulky coats and low brimmed hats, shadowing their faces. One member of the group must have been a child, judging from his height compared to the other two. Despite their secretive appearance, they spoke in loud rambunctious voices. "So, what's the plan Jessie?" The child asked.

"This one is quite simple, Meowth. We wait for a strong looking trainer to show up to heal his Pokemon. That's when we swing into action." One of the taller figures, a woman, replied.

The other taller figure looked over at the woman called Jessie. "But, how will we get his Pokemon away from him?"

"That's where these Pokeballs come into play. James, you'll distract the nurse and I'll take the trainer, while Meowth sneaks behind the counter. Then, Meowth will replace the trainer's Pokeballs with these empty ones. It's flawless." Jessie explained.

"Brilliant, Jessie!" James clapped his hands in appreciation.

"Purrrrfect! Get it, purr?" Meowth laughed at his own joke. A talking Pokemon, strange…

It was obvious that this trio was a bunch of crooks. That might be calling the kettle black, since he had technically stole Silence, but he knew that what these three were planning to do was much worse than his crime. There had to be someway for him to stop them from accomplishing their crime.

"Sir, your Sandshrew is ready to go!" The nurse called out from behind the desk. Tint got back up to his feet and approached the counter, gladly taking the Pokeball and placing it back in his bag.

"Hey, what about us? We were here first!" Tint looked over his shoulder and saw that the trio had gotten up and were approaching the counter. "Move aside!" Jessie demanded, pushing Tint to the side. It was only for a second, but Tint and the woman shared eye contact. She was about his age, with sharp features, dark blue eyes and bright red lips to match her long hair. Tint suddenly felt an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, almost like he was being lifted off the ground. He shook off the feeling, backing away from the rather annoyed group. That was when he noticed that they had left the Pokeballs unattended. Hmmmm…

"I am sorry. Your Pokemon are almost ready. His didn't need as much healing so we finished quicker. I'll go get your Pokemon for you." The nurse bowed slightly before vanishing into the back room. She returned a few seconds later, holding out two Pokeballs. "I am sorry for the wait. We hope to see you again."

The trio snatched back their Pokeballs, acting rather snobbish. They turned around, their noses stuck up high in the air. "Jessie… James… Where'd the Pokeballs go to?" Meowth asked as he bolted towards the table, searching high and low.

"We've been had!" James exclaimed woefully as he collapsed into one of the chairs.

Only Jessie remained standing, her eye twitching violently. She uttered a low snarl as she slammed her fist down on the table. Both of her comrades looked at her in surprise and a hint of fear. They had seen her like this before and knew better than to get in her way. "It was that man with the glasses."

James and Meowth looked around the room, but Tint was nowhere to be seen. He had quickly made his exit before they could have noticed what he was up to. "What now Jess?" James dared to ask.

"We go with Plan B. We're going big." Jessie declared. "First we steal every Pokemon in this entire Center and give them to the boss as a gift. Then, we go after that punk. Nobody messes with Team Rocket and gets away with it!"

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A/N: You're probably thinking that he's a vigilante or something like that, eh? And what was with that little onset of butterflies when he looked at Jessie? Well, at least now you know why Team Rocket went a little overboard in their first appearance. But, what's Tint going to do next? At least he can catch Pokemon now… Later!