Feathers

Chapter 2

He's Mine

"I can't believe this!" Prof. Elm exclaimed in disbelief. He was saving the Totodile for Lyra when or if she ever returns. Ethan began to jitter uncomfortably. He knew that Pokémon being raised by a heartless trainer would end up being like the trainer. That would be terrible. They never saw the thief or knew his motive but they knew it wasn't good. Suddenly a memory sparked in his mind.

The boy with crimson hair was staring into Prof. Elm's laboratory a few moments ago. He turned his head to the broken window, which was the exact window he was looking at. There was no boy looking out it.

"I think I know who did it," Ethan and Lyra said at the same time. They looked at each other for a second then turned their gaze to Prof. Elm who was still stressing. His tense shoulders seemed to lower slowly.

"You do?" He questioned hopefully but with a hint of doubt.

The two teens nodded.

"When I walked into New Bark Town, I saw a boy with red hair and cold steel eyes. He was staring into that exact window," Lyra explained as she pointed to the destroyed window. She decided to leave out the part that she saw him steal the Pokémon before her very eyes. Simply thinking of it irked her greatly. Ethan nodded in agreement. "I saw him push Soul, which could mean he's cruel or just plain rude. That could endanger the Totodile," Ethan concluded.

This didn't seem to calm Prof. Elm much at all. "Then the Totodile is in a criminal's hands! It could turn into a heartless ruthless Pokémon!"

Lyra quickly headed towards the exit. "I'm going to go find this Pokémon stealer," she announced before going out the door, her Cyndaquil trailing behind her. Ethan was surprised how she managed to get back on her feet so quickly even though an event like this just occurred.

"Ethan, you should go with her," Prof. Elm managed to say. Ethan's looked at him, surprised. "That last Pokémon…was meant her when she returns." His gray eyes widened in shock.

"You don't mean that…that Totodile was meant for Lyra!" He exclaimed in shock. The crushed professor sulked as he nodded.

Ethan quickly ran out of the lab. He had to get that Pokémon back. If he couldn't get that Pokémon back, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. The image of a smiling cheerful five year old Lyra burned in his mind.

"I have to get the Totodile back…For Lyra,"

The mysterious boy was within Lyra's view. Her eyebrows furrowed furiously. There's the boy who postponed her success in her mission. Her legs ran as fast as the wind. When she was a few feet away from him, she screamed, "You jerk!" Lyra tackled him down and gripped his collar. The boy stared at her confused.

"What are you doing? You freak!" he screamed abruptly.

"Give me back that Totodile!" Lyra demanded. The boy pushed her away, causing Lyra to land on her bottom once again. The red headed boy stood up and glared daggers to her. Lyra stood up and dusted herself off before she shot out her hand. "Give it now." She said sternly.

"Why would you need it? You already got a Cyndaquil." He jeered at Lyra then the timid Cyndaquil. Even if Lyra wasn't undercover, she couldn't just burst out that she worked for Team Rocket and it would prevent the birth of new Johto trainers.

"Why did you steal someone else's Pokémon?" Lyra demanded.

The boy glared at her. "That's no business of yours."

"Then at least give me the Totodile back!"

"Quil!" The Cyndaquil cried out in agreement.

The red haired boy leered at the pig tailed girl. "Why don't we battle for it? Instead of you crying like a baby over it,"

Lyra narrowed her hazel eyes. She wasn't crying over it, she just needs it.

"Fine. If I win, I take back your stolen Pokémon and hand yourself into the police," Lyra explained. The boy's eyebrows rose. "What if I win?"

Lyra shrugged her shoulders. She didn't care what he would say. After all, she was trained especially by Archer himself, of course she's going to win.

"I take your Cyndaquil,"

Lyra gulped and looked down at her starter Pokémon who was by her feet. He looked up to her in worrisome eyes. She bit the bottom of her lip. Lyra never trained it yet and he probably was never in a battle yet.

"Fine."

The boy pulled out the red and white Pokéball from his pocket. He released the Totodile from the capsule. It waved hello to Lyra and she awkwardly waved back.

"Totodile, use Water Gun!" He commanded. The Totodile looked at him oddly. She released a scoff. "You don't know anything about fighting with Pokémon do you?" Lyra sneered. His face erupted into red.

"Use Tackle!" Lyra commanded. Cyndaquil hesitantly rammed into the Totodile.

"Tota!"

The boy released a growl. "Use Scratch!" The blue lizard ran towards the fire mouse and clawed his cheek.

"Tackle again."

"Leer."

The tired Totodile managed to glared at Cyndaquil, causing the Timid Pokémon to cower in fear. "Don't worry Cyndaquil. Be brave. Tackle once more. He's almost down!" Lyra cheered him up. The Pokémon got his act together and tackled the lizard. One more hit and the Pokémon would faint.

"Alright Cyndaquil! One more ta-!" Lyra was cut off when she heard rustling from the bushes. "Soul? Are you here?" A voice emanated from the shrubbery. Ethan's head popped out from the bush with leaves scattered over his head.

"Soul! And…the criminal!" Ethan exclaimed out loud as he pointed at the mystery boy.

"Tch. The last thing I need is to be caught," The boy said as he returned his Totodile. Lyra bared her teeth at him. "What are you doing? We're not done battling," she said abruptly. He sneered at her. There was no way he could win when he was a total novice at battling.

"Give me back that Totodile! He's mine!" Lyra shouted as she ran towards him again and slammed him to the ground, once again. There was a sudden shine blinding her left eye. It was coming from a trainer card. She got off of the boy and picked it up.

She saw a picture of the mysterious boy.

"You're name is Silver?" Lyra mused. Silver got up and snatched it out of her hands.

"That's no business of yours." He growled.

"Whatever. Just give me the damn Totodile!" Lyra exclaimed, ready to pounce on him again.

"Wait, Soul!" Ethan called out. She turned her direction away from Silver and he knew it was the perfect time to run. Lyra turned around to see that the thief was gone. "Get back here, you dirty thief!"

Silver was already running away from them by the time Ethan got to Lyra. Lyra was ready to chase after Silver but Ethan managed to hold her back. He was actually holding himself back at the same time. "Don't worry. As much as I want to catch him too, let's let the police take care of him. It'd be dangerous for you to go after him," Ethan explained. Lyra pouted, she knew she could take him on. He wasn't much of a threat, especially since he's a total beginner at battling.

"Fine, let's go back," Lyra agreed reluctantly.

….

"His name is Silver. He has maroon hair and red eyes," Ethan explained to the officer who was taking notes in a notebook. "We saw him run towards Cherrygrove City."

The officer thanked the teens and walked away. Lyra's time was ticking. She needed to get at least one of the starter Pokémon other than Cyndaquil. She looked at Ethan who just adjusted his black and yellow baseball cap. "Hey Ethan, want to have a battle?"

Ethan blinked his eyes and then nodded. "But wait, let me get my other Pokémon from my room." Lyra nodded and began to wait outside his house.

Whatever Pokémon he was getting, there's no way he could beat her, unless he gets a ground, rock, or water type. Other than that, there's no way she can lose.

When the door opened, Lyra grinned. She was ready to win.

"Is it okay if I use my Marill?" Ethan asked as he walked out with a round blue and white ball tailing behind him. Lyra fell to the ground. There's no way I can win, Lyra thought pitifully to herself.

"You know what, let's battle another time," Lyra sulked. Ethan stifled a snicker. "Are you afraid to lose?"

Lyra swung her head darkly to Ethan, who recoiled. "I don't mean it like that!" Ethan said nervously. He already saw how Lyra reacts when she's angry. "Besides, let's fight when we get at least three Pokémon."

Lyra sighed. She doesn't have that much time to get two more Pokémon. She was going to fail her first mission. "Nevermind. I have to leave anyway."

Ethan gasped. "You're leaving already? Where are you headed?"

"Goldenrod City." Team Rocket was planning an attack there to find Giovanni, the missing leader of the notorious Team Rocket.

A light bulb sparked in Ethan's mind. "Why don't we go together? We can split when we get to Goldenrod," he suggested.

"I really can't. I have a tight schedule. You're probably going to battle the gym leaders." Lyra pointed out. Last thing she needs is to be discovered as a Team Rocket spy.

Ethan pouted. "Come on? Please?"

"No,"

"Please?"

"No means no,"

"Come on!"

"Do I need a dictionary to tell you what 'no' means?"

"Please, please, please?"

"How old are you?"

"15. How about you? And please?"

"I'm 10. No! For the last time,"

Ethan looked at her oddly. "Are you sure that's how old you are?" Lyra shrugged. Team Rocket never knew how old she was so they began from when they got her.

"I guess I am. Besides, I don't care about age."

"You look too old to be 10," Ethan said.

Lyra glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ethan gulped. "I don't mean like that!"

"So how old do I look?" Lyra mused, not interested.

"Well your hairstyle," Ethan pointed to her pigtails, "make you look younger. Try putting them down for a second,"

Lyra pulled down her hat. "No way! I'm not taking off my pigtails!"

"Why? It's not like I'm asking you to get naked or anything." Ethan asked as his eyebrow rose in confusion.

"I'm not taking them off!" Lyra complained like a child.

"At least tell me why you won't take them off," he asked.

"Because I'm having a bad hair day, that's why I'm wearing this huge hat!" She lied between her teeth. She pulled down her hat to cover most of her face.

Ethan sighed and relaxed his shoulders. There was no point in trying to squeeze the truth out of her. "Never mind, sorry I asked. I guess you look like a 14 or 15 year old."

"Oh, thanks."

Ethan nodded then cracked a smile. "Now let's go to Goldenrod!" He quickly grasped her wrist and began running.

"We're not going together!" Lyra fumed as she tried to release herself from his grip.

Pokémon So Far

Lyra/Soul-

Cyndaquil lvl 5

Ethan-

Chikorita lvl 5

Marill lvl 9

Silver-

Totodile lvl 5