Seeing Red casually sipping tea with an indifferent expression, the anxious Officer Jenny decided to pull out her trump card.
Under the stunned gazes of many officers, Officer Jenny puffed her cheeks and looked at Red with a pitiful expression, coquettishly saying,
"Red, please help me~"
The cup in Red's hand almost fell to the ground. He hadn't expected Officer Jenny to use such a move, and nearly spat the tea in his mouth onto her face.
After calming down the goosebumps on his body, Red steadied himself and looked speechlessly at the mischievous Officer Jenny before him.
Sneaking a glance around, and noticing the many officers grinding their teeth in resentment, Red helplessly chose to agree to Officer Jenny's request and assist in the investigation of this incident.
After all, the police beauty had already made such a "sacrifice." Red feared that if he refused, those officers who constantly fussed over Officer Jenny might feel psychologically unbalanced.
After all, why is it that I've been caring every day about whether Officer Jenny drank enough hot water, yet it still can't compare to the sudden appearance of an "ordinary" 10-year-old boy?!
Coincidentally, when Red first arrived in Pewter City, it was thanks to Officer Jenny's police car.
So Red simply treated this as repaying that favor.
"This is a photo our police managed to capture by chance. Since that Pokémon mostly steals late at night, we could only get a blurry shot of its back."
Seeing Red agree to help, Officer Jenny excitedly handed him the photo, hoping he could analyze the true identity of the Pokémon thief.
(Could this Pokémon be…?!)
Red took the photo and stroked his chin in surprise, staring at the shadow captured by chance. This shadow was the urban nightmare spreading through Pewter City—the Pokémon thief.
Judging from the vague outline of its tail, the shadow had a jagged, lightning-shaped tail, suggesting it was likely an Electric-type Pokémon.
As if guided by fate, Red casually glanced out the window and noticed a yellow electric mouse dozing leisurely on a nearby balcony, with some cream still stuck around its mouth.
A few seconds later, as if sensing Red's gaze, the electric mouse immediately woke up. After exchanging a puzzled glance with Red, it actually gave a cute smile and waved enthusiastically at him before turning into a streak of yellow lightning and disappearing, leaving only lingering electricity in the air.
"What an interesting little guy…"
Red smiled faintly, not expecting the infamous Pokémon thief to appear right under his nose.
That's right—the true identity of the Pokémon thief in Pewter City was the electric mouse Pokémon, Pikachu.
Red wasn't surprised. From the earlier blurry photo, only a Pokémon like Pikachu could have that jagged lightning-shaped tail.
However, Red didn't immediately reveal Pikachu's identity to Officer Jenny and the others. After all, a blurry photo alone wouldn't convince her.
According to Officer Jenny, Pikachu would definitely appear again tonight. When that time came, Red could catch Pikachu red-handed.
...
Late at night
Most shops had already closed and drifted into dreams, though a few restless sleepers muttered in their sleep,
"Damn thief… just wait until I catch you…"
Clearly, Pikachu's "legend" had already deeply imprinted itself into the hearts of these shop owners, leaving them unable to forget.
The alarm clock rang on the bedside table. Red woke up and immediately turned it off. After getting dressed, he used Teleport to arrive at the police station.
Red's sudden appearance startled Officer Jenny, nearly making her scream. Fortunately, Red had informed her in advance about his actions to avoid unnecessary trouble.
To prevent exposure due to too many people, Officer Jenny decided to form a two-person team with Red to capture Pikachu.
Red followed Officer Jenny to a corner of an alley. Not far away was a food shop faintly emitting a sweet aroma.
"This shop's cheese is frequently stolen by that Pokémon. Based on the pattern—three times a week—it will definitely 'visit' tonight," Officer Jenny explained.
"I see…"
Red nodded half-convinced. Recalling his encounter with Pikachu earlier in the evening, he remembered the cream around its mouth. Comparing it to Ash's Pikachu, who loved ketchup, he concluded this Pikachu might also be a mischievous sweet-tooth.
Moments later
Red sharply noticed a streak of yellow lightning entering his sight. Just as he was about to join Officer Jenny in capturing Pikachu, he suddenly felt a weight on his right shoulder.
Turning his head, Red awkwardly realized that Officer Jenny had unknowingly fallen asleep, nearly drooling onto his shoulder. Fortunately, Red quickly wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth with a tissue, avoiding an awkward situation.
After thinking it over, to prevent mistakes and allow her to rest properly, Red used his psychic power to guide Officer Jenny into a peaceful dream.
Then, using Teleport, Red brought her back to the police station and carefully covered her with a blanket. This matter didn't need to trouble her anymore—after all, she had been staying up for days over this case and deserved a good night's rest.
When Red returned to the scene, he found that Pikachu had already broken through the window. It was happily chewing on cheese while licking some pried-open ketchup nearby, looking extremely satisfied.
"Hey, Pikachu, how's the cheese? Be careful not to get cavities from eating too many sweets," Red teased.
Just as Pikachu was about to flee, it suddenly felt its body restrained. Under its shocked gaze, Red's eyes glowed with a deep blue light as he used psychic power to control Pikachu.
Seemingly accustomed to being chased, Pikachu showed no panic. In an instant, it regained control of its body, unleashed a Thunderbolt to break free from the psychic restraint, and then used Quick Attack to rapidly close in on Red.
"Pokémon battles should be handled by Pokémon. I'm counting on you—Dratini!"
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