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Pokemon Story

The Crooks and the Krookodile - Chapter 2

By J.C. Solis

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The little Phanpy ran as quickly as its feet could run, but with just the moonlight alone to guide it, the path through the pass was perilous and foreboding. Yet the sounds of pursuing feet made the child carry on its desperate flight. The child chose route after route, panting heavily as it tried to escape its pursuers. Yet the chasers were not one to give up. The child had escaped the ravages against it's family. In what could only be described as lightning fast battery, the crooks burst through it's family home and mercilessly attacked it's parents, while others began pillaging the large ranch mansion. The child was woken up in a fright, not knowing what was happening in the foyer, only to discover upon arrival it's Donphan father on the ground lying motionless, leaving the mother Donphan charging at the bandits to drive them away from the home. A Salazzle and Hitmonlee were doing battle with the mother, seemingly dancing around the charging elephant as the two hostile bandits avoided all of the failed Take Down attempts. The Hitmonlee then used Low Sweep, and the Donphan tripped and plowed right into the wall.

"MAMA!!!" cried out the little child.

The Donphan, immediately recognizing the phanpy's voice, bounced back as the Salazzle was about to open its mouth to breath fire. "Run, Donny! Run away from here!" cried the Donphan mother.

Following the mother's order, the Phanpy child left, just as Flamethrower was spit upon the Donphan. A loud trumpet of agony was the only thing the child heard as it fled to the back door of the home. "After him!" said an Emboar as it appeared from the main entrance, and the Salazzle and Hitmonlee gave chase. Though the child knew the terrain, Donny was still handicapped by having to go through pass after pass in total darkness. He knew a canyon was coming, and it was here that it planned to lose the bandits. The Phanpy hid in an alcove and watched as the Salazzle and Hitmonlee ran past the child and further into the canyon. The boy, seeming to believe it had given its chasers the slip, popped out of the small alcove and tried to make it back to where it's parents were that.

But suddenly, a large, red figure blocked the Phanpy's path. The pokemon was mean looking, intimidating, and straight up too terrifying to look at.

"Come along quietly, boy, lest we gotta make this more painful than it needs to be," said the intimidating figure with a wry smile.

Rather than surrender and give in to the demands to the Intimidation pokemon, Donny chose to run, with the heavy footsteps of the figure coming after it. Once again under pursuit, Donny ran through the canyon passes once more. He knew that he would lose this larger red bandit for sure if he could crawl through some of the smaller passes, but the other two could be around any corner, ready to surprise him. Thankfully, nobody did, but the Phanpy's luck had seemed to come to an end. The Phanpy was now at the edge of a precipice, the steep dropoff a dead end to the escaping child. Alone and afraid, little Donny wondered what his next plan of action would be. Suddenly, the ground gave way underneath the Phanpy's feet, and Donny was about to fall over and into the steep canyon below.

However, the Phanpy did not yet meet it's demise. Donny felt a large hand grab its snout, causing quite a bit of pain as the child dangled over the edge. Upon looking at who had caught him, Donny's face was horrified to see the face of the Red Pokemon. It seemed as though Donny's attempt to elope the red bandit had failed. But the intimidating and mean look had disappeared from the bandit's face. Instead, a face of dread and dire worry was on the bandit's face.

"I've got yah, kid! Hang tight!" said the red pokemon worriedly. "Mary! Jon! Big Horn! Big Boss! Anyone!!!" it called out. "I got the kid! Help me save him!"

But it seemed as though help was a ways away. Donny tried wrapping his short snout around the hand of the red pokemon, but it's snout was starting to slip from the bandit's hand. The bandit, in turn, went ahead and grabbed the child with it's second hand, trying with all it's might to keep the child from falling.

"Keep tight, Kid! I've got yah," the bandit tried reassure Donny, though Donny was too scared to think other than the fact that he had been caught. "Big Horn! Jim Lee! Anyone! I could sure use ya'll guys' help right about now!!!" Yet no help arrived. Minutes passed on, and the red bandit desperately clung onto the child, but his grip was weakening. Donny's snout was slowly slipping from the red bandit's grasp. "Boss!!! Mary!!! ANYBODY!!!" cried out the bandit desperately.

"Crooked? What's wrong?!" said a far off voice. The Phanpy snout was now at its tip in the bandit's grasp. The sounds of quick footsteps were coming, but the bandit's strength was almost out.

"Hang on, boy! Hang-" said the red pokemon.

The Salazzle, Hitmonlee, Incineroar, Rhyperior and Emboar finally arrived, but by then it was too late. The red bandit had a horrified look on his face as he looked at his comrades.

His strength had finally run out...

Crook woke up with a gasp, his upper body bolting upwards, and at the same time startling his wife Mariah awake. He was gasping for air, as though it had been sucked from his lungs at the moment he woke up.

"Crook!" cried Mariah. "Are you okay?"

The Krookodile shook his head, trying to regain control of his thoughts after having just woken from a horrid nightmare. "I'm fine, Mariah," assured Crook. "Was just a bad dream, is all."

He then laid his head down and tried to fall back asleep just as Mariah did the same, but the dream haunted Crook awake. He looked at the clock on top of his bedside drawer; it was three o'clock in the morning. Usually, Crook would wake up at around four to get ready for work, but the memory he kept reliving made sure to keep the sheriff awake. Realizing there was no point in it, Crook slowly got out of bed and went to the wardrobe to get dressed, making sure not to wake up his wife. But the Audino was a light sleeper.

"Crook?" said Mariah's voice as she got up from the bed.. "Can't sleep?"

"Not a wink," replied Crook, putting on a black vest and dark brown cowboy hat. The final touch was putting on his badge, which he kept in a special strongbox on top of the mirror dresser. "I guess I should just head on over to the station and get prepared. The deputies and I will be heading straight for Kar Prison by dawn."

"I know, Crook," said Mariah, getting out of bed and going to her husband. "Just... be careful in that place. I highly doubt the prisoners there will take kindly to the seeing the lawman who locked them up there."

"I ain't afraid of anybody that place got. All I care is that I get our son back," said Crook. "And only one pokemon there will know where Big Boss Boar will be hiding out at."

"You mean Big Horn?"

"No. Someone else," replied Crook. He then looked down at the ground solemnly. "Someone who I've got a much bigger connection to... She ought to still be in prison, even though Big Boar supposedly broke out with most his old posse back."

The Audino looked worriedly at the sheriff. "You mean Mary?" Crook only nodded. "That Salazzle is wilier and has got more against you than Big Horn. Are you sure that she will be of any help?" worried Mariah. "She'll just reject out right in cooperating."

"Then I'll make her cooperate," said Crook coldly. "Don't you worry a thing, Mariah. I'll be getting Junior back. Just you wait."

The Audino smiled, went up and hugged her husband. "I know you will, honey darling."

Mariah kissed the sheriff and returned to bed while Crook prepared to leave. Once he had his gear, the sheriff left the house and headed straight for the Sheriff's Station. At this time of night, hardly anybody was out in the streets. A few shifty characters, looking like they were holding secrets, were about. But, Crook didn't pay them much heed--though he would give them his signature glare. He had bigger fish to fry...

Once arriving at the office, Crook prepped and turned on the coffee machine, making the brew from a coffee powder that was extra potent and energizing. He needed his grog, and so would the deputies. The time to see another one of Crook's old 'friends' was coming. When four o'clock hit, Crook was now ready to travel the long distance to Kar Prison. Sipping from his wired cup of straight black coffee, the sheriff now waited for his trusty deputies to arrive. The first one to come was Delilah, the dainty Florges having come with a small rucksack of things she'd need for their journey.

"You ready for the trip, boss?" she said.

"More than I can ever be," said Crook. "I got some black gruel made if you want some; the Loco Bean brand, just so you know. The creamer that you like is in the fridge. I made sure to get some yesterday in case you wanted to sweeten up your joe."

"Perfect," smiled Delilah, who poured herself a cup and went to the fridge to add the creamer. "Why, thank you so much in thinking about little ol' me, boss," she said with a wink. "What better drink is there than one that's got both flavor and kick?"

Grimshot the Cacturne was the second to come, followed soon after by Giles the Bannette. Both had their supplies and got themselves a cup of the wired brew. Soon after came Clarence the Aggron, Buzzbeak the Mandibuzz, and last but not least, the ever excited Dale the Nuzleaf. With all the deputies accounted for, Crook then began debriefing.

"We're heading for Kar Prison, gang, as you probably already know. There is someone there who can help us track down Boss Boar and My Son. I'll be doing the interrogations, and I need you guys to watch my back and make sure no prisoner gives us trouble."

To this, the deputies had question marks over their heads.

"Prisoners giving us trouble? What do yah mean, boss?" said Dale.

"We shouldn't have to worry if the prisoners are behind bars," said Delilah. "That's the thing. The good majority ain't," said Crook. "Kar Prison ain't like most prisons. Actually, it's more like an Internment camp than a prison. Pokemon who committed small crimes or those who behave themselves get a cell. But Kar Prison is mainly for the worst of the worst, so not too many small fry go there. Most other Pokemon are all thrown in one giant canyon cave; from serial bank robbers to hardened killers. For the most part, it's the prisoners who make the rules, and the guards don't get involved unless something serious happens or someone dies. "

"Sounds like some kinda hellhole to me," said Clarence.

"It is," said Crook, knowing from first hand experience. "Those who don't toughen up quick don't last long. And Pokemon tend to form gangs in order to watch out for each others and their own backs. Get themselves some protection, if you wanna think it like that. As you know, I used be a feared outlaw before I became a lawman. And lots of those turds they got locked up in the prison would love to get their hands on me, especially since I sent their sorry asses there. In a way, I'm still a wanted pokemon; just that now the ones who want me dead are on the opposite side of the law."

He then stiffened his posture, for what hewould say next would brin many old and bacd memories."We're going after a Salazzle named Maryanne Lionels, a.k.a. 'Bloody Mary'; one of my former posse-mates when we both worked for Big Boar. Right now, she's waiting to meet her maker at the gallows, but I talked to Judge Homer to suspend her execution until we can get as much info out of her as possible and give us Big Boar's whereabouts. For sure she is gonna be protected by my former posse-mates and others who have been lured in to protect her. If that Salazzle doesn't charm you into following her will, then her pheromones will do the trick."

"Her wiles and pheromones won't work on me," said Buzzbeak. "I'll beak her if she tries to play fiddle with me."

"As a ghost, I too won't be so easily charmed," said Giles.

"Don't be underestimating her, you two," warned Crook. "She's a vile and conniving lizard. She is a cold blooded killer, but I just happen to know her weaknesses. She ain't no match for me; though other prisoners will mean trouble. Which is why I want ya'll to be watching my back as I force the truth outta her." He then heard what sounded like the trodding of hoofs. "We leave now. Our rides will be here soon, so take this time to prepare yourselves. Be ready for a tussle if things don't go too well, and fight with all you got if the odds ain't in our favor."

The deputies were ready, and soon their rides were here: two carriages with Mudsdales acting as the drivers. Crook approached the Head Mudsdale.

"So you want us to take you and the rest of the deputies to Kar Prison, is that right, Sheriff?" said the leader.

"You got it," said Crook. "That's why I wanted us to head out before dawn. So that way you guys don't gotta run in the sun."

"Now hold on one second, Sheriff," said a familiar voice, who was right behind the sheriff. "You think you gonna go uppity and leave me out of this?"

"Clementine?" said a surprised Crook as he looked straight at the Gothitelle. "What're yah doing here this early in the ass crack of dawn?"

"Joining your posse, Crook," said the Bartender. "I reckon a Psychic type like me oughta be of some help."

To this, Crook gave Clementine a stern look. "Clementine, this ain't no pleasure trip," warned Crook. "We're heading to somewheres highly dangerous, and-"

"Did you forget that I helped you with dealing with Big Horn and his posse yesterday? And I said I'd join you in rescuing Crook Jr., too, now didn't I?" she pushed her point. "I ain't afraid of going to prison... well, going there to do a job, that is," she made her joke. "Come hell or high water, I'm coming with yah, sweetie."

The Sheriff admired her valiance. He did remember what Clementine said the day before. But he saw her point; he realized that the psychic type would serve to bolster his group's power tremendously--not to mention that her psychic powers could be used to interrogate the psy-weak poison slash fire type, Mary.

Crook tipped his hat. "By all means, Miss Clementine," he said in a gentlemanly voice. "You can ride with me and Clarence. The others will be going in the other wagon."

With Clementine now riding with Crook and Clarence, the group could finally head out. Crook and Clarence, being the two biggest members of the team went in one carriage while Delilah, Giles, Grimshot and Dale went in the other. Buzzbeak decided to fly the whole trip; she was much faster than a carriage at full gallop when she was up in the air anyways.The Mudsdales were off, and the carriages were on the road out of town. Soon, they were past the town's main entrance and off into the desert. The sun was slowly creeping over the horizon, marking the new day and the danger the group would face once they arrive at Kar Prison.

In truth, the Sheriff was a bit apprehensive on returning to Kar Prison. Not much of his time there was pleasant, and the prisoners didn't welcome him much after hearing that he betrayed his fellow posse. He knew there were some pokemon in that jail who still had a bone to pick with him, and even meeting the Jail Warden herself didn't sound like a pleasant experience. But Crook was the Intimidation Pokemon; he never backed down from anyone, even when they were bigger than him and were in front of his face. Not even Big Boss Boar himself could make Crook flinch--which was one of the reason why Big Boss liked Crook back when he was in his bandit posse. The tireless Mudsdales kept galloping, and the sun was now up in the sky. The air was starting to warm up quick, and the once frigid temperatures were now starting to rise. But the Mudsdales were immune to the sun's blazing heat; ground types weren't bothered much by the heat. Several hours have now passed, but the Mudsdales' galloping made quick progress. The team have travelled a total of seventy two of the eighty nine miles from Cactus Town to the Prison. But already, the mountains where the prison was built into was in view.

The Spearhead Mountain Range was a sight to behold. The summits were towering into the sky, and had snow year round on their tall peaks. They stretched the full length of the Kar Desert, and on the other side was Iron Valley, the mineral rich section of the mountains where much ore, from Iron to Gold, was dug up. A half hour had passed, and the prison was now in sight. A ginormous cave mouth could be seen right on the side of the mountain, and it was here where the worst of the worst were sent to serve their time or--as was often the case--wait until their execution date.

Crook and his team looked straight at the main entrance: a large building surrounded by spiked fencing with barbed wire on top. Seeing this sight brought back a ton of unpleasant memories to Crook, but he kept his cool about it. The Mudsdales stopped at the entrance to the large building And already there were some pokemon in front of the entrance who were waiting on the Sheriff's arrival.

One of them was a shiny lucario; her yellow fur distinguishable from the two regular, blue furred lucario who were at her sides. She also had other mean looking guards with her: Houndoom, Braviary, Machamp, and even Bisharp. Crook and his team got off the carriages. The deputies were all nervous, as this was the first time they had been to Kar Prison. The Posse went up to the welcoming party, and the shiny Lucario was the first to greet them, though it didn't seem too happy to see the likes of the sheriff.

"Well, if it isn't the infamous 'Crooked, The Devil of the Kar,' himself," said the female lucario prison warden. "Though I think you go by a different moniker now these days: Crook, 'The Hero of Dusty Depot.'"

"Nice to see yah again, Warden Baron," said the sheriff. "Though to be honest with yah, it does feel mighty strange, us two being on the same side of the law."

"That we are, Sheriff Crook," said Warden Baron. "And the feeling is mutual."

Warden Temperance Baron is the pokemon in charge of the prison, and has been for the past thirty years. She runs Kar Prison with a just hand to those who obeyed the rules, but ruled with an Iron Fist to those who would disobey the prison's rules and cause trouble.

"I have to admit, I thought the last thing you would ever make out of your vagrant life would be that of a lawman, let alone the Sheriff of Cactus Town and Cactus County," said Warden Baron with a bit of contempt. "After you left my prison, I sort of half expected you to land back here within the following year."

"Aw shucks, why so little faith in me, Warden Baron?" teased Crook. "After all, I hardly ever caused you any trouble during my time here... well, only when other pokemon didn't try to take my life."

"True," admitted the Warden. "Though you sent quite a vast amount of prisoners to the medical ward, some of them with critical injuries, they were all in self defense. You were indeed one of my more better behaved inmates. I still find it ironic for you to come back here." She then decided to get to the meat of the issue. "I have postponed the execution date of Maryanne Lionels, under Judge Homer's orders that you petitioned. I had the guards bring her out of the jail yard and into one of the interrogation room for questioning."

But the warden had something to let off her chest, with a look of concern now on her face.

"In all honesty, you have my sympathies, Crook," she said. "I am sorry to hear that your youngest son was taken from you. I just hope that whatever information you can extract from Maryanne will prove vital to your son's rescue."

"No need to apologize, Warden Baron," said Crook, tipping his hat at her. "I'm just glad to hear that you got Maryanne nice and prepped for me. I thought I might need my posse here for back-up in case we gotta go into the yard."

"I'd still keep your posse around, Crook," said Temperance. "I figure that the prisoners already know of your presence here. You are, after all, a prime target for the bandit community."

"That's where we come in, Warden Baron," said Deputy Delilah.

"Ain't no prisoner gonna lay a hand on my boss, here," said Deputy Grimshot. And the rest of the deputies had the same look and mindset.

And so, the sheriff and his deputies followed the warden and her guards inside the prison. The entrance inside was quaint and homey, almost like the entrance of a hotel or saloon. This area was reserved for the public to enter through, and through here they would head to the visiting chambers to see their imprisoned loved ones. But the group went beyond those chambers into the belly of the prison--where the inmates would be housed. This area was restricted, with many of the doors the group passed by being made of thick metal beams and rods, as well as being guarded. The group went up a flight of stairs, where the interrogation rooms would be at. They arrived at a row of doors, with them numbered as in order as the hallway went along. There was a long, two-way mirror window next to each door. To this, the warden turned to the sheriff.

"Maryanne is in Room No. 2, and be sure to take some of your deputies inside the room with you, Crook. Mary may be bound and chained, but there is no telling if she'll be readying a surprise attack."

"I don't believe it'll come to that," said Crook.

They walked up to the window of Room No. 2, and there she was. Maryanne Lionels, a.k.a. "Bloody Mary", was in a prison-orange jumpsuit, with her hands shackled to the metal table, as well as binds wrapping her to her chair and chains tightly bolting her neck from the ground. Even the Salazzle's tail was bound to the ground. It hardly looked comfortable, but Crook, knowing all she had done, showed no sympathy.

"Clementine, Clarence, Giles; I believe you three will be going in there with me." Crook then turned to look at the warden. "Would it be alright if Clementine use her psychic powers to... convince Maryanne to cooperate?"

"As long as no Pokemon Rights are violated," said Warden Baron. "We don't allow torture, but the use of illusions, delusion, coercion, and even non-harmful attack use is allowable."

"That's all I need," said Crook. As he was about too enter the room he said, "I promise, I won't even so much as touch her." With that, the sheriff and his chosen team went inside the room. The Salazzle glared at every single one of them, and when she looked at the sheriff, she made a hiss. But the sheriff was unmoved and not intimidated by her displeasure and vile.

"Well if it ain't the hussy-footed, goody-goody Sheriff of Cactus County," said Mary rabbidly. "I know why you're here. And I know that you'd do anything to get to me talk," she said in blunt terms. "Well, guess what, Crook; I ain't telling you shit!"

"Maryanne," said Crook in a soft and meek voice. "I honest to Arceus don't want to use force to be getting the truth out of yah. I just want to know where Big Boss Boar is so I can get my Son back."

"Why? So you don't have another dead child on your conscience, Crook?" said Maryanne. This statement really stung the sheriff deeply in the heart. "Well, if you already received Big Boss' letter, then you know that you had this coming to yah since the day you done betrayed us, Crooked!" Mary's temper began to flare. "I know deep down you wish we had been there to help you save that Phanpy child. I bet deep down you're almost pissing yourself scared for the safety of Crook Jr.. Well, Crook, how does it feel to being a sheriff who can't do nothing but cry to that pinky fucking Audino hussy yah got for a wife?" Crook was unmoving. These were highly insulting words, and Mary used them on purpose to rile the Sheriff up. But instead of being angry, a tear trickled from his right eye down to his face. As though he was going to be deeply pained for what he was about to do next.

"Clementine, use Confusion on Maryanne. Don't cause her any pain, but send her on a crazed trip through mental hell," said the sheriff.

The Gothitelle didn't say a word. She spread out her arms, and her eyes began to glow. Almost immediately, Mary was feeling the effects of the weak yet super-effective move. Keeping to his word, Crook wouldn't touch the Salazzle, but he didn't say that he wouldn't use special moves. Maryanne cursed and swore at the sheriff while she groaned and hissed. The Confusion was not causing her pain, but it did make her feel nauseous and numb, almost as though she was losing her grip on reality.

"You were right. That Phanpy child still haunts me. And it's been haunting me to this very day, in fact," said Crook. "The little feller's name was Donny, and he shouldn't have died that night. But the irony is, though, that if that boy hadn't died, I might never have become sheriff."

"Screw... you... Crooked," said Maryanne forcefully.

"But to be honest again, I bet that boy's life would a been hell if we did save his life, considering you up and killed his Ma and Pa," said Crook. Now he dealt a stinging blow to Mary. Crook raised his hand, signaling Clementine to stop.

"Big Boar told us to deal with anyone who got in our way. And those those two were in our way," said Mary in an un-repenting voice. "You were there. You were always there, Crooked. All the lives I supposedly took. All those folks you saw me burn. The question I got for you is this: why didn't you stop me all those times if you cared so much about those we robbed? Why was the death of a child the only reason you started to give a fuck?!"

"Because I ain't ever killed anyone in my life. And, that boy's death made me remember the promise I made to my Pa that no folks would be done in by my hands, or anyone's hands," said the sheriff coldly. He raised his hand again, signaling Clementine to use Confusion. Mary squealed as she went through another dizzy spell. Her thoughts warped as she felt the move type she was weak to make her queasy and dazed. "Let me ask you something, Mary, cause I know deep inside, you still have a heart. I know this because of the children you spared, as well as many others you didn't kill. If you were there to help me save Donny, you'd gladly do it," said Crook.

"Are you sure about that, lawman?" rebuked Maryanne. "Shows you how much you-"

"Was it because of the bandits who murdered your child that you decided to spare all the children of the families we robbed? Why you wouldn't kill parents, and even once allowed a mother to feed her child when we had her and her baby hostage? Why was it that you didn't spare the parents of little Donny?"

Another blow to the conscience that supposedly Bloody Mary didn't have. "Because Donny's parents were both rich and nasty piles of poke-shit who didn't deserve to have such a wonderful boy as him!" admitted Mary, who now was at the verge of tears. "I remember staking out the house to do recon, and every time I did I saw those Donphan ingrate fuckers beat him up good. They'd yell insults at him, tell him he was good for nothing! I even saw those rich son of bitches, and their rich friends they invited over, laugh at him when they cause him to fall on purpose to spill a platter with food on it. And you know what they did? They beat the living tar out of that kid! And right in front of the guests, too! Treated him like he was a punching bag and utterly humiliated him!! He didn't deserve the bullying and the beatings! He deserved better!!!"

"Then why didn't you help me save Donny instead of hiding out at the corner you were at, watching as I desperately tried to save him?" Mary was stunned to hear what the sheriff had said.

"You knew I was hiding?"

"For crying out loud, Mary! I could smell your sweet smelling pheromones from where you was at. You coulda easily helped me save Donny. But instead, your cowardly behind was just twirling your fingers as I was hoping that you and the rest of the posse could help!" bellowed Crook. "You've got blood on your hands too for not helping that little phanpy!"

This was the final blow. Small tears began to trickle from her eyes, and in a few moments she burst into sobs. 'Bloody Mary', the heartless harlot, the meanest daughter of a gun in the Kar, burst into tears. The room just reverberated the sounds of her crying--though Crook wondered if she was just putting on a show.

"I killed him.*sob* I didn't touch him. I didn't want to hurt him... But his blood is on my hands all the same," she admitted. Clementine stopped using Confusion. But She, Clarence and Giles were still and silent as the Salazzle kept crying. But Crook still glared down on her. Her tears did not soften his heart enough to give her sympathy.

"Why didn't you help me save the boy, Maryanne?"

"Because I took away his home." she finally confessed. "All that he loved and cherished was gone. I done made him an orphan and scarred him for life... Crook... *sniff* If I saved him... If I saved him, he'd have nothing' to be returning home to. You got nothing' on your conscience to be blaming yourself for, Crook," said Mary as she looked at her former posse-mate with repented eyes. "That child, too, has been haunting me all these years. There are even nights I can't even sleep because of him haunting my dreams!"

Clementine, Clarence, Giles and Crook were silent. The only sound that filled the room was the wailing of the once heartless Salazzle. Outside the room, Warden Baron couldn't believe her eyes. The Sheriff made one of the most heartless and unrepentant criminals she had ever known confess and repent for her crimes. Not even the best of interrogators could get the wily Salazzle to confess to anything. But it seemed the sheriff knew exactly where to hurt her most. She was also surprised to hear that Mary actually had a deceased child, and spared parents with their children so as not to live through what she went through. Being a mother herself, Temperance could only imagine the pain the Salazzle must've gone through to losing her child. It was probably at that moment when she became a murderer, and probably where the heart of the once doting mother delved down into darkness and spread her vile and putrid anger to lash out at the world with. She would soon find pleasure in taking lives, and so, Maryanne Lionels began her transformation into the infamous 'Bloody Mary'.

"Crook... now I understand why you ratted me out," said Mary in a tender voice. "I understand why you betrayed Big Horn, Jim Lee, Calamity Jon, and even Big Boss. I... I deserve punishment, that I'll accept. I deserve to die for all that I've done. But," and then the Salazzle began to talk more seriously, "no amount of words can heal the wound created by your betrayal! But even after stabbing me in the back, I just... I... I loved you, Crooked! I still love you! I love you so much!!!" This final confession sent a shock to everyone--except, of course, to Crook. "I discovered love again thanks to you, Crook. I was even hoping to get married with yah and have your child, once we was through with being bandits and all that. Remember when you confessed your love to me? Remember when you and I would look at the stars on starry nights, and look at The Horizon during dusk and dawn at The Great Ones, hoping that, despite being the worst kinds of vagrants, that we could retire our lives of crime and live happily together? When we would ride together and do heists, just you and me?"

Her face then cleared up as she prepared to ask this final question. "Deep down, Crook... do you still love me?"

The Sheriff's gaze softened, and a tear fell out of his right eye. "I did... And being honest bout it, I kinda still do." But Krookodile showed his intimidating glare once more. Mary tried to look away, to try and hide from the look of disapproval and shame cast down on her, but couldn't because of her neck chains. "But saving that boy was the right thing to do, Maryanne--even if you did leave the boy with nothing. Nothing has more value in this world than a Life."

Crook repeated the exact same words his Pa told him all those years ago. Maryanne looked down, contemplating all she had done. Maybe she should have helped Crook save that child. Maybe she shouldn't have let her heart fall into darkness after losing her precious little Salandit girl. But despite all that, she smiled. She realized that there was still something she could do to make sure no parent, not even Crook, deal with the loss of a child.

"Groudon Gulch," she said. "Big Boss Boar is in Groudon Gulch, Crook--along with the rest of the old posse."

Crook gave the Salazzle a commending smile. "Thank you, Mary," said Crook as he tipped his hat to her. "I'm glad you came to your-"

"This was a trap, by the way," warned Mary. "Big Boss planned to have you killed here in Kar Prison by getting a riot started and having the prisoners take care of yah."

"What!?!" boomed Crook as he slammed his hands on the table. Suddenly, the door swung open and Warden Baron burst in.

"You conniving harlot!!!" she bellowed. "What do you mean Big Boar planned for a riot to occur!?!"

"He planned it with Calamity Jon. Big Boss knew Crook would come to me to search for where he would be located. And Jon is going to be the leader of that riot, too," confessed Mary. He then turned to Crook. "He's got another trap waiting for you in the gulch too, Crook... That is, if you manage to get past this one."

"Well, trap or no trap, I was coming here to get the truth out of you anyways, Mary," said Crook. "Plus, I decided that, if you cooperated, that I'd do you a favor and not have you strung up. If I rescue my son and live to tell the tale, I'll get Judge Homer to reduce your sentence and get you out of Death Row. I doubt he'll want to give you less than Life in Prison, but at least you won't have to worry about having a noose around your neck any time soon."

Mary smiled. "Thanks, sugar darling," she then winked. "Here's a tip if yah wanna get out of here alive--aim for the head. Defeat Calamity Jon. He's the toughest of all the prisoners, so taking him out will cause the rest to scatter like a bunch a Rattatas from a Liepard." And she felt she had something else to get out of her chest. "And I'm sorry for calling your wife the words I did. Truth is, she is one lucky lady to have such a strong and caring husband like you, Crook."

Crook smiled back, and then he called for every member of his posse to enter the Interrogation Room to discuss an escape plan. "Alright, listen up ya'll. We need to make sure that we get out of here in one piece. But I got a hunch that them prisoners will be trying to escape along with us. We gotta aid Warden Baron and her guards to keep the inmates inside the prison." He then turned to Warden Baron. "How many inmates you got in the yard, Warden?"

"About nine hundred," she replied. "But are you seriously planning on risking your life and your team to hold them back? I have more than a hundred fifty highly trained guards wearing body armor and carrying weapons that can-"

"You're still out numbered and outgunned, Mrs. Baron," rebutted Crook. "You heard what Mary said. We need to get to and take out Calamity Jon in order to stop the riot. But we need to fend off the majority of the inmates to get to him."

"You plan on taking on Jon yourself!?" said Warden Baron. "That's suicidal! Especially since they are all going to be going after you."

"Who said he was going in there alone?" said Clementine. "Obviously, you underestimate Sheriff Crook's capabilities, Mrs. Baron."

"I'd sure like to pummel a bunch of no-good, inmate punks," said Clarence.

"I'm always ready for a tussle," said Delilah. "Unlike most girls, I actually do like to get my hands dirty.

"Well I ain't like most girls either, Delilah," said Buzzbeak.

"Oooooh! So much hate and tension! I'll be eating till I'm stuffed with so much negativity in the air today," said Giles giddily.

"I'm always ready for a tussle," said ever peppy Dale. "You sure as heck got my support, sheriff."

"Let's turn this riot into a shoot out," said Grimshot.

"Well I'm glad ya'll got a fighting itch going on, cause I'll need ya'll to fight with all ya'll got!" said the Sheriff. And so the team was about to leave the room when suddenly...

"Good Luck out there, Crook," said the voice of Maryanne., who was smiling at the sheriff. "I'll be rooting for yah!"

"Thank you kindly, Mary," said Crook as he turned around to meet her with a smile of his own and winked before heading off into the fray. Already, the alarm was ringing, and sounds of fighting could be heard in the lower floors. But the Sheriff, as valiant as ever, didn't worry much about having to crack a few skulls. He now knew where his son and his former boss were at, and that means that it was just a matter of dealing with another pokemon from Crook's past...

...Calamity Jon the Incineroar, 'The Killer Cat from Hell', was waiting for Crook inside of the prison yard...