-Chapter 1-

"I'm sorry, but this road is closed," Officer Jenny said, stopping Ash in his tracks.

"What? Why?" he asked.

Pikachu, his trusted partner and companion, perched on his shoulder. His ears perked and his tail twitched in annoyance. Pikachu had been looking forward to a battle with the gym leader, whoever he or she may be. Didn't matter now. This road was the only one that led to Shakra City. And if it was closed, the town was closed.

"There have been a series of murders for some time now. I've been instructed not to let anyone inside the town. Even my Arcanine can't track the criminal," she replied. "This is too serious a matter for anyone to be allowed into the town."

Well, this certainly was unexpected.

"What if I helped investigate? The sooner you arrest the murderer, the sooner we trainers can challenge the gym leader."

The policewoman stared at him, almost as if evaluating him. Soon she deemed him unworthy of entrance, and threw out a pokeball. In seconds, a large and intimidating Arcanine was cast out, waiting to obey the commands of its cherished trainer. It lowered its head and growled at Ash and Pikachu, taking a stance that told them it was ready to attack on Officer Jenny's word.

"I can't let you past this point. Trust me, it's for your own safety," she told them.

It was easy, judging by the looks of Arcanine, to tell that she was dead serious. This must be one heck of a case…

Ash sighed, but Pikachu protested.

"Please, Officer Jenny, I have my pokemon to protect me. They're really strong; I have the badges to prove it! I promise I'll get out as soon as I beat the leader," he coaxed.

The other Officer Jennys had informed her of Ash Ketchum and his pokemon. They were practically a legend in the Likan region. It was true, simply be the way the others had described his battles, that his pokemon were terribly strong. A human wouldn't stand a hint of a chance against them. Perhaps if he entered the city…maybe, just maybe, he could chase away or even apprehend the devastation threatening Shakra City's residents.

Reluctantly, she made her decision to allow him, but only due to his reputation as a trainer.

"Fine, go on ahead. But before you challenge the gym leader, I need a favor. As I told you earlier, my Arcanine can't pinpoint the murderer. You're a reputable trainer, right? So before the gym, find the criminal. Then make sure you contact me so I can arrest them."

Ash nodded and Pikachu, seeing his opportunity to show off some of his power, saluted Officer Jenny.

"Pika!"

The gates to the troubled town were raised and Ash wasted no time in running forward, not hearing the policewoman's heed, telling him that there was a large forest up head that was part of the town, and that the criminal could be hiding in it.

Once in the town, he found that there weren't that many people outside; the only ones were the ones attending a funeral at an expanding cemetery. It was clear that many new graves had been added. Too many to be natural…

Even Pikachu shrunk back behind Ash's shoulder at the horrible sight of so many deaths in what seemed to be so little a time.

"Pi…"

Suddenly the evening was much more noticeable. The feeling of danger entered their bodies and gripped their hearts. It was as if instinct alone had claimed them, forcing them to shudder and run past the gathering of a mourning family dressed in black.

The first thing they had seen in a town of hope was a cemetery… This town had death written all over it. Literally. The second thing they noticed, aside from the creepy feeling of a time limit on their lives, was several specks of blood splattered on the porch of someone's house. Suddenly challenging the gym leader wasn't so important anymore. Even poor Pikachu, who had been so enthusiastic about the upcoming battle, had now entirely lost the will to fight.

As the twosome made their way to a hotel, they swore a shadow passed overhead. When they looked up, though, there was nothing. Ash laughed nervously and tried to calm his imagination, telling himself that he had nothing to fear, that he had Pikachu and the rest to help him if trouble should appear.

The fear stayed with him even as he checked in, even as he entered his room, even as he pulled the covers over his head in fright.

His pokemon sensed his fear, and snuggled close to him all through the night. Even though he had let them out of their pokeballs, more for his own comfort and protection than anything else, they couldn't fall asleep that night. Pikachu especially had been restless, fearing that the safety of everyone wasn't guaranteed.

And it wasn't.