By Moonlight
A Pokemon Fanfic.
Written by RogueMoon
"…But in a far away city, stories are told of a mysterious pokemon who roams freely. But always, by moonlight." – Pokemon: Mewtwo Returns
Chapter One: Far Away City
Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town ran laughing down the crowed street, his best friend and favorite pokemon Pikachu on his shoulder, dodging other pedestrians in an attempt to catch his long time friend Misty Waters of Cerulean City, the girl who had not only stolen his heart (not that he'd admit such) but also his favorite hat and was currently keeping it just out of his reach.
"Misty! Give it back!"
The red-head laughed and waved the red and white cap in the air, jumping out of the way of a biker, "You're gonna have to live up to your name for once and catch me, Mr. Ketchum!"
Ash grinned and hopped over a fire hydrant, "Just watch me, I will!"
"I am watching and all I'm seeing is a Slowbro who thinks he's a Rapidash!"
Behind the two teens, around twenty feet behind, the final member of the traveling trio, former Gym Leader and wanna-be pokemon breeder, Brock of Pewter City, leisurely followed his friends into the middle of the city. His eyes were drawn to the tall buildings, artistically designed skyscrapers, and the smooth clean lines formed by the legs of so many officer Jenny's. Hearts filled his eyes and he half-floated past people, "I'm in heaven."
Ash and Misty were too involved with their own game to notice their black-haired, squinty-eyed friend deviate from the path they took and start after a Jenny on a bike making her patrol. Soon, the oft-love-struck man had rounded so many corners; it would be impossible to get back to his companions by memory. Not even Pikachu, who could be counted on the most, noticed Brock. Instead, Pikachu was now in the lead of the chase, Ash's' hat in his mouth as he bounded from head to head thought the crowd to the nearest Pokemon Center. His only reasoning for going there being that is was a familiar sight in an unfamiliar city and food could always be found in such a local.
"Misty, get him!" Ash shouted, careening off a lamppost and onto a mailbox, then launching himself over a kid and landing by skidding into the Pokemon Center's wall.
"I'm trying, Ash! Just like you should be!" Misty yelled back, ducking under and around people who shouted at them both for being a road hazard.
"I am trying, Misty!"
"Well, try harder!"
Pikachu waved from inside the Centers' glass doors, hat still in his mouth, then turned and scampered to the counter. Ash growled and ran full force into the door, not realizing it was glass and smacked into it, stopping immediately and slowly sliding to the ground in a daze. His antics gaining only sweat drops and pitying looks from the few people inside. Misty just shook her head and grabbed the black-haired boy by the collar and drug him inside. Obviously she opened the door to do so, "Honestly, Ash. Sometimes I don't know what to think of you…"
"Awww, Misty…"
About three steps in, the two were stopped by a Nurse Joy, one of the many that frequented the country and always gained employment at the Pokemon Centers because of their love of pokemon and their need to keep the creatures healthy. "Can I help you?" she asked, holding Pikachu in her arms and scratching him behind the ears. Ash's' hat was still in his mouth.
Ash jumped up and put a hand behind his head in embarrassment, "Actually, Nurse Joy, we were coming in for my Pikachu. He kinda decided to steal my hat and run."
Nurse Joy looked down at the yellow rodent in her arms, "Oh, is that what happened? I wondered about this little guy and the hat."
"He he, yeah. He occasionally likes to play pranks."
Pikachu opened an eye at Ash then closed it and snuggled further into Nurse Joy's arms.
Joy smiled and stroked the mouse's fur a couple more times, "Well I'm glad that he feels safe enough with you play pranks."
This time Misty piped in, "What do you mean, Nurse Joy?"
"Well, a lot of trainers around here use fear as a form of motivation to get their pokemon to learn moves and fight."
"No!"
"I'm afraid so. And no matter how much I tell them otherwise, they just don't listen and keep on scaring their pokemon into doing things. Eventually it's going to get them hurt."
Ash's turn to ask, "What do you mean? They're going to get hurt?"
******
Meanwhile, Brock was dreamily following Officer Jenny through the streets, when she stopped of a sudden and the ga-ga youth did not, crashing into the back of her bike.
Looking up he caught a partial view of what made the police woman stop: in the street ahead of them, two nidorans were pawing at the base of a light post, the top of which was wrapped around an older teen crying his eyes out and blubbering nonsense. Brock stood up to get a better view and came up next to Officer Jenny who had taken off her cap to scratch her head, "What happened here?
Jenny looked over and noticed Brock for the first time, "Oh! You scared me! I'm not really sure what happened… But it's the twelfth strange incident this month. And it's only happened to the really bad trainers, too."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, a lot of trainers around her like to use fear to train their pokemon. So far, only the really bad ones have been found like this. Tied up in impossible ways and no leads on who or what did it or how it was done…"
"Wow..."
"It's a complete mystery to us all."
"And it's only been the trainers who are mean in their training method?"
"Yes." She looked to her left as the sound of sirens got closer, "Oh good, back up is here. I hope they brought the welders. You're going to have to back up so I can close off this area as a crime scene."
"What are you going to do with the trainers pokemon? They look like they've been here all night."
"We'll have to send them to the Pokemon Center with all the rest. But that will have to wait until later, after we get the trainer down."
"Well, I can take them to the Center. It's only a few blocks away. And most pokemon like me, so I doubt it will be hard to get them to come."
"Really? Thank you. That would be a great help. Just tell Nurse Joi that Jennie sent you, okay?"
"Jennie, right."
Officer Jennie looked surprised, "Wow, you got it right! Hardly anyone can do that."
"Well, I always have been a perfectionist," Brock replied puffing up his chest, then going over to the nidorans and coaxing them into his arms with some of his specially made food. He then waved to Officer Jennie and headed for the Pokemon Center.
When he got there, he saw Ash and Misty having hot coco with nurse Joi. Ash had his hat back. He went right over to their table and sat down, "Hello guys! Hi Nurse Joi!"
"Brock!" Ash and Misty said at the same time Pikachu said, "Pika!"
Nurse Joi blinked, "Do I know you?"
"No, but Officer Jennie told me to come see you and drop these two off." Brock placed the nidoran on the table and they shook nervously in the presence of strangers, huddling close to Brock.
"Aw... they're so cute!" Misty crooned, leaning over to wiggle a finger at the two. They in turn snuggled closer to Brock. "Why are they so scared?"
Ash clapped Misty on the back, "maybe 'cause you look like a Haunter!"
Brock, Joi and Pikachu leaned back away from Misty as she slowly turned to face Ash, who just then had the presence of mind to lean away, "WHAT WAS THAT, ASH KETCHEM?!"
"Uh…uh…AAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He ran from the table and hid behind the Center's check in counter.
Brock busied himself with holding Misty back by her suspenders. "Calm down, Misty, you're scaring the nidoran!"
Instantly, the volatile girl calmed down and turned back to the scared pokemon, eyes wide and her voice quiet, "Sorry…"
Nurse Joi took over the conversation, "You said Officer Jennie sent you?"
Brock nodded his head and stroked the nidoran in an attempt to calm them, "Yep. She said you took care of the pokemon whose trainers have been involved with 'incidents'."
"Is that what happened?"
"Uh-huh. These guys' trainer was tied up by the top of a light pole."
Four voices gasped, one gasping, "Pika!"
