INTRODUCTION

Hey, guys! My name's Borj and I'm new here in FanFiction...um, sort of. Hehehe. Well, technically, I've been a member for quite a while now, although for the most part I only visit the site to read (and, in some cases, review) random works of fan fiction in my spare time.

What made me decide to write one, on the other hand, was...well, I'm not really sure what motivated me, to be honest. All I know was that it all started when I was randomly browsing Bulbapedia articles on my phone during one of those days when I was too bored to utilize the 'Net for social media purposes.

Long story short, I eventually came across the Palletshipping article...and being the curious guy that I am, I read the whole thing. Consequently, I was led to the Palletshipping Paradise community via one of its external links. After reading a few stories, one awesome oneshot (see slivershell's 'Once A Week') finally turned on a lightbulb inside my skull and, voila, Your Bite Is A Dark-type Move was born!

...and that's enough from me! (Sorry if I took too long on my intro.) Now, guys, this is basically my first fanfic...so I trust you to take it easy on me, okay? ^_^

By the way, please don't forget to leave a review/critique after you read, yeah? I would really appreciate it. (Well, for those pesky Fire-types who had nothing better to do but flame, my Froakie's on standby to douse those hateful mouths of yours. LOL.)

WARNING & DISCLAIMER

Though the overall rating for this fic is M, the prologue's just a T for those curious cats. Well, eventually, as we progress into the story, it's already a given that you would encounter mature language and descriptions of romantic activity between male characters (i.e., yaoi, shounen-ai, slash...whatever you want to call it). So, if you're younger than 18 or you're just not comfortable with the story's premise, don't scroll down beyond this point, okay? :)

Anyhow, as much as it is tempting for me say otherwise, I don't own Pokémon...although I guess it's safe to say that any of the plot elements in this story that weren't already established within canon are mine, right?

PROLOGUE

Lake Of Rage Research Institute
north of Mahogany Town
Johto Region

09:00 PM

Blessed with an ironic tranquility given its name, the Lake Of Rage was tainted with a deep crimson tinge, reflecting the intense moonlight of a total lunar eclipse.

Breaking its silence were the nightly cries of numerous Hoothoot reverberating across the dense forests surrounding it, giving the lake a haunting atmosphere, despite the fact that Ghost-type Pokémon aren't known to be present in the area.

Not too far from the lake's northernmost shore, a massive granite complex can be seen situated at the center of a grassy clearing bordered by a protective ring of evergreen trees.

Illuminated by strategically-placed fluorescent lights, the looming structure in a way also served as a beacon to those wanderers who find themselves lost in the dark mazes of northern Johto's woodlands. However, this large edifice isn't just your ordinary landmark...

Considered as one of the premier scientific facilities in the Pokémon world, the Lake Of Rage Research Institute started out as a makeshift headquarters for the International Police to monitor suspicious activity in the lake's vicinity, especially those of a particular Kanto-based criminal organization called Team Rocket, immediately after the infamous Red Gyarados incident was reported by the Johto League.

When the frequency of criminal activity in the area dwindled thanks to Mahogany Town's active police force a few years later, the International Police decided to shift its interests on a new case in the Unova Region concerning an entirely different cabal with more insidious motives. At this point, in an effort to save the complex from total abandonment, the management of the facility was turned over to the joint leadership of Professor Elm and Mr. Pokémon. With careful planning, renovations were immediately started to transform the place into the esteemed institute that it is now.

As of present time, the leadership of LoRRI (as it came to be called by its visiting researchers) was passed on to the youngest academic in the history of the institute, Pallet Town's own Dr. Gary Oak.

Named as LoRRI's tenth chairperson at the age of twenty-three, Gary succeeded his grandfather, Professor Samuel Oak, after the latter's retirement. Prior his installation, the younger Oak already garnered accolades from the scientific community, especially when he received the ALPS* Award for his extensive research on the mechanics of Pokémon evolution.

Just outside the main building, Gary Oak sat on a lone stump. His busy hands traveled with expert swiftness over the keys of his black laptop, extrapolating data from the results of his various observations concerning his current research, which was focused on the behavioral effects of lunisolar phenomena on different Pokémon ecosystems. The said project actually stemmed from an intriguing local rumor that a farmer's domesticated Dunsparce allegedly went berserk under a full moon.

For others, it may look like an awkward way to conduct one's research, but being the outgoing person that he is from his beginnings as a Pokémon trainer and a field researcher, he felt that this habit seemed fitting. Besides, the cool nighttime breeze coming from the lake helps him concentrate better, in contrast to the unstimulating sterile environment of his own office.

Interrupted by a yawn after a few hours of nonstop typing, he realized he was content with the developments of his research and decided to stop what he was doing and saved his progress. As the red LED power light of his laptop dimmed after shutting it down, he placed the device carefully on top of the same stump he was sitting on earlier.

Finally feeling the numbness as the fatigue crept to his abused fingers, he started to crack his knuckles. Not satisfied with it, he proceeded to stand up and did some good ol' stretching to release the muscular tension of his tired back as well. Throughout the whole time, the quietness around him was displaced by an orchestra of pops and cracks, the music of escaping stress. A huge sigh escaped from Gary's throat at this temporary yet pleasurable surge of relief.

Detecting the discharge of discomfort in the air, Gary's trusty companion, Umbreon, shuffled in her place to her master's right side, waking up from her previous curled position.

"Did I wake you up, girl?" said Gary as he stroked the silky black fur of the Moonlight Pokémon, who only yawned to answer his question.

"I'm sorry if I kept you up this late. It's just that I badly need some company, especially around this time." Gary sighed as he stared blankly in the direction of the lake.

Looking up to her master's tired (but still handsome) face while nuzzling his hand, Umbreon squinted her crimson eyes as if smiling. 'It's fine, I understand.' was probably what she wanted to convey.

Eventually giving in to the exhaustion that resulted from his pent-up stress, Gary immediately slumped against a wall of bark, his body fitting snugly in the space allotted by the protruding roots of the stump, never lifting his hand off Umbreon as he sat. Absentmindedly, the researcher ran the fingers of his other hand through the soft spikes of his auburn hair, deeply pondering on the whirlwind of events which can very well sum up his life.

In an instant, he allowed himself to be carried away by his current train of thought, finding himself lost in a heavy traffic of worries and anxieties that plagued him since childhood, especially that certain need to fill an emptiness within his soul with something he has been searching for so long but doesn't know what exactly it is that he needs to find.

Yes, he did make a name for himself as a world-class Pokémon researcher, but his heart was still made heavy by the pressures of exceeding the expectations of his colleagues on his new project and of the institute itself on his new responsibility as its current leader.

The same pattern follows with every accomplishment that he had achieved in his life. Each one was unfortunately riddled with a set of reasons that cultivated his insecurities. It was a sick and vicious routine, and he so wanted to get away from it all. If only his life was as interesting and uncomplicated as his best friend's...

Attempting to distract himself from his reverie, Gary fumbled in one of the inside pockets of his laboratory coat as if by instinct, pulling out a familiar object. Holding it gingerly in his left hand, he brought it a few inches in front of his face, diverting his attention to its simple features that were accentuated by the reddish glare of the eclipse.

As he explored the irregular texture of its surface with his fingers, the young chairman started to notice that the heavy feeling welling up in his chest was gradually fading away, making way for a much relaxing sense of comfort.

It wasn't really a surprise for Gary, though, as the seemingly insignificant item in his hand always worked wonders for him every single time he felt enslaved by these unwelcome emotions. In fact, it did more than that for him from the time he started his journey twelve years ago. It was his lucky charm, his motivator, and most especially, his piece of Ash Ketchum, his antithesis and best friend.

This item, a rusty red half of a broken Pokéball, is Gary's most cherished possession, a symbol of his friendship with Ash. From the time it was 'caught' in their fishing lines (when it was still a complete Pokéball) at a river back in Pallet Town before both of them started their journey, it became an unassuming witness to how his relationship with the raven-haired boy evolved from a heated rivalry into a friendly competition and, ultimately, into an unbreakable bond of brotherhood.

For a brief moment, a faint smile crept into his lips as he thought of the exact reason as to why he always had the unlikely keepsake close to him, until he was bothered by another thought.

"You know what, Umbreon? I wish I was free from all these worries, just like Ash was..." Gary spoke to his now-sleeping companion, but it was more likely he was speaking to himself, just thinking out loud. "I know this was expected now that I finally achieved my dream, but what's the purpose of all of this? I mean, I've already made Gramps proud of me! Call me selfish, but I know there's still something missing, and that's what's bugging me. If only it was easy for me to find the answers to my own questions and not just others'..."

All of a sudden, he found himself distracted by a stinging sensation throbbing in his left hand. However, he felt strangely thankful for the unexpected moment of pain as it prevented him from going into another episode of depressing thoughts.

Realizing that he got himself a small cut when his thumb grazed the sharp rusty edge of the half-Pokéball (which he unknowingly dropped on the grass), he placed the bleeding thumb to his parched mouth and sucked the coppery liquid out of the wound until what remained of it was a swollen moist spot with a tiny flap of broken skin.

Thinking he still had to treat the wound before it gets infected and that he had already stayed out in the institute grounds long enough, he decided to return to the facility and call it a day. As he propped himself on his right knee so that he can easily turn around and take the laptop and his half-Pokéball, a thick blanket of mist mysteriously appeared in their midst, creeping slowly to their direction.

As Gary finally managed to get up, he found himself observing the mist until it finally reached the spot where he was standing, more curious than being cautious. He felt the temperature of his surrounding area drop drastically, his coat no longer giving him the warmth it normally provided, as it was only adequate against the usual chilly environment of the lake.

Umbreon, on the other hand, disgruntled by the cold disturbance, stood up on all fours, her form positioned as if ready to battle. As her yellow-banded black tail and ears went stiff in the midnight air, she wore a scowl as her eyes scanned the dark wood for the source of the mist. Failing to sense anything, she tilted her head sideways as if thinking 'What the hell?!'

Looking away from the mist, the young researcher glanced to his right, noticing his Pokémon's unease. "Stand your ground, girl. We might find ourselves against rogue Ice-types here." Gary warned with sharpness in his voice, only to falter a bit. "Wait a minute, Ice-types?!"

"Breon, bree!" Umbreon replied, sensing a twinge of doubt in her master's tone of voice, hesitant although still evident with his almost-forgotten thirst for a good battle. 'Relax! Whatever it is, I'm ready for it! I've been waiting for times like this, you know?' thought Umbreon as she signaled him with a nod of determination, an act that earned a smirk from Gary.

"Ah, how adorable... A battle-ready researcher and his Pokémon... By the way, you are aware that Ice-types aren't endemic around this area, aren't you, Dr. Oak? Hm?" challenged a disembodied masculine voice that came from somewhere deep within the forest. "I'm quite offended that a chairman of a respectable institute like you would resort to such shallow stereotyping..."

"Who goes there? Show yourself!" called an annoyed Gary. Despite the display of his trademark calm and collected exterior, anyone who looked closely would notice something that's giving his real emotions away: shaking hands that he unconsciously balled into tight fists.

"Oh, how rude of me..." The wispy voice said, its source gradually materializing into a shadowy figure several meters away in front of them. "No need to be so perked up, Dr. Oak... I'm not here to challenge you to a battle... I'm here you to help you with your own battle..."

'He said what?!' Gary muttered, feeling more tense and annoyed at the mysterious presence. 'This is ridiculous...'

Anyone who knew the auburn-haired researcher knows that he usually doesn't let anyone bring his guard down (especially in a battle), but much to his surprise, there was something to this man that's giving him a hard time keeping it up, and as much as he wanted to snap back with a biting quip like in the old days, he couldn't do so since he has a reputation to uphold as a respected researcher.

Now pouring authority to mask the impatience in his voice, he warned the stranger. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't understand your purpose in coming here, especially this late in the evening. I mean no offense, but I find the likes of you suspicious, so expect me to fight back if you're up to no good. I need answers, so please don't waste my time!"

"Purpose, eh? Why, you called me here, Dr. Oak! You just haven't realized it yet..." The shadowy man answered as he slowly drifted towards Gary, revealing himself as the distance between them got closer by the second. Closing his oxygen-deprived eyes and inhaling the cold air around him, the man continued to speak, in a deep voice laced with an ethereal quality that betrayed his age despite his obvious youth.

"You may try to hide it, but I can sense your fears, doctor, but please don't judge me right away... I assure you I'm not someone you need to be wary of... In fact, I'm very much worthy of your time..."

The researcher felt himself frozen to his spot, a nauseating mix of confusion and fear weakening his composure as he realized that the man was somehow floating towards him. Umbreon felt her master's unease and barked furiously at the approaching man, who just regarded her with slight caution.

When the stranger stopped at a safe distance from him, Gary finally straightened himself as he slowly recovered from that incapacitating spell of nervous tension. In the meantime, while trying to intimidate the other person with his desperate version of the move Leer, the researcher reviewed the man's features for any hint of familiarity. Judging the man to be older than him by a couple of years, he initially took notice of the stranger's good-looking face beset with a pair of bloodshot eyes that looked more sinister in the eclipse. As he sorted his thoughts for the faintest hint of recognition, he swore that the man bears an eerie resemblance to someone he personally knew, he just couldn't put his finger on it...

Keeping with his silent scrutiny, he turned his attention to the man's jet-black hair, unkempt but held in place with a single ponytail, glistening in the moonlight with an unusual sheen. The rest of him was covered in simple black apparel, making his pale complexion glow from the contrast. From his shirt to his jeans to his shoes, anyone would categorize him as any harmless young adult with a serious case of insomnia...and an obvious predilection for the color black.

Despite the man's innocent image, his irritation at the enigmatic man before him didn't waver. No longer able to keep his cool, he snarled in response. "I called you? What do you mean by that exactly? Who are you anyway? What do you want from me?!"

"So many questions coming from a man whose life was spent in giving answers... Aren't you tired from all of that, Dr. Oak? Didn't you just wish you're the one whose questions are being answered this time?" The man replied with a grin, raising an eyebrow as if he knew he struck a point. "My name isn't important, but what I am should basically give you an idea on what my motives are... I am a vampire, Gary Oak, if you want me to be so blunt about it..."

As much as he wanted to burst out laughing, he chose not to, but he was relieved with the unexpected (and somewhat hilarious) turn of events. However, something tells him from the stranger's tone that he wasn't joking, especially when the man mentioned something he swore no one else would've possibly heard (except Umbreon), as he was just talking to himself. Even though his apprehension of the stranger wasn't completely gone, he decided to play along with his 'game'. Responding with a smirk, he spoke with the most professional tone he can muster.

"I don't know what kind of elaborate joke you are trying to pull, sir, but as far as I know, Halloween already ended a few days ago. Aren't we old enough for this kind of stuff?"

In the blink of an eye, the black-clad stranger flitted from his spot to right in front of Gary, his head hovering above the researcher's left shoulder. On the other hand, Gary felt his heart skip a beat as he stood in complete shock, goosebumps forming from head to toe as the stranger's cold breath touched the surface of his exposed neck.

"Mmmm... Such wonderful aroma! Ah, I can't believe that your blood and your arousing dark desires can be this fucking intoxicating... If you only knew how much I'm holding back right now..." Gary trembled as the stranger whispered those words to his ear, punctuating it with a seductive lick to his neck. "So, you still think I'm kidding, huh? Don't tell me that wasn't enough proof for you..."

As his senses came rushing back to him, Gary forced the man away from him with a powerful push, using up all the strength of his adrenaline-infused arms. The stranger, although obviously unhurt, found himself on the ground a few feet away from the researcher, raising his face to meet Gary with a devilish smile.

Unflinching at the grin, Gary summoned his resolve and decided that this was his chance to teach his assailant a lesson, vampire or not. "Umbreon, use Shadow Ball on the man before he can fully recover!" commanded Gary with force, to which Umbreon responded with action.

After the pulsing orb of dark energy forming in her mouth increased in size, Umbreon twirled her neck and launched the larger-than-usual Shadow Ball at the stranger, who in her surprise deflected it effortlessly into the lake, where it exploded on the surface of the quiet waters, disturbing a few Magikarp, violently Splashing away from the area out of sheer annoyance.

'Impossible!' Gary murmured to himself, feeling his jaw drop in astonishment as he couldn't bring himself to believe what his eyes were seeing. Failing to come up with a possible explanation for the mind-boggling series of events he just witnessed, he ended up sighing in resignation when he realized he was indeed face-to-face with a real vampire. Yet instead of running away, the brave researcher stood his ground, his features masking any betraying emotions he was currently having.

"Well, well, there's no need for that stupid act of hostility, Dr. Oak... As I said, I'm here to help you, see? You called me without your knowledge when you prayed for a way to escape your pathetic human routines... If you only knew how strong your hidden desires were, I can practically take a whiff of it from miles away... Regardless, please forgive me for showing off my talents, knowing you're such a hard person to impress... At any rate, I guess you've realized I wasn't fooling around when I said I was a vampire... It wasn't a surprise for me that you'd doubt me at first, and I fully understand your skepticism, being a researcher and whatnot... Anyhow, what I'm saying may be a lot for you to digest but I am not this twisted creature of myth as you academics have claimed to debunk..." The vampire rattled on as he got up on his legs.

Although astounded by everything he just heard, the auburn-haired researcher remained calm as he listened intently, trying to absorb and make sense of the relentless influx of knowledge. Sensing that Gary's curious side was piqued, the vampire continued.

"Enough of me, doctor, since I actually came here for you... Don't fear for your life, Gary Oak, as I wouldn't plan on wasting my time just to take it... Yes, I admit your blood was irresistible, but you have absolutely nothing to worry about... See that beautiful lunar eclipse over there? It suppresses my thirst for blood, but only to a certain extent... Nevertheless, I sense you have lots of things troubling you, but the answers you seek to some of those questions are just hidden inside your soul... Think of this as a gift, an invitation, except I don't take 'No' as an answer... By granting your wish, I can help you liberate your heart's hidden mysteries and make you gain so much more-"

"So, you're saying, you want to turn me into something like you?" Gary deadpanned as he interrupted the vampire.

"Precisely..."

Without warning, the black-clad vampire lunged straight at him, sinking his glistening fangs into his pulsing jugular. In an instant, deprived of the chance to scream for help, Gary Oak felt his eyes roll back into his head, succumbing into the cold embrace of the thickening mist, all the while trying to hold on to the only thing he hears, his final attempt to anchor himself to the land of the living: the sorrowful cry of his faithful Umbreon piercing the silence around him as his consciousness gradually faded into nothing...

NOTES

*ALPS - Alakazam Laureateship for Pokémon Studies. (Think of it as the Pokémon scientific community's version of the Nobel Prize. Just made it up, of course. Hehehe.)

So, that's it! What do you think of it, guys? You may have noticed that it wasn't too impressive for a prologue (and a bit dragging, too, if you ask me) but, like I said, this story is basically my first fanfic, so I trust you to take it easy on me... ;-)

By the way, Episode One is on the works as we speak and I'll do my best to post an update as soon as possible. So, please read and review, guys! I'd greatly appreciate it! ^^,

P.S. For those pesky Fire-types out there who have nothing better to do but flame, my Froakie's on standby to douse those hateful mouths of yours. Hahaha. :P

P.S.S. Don't be surprised if you keep on seeing lots of changes in the past few hours. As of 04/03/2013, 04:00 AM (CST), I just updated the prologue with its sixth edition, and hopefully this is gonna be my final revision. As usual, I spotted and corrected more syntactical errors and made some important cosmetic and plot-related additions to the story. I'm not really much of a perfectionist, but I wanted to make this fic much more interesting to read. Again, lots of thanks to those who already read, reviewed, followed, and faved! It means so much for a newbie like me... *sniff* Lastly, Episode One's almost done as of this update, so just watch out for it! -Borj-