Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or any of its affiliated companies. The characters in this work are all loosely based on those created by Pokemon and its companies, and this story will never by no means be used to make monetary profit or gain.

PROLOGUE

Hook, Line, and Sinker:

This smell, thought Professor Samuel Oak, I hate this smell.

It was hard to blame him. Cinnabar Island did indeed have a unique scent, mostly due to its still active volcano. Though it was not just the sulfur, smoke, and mildew that made the smell; aside from Oak's own, this particular isle hosted the region's largest privately funded research facility, easily covering about a quarter of the entire usable landscape. Thus, the stink of various chemicals adding to the island's own natural acrid scent resulted in Oak's - and many other visitors' - hatred of the smell.

"Cinnabar is an acquired taste," Oak's friend, Elite Four member Blaine always said when the topic of his hometown arose. Well, even if true, Oak did not plan on staying long. He was invited by Dr. Ken Fuji, who claimed was on the verge of a breakthrough on his so called groundbreaking research. Problem was, Oak had no idea what Fuji was researching, and Fuji himself was not so keen on sharing unless they met face to face.

"Naturally I am quite positive of the outcome of my experiments," he had said. "But it is I believe - urg - common in our work to ask for a second, more, eeeh, senior opinion - an outside view if you would. And who better to ask than our beloved region's very own Pokemon Professor, right?" he had ended, chuckling.

Oak had really, really, really wanted to refuse. He believed he hated Fuji as much as he had the capacity of hating someone of his profession. He could not deny his brilliant mind, but in the rare instances they had met beforehand Oak had observed the man capable of mood swings and supporting an ego extremely sensitive to bruising. It would have been easy for Oak to hang up on him the minute he had called. But he hadn't - because of Blaine.

A few days prior to Fuji's call, Oak had received a message from his friend Blaine. "Can't wait to return home. Too bad you couldn't join me. It would be great for you to take a break from lab work. cu xoxo." it read. Which worried Oak. Firstly, he knew his friend to be a workaholic and would never, ever even think of taking a trip to his hometown while busy with his Elite Four duties - not with the Championship Games being a week away. Secondly, he knew that Blaine would never seriously ask him for a trip to Cinnabar - Oak hated the place. And thirdly, a break from lab work? Oak could not help but smile. His friend might have asked a geodude to swim.

All this had only one logical explanation. Blaine had come up to something and suspected its initiators in Cinnabar - specifically in Cinnabar Labs, hence his jab at lab work. He would have gone himself, but him going might have alerted people - it was not common a league official of such high-ranking deserting post this close to the games. So, he had warned his best friend in code and asked him to investigate. After all, a researcher visiting Cinnabar Labs was hardly news, which made Oak the perfect undercover operative.

Oak was still thinking of the timing of Fuji's call as he landed in front of a huge gate atop which read "CINNABAR LABORATORIES". He had spent the days after Blaine's text trying to figure out a convenient excuse to visit a facility which he had seldom set foot upon before, when out of nowhere he was suddenly invited by its chief researcher. Oak naturally suspected more than Lady Luck's play here, but still went on with his initial plan.

"Thank you, Hermes," Oak muttered as he recalled his pidgeot to its ball. The great bird gave out a tired chirp before the red light swallowed it.

"Welcome Professor Oak, sir." One of the two guards in front of the gate addressed him. Oak took notice of a crossbow strapped to the other's back and the two machoke behind them. "I trust your journey was fine, sir?"

"With my age nothing seems to be fine." grunted Oak. The guard looked as if he did not know how to respond so Oak continued. "Your dear Doctor Ken Fuji is expecting me and I would not want to delay him any further. I think I am already slightly late."

"In a moment, sir. If you would be kind enough to provide identification, sir, and leave all present pokeballs with my colleague here I will immediately escort you, sir."

"Security seems to have increased," muttered Oak, eyebrows raised as he reached for his wallet and pokebelt.

"We try our best, sir," answered the second guard this time. "Yes sir. Thank you, sir. All seems clear sir. You may pass sir and have a pleasant evening sir."

A tad too late for the latter, Oak thought as he joined the first guard through the gate on way towards the complex. They walked a short distance until they reached a large tent like building, a sign in front of it reading "Block B". A third guard with a kadabra was waiting for them.

"Welcome, sir. I hope yo-"

"Yes yes, my flight was pleasant," Oak interrupted the guard. "Just take me to Ken already."

"Gladly, sir. If you would just take a moment, sir, and look into the kadabra's eyes we can-"

"You want to probe my mind?" Oak interrupted a second time in a low, deep voice. "My mind?"

The guard fidgeted in his place a little and Oak's escort looked slightly embarrassed.

"Sir, procedure demands-"

"We have to insist-"

Both guards were cut mid-sentence when the door opened from inside. A young man wearing the standard white lab coat stood before them, his eyes briefly meeting Oak's then quickly returning to the black dex he held in his hands. His badge read "Jason Proton - Intern".

"Doc Fuji is expecting you professor," Proton said lazily, his eyes still focused on whatever work he was doing on his pokedex. "He was concerned about your delay as timing is essential in his work. He sent me to watch for your landing but lucky me, now I don't have to walk all the way to the gate." Proton turned around and began walking in, but stopped shortly after he realized Oak was not following. A bit impatient, he looked back over his shoulder questioningly.

Oak was already angry with the guards and the last thing he wanted was attitude from an intern. Fuming, he was about to give the boy a piece of his mind, but the guard beat him to it. "The professor has to still go under mindspection. We can't let him in otherwise."

Proton's eyes raised and fixed themselves to the guard. He looked utterly bored when he spoke again. "So, you want me to tell Doctor Fuji that the entire reason Mr. Oak here not being able to make it to the experiment is that he, as the most brilliant mind of this century, naturally refused to be scoped by two morons who find the power to deny him entry because of some idiotic security protocol, which he wasn't even made aware of or asked to comply in when being invited here. Did I get it right?" Proton did not even wait for the guards' answer. "If you two have any complaints take it to Mr. Fuji. As for you professor, please follow me."

Oak could not help slightly grinning as he walked through the dumb stricken guards. Proton led him through a maze of corridors all surprisingly empty compared to Oak's last visit to this facility. Still, he made no remark about the lack of researchers, scholars, and assistants that should have normally been buzzing around at this hour and followed the intern silently.

Finally, they reached a door which Proton opened first and announced with a loud, yet still apathetic voice, "Professor Samuel Oak, sir."

Oak entered what he now realized was some sort of observation deck. Beneath was a small field of grass, and the ceiling had an opening through which moonlight shone. On the edge of the deck, leaning downwards was a small, thin man with a scowling face and a sharp nose atop which a pair of spectacles were placed. Oak walked next to him and also began glancing down towards the field.

"Ken."

"Samuel."

They acknowledged each other with a small nod. A slight pause followed, but then Oak resumed.

"So."

"So?"

"Yes, so. You ask me to fly here as swiftly as possible, full-on mysterious mode, giving no explanation whatsoever, repeating only the words hurry hurry hurry like an impatient infant. Well here I am Arceus damned, after a loooong flight which is never healthy in my age, and in this abandoned block. So get to it Ken. So?"

Fuji chuckled and glanced sideways towards Oak. "Temper tantrums are also unhealthy at your age Samuel. But I promise this will be worth it. Just- just bear with me a moment, here will you? I think it's almost about to - yes its beginning." He pointed with his finger down towards the middle of the field.

Oak followed his finger and saw a small movement in the grass. When he looked closely, he realized the movement came from a small, about to hatch pokeegg. Its shell rocked more violently, stopped for a moment, and then finally gave way and cracked. A purple, slimy head with whiskers poked out.

A rattata, thought Oak. These pokemon were almost always used in lab experiments, as they were easy to breed, fast to grow, and had remarkable learning capabilities. Nothing unordinary with a rattata, he thought but wondered why Ken wanted him to see the exact moment it was hatched, or why he had not just let an already hatched rattata in the field.

"All will be understood soon," whispered Ken, still watching the rattata.

The rattata gave out a hungry cry and slowly started foraging its surroundings. The area was not that large, so after a quick tour it arrived at a spot where the moon light seemed to be heavily concentrated upon. Now Oak had to really squint his eyes to see. Are those some sort of - pills? Oak could not quite see it, but the rattata hungry and not particularly picky with its food began gnawing. Oak saw with the corner of his eye Fuji rubbing his hands together.

"It's not specially bred," muttered Ken. "I can show you logs of its parentage later. For now, just take my word for it that this rat was not bred for either the PokeAthlons or as a trainer's companion. It is quite an ordinary specimen of its species or even perhaps a below average one, judging by the size of its whiskers. Now we will wait a minute for it to kick in and then..." His hands laid rest on a switch on the control panel.

Unwillingly intrigued now, Oak continued observing the rattata. It still seemed completely normal after eating those unknown pills, lying on its stomach yawning.

"Now."

Ken turned the switch.

Two doors opened on opposite sides of the field. Two persian, one on each side, came out. They looked thin, and their eyes immediately focused on the rattata, which was now on all fours panicking, its whiskers trembling.

Oak scowled. Persian were one of the fastest killers in Kanto, and rattata were their natural prey. They both crouched down for a moment, their instincts wanting to lead with a surprise attack, but seeing that the meal was a newborn, slow rattata, they straightened up and ran as fast as an arrow towards their target.

What is the point of this? Oak's mind was racing. Are those pills some sort of new poison that would infect the persian upon consumption? Do they perhaps make the rattata put some off-putting smell for protection? Wha- His trail of thoughts was broken when Ken pushed another button on the switch.

A third door opened on the farther side of the field. This one was smaller, small enough that while the rattata could fit through, the persian would not be able to. For a moment the persian broke pace, and all three sets of eyes fixed on this new door.

And then all three pokemon darted.

The rattata was literally running for its life now with the two persian close behind. No use, Oak was still thinking. Even a specially bred athletic raticate would have no chance, yet alone a newborn rattata, the distance is too small. Too smal- Wait. Is the distance- Did the distance just grow?

It did. The persian were now running their hardest, but unbelievably they just could not gain on the rattata. Its small legs were moving so fast that Oak could not keep track of them. Still, the rattata did not relax, eyes bulged wide open and fixed on that small exit, it was running wildly and then it, it-

It made it.

Oak gave the breath he was not aware of holding. Ignoring the persian's disappointed mewls, he faced Fuji, who, not hiding his excitement, was grinning widely. "Well?" he asked, quite pleased with himself.

"The pills - some sort of enhancement med, I think, but unlike any I've ever seen," muttered Oak. "Incredibly strong in its effect no doubt, but what's remarkable is that it did not kill the subject. I mean, such strong medication on such a young small pokemon... It is still alive though, right?"

"Yes, yes, of course, otherwise it would be pointless." Fuji brushed the question aside while pressing another button on the panel. A small display screen flickered to life and showed the same rattata in an adjacent, smaller room. It looked terrified and was huddled at the furthest corner of the room, but was still very much alive.

"How?" Oak continued muttering. "Adrenaline pills or other drugs can only add so much energy, this requires something overexert, something more that can come from the body, somethin- Ah. Of course. The full moon."

It was known to all trainers, rangers, and researchers that lunar beams had certain effects on certain pokemon. Almost every dark and fairy type seemed to draw power from them and some pokemon were required to bath in moonlight to evolve. A few species of pokemon were even observed to heal from fatal wounds when left under a full shining moon. This information was helpful for trainers and rangers to train and understand their companions, whereas for researchers it made an incredible mystery still waiting to be solved. Though it seems, Oak thought, Fuji is one step closer in solving it.

"Clever as always Samuel," Fuji said, though his excitement seemed to have lessened - Oak had no doubt that it was because he figured the trick out before Fuji had the chance to explain. "The pills - batch W - harness those lunar energies that have kept us researchers in the dark for years. Using a formula I invented, I have managed to compartmentalize these energies in power, speed, and durability."

As he was speaking, he motioned Oak outwards, and together they left the deck. He continued while they walked together in those empty corridors. "At the present, well, I'm not one to stroke my own back, but my work is revolutionary. Oak." Fuji stopped and faced Oak. His tone was more serious this time. "You are this nation's anointed Pokemon Professor. You can see both the problems and the future of this work, can't you?"

Oak could. The pills - W, Fuji had called them - were definitely not practical. Oak was pretty sure that W could only store these lunar energies during a full moon and possibly only in a lab environment. Even then, he guessed the process would require an expensive budget, long hours and much workforce.

But, Oak's mind was fully opened to the possibilities now. But if we could hasten the storing process - perhaps with the usage of moonstones? Questions for later - everything would change. With W, the long years required for trainers to strengthen pokemon would now take seconds. Rangers would no longer need to fear strong wild pokemon - what wild pokemon stood a chance against W enhanced specially trained pokemon? Expeditions could increase, humanity could reinstate itself into areas lost to the wild. Indigo's army would be unstoppable, the threat of an economically strong Hoenn to the south or Sinnoh to the north would be meaningless. Even the pokecenters would benefit from this technology; moonlight is able to heal some pokemon wounds, can W not do the same?

Oak stood silently for a moment and then finally looked into Fuji's eyes. "The formula. Ken, I need to see it before I give this a go. I need to see if this, this experiment you held was a onetime thing, a stroke of luck, a dead end or, or if this does indeed go somewhere. I truly hope it does Ken, because I'm not going to lie, this is amazing, amazing work. But I have to see it. And if it does go somewhere, I promise I will work with you to make this reach its potential."

As Oak spoke Fuji's eyes darkened. After a slight pause, he spoke. "I'm afraid that's just impossible Samuel. My main funder, my main anonymous funder, for this project asked me to - you see, it's in my contract. This formula is for his and my eyes only."

His?

"I cannot get this project league approved if I do not see the formula Ken. And no matter who your, eh, mysterious funder is, he cannot help you as much as the league can. This is big Ken. You will need better equipment, better helpers, researchers, more money, better everything. Don't be stupid and walk me through this formula Ken."

Fuji stayed quiet for a moment. Then he whispered, "I'm afraid what you ask for is impossible Samuel."

"I see." Oak frowned. Both men stood still now, an awkward silent growing. "Tell you what," said Oak, willing to compromise. "We don't have to reach an agreement right now. It's been an especially long night for me and I would really like to rest. How about I come back tomorrow, we run a few more tests together, and if they also end up as successful as tonight's, well I can't promise anything, but I will try my best to convince those up at the Plateau to fund this. What do you say?"

"Brilliant Samuel," replied more cheerfully Fuji. "Let me escort you out. Oh, and before I forget, congratulations are in order I believe. A second grandchild, yes?"

"Yes, yes he's already three months old now. My son sent me pictures again, let me show you..." They continued their small talk a few minutes more until Oak suspected they were near the exit to these maze-like corridors. "Wait Ken, could you show me to the lavatory. Old bladder, long trip, do the math."

Following Fuji's instructions, after Oak entered the toilet cabin, he immediately locked the door and proceeded to remove his belt. He shook the belt violently while whispering, "Wake up Dolos."

The belt shuddered, yawned, and began changing color, becoming a pretty shade of pink. The thin and long shape of the belt thickened and shortened until what remained was a shapeless pink blob - with two eyes and a mouth planted on as if a child had drawn them.

Dolos, the professor's personal ditto, looked up to its master. Oak gave three simple commands. "Search. Store. Escape."

Dolos gave an understanding cry and then oozed out of the door. Oak waited a few more minutes, and then he too left.

))(())((

An hour later Oak had checked in to his hotel and was strolling up and down in his room. All went too well, he thought. His greatest concern was passing the mindspection, if any psychic pokemon had focused a split second on Oak, his ditto would have been detected and the plan would have foiled. Now however, Dolos was searching every nook and cranny of Research Block B without being disturbed, thanks to the block being abandoned. A little too convenient, but Ken probably did not want any disruptions. Dolos was too well trained to be caught by conventional means - being able to transform into anything, anytime did come in handy - so until the guards made their psychic pokemon sweep the place, Dolos was safe. Oak suspected Dolos had at least two hours to himself, so after checking the clock in his room, he decided to shut some eye.

He woke up exactly two hours later, his perfect internal clock ever always ticking. Surprisingly, he found a kadabra staring right back at him, on his bed.

"You glob, why didn't you wake me up." Oak poked the kadabra and it changed its shape back to Dolos. The kadabra at the door probably eventually detected him, so Dolos turned into it and teleported to me as an escape. Lucky their psychic was a kadabra and not a slowbro. Normally, Oak had trained his ditto to escape using the drain pipes, but whatever worked best. Impressed with Dolos' improvisation skills, "Alright good job," he said. "Now. Show."

The ditto, having stored everything it had seen during its searching phase to its memory, began rapidly changing shape. One by one, it became everything it had seen, and after the first few changes, Oak's brows rose in concern. After a few more, Oak's face was unmistakably angry, and finally, after the last shape, Oak without hesitation reached to his dex and dialed Blaine.

))(())((

"The media is having a field day with this one," said Oak.

"I don't blame'em. Still, it could'a been worse."

Oak gazed sideways at his friend Blaine. "Worse?"

A week had passed since Oak's call to Blaine. After the call, Blaine had assembled a team of spec-ops trainers from the Plateau, and two days later they were ready to crash Cinnabar Laboratories to arrest Fuji and all his known associates. But they were too late. The place was a blood bath; filled with bodies that were torn, slashed, and ripped apart. There was no sign of Fuji himself, but his mansion was burnt down and a body about the same height and size was found within. Unfortunately, the body was too burnt to be identified. The investigation of what the media was now calling the "Cinnabar Massacres" was still ongoing, but the operation team was able to confirm that all the bodies within the lab - except the one - were all co-workers of the now allegedly late, Dr. Ken Fuji.

Blaine looked up to his friend and smiled "Yes. Worse."

Oak closed his eyes. In his mind, Dolos was still changing shape. First becoming an eevee. Then a cage. A clefairy. Cage. Jigglypuff. Again, a cage. Eevee. Jigglypuff. Clefairy. Cage. Numerous times. All three pokemon were incredibly rare and protected under League laws - laws that Fuji thought did not apply to himself apparently.

Oak could guess why he needed these species. Eevee were unique in physiology, their bodies adapted to their surroundings and evolved rapidly, whereas both clefairy and jigglypuff had a strong and mysterious connection with moonlight. Experimenting on these three species was probably necessary in developing W. Oak suspected that if Ken had stopped with only these three species, given the success of his experiments, the league might have issued a pardon.

If only he had stopped with those three.

Dolos' next shapes were nidorino and nidorina. Again, pokemon so rare, they could only be found in Kanto's Safari Zone in Fuchsia. Skitty. Munna - no doubt smuggled in from Unova, since they could not be found naturally in Indigo. And finally, its last shapes.

The dead bodies of Cinnabar Island's Gym Leader and his team.

Oak opened his eyes again. "Was his wife informed?"

Blaine caught on. "Yes. Went to her myself. Took it like a champ. Devastated of course, but still. Like a champ." Blaine looked slightly disturbed.

"What is it?" Oak asked.

Blaine stared at the ashes of Fuji's home for a few minutes. "She's pregnant."

Oak closed his eyes again. When he reopened them, he asked, "What will you do for her?"

"Me? Or the Plateau?"

"Both."

"Well she is, ah, was the wife of a league official and her husband was probably killed on duty. The league takes care of its leaders Oak, so I'm guessing a large insurance pay is waiting for her. As for me, well, I've started with resigning."

"You did what?"

"Resign."

"Why?"

"I've gotten too old for the Plateau, Oak. See, the media isn't covering it because of this shit-storm, but this new kid, this Lance. He stomped through the league. Sixteen Badges. Defeated me, Pryce, Giovanni, and Chuck in a row. He defeated the Champion in the same day."

"Agatha lost?"

"Yep, though an official statement hasn't been made yet so keep it low. We're going to have a new head of state and probably a great one. Lance is young, handsome, strong, smart, and rich. All that Blackthorn money. Anyways, after your call, I reported to him. It was thanks to him that I could assemble a task force so quickly. Afterwards I began thinking, you know, stuff like this never happens on the mainland but always on the islands and, well, this is my hometown. I should've taken better care of it, damn it. And now that there is an unfortunate opening, I thought..."

"That you could be reinstated here as leader."

Blaine looked slightly embarrassed, but Oak understood. Blaine continued. "And I'm not the only one. Chuck too is thinking of transferring back to Cianwood, and Pryce to Mahogony. Giovanni, I think, is already being reinstated as eighth to Kanto. Agatha will now be an Elite Four member, but I think she too is thinking of settling down."

"So not only a new champion, but also a new four. This is indeed news. Though I admit the sound of you here and Chuck in Cianwood is reassuring. Now if we could only solve the Sevii Islands..." Oak halfheartedly joked.

"Now if we could only solve the matter at hand," Blaine muttered realistically. A quiet grew between them as they stood across the ashes of Fuji's old home, where they were to oversee the investigation.

"Something does not add up." Blaine broke the silent. "Either Fuji himself or someone related to this research was tipped of us coming. So, again, either Fuji himself or someone else kills anyone that might know a thing. Then to keep it safe, Fuji's mansion is also burnt down. As a result, not a single sample of W or of any means to manufacture it is left."

Blaine shrugged and then continued. "This part I honestly get. Someone worked real hard to erase W's existence, okay. What I don't get is - why leave his body in the lab?"

He took in a breath and went on. "Forensic says the body is a few days old. My guess is that much smuggling around the lab finally drew someone's attention so he went in to investigate. Probably didn't report to the Plateau since the championship games are on - thought he could handle things on his own. Anyway, he walked in, and somehow they managed to kill him. Since the games have begun, not many will be visiting the gym. A phone call from the gym to the wife has been made. The wife quotes that someone sounding exactly like her husband has assured her that he will be staying at the gym for a while due to 'problems'. So, the killers have cleared suspicions with the wife, and it's unlikely anyone will visit the gym. They had three days. Why didn't they dump the body Oak? Why did they keep it?"

Oak had no answer to the question. On his mind however was in his opinion a far more dangerous one. Who could have possibly tipped these killers of a secret league assault on the labs?

))(())((

Deep in a cavern connected to the volcano Dr. Fuji's lab intern Proton felt like he was about to boil alive. The price of secrecy, he thought grimly. He was almost there to the rendezvous point, and his golbat patrolled around him making sure with its echolocation that he was not being followed.

Ahead the cavern widened. He cried out. "To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

The answer came. "To extend our reach to the stars above!" Proton grinned and walked ahead.

In front of him stood a man with almost no distinguishable features, though in his line of work he had to be like that. This was their organization's espionage and smuggling operative Petrel. He barely looked at Proton and asked, "W?"

Proton reached into his bag and pulled out a bag of pills. "Better. This is batch X. That fool Fuji always so sure of his intelligence - never suspected that all the time I was working for him, I was actually perfecting his formula."

"They work?"

"Of course they do. Though we need to report to the boss that moon stone mining will be necessary, just like predicted in his plans. The sooner we begin mining, the sooner we can begin reverse engineering and manufacturing on Sevii Five." He tossed the bag to Petrel who caught it midair.

Petrel gritted his teeth and asked, "And the formula?"

Proton smugly grinned. "In here," he said while pointing with his index finger to his own head.

Petrel looked slightly impressed of Proton's perfect eidetic memory. "You memorized it?"

Proton gave a thumbs up.

"And the last item?"

Proton's grin dropped. Nervously he opened his bag wide and gave a glimpse of its contents to Petrel before quickly closing it shut again. Petrel briefly saw a metal canister.

"That's it then?"

"That's it." Proton approved. "What will be done with it?"

"Later. For now, let's get you out of this island." Petrel motioned him forward deeper to the caves.

"I have to warn you Petrel, both Blaine and Oak are here with a squad of trainers. I positively have no idea how we can make it out of here."

Petrel looked reassuringly upon Proton, the organization's chief scientist. "You've done your job soldier. Now let me do mine."

For a brief moment, as both men walked further into the dark, theirs and the hovering golbat's shadows intertwined. For that moment, if anyone were standing, they might have curiously remarked upon the light play that shaped the three intertwining shadows similar into one big, dark letter "R".

But then again, no one was there and so, the moment passed.