Yeah, so I'm really, really sorry about the wait. Life started kicking my ass, and then writer's block paid me a visit, and then life started kicking my ass again.
But I managed to make it this far through the chapter, and figured that you all deserve it for hanging in there. I'm starting work on the rest of it after I post this. Once again, so sorry.
Also, is messing with my linebreaks and indents. Sorry if that gets irritating. I'm trying to fix it.
So, this is chapter 11. Ash and co. take a trip to Mt. Moon. We will see Team Rocket, a crazy scientist, and Meowth start to clue in.
Thank you to everyone who added this to their favorites/follow lists. And a special thanks to flamesaremadefor, bondinglucario, Brie45, guest, post, merlinfrostG, DaughterofDante, Update, Hannahdoodle100, guest, salman21, shyboywriter, starlight luna, duskrider, dragoncreators, Fawx999, LadyKarma18, red the lugia, Maddie Hatter13, KaliAnn, thor94, and Iceman99 for reviewing.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. *Eeps and hides under bed to get away from angry readers.*
Anyways, enjoy!
The next day, Brock consulted the map as they walked. "It looks like we're heading toward Mount. Moon."
"Mount. Moon. Doesn't the name sound romantic?" Misty sighed.
"People say that in ancient times a meteor crashed into the mountain."
Ash had heard the legend from various Pokémon he'd talked with, and nodded to Brock, shifting the sleeping Pikachu on his backpack so that he didn't fall off.
Misty, however, asked, "Is it true?"
"The meteor is called the Moon Stone." Ash told her, the story coming back in small bursts.
"Now that's romantic." Misty beamed.
"Ah! Oh!" a voice yelled.
"Look! Over there!" Ash pointed. There was a man being attacked by Zubat.
Ash didn't think. He raced forward yelling, "Hey! Quit it!" When only a few responded, he yelled, irritated, "Leave him alone and come here!"
Several of the Zubat broke off their attack and fled back into the cave. One of them flew to Ash. He caught it in his arms, holding it awkwardly.
"Help us." She begged, wrapping her wings around Ash in a hug and burying her head in his shirt.
"What's wrong?" Pikachu asked.
"It's too light out. In the cave, out of the cave, it's too bright! Please, put me somewhere dark." The Zubat was practically crying.
"Would you like to come with us?" Pikachu offered. "You can go into the Pokéball. It's dark in there. Then, you can go back to the cave."
"I'd like that." The Zubat nodded vigorously. "But, can I stay with you? The other Zubat don't really like me much." She brightened. "I can even fight for you, if you want."
Ash pulled out one of his Pokéballs. Brock, Misty, and the mysterious man watched as the Zubat tapped it with a wing and was sucked in. They had no idea what was happening. Ash had yelled, "Zubat! Zu-bat!" The Zubat had all flown back into the cave. All except one, who flew to Ash and began chirping. Pikachu spoke back, and Ash took out a Pokéball and captured the Zubat.
Brock quickly noticed an errant Zubat flying around wildly and quickly captured it before turning back to gape at Ash.
Ash hooked it to his belt and turned to the others. He caught them staring at him, flabbergasted, and frowned. "What?"
The man shook himself off and hugged Ash hard. "Thank you! You saved me." Pikachu jumped down into Ash's arms and the man said, "They say man's best friend is a Pokémon, and with you two I believe it."
Ash blinked, sharing a glance with Pikachu. The man went on to say how thankful he was through poem.
"Why were the Zubat attacking you mister?" Ash broke into his poetry.
"Never call me mister! My name's Seymour. Seymour the scientist." He started waxing more poetry about science.
"If he doesn't stop that, I'm going to shock him." Pikachu grumbled. Ash could only agree.
"Come see the problem." Seymour led the way into the cave.
"The cave is all lit up inside. Somebody has strung these lights up. But the Pokémon in these caves need the dark. These lights are upsetting them and making them confused."
Like that poor Zubat. Ash thought, one hand dropping to touch the Pokéball that his new friend resided in.
"The Zubat left the cave to get away from the light, but it made it worse." Ash said mournfully.
Everywhere they looked, Pokémon were acting out-of-character and looked sick. Pikachu made a mournful sound from where he was cradled in the crook of Ash's arm. Ash silently agreed.
"Why isn't there anyone doing something?" Brock asked, looking around.
Seymour looked surprised. "They are. That's why I'm here. I'm patrolling to protect the mountain."
"But why haven't you taken down the lights then?" Ash wanted to know.
"We tried, but they're back up in hours." Seymour explained.
"But why attack a cave?" Misty asked.
Seymour stopped walking and turned to face them. "I'm afraid it's because of the moonstone."
Ash blinked, confused. "The moonstone?"
Seymour started more poetry, and Ash pressed Pikachu to his chest to stop the irritated Pokémon from attacking Seymour.
"I believe the Pokémon came to Earth from outer space on the moonstone. The moonstone belongs to the Pokémon. We must not take it." Seymour eagerly told them.
"Idiot." Pikachu muttered, calming down in Ash's arms. "Space. Why would I want to go to space?"
"It's an original theory." Misty muttered to Brock, who tried to hide a grin behind his hand.
Seymour turned on Ash, grabbing his shoulders and almost crushing Pikachu between them. "You agree with me, don't you?"
Ash back up quickly. "Okay!" he agreed, mostly to get the crazy scientist to let him go.
As Seymour let go, a Clefairy skipped into view, singing to itself.
Ash's face lit up. He'd always wanted to meet a Clefairy, but he'd never been in these caves before.
"It's so cute!" Misty gushed.
"I've got a piece! I found it!" The Clefairy sung to himself as he skipped down a tunnel to the left.
"Let's go after him!" Ash tried to race forward, but Seymour grabbed his wrist, stopping him and knocking Pikachu out of his arms and to the rock below. Pikachu jumped to his feet, irritated and sparking at the cheeks again.
"Why I oughta…"
"You can't! It's best if you just let it stay here." Seymour said, clutching at Ash's wrist.
Ash ripped his hand free. "What are you talking about?" he demanded irritably. "I wasn't gonna hurt him." He rubbed at his wrist.
"Eep! Help!" the Clefairy cried out from out of view. Ash didn't stop to think, instead running toward the sound, the rest of the group hot on his heels. They ended up in a cavern to see Meowth standing on a boulder, threatening the Clefairy.
"Meowth!" Misty glared at the Pokémon.
"What are you doing here?"
While Meowth was watching the humans, Pikachu hopped over to the frightened Clefairy.
"It's okay now." Pikachu told him. "You're safe."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. We'll help. That one's Ash. He's my friend, and he'll make sure you're okay."
"Thanks!"
"You're the one hanging all these lights?" Ash demanded, trying to focus on Meowth, eyes flicking from Pikachu and Clefairy to Meowth. He gave a small nod and a smile in Clefairy's direction when the pink Pokémon turned to look at him curiously.
"We've gotta stop them." Brock whispered to the group.
"You troublemaker…" Seymour shook his fist at Meowth.
"Trouble?"
"Make that double."
Ash grumbled to himself as Jesse and James jumped out from behind the rock and started in on their motto. This was just not his day.
"They sure are showoffs." Seymour was staring at Team Rocket.
Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Don't you guys get tired of saying that over and over?" He certainly got tired of doing that.
"You're just jealous boy." Jesse sneered.
"Because we won't let you join us." James finished.
"First off, I don't want to join you. And second, you never said I could anyway." Ash pointed out. He stopped and frowned. "What is it that you do, exactly? Besides, try to steal Pokémon, I mean."
Jesse and James' mouths fell open and Meowth informed Ash, "That is all we do. We steal valuable Pokémon."
"But why? What does that accomplish? The Pokémon aren't going to like you. What can you do with them?" Brock and Seymour stared at Ash as if seeing him for the first time. Misty just shook her head, starting to become used to Ash's naivety.
"We give them to our boss, and he pays us." Jesse found her voice again.
"Can't you find a better job? This one hurts the Pokémon." Ash exclaimed.
"And the trainers." Brock added.
"Who are these people?" Clefairy asked Pikachu.
"They are horrible people who kidnap Pokémon and take them away." Pikachu replied. "They've come after me a few times."
"But what do they want?"
"The moonstone." Ash answered without thinking. Everyone in the large cavern blinked at him for this seemingly random statement. Ash blinked back. "What?"
"You idiot." Pikachu stated affectionately. "Clefairy asked that question."
Ash paled. What language had he spoken? Had anyone realized what he was doing? It was just hard, trying to split his concentration between two conversations in two languages.
Meowth was looking at him funny. Ash glared back. "What?" he demanded.
"What about the moonstone, Ash?" Misty asked cautiously, as if he was about to leap up and bite her.
"Yes, we are here for the moonstone." James affirmed what he thought was Ash figuring out what their goal was.
"Y-yeah." Jesse jumped in quickly. "We want the moonstone so we can power up out Pokémon, and then no one can stop us."
Meowth was still eyeing Ash. He had been listening to Clefairy and Pikachu talk, and Ash's answer was too perfect. But Ash couldn't understand Clefairy. It had to have been a coincidence.
Right?
Right, he decided, shoving the incident out of his mind.
"You want a rock, take one of these! Then get lost!" Brock yelled at Team Rocket.
Jesse sniffed. "How rude."
James nodded. "Let's teach him manners." They each pulled out a Pokéball.
"Pikachu, get Clefairy out of here." Ash yelled. "Misty, get Seymour and make a run for it when you get the chance." He hissed at the red-head.
Misty nodded. "Right."
Ash pulled out the Zubat's Pokéball. He figured that the Pokémon would want to get revenge on these who'd messed with the caves.
Jesse and James threw their Pokéballs and Ekans and Koffing emerged, hissing and grinning.
Ash and Brock threw their own Pokéballs. Zubat came out of Ash's, and out of Brock's came…
…Another Zubat?
"Brock, you have a Zubat too?" Ash asked eagerly.
Brock nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I caught it just before we entered the cave. Right when you got yours."
Ash's Zubat fluttered around, nervous in the dim lighting. "What's going on here?" she asked.
"These are the people who hung the lights in here." Pikachu explained darkly. "Then they tried to attack Clefairy."
Zubat turned to face Team Rocket and bared her fangs. "Is that so?" She caught sight of the Zubat next to her. "What are you doing here?"
"That dark human caught me."
"Will you help?"
"Of course."
Ash grinned.
"Koffing, smog attack!" James yelled.
"Double team!" Ash yelled to the two Zubat, who began flapping their wings to blow back the thick green fog. Meowth took this opportunity to duck behind a boulder and race over to where Pikachu was leading Clefairy out of the caves.
"Yes!" Ash cried.
"Now's our chance!" Misty grabbed Seymour's arm and started dragging him out of the cavern after Pikachu and Clefairy.
Just then, Ekans and Koffing burst out of the smog. Ekans bit into Ash's Zubat and Koffing bashed into Brock's.
"Zubat, go supersonic!" Brock called. Ekans and Koffing began attacking each other and getting hopelessly tangled up. Jesse and James yelled out in anger.
"Ekans and Koffing are getting confused." Brock pointed out.
Ash had an idea and released Butterfree. "Butterfree, whirlwind. Blow them out of the cave!"
Team Rocket was quickly throw out of the caves. "We'll be back!" Jesse yelled.
"Excellent teamwork." Brock congratulated Ash, hand raised for a high-five.
But Ash wasn't paying attention. Pikachu had just returned to the cavern, having left Clefairy with Misty and Seymour.
"Something's not right." He murmured. He thought back quickly, using instincts honed by playing a version of hide-and-seek with Pokémon. He gasped as it came to him. "Where's Meowth?"
So, here it is. And I just realized that this is sort of a cliffhanger. *squeaks* sorry! But I won't make you wait that long any time soon (or ever again, if I can help it). Like I said, I'm already working on the next chapter. And yeah, Meowth is catching on, but he's in denial about it, because of…stuff. Hm, I wonder when he'll bust out of his little bubble and figure it out? *pulls blanket over head and chants "They can't see me they can't see me"*
So, suggestions and ideas are good, reviews are amazing! Even one word. Constructive criticism is good, and flames will be placed at the bottom of a pool to make a Jacuzzi! (thanking guest for this idea) Mm, relaxing.
See you next chapter!