SHADOW OF THE IMPALER-PSYCHIC CATS AND UNDEATH
Ash's P.O.V.
"All right Ash, now concentrate. Let's see how much weight can be lifted."
Professor Oak stood by as I concentrated on the weights he had hurriedly bought a while ago. I felt the power reaching out, grasping the weights and lifting them. One heavy black bar went into the air. Then another. Then another.
I was panting by this time, trying desperately to move another bar up to join the others.
"Meeewww…." I groaned. Finally, I just let them come down to Earth. The professor walked over and checked them.
"Fifty pounds," he announced.
Spectacular, I answered and sat on his desk. Professor Oak walked over to the desk for the entry into the computer.
"How is your father adjusting?"
Fine, I looked over as he began typing away on his computer, He complains a little on how much Mom spends on stuff for the garden, but otherwise I think he's okay.
"Good, good," he muttered. Finished with his log, he clicked on his e-mail.
"Professor Ivy? What does she want?" Professor Oak clicked on the message. An image of a woman with purple hair and a white lab coat came onto the screen. "Good evening, Professor Oak. I am forwarding the credentials of a young man named Tracy Sketchit, a Pokemon Watcher who wants to meet you. Call me back if you're interested."
A letter came on after the connection was broken. "Impressive," said Oak.
As he read the letter, his doorbell rang.
Should I…
He waved his hand dismissively, "No, Gary or May can get it. They're downstairs with Pikachu."
A few minutes later, Mayo walked in with Pikachu on her shoulder.
The professor and I turned to her.
"Gary says there's a man to see you, Grandpa,"
He looked at me as he said, "I'm a little busy, May, is it important?"
I could have sworn that the shadow of a clawed hand fell across her face as she said, "Yes, it is."
After changing into human, I followed the professor and Mayo downstairs with Pikachu on my shoulder.
"Pika, Pikapi Pikachu?"
When was the last time we could do this?
I smiled at him.
"Too long, I guess."
As we entered Professor Oak's living room, the stranger turned his head to see us.
I stopped at the door and just stared at this guy. There was something…weird…about him. There was nothing physically impressive, he was tall, thin, and shockingly pale. His hair was black, and his nose was beaky. But his eyes were something else, they were warm and threatening at the same time. I won't hurt you, but one wrong move and your butt is mine to kick they seemed to be saying.
Gary stood casually by the fireplace, every now and then glancing a suspicious glance over at the new guy.
"I'm Professor Samuel Oak, you wanted to see me?"
The stranger smiled and stood. He walked over and held out his hand. The Professor took the hand and shook it. He stood only at the man's neck.
"A pleasure to meet you," the stranger spoke with a voice quietly marked by a foreign accent, "Permit me to introduce myself; I am Jonathan Graves." Smiling at the Professor as he released his hand, Graves turned to May. She held out her hand, "May Oak, Mr. Graves." Graves took her hand, turned it sideways, leaned over and kissed the air above it. "Your servant, my dear," She blushed and quietly took back her hand. Graves sat back down across from Professor Oak and calmly placed his long hands on his knees.
"Professor Oak, I come to you in search of aid," he began, "My family is an old one…And a proud house. Members of my bloodline were at the frontlines as the Turk reached for empire in Hungary." He reached down beside the couch and picked up a black briefcase. "While going through my family's vaults, I discovered a rather unusual document…" Graves set the briefcase on the coffee table and began quietly turning the combination lock. "You must be patient with me now; this briefcase is of special manufacture. It contains a nasty little toxin that attacks the central nervous system and can paralyze a full grown man for days…" I think everybody in the room stepped back a little at that. Graves smiled grimly at us and opened his case. Inside were two scrolls, with wooden rollers. He took one out and opened it. Professor Oak leaned forward as Mr. Graves turned the scroll around for inspection. "My…" he said as he examined the slightly torn paper, "How old is this?" Graves leaned back and seemed to have begun admiring his fingernails. "Some experts under my payment have described it as over six hundred years old. The author is a mystery. However, I have been able to identify the writing as Gaelic." Professor Oak looked up at him with empty eyes. Mr. Graves smiled. "The ancient language of the Irish Islands; it has been a lingual corpse for some time now." Professor Oak shook his head.
"I'm honored that you would bring this here for me to examine, but I don't think I can help you with anything about this." Graves chuckled as he reached into his briefcase.
"I believe you would be greatly interested by this, Professor; these scrolls were in the same container. I can only assume that they made the second one for the illiterate."
He pulled out the other scroll, turned it around and rolled it open. It was covered with pictures. We all came in close to look at it. It showed people, buildings, weird symbols and…
"A Mew!!"
We all turned, shocked, to Mayo. She quickly pointed to a picture on the scroll, showing a familiar cat-like Pokemon.
"You are a student of the myths, young lady?" asked Graves.
May blushed again and drew back a little. Professor Oak was sputtering as he looked over the scroll.
"This…this is amazing, Mr. Graves! I'll have to have this translated; I think Dr. Eve is still in Indigo somewhere."
The visitor smiled and nodded. Then he stood and shut the briefcase.
"I have business elsewhere, Professor Oak; I leave them in your care."
"Very well, I'll put them in my safe."
"Excellent, Professor; until then," Mr. Graves bowed slightly and then left the room toward the door. Soon enough, we heard the door open and close.
The Professor stood up with the scrolls in his arms and turned to me.
"You can go, Ash; I have to find Dr. Eve."
"Alright, Professor, see you later."
I walked home that night, didn't feel like flying. Pikachu was unusually quiet. He stared ahead, with thoughts of his own. Suddenly, his electric-sacs began sizzling with power.
"What is it, Pikachu?"
"He's out there!"
"Who?"
Pikachu was quiet as he stared into a gathering of trees.
"I…don't…know…"
For a moment, I thought I saw a shadow move through the trees, but I didn't sense anything…