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

Chaper Two: Stories

            Nurse Joi calmed the two nidoran Brock had brought in, and started in on the explination Ash, Misty, and Brock were wanting. "Well, it all started about a month ago. Trainers who have been really mean in their methods of training, have been found tied up in odd manners. The first was found outside his home bound to a tree with telephone wires. The second was found at his job, hog-tied by a mouse wire. And with every victim its' gotten worse. And none of them have been able to remember who did it, but they're always scared out of their wits. And, probably the best part of the whole mess, they all change their trianing tactics." She gave a sigh, "Unfortunetly, other trianers haven't taken the warning."

            Ash was puzzled and voiced his confusion, "You sound like you're for these guys getting tied up and frightened out of their wits."

            "Well, franckly, I am!"

            "What?"

            "I think it's good that the trianers end up changing their ways. Granted, I don't support the method, but it seems to be the only one getting through to these guys."

            Misty nodded her head, "I can understand that. If a trainer is being mean to his pokemon, then he deserves to be treated bad himself. But not like that."

            Ash narrowed his eyes and fisted his hands, "They deserve humiliation, but not on the street. On the battle field. In the arena."

            Joi got up and took their cups for a refill, "Unfortunetly that only causes the really bad ones to treat their pokemon worse."

            Ash sighed, "Yeah… that's true. I've met trainers like that. But what else can be done? Besides these incidents?"

            "I don't really know," Joi replied, returning to the table. She would have gone on, but Officer Jennie came through the door of the Center, four pokeballs in her arms and a very upset trainer following behind her.

            The trainer had short brown hair and was dressed in a blue shirt and black jeans and was yelling his head off at the police woman, "I don't see why you had to take my pokemon from me. I caught them fair and square, and I'm going to use them to catch the Moonlight pokemon!"

            Officer Jennie deposited the confiscated pokemon on the table infront of Joi and rounded on the man, poking him in the chest, "And just how were you going to catch that pokemon in the middle of the day while challenging an inexperienced trainer with his pokemon as the prize? The whole reason its called the moonlight pokemon, is because it only comes out at night!"

            "W-well, I was just… getting in some practice. The kid wanted to battle so I was showing him how real trainers do things!"

            Ash came up next to Jennie and glared up at the guy, "That's no way to get some practice! If you want a battle, you should go to a real trainer for a challenge!"

            "And how you know that, pipsqueak? I bet you've never won a battle in your life!"

            "Ha! That's a bet you just lost!" Ash held his coat open to show all his myrid badges, "I happen to be a great trainer! I've been in two championships already and won one of them!"

            The guy went pale, and his eyes widened slightly. He turned to Officer Jennie, glared and stomped to the door, "I'll be back for my pokemon tomarrow! You can't keep them here any longer than that!"

            "I'll be waiting for you, then! I could use some practice!"Ash taunted as the 'tough' guy hurried out the door and on his way. "Ha! That guy knew he couldn't stand up to me! Ha!"

            Misty sighed and smiled, "You know Ash, for once I think you're right. He was such a jerk too!"

            Officer Jennie sighed herself and crossed her arms, "It's bad enough that trainers from this city are so mean, but now we have trainers from outside the area coming in and causing trouble.  All in the name finding this 'Moonlight Pokemon'!"

            Brock, who was still at the table feeding the nidoran a couple treats, spoke up, "What's this 'Moonlight Pokemon'? I've never heard of it."

            "Well, about, what? Eight months ago? I think that's right, people started spotting a mysterious pokemon roaming the city at night. No one knows what type of pokemon it is. Apparently it can fly, but doesn't have wings. And its not small either, a man once reported that it was taller thatn him and he's six foot!"

            "Could it have been a sorlax?" Ash asked, "they're pretty big."

            Misty rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but thay cant't fly. Hmm… maybe, a ghost pokemon?"

            Brock shivered, "I hope not. That would be scary."

            "Yeah."

            Ash, Joi and Jennie nodded in agreement. A moment later, Ash jumped up, thorwing his fist into the air, "I'm gonna catch this mysterious, moonlight pokemon! Yeah!"

            Misty grabbed the boy by his ear (Misty! Ow ow ow ow… stop it!) and pulled him down to sitting level, "Stop daydreaming Ash Ketchum. This Moonlight Pokemon is probably just someone's pokemon that they let out at night."

            The black-haired boy rubbed his soar ear, "Well even if it is, I'd still like to know what pokemon it is! And besides, I want to know who's doing that stuff to the bad trainers…"

            Officer Jennie turned to Joi, "That reminds me! I sent a boy here earlier with a couple of nidoran…"

            "Oh yes! He's been keeping me company with his friends!" She waved to Brock whose head was down and had tears streaming down his face as he muttered, "She thinks I'm a kid."

Misty and Ash just shook their heads. They had been through this a thousand times before. There was no point in consoling him, he would stop blubberling eventually.

Officer Jennie and Nurse Joi were oblivious to the guy's 'pain' and went on as though he hadn't said anything.

"Thank you so much for taking care of all these pokemon, Joi."

"It's no problem Jennie. I enjoy helping them in any way I can. I just wish their trainers would do the same."

"So do I. I just…"

BBEP.BEEP.BEEP.

"Oh! Hold on!" Jennie reached down and unlatched her walkie-talkie from her belt, "Officer Jennie here."

~ZZZ…..Officer Jennie? It's Officer Jenny…ZZZZ…Another victim's been found…"

"What? That's a first…."

~ZZZ….we need you down here for crowd control…ZZZ~

"I'm on my way! Jennie out!" She put her walkie-talkie up. "Well, I have to go now. I guess I'll be seeing you again soon, Joi.
            "See you later, Jennie," the pink haired woman waved to her friend as she left the Center and hopped on her bike, it's siren clearing the way. "Well, I guess I'll have to clear some more space for pokemon. Do you children need me for anything?"

But when she turned around, Ash, Misty and Brock were gone. The two nidoran were munching the food Brock had put out to keep their interest. "Well, I guess that answers that…."

******

            The three friends were once again a public nusense as they raced down the street following Officer Jennie to the scene of the crime. Ash was in the lead, as he was most of the time, Pikachu clinging to his hat, "I'm gonna find this mysterious pokemon, Pikachu. And I'm going to catch it! But before that, I want to find out who's doing those things to the trainers."

            "Oh! Don't kid yourself Ash!" Misty yelled, not two feet behind him, "You just want to challenge whoever or whatever is doing this to a battle!"

            "Can you blame me, Misty? If someone is using a pokemon to do this than he's got to be a great trainer. And that means it'll be a great match when we battle!"

            Brock, on the boys' right, shouted over, "That's if we can figure out who this guy is, Ash!"

            "That's why we're going to check out the crime scene! Speaking of which, there it is!" The boy pointed to the crowd gathered in the road ahead and joined the group scattered around the fire engine that had pulled up to get a girl off the top of a flag pole. Tears streamed down the girls face. Whispers filtered through the crowd: "She's the second found today", "…derserves it, the way she…", "..couldn't have happened to a better person, I say!"

            "Wow! I guess the people around here support whoever's doing this," Ash wispered.

            Misty nodded her head, "They sound like Nurse Joy."

            "That's Joi, Misty," Brock cut in.

            "That's what I said: Joy."

            "No. You said Joy, when her name is Joi."

            "That sounds exactly the same!"

            "Not true! Joy sounds different than Joi!"

            "No it doesn't! you…"

            Brock and Misty's voices faded out as Ash moved toward the other side of the crowd. A strange shadow had caught his eye and he could have sworn someone called his name.

            "Pika? Pikachu! Pi-pikachu." The yellow rodent chattered as he clung to Ash's backpack.

            "Well I want to know who called me, Pikachu. And there's something over here," He mumbled back ducking under someone's arm.

            "Pika. Pi-pika-pikachu!"

            "We'll go back to Misty and Brock as soon as I check this out." The boy finally crossed the crowd to where he had spotted the strange shape. "I know I saw something over here… and...WAH!" Ash tripped and fell flat on his face, Pikachu falling off his backback and rolling across the ground, "Chuuuuuuuu…"

            "I'm starting to think it might not be coincidence that brings us together…" A voice came from all around as Ash slowly got up and looked around to pinpoint it. "Who's there? Who are you? I know your voice…"

            A low chukle and again the voice, "Of course you know my voice… You asked not to forget…"

            Ash's eyes went wide as he realized just who he was talking to.