Chapter 3: Attack from the Pokecenter

Summary: Maka and Black Star go to Mortality City to face the gym leader but get held up at the pokecenter.

Black Star laughed playfully as he and Soul ran around. "I think they like each other," Maka said.

"Eev," Tsubaki agreed. The two and their pokemon where at a park in the middle of Death City.

Eventually, Black Star and Soul ran back to their partners, out of breath. "You pokemon is great," Black star smiled between breaths.

Soul nodded his head towards the blue haired boy. "Sol," it said, probably saying the same about him.

"Um, thanks," Maka mumbled.

Tsubaki jumped onto Black Star's shoulder and rubbed its face against him. "Eeeevee," it purred.

"You're great too, but both of you still aren't as awesome as I am! Ah ha ha," Black Star laughed.

Sighing, Maka looked at her friend. "Sure," she mumbled. "Anyway, I wanted to meet here to tell you that I probably won't be seeing you for a while."

Blue hair bounced as Black Star looked at his friend in surprise. "Why? Am I too big of a star for you to handle? I'll try and tone it down if that's the case, but I can't make any promises."

"No," Maka smiled, "It's not that. I'm going to travel around Jotai, collecting badges, catching pokemon, and helping people, just like my Mama did! And then, I'll go onto other regions and do the same." The young girls smile dropped slightly as she looked at Black Star's unchanging, unemotional face. "I'll still come back, though. Maybe not too often because I don't want to see papa, but -"

"Stop it Maka," Black Star interrupted. "You don't have to say goodbye, and you don't have to come back here just for me."

"But Black Star-"

A huge smile spread across the boy's face as he pointed to himself. "If you really think I'll let you become a pokemon master before I do, then you've got another thing coming. This city is too small for a big star like me. I'll tag along with you, just try not to slow me down too much, okay?"

A small giggle escaped from Maka's mouth. "You think that I'll slow you down? You'll pick a fight with anyone that walks in front of you, and you refuse to run from wild battles. You'll slow me down if anything."

"Oh yeah? Let's prove who's the slowest! I challenge you to a race to the next city! Winner gets half of the loser's trainer tokens. Deal?" Black Stars hand shot out to be shook.

Greeting his hand with her own, Maka shook to seal the deal. "You're on. First stop is Mortality City to face gym leader Barrett. Do you know how to get there?"

"Of course I do! First one to the pokecenter wins. Starting now!" Black Star started dashing in a random direction.

After rolling her eyes, Maka returned Soul and started walking in the complete opposite direction.

"Eevee," Tsubaki said. Its trainer skidded to stop and looked over his shoulder.

He twirled around and crossed his arms. "She thinks that just because she knows directions that she'll win? Well, Baton pass jolteon!"

The eevee nodded, jumped from Black Star's shoulder onto the ground, and turned into a jolteon like it was told. The ten year old boy hopped on its back. ""Now let's beat Maka!"

"Jolt!"

The two dashed off, passing up Maka in a matter of seconds.

"Cheater's!" The young girl yelled. She ran as fast as she could after them.

"You know the PC system used all across Jotai?" Lord Death asked his son.

Kid nodded. "It automatically transfers newly caught pokemon if the trainer has any more than six already on them. It's very useful. Why do you ask? Did I catch to many Magikarp?"

"No, you can catch as many Magikarp as you would like Kiddo. I just wanted to tell you the man who made it, Doctor Frank N. Stein, has a laboratory on the outskirts of Mortality City. There he has multiple rare pokemon specific to this region. Perfect you're you're pokedex, don't you think?"

With a quick motion, Kid brought out his skateboard from his backpack. He shrugged. "Okay. I'll come back when I'm done." He jumped onto the board and it lifted off the ground. "See you later." With that, Kid flew out the door with more speed than an electric pokemon.

"Wait," Lord Death said, but it was too late. "I haven't even told you what he's done to Spirit…"

Since he flew right over Morbidity Forest and the routes in between, Kid made it to the building his father had mentioned. It was grey and very box like with stitches and arrows randomly placed all around it. A pair of yellow eyes danced around the structure, the face attached getting more and more distraught at the sight.

The reddish brown front door swung open and a man stepped out. He removed a cigarette from his mouth and blew out the smoke. Shining glasses hid under shaggy gray hair. He turned his head to Kid, revealing a giant metal screw sticking out of one side of his head. A pale hand started twisting it, making it click over and over again. Loose clothes draped on him, containing the same stitch patterns as the house.

The reaper looked at him the same way he looked at the house. Suddenly the clicks got replaced by a single ping and the mans hand fell to his side. "Lord Death's son, isn't it?" He asked emotionlessly.

Kid stared blankly at him.

"What's wrong?" The cigarette went back to his mouth.

"Doctor Stein?" Kid questioned. He nodded. "You and your house… they're… you're just…"

Stein smiled. "There's no need to be scared, young reaper."

"I'm not scared, it's absolutely disgusting! No aesthetic at all! Stitches just placed at random and god forbid that screw! If I didn't know that dad would give me another lecture I would pull it out and shove in the other side of your head just to take it out again so you'd be even a smidgen more symmetrical, you disgusting abomination!"

The two stared at each other in silence, causing Kid to realize how rude what he just said must have sounded. His face turned paler than it already was and it turned to the floor. His hand went to the back of his head. "I-I'm sorry. It's just that the asymmetry-"

Kid was cut off by a noise the professor made. It started off sounding like a low rumble, but then quickly evolved into a full bellowing laugh. One side of his glasses glistened while the other one showed his brown eye gazing at Kid with desire. "What I wouldn't give to dissect you," he muttered.

Kid blinked in surprise at his response. "Umm," he mumbled and stood up straight again. "I came to report of your rare pokemon. Can we?" The want to get away from asymmetry was more powerful than a fear of dissection in the young reapers mind.

Stein stepped back into his house and Kid followed. Much to his dismay, the inside was just like the outside. Utterly asymmetrical.

Black Star returned his heavily breathing Jolteon once inside the pokecenter. Maka burst through the door seconds later. "Ch...ea...ter…" she said through gasps of breath.

"I win. You owe me half your trainer tokens, no backing out. We shook on it."

Maka laughed. "Okay, but half of zero is still zero."

The assassin's jaw dropped. "Zero!? But you just got your tokens!"

A pokeball was taken from her belt and it enlarged to a normal size. "I lost them all getting this skitty. You haven't met Blair yet, have you?"

Before he could respond Maka released Blair. "Skitty~" It purred.

"It's pretty powerful."

"It's pretty," Black Star said.

Blair was returned and Black Star was suddenly hit in the head with a thick book called 'The Official Pokemon Handbook: Deluxe version'. The blue haired boy screamed in pain as Maka put her book back into her bag. "What was that for!"

"What kind of sick person would find a pokemon attractive! Men are disgusting!"

Black Star was about to respond but a different person beat him to it. "Is everything okay over here? I'd hate to kick you bright young kids out of my pokecenter for fighting," she said. The woman was fully grown with narrow yellow eyes and long blond hair twisted in the front. She wore a long hooded cloak with a pattern very similar to a seviper. Her exposed arms had black snake tattoos spiraling up them.

"No mam. Sorry," Maka immediately answered.

Black Star raised an eyebrow. "Your pokecenter? I thought that nurse Joy was at every pokecenter."

The woman smiled. "I'm Nurse Medusa. Me and my identical siblings have jobs all throughout Jotai since Nurse Joys are being recruited for the new pokecenters in Hoenn. You're not from Mortality City, are you."

"No, Black Star and I are from Death City. We came to face the gym leader here," Maka responded.

"Well then, I'll heal your pokemon right up so they'll be in tip top shape for you're battle, okay?"

"Sounds great," Maka smiled. She handed over her two pokeballs.

Black Star gave up his as well. "So do we have to stay here while you heal our pokemon? Nurse Joy always tells me to stay in the building in case if anything goes wrong."

Medusa took the three balls with her behind the counter as she did her job. "No, you can leave if you want, but I hear that there was a prison break nearby, so watch out for that."

"Prison break?" Maka asked.

From above the pokecenter was a giant hot air balloon with two people and one pokemon inside. The balloon itself was in the shape of a rattata's head. A man leaned against the side of the basket. A large hand ran through is black, slicked back hair. One eye was dark brown, but the other had an eye patch over it with the words 'no further' above. On one leg was a ball and chain. "Thanks for getting me out of there. My original plan for escaping was to use a spoon as a shovel, like they do in all those movies. But they only gave me chopsticks!"

The other person tilted her head at him in confusion. She had an orange poliwag hat on over her very long and straight gray hair. On the rest of her body was a pale yellow uniform with a bright orange S on the center. Dark circles lay on both corners of her mouth. "It's a bit late now, but why didn't you corrode away the bars with you're pee?"

The man started at her for a second, then flailed his head back in frustration as he started hitting himself in the head. "Why didn't I think of that!"

The woman sighed. "Here, man with the magic eye, put this on," She said and threw a similar outfit to hers, but made for men, at him.

He caught it and laughed. "Man with the magic eye? I guess you don't have anything else to call me, do you. I don't even remember what my name is anymore. That prison took it all away from me. But now… I'm Free. That's what you should call me, Free."

"Okay Free, I'm Eruka."

"Rattata," the rattata next to Eruka said in a high pitched voice. Its purple fur was desaturated to look pink and it stood on its hind legs.

"That's Mizune."

"Is that your pokemon?" Free asked.

Mizune shook its head. "I have a Poliwag that I call Johnson. Mizune is a wild pokemon, and it wants to stay a wild pokemon." The rattata nodded in agreement. "You don't have any pokemon still, do you?"

"No. Another thing that prison took from me."

Eruka grinned. She leaned over the edge of the balloon to look at the building below them. "Well, right there is a pokemon center! We could pop down, steal us some rare and powerful pokemon, then blow the place up! What do you say!"

The same expression was adopted on to Free, his sharp teeth shining in the setting sunlight. "Sounds great."

Day melted into night and Medusa handed the pokeballs back to their respective trainers of Maka and Black Star. "There you go!" She said cheerfully.

"Thanks," Black Star said as he caressed the ball.

"Thank you, Nurse Medusa," Maka said at the same time.

The two were about to leave, but a loud crash caught their attention. The only three people in the pokecenter looked to find a pokeball had crashed through the ceiling. They all blinked in surprise and confusion as it opened. Out popped a Poliwag. "Poli," It called out as it spun around. Heavy rain started falling inside the building, leaving a layer of mist on the floor.

"What's happening?" Maka asked Medusa.

"I have no idea."

"I do," Black Star said. "Someone is trying to make a bigger entrance than me!"

In the mist was the silhouettes of three figures.

"Prepare for annihilation!" a female voice said.

"And double the assassination," another one, this time male sounding, continued.

"To exploit the evils of mischief and magic"

"To spread destruction, no matter how tragic."

"Eruka!"

"Free!"

"Team Salem flies as fast as a broom!"

"Surrender now, or face you're doom!"

A third voice is heard. "Rattata!"

The mist cleared, revealing Eruka, Free, and Mizune. Eruka looked at the person behind the counter in shock. "Medusa!?"

Nurse Medusa looked terrified. "Oh no, Team Salem! We have to protect the injured pokemon!"

Maka nodded. "Right! Go Soul!"

"Yeah, go Tsubaki!" The two said pokemon popped out of their pokeballs. "It's raining, so baton pass vaporeon."

Tsubaki nodded. It turned into a vaporeon like it was told.

"Alright, Soul use Hyper Beam!"

"Sol." The absol made a giant beam shoot from his mouth.

"Dodge it Johnson! Then use bubble beam on the absol," commanded Eruka.

"What an I supposed to do?" asked Free.

"Fight with Mizune."

"Okay… Mizune, use bite? On the same one as Eruka."

A concentrated beam of bubbles bursted from Johnson's mouth and hit Soul. As it shook off the pain from the water, Mizune bit it.

The absol slightly groaned in pain. "No, Soul," Maka mumbled. She knew that it still needed to recharge after the last move, so they were basically just sitting ducks as the enemies all aimed at it.

"Don't worry Maka, I've got your back! Use surf," Black Star said.

"Vap," Tsubaki agreed. Water bursted out of it in all directions, hitting both Soul and Mizune, but Johnson absorbed the water, making it healthier than before.

"You hurt Soul too you idiot!" Maka yelled at her friend. "And the poliwag must have the ability water absorb. Water type moves only make it stronger!"

"Oh… Sorry…"

Eruka laughed. "You idiots. Johnson, body slam the vaporeon."

"Bite it again, I guess," Free commanded. It glared at Free, but listened anyways. It bit Soul, making it cry out in even more pain. Tsubaki tried to dodge the attack from Johnson, but was too slow. Tsubaki shook it off easily. When it went to attack, the paralysis kicked in.

Crossing his arms, Free smiled smugly at the trainers of the nearly fainted and paralyzed pokemon. "Is that all you've got? Trainers used to have more power back in my day."

Maka brought out her pokeball and returned Soul. "Sorry," she whispered to the ball, then put it on her belt. From beside it, she grabbed a second ball, releasing Blair. "Skit~" Blair purred.

Johnson's eyes immediately gained hearts in them. "Pooooliiiiiii," it sang.

"Tadpole Johnson, I know you won't fall for that cat so easily. Use body slam on that one too." The poliwag nodded and slammed into the cat.

"Alright Mizune use bite again, but the other one this time!" Free confidently yelled.

"You don't know any other moves, do you?" Eruka asked her partner.

"Nope."

"I'll tell you some later."

Annoyed, the rat pokemon bit the vaporeon. "Tsubaki, lets get them back! Baton pass jolteon," Black Star commanded.

Tsubaki started to glow as it tried to use the move, but ended up flinching instead.

Eruka and Free preemptively laughed in triumph. Medusa, unseen by the ten year olds, watched the whole battle with intrigue.

Maka glared at the two team Salem members before her. Glaring, she pointed a finger jabbingly at Eruka and her pokemon. "Blair, facade."

"Skitty!" Blair lunged and ambushed the tadpole pokemon, sending it flying backwards into its trainer's arms.

"Hey, no fair, we were winning!" Eruka said. She placed her pokemon back on the floor. "Johnson, belly drum; Mizune, cover me."

"Rat at." The pink pokemon jumped in front of the blue one as it hit its swirling stomach with its tail.

"Blair, use shadow ball," Maka said.

"Tsubaki, use aurora beam," Black Star said after.

They opened their mouths. In front of Blair's mouth was a dark ball, tsubaki's had a rainbow one. The dark orb shot first. Mizune jumped in the way, but it passed right through and hit Johnson, knocking it out instantly.

"No!" Eruka cried and scooped up her pokemon.

The rainbow orb became a beam hitting the rat directly.

"Mizune, Hyper fang that skitty!" furiously demanded Eruka.

"Blair, Facade!"

"Tsubaki, Aurora Beam!"

All the pokemon attacked as told. Once they finished, the rain stopped. Mizune and Johnson were fainted while Blair and Tsubaki, although paralyzed, where still standing.

"No," Eruka mumbled. She returned Johnson then looked at Medusa pleadingly. "No, please, we shouldn't have lost. It won't-" the Team Salem member was cut off by her own scream. Maka and Black Star instinctively closed their eyes and covered their ears at the sudden blood curdling cry of pain.

When it stopped, they looked at their enemy. She was on her knees, trembling and looking at the floor, her hair covering her face.

"I don't know what that was about, but soon you two will be crying with defeat!" Free said. He held up a pokeball. "I snatched this while you were fighting and now it's mine! Pokeball, go!" He threw it, but it opened to reveal nothing inside. "Oh…" he mumbled, picking it up again. "Whoops…"

Eruka stood up shakingly. "Free." Her hat was in her hands holding the fainted Rattata. "Let's go."

"What? But I haven't gotten a pokemon yet!" he protested.

Maka glared at them. "You can't get away that easily! Members of Team Salem are pure evil, you should pay for your crimes! Blair, disarming voice!"

Blair was paralyzed and couldn't move, giving time for Eruka to grab Free and run out into the shadows of the night.

Black Star took a step forward. "Hey, come back here!" he yelled.

"Don't go after them," said Medusa. The two kids turned to face the nurse.

"Why not?" Black Star asked, sounding like he wasn't going to listen, no matter the reason.

"Your pokemon are too injured to go on. They might have a max revive or backup waiting. It would probably be best to rest up your pokemon again. You can sleep here tonight and face the gym leader tomorrow. I'll call over officer Jenny to make sure the rest of the pokemon remain safe. I'll happily take you're pokemon again."

Maka looked at the floor as Black Star looked to the side and crossed his arms. "She's right," Maka admitted. She returned Blair then handed her pokemon over to Medusa.

Black Star returned Tsubaki. "I guess," he mumbled. Reluctantly, the young boy passed his ball back to the nurse.

She smiled. "Thank you for protecting the sick and injured pokemon. You two are real heroes. I'll heal these up as best I can." When she turned around, Medusa's features morphed into an evil grin. 'Those two have some moxie,' she thought, 'I'll have to take care of them later. That Eevee and Skitty would be very valuable to Team Salem. If they're good enough to defeat the gym leader, I'll send my latest experiment on them.' She put down the pokeballs and looked back at the kids. "I think there's something on the floor for you."

"Huh?" Both the kids asked. They turned around to see two trainer tokens with an 'S' and frog design on them. Eruka's. They each took one.

"Yahoo!" shouted Black Star at his first trainer token. Maka just smiled.

"If you're not done getting all of your data, you can sleep here," Stein told Kid.

He looked at his pokedex, then back at the doctor. "Well, I still need to wright entries on a couple more Jotai specific pokemon, but I'd hate to be a burden."

What Kid would actually hate was having to sleep in the asymmetrical abomination that was Stein's house. Although, he also wouldn't mind avoiding his father until the job was finished since he spent the whole day there and only had half the work to show for it. The descriptions were taking a while to make because nothing he wrote seemed to be perfect enough.

Stein's eyes hid under his glasses' reflection as he smiled. "I made a room symmetrical for you."

"Alright," Kid agreed.

"I never caught a pokemon," whined Free.

"Rattata rat!" Mizune complained. It and Johnson were now fully healed.

Shadows covered Eruka's face. "We're in the middle of the forest. Go find a pokemon," she said.

Free scoffed. "How am I supposed to find a-"

"Infernolf," cut him off. Free looked behind him to see a wolf like pokemon with black and white striped fur. On the tips of its feet and over one eye it had the bright red image of fire imprinted in its fur. The pointed ears of it were made of actual fire. "Infernolf," It repeated.

Without anything else to do, Free thew the empty pokeball he got from the pokecenter at it. It shook. Shook. Shook. Caught. The Team Salem member got a hug smile on his face as he lifted his ball. "I caught an Infernolf! That's what it's called, right?"

"I assume so," mumbled Eruka.

"Hey, are you okay? You've been acting weird since we lost. Are you just a really sore loser or something?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just get to bed. We'll train you're new pokemon tomorrow."

"Alright."

"Rattat."

A/N: I know that I missed two lines of the team rocket motto, that was intentional. Eruka, Free, and Mizune will be recurring, but not every chapter. Also, Marching Band and school will be starting up again soon, so the chapters probably won't come out nearly as fast. With that said, please review, as the journey continues.