Part 2: The Green Menace

Chapter 12

As Felix and Daisy made their way to the Pokemon Center to heal Pikachu, the people they passed would whisper and point. A man came and shook Felix's hand, telling him that was the most incredible battle he'd ever seen. A small kid asked for his autograph. A woman asked for a picture with him and Pikachu.

When they finally made it to the Pokemon Center, the people inside erupted into a cheer.

"That was legendary!"

"Most impressive win I've witnessed!"

"Who knew a Pikachu could do that?"

Finally, Felix made it to the front desk.

"That was quite the display," the nurse said as Felix placed Pikachu on the counter. "The strength of your Pikachu is very impressive."

"Thank you. I'm very proud of him," said Felix. Pikachu nodded in appreciation as he was hooked up to the large machine behind the counter.

"We keep the Pokemon League channel running in the Pokemon Centers. That's all anyone wants to watch. When Brock has a challenger, nearly the entire city of Pewter stops what they're doing to watch. I've seen a lot of gym battles, but I've never seen a challenger win with such a massive type disadvantage!" said the nurse brightly.

"Or such a small Pokemon have so much strength it could slam an enormous rock snake to the ground!" cried a bystander.

"We don't see a lot of trainers beat Brock around here. Now he's lost twice in one week. The boy before was impressive, but what you did was another level," said the nurse, unhooking Pikachu from the machine that cured his ailments.

Felix had never heard this much praise in his entire life. His mom and Daisy would shower him with compliments on his potential, but never had so many various people praised him for something he actually accomplished all at once. It was a lot to take in.

"Don't you all like Brock?" asked Felix.

"Oh, we love him! He does so much for the community and is a stand up guy!" shouted someone in the crowd. "But we can appreciate a great battle and a great trainer when we see one!"

Pikachu hopped over the counter, fully recovered. Felix was ready to get a move on. He felt like he could take on all of Team Rocket himself.

As the group made its way to the exit, the nurse called out behind them, "You guys should visit the Pewter City Museum before you leave!"

Daisy turned to Felix. "I know we need to get a move on, but can we go? I've always wanted to visit the Pewter City Museum! Please, please, please!"

Pikachu looked at him with anticipation. Felix really wanted to get to Mt. Moon, but he couldn't say no to his two best friends.

"Of course we can," he said.

The museum sat at the north end of Pewter City against the city wall. It was a large, brick building that Felix estimated to be bigger than Professor Oak's lab. The two friends entered and paid the fifty Pokedollars each it cost to enter.

"Not a problem after beating Brock!" chuckled Felix. He was living the high life.

The first floor exhibits were filled with fossils of long extinct Pokemon. While Daisy marveled at the skeleton of the ancient Pokemon Aerodactyl, Felix was feeling a little bored. Despite this, he couldn't help but to feel the happiest he'd felt since the death of his mother. His heart swelled as he watched Daisy show Pikachu the Kabutops display. She looked back to smile at him. He couldn't believe how far they'd come. He had a gym badge. He had a best friend. A human friend. And most of all he had hope. He had already done what he deemed unlikely all of his life. Why couldn't he rescue Magnemite from a dangerous gang?

It wasn't until they went upstairs that Felix's interest in the exhibits piqued. At the top of the stairs, a man in a lab coat introduced them to the brand new space exhibit.

A display showcased large, glistening rocks. A plaque stated Meteorite that fell on Mt. Moon.

"I wonder if these are Moon Stones?" Daisy wondered aloud.

"What are Moon Stones?" asked Felix.

"Moon Stones are stones that are said to have fallen from the moon. They evolve certain kinds of Pokemon, like Nidoran, for example. When my Nidoran evolves into a Nidorina, I can use a Moon Stone to evolve it into a Nidoqueen. No one really understands why. Some Pokemon they say come from space. They say Clefairy came from the moon. They evolve from Moon Stone too. They are really rare."

Felix stared at the stones. The vast expanse of space fascinated him. He spent many nights looking up at the moon with Magnemite, speculating what lay beyond.

"July 20th, 1969! The first lunar landing! I bought a color TV to watch it!" an old man declared as he approached the duo from behind.

"That's incredible," said Daisy.

The man put his hands on each of their shoulders. "It was! Reports say that there were Clefairy everywhere! Others denied it. It's a shame we've never been back."

"Mmhmm," said Daisy as she slipped out from under the man's hand. Felix shrugged the other hand off.

"Scientists are saying now that there is a strange creature approaching Earth and could be here by the end of the year. It could spell doom for the world if it has ill intentions!"

"We'll be on the lookout!" said Daisy and the two of them speedily walked away to another exhibit.

Felix wandered around fascinated. He gasped when he saw the space shuttle Columbia. His mouth hung open as he looked at all of the images of deep space captured by photograph. He marveled when he read that Starmie were said to come from outer space and thought how cool it would be to have one someday. Daisy couldn't help but think how cute Felix was when he got excited about his passions.

It was interesting to Felix how many displays at the museum came from the far away Unova region. He knew Kanto had a complicated relationship with Unova. He remembered hearing that Unova was a major player in the Great War, but he didn't know much beyond that. His mom always changed the channel when news of the war came on and he didn't think his ten-year-old brain could understand it anyway.

As Felix and Daisy were finishing up looking at the space exhibits, a father and his daughter came close behind them talking loudly to each other.

"I want a Pikachu! Daddy can I have one?" asked a little girl. The father of the little girl looked down, but caught a glimpse of Pikachu as his head turned. He approached Felix.

"Excuse me, kid, I'd like to get that Pikachu off you," the father said. He was a large, muscular man. His arms reminded Felix of the Pokemon Machoke.

"He's not for sale," said Felix calmly.

"I see it is very attached to you, but my little girl really wants a Pikachu. You wouldn't deny a little girl what she wants, would you?" said the father patronizingly.

"This isn't just any Pikachu," said Daisy. "You must have missed it. This Pikachu beat Brock's Onix this morning."

"Ah, I heard something about that. Even more reason to have it," said the father, stepping closer.

"Hey, back off," warned Felix. He took a step back, but bumped into the old man who watched the moon landing. The old man was once again touching his shoulder. Sparks lit up Pikachu's cheeks as he got on all fours in ready position. Daisy sent out her Nidoran.

The father laughed. "Watch your back, kid. You're going to Mt. Moon, aren't you? Pokemon have a habit of, let's just say, disappearing in there…" He cackled.

Pikachu let out a Thunder Wave on Felix's command and the two kids and their Pokemon bolted toward the stairs.

"Let them go," gasped the father, his clothes and flesh still sizzling from the shock. "They won't make it past the mountain."

Felix and Daisy continued to run with Pikachu and Nidoran until they reached the eastern exit toward Route 3.

"Should we go back to the Pokemon Center?" asked Daisy, panting. "Get some rest tonight, freshen up, and head out in the morning?"

"We can't trust anyone," said Felix, gasping for air. "We need to put as much distance as we can from the town as possible."

Daisy groaned. "I wish we could've cleaned up when we had the chance. I'm still sweaty from the forest!"

And with that, Daisy returned Nidoran to her Pokeball and she, Felix, and Pikachu briskly set off toward Mt. Moon, the sun beginning to set behind them.