Hello, everyone. I'm back, and I'm sorry about the late upload. And I'm sorry, too, for the fact that this chapter isn't complete. This is now part one of Clefairy and The Dance of The Moon Stone, because the last two weeks have been so chaotic for me, I've hardly had the time to write this in full. I'll try and get back into my usual rhythm as quickly as I can. I'd like to thank Bunny153539 for the Team Rocket OCs, and I hope to see a fiction by you soon.
Clefairy and The Dance of The Moon Stone
Ash, Brock and Misty walked through the forests that bordered the road between Pewter City and Mount Moon.
"Mount Moon." Misty recited, dreamily. Doesn't that name sound romantic?"
"There are old legends about Mount Moon, saying that a meteor crashed into it in prehistoric times." Brock said, catching Ash's interest.
"A meteor, huh?" He mused.
"Is that true?" Misty asked, intrigued.
"The meteor's known as the Moon Stone." Brock replied, implying a high probability the legend was true. "It's said that this stone has the power to make certain kinds of Pokémon evolve somehow."
"Moon Stone, huh? Now that sounds romantic." Misty exclaimed, with stars in her eyes.
Her romantic fantasies were cut short, however, when the gang heard a bloodcurdling scream. They rushed to the sound's source as quickly as they could, and found a man in a white lab coat crouched on the ground, trying desperately to protect himself from a flock of rather pissed looking Zubat. Ash pulled out Dexter to analyse the Zubat flock.
"Zubat, blind Pokémon with supersonic powers. Zubat live in caves and hate to fly outside in daylight." The encyclopaedia reported.
"Then why are these ones outside?" Ash wondered.
"Now's not the time for speculations, just help that guy!" Misty shouted.
"Right. Pikachu! get them away with Thundershock attack!" Pikachu sparked at the cheeks, readying a devastating attack for the attack bats. He leapt off of Ash's backpack, where he'd been perched during the groups' hike, and zapped the batty Pokémon in mid-air. With the shocking point made, the group of bats retreated. Well, all except for one, which had been knocked out by the attack. Ash spotted the KO'd bat. "Meh." He shrugged, pulling out a pokéball. "Might as well help the poor thing." He said, calmly throwing the ball towards the conked out Zubat. The capsule landed, without resistance, on top of Zubat, and withdrew the creature inside. In less than ten seconds, the capsule was still and settled, ensuring Zubat's capture. Ash picked up the pokéball and smiled. "Gramps will take good care of you, Zubat. I promise." He told the ball. A second later, it vanished in a flash of white light; teleported to Professor Oak's lab. Ash then turned his attention to the guy the bats were attacki9ng who had accidentally gotten caught up in the Thundershock attack and was laying on the ground in a daze.
Ash hurried to the man's side as Pikachu leapt into his arms.
"Are you OK, sir?" He asked. To his surprise, the young adult suddenly leapt to his feet as if he'd never gotten shocked before.
"WOW! You gotta be the greatest!" He exclaimed in a nerdily nasal voice, engulfing Ash in a massive, smothering, death hug.
"It was nothing." Ash protested, modestly, hoping to shrug the weirdo off him.
"I'm talking mega fantabulistically fantabulous. Two thumbs up! Way up! The best rescuer I've ever had!" His derpy rant was severed, however, by a very annoyed Pikachu, who'd gotten squashed between the two, zapping both the weirdo in the lab coat and Ash into human charcoal. Seconds after, however, the stranger was up on his feet again as if the shock hadn't happened. "Your Pikachu has a pretty good Thundershock attack there, young man." He complimented. "And thanks to that power I'm alive. I'M ALIIIIIIIVE!" He screamed to the high heavens. "Did I ever mention how grateful I am?" Ash sweat dropped awkwardly.
"Uh… it may have popped up in conversation once or twice." He said. "So…" He rolled, trying to move the conversation to something else. "…why were those Zubat attacking you, Mister?" Being called 'Mister', however, made the scientist gasp.
"Never call me 'Mister'." He snapped. "My name's Seymour, and I'm a scientist. And those Zubat were attacking me because they were confused."
"Confused?" Ash blinked.
"See here?" Seymour asked, earning a nod from Ash and company as the group wondered through the caves of Mount Moon. The walls of the cavernous tunnels were lined with lights and bathed with a yellow glow. Not even the shadow of a pebble was cast, it was so bright. "Someone's strung up all these lights in the caves. But the Pokémon who live here need darkness. They've evolved to deal with pitch black, and these lights are upsetting them."
"But why would anyone want to do this?" Brock wondered. Seymour stopped walking and turned to face them.
"I have a hunch that it's because of the Moon Stone." He told them sadly.
"The Moon Stone?" Ash asked.
"Yes. The Moon Stone is a meteorite that crashed into Mount Moon many millions of years ago. Fragments of this meteorite can be found all over the mountain, and can make some species of Pokémon evolve. Including the local population of Clefairy."
"So, do you suppose the people doing this are after the pieces of the Moon Stone for something?" Misty inquired, sounding rather worried.
"Without a doubt." Seymour confirmed. "I just wish I knew who they are and what they're planning."
Elsewhere in the caves of Mount Moon, three figures were laying out traps around the tunnels. All three figures were human, two males and one female, and wore matching black uniforms with a big red R on the chest of their shirts.
The first male, Dalton, was a young man of about nineteen years of age. He had a little bit of podge to his body, with slightly puffed cheeks and a soft rounded belly. His hair was short and rather bland, baring a chocolate brown hue to match his hazel brown eyes, and he stood at five feet and one inch tall. The female, Alexis, was about the same age as Dalton. She had short, naturally blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. Unlike Dalton, she wasn't in the least bit podgy. In fact, she stood two inches taller than Dalton, and was fairly tone and slim. However, if Ash were nineteen, he'd easily beat her in the muscle department he probably did anyway. Just if anyone wants to know; her breasts were 36DD, just a physical aspect to list. The leading Grunt of the trio was called Kio. Kio was a forty five year old man with the body of a high school jock. He had brown hair, however it was starting to turn grey with his age.
The three Rockets stopped laying their traps for a minute to inspect them.
"There. We'll be bound to catch at least one or two Clefairy for the boss now." Dalton smiled, proud of his work.
"Oh great (!)" Alexis whined. "I chipped a sodding nail." She huffed and pulled out a nail file to fix her damaged cuticle.
"Oh get the fuck over it, Alexis!" Kio ordered. "Arceus! You're such a pissing drama queen."
"Ooh, get you, Mister I-can-reference-a-Pokémon-that-hasn't-appeared- in-the-canon-yet-because-I've-just-been-transferred-here-from-Hoenn." Alexis bit back, viciously. Kio snarled in response.
"Watch your fucking tongue, girl." He threatened. "The boss has had enough issues with Jessie, James and Meowth acting all mysterious lately. He doesn't need stress from rebellious teenagers who are too princess-y to do any fucking work." The Rocket Grunts stopped bickering as they heard footsteps approaching. They hid in their set hiding places, and laid in wait.
"So why do you think it's so bad that there's people trying to take the Moon Stone, Seymour?" Ash inquired, as he and the others turned another corner in the winding tunnels.
"Ever since I was a little boy, I always had this theory that all Pokémon originate from space." Seymour said. "And the Moon Stone acted like a spacecraft to take them here." Ash and friends couldn't help but sweat drop at this, frankly, barmy idea.
"Well, that certainly is an original theory." Misty said, trying to be polite.
"And so…" Seymour continued regardless. "I feel that this means the Moon Stone belongs to the Pokémon. It's what brought them here. And, so, is their property. We humans must never take it."
Suddenly, the sound of singing could be heard.
"Clefairy~ Clefairy~ Clefairy fairy, fairy~" Sang a small pink Pokémon as it skipped merrily past te group, not seeming to notice them, as it carried a small black stone in its paws.
"Hey." Brock exclaimed. "That looks like a Clefairy."
"Aww. What a cute little thing." Misty sighed, with stars in her eyes. Ash flipped open his pokédex.
"Clefairy. This impish Pokémon is friendly and peaceful. It is believed to live inside Mt. Moon, although very few have ever been seen by humans."
"Hey, Ash. How about you catch it?" Brock suggested. Ash, however, looked a little unsure of this proposal.
"I don't think that'd be very fair." He said, shaking his head. "I mean, look at it. It's so happy here. I don't want to disturb it."
"That's very mature of you, Ash." Seymour complimented. "You know… I've never met anyone your age as responsible as you-"
"CLEFAIRY!" Came an almightily distressed scream. The group ran to the source of the cry, only to find the Clefairy that had passed them just seconds before was now dangling upside down with its foot caught in a noose trap.
Ash skidded to a halt, his eyes wide in horror. He snarled at the trap and looked around furiously for the trap builders.
"Come out and show yourselves, Rockets!" He demanded. To his surprise, the Grunts came out of hiding without too much debate. He eyed them up furiously. "Who the hell are you?" He sneered.
"Well how do you fucking do too, kid (!)" Kio glared, unimpressed by Ash's bad manners. "Didn't your mummy ever tell you to curb your language?"
"Now that's just pot calling the kettle black!" Ash retaliated. "At least my language wasn't as foul as yours!"
"I'm an adult, boy. You're a child. I can swear as much as I bloody well want, if you please."
"Just who do you think you are?" Brock demanded, getting bored of the man's foul tongue.
"The name's Kio." Kio introduced himself. "And these are my colleagues; Alexis the Princess and Dalton the Shorty."
"Hey! I've told you I don't like being called 'short'!" Dalton spat, spitefully.
"And every time, I've told you I don't give a toss." Kio reply nonchalantly. Ash stood rigid as a statue, fists tightening.
"I don't care who these idiots are." He growled. "All I care about is that they're Rockets." He snatched Scyther's pokéball away from his belt, enlarging it ready for battle. Kio noticed this, and clicked his fingers at Dalton.
"Take care of this ballsy little git, will ya short stuff?" He commanded. Dalton growled, but stepped forward anyway.
"I'm not in the mood for messing around, so I want you to use two Pokémon at a time, Dalton!" Ash ordered, surprising everyone.
"What?" Dalton spluttered. "Bu-but why?"
"The sooner this battle's over, the sooner I can finish you." Ash hissed venomously. Dalton complied at took two pokéballs from his belt.
"Go, Spearow and Grimer!" Dalton threw his pokéballs, releasing his Pokémon of choice. Ash looked at his own pokéball, with a snarl on his face.
"Show them now mercy." He hissed, hatefully. He threw the capsule to release Scyther into battle. Without being given a single command, the mantis started slashing and hacking at his enemies.
"What the-?" Dalton spluttered as his Pokémon collapsed in a heap. He looked up to find Ash smirked evilly at him. The boy cracked his knuckles and mouthed 'You're dead' at him. Swiftly, Dalton replaced his fallen Pokémon with a Golbat and Tangela. But the battle ended in the same way; Scyther attacked without a single word, flooring the foes in seconds. By now, Dalton was shaking in fear. This kid only released his Scyther from its pokéball, and it was taking down his Pokémon without so much as waiting for an order. But now, he had the big guns to deal with him. He snatched his last two Pokémon from his belt, and released them into battle.
Kio turned to Alexis, covering his mouth with his hand to stop Ash and his friends hearing what he was saying.
"Grab the Clefairy and let's get the fuck out of here and find more." He whispered.
"Good idea." Alexis nodded. She and Kio snuck around the battle to the noose trap that held Clefairy and ran down the tunnel unseen by Ash and co.
Ash stood smirking at the sight before him. Dalton's last two Pokémon; Onix and Nidoking were laying on the floor unconscious. Knocked out in the blink of an eye, like the rest by Scyther's fury. Dalton was now a jabbering wreak, shivering and quaking at the knees. Ash cracked his knuckles, and started to advance at the young man intimidatingly.
"WAH!" Dalton wailed as he withdrew his last fallen Pokémon and ran out the tunnels of Mount Moon and out the mountain itself.
"Damn!" Ash cursed, smacking a fist into a rock nearby to him. "He got away."
"Never mind, Ash." Misty said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "At least you scared him off." Suddenly, Ash realised something. There was something missing. He looked around the tunnel, only to find his hunch was correct. Kio and Alexis were gone.
"BALLS!"
Alexis and Kio dashed and darted through a labyrinth of samey tunnels, halting only when they thought it was safe to catch their breath.
"Never… make me… run… like that… again… asshole!" Alexis complained, as she leant her back against a rocky wall, pulling a mirror from her pocket to inspect the damage done to her makeup by her profuse sweating. "My bloody mascara's run and everything."
"Oh boo – fucking – hoo, Princess (!)" Kio shrugged rudely, sucking in a lungful of air to recompose himself. "Who gives a shit about your face paint when we now have the key to our ultimate goal?" He smirked, pulling the Clefairy from the sack he and his accomplice swiped, smirking rather menacingly at the poor thing. "Now listen to me, you little fairy." He snarled. "Take us to the mother Moon Stone. Or suffer the consequences."
"How the hell did I let those jerks go‽" Ash shrieked, pulling at his hair with frustration. "Now they have Clefairy!"
"Ash!" Misty ran to his side, and grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at her. "It's not the end of the world. We can still find them."
"She's right, Ash." Brock chipped in. "Seymour… what do the Clefairy do with the Moon Stone?" The scientist's face became dreamy as he spoke.
"Ahh… the Moon Stone. An elegant boulder that fell from the skies many moons ago. Every year, around this time, the Clefairy gather fragments of the Moon Stone that are spread throughout Mt. Moon, and they assemble it into the mother stone, and dance around it in worship." Ash's face was next to light up with excitement.
"So if we find the place the Clefairy take the fragments, we'll find the Rockets that took Clefairy away!" He concluded, punching the air in excitement.
"It's worth a shot." Seymour agreed.
Pikachu's ears twitched as he heard something trotting down the caves towards the group.
"Hey, Ash. Company incoming." He announced, turning in the direction of an approaching figure. The group followed Pikachu's gaze and watched as the small figure made itself known. As the light hit the creature's figure, Ash smiled welcomingly.
"Nice to see you again."
"Well, well. I can't seem to leave you alone for five minutes, Ketchum." The figure smirked, jokingly.
Clefairy made her way through the caves, a little slower than she was before. There was no spring in her step. She didn't skip anymore. A few yards behind, her captures kept her under Hawkeye surveillance.
"Shouldn't be long, now." Kio murmured. Sure enough, the Clefairy turned a final corner, and the Team Rocket grunts found themselves in a massive cavern, where many other Clefairy were piecing together large chunks of Moon Stone into a giant onyx coloured boulder. "Alright, Clefairy." Kio hissed. "Go about your business. And act natural." He threatened, as he and Alexis slinked off behind a rock to lie in wait. Clefairy gulped, and made her way to the mother stone, hoping and praying for someone to come and safe her and her kind before it was too late.
Ash and the gang made it to the cavern just in time, with the guidance of their newest arrival, to see the last of the Clefairy finish the assembly of the Moon Stone. They all darted to the side to hide behind a rock and watch, as the Clefairy began their religious ceremony. The pink fairies jumped around, waving their arms and chanting.
"Clefairy! Clefairy! Fairy, fairy, fairy! Clefairy! Clefairy! Fairy, fairy, fairy!" They sang as they waved they fingers and chanted together.
"Wow, it's beautiful." Misty mused, as she watched the pink puffballs jump around merrily. Ash, however, was on high guard.
"Where are you?" He seethed under his breath.
Suddenly, there was a huge bang, and dust and debris was thrown into the cavern as a large drilling machine exploded into the room. When the dust settled, the machine was revealed. It was a large, simply designed, orange mechanism with a big red R printed on the side. A pair of large mechanical arms extended from the device, and swatted the Clefairy away, leaving the Moon Stone open for swiping. Kio and Alexis ran to the machine, and climbed inside as the metal monster grabbed the Moon Stone and burrowed off, tunnelling its way out of the mountain. Ash and crew sprang to action, leaping from behind their rock.
"Brock! Get Onix out, and let's get after them!" Ash barked. Brock nodded and unleashed his Onix, who roared ferociously. All boarded the giant serpent, including the Clefairy, and the beast dove into the Rocket Mecha's tunnel in hot pursuit.
The Rocket drill burst through the side of Mt. Moon, skidding to a halt as it reached the sunlight. The main cockpit opened, revealing Kio, Alexis and Dalton, all congratulating each other.
"We did it!" Kio cawed, triumphantly. "Wait til the boss gets a load of this." Their gloating, however, was cut short, as a giant Onix broke free of the mountain after them, stopping a few feet before them. From its back jumped the Clefairy, Ash and his group. Kio sighed in exasperation, slamming his head against the back of his seat. "Does this little twat never give up‽" He complained.
"It's over for you!" Ash roared. "Release the Moon Stone and I may be gracious." This comment made Kio and Alexis roar with laughter.
"Oh, get over yourself, kid." Alexis cackled, as she and Kio jumped from the mecha. "What harm can you do?"
This comment made Ash seethe with venom.
"Engage me in battle, and I'll show you!" He ordered, throwing away his hat, jacket and shirt to reveal his well-toned muscles beneath. Kio snorted at this remark, while Alexis whipped a pink handkerchief to her now bloodied nose.
"Very well, brat, prepare to be humiliated." Kio mocked, throwing a pokéball into the air. In a flash of light, a Blaziken was released from the ball, who assumed a fighting position. Alexis recovered from her nosebleed, and released her own pokémon; a Nidoqueen. The two pokémon stared down the child, who didn't even bat an eyelid back.
"Ash." Riolu came to his side, assuming a fighting stance of his own. "I'm here with you." He said, smiling determinedly at his trainer and friend. Ash returned the smile, and the two prepared for combat.
"ATTACK!" Kio ordered the pokémon, who roared and rushed for the duo. Ash, masterfully, ducked a right hook from Blaziken, and landed a quick series of punches to the beast's hip, causing the fire fighter to stagger back in pain. Riolu ran towards the Nidoqueen, and slid underneath the behemoth, barrel rolling to his feet, and blasting a series of aura spheres into her back, causing her to stagger and headbutt Blaziken. The two pokémon wobbled, concussed, allowing Ash to open fire with a barrage of golden aura spheres, sending them flying into the Rocket drill.
"Let's kill 'em." Ash spat, murderously. But before he and Riolu could advance on the Rockets, the Clefairy jumped in the way, and started their dance again, waving their fingers, which were now glowing white, from side to side.
"What are they doing?" Misty asked Seymour.
"I think they're performing metronome." He replied.
"Metronome?" She blinked.
"It's a move that copies any other Pokémon's move randomly." Brock clarified. "But it can be so random, one never knows what move it could turn out to be. It could be harmless, like Splash. Weak, like tackle. Or dangerous, like Explosion." The Clefairy stopped their dance and started to swell and glow.
"Oh no. ASH! Get out of there! That metronome came out as Explosion!" Seymour warned. Ash and Riolu leapt away just in time, as the Clefairy erupted, shattering the Rocket machine and the Moon Stone into tiny fragments.
"The Moon Stone!" Misty gasped in horror.
"Don't worry." Seymour reassured them. Misty and Brock looked at him confusedly. "Watch."
As they did, they saw the Clefairy jump around from side to side, watching the skies intently as shattered bits of Moon Stone fell to the ground. A few Clefairy had bits of Moon Stone tap them on the head in their descent, which caused them to glow in brilliant white and morph as they changed and evolved into Clefable. The group watched in awe. "You see? The Moon Stone gets broken, anyway, as part of the ceremony to choose the Clefairy who evolve into Clefable. Then the pieces are scattered around the mountain again for next year." Seymour commentated.
"Aww, how romantic." Misty cooed, as the last few pieces of Moon Stone fell to the ground. Ash smiled at the sight, as dozens of newly evolved Clefable began helping the Clefairy to gather the pieces of Moonstone again. His smiled soon curled into a sneer, however, when he caught Kio, Alexis and Dalton clambering out of the wreckage of their machine with a Gardevoir. He dashed for them, knocking the three grunts flat on their backs.
"Now it's time to deal with you three." He hissed, venom dripping from his words. For the first time, Kio looked truly terrified.
"Look, kid. Calm down. Please."
"Calm down‽" Ash erupted, making the man flinch. "You work for the crooks that murdered my mother, and almost killed me, and you want me to calm down‽" Kio sat up slowly with his hands in the air in surrender.
"Look. Kid. Life's fucking unfair. We all witness this. And I'm as sorry as I can be for your old lady, but we're not the ones who offed her."
"I know." Ash growled, bitterly. "But you're associated with them. So I can't let you live."
"Kid, please." Kio begged. "Listen. We're not proud of what we do for Team Rocket, honest we're not. Yes, we've stolen for them. Yes, we ruin people's lives. But Dalton, Alexis and myself have never taken another's life. We'd never."
"I don't care!" Ash screamed, violently, socking the man in the jaw. "I just want Team Rocket dead." He sobbed. Kio rubbed his sore jaw, and reached for his backpack, taking out a portable incubator with an egg in it. He looked to his Gardevoir, who nodded silently.
"Kid. Listen. This Gardevoir is mine. And this is her egg." He told Ash, lifting the egg to the child. "She's very protective of her unborn child. But she doesn't want to see her baby grow up in Team Rocket. If you could find it in your heart to spare us, I'll gladly give you this egg in return. The Ralts that hatches from this egg will be a valuable partner for you, I'm sure. Ash stared at the egg, mixed emotions flowing through his head. Anger at Team Rocket which hadn't been doused in forever. Confusion of why this Rocket was being so gracious. And debate for how much he could trust this man.
Please. Came a voice inside Ash's head, as Gardevoir approached and knelt before him, grasping his hands in her own. My child can't live like this. I couldn't bear to see my baby grow up to do such awful things. Please take the egg, and raise my young one to be good and kind and true. Tears welled in the emotional Pokémon's eyes. Ash thought about his answer, then slowly nodded, taking the egg from Kio's grip.
"Fine. I'll do it." He accepted, still rather reluctant. "But if I ever see you in those uniforms again, prepare to die." He warned.
"You won't. I swear. You won't, kid." Kio smiled gratefully, as he and his two teammates ran away into the woods. Gardevoir smiled kindly at the boy. Thank you. She said, kissing him on the forehead before teleporting away to her trainer. Ash glanced down at the egg he now cradled in his arms, and smiled.
"That was very forgiving of you, Ash." Misty said, as she, Brock and Seymour approached him. Ash grunted in response.
"If I see them again, I won't be so merciful." He bit back.
"Thank you all for helping to save the Moon Stone from Team Rocket with me, you three." Seymour piped up. "I couldn't have done it on my own."
"It was nothing." Ash said, modestly.
"Well, I'd better be off." The scientist said, before plodding away back to Mt. Moon."
"And we'd better be doing the same." Ash announced to the group."
"Clefairy." The group glanced down at Ash's feet, where a small Clefairy was hugging his ankle.
"Hey. You're that Clefairy from before." Ash said, crouching down to the Pokémon, who nodded happily.
"Clefairy. Fairy, clef." She squeaked.
"You wanna come with?" The ten year old asked, earning a happy nod from the Pokémon. He smiled back, giving a nod of approval. "OK, then." He said, pulling a pokéball from his pocket. "You can come along to." He pressed the button of the capsule to Clefairy's forehead, sucking her inside. With no resistance, the capsule clicked shut, and disappear with a flash to Oak's laboratory. Without another word, the group went on their way to Cerulean City.
From behind a tree, a cloaked figure with a cape, read hair and sunglasses watched the group leave.
"Compassionate and forgiving. Even to his enemies." The stranger critiqued. "Very impressive, master Ketchum." He smiled, as he slinked away into the shadows.
This is no longer a two parter. Sorry for the lack of updates, I'll explain next chapter.
Salvador Rider