FOREWORD

I'm officially 22 years old! Yeah! *cue in Happy Birthday To You*

Well, I didn't think my distraction worked. I know I've promised to post this episode on my birthday five days ago...and I apologize. *puppy-dog pouts* I was too busy at work that I didn't have the time to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I'll make it up to you, guys. No need to worry! :)

[Somewhere far away, a Pokémon coordinator named Dawn is pissed at me for using her line...]

Anyway, I'm so thankful for qfaceq's review for Episode One! I was fully aware that I'd be crossing dangerous waters when I introduced a teenaged Max into the story, to spice things up a bit...but it seems that even the most devoted of PalletShippers aren't against the idea! *pumps fist in the air*

Back to the story, this episode mostly deals with the answer to the question "What happened to Gary and Umbreon after the vampire's attack?" Don't worry, guys, even though I'm still a bit sad that I only got one review for the previous episode, I wouldn't kill off Gary right away with sunlight exposure. I'm not that evil, you know. Hehehe.

Nevertheless, please continue to support my fic by reading 'n reviewing. I have lots of plans for this story and so many ideas are brewing inside my noggin' right now. I promise you that things will get pretty interesting... *wink, wink*

So, without further ado, I present you Episode Two of Your Bite Is A Dark-Type Move! :D

DISCLAIMER

Oops! One more thing... The only stuff I can say I own in this story are the plot elements that aren't canon in the Pokémon franchise (i.e. animé, games, manga, etc.), which I don't own...unfortunately. Got it? ^^,

EPISODE TWO - AWAKENING

Lake Of Rage Research Institute
north of Mahogany Town
Johto Region

04:45 AM*

From the highest point of the Lake Of Rage Research Institute, the morning sun can be seen as a bright yellow speck tangent to the eastern horizon, a stark contrast to the vast curtain of indigo dominating the star-spangled sky.

As the rugged ridges of the Kanto-Johto mountain range came into contact with the resplendent sunrise, its shadowy foreground was awash with a halo-like glow, a scene that was nothing short of spectacular.

A new day was fast approaching.

In a matter of minutes, as the light of day displaced the remnants of yesterday's darkness, the huge electric lamps of the facility started to dim one by one as the in-house maintenance crew prepares for another day of work, completely unaware of the horrible incident that took place just a few hours ago.

Meanwhile, just outside the imposing iron gates of the massive LoRRI complex, lying inconspicuously on the soft dew-sprinkled lawn was a black quadrupedal creature, apparently the sole witness of the aforementioned event. It was none other than Umbreon, the trusted Pokémon of the institute's new chairperson, the famed researcher Dr. Gary Oak.

Stirring from the depths of unconsciousness, the Moonlight Pokémon started to lift her heavy eyelids, her scarlet eyes underneath gradually sorting out the blurry colors of the early morning.

When her vision finally cleared, she found herself curled in a fetal position, a few inches away from the base of a familiar stump. Struggling against her groggy stupor, Umbreon straightened herself as she stretched her strong slender legs, her satisfied yawn punctuated by the sounds released by her popping joints.

After managing to stand up on her paws, Umbreon shook in her position, showering the grass with droplets of moisture that got condensed on the strands of her silky black fur. Contented with her dryness, she looked around her, confusion evident in her features. When her eyes finally laid its sights on an object partially hidden by tiny blades of grass, which was an upturned half-Pokéball filled with a mysterious red liquid, the gears of her newly-awoken brain started to crank.

As the barrage of memories began to flood her mind with scenes of what happened last night, she was hit by a shocking realization: her master was gone...

'Gary! Where are you?'

Despite her hardy reputation as a powerhouse battler, Umbreon felt a heart-wrenching surge of panic sinking in, deeply distraught by Gary's sudden disappearance.

'Somebody help me! Has anyone seen my master? Anybody...please...'

Since her nonstop screams of desperation faded into choked whimpers as the minutes went by, the Moonlight Pokémon eventually decided to stop. Realizing that her pleas were simply falling on deaf ears, she tried to compose herself and thought of a plan, the same way her master does whenever he was confronted with a tough problem, a handy trait that rubbed off on her after years of accompanying Gary to different places in his job as a field researcher.

As she sat on her haunches in the ground to contemplate on her next step, carefully weighing each possible option, she couldn't help recalling the string of events that occurred during the attack...

"So, you're saying, you want to turn me into something like you?"

Despite the blank expression, she noticed the impertinence dripping in Gary's words. She would've smiled at her master's trademark sarcasm if not because of those hints of weakly suppressed fear that she could unmistakably sense in his heart.

She knew with confidence that the researcher wasn't afraid of the evil stranger. Instead, the fear that she felt in him was his utmost concern for her safety. Both of them witnessed the things that the pale man can do (i.e., conjuring the icy mist, moving with extraordinary speed, having the ability to deflect a powered-up Shadow Ball) and she perfectly understood why Gary wouldn't allow this person to harm her.

This time, however, although it would be against her master's wishes, she decided that it was her turn to protect him.

As she prepared to use Psychic on the black-clad man, she found herself unable to perform the move as an unseen force held her down with an iron grip. Fighting against her sudden immobility, she tried to warn Gary about her situation but when the vampire opened his mouth to speak, Umbreon realized it was all too late...

"Precisely..."

The menacing quality of the vampire's hiss sent chills down her spine and at the same time, it gravely incensed her to the point of ripping the vagrant's throat if she'd be given the chance. As the conflicted fusion of her emotions intensified, rage and fear distorting her bearings, she found herself unprepared for the vagrant's next act.

The black-clad man lunged at a confused-looking Gary, not giving the latter a chance to react. His pale hand grabbed a fistful of the researcher's spiky auburn hair and yanked it to the side, careful enough not to snap his neck. As a result, Gary's head was now bent at an awkward angle, the bare skin of his throat exposed for the vampire's pleasure. After enjoying the addictive scent of his blood, a pair of white fangs finally sank into his pulsing flesh.

Blood oozed profusely from the two points of contact, collecting into a viscous pool by the crook of Gary's neck. It eventually spilled over the researcher's shoulder, trickling playfully down the muscles of his back and staining his white laboratory coat with splotches of red. As the crimson liquid saturated in the fabric, tiny droplets finally passed through the cloth, finding their way into an unintended receptacle lying in the grass.

Staring at the gruesome scene playing in front of her, Umbreon's pupils dilated in utter shock, the resulting trauma taking its toll on her broken spirit. She felt numb and light-headed in an instant, not realizing right away that the stranger's invisible grip on her was already weakening. At any rate, however, the Moonlight Pokémon completely lost the will to fight back, as the devastating experience left her wallowing deep in a sea of guilt.

Watching helplessly as the vampire gently placed Gary's unconscious figure on the mist-covered ground, Umbreon saw how his blood-soaked maw was still clamped on the researcher's neck, steadily sucking the life force out of his limp body until he was as pale as his devourer. As she blamed herself for not being able to prevent Gary's unfortunate demise, she collapsed on the ground mourning for her fallen master, since the only thing she had the strength to do was cry... "BREY! ! !"

'GARY! ! !'

"I'm so sorry, Umbreon... I understand how you feel, but there's nothing you have to worry about... I didn't come here to hurt you or your master... Gary Oak is not dead, you see, just sleeping... You may find this hard to believe but I'm not a bad guy... I did this because this is something important..." interrupted the vampire as he wiped the bloody smears on his mouth with his right hand, trying to placate his victim's grieving Pokémon.

Upon hearing the vampire's words, the Moonlight Pokémon's wails caught in her throat, apparently dumbstruck by the unexpected revelation. Glaring straight at the bloodshot eyes of her master's attacker, she found herself even more surprised by the sincerity present in his raspy voice. She started to notice the beginnings of a headache as her mind reeled at the sudden twist, trying to make sense of everything. Yet despite her need to understand the situation, her hate towards the bloodsucking monster eventually overpowered the rest of her emotions. As such, she ignored her conscience, critical reasoning replaced by an entirely different thing: revenge.

Before she can muster the courage to pounce on the vampire, she suddenly felt an unnatural urge to sleep as if she was under the influence of a drug. Fighting against the drowsiness, she tried to keep her sights at the man, who hefted her lifeless master on his left shoulder without breaking a sweat. As her eyelids started to droop, powerless against the dominating sensation, she felt a strong gust of air coming from where the stranger stood. She realized that it was the work of the vampire as he leaped into the midnight air in a single bound, carrying Gary off to an unknown place south of the lake. But the last thing that burned into her memory before she slipped into the realm of unconsciousness was the stranger's request, his words echoing amidst the incessant droning of Bug-type Pokémon...

"Do not search for your master... He will return for you and-"

Umbreon nervously paced back and forth in front of the tree stump, constantly ruffling the soft blades of grass with her furry paws. As she mulled over her game plan, she couldn't help shooting worried glances at a sinister-looking object on top of the stump. It was the red half-Pokéball, placed beside a closed black laptop. Usually, the unassuming item didn't attract any form of attention...if only it wasn't filled to the brim with Gary's blood.

It's quite unbelievable for a Pokémon to remain strong and collected after getting past a horribly traumatic experience. Under normal circumstances, given their limited emotional spectrum despite their near-human sentience, others would've already suffered a nervous breakdown (or possibly something worse) as they're unable to handle the emotional damage caused by such a situation.

Apparently, Umbreon's exceptional display of resilience was something to be expected. As an undisputed veteran of countless battles, she was hardened physically and mentally from years of rigorous training under none other than the highly-esteemed Dr. Gary Oak. On the other hand, the Moonlight Pokémon knew deep inside that as much as she wanted to be strong for her master, if something worse was gonna happen to him, she might probably go insane.

After reviewing her mental checklist one last time, her thoughts diverted again to the pale-skinned man's final words. As strange and ridiculous as it sounds, she couldn't help wondering why she was asked not to look for him. Hearing those words from a criminal, whether supernatural or not, the request didn't really make any sense at all. That and the fact that she didn't detect any shred of untruth made it all the more confusing. Finally deciding to pause on her spot, Umbreon closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, trying to clear the smog from her brain as she connected the dots...

What were the stranger's motives for attacking her master? Yes, he did imply that he wanted to turn Gary into a vampire, blaming her master's hidden desires as his reason (Actually, she didn't really have a grasp of this vampire concept but from the way Gary looked during the conversation, it seems that he was digesting the information without reservations). His alibi may be plausible but from the last time she remembered, the auburn-haired researcher wasn't anything but a lifeless heap of flesh and bone. The lack of proof spawned a lot of suspicion, making her scared all the more.

Well, the vampire did assure her that he was just sleeping. Although it was true, since she did recall sensing his faint but uniform heartbeat (but her mind was too muddled by panic to focus on it), he was probably keeping him alive for future consumption instead of turning him. This would make sense at first, but if factors like self-control are considered, Gary might only last for one more day.

From another angle, the black-clad stranger wouldn't have bothered sicking them in the first place. Not only it would be pointless, but also it would be plain ironic, judging from his claims that last night's lunar eclipse had the power to suppress his thirst. Besides, he shouldn't have wasted lots of her master's blood during the attack. Following this logic, it could only mean that the vampire might be telling the truth after all. She would've been satisfied with this line of reasoning, but a flurry of questions formed in her mind, bugging her further.

'Why did he have to snatch him away?'

'Why was it important to turn him into a vampire?'

'He said Gary will return for me...and something else. What was it?'

Umbreon shook her head in frustration, forcefully driving her intrusive thoughts away. She knew that if she allowed herself to get carried away, she would waste precious time. Deciding that she already had more than enough dosage of emotional stress for one morning, the Moonlight Pokémon shifted her concentration to the task at hand. Using Psychic on the blood-filled half-Pokéball, she levitated it in front of her face, careful not to spill its contents. Now, she's ready to initiate the first stage of her plan.

Despite having striking similarities in character, Umbreon wasn't exactly known to be as stubborn as Gary. This time, however, she was going to make an exception. For one thing, she had her reasons (Well, who would simply take orders from a supernatural vagrant, anyway?). Since no one else was there to witness the incident, she realized no one could help her rescue her master. She knew she had to do it, no matter what it takes (Like Gary, she possessed too much pride to ask for help), even if she had to face that asshole again.

Asshole. Umbreon giggled at the thought. Who knew that Pokémon had a concept of imprecations? Surprisingly, they can. If only their speech wasn't limited to syllabic repetitions of their species name (although some are lucky to be gifted with telepathy), they could easily give those human beings a piece of their mind. Well, if they deserve it, that is.

Walking briskly along the dust-peppered road that snaked through the dense forest growth, running parallel to the eastern shore of the quiet Lake of Rage, Umbreon left the vicinity of LoRRI's granite edifice as she began her quest to find Gary, slowly making her way to the south. Sending a contrite prayer to no one in particular, the Moonlight Pokémon wished under her breath that wherever he is, regardless of whatever creature her best friend has become, he would be safe from further harm.

Ilex Forest Shrine
west of Azalea Town
Johto Region

06:15 AM

Gaining a reputation as the yin to the White Forest's yang, the Johto Region's largest forest is famous for being shrouded in perpetual darkness, a stark contrast to the sun-drenched resplendence of the Unova Region's pride. Owing to its unusually high population density of trees, the lofty canopy of the Ilex Forest is so thick that it almost shields the entire area underneath from all light, making it the perfect home for a variety of nocturnal Pokémon. From the clouds, on the other hand, the view is just as extraordinary.

Cradled at the tip of the region's central peninsula, this shadowy woodland could be compared to a giant mantle of viridian sprawled between the small town of Azalea to the east and the bustling city of Goldenrod to the north, appropriately complementing the turquoise waters of the bordering sea to the southwest. Majestic and clandestine at the same time, Johto's Ilex Forest is in its entirety an absolutely captivating jewel. But behind its mysterious façade, the innocent forest harbored a past as gloomy as its trademark darkness.

Twelve years ago, around the time of the Red Gyarados fiasco that took place at the Lake of Rage, the Ilex Forest served as the secret hideout for the southern unit of the Kanto-based Team Rocket, the same organization responsible for the aforementioned incident.

Led by Proton**, one of Giovanni's executives, the syndicate took advantage of the forest's pitch-black labyrinths to avoid attracting the attention of the authorities when they planned the large-scale smuggling of SlowpokeTails, going to and fro between their central headquarters at Goldenrod City's Radio Tower and Azalea Town's Slowpoke Well, their concurrent base of operations.

Fortunately, thanks to the intervention of a local Pokéball smith named Kurt, Team Rocket's insidious schemes were eventually thwarted. However, few sections of the forest still remain to be hotspots of criminal activity, where small-time felons lure or ambush unwary and inexperienced adventurers straying from their apparent route, a fact that leaves a negative impression on potential excursionists. Although the issue had an adverse impact on the region's tourism industry, more people still find the Ilex Forest as enchanting as it was in the past.

Steeped in colorful legend, the locals of southern Johto still venerate the Ilex Forest because it's the home of the mythical Celebi, aptly nicknamed The Voice Of The Forest. Several shrines honoring the Time Travel Pokémon are scattered throughout the forest, built by ancient nature worshippers who strategically placed them at areas where stray beams of sunlight are still able to penetrate through the canopy, where the ground would be soaked with a holy glow.

Sprawled right in front of one of these sacred places was the subject of Umbreon's search-and-rescue mission, a blood-stained man garbed in a soiled researcher's laboratory coat, brought in an unconscious state by his attacker a few hours prior. It was Gary Oak, an innocent person whose life was about to take a sharp turn...for the worse.

Smoke.

Something was burning. Assessing his surroundings from his awkward position, a half-asleep Gary was almost sure he was near a fire, judging the way the wispy tendrils of pungent gas were crawling up to his nostrils. Groaning weakly from the annoying odor, he attempted to force the intrusive chemicals away from him by blowing air out of his nose, only to find himself too frail to do so. Instead, he mustered what little energy he had to twist his face away from the source of the smoke. Concentrating harder despite his apparent lethargy, he surmised that this could just be a form of sensitive dreaming, with smell as the dominant sensory faculty. But right after the smoke, another stimulus followed suit, initiated by a caustic hiss, busting his theory with a newscast informing him that everything was all real...

Pain.

Gary was burning. Well, a part of him was...and his bloodshot emerald eyes shot wide open when his brain registered white-hot pain in an instant. All of a sudden, his affected nerves flared in alarm, agitated by a stinging sensation that's rapidly escalating into a third-degree burn. Amidst the rippling waves of pain that rocked his very being, Gary was shocked by how his reflexes were failing him, finding himself still partially paralyzed on the ground. Knowing that he couldn't take it anymore, the auburn-haired researcher screamed in agony as his limp body writhed on the forest floor, his weakened features contorting into a tortured visage.

Miraculously, a sudden spike of adrenaline coursed through his veins, temporarily distracting him from the constantly throbbing pain. Finding enough strength to get up, Gary slowly lifted his torso at an angle from the ground, barely supporting himself with his right arm. As the excruciating pain slowly crept towards his threshold, he braved to shoot a quick glance at the source of his suffering: a small area of skin on his left arm, transformed into a disgusting bubbling pool of flesh and blood, as if corroded by acid...and it was the only part of his body exposed to the kiss of early morning light.

As his reflexes finally kicked in, the horrible truth dawned on Gary as he snatched his burnt limb from the lovely ray of sunshine, something he never imagined to become his harbinger of damnation. As much as he didn't want to believe what he had experienced, there was only one plausible explanation to what was happening...

"That bloodsucking son of a bitch!"

Gary was infuriated, yet purely aghast at the same time. He could feel his body literally vibrating, fueled by his new-found energy and the volcanic upsurge of his emotions. He wasn't liking this abrupt turn of events. Yes, he was thankful that he was alive but he most certainly didn't sign up to become a bloodsucker the next time he woke up! Like he would be proud as fuck to even list vampire as one of his new achievements. As his anger escalated, he noticed for a moment that the sharp pain on his arm was subsiding. Momentarily forgetting his outburst as the curious side of him took over, the puzzled researcher lifted his presumably burnt arm to his face, only to have his jaw drop at what he saw...

'What the hell just happened?'

Blinking multiple times to make sure his eyes aren't playing tricks on him, Gary looked at the location of his burn but the gross puddle of melted flesh was no more. Instead, what replaced it was a huge purplish bruise, which gradually decreased in size until what remained of it was a new layer of pale skin, with no evidence that he was hurt in the first place. Running his hand through the soft auburn spikes on his head in awe of the discovery, Gary felt giddy with excitement, akin to a child who went to an amusement park for the first time. Well, which researcher wouldn't be interested in a case of rapid cellular regeneration exhibited by a human being (well, if a vampire isn't considered a separate species)?

Once the mechanics behind this power is uncovered, medical professionals won't have to bother with stem cell research anymore and Pokémon researchers would be able to understand further the concept of restorative moves like Synthesis and Recover, and abilities such as Natural Cure and Regenerator. The possibilities are endless... However, he found himself bothered by one thought.

'Can I even allow myself to be their test subject?'

Pondering deeply on his own question, Gary immediately realized how being a vampire had put him in a very difficult position. In the long run, he knew that he could no longer associate himself with all the people in his life...well, if they don't want to become his next meal. Although he was already familiar with the concept of being alone but he wasn't ready with the idea of absolute isolation. The thought was simply devastating. If he knew he was gonna feel this pathetic, it would've been better if the vampire sucked him dry and left him for dead instead. Beginning another cycle of poisonous thoughts in the same fashion as last night, the troubled young researcher allowed himself to be lambasted by another volley of worries.

As he recalled the events that led to his unwanted transformation, Gary decided to switch off all of his emotions except one: anger. He was fuming mad at the person who caused his present predicament. As he tried to remember his words, he heard him say that his gift will fulfill his hidden desires. "Bullshit!" he snapped, cursing at no one in particular yet staring fiercely at Celebi's red shrine.

He was enraged at the vampire's blatant lie, yet he was also mad at himself for reserving that spark of hope that his heart's mysteries will be unraveled, only to be disappointed thinking that nothing happened. In a way, Gary knew he was also at fault because somehow a part of him wanted it. In fact, just a few minutes earlier, he almost let himself get carried away as he drooled at his own stupid display of self-healing. He felt like an idiot. Regardless of whatever power he gained, whether it would be superhuman speed, levitation, extrasensory perception or whatnot, it didn't erase the fact that the problems he had until his last day as a normal human being remained, if not, worsened...

"If only Ashy-boy was here..."

All of a sudden, Gary felt a heavy tug in his heart. He felt a hopeful smile form on his dry lips as he arrived at an epiphany... Was this the confirmation that he was looking for? Was his ex-rival and long-time best friend Ash Ketchum the person meant to fill the emptiness he had been feeling all along? Seconds later, the tugging in his chest turned into violent palpitations, and the auburn-haired researcher felt his hope turn into disappointment. Then, disappointment turned into pain...and pain into fear.

He knew this time would come, but he was surprised that it arrived sooner than he expected. Apparently, it wasn't the answer he was waiting for, but instead it was a sign that he needed to feed. Succumbing to his thirst, Gary's senses went into overdrive, becoming a slave to his own body's lust for blood. Flitting through the dark mazes of the Ilex Forest, the vampire in Gary sniffed the chilly stagnant air for an unsuspecting victim to latch his fangs on. Little did he know that at the same time, in a different forest, in a different region, the last person on his mind was actually thinking of him, too.

NOTES

*Let's talk about the flow of time in this story. First things first, this episode happened the day after the events of the prologue. (Well, it was already obvious in the story anyway...) As for the events in Episode One, it's actually happening simultaneously with Episode Two. Confused? Well, using the concept of time zones, I took the liberty of placing the Unova Region six hours to the right of the Johto Region. With this logic, using the Kanto Region as reference: Orange/Sevii (0), Johto/Sinnoh (-1), Hoenn (-3), Decolora (+3), and Unova (+5).

**Proton isn't an OC. I guess you guys have already played Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, right? 'Nuff said. :)

Okay... So, guys, what do you think of Episode Two? Please tell me by taking a few minutes of your time with a review. Take note, I update faster with more reviews! Hehehe... [Seriously, guys. -_-]

For a sneak peek of the next episode, all I can say is that it deals with two entirely different battles: one deals with his internal battle for survival, while the other battles a challenger for the Brave Symbol. [I know, guys... I'm getting impatient for a lemon, too! XD]

Until the next update, guys! Stay tuned! ^^, -Borj-