Your Bite Is A Dark-type Move Chapter 5: Episode Four - Breaking The News, a pokémon fanfic

FOREWORD

Honestly, I'm not really a fan of starting off my forewords with an apology just like the last episode, but because of what recently happened, I had to make another exception...

To those who haven't read my most recent addition on the Notes of Episode Three, I have accidentally deleted the file containing the separately-written battle between Ash and Max on my smartphone, where I always create my fanfic drafts (Yeah, I know, I was being stupid).

I was actually cleaning my phone's memory for unnecessary files and for some strange reason, I happened to mark it for removal, which I eventually noticed right after I pressed Delete. If you can only imagine my horror as I watched the file disappear right before my eyes... *shudders*

By the way, before anyone makes this suggestion, I've already considered using file retrieval applications but I don't wanna risk compromising other stuff on my phone.

Well, what's done was done. We could no longer go back in time and inform our past selves to correct the errors the we already made. If only there was a possibility that Celebi existed. As a result, as much as I didn't want to let you down again, the Ash-Max confrontation is postponed again for the next episode (Hopefully, this would be the last time I'd be saying this). Anyway, I'm already working on it as we speak and I wish I could recreate at least three-quarters of the scenes so that the flow of the story wouldn't be so off. *sigh*

Looking on the bright side, what remained of the chapter is still quite long, although it's not as substantial as the previous one. But I'll leave the judgment to you, guys, if this part of the story deserved to be a standalone, or if it would've been better if the battle scene was included. I'd really love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a review or a PM, 'kay?

Oh, and one more thing, Delia's gonna be a no-show in this episode since her part's included in the deleted story fragment (Oops, did I just somehow give a hint?). I'm sorry, fellow Delia/Hanako fans! ^_^

All right, let's get the show on the road! Here's the fourth episode of Your Bite Is A Dark-type Move...Breaking The News! XD

DISCLAIMER

No copyright or trademark infringement is intended in using Pokémon content on this work of fan fiction.

Well, someone needs to see a formal disclaimer every once in a while, right? ^^,

EPISODE FOUR - BREAKING THE NEWS

Lake Of Rage Research Institute
north of Mahogany Town
Johto Region

07:30 AM

With a design inspired by the simplicity of the Pokéball logo, the most brilliant architects of the time reconstructed the massive Lake Of Rage Research Institute complex in such a way that it can be easily distinguished when viewed from the sky; its orthogonal top view an exact two-dimensional representation of the ubiquitous containment device. However, this wasn't the only reason why this incredible landmark was considered to be one of the Johto Region's modern architectural wonders, aside from being the scientific marvel it has always been known for.

Situated directly underneath the institute's granite edifices are seven massive subterranean levels, occupying an area three times the total space covered aboveground. Gaining access to these underground areas requires the use of magnetic cards at specific entry points located throughout the complex, where people are transported between levels via high-speed tubular elevators, which are constantly monitored by a special team of engineers stationed at LoRRI's tallest structure, the central operations tower.

With a record-breaking average of a million visits every year, this government-sponsored entity isn't only frequented by Pokémon researchers and professionals in other fields of science but also by tourists hailing from different parts of the world. The reason behind these figures isn't just because of the fact that the Lake Of Rage Research Institute boasts a wide array of advanced utilities and sophisticated equipment, it also has other facilities that makes it one of the most suitable environments conducive to research.

Right after the transition period from its previous management, LoRRI underwent several expansions to cater to the increasing needs of its new workforce. From its humble beginnings as an International Police headquarters, the institute had grown to include an auditorium to hold important scientific gatherings, a museum featuring Johto's notable technological advances and archaeological discoveries, a world-class hospital, a library, a Battle Club, a fully-equipped fitness gym, several foodcourts and recreational areas, and the most important of all its auxiliary facilities...the employees' dormitory.

The employees' dormitory is located at the northernmost section of the LoRRI complex. It occupies an entire building fifty stories high, the second tallest structure next to the central operations tower. Every floor of the dormitory, with the exception of the ground floor, is composed of around thirty units; each one capable of accommodating up to three people.

Based upon a corporate strategy to optimize work performance and efficiency by capitalizing on the resident members' benefits, each room of the LoRRI dormitory is made complete with the necessary amenities. If not for the fact that its occupants aren't charged throughout the duration of their employment, it would have been technically called a hotel. However, as one of the institute's methods to generate additional funds for research, vacant units in the dormitory are sometimes offered to guests who decide to stay at the institute for a certain amount of time, where specific rates are applied for room rental in these cases.

Additionally, as a reflection of LoRRI's strict level of security, thanks to the efforts of Jared Peters*, LoRRI's incumbent head of security, the dormitory has been equipped with high-resolution hidden cameras doing round-the-clock surveillance, virtually allowing no blind spots from the ground floor to the uppermost level of the building.

As of present time, using archived footage of the dormitory for the past twenty-four hours as reference, there hasn't been any indication that Dr. Gary had returned to the institute premises since he left his apartment unit at the thirtieth floor. While the resident employees are busy preparing for another day at work, none of them had absolutely any idea that their chairperson was already missing...especially the head researcher of LoRRI's Paleontology Department and Gary's fiancée, Dr. Crystal Kobara**.

RRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!
RRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!
RRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!

Without waiting for the annoying morning alarm to start all over again, a disgruntled Crystal blindly fumbled for the digital clock on her wooden bedside drawer, planning to smash its snooze button with her right fist.

Good news: She was able to successfully silence the device. Bad news: It wasn't in the way she had intended it.

Instead of simply turning the thing off, the purple-haired researcher actually knocked her clock over the edge without knowing it, and the incessant noise ended when it finally came into contact with the linoleum; the innocent device broken into its basic components.

After waiting for her ears to adjust to the returning quietness as she cursed herself for being such a klutz, the twenty year-old Paleontology head ultimately decided to wake up, supporting herself with her elbows as she slowly got up from a facedown position.

To ward off the slight disorientation she felt upon getting up, Crystal rubbed her face with her palms in a slapdash fashion, weakly pushing away the woolen comforters covering her legs after she was done. As if by instinct, she frantically scanned the vicinity of her room for her smartphone. After finding it partially hidden under one of her pillows, she immediately browsed its inbox for new messages, specifically those of her fiancé's.

'Gary didn't text me since yesterday. That's odd. Hm...'

Although she proceeded to read the other messages on her phone (which were mostly minor alerts from her research assistants regarding the new batch of fossils found at the Sinjoh Ruins excavation site), her mind was still wandering about, trying to figure out why Gary didn't send her at least one message.

Even though it wasn't exactly one would call a big deal, she knew full well that despite their busy schedules, it was her fiancé who insisted that they would still maintain some sort of communication to let the other know how one was doing, especially now that he's LoRRI's new chairperson, which made things more difficult for the two of them.

Being the idealistic and headstrong woman that she was, Crystal was initially against the idea. She found it really corny (stuff that she wasn't a fan of) and if she had it her way, the personal approach would've been much preferable. But when she realized that their commitments wouldn't even permit them to see each other to the point it took weeks, even months at a time, she eventually got used to it.

Actually, their constant texting somehow made her unlock Gary's sweet side, something that she almost thought was nonexistent. It was a wonderful discovery, to think that such an uptight person could possess such a totally opposite persona. If only she knew about it the first time she saw the auburn-haired boy at Sayda Island, a lot of things would have been different since then.

Long story short, as much as she didn't want to overreact, this whole issue had the word strange written all over it.

Blinking her eyes slowly when her alertness completely sank in, Crystal suddenly remembered her fiancé's last text message that he was going to be extra busy on his new research project, the one he was collaborating with the Psychology Department regarding how lunisolar phenomena factors into Pokémon behavior. Knowing Gary, he'd much prefer to spend time working outdoors rather than locking himself in his office. It was one of his cute quirks, and certainly one of the things she liked about him...especially when it comes to that part when he goes shirtless after being sweaty from long hours of staying out in the open. Ah, those mouth-watering muscular contours...

Giggling uncharacteristically as she snapped out of her dirty thoughts, the purple-haired researcher decided to stop worrying. Besides, there's a huge possibility that he had stayed up all night with his research and, thus, he still might be knocked out in his bed right at the moment.

Huffing softly in frustration as she tucked the wayward strands of purple hair in her ears, Crystal finally stood up and threw her smartphone carelessly on her unmade bed, knowing that she had wasted almost thirty minutes thinking about something entirely trivial. Now that she thought of it, bothering with such unhealthy stress too early in the morning was simply pointless.

'Well, I could just visit his unit five floors up and check up on him, or I could just simply call! Sheesh, Crystal, there's always a first time for everything, you know...'

After sliding her feet into a pair of faux Lopunny-fur slippers that she had placed at the foot of her bed, she immediately made a beeline for her closet to prepare her outfit for the day. While she was busy going on with her daily morning routine, the Paleontology head had failed to notice that someone was trying to call her on her smartphone, which was unfortunately on silent mode.

As the gadget's continuous vibrations ended up muffled by her bed covers, Crystal didn't have the slightest idea that the person trying to reach her was about to tell her the last thing that she wanted to know...something much scarier than the worst of her worries.

"Why the hell is she not answering her phone?!" Jared was practically hissing on his PokéGear, his features flushed a deep red in a mixture of anger and panic, obviously pissed after failing to contact his sister-in-law for the third time. As he was too caught up in his frustration to notice that he was already raising his voice to his wife who was listening patiently on the other end of the call, LoRRI's head of security continued to rant.

"Dora, there hasn't been any damn entry in the general access logs that Gary went back inside the facility premises since he exited the main gate...and that was around five in the afternoon yesterday! Add it to the fact that according to his secretary, there weren't even any sudden changes done to the chairperson's schedule today. We tried to give him a call, but everything's going straight to voicemail.

"Okay, let's say we're exaggerating and he did get back inside for some strange reason, but I've checked the camera feeds in all levels, there has been no sign of him for the past fifteen hours! We were almost to the point that we had to do a formal search, as ridiculous as it sounds, but since it could cause a ruckus among LoRRI's employees, I put the decision on hold.

"The bottomline is, why would Gary just disappear without a trace? I can only wish that Crystal knows something about what's going on. As much as I don't want to overreact about the situation, your sister is definitely not helping. If no one has any idea where the hell he is, then what do you think this means?!"

Miles away from Jared's office located at the institute's central operations tower, Dr. Dora Kobara-Peters found herself utterly distressed as she sat by her workstation at the Sayda Island Lab. Greatly affected by the alarming news her husband had just told her, she actually forgot that she was in the middle of replying to an important e-mail, her shaking fingers remained stationary just above the keyboard.

She couldn't help being worried for her former colleague; she and Gary had been really close during the time he was still working at Sayda Island before he transferred to Sinnoh. She couldn't bear to think that her future brother-in-law would be in some sort of trouble. What's worse is that if Crystal happened to be unaware of the whole thing, she couldn't imagine how her sister would handle it, knowing that she's still a stranger in dealing with such serious situations.

Hearing Jared's heavy breathing on the speakerphone placed beside her computer monitor, Dora finally responded after a brief pause, hoping to placate her seething husband.

"Calm down, love... I definitely understand how alarming this is. You know I'm also worried about Gary as you are. Let's just cross our fingers that Crystal has knowledge about her fiancé's whereabouts. If Gary had a reason to go MIA, I'm sure he'd let her know one way or another.

"But, love, please don't be too hard on my sister. I think you're aware that it's very much possible that Crystal's phone might be set in silent mode or that it's not in the same place where she's at. You know her, Jared. She'll pick up the phone once she knows that you're the one who's calling...but let me try to reach her on my end."

Calming down after realizing his wife's point, in an apologetic tone, Jared responded, "I'm sorry, dear. I didn't mean to take it out on you or your sister. It's just that Gary's my friend, too, and I'm not doing this because he's the chairperson or whatnot. If he's in danger, I can only blame myself for allowing this to happen. What would Professor Oak think of this? I'm such an idiot!"

"It's not your fault, Jared. Professor Oak wouldn't choose you to be head of security if you weren't great at what you're doing," said Dora. "I understand that we're dealing with his grandson in this scenario, but if you look in a different angle, what if he knocked himself out in the forest from overworking? If not, now that you mentioned the professor, what if Gary had told his grandfather about what he did? You've been my research assistant before, love. You of all people should know how to think outside the box. Don't let pressure get to your head, okay?"

"Thanks, dear. I don't know what I'm gonna do without you. Again, I'm sorry for bothering you. Just tell me what Crystal knows, okay? I'll try to contact Professor Oak. Bye, Dora. I love you!"

Before the bespectacled researcher was able to open her lips to respond, the line had already cut off, leaving a short crackle of static on the speakerphone before completely going silent. With an amused sigh, Dora took out her smartphone from one of the pockets her laboratory coat, searching its contact records for her sister's number.

Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory
southeastern Pallet Town
Kanto Region

09:00 AM

A tranquil setting of peace and purity***.

This is the motto of a small, quaint town located on the tip of mainland Kanto's southwestern peninsula, a simple description that still held true over the course of time. Despite the influence of modernization evident in most of the region's major populated centers, the town of Pallet had only seen just a few significant changes within the past twelve years.

Due to the publicity it had garnered as the hometown of two of the Pokémon world's biggest names, Pallet Town's potential for prime real estate was finally discovered. As a result, a fraction of the town's verdant pastures was transformed into bustling commercial areas and beautiful subdivisions. The sudden development welcomed an increase to the number of its inhabitants, adding a spike of energy to the town's ever-peaceful environment.

For the same reason, the researchers at the world-renowned Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory had also noticed a spark of interest among the town's youth to follow in the footsteps of either Ash Ketchum or Gary Oak.

Apparently, this also meant working double time to meet the demands of their line of work as more ten year-olds started to show up at the laboratory's iron gates, more frequent than it was in the past, eager to jump at the chance to become the next Frontier Brain, LoRRI researcher, or whatever trainer class they wanted to specialize in.

But under the effective leadership of Pokémon Watcher Tracey Sketchit, the laboratory found itself easily adjusting to a new and much faster pace, allowing them to fully accommodate these aspiring Pokémon Trainers in preparing them for their respective journeys, which definitely pleased Samuel Oak.

The ex-Professor knew for sure that he wasn't going to regret that he had fully passed on the reins of running the Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory to the husband of the Cerulean City Gym Leader. He was confident that Tracey would not let him down, since the latter had already proven himself over and over again when he was still his assistant that he was more than capable in managing the most important part of the Oak Estate on his own, without the necessity of bragging about it. As much as he didn't want to admit that it was because of his age that made him choose to retire, the sixty-two year-old Oak patriarch realized that he was no longer as physically strong as he was before, especially in handling the stress that came with his former job description.

However, he didn't want to isolate himself in the stereotype of a retired old man, that is, doing absolutely nothing except collecting social security until death. Instead, he decided to take advantage of his free time by completely focusing on his fourth favorite interest, next to full-time research, poetry, and sketching: radio hosting. Although it's still considered working, it didn't really require much of his energy and besides, it still involves talking about the things that he really loved, which meant everything about Pokémon, of course!

Surprisingly, he was no stranger to the radio broadcasting industry. In fact, he had a brief stint at the Goldenrod City Radio Tower as one of the hosts of the defunct show Professor Oak's Pokémon Talk**** along with DJ Mary, which was an undisputed ratings success. However, he had to leave his hosting career behind when he was chosen to be the chairperson of the Lake Of Rage Research Institute six years ago.

But now that he's retired, he has decided to revive his old radio segment. Well, since news regarding newly-discovered species of Pokémon equals fresh material for his talk show, it seems that his comeback is off to a good start!

In Samuel Oak's perspective, the passage of time seemed to be flowing too fast, especially now that the current year was coming to an end.

Suddenly remembering his unexpected trip through time with Celebi at the Ilex Forest when he was ten years old, the retired Professor wished that he could experience it again, although in reverse. However, as much as he wanted to rewind his life and start anew, he was fully aware that he had no choice but to move on and face this brand new chapter in his life.

As he welcomed the blinding brightness and the natural warmth radiated by the morning sun that has greeted Pallet Town almost every single day, he couldn't deny that the weather was already getting a little bit chillier than usual.

Like everyone else, he was aware that around this time, pockets of frigid air that are concentrated in the Sinnoh Region during the winter season gets blown towards the south by the northeasterly wind, causing the Kanto-Johto mainland to experience a drastic decrease in its average temperature, which lasts until the middle of the first quarter of the following year.

However, despite the fact that most of the town's inhabitants were wearing thicker apparel to protect themselves from the sudden cold climate, Samuel had chosen to don a tropical-themed short-sleeved button-front shirt for the day instead.

As strange as it seems, even for him, the sixty-two year-old retired Professor wore it out of sheer excitement, just to celebrate the official end of his career as a Pokémon researcher. In fact, in exactly three hours, he would be boarding a flight to Goldenrod City, which is the first stop of his post-retirement vacation.

Apparently, it took Samuel almost a month after he announced his retirement to finally give up the responsibilities involved in his former line of work, as he was seriously worried about the possible consequences. The reason behind this wasn't because he was having qualms with Gary and Tracey's capabilities to manage the Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory and the Lake Of Rage Research Institute. On the contrary, it was with himself whom he was doubting.

Although he didn't want to admit it, the Oak patriarch couldn't help being affected by that dreaded feeling called separation anxiety. Yet he knew full well that it wasn't gonna be easy for him to let go of something that has been a part of his life for at least half a century.

Meanwhile, as he was busy packing his things into his suitcase inside his quarters at the second level of the laboratory, the ex-Professor suddenly heard someone knocking rapidly at the door, as if the person needed something really urgent.

Sensing the emergency, he found himself instinctively rushing towards the entrance, his mind starting to fill up with dreary thoughts. After quickly twisting the knob, he didn't notice that he had flung the door open with a force that almost detached it from its hinges, startling the person standing right in front of him.

"Tracey! Did something happen at the lab?!" asked Samuel, the expression on his face a mixture of worry and panic.

"Oh, no...nothing at all! Sorry for making you worry, Professor. I didn't mean to. I was probably knocking too fast," replied the Pokémon Watcher, sounding a little bit ashamed of what he did. Composing himself, Tracey proceeded with his agenda. "I actually came here about two things...and I swear it has nothing to do with the lab. Hehehe..."

Realizing how ridiculously paranoid he must have looked, judging the way Tracey was staring at him, Samuel slowly released the crippling tension off his shoulders while scratching the back of his head uneasily, flashing an awkward smile at Tracey in embarrassment. Clearing his throat after a few seconds, he finally spoke. "I see. Guess I still haven't gotten over being a Professor yet. Hahaha. Anyway, I know nothing unusual will happen here in the lab as long as you're around. So, what news do you have for me?"

"Actually, the first thing I wanna tell you is not what you exactly call, er, news. I just wanna personally say goodbye. I am so grateful that you have entrusted the whole lab to me, even though I think some of your more tenured research aides are more deserving than I am. As a matter of fact, I'm not even qualified to become a Professor yet! Hehe. I apologize, I'm getting carried away... Well, Professor, just enjoy your vacation, okay?"

"Sure, Tracey, I will...and thank you. But let me disagree on what you have just said because I never regretted choosing you as my protégé. Yeah, you could say that my other aides are good, but they aren't as flexible as you...and that's your advantage, being a Pokémon Watcher and all. I have always admired your maturity, your observation skills, and your excellent attention to detail right from the time you started working with me, you know? Anyhow, don't ever mention this to Gary, but I can actually see more of myself in you. Hahaha! So, what's the next thing you wanna tell me?"

"Before anything else, I just wanna thank you again for everything, Professor. If you only knew how much I really appreciate this honor," responded Tracey with a humble smile on his face, which gradually morphed into a look of concern as he opened his mouth to speak again.

"Well, the second thing's sort of urgent. LoRRI's actually looking for you. In fact, Jared's waiting on the videophone right now. He said he needed to ask you regarding something important."

Upon hearing the Pokémon Watcher's words, the retired Professor found himself nailed to his spot as the uncomfortable feeling of anxiety came rushing back to him again. Coming back to his senses after a brief pause, Samuel immediately sprinted towards the research lab with Tracey walking close behind, curious as to what LoRRI needed him for.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but Samuel thought he had noticed a panic-stricken look flicker across Jared's features as soon as he sat in front of the videophone. When he blinked his eyes to adjust to the brightness of the screen, his suspicions seemed to be proven wrong when the calm face of LoRRI's head of security was displayed on the monitor instead.

'Will you stop being such a paranoid, Oak! Your eyes are just playing tricks on you,' the ex-Professor mentally berated himself as he smothered his face with his right palm in a single downward stroke. Feeling a little bit relieved afterwards, he proceeded to break the ice as he flashed a smile at Jared, who didn't seem to notice his unease earlier.

"Well, hello, Jared! How are you this morning?"

"I'm doin' good, Professor! Sorry for bothering you, though, since Tracey told me that you're flying to Goldenrod later. Basically, I just needed to ask you about something," responded Jared, sounding as if he was fighting back the urge to stutter. "Well, it's about someone actually. Your grandson, to be exact."

"Oh?" Samuel blurted, slightly surprised. "So, how can I help you about Gary? Is my grandson in trouble?" he inquired, masking his curiosity with a chuckle.

"Er, not really. Honestly, I called to see if you happen to have any idea where he might be, but it looks that you also don't know, just like everyone else," replied Jared. "Professor, I'd like to apologize for what I'm gonna tell you next but as much as I don't want you to worry, I also don't want to put you in the dark... Gary hasn't been seen by anyone in the institute since yesterday afternoon."

Flabbergasted by the impact of Jared's words, the retired Professor felt as if he was sucker-punched in the gut, finding it difficult to properly react to the younger researcher's news. "Wh-what are you saying? My grandson is missing? H-how? I don't understand..."

"I know how you feel, Professor, believe me," Jared interrupted, mentally slapping himself for his stupidity while attempting to empathize with the elder researcher at the same time. "I understand this is definitely not a good time for me to deliver such bad news, but Gary's my friend and I'm also worried about him...although something tells me that he didn't just disappear."

"What do you mean, Jared? I'm really confused," Samuel weakly replied, his mind still reeling from the sudden unwelcome stress that he was subjected to, no longer caring whether his face was already betraying his anxiety or not.

Jared, on the other hand, truly felt sorry for the former LoRRI chairperson, seeing how much he was worried about his grandson. But as much as he wanted to simply comfort him, he knew full well that he had to explain everything that he knew because after all Samuel deserved nothing but the truth...

"Well, the Security Department have arrived at two possible scenarios. The first one is our initial guess that somebody might've taken him, although we couldn't look into it yet since the decision to conduct a formal investigation outside the institute is still pending, so as not to alert any of the employees or even the media. As a matter of fact, we also haven't contacted the authorities about the situation because as much as possible, we wanted to contain this issue and resolve it on our own unless we have no other choice.

"So, until we deem we're ready, we're currently focusing on the second angle...that Gary somehow planned to disappear for some unknown reason, along with the probability that he had informed at least one person about it. As we pondered about this, we deduced that Gary could have shared something to any of the people closest to him. Given this, we could only think of two...Crystal and you.

"Right now, Crystal's being contacted by her sister. I have doubts that she knows anything about what's happening, although I'm still taking my chances. But I guess you already know that I've known Crystal for quite a while and let's say she's not really good at keeping secrets. With this being said, this could make the second scenario implausible, which brings me to my second agenda, to consult you whether it's already the right time for me to green-light the investigation. I know this is a lot to take in, Professor, but I'd like to know if I'm taking the right steps."

Despite the fact that he still hadn't recovered from the shock of hearing the bad news (not that he was blaming Jared), he perfectly understood everything the young researcher had told him...one of which made him realize something, arriving at an epiphany that gave him a flicker of hope.

"Don't start the investigation for now, Jared. You actually missed one more person to ask...and Gary's more likely to confide in him than any other person."

"Who is it, Professor?"

"His best friend...Ash Ketchum."

Battle Pyramid
northern White Forest
Unova Region

08:15 PM

It was almost seven hours since Max had started the Battle Pyramid challenge, and for some reason he couldn't explain, the young Frontier Brain found himself tempted to know how his soon-to-be opponent was doing, nervously pacing back and forth inside his room located at the highest level of the facility.

Although there weren't any rules against checking up on the progress of a challenger, the Pyramid King felt that if he did it, he was sort of being unfair to those trainers he had previously battled, haunted by the impression that he was being biased in Max's case. However, the thing that was troubling him the most was explaining how or why he would be partial in the first place.

Struggling to end his emotional battle once and for all, Ash decided to face his worries in a way that would definitely ensure their defeat. If someone knew what was on his mind at that moment, there's no doubt that anyone would think of him as crazy. But for the sake of his peace of mind, he was willing to try absolutely anything.

Thinking that his mind was the Battle Frontier, Ash imagined that he would go over each bothersome question as if it was a Frontier Brain, not allowing himself to challenge the next one until he had taken care of a question. Clearing his thoughts, he began his mental Battle Frontier...

'Is it because I feel threatened by him?'

Well, he was fully aware that his job description as a Frontier Brain was to teach an important aspect of Pokémon battling, not to defend a title. In fact, he actually encouraged every challenger to defeat him, although in a way that they had to work hard for it. Ash was confident that even though Max wasn't someone to be underestimated, he would make sure that getting the Brave Symbol was going to be a difficult task for him. Besides, modesty aside, he wouldn't be called the Pyramid King if he didn't have the skills expected of someone in his position. Now that he thought of it, Ash realized that he was just being ridiculous if he seriously considered the idea of feeling threatened.

'Well, if not, is it because I'm concerned about him?'

For one thing, Max was no longer the same seven year-old who needed May or his parents for protection. Although he was someone who didn't want anything bad to happen to his friends, he was sure that Max would be fine in whatever stage he was now. If the fact that the Battle Pyramid was designed to be hazard-free for the trainer and his Pokémon wasn't convincing enough, a technical crew is assigned to monitor activity in all areas of the facility twenty-four-seven, with a special team on standby to prepare for any kind of emergency. There's really no need for him to be concerned anyway.

'So, is it because I already missed him?'

Right after the question had crossed his mind, Ash was suddenly dumbstruck, arriving at the conclusion that it was the exact reason as to why he was itching to know how his former traveling companion was doing, realizing that he was silently hoping that Max would finish the challenge in the soonest time possible because he was yearning to see his face again, to feel the touch of his skin, to taste...

'Waaah! What the hell is happening to you, Ash?! It took you just one day to completely fall head over heels with Max?! No, this is not happening. Oh, I'm so fucked up...' thought Ash, trying his best not to break down from the stress. The young Frontier Brain didn't expect that aside from the usual excitement that comes with every battle, he would suddenly have a challenger that brought with him a little bit of drama to spice things up. 'Damn these shitty feelings! Everything's already complicated because of Gary, now Max had to make things worse. Of all the possible people to challenge the Battle Pyramid, why did it have to be him?!'

Little did he know that while he was carried away in his deep musings, his to-and-fro pacing was getting a little bit faster, earning the attention of the only other being in his room, who was sitting comfortably on the edge of his king-sized bed.

Pikachu was quietly observing his preoccupied master's repetitive movements with his obsidian eyes. Unsure whether he was going to be worried or amused, the Electric Mouse Pokémon finally gave up, muttering a frustrated "Pika" as he tilted his head in confusion.

Upon hearing his Pokémon's curt remark, the raven-haired Pyramid King instantly brought himself to stop his silly actions. As Ash lifted his head to look at Pikachu, he found out that his little friend was already gazing at him perplexedly. After releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding, he simply smiled at his concerned Pokémon.

"Sorry 'bout that, Pikachu. I was just, well...never mind. Just thinking, that's all. Hehe," said Ash, hoping to convince the Electric Mouse Pokémon that he was alright, although he knew it was very much obvious that he wasn't.

"Pika pi," replied Pikachu, squinting his beady eyes as he smiled back at his master, thankful that Ash had finally stopped fretting about Max. 'If you say so...'

The Electric Mouse Pokémon had felt nothing against the bespectacled guy, but he didn't really approve of pairing him with his raven-haired friend. Ever since he found out that his master didn't prefer any of his female friends as suitable mates, he secretly rooted for Gary. Although he remembered that there was a history of bad blood between the two, he always sensed how happy Ash was on the inside whenever they happen to meet the auburn-haired researcher.

Ash, on the other hand, oblivious of his little friend's thoughts, now walked towards the gigantic bed. After he playfully caressed the fur on Pikachu's head, which earned a gleeful "Pika!" from the Electric-type, the Pyramid King removed his hat and placed it carefully on the bedside table, revealing the disentangled mass of his trademark raven hair.

As fatigue had finally sunk in, Ash allowed a huge yawn to escape his lips. Beckoning Pikachu to jump under the covers, he immediately followed suit after he had changed into his pajamas. Saying "Good night" to his Pikachu, he finally closed his tired and slightly bloodshot eyes, hoping that Max would get past the sixth level any time by the following day...

Route 34
south of Goldenrod City
Johto Region

05:45 PM

Darkness was coming.

In a quarter-hour, the black-clad stranger's favorite part of the day was about to begin.

Quietly lurking within the protective shadows cast by the closely-packed trees located in the outskirts of the northern Ilex Forest, the vampire remained patient until the sky had finally filtered out the last rays of sunlight as dusk slowly transitioned into night.

Confident that it was already safe for him to step out in the open, the black-clad stranger immediately left his hiding place, pausing to savor a lungful of the crisp early evening breeze before he started to walk along the rock-strewn path that led towards the southern entrance of Johto's largest metropolis.

Allowing himself to drown in the sensations only he could detect in the wind, the pale-skinned man slowly glided his venom-coated tongue over the upper row of his glistening teeth, smirking with a look of unbridled greed plastered on his face.

'Ah, Goldenrod... The delectable scent of your people wafting in my direction is simply seductive as always. I hope you don't mind if I dine in tonight. Besides, having a menu that didn't consist of forest bandits is certainly appetizing for a change...'

As the brick-red roof of the Day Care Center slowly materialized in the horizon after a few minutes of walking, the black-clad stranger found himself relishing the memory of watching his auburn-haired protégé mercilessly murder a man and his Pokémon earlier that day.

'Gary, Gary, Gary... I wonder what you're doing right now. Last time I saw you, I couldn't help being impressed! The way you slaughtered that thug and his Ursaring... Delicious! Your first thirst really brought out the best in you. It's as if you were born to become a vampire...

'However, as much as I admire you for exceeding my expectations, letting go of that kid was your biggest mistake. You simply revealed the existence of our kind the second you allowed that scrawny twat to live, and you didn't realize how this simple act of stupidity could jeopardize my grand plan...'

Finally arriving in front of Goldenrod's Southern Gate, the black-clad vampire composed himself before entering the building that finally led into the city, exerting a huge amount of self-control to prevent himself from latching his fangs on the first person he would lay his eyes on.

'So, once I'm done with feeding, I have to go and clean up the mess that you've made, Dr. Gary Oak. I must hunt down that boy and kill him...'

NOTES

*Has anyone watched the Pokémon Chronicles episode Putting The Air Back In Aerodactyl? If yes, then you must have remembered Jared, one of the research assistants at the Sayda Island Lab. Since he wasn't given a last name in the animé, although I wanted all character names to follow canon as much as possible, I felt I needed to give him one. Anyhow, can somebody tell me why I chose Peters?

**Crystal's another character-of-the-day from the aforementioned episode. I understand if you find it weird that I paired her with Gary (I don't know why, but I seem to have a predilection for unusual 'ships), but, take note, this story is set twelve years in the future. Unlike Jared, Crystal's last name, Kobara, is canon...well, sorta. Hehehe. In the Japanese dub, her sister Dora is called Dr. Kobara. Following common sense, we can assume it's Crystal's last name, too. Clever, eh? *wink, wink*

***This is the exact Pallet Town motto as mentioned in Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal.

****Although this wasn't shown in the animé, Professor Oak's Pokemon Talk with DJ Mary is a canon event in the main series games, specifically in Generation II.

So, what do you guys think? If you ask me, I'm afraid I'm gonna be my fic's first flamer. (Sorry, Froakie.) No, really! If I wasn't the one who wrote this chapter, I would've reviewed this chapter as boring. Easily the least interesting chapter I've ever written...and if I wasn't stupid enough to delete the battle scene, this chapter would have looked a lot more than a filler...

I'm sorry, I got carried away. I'm being overly critical of myself. *sniff*

Well, I'm not really one to fish for compliments, but for motivation's sake, was there anything good in this story? I'd love a review. Please? *puppy-dog pouts* :)

No sneak peeks for now, since I don't wanna jinx myself. I need to bring back the enthusiasm I had when I was writing the prologue, but this doesn't mean I won't update fast. I was hoping to post at least two episodes before this month ends. So, just watch out for Episode Five! :) -Borj-