Lycan Mystery Dungeon

by PizzaSpino

Werewolf AU. Some humans get turned into Pokémon in order to save the world. Others were just at the wrong place on a full moon. Ash always knew he was unusual, not every boy can become a Riolu. But as his tenth birthday approaches he learns that his pack's gift is actually a curse.

2. The Inferno

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fan fiction written by someone who enjoys Pokémon and creature features. Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, Game Freak, The Pokémon Company, Creatures Inc. and Satoshi Tajiri. Please support the official release.

Listening to as I attend the literal burning man: The 13th Struggle (Kingdom Hearts II)

Lycan Mystery Dungeon: The Inferno

The next evening the festival was in full swing. The atmosphere was filled with music provided by a rotation of bands performing on a large stage in the middle of the fair. Surrounding the musicians were an assortment of stalls ranging from games like Goldeen Scoop to food venders just like Delia's.

Once the diner's stall was completely set up, Delia and her staff took their shifts in turns so that everyone got a chance to go out and experience the festivities. Ginger was on babysitting duty again, not that she seemed to mind. When the time came for Delia to take her break the girl volunteered to keep watch over Ash while Delia went out to try a meal from one of the other venders.

While scouting out a possible dinner, Delia saw a group of people gathered around in a small crowd. Curious, she wondered over to find that the crowd was made up of Pokémon trainers who had set up a makeshift tournament. The current battle was between a muscular, humanoid lizard and a large crab with a spikey crown.

"Machoke!" called out the lizard's trainer. "Use Focus Punch!"

"Meet him with a Crabhammer, Kingler!" ordered the crab's trainer.

Fist and claw collided as both Pokémon clashed in the middle of the field. Neither Pokémon's' attacks sent the opponent back resulting in a shoving match between the two combatants. Meanwhile the audience cheered on. Amongst the crowd Delia noticed other trainers waiting for their chance to battle including a humanoid boxer, Hitmonchan, that was warming up by shadow boxing, large blue duck, Golduck, and a muddy, long-nosed Drowzee that was staring hungrily at a couple of children that were nodding off.

Delia was about to leave when another Pokémon, a large, pale tan feline known as a Persian suddenly stood up and began hissing startling Delia and everyone else standing near it. It wasn't just the Persian. Multiple Pokémon scattered about the festival began to perk up. It wasn't until the band ended its song that Delia and trainers were able to make out what had the monsters up in arms.

It was distant, but Delia could make out what sounded like some kind of howl. As to what kind of Pokémon was howling, Delia couldn't say. Thanks to years of living in the same town as the region's most well-renowned Pokémon professor, and even temporarily taking up a side job helping at the lab during her teen years, Delia was more than familiar with a wide variety of Pokémon as well as their cries. Whatever made that howl sounded like some kind of canine Pokémon like an Arcanine or a Houndoom. But there was something about the call that just seemed off.

Well, whatever it was it sounded like it was pretty far away. And even if it were to get closer the partying Pokémon trainers seemed pretty experienced and capable of fending off a wild Pokémon attack. Plus, the Pokémon that lived in the wilderness around Pallet Town were a lot more docile and weak than the Pokémon who lived in other routes of Kanto.

It seemed like the Pokémon came to the same conclusion as Delia because a few minutes later they calmed down and continued to enjoy the festival with their human partners. For her part Delia was able to grab some grub and return to her restaurant's stand without incident. It wasn't until half an hour later that the night took a turn for the worse.

"It's starting!"

Everyone simultaneously dropped what they were doing to look up at the skies. Streaking across the heavens was the meteor shower. White flashes soared through the air leaving behind a long trail of light that disappeared just as soon as it appeared. It started slow with just a couple before the entire sky was streaked with falling stars.

Joining in the lights was the moon. Bright and full, it hung over the route illuminating the festival below like the spotlight of a stage play. The stars further elevated the moon's hypnotic magnificence by dashing and shooting past the massive orb, accenting its glow with their own.

Then, as if to try and steal the show, one large star whizzed across the sky. Instead of shooting straight across it traveled in an arch, flying against the flow. The star glowed with a bright orange light and billowed through the air with wild abandon making it look less like a star and more like a large fireball.

Wait a minute…

Before anyone realized what was happening, the fireball reached the top of its arch and exploded into multiple, smaller fireballs that rained down on the festival below. Now broken out of their trance, the audience of star gazers began screaming and running away to take cover form the flames. More fireballs began to follow the first, bursting apart and shooting down to the earth.

Tents that held games had transformed into kindling for the growing inferno. The electrical equipment for the stage sparked before igniting an electric fire which added to the chaos. Trainers were either ordering their Pokémon to put out the flames or running around looking for the attacker.

"Mrs. Ketchum! What do-" Ginger began.

"Get everyone in the van and leave," Delia immediately ordered. "Take Ash with you."

"But the van wont' fit-" Ginger tried to explain before Delia cut her off again.

"It will fit all of you," Delia began to make her way to a group of cars. "I'll find another ride."

"But-"

"AWOOOOOOO!" A cry echoed throughout the festival. It sounded like a large Pokémon, but something was wrong. The beast's call was just as much a pained scream as it was a howl.

Delia wasn't willing to let her team, or infant son for that matter, wait around to find out who that Pokémon was. She gave Ginger a shove. "GO!"

Satisfied to see her team piling into their blue van with Ash safely tucked into the back, Delia quickly made her way over to the flattened out land that served as a parking lot. Just as she was about to reach the group of vehicles, another fireball came hurtling down, hitting one of the cars, and taking out the surrounding cars and anyone close enough to be caught in the explosion.

Though Delia was lucky enough to be just outside of the blast range, a loud snarl from behind signaled the end of what little fortune she held. Looking around, Delia found herself standing a few yards away from one of the largest Pokémon she'd ever seen.

The Pokémon in question crouched on all fours, either bracing itself for the volley of attacks other Pokémon were hurling at it or to prepare to pounce in retaliation. It was covered from head to toe in orange and black stripped fur save for the tail, ankles, and mane which were covered in voluminous, cream-colored fur. It had a body type that was mostly canine, though the thicker limbs added in a feline flare.

Delia recognized this Pokémon as an Arcanine, though it seemed different from the rest of the members of its species. This Arcanine was two to three times larger than the average Arcanine and had a far more brawny build to the point where some of the muscles were looking like they'd burst out of its hide. Sparks of fire flickered and bounced across its skin like a bad flea infection and the normally fluffy mane and tailed were matted and dirty. A powerful wave of heat emitted from the beast causing anyone who even so much as stood near it begin sweating.

Most shocking of all was the Pokémon's face. Most Arcanine had a stern yet benevolent expression adding to the fire dog's regal appearance. This Arcanine looked enraged. Every muscle on its face was scrunched up in anger, fixed into a permanent snarl. When it wasn't roaring or biting the creature's jaw hung in an uncomfortable position that made it look like it was sick or broken while ropes of slimy drool dripped down. Fire constantly glowed from its throat and would periodically pump out through the mouth. Sometimes the flames burst out in short plume of flames and other times as a massive fireball that it launched at the surrounding trainers.

Said trainers were now ganging up on the rabid Pokémon.

"Kingler, use Water Pulse!" called out the Kingler's trainer. The crab's massive pincer opened revealing an orb of water. The pincer then crushed the orb releasing a torrent of water which shot out at the Arcanine.

The water hissed and transformed into steam upon striking the Arcanine. At first it looked like it worked when the Arcanine snarled in pain, but the massive dog did not falter. Instead, the Arcanine released an overpowered Flamethrower attack at the crab sending it flying across the ground.

"Now, while it's looking away," called out the Machoke's trainer. "Use Focus Punch!"

Taking advantage of the distraction created by the Kingler, the Machoke gathered up energy into its fist and charged forward. The punch connected to the Arcanine's side and sent the dog skidding back, but at a cost.

The Machoke yelped and pulled its arm back. Large flames erupted from the fighting-type's knuckles showing that it had been inflicted with the burn status and badly. Machoke's trainer's eyes widened in surprise.

"Arcanine doesn't have Flame Body! Does it?" he asked the other trainers.

One trainer pushed his glasses up. "Perhaps it wasn't Flame Body. It could just be that this Arcanine is exuding so much heat that it's creating an imitation of that ability as evidence by its ability to evaporate a water attack."

"I can believe either theory," a female trainer remarked watching the Arcanine stalk back to face the group, no scratches on its super-heated hide. "That thing's clearly not natural."

Another trainer cracked his knuckles. "It doesn't' matter what it is! What matters is that this thing picked the wrong festival to destroy! Let's go, Hitmonchan! Hit it from a distance with your Vacuum Wave!"

"Chan!" the boxer punched at the air multiple times sending out vacuum pulses that hit that hit the Arcanine square in the face. They weren't very effective.

Instead of feeling phased by the barrage of attacks, the Arcanine snarled and began to charge at its attacker.

Before the Arcanine could hit the Hitmonchan, the female trainer stepped in. "Persian, break up its charge with a Fake Out and follow up with a Power Gem!"

Following its trainers instructions, the classy cat dived forward and struck the ground before right in front of the Arcanine. The bluff attack caused the Arcanine to halt its charge and leap back. Satisfied that it saved the Hitmonchan, the Persian then proceeded to fire a beam of energy from the small gem on its forehead.

Though a rock type move would usually be super effective on an Arcanine, this super Arcanine was more irritated than harmed. With a roar it used its powerful legs to leap across the ground and snatch the Persian in its jaws. The large dog than began to gnaw and shake the cat like a chew toy.

"Persian! Return!" cried Persian's trainer, unable to watch her cat take that kind of abuse.

The red light connected and the cat was beamed back into the safety of its ball, though it was clear to anyone watching that the Persian was going to need multiple trips to a Pokémon Center before it could battle again.

"It seems as though just attacking it won't work," observed the glasses trainer. "Let's try for a status condition. Drowzee, use Hypnosis."

"Droooowzeeeee," said Drowzee as its body glowed with psychic energy. Rings of energy emitted from the tapir hitting the Arcanine.

The Arcanine stumbled and shook its head before slumping as it succumbed to the sleep status.

"Now!" declared the knuckles trainer. "Let's all hit it at once! Hitmonchan, protect your fist with lightning, use Thunder Punch!"

"Machoke, use another Focus Punch!" called out Machoke's trainer, figuring that since his Pokémon already had the burn state there was no harm in going in for another physical attack.

"Drowzee, use Psyshock!" ordered Drowzee's trainer.

"Golduck! Hydro Pump!" shouted another trainer.

"Go Golem!" the Persian's trainer decided to send in more durable Pokémon. "Use Rock Blast!"

Electricity erupted from the Hitmonchan's fist as it charged forward alongside the Machoke who had powered up its fist again. From behind the two front-liners the other Pokémon fired off their attacks. The Drowzee sent off a wave of pure psychic energy. The Golduck opened its beak to release a powerful blast of water. The girl's ball snapped open to release a Pokémon who resembled a stone, spherical, bipedal tortoise, a Golem, which sent a barrage of rocks hurling at the Arcanine when the Golem touched the ground. All the attacks connected resulting in a massive explosion. Both the Hitmonchan and Machoke retreated back with the other Pokémon to watch.

Before the smoke could settle, the Arcanine leapt out of the cloud and at the Pokémon. The Arcanine's paws glowed with a dark magenta as it proceeded to bat and smack around its opponents using a savage version of the move Play Rough.

Too rough.

With each swipe of a claw the battling Pokémon became more bloodied and bruised. A few of the trainers attempted to call back their Pokémon, but before the return light from Poke Balls could touch their respective mons, the Arcanine howled and let loose a stream of fire. The dog's head whipped back and forth creating a wall of flames blocking the trainers.

When the flames settled, the observing humans could see the Arcanine had managed to snatch the Machoke up in its jaws. At first it looked like the Arcanine was going to start rough housing with it just like it did with the Persian earlier, but then dark energy started to emit from the canine's mouth.

CRUNCH!

The Arcanine bit down hard on the Machoke. The superpower Pokémon struggled and screamed before slumping down. It continued to dangle like a rag doll as the Arcanine tossed its corpse to the side so that it could turn back to deal with the rest of the Pokémon.

"MACHOKE!" screamed the Machoke's trainer as he ran to his deceased Pokémon's side. Meanwhile, the rest of the fighting Pokémon unleashed more attacks on the Arcanine in a desperate bid to put the mad Pokémon down for good.

It didn't work.

Flames burst from the Arcanine's hide coating it in fire. The Arcanine began to run around and around in a circle, the fire following it as it ran. The flames quickly transformed into a small fire tornado which sucked up the attacking Pokémon, burning them to a crisp.

"No!" shouted one of the trainers.

"We've got to get out of here," voiced another trainer.

Though retreating to save themselves and the rest of their Pokémon was the obvious path forward, the Arcanine wasn't going to let its pray go that easily. The fire tornado dissipated releasing the Arcanine who shot more Flame Bursts into the air, turning the field into a meteor shower. The Arcanine then ran across the field and grabbed the glasses trainer in its mouth and biting him in half.

"Alright, I've had enough of this guy," declared the knuckles trainer as he took out an Ultra Ball.

"Dude, that thing's nowhere weak enough to be captured!" exclaimed the Golduck's trainer.

"No, but it should still go into the ball for a bit and buy us some time," reasoned the knuckles trainer before tossing the ball at the Pokémon.

It was a sound theory, but with one problem. Whatever happened to that Arcanine to make it bulked up and enraged also made it immune to Poke balls. When the Ultra Ball hit its target, it didn't snap open and suck the beast inside like it should have. It just bounced off the monster and landed harmlessly on the ground where the Arcanine crushed it beneath its paws as it pounced on the human who threw and ball.

With a single swipe of its claw, the Arcanine took out the Golduck trainer. The Arcanine then bit down on the knuckles trainer's head causing the rest of the body to tumble to the ground, decapitated.

"Mommy."

Delia, who had been watching the battle in a stunned stupor, snapped back to reality at the cry of a little voice. Huddled next to a crate was a little boy. The best that Delia could assume was that the boy had gotten separated from his parents during the Arcanine's rampage. Or at least she hoped the kid was just separated and not orphaned by the rain of fireballs. The poor child was now weeping in fear, clutching the crate as a life line.

Alas, the Arcanine did not spare any sympathies to the child. Its ears perked when the boy began to sob and its jaw flapped back open. Slowly, the Arcanine began to stalk forward much like a playful Meowth hunting a Rattata for sport.

The image of the dead trainers burned fresh in her mind, Delia rushed forward to place herself between the boy and the mad dog. Predictably, this move was rewarded with fangs piercing her shoulder.

"Rrrrr," the flames in Arcanine's maw were replaced with the dark energy needed for a Crunch attack. Delia was spared the experience of being burned alive, but was now in agony thanks to the Pokémon's teeth skewering her body.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"

"Nidoqueen, Earthquake!"

The ground beneath the Arcanine began to shake causing it to lose its footing. This was followed up by a powerful blast of water which sent the Arcanine flying back and causing it to drop Delia on the ground.

Her shoulder practically ripped apart. Delia struggled to push herself up. On the bright side she could see that one of the trainers that had helped her escape was now carrying the boy away from the danger. The other trainer attempted to get to her but was pushed back by his Blastoise which used Protect to shield him from another Flamethrower.

As Delia collapsed back onto the ground, her vision began to blur. She could make out some shapes moving around, probably the Arcanine engaging some other trainers in a new battle. Watching the blurs trade blows, Delia felt torn. A part of her wanted the trainers to just take their Pokémon and run. Enough lives had been lost tonight and these kids shouldn't be throwing away their future fighting that deranged Pokémon.

And yet…

Tears pricked at Delia's eyes. She really wanted someone to come along and save her. She wasn't done living yet! Her son was still a baby. Ash didn't deserve to grow up an orphan. Delia wanted to see what kind of person the boy would become. Would he become a cook like her? Or would he become a trainer or some kind of celebrity like she used to dream about when she was younger?

While these thoughts raced through Delia's head, the moon continued to shine overhead. It shone down on the burning festival below, on the bodies littering the ground, on Delia.

In a flash, Delia's eyes snapped back into focus. She was seeing clearer now than she had ever seen before. Her heart raced and her breathing became more labored. Delia could still feel the pain from her wounds, but it was growing faint. Gingerly reaching over to her wounds, Delia could feel the skin stretch and crawl over her injuries sealing them up.

Adrenaline began to pump through Delia's body in droves. She managed to stand up, but every one of her muscles was convulsing. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her. Everything from her bones to the tips of her nerves ached in intense agony. Delia opened her mouth to scream, but her voice was twisted into a sharp snarl.

A pulling sensation burst from Delia's mouth as both her teeth and her jaw were pulled out into sharp points. The pulling sensation worked its way up to her ears which were yanked up to the top of her head into long, pointed ears. Meanwhile, the heels of her feet began to slide back out of her shoes creating a new pair of digitigrade feet while her spin pushed out through her skin to produce a tail.

Delia's skin began to itch announcing the arrival of a thick fur coat which spread across her like weeds. Underneath that fur, Delia's muscles continued to convulse, growing bigger, stronger. Her nails cracked open, pushed out by a set of sharp claws. Soon after the backs of her arms as well as the middle of her chest split open unleashing the metal spikes that were sprouting from her now metallic skeleton. Finally, four long appendages stretched out of the back of Delia's skull.

Her clothes now laying in shredded ribbons at her feet, Delia drew herself up to her new, very tall, height. The creature that had replaced her had a mostly humanoid build with canine features. It was covered in blue fur save for its cream colored torso and black fur on its lower legs, hands, joints, and wrapped around her face which, along with the long skin flaps sticking out of the back of her head, made it look as though she was wearing a mask. These features along with the new spikes sticking out from her chest and hands made it clear that Delia had transformed into a Lucario.

However, Delia was not your average Lucario. Your garden variety Lucario was barely 4 feet tall while Delia was almost twice the size of your average adult human. Her fur was longer, courser and there were extra jagged spikes jetting out the sides of her arms. While the usual Lucario just had a long nose, Delia's lower jaw was pushed out with the rest of her snout, probably to make room for all her new teeth. Here hands were less like paws and more like clawed human hands and when Delia opened her eyelids, the irises weren't just red. Her eyes glowed with a malevolent red, staring straight at the Arcanine.

When Delia's body was finished with its metamorphosis, the changes moved onto her mind. Rational thought was quickly replaced with pure instinct and Delia's memories became a blur. She didn't know where she was or why she was here, but she could smell another predator in her presence. He was not familiar, not a member of her pack which meant only one thing: he was an enemy.

Lips curling back, Delia released a screeching howl. This caused the Arcanine to pause its rampage and turn around to spot Delia. Delia stood tall and continued to growl a warning. The message was simple: leave or I'll make you regret it.

Evidently the Arcanine wasn't impressed with this newcomer's challenge. He stood his ground and returned Delia's snarl with one of his own. What few humans and Pokémon were left had fled at the sight of another mutated Pokémon, leaving only the rabid canines. Neither opponent willing to back down or back away only one option was left.

Kicking off against the soil, Delia flung herself at the Arcanine who intercepted her charge with an intense Flamethrower. Using her newly acquired fighting instincts, Delia leapt over the river of flames effortlessly. She landed next to the Arcanine, spun around, and kicked into one of the dog's front legs. Thrown of balance the Arcanine stumbled back allowing Delia to continue her assault delivering blow after blow into the tiger-dog's hide.

It didn't take long for the Arcanine to grow tired of the abuse and to turn around and halt Delia's punches by biting down on one of the Lucario's arms. Fire flooded the Arcanine's jaws turning the simple bite into a Fire Fang allowing the Arcanine's teeth to sink into Delia's metallic skeleton.

Howling in pain, Delia tried to knock the Arcanine off by driving her free knuckle into the Arcanine's face. In retaliation the Arcanine's bite intensified. He then jerked his head back before quickly pushing forward effectively tossing Delia across the festival grounds.

Unable to regain her footing, Delia rolled across the ground before coming to a stop. She tried to get back up, but the Arcanine charged forward and began to Play Rough with her. He batted her and tossed her around swiping at her with his claws and bruising her with the fairy energy used for the attack.

Finally, the Arcanine kicked Delia pushing her out of the festival grounds and onto the road.

Delia landed in a spot on the road just outside of the festival. The Arcanine looked like it was about to give chase, when a volley of other Pokémon attacks hit it in the back of its head from a new batch of trainers. Growling, the Arcanine ran off to deal with the pests leaving Delia to stagger to her feet.

Though she was in pain, burned, and low on health from the Arcanine's assault, Delia still managed to make her way to her feet. Albeit with a lot of effort.

As Delia stood, a familiar scent pricked at her nose. Curiously, she followed this smell to the remains of a flaming, blue van. Smelling around, she found the trail of various familiar human scents leading away from the wreckage. Some of these humans smelt burn or of blood indicating the fireball that hit the truck had injured them. The lack of bodies probably meant that there was miraculously no deaths, but some scents were closer to one another than others which probably meant they helped carry each other away.

Delia's snout wrinkled. She knew these scents from somewhere, but as to where that was she didn't know. Delia also couldn't shake the feeling like there was something missing. Something important.

"Eeee."

A high pitched voice from the bushes caused Delia's ears to perk. As she made her way over, the monstrous jackal began to sniff. After carefully poking around the bush, Delia was able to find the source of the noise. Nestled within the bush was a human baby. Half of the baby's body was burnt which probably meant the infant was thrown from the car blast just like the missing humans.

To many predators, this baby would have been an easy meal. But as Delia smelled the child, her movements slowed. She knew this baby. It was her baby.

The baby seemed to reach the same conclusion because its cries settled down. Tears in its eyes, the infant reached out to the large Lucario. As the baby gently patted her nose, Delia's snarling features relaxed and she gently licked the child's wounds.

Knowing that this place was not safe for her pup, Delia carefully took the baby into her jaws to carry him to safety. Unfortunately, it was right when Delia's teeth had a good grip on the baby that a fireball struck her in the back. Judging by the smell of burnt bodies, the Arcanine was done with his other challengers and had returned for Delia.

Surprised, Delia's jaw tightened. Parental instincts kept her from fatally biting into the baby, but they did not stop her teeth from piercing the skin. While the baby's cries turned into the whimpers of a puppy, Delia's rage ignited anew. Growling, Delia put her pup back in the bush and turned to face her attacker. Roaring, Delia signaled her acceptance of the Arcanine's challenge for a round two.

This time, it was the Arcanine that charged forward to finish off his weakened opponent. A grave mistake. Right before the Arcanine could swipe Delia with his claws, Delia's body emitted an orange glow. The second the Arcanine's paws touched the glow, they were pushed back with the same amount of force as they were about to deploy on Delia forcing the Arcanine onto its hind legs.

Taking advantage of the Arcanine's momentary shock. Delia charged forward and began hitting its exposed belly. The Arcanine retaliate by biting down at Delia again, this time with the dark energy of a Crunch attack.

Delia grunted in pain and flinched back from the force of the bite. The Arcanine tried to go in for another Crunch, but this time Delia was able to dodge. The Arcanine continued to snap at Delia in a vain attempt to snatch her in its jaws, but with each failed bite Delia's speed would continue to increase. She was dodging him left and right while working in her own blows.

When the Arcanine had enough of Delia's punches, he leapt back and began to charge up a massive Flamethrower. Sensing the Arcanine's intentions, Delia brought her paws close together and began to collect energy into a sphere.

The Arcanine released a stream of flame and Delia tossed forward her Aura Sphere. The sphere cut through the fire, parting the flames and redirecting them around Delia and the bush holding her child. But Delia wasn't done. She ran after the sphere, chasing it down the cleared path. Once Delia reached the Arcanine, metallic energy gathered on the back of her wrists.

SNIKT!

Some of the bones from Delia's metallic skeleton jetted out from her paws creating Metal Claws. With a swift uppercut to the jaw, Delia thrusted her claws straight through the Arcanine's throat. The Arcanine stuttered and croaked before its body went limp.

Seeing as the Arcanine was no long a threat, Delia withdrew her claws and allowed the corpse to drop to the ground. As the large canine's body settled in the dirt, it began to shrink and whether away. When it was done, the Arcanine was replaced by a human man with a mangy beard.

The battle won, Delia turned to make her way back to her pup. It was just as she was taking her first step toward the bush that Delia stumbled and fell down to the ground. The exhaustion and injuries from the fight had finally caught up with Delia, and she blacked out.

AN: Smokey the Ursaring would later arrive, look around the scene, drop to his knees, and let out a scream of rage.

October Surprise! I know my profile said that I would release this chapter tomorrow, but I got impatient.

Alright, we've got our first two lycans. I wanted to stick with canine forms for the lycanthropes or at least Pokémon that have canine's in their designs.

For Delia I went with a Lucario as people like to associate Ash with a Riolu for both his latent aura abilities and overall heroic adventurer lifestyle. There's also a fair number of fics where Ash gets turned into a Riolu, probably for these reasons. "Citrine Isles" by Diatomic_Rex, "Hey, can I borrow your Chosen One?" by KaramelKitty42, "PMD: Ashen Adventures" by NeonIcyWings, "PMD: Palette" by NikoLaiosKlause, I could go on but I think I made my point.

I gave Delia the moves Screech (reference to werewolf howling), Aura Sphere (Lucario's signature move), Counter (since Delia's not really a fighter I gave her a defensive move), and Metal Claw (for the finisher). I also gave her the ability Justified because as a mother defending her child she was justified to stand her ground.

Her werewolf form is your typical muscular werewolf you see in art and media. Think the werewolves in "Van Helsing" (2004).

I chose an Arcanine for the stranger, our first werePokemon, because I was looking for something iconic and intimidating. It also felt right to have a Kantonian doggo be the one to attack the Kanto festival.

As for the wereArcanine's personality I was inspired by Uncle Ted from "Bad Moon" and an episode of Angel. The movie "Bad Moon" (adapted from Wayne Smith's "Thor") depicts its wolf man as someone who has tried everything he could think of to deal with his curse and has gotten to the point where he's willing to put his family in danger for a little bit of company. Sympathetic, but he's still putting his sister and nephew in danger by not telling them he's cursed. It doesn't help that the curse in that movie activates every night.

As for the other werewolf I'm drawing on, it is briefly featured at the beginning of the episode of Angel "Unleashed." It was theorized that this werewolf was someone who was tired of being alone and let his guard down resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians.

Combining these two stories I decided to depict a werewolf without a pack who was tired, broken in spirit, and was at the point where he just no longer cared who got hurt. He was done with being responsible for keeping the beast inside at bay.

His moves consisted of Howl (werewolf), Fire Fang and Crunch (werewolf bite), Play Rough (any chew toy can tell you that when a dog is ripping you apart it's just playing), and Flame Burst, Flamethrower and Flare Blitz (To create and feed into the inferno). I gave our wolf man the ability Intimidate because that's usually what you want your werewolf to look like.

For his werewolf form I went with a muscular quadruped kind of like American Werewolf in London. The broken jaw was me trying to add on something a bit more original and as a means to drive home that being a werewolf is to be diseased and cursed at the same time.

Reader Response Recess!

The One Who Reads and Writes: Though I had fun with the Lycanroc Gary joke in "The Crest of a Master", you'll get a more fleshed out version of the curse in this fic with different rules and more variety than just Lycanrocs (more on said rules next chapter). Since werePokemon are a major element in this fic I didn't want to limit myself to just one species. ;) Thank you for checking out my new fic, I hope to keep entertaining you this wonderfully ghoulish Halloween.

Thank you for reading! Don't be afraid to comment, criticize, or just say something silly. God loves you and so do I!

New Poke Stats!

WereLucario

Trainer: None

Ability: Justified

Nature: Never threaten a mother's child.

Item: None

Moves: Aura Sphere, Counter, Metal Claw, Screech

WereArcanine

Trainer: None

Ability: Intimidate

Nature: At the end of his rope.

Item: None

Moves: Howl, Fire Fang, Crunch, Flame Burst, Flamethrower, Play Rough, Flare Blitz

New Pokémon Introduced

WereArcanine: Fire, The Legendary WerePokemon

WereLucario: Fighting/Steel, The Aura WerePokemon

Machoke: Fighting, The Superpower Pokémon

Kingler: Water, The Pincer Pokémon

Hitmonchan: Fighting, The Punching Pokémon

Golduck: Water, The Duck Pokémon

Drowzee: Psychic, The Hypnosis Pokémon

Persian: Normal, The Classy Cat Pokémon

Golem: Rock/Ground, The Megaton Pokémon

Blastoise: Water, The Shellfish Pokémon

Nidoqueen: Poison/Ground, The Drill Pokemon

Next Time: In the words of one mask salesman: You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?