Ari, Brock, and Misty reached Mount Moon several days after leaving Pewter City.
Brock admired the mountain's majestic skyline. "It's said a huge meteor, called the Moon Stone, crashed here a long time ago."
They heard a nearby scream.
"Someone needs help!" Ari ran in the direction of the noise, followed by her friends.
They found a man in glasses and a lab coat being harrassed by a horde of Pokémon at Mount Moon's entrance. Ari identifed the species with her Pokédex. Zubat, the Bat Pokémon. A Posion- and Flying-type. It is blind, and sees using supersonic powers.
"Eevee, use Swift!" Ari shouted.
Eevee drove the Zubat away with a volley of stars.
"Are you ok?" Misty asked the man.
He nodded. "You guys are the greatest."
Ari blushed. "It was nothing."
"That was the best rescue I've ever had!" He continued. "I thought I was done for, but you heroes saved me. I'M ALIVE! Thank you, so much!"
"I think he's grateful," commented Misty.
"Why were the Zubat attacking you, mister?" Ari asked.
"Call me Seymour," he insisted. "Seymour the scientist. I can show you why the Zubat attacked."
Further into the mountain, they found bright lights had been installed, contrasting the surrounding rocky enviroment.
"See? The cave is all lit up inside. Somebody has strung these lights throughout the entire cave. The Pokémon here are adapted to the dark. The lights are upsetting them. The Paras are confused and planting their mushrooms everywhere, and these Sandshrew are being dried up by the hot lights," Seymour explained. "I'm here to patrol the mountain aginst the troublemaker's attacks against it."
"Troublemakers? Why attack the cave?" Questioned Misty.
"I'm afraid it's because of the Moon Stone; the meteor lies deep within these caves, though no explorer has ever found it. It's fragments have the power to Evolve certain Pokémon. I fear troublemakers have come to take the Moon Stone."
Ari slapped her hands together. "I won't let that happen."
"I believe Pokémon came from outer space," Seymour said abruptly. "The Moon Stone must be the spacecraft that brought them here. It belongs to Pokémon. Humans must not take it from them!"
A small, pink Pokémon wandered past, holding a rock.
"That looks like a Clefairy!" Exclaimed Brock.
Misty adored the Pokémon. "It's so cute!"
"Clefairy?" Ari analyzed Clefairy with the Pokédex. Clefairy, the Fairy Pokémon. A Fairy-type. This impish Pokémon is friendly, peaceful, and shy.
Eevee approached Clefairy. The two Pokémon happily greeted each other.
"They're friends already." Ari drew a Pokéball. "I have to Catch it!"
Seymour grabbed her arm. "It's best if you just let it stay here."
A familiar Pokémon dropped from the ceiling, trapping Eevee and Clefairy in a metal cage. The culprit was Team Rocket's Meowth, and his teammates soon revealed themselves.
"To protect the world from devestation," Jessie said.
"To unite all peoples within our nation!" James declared.
"To denounce the evils of truth and-,"
Jessie was interupted by Seymour's distressed cry. "Let Clefairy go, troublemakers!"
Jessie was infuriated. "You didn't let me finish, you overgrown schoolboy!"
"I'm sure you'd get tired of saying the same things over and over again," Ari dismissed.
"You're just jealous because we'll never let you join us," said James.
"I'd never join you. They're Team Rocket, no-good Pokémon thieves," Ari warned Brock and Seymour.
"You put the lights in this cave. It's your fault the Pokémon in here are confused!" Accused Brock.
"How will we ever forgive ourselves?" James wondered sarcastically.
"We wanna get our hands on the Moon Stone!" Meowth said.
"When we're all powered up, we'll be unstoppable," Jessie boasted.
"Snatching Eevee and this rare Clefairy is an added bonus." James tapped the cage containing the captives.
Eevee stood protectively between James and Clefairy. Instead of panicing, Clefairy waved her hand, which began to glow.
"Clefairy's using Metronone," indentified Brock. "That allows it to randomly use almost any other Move!"
The result of Metronome was Explosion, creating a blast that sent everybody flying.
Ari was awakened by Eevee licking her face. She realisied she wasn't in the same section of Mount Moon. The tunnel around her was enclosed and littered with rubble.
Clefairy's Explosion had destroyed more than just the cage. Clefairy and Eevee were Ari's only company. There was no sign of Misty, Brock, Seymour, or even Team Rocket. The Explosion had seperated them.
"This is just perfect," Ari complained. Clefairy took the remark to heart, tearing up. "I don't blame you," Ari said hurridly. "You saved Eevee. That must've took a lot of courage."
"Clef-fair!" Clefairy twirled around, pleased with herself. Eevee joined in the dancing. Ari laughed.
A nearby Sandshrew didn't appreciate the disturbance, aiming a Slash towards Clefairy. Eevee hit Sandshrew with Quick Attack. Sandshrew rolled away.
Clefairy thanked Eevee and Ari by giving each of them a loving hug.
"You've really taken a liking to us, haven't you?" Said Ari. She added, on a sudden inspiration, "How would you like to join our Journey?"
Clefairy considered, then nodded cheerfully.
With a gentle toss, Ari's Poké Ball drew Clefairy in. The Pokéball clicked to confirm the successful Catch.
Ari called Clefairy out. Clefairy's first action was to embrace Eevee, her new teammate.
"Good to have you on board, Clefairy," Ari said. "We need to find my friends. If we run into Team Rocket... all the worse for them, and the better for us."
Ari, Eevee, and Clefairy found a passage that glittered with unearthly light, like the glow of a comet. They followed it to find an area of the mountain with an open ceiling, revealing a serene sunset. In the centre of the room was a colossal rock, which glimmered with a majestic sheen. Several Clefairy danced around the boulder; the scene placed Ari in mind of a ritual.
"So the Moon Stone legend is true," Ari gasped. She and Eevee were awestruck. Ari's Clefairy happily joined her brethen in dance.
At that moment, Team Rocket dropped through the open ceiling, landing on the Moon Stone.
"We'll be taking the Moon Stone, twerp!" Jessie declared.
"That doesn't belong to you, Team Rocket!" Ari argued.
James said, "It doesn't belong to you, either, so keep your nose out of this."
The Clefairy scrambled in panic. Ari recalled her Clefairy to her Poké Ball.
A nearby wall collapsed, revealing Brock, his Onix, and Seymour.
Seymour ignored the conflict to gawk at the Moon Stone. "Incredible! It's the core of the Moon Stone!"
"Leave our new trinket alone!" Jessie said. She and James unleashed Ekans and Koffing.
Ari and Brock were ready for Battle.
"Butterfree, I choose you!" Ari called upon her Butterfree.
"Here we go!" Brock's Poké Ball opened, and a Zubat materialised.
"A Zubat?" Said Ari.
"I Caught one while we were seperated."
"I should've Caught one," cursed Ari.
"Koffing, Smokescreen," James instructed.
Both Ari and Brock shouted, "Use Whirlwind!"
Butterfree and Zubat blew the thick Smokescreen away, but when it cleared, Team Rocket and the Moon Stone were gone.
"Not the Moon Stone! Come back here!" Cried Seymour.
Team Rocket had left a wide hole from Ekans's Dig. Ari and Brock recalled Butterfree and Zubat.
"There's still a chance we can catch them," Ari said.
"Onix, follow them underground!" Ordered Brock.
Ari observed the Clefairy, clearly devestates by the loss of the Moon Stone. She would retrieve it from Team Rocket, no matter the cost. Those Pokémon didn't deserve this.
Ari, Brock, and Seymour mounted Onix, who followed Team Rocket's trail with Dig.
Team Rocket, mounted upon the Moon Stone, were confident of their escape. They slid down the side of the mountain on their makeshift sled.
"We just went from worst to first!" Meowth cheered.
The ground trembled, and Onix burst from the rock. Team Rocket was sent flying off the Moon Stone, landing roughly against the ground. Ari, Eevee, and their collection of twerps slid from Onix's back.
"Got them!" Ari said.
A horde of Clefairy followed behind them from the hole, and waggled their fingers.
"Uh-oh." James clutched his Koffing in fear.
"We're in for another Metronome attack!" Jessie could still feel the pain from the earlier Explosion.
The Clefairy unleashed over a dozen Moves at once. Team Rocket were hit by Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Hyper Beam, Fissure, Comet Punch, Surf, Petal Dance, and many other random attacks, and blasted off again.
Jessie began, "It look's like Team Rocket is..."
"...Blasting off again," James finished.
"That was the Metronome!" Said Meowth.
"I give it two thumbs down," came Jessie's verdict.
"Me, too." James shared the sentiment.
"Meowth, three!"
The barrage of attacks broke pieces of the Moon Stone off. They rained down like small stars, the Clefairy eager to catch the shards. When the Fairy Pokémon made contact with the Moon Stones, they were surrounded by a familar aura - the light of Evolution.
Ari identified the Evolved Pokémon with her Pokédex. Clefable, the Fairy Pokémon. A Fairy-type. Said to live in quiet, remote mountains, this Pokémon has a strong aversion to being seen.
Most of the Clefairy had been able to catch a Moon Stone piece and Evolve into a Cleable. Ari's Clefairy emerged from her Poké Ball of her own accord, appearing disappointed.
"When did you Catch a Clefairy?" Seymour asked.
"Brock isn't the only one who made the most of our separation," Ari said. She understood her Pokémon's feelings. "Don't worry, Clefairy. You can stay with me, and we'll earn your Evolution!"
"Clef-fa!" Clefairy perked up, and started dancing with Eevee.
A breathless Misty caught up to the group. "I missed all the action, didn't I?"
"There wasn't much 'action' to miss, Team Rocket are pathetic," Ari said.
"Are you ok?" Brock asked Misty.
Misty nodded.
"How did you defend yourself with just a Magikarp?" Ari questioned.
Misty went on the defensive. "I never said Magikarp was my only Pokémon."
Before Ari could enquire further, Seymour interupted. "I've decided to live here with the Clefairy and Clefable. It's been my life's dream to find the Moon Stone, and someday, I will travel to the stars with the Clefairy!"
"Um... wow," responded Misty.
Ari would've found it easy to mock Seymour, but she noticed her Clefairy. The Fairy Pokémon watched the scientist with intrigue, not doubt. Ari doubted all Pokémon originated in space, but maybe some had come from beyond the stars.
After saying goodbye to Seymour, Ari, Misty, and Brock continued past Mount Moon.
"This road leads to Cerulean City," Brock explained.
Ari was pumped up. "That's where I'm going to win my next Gym Badge!"
Brock pointed out a sign. "Hold on. There's something scribled here."
"Some kids like to write silly notes on signs. What does it say?" Ari peered at the sign and read the worlds aloud. "'Gary was here - Ari is a loser.' That Gary!"
She stormed off towards Cerulean City, with Brock hurrying to keep up. In their hurry, neither of them noticed Misty's glum mood as Cerulean City came closer.