Jen had stopped a little ways away from Mt. Moon and summoned her Pokemon from their Pokeballs. Gastly looked around nervously once he materialized and gave a sigh of relief.
“See? She’s not like our previous master, Gastly.” Vulpix said as she followed Jen off of the path and into the trees.
“You guys hungry?” Jen asked once they found a good spot. She opened her bag and began looking at the food that Libby had packed for her and her Pokemon.
Gastly and Vulpix gathered around her as she handed them some berries and poffins. They ate eagerly as Jen laid out under a tree with her cap pulled over her eyes. She was still pretty tired, but she was more interested in listening to her Pokemon talk.
“She hasn’t eaten yet.” She heard Gastly mutter to Vulpix after a few minutes.
“Relax, Gastly. She probably ate before feeding us.”
Jen’s stomach growled, and she grabbed it annoyed. Gastly stared at Vulpix.
“Okay, so she didn’t.” Vulpix said defensively.
“I’m going to tell her she needs to eat.”
Vulpix giggled. “Good luck with that.”
Jen could hear Gastly drift over to her, followed by the sound of Vulpix’s light paw steps as she scampered over with him.
Jen pulled her cap up and stared at her Pokemon, using every ounce of will power not to giggle or smile uncontrollably. “What’s up, guys? You both done eating?”
Gastly sighed nervously. “Master, you really should eat something.”
Jen accidentally let a soft smile spread across her face. She found Gastly’s concern for her to be sweet.
“UGH!!!” Vulpix groaned. “That’s not how you tell her. She has no idea what you’re saying. Here, watch me.” The little fox hopped over to Jen’s bag and pulled out a plastic wrapped sandwich. Vulpix then raced back over to Jen with the baggie in her mouth and leapt onto Jen’s stomach.
“Oomph!” Jen cried softly as Vulpix dropped the sandwich onto her chest.
“Master. Eat. Now.” Vulpix commanded in her child-like voice.
“Vulpix! That wasn’t very nice.” Gastly scolded.
“What? Your way wasn’t working so I decided to tell her my way.”
“Well, I hope your way changes if, and when, you become a Ninetails.” Gastly grumbled.
Vulpix laughed in response.
“Oh dear God…” Jen thought as she laughed as well. She then proceeded to sit up and take her sandwich out of the bag. “Thanks for looking after me, guys.” She said as she took a bite out of the sandwich. Peanut butter with banana slices! Her favorite. “Libby, you know me so well.”
She quickly finished her sandwich and threw the empty baggie into her bag. Grabbing her bike, she walked with her Pokemon back onto the path and towards the cave mouth of Mt. Moon.
Once inside, Gastly floated in front of Jen and took the lead.
“Are you going to be our cave guide, Gastly?” Jen asked sweetly.
Gastly nodded. “I remember going through Mt. Moon with my previous master. I shall lead you through the cave as quickly as I can, master.”
Jen grimaced. “Please stop calling me master! I am no one’s master. I am just your trainer and friend.” She desperately wanted to put volume to those words, but decided against telling her Pokemon her secret just yet.
Vulpix nudged Jen’s foot and gazed up at her with pleading eyes. “Up?”
Jen’s heart just about melted at the sight of Vulpix’s puppy-dog eyes. “You want to ride in the basket?”
Vuplix nodded.
“Okie-dokie!” Jen scooped the fox Pokemon up and placed her gently in the front basket.
Gastly froze and glanced around the cavern.
Jen stopped as well. “What’s wrong, Gastly?”
The ghost Pokemon remained still for a moment before continuing onward in silence. Even Vulpix seemed a bit uneasy.
“Did you two hear something or someone?” She asked as softly as she could.
Vulpix only stared at her. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn’t know how to tell Jen. If only she knew that Jen could understand them. Once again, Jen was desperately debating whether or not to tell them she could indeed hear them, but how would they react?
“Man, it’s been years since the last time we came through here, huh?” Someone up ahead said. Their voice rebounded of the cave walls.
“Shh…someone could be coming.” A second voice growled.
“Sorry. I’ll be quieter.” The first complained.
“SHUT UP!”
Jen froze as the mountain cave went dead silent.
“Come on.” The first voice whined. “No one’s coming, Clara.”
“No, not yet.” Clara replied sternly.
“But why? I’m sick of being stuck in this stupid cave. We’ve been here ever since that stupid blackout.”
“Blackout? Like the one in Pallet Town?” Jen thought.
“Were you asleep when we were briefed? Yesterday, at the same instant, the whole region of Kanto went dark. Our boss sent us here to look for any Legendary that could have caused it. If we are to find said Legendary, we are to report it and attempt to capture it.”
“Well, duh! I know that. I just don’t understand why we had to stay in this cave all day long. If the Legendary was here, then it probably ran away way before we even arrived. Plus, I’m bored.”
Clara sighed heavily.
“What?”
“Lacy, you’re completely hopeless.”
“Hey!”
Jen looked at Gastly. “Is there any way around them?” She whispered.
Gastly thought for a moment, quickly mapping out the cave, and shook his head.
“All righty then. I guess we’ve got no choice, but to go and make some new friends.”
The small group pushed forward until they came into Clara and Lacy’s lantern light. The two girls immediately jumped to their feet and got into battle stances. Jen’s eyes widened when she saw their uniforms. On the torsos of their black clothing were large crimson ‘R’s’.
“What are you doing here?” Clara asked coldly. Her dark auburn hair covered half of her face, giving her a menacing look.
“Just passing through. Why? What are you two doing here?” Jen asked bluntly, pretending that she had not seen the ‘R’s’.
The question caught the two Team Rocket grunts off guard. “Eh…nothing.” Lacy answered.
“Lacy, shut up!” Clara growled. She turned her attention back to Jen. “You’re obviously a trainer, and I’d be a fool to think that you didn’t hear our earlier conversation.”
Jen smirked. “You two were being pretty loud.”
Clara and Lacy reached for their Pokeballs and summoned their Pokemon. A Zangoose and a Luxray appeared from the grunt’s Pokeballs.
Jen quickly scanned the two Pokemon.
Zangoose: The Mongoose-Cat Pokemon. Zangoose has battled against Seviper for ages, and their sharp claws are their best and most used weapons. The red markings on their fur are also supposed to represent blood and scars from all their vicious battles.
Luxray: The gleam-eyes, Lion Pokemon. Its eyes can see through just about anything and can even spot prey when they are hiding in the shadows.
“Are you done yet?”
Jen looked up to see who had spoken, but both grunts looked equally annoyed with her.
“Rude much?” She muttered under her breath as she put away her Pokedex.
The grunts frowned at her, puzzled by the statement.
“What was that?” Lacy asked. “We didn’t quite hear you.”
Jen just rolled her eyes, realizing that it was one of the grunts’ Pokemon who had made the crude remark.
“Well, if you’re done talking nonsense-” Clara began.
“We’ll be taking your Pokemon.” Lacy giggled manically. “Zangoose, use fury swipe!”
The Zangoose rushed at Jen, sharp claws ready to slice through her flesh.
“Vulpix, quick! Use will-o-wisp!”
From Jen’s basket, Vulpix summoned a large, blue flame from its mouth, and threw it at the charging Pokemon. Zangoose tried to dodge the attack, but the flaming wisp followed its movements, and sent the Pokemon flying backwards.
“Luxray, thunder shock!”
Enormous amounts of electricity raced around Luxray’s body before it shot one large bolt at Jen. The bolt hit her before either of her Pokemon could block the attack. Jen screamed in agony as the electricity surged though her body.
“Master!” Gastly and Vulpix cried as Jen fell to the ground.
“Good, Luxray. Now round up her Pokemon.”
Luxray and Zangoose moved towards Gastly and Vulpix, both secretly hoping that one of Jen’s Pokemon would try to make a run for it so they could finish them off. But neither Gastly nor Vulpix was fazed.
“You both had better come with us, or else your trainer will not get to see the light of day ever again.” Luxray threatened, edging closer to Jen.
It only managed to get about a foot or two away from Jen’s head before Gastly flew at Luxray’s face. “Get away from her!” He roared.
Luxray quickly backed away. It knew how deadly the gas around Gastly was, and it was not willing to take its chances.
“Take your trainers and leave my master alone.” Gastly commanded darkly.
Luxray and Zangoose slowly began to back away from Gastly. Even Vulpix shuddered at the sound of Gastly’s voice.
“What are you two doing? It’s not even using scary face! Attack them with thunder shock.”
“You too, Zangoose. Knock them out with iron claw!”
The Pokemon were hesitant at first, but they eventually gained their courage back and charged Jen’s Pokemon again. Zangoose hit Gastly with its glowing claws, while Luxray paralyzed Vulpix with its thunder shock.
“Gastly, wake our master up.” Vulpix cried as she tried to crawl over to Jen.
“Kind of busy here.” Gastly shot back, hitting Zangoose with a confusion ray.
“Pathetic, little Pokemon.” Clara muttered as she walked over to where Luxray hovered over Vulpix. She reached into her pocket and took out an empty Pokeball. “You belong to Team Rocket now.”
“Master!” Vulpix cried as Clara threw the Pokeball. “JEN!”