Chapter One:
Heartbreak of a child
20 years later.
Rain pounded on her face as her soaking, limp body was carried in the arms of Gardevoir. Feelings of fear, hunger and panic rushed over her. She glanced up at Gardevior as she continued through the pounding rain, hoping for someplace that she could rest and recover. The town had been destroyed by a massive earthquake.
No one could have predicted it. One moment she was walking down the street like she did everyday from school, when out of the corner of her eye she saw a dog-like Pokémon. She glanced over and saw it clearly, flowing white fur, blodd red face, tail and a red horn out of the side of its head. It was Absol, The disaster Pokémon. Her heart skipped a beat, and she knew what his appearance heralded, a great disaster. She glanced both ways up and down the street, but no one was around, so she looked back at Absol, but it was gone too. Suddenly the ground started shaking; the whole town was collapsing around them.
Her heart pounded as she raced through the town streets, looking for her parents. When she reached her house, she was decimated by what she saw. Her house was falling apart from the earth’s heaves. She ran into the ruined house. Her parents were trapped by falling debris, her younger sister was lying next to her mother, under the main beam that supported the second floor, but her brother wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
She rushed to her mother’s side and franticly tried to move the beam off of her. Her mother’s eyes flickered open as she gasped out a few faint words,
“Get out, Luna; I won’t lose all my children in one night.”
“Nooo, Mother! I have to get you out of here! I can’t leave you!”
A faint smile slipped across her mother’s lips as she whispered,
“Gardevoir, take her. And protect her”
Her mother’s hand went limp and dropped to the ground. Tears welled up in Luna’s eyes as she looked at her mother lying on the floor, but she couldn’t force herself to move, she just sat there, staring blankly at her mother’s pale face as she cried openly. Suddenly she felt light headed and dizzy, the last thing she remembered was falling to the floor and losing consciousness.
Luna’s eyes snapped open as the rain beat at her face and cloths; she was being carried by Gardevior. She tried to move but she was too weak, so she just let her body go limp and drifted back into darkness.
When she awoke again, she was out of the pounding rain. Her clothes were soaking wet, her hair a tangled mess, and she was starving. She hadn’t eaten since lunch that day at school, then the earthquake struck and there defiantly wasn’t any chance after that to get something to eat. Her stomach grumbled angrily at her to give it something. She looked around trying to get her bearings. She was in the trunk of an old oak, and outside the wind howled and the rain continued to pour. To her left Gardevior was standing watching her.
“Thank you,” said Luna, to Gardevior.
Gardevior didn’t say anything but Luna sensed her feelings of welcome. Luna stared out at the falling rain for a long time, reflecting on how she had lost everything in just one brief moment. The emotions came rushing back over her like a tidal wave, the feelings she felt right before the earthquake struck, the feeling when she found her mother and sister trapped under the beam, the feelings she felt when her mother’s limp hand fell from her own and dropped to the ground, never to move again. It was all too much; she simply curled up and cried herself asleep.
The next morning, Luna woke to see that the rain had stopped and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful sight, as the sun glistened off the morning dew and birds sang in the tree above her. She looked at Gardevior and noticed that she was not looking very well.
“What’s wrong?” asked Luna slowly, walking over to Gardevior.
Even though Gardevior didn’t speak in words, Luna sensed her emotions and understood them as easily as if Gardevior had been speaking.
“I have not long to live, the death of your mother, my trainer, has
been too much of a tax on me. Her emotions when she died, gave me strength enough to get you out of harm’s way, but I am afraid that I will not last much longer, please forgive me. Your mother was a unique woman, she made me promise that when you where old enough to tell you of your power. Your mother, like me, could sense others emotions and take them upon ourselves, although it is very taxing. She used it on you when you were a baby, if you got hurt she would take the pain and emotions upon herself. It is a gift that has been passed down through your family for generations, since people first started working with Pokémon. Now you posses this gift, use it wisely.”
“Bu-bu-but you can’t die! You have to live!” sobbed Luna.
“It is too late. Be true to yourself and your friends, for a true friend is
worth more than any amount of gold. Farewell, Luna…”
Gardevior’s eyes closed, as her body slowly faded away and finally disappeared. “Everything I know and loved has been taken away from me in one night, what am I supposed to do now!?” thought Luna. She stepped outside of the tree and glanced around off in the direction of her town, which lay only ruins.
“No sense going back there, too many bad memories,” she said to herself.
She turned east and started walking towards the rising sun. After a day a and a half of walking to her absolute delight she saw a small town it consisted of a few houses a small white building and a lake was just outside it. She stumbled through the streets and to the white building. She reached the door and raised her hand to know when the door swung open and a tall man with white hair in a white lab coat was standing there. He looked at Luna and said,
“You look starved and half dead, please come in!”
Luna took one step forwards, then collapsed in the man’s arms and blacked
out from exhaustion. When Luna woke up, she was lying in a bed; the covers were nice and fluffy and she didn’t want to wake up, she simply wanted to drift back into the endless darkness of her dream and remain there forever.
She was awakened by a loud bustling outside the door. Suddenly the door burst open and a large Pokémon crouched in the doorway. It was an Absol, his long white fur waved from the breeze coming through the open door, his horn as sharp as a sword and as red as blood. It stared at Luna for a long minute, then tilted its head and ran back out of the room. The man that had invited Luna in the night before came running through the door and slid to a stop, gasping as he asked,
“Was that Absol, the disaster Pokémon? What did it want, did it hurt you? ”
“N-no, it just sat there for a second t-then ran off,” stammered Luna.
“Good.” He sounded relieved. “So are you feeling better, today?”
“Yes, thank you. You are very kind. But who are you?”
“Ah! Ha-ha, I totally forgot to introduce myself. Please forgive me, I
am Professor Honeycutt. I study Pokémon. But you must be hungry, when
was the last time you ate?” he asked.
“Almost three days ago,” said Luna quietly.
“THREE DAYS!” exclaimed Professor Honeycutt, then, composing
himself he said, “goodness gracious me, you must be starving, can you walk? Come down stairs and I’ll give you some food.”
The Professor turned and walked out of the room, his white lab coat flowing behind him. Luna threw back the covers and climbed out of bed; she stumbled a little but then got her balance and walked downstairs. She sat at the table and the man set a bowl of soup and a sandwich in front of her.
“Please eat; there is more if you want.”
Luna wolfed down the sandwich and drained the soup bowl. It might just have been her hunger, but she believed that was the best soup and sandwich she had ever eaten. When the Professor asked if she wanted more, she nodded vigorously. He left for a second and then returned with another bowl of soup and another sandwich. She ate these a little slower, when she was finished, she pushed the plate and bowl away and thanked the Professor.
“Oh, no thanks necessary, but would you mind telling me who you are and why you were walking across the plains half starved in tattered clothes?”
“My name is Luna. I used to live in Larpenter city. You’ve heard about the great earthquake?”
“Yes, were you there?” asked the man, a little shocked.
“Yes, I lost my whole…”
she chocked back a sob of grief, than she
tried again with a much stronger tone and told the whole story about her escape and her travel with Gardevior. But she kept her power a secret. When she was done, the professor sat back in his chair and thought for a long time, finally Luna asked,
“Are you okay?”
The Professor looked at her, then responded,
“Oh, yes, sorry. I was deep in thought, I was thinking of Absol, it senses coming disasters and appears before people only to warn them of impending danger.”
“But when I saw him today, I got the feeling that he wasn’t trying to warn me as much as simply seeing me alive, like he knew me or something.”
“It is odd that you put it that way, because he forced his way into the house in order to get to your room. Strange, I’ll bring it up with my colleagues and see what they think; you’re welcome to stay here for a while, seeing as you have nowhere to go, unless you do?”
Luna looked at the ground before saying in a low voice,
“No.”
“Well, you are welcome here as long as you like. I am at the lab most
of the day anyways, so you shouldn’t be disturbed.”
“Thank you. You are too generous,” said Luna.
“Oh, don’t bother, I have to go to the lab it’s just across the street, so if you need anything don’t hesitate to drop by.”
With that, the professor turned and walked out of the house, leaving Luna sitting at the table to ponder her thoughts. After a few minutes she decided to go back to her room and lay down for a while. As she laid down a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and she closed her eyes and fell to sleep.
She was awakened by the sense that someone or something was watching her. She opened her eyes, expecting to see the professor, but what she saw was Absol again, sitting in the door, head tilted, staring at her with those black eyes, never blinking, just staring.
“What… do you want?” she asked hesitantly.
Absol continued to stare at her, never blinking, never moving. Luna threw back the covers of the bed and sat up, but Absol continued to watch her cautiously. She placed her feet on the floor; it was cold to the touch as she slowly stood up and took one step towards Absol. It continued to watch her.
“Why are you here? Are you trying to warn me of a disaster?”
Luna turned back to look at the window, as the events of the past several days washed over her, suddenly she turned and shouted at Absol,
“Well, you’re a little late! You stupid thing! You should have warned us before the earthquake struck! I may have been able to save my family! Get out of here, you stupid thing!”
She threw a pillow at Absol, but it dashed out of the room before the pillow had barely left her hand. She slumped to the floor, leaning against the bed and started to cry. She wept for half an hour before she finally dried her eyes and stood up.
“Maybe I should see the professor, it sure would beat staying here and feeling sorry for myself. I have to get on with my life,” she said to herself.
She rubbed her eyes and walked out of the room. When she stepped out of the house, a light breeze blew across her face, blowing her hair around and cooling her hot cheeks. She looked around gathering in the scenery. Across the street like the professor had said was the white building that she had seen the night before. She strolled across the street and reached for the handle. As soon as her hand touched the handle she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. When she turned to look it was gone.
She shook her head to clear it and opened the door. Inside was a bustle of commotion; people in white lab coats hustled and bustled around, carrying things, talking, looking at computers and doing various other tasks. Luna tapped the nearest man on the shoulder and asked,
“Excuse me, where is Professor Honeycutt?”
“Oh, sure he is over there, but he is probably busy, so I don’t know if
he will have time to talk,” said the man.
“Thanks,” said Luna.
She walked over to Professor Honeycutt and tapped him on the shoulder.
He jumped slightly at her touch, then turned and said,
“Oh! Hello Luna, what can I do for you?”
“Um, I was wondering what you do in the lab?”
“Oh that is easy to answer, we study Pokémon here. Various trainers bring their Pokémon here and we study to see how they live, grow and evolve. Like take this Pokémon for example, this is Eevee. It evolves to adapt to its habitat. No one is really sure how or why Pokémon evolve it has been one of those mysteries that we may never figure out. So far we have seen six evolutions of this Pokémon.”
“Six? I thought most Pokémon had one or two evolutions,” said Luna.
“Ordinarily this is a true fact, but it seems that this little fella decided
to brake that rule and have more, it really is quite fascinating.”
“Can I hold it?” asked Luna quietly.
“Sure go ahead,” said Professor Honeycutt cheerfully.
Luna stepped forward and reached her hand towards Eevee. It didn’t move; she sensed its anxiety, and instinctively tried to calm it with her mind. It seemed to relax then became let her touch it.
“Wow, I haven’t seen it this friendly to anyone, it must really like you. You seem to have a knack for Pokémon,” commented Professor Honeycutt.
Suddenly, a lab assistant came rushing in and in his arms he carried a fox-like Pokémon, but it had nine tails. The assistant hurried over to the professor and gently set the Pokémon down on the lab table and said in a frantic voice,
“Professor, we have an emergency. I was outside looking for our
Squirtle that is playing hide and seek, and I saw a bunch of mean-looking people crowded around something and shouted at them and they ran away, then I saw her lying there.” The assistant motioned towards the Pokémon on the table and continued talking, “I think she’s hurt bad, but I didn’t know what to do so I brought her in here.”
“You did the right thing, Mark. Now I need you to run across town and grab Eric, the Poke doctor. He’ll know what to do, and for goodness sake, hurry!”
Mark ran out of the lab while the Professor looked over the fox Pokémon.
“What kind of Pokémon is it, Professor?” asked Luna.
“A Ninetails, its nine tails are said to be imbued with a mystic power.
It can live for a thousand years. Some legends claim that each of its nine tails has its own unique type of special mystical power. But no one has ever studied it up close like this. We must keep it alive.”
Luna closed her eyes and reached out her hand to touch Ninetails. She could feel waves of emotions wash over her, pain, hate, fear and others that she couldn’t translate into human terms but she felt them all the same. She tried to block out all the bad and leave only the good, but there was so much, she exerted her will to shut out the feelings, when suddenly the feelings where gone and replaced by feelings of calm, then a new feeling entered her. It reminded her of Gardevoir’s last feelings.
“No! I won’t let you die like my Gardevoir, I know what I can do, and I know I can help you! But you have to fight!” she thought.
“Child, you have a great destiny to fulfill. I was coming to bring you, but I was attacked by Ruffians. They beat me and tried to take my tails. The fools believed that a magical power is stored in them, little do they know. But I will have my revenge—I will place terrible curses on them if I ever lay eyes on them again. But you have a sorrowful presence about you, what is wrong child.”
The feeling that she had felt that night rushed over her Ninetails tried to comfort her, but Luna was not caring, she didn’t want to go through the pain of seeing another Pokémon die, especially one that seemed to know her so well.
“Child, you are not alone in this world, you have friends, you have made new ones and you will always have the spirit of your family with you. Always remember that.”
“Where are you supposed to bring me?”
“To Mt. Starlight, to begin your training.”
“Training, what training?”
“Training to fulfill your fate, to slay a shadow.”
Luna removed her hand from Ninetails; Professor Honeycutt was looking at her quizzically.
“What did you do?” he asked quietly.
“What do you mean?” she asked, looking at the Professor.
He nodded his head towards Ninetails; Luna looked back and saw the Fox sitting up straight, its nine tails flicking back and forth.
“You’re alive!” shouted Luna.
“Yes, you helped though,”
The doors to the lab burst open as Mark and the Poke Doctor came running in.
“Where is Ninetails?” asked the doctor.
“It looks like me may not need a doctor after all,” said Professor Honeycutt.
“Yes, well, may I take a look at her please anyways?” asked the doctor.
Luna and Professor Honeycutt stepped aside as the doctor examined Ninetails. After a few minutes he stepped back and said,
“I don’t fully understand why you called me here; this Pokémon is in perfect health.”
“That can’t be! I saw her myself and she was dying!” exclaimed Mark.
“Well, I’m glad that she is not,” commented the doctor.
“Well, thanks for coming anyways, Eric, it’s always nice to see you.”
“No problem, John, anytime you need me, you know where to find me.”
Eric walked out of the lab and Professor Honeycutt turned back to Luna and Ninetails. He walked over and attempted to touch Ninetails, but she growled and snapped at his hand. He withdrew it quickly and looked at Luna.
“She must be scared, perhaps you can do something she seemed ok to let you touch her.”
“I can try,” said Luna.
She slowly reached out her hand. Ninetails didn’t move but let Luna place her hand on its head and scratched it.
“Amazing, you truly do have an affinity for Pokémon. Do you think she would allow us to study her?”
Ninetails growled at him again, and hopped off the table, she strolled over and sat down on her haunches next to Luna.
“Hmm, I see, she seems to have adopted you as her trainer, Luna. You must feel extremely honored."
“Oh no, I couldn’t, I have no experience as a trainer, the only interaction is with other people’s Pokémon, I have never had my own. I wouldn’t know what to do. “
“Trust me, I used to be a trainer, it comes natural to you once you have a Pokémon in your care. Why don’t you go walk around the town with Ninetails and see how you two fare.”
“I guess, but I don’t know what to do!?”
“Follow your instincts, they seem to be in the right order,” Professor
Honeycutt said with a smile.
Luna smiled back and turned and walked out of the lab, followed closely by Ninetails. They strolled down the street and around a corner. When suddenly Luna heard shouting coming from up ahead. Luna and Ninetails ran forward to see what the commotion was coming from.
They turned a corner and saw two thugs circling a young man. A Rattata was lying on the ground, apparently unconscious. The young man was shouting at the thugs.
“Let me go! You won the battle and I gave you your winnings, you have to let me go!”
“Nah, we don’t have to do nothing! We’re goanna take everything you got, including your Pokémon! Hahaha!” cackled the first thug.
“We have to do something, I can’t just stand by and let them beat up that man!” exclaimed Luna.
Ninetails looked at Luna then nodded her head and growled. Both of them ran towards the thugs. Luna arrived first and landed a full force punch to the nose of the thug, while Ninetails lunged at the other, pinning him to the ground. The one that Luna had punched gripped his nose, screaming in pain. The other didn’t move. Luna glanced over and saw that Ninetails had him pinned to the ground, teeth exposed and snarling at him. Luna turned back to the young man, and asked,
“You OK?”
“I am now, I just lost a battle to these two thugs and they wouldn’t let me go, after you win a battle you have to let the opponent leave so they can heal they’re Pokémon. Thanks, by the way. My name is Luke.”
“I’m Luna. Nice to meet you, but let’s get this messed cleaned up first.”
“Right, I don’t think they’re going to bother us for awhile. Where are you from?” asked Luke.
“Well from a ways away, I’ll tell you later.”
The two strolled back to the town, Luke carrying his Pokémon while Ninetails walked alongside Luna. When they reached the town Luke, walked to the lab and entered. Luna followed him a step behind. Inside Luke said,
“Uncle! I’m home!”
“Oh, good, I was beginning to wonder where you had gotten to, what took you so long?” asked Professor Honeycutt.
“The Professor is your uncle?” asked Luna, a little surprised.
“Yeah, I’m his nephew; he’s my mom’s brother.”
“Oh, Luna! How is Ninetails, how was your little stroll?”
“It was fine, we beat a couple of ruffians that where attacking your nephew.”
The Professor looked at Luke with a quizzical eye then asked,
“You where being attack, why?
“I don’t know! These two guys came up to me and challenged me to a
battle, so I accepted. They beat me pretty bad, then they wouldn’t let me
escape, they surrounded me and where trying to take poor Rattata.”
“Did you see any badges on them?” asked Professor Honeycutt hurriedly
“Um, I don’t think I saw anything.”
“Ok, well if they come around again, give them a good whipping.”
“Will do, uncle!”
The professor turned to Luna and asked in a slightly quieter tone,
“What will you do know?”
“Well, I intend on finding Absol to figure out why it has such an
interest me.”
“Interest in you?” questioned the Professor.
“Yes, after you left, it came back and was staring at me again.”
“Really? What did it do?”
“Nothing really, it just sat in the door staring, always staring, never
blinking, but if I tried to get close, it would run away.”
The professor pondered this for a short while. After a few minutes he said,
“I believe that rumor has it, that Absol has a cave up in Mt. Starlight. But the journey is not an easy one, and is dangerous. You have to pass Full Moon Island. They say a living shadow Pokémon lives there, they also say that it doesn’t like people straying near its island, and it will curse anyone who approaches it with nightmares and endless sleep.”
“I am sure we will manage, but my main priority is to find Absol and figure out what it wants!” said Luna, clenching her fists.
