Chapter 17

	The beast came to claim Jasmine that night. It came within a whirlwind of rage 
just as everyone knew It would.
	Ash and Blastoise had been floating a short way from Cinnabar Island’s shore. 
Ash had been displaying remarkable patience considering how freezing-cold his body 
was. He had preoccupied his active mind by gazing upward and examining the sparkling 
heavens. 
	One particularly spectacular star caught his attention at once. This star was 
shining with such intensity it easily dwarfed the light of all the others, even that of the 
moon.
	*It’s so beautiful. It actually takes my breath away . . . reminds me of Misty’s 
smile. . .* Ash realized, a twitch of emotion visible on his face.
	This was when it happened. This was the moment when the beast came.
	In the blink of an eye every search light from Pallet’s docks to Cinnabar’s main 
city faded and died.
	There was no forewarning. No immediate screams, no sounds of gun fire or 
crashing; not even the shadow of movement . . . just an eerie silence wafting across the 
sea. 
	In fact, the only noise at all was that of Ash and Blastoise as they swam furiously 
towards Cinnabar.
	Blastoise swam with his miraculous speed -- he was at the shore in an instant. Ash 
had climbed down from Blastoise’s shell. He at once realized that something else had 
changed: there was now no moon at all, and all the starlight seemed abruptly vanquished. 
All but one that was . . . Ash’s favorite star was somehow able to penetrate the darkness, 
pouring its soothing light upon the island. 
	However, even with the stars light, Ash and Blastoise could barley see their own 
hands in front of their faces. 
	Ash plucked one Pokeball after another from Gary’s belt, blindly casting each one 
forward until all five were released. Arcanine, Sizor, Magmar, Umbreon, and Nidoking 
materialized before him. Ash could only see them clearly for a second: as the Pokeball’s 
red illumination blazed the air. In that second he was met with the gravest and most hell-
bent sets of Pokemon eyes he had ever seen.
	“Scatter everyone, quickly! No time to explain, just find that beast! It’s someplace 
on Cinnabar RIGHT NOW!” Ash was desperately wailing his orders. “We aren’t going to 
fight It. Just find It, GO!”
	*It’s now or never!*
	All of Gary’s Pokemon, except Blastoise, scattered. They could see much better 
in this dark than any human could ever dream to. Blastoise stayed close by Ash’s side, he 
wasn’t going to leave him unprotected.
	The search lights never came back on, but the silence was at last broken. . .
	“Jasmine is GONE!” Officer Jenny’s daunting scream blasted across Cinnabar. 
	Gone?! Ash felt his heart lurch forward in his chest. *Our last chance to find the 
beast . . . over. I failed. Unless. . .*
	That one star seemed to grow brighter. Ash was suddenly able to make out dozens 
of silhouettes in the darkness. They were all the figures of various officers and police 
Pokemon . . . all seemed to be just struggling to their feet, all seemed bewildered. 
	Ash staggered backwards, bumping into Blastoise’s belly.
	“B-Blastoise,” Ash stuttered. “The beast knocked everyone on the island 
unconscious. It’s already gone with Jasmine!”	
	Blastoise eyes began to blaze with determined fury.
	“BLASSSSSSSSSSST!” he roared uncontrollably. “BLASSSSSSSSSSOISE! 
BLASSSSSSSSSSSST!” 
	Arcanine, Sizor, Magmar, Umbreon, and Nidoking responded instantly to 
Blastoise desperate cries, returning to Ash’s location.
	“Settle down, Blastoise!” Ash pleaded. He then turned to Gary’s other five 
Pokemon. “Did any of you see anything? Anything at all?!”
	Ash was met only by blank dejected stares. 
	“Hey, who’s over there?” Ash at once recognized an Officer Jenny’s alarmed 
voice.
	Officer Jenny couldn’t see him, but she had heard him talking to Gary’s 
Pokemon.
	“Oh no!” Ash mumbled. “She can’t find us here!” Ash quickly rummaged around 
the sand, finding and collecting all of the Pokeballs he had just thrown. “What do we 
do?”
	Blastoise opened his mouth to retort, but he never got a chance.
	All of a sudden, each of the newly revived officers and police Pokemon’s bodied 
collapsed . . . *AH! Did they just faint-- AGAIN?!*
	Ash squinted. Dozens of unconscious figures were piled in the sand.
	“What the-?” Ash glanced around nervously, icy sweat dribbling down his spine.
	It was undeniable . . . the beast was not finished here.
	*It knocked everyone out. Everyone except . . . us. Why?*
	Ash first saw Umbreon’s reaction. The hair on Umbreon’s spine was raised, low 
growls emitting forth. She was staring at something hidden within the night . . . 
something only a dark Pokemon’s keen eyes could see.
	Ash’s heart began pummeling against his ribs. 
	“U-Umbreon, what is it?” Ash’s words were slurred by fear. “It’s the beast isn’t 
it?” 
	Ash gaped up at Blastoise. Blastoise only nodded.
	“Okay,” Ash inhaled anxiously.
	*This is the only way. I’m coming, Misty.*
	Immediately all six of Gary’s Pokemon were surrounding him -- each retaining a 
battle stance. They wanted to protect him.
	“Wait,” Ash turned to Blastoise, tenderly touching his arm. “Let It come and take 
me.”
	Gary’s Pokemon veered uncomfortably at Ash’s words; however they did not 
seem surprised.
	 “I was originally hoping we could follow It. But now Its come for me,” Ash 
turned solemnly to Blastoise again. “It’s up to you guys now. If you fight It you’ll be 
defeated again. Then you’ll be captured . . . what would Gary do if he knew that beast 
had you?! I want to be caught. And when I am, you HAVE to follow me.”
	Ash now cast crucial eyes on Sizor. “You can fly, Sizor. Please, I know my 
Noctowl didn’t make it back . . . but you just HAVE to. You have to follow me and tell 
Professor Oak. There are no gym leaders left; this is our last chance to get Gary back. We 
are out of options.”
	Sizor stepped forward, his smooth crimson face quivering with dread. After a 
momentary pause, Sizor bowed his head. He agreed with Ash.
	Ash warily handed Gary’s belt to Sizor. “Everyone, get back in your balls. You 
too, Blastoise.”
	Arcanine, Nidoking, Unbreon, and Magmar obeyed. Blastiose hesitated; this was 
not how he wanted things to go.
	“Please, get in your ball, Blastoise. Sizor can’t carry you unless you are in your 
Pokeball,” Ash was pleading, his voice saturated in gravity.
	 The moist ground beneath Ash began to lightly quake. An irate snarl catapulted 
across the beach. “It’s almost here! Get in NOW!”
	A crystal tear shimmered in Blastoise eye, at last he gave in . . . . returning to his 
Pokeball. 
	Sizor clutched the precious cargo securely within his claws.
	Ash panted with gratitude, staring hard at Sizor. “If you fly half as fast as 
Blastoise can swim. . .” he trailed off. “For Gary.”
	Sizor’s wings began beating with mind numbing velocity. Integrity was visible 
with in every feature and movement. Sizor glanced decisively at Ash once more before 
bolting into the heavens, completely out of sight.
	“SIZZzzzzo. . .o. . .r. . .r . . .r!” he cried, voice fading as he soared.
	“Good luck to you too.” Ash whispered.
	Ash was standing alone, positioned directly in the spotlight of his star.
	*Misty. . .*
	Ash raised his head boldly, peering into the ebony night. 
	*What would Gary do at a time like this . . .?*
	“Ah ha,” Ash projected his voice as gaudily as he was able. “My name is Ash 
Ketchum. I’ve competed in all the top tournaments. Let’s see: I’ve got two top sixteen’s 
to my credit, I also made it to the Victory Tournament at the last Johto games. . . you 
probably can’t even count all MY badges. . .”
	Ash did not get the chance to finish broadcasting all of his glorious Pokemon 
achievements . . .  the beast chose to appear before him. . . Its mere aura silencing him.
	Ash couldn’t see It, but he knew It was only a few steps away. He could actually 
feel the sweltering heat radiating from Its coarse sable coat. The beast stepped closer to 
Ash . . . now he could gape inside Its murderous scarlet eyes. Its eyes were callous, 
intelligent, ravenous . . . this beast was pure evil. 
	It simply stood before Ash . . . examining him perhaps. 
	Ash was physically incapacitated. It was as though he was unawarely struck by 
the most powerful Stun Spore attack in the world.
	*Please don’t kill me. Take me to my friends.*
	The beast grumbled, mockingly almost. Then It blinked with conclusion. It was 
satisfied. 
	Ash was already surrendering. He compelled his knees to relax, dropping him 
downward towards the sand. 
	Ash’s knees never made contact with the sandy beach of Cinnabar Island. 
	The horrendous beast snatched Ash Ketchum within Its powerful jaws.
	A mournful sob of pain resounded throughout the heavens. As the rueful echo 
faded, a solitary cloud drifted over Ash’s precious star . . . there was now no more light at 
all.