Chapter 4

	Pallet Town was already engulfed by ebony-darkness when Ash, Misty, and 
Brock arrived at the spot where Gary's Pokeballs were dropped. In fact, it was beyond 
dark -- it was impossible to see. There was not even a glimmer of moonlight to 
accompany them tonight. To make circumstances even worse a dense, oppressive fog had 
settled throughout the entire area.
	Dread was grinding away at Misty’s nerves. She did NOT want to be outside in 
this awful weather at night. Especially since someone, or something, was kidnapping 
trainers. What if whoever kidnapped her sisters was after her too?
	Misty shivered in the chilly night air. She was instantly glad that she had decided 
to leave Togepi with Professor Oak -- she wouldn't want Togepi to catch a cold.
	They all began searching the area. 
	Brock was the only one with a flashlight, and it did little to assist them. 
	Nothing in the area looked suspicious. . . 
	At least not at first. Then, Ash pointed to something . . . about twenty feet away 
the road gave out to what looked like shallow cliffs. There was no place to go but down. 
The problem was: although the cliff sides were only about two Charizard’s heights in 
depth, they were far too steep and slippery for any of them to climb down safely. 
Exploring the field within the valley seemed impossible.
	“Wait a second, you guys,” Ask spoke merrily. “It’s been a while, but I remember 
this valley. Gary and I use to play here when we were kids. There is a hill someplace that 
is half the depth of these others. It was a bit challenging to climb back then, but I’m twice 
the size now so I’m sure it will be easy to get down.”
	Ash held Pikachu out in front of him.
	“How about a Thunder Shock for a little extra light?” 
	“Pika-CHUUU!” a rush of lightning zigzagged across the sky. 
	Ash, Misty, and Brock could briefly see almost the entire field below from here. 
Most importantly they could distinguish the location of the smaller hill.
	They didn’t spoil a second talking. Instead they all ran in the direction of the hill.
	Ash and Brock slid down easily.
	Misty was adamant about not climbing down, so she resolved to peering at Ash 
and Brock from the muddy hill top. The guys were only about twelve feet below her.
	"Find anything?" she hollered downward.
	Misty could barely see either of them through the fog. In fact, she had to painfully 
strain her eyes to see Brock at all! His dark hair blended in effortlessly with the sable 
night. Only the flashlights dull haze was detected through darkness and mist.
	"We found something, Misty!" Brock called up to her -- his tone was nervous.
	"What . . .? What did you find?" Misty almost did not want to know.
	"The hillside is all torn up!" Ash's voice was dizzy. "It looks as though something 
ripped it apart. . ." Ash trailed off. Misty almost thought she heard Ash coke back a sob.
	"Oh my-" Brock started. "This looks like a foot print . . . and look here, Ash . . . 
there is blood all over the grass here."
	"No! NO!" Ash was shouting now. His tone was saturated in disbelief.  "It can't 
be! It can't! Gary . . . he's a fighter . . . he wouldn't have given up. . ."
	 Misty could distinctly make out the sounds of bitter crying. She could just barely 
take in Brock's figure as he placed a hand or an arm on Ash in comfort. She noticed the 
bright body of Pikachu as it snuggled against the face of his trainer.
	Misty drew in a deep breath. It was hard to believe that Ash Ketchum was 
shedding sincere tears over his lost rival.
	*I knew that Ash cared a lot more for Gary then he's always letting on. Especially 
since the two of them made peace after their battle.*
	Ash's clamors settled down almost as quickly as they came.
	"I’m going to search around deeper into the field," Brock asserted, an edge of 
defiance in his words. "Ash, why don't you go stand up there with Misty where it’s safe? 
I’m gonna peep over into the forest while I’m at it, just incase . . . you know, cheek it 
out." 
	"Um. . . Brock, I'm not sure that is such a great idea. . ." Misty began as Ash 
climbed clumsily up the hill. He plopped down next to her in the soggy earth. Pikachu 
perched on Ash's shoulder licking away all his remaining tears.
	"Don't worry!" Brock called out to her. "I'll only be gone a second."
	The scarcely distinguishable shape of Brock vanished, slipping away silently 
within the compressed, relentless haze. The glow of the flashlight was soon too far away 
to be seen.
	Misty exhaled precariously. A twinge of foreboding stung her mind. She did NOT 
want Brock to go into that field alone. But - as she glanced down at Ash again - she 
realized that she could not leave him on top of this hill alone either. Ash was struggling to 
hold back his tears.
	She slouched down next to Ash and lay a tender hand on his shoulder.
	"Gary is going to be okay, Ash. I just know it," Misty wasn’t sure if she believed 
her own words, but she didn’t know what else to say.
	He nodded, unspeaking.
	"Gary means a lot to you . . . doesn't he?" she blurted, attempting to make eye 
contact with Ash. Only, he desperately avoided her gaze.
	"Ever since I beat Gary we have become friends again. I mean REAL friends. 
Sure, he makes me SO mad sometimes . . . but even back when we would fight all the 
time, I mean. . .” Ash hesitated. “Gary is Professor Oak's grandson . . . you know. . . I feel 
bad for the Professor . . . Gary is tough enough anyway,” he smirked slightly before 
continuing. “Gary’s prolly raising Cain for whoever nabbed him. He’s prolly okay. . . I 
just dunno how poor Richie is coping with being kidnapped and all. . ." Ash was 
rambling uncomfortably now.
	 Misty decided not to press the issue.
	"Yeah. . . sure, that's what I thought," she assured him.
	He looked relieved that she abandoned the topic regarding his tie-in with Gary.
	They sat in an awkward silence for a matter of minutes. Pikachu’s cheeks 
sparkled every few seconds to maintain some sparse illumination.
	 "Do you hear Brock anywhere?" Misty asked finally, nibbling on her lower lip.
	Ash's face instantly grew grim with concern.
	"No. . . Misty, where do you think he is?"
	Misty and Ash both jumped promptly to their feet.
	"Hey! Hey, Brock, where are you?" Misty shouted.
	*Oh, I am just being paranoid,* she scolded herself.
	Only silence replied.
	"Brock!” Ash joined in, worry creeping into his tone. “Please, let us know that 
you're ok!?"
	"Pika? Pi?!" even Pikachu sensed something was wrong. 
	Misty stared hard at Ash. "Where could Brock be?"
	Ash gulped, "Y-you don't think . . .?"
	Misty shook her head in refusal. "No! No way!"
	They stood, chilled, in the dormant air for what seemed like ages. Still they heard 
nothing -- not so much as a peep from Brock.
	But the silence did not endure for long. 
	The silence was shattered suddenly . . . it was shattered unmercifully . . . and 
shattered wholly by Brock.
	Brock's terrified voice burst forth from the inky darkness of the forest: "Ash! 
Misty! RUN!" 
	"Huh? Brock!?" Ash pushed Misty aside and slid down the hill as fast as any 
Rapidash. “Brock sounds like he's in trouble!" 
	Misty reached out in a desperate attempt to snag hold of Ash’s back pack. "Ash, 
wait! Wait for me!!"
	Her reflex was not fast enough. 
	Ash bravely took off in the direction from which Brock's panicked cries were 
elevating. 
	A wild roar detonated throughout the darkness. Then, a shrill scream escaped 
Brock! His scream echoed supernaturally across the field.
	 All Misty could tell was that Brock was far away . . . and in grave pain.
	"NO!" Misty shrieked. Automatically she followed Ash into the thick filed. Only, 
no sooner had she reached the base of the hill, did she look around and perceive that she 
saw no sign of either Ash or Brock.
	Common sense instructed her to climb quickly back up the hill and get help. But 
instinct - and a desperate concern for her friends - forced her to charge fearlessly through 
the field to find them.
	"Ash! ? Brock! ? Where are you?" she was crying loudly.
	"Go, ONIX!" 
	Misty halted in her tracks as she heard Brock's faraway voice.
	"Geoooorrr!" that was Onix’s brave roar.
	"Onix, tackle it!" 
	Misty felt a little less afraid hearing that Brock was battling whatever it was 
which was attacking him. 
	*Brock is a TERRIFIC trainer . . . he can't lose.*
	Suddenly her own thoughts stormed her. . .
	*Terrific trainer. . . ? Terrific trainer! NO! The kidnaper is AFTER Brock!*
	Out of the darkness Misty heard something strike the ground with tremendous 
force.
	"NO!" Brock was wailing. "Onix! Onix, RETURN!"
	Tears of terror threatened Misty’s eyes. Onix - Brock's strongest Pokemon - was 
taken down in what sounded like a single hit. How?
	"Go, Crobat! Go, Geodude!"
	Misty was shocked. Brock NEVER battled with more than one Pokemon at a 
time. 
	"Brock!" That was Ash - he sounded like he was on the verge of insanity. "Brock, 
where ARE you!?"
	"Ash! Stay where you are!" Misty hollered blindly. "We should battle together. 
I'm coming!"
	"Misty, stay away!" That was Ash again.  
	Misty ground her teeth in a selfish moment of annoyance. Did Ash ACTUALLY 
THINK she was going to let this THING attack one of her best friends and not do 
anything about it? !
	Misty heard Crobat screech in agony. Then she heard Geodude grumble a final 
‘dude’.
	Brock was gasping -- horror-struck: "Return! Return..." 
	There was a pause. 
	Then Brock cried out once more. As he did a boisterous nose struck the earth. It 
sounded as though something was hurled to the dirt with uncanny strength.
	*Oh. . . please, Brock, just be okay!*
	Misty wanted to help Brock battle . . . she wanted to help him more than she had 
ever wanted anything in her whole life. But her rationale was hastily being devoured by 
panic. She couldn’t even see Brock. What was she to tell her Pokemon to do? Where 
were they to go? Her mind was spinning furiously around and around. For the first time 
in her life she felt like a helpless child. Misty loathed vulnerability and uselessness. She 
needed to get a grip right away or else Brock would be gone.
	*Focus, Waterflower! Focus, right now!*
	"Pikachu, light up this field!" Ash was hysterical. 
	From someplace in the distance, Misty observed a series of intense light flashes. 
For a brusque moment she saw the outline of Brock's body. He was throwing a Pokeball 
at something hidden deep within the shadows of the forest.
	"Forretress! GO!"
	"Forre! Forre!" Forretress’ little voice was determined.
	Another evil growl reverberated through the twilight.
	"Use Rapid Spin, Forretress! Then Protect!"
	Misty saw a bright neon light engulf a huge section of the grass. As the light 
faded it was replaced with a massive pounding. The ground beneath her trembled. 
	A tormented whine escaped Forretress.
	"Forretress. . . don’t give up, please. . ." Brock was pleading with it, begging it to 
keep fighting.
	"Forre...." 
	"No! Forretress! Return!" 
	Misty squinted her eyes painfully to peer through the darkness. She witnessed 
something gigantic lunge at Brock's already defeated body. It tackled him without so 
much as a hint of hesitation . . . even a moment of remorse.
	The creature’s blood-thirsty cries slammed into Misty ears.
	"NO!" she blared so loud her throat burned. Her legs began rushing wildly in 
Brock’s direction.
	"Ahhhh!" Brock's voice was shredded in agony. His voice was foreign to her ears.
	The beastly creature had seized Brock; and was now ramming headlong back into 
the thick forest. It was retreating -- apparently content with Its current prey.
	"BROCK! NO! NO!" Ash and Pikachu were running at Misty’s side now. The 
three ran madly through the field - trying desperately to catch up with the creature. Since 
they couldn’t see where It was headed they could only follow the direction of Brock’s 
wails.
	"IT got him! IT got Brock!" Ash grabbed Misty firmly by the wrist, and pulled her 
. . . forcing her to run faster than her legs had ever moved. Her muscles contracted in 
misery. Her right calf began to knot and she toppled over in the grass. Small stones and 
thorns scathed her flesh. Her palms and knees were bleeding. A skinny tree branch 
whipped across her face - stinging her left. Moisture rushed from her eye, trying to rid it 
of the pain.
	Ash skidded to a stop . . . emotional turmoil ravaging his mind. Misty was 
crouched in the dirt and she was wounded.
	A solo tear cascaded down Ash’s face as he listened to the creature lunging 
farther, putting priceless distance between them.  
	“Pika?! Pika Pi?!”
	The decision had to be made.
	Ash turned to aid Misty.    
	"We need to save him!" Misty squawked, as Ash knelt beside her in the grass. She 
struggled to stand but he grabbed her arm. Misty tried to break free of Ash's grip, but he 
was much stronger than he looked. He covered her mouth with his hand and held her 
body tightly inside the cavern of swaying grass around them.
	"It’s too late, Misty. We can’t keep up with that THING on foot. . .” Ash plucked 
a Pokeball from his belt. His voice was hushed from exhaustion,” It took down all of 
Brock’s Pokemon with ONE hit, Misty."
	"Ash?!"
	Ash hurled his Pokeball into the abyss of ebony.
	“Whooo WhhhOOO!” Ash’s Notcowl screeched valiantly. Misty couldn’t really 
see Noctowl, but she could imagine the decree on Its face.
	“No time to explain, Noctowl. Just follow that THING!” Ash pointed towards the 
forest where the beast was waning from detection. “Go! Hurry! You are the only one who 
can see It! We gotta find out where It’s taking Brock.”
	Noctowl obeyed at once, soaring above the trees.
	Ash held Pikachu in one hand and Misty in the other. He turned to her gravely. 
“It’s up to Noctowl now.”
	Misty buried her head in her hands, listening in horror as Brock's agonizing wails 
became fewer and more muffled.
	Eventually, Brock could not be heard at all.