Bad Moon Rising

Chapter 1

By Windra

"It looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Yet again, another day had passed, and another battle for the twerp's Pikachu ended in vain. A single spark from the electrical rodent had sent Jessie, James, and Meowth flying into the air, and sending them spiraling to the outskirts of Ilex Forest, where they hit the ground HARD.

The evening had settled in, the sun subsiding in a fabulous array of colors as the full moon arose to fill the land with its glow. Had anyone payed attention, they would see a pair of deep, yellow eyes, glaring out of the woods,A narrowed and waiting in anticipation for its next meal.

The three Rockets sat up slowly, groaning in pain and rubbing their wounds. The worse the trio had suffered were some minor cuts and bruises, but nothing worse.

The red-headed female was fuming. Although it was her fault for this plan's screw up, she wouldn't take the blame, even if it smacked her in the face. She turned to the blue-haired James, her anger taking over her true feelings for the male.

"James!" she hissed, smacking him on the head. "You screwed up our plans, AGAIN!"

"B-but Jess...," James trembled, "it was you who-"

Another whack.

"No excuses!"

Meowth had begun to sit up, rubbing his charm in pain. He stumbled next to Jessie and trying in every way to get her to stop blaming James for her mistakes.

"Jess," he whispered, "you were da one who-"

"Shut up, furball!" the girl shouted, smacking the cat on the head with her all powerful paper fan.

Meowth fell back, his eyes swirling. Normally, he would have Fury Swiped her for smacking him, but something was in the air...and he felt strange and wary. He looked at James and shook his head, and the boy simply sighed and nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry, Jess...," James whimpered.

"Sorry isn't enough! Oh, forget it! Just make yourself useful for once and get some firewood!"

The words 'make yourself useful for once' had stung James. Even though he had grown used to it by now, it still hurt like hell...

He simply stood up, turning towards the woods and venturing in without uttering a single word or sound.

Jessie continued to glare at his back, her eyes finally softening as James disappeared into the woods. She sighed, desperately wishing she could take back those words and tell him how she really felt about him.

But that would make her weak, and besides...he would never love someone like her.

They didn't notice the blood that had begun to trickle from the cut on James' forehead as he walked into the woods.

Nor did they see the beast in the area sniff the area, smelling the blood and turning to watch the male's every movement, waiting for the appropriate time to strike, to kill...

Meowth was leaning against a tree stump, sighing. He know how Jessie and James felt about each other. But if they could only get it out into the open.

He shot up when a sound entered his ears.

A snarl of a beast.

A scream filled the air.

James' scream.

He began to yell for help, only to be silenced by a long, low howl, and the swipe of a claw. His choke of agony could be heard by his partners.

"Jimmy?!" Meowth shouted, running into the woods without a moment's hesitation, but Jessie was way ahead of him.

"JAMES!!" the woman screamed, jumping ahead of the cat and running to the source of the noise.

She nearly recoiled in shock as she saw what was happening.

Her partner was trying to squirm out of the grip of a large beast, which snarled and swiped at him. Although the darkness nearly blotted out the features of the monster, Jessie and Meowth could see that it was a wolf. But it was too large, its legs too long, almost-human like. The snout was longer, as well, the ears longer and larger, built for extremely sensitive hearing. The fangs off the beast were about four or more inches long, and its eyes were a sharp yellow, the look of hunger plastered over them. ((See http://www.werewolfpage.com/multimedia/stills/stills/ginger-2.jpg for more details))

It howled again, burying its fang-filled mouth into James' left arm. The male screamed out in agony as the wolf tore a piece of flesh away, swallowing it and beginning to tear at his body with the razor sharp claws on its paws.

Meowth growled, jumping forward with his claws outstretched, preparing to slash the wolf's face apart-

-only to be batted with the back of its paw, sending the cat spiraling to Jessie's feet. As he struggled up, Jessie, grabbed the largest rock in the area, running towards the creature, screaming in rage for this...THING...to hurt HER friend.

She slammed it hard on the wolf's head, but it ignored her. She slammed it into its head four more times, before the wolf gave a loud yelp, its legs buckling as it collapsed to the ground, not moving at all.

Jessie dropped the rock and dropped beside her partner, her eyes wide as she saw the damage done.

James' left arm was badly mauled, bleeding heavily. The front of his shirt was torn apart, revealing his scratched and battered chest, which was covered in his blood. Three long slashes ran along his right cheek. Her partner's eyes were wide with terror, his breathing coming in quick gasps.

Fighting back the tears, Jessie pulled her partner up, slinging his right arm over her shoulder and dragging him through the woods.

I'm sorry James...I'm so, so sorry...

Meowth was beside them, walking along the path and speaking to James, earning slow, slurred responses, reassuring that he was still with them.

The hospital was too far away...he wouldn't be able to make it.

But there was one person who could help, who always followed them to make sure they were okay.

"MONDO!!" Jessie screamed at the top of her lungs, praying that the younger Rocket member could hear them as James passed out from the pain and loss of blood.

In the sky above, the full moon glowed blood red, like a warning of the things to come.