Lumiose University - A Degree In Pokemon

Chapter 52: A Mega Project

Author's Note:

Here we are with another chapter. My excuse this time...a slow as f...udge computer. I have a replacement now, though. Hopefully another chapter coming this weekend or maybe a wild week next week. Anyway, on to the aftermath of the attack on Jessie and James that happened last chapter.

Chapter 52: A Mega Project

"Do you remember what this hunter looked like? Anything he was wearing, or any distinguishing features that could make him recognizable?" Officer Jenny's voice was straining with the effort to stay calm, despite the situation, and Ash couldn't blame her. If people were now being attacked and having their Pokemon stolen, there was no telling what could be next.

"I...don't remember," James answered, eyes staring at the ground of the Pokemon Centre. Ash and his friends, accompanied by Henry, had been quick to take Jessie and James there when they'd found them, knowing that Officer Jenny had been keeping in touch with Nurse Joy in case anyone brought Pokemon in that were potentially hurt by the hunters.

Jessie spoke up next, sounding very different from her usual fiery self. Ash would've thought it was another person if he hadn't been looking at her. "It happened so quickly. We were looking...and then Meowth was gone a moment...and then he came back..."

They waited a moment, but it appeared Jessie wasn't going to continue, so Officer Jenny gently pressed for more information. "Did something happen after Meowth came back?"

James answered this time, taking a deep breath as he seemed to struggle to remember clearly. "He had...someone with him."

"A Pokemon," Jessie added, looking up thoughtfully. "The goat Pokemon."

"A Skiddo?" Henry asked, standing a little bit away, but close enough to pay attention.

Jessie nodded. "We'd wondered where Meowth had gone, and then he'd come back with that...Skiddo. It looked like it had been hurt."

"I think it must've been caught by the hunters," James added, straightening up a little as the memory seemed to come back to him. "Meowth had found it, and then freed it."

"That's when the hunter showed up," Jessie murmured, shivering a little with the thought. "He had...an Aggron."

"Yes...and it attacked us right away." Both paused a moment, wincing as though the attack was happening again. Officer Jenny waited patiently, and then James continued. "We called out our Pokemon to fight back, and Meowth joined in, trying to protect Skiddo. The boss..." He looked suspiciously at Officer Jenny and then shook his head. "We had just gotten some of our old Pokemon back that had been gone for awhile, and we started calling them out. Mime Jr. and Jessie's Seviper were the first..." He trailed off, shutting his eyes.

"Wobbuffet tried to get in the way," Jessie added, clenching her fists. "I wanted him to use Counter. He wasn't fast enough, though. Before we knew it, they were all knocked out. When Meowth tried to help Wobbuffet, Aggron grabbed him and threw him down towards the hunter. By then we had our other Pokemon out, but the hunter was too quick for any of them. He had something that was shooting out ropes that tied them up and shocked them...and..."

Ash narrowed his eyes, not sure how to react to that. It sounded a bit like some of the things Team Rocket had used on him in the past, although perhaps a bit more dangerous and better made. He would never wish this happening to anyone, but he did hope that Team Rocket might learn from this. Stealing a Pokemon from its trainer was evil. Nobody deserved it, and nobody had the right to do it.

"It was all happening so fast then," Jessie continued. "We tried to attack the hunter, but Aggron used Hyper Beam on us. The next thing I remembered was...the twerps." She looked awkwardly at Ash, before returning her gaze to Officer Jenny. "I don't know what else I can say."