Pokey

Or, I'm not a F***ing Pokémon!!

Part 3

By: Wulffighter

A.k.a: Nu-Klear

Legal: I own neither Gargoyles nor Pokémon.

Authors note: Sorry it took so long RL problems in spades… I would like to thank my beta reader Aaron Halsted, and also Mercenary X for helping me break my writers block!.

Authors note 2: I would really like to get more feedback so if you like this, please give me some feedback!!!

Manhattan

Goliath looked out at the skyline. It had been a week since he and the rest of the clan had returned to find Lexington caring for Alex, who was in a deep state of state of shock, and that his second had apparently been lost to a terrible accident.

Brooklyn, after all the villains we have faced, all the evils we have battled since our awakening in this century, to lose you like this… Goliath sighed and bowed his head as memories of Brooklyn flashed through his mind, ending with the event he witnessed on the security camera's tape.

How could I have missed your pain for so long, my friend? How could I have let it grow to the point that you thought your clan felt nothing for you; Angela and Broadway are devastated, Lexington is being eaten alive by guilt because he feels it was his fault? Hudson and Bronx have not left the suite since it happened. How could you have doubted your place in the clan? You were the heart of the clan and your loss will take longer to heal than you could possibly have known, my friend!

"Goliath?" The mighty gargoyle turned to find his love standing on the stairs looking at him with saddened eyes. She took in his slightly slumped shoulders, the empty expression on his face, and the pained look in his eyes. "It wasn't your fault anymore than it was Lexington's. Brooklyn had given up on himself; you heard him! He felt that we saw him as useless and a burden to the clan. He let his anger and pain get the best of him and that led him to have an accident. He loved the clan, and that's the way we should remember him! Not how he was lost his life, but how he lived!"

~*-*~

Xanatos watched the monitor as the clan leader enveloped his crying mate in his lavender wings and lead her into the clan's suite. The sound of the door opening caught his attention. When he glanced at the window that made up one wall of his office, he saw his assistant's reflection as he moved to stand at his employer's shoulder.

"Anything to report, Owen?" Turning from the monitor's now blank screen, he faced his stoic manservant.

"Yes Mr. Xanatos, my alternate self has investigated the area in which the incident with Brooklyn occurred." Xanatos raised his eyebrow at his assistant's pause. "I am afraid, Mr. Xanatos, that there is little I can tell you. Puck was able to tell that Alexander used a lot of power in that 'spell' which left a lot of interference, making it much harder to determine the affects of the 'spell'. However, Puck was able to determine that the 'spell' transported Brooklyn to somewhere else."

"Very good, Owen. Start preparations to retrieve him at once." Seeing Owen had not moved Xanatos tapped his fingertips together impatiently.

"I'm afraid that is impossible, sir. The 'spell' had no destination set to it. Brooklyn could be anywhere and 'any when'. There is even the remote possibility that he is nowhere, that the spell sent him into oblivion." Owen bowed his head. "Puck could narrow it with Alexander's help, but I'm afraid that the incident has left Alex traumatized and unable to access his powers. Without his help it could take an enormous amount of time to find Brooklyn's whereabouts."

"Damn!" Xanatos whispered. "Realistically, how long do you think it would take for Puck to find Brooklyn on his own?"

"Realistically, sir? It could take days, weeks, years, or even centuries depending on where and when he was sent." Owen replied.

"Well, then, he had better get started then, hadn't he," Xanatos said, looking up with a grim expression. "Owen, tomorrow I want you to find the best therapist available for Alex. I don't care about the cost. Oh, and Owen, one last thing before you go. Until we're sure we can return him not a word of this to the clan. No reason to raise their hopes until we are sure."

Owen bowed and left the office with a slight smile on his lips.

~*-*~

Viridian Forest outside Pallet Town

Brooklyn ground his teeth as the torture continued to increase in intensity and volume.

"Ash Ketchum, you numbskull! How could even you be dumb enough to send an electric type up against a rock type?"

"Pikachu won, so what is your problem?"

"MY PROBLEM? Look at Pikachu! She's exhausted, and we're miles from the nearest Pokémon Center so she won't be able to get treatment for hours. YOU DUMMY! Why are you always so irrespon…."?

"ENOUGH!" Brooklyn roared at the bickering teens, causing them to jump. "For the last week you have argued non-stop. Every damn day, over any & everything, and it's driving me crazy! So, SHUT UP already!

As Brooklyn walked out of the clearing and into Viridian forest, muttering about babysitting and hormones, Ash and Misty just stood there and watched the stressed-out Gargoyle stomp into the shaded woods around them.

"Well, now you've done it!" They looked behind them to find, standing with his arms crossed, a disapproving but amused look on his face. "He might get into trouble if you let him wander off by himself. Maybe you should send one of the other Pokémon to keep an eye on him so he doesn't get himself, or us, in trouble."

Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and ran after Brooklyn, intent on making sure his newest teammate didn't get into any more trouble, while getting a break from the bickering teens herself. She found Brooklyn sitting against a tree, rubbing the side of his head and muttering with a sad, angry and pained expression.

Pikachu quietly climbed a nearby tree and sat down to watch the newcomer.

~*-*~

Gods, WHAT did I do to deserve this? Brooklyn thought as he rubbed the side of his head trying to get the pounding to stop. A week! A whole damn week! I thought they would have been here by now. I don't know how much longer I can put up with those two bickering before I kill one of them. Now I know how Goliath must have felt when Broadway, Lex and I would get started.

Brooklyn looked down at his arm as he flexed it, and then grimaced at the small twinge of pain from the new skin that covered it. At least the skin has stopped peeling… I just wish that there was another way to keep from getting another of those 'Sunburns'…

~* Flashback *~

Viridian City one week ago

The crowd parted before the small group of travelers who were trying to ignore the stares their passing was getting them.

"You'd think they had never seen a group of Pokémon trainers before," Misty said to Brock, who was trying to read a file that Nurse Joy had given them, containing the preliminary information on Brooklyn, along with instructions to visit the breeding shop they were trying to find. He sweatdropped and he glanced at the real cause of the bulging eyes of the people they passed. He'd have sworn he had seen several trainers and even a couple of Pokémon drool. "Brooklyn, are you okay?"

Hearing this, Ash turned to check on his brick-colored companion only to find him moving stiffly and covered in sweat. "Hey, what's the matter?"

Brooklyn looked at them through his sunglasses with a peeved expression. "Let's see, it could be that this is the farthest I've walked in my entire life! The wings aren't for show, you know. Or it could be that my skin feels like someone is massaging it with a red-hot piece of sandpaper!"

He turned to the crowd and scowled. "Or it JUST might be that I have 300 weirdoes staring at me like I'm some kind of CIRCUS FREAK! Take your pick!"

Glaring at the crowd's bulging eyes and dropped jaws Brooklyn growled low in his throat, then turned and walked into the first store he came to.

~*-*~

Viridian Breeding Center

~Bing~

Karen looked up when the door chime broke her out of her. She found herself looking at one of the strangest Pokémon she had ever seen. Glancing at the dark glasses it was wearing she frowned. What type of Pokémon is that? I didn't think there was anything like that in Kanto, and I never saw anything like that back home in Johto.

Looking over its condition as it slowly sat on a bench against the wall, she rolled her eyes in exasperation. Great, it's sun sick! I can see it now; some punk catches something new and has got to show it off. Never mind finding out if it will hurt the Pokémon first. Some trainers shouldn't be let near Pokémon!

As Karen pushed away from the counter to offer the Pokémon her assistance, three trainers walked in and glanced around. Spotting the strange Pokémon they headed straight to it. And here come the punk now! Let's see if it's negligence, ignorance, or abuse.

~*-*~

Ash blinked at his newest Pokémon's outburst as it walked into a store they were about to pass.

"Well that was disturbing.'" Brock said as he glanced at his traveling companions He turned the page and started reading the new page, then muttered, "Uh-oh…"

"Is that all you can say?" Misty asked in an annoyed tone, turning on Brock who was still reading the file with an upset expression. "Hey, what's going on? Nurse Joy put a restraining order in there?"

Brock ignored her comment and read the section he had just finished to them. "Brooklyn is a nocturnal Pokémon so he is very sensitive to sunlight. Extended periods in direct sunlight will cause sun sickness. Sun sickness begins with sunburn type symptoms and depending on length and type of exposure, can lead to nausea, dizziness, headaches, pealing of the skin, blisters, unconsciousness and even death. To avoid this condition, treat him with Pokémon sunscreen with a high S.P.F. level three times a day for four to five days, then lower the S.P.F. level and repeat the procedure for the next three to six weeks. This will condition its skin so that it will tolerate sunlight…" Brock lowered the file and looked at the other trainers. "In other words, he has a sun burn because we didn't give him any sunscreen."

Ash slapped himself on the forehead with a groan. I don't believe this… "I better go apologize to him. And get him some of that stuff."

Ash turned and started to the door Brooklyn had entered, but stopped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder. When he turned he found Brock looking at him with a worried expression. "Ash, this isn't your fault. You couldn't have known. We hadn't even heard of his type of Pokémon 10 hours ago."

"I could have read that file before we left the Pokémon Center." Ash pointed out. "If I had, this wouldn't have happened, but you're right. 'I didn't know' is just not a very good excuse."

That said he turned and walked into the store Brooklyn had entered, stopped and looked at back at Brock and Misty. "Well, at least we finally found the breeding center."

Spotting Brooklyn on a bench against the wall Ash walked over placed his hand on Brooklyn's shoulder and began to apologize to him. "Brooklyn, I'm sor…"

Brooklyn let out a pained growl and jerked his shoulder away from the contact with a curse.

Ash pulled his hand back with an embarrassed and pained expression "ry… I didn't mean to… Did it hurt?"

Brooklyn gave him a look that as much as said 'exactly what grade of moron are you?', then he went back to trying to find a position that wasn't painful. Ash scratched the back of his head for a minute, trying to decide how to say what he wanted to say. He finally settled on the direct approach.

"Brooklyn." Brooklyn sighed and turned towards him. "I'm sorry you got a sun burn. I didn't know how sensitive your skin was; I promise I won't let it happen again."

Brooklyn stared at him for a few seconds, and then looked at his forearm with an amused expression. "So this is a sun burn. How do I get rid of it?"

"I would suggest an Aloe Vera based cream, mixed with this!" Ash turned around to find a young woman standing by the counter holding a dark purple bottle marked Pokémon sunscreen. "This should keep him from getting another burn… and the Aloe Vera will help that one heal."

Ash looked at the bottle then at the woman holding it just before Brock ran up to her and started acting like a lunatic. When Ash glanced at Brooklyn he chuckled at the wary expression on his face as he watched Brock's antics. Guess he's wondering about Brock's sanity now…

~*-*~

Brooklyn stared at Brock in disbelief as the teen thoroughly convinced the young lady that he was insane. And I thought that he was the normal one? Gods, I wish I had watched that show. At least then I'd know which ones where crazy.

Catching sight of Ash chuckling as he watched him, he frowned when he realized he was the source of the young man's amusement. Great going, Brooklyn, play the fool some more. Maybe he'll take you on one of those 'stupid pet trick' shows.

Brooklyn slowly stood and approached the distressed employee. Remembering something that the elders had done to him, when he was being particularly dense as a hatchling, the gargoyle reached out and firmly slapped Brock on the back of the head.

As the teen grabbed his head and stumbled in shock, Brooklyn rolled his eyes and shook his head in disapproval before turning to the young woman. "I apologize for his behavior, ma'am. Now, could you point out this cream to me? I'd like to get this 'sunburn' to stop hurting as soon as possible."

She smiled uncertainly at him then motioned to the far side of the store. "This way."

~*-*~

Brooklyn hissed as Ash and Company rubbed the cream into his skin. This is embarrassing… I can't believe that I let him talk me into letting them apply that stuff! However, as the cream was rubbed in a cool tingle spread over the area as it lessened the pain and slowly relaxed the annoyed gargoyle.

Brooklyn could feel the tension leaving his muscles as they messaged the cream into his abused skin. His eyelids and wings drooped and a contented expression crossed his face as they covered more of the area of his sunburn. That is, until a soft lotion-covered hand gently ran between his wings, sending a wave of intense pain and pleasure through his body.

Brooklyn's eyes snapped open as he jumped away from the touch with a gasp, knocking Ash and Brock on their backsides and spun around to stare wide-eyed at the teenage girl that had been standing behind him, her lotion covered hand still outstretched.

~*-*~

Misty stood frozen as Brooklyn stared at her, his eyes wide, pupils dilated, as his body trembled slightly. After a few seconds Brooklyn closed his eyes and released a shaky chuckle. "I'm sorry… But you're too young for me, and definitely not my type, Misty!"

The young woman that ran the Breeding store blinked at him several times. Brock started to make choking sounds as the young woman started laughing at the expression on Misty's face. Misty looked back and forth between them with a confused expression. "What…?"

Karen laughed even harder at that, while Brock sweatdropped and pulled at the collar of his shirt. This caused Misty's expression to change from confused to annoyed, which caused Brock to take a step back in concern. "Well, Misty… I'd have to say from Brooklyn's reaction that to him when a female rubs a male like that it's a mating gesture. So when you rubbed him like that, he though you were… ummm, propositioning him!"

By the end of Brock's lecture Misty's face was nearly the same color as Ash's hat. "Bu…bu…but I wouldn't…" Misty stuttered out before seeing the annoyed and amused expression Brooklyn was directing at Brock.

"Actually, I was attempting to make a joke! I do know the difference between an accidental touch and a proposition. Anyway that hurt a hell of a lot more then it felt good!" Brooklyn walked back to the table he had been sitting on and gingerly sat on the edge, all without taking his eyes from Misty. "Just watch where you put your hands, and warn me before going to any new areas! Okay?"

Misty pursed her lips, crossed her arms and stomped to the far side of the room muttering about perverted and insane Pokémon. Brooklyn watched Ash and Brock follow her with a smirk, and then hissed as a hand gently gripped his wing and pulled it to full extension. When he looked over his shoulder he found Karen smirking at him. As she started to rub in the cream between his wings, she began to whisper at him. "You don't have to be an ass, you know! I can understand you not liking the situation you're in… but there are better ways to handle it."

Brooklyn glared at her for a moment before he turned back to the front as Brock and Ash returned from calming Misty. When they began to finish applying the cream Ash shook his head and frowned at Brooklyn. "That wasn't very nice Brooklyn! Why can't you at least act like you're trying to be our friend?"

Brooklyn growled slightly, causing Pikachu to stiffen, and glared at Ash out of the corner of his eye. "If someone woke you up, kicked you in the nuts, had their pets beat the shit out of you, stuffed you in a little ball, and then made you run for a few hours in a desert with no shirt on, would you feel like treating them like friends a few hours later?"

Brooklyn shook his head with an amused snort as Ash face-faulted, then started to chuckle when Ash scratched the back of his head with the hand covered in lotion. Gods, I've been captured by the Three Stooges!

~*-*~

Ash stared at his hand in disbelief as he heard Brooklyn chuckle. Great, I must be making a wonderful impression on Brooklyn… he probably thinks I'm the biggest loser on the planet.

Hearing someone clear their throat, Ash turned his head to find Karen holding out a towel and bottle of shampoo. "Ash you can use one of the sinks in back to wash that out. Brock and I can finish this. That way you can get on your way with less of a delay. Okay?"

"Thank you," Ash said as he took the towel and walked toward one of the sinks that lined the back of the store. As he turned on the water he saw Misty slowly approach Brooklyn in the mirror. Brooklyn slid his tail to the side away from her. Misty gave Brooklyn a hurt expression, then reached out and tentatively began to help rub the last of the lotion in.

Ash grinned at the scene in the mirror as he turned on the faucet. Maybe this won't be so bad after all…

~* End Flashback *~

Brooklyn leaned back against the trunk of the tree and sighed tiredly. "Why me? Why is this happening to me?! I know I wasn't the best second-in-command, but does that mean that I deserve to be the servant of some stuck up half pint moron and his crazy girlfriend!"

(Boy, they really messed you up bad, didn't they?) When he looked up he saw Pikachu sitting on a branch overhead looking down at him with the same strange expression she had been using whenever looked at Brooklyn during the last week. (You really only see him as someone trying to make you their property! I don't know what they did to you, but I can tell you this: Ash wouldn't hurt you or let you get hurt on purpose. He is friends with his Pokémon, not their master, and he wants to be your friend, too, if you'd let him.)

"I'm NOT a Pokémon!" Brooklyn growled as his eyes started to glow. "And why should I give a damn about anything you have to say?"

(I never said you were.) Pikachu smiled and tilted her head to the side (and you should care because no one, Human, Pokémon or other-wise can face life alone forever. Ash is a good person and cares for everyone, so if you are looking for friends and allies he is a good place to start. I'm not asking you to make him your master, only that you give him the chance to become your friend.)

"I'm sorry but, no thanks," Brooklyn turned away from him with a snort. "Since I meet that twit I have been beaten, sun-burned, tortured, and treated like property. So I really don't…"

(Would you please quit feeling sorry for your self!)? Pikachu rolled her eyes in exasperation. (You want to leave? Fine! Then leave! No one is making you stay! You choose to stay, remember? You're pissed that we attacked you! Why? We were the ones that got our asses handed to us! Upset because we attacked you for no reason? Well what were we supposed to do? Stand around and see if the large creature with talons and sharp teeth, that happens to smell like a predator, was going to try and eat a friend? Or try and drive it off so that it doesn't have a chance to try?)

Brooklyn turned away and stared into the forest. (Brooklyn, you put most of Ash's Pokémon, me included, in the Pokémon center… and yet we are still giving you a chance to be our friend! Now I don't know what your life has been like or who has done what to you to make you like this… but I feel you at least owe us the same chance!)

Pikachu's speech seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, for Brooklyn had turned over to face away from the Pokémon, seemingly ignoring her. Pikachu was getting very annoyed with the attitude Brooklyn was displaying.

(Why are you acting like this? Is being our friend really that horrible a possibility to you?) Pikachu was not pleased with the way Brooklyn was acting and was determined to at least find the root of his problem, and hopefully get him to give them all a chance to be friends.

"Tell me, do you have any family? Anyone you care about and are hoping to see again?" Brooklyn said to the yellow electric mouse.

(Not really, I was the only one to survive from my litter and my mom died just before Professor Oak captured me. So now Ash and the others are my family.) She said to the gargoyle below her.

"Well, I happened to be the second in command of my clan and I'm praying to whatever gods up there that are listening that they get off their asses and come and get me home soon. I just want to go home!" Brooklyn leaned his head back and stared up at the foliage and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "I think I'm even beginning to miss the Quarrymen. At least they never tried to make me a pet." This put things into a new prospective for the electric rodent Pokémon. However she still felt that she needed to understand the reason for his continuing negative attitude towards the group.

(Well, why don't you just tell Ash that you want to go home and leave then? Like I said before, we're not making you stay, you choose to. Ash won't force you to stay if you don't want to. He would probably even try and help you get home.) As it spoke the electric mouse type Pokémon had climbed down the tree and sat next to Brooklyn.

"Does he does know any good Sorcerers or whatever you call magic users around here? That's how I came to be in the area that you guys found me in. I kind of got pissed off and blew up in one's face! So I have no idea how to get home until he… " The small Pokémon stared up at him slack jawed for a few seconds then started giggling. Brooklyn glared at the small creature. "What exactly is so funny?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

Pikachu glanced up at the annoyed expression on the gargoyle's face, and fell on to her side as she burst out laughing. (You heh mean you heh heh attacked something strong enough to Heh heh send you far enough away that you can't get home with a Hah ha heh explosion attack?!) She then completely dissolved into helpless laughter, rolling on the ground.

Brooklyn closed his eyes and shook his head with an obvious expression of pain at the rodent. I don't know what's worse being treated like a pet, that crap they keep trying to feed me, or the fact that I'm having conversations with a rat and it's doesn't seem odd to anyone!

"Well, fuck you, too!" To this outburst she just stuttering out (You're heh heh not heh my type.) and laughed harder than before. Brooklyn stared at Pikachu in surprise for a few seconds before he smirked and to both of their surprise started to crack up himself.

It was then that both of them heard Misty distantly yelling.

"Pikachu, Brooklyn!!! Come on back. Ash's getting lunch ready here." Pikachu's ears snapped to attention at that. After getting most of her laughter under control, she bolted for the clearing happily with the intent to pig out on her favorite food, ketchup. The Pokémon then looked back to Brooklyn and saw that he hadn't moved.

(Well? Are you coming or not?)

"Yeah, I'm coming. I just hope that they don't try to give me that pellet shit again. Gods, that stuff was horrible, and I wasn't able to get the taste out of my mouth for the rest of that night," he said to himself, chuckling at the joke he made even though the Pokémon didn't get it.

~SNAP!~

The noise made Brooklyn stop, going alert as he turned around to scan his surroundings, but he saw nothing in the interior of the forest but shadows. Then out of the corner of his eye, Brooklyn thought he saw something pass by. But when he turned his head quickly in that direction he saw nothing after that. He then sniffed the air, picking up a strange scent, but as soon as he got it, it disappeared. Shrugging it off as just another one of the wild Pokémon that seemed to inhabit the area, the gargoyle went on to the clearing. Hoping they would have something decent for food this time or he would make good on his threat to go hunting. They better not try to serve it in a bowl either!

~*-*~

That was close, the person that had been watching the gargoyle said to itself. It had been following the strange Pokémon for about a week now, since it appeared and ended up in the hands of the Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum. Why is it that major events seem to happen around that human child?

It was then that it felt a familiar presence of another behind him. It glanced back at it in slight annoyance. (So, I take it you felt it when he appeared a week ago? I hope that you are going to take this seriously, especially since what I saw of his power could even pose a challenge to me.)

The newcomer never spoke a word, just looked on with avid curiosity.

~*-*~

Brooklyn sat at the table, head resting on his hand, elbow on the table staring at the rice ball in his other hand suspiciously. Okay they gave the same thing they're eating this time. Now what the hell is it!

Brooklyn sniffed at it, shrugged and took a bite out of it. Chewed it thoughtfully and swallowed. Brooklyn looked up to find Brock looking at him expectantly. "Kind of bland… but better then that crap you gave them!" Brooklyn said pointing to where Pikachu and the other Pokémon (minus Charizard) were eating their Poke-food while popping another into his mouth.

Brock's face crumpled for a second, then brightened. "Alright Brooklyn, what would you like me to make for you next time?" Brooklyn looked at him for a moment before slowly smiling. "How are you at haggis*?"

Brock's entire body went stiff for a second before he grabbed his mouth and ran into the woods where retching sounds could be heard seconds later. Brooklyn chuckled at Ash and Misty's confused expressions at their friend's reaction. "What's haggis?" Misty asked cautiously. Brooklyn swallowed the rice ball he was eating and told them. Then fell off his stool laughing as they quickly joined Brock.

~*-*~

Brooklyn lay on the grass staring up at the stars. I'll never get to sleep. How the heck can they expect me to sleep at night? I mean, it's when I'm supposed to be up! Gods, I'm tired… when was the last time I slept?? Oh, yeah. At that Hospital/Vet thing… Walk all day; lay awake all night. I don't know how long I can keep this up without them catching on… Fuck it! I'm sleeping tomorrow if I have to club them and tie them up!

(Are you still up?! Don't you ever need to sleep?) Brooklyn looked toward the quiet voice and was somewhat surprised to find Pikachu wiping sleep from her eyes. (When was the last time you last slept anyway?)

Brooklyn rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the stars overhead muttering. "Just what I need. A rat that thinks it's my rookery mother!" Hearing a crackle of electricity from Pikachu's direction he sighed in annoyance. "Not that it's any of your business, but, I need to sleep, and the last time I slept was at the hospital… You satisfied now?!"

(The hosp… you mean the Pokémon Center? But that was nearly a week ago! Why haven't you slept since then?) Pikachu asked incredulously.

Brooklyn gave her a sour look before turning away with a grunt. "I used to turn to stone every morning, so sleeping then wasn't a problem! Now I don't, and I'm traveling with a moron, his girlfriend, and a lunatic, which tends to make for a hard time falling asleep! Oh, and to top it off they want me to sleep at night... I've never intentionally slept at night in my life!"

Pikachu's eyes narrowed in annoyance at her teammate's idiotic behavior. She watched him as he lay there muttering to himself miserably and came to a decision, turned, and scampered away in the direction of where she and the others had been sleeping.

Brooklyn groaned in irritation when he heard her go. She's going to get the Brat! Like there's anything he could do to make me sleep! But he'll still come over here any way, try to get me to sleep, royally piss me off, and then I'll have an even harder time trying to sleep.

A moment later he heard Pikachu speaking with somebody in a whisper. Feeling his eyes start to glow from his frustration Brooklyn turn toward the sounds of Pikachu's approach. Only to see that instead of Ash she had brought over the Pokémon that looked like a frog with an onion on its back. Why did she get that thing?

Bulbasaur looked from Brooklyn to Pikachu and back before sighing dramatically. (Look, this wasn't my idea buddy… So don't kill me, okay?) Brooklyn looked at him in confusion for a moment before noticing a sparking powder falling on him. Brooklyn felt his eyes droop and his head spin, glancing at the two Pokémon he noticed that the powder was coming from the plant on the green ones back. He fell on his stomach with a tired growl. "You dirty Son of a… <snore>"

Bulbasaur watched the sleeping gargoyle with a worried expression. (Why do I get the feeling that when he wakes up, I'm going to be feeling a lot of pain?)

~*-*~

Ash stared at Brooklyn's sleeping form in disbelief. Brooklyn's always awake before any of us! Is he sick?

Ash reached to check Brooklyn for a fever, only to have Pikachu jump between them. Ash looked at his best friend curiously, until she motioned him to go away. (Don't, you might wake him up Ash! Let him sleep!)

Ash looked from her to Brooklyn and back with a perplexed expression on his face. "Come on Pikachu, I just want to see if he's getting sick. He's always up before us. I don't want him getting sick like he was from that sunburn again."

Pikachu sighed in exasperation at her trainer's stubbornness, and then looked him in the eyes with a stern expression. (Just let him get some sleep! From what he said last night he hasn't slept since we left the Pokémon Center and from the way he was talking he probably wouldn't be sleeping now if I hadn't had Bulbasaur use Sleep Powder on him! So it would be best if you just let him sleep for now, okay Ash?)

Ash's mouth fell open in shock, as he just stood there staring at his sleeping Pokémon. After a few moments his face fell into a familiar determined expression. Before he turned, walked to the far side of camp opened his pack and pulled something out of it. "Brock, could you help me with this?"

"Help you with what, Ash?" Brock asked, "I thought you were getting Brooklyn so we could get going? If we hurry we could be in Pallet Town before nightfall!"

"We're not going anywhere…" Ash said in an annoyed but firm tone as he walked back the way he'd come, unfolding the tarp he had taken out of his pack. "…at least not for a while! I need you to help me set this up to keep the sun off Brooklyn."

"Why?"

"Because if he sleeps in the sun all day he will get another sunburn." Ash said in a tone that indicated he thought it was obvious.

"Oh." Brock said absently as he dug through his pack for a hammer. A moment later his head snapped up as his mind final processed what Ash had said. "What?"

~*-*~

Brooklyn slowly opened his eyes as he rolled over and stretched. Now that was a WEIRD fucking dream... Brooklyn stopped mid thought when his eyes focused on a tarp set up like a tent above him. What in the hell? Why am I in a tent?

"Pikachu that was the last of the ketchup!" Brooklyn stared at the tent wall in shock as his sleep fuzzy mind snapped awake and supplied him with the events of the last week. Brooklyn felt a wave of anger, helplessness, frustration, fear, sadness, and finally an almost overpower rage overwhelmed it all.

~*-*~

Ash jumped at the terrifying roar that came from the tent a split second before it seemed to explode. As he watched, the glowing-eyed Brooklyn clawed, ripped, tore, punched, kicked, bit, and jumped up and down on the remains of the tarp that had been covering him.

After a few minutes of this, Brooklyn fell to his hands and knees, panting in exhaustion. A few moments later he sat up and after he took in his immediate surroundings, looked sheepish and shook his head with a sigh. "Really mature Brooklyn… I really shouldn't be throwing tantrums like a hatchling just because life isn't going my way." He muttered.

Ash gently laid his hand on Brooklyn shoulder. "Brooklyn, are you okay?"

Brooklyn gave him a look before squinting, putting on his sunglasses and getting to his feet. Looking at the ground for a moment he sighed and looked back at Ash. "Sorry about the tent. I'll get you a new one… it just may take awhile!"

"Forget about it… Do you feel better now that you got some sleep?" Brooklyn's head spun back to Ash with a surprised expression at that. "Pikachu told me. Why didn't you tell me you couldn't sleep? Brock could've helped you. He's studying to be a Pokémon Breeder; he knows how to help you sleep at night instead of the day and we could have traveled some at night so you could have slept some during the day! "

"I'm NOT a… "

"'Pokémon'. I know," Brock said as he joined in. "But the same process is used on humans and Pokémon, so it should work on you, too. Ash may not be tactful but he is right, you should have told us! If you had it would have saved us all a lot of trouble… speaking of which, are you hungry?"

"What trouble? And why do you want to know if…" Brooklyn trailed off as his stomach growled loudly and sent a pain of hunger through his body. He looked at his stomach in concern before glancing at the smirking Brock. "I guess I am. How did you know?"

"I'd be surprised if you weren't. You have been asleep for over two and a half days, and that would make anyone hungry." Seeing Brooklyn's shocked expression, he shrugged and headed to the table where they had been having breakfast. Still talking, he started preparing more food. "You were really out of it, too! You didn't even move when we washed the sleep powder off you! Sorry no (shudder) haggis, but will pancakes, sausage and eggs do?"

When he didn't get an answer he looked back at the table and flinched. Brooklyn was eating at a frightening pace; even Ash was staring at him in awe. Brock turned back to the food, throwing even more food in the pan with a gulp. I hope this gets done before he finishes. I don't want to take the chance he's wild enough to try and eat us! Most Pokémon wouldn't but with what's happened to him… he probably wouldn't but I've read way too many stories of abused Pokémon turning on people not to worry.

Glancing back at him Brock smiled as Brooklyn took a Power drink Ash was offering him. Well now I feel like an idiot. How does he do that? Everyone he meets winds up his friend, whether they want to or not… Well maybe not Gary!

~*-*~

Two sets of eyes watched the gargoyle from the forest as he ate, slowly devouring the contents of the table. Both seemed to reflect amusement at Brooklyn's traveling companions' reactions to his appetite. (I don't see why they are so surprised at his appetite. After traveling with Ash you would think that someone with a large appetite wouldn't faze them.) It smirked (That boy eats nearly as much as a Snorlax!)

Its companion gave it a curious but penetrating look. A few seconds later its eyes went wide and it vanished, giggling at the same time it sent a mental image to its companion. It stared at where the other had been for a moment trying to understand the image it had received. Seconds later the contents of the image came became clear in a flash of insight that left the remaining individual sputtering in shock and indignation.

(How dare… When I… I'm going to… Errrrrrrrrrr!) With that it, too, vanished.

~*-*~

Outside Pallet Town

Two days later

Gary smiled as his car pulled onto the road to his grandfather's lab. It will be good to see Gramps again; I can't wait to show him how many badges I have now. Gary's expression turned to one of shock when he saw his grandfather pacing on his porch, looking very worried. What could bother Gramps that much? He wasn't this upset when Ash and I were 6 hours late from that concert in Viridian!

As his car stopped, Professor Oak started as if just noticing that it was there. His surprise turned to happiness when he saw Gary getting out of the car. "Well hello, Gary, I wasn't expecting to see you for a while… Is there something I can help you with?"

"Not really Gramps. I just needed a break!" Gary looked around curiously as he walked up the stairs onto the porch "So… am I disrupting something? If you need some privacy I could hang out in Viridian City…" Gary trailed off seeing the smirk Professor Oak was directing at his grandson.

"No your being here shouldn't be any trouble at all," Professor Oak said in a mischievous but warm tone. "As for you 'hanging out' in Viridian, I don't think so… my lawyers are still trying to straighten out the mess from the last time you 'hung out' there!"

Gary's face was beet red by this time. I guess I should have worded that a little differently! I thought he had forgotten about that! At least Ash didn't see this! "I…I didn't mean it that…" He was cut off by his grandfather's laughter.

"I was joking Gary!" Professor Oak grinned at the indignant expression on his grandson's face. "Seriously, I've just been expecting a… a trainer that has caught an unknown type of Pokémon to arrive almost a week ago! I am getting a little worried."

Gary face-faulted at that. A week late…? Now that explains some of it. A delay like that of delivering a new Pokémon can only mean trouble! Most trainers would just transport it to him, and even walking it here they would have to get pretty lost to be a week late… Gary's eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. I only know of one trainer that could be this late delivering an unknown Pokémon and not have half the Jennies in Kanto looking for him and that's…

"Hey, Professor Oak! Sorry we're late but… GARY?!" …Ash! Gary stiffened at the familiar voice from the side door to the lab. As he turned in the direction his rival's voice had come from, he forced himself to relax.

"Hey, loser." Gary smirked at the frozen trainer. "What's the matter? Finally figure out how big a loser you are and give up?"

"I. Am. Not. A. Loser." Ash growled out between clenched teeth as he walked to the porch with both hands clenched into fists.

Gary shook his head and walked into the lab chuckling. "Keep telling yourself that if you want, loser! But sooner or later you're going to have to admit the truth."

"What? That you're a spoiled brat and an asshole? Okay, I'll admit that right now!" Gary spun toward the unknown voice; teeth bared in fury, only to take a step back at the Pokémon crouched on the porch railing with its wings partly spread for balance. It had red skin, a smirking beak-like snout lined with razor like teeth, white hair, horns, pointed ears, and talons on its hands and feet. What in the hell is that?

"…" Gary blushed brightly as realized that he had been staring at it for a few moments, his mouth opening and closing like a beached Magikarp. The Pokémon's smirk deepened as it watched him blush.

"Hey, I didn't know that humans could turn redder then me," it said as it cocked its head to the side. "Does that hurt?"

Unbelievably, Gary's eyes got wider when the Pokémon spoke, causing it to chuckle. It hopped from the railing to the porch, wrapped it's wings around itself like a cape and stood up straight on its hind legs, revealing it to be a couple of feet taller than Gary. It turned to Professor Oak and looked him over with a suspicious expression.

"So you're Professor Oak I take it?" At the professor's nod it snorted and shook its head. "Okay, let's get a couple of things straight from the beginning. I hate being called a Pokémon because I'm not one, and don't trust doctors or scientists! If I think you're trying something funny I'll clean your clock! Got it?" At Professor Oak's nod Brooklyn grinned. "Good boy!"

"Brooklyn, cut it out…" Brooklyn gave Ash a harsh look "P-please?"

"It's quite all right, Ash." Professor Oak said with a smile. "I understand and am not that bothered by his reaction to me. While his being able to talk like a human is a shock, it should make this easier in the long run. Now Brooklyn I just need to run some tests to make sure your healthy and get a complete breakdown of your Stats, none of which will cause you any harm." Professor Oak gestured toward the door offhandedly. "So if you will please come into the lab we can get started."

Brooklyn rolled his eyes and entered the door to the lab. As he did Gary took a step towards his grandfather with a confused expression. "Gary, LOOK OUT!"

At the same time he heard Ash's warning he felt something soft give under his shoe and Brooklyn's roar of pain and anger.

~*-*~

Professier Oak's Lab

Later that same day

Gary stood on the far side of his grandfather's lab staring in awe at Ash's newest Pokémon. He would have gotten closer, but he was afraid of tempting the thing into finishing what it had start when it nearly threw him across the room for stepping on its tail. Ash had to spend several minutes practically begging it to put Gary down. It had final complied, but as his sore rear could attest, it didn't do so gently. It had dropped Gary, whose feet had been two feet in the air, without warning making him fall onto his rear on the hard tile floor of the lab. As he watched it he rubbed his bottom trying to learn as much as he could… while keeping himself a ways out of arms reach of it.

My God, where in the world did that loser find this thing? Gary thought as he just stood by and watched as his grandfather went over the strange red Pokémon, as he watched his grandfather picked up an empty syringe and approached it. The Pokémon looked from Professor Oak to the syringe and back with a hostile expression. It the calmly picked up a metal instrument tray, crumpled it so it closely resembled a wadded piece of paper, and then causally threw it over his shoulder. All without taking its eyes off the Professor.

Gary quietly exited the lab, his thought racing, as his grandfather attempted to calm the hostile Pokémon's doubts.

~*-*~

Professor Oak frowned in obvious annoyance at the Pokémon, before sighing and shaking his head. Perfect the last of the required tests and he has to become difficult… "Brooklyn I assure you that I am not doing anything that will cause you any harm. Now may I please have a blood sample so I can make sure you don't have any diseases, parasites, or anything else of that unpleasant variety?"

"No fucking way!" Brooklyn said crossing his arms in defiance, his eyes glowing slightly in anger "Last one of you science guys got some of my blood it was used it to make a goddamn copy of me! One was plenty, two is more then enough, and so there's no way I'm going to let there be three of me!"

The Professor rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. I shouldn't be getting angry with him; it's not his fault. I had almost forgotten how untrusting an abused Pokémon could be! Damn whoever did this to him! I can't even bring myself to think of what they must have done to create this level of anger… not that I really want too.

"Brooklyn… I am not going to make a clone of you! Other then the fact that I don't now how, it would be crazy to clone a creature I know next to nothing about! I mean I could accidentally make a super powered monster bent on wiping out all life on earth…" Professor Oak smiled in amusement "Professor Samuel Oak Pokémon Researcher and Creator of World Destroying Monsters! Now that wouldn't really look good on my business cards now would it?"

To the Professor's surprise Brooklyn smiled slightly at that. At least he still has a sense of humor. Now if he will just get him to lower his defenses and let someone in, he could start healing. "Brooklyn, you could watch me run the tests and destroy the sample afterwards, if you want. Please?"

Brooklyn let out a sigh that sound more than half growl and unfolded his arms setting one of his arms on the tray beside him. Professor Oak looked at him in surprise at his actions. Brooklyn gave him an annoyed look. "Well what are you waiting for? Are you going to do this or what?"

Professor Oak cautiously walks up to him noticing how tense Brooklyn was. He slowly wiped the arm with an alcohol swab, after tying a length of surgical tubing around its bicep, and then gently patted the arm to find a vein, after a few failed attempts he straightened and rubbed at his temples. "I'm sorry, I'll be right back."

Walking to the far side of the room Professor Oak dug through the contents of a cabinet muttering. A moment later he gave an exclamation and pulled a small case out of it. After he carried it back to Brooklyn he opened it and removed an object the resembled a pen with a black marble on one end. "Now Brooklyn I'll need you to hold still for this."

Pressing the 'marble' into Brooklyn's arm the Professor stared into the case, slowly moving the pen across the arm. After a few moments of this he stopped the pen and pushed something in the case, which cased Brooklyn to jerk slightly in surprise. After a few seconds later Professor Oak removed the instrument from Brooklyn's arm.

"You got very thick skin," The Professor said as he taped a bandage to the inside of Brooklyn's elbow, he then opened the end of the device and removed a vial of blood "I had to use the scanner syringe we use on Kangaskhan to find a vein."

"Why didn't you try asking me? I could have shown you where to get it." Brooklyn raised his arm, patted the inside of his left bicep causing a vein to become clearly visible, looking up Brooklyn chuckled at the expression on the Professors face "No problem… I did give you the okay to get some blood. So my fault for not telling you, or realizing what you where trying to do when you where patting my arm."

The Professor Oak rubbed his temples again wincing, I m must be getting old! I really don't understand his behavior. Most abused Pokémon I did that to wouldn't trust me near them again!

"Brooklyn you may go now, if you like!" The Professor said lowering his hand and walking to the far side of the room. "If you want to stay you can, but before I can run any more detailed tests I have to do this blood work, analyze the data from the tests you've already taken. Then I have to use the results of those tests to set a baseline so we can tell have something to base any other tests on."

"Huh?" Brooklyn's confusion clearly written on his face "You mean all those tests… where just so you would know what other test to do? Why not just use one of those scanner things the hospital had to find out what you needed?"

Professor Oak smiled and shook his head in amusement. "When used on a unknown species, scanners and revivers only look for and repair obviously damaged or sick tissue, a living body is too complex for it to completely catalog every cell without a template to work from!"

Professor Oak slid the vial into a machine, closed the lid and pushed a few buttons causing a hum issue from the machine. He then sat down and watched the information on the progress of the tests flash by on his computer screen.

To Be Continued…

~*-*~

Preview…

After watching Professor Oak work on his computer, Brooklyn sighed, hopped off the table he had been sitting on, and left the lab looking for Ash. Now where did that idiot go? I swear that I have the worse luck in the world… either of them! Brooklyn grinned slightly and shook his head in amusement "If I was going to be somebody's pet, why couldn't it have been a good looking, sexually frustrated, female?"

He found them in the living room Brock and Misty watching Ash and the Asshole. Ash had his hands clenched into fists, his teeth bared, and Brooklyn had no doubt that if they could his eyes would be glowing like novas. While Gary had his eyes narrowed, head cocked to the side, and was smirking arrogantly.

"What's the matter, Ashy boy? You gone coward on me… "Gary's eyes glanced at the pair on the couch before his smirk deepened "or maybe this one become more of a 'Pet' then your others?"

"How dare…"

"You pig…"

"PIKA!"

Brooklyn caught Ash's arm with his fist less then and inch from Gary's wide-eyed face. Ash looked up at him in shock, Brooklyn shook his head at the young man before releasing his arm. "He wanted you to hit him…"

* haggis: a pudding especially popular in Scotland made of the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep or a calf minced with suet, onions, oatmeal, and seasonings and boiled in the stomach of the animal.

Webster's Third New International Dictionary pg, 1019