Aura Eater by Illusionofsleep

A/N: This idea came to me one night in a dream, (a sign you have been watching too much Pokemon), and then I kind of got carried away. I have hid many references in this story, see if you can find them. On that note, even though I use the term Kurai in this story, this story is in no way related to my other story Kurai, which by the way is still in working progress, I just like the name Kurai. And now the usual disclaimer.

Pokémon is owned by Game Freak and Nintendo. I do not own anything.

Chapter 1

"Brock, are you sure about this?" Ash asked the third time today.

"Don't worry Ash," Brock answered, "cutting through these woods will get us to the next town in half the time." He said as he continued walking on confident there was nothing to worry about.

Ash on the other hand was still not reassured by his answer, as he looked around at the over looming trees. Something about these woods was just putting him off. He didn't feel right being here, short cut or not. He couldn't explain it, but ever since he had set foot in these forests he had this deep feeling that something was not right. He had this feeling that someone was watching them, and it was creeping him out. He glanced over his shoulder for the hundredth time and found nothing.

"Pi ka?" Pikachu asked curiously noticing Ash's unease.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked as she noticed him glance behind them.

"I don't know." Ash responded as he turned his attention back to the road before him wondering once again what it was about this place that seemed to have him on edge. "Something about this place seems to give me the creeps." He finished as he continued walking behind the others another chill running up his spine causing him to give a shudder.

"Really?" Dawn asked in surprise. She glanced around the area, but couldn't understand what about this place could possibly give Ash the creeps. She found this place to be beautiful, and relaxing. She looked at him oddly wondering how this place could have such an effect on him, when it seemed to be having the exact opposite on her.

Brock too, scanned the surrounding area, but he too found this place to be relaxing. He was about to say so when-

"Listen is that a voice I hear?" A familiar voice cried out from nowhere causing the weary travelers to sigh knowing full well what was about to come next.

"It's ringing loud and clear." Another voice chirped out.

"On the wind." Jessie cried out as she leaped forth from the woods and onto the trail, followed closely by her partner.

"Past the stars" James continued, as he pranced about.

"In your ear." The little meowth chimed in.

"Bringing chaos at a break neck pace."

"Dashing hope putting fear in its place."

"A rose by any other name smells just as sweet."

"When everything's worse our work is complete."

"Jessie"

"James."

"Meowth, now that's a name."

"Putting the do gooders in their place."

"We're team rocket."

"In your face!" They all finished together revealing their newest machine to capture Pikachu.

"woobuffet!"

"What do you know Ash, maybe you were sensing team Rocket following us." Dawn said as she turned to Ash, clearly unimpressed by the new mecha team rocket had schemed up this time.

"Well it was bound to happen sooner or later, they have been following you for a long time now, maybe you have developed this team rocket sense." Brock chirped in. "Yeah I guess that would make some sense."Ash replied although not entirely convinced.

"Hey!" Jessie yelled angrily at being ignored by the twerps. "I will not be ignored by the likes of you." Jessie screamed angrily down at them from the massive mecha. Both James and Meowth sighed at seeing Jessie's reaction. "Perhaps the motto is losing its touch." James suggested as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah well get in touch with this!" Meowth exclaimed as he slammed down on one of the many buttons on the dash, causing one of the giant arms to extend towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried out as the little mouse Pokémon was snatched in the grip of the giant mecha. "Pikapi!" He cried out for his trainer.

"Give Pikachu back!" Ash yelled up to the machine knowing full well it was a waste of breath. "When you twerps stop being so naïve!" Jessie yelled back, sticking her tongue out at the three twerps. "Pikachu, thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. Pikachu nodded and gave its strongest blast of thunderbolt he could muster, but the attack seemed to have no effect.

Laughter rumbled from inside the mecha at the failed thunderbolt. "And since we knew that wouldn't happen, Pikachu is as good as ours!" James cried out in delight. Ash groaned in frustration. "Hate to grab and split." Meowth yelled down taunting the twerps as he pushed a few more buttons causing the mecha to turn in the other direction, "but hanging with you twerps is bad for our health." He finished as the massive robot began dashing off, causing the entire ground to shake.

"Not so fast!" Ash yelled after them as he began to pursue. "Ash wait!" Dawn cried out as he chased after them. "Dawn lets go." Brock said as he ran in the direction Ash had just disappeared.

Ash dashed forwards through the woods not really caring where he was going, as long as it was where Pikachu was going, determination driving him forward as he ran down the mecha, closing in behind it. "Alright Buizel help me out." He cried as he threw one of his pokéballs in the air releasing the water weasel Pokémon. "Quick water gun it's feet!" he command.

"bui bui" The pokémon responded as it let out a massive water gun soaking the ground beneath the mecha, causing even more laughter to rumble from within. "Aimed like a twerp!" Jessie taunted as she stuck out her tongue. "Guess again!" Meowth cried out in alarm as the giant mecha began to slip, losing its footing until finally it crashed to the ground, causing the arm holding Pikachu to break, freeing the captive pokémon.

Realizing he was free Pikachu made a mad dash away from the pile of rubble and towards his friends. "Ash!" Dawn cried out as her and Brock finally caught up to him. "You got Pikachu back!" Brock noted happily.

"Hey!" James cried out as he crawled out of the wrecked mecha, "limit one steal per pokémon!" he finished as the others joined his side just as angry their mecha had failed yet again. "Serviper, teach those twerps to steal from us!" Jessie yelled as she threw her own pokéball. "Poison tail!"

"Buizel, sonic boom!" Ash countered. The attack hit its target before it could land its own attack flinging it back into its trainer. "Alright Carnivine, time to fight!" James responded throwing his pokéball out releasing the massive plant, which did a complete turnaround sinking its teeth in his trainer's head showing its affection. "I said fight not bite!" He angrily yelled at his beloved pokémon.

"Carnivine use bullet seed." He commanded his pokémon. Carnivine released his grip on his trainers head and launched a barrage of bullet seeds in the direction of Buizel. "Dodge it and use ice punch!" Ash countered.

Buizel easily dodged the oncoming attack, and then quickly landed a perfect ice punch freezing the grass pokémon. "That's cold." James remarked exasperated knowing full well what was coming next. "Alright Pikachu lets finish this up." Ash continued. "Pika!" Pikachu responded as he dashed towards team rocket cheeks sparking and ready to go. "Thunderbolt!" Ash cried out.

"pi—ka—chu" the little electric type cried out releasing a massive thunderbolt at team rocket, also hitting the wrecked mecha. The intense thunderbolt caused the machine to fizzle, and suddenly explode launching team rocket high in the sky.

"Is it just me, or did we get blasted off rather early?" James sighed as he flew through the air next to his frozen pokémon. "First chapter." Meowth answered. "Talk about bad for your health" Jessie sighed. "woooooo-buffet!" Wobuffet exclaimed as it popped out of its pokéball, causing everyone else to sigh deeply. "Looks like team rocket's blasting off again!" They all cried together as they disappeared from sight.

"Well I'm glad that's over with." Ash said as Pikachu jumped back upon his perch on Ash's shoulder. "Bui bui!" Buizel chimed in. "Great work Buizel, now take a good rest." He said returning him to his pokéball. "Me too." Brock said as he looked around the area in which they were now standing in, "except now, I think we're good and lost."

Both Ash and Dawn let out a groan realizing they were lost once again. Something they were getting really good at lately. Ash looked around the area trying to discern which direction they should travel, when suddenly he felt it again. That creepy feeling had come back.

"Do you hear water?" Dawn asked after a moment. The others listened carefully when they heard it as well. "Sure sounds like it." Brock replied as he examined his map a little closer. "Hey, there is a body of water on here, the Kurai spring." He announced happily to the others. "If we go to the spring we can get our bearings and get out of here."

Ash smiled at hearing the last bit of information. He did not want to spend any more time in here then he had to. He felt now that creepy feeling had gotten even worse, but decided not to tell the others. They didn't seem to be bothered by this place as much as he was. Apparently his stomach was not on the same page as he was as it gave off a loud rumble announcing that it was time for lunch.

Ash sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as Brock and Dawn looked at him, "Guess I'm a bit hungry." He said. "I guess we could take a break at the spring for lunch." Brock responded. "Yeah, I am getting a little hungry too." Dawn said as she looked up to where Piplup was now perched atop her head. "How about you?"

"Piplup!" he answered. "Well that settles it." Brock announced aloud as he began to walk towards the spring, followed closely by Dawn. Ash lingered back for a moment, and glanced over his shoulder for the umpteenth time today, and again found nothing there.

"Pika?" The little mouse pokémon asked in concern taking note of his trainer's strange behavior. "Come on Pik." Ash said as he turned his attention back to the others of the group and followed in their wake. (A/N: I thought I would bring back the nick name Pik because I like it. It was only used in Snow Way Out, but it needs to make a comeback.)