Chapter 1
The air was slightly damp as I made my way down the dark path known as Route 38. Night had just begun, and I reveled in the silence. I was glad I lived in Ecruteak, not Goldenrod. I just couldn't take the noise that Goldenrod City would provide.
I began to see shapes moving in the darkness: other people, heading to the same location I was, for a different purpose. They were there to watch, to bet, to cheer. I was there for one purpose, the same purpose I always have: to win.
I walked under the usual sign, the sign that simply stated that I was entering the area known as MooMoo Farms. I briskly walked to around to the hidden steps. There were two sets of stairs: the right was for the audience, the left for the Trainers. The right set had a long line waiting to enter; the left had none.
And why should it? Today was a special showing, the two best trainers in the club were the only ones battling tonight. We'd never battled before, but I knew what to expect. And I was ready.
I made my way down the old, dreary steps, the creaking echoing all around. As I left the stairs, I noticed that there was more noise than usual, which was to be expected for the showing.
I walked up to the sign-in desk and glared at the sign-in man.
"I'm checking in. My name is-"
"Wyatt Donovan, of course! I'd recognize you anywhere with that scar," the man exclaimed.
I scowled and reached up self-consciously, tracing the jagged scar I had. It began in my left temple and reached down across my face, around the inside of my right eye, stopping at the edge of my lip. I had received it about 4 years ago, when I was 13.
The man continued to talk, oblivious of my contempt for his bringing up my imperfection.
"Of course, we all know you're going to win! I'm not sure why they're saying a girl could possibly be equal to you!"
Great. A sexist. I wasn't fooled by the fact my opponent was a girl. She was well known for her devious fighting tactics, and I knew this would not be an easy battle. But I also knew that I could win. My battling would prevail.
I walked away, deciding not to thank the man, as he was idiotic, and did not deserve my thanks. I stalked down the corridor, and entered the room I was used to entering- the elevator to the Trainer's Stand. I pressed the button, and the elevator whirred into motion. I stood there, impatiently waiting for the the elevator to stop.
As I waited, I thought about the upcoming battle. My sole Pokemon, Houndour, didn't have any particular type advantage against my opponent's Pokemon. I knew that the opposing Pokemon had no advantage, either. The opponent would have a higher physical strength. However, it would have a hard time attacking me from afar, unlike Houndour, who would go down easily if it turned into a melee. I knew I couldn't let my Houndour get too close to the enemy, or the fight would be lost.
As for the real advantage my opponent always had, I knew that Houndour would not fall to that. My Houndour had been specifically trained to avoid the trap all the other people who fought my opponent fell into.
The elevator stopped with a telltale ding. The doors opened, and I stepped out onto a raised platform, the lights in the arena off. I looked across the stadium, and saw the silhouette of my opponent, standing there with her hands on her hips. I shook my head slowly, and grinned as I imagined the look of defeat on her poor little face.
The crowd was whispering to each other. It was much louder than normal, and I reveled in the fact that they were discussing the battle that I would inevitably win.
"Welcome, ladies and gentleman! Welcome to the MooMoo Farms Battle Club!" The announcer's voice blared over the speakers. The noise swelled and then died as the crowd cheered, then quieted to hear the rest.
"Tonight is very special! We have our two best fighters, one undefeated and the other with only three defeats, our two best records! But before we can start the battle, we must go over the rules!
"First rule of the Battle Club: No one talks about the Battle Club. It's technically illegal, so we don't want any police ruining our fun! Also, any battling technique goes here! The battle ends when one contestant is unable to fight any longer. This can be through exhaustion, unconsciousness, or death! You should already have bet on who will win! With that, here are our contestants!
"First up, with only three losses in his entire history here due to his vicious fighting tactics, from Ecruteak City, WYATT!"
The crowd went wild as the lights turned on, illuminating my face. I stood there, impassive to the noise around me, silently glaring across the field at my opponent.
"And from the other side, undefeated due to her own clever techniques, a celebrity both among us and outside the club-"
-the lights on the other side lit up, revealing a mid-40's lady with maroon-colored hair. She was wearing a beautiful white dress, intricate in its design-
"The Goldenrod Gym Leader, Whitney!"
Hey there! Suicune of the Crowned Beasts here! If you liked the first chapter of Fragmented Soul, you should read its 2 companion stories, Little Crow and Bright Shadows. Each of those two stories show another plot that will connect with this one, another character that will meet Wyatt! You see, we're doing a project called a Collaborative Pokemon Fanfiction, where three different writers tell different sides of a story. See our profile for more information!
