Chapter 3

The Hot Springs

We flew high, looking down at everything.

"Why didn't Chatot just tell us that we could fly?" Eden whined.

"Well," Kat snapped, "you can ask him when we get there!"

We kept flying, Eden slowly losing altitude. Eventually, we saw a slow stream of smog wafting from a murky pool below.

"I have a feeling," I said, "that this is the place."

"Finally," moaned Eden, starting to land.

As we got closer to the ground a stench started to fill the air.

"Sludge Bomb!" A voice growled, as a ball of muck flew at us.

"Eden, up!" I pleaded, throwing an Aura Sphere to the source of the attack.

"No," groaned Eden. "Not more flying."

Heaps more attacks started flying at us as Kat, Cyndaquil and I fought the attacks off.

"I can't keep this up," said Eden. "I have to land. Create a cover."

We did so, but just barely. During the landing, Kat was almost thrown off Eden, just dodging a Poison Sting.

The aura is within me, I thought, focussing.

There was a flash of bright light as I entered Aura State. There was a strong, ominous aura to our left. I couldn't put my finger on it. The aura was new, as if not of this world.

"Jay!" Eden's voice echoed, pulling me out of the State.

There, to our left were three Poison Pokemon. A Weezing, a Golbat and an Arbok.

"What is your purpose?" hissed Arbok.

"Are you the ones who have been causing all this pollution?" I asked.

"Of course they are!" wheezed a Pokemon.

Behind the Poison Pokemon was Torkoal, looking worse-for-wear.

"Now vanquish them!" Torkoal continued.

Arbok hissed laughingly.

"We? Defeated by them?" he snarled. "We of Team Meanies-"

"Skull!" snapped Golbat angrily.

"MEANIES!!" roared Arbok.

"Stop it!" moaned Weezing. "Why not Team MeanSkull?"

The other two grumbled in agreement.

"Well, whatever," I snapped, "we of Team Excalibur shall destroy you. Dragon Pulse!"

I focussed and manipulated aura energy into my hand, creating a Dragon-type aura, then slammed it into the ground, the force causing a shockwave to push out from my hand, knocking the Poison Pokemon down. Eden slammed into Golbat and Kat blasted Weezing, each disappearing into the smog.

"Cyndaquil!" I shouted. "Go and help Torkoal. I'll take care of things here."

"Poison Sting!" said Arbok, a shower of poisonous needles flying at me.

I went to dodge, but one hit me in the arm. I started to feel dizzy.

"Aura Sphere!"

I focussed all the aura I could into a ball, throwing it at Arbok, who went flying into the Spring. The dizziness kept growing. My head was throbbing. The poison was seeping through my veins fast.

"Bind!"

Arbok jumped from the water and wrapped its tail around me. I struggled, but it was no use. The strength of Arbok's tail muscles, coupled with my faltering health, made it nearly inpossible to escape. There were numerous flashes of light as I started seeping into Aura State.

Gengar and Medicham abandoned me, Arbok's voice echoed in my head. Then this massive portal opened up at Luminous Cave at Pokemon Square, I was sucked in and I turned up here...

There was more, but it was distorting, almost as if it was being said underwater, then I was blasted from my State.

"Dark Void!"

There, standing with Umbreon, was Darkrai, a dark purple energy between his hands. It was distorting the aura around the Spring. I groaned with pain, the Poison was really deep into my system. I must have been at less than half health. I was slowly slipping away...

Then I was revived. Over me was standing Umbreon, holding a Treasure Bag. Darkrai was holding onto the Poison Pokemon. I walked over to him.

"May I?"

"Be my guest," he said politely.

With a great amount of strain, I focussed the aura of the Poison Pokemon's anger and used it to create an Aura Sphere, blasting them into the skies, and with that, miraculously, the pollution cleared from the Hot Springs.

"Let's go home," said Darkrai.

And that we did. I was quite proud of what we had done today, saving the Spring and all, but something told me that we would see Team "MeanSkull" again.