A.N.: Sorry about time. Again. My internet's dieing a death... Or at least the wires are. And I have exams the week after next... This was supposed to be longer, but my minion (little brother) is at Nan's for half term, and my minionette (little sister) is doing a different part...
Warning: Some VERY OOC gym leaders. Need I say more?
"So WHERE have they gone?"Misty shouted. 4 missing teams was never a good sign. Especially if the screens were all working.
Ira just blanked her, and continued staring at the screen.
"I SAID..."began Misty.
"I heard you,"Ira replied, tapping her keys. Four boxes flashed up, each containing six separate ones. Upon each box was written the name of a team member - most glowed green - Ira's was blue. She minimized the program.
"SO..."
"I am not certain," she continued to read the screens, "it is possible they have succeeded in tracing our signals, and are blocking them. However, there does seem to be other disturbances - it seems that Chao's and Laki's have been teleported. The others should still be in the city," she re-opened the previous screen, "However, they are all alive. Currently."
"Good. Where in the city?"
Ira shrugged, "I think we may have larger problems."
"Like what, exactly?"
"Chaos' and Lakiya's groups could be ANYWHERE. Literally. The readings on this screen are taken from chips on the belts. However, it is impossible to trace from this."
"So, how do we find them?"Misty didn't really want to know how it worked - she just wanted the teams back.
"It would take most of the night to change to a separate frequency, and then scan for them."
"That's too slow."
"I know..."Ira sighed, "That'll muck up the complexials and difaladins no end."
"Meaning?"
Ira thought for a second, "I'll start the process."
"You're avoiding my question."
"There is another method, but if we use that, the chances decrease sharply."
"Chances of what?"Misty felt as though she was cracking into the girl.
Ira looked at her, "Existing. I'll be back in 10." She left, making a quick glance at the screens. Dead. Still.
Mahira jumped up, pushing the others off of her, "HELLO!"she shouted.
"Hi,"a girl's voice replied, "Why ya lying on ma kitchen floor?"
"I'm not. It's just them."Mahira replied, imperiously.
"So, why are THEY lying on MA KITCHEN FLOOR?"the girl shrieked, red hair flying. There was a mug of coffee in her left hand, as she flapped her right one, aimlessly.
Mahira looked at her for a second, as the others picked themselves up, shakily.
"I'm-a-waiting!"
Mahira looked behind her.
"Wait, you're not some of those goons intent on destroying the world, are ya?"
"No!"Scott shouted.
Adam looked at her, "We're here to challenge you to some battles!"
The girl smiled, "Oh yeah? Well then, welcome... No, wait. Puny Trainer, how good to see you've made it here! I have been entrusted with the... No, wait. I am Flannery, and I'm the Gym Leader here! Uh... Dare not underestimate me, though I have been Leader only a short time! With skills inherited from my grandfather, I shall, uh...demonstrate the hot moves we have honed on this land!"
She stopped again, "Oh, but I've only time for one!"
Mahira opened her mouth, but Adam spoke first, "That'll be me, then."
Flannery's face fell into a smirk, "Now you're being held to that one."
Mahira glared at him, but said nothing. He just smiled back, with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. he turned and whispered to the group, "If we're in a gym, something's seriously wrong," he looked at Mahira, "And we need brains to work out a way back."
Scott leaned over to Jane, "Are all fire type trainers that bad?"
Jane shrugged in reply, as the group began to talk amongst themselves.
Flannery looked at them, "Yeah, well time's not waiting for us. 5?"she hoisted up her belt, before running through to the gym. As she passed through the door frame, she narrowed her eyes, and grinned cruelly. Quietly, she whispered, "How am I doing, master?"
"Very well, child."The telepathic reply.
"Hello... Lovely weather, isn't it? It's so pleasant... I'm afraid I might doze off... My name is Erika. I am the Leader of Celadon Gym. "
Kuro looked up to see a woman staring at him, smirking slightly. He was seated somewhere - he wasn't entirely sure where - on a bench. The woman's hair was black/blue, and she was sort. Immediately, his mind clicked into action. Woman. Fight. Team. Screams. Leader. "Erika," he almost spat the word.
"That's me," she smirked back.
"Where is everyone else?"he kept his voice level, as he looked into her eyes.
"How nice... Oh. I'm sorry; I didn't realize that you wished to challenge me. I know. I have been training myself on not only flower arrangement but also Pokémon battle. I shall not lose." she replied.
"Where are my friends?"
Erika laughed, "Friends? Oh, them. Win, and you all get badges. Loose, and you all die. Simple." she laughed again.
Kuro sighed, "Battle?" This was not going to go well.
"Battle."The empty eyed leader rose, and led him from the room.
"Owie..."moaned Chaos, trying to rub her head, but found herself trapped.
Cleo looked up, to see faces staring at her. She then looked down, to see herself tangled up in a web of her teammates, "Sorry!"she called, wriggling out of the knot.
She brushed herself down, and looked up again. "Hello!"
The people before her looked at her, nervously. Behind her, the others detangled themselves from the ever shrinking knot.
"I'm Cleo, nice to meet you!"she smiled; offering a hand back to whomever needed it.
One boy near the front of the group raised a pokeball in his hand, "What do you want?"
Cleo opened her mouth to speak, but Chaos butted in before her, "Just where are we? Chaos, by the way."
"You are in Blackthorn city, Johto."a girl replied, before being hushed by the others. Her hair was blonde - nearly white, and her eyes sparkled. Maybe 6 at the oldest, she was one of the younger group members.
"Ah."Chaos turned to TK, "Can you take over? My head hurts..."
TK shrugged, "I'm Travis. I'm 16 and something more exact, please?"
There was some slight muttering amongst the group, before the boy whom had spoken first ran off, and the girl turned forward, "The gym," she stated.
Chaos sat down, and rubbed her head, "The GYM?"
"Yes..."the girl replied.
Mori looked confused, "Gym? How can it be the gym?"
Chaos rubbed her head again, "No wonder my head hurts..."
Maikeru looked at Chaos, awaiting instruction. Chaos looked at Mori, hoping for a joke. Mori looked at TK, hoping for some sense. TK looked at Cleo, who had suddenly paled.
"The... gym?"Cleo asked quietly. She had known that face... Please, please say this was some horrendous trick!
"That's what I said; I know you've just had a knock to the head, but still..."
"Can I say we have a problem?"asked Chaos, looking behind her.
"Perfectly well,"TK replied, winking at her. Chaos smiled. Her wish had been fulfilled. TK looked serious once more, "But yes, we do..."
"And please don't tell me why."Mori cut in.
Just then, the boy returned, followed by a very tall woman, with a blue cloak. Her hair was also blue, as were her eyes. Her name was Clair, gym leader of Blackthorn.
"And just what do we have here?"she asked, raising her eyebrow.
Chaos stood up again, smiling, "Hiya! My friend over there wants a battle!"she pointed at TK.
"I do?"he asked, confused. Suddenly, he remembered. If she had bought them here, maybe she could bring them back...
"I am Clair. The world's best dragon master. I can hold my own against even the Pokémon League's Elite Four. Do you still want to take me on?"Clair replied, raising her head.
TK just smiled, and nodded.
"Fine. Let's do it! As a Gym Leader, I will use my full power against any opponent!" Her lips raised in a half-smile, "And I'll hold you to it. We will battle this evening. Until then, you will remain here. Not to mention, we play by my rules."
Clair walked out, leaving the five of them on the floor. The children who had gathered followed her.
"And until then?"Mori muttered.
TK thought for a moment, "Blackthorn... If my calculations are correct."
"Shut up now." replied Chaos, "But yeah, it's worth a shot." She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a DSi, "Pictochat?"
"Pictochat."he replied, before lowering his voice to a whisper, "Shall I forward to you?"
Chaos grinned, and nodded, "Alright, I'll guess first! Draw me a pokemon, and I'll try guessing it!"
TK scribbled something down, and hit send.
"Ooh... Is that a Chimchar?"
"No!" he laughed, and drew again.
"Bulbasaur?"
"Still no. Am I really that bad?"he replied.
Mori leaned over to help, "What the?"
"SHHHH!"they both raised fingers to their lips, and continued tapping away.
'I Love Blackthorn.'TK's message read.
"Welcome! This is the Oreburgh Pokémon Gym! I'm Roark, the Gym Leader! I'm but one Trainer who decided to walk proudly with Rock-type Pokémon! As the Gym Leader, I need to see your potential as a trainer. And, I'll need to see the toughness of the Pokémon that battle with you!"
Zack rubbed his eyes, as he looked around. He was lying on the floor. Somewhere. Blinking hard, he looked up, to see the face of Roark, pokemon gym leader of Oreburg before him.
"Well, are you here for a battle or not?"the gym leader asked.
"Terms?"the automatic response of any trainer in the present age. Some battles could kill.
The leader smirked at him, as Zack glanced around, "Wait... Where are?"
"Your team? Oh, don't worry about them. It's only a case of if you can't defeat me, you'll never see them again." the leader smiled wickedly, as he licked his lips, "And as for terms? You have to agree to a battle before I will say."
Zack pretended to think, "I'll do it."
"Well then..."the leader smirked again, "Prepare for enialation."
Zack released his Roselia onto his shoulder. She was much happier there than her ball.
"Ready Ambrosia?"he asked her.
"Rose!"she replied, leaping onto the field of battle.
"Oh, you do realise that, here, damage is done to both pokemon and trainer?"Roark asked, smirking.
"Wait! That's not gym rules!"Zack sounded slightly scared - he had been told that this form of battling killed. And it wasn't always the looser that died.
"Too late." the gym leader replied, smirking, "Welcome to Oreburg Gym, mark two. Damage is done to trainer and pokemon. You may not command a move twice in succession. You must have 5 pokemon on you, although you may share."
Zack looked down at his belt - despite only bringing 3 with him, five pokeballs were attached to his belt. Weird...
"Oh, and if you loose... You're trapped here forever!"the gym leader laughed manically, as his black eyes glared at them, "Forever."
"Please say I have a bonus!"Zack thought. At least he had the advantage type wise... For a while.
"Oh, and by the way... If you, by some fluke, defeat me!"the gym leader laughed again, "All of you get a badge."
"All of us?"
"You and your team, of course. That measly team I will destroy if you lose."
"Why do we want badges? You know where we come from."
"Oh, that I do. But a badge is what the rules say you get, so a badge each shall be yours."The gym leader ginned again, pulling out his own pokeball, "Of course, I also have five. Go! Rampardos!"
Zack thought for a moment... He knew two attacking moves, with a type advantage... Which to pick... "Magical Leaf, Ambrosia!"
The Roselia whipped up a magical leaf, and threw it towards the opponent's Rampardos.
"Rock smash!"Roark shouted, but too late. The leaves whipped around both him and his pokemon, causing him to cower slightly. It left a few scratches across his face, whilst his pokemon was KOed.
"No matter," the leader growled, "I'll send out Golem!"
Zack thought for about half a second, before calling for Petal Dance. He would have used magical leaf again, if he could... No draw backs to that one. But then again, the other moves wouldn't be much help in such a fast moving game.
Roark did not even have time to call a move, before his pokemon lay out. How could he be so slow?
"Return. Go Aggron."
"Ready Ambrosia?"Zack shouted. She nodded. "Then go!"
Ambrosia completed another round of petal dance. At least multiple turn moves were allowed.
Once again, Roark didn't call before his pokemon lay flat on the field of play.
"Return. Go, Pulpitar!"
Zack didn't need to call again, the move rolled on. Petal dance, again.
"Selia!"she called, unleashing her move.
Pulpitar - KOed.
"Return. Go Relicanth! Take down!"
"Good work, Ambrosia!"Zack called, returning his pokemon. He may not have been a trainer long, but he still knew what confusion looked like.
Zack reached for Darken, his Honchrow. When he pulled up the ball, however, it was a pokeball; Darken was in a great ball. "What the...?"he asked, grabbing his Pokédex, and scanning the ball. As far as his Pokédex could tell, it was a Meganium. Named Meg. Better matchup, but WHERE were his pokemon?
"Okay then... Go Meg!"he called, throwing out the pokeball. True enough, it was a Meganium. Suddenly, he remembered. If Roark had his team, and he had been knocked out, on the floor... What was to say the leader couldn't have swapped the balls?
"Meg?"it asked, confused.
"Not sure either."
The Relicanth smirked at him, before using Take Down. Zack cringed as the flesh across his right hand ripped apart.
"What?"
Roark laughs, as his pokemon is hit with recoil. "Think you can win with THAT, boy? Ancient power!"
"Use..."he checked the Pokédex, and groaned, "Razor leaf." Alright, not a bad move, but not as good as magical.
Meg pulled off the move, as the Relicanth smirked. After that, he released ancient power.
"Tackle!"Zack hated the move, but what else could he use? Synthesis on a pokemon with over 100HP, and less than 10 damage? Or growl, on a pokemon that'll be out soon? No, he had to attack. He flexed his fingers, despite the pain, and waited for Meg to move.
Again, Meg used her move. Again Relicanth smirked back, before using surf. Zack was quick to realise what damage the move could do, and quickly switched his pokemon for Ambrosia. Her pokeball was released into a torrent of water, although the pokemon missed most of the attack. He found himself very wet after that one. And cold.
"Ok, Ambrosia, Magical Leaf!"he called, as Relicanth was swinging himself back around.
His pokemon pulled it off, KOing her opponent. Zack smiled. How the Meganium could be so weak, he did not know. Maybe it was trained for special, or something. Anyway, Ambrosia was back, and no longer confused.
"Good shot, girl!"he called, as she jumped back beside him.
"Think you can take down the next Pokémon like you did earlier?" Roark laughed, "Go..."he reached for a pokemon, before opening his eyes wide, "Oh." There were no pokemon left for him to reach for, "All right then. You win, fair and square."
Zack didn't quite think that 'fair' was the word for it, but called Ambrosia back onto his shoulder, "Uh-huh."
The gym leader tossed him 6 polished badges, all different, but still coal badges, "Sort them out amongst yourselves."
"Where is everyone else?"Zack asked, pocketing them.
Roark leant against a wall, "Close your eyes, count to five, and you'll see."
Sceptically, Zack did so. 1...2...3...4...5...
Suddenly, he was unable to breathe. All he could hear was laughter. Mocking laughter. Roark... No. He wasn't laughing. He was screaming. He tried to breathe, but nothing came. He could feel his chest being slowly crushed. What was it? What was happening? He tried to scream. Nothing came. The pain. All he could feel was pain. The laughter. And the pain.
'No!'
As he felt himself fall, he heard one more word. A female voice shouting 'Zack!'
I don't think that was TOO bad... So...
1) Am I going to kill anyone off yet (namely Zack)?
2) What do the badges do? (and if ANYONE says allows entry to the pokemon league... Wrong.)
3) What am I playing at?
And sorry again... I'll try and get the next bit done. Am waiting on my minion (not my minionette - that's my little sister, and she's doing later errands) to enact the purple dragon. What's the purple dragon? That'll do for 4.