Chapter 26- The Dark Shadow: Ulrich!

(Author's Note: Like I said in the previous chapter, the name is pronounced ULL-RICK. It means 'Dark' in German…)

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" we exclaimed. I was scissors and he was paper.

"I hate this game." Landon frowned.

"Heheh! I win!" I stuck my tongue out.

-Dusk City Pokémon Gym-

It was really dark inside. All we saw was a white lined battlefield and one man. He had black hair, a black shirt, black pants, and one long grey cape. "Hm… A challenger? I haven't had any in a while…" The man took off the cape, "My name is Ulrich…"

"I'm Frankie."

"We have no referee, but the Dusk City Gym's rules are similar to the one Plaine Town." He said. "A three-on-three battle and the right for the challenger to substitute. Are you ready?"

"Hm." I nodded.

"We begin battling! Nuzleaf, engage!"

I checked Nuzleaf on my PokeDex, "Nuzleaf: The Wily Pokémon. Male. The sound of its grass flute makes its listeners uneasy. It lives deep in forests."

"Alright, go, Croconaw!"

"Nuzleaf, use Razor Leaf." Ulrich said. Nuzleaf drew his head back and then shot leaves from his head.

"Nuz!" he exclaimed.

"Freeze them, use Ice Beam!" I said. Croconaw opened his mouth and a light blue ball appeared in front of it. Then, a ray of ice shot out.

I saw Ulrich grin, "That's what I expected." He mouthed.

When Croconaw froze the leaves, they shot down toward him. "Oh no!" I exclaimed, "Use Slash and break 'em!" Croconaw slashed the upcoming shards and broke them. I sighed. "Good…"

"It's not the most unique strategy I've seen. All my Water-Type starting challengers do it all the time. Use Shadow Ball!"

The Shadow Ball shot like a bullet because it was so fast, "Use Water Gun!" I said. Croconaw shot a blast of water from his mouth and collided with the Shadow Ball. The two attacks pushed against each other.

"Quick Attack." Ulrich said. Nuzleaf tackled right at the Shadow Ball.

"What the--?!" we all exclaimed.

Somehow, Nuzleaf went inside the Shadow Ball. He then gained control of the Shadow Ball. He roamed around and then tackled Croconaw.

"Croco!" Croconaw cried. He struggled to try and get back up. He managed to, but he seemed tired.

"Return, Croconaw! Go, Phanpy!" I called.

"Nuzleaf, are you prepared for one more opponent?" Ulrich asked.

"Nuz!" Nuzleaf nodded.

"Phanpy, use Take Down!" I ordered. Phanpy jumped then rammed right into Nuzleaf, tackling him harshly.

"Phan!" exclaimed Phanpy. Nuzleaf fainted.

"Phanpy, you rule!" I smiled.

"Return, Nuzleaf. Good job, go, Poochyena!" Ulrich sent out a black dog-like Pokémon.

"Poochyena: The Bite Pokémon. Female. A Pokémon with a persistent, it chases its chosen prey, until its prey becomes exhausted."

"Poochyena, use Bite!" exclaimed Ulrich. Poochyena leaped and then gnawed on Phanpy's tail. I thought he'd have a hard time, since Phanpy was a Ground-Type and probably had a hard body, but Poochyena managed to throw Phanpy. Phanpy hit the wall.

"Return, Phanpy!" I recalled my almost fallen Pokémon, "Come back out, Croconaw!"

"Croco!" he exclaimed as he came out of his PokeBall.

"Use Ice Beam!" I commanded. Croconaw shot another ray of ice at Poochyena. She managed to dodge.

"Rrgh!" Poochyena barked at Croconaw.

"Croconaw, Slash attack!" I said. Croconaw slashed Poochyena with his shining claws.

"Use Crunch as he slashes you again!" Ulrich said. Poochyena bit Croconaw's arm and made it worse by sinking in his teeth even deeper.

"Croco! Conaw!" Croconaw cried in pain.

"Croconaw! Use Water Gun and blast him off!" I said. Croconaw shot a quick jet of water at Poochyena and sent her sliding away. Poochyena shook and got the water off her fur.

"Poochyena, Dark Pulse." Ulrich whispered.

"Rrgh!" Poochyena opened her mouth and released a spiraling ray of shadows. It hit Croconaw.

"Conaw!"

"Croconaw, get up!" I said.

Croconaw finally managed to get up, grasping the arm that got hit by the Dark Pulse.

"Now, Tackle." Ulrich said. Poochyena ran to hit Croconaw.

"Ice Beam!" I exclaimed once more. Croconaw froze Poochyena with one Ice Beam hit, "Slash!" I said. Croconaw slashed the ice and Poochyena was out, but she was fainted.

"Hm… You kept a good battle going on. Return, Poochyena." Ulrich said. "Go, Sableye!" He sent out a weird-looking purple Pokémon.

I checked the Pokémon on my PokeDex, "Sableye: The Darkness Pokémon. Male. It hides in the darkness of caves. Its diet of gems has transformed its eyes into gemstones."

"Freaky…" I murmured, "Croconaw, use Water Gun!"

"Not a chance, use Teleport then Shadow Claw!" said Ulrich. Sableye teleported then appeared behind Croconaw. Black and purple aura surrounded Sableye's arm and he slashed Croconaw's back.

"Croco!"

"Croconaw!" I exclaimed, Croconaw got up, fell back down, and fainted. "Oh no!" I returned Croconaw. I looked at Plusle's PokeBall closely, "We can do this… I choose you, Plusle!"

"Plu! Plusle, plu!" Plusle emerged from her PokeBall.

"Use Thunder!" I commanded. Plusle released a large surge of electricity then it hit Sableye.

"Sss!" Sableye hissed.

"Sableye, use Shadow Ball!" Ulrich ordered. Sableye shot the purple and black spiraling ball at Plusle.

"Dodge it!" I exclaimed. Plusle swiftly moved to the side and dodged the Shadow Ball, "Use Spark!" I said, resorting to the second move Plusle could use that affected Sableye. Plusle shot a weaker surge of energy at Sableye, "Now, use Thunder again!" Plusle shot more waves of electricity at Sableye.

"SSSS!" Sableye hissed louder.

"Sableye, use Night Shade." Ulrich said. Sableye shot a black beam from his gemstone eyes and hit Plusle.

"Plu!" Plusle exclaimed as she got hit.

"Let's end this, Shadow Ball!" Ulrich commanded. Sableye shot another Shadow Ball at Plusle.

"No!" I shouted.

Plusle's body was suddenly crackling with electricity. Then she fired a huge bolt of thunder. "PLUSLE!" she exclaimed.

"That's Charge Beam." I heard Landon say.

The Charge Beam hit Sableye and defeated him. I sighed in relief, "You did it!" Plusle jumped in my arms and hugged me, "You did it!" I repeated.

"Plus! Plusle, plus!" she smiled.

Ulrich returned his Sableye and sighed, "Well, congratulations Frankie Ross. You have earned yourself the Stellar Badge."

The Stellar Badge was shaped like a star except it was covered in a black color. Jasper and Landon smiled, "Good job!" Jasper said.

"Awesome battle!" Landon commented

"Thanks." I smiled, "Alright! I got the Stellar Badge!"

First off, if you didn't know, Stellar means Lunar which kind of relates to the moon, which relates to night, which relates to Dark-Type.… Kinda. Next chapter will be Landon's Contest, NOT the Lilac Tournament. Hehe, you must wait, my readers!

thanks for reading, please review :)