"So, now we're off to the Battle Arcade, huh?" Leaf mused as she beheld the crazy looking building just ahead of them.

"That's right. And it's just ahead there," Riley nodded.

As soon as they entered the building, Leaf was surprised. The inside reminded her of an arcade! The lighting was dim, and the patterns on the flooring were illuminated by their own glow. The music even reminded her of an arcade.

"Why are we at the arcade?" Leaf asked Riley.

"We're not. It just looks like we are," he assured her.

After they went to register, they decided to wait at a table near the TV. Riley sat across from Leaf and Knuckles with his back to the TV, which was fine for him since he was busy… staring into space. Even though Leaf had a good view of the TV, she was pretty bored as well thanks to the fact that they had some boring nature show on.

Leaf had always hated watching those shows when she was young. It just made her mad because she couldn't go out and catch her own Pokémon yet! It was like holding a carrot in front of her face while she was running on a treadmill! But now that she could catch her own Pokémon, the show seemed pointless to watch. Plus, those narrators were annoying with their ridiculously monotone voices.

So, Leaf wasn't paying too much attention to the show, but she happened to notice that Knuckles was. That was weird in her opinion. What was so great about watching other Pokémon on TV when you're a Pokémon yourself? Leaf looked over at the TV to see a male and female Nidoran innocently chilling out near a river. But then… they started to socialize…

"UGH!" Leaf made a gagging sound and covered Knuckles' eyes with her hand. Why did they have to show that stuff on TV anyway!

"What?" Riley turned around and then wished he hadn't.

"This is even worse than the news channel!" Leaf complained. Then she looked around, hoping to find something else to do, "Don't they have any arcade games we can play here? I mean, come on!"

"Why would they have arcade games?" Riley looked confused.

"Why WOULDN'T they? They're fun!"

"Well…"

Knuckles grunted, his vision still being hindered by Leaf.

"Oh, sorry," Leaf removed her hand, "Well, I've got to find something to do…" she mused and pulled out her music player. She offered an ear bud to Knuckles. He took it and stared at it curiously, unsure as to what this mysterious contraption would do.

"You just hold it near your ear," Leaf explained. Once he did so, Knuckles was surprised to hear beautiful noise coming through the ear bud. Knuckles wanted to dance! This music was the best ever!

"He has good taste in music," Leaf pointed at Knuckles with her thumb.

"Let me hear for a minute…?" Riley asked. Leaf handed him her ear bud, and he was astounded to hear loud guttural screaming coming out of it.

"Are you serious?" Riley looked remotely alarmed.

"What? It's not that bad; you probably just heard the craziest part!" Leaf took her ear piece back.

"…You listen to metal music?"

"This isn't metal, Riley... You sound like such an old man when you say that."

"Leaf. That was metal."

"If you think that's metal, then you seriously need to hear some heavy metal. Now that stuff is crazy…"

Meanwhile, delightful and amazing music was touching Knuckles' soul. He couldn't even pay attention to Leaf and Riley's argument while such wonderful music was dancing in his ears.

"Leaf and Riley?" the battle attendant called.

"Sorry, Knux, party's over," Leaf informed him as she took back her music player. Knuckles did nothing to hide his disappointment.

"Sorry but, no Pokémon are allowed past this point," the attendant nodded toward Knuckles' general direction once they approached her desk.

"Sorry, buddy," Leaf recalled him.

"Please follow me," the attendant let them past her desk into a hallway. Leaf and Riley followed her down the hallway to another room. This room had a large battle arena with several onlookers gathered around it chatting. The small crowd didn't even bother to cease their chatter in the slightest when Leaf and Riley arrived and took their places at one end of the battlefield.

Leaf gazed at the referee standing in the middle of the battlefield and was surprised to recognize a familiar face, "Pokéstalker? What are YOU doing here?"

"What are you talking about? What in the world is a Pokéstalker?" the man looked at her like she was crazy.

"You can't fool me! I know who you are!" Leaf insisted.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know who you are referring to… My name is Larry," the man adjusted his sunglasses with a slightly sinister smirk forming on his lips.

"Do you really think you can just wear some different outfit, call yourself some random name, and expect me to believe it's not you?" Leaf fumed.

"Oh look! It's time for the battle to start! No more questions from you today, ma'am!" the Pokéstalker hurried to the side of the battlefield, "It's time for Game Number One! Are you ready, folks?" he cried out loudly. The crowd cheered.

"Oooookay! Then here comes our first set of battlers!" 'Larry' said grandly.

Two men walked up to the other end of the battlefield, "ZDSKRF…!" one of them said in a robotic monotonous voice.

Leaf could only gawk. What…?

"I am Pokémon Prime!" the other declared in a very robotic voice, "We. Are. Androids. Designed. To. Provide. An. Optimal. Battling. Experience…"

"GMONDGOMNDF…!" the other android cried.

"I. Love. To. Battle?" Pokémon Prime tried.

"Now it's time for our two challengers to hit the buzzer to determine which event we'll have for this round! Where it will stop, no one knows!" the Pokéstalker shouted as the screen behind him lit up to reveal a computerized image of choices.

"You want to hit the buzzer?" Riley asked Leaf.

"Uh, sure," Leaf walked up to the buzzer nearby and struck it when the outline on the screen was over a 'black team gets a free berry' panel. That was the only one that would actually do something in their favor.

"So then! The board has spoken! This battle will commence with Leaf and Riley's Pokémon receiving a Sitrus Berry!"

"Nice," Riley was impressed. There were a lot of bad choices for their team up there, but Leaf still managed to hit a good one.

"I think I played too many video games as a kid," Leaf shrugged with a smile.

"Well then, come out, Pinsir!" Riley sent out his first Pokémon eager to begin.

"Go, Popuri!" Leaf called out.

"Battle! Porygon!" Pokémon Prime ordered.

"BMNDOEMVEF!" the other android sent out his Porygon as well.

"Well, start with Sing, Popuri!" Leaf decided to go first. Swablu sang her enchanting melody, and Pokémon Prime's Porygon fell asleep.

"Porygon… Please. Wake. Up. Please. Wake. Up," Pokémon Prime urged in his Pokémon in a very robotic way.

"Pinsir! Use Submission!" Riley went next. His Pinsir grabbed ZDSKRF's Porygon by the neck and pounded on his head. When Pinsir finally let go, Porygon slumped to the ground and fainted.

"BMOEWNVORGF!" ZDSKRF shouted in robotic fury and then recalled his Pokémon.

"Use Fly!" Leaf directed her Swablu. Popuri took to the skies, or rather, the ceiling.

"Wake. Up. Porygon. Wake. Up," Pokémon Prime continued his chant.

"Submission once more!" Riley directed. Pinsir picked up the sleeping Porygon and pounded it into submission. Riley's Pokémon were mean.

"Oh. No! My. Pokémon. Has. Fainted," Pokémon Prime recalled his Porygon.

"GBMOEGJEF!" ZDSKRF sent out his next Pokémon which turned out to be a Porygon2.

"Fly back down!" Leaf cried and her Swablu soared down to crash into Porygon2. Porygon2 suffered a significant amount of damage.

"Come. Out. Porygon-Z!" Pokémon Prime cried out.

"Try using Submission again!" Riley called out. Pinsir ran up to Porygon2 to grind him into the earth, but the duck-looking Pokémon was quick to dodge and escape the attack unscathed.

"MOSMOFEOGEF!" ZDSKRF screamed. Porygon2 used a Psybeam attack on Pinsir, calling the bug type to howl in pain.

"Use Dragon Pulse, Popuri!" Leaf commanded. Popuri shot a thin, focused, purple beam at Porygon2, but it wasn't enough to take him down.

"Porygon-Z! Use. Your. Tri. Attack," Pokémon Prime directed. A ray of fire, ice, and electricity was fired at Pinsir, causing him to growl angrily. But then, Pinsir remembered his free Sitrus Berry and decided to eat the tasty treat now.

"Pinsir! Use Thrash!" Riley cried. Pinsir flew into a rage and madly and brutally attacked Porygon2, causing it to faint.

"Dang, Riley…" Leaf looked a bit frightened by Pinsir's ferocity. And to think she had actually hugged that Pokémon before…

"What? It's a valid move," Riley looked at her like there was nothing to worry about, "You don't have to worry about Swablu; he won't attack her."

"Thank God for that…" Leaf glanced uneasily at Pinsir, who was still thrashing around even though Porygon2 had been recalled by now.

"Okay… I guess it's my turn now," Leaf remembered, "Use Mirror Move!"

Popuri shot out a nice tri attack at Porygon-Z, but it clearly wasn't enough to take it down.

"Use. Psybeam. On. Pinsir!" Pokémon Prime declared. His Porygon-Z unleashed a spiraling pink beam at Pinsir, who gave out an angry roar.

"Keep Thrashing," Riley didn't need to say it twice. Pinsir crashed and smashed into Porygon-Z mercilessly.

"Okay… Dragon Pulse again," Leaf was next. Popuri shot another Dragon Pulse at her opponent.

"Use. Another. Psybeam," Pokémon Prime ordered. This time, Pinsir fainted.

"You did well. Return," Riley nodded.

"Sing!" Leaf smiled. Popuri sang a beautiful melody and the Porygon-Z fell asleep.

"Your turn, Rukario," Riley let out his next choice.

"Wake. Up. Porygon-Z. Wake. Up," Pokémon Prime was chanting again.

"Okay, use Dragon Pulse," Leaf directed. This attack drew Porygon-Z very close to his limits…

"Rukario! Aura Sphere!" Riley cried. Porygon-Z was defeated.

"This. Battle. Was. Honorable… I. Mean. Fun," Pokémon Prime nodded after he recalled his Pokémon.

"BMEDOGEOGNGF!" ZDSKRF shouted.

"Well! Wasn't that just a spectacular battle!" The Pokéstalker cried out after Leaf and Riley's opponents left.

"Your Pokémon will be fully healed," the attendant swiftly returned to take their pokéballs and use a magical spell on them. In a matter of seconds, she was finished and left as quickly as she came.

"Well… that was easy," Leaf remarked.

Several battles later…

Leaf and Riley were ready to face their last set of opponents. This time, a Psychic boy and a cowboy approached them for battle.

"Now it's time for Game Number Seven! Are you ready?" Pokéstalker shouted. The crowd was still pretty excited and lively.

"Time to hit the buzzer already!" 'Larry' announced.

"Go for it," Riley nodded at Leaf. She was definitely the best when it came to this.

There were plenty of good choices for them up there, but Leaf decided to strike once it landed on a 'red team starts with less health' panel.

"And there you have it, folks! The board has spoken! This battle will commence with the red team's Pokémon already damaged!"

"Howdy! The name's Ami Chalap," the cowboy said jovially.

"Ryan," the young Psychic boy said timidly.

"'Kay, then! Go Rapidash!" Cowboy Ami sent out his first Pokémon.

"Go, Alakazam!" Psychic Ryan called out.

"Let's go, Popuri!" Leaf cried.

"Pinsir, go!" Riley called.

"Use Sing on Rapidash!" Leaf instructed her Pokémon. A fire type like Rapidash could really do some damage on Pinsir, and he was needed to take down Alakazam.

Popuri sang a beautiful melody that lulled Rapidash to sleep.

"Well, gosh darnit!" the cowboy shook his head.

"Use X-Scissor!" Riley cried out. Pinsir crunched Alakazam in his pincers in an impressive display of his bug powers. Alakazam could only grimace.

"Use Recover!" Psychic Ryan ordered. Alakazam waved his spoons around and magically regained some health.

"Dragon Pulse!" Leaf pointed at Alakazam. Her little bird Pokémon shot a focused, purple beam at her opponent resulting in acceptable damage.

"Now, come on, Rapidash," Cowboy Ami urged, but Rapidash was sound asleep.

"X-Scissor again!" Riley urged. Pinsir attacked Alakazam once again, and it was almost like time had repeated itself once more.

"Future Sight!" the Psychic boy urged. Alakazam waved his arms around, but no attack was performed as of yet.

"Dragon Pulse again!" Leaf ordered. And this time, Alakazam fainted.

"Rapidash? Are you awake yet?" Cowboy Ami asked. No answer.

"Use Submission," Riley cried. Pinsir started pounding around on the sleeping Rapidash with moderate effectiveness.

"Go! Natu!" the psychic sent out his next Pokémon.

"Aww! He's so cute!" Leaf gushed at the baby bird.

"…Leaf? It's your turn," Riley reminded her since she obviously wasn't paying much attention at the moment.

"Oh, right! Use your Steel Wing attack!" Leaf commanded. Popuri sliced Natu with her iron-clad wings. It was moderately effective.

"Finally! Yer awake!" the cowboy was more than happy when his Rapidash woke up, "Use Fire Blast on that Pinsir!" Rapidash sent a fiery star shaped attack straight for Pinsir.

Pinsir dodged most of the attack, but received a nasty burn on one of his pincers, "Hang in there, Pinsir, and use Thrash!" Riley called out.

Pinsir started thrashing around and managed to hurt Natu pretty badly.

"Use Ominous Wind, Natu!" Psychic Ryan cried. Natu summoned dark and nasty winds of ghostly energy. This energy headed straight for Pinsir and was moderately effective.

"Use Sing on Rapidash again!" Leaf directed her Pokémon.

"Aw! Again? My Rapidash just woke up!" the cowboy complained.

"Keep Thrashing Pinsir!" Riley encouraged. But, did his Pokémon really need any encouragement? Not really.

Pinsir smashed and thrashed into the tiny Natu, and the little bird squawked in pain.

"Hang in there, Natu!" the Psychic urged. Then suddenly, the effects of Future Sight slammed into Popuri, causing her to suffer a lot of damage.

"Hang in there, Popuri!" Leaf urged, "And use Dragon Pulse next!"

Popuri's Dragon Pulse was enough to take down Natu.

"C'mon, Rapidash! You've gotta wake up!" Cowboy Ami groaned.

"Keep Thrashing," Riley nodded. Pinsir slammed and thrashed into the sleeping Rapidash, and it was a wonder how the Pokémon managed to stay asleep after something as brutal as that.

"Okay, use Dragon Pulse again!" Leaf ordered.

"Return, Pinsir," Riley figured it'd be best to recall his Pokémon for now since he became confused from the exhaustion that set in after such a wild move.

"Keep using Dragon Pulse!" Leaf urged.

"Come on out, Rukario," Riley sent out his other Pokémon.

"Steel Wing!" Leaf called out. This attack was enough to knock out Rapidash.

"Return," Cowboy Ami grunted, "Now come out, Ponyta!"

"Use Close Combat," Riley ordered. Rukario delivered Ponyta a series of punches and kicks, but it wasn't enough to take it down.

"Steel Wing again!" Leaf cried. But Popuri's attack missed her target.

"Use Flare Blitz, Ponyta!" Cowboy Ami cried. Ponyta charged at Rukario, her entire body cloaked in fire. The move was very effective, and it even caused Rukario to flinch. But thanks to his Steadfast ability, his speed was raised.

"Finish with Dragon Pulse!" Leaf cried. With this last attack, Ponyta fainted.

"With more training, I know I will succeed," Psychic Ryan informed them.

"Next time we'll be ready for you," Cowboy Ami nodded.

"And there you have it, folks!" the Pokéstalker cried after the challengers left, "Leaf and Riley completed their challenge! And they receive three BP!"

The crowd cheered happily.

"Make sure you continue to support the Battle Arcade! You'll always find amazing battles here!"

"That was fun," Leaf grinned at Riley.

oOoOoOo

Notes: ZDSKRF and Pokémon Prime, sorry for making you guys robots… I guess your usernames kinda reminded me of robots and/or transformers for some reason.

Also, I wanted to point out that I don't actually know all of the genders of my reviewers out there, so don't get mad at me if I randomly assign you a gender, and it turns out to be wrong. Just let me know if you want to me to change it.

Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! And Happy Halloween!

Speaking of Halloween, I decided to be Maylene this year. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go kick some Lucario tail…