Chapter 3 - Battlefield Blue
Thin rays of light peeked through the wide folds of maroon curtain. They spilled onto the carpet to make delicate patterns of morning angels.
Venom the Venonat, who had been awake the whole night, drew the heavy curtains open and hopped onto his Trainer's bed.
Kate woke up to find a shaggy bug's head peering down at her and shrieked. "Venom! Get away! Stop poking me, that tickles!" Laughing, she wrestled him off and began tickling back before realizing that something was terribly wrong. The normally playful and carefree Venom was shaking like a leaf, and kept pointing at the door of the bedroom.
"V-vena! Venonat veno!"
"What is it?" Kate climbed off the large bed and strode up to the door in her pajamas. Peeking outside into the empty hall, she murmured, "There's nothing here, Venom."
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
Kate shieked again and twisted around to find the creepy little girl standing in the middle of the bedroom.
"H-how did you-where-how could-"
The little girl didn't blink. "Breakfast will be served in a few minutes. Please come down to the banqueting room once you are ready. There will be an important announcement at the end, and it is necessary for you to come."
Then she silently slipped out through the crack in the door and went off down the hall. Kate and Venom watched her go, both feeling very confused and shaken up.
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Morning in Silvermoor Manor was definitely an improvement over the night's heavy storm. Light poured in through all the high windows, giving the castle a brighter tone (not that they didn't try to stay out of the many dark corners which the light never touched). It made the Trainers realize just how big the place really was, and how easy it was to get lost. It took most of them a while just to figure a way back to the entrance hall, and after that it was a gamble. But surprisingly, they all made it to the banqueting room at about the same time.
There, they found a table filled with more food than any of them could have thought possible in such an empty castle. The banqueting table was a long one, but had only eight chairs. Cards with the Trainer's ID numbers were placed on the plates, and soon they were sitting in the order of their arrival, with Tamora and Shade at the ends.
Brian licked his lips hungrily. "So can we eat now, or what?"
"I don't think we should, not until that Master guy arrives," said Trey, poking at the delicious-looking food suspiciously with his fork.
The doors slammed open, and the two Rhydon from the night before entered. They held open the doors as the two children, who Brian had dubbed Lefty and Righty, walked in wearing the same gray clothes and gray faces.
Trey looked up. "So where's your Master?"
"He will not be eating with you. The Master spends all his time in his tower except during battles," they replied. They closed their eyes and spread their hands toward the table. "You may eat now."
"Alright!"
Brian dived in immediately. The others hesitated, and only began dining once reassured that Brian was not sick or dying anytime soon. The food tasted just as good as it looked and smelled. Everything they wanted to eat, it was there. Even Mr. Kendo, who preferred a bowl of rice and tea to a batch of pancakes anyday, found enough to satisfy his hunger.
Breakfast for the most part was silent. With all the eating and drinking, they only found the time to talk once their stomachs stopped rumbling. Even then, it was in hushed tones, for the children and the Rhydon were still standing at the doorway.
"So I guess they're going to announce who's battling today, huh?" Lyddie said.
"Guess so." Trey muttered.
"I can't wait!" Tamora beamed. "I wonder who's going to be picked?"
"Maybe we're going to battle in the order we arrived, like how we're sitting?" Brian suggested.
Tamora paused from buttering her bagel to think this over. "Well, since that weird girl with the black hair came into the room before me." she gasped and turned to Kyle, "that means I'll be battling you!"
Kyle gasped too, then moaned. "Oh no."
"It's not like that's really going to happen," Lyddie tried reassuring him. "At least, I hope not. Because then that would mean I'd have to battle." she glimpsed at the other end of the table, where Shade was sitting.
At that moment the grim girl was dripping some red food coloring into her glass of milk. Next, she took out a Pokeball and a male Crobat appeared perched on her shoulder. He was holding a worn rubber toy in the shape of a Rattata in his mouth, which Shade promptly filled with the now blood-red milk. The Crobat flapped about excitedly for a bit, then suddenly sunk his fangs into the rubber toy. Drops of red splattered the tablecloth. The Trainers ceased eating as a loud, horrible sucking sound echoed about the room.
Shade looked up to see them staring at her, horrified. "What?"
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At last, the meal was finished. The Trainers stayed in their seats, staring nervously at their empty plates and waiting restlessly for the announcement. Brian tried to suppress a burp, to no success. Mr. Kendo glared at him.
The strange children opened their gray eyes with no change of expression. They spoke, and the Trainers sitting on the opposite end of the room strained to listen.
"Today will be the first battle of round one in the tournament. It will take place in Battlefield Blue of the Dungeon. The winner will remain in the castle and continue on to round two; the loser will be taken to the Hall of Failure where they will remain until the end of the tournament."
Kate sniggered. "Hall of Failure? How corny can you get?"
"What exactly happens in this 'Hall of Failure?'" Trey asked.
"Who cares!" Kyle snorted. "Just tell us who's battling already!"
"Very well." said the children. They raised their arms and paused. Slowly, Lefty pointed at Kyle and Righty at Tamora. "The Master has chosen the two of you."
Kyle nearly fell out of his chair.
"Yaaay!" Tamora cheered, turning glassy eyes upon her opponent. "It must be destiny!"
"You will be given half an hour to get yourselves ready for the battle. Only three Pokemon are allowed, so pick wisely. Battlefield Blue is water- based, so you may need to wear something more suited to water. The other Trainers will be escorted to the Dungeon to witness the battle."
"What? Now?" Kate blinked.
"Yes. Now. Quickly, we must not keep the Master waiting."
The six Trainers stood up. The Rhydon stomped their feet, encouraging them to move faster. They exited the room, feeling very much like herded sheep, then so did the two dark Rhydon and the stoic children. The doors slammed shut after them, and only the two new contenders remained in the room. Kyle murmured with disbelief, "You've got to be kidding me."
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The Rhydon moved on down the halls, their long shadows casting darkness over the apprehensive Pokemon Trainers who followed them. Down, down, one staircase after another, passing room after empty room, until they could see no more windows and torches lit their way instead of sunlight. The atmosphere became damp and cold and the walls of cruel gray stone.
"The Dungeon, eh?" Lyddie shivered. "Good name."
Shade smiled, spotting a torture rack in one room. She was in her element.
"Wow, we must be underground already!" Brian whistled.
"My feet hurt!" whined Kate. "Are we there yet?"
The Rhydon didn't answer.
"Hey, what happened to those kids?" Trey said suddenly. "They disappeared."
"Really? When?" Brian looked around to see that the creepy children truly were gone. Not paying attention, he accidentally bumped into Mr. Kendo, earning himself another disapproving glare. "S-sorry, sir."
The Rhydon stopped.
They were now in a large room. The ceiling had stretched higher to fit in two giant doors, even bigger than the impressive ones in the entrance hall. On the doors were carved several words in an unusual language:
Brian gaped. "I've seen that kind of writing before."
But before he could recall where, the doors swung open (without slamming this time) and the Rhydon ushered them into what lay within.
The Trainers soon found themselves entering an enormous underground cave. Their footsteps echoed about on the walls, disrupting the unbearable silence that had reigned for many a year. Speechless, their eyes were kept busy taking in the awe-inspiring spectacle, and couldn't help but feel small. Even Mr. Kendo, who had seen many things in his lifetime, could hardly try calling this place a mere Pokemon Stadium. It was a monster.
A monster, one that had been kept in peaceful slumber, covered in dust until the footfalls of intruders shook its eyes open. The monster was stretching, regaining its strength, turning its murderous eyes upon the ones who dared enter its domain. The Dungeon was awake. The Dungeon was hungry. The Dungeon was ready. The Dungeon was waiting for its prey.
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The Rhydon led them to a row of bleachers. The bleachers went all the way to the ceiling of the cave, surrounding the main platform. The platform itself wasn't much different from any other stadium, having all the official markings that were issued by the Pokemon League. Nearby was an old chair that could only be described as a throne. Made of gray stone and beautifully carved with images of many mythical Pokemon, it stood on another block of stone raised a few feet higher than the battle platform.
Still having trouble taking it all in, the Trainers sat themselves down on the bleachers. The two Rhydon stood close, having been ordered to watch over the humans until the main events began. They did not have to wait long.
Ten minutes later, the giant doors swung open once again and Lefty and Righty came in. Behind them, Kyle and Tamora were having a discussion ("It's a good thing I brought my swimsuit with me!" "W-well, it's not like I wasn't prepared or anthing; I didn't even want to come here in the first place!") but were silenced by the sight of the cave.
"We're going to battle here!?" Kyle goggled.
For some reason, Tamora burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. She was clad in a cute pink bikini and Kyle in a pair of shorts. Both of them were wearing their belts with three Pokeballs attached. They had brought nothing else with them except for Tamora, who was also wearing a necklace with what looked like a queerly-shaped seashell hanging from it ("My lucky charm," she had told Kyle with a wink).
The two Trainers climbed up onto the battle platform and walked to the center to wait for instructions. Seeing that everything was going according to plan, Lefty and Righty went to stand next to the old throne, with Lefty at the left-hand end and Righty at the right-hand.
Suddenly, Lyddie screamed. "Look!" she pointed at the throne, her face turning white. The Trainers looked, and recoiled with horror.
A shadow was there. Or rather, a shadow of a shadow, if such a thing were to exist. It billowed in the chair like gray fog, swirling menacingly and at the same time becoming more and more clear. The shadow flowed into the shape of a black hooded robe, successfully covering all the features of the figure who now sat stiffly in the old throne.
"The Master has arrived," the children said. The two black Rhydon bowed.
Once the Trainers had gotten over the worst of their shock, the children began to explain. Their quiet voices somehow rose to a greater volume so that they echoed in the stadium like a loudspeaker.
"Welcome to Battlefield Blue. Here, you will battle with the three Pokemon you have chosen according to the rules explained last night. Battlefield Blue consists of the main battlefield, where the fighting takes place, and two air stations in which you and your Pokemon can rest and plan strategies. You may not stay in the air stations the whole time, or else it will shut down for the rest of the battle."
"What air stations?" Kyle asked, looking around. "I don't see any-"
The robed Master mumbled a few strange words in a low, hoarse voice that made everyone shudder. Two shadows appeared at the ends of the battle platform and formed into two clear glass tanks the size of a garbage truck, with one wall made entirely of a clear, gel-like substance.
"Oh."
Lyddie shuddered. "Ugh, whatever that Master- that thing is, it's giving me the creeps." The Trainers in the bleachers couldn't help but agree. Even Shade kept a wary eye on the eerie robed judge, who was whispering something to the children at his side
"The battle will begin shortly," they announced shortly. "Please take your positions."
Tamora and Kyle nodded and each walked toward an air station. As they passed, Tamora gave him a confident smile very uncharacteristic of her. "Good luck."
"Uh, yeah. You too," Kyle said, taken aback.
"The battle will begin in ten seconds. Please choose your first Pokemon. Ten."
Standing next to her air station, Tamora pondered for a bit then released her Ivysaur. "Saura, go!"
"Nine."
All the hours of studying his Pokedex took its toll. Kyle's brain began spitting out information like a machine. Ivysaur, Grass/Poison type Pokemon. Evolution of Bulbasaur, pre-evolution of Venusaur. Special attack, Vine Whip and Poison Powder.
"Eight."
"Well, to beat a Poison, type, I'll just have to use a Psychic type! Hypno!"
"Seven."
The hypnosis Pokemon appeared before him brandishing its coin-on-a-string.
"Six."
The contenders eyed each other.
"Five."
Watching from the bleachers, the other Trainers held their breaths.
"Four."
Saura and Kyle's Hypno took up a battle stance.
"Three."
Kyle caught another bold look in Tamora's eyes.
"Two."
The Master raised his arm; a shadow enveloped the battlefield.
"One!"
"Hypno, Psychic atta-"
WHOOSH.
Kyle's mouth filled with water. In one second, the whole battle platform had turned into a giant tank of water. Taken by surprise, he managed to swallow several mouthfuls of water before his Hypno dragged him into his air station.
"Wh-what the-" he gagged once inside.
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"Woah!!" Brian cried.
"H-how did.?" Trey stammered.
"No way." Kate gaped.
"So this is why they call it Battlefield Blue." Mr. Kendo said darkly, speaking for the first time.
Kyle peered through the glass of the air station to see that Tamora was also in hers, and apparently was waiting for him to come out. He looked at Hypno. "I don't get how the heck this happened, but I think I'm finally getting to understand how it works. Here's what we'll do. Once we get outside, use your Psychic on the Ivysaur. Compared to yours, its level is pretty small so it should knock it out in one shot. After that, we'll meet back in the air station. Ready?"
Hypno nodded. They both took a deep breath and stepped into the gel-like wall, passed through easily, and were back in the water. On the other side of the battlefield, Tamora and Saura did the same.
Immediately, Hypno's eyes glowed violet and sent out a shock of psychic energy at Saura. However, the water slowed it down and Saura was able to dodge it easily with her Trainer latched tightly onto her body. Then, before Hypno could send another Psychic their way, they had kicked off the glass wall of the tank and were spinning quickly to the other side. To keep a straight course, Saura unleashed her vines to trail along the bottom of the tank and steer them in the direction of their choice.
Kyle had to admit, for a Pokemon that was not a Water type, that Ivysaur moved through the water extremely fast. That was probably contributed to by the fact that Grass types were strong to Water, but it held no explanation as to why a Trainer who he'd though was nothing but a dumb blond was using some surprisingly crafty strategies. In the seconds that they were free from the psychic blasts, Tamora was making Saura send a RazorLeaf in their direction. The leaves cut through the water like butter, but were unable to reach Hypno with the same force as normal. Instead, they created tiny whirlpools that greatly impeded the direction of the psychic blasts.
Kyle cursed inwardly. At this rate they wouldn't get anywhere! And his air was running out.Grabbing Hypno's hand, he swum awkwardly in the direction of his air station, just as Tamora and Saura ricocheted of the wall in the direction of their own.
"Plans, plans! What should I do!?" Kyle mentally ticked off all the attacks he'd taught his Hypno. Nightmare, DreamEater-- but those could only be used when the opponent was asleep, and Hypno used Hypnosis by waving its coin-on- a-string, which was virtually impossible to do in the water. Then what else could he use!? Wait a minute, what about the Special Attacks those kids mentioned? He'd taken a look at those on his Pokedex while he was getting ready, and he was pretty sure the one issued to his Hypno was called Shutdown.
Shutdown? What the heck was that supposed to do? He didn't know and didn't care; it was better than nothing, and he wasn't going to stand losing to a Pokemon that wasn't even half the level of his. "Okay, so here's how we'll do it. We go out there and you use your Shutdown thing and.well, we'll see what happens. If it doesn't work, just keep using Psychic until we tire them out, then we'll regroup. Get it? Got it? Good."
Then stepped back into the water.
Tamora and Saura came swinging toward them at once.
Hypno's eyes glowed, but before he could do anything, Tamora let go of her Ivysaur and Saura launched herself at Hypno with a powerful Headbutt.
Bonk!
The attack had a double effect. The force from the Headbutt made Hypno go crashing into the wall of the tank, and then bounce off into the water to be hit by another Headbutt, again and again until Kyle was able to rescue him by fleeing to the air station.
"Unbelievable!"
The barrage of Headbutts had caused so much damage that Hypno could barely even concentrate. Kyle was running out of ideas. It was ridiculous! He was losing to an Ivysaur for crying out loud!
Hypno pawed at a black eye as Kyle hastily told him a new plan. "Okay, don't move, just wait until they get close enough, then use your Pound. Hopefully it should knock them out.or something. We'll see."
"Hypno." No offense, Kyle, but that's not very encouraging.
It turned out, however, that Hypno would have no time to use Pound because he was too busy trying to clear his view of the RazorLeafs that flew in from every direction. Then before he could react, another barrage of Headbutts were in order and it wasn't long before the poor Psychic type had gone unconscious.
Tamora mimed blowing a kiss at Kyle as she and Saura swung back to their air station.
Kyle returned his defeated Hypno to his Pokeball and swam to his air station as well. What was up with that girl!? She sure acted cute and innocent before, but in battle, her attitude had completely changed. Now she was a powerful strategist who was winning against him easily despite the notable difference in level.
But he wasn't finished yet.He grinned and fingered a Pokeball. He still had two Pokemon left, one of which would be unbeatable when in an environment such as this. But he'd only use him as a last resort; for now, Kyle was going to use "Porygon2!"
"Pory!"
Unlike Hypno, Porygon2's sleek body was much more durable in the water. For Saura's speed, Kyle made it use Agility, and soon both Pokemon were evenly matched. Saura was barely able to avoid a Psybeam by hiding in a blizzard of RazorLeafs but, after getting some air, Kyle and Porygon2 were back with an effective Lock-On to blast through and hit the Ivysaur perfectly.
Still, Saura and Tamora were not giving up.
"It's time to finish this," Kyle said, forming another plan. Once back in the water battlefield, Porygon2 used Conversion, changing its type to one of its attack types, or more specifically, a Psychic type from its Psybeam. After that, it only took one more well aimed Psybeam (with the double power boost from being the same type as the attack and Poison's weakness to Psychic) to finish Saura off.
The tides were turning.or were they? Next up was Tamora's Seadra, Dora. She, like Saura, wasn't very significant in terms of level, but had an advantage in terms of type elements. Though Lock-On could see right through the inky black Smokescreen Dora blew, it was quite hard using it when Porygon2 was caught in a Whirlpool. Even then, they first had to determine which Dora to Lock-On to since, thanks to a Double Team, there were now more than one Seadras swimming in the sea.
Kyle could hardly believe it when, with another barrage, this time using Bubble by ten Dora's at the same time, Porygon2, his second Pokemon, fainted.
Now he'd have to use his last resort-- something only a few hours ago he'd thought would have been wasted on such a seemingly amateur battler as Tamora. And yet, he was confident that no matter her skill, no matter that she still had another Pokemon if Dora lost, there was absolutely no way she could beat him.
Kyle panted in his air station, making use of the precious oxygen available to him. He looked across the battlefield to the other air station, where Tamora was also breathing heavily. She shook her short wet hair, sending drops of water flying, and patted the glass. Still swimming outside in the tank, Dora nodded her head enthusiastically, pleased with the compliment she read in her Trainer's eyes.
"Heh. They won't be so happy for very long." Kyle caught Tamora's attention by waving, then held up his last Pokeball to show her. He grinned, seeing her tense up, and then released his strongest Pokemon.
"Blaaaastoise!"
Tamora's eyes widened, but she seemed unshaken. It was with a more determined expression that she left her air station, and it was with a smug grin that he and his Blastoise left his.
First of all, speed and transportation. Kyle held on to Blastoise's shell as he used a Surf to zoom about the water battlefield as smoothly as a fish. They chased the girls around the tank for a bit until they were stopped in their tracks by an especially large Smokescreen.
You can't run or hide, Kyle thought as Blastoise used Rapid Spin to get rid of the ink. But the Tamora he saw once it was cleared away didn't look like she was planning on hiding at all. This time, it was her who had the smug grin, as she took off her lucky charm necklace and pressed it against Dora's body.
Too late, Kyle realized that the 'lucky charm' wasn't a seashell, but a Dragon Scale.
There was a blinding flash. Dora's body was enveloped in white light and grew longer, larger, and more graceful. The bright light resided, and in its place was a beautiful female Kindgra.
Too preoccupied with watching the evolution take place, Kyle suddenly became aware of his need for more air. He and Tamora swam back to their air stations, but the two aqua Pokemon stayed, facing each other with fierce scowls.
Once they'd taken a gulp of air, the Trainers entered the battlefield again and the battle was resumed with a new intensity. This time, it wasn't just a Water type Blastoise was against, but a Dragon type too. At least he had an Ice Punch move to counter it, but not even hiding in his tough shell with a Withdraw could protect him from Dora's newly learned DragonBreath attack.
Kyle desperately tried to come up with another strategy as he and his Blastoise were driven off by another breath of yellow flame that burned even in the water. He quickly retreated to his air station to form a new plan.
Now, what was Blastoise's Special Attack again? Curse his memory; it could store numerous facts and strategies on capturing Pokemon, but couldn't remember what the dang attack was called! He shouldn't have read that issue of Collector's Magazine last night, or he would have had more brain space for important things! But never mind that now, he had to do something with what he had. If only Blastoise could get close enough to use Ice Punch without getting hit by a DragonBreath they might have a chance, but how? Did Dragon type Pokemon have any other weakness besides ice.? Yes, it was weak to other Dragon types and Steel types. But his Blastoise didn't know any of those kinds of attacks.
Wait a minute, what about the Trainer? Did she have a weakness?
Okay, so she was a girl. What could he do to distract a girl? Kyle tried, but couldn't come up with anything that wasn't obscene.
Alright, so she was a human being. Just like him. What was his weakness? Well, he hated losing a rare Pokemon, and he never did like raisins much. No, no, not like him at all. But she was still a human being, and what did humans need most in an environment consisting of only water.?
AIR!
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Tamora allowed herself a giggle, and a real one this time. Sure, she'd had her doubts, but it looked as if she might win against this guy after all. He'd underestimated her, and as a result saved his best Pokemon for last. Which only meant she had one more Pokemon to go through before this match was hers. Piece of cake. Evolving Dora had been her last resort, but at least she was more prepared than that Collector was. Heh; she should really consider becoming an actress someday. At least after she resumed the role of Pokemon Master.
Tamora slipped out of the air station at the same time as Kyle and grabbed hold of Dora as she went zooming toward her opponent. But surprisingly, the Blastoise didn't try to attack, and instead tried avoiding contact. Puzzled, she and Dora let them pass.and caught a fleeting glance of Kyle's grim smile.
Too late, Tamora realized they were heading toward her air station.
CRASH!
With one strong Dynamic Punch, the air station was destroyed in a flying mass of glass and bubbles.
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Trey jumped up from his seat. "He can't do that!" he roared.
"Yes he can," the children assured him. "We explained in the rules. 'Everything goes.'"
"But she'll be killed!!"
"'It is a loss once all of a Trainer's Pokemon are unable to fight or the Trainer can no longer stay in battle.'"
"You're crazy! That's against League rules! Stop the match right now! Stop the-" Trey struggled as the two Rhydon grabbed ahold of him and proceeded to drag him out of the Dungeon.
"The Dungeon follows no rules but its own."
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Tamora gasped with shock, and got a mouthful of water. A big mistake. She frantically tried swimming to Kyle's air station, which all of a sudden seemed so far away. Somewhere in her consciousness she noted that Dora had been frozen solid as her body and mind screamed for air.
Since both Saura and Dora were gone, she only had one Pokemon left.
Couldn't breathe.
But Ponytail would never stand a chance in this field.
Energy slipping away.
Did this mean she'd lost?
Everything.turning.black.
She fainted.
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WHOOSH.
The tank, air station, and all the water disappeared. Tamora's body thudded to the floor or the battle platform.
"The Master declares Kyle Smith the winner of battle one, round one, Battlefield Blue."
Thin rays of light peeked through the wide folds of maroon curtain. They spilled onto the carpet to make delicate patterns of morning angels.
Venom the Venonat, who had been awake the whole night, drew the heavy curtains open and hopped onto his Trainer's bed.
Kate woke up to find a shaggy bug's head peering down at her and shrieked. "Venom! Get away! Stop poking me, that tickles!" Laughing, she wrestled him off and began tickling back before realizing that something was terribly wrong. The normally playful and carefree Venom was shaking like a leaf, and kept pointing at the door of the bedroom.
"V-vena! Venonat veno!"
"What is it?" Kate climbed off the large bed and strode up to the door in her pajamas. Peeking outside into the empty hall, she murmured, "There's nothing here, Venom."
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
Kate shieked again and twisted around to find the creepy little girl standing in the middle of the bedroom.
"H-how did you-where-how could-"
The little girl didn't blink. "Breakfast will be served in a few minutes. Please come down to the banqueting room once you are ready. There will be an important announcement at the end, and it is necessary for you to come."
Then she silently slipped out through the crack in the door and went off down the hall. Kate and Venom watched her go, both feeling very confused and shaken up.
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Morning in Silvermoor Manor was definitely an improvement over the night's heavy storm. Light poured in through all the high windows, giving the castle a brighter tone (not that they didn't try to stay out of the many dark corners which the light never touched). It made the Trainers realize just how big the place really was, and how easy it was to get lost. It took most of them a while just to figure a way back to the entrance hall, and after that it was a gamble. But surprisingly, they all made it to the banqueting room at about the same time.
There, they found a table filled with more food than any of them could have thought possible in such an empty castle. The banqueting table was a long one, but had only eight chairs. Cards with the Trainer's ID numbers were placed on the plates, and soon they were sitting in the order of their arrival, with Tamora and Shade at the ends.
Brian licked his lips hungrily. "So can we eat now, or what?"
"I don't think we should, not until that Master guy arrives," said Trey, poking at the delicious-looking food suspiciously with his fork.
The doors slammed open, and the two Rhydon from the night before entered. They held open the doors as the two children, who Brian had dubbed Lefty and Righty, walked in wearing the same gray clothes and gray faces.
Trey looked up. "So where's your Master?"
"He will not be eating with you. The Master spends all his time in his tower except during battles," they replied. They closed their eyes and spread their hands toward the table. "You may eat now."
"Alright!"
Brian dived in immediately. The others hesitated, and only began dining once reassured that Brian was not sick or dying anytime soon. The food tasted just as good as it looked and smelled. Everything they wanted to eat, it was there. Even Mr. Kendo, who preferred a bowl of rice and tea to a batch of pancakes anyday, found enough to satisfy his hunger.
Breakfast for the most part was silent. With all the eating and drinking, they only found the time to talk once their stomachs stopped rumbling. Even then, it was in hushed tones, for the children and the Rhydon were still standing at the doorway.
"So I guess they're going to announce who's battling today, huh?" Lyddie said.
"Guess so." Trey muttered.
"I can't wait!" Tamora beamed. "I wonder who's going to be picked?"
"Maybe we're going to battle in the order we arrived, like how we're sitting?" Brian suggested.
Tamora paused from buttering her bagel to think this over. "Well, since that weird girl with the black hair came into the room before me." she gasped and turned to Kyle, "that means I'll be battling you!"
Kyle gasped too, then moaned. "Oh no."
"It's not like that's really going to happen," Lyddie tried reassuring him. "At least, I hope not. Because then that would mean I'd have to battle." she glimpsed at the other end of the table, where Shade was sitting.
At that moment the grim girl was dripping some red food coloring into her glass of milk. Next, she took out a Pokeball and a male Crobat appeared perched on her shoulder. He was holding a worn rubber toy in the shape of a Rattata in his mouth, which Shade promptly filled with the now blood-red milk. The Crobat flapped about excitedly for a bit, then suddenly sunk his fangs into the rubber toy. Drops of red splattered the tablecloth. The Trainers ceased eating as a loud, horrible sucking sound echoed about the room.
Shade looked up to see them staring at her, horrified. "What?"
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At last, the meal was finished. The Trainers stayed in their seats, staring nervously at their empty plates and waiting restlessly for the announcement. Brian tried to suppress a burp, to no success. Mr. Kendo glared at him.
The strange children opened their gray eyes with no change of expression. They spoke, and the Trainers sitting on the opposite end of the room strained to listen.
"Today will be the first battle of round one in the tournament. It will take place in Battlefield Blue of the Dungeon. The winner will remain in the castle and continue on to round two; the loser will be taken to the Hall of Failure where they will remain until the end of the tournament."
Kate sniggered. "Hall of Failure? How corny can you get?"
"What exactly happens in this 'Hall of Failure?'" Trey asked.
"Who cares!" Kyle snorted. "Just tell us who's battling already!"
"Very well." said the children. They raised their arms and paused. Slowly, Lefty pointed at Kyle and Righty at Tamora. "The Master has chosen the two of you."
Kyle nearly fell out of his chair.
"Yaaay!" Tamora cheered, turning glassy eyes upon her opponent. "It must be destiny!"
"You will be given half an hour to get yourselves ready for the battle. Only three Pokemon are allowed, so pick wisely. Battlefield Blue is water- based, so you may need to wear something more suited to water. The other Trainers will be escorted to the Dungeon to witness the battle."
"What? Now?" Kate blinked.
"Yes. Now. Quickly, we must not keep the Master waiting."
The six Trainers stood up. The Rhydon stomped their feet, encouraging them to move faster. They exited the room, feeling very much like herded sheep, then so did the two dark Rhydon and the stoic children. The doors slammed shut after them, and only the two new contenders remained in the room. Kyle murmured with disbelief, "You've got to be kidding me."
----------------
The Rhydon moved on down the halls, their long shadows casting darkness over the apprehensive Pokemon Trainers who followed them. Down, down, one staircase after another, passing room after empty room, until they could see no more windows and torches lit their way instead of sunlight. The atmosphere became damp and cold and the walls of cruel gray stone.
"The Dungeon, eh?" Lyddie shivered. "Good name."
Shade smiled, spotting a torture rack in one room. She was in her element.
"Wow, we must be underground already!" Brian whistled.
"My feet hurt!" whined Kate. "Are we there yet?"
The Rhydon didn't answer.
"Hey, what happened to those kids?" Trey said suddenly. "They disappeared."
"Really? When?" Brian looked around to see that the creepy children truly were gone. Not paying attention, he accidentally bumped into Mr. Kendo, earning himself another disapproving glare. "S-sorry, sir."
The Rhydon stopped.
They were now in a large room. The ceiling had stretched higher to fit in two giant doors, even bigger than the impressive ones in the entrance hall. On the doors were carved several words in an unusual language:
Brian gaped. "I've seen that kind of writing before."
But before he could recall where, the doors swung open (without slamming this time) and the Rhydon ushered them into what lay within.
The Trainers soon found themselves entering an enormous underground cave. Their footsteps echoed about on the walls, disrupting the unbearable silence that had reigned for many a year. Speechless, their eyes were kept busy taking in the awe-inspiring spectacle, and couldn't help but feel small. Even Mr. Kendo, who had seen many things in his lifetime, could hardly try calling this place a mere Pokemon Stadium. It was a monster.
A monster, one that had been kept in peaceful slumber, covered in dust until the footfalls of intruders shook its eyes open. The monster was stretching, regaining its strength, turning its murderous eyes upon the ones who dared enter its domain. The Dungeon was awake. The Dungeon was hungry. The Dungeon was ready. The Dungeon was waiting for its prey.
----------------
The Rhydon led them to a row of bleachers. The bleachers went all the way to the ceiling of the cave, surrounding the main platform. The platform itself wasn't much different from any other stadium, having all the official markings that were issued by the Pokemon League. Nearby was an old chair that could only be described as a throne. Made of gray stone and beautifully carved with images of many mythical Pokemon, it stood on another block of stone raised a few feet higher than the battle platform.
Still having trouble taking it all in, the Trainers sat themselves down on the bleachers. The two Rhydon stood close, having been ordered to watch over the humans until the main events began. They did not have to wait long.
Ten minutes later, the giant doors swung open once again and Lefty and Righty came in. Behind them, Kyle and Tamora were having a discussion ("It's a good thing I brought my swimsuit with me!" "W-well, it's not like I wasn't prepared or anthing; I didn't even want to come here in the first place!") but were silenced by the sight of the cave.
"We're going to battle here!?" Kyle goggled.
For some reason, Tamora burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. She was clad in a cute pink bikini and Kyle in a pair of shorts. Both of them were wearing their belts with three Pokeballs attached. They had brought nothing else with them except for Tamora, who was also wearing a necklace with what looked like a queerly-shaped seashell hanging from it ("My lucky charm," she had told Kyle with a wink).
The two Trainers climbed up onto the battle platform and walked to the center to wait for instructions. Seeing that everything was going according to plan, Lefty and Righty went to stand next to the old throne, with Lefty at the left-hand end and Righty at the right-hand.
Suddenly, Lyddie screamed. "Look!" she pointed at the throne, her face turning white. The Trainers looked, and recoiled with horror.
A shadow was there. Or rather, a shadow of a shadow, if such a thing were to exist. It billowed in the chair like gray fog, swirling menacingly and at the same time becoming more and more clear. The shadow flowed into the shape of a black hooded robe, successfully covering all the features of the figure who now sat stiffly in the old throne.
"The Master has arrived," the children said. The two black Rhydon bowed.
Once the Trainers had gotten over the worst of their shock, the children began to explain. Their quiet voices somehow rose to a greater volume so that they echoed in the stadium like a loudspeaker.
"Welcome to Battlefield Blue. Here, you will battle with the three Pokemon you have chosen according to the rules explained last night. Battlefield Blue consists of the main battlefield, where the fighting takes place, and two air stations in which you and your Pokemon can rest and plan strategies. You may not stay in the air stations the whole time, or else it will shut down for the rest of the battle."
"What air stations?" Kyle asked, looking around. "I don't see any-"
The robed Master mumbled a few strange words in a low, hoarse voice that made everyone shudder. Two shadows appeared at the ends of the battle platform and formed into two clear glass tanks the size of a garbage truck, with one wall made entirely of a clear, gel-like substance.
"Oh."
Lyddie shuddered. "Ugh, whatever that Master- that thing is, it's giving me the creeps." The Trainers in the bleachers couldn't help but agree. Even Shade kept a wary eye on the eerie robed judge, who was whispering something to the children at his side
"The battle will begin shortly," they announced shortly. "Please take your positions."
Tamora and Kyle nodded and each walked toward an air station. As they passed, Tamora gave him a confident smile very uncharacteristic of her. "Good luck."
"Uh, yeah. You too," Kyle said, taken aback.
"The battle will begin in ten seconds. Please choose your first Pokemon. Ten."
Standing next to her air station, Tamora pondered for a bit then released her Ivysaur. "Saura, go!"
"Nine."
All the hours of studying his Pokedex took its toll. Kyle's brain began spitting out information like a machine. Ivysaur, Grass/Poison type Pokemon. Evolution of Bulbasaur, pre-evolution of Venusaur. Special attack, Vine Whip and Poison Powder.
"Eight."
"Well, to beat a Poison, type, I'll just have to use a Psychic type! Hypno!"
"Seven."
The hypnosis Pokemon appeared before him brandishing its coin-on-a-string.
"Six."
The contenders eyed each other.
"Five."
Watching from the bleachers, the other Trainers held their breaths.
"Four."
Saura and Kyle's Hypno took up a battle stance.
"Three."
Kyle caught another bold look in Tamora's eyes.
"Two."
The Master raised his arm; a shadow enveloped the battlefield.
"One!"
"Hypno, Psychic atta-"
WHOOSH.
Kyle's mouth filled with water. In one second, the whole battle platform had turned into a giant tank of water. Taken by surprise, he managed to swallow several mouthfuls of water before his Hypno dragged him into his air station.
"Wh-what the-" he gagged once inside.
-----------------
"Woah!!" Brian cried.
"H-how did.?" Trey stammered.
"No way." Kate gaped.
"So this is why they call it Battlefield Blue." Mr. Kendo said darkly, speaking for the first time.
Kyle peered through the glass of the air station to see that Tamora was also in hers, and apparently was waiting for him to come out. He looked at Hypno. "I don't get how the heck this happened, but I think I'm finally getting to understand how it works. Here's what we'll do. Once we get outside, use your Psychic on the Ivysaur. Compared to yours, its level is pretty small so it should knock it out in one shot. After that, we'll meet back in the air station. Ready?"
Hypno nodded. They both took a deep breath and stepped into the gel-like wall, passed through easily, and were back in the water. On the other side of the battlefield, Tamora and Saura did the same.
Immediately, Hypno's eyes glowed violet and sent out a shock of psychic energy at Saura. However, the water slowed it down and Saura was able to dodge it easily with her Trainer latched tightly onto her body. Then, before Hypno could send another Psychic their way, they had kicked off the glass wall of the tank and were spinning quickly to the other side. To keep a straight course, Saura unleashed her vines to trail along the bottom of the tank and steer them in the direction of their choice.
Kyle had to admit, for a Pokemon that was not a Water type, that Ivysaur moved through the water extremely fast. That was probably contributed to by the fact that Grass types were strong to Water, but it held no explanation as to why a Trainer who he'd though was nothing but a dumb blond was using some surprisingly crafty strategies. In the seconds that they were free from the psychic blasts, Tamora was making Saura send a RazorLeaf in their direction. The leaves cut through the water like butter, but were unable to reach Hypno with the same force as normal. Instead, they created tiny whirlpools that greatly impeded the direction of the psychic blasts.
Kyle cursed inwardly. At this rate they wouldn't get anywhere! And his air was running out.Grabbing Hypno's hand, he swum awkwardly in the direction of his air station, just as Tamora and Saura ricocheted of the wall in the direction of their own.
"Plans, plans! What should I do!?" Kyle mentally ticked off all the attacks he'd taught his Hypno. Nightmare, DreamEater-- but those could only be used when the opponent was asleep, and Hypno used Hypnosis by waving its coin-on- a-string, which was virtually impossible to do in the water. Then what else could he use!? Wait a minute, what about the Special Attacks those kids mentioned? He'd taken a look at those on his Pokedex while he was getting ready, and he was pretty sure the one issued to his Hypno was called Shutdown.
Shutdown? What the heck was that supposed to do? He didn't know and didn't care; it was better than nothing, and he wasn't going to stand losing to a Pokemon that wasn't even half the level of his. "Okay, so here's how we'll do it. We go out there and you use your Shutdown thing and.well, we'll see what happens. If it doesn't work, just keep using Psychic until we tire them out, then we'll regroup. Get it? Got it? Good."
Then stepped back into the water.
Tamora and Saura came swinging toward them at once.
Hypno's eyes glowed, but before he could do anything, Tamora let go of her Ivysaur and Saura launched herself at Hypno with a powerful Headbutt.
Bonk!
The attack had a double effect. The force from the Headbutt made Hypno go crashing into the wall of the tank, and then bounce off into the water to be hit by another Headbutt, again and again until Kyle was able to rescue him by fleeing to the air station.
"Unbelievable!"
The barrage of Headbutts had caused so much damage that Hypno could barely even concentrate. Kyle was running out of ideas. It was ridiculous! He was losing to an Ivysaur for crying out loud!
Hypno pawed at a black eye as Kyle hastily told him a new plan. "Okay, don't move, just wait until they get close enough, then use your Pound. Hopefully it should knock them out.or something. We'll see."
"Hypno." No offense, Kyle, but that's not very encouraging.
It turned out, however, that Hypno would have no time to use Pound because he was too busy trying to clear his view of the RazorLeafs that flew in from every direction. Then before he could react, another barrage of Headbutts were in order and it wasn't long before the poor Psychic type had gone unconscious.
Tamora mimed blowing a kiss at Kyle as she and Saura swung back to their air station.
Kyle returned his defeated Hypno to his Pokeball and swam to his air station as well. What was up with that girl!? She sure acted cute and innocent before, but in battle, her attitude had completely changed. Now she was a powerful strategist who was winning against him easily despite the notable difference in level.
But he wasn't finished yet.He grinned and fingered a Pokeball. He still had two Pokemon left, one of which would be unbeatable when in an environment such as this. But he'd only use him as a last resort; for now, Kyle was going to use "Porygon2!"
"Pory!"
Unlike Hypno, Porygon2's sleek body was much more durable in the water. For Saura's speed, Kyle made it use Agility, and soon both Pokemon were evenly matched. Saura was barely able to avoid a Psybeam by hiding in a blizzard of RazorLeafs but, after getting some air, Kyle and Porygon2 were back with an effective Lock-On to blast through and hit the Ivysaur perfectly.
Still, Saura and Tamora were not giving up.
"It's time to finish this," Kyle said, forming another plan. Once back in the water battlefield, Porygon2 used Conversion, changing its type to one of its attack types, or more specifically, a Psychic type from its Psybeam. After that, it only took one more well aimed Psybeam (with the double power boost from being the same type as the attack and Poison's weakness to Psychic) to finish Saura off.
The tides were turning.or were they? Next up was Tamora's Seadra, Dora. She, like Saura, wasn't very significant in terms of level, but had an advantage in terms of type elements. Though Lock-On could see right through the inky black Smokescreen Dora blew, it was quite hard using it when Porygon2 was caught in a Whirlpool. Even then, they first had to determine which Dora to Lock-On to since, thanks to a Double Team, there were now more than one Seadras swimming in the sea.
Kyle could hardly believe it when, with another barrage, this time using Bubble by ten Dora's at the same time, Porygon2, his second Pokemon, fainted.
Now he'd have to use his last resort-- something only a few hours ago he'd thought would have been wasted on such a seemingly amateur battler as Tamora. And yet, he was confident that no matter her skill, no matter that she still had another Pokemon if Dora lost, there was absolutely no way she could beat him.
Kyle panted in his air station, making use of the precious oxygen available to him. He looked across the battlefield to the other air station, where Tamora was also breathing heavily. She shook her short wet hair, sending drops of water flying, and patted the glass. Still swimming outside in the tank, Dora nodded her head enthusiastically, pleased with the compliment she read in her Trainer's eyes.
"Heh. They won't be so happy for very long." Kyle caught Tamora's attention by waving, then held up his last Pokeball to show her. He grinned, seeing her tense up, and then released his strongest Pokemon.
"Blaaaastoise!"
Tamora's eyes widened, but she seemed unshaken. It was with a more determined expression that she left her air station, and it was with a smug grin that he and his Blastoise left his.
First of all, speed and transportation. Kyle held on to Blastoise's shell as he used a Surf to zoom about the water battlefield as smoothly as a fish. They chased the girls around the tank for a bit until they were stopped in their tracks by an especially large Smokescreen.
You can't run or hide, Kyle thought as Blastoise used Rapid Spin to get rid of the ink. But the Tamora he saw once it was cleared away didn't look like she was planning on hiding at all. This time, it was her who had the smug grin, as she took off her lucky charm necklace and pressed it against Dora's body.
Too late, Kyle realized that the 'lucky charm' wasn't a seashell, but a Dragon Scale.
There was a blinding flash. Dora's body was enveloped in white light and grew longer, larger, and more graceful. The bright light resided, and in its place was a beautiful female Kindgra.
Too preoccupied with watching the evolution take place, Kyle suddenly became aware of his need for more air. He and Tamora swam back to their air stations, but the two aqua Pokemon stayed, facing each other with fierce scowls.
Once they'd taken a gulp of air, the Trainers entered the battlefield again and the battle was resumed with a new intensity. This time, it wasn't just a Water type Blastoise was against, but a Dragon type too. At least he had an Ice Punch move to counter it, but not even hiding in his tough shell with a Withdraw could protect him from Dora's newly learned DragonBreath attack.
Kyle desperately tried to come up with another strategy as he and his Blastoise were driven off by another breath of yellow flame that burned even in the water. He quickly retreated to his air station to form a new plan.
Now, what was Blastoise's Special Attack again? Curse his memory; it could store numerous facts and strategies on capturing Pokemon, but couldn't remember what the dang attack was called! He shouldn't have read that issue of Collector's Magazine last night, or he would have had more brain space for important things! But never mind that now, he had to do something with what he had. If only Blastoise could get close enough to use Ice Punch without getting hit by a DragonBreath they might have a chance, but how? Did Dragon type Pokemon have any other weakness besides ice.? Yes, it was weak to other Dragon types and Steel types. But his Blastoise didn't know any of those kinds of attacks.
Wait a minute, what about the Trainer? Did she have a weakness?
Okay, so she was a girl. What could he do to distract a girl? Kyle tried, but couldn't come up with anything that wasn't obscene.
Alright, so she was a human being. Just like him. What was his weakness? Well, he hated losing a rare Pokemon, and he never did like raisins much. No, no, not like him at all. But she was still a human being, and what did humans need most in an environment consisting of only water.?
AIR!
---------------
Tamora allowed herself a giggle, and a real one this time. Sure, she'd had her doubts, but it looked as if she might win against this guy after all. He'd underestimated her, and as a result saved his best Pokemon for last. Which only meant she had one more Pokemon to go through before this match was hers. Piece of cake. Evolving Dora had been her last resort, but at least she was more prepared than that Collector was. Heh; she should really consider becoming an actress someday. At least after she resumed the role of Pokemon Master.
Tamora slipped out of the air station at the same time as Kyle and grabbed hold of Dora as she went zooming toward her opponent. But surprisingly, the Blastoise didn't try to attack, and instead tried avoiding contact. Puzzled, she and Dora let them pass.and caught a fleeting glance of Kyle's grim smile.
Too late, Tamora realized they were heading toward her air station.
CRASH!
With one strong Dynamic Punch, the air station was destroyed in a flying mass of glass and bubbles.
----------------
Trey jumped up from his seat. "He can't do that!" he roared.
"Yes he can," the children assured him. "We explained in the rules. 'Everything goes.'"
"But she'll be killed!!"
"'It is a loss once all of a Trainer's Pokemon are unable to fight or the Trainer can no longer stay in battle.'"
"You're crazy! That's against League rules! Stop the match right now! Stop the-" Trey struggled as the two Rhydon grabbed ahold of him and proceeded to drag him out of the Dungeon.
"The Dungeon follows no rules but its own."
-------------
Tamora gasped with shock, and got a mouthful of water. A big mistake. She frantically tried swimming to Kyle's air station, which all of a sudden seemed so far away. Somewhere in her consciousness she noted that Dora had been frozen solid as her body and mind screamed for air.
Since both Saura and Dora were gone, she only had one Pokemon left.
Couldn't breathe.
But Ponytail would never stand a chance in this field.
Energy slipping away.
Did this mean she'd lost?
Everything.turning.black.
She fainted.
--------------
WHOOSH.
The tank, air station, and all the water disappeared. Tamora's body thudded to the floor or the battle platform.
"The Master declares Kyle Smith the winner of battle one, round one, Battlefield Blue."