Chapter 29--The Champion
Benjamin, Mike, and Yuugi, now reunited with Miaka and Rana, finally had enough badges to face the Champion and win the Key. They set out for the Cloud Citadel before sunrise. By the time they reached the Citadel, the sun had risen, although it failed to shine brightly (Benjamin resisted the urge to look smug--he had forced everyone to wake up early). Upon arrival, however, they found a surprise.
"We meet again, Summoner. You have evaded us for too long. The Overlord grows tired of your constant escapes. Today, you come with us."
It was Daria. Yuugi stared at her in shock. There were other Clanners with her, Clanners they had faced before--three Skull Clanners whom Yami recognized; several Dracon Clanners who had nearly kidnapped Yuugi; a group of Necro Clanners with hatred in their eyes. Rana and Miaka, whom the Overlord had not chased, were also astounded.
"Hey--are those the Clanners who were kidnapping the children?"
Daria looked condecendingly at the two Pokemon Worlders. "Yes, we are. But we are through kidnapping children; we have found our target, and we will take our prize. The rest of you will die." She raised a long, thin throwing knife, a vicious smile lighting her features. "My orders are to take you alive, but it doesn't matter what else I do to you. Maybe I will cripple you...or maybe blind you...which would you prefer?" She laughed wildly, then flipped the knife into throwing position.
Yuugi did not move. He remained staring at her in shock, even though a voice in his head was screaming RUN!!! as loudly as possible. Just as Daria released the knife, however, Yami shoved Yuugi out of the way as hard as he could, and someone caught the knife. Getting up, Yuugi looked at the mysterious knife-catcher.
It was Matt.
"Matt! You made it!"
Matt smiled quickly at Yuugi and his friends, then turned back to the Clanners. Daria raised her Gating device, but Matt knocked it out of her hand. Daria looked, not terrified, but enraged as Matt closed a hand around her throat. She would surely have died if Yuugi had not grabbed Matt's sleeve, saying over and over, "Don't kill her! Don't kill her!"
Matt dropped her, then looked at Yuugi. "Yuugi, she would have killed you. She would have brought you to the Overlord."
Yuugi looked down. "....I know...but death is still death, no matter why you kill someone. Don't hurt them, Matt--this isn't their fault!"
Benjamin scowled, not as forgiving and understanding as Yuugi. "Not their fault...how can it not be their fault? They chose to come here. They chose to join the Overlord."
"No, Benjamin. They didn't have a choice--they have no other way to survive. That isn't their fault..."
Daria smiled condescendingly at him, not at all grateful that Yuugi had saved her life. "Yes, yes, that's all very touching, but you'll die either way. Our lives are nothing compared to the might of the Overlord's great armies. Whether we die or not is immaterial."
At this, Matt marched forward, the Clanners scurrying backwards before him--all but three, that is. The three Skull Clanners had not moved. Looking at their faces, Matt saw that their eyes held the look of one who would welcome death. Shuddering, he continued moving forward, cornering the other Clanners.
Yuugi, meanwhile, was following him. "Matt--you can't hurt them-- this isn't their fault--"
But Matt completely ignored him. Like Benjamin, he had berserker blood in him. He did not, however, attack. He raised his hand to force- Gate them out of his World, but his more empathetic ally, Yuugi, had unluckily jumped in front of him at this exact moment to stop him from killing anyone. Yuugi was not Gated anywhere, but was thrown backwards from the force of Matt's Gate, slamming into a wall.
Getting up, he dusted himself off and walked back over to Matt. "You shouldn't have done that, Matt..."
Then he and Matt rejoined the others, Yuugi limping slightly.
Yuugi...I can understand you wanting to stop Matt from hurting the Clanners, but do have to injure yourself in the process? Yami said wearily. Sometimes his partner was just too nice for his own good.
In front of the Citadel, they were stopped again, by the remaining Skull Clanners. Holding up a hand, one of them said, "Stop--we would speak to the Summoner." They turned to Yuugi. "We meet again, Summoner. Here-- take this. Remember, Summoner...they have only as much power as you give them. Do not lose sight of the truth in suspicion. Farewell, kara-kachi."
They all watched in a rather dazed way as the three Clanners Gated out. Benjamin was frowning thoughtfully--kara-kachi was Darkling. Yuugi put what they had given him in his pocket without looking at it. "Let's go find the Champion!"
-o-o-o-o-o-
The Cloud Citadel was a tall, slender building of beautiful construction. A narrow staircase wound its way up the mountain to reach it; the Citadel was so high up that its uppermost spire pierced the clouds. The six travelers (seven if you knew how to look) slowly ascended to the dizzying height of the Citadel itself. The pearly-white doors slid open when they inserted the ten necessary badges in the circular plate built for them. They stepped into the darkened hall....
"So. I thought you might reach me here, Summoner. What--surprised to see me?"
Yuugi stared wordlessly at the Champion who walked forward. To his friends, the Champion seemed to be a perfectly normal man of perhaps thirty with oddly-colored eyes. Yuugi, however, recognized the Oracle as only one who has been possessed by it can.
"You...you can't be here...it's impossible..." he said, taking a step backwards. Yuugi remembered all too well the pain and misery the Oracle had caused him at their last meeting...
The Champion's face changed shockingly. A malevolent haze shrouded it, and two eerie, glowing eyes appeared in it. The Oracle had revealed himself, and everyone but Yuugi and Yami were shocked. "Is it? Here I am, Summoner--would say that I am impossible, when I am before you? You yourself should know how easy it is to possess someone once you find their weakness. If I could find yours, I could certainly break this fool. Trying not to remember? Don't bother. If there's one thing that's difficult to change, it's the past."
The Oracle, however, was wrong. Yuugi was trying to remember--he needed to recall everything possible about how much control the Oracle really had over a possessed person. He had nearly lost his soul for good when the Oracle possessed him, but that was because of the Void, not the Oracle himself; none of the Overlord's creatures knew that.
We have to defeat him in a Pokemon battle; then we can win the Key and free the Champion, Yami said, shaking Yuugi out of his reverie.
Yuugi nodded, although he was still frightened. "You're right. Oracle--we challenge you to a Pokemon battle! If we win, you must give us the Key."
"And if I win? I already have the Key, I do not want it. I have a proposition for you, Summoner--if you win, take the Key; but if I win...I take you back to the Overlord," the Oracle replied, grinning maliciously.
Yuugi bit his lip. He didn't want to fight a battle with such high stakes, but what choice did they have? "...agreed."
What!? You can't agree to that! What if you lose? Yami said, panicked. If it had been Duel Monsters, then maybe he would have agreed to such a battle, but Yuugi had almost no experience with Pokemon.
"Have faith--we can do this," Yuugi replied, trying to have confidence himself.
The Oracle/Champion smirked nastily. "Yes, go right ahead and have faith--it won't save you this time. Here are the conditions of our battle: we have agreed to the stakes, as you know; six Pokemon each; and I will face only one of you, although three of you have the badges to challenge me. Once your chosen battler wins or loses, you will leave. Agreed?"
Yuugi nodded. "All right, Oracle."
"So? Who will challenge me? Surely not you, Summoner--you are no trainer, and I have access to all of this man's knowledge," the Oracle pointed out.
Benjamin motioned everyone to come over. They huddled together, speaking in whispers as they tried to formulate a plan.
Matt spoke first. "Look--I'm the most experienced Pokemon trainer-- maybe I should do this. This is my World; I have to protect it."
Benjamin shook his head, face set firmly. "No, Matt. Only one of us can battle the Oracle, because only one of us has any hope of winning the Key. The Oracle will not give it to us even if we win; he will escape his promise somehow. The true problem is the Oracle himself. He must be banished from the Champion's body, and only one of us has the power to do that. Yuugi, you must face the Oracle."
Yuugi completely lost it. "But--me!? I'm the worst Pokemon trainer here! Besides--I don't have the power to banish demons!"
No--I do, Yami said, suddenly realizing Benjamin's plan. And the only way I can do that is if we beat him in a game, even if it isn't a Shadow Game. Use your head, Yuugi--this counts as a game.
".....oh. Right."
Miaka grinned. She knew little about the Oracle, but if Benjamin thought Yuugi could do this, so did she. "Hey--I just had a great idea! It's a six-on-six battle, right? Well, why don't each of us give you a Pokemon? Then you'll have six! You can use your Umbreon, that's one from the guy you're trying to save; then you can use your Dratini, that makes two; and I'll give you Kraken, that's three; and then Ben can give you one, that's four; and Rana, five; then Matt, that's six!"
Rana rolled her eyes. "Ha! I dunno about you beating the Champion, even if he is possessed, but here--take Phantom, my first Pokemon."
Benjamin thought the plan was a good one as well. "I would let Bikaymon help you, but I don't think he counts as a Pokemon, and we fight best as a team. You don't have any grass types--Kura will help you."
Matt considered his Pokemon. Caterpie was the strongest, but fought best with Matt. Yuugi already had water, so..."Here--take Vulpix. She's one of my first Pokemon, and you need the fire element on your team."
Taking all of their various Pokeballs, Yuugi smiled. "Now we can't lose!" he said happily. He knew that with all of his friends behind him, he had no reason to be afraid.
Don't be too sure, Yami said, knowing that Yuugi didn't know anything about most of these knew Pokemon, while the Champion--and thus the Oracle-- probably would.
"Don't be such a pessimist. Oracle--I will face you!"
The Oracle scowled. "Only one may face me. You are two."
Then Yuugi played his trump card. "Wrong, Oracle--we may be two people now, but we have the power to fight you as one!"
The Oracle raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Oh? You would really do that, after being betrayed once? Do you really trust the spirit?"
Yuugi glared at him. "A whole lot more than I trust you! We're through listening to your lies, Oracle! Ready?"
Ready! Yami said, surprised but happy.
Watching Yuugi and Yami use their mind-fusion ability was very strange for someone who see magic, like Benjamin. The Oracle was an even stranger sight; he looked livid as Yuugi and Yami invoked their (or rather, the Millennium Puzzle's) ancient magic.
The Oracle glared at them. "It doesn't matter--I will still defeat you!"
"Wrong. You might have beaten one of us alone, but together, you don't have a chance," Yami said. Although his and Yuugi's minds were both present, he was really more in control when they did this.
"We'll see about that. For my first Pokemon--Kosle!" The slim brown weasel appeared, snarling.
Hey--I remember this one! When we fought Alex, Benjamin defeated her Kosle by using Kura. Well, it's worth a try. "I choose--Kura!"
Benjamin, watching from the sidelines, grinned broadly. "I guess Yuugi remembers our battle with Alex as well as I do. Do your best, Kura!" he called encouragingly to his friend.
The Oracle grimaced. He knew, from looking into the Champion's knowledge and memories, that a grass-type, especially a tree like Kura, had an advantage over Kosle. "Kosle, dive underground!"
Benjamin thought about this. In his battle with Alex, the arena had given Kura an advantage underground. But now...
Kura won't be able to drain Kosle in this arena--I'll have to think of something else. "Kura, just wait!"
The Oracle reviewed the Champion's memories again. "Kosle, use Headbutt from underground!"
"Now--immobilize it!"
Kura used her vines to wrap Kosle into a state of paralyzation--it was unable to move its arms or legs. No amount of study could have prepared the Oracle for one of Benjamin's Pokemon. Realizing this, the Oracle decided to stop relying on traditional strategy. In a Pokemon battle between two people who weren't trainers, the outcome was anyone's guess.
"Kosle, Acid Spit!"
"WHAT!? Kosle can spit acid?" Yami said in shock--he knew even less than Yuugi about Pokemon, so he was at quite a disadvantage.
"That is correct, Summoner! And while I know all of the abilities of my Pokemon, you know none of the abilities of your friends' Pokemon!"
He's right--I don't know anything about these Pokemon. But as long as I trust them just like I've always trusted my deck, I know we can do this! "Kura, slam in to the ground!"
"But...that's not a move!" the Oracle protested, frantically looking through the Champion's memories and finding nothing to help him.
"So what?" Yami replied, grinning cockily.
Kosle wriggled free as Kura slammed it into the packed soil--hard. The Oracle, however, was beginning to realize that, with no knowledge of his Pokemon's moves, Yuugi/Yami was likely to try anything. In light of this, he decided to try anything himself. "Kosle, use Acid Spit as a streaming attack!"
Rana gaped at the Oracle. "Can Kosle really do that?"
Kosle could, and it did. It shot out its Acid Spit attack, but continued using it until it formed a beam.
Thinking quickly, Yami said, "Kura, use a beam attack of your own!" Luckily, Kura was a very experienced battler. She used Plasma Beam. The two attacks intersected, straining against each other. Then--"Kura, hit Kosle with another attack the same time!"
This time, it was Matt who was incredulous. "But--Pokemon can only use one attack at a time!"
Benjamin smiled with pride. "Not this Pokemon," he said confidently, thinking of all the hours of battle training he and his creatures had gone through together.
Kura cleverly smacked Kosle with one of her vines, causing it to slip sideways and separating the two beams. This, however, had a double effect-- both Pokemon were hit.
"Kura, return!"
"Kosle, return! You won by luck once--this time will be different! I choose--Pinnacre!"
Wait--I recognize this one too! Benjamin fought Pinnacre for the second badge! Well, I guess I'll use-- "I choose--Luminaras!"
"Umbre!"
Mike stared at the two Pokemon. "Has Yuugi lost it completely? That thing is a rock! Luminaras can't fight a rock!"
Benjamin shrugged. "Luminaras is a capable battler; you may be surprised by what he can do. Yuugi may be a terrible Pokemon trainer, but he is an excellent strategist--I think I know what he's planning."
The Oracle, however, also thought Luminaras an odd choice. "That fox against a rock? Are you trying to lose? Very well--Pinnacre! To the ceiling!"
Perfect! Now that he's headed for the ceiling, we have the advantage! "Luminaras, get ready!"
"Umbre!"
Luminaras crouched, looking carefully at the ceiling. Pinnacre, looking exactly like a stalagmite, had no advantage of surprise in this non- rock arena.
"Now--Drill Slam!" Pinnacre began to rotate very fast, then dropped straight down. Luminaras, however, was ready. He leaped out of the way, and Pinnacre drilled itself into the floor. In an ordinary Pokemon battle, this might have meant a victory. This, however, was no ordinary battle. "Pinnacre, drill toward the surface!"
"What? If it's underground, it could pop up anywhere..."
Yami looked quickly at the ceiling. It seemed odd to those watching, but he wasn't looking for Pinnacre. He was looking for the water pipes.
.....there! That must be where the pipes are connected. Perfect! "Luminaras, move about five feet to the right!"
As Luminaras complied with this seemingly odd instruction, the Oracle attacked. "Pinnacre, Drill Slam from underground!"
"Luminaras, jump out of the way!"
The move almost worked perfectly--Luminaras did jump out of the way, causing Pinnacre to miss him and hit the water pipe instead, bursting it and fainting the rock-type at once. Luminaras, however, was thrown sideways by the mere force of Pinnacre's attack, and slammed into the wall. Once again, both Pokemon were fainted.
The Oracle shrugged. "You have never faced this next Pokemon, so you cannot know what to expect. "I choose--Kitsune!"
A silver-gray fox about the same size as Luminaras appeared. It was missing half an ear, and had beautiful, slanting blue eyes and a long, brush tail. It was obviously a very experienced battler. Matt looked at it for a moment, then realized--"It must be the evolution of Silver, the fox Pokemon Gillian used when I got my third badge!"
Yuugi and Yami, meanwhile, weren't quite sure what to do. I don't know anything about this Pokemon...what should I do? A fox to fight a fox, I guess. "To face your fox Pokemon, I choose--Vulpix!"
Realizing that Yuugi didn't know any of Vulpix's moves, Matt shouted, "Yuugi, Vulpix is a fire type!"
A fire type? Wait--fire melts ice! That's it!
The Oracle held up a hand. "Wait--Kitsune, freeze that pipe closed." Vulpix sighed with relief--being doused with water was not her idea of a good time. "Now, Kitsune--Blizzard!"
"Vulpix, use a fire attack straight up!" Yami commanded; he had a plan, but he wasn't sure exactly what move would make it work, being more used to straightforward trap and magic cards.
Vulpix, another experienced battler, used Flamethrower straight at the ceiling. As Yuugi and Yami had predicted, hard, smooth rock of the ceiling deflected the fire off it towards the ground, shielding Vulpix from Blizzard inside a cylinder of fire. "Now, Vulpix--try to immobilize Kitsune with fire!" Yami said. This was a lot like using Spellbinding Circle, except that it took two moves.
Vulpix deciphered this command as an order to use Fire Spin, and did so, enclosing Kitsune in flame. The Oracle decided to do the same thing that Yuugi had done, but it didn't work nearly so well for Kitsune--the ice simply froze to the ceiling in a long spike, meaning that Kitsune couldn't even jump out of the way without skewering itself. The fire, however, did eventually melt the ice--and Vulpix was drenched with water.
"Kitsune, return!"
"Vulpix, return!"
The Oracle shifted uncomfortably. So far, he had failed to win a single match; every one had ended in a draw. "You won't win this time," he muttered. "I choose--Falric!"
Another Pokemon I've seen before! Benjamin fought this one for the fourth badge! Well, there's only one choice for this. "I choose--Kraken!"
Miaka's enormous squid erupted from its Pokeball. It was deep-sea blue in color, with tawny-gold eyes. These eyes were evidently designed for both in and out of water, because as the creature blinked, and a translucent second eyelid flickered into place, protecting its eyes.
The Oracle shrugged nonchalantly. "To the air, Falric."
To his surprise, however, Yami smiled. "That move might have worked outside, Oracle, but here the air grants you no safety. Kraken, grab it in your tentacles!"
With an eerie screech, Kraken snagged Falric out of the air and began crushing it in its tentacles. Falric struggled wildly, but was unable to escape.
The Oracle, however, sneered. "You fool! Immobilization works both ways. Falric, use your Steel Feather!"
By cleverly telling Falric to use its defensive move, Steel Feather, while trapped, the Oracle dealt damage to Kraken as Falric's feathers became coated in sharp-edged steel. Kraken, however, held on tight. In the end, both collapsed together, Kraken from pain, Falric from lack of oxygen.
The Oracle was getting desperate now. "This one will do--go! Setric!" Yuugi was completely thrown by this one. Its coloration was identical to his former Elocue, Spark's, but it was larger, and it had arms and legs. It looked like a rounded, simplified humanoid figure, and it held a short rod with long, glowing beams of electricity sprouting from either end like a double-bladed sword. Yuugi suddenly realized--it was the evolution of Elocue.
I owned an Elocue! I know that they're electric-type, and it might have Agility and Thundershock like Spark did...it has a speed advantage over Aero...but speed can't beat insubstantiality! "I choose--Phantom!"
What appeared to be a large cloud of fog appeared, grew dense, and formed into a large, shadowy-looking puma. The Oracle frowned. What could Yuugi be planning to do?
Rana was also uncertain. "Phantom is really powerful--if you know how to use her. The only problem is, he doesn't know anything about her! Ohh, if he gets my Phantom hurt I am gonna kill him!"
"Setric, slash it!"
"Dodge, Phantom!"
While the two Pokemon continued to attack and dodge under the commands of the Oracle and Yami, Yuugi thought hard. It may not be able to hit me, but I can't hurt it either! Let me think...electricity...Spark was weak against rock, but that doesn't help me...electricity...wait--water conducts electricity! The floor is still wet! And...that pipe was frozen before, but I bet that Vulpix melted the ice when it faced Kitsune! If we can just jostle the pipe...
"Phantom, move left! Now, solidify and jump!"
Phantom crashed into the pipe, knocking it loose once more. Water gushed out until Miaka realized that the whole room could flood, found a tap, and turned it off. Yuugi's plan, however, had already been carried out.
The Oracle, also remembering that water conducts electricity, cackled. "Now, Setric! Put the blade of your electric saber into the water! Hahahaha!!! My Pokemon will be recharged by the electrical energy! Wait--why are you still smiling? You're going to lose!"
Yami shook his head. "Wrong, Oracle. True, electricity recharges your Pokemon--but too much of a good thing is still too much. Watch and learn!"
Setric was being recharged, but as Yuugi had realized, there was simply too much electricity; Setric was overloaded and collapsed.
The Oracle, however, began to laugh as he returned his Pokemon. "Hahahaha!!! You think that you've won? I may have lost one Pokemon, but yours was fainted as well--the electricity stunned it before it could return to insubstantiality! And since you've wrecked this arena...might I suggest that we adjourn to the roof for the final match-up?"
Yuugi went inside his mind for a minute. He stood in the dark, slightly misty hallway of the Millennium Puzzle. On one side was a plain, wooden door--the door into his Soul Room. Opposite it was an older, weathered door, in the center of which was the Millennium Symbol, a simple eye design that resembled the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus. This was the door into Yami's Soul Room--a very dangerous place where Yami lived when he wasn't materialized. Yami leaned against the door, also thinking about the Oracle's suggestion.
"It could be a trap," the spirit said suspiciously.
"I know, but what choice do we have? We did wreck this place," Yuugi replied, frowning.
Yami thought for a moment, scowling. ".....I guess you're right...there's nothing else we can do."
Going back into Yuugi's body, Yami said, "Very well. We'll fight wherever you want to, Oracle!"
The Oracle smiled nastily. "Very good--for me. Come; we have a battle to finish!"
-o-o-o-o-o-
They weren't actually on the roof; they were on top of the wider towers in the Citadel. Yuugi and his friends looked around, wondering what would happen now. They knew that Yuugi's last Pokemon was his Dratini, Aero; but what Pokemon would the Oracle choose?
"Are we all here? Very good. Now then...let's begin. For my final Pokemon, I choose--Drakall!"
Yami gaped at the enormous, red and black dragon that had appeared before him. "Oh no...that creature has an advantage here! I knew this was a trick!"
The Oracle smiled mockingly. "Oh, feeling sorry that you accepted this as a battle arena? You must send out your final Pokemon or forfeit the match!"
"I only have one more Pokemon...Aero!"
"Tini!"
This may seem hopeless, but I know that Aero can do this...I just have to believe!
"Now, Drakall--take flight!"
The great dragon soared into the air. Yuugi thought hard, trying remember everything he could about his previous battles with dragons; specifically, he was trying to remember if a dragon had ever been defeated by a smaller, weaker creature.
I have to think...I'm sure there's a way, if I could only remember what it is!
"Drakall, attack!"
Yami, not stopping to think and remembering only one Pokemon move at the moment, immediately cried, "Agility!" Then his train of thought caught up with him. "Wait--that's one of Spark's moves, not Aero's!"
But to his surprise, Dratini had used Agility--Drakall missed, slamming into the flagstones--hard. The sturdy construction held, as did the dragon; Yuugi, however, had just remembered...
That's it! I remember now! I have seen a dragon defeated by a weaker creature--well, almost. We fought the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon the day I meet Benjamin! We used Multiply on Kuribo, so that the Blue-Eyes Ultimate dragon couldn't destroy it! This is the same thing--and I think I have a plan.
On the sidelines, Benjamin watched this battle intently. "There is a way...but Aero fights much better with Yuugi than with both of them. Pokemon can become very attached to their trainers..."
The Oracle, meanwhile, was trying to thing of a strategy to defeat the speedy Aero. "Hmm....its true master is the child, so it will not respond as quickly here...Agility will fail. Drakall, continue your attack!"
"Aero, use Agility!"
Unfortunately, the Oracle was correct--Aero did not respond as quickly to anyone other than Yuugi himself. He was hit.
"Aero!"
Yami, I have a plan--but I need to do this myself. Aero will fight better with me!
Are you sure? the spirit asked, knowing that they could not afford to lose this battle.
Yes! Yuugi said desperately; he knew he could do this.
...all right, Yuugi. Good luck.
"All right, Aero--use your Agility!"
Aero perked up, recognizing Yuugi's voice. "Tini? Dratini!"
The Oracle also detected a subtle magical difference in his opponent. "WHAT!? You agreed that only one of you would face me! You cheater! How dare you do this!"
Yuugi smiled. "I'm not cheating, Oracle. I agreed that only one person would face you--and I haven't broken any rules. As long as two people don't fight you at the same time, it's still legal. Besides, I'm really the same person as before--just completely different."
There was silence from Yuugi's friends as they tried to understand this statement. In the end, they gave up and watched the battle.
"All right, Aero, keep using Agility!"
The Oracle smiled craftily. "It will tire soon enough. Drakall, take to the skies, so that it wastes its energy!"
Even as he said this, Yuugi said, "Now, Aero!"
Aero used Ice beam just above Drakall, so that, far from dodging it, it actually flew straight into the attack. The battle was over. Yuugi and Yami had won.
The Oracle looked like he was going to explode. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT!? I WON'T GIVE YOU THE KEY! I REFUSE!"
Think I should banish him? Yami said, grinning.
"Be my guest," Yuugi replied, for once not feeling bad for Yami's victim--er, opponent.
The Oracle looked up. For the first time, there was a faint expression of fear in his eyes. "What?"
Yuugi, however, was not around to answer him. "Oracle, you have tried to trick us this entire battle. We have defeated you, and now, it is time for you to leave. Go!!!"
With that, he pointed his hand, palm up, at the Oracle. In a blinding flash of light, the Oracle shrieked in rage. "This is not the end!" The Champion's body collapsed as the Oracle was forced out. "We will meet again! I will make you pay! AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Then the demon was gone. There was silence as the Champion got up. Then, it suddenly it had them that they had won!!! Mike hugged Rana, twirling her around, Benjamin and Miaka high-fived, and Matt just smiled.
Yuugi was explaining the situation to the Champion. When he understood what had happened, he readily agreed to give them the Key. It looked like the mirror image of the Key Yuugi's friends had recently gained in the Clanner World, and Yuugi could feel that it was very magically powerful. As they were saying their goodbyes to the Champion, three figures appeared outside, waiting for our heroes to emerge....
-o-o-o-o-o-
Yuugi looked at the half of a Key in his hand as they all stepped outside. "We really did it. We finally got the Key."
"Yes, and now you can give it to us."
They all looked up in shock. Standing in front of them were three sinister figures. The middle one was incredibly tall--more than seven feet- -and wore a long black cloak. To his left was a skeletally think man with bony arms and hands. To the right of the tall man was a short, stout man who looked almost round due to his proportions. They could see, however, that he was far from fat--his entire body was like one big muscle.
Yuugi tightened his hand around the Key. "Who are you, and what do you want with the Key?"
The tall man seemed to be the spokesperson for the group. "We collect unique artifacts for our master. The Key of Aramas is a unique artifact. Give it to us."
"Never!"
"Then we shall have to take it by force."
After this, the three began to communicate in a language seemingly made up of rapid clicks and sounds that resembled echolocation or sonic bursts. Benjamin, with his more-than-human hearing, realized that they were analyzing the abilities of their group. He scowled.
"They are dark travelers. Travelers are beings who can Gate between Worlds without a device. These, however, are evil, and very dangerous..."
The three dark travelers' eyes snapped back onto their targets. Benjamin and Mike drew their swords, assuming the "guard" position on either side of Yuugi, who could not draw a weapon since he was holding the Key. Miaka picked up a hefty branch and held it like a staff, while Rana took out her only weapon--a slingshot.
The stout dark traveler immediately went into a headlong charge at Miaka and Rana, but when he went through Rana he turned around to keep attacking her, which delayed him for some time. The tall man drew several weapons concealed beneath his cloak, while the skeleton man held up his hands. The light of his magic grew between them, sealing both Yuugi from using his magic and his Deck from activating. It also impaired Yami's abilities.
Mike and Benjamin glanced at each other, than attacked together. There is no experience quite like fighting a Darkling, and fighting Benjamin is even worse. Benjamin would have made an excellent suicide fighter, simply because he attacked without regard to injury. He leapt on the tall man, screaming at him wildly, half in English and half in Darkling. Benjamin was an excellent sword fighter, but his Darkling blood gave him a tendency to get carried away.
The tall man was also a skilled warrior; he pinned Mike to the ground with a pole through the leg. This really drove Benjamin wild. Even the dark traveler was stunned by his mad attack, as Benjamin slammed into him, knocked him to the ground, and began strangling him with his bare hands. The tall man raised his warclaws, preparing to thrust them inwards and skewer Benjamin.
Yuugi, watching helplessly, shouted, "Benjamin!" The skeleton man screamed in pain and fell to the ground, smoking slightly as his magical block was broken. The tall man's claws bounced backwards. "It's Mirror Force! That means now I can use my Deck! Spellbinding Circle!"
The stout man, who was now charging Miaka, having seriously injured Matt, stopped in his tracks. Realizing after a few moments that he could not move, he stopped and curled up to defend himself.
Meanwhile, skeleton man was getting back up and reforming his magic. Yuugi struggled to resist his magical dampening field, but his Circle flickered. Then the skeleton man gasped as a knife blade penetrated his back.
"You know, I really don't like you," Yami said coldly. The skeleton man, fatally injured, collapsed and was consumed by white fire.
Meanwhile, Matt was demolishing the stout man and Benjamin and Mike continued to fight with the tall man.
"It's no use--some force is pulling his consciousness back into his body no matter how badly injured he is!"
Yuugi stood up tiredly. "We'll just have to get rid of his soul, I suppose. Can we do that?"
He's died about five times already, sure we can.
Yuugi sighed. "I really don't want to do this to you, but I have no choice."
"It's over, tall man. We win--now go to the Shadow realm!"
The tall man shrieked in rage before vanishing to the dark Shadow realm, where he was devoured by Duel Monsters. Thus ended the battle against the dark travelers. Clean-up (healing, wiping blood off of weapons, etc.) took a few minutes longer.
As they were doing this, Matt's headset snapped on. "....what!? Guys, I have to go. The most important person in my World is in danger. Good luck--maybe we'll meet again!"
Then, Miaka and Rana departed for their homes. Benjamin regretfully told Yuugi that he too must leave--his World was in danger, and he knew that they would need his help. Mike would have gone with Yuugi, but Yuugi told Mike that Benjamin would need his help to stop the Overlord from conquering Dark World.
In the end, only Yuugi was left with a borrowed Gating device to bring the Key to Vice. "I guess it's just you and me again."
In that case, let's get that Key to Vice, Yami said, smiling.
"Right!" Yuugi replied cheerfully, pulling out the Gating Device.
The two original Pokemon World searchers, having finally gotten the Key, now set out on the most difficult part of their quest--to enter the Chaos fortress and make it back out alive.
Benjamin, Mike, and Yuugi, now reunited with Miaka and Rana, finally had enough badges to face the Champion and win the Key. They set out for the Cloud Citadel before sunrise. By the time they reached the Citadel, the sun had risen, although it failed to shine brightly (Benjamin resisted the urge to look smug--he had forced everyone to wake up early). Upon arrival, however, they found a surprise.
"We meet again, Summoner. You have evaded us for too long. The Overlord grows tired of your constant escapes. Today, you come with us."
It was Daria. Yuugi stared at her in shock. There were other Clanners with her, Clanners they had faced before--three Skull Clanners whom Yami recognized; several Dracon Clanners who had nearly kidnapped Yuugi; a group of Necro Clanners with hatred in their eyes. Rana and Miaka, whom the Overlord had not chased, were also astounded.
"Hey--are those the Clanners who were kidnapping the children?"
Daria looked condecendingly at the two Pokemon Worlders. "Yes, we are. But we are through kidnapping children; we have found our target, and we will take our prize. The rest of you will die." She raised a long, thin throwing knife, a vicious smile lighting her features. "My orders are to take you alive, but it doesn't matter what else I do to you. Maybe I will cripple you...or maybe blind you...which would you prefer?" She laughed wildly, then flipped the knife into throwing position.
Yuugi did not move. He remained staring at her in shock, even though a voice in his head was screaming RUN!!! as loudly as possible. Just as Daria released the knife, however, Yami shoved Yuugi out of the way as hard as he could, and someone caught the knife. Getting up, Yuugi looked at the mysterious knife-catcher.
It was Matt.
"Matt! You made it!"
Matt smiled quickly at Yuugi and his friends, then turned back to the Clanners. Daria raised her Gating device, but Matt knocked it out of her hand. Daria looked, not terrified, but enraged as Matt closed a hand around her throat. She would surely have died if Yuugi had not grabbed Matt's sleeve, saying over and over, "Don't kill her! Don't kill her!"
Matt dropped her, then looked at Yuugi. "Yuugi, she would have killed you. She would have brought you to the Overlord."
Yuugi looked down. "....I know...but death is still death, no matter why you kill someone. Don't hurt them, Matt--this isn't their fault!"
Benjamin scowled, not as forgiving and understanding as Yuugi. "Not their fault...how can it not be their fault? They chose to come here. They chose to join the Overlord."
"No, Benjamin. They didn't have a choice--they have no other way to survive. That isn't their fault..."
Daria smiled condescendingly at him, not at all grateful that Yuugi had saved her life. "Yes, yes, that's all very touching, but you'll die either way. Our lives are nothing compared to the might of the Overlord's great armies. Whether we die or not is immaterial."
At this, Matt marched forward, the Clanners scurrying backwards before him--all but three, that is. The three Skull Clanners had not moved. Looking at their faces, Matt saw that their eyes held the look of one who would welcome death. Shuddering, he continued moving forward, cornering the other Clanners.
Yuugi, meanwhile, was following him. "Matt--you can't hurt them-- this isn't their fault--"
But Matt completely ignored him. Like Benjamin, he had berserker blood in him. He did not, however, attack. He raised his hand to force- Gate them out of his World, but his more empathetic ally, Yuugi, had unluckily jumped in front of him at this exact moment to stop him from killing anyone. Yuugi was not Gated anywhere, but was thrown backwards from the force of Matt's Gate, slamming into a wall.
Getting up, he dusted himself off and walked back over to Matt. "You shouldn't have done that, Matt..."
Then he and Matt rejoined the others, Yuugi limping slightly.
Yuugi...I can understand you wanting to stop Matt from hurting the Clanners, but do have to injure yourself in the process? Yami said wearily. Sometimes his partner was just too nice for his own good.
In front of the Citadel, they were stopped again, by the remaining Skull Clanners. Holding up a hand, one of them said, "Stop--we would speak to the Summoner." They turned to Yuugi. "We meet again, Summoner. Here-- take this. Remember, Summoner...they have only as much power as you give them. Do not lose sight of the truth in suspicion. Farewell, kara-kachi."
They all watched in a rather dazed way as the three Clanners Gated out. Benjamin was frowning thoughtfully--kara-kachi was Darkling. Yuugi put what they had given him in his pocket without looking at it. "Let's go find the Champion!"
-o-o-o-o-o-
The Cloud Citadel was a tall, slender building of beautiful construction. A narrow staircase wound its way up the mountain to reach it; the Citadel was so high up that its uppermost spire pierced the clouds. The six travelers (seven if you knew how to look) slowly ascended to the dizzying height of the Citadel itself. The pearly-white doors slid open when they inserted the ten necessary badges in the circular plate built for them. They stepped into the darkened hall....
"So. I thought you might reach me here, Summoner. What--surprised to see me?"
Yuugi stared wordlessly at the Champion who walked forward. To his friends, the Champion seemed to be a perfectly normal man of perhaps thirty with oddly-colored eyes. Yuugi, however, recognized the Oracle as only one who has been possessed by it can.
"You...you can't be here...it's impossible..." he said, taking a step backwards. Yuugi remembered all too well the pain and misery the Oracle had caused him at their last meeting...
The Champion's face changed shockingly. A malevolent haze shrouded it, and two eerie, glowing eyes appeared in it. The Oracle had revealed himself, and everyone but Yuugi and Yami were shocked. "Is it? Here I am, Summoner--would say that I am impossible, when I am before you? You yourself should know how easy it is to possess someone once you find their weakness. If I could find yours, I could certainly break this fool. Trying not to remember? Don't bother. If there's one thing that's difficult to change, it's the past."
The Oracle, however, was wrong. Yuugi was trying to remember--he needed to recall everything possible about how much control the Oracle really had over a possessed person. He had nearly lost his soul for good when the Oracle possessed him, but that was because of the Void, not the Oracle himself; none of the Overlord's creatures knew that.
We have to defeat him in a Pokemon battle; then we can win the Key and free the Champion, Yami said, shaking Yuugi out of his reverie.
Yuugi nodded, although he was still frightened. "You're right. Oracle--we challenge you to a Pokemon battle! If we win, you must give us the Key."
"And if I win? I already have the Key, I do not want it. I have a proposition for you, Summoner--if you win, take the Key; but if I win...I take you back to the Overlord," the Oracle replied, grinning maliciously.
Yuugi bit his lip. He didn't want to fight a battle with such high stakes, but what choice did they have? "...agreed."
What!? You can't agree to that! What if you lose? Yami said, panicked. If it had been Duel Monsters, then maybe he would have agreed to such a battle, but Yuugi had almost no experience with Pokemon.
"Have faith--we can do this," Yuugi replied, trying to have confidence himself.
The Oracle/Champion smirked nastily. "Yes, go right ahead and have faith--it won't save you this time. Here are the conditions of our battle: we have agreed to the stakes, as you know; six Pokemon each; and I will face only one of you, although three of you have the badges to challenge me. Once your chosen battler wins or loses, you will leave. Agreed?"
Yuugi nodded. "All right, Oracle."
"So? Who will challenge me? Surely not you, Summoner--you are no trainer, and I have access to all of this man's knowledge," the Oracle pointed out.
Benjamin motioned everyone to come over. They huddled together, speaking in whispers as they tried to formulate a plan.
Matt spoke first. "Look--I'm the most experienced Pokemon trainer-- maybe I should do this. This is my World; I have to protect it."
Benjamin shook his head, face set firmly. "No, Matt. Only one of us can battle the Oracle, because only one of us has any hope of winning the Key. The Oracle will not give it to us even if we win; he will escape his promise somehow. The true problem is the Oracle himself. He must be banished from the Champion's body, and only one of us has the power to do that. Yuugi, you must face the Oracle."
Yuugi completely lost it. "But--me!? I'm the worst Pokemon trainer here! Besides--I don't have the power to banish demons!"
No--I do, Yami said, suddenly realizing Benjamin's plan. And the only way I can do that is if we beat him in a game, even if it isn't a Shadow Game. Use your head, Yuugi--this counts as a game.
".....oh. Right."
Miaka grinned. She knew little about the Oracle, but if Benjamin thought Yuugi could do this, so did she. "Hey--I just had a great idea! It's a six-on-six battle, right? Well, why don't each of us give you a Pokemon? Then you'll have six! You can use your Umbreon, that's one from the guy you're trying to save; then you can use your Dratini, that makes two; and I'll give you Kraken, that's three; and then Ben can give you one, that's four; and Rana, five; then Matt, that's six!"
Rana rolled her eyes. "Ha! I dunno about you beating the Champion, even if he is possessed, but here--take Phantom, my first Pokemon."
Benjamin thought the plan was a good one as well. "I would let Bikaymon help you, but I don't think he counts as a Pokemon, and we fight best as a team. You don't have any grass types--Kura will help you."
Matt considered his Pokemon. Caterpie was the strongest, but fought best with Matt. Yuugi already had water, so..."Here--take Vulpix. She's one of my first Pokemon, and you need the fire element on your team."
Taking all of their various Pokeballs, Yuugi smiled. "Now we can't lose!" he said happily. He knew that with all of his friends behind him, he had no reason to be afraid.
Don't be too sure, Yami said, knowing that Yuugi didn't know anything about most of these knew Pokemon, while the Champion--and thus the Oracle-- probably would.
"Don't be such a pessimist. Oracle--I will face you!"
The Oracle scowled. "Only one may face me. You are two."
Then Yuugi played his trump card. "Wrong, Oracle--we may be two people now, but we have the power to fight you as one!"
The Oracle raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Oh? You would really do that, after being betrayed once? Do you really trust the spirit?"
Yuugi glared at him. "A whole lot more than I trust you! We're through listening to your lies, Oracle! Ready?"
Ready! Yami said, surprised but happy.
Watching Yuugi and Yami use their mind-fusion ability was very strange for someone who see magic, like Benjamin. The Oracle was an even stranger sight; he looked livid as Yuugi and Yami invoked their (or rather, the Millennium Puzzle's) ancient magic.
The Oracle glared at them. "It doesn't matter--I will still defeat you!"
"Wrong. You might have beaten one of us alone, but together, you don't have a chance," Yami said. Although his and Yuugi's minds were both present, he was really more in control when they did this.
"We'll see about that. For my first Pokemon--Kosle!" The slim brown weasel appeared, snarling.
Hey--I remember this one! When we fought Alex, Benjamin defeated her Kosle by using Kura. Well, it's worth a try. "I choose--Kura!"
Benjamin, watching from the sidelines, grinned broadly. "I guess Yuugi remembers our battle with Alex as well as I do. Do your best, Kura!" he called encouragingly to his friend.
The Oracle grimaced. He knew, from looking into the Champion's knowledge and memories, that a grass-type, especially a tree like Kura, had an advantage over Kosle. "Kosle, dive underground!"
Benjamin thought about this. In his battle with Alex, the arena had given Kura an advantage underground. But now...
Kura won't be able to drain Kosle in this arena--I'll have to think of something else. "Kura, just wait!"
The Oracle reviewed the Champion's memories again. "Kosle, use Headbutt from underground!"
"Now--immobilize it!"
Kura used her vines to wrap Kosle into a state of paralyzation--it was unable to move its arms or legs. No amount of study could have prepared the Oracle for one of Benjamin's Pokemon. Realizing this, the Oracle decided to stop relying on traditional strategy. In a Pokemon battle between two people who weren't trainers, the outcome was anyone's guess.
"Kosle, Acid Spit!"
"WHAT!? Kosle can spit acid?" Yami said in shock--he knew even less than Yuugi about Pokemon, so he was at quite a disadvantage.
"That is correct, Summoner! And while I know all of the abilities of my Pokemon, you know none of the abilities of your friends' Pokemon!"
He's right--I don't know anything about these Pokemon. But as long as I trust them just like I've always trusted my deck, I know we can do this! "Kura, slam in to the ground!"
"But...that's not a move!" the Oracle protested, frantically looking through the Champion's memories and finding nothing to help him.
"So what?" Yami replied, grinning cockily.
Kosle wriggled free as Kura slammed it into the packed soil--hard. The Oracle, however, was beginning to realize that, with no knowledge of his Pokemon's moves, Yuugi/Yami was likely to try anything. In light of this, he decided to try anything himself. "Kosle, use Acid Spit as a streaming attack!"
Rana gaped at the Oracle. "Can Kosle really do that?"
Kosle could, and it did. It shot out its Acid Spit attack, but continued using it until it formed a beam.
Thinking quickly, Yami said, "Kura, use a beam attack of your own!" Luckily, Kura was a very experienced battler. She used Plasma Beam. The two attacks intersected, straining against each other. Then--"Kura, hit Kosle with another attack the same time!"
This time, it was Matt who was incredulous. "But--Pokemon can only use one attack at a time!"
Benjamin smiled with pride. "Not this Pokemon," he said confidently, thinking of all the hours of battle training he and his creatures had gone through together.
Kura cleverly smacked Kosle with one of her vines, causing it to slip sideways and separating the two beams. This, however, had a double effect-- both Pokemon were hit.
"Kura, return!"
"Kosle, return! You won by luck once--this time will be different! I choose--Pinnacre!"
Wait--I recognize this one too! Benjamin fought Pinnacre for the second badge! Well, I guess I'll use-- "I choose--Luminaras!"
"Umbre!"
Mike stared at the two Pokemon. "Has Yuugi lost it completely? That thing is a rock! Luminaras can't fight a rock!"
Benjamin shrugged. "Luminaras is a capable battler; you may be surprised by what he can do. Yuugi may be a terrible Pokemon trainer, but he is an excellent strategist--I think I know what he's planning."
The Oracle, however, also thought Luminaras an odd choice. "That fox against a rock? Are you trying to lose? Very well--Pinnacre! To the ceiling!"
Perfect! Now that he's headed for the ceiling, we have the advantage! "Luminaras, get ready!"
"Umbre!"
Luminaras crouched, looking carefully at the ceiling. Pinnacre, looking exactly like a stalagmite, had no advantage of surprise in this non- rock arena.
"Now--Drill Slam!" Pinnacre began to rotate very fast, then dropped straight down. Luminaras, however, was ready. He leaped out of the way, and Pinnacre drilled itself into the floor. In an ordinary Pokemon battle, this might have meant a victory. This, however, was no ordinary battle. "Pinnacre, drill toward the surface!"
"What? If it's underground, it could pop up anywhere..."
Yami looked quickly at the ceiling. It seemed odd to those watching, but he wasn't looking for Pinnacre. He was looking for the water pipes.
.....there! That must be where the pipes are connected. Perfect! "Luminaras, move about five feet to the right!"
As Luminaras complied with this seemingly odd instruction, the Oracle attacked. "Pinnacre, Drill Slam from underground!"
"Luminaras, jump out of the way!"
The move almost worked perfectly--Luminaras did jump out of the way, causing Pinnacre to miss him and hit the water pipe instead, bursting it and fainting the rock-type at once. Luminaras, however, was thrown sideways by the mere force of Pinnacre's attack, and slammed into the wall. Once again, both Pokemon were fainted.
The Oracle shrugged. "You have never faced this next Pokemon, so you cannot know what to expect. "I choose--Kitsune!"
A silver-gray fox about the same size as Luminaras appeared. It was missing half an ear, and had beautiful, slanting blue eyes and a long, brush tail. It was obviously a very experienced battler. Matt looked at it for a moment, then realized--"It must be the evolution of Silver, the fox Pokemon Gillian used when I got my third badge!"
Yuugi and Yami, meanwhile, weren't quite sure what to do. I don't know anything about this Pokemon...what should I do? A fox to fight a fox, I guess. "To face your fox Pokemon, I choose--Vulpix!"
Realizing that Yuugi didn't know any of Vulpix's moves, Matt shouted, "Yuugi, Vulpix is a fire type!"
A fire type? Wait--fire melts ice! That's it!
The Oracle held up a hand. "Wait--Kitsune, freeze that pipe closed." Vulpix sighed with relief--being doused with water was not her idea of a good time. "Now, Kitsune--Blizzard!"
"Vulpix, use a fire attack straight up!" Yami commanded; he had a plan, but he wasn't sure exactly what move would make it work, being more used to straightforward trap and magic cards.
Vulpix, another experienced battler, used Flamethrower straight at the ceiling. As Yuugi and Yami had predicted, hard, smooth rock of the ceiling deflected the fire off it towards the ground, shielding Vulpix from Blizzard inside a cylinder of fire. "Now, Vulpix--try to immobilize Kitsune with fire!" Yami said. This was a lot like using Spellbinding Circle, except that it took two moves.
Vulpix deciphered this command as an order to use Fire Spin, and did so, enclosing Kitsune in flame. The Oracle decided to do the same thing that Yuugi had done, but it didn't work nearly so well for Kitsune--the ice simply froze to the ceiling in a long spike, meaning that Kitsune couldn't even jump out of the way without skewering itself. The fire, however, did eventually melt the ice--and Vulpix was drenched with water.
"Kitsune, return!"
"Vulpix, return!"
The Oracle shifted uncomfortably. So far, he had failed to win a single match; every one had ended in a draw. "You won't win this time," he muttered. "I choose--Falric!"
Another Pokemon I've seen before! Benjamin fought this one for the fourth badge! Well, there's only one choice for this. "I choose--Kraken!"
Miaka's enormous squid erupted from its Pokeball. It was deep-sea blue in color, with tawny-gold eyes. These eyes were evidently designed for both in and out of water, because as the creature blinked, and a translucent second eyelid flickered into place, protecting its eyes.
The Oracle shrugged nonchalantly. "To the air, Falric."
To his surprise, however, Yami smiled. "That move might have worked outside, Oracle, but here the air grants you no safety. Kraken, grab it in your tentacles!"
With an eerie screech, Kraken snagged Falric out of the air and began crushing it in its tentacles. Falric struggled wildly, but was unable to escape.
The Oracle, however, sneered. "You fool! Immobilization works both ways. Falric, use your Steel Feather!"
By cleverly telling Falric to use its defensive move, Steel Feather, while trapped, the Oracle dealt damage to Kraken as Falric's feathers became coated in sharp-edged steel. Kraken, however, held on tight. In the end, both collapsed together, Kraken from pain, Falric from lack of oxygen.
The Oracle was getting desperate now. "This one will do--go! Setric!" Yuugi was completely thrown by this one. Its coloration was identical to his former Elocue, Spark's, but it was larger, and it had arms and legs. It looked like a rounded, simplified humanoid figure, and it held a short rod with long, glowing beams of electricity sprouting from either end like a double-bladed sword. Yuugi suddenly realized--it was the evolution of Elocue.
I owned an Elocue! I know that they're electric-type, and it might have Agility and Thundershock like Spark did...it has a speed advantage over Aero...but speed can't beat insubstantiality! "I choose--Phantom!"
What appeared to be a large cloud of fog appeared, grew dense, and formed into a large, shadowy-looking puma. The Oracle frowned. What could Yuugi be planning to do?
Rana was also uncertain. "Phantom is really powerful--if you know how to use her. The only problem is, he doesn't know anything about her! Ohh, if he gets my Phantom hurt I am gonna kill him!"
"Setric, slash it!"
"Dodge, Phantom!"
While the two Pokemon continued to attack and dodge under the commands of the Oracle and Yami, Yuugi thought hard. It may not be able to hit me, but I can't hurt it either! Let me think...electricity...Spark was weak against rock, but that doesn't help me...electricity...wait--water conducts electricity! The floor is still wet! And...that pipe was frozen before, but I bet that Vulpix melted the ice when it faced Kitsune! If we can just jostle the pipe...
"Phantom, move left! Now, solidify and jump!"
Phantom crashed into the pipe, knocking it loose once more. Water gushed out until Miaka realized that the whole room could flood, found a tap, and turned it off. Yuugi's plan, however, had already been carried out.
The Oracle, also remembering that water conducts electricity, cackled. "Now, Setric! Put the blade of your electric saber into the water! Hahahaha!!! My Pokemon will be recharged by the electrical energy! Wait--why are you still smiling? You're going to lose!"
Yami shook his head. "Wrong, Oracle. True, electricity recharges your Pokemon--but too much of a good thing is still too much. Watch and learn!"
Setric was being recharged, but as Yuugi had realized, there was simply too much electricity; Setric was overloaded and collapsed.
The Oracle, however, began to laugh as he returned his Pokemon. "Hahahaha!!! You think that you've won? I may have lost one Pokemon, but yours was fainted as well--the electricity stunned it before it could return to insubstantiality! And since you've wrecked this arena...might I suggest that we adjourn to the roof for the final match-up?"
Yuugi went inside his mind for a minute. He stood in the dark, slightly misty hallway of the Millennium Puzzle. On one side was a plain, wooden door--the door into his Soul Room. Opposite it was an older, weathered door, in the center of which was the Millennium Symbol, a simple eye design that resembled the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus. This was the door into Yami's Soul Room--a very dangerous place where Yami lived when he wasn't materialized. Yami leaned against the door, also thinking about the Oracle's suggestion.
"It could be a trap," the spirit said suspiciously.
"I know, but what choice do we have? We did wreck this place," Yuugi replied, frowning.
Yami thought for a moment, scowling. ".....I guess you're right...there's nothing else we can do."
Going back into Yuugi's body, Yami said, "Very well. We'll fight wherever you want to, Oracle!"
The Oracle smiled nastily. "Very good--for me. Come; we have a battle to finish!"
-o-o-o-o-o-
They weren't actually on the roof; they were on top of the wider towers in the Citadel. Yuugi and his friends looked around, wondering what would happen now. They knew that Yuugi's last Pokemon was his Dratini, Aero; but what Pokemon would the Oracle choose?
"Are we all here? Very good. Now then...let's begin. For my final Pokemon, I choose--Drakall!"
Yami gaped at the enormous, red and black dragon that had appeared before him. "Oh no...that creature has an advantage here! I knew this was a trick!"
The Oracle smiled mockingly. "Oh, feeling sorry that you accepted this as a battle arena? You must send out your final Pokemon or forfeit the match!"
"I only have one more Pokemon...Aero!"
"Tini!"
This may seem hopeless, but I know that Aero can do this...I just have to believe!
"Now, Drakall--take flight!"
The great dragon soared into the air. Yuugi thought hard, trying remember everything he could about his previous battles with dragons; specifically, he was trying to remember if a dragon had ever been defeated by a smaller, weaker creature.
I have to think...I'm sure there's a way, if I could only remember what it is!
"Drakall, attack!"
Yami, not stopping to think and remembering only one Pokemon move at the moment, immediately cried, "Agility!" Then his train of thought caught up with him. "Wait--that's one of Spark's moves, not Aero's!"
But to his surprise, Dratini had used Agility--Drakall missed, slamming into the flagstones--hard. The sturdy construction held, as did the dragon; Yuugi, however, had just remembered...
That's it! I remember now! I have seen a dragon defeated by a weaker creature--well, almost. We fought the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon the day I meet Benjamin! We used Multiply on Kuribo, so that the Blue-Eyes Ultimate dragon couldn't destroy it! This is the same thing--and I think I have a plan.
On the sidelines, Benjamin watched this battle intently. "There is a way...but Aero fights much better with Yuugi than with both of them. Pokemon can become very attached to their trainers..."
The Oracle, meanwhile, was trying to thing of a strategy to defeat the speedy Aero. "Hmm....its true master is the child, so it will not respond as quickly here...Agility will fail. Drakall, continue your attack!"
"Aero, use Agility!"
Unfortunately, the Oracle was correct--Aero did not respond as quickly to anyone other than Yuugi himself. He was hit.
"Aero!"
Yami, I have a plan--but I need to do this myself. Aero will fight better with me!
Are you sure? the spirit asked, knowing that they could not afford to lose this battle.
Yes! Yuugi said desperately; he knew he could do this.
...all right, Yuugi. Good luck.
"All right, Aero--use your Agility!"
Aero perked up, recognizing Yuugi's voice. "Tini? Dratini!"
The Oracle also detected a subtle magical difference in his opponent. "WHAT!? You agreed that only one of you would face me! You cheater! How dare you do this!"
Yuugi smiled. "I'm not cheating, Oracle. I agreed that only one person would face you--and I haven't broken any rules. As long as two people don't fight you at the same time, it's still legal. Besides, I'm really the same person as before--just completely different."
There was silence from Yuugi's friends as they tried to understand this statement. In the end, they gave up and watched the battle.
"All right, Aero, keep using Agility!"
The Oracle smiled craftily. "It will tire soon enough. Drakall, take to the skies, so that it wastes its energy!"
Even as he said this, Yuugi said, "Now, Aero!"
Aero used Ice beam just above Drakall, so that, far from dodging it, it actually flew straight into the attack. The battle was over. Yuugi and Yami had won.
The Oracle looked like he was going to explode. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT!? I WON'T GIVE YOU THE KEY! I REFUSE!"
Think I should banish him? Yami said, grinning.
"Be my guest," Yuugi replied, for once not feeling bad for Yami's victim--er, opponent.
The Oracle looked up. For the first time, there was a faint expression of fear in his eyes. "What?"
Yuugi, however, was not around to answer him. "Oracle, you have tried to trick us this entire battle. We have defeated you, and now, it is time for you to leave. Go!!!"
With that, he pointed his hand, palm up, at the Oracle. In a blinding flash of light, the Oracle shrieked in rage. "This is not the end!" The Champion's body collapsed as the Oracle was forced out. "We will meet again! I will make you pay! AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Then the demon was gone. There was silence as the Champion got up. Then, it suddenly it had them that they had won!!! Mike hugged Rana, twirling her around, Benjamin and Miaka high-fived, and Matt just smiled.
Yuugi was explaining the situation to the Champion. When he understood what had happened, he readily agreed to give them the Key. It looked like the mirror image of the Key Yuugi's friends had recently gained in the Clanner World, and Yuugi could feel that it was very magically powerful. As they were saying their goodbyes to the Champion, three figures appeared outside, waiting for our heroes to emerge....
-o-o-o-o-o-
Yuugi looked at the half of a Key in his hand as they all stepped outside. "We really did it. We finally got the Key."
"Yes, and now you can give it to us."
They all looked up in shock. Standing in front of them were three sinister figures. The middle one was incredibly tall--more than seven feet- -and wore a long black cloak. To his left was a skeletally think man with bony arms and hands. To the right of the tall man was a short, stout man who looked almost round due to his proportions. They could see, however, that he was far from fat--his entire body was like one big muscle.
Yuugi tightened his hand around the Key. "Who are you, and what do you want with the Key?"
The tall man seemed to be the spokesperson for the group. "We collect unique artifacts for our master. The Key of Aramas is a unique artifact. Give it to us."
"Never!"
"Then we shall have to take it by force."
After this, the three began to communicate in a language seemingly made up of rapid clicks and sounds that resembled echolocation or sonic bursts. Benjamin, with his more-than-human hearing, realized that they were analyzing the abilities of their group. He scowled.
"They are dark travelers. Travelers are beings who can Gate between Worlds without a device. These, however, are evil, and very dangerous..."
The three dark travelers' eyes snapped back onto their targets. Benjamin and Mike drew their swords, assuming the "guard" position on either side of Yuugi, who could not draw a weapon since he was holding the Key. Miaka picked up a hefty branch and held it like a staff, while Rana took out her only weapon--a slingshot.
The stout dark traveler immediately went into a headlong charge at Miaka and Rana, but when he went through Rana he turned around to keep attacking her, which delayed him for some time. The tall man drew several weapons concealed beneath his cloak, while the skeleton man held up his hands. The light of his magic grew between them, sealing both Yuugi from using his magic and his Deck from activating. It also impaired Yami's abilities.
Mike and Benjamin glanced at each other, than attacked together. There is no experience quite like fighting a Darkling, and fighting Benjamin is even worse. Benjamin would have made an excellent suicide fighter, simply because he attacked without regard to injury. He leapt on the tall man, screaming at him wildly, half in English and half in Darkling. Benjamin was an excellent sword fighter, but his Darkling blood gave him a tendency to get carried away.
The tall man was also a skilled warrior; he pinned Mike to the ground with a pole through the leg. This really drove Benjamin wild. Even the dark traveler was stunned by his mad attack, as Benjamin slammed into him, knocked him to the ground, and began strangling him with his bare hands. The tall man raised his warclaws, preparing to thrust them inwards and skewer Benjamin.
Yuugi, watching helplessly, shouted, "Benjamin!" The skeleton man screamed in pain and fell to the ground, smoking slightly as his magical block was broken. The tall man's claws bounced backwards. "It's Mirror Force! That means now I can use my Deck! Spellbinding Circle!"
The stout man, who was now charging Miaka, having seriously injured Matt, stopped in his tracks. Realizing after a few moments that he could not move, he stopped and curled up to defend himself.
Meanwhile, skeleton man was getting back up and reforming his magic. Yuugi struggled to resist his magical dampening field, but his Circle flickered. Then the skeleton man gasped as a knife blade penetrated his back.
"You know, I really don't like you," Yami said coldly. The skeleton man, fatally injured, collapsed and was consumed by white fire.
Meanwhile, Matt was demolishing the stout man and Benjamin and Mike continued to fight with the tall man.
"It's no use--some force is pulling his consciousness back into his body no matter how badly injured he is!"
Yuugi stood up tiredly. "We'll just have to get rid of his soul, I suppose. Can we do that?"
He's died about five times already, sure we can.
Yuugi sighed. "I really don't want to do this to you, but I have no choice."
"It's over, tall man. We win--now go to the Shadow realm!"
The tall man shrieked in rage before vanishing to the dark Shadow realm, where he was devoured by Duel Monsters. Thus ended the battle against the dark travelers. Clean-up (healing, wiping blood off of weapons, etc.) took a few minutes longer.
As they were doing this, Matt's headset snapped on. "....what!? Guys, I have to go. The most important person in my World is in danger. Good luck--maybe we'll meet again!"
Then, Miaka and Rana departed for their homes. Benjamin regretfully told Yuugi that he too must leave--his World was in danger, and he knew that they would need his help. Mike would have gone with Yuugi, but Yuugi told Mike that Benjamin would need his help to stop the Overlord from conquering Dark World.
In the end, only Yuugi was left with a borrowed Gating device to bring the Key to Vice. "I guess it's just you and me again."
In that case, let's get that Key to Vice, Yami said, smiling.
"Right!" Yuugi replied cheerfully, pulling out the Gating Device.
The two original Pokemon World searchers, having finally gotten the Key, now set out on the most difficult part of their quest--to enter the Chaos fortress and make it back out alive.
