This part is short, people, very short, but preludes to a fairly good chapter. Any created Pokemon belong to me so if 
you'd like to use them, sure, just email me first and tell me where you fic is cos I like to see my handiwork! 
Shirasharmi@hotmail.com 
 
 
Bat Attack
"Get your ass back here before I...." I let the threat hang. As usual, Bolt ignored me. We had entered the Cave the day before, not 
that you could tell in this timeless vortex, with Bolt leading the way and within half an hour the absent minded Mareep had us 
hopelessly lost.
After a show of temper I recalled him and for the rest of the day relied heavily on Fury's collar of embers. That night she was utterly 
exhausted and I didn't have the heart to ask her to try again for the rest of the trip through the network of caves that made up Union 
Cave.
I tried Chilun. The Artico illuminated the area sufficiently, but took one look at the enclosed vicinity and hurtled into the darkness 
like a Crobat out of Hell, leading us on a merry chase further into the impossible labyrinth. 
When we caught up to him we decided to try Fruean, the electric dragonfly 
Suma had bought at the Ruins of Alph. He buzzed incessantly. The noise echoed around us so I felt like I was standing next to a 
propeller of the Spruce Moose. My patience cracked again and Fruean returned his Pokeball a little ruffled.
Maverick was another problem. Who'd have thought such a blithe little Totodile could be afraid of the dark. It seemed he was 
attached to Sumalee with a 30 cm invisible cord. If he lost contact with Suma's ankle, he'd scuttle around yelping like Donald duck 
with his hand on fire. "Toto Toto Toto!"  If the rest of the cave was going to be this vexatious, by the end I'd have no teeth left and 
would be bald as an Exeggsicute.
Soon, to my distaste, it was obvious Bolt was our only choice. The ruby orb that sat on his constantly wagging tail always kept 
the area within 3 meters well lit.
Unfortunately, most of the time we weren't in the bright spot.
"There! Up ahead!" Cal yelled and took off at a run, chasing a glint of light that was disappearing around the far corner. Suma ran 
after him with Maverick in hot pursuit. Fury and I tried to keep up but as soon as I gained speed I tripped over a rock. I rolled to a 
stop. I crawled back and picked up the rock about as big as my fist, ready to heave it at the unseen wall. But I felt a pattern carved 
into the unusually smooth rock.
"Fury, little light." A short distance off flames flared around Fury's neck and back. With the extra spark I could make out its shape. 
It looked like an egg sliced in half. It shimmered blue as the light shone on it. Faint blue ink was inside the etched teardrop.
"A Water Stone," I whispered amazed. "Heh heh, a bargaining chip against Cal. He could evolve his Eevee or his Poliwhirl. What 
do you think he'd trade for it."
"I don't think we need to worry about that now," Fury said sceptically.
I looked up and there wasn't a trace of Bolt, Cal or Suma.
"Damn it!" I swore. With out light, we'd be lost here for infinity, and next to no hope of finding the guys. I didn't say anything to 
Fury. "We better find Bolt soon, I'm beat." Her collar burnt low giving just enough light to see the out line of my hand.
"Conserve your energy. We may need it later." At that the suffocating darkness closed in us. The totality of it gave me shivers. We 
hugged the wall of the tunnel, tiny steps so our feet wouldn't catch on loose stones and sprain an ankle. As we got used to the 
lack of light we grew bolder and travelled along at a quicker pace. I called out once or twice, hoping to hear Suma and Cal yell with 
reassurance and that they'd found an easy way out. No such luck. 
The darkness was morbid, not that I had anything against that, Morbid was another of my nicknames from school. So we sang 
songs, not only to let the others know where we were, but to keep our spirits up.
"Everybody wants to be a Master, Everybody wants to show their skills," I warbled.
"Everybody wants to get their faster, make their way to the top of the hill," Fury chorused.
"Pokemon Joht... Whoa!" My singing was interrupted unexpectedly as the wall ended and I fell forward into an open space. You 
couldn't seen the cavern but you could feel its immense size.
As I lay on my stomach I felt something like steel wool brush my leg. A low moan escaped my lips. "What I wouldn't give for a 
light!"
Everything that happened after was in rapid succession, so fast my mind eye saw it all happen at once.
Bolt appeared beside me with the dazzlingly bright sphere bobbing on the end of his tail. A loud screeched above. I jerked my 
head up and saw them, Zubats. Huge masses of them hung from the ceiling amid the stalactites. They attacked. I screamed!
On a neighbouring island some campers had stayed outside a cave. They had returned the nest day with just enough blood to 
keep them alive for a few more hours. The bites all over their bodies had been identified as Zubats.
I screamed again. "Run!" I darted for the opening on the opposite end of the great hall. My steps faltered as a Zubat latched onto 
my arm and pierced my skin. I ripped it off, but another soon took its place. I swatted them left and right but still more were ready. 
I pivoted and saw Bolt sitting in the middle of the floor as if it were nothing more than a light shower, gazing into space. Zubats that 
had tried to work through his fleece were caught and struggling frantically to escape the wool that held them.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flame leap into the air. At its source was a multitude of Zubat's and Golbats. At all corners of 
the cave they swooped on for a free feed.
"Fury!" I pushed though the fray and found her at the centre. She was a mass of blood and bites. He legs splayed out before her 
and her flames did nothing to keep away the hordes of bloodsuckers. She didn't seem to be breathing. There it was! The faint rise 
and fall of her chest. But it wouldn't for long. I smacked away a bat that had latched on to her haunch. It hit the floor with a 
slapping sound. I scooped her up as quickly and carefully as I could, but it was a lot easier when she was a Cyndaquil. I heaved 
her out of the knot of leathery wings. 
It was no use. A Golbat slammed onto my shoulder, knocking me to the ground. Its teeth slipped through my T-shirt and into my 
skin. I felt my life force flow out of me with each pulse. I did my best to shield Fury, but bats attacked from the front, seeing my 
preoccupied.
"Bolt! THUNDERSHOCK!"
"Huh?" he said snapping out of his Ivory tower and back to reality. He shook them from his coat.
"Do it you dumbass sheep!" my voice getting weaker. Another Zubat impeded my view. Suddenly crackled overhead. It coursed 
through the bodies of the horde. They convulsed and jerked in midair. Then it stopped and each felt to the ground smoking.
I tore the Golbat from my shoulder and limped towards the opposite end of the hall before the Zubat regrouped and readied for 
another attack. I tucked Bolt under my arm as the first began to stir. I limped faster and faster until I broke into an all out awkward 
run. My feet slapped an irregular staccato rhythm against the stone as I entered the tunnel.
"Bolt. Dim light please?" No answer. A large stone connected with my bite-ridden shin. I screeched as pain screamed through my 
body. Then the light blinked on.
"IF THESE ZUBATS DON'T KILL US FIRST, I'M GONNA THROTTLE YOU!" 
Too late the Mareep had slipped back into his daydream. I looked ahead, skidded to a halt then gapped like a Magikarp. I had 
narrowly missed landing in the inky black water that could have fatal to Fury! I heard the drip, drip, drip into the water.
So its under ground pool or lake and not and underground river, I thought to myself. 
Behind me I heard the flitting of wings. I quickly surveyed the area. The roof was too low for Talorn to carry us across and the water 
was too deep for me to wade through. Mystic's Teleport. I pressed the button on his Pokeball and the red light formed the Natu.
"Mystic. Can you Teleport us to the side of the lake?" 
He hesitated than shook his head. "Dangerous. Teleport drain much energy, make tired and not direct where be. Only one peoples 
at time."
The bats were getting closer.
"Mystic Teleport Fury and my pack to the other side. Try to get Fury in a safe spot in case the Zubat's try to follow. Go Aqua!" 
Aqua zapped out of her Pokeball. Fury, Mystic and my stuff winked from sight. 
"Bolt get on Aqua's back. Bolt? Bolt, did you hear me?" With a frustrated yell, I grabbed him and pushed him beneath the water for 
a moment, than sat him on Aqua's back.
"Huh... What?" The Mareep spluttered.
"Pay attention. Aqua swim beside me and try to keep the Zubats off my back." I was painfully reminded of the Golbat as the first of 
the Zubat latched to my arm. It was stubborn. I finally freed him from my arm, taking a lot of skin with it. I was down to my last 
reservoir of strength and the excitement of the past week caught up with me.
I fell in rather than dived, but that made me no more prepared for bitter cold and I was immediately sorry for dunking Bolt. The icy 
water made me gasp and sucked in a mouthful of water. I coughed and tried to reach the surface, which seemed ages away. I 
broke through the water and started to stroke, none to gracefully, to the other side of the lake. 
My body ached and begged for rest but every time I seemed to slack off, Aqua came to my side and supported me until I caught 
my breath. The bats swooped and tried to catch a bare limb but were beaten of constantly by Aqua's Bubblebeam. Many were 
wary and kept their distance until I collapsed of exhaustion.
After what seemed and eternity, my fingertips brushed solid ground. I dragged myself up and just lay their like a beached whale. 
The water had washed away the congealed blood and the loss was taking its toll. Golbats and Zubats seized their chance and 
rocketed across a swarm of Beedrills. The Aquatro saw my peril, and sang.
A soft sweet melody drifted through the air like a breeze on a Spring morning. In response to the music, the water stirred. 
Unnoticeable at first, then small ripples across the surface of the pool. Ripples turned into gentle waves, lapping against the shore 
and licking my fingers. The song reached its climax the waves spiralled in the centre of the lake, faster and faster. A strong 
penetrating note pushed through the harmony just as a waterspout pushed through the rolling swells. She lifted from the water with 
the grace of a dancer, with Bolt still on her back, her exquisite plumes swaying with the music.
Meanwhile the cascading tower sucked in one Zubat after another with a bubbling sucking sound, like water down the drain. Bolt 
leapt from Aqua's back and into the air when the last one was slurped up, and an imagined burp.
"MaaarEEEP!"  A jolt of thunder vibrated of the walls and I was blinded but electric white light. My eyeballs seared through their 
closed lids. When the fireworks display was finished, I forced them open and saw Aqua catch Bolt inches before he struck the 
water.
She pulled up and glided on unfelt air currents. She fluttered beside me.
"Wake up Topaz. Don't go to sleep," she whispered, nudging my head. But I had watched all this with distant fascination, like 
watching a really late movie on T.V. You tell yourself "I'll just shut my eyes for a moment..."
"Fury. Mystic." I muttered but not really caring. All I needed was sleep. A familiar shadow fell over me. A cool laugh was the last I 
heard before I slipped into a deep sleep.