Author's note: Sorry this is late...I've had lots of laptop problems lately, but now they're all fixed and there's a new chapter! Thank you for the review, Hazel-Beka. Sorry to leave the cliffhanger for so long....hope everyone likes this chapter.
Chap. 13--Arena
Willow spun around, stifling a gasp. Out of the building behind her came a group of ghost Pokemon! Ignoring Willow, they moved into the arena to confront Team Blade and the Slicer. Willow saw some ordinary Kanto ghosts, such as Ghastly, Haunter, and Gengar, and also some more unusual ones that she didn't recognize; being bodiless, it was hard to distinguish them from each other.
Willow saw that the weapons held by Team Blade didn't look like ordinary guns, but she couldn't figure out what they were. She realized that she knew very little about ghost Pokemon.
Why don't you ask Rafael? He knows about ghosts, doesn't he?
"That's right--he said his old trainer liked ghosts best! Rafael, come out!" Willow whispered, releasing the Pikachu. "So...what do you think of this?"
Rafael hopped onto Willow's shoulder, studying the battle. "Pika...chu, pikachu. Pi pikachu!"
He says that the Team Blade people look like they have weapons that are made specially to hit ghost-types. And, he says that these ghosts are very powerful, maybe even more powerful than a trained Pokemon would be. He's never seen anything like some of them.
Willow frowned angrily. "That's not fair--they're going to attack the Pokemon with weapons, not in a fair battle! We have to do something!"
Arturo nodded. "I can stop the Slicer from interfering, Willow. But if you try to attack them, they may harm you with their weapons. You must stay back."
Willow flatly refused to stay back. "No, Arturo. I have to help! Maybe we can damage those weapons or something!"
Before they could argue more, Team Blade made their move. Raising their weapons, they aimed at a rapidly approaching ghost, and fired. The ghost shrieked, blasted backwards as a silvery substance that looked like liquid light flowed from the hole. Willow supposed it must be the ghost-type equivalent of blood.
The other ghosts, seeing their danger, had some success in dodging the blasts, but were unable to strike back. Willow was about to run out and help, but suddenly, something new happened.
Out of nowhere, an enormous ghost Pokemon materialized. It looked almost like an oversized Gengar, but darker colored; its clawed hands floated in front of it like a Haunter's. The Pokemon glared at Team Blade's weapons, and its blood-red eyes glowed in the shadowy stadium. The weapons shattered.
Willow stared at it, mouth open. "That Pokemon...what can it be?"
I don't know--it's scary! Katsu said, feeling the Pokemon's great power. As a psychic type, he had a special weakness for ghost type attacks.
Rafael also shrank back, ears flat. "Pika pi..."
He says it's...a Spooky? What's a Spooky?
"PikaCHU!"
Oh. He says it's a really powerful ghost Pokemon--and this one might be a Pokemon Lord, so it's extra powerful. It sure got rid of those weapons.
Willow frowned thoughtfully. "You're right...Team Blade will have to Pokemon battle the ghosts now! But their Pokemon are so powerful, and they probably brought ones that would be really good for this fight They can't do this alone....wait! We can help them battle!"
"Chu...?"
"I know they probably won't want to battle with us, but if we attack them, they'll have to--and that will take their attention away from the ghosts! What do you think, Rafael? I'm guessing Team Blade will use a lot of ghost Pokemon, since it looks like they'd be right at home here. That means we'll need your help the most, since you know about ghosts."
Rafael flicked his tail back and forth, thinking. "Pika...pikachu. Pi pikachu!"
He says we'll definitely fight. I would help too, but I can't do much against ghosts...actually, most of us can't, really. Sorry...
Willow stroked the little psychic type's head. "It's okay, Katsu-I know you'd help if you could. Let's go, Rafael--we have to stop Team Blade!"
Rafael nodded, clambering up Willow's arm to perch on her shoulder. The two carefully snuck around the wall of the arena, hiding in the shadows. They had to get within striking distance of Team Blade before they were seen and attacked themselves.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Rose clenched her fists, glaring at the twisted remains of her weapon. They had to defeat these ghosts and gain something from the Pokemon Lord--Rose wasn't sure what. She had been commanded to be here, and so she was. Rose knew little about ghost Pokemon, but she could tell that this new creature was extremely powerful.
Rose considered her two Pokemon. She trained nothing that could fight a ghost: normal-type Scratch, a Meowth, couldn't land a blow on a ghost, and Fang, her Houndour, knew too few dark-type moves. These ghosts looked powerful, and Rose wasn't willing to send her Pokemon into a hopeless battle that would only get them injured.
Rose looked up, studying the ghosts. She might not be able to help, but at least she could gauge the strength of this incredible ghost--it might be helpful later if the other Pokemon Lords had similar strength. Rose knew she had to be prepared--these were high-stakes battles.
Suddenly, Rose noticed a slight movement at the edge of the arena. Someone was sneaking towards the battle...but who?
-o-o-o-o-o-
Willow pressed her back against the arena wall, trying to keep to the shadows as much as possible. She had almost reached Team Blade...almost...
The Team Blade members had pulled out Pokeballs and attacked the ghosts, who struck back with a vengeance. The battle was fierce, but Team Blade had yet to use their spliced Pokemon; apparently, very few of the Team Blade trainers had the privilege of using them.
One Team Blade member stepped forward, holding out a single Pokeball. He smirked, flipping his dark-brown bangs out of his eyes.
"I'll handle this one, if it's too much for you guys," he said, casting forth the Pokeball. Out of it appeared a Pokemon Willow didn't recognize; she correctly guessed that it must be spliced.
Willow was certain it was at least part ghost-type, but there was something else in it too-something that suggested the wild ferocity of the dark-type. It was a slender cat-like creature, head reaching its master's thighs as it sat on its haunches, thin tail swishing across the hard ground. Its red eyes narrowed, focusing on its opponent: the ghosts.
Willow knew this Pokemon was dangerous. If its train had chosen to send it alone against the ghosts, it must have some huge advantage. She had to stop the trainer and his Pokemon before it could attack the ghosts and force them to retreat.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Rose frowned. Who was that girl? She didn't look like anything special--average height, average weight, average cloths. The Team Blade girl studied the stranger's long, pale-brown hair and nervous light-gray eyes. She had good reason to be frightened, whoever she was; she had walked into the middle of a Team Blade attack.
Rose considered stopping the strange girl, but decided against it with an indifferent shrug. Captain Marius would take of her with his spliced Pokemon—Nightshade.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Willow glanced at Rafael on her shoulder. Would he be able to fight this strange Pokemon? Willow wasn't sure, but she knew Rafael, with his knowledge of ghost Pokemon, was the only one of their team that stood a chance.
"Rafael...we have to get them to fight us. If we do that, then maybe the ghosts will have time to run away or regroup or something. But...I think they'll only attack us if we force them to see that we're a threat—worth fighting. So we have to strike before they see us, and we have to make it count, because we'll only get one shot at this."
Rafael nodded. "Pika pi!" Willow had taken him in when he was lost and alone, and now he would help her in return.
"PikaCHUUU!" Out of nowhere, a powerful thunderbolt struck. The strange, cat-like Pokemon, however, seemed to sense it coming; its ears twitched slightly, and it leapt aside. Marius turned.
Marius was annoyed. He had expected his team to complete a simple operation quickly, and they had wasted time fighting the ghosts. He had expected them to come prepared, but their special equipment had been easily thwarted by the ghost lord. And now, he was being attacked by an unknown source. It was certainly no threat, but it was a perfect opportunity to take out his pent-up anger.
Willow stepped out of the shadows to stand behind her Pokemon, fists clenched to stop her hands from shaking. Willow didn't know much about Team Blade, but she knew they had to win—or they would all be in danger.